Her guards

Chapter 227 Senior Brother, You've Worked Hard

"Senior brother."

Do you know why we drink and make merry?

"Because of you."

"Because we're getting married, they're celebrating for us!"

"You, the groom, have arrived, yet you didn't show up? How rude of you!"

Wei Jiao lay back down on the ground, listening to the woman's giggling voice as she sat down beside him, reeking of alcohol.

He raised his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose: "It stinks."

Mo Zheng sighed, "We're getting married soon, you can't dislike me."

"Ha, is he really drunk?" Wei Jiao scoffed. He'd actually stopped flattering and fawning over him? He was starting to make demands?
Or perhaps it's because they're getting married...

Wei Jiao pouted, grabbed a book, and covered her face with it: "Get lost, don't disturb my sleep."

Mo Zheng certainly wouldn't leave.

"When did you get back?" she asked again. "Are you done with your work?"

She didn't make a sound while they were drinking, and she didn't notice when she came in to organize and copy books, until she stood outside the room where Wei Jiao was studying...

Wei Jiao's lazy voice came from under the book: "What? Just because Miss Yang is surrounded by imperial guards and secret agents, does that mean she knows everything?"

Mo Zheng said, "Of course not. How could they possibly notice Senior Brother? Even though I'm very skilled, I didn't notice. Senior Brother became even more skilled after going out."

They've started praising her, but haven't you noticed?

"Then what are you doing up here?" Wei Jiao asked.

"I really didn't mean to come and smash things up for you," Mo Zheng said with a laugh. "I was going back to sleep, but then I remembered I was leaving tomorrow and hadn't put the book I copied for you here yet. I didn't expect to see you back when I walked in. Oh, Senior Brother, you really gave me a fright!"

Is that so? Even after drinking so much with Dead Fish Eyes, she still remembered to put out the books he copied. Wei Jiao thought to herself, "I don't believe it." She stretched out her fingers slightly at her side and gently pressed them against a book lying on the floor…

"You've received the imperial decree while you're out there, haven't you? That's why I'm returning to the Duke of Ding'an's residence tomorrow to await my marriage..."

Mo Zheng's voice followed, and she even laughed as she spoke.

This sounded quite funny, and Wei Jiao, who had her face covered by a book, smiled slightly.

"...But the real reason is that I have offended the Empress badly this time, so I am going back to the Duke of Ding'an's residence to avoid trouble."

"...You still don't know what happened, do you? Judging by the time, you should be on your way..."

"...Simply put, I've fallen out with the Empress."

"...So you see how suitable it is for me to suggest that we get married, so that we can leave the capital under the pretext of marriage."

"...Wei Jiao, how did you handle this matter? Remember to ask His Majesty for some rewards, preferably something that can keep the Empress in check."

Mo Zheng paused here, and the room became quiet, with Wei Jiao's soft, even breathing audible.

Fell asleep.

Even if he's incredibly skilled, it must have taken a lot of effort to sneak past so many spies and get back here silently. Mo Zheng raised an eyebrow and pointed at him...

But no matter how capable he was, he actually fell asleep right in front of her...

Mo Zheng lowered her raised eyebrows and silently watched Wei Jiao, who was asleep under the cover of a book, in the darkness of the night.

Then she looked away, gently got up and went outside. Just as she was about to close the door, Wei Jiao's voice came again.

"...It's not finished yet, I came back first. Aren't we supposed to be getting married?"

His voice was muffled, as if he were very sleepy.

Is he answering her question? So, he wasn't asleep, Mo Zheng stopped and listened to Wei Jiao's voice continue.

"...Do I need to perform meritorious service to receive a reward? If I don't have any merit, can't I control the Empress?"

Mo Zheng smiled and said, "It was my fault. Senior brother, you must be tired from your journey. Please rest well. I'll be going now."

As she spoke, she gently closed the door.

Wei Jiao lay on the ground and listened to the sudden silence outside.

It's as if the person never left.

Actually, the person had already left, but there wasn't even a sound of footsteps.

She's deliberately showing off; she can also come and go silently and unnoticed.

This bastard looks humble and polite, but he's actually arrogant and loves to show off.

Wei Jiao smiled and reached out to remove the book from her face.

The room was dimly lit, and I couldn't see the words on the book clearly, but I could smell the scent of ink—the scent of very fresh ink.

Thinking of the book that was just thrown at me...

It hasn't been long, has it? She's copied so much. She must have so much free time!

Although I knew she was trying to curry favor with me, I knew she wouldn't have done such trivial things if she didn't care.

Before leaving, I remembered to pile up books for him.

So, she muttered to herself, trying to get information out of him what she had investigated on her trip. He didn't want to answer, but in the end, he couldn't help but reply.

Looking at the night sky, Wei Jiao covered his face with the book again.

Just then, soft footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a woman's voice. "Wei Jiao."

"Are you asleep?"

……

……

"I think you're deliberately trying to keep me from sleeping!"

Wei Jiao took the book off her face and said irritably.

Mo Zheng sat down next to him again and waved her hand: "No, no, it's just that your sudden return made me think of some things just as suddenly."

Wei Jiao scoffed, "So you're blaming me?"

He then waved his hand.

"Get out of here! The National Academy doesn't belong to you alone. This place was mine before you came!"

Mo Zheng either ignores Wei Jiao's words or only listens to what she wants to hear.

"Wei Jiao." Not only did she not leave, she moved even closer.

The smell of alcohol was stronger.

He claimed he spilled wine on his sleeve to fool that fool Ling Yu, but he probably drank quite a bit himself!
He won't get drunk and cause trouble, will he?

Wei Jiao subconsciously propped himself up, intending to avoid her, but getting up brought him even closer to the girl who was leaning in.

So close that it seemed one could see their own reflection in her bright, sparkling eyes.

"Hey—" he was about to speak.

Mo Zheng had already raised her hand to shush.

They were so close that the breath they exhaled landed on his face.

Actually, the smell of alcohol wasn't that bad...

A thought flashed through Wei Jiao's mind as he heard a soft female voice beside him.

"Actually, I am not Miss Yang."

……

.......
The room seemed to fall silent.

But then a soft laugh rang out.

"It seems that after thinking about it for so long since that night, you've finally come up with another new identity?"

Wei Jiao reached out, grabbed the collar of the person in front of her, and used the push to sit up.

But he didn't let go.

That night, Mo Zheng thought about it and realized that after killing the person who came to kill her, she lied to the patrolling guards, claiming to be Xiu Yi, and invited Wei Jiao over. Then she confessed to him that "she" was not the daughter of the second uncle's daughter that the Duke of Ding'an had mentioned, but the daughter of the Duke of Ding'an's own sister.

At that time, Wei Jiao said, "Is there anything else? Let me think about it."

“Actually, it’s not a new identity.” Mo Zheng said softly, looking at Wei Jiao who was close by. “It’s the identity that you, Captain, already knew. When we first met, I was that servant, that guard.”

When they first met, Wei Jiao looked at her; the night was deep, and his face was hazy…

He pushed her away, leaned back against the bookshelf, chuckled, and remained silent, listening to the woman's soft voice continue to drift in.

"...We have many enemies and face numerous dangers. Even the Duke of Ding'an cannot be trusted. Therefore, Miss and I switched identities..."

The sound stopped, and the room fell silent.

"So?" Wei Jiao asked.

“So, marrying you wouldn’t make me a young lady, but a maid,” Mo Zheng said softly. “If you don’t want to, you can still stop now.”

At this point, he added another sentence.

"You don't need to do anything, I can handle it. Even if His Majesty agrees, it can still be stopped or canceled."

The room fell silent again.

Wei Jiao chuckled twice: "Your Majesty knows this too, doesn't he?"

Mo Zheng nodded: "I know."

"You really thought you were bold enough to deceive the emperor?" Wei Jiao said lazily, then added, "Why are you telling me now that things are about to get serious?"

This time, the female voice on the other end didn't immediately shower her with praise like, "The captain has sharp eyes and is incredibly intelligent; he can see through my identity, so I dare not hide it." Instead, she paused slightly before speaking softly.

"The captain rushed back through the night, and I felt guilty and couldn't bear to do it."

……

……

Strange, why do I suddenly feel dizzy and unwell all over?

Wei Jiao clenched her hands at her sides.

That bastard must have drunk too much; the whole house reeks of alcohol, and it's making him dizzy.

(End of this chapter)