ITVCFITB CHAPTER 30

 Chapter 30: Night Falls—Please Close Your Eyes

Autumn had arrived; thus, winter wouldn’t be far behind. The temperature dropped fast that what felt fine yesterday in a single layer now called for thicker cotton today.

Luo Shuyu had no idea Li Mingjin had watched quite a “show” at court.

He was busy. Tomorrow was Mid-Autumn; he and Li Mingjin would certainly have to enter the palace for the family banquet. Before that, the household needed putting in order. If the masters celebrated, the servants must also have their due; expenses would rise all around.

Every Mid-Autumn, the entire Great Xia grew exceptionally lively. All officials received a day off to reunite at home with their families.

The palace also hosted a yearly family feast with court musicians playing elegant tunes.

The Heavenly Prosperity Emperor would accompany the Empress, his consorts, and princes and princesses to admire the moon. He loved fine things, and each year set off fireworks in the imperial gardens. In his past life, Luo Shuyu’s favorite part of those banquets had been the fireworks, stars blossoming in the dark, breathtakingly beautiful.

Though the palace would host, the prince’s residence also needed arranging. It was Luo Shuyu’s first time handling such matters, and Steward Sun dared not slack. In every respect he cooperated, answering questions readily, and when Luo Shuyu didn’t know a place or procedure, he explained at once.

Since returning to the familiar Third Prince’s estate, Luo Shuyu smiled more. He looked ahead to the days to come, hoping this life would end differently.

Lanterns hung everywhere. Many of the red lamps from their wedding still hadn’t been taken down, perfect for Mid-Autumn. The festive air was pleasing to the eye.

By the time Li Mingjin returned from the palace, it was afternoon. Luo Shuyu was napping on a small couch. Handing his cane to a servant, Li Mingjin hopped over and sat beside him, pulling the quilt higher over him.

The sight of Luo Shuyu’s hand resting atop the quilt made Li Mingjin’s face heat, he remembered last night.

He truly hadn’t expected Luo Shuyu would be willing to help him. It had been a surprise.

Perhaps sensing someone near, Luo Shuyu stirred awake.

He’d barely cracked an eye when he murmured, “Your Highness?”

Li Mingjin’s face instantly tightened. “Still sleepy?”

“I’m fine. I’ll get up.” Luo Shuyu rubbed his eyes.

At that moment, to Li Mingjin, Luo Shuyu was simply adorable. He couldn’t help dipping down to kiss his cheek.

The sudden peck stunned Luo Shuyu. They’d never shared such moments before, not even in the past few days. All at once, he tasted the sweetness of being Li Mingjin’s consort; warmth filled him.

He thought: he liked touching Li Mingjin. It was a good start, neither of them recoiled from the other.

Back in the residence, he noticed the servants all busy. Everywhere he went, people were cleaning.

“Ordered a full cleaning today?”

Getting up, Luo Shuyu reported his morning bustle. “It’s Mid-Autumn tomorrow, the first one we’ll spend together. I had the kitchens make mooncakes. Tomorrow night we can admire the moon together.”

Li Mingjin said, “We still have to enter the palace. We need to be there before the hour of the Rooster; not sure we can make it back.”

“I asked Momo,” Luo Shuyu said. “We should be able to return; we can still continue moon-viewing afterward.”

“Then let’s come back early,” Li Mingjin said. “There may not be anything good to eat there anyway. We’ll feast again at home.”

“Mm.”

In their last life, every Mid-Autumn after returning from the palace, they’d gone their separate ways, never like now, talking about what to do after.

Though busy with preparations, he hadn’t missed the aftermath of the courtesan contest. That afternoon, Shadow Three reported in.

They didn’t go to the study this time; they sat on the small couch, snacking while they talked.

For all Shen Mingyun’s faults, the man had ability. The Eldest Prince had been injured, yet the backers behind the contest had returned safely from the magistrate’s yamen and were planning to continue the competition on Mid-Autumn night.

“Your Highness, the Eldest Prince doesn’t mind?” Luo Shuyu asked, surprised.

“As I told you,” Li Mingjin said, “one blow won’t kill a stubborn ox. Eldest Brother invested heavily this time. He hates losing out, he won’t allow himself a loss.”

“But he at least took a beating. He can swallow that?”

“The superficial injuries have been suppressed. In the imperial study today, Father Emperor knew nothing of his entanglement with those ‘assassins’, only scolded him for neglecting duty.”

He’d already paid off those idle clansmen who overheard his exchange with the “assassins.”

“And you?” Luo Shuyu asked. You’re hardly a paragon of diligence either.

