Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Ruse of Self-Sacrifice

The more Yu Hualiang thought about it, the more he realized—whose apricot would you be allowed to eat as soon as it ripened? Judging by that kid’s look, it was clear he wanted Yu Hualiang to join him in sneaking out to steal apricots.

He had intended to refuse, but upon glancing at Ye Hao beside him, he reconsidered; perhaps this was a way out after all.

“Very well, Brother Ji, please lead the way.”

Late at night, Ji Yuzhe led Yu Hualiang a long distance before they finally reached the apricot orchard.

Yu Hualiang figured that unless Cao Zhiling had returned to Fanhe, he would surely come out to meet him once he was alone. So all he needed was to shake off Ye Hao.

Thinking this, Yu Hualiang climbed a tree. Ji Yuzhe called out anxiously, “Brother Yu, please be careful!”

“Don’t worry,” Yu Hualiang replied, climbing as he surveyed the surroundings. This orchard belonged to a farmer near the Qionglin Painting Society, not to the society itself.

Judging by Ji Yuzhe’s practiced movements, he had clearly done this sort of sneaking about often.

The orchard was spacious, with apricot trees stretching at least ten meters in either direction. At night, it would be quite a task for Ye Hao to find him if he hid here.

He glanced at Ye Hao beneath the tree, who was watching him intently. Yu Hualiang swallowed nervously and continued upwards; the higher he climbed, the thinner the branches became, barely supporting the weight of an adult. Each step made the tree shake precariously, making it nerve-wracking to watch.

“Brother Yu, please come down, it’s too dangerous,” Ji Yuzhe urged.

Yu Hualiang ignored him. He needed to make a commotion, to create some confusion. Ye Hao watched from below, worry and puzzlement mingling in his eyes.

Was Yu Hualiang truly as foolish as the rumors said—three years dazed after a fall? Why climb higher despite the obvious danger?

Just as Yu Hualiang predicted, the branch couldn’t hold his weight. He fell, branch and all.

He had braced himself for a painful crash, but instead landed in an embrace.

Ye Hao, quick as lightning, caught him and shielded him with his body. When the branches fell, Ye Hao had no time to dodge and could only let them strike his head.

The uproar startled both the Qionglin Painting Society and the farmer’s dog, transforming the quiet night into lively chaos.

By moonlight, Yu Hualiang slowly opened his eyes, seeing fresh blood pouring from the man’s head. He was stunned.

Ye Hao managed to speak, “Are you... alright?”

With that, he slumped to the ground. Yu Hualiang rushed to help him, saying, “Are you okay? Wait here for now!”

He glanced at Ji Yuzhe and said, “Brother Ji, please go fetch Doctor Wang.”

Ji Yuyun hurried after Ji Yuzhe, who was still bewildered by the unexpected mishap.

Yu Hualiang helped Ye Hao up, apologizing, “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect this to happen... I’m truly sorry.”

Ye Hao’s legs gave way, but he managed, while still conscious, to say, “Protecting Master Yu is my honor.”

“Brother, at a time like this, how can you still say such things? You’re bleeding!”

Members of the Qionglin Painting Society arrived and hurriedly took Ye Hao away. Amid the commotion, Yu Hualiang slipped away unnoticed.

While tending to Ye Hao’s wound, a disciple muttered, “It’s that Yu Hualiang again. Why does he always bring trouble to our society?”

Another said, “Don’t jinx it. I think he’s a calamity. Before he arrived, Senior Yu Hang was fine, but now he’s bedridden, unconscious. In just two days, he’s got the prince’s bodyguard hurt like this.”

“Humph! He acts as if nothing happened, while someone’s injured for his sake! Why isn’t he here to help?”

Another disciple looked around, puzzled, “Hey, where’s Yu Hualiang?”

Hearing that Yu Hualiang was missing, Ye Hao ignored his bleeding head, leapt up, and dashed out. Ten people couldn’t stop him.

He ran out to search for Yu Hualiang. The society’s disciples, understanding his urgency, searched every corner of Qionglin Painting Society with him, but found no trace.

---

When Wang Ruosheng arrived and saw Ye Hao, she tried to treat him but he pushed her away, insisting on returning to the orchard to find Yu Hualiang.

No one could persuade him, but fortunately Ji Yuyun was there; with a slap, she knocked him out. Wang Ruosheng checked his pulse and said, “His anger has overwhelmed him... lay him flat.”

Everyone complied. Wang Ruosheng examined the wound on his head and frowned, “The main injury is on his head. Check for other wounds.”

Ji Yuyun looked him over, “There’s blood on his arm... but it doesn’t seem to be his.”

Ji Yuzhe squeezed in, “What? Only Yu Hualiang touched him earlier. Could it be Yu Hualiang’s blood?”

Wang Ruosheng examined Ye Hao’s blood-stained arm, “Master Yu is bleeding badly... It could be a bone injury. We must find him quickly!”

“There are bloodstains!” A disciple shone a lantern along the path.

After hurriedly bandaging Ye Hao, Wang Ruosheng followed the disciple into the woods to search for Yu Hualiang.

Yu Hualiang’s hand had indeed been cut during his fall. Now his whole arm couldn’t be lifted, and in the darkness, he couldn’t see clearly—he just felt pain.

Leaning on the apricot tree, he called, “Cao Zhiling! Are you here...”

“Cao Zhiling... cough.” Yu Hualiang felt more and more helpless, gazing at the silent surroundings and feeling the urge to mock himself.

Why did he assume Cao Zhiling would follow him? The poison was cured... he could go wherever he pleased. Why protect a small painter who nearly got him killed?

