Shi Qingxue’s heart missed a beat and her face was stiffened. She had no idea how she should react.
Fortunately, Mo Junyang didn’t want her answer and replied for her with a smile, “It is impossible, right?”
Shi Qingxue tacitly approved.
If Mo Junyang was as cruel and sinister as he had been in the previous life, she could understand but couldn’t accept him.
They would end up parting with each other.
But…
“Even so, I can’t do it…” Shi Qingxue said helplessly.
If possible, she didn’t want to get involved in any romantic relationship in this life.
She looked at Mo Junyang sadly and said in a low voice, “I am good for nothing. In fact, you can turn to others, and maybe…”
Mo Junyang interrupted her coldly, “Shi Qingxue.”
He called her full name for the first time.
Then she heard him stressing each word. “I know what’s on your mind, but I have proven one thing for a lifetime, you are more important than the throne.
So, it’s impossible for me to give you up.”
Shi Qingxue was shocked by Mo Junyang’s words like under oath and opened her mouth for a long time but couldn’t say a word.
In front of Mo Junyang’s determination, her retreat and fear were laughable.
It seemed that in her heart, a small figure stood with arms akimbo and pointed at her nose to mock at her. “Huh, you said you didn’t want to love, but in fact, you are just afraid of being hurt. If you don’t have any feelings for Mo Junyang, how could you have called his name at that time? You coward!”
Qingxue bit her lower lip and hesitated for quite a while, seeming to have finally made a decision.
She requested, “Give me some time.”
She didn’t say what she would do or how long she needed, but Mo Junyang smiled.
His cold eyes softened with gentleness and love. “Okay.”
They didn’t say more. Then Mo Junyang sent Shi Qingxue back home before turning around to head for the imperial palace.
When he entered the East Palace, Mo Junyu was sitting in the yard with a cold face, and Shen Luo was cutting the decayed flesh on the wound of his right shoulder with a lance.
It was bleeding, and with his unfriendly face, he looked horrible, like the demon in hell.
He scared the maids-in-waiting and eunuchs surrounding him in the yard almost to death.
Of course, they might be scared by the person lying on the ground who was beaten and screamed miserably with torn flesh and blood all over.
Mo Junyu seemed not to see Mo Junyang coming in, and his eyes which were always gentle became as cold as a knife. He glanced over every servant and said coldly, “You are all in the East Palace. I know the palace is not powerful enough now and you get the worse treatment than before, so I turn a blind eye to some people who are lazy or playing tricks at ordinary times.
But some of you think that I am easy to deal with and dare to betray me and help my enemy. So I have let you see if I am really easy-going today!
All of you, have a look. This is what you will end up after betraying your master! If you don’t think I dare to do anything to you because you are the solid backups my mother left to me, you can have a try.”
All the servants knelt down and replied in unison, “I don’t dare.”
Mo Junyu didn’t plan to tell them to get up but closed his eyes. After letting Shen Luo bind up his wound again, he opened his eyes slowly. Looking at the guy on the ground who almost stopped breathing, he sneered. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you but will have your wounds cured and send you out. I want to see how your new master will reward you after you injured me for him.”
After speaking, he waved his hand and left the man to Shen Luo.
He ignored the quivering servants and walked into the room with Mo Junyang.
Mo Junyang sat down and rested his chin on one hand. Looking out of the window, he said casually, “You put on such a play today. Aren’t you afraid that somebody would know and tell on you in front of His Majesty?”
After entering the room, Mo Junyu didn’t look calm anymore, and fret was written on his face. “I don’t give a damn. Anyway, he has learnt many of my crimes, and he won’t care about the trifle of being heartless.”
“Won’t you protect those people your mother left to you?”
Mo Junyu laughed sarcastically. “I once thought even though I am used to deceiving mutually outside, at least, the East Palace is pure and is the place where I can return at any time. But there are traitors before my eyes. It is so disgusting.”
Mo Junyang shrugged and added insult to injury, as if he hadn’t found the other man’s depression. “I told you long ago that there are no more than five people that you can trust wholeheartedly. But you are greedy.”
Mo Junyu really believed that the late empress had made him an irresistible defense.
If the late empress had the ability, she wouldn’t have “died of an illness” early.
Mo Junyu glared at him powerlessly and said gloomily, “Stop. Is it fun to teach me a lesson? Anyway, I am the crown prince.”
Mo Junyang made a conclusion mercilessly. “You don’t look like…”
Mo Junyu was speechless.
The crown prince took a deep breath and tried hard to tell himself that this guy was hateful, but he was injured and couldn’t defeat him, so he restrained his impulse to perish together with Mo Junyang.
Mo Junyang was satisfied indeed and advised him kindly, “It’s not late if you start to reorganize the East Palace now. The ending of the eunuch to be thrown away tomorrow would be kept in everybody’s mind. I believe that you don’t need to say more and the people in your palace would restrain themselves. What else are you worried about?”
