358. Crisis at the Border

After getting out of there, Long and s.h.i.+ returned to the inn and changed into their original clothes.

Then, they appeared on the street in broad daylight.

“Not going back?” s.h.i.+ asked Long.

Long shook his head. “No rush.”

s.h.i.+ didn’t ask much.

Long said, “Let’s just walk around. We’ve been staying in the imperial palace these days. Aren’t you bored, Qingzhou?”

How could he be bored hiding in the palace all the time?

s.h.i.+ thought about it carefully. He’d spent several days and nights on guarding against the others and knowing about the imperial family of Eastern Darkness.

He was so busy that he didn’t feel bored at all!

However, he wouldn’t tell this to Long.

If Long wanted to do it, s.h.i.+ would just follow him.

In fact, Long was afraid that s.h.i.+ was bored, so he wanted to accompany his lover to have a walk.

But after realizing that s.h.i.+ wasn’t interested in it, Long didn’t walk on the street for a long time.

Even so, Long and s.h.i.+ found that they were being stalked on their way back.

They didn’t take it seriously.

But after entering the room, Long said, “We can’t go to that inn next time. Perhaps some people will find us out.”

s.h.i.+ nodded in agreement. “Yes.”

The two of them didn’t see Fang Shuoyang and Xu You after they went back, and they didn’t think much about it.

Unexpectedly, Liu Suifeng went over.

“My dear husband,” Liu called Long softly.

Long’s hair stood on ends and he instinctively turned to look at s.h.i.+.

But s.h.i.+ didn’t look unhappy.

Long’s face darkened a bit. “What brings you here?”

Liu looked at Long gently. “Dear, I have something important to tell you.”

“Oh? What’s the matter?” Long gazed at him with doubts.

Liu met his gaze and pretended to be very shy. “Dear, you’re so annoying. Don’t look at me like that! It seems like you are going to devour me!”

Long became speechless.

The corners of s.h.i.+’s mouth turned upward slightly. “Alright, I won’t disturb the two of you.”

Long instinctively wanted to chase s.h.i.+, but Liu had already grasped his arm.

“Dear, let’s go back to the room!”

Long got really annoyed, but he couldn’t show it, so he said with a fake smile, “Okay.”

Then, he held Liu’s arm and pinched it very hard.

Liu glanced softly and shyly at Long. “Dear, don’t be like that. I can’t bear it.”

Long really wanted to sew Liu’s lips shut. He gritted his teeth and pretended to say gently, “Well, I shouldn’t have pinched your arm. I should’ve directly cut it with a sword!”

Liu blinked. “Dear, you’re too violent. I’m scared.”

Long pinched Liu’s arm and got to the room. Then, he shook it off in disgust.

“Alright, you can tell me now.”

Liu curled his lips. “When you want to make of use me, you say honey-sweet words and appear to be so nice. Now that I’m useless to you, look, you behave just like this.”

Long glared at Liu. “If you don’t say it, I’ll go.”

Liu curled his lips. “The poisonous insect.”

“Huh? Why did you mention it again?” Long suddenly had a presentiment of disaster.

“That holy object isn’t here and I have to leave for a while, but your dear wife is worried about you.” Liu curled his lips.

After a short silence, Long said slowly, “Is this the reason why Qingzhou wasn’t angry just now?”

“Yes.” Liu looked at him gloatingly. “Come on, hurry and fall in love with the bug.”

Long didn’t know what to say.

Liu directly hit Long’s acupoints. “I don’t have much time.”

Long still struggled at the last moment. “Ask Qingzhou over.”

“He was just afraid that you’d pretend to be poor in front of him. Stop resisting. It’s useless. Come on, beauty, give me a smile. Perhaps I’ll be gentle with you.”

Long became speechless. He was so angry that he really wanted to curse.

Long felt that his heart was broken and he was deeply hurt by his empress.

In the middle of the night, Liu finally left and s.h.i.+ returned to the room.

Long’s acupoints had been unlocked, but he was still a bit weak. “You’re back…”

s.h.i.+ felt a little sorry and sat down by the bed. “Yes, I’m back.”

Long looked at him. “Qingzhou… don’t you feel sorry for me?”

s.h.i.+ fell silent. Later, he said slowly, “I’m for your own good.”

Long curled his lips and looked at s.h.i.+ accusingly. “You know how much I hate bugs.”

s.h.i.+ kept silent.

Long continued to complain. “You know that I don’t want to have such a big bug in my body…”

s.h.i.+ still didn’t speak.

Long was both sad and angry. “Every time I think about this later, I’ll have no appet.i.te!”

Hearing this, s.h.i.+ finally said slowly, “It’s not so serious. Don’t think too much.”

