"..."
Cui Zhaoye looked at him in anguish, as though the white moon in her heart were about to be sullied by a villain.
Li Piaoqing fell silent for a moment. "No wonder I couldn't stop you."
Qu Xin raised her head from the booklet and stared at Cui Zhaoye.
Pei Ye said nothing.
Cui Zhaoye looked at the three of them. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Li Piaoqing thought for a moment. "So your effort amounted to saying two sentences?"
Cui Zhaoye fell silent. "What if I'd said any more and she'd had me arrested and beheaded?"
Then she turned and glared at Qu Xin.
Qu Xin said calmly, "I couldn't reattach your head if it came off, either."
Cui Zhaoye said solemnly, "As an original core member of our Fellowship, I've even tolerated you selling portraits and puppets. How could you desert in the face of battle just now?"
Qu Xin thought for a moment. "A true hero knows which way the wind blows."
Pei Ye sighed softly. "Stay out of this."
Cui Zhaoye turned around. "Don't lose heart, Young Hero Pei... although I only said two sentences this time, next time I'll argue your case to the bitter end! You're a bird forever free. You must never be sullied by power!"
"No..." Pei Ye pressed his lips together and looked at her. "What I mean is, Miss Cui, stop interfering in this matter."
"..."
Cui Zhaoye looked blankly at Pei Ye, and Pei Ye looked silently back at her.
"You've already-" The girl's eyes went round as the words escaped her.
All three remained silent. She said numbly, "The Divine Capital is too filthy."
The lady-in-waiting had not followed them. Li Xizhou said nothing, and Ming Qitian remained quiet too.
Only two sets of footsteps sounded