BLPSG Chapter 117 Extra

The wine was slightly cool, but the moment it slid into his mouth, it became scorching.

 

Like flames burning down his esophagus.

 

Without realizing when, the moon had already risen to the edge of the sky.

 

The moonlight made Wen Qingci’s skin look particularly pale, and his lips appeared even redder.

 

Wen Qingci’s usually gentle features became strikingly vivid in that instant.

 

Like a silver knife slicing across Xie Bufeng’s heart.

 

The young man had no attention to spare for clouds or moon; his eyes were only for this one person.

 

“Cough, cough, cough…”

 

Though prepared, this was indeed Wen Qingci’s first time drinking such strong liquor.

 

After one sip, he couldn’t help but start coughing.

 

“Are you alright?” Xie Bufeng immediately took back the water pouch, gently patting Wen Qingci’s shoulders and back, “Be careful.”

 

“Cough, cough… I’m fine,” after his breathing steadied, Wen Qingci actually smiled, “No wonder everyone loves strong liquor, the taste is indeed different. It has much more flavor than any wine I’ve had before.”

 

As he spoke, his cheeks also took on a flush.

 

After coming to the northern regions, Wen Qingci had changed a lot; compared to before, he was more unrestrained.

 

But he didn’t dislike these changes; rather, he enjoyed his current carefree state.

 

After speaking, Wen Qingci slowly lay down on the grass, squinting to look at the Milky Way.

 

A breeze carrying the scent of flowers blew by, and he unconsciously closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he reopened them and began counting the stars one by one.

 

Xie Bufeng paused, tossed the water pouch aside, and lay down on the grass beside Wen Qingci.

 

The army’s strong liquor was not to be taken lightly.

 

Before long, Wen Qingci’s head began to feel dizzy.

 

Somehow, he found himself staring at the sky and smiling gently.

 

“Qingci, what are you looking at?” The young man, who had been watching Wen Qingci all along, couldn’t help but ask.

 

Wen Qingci answered seriously: “I’m looking for the moon.”

 

Then he suddenly frowned, muttering somewhat frustratedly: “It’s already dark, why hasn’t the moon come out yet? Perhaps it’s also drunk and forgot to come to the sky.”

 

…The moon?

 

Today was the first day of the lunar month, so naturally the moon wasn’t visible.

 

Xie Bufeng was stunned for a moment before realizing that the person beside him was truly drunk.

 

“Young Master Su, why aren’t you looking for it?” Seeing that Xie Bufeng was gazing deeply at him instead of looking at the sky, Wen Qingci suddenly turned and looked at the young man.

 

At this moment, Xie Bufeng saw himself in Wen Qingci’s eyes.

 

By now the sky had completely darkened, and the surrounding scenery had become extremely blurry.

 

Xie Bufeng even had the illusion… that only the two of them remained in this world.

 

“I’m not looking,” the young man’s gaze became particularly deep at this moment. Looking at Wen Qingci, he lowered his voice and replied, “I’m thinking about another question.”

 

“What?” Wen Qingci immediately became serious, “Tell me, we’ll find the answer together.”

 

Wen Qingci was several years older than Xie Bufeng, but having been immersed in books since childhood, he appeared more youthful than his peers.

 

Xie Bufeng was the opposite-growing up in Taishu Palace, he possessed a maturity far beyond his years.

 

Above the vast sky came a few crisp bird calls.

 

Xie Bufeng suddenly lay on his side on the grass, gazing deeply at the person before him.

 

He deliberately lowered his voice and said: “I want to know, does Qingci have someone he likes? Not the kind of liking for a friend, but romantic love.”

 

After speaking, Xie Bufeng reached out his hand and slowly began to arrange the long hair on Wen Qingci’s forehead that had been tousled by the evening breeze.

 

The distance between them had somehow narrowed to less than half an arm’s length.

 

The young man’s caress seemed particularly intimate at this moment.

 

After tidying the disheveled hair, he reluctantly brushed Wen Qingci’s cheek.

 

“Someone I like…” the moon-white figure beside him frowned.

 

The alcohol had numbed his nerves.

 

Wen Qingci’s thinking had become somewhat sluggish due to the strong liquor; he didn’t read the possessiveness that had nearly materialized in the young man’s eyes.

 

After thinking for a moment, Wen Qingci shook his head with utmost sincerity: “I don’t think… I have anyone.”

 

As these words fell, Wen Qingci couldn’t help but think-for the first twenty-two years of his life, he had lived a routine existence, with only those patients who came and went like passersby, besides his family and Song Junran who constantly invited him to the Valley of Divine Physicians.

 

Until he met Xie Bufeng.

 

…The young man had unknowingly occupied most of his life.

 

Beyond this, let alone “someone he liked,”

 

He barely had any “familiar people” at all.

 

But Xie Bufeng, as the prince of the northern region, was different.

 

…The young man suddenly asking this, could it be that he had developed some thoughts?

 

“Why has Qingci gone into a daze?” Xie Bufeng’s hand had somehow come to rest on Wen Qingci’s cheek, “Are you thinking of someone?”

 

Wen Qingci’s answer didn’t surprise him.

 

The young man was more curious about why he had become distracted at this moment.

 

The alcohol sang a lullaby in Wen Qingci’s veins.

 

As the young man’s words fell, he heavily closed his eyes.

 

But mindful of the question he hadn’t answered, Wen Qingci still mustered his energy at the last moment and said indistinctly: “I was thinking about Your Highness…”

 

“I wonder if Your Highness has someone you like?”

 

After speaking, Wen Qingci finally succumbed to fatigue and fell into a deep sleep.

 

The alcohol made him forget the danger.

 

It also made him overlook Xie Bufeng’s final, extremely dark gaze.

 

“Yes.”

 

Xie Bufeng’s voice was perfectly calm, piercing the air and pulling Wen Qingci out of his dreamy state.

 

He opened his eyes somewhat confusedly, looking at the young man beside him: “Is it someone I know?”

 

This time Xie Bufeng didn’t answer.

 

Another night breeze blew by, carrying the faint scent of fresh grass, enveloping them tightly.

 

The person lying beside Wen Qingci suddenly turned over, pinning him to the ground.

 

The Milky Way suddenly disappeared.

 

A pair of light amber eyes appeared where the stars had been shining moments ago.

 

“Yes.”

 

Before Wen Qingci could react, a slight pain, accompanied by a warm sensation, came from his lips.

 

And in an instant, it transformed into a tingling feeling, spreading throughout his body along his nerves.

 

The intoxication intensified in that moment.

 

His mind was in complete chaos.

 

Thinking stopped entirely.

 

Wen Qingci’s last memory of that night remained with the starry sky and the warmth on his lips.

 

He didn’t know what happened afterward.

 

He only knew that when he next became conscious, the sun was already high in the sky.

 

“Hiss…”

 

Wen Qingci opened his eyes with great effort, then felt a stabbing pain in his forehead.

 

He instinctively raised his hand to block the sunlight.

 

But the fatigue that even a night’s sleep couldn’t dispel told him of the helplessness of a hangover.

 

Everything that happened last night gradually became clear.

 

He had been drinking.

 

And he had gotten drunk in the outskirts of the city.

 

Thinking of this, Wen Qingci finally became completely awake.

 

A little wine brings joy, too much harms the body.

 

Though a physician, Wen Qingci would have a couple of drinks when in a good mood.

 

If Wen Qingci remembered correctly, was last night his first time getting drunk?

 

But that wasn’t the most important thing!

 

The conversation before he completely fell asleep suddenly entered Wen Qingci’s mind.

 

He had asked Xie Bufeng if he had someone he liked, and he had answered “Yes.”

 

And then-

 

Thinking of this, Wen Qingci finally sat up and unconsciously placed his hand on his lips.

 

Though an entire night had passed, the feeling on his lips seemed to linger.

 

Xie Bufeng… had kissed him.

 

“Heavens…”

 

Wen Qingci’s mind went blank in that instant.

 

Though he hadn’t looked in a mirror, Wen Qingci could feel that his ears must be completely red by now.

 

What else did Xie Bufeng say afterward?

 

And how did he respond?

 

Wen Qingci tried hard to remember, but couldn’t recall anything.

 

He rubbed the base of his ear with the back of his hand, then immediately threw back the covers, wanting to get some cold water to wash his face.

 

However, the moment his fingers touched the quilt, Wen Qingci realized that things might be more complicated than he thought:

 

The quilt under his hand was Xie Bufeng’s!

 

Last night, he had slept in Xie Bufeng’s room…

 

Wen Qingci: !!!

 

Though Wen Qingci and Xie Bufeng lived in the same small courtyard, besides the two of them, there were also servants moving about.

 

Sometimes, Xie Bufeng’s subordinates would come to find him.

 

Thinking of this, Wen Qingci didn’t bother to wash his face, but immediately got up, put on his shoes and socks, and walked toward the door.

 

“Creeeeak-”

 

With the door flung open, cold wind and birdsong rushed in together.

 

He instinctively looked into the courtyard, searching for Xie Bufeng’s figure.

 

However, today the small courtyard was completely empty.

 

Wen Qingci turned to close the door, took a few steps into the courtyard, and then slightly raised his voice: “Your Highness?”

 

No one answered in the small courtyard; only his voice echoed repeatedly.

 

If Wen Qingci remembered correctly, today should be a rest day.

 

But not only was Xie Bufeng absent, the servants who usually guarded the courtyard seemed to have disappeared as well.

 

“-Guichang?” This was the name of the eunuch Xie Bufeng had brought to the northern regions.

 

Fortunately, not long after Wen Qingci spoke, footsteps were heard from outside the small courtyard.

 

Guichang, dressed in a dark brown robe, quickly walked in. Seeing that Wen Qingci was still in his inner garments, he immediately widened his eyes: “Master Wen, please put on a robe! Be careful not to catch cold! If you fall ill, I won’t be able to explain it to His Highness.”

 

Wen Qingci immediately frowned and asked: “Where is His Highness?”

 

Guichang sighed, gritting his teeth as he said: “Two hours ago, His Highness suddenly received an urgent report. The Northern Di have come south, taking advantage of the night to attack Xinghu Town. After receiving the news, His Highness immediately led troops to the location.”

 

Wen Qingci’s heart sank heavily.

 

The chaotic events of yesterday were pushed to the back of his mind in this moment.

 

After coming to the northern regions, he and Xie Bufeng had wandered all over the grasslands, not just for pleasure.

 

-The Di people had suffered a “white disaster” in early spring, with large numbers of livestock dying, and before long, famine had broken out.

 

At that time, everyone knew that Wei Dynasty and the Di people would eventually have a confrontation.

 

Though Xie Bufeng’s arrival had delayed this battle and forced the Northern Di to abandon Changyuan and raid other towns instead, the conflict between the two sides couldn’t be resolved so easily.

 

This battle had finally come.

 

“Alright, I understand…” Wen Qingci lowered his voice and slowly nodded.

 

He couldn’t help but clench his fists, gradually raising his eyes and turning to look toward the southeast.

 

That was the direction of Xinghu.

 

Young Master Su, please be safe…

 

I’m still waiting for you to return and tell me what exactly happened yesterday.

 

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