Chapter 88 The infatuated Yu Qing, the infatuated Lang Zhi

The moon was bright and the stars were few. Night fell, the thick moisture gradually dissipated, and the gloom of the past few days finally ended on this not-so-happy night.

Su Yuyao was still kneeling on the bluestone slab. Her cheeks were puffed out, her teeth were clenched, and she said angrily in a low voice, "Grandpa Langzhi! I'm begging you! Please don't save me next time! Just let me fend for myself!"

On the bluestone slab, Langzhi was still kneeling. He looked up at the night sky, sighed, and said indistinctly, "I heard you crying, and my heart ached for you!"

"Don't feel sorry for me! You should feel sorry for yourself!" Su Yuyao glanced at Lang Zhi kneeling beside her. "You were just as loud as I was! If I hadn't pleaded for you, your eyes would be swollen!"

Lang Zhi looked down at Su Yuyao. One of his eyes was swollen into a slit, his cheeks were puffed out and red, and he was sucking on the blood flowing from his nose. He said sadly, "It's true... a kind person is bullied, a good horse is ridden! A fallen phoenix is ​​worse than a chicken! A tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs!"

Su Yuyao rolled her eyes at Lang Zhi, "Shut up! Or you'll get beaten up again!"

"Back in the day..." Lang Zhi looked up at the starry sky again, swallowed the blood from his nose, and said, "When I was teaching you, Lady Qingyue, in the Heavenly Palace, how could I bear to hit her? I always coaxed and pampered her. Even if she made a big mistake, at most I would make her stand as punishment to reflect on it. In the end, I was the one who had to coax her, saying, 'Don't cry... Aren't you tired... Come back...' She would still hold a grudge and throw a tantrum at me! I didn't say anything then!"

When Langzhi got emotional, she even became a little self-satisfied, "I didn't have a single penny left of my monthly salary; I spent it all on buying meat for her! I didn't say anything about that! Now I'm down on my luck, I don't have a monthly salary anymore, and I can't take care of her. In front of so many people, I got slapped across the face like that! How did I treat her! And how did she treat me?!"

"Grandpa Langzhi, please stop talking!" Su Yuyao looked at Qingyue, whose face was ashen, as she came out of the room. "Please stop looking up at the sky!"

"Yao'er, let me tell you the truth!"

"Grandpa! Don't tell the truth!"

"Grandpa doesn't dislike Yuqing, Grandpa just doesn't dare to like her!"

"Shut up!"

"Yu Qing is gentle and considerate, she never yells at me, let alone slaps me!"

"Grandpa! I beg you, please shut up!"

"Look at your Lady Qingyue..." Langzhi paused when he heard that Su Yuyao's voice was off, and glanced around with his eyes out of the corner of his eye. He actually caught sight of Qingyue's crescent-shaped hair bun!

He took a deep breath and said through teary eyes, "I've remained chaste for her, and she takes advantage of my feelings for her! Takes advantage of the fact that I can't live without her! Takes advantage of the fact that I give in to her in everything! This is how she treats me! I don't care if I get beaten! I don't care if I lose face! I'm just... worried about upsetting her..."

Su Yuyao gritted her teeth and squinted at Lang Zhi. That old man! He's really good at making things up!

Langzhi tilted his head back and glanced sideways at Qingyue, who was getting closer and closer.

"Oh! Tuan Yue!" Lang Zhi put on a smiling face and asked softly, "Are you not angry anymore?"

Behind Qingyue followed a dejected Yuqing. Yuqing glanced up at Langzhi, her eyes revealing helpless anger and heartache.

Langzhi saw Yuqing smack her lips a few times, but didn't dare to ask any more questions.

Qingyue ignored Langzhi and said to Su Yuyao, "Yao'er, no matter the reason, you shouldn't have damaged other people's houses and almost caused a disaster!"

Su Yuyao lowered her head and mumbled, "I know I was wrong, Your Majesty..."

"Now that they have nowhere to live, what do you think we should do?" Qingyue seemed to be very wary of Yuqing's name, deliberately avoiding it.

Su Yuyao looked up at the frail Yuqing, not wanting to pay her any attention, but Yuqing was indeed homeless because of her. She then looked at Qingyue, who had a cold face, and turned to look at Langzhi beside her. "I... don't know... whatever Your Majesty says, let's do it!"

Qingyue glanced at Langzhi, then looked at Su Yuyao and said in a low voice, "This is your courtyard now, you're in charge!"

