Lu Xiao rigidly stared at the mess, the rims of his eyes were red, his hair dripping water.
He looked like a dog that had been abandoned by its owner in the middle of the heavy rain, unknowing of why he had been abandoned and whether his owner would still come back. He could only unwaveringly grasp onto that last tiny bit of hope, feeling both wronged and desperate as he waited.
A day and another day, a year followed by another, there was no end and no hope left to wait.
Looking at Lu Xiao’s red eyes, Qiu Yutong’s heart clenched, feeling both suspicious and distressed, yet he didn’t know what was wrong with Lu Xiao.
The room was deathly still.
An unknown amount of time passed when Zhang Defu’s respectful and cautious voice suddenly came from outside the bedroom doors, “Your Majesty.”
Lu Xiao shook slightly before coming back to himself, cutting a sorry figure, hurriedly averting his gaze from the mess.
He closed his eyes and his pallor regained its original look, after that he said calmly, “What is it?”
Outside, Zhang Defu said softly, “Your Majesty, Prince Jin is asking for an audience in Jingxin Palace.”
“It’s so late, what is he trying to do?” Lu Xiao frowned, “No audience.”
Zhang Defu respectfully said, “Yes, this slave will go reply.”
“Wait,” Lu Xiao stared at the broken pieces of porcelain and osmanthus cakes, seeming like he had thought of something, “Let him in, We want to see what exactly are his plans.”
“Yes, this slave will allow the prince to wait in the study room.”
“No need, let him come here directly,” Lu Xiao said bluntly.
Qiu Yutong crouched on the beam, his heart silently crying out in pain.
This damned Prince Jin. Why didn’t he come a bit earlier or later, but right at this time? It’s so late, what did he come to Jingxin Palace for? Squandering time like this, when will Lu Xiao sleep, and when can he come down and steal the sword?
Qiu Yutong was at his wit’s end.
Lu Xiao stood up and pulled out an ink-black dark cloud-patterned outer robe and casually draped it over his shoulders, then he went outside the bedroom.
Jingxin Palace wasn’t big; the bedroom’s inner and outer chamber was separated only by a screen*. Qiu Yutong crouched on top of the high beam and so had a panoramic view of the entire room.
[T/N: While the raws state bedroom, think of it like a super large, very luxuriously-sized room that can be separated into two portions.]
Lu Xiao bypassed the screen and sat in a high-backed wooden* chair in front.
[T/N: Raws literally state imperial tutor chair.]
Qiu Yutong couldn’t help cursing silently in his heart. Lu Xiao, this youngster, actually had two faces!
Not too long later, heavy footsteps sounded from outside the door.
Following the footsteps, a middle-aged man with tall and well-built stature and an aquiline nose walked into the room with large strides. In a clear voice, he said loudly, “Your Majesty, this subject was in Wulin forest hunting ground, to the east of the city, during the day and caught a white fox. Seeing that it is quite rare, this subject doesn’t dare to take it and so sent it over to Your Majesty.”
Lu Xiao nodded and said dully, “Fourth Uncle is considerate.”
Zhang Defu cried out in fear, “This is…”
Only to see Prince Jin taking out the carcass of a fox from his black leather bag.
In the right eye of the fox was the broken shaft of a feathered arrow. The snow-white fur had been stained a blackish-red dripped noisily onto the clean floor.
Bringing such blood-stained prey into the palace and facing the emperor was already highly disrespectful.
“Prince you…” Zhang Defu pinched the short coarse fur; this head eunuch who had always been cautious and sly seemed like he was about to open his mouth to reprimand.
“Zhang Defu, you can leave,” Lu Xiao waved his hand, preventing Zhang Defu from lashing out.
“Yes,” Zhang Defu resentfully stared at Prince Jin before leaving.
Lu Xiao looked down, indifferently glancing at the mutilated white fox. “Fourth Uncle paying a visit so late, probably isn’t because of this animal right?”
Prince Jin smiled, “Your Majesty really is perceptive.”
