Chapter Two

The northern kingdom of Zhaoyang swayed and wobbled... it swayed once, then wobbled again.

Sigh! Since my job is to be a driver, I should drive more steadily. The shaking is making my bones ache.

Hmm, this spot isn't good. If you shake it too hard, it will hit the window, and the wind will rush in, making him very cold.

But Xingliu was too lazy to move, he just didn't want to move. Even though he knew that moving his position would immediately relieve the cold and pain, he still didn't want to move, he still didn't want to move.

Ouch! I bumped into something again, it hurts! The wind makes it hurt even more.

What should we do? Should we move it or not?

Hmm... fine, let it be cold and painful! He didn't want to move.

Having made up his mind, Xingliu, who was definitely second to none among the laziest people in the world, stopped thinking and prepared to go back to sleep.

Just then, the carriage came to a stop after a big sway... But whether the carriage stopped or not made no difference to Xingliu—whether it stopped or not, he would sleep anyway.

Unfortunately, his sleep was interrupted before it even began. A small, honey-colored hand lifted a corner of the curtain, allowing a pair of dark, bright eyes to peek inside the carriage. The driver had been sent away somewhere and was nowhere to be seen.

The owner of the small hand was named Fei Sheng, who was also the culprit who brought Xing Liu into the car.

As for the destination of the caravan, it was the Yanwu Kingdom, which was located opposite the Zhaoyang Kingdom in the north but had comparable national strength.

Because the ideal husband she found, Qin Yu, was also the third prince of Yanwu Kingdom.

"Is something the matter?" Xingliu opened her eyes and asked with a smile.

But apart from his eyes and lips, his body remained completely still; for him, laziness was everything.

"No, no, I was just checking if you were sleeping well."

His prying eyes blinked incessantly, revealing how nervous Fei Sheng was. The person he was facing was not only beautiful but also a venomous snake and a ferocious beast.

"Apart from being a bit cold, everything else is fine." Xingliu smiled as he spoke.

But the more he laughed, the more Fei Sheng's hand, gripping the curtain, trembled.

Feisheng and Xingliu originally worked together at Panronglou. Feisheng was the head manager, and Xingliu was the most popular courtesan at Panronglou.

Fei Sheng has a good sense of money, while Xing Liu is good at making people obedient.

Logically speaking, since they have no overlap in their expertise, they shouldn't have become enemies.

However, a large part of the reason why Fei Sheng and Qin Yu are together is because Xing Liu betrayed them. Although Fei Sheng and Qin Yu are now happily together, they still want to take revenge.

Fei Sheng had heard Qin Yu say that Xing Liu and Mo Yan might be fugitives from Yan Wu Kingdom. Zhao Yang Kingdom and Yan Wu Kingdom were of similar strength and far apart, so often prisoners from Zhao Yang Kingdom would flee to Yan Wu Kingdom, and fugitives from Yan Wu Kingdom would flee to Zhao Yang Kingdom.

So Fei Sheng happily drugged Xing Liu, carried him into the carriage, and prepared to take him to Yan Wu Kingdom.

As for Mo Yan... he firmly believed that Mo Yan, as a bodyguard of Xingliu, would definitely come after him on his own, so he didn't need to worry about it.

Fei Sheng's idea was simple: Qin Yu held considerable power in Yanwu Kingdom and should be able to protect Xing Liu and Mo Yan. Bringing Xing Liu and Mo Yan back to Yanwu Kingdom was just a scare tactic and shouldn't cause any trouble.

However, after setting off, Fei Sheng was very happy nestled in her lover's arms, but some shadows lingered in her heart. After thinking about it all night, she realized that the problem lay with Xing Liu.

Xingliu is good at playing pranks, extremely good at playing pranks, and incredibly good at playing pranks... Along the way, Feisheng was afraid of being retaliated against by Xingliu after he woke up, which is why she was restless and anxious, fearing that a moment of anger would cause her to regret it for the rest of her life.

"Aren't you going to help me up?" Xingliu laughed after being hit by another gust of cold wind.

