Chapter 304: Why investigate Gu Beiyue? (1/2)

Chapter 304: Why investigate Gu Beiyue?

The night was still, and so were the people.

His dark pupils were as deep and vast as the night skies, swallowing up everything in the world. Her eyes were clean and bright, as pure as the lakes of the steppes, eternally unchanging and removed from the dust of the mortal plane.

As they stared at each other, the world fell silent.

Inexplicably, he drew closer until his breath brushed against her face. She didn’t move, but her heart was beating incessantly against her chest. His gaze lowered until it rested upon her tender pink lips. Slowly, he tilted his head and drew closer. He had never started a kiss with such quiet warmth and gentleness. His movements were exceedingly slow. This was the first time she didn’t refused his advances or dreaded his actions, but simply felt restless with anticipation. Unmoving, she watched him with a hooded gaze as he drew near. Her eyelashes fluttered a few times before she shut her eyes.

But right at that moment, Zhao mama’s voice drifted over from inside the rooms. “Esteemed wangfei, have you returned?”

Long Feiye immediately stiffened, while Han Yunxi’s eyes flew open to look inside the house, just in time to see Zhao mama walk out. Both her and him were frozen in the action of initiating a kiss. At the sight, Zhao mama first grew stunned, then gave a shriek as she turned and fled.

If she had left quietly, that would’ve been fine, but her scream jolted Long Feiye to his senses. His warm gaze immediately resumed their icy calm before he straightened up. Han Yunxi didn’t move, but stood there in silence. Both of them kept quiet for a while before Long Feiye spoke up again. “Go on and rest. I still have to take a trip out of the estate tonight. If anything comes up, you should–”

Before he could finish, Han Yunxi suddenly stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed him on the cheek. She was very nervous, but pretended to be calm as she replied, “Mm, you go ahead!”

Then she turned and ran into the house before he could reply. Long Feiye hadn’t expected that at all. He stood stunned for a long time before he recovered his wits. Then, he lightly touched his cheek and couldn’t help breaking into a soft chuckle.

“Women…” he murmured to himself, finding it unbelievable that he finally had a day where he let one kiss him. Forget it. Hadn’t he allowed this woman to close their distance long ago?

Han Yunxi stood by her bedroom window upstairs, watching as Long Feiye’s form vanished into the night. Only then did she withdraw her gaze. Her face was still burning when she recalled her bold actions. She was a little afraid, but still couldn’t resist bursting into laughter–both at herself, and at Long Feiye.

Love was all about taking risks. If you love someone, be brave and love him thoroughly!

Long Feiye, I really like you a lot.

—

Meanwhile, Long Feiye looked lost in thought as he headed for the back gates, his fingers repeatedly stroking the place where Han Yunxi had kissed him.

Chu Xifeng had been waiting for him for ages, and only found Long Feiye’s movements strange. Still, he didn’t dare to question the man.

“How is it?” Long Feiye asked.

“Your Highness, I’ve gotten the details. Gu Beiyue is on shift at the palace and will be away from home the entire night.”

Long Feiye nodded and made to leave when Chu Xifeng asked, “Your Highness, is there something…up with Gu Beiyue?”

Long Feiye instantly gave him a cold look, and Chu Xifeng realized he’d said too much. “Master, please calm your anger. This subordinate doesn’t know a thing.”

Satisfied, Long Feiye stalked off with large strides. Chu Xifeng really had no idea why his master had told him to check whether Gu Beiyue would be home tonight without any further explanation. What was Long Feiye planning to do? What was there worth investigating about Imperial Physician Gu, who didn’t even have the strength to truss a chicken?

Chu Xifeng wracked his brains but couldn’t come up with an answer, so he gave up and went to the front gates to watch over Eunuch Xue.

If His Highness Duke of Qin didn’t allow Eunuch Xue to get up, then he couldn’t rise. As a long time denizen of the inner palace, he was very clear on the severities of such actions. If the Duke of Qin hadn’t pursued the matter, he could have gotten up without much consequences. But since the Duke of Qin had gotten personally involved, he would be defying his orders if he got up. That would be equivalent to lèse majesté, which would land him the death sentence. All he could do now was stay there obediently and hope for his master to save him.

But as it turned out, Eunuch Xue had been wishing for far too much. He had no idea how many hidden assassins Chu Xifeng had eliminated throughout the night.

—

“What, another failure?!”

Emperor Tianhui hadn’t slept a wink all night, his attentions wholly focused on Eunuch Xue’s plight.

“Your Majesty, none of the men we sent returned.”

“Bunch of useless trash!” Emperor Tianhui had his hands behind his back as he paced back and fro in the imperial study. He would never allow Eunuch Xue to kneel in front of the Duke of Qin’s estate until daybreak. Once news of this spread amongst the people, would he have any face left? Long Feiye’s actions were clearly a slap to his face!

Just a few hours earlier, he’d tidied up Han Yunxi with his imperial grace without Long Feiye muttering a word. But then, Long Feiye had gone back and made a fool out of Eunuch Xue as his declaration of war! No matter what, their first battle was precisely Eunuch Xue, and it was a fight he had to win.