“Speak, there is no harm for Fourth Uncle to be direct.” Lu Xiao nodded.
Prince Jin stared at Lu Xiao, “Your Majesty, after this subject came back from hunting, this one heard that the request to renovate this subject’s manor has been rejected by Your Majesty?”
This tone was approaching an interrogation.
But Lu Xiao didn’t get angry and lightly said, “If We didn’t forget, Fourth Uncle’s manor had been renovated just six years before, spending a few hundred thousand silver. We also heard that this year, Prince Jin’s manor has welcomed quite a few children and wives, who are extremely lively. In the sixth month, the south side has encountered a flood, and now the state treasury is empty, so Fourth Uncle’s renovation…”
Speaking till here, Lu Xiao paused, unhurriedly taking a sip of tea before saying, “According to Our opinion, forget it.”
Prince Jin was silent for a bit, his face sank until it was about to drip water, “Your Majesty, when the previous emperor was alive, he didn’t treat family like this.”
Lu Xiao’s voice turned cold, “Fourth Uncle, it’s late, please head back.”
Prince Jin stared at Lu Xiao, not saying a word.
Lu Xiao stopped paying attention to him, looking down at the foam in the tea, drinking his tea on his own.
The atmosphere in the room became extremely stiff in an instant.
Qiu Yutong crouched on the beam, carefully and cautiously shifting his almost numb limbs, feeling extremely baffled.
Prince Jin had always been extremely despotic, but after he (QYT) had taught him (PJ) a lesson twice a few years ago, and Lu Xiao had firm control over the military and political scene, this Prince Jin disappeared. It was said that he had not left his home these past few years,
Why was he so unbridled again? He actually dared to talk to Lu Xiao like this?
You need to know that Lu Xiao now was not the easily bullied prince of previous years.
Could it be that Prince Jin planned to go even further? Or has he found a backer? Which vassal king with a massive military force was it? Or… a certain almighty cultivator?
While Qiu Yutong was thinking, Prince Jin suddenly smiled, “Your Majesty, how is Xue Rong, that youngster?”
The hand that Lu Xiao used to hold the teacup paused.
After a moment, he gently placed the teacup on the table beside him then unhurriedly looked up, expressionlessly looking at Prince Jin, “What do you mean by that, Fourth Uncle?”
“Has Your Majesty had a taste?” Prince Jin stared at Lu Xiao, his voice etremely malicious. “This subject had put in a lot of effort and searched all over the country before being able to find someone who looked like a banished immortal. Even though in this subject’s manor, there are countless beauties, but none of them can be compared to him. It’s a pity… Your Majesty also understands, with how he looks, how could this subject dare to even touch his finger? Thus, this one could only gift him to Your Majesty to use.
Lu Xiao looked down, his lower jaw shifted slightly, like he was slightly clenching his teeth.
Hearing Prince Jin’s words, Qiu Yutong simply found it laughable and was in a good mood.
Even the eunuchs with slight seniority in the palace all knew that Lu Xiao hated him so Prince Jin naturally couldn’t be in the dark. He had even used all his means to send a “Young Master Xue Rong” to Lu Xiao and even said all this nonsense now, his motive was obvious: he wanted to disgust Lu Xiao.
Prince Jin putting in so much effort just to make Lu Xiao unhappy was for what reason? This was simply harming others without a single benefit.
This Prince Jin was exactly the same as last time, arrogant and stupid.
Seeing Lu Xiao not uttering a word, Prince Jin, who wanted a mile after getting an inch, took two steps forward, and slowly bent down, his lips almost touching Lu Xiao’s ear as he said softly, “Compared to… how’s the taste?”
His voice was extremely light and Qiu Yutong couldn’t hear clearly. Lu Xiao suddenly stood up and shouted severely, “Lu Yande! Impudent!”
Prince Jin couldn’t help taking two steps back.
Lu Yande was Prince Jin’s name.
Lu Xiao’s character was calm and paranoid, just a few provocative words were impossible to provoke him. To severely reprimand a royal clan member was an even rarer situation, even Qiu Yutong was stunned.
