The Slender Waist-Chapter 399 - 287: Regret Not Having More Years

The bloodstains on the wooden steps of the watchtower had been cleaned.

The Tibetan monk had a piece of green cloth draped over the platform. Underneath, an incense table was set up, and except for the monk’s disciples, the watching crowd was kept at least nine yards away by the Imperial Guards...

Exclamations of shock were continuous.

Every time Master Garu lifted the green cloth, the person who appeared on the platform was different—changing clothes, faces, and even genders. This spell, akin to spirit mediumship, made onlookers’ hair stand on end, their skins dripping with cold sweat.

"Could there really be an evil spirit?"

"Changing form with each appearance, it must be an evil spirit without a doubt."

"Could it be that we must see ninety-nine changes before its true form is revealed?"

"The Tibetan monk is truly remarkable. Never have I seen such powerful magic at an ordinary ritual..."

"Thinking that the chamber has such filth, I feel terribly uncomfortable."

The spectators were murmuring amongst themselves; Ao Qi walked along the watchtower for a while and noticed that more people were coming to watch, but Feng Yun was absent from the crowd.

His anxiety mounting, as soon as he spotted Ge Guang, he rushed over and grasped his arm.

"Where is the lady?"

Ge Guang was startled by him.

The tight grip on his arm and Ao Qi’s absent voice left him puzzled.

"The Tibetan monk said the evil spirit’s origin is unknown, a fiend from who knows where. Moreover, it’s unknown whether it was brought here by the Empress Dowager or the lady. Both must go up to the watchtower to force the evil spirit to reveal itself. The Empress Dowager just came down, so they called the lady up again..."

Ao Qi narrowed his eyes, "Are you saying the lady is on the watchtower right now?"

"Yes," Ge Guang nodded.

Ao Qi’s expression immediately changed, "Then why can I not see her?"

Ge Guang glanced at him and accompanied him to look for her.

A large green cloth covered the watchtower. From below, it was nearly impossible to see the whole picture. Ge Guang stood on tiptoes, stretched his neck for a while, scratching his head.

"She was just there a moment ago. Has she already left? I’ll go ask."

Not good! Ao Qi, watching the expressionless Tibetan monk, felt a bad premonition rising within him.

He went with Ge Guang to ask for the person, but the monk’s disciples blocked their way, insisting that Feng Yun had already left. Yet, they had searched the entire chamber and found no one.

With youthful fervor, Ao Qi, anxious, recklessly surrounded the watchtower with his troops.

The monk’s disciples, seeing his aggressive approach, asked their Master, allowing him to go in and search for the person.

In a place as small as the palm of a hand, there was nowhere to hide a person.

Not only was Feng Yun not inside, but her two guards, Daman and Xiaoman, were also missing.

How could living people vanish into thin air under the watchful eyes of the crowd?

The crowd, only half in the know, erupted into commotion.

"Something’s happened."

"The General’s wife is missing."

"Could she have been taken by the evil spirit?"

"Follow me!" Ao Qi clenched his teeth with force, his voice bursting through his clenched jaws.

From the very start, he did not believe Xiao Cheng had any good intentions in offering to catch demons. Now, unable to find Feng Yun, he almost subconsciously felt the matter related to Xiao Cheng.

"We’re going to demand people from the Qi Emperor." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Xiao Cheng was sitting in the small hall, drinking tea and enjoying songs and dances when Ao Qi rashly led his troops over. A group of Qi Army guards immediately blocked their way.

"What is this? This is where the Qi Emperor stays. Intruders will be killed."

Ao Qi scoffed, "If this were not where the Qi Emperor stays, I wouldn’t have come."

The guard’s confrontation irritated him, and he drew his sword in a flash, "Stand down!"

Youths are often unable to tolerate provocation. When the guard shouted, Ao Qi flew into a rage. His blood boiling, he drew his ring-head knife without a word and pointed it straight at the guard’s face.

"What if I don’t stand down?"

Armed confrontation often arises from an impulse of the moment.

The guard saw the Jin Army so aggressive, provoking trouble at the Emperor’s doorstep. He could not tolerate it, parrying Ao Qi’s ring-head knife and shoving his shoulder hard, cursing "Get lost!" But before he could finish speaking, Ao Qi had caught his arm.

Ao Qi’s strength was astounding, seizing the blade of the guard’s knife empt-handed, and in the next moment, he returned it...

The blade sank into the guard’s waist.

Fresh blood spurted, staining the ground.

Shouts erupted!

A group of Qi Army guards rushed forward, drawing their swords for the fight.

"Stop!"

A palace attendant pushed the door open, and there stood Xiao Cheng, hands behind his back.

His brow stern, his presence as imposing as a mountain, he exuded the grace of a nobleman without a hint of unrestraint, yet utterly coercive.

He glanced at the blood on the ground and the guard groaning within the pool of blood, then turned a sidelong look at Xuchi.

"Take him away for treatment."

Xuchi hesitated for a moment before responding in the affirmative.

Seeing this situation, the guards’ eyes reddened and they knelt to plead.

"Your Majesty, the Jin Army has gone too far. We earnestly request that Your Majesty..."

Xiao Cheng interrupted them, "I have my own judgment. Stand down."

The guards responded in unison, "Yes."

Xiao Cheng slowly approached, stepping through the fresh blood, looking at Ao Qi, who resembled an angry young wolf cub. He slowly curved his lips, the serenity of his face only disrupted by the malevolent light in his eyes.

"General Ao, if he doesn’t die, that’s good. But if he does, you will have to pay with your life."

Ao Qi snorted coldly, yanked off his helmet, raised his chin and met his gaze directly, his voice bursting forth with impatient urgency.

"Unless you hand over Feng Shi Er Niang, not to mention his life, even your life, Qi Jun, might have to stay in Xinzhou."

