26 Crescent Moon Hall

Just as LiangLin had predicted, none of the guards noticed Lan QingYu slithering among the tall grass, making his way towards the house.

These men were mortals, their senses poor compared to shifters. And even if they spotted the snake, they didn't know to suspect the snake was a shapeshifter.

At the base of the house, a small opening led to a darkened room. Damp breath caressed QingYu's nostrils as he slid closer. Poking his head in, he sensed the moist air with his tongue. It was cooler compared to the outside.

The drop to the ground from the opening was not far, so QingYu dipped into the darkness, touching the cold stone surface with his abdomen. He hissed in annoyance; he hated the cold.

Lan QingYu blinked his eyes slowly, getting used to his surroundings. Even when the faint flickering candlelight at the corner of the vast area barely lit the room, he could see with perfect precision. He soon realised he had entered a prison cell instead of a room. QingYu flicked his tongue out in confusion.

Why was there a prison in a palace? From what he understood, prisons should be situated outside of the palace, not inside. He slid across the ground, tiny rocks scraped the scales of his stomach, dried hay tickled his sides. Lifting his head from beneath the thin layer of straw, he saw the thick wooden prison bars, and to the side, huddled into the corner of the dingy cell, there was a pile of rags.

QingYu slithered closer and realised the dirty heap was actually an old man. He was mumbling in his sleep and from time to time; he made a low, moaning sound, like a slaughtered cow that QingYu had heard in the Plum Blossom Hall.

So the man wasn't in pain, he just had a weird snore - or whatever that breathing was.

Seeing him sleep and unhurt, QingYu made his way towards the bars. The candle flame shone brighter now, and before QingYu slid from between the rails to reach the hallway, he saw a cross erected on the far wall of the room.

A man, stripped down to his white undergarments, was tied to the cross with white ropes. His head drooped forward, unbound strands had fallen over his shoulder, covering his face in a curtain of black, matted hair.

QingYu crept closer, his head close to the ground. He already had an inkling of who was hanging unconscious on the cross, but he couldn't stop himself from moving closer to take a clear look at the man.

Meanwhile, LiangLin was fidgeting in the shadows of the fig tree grove, throwing nervous glances at the house. What took QingYu so long? The green snake just had to take a quick look around, not move in the building!

The sun was already setting, casting looming dark shadows around him, turning the green field into a dark sea of grass. A light wind blew across the woods, over the field towards the house.

LiangLin was freezing. His light cotton robes from Lushan brought no comfort for him at the moment. If QingYu didn't come out soon, he might die of hypothermia now that his snake body was gone!

Just as he cursed to himself, a slithering sound came next to his feet, and an emerald green snake emerged from the tall grass. It looked almost black in the poor lighting.

Bright yellow eyes patted at LiangLin as the green scales widened and mended together, forming soft tissue. The dark green colour faded away, revealing smooth, subtle skin. Yellow eyes narrowed and turned dark brown.

LiangLin watched as QingYu stood up straight and stretched his slender limbs, curling his toes in the dewy grass. He handed the discarded robes to the green snake and watched with impatience as QingYu took his sweet time dressing.

When, after what felt like an eternity later, QingYu moved to tie his sash, LiangLin snapped, "Well? What was the place?"

Lan QingYu raised his hand as a sign of 'wait' as he tightened his sash with precision. Not even a tiny wrinkle or fold could be spotted.

LiangLin wanted to rip his own hair off at the snail pace QingYu was going. The little green snake was testing LiangLin's nonexistent patience.

Tying the loose end of the belt inwards, QingYu finally turned LiangLin's way. His tightened expression told LiangLin that he was thinking very hard on what to say. This only further fuelled the flame of impatience within LiangLin!

"Brother LiangLin, I think it's better if we return to White Lotus Hall first."

"...?"

___________

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?! I'm going to kill him!"

"Brother LiangLin, this is why I told you to come back here first!" Lan QingYu cried out as LiYue and LiAi kept LiangLin seated at the dining table.

"So the sorcerer is kept a prisoner in the Crescent Moon Hall?" LiBai said after LiangLin stopped raging about murder for the time being.

Lan QingYu was nodding his head furiously. "Yes, sister LiBai. He was hung over a cross. He looks exactly like YaYun, but his eye was scarred shut."

"And the fingers?" LiChun added. "Don't forget the fingers."

"Two missing from the left hand."

"Just let me murder him," LiangLin growled, and LiYue gave him a swat over his thick skull.

"You are not murdering anyone in the palace. We are guests of his highness."

"Maybe we can torture him? For free?" LiAi offered, and LiChun was nodding along eagerly.

"I don't-" LiBai's words whittled away as a commotion broke out at the gates.

The snakes hurried over to the entrance of the main hall and watched as torches lit up the dark front yard with roaring flames.

Servants poured into the area, forming two straight lines, clearing the path as the Emperor himself stepped in the White Lotus Hall for the first time since the snakes had settled there.

"Ah, YaYun!" Lan QingYu squeaked. A light sheen of blush spread over his cheeks in the cool night air as his eyes landed on the man.

Wei KaiJun stood behind the emperor and was signalling to them with his hands, silently screaming 'don't call out his name'!

Zhang YaYun's face stiffened as his name was so carelessly tossed around in front of his servants. But he didn't want to raise his voice at the snake, QingYu was too precious to be yelled at. There was an internal battle within Zhang YaYun as he thought of ways to save his face and not scold the snake.

Yu Zhong could sense his highness' despair and willfully took on the position of the highest-ranking guard and disciplined the offenders.

"In front of his highness, you dare stand around and call out his name? If you don't go on your knees at once, 50 beatings!"

The snakes' jaws dropped.

"Wha-What?!" LiAi screeched.

Wei KaiJun facepalmed so hard, he nearly dislodged his nose. Xie JingYi's pleasant smile froze. They both agreed Yu Zhong was going way overboard. These were guests, not criminals!

"Per person!" Yu Zhong added, his voice thundering in the deathly silent White Lotus Hall.

Zhang YaYun's blood rushed over his head, turning his face darker than the night sky. Fifty beatings? Was Yu Zhong planning on making mincemeat out of the snakes?!

LiBai was the only one with a sharp enough wit to react in time. She kicked her siblings into action and pulled them onto their knees.

Lan QingYu had paled at the prospect of being beaten up and was shooting helpless glances LiangLin's way.

Zhang YaYun made a mental note to strangle the buffalo shifter when they were on their own. His face was saved, and with the way things kept unfolding, his bed was staying cold and untouched by any lovers too. He would also have to rethink Yu Zhong's occupation. Interrogating prisoners for so many years must have messed with the buffalo's mind.

Xie JingYi and Wei KaiJun took this moment to usher the servants outside, leaving only the three royal guards and the Emperor in the yard. The servants saw the snakes taking a knee. That should be enough to soothe any brewing gossip among them.

"Oi! Stand up! No need to kneel any longer!"

Wei KaiJun hurried over and pulled them up. He made sure the fuming LiAi was not stabbing anyone with his unauthorized, weaponized fan.

"We have to keep the Emperor's reputation up. You can't call his name so leisurely. We are in the palace." Xie JingYi added as he helped the whining LiChun up.

She had never in her life had to kneel anywhere, especially on the rock hard stone slap! LiChun pushed the rooster aside and hurried to help LiBai up. Lan QingYu was clinging to LiangLin for support as the two crawled up on their feet.

"Yu Zhong was just kidding, he didn't mean it." YaYun hurried to say and elbowed Yu Zhong in the gut before the buffalo managed to voice an objection.

"Still, fifty beatings? A scold would have sufficed." LiangLin hissed as he dusted QingYu's robes.

"Why are you here?" LiBai said.

"I-" Zhang YaYun's words died out as he struggled to make himself not sound too pushy. He had raged at his guards and friends for not finding LiangLin and QingYu and came to look for them himself. It was not a matter for the Emperor to attend to. He even brought an entire entourage with him in a hurry. He would surely be laughed at if this came to anyone's attention.

"Uh, yes, we were taking a stroll and came to make sure you are settling well." Xie JingYi cut in to save the situation.

"You go on a stroll with this many servants," LiChun said drily.

"And to inform you that Zhi ChangNing is not coming here in a while." Wei KaiJun added.

LiYue stiffened, her fanning hand twitched as she snapped a tad too harshly, "Why not?"

"She is allergic to wisteria flowers. It was everywhere in the palace. She is bedridden for now." Yu Zhong said.

LiangLin and QingYu exchanged wary glances and shrunk under LiYue's murderous glare.

"Rest well. I apologize for disturbing you so late in the night." Zhang YaYun said, but he stood still, eyes resting over the snakes. Only after Xie JingYi nudged him gently did he turn to leave.

Even if YaYun wanted to linger in the White Lotus Hall for a moment longer, he had duties. There were still three baskets full of reports waiting for him in his study. One of them was even moved to his sleeping quarters. He would have to go through them with half-shut eyes.