Chapter 4, let's call it... Bright Moon.
Seventeen was caught off guard by this sudden question.
"No, no, Brother Yue, I... I didn't mean that."
Seventeen was somewhat flustered. He didn't have many friends, but he had a good impression of Brother Yue, who was willing to accompany him on a stroll. Moreover, Brother Yue was someone close to His Majesty. If he offended him...
Mingyue rested her chin on her hand and looked at him with a smile. As she smiled, Seventeen realized what she meant: "Brother Yue, are you just teasing me?"
"Oh, Little Seventeen noticed?"
The word "Little Seventeen" startled Seventeen, reminding her of what had happened yesterday.
Why is Brother Yue teasing me like this?
Seventeen lowered her eyes and refused to look at him, her tone seemingly tinged with anger.
Mingyue's heart skipped a beat. Had she hurt someone's feelings?
"Seventeen, seventeen, I didn't mean that. I just wanted to tell you that we both work in the palace. When you go to serve by His Majesty's side, we will have many opportunities to spend time together. I don't like it when you are so distant from me."
Seventeen understood what the other party meant, but it was difficult to change his mind all at once. He could only frown and reluctantly agree, "I know that Brother Yue has no other intentions... I will pay attention in the future."
"I don't mean to ask Seventeen to change. Everyone has their own most comfortable way of getting along. It's just that I asked you to come out this time, so you can take advantage of me more."
Mingyue narrowed his dark eyes, seemingly smiling. Seventeen stared at him for a long time without saying a word, and finally stammered, "Alright, then Seventeen thanks Brother Yue in advance."
"Why should we thank each other?" Mingyue rested her chin on her hand and looked at Seventeen. Her eyebrows and eyes were curved, and she was quite handsome. At this moment, his mask was still pulled down and placed aside.
The more Seventeen looked at him, the more familiar he seemed, but she couldn't quite place him.
Like His Majesty? It didn't seem so. Like the Instructor? It didn't seem so either. Seventeen couldn't tell, so he stopped thinking about it.
The two drank some tea, and Mingyue taught him how to heat the tea. This teahouse was the most upscale in Yejing, and the prices were shockingly expensive. Seventeen glanced at it and shuddered.
"Brother Yue, why are the prices at this store so high? Should we go somewhere else?"
"No need. I already said I'd pay for it, what are you worried about?"
"But what about Brother Ke Yue's salary..."
Seeing that Seventeen was still hesitant, Mingyue took a sip of tea and said, "My monthly salary is not low, and... His Majesty sometimes gives me some extra when he's in a good mood, so I'm not short of money."
Seventeen stared at him with wide eyes, her expression one of shock: "So much salary? Will I receive such a high salary in the future?"
Mingyue chuckled at his words, casually setting her mask aside and saying, "Probably. His Majesty... he's a good person. Just do your job well."
For some reason, Seventeen seemed to pause a bit when Mingyue said this, looked up at him in confusion, tilted her head and responded.
"Your Majesty... saved me back then."
Seventeen lowered his eyes. He had no intention of reopening his wounds with outsiders. However, Mingyue made him feel at ease and gave him a desire to confide in her.
“I am very grateful to Your Majesty, so... I would like to ask Brother Yue about some of Your Majesty's likes and dislikes, so as not to displease him.”
Mingyue looked at the person in front of her, who was several sizes smaller than herself, and sighed inwardly. This child...
"His Majesty is quite kind. Don't be fooled by his fierce reputation outside; he's actually a very kind-hearted person."
Mingyue felt a pang of jealousy when she said those words, but Seventeen seemed not to hear her. She looked up at him with her bewildered eyes and said, "Of course I know that His Majesty is kind-hearted, otherwise... he wouldn't have saved me."
"Don't worry. If there's anything you're unsure about, just ask Grandpa Yuanfu. He's a kind-hearted man."
Seventeen smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, thank you, Brother Yue."
The two ate some snacks to fill their stomachs. The sun was already beginning to set outside. In late summer, it gets dark earlier than usual, and there were far fewer people outside than when they had come out.
Seventeen gazed at the sunset for a while, then said, "Let's go back to the palace early. I have an assessment tomorrow, and I want to rest early."
Mingyue nodded. Although he already knew the results of the assessment, Seventeen was unwilling to be someone who relied on nepotism.
The two had just gotten up when they heard a commotion downstairs. Curious, they lifted the curtain to look and saw a man pulling and tugging at a woman.
The man was as fat as a pig, and although he wore a brocade robe, he couldn't hide the lewd aura emanating from him.
At this moment, he was reaching out to pull a woman dressed in plain clothes. The woman was beautiful. Although Seventeen was far away and could not see her face clearly, her slender figure and the faintly visible profile under her black hair revealed her very attractive features.
The fat man in front of her was naturally attracted as well, his eyes seemingly glued to the woman.
The man was surrounded by a circle of guards, while onlookers gathered outside the guards.
Seventeen, with his keen hearing, listened intently for a moment and said, "There are actually such bullies who prey on men and women right here at the foot of the imperial city..."
Mingyue rested her chin on one hand and followed Seventeen's gaze to see the farce unfolding on the street.
"Pests always hide in the shadows. Not to mention this vast city of Ye, even within the palace... Seventeen, do you recognize this person?"
Seventeen shook his head: "I don't know him, but judging from his appearance, he should be a spoiled brat raised by some family."
"snort."
