5 5. Catching The Stray Cat

The birds chirped happily and the morning sky mirrored a fantasy painting. Li Jie's brothers went on their job causing him to rot on the floor. He felt annoyed that he was not allowed to stroll around the area.

It's not my fault that this imp went lost. How can I even live my life in this state?!

"Why can't I even allowed to go outside? So boring as hell!" Li Jie wrinkled his brows as he rolled to the ground, like a salted fish. No one is present in their humble home, only him was the only one left and the salted fish really wanted to die.

Li Jie have never been experienced this boring before. Aside from no money, the salted fish had no job either. He would either rot in the house, or just sleep like a hibernating bear.

'How come this imp had no job? Is he really that weak?' Li Jie thought. If his life was the same as before, then there would be no boredom lurking inside his brain. However, a jobless man can't make him a bit happier. He is like a boss in the house waiting for the slaves to work hard for him to live. At least, that's what he thought.

"No. I can't let myself rot in here." Li Jie mumbled as he scratched his scalp lightly. He rubbed his temples as his brows wrinkled. He doesn't have to work but he was too stressed.

"Maybe I should sleep first. I'll sort things out later." He suggested and went on his foot to his room. He was too busy thinking what job will he have to apply that he almost ripped his brain. In the end, he decided to be a doctor instead. At least he can help his brother Jiang curing people. At least, he can reduce his brother's sweat. He will talk with his brother if he comes home from his job.

Li Jie threw his body to the bed and snuggled the soft pillow.

'I should change. I'm not a criminal anymore.' He thought.

Meanwhile on the General's manor, the atmosphere was not too good, and it seems like the place was full of ferocious spirits floating in the air. Min Zhe wondered why, what happened here when he had his day off? He looked at the other guards as well. Why do they have black eyes and bruises on their faces? He sincerely approached Guard 1 and asked him.

"Guard 1, why is your face ruined?"

"Why are you not even there when that weird concubine ruined our faces?" Guard 1 retorted that confused the oblivious Min Zhe.

"Well, I had a day off for two days. It's obvious that I'm not here. But come on! Care to tell me would you?" Min Zhe begged Guard 1 making the other sighed. Min Zhe had a naughty behavior. If one cannot grab his intentions, he will play tricks to make the tea spill. Also, he is an expert thief. He would tell him or else he would steal something that made him lose face.

"Well, you know that two days ago when you had your day off, a new concubine has sent here in the palace."

"Oh I see. Go on I'm listening."

Guard 1 rolled his eyes as he continued to storytelling Min Zhe. Min Zhe listened carefully without blinking and he was quite amused of the runaway concubine Guard 1 has mentioned.

"Wow! She must have been a prodigy! She didn't even scared at the General at all!" Min Zhe exclaimed with an awe from the brave concubine, not knowing that it was his younger brother.

"Guard 4, you're mistaken. The concubine was a 'he'. He had a thing." Min Zhe was stunned. A boy? Now that's quite interesting.

"However..." Guard 1 paused, making the other listened curiously.

"The concubine is a beauty. A beauty you see?! He's a man though. But you know, he had a unique eyes and a formidable strength!"

Min Zhe squinted his eyes. Somehow, he felt that something is not quite right.

"W-what about his eyes?"

"Guard 4, you really did not know? Okay i'll tell you. His eyes were like two different colored orbs. It looks like blue sapphire on the left and forest green on the right. No one have ever seen such eyes before. Some say it was cursed and some say that it was beautiful. Oh well, I should have complimented him too, not until he gave me this panda eyes! He has no mercy!" Guard 1 whined while pointing his left index finger to his black eye.

It's not him. My brother has no strength like a gorilla.

Li Jie while sleeping: Achoo!

Min zhe understood why the manor looked so gloomy. It was already gloomy before, but now it was worse. It was more like a haunted house.

Min Zhe sighed as he roamed around the manor, checking if there were enemy invasions and thieves lurking around. He just hope that the General won't see him or else he will definitely be a dead meat. He knows what his boss like when he's angry. Imagining it made his hair stood up.

"Sigh... What an unlucky day." He whispered as he walked to his main post.

**********

It's been three hours since Li Jie fell asleep. Now, he woke up refreshed and it was already 1 in the afternoon. He realized that he didn't have breakfast and lunch so he looked up to the kitchen to see what food does his brothers left for him.

On the table, a plate covered in another plate resided. Lie Jie took the cover and a roasted fish laid on the plate. It may be bland, but Li Jie doesn't care. He was hungry. Before he eat, Li Jie changed his pink hanfu with embroidered cherry to something suitable. He still detested the clothes he's wearing but he has no other choice. So, when he earned money, he will buy at least manly clothes first. He can't live with this kind of fashion. Even the prisoner's clothes suited his style.

He decided to get out from the house once he had finished his meal, so he went to Min Zhe's room to borrow his clothes. Scanning through Min Zhe's wardrobe, he took the plain black hanfu and wore it. He then tied his hair in a bun and he made an eye patch. He covered his blue eye, only his green eye was shown. After that he went to the kitchen and was agitated when he saw a ball of fur snatching his meal.

"Meow..."

"Why you..."

The cat ran away with the roasted fish hanging on its mouth. He chased the cat, he was furious since his stomach was empty since morning.

"You stinky cat!"

"Meow!" You stinky human!

The outskirts of the town was serene and quiet, not until a jade like figurine shouting in the middle of the road chasing the cat who snatched his meal.

The villagers was schocked and stunned at Li Jie, they wondered why a sickly boy from the Chen household dashed in the middle of the daylight and wanted to murder a stray cat.

"Is that the youngest of the Chen household?"

