Chapter 272 — Ghost Possession
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Shen Mu was sleeping in a daze when he felt someone crawling onto him. He had a temper in his sleep, so he kicked out twice and sent the intruder tumbling off the bed.
The other was just as drowsy; dragging the quilt, she climbed back up and burrowed into his arms, only to be kicked off again. In the end the three girls fell asleep in one another's arms, leaving him out in the cold. After the toil of the past days, both Shen Mu and Ling Yuxiu slept deeply.
Shen Mu did not wake until the small hours of the next morning; Ling Yuxiu had nestled under his arm, and he shifted his limb with the greatest care, afraid of waking her. In truth Ling Yuxiu was already awake. Being a girl, and a thin-skinned one at that, she dreaded the awkwardness of opening her eyes, and so feigned sleep.
Peeping through her lashes, she saw Shen Mu pick up his shoes and tiptoe out. Only when he had left the room did Shen Mu breathe easy. The twin palace maids had risen early and were talking in the courtyard.
One said, "Young Master Shen likes to box in his dreams. He gave me a fine kicking—look, my eye socket is swollen. " "You're one to talk! I got kicked too, right in the chest, and he knocked me off the bed.
He didn't take liberties with you, did he? " "No.
But the princess slept with the young master, and we were in the bed as well, all under one quilt. How are we to report this when we go back?
" The two girls were silent a moment, then said in one voice, "We won't speak of it, and neither will the young master or the princess. So it stays unsaid!
" It concerned the royal family's face; say too much and one might lose one's head.
They understood that well enough.
Shen Mu put on his shoes, coughed once, and stepped out. The two maids hurriedly bowed in unison. "The young master is awake?
We sisters were rash yesterday; had you not looked after us, we would have died at the hands of the Little Poison King. " Shen Mu returned the salute.
"And it was fortunate that you two were there. You wounded the Little Poison King and kept him from running wild. " The maids exchanged a glance and laughed together. "Young master, do not call us elder sisters.
We serve the Empress Dowager; we have no family names, only given names. I am Jianqi, and she is Qinqi. " Seeing him look from one to the other, trying to tell which was Jianqi and which Qinqi, they could not help laughing—and in that laugh Shen Mu saw it. Jianqi had a little fang on the left; Qinqi had one on the right.
"Young master, we have been out all night and must return to the palace early to report," Qinqi said.
Shen Mu nodded. "You slept, and the lingering poison in you has cleared; there is nothing serious. I still have a few detox pills here—take them with you.
" The maids thanked him and took the pills. They were just about to leave when Ling Yuxiu's voice came from the room: "Wait for me! I'll go back with you!
" The two stopped and turned. Ling Yuxiu came running out in a fluster, half-dressed in her white underrobe, her hair somewhat disheveled, an outer garment tucked under her arm, shuffling along in her shoes. A shoe slipped off; she hurriedly lifted her foot to put it back on, but her black hair came completely loose and spilled down over her shoulders like a waterfall. Then she tried to fix her hair, and the outer garment tucked under her arm fell. She was a sorry sight indeed.
Shen Mu looked at her, and saw that a pair of plump breasts were about to escape her clothing.
The youth hesitated inwardly, unsure whether to speak a warning or step forward and help tuck them back in. Jianqi and Qinqi exchanged a glance, went up, and escorted the princess back into the room to help her dress and do her hair. Her face burning red, Ling Yuxiu summoned her courage and asked in a whisper, "Will I get pregnant?
" The two maids' eyes went wide. "Why does the princess ask such a thing?