TTMC Chapter 40.2

Translator – Xiao He Lian

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Chapter 40.2

It’s all right for Shi Ye to go to the Peach Blossom Banquet by himself, why should he be dragged along?

Wen Chi remembered that Shi Ye did not attend the peach blossom banquet in the novel. Instead, the original owner went instead of Wen Liang. However, Wen Liang, who was not qualified to appear at the peach blossom banquet, followed a young master of the Li family.

Wen Liang’s position was arranged in a relatively remote place, no matter how good-looking he was, he could not be noticed by too many people.

However, there is something called the protagonist’s halo. No matter which corner Wen Liang sits in, the protagonist’s halo can successfully shine on him.

A music contest pushed the ignorant Wen Liang to the center of the crowd. He took out the guqin¹古琴 [gǔ qín] guqin, a seven-stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither prepared by the system and played a melodious piece with the help of the system. Then he became the center of attention in an instant and also attracted the attention of the fourth prince, Shi Jin.

As for the original owner buried in the crowd…

After a series of unlucky events, he had to leave sadly. How could he know that within two days, rumors spread that he replaced Wen Liang and married into the East Palace. The news was like a snowball, rolling bigger and bigger and crushing the reputation of the original owner to pieces. 

The more Wen Chi thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. He was the cannon fodder and Shi Ye was the villain. Their only role in appearing at the peach blossom banquet was to let the protagonist slap them in the face.

Before sending Eunuch Zhu away, Wen Chi tentatively said: “I suddenly feel a little unwell. I wonder if I caught a cold. I’m afraid I won’t even be able to go to the peach blossom feast.”

Eunuch Zhu saw through Wen Chi’s thoughts at a glance and sighed: “If Young Master Wen really doesn’t want to go, I’ll report it to His Highness the Crown Prince after I return.”

Wen Chi looked happy: “Really?”

Eunuch Zhu glanced at him quietly: “To tell the truth, this servant also wants to see what will happen to a person who disobeys the order of His Highness the Crown Prince for the first time.”

Wen Chi: “…”

*

In a certain restaurant in the capital.

When night falls, the place is crowded with people, the courtyard is like a market with beautiful women in tulle walking in the halls like a light lark, shuttling among the guests.

On the first floor near the window were the private rooms. Each private room was small in size but it was extraordinarily delicately designed. Behind the thin gauze, there were two women playing the guqin. 

Wen Liang sat awkwardly on the chair, the melodious tune in his ears didn’t relieve his uneasy mood at all. He bit his lip and his clenched nails almost dug into his flesh.

At that moment, a hand was placed on his shoulder.

“It’s not that this brother doesn’t want to help you. It’s mainly because of what happened to your Wen family. Now, which family doesn’t treat your Wen family as a plague? This brother was willing to see you because of my affection for you back then.” Li Hao drunkenly leaned into Wen Liang’s ear. When he opened his mouth a strong smell of alcohol gushed out “The Peach Blossom Banquet is not a small family banquet, the grand princess and the imperial sons will come, tell me how dare I bring some random cats and dogs in?”

Wen Liang was terrified but he tried his best to suppress the trembling of his body, and leaned slightly to the side: “Brother Li Hao, just help me this once and I will never forget your great kindness.”

Li Hao smiled and blew into Wen Liang’s ear: “And then?”

Wen Liang shivered and continued to lean to the side but he still couldn’t avoid Li Hao’s hand on his shoulder. He was anxious and his eyes turned red: “What then?”

Li Hao had a sharp face and he smiled naughtily. He raised his hand to pinch Wen Liang’s chin: “You don’t really think that your ‘never forget’ is worth much, do you?”

Li Hao’s force was so strong that Wen Liang’s mouth was distorted and several red fingerprints immediately appeared on his fair cheeks.

It was so painful that tears came out of Wen Liang’s eyes and he looked at the drunken and red-faced Li Hao helplessly and alarmingly.

Unfortunately, the harder Wen Liang cried, the happier Li Hao laughed.

“You have to have a begging attitude when you ask for help. It’s not that this brother can’t take you to the peach blossom banquet but I will have to take you there at the risk of being scolded. I won’t be getting any benefits, right?” Li Hao wiped Wen Liang’s face with his thumb. Just as he was about to get closer to kiss him, he caught a sudden glimpse of a strange color from the corner of his eye. He was taken aback and immediately stretched out his hand to pull off the stone that Wen Liang hung around his neck, “What is this?”

Wen Liang only felt that his neck was empty only to realize that the multicolored stone was already in Li Hao’s hands.

His stone!

Wen Liang turned pale with fright and wanted to snatch the stone back but he was too weak, not only did he fail to snatch the stone back but he was also pushed out impatiently by Li Hao.

Caught off guard, Wen Liang bumped against the wooden wall and there was a dull pain from his back and the tears he hadn’t held back burst out again. He cried and begged: “That’s mine, can you give it back to me? It’s very important to me!”

Li Hao looked at the stone and pouted, “It’s just a broken stone.”

Wen Liang cried: “Wuuuuuu, give it back to me…”

Li Hao was born into a wealthy family and his younger brother, who was born from the same father and the same mother, married into the East Palace. He lived a smooth life and saw many rare treasures. How could such a stone be so rare?

Just seeing Wen Liang crying so sadly, he rolled his eyes and put the stone into his pocket.

Li Hao strode up to Wen Liang and looked down at Wen Liang who was full of tears: “I promise to take you to the peach blossom banquet, as for this broken stone, I will keep it as a collateral first and you can exchange it with other things in the future.”

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  古琴 [gǔ qín] guqin, a seven-stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither