Chapter 8
As someone in a high position, Emperor Yuan was accustomed to seeing all kinds of amazing talents . However, this youth who blended the moon resplendent noble mannerisms with an unrepressed and unruly character was the only one he had seen in this life .
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Even by dining casually, he could warm the heart and delight the eye, as if the person in front of him was not a person, but a magnificent painting in motion .
After a chat, Emperor Yuan had a desire to befriend the youth . He learned that Yan Ge had stayed in the capital for the past few days and volunteered himself to be her tour guide for her visit to the famous national academy tomorrow .
Emperor Yuan may have born in the royal family, but his features were masculine and handsome, he had a tall frame, as well as sword-shaped eyebrows; he was quite imposing .
Yan Ge was thin and slender . Her features were as sharp as an unsheathed sword, and there was a sense of toughness in the frailty that didn’t allow people to look down on this handsome youth .
Two beautiful men of different styles walked together, and it was strangely harmonious . At first glance, outsiders could not be sure who was better .
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The students at the academy had organized an event to make friends over poetry and the two mixed in and defeated their opponents all the way through, but it was Emperor Yuan that took the lead between them .
The prize was a rare set of chess pieces carved out of mutton jade .
Emperor Yuan gifted them to Yan Ge .
Yan Ge was so enamored by the set that she kept staring at the pieces . In the end, she passed them to Emperor Yuan: "It’s a pity, but my family has no suitable jar . It would be better for Qi Xiong[brother]to take them away . We can try pieces when we meet up one day . ”
Emperor Yuan heard the unspoken implications in her words: "Yan Xiong[brother] is leaving?"
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Yan Ge nodded her head, her face appeared reluctant: "En, I’m leaving . "
After those words fell, she laughed brightly: “Even the finest feast comes to an end sometime . It was the blessings of three lifetimes1 to meet Qi Xiong[brother]in the capital like this . The trip here was not made in vain . ”
Emperor Yuan tried to persuade her: "A man of character is one who establishes himself in the world . It’s a pity that Yan Xiong[brother] does not share his talent nor stands in Chaotang to help the world . I know people in the Imperial Hanlin Academy and I can actually help you if you have any difficulties . "
Yan Ge shook her head with some regret: "Thank you for your kindness, but I have an unmentionable illness . I'm afraid I cannot stand in Chaotang in this life . Qi Xiong[brother] holds the world in his heart . In the future, you will be a talented prime minister that is good for the people . Let's go have a few drinks . "
Emperor Yuan had been praised as a good prince and a good emperor after that . This was the first time he was praised as a prime minister .
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The Prime Minister was not as good as an Emperor, but he was smug at heart; see, he was emperor through real skill .
The two people had a lot of worries . When they found a restaurant, they simply drank wine as they played chess . They drank considerably and talked abundantly .
It was uncertain when it began to rain outside . The pattering rain grew louder, and the raindrops struck the window ledge . The two individuals used this opportunity to fight several rounds on the battlefield of chess . Although there was no outcome, they felt like they had found a bosom friend .
Yan Ge let out a carefree laugh after throwing down a piece . Picking up Emperor Yuan's sword, she banged it on the table and sang: "Spur the horse to leap across the vast desert, talking and laughing as the nobles look on askance, going to the ends of the world like this, so hard to find such a bosom friend . . . "
There was a bit of desolation in her clear and bright voice, and when paired with the sound of the rain, it caused those who heard her to feel a sense of despair and frustration .
Emperor Yuan held a chess piece in his hand and was motionless the entire time he listened to Yan Ge .
He sat Chaotang for so long, yet he couldn’t be like this young man who laughed when he wished to laugh and sang when he wished to sing, and his heart gave birth to some envy .
Suddenly, loud sounds of fighting came forth from the heavy rain outside the window, and Emperor Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly .
The next moment, several men in black broke in through the window and their cold double-edged swords went straight for him .
1 Blessings of three lifetime (三生有幸—sān shēng yǒu xìng): idiom that means to be extremely lucky/fortunate . It’s kind of like an enhanced version of the English idiom, ‘a stroke of luck’ .