"Huh?" Su Yuyao suddenly couldn't understand Qingyue's intentions. What did she mean by "this is my courtyard, and I'm in charge"? Did she mean she wanted Yuqing to live here?! Did she have to watch over Feihua and Yuqing at the same time?!

"Your Majesty, I... I don't have any room here..." Su Yuyao said tentatively.

Before Qingyue could speak, Langzhi interrupted, "That's right! Yao'er's courtyard is so small, and it already houses so many people! How can Yuqing possibly fit in!"

"Grandpa Langzhi! Does this mean you've already figured out how to settle Yuqing?!" Su Yuyao asked, tilting her head.

"No way! Yao'er, Grandpa is doing this for your own good!" Langzhi said, covering his face. "It's also for the sake of your Lady Qingyue, right? Tuanyue..."

Langzhi shamelessly looked at Qingyue again, "Tuanyue, you've already hit her and scolded her, don't get sick from anger. Young Master Guan Yue will arrange accommodation for Sister Yuqing, so don't worry about it! It's so late, and Yao'er is still hungry! Shouldn't we... eat first?"

“Yes, Your Highness! Brother Yue’er will arrange it!” Su Yuyao hurriedly replied, “Your Highness, I haven’t eaten much all day… Let me eat first…”

Qingyue didn't seem happy and rolled her eyes at Su Yuyao, "All you know is eating! You eat! I'd rather not see it!"

After saying that, he turned around and went back into the house.

Su Yuyao frowned and blinked, wondering what it meant.

"Brother Langzhi! How are you? The Empress is so cruel, how could she beat you so badly?!" When Yuqing saw Qingyue enter the room, she rushed to Langzhi's side, stroking his face with tears in her eyes, and sobbing softly.

"Oh dear! I'm fine! Why are you crying?" Langzhi held Yuqing's soft hand and asked with concern, "Did Her Majesty make things difficult for you just now?"

Yu Qing whimpered twice more, her eyes red, and said, "No, you... don't worry about me..."

"Oh dear..." Langzhi felt a pang of pain and a tickle in her heart when she saw Yuqing's tears, and quickly comforted her, "Alright! Alright! Don't cry! Don't cry! That's just her temper! You have to go along with her, don't go against her!"

"You still have the mind to care about me?! Look at you like this..." Yu Qing frowned, and two more tears rolled down her cheeks, making Lang Zhi's heart tremble...

Looking at Lang Zhi's expression, Su Yuyao finally understood Qing Yue's predicament.

If Your Majesty decides to keep Yuqing, it would be tantamount to acknowledging Yuqing's identity. However, Your Majesty is not at ease leaving Yuqing outside, after all, Grandpa Langzhi's resolve... is truly unreliable!

"Bai Er! Help me up!" Su Yuyao shouted.

"Miss!" Bai Er rushed over and helped Su Yuyao up, asking anxiously, "How are you?"

"I'm fine!" Su Yuyao stood up, her muscles stiffening. "Why didn't I see Feihua?"

"Flying Flower Fairy was frightened by the wildfire. She kept saying she was scared and hid under the covers, refusing to come out. Granny Fangchun stayed with her the whole time."

"Oh, where did the white rice cake go? Was it chased away too?" Su Yuyao asked, looking at the empty eaves.

"She ate too much white rice cake and didn't exercise, so she got fatter and fatter and was sent to the tofu shop to grind grain by Granny Su'e!"

"It's a horse! How can it be used to pull a millstone?!" Qingyue said indignantly. "Besides, it's my horse, what right does she have to..."

"Miss!" Bai Er nudged Su Yuyao's waist. "Of course Su'e wouldn't, but..."

"Okay, I understand!" How could Su Yuyao not know? This was all Qingyue's order!

"Is my bed fixed yet?"

"Not yet! Lord Guan Xiao has sent people to make new ones, how could it be so fast!"

Su Yuyao looked at Langzhi and Yuqing, who were being all lovey-dovey to each other, and thought it was getting more and more outrageous!

"Bai Er, go find Lord Guan Xiao in a little while and have him send someone to bring over a side couch and put it in my room!"

"Huh?" Bai Er asked, somewhat puzzled. "Miss, are you going to sleep here?"

"No!" Su Yuyao pointed at Yu Qing with her chin, "Let her stay!"

"What?!" Bai Er exclaimed, both surprised and furious. "You want me to live with her?!"

Bai Er's unwilling and indignant voice interrupted the pink atmosphere between Lang Zhi and Yu Qing.

