Chapter 086 – The Tragic Prefect’s Son – “Enemies meet” (01/10)
(FN: There is… slight racism in this arc against the nomadic Hu people. They are referred to as Barbarians by most side characters.)
Xie Chenyang didn’t linger in You Huang’s space before being transported to the next world.
He shivered upon waking.
You Huang: “Pretty rough.”
Part of Xie Chenyang’s body was submerged in water, his upper half clinging to the shore. Soaked through, his face was pale, bearing several scratches that looked like abrasions.
Fortunately, the sun was high in the sky. Not only did he not feel cold, but he actually found it quite refreshing.
Xie Chenyang calmly stood up, wrung out his clothes, removed his lone remaining boot, pulled off his sock, sat on the shore, and wiped his face: [Come on, Dad, what’s the plot?]
This was an ancient world.
His original identity was Yang Su, the youngest son of Yang Yuequan, the Prefect of Bozhou City. During his three years as Prefect of Bozhou, his father handled numerous difficult matters, helped struggling towns under his jurisdiction thrive, and was known for his impartiality…
In short, he was deeply beloved by the people of Bozhou.
Lately, Yang Yuchuan seemed to have received some important news and became increasingly busy. People frequently visited his prefecture, each time spending long hours with him in his study.
It was during this time that Yang Su reunited with Yu Shuo, a close childhood friend.
Yang Su and Yu Shuo had met when they were eight years old.
Yu Shuo was exquisitely charming. Yang Su had adored him the moment they met on the street, often seeking him out to play.
Though they knew each other for only a year before Yu Shuo left, Yang Su cherished the memories of his dear friend for years, carefully preserving the jade pendant Yu Shuo had given him as a parting gift.
Their reunion after eight years filled Yang Su with immense joy.
He had always believed they would likely never meet again. After all, Yu Shuo had left, and three years ago, Yang Su had also departed with his family, relocating to Bozhou City.
Yu Shuo’s features remained exquisitely delicate. Though he was no longer the adorable child he once was, his matured handsomeness now inspired genuine affection.
It was hard to imagine anyone harboring ill will toward such a strikingly handsome person.
After that, they met daily. Yang Su took Yu Shuo around Bozhou, and the two recounted each other’s life over the years. It was as if their time apart had never existed, and there was no barrier between them.
Yu Shuo possessed an androgynous beauty and would often, intentionally or unintentionally, present his best self before Yang Su. Gradually, their interactions grew increasingly intimate.
Yang Su was in the prime of his youth. When he realized his own unusual reactions to Yu Shuo, his first instinct was to panic and flee. Before he could run, Yu Shuo confided in him about the conflict he’d had with his family. It was this dispute that had driven him to leave home alone and come to Bozhou.
Hearing this, Yang Su, who had been planning to run, immediately abandoned that thought and offered his concern.
Yu Shuo confessed his distress: his family pressured him to marry and have children, yet he felt no attraction to women. Instead, he found himself drawn to men; perhaps he was born with a natural inclination toward same-sex relationships. He asked Yang Su if this would make his friend despise him.
Far from despising him, Yang Su felt his heart skip a beat.
They naturally began a relationship.
Yang Su frequently brought Yu Shuo back to his residence, even considering coming out to his parents about their relationship.
But Yu Shuo was ever the gentle soul. Within days of moving in, he noticed Yang Yuchuan seemed perpetually busy. He advised Yang Su not to burden him with this now, suggesting they wait until his father’s commitments were resolved.
With their relationship transformed, Yang Su naturally didn’t want Yu Shuo staying at the inn any longer. He brought him to the mansion, arranging for him to reside in the room next to his own.
Neither Yang Su nor Yu Shuo wished to rush things. Only when their feelings became overwhelming would they steal a secret kiss.
Yang Su longed to make their relationship public, to gain his parents’ approval and be together openly. But his father was perpetually occupied.
So Yang Su began discreetly observing his father’s activities, hoping to assist him and hasten his completion.
Unbeknownst to him, while Yang Su escorted Yu Shuo around the estate by day, Yu Shuo would slip out after Yang Su fell asleep each night to sneak around. Gradually, he mapped out the estate’s guard patterns.
