NOVEL WEB It was the first time that she had heard Lu Yuebai from the Empress Dowager. What did he have to do with her mother? Was he the spy of Dark Night Empire?
Qing Ying shook her head and said, “I have never heard of this guy before. You’d better be careful.”
“I know. I’ll take care.”
Qing Ying continued, “Why are you seeking him? Is it for General Han?”
“Yes. I’ll write to my mother and ask her to tell my brother to make a decree to recall them back in advance.”
“…But I think that General Han can protect you. If he goes back to Cold Night Empire, you’ll be alone without any support.”
“I have never expected anyone to help me.” Mu Qianhua smiled and squinted at Qing Ying, “And I’m not alone. You are always by my side.”
Hearing this, Qing Ying was highly motivated and replied, “Your Highness, I’ll stay with you forever.”
After asking about in the south of the city, they finally came to Yibai Store, where Lu Yuebai was. Calm as she was, Mu Qianhua still felt so embarrassed. She seemed to understand why people looked quite strange when they asked about this store.
To their surprise, Lu Yuebai opened a coffin store in the most bustling street in the south of this city!
Seeing the dim light and coffins which were made by Phoebe nanmu stacked inside, Qing Ying twitched her mouth and asked, “Do…Do we have to go inside?”
She thought it was ominous.
Mu Qianhua plucked up her courage and said, “What are you afraid of? It is just a coffin store.”
She took a grip on herself and walked in with Qing Ying. As soon as she pushed the unlocked door, the cold wind was blowing on her face. She could not help shivering when she saw the furnishings of the store. It was more like a haunted house!
“Well, it is really creepy…” Qing Ying kept her long sword around the waist in her hand.
“Is the owner Lu here?” Mu Qianhua looked inside.
“Are you looking for me?” Suddenly, an effeminate voice came behind her.
They immediately looked back. There appeared a man in white holding up an oil lamp. In the dim light, the man’s face looked pale but between the inner edges of his eyebrows it was black; his eyes were set deep in the sockets, and his mouth looked purple. And it was far more frightening when he smiled.
“We have coffins made by phoebe nanmu, willow, and catalpa. And the sandalwood coffins are new arrivals. What kind of coffin do you want?”
Mu Qianhua’s face turned totally pale. At that moment, Qing Ying drew the sword and thrust it to his throat, “Who are you?”
Seeing this, the man smiled awkwardly, “Calm down. No need to resort to violence here. I’m Lu Yuebai, the owner of this coffin shop.”
“Really?” Mu Qianhua exclaimed and looked at him attentively. It was incredible that the Empress Dowager knew this guy.
Lu Yuebai pointed at the sword and said, “If you don’t mind, please put the sword down. Let’s talk about it. I can give you a discount…”
With a nod of Mu Qianhua, Qing Ying put down her sword.
“Mr. Lu, we’re nothere for coffins.” Mu Qianhua said.
Putting down the oil lamp, Lu Yuebai looked at them in surprise and asked, “Then why are you here? Or, are you interested in me?”
Mu Qianhua was choked speechless and soon took off her veil, “Actually, my mother is Feng Xiaopan.”
Hearing this, Lu Yuebai looked at her seriously and asked, “Are you… Princess Wude, Mu Qianhua?”
“That’s right.” Mu Qianhua replied, “Before I left off the Cold Night Empire, my mother told me to come to see you if I needed help. Are you an old friend of my mother?”
Lu Yuebai said with a grin, which made him even more terrifying, “Not really. I just owe her a favor. Half a month ago, I got a letter from the Empress Dowager. So, as long as you come to me, I will do my best to help you.”
Mu Qianhua drew out a note from her sleeve, “Today, I am here to ask for your help. I hope you can have this letter sent to Cold Night Empire.”
Lu Yuebai took it and said, “Your Highness, you can count on me. Empress Dowager will receive the letter soon.”
“That’s all right.” She stood up and walked to the door.
“Hold on.” Lu Yuebai stopped her, “Recently, I’ve heard lots of rumors about you. And Princess Chaoyang of Qingping Mansion even said that you were good for nothing. Why don’t you do something to dispel these rumors?”
With a faint smile on her face, Mu Qianhua turned around and replied, “Do I have to bite back if I was bit by a dog?”
Then she left off the coffin store with Qing Ying.
In the dim-lit workshop, Lu Yuebai seemed lost in thought, and a faint smile flickered across his face as he recalled Mu Qianhua’s words.
