Chapter 8: Unable to Understand the Beauty’s Feelings Under the Moon.

Having just been taken into the household, Xueya learned that Qian Junyou was going to find the Second Prince for fun. She had already removed her red wedding attire and changed into a thin, casual skirt.

“Mm, I’m fine now. It’s nothing serious. You can go.”

Once he had recovered, Qian Junyou glanced at Nalan Xueya, who was leaning over beside him with a hint of concern and worry on her face.

Her graceful, upright figure, full yet slender body, and the silver hair tied into a braid shimmered with a faint pink tint under the red moonlight. He couldn’t help but sigh. This “Qian Junyou” really had great fortune, but unfortunately, he wasn’t fated to enjoy it.

It had to be said that as long as he didn’t provoke her, Xueya usually treated Qian Junyou quite well. Perhaps it was simply out of obligation due to her position in the residence. Although Prince Rui treated her like his own daughter, her status was still that of a servant. If possible, he should find a way to build a good relationship with this “cold-blooded killer.”

“Are you not going to meet the Second Prince tonight?”

Xueya’s clear, bell-like voice sounded beside his ear once again.

“Mm, I’m not going.”

“Then tonight, let Xueya take care of you.”

The usually unsmiling Nalan Xueya seemed to show a faint smile on her face at this moment.

But no matter how Qian Junyou looked at it, he felt it was a cold smile carrying killing intent…

“N… no need! I’m a bit tired and want to rest alone…”

There was also the protagonist somewhere out there sharpening his blade. Qian Junyou felt another chill in his heart. What did the concubine taken by “Qian Junyou” have to do with him, “Qian Anhao”?

“Why not? Xueya can clearly help Young Master rest much better~”

As she spoke, Xueya slowly leaned her face closer, gently wrapping her arms around Qian Junyou’s neck. Her faint body fragrance warmed his nostrils. Looking at Xueya’s fair face, his heart began to waver.

Feeling a little carried away, Qian Junyou harshly pinched his own thigh. ‘Qian Anhao, get a hold of yourself! Your head is about to roll!’ Then he said with a trembling voice:

“N… no need! Looking at you, you should be preparing to cultivate, right? Go ahead. I’m still counting on hugging your thigh in the future!”

He didn’t know if it was because his head was still a little dizzy, but Qian Junyou directly blurted out what was in his mind. Xueya probably didn’t understand, right?

“Hm? Hug my thigh?”

Not quite understanding, Xueya tilted her head and thought for a moment. Then she took off her cloth shoes, lightly tiptoed, and flew onto Qian Junyou’s desk.

She turned around, and like descending stairs, slowly stepped one foot down onto the chair between Qian Junyou’s legs. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she revealed her snow-white thighs.

“Xue… Xueya? What are you doing?”

Still shaken, Qian Junyou’s entire body tensed up from Nalan Xueya’s series of actions. It took him great effort to swallow his saliva before asking.

Standing on the desk, Nalan Xueya’s face was slightly flushed, carrying a barely detectable smile. Her silver-white hair blocked the moonlight outside the window. She looked like a fairy descending to the mortal world, her fair, jade-like legs slender like willow branches, stepping between Qian Junyou’s legs.

That was how it should have been. But unfortunately, tonight was a blood moon. Paired with that cold smile, from Qian Junyou’s perspective, she looked like the “Hell Countess”…

The red moonlight outlined her slender yet vigorous figure. The faint chill in those scarlet pupils was definitely killing intent!

Because in the previous few loops he had never said the words “hug your thigh,” Xueya’s action truly frightened Qian Junyou badly. He wanted nothing more than to slap himself twice.

“Young Master… didn’t you say you wanted to hug your concubine’s thigh? Then…”

Knock knock knock—

Xueya seemed about to say something more, but this beautiful moment was suddenly interrupted by knocking at the door.

“Young Master, I’m back!”

It was Old He, who had been sent to investigate, returning. Qian Junyou quickly seized the chance to have Xueya step down, then directly invited Old He into the room.

After watching Xueya leave, he breathed a sigh of relief and thought: Next time he absolutely could not say the wrong thing in front of Xueya… He had nearly lost his life.

“Hahaha— Old He, you’ve really worked hard!”

