Chapter 157 Extra (Zhou Ye) + Chapter 158 Extra (Zhou Ye II)

Chapter 157 Extra (Zhou Ye)

The day his grandfather died, the weather was very hot.

The corpse began to smell after a day, and although Zhou Ye was so hungry that his chest stuck to his back, he still couldn't help but feel nauseous.

The neighbors chopped down a few trees overnight to make a thin coffin.

After the burial, the neighbor's aunt secretly gave him two steamed buns.

That year, he was five years old.

At five years old, Zhou Ye had never seen his father or his mother. He lived with his grandfather in Zhoujiatun, tending to a few acres of ancestral land.

Life was hard, but at least they had a roof over their heads to shelter them from wind and rain.

Four days after his grandfather's death, people in Zhoujiatun started dying one after another. Within a month, hundreds of new graves were erected.

The officials came and said it was an epidemic.

Zhou Ye didn't understand what an epidemic meant, but he instinctively knew how to survive. He ran away with a few lucky survivors.

After running for five days and nights, those few also died, leaving only Zhou Ye.

Zhou Ye didn't know where to go.

He hadn't eaten for several days and could barely walk. Suddenly, everything went black, and he fainted.

When he woke up, he found himself locked in a room with a dozen other children as skinny as he was.

Zhou Ye didn't have any special skills, but he was naturally sensitive to danger.

He pretended he needed to use the toilet, slipped out into the courtyard, and squeezed through a dog hole, then ran away.

He ran and ran...

Suddenly, he saw a dog gnawing on a meat bone by the roadside.

Without thinking, he stopped, picked up a large stone, and charged at the dog.

He thought, even if he couldn't survive, tasting the bone before dying would be good.

He managed to grab the bone, but before he could taste it, a dozen stray dogs appeared.

With the bone in one hand and the stone in the other, he ran again.

In his haste, he stumbled and fell.

The stray dogs pounced, ready to bite him, when an arrow shot through, shattering the cobblestone.

The dogs scattered.

Through the pain, he saw someone who looked like a god squatting beside him.

He wiped the sweat from his face and tried to look fierce, "Don't think I'll give you the bone just because you saved me. Not a chance."

The person sighed softly.

Many years later, he learned that Wu Guanyue had saved him because when he charged at the dog with the stone, his eyes were fierce and wild, like a wolf's.

In the winter of his fifth year, he held a knife for the first time, learning to become a real wolf.

In the winter of his sixth year, he was brought into a luxurious mansion to meet a young man six years older than him.

The young man wore a pure white Confucian robe and stood under a kapok tree, smiling calmly and modestly.

"I heard your name is Zhou Ye. How about I call you Aye?"

He stood there, stunned.

Everyone who called him Aye was dead, but he liked being called that; it felt familiar. So—

My little master, Aye won't let you die!

...

Zhou Ye met Wu Shunian again ten years later.

That year, he was sixteen, no longer with the fierce and wild look in his eyes, but he had become a real wolf.

And ten years later, Wu Shunian still wore a pure white Confucian robe, sitting in the sunset, with a side profile that instantly made people feel good.

Zhou Ye silently walked behind him.

He noticed and turned around, his eyes brightening slightly.

"Aye, you're here!"

"Master."

Zhou Ye knelt on one knee to pay his respects.

He was about to get married, to a beautiful woman from the Chen family.

This marriage was arranged by the Princess Dowager, who couldn't control her son and hoped to use her grandson to exert some influence.

The master was not at ease and chose him among everyone to be his secret guard.

A secret guard protects the master from unseen places. In a few days, he had already figured out the master's daily routine.

He rises at the second watch of Yin to read books;

At the third watch of Mao, he goes to pay respects to the Princess and his mother, and joins them for breakfast.

After breakfast, a tutor comes to give lessons.

After lunch, he takes a brief nap on a bamboo couch, then heads to the lord's study to handle some miscellaneous affairs.

On busy days, he spends the entire afternoon in the study;

On lighter days, after finishing his official duties, he takes a stroll around the city with his guards.

Dinner is had in the study with father and son together.

After dinner, the lord tests his studies, discusses matters of the court, and listens to his opinions.

Only after all this does he return to his courtyard, take off his long robe, change into a more agile outfit, and practice boxing in the yard until he breaks a sweat.

Finally, he bathes, changes clothes, and goes to bed.

Before sleeping, he reads some leisurely books; sometimes ghost stories or travelogues, sometimes tales of talented scholars and beautiful ladies.

He has trouble falling asleep, tossing and turning for a while, and never covers himself properly, preferring to leave half of the quilt uncovered and half covering him.

He grinds his teeth at night and talks in his sleep.

Zhou Ye can't understand how someone so elegant and refined during the day could be like this when alone.

He has four maidservants and two personal attendants in his room.

