野荷塘

Xing Zhi was silent as he thought about it for a moment . “Mm... that... I will return to Heaven with Ru Fongjun when my lord leaves . ”

Hearing that name made Shen Li’s head ache . She muttered under her breath, “Tomorrow would be great . ”

She barely finished speaking when a figure rushed out as they neared the residence . “Highness! Highness! Fu Rongjun is in trouble!”

Though she was unaware what the trouble was, it aggravated Shen Li just hearing that name . “He left to conduct his own affairs! What happens to him is none of my concern!”

“Ah! Highness, it’s no good! Fu Rongjun went to the tavern on the east side of town and made the bar girls accompany him in drink . He drank all their wine then refused to pay! He was disrespectful to the bar girls too! He smelled like someone from the Heavenly Realms, so everyone knew he was connected with Highness . Just now even, someone came by the residence asking us to get Fu Rongjun . ”

Shen Li ground her teeth . Ru Fongjun having a lousy reputation in Heaven she could overlook, but now he was in the Demon Realm dragging her down with him .

Shen Li mentally cursed him out . She tossed Parrot’s cage at Rou-ya as she said, “Hold this while I go and get that scumbag . I will tear him to pieces!”

Rou-ya’s face was white with fear . “Highness no! You mustn’t do that!” Just as she moved to intercept Shen Li, a white billowy sleeve obstructed her path .

“Do not fret . I will stop your master . ” Xing Zhi smiled as he spoke .

Rou-ya had never met anyone in the Demon Realm with such a beautiful smile; she was dumbstruck and stared at his back as he left . When she came to her senses she yelled, “Highness!” after their receding figures, but they were already out of earshot . “Ah! I forgot to tell Highness that General Mo Fang was at the residence when that person came by about Fu Rongjun . He already left to see to it . ”

Naturally Shen Li, as fired up as she was, didn’t hear Rou-ya, and so had no idea Mo Fang would be there as well .

. . .

When Mo Fang got to the tavern he saw a dead drunk Fu Rongjun at one of the tables . The barmaid wasn’t intimidated by Mo Fang despite the sword at his waist and the armor he had on . She said, “I am a woman working in a tavern that serves alcohol, yes, but even as such I do not deserve to be disrespected! This guest’s demands are over the line! To be so salacious in broad daylight at someone’s workplace... it’s outrageous!”

Fu Rongjun lifted his head up and yelled out, “Miss with the tender soft pale skin! Another cup!”

Shen Li’s faced darkened and she clenched her fists . She was about to yell at Fu Rongjun for his behavior when another voice interrupted her .

“Enough!” Mo Fang exploded as he dragged Fu Rongjun by the collar . His eyes were ice cold as he said, “What you do and how you ruin your reputation is none of my concern, however when your actions sully Her Highness’s reputation, that’s another matter altogether!”

The force of the words startled Shen Li so much she could only stare on at the scene blankly while her fisted hands loosened . A sense of powerlessness rose in her heart . She had already corrected Mo Fang on this matter...

Shen Li wasn’t the only one shocked . Everyone else in the tavern were just as surprised by Mo Fang’s outburst .

Fu Rongjun suddenly looked up and smiled at Mo Fang . He raised his hand and laid it against Mo Fang’s neck flirtatiously . “Mm... you are also very pleasing to look at . Such passionate eyes . ” He pursed his lips after he finished speaking and suddenly pressed them against Mo Fang’s making a soft ‘mwuah’ sound .

The silence that followed the kiss was deafening but only lasted a moment before audible gasps erupted from those witnessing the scene .

Shen Li was stunned . Her mouth hung open as she stared . Belatedly she turned her neck stiffly to look at Xing Zhi . “Fu Rongjun doesn’t just defile ladies, he defiles men too!” She pointed a finger at her fiance . “How does a place as pristine as Heaven raise such a worthless scumbag predator as that?”

