403. They’ve Got Tougher (II)

Translator: Storm in a Teacup

The next day, when Long Xiaoyuan woke up, he found there was no one around him!

Instantly, Long Xiaoyuan was shocked.

“Qingzhou!” He immediately called out, and then hurriedly went to look for him.

However, at this moment, the door to the inn was pushed open.

The person he was worried about came in with breakfast.

“Hey, Qingzhou, you’re here.” Long Xiaoyuan sighed with relief when he saw him.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou raised his eyebrows. “Of course I’m here. What? Do you think I’m gone?”

Long Xiaoyuan scratched the back of his head. “Well, I was wondering what happened to you when I saw that you were not around.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou said lightly. “What can I do? You got drunk last night.”

Long Xiaoyuan recalled what had happened the night before. “Well, Qingzhou, how did I behave after I got drunk?”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou said with a faint smile. “What do you think?”

Long Xiaoyuan patted his forehead. “Well…Qingzhou, did I say something I shouldn’t have said?”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou’s smile deepened. “What could you say?”

Long Xiaoyuan said uneasily, “I don’t know.”

He recalled the other day Qingzhou deliberately drugged him, and he didn’t know what he had said or done!

Even though he didn’t do it on purpose, he was put in big trouble!

Therefore, he was afraid that he had said something he shouldn’t have!

But he didn’t seem to have said anything inappropriate from the look of Qingzhou.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou put the breakfast on the table. “Wash up and come over for breakfast first.”

Long Xiaoyuan nodded immediately. “Okay.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou brought his own breakfast as well, and he had already washed up.

Therefore, when Long Xiaoyuan washed himself up, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou started to have breakfast.

Long Xiaoyuan then came over and ate together.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou looked at him. “Do you need some Sober-up Tea?”

“No need.” Long Xiaoyuan shook his head. “I slept all night, and now I feel good.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou didn’t say anything else.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou asked after breakfast. “Shall we set off?”

Long Xiaoyuan nodded. “Yeah, let’s go. The wine here is strong. Maybe we can take some with us.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou thought of something and said lightly, “It’s so so.”

“Do you think so?” Long Xiaoyuan looks at s.h.i.+ Qingzhou.” I think it is not bad. By the way, Qingzhou, did you say something to me last night?”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou paused and looked at him, “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. I seemed to hear you talking to me while I was sleeping, but I didn’t catch it clearly, so I ask you.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou shook his head faintly. “I didn’t say anything.”

Long Xiaoyuan narrowed his eyes and looked closely at Qingzhou. Why did he feel that Qingzhou seemed to be hiding something from him?

But at this moment s.h.i.+ Qingzhou had calmly turned his head, and Long Xiaoyuan couldn’t see anything strange about Qingzhou.

Long Xiaoyuan was bewildered, but he could only let it go.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou heaved a sigh of relief in his heart. He wouldn’t tell Long Xiaoyuan that he deliberately made him drunk last night, just to ask him if he had any hidden secrets!

But he didn’t expect that Long Xiaoyuan was quiet after he got drunk! He fell asleep after he was drunk, and he snorted when asked questions.

How could s.h.i.+ Qingzhou tell him such a shameful thing?

Therefore, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou turned away calmly, not letting Long Xiaoyuan detect anything!

Long Xiaoyuan and the rest continued on their journey.

Two days later, Long Xiaoyuan finally got back to the palace.

Long Xiaoyuan was not used to the palace life after he had left for a long time.

He calculated the time, and found they had been away for too long.

The imperial palace was like an inn to him.

Long Huan was now two years old.

He was very happy to see Long Xiaoyuan and s.h.i.+ Qingzhou come back.

He threw himself into Long Xiaoyuan’s arms and he would not let go.

Long Xiaoyuan also missed this little guy. He took out all the toys he bought for his son on the way, and the father and son both went crazy for a while.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou watched them play.

Finally, several ministers came to meet Long Xiaoyuan at night.

He sighed silently and had to meet them.

When Long Xiaoyuan went to deal with political affairs, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou asked his subordinates about the things that had happened in the Imperial City these days.

After s.h.i.+ Qingzhou had got all the updates on the Imperial City, Long Xiaoyuan was not back yet!

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou squinted slightly and sent a palace maid to check on the Imperial Study.

The palace maid returned after a short while, saying that the lights of the Imperial Study were still on.

In other words, the ministers were still inside.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou waved his hand, dismissing the palace maid, and he went back to his room.

He felt complicated to be back to the room that he had lived for many years.

Back then, he had never thought that he could have freedom after entering the palace, but now… he was often out of the palace.

He had thought his life would be ruined after entering the palace, but he had never imagined that he would have such a chance…

He actually got together with the Emperor.

Moreover, the Emperor gave up all his concubines for him.

The fate was wonderful.

As he lay on the bed, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou drifted off to sleep.

After what he knew not how long, he felt that there was another person in his bed, so s.h.i.+ Qingzhou opened his eyes.

“You’re back?”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou was still sleepy.

“Yes.” Long Xiaoyuan replied and hugged s.h.i.+ Qingzhou in his arms. “Go to sleep.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou nodded. He fell asleep. Anyway, they could talk about it tomorrow.

So, the couple slept together, hugging each other.

The next day, when Long Xiaoyuan woke up, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou was still asleep. However, since Long Xiaoyuan had returned, he could not have a lie-in anymore.

Therefore, Long Xiaoyuan got up early and went to the court.

On the court, there was only one thing that the ministers discussed, that was… how they would deal with Huhe Huangcheng!

But this time, no ministers were soft.

Some ministers asked to punish Northern Barbarians severely.

Some demanded to declare a war.

Some even advocated killing Huhe Huangcheng, for the purpose of warning others against following a bad example!

Long Xiaoyuan did not know what to say!

Why did they change so quickly?

Finally, the Left Premier and Right Prime Minister made more useful suggestions.

Whether they should kill Huhe Huangcheng or not depended on how Northern Barbarians responded.

If Northern Barbarians was willing to pay a costly price, it would be fine to return their crown prince.

However, the price had to be costly!

The price must be so big that it would undermine Northern Barbarians!

Finally, Long Xiaoyuan accepted the suggestion.

Now, the envoys of Northern Barbarians have submitted the doc.u.ments, which had been held back for the time being.

Therefore, none of them appeared in front of Long Xiaoyuan.

After the court, Long Xiaoyuan walked to the Qiankun Palace where s.h.i.+ Qingzhou lived.

When Long Xiaoyuan arrived, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou was already waiting for him at the dining table.

In front of s.h.i.+ Qingzhou, there was a rich breakfast.

Long Xiaoyuan walked over with a smile. “Has breakfast been served?”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou nodded. “Yes. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah, I’m really hungry.” Long Xiaoyuan said as he sat down.

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou turned to him. “What did you discuss in the court?”

Long Xiaoyuan shrugged. “About Huhe Huangcheng. To my surprise, many ministers are tough now. They almost asked me to kill him directly.”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou smiled. “Really?”

Long Xiaoyuan smiled. “Yes. Is this a pleasant surprise?”

s.h.i.+ Qingzhou smiled faintly. “It is indeed a good thing. Let’s have breakfast first.

“Sure.”