Chapter 113: Harbinger of Disaster
Translated by: iris.knight
Xie Zang greeted her with a smile: "Waiting for me, kitten?"
"Um...not entirely." Gu Qingyu shook her head. "I want to help him."
Xie Zang was stunned. "You...you've recovered your memories?"
"Yeah." Gu Qingyu nodded with a sigh, "Keeping up the act was so tiring..."
In fact, when she saw Ye Jin, she almost slipped. She wanted to run up to him, wrap her arms around his neck, and just tell him how much she missed him. But if she does that, Mo Bai would probably go beyond the point of return. She wants to help Mo Bai, but with how sharp he can be, she was worried that she may not be able to pull the wool before his eyes.
"Seeing Ye Jin prompted your memory to come back?" Xie Zang watched her curiously.
Gu Qingyu shook her head frankly. "No, it's Qi Wan..."
"That's unexpected." Xie Zang ticked the corner of his lips. "It seems like the bond between the two of you is more than things appeared. Something else might be at work."
"Perhaps." Gu Qingyu smiled, "Xie Zang, do me a favour."
"Are you asking me to make Ye Jin wait?" Xie Zang smiled and shook his head. "No way, kitten. You of all people should know why."
"No," Surprisingly, Gu Qingyu shook her head. "Mo Bai is going to head to the frontlines of the battle soon. Before that, I need to know who's here."
"Oh, everyone's here." Xie Zang counted, "The emperor of Beiying is in the north, Xiqian's Prime Minister is in the west, and Dongxuan's stone cold battle god is fighting in the east. Ye sent out all of his assassins. In light of our friendship, Xieli Castle is going to support the siege as well. This battle even brought out some unexpected forces. All in all, I doubt Nanyou is going to survive this. You are truly a harbinger of disaster, kitten."
Harbinger of Disaster?
Gu Qingyu tried to loosen her knitted brows. "Hey, I didn't have a say in this! It's not like I have a choice! Why did you guys go all out anyway?"
"What are you talking about? Kitten, do you have any idea how everyone freaked out when you got taken away? They are all worried about you. Qi Wan brought out all the troops that he had planted everywhere. Qi Yichen basically exposed his own fake death and went back to being the Prime Minister just to be able to move his soldiers. Xiao Qi? She scaled that snowy mountain all on her own and went back to Beiying to persuade her brother to help, not that it took much persuasion. Bei Cheng showed up in person. And Duke Murong, who managed to change his icy reputation thanks to you, risked his own chances at the fight for the throne and waged war against Nanyou without any explanation. Meanwhile, Ye Jin basically revealed all of Ye's power to the world. Kitten, this is the greatest war the world has ever seen in a millennia!"
Gu Qingyu rubbed her red, puffy eyes. "Alright, this battle started because of me, I will do everything to end this."
"Alright, kitten, what are your plans?" Xie Zang hooked his lips with interest, "Ah, by the way, the people in Xieli Castle are also on their way to help. Is that going to help you?"
"No, not helping actually." Gu Qingyu commented bluntly.
Xie Zang pouted. "Oof, harsh. It's like you dumped a bucket of ice water over my head."
"At least it's ice water, what if it's boiling water instead?" Gu Qingyu rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop it, we don't have time. Our top priority is to stop this as soon as possible."
"Oh? Stop the great war?" Xie Zang raised an eyebrow. "And just how do you plan to do that? All of them are out on the battlefield right now, trying to rescue you. I'm the only one with any time on my hands."
"Just tell them I'm okay, I'll find a way out..." Gu Qingyu said, and she stopped. Of course that's not going to work. If it had been anyone else who got kidnapped, she would be risking life and limb to save that person. And she would not stop until she sees that person safe and sound.
"What's the matter, kitten? Keep going, what's next?" Xie Zang signaled her to carry on with a serious nod.
"No, no." She changed her mind. "Since things have gotten to this point, let them in."
Xie Zang smiled. "Let them in? So, you mean to let them come to you?"
Gu Qingyu shook her head, she had made up her mind. "No, I'll go to them."
After Xie Zang left, Gu Qingyu stared at the ornament headpiece on the table as her mind wandered. She's surrounded by jewellery and gold, but her chest still feels empty and hollow, as if something was missing.
What's missing?
Then it clicked. The Lifeblood Jewel of Destiny! The Lifeblood Jewel of Destiny was in Mo Bai's hands, and Yan Zun was also sealed by him. So much time has passed, god knows what happened to Master. Now is the best time to look for it!
With a new goal established, she got up and left the room.
I have do this, and I have to do this myself.
The maid outside the door looked down and immediately knelt down. "Your majesty! Is there anything your servant can do? Please, let your servant serve you."
