ARIMTFE – Chapter 102

Returning to Changle Palace, Qin Su was still thinking about what Chi Shui had just said to her. What was the origin of that medicine, and how could it change a heartless person like Hua Xi into that state?

“Once Hua Xi has woken up, have her come to see me.”

Qin Su instructed Chi Shui, then thought of something else. “On the day of the grand wedding, increase security from the prime minister’s residence to the palace, blending among the people and remaining vigilant. I don’t want any unexpected incidents.”

“Yes!”

“Also,” Qin Su called out to Chi Shui again, “wash the white tiger thoroughly and bring it over.”

Chi Shui acknowledged and left to make arrangements.

The white tiger arrived much quicker than Hua Xi. Qin Su watched as the white tiger ran towards her in a rush and raised her hand to rub its large head. The sleek fur was even warmer than a hand warmer in the cold winter.

“Stay away from Hua Xi, don’t get into mischief. You should be more composed. You’re already a big tiger; you shouldn’t be so restless.”

Leaning against the white tiger was much more comfortable than a pillow.

The white tiger let out a low, sad growl after being scolded by Qin Su and rubbed its head against her, almost pushing her off the couch.

Holding onto the white tiger’s ear, Qin Su flicked its forehead. “Behave. An Ping will be here in a few days. An Ping is made of glass and can’t withstand your antics. If you scare An Ping, I’ll turn your white fur into a rug.”

The white tiger snorted and obediently lay down on the couch without moving.

When Hua Xi arrived, Qin Su was leaning against the white tiger, using it as a warm cushion and reading the grand wedding procedure. Hearing the noise, she looked up from the booklet. “What’s going on with that powder?”

Qin Su got straight to the point. Hua Xi leaned on the nearby chair with a yawn. “Haven’t your people investigated everything?”

“That was Jin Lie’s men. The powder came from Fu Liang. Chi Shui said that after you saw the powder yesterday, you seemed off. I don’t care much about your business, but I can’t stand seeing you in this half-dead state. Tell me what’s going on so I can help you.”

Qin Su had her suspicions. Based on Hua Xi’s personality, if the powder had come from one of her enemies, she would have come to her, embellishing the story to provoke her into killing the person. But Hua Xi hadn’t mentioned anything, and she spent New Year’s Eve drinking alone with the white tiger and Hongyun. That was unusual.

Hua Xi glanced disdainfully at Qin Su and chuckled, “What’s my business? I’m Hua Xi, do I need you to take charge of anything? You’ve got your hands full with your coronation and grand wedding.”

Hua Xi didn’t want to say anything more, and Qin Su didn’t press her. Forcing someone to do something they dislike under the guise of doing it for their good wasn’t Qin Su’s style.

“If you want to talk, go ahead. You know where to find me if you need anything.”

Hua Xi saw Qin Su lower her head again to read the booklet and couldn’t help but laugh. “Would it be fine if I came to you on your wedding night with Miss Shen?”

Qin Su gripped the booklet tightly, her gaze full of hostility as she looked at Hua Xi. “Bai Hu, go.”

“I was just kidding!”

Hua Xi saw that Qin Su couldn’t take a joke and ran out. The white tiger, used to this game with Hua Xi, let out a long howl and chased after her.

After sending the two away, Qin Su shook her head and continued reading the booklet.

The third day of the lunar new year was an auspicious day for marriage.

Just at the hour of the Ox (1am to 3am), Qin Su stepped out of the clear pool. Chi Shui and the others were nearby, drying her long hair, and helping her change and apply makeup.

Today was not only Qin Su’s grand wedding day but also the day she ascended to the throne, making it especially busy. Instead of wearing traditional wedding attire, she wore a heavy and luxurious imperial robe. In the silk workshop, many embroiderers worked tirelessly day and night to finish the Nine Dragon Robe embroidered with images of rivers and seas, the highest standard of imperial wedding attire.

With a black background, red patterns, and gold thread, the robe was adorned with countless precious gems and pearls. Just the two precious gems used as pendants were worth a fortune.

Qin Su took a deep breath and looked at herself in the full-length bronze mirror. Although her hair was still down, it didn’t detract from her commanding presence.

She tried taking a step and exerted her internal energy. The robe was indeed not something an ordinary person could wear; it was much heavier than armor.

She moved to the dressing table and sat down straight, closed her eyes, and relaxed as Chi Shui and the others groomed her.

Just the dressing and grooming took two hours. By the time they finished, it was the hour of the Rabbit(5am to 7am), and everything was ready for Qin Su to leave.

Welcoming the bride, bowing, ancestral worship, and receiving the worship of the people sounded simple, but it was very complex.

To demonstrate her respect for Shen Yi, Qin Su added a ceremony of bowing, replacing the usual post-wedding rituals. That allowed everyone to know that Shen Yi was Qin Su’s wife, having bowed to heaven and earth together. No matter what happened, they would face it together.

However, Qin Su couldn’t be present for the wedding procession as she had to perform the ceremonies in the palace first. Otherwise, she would have gone to welcome Shen Yi.

