Translated by Luen Translations

Edited by Siren and Birdie

Chapter 18: Divine Companion, Deep Emotions (2)

The people who arrived were Heng Yue-ji and that personal maid from before who stood beside her.

Tian Zhen originally had a load on her mind, but who would’ve imagined that Heng Yue-ji would suddenly appear? Tian Zhen was alarmed at first, but immediately calmed down. After all, this was Yu Mo Heavenly Temple. Also, wanting to kill a single tiny bird was not that easy.

Safety guaranteed, Tian Zhen simply paid her respects in a relaxed manner. “Goddess Heng Yue.”

Heng Yue-ji’s gaze flickered. She looked at her and amiably proclaimed, “Little Phoenix resembles a phoenix that I’ve acquainted with a lot? It’s clear that you and I have a fate together.”

Tian Zhen could also pretend and so she humbly returned, “How could a minor phoenix dare to claim to be connected to someone of Goddess’s high social standing?”

Heng Yue-ji’s elegant eyebrows made a slight movement. There was another, deeper meaning within her words. “I previously heard Zhao Huajun say that you went to collect medicine alone. I was worried that you had an accident. It’s good that you have safely returned.”

Her guess confirmed by this, Tian Zhen adopted a fake smile saying, “Yes, who would have thought.”

The bodyguard that was dispatched had become a headless corpse, and adding on the fact that Zhao Huajun’s attitude was neither cold nor warm, Heng Yue-ji originally already hated her guts. Hearing what was said, the severity of her gaze increased.

Tian Zhen actually really wasn’t deliberately mocking her. Rather, it was pointless to cover up the truth now and in any case, she already despised her. Regardless of whether or not she tore down her pretense of cordiality, there was only one outcome. “The night is dark. Goddess should go to sleep soon. I’ll take my leave first.”

Heng Yue-ji suddenly smiled again, “I was just about to return to my room to sleep. It’s just that the two maids beside me that usually attend to me aren’t here and Yue Lin has her hands full with just herself alone. How about you come over to my place tonight?”

If it were another maid who had heard these words, they were bound to be overwhelmed by the favor. However, Tian Zhen already knew that she didn’t have any good intentions. If she were to go and attend to her, although there was no need to worry about her life, it was quite hard to say whether or not she would be subjected to torment. She was a guest, so as long as nothing big happened, Zhao Huajun also wouldn’t bother about it too much. Since Tian Zhen understood this point, how could she be willing to be fooled? She immediately evaded. “Goddess is a guest and I originally should be attending to your needs. However, I’m the King’s personal maid and, at present, I must hurry over and attend to the King’s peace and rest. If Goddess is in lack of people to use, then I’ll go speak with the Attendant Trainer and ask her to send two other people over.”

Being rejected by her, Heng Yue-ji sneered while the maid beside her reprimanded, “The Goddess only asked you to wait upon her because she saw that you were clever, yet you use all sorts of excuses. Yu Mo Heavenly Temple actually has such a rude palace maid?”

Tian Zhen said, “I was brought here by the King and was never considered as one of the palace maids. I’ve only waited upon the king and if I were to be absent without prior notice, the King would blame me. I wouldn’t be able to bear it, so I hope that Goddess may forgive me.”

“It’s fine,” Heng Yue-ji prevented the maid from speaking up again. “I’ll follow you there. I’ll have a word with Zhao Huajun and tell him not to blame you.”

She paused and then smiled. “I’ve heard that Zhao Huajun’s Qin Hall has never needed people to serve. There’s no harm in wanting to borrow you for a night.”

‘You’re vicious!’ Tian Zhen secretly cursed. She helplessly turned around and led the way. “This way, Goddess.”

Sure enough, there were no maids inside or outside of Qin Hall. In the depths of the heavy curtains, pearls were collected into a crescent shape. Amidst the cold and cheerless beam of light, Zhao Huajun stood in front of a table. He had changed into white, unlined clothing and was looking at the picture scroll grasped in his hands in a trace.

“How come you’re not venturing to go in?” The maid sneered and pushed Tian Zhen through the curtains. 

Zhao Huajun came to his senses. He put the picture scroll aside and asked, “Who’s there?”

