Chapter 266: qui
Gong Moran lowered his head to glance at her, his brows knitting slightly.
At that moment, Nan Xun—who had been searching everywhere for her clothes—suddenly remembered something. She quickly pulled the red gauze curtain tighter around herself, gave a light cough, and reminded him, “My lord, my dress was… shattered by you last night.”
Gong Moran: …
A rare trace of awkwardness flashed through the National Preceptor’s eyes.
“Duoduo, stay here and don’t move. I’ll be right back,” Gong Moran instructed, then waved aside the table blocking the door and went out, leaving Nan Xun behind covering her mouth and snickering.
Because she was naked, Nan Xun didn’t dare call Little Eight. She hugged the tattered red gauze curtain to herself, laughing as she relived last night’s demonic brawl in her head.
Hmph. Gong Moran, you deadpan pervert—always acting so lofty. Immortal? Deity? What a load of crap.
Were last night’s crazy antics something a cold, desireless god could pull off?
Her clothes had been shaken to pieces, and the marks on her waist were damn obvious.
Nan Xun gathered up some fragments of torn fabric from the bed, scooped up a handful, and flung them into the air above her head.
Watching the white scraps flutter down, she couldn’t help chuckling softly and rolled around on the bed.
Ugh, seriously—thinking about it more just made her feel even shyer.
In the small courtyard outside the side hall, Gong Moran stood with his hands behind his back before the Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince had been unconscious all night. Gong Moran flicked a finger toward his sleep acupoint, and the man slowly came to.
The Fifth Prince opened his eyes groggily. When he finally saw who stood before him, his expression changed drastically. He immediately dropped to his knees and knocked his head to the ground.
“National Preceptor, please forgive me! I, this prince, was framed! What happened last night—this prince truly offended Miss Nineteen, and I am willing to apologize to her!”
The Fifth Prince was a clever man. Yesterday, when he went to pay respects to the Empress, he’d drunk a cup of tea. It was that very tea that had knocked him out. He remembered most of what happened afterward. The woman who appeared so suddenly was Gong Nineteen—the National Preceptor’s most beloved disciple.
If the National Preceptor weren’t here, he might have suspected Gong Nineteen was part of the scheme against him. But now it was clear: both he and Gong Nineteen had been set up by the Empress.
A cold, heavy voice sounded above his head.
“Fifth Prince, we’ll settle our account another day. For now, go find two sets of robes for me—one male, one female.”
The Fifth Prince had been bracing himself for immediate reckoning. He hadn’t expected such an order.
Earlier, he’d been too caught up in his thoughts to notice the National Preceptor’s state. Now he dared to sneak a glance—and immediately jerked his eyes away in shock.
The astonishment in his heart was beyond words.
The National Preceptor… was actually disheveled.
Two robes—one male, one female. The man’s robe was obviously for the National Preceptor himself. Then the woman’s…
The Fifth Prince’s mouth fell open. He instinctively swept a glance toward the side hall. Because of the angle, he couldn’t see the bed, but he vaguely spotted scattered bits of torn clothing on the floor.
The National Preceptor and his disciple, Gong Nineteen… Could it be that the two of them—
Heaven above!
After the shock passed, the Fifth Prince’s mind spun rapidly. He suddenly knocked his head to the ground again and said solemnly,
“Please rest assured, National Preceptor. As for today’s matter, this prince knows nothing. I’ll go fetch what you require at once.”
Gong Moran looked at him indifferently.
“No need. It wouldn’t be good for this matter to spread. After you leave this side hall, go about your business as usual and act as though nothing happened. Anything in this hall that shouldn’t be here—have it dealt with promptly.”
After a brief pause, he added flatly, “In the coming days, I may wish to have a private chat with the Fifth Prince. Do you have somewhere discreet?”
The Fifth Prince’s eyes lit up with joy. “This prince will arrange it at once.”
Gong Moran nodded slightly.
“The Fifth Prince hasn’t been in good health lately—perhaps plagued by unclean influences. Gong Liu will go to your residence to perform a ritual.”
The Fifth Prince immediately understood and bowed again.
Before leaving, he added tactfully, “Though dawn hasn’t fully broken, there are many patrol guards on the way back to Mo Ran Hall. This prince is willing to draw some of them away for the National Preceptor.”
Gong Moran gave a faint “Mm,” unconcerned.
The Fifth Prince knew the man could avoid them easily on his own, but this was still a way to show gratitude.
Once the nuisance was gone, Gong Moran returned to the side hall—only to find the little girl slumped on the bed, asleep again. Her sleeping posture was… hard to describe.
“Gurgle—”
The sudden sound made the sleeping girl rub her stomach and mumble a couple of words before rolling over to face the door.
There was no mattress on the bed, and she was covered only by that thin layer of red gauze. Her curvy figure was barely concealed—if anything, the hazy veil made her even more alluring.
Gong Moran rubbed his brow and stepped forward. With a sharp rip, he tore away all the remaining red gauze curtains, folded them several times, and wrapped the woman on the bed.
Even so, one slender, jade-white arm still slipped out, as did her plump little feet.
Frowning, Gong Moran simply pulled off the bedsheet as well and wrapped her up again—layer after layer. This time, only her head was left exposed.
He hoisted the sheet-wrapped “silkworm” onto his shoulder and vaulted straight over the wall.
He knew the imperial palace like the back of his hand. Even carrying someone, it posed no obstacle at all.
Before long, Gong Moran returned from the remote side hall to the courtyard of Mo Ran Hall. But he had only taken a few steps when a loud shout rang out behind him—
“Who dares trespass in Mo Ran Hall?!”
Rapid footsteps followed as all the disciples poured out from their side halls, surrounding the “intruder” in an instant.
The master of Mo Ran Hall held an exalted position, and the disciples themselves were skilled in witchcraft and gu arts. Assassins and spies often targeted this place, sharpening everyone’s vigilance. On top of that, with a person slung over his shoulder, Gong Moran had been just a touch careless when landing from the wall—his steps a little too heavy.
And so…
It had been an overcast night, with barely any stars visible. But the group ahead raised lanterns, bathing the scene in a fiery red glow.
The lantern light revealed a disheveled National Preceptor—and the person he was carrying.
Though wrapped into a silkworm with a bedsheet, the figure’s long black hair spilled freely, her build slim and delicate. At a glance, it was clearly a woman.
The disciples of Mo Ran Hall were dumbstruck.
The leading disciple holding a lantern was so shocked he dropped it.
“M-My lord?”
Gong Moran swept them with a calm glance.
“I’m fine. All of you, return.”
After leaving that bland sentence behind, he carried the woman straight back to his main hall, his steps as steady as ever.
Bang. The door opened.
Bang. It closed again.
And then, all around, silence returned.