The responsibility of welcoming the bride fell to Nanxiang’s King Qin Yu, who conducted various ceremonies from the prime minister’s residence. Shen Yi was escorted by Shen Qing onto the phoenix sedan chair, with the white tiger leading the way and the imperial guards providing protection. The streets were lined with people, with golden leaves and silver coins scattered by attendants. Even in winter, the path was covered with numerous fresh flowers, and they headed towards the palace.

Qin Su, having finished her ceremonies, waited at the palace gate and carried Shen Yi out of the Phoenix sedan. They walked down a path laid with gold, heading towards the Temple of Heaven.

Shen Yi wore a phoenix robe, similar to Qin Su’s outfit but lighter. Her robe had nine phoenixes that seemed to soar from the crimson hem, almost flying away. The heavy phoenix crown had numerous gold bead curtains that concealed Shen Yi’s face.

Qin Su held Shen Yi’s hand tightly. It seemed they could hear each other’s rapid heartbeats.

Step by step, they entered the Temple of Heaven together for the second time, led by the ceremonial official.

“In the first year of the Tianwu era, on the third day of the first lunar month, the emperor and empress are married, reporting to the ancestors of the nine heavens and informing the people…”

“First bow to the heaven and earth!”

“Second bow to the ancestors!”

“Emperor and empress bow to each other!”

“Ceremony complete!”

For many, that was the first time witnessing the emperor and empress bowing together, which was an eye-opener. But since these were Qin Su’s orders, no one dared to voice any objections.

As the ceremonial official finished the final line, Qin Su finally felt relieved. She had successfully married Shen Yi.

Qin Su extended her hand, and Shen Yi placed her hand in her. They walked together, hand in hand, and stood at the highest point of the Temple of Heaven. The officials had been waiting for a long time and, once the two were in position, they kneeled.

“Long live our empress!”

“Long live the empress!”

Standing at the highest point, Qin Su held Shen Yi’s hand and looked down. That was the feeling of being above all things, dominating the world, with all people bowing, and heaven and earth bowing their heads.

Qin Su looked forward, and her eyes contained the vast rivers and mountains of the world and all the people. However, in Shen Yi’s eyes, there was only one person beside her.

Shen Yi grasped Qin Su’s hand in return, and her eyes were filled with Qin Su.

The ceremonial procedures were completed, but it was not over yet. The final step was to go to the imperial tombs to pay respects to their ancestors.

Qin Su and Shen Yi both sat in the imperial carriage and headed to the imperial tombs. Qin Su took a long breath and said, “It’s too heavy.”

Shen Yi felt the same way. Although she had been practicing for the grand wedding and her phoenix robe was heavier than usual wedding attire, it was still bearable. However, as the morning wore on, she realized she had overestimated her strength and her legs were shaking.

Qin Su gently lifted a bit of Shen Yi’s veil and saw her struggling under the weight. She chuckled and pulled her into her arms. “Lean on me for a while. Once we reach the imperial mausoleum, offer the incense, and pay respects, we can go back.”

Shen Yi hesitated for a moment. Although she felt the action was inappropriate, she was indeed struggling, so she leaned slightly towards Qin Su, finally feeling a bit more comfortable.

Upon reaching the imperial mausoleum, as Qin Su said, after the firecrackers went off, the two approached and offered their respects and incense.

As Qin Su and Shen Yi returned to the imperial carriage, Qin Su glanced back at the imperial mausoleum and then turned his gaze away.

In the restricted area of the imperial mausoleum, the fifth prince Qin Jing, who was practicing calligraphy, stopped and listened to the firecracker sounds outside. “It sounds lively.”

——

As the day began to darken, Qin Su and Shen Yi returned to the Yong’an Palace.

In the past two months, Emperor Yongle—now known as the retired emperor—had already moved to the Taici Palace, living a leisurely retirement. Qin Su also moved back from the Changle Palace and officially entered the Yong’an Palace.

As the empress, Shen Yi was supposed to take residence in the Wenyang Palace. However, due to the unique nature of Wenyang Palace and because Qin Su did not want to be separated from Shen Yi, she brought Shen Yi into Yong’an Palace.

Everything in Yong’an Palace was newly furnished. Had time allowed, Qin Su would have rebuilt the place entirely, as the arrangements made by Emperor Yongle did not suit her taste. She instead moved them to the Taici Palace for the retired emperor.

Now, Yong’an Palace was splendid, luxurious, and comfortable, very different from the simple elegance of Emperor Yongle. The only touch of elegance left was a few of Shen Yi’s calligraphy and paintings.

Sitting on the grand dragon bed, Shen Yi’s hands were clasped together, and her nervousness was evident. Ming Xia, Cheng Lian, and others stood by, waiting for Qin Su’s arrival.

Since the coronation ceremony and the grand wedding took place simultaneously, Qin Su wished she could be in two places at once. She had just finished over there and hurriedly made her way to Yong’an Palace.

“Your Majesty, do you remember what I told you earlier?” 

Chi Shui was still beside Qin Su, reminding her as they walked.

“I’ve memorized it all.”

Qin Su stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

The candles flickered, and the curtains warmed the room. Shen Yi sat nervously at the edge of the bed. Upon hearing the sound, she lowered her head further.