Proud, Li Mingjin patted his leg. “Of course not. Have some faith in your husband.”

Luo Shuyu punctured him without mercy. “You just married, your leg is injured, and you’ve no major case in hand. Naturally there’s nothing to scold.”

“Shuyu, you needn’t know me quite so well,” Li Mingjin muttered. He did have some pride left.

“Mid-Autumn night will draw crowds to the contest,” Luo Shuyu said, steering back.

On that night, Yunsheng Avenue would be packed shoulder to shoulder. The curfew was lifted; shops stayed open, cosmetics, snacks, street shows, while the authorities hosted dragon and lion dances. Everyone came out to watch.

“There will be many people,” Li Mingjin agreed.

“With the last disruption, Shen Mingyun and company will surely post watchers early and strictly screen entrances,” Luo Shuyu said. “How do we stop it then? Isn’t there a once-and-for-all solution? A second incident could cause a stampede.”

“Don’t fret. We have a way,” Li Mingjin said.

“What way?”

Li Mingjin licked his lips and shot him a suggestive look.

“…” Luo Shuyu decided to pretend he hadn’t seen. Broad daylight, and this man was already thinking those thoughts.

Seeing no response, Li Mingjin grew anxious. “You don’t want to know?”

Sipping tea to hide a smile, Luo Shuyu said, “Ah, suddenly I don’t. I’ll find out tomorrow. A little wait won’t hurt.”

A pity, he should’ve made a direct request instead of hinting. His wife was too clever to take the bait.

Still, when they turned in that night, Li Mingjin hardly lost out, Luo Shuyu’s hand ached for quite a while before he drifted off, but Li Mingjin was satisfied.

---

The fifteenth of the Eighth Month, Mid-Autumn.

In the afternoon, they dressed to enter the palace. Even for a family feast, imperial rules applied. Luo Shuyu was used to it and said little, even helping hang the jade pendant he’d chosen on Li Mingjin.

Li Mingjin, a bit ingratiating, said, “The jade suits me. Your eye is excellent.”

“You wore it the day before yesterday,” Luo Shuyu said, pricking him for sport.

“You-…”

They were just about to set out.

Disguised as a guard, Shadow Three stood at the side. Right before Li Mingjin boarded the carriage, he leaned in and whispered a few words.

Li Mingjin’s gaze chilled. “To deceive us so boldly… a murderer should pay with a life. See to it.”

Shadow Three bowed back, slipped behind to give instructions to another guard, then returned to the carriage side.

Luo Shuyu, already inside, reached a hand to help Li Mingjin up, only to see something off in his expression. “Your Highness?”

They’d been cheerful moments ago, why the sudden ire?

“Into the carriage first,” Li Mingjin said, unwilling to tell him.

“No rush,” Luo Shuyu said mildly. “Very well.”

Once they were seated, Li Mingjin trimmed the tale and told him only this: Luo Renshou had arranged for Madam Liu to be “gravely ill,” then sent to a nunnery.

Unquestioning, Luo Shuyu felt a weight lift at the news. He had considered taking her life, but a clean death was too easy. Let her suffer in a nunnery.

But he didn’t know how simple his thinking was.

Luo Renshou’s agreement was only a stalling tactic. Whether he followed through later would depend on him. Hence his insistence on handling matters personally: Madam Liu was, after all, the birth mother of his two eldest sons. If he truly sent her to a nunnery, those sons would drift from him.

What Shadow Three had just reported was how Luo Renshou had “handled” Madam Liu.

She couldn’t remain at the Luo estate, that was certain. But in consideration of her four children, he wouldn’t send her to shave her head. Instead, he found a woman who resembled her and sent that woman to the nunnery. It would satisfy Luo Shuyu on the surface. He gambled that Luo Shuyu wouldn’t go verify, and that Luo Shuyu wasn’t truly favored by Li Mingjin.

He had gambled wrong. Li Mingjin already kept Luo Shuyu on his heart’s tip and he had long set his sights on this murderess.

If she wanted to use Mid-Autumn as cover to leave the capital for the Luo clan’s ancestral home, let her. Whether she reached it alive was another question. Bandits on the road were common enough. The real Madam Liu would be in the southern city nunnery. Who would know a nameless woman had died en route? Even if Luo Renshou wanted to pursue the “bandits,” he wouldn’t dare; still less could he vent on Luo Shuyu. This bitter fruit he would swallow alone.

Had he obediently sent Madam Liu to the nunnery, she might at least have kept her life. Serves him right for playing clever.

