Chapter 0008: Under the Gate of the Old Lord

Yuan Qishen's expression softened; Zhou Zhongliang's words were indeed not without merit. After they killed the officials, they indeed found official documents on Huang Jie's corpse, which clearly stated the identity of Zhu Yicheng. Furthermore, there was also Zhu Yicheng's handwritten confession provided by the county office. The cowardly Zhou Zhongliang should not have the audacity to deceive himself.

It is good that the young master is fine. "The third brother chuckled as he rubbed his hands together, standing upright and shouting at the side: "Make sure to serve the young master well, or beware that I will take your head!"

This is not just ... ... '' As soon as he recalled it, Zhu Yicheng was instantly startled.

Under the Old Lord's gate, Yuan Qi paid a visit to Young Master Zhu Wugong! The head of the household bent slightly, gestured with a hand in a flower-turning pose, and smiled as he performed a bow

Even so, what does it mean that that pretty boy remained silent in front of the leader? We are the righteous army; shouldn't he be overjoyed to have been saved by us?

Suddenly finding oneself inexplicably traversing through time, inexplicably becoming a prisoner, and then inexplicably getting entangled in the case of Prince Zhu San, Zhu Yicheng thought to himself that he must be the unluckiest time traveler in the world

In the nightmare, there seemed to be a voice drifting from the horizon, calling out, faint yet gradually becoming clearer. Finally, Zhu Yicheng seemed to understand; the voice appeared to be calling him. Struggling through the fog in his head, Zhu Yicheng managed to open his eyes, and what met his gaze was an almost flower-like smiling ugly face.

After speaking, the third brother left in high spirits, and a woman came over holding a bowl of water: "Young man, would you like to have a sip of water..."

Sitting up slowly, Zhu Yicheng carefully surveyed his surroundings. In the dim light, he could barely make out that this was a mud-brick house. The house was not large, measuring approximately a dozen square meters. Besides the bamboo bed beneath him, there was only a table and a few broken bamboo chairs.

The face in my memory is that of a fierce and menacing figure, isn't it the thief who dragged me out of the car?

The head of the household approached the bed and carefully examined Zhu Yicheng, nodding in satisfaction: "It seems that the young master is not seriously injured."

Big Boss! Third Boss! A lowly person would not dare to lie! Would not dare to lie!" Zhou Zhongliang's face was covered with snot and tears: "That Young Master Zhu is Zhu Yicheng, without a doubt the grandson of Prince Zhu San! You must not forget, there is the official document found on the bodies of the soldiers as evidence!"

You ... ... ?" Not knowing the identity of the other party, Zhu Yicheng hesitated and asked, seeing that the leader did not seem to have any malicious intent

"Is it the truth? You saw the scene just now; do you think I am confused or blind here?" Yuan Qi snorted coldly, pointing at his own head with his index finger

The woman spoke in a rural dialect, and Zhu Yicheng understood only bits and pieces. However, he could comprehend the way she offered the water. Having had a nightmare that left him in a cold sweat, coupled with the fear and hunger he had experienced over the past two days, he was already parched. Zhu Yicheng hurriedly took the bowl of water and drank it all in a few gulps

"You little bastard! How dare you deceive the boss and me? Just watch, I will chop off your head!" With that, the third one kicked Zhou Zhongliang, sending him tumbling, and he was ready to draw his knife to attack.

Zhu Yicheng, having calmed down, recalled the inexplicable moment when he was captured as a suspect after being transmitted. He also remembered the process of being taken into a large vehicle for escort. However, his memory only extended to the moment before he lost consciousness, which was when he heard a commotion outside the vehicle. Then, the fierce visage of the third person he had just seen appeared. When he was yanked out of the vehicle and fell to the ground, Zhu Yicheng, filled with shock and fear, fainted on the spot

"You say it is, so it is? I could just as easily say you were raised by a woman! What nonsense is this official document that cannot be forged?" The third brother cursed under his breath, "The grandson of Prince Zhu San? Bah! If this pretty boy were truly the grandson of Prince Zhu San, how could he not understand the subtle gestures of the boss? Clearly, it is you, old man, who is cowardly and talking nonsense!"

Just as Zhu Yicheng was secretly contemplating, a loud voice rang out from outside. As the door opened, three people entered, with one man leading the way. He was a burly figure with a square face and a pair of sword-like eyebrows, though unfortunately, his nose was a bit low and his eyes were somewhat small.

The two individuals who entered behind him included the previously mentioned third brother, while the other man, dressed in a blue long gown, was difficult to discern clearly, and it was unclear what his purpose was

With a thud, the man in the long robe knelt before Yuan Qi and said, "How could a lowly person dare to deceive the esteemed master! Every word I spoke before was the truth!"

Having learned a hard lesson from his own cleverness, the overly ambitious youth Zhu Yicheng has now decided to be more prudent. He is determined to say and ask less until he fully understands the situation, as the saying goes, silence is golden. Although these people are not good individuals, one must question whether those who can kill soldiers are good people. Nevertheless, his current situation is certainly better than being bound and escorted to execution. Moreover, judging from the attitude of the others just now, it seems that for the time being, his life is safe.

Unable to communicate with the other party, Zhu Yicheng could only return the empty bowl in his hand. The woman then filled the bowl with water for him again. This time, Zhu Yicheng sipped slowly while carefully recalling the events.

The third master, young Master Zhu Wugong, encountered a significant upheaval in his family at a tender age. Coupled with the turmoil of blades and swords along the way, his frail constitution made it natural for a young man to feel somewhat flustered upon first encountering the imposing presence of the big master. It is only human to lose one's composure in such circumstances. I believe that after young Master Zhu has had a good rest for a couple of days and regained his strength, I will then take the opportunity to guide him, and things will surely be different.

Yuan Qi stared at Zhu Yicheng and couldn't help but frown slightly, but soon returned to his usual demeanor

Upon entering the room, Yuan Qi sat down at a square table, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured himself a bowl of water. After pouring, he did not reach for the tea bowl; instead, he raised his head and coldly stared at the long-gowned man who had followed him in.

Young Master has been startled along the way, and it is indeed my oversight, Yuan Da. How about this: Young Master should first take something to eat, then have a good rest. After all, there is plenty of time in the future, and we can discuss things in detail later?" After saying this, Yuan Qi did not wait for Zhu Yicheng to agree and instructed someone nearby, then turned around and left with the third brother and the person who had just entered with him.

Oh..." Zhu Yicheng instinctively uttered a sound of acknowledgment, unsure of what to say next, and for a moment, he lowered his head in silence.

Zhu Yicheng is just an ordinary high school student. He knows a little about the historical dramas and has some understanding of the general historical trajectory of the Qing Dynasty and certain historical figures. However, the school teachers have not taught him the finer details of history, and besides, these topics are not included in the college entrance examination.

"Where is this? Who are you? Who was that person just now?" After drinking water, Zhu Yicheng collected his thoughts and asked, but the other party merely shook his head. There was also a person standing not far away who remained silent, and it was unclear whether he did not understand the question or simply did not wish to say more.

Yuan... Zhu Yicheng was momentarily at a loss for how to address the other party. Yuan Qi chuckled and put his hands down, saying, "Young master, there is no need for formality; just call me Yuan Da."

The minor does not dare to say that the official documents from the government could be forged. The documents bear the great seal of the government office, and there are also handover documents from the county office. As for the secret gestures you mentioned... It is not surprising that Young Master Zhu Wu cannot understand them. Zhu San, the Crown Prince, has been living under the alias He Cheng, also known as Wang Shiyuan, hiding in Yuyao County for several decades, during which no one knew his true identity. If it were not for Master Nian Yi and the leader Ye Da who were exposed after their failed uprisings, perhaps Zhu San would have passed away without anyone discovering his identity. Young Master Zhu Wu cannot understand it, and it is not surprising. Zhu San, the Crown Prince, has been living under the alias He Cheng, also known as Wang Shiyuan, hiding in Yuyao County for several decades, during which no one knew his true identity. If it were not for Master Nian Yi and the leader Ye Da who were exposed after their failed uprisings, perhaps Zhu San would have passed away without anyone discovering his identity. Leader Da, Leader San, think about it. Zhu San, the Crown Prince, comes from a royal family and has lived in seclusion in the countryside for many years. How could he understand the secret gestures of your Lao Junmen? Moreover, even if he understood them himself, he could not possibly tell his descendants! Such a significant matter, once leaked, would bring about catastrophic consequences!

"Master Zhou, you are not deceiving me, are you?"

But what exactly happened, Zhu Yicheng has not figured out until now. He only knows that he got the era wrong from the very beginning; it is now the Kangxi period. As for the mention of Zhu San Taizi, he has heard of it in a television drama, but what does that have to do with him? Could it be that he not only traveled through time but also replaced the identity of Zhu San Taizi?

Yuan Qi was taken aback; what Zhou Zhongliang said was indeed something he had not anticipated. Upon careful consideration, it made sense, and his expression immediately softened.

Hehe, is the young master feeling much better now? I truly regret the trouble caused to you earlier due to my ignorance of your identity

Zhu Yicheng had a long nightmare in which a gigantic monster was relentlessly chasing him. He ran desperately ahead, trying with all his might to escape. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not move his legs. When he turned around, he saw the monster getting closer and closer, its claws outstretched, filling Zhu Yicheng with an overwhelming terror, yet he could not utter a sound.

What is the relationship between Lao Jun and Young Master Zhu Wu? Is it not Zhu San Taizi? Zhu Yicheng could not understand what the other party meant, and he found the gestures made by the leader even more incomprehensible; however, he did clearly hear the other party's name.

"Young Master, you have finally awakened." Upon seeing Zhu Yicheng finally regain consciousness, that person clapped their hands in great delight

You... you...?" Looking at this face, Zhu Yicheng had a vague impression, as if he had seen it somewhere before. However, his memory was somewhat hazy after just waking from a coma, and it took him a while to recall to whom this flower-like smiling ugly face belonged.

Upon leaving, Yuan Qi stopped a few steps later and turned back to glance at the room. The warm and friendly expression he had just a moment ago had now turned cold and indifferent. After a moment of contemplation, he continued to walk forward in silence, quickly arriving at a nearby small courtyard with the two individuals behind him.

Young master ... ... young master ... ... !