Chapter 64: Look at Me!

Something was wrong!
Everything was wrong!
The young man stood frozen, wishing he could dash back to the capital right this instant and check on his family estate.
As he was lost in these thoughts, his stomach rumbled.
“Grrr—”
He snapped back to reality, intending to grab a few sweet potatoes to stave off his hunger for the time being.
Normally, given his tastes, he wouldn’t even touch these sweet potatoes,
But now, to him, they were the most delicious food in the world.
No cultivation, no money—
He could do nothing but sneak into the fields and steal sweet potatoes to survive.
Just thinking about it made him want to cry.
Soon, soon.
Just a few more days, and he’d be back in the capital. Then, happiness would return.
He looked at the fire, poking it with a stick, searching for the sweet potatoes.
But after rummaging for a while, not a single sweet potato was to be found.
He froze, then quickly turned to glance at Old Deng beside him.
Old Deng had his back to him, hands busy stuffing something into his mouth, the distinctive aroma of roasted sweet potato wafting through the air.
The young man immediately flew into a rage, hopping in place, nearly in tears.
“Damn it, Old Deng, you beast! You beast!!”
“So many sweet potatoes—and you ate them all!!”
“Couldn’t you at least leave one for me?!”
Old Deng didn’t look bothered at all. Still cramming sweet potato into his mouth, he chuckled,
“Liunian, you brat, these sweet potatoes were mine to begin with. Even if I eat them all, what’s the harm? Besides, I told you to eat some earlier—you just ignored me.”
The young man, feeling wronged, snatched the half-eaten sweet potato from Old Deng’s hand and stuffed it into his mouth,
Devouring it ravenously, he kept scolding,
“You’re too stingy! I told you, I’m the heir of the Duke Protecting the Realm—one day you’ll eat like a king!”
“If you let me have more now, I’ll repay you with delicacies from the mountains and seas!”
“Don’t regret it later, for not giving me more sweet potatoes today!!”
Old Deng sprawled out in the field, belly protruding, letting out a satisfied belch. Picking his teeth with his fingers, he grinned,
“Enough with those daydreams. You dream too much, you’ll start believing them.”
The young man snorted derisively, unconcerned.
Once they’d eaten and rested, the two set off again.
The young man, called Liunian by Old Deng, was heading for the capital, and it seemed Old Deng was too, so they traveled together.
They had just left Tianping Village, walking along the main road,
When the young man saw a rider galloping toward them on a fine steed.
He caught sight of the figure on horseback, his expression momentarily dazed. Once he recognized the uniform, joy burst across his face.
“That’s a guard from my estate!”
He called out excitedly, quickly stepping to the roadside and waving.

“Stop! Stop!”
Old Deng gave the young man a strange look. This kid could act so high and mighty even facing a guard from the Duke’s estate? Could he really be that heir?
A feeling of absurdity welled up in Old Deng’s heart.
Impossible.
This just couldn’t be.
If this Liunian kid were the heir, then who was the one living in the Duke’s estate now?
With all his years observing the world’s intrigues, Old Deng couldn’t make sense of the situation.
So he decided to watch and wait.
The guard seemed to notice Liunian’s calls and slowly reined in his horse.
Lin Cheng vaguely heard something, and glancing aside, saw someone waving at him from the roadside.
That person looked just like a beggar…
Wait.
A beggar…
Wasn’t the heir looking for a beggar?
Could this be the one?
Lin Cheng’s excitement surged.
He’d barely left the capital, and in less than a day, he’d found his target.
Guiding his horse, Lin Cheng slowed to a stop beside the young man and Old Deng.
He sized the two up, his gaze sweeping over Old Deng’s face before settling on the young man’s.
Though that face was smeared with filth, the features were unmistakable,
So much like the heir’s…
The resemblance was uncanny.
Lin Cheng couldn’t help but marvel at it.
With his not-so-bright mind, he couldn’t fathom why someone would look so much like the heir.
“Watch me,” the young man said, patting Old Deng’s shoulder and straightening up.
“What’s your name? Who do you serve in the estate?”
He questioned Lin Cheng,
His manner lofty and imperious.
He looked like a beggar, yet acted as if he were born to command.
Lin Cheng’s expression turned odd.
Was this man, just because he looked like the heir, truly pretending to be him?
No wonder the heir wanted him found.
Recalling Cheng Guang’s orders to avoid causing a scene, Lin Cheng didn’t rebuke him immediately, only giving a simpleminded smile.
“And you are?”
The young man’s brow furrowed, clearly displeased that Lin Cheng hadn’t answered but instead questioned him.
But considering his beggar’s appearance and lack of proof of identity, he could only swallow his anger and press on.
“I am the heir! Are you blind? You fool!”

At these words,
Lin Cheng’s silly grin froze.
Old Deng’s brow twitched as well.
He glanced at Liunian’s performance, then at the burly, imposing Lin Cheng, pressing his lips together and deciding to simply watch.
If this Liunian kid really was the heir, things would be most interesting.
Lin Cheng was itching to cut down this beggar impersonating the heir, but thanks to his real master’s instructions, he held back.
“The heir?”
Lin Cheng played dumb.
“Look at me!”
Seeing Lin Cheng’s blank look, the young man grew so flustered he was at a loss for words. He pushed back his tangled hair, trying to show his face more clearly.
“Just look at me! Are you really that blind?”
Lin Cheng could no longer hide his irritation, his face darkening.
“Idiot!”
“I don’t know what the heir looks like, but you—how could you possibly be him?”
“Stop spouting nonsense! Do you have any idea what trouble your words could bring you?”
“Young man, let me give you a word of advice: don’t be so reckless!”
With that, Lin Cheng snapped his whip and rode off,
His horse kicking up a cloud of dust.
Only a swirl of dust remained behind.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
The young man choked, his face turning red with anger!
“Bastard, bastard! When I get home, I’ll have him killed! I’ll have him killed!”
He stomped in fury,
All his emotions written plainly on his face—no composure at all.
Quick-tempered and irritable.
Old Deng could only shake his head helplessly.
“Liunian, lad, stop saying things like that. I’ve traveled with you this whole way—don’t I know whether you’re the heir to the Duke Protecting the Realm?
If you really were, I wouldn’t be the one at your side right now.
Stop talking like that. Fortunately, the people from the Duke’s estate are decent. Otherwise, speaking so rashly could truly get you into trouble.”
At that moment, Old Deng couldn’t help but admire the demeanor of those from the Duke’s estate.
In these times, ordinary lives are cheap—one wrong word, and disaster could befall you.
Under the reign of the Emperor of Great Zhou, things had improved somewhat.
Perhaps the Duke’s estate was a model of this change.
Otherwise, Old Deng couldn’t imagine why, in such circumstances, that guard had held his hand.
……