The clear and cold moonlight passed through the window frame, slanting across Lu Xiao’s face.
His eyes were closed quietly, looking like he had fallen asleep.
It’s just that, in between his heroic and elegant forehead was a deep line, like there was an extremely heavy load on his mind, that caused this young emperor to frown even when he’s asleep.
Qiu Yutong felt unwell; he wanted to reach out and gently flatten that line.
In these few years, Lu Xiao had raised this problem-filled Dachen dynasty alone… The burden on his shoulders was too heavy, with too many things he had to worry about, even when asleep his brows were furrowed.
Everyone was relying on him, but, who could he depend on?
Qiu Yutong was suddenly absent-minded.
He had previously assumed that helping Lu Xiao sit on the most honorable seat would be the best outcome. Actually, was… it really so?
Was his thinking correct?
Was Lu Xiao happy?
Qiu Yutong closed his eyes, using great effort to disperse this sudden feeble state of mind.
The way he is now, mortal flesh, a weak body which couldn’t even withstand the wind, could not help Lu Xiao.
The best method now was to get Night Rain into his hands then fly back to North Snow City and reconstruct his body. After getting back his cultivation, he could come back to Daning.
He wanted… to speak with Lu Xiao.
Speak about the things that happened the past few years, of the people’s livelihood in Dachen dynasty, about whether he (LX) was happy, speak about… why he (LX) hated him (QYT).
After Qiu Yutong made his decision, he mustered up his courage and reached out, noiselessly reaching for Night Rain.
Lu Xiao suddenly turned around, pressing Night Rain under his body.
“…” Qiu Yutong really wanted to curse at someone, yet he didn’t dare to make a noise, so could only stifle it.
He withdrew his hand and waited for quite a while. Lu Xiao still unwaveringly had Night Rain under him.
He couldn’t wait like this forever… Qiu Yutong had no other choice. He deliberated for a moment before gently grabbing Night Rain’s sword hilt, using a little bit of strength to try and secretly pull Night Rain from its sheathe.
The sword slipped from its sheathe and let out a very soft, “creak——”
Lu Xiao’s pitch-black eyelashes trembled.
Qiu Yutong inwardly grumbled. This is the end, this youngster was about to wake up! He was too familiar with this look. Since young, Lu Xiao had been like this, once his eyelashes moved, he would definitely wake up.
He quickly let go. It was too late to go back up the beam so he could only hide and sneak out the side door.
Just as he slipped out the side door, Lu Xiao had suddenly sat up and pulled out Night Rain, sternly saying, “Who?”
Outside the side door was a winding corridor. In desperation, Qiu Yutong didn’t pay attention to his route and carelessly pushed open a door to the side, slipping in sideways.
In front of him was a gloomy circular room. Besides a screen, there was a large incense wood bathing tub, which was filled with water. Qiu Yutong was slightly stunned before remembering that this was where Lu Xiao bathed, just that the eunuch had not poured out the water yet.
Lu Xiao kicked open the side door with a loud “bang”, his footsteps stopping right outside the bathhouse.
Qiu Yutong inwardly cursed. He looked around and there really wasn’t anywhere to hide. He clenched his teeth and noiselessly flipped into the bathtub. Then, he took a deep breath and submerged himself.
The water in the bathtub was still slightly warm, with a layer of osmanthus flower petals floating on top, it was hard to see through to the bottom.
“Creak——” the bathhouse’s door was pushed open.
Lu Xiao walked in.
Qiu Yutong held back his breath underwater, not daring to move.
At this moment, he had some regrets… Maybe, he shouldn’t be so deadset on saving face. When they met the first time, he should have exposed his identity to Lu Xiao directly. This kind of thing, once there is the first lie, he had to brace himself to continue it.
Honestly, today was more embarrassing than the beginning… his dignity as a shizun has been completely destroyed.
The sound of Lu Xiao’s calm footsteps slowly circled around the bathhouse, finally stopping by the bathtub.
Following the soft splashing sound of water, a long, slender hand went deep into the water.
Qiu Yutong watched that hand closely, his heart in his throat.
