Chapter 161 Bloodshed - Don't Leave Me Behind
Guan Ye, what would you choose?
In the night sky, a voice seemed to be asking Guan Ye, "What should you choose?" Guan Ye exhaled, the brilliance in her eyes fading, leaving behind a flickering light—the windmill A Jiu had given her, perched on the windowsill, never ceasing its rotation. If she could, Guan Ye would also want to be like that windmill, small yet resilient, endlessly turning round and round, until it finally stopped on the day she would die.
"Guan Ye." Mu Chenbi nudged Guan Ye's shoulder. The fireworks had finished burning, yet she was still lost in thought. "If you like it, I'll prepare a grand fireworks display for you at the New Year's Eve palace banquet, even more spectacular than tonight's."
"I don't like it." Guan Ye turned around and refused outright. "I've seen it, but it's not very interesting."
A woman's heart is unfathomable. Mu Chenbi knew he couldn't win an argument with her. He shook the empty wine jar, turned to the waiter to ask for another one, and Guan Ye stood up abruptly, took out a silver ingot from her pocket and slammed it on the table. "It's late, aren't you leaving?"
A night breeze swept through the hall, making Mu Chenbi shiver and his slightly tipsy mind suddenly clear. "I'll take you back to Xingguo Lane."
"You're taking me home?" Guan Ye looked at him suspiciously. "Aren't the Black Hawk Guards waiting outside to take you back?"
Mu Chenbi stammered, "I... I came out alone, just wanted to take a walk... who knew I'd run into you, and now the palace gates are closed... how am I supposed to get back?"
Guan Ye looked Mu Chenbi up and down, who seemed a little lost. "If the palace gates are closed, just knock on them. Do you think they won't let you in?"
Mu Chenbi looked embarrassed. "Closing and reopening the palace gates will cause quite a commotion. It's better to wait until dawn tomorrow to go back. No one will go to the East Palace in the middle of the night, so it's fine."
"Oh," Guan Ye replied casually, then suddenly realized something was amiss and turned her head, saying, "If you're not going back, where are you going?" As she spoke, her face tightened, and a terrible thought flashed through her mind, "You don't mean... you want to come back with me, do you?"
Mu Chenbi thought this but didn't dare to say it out loud. He waved his hand and said, "I'll take you back, and then we'll go to Phoenix Perch Mountain. I heard it's a great place to watch the sunrise. I haven't seen it yet."
Going to the mountains to watch the sunrise in the dead of winter? Mu Chenbi must have something wrong with his head. Guan Ye chuckled a few times, walked out of the tavern, and let Mu Chenbi follow behind her. He had legs, and she couldn't tie him up, so she could only let him follow her.
Perhaps because he had drunk quite a bit, Mu Chenbi felt hot all over, and the night breeze made him feel a little tipsy. He staggered half a step and quickly steadied himself. Guan Ye heard the noise and turned her head. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing much," Mu Chenbi said, standing ramrod straight. "I just accidentally stepped on a pebble..."
"Be careful." Guan Ye turned around, but just as she was about to take a step, she suddenly turned back. Mu Chenbi stiffened and lifted his foot, but Guan Ye's gaze made him freeze in place. His already flushed face turned even redder, and his phoenix eyelashes drooped shyly, as if he was worried that Guan Ye would find him clumsy.
Prince Mu Chenbi, with his noble bearing, has never bowed his head to anyone in his life. Guan Ye's heart softened, and she bit her lip as she walked towards him. "You drank too much and too fast. A gust of cold wind will make you dizzy. Will you be able to walk?"
"I can go." Mu Chenbi raised his head, straightened his chest, and flung his clothes open. "Take a few steps and see?"
Guan Ye chuckled inwardly, pretending to turn her back, "I was just about to help you, as long as you can walk."
Mu Chenbi was so regretful he wanted to beat his chest. In his haste to chase after Guan Ye, he was dizzy and stumbled, accidentally stepping on a pebble. His tall figure, like a mountain, pressed down on Guan Ye. Guan Ye nimbly dodged, and seeing Mu Chenbi about to fall flat on his face, she reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him up with a forceful tug. Mu Chenbi, feeling lightheaded and unsteady, barely managed to stand, then swayed and leaned towards Guan Ye again. Guan Ye picked up his arm and hoisted it onto his shoulder, saying nothing, and silently pulled him forward. It didn't matter where they went; she couldn't leave Mu Chenbi to embarrass himself in the street. After all, he was… Guan Ye's eyes showed resentment; he was, after all, the Crown Prince of the Great Jin.
