Chapter Seven: Frolic

At this moment, regardless of what turmoil reigned in the world outside, at least inside Yue Zhe’s room, peace prevailed.

Miss Ye Feilan felt an overwhelming mix of emotions. "Ugh, how disgusting, Aunt Yue just vomited all over the floor… But he looks so miserable, should I go check on him? No, I really can't, it's too gross, I can’t stand it…"

Yue Zhe's mood, however, was far simpler. "Damn it, how could it be this strong—ugh… Stop puking already, I’ve thrown up all the bile I have… Ugh… My god, that was the finest mutton…"

After a long, awkward silence punctuated only by Yue Zhe’s retching, Ye Feilan finally spoke. “Um, Aunt Yue, wait here, I’ll go get someone…” With that, she ran out without looking back.

Ye Pei, meanwhile, had been strolling into the courtyard in good spirits, only to almost bump into his frantic daughter, who had just failed to find Alan.

"Sweetheart, what’s—"

Before he could finish, Ye Feilan cut him off impatiently, "Mother, something’s wrong! Come quick, Aunt Yue is sick—he’s thrown up everywhere!"

In that instant, a flurry of thoughts flashed through Ye Pei’s mind. Reasonable ones like, “Is this child playing a trick? Did he eat something bad? Has his injury taken a turn for the worse?” and less reasonable ones, “Is he just bored? Are they in on it together? Did he eat too much and is now cleansing his stomach?”

Yet, alongside these musings, a single, irrefutable conclusion formed in his mind.

“Let me guess—you ran out of Aunt Yue’s room with a face full of disgust.”

Before Ye Feilan could respond, Ye Pei summoned his peerless lightness skill and vaulted over the wall.

Not long after, Ye Pei entered Yue Zhe’s room with his usual calm composure. Along the way, he had already dismissed the possibility of Yue Zhe’s injuries worsening—after all, he had checked carefully and the wounds were superficial. The family’s physicians were highly experienced in such cases, and complications were virtually impossible.

Upon entering, Ye Pei saw Yue Zhe lying on the bed, his face ashen and his body weak.

“Um… you…” For a moment, Ye Pei didn’t even know what to ask.

Yue Zhe’s eyes were full of sorrow and resentment. “If it weren’t for your precious daughter, how would I have ended up like this…”

With a tone thick with grievance, Yue Zhe recounted the entire episode to Ye Pei.

“It seems I really need to study how to use that power properly. As for martial arts, I doubt I can make much further progress,” Ye Pei remarked nonchalantly as he started cleaning up the vomit.

“Hey… couldn’t you have just called someone to do this for you…”

“We have plenty of guards, but precious few servants to tend to household chores.”

“Young master! The general has returned!” Alan’s voice rang out from outside.

“Ah, my father’s back. I’ll go greet him…”

“Well, son, it’s rare to see you and Zhe together without coming to blows,” Ye Linhui’s voice sounded at the door before he even appeared.

“Alan! Couldn’t you have warned me sooner!” Ye Pei shouted angrily before turning to his father. “Dad, it’s not what you think. Normally, yes, Zhe and I would be sparring at the training ground, but he’s injured.”

“Oh? Is it serious?”

“No need to worry, Uncle Ye, it’s just a scrape,” Yue Zhe replied.

A trace of a smile seemed to appear at the corner of Ye Linhui’s mouth as he turned to Ye Pei. “Son, this time you really…”

Just then, Huang Qilin called, and Yue Yuncheng rushed over.

Seeing the situation, Ye Linhui swallowed the rest of his sentence and instantly changed to a strict demeanor. “Utterly reckless! How could you injure Zhe so badly? Look how pale he is! He’s never done this to you! Is this why you advanced your martial arts, to turn on your own brother? Even if your skills have surpassed Zhe’s, you should have held back!”

Ye Pei instantly understood his father’s intention and bowed his head. “It’s my fault! I didn’t expect that after nearly a year, Zhe hadn’t made any progress. That was my oversight! When I realized, I did hold back, but I underestimated the difference in our abilities and still injured him. It’s all my fault! Please punish me, Father!”

Beside him, Yue Zhe was coughing violently, agitating his injuries, and Yue Yuncheng’s face was so dark it looked ready to storm.

“You two really put on a good show, don’t you… Ye Pei, your father might not know the truth, but you certainly do!” Yue Yuncheng’s voice grew louder.

“What! Ye Pei! Did you comprehend some new martial art and not tell me?” Ye Linhui’s anger surged, smashing the wooden armrest of his chair. “You don’t tell me about these things anymore? Have you forgotten who taught you your martial skills?”