Old He, his face blackened by smoke from the fire, walked in looking disheveled. Only his eyeballs and teeth remained white.

“Young Master, the village was built at the city gate, along the canal. I stayed on top of the city gate watching the whole time. I didn’t see anyone deliberately setting the fire, but the flames suddenly erupted from multiple places at once! By the time I rushed over, the entire village was already ablaze. There was no way to save it!”

“Built by the river? And it burned so fast? Did anyone escape?”

“I didn’t see anyone escape. The walls were made of wooden stakes and were completely burning! The scene was especially fierce! I’m afraid no one could have gotten out.”

After roughly understanding the situation, Qian Junyou let Old He go rest and planned to visit the scene himself the next day.

Outside the door, Nalan Xueya had not left for a long time. Her complicated gaze carried unease, doubt, and… killing intent.

After thinking for a moment, she revealed a relieved smile.

………………

………………

Early the next morning, Qian Junyou set off for the scene with Xueya in a carriage.

The gray, overcast sky stretched endlessly, blocking the bright sunlight. The entire world seemed covered with a layer of cold, desolate filter. Although summer had not passed long ago, it felt as if deep autumn had already arrived.

Since he had not inherited the original owner’s memories, to avoid awkwardness, Qian Junyou lied to Xueya and claimed he had lost his memory. This way, when he encountered things he didn’t know, he could hint for her to remind him.

Because he said the same thing to Xueya after every revival, his lines were already very familiar. As a sword cultivator, Nalan Xueya had changed into a light purple brocade robe with white gauze armor.

After arriving at the fire scene, the Ministry of Justice had already sealed off the area. The Court of Judicial Review and the Imperial Censorate had also sent people. Next should be the “Three Bureaus Joint Investigation.” This was enough to show how seriously the court took this case. The old emperor probably hadn’t slept well last night either.

The disaster victims’ camp had been built beside the river. Logically, putting out the fire shouldn’t have been difficult. Since it was outside the city, a circle of round wooden stakes had been erected to prevent demonic beast attacks.

From far away, one could see the circle of “wooden walls” burned black. The surrounding area was covered in scorched dry grass, looking as if it had been swept by bombers.

A slightly cool breeze carried the stench of burning, like the phosphorus and sulfur compounds lingering in the air after setting off firecrackers during the New Year.

‘Could it be because of this circle of wooden walls that the people inside couldn’t run out? That doesn’t make sense either…’

It was said that after the fire broke out, all 832 people inside had been burned to death. Not a single one escaped.

Before coming, Qian Junyou had been thinking about the cause the whole time. Terrain? Suffocation? Stampede? If it was immortal arts, array formations, or demonic techniques, then he would be helpless.

According to Old He, no one had deliberately set the fire, and the flames had spread extremely fast. If he could find the cause of the fire, at least he could help clear Bai Shuxi’s father of the “arson charge.”

After circling halfway around the outside, he planned to go inside for a look.

“Prince Heir, please wait. This is the scene of a disaster case. Without permission from the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, no one is allowed to enter. We are only following orders. Please forgive us.”

As soon as he reached the entrance, a sword-bearing guard came forward and stopped Qian Junyou. It seemed he recognized him.

He was turned away right at the door. He had originally wanted to test whether he had any talent for solving cases, but he was stumped right from the start.

If he couldn’t even get through the door, helping to solve the case was probably hopeless. He also didn’t know how familiar he was with the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

Perhaps he could slip the guard some silver to make things easier? But Qian Junyou, who had a slight case of social anxiety, didn’t know how to bring it up for a moment.

“Yo~ Isn’t this little brother Junyou? What brings you here today to have some fun?”

Just as Qian Junyou was at a loss, a light and charming young girl’s voice rang out.

A slender and graceful girl walked out from inside. She looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a petite, delicate build that was light and nimble.

Her clothes and temperament clearly marked her as a noble young lady, yet she wore a confident and bewitching smile. The corners of her eyes, shaped like red feathers, carried a trace of cunning and mockery, giving off an unfathomable feeling.

Why is there another new character… Qian Junyou felt a little panicked. Every time he met someone he didn’t recognize, he always felt like he was an impostor young prince…

He quickly turned his head and gave Xueya a look. Nalan Xueya understood immediately and sent him a “encrypted message” through divine sense:

“I don’t know him.”