Chapter 166: A Secret Crush, Brothers Argue
Song Jiaoyue was irritated beyond measure when he saw Long Heng sitting coolly off to the side. He’d already known everything before he arrived. They’d finally forced the woman away. What was this nonsense about resting at a temple? She was being thrown out after they’d finished using her. She’d likely never be able to return to this opulent yet empty Prince Li Manor. But here Long Heng sat, coldly aloof as usual. Song Jiaoyue treated that person as an untouchable treasure in his heart, while his friend treated her like a blade of gra.s.s! How utterly disappointing.
“Long Heng, she was personally preparing the food in the icy cold tent last time for the dowager empress’ funeral procession. Do you know how tiring it was to do that for an entire day? She didn’t even take any of the credit for it either, giving it all to the manor and the old madame. But think about what you’ve done! You’ve thrown her into the temple to suffer, and about to take a new, beautiful wife to enjoy the comforts of life in your manor?!” Song Jiaoyue had drunk a little too much, so his words were overly emotional.
Long Heng could finally hear the undertones that were previously hidden. His friend was speaking up for Bai Xiangxiu, and doing so with quite a sour att.i.tude. He’d only felt hints of it before, but now he was certain of it. “Song Jiaoyue, do you know what you’re saying?!”
Long Heng slammed his hand on the table and surged to his feet, his face black with anger as he glared at Song Jiaoyue.
Song Jiaoyue didn’t back down at all. He responded coldly, “Of course I know what I’m talking about! You’re the one who doesn’t! I’ve come to wish you congratulations on your new marriage and tell you that I won’t easily give her up!”
“Song Jiaoyue…!” Long Heng didn’t bother continuing with words as he lunged for his friend. The two of them had tussled together since their youth, and Song Jiaoyue wasn’t a weakling either. He stood his ground and returned every blow with one of his own. None of these two wanted to talk it out, and both possessed strong martial arts. Heaven and earth shuddered as the aftermath of their fight nearly turned the manor into kindling. No one dared get in the way to try and convince them otherwise.
The servants could only turn to the old madame for help. She was currently quite weak with her ailment, and so sent two mamas to talk some sense into the men. Long Heng quite respected his mother and so stopped almost immediately, but Song Jiaoyue was caught up in the moment and landed a palm on Long Heng’s chest before he caught himself.
Blood frothed in Long Heng’s chest as he spat a mouthful of blood out. He laughed coldly, “Don’t ever think of getting her!”
Song Jiaoyue clenched his fist and turned to say, “Long Heng, I never voice empty words.”
Long Heng didn’t move at all after looking at his back, then turned to speak to his concealed guards, “Go investigate this. See if they’ve been in contact with each other.”
Song Jiaoyue would never succeed in trying to steal his woman away from him! But when had this thought arisen in his mind? Long Heng had never felt so panicked, because he didn’t know how the currently unhappy Bai Xiangxiu would decide after knowing of this? Yes, she was his concubine and couldn’t shed this ident.i.ty, but there was no way to prevent her from having someone else in her heart. If she held Song Jiaoyue in his heart, what would Long Heng do then?
Long Heng paced in circles like a caged leopard for a while before finally notifying the old madame that Bai Xiangxiu was feeling uncomfortable in the temple and that Long Heng was going to take a look. As for why he’d fought with Song Jiaoyue, Long Heng said it’d been too long since the two of them had sparred, so they’d been unable to stop once they started and it’d gotten out of hand.
The old madame also felt that Song Jiaoyue and Long Heng wouldn’t possibly really get into a fight. They didn’t really have a reason to. Therefore, she accepted his explanation at face value. The old madame also felt that it’d be bad if Bai Xiangxiu grew lonely by herself in the temple. Her eldest grandson was there as well! So she happily let the male lead go to the temple.
Long Heng rushed to the Eternal Peace Monastery after taking care of Lin Qianzi’s matter. He was also depressed when he heard the name of the temple. Any other temple other than this one would’ve been fine! He remembered a particularly irritating old monk there who had their sights set on Bai Xiangxiu! What if she decided to join the monastery in the throes of her emotional anguish? What would he do then?
However, he was utterly stunned when he reached the temple, because Bai Xiangxiu had gone missing! Xiaos.h.i.+, Xiaohuan and Ye-mama were all there, and said that Bai Xiangxiu had stayed quietly within the fasting room since her arrival and hadn’t left. But when they came over the next day, their mistress was gone! They were looking everywhere for her, but couldn’t find her no matter how hard they looked.
A chill gripped Long Heng’s heart as he immediately suspected Song Jiaoyue. He had his men join the search as well as he looked through the woods on horseback. However, when he saw no sign of her after a day, he hastily paid a visit to the Song family back in the capital.
Just as all this was going on, Bai Xiangxiu had actually already been kidnapped from the temple. She was groggily lying in a carriage, quite dejected. Who’d kidnapped her this time? The plot had run so far from its normal course that she had no idea what was going on. Just as she was struggling and wanting to run away, someone had come in from the outside. She quickly feigned unconsciousness as the other carried her into a room, placing her on a bed without much in the way of covers at all.
“Stop pretending that you’re still out, or I’ll do some things to you that you won’t like!” The rascally tone obviously belonged to Luo Yunzheng. Bai Xiangxiu’s mouth twitched as she suddenly sat up with a frown, looking at Luo Yunzheng. The rugged man just stood there, looking at her with crossed arms.
“Why have you brought me here?” Bai Xiangxiu felt that this man was simply too bold. But more importantly, why was he after her and not Miss Lin?”
“He’s going to wed Lin Qianzi after the new year, do you know that?”
“I do!”
“He traded her for you once, which means he can do it twice. Otherwise I really don’t know what I might do!”
Bai Xiangxiu felt that this man was a bit perverted, or rather hate had drowned out love for him. His gaze wasn’t sweet when he mentioned Miss Lin. Just what had happened? Had this man gone a bit mad? “I have nothing to say.”
Such was the charm of the female lead, and it was always the female supporting character who ended up hurt.
“You’re also a cute woman. You should leave him while it’s early; there might be a way out for you still.” Luo Yunzheng smiled slightly and suddenly flicked a glance outside. The look in his eyes turned cold, “Who’s there?”
“Boss Luo, did you know that the imperial court has been suppressing those in the wulin lately because of your foolish actions?” The voice was gentle, but the anger within was apparent.
Bai Xiangxiu had never heard such a lovely male voice and was curious as to who owned it. Her mind also flew furiously through the novel’s plot at the same time, trying to identify which supporting character this was. However her efforts were quickly dispelled with Luo Yunzheng’s next words. He laughed coldly, “Does Alliance Head Yu wish to stick his nose in matters of the Cloudlake Faction?”
“Naturally. I look into any power that threatens the wulin. Boss Luo, please stop your actions, or…” A pale, white figure floated in from outside as the words tapered off. Bai Xiangxiu had already guessed who it was when she heard the t.i.tle “Alliance Head Yu”. This was a pa.s.serby that had been mentioned only briefly in the novel!