Chapter 75 Langzhi and Qingyue Rekindle Their Romance

After playing and eating her fill, Su Yuyao lifted her skirt and ran back to the courtyard, calling out, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I'm back!"

"What are you yelling about?! Running and shouting like that, what kind of behavior is that!" Qingyue, wearing an apron, poked her head out of the kitchen and said sternly.

Su Yuyao stared in surprise, "Your Majesty! Why are you... in the kitchen?"

"Su'e! Bring the lunch boxes over! Bring a few more!" Qingyue ignored Su Yuyao and turned to walk into the steamy kitchen.

Bai Er pulled the stunned Su Yuyao aside and whispered, "Miss, I heard that Lord Langzhi and Lady Qingyue met?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"They were originally..." Bai Er covered her mouth and laughed.

"I know, I figured it out!" Su Yuyao pouted. "Originally, the Empress was going to speak up for me! But after all that talking between the two of them... they actually made me get up early tomorrow to go and talk to Grandpa Langzhi and Jingxue..."

"Huh?! Pure Snow?!" Bai Er thought for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, "How dirty!"

"What's wrong with Jingxue?" Su Yuyao asked with some concern, looking at Bai Er's reaction. "What does Jingxue do?"

“Miss! Grandpa Langzhi is the Snow Hermit here! He’s in charge of all the outhouses here! Jingxue is… scooping out excrement…” Bai Er said, suppressing his nausea.

"Huh?! Oh dear! Her Majesty agreed!" Su Yuyao rushed into the kitchen, muttering behind the busy Qingyue, "Your Majesty! Do you know what Jingxue means?!"

Qingyue was putting steamed buns into the lunchbox when she casually replied, "What do you mean?"

"It means shoveling manure! Grandpa Langzhi wants me to shovel manure!"

"Oh," Qingyue replied indifferently.

"Ah?! Your Highness! How can I go to shovel manure! I won't go!" Su Yuyao tugged at Qingyue's skirt, twisting her body as she said, "I won't go! I won't go!"

"You child! Let go! You're making things difficult!" Qingyue slapped Su Yuyao's hand away, carefully took the steamed meat slices out of the pot, and put them into the lunchbox.

"Steamed meat?!" Su Yuyao's eyes lit up. "Your Majesty! What festival is it today?! They're eating steamed meat?!"

Qingyue smiled and playfully pinched Su Yuyao's little nose. "You little glutton! There's more!"

As she spoke, she lifted the steamer rack in the pot, and a fish stewing and bubbling with white flesh caught Su Yuyao's attention.

"Wow! Stewed fish! It smells so good!" All of Su Yuyao's troubles were cured by the crystal-clear steamed meat and tender stewed fish.

"Alright!" Qingyue packed the fattest and most succulent fish into a lunchbox, took off her apron, straightened her clothes, and said, "Yao'er! Take the lunchbox and come with me!"

"Huh?" Su Yuyao quickly picked up the lunchbox and asked in confusion, "Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat at home?"

"Let's go to your Grandpa Langzhi's place and eat with him!" Qingyue led Su Yuyao out of the kitchen. "Su'e, watch the house. I'll be right back."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"No! Your Highness!" Su Yuyao cried, "Grandpa Langzhi's place must smell terrible! I don't want to go!"

"Don't be so unreasonable! Come with me!" Qingyue said without waiting for a reply, pulling Su Yuyao out of the courtyard.

As soon as Su Yuyao stepped out of the courtyard, she saw Guan Yue returning with a broom and quickly greeted him, "Brother Yue'er! Brother Yue'er! You're back!"

Guan Yue looked at Qing Yue and Su Yuyao with a puzzled expression. He lowered his head slightly and asked, "Your Highness Qing Yue, where are you taking Su Yuyao? Do you need me to lead the way?"

Qingyue smiled slightly, and was about to speak when she heard Su Yuyao say in a sticky voice, "Brother Yue'er! I'm so unlucky! The wine cup I won yesterday actually belonged to Grandpa Langzhi! I was caught by Grandpa Langzhi, and he wants me to go and shovel manure for him tomorrow!"

