Chapter 82: A Nasty Smile
Translator: Storm in a Teacup
Although it was important to chase after his wife, the life on a horse was just unbearable.
After a night of riding, Long finally got on a carriage.
While the Shadow Guards were driving, Long decided to get some sleep during the daytime.
Even though it was still wobbly in a carriage, but better have one than not.
After seven days of carriage ride on end, Long finally reached Shuanghua City.
Inside the city, there was only the Tianyin post and its citizens.
There were also some government departments here, although it didnât function like one.
That was because the public security inside the city was guaranteed by Tianyin post, and more than half of the shops in the city were owned by Tianyin post. If there were any disputes, Tianyin post could handle them on its own and there was no need for government interference at all.
So, inside Shuanghua City, Tianyin post actually enjoyed more prestige than the local government!
Long felt like his bones were shattering after the long journey.
Long chose to lie on his stomach bonelessly in s.h.i.+âs bed once he entered s.h.i.+âs room after they settled down in the hotel where s.h.i.+ and Xu lived.
s.h.i.+ wasnât in his room when Long arrived, so Long went to sleep, thinking s.h.i.+ might have gone out to gather the information.
As s.h.i.+ went back to his room in the afternoon, this was what he sawâ¦
s.h.i.+ smiled after seeing this.
Long was still asleep and had no idea he was being watched by s.h.i.+, though he might not feel awkward at all as heâs got a thick face.
s.h.i.+ sat down on the edge of the bed after looking at Long for a while. He pushed the man who he hadnât seen for about ten days. Long, feeling s.h.i.+âs sense, gradually opened his eyes in a daze.
s.h.i.+ chuckled at this. âAre you tired, Your Majesty?â
Long yawned and stretched his arms, âQingzhou? Long time no see, I wanna a hug.â
s.h.i.+ raised his eyebrows, âReally tired?â
âYeah.â Long yawned and said. âItâs really tiring.â
s.h.i.+ couldnât help laughing. âWhy are you in such a hurry?â
Long pouted his lips. âI feel upset you donât even miss me, Qingzhou.â
âThatâs not true.â s.h.i.+âs eyes became wide open. âI miss you, Your Majesty.â
âYou donât mean it.â Long was not pleased.
s.h.i.+ sighed and said, âHow come I donât mean it? I meant everything I said.â
Long got up from the bed and pinched s.h.i.+âs face with his right hand. âI donât see it that you meant what you said.â
s.h.i.+ removed Longâs hands gently. âWe have sneaked into the Tianyin post twice without disturbing the people in it, and we have also found the place where Fang Shuiyang is detained.â
âWell?â Long raised his eyebrows. âYou have found him?â
âYes.â s.h.i.+ paused. âBut unfortunately, one of his legs was⦠broken. We donât know if there would be a problem if we wait for too long.â
Long took a deep breath, âDid Xu know about this?â
s.h.i.+ nodded. âHe knew it and he was feeling a bit blue these days. While on the other hand, though Fang Shuoyang breaks one of his legs, he seems to be in a good mood. Itâs a pity we only managed to say a few words and we retreated very soon because we thought we alarmed the guards.â
âDo you want to go there again or get him out at once?â Long asked.
âNo, we canât get him out, that would alert the enemy.â
Long pursed his lips. âSo, you need to sneak in there again? But you canât guarantee you wonât be noticed every time.âs.h.i.+ smiled softly. âJust need to be careful. We wonât have many people go in there at once. Plus, it would be easier since we know where Fang is detained.â
Long knew that it would never be as easy as s.h.i.+ put. He said, âSince I am here, the Shadow Guards can handle the night scouting; you donât have to be involved, okay?â
s.h.i.+ smiled softly, âDidnât you say I am invincible?â
Long was speechless. âI didnât mean what I said; you donât have to believe it!â
Then it was s.h.i.+ who became speechless. âSo, I am not invincible because you didnât mean it at allâ¦â
âWellâ¦â Long touched his nose and blinked his eyes innocently. âMaybe I didnât say anything and you heard something else, Qingzhou.â
s.h.i.+ let out a cold groan and kept watching Long in a forced smile. âReally? Nothing at all?â
âWell, nothing at all!â Long nodded heavily.
s.h.i.+ didnât bother to care about Longâs thick face and stood up straight.
âHey, where are you going, Qingzhou?â Long rushed to get off bed.
s.h.i.+ wasnât going anywhere, but sat at a table.
Long followed s.h.i.+ after getting off bed and served him a cup of tea with a flattery smile.
s.h.i.+ was not being courteous at all and drank the tea as he got it.
Long also prepared tea for himself and started to drink slowly.
Long felt more comfortable after the tea.
s.h.i.+ became soft-hearted after seeing that Long was so tired and asked, âHow many days did you spend on the way?â
âSeven days.â Long said.
s.h.i.+ sighed and said. âGo back and take an early rest today.â
âOkay.â Long nodded. âI wanna hug you to sleep.â
s.h.i.+â eyebrows lifted as he smiled. âOkay.â
Long had something before it went dark and lay himself on a big soft bed after that.
No wonder the hotel charged 1 liang (ancient Chinese currency) a day, its bed was really comfortable and the quilt was quite soft.
Even though meals were included, this was still too expansive.
Long had started his whining since dinner; s.h.i.+ couldnât help laughing. âIs 1 liang a lot to Your Majesty?â
Long shook his head. âIt is not a lot to me, but as far as I know, in some places, many people couldnât earn 1 liang a month.â
s.h.i.+ paused and said, âPlaces like that are rare now. You donât have to worry a lot for that.â
Long smiled and said. âI see.â
Long went to an early bed after meal as expected.
