Rebirth As a Fatuous and Self-indulgent Ruler
chapter-96

Translator: Storm in a Teacup

Long breathed a sigh of relief. After the Shadow Guardian brought the tea, Long eagerly poured tea for his lover.

Shi didn’t volunteer to do anything.

After finishing a pot of tea, Long looked at the sky. “It’s getting dark. Let’s eat here, shall we?”

Shi nodded. “Okay. The Shadow Guardians will do it.”

Looking at Shi, Long said, “How about we go to Tianyin post at night?”

Shi slightly frowned. “You’ll go there in person?”

Long blinked. “Can’t I?”

Shi shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. There are many powerful martial artists in Tianyin post. Since Fang Qiuhua has the confidence to rebel, he must have a strong team to support him. You’re not that powerful. Don’t risk your life.”

You’re not that powerful…You’re not that powerful…You’re not that powerful…

Long’s mind was full of those words. Later, he looked at Shi sadly.

Shi finally realized how harsh his words were, so he hurriedly said, “Well… I didn’t mean that. You’re the emperor. You have many guards. You don’t need to be so powerful…”

Long still looked at Shi sadly.

Shi paused for a second and then said, “Okay, you can go.”

Long’s eyes brightened slightly. “Huh? Why did you change your mind?”

Shi smiled. “The most dangerous place is actually the safest place.”

Long was stunned. “You want me to stay in Tianyin post later?”

Shi nodded. “Your Majesty, you must not know that some people had tried to assassinate us three times.”

Long was stunned again. “What? When was that?”

Shi smiled bitterly. “It’s just that they’ve been intercepted by the Shadow Guardians two miles away before they found us.”

Hearing this, Long suddenly became serious. “My whereabouts seem to have been exposed.”

Shi nodded. “Yes, it’s only a matter of time for those people to find us in Shuanghua City. I guess they’ll make it in two days at most. We just bought this house and it isn’t guarded well. Although there are many Shadow Guardians, it’s still not safe. I was thinking about how to solve this problem earlier, but now… I suddenly felt that’s really a good idea. Your Majesty, let’s just stay in Tianyin post.”

Long didn’t agree immediately. Instead, he began to think about it carefully.

“Tianyin post is a dangerous place after all…”

“I said that sometimes the most dangerous place is actually the safest. Of course, there must be risks.”

“You said that both of us will stay there?” Long said.

Shi nodded. “Of course, I’ll stay with you.”

Long looked at Shi in doubt. “Why do I feel that you are lying to me?”

Shi looked at Long innocently and said, “Your Majesty, you’re overthinking it.”

Long slowly shook his head. “I’m not, Qingzhou. Don’t treat me as a fool. You must be thinking that after going to Tianyin post with me, you’ll leave me there alone and go whenever you want. By then, humph, I can’t go to find you at any time.”

Shi kept silent for a moment. Then, he shook his head. “No. Your Majesty, you’re worrying too much.”

Long frowned at Shi and asked, “The troops have arrived, right?”

“Yes, they’re outside the city,” Shi answered without hesitation.

Long stared at Shi. “Those troops are at your disposal now, aren’t they?”

Shi paused for a second and then nodded. “Yes.”

Long glared at Shi. “Then why did you say you’d be always with me? Qingzhou, I found you’ve really improved a lot. You’re able to keep your countenance even when you lie to me.”

Shi was silent and his lips quivered.

Long looked at Shi coldly. Shi pressed his lips together. “It’ll be good for you to stay there.”

“Don’t give me that. I only know that whenever you do something dangerous, you always think of leaving me aside. Shi Qingzhou, am I a totally useless person in your eyes?”

Hearing those words, Shi got nervous. “No. I’d never think like that.”

Long looked at Shi with a darkened face.

Shi hurriedly said, “I really don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong.”

Long didn’t respond.

Shi reached out to hold Long’s hand, but Long moved away. That was the first time that Long behaved like that.

Shi’s facial expressions changed slightly. He said, “I really don’t think so. Don’t misunderstand. You have a special identity, so I just want you to be safer. Moreover, staying in Tianyin post won’t be absolutely safe. You’ll still be dangerous there. I…”

“Shi Qingzhou,” Long interrupted Shi and suddenly said softly, “In fact, you are right about everything, but undeniably, the last thing you want is me to drag you down, right?”

Shi got a little angry. “When did I say you’d drag me down?”

Long slowly turned his eyes away from Shi. “Isn’t that true?”

Shi’s face became a little pale and he stiffened. He really couldn’t believe Long would think like that. Shi looked at Long, and then stood up slowly while saying lightly, “If you really think so, I have nothing to say.”

Then, Shi turned and left the pavilion.

Long watched Shi leave and sadness flickered in his eyes. Finally, he chose not to see.

At night, Long went to Tianyin post under the guidance of the Shadow Guardians without telling Shi.

Shi stayed in the room to wait for Long until dawn, but Long didn’t come back. Just as he said earlier, Long went to Tianyin post, but… he didn’t tell Shi.

Shi slowly lowered his head and looked at his hands as his left hand unconsciously stroked his right hand.

He didn’t know why they quarreled again… Moreover, he felt that it was more serious this time.

Shi looked at his hands. After a long time, he slowly closed his eyes.

At Tianyin post, Long didn’t sleep at night. He was in Xu You’s room.

Xu was not in his room, but in Fang Shuoyang’s.

Long didn’t ask Xu to come back. He lay on the bed, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

In the morning, when Xu came back sleepily, he was shocked.

“Elder brother? Why are you here?”

Long glanced at him. “Can’t I be here? Why did you come back at this hour?”

Xu said, “I stayed with Fang Shuoyang…”

“Fang Shuoyang…” Long was a little sad. Since he quarreled with his lover, he hated to hear others’ love stories.

Long knew that it was his fault. Shi was just worried about him and it was nothing wrong. On the contrary, what he said really hurt Shi. In fact, he was just angry with himself because he thought he was so useless! Putting aside his identity, he wasn’t capable to protect his lover at all! So, he got angry.

However, he just vented his anger on his beloved man. He felt… he wasn’t a real man at all.

Because of that, he was embarrassed to talk to Shi when he left the previous day.

He didn’t know if Shi had misunderstood him and thought he did that intentionally…

In fact, he was just embarrassed…