"Yao'er! Don't talk nonsense!" Qingyue glared sternly at Su Yuyao, then said to Guan Yue, "Young Master Guan Yue, it's been so troublesome having you take care of Yao'er these past few days. Now that I'm here, I'll take care of her and let her learn some practical skills from Lord Langzhi! After all, you're about the same age, and always being alone in a room can easily cause misunderstandings..."

"No, Your Highness! Brother Yue'er has a heart condition..." Su Yuyao interrupted Qingyue anxiously, but Qingyue gripped her wrist tightly.

"Oh dear..." Su Yuyao dared not speak anymore, and could only look at Guan Yue, hoping that he could save her.

“Oh… Your Majesty is right.” Guan Yue did not refute or even defend himself.

"Su Yuyao, Grandpa Langzhi will teach you some new things. You must study hard, but don't forget to meditate and practice your Qi." Guan Yue said softly.

"Of course, Young Master Guan Yue, we'll be leaving now," Qing Yue said coldly.

Guan Yue lowered his head and turned to the side, slightly raising his eyelids to look at Su Yuyao's unwilling back, and sighed softly.

Su Yuyao followed Qingyue down the stone steps and then turned into a secluded path overgrown with weeds.

"Your Majesty..." Su Yuyao was too exhausted to walk any further, carrying the lunchbox. "How much further?"

"Almost there! It's just ahead!" Qingyue eagerly took the lunchbox and quickened her pace.

The weeds gradually thinned out, the path widened, and a faint stench began to linger in the air.

"Your Majesty... have you arrived yet?" Su Yuyao asked, pinching her nose.

Qingyue glanced at Su Yuyao, whose face was full of disgust, and instructed, "Yao'er, it's not easy for your Grandpa Langzhi to work here, don't have this attitude!"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Su Yuyao tried to lower her hand. "Ugh... Your Majesty! It stinks! It's getting stinkier and stinkier!"

At the end of the path was a wide, flat area, on which were neat little mounds. A dark-skinned figure was turning over the mounds with a wooden shovel.

Qingyue seemed a little nervous and excited. She held the lunchbox, opened her mouth several times, and finally called out, "Lang... Langzhi..."

The dark figure jolted and turned around. "Qingyue?! What brings you here today?"

Langzhi chuckled as he planted the wooden shovel into the mound of earth, wiped the sweat from his brow, and walked towards Qingyue. He glanced at the lunchbox, smiled, and tilted his head, feigning ignorance, asking, "What...are you here for?"

Looking at the dark skin, well-developed pectoral muscles, and sharply defined abdomen in front of her, Qingyue suddenly blushed. "I...I cooked too much...I just brought some over..."

Langzhi looked at Qingyue, who was blushing and flustered, and smirked. She took the lunchbox, opened it, and looked inside. "Did you make too much?"

"Fine, don't believe me then! Yao'er, let's go!" Qingyue pulled Su Yuyao and turned to leave.

“Since you’re already here, why don’t you stop by my place for a bit? You’ve taken too much; we can eat as much as you want, so don’t waste it!” Langzhi said, pulling Qingyue’s hand.

“Oh dear… there’s a child here…” Qingyue gently struggled free.

“She’s hardly a child! She’s incredibly shrewd!” Langzhi said with a laugh.

Su Yuyao could see it clearly: Lang Zhi didn't dare to pull hard, and Qing Yue didn't struggle either. The two of them half-pushed and half-yielded, and were pulled together firmly.

Su Yuyao followed Qingyue, whose face was flushed, into Langzhi's courtyard.

The simple thatched hut was very similar to Su Yuyao's. Su Yuyao wasn't interested; she looked around, then covered her nose and said, "Grandpa Langzhi! Your hut stinks!"

"Yao'er! Don't be rude! Have you forgotten what I told you?!" Qingyue glared at Su Yuyao and said.

Su Yuyao made a face and ran outside the yard. What are those mounds of earth?

Looking at the bachelor's kitchen, with its cold pots and stove, Qingyue couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

She tidied up the stove, heated the meat and fish in the pot, and turned to look at Langzhi, who was washing up in the yard.

The dust that had settled on his body was washed away with clean water, and in Qingyue's eyes, his handsome face remained unchanged, except for the scars all over his head...

"What are you looking at!" Langzhi asked, wiping the water off her body with a handkerchief.

Qingyue lowered her head, swallowing the bitter taste rising in her mouth. "Look at this place! How long has it been since you used the stove? It's covered in dust!"

