Joy of Life

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Northern Qi Emperor was participating in Sigu Jian’s opening ceremony of the Sword Hut.

Although this was certainly Sigu Jian’s last appearance in the world, the Great Grandmaster had a highly venerated status. This ceremony would determine the future affiliation of Dongyi. For Northern Qi, it was very important. For the Northern Qi Emperor to come as a ruler, it was still an astonishing matter. Except, Fan Xian had guessed it long ago.

Behind the screen, he narrowed his eyes. Through the layers of silk, he looked at the young but shrewd Northern Qi Emperor. He knew Northern Qi attached great importance to Sigu Jian’s death, particularly since the Qing Kingdom was very powerful. If the Northern Qi people wanted to change the world, they had to make a forceful response.

The Northern Qi Emperor personally coming to convince Sigu Jian represented their absolute sincerity. For an Emperor to leave behind his country and quickly come to a foreign land, no one knew how much danger he faced. This act was truly overly courageous. Even though Fan Xian had long guessed the Northern Qi Emperor’s unusual action while in Yanjing, seeing him personally appear next to the Sword Hut still made him feel shock and admiration.

…

…

The Sword Hut’s mountain courtyard was quiet and secluded. There were countless Northern Qi aces hidden outside, as well as the Sword Hut’s defenses. No one seemed to have thought that in the center of the defenses, the Qing Kingdom’s Fan Xian, who worried the Northern Qi people the most, had already entered and was only steps away from their Emperor.

Given Fan Xian’s abilities, if he took the risk, he might actually be able to capture the Qi Emperor. Even if he could control the Qi Emperor, what problem would that resolve? Additionally, he had acutely sensed that there were countless aces lying in wait in this mountain courtyard. Outside this quiet and secluded room, there was a powerful person slowly approaching.

The footsteps stopped outside the room. Fan Xian lowered his head, furrowed his brows, and focused his senses. He still couldn’t get a grasp on the pattern of their breathing. From this detail, he could be certain that the newcomer was not inferior to him in martial ability, perhaps their internal control was even purer and more natural than his.

Other than the Northern Qi Emperor’s martial teacher, the first disciple of Tianyi Dao Sect, Sir Lang Tiao, who else could be at such a realm?

Behind the screen, Fan Xian’ eyelid twitched a little. His hand holding Si Lili’s hand unconsciously tightened. He suddenly felt that his situation was somewhat absurd. His plan today had been overly rash. If the Northern Qi Emperor had come to Dongyi in disguise, he would certainly have a terrifying defensive power at his side. How could everything go as he wished? Perhaps it was because he controlled the Northern Qi Emperor’s vital point that his actions had become crazy.

If Lang Tiao walked into the room, he would easily sense Si Lili’s breathing and render the eunuch’s guess pointless. Immediately after, he would discover Fan Xian’s presence.

He twisted his head and glanced at Si Lili. His eyes were probing and questioning. How could Si Lili now know what her foe was thinking? Her eyes turned and gave off a faint light as she glared angrily at him.

The Northern Qi Emperor was still resting outside. If he knew his favored fei was with that despicable pretty face and making eyes at each other not 10 steps from him, he would probably vomit blood and a green light would shine from his head.

Fan Xian laughed soundlessly. The corners of his lips pressed together. He blinked his eyes, which were full of a pleading expression. Si Lili gazed helplessly at the man. Countless ideas spun through her head. Her fingers twisted together nervously for a long time. Finally, she couldn’t help her heart softening. She agreed to the request in his eyes as she gave a soft sigh.

The Northern Qi Emperor had his brows tightly furrowed as he thought about something. Lang Tiao had just stopped outside the room and was about to make a report. The Northern Qi people thought that Lady Li was outside playing in the garden, so it should have been completely quiet inside the room. Unexpectedly, a sigh rang out.

Fan Xian’s brows trembled slightly.

Outside, the Northern Qi Emperor’s tightly locked brows suddenly relaxed. Opening both his eyes, he looked calmly at the screen.

Lang Tiao’s figure stopped outside the room. His shadow casted against the door.

Si Lili came out from behind the screen as she tied her skirt. Her flowing hair was in a slight mess. Her tender face was slightly red. Her eyes that could speak appeared slightly panicked, as if she had been doing something shameful.

Coldness flashed through the Northern Qi Emperor’s face. He said coldly, “So you are here. When the eunuch said you were in the garden earlier, why didn’t you make yourself known?”

When Si Lili faced the young Emperor, she was not joyful and cheerful like when she faced Fan Xian. She smiled with unusual naturalness and sat down in front of her dresser. She once again began to fix her appearance as she faced it. Casually, she said, “Sometimes, how could I make a sound?”

Hiding behind the screen, Fan Xian’s heart thumped. He didn’t know if the risk he had taken was right or not. If Si Lili was as he thought, these words carried a play on words. They numbed him slightly as they hit him.

The young Northern Qi Emperor laughed coldly and stood up. Standing behind Si Lili, he said, “Perhaps you’ve done something shameless that you don’t want me to know about?”

Hearing these words, Fan Xian, hiding in the back, couldn’t resist smiling awkwardly. Unexpectedly, immediately after, Si Lili turned her head back and rolled her eyes at the Emperor. Charmingly, she said, “Who told you to just come in? I was in the back. Of course, I couldn’t be seen. Unless, you want other people to see my…”

She left off at least two words. Fan Xian looked at the gold toilet beside him. He suddenly knew that Si Lili was going to say. Involuntarily, his heart jumped. He quietly thought that this previous female spy did indeed have some ability to stay cool under pressure.

The Northern Qi Emperor suddenly laughed. Looking at Si Lili’s beautiful face, his heart jumped. He leaned down to peck at her red lips. Indistinctly, he said, “I do not want your brilliant moon to be seen by other people.”

This kiss was very forceful. There were some teeth involved, which mingled their breaths for a long time until Si Lili became a bit out of breath. Only then did the Emperor reluctantly release her sweet tongue. There was suddenly a few flickers of desire on that handsome face.

Behind the screen, Fan Xian’s expression involuntarily became strange. Fortunately, his state of mind was very firm. He was able to control his breathing and rate of his heartbeat so that he wasn’t noticed by Lang Tiao outside the room. When he saw the Northern Qi Emperor reach his hand into Si Lili’s clothing and grasp that ball of soft silk and endlessly rub it, he finally couldn’t stop his face changing. With his eyes open wide, he didn’t want to miss a single second.

With great difficulty, this technicolor picture came to an end. The unusual amusements contained within it was enough for Fan Xian to recall it with great enjoyment.

Lang Tiao quietly said something outside the room. The desire completely disappeared from the Qi Emperor’s face. Leaning by Si Lili’s ear and muttering something, his face was full of irritation. Tidying his messy clothing, he walked out of the room.

…

…

After confirming the mountain residence was safe, Fan Xian walked out. Staring at Si Lili’s bright red and beautiful face dropping with vulgarity, a strange smile rose to the corners of his lips.

Si Lili glared at him without humor and said, “What are you smiling about?”

“I just saw a real-life erotic picture. Can I not even smile?” Fan Xian sat down by her side.

“Sir Fan junior, what exactly are you here to do?” Si Lili stared into his eyes. “Surely it’s not just to watch me and the Emperor be intimate, right?” For some reason, after saying these words, a sliver of embarrassment appeared on this Northern Qi Imperial Consort’s face.

Fan Xian acutely caught onto this. His heart jumped. He smiled slightly and said, “Originally, I had wanted to discuss some things in private with the Emperor. Unexpectedly, Sir Lang Tiao refused to move a single inch and also shared my interest of eavesdropping. It was impossible for me to talk privately with the Emperor. It looks like I’ll have to wait until the evening.”

“Evening?” Si Lili’s face paled in shock. “Are you going to stay in my room until evening?”

Fan Xian raised his eyebrows, “Can I not? You must know that I have actually never seen such amusing intimacy. After I’ve returned to the Qing Kingdom, I’ll use the pen name Cao Xueqin again to write a story about the secret goings-on in the boudoir of the Northern Qi Emperor. I’m sure it will sell even better than ‘Story of the Stone.’ Danbo Bookstore will make another mound of money. I’ll give you 20 percent. How about it?”

