PFC Chapter 383 Xu Longxiang is about to fall at the feet of the Moon Goddess!?
Chapter 383 Xu Longxiang is about to fall at the feet of the Moon Goddess!?
Fan Li smiled and said calmly:
"From beginning to end, we have no idea what you look like. This might be a disadvantage for our future cooperation. After all, if we happen to run into each other outside, we'll recognize you if you're wearing a mask, but we won't recognize you if you take it off."
He didn't continue speaking.
He believed the moon goddess understood his meaning.
If they were to meet on the battlefield and accidentally injure friendly forces, that would be a real problem.
These words were spoken tactfully, yet they were sharp and incisive.
After hearing this, the Moon Goddess smiled gently.
"So that's what it was about."
A glint flashed in her eyes.
The light was so fast that almost no one noticed it, but she herself knew it.
In fact, that was exactly what she wanted to do.
She had wanted to take off her mask for a long time, so that she could better get closer to Xu Longxiang and take their relationship to the next level.
Taking off her mask would not fit her persona and would easily arouse suspicion from Xu Longxiang and the strategist.
She kept thinking about how to take off the mask naturally and logically.
Unexpectedly, the other party offered up the opportunity on their own initiative!
Her eyes flickered.
It seems that Xu Longxiang might also be interested in her, which would be a good start and a favorable condition for her next plan.
"Alright," she said, her voice carrying just the right amount of cheerfulness. "Since Young Master Xu wants to see, then I will pick them."
She raised her hands, her fingers gently gripping the edge of the mask.
The hall fell silent!
The music stopped, the dancers' colorful silk ribbons fell to the ground, and the musicians' fingers hovered over the strings.
All the white-robed followers lowered their heads, not daring to look.
In their hearts, the moon goddess is a goddess, and how could mortals possibly see the face of a goddess?
To see it is blasphemy, it is disrespect to the gods!
Xu Longxiang did not bow his head.
He had been waiting for this moment, how could he possibly back down?
His eyes were fixed on the moon goddess, on the hands gripping the edge of the mask, and on the white jade mask.
The mask was slowly removed.
The candlelight shone on that face, illuminating every inch of her skin clearly.
It was an extremely beautiful face.
His eyebrows resembled distant mountains, thin and curved, with the ends slightly upturned, carrying a hint of innate sharpness.
His nose bridge was high and straight, like a jade carving, with smooth and beautiful lines.
Her lips were full and pale, like peach blossoms washed with water, slightly pursed, with a faint smile.
Her skin was so white it was almost transparent, not the delicate white of someone kept in seclusion, but a pale white that had never seen the sun, like a jade statue enshrined in the shadows.
Xu Longxiang felt his heart skip a beat!
This isn't a metaphor; it really did pause for a second!
That pause felt like someone had punched him hard in the chest, leaving him feeling dull, sore, and breathless.
So beautiful!
So beautiful she doesn't look real!
But what truly made his heart flutter was not her beauty, but her eyes.
There was something familiar in those eyes, as cold as stars.
Cool, aloof, untouched by dust.
She looks so much like Zhao Qingxue.
It's not a resemblance in appearance, but a resemblance in temperament—that innate, aloof coolness that comes from the very core of one's being.
His fingers slowly tightened inside his sleeve.
He recalled the first time he met Zhao Qingxue.
Her cool, clear eyes fell on him for only a moment before looking away.
In that instant, he was captivated.
At this moment, the same feeling returned.
Like an arrow, it shot from her eyes and struck his heart!
Perfectly accurate, hitting the bullseye!
Xu Longxiang swallowed almost imperceptibly.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and the sound was so soft that only he could hear it.
The moon goddess took in his reaction.
She saw that moment of distraction, saw that slightly bobbing Adam's apple, and saw the rekindled fire in those deep brown eyes.
A slow smile crept onto her lips.
Her charm is as captivating as ever!
She smiled.
That smile was captivating!
The curve of the upturned corners of the lips is just right, neither too deep nor too shallow, neither too thick nor too thin.
Her eyebrows curved, her eyelashes trembled, and her already stunning face came alive in that instant, like a flower blooming in the morning light, like a moon rising in the night sky.
The candlelight in the hall seemed to dim for a moment, as if all the light had been absorbed by her.
