Chapter 24: Emperor’s Disciple

The emperor had left the palace with palace guards, bodyguards, officials, and servants and soon arrived at Ye Manor.

“Greetings to Your Majesty!” Except for Lord Ye and Consort Ye, everyone else was kneeling.

“No need for such formality. I’m just attending a family banquet today. All of you may rise,” said a warm voice. An elegant middle-aged man stepped out of a luxurious sedan. This man was the current emperor, the Second Emperor of Qin.

After Ye Sheng got to his feet and took a look, he realized that this emperor seemed a lot more like a scholar. He was very different from the emperors he had imagined.

“Your Majesty, this way please,” said Lord Ye.

“Certainly. All of you can wait outside. Gan Yue will accompany me into the manor,” said the Second Emperor of Qin with a smile.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” replied his entourage in unison.

“Gan Yue, I’m surprised that His Majesty has finally managed to recruit you.” Lord Ye looked at the person standing next to the emperor.

Ye Sheng stole a glance at him as well. This man was barely noticeable as he remained in the emperor’s shadow without saying a word, although carrying a long sword.

“His Majesty tried to recruit me several times, and he was very sincere about it. I decided to stay in Xianyang and to become a bodyguard for His Majesty,” said Gan Yue. His voice was hoarse, like blades scratching against each other. He looked very old with hair that had turned all gray and many wrinkles on his face. His hands, however, were as pretty as a young girl’s.

“Lord Ye, you always said that it wasn’t safe for me to leave Xianyang, so I decided to recruit the best swordsman in the world as my bodyguard. With him around, I’m sure you won’t have to worry about me when I travel around the country,” said the emperor with a hearty laugh.

“With Gan Yue around, it is true that I won’t have to worry about your safety anymore. Congratulations on finding a worthy bodyguard,” said Lord Ye quietly as he continued to look at Gan Yue.

“All right now, it’s a family banquet today, so since Mister Gan Yue has to protect His Majesty, he ought to come in as well. Your Majesty, this way please.” Consort Ye smiled beautifully as she walked over and took the emperor’s arm and led him into the house.

Lord Ye stretched a hand out and said, “Swordsman Gan Yue, this way, please.”

Gan Yue nodded without saying anything and followed the emperor into the house.

…

The banquet in Ye Manor was a grand affair, and it was held in the backyard of Ye Manor. The most famous opera singers in Xianyang had been invited to put on a show, and they were just about to start singing when Consort Ye led the emperor to sit at the main table.

The main table was reserved for Lord Ye, First Madam, Consort Ye, the emperor, and Gan Yue. All the other guests had to find their places at the other tables.

“Twelfth Brother, you can stay here,” said Consort Ye suddenly, just as everyone else was about to head for the other tables.

Ye Sheng didn’t feel anything special when he heard her, but everyone else immediately started feeling unhappy about it. Ye Qing, in particular, became immensely jealous as he glared at Ye Sheng. There were many mixed emotions in that stare.

“Ye Sheng is of such lowly status, so why should he sit at the main table?” First Madam couldn’t stand it and just had to ask.

Consort Ye calmly glanced at her and said, “I didn’t say that Ye Sheng was going to sit at the main table. First Madam, why do you discriminate between the children within this family to this extent?”

First Madam’s expression changed, and she clenched her fists tightly under the table. The hatred in her heart rose mightily.

But Consort Ye ignored her and just said to the emperor, “Your Majesty, this is the younger brother I always talk to you about, Ye Sheng.”

The emperor looked a little curiously at Ye Sheng and said with a smile, “Oh, so this is the boy? You always say that you miss him when you are in the palace. Now that I can actually see him in person, I agree that he does have above-average looks and an excellent manner.”

When Ye Qing heard the emperor compliment Ye Sheng like this, his face almost became distorted from his anger. Smoke was practically coming out of his nostrils like an angry bull.

Hu Mei stood by his side and frowned, and she reached out to pinch Ye Qing on the waist. The pain made Ye Qing glare at his mother unhappily. He was very angry right now.

But Hu Mei glared fiercely back at him. She was telling Ye Qing not to do anything stupid, because this was not the place to do anything foolish.

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Ye Qing finally stopped himself from doing anything crazy. He just looked at Ye Sheng and felt very indignant.

Ye Sheng was completely unaware of Ye Qing’s jealousy. After the emperor had praised him, he replied, “It is my great honor for Your Majesty to actually remember who I am.”