The confidence Qin Su had earlier vanished, and she stood in place, unsure of what to do. It wasn’t until Chi Shui pushed her that she took a step into the room.

Both were overly nervous. What lay ahead was simply the lifting of the veil, drinking of the wine, and changing clothes to attend the palace banquet.

When Qin Su lifted the veil with the rod, revealing Shen Yi’s shy and delicate face, she thought her heart was already beating at its fastest, but it wasn’t until she guided Shen Yi’s hand through her arm and the two drank from the shared cup that her heart truly raced out of control.

The same was true for Shen Yi. As she looked at Qin Su in front of her, she felt she had never been so nervous. She was like a puppet, following Qin Su’s every move.

It was only after the two changed clothes that their muddled state cleared up.

After changing out of their wedding attire, Qin Su wore a dragon robe, while Shen Yi changed into a phoenix robe that was still heavy, but much lighter than before.

Qin Su was the first to finish dressing. When she saw Shen Yi emerge from behind the screen, she walked over and took her hand. “Let’s go, Empress.”

Shen Yi walked to Qin Su’s side and slightly lowered her head. “Your Majesty?”

“Forget it. Call me Zi Xun as usual, and I’ll call you An Ping. These titles like Empress and Majesty make me feel distant. What do you think, An Ping?”

Qin Su wanted to tease Shen Yi, but when she called her Majesty, she remembered how she used to call her “Your Highness” when she was angry, and it made her uncomfortable. So, she quickly changed her mind.

Shen Yi’s initial anxiety vanished, and she smiled at Qin Su. “Of course, that’s fine.”

Qin Su also smiled. She knew An Ping always thought the same as she did.

Finally, Qin Su could openly hold Shen Yi’s hand and walk into the palace banquet, announcing to the world that Shen Yi was her.

The palace banquet itself was not as grand as expected. After making their appearance, the two left early. They found the event dry and repetitive, preferring to return to the palace.

Once the two empresses left, the others didn’t linger either. Unlike the New Year banquet, there were no significant restrictions, so everyone dispersed once the time was right.

As for Qin Su and Shen Yi, they returned early to the palace and had the bed prepared before heading to the clear pool.

The clear pool resembled the one in Zhengyang Palace, complete with a special pavilion. Within the rising mist, it was hard to tell whether they were in the mortal world or an immortal realm.

Qin Su and Shen Yi removed their clothes and entered the water. The day had been exhausting, but the warm water soothed their tired bodies.

Qin Su rubbed the stiff neck caused by the crown and exhaled deeply. She looked over at Shen Yi, who was sitting far away.

“An Ping?”

Qin Su called out, surprising Shen Yi, who looked up. “Zi Xun?”

“Why are you sitting so far away? Are you afraid I might eat you?”

Qin Su thought of how they had officially married that day, and the thought made her feel warm. She waved her hand at Shen Yi, trying to tease her.

Shen Yi’s tension stemmed from it being her first time. The unknown often brought fear.

Looking at Qin Su, Shen Yi retreated slightly, then reconsidered and moved closer again.

Qin Su understood Shen Yi’s thoughts and was not in a hurry. She didn’t want to scare her, knowing that she would be the one to cry if she did.

Initially, Qin Su thought Shen Yi would stay rooted in place like a cautious rabbit until they finished bathing. But after a while, Qin Su, with her eyes half-closed, felt the water beside her move gently. Opening one eye slightly, she saw Shen Yi moving slowly toward her like a cautious turtle.

Suppressing her smile, Qin Su pretended to be unaware and quietly awaited Shen Yi.

After a long while, just when Qin Su thought Shen Yi might have backed off again, a fluffy head nestled on her shoulder, “Zi Xun? Did you fall asleep?”

Qin Su finally opened her eyes and saw Shen Yi beside her, her whole face red. She reached out and pulled her into her arms. “No, I’m waiting for An Ping.”

“You saw it long ago?”

Shen Yi looked at Qin Su with moist eyes, accusingly, but as soon as their eyes met, she slowly backed down and attempted to retreat.

If it wasn’t going to be delivered, then it wouldn’t be delivered. Now that it was right in front of her, how could she just let it go?

Qin Su embraced Shen Yi tightly and placed her other hand on Shen Yi’s waist. She effortlessly lifted Shen Yi into the water, settled her on her lap, and tilted her head to kiss Shen Yi’s rosy lips.

All the restraint she had been holding back broke down like a dam at that moment, and the flood engulfed them.

Qin Su caressed Shen Yi’s shoulders and lowered Shen Yi’s undergarments that were pressed against her body. For the first time, the delicate kiss left Shen Yi’s lips and slowly moved downward…

The misty water vapor covered everything in the pool.

Sometime later, Qin Su was dressed in her underclothes, with a loosely worn outer robe draped over her. She held Shen Yi, who was wrapped in a blanket, in her arms. Within a few blinks, the door of the bedroom opened and closed again.

Chi Shui and the others silently moved away from the door, turning their backs to the bedroom and looking up at the star-filled sky.

Inside the bedroom, on the large dragon bed, Qin Su placed Shen Yi on the bed as if she were placing a rare treasure. Then she casually threw her outer robe over the screen. The red candles flickered, and who knew how many hours of the night had passed?

