Suspicion
On the other side, at this moment within the Yu Zhou City, dark clouds were gathering.
For the past few years, the Ghost Realm had enjoyed relative peace. This was partly due to a decrease in malevolent spirits committing serious offenses against the Golden Wall Laws, and partly because the Ghost King’s mood had surprisingly remained stable for three years, resulting in a milder temperament and a decrease in the tendency to annihilate malevolent spirits at the slightest provocation.
However, amidst this flourishing peace, news suddenly arrived at the Palace of the Spectral Ghosts: a malevolent spirit had encountered Bai Sanxing!
Subsequently, reports came in from various palace lords across the land, stating that some evil spirits had seen Bai Sanxing or suspected sightings of him. However, his appearances were fleeting and unpredictable; often the evil spirits didn’t even have time to react before he vanished again. No evil spirit had managed to converse with him, and his intentions remained unknown.
The news of Bai Sanxing’s reappearance caused quite a stir in the ghost realm. Over three hundred years ago, when Bai Sanxing was the lord of the Moon Palace, he was unparalleled under the Ghost King, with formidable strength that no ghost could rival. After the Ghost King’s death, he led a rebellion, and before He Simu appeared, many evil spirits believed that Bai Sanxing would seize the Ghost King’s lamp and become the next Ghost King.
However, one day Bai Sanxing suddenly disappeared without a trace. Yan Ke took his place and sided with He Simu, who eventually became the Ghost King. Many palace lords believed that with He Simu’s thunderous methods, Bai Sanxing couldn’t possibly still be alive and most likely had been annihilated.
Who would have thought that not only had Bai Sanxing not perished, but he had also made a comeback? He was a vengeful character; seeing that many former palace lords who once depended on him had now pledged allegiance to He Simu, he must be planning something drastic. Therefore, the palace lords who had come through from the era of the former Ghost King were apprehensive, while those who had recently ascended to power felt somewhat relieved.
Guan Huai, the current lord of the Moon Palace, an old fellow who had been dead for over three thousand years, was now having a stroke of luck because he had escaped a calamity by being imprisoned in the Nine Palaces Maze.
After receiving this news, He Simu didn’t show much reaction. During the court session, he simply ordered the search for Bai Sanxing’s whereabouts. Anyone who discovered him was to report immediately, and there would be a handsome reward for whoever captured him. It seemed as though he didn’t regard the once renowned “White Demon” highly.
His intentions were inscrutable. After the monthly grand court session ended, the palace lords inquired about the king’s plans from the Left and Right Ministers, only to be dismissed. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to share; it was that they still harboured mutual suspicions.
Yan Ke and Jiang Ai descended the steps outside the palace gates. Yan Ke, hands behind his back, asked softly, “During the grand court session just now, you told the king that you have never seen Bai Sanxing.”
Jiang Ai, as always, wore a magnificent robe with golden hairpins and pearls adorning her head. She turned, the ornaments on her body chiming crisply.
Looking at Yan Ke, she said, “What’s the matter? Is there a problem with that statement?”
“I understand Bai Sanxing, you are his obsession. He has been infatuated with you for a thousand years, always holding onto your rejection. He has been trying every means to obtain you. Three hundred years ago, you deceived him into the Nine Palaces Maze, causing him to be lost for centuries. Now that he has escaped, how could he not come looking for you?”
“Infatuated with me? It’s more like possessiveness. He desires everything good in the world. Perhaps now that he’s awake, he has other things to conquer, so he’ll leave me alone for the time being. But speaking of deception…” Jiang Ai leaned closer to Yan Ke, smiling coyly, “Three hundred years ago, it wasn’t just me who deceived him, it was you too. At that time, you were his deputy lord; he trusted you deeply. Now that he has escaped, shouldn’t he come to settle scores with you first? How come I just heard you telling the king that you’ve never seen Bai Sanxing?”
Yan Ke’s gaze turned cold. “I have never seen Bai Sanxing.”
“Then, I have never seen Bai Sanxing either.”
The Left and Right Ministers of the ghost realm exchanged glances—one with icy eyes, the other with a playful smile—neither giving an inch.
Finally, Jiang Ai waved her hand and turned to leave, saying, “Instead of suspecting each other, we might as well count our blessings. Farewell, Right Minister.”
Yan Ke keenly noticed a pure white bracelet emitting a faint glow on her right wrist. The bracelet was plain, without any jewels or gold and silver embellishments, unlike Jiang Ai’s usual style.
He quietly rubbed his thumb and smirked before turning away.
Yesterday, the Prefect of Yunzhou immediately inquired about the previous conflicts between Lord Fang and Duke Duan upon returning home, realizing the significance of their rivalry. Fearing that he had caused a great disaster that might cost him his official hat, the next day, the Prefect made elaborate arrangements to send Lord Fang on his way back home, then turned around to host another banquet for Duan Xu.
Upon seeing the Prefect, Duan Xu instantly knew what was brewing, and played along with the Prefect’s assumptions. He put on airs and showed subtle displeasure, dropping ambiguous remarks related to Fang Xianye. Watching the Prefect sweat profusely and turn pale, he eventually cheerfully accepted the banquet invitation.