Mingyue snorted coldly, looking at the group of people pulling and tugging below with a very cold and sharp gaze, as if she were looking at a pile of dead people.
After struggling for a while, Seventeen hesitated for a moment about whether to help, but considering her special status, she composed herself and did not get up.
Mingyue could see through his thoughts, but she didn't say anything, only looking down.
The woman being pulled screamed a few times. At that moment, a man dressed in a fine robe rushed in and angrily pulled the groping hand away from the woman. Judging from his appearance, he was probably the woman's elder.
The man in the fine robe argued with the fat pig for a few words. The man seemed to be furious and, taking advantage of the guards' inattention, punched the fat pig directly. The fat pig must have never exercised at home, because he was knocked back a few steps by the punch. Meanwhile, the guards around him immediately surrounded the man in the fine robe.
The fat pig cursed a few more times, then left dejectedly with his guards.
The man in the fine robe turned and embraced the woman who was being pulled, gently comforting her. From Seventeen's perspective, the woman should still be sobbing softly.
Let's go.
Mingyue put her mask back on, stood up, and said to Seventeen that the two of them would not watch this absurd farce any longer and went straight back to the palace.
Seventeen lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He was preoccupied with tomorrow's assessment and the image of the woman from earlier that evening kept replaying in his mind.
It wasn't out of lust for her beauty, but rather out of a sense of... helplessness.
The Dark Guard not only teaches skills, but also educates students; Seventeen is also knowledgeable in principles.
This kind of thing happened right under the walls of the capital, so that fat pig must have someone backing him, and probably a high-ranking official at that. I wonder if His Majesty is aware of this...
As he pondered this, Seventeen drifted into a deep, sweet dream. In the dream, he didn't hesitate; instead, he flew downstairs and beat the fat pig until his face was bruised and swollen.
......
Just as the instructor said, the test wasn't too difficult. Seventeen struggled a bit, but managed to pass. The instructor seemed quite pleased and beckoned to Seventeen, "Seventeen, come here for a bit."
"Instructor." Seventeen wiped the sweat from his forehead and ran to the instructor's side.
"This is your reward."
The instructor picked up a long sword from the table next to him and handed it to Seventeen, which stunned the man in front of him.
"There's another reward?"
"Hahaha! Ordinary secret guards don't have this. This was bestowed upon you by His Majesty. He specifically instructed me to give it to you after the assessment."
The instructor laughed heartily, his eyes full of praise. This little seventeenth, as long as he doesn't make any big mistakes in the future, might just become a favorite of His Majesty.
Seventeen took the long sword, her eyelashes drooping as she seemed lost in thought.
"Don't be too nervous. His Majesty gave you this long sword for no other purpose than as a simple reward."
The instructor patted Seventeen on the shoulder, afraid that he might be panicked because he was going to serve by His Majesty's side and had also received a reward.
"Seventeen knows, thank you, Instructor. Seventeen will personally thank His Majesty another day."
He looked up, his eyes sparkling with a beautiful and pure light.
The instructor's breath hitched, startled once again by the child's appearance. After a moment, he recovered and coughed lightly twice: "Seventeen, have you decided what to name this sword?"
Seventeen tilted his head and drew his sword from its sheath. With a "whoosh," the blade was revealed in front of the two of them. The instructor, who had not seen it before, was also slightly taken aback.
Does His Majesty value Seventeen so much? This sword...
The longsword's scabbard was black, concealing the blade's gleam, but Seventeen drew it out, revealing a blade that gleamed with a cold light, both sharp and piercing.
Even someone like Seventeen, who knew nothing about swords, could see that this sword was extraordinary, and he immediately felt a little flustered.
"Instructor, this sword..."
"This sword is the emperor's personal sword... a companion sword."
The instructor's voice was also somewhat surprised. Seventeen suddenly looked up at the instructor, unsure whether to put down or pick up the sword in his hand, and was at a loss for what to do.
"The Emperor's sword?"
"Yes, back then His Majesty searched all over the land before finding the most skilled swordsmith. He begged him for seven days before the swordsmith agreed to forge a sword for him, but only with specific materials."
"Then His Majesty climbed snow-capped mountains and ventured into the deep sea, finally gathering all the materials required by the swordsmith and forging the two swords."
The instructor exhaled, his gaze towards the sword filled with admiration and amazement: "A mysterious sword, named 'Cage Moon' by His Majesty. Legend has it that at night, the cold light emitted by Cage Moon would envelop the moonlight, hence the name."
"The other sword is entirely silver-white, but His Majesty has never named it. We have only seen His Majesty use the Moon Cage a few times before he ascended the throne. This sword... is the first time we have ever seen it."
These words made Seventeen feel as if the sword in his hand weighed a ton, and he could hardly hold it steady.
His hands trembled slightly, and Seventeen's voice also trembled: "Such a fine sword, was it really given to me by His Majesty?"
The instructor glanced at Seventeen, his gaze filled with complex emotions: "Of course, how could this be fake? Since it's a gift from His Majesty, you should take good care of it."
Seventeen swallowed hard, his gaze returning to the silver sword. The instructor urged, "Have you thought of a name yet?"
"Hmm... let's call it... Bright Moon."
His gaze slowly swept over the longsword, its smooth, jade-like blade seemingly radiating a soft glow.
The coach was taken aback, but didn't say anything; he just nodded.
"It's up to you to decide."
A note from the author:
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