In an instant, one night was gone. Chi Shui saw that the sky was already bright and took a glance at the door, which remained tightly shut. She ultimately gave up on calling Qin Su for morning practice, as the empresses were newlyweds and were on a seven-day rest.

Thanks to Chi Shui’s thoughtfulness, it wasn’t until the sun was high that Qin Su woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the bright sunlight outside and was about to reprimand Chi Shui when she noticed Shen Yi next to her. She froze for a moment, then remembered that she had married Shen Yi yesterday.

She smiled, laughing at her foolishness.

Seeing Shen Yi sleeping soundly and recalling what happened between them last night, she realized she might have lost some control, and she felt a pang of pity. She decided not to rush to get up and instead lay back down, pulling Shen Yi close to her and falling asleep again.

When Shen Yi woke up, she felt sore all over. She frowned and tried to get up, but she felt something weighing on her. She opened her eyes, and her blurred vision gradually focused on Qin Su’s face.

In an instant, memories of last night flooded back, and Shen Yi’s face turned as red as fire. She wished she could disappear on the spot. She buried her face in Qin Su’s shoulder, hoping to erase the memories from her mind.

Shen Yi’s slight movements woke Qin Su, who opened her eyes again. Feeling the warmth on her shoulder, Qin Su realized what was happening. She gently stroked Shen Yi’s back, “Is An Ping awake?”

Shen Yi didn’t want to talk to Qin Su at the moment and remained silent, pretending to be asleep.

Qin Su could tell from Shen Yi’s irregular breathing that she was pretending. Seeing Shen Yi like that, she pulled her closer to her chest. With warm and soft arms around her, Qin Su felt even more content than when she had ascended the throne the previous day.

Holding her in her arms, Qin Su didn’t reveal Shen Yi’s pretense. “Well, since An Ping isn’t awake, let’s stay in bed today. Oh, I’m also a bit tired. Let’s sleep some more and not worry about whether it’s close to noon.”

As soon as Qin Su finished speaking, Shen Yi looked up, shocked, “What? Noon?”

After Shen Yi asked, Qin Su looked up and saw the time. She suddenly felt tense and tried to get up from Qin Su’s arms but felt a sudden ache in her waist and fell back onto Qin Su.

“An Ping, you’re not dressed yet. Where are you in such a hurry to go?”

Qin Su’s hand deliberately brushed against Shen Yi’s smooth skin, successfully breaking Shen Yi’s attempt to get up.

With a flushed face, Shen Yi pushed Qin Su’s hand away, “Stop messing around. It’s already this late, and we need to serve tea to the elders.”

Qin Su burst into laughter, hugging Shen Yi and flipping her over to press her down. She pinched Shen Yi’s face, “Oh, I forgot about this. An Ping has become a new bride and needs to serve tea.”

Shen Yi looked at Qin Su with urgency, wondering who would serve tea to the elders so late on their first day of marriage.

“You know that so why aren’t you getting up? Stop messing around.”

“Oh,” Qin Su mischievously pinned Shen Yi down and pointed to her lips, “Okay, this will get you up.”

Qin Su’s shamelessness knew no bounds. Shen Yi was exasperated but then reached up and pulled Qin Su down, raising herself to meet her.

Qin Su didn’t expect Shen Yi to believe her. She found teasing Shen Yi amusing but also had a rare pang of conscience.

When Qin Su was satisfied, she told Shen Yi the truth.

“I’ve already spoken to Father and Lady Jin. We don’t have to serve tea today. We can go tomorrow. They were also busy yesterday and didn’t want to wake up early.”

Now that Emperor Yongle had become Emperor Emeritus, and there was no empress, Lady Jin officially became the new empress dowager. That arrangement was decided by Qin Su. Lady Jin’s contributions to the palace over the years proved that she deserved the position.

Perhaps Qin Su couldn’t accept the idea of replacing the virtuous empress, but now that Lady Jin had become empress dowager, she felt it was time to stop neglecting her.

After hearing Qin Su’s explanation, Shen Yi was taken aback and then realized that Qin Su had been teasing her earlier. She huffed coldly, “Qin Zixun!”

“My apologies.”

Regardless of her status, Qin Su’s speed in apologizing remained unchanged, perhaps even accelerating over time. Seeing that she had upset Shen Yi, she apologized and let go of Shen Yi, lying on her back, “I’ll do whatever An Ping decides.”

Shen Yi had built up some momentum earlier, but Qin Su’s actions quickly dispelled it. In the end, Shen Yi couldn’t hold back her laughter and playfully bumped Qin Su’s shoulder with her head. After that, she couldn’t help but laugh, unable to stay angry at Qin Su.

The two of them lingered in bed for a while, then got up and dressed.

Those few days should be uneventful, and Qin Su was glad for the leisure. She changed into a more casual outfit, draped herself in a fox fur cloak, and wrapped Shen Yi entirely in it. The two of them went out to stroll in the imperial garden together.

Over the past two days, there hadn’t been any snow, and the sun was shining brightly. The cold wind in the imperial garden had softened, making the sunlight feel cozy and lazy.

