Clouds Drunk, Moon Slightly Sleeping

Chapter 11

"Huh? What did I do last night?" Oh my god, why don't I remember anything about it?

"You really want to know?" Mu Qinglin leaned closer again, blinking at me a few times.

This guy, even when he makes such a cute expression, he looks incredibly handsome. God is really unfair.

“But we have to go to court now. Third brother, if you want to know, why don’t we go for a drink after court and talk about it slowly?” Mu Qinglin said, and before I could react, he took the lead and walked towards the Qianqing Hall.

I'm stunned. Mu Qinglin can actually fool me? He can threaten me? 5555, how am I supposed to get by now?

Clouds Drunk and the Moon Slightly Sleeping (Revised Edition) Volume One: When We Met, We Were All Joyful - Phoenix Hairpin

Chapter word count: 4889 Update time: 08-12-20 15:50

Phoenix Hairpin

I secretly glanced at the person on the dragon throne in front of me, and he was truly different. The changes in his expression and demeanor were so professional, he was practically a chameleon. The gentle, elder brother image from yesterday had vanished without a trace, replaced by that cold, indifferent, and unfathomable expression. His demeanor was as languid as a peerless Persian cat, his eyes slightly narrowed as he squinted at His Highness, or like a bewitching poppy.

Sigh, I have to admit, this man, no matter what expression or demeanor he has, is so beautiful it's almost sinful.

After court, I went to the Hall of State Affairs to handle some official business. When I was leaving the palace around noon, I was surprised to see Mu Qinglin waiting outside the palace gates, inviting me to lunch. After I nodded in agreement, I noticed a carriage was already waiting nearby. When I got in, I found someone already sitting inside! Ugh!

Longhu, Erlinzi, and I sat in a small private room on the second floor of Yaoyue Tower. Longhu was dressed in a black robe, with orchid and gold trim on the cuffs and collar. His long, ink-black hair was tied high with a black jade ribbon. He exuded an indescribable elegance, nobility, and handsome charm. Ugh, this devil, did he have to dress me up in such a way that I felt I couldn't even live? People say: "When a country is about to perish, there will surely be a devil." What if this devil is the emperor? Would the country still perish? Bah, what am I thinking!

Then look at Erlinzi. Good heavens, what's with the wind today? Erlinzi is actually wearing a moon-white long robe! He always wears grayish-blue ones. Uh, I admit, Erlinzi looks exceptionally handsome in this moon-white robe. The moon-white color complements his already handsome appearance and tall figure, making him look even more dashing.

"Uh, Erlinzi, why aren't you wearing that grayish-blue middle-aged robe today?" It was the first time I'd seen him in such bright clothes, and I was quite surprised.

"Is it pretty?" Erlinzi leaned closer to me, his smile full of ambiguity.

"Uh, I think Big Brother would look even better in this outfit!" Seeing Er Linzi's idiotic grin, all sense of beauty vanished. I glanced at the Dragon Fox sitting to my left. That guy was truly handsome! The first time I saw him, I almost drooled. Remembering the bright blue robe I saw him in at Qu Yuan last time... tsk tsk, this man looks good in any color—yellow, blue, black. If he wore white, he could probably pass for a god!

I bet I'm totally swooning over the dragon fox, otherwise why would he be smiling so happily, like he just ate ice cream, making my heart flutter? Seeing such a handsome guy with such a cheerful smile, how could I not swoon and play along?

"Hmph, it's still better than what you're wearing." Erlinzi snorted through his nose, his tone full of disdain.

Damn it, Erlinzi, what do you mean by that? Are you complaining that my clothes are whiter than yours, or that I'm shorter than you? If you dare complain about the latter, I'll never forgive you!

Speaking of which, I have quite good taste. Apart from my court robes, all the men's clothes I bought for myself are white, and the cuffs are embroidered with auspicious clouds. Such a pure color, such exquisite and elegant embroidery, paired with my handsome appearance, makes me look exactly like a dashing figure from a painting. Hahaha, let me indulge in my self-admiration for a moment.

Before the food and wine arrived, we could only sit and drink tea. Sigh, the same teacup, the same tea, yet the Dragon Fox drank with indescribable elegance. Every gesture, every bow of his head, every movement of his lips displayed his absolute royal bearing. Then look at Er Linzi drinking tea; although he was clearly inferior to me, he should have been passable. But he sat right next to the Dragon Fox, and the difference was stark.

"Third brother, you handled Li Yuhan's matter exceptionally well, even beyond my expectations." The dragon fox smiled at me, his smile filled with approval and appreciation. He took out an exquisite brocade box from his ring and handed it to me. "Take a look, do you like it?"

Huh? Not only did I get recognition, but I also received a material reward? Hehe, actually I know I did a very good job. From saving face for Gu Wenxiu at the beginning to making the Li family sell their houses and fields and hand over all the money to the national treasury in the end, and making Old Man Han pay the difference for the Li family because Li Yuhan had a lot of lives on his hands, and Old Man Han sacrificed two Han family members who were officials, losing a few capable assistants. And all of this was just to save Li Yuhan's life, which she would have to pay for sooner or later.

"Is this... very valuable?" Inside the brocade box lay only a black jade hairpin. The hairpin was entirely black and shiny, without a single impurity. The head of the hairpin was a phoenix with outstretched wings, exquisitely carved and lifelike. What was most remarkable was that the phoenix was entirely red, yet it was clearly integrated with the hairpin, obviously carved from the same piece of jade.