"What?! Yao'er! You're letting Yuqing stay here?" Langzhi was equally shocked and unwilling. "You child!"

He rubbed his knees as he stood up, his steps unsteady as he walked towards Su Yuyao. He said in a low voice, "Your Lady Qingyue is already angry with Yuqing, and you still leave her here?! Aren't you just making things worse for her?"

“Grandpa Langzhi!” Su Yuyao said coldly, mimicking Qingyue’s tone, “If I don’t leave her here to cause trouble, are you going to take her back to your stinking thatched hut as a concubine?!”

"You!" Lang Zhi glared angrily, pointing at Su Yuyao's head and saying, "You child! You're exactly like your Lady Qingyue! Why would I be a concubine?! If I had anything with Yuqing, I would have done it long ago! Do you expect me to go and smash up her room and have your lady slap me before I take her back?!"

Su Yuyao listened and felt...it seemed to make some sense. If Grandpa Langzhi really wanted to do something with Yuqing, he wouldn't necessarily have to wait for the Empress to slap him...Besides, judging by how quickly Grandpa Langzhi surrendered to Yuqing...if they really wanted to do something...it would be very difficult to catch them! Huh? Why did it take so long with the Empress, but with Yuqing...it was so fast?

Unconsciously, Su Yuyao began to have wild thoughts.

"You silly child!" Lang Zhi tapped Su Yuyao on the head. "What nonsense are you thinking! Be careful that your Lady Qingyue doesn't find out!"

"Ouch!" Su Yuyao rubbed her head and said, "Grandpa Langzhi! If you don't want the Empress to know things she shouldn't know, then don't do them! Look at you! You were just coaxing Yuqing! If we don't keep an eye on things, you'll surrender again sooner or later! Who can trust you?!"

"You child..."

"Lord Langzhi, Miss Yao'er, the meal is ready." Su'e's words interrupted Langzhi's excuses.

"Hmph!" Su Yuyao snorted at Lang Zhi, "Bai Er, hurry up and help me to eat! I'm starving!"

On the dining table, there was fish, meat, soup, and vegetables, making Su Yuyao's mouth water.

"Your Majesty! There's so much delicious food today!"

Qingyue served rice to Su Yuyao and Lang Zhi, and said softly, "Eat up!"

Su Yuyao looked at Qingyue calmly, which was a bit strange. According to the usual personality of the Empress, she shouldn't be like this. She didn't even scold her.

Lang Zhi cheerfully took the bowl of rice and began to eat heartily. "Tuan Yue, let's not be angry anymore! Trust me! I would never betray you, no matter who else I betray!"

As he spoke, he glanced guiltily at Yu Qing, who was left alone in the courtyard.

Yu Qing also felt it was too embarrassing to stay in this place any longer. Looking at Lang Zhi sitting in the room, eating heartily and trying to please Qing Yue, her heart ached. What was I after? For the gossip? For everyone's disdain? Or for this ugly man's preferential treatment?

Yu Qing grew angrier the more she thought about it. Why should I be ignored by them? Why should I listen to their arrangements?

So, gritting his teeth, he stomped his foot, turned around, and left!

Langzhi chuckled foolishly as he ate, occasionally stealing glances at Yuqing in the courtyard.

"Hehe...Eh?!" Langzhi peeked again and saw Yuqing walking angrily out of the courtyard.

In his anxiety, he instinctively stood up and shouted, "Yuqing! Where are you going?!"

This shout, of course, didn't wake Yu Qing, but it drew hateful looks from everyone in the room and also woke Qing Yue from her dream...

"Langzhi," Qingyue said softly, "go after her..."

"Huh? No need, no need!" Langzhi sat down again and said, "There's nothing between us! Why would I pursue her!"

As Langzhi spoke, he looked back at the empty courtyard and said restlessly, "But... this Yuqing doesn't have anyone close to her in these Nine Suburbs Mountains... where can she go..."

"Langzhi," Qingyue said calmly, "it's better for two people to be happy than for three people to be in a difficult situation..."

"Tuan Yue!" Lang Zhi finally noticed Qing Yue's unusual behavior. He gripped Qing Yue's hand tightly and assured her, "Believe me, I have absolutely no feelings for Yu Qing! I only did this because I felt sorry for her..."

Qingyue smiled slightly, looking at her head, which was swollen from being slapped. "A dog can't change its nature! Langzhi, I'm not giving you another chance!"

"Tuan Yue!" Lang Zhi's expression was truly unfathomable. He said, trembling, "I don't eat shit!"