That maid reminded Gu Qingyu of someone. The first person she met when she came here, and the only one who really helped her. But she died in the end. She wanted to use her own blood to snap Mo Bai back to his senses, but it didn't work.
Gu Qingyu clenched her fist. Xiao Qin, let me finish what you've started. I will snap him back to his senses, and wake up the real Mo Bai.
Gu Qingyu looked at the darkening sky and replied indifferently. "I'm hungry, I want to eat something!"
"Your servant will bring it to you!" the maid said immediately.
"No, I'll go get it myself." Gu Qingyu looked at her. "Please get up, where's Mo Bai anyway?"
"The emperor, he's...in the Imperial Study..."
Gu Qingyu nodded and walked forward. The maid tried to keep up with her, but Gu Qingyu stopped her. "It's fine, go get some rest. I'll go find him on my own."
"Yes, your majesty!" The maid bowed.
"Oh yeah, call me Miss or Qingyu," Gu Qingyu turned back and smiled, "Your majesty is way too serious for me, I can't get used to it at all. Also, what's your name?" Oh please, if Ye Jin finds out that they're calling me Mo Bai's empress, he'll go into another fit of jealousy.
"Yes! Your servant is called Tsing Yi!" Tsing Yi did not dare to disobey the would-be empress and immediately lowered her head. Gu Qingyu smiled with satisfaction and left.
Walking along the path all the way to Imperial Study, Gu Qingyu could hear the rustling of pages. He was hard at work.
Mo Bai called out to her, as though he heard her footsteps. "Yu'er? Come in."
Gu Qingyu no longer hesitated, gently opened the door and stepped into the Imperial Study.
Sure enough, Mo Bai was still dressed in the dragon robe. He was seated behind a desk, reports piled in front of him. There was a man standing beside him, he appeared to be the chief eunuch. When the chief eunuch saw Gu Qingyu, he immediately knelt down. "Good evening, your majesty."
Gu Qingyu winced. Why does it feel like everyone is more scared to see her than Mo Bai? Am I that terrifying?
"Get up, and you don't have to do this in the future." Gu Qingyu gave him a smile.
Meanwhile, Mo Bai looked up from the pile of reports and pointed to the chair beside him. "Yu'er, have a seat."
"Okay." Gu Qingyu nodded and sat down, her eyes remained on Mo Bai as she observed him with curiosity.
"Yu'er, are you interested in this?" Mo Bai seemed to have read her mind. "If you're bored, feel free to take a look."
The chief eunuch's eyes grew so wide, they were about to pop out of his skull. Your Majesty! These are the reports from your ministers! All of them are classified information about the state! Is it truly wise to hand them to the empress for her to kill time?
Gu Qingyu had the same idea and shook her head. "No need, I'll just sit here."
"Yu'er, I will head out to battle tomorrow." Mo Bai smiled, "Wait for me, I'll be back."
"Can I..." Gu Qingyu hesitated and finally said, "Can I come with you?"
Mo Bai froze for a moment. It seemed that he finally realised that because he made her lose her memories, he was truly the only person that mattered in Gu Qingyu's eyes. Yeah, isn't that what he wants? It's just... does such love really belong to him? Is this what he truly wanted from her?
"Of course." Mo Bai raised the corner of his lips. "Yu'er, you can do whatever you want."
The chief eunuch beside him could tear out his hair. Your majesties! Your servant is still here!
"Oh, don't mind me, do what you have to do. I'll just stay here." Gu Qingyu said as she swung her legs.
Mo Bai smiled and nodded. "Okay."
Gu Qingyu then relaxed into her chair and closed her eyes, as she was going to sleep. Mo Bai also lowered his head and continued to examine his reports. From time to time he looked up and looked at Gu Qingyu, a warm smile remained on his face. Gu Qingyu quietly opened up her senses and searched for the Lifeblood Jewel of Destiny. Technically, she was the owner of the Lifeblood Jewel of Destiny, so she should be able to sense it...right? But this was more dangerous than it looks. If Mo Bai caught on and realised what she was up to, it would be game over. She did not expect Mo Bai to let down his guard so much around her, not a single wall was up around him.
Gu Qingyu used her senses to scan the room, there was a faint pulse of energy from Mo Bai.
It was so faint that she almost missed it, but it was really from the Lifeblood Jewel of Destiny. The energy must have become so faint because of the seal.
Gu Qingyu's heart could pop out of her chest.
Master! Isn't he super powerful? Why did he get sealed? Goodness, I really need to have a word with him once I get him out.
For some reason, a lump formed in her throat.
To see someone so powerful, practically peerless, being sealed up by someone who he thought to be so much more weaker than him. He's stuck in a normal rock, and has to rely on others to free himself. How do you even begin to process this loss of dignity and pride?