Chapter 41: Shopping
On the next day.
Wu Chen and Ning Xue woke up very early, but the sun was earlier than them. It was sunny outside and the skies were cloudless. The Ye Mansion went about their business as usual, besides from the two persons involved, no one knew about the “event” that happened last night. Ye Wu Chen didn’t think that Ye Shui Yao would spread it to others. She didn’t seem to care about anything, so maybe she also didn’t care too much about that matter. Because after all… … they were still brother and sister in name.
At this time, Ye Wu Chen had already finished changing into the luxurious clothes that Xiao Lu brought him, after tying his hair, he looked matchlessly handsome, the corners of his mouth raised into a smile filled with evil charm, and he changed his demeanor into one that was faintly arrogant, Xiao Lu saw stars in her eyes as she became dazzled, she even almost fainted, Wang Wen Shu was even more satisfied, because not only does her son look outstanding, but he also clearly changed, he no longer had that coldness from yesterday and he had a big smile on his face, this meant that he had already began to accept this as his home.
What a perfect pretty boy image…… Ye Wu Chen said to himself after looking at the mirror.
After breakfast, the Ye family suddenly became really busy, Ye Nu and Ye Wei went out, Ye Wu Chen took Ning Xue to tour around the large mansion, but he found that he had nothing else to do.
“Xiao Qi, we’re going to go shopping. You’ll stay here Xiao Ba, if the madam looks for us, tell her that I just went shopping and that I’ll return very quickly. Oh by the way, bring me a fan.”
“Yes Yes!” Ye Qi and Ye Ba answered simultaneously. Soon after, Ye Ba came while holding a white fan.
Ye Wu Chen took it and flung it open, he smiled and asked: “Xue’er, doesn’t brother look like a young master from an influential family now?”
“As long as it’s brother, you’ll always be the best looking.” Ning Xue winked at him, giving an irrelevant answer.
“I knew you would say that.” Ye Wu Chen gave her a doting smile, then waved his fan afterwards and said: “Xiao Qi, let’s go.”
Ye Qi quickly followed. Even an idiot would see that, unlike the unsmiling young master from yesterday, he seemed like a different person today, it seems like he was in an unusually good mood.
On the crowded streets, all sorts of people flowed in an unending stream, revealing how prosperous the Tian Long capital city was. Ye Wu Chen held a fan on one hand and led Ning Xue with the other as they strode down the middle of the road, he looked noble and arrogant beyond doubt, combined with his astonishing appearance, he looked very eye-catching as though he were a crane amongst a flock of chickens as they mixed with the crowd, each passerby all subconsciously stepped aside for him one after another, and he constantly obtained glances from a few unmarried girls, but they sadly hung their heads in shame right after, because this kind of temperament wasn’t something that an ordinary huge family could foster.
Even though the news of the return of the missing young master of the Ye family was already widespread in Tian Long City, because the small young master of the Ye family rarely went out, no one practically knew him. Even someone who had seen him before would have already forgotten, therefore no one could recognize him.
“Xiao Qi, how far are we from the imperial palace?” Ye Wu Chen asked.
“Answering master, very near, it would probably take about less than half an hour on foot, but we would arrive quite quickly if we rode a horse.” Ye Qi answered.
“Oh… … we’re going to take a look at the surroundings of the imperial palace.”
The imperial palace were located northwest of the Ye mansion, and as they came closer, the crowd also became denser. After walking for more than ten minutes, Ye Wu Chen frowned and asked: “Xiao Qi, is there anything important happening these days? Most of the people passing by here are young, looks hurried, dressed differently, and walks while unconsciously looking around, they obviously doesn’t or rarely comes here. Is there some sort of assembly today in Tian Long City?”
“Master is intelligent, in a few days, the Tian Long Royal Academy will hold a once a year competition to choose the most talented youth, anyone under 25 years old can participate, even the emperor himself would attend to watch and select the most talented, therefore there are a lot of people that wants to participate and watch.”
“Oh? What are the rules?” Ye Wu Chen asked.
“This…… the contest is divided between literature and martial arts, literature comes first and martial arts after. This year’s literary contest had just finished the day before yesterday and the martial arts contest is starting tomorrow, the preliminary matches are tomorrow, there will be many matches conducted at the same time to filter out the strong and the emperor probably wouldn’t watch, the matches of the truly powerful would be on the next day, they also receive the most attention each year. Today is the last day of registrations. Ah…… young master, look at that and you’ll understand.” Ye Qi’s eyes lit up, pointing towards the front.
Posted on the wall was a large announcement, but this announcement already filled the city and they posted it every year, there were few people who didn’t know what it were and most would go just to confirm the date of the competition, therefore a crowd didn’t form around the announcement. Ye Wu Chen were just starting to approach it when he suddenly stopped, because he saw a back which left a deep impression on him.
Contrary to the gorgeous white clothes that Ye Wu Chen was wearing, the other were dressed in shabby black clothes, he stood quietly beneath the announcement with his whole body motionless, Ye Wu Chen saw that he held a straight **, releasing the cold light of a sharp blade.
Ye Wu Chen had seen this person in front of the House of Smoke and Dreams yesterday, at that time, he was supporting a middle aged woman who seemed blind as he walked by in front of him, that cold air and his sharp gaze as though he was a starving eagle, made him firmly remember this person.
He went to his side, he roughly swept a glance at the announcement. He skipped past the wordy opening speech, the details of the contest were more or less the same as Ye Qi explained to him. The qualifying matches were tomorrow and the day after were the contests between the powerful youths. The rules of the matches were a challenge system.
Ye Wu Chen’s gaze slightly tilted to the side, he looked towards his side and saw someone around his age, he had a very thin figure and he had a cold and stiff expression, but he saw that he had a resolute gaze as he stared at the announcement.
Ye Wu Chen turned around and left with Ning Xue.
The announcement below reads as: “The first place winner will be summoned by the emperor and receive a spirit ranked weapon, five thousand taels of silver, and a residence north of the city, depending on how high his abilities. The other 10 names chosen by the emperor can choose to receive either a thousand taels of silver, or they could choose to enter the imperial guards of the emperor and they wouldn’t have worry about food or clothing for a lifetime.
Such conditions may not be rich, but for most people, they wanted fame, they wanted to their name to spread through the lands under the heavens, and live a way of life on the boundless plains. But for some people, they didn’t care about fame, and only wanted the attractive monetary rewards.
He was the same kind of person as the latter, in this life that he was forced to live in, he needed money, therefore he would participate in the competition.
“This is, young master, would you possibly want to sign up?” Ye Qi had a nervous expression as he asked. He was afraid that the small young master would register to compete on the spur of the moment…… the result would definitely only lose face for the Ye family. In the past, the whole city knew how useless the young master of the Ye family was, even though he was already normal now, but he was still nothing more than a weak scholar.
“This young master won’t participate, I’m just going to watch.” Ye Wu Chen said.