The Innocent Heart - Chapter 17

There was still no major news in Chang’an today. Amidst a peaceful scene of flourishing growth, the sun gradually set. The curfew hour was approaching once again.

In the abandoned manor, Guan Yueyao and Huo Qubing sat on the steps outside the kitchen, looking relaxed after a satisfying meal. Labor always sharpened the appetite. Even though dinner tonight was only a simple dish of scrambled eggs and bean-mixed rice, the two ate with particular relish.

Scrambled eggs were still a novel dish for Huo Qubing. The golden-yellow eggs, fried with rendered pork fat and simply seasoned with a touch of salt. It was only a pity that the ceramic fu used for boiling was not suitable for stir-frying, and inevitably, a few pieces had been scorched because of the sticking.

Even so, Huo Qubing ate two large bowls of the bean-mixed rice—a meal that aristocrats of this era usually disdained—along with the large plate of scrambled eggs. This was likely the coarsest meal Huo Qubing had ever eaten since he was born, but it was also the happiest.

The two finished their meal on the broken, three-legged Jue’er An (- curved-legged small table), and the moon gradually ascended to the highest point in the sky. Compared to the scorching sun, the cool moonlight felt much gentler.

With companionship, this large manor, which was still associated with horror in the eyes of others, seemed to them like a secret garden, a sanctuary where they felt secure.

“I didn’t expect your cooking skills to be so good. This plate of scrambled eggs is much better than what the cooks in my house make,” Huo Qubing sat contentedly on the steps. The cool breeze brushed past his slightly messy hair, adding a sense of ease.

“Guan Yueyao, if I go home, are you willing… willing to come and live with me at my house?” Huo Qubing suddenly turned, looked earnestly at his friend, and asked somewhat nervously.

“Go to your house? To do what? You aren’t planning on making me your servant again, are you?” Guan Yueyao looked at Huo Qubing with suspicion.

It wasn’t that he disliked being with Huo Qubing. On the contrary, the last two evenings spent together had made him increasingly fond of this slightly younger friend. It had been a long time since he had felt the joy of having a compatible friend nearby. Therefore, he wished to stay with Huo Qubing for a little longer, just a little longer.

Yet, he also knew clearly that he was a rootless outsider in this era without family or relatives. Huo Qubing had a home to return to, with a mother and an uncle who genuinely cherished him.

But when Huo Qubing extended the invitation to go home together, his heart was still resistant. He had only a very rudimentary understanding of this strictly hierarchical society. But even with that small bit of knowledge, he understood that although neither of them mentioned it, objectively, in the eyes of the world, there was a world of difference between him and Huo Qubing.

If he followed Huo Qubing back to his home, he would probably only be able to serve him as a servant. He would have to bow down and pay respects to the nobles, be cautious, and never offend them. This was something he found fundamentally unacceptable; he was unwilling to do it, even if it was just a false pretense or a feigned compliance.

However, before he could utter a refusal, Huo Qubing seemed to sense his thoughts.

“Not as a servant! I want to invite you to be my Menke – retainer/client)!” Huo Qubing spoke urgently, leaning in. “You said you don’t like serving people, so I thought I would invite you home to be my retainer.”

“A retainer? What’s that?” Not being a servant finally piqued Guan Yueyao’s interest somewhat. If he didn’t have to grovel, could live comfortably without worry, and—most importantly—could stay with his good friend, it seemed like the best thing that could happen to him right now.

“It means I will provide for you, and you won’t have to do chores like a servant. You just need to stay with me and teach me your skills; that is my only request.”

Huo Qubing answered seriously, and Guan Yueyao was tempted. Not having to be a servant and being able to stay with Huo Qubing seemed like a very good plan.

“Hmm… it seems… maybe okay?” Guan Yueyao answered vaguely while pondering the proposal.

“So you agree?!” Hearing his reply, Huo Qubing couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face, and he even started to look forward to the time after returning home.

“You can stay with me at home and practice riding and archery. I will certainly be joining the army in the future, following my uncle to fight the Xiongnu for the Emperor and expand our territory. Are you willing to come with me!”

He grew more and more excited. Unable to contain his anticipation, he grabbed Guan Yueyao’s hand and looked at him with burning eyes.

“Alright!” Guan Yueyao felt Huo Qubing’s enthusiasm and was influenced by the heightened emotion. He agreed immediately without thinking too much.

In reality, he had no clear understanding of what the eight characters Huo Qubing spoke—”fight the Xiongnu and expand our territory” —actually entailed. War, to him, was a scene that only appeared in TV dramas and novels.

But these wars, filtered through literary creation, were often only associated with grand, magnificent narratives. The blood within them was not real blood, and the deaths of the characters were not real deaths. The bodies of the characters would not truly decay. Even the ruins and sacrifices after the war often possessed a certain sacred, tragic beauty.

Now, because of Huo Qubing’s presence, the battlefield seemed to have been given a new layer of meaning in Guan Yueyao’s mind. It was a place where he could establish great achievements with his friend, gallop freely, and fully express his youth. Passion, vitality, and loyal camaraderie… these shallow and one-sided images formed Guan Yueyao’s initial perception of war.