Ye Pei bowed again, this time with fists clasped. “That’s also my fault! I shouldn’t have taken advantage with my lightness skill! I knew Zhe’s lightness wasn’t as good as mine, and I shouldn’t have used higher-level techniques! When I have time, I’ll tell you all about what I discovered! I’ll never forget your teachings, Father!”

Heavy breathing filled the room—it was Yue Zhe.

“You brat! Take this!” Knowing he couldn’t out-argue this father and son, Yue Yuncheng dropped all pretense and launched a straight punch at Ye Pei.

Ye Pei dodged swiftly. “Uncle Yue, please calm down! I promise not to fight back for ten moves, hoping to appease your anger!”

Ye Linhui, meanwhile, had already figured out that Yue Zhe’s injuries must have come from something else, but didn’t say a word, only smiled as he dragged his chair to the side.

Madam Ye, finding the scene utterly exasperating, rolled her eyes and left at once.

Only Alan remained—officially a servant, she didn’t dare leave or laugh, her face turning red as she struggled to hold it in.

…

“Uncle Yue! I’m warning you, if you don’t stop, I’ll fight back for real!” With a shout, Ye Pei dashed out of the room and vaulted onto the rooftop.

“Hmph…” Yue Yuncheng’s lips curled upward. “So your footwork and agility are worth something after all!” With that, he smashed through the window and followed Ye Pei up.

Ye Pei turned, raising both palms, and exchanged a flurry of blows with Yue Yuncheng, just as he had when first sparring with Yue Zhe.

With a muffled thud, Yue Yuncheng caught Ye Pei off guard with a kick to the chest, sending him flying. As Ye Pei tumbled through the air, he realized with a jolt that he was falling straight toward the training ground.

Landing, Ye Pei rolled several times to neutralize the force, and immediately reached for a staff on the weapon rack. Suddenly, a roof tile flew from the side; he dodged, and Yue Yuncheng descended behind him, kicking over the rack and hooking a staff for himself, which he swung toward Ye Pei.

“Uncle Yue! If you keep pushing me, I really will get serious!” Ye Pei retreated under a barrage of staff strikes, talking all the while.

Yue Yuncheng’s interest only grew. “Oh? So I can’t even make you get serious, is that it?” His attacks grew even faster, forcing Ye Pei into a tight spot before bringing his staff down in a fierce overhead strike. “Come on! Let’s see if you’ll get serious now!”

“Hey! That’s a bit too much, old man!” Ye Linhui couldn’t stand by any longer—Yue Yuncheng was clearly using killing moves.

With Ye Pei’s position restricted by the earlier strikes, there was no way to dodge the incoming blow.

Annoyed, and with no room to evade, Ye Pei reached to his waist and drew a long black staff, raising it to meet Yue Yuncheng’s attack.

Crack!

With a crisp snap, the wooden staff shattered under the force, but Yue Yuncheng’s descent was blocked midair, leaving him suspended awkwardly.

In that moment, with Yue Yuncheng caught between spent force and new strength yet to gather, Ye Pei, fueled by irritation, seized the opportunity. Without withdrawing his staff, he flipped backward and kicked both feet into Yue Yuncheng’s chest and abdomen. Yue Yuncheng’s face turned ashen as he was sent flying.

“You brat! The stronger you get, the less restraint you show!” Ye Linhui leapt in, rebuking Ye Pei in righteous tones.

No more needed to be said. As Yue the Hero lay on the ground catching his breath, the father and son delivered another round of perfectly coordinated mockery.

Night fell.

Everyone gathered in the main hall of the Ye residence for dinner, even Yue Zhe, who repeatedly assured everyone his injuries were no trouble. Ye Linhui and his wife, Ye Pei and Ye Feilan, Alan, and Ye Feilan’s maid Ye Fei were all present.

“Ah, it’s a rare occasion to have Brother Yue and his son visit Shunxing City and our home…” Before the feast began, Ye Linhui raised his cup and, after a long speech, everyone took the first drink together, launching the banquet in high spirits.

Halfway through, with all the necessary toasts exchanged, Yue Yuncheng raised a question that had also been on Yue Zhe’s mind.

“Nephew, just what is that weapon of yours? I’ve never seen you use it before.”

Ye Pei smiled. “Ah, that’s my prized possession. Let me tell you the story.”

Everyone had, of course, noticed Ye Pei’s remarkable weapon—a staff one moment, a blade the next, always drawn from an apparently empty waistband.

The story began when Ye Pei was just ten years old.

It was said that within the imperial palace of the Snow Kingdom, there was a piece of…

To be continued.