Hua Qiyue furrowed her lovely brows slightly. She said helplessly, “Very well, do what you will!”
The moment he heard Hua Qiyue agree, Yun Shimo’s heart was completely set at ease. As long as Hua Qiyue agreed, the matter could be easily resolved.
Yun Shimo was overjoyed and kissed her delicate brows. “Qiyue, go and rest at once. I’ll first find men to prepare for our grand wedding on the eighth!”
With that, his figure flashed. With a whizz, he had disappeared.
Hua Qiyue stared on stupidly. This man was too quick, wasn’t he? She stretched out her hand and touched her brows and lips. That smoldering kiss was still there.
The tender feeling brightened Hua Qiyue’s mood too. She leaped nimbly back into the room, preparing to leave for her room, soak in the bath and then rest.
This scene had naturally been witnessed by Xuanji, to the left of her window.
He stared dazed at the half-shut window. He had overheard the entire conversation between Yun Shimo and Hua Qiyue.
He felt thoroughly upset in his heart. It meant that from the start, Hua Qiyue only had Yun Shimo in her heart.
Hers was a kind of faithfulness, virtuous conduct. But why did Xuanji prefer Hua Qiyue to be a little more wicked? It would be good if she had allowed herself to be bewitched by him.
Xuanji gave a gentle sigh and finally shut his window. Then, he fell vexedly on his bed.
On the morning of the next day, Hua Qiyue opened her room door to find the waiter’s little face almost greenish from the wait. In his hands was a big plate, full of all sorts of breakfast snacks.
The poor waiter had been tempted by Xuanji’s 100 taels of silver. So he willingly carried this heavy tray, waiting for Hua Qiyue to rise.
With a cry of surprise, Tianci jumped up and dashed over to see the breakfast snacks more clearly.
“Tianci, let’s go downstairs together. Waiter, please put the breakfast on the big table below. Sorry for the trouble,” Xuanji said quietly. Ji Jing standing by one side started to shake her head. She inched over to Hua Qiyue and whispered, “Sister Qiyue, your charisma is great… isn’t Brother Xuan trying to win your favor?”
“No. He was trying to please you.” Hua Qiyue smiled and stretched out her hand, ruffling Ji Jing’s hair.
“Tianci, Uncle Xuan has treated you so well. On the day of mom and dad’s wedding, you must give him a good reception.” Yun Shimo’s quiet voice rang out from behind. Tianci turned his head back, blinking his large eyes, dark as grapes.
Such a simple sentence, but it managed to throw all Xuanji’s elaborate preparations back to square one!
He was right. No matter how much Xuanji tried to butter up to Hua Qiyue, Yun Shimo would eventually wed her. He, Xuanji, would never have Hua Qiyue!
Ji Feng and the others watched Yun Shimo and Hua Qiyue in great shock. “What? You are marrying Qiyue, Brother Yun?”
Ji Feng asked in serious shock. After all, they were in the Yuewu Kingdom. If Hua Qiyue really married Yun Shimo here, none of her kin at Hua’s Mansion would be around. So how could they wed?
Huangfu Xuan knitted his brows. He said, much displeased, “As the saying goes, a wedding ought to be presided over by one’s elders. How can you marry someone away from your homeland?”
On the surface, Huangfu Xuan did not seem overly affected. Yet in his heart, he was thoroughly despondent.
Although he had long known that it was impossible between him and Hua Qiyue, at this moment he could not help but be downcast.
“Brother Huangfu is right. Qiyue, even if you marry, you have to wait until we return to the Changjing Kingdom,” Xuanji said quietly. But Tianci instantly whooped with joy.
“Yeah! Mom and dad are getting married! Won’t it mean there’ll be lots of goodies to eat?”
Everyone glared speechlessly at that innocent glutton. Tianci chuckled and still felt much delight by himself.
“It doesn’t matter. We will go through the rites again in the Changjing Kingdom,” Yun Shimo said quietly. “Conventions can only constrain foolish people. So don’t tell me anything about conventions and customs. Let’s go, Tianci. You must be starving. Dad has gotten the kitchen to make many of your favorite breakfast snacks!”
“Yeah!” Tianci yelled and leaped up, holding on to his hand.
Round one. Yun Shimo won.
Xuanji glanced quietly at him, his heart rapidly sinking. But he followed behind Hua Qiyue without a word. He did not try to dissuade her.
“Sister Qiyue, two of you are so awesome. Ignoring conventions and unfettered by vulgar customs! Marrying twice in your life! Well, well.” Ji Jing sighed in great astonishment. Her heart envied Hua Qiyue greatly. After all, outstanding men like Yun Shimo were indeed rare.
Bai Qianxue’s heart was also shaken. He watched her lovely departing back and could not speak. He could not even congratulate them.
He glanced over to Huangfu Xuan. Bai Qianxue could tell Huangfu Xuan’s thoughts from the latter’s eyes. He had to sigh inwardly. Hua Qiyue was such a man magnet!
It was halfway during breakfast when a surprise visitor turned up—Lan Luo. He was still robed in black, but not as ostentatiously as before, as during the first time they met. Half his face was masked.
Hua Qiyue could almost not recognize him. Were it not for the fact that she had put a mark on Lan Luo’s body, allowing herself to sense his approaching presence, she would not have noticed him coming.
“Princess Jinghua, it’s been some time,” Lan Luo said in a whisper. He was sitting behind Hua Qiyue at a table.
Xuanji and Yun Shimo turned their heads simultaneously, staring at Lan Luo coldly.
Their gazes were like the frosty, biting wind. They made Lan Luo shiver involuntarily. Naturally, he would not harbor any intention to assault them sneakily.