Of Li Mingjin’s other plan, Luo Shuyu knew nothing, and Li Mingjin never told him. Such blood-on-the-blade matters were too grisly; thus no need to burden his spouse.

They left early, detouring around the bustling Yunsheng Avenue, yet still arrived a bit late.

They crossed paths with the still-bachelor Fourth Prince, Li Mingchun, fanning himself, even in this season.

So he wasn’t playing the Eldest Prince’s tagalong today.

Seeing them, the Fourth Prince came straight over. “Third Brother, later than me today?”

The Third Prince’s residence was closer than the Fourth’s; they should have arrived first. “We took a longer route,” Li Mingjin said.

Then the Fourth looked at Luo Shuyu. “Third Sister-in-law.”

Supporting Li Mingjin, Luo Shuyu nodded without returning the greeting.

The Fourth thought nothing of it. In truth, Luo Shuyu simply didn’t wish to, this one’s mind ran deep. Who knew what poison brewed in his belly.

They headed to Zhaoren Hall. Tables were already set, palace lanterns hung bright as day; only the princes and their consorts were missing.

Great Xia’s rules were fairly lenient; consorts from the harem also attended. Seating and place settings were all assigned.

The moment Luo Shuyu and Li Mingjin entered, eyes turned. The palace women looked him over, expressions varied.

In his past life, at his first palace banquet, he’d lacked experience and showed it in his eyes. Now, tempered by years and a different heart, he stood beside Li Mingjin without being swallowed by his dark aura, appearing unhurried, composed.

Passing Consort Mei’s seat, they both greeted her as Mother Consort. She said casually, “On your way out, have Eunuch Ping send you some fresh corn.”

Face cold, Li Mingjin looked at Luo Shuyu; Luo Shuyu answered at once, “Thank you, Mother Consort. We’ll bring it back.”

They took their seats.

To their left sat the Eldest Prince; to the right, the Fourth. The Crown Prince and his Princess were nearer the Emperor’s main seat, though still some distance away.

Across from them were four imperial consorts: Noble Consort Lin (the Eldest Prince’s mother), Pure Consort Jiang, Virtuous Consort De, and Worthy Consort Wei, who had entered the palace as a ger.

It was still before the hour of the Rooster; there was time before the Emperor and Empress arrived.

The sisters-in-law began chatting across the tables. Resplendent tonight, the Crown Princess smiled at Luo Shuyu. “I’ve heard Third Sister-in-law was steeped in books from youth. Were you not born a ger, you’d surely have taken first in the exams.”

It wasn’t a pleasant line.

In his past life, Luo Shuyu had disliked her most for this, petty in speech, with none of the Empress Dowager’s or Empress’s poise.

He wasn’t afraid. As long as the Crown Prince hadn’t inherited the throne, the Crown Princess was no empress.

“That’s a market rumor,” Luo Shuyu answered smoothly. “I’ve only learned a little of qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, bare superficialities. I wouldn’t compare with Your Highness’s famed brush.”

The Eldest Prince’s consort joined in. “Indeed, the Crown Princess’s painting has been praised even by the Empress Mother.”

The Crown Princess gave two light laughs, she hadn’t expected her sister-in-law to side with Luo Shuyu.

The sparring had only begun.

A sore loser by nature, the Crown Princess said, “Since the banquet hasn’t started, why don’t we play a game?” She turned to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness?”

His status carried most weight; naturally, he humored her. “Very well. The more the merrier.”

The Crown Princess’s eyes flashed slyly. “A new game’s been all the rage, best with many players. I doubt anyone’s tried it.”

“Oh? What is it?” the Eldest Princess Consort asked.

“It’s called ‘Night Falls. Please Close Your Eyes.’”

Interest stirred around the hall; everyone wanted in.

“Night Falls” (Werewolf/Mafia) was something Shen Mingyun had transplanted wholesale from that world; it had only recently caught on. Since his rebirth, Luo Shuyu hadn’t joined any gatherings and hadn’t thought of such trifles—but the moment he heard it, he remembered.

“How about it, know how to play?” Li Mingjin asked.

Given the facts of this life, he shouldn’t have. Luo Shuyu feigned concern and whispered back, “I’ve never heard of it.”

Li Mingjin’s eyes lit. “It’s fine. I’ll teach you.”

Luo Shuyu shot him a meaningful look.

He’d played with him in their past life when he was pregnant. The process was… unspeakable.

Because Li Mingjin could find a new way to publicly blow his identity every round.

---

Author’s Note: This is an imprecise imperial family banquet.

Third Prince: Wife, tonight I’m turning into a werewolf—awooo~
Luo Shuyu: …get out.

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