Chapter 7 It seems this face shouldn't be covered.
Early the next morning, Seventeen did not go to His Majesty's side to take his duty, but instead changed his clothes and prepared to go out.
As soon as he pushed open the door of the side hall, he found someone leaning against the wall, seemingly having been waiting for a long time.
"Brother Yue?!"
Seventeen was surprised. He hadn't seen any other guards around His Majesty yesterday. He wanted to ask, but he was worried that His Majesty would misunderstand him as forming cliques for personal gain, so he held back and didn't ask.
But then he saw Yue-ge outside his door. Seventeen blinked and guessed, "Did His Majesty send you?"
Mingyue nodded with a smile. He was still dressed in mysterious black clothes and wearing a half-mask, but Seventeen, who had already seen his face, didn't care. Instead, he was a little excited: "Yesterday I wanted to ask Your Majesty where you were on duty, but after thinking about it, I felt it wasn't a good idea, so I didn't ask."
The two walked side by side, and Mingyue turned her head slightly to look at Seventeen and said, "Yes, I shouldn't have asked."
Where are we going today?
Seventeen looked up at the bright moon, clearly indicating that the other party had gained his deep trust, and His Majesty must have entrusted this matter to him as well.
"Come with me."
Mingyue said mysteriously, smiling like a veiled fox. Seventeen was momentarily dazed, feeling that Mingyue's eyes... looked somewhat familiar.
He blinked, shook his head, and shook off the strange thoughts in his mind, saying, "Okay."
Mingyue led him outside, and they didn't encounter anyone else along the way, except for the guards stationed in the city.
Once they were out of the city, the two of them jumped onto the rooftops and continued walking along them. Seventeen followed behind Mingyue, looking around curiously. Although she had been out on the streets before, this was the first time she had seen things from this perspective... It was quite novel.
"Brother Yue, where are we going?"
Mingyue didn't speak, but led Seventeen forward until they were very, very far away from the imperial city, so far that Seventeen could hardly see the imperial city when she looked back. Only then did the man beside her finally speak.
"Seventeen, do you know where this is?"
Seventeen peeked out and saw that they were probably far from the city. The surrounding area was mostly deserted, with only a few scattered houses that looked dilapidated and uninhabited.
"The wilderness? Are these houses... still inhabited?"
He knew there were still many poor people in the world, and no matter how well His Majesty did, it would be difficult to illuminate every corner of this vast country... But this was the imperial city, Yejing.
"Let's go take a look."
Mingyue said in a low voice, and the two walked forward along a secluded path. Seventeen had good hearing and soon sensed that someone was talking. He stopped and listened carefully, while Mingyue did not disturb him.
"...Brother Yue..."
Seventeen's eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised and puzzled.
"What did you hear?"
"Hmm... there are two or three families living here... this family's son went to work in the palace, but he hasn't sent any money back for several months. The old couple is wondering whether they should go into the city to look for him..."
Listening to what the elderly couple said, it seemed that their health was not very good. They only had one son, but he had not sent money home for three months. They did not think that their son had abandoned them, but believed that something had happened to their child.
Mingyue's gaze darkened, and she said in a low voice, "The son of this family was beaten to death in the street three months ago by Wei Lifeng, the grandson of Minister Wei."
Upon hearing this, Seventeen raised her eyebrows and looked at Mingyue with shock and disbelief.
"So, that's why the money hasn't been sent back in March..."
"Come with me."
Mingyue glanced at the two elderly people still discussing when to go find their son and beat them up in the distance, sighed softly, and turned to walk back.
Seventeen followed behind him, feeling somewhat uneasy. Although entering the Dark Guard Camp would mean abandoning his past, it didn't mean he wouldn't remember.
The painful memories had shut him off, but the couple he had just seen were like a thorn, piercing into his tightly closed heart.
He felt a pang of sadness, but didn't know what to do.
With the bright moon in front of him, he naturally noticed Seventeen's low spirits, but he did not offer any words of comfort, nor did he have any way to comfort him.
What they see is the truth, but if they overthink it, they might get themselves into trouble... It all depends on whether Seventeen can figure it out himself.
The footsteps in front suddenly stopped, and Seventeen, still lost in her own thoughts, did not react quickly and crashed straight into a wall of flesh.
Mingyue's shoulders were broad and strong. He didn't sway at all when he bumped into her. Instead, he turned around and helped Seventeen to her feet.
"...Brother Yue, I'm sorry."
Seventeen rubbed his nose, thinking to himself: Why is Brother Yue's back so hard?
"It's nothing."
Mingyue pulled Seventeen to her side, her large hand gripping his much thinner arm, easily encircling it with one hand...
Where is this again?
Seventeen looked around curiously again, completely unaware that the hand holding her arm had not let go for a long time.
"...the former prime minister of the previous dynasty, the old residence of the Li family."
The former prime minister? Seventeen pondered for a moment. He didn't know much about him. Most of the knowledge he had learned from his instructor and the camp was about His Majesty.
But then I thought about it again. Yuanfu Gonggong once said that there were still many remnants of the old party in Yejing... such as Wei Xing, the Minister of Rites.
Given Lord Wei's age, he doesn't seem like a current court official... a former minister, a former prime minister, a former crown prince...
