Translator: Henyee Translations
Editor: Henyee Translations
Once back inside, the three of them went straight to Night Wing’s room.
Night Wing had changed out of her burnt clothes and tidied herself up. She wore a loose-fitting robe that could cover her shrunk wings, and it made her look like a child in a grownup’s outfit. The long sleeves covered her small hands as she waited for Qin Yi on the stairs, sitting there hugging her knees.
Her face lit up when she saw Qin Yi and the Li siblings, but she soon hid her happiness and was back to her indifferent self again.
She had always been very calm around Li Qinglin and behaved like a grownup.
Because whenever she showed the slightest sign of childish behavior, Li Qinglin would tell her that she would achieve nothing if she behaved like that, let alone take revenge.
It seemed that a demon had to be reticent and hateful to be around him.
Night Wing liked Qin Yi much better. He wouldn’t scold her even when she sat on the floor or scrambled around on all fours. Instead, the look on his face would become even kinder, and his sound was much gentler when he told her stories.
Li Qinglin paid no attention to her attitude and went straight into her room. He frowned when he saw the hole in the ceiling. “Is that cultivator really so capable? She can kill others without having to make contact… Things are really getting out of hand.”
Qin Yi said, “Shouldn’t you ask about Night Wing’s condition first?”
Li Qinglin smiled. “You’re a herbalist.”
By that, he meant that Qin Yi could take care of her all by himself.
Qin Yi shook his head in resignation and heaved a sigh. “You don’t have to worry about Minghe now, but don’t mess with her either.”
Li Qinglin chuckled. “Actually, I’ve met her already. She was watching me from a mountain during my brother’s funeral this morning. I sensed her gaze, turned around, and our eyes met. I immediately saw that she was the cultivator Night Wing mentioned.”
Qin Yi was interested in the encounter, so he asked, “And then?”
“Then nothing,” Li Qinglin said. “She probably wanted to tell me something at first, but she didn’t when she saw me. I used to think I needed to talk to her, but I realized that there was no need. I rode right past her.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s no point talking to the stars.”
Qin Yi was lost in his thoughts. They both knew that they were on completely different paths, and both were people with such firm beliefs that no words would change their minds. Therefore, there was no point in talking to each other.
Someone like me with no firm beliefs is much easier to get along with. I can pretty much become friends with anyone, Qin Yi thought.
Li Qingjun sounded amazed. “Are you talking about the Taoist priestess we met the other day?”
Qin Yi said in a satisfied tone, “You’re much cleverer now.”
Vexed, Li Qingjun pinched him on the lower back, but Qin Yi immediately caught her hand. She tried to retract her hand but failed, so she lowered her head and let him hold it. Her cheeks had turned very pink.
They were expressing their affection for each other right in front of her brother, and the realization made Li Qingjun a little uneasy.
Seeing their hands, Li Qinglin chuckled. “Your immortal-seeking journey ended up giving you a husband. I guess your priorities have changed now.”
That was an interesting way to put it, and Li Qingjun was amused as well. No one knew what life would throw at them.
“But…” Li Qinglin suddenly changed the subject, and his tone became very serious. “Do you really think everything is fine?”
Qin Yi’s stomach lurched, and he asked, “Has your father changed his mind again?”
“Your audience with my father and my brother’s funeral might seem unrelated, but I know pretty much every word of your conversation with my father. Needless to say, Donghuazi has received that information as well,” Li Qinglin said. “Maybe you think that my father will lean toward you… That’s not wrong, but you haven’t seen it with your own eyes. You have no idea how much trust my father has in Donghuazi.”
Li Qingjun flared up. “What has he done this time?”
“He went to see father.” Li Qinglin cleared his throat and mimicked Donghuazi’s old voice. “Qin Yi’s pill might be wonderful, but it could only cure common diseases. It’s a trick of mortal men, not the path to the Great Tao. Your Majesty, if you really appreciate his skill, feel free to give him a residence and make him a royal physician. That way, he’ll be able to look after your health all the time. All youngsters are after beautiful things, and his crush on the princess is only temporary. Once he’s given a high-ranking position and a well-paid job, he’ll know what he should choose. Qin Yi will be able to cure your disease, and the princess can be married off to the prince of Xihuang. Everyone will be happy.”
