10: Love Follows

"Strange, the Captain entered the palace at noon, and it's almost nightfall now, so why hasn't he returned yet?" Tang Jingzhong put down his brush and looked up at the other Clerks opposite him. "Has any news come from the palace?"

"No. However, about an hour ago, Commander Qianhu ordered someone to take the Captain's saber, saying it was to be delivered outside the palace to Chief Mo." The other Clerk looked bewildered as he said this. "This... Clerk Tang, what do you think this means?"

"Do not speculate recklessly." Tang Jingzhong shook his head. "Also, keep your mouths shut tight. The Captain's status is different now; you all know what should and shouldn't be said, and Commander Qianhu has already given instructions regarding this."

"That goes without saying, that goes without saying."

Just kidding, Mo Yingqi was marrying two princesses at once—what kind of honor and favor was that? Moreover, after this past year, they were probably the most aware of exactly how much weight the four words "Smiling Yaksha" carried.

These Clerks couldn't help but sigh inwardly; having a handsome face really was something, even a grim reaper from the Hall of Yama could be favored by princesses. It wasn't as if these people hadn't been to the Imperial Prison and seen how Mo Yingqi interrogated prisoners; when it was time to use torture, he didn't even blink an eye.

Indeed, who in the Pacification Bureau wasn't a ruthless character? Yet, for a man who had just reached adulthood, the things he had done in his first year were enough to make even the old veterans of the Flying Fish Guard sigh in inferiority.

And this ruthless "Smiling Yaksha" had just awakened from a deep sleep, looking completely bewildered.

"Wait, this... where is this?"

The room was decorated with extreme luxury, and the bed he was sleeping on was also very spacious and comfortable. He was still wearing his flying fish robe, though his boots had been removed, and he was covered by a brocade quilt.

"Yingqi, are you awake?"

The door was slowly pushed open, and Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning walked in with maids. Seeing him wake up, they hurried over to check on his condition.

"It's fine, thankfully we fed you the sobering soup. Yingqi, it's all our fault," Luo Yongan said apologetically. "We finally reunited with you, but I didn't expect you to be the same as before, getting drunk after just two cups..."

"I drank alcohol?" Mo Yingqi looked at them blankly. "That shouldn't be..."

His alcohol tolerance was indeed poor, and he never drank, but to be this drunk after just two cups? Mo Yingqi struggled to recall his memories; it seemed... he had indeed drunk alcohol?

There were only a few blurred fragments suggesting he had indeed consumed alcohol; other than that... he had no impression at all.

"Alright, it's good that you're fine." Luo Yongning let out a long sigh of relief. "Right, Commander Fang just sent someone to deliver your saber, saying that you still have official business to attend to tonight."

Mo Yingqi then remembered that he did indeed have official business, and to some extent, it could also be considered his personal vendetta. The Marquis of Anding's family had returned to the capital yesterday, and based on his understanding of Xu Fengzhang, the man was likely either at the Bureau of Music and Dance or some brothel tonight.

"The Two Highnesses, Your Humble Servant has been unseemly." After putting on his shoes and getting off the bed, Mo Yingqi hurriedly bowed. "This matter of marriage, Your Humble Servant is still filled with trepidation and truly feels unworthy..."

"How much longer are you going to pretend to be serious?" Luo Yongan couldn't help it and suddenly reached out to pinch his face. "Have you forgotten? Back then we ate at the same table, slept on the same bed, and when you bathed..."

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!" Mo Yingqi coughed hurriedly. "Your Humble Servant... No, I was wrong, okay? Princesses, please spare me!"

How could he not panic? Those few maids were pricking up their ears to listen; if anything else got out, he, the "Smiling Yaksha," would likely become a laughingstock.

It was strange; ever since he was little, he seemed to have no resistance against these two sisters. Although their appearances were extremely similar, the personalities of the two sisters were not the same.

Luo Yongan was gentle and thoughtful, and when the three of them learned skills together, she could be said to have cared for him meticulously.

And Luo Yongning had a cheerful and lively personality, often dragging him out to play. She loved riding and archery, and his own skill with the bow and arrow was learned from her.

"Not angry anymore?" Luo Yongning leaned in front of him, looking at him with a smile. "I knew Yingqi wouldn't really be angry with us. Our precious little brother whom we've doted on since childhood, and who will be our husband in the future, how could he really be that angry with me and my sister?"

He was definitely angry, but recalling what they had said, Mo Yingqi actually didn't care as much anymore. Royal daughters naturally had many restrictions, not to mention that they were also secretly controlling Partridge Sky.

"But I really didn't expect... it's been five years, and I thought I would never see you again in this lifetime." Mo Yingqi couldn't help but sigh. "It's just, does it have to be this way? To be honest, I don't mind; my reputation as a Flying Fish Guard is already what it is, but you sisters..."

"Silly, don't worry about us." Luo Yongan smiled gently. "Yingqi, we have been together since childhood. In this world, only you are worthy of our trust and even more worthy of our entrustment. Power, wealth, these are not important; that the person is you is what matters most."

"Alright, sister, Yingqi still has official business, let's send him out of the palace quickly?" Luo Yongning waved her hand with a smile, and a maid walked up holding Mo Yingqi's saber with both hands. "Ying Hong will send you out later. Your colleague from the yamen is already waiting outside. Who was it again?"

"Reporting to Your Highnesses, it is Captain Lu Qianyuan." The maid holding the saber answered truthfully. "He has been waiting outside the palace gate for a long time."

When he heard this name, Mo Yingqi guessed what Fang Wenbo was thinking; this was clearly trying to cause trouble for the Marquis of Anding... However, he didn't care. For the Marquis of Anding's Xu Family, it was equivalent to creating trouble for Grand Chancellor Zhou.

"Alright, go out with Ying Hong." Luo Yongan came over and helped Mo Yingqi straighten his flying fish robe. "The Empress has mentioned the palace banquet, right? Remember to come early then; it's just a family banquet in the palace, and it will also officially make your status public."

"...So I can't escape?"

Mo Yingqi took his saber and nodded in resignation. The Emperor had bestowed the marriage, and it was with the two sisters he had liked when he was young and naive in the past.

Everything felt just like a dream, and Mo Yingqi even felt... it wasn't just smoke rising from his ancestral graves; it was a raging fire!

He was pulled by the sisters and given a few more instructions, and was even stuffed with several thousand taels of silver notes by Luo Yongning, under the pretext: "Take it to buy some outfits; if it's not enough, your sisters have more."

How did he suddenly jump from a Flying Fish Guard to a princess's kept man? He didn't want it, but Luo Yongning fussed, saying: "If you don't take it, sister will follow you while you carry out your mission today!"

"No, Sister Xue'er... no, Princess Yongning, do you know where I'm going?" Mo Yingqi was speechless. What kind of princess would follow a Zhenfu Division Banner Commander into the Bureau of Music and Dance and brothels? "I really don't need it. My mother left me quite a bit of money, and you know that, right?"

Mo Yingqi's biggest mistake was saying those words and reminding the two sisters. Years later, when Mo Yingqi recalled today's events, he would slap himself more than once.

A man who doesn't hide private money—what kind of man are you!

Unable to withstand the sisters' repeated persuasion, and really needing to go execute official business with Lu Qianyuan, he had no choice but to accept the silver notes in the end.

Watching the backs of Mo Yingqi and Ying Hong as they left, the gentle smile on Luo Yongan's face suddenly disappeared, replaced by a trace of satisfaction after a scheme had succeeded, as well as a sense of determination to win.

"Sister, I'm still worried..." Luo Yongning said with some hesitation. "After all, Yingqi is not like you and me. This Gu..."

"Rest assured, nothing will happen. Grandfather lived his whole life even though his constitution was not as naturally gifted as Yingqi's, so Yingqi will be even less likely to have any problems." Luo Yongan nodded indifferently. "Maternal Grandmother is right; to have a long-term relationship, one must first learn to separate. Only by leaving him do we realize... how important he is."

"The essence of Southern Border Gu arts, the culmination of it all—going crazy for love, obsessed for love..."

"The Sacred Gu, Love Follows... Yingqi, for all eternity, he will never leave us..."