“How can I not think about it?” Long sat up from the bed and suddenly felt that he’d got all his strength back. “Qingzhou! How could you make me do such a disgusting thing?”

s.h.i.+ let out a long sigh. “Stop messing around. Let’s go to sleep.”

Long was burned with anger. He glared at s.h.i.+ and then pulled the quilt over his head…

Human rights. Human rights! He was the ruler of a nation! How could his human rights be violated like this?

s.h.i.+ paused for a moment. Then, he slowly took off his clothes and went to bed.

Long felt that another person lay beside him… but he was still angry and ignored it.

s.h.i.+ didn’t mind it and just closed his eyes.

After a long time, Long was finally willing to share the quilt with s.h.i.+, and s.h.i.+’s lips curved in a smile.

The next morning, Long was already very energetic when he got up. He was also in high spirits, but when he thought of the bug in his body… his mood was affected a bit.

s.h.i.+ also got up. “Let’s go for breakfast.”

Long asked, “Where did Liu Suifeng go?”

“I asked him to take some things back and tell those people to get ready.”

Long blinked. “Oh? Why didn’t I know that?”

s.h.i.+ glanced at him. “We’ll take a two-p.r.o.nged approach.”

After thinking about it carefully, Long finally said slowly, “That’s a good idea… After all, it will take a long time for Fang Shuoyang to fight the crown prince. If they also cooperate with us…”

s.h.i.+ nodded and said, “If there’s a crisis at the border, who do you think Emperor Zhou will send there?”

Long smiled upon hearing this. “It must be the crown prince.”

s.h.i.+ took a look at him. “Are you so sure that it’ll be the crown prince, not Zhou Suye?”

Long shook his head. “It won’t be Zhou Suye. The border is not safe. Emperor Zhou must think that it’ll be fine if the crown prince can make some achievements. In that case, if the crown prince is killed by Fang Shuoyang, the latter will also be dead. If the crown prince achieves nothing at the border, then he also won’t end up well. It’ll be better if he’s killed by our men. Then Eastern Darkness will hate us. If they have a good plan and Zhou Suye is sent to the battlefield to avenge the crown prince’s death, then Zhou Suye’s position will be secured.”

s.h.i.+ fell silent when he heard the words, thinking about the possibility of Long’s words coming true.

After a while, s.h.i.+ said, “You’re right. This is the most likely thing Emperor Zhou will do.”

“Right.” Long smiled. “If there really is a war at the border, then the crown prince must be sent there.”

s.h.i.+ nodded. “So it’s right to take a two-p.r.o.nged approach.”

“Yes. Qingzhou, you’re so thoughtful.” Long praised him.

s.h.i.+ glanced at him. “Let’s go eat.”

Long nodded. “Okay.”

They met Xu You and Fang Shuoyang during breakfast.

The four of them ate together. Anyway, the place would be cleaned up after they finished eating. As long as there were no outsiders, n.o.body would know that they all ate together.

Xu said, “Elder brother, where is Liu Suifeng?”

When Long heard Liu’s name, his face suddenly fell.

Fang was also a little puzzled.

s.h.i.+ gave a cough and said, “He’s gone back. He won’t show up these days.”

Fang nodded without asking more.

Xu blinked. “Elder brother, are you sad that your wife left?”

Long’s face immediately darkened. “What are you talking about?”

Xu felt quite innocent. “Then why are you unhappy?”

Fang was really helpless. Why did these two brothers like to bicker so much?

Long snorted. He didn’t answer and just focused on eating.

Xu wanted to say something more, but s.h.i.+ took a glance at him.

Xu was not afraid of his elder brother, but facing s.h.i.+, his brother-in-law, he was still a little scared and had to be restrained.

So Xu stopped saying anything to irritate his elder brother, although he was very puzzled.

After breakfast, s.h.i.+ talked to Fang and suggested that he should start preparing for the fight against the crown prince.

Fang nodded. “I know what to do. Don’t worry, Brother s.h.i.+.”

s.h.i.+ didn’t say anything more, because he believed that Fang could do a good job.

Fang went to attend the court morning, while Xu went back to the room.

s.h.i.+ looked at Long who was not in a good mood. “What are your plans today?”

After thinking for a while, Long said, “I have no plans.”

s.h.i.+ said, “I will go out and investigate with w.a.n.g Qi.”

Long thought about it and didn’t stop s.h.i.+. He just said, “Okay, be careful.”

“Yes.” s.h.i.+ responded. Then, he added, “I’ll contact Ying Feng. We haven’t heard from him for several days.”

“Okay. I hope nothing goes wrong.”