Chapter 145: Xu Qing Chen's Whereabouts (83.2)
Translator: asa.s.sin
At the inn, Han Ming Xi went to the main hall downstairs, looking as if he had a good long sleep. His charmingly lazy yet elegant style drew all eyes to him instantly. He didn't care whether he was looked at and waved at a waiter as he asked: “Have you seen the two lords who came with me?”
The waiter was charmed by him as well and hurriedly said: “My Lord, they went out this morning. Right, they left a letter to you.” The waiter ran to the counter and asked the innkeeper for the letter before he handed it to Han Ming Xi.
Han Ming Xi's brows rose. He took the letter, went through it and frowned. “Jun Wei is not enough of a friend. How can he leave me behind? Hum, there isn't a person in this world I can't find.” Then he curled the letter into a ball. Raising his hand but letting it down hesitantly, he took the letter into his pocket and left the inn as well as its bunch of customers in daze.
Right now, opposite the inn, at a restaurant owned by a man of Great Chu, Ye Li was drinking a cup of tea by the window at leisure in men's clothes, her guard Secret Guard No.3 again, instead of Secret Guard No.2. Looking outside the window, she saw Han Ming Xi who was muttering to himself angrily as he walked out of the inn. She looked at him disappear in the distance among the crowd, amused, and asked: “What did Han Ming Xi do yesterday?”
Secret Guard No.3 answered in a serious tone: “Mr. Han left at night the day before yesterday and didn't return until last night. I believe he went to Tianyi Pavilion's station in Nan Zhao. Tianyi Pavilion and us have always kept out of each other's affairs. My Lord… do you want it investigated?”
She shook her head as she said: “No, not as long as he is out of our way. Watch out for Secret Guard No.4's message. Otherwise we might still be in the dark when Han Ming Yue is here.”
Secret Guard No.3 nodded. “Strictly speaking, you didn't do anything to Tianyi Pavilion since Mr. Han followed us out of his own will, My Lord. I don't think Master of Tianyi Pavilion will find trouble with us for that.”
“That might not be the case. Does Tianyi Pavilion send us information on time?” She asked.
“Yes, I've compared Tianyi Pavilion's information to our own. There isn't much difference between the two.” Secret Guard No.3 answered.
Ye Li nodded happily. “Good… if there are people who can fool both secret guards and Tianyi Pavilion, it will be understandable that we fall for it too. Ask Tianyi Pavilion for information on the Holy Princess later. I've told Han Ming Xi I want the Underworld Flower so he won't be suspicious about that.”
“Yes, My Lord. There's also news of the Sick Scholar. I'm afraid Mr. Liang won't live long. Are you going to…”
She frowned, distressed. She never thought her big brother would be missing as soon as she was here. Now that she didn't have any chance to consult him and had to find him in the shortest possible time which made it hard for her to attend to other things at the same time.
However, she couldn't leave the Sick Scholar alone either. “Mr. Liang isn't a man who knows kung fu after all. Even a man who does might not last long in the Sick Scholar's palm.” Before, the Sick Scholar was afraid that he would lose the lead to Green Void Flower if he killed Mr. Liang. However, now that he had the keepsake, he would find some clues even if Mr. Liang died. Besides, Mr. Liang can't answer to his superior since he lost the keepsake.
“Where are they?”
“Out of town.”
Ye Li pondered and said: “The most important thing right now is to find big brother. Let secret guards keep an eye on them. Help those people of Luoyi Clan rescue Mr. Liang only when absolutely necessary. Don't let him tell the Sick Scholar how to get to the Green Void Flower, not before we have time to deal with them. If not, get it first with all efforts or destroy it if we can't have it! Under no circ.u.mstance should the Sick Scholar have it.”
Secret Guard No.3 said with hesitation: “The Green Void Flower might cure His Highness's disease. If we destroy it…”
“That's why I said get it with all efforts. If not, we can't let the Sick Scholar have it. Who do you think he'll use it against once he has it?” She asked with a laughter.
“His Highness?”
She looked out of the window and said with a faint smile: “As the Third Master of the Hall of Darkness, he could have sent his men to run his ch.o.r.es. Why do you think he comes here alone without any help of the Hall of Darkness? The other two masters must have disagreed with what he wants to do. He was severely injured, almost died. How can he leave that behind? However, the Hall of Darkness has made an agreement with Prince Ding's Manor that it would never do harm to it. So, he can only do it himself…”
Thinking of the Sick Scholar's resentful eyes when he mentioned the Green Void Yellow Springs made the hairs on the back of her neck bristle. She even considered to kill the Sick Scholar first to gain the upper hand. However, that was just a fleeting thought. For the Sick Scholar's position and other reasons, she couldn't kill him now. At least, he can't die at the hand of Princess Ding.