"Blood-stained black jade!" Er Linzi exclaimed in surprise, while the dragon fox remained smiling.

Judging from Erlinzi's reaction, it must be quite valuable. Otherwise, given his background in the Mu family and his high-ranking position as a general, what rare treasures hadn't he seen? Why would he be so surprised? I quickly closed the brocade box and hid it close to my body, thinking that such a good thing must be carefully hidden so that no one could find it. I completely overlooked the fact that what the dragon fox gave me was actually a phoenix hairpin worn by women.

"Um... Brother, I collected so much silver for you, and even removed a few small nails, and you... you only reward me with this?" Although I really like this phoenix hairpin, and it seems quite valuable, I still hope you can reward me with some real estate such as houses and land. As a member of the 21st-century generation of mortgage slaves, I deeply understand how important private land ownership and homeownership are to me.

"Oh dear, you only did what a prime minister should do. Taking that blood-stained jade wasn't enough; you even want a reward?" Before the dragon fox could speak, Er Linzi started to get restless again. Hey, Er Linzi, can't you be a little more mature? You're nothing like a great general. But since you've come to my doorstep, how can I not punish you?

I spread my hands out in front of Erlinzi and gave him a sweet smile: "Second brother, Big brother has given us both moral recognition and material rewards. Don't you feel any interest in this?" After saying that, I looked at him expectantly, then lowered my head pitifully.

"Um... well... actually, this time... you did a really good job!" Erlinzi blushed as I spoke.

Finally, under my coercion, I received two more jade pendants. One was made of green jade with a large "Lin" character engraved on it, supposedly something Er Linzi had always worn since childhood. The other was made of yellow jade with a large "Yu" character engraved on it, supposedly a personal item of the dragon and fox spirit. Haha, I'm rich now! I'm rich now!

In a good mood, and with a table laden with delicious food, I wasn't going to stop until I was stuffed. The fox ate with unhurried, elegant grace, so I ignored him. Erlinzi had already seen me wolfing down my food, so there was no need to bother with him either. Therefore, I focused intently on the food before me, paying no attention to anything else.

"I've never seen anyone eat so intently," came the fox's voice.

"Sometimes, enjoying a delicious meal is more captivating than falling in love." I continued eating, mumbling Garfield's words to the fox.

"The Prime Minister of the mighty Longyao Kingdom is so thin, and he eats like that. If word gets out, it will truly be a disgrace to the nation." Er Linzi's voice.

With a "smack," I slammed my chopsticks down. You bastard, Erlinzi, I can tolerate you saying I eat badly, but I absolutely, positively will not tolerate you mocking my figure.

"So what if I look like you? You're jealous that I'm more elegant than you, more imposing than you, more gentle and dashing than you, and that I have the looks, physique, and demeanor of a talented man from Jiangnan. These are things that you, a big, burly man like a gorilla, dream of your whole life but can never have."

"What...what did you say to me? You...you...say it again, who...who is jealous of you?" Erlinzi's voice was somewhat distorted.

"What? You've been exposed and stepped on, and you can't even speak properly anymore? It's fine if you don't admit it. In this world, what fool would admit to being dumber than others?" Erlinzi, if I don't tame you today, how will I be able to climb over your head and act like a tyrant in the future?

"You...who are you calling an idiot?" Red-haired Erlinzi, humph, may he die with his face and brain engorged with blood.

"Do you think you're dumber than others?" I asked kindly.

"Of course not." The answer was absolutely certain.

I laughed out loud. I watched as Erlinzi, who was initially a little stunned, suddenly stood up, pointed at me, and his face turned a deep purplish-red with anger. I felt incredibly satisfied.

"Second brother, when it comes to talking, you're definitely no match for third brother, so you should take a break." The fox's bright eyes looked at me, and then he suddenly changed the subject, "Third brother, we only talked about half of the imperial examination last night."

Uh, the imperial examination? When did I ever mention the imperial examination? I blinked a few times, looking at the pair of peach blossom eyes opposite me, bright as stars, focused intently on me, and my heart suddenly skipped a beat. The palace was as deep as a still pool, the courtyard as warm as spring sunshine, and now, under the moon and stars, how many colors could it possibly hold? I admit I'm a bit of a fangirl, but I'm a woman after all. I believe that facing a beauty like a fox, it's perfectly normal for a woman to react this way. If anyone jumps out to object, saying they can remain calm in front of a fox, that person must be a man.

"What exactly is this subject-based exam you mentioned last night?" I didn't answer, but the fox kindly reminded me.

I vaguely remembered something. I knew it, I knew it! Drinking leads to trouble! If I hadn't drunk last night, would this whole imperial examination thing even exist? Now look what's happened, exam-oriented education is about to poison the minds of countless students in Longyao Kingdom. 55555, what am I going to do? The imperial examination isn't really a good method either, and people just want to eat, drink, and survive; they don't care about achieving any fame or leaving a mark on history.

"Actually, I haven't figured out how to divide the subjects yet. Of course, the most important thing is to listen to my eldest brother's opinion. As for my second brother's, I think we should forget about it." Actually, I had already thought it through, but for the sake of safety, I could only play dumb. On one hand, Fox was just an impulsive young man in his early twenties, and on the other hand, he seemed like an overly narcissistic emperor. If I appeared too clever, I would incur his jealousy and arouse his suspicion. Wouldn't that be a waste?

"What do you mean I should just forget about it?" Erlinzi jumped up in surprise. Sigh, Erlinzi, didn't you realize I was just teasing you to lighten the mood?