Tian Zhen stabilized her footing after a moment of stumbling then stood straight, “King.”

Zhao Huajun knit his brows. “Goddess Heng Yue?”

Without waiting for Heng Yue-ji to speak, Tian Zhen rushed to say, “The Goddess is missing people beside her to order about and wanted me to go over and serve. However, the moment I leave, there’ll be no one to attend to the king’s peace and rest so I had to refuse. I was also afraid that the Goddess would think that I was using an excuse so I came to ask the king to prove it to them. Should we send another two people or not?”

Zhao Huajun blanked.

Heng Yue-ji’s vermillion lips gently rose and her eyes were as charming as silk. “I encountered her just now and so happened to ask her. I couldn’t imagine that she served Qin Hall, so I specially came over to snatch her from Zhao Huajun.”

Zhao Huajun gave an “en.”

Seeing that he wasn’t denying it, Heng Yue-ji was inwardly shocked. She smiled and said, “I’m– I’m quite fond of her cleverness and want to borrow her for one night to use. I don’t know if Zhao Huajun is willing to part with her?”

At the side, Tian Zhen was winking at him. Zhao Huajun pretended not to have seen them. The corners of his mouth moved, but then sank down. In a strict tone, “The Attendant Trainer was actually this careless. The Goddess came on imperial orders and naturally didn’t bring many people. Little phoenix, you go and pass on my words. Have her personally send two people over and offer an apology to the Goddess.”

As if she had obtained a pardon, Tian Zhen looked towards her leader with unlimited reverence. “Yes.”

Waiting until after she ran outside, Zhao Huajun explained to Heng Yue-ji with a smile on his face, “She’s young and doesn’t understand the rules. She’s quite mischievous on a usual basis and isn’t as good to use as the more experienced ones.”

……

By making a decision first and then explaining, the Goddess could only accept it. She had seen only one of the two-faced leader’s methods. Tian Zhen left the Attendant Trainer’s place with an incomparably carefree mind and hurriedly walked towards her own courtyard. By coincidence, that was also the direction in which Heng Yue-ji was bringing her maid out after taking her leave at Qin Palace Hall. Her complexion was extremely lacking.

Heng Yue-ji stopped in front of her and smiled insincerely. “Phoenix, very good.”

Tian Zhen pretended to be unaware. “The Attendant Trainer has already sent a few jiejies over who can attend to your needs, so Goddess need not worry.”

“Qin Hall is over there,” Heng Yue-ji unenthusiastically said, “Didn’t you have to attend to his sleep? Where are you going right now?”

Tian Zhen bowed and said, “This road is easy to walk on.”

Heng Yue-ji’s hands were originally folded over her chest, but after hearing what she said, they suddenly clenched tightly into fists. 

Seeing those fingernails glittering like frost and snow, Tian Zhen was scared into retreating two steps. Her mouth was slightly open and was prepared to start shrieking at any time.

“The night is deep. We’re returning.” Heng Yue-ji supported herself by holding onto the maid and slowly walked away.

Receiving this time’s fright, Tian Zhen immediately dispelled the thought of returning to her room to sleep. She turned around and made a beeline for Zhao Huajun’s Qin Hall. Within the heavy curtains, as expected, Zhao Huajun wasn’t sleeping and was orderly sitting in front of the table.

“King.”

“Still dare to come back?”

“I beg king to lend me a piece of the floor and let me stay with you for a night.” Tian Zhen smilingly said and slipped towards the corner.

Zhao Huajun heavily slapped the table, his voice cold, “It’s clear what mistake you’ve made, yet you’ve yet to kneel down!”

The leader sending out his might scared Tian Zhen into kneeling down.

“Serving Qin Hall, since when did you receive this assignment?”

‘The time for the King to settle his account has arrived.’ Tian Zhen braced herself and explained, “She wanted to harm me.”

Zhao Huajun hardened his face. “She’s a goddess. Why would she want to harm you?”

“She’s a goddess, I’m a small person,” Tian Zhen muttered, “Who was the one who dispatched that bodyguard? King even kept me in the dark about it. If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have obstructed her that time you were bathing……”

“Impudent!” She had angered Zhao Huajun into smiling.

