Catastrophe Love
The Lost Warm Hugs

"His Majesty the King is Arriving!"

Hearing the announcement of her husband's arrival to her daughter's residence, Yun Xieya got up from the chair with a slightly dazed body. Immediately Mu chen helped to support Yun Xieya's body while Yun Xieya's empress turned her head towards the entrance of the pavilion. The woman saw the figure of Shen Jinglong who came with a trusted eunuch and general Ren Ji on his right side.

Sensing that someone was watching him, Shen Jinglong turned his head towards where the wisteria tree was growing. There she could see the figure of her beloved empress standing with a thin smile on her lips that looked slightly pale with physician Mu Chen.

Seeing how her Empress's condition was a little apprehensive, Shen Jinglong's heart fell screaming in pain. With firm steps and a puffed up chest full of prestige, he approached Empress Yun.

"The Empress saluted His Majesty." Yun Xieya bowed in salute for the arrival of the King. Followed by Mu Chen and the other servants.

On the other hand, An Xi started to break out in cold sweat with a deathly pale face as she lowered her gaze from the King. He was very agitated when he saw the arrival of the King to his master's residence. Nevertheless, the girl was as good as possible trying hard to hide the fear that might look obvious.

General Ren Ji was the only person who noticed the strangeness of An Xi's seemingly unsettled attitude. The man furrowed his brows in a deep frown before pulling back his gaze from An Xi's figure.

While Yun Xieya and healer Mu Chen still looked so relaxed and very calm. The expressions of the two were still flat, as if the news of Shen Xueyue's disappearance that they had heard some time ago had never happened. An Nan had a tough attitude like a knight who was undaunted when getting into serious trouble. He was the same as Mu Chen's attitude which looked calm and indifferent like the attitude of a soldier.

"Stop the Empress, you don't have to salute your husband like this. Look, how your face looks so very pale." said the King, helping his Empress re-enforce her body while hugging Yun Xieya's soft shoulders. The King turned his head to look at Mu Chen fixedly and sharply. Although the man did not say anything blaming his incompetence, Mu Chen realized it implicitly from Shen Jinglong's disgruntled eyes.

"Tabib Mu? You certainly know better about my own Queen's condition, don't you?" shen Jinglong quipped, sneering subtly. Mu Chen took a quick look before replying.

"The servant knows, Your Majesty. Servants will continue to pay attention to him." he said, with a facial expression that still looked calm.

"Do I have to ask you to return to your home country?"

Mu Chen's body involuntarily froze as an edict he never wanted to hear fell from the King's lips. His body had suddenly fallen to his knees, Mu Chen screeched in forgiveness, "The servant is wrong Your Majesty. Please Your Majesty give me his mercy."

Shen Jinglong let out a heavy sigh. Hearing the breath of the King, the bodies of all the servants and eunuchs around him trembled and began to feel their backs breaking out in cold sweat, their knees seemed to soften like they were boneless losing the strength to stand.

"Next time I don't want to see my Empress's condition like this again."

"Hamba understands." Yun Xieya looked at the healer of her trust alone. This was his fault, not Mu Chen's fault. Seeing Mu Chen's helplessness facing her husband's anger, Yun Xieya immediately interceded by gently writhing Shen Jinglong's arm.

He slightly smiled faintly, then said, "Your Majesty, servant is fine. This was not the fault of physician Mu Chen because his own servant had always thought a lot lately." Shen Jinglong's eyebrows were crocheted. Her lips were throbbing irritably, Yun Xieya gulped dryly feeling a little nervous from being intimidated though not directly.

"But still he is guilty, Empress." said the King, his tone implying concern for his wife. Even her gaze for Yun Xieya looked very gentle a little dull.

The woman smiled warmly feeling her heart touched, "Your Majesty? Didn't you come to this pavilion to meet your son?" Yun Xieya knew, the shifting of the topic was too fast that he himself was a bit sorry to have said it. But if he doesn't, then the nonsense chatter about his health condition will continue.