Xing Zhi was also surprised . He only replied after sizing Fu Rongjun up for a time . “Your Highness asks me this question, but I also do not know the answer . ”

Mo Fang had the stupidest blank expression on his face for the longest time . When he came to his senses, he gave the back of Fu Rongjun’s neck a hard hand chop knocking the other man out . Then he calmly and firmly wiped his lips . He swept his eyes around the room and spoke . “Anyone who dares speak of this, I will cut out your tongue and feed it to the pigs . ” As he finished speaking, he caught sight of Shen Li and Xing Zhi standing just outside the tavern . He stiffened as rigid as a board when their eyes met .

Shen Li couldn’t pretend to not see no matter how much she wanted to . The best she could do was act natural as she walked forward and acknowledged the scene . “Apologies for the trouble . I will take him back now . ”

Mo Fang kept his head down as he spoke . “No trouble . I only did what should have been done . Your Highness...” Though he looked calm, his heart was beating wildly in his chest . He wasn’t sure how to continue after having said so much . All he could do was turn his head away as he handed Fu Rongjun over to Shen Li . That done, he immediately left .

People started whispering the moment he was out of earshot . At this Shen Li’s face dropped . She looked around the tavern and spoke clearly one word . “Silence . ” Her imposing aura was enough to make everyone obey . “No one is to gossip about what happened just now . ”

Everyone calmed down at the sound of her voice . As the Azure Sky King, Shen Li was well-known and highly respected in the Demon Realm . She walked over to the barmaid . “You have suffered . Come, tell me your grievance . ”

“No...” The barmaid shook her head . “Everything’s gone...”

“Don’t be afraid . ” Shen Li reached for a stool to sit down on . “About that drunk, he addressed you inappropriately a moment ago . Tell me in detail everything that happened before that . I will seek justice for you . ”

Fu Rongjun had humiliated her people and rampaged through the district . News of it would reach the news outlets in the Heavenly Realm . So even if she couldn’t strangle him herself, someone else would .

Shen Li folded the letter the barmaid had written and handed it to Xing Zhi as they left the tavern . “How long is that ridiculously spoiled Fu Rongjun going to stay? I really want him to leave already . I don’t want to report this to the Demon Emperor but... if I don’t more people could get hurt . ”

The Heavenly Emperor was beyond her reach, so she couldn’t personally tell him of Ru Fongjun’s shameful behavior . Even if she could somehow get him to come down, she knew the Demon Emperor would just conceal Fu Rongjun’s matter .

“Therefore I will have to inconvenient Immortal High God Xing Zhi to bring this letter in my place . ”

Xing Zhi silently accepted the letter . After a moment he spoke up . “Even if this letter is delivered to the Heavenly Emperor it is improbable that Your Highness’s engagement will be cancelled . The marriage is inevitable . Why not let what happened go and accept the marriage instead?”

That made Shen Li laugh . “Cancel the engagement? Immortal High God thinks too much of it . I stopped having any delusions of that the day the Demon Emperor brought me back from the Mortal Realm . ” Shen Li turned away from him as they continued walking side by side . He couldn’t see her face as she spoke . “No, I simply wished to bring attention to the fact that Fu Rongjun is not happy here . ”

She didn’t like Fu Rongjun and didn’t think living together with him would be pleasant . The odds of them having a happy married life was nonexistent . At this point she just wanted to live an easy life and do as she pleased .

“Besides,” Shen Li stopped walking, and although her voice remained respectful, she refused to turn and look at him, “the Heavenly Emperor won’t cancel the engagement because he can’t . ” She leaned her head towards Xing Zhi finally looking at him . “Immortal High God, why won’t you release me?”

Xing Zhi refused to reply to her question .

. . .

That night Shen Li slept poorly because of a reaction to the bead . Her body was hot and her throat parched . Even the four pots of water Rou-ya brought couldn’t sate her thirst .

Shen Li woke up the next morning clear-headed but still incredibly thirsty . Eventually a dull ache started in her head .

Rou-ya was worried . “Highness, are you sick?”

“Have you ever seen me sick?”