Qin Su initially intended to take Shen Yi for a casual walk but ended up at the tiger enclosure. Although it was called a tiger enclosure, there was only one white tiger inside. This white tiger lived like a lord, being pampered and cared for. Its fur was sleek and shiny, and it was lazily lying in the enclosure, licking its paws.

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T/N: So for Empress/Lady Jin, the author referred to her as Empress/Queen/Imperial Consort with Empress being used more often, that’s why I had decided to go with referring to her as Empress Jin but seems like she did not have that title officially until this chapter. 

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Previous – Next

TISAG – Chapter 100

The beams of light emitted by the jade discs of the five elements were very steady, pointing consistently in the same direction.

Yue Ge and Zhu Yu followed the light beam all the way.

Being able to fly in the sky naturally meant no need to endure the hardships of a bumpy carriage ride… Yue Ge paid a large sum to rent a highly skilled demon bird for transportation.

The only problem was that the demon bird also had the pride of a strong creature. It flew thousands of miles with a lazy demeanor, never showing a friendly face to the two renters.

If it weren’t for the control jade token given by the firm, the creature would have likely left the two Asura women behind and flown off on its own.

At that moment, they were already near the northwest end of the continent.

Yue Ge sat cross-legged on the back of the demon bird, looking down at the map of Lingyuan mountains and rivers, her face solemn.

“A little further and we will reach the Ruoshui Gorge,” she sighed.

The Ruoshui Gorge did not contain any water; it was a narrow, north-south running gorge of unfathomable depth.

It was named Ruoshui Gorge because any birds, animals, or cultivators attempting to cross over it would uncontrollably fall into the gorge.

The characteristic was similar to the legendary “Hongyu doesn’t float, and birds cannot pass” of Ruoshui, so the cultivators nearby referred to it as Ruoshui Gorge.

Upon reaching here, they could no longer ride the demon bird, as even the demon bird could not fly across it.

What a pity.

Yue Ge thought regretfully.

She couldn’t take a detour… who knew what the Wu Yue Immortal Lord, who looked exactly like her brother, was thinking!

If they deviated from the path, the five element jade discs would refuse to cooperate. They would whirl around like a waltz, and the navigation beams would flicker on and off, forcing them back to the correct path.

Navigation shouldn’t be this rigid!

The demon bird sensed Yue Ge’s frustration and opened its beak, letting out a screech of schadenfreude.

Yue Ge ignored it and just leaned into Zhu Yu’s arms, worrying about the Ruoshui Gorge.

Yue Ge: Losing morale.jpg

“I’ve heard that traversing the Ruoshui Gorge is a way for powerful cultivators to train their bodies, treating it as a trial.”

Zhu Yu thought aloud, leaning forward slightly, her chin resting on Yue Ge’s shoulder, her eyes on the map of mountains and rivers.

Then, she turned her head and said, “Ahead is Noon Bell City, let’s return the demon bird there to the branch office.”

Yue Ge sighed, expressing her agreement.

Noon Bell City was called a city, but it was a small kingdom attached to the Northern Marsh Empire.

There, the attitude of humans towards the other eight tribes was less exclusionary compared to the people of Sheng Lan.

Yue Ge and Zhu Yu returned the demon bird.

They walked through the streets, where they could see beastfolk with beast ears standing upright on their heads, and demonfolk with horns on their foreheads.

People of different races conversed casually, without any “those not of my race must be of a different mind” mentality.

“Ah Zhu, look at this purple fruit, doesn’t it look like an octopus?”

Yue Ge saw the spirit fruits in a small stall and eagerly pointed them out to Zhu Yu.

“Demon race specialty: multi-clawed banana.” Zhu Yu only glanced at them briefly and stated the name flatly.

Yue Ge instinctively asked, “What’s the taste like?”

Zhu Yu’s eyes carried a hint of amusement: “The taste is sweet, the aroma strong, and the texture soft and glutinous.”

Listening to the description, it sounded a lot like a banana.

Yue Ge went ahead and bought one to try, and she and Zhu Yu shared it bite by bite, finding it quite agreeable. She then bought a bunch more.

The small fruits resembling little purple octopuses were individually frozen by Zhu Yu and stored for future use.

The novel foods of Noon Bell City was not limited to that.

The two Asura women had been staying in Noon Bell City for quite some time, and they made their way through the city’s food street. All kinds of signature dishes from the demon tribe and specialty snacks from the beast race were tasted and unanimously praised by the two professional food critics.

“We shouldn’t limit our collaboration to just the Enigma Snail Trading Firm,” Yue Ge decided. “All eight races have culinary treasures.”

Zhu Yu agreed: “Expanding the scale of Gourmet City even further wouldn’t be a problem.”

Yue Ge took a bite of crispy, crunchy demon-fried vine and felt a little sorrow for the traditional culinary culture-less Asura race for about three seconds.

It was odd. Asura loved to eat, so why was she the only one who could cook?

Could it be some ancient curse?

Yue Ge, the only one who had unlocked the cooking skill, thought about it seriously but couldn’t come up with an answer.

