Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 2(35)

Xie Lian didn’t know what it was for, but since Hua Cheng asked for his hand, he gave it to him. Hua Cheng’s hand had no warmth of life, but it was not freezing. He squeezed Xie Lian’s hand and held it for a bit, then smiled before turning it over and tossing two dice into his palm.

“Try it now.”

Xie Lian chanted mentally for sixes and rolled the dice. As they clattered to a stop, the dice indeed revealed two red sixes.

“What trick is this?” Xie Lian was amazed.

“No trick,” Hua Cheng replied. “I’ve simply lent gege a bit of luck.”

“So luck can be borrowed like spiritual power?” Xie Lian said in wonder.

Hua Cheng laughed. “Of course. Next time, if gege is going to make bets with anyone, come see me first. I’ll lend you as much luck as you want. I promise your opponent will suffer a loss so great he won’t make a comeback for a hundred years.”

The two played for a few dozen more rounds, and Xie Lian confirmed for himself that it was indeed so, before he stopped to say he was tired. Hua Cheng ordered for Lang Ying to be settled before personally escorting Xie Lian to the guest chamber.

Watching as that red silhouette slowly disappeared down the hall, Xie Lian closed the door, sat by the table, and used a hand to cover his forehead, bending as he supported his mind’s weight. The more thoughtful Hua Cheng was, the more guilty Xie Lian felt.

There is really nothing to criticize about the way San Lang treats me. Hopefully this case has nothing to do with him, and once the truth comes out, I’ll explain everything and apologize, Xie Lian thought.

He had only sat for a moment when he heard someone calling him from outside the door with a small voice.

“Your Highness… Your Highness… Your Highness the Crown Prince…”

Recognizing the voice, Xie Lian immediately rose to open the door, and the person waiting just outside leapt in. It was indeed Shi Qingxuan in her female form.

She was still dressed in that ghost lady getup: a dress of diaphanous silk, with her waist wrapped tight to a dainty width. The moment she leapt in, she rolled onto the ground in a heap and transformed back to a man, hand to his chest.

“I can’t breathe! I CAN’T BREATHE! My god, I’m going to be choked to death by this thing!”

Xie Lian closed the door behind him, and when he looked back, what he saw was a full-grown man in a wicked purple silk dress, lying on the ground and wildly ripping at his chest and waist bindings. Xie Lian couldn’t look and covered his eyes.

“Lord Wind Master…Lord Wind Master! Can’t you just change back to your Daoist robes?”

“Am I stupid?” Shi Qingxuan replied. “Walking around in the dark night in a conspicuous white robe, I’d be a target!”

But…in your current getup, on some level, you’re more of a target… Xie Lian thought.

Xie Lian crouched down next to him. “Lord Wind Master, how did you sneak in? Didn’t we agree to meet in three days?”

“Well, what was I to do?” Shi Qingxuan replied. “I asked around on the streets, and they all said Your Highness was sent to the Paradise Manor, and isn’t Paradise Manor the Ghost King’s lair? Even the name of the place sounded bad. I watched from afar and decided it was definitely an obscene and wanton place, so I was worried about you and expended tremendous effort to sneak in. What an unlucky journey this has been! Either I get dragged to facials by women and girls, or I have to swallow my honor to dress like this. I have never, ever made sacrifices this huge.”

But you’re obviously enjoying yourself… Xie Lian thought. “Where’s His Highness Tai Hua? I hope he doesn’t start anything else, with my lord having left him out there.”

Shi Qingxuan finally ripped through all the bindings, gathering breath at last, and sprawled across the ground like a puddle. “Don’t worry. I pulled rank and commanded him to not move a muscle, so there shouldn’t be any more issues. But seriously, Your Highness, you’re so lucky!”

“Huh?” Xie Lian gaped. “Me? Lucky?”

“Yeah!” Shi Qingxuan exclaimed. “Look how miserable Lang Qianqiu and I have been in Ghost City. We either get hung up with the threat of having our pants pulled down, or we wander the streets like stray dogs without a place willing to take us in. And here you are, eating well, drinking well, and there’s even a Ghost King keeping you company!”

…When he put it that way, it was indeed rather tragic. Shi Qingxuan finally pulled himself up from the floor.

“So, Your Highness, do you still remember our objective for coming to Ghost City?”

Xie Lian regained his composure and replied, “Of course I remember. Back at the Paradise Hall, I was preparing for our mission.”

Shi Qingxuan looked at him in confusion. “Really? What exactly did you prepare at the Paradise Hall? I only remember you playing around with Crimson Rain Sought Flower rolling dice. You guys weren’t even playing properly; you were feeling up his hands, and he was feeling up yours. What kind of new method was that?”

“…” Xie Lian explained himself, “Lord Wind Master, please don’t make it sound so questionable. We were only having a discussion. I’ve found some clues here in Paradise Manor and was investigating. To keep going, I needed a little luck.”

Xie Lian raised his right hand and curled it into a tight fist as if he had grabbed hold of something, his face set. “And I’ve gotten it.”