Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

30. Retaking Lost Throne

Translator: Flying Lines

“Childe, does it have a name?” Yu Jiang asked with his head down, feeling a bit sad. He looked somewhat confused, his immature face now wearing some seriousness. Even his eyes turned brighter as usual.

Su Jie tightened his lips but didn’t utter a word, looking somewhat reminiscent. He learned the melody from his parents, the only thing related to his parents beside the jade pendant. This was the second time he had played it.

“No, I randomly picked it to remind myself not to forget who I am.” Su Jie shook his head as a self-mocking smile appeared on his face. He stroked the guqin, his fair and slender fingers had long been stained with countless blood yet still could bring out those beautiful melodies.

Yu Jiang didn’t dwell on that and exclaimed with admiration, “Childe, your skills are superb.”

Su Jie had regained his usual calmness from the sorrow he felt when reading the lines “Whilst thy father and mother are alive, do not wander afar,” which was why he suddenly wanted to play qugin. However, he would never allow himself to dwell on the past as he had to complete his mission. Regrets and reminiscence were only a waste of time.

The two lapsed into silence.

Then Su Jie continued to dry his hair with a towel but his hand came to a pause as he tilted his head and sensed the scurrying footsteps outside.

He thought it was Xiao ShengNian but was surprised by the knock from the door.

Xiao ShengNian would never do that.

“Please come in,” Su Jie said, confused.

The door was pushed open before he finished the words, revealing a hale and hearty old man in plain clothes.

The old man now wore a complicated look, a look of joy and affection mixed with excitement and anticipation, his eyes turbid as if having experienced the most vicissitudes of helplessness yet displaying the wisdom of having seen through the joys and sorrows of the world.

Su Jie was perplexed. He had never seen the old man before, so what was that loving and tender look in his eyes about?

Yu Jiang asked with a frown, “Who are you? You’re not supposed to be here without permission.”

Zhou Zaiyue, however, ordered Yu Jiang in a stern voice, “You, now get out and guard the door. Don’t eavesdrop. Don’t let others come in.”

Yu Jiang was scared by his aggressiveness. But since he had never seen the old man before, he refused to obey his order. “Get out. You’re disturbing my childe.” With that, Yu Jiang stepped in front of Su Jie in a protective manner, glaring at the old man.

Zhou Zaiyue didn’t bother arguing with a footboy while the parrot on his shoulder began to repeat, “You get out, get out.”

Yu Jiang was shocked and turned to stared at the parrot when Zhou Zaiyue walked to him, poker-faced, and knocked him out.

Su Jie didn’t expect the old man to be so agile. He hurried to support the falling Yu Jiang and asked, “May I know who…”

Zhou Zaiyue dropped right on his knees and kowtowed, which rendered Su Jie in utter shock who subconsciously wanted to dodge away but couldn’t due to Yu Jiang in his arms.

“Please don’t do this. I can’t take this from an elder.” Su Jie forced a wry smile, also dropped to his knees.

This was the first time he had kneeled before others, fortunately it was an elder.

Now they were both their knees, face to face.

“You are the only one in this whole world I’m willing to kowtow to.” Zhou Zaiyue said in an extremely respectful tone of voice. He sighed, his eyes brimmed with tears mixed with excitement and loyalty. “I found you after all these years! God favors me!”

Su Jie was rendered speechless. The old man looked normal and healthy, but why he behaved in such a…confusing manner?

“Can you first get up? Then we can talk. I can’t take your kowtow.” With that, Su Jie lay Yu Jiang against the wall before he tried to let the old get up.

But Zhou Zaiyue refused. He touched Su Jie’s face with his wrinkled hand, stroking it like he was feeling a delicate treasure.

That gave Su Jie goosebumps all over, who avoided the old man’s hand while asking, his voice somewhat impatient, “What brings you here?”

“It’s a long story…” Zhou Zaiyue stared at Su Jie’s face, not noticing any sign of disguise which he had confirmed when he touched. So the boy before him was the one he had been looking for. He resumed his cold look and said in a serious tone, “You can’t kneel before me, Your Highness. Please get up.”

“But I’d be punished by heaven if you keep on your knees.” Su Jie had never expected this, an old man kneeling before him. And what was that honorific about? Su Jie was perplexed.

Zhou Zaiyue knew it would take long to explain everything. Seeing that Su Jie refused to stand up, he had to back down, “Then we both stand up together?”

“That’d be great?” Su Jie heaved a sigh of relief as he didn’t want to be on his knees. This was so freaking weird.

After they both got up, Zhou Zaiyue introduced himself, “This old man is Zhou Zaiyue.”

Su Jie nodded, “My name is Wen Nianxuan.”

Zhou Zaiyue continued as his brows knitted slightly, “This old man is seventy-four years old.”

Su Jie followed suit, “This junior nineteen years old.”

“So this must be yours?” Su Jie’s age was just right, so Zhou Zaiyue took out from his bosom pocket the jade pendant with great caution, his look serious like he was performing some sort of holy religious ritual.

“How come it’s in your hands?” Su Jie immediately took the pendant and tied it by his waist while secretly felt angry with Xiao ShengNian for he had given it to others.

“You played the guqin just now?” Zhou Zaiyue asked, his eyes glued to the jade pendant without answering Su Jie’s quesiton.

“Yes, I did.”

“Do you know the name of the melody?” Zhou Zaiyue asked again.

That Su Jie couldn’t answer as he didn’t know, his parents never told him the tune had a name.

Zhou Zaiyue said, his voice stern and sonorous as hope and decisiveness gleamed in his eyes, “Retaking Lost Throne, that’s its name.”