The personal attendants are named Dongxue and Qiufeng, both given by the Princess.

Each month, he sleeps with Dongxue and Qiufeng twice each, without favoritism.

When the master engages with the personal attendants, the bodyguards usually stay away, but Zhou Ye hides and watches, listening.

Zhou Ye looks down on those two personal attendants, finding them vulgar and unworthy of him. In bed, they seem like fox spirits, draining his vital energy.

He laments that his sword can only kill people, not demons.

The wedding was in spring; dressed in red robes, riding a tall horse, Zhou Ye felt as if his heart bloomed like the flowers of spring.

The bride is named Chen Liuliu, very plump and charming.

After lifting the red veil, Zhou Ye quietly left and practiced swordsmanship alone all night.

The next day, he took leave from the lord, changed into clean clothes, and went to a brothel.

The lord once said that men must experience the pleasures of life to become more composed.

It was the first time seventeen-year-old Zhou Ye entered such a place, yet why did he keep thinking of that person...

Zhou Ye almost fled, as if chased by wild dogs.

Perhaps it was fate, he ran into a dead end.

Looking at the wall before him, he slowly squatted down and wept silently.

This was the first and last time Zhou Ye cried.

After crying, he continued his duties, watching the people in the room every lonely, damp night...

His gaze grew increasingly intense and harder to hide.

The marriage did not change his life much; the only change was that Chen Liuliu found excuses to send away the two personal attendants.

He spent more and more time in the study.

One night, he suddenly called out "Aye," and Zhou Ye, who had been a bodyguard for months, appeared before him for the first time.

Zhou Ye was about to kneel, but he held him up.

"Aye, why do we live?"

Zhou Ye didn't want to answer, fearing it might scare him.

He didn't seem to care whether Zhou Ye could answer, continuing: "My father wanted to bring peace to the land and tranquility to the seas. What about me? Why am I here?"

Zhou Ye's stomach rumbled.

Both were momentarily stunned.

Chapter 158 - Extra (Zhou Ye II)

Zhou Ye was so embarrassed he wanted to find a hole to hide in.

He laughed and handed over the walnut pastries on the table, "Eat!"

Zhou Ye didn't dare move.

"Eat when I tell you to eat!"

Zhou Ye picked up a piece, took a small bite, and swallowed it whole without chewing, nearly choking.

He offered a cup of tea.

Zhou Ye didn't dare drink.

"Drink!"

Zhou Ye obediently drank it.

From that day on, whenever that man stayed in the study, he would call Zhou Ye out and watch him eat something and have a few sips of tea before letting him go.

Zhou Ye felt both happy and troubled.

There must be aphrodisiacs in these walnut pastries; why do I feel so restless after just one sip!

Half a year later, Chen Liuliu became pregnant. According to the rules, they could not share a bed for the first three months, so he decided to stay in the study.

Chen Liuliu feared the man might not be able to resist and, relying on the child in her belly, asked the Princess Consort to replace the maidservants in the study with male attendants.

Chen Liuliu truly did not understand him. Which of those four senior maidservants hadn't harbored feelings for him? Yet, who had succeeded?

Male attendants were not as meticulous as women, and several times he ended up drinking cold tea.

Zhou Ye couldn't bear to see this and secretly came out a few times to help.

After discovering this, the man smiled but said nothing and found an excuse to send the male attendants away as well.

Thus, Zhou Ye served as a secret guard during the day and a male attendant at night, serving tea and water, making the bed, and occasionally fanning him when the weather was hot.

Zhou Ye felt both happy and troubled.

Can't this person sleep more decently? Every time he turns over, his clothes come undone, revealing everything clearly.

Wherever it's white, black, soft, or hard... he can't even catch his breath from looking.

One night, he was fanning him as usual.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly sensed something strange in the air.

He was too familiar with this feeling and quietly picked up the sword beside him, leaping out the window...

Three assassins, wielding large swords, but their attacks were too slow and all died under his blade.

He sheathed his sword and glanced back at the room. The man stood by the window, expression calm.

Clearly, this was not the first time he had been attacked.

No one knew about the assassination attempt except the master. From that night on, Zhou Ye slept outside his bed, following the master's orders.

This order almost cost Zhou Ye his life.

The man wasn't a peaceful sleeper, no matter how far Zhou Ye moved away, he always managed to get close.

Sometimes, when pushed to the limit, Zhou Ye would sleep on the couch.

But soon, he would feel uneasy and crawl back into bed, feeling like a fool.

Once, upon waking up, Zhou Ye found the man curled up in his arms. His heart skipped a beat, and inexplicably, he slowly opened his arms and gently wrapped them around him from behind.

At that moment, the man suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and dark.

Zhou Ye was terrified, frozen like a stone.

He sighed softly, his voice hoarse, "Aye, in a few years, I'll ask Father to let you leave. Marry a good wife and have a son."