“Your Majesty, out of everyone in Ye Manor, I like this brother the best, and I dote on him the most. I have returned to the manor today because I would like to ask Your Majesty for a favor for Ye Sheng,” said Consort Ye with a faint smile.

The emperor didn’t get angry and actually became a little interested as he asked curiously, “And what would do you want for this little brother of yours?”

Not only was the emperor interested in this, but everyone else was also staring at Consort Ye now, including Lord Ye. He frowned slightly as he watched quietly without saying anything.

“Emperor’s Disciple,” said Consort Ye as her red lips parted.

Everyone in Ye Manor looked in shock at Consort Ye. The title of being an Emperor’s Disciple carried many implications. Consort Ye was actually asking for something like that for Ye Sheng?

In that instant, Ye Sheng could feel countless jealous gazes on himself.

Lord Ye’s gaze intensified, and he said, “Ye Sheng has no accomplishments nor special gifts, so he’s not worthy to be an Emperor’s Disciple.”

Ye Qing was about to explode from jealousy, but once he heard what his father had said, he felt like he had finally found a way to vent his frustration. He became rash and said, “Your Majesty, Ye Sheng is recognized by everyone in Ye Manor to be a good-for-nothing, and even his knowledge of martial arts was learned in secret and isn’t proper at all. So he’s not fit to be an Emperor’s Disciple.”

Ye Qing felt so good after having said these words. He looked smugly at Ye Sheng. There was no way he was going to allow Ye Sheng to become an Emperor’s Disciple.

But all he got in return was Ye Sheng’s disdainful gaze.

Ye Qing froze for a moment before looking around him. Hu Mei’s beautiful face was so dark, it was terrifying. Her gaze felt like arrows that pierced right through Ye Qing’s heart.

He looked back at the main table and saw that Consort Ye was livid. She was looking at him like he was nothing but a corpse. Her stare was emotionless and anybody could see that Consort Ye was furious right now.

Next to Consort Ye was sitting Lord Ye. His expression wasn’t very different from Consort Ye’s, and he looked at Ye Qing like he was an idiot.

Ye Qing immediately turned pale, and his body started to shudder. He suddenly realized that he might have made a terrible mistake.

“Ye Qing, His Majesty is here today, and as my younger brother, you’ve insulted me with your words, so I have no choice but to explain myself, ” said Ye Sheng, after pausing for a few moments when he saw that everyone looked rather nasty.

After Ye Qing heard what the pretty-faced and excellent-mannered Ye Sheng had said, he felt a frustration suddenly surge within him, so he retorted sarcastically, “What is there to explain? Father wouldn’t allow you to learn martial arts, but you didn’t listen and went to learn martial arts by spying on others. You’re already 16, but your level is only at Acquired Level Third Stage. How are you going to become an Emperor’s Disciple like that?”

“First, Father didn’t allow me to learn martial arts because he has his reasons for doing so.

“Second, I learned martial arts from Eldest Sister before she left for the palace, so I didn’t do this by spying on others.

“Third, while Eldest Sister was at the palace, I had to practice martial arts very cautiously so that nobody else would find out, and I had no other resources available to me, but I still managed to reach Acquired Level Third Stage. I don’t need to explain how difficult that must have been.

“Fourth, you may have learned and practiced martial arts since you were a child, and you are at Acquired Level Sixth Stage. But that doesn’t add up to much, and defeating you would be a piece of cake for me.”

Ye Sheng spoke very clearly and logically as he listed everything neatly. Consort Ye’s eyes lit up when she heard this.

“Twelfth Brother, that was well said!” Consort Ye broke into a smile and started clapping for Ye Sheng.

It didn’t take a genius to see that Consort Ye was bent on protecting Ye Sheng. Even Lord Ye looked in surprise at Consort Ye. He hadn’t expected the relationship between these two siblings to be this solid.

After this whole ruckus erupted, the emperor had more or less figured everything out. He laughed and said, “Lord Ye, it seems like your house is not very harmonious inside.”

Lord Ye sighed and replied, “I am truly ashamed of this. I have neglected in disciplining them all these years, and so you had to witness this unfortunate situation.”

“You don’t have to feel so bad. Since Ye Sheng says that defeating Ye Qing would be a piece of cake, then I will give him this chance. Both of you shall have a fair duel. If Ye Sheng wins, then I will allow him to become an Emperor’s Disciple, and I will agree to anything that Consort Ye wants to help you assume this identity. But if you fail, then I will have no choice but to refuse Consort Ye’s request,” said the emperor.

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