"I'm all alone, I can manage on my own, I don't need a stove." Lang Zhi changed into clean clothes and approached Qing Yue. A masculine scent suddenly rushed into Qing Yue's nostrils, disturbing her heart, which had been dormant for thousands of years.

"Ah! Help!" Su Yuyao's urgent cry for help interrupted Qingyue's trembling.

"Yao'er!" Qingyue hurriedly followed the sound.

Su Yuyao was seen crying loudly, her feet stuck in the mound of earth.

"Help! Hiccup! Ah—! Hiccup!" Su Yuyao cried and gagged at the same time.

"Hey! Child! What are you doing on the dung heap?!" Langzhi quickly grabbed Su Yuyao by the waist and pulled her out of the dung heap.

"I've been rummaging through piles of dung for thousands of years, and I've never stepped into one like you! Besides, why are you even stepping into a dung heap?!"

"Huff—! Ah! Huff—!" Su Yuyao kept vomiting and couldn't speak at all.

"Yao'er! Why are you so disobedient! There are no clothes, shoes and socks here for you to change into!" Qingyue scolded angrily, covering her nose.

Langzhi carried Su Yuyao to the courtyard gate, where Qingyue and Langzhi washed her feet and skirt with a basin of water.

Su Yuyao cried and vomited at the same time, Qingyue washed and scolded her at the same time, and Langzhi coaxed and persuaded her at the same time.

"Yao'er! What can I say to you! Why can't you do anything right?! You just have to jump on a pile of dung!"

"I... ugh... I don't know..."

"I shouldn't have saved you; I should have made you stand in the dung heap as punishment!"

"I... I... I dare not... Ah—! I..."

"Okay, okay, you're all clean now! Don't cry!"

"You still have the nerve to cry?!"

"Oh dear! Qingyue, stop talking!"

"Why can't I say that?! She's never this outstanding when it comes to studying! But when it comes to getting into trouble, she's always number one!"

"I didn't mean to cause trouble! I didn't know that was a pile of dung... Ugh..."

"Don't you know you can't ask?!"

"I……"

"Qingyue, let's eat! I'm starving!"

"Your Majesty...I...I'm hungry too..."

"Eat, all you ever think about is eating! You've stepped in a pile of dung and you still remember to eat!" Qingyue poked Su Yuyao's forehead and said.

Lang Zhi and Su Yuyao sat obediently at the table, watching Qing Yue bring out stewed fish, steamed meat, and steamed buns with a dark face.

The two of them were drooling with envy, but neither dared to touch their chopsticks.

Qingyue brought the warmed wine to the table, sat down, and looked at Langzhi and Su Yuyao who were staring at her. Suddenly, she shouted, "Why aren't you eating? What are you looking at me for? Are you trying to read my face?!"

Langzhi chuckled and said, "How dare we move without Her Majesty's permission?"

Qingyue chuckled and said coquettishly, "Stop being so cheeky, eat up!"

Su Yuyao quickly added a piece of steamed meat and stuffed it into her mouth. It was fatty but not greasy, and it smelled so good!

Qingyue was a vegetarian and simply served him from the side, occasionally pouring wine for Langzhi, occasionally serving food to Su Yuyao, occasionally exchanging flirtatious glances with Langzhi, and occasionally pulling Su Yuyao's ear and scolding her.

“Grandpa Langzhi…” Su Yuyao glanced at Qingyue, who was carrying bowls and plates out the door, and whispered, “I’d like to try your wine…”

"You're only allowed to drink one sip! Don't tell Lady Qingyue!" Langzhi looked towards the door and quickly poured a small cup for Su Yuyao.

Su Yuyao took it and said with a grin, "Of course!"

After downing a mouthful of strong liquor, the spicy sensation rushed to her heart. Su Yuyao grinned and said, "That felt great! More!"

"Keep your voice down!" Langzhi reminded him. "I can only pour you a little more, but you can't drink any more!"

"Okay!" Su Yuyao replied with a smile.

Qingyue finished tidying up the kitchen, fixed her hair, and walked into the room, saying, "Yao'er, let's go..."

"Shh!" Lang Zhi pointed at Su Yuyao, who was slumped over the table, and said, "She's asleep..."

As dusk fell, Langzhi carried Su Yuyao on his back and walked beside Qingyue along the dark path.