Fei Sheng, who was lost in thought, suddenly woke up and quickly climbed into the car. She carefully helped Xing Liu sit up and put soft cushions and pillows behind him to make him comfortable.

Even though Fei Sheng hadn't done these things many times, she had seen Mo Yan do them quite a few times, so she wasn't too unfamiliar with doing them now.

'you……'

Fei Sheng had just begun to speak when Xing Liu interrupted her, "Mo Yan should be arriving soon, right?"

Xingliu smiled at Feisheng, her smile even brighter than before, startling Feisheng so much that her heart skipped a beat.

"I said..." Fei Sheng spoke again, hoping to finish her sentence.

Fei Sheng didn't want to dwell on Mo Yan's topic and focused on expressing her meaning, although she was still interrupted by Xing Liu.

"Looks like I've become your dowry," Xingliu said, ignoring Feisheng.

"I said... when did I 'get married'? I married Qinyu, but it's not like one of us married the other. We're partners, not husband and wife," Fei Sheng shouted.

Fei Sheng was distracted in a strange place and began to talk incessantly about who was her husband and who was her wife.

Although Fei Sheng repeatedly claimed that they were partners rather than husband and wife, everyone knew that in historical documents he would be referred to as the wife of the Third Prince of Yanwu Kingdom.

"I need the gold token to enter and exit the Flame Martial Imperial Palace," Xingliu suddenly said softly.

"Huh?" Fei Sheng exclaimed in surprise, momentarily stunned.

Fei Sheng stared at Xing Liu. Although he understood what Xing Liu wanted, he couldn't figure out what Xing Liu wanted the gold token from the Yanwu Palace for. Was he going to enter the palace to assassinate the Yanwu Emperor? No way!

"The gold token for entering and exiting the Yanwu Imperial Palace." Xingliu repeated, but due to his laziness, he omitted a few words.

'How could I possibly have any gold medals…' Fei Sheng said guiltily.

It's true that he didn't have it, but it's also true that Qin Yu definitely did. But how could he possibly ask Qin Yu for that kind of thing?

After Xingliu's expression returned to calm, he closed his eyes and gave a subtle, meaningful look. 'Where is Moyan?'

"I don't know," Fei Sheng replied quickly, not quite understanding why Xing Liu would say that.

"Right behind you," Xingliu said calmly.

"Ah!" Xingliu had barely finished speaking when Feisheng immediately received a sharp rap on the head.

Fei Sheng looked back at Mo Yan with a wronged expression, only to be hit on the head again. Mo Yan had practiced martial arts for many years and his strength was immense. Poor Fei Sheng was in excruciating pain. She wanted to curse but dared not, and when she tried to complain, Mo Yan glared at her and she immediately shrank back.

He knew that if he hadn't known Mo Yan for many years, the fact that he took Xing Liu away would have been enough for Mo Yan to have a reason to tear him to pieces.

After reprimanding the culprit, Mo Yan went straight to the car and adjusted the bedding and cushions to the most comfortable position for Xing Liu.

'Let's go to the Flame Martial Kingdom together!' Xingliu said in a very calm tone.

Xingliu kept his eyes closed, but what he said made the two people next to him freeze for a moment.

"Why?" Scarlet asked in a scream.

"Didn't you want us to bring a dowry?"

Xingliu opened her eyes and stared at Feisheng, insisting that Feisheng was 'married'.

"I didn't..." Fei Sheng screamed again.

Mo Yan, however, only took Xing Liu's words as gospel, stretched out his long arm and pulled Fei Sheng out of the car, refusing to talk to Fei Sheng.

Fei Sheng jumped and shouted outside the carriage: "I've come to take you back. Don't you want to go back to Panrong Tower?"

"If both of you go missing, Yu Bing will be worried sick! Aren't you worried at all? I beg you, please go back! Qin Yu will kill me."

There was only one reason why Fei Sheng kept screaming: it wasn't because Xing Liu was scary, or because he couldn't beat Mo Yan, but because he forgot to inform Qin Yu that there was an extra passenger on the train, and that the passenger had brought another person with him... Oh no, oh no, Qin Yu will definitely beat him to death! No! He will punish him in bed, oh... how scary.

'Who told you not to give it to me? Otherwise, I would at least have helped you a little.' Inside the car, Xingliu stuck out his tongue, speaking with a slightly wicked tone.

And so, Xingliu and Moyan arrived in Yanwu Kingdom together.

Throughout the journey, aside from taking care of Xingliu's daily routine as usual, Moyan never once asked them why they wanted to return to Yanwu Kingdom or what to do about their slave status.

Qin Yu then reprimanded Fei Sheng for the passengers who appeared out of nowhere. However, his 'reprimand' slowed the convoy's progress for several days, as Fei Sheng suffered from back pain and leg soreness and could not endure the long journey.

Xingliu was still sleeping soundly as usual, and couldn't be woken up by shaking.

As for the discord between Fei Sheng, Xing Liu, and Mo Yan, it naturally disappeared without a trace after a few days, leaving not a single mark.

The reason is, of course, related to the gold medal. The Scarlet Voice had already been stolen from Qin Yu and given to Xing Liu, and he didn't want to become the object of Xing Liu's resentment.

In addition, Xingliu and Moyan were indeed people who grew up in the south. After arriving in Xiayu Kingdom, he spent more time awake than asleep; Moyan's face, which had been cold and icy for many years, also showed a hint of gentleness.

After entering the territory of Yanwu Kingdom, Xingliu often leaned against the window, looking at the blue sky with a smile on her lips, lost in thought, her expression so sweet.

Several days later, they finally arrived at the capital of Yanwu Kingdom.

The residence of the hereditary Third Prince Ruan Yu was located very close to the city gate. It was not because Emperor Qin Lei deliberately distanced himself from Qin Yu that he bestowed the furthest residence upon him.

This house was passed down from Prince San, the father of Qin Lei and Qin Yu. The title "San" was bestowed by the late emperor and refers to the "San" in "Samadhi of Reciting Buddha's Name," which is the name of the Three Buddhas in Buddhism. This signifies that their father was naturally cultivated and refined.

Since that was the case, the late emperor also hoped that his beloved son would stay away from the scandals in the capital, so he built the Third Prince's residence at the location closest to the city gate, meaning that the Third Prince could leave the troublesome capital area at any time.

There was nothing much to do on the day I arrived in the capital of Yanwu Kingdom, except for some routine matters.

Qin Yu took the prisoners to see Emperor Qin Lei. With the help of the steward, Fei Sheng settled Xing Liu and Mo Yan in the west courtyard. After putting away their clothes and deciding on the dishes for dinner, everyone had a lot of free time. Xing Liu started to sleep, Mo Yan practiced his boxing, and Fei Sheng did his favorite work of checking accounts.

The next day was peaceful, except that Qin Yu brought bad news.

When he talked to Qin Lei about Fei Sheng, he mentioned that Fei Sheng had returned from Zhao Yang Kingdom, bringing back two very troublesome guests: one was the courtesan of Pan Rong Lou, and the other was the bodyguard who followed Xing Liu.

Originally, Qin Yu brought up Xing Liu and Mo Yan in order to ask Qin Lei to release them from their slave status, so that Qin Yu would not be blamed by Fei Sheng to the point of death.

It would have been better if we hadn't brought it up, because once we did, Qin Lei would intentionally or unintentionally inquire about Xing Liu's affairs. It turned out that Xing Liu's indenture was in Qin Lei's hands. Qin Lei was the one who most wanted to get his hands on Xing Liu, so how could he possibly let Xing Liu go!

Qin Yu returned empty-handed, but Qin Lei began demanding to meet with Xing Liu. To put it bluntly, he wanted to take advantage of Xing Liu.

Qin Yu would never agree, but Qin Lei had a way of luring him in, and Qin Yu unknowingly agreed to invite Qin Lei to his residence for a meal.

It's better not to talk about this, because if we do, Fei Sheng will get angry. He has no idea how to explain this to Xing Liu.