“I see. I won't let him get the Green Void Flower.”
At a secret palace in Nan Zhao with marble floor and pillars that had elegantly engraved patterns, instead of candles, gold vessels with various gems and numerous night-luminescent pearls was the source of light. Layers after layers of the most valuable lotus gauze of Nan Zhao draped around, behind which sat a handsome man in white who was reading. In the gentle glow of night-luminescent pearls, his perfect face glimmered which made him quieter and more peaceful.
The heavy stone gate was pushed open from outside. In walked a slender woman. Instead of traditional Nan Zhao garment, she was in a bright-yellow overcoat with phoenix patterns whose hem draped on the floor, her hair put loosely together, with colorful gem ornaments. An exquisite gold mask covered her face. The mask was strangely bewitching which made that pair of eyes behind it more attractive. The woman walked over elegantly at a slow pace and laughed in a small voice as she looked at the man in white. “Mr. Qing Chen, don't you want to see me? If you want to, I'll take off my mask.”
Xu Qing Chen put down the book in his hand. He sighed and asked: “Are you… more beautiful than those ladies on the painting Reigning Beauty in the Capital of Great Chu?”
It seemed to be Xu Qing Chen's first time to show any interest in this question. She was a bit surprised. “You like women of Great Chu? I've heard about the Reigning Beauty in the Capital of Great Chu. Which one do you prefer? Su Zui Die, the one who was called the most beautiful woman of Great Chu? I recall that she was dead.”
Xu Qing Chen said with a faint smile: “Su Zui Die… was a beauty. If you aren't as beautiful as she was, there's no need to show me.”
“You!” Annoyance was in her eyes for a split second but she calmed down soon enough and said with a laughter: “Mr. Qing Chen, your standard is too high. As far as I'm concerned, your fiancée is good-looking… but not in a reigning beauty kind of way.”
Xu Qing Chen looked down, hiding his surprise.
She took it as an agreement and snorted slightly: “As for Miss Chu, she does love you in all sincerity, My Lord, coming here all the way with only one guard. That doesn't sound like something a woman of Great Chu would do.”
“Where is she?” Xu Qing Chen asked.
“Huh, she went to our inheritress, Princess An Xi's manor yesterday. Since Princess An Xi is a good friend of yours, I think she is going to welcome her.” She covered her mouth as she laughed: “Mr. Qing Chen, why don't you consider my offer? After its success… I will share this world with you.”
Xu Qing Chen was calm as ever as he said in a small voice: “If I'm right, you've made the same offer to Prince Li three years ago.”
She raised her sleeve and smiled with disdain. “Mo Jing Li? He is nothing in comparison to you. Well… I believe there's no man who is as good as you except Prince Ding. It is a pity… that Prince Ding is a cripple now. You are the most perfect man in this world and the only one who is a match for me, My Lord.”
He shook his head. “I'm sorry. My family has a rule that a man of Xu Family should marry a woman for her virtue not her beauty, wealth nor power. I am happy to have one woman for my life. Miss, it's no use keeping me here. The capital of Nan Zhao is a small town. I'll be found sooner or later.”
She leaned on a marble pillar and giggled: “Aren't you afraid I'll kill you? How many awful ideas you've offered An Xi this past half a year, causing me endless trouble? Don't you like women of Great Chu? Am I not more of your type than she is?”
Xu Qing Chen shook his head and continued to read as he said: “You would have killed me a long time ago if you wanted to. Besides… it will do you no good if you kill me.”
“Right.” She sighed, frustrated. “It will cause me a lot of trouble indeed. Xu Family of Great Chu and probably Prince Ding's Manor will be on me. Besides, our inheritress is going to kill me at all costs. Hah hah… though I can't kill you, I can keep you here so that you can't harm my cause. Without you, that proud woman An Xi will end up in an ugly place soon. Plus… your lovely fiancée.”
“Don't lay your hands on her!” It seemed Xu Qing Chen was irritated. He warned coldly.
“Huh? You do care about her, don't you?” The woman looked at Xu Qing Chen with a strange expression as she said: “Why do you like her? She still looks like a kid.”
Xu Qing Chen said calmly: “I'll care about her as long as she remains my fiancée.”
The woman stared at him and said: “You mean no matter what kind of person she is, you will care about her as long as she is your fiancée?”
He laughed: “Is it so difficult to understand? She is my future wife. Who else am I going to care about except her?”
“You… good. I'm going to lay my hands on her just to show you that I can!” She sneered, glaring at him, she stormed off in a huff.
Hearing the stone gate close, Xu Qing Chen put down the book in his hands slowly. His beautiful eyes lowered. “Fiancée… Miss Chu… Could it be Li-er?”