"roll."

"Tuan Yue! Just kidding! Don't be angry..."

"roll!"

"Tuanyue! You're a princess! You need to keep your composure... Hey! You're still hitting me, aren't you?! You really think I won't fight back?! Hey! You guessed right! I won't fight back! Let's see what else you can do to me..."

Langzhi knelt on the ground, clinging to Qingyue's leg and acting like a spoiled brat. Qingyue couldn't drive him away no matter how much she hit him or scolded him, so she could only let him say some useless sweet nothings.

Bai Er fed Su Yuyao bite by bite, and Su Yuyao ate with gusto while watching the spectacle unfold.

Su Yuyao watched the show for a long time but couldn't see any new developments, so she wiped her mouth, pulled Bai Er aside and bypassed the noisy Lang Zhi and Qing Yue, "Bai Er, you go find Lord Guan Xiao, I'll go find Yu Qing!"

"Miss! It's getting dark, it's too dangerous for you to go by yourself!" Bai Er said worriedly. "I'll go find it!"

"Bai Er, don't you think about where this place is? What danger could there be? The biggest danger should be me!" Su Yuyao said with a smile.

"But Miss... what if Yuqing has feelings for you..."

"She wouldn't dare! Don't worry!" Su Yuyao urged Bai Er to ask Guan Xiao for a bed, while she herself limped down the mountain.

Where could Yu Qing have gone? Home? Su Yuyao stopped and looked up to see a towering tree. She then cast a hexagram on a whim. The tree represented the Zhen hexagram (upper trigram was Zhen), and she, representing a young woman, took the Dui hexagram (lower trigram was Dui). The primary hexagram was Lei Ze Gui Mei (Thunder over Lake), the hour was Xu (7-9 PM), the fifth line moved, and the changing hexagram was Dui Wei Ze (Lake over Lake). Her wish was fulfilled! Hmm, she must have gone home!

Su Yuyao followed the mountain path to Yuqing's small courtyard.

The gate to the courtyard was ajar. Su Yuyao stood at the door and peered through the crack. The courtyard was pitch black, with the occasional smell of burning wood wafting through the air.

Looking at the house she had destroyed with her own hands, she was filled with self-reproach... Yu Qing hadn't done anything heinous, but I... almost caused a disaster!

She gently pushed open the door and went inside, where she saw a frail figure searching for something among the ruins.

"Yu, Yu Qing?"

The figure paused, then a choked voice rang out, "Miss Yao'er, what more do you want? You won't even let me check the things?"

"I..." Su Yuyao knew she had done wrong, but she couldn't bring herself to apologize to Yu Qing, after all, Yu Qing had interfered in the relationship between Lang Zhi and Lady Qingyue...

"Miss Yao'er, do you want to burn it again?" Yu Qing suddenly turned around, her face streaked with tears and covered in ash, but her stubbornness remained undiminished. "Just because I like Brother Langzhi, you want to kill me?!"

“Yuqing,” Su Yuyao said softly, “it’s not wrong for you to like someone, the mistake is… um… the mistake is…”

Where did Yu Qing go wrong? When she met Grandpa Langzhi, Lady Qingyue hadn't arrived at Jiujiao Mountain yet. Lady Qingyue's arrival dealt a heavy blow to Yu Qing, who was in a period of ambiguity. Who exactly was the third person...?

Yu Qing wiped away her tears, rummaged through the ruins and carefully put away the clothes and personal items that were still wearable.

Looking at Yu Qing, who stood alone in the moonlight, Su Yuyao couldn't bear it and asked, "Why don't you... ask your friends to help you?"

"Miss Yao'er, you're joking! How could I have any friends?" Yu Qing said nonchalantly. "I'm a fox spirit, who would trust me to be friends? They'd be avoiding me like the plague... Miss Yao'er... you?"

As Yu Qing was speaking, she suddenly saw Su Yuyao clumsily using her fingertips to pick up things from under the ruins.

“Miss Yao’er, let me do it myself! Your hand is injured…”

"It's alright, I'm the one who caused this mess, so I should take responsibility!" Su Yuyao endured the pain in her hands and helped Yuqing tidy up.

Yu Qing looked at the items she had picked out again and again, carefully selecting each one, and said with a pained expression, "These can still be used, but those are probably unusable..."

“Yuqing…I…” Su Yuyao wanted to apologize, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Yu Qing glanced at Su Yuyao, "You should go back! Don't get scolded by Lady Qingyue."

