Chapter 19.1

It was good when Yu Beizhou didn’t show up, but now that Yu Beizhou was in front of him, Zong Luo remembered his previous guess, simultaneously recalling the secret letter sent from the Ghost Valley again, then he suddenly became angry.

However, Yu Beizhou started talking nonsense with eyes open at once.

“Last time, this King and the Gentleman had a good talk at the Lanting Waterside Pavilion and made an agreement to meet again in the future. However, this King did not expect for the Gentleman to turn around and agree to Prime Minister Pei’s invitation. It really saddens this King.” 

Zong Luo: “…..”

You clearly just made it up. Look at your smiling face, where does it looks sad.

Pei Qianxue frowned imperceptibly.

He unhurriedly put away the umbrella. “The King of Beining has said too much.”

“Young Master Gu’s identity, you should know better than me.”

Yu Beizhou smiled again. “What is the Prime Minister Pei talking about? Only an independent student, with no school nor sect, what identity can he have?”

“This King knows that Prime Minister Pei misses his old friend very much, but there are some things……..that you can’t say indiscriminately.”

The Prime Minister in Tsing Yi began to look more and more cold.

He glanced at Zong Luo with a little worry, but after failing to see any strange color on the other party’s face, he calmed down and said lightly, “The Prince should not be concerned. I am about to enter the palace right now and report this matter to His Majesty.” 

“Oh.” Yu Beizhou merely replied without even the slightest interest. “Since Prime Minister Pei is going to enter the palace, then why don’t this Gentleman come with this King?”

“……..” 

Pei Qianxue was about to refuse, but when he turned his head around, he suddenly heard a gentle voice. 

“This way is also okay.”

Hearing Zong Luo’s response, Pei Qianxue frowned slightly, disapproving in his heart.

He wanted to reveal the relationship between the King of Beining and him right then and there, but he didn’t know where to start.

What’s more, Yu Beizhou was still present. if he said something that shouldn’t be said, this person would only take advantage of it again.

“Ah Xue, don’t worry. Last time in the Taoism discourse in the Lanting Waterside pavilion, I didn’t enjoy myself much. Now, it just happens to be sunny after the rain, therefore I intend to have another go with the Prince again.”

Zong Luo only laughed. Then he drew the long sword from his waist with his backhand.

With a sound of “schwing——”, the silver-white sword leaped out like a dragon, admirable and unrestrained with a graceful beauty.

Qixing Longyuan was worthy of being one of the top ten famous swords in the world. Just by taking it out of the sheath, one could instantly feel the chill, and it was, at the moment, pointed directly between the eyebrows of the other person.

“Excuse me.” 

Seeing Zong Luo draw his sword neatly, Pei Qianxue was no longer worried. 

His friend’s swordsmanship skills, he knew very well, what’s more, the King of Beining was still Jin Yu’s junior martial brother. Even if it’s a tit for tat, Yu Beizhou wouldn’t dare to do anything at the foot of the Imperial City.

Yu Beizhou, although he was far away from the two of them, still heard Zong Luo’s address just now.

“Ah Xue?”

The general in red only had a faint smile on his face, his phoenix eyes were raised high, and a little darkness fell into them.

“It’s only been a few days since the last time we saw each other, but the Gentleman is already so familiar with Prime Minister Pei.”

Pei Qianxue directly ignored Yu Beizhou’s reaction, and without moving his eyes away from Zong Luo’s body, he said “In that case, after your sword discourse, I will let the coachman take you back.”

As he said this, he finally couldn’t hold back, and just wanted to reach out and gently brush the strand of hair hanging from Zong Luo’s cheek behind his ear.

Unexpectedly, just as his fingertips touched the strand of hair, Zong Luo subconsciously took a step back and avoided the hand.

Pei Qianxue was startled, and smiled as if nothing had happened. He withdrew his hand, as if the action of reaching out just now was merely unintentional.

“Then I’ll be leaving first. If you need anything, Jin Yu can come to the mansion to find me at any time.”

After saying this, he went straight into the carriage.

The moment he turned around, the expression on his face quickly became taciturn. The hands tucked in the cuffs were slightly clenched, as if the temperature of the hair he had touched just now was still in the palm of the hand.

