Chapter 43: Hua Jianli’s Visit
"Little Qi, what happened to you? Without you, I can"t become emperor!"
In the room, a plainly dressed, rough male was pacing back and forth nonstop, constantly grumbling. Meanwhile, sitting behind the desk, a youth who was about to write but was broken off coldly flowered at the uncouth man. He was already so angry, he didn"t know what to say.
This idiot, how could he just carelessly leave the newly established dynasty and come here? He already wrote so many decrees, was he not going to announce them? Did he not carry them out? Because of the new dynasty, West Zhi was in chaos, but he… Time wouldn"t wait for them. If Zhi nation did not settle down soon, the four surrounding countries would begin to stir!
"Little Qi, why aren"t you saying anything? I"ve already been standing here for so long, but you didn"t even serve me tea yet. Look at you, you look like a old man who only knows how to be idle. You"re not even helping me. If I had known, I would have forced you to become the emperor instead, so I wouldn"t have had to…"
"Shut up!" Ye Yin gnashed his teeth. "You idiot, what"s going to happen to the new dynasty if you come here? Do you want some other people to take over?"
"I…"
"You fool, do you know how much effort I used to obtain West Zhi? Are you just going to irresponsibly leave?" Ye Yin suddenly threw down his brush. The pure white paper was splattered with black ink.
Hua Jianli was startled by Ye Yin"s imposing pressure. He hastily smiled apologetically. "Little Qi, I really can"t do it. You know that I"m ok with battles, but sitting at court and listening to bickering gives me such a headache. I really can"t become emperor!"
"Then what do you plan to do?" Ye Yin smiled.
Not discerning the anger hidden behind Ye Yin"s smile, Hua Jianli continued to smile apologetically. "Little Qi, why don"t you become emperor?"
These past two days, Ye Yin had been healthy enough to stand up and walk around instead of just lying down. However, just when he sat down and started to prepare to write, his peace was broken by Hua Jianli"s arrival!
"Bulls.h.i.t!" Utterly exasperated, Ye Yin stood up and pointed straight at Hua Jianli"s nose. "Do you think this is a game? You think you can change the emperor whenever you want to? Hua Jianli, can you please get a brain? Are you going to just throw away all my hard work? You *********, get the f***k back right now!"
Hua Jianli gaped, his eyes wide. He… he cussed?
All these years, the youth had given him an image of grace. Even when they visited the brothels together or drank, he had never seen this youth reveal a trace of being unrefined, but today, the celestial like youth actually…
Hua Jianli instantly cowered. He had never seen Ye Yin like this any more. This Ye Yin made him timidly withdraw his neck. "I apologize, Little Qi. Please don"t be so angry. I…I… In the future I won"t say such irresponsible words. I will listen obediently to you in the future, ok?"
Closing his eyes, Ye Yin took a deep breath to suppress his ire. "What happened to those decrees I sent you?"
"Oh?" Hua Jianli faltered for moment. "They"ve all been proclaimed!"
"I know you did! I"m asking how well they"ve been implemented!"
Sensing that Ye Yin"s anger was rising again, Hua Jianli smiled apologetically and said cautiously, "Not very well."
Ye Yin sat back down tiredly and closed his eyes. Hua Jianli knew that Ye Yin was so angry, he didn"t want to speak with him. He couldn"t help but try to defend himself, "But you can"t blame me, West Zhi"s treasury has been empty for a while, so I can"t do anything. Those chancellors all just see me as a joke and don"t come up with any ideas, I…"
"So…" Ye Yin started to say slowly, "Hua Jianli, are you only good at warfare?"
Not discerning that Ye Yin was mocking him, Hua Jianli responded, "Yeah, I"m only good at battling. I"m no good with hidden plots and the sort. I said back then that I wasn"t suitable to be an emperor, but you guys kept on driving me into a corner. No…"
"Are you saying I made a mistake?" Ye Yin asked softly.
"Yes… I mean, no!" Hua Jianli suddenly shuddered. Ye Yin"s voice had changed, a sign that he was extremely angry. He had to carefully placate him. Hua Jianli forced on a smile. "Actually, Little Qi, as long as the court has you, everything will be settled, but you keep on staying here instead of going to An city. If I send you mail, you don"t reply. If I send men, you force them back. I could only personally come to find you."
Ye Yin remained silent. Hua Jianli continued, "You said last time you were going to stay here and protect rouge until she came out. Just now, I saw Rouge. She seems fine now, so now you shouldn"t have any excuse. Can you come with me now?"