Having finalized the idea of returning home together, both were in excellent spirits. Huo Qubing even automatically helped Guan Yueyao tidy the bowls and chopsticks. Of course, the ultimate goal was to free up his friend’s time quickly so he could teach him how to practice the Mabu ( – Horse Stance).

In truth, when it came to martial arts practice, Guan Yueyao had neglected it for a long time since moving to Japan with his mother. Now, in order to teach Huo Qubing, he was essentially picking up the activity that had occupied most of his after-school time in elementary school once again.

“No, no. Your feet should be three foot-lengths apart. Squat down. Keep your thighs parallel to the ground. Your toes should point forward, no splaying them out.”

Aided by the faint light filtering from the kitchen and the moonlight, the two young men squared off in the dimly lit courtyard, seriously practicing the foundation of all martial arts: the Horse Stance.

Huo Qubing had been practicing riding and archery since childhood. He was naturally intelligent and had excellent comprehension. Without much explanation from Guan Yueyao, he immediately grasped the benefits the Horse Stance could bring him. After overcoming the initial unfamiliarity, Huo Qubing regulated his breathing, calmed his mind, and began to practice the stance diligently.

Seeing Huo Qubing’s seriousness, Guan Yueyao refused to be outdone. He stood in position next to him, seemingly intending to compete to see who could hold the stance longer.

This was the exact scene Wei Qing found when he and a group of servants rushed into the courtyard, intending to “rescue” his nephew, who they feared had been kidnapped by a street ruffian.

The event unfolded so suddenly that neither side reacted immediately, merely staring wide-eyed at the other.

“Qubing… what… what are you doing?” Wei Qing was an adult, after all, and having spent a long time in the volatile imperial court under the current Emperor, he was much more astute than the two children. He paused, looked at his nephew, who had caused him a day’s worth of worry, and asked.

“Ah? Uncle, how did you find me?” Huo Qubing was completely unprepared for his uncle’s sudden appearance. He blinked, looking innocently at his uncle, whose face was darkening. Instead of answering the question, he posed one of his own.

Wei Qing felt that his day of anxiety had been for naught. The veins bulged on his forehead, but he looked once more at his troublesome nephew. He took a deep breath. Forget it. The important thing is that he’s found. Qubing’s lawless behavior is, after all, something the Emperor and I indulged. He sighed inwardly. I deserve this worry; I brought it on myself.

Thinking this, Wei Qing managed to regain his usual gentle demeanor, but his tone still carried a hint of gritted teeth: “Don’t talk about that yet. Hurry up and come home with me! Your mother has been crying all day worrying about you. We’ve still kept this from the Emperor and the Empress. If you don’t come back soon, the Emperor will probably notice something amiss.” Wei Qing walked over, took his nephew’s hand, and tried to pull him to his side.

Suddenly, he stopped, frowned, and looked at Guan Yueyao, asking in an unfriendly tone: “Who is this little beggar? Did he abduct you?”

But as soon as the words were out, he felt it was highly improbable. Given Qubing’s lawless personality, he had no moral qualms about beating up the Grand Princess Guantao’s own grandson, let alone a small street beggar. Although the Wei family had risen from humble beginnings, and his and Qubing’s origins were often criticized by those with ill intentions, Wei Qing knew very well that Huo Qubing was not a person of tender heart who sympathized with the poor and weak.

At this thought, he couldn’t help but scrutinize the little beggar a few more times.

“Uncle, A’Yao is my friend! I want to take him back to the manor to be my retainer!”

Before Wei Qing could form an opinion of Guan Yueyao, his nephew’s urgent voice reached his ears.

“A retainer?” Wei Qing frowned at the word. Having spent so long beside the Emperor, he knew that the Emperor deeply disliked the custom of retaining talented people (Yang Shi , which was currently popular among the powerful. Furthermore, this little beggar didn’t seem to possess any extraordinary qualities, so why would Qubing risk incurring the Emperor’s displeasure for him?

“A’Yao can defeat me in a fight! I want him to guide me in martial arts!” Huo Qubing, seeing the clear disapproval on his uncle’s face, knew his uncle wasn’t planning to concede. He quickly added the supplementary information.

Huo Qubing’s words did have a slight effect on Wei Qing, making him refocus his attention on Guan Yueyao.

Guan Yueyao disliked this kind of scrutiny; it felt as though the other party was looking at him like a commodity waiting to be priced. He lifted his head, met Wei Qing’s gaze, and stared back.

Such defiance. Wei Qing thought to himself. But he seemed to understand why Qubing would befriend him.

Well, Qubing is probably growing up and starting to need friends his own age. Wei Qing thought of his own childhood and youth and felt he could understand Qubing’s feelings. He had the best family, but for a young person, friendship was just as important as family affection—both were irreplaceable spiritual pillars.

Anyway, our family has no shortage of food or clothing; it’s just one more child to support. If it made Qubing happier, it was worth it. Besides, if the young man proved to be problematic, the Wei family had plenty of ways to deal with him before Qubing could even react.