His silence was deafening.

The Xianbei Emperor looked to be about Xiao Rong’s age and didn’t stand out with his looks. Still, he’s had quite a fancy life.

Qu Yunmie remained silent because the room felt strange. He first looked at the odd cradle and thought he could make one in Chenliu later. He had very few pleasant memories in Jinling. The only refreshing one was sleeping on a boat that swayed gently to help him sleep.

This cradle could replace the boat.

He made a mental note, then looked at the dozens of fox tails on the wall.

There were all kinds of patterns, some of which didn’t seem to belong to foxes.

Did they really display prey in a room? Wouldn’t it stink??

Qu Yunmie hunted foxes only for their pelts. He usually threw the tails away. He never expected someone to use them as decorations, and to display so many at once. He didn’t understand what was there to be proud of in hunting foxes? If anything, they should’ve displayed tiger tails.

Thinking of the Xianbei Emperor’s character, Qu Yunmie felt relieved.

Apparently, he could only hunt foxes.

After that, his gaze shifted to the jade artifacts. They weren’t very realistic, so Qu Yunmie couldn’t immediately recognize what they were. He even wanted to pick one up. “What is this thing—”

Just as he almost touched it, slap! A hand hit him. His hand stayed perfectly still, but Xiao Rong’s hand turned red.

Xiao Rong: “…”

His face turned red too—he didn’t know whether it was from shame or anger. “How dare you touch things randomly! You’re not a child anymore. Do you know if it’s dirty or not?!”

Qu Yunmie hadn’t understood before, but seeing Xiao Rong stomp in anger, he suddenly, for the first time outside of war matters, understood quickly.

Qu Yunmie realized. “Oh….”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He wanted to find a hole to crawl into, but he wanted even more to shove Qu Yunmie into the ground. Just like when changing the winter quilts, he wanted to push, shove, or maybe even punch Qu Yunmie a couple of times.

Xiao Rong glared at him, and Qu Yunmie reflexively tried to sit down, but just before his butt touched the chair, he suddenly sprang back up, and stood stiffly in place.

Qu Yunmie pressed his lips together. He wanted to laugh, but he knew that if he did, Xiao Rong would ignore him for at least three days. He refrained and countered, “If it weren’t for you forcing me, we wouldn’t even be in this room.”

Xiao Rong snorted. “If it weren’t for you forcing the surrender of Murong Qi, I would have already gone to bed. I wouldn’t need to worry about this at all.”

Qu Yunmie lowered his eyes again. Seeing his passive resistance, Xiao Rong grew angry, but he was not unreasonable. Since Qu Yunmie acted unusually, he needed to understand why. “What is that thing he spoke of?”

Qu Yunmie remained silent.

Xiao Rong looked at him and asked again, “Does Murong Qi hold leverage over you?”

Qu Yunmie still said nothing.

Xiao Rong asked, “Does it concern your family?”

Qu Yunmie’s eyelids drooped further.

He realized Xiao Rong had suddenly stopped speaking. Qu Yunmie tensed and looked up, only to find Xiao Rong standing right in front of him.

Xiao Rong’s eyes lifted slightly. Qu Yunmie met his gaze and felt confused.

The next second, he was no longer confused. Xiao Rong suddenly raised his leg high and, like a hammer, stomped his foot down hard.

Qu Yunmie: “…”

Even a man made of iron couldn’t endure such an attack. Qu Yunmie’s face twisted in pain for a moment. Xiao Rong still wasn’t satisfied and continued to press down viciously. “You won’t speak, huh? Fine! Then we’ll stay here. You have nothing to say, right? Well, now that the Xianbei are defeated, you don’t need to fight anymore. Even if you break a bone, it doesn’t matter! I can finally see clearly. Letting you run around everywhere and letting you speak freely, that was my mistake! I should’ve made you mute, crippled, and unable to rise so you wouldn’t cause trouble for me every day!

“You can cause trouble but cannot speak, right? You speak openly to Murong Qi, but to me, you say nothing! Am I less worthy of your attention than Murong Qi?!”

Xiao Rong was truly angry. He hadn’t resorted to throwing a fit for three days, but that was for children. Qu Yunmie was no longer a child. They had known each other for a long time, and Qu Yunmie was no longer the mindless King of the North he had once been. Even last time, when he almost got Xiao Rong killed, there was a reason and it wasn’t entirely his fault. Yet now? Even Zhang Biezhi wouldn’t commit such a basic mistake!

Moreover, Qu Yunmie’s silence suggested he wanted to hide something from Xiao Rong. Although Xiao Rong didn’t know what it was, the thought of Qu Yunmie keeping secrets made him furious.

Xiao Rong also had secrets, many of them, but he was a double-standard person. He knew it and didn’t plan to change. Qu Yunmie also knew it and didn’t mind.

…

Qu Yunmie felt real pain. He silently endured for a moment and realized Xiao Rong was truly too angry to relent. He took a deep breath and decisively grabbed Xiao Rong with both hands, lifting him about two inches off the ground as if he were handling something delicate.

Xiao Rong looked shocked, but Qu Yunmie soon set him down, finally saving his tortured feet. Qu Yunmie admitted, “I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t agree. You have always been generous to others but stingy with yourself.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He was still stunned.

He, a grown man, had been lifted like a vase… and so effortlessly….

Despite this, Qu Yunmie’s movements were stable and it was as if he were a toy in Qu Yunmie’s hands.

How ridiculous, was there no gravity in this world?!

