Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

62. Sun Shu

Translator: Flying Lines

“I didn’t expect you to value your life so much, then why did you wear that desperate look all these days?” This was the first time Su Jie talked to Sun Shu.

Sun Shu’s eyes flickered as he stole a glance at Yu Che who was checking on the bodies of those black-clothed hitmen, stabbing those who were still breathing and not sparing the slightest attention to watch on him.

Sun Shu opened his mouth, tears brimming over with eyes.

Su Jie was rendered in an utter trance but then recalled his first meeting with Zhou ZaiYue who also burst into tears. Sun Shu was now wearing that identical complicated look with that of Zhou ZaiYue upon their first meeting.

It was at that very moment that he came to realize something. So this Sun Shu…also came from State Yanling?

However, Sun Shu didn’t get the chance to speak anything as Zhou ZaiYue suddenly stepped in front of Su Jie and shook his head at Sun Shu, who, getting the hint, didn’t utter a word.

Su Jie didn’t raise any question as what Zhou ZaiYue just did had already cleared his doubt.

Zhou ZaiYue knew Sun Shu. But where did these black-clothed hitmen come from? They must have come for Sun Shu or that hitman wouldn’t throw his sword at Sun Shu at his last gasp.

Sun Shu remained silent, his head lowered, his eyes filled with tears but his lips curled into a smile.

Su Jie strongly resembled the late emperor of State Emperor in appearance, plus Zhou ZaiYue by his side…Sun Shu quickly came to the conclusion: Su Jie is a royal member of State Yanling.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I found you at last!” Sun Shu mouthed the words with a hearty smile, not making any sound.

Su Jie, however, at this point had more confusion. If Sun Shu was from State Yanling, why would he choose to stay in Yanhui just like Zhou ZaiYue did? And who sent these black-clothed hitmen to kill him?

Su Jie had so many questions that couldn’t be answered. Worse part was he could barely deduce anything from the scant information he had. This was frustrating! He had to gather more clues or he would be like seeing things through a mist, getting a fuzzy image without any details.

Yu Che piled up the bodies of those hitmen in a corner, the blood on the ground unattended for now. Instead of choosing an inn to stay, they had rented a private courtyard when seeing the notice for leasing after entering the city. The noble prince Xiao ShengNian preferred this private house than inns crowded with unknown strangers. Therefore, they paid half a year’s rent though they would only be staying for just one night.

“Leave it, you need some rest for the antidote to take its effect.” Zhou ZaiYue said when seeing Yu Che working hard to clean up the yard.

“But…” Yu Che hesitated.

“I’ll keep an eye on Sun Shu. As for the mess in this yard, just hire someone to deal with it,” said Zhou ZaiYue in a bland tone.

“Thank you, Elder Zhou.” Yu Che expressed his gratitude and went to his room to get some rest as he still felt uncomfortable from the poison.

“You must have loads of questions, I presume?” Zhou Zaiyue said with a smile after Yu Che left.

Su Jie nodded.

“Sun Shu is one of our members and he stays in State Yanhui for the same purpose as mine. These hitmen must have been sent by Fen Buhui to kill him. We must be extremely cautious along the way as these hitmen were only his salvo into what he has prepared for us in State Yanhui where most of his assassins must be waiting for us.”

“All this trouble just to kill Sun Shu?” Did Sun Shu know anything confidential? Or why would that Fen Buhui send so many hitmen?

“Haha…their target this time is Sun Shu but next time it would be me.” Zhou ZaiYue said with a smile, nonchalant about the coming danger. He turned to gaze far into the direction of Yanling, saying, “Of course his ultimate goal is to kill you.”

“They knew you’ve found me?” Su Jie was immediately on the alert. It was never a good thing to be remembered by some hitmen. These Men of Sacrifice would disguise as anybody like a pedestrian and would strike a fatal blow at any second.

“Probably not. After losing these hitmen, they would first investigate who I am before their next move. However, that would take a long time as I’ve been elusive for years. And you…though you take after your father, these Men of Sacrifice don’t know that. Sixteen years has passed, I presume only few still remember the appearance of the late emperor.”

Zhou Zaiyue’s tone of voice now sounded melancholy, the smile on his face gone and his turbid eyes now with a faint mist over. He added, “Under the disguise of Wen Nianxuan, Chu Buhui wouldn’t be able to notice you for now.”

“Sun Shu is a member of us, then we just stand by and let him be escorted back to the capital?”

“Of course not. I’ll take care of that.” Zhou Zaiyue didn’t say much about his plan. He just pulled Sun Shu up from the ground and said in a bland tone, “Please endure for a few more days. Our people will come and rescue you soon.”

Sun Shu asked, his voice hoarse and his eyes fixed on Su Jie, “Um…Elder Zhou, is this His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Yes!” Zhou Zaiyue gave the answer without any hesitation and reached out to stop Sun Shu from kneeling down, saying, “Xiao ShengNian will be coming back any second. Now go and stay in your own room.”

Sun Shu took a deep breath to calm himself down and bowed with greatest sincerity, “May I die for your royal highness.”

After that, he turned around and walked back into his room.