"I can explain!" Shang Qinghua blurted out.
Yue Qingyuan looked at him with the same mild smile that he always wore, but there was a heavy sense of disappointment in it. If Shang Qinghua wasn't fully aware that he was selling the entire sect out to save his own skin he would be crushed under it. He was still squirming under this gaze, actually.
"What explanation could excuse colluding with demons?" Shen Qingqiu demanded. His eyes gleamed with triumph. Finally, the traitor was caught!
"This isn't betrayal! It's love!"
"Yeah! I ran into Mobei Jun dying when I was a disciple, and saved him, and we fell in love," Shang Qinghua babbled. This was absolutely humiliating, but he was going to do his best to sell this and hope that his king didn't absolutely skewer him for these outrageous claims. Mobei Jun had to be aware that they couldn't fight all the peak lords and win. A little bit of wild lying had to be acceptable.
Mobei Jun dipped his head respectfully, ice blue eyes fixed on Shang Qinghua. "This king has been courting Shang Qinghua for a long time," he agreed.
"What," Qi Qingqi repeated.
"I'm not betraying the sect, I just didn't know how to explain it. Mobei Jun wouldn't hurt us," Shang Qinghua continued to explain in a rush. "He helps me get a lot of the supplies we use from the demon realm, actually. It's a huge benefit! Did I mention we're terribly in love?"
"You're in love," Mu Qingfang said in shock.
"This is a joke," Liu Qingge demanded.
"This king is honest in his pursuit of his Qinghua," Mobei Jun said firmly. "This king will make Qinghua his queen."
"Yeah, he's gonna-what?" Shang Qinghua whipped around to stare at Mobei Jun and gave off a nervous giggle. "What was that last part?"
Mobei Jun stared down at Shang Qinghua. "This king will only have a queen he trusts at his side."
Shang Qinghua gulped and nodded. Okay, this was more intense than he expected. Still, surely this would help them get away with this!
"And what do you have to prove that we should accept this alliance?" Yue Qingyuan asked. His gaze had softened. He was buying it, good!
Mobei Jun reached through the shadows and began to bring out a large bounty of treasures. "This king has many gifts for my Qinghua's sect."
Shang Qinghua gave off another nervous giggle. Okay, that was way more than he expected. He was going to have so much work to make up for this loss.
"He's still a demon," Liu Qingge growled.
"He should be thrown out," Shen Qingqiu agreed.
"This king will take his Qinghua if you throw him aside," Mobei Jun declared boldly. He scooped Shang Qinghua into his arms. He stepped back into the shadows and through to the Ice Palace.
Shang Qinghua shivered. Great, they got away! Shang Qinghua could never go back, but they got away alive!
Mobei Jun nuzzled Shang Qinghua. "My Qinghua," he rumbled.
Shang Qinghua laughed nervously. "You don't have to keep acting, my king."
"This king is not acting."
@tropesdespereratehousestudent