Xiao Cheng then took a serious look at him.

Ao Qi previously faded into the background beside his uncle.

Now, standing there in a dark cyan general’s robe, his handsome face was stubborn and sharp. His black hair was fastened with an ebony hairpin, and his temples were flushed. Under his sword-like eyebrows were a pair of bright, clear eyes, and his high-bridged nose added to the youthful aura that ravaged the air, tinged with an untamed killing intent.

He was at the age where consequences mattered little to his actions.

Xiao Cheng suddenly smiled.

"General Ao is looking for your aunt?"

He said the word "aunt" with a taunting tone.

As expected, that one term was enough to make the young Ao Qi’s face subtly change.

A youth cannot withstand such a scrutinizing gaze.

Ao Qi’s face was full of rage, both embarrassed and annoyed, "Cut the crap, hand her over!"

Xiao Cheng looked at him unflinching, with a mocking smile, "General Ao’s aunt is not here with me."

He slowly turned to the side, allowing Ao Qi to see the wide-open gates.

"If General Ao does not trust me, he may come in and search."

"Your Majesty!" Jixiang was the first to panic, "This is not proper."

Even if he weren’t the Emperor, merely a common envoy from Qi Country, there was absolutely no reason to allow the Jin Army to search the premises.

Xiao Cheng, however, was entirely nonchalant, quite open.

"It’s fine. Here in my quarters, I have no secrets that cannot be shown. If it will allay General Ao’s concerns, why not?"

He extended his hand with a slight smile, "General Ao, please."

He locked eyes with Ao Qi.

Their gazes clashed in the air.

The flames in the young man’s eyes seemed to burn fiercely, as he struggled vehemently within.

He tried desperately to suppress his emotions, his grip on his sword grew tighter and tighter, but he did not take that one step forward.

He was not entirely ignorant as a warrior, reckless but sensible; to kill a guard could be considered a rash accident, at worst yielding an apology to Qi, but leading troops to search the dwelling of the Qi Emperor would be an insult to Qi Country. The two nations had just forged an alliance, and if he were to stir up trouble, the crime would be enormous.

Xiao San was so devious.

That door was not an offer of submission, but a soft knife handed to him, intended to push him into the abyss.

"I have offended you." Ao Qi glanced at the room, then turned with his men and left.

Jixiang watched the silent Xiao Cheng, snorting in anger.

"Your Majesty, how can you let him off so lightly?"

Xiao Cheng replied, "I can spare him, but the Jin Court cannot."

Jixiang and Ping’an looked at each other and both closed their mouths.

Xiao Cheng stood straight, his gaze calm as he looked into the distance, murmuring softly.

"Youth is wonderful."

To hate not the young, for they act without scheming.

-

The situation had descended into chaos, and the only lifeline Ao Qi could think of was Pei Jue. He

was returning with his men, just in time to catch Pei Jue in a rush to depart.

Pei Chong sat in his wheelchair with a cold expression, silent, while Lady Ao pulled on Pei Jue’s arm, whispering some persuasion.

"Uncle!" Ao Qi burst in, his eyes blazing with anger.

"She’s gone missing, and you’re still here entangled in this?"

Pei Jue’s lips pressed tightly together, staying silent as Lady Ao glared fiercely at him.

"Shut your mouth! It’s not your place to speak here, you brat."

Ao Qi retorted angrily, "Mother! Do you even understand what’s happening? It was Xiao Cheng’s men who performed sorcery at the lookout tower, stealthily took away my aunt, and then claimed it was the work of some evil spirit..."

"Hmm." Pei Jue responded gravely, forcefully pulling away from Lady Ao’s hand, "Take good care of father."

Before his voice had faded, he strode past Ao Qi and left with big steps.

Ao Qi stood dumbfounded, about to chase after him when a stern shout came from behind.

"Stop right there!"

Ao Qi’s spine stiffened instantly as he snapped to attention.

Slowly, he turned his head to look at the white-haired old man in the wheelchair.

"Grandfather..."

Pei Chong, a renowned general of his time, once fought valiantly against Xie Xian with his silver spear and white horse, earning immense merit for Dajin. The battle in Bingzhou not only led to the demise of the formidable Xie Family Army from Qi Country but also to the defeat and ruin of the legendary Xie Xian at his hands.

Pei Chong’s exploits were well-known throughout Jin Country and sung by many.

Ao Qi had always been intimidated by his grandfather, though Pei Chong was very kind to Ao Qi and hardly ever frowned at him. However, the innate repression that came from the bloodline made it impossible for him to act as boldly in front of Pei Chong as he did with his parents.

"Grandfather, I was wrong." He clenched his hands, using the old tactic of bowing his head to admit fault and seek forgiveness before making a request, "They schemed to take my aunt away, showing utter disrespect for the Pei and Ao families. I can’t swallow this indignity."

The anger in Pei Chong’s eyes subsided, and he looked at his young grandson much more tenderly.

"Leave it to your uncle to handle. Today, your impulsive actions nearly caused a disaster. Go and accept your punishment."

"I understand, Grandfather." Ao Qi bowed and suddenly lifted his drooping head, his eyes gleaming, "May I first retrieve my aunt before accepting the punishment."

Lady Ao was so furious she could smoke, wishing she could strangle this impertinent child herself.

"You worthless thing, are you not ashamed enough?"

Pei Chong looked on coldly, saying nothing.

Ao Qi’s eyes reddened as he knelt down.

"Grandfather, Mother, once we find her, I will accept any punishment without complaint. But to bow my head now... I won’t submit. Either you kill me, or let me behave recklessly."

Without waiting for Pei Chong to speak, Ao Qi knocked his head to the ground three times, then scrambled up and rushed out.