"Qingyue, you... help me up. It's too dark, you probably can't see the road." Langzhi said softly.

Qingyue blushed and slowly raised her hand to support Su Yuyao behind Langzhi. "Watch where you're going, don't bump into Yao'er!"

"Why are you so concerned about Yao'er?" Lang Zhi asked with a smile.

Qingyue supported Yao'er's back and said softly, "Don't look down on Yao'er for being playful and troublesome now. She will be Xuanfeng's right-hand woman in the future. For Xuanfeng's sake, I have to treat her well! Besides, Yao'er is a child that is both lovable and infuriating! When she's being cute, she can melt your heart, but when she's being infuriating, even beating her wouldn't be enough to vent your anger!"

Upon hearing this, Langzhi burst into laughter, "You little rascal! You finally understand how I felt back then!"

"What do you mean?!" Qingyue said, somewhat annoyed. "Although I was a bit willful back then, I wasn't this playful! I know all the rules and etiquette, unlike Yao'er..."

"Alright..." Langzhi looked at Qingyue, who was both angry and shy in the darkness, and said softly, "You're such a grown-up, why are you arguing with a child about these things!"

"Where did I argue..." Qingyue raised her head slightly, her eyes flickering as she looked at Langzhi in the darkness...

...

"Your Majesty! I beg Your Majesty... please spare Xianming's life!" Tuan Yue knelt at Yi Mu's feet, sobbing uncontrollably. "He and Lord Xuan Yi are just close friends, nothing more!"

"Nothing else?!" Empress Yi roared in fury. "If there's nothing else, how could they be lying in the same bed?! If there's nothing else, how could Xuan Yi... drink the Soul-Dissolving Water for him?! My Xuan Yi is gone... why should Xian Ming live? Aren't they best friends? Then let Xian Ming... be buried with Xuan Yi!"

Tuan Yue hugged Lady Yi's legs and cried, "Your Majesty! The Nevernight Abode is only the size of a palm. Lord Xuan was tired and rested on Xianming's couch. They really didn't..."

"Tuan Yue, you're too naive!" Mother Yi looked up, swallowing back the tears that welled up in her eyes. "Go back..."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Tuan Yue was lifted up by several jade maids and thrown out of the Female Mother Palace.

Tuan Yue knelt at the entrance of the Yinmu Palace, tears streaming down her face as she roared, "Yimu! What do you want from us?! My father was driven to his death by the rumors about Xianming, and you, as the Mother of the Heavenly Palace, didn't even investigate the truth, but instead bestowed the Soul-Dissolving Water based solely on rumors, wrongly harming Lord Xuanyi! And now! You want Xianming to be buried alive with you! You... are not worthy of being the Mother of Wuji!"

"Tuan Yue!" A tall figure embraced Tuan Yue, gently holding her in his arms and whispering, "Tuan Yue, don't get agitated. Don't give them any more leverage. There will always be a way..."

"What can we do..." Tuan Yue cried until she had no strength left, leaning against Lang Zhi's chest, "I have nothing left..."

"I'm here too, let's think of a solution together..." Langzhi hugged Tuanyue tightly and gently comforted her...

"Langzhi... I have no father anymore, and I'll soon have no younger brother either..." Tuanyue cried as she closed her eyes...

"Fairy Tuanyue! Fairy Tuanyue!" Tuanyue was awakened by a commotion.

She sat up, rubbing her swollen eyes, and asked, "What happened?"

"You should go and see him quickly! Lord Langzhi, he..."

"What's wrong with Langzhi?!" Tuan Yue suddenly stood up, but felt a wave of dizziness.

"Lord Langzhi... he has been betrothed to the Azure Fairy by his mother!"

"What?!" Tuan Yue was hit with another blow. "No...no..."

She stumbled out. Father was dead, Xianming was dying too, and Langzhi was all I had left… No…

In the main hall, Lang Zhi knelt upright, his face resolute. "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty and Fairy Tuan Yue are deeply in love and have already pledged our lives to each other. I will marry no one but her! Please, Your Majesty, withdraw the engagement!"

"Langzhi, you've misunderstood. I didn't stop you from marrying Tuanyue. I just told you to marry Qingjin as well, so that two women could serve one husband. Isn't that a double blessing?" Mother Yi said softly, her eyes slightly lowered.