Calmly and unhurriedly, that hand slowly moved around in the water, fingertips flit across Qiu Yutong’s floating
It was unknown how much time had passed before that hand finally withdrew.
Qiu Yutong let out a breath.
After Lu Xiao withdrew, he suddenly laughed coldly with an unclear meaning, as if he wanted to understand something or was mocking something.
Then, the footsteps left.
“Splash——” Qiu Yutong suddenly rose to the surface and took a deep breath of the cold air. He felt that he had another chance at life.
Lu Xiao’s voice faintly came from outside, “Pour out the tub.”
Instantly, two eunuchs walked into the bathhouse, with one in front and one behind, they swayed carrying the bathtub out, leaving Jingxin Palace through the backdoor, heading in the direction of the washing area.
Qu Yutong secretly rose up and took a light breath.
The two eunuchs were bent and stooping, trying hard to lift the heavy tub, completely unaware that half a head had surfaced in the tub.
When the bathtub was turning a corner, Qiu Yutong casually pulled out a hairpin and threw it lightly ahead!
The eunuch in front felt his back suddenly numb and knelt down with a cry.
With a muffled sound, the bathtub hit the ground, with quite a bit of water splashing out.
The eunuch in the back quickly went forward to take a look. “Xiao Ningzi, what happened?”
“My back became numb… aiyah, why is this tub heavier than usual.”
“Is it a sprain? Let me see.”
Qiu Yutong took the chance while they were speaking and quietly crawled out of the bathtub, going into the nearby forest with a rustling sound.
When he returned to Feicui courtyard, the moon was high in the sky.
Xiao Xizi carried a lantern and was currently at the doors to the courtyard, anxiously looking about. Qiu Yutong quietly walked to his side and clapped his shoulder, “I’m back.”
“Young, Young Master!” Xiao Xizi suddenly turned around, his face pale, “Young Master, what, what with you…”
Qiu Yutong blinked. “What’s wrong with me?”
Xiao Xizi looked like he was about to cry. “Young Master, were, were you dragged down by the female ghost in Bailu courtyard’s well? Even, even if she demands a sacrifice, she shouldn’t find you, Young Master!”
Qiu Yutong was simply baffled. Then, he suddenly realised something and looked down at himself.
He was entirely drenched, dripping water, his head of black hair was messily scattered about. His hands were blanched and swollen and he estimated that his face was the same…
“Eh, Xiao Xizi, listen to my explanation…”
After pacifying Xiao Xizi with great difficulty, making this little eunuch believe that he hadn’t been dragged down by a water ghost demanding a sacrifice, Qiu Yutong tidied himself up a bit and finally lay on the bed, feeling like he was about to fall apart front exhaustion.
Not long later, he fell deeply asleep.
……
In his dream, there seemed to be someone lightly knocking on his window, “Knock knock! Knock knock!”
“Xiao-er*, quiet,” Qiu Yutong muttered in a daze, then turned around and went back to sleep.
[T/N: He’s calling Lu Xiao in an intimate manner by adding -er to his name. This is usually used when an elder calls someone younger in the generation to them.]
The low voice of a person outside the window said, “Xue Rong! Xue Rong!”
Qiu Yutong quivered and suddenly woke up with a start.
“Xue Rong! Open the window!” The person outside the window urgently said.
It wasn’t a dream?
Qiu Yutong rolled up and looked towards the window outside the bedroom. The window was closed, a large shadow was reflected on the paper of the window lattice by the bright moonlight.
Qiu Yutong rubbed his eyes, confirming that he didn’t see mistakenly. There was indeed a shadow on the paper of the window lattice.
He couldn’t help but remember Xiao Xiqi’s words, what water ghost demanding a sacrifice… This courtyard in a hundred of years old palace, wouldn’t really have ghosts right>
He wasn’t afraid of ghosts but catching them wasn’t his strong suit. Drawing talismans to catch ghosts, Jumping God*These kinds of messy work were originally what Third Shixiong was good at.
[T/N: This is a religious ceremony.]
That shadow knocked on the window again, his tone taking on a slight impatience. “Xue Rong, open the window! It’s this prince!”
This prince?
