HNYWEF -Chapter 95 Confrontation

Seventh month, second day, in the third year of Zhenguan.

Zhou Yi had started being away from home more and more often.

At first, Zhou Hong still asked about it. Zhou Xiong didn’t answer, and eventually Zhou Hong stopped asking.

Every day, a carriage would arrive at dawn to pick him up, and only bring him back when the sky was about to darken.

Sometimes he would come back and collapse straight into bed, barely able to say a few words.

Another sunset. The carriage rolled along the street with a steady rumble.

Zhou Yi sat in a corner, hands resting on his knees, back straight.

He had just stood in a school for two full hours earlier that day. His whole body ached, but he didn’t dare move.

Opposite him, Li Shimin leaned against the carriage wall with his eyes closed.

Zhou Yi looked at him.

That face—he had seen it for years now. Countless times since the first meeting.

Sometimes in his family’s blacksmith shop, sometimes at the alley entrance, sometimes by chance on the road. The man would smile and nod, saying, “Out and about?”

Kind. Unpretentious. He even told him to just call him Uncle Li.

Until that day—when the sky, once cloudless, suddenly rained.

He had been up in a tree, watching that figure on the high platform.

Dressed in a bright yellow robe, speaking to the people of the capital, admitting his fault.

That voice was too familiar.

Familiar enough that one sound made it unmistakable.

Uncle Li.

Was the Emperor.

After that, he said nothing.

He still called him Uncle Li. But every time he saw that face, he would think of that high platform again.

The carriage jolted slightly.

Li Shimin opened his eyes.

He looked at Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi hadn’t had time to withdraw his gaze. Their eyes met.

Li Shimin leaned back against the carriage wall.

“So those old men were at it again today, making things difficult for you?”

Zhou Yi nodded.

“It’s fine.”

Li Shimin gave a faint laugh.

“Fine? Your Uncle Fang told me you repeated a single bow dozens of times. You went pale by the end.”

Zhou Yi said nothing.

Li Shimin studied him for a while.

Then he also fell silent.

After a moment, Zhou Yi lowered his head and looked at his knees.

The carriage continued forward, rumbling.

When they were nearing the alley entrance, Zhou Yi suddenly spoke.

“Your Majesty.”

Two words.

Very soft.

The carriage fell silent.

Li Shimin didn’t move.

He looked at Zhou Yi.

The boy still hadn’t raised his head.

The carriage kept rolling.

Li Shimin watched him for three breaths.

There was no way Zhou Yi had learned his identity from Zhou Xiong.

Then he spoke.

“When did you find out?”

Zhou Yi lifted his head slightly, glanced at him, then lowered it again.

“A few days ago… at that street full of people.”

Li Shimin paused.

He remembered the scene.

The imperial self-reproach edict.

He might have been somewhere in the crowd.

That child had been there, watching him.

Maybe just for a glance. Maybe for half an hour.

And afterward, he said nothing.

Still called him Uncle Li.

All the way until now.

Li Shimin suddenly let out a quiet laugh.

“You hid it well.”

Zhou Yi said nothing.

The carriage stopped.

They had arrived at the alley entrance.

Zhou Yi stood and performed the formal salute he had only recently learned.

Li Shimin watched him.

“From tomorrow, people from the Ministry of Rites will still come to pick you up.”

Zhou Yi nodded.

“You are a son-in-law of the imperial family. The people you meet, the things you say, the things you do—there will always be eyes watching. If you don’t understand the rules, the ridicule won’t fall on you alone. It will fall on your father, on Li Zhi, on me.”

He paused.

“I don’t want to be laughed at.”

Zhou Yi lowered his head again, looking at his knees.

Then he got off the carriage.

But the carriage did not leave.

The curtain lifted slightly. Li Shimin glanced outside.

The boy stood at the alley entrance, not moving inward.

Just standing there.

“Uncle Li…”

At the familiar address, Li Shimin only shook his head.

Zhou Yi froze slightly.

After a moment, he turned around and looked toward the carriage.

Just one glance.

Then he walked inside.

The curtain dropped.

The carriage began to move again.

Rumbling away, farther and farther into the distance.