But...where could a lone man and woman go so late at night? Guan Ye suddenly had an idea. Song Mian had mentioned a bookstore in the East Market where five coins could keep you there from morning till night, and ten coins could keep you overnight, with steamed buns and coarse tea included... Guan Ye glanced at Mu Chenbi, who was leaning on her shoulder. The drunkard was completely drunk and she wouldn't last long. She would take him to the bookstore and make him pay back the money later. She had promised to treat him to drinks, but she hadn't mentioned keeping him overnight.
"Guan Ye..." Mu Chenbi's steps grew heavier, inhaling the delicate fragrance of Guan Ye's neck. He became increasingly captivated, squinting at her. Her soft, fragrant body was so close; he could touch her with just a slight movement. Mu Chenbi's Adam's apple bobbed, and his dry lips brushed against Guan Ye's neck with each step, again and again. "Guan Ye..." Mu Chenbi whispered with difficulty, "Where are you taking me?"
Guan Ye lifted his limp body. The last time she carried someone was Song Mian. Song Mian was as thin as a chick. Normally, he could be lifted with one hand, but when he was drunk, he was heavier than three big bags. That time, Ajiu was there too. Today, he was all alone. They were still a long way from the East Market. If it weren't for a sense of loyalty, she would have really abandoned Mu Chenbi.
Loyalty? Guan Ye was puzzled. When did she and Mu Chenbi have any loyalty to each other? Right, then she didn't need to worry about it. Guan Ye wanted to just leave him on the street and see Mu Chenbi clinging to her like that... It was freezing cold. What if he froze to death? The Black Hawk Guards would definitely use her to pay for his life... No, no, why should she pay for his life? Oh well, she'd just consider it doing a good deed. East Market, right? She'd drag him there anyway.
"Guan Ye..." Mu Chenbi murmured, then suddenly opened his arms and hugged Guan Ye tightly, "Don't leave me."
Oh no… Guan Ye clung to Mu Chenbi’s hand, nervously looking around. She hoped they wouldn’t run into any acquaintances. If someone saw her and Mu Chenbi arguing in the street, Ajiu would definitely chop off her hand.
"Let go!" Guan Ye said angrily. "I'm not abandoning you; I'm taking you with me."
"Where to?" Mu Chenbi stared at Guan Ye's face, his dark eyes flashing with fire beneath his phoenix-feather eyelashes. Before Guan Ye could answer, he suddenly put down his hand and chuckled, "I don't care where I go with you, come on... I'll go with you."
How foolish... I wonder if I'll regret it when I sober up tomorrow. No one would believe Mu Chenbi's behavior tonight. Guan Ye laughed inwardly. Well, only heaven, earth, herself, and Chenbi know. If I ever need his help, I'll use this to my advantage. If he doesn't help me, well, I'll just go to the execution ground and shout—"Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, drunk to the point of death."
Thinking this, Mu Chenbi, whom she was carrying, didn't seem so heavy anymore. Guan Ye's steps suddenly became lighter, and she took a deep breath of the cold night wind, knowing that the dawn of victory was not far away.
Unlike the bustling West Street, everything suddenly fell silent as they turned into the East Market alley, as if it were even colder than West Street. Suddenly, an odd sound reached Guan Ye's ears. She glanced sideways and saw Mu Chenbi snoring on her shoulder... Do even nobles snore? Guan Ye was dumbfounded. Suddenly, the person she was carrying didn't seem so precious anymore.
The alley was quiet and secluded, lined with old houses. Only the occasional bark of a dog could be heard. Guan Ye tiptoed, careful not to disturb the people resting in the alley. But... where was the bookstore that Song Mian had mentioned?
Guan Ye felt her way through the deep alleys, searching one by one. Since it was open day and night, it must be lit up at night. Wherever there was light, that must be it.
"We're almost there." Guan Ye patted Mu Chenbi on the back. "Still asleep? Have some decency."
Mu Chenbi yawned and lazily raised his eyes. He felt quite comfortable after a short nap, and his mind seemed to be clearer. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, then whispered, "Guan Ye, where did you take me? Phoenix Perch Mountain? Is it Phoenix Perch Mountain?"
