Chapter 487: Do you want them to catch adulterers in the act? (2/2)
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Han Yunxi ignored him so completely that he ended up talking to himself. Still, he was delighted all the same. As he talked and talked, his eyes couldn’t resist drifting downwards to rest on her exposed neck. The skin there was white and fine, as pure as jade and clean as ice. He discovered that this woman had a very beautiful set of collarbones. Eventually, he lost himself in a daze by staring at her in silence.
By now, footsteps were sounding outside in the halls. It seemed like the imperial soldiers had arrived. Gu Qishao’s eyes flashed unhappily before pulling the covers over them both. Han Yunxi was still treating his injury, so the sudden interruption incensed her. “What are you doing?!”
If the soldiers are coming, then let them come. It was better than not being able to find anyone in the city.
She was about to grab the covers when Gu Qishao rolled over and pressed her beneath his body. “Tsk…you want them to catch adulterers in the act?”
Despite his flirting and frivolous behavior, he was still concerned about Han Yunxi’s reputation. Han Yunxi immediately stopped moving. A lot of things were impossible to explain, especially situations like these! If she couldn’t make herself clear, it was better to say nothing and hide the entire thing! Thus, when the footsteps arrived to kick open the door, the two figures acted out another ‘lovers’ spring’ beneath the covers.
The investigating soldiers didn’t catch a glimpse of Han Yunxi’s face beneath the covers, but they did see Gu Qishao’s naked arms and his expression of utter bliss! The officer swept the room with disdain to make sure no one was hiding in the corners, and then withdrew. Once Han Yunxi was sure they’d left, she quickly got up to lock the doors. Gu Qishao slowly turned over on his stomach again, revealed that his wounds had reopened with fresh blood!
“Dammnit!” Han Yunxi cursed between her distress. She true regretted acting so impulsively just then. Gu Qishao shouldn’t have turned over at all. So what if she was marked as an adulterer? So what if her reputation was ruined? Those who believed her would believe in her still, while the rest didn’t merit her attention! Her hands trembled before she shook them out impatiently and forced herself to calm down. Then she went back to treating his injuries anew.
Gu Qishao seemed truly exhausted this time, because he simply lay there looking at her in utter silence. Amidst his wounds, there were three to four others that were particularly deep. Han Yunxi didn’t rest as she handled them all. Gradually, the thick scent of rouge and powder in the room was overtaken by the stench of blood. Still, the air inside was filled with a soft, sweet warmth.
Meanwhile, the entire capital city was now in an uproar!
The assassins hidden in ambush in the west never saw Gu Qi Sha show up, while the red lantern district in the south had recently raised a commotion. Mu Qingwu was convinced that Gu Qi Sha and Han Yunxi had fled there instead. He acted first without the emperor’s orders to seal off the four city gates, then sent out half the imperial guards on a search. Right now, he was personally inspecting the alleyway that led into the red-lantern districts. Crown Prince Long Tianmo had just caught up with him after looking for him everywhere.
“How’s the situation?”
“We discovered arrows and bloodstains here and followed them all the way to a brothel up ahead. We searched the building as well, but didn’t find anyone.”
Long Tianmo nodded and muttered, “First, send half of your guards to protect the imperial palace.”
“This…?” Mu Qingwu didn’t understand. He was actually preparing to call in reinforcements to help with the search if they couldn’t find their target within the next hour.
“You acted without emperor’s orders, so you need to find some sort of excuse for yourself. Otherwise, how are you supposed to shoulder imperial father’s censure?” Long Tianmo asked.
Mu Qingwu held the concurrent posts of Young General and Head Commander of the Imperial Guards. He was responsible for much of the security in the palace and the capital city. For the sake of saving a single Qin Wangfei, he not only acted without orders to seal the city gates, but used up half of the imperial guards to search for her. What would Emperor Tianhui think? It’d be strange if he didn’t seize the chance to annex his military power then! But if he could send half of his forces to protect the palace and elevate the attempted assassination of Qin Wangfei as subterfuge by foreign forces, everything would be different.
Long Tianmo’s reminder made Mu Qingwu immediately reply, “Your Highness reminded rightly. This soldier will do it right away!”
He was about to leave when Long Tianmo stopped him again. He dismissed the surrounding soldiers and murmured, “The imperial guards turned traitor back at the Gu Estate? What’s that all about?”
Long Tianmo had just come from the Gu Estate after inspecting the young commander who’d been stabbed to death with Mu Qingwu’s sword. From what he understood, Mu Qingwu was both frank and honest, but never stupid. He wouldn’t be angry enough to kill a would-be traitor just like that. With him dead, who else could point them to the mastermind behind the scenes?
It was obvious that Mu Qingwu had killed a key accomplice, but Long Tianmo had no reason to suspect the young general. Most of the people on his side wanted the Duke of Qin and Qin Wangfei dead, but Mu Qingwu definitely didn’t!