"So...where do you live?"

“Go back and tell Brother Langzhi that I’m going to stay at the manure drying yard, and he can stay in your yard…”

"What?! You're living in a manure-drying yard by yourself?!" Su Yuyao exclaimed in surprise. "Can you really stand it?"

"What's so unbearable? It's better than... having to put up with other people's attitudes!" Yu Qing said, picking up her packed things and turning to walk out of the courtyard.

"Yuqing!" Su Yuyao called out to Yuqing, "Would you be willing to live in my courtyard, sharing a room with Bai'er?"

"What?! Stay in your courtyard?" Yu Qing was very surprised. "Would Lady Qingyue agree to this?"

"Her Majesty asked me to make the decision, so I've decided to let you stay in my room. Grandpa Langzhi has told him to go back to his own place!" Su Yuyao walked to Yuqing's side. "Come on! Come back with me!"

"I'm not going!" Yu Qing tightened the clothes around her neck. "I know you all want to watch me! Miss Yao'er, I like Brother Langzhi because he's different from other men. Only he respects me and doesn't want my body! After that time, he actually avoided me and even apologized! I like him, not because I want a title, I just... want someone to love and protect me..."

"Yuqing, how do you know that Grandpa Langzhi doesn't want your body?! He... he also sees you..." Su Yuyao awkwardly pointed to Yuqing's chest.

“I know! But Brother Langzhi just wanted to have a look, so I let him see! What’s wrong with that?” Yu Qing said matter-of-factly.

Su Yuyao sighed. No wonder Yuqing always bared her chest when she saw Grandpa Langzhi.

"Yuqing, haven't you noticed? Grandpa Langzhi treats everyone the same!"

"So what? I don't care. As long as he genuinely cares about me, I don't care about anything else!"

"Yuqing...Grandpa Langzhi loves the Empress, he would never marry you..."

"Can't I serve him like a maid?" Yu Qing started whimpering again.

Su Yuyao looked at the infatuated Yuqing with utter helplessness. What was so good about that stinky spider, Grandpa Langzhi? How could he be so popular with women!

“Yuqing, Grandpa Langzhi’s feelings for Lady Qingyue have remained unchanged for thousands of years! Do you think… you will receive Grandpa Langzhi’s true affection?” Su Yuyao tried to persuade Yuqing, who was devoted to Langzhi.

Under the moonlight, Yu Qing's face was solemn as she earnestly said, "I love Brother Lang Zhi, regardless of anyone else. Whatever the outcome, I will accept it!"

Seeing that she couldn't persuade Yuqing, Su Yuyao said helplessly, "Yuqing, you're right, your feelings for Brother Langzhi are nobody else's business. However, you shouldn't have deliberately provoked the Empress, and you shouldn't have tried to sow discord between the Empress and Grandpa Langzhi! If you hadn't provoked me first, I wouldn't have burned down your house! We're both at fault, so..." Su Yuyao said apologetically, "I... won't apologize to you..."

"What?" Yu Qing didn't expect Su Yuyao to be struggling with whether or not to apologize to her.

"Come with me!" Su Yuyao continued, "It's not safe for Grandpa Langzhi to stay there. If it rains heavily, it will flood!"

"Heavy rain?" Yu Qing looked up at the clear night sky. "It's never rained heavily in Jiujiao Mountain before!"

"That's why it's dangerous! Come with me quickly! I'll be able to explain to Her Majesty!" Su Yuyao urged Yu Qing to leave quickly, regardless of whether Yu Qing agreed or not.

A faint light flickered and drew closer. "Su Yuyao?!"

"Ah? Brother Yue'er!" Su Yuyao saw Guan Yue standing not far away and ran over happily. "Brother Yue'er, you've come at the right time! Quickly help me persuade Yuqing to come back to the courtyard with me!"

Guan Yue glanced at Yu Qing and said to Su Yuyao, "Grandma Zhong and I have already discussed it and decided that she can live at the academy, so you don't need to worry about it."

"Go to the academy?" Su Yuyao turned around and asked, "Yuqing, are you coming with me, or going to the academy?"

“I…” Yu Qing thought for a moment. If she couldn’t go to Lang Zhi’s place, she had nowhere else to go and could only follow their arrangements. Rather than being under Qing Yue’s watchful eye, she might as well go to the academy for a few days. So she wiped away her tears and said, “I’ll go to the academy.”

"Alright!" Su Yuyao replied cheerfully, "Then I'll go back and report to Her Majesty!"