“So it’s you, Lan Luo.” Hua Qiyue did not turn back. Save for his tidy outfit, Lan Luo’s hair was still disheveled. Much of his hair was hanging down limply, hiding his complex eyes.
Lan Luo gave a light chuckle. “Yes, Princess, I am still with Hua Mengshi. As Palace Leaders, we must gather three days later for a conference north of Xuanyuan City, at Yueyun Inn. Decide what you would do then, Princess!”
Lan Luo’s words made Hua Qiyue crease her brows. It looked like the Crown Prince’s intelligence was true. Hua Mengshi had really joined the Dark Sect.
“Is Hua Mengshi… doing fine?” Hua Qiyue had to sigh quietly. She wanted to let her off, but time and again, Hua Mengshi would challenge the utmost she would permit.
Now that the two of them were in opposition, one must die.
Hua Qiyue decided to teach her a good lesson the next time she saw her.
“She’s fine. But I sense that her Qi Art has improved a lot. So please be careful, Princess,” Lan Luo said. Yun Shimo’s facial color turned grim.
Was Lan Luo concerned about her?
He gave Hua Qiyue a displeased glance. How many men would this rotten girl attract?
But he also knew that Lan Luo had been subdued by Hua Qiyue. It was quite normal for him to provide her with intelligence.
Hua Qiyue ate her porridge silently. Lan Luo no longer spoke. His attention was concentrated on eating his buns. No one noticed the mocking smile curling his lips.
After all, Lan Luo was a Palace Leader of the Dark Sect. How could he so willingly submit to Hua Qiyue?
But three days later, during the midnight assembly at Yueyun Inn, a good opportunity would present itself.
After taking two bowls of porridge, Lan Luo left noiselessly, as if he had never come.
Tianci started to make a din. This glutton had just had porridge and his belly was round and full. Now he was pestering Xuanji to pick wild fruits with him. Xuanji had to accompany the boy. Hua Qiyue watched the departing figures of the man and boy, together with a hare and an insect, disappear into the lanes of the city. Dawn soon broke. A new day had arrived.
After breakfast, Hua Qiyue and the others were in an inn room discussing the Great Assembly of the Dark Sect three days later.
Everyone agreed that it was a good opportunity. After all, all the Palace Leaders would be there—all 11 of them. Hua Qiyue had eight with her. Together with Hua Qiyue’s Spirit Summoning Art and runes, they could easily defeat the whole lot.
So everyone agreed that three days later, they would launch a sneak attack at Yueyun Inn.
“Sister Qiyue, do you think that Lan Luo would give us false intelligence?” Ji Jing suddenly asked softly.
Hua Qiyue nodded. “It’s possible. But we can lay a trap for him. Tianci is already at the Great Completeness of Round Sun. He can emit a massive amount of energy. With the hare, the Man-Hunting Insect, Caining, and Caiqing with him, he ought to be fine staying in the inn alone!”
Bai Qianxue shook his head quietly. “Better not take the risk.”
Yun Shimo kept silent. Tianci had improved so much so quickly. He must have more experience to toughen himself.
Most experiences were undergone when elders brought youngsters along to a big forest to hunt for evil beasts. But right now, they had no time to leave Xuanyuan City.
He had to wait for the members of the Xuanyuan Family and resolve his feud with them. Only then could he return to the Changjing Kingdom with his father and mother, to enjoy happy days with Hua Qiyue.
“Tianci has improved too quickly. His power is a bit superficial and not secure enough. We must let him undergo experiences to toughen up. Although he is young… if the hare and the Man-Hunting Insect agree to stay by his side, he ought to be fine.”
Hua Qiyue thought for a while and came to this decision.
Yun Shimo’s smile was light and relaxed. “Qiyue is right. She has spoken my very thoughts. Let’s make it this way: We will leave Tianci in the inn. Regardless of whether it’s a ploy to lure us away, we must turn up.”
Bai Qianxue glanced at Hua Qiyue and slowly lowered his eyes.
He sat there quietly, without saying another word.
Yun Shimo unfurled the map and found the location of Yueyun Inn. Then, he started to trace their route to the inn three days later.
His inky hair hung down gently, complementing his frosty, determined and handsome face, making it even more tender. As the spring breeze blew in, the candlelight flickered and danced.
Such deep-set and handsome features made Hua Qiyue’s heart tremble.
Perhaps this was what they called feelings. Regardless of whether better men presented themselves—as handsome as Bai Qianxue, as gentle as Ji Feng, as unconventional as Xuanji—she would disregard them all. The only one in her eyes was Yun Shimo.
Yun Shimo solemnly placed markers on the map and started to explain the route for their coming mission.
The company came to a consensus. They had only to wait for midnight three days later.
————————
Three days later.
Hua Qiyue and her friends departed Qinghe Inn and headed for Yueyun Inn. Tianci, on the other hand, was left guarded by the hare, the Man-Hunting Insect, Caining and Caiqing.
Midnight at Yueyun Inn.
On the third storey, in the grand hall, sat an assembly around a huge squarish table. They were all silent.
They were all masked in black gauze and their features could not be distinguished. But the aura emerging from their bodies was extremely powerful.
All the Qi Artists within a radius of 50 kilometers could sense this oppressive aura. They were secretly astounded in their hearts.
Only 10 of the 11 Palace Leaders had arrived.
After a silence, someone finally spoke, “The Sect Leader would like us to wipe out Yun Shimo and his allies in the shortest possible time. Let’s wait a while more before we act.” The person who spoke was a man in black at the uppermost head of the table. His long, narrow eyes sparkled with brutal malevolence.