Before Yang Su could wait for his father to finish, catastrophe struck the estate.
That night, intruders suddenly stormed in, demonstrating intimate knowledge of the layout and defenses, slaughtering indiscriminately.
Yang Su was awakened by screams and battle cries. Rushing to check on Yu Shuo in the next room, he found the boy gone.
Soon, guards entered and escorted him to the rear courtyard. His family was gathered there.
Yang Yuquan scanned the group before finally pressing a small bundle into Yang Su’s arms. “Zhao Feng, escort the young master out through the rear mountain. I’ll take the others along another route.“
Yang Su: ”Father, my friend…“
Yang Yuchuan: ”Su’er, I promise I’ll send men to find your friend. But what you carry is vital. You must leave immediately with Uncle Zhao and the others.“
”But–“
”Zhao Feng!“
”Yes, sir!”
Zhao Feng hoisted Yang Su onto his shoulder and rushed away.
Several figures swiftly followed, weapons drawn.
Yang Yuchuan calmly ordered men to search Yang Su’s courtyard, then turned to his family. “We’ll exit through the back gate. Let’s go.”
“Lord Yang, you won’t escape—nor will your youngest son, who’s already fled.”
Carried over Zhao Feng’s shoulder, Yang Su saw many familiar corpses along the way. Gradually calming down, he asked Zhao Feng to set him down so he could run faster.
If these men dared to enter the mansion and kill, the city couldn’t be safe.
After scaling the wall, they sprinted straight toward the mountains. Just as they successfully reached them and thought they were safe, a figure caught up.
The guards stayed behind to block the path while Zhao Feng carried Yang Su and kept running.
Though alone, the pursuer was formidable. Wielding only two curved blades, he cut down every guard one by one. Yang Su’s heart sank as he heard the agonized cries behind them.
Just then, they reached the edge of a cliff.
Zhao Feng gasped. “We’re done for.”
He spun around, drew his sword, and urged Yang Su to run the other way.
But before Yang Su could take a step, the hooded man in the long robe dashed forward. A curved blade sliced through Zhao Feng’s throat, and a pair of deep blue eyes locked onto Yang Su.
Yang Su gasped in terror. “Barbarians!”
Zhao Feng collapsed to the ground. Blood dripped from the barbarian’s curved blade as it pressed closer to Yang Su.
Yang Su seemed frozen in terror. Only when the blade was inches from his own throat did Yang Su suddenly snap out of it. With a fierce jerk, he yanked the barbarian backward with him.
Both fell over the cliff. Even during the fall, the barbarian hadn’t forgotten his mission. He launched both curved blades toward Yang Su.
But a sudden gust of wind blew the blades off course, sending them tumbling past Yang Su.
After plunging into the water, Yang Su lost consciousness. When he woke again, he found himself in the state Xie Chenyang had been in moments before.
After regaining consciousness, Yang Su forced himself to walk to a nearby village. There, he learned that a band of mountain bandits had stormed Bozhou City late last night. Not only had they burned, killed, and plundered the citizens, but they had also broken into the Prefect’s residence and slaughtered his entire household.
It seemed they harbored a deep, personal hatred for the Prefect.
Everyone lamented how such a good official had been destroyed by a band of bandits.
Yang Su found it utterly absurd. The bandits near Bozhou City had long been eradicated by his father.
Where had this powerful new bandit group come from? Moreover, the one who had hunted him down was a barbarian.
He returned to Bozhou City in disarray.
A pall of grief hung over Bozhou City. The streets were desolate, and the sound of weeping could be heard intermittently from the commoners’ homes.
He returned to his residence and found his family’s corpses in the courtyard. Overcome with grief, he could not help but weep.
At that very moment, Yu Shuo appeared, his face ashen and his appearance equally disheveled. As if clutching a long-lost treasure, he embraced Yang Su tightly.
He explained that while using the outhouse, he’d heard the clamor of battle outside. He’d wanted to find Yang Su, but being powerless, he feared he’d get captured , so he’d hidden inside and stayed put.
He’d assumed the guards within the Prefectural Governor’s residence could handle the assassins. Little did he know that when everything ended, he emerged to find the ground littered with corpses.