"Double happiness?!" Tuan Yue rushed into the main hall, looking at Lang Zhi kneeling in the hall, "Lang Zhi, you agree?!"

"Tuan Yue! I didn't!" Lang Zhi hurriedly explained.

"Tuan Yue is here too, that's perfect, let's have a frank talk..." Mother Yi said leisurely, "I only have Qing Jin as my younger sister, and she is indeed a bit spoiled. Sometimes when she throws a tantrum at me, I really can't handle it. As her older sister, I can only..."

"I only have one younger brother, Xianming!" Tuan Yue interrupted Yi's mother angrily. "Although I am the older sister, he usually spoils me. Now, my brother is about to be killed by rumors, and as his older sister, I am powerless to do anything about it!"

Yi Mu slightly raised her eyes and looked at Tuan Yue, whose face was full of anger. "Tuan Yue, if... you give up Lang Zhi, I will spare Xian Ming's life..."

Tuan Yue's angry eyes slowly filled with despair.

"Your Majesty," she said despondently, "why don't you order my death as well?"

"Tuan Yue!" Lang Zhi exclaimed urgently, "Don't talk nonsense!"

...

The leaves rustled, footsteps slowed, and they were about to arrive at Su Yuyao's small courtyard.

"This child is sleeping so soundly, we're almost there and she hasn't woken up yet." Qingyue smoothed Su Yuyao's hair and touched Su Yuyao's flushed face. "Why is this child sleeping with such a red face..."

"Hmm, don't move..." Su Yuyao frowned and hummed twice.

"Hmm? Why does it smell like alcohol?" Qingyue muttered in confusion.

"Ah?" Langzhi quickly turned around and stood in front of Qingyue, laughing as she said, "It's me! It's my smell that's too strong!"

Qingyue tapped Langzhi's chest and said, "No wonder Yao'er said your room smells bad. You don't even bother to tidy it up properly, you don't pay any attention at all..."

"I'm all alone, why should I be so particular!" Langzhi said with a chuckle.

Qingyue raised her eyes and looked at the head that used to have long, flowing hair, but was now covered with scars and unkempt hair; at the face that used to be fair and handsome, but was now dark and rough; at Langzhi that used to be elegant and dashing, but was now picking up manure every day and being disliked by others.

“Langzhi…” Qingyue looked into Langzhi’s eyes, “I…I…”

Langzhi smiled knowingly and said softly, "Are you going to say... that you forgive me?"

Qingyue suddenly burst into tears, "I...I'm sorry..."

Seeing Qingyue sobbing, Langzhi quickly bent down, pressed his face close to hers, and whispered in her ear, "Silly girl! Why are you crying! What did you do wrong! It was my refusal to submit to Qingjin! If I hadn't had all my hair plucked, with my appearance, Qingjin would definitely keep thinking about me! I don't have strong willpower, what if I had submitted?"

Qingyue was crying when Langzhi suddenly amused her, and she feigned anger, saying, "You dare?!"

"Of course I wouldn't dare!" Langzhi glanced at Qingyue's wet eyes. "I only dare to obey you. If you don't give the order, how could I dare to obey anyone else?"

"You stinky spider!" Qingyue scolded playfully, her eyes filled with affection.

"Stinky tea cake! Oh! By the way, you're no longer a tea cake, so what are you? Moonlight Beauty?" Langzhi teased with a smile.

"You old lewd man..."

"Grandpa Langzhi... another cup..." Su Yuyao mumbled sleepily.

"What? Another cup?" Qingyue looked at Su Yuyao behind Langzhi.

Su Yuyao was performing with a dazed expression, "More...good wine..." After saying that, she fell into a deep sleep again.

"Good wine?!" Qingyue glared at Langzhi. "Langzhi! Did you give the child wine?"

“What do you mean by ‘forced’?! She asked for it herself… Ah! No…” Langzhi stammered as she explained, “She didn’t ask for it, it’s just…”

"Send Yao'er back and then hurry up and leave!" Qingyue turned around, quickened her pace, and stepped into the courtyard without looking back.

"Huh? You're angry already?" Langzhi called out helplessly twice, "Qingyue! Qingyue!"

Qingyue smiled as she wiped away her tears, while Langzhi grinned foolishly.