Chapter 261: Moonlit Worries

Shang Qinghua was truly too tired to argue.

With his eyes still closed, he simply kept rubbing his head, looking as though it ached terribly.

Yue Mingxuan sighed and wondering why he was so softhearted.

He walked over and slapped Shang Qinghua’s hand away.

Pressing randomly like that would not help at all, massage required the right pressure points.

He stood behind Shang Qinghua and pressing along his scalp and temples to ease the tension and fatigue.

Somehow, during these days when Shang Qinghua had not come by, Yue Mingxuan found himself thinking of him from time to time.

Perhaps it was simply because he had been “tormented” for so long that it had become a habit.

It really was true, habits could do more harm than one realized.

Sui He knocked and entered the room, she then setting the pastries and tea on the table.

The pastries were all made by Sui He herself, it looks delicate in appearance and pleasant in taste.

After spending so much time here, Shang Qinghua had grown used to them and he was indeed quite hungry.

The entire day he had only drunk a bit of porridge in the morning; at this hour, his stomach felt completely empty.

Watching Shang Qinghua quietly eat the pastries, Yue Mingxuan glanced out the window.

It was getting late, he should be leaving.

“I’m heading out first. You can stay and eat, and afterward go back… or not, as you like.”

In any case, he would not be returning tonight.

Unexpectedly, Shang Qinghua rose as well. After wiping the corner of his mouth, he said, “I’m going to see Xueyin. I’ll go with you.”

The two of them stepped out together into the night.

Moonless Cicada hesitated, unsure whether to follow, until Shang Qinghua spoke first. “You can rest tonight. I’ll handle things.”

“Yes.”

The original plan had been to go their separate ways, but to Yue Mingxuan’s surprise, Shang Qinghua pulled him along to Princess Xueyin’s residence.

Sitting by the window, Yue Mingxuan gazed at the moon outside.

If it got any later, Gu Xiang would probably head into the palace to look for him, she practically wished him dead.

“Royal Brother… is this really all right?” Princess Xueyin’s voice was soft and uncertain.

She had not expected that her brother could use such a simple method to secure her position as Rong Zishen’s principal consort.

Of course, Xueyin had no ambitions of becoming empress; she only hoped to live this life in peace and contentment.

Shang Qinghua spoke calmly. “When dealing with wolves, you strike at their weakness.”

Yue Mingxuan rolled his eyes, having no idea what method he had used.

Word had come that it was very likely the Emperor would make the announcement tomorrow.

…

He brushed his fingers over the earring as Yue Mingxuan walked through the night beside Shang Qinghua.

Normally he would be traveling along the rooftops, light and quick, but tonight Shang Qinghua had caught hold of him and insisted on walking on the ground, saying the moonlight was beautiful and they should take their time to enjoy it.

Enjoy it, his thoughts scoffed.

If he didn’t hurry, the whole place would be in an uproar.

Sure enough, when they reached Flying Opera Group and he had barely stepped through the gate, when several of the sisters nearly rushed out.

He was half an hour later than usual and they had begun to worry something might have happened to him.

He waved his hand. “I’m fine. I hot dragged off by a wolf to bask in the moonlight.”

As he spoke, he shot a glance at Shang Qinghua beside him.

The latter returned the look with a faint, ambiguous smile, his eyes clearly asking, what exactly are you calling me?

After they went inside, the courtesan competition of Flying Opera Group was arranged to be held a month later.

Because Yue Mingxuan had been ill some time ago, they had been unable to organize it on short notice, and the past few days had been too rushed to prepare properly.

So it was scheduled for the Peach Blossom Festival.

He set it deliberately on the first day of the festival, intending for it to stand in open rivalry with the traditional celebrations.

Accordingly, every decoration within Flying Opera Group revolved around peach blossoms.

Night after night, he personally led the sisters to select the most beautiful branch from the finest peach trees and carefully cutting it and tending to it so it would be perfect for the day of the competition.

With Shang Qinghua here today, they finally had help besides the brothers from the Midnight Blades.

After Tang Lubao came out, he glanced at Shang Qinghua before reporting that the several death warriors captured from the back hill tomb earlier had been killed while imprisoned in the dungeon.

Every one of them had died from a single strike and their throats has been cut from behind.

There had been no signs of struggle at the scene; they had likely accepted death willingly.

Yue Mingxuan fell silent for a moment and thinking for a long time.

“Alright, I understand,” he finally said. “At least the people of Nanxie still want me dead. It’s seems this life of mine is quite valuable. Next time it probably won’t just be a few useless death warriors.”

After speaking, he lowered his gaze to the ground, his expression faint and distant.

Why, though, why exactly?

Ever since arriving on this world, he had been hunted one way or another, never a single day of real peace.

The rare moments of quiet had only come when he was sick or poisoned, bought at the cost of suffering.

Who, in the end, was all of this for?

In Flying Opera Group, he sat in the main hall looking as though something weighed heavily on his mind.

His gaze fixed on a single spot as he drifted into a daze, his expression blank and distant.

“What are you thinking about? You’ve been staring off for ages.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep