Chapter Fifteen: The Intimate Affair of Loulan

  The dark night was endless and boundless. The person following saw Li Wuye cross over the wall of Jiangjun Fu, and turned around to head towards Qian Jue Hu's courtyard.

  "What did you find out?" Qian Jue Hu picked up the person in her arms with her fingertips, Shui Ruo Yu's chin, and stroked his red lips.

  "It's the same as last time, nothing." The faint laughter from the person in the shadows still reached the ears of Qian Jue Hu.

  "Who would have thought that even Hanyou Lin, the first of Feilong Hall, couldn't find anything sometimes." Qianjue Hu patted Shui Rouyu on the back, and the latter stood up to take a look at Hanyou Lin in the darkness before turning around and walking out.

  "Has the mysterious ink stone been found?" Qian Jue Huo lay on his side on the couch, watching Han Lin slowly emerge from the darkness.

  "No, it's just an ordinary black stone, irregular in shape. But Mo seemed to be particularly concerned about it, and I couldn't find anything even after searching several times." Han Lin shook his head helplessly.

  "Huh?" Qian Jue's face showed a hint of puzzlement, "Hasn't she trusted you yet?"

  "Trust is there, but it won't be fully open to me." Han Lin pinched a silver needle in his hand and looked at it repeatedly. "Made by the General?"

  "No, it's Li Wuye himself." Qian Jue Hu gazed at the needle taken out of Li Wuye's body, a smile playing on his lips. "You can go back now, aren't you still going to pay respects today? Besides, Mo is about to wake up soon, Han Guan Shi, you'd better work hard. It's obvious that little Mo likes Li Wuye, you... should put in more effort... or else, whether it will end well or not, I don't know." Qian Jue Hu ignored Han Lin's fiery gaze, swaying his slender waist as he floated out of sight.

  Mo Mo woke up and saw an extra person beside her.

  "Han Lin! How are you here? Is Li Wuye's injury healed?" Mo Mo flipped over and got out of bed.

  "Hmm. Alright. All set." Han Lin said, sounding like a nagging wife. She was about to stick close to Mo Mo again, but Mo Mo dodged her. Opening the door, she went next door to see Li Wu Ye instead.

  "Leafless. Are you feeling better?" Mo saw Li Wuye wearing a light purple long shirt and opening the door before he even entered. His complexion was also as usual, and his eyebrows were no longer furrowed in pain and helplessness like yesterday, it was as if they were two different people.

  "We still have to meet the saint today. Is your injury okay?" Mo Mo stared at Li Wu Ye's chest and took a close look. Li Wu Ye slightly hooked up the corner of his lips, stretched out his long arm, and pulled Mo Mo into his arms, closing the door with one hand.

  Mo Mo only felt dizzy. Then she saw Li Wuye's must-get smile. Her ears echoed his words again: "Fall in love with me willingly."

  Mo Mo left Li Wu Ye's arms and walked towards the door. "Mo Mo, be careful today, there will be big trouble." Mo Mo didn't wait for Li Wu Ye to finish speaking and opened the door to leave, leaving only Li Wu Ye's inaudible sigh behind.

  Mo Mo had just finished washing up. The imperial palace sent someone to pick her up. In front of the General's Mansion, she saw Xuan Yu looking radiant and Qian Jue Se standing with his hands behind his back. Mo Mo wanted to go forward and explain the misunderstanding from last night, but was pulled away by Han Lin.

  All three of them remained silent along the way. Han Lin still stuck to Mo Mo's body, staring at Mo Mo with those speaking eyes; Li Wu Ye closed his eyes to meditate, emitting waves of cold air around him.

  "Princess, please." Qian Jue Se stood in front of the tall palace gate, waiting for Mo Mo to go first. It was still Mo Mo's first time seeing such a majestic door. Last time, although she also entered the palace, she walked through a side door, and besides, Su Man Ran had snuck out.

  The large gate slowly opened, passing through the spacious corridor, from the side picking up the stairs and looking up to see the main gate of the palace where nine dragons were winding.

  "The Emperor has decreed, summoning Princess Mo Ran and General Qian to enter the palace." With each step, she stepped over the high threshold, onto the gleaming white marble floor, under the vaulted ceiling that was several meters high, surrounded by gilded pillars adorned with intricate carvings. The heavy colors of the grand hall echoed with the soft sound of footsteps, and she dared not look up at Xing Chen and Su Man Ran who were high above her, for in this great hall even a dropped needle could be heard.