What an interesting girl…
When Mu Qianhua got back to Qian Jin Restaurant with Qing Ying, it was well past the time for dinner. One of the waiters told her that Dongfang Lingyun had been waiting for her with his servants for a whole day in the VIP room.
Mu Qianhua was surprised and asked, “Is he still here?”
The waiter replied, “…You’d better go upstairs and have a look.”
Mu Qianhua nodded and went to the second floor with Qing Ying.
Opening the door, she saw Dongfang Lingyun sitting in the room with three empty plates of sunflower seeds set aside. And a man in black stood behind him with a sword. “Why are you here? You cannot stay overnight in Qian Jin Restaurant.” Mu Qianhua asked.
Seeing Mu Qianhua, Dongfang Lingyun pretended not to worry about her safety, but to put on a poker face as before. “Can’t I just eat some seeds here?”
“Sure, you can.” Mu Qianhua found that he was adorable at that time and said, “You are the guest. You can eat as many as you want.”
Dongfang Lingyun was satisfied with her concession and smiled smugly. The corners of his mouth were aching, however, because he had eaten too many seeds.
Seeing his swollen mouth and the empty plates, Mu Qianhua could not help laughing out loudly, and so did Xuesha and Qing Ying.
Dongfang Lingyun felt furious and pulled a long face.
Mu Qianhua commanded at the waiters outside, “Serve a pot of chrysanthemum tea to General!”
“No, thanks!” Dongfang Lingyun stood up and stepped to the door. And Xuesha kept up with him.
“Thanks for your coming,” replied Mu Qianhua, and she felt she was in such a good mood.
Suddenly, a note was put onto her hands. Dongfang Lingyun kept walking, saying, “Please come to Bibo Lake tomorrow. If you don’t show up, I will come and pick you up.”
Then, he left off Qian Jin Restaurant.
With the note in her hands, Mu Qianhua got confused.
“Will you go there tomorrow?” Qing Ying looked at her.
Mu Qianhua nodded reluctantly, “I don’t have any choice but to do as he commands.”
The next day.
It was a refreshing day with magnolia liliiflora blossoming for the first time by the Bibo Lake side. In a pavilion near the lake, Dongfang Lingyun in a dark purple silk robe was enjoying pu’er tea beside the stone table. Xuesha held the sword and stood behind him, glancing at him blankly from time to time.
It was quite strange that the general arrived in advance and waited for Mu Qianhua. And it was rather more confusing that he felt pretty good.
Several minutes later, a carriage coming from the city stopped at the lakeside. A lady in a half mask jumped out and lifted the curtain for her master.
Then, Mu Qianhua stepped out of the carriage. She wore a gauze dress in light cyan, which had colorful butterflies on the hem. When the sun shined on her, the butterflies seemed to be alive. With an emerald ring decorated on her forehead, she seemed more mysterious with the fair skin. At that time, she jumped lightly without any affectation. And it made her more attractive.
In the pavilion, Dongfang Lingyun was enchanted by her when she got off the carriage. However, when he saw the infatuation on Xuesha’s face, he felt unpleasant.
“Your eyes were popping out of your head. Do you need me to hold your eyes for you?”
With a tremor, Xuesha casted his eyes away immediately.
Mu Qianhua stepped into the pavilion with Qing Ying and bowed to the general for greeting.
“Don’t bother for that.”
Mu Qianhua stood up. As the Princess Wude, she didn’t have to bow to him. But now, she was the owner of Qian Jin restaurant, and she had to bow to him.
She glanced at his pu’er tea and said meditatively, “It seems that you are still in fury. Well, this kind of tea has a good effect on reducing your pathogenic fire.”
Her words reminded him of what had happened in Qian Jin Restaurant yesterday, which made him more furious.
“Come on. Don’t be angry.” Mu Qianhua found that she had a sharp tongue before him.
Not surprisingly, Dongfang Lingyun seemed to be going mad. “Why are we here today?” She asked.
Dongfang Lingyun cleared his throat and pointed at a cruise ship by the lakeside, “What a nice day! Since you always stay at Qian Jin Restaurant for business, I want to go around the lake with you today.”
Hearing this, Mu Qianhua got surprised for there was no mention of what they would do in the note. She thought it was for business instead of for fun.
Since Dongfang Lingyun was the General of Dark Night Empire while she was just the owner of Qian Jin Restaurant, she had no choice but to accept his invitation.
She bowed to him slightly, “All as you command.”
Dongfang Lingyun stood up and took them to the cruise ship, saying to Xuesha, “You stay here.”
“Yes, sir.” Xuesha replied and took a step back.