Seventeen sensed something keenly and turned his head to wait for Mingyue to explain.
Seeing the eager look in those dark eyes, Mingyue smiled, released her grip on Seventeen's arm, and pushed open the dusty door first.
"No one lives here anymore."
Upon entering, the flowers and plants in the courtyard had long since withered. Although no one lived there and it was covered with a thick layer of dust, the layout and design still hinted at its former glory.
"Li Xiang was deeply trusted by the late emperor in his youth, and he personally taught several princes. However, later, the crown prince was deceived and misled, and believed Wei Xing's slander. He imprisoned Li Xiang on trumped-up charges, and along with his entire family of dozens of people, they were all beheaded in the marketplace."
Mingyue's voice was soft and calm, but Seventeen inexplicably sensed a chill in it. He shrugged and asked, "What crime?"
"Treason and collusion with the enemy."
Seventeen's dark eyes widened slightly. He didn't know what had happened in the previous dynasty; he simply trusted Mingyue.
Since Brother Yue said that Li Xiang was framed, then he was essentially killed by Wei Xing, or even... no one was spared.
"And here..."
At the same time, he was also curious: since Li Xiang was executed for treason in the eyes of the world, why did his mansion still exist and not be demolished and rebuilt?
"Perhaps Wei Xing felt that he had also let down Prime Minister Li. According to the law, this mansion should have been demolished and rebuilt, but he went against the opinions of others and persuaded the late emperor and the crown prince to keep the mansion."
Mingyue raised her head and looked at the dilapidated house in front of her, which still revealed its former glory.
Seventeen felt a little dull. He didn't have a clear understanding of what Wei Xing had done before, but he could sense from Eunuch Yuanfu that Wei Xing was not a good person.
But when the "bad consequences" of his actions were laid bare before him, he felt a sense of powerlessness.
"Brother Yue...you know all these things, then His Majesty...?"
He had some doubts. If even a guard by His Majesty's side knew about these old stories, it meant that they were not something that was kept hidden in his heart and could not be spoken of. But since His Majesty knew that Wei Xing was such a person, why didn't he deal with him sooner?
Mingyue noticed the confusion in Shiqi's eyes and lowered her gaze, remaining silent for a long time.
Even those in the highest positions have no choice but to do things.
Seventeen didn't quite understand. He was already the ruler of a country; what couldn't he do? Dealing with a bad guy would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?
But he didn't say it aloud, thinking that this might be an excuse used by Mingyue, as a bodyguard by His Majesty's side, to persuade him.
He turned his head, looked at the dilapidated courtyard, and asked, "What exactly is the evidence that His Majesty sent us to find?"
"It is something that Wei Xing has kept extremely hidden."
Mingyue winked at him, seemingly dispelling the previous gloom. Seventeen stopped thinking about those imperial schemes, smiled, and asked, "What is it?"
"Wei Xing has committed numerous evils, but they have all been buried deep underground due to his immense and terrifying power. Although Your Majesty has been on the throne for several years, in the hearts of many veteran ministers, you are still just a... young upstart. This is a good opportunity."
Mingyue continued talking to herself. Seventeen was a little confused, but she had a vague feeling that His Majesty seemed to be planning something very important, so he... should just do as he was told.
The two chatted and arrived at another place. The people there were all dressed in tattered clothes, but they were very clean and tidy. Although they didn't have any smiles on their faces, their aura was very peaceful.
Seeing that the group of old and young were all very kind, Seventeen quickly became friends with the children.
Mingyue sat among the old people and chatted with them. When the sun was high at noon, Seventeen wiped the sweat from his forehead and heard Mingyue call out to him from behind: "Seventeen."
"Brother Yue!"
Seventeen broke free from the children's encirclement and darted to Mingyue's side, her bright black eyes looking at him, clearly having a lot of fun.
No matter what, he's just a child.
Mingyue sighed inwardly, got up and said goodbye to him and the whole house full of people, young and old. The two walked side by side on the road. Seventeen was still immersed in playing with the children when he heard Mingyue ask him, "Are you hungry? Let's go eat first."
Seventeen patted her belly, about to agree, but then suddenly remembered something, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "The matter His Majesty instructed... I..."
"It's okay, we can talk while we eat."
Mingyue smiled at him. By this time, the mask on his face had been removed, revealing his simple and unadorned face. However, his eyes made Seventeen feel very uncomfortable.
Such beautiful eyes seem out of place on this face.
"I've been so offensive!" Seventeen suddenly turned around, gave Mingyue an apologetic smile, which left Mingyue completely bewildered, wondering what was wrong with the child.
The two found a quiet restaurant and chose a private room on the second floor. After Mingyue ordered the dishes with ease, she noticed that Seventeen seemed a little uneasy.
"What's wrong?"
"Brother Yue, why is the food here so expensive?"
Mingyue chuckled softly: "Have you forgotten what I told you last time?"
Seventeen pursed her lips, she hadn't forgotten, but she was still a little embarrassed... However, Brother Yue had said before that his monthly salary was not small.
Thinking about this, Seventeen felt a sense of anticipation, wondering how much money she would receive.
With just one glance, Mingyue understood what Seventeen was thinking. This little Seventeen always wears his heart on his sleeve. What will happen if this continues?
A note from the author:
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