Yu Hualiang thought of this and slowly forced himself to walk back. Maybe Cao Zhiling already knew about Mo Country’s plan to attack Fanhe and came back just to say farewell.

Moreover, he was just a commoner from Fanhe. Even if he knew war was coming, he could do nothing, and with his martial skills, surely he would survive.

Yu Hualiang, why fret over this?

Just as Yu Hualiang was lost in thought, a light, silent landing behind him made him turn instinctively.

Cao Zhiling, dressed in black and almost merging with the night, appeared before him, frowning.

“Cao Zhiling...” Yu Hualiang's joy was palpable. He rushed to him, exclaiming, “Did you know Mo Country is going to attack Fanhe?”

Cao Zhiling nodded, but was more concerned about Yu Hualiang’s injury. Before he could speak, distant candlelight and shouting caught his attention. He whispered in Yu Hualiang’s ear, “Let’s talk about this later.”

Without another word, he knocked Yu Hualiang unconscious.

When Yu Hualiang awoke again, it was broad daylight. He lay in bed and winced as he moved his arm.

“You should count yourself lucky. Falling from such a height and you didn’t break any bones—just a superficial wound,” Wang Ruosheng said, stirring a bowl of medicine as dark as soy sauce and placing it on his bedside.

Yu Hualiang slowly sat up, “I must owe you from a past life.”

“How so, Master Yu?” Wang Ruosheng asked.

Yu Hualiang downed the bitter medicine with a grimace, “I’m always forced to drink this dreadful stuff.”

Wang Ruosheng laughed, “You should be grateful. Without me, you’d be lining up for Lady Meng’s soup in the underworld.”

He couldn’t argue with that. Still, Yu Hualiang felt uneasy, unable to understand why Cao Zhiling had knocked him out the previous night.

“What were you doing in the woods last night?” Wang Ruosheng asked.

“Stealing apricots!” Yu Hualiang replied candidly.

“Master, your disciple was wrong to encourage Master Yu to the apricot orchard...” Ji Yuzhe knelt sincerely before the society’s elder painter.

Ji Yuyun said, “Master Yan, my brother is frail. Let me, as his younger sibling, take the punishment instead.”

Master Yan's beard and hair were white, his simple robe wrapped around a frail frame, yet his eyes were sharp and lively—a true testament to the saying that the heart never ages.

---

He slammed the table in anger, “Ji Yuzhe, don’t think you can behave recklessly in Qionglin Painting Society just because you’re General Ji’s son!”

Ji Yuzhe quickly kowtowed, “I wouldn’t dare, Master. It won’t happen again. Please calm yourself.”

Master Yan coughed, “Do you still recognize me as your master? Yu Hualiang is the only heir of Yu Ming! Now he serves as the court painter for the Seventh Prince. If anything happened to him, it’s not just me you’d harm, but the entire society!”

Ji Yuzhe grew anxious, fearing that Yu Hualiang might truly come to harm, “Master, I’ll take full responsibility. The society won’t be implicated, I promise.”

“Cough... cough, you... how did I end up with such an unfilial apprentice!”

Seeing his master’s anger abate, Ji Yuzhe stood to offer him tea. Master Yan glared, but took a sip, “Has the news spread?”

“Not yet. Master, what do you plan to do?” Ji Yuzhe asked.

Master Yan gave him a dour look, “Let’s go. Help me over to see him.”

Wang Ruosheng eyed Yu Hualiang, “Why did you decide to steal apricots? Are the society’s fruits not good enough?”

Yu Hualiang turned in bed, “No... Ji Yuzhe said those apricots were delicious.”

“So you climbed the tree to pick them, causing such a commotion?”

Yu Hualiang heard the rebuke in his tone, but couldn’t explain. Ji Yuzhe had only suggested it to help him escape Ye Hao’s watch. He had acted without consulting them, and he didn’t know Ye Hao’s current state.

Just as Yu Hualiang was about to check on Ye Hao, a knock at the door stopped him.

An elderly man entered, accompanied by the Ji brothers.

He immediately sent Wang Ruosheng away, who gave Yu Hualiang a subtle look, warning him to take care.

Once the door closed, the old man smiled, “You must be Young Master Yu Hualiang? Such a promising youth, truly remarkable.”

Before Yu Hualiang could respond, Ji Yuzhe interjected, “This is my master, former imperial court painter Yan Feng, Master Yan.”

Yu Hualiang smiled politely, “An honor to meet you, Master Yan.”

“Ha! Master Yu, you’re far too modest. My meager achievements in the past are nothing compared to yours.”

Yu Hualiang sensed something hidden in the old man’s words—he would not be easy to deal with.

He replied, “Master Yan, you flatter me.”

Master Yan glanced at his arm, “Master Yu, your injury?”

“It’s nothing. A couple days’ rest and I’ll be fine,” Yu Hualiang replied.

Master Yan sighed, and suddenly slapped Ji Yuzhe, startling Yu Hualiang.

Ji Yuyun hurried to shield his brother, while Yu Hualiang, shocked, faced Master Yan, “Master Yan, what are you doing?”

“I ought to beat this unfilial apprentice to death today!”

Yu Hualiang intervened, “Master, please sit and calm yourself. I’m unharmed, so let’s let this matter pass.”

The more he tried to soothe him, the angrier Master Yan became, nearly kicking him as well. Yu Hualiang held him back, bewildered by the old man’s intentions, “Please, Master, calm yourself.”

“Anyway, if I don’t beat this apprentice today, the Seventh Prince will have him executed someday for risking a moment’s pleasure!”