Mo Junyu rubbed his temple and was still annoyed. “Do you know who bought over that guy?”
Mo Junyang uplifted his brows. “Mo Junjiu?”
“He has done so many things recently, and he is afraid that nobody knows he covets my position as the crown prince.”
Mo Junyang didn’t say anything. Obviously, he didn’t think this matter could cause him to make a fuss.
Mo Junyu couldn’t bear that Mo Junyang kept out of the affair and shouted angrily, “Mo Junyang!”
“What?” Mo Junyang replied lazily.
Somebody was depressed. “Aren’t you going to do something?”
Mo Junyang nodded seriously. “I did make preparations, but the target is not Mo Junjiu.”
This time, Mo Junjiu had ordered a servant in the East Palace to drug Mo Junyu’s injured arm all of a sudden. Even though it was significant, Mo Junyang didn’t intend to change the target.
So the crown prince didn’t agree. “Hey! I know you feel sad for Shi Qingxue and want to avenge her, but Qin Yanyan was punished by you and lost face today even before doing something to her. Why don’t you stop at a certain point?”
Mo Junyang answered simply, “She is vicious and will be a disaster if we keep her alive.”
Mo Junyu’s lips curled. “What about Mo Junjiu? He is not easy to handle, either. Would you relax if he keeps doing whatever he wants? Don’t forget that he almost made Qingxue lose her family.
What’s more, he plans to take action against the Shi Family now. Aren’t you afraid that he would do something to make the Shi Family a mess?
And, and…”
Mo Junyu spared no effort to make Mo Junyang realize that Mo Junjiu was more dangerous than Qin Yanyan. His reasons were strange, and Mo Junyang could neither laugh nor cry after hearing that.
He couldn’t help but cut in, “Fine. Don’t you just want to teach Mo Junjiu a lesson? Less of your nonsense!”
“Do you agree?” Mo Junyang was surprised and joyful.
Mo Junyang responded, “Yes.”
However, Mo Junyu hesitated, as if he was going to face death instead of taking revenge.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Mo Junyu answered helplessly, “You are so easy to persuade all of a sudden. I am worried, and it was like dreaming.”
Mo Junyang looked askance at him and smiled faintly. “Didn’t you say that you are the boss? Of course, I have to listen to you.”
Mo Junyu had goose bumps and hurriedly waved his hand. “Eh, are you provoked by something? So horrible!”
“Provoked?” Mo Junyang murmured and showed a bright smile, turning a blind eye to Mo Junyu who felt terrified with his hair standing on end.
Mo Junyang got up and prepared to leave, saying leisurely, “Whatever you say.”
In the room, Mo Junyu was petrified like a statue.
After Shi Qingxue went back home, she had complex feelings. She hoped that she could sort out what had happened in the fourth prince’s mansion that day, but as she thought about everything, a handsome face would come into her mind from time to time. Then she thought of his lips and the feeling when he kissed her as well as his decisive words…
Then it was a mess in her brain.
“Ah!” Shi Qingxue held her head miserably. “Why would I think of such a hideous mess? I should consider what Mo Junyu reminded me.”
With Mo Junyang present, what Mo Junyu told her couldn’t come out of thin air.
But Mo Junjiu and Wenren Chi… It was strange to connect them anyway.
Suddenly she remembered that when she went to the Wenren Family’s mansion for the first time, Mo Junjiu had visited Wenren Chi. Was it…
“No way. How could my brother have anything to do with Mo Junjiu? It must be a coincidence, or Mo Junjiu wanted to win over my brother but must have been refused.”
As soon as Shi Qingxue had this idea, she denied it, and then she went into a blind angle and was at a loss.
At the moment, Dong Shuang ran into the room in haste and smiled. “My Lady! Young Master came to give betrothal gifts to Lady Baoning today. There are a lot! His Lordship and Madam told you to go to the East House as soon as possible.”
Shi Qingxue checked the date and it was time for Wenren Chi to give Shi Baoning gifts. The family dinner had ended in discord last time, and she kept worrying that their marriage would be affected, but things went on well so far.
She happily left the doubts behind and thought, “Whatever! Wenren Chi is my elder brother, and it can’t change no matter what happens. As for anything that I can’t figure out, just talk about it when the truth begins to come out.”
Shi Qingxue joyfully ran to the East House to join the fun. Looking at the gift boxes filling the courtyard, she showed a bigger smile.
“Gee, you have such a bright smile. Anybody who doesn’t know might think that the betrothal gifts are given to you. Shameful!” Shi Baojin’s sarcastic voice came from behind.
Shi Qingxue glanced at her and didn’t respond but moved close to Shi Baoning and Wenren Chi and joked, “Brother, you gave my sister so many gifts, and I am jealous. No. After you leave, I will grab some treasures from her!”
Wenren Chi patted her head helplessly and pretended to be tough. “How can I not give you good things? But these are all for Baoning, and you can get nothing.”