Prince Jin retreated two steps, then forced himself to calm down, lifting the corner of his mouth slightly to fake a smile, “Whether this subject is spouting nonsense, Your Majesty naturally knows. Right?”
Lu Xiao glared at Prince Jin, his chest heaving as he did his best to restrain his overflowing anger. “Lu Yande, you…”
Qiu Yutong frowned, feeling doubtful.
Since young, Lu Xiao experienced hardships, going through uncountable plots and seas of blood, and had always been careful and paranoid, as well as calm and self-restrained, extremely cool-headed. It was precisely this that allowed him to topple Prince Jin, the crown prince, the imperial consort without batting an eyelid, and finally forced the emperor to abdicate.
Even if Prince Jin brought in a dead fox that was still dripping blood to visit in the middle of the night, he wasn’t angry, skillfully dealing with the other party.
What exactly did Prince Jin say that caused him to be so angry?
But what was the problem with this Prince Jin, he was actually so unbridled? Being so close to his ear*, commenting that he was different from the previous emperor who was biased towards the imperial clan; Lu Xiao was strict and firm when handling matters, not someone who would take into account familial affections. Isn’t Prince Jin afraid that Lu Xiao would get angry and remove his position, causing him to become a commoner?
Just as Qiu Yutong was thinking, Prince Jin smiled slightly then cupped his hands and said, “This subject has finished saying the words he wanted to say so this one will not delay Your Majesty’s rest, this subject asks to be excused.”
“That’s right, please be relieved Your Majesty, that situation mentioned just now, this subject will not spread around.” Just as he walked to the door, he turned around and smiled with an ambiguous air, “After all, this kind of… scandal will affect the royal family’s clean reputation.”
After Prince Jin left, Lu Xiao didn’t get up for a while.
The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Qiu Yutong crouched on the beam and didn’t dare to move even more.
After a long time, there was only the soft sound of a crack. The teacup in Lu Xiao’s hand had actually been crushed with his bare hand.
Lu Xiao shook slightly before finally coming back to himself, looking down at his palm that was drenched in blood.
“Lu. Yan. De.” He enunciated each word, his voice both soft and unhurried.
Qiu Yutong inwardly shivered slightly.
Lu Xiao this… his killing intent had been raised.
When Zhang Defu heard his voice, he quickly rushed inside, so anxious he fell over, “Aiyah, Your Majesty, your hand… summon the imperial physician, hurry up and summon the imperial physician!”
“No need, just bind it casually and it’ll be fine,” Lu Xiao said lightly.
It turned extremely disorderly again before the room finally quietened down.
Lu Xiao sighed quietly, finally standing up and walking into the inner room, casually tearing off his outer robe, Night Rain in his hand.
Qiu Yutong couldn’t help but be surprised. After Lu Xiao hung Night Rain on the wall, naturally he should retire for the night. After that, he could sneak his way down… as long as he got Night Rain, he didn’t need to return to Feicui courtyard, directly flying away on his sword.
After he restored his cultivation, he could come back to Daning Palace and take a look.
As expected, Lu Xiao took off Night Rain.
After that, he gently put Night Rain on his pillow, then blew out the candles.
In the darkness, Qiu Yutong was struck dumb.
This kind of development was different from what he imagined! Why didn’t Lu Xiao hang Night Rain on the wall but took it to bed instead?
How, how is he going to steal it now?
He couldn’t forcibly extract the sword from Lu Xiao’s blanket right?
Lu Xiao had always been a perceptive, shallow sleeper, this will be impossible!
Qiu Yutong’s entire person was in disarray.
What to do?
He racked his brains for half a day but still couldn’t come up with a surefire method, while Lu Xiao’s breathing had gradually evened out into long breaths.
Qiu Yutong secretly clenched his teeth. Since it has come to this, he could only take this risk.
He took a deep breath and quietly slipped down from the beam. He twisted his hips like a thief and walked towards Lu Xiao’s bed.