Qin Yi chuckled. “He doesn’t know me at all.”
Li Qingjun smiled as well. Of course she knew Qin Yi wouldn’t do such things.
Li Qinglin said coldly, “It doesn’t matter if my father will take his advice. The point is, my father may choose to do that, which means there will be a stalemate between him and Qin Yi, and your relationship won’t be acknowledged in the foreseeable future. Something is bound to happen.”
The young couple saw the light, and Li Qingjun was frustrated. “Why does that Donghuazi keep trying to marry me off to Xihuang?”
“Judging by their reaction, they don’t want to marry you off right away. You’ll probably only get engaged first,” Li Qinglin smiled. “Because no direct descendant of the king has ever been made the heir to the throne in Nanli before. If anything happens to me, you’ll be the only legal heiress to the throne.”
Li Qingjun’s eyes widened.
Qin Yi’s heart skipped a beat.
They had never thought about that possibility…
“So, your relationship has suddenly become the center of all problems.” Li Qinglin chuckled. “Brother Qin, way to go.”
Qin Yi rubbed his temples. That was why he hated politicians. Why wouldn’t they let him have a normal relationship?!
Liusu suddenly tempted him. “You fool. Just sleep with her. Your relationship will be real.”
Qin Yi pushed the spiked club further down into the mud.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t tempted, but that wouldn’t change anything nor would it affect those people’s plans. They would stick to their strategy even if she was pregnant, let alone if she slept with him.
Li Qingjun suddenly turned around, still holding her spear.
Qin Yi immediately stopped her. “What are you doing now?”
Li Qingjun’s face was expressionless. “I’m going to kill Mang Zhan.”
“You can’t unless I send a troop to surround his place,” Li Qinglin said. “But if I start deploying troops in the capital city, I’ll become a usurper.”
Li Qingjun said angrily, “Then we’ll elope!”
That’s a great idea! I’ve wanted to do that all along! Qin Yi thought. He was fed up with this lousy place and couldn’t care less about Donghuazi’s plan. Judging by how much lead and mercury he had been ingesting, he wouldn’t live for much longer…
Li Qinglin said, “It hasn’t reached that point yet. Don’t panic. Do you know where I was just now?”
Li Qingjun looked at him expectantly.
“I’m not sure I can raise Brother Qin’s status, but I do know how to demean Mang Zhan,” Li Qinglin said casually. “My father may not care about the real killer, but as long as the officials believe it, it’ll be enough. Our princess can never marry an enemy who has killed her brother. That was why I went to Mang Zhan’s place and yelled at him from outside, demanding the killer of my brother to duel with me. The entire capital city should’ve heard about it by now, and Donghuazi won’t be able to dismiss it so easily.”
Li Qingjun was elated. “You’re amazing!”
Li Qinglin studied her for a while and said slowly, “Qingjun, I need to talk to Brother Qin in private, so can you maybe go inside first? You’ll have plenty of time to play lovey-dovey in the future.”
Li Qingjun said, “You’ve already put it that way, so what choice do I have?”
“Are you going to comply if I ask Brother Qin to drug you?” Li Qinglin winked. “That won’t be nice.”
Li Qingjun blushed and sounded vexed. “Be serious!” But she didn’t insist on staying and only warned Qin Yi, “Don’t let him make you do bad things.”
She fled the scene after that.
Qin Yi only heaved a sigh after she ran off and turned to Li Qinglin. “What you did to Mang Zhan won’t have any effect, and you didn’t trick her into leaving because you wanted to drug her. Just tell me, who would you like to drug?”
The look on Li Qinglin’s face changed, and the two of them looked at each other in silence. The autumn wind swept the withered leaves off the ground. Night Wing had been sitting there and watching them quietly. Seeing the looks on their faces, she suddenly shuddered.