บท 58: Foolish

Lotus Courtyard, Hu Ye's Room.

Hu Ye was looking at a document when someone knocked on his door. "Come in."

Hu Zi came into the room. She had grown up too and though she was still the shortest of the four siblings, her womanly charm was apparent to everyone.

"Forth Brother, did you read my letter about the edict?" Hu Zi straightforwardly asked. She just came back from practicing with Shou in the mountain. This morning when she sensed Fei Ying flying near the campground, she immediately knew that her brother had arrived a day earlier than planned, so she packed up and went home soon after.

"...I read the letter." Hu Ye kept on looking at the documents.

"..." Hu Zi waited for a bit before she lashed. "That's it? Is that all you have to say?"

"Do you expect me to say anything else?"

"Yes, I suppose I did."

Hu Ye glanced at the sister he hadn't seen for a long time. Although all of the four siblings were very close with each other, Hu Ye was closest to Hu Zi. Not just because of their close age gap, but also because Hu Ye and Hu Zi had a similar personality and a similar way of thinking. Both of them were cunning and slick, unlike the other two siblings.

That was why, even without words, they understood the thoughts in each other's heart.

"Do you want me to go against the imperial edict or something?"

"I knew you would know exactly what I want when you read that letter."

"..." Hu Ye helplessly sighed. "The crown princess-to-be..."

"Don't call her that!" Hu Zi gritted her teeth.

"...Guang," He looked up, swallowing. "You know that, even after all these years, I could not defeat her in archery. Her level of skill is something that I might never be able to reach. She is one hell of an amazing woman and I wish her happiness."

"So?" She raised an eyebrow.

"So marrying someone who is the only heir to a general family and fated to be on the battlefield for half of his life, a man that will definitely leave his family at home and might come back only once in five or ten years or will never at all, is not a good idea. It is not a good definition of happiness."

"Happiness? You mean that you don't want her to be left behind and feel lonely?"

The image of Guang being alone and scared surged up to him and made him feel dismal. "Yes."

"Screw that!" Hu Zi slammed Hu Ye's table in front of him. "If you don't want her to be lonely, then have many kids with her, assign good assistants by her side. You can even let her live in our house and make us visit her everyday, forever to accompany her since you are the only heir! Fourth Brother, I know that you are smarter than this, such an idea must have came to your mind in the past. But, why are you still here, doing nothing even though a day has passed since your arrival? Are you trying to run away?"

"..." Hu Ye did not think of that. He closed his eyes trying to adjust his heart. In the end, he said. "Third Sister, I need to finish reading this document before midnight. So if there is nothing else..."

"Fourth Brother, I am out of inkstone, can I borrow one of yours?" Hu Cheng Se saw the door open so she came in. "Why are you reading the document upside down?"

"..." Hu Ye's eyes widened, he hadn't realized it.

Hu Zi, who was blind, could not check whether the documents were upside down or not. When Hu Cheng Se pointed it out, she clicked her tongue. She took Hu Cheng Se with her and came out of the room. "Coward."

"...Coward? Heh, she can read me like a bookl." Hu Ye had a helpless look.

Hu Cheng Se, who had no clue what just happened, tilted her head in confusion while Hu Zi dragged her away. "Third Sister, I still need the inkstone."

Hu Zi stopped when they were out of Hu Ye's courtyard. "Second Sister, Can you do me a favor?.

A few days after the conversation in Hu Ye's room, Hu Ye was taking a small stroll in his Lotus courtyard. "Fei Ying!" The bird flew back when he stretched his arm. He fed his eagle carefully.

"Now that I think about it, when I asked whether I could bring Fei Ying to the war zone, that cold eyed girl said that it would be a gift exchange for the accessories I gave her." Hu Ye had not seen her in the past four years. "Already engaged, huh?"

Suddenly, Hu Ye could hear a rustling sound, he was used to be cautious and immediately reacted.

"Is it an assassin?" He clicked his tongue. "Show yourself!"

Hu Ye threw a blade toward the thick tree leaves, it seemed that it caught the suspect off guard, he fell from the tree.

Hu Ye saw the suspect's figure, he had a slim body and milky white skin. His eyelashes were long, his lips red, he had a somewhat solemn expression. He currently had his eyes closed, his long eyelashes revealing a natural eye shadow. In the middle, there was a small yet tall nose. On his cheek, there was an almost invisible pink blush.

This beautiful sight shocked Hu Ye quite a bit. He was shocked that there was actually someone more beautiful than his sisters, and it was a boy at that. When he was contemplating, the suspect charged toward him.

He held Hu Ye's neck and strangled him, the surprise attack causing him to topple over and fall on his back. Then the suspect pressed his knee to his stomach, locking his movements.

"Why..." the boy said in a feverish voice.