Having satisfied their appetite, they naturally began to prepare for climbing the Ruoshui Gorge.

Curiously, though neither birds nor beasts could fly or leap over it, there was still a way to cross the Ruoshui Gorge.

And that was by climbing.

Yes, without using spiritual power, just like ordinary people, using hands and feet to climb.

Only by descending the cliff wall to a certain depth and then leaping to the other side of the gorge’s cliff wall and climbing up.

Aside from that, only someone in the Celestial realm could ignore the gorge’s strange rules and simply fly over.

At that moment, Zhu Yu was checking out a special climbing suit at one of the shops.

The Ruoshui Gorge had a reputation for attracting daredevil cultivators wanting to test their limits.

Since Noon Bell City was close to the Ruoshui Gorge, the locals developed climbing suits and wind-resisting pills to make money from cultivators’ spirit crystals.

Though expensive, the items were quite effective.

Looking at the climbing suit, Yue Ge couldn’t help but imagine…

What would Zhu Yu, usually cold and otherworldly, look like using both hands and feet to climb? Would she resemble Spider-Man? Pfft!

Zhu Yu, unaware of what she found amusing, merely glanced at her helplessly.

The shop owner was a demon woman, and seeing them staring at the clothing silently, she thought they were concerned about the style of the climbing suit, like other human women.

So she explained, “You two don’t need to worry. Although the style of the climbing suit is quite bold, the strong winds and yellow fog in the gorge will obscure you from anyone not close by.”

Indeed, the climbing suit was thin and form-fitting, revealing the wearer’s curves.

Compared to their usual clothing, it was a bit bold…

However, the two Asura women were used to the everyday attire of the Asura race and didn’t think much of it.

Swimming underwater and not caring about such things?

Yue Ge smiled and said, “We understand, thank you. We’ll take two sets of the 5,000 spirit crystal climbing suits and two additional sets as spares.”

The shop owner’s eyes lit up with joy. “Alright then.”

Zhu Yu then asked, “Do you have wind-resisting pills here?”

The shop owner patted her chest. “Our wind-resisting pills are the best quality. You two can rest assured!”

The small demon horns on her forehead glowed even brighter due to the successful transaction.

Yue Ge thought, “…”

Strangely, when she teased Qian Sheng Wu before, her little demon horns didn’t change color.

Could it be because the girl was of demon king blood, so her little horns wouldn’t change color?

——

After making all the necessary preparations, the two Asura women rested in the city for a night and headed to the edge of the Ruoshui Gorge the next day.

There were two changing rooms near the gorge.

Yue Ge and Zhu Yu had already changed into their climbing suits before arriving, only wearing a layer of clothing over them.

So they didn’t need to change there.

Suddenly, a female cultivator wearing a climbing suit emerged from one of the changing rooms, her expression a little awkward.

She glanced warily at Yue Ge and then made her way to the edge of the gorge, hesitated for a moment, and then carefully started to climb down.

“Let’s go too,” Yue Ge took a deep breath and said.

They walked to the edge of the Ruoshui Gorge and looked down. What they saw was a sea of rolling yellow sand and fog; they could no longer see the female cultivator.

The Ruoshui Gorge was indeed not wide. It looked about one or two feet wide as if any cultivator with some skill could easily leap over it.

Zhu Yu raised one hand.

“There’s a feeling of falling,” she said gravely. “If someone tried to leap across from the top, they would likely plummet straight down.”

Just then, an unfortunate mortal bird fell from the sky, screaming as it plunged into the Ruoshui Gorge.

It was quite pitiful.

Yue Ge and Zhu Yu exchanged glances.

They each took a wind-resisting pill and then took off their outer clothing, wearing just the climbing suit, and began to climb down.

Yue Ge got to see Zhu Yu climbing as she wished; she moved nimbly and gracefully, like a young antelope skilled at climbing treacherous peaks or a mountain cat navigating the cliffs with ease.

She had to admit that her curvy figure was captivating… Ahem.

Yue Ge was inwardly thankful that the Ruoshui Gorge was filled with yellow mist and sand; only she, being so close, could see Zhu Yu at the moment.

Otherwise, tonight’s midnight snack would be vinegar-soaked rice!

“Focus.” Zhu Yu said beside her.

Yue Ge quickly turned her head and pretended to look seriously at the rock face in front of her. “I’m very focused.”

Zhu Yu just shook her head; she knew very well that her wife wasn’t being entirely truthful.

The rock climbing process was extremely lengthy.

There were no sudden attacks from demons, the yellow fog in the gorge didn’t contain harmful toxins, and the rock face didn’t suddenly collapse, causing climbers to fall.

As long as one concentrated wholeheartedly on climbing, safety was assured.

One hour, no problem.

Two hours, no problem.

For cultivators at this level, enduring one or two days was not a difficult task.

In that place, it was hard to have a sense of time. They couldn’t rely on the rise and set of the sun and moon to judge time, nor could they use their hands to perform time-recording spells.

They just continued the long climb.

Ruoshui Gorge trained the body and tested immense perseverance.

Those with unsteady will and insufficient perseverance would fall to the unknown depths of the gorge.

“When we’re out, I want to eat stir-fried sand swallows.”

