"Why are you all here joining the fun?"
Qing Wu swayed the lantern.
"Isn't it out of curiosity how Princess Consort you're going to help Madam Mu?" Situ Jing popped out from behind, his face full of eagerness. "Oh my, this lantern is really pretty, it just looks strangely familiar..."
Situ Jing blinked, subconsciously glancing at Xiao Chenyan.
He remembered that in the Northern Territory, Xiao Chenyan would make a lantern like this every year on a certain day, and it looked just like this one?
Coincidence?
"It's supposed to look familiar, didn't we have one like this hanging in this courtyard before?" Qing Wu said casually, glancing at Xiao Chenyan.
The Man's expression was calm, showing no ripples, as if he didn't care at all.
Qing Wu withdrew her gaze and quietly pouted.
"What's the use of this lantern?" Situ Jing was still curious; he really couldn't discern anything special about it.
"A soul-stabilizing lamp, for use on the Yin-Yang Road."
Situ Jing gasped.
"Princess Consort, you're going to take Madam Mu to walk the Yin Road to find her soul?"
Qing Wu hummed, not explaining further.
Walking the Yin Road was not uncommon for those in the Xuanmen sect; souls would leave their bodies and travel the path of the underworld, with many rules to strictly abide by.
But Qing Wu didn't need to follow these rules. The Yin-Yang Road she was taking Madam Mu on was a bit special.
"You've come at the right time. After the sun sets, I will take Madam Mu to walk the Yin Road to find her soul. There might be some uninvited guests at the Prince's Mansion tonight."
Qing Wu threw a talisman to Situ Jing. "You guard Wang Yulang. When the uninvited guests arrive, give this talisman to them."
"You'd better not... look."
Qing Wu spoke too late. Situ Jing had already looked. He immediately felt dizzy and disoriented, as if his soul was about to leave his body.
He quickly closed his eyes to calm himself, silently recited the soul-stabilizing incantation, and when he opened his eyes again, he dared not look further. He said in shock, "What is written on this talisman, Princess Consort?"
Not only could he not understand it, but the feeling of his soul being pulled away made his heart pound.
Qing Wu smiled and said, "It's a good item that can directly help living people reincarnate if they look at it for too long."
Situ Jing: "..." He suddenly felt his shoulders were heavy. Who were these uninvited guests?
Xiao Chenyan had remained silent. He had actually glimpsed that 'ghostly scribble' just now, but he didn't feel as strongly as Situ Jing.
Instead, he felt...
The things on the ghostly scribble gave him a sense of familiarity, as if he had seen them somewhere before.
What Qing Wu had written was an official document from the underworld. Ordinary people naturally wouldn't understand it, and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to withstand the ghostly aura within the text.
She glanced at Xiao Chenyan, suddenly exclaimed "Oh?", strode over to him, stood on tiptoe, and leaned in. She looked as if she was about to pounce and steal a kiss.
Xiao Chenyan didn't dodge. He simply raised his hand and pressed her down, as if pushing a gopher that had just popped its head back into its hole.
The scene was somewhat comical.
Situ Jing chuckled, then quickly hushed himself.
Xiao Chenyan felt the softness under his palm. He naturally but quickly withdrew his hand and asked before Qing Wu could react, "What are you doing?"
Qing Wu's teeth itched. She pulled him back, "Don't dodge, let me take a good look."
The Woman's aura forcefully collided with him again, unreasonably drilling into his chest cavity. Xiao Chenyan felt that sense of being forcefully invaded by her, and his heartstrings tightened.
He subconsciously clenched his fist, his deep phoenix eyes hiding turbulent emotions. He restrained himself, controlling himself from being tempted by her aura.
Qing Wu didn't notice his reaction. She was only carefully examining Xiao Chenyan's physiognomy and then calculated with her fingers. Her expression became strange.
Situ Jing noticed something amiss and leaned over to ask, "Is there anything unusual about His Highness's physiognomy today?" He couldn't figure it out.
"According to his physiognomy, your Prince will have an opportunity today." Qing Wu pursed her lips. "If he seizes it, he might receive unexpected fortune."
Xiao Chenyan raised an eyebrow.
Situ Jing subconsciously thought of the forty thousand taels of 'dowry' and the soldiers in the Northern Territory who were starving. He blurted out:
"Could it be that our Prince is going to back down tonight and prepare to serve the Princess Consort, and you, in a good mood, will reward him with hundreds of thousands of taels to spend as he pleases?"
Two killing intents attacked Situ Jing from both sides.
"To sleep with him for a night costs hundreds of thousands of taels. Is your Prince's flesh made of gold?"
"Nonsense! If you don't want your tongue, cut it off yourself!"
Qing Wu and Xiao Chenyan spoke at the same time. After speaking, their eyes met. The Man's gaze was cold and stern. "Princess Consort, rest assured, This King will not degenerate willingly for mere gold and silver."
Qing Wu snorted coldly, "You have backbone. Then don't take this opportunity, and let your soldiers drink the northwest wind."
Seeing that the person and the ghost were about to clash, Situ Jing quickly begged for mercy and muttered softly, "Princess Consort, your attitude towards our Prince wasn't like this before..."
Qing Wu snorted, "Stinking man, you can't spoil them!"
It was acceptable for Xiao Chenyan to wear a stern, cold, and hard face like an inkstone every day, always suspecting her, testing her, playing mind games, and giving her the cold shoulder.
Who didn't have a temper?
Moreover, she wasn't human, she was a ghost! After being a person for so long, she had already restrained her ghostly temper.
Situ Jing quickly gave his Prince a look, clasped his hands in supplication. "My Prince, for our brothers in the Northern Territory!"
Xiao Chenyan had never really coaxed anyone in his life, except for children.
He strode into the room and after a moment, came out with a brush. He took the lantern from Qing Wu's hand, touched the brush tip to the paper, and an iris flower bloomed on the lantern.
This iris flower was exactly the same as the one Qing Wu had drawn on the carriage shaft yesterday.
Her beautiful eyes lit up. She glanced at Xiao Chenyan, the corners of her lips curling up, and muttered, "Cliché."
After so many years, he still only knew old tricks to coax people.
She took back the lantern. "Let's get the unpleasantries out of the way first. Whether you can seize the opportunity depends on you. If it really brings wealth, I want thirty percent."
Xiao Chenyan glanced at her. "I'll give you fifty percent."
Qing Wu beamed with joy. "Your Highness is generous, truly a man!"
Situ Jing was dumbfounded. Although he didn't know how much the unexpected fortune was, he was already starting to feel sorry for his Prince.
My Prince, don't be so much of a man!
"Then tonight, for the walk on the Yin Road, Xiao Chenyan, you'll come with me."
Situ Jing came back to his senses, cold sweat streaming down his face. "Princess Consort, the opportunity and unexpected fortune you mentioned, could it be on the Yin-Yang Road? This, this, this, isn't this the wealth of the dead?"
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