Xiao Rong’s reaction was slow. Qu Yunmie rubbed his brow, looking very tired. “Fine. Letting you know is harmless, but let me be clear—I must get this thing! Even if I spare Murong Qi, it’s fine. I can deal with him again later, but there is only one Divine Herb in the world. If I miss it now, I will never find it again!”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He asked slowly, “What is a Divine Herb?”

Qu Yunmie took a breath and reluctantly answered, “It is one of the Xianbei treasures. A miracle appeared in the Great Xianbei Mountains; the flying dragon was one, and the Divine Herb was the second. It is said this herb can revive the dead and cleanse bones. In the past, the Wuhuan King exchanged three cities with the Xianbei Emperor to save his son. They’ve never used this herb because the Xianbei only had three plants and two had already been used. The last one is a sacred Xianbei relic that has never been touched before.”

Xiao Rong nodded slowly. “I see. That already sounds like a lie.”

Qu Yunmie: “…”

Xiao Rong spread his hands. “First of all, fine, maybe dragons existed, but in the past few hundred years, there are no dragons. The Murong clan just wanted to hype themselves up and deceive the Central Plains. Dragons are the totem of the Central Plains. If it truly existed, why would it appear in the Great Xianbei Mountains? Given the Murong clan’s conduct, do you think they look like they are blessed by a real dragon?”

Qu Yunmie said, “Nan Yong has also declined. Perhaps before their decline, there was one.”

Xiao Rong was momentarily stumped. True, they couldn’t know what happened a hundred years ago.

He raised his hand. “Fine, let’s not argue about dragons. This divine herb… Your Majesty, believe me. There are no unique herbs. If there is one, there can be two or three, a whole patch. Like the Salt Maiden Ginseng. Miss Danran said it grows near Salt Maiden Lake, is rare and hard to harvest, so the Butewu tribe has a limited supply. Your so-called divine herb might be the same—an exaggeration by the Murong clan to make themselves look special and deceive other countries. Didn’t the Wuhuan King get tricked badly?”

Qu Yunmie’s expression tightened. He looked at Xiao Rong, who stared back expectantly. Then Qu Yunmie said firmly, “No matter what you say, I believe the Divine Herb truly exists.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

How could he still be so unreasonable? When did he become superstitious?

He opened his mouth to continue arguing, but Qu Yunmie said again, “I believe this herb can cure your illness.”

Xiao Rong froze. “Cure… my illness?”

Qu Yunmie insisted, “Otherwise, why would I need this herb? Even the elder, Gao Xunzhi, is stronger than you.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Surprisingly, he didn’t care about Qu Yunmie’s tone. “So you ordered that the Xianbei Emperor not be killed and even plan to spare Murong Qi, just to cure me?”

Qu Yunmie corrected him, “Not ‘just to cure you.’ Remove the word ‘just.’”

Xiao Rong asked, “Why?”

Qu Yunmie crossed his arms. “Because I don’t like it.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He felt confused. After a while, he spoke again, “but whether it exists or not, it won’t help me.”

Qu Yunmie stiffened but quickly regained his imposing presence. “How do you know? You usually don’t care about your body. Maybe you are bluffing. Whether it works or not, we’ll try and see.”

Xiao Rong pressed his lips, softened his tone, and gently said, “Your Majesty…”

He stepped forward, but Qu Yunmie stepped back, and looked at him with resistance. “Don’t speak to me in that tone.”

Xiao Rong asked, “What tone?”

Qu Yunmie answered, “The one you just used, like you’re coaxing. I know what I am doing. Murong Qi is just one person. If he survives now, I can kill him later. I’m not acting impulsively!”

Xiao Rong blinked. “I didn’t say you were acting impulsively.”

Qu Yunmie said, “No, you didn’t, but your tone said it. Your tone told me you think I am wasting my time, and doing useless work. Today I tell you, I don’t care! I don’t care about Murong Qi or Murong Yi! All other matters you may handle, but your matters must be mine! I won’t watch you weaken anymore. I won’t listen to your nonsense about vomiting blood to detox. No matter how many times you claim you are fine, in my eyes, you’re only fine when you’re completely healthy!”

He clenched his fists and stared at Xiao Rong. “So don’t expect me to change my mind. I want you to live long, even if I have to try every divine medicine in the world. Even if there are 9,999 fakes, if there is one that is real, it’s not a waste of time.”

After speaking, Qu Yunmie didn’t notice his own breathing had become haggard. Speaking to Xiao Rong felt like an even harder battle than the one fought last night. The enemy was too strong—even he couldn’t be sure of victory.

Xiao Rong stayed silent. Qu Yunmie’s heart tightened but he still asked firmly, “Do you understand my words?”

Xiao Rong lowered his eyelids and obediently nodded. “I understand.”

Then he turned and left.

Qu Yunmie’s heart skipped a beat. He reflexively chased after him. “Where are you going?!”

Xiao Rong looked back and smiled. “To do what a subordinate should. The King wants the Divine Herb, right? I will find it. Once I do, you no longer need to keep those two alive.”

Qu Yunmie opened his mouth, but Xiao Rong had already left. He stood still, unsure if he had lost or won this war. He didn’t want Xiao Rong to be angry but also didn’t want to compromise. Xiao Rong’s reaction made him uneasy—he couldn’t tell if Xiao Rong was happy or not.

Perhaps it was neither.

His mind was in turmoil. Qu Yunmie stayed quiet for a long time, only returning to his senses after a while.

He looked around and suddenly realized he was still in the Xianbei Emperor’s pleasure house.

Qu Yunmie: “…”

When he had been with Xiao Rong, he hadn’t paid much attention, but once Xiao Rong was gone, he found the place utterly disgusting.

He hurriedly left.

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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