Zhou Ye didn't know what to say and fled in panic.

Before he could sort out his thoughts, the master summoned him and ordered him to pack his things and immediately head to Great Hua.

The assassination attempt made the master finally decide to secure a future for his descendants.

Without even packing, he left the Princess Consort's residence.

In Great Hua, once everything settled down, Zhou Ye began to regret not saying anything to the man. He should have told him to be careful at night, not drink cold tea, not kick off the blankets, and not indulge in the coolness...

But what right did he have to give such advice!

Zhou Ye walked to the bronze mirror and looked at the ordinary face reflected there, sneering:

Zhou, remember your identity and place. Don't take advantage of his kindness and forget your limits.

Someone like him is beyond your reach!

For the first five years in Great Hua, no one came looking for Zhou Ye.

Sometimes, waking up from a dream, he felt lost and empty, as if he were a wandering spirit without a home.

Zhou Ye once wondered what he would say if he ever saw him again.

Would he smile first or kneel first?

Would he avoid mentioning that morning or apologize?

But when the man unexpectedly appeared before him, Zhou Ye realized he was completely wrong.

He couldn't say a word, couldn't utter a single syllable, only staring at him dumbfounded, as if from another world.

"Aye."

The man took a package from the guard, "I brought you some walnut pastries, freshly made. Try them and see how they taste."

He took it and took a bite.

Good.

He was no longer a wandering spirit; his soul had returned!

The man dismissed the guards and looked at him. "Hmm, you do have the appearance of an official now."

Zhou Ye took another bite of the walnut pastry, his mouth full, thus avoiding speaking. He was not one to talk much anyway.

"Grandfather is dead, and Father plans to make a move."

Zhou Ye suddenly lifted his head.

"Every action has consequences that ripple through everything; no one can predict what will happen next."

The man walked into the room, poured a cup of warm tea, and handed it to him. "Among all these people, I only trust you. Please protect him well for me."

After saying this, he lifted his robe and sat down on the threshold, then patted the spot beside him, signaling Zhou Ye to sit.

Zhou Ye sat down nervously.

"Sometimes I often think, living in such a family, is it a blessing from heaven or its disdain?"

Zhou Ye's heart jolted.

"My grandmother is pitiful; having a man is like not having one. She struggled her whole life, but even her son doesn't get along with her;

My grandfather is pitiful; he lived under the authority of the Princess his entire life and didn't even die peacefully;

My mother is pitiful; she spent every day trying to please my father, guarding against this and that, but never guarded her own heart.

My father is also pitiful; he hasn't slept soundly for years, and his brows have never relaxed."

After a brief silence, he shook his head and continued:

"Since I was old enough to understand, I've wanted to make them all happy. I listened to everyone's words and did whatever they asked me to do; whoever they wanted me to marry, I married.

I worked hard, disciplined myself, and was more diligent than any young master from noble families. But why, after pleasing them for so many years, did Grandmother kill Grandfather? And Father imprisoned Grandmother?

They all love me, but before doing anything, they never thought of me. It seems as if the purpose of my existence is merely to continue the Wu lineage."

Zhou Ye's heart pounded wildly.

The man lowered his head, his face unreadable.

"You came to the Princess's residence when you were six; I begged Father to bring you in. I wanted to see what a child who snatched a bone from a dog looked like.

When you entered the Princess's residence again at sixteen, it was my personal choice. Ten years passed between those two times, and I saw you ten times during those ten years.

Every year-end, when you engaged in combat, Father would take me to watch. He stood in the open, while I stood in the shadows.

There was one person; whenever he won, I felt happy for him; when he got hurt, I felt pain. That person is sitting right beside me now."

At that moment, Zhou Ye's heart seemed to stop beating.

"Zhou Ye."

The man raised his head, looked at him, and called out his full name.

"In life, there are things one must do and things one cannot do. Continuing the Wu lineage is something I must do, while loving a man is something I cannot do;

Pleasing the Wu family is something I must do, while making them sad is something I cannot do.

Five years ago, I told you to marry and have children, and I meant it. Five years later, I still say the same thing."

The man sighed lightly, seemingly very upset.

"Don't live like a wandering spirit. Look at this room; does it have any human warmth?"

Zhou Ye's dark eyes stared intently at the man.

His heart started beating again.

It beat too fast.

He could barely control it.

After a long pause,

Zhou Ye put down the teacup, took several deep breaths.

As he breathed in and out, he clenched his fists, released them, clenched them again, and released them once more.

Finally, Zhou Ye gritted his teeth and grabbed the man's hand.

Very tightly.

"Once a secret guard, always a secret guard. Secret guards don't need to marry and have children; their entire lives are dedicated to one task."

Zhou Ye looked at him, resolute.

"To protect their master, to live and die with him."

———Zhou Ye's side story ends