Exhausted, Guan Ye was surprised to find Mu Chenbi thinking about climbing Phoenix Perch Mountain. She'd rather have just left him to fend for himself on the street. Guan Ye didn't bother arguing with him, and instead groped her way along the wall and turned a corner.
Her palms were sticky and even warm to the touch. Oh no! Guan Ye cursed. Could it be... the sewage that the market residents had just splashed on her? Guan Ye raised her hand in disgust. It was so dark and she couldn't tell what it was. It was bad luck that Mu Chenbi had picked up. She definitely had to smear it on him. Guan Ye picked up Mu Chenbi's clothes and wiped her hands with them. Her eyes were full of resentment.
Guan Ye jumped up in surprise as she stepped on something wet again, worried that she might have stepped on something unclean. Mu Chenbi swayed and grabbed the wall for support. He touched something in his palm, moistened his fingertip, and brought it to his nose. He frowned as he smelled it. "Where is this bloody smell coming from?"
The smell of blood? Guan Ye looked down at her hands. The night was too dark and the moonlight was hazy, so at first glance, she couldn't see any color. This damp and sticky feeling... Mu Chenbi wouldn't have said anything, but when Guan Ye leaned closer to smell it, it really did have a strong smell of blood.
Guan Ye shook off Mu Chenbi's arm, leaned him against the wall, and groped her way forward a few steps. Suddenly, she tripped over something, cried out, and fell to the ground. Guan Ye propped herself up on her elbows, her hand touching something. Curious, she explored it: clothes… bones… flesh… and wet… blood… This is…
—A dead man!
"Someone's dead..." Guan Ye, ignoring the aches and pains all over her body, jumped up. "Someone's dead!"
A dead man? Mu Chenbi was sobered up by the shock. He drew his twin-bladed sword from his waist, pulled Guan Ye behind him, and thrust the sword into the night. "Where is the dead man?"
"On the ground." Guan Ye stared blankly at the figure lying a few steps away. Blood flowed along the veins of the gravel road, almost reaching her and Mu Chenbi's feet. Guan Ye spread her hands and looked again. It was also excrement... She had smeared the blood of a dead person.
Mu Chenbi smacked his head a few times, then approached the dead man on the ground, sword in hand. He knelt down and dipped his sword in the blood; it was still warm, indicating the man had only been dead a short while. Mu Chenbi touched the man's body; his clothes were neat and undamaged. It seemed the blood gushing from his neck had spread across the floor and walls. Mu Chenbi touched the neck, and sure enough, there was a narrow, five- or six-inch-long wound. Pressing his fingertip against it, the wound was still oozing fine blood, indicating the man had just been attacked. The killer couldn't have gone far… perhaps…
Mu Chenbi's mind went blank. Perhaps... the murderer was still nearby. Mu Chenbi slowly stood up, then suddenly realized something. He stared at the dead man's face again and again. This person... seemed familiar... was it... him?
"Guan Ye." Mu Chenbi gestured for Guan Ye to come over. "Come and take a look."
Seeing a dead person? Guan Ye huddled against the wall, not daring to move. Today was an inauspicious day. She shouldn't have come out, shouldn't have gone to the clothing store, and especially shouldn't have fallen for Mu Chenbi's trick of inviting him to drinks. Not only did she spend a lot of money, but she also had the bad luck of running into a dead person... Report to the authorities! She had to report to the authorities immediately! Guan Ye turned to run, but Mu Chenbi called her back before she could even take a step.
"Come and see, is this your friend?"
Friend? Guan Ye disregarded her fear and rushed forward without thinking, rubbing her eyes hard as she examined the dead man's face closely—"Song Mian?"
"Song Mian!" Guan Ye tried to press on the still-bleeding wound on his neck, calling his name in a trembling voice, "Wake up, don't die... Song Mian? Song Mian..."
Guan Ye's shouts startled the residents in the alley. A door creaked open, revealing a dim lantern. The light flickered in the night breeze, and the dim light swept across the pale, silk-like face of the dead man. Song Mian… Guan Ye's heart skipped a beat. It really was Song Mian.
"Someone's dead! Someone's dead..." The lantern slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground with a clatter. The old woman's panicked cry echoed through the alley, the sound like a ghostly wail.
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