Futile Devices Scans

After Yu Gong Lie finished receiving the envoy in Xuanchen Hall, he dismissed court at once and summoned his trusted aides to Qingliang Pavilion in the inner court to discuss matters.

His left and right arms exchanged silent glances all the way into Qingliang Pavilion. Yu Gong Lie had still forced himself to endure in front of others, but now that they had reached a place with no outsiders, he finally swept everything over with a crash, smashing the writing implements and tea service all across the floor. In a fury, he roared at Yu Gong Zhao Ye, “Is this how your Yeguang handles affairs?!”

Yu Gong Zhao Ye dropped to one knee without the slightest hesitation and lowered his head to admit fault. “This humble subject failed in vigilance. May Your Majesty punish me.”

“What use is punishment!”

Yu Gong Lie lost his composure and shouted furiously, “He has already reached Quting! Why did Yeguang not notice anything at all? I established the Purple Empyrean Court and let you recruit so many subordinates—was it so you could all retire there?!”

Although “monitoring Yu Gong Ming” had never been among Yeguang’s duties, failing to notice Yu Gong Ming slipping in through a hidden route was indeed an oversight on their part. Therefore, Yu Gong Zhao Ye quietly knelt there and accepted the scolding, his brows and eyes lowered in an obedient, softened manner, with no intention of arguing with the king while he was in the middle of his anger.

The secret agents who had escorted the two Highnesses to foreign lands back then were not the same as Yeguang’s current hidden agents. For example, when Yu Gong Yao married far away into the Wuchi royal court, barring accidents, she would never return to Longsha in her lifetime. The secret agent by her side had protecting their master as the first priority. Aside from regularly exchanging messages with Bihua, they were in truth no different from an ordinary guard. At most, they were a carrier pigeon reporting safety. Gathering intelligence was not their primary duty, let alone surveillance.

When Bihua was being hunted and blocked by every nation, Yu Gong Feng Ting had worried that his children would be implicated and had even once ordered contact to be temporarily severed, exposing them as little as possible in order to preserve themselves to the greatest degree.

Later, after Yeguang was rebuilt, it took over the two lines of contact in Bihua’s place. Yu Gong Zhao Ye had his own people in Wuchi and Dongyu responsible for collecting intelligence, so there was no need to place new eyes beside the two of them. Therefore, the duty of regularly reporting safety to the court was still handled by the original hidden agents.

After Yu Gong Lie ascended the throne, he tossed Yu Gong Ming completely to the back of his mind, treating it as though he did not have such a younger brother at all. He never asked or cared in ordinary times, and only remembered to fly into a rage and demand accountability everywhere once something happened. Never mind that Yu Gong Zhao Ye had no way to give him an explanation; after so many years of master and servant depending on each other in a foreign land, would their feelings not be deeper than those toward the court? On what grounds should they give up the chance to return to their homeland for that vague and empty thing called “loyalty and righteousness”?

Although Yu Gong Ming’s actions were very out of line, Yu Gong Zhao Ye actually did not feel much dislike toward this matter. Back then, the Third Prince had been sent to Dongyu in order to save Longsha. He was a meritorious subject who had rendered real service. He had been only thirteen when he left home and had endured eight years of hardship alone in a foreign land. No one had thought of bringing him back, so he found a way to return by himself. Even if it caused some trouble, Longsha should clean up the aftermath for him.

Moreover, their main enemy, Yanyuan, was currently tied down by domestic turmoil and had no attention to spare elsewhere. Longsha had to take back the price it had paid for victory back then. The peace talks with Qiyun were only the first step; the issue of Dongyu’s stationed troops would have to be resolved sooner or later. Yu Gong Ming extricating himself now was better than remaining in Dongyu as a hostage and being used to threaten Longsha in the future.

However, Yu Gong Lie clearly did not think so. His anger seemed especially great, and he was still shouting at Yu Gong Zhao Ye, “You can’t even keep watch over one person! What use are you people! Useless—”

“Your Majesty.”

A reminder, neither too loud nor too soft, interrupted him in time. Wei Fu’s face was expressionless. Once he put away his smile, those peach-blossom eyes, usually bright and full of feeling, looked especially dark, deep, and serious as he solemnly watched the furious Yu Gong Lie.

“Your Majesty’s only younger brother has endured countless hardships and finally returned to your side. Is this not a good thing worthy of celebration?”

His calmness was like a basin of cold water poured over Yu Gong Lie’s head. His voice was composed and unhurried, every word extremely clear and forceful. Rather than persuasion, it seemed more like a meaningful warning.