An Xi and An Nan's bodies just stiffened involuntarily, and they held their breaths in distress. Why did their Empress have to say it so quickly? What if Shen Xueyue's daughter hadn't even returned yet? What reason should they say to make the King's heart calm?

General Ren Ji glanced sharply at the two, managing to catch the oddity of attitude in those who suddenly turned increasingly nervous and agitated.

"You're right. There's something I want to do for the prince Xue's pavilion, Empress." Tukas the King. He glanced through his shoulders at general Ren Ji. General Ren Ji nodded in understanding, he bowed briefly only to take a few steps back before turning away. "I asked a Taoist priest to take a look at the condition of our Prince Xue's pavilion. Who knew he could provide special blessings and talismans as a form of protection for our prince Xue in order to avoid some misfortune and distress."

When the King explained his intention of coming to the Xueyue residence, a man in a bluish-white robe entered the entrance of the pavilion of the residence Shen Xueyue stayed. The arrival of the man who was a Taoist priest made An Xi's heart beat even more full of anxiety. In his heart he could only pray to the god that a miracle might come and return his master as soon as possible into his room.

General Ren Ji could not take his eyes off An Xi. I don't know what the man was thinking. But clearly, it was not something good for An Xi.

The Taoist priest momentarily braked his footsteps with a stunned expression imperceptibly, as he stepped his feet for the first time into the courtyard of the courtyard of the pavilion of Shen Xueyue's residence. His views traveled all over the pavilion. From the right, left, back, front corners, the handsome Taoist priest continued to cast spells from his lips that were about to read the scriptures according to his teachings, while his left hand held a black pearl beads. He was like a Buddhist priest but dressed like a Taoist priest.

Although Yun Xieya from the outside looked extremely calm, yet in his heart was anxious with an irregular heartbeat. Both of his hands squeezed each other tightly to expel his worries from within his sleeves. Even though he was nervous, the people around him would never know.

"This Pavilion.." the Taoist priest suddenly muttered, with glittering eyes staring at the pavilion building.

"Is there something wrong?" ask the King who has a good hearing. The Taoist priest twisted his body facing Shen Jinglong. He pointed to Shen Jinglong before replying.

"Hamba, answer His Majesty's question." The Taoist priest who knew his name was Qiu Tai looked back at the pavilion and waved his hand as a form of pointing at an object. "This pavilion, I feel the presence of a dense enough stealth essence."

Shen Jinglong furrowed his brows slightly in shock, his eyeballs moving spontaneously to glance silently at the pavilion building where his son lived. He muttered calling out 'stealth' with a flat facial expression.

"However, I feel that the energy produced by this stealth essence does not actually contain negative energy. Or it could be said that the stealth essence did not harm the inhabitants of this pavilion, Your Majesty. Maybe even more precisely it's protecting her."

"But... My son had just suffered a disaster a few days ago. Some even said that he had died before waking up again. Did that stealth essence not mean to harm my son? Isn't that clearly related?" shen Jinglong's rebut was cold. He did not want any dangerous essence from the demon to harm his son even though the demon did not mean that.

"From the corner of the servant glasses, this stealthy essence had not long remained. Might as well... Only about two three days of this demon essence existed. Jafi was most likely that when prince Xue suffered a calamity, it was not caused by this essence." For a moment Qiu Tai fell silent, pinched his chin with a lowered look, thinking. "May I meet Prince Xue directly, Your Majesty?"

"No problem. Come with me." Shen Jinglong invited Qiu Tai to follow him.

Yun Xieya's heart broke as if it was forcibly pulled out and suddenly it stopped beating. In addition, An Xi who was no longer able to stand firmly because her knees turned into flexible jelly like losing her strength, frightened. If only he had not been reminded to continue to strengthen his stance, he might have currently cried and begged for mercy on Shen Jinglong.

The king and his loyal servants walked over to enter the pavilion of the prince Xue's residence. Every step that Empress Yun and her servant took, felt like a thousand concrete rained down, he said, making the heart of Yun Xieya and his servants who knew the matter of Prince Xue's disappearance into a burden that had tons of weight on their shoulders, it made Yun Xieya's footsteps and his servants even more reluctant. Uh! Why should he also raise the topic so quickly about his daughter?