Xu Longxiang took a deep breath and gradually suppressed the surging waves.
He picked up his wine cup, raised it towards the moon goddess, and the composed smile returned to his lips.
"Miss Suxin is indeed a beauty of unparalleled grace. I, Xu, have been impolite."
The Moon Goddess also picked up her wine cup and gently touched the rim of his cup.
"Young Master Xu, you flatter me. Please."
The two of them drank the wine in their glasses in one gulp.
The liquor slid down my throat, and the warmth spread from my chest to my limbs.
Xu Longxiang put down his wine cup, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers lightly twice on the armrest.
"Miss Suxin, I have a question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it."
The Moon Goddess tilted her head slightly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Young Master Xu, please speak."
"The Moon Goddess Cult has operated in the southwest for decades, and its scale is so large, why has it never been eradicated by the imperial court?"
Xu Longxiang's voice was soft, but his gaze was like a knife, piercing straight at her.
The moon goddess smiled, a smile that carried an indescribable complexity.
"Because the officials of the imperial court are also human beings. Human beings have desires, and those with desires can be bought off. Those who cannot be bought off are intimidated, and those who cannot be intimidated are eliminated. In this world, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished, only people who are incapable of accomplishing things."
Xu Longxiang nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Miss Suxin, you have excellent skills!"
The moon goddess waved her hand.
"Young Master Xu, you flatter me. These are just petty tricks that can't be brought to the table. They can't compare to Young Master Xu's command of 300,000 iron cavalry, which makes him a formidable figure in the northern border."
Xu Longxiang smiled.
"So what if they have 300,000 iron cavalry? They were still driven to a dead end by Qin Mu!"
These words were so blunt that Fan Li's expression changed slightly.
Xu Longxiang didn't care; his gaze fell on the Moon Goddess's face with a rare frankness.
The moon goddess looked at him and remained silent for a moment.
Then she spoke, her voice very soft.
"Young Master Xu, we are in the same boat. We've both been driven to the brink. In that case, why not join forces and fight our way out?"
Xu Longxiang's eyes flickered.
He didn't answer, but simply picked up his wine cup and raised it towards her.
The Moon Goddess also picked up her wine cup and gently touched it to the ground.
The two men tilted their heads back at the same time and drank the wine in their glasses in one gulp.
The candlelight flickered gently inside the lampshade, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall, one on the left and one on the right, like two trees bent by the wind, yet never falling.
The two found themselves getting along very well as they talked.
The discussion ranged from the situation in the southwest to the military strength in the north, from the foundation of the Moon Goddess Cult to the weaknesses of the imperial court, and from Qin Mu's ambitions to his vulnerabilities.
Every word is like a key, unlocking the tightly closed door in the other person's heart.
The Moon Goddess recounted how she operated under the very nose of the imperial court for decades, how she fought her way through the encirclement and suppression of officials, and how she trampled those who once looked down on her underfoot one by one.
Her voice remained ethereal, but it possessed a rare warmth, like an undercurrent beneath the ice that had finally found its outlet.
Xu Longxiang listened intently, forgetting to drink from the wine cup he had raised to his lips.
For the first time, he felt that there was someone in this world who understood him.
It's not the kind of understanding that my older sister has—compassionate and understanding—nor the kind of understanding that Fan Li has—rational and understanding.
It's a deep-seated, unspoken understanding that comes from within, a tacit agreement that needs no further explanation.
He spoke of the harsh cold of the northern border, of the soldiers guarding the frontier in the wind and snow, and of the words the old King of Zhenbei said to him before his death: "To guard the northern border is to guard the lifeline of the Great Qin."
His voice was deep and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against rust, each word carrying the chill of the northern winds and snow.
The moon goddess listened quietly, occasionally nodding, occasionally sighing, and occasionally raising her wine cup towards him.
There was no sympathy or pity in her eyes, only a calm that comes from having seen many storms.
The calm made Xu Longxiang feel at ease, like a ship that had been tossed about in a storm for too long finally seeing the lights of the harbor.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
The conversation shifted from the current situation to Qin Mu.
The Moon Goddess spoke of Qin Mu sending troops to attack the Moon Goddess Cult with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Fifty thousand elite troops, with Han Zhong in command. That tyrannical emperor certainly thinks highly of me!"
