Chapter 147 Night Yaksha's Grudge (28)

He looked at the young girl in the crowd, his gaze sinister. Xing Ru stood beside Yue Bei Yang, her brow furrowed.

Chu Ming's gaze swept over the two of them, lost in thought. Xing Ru was Xing Zhan's daughter. Yue Bei Yang usually did not favor her, but last time, when he was drunk, he had gone to Xing Ru's room.

The sacrificial ceremony lasted a full day, and the evening was the annual state banquet.

The so-called state banquet was held in the Moon Palace, a dinner attended by the royal family and ministers, held to celebrate the smooth progress of the sacrifice and to receive divine protection.

Every year, Xing Ru would attend.

This year, she was attending as a consort, thus sharing a table with Yue Bei Yang.

The hall was magnificent, adorned with amber wine, golden-footed goblets, and jade plates. The food was as artful as a painting, the wine flowed like a spring, the guqin hummed, and the bells chimed melodiously.

The guests raised their cups and conversed joyfully, while songs and dances filled the hall. The dancers were as beautiful as paintings, their slender waists swaying with captivating charm.

Xing Ru withdrew her attention from the food and entertainment before her, only to find that Yue Bei Yang, who had left the table earlier, had not yet returned. Judging by the time, he had been gone for quite a while.

Just a quarter of an hour ago, Yue Bei Yang had suddenly excused himself from the table. Before leaving, he had instructed Xing Ru that if anyone asked about his whereabouts, she should say: "He is a bit tipsy and has gone out for some fresh air to sober up."

But he had still not returned!

Xing Ru felt a pang of worry. She tilted her head slightly to call out to Ade, who was standing not far behind her. When Xing Ru called, Ade leaned in.

"Ade, I'm going to look for the Second Prince!"

Ade glanced at the empty seat beside them and nodded. Xing Ru lowered her body as much as possible and, bending over, was about to retreat when she saw Ade also preparing to follow her out.

However, if Ade also left, there would be no one to attend to matters here, and if anyone asked, she would not know how to respond.

So, she had to wave her hand at Ade, signaling her not to follow. Fortunately, Ade was an intelligent woman and immediately understood her intention, so she retreated.

Xing Ru stepped out of the hall, and the clamor immediately receded. Outside, it was silent and still. A palace gate separated all the sounds and sights from her.

The air outside the hall was cool. She had already changed out of her sacrificial robes and into the attire befitting a consort, but she felt a chill. Fortunately, she had a thin fox fur draped over her. She tightened her cloak and left the main hall.

But where would Yue Bei Yang go?

This state banquet was held only once a year, so this part of the palace was usually deserted. The surrounding courtyards were somewhat dilapidated, not as magnificent as the main hall.

The night veiled the entire palace, casting an air of mystery. She felt a little flustered. Xing Ru had been afraid of the dark since childhood. Seeing the abandoned palace bathed in moonlight, her heart involuntarily quickened.

Where exactly could Yue Bei Yang be?

For some reason, as she approached the deeper courtyards, her heartbeat became more pronounced, as if she had a premonition. She was drawn, as if by fate, into a small courtyard.

It was lit!

Xing Ru looked around. There was no one nearby. This part of the palace had long been abandoned, rarely visited, let alone these deeper courtyards. Who could be inside?

For some reason, Xing Ru had a subconscious feeling that Yue Bei Yang was inside.

She gradually drew closer, but softened her footsteps.

"You have great audacity!"

It was Yue Bei Yang's voice!

Xing Ru stood at the doorway and heard voices from inside, accompanied by the sound of a cup shattering on the ground. Her heart tightened, and she continued to listen to the commotion within.

Yue Bei Yang seemed to be in a rage. The cup must have been thrown by him.

Who could the other person be?

"Your Highness, what a temper! You were poisoned by the Love Flower long ago. If you do not seek carnal pleasure with a woman at the beginning of each month, you will die within half a year!"

"It must be more than three months now!"

The woman's voice was certain. Hearing this, Xing Ru's heart beat faster. This was too much information; she couldn't quite process it!

"So, Second Prince, would you like to consider me? It's better than returning to face that consort who knows nothing..."

The sarcasm in the woman's tone made Xing Ru feel a surge of anger. Her fair, delicate face, already prone to blushing, was now tinged with crimson.

"You are truly shameless! How much did Chu Ming pay you?"

The woman let out a soft laugh, and Xing Ru heard her say, "Serving the Second Prince is something this humble servant worked hard to achieve, I don't need any payment!"

Xing Ru knew well that Yue Bei Yang's appearance was ranked first in Anzhou. Although his looks were vastly different from those of the people of Anzhou, leading the previous national advisor to prophesy him as a 'bringer of disaster,' many women still vied to get into his bed, solely based on his charm!

Yue Bei Yang finally spoke, but his voice sounded a little hoarse. Xing Ru could hear the discomfort in his body. She shook her head. It seemed he was in need of a 'saving her husband' scenario!

Should she break down the door or not?

Xing Ru pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned and walked away. She went a little further, ensuring there was no one around, and then suddenly shouted, "Your Highness! Are you here?"

Her voice gradually grew louder, and in the quiet environment, the two inside were sure to hear it.

To make it seem like there were more people, Xing Ru continued, "Sang Sang, Ade, A'Tang, you said His Highness came this way, why haven't we seen him!"

She hid in the shadows. Those inside, when they came out, wouldn't be able to see her, but she could see whoever emerged from the room.

Xing Ru watched the exit of the courtyard vigilantly. Suddenly, the door opened, and the woman immediately used her qinggong to leave the courtyard.

Only when Xing Ru was sure the woman had truly left did she emerge from the shadows and quickly slip into the courtyard.

The door was not closed. Standing at the entrance, she could see a corner of the room.

She cautiously entered, afraid that there might be someone else inside. Only when she saw Yue Bei Yang lying on the bed in the room did she relax her guard and rush towards the bedside.

Yue Bei Yang's eyes were currently closed. Without his peach blossom eyes, he looked less alluring and more gentle.

Xing Ru gently patted his face and called out, "Second Prince?"

The man let out a few low moans, his body trembling slightly, appearing to be in great distress.

Xing Ru's cold hand touched his face, and she felt that his originally icy temperature had risen significantly, seeming to be even higher than her own body temperature.

Leaning closer, she saw a few blushes on his face. This was how he looked when he was drunk, but then he was much quieter, unlike his current distressed appearance.

The woman's words echoed in Xing Ru's mind. She didn't know what the Love Flower poison was, nor had she ever heard of it. But she understood the latter part of the sentence, so Yue Bei Yang was currently suffering from the poison's effects!

The thought of this possibility made Xing Ru involuntarily withdraw her hand from his face. But the man suddenly grabbed her hand, and his peach blossom eyes slowly opened.

"It's you?"