Ren Ji was clearly aware of the oddity in their unusual gelagat. But he could only remain silent and continue trailing behind his King because he did not want to expose the Empress's strange demeanor of her King.

Just when Shen Jinglong was about to open the door of Shen Xueyue's room, everyone also seemed to be pounding and tense. But suddenly...

BRUUGGH!!

"Aiiyyooooooo's search........ Uuhh.." The distinctive voice of someone who had fallen due to being hit hard enough rang out from inside Shen Xueyue's room. And a person who screamed in pain also followed the sound of a gedebug from within the pavilion.

The look in Shen Jinglong's eyes looked depressed and worried as the voice was caught by his sense of hearing. Who else would have the voice if it didn't belong to his youngest son. Instantly Shen Jinglong violently rushed to violently break down Shen Xueyue's room door impatiently.

Meanwhile An Xi and An Nan were secretly glancing at each other looking in shock on the spot and wondering, speaking through the look of their eyes with all sorts of questions.

"Ah Xue's! My son!"

There, with a distance of ten to fifteen meters, Shen Xueyue's body unethically fell from the top of the bed in the wrong position. Where one of his legs was wrapped around a sleeping blanket, and his head was already touching the floor with his body on his back. The girl was only wearing a long white inner suit belonging to a man like a special suit for sleeping. Xueyue came over as if she had just woken up from her sleep, yet as she tried to get down, her legs suddenly got stuck. Xueyue damaged her head several times that hit hard enough while trying to get up. Inwardly cursed at the old grandmother who had suddenly sent her back the wrong way.

"God! Prince Xue!" An Xi and An Nan swiftly ran to get close to his master, but suddenly his movements came to a halt as the King helped Xueyue to get back up.

Seeing that, An Xi and An Nan squeezed the end of her dress uneasily. His gaze was frightened and anxious at the figure of his master. An Xi gulped down dry saliva with difficulty, their eyes started to glaze over.

Somehow the master returned, but seeing how the current state of his master was very sad made his heart beat pain and his heart felt slashed in pain.

"What are you doing? Why did you fall in such a way?" shen Jinglong exclaimed in an anxious tone. Mu Chen came and was already swiftly on the other side of Xueyue when Shen Jinglong helped Xueyue. With a quick movement, he took out his extremely ancient medical equipment and began to check on Xueyue's body condition.

Not far from them, Qiu Tai narrowed his eyes staring at Xueyue's figure full of vigilance. But all of a sudden, for some reason for just a moment, her heart thumped when she saw the figure of Xueyue who was so very beautiful. But... Prince Xue was obviously a man, why could he have such a beautiful face of a woman?

But not because he was in love, but because his face was not so foreign. Xueyue's face resembled that of the Demon Fox she had met two hundred years ago. Xueyue was too beautiful with an orange-red eye line identical to the fox demon. But... Thats impossible. He did not even sense the existence of the Fox Demon essence residing in Shen Xueyue's current body revolving at the core of the girl's body. It was completely clean and within this room, Qiu Tai did not feel the existence of any stealth essence like the time he first entered into the pavilion.

It's strange! Her thought. Did this demon really just want to protect the prince of Xue and not harm him? But seeing the carelessness the current prince of Xue was doing, Qiu Tai hesitated a little. Is it just because of the careless nature that the prince has, or is there an evil energy that overshadows the prince's life so that it makes his life full of misfortune? Qiu Tai continued to recite the holy spell with an eye highlight that locked onto Xueyue's figure.

If Xueyue herself was that demon, then Shen Xueyue would definitely feel an immense pain attacking her head. Otherwise, it really made him a little conflicted.

But how to see Xueyue in pain because of the spell she recited, when her head had just hit the ground quite hard. He could not figure out the cause of the pain if there were two pains at a time.

