Chapter 221 The Moon Over the Leaf Realm

Throughout the meal, Madam Ye kept piling Ye Jing's favorite foods onto his plate.

Ye Kun and Ye Cheng kept asking Ye Jing about military matters, to which Ye Jing gave simple answers.

After finishing their meal, the two younger children took Ye Bing downstairs.

The Marquis of Guangping and his wife took Ye Jing to the study.

After taking his seat, Ye Jingzhi knelt down properly before the Marquis of Guangping.

Upon seeing this, Madam Ye quickly stood up, intending to help him up, but Ye Jing did not get up.

"Father, it is your unfilial son who has brought shame upon the family."

"The task entrusted to me by His Majesty has been successfully completed, and I can consider it a success. There should be a reward from the court in a couple of days."

He then kowtowed twice to the Marquis of Guangping.

"I have never let my father down in my studies and martial arts training throughout my life."

He never suffered a defeat in battle and had no regrets towards the court and the country.

But over the years, the only person I feel guilty about is Chen Jiatao.

I used to think he was dead, and I thought I should just let him go.

But I'm afraid of hurting you, so I haven't come back and have been avoiding you.

Now that I know he's still alive, I wanted to come back to see you all and tell you.

Let the position of heir apparent go to my second brother.

I will leave the Guangping Marquis's residence, and then we will change our names and identities and start anew in a place where no one knows us.

Upon hearing this, Madam Ye was already in tears and unable to say a word.

Although the Marquis of Guangping knew from the beginning that he might face such an outcome.

However, hearing these words from Ye Jing's mouth in person still made him unable to suppress his anger.

"You...you unfilial son..."

"Do you really want to abandon the family that gave you birth and raised you, and leave your parents behind, for a man?"

When the Marquis of Guangping spoke, his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Ye Jing looked up at Marquis Guangping, her eyes reddening.

“Father, I can’t live without him.”

Upon hearing this, Lady Ye felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She stepped forward, grabbed the arm of the Marquis of Guangping, and pleaded:

"Let him go... let him go..."

All I want is for my son to live, as long as he's alive...

Upon seeing this, Marquis Guangping roared, "You wretched child...you wretched child..."

Then he slumped into a chair, covering his forehead with his hand.

Ye Jing knelt on the ground and refused to get up, leaving only the sound of Lady Guangping weeping in the room.

After a long silence, Marquis Guangping slowly rose, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant, and said to Ye Jing:

"Whatever you want..."

After saying that, he strode out of the study, and his weary voice echoed from the courtyard:

"Go kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and then go and talk to your ancestors yourself."

Ye Jing knelt on the ground, turned around, and kowtowed to Guang Ping's back.

Then he stood up, helped Madam Ye up, and said:

"Mother, I was being willful this time, please don't be sad."

As long as I'm alive, I promise I'll come back to see you every year.

Madam Ye reached out and patted Ye Jing's arm, which was supporting her, without saying anything.

Ye Jing then helped her walk outside.

The night was deep as the two strolled slowly through the mansion.

Madam Ye composed herself and said to Ye Jing:

"Mother sent someone to see Chen Jiatao and saw his portrait. He is quite good-looking and should be very good at studying."

He exudes the scholarly air of a learned man.

He's a good kid.

When Ye Jing heard his mother mention Chen Jiatao, she seemed quite satisfied with him, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"Yes, he's better at studying than I am."

"Now that you've decided to be with him, you should take good care of him from now on."

The Chen family...

Sigh... let's not talk about it, there aren't any good people like that anyway.

Madam Ye also knew about the Chen family's dirty deeds.

"How have you been in the Western Regions?"

Madam Ye asked Ye Jing about his situation over the past year in a soft voice.

The two walked and talked.

After sending Madam Ye back, Ye Jing strode into his family's ancestral hall.

Inside the ancestral hall, a few candles burned dimly, casting a gloomy light.

Ye Jing knelt down straight on the prayer mat in front of the ancestral tablets.

She whispered her story and asked her ancestors for forgiveness.

After saying this, he bowed three times towards the memorial tablet.

The cool night air gradually seeped in from outside the door, enveloping Ye Jing.

Looking up at his ancestral hall, the dome loomed high and hidden in the darkness.

