Chapter 96 Singing Tunes

Chapter 96: Singing a Tune

The night at the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion was exceptionally quiet, with even the servants hardly moving about.

Cheng Ge stealthily hooked his hands over the gate, his round eyes sneaking a shifty look inside the mansion.

Good, no one around...

Hunched over, holding up his skirt in one hand and a steamed bun in the other, he tiptoed inside.

His mannerisms weren't at all normal; instead, he looked like a wife sneaking back home after a hookup.

Cheng Ge glanced left and right, confirming no one was there, and was about to head for his own courtyard.

"Stop." A creepy voice echoed from some unknown corner.

Cheng Ge's small frame instantly stiffened, his feet rooted to the spot.

He screamed inside his head...

He's here, he's here!!! That creepy guy is back again.

He slowly turned his head, scanning the surroundings, and finally spotted Cui Ji under the hibiscus tree.

Cui Ji was sitting upright at the stone table, his entire figure nearly shrouded in the tree's shadow, his expression unreadable.

Cheng Ge's heart was thumping nervously, but he put on a boot-licking smile and walked over. "Your Highness, why are you here?"

Cui Ji lifted his eyes with a stony face and just stared at Cheng Ge without responding.

Cheng Ge felt a bit awkward, took another chomp on the bun, and cautiously glanced at him.

After a moment, Cheng Ge slowly sat down beside Cui Ji and poured them each a cup of plain tea.

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out the last two pieces of peanut brittle, offering them to Cui Ji. "These are quite tasty. Why don't you try one?"

Cui Ji shot a sidelong glance at the peanut brittle wrapped in a handkerchief, but this time he remained unmoved.

"Coming back so late, dressed like that—are you trying to get picked for the emperor's harem?"

Cheng Ge: "..." That dog emperor would be kind enough just not to kill me, let alone pick me for his harem.

Seeing that Cui Ji wouldn't eat, Cheng Ge grabbed a piece of peanut brittle and started munching on it, his brain scrambling to come up with a story.

"Well... you see, after I was dismissed by the Dog... His Majesty a while back, I lost my monthly salary.

I can't go on like this, so I wanted to find some work, make a few bucks to scrape by..." He glanced at Cui Ji guiltily.

Cui Ji picked up his teacup, saying nothing, continuing to judge Cheng Ge with his eyes.

Cheng Ge picked up the peanut crumbs from the corner of his mouth and his eyes darted around.

"I heard a new opera troupe has arrived in the capital, and they happen to need a female warrior role, so I went to give it a try."

Cui Ji: "..."

"Look at me." Cui Ji's face went dark as he barked coldly at Cheng Ge.

Cheng Ge felt a sudden wave of murderous intent; startled, he quickly shoved the peanut brittle into his mouth and looked up at Cui Ji.

"You think I'm a freaking idiot?!"

"Really, I'm not lying! Here, see the money!" He slapped down a few banknotes in front of Cui Ji.

Cui Ji stared at the hundred-tael notes, his temples pulsing with anger, a knot in his throat.

By now, his patience was nearly exhausted. "Fine, then sing one for me too. Let me see the skill of your female warrior role."

Cheng Ge's eyelids twitched nervously: "..." What the hell do I do now?

Cui Ji rested one hand on the table, watching Cheng Ge with a mocking expression, waiting for his explanation.

Cheng Ge curled his toes into the dirt, scratched his cheek a few times—maybe too much peanut brittle, feeling a little hot and bothered.

After a long pause, Cui Ji saw Cheng Ge move and thought he might finally tell the truth.

But instead, Cheng Ge slowly stood up, grabbed the sword Cui Ji had left on the table, and stepped back two paces.

He cleared his throat loudly, flicked his sleeves, swung the sword in a fancy flourish, and struck a theatrical pose.

He belted out: "Suddenly I hear the golden drums and painted horns resound, rousing my will to breach the Heavenly Gate. I recall the days on the Peach Blossom Steed, majestic and proud, enemy blood splattered on my pomegranate skirt..."

Cui Ji's mocking expression drained from his face, leaving him speechless, his mouth twitching like crazy.

The tune was ridiculously off-key, the voice rising and falling haphazardly, not even a tune.

Cheng Ge sang with utter absorption, bobbing his head and flailing his limbs.

He looked exactly like a crazy village lady doing a shaman dance, occasionally sneaking a glance at Cui Ji.

Cui Ji found it too cringeworthy to look at; he picked up the remaining piece of peanut brittle, intending to take a bite to calm his nerves.

But before he could bring it to his mouth, Cheng Ge whacked him in the face with his sleeve.

Cui Ji: "..."

"As long as I live, I'll do my duty; how can an inch of land belong to another? Those petty barbarian scum are nothing—with one sword, I can block..."

At this point, Cheng Ge took a deep breath, held the sword with one hand, and executed a somersault.

"...a million soldiers!!!"

The longsword gleamed menacingly, slicing through the air, its tip hovering two centimeters from Cui Ji's nose.

Time stood still, like a winter cicada, dead quiet.

The peanut brittle dropped from Cui Ji's hand, rolled on the ground, and came to rest at Cheng Ge's feet.

Cheng Ge withdrew the sword and instantly turned into a meek little boy, standing before Cui Ji.

He spotted the peanut brittle at his feet, gulped, gingerly lifted his foot and gave it a little kick.

The peanut brittle rolled again, stopping right next to Dahuang's mouth, who was lying under the table.

Dahuang gave the peanut brittle a sniff, looked up at Cui Ji, then turned his head to look at Cheng Ge.

Cheng Ge stealthily raised an eyebrow at the dog, a mischievous smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Dahuang, seeing this, immediately picked up the peanut brittle in his mouth, crunched it a few times, and swallowed it directly.

After eating, he frantically stuck out his tongue and wagged his tail at Cheng Ge, looking totally fawning.

Cui Ji: "As the saying goes, a tiger in the plains is bullied by dogs."

Cheng Ge winked at Dahuang, then turned and unexpectedly met Cui Ji's gaze.

Cheng Ge: "That counts, doesn't it?"

Cheng Ge gave an awkward laugh, looking at Cui Ji ingratiatingly. "Your Highness, do you want to hear something else?

Not to brag, but when it comes to singing, I'm practically all-around.

You see, my outfit today took a lot of effort, so I have to make the most of it.

How about this: I'll perform the '18-Mile Farewell' scene from the Butterfly Lovers story for you. I promise you'll be totally mesmerized."

At this point, Cui Ji didn't even have the energy to get mad. He was about to say, "No thanks."

But Cheng Ge didn't give him a chance to refuse. He pulled a round fan from his belt and transformed into a song-and-dance man again.

Cui Ji rubbed his forehead with his knuckles, sighed heavily, and looked down at Dahuang on the ground, only to see him using both paw pads to clamp down on his ears.

On a nearby wall...

Secret Guard A: "What's Master Cheng doing? Chasing ghosts?"

Secret Guard B: "Feels like there's something spooky here."

Secret Guard Chief: "Tsk! Can't you see? He's taunting the prince!"

"Little Gege's Theater:

Cheng Ge: "Enough."

Author: "Madly cooking."

Cheng Ge: "I need a rest. Too much, it affects my mental and physical health."

Author: "Don't know what you're talking about. Keep cooking."

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