Si Lili smiled coldly and said, “Have you and the princess never been intimate?”

Fan Xian finally couldn’t resist laughing. Laughing broadly, he said, “The problem is that for the lesbian kind, this is truly my first time seeing it.”

“What is lesbian?” Si Lili opened her big eyes wide and asked with confusion.

Fan Xian reigned in his amusement and looked at her calmly. Word by word, he said, “I have long been curious, how does two women do it? Judging by the Emperor’s earlier mood, it seemed that he was indeed interested in your body. Could he be born with such an interest?”

Si Lili finally understood Fan Xian’s words. Her expression immediately became deathly pale. This was the great secret the Northern Qi Emperor had hidden for almost 20 years. After Master Ku He died, only a handful of people in the entire world knew. Suddenly hearing Fan Xian speak about it right now, it overwhelmed her with shock.

“Are there eternal secrets in this world?” Fan Xian sniffed and smelled the faint scent of golden osmanthus in the room. Looking at Si Lili, he quietly said, “When it comes to me, the three of you have manipulated me for some time. Were you never worried that I would guess this secret and then use it to threaten you all?”

It was impossible to eliminate the shock in Si Lili’s heart. She only looked at Fan Xian’s without speaking. She completely missed what he was talking about.

Seeing her fear and shock, Fan Xian comforted her in an even voice. “What does this have to do with you? Why are you so scared? I am just curious as to why earlier you didn’t reveal I was in the room when Lang Tiao was outside the room.”

Si Lili was silent for a long time before she gradually digested the shock in her heart. Lowering her head and biting her lip, she said, “The Emperor and I were in the room, I know how you work. Before Sir Lang Tiao could even enter the room, you could have killed both of us.”

Fan Xian looked at her and shook his head. Seriously, he said, “You know that this isn’t the reason. No matter what, I am grateful to you.”

Si Lili suddenly raised her head and looked at Fan Xian. “There is no need to thank me, it should be me who is thanking you. You saved my life once on the road to the North. Later, you also saved my younger brother’s life. During these years, I’ve been in the Northern Qi’s Palace, but you have never tried to control me. No matter what, I cannot watch you be killed by others.”

Her tone grew heavier. “Of course, I will also not allow you to harm the Emperor.”

“You are wrong about one point,” Fan Xian said. “You are only an Imperial Consort. If I truly wanted to hurt your Emperor, you wouldn’t be able to stop me.”

He suddenly shook his head and sighed. “In the blink of an eye, years have passed. I have no idea how you are doing in Shangjing.”

Fan Xian’s and Si Lili’s relationship was complicated. It was impossible to explain it in a few sentences. However, Si Lili was correct. Fan Xian and Si Lili made a deal in secret. He helped her enter the Palace, but he had never tried to control her.

“Although no one knows of the agreement between us, since you have helped me achieve my vengeance, I will do everything in my power to help you.” Si Lili’s expression suddenly became solemn. Standing up, she bowed toward Fan Xian.

It seemed that in this life, Fan Xian was endlessly making all kinds of agreements with different women. Yan Bingyun had said that he conquered the world through conquering women. This was not a mockery. It was the solid truth.

The year they rode North through the spring scenery, Fan Xian had helped Si Lili undo the poison Chen Pingping had buried in her body. At the same time, he had promised her that, he would help her avenge her clan if he had the opportunity. Si Lili had also agreed to become his spy in the Northern Qi Royal Palace.

Si Lili was a descendant of the Qing Kingdom’s imperial family. However, her grandfather had been tragically killed in the battle for succession. Her parents had later died to the pursuit of the Qing court, which was why she had grown up in Northern Qi’s Shangjing.

The important military official who had betrayed Si Lili’s grandfather and successfully helped the previous Qing Emperor succeed to the throne was the old Qin master who had died to Fan Xian’s hand two years ago.