Xingliu usually values ​​sleep more than anything else, but that's just "normal." When necessary, Xingliu will go after people, even to the point of death.

Surprisingly, when Xingliu heard that Qin Lei was coming, he not only didn't get angry, but actually laughed.

"Come on then, you can't just kick Yan Wuhuang out just because of me!" Xingliu smiled sweetly, her eyes narrowing.

Fei Sheng looked left and right, but couldn't see any sign that Xing Liu was unhappy. Mo Yan, who was beside him, remained quiet and didn't warn him, so everything should be fine.

Fei Sheng then calmed down and began preparing for the banquet.

"This humble servant wishes Your Majesty ten thousand years of good fortune and peace." Xingliu, abandoning his usual lazy demeanor, smiled alluringly.

He raised his wine cup toward the Flame Emperor Qin Lei on the head seat, uttered the same flattering words that have stood the test of time, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing this, Qin Lei was overjoyed and quickly raised his glass to join in the toast.

Ever since he first became a virgin at the age of fifteen, he has embraced all kinds of beauties, but he has never seen anyone like Xingliu.

Xingliu's face is as beautiful as a lotus, rising from the mud unsullied; but her expression is alluring, and her eyes seem to lure people into the abyss, yet she is also willing to fall into it.

Xingliu is not only beautiful on the face, but his whole being exudes charm. When he sits, he leans forward slightly, revealing his sexy collarbone in a tantalizing way, and the beautiful curve of his back makes one want to reach out and caress him.

Look, Qin Lei is completely mesmerized.

A sly glint appeared in Xingliu's eyes, imperceptible to most. He glanced at Moyan beside him out of the corner of his eye. If he was right, Moyan should be able to fall in love with Qinlei.

"I've long heard of Xingliu's name, and seeing her today, I know it lives up to the hype. She is indeed as beautiful as a lotus and as alluring as poison."

Qin Lei raised his glass to Xing Liu and said a couple of words that perfectly described Xing Liu.

Hibiscus-like appearance, poisonous inner nature, is just like a shooting star.

"What are you saying? Poison is poison! How could I be poisonous? Why don't you try it and you'll know?" Xingliu said, feigning anger and shyness, while giving Qinlei a flirtatious wink.

After Xingliu aroused Qin Lei's lustful desires, he didn't forget to take care of Moyan beside him.

If he fails to win over Moyan, his plan will immediately be in vain.

"Aren't you going to drink?" Xingliu asked in a sweet, soft voice, whispering close to Moyan's ear, leaving Moyan powerless to resist.

At least, that's how he usually seduces people... He forgot that Mo Yan isn't one of those lecherous old men.

Mo Yan turned around and met Xing Liu's captivating smile. Her mouth gaped open, and she froze.

"Qin Lei is also in Qin Yu's residence, so no one should make a move at this time!" Xing Liu said as she poured wine for Mo Yan. Her fingers and body were alluring.

Mo Yan's fondness for alcohol was well-known throughout Quanpan Ronglou, and he was certainly no exception.

Moreover, Mo Yan is known for getting drunk after just three sips and never falling asleep after a drink.

Normally, Mo Yan would limit his daily alcohol intake to three sips in order to protect Xing Liu. However, once Mo Yan drank more than three sips, he would continue drinking even though he felt weak all over, because there was no difference between drinking and not drinking.

"This is a fine wine, slightly sweet and very smooth, with an aroma that lingers in the mouth." Xingliu looked down at the wine glass, trying to hide his thoughts.

Others might not understand him, but Mo Yan, who had spent many years with him, found it hard not to notice his eccentricities.

Xingliu picked up the full wine glass, held it with both hands, and brought it to Moyan, waiting for Moyan to accept it.

"Why?" Mo Yan looked at Xing Liu with a puzzled expression, her blue eyes filled with deep confusion.

This question contains many meanings. First, why did Xingliu treat him with such a seductive attitude? Second, why did Xingliu force him to drink? Both are questions that Moyan simply cannot understand no matter how hard he tries.

Thank you for your help over the years... and of course, it's also out of goodwill.

Although Xingliu was smiling, his words contained a hint of restraint. After all, he had told Moyan that they were friends in name only, but master and servant in reality, and Moyan still had to obey his words.

"Oh." Mo Yan was very naive; Xing Liu only needed to mention what happened back then, and Mo Yan would immediately obey.

Xingliu watched Moyan raise his head to drink with mixed feelings; on one hand, he was happy that Moyan had finally fallen for the trick, and on the other hand, he felt guilty for sending Moyan into the tiger's den.

However, since Mo Yan was necessary for his plan, Xing Liu poured him another glass, saying, "One more."

Xingliu watched as Moyan smoothly drank two cups, becoming slightly drunk, before turning to deal with Yanwu Huang Qinlei.

'His Majesty is truly a filial son; he has been in mourning for so long and still has no intention of establishing an empress or taking any concubines.'

Xingliu's sweet smile made her face even more beautiful, and coupled with her admiring expression, she was simply unmatched.

Both men and women love to hear compliments, especially men who are flattered by their lovers. Although Qin Lei's reason for not getting married was that he loved men, not women, he still felt extremely comfortable after hearing Xing Liu's words and showed a proud expression.

Xingliu secretly made a face in his heart, hating Qin Lei's lewd expression. He only allowed one person to look at him like that, and that was the only person in the world... his Feiyu.

Although he was thinking of his sweetheart, Xingliu didn't forget his business.

He glanced at Qin Lei—blinded by lust, his mind clouded; then at Mo Yan—drinking heavily, out of his mind.

Seeing this, Xingliu smiled more broadly with satisfaction, turned to Qin Lei again, and mouthed silently: Tonight, the last room in the west wing, I'll be waiting for you.

Qin Lei, already blinded by lust and dizzy, nodded hastily, almost howling on the spot.

While Qin Lei was engrossed in his erotic fantasies, Xing Liu began to pay attention to Mo Yan beside him.

However, he wasn't foolish enough to interrupt Mo Yan's drinking. The more drunk Mo Yan got tonight, the better it would be for him. He even prepared some wine in the room, hoping to get Mo Yan even more drunk.

So Xingliu summoned a servant from Qinyu's residence and instructed him in a low but clear voice: "Later, help Young Master Moyan to the last room in the west wing to rest. He's used to sleeping naked, so remember to help him take off his clothes."

When Mo Yan left the hall, Xing Liu's smile was terrifying.

Seeing that Mo Yan had already left, Xing Liu turned back and smiled at Qin Lei, then lowered her head without saying a word. With the help of a servant, she got into a sedan chair and left the hall.

Qin Lei, whose mind was filled with nothing but lust, thought Xing Liu was just shy. He had no idea that he was about to do something very important to Xing Liu, the most important thing in his life.

After dismissing the servant, Xingliu sat quietly on the long couch by the window, gazing at the candlelight on the table.

After a long while, he sighed, took out a pair of shoes from the small cabinet, and bent down to put them on.

As if he had made a great decision, he slowly stretched his feet to the ground.

Then he found his coat, put it on, and awkwardly buttoned it up. There was nothing he could do; usually, Mo Yan did it, so it was already quite good that he could do it.

Xingliu placed her feet firmly on the ground, then suddenly stood up and slowly took a step.

Just because he's too lazy to move or walk doesn't mean he can't walk.

Now, there is something waiting for him to do, and if he doesn't do it, he will definitely regret it for the rest of his life.

After taking only two steps, Xingliu suddenly stopped, patted his forehead, turned back to the small table, and rummaged through the collection compartment to find the gold medal and the map of the Yanwu Imperial Palace. Without these two items, how could he enter the palace?

Yes, the person he's looking for is in the Yanwu Imperial Palace.

He had loved Fei Yu for half his life, and he was determined to have her. Fei Yu was in the Yanwu Imperial Palace... He blew out the candle and Xing Liu slowly but firmly stepped out of the room to pursue his destiny.