“Why is Your Majesty anxious and afraid?”

“…”

Yu Gong Lie’s chest rose and fell continuously. Breathing heavily, he glared fiercely at him, his eyes bloodshot, the veins on his neck bulging. He was agitated like a mad lion, as though in the next moment he might charge forward and curse Wei Fu to his face.

But some strange force pressed him in place. Yu Gong Lie’s fingertips dug hard into the tabletop, almost sinking into the solid wood. Even when his nails split, he did not seem to feel it. No one knew whether he was struggling against Wei Fu or against himself.

Wei Fu did not say another word and silently stared at him.

They remained locked in this stalemate for several breaths before the savage beast was finally dragged by its chains back into its lightless cage. Yu Gong Lie let out an exhausted breath, as though all the bones in his body had been pulled out. Staggering around the mess all over the floor, he sank weakly back behind the imperial desk.

That painless, innocuous piece of advice had truly struck the heart of him, making him recover his usual calm.

Only when he turned away did Wei Fu have the leisure to attend to another gaze at his side. Lowering his head to meet it, he found that the half-kneeling Yu Gong Zhao Ye was looking up at him, his eyes full of amusement, teasing, appreciation, and laughter—only without the slightest hint of reflection or repentance.

Wei Fu: ?

Was this very funny?

The fox spirit was angry.

Yu Gong Zhao Ye had seen all sorts of expressions on Wei Fu’s face, but perhaps there was something lacking in him by nature, because the one he liked most was actually when Wei Fu was angry.

Yu Gong Zhao Ye had a cold face that could frighten people away purely by remaining expressionless, while even when Wei Fu’s emotions were calm, the upward curve of his lips and his especially tender, affectionate eyes made him appear as though he were smiling.

Perhaps even Wei Fu himself had never realized that when he completely reined in his smile and thought he had pulled a long face, his eyes would grow larger and rounder, the corners of his lips would tighten, and he would stare solemnly at the person opposite him, trying to pressure them with his gaze. If he did not speak, then looking only at his expression, it was very difficult to tell he was angry. Instead, it looked as though he were gazing at you with exceptional seriousness and focus.

It made him look a little… cute.

That puffed-up expression of his turned into confusion under their exchanged gaze, his eyes round and making that puzzlement seem even clearer. Yu Gong Zhao Ye could not hold back and turned his head aside to laugh again.

Wei Fu: …

They had rushed back before his birthday was even over to clean up this mess, and he had just been scolded bloody by the king. What exactly was there to be happy about?!

He rarely observed Yu Gong Zhao Ye from an angle with such a difference in height. His Highness’s half-kneeling position happened to place him level with Wei Fu’s waist. When he lifted his eyes from below, he resembled a fierce beast crouched beside its master’s leg, murderous and loyal.

But once he smiled, that especially handsome, wickedly charming air appeared, enough to shake a person’s soul. Moreover, he was kneeling in such an inappropriate place. The two of them were not far apart; with a hook of the hand, they could touch each other, and if Wei Fu lifted his sleeve, he could even cover him completely.

Was this the sort of posture and expression that should be revealed inside the palace, right under the king’s eyes?!

Wei Fu gave Yu Gong Zhao Ye a look, signaling for him to stop laughing; if he truly could not manage it, he might as well pretend to cry. Seeing Wei Fu purse his lips like a little cat, Yu Gong Zhao Ye felt as though the tip of his heart had been scratched by foxtail grass. He simply pulled Wei Fu’s sleeve over to cover his face, hiding the smile he could no longer suppress.

The sleeve cuff trembled, trembling until even Chancellor Wei’s ears turned red.

Yu Gong Lie’s anger had cooled, but Wei Fu seemed to be heating up somewhere he should not be…

“Rise.”

Yu Gong Lie finally calmed his emotions. Thinking of his earlier loss of composure, he seemed somewhat unnatural. Without address or signature, he spoke to the two who looked so solemn and proper. “Minister Wei, stay. Bring Yu Gong Ming back to the palace as soon as possible.”

Saddled with a king who startled so easily, after receiving Yu Gong Ming back and then sending Wei Fu away, how was Longsha supposed to live from now on?

Yu Gong Zhao Ye silently sighed in his heart and answered obediently, “By your command. This subject takes his leave.”

He lifted the hem of his robe and rose. In the instant their sleeves crossed, he swiftly hooked Wei Fu’s palm, nearly making Wei Fu jump two li away. Then, as though nothing had happened, he nodded politely to him, smiled faintly, and sauntered off like a big-tailed wolf.

Wei Fu: …

Does Longsha still have any law left at all!?

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