How To Survive as a Villain

Yan HeQing withdrew his gaze and asked Deputy General Chen: “Where are you settled?”

Deputy General Cheng quickly replied: “At an Inn on the East Street.”

Yan HeQing narrowed his eyes. After remaining silent for a short while, he said: “Go back for now, rest well and come find me tomorrow.”

“Your Majesty? Your Majesty?” Deputy General Chen wanted to ask why, but Yan HeQing didn’t bother to reply to him, and just walked into the residence.

As Xiao YuAn looked Yan HeQing’s back slowly walking into the residence, he quickly followed behind him.

At the same time, Zhang Baizhu was scratching his head, while seeing how Deputy General Chen was crying bitterly and howling about ‘The Emperor is alright!’ while walking back towards the East Street. Zhang Baizhu didn’t know why, but he had the feeling that everything was just a false alarm, so he simply shrugged his shoulders and returned to the medical shop.

However, as soon as he arrived at the medical shop, he saw that Zhang Changsong was talking to another man dressed in black; it was a man in his forties, with a firm face and an upright posture. The two of them were holding hands as if they were good friends who hadn’t seen each other for years, with tears covering their eyes. When they saw that Zhang Baizhu was back, Zhang Changsong wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and waved at Zhang Baizhu: “Baizhu, quickly come over and greet your uncle¹.”

…

Xiao YuAn pushed open the door of the wing room and saw that Yan HeQing was standing close to the window. His face still looked indiferent, as if he didn’t care for the world’s affairs.

Xiao YuAn couldn’t help but think to himself: ‘Since Yan HeQing’s mind isn’t clouded by women, he must be wholeheartedly trying to rule over the Four Kingdoms. The red tassel spear², the white horse and silver armor, the battle over the yellow sand, and finally, the horse bringing the successful battle report to the Monarch. After a few years of prosperity and peace, the unified land of the Four Kingdoms will become Yan HeQing’s home, his final destination.’

‘Yan HeQing and I, in fact, we weren’t on the same page from beginning to end.’

“Yan-ge, I knew that someone would come looking for you sooner or later. You see, you’ve even made them feel anxious about your disappearance. Moreover, your injuries are almost healed and your mobility is not seriously limited. You can go back now.” Xiao YuAn said with a warm smile on his face.

Yan HeQing turned his head and looked at Xiao YuAn.

Inexplicably, Xiao YuAn felt frightened by that gaze, so he quickly looked away and continued talking: “However, you still aren’t allowed to make any significant maneuvers if you want to recover properly; and since I don’t know if the physicians at the barracks have enough medicine to treat your internal injuries, I’ll pack some for you.”

Yan HeQing remained silent, just looking at Xiao YuAn with an intense gaze.

Xiao YuAn felt that he couldn’t talk to him anymore, so he whispered in a very low voice: “You should rest for a while, I’ll go to the medical shop.” After that, he turned around and started to walk away.

However, at that moment, Yan HeQing finally spoke: “Xiao YuAn.”

“Huh?” Xiao YuAn, who had just stepped one foot over the threshold, held the door frame and turned to look at Yan HeQing. As the cool breeze coming from the window blew in, Yan HeQing’s black silk-like hair and clothes danced in the air; this stirred up a few ripples³ to form in the depths of Xiao YuAn’s eyes. Every living being is lucky to not understand what is inside their own minds, but it’s also unfortunate that sometimes they don’t understand their own feelings.

Yan HeQing said: “Come back early tonight, I have something to say to you.”

“Huh? Oh, well alright, alright.” Xiao YuAn, stunned, simply nodded his head. After seeing that Yan HeQing didn’t have anything more to say, he turned around and walked out of the wing room.

…

In the middle of the afternoon, the kindly warm light and the silence surrounding the small courtyard were broken from time to time by the sounds of the birds chirping. As Third Aunt bent over to sweep the floor, she wasn’t in a hurry to clean, so she swept slowly; the broom sweeping across the ground made a soft rustling sound. However, when she saw Xiao YuAn walking by, she immediately stopped what she was doing and asked with some doubt: “What happened to you, YuAn? Why do you look like you’ve lost your soul?”

“Ah?” Xiao YuAn, who just woke up from his trance, replied: “Nothing, nothing happened.”

Third Aunt scrutinized his expression for a few seconds, and then decided to ask: “Is Yan-gongzi really going to leave?”

“Yes, he’s leaving.” Xiao YuAn replied: “There’s nothing here for him to stay for; after all, he has his own ambitions too.”

Third Aunt shook her head, whispering a few words to herself. When she raised her gaze again, she saw that Xiao YuAn was walking away towards the residence main entrance, so she asked him very confusedly: “YuAn, where are you going?”

“I’m going to the medical shop, and while I’m there, I’ll grab some medicine for Yan HeQing’s internal injuries.” While he was talking, he had already walked out of the residence, slowly walking farther and farther away.

Third Aunt couldn’t help but murmur to herself once Xiao YuAn disappeared from sight: “This silly boy ah. He’s saying the opposite of what he actually feels.”

Is YHQ going to confess?? Is XYA going to realize his own feelings (at some point)??

Wait for next week updates to know!! (haha)

Footnotes

1. 舅舅 jiù jiu; Informal way of calling an uncle from the mother’s side of the family. / Mother’s brother.
2. It looks like THIS.
3. 涟漪 lián yī; Describes the ripples on the surface of water blown by the wind. It’s often used as a metaphor for the subtle thoughts/feelings inside the mind. The ripples on the mind stirred up by something small, meaning that something small caused some inner turmoil. From《诗经》(shī jīng) “Book of Songs”.

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