Shen Xueyue glanced at the Taoist priest's glance, her eyes narrowed for a moment full of vigilance before she retracted her gaze. Unbeknownst to them, two small creatures hiding above their heads noticed the movements of the Taoist priest with scornful grins.

It was a red-crowned Deer and crane that turned into a very small size like a spider on the ceiling of the roof of the house.

"Silly."

"Just be free." muttered the two alternately.

Although according to the Deer and the red-crowned crane that was none other than the incarnate figure of Zhu Guang and Lu Guan it judged the power of the Taoist priest higher than theirs, but with their strength and the combined crystal essence of Goddess Bai Huli that was produced from the red jade embedded in the necklace ornament that Xueyue was wearing at this time, she said, it made Qiu Tai unable to see the strangeness in Xueyue's current self.

There was a multi-layered separation wall protecting Xueyue's entire body without leaving a fingernail.

Shen Jinglong glanced at the two maids of Shen Xueyue who were already sweating coldly. Xueyue realized where Shen Jinglong's deadly sharp gaze was headed. With a clumsy smile, Xueyue cleared her throat at a glance asking for attention from Shen Jinglong.

But he suddenly stopped when he had just realized that, the appearance of this Hou kingdom king was really very similar to his father in the modern world. Suddenly his mood turned somewhat melancholic.

"Dad.. It's not the fault of the two of them." Xueyue said to her two servants.

Shen Jinglong sighed resentfully wanting to refute, but soon Xueyue preceded Shen Jinglong. "Any An Xi and An Nan don't know that I'm in the room."

"What do you mean?" shen Jinglong's chirp was stunned by Xueyue's statement.

"So... When I asked An Xi to prepare some clothes for me, and An Nan whom I asked to buy some new clothes, back then, I was picking up something in the garden behind the pavilion. An Xi didn't know either because I asked her to prepare water for my bath, and she didn't even realize I was going there because I didn't leave a message for her. So then... When An Xi came back, I hadn't come back yet." Xueyue explained without feeling nervous and her tone sounded very smooth in the absence of lies. And that's the real truth.

However An Xi realized something was wrong. He of course also searched the area behind the previous pavilion. How could his master... Uh! He closed his open mouth as if he wanted to say something, but soon the waiter said it. It would be very dangerous if he meddled in the matter between his master and the King.

Shen Xueyue scratched her non-itchy cheeks with an awkward smile. He even avoided Shen Jinglong's stare looking at him fixedly. He should have been afraid and would not have dared to be as impolite as he was today in front of a King. But he is someone who comes from the modern world. Where such formal things did not apply even though he spoke with his parents.

Luckily the King is not a too colossal person who always attaches importance to the courtesy between the child and the father. It could be said that Shen Jinglong did not want his authoritarianism to pressure his entire family to always be polite according to the rules in dealing with him. Otherwise, the slightest act and disrespectful demeanor in front of a King was like Shen Xueyue's current demeanor, that fellow would very easily obtain a very heavy whip sentence. Or even the death penalty.

"Emmm.. Wh-father.. W-can I talk to Dad in private? Just me and Dad."

"Why? Is there something you want to say?" Shen Jinglong observed the atmosphere in Xueyue's room room before looking back at his son.

Shen Xueyue watched her mother empress Yun Xieya who was standing next to her father. Where Empress Yun was looking at him with a sad look of eyes beckoned not to act rashly and impulsively. But Xueyue ignored him, she said, "Yes. And this is very important. Do you mind?"

Shen Jinglong smiled faintly, he then waved his hand in one move and all the servants bowed respectfully, they retreated slowly with an attitude still lowering their gaze giving space. Yun Xieya felt a heavy heart to lift her legs leaving the two in the room. He was still a little worried, especially when he got a report from An Nan regarding Xueyue's wishes.

Shen Xueyue was aware of her mother's worries. He smiled warmly, looking at Yun Xieya as if to say that everything would be fine. Seeing that, Yun Xieya's heart felt a little at ease even though it wasn't entirely a heavy burden on his shoulders lowered. Although reluctant, Yun Xieya was able to leave Shen Xueyue's room with a slightly reduced burden of worry.

