HMIME Chapter 17: I took Bai Lu’s life

Bai Lu and Ling Feng murmured for a while before turning to Mei Fei. Bai Lu clenched his right hand into a fist and coughed lightly twice near his mouth before solemnly saying, “Well, we discussed it, and three-hundred taels seems a bit too expensive…”

Mei Fei snorted coldly, “A servant like you probably can’t afford it. Guards, bring that wretched servant to me!”

“Wait, who said I can’t afford it.”

Bai Lu stretched out his arm to protect Xiao Yue behind him and shamelessly said, “Let Chu Ya pay for it. After all, he owns everything in this world, and it’s easy for him to compensate for a piece of clothing.”

As soon as the words fell, everyone was stunned. The room suddenly fell silent, Mei Fei widened her eyes in disbelief, “You! How dare you address His Majesty by name, insolent! Too insolent! Do you know what you’re saying?!”

“I know.” Bai Lu said word by word, with a bit of inexplicable resentment, “Let Chu Ya compensate.”

Mei Fei’s face turned green, her fingers trembling, “Who… who are you?”

“Bai Lu, Bai as in cabbage, Lu as in land, just like the legendary Bai Lu.”

Mei Fei exclaimed, “You’re the male prostitute who entered the palace a few days ago?!”

“…Calling someone a male prostitute sounds too harsh. I’m clearly a musician, selling skills not body.”

There’s some truth to this. After Bai Lu came here, he first got into bed with Chu Ya and suffered terribly, partly because of Chu Ya’s rough movements. But Bai Lu estimated that Lin Xiao’an was probably inexperienced. Well, who knows about before and after.

As they spoke, a distant bell rang, striking seven times, indicating it was noon.

“It’s time for the afternoon court. Ling Feng, go tell Chu Ya and see if he’s willing to compensate.”

Ling Feng: “…”

He was already shocked by Bai Lu’s astonishing behavior. Although his face remained expressionless, his heart was churning with waves. He even forgot to realize that he should have stayed by his side and was sent away in a daze.

Bai Lu watched Ling Feng leave the Shangyi Pavilion before turning to Xiao Yue, “Help me take out the clothes first.”

Xiao Yue nodded, wiped away her tears, and hurried into the wardrobe.

Mei Fei, still full of hostility, stared at him. Bai Lu figured he had made an enemy out of her.

But it didn’t matter. He didn’t plan to stay in the palace and engage in palace drama with a bunch of concubines. Now that he had some capital, his thoughts of leaving the palace became more active again. Why stay in the strict palace and be controlled by certain people? It’s better to go out, do business, trade freely, and live a carefree life.

Outside, Ling Feng left the Shangyi Pavilion and quickly found Chu Ya outside the Qingya Palace.

After saluting, he approached and quietly explained the ins and outs of the matter. Chu Ya felt speechless.

Isn’t this a case of ‘sitting in the palace, debt falls from the heavens’?

However, he could guess Bai Lu’s thoughts to some extent. He probably still harbored resentment against him.

Chu Ya shook his head helplessly, “Such childish retaliation…”

Then he couldn’t help but smile, finding it amusing, but also indulgent.

Ling Feng, wary of the guards behind him, lowered his voice again, “Your Majesty, I just saw Bai Gongzi make a move. He seems to be skilled and trained. But how can a musician have these skills?”

Ling Feng didn’t want to doubt this person too much, but he had to think, “Your Majesty, there’s movement from the Sky Wolf Sect again, and Bai Gongzi entered the palace at this time. I dare to speculate, could Bai Gongzi be… an assassin?”

Chu Ya walked calmly towards the direction of the Shangyi Pavilion, neither fast nor slow, and said, “You guessed right, but you only got half of it right.”

Ling Feng was about to ask which half was right and which half was wrong, but accidentally caught a glimpse of Chu Ya’s profile. His calm eyes clearly knew everything, but he just didn’t expose it.

Since His Majesty had already grasped the situation, Ling Feng closed his mouth.

He was a guard, not a strategist. He should speak less and do more.

Inside the Shangyi Pavilion.

Mei Fei stared hatefully at Bai Lu’s face. She had thought that this rumored pet would be extremely beautiful, but now she realized that he was just ordinary, slightly more handsome than ordinary men at best.

A small servant without a future dared to be arrogant in front of her!

Mei Fei coldly smiled, taunting, “Lin Xiao’an, right? You’re getting arrogant now, but you really think His Majesty likes you? Do you know why His Majesty gave you the name Bai Lu? It’s just to replace someone else. Do you really think you’re some kind of fairy, that you can enjoy the favor of His Majesty for a while and live carefree?”

“Don’t think that just because you have a false name, you’re really His Majesty’s favorite. Let me tell you, someday the real Bai Lu will come back, or His Majesty will find someone who looks more like you. By then, you will definitely fall out of favor, and your life will be in danger!”

This sounded familiar, but when Geng Qing said it, he was worried about his future. Now Mei Fei’s tone was just blatant provocation.

Bai Lu leaned lazily against the low cabinet, playing with the orange cat. He casually made up a story, “He won’t come back, because I took his life.”

“!!!”

The room was in an uproar, everyone was speechless and shocked, even their breath seemed to stop. Mei Fei’s trembling fingers pointed at Bai Lu’s face, “You, you, you…”

“Ah, it’s a long story.”

Bai Lu easily fabricated a story, not stumbling at all, “It was raining heavily that day, and I shot… oh, you don’t know what a gun is, anyway, it was here…”

Bai Lu pressed his hand against his chest, “…made a hole, broke ribs, blood gushing, then he fell from a height of ten meters into the cold sea, hmm, that’s how Bai Lu died.”

The room was silent for a full minute, the air almost solidified. During this time, no one dared to speak, even the maids who were crying stopped, staring blankly at him.

In this dead silence, unaware Xiao Yue came over holding clothes. Bai Lu took them, put the dangerous sachet in his pocket, and draped the clothes over his arm.

Just as he finished, a long chant came from outside, “His Majesty arrives, all people kneel—”

Everyone in the room suddenly came to their senses and knelt down with a clamor. Mei Fei also immediately converged her arrogant demeanor, revealing a gentle expression, respectfully bowing and kneeling.

When Chu Ya entered, Mei Fei deliberately wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, blinked, and

forced out a few fake tears, pitifully saying, “Your Majesty, this concubine wants to speak up for the wronged Bai Lu Gongzi!”

Chu Ya: “?”

Mei Fei pointed at Bai Lu with her delicate jade-like hand, accusing the wicked person first, “It’s him! He killed the Bai Lu Gongzi whom Your Majesty used to cherish. He confessed it himself, still proud, unrepentant. Everyone can testify… Poor Bai Gongzi, died at the hands of the villain…”

Chu Ya: “?”

He helplessly looked at Bai Lu, “What nonsense have you been spouting now?”

Bai Lu shrugged, calmly saying, “This story is based on a true event, please take your seat accordingly.”