Qiu Yutong was dazed before suddenly regaining himself. This voice… it’s that damned Prince Jin!
After Prince Jin left Jingxin Palace, why didn’t he return to his manor but infiltrate the harem chambers instead? What did he come to find Xue Rong for?
That’s right, Xue Rong was offered as a tribute by Prince Jin. Don’t tell him that they… eh, had an affair?
What was this about… Qiu Yutong’s head became bigger.
Prince Jin outside seemed anxious and the originally low voice became slightly louder. “Xue Rong!”
It was very quiet. Qiu Yutong didn’t want to attract an audience so he could only get up and open the window.
The middle-aged man’s face outside the window was gloomy. A massive aquiline nose, well-built, tall and sturdy physique; as expected it was Prince Jin, Lu Yande.
“Why were you so long?” Prince Jin coldly snorted before flipping into the bedroom.
Qiu Yutong stared at him, “Lu Yan… Your Highness, it’s so late, I’m afraid it’s not so appropriate for you to come here.”
Prince Jin smiled coldly. “Your wings have grown after entering the palace. You think you can obtain Lu Xiao’s favour and forget this prince’s matters?”
“… What matters?”
“Little Xue Rong, are you acting stupid in front of this prince, or acting stupid?” Prince Jin looked at him. “After entering the palace for so long, why haven’t you sent any information out!”
Oh, looks like this Xue Rong is a mole.
Prince Jin saw that Qiu Yutong was silent and suddenly reached out and pinched his chin. “Where did the object go? You haven’t heard anything?”
“Object?” Qiu Yutong vacantly blinked his eyes.
“Don’t play dumb.” Prince Jin impatiently said, “This prince heard that the day you entered the palace, you stayed in Jingxin Palace for a full two hours. Lu Xiao has most certainly bestowed favor upon you. Relying on your famous entertainer skills*, along with this damned face, fishing for information from Lu Xiao after doing the deed, then finding the object in the harem chambers, probably isn’t something difficult right?”
[T/N: The raws actually state: a person from a brothel who sells skills, not the body.]
A famous entertainer… Damned face… eh, alright.
“This object you speak of…” Qiu Yutong thought for a bit, trying to fish for information.
Prince Jin impatiently interrupted him, “This object, Immortal Master Tu has been waiting for a long while. If there isn’t any news again, this prince admittedly won’t be able to invite him, so don’t even think of having an easy time!”
Qiu Yutong frowned and hesitantly asked, “Immortal Master Tu?”
Mortals were used to calling cultivators “Immortal Master”. Previously, Lu Xiao’s underlings called Qiu Yutong “Immortal Master Qiu.”
Speaking of, Prince Jin actually managed to find a cultivator as a backer?
And, hearing Prince Jin’s meaning, this Immortal Master Tu seemed to want to find something. This object was in the harem chambers of Daning Palace, so that’s why Prince Jin sent Xue Rong into the palace, hoping that he could find that object?
This was so complicated.
“What, after being played with so hard by Lu Xiao, you even forgot this prince and Immortal Master Tu’s situation?” Prince Jin coldly said, “It doesn’t matter if you forget other things, but you definitely better not forget the poison gu in your body.”
Qiu Yutong muttered, “Poison gu?”
He immediately thought of the deep-rooted chilliness of that day.
Prince Jin that he was scared so he softened his voice, “This prince knows, the Ice Jade Bloodworm has made you suffer quite a bit. Immortal Master Tu has also said that as long as you find that object, he would remove the poison gu in your body.”
“The Ice Jade Bloodworm?!” Qiu Yutong suddenly looked up, pitch-black eyes staring straight at Prince Jin.
His mind suddenly brightened. So it turned out that the sudden onset of cold was not due to an illness, but because he had a gu!
“The Ice Jade Bloodworm”…
As a sword cultivator, Qiu Yutong was not proficient in medicine and poison gu, but he had heard of the famous “Ice Jade Bloodworm”—— This was the sect leader of the Beihai sword sect, Yuner sea’s Ascension island Spiritual Void Monastery Owner, Gui Wuya’s, proudest work.*
[T’N: I don’t fully understand this sentence. If anyone has a better translation, do let me know! The raws: 秋雨桐身为剑修，并不精通丹药蛊毒之道，但也听说过“冰蚕碧血蛊”的大名——这是北海剑派掌门人，云洱海升仙岛灵虚观主，归无涯的得意之作.]