Regardless of why he had done it, Fan Xian had upheld his promise and helped Lili get her revenge. However, many years had passed. Si Lili was far away in the depths of the Northern Qi Palace. It was impossible for the Overwatch Council to control her. Fan Xian did not know if she remembered their agreement and would still help him.

Fortunately, the scene in the room earlier had already proven that Si Lili was willing to help Fan Xian, at least, under the condition that he did not harm the Northern Qi Emperor. Although Fan Xian was the man who best understood women’s thoughts in the world, in the end, he came from Mars and women came from Venus. He didn’t have a perfectly accurate grasp of Si Lili’s thoughts.

When Si Lili helped to conceal him earlier, it was not just in memory of him saving her life, or his righteousness in avenging her clan. There were some inexplicable emotions playing their part. This girl’s background was bizarre. She had once hidden under the identity of Jingdou’s foremost courtesan and performed intelligence gathering services for Northern Qi. The only person who had intimate contact with her, and could be said to get along swimmingly with her, was Fan Xian.

Particularly that moonlight night in the broken temple, the scent of golden osmanthus had washed over him on the large bed. Such complicated relations between men and women were usually of the physical kind. No one knew what exactly happened.

The way to a woman’s heart was a dark one. Who said that? Regardless, it did seem to make a certain sense. At least, Si Lili’s gaze on Fan Xian now was complicated enough to make one’s hackles rise.

Fan Xian was finally defeated by Si Lili’s indistinct gaze. How could he have forgotten the pleasure boats on Liujing River, the carriage by the Northern Sea, the broken down temple, the leaving pavilion, or this woman from many years ago? He had always thought she was not the same as other women in the world. She had a powerful control over her future, which was why he had unconsciously kept his distance. This indistinct gaze had finally made him understand. No matter how incredible a woman was, in the end, she was still a woman.

In Northern Qi’s Royal Palace, there wasn’t even a real man. Such loneliness was difficult for Si Lili to endure. Countless times, she had thought of Fan Xian’s fingertips, which had brought such ecstasy, and his gentle and chilling appearance. She dazedly thought of him for a number of years. Now, her thoughts had formed a demon.

Fan Xian was silent. Gently taking Si Lili’s hand, he looked at her eyes that could speak and smiled slightly.

Si Lili suddenly thought of something and smiled bitterly, “The Emperor is very good to me. I would like to ask a favor of you.”

“He wants to kill me. He has thought of it many times.” Fan Xian looked at Si Lili. “I am someone who must have their revenge. Since he has come to Dongyi seeking too much, I cannot deliver it to him with both hands. Regardless of how the Qing royal family has treated your family in the past, you are, after all, a Qing person. Surely you cannot watch as they join alliances and put pressure on the Qing Kingdom.”

“After my parents died, I never again thought of myself as a Qing person.” Si Lili slowly pulled her hand back from his. “I am just an ordinary and pitiful woman.”

Fan Xian was silent for a moment. He then said seriously, “That’s true. If I ask for your help on this matter, it doesn’t make sense emotionally. I just want to know how his discussions these two days with Sigu Jian in the Sword Hut have gone.”

The corners of Si Lili’s lips twitched up and she smiled. “You might not believe me if I tell you just how arrogant Sigu Jian has been. The Emperor has deigned to come himself. After entering the Sword Hut for two consecutive days, he hasn’t even seen the Great Grandmaster’s face.”

Fan Xian’s brows rose. He felt a great shock. Quietly, he wondered what was going with Sigu Jian. Even though the Northern Qi Emperor personally came, he still refused to see him. Even if Sigu Jian had used Thirteenth Wang to express part of his attitude, the Northern Qi Emperor’s arrival was clearly a weapon he could use to haggle.

…

…

In a corner of the mountain courtyard, Northern Qi and Sword Hut aces were hidden all around. In that patch of flowers and grass, the Northern Qi Emperor, who had been invited out by Lang Tiao, looked with a wooden expression toward the grass huts below the mountain. The corner of his eyes twitched slightly. It was as if he felt boundless anger toward Sigu Jian’s refusal to see him.

