Chapter 156: Ident.i.ty Exposed (87.3)
Translator: asa.s.sin
After another half an hour, Ye Li and Secret Guard No.3 finally heard weapons clashing and men talking. They looked at each other and slipped over carefully.
At the entrance to a cave, the Sick Scholar looked at the man sitting on the ground with a ruthless smirk and said: “Han Ming Xi, do you really think I won't dare to harm you because of your big brother? Tianyi Pavilion has set itself against me all this time. I've showed you enough kindness, keeping you alive till this day.”
Han Ming Xi sat on the ground in a sorry state. His folding fan autographed by famous calligraphers which he used to feign elegance was threw away. He coughed slightly and said: “Well, why don't you kill me then?”
“Hah hah, we don't need to rush that. You've gone through numerous troubles to finally come here for Chu Jun Wei's sake. The least I can do is to let you see him for the last time, right? Don't worry. When the time comes, I'll send you both into h.e.l.l.” The Sick Scholar sneered: “That young lad Chu Jun Wei is bold. He might not know my reputation but you do, don't you? When have I ever shared anything with anyone? Asking me for payment, wanting the Green Void Flower. Huh… *Cough… The Green Void Flower is right here. I want to see if he values you, a friend who he has known only for a short time, over a priceless treasure.”
“Boring…” Han Ming Xi said scornfully below his breath.
The Sick Scholar sneered smugly: “Enjoy your remaining time. Better pray that he considers you important enough to arrive in one hour. Otherwise, I have to miss a good show and give him your corpse instead.”
Quietly, Ye Li watched what happened in the distance, deep in thought.
A moment later, Secret Guard No.3 returned to her and said in a low voice: “No ambush around.”
She nodded, stood up and walked forward.
Secret Guard No.3 wanted to pull her back, but it was already too late. He saw the gestures she gave him behind her back – keep hiding, so he stayed back and changed a look with Secret Guard No.2 who was hiding on the other side before turning his eyes to the s.p.a.ce outside the cave.
Seeing Ye Li come with hands clasped behind her back, the Sick Scholar's eyes moved a bit. “You are here, as expected.”
Ye Li walked up, calm as usual. She measured Han Ming Xi before turning to the Sick Scholar with a smile: “Third Master, pulling down the bridge after crossing the river isn't a good habit.”
The Sick Scholar narrowed his eyes, snorted and grinned hideously: “Pulling down the bridge after crossing the river? Don't blame me. Blame yourself for being greedy.”
Ye Li knocked her folding fan against her palm as she sighed: “What a time to be alive… Men of today are sadly degenerated. Well, count me unlucky this time. What do you want? However, how about you let Han Ming Xi go first? I know you aren't afraid of Han Ming Yue, but I don't think… Ling Tie Han will be happy if you incur any enmity with Tianyi Pavilion.”
“You… how dare you threaten me with my big brother?”
Waving her folding fan, Ye Li answered with a smile: “Well, it happens I've got a brother who is a very good friend of Master Ling. Besides, I've told him I'm here. If anything happens to us, he'll certainly tell my family about it and he'll tell Master Ming Yue and Master Ling for sure. What do you think? It is best to have as fewer enemies as possible, right?”
The Sick Scholar looked at Han Ming Xi who was on the ground and turned to Ye Li: “All right. Han Ming Xi can go but you have to stay.”
She nodded: “Deal.”
However, Han Ming Xi didn't move.
Ye Li asked with a frown: “What? Are you badly injured?”
Han Ming Xi snorted as his brows drew tightly together. The cloth over his left leg was already painted dark by blood, apparently badly injured.
She walked closer and asked, concerned: “Ming Xi, is everything all right?”
Han Ming Xi looked up and shook his head. “I'm okay… Jun Wei, don't mind me. Just leave.”
She shook her head and smiled at him: “You've got into this because of me. I will never leave you behind. Ming Xi, I was wrong to have lied to you. Call me by my real name. As for Jun Wei… I'm not used to that name yet.”
A flash of surprise pa.s.sed Han Ming Xi's face, then he nodded and said: “I see.”
She replied with a smile: “Let me help you up…”
He nodded and reached out for her hands.
“Don't!”
Change seemed to happen in an instant. As he was about to reach her hands, his hands suddenly grabbed at her as fierce as those of an eagle. Almost at the same time, she crouched down, her body bent backwards when the folding fan in her hand glowed – it turned into a dagger. Meanwhile, a figure came out from the cave in a flash and went at her. With a frown, she tossed the dagger.