“She was originally planning to bathe together with the King,” Seeing that there was something amiss with his expression, Tian Zhen rushed to a stop and fawningly said, “The bodyguard matter can be overlooked, but she wants to retaliate against me. At the very least, I’m also a member of the Divine Winged race. Could it be that the King wouldn’t shield me?”

Seeing that Zhao Huajun wasn’t saying anything, she slowly crawled up and slipped to the corner where she crouched down, “It’s getting late. King should sleep.”

Using her hand to feel around, she realized that the soft and flexible blanket spread on the floor was much thicker than she had imagined.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Huajun sighed and strolled over in front of her. “Stand up. You’ll catch a cold.”

Tian Zhen promptly flapped her wings. “I won’t, I won’t. I’m really hot right now.”

A gale swirled within the hall. The bottles and chairs made slamming sounds, the pages of the books on top of the table turned with a flip, and the painting from before also subsequently floated down.

Inadvertently causing a mess, Tian Zhen rushed over to save it. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to……”

Without waiting for her to touch it, the painting flew up by itself and fell into Zhao Huajun’s hands.

Vaguely seeing the beautiful woman on it, Tian Zhen came to an understanding and mocked, “As for who that painting’s of, I didn’t see anything.”

Hands slightly shaking for a moment, the painting simply disappeared without a trace. Zhao Huajun slowly walked to the front of the table, and in a fleeting voice, said, “Some things are better left unsaid.”

The typical leader style warning. Tian Zhen understood. Thinking it over, she very carefully said, “King, this……I’m afraid it won't work.”

Seeing that she had an objection, Zhao Huajun knit his brows.

“Actually, everyone is aware of this matter.”

……

There was no movement within the hall for a long time. Tian Zhen quietly slipped away to another corner and lied down. She closed her eyes while her mind was restless. All of a sudden, her body was suspended in midair. It was actually being carried by someone.

‘What is he doing?!’

Her heart racing, Tian Zhen pretended to be in a deep sleep and let those hands carry her to the large bed.

“During the night, the heavenly winds are strong. You’ll catch a cold if you sleep on the floor,” A voice mixed with laughter came from atop her head, “Heng Yue-ji’s dispatching someone to harm you was wrong, but she is the Divine Moon King’s daughter. At the very least, I need to give them some face. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid that after you knew, you would let your emotions cloud your judgment and rush into disaster.”

Tian Zhen didn’t make a sound and continued to play dead.

How pleasant these words were when he said it. Of course a minor bird’s life couldn’t be compared with the relationship between the big gods.

Seeing her like this, Zhao Huajun said, “Now you also understand. In Heaven, there are many matters that you have no choice in. Although I intend to protect you, you should also be careful with your words and conduct. You had me to cover up today’s lies for you, but if it were someone else, how could they tolerate you acting so willfully?”

IQ being looked down on, Tian Zhen couldn’t help opening her eyes and saying, “I only told these lies because I knew that King would protect me. Don’t tell me that in the future when I see His Majesty I’ll still dare to speak such empty words?”

Zhao Huajun patted her head. “Alright, Little Phoenix is smart.”

Hearing the humor and ridicule within his tone, Tian Zhen was defeated. ‘Alright, compared with your two-facedness, Leader, I’m still quite inexperienced.’

“That one……she won’t always live here right?”

“No she won’t. This time was because His Majesty and the Heavenly Empress sensed the depletion of the Winged race’s king essence and then had her come and inquire about it.”

“Why did the King's essence weaken?”

“Because I carelessly lost a drop of heart blood.”

Tian Zhen was astonished. “Heart blood?”

Long hair brushed past her face and Zhao Huajun laid down beside her body.

‘Leader’s accompanying me to sleep?’ Tian Zhen was scared into turning over and sitting up at lightning speed. “It’s better if I sleep on the floor……”

Zhao Huajun didn’t say a word. He slanted his eyes and looked at her with a smile.

The temperature of her face scuttled with a “whoosh” to an all time high, Tian Zhen once again laid down and stuttered, “I……I’ll just sleep here.”

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