"He can"t go with you, he needs to stay here!" Hua Jianli abruptly turned around at the sudden voice.
Du Luo stood at the door, his arms crossed. He was expressionless, his voice cold. Du Luo and Hua Jianli knew each other from Ye Yin. Although they weren"t close, their relationship was not that bad. Only now and then would they b.u.t.t heads.
"Why?" Hua Jianli watched Du Luo strangely. "So you"ve returned from Wutian county. I thought it was strange why Little Qi didn"t come to An city, if was you who was forcing Little Qi to stay. Little Qi, you can"t favor him. He"s not your only friend, so you must leave with me now!"
Before Ye Yin could respond, Du Luo entered the doorway and said coldly, "Leave with you? Do you want his life?"
"Brother Du!" Ye Yin started to frown.
Hua Jianli did not understand. "What? What do you mean I want his life?"
"It"s nothing…" Ye Yin started to say hastily.
"Little Qi, if you keep on hiding it from him, in the future he will feel even more guilty, and if you don"t tell everything, do you think he"ll let it drop? You know you simply cannot leave this place!"
Hua Jianli"s expression instantly became serious. "What are you hiding from me? Little Qi, something happened to you."
Ye Yin bit his lip. He faintly, "It"s nothing, I just got a little hurt is all."
"Don"t lie to me! If it wasn"t serious, then you wouldn"t stay here. The new dynasty of West Zhi was created out of your own blood, sweat, and tears. You wouldn"t brush it aside so easily." Hua Jianli stared at Ye Yin fixedly, his voice starting to shake. "Tell me, Little Qi, what happened to you?"
"You still dare to ask!" Du Luo stepped forward and grabbed Hua Jianli by the collar. "Let me ask you, why didn"t you leave people here before you left? Don"t say that he didn"t want them. You just let him stay here with no people just because he didn"t want them? Shouldn"t you have sent some people to secretly guard him? Qi Chengfeng hadn"t died yet, did you know that? Qi Chengfeng came here after Little Qi. He stabbed Little Qi with his sword laced with the poison banned by Nanrong, Skypath!"
"Qi Chengfeng hadn"t died yet? Skypath?" Hua Jianli repeated. "Has Little Qi been poisoned?"
"Hua Jianli, you are a real idiot!" Du Luo let go of Hua Jianli. "Do you know how it feels to watch as he grows feeble day by day, to see him walking to death"s door step by step? Do you know I want to die from the feeling of helplessness! But look at you, throwing aside the new dynasty Little Qi has built painstakingly to run here and complain to Little Qi. You want him to leave with you? You sure are lucky. This is the one time he"s been allowed off the bed. Hua Jianli, may I ask you to not be so selfish?"
Ye Yin rubbed his temples. It"s over. Du Luo was going to spend all his pent up gloom on Hua Jianli. However, he was indeed truly angry that Hua Jianli had irresponsibly come here. Whatever, Du Luo would give him a good enough beating.
"I"m sorry! I"m sorry!" Hua Jianli"s vacant eyes were soon filled with pain and worry. He looked at Du Luo helplessly. "Little Qi, he"s, he"s fine, right?"
Du Luo humphed. "Have you heard of Skypath? Do you think Little Qi"s life is not worth much?" It wasn"t that he was purposely leaving out that Nangong Piaoran was getting the antidote, but that Hua Jianli needed to be taught a lesson!
"Skypath?" Hua Jianli repeated blankly. He did not know this poison, but from Du Luo"s expression it seemed… incurable? No, it couldn"t be. If it were incurable, then Du Luo"s expression wouldn"t be like that…
"How do you cure Skypath? I"ll find the antidote, even if I have to go to the ends of the earth."
"Idiot. By the time you reached the ends of the earth, Little Qi would be long dead!"
"Young master Hua, you don"t need to worry. A gentleman named young master Nangong has already went to get the antidote for young master Ye. He has already been gone for many days. We have been here waiting for his antidote. The antidote is in the Nanrong imperial palace, and here is closer to Nanrong than An city, so it is better for young master Ye to stay here. Furthermore, young master Ye"s circ.u.mstances are not well right now. He is not suited for travel." Xie Lanzhi had heard the commotion coming from Ye Yin"s room. By the time she came, Hua Jianli and Du Luo"s argument was nearly over. Only now that it was over did she enter and cover Ye Yin"s legs with a blanket.
"When can Nangong Piaoran return?" Hua Jianli was already calmed down. He gazed at Ye Yin apologetically.
"He already sent news saying he will return in a few days. Little Qi, you must persevere until he returns!"