There was only a wooden bucket for taking a shower in the hotel, not even close to the facilities in the imperial palace, however, Long wasnât being picky about this and could make do with it!
Long went straight to bed after shower.
While s.h.i.+, of course, stayed next to him.
Tonight was the best night as Long hugged s.h.i.+ to sleep!
Long got up the next morning when the sun was rising up high.
Longâs life without memorials or morning meeting just couldnât get any better!
The only pity Long realized was that his empress had left him the moment he woke up.
He stretched himself with a pout and then got up.
But s.h.i.+ came at the right time.
He came in as soon as Long got off the bed.
âWell, you are up?â s.h.i.+ walked in.
Long blinked his eyes and kissed him hard after seeing the door being shut.
s.h.i.+ didnât realize all this until he had already been undressed and pushed onto the bed by Long.
When the heat went up and Longâs hands began to wander around s.h.i.+âs body. s.h.i.+ grunted and said. âDonât⦠there are people outside.â
âNever mind about them⦠Qingzhou, we havenât got the chance to celebrate our reunion.â
s.h.i.+ shouldâve rolled his eyes as he thought this was not like they had been apart for half of their lives and was not worth celebrating at all.
But s.h.i.+ failed to speak out his mind, it was not because he didnât want to say but he couldnât. As Longâs desire was really aroused, he himself found it hard to maintain his own consciousness!
Long kissed all over his empress after s.h.i.+ got undressed.
The heat was on for a long time.
âQingzhou, take a nap, I will ask someone to bring the bathing bucket and we can take a shower.â
âNo need for that.â s.h.i.+ waved at him. To let someone send a bathing bucket during daytime was like telling the world what they had just done in their room. He wouldnât do so as his face was not as thick as Longâs!
Most importantly, it was rare for men to take a shower together. He couldnât afford to reveal his ident.i.ty.
âHow about asking someone to get some hot water to wash ourselves?â Long said.
s.h.i.+ nodded this time. âOkay.â
Long asked the Shadow Guards from the back window to bring some hot water.
After the water was delivered, Long rubbed the sweat on s.h.i.+ as gently as he could.
s.h.i.+ pursed his lips, his ears burning hot.
Longâs eyes darkened after looking at s.h.i.+; he didnât say anything to flirt with s.h.i.+, after all, he was afraid that he would grab on him and have another round of s.e.x!
Long got s.h.i.+ dressed after finis.h.i.+ng everything else while s.h.i.+ remained still and served by Long.
Long also loved dressing s.h.i.+ and was thus enjoying himself.
âQingzhou, you got any plan today?â
s.h.i.+ shook his head. âNo, the Shadow Guards have finished all what needs to be done, but since you are here, let me take you somewhere.â
âHum?â Longâs interest was aroused and said, âSounds good. Where is it?â
s.h.i.+ smiled and said, âI canât explain to you right now, you may see it when you get there.â
âVery complicated? Alright.â Long didnât want to push him too hard. âThen letâs wait till I get there.â
Two of them left after breakfast while Xu didnât even know that Long was here!
s.h.i.+ walked with Long across a few blocks and stopped when they were about to get outside of the city.
âFrom this way up there was the Fenghuang (Phoenix) Mountain. s.h.i.+ said.
Long was astonished, âFenghuang Mountain? What place again?â
âThe name of the mountain.â s.h.i.+ explained.
âA phoenix once appeared on the mountain?â Long was amazed.
âNo, it was because there used to be a girl who lived on the mountain and the girl finally became the Empress (TN: In Chinese traditional culture, the phoenix represents the Empress while the dragon represents the Emperor). Thatâs how the mountain got its name.â
âWhat? How come I have no idea about that? Which empress?â
s.h.i.+ smiled and said. âIt was the empress from the former dynasty.â
âOh.â Long nodded, âNo wonder I have no idea about that.â
âHaha.â s.h.i.+ chuckled at him.
Long groaned and said, âWhatâs so funny about this, isnât it normal that I donât know anything about this?â
Which emperor would bother to care about the empress of the former dynasty!
âYeah, pretty normal.â s.h.i.+ said it as he lifted the corner of his mouth.
Long calmed himself and said, âAs long as I know about my empress, I donât have to care about other empresses!â
âYeah.â s.h.i.+ burst into laughter and said.
Long had a gentle kiss on s.h.i.+âs face. âWhy do you want to take me up on the Phoenix Mountain, Qingzhou?â
s.h.i.+ shook his head slowly. âThere is something⦠up there.â
âWell? What is it?â Long was confused.
âI donât know yet⦠I searched it twice but couldnât find anything, but I feel there must be something up there, or else, Zhou Hengliang and Fang Qiuhua will never go there at night!â
âThey went up on the mountain?â Long was alerted.
âYes, twice, and they stayed there for more than an hour each time.â
âThat long timeâ¦â Long squinted. âLooks like we need to have a look⦠but if thereâs only two of us, maybe itâs not enough.â
s.h.i.+ paused and asked, âWhat?â
Long smiled and said, âThat Phenix Mountain is not under an individualâs owners.h.i.+p, right?â
âNo.â
âThatâs great, I have an idea.â Long kind of sneered.
s.h.i.+ became speechless.
Could you not sneer like that? After all, you are the head of our country.
If the courtiers saw the way you sneered⦠wouldnât it ruin your reputation?
Long didnât care about the reputation c.r.a.p; he took s.h.i.+ by his backhand⦠and ran away!
In no time, s.h.i.+ knew what the âgood ideaâ was⦠although it sounded not bad⦠it was a pretty nasty one.