After all the generals returned to their respective camps, except for Duan Xue, the rest of the banquet guests were officials from Yuzhou. After three rounds of drinking, the Prefect insisted on Duan Xue staying at the Prefect’s mansion for the night and even arranged for several beauties to accompany him. Duan Xue thought that the Prefect had probably heard about his frequent visits to the Jade Tower in the capital and decided to cater to his interests by sending him beauties. He didn’t refuse the Prefect’s eager gaze and selected one to accompany him from among the beauties.
After the banquet, the Prefect enthusiastically instructed the beauty to take good care of Duan Xue before leaving with a smile. The girl, who looked only sixteen or seventeen years old, supported Duan Xue and led him to the room prepared by the Prefect, not daring to look at him along the way. She helped Duan Xue sit on the bed and then went to close the door.
Naturally, she stayed in the room as well.
Duan Xue sat on the bed. Although he appeared slightly intoxicated just now, he was now completely sober. He said, “Why are you staying in my room?”
The young girl walked up to him and said with her head lowered, ‘The magistrate has ordered me to serve the Marquis well.’
Duan Xu chuckled lightly, ‘Then why are you still keeping your head down? I can’t even see what you look like.’
The girl raised her head slightly, a bit fearful. Though young, she was evidently a beauty, with delicate features and a hint of poignant sorrow in her eyes. She glanced at Duan Xu with watery eyes for a while, then stuttered, ‘I… I’ve come to serve the Marquis.’
Duan Xu turned his head to look at her, smiling, ‘Do you know who I am?’
‘The Marquis Ning Yi from the Southern Capital…’
‘I mean my name.’
‘Duan… Marquis Duan.’
‘I’m Duan Xu, Duan Shunxi.’ Pausing for a moment, he asked, ‘You say you want to serve me. Can you?’
The girl gritted her teeth, took two steps forward, perhaps too flustered that she stumbled and ended up sitting on Duan Xu’s lap. Duan Xu didn’t say anything, so she clumsily untied and removed his outer garment, then attempted to kiss him.
With his arm propped on the bed, Duan Xu suddenly raised his hand, placing his index finger on her lips. He looked at the girl who was close by with a smile and said, ‘I don’t accept you using someone else’s body to kiss me, He Simu.’
The girl was stunned for a moment, speaking softly, ‘Marquis, what are you saying…’
‘Your Highness, do you still want to accuse me of eating in secret?’
The young girl fell silent. Her hands were no longer trembling, and her gaze was no longer fearful. After a moment of silence, she closed her eyes, tilted her body, and fell to the ground. A pair of pale hands with blue and purple veins grabbed her collar and dragged her to the side of the table.
The owner of these hands, dressed in red clothes like pale white, He Simu, stood in the room, holding her arms and sighing, “How do you manage to find out it’s me every time?”
Duan Xu extended his hand towards her with a smile, and she walked over to him, just like the young girl did before, sitting in his lap facing him.
He praised, “You played it very convincingly this time. Did you possess her when you emptied the third pot of wine at the banquet?”
He Simu raised an eyebrow, “You noticed back then?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“How did you figure it out?”
Duan Xu held her waist, leaning closer to rest his forehead against hers and said, “Because you had the look of hoping to be discovered by me.”
He Simu blinked, holding the back of Duan Xu’s neck, rubbing against his nose and said, “So, Marquis, can I kiss you now?”
Duan Xu cooperatively closed his eyes and said, “Your Highness, please proceed.”
He Simu laughed twice. Instead of acting immediately, she waited for a moment before kissing his lips. His body trembled involuntarily. She had noticed recently that perhaps because her body was too cold and Duan Xu’s senses were very sensitive, he would shiver unconsciously every time she kissed him. She quite liked this strange reaction.
As He Simu was thinking this, Duan Xu pried open her lips and sighed between the intertwining of their soft tongues, “Your Highness, focus.”
She then supported the back of his head and relaxed, letting him take the lead. Soon, he embraced her waist and placed her on the bed. Duan Xu’s chest heaved heavily, his gaze intense.
He Simu caressed his shoulders intermittently, smiling, “I heard that there’s a tattoo of white snow covering plum blossoms on the Marquis’ back. What’s the meaning behind it?”
Duan Xu chuckled softly, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness, “That was drawn by my lover. She’s like white snow and red plum blossoms.”
“Is that so? She sounds very cold, hugging her must be uncomfortable. Marquis, why don’t you look at others?” He Simu asked.
“I seem to be afflicted with an eye disease, beyond cure. Apart from her, everyone else seems to disappear. But fortunately, although she may initially feel a bit cold, she warms up quickly with a little embrace, sometimes even making one’s heart race with her warmth,” Duan Xu said softly as he gently caressed her cheek with the back of his finger.
He Simu looked up at him for a moment, then smiled and stretched out her arms, saying, “Duan Xu, hold me.”
Duan Xu obediently held her tightly.
“Am I still cold now?” she asked.
“A little.”
“Then let me warm up.” He Simu whispered in his ear, “Warm me up with your temperature.”
Duan Xu kissed her neck and skilfully untied her clothes, smiling vaguely.
“As you wish.”
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