Chapter 284 - Junwu (2)

After their little scuffle ended, Li Junwu lay flat on her back atop the ruined couch, staring motionlessly at the ceiling.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan chuckled and released her. He shook out his fingers, the knuckles pale from the strain, then sat down beside her slender waist on what remained of the couch. “Come on, I was only joking. I know you’re going there to help your old man.”

Li Junwu did not move. Still gazing at the ceiling, she spoke to him through voice transmission. “That wasn’t why I wanted to hit you.”

“Huh?” Xu Yuan pretended not to understand.

Li Junwu gave a cold snort, then changed the subject. “Changtian, going to the western frontier was my own decision.”

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Marquis Zhenxi didn’t send you?”

Still lying on the couch, Li Junwu turned her eyes toward his profile and replied helplessly, “You may not know this, but my old man never wanted me to take over the western garrison army. That’s why I’ve spent all these years loafing around the Imperial Capital, eating, drinking, and enjoying myself.”

Xu Yuan glanced back at her and fell silent for a moment. “The Marquis must have his own reasons.”

Li Junwu curled her lips and spoke quietly through voice transmission. “Give up military authority to keep the family safe. Do you really think that would work?”

Xu Yuan considered it for a moment before replying through voice transmission. “The court currently allows regional armies to grow so powerful because the sects still exist and need to be kept in check. Once all these troublesome matters are settled, the court will inevitably reclaim that authority. Otherwise, those military strongholds will simply become the next generation of sects. Marquis Zhenxi is still in his prime. He probably believes he can resolve everything before his time comes.”

Li Junwu remained silent for several breaths before suddenly asking, “But what if he can’t?”

Xu Yuan said nothing.

Li Junwu let out a long breath, slowly sat up beside him, and rested an elbow on his shoulder. “Changtian, once I leave for the western frontier, there’s no telling when we’ll meet again.”

Xu Yuan turned to look at her and did not dwell on the matter. “Then I look forward to seeing you become the next Li Qingyan, guarding the Great Desert.”

Li Junwu rolled her eyes and jabbed him in the kidney with her fist. “I am Li Junwu. I’m not Li Qingyan, and I’m certainly not the second First Martial Princess.”

A moment later, Xu Yuan smiled faintly. “That’s quite the ambition.”

Li Junwu gave a soft snort. “One day, I won’t be any worse than her.”

Xu Yuan’s eyes curved into a smile, and his voice softened. “All right. You’re Li Junwu.”

Just then, Li Junwu suddenly spoke in a quiet voice. “Xu Yuan, when the time comes, if you need me, I’ll help you.”

Xu Yuan fell silent. Their eyes met at close range. He could feel her breath against his face. And he could see the seriousness in her eyes. But he gave her no answer.

Li Junwu said nothing more. She picked up the wine bottle, drained it in one long gulp, then turned to leave.

Xu Yuan hurriedly called after her. “Hey, Wang Chengping and Gong Yuanzeng still haven’t arrived. You’re leaving already? Once you go, we probably won’t see each other for a long time.”

Li Junwu glanced back and sighed. “Changtian, are you pretending not to understand? Both their fathers belong to the imperial faction. Ever since our last gathering, the two of them have been confined to their homes.”

Hearing this, Xu Yuan lowered his eyes slightly.

“All right, I’m leaving. Don’t miss me too much. Next time we meet, I’ll let you admire my legs again.” Li Junwu smiled and patted him on the shoulder. Then she gave him a crisp wave and strode away.

After she had gone some distance, several attendants fell in behind her. Soon, her graceful figure disappeared with them through the entrance of Heavenly Cloud Palace.

Because of the earlier commotion, every guest with any concern for his own life had already fled the main hall. The surroundings were deathly quiet. Only a few courtesans who had been forced to remain continued playing their instruments.

Xu Yuan had practically reserved the entire Heavenly Cloud Palace for himself. Sitting alone on the collapsed couch, he poured himself cup after cup of wine, an inexplicable melancholy settling over him.

The imperial faction... As commander of the Imperial Guard, Wang Chengping’s father naturally stands with the Emperor. If my old man ever gains control of that army, he could launch a coup whenever he pleased. As for the vice-chancellor, he’s one of the Emperor’s most important pieces for restraining my father in court. If the Chancellor's Manor and the imperial clan truly meeton the battlefield one day, then...

At that thought, he suddenly remembered what Lou Ji had once told him. Some things, Changtian, you may not want to do, but you’ll have to do them anyway. Back then, your father and Li Yaoxuan slaughtered nearly every friend they once had.

“Hah...” Xu Yuan sighed. He set down his wine cup and was about to rest for a while before paying the bill and returning home when a familiar figure entered through the door.

The Third Prince froze for a moment at the sight of the nearly deserted Heavenly Cloud Palace. Then he spotted Xu Yuan sitting alone in one of the private booths, and the corner of his eye began twitching uncontrollably. Goddammit. Is this walking disaster ever going to stop? Every time I open a pleasure house, this bastard comes along and tears it apart!

He raised a hand, silencing the brothel madam who had hurried over to complain. Then he drew a deep breath, suppressed the urge to curse Xu Yuan’s entire family, and slowly walked over.

Without the slightest hesitation, he dropped into the seat beside Xu Yuan and smiled. “Third Young Master Xu, which blind fool offended you this time?”

Xu Yuan shook his head. He took two 1,000-tael banknotes from his Sumeru Ring and placed them on the wine table. “No one. This establishment belongs to Your Highness? A friend and I were only fooling around a little. The other guests misunderstood.”

“You’re too polite, Third Young Master Xu. There’s no need for you to pay for anything.” The Third Prince’s smile broadened at the sight of the banknotes. Even as he spoke, his hand reached toward the money.

“Your Highness is truly generous.” Xu Yuan immediately took the banknotes back.

Li Yunqing fell silent.

Xu Yuan cast him an amused glance, then shifted his attention to the two people standing behind him.

One was naturally Eunuch Hou. The other was rather unexpected. It was Chu Jingyi, the assassin who had previously tried to kill the Third Prince. She wore a tight-fitting black outfit somewhat similar to Ying’er’s, though its design leaned more toward the styles of the Eastern Isles.

Noticing Xu Yuan’s gaze, the Third Prince stopped dwelling on the loss of 2,000 taels and said with a smile, “A maid I recently subdued. She’s from the Eastern Isles.”

Interest appeared in Xu Yuan’s eyes. “Oh, is that so? Where did Your Highness find her?”

Li Yunqing smiled pleasantly. “A friend who shared a certain ordeal with me helped me capture her. It took me an entire month to finally train her properly.”

“Capture her?” Just the right amount of confusion appeared in Xu Yuan’s eyes.

Li Yunqing explained with a smile, “One of those so-called daimyo wanted to purchase weapons from me. As though I would ever sell arms to those pirates. This woman was sent here to collect the debt.”

“I see.” Xu Yuan nodded, then offered a friendly warning. “Then Your Highness should be careful. Where there is a first attempt, there may well be a second. Your journey to the northern frontier may not be peaceful.”

Li Yunqing laughed without the slightest concern. “Those bandits don’t have the leisure to send another assassin after me.”

“Oh?” Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

Li Yunqing cast an interested glance at Chu Jingyi behind him. “According to this woman, their homeland has apparently been invaded by a group of blond-haired devils who came from across the sea.”