CHAPTER 35: A RESTLESS MORNING

"Understood, Your Highness." Gu Xiang bowed her head deeply, realizing that this was Shang Qinghua’s way of dismissing her.

She knew his warning was meant to prevent her from alerting the enemy, it was logical and strategic but still, she felt a small warmth in her heart.

Perhaps, hidden beneath his cold instructions, there was a trace of concern for her safety during the mission.

Thinking of that, her heart softened and her tone became lighter. "Your subordinate will take her leave. Please take care, Your Highness."

She bowed again, stepped back toward the door and finally turned around to leave.

When Gu Xiang’s figure disappeared completely, only Shang Qinghua and Mo Yi remained in the hall.

After a moment of silence, Mo Yi finally spoke. "Your Highness, since they’ve sent Mogushu, even if his target isn’t you, it must be someone very important."

Shang Qinghua’s calm eyes revealed no emotion as he held the edge of his teacup.

Even Mo Yi, who had served him for many years could not guess what he was thinking.

After a long silence, Shang Qinghua finally spoke. "Go and investigate what really happened that day with Yue Mingxuan."

"Your Highness..." Mo Yi said in surprise, his tone hesitant.

Shang Qinghua glanced at him slowly, his voice deep and calm. "Have you been too idle lately?"

"N-no, Your Highness. I’ll go immediately," Mo Yi replied quickly.

He knew that when the prince said such words, it meant trouble.

If he dared to linger or question further, the coming days would be pure torment.

It’s best to run while he still could.

He dashed out faster than a rabbit, leaving Shang Qinghua alone in his thoughts.

Last night, someone had clearly been beside him, yet he had slept so soundly and peacefully.

How was that possible?

Could that young man have drugged him?

No, with his sharp instincts, such a thing should have been impossible.

Still, it had been the best sleep he’d had in ten years.

If only every night could be like that.

Meanwhile, Yue Mingxuan had returned to his residence.

Sui He was running around anxiously.

When she saw him enter through the main door, her eyes widened in shock.

"Your Highness! Where did you get those clothes?" she exclaimed while staring at the plain servant’s outfit he was wearing.

"Oh, these?" Yue Mingxuan replied lazily. "I just picked them up somewhere."

Thinking of last night’s experience made him sigh inwardly.

Luckily, Shang Qinghua had ordered someone to give him robe. Otherwise, it would have been far more embarrassing.

Sui He hurried closer, worry filling her face. "Your Highness, where have you been all night? I couldn’t find you anywhere this morning!"

"Ugh, stop asking," Yue Mingxuan muttered tiredly. "I’m exhausted. I don’t want anyone to disturb me."

He brushed past her endless questions and cut her off directly.

Sui He froze, even more surprised. "Your Highness... you didn’t stay in your room all night?"

Her master’s reputation was already troublesome enough.

If he kept disappearing and coming back like this and dressed strangely, things could get even worse.

Yue Mingxuan collapsed face first onto the bed.

After spending the whole night treating Shang Qinghua, his eyelids were now battling to stay open.

However, Sui He, unfortunately, was still talking beside him.

"Your Highness, what exactly happened to you?" she asked again while pulling gently at his sleeve.

"I told you, nothing happened..." Yue Mingxuan murmured sleepily.

Before he could finish the sentence, his eyes closed completely.

"Your Highness?" Sui He called softly, but her words were answered only by light and steady breathing.

She sighed quietly, walked to the door and turned back to look at his slender and exhausted figure lying on the bed.

With a helpless expression, she whispered, "What on earth did you go through this time..."

In truth, the prince was truly pitiful.

Back in the Dongyue Kingdom, his background had always been criticized and mocked by others.

Later, when Beirong demanded a royal hostage, the powerless and low ranking prince became the only suitable choice.

After arriving in Beirong, he suffered humiliation from the proud princes and nobles there.

Fortunately, Yue Mingxuan’s personality was carefree and open minded.

He didn’t care much about gossip, which was the only reason he had managed to live safely until now.

Who would have thought that this once "foolish prince," after being rejected by the person he liked the most, would still manage to survive without doing anything foolish, though he continued to face one hardship after another. It really made people feel sad for him.

After a deep, long sleep, Yue Mingxuan finally woke up and it was already dusk.

After washing up, he devoured his dinner like a gust of wind sweeping away clouds, leaving nothing behind.

Sui He who stood beside him couldn’t help but say, "Your Highness, please eat slowly!"

Yue Mingxuan didn’t even spare her a glance.

Anyone who had been busy all night and gone hungry all day would be starving just like him.

After dinner, Sui He fetched a tub of hot bathwater.

Yue Mingxuan quickly slipped into the tub, washed himself clean and changed into fresh clothes.

Only then did he feel truly relaxed.

From yesterday until now, Yue Mingxuan felt as if he had just walked back from the gates of hell.

Shang Qinghua’s place was not an easy place to enter.

Setting aside the prince himself, even his guards were extremely skilled.

If any one of them had even a hint of suspicion about him last night, he would have lost his life before dawn.

It really hadn’t been easy to make it out alive. But that Shang Qinghua, although he was just a political hostage like him, it seems he still held an incredible amount of power.

If he hadn’t trusted Yue Mingxuan completely, revealing so many of his forces in front of him, Yue Mingxuan would have already died within that manor and would not be here to see tonight’s moonlight.