What If...I Remember?

Chapter 47

"Ghost Lord, why have you come to the Fox Den again?"

Mi Gu sounded impatient and exasperated, and Li Jing couldn't blame him. The last time he had been here, he had made up quite a fuss by insisting on meeting Bai Qian. "I came to look for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Are they here?" Li Jing spoke respectfully, knowing that his A-Yin— no, Bai Qian — would have chided him for treating the tree spirit disrespectfully, and Mi Gu shook his head, "Gugu and Crown Prince Ye Hua aren't here; they have returned back to the Nine Heavens. Ghost Lord would have more chances of looking for them there."

"Thank you." Li Jing nodded, his black and blue robes seemingly a little too heavy than necessary, and Mi Gu watched as the man rode away on his Fire Qilin towards the Nine Heavens, and couldn't help but wonder, how it might be, if Bai Qian hadn't married Crown Prince Ye Hua, but instead had married that Ghost Lord Li Jing...

...

"Your Highness...the Ghost Lord seeks an audience."

Ye Hua didn't have to look to know that Bai Qian, who had been feigning sleep on his lap, was instantly over with the act. "Li Jing?" Bai Qian sat up straight, causing a small smile to spread on Ye Hua's lips, "Did he state his purpose, Jia Yun?" "Unfortunately not, your Highness. He stands outside the Grand Hall with his Fire Qilin, and he only asked me to convey that he wishes to seek an audience with your Highness." Jia Yun bowed, waiting for Ye Hua's order, and Ye Hua tilted his head towards Bai Qian, "Qian Qian, what do you think?"

"I'm not going unless you are." Bai Qian huffed, reaching for Ye Hua's cup of tea, and Ye Hua chuckled, "I meant, what do you think his visit might be for?" "Oh." Bai Qian flushed slightly, realising she had misinterpreted her husband's question, "Uhm...it is quite the unwarranted visit, isn't it? I can't really think of a reason as to why he would visit." "Bring him here, Jia Yun. I will speak to him." Ye Hua spoke after some thought, and Jia Yun bowed, "Yes, your Highness."

Moments later, Li Jing entered Ye Hua's study, looking more solemn than Bai Qian had ever seen, and the Ghost Lord bowed in greeting to the both of them, "Li Jing greets the Crown Prince and Crown Princess." "Ghost Lord Li Jing, what is it that brings you to the Nine Heavens?" Ye Hua didn't bother putting on any false smiles, and Li Jing wasn't quite affected by the lack of affection, "I came to inquire about the Zhao Ren Princess, your Highness. There is a letter addressed to my Ghost Queen, and it was from the Zhao Ren Princess, Princess Su Jin."

"Su Jin?" Ye Hua and Bai Qian echoed, their eyes widening in unison, and Li Jing wasn't dim enough to not know that there was something wrong in the way that both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had their eyebrows creased with shock and worry, and yet he turned away when Bai Qian leant in to whisper something to Ye Hua.

"If Su Jin is colluding with Xuan Nü, Ye Hua, then..." Bai Qian bit her lip, her hand inching towards her abdomen in worry, and Ye Hua wrapped his arms around her consolingly, "Even if they are, Qian Qian, I will protect you. They won't be able to harm us." "Anyway, Xuan Nü is locked up, isn't she? What could she do?" Ye Hua added, smiling warmly at Bai Qian to reassure her, before he turned back to Li Jing, his frown pushing his smile away.

"Ghost Lord...the Zhao Ren Princess has previously been discovered to be guilty of several crimes towards the Crown Princess, hence she has been stripped of all other titles other than the title bestowed upon her by my Grandfather, for the blood of the loyal clan that runs in her veins." Ye Hua watched as comprehension dawned on Li Jing's face, and knew that the man dressed similarly to him had definitely been wondering about Su Jin's title being stripped. "Their target...it must be A-Yin." Li Jing didn't realise that the name had slipped from his lips before it was too late, and he averted his gaze at once, "My apologies. I meant, her Highness, the Crown Princess."