Moonlit Calamity: The Dragon Girl's Life of Idleness is Broken

Chapter 266 Entering the Palace and Waiting

Qin Palace

Around Shen Shi (3-5 PM)

"Qingying, go see if Chu Qing has returned yet?"

Inside the study, Xiao Han looked up and spoke to Qingying, who was standing to the side.

"Alright, I'll go and take a look."

After agreeing, Qingying quickly left the study.

After having lunch, Xiao Han stayed in his study.

I was sitting and reading, but I just couldn't concentrate, so I took out some paper and picked up a pen to practice my calligraphy.

I've been thinking about what will happen after Long Chuqing enters the palace, and now I can't even calm down to write calligraphy properly.

His cursive script revealed his restlessness and agitation.

Before long, Qingying ran back.

He went directly to the gate of the mansion to inquire with the gatekeeper.

"Your Highness, Miss Long hasn't returned yet."

so long?

Xiao Han glanced down at the unsatisfactory characters and put down his brush.

I can't concentrate in the study and my mind keeps wandering, so I might as well go out for a walk.

Xiao Han picked up the outer cloak that was placed to the side and put it on.

"Prepare the carriage."

"Alright!" Qingying snapped out of her daze and asked, "Your Highness, where are we going?"

"Go out for a walk."

"Take a stroll?" Qingying was somewhat confused.

This is the first time the prince has ever said he wants to go out for a stroll! Has the sun risen in the west?

Aside from attending court, he spent his days in the military camp and his study.

Take a stroll? That's quite a rare treat.

However, staying in the study all day isn't good either; it gets boring. It's good to go out for a walk and relax.

But when Qingying heard Xiao Han say he was going to the palace gate, she was speechless.

How do I get to the palace gate? Does going to the palace gate count as taking a stroll?

Could it be that he went there specifically to wait for Miss Long?

It's definitely true.

The prince wasn't paying attention while reading and writing; he must have been thinking about Miss Long entering the palace.

Is Your Highness perhaps afraid that His Majesty has taken a fancy to Miss Long?

Qingying nudged Qing Tong beside her with her elbow and whispered, "Do you think His Majesty might take a liking to Miss Long, who is so beautiful?"

Upon hearing this, Qing Tong turned his head and glanced at the carriage behind him. Then, he touched his upper lip to his lower lip, but no sound came out. From the shape of his mouth, it could be seen that he was trying to say two words.

"Shut up."

She even gave Qingyingxiu a look, implying that he was about to talk nonsense, as the prince would be even more worried if he overheard it.

Qingying realized she shouldn't have asked that question, so she wisely kept quiet.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the palace gate. The guards at the gate simply said that the prince had business to attend to and did not stop or question him.

Bronze drove the carriage in and parked it in the designated area.

Xiao Han lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage.

"Your Highness, it's cold outside. Please rest in the carriage. I'll call you when Miss Long comes out," Qing Tong said.

This is where the palace's carriages and horses are parked. Even if Long Chuqing wants to leave the palace, she will come here to take a carriage, so you can wait for her here.

"It's alright, standing here for a bit won't hurt."

Bronze said no more.

A moment later, a familiar figure was seen walking towards them from a distance.

"Sixth Brother..." Xiao Han called out.

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Xuan." Qingying Qingying greeted him.

King Xuan waved his hand in acknowledgment.

"Seventh Brother, why are you still here? Are you waiting for me?!"

"No," Xiao Han denied.

“I know you weren’t waiting for me,” King Xuan said, pursing his lips. “Then what are the three of you doing standing here? Just standing in the cold wind?”

"Yeah, just getting some fresh air," Xiao Han replied seriously. "But Sixth Brother, why are you only coming out at this hour?"

King Xuan's lips twitched. "Blow a breeze? You're something else! Nobody would believe that!"

“My mother caught a cold recently. After court this morning, I went to Chenhua Palace, had lunch there, and chatted with her for a while. Before I knew it, it was this late when I came out.”

"Is Consort De's cold serious? Is she feeling any better?" Xiao Han asked with concern.

"The imperial physician prescribed medicine, and I'm much better than I was a couple of days ago, but I still have a bit of a cough."

"Even if I drink the herbal medicine, it won't work that quickly. I believe I'll be fully recovered in a couple of days," Xiao Han said.

King Xuan nodded. "I hope so! I can't sleep well at night because of this constant cough."

Prince Xuan scrutinized Xiao Han with his sharp eyes: This kid would never stand here idly if he had nothing to do. If he didn't go to Consort Shu's palace after court, he would have already slipped away.

"Oh right, you still haven't answered my question! What are you three doing standing here? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Hmm..." Xiao Han answered without hesitation this time: "Waiting for Chu Qing."

"Miss Long?" King Xuan frowned. "She's entered the palace?"

"Yes, they entered the palace at noon."

Entering the palace at noon? King Xuan pondered: Just now when he came out, he heard the palace servants talking about how his father was playing chess with someone in the imperial garden.

Could it be the Dragon Lady summoned by the Emperor? Then the person playing chess with the Emperor must be the Dragon Lady.

What does Father Emperor want with Miss Dragon?

No wonder this kid was standing in the cold wind waiting! He must be worried that his father has taken a liking to Miss Long, and he's so anxious that he's restless at home!

"Was it Father Emperor who summoned her? Then she might not come out so soon," Prince Xuan informed him. "When I came out just now, Father Emperor was still playing chess with her in the Imperial Garden!"

Play chess?

Xiao Han pondered.

“I don’t know what Father Emperor was thinking. Running to the Imperial Garden to play chess in this freezing weather, how cold is that!” Prince Xuan complained. “Maybe he thought the cold wind would clear his head so he wouldn’t lose his composure in front of the beauty and lose the game.”

"With such an exceptionally beautiful appearance, I wonder if Father Emperor will take a liking to Miss Long."

Behind Xiao Han, Qingying frantically winked at Xuan Wang, making a silencing gesture.

Why did Your Highness say that so bluntly? Didn't you see that your master is already worried enough?

Now the prince is probably overthinking things again.

Xiao Han frowned. Sixth Brother was talking nonsense again.

He had never seen Chu Qing play chess and didn't know how good she was, but he knew that his father was a very skilled chess player.

His only worry was whether his father would suspect Chu Qing's mysterious origins and become suspicious of her; he hadn't considered that aspect of the problem.

Father... he wouldn't have taken a liking to Chu Qing, would he?

It shouldn't be. Father knows that Chu Qing is currently living in his residence, so he certainly wouldn't have such thoughts. He still chooses to trust his father.

Seeing the color that Qingying Qingying had given him, and looking at Xiao Han's solemn expression, King Xuan knew he had spoken too quickly.

"Seventh brother, I was just joking earlier, don't take it seriously," Prince Xuan patted his shoulder. "Father is not the kind of person who is lustful. He may just be looking for someone to play chess with, and he has no other intentions. I was just talking nonsense."

“I’m not worried about that issue; I’m worried about other things.”

"That's good, that's good." King Xuan was immediately relieved.

"Um... Qingying." Xuanwang walked up to Qingying behind him: "Come, come, the matter I entrusted to you last time, it's been so long and there's still no news!"

Qingying was clearly taken aback, then remembered that last time, Prince Xuan had asked him to ask Miss Long for the secret manual.

I've been so busy lately that I've forgotten about it.

Qingying explained, "Last time the prince was assassinated, Prince Yu was seriously injured, and recently he went to catch monsters. After being under such high tension, he forgot about it."