“Thirteenth Wang wants to charge into the Hut. It is clear he wants to help the Qing Kingdom’s Fan Xian give Sigu Jian a message,” Lang Tian quietly said. “Yun Zhilan’s people still have him blocked outside. Although the disciples of the Sword Hut lean toward our court, they still cannot kill Thirteenth Wang in broad daylight.”

“In my opinion, that person is Fan Xian,” the Northern Qi Emperor said quietly, closing his eyes.

Lang Tiao’s brows furrowed slightly. He knew Fan Xian was not someone to meddle with. If the Commander of the Brocade Guard, Wei Hua, had not been able to delay the Qing diplomatic group and allowed Fan Xian to arrive in Dongyi ahead of time, he might actually have the ability to destroy the Emperor’s plan.

“Sigu Jian’s attitude is overly ambiguous and unclear. I still cannot guess what he is thinking.” The Northern Qi Emperor suddenly opened his eyes. Coldness flashed through them. “There will certainly be a major battle between my court and the Qing Kingdom. If Fan Xian dies, the Qing Emperor will send out his army in anger. In that case, Dongyi will have to fall toward us.”

“If a great battle starts, how will we clean it up?” Lang Tian furrowed his brows and asked. “Even if Fan Xian dies in Dongyi, the Qing Emperor will certainly hold us accountable for it.”

“What if Fan Xian doesn’t die?” The Northern Qi Emperor’s gaze suddenly became perplexed. “Could he stop the battle from happening? I know the Qi Kingdom is not yet ready, and I should not provoke the Qing court. If I don’t make a move, Dongyi will certainly be swallowed up by the Qing Kingdom. At that time, the Qi Kingdom will be even weaker. We will never be able to rise again.”

Although the Northern Qi Emperor was young, he planned for every possibility. Coldly, he said, “I had once depended on Fan Xian. Later, I thought about it carefully. Those not of my clan are certain to have different intentions. In the end, he is the illegitimate son of the Qing Emperor. How could he think for Qi Kingdom? Particularly during these few years, I have been watching him closely. Regardless of what he was thinking concerning Dingzhou, I can at least confirm that he is still not a match for the Qing Emperor. It is impossible for him to influence the Emperor’s ambitions.”

Lang Tiao fell silent. When it came to the Dingzhou and Qing Zhou matter, as the present leader of Tianyi Dao, he knew what had happened. Many disciples from Qing Mountain had died at the hands of Fan Xian’s Overwatch Council. A moment later, he said in a quiet voice, “I wonder what Duoduo thinks.”

A sliver of confusion flashed through the young Emperor’s eyes. “If she was in my position, she would probably also kill Fan Xian.”

The eunuch with the sharp voice suddenly came toward them with small steps. Hurrying to their side, he lowered his voice and reported, “The order has already been sent to Imperial Consort Li for her to come to the garden. The room is already empty.”

“Friar He and good fighters from the Sword Hut are each hidden in their positions. They are ready to attack at any moment.” The eunuch’s voice trembled as he spoke. Presumably, he had been scared heavily when he entered the room earlier to give Si Lili the edict.

Lang Tiao closed his eyes. When he opened them, a radiance show that was soon restrained. Slowly, he said, “I am going.”

The Northern Qi Emperor inclined his head slightly. He knew that if the person in the room was actually Fan Xian, without Lang Tiao personally taking action, Friar He and the warriors from the Sword Hut might not be able to keep him there.

Lang Tiao headed toward the room. The Northern Qi Emperor stood by the door to the mountain residence and looked at the grass huts in the distance with slightly narrowed eyes. Countless complicated emotions flashed through his eyes. As an Emperor, there were many things he had no choice but to do. Even if he had to be ruthless, often he had to be ruthless to himself first.

Si Lili had been led to him by the eunuch. Standing behind him, she glanced at the Emperor’s figure with slight confusion.

The Northern Qi Emperor slowly turned around and looked at his favorite woman with a slight smile. He thought that if Lili’s tongue had not been slightly tart earlier, and if there hadn’t been traces of embarrassment in the quiet room he had not seen in a long time, he probably would not have guessed that the kid would have been so bold as to infiltrate the mountain residence.

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