Xu Longxiang snorted coldly and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.
"He is indeed far too greedy. First, he annexed Liyang and married the Empress, and now he's extending his reach to the southwest. Who does he think he is? Does he think the whole world belongs to him?!"
The moon goddess smiled, a smile that carried an indescribable complexity.
"If he weren't greedy, why would he have given us the opportunity?"
Xu Longxiang's eyes lit up. "What do you mean by that, Miss Suxin?"
The Moon Goddess put down her wine cup and tapped her fingers lightly twice on the table.
"His annexation of Liyang may seem glorious, but it harbors countless hidden dangers. Liyang's three-hundred-year-old foundation and million-strong army cannot be swallowed up so easily. Those old ministers, those generals, those members of the royal family—aren't they all shrewd and calculating? They may appear to submit, but who knows what they're really thinking?"
Xu Longxiang nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"You mean, the interior of Liyang isn't a monolithic entity?"
The moon goddess smiled but did not answer.
She picked up the wine cup, took a small sip, and the wine moistened her lips, glistening in the candlelight.
"Young Master Xu, some things are best left unsaid. If we say them outright, the point is lost."
Xu Longxiang looked at her and suddenly smiled.
The smile was so genuine that even Fan Li was slightly taken aback.
He hadn't seen His Highness smile like that in a long time.
This is clearly a heartfelt laugh, a laugh born from finding a kindred spirit.
The two chatted for a long time.
They talked about how the candlelight got shorter and they had to replace it, only to have it get shorter again after they replaced it.
The conversation went on and on, with the music of string and wind instruments stopping and starting repeatedly.
They talked about how the dancers changed three times and the musicians changed four times.
Xu Longxiang drank more and more wine, and talked more and more.
His tongue began to tie itself in knots, his eyes began to glaze over, but his spirits grew increasingly excited, like a flame doused with oil, burning ever brighter.
Fan Li sat to the side, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
He knew that His Highness had been harboring too many grievances lately and had nowhere to vent them. Now, taking advantage of the alcohol, His Highness was able to release all the pent-up frustration in his heart, which led to his loss of control.
He watched as Xu Longxiang downed another glass of wine, and finally couldn't hold back any longer.
He stood up, walked to Xu Longxiang's side, bent down, and lowered his voice.
"Your Highness, you've had too much to drink. You should go back and rest!"
Xu Longxiang waved his hand, slurring, "No... I haven't had too much to drink. Just one more glass, just one!"
Fan Li did not give him a chance.
He reached out and grabbed Xu Longxiang's arm, pulling him up from the chair.
Xu Longxiang staggered for a moment, then grabbed the edge of the table to steady himself.
He raised his head, looked at the moon goddess, and a drunken smile appeared on his lips.
"Miss Suxin, we had a very pleasant chat today. Tomorrow... let's drink again tomorrow!"
The moon goddess stood up, her white robes slipping off the chair.
She nodded slightly, a faint smile still playing on her lips.
"Okay, let's drink again tomorrow."
Supported by Fan Li, Xu Longxiang stumbled and walked out of the side hall.
His steps were unsteady, as if he were walking on cotton, each step swaying and staggering.
As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned around, looked at the Moon Goddess, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't.
He simply smiled, turned around, and disappeared into the night outside the door.
The Moon Goddess stood before the main seat, gazing at the empty door, a smile still playing on her lips.
She remained motionless, like a statue enshrined in a shrine, only her eyes still shining, like two will-o'-the-wisps burning eerily in the darkness.
Only after Xu Longxiang's footsteps completely disappeared at the end of the corridor did she slowly sit down and lean back in her chair.
The smile on her lips gradually faded, and a cold light flashed in her eyes.
She picked up the glass of wine on the table, which had gone cold, and took a small sip.
The bitter taste of the wine spread from the tip of the tongue to the throat, and then from the throat to the bottom of the heart.
She put down her wine cup, stood up, and walked out of the side hall.
The white clothes dragged on the ground, making a soft rustling sound.
She stopped at the door without turning around.
"Clean this place up." Her voice was soft and cold, as if it had been carved from beneath a layer of ice.
The maids behind him bowed in unison. "Yes!"
The moon goddess stepped into the corridor, her figure quickly swallowed by the night.
In the darkness, four figures quietly appeared.