  "Your Majesty, I pay homage to you for ten thousand years, and to the Empress for a thousand years." Qian Jue Se was about to kneel down when Xing Chen's majestic voice interrupted him. "You don't have to be so polite, I grant you permission to not bow in the palace, just like Mo Mo."

  "Thanks for your kindness." Qian Jue Se watched with her eyes on his nose, her nose on his mouth, and her mouth on his heart as she stood beside him.

  Xing Yu Chen glanced at Mo Mo, "Princess, this time you return to the palace, stay and accompany the empress." Su Man Ran suddenly grabbed Xing Yu Chen's sleeve, holding it tightly, overjoyed to tears. Xing Yu Chen patted Su Man Ran's hand, announcing the arrival of Prince Lan Wang in the hall.

  "The king's face was calm and peaceful, without a hint of anger. He looked at the prince who could overthrow the country for a beauty. The unruly face flashed with unwillingness."

  "My... younger sister, Yu Lu Gong Zhu has been left in the nameless place. Mo Ran Gong Zhu is the one I left among the people and was found a few days ago. Now, I will give her to you, and after your marriage in the royal court, you can return to Lou Lan." Xing Xiao Chen's words made Su Man Ran loosen his grip on the sleeve, also making Mo Mo stare at Xuan Yu with wide eyes, full of incredulity.

  "Father..." Before Mo could even speak, Xing Chen let Mo help Su Manran back to the palace, leaving Lou Lan Wangzi with a thoughtful gaze following Mo's figure.

  Summanran felt apologetic to Mo, avoiding her gaze all the way. When they arrived at the palace, Summanran dismissed the attendants and pulled Mo onto the bed. "Mo'er, Niang..." Tears fell before she could speak.

  "His Majesty said it in front of the Prince of Loulan today, this engagement is likely to be unchangeable." Su Man's eyes were misty as she looked at her child, and she hugged him tightly. Wiping away tears, she pulled Mo Mo out of her arms and stared into his eyes, saying "Run, once you leave for the desert, there will be no day to return."

  "Mother... I've escaped... what about you? Besides, even if I leave, can I really see mother again?" Mo said, her eyes reddening.

  "It's all mother's fault, if mother hadn't scolded you and kept you by her side, you wouldn't have entered the palace, nor would you have gone to marry Lan." Su Manran hugged Mo Mo tightly again.

  "Daughter, what you need to do now is to delay the marriage. Mo Er doesn't want to leave so early."

  The news of the princess's grand wedding spread quickly to all parts, and when it reached Wu Ming, Lian Yue stood still for a long time with the document in her hand. Qian Yi stepped forward, took away the paper, and comforted her, saying "It's also good that Mo Mo is like this, she will think of her origins here too. You don't have to be sad, after all, she is Su Man Ran's child." A blue teardrop appeared on Qian Yi's left cheek, which was particularly eye-catching. Lian Yue touched the teardrop and murmured "She is my child..." as if the person in front of her was Mo Mo.

  Just as the common people were relieved from the war and the world was greatly delighted, the palace staff often saw Mo's head hung low, his empty eyes staring forward.

  "My future bride, is she really that unwilling to marry me?" Xuan Yu sat across the table, mimicking Mo Mo's posture, and looked at Mo Mo as he spoke.

  As his slowly focusing eyes finally saw the person in front of him clearly, Mo Mo suddenly straightened up and lowered his head without saying a word.

  "Hehe, no rush, we have plenty of time. Right?" Xuan Yu smiled as he looked at Mo Mo's reaction, took out the "auspicious marriage token", pulled over Mo Mo's hesitant hand, placed it in his palm, and closed it.

  "From the moment I saw you lay eyes on it, I knew it was very important to you. Take good care of it, in three days we'll be married and I hope my bride will wear it." With that, Xuan Yu turned to leave.

  "Wait!" Mo Mo looked at the pendant that could extend his life and called out to Xuan Yu.

  "Can you tell me... where this is from?" Mo Mo looked at Xuan Ye with utmost seriousness.

  "If I told you that this is the sacred object of the gods that my family has served for generations, and that the image of that god looks exactly like you, would you believe me?" Xuan Yu didn't seem to be joking.

  Is he joking?