He spent the entire night searching them throughout the mansion but found no trace of Yang Su, waiting for him to return. Yang Su fainted in his arms.
When he awoke again, Yu Shuo revealed his true identity.
He was the son of the Prince of Zhen’an. The earlier story about fleeing home after his family discovered his homosexuality was true.
He promised Yang Su he would uncover the truth and avenge the Yang family. He contacted his subordinates and accompanied Yang Su in burying the entire Yang household.
Yang Su recalled the parcel his father had given him. Fortunately, it remained safely in his embrace, untouched by the floodwaters.
Inside lay a brocade box secured with a lock.
Yang Su sensed this object must be connected to the Yang family’s tragedy.
Yu Shuo cautioned that violent tampering might damage it. He suggested the Prince of Zhen’an’s estate housed skilled artisans who might unlock it. Yang Su entrusted the box to him with confidence and accompanied him to the Prince of Zhen’an’s fiefdom.
Little did he know the box contained evidence of the Prince of Zhen’an’s treason.
Upon retrieving it, the Prince of Zhen’an realized the Emperor had grown suspicious of him. He swiftly coordinated with the barbarians to raise an army. Seizing the moment when the barbarians besieged the capital and the Emperor dispatched troops to defend it, leaving no spare forces, he led his rebellion.
Ultimately, the Emperor prioritized the nation over recalling his border garrison troops, leading to him being overthrown by Prince Zhen’an.
Throughout it all, Yang Su remained completely unaware.
He disapproved of Prince Zhen’an’s rebellion, yet Yu Shuo insisted he couldn’t stop his father, leaving Yang Su consumed by guilt.
Yang Su had no choice. Ultimately, he couldn’t bear to leave Yu Shuo. Besides, Yu Shuo delivered on his promise, tracking down the murderers of the Yang household.
There were Hu people hiding within their own country, disguised as bandits lurking in the deep mountains outside Bozhou City.
But Yang Yuchuan’s crackdown on the bandits was too severe, making their operations difficult and forcing them into hiding. Learning the barbarian tribes were preparing to make a move, they decided to attack Bozhou City first, aiming to strike the opening blow.
Unaware of the Prince of Zhen’an’s rebellion and his alliance with the barbarians, Yang Su accepted this explanation without suspicion and even expressed gratitude to Yu Shuo.
For Yu Shuo had “persuaded” his father. After ascending the throne, the Prince personally led troops to repel the barbarians, sending them scattering in disarray. Later, on the day Yu Shuo ascended the throne, his resentful elder brother revealed the truth to Yang Su.
Devastated, Yang Su left the palace.
Yu Shuo, who had intended to marry the Chancellor’s daughter upon his coronation, suddenly realized his feelings for Yang Su ran far deeper than superficial affection—his love was more profound than he’d ever imagined.
In a moment of realization, he abdicated the throne to his elder brother after just one day of reign and set out to find Yang Su.
Elder Brother: “?” Utterly bewildered.
Locating Yang Su proved not too difficult for Yu Shuo.
Yang Su, learning that Yu Shuo had relinquished the throne for him and reflecting on their years of affection, was torn with anguish.
Yu Shuo begged for his forgiveness, sincerely admitting his mistakes and shifting the blame onto the late emperor, his own father. “A father’s command must not be disobeyed,” he argued, insisting he’d never truly harmed a single member of the Yang family… a clever twist of logic.
Yet Yang Su’s heart softened, and he actually forgave him.
[What kind of stupid plot is this?]
You Xiang: “After so many worlds, you still aren’t used to it?”
[Not used to it, and I want to smash that scumbag’s head in.]
Xie Chen Yang glanced at his lone shoe, stood up, and walked away barefoot.
[Huh? Someone up ahead?]
You Xiang: “That Hu assassin.”
Xie Chen Yang sneered. He picked up a sharp stone from the ground with a sinister glint in his eyes as he approached the barbarian.
The hood had fallen away, revealing shoulder-length, braided chestnut-colored hair. Tassel earrings dangled from his ears, and his closed eyes softened his otherwise sharp, intense features.
Xie Chenyang’s stone clattered to the ground. “Holy shit?!”
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