“*Coughs…” The man who threw himself on her looked exactly the same as the one her on her opposite, just in a worse state. A trail of blood dripped out of his mouth.
“Jun Wei… Jun Wei are you all right?”
Ye Li pulled him away and said angrily: “I'm okay, but you are not, you fool!”
The man opposite her hit him right on the back.
She looked up, her eyes going over the guy as blades. “Master Ming Yue, are you happy now?”
Han Ming Xi… actually, Han Ming Yue with a dagger stabbing in his shoulder, his crimson robe was stained by his blood. He stared at the man who was supported by Ye Li, irritated. “Han Ming Xi, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what are you doing? Who allowed you to come out?”
Han Ming Xi leaned on Ye Li weakly. Since she wasn't tall and he was, it was a bit hard for her to support him. He glared at the man who looked exactly like him on the opposite and gave him a smug smile as he said: “I've told you, your acting is too bad to play me or fool Jun Wei. Besides… I'm not half the b.a.s.t.a.r.d you are.”
“How dare you! Are you going to die for someone you've only known for a short time? Do you know who she is?” Han Ming Yue said coldly.
Han Ming Xi was stunned. However, he answered with clenched teeth: “No matter who he is, he is my friend! Even though I've known him for a short time, he is better than you are since he comes to my rescue. As for you… exerting all your strength out there, but when something happens to you, n.o.body cares whether you are dead or alive except for me!”
Hearing his younger brother's rave, Han Ming Yue was clearly shocked and looked back at the two with complicated expressions. However, he recovered soon and raised his brows at Ye Li as he said: “Sister-in-law, please let my younger brother go.”
Han Ming Xi became stiff and turned to her, hardly believing what his brother had just said, as if he wanted to find an answer on her face. After a good while, he forced a sneer: “Big brother, you didn't lose your mind, having been stabbed, did you? Don't go around and claim kinship. I don't have another brother.”
Han Ming Yue laughed coldly and pointed at Ye Li as he spoke: “Han Ming Xi, open your eyes and see for yourself. Is that a man? Or are you out here for so long you can't even tell a woman from a man?”
Ye Li helped Han Ming Xi sit up before she pulled him away slowly and looked at him apologetically. “Brother Han, sorry that I've lied to you.”
Han Ming Xi gazed at her for a long time before he finally curled his lips unhappily as he said: “Well, I know you are a woman now. Since we've gone through fire and water together, at least tell me which sister-in-law you are. I don't want to hear it from that b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
She glanced at the Sick Scholar who gazed at her with hatred and Han Ming Yue who was in a daze and said below her breath: “I'm Ye Li.”
“Ye Li… Xu Qing Chen is your big brother… Right, Xu Qing Chen is indeed your big brother. You are the third young lady of Ye Family and… and!” He stared at her fixedly, looking as if he had just swallowed a fly. He had seen the third young lady of Ye Family before… However, this handsome young man in front of him looked nothing near that sly young lady who feigned elegance! He had vowed to stay away from that girl. Now, it turned out he had been hanging around with her all this time. “You lied to me!” He accused her.
Ye Li was remorse. “Sorry.”
“Is that it? I need compensation. Another 10% of profit from Grace Fume Pavilion!”
She nodded outright. “No problem.”
He narrowed his eyes and continued: “At least four bottles of new scent each year.”
She hesitated but nodded anyway. “Sure.”
Tilting his head, he measured her for some time as if he was considering whether she could be trusted. After a while, he said proudly: “Well, I can deal with your lies and now, you, Ye Li, are my friend.”
She found that both funny and annoying. She had no alternative but to answer: “Thank you for your generosity, Brother Han.”
He snorted a bit unhappily and turned to Han Ming Yue scornfully. “See? Calling yourself the merchant. If our family does count on you to make the bread, a lot of us will die from hunger.”
Han Ming Yue wasn't in a good mood. He glared at Han Ming Xi and said: “Get out of my way if you are done with your nonsense.”
Han Ming Xi rolled his eyes at him. “What is wrong with you? This girl is my friend and a business partner. Don't you dare lay your hands on her.”
“Han Ming Xi!” Han Ming Yue scolded.
“I know who I am.” Han Ming Xi picked his ear as he slouched there.
“Mr. Han… have you talked enough about the past? If we don't do it now, it will be too late when the men of Prince Ding's Manor come.” The Sick Scholar's ghastly voice rose behind them.