Looking at Pei Qianxue’s leaving back through the cloth strip, Zong Luo couldn’t help but have some doubts. 

For Zong Luo, it’s already a total of four years since he returned to the Imperial City, both in the two lifetimes. Many harmonious affairs between people have been obliterated by the sandstorm at the border day after day. 

Just like Zong Luo, he only remembered how disheartened he was when Pei Qianxue didn’t see him behind closed doors, yet he couldn’t remember how good they were when they were like-minded.

Then again, their relationship……was it that good?

Yu Beizhou narrowed his eyes, and suddenly interrupted his thinking.

“Since Prime Minister Pei is gone, Young Master Gu might as well enter the Great Shaman Temple with me, since the two of us are exceedingly—”

They were still standing at the gates of the Pei Mansion and the Great Shaman Temple. Although there was no market around, the servants on both sides of the mansion were on guard duty, and there were also guards at the gate of the Great Shaman Temple. It’s inevitable that information would easily leak when talking in the presence of other people.

“All will be according to the Prince’s command.”

Coincidentally, Zong Luo, who received the Ghost Valley Master’s secret letter this morning, was also planning to talk to Yu Beizhou.

If he didn’t have something to ask, he would have left with Pei Qianxue long ago. How could he argue with Yu Beizhou until now.

However, in the next second, a gust of wind suddenly rushed towards his face.

Zong Luo dodged and raised his sword subconsciously to block it. When the opponent’s palm strike changed, he realized that it wasn’t the Tai’A that attacked just now, but Yu Beizhou’s hand.

Yu Beizhou asked knowingly, “The Gentleman do not know, but the Great Shaman Temple is not in the same direction as Pei’s mansion. This King just wants to help the Gentleman go there, therefore there is no need for the Gentleman to be so alarmed.”

This time, the servants guarding the Great Shaman Temple opened their eyes wide.

The King of Beining was also known for his perverse disposition. He had always only brought a single person with him when he came to the Great Shaman Temple these few times, and was without any servant. 

Anyone who gets close to him will be dismissed, let alone someone with a pleasing, gracious face.

Zong Luo felt his temples start to throb again.

It had already come to this point, if he refused, it would inevitably make people suspicious. What’s more, in the eyes of outsiders, Zong Luo’s eyes were clearly wrapped in white silk, making anyone unable to glimpse his whole appearance.

He squeezed out a few words between his teeth. “Then I’ll be troubling the Prince.”

Yu Beizhou showed a triumphant smile, “There’s nothing to pardon, the Gentleman to me, is never a trouble.”

The white-clothed swordsman, who had an aversion to cold and felt chill for a while. He felt distressed for his outstretched arm and didn’t even look at Yu Beizhou anymore. However, his wrist was suddenly backhandedly grabbed by him.

“You..!” 

Zong Luo’s surrounding vision was obstructed. He endured and forbear but didn’t pull out his hand.

Everyone who practiced martial arts knew just how dangerous it was to be close to the other person, and just one hand would be enough to kill.

What’s more, Yu Beizhou’s grip had so much strength. Zong Luo could even hear the creaking sound between his wrists, as if he wanted to crush his hand.

Zong Luo: “……”

What junior brother, such a childish joke.

“What’s the matter?” The general in red asked knowingly. “Is the Gentleman not feeling well?”

He conveniently picked up the mask from an attendant of the shaman temple, and casually buckled it on Zong Luo’s face.

It was a rule that you must wear a mask when you enter the shaman temple.

Unlike Zong Luo’s slightly cold fingertips, Yu Beizhou’s hands were very hot, like a small stove continuously generating heat.

It’s strange to say that although they were obviously brothers who practiced sword together in the Ghost Valley, Zong Luo’s slender knuckles were covered with thin calluses from years of sword practice, but Yu Beizhou’s hands were clean, except for a scar on the tiger’s mouth.

Zong Luo suddenly remembered that this scar was cut by himself.

He had to say, when he sensed that the scar was still in Yu Beizhou’s hand, he felt a sense of accomplishment in his heart.

While thinking this way, he whispered. “I’m warning you, I practice two-handed swords.”

“Pfft.”

Yu Beizhou’s shoulders shook and he began to laugh.