Lingxu guardian master, Gui Wuya, even though his name seemed immortal-like, but he was an almighty cultivator of the sword and poison. He was extremely ruthless and frequently used living people to refine medicine. Behind his back, people call his the “Ghost Crow”*.
[T/N: Ghost Crow in the raws is a homonym for Gui Wuya.]
“Ice Jade Bloodworm”, was made using hundreds of ice silkworms placed into a cold iron basin and raising them, but not giving them any food or water. When the ice silkworms were starving, they would mutually devour one another before finally, there would only be one large ice silkworm left, which would be the mother gu.
Using the egg the mother gu laid, adding ninety-nine extremely cold-natured medicinal plants, using a living person’s heart blood to refine, then the “Ice Jade Bloodworm” can be created.
After getting this legendary gu, if one does not consume the antidote regularly, the flare up would feel like hundreds of thousands of ice silkworms wriggling and biting within the bloodstream, painful to the point where the people would wish for death. What’s even scarier was that the owner of the mother gu would be able to urge the child gu to increase the pain by hundreds of thousands of times.
This body actually had the Ice Jade Bloodworm… don’t tell him that Prince Jin’s backer was actually the Beihai sword sect?
That’s right, Gui Wuya had three martial brothers. The youngest one was called Tu Wuwei… This should probably be the “Immortal Cultivator Tu” that Prince Jin mentioned.
Prince Jin saw that Qiu Yutong was still looking down, not uttering a word and indeed felt impatient.
He forcefully restrained his irritation and put on a more tender expression. He reached out and immobilised Qiu Yutong’s shoulders, coaxing softly, “Xue Rong, since I saw you at Fuliu house, this prince’s heart only has you. If not, how could I spend five thousand and two hundred silver ingots to redeem you?”
Qiu Yutong’s goosebumps came out, and he retreated two steps, forcing Prince Jin’s hand to be thrown off.
Brother, if you want to speak, just talk, don’t use your limbs.
It seemed like Prince Jin misunderstood something and quickly stepped forward. He propped his hand on the wall beside Qiu Yutong’s head, “Xue Rong, this prince knows, your heart feels wrong… the intentions you have towards this prince, naturally this prince knows. It’s just that now, this prince has to consider the bigger picture and have no choice but to send you to Lu Xiao.”
“…” Qiu Yutong was left speechless.
Who can tell him what he should say at this time?
Looks like the real Young Master Xue rong, was the leading entertainer and after being bought by Prince Jin, was coaxed into entering the palace to steal an object. However, Prince Jin and that “Immortal Master Tu” were not at ease so they put a gu in Xue Rong’s body. It was a pity that this body was too weak, couldn’t stand the poison gu’s torment and actually died.
“As long as you make Lu Xiao happy and find the object…” Prince Jin lowered his voice. “When the time comes, with the help of Immortal Master Tu to kill Lu Xiao, the Dachen empire is this prince’s.”
“Oh? Really?” Qiu Yutong said dully. “With the help of that something Immortal Master Tu, everything is yours?”
Tu Wuwei?
He*, even if Tu Wuwei’s shixiong, Beihai’s sect leader, Lingxu guardian master personally came, he was not the least bit frightened.
[T/N: This is a laugh sound hehe.]
Want to touch Lu Xiao? You’ll have to get past him first.
“As long as Lu Xiao is dead and he has no heir so naturally everything will be this prince’s.” Prince Jin gazed deeply at Qiu Yutong, his eyes filled with countless tender sentiments. “When this prince ascends the throne, even though I cannot establish you as the empress, but of the four imperial concubine positions, you will definitely have one. Even if Lu Xiao has already touched you… this prince won’t dislike you.”
“…” Qiu Yutong stared at Prince Jin’s face, stupefied.
What to do, he kind of wanted to puke.