"He seems energetic."

"What's with the eye patch?"

"He's a boy yet he's beautiful."

The villagers looked at the 'energetic' Li Jie chasing the stray cat. He didn't even noticed that he arrived at the entrance of the capital. He stopped for a while. He took a glance at the crowded people walking on the streets of the capital. They were busy picking up some labor and some held their children in case they would get lost. Man, such a lovely sight. Li Jie was lost in thoughts that he even forgot that he was supposed to chase a stray cat who took his meal.

I'll let him go for now. *sighs*

He went on his way to the capital. He sometimes bumped his shoulder on someone who met him along the way. This capital was way more busy than his previous city. Everyone was moving a muscle, even the children. Some had their clothes tattered and some had a wealthy image. Man, Li Jie wanted to kill those gold suckers who looked down on peasants. I mean, they are human too.

"What's that? Smells delicious..." Li Jie sniffed at the delicious smoke that was responsible for seducing his nose, he followed it until he arrived at the big restaurant. Li Jie already deflated as he had no money on his pocket, so decided to leave.

He walked to every corner of the capital until he arrived at the place he should never go.

In the General's manor.

"Oh great. Why am I even here?" Li Jie asked himself. He was about to leave when he saw Min Zhe at the General's gate, guarding the manor.

Look! A living pocket!

"Min-gege!" Min Zhe looked where the commotion is and his eyeballs almost dropped when he saw Lie Jie wearing his clothes approaching him.

"Li Jie you..."

"Brother, you look amazing with your uniform! You're even more handsome!" Min Zhe doesn't know if he should scold his brother for leaving the house or be fluttered with his brother's flowery words. Why was his brother changed only for a night? He seems more energetic now.

"Ahemm... Of course I'm handsome! I'm your brother!"

He called me handsome!

"Brother, w-well I want to explore in the capital for a bit. C-can you lend me some money? Pweeasse?! Hmm? Hmm?"

No you shouldn't Min Zhe! What if he'll get lost again?

Min Zhe hesitated if he would lend him his money but seeing Li Jie being cute in front of him, he can't even resist!

No, you mustn't, mustn't!

Min Zhe looked sideways and then he returned his gaze into Li Jie. Li Jie curled his two fist into a ball and put them both below his chin. Min Zhe can see sparkles in Li Jie's, resulting Min Zhe's heart struck by the power of meng.

"Guard 4, the General called you..." Guard 1 was dumbstruck seeing Li Jie on the side of his comrade.

Min Zhe nodded and returned his gaze on Lie Jie again.

"Now you little cheater, be careful on your way okay? You don't want yourself to be lost again. What if you'll get kidnapped?! What if..."

"It's fine brother! Don't overthink. I reflected all my mistakes now and I would not get into trouble. Right?" He glared at Guard 1 who was left stunned and not making a single move. Guard 1 flinched when he saw the green forest orb and the left eye patch, telling that 'if you tell him i'll make your life ruined' look.

Li Jie took the money Min Zhe lend for him and glared at the poor guard again. He was hopping along the way with Min Zhe's money on his pocket. Min Zhe sighed and went inside the General's manor. As the two guards walked, Guard 1 asked all his confusions to Min Zhe.

"Guard 4 who was that young boy?" Guard 1 asked and looked at Min Zhe. Min zhe answered.

"He was my younger brother. Why'd you ask?"

"W-well uh... Nothing! I'm just curious." Guard 1 nervously chuckled as the other raised his brows.

"If you want to hit on him then you'll get through me first. And that's not going to happen!" Min Zhe glared making the other flinched. What's with this siblings' glaring thingy? And why do they looked so evil?

"Relax. I'm just asking okay?" Min Zhe huffed and Guard 1 sighed. Guard 1 was thinking what was the Guard 4's family is like. Seeing their abnormal beautiful faces, his family was a whole bunch of beauties. Especially that concubine whom he found that it was Guard 4's younger brother. What would the General say? Or did the General find out? He could tell something's not right. He will just pray in the behalf of his comrade.

On the capital, Li Jie roamed around and stopping at few stores. He bought two buns for him to fill his stomach and asked the vendor to find Cheung Chao's store.

"Excuse me, did you know where Cheung Chao's pharmacy is?" Li Jie asked. The vendor showed him the location and thanked him. He then went on his foot to Cheung Chao's pharmacy and not too long he arrived at his destination. Cheung Chao was busy introducing his costumers with herbal medicine and quite stunned when he saw Li Jie standing on the doorstep, in front of the pharmacy. Cheung Chao signaled the other coworker that he will accompany someone and the party slightly nodded.

Cheung Chao was a beauty already, but seeing the other latter with an eye patch with his glowing green orb, the other one was extremely beautiful.

Cheung Chao approached Lie Jie and gave him a hug.

"A-jie, what are you doing here? What if you'll get lost again?" Cheung Chao said softly but the other knew that he was being scolded. Li Jie looked with Cheung Chao with his puppy eyes while the other was awfully petrified by his younger brother's meng.

Not again.

"Brother, I was just bored in the house and I want to work too. Please? Keep me here?"

"But Li Jie..."

"Don't worry brother! I know a lot of herbal plants and I'm an excellent learner! Please please please?!" Really I pretended to be cute for two times already and I'm so embarrassed! Ugh! I can't resist because I'm cute too!

Cheung Chao sighed and allowed his brother to help him with his pharmacy. He wanted to help his brothers so that he could loosen his brothers' stress even it's just a little bit.

Not knowing his brother may encountered a hard time in the General's manor.

*********

"Y-your excellence, w-what was it again?"

"Your younger brother, can I ask his hand for marriage?"