pdf-ebookys Chapter 380 Murong Qing
Chapter 380 Murong Qing
Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen stepped into the living room of their courtyard in the palace. They asked a maid to make tea and invited the man in the blue robe to sit on a chair to the side.
"Your Majesty, why have you been in the Southern Frontier for so long and still haven't left?" A cool, slightly mocking voice suddenly came from the man in the blue robe. The man in the blue robe was silhouetted against the sunlight, his figure lonely. His blue robe swayed gently in the wind, the jade pendant at his waist gleaming warmly in the dim light, and he carried a sachet, much like the one Dong Nanxi often carried. His every move exuded an indescribable air of nonchalance and detachment.
Gu Mochen paused slightly, his eyes instantly sharpening like an eagle's, his piercing gaze fixed on the man in the blue robe. Ye Qingchen instinctively tensed up, his hand already subtly resting on the hilt of his sword, radiating an aura of vigilance. "How do you know me?" Gu Mochen's voice was deep, carrying the authority and suspicion of a superior, echoing in the silent study.
The man in the blue robe smiled faintly, but his eyes held an unfathomable emotion. He tilted his head slightly, meeting Gu Mochen's gaze directly, and asked softly, "Who do I look like to you?" His voice seemed to hold a thousand words, yet he hesitated to speak.
Gu Mochen frowned, his gaze sweeping over the man in the blue robe. As his gaze deepened, his pupils suddenly contracted, a flicker of disbelief crossing his eyes. The person before him truly bore a resemblance to Gu Nanxi in his features—that familiar profile, that déjà vu expression—as if someone from his memories had suddenly appeared before him. "You look somewhat like Nanxi. Who exactly are you?" Gu Mochen's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, his words laced with barely concealed urgency.
The man in the blue robe sighed softly, his eyes filled with melancholy. His fingertips unconsciously caressed the jade pendant at his waist, as if recalling the past. "When the Dong family was wiped out," he began slowly, his voice low and hoarse, as if carrying the vicissitudes of time, "my father switched me with Gu Nanxi." His words were filled with helplessness and lament for his fate.
Memories flooded back, and Murong Qing's eyes became unfocused. Back then, he was just an innocent child, yet overnight, his life had been drastically altered. "Later, Gu Nanxi was fortunate enough to survive, and so was I," he continued. "At the time, I thought I was dead, lying in a courtyard filled with corpses, surrounded by deafening cries, my nose filled with the pungent smell of blood." His body trembled slightly as he spoke, as if he were transported back to that terrifying night.
"I waited for a long time. A huge fire broke out here, the flames soared into the sky and illuminated half the sky." Murong Qing's voice choked with sobs. "When I woke up, I couldn't get out of this courtyard. It was engulfed in flames. The fire was fierce, the heat was intense, and the thick smoke choked me so much that I couldn't breathe. I cried out in despair, but no one answered."
Just when he thought he was going to die, "at that moment, a man flew into the courtyard and took me away." A trace of gratitude flashed in Murong Qing's eyes. "He held me and weaved through the sea of fire, avoiding everyone. After we were safe, he told me that from now on I would no longer have the surname Dong, and my name would be Murong Qing."
"Murong Qing?" Gu Mochen suddenly chuckled, but his eyes held a chilling glint. He approached slowly, his black boots shattering the blue bricks on the ground, startling a few hidden rats. "Then how do you know I'm Gu Mochen?" Before he finished speaking, the pressure around him suddenly dropped, like a ferocious beast poised to pounce.
The young man looked up, moonlight falling on his pale face, his amber pupils sparkling with tiny starlight, as if holding the moonlight of the entire southern frontier. He brushed aside his wind-blown black hair, the South Sea pearl on his silver hair ornament swaying gently. "I actually wanted to see Gu Nanxi." His voice softened unconsciously as he spoke that name. "But I haven't been able to get in even after several days. Before, in Daxia, I also wanted to find him, but everyone said I looked like an assassin." Murong Qing sighed helplessly, his slender fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of hair. "How could someone as spirited as me look like an assassin?"
Ye Qingchen secretly rolled her eyes. The sunlight outlined Murong Qing's features; he wore a long, cyan robe, a gleaming sword hanging at his waist, and a poisoned silver hairpin, a unique feature of the Southern Frontier, tucked into his hair. His aloof, cold demeanor, the subtle killing intent in his every move—he looked every bit the assassin emerging from the shadows, not at all like someone visiting relatives.
Murong Qing seemed to sense something and suddenly turned to look in the direction where Ye Qingchen was hiding, startling the latter into stiffness. But he just smiled lightly and continued, "I have no ill intentions towards you. I just wanted to see my cousin." He paused, a hint of melancholy in his voice, "I know he is now the Prince Consort of Southern Xinjiang, and he is very busy with state affairs. I simply couldn't find the time to see him before."
Gu Mochen's gaze deepened as he rapidly processed the identity of the person before him. Although Gu Nanxi rarely spoke of the past, he knew his cousin had been stranded in the Southern Frontier after the family's tragedy. The person before him differed greatly from the child he remembered, yet bore a resemblance. "He's not busy now," Gu Mochen said, his figure flashing like a ghost as he approached, his palm gathering hidden strength, aiming directly for Murong Qing's face. "But I'd like to test my skills with you first."
Murong Qing remained calm, leaping backward with a light touch of his toes. As his robes fluttered, a short blade was drawn from his sheath. His movements were fluid and graceful, like dancing under the moon, yet the sword's edge carried a deadly arc, precisely parrying Gu Mochen's attacks. The two moved nimbly through the ruins, their moves sharp yet subtly controlled. Gu Mochen's swordplay was expansive and powerful, displaying the ferocity of a Great Xia warrior; Murong Qing's movements were light and graceful, revealing the unpredictable nature of Southern Frontier secret techniques.
"Clang—" The two weapons clashed, sparks flying. Murong Qing used the force to retreat, his wrist flicking as the short blade flashed with a silver flower: "Is this how the Emperor of Great Xia treats his guests?" His breathing quickened slightly, yet he maintained his elegant demeanor.
Gu Mochen sheathed his sword and stood there, his gaze sharp: "I'll have to test your strength here." He stared at Murong Qing, trying to find a flaw in her reaction.
Upon hearing this, Murong Qing sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully: "In that case, I hope Your Majesty will grant my request. My cousin and I have been separated since childhood, and I have been wandering around for many years. I have only one wish in my heart, which is to see him again." His voice was sincere and earnest, and a trace of sadness flashed in his eyes.
Gu Mochen gazed at Murong Qing, his doubts gradually dissipating. He recalled Gu Nanxi saying that his cousin was clever and quick-witted, but fate had played a cruel trick on him, causing him to die in his place. Unexpectedly, fate had also played a cruel trick, allowing them both to survive, but fate had separated them by vast distances. Perhaps, this young man before him truly was just here to find his relatives.
"Never mind." Gu Mochen sighed and let the palace maid in, saying to her, "Have Bai Yufei invite Consort Dong over, and tell him that an old friend is looking for him." The palace maid curtsied and left.