Chapter 48
Noticing the spots of red on his pristine white sleeve, Shangguan Ye felt a bit uneasy. He quickly grasped Murong Qiufeng’s hand and reassured him with a smile, “It’s nothing, just a small wound. It’s no big deal.”
When Murong Qiufeng’s wrist was suddenly held, he looked up at Shangguan Ye’s comforting smile and felt as if his heart had been scalded. That strange feeling surged up again, and with the added warmth from Shangguan Ye’s hand, it felt even hotter. Flustered, he quickly pulled his hand back, a bit embarrassed. “Even a small wound is still a wound. It needs to be treated seriously. Come inside first.” He said this as he turned and entered the room.
Shangguan Ye found Murong Qiufeng’s blushing face adorably endearing. He raised an eyebrow and followed him in, deliberately giving him an excuse to save face. “Hehe, it seems you truly are dedicated to medicine; you have a strong sense of medical ethics.”
Murong Qiufeng’s expression softened slightly, and he smiled back, nodding, “Yes, it’s become a habit.”
At that moment, Yuxiang walked in carrying some supplies, effectively easing the awkwardness.
Murong Qiufeng took the medicine and bandages, motioning for Shangguan Ye to wash his hands first. Then, he meticulously applied the medicine and bandaged the wound, his focus natural and devoid of the earlier embarrassment.
“Sorry about that little guy. He’s quite spirited and probably holds a grudge against you.”
“It’s fine. It’s just a little wolf cub. But I can’t avoid him forever. How about this: let him stay with me for two days to get accustomed to me. I promise I won’t mistreat him. What do you think?” Seeing Murong Qiufeng frown, Shangguan Ye quickly added.
Since the little cub technically belonged to Shangguan Ye, Murong Qiufeng couldn’t refuse. Besides, the cub was indeed a bit wild and untrained. If it grew up and bit people indiscriminately, that wouldn’t be good. So, he nodded in agreement.
“Where’s the little guy hiding now?” Shangguan Ye, having gained permission, pretended to look around for it.
Murong Qiufeng couldn’t help but chuckle softly and pointed with a light finger, “Over there.”
That doting tone made Shangguan Ye even more displeased. He turned his head and saw that the place Murong Qiufeng was pointing to was his own bed. Realization dawned on him, and his eyes narrowed. The little cub had not only entered the house but had also climbed into bed.
A flash of cold light appeared in Shangguan Ye’s eyes, and the little cub under the covers seemed to sense this, trembling even more.
“By the way, I heard from Steward Yang that you’ve been quite busy lately. How come you’re back so early today? Did something happen?” Although Murong Qiufeng enjoyed the quiet life he had now, he still remembered the promise he made to Shangguan Ye and wanted to help him with his responsibilities.
Shangguan Ye smiled and shook his head lightly, “There’s indeed been a lot going on. The winter hunt just ended, and the New Year is approaching, so everyone is busy. Oh, and in a couple of days, there will be a banquet in the palace for the plum blossom viewing.”
Ever since the last two incidents, Murong Qiufeng had developed a strong aversion to palace banquets and had avoided attending whenever possible. He was relieved that Shangguan Ye hadn’t brought up any banquets that he absolutely had to attend. But hearing him mention it now, his heart tightened, and he frowned, “Do I have to go too?”
After all, his current title still included that of a princess consort. He couldn’t always let Shangguan Ye bear everything on his own.
Shangguan Ye resisted the urge to comfortingly stroke Murong Qiufeng’s hair and smiled, “This plum blossom viewing is a large event, with envoys from various countries attending. But don’t worry, you’ll attend in your current identity. I’ve already consulted with the emperor, and from now on, you’ll be my literary assistant, helping me with official duties.”
“Literary assistant? Does that mean I’ll have to attend court sessions?” Murong Qiufeng nodded. The specific title didn’t matter much to him as long as he could be of help.
“No, but you’ll accompany me to the palace and assist in the Taiqing Court. In simple terms, you’ll help me organize documents and review memorials. Your handwriting is excellent, so I’ll need you to copy some things.”
Murong Qiufeng frowned. These tasks sounded like trivial matters to him.
Shangguan Ye, knowing what Murong Qiufeng was thinking, patted his shoulder and smiled, “Don’t underestimate this work. I’m in the process of transitioning from military to civil affairs, and the senior officials in the court are all eyeing me warily. They wouldn’t dare to offend me directly, but they might target you out of spite. I can’t fully control the old guard in the court yet, nor can I place my own people there, so you’re the only one I can trust.”
“I understand,” Murong Qiufeng nodded.
Shangguan Ye raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with amusement and a hint of triumph.
The talk of helping was just an excuse. What he really wanted was to keep Murong Qiufeng by his side at all times. Now that Murong was starting to show signs of understanding, Shangguan Ye planned to push a little harder, ensuring that Murong would grow so accustomed to him that he couldn’t bear to leave.
Murong Qiufeng was a serious person, meticulous and unwavering in his dedication to people and tasks. Once he committed to something, he wouldn’t change his mind. If he fell for you, and you put in the effort to clear the obstacles between you, you wouldn’t have to worry about him leaving.
Late at night, in a brightly lit pavilion.
A man in silver robes sat at a desk, carefully reading a book. Suddenly, the candlelight on the table flickered slightly.
The man glanced at the candle, raised an eyebrow, and his almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly with a faint smile as he looked out into the night. “Quite the effort you’ve all gone through to find me.”
Several shadows shot through the window.
The man let out a cold snort, slowly closing his book. He calmly dodged the shadow’s deadly strike, then turned and drew the sword from the wall, forcing back several shadows before leaping out the window with a light step.
The shadows pursued him, and soon the area outside the pavilion was filled with the sounds of clashing weapons and rustling leaves.
The manor quickly lit up, becoming a scene of bustling activity.
“Heh, three burrows for a cunning rabbit. I underestimated you, Yun Feiyang. If it weren’t for orders from above, I’d love to discuss your escape methods with you. It would be a valuable life-saving skill for me.” One of the black-clad figures spoke, his tone laced with sarcasm and hostility.
Yun Feiyang landed lightly on a tree branch, looking at the three black-clad figures surrounding him, and smiled, “It seems I’m quite valuable, to have three of the Four Killing Gods from the Tian Sha Pavilion sent after me. I’m truly flattered. But I must admit, I don’t know why the Tian Sha Pavilion is so relentless. I don’t recall ever offending you.”
“Haha, why you’re being hunted is not our concern. We’re just following orders. As for the reason, that’s something for you to ponder, or perhaps you can ask the King of Hell yourself. Yun Feiyang, you’ve toyed with us for an entire month, causing so many deaths. Tonight, it’s time to settle this.”
“Heh, yes, it’s time to end this. I’m tired of being chased by you.” With a swift motion, his cold sword gleamed sharply. A slight wave of the blade sent the leaves below rustling, and they turned into countless blades, shooting out like a barrage of lethal projectiles.