Zhu Yu said to Yue Ge beside her.

Yue Ge replied feebly, “Alright…”

Though her tone was unenthusiastic, her hands and feet were climbing steadily.

They didn’t know how long they had been climbing, but judging by their sense of time, it had been around ten days.

That was a huge test of both physical and mental endurance.

Every so often, Zhu Yu would succinctly name a dish, indicating that she wanted Yue Ge to make it for her once they got out.

By now, the list had accumulated to fifty dishes, so it seemed it would take a while… Yue Ge thought.

Just then, Yue Ge felt a lightness in her body, and a mysterious sense told her that they had reached the specified depth.

They could now leap to the other side of the rock face.

She turned her gaze towards Zhu Yu, who nodded calmly, clearly having received the same signal.

“Ready—” Yue Ge whispered. “Jump!”

The two she-devils made a safe leap across.

Although they had leaped across, they still had to climb up…

So they climbed for at least another ten days, and Yue Ge realized that the yellow fog was starting to thin.

Sure enough, before long, they saw the clear blue sky and the soft clouds drifting by.

It was simply too difficult!

Yue Ge was overwhelmed with tears of relief.

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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ARIMTFE – Chapter 100

The sudden spread of the news throughout the lands of Da Yong claimed that the Crown Princess Qin Su fainted without warning for unknown reasons, teetering on the brink of life and death, when a high-ranking figure happened to pass through Shengjing. Under the guidance of the high-ranking figure, it was revealed that Crown Princess Qin Su’s destiny carried a killing aura, a formidable energy that could only be calmed by a person with a destiny in line with the heavens. The person’s destiny was highly Yin, and complemented the Crown Princess Qin Su’s imperial star destiny, enabling the firming of the Da Yong’s imperial star and the prosperity and longevity of the country.

The emperor issued a decree to search throughout the country for a person with a high Yin destiny, determined to find them before the next emperor’s enthronement and have them marry the crown princess on the day of the enthronement.

The news spread rapidly, prompting families across the nation to seek a suitable man within their kin, seeing that as a chance for an immediate rise in status, an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

After more than half a month, news from the palace extinguished everyone’s dreams: the destined person had been found, and it was none other than the eldest daughter of the prime minister’s residence.

The news caused an uproar across the country. But shortly after, news came from the palace that the Crown Princess, who had fainted for over half a month, had woken up.

With that evidence, even the most absurd matter seemed credible.

When another half a month had passed and Qin Su attended morning court again, she saw a pile of memorials almost as tall as herself.

“Your Highness, this matter concerns the foundation of the state, you must proceed with caution.”

“Indeed, Your Highness, the matter of the imperial heir is crucial and should not be taken lightly.”

“…”

Various ministers stepped forward to advise her repeatedly.

Qin Su glanced at Emperor Yongle sitting on the dragon throne, who was in a daze, and had to brace herself and explain repeatedly. Just when Qin Su was on the verge of breaking down, Emperor Yongle finally spoke up.

“My beloved ministers, do not be flustered. Since this matter is destined by the heavens, why not hold a ritual to worship the ancestors and ask for their guidance? If the ancestors show signs, we will follow the will of heaven. If not, we shall discuss this matter further, shall we?”

The emperor’s words were met with mutual looks of astonishment from everyone present. If the emperor himself needed to ask the ancestors, who were they to offer their opinions?

Nevertheless, since the matter would be left to the ancestors, they agreed to leave it to fate.

The officials concurred, and the Imperial Astrologer, along with the high-ranking figure who advised on the matter, was called upon to determine an auspicious time for the ancestral worship ceremony.

The high-ranking figure, dressed in black from head to toe and fully wrapped up, and the Imperial Astrologer stood on opposite sides. After a moment, they each handed the palace servants a date, which was then shown to the officials.

“Three days later.”

Emperor Yongle glanced at the date, and upon reading the identical date provided by both parties, he announced, “Three days later.”

After the morning court session, Qin Su returned to the Changle Palace. Soon after, the high-ranking figure, dressed in black, sneakily entered the palace. Upon entering the main hall, the figure removed the black robe, revealing the true identity to be Hua Xi.

“Wow! Never in my life did I expect that what I learned in Xuanji Valley would come in handy. Phew! Nearly killed me!”

Hua Xi complained to Qin Su as she removed her outfit. To avoid being recognized by her figure, Hua Xi would wear layers of clothing and carry three to four sandbags each time she appeared as a high-ranking figure, even having to watch her gait carefully. If Hua Xi hadn’t had decent martial arts skills, the whole ordeal would have worn her out.

Qin Su, who was reading memorials, looked up. “Can you prepare everything in three days?”

“Don’t you trust me? This is a small matter, nothing you need to worry about.”

Hua Xi finished removing her layers of clothing and lay down on Qin Su’s couch. She also removed her boots, which had more than ten layers of insoles and sighed in relief.

“Can you communicate with the spirits?”

Qin Su closed the memorials and questioned Hua Xi again, uncertain.

“I’ll tell you one more time: you can question my medical skills, my character, and even my poison skills, but I warn you, don’t question my abilities. I formally learned from a master’s in Xuanji Valley. This kind of trickery is a piece of cake for me.”