After the death of Empress Yun Xieya who closed the door of Shen Xueyue's room, Shen Jinglong again stared fixedly at Shen Xueyue who was a little different from his once quiet little son. But he could not deny, even so, he felt a very happy feeling and longing. It was as if he had never met his son for a very long time.

It warmed and calmed her heart as she looked at the figure of her son who was smiling so beautifully today. In his heart he still wished that Shen Xueyue was a woman and not a man. After all, his son's physique and face did not reflect a genuine man like his other sons. Even Shen Qingtian had a body that was 190 cm tall with the posture of a cultivating man.

'How long have I not seen him smile like this? Uh! Never at all.' Shen Jinglong's inner self, wistfully.

Shen Xueyue gave a warm smile with her neat rows of white teeth in sight, the corner of her eyes narrowing to form an extremely beautiful crescent moonline. It reminded Shen Jinglong of his past together with empress Yun in his youth who had always smiled like the current Shen Xueyue. Where back then, Yun Xieya was a female figure that was very different like an ordinary folk woman due to her careless yet cheerful nature. She was different from a noble princess who had to uphold royal etiquette in front of a King of another country.

This is what all his descendants expect when dealing with him outside of state meetings. But all his sons and daughters were always too polite and afraid to meet him when they had time together freely.

"So? What is this thing that Ah Xue wants to talk to your father about?"

"Dad... This... Might as well... Would slightly.. Sassy." he said stammeringly. Shen Xueyue watched Shen Jinglong's expression silently, trying to read his current situation.

Shen Jinglong was still silent, looking at Shen Xueyue fixedly attentively. It made Xueyue herself even more nervous and misbehaved.

"I know, I'm a little different from the other princes. And because of my condition, my father did not allow me to learn martial arts and swords. But.." Shen Jinglong's body straightened with shock upon hearing the intent of where their path was headed. The man is still tight-lipped. "...can I..do that? I meani... I really wanted to learn martial arts just to be able to take care of myself if at all times it was needed. Lookie! A few days ago, didn't something happen to me?"

Shen Jinglong's expression scolded, "Ah Xue.. Not Dad forbid. But what good is a bodyguard if you can master martial arts?" tukas Shen Jinglong's. Shen Xueyue was in no hurry, and she smiled condescendingly.

Xueyue had only remembered a little of Shen Xueyue's daughter's memory, although she was known as a prince, but king Shen Jinglong did not allow her to learn the sword arts like Shen Qingtian or any other prince. Compared to Qingtian, Xueyue had a different physique. Strangely it was like the physique of a woman. And in this kingdom, a princess was forbidden to learn the art of war and swords like princes. Even if it should be needed.

Originally Shen Xueyue had followed the same training as Qingtian and the other princes. When he understood, Shen Jinglong sent him to military school with the other princes. In short it only lasted one week before Shen Xueyue fell ill due to the weight of the training she received during her time at the school. Unlike the other princes who were the same age as him, Shen Xueyue did not have a suitable physique.

Although the teacher at the military school suggested that Shen Xueyue take the martial arts ways of a female warrior, Shen Jinglong strictly forbade her and considered that it was very embarrassing for Shen Xueyue as well as himself. So Shen Jinglong decided to Shen Xueyue that he was banned from military school from that day.

"Isn't His Highness the Crown Prince the same?" timpal Xueyue remained adamant. Shen Jinglong was speechless. What Shen Xueyue said was true. But obviously this is very different. "Dad... If one day I have to marry someone from another country, there will be a lot of people who are not happy with me. In fact, maybe, there will also be disputes or coups that could endanger me and my partner. And i'm... Of course don't want to be a burden to my partner and his country in the future."

Inwardly, Shen Jinglong could not deny that he also agreed to the idea that Shen Xueyue had presented. When Shen Xueyue got married, it would be very difficult for her to meet him again because Xueyue would be taken to his partner's residence if it was necessary. A dispute and coup would not be avoided by Shen Xueyue in the future.

Shen Jinglong sighed heavily a little in conflict. "...Alright!" muttered. It made Xueyue's eyes glow with a bright twinkle. "But I will still send some bodyguards to take care of you."

"That's a question" he said quickly, "can I decide too? I mean..." Shen Xueyue cleared her throat once as a nervous feeling crept her back, "Like this. A few years ago, I met a friend outside the palace. They're pretty smart. And I chose two of them as candidates competent enough to be a bodyguard. Indeed indeed... They didn't come from the family of trained soldiers that Dad trained. But Dad can test them if you don't trust their abilities." Xueyue explained, at length.

"Who are they? Are they from the territory of Hou country? A minister's son or.." chirped Shen Jinglong inquiring, trying to pry for information.

"Hm... I'm less sure. But Dad, one thing you should know. The two of them were very close friends of mine that I knew when I came out of the palace last year. One of them has high martial arts. The one is the same. Only, the added value of it is, his IQ is above average. He was nicknamed the genius of war strategy." Xueyue chanted with a passionate tone.

"That boy." Zhu Guang grumbled above the roof ceiling. Lu Guan could only sigh tiredly watching.

Hearing the words of the war strategy genius, Shen Jinglong's earlobes suddenly twitched in surprise. Shen Xueyue who realized that was quite proud, yet she was a little bit worried. If it was true according to his guess, if Shen Jinglong were to come to know of Zhu Guang's true skill when they did the test, Shen Jinglong would definitely ask Zhu Guang to be his war strategist and not his bodyguard.

"Then okay. Dad will approve. But I will still give you one personal bodyguard that I trust from my father's secret training base. You can't argue for this one."

"No problem." screeched with a smile, "Thank you! I love you, dad."

In a single breath, Shen Jinglong's body froze with sudden shock as Xueyue swiftly moved her hands under Shen Jinglong's arms, hugging him tightly.

For as long as he lived, Shen Jinglong had never witnessed a King's son so presumptuously touching the body of his father as intimate as Shen Xueyue at this time. He only knew that the physical contact made between a King and his son was nothing more than touching hands. It was also the King himself who would take the first initiative to do so.

But Shen Xueyue...

For a moment Shen Jinglong's brain was suddenly empty. He could not digest what was happening to him at this moment. There was the sensation of an electric shock that roared his body when for the first time he got a hug from his son that should not be done with this intimate. With a broken move, Shen Jinglong tried to lower his gaze, staring at the face of Shen Xueyue who currently looked so very happy.

Unknowingly, his right hand raised as if he wanted to avenge his son's embrace. Yet Shen Jinglong was doubtful, would he be able to do it? In the end the man put his ego aside and grabbed his son.

Strange indeed. But he doesn't care.

There was a warm feeling he had never felt before. It was the same as the first time she hugged Yun Xieya. There was an indescribable feeling of comfort in his heart when he saw the bright smile his son had never shown before him.

If whatever Xueyue wanted she could fulfill could make her son smile like this always, then whatever it was, she would do it.

"Dad. If... I was not born a prince..." Shen Xueyue paused her sentence as she felt the body she was holding stiffening, she suddenly looked up, looking at her father's eyes, ".....would you still think of me as your son?"

For a moment, Shen Jinglong was speechless. The two just stared at each other with their own emotions.

"Why are you saying such a thing?" Shen Jinglong asked in response.

"Jawab it father." said Shen Xueyue insisting.

Shen Jinglong chuckled softly, "Hey! Are you the king?"

"Yes! I'm the king here. Do you mind?" Shen Xueyue twitched flirtatiously to her father who suddenly smiled amusedly.

For some reason, Xueyue's current manner of speaking made Shen Jinglong's heart grow calmer, even he was reluctant to end it. Although Xueyue spoke impudently, she felt a feeling of growing closer towards her son. Even if Xueyue was not actually a prince but a princess, it would actually make her even happier.

"Dad... I'm actually... Is a woman."

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