This was true . Rou-ya returned to waiting on Shen Li with a clear and unworried mind . She helped her master bath and dress .

Once done, Shen Li opened the door to the courtyard . The sight that greeted her made her furrow her brow and frown in displeasure .

Fear shot through Fu Rongjun’s heart . He stood for some time in the courtyard building his courage to ask a question . “Your Highness... I was wondering... I was wondering if you knew who brought me back last night . ”

The thought of yesterday made Shen Li’s heart nearly explode . “What?”

“Ah... he left this behind yesterday . I wanted to return it . ”

Shen Li looked at the fair jade pendant Fu Rongjun held out, recognizing it immediately . It was the jade pendant Mo Fang often wore around his waist . Why would Fu Rongjun have it? Yesterday...

Shen Li could feel her headache worsen . She kneaded her temples as she tried to figure out a reply . Rou-ya, being a gossip, answered before she could .

“Oh! That belongs to General Mo Fang . He lives three streets over . But the general is probably not at home . He normally does his morning exercise around the outskirts of camp...”

“Shut up!”

Shen Li’s abrupt shout scared Rou-ya into silence . She was so startled she could only stare at Shen Li with grievance in her eyes . Pointing to herself Rou-ya said, “Did this servant do something wrong...?”

Shen Li held her forehead in her hands while Fu Rongjun repeated the name ‘Mo Fang’ to himself a few times .

“Clever girl!” Fu Rongjun winked at her . “This lord will be going out for a walk . ”

“Hold it!” Now What? Shen Li wasn’t sure what to do after yelling for Fu Rongjun to stop . How was she supposed to warn Mo Fang? Mo Fang was absolutely not going to stand it . The only thing Shen Li could come up with after a moment of silence was, “The army camp is a secured location . Non-military personnel are not allowed access . If you give it to me, I’ll return the jade pendant to General Mo Fang . ”

Fu Rongjun glanced away from Shen Li, then back again . He suddenly screamed and pointed at something behind them . Both Shen Li and Rou-ya turned around to look, but there was nothing there . By the time they turned back Fu Rongjun had already made his escape .

Shen Li’s face paled as she stood rooted to the spot, her fists clenched . She actually fell for such a dumb trick! What a juvenile scamster!

“This Fu Rongjun is so childish . Can he really take care of Highness?” Rou-ya wondered aloud .

Him? Take care of me? The thought made Shen Li grit her teeth . [notes] She wanted to haul Fu Rongjun back but her headache was too distracting . The only thing she wanted to do now was go back inside and play with Parrot . Mo Fang was just going to have to fend for himself .

Unexpectedly Parrot was not accommodating . He was energetic and jumped around in his cage but he didn’t make a peep . He was no fun at all . Disappointed, Shen Li reclined on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest .

She woke up from her nap around noon and called out to Rou-ya for something to drink . A moment later she felt a cup of tea held near her . Shen Li didn’t feel like moving . She didn’t bother to open her eyes but opened her lips instead and waited for the cup to come closer . When it did, she took one sip after another .

Something didn’t feel right after her nap so she finally opened her eyes . Xing Zhi was by her side, the cup on the table . When their eyes met, he asked, “More?”

The ambient light gave his face a slight glow . Mesmerized Shen Li could only nod and say a clipped, “More,” in reply .

Xing Zhi picked up the cup and pressed it against her lips tilting it slightly for her to sip from again . All kinds of emotions swirled inside Shen Li . She reached for the cup . “I can hold it myself . Do not need to bother Immortal High God . ”

“Are you unwell?”

Shen Li shook her head . “No . It’s just all the rushing about these past few days caught up with me . Some rest is all I need . ” She turned her head to the window and was surprised at how high the moon was in the sky . “Oh dinner! I’ll have Rou-ya prepare something . ”

“No need . ” Xing Zhi shook his head . “It’s fine to skip dinner . ”

“Oh . ” Xing Zhi’s brightness in the moon’s glow had distracted her, making her mix Immortal High God Xing Zhi up with that wonderful mortal master cook . [notes]