The memorial tablet was elongated in the candlelight; as the wind blew and the candlelight flickered, the shadow of the tablet swayed along with it.

In the darkness, drifting aimlessly, in a hazy, indistinct state.

So this is what the ancestral hall looks like. So this is the atmosphere he spent several days and nights in.

Finally, it was set on fire.

Upon thinking of this, Ye Jing wished he could rush to Qingya Academy immediately.

...

The following day, the southward army returned in triumph, and the crown prince led the officials out of the city ten miles away to welcome them, as ordered by the emperor.

His Majesty was in unusually good spirits and personally appeared at the Chui Gong Hall to commend the soldiers.

Ye Jing was appointed as the Yunhui General, a third-rank official.

When the news reached the Marquis of Guangping's residence, everyone there was overjoyed.

Only the Marquis of Guangping and his wife had mixed expressions, making it impossible to tell whether they were happy or sad.

After receiving the imperial decree from the ancestral hall, Ye Jing went back to the ancestral hall and knelt down.

Ye Kun and Ye Cheng looked bewildered at his behavior, wondering what had happened at home and why their parents and older brother were behaving so strangely.

Two days later, early in the morning, Ye Jing packed his things, left a letter for his parents, and led his horse out of the gate of the Marquis of Guangping's residence.

As he stepped out of the south gate of the capital, a ray of golden morning light fell on Ye Jing's shoulder, as if guiding him in the right direction.

Ye Jing traveled along the official road, changing horses at the post stations.

After seven days of continuous travel, we finally saw the mountain where Qingya Academy was located in the distance.

When a person is close to their destination, the joy in their heart is magnified infinitely.

At that moment, his heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.

It was as if a full moon hung high in the sky, illuminating his heart with unprecedented clarity and brightness.

Upon arriving at the town at the foot of the mountain, Ye Jing found a small inn to rest.

First, she had water brought to her, and then she took a thorough bath, washed her face, and combed her hair carefully.

He had just put on a moon-white gauze robe and looked in the mirror when he felt that the outfit made him look darker.

So he pulled out a blue and a dark green gauze robe from his bundle, and hesitated for a moment.

Suddenly, a child knocked on the door.

Ye Jing called out, "Come in."

The waiter pushed open the door and stood at the entrance, saying, "My lord, the osmanthus cake you requested has been purchased."

"Put it on the table."

Ye Jing said without turning his head.

The waiter entered respectfully, carefully placed the items he was carrying on the table, and prepared to leave.

Ye Jing suddenly called out to him, "Can you help me see which of these two outfits looks better?"

The child smiled and looked towards Ye Jing.

Ye Jing picked up both pieces of clothing and held them up in front of her to compare.

"Sir, you appear quite dashing and distinguished. Are you here to discuss important matters, or to meet your beloved?"

What's the difference?

"If you're going to discuss serious business, wear this blue one; it will make you look dignified and composed."

If I'm going to see my sweetheart, I'll wear this dark green gauze robe; it will make me look dashing and debonair.

Ye Jing picked up the green shirt and held it up against herself, then looked in the mirror and felt that what the waiter said made some sense.

He nodded and said, "Thank you."

The waiter, all smiles, said, "You're too kind, sir. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Um."

After the waiter left, Ye Jing changed into a dark green gauze robe, with a white jade hairpin in her hair and a white jade mandarin duck pendant around her waist.

After thinking for a moment, he tucked the other half of the mandarin duck pendant into his bosom and went out.

Ye Jing did not lead the horse, but walked slowly towards Qingya Academy.

Upon reaching the entrance of the academy, he turned right along the street in front of the entrance and walked all the way to the end of the road.

The sound of reading aloud could be heard from not far away.

"Heaven against earth, rain against wind, continent against sky..."

Ye Jing stood outside the fence of the small courtyard, his gaze passing through the flower-filled yard and landing on the white figure in the thatched cottage.

Her face was as delicate as ever, her posture as upright as a bamboo shoot, her expression peaceful and quiet, and she also exuded a gentleness.

This person seems to be a completely different person from the one who was so dull and melancholic when he was at Nanshan Academy.

…………

Chapter 217 was missed, but it has been updated. Go check it out.