Hua Xi got up and sternly warned Qin Su.

Qin Su nodded. They’d come that far, and she had no choice but to trust Hua Xi’s abilities.

“By the way, where is Miss Shen? I haven’t seen her in the past few days.”

Hua Xi lay back down, picked up an orange from the fruit plate, and chatted with Qin Su.

“She said there were some issues at Yunzhai Tower, and she’s been busy for the past few days.”

Qin Su also hadn’t seen Shen Yi in the past few days.

Hua Xi clicked her tongue. “You two certainly know how to manage things well. The money is hers, the power is yours; if you two ever have a child, that child would have amazing luck.”

“A child is impossible,” Qin Su shot a look at Hua Xi. “If you envy us so much, why don’t you adopt us and become our mother?”

“Get lost,” Hua Xi threw an orange peel at Qin Su. “I, Hua Xi, am not someone without principles.”

Nevertheless, Hua Xi made a valid point: the matter of the imperial heir was a real problem.

Qin Su and Shen Yi could not have a child. The only possibility was to raise one from their clan, but there was a serious issue.

There was no one in the clan eligible for adoption.

Starting with Emperor Yongle’s generation, there were only three princes, one of whom had no descendants. Another, Prince Yan, had many children, but he and his fifth son, Qin Jing, were recently exiled for treason and treachery.

Looking at Qin Su’s generation, there were nine princes and one princess, a sizable group, but none of them had children yet. Of the nine princes, only the second prince Qin Hao, the fourth prince Qin Huan, the sixth prince Qin Yun, and the ninth prince Qin Yu remained, none with children.

Expanding the scope further, the distant relatives were too varied in quality, not meeting the required standards. Even if Qin Su were willing, Emperor Yongle would have his reservations.

Calculations left them with little hope.

Three days passed quickly, and Qin Su, dressed in formal black robes with dragon patterns, followed Emperor Yongle, with Shen Yi in a silver dress by her side.

“Don’t be nervous.”

Taking advantage of the wide sleeves, Qin Su grasped Shen Yi’s cold hand to calm her nerves.

Shen Yi exhaled deeply and nodded. She tried to relax, but standing on the high altar, with officials and countless citizens watching, she felt her fate left to the will of heaven.

Dark clouds loomed, creating a foreboding atmosphere. The sight made everyone’s hearts race.

The ceremony began, and all preparations were ready. Qin Su and Shen Yi entered the altar with the Imperial Astrologer and Hua Xi disguised as the high-ranking figure, followed by ten esteemed elders.

Upon entering the main hall, the numerous ancestral tablets of the royal family were illuminated by countless eternal lamps. The flickering flames created an austere and solemn atmosphere that made people reluctant to lift their heads, barely able to breathe.

Emperor Yongle led the worship and performed the ceremony, raising his voice to seek the will of the ancestors.

In the silence, a sudden thunderbolt roared outside. The Imperial Astrologer quickly stood up and sent someone out to check.

As everyone awaited, a strange event occurred. The candles of the eternal lamps began to emit specks of starlight, gathering slowly in the air.

All eyes were drawn to that, watching as all the lights gathered around the highest tablet.

“Great… Ancestor…”

Emperor Yongle was equally astonished.

But what was even more astonishing was yet to come.

After the light gathered at one point, the ancestral tablet suddenly emitted a dazzling light, causing everyone to lift their sleeves to shield their eyes.

A deep and powerful voice echoed in the hall, but the words were incomprehensible to everyone. Although each sound was familiar, the meaning was lost upon hearing it.

When the intense light gradually faded, Emperor Yongle and the others lowered their sleeves. The light had disappeared, everything returned to normal, and only the Imperial Astrologer was kneeling on the ground, trembling.

“What’s going on?”

Emperor Yongle was a little puzzled.

“Your Majesty, that was the spirit of the Great Ancestor Emperor manifesting. The speech was from the netherworld, something that I, in my ignorance, have only heard of but never studied, so I don’t know its meaning.”

Sweat trickled down the Imperial Astrologer’s head as he replied trembling to Emperor Yongle.

Hearing that, Emperor Yongle furrowed his brows; wasn’t that a pointless question then?

“Your Majesty, what is that?”

A minister spoke up from behind, and everyone looked up to see a large character “Zhun” emitting a bright light on the cone-shaped roof of the Temple of Heaven, the same kind of light that dazzled the eyes earlier, slowly fading away.

This time, everyone understood what the Great Ancestor Emperor was referring to.

Qin Su and others quietly breathed a sigh of relief, gave thanks to their ancestors, and left together.

Just as they walked out of the hall, the overcast sky cleared up, with sunlight streaming through a hole as if pierced by a sharp sword, falling precisely on Qin Su and Shen Yi.

Immediately, all the civil and military officials and commoners knelt and bowed, exclaiming the divine miracle.

Not to mention the ministers and commoners, even Qin Su and Shen Yi were stunned for a moment. They exchanged a glance and smiled, realizing that the heavens were also on their side.

At that point, Qin Su and the others discovered that a divine sword had descended after the thunