Chapter 1093: The princesss severe punishmen (1/2)

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Ning Cheng took Gu Beiyue’s hand. lAthough he didn’t speak, Gu Beiyue understood him and looked at him with a slight smile. Seeing this, Ning Cheng grinned as well.

“Heheh, Gu Beiyue!”

Ning Cheng had been taught about the existence of the Shadow Clan since he was old enough to understand things. He had seen this fellow a few years back when the Di and Nether Clans were still allies. How could he know that the Nether Clan’s hostage was the Shadow Clan descendant he’d been searching so desperately for over the years?

Now, without even saying anything, he knew that Gu Beiyue was the one to save him from the explosions. Without Gu Beiyue’s shadow arts, there was probably no one else in the world who could’ve managed it that night!

“Gu Beiyue...Gu Beiyue...so it was you! Haha!” Although laughing aggravated his wounds, Ning Cheng still laughed out loud.

Gu Beiyue’s smile turned wry. If he had known the Di Clan was so loyal in the past, they never would have had so many misunderstandings. Ning Cheng grinned and tried to get off the bed, but Gu Beiyue quickly stopped him.

“Ning Clan Head, you’re still injured. It’s better not to move from bed for the next few days.”

Ning Cheng grew serious and insisted on climbing off. Assuming that he wanted to see the princess, Gu Beiyue could only move to support him.

“You cannot!” Ning Cheng wouldn’t allow it as he stubbornly sat up. Without any support, he simply placed his feet on the ground and stood up steadily. Despite coming from a merchant background, he was more like a military man. He cupped his fists at Gu Beiyue in salute.

Surprised, Gu Beiyue came over to help him. “Ning Clan Head, what is the meaning of this?”

“Back at the battle with Western Zhou, I was blind. Ning Cheng represents all of the Di Clan to apologize to the Gu Clan!” Ning Cheng said openly.

Gu Beiyue smiled helplessly. “Since we weren’t acquainted with each other back them, why all this formality? It was a misunderstanding on both sides--haven’t I misunderstood Ning Clan Head as well?”

He released Ning Cheng to back away and cup his fists in turn, giving him a salute as well. Both of them exchanged looks with soft smiles.

A smile from a gentleman could absolve debts of gratitude or duty to avenge. Both of them were upright, proper men with no grudges to speak of against each other. Any simple misunderstandings could be dissolved with one grin.

“Ning Clan Head, I am but one man with no family or clan. You may simply call me Beiyue,” Gu Beiyue intoned.

That made Ning Cheng give a start. Before he could ask, Gu Beiyue held up a hand. “As long as the princess is here, so will the Shadow Clan.”

Was there anything else to ask after that? This was why Ning Cheng had persisted for searching for the Shadow Clan for so long and trusted them intuitively.

“Beiyue, if you don’t mind, my Di Clan can just be like your Shadow Clan! You can just call me Ning Cheng,” Ning Cheng said.

“Ning Clan Head is being polite, we’re all one family,” Gu Beiyue still didn’t change his tune, smiling gently despite being a crafty fox. His words were full of meaning, but Ning Cheng couldn’t probe them now. When peace reigned over the land, he would be able to understand him fully.

“Are princess and the others well?” he suddenly recalled the major point.

“Everyone’s fine, may Ning Clan Head be at ease,” Gu Beiyue immediately told him about Jun Yixie’s death and the current situation in Northern Li. Of course, he also revealed how Jun Yixie had been poisoning him into a Poison Human. Ning Cheng could only gnash his teeth in angry, but it was already too late to seek revenge against Jun Yixie personally.

“His Highness and the princess are both waiting for you to wake. This one should order someone to inform them,” Gu Beiyue said.

Seeing Ning Cheng nod, Gu Beiyue ordered a shadow guard to do the deed.

It had been nearly a year since the incident at Blacktower. Ning Cheng remembered his last glance at her had already been from one eye before they parted. Now he sat on the bed with eyes hooded, waiting in silence. Seeing this, Gu Beiyue withdrew to sit on the sides.

Very soon, Long Feiye and Han Yunxi arrived. Gu Beiyue and Ning Cheng rose as soon as she entered. However, while Gu Beiyue only nodded, Ning Cheng cupped his fists and declared, “Your subordinate Ning Cheng greets princess!”

Han Yunxi stood by the door and felt mixed feelings in her heart. Who could have seen them return to this step after circling around for so long? She arched a brow at him and said coldly, “Raise your head.”

Ning Cheng did as he was told, staring forward placidly. Han Yunxi carefully looked at his eyes and saw a dull pupil in one while the other glittered darkly with a profound, sharp air. It was an eye that could see through everything in the world and all the clamor of human hearts.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Han Yunxi declared.

“Your subordinate knows!” Ning Cheng suddenly fell to his knees and said respectfully, “Fortunately, there is still one eye that can be punished. This subordinate was grossly disrespectful to the princess, may princess mete punishment!”

Long ago, he had said that he’d pay her back for his first act of disrespect.[1] Han Yunxi remembered as well and was waiting for him to ask for punishment, but never thought he’d offer up his remaining eye.

Wouldn’t he be useless with both eyes blinded?

She could admit, she hated Ning Cheng to death for his violation and wanted to poison both of his eyes blind. Even now, her heart was still fuming over her treatment. But as the West Qin Princess and Ning Cheng’s master, she couldn’t bear to do it, nor could she treat a subordinate who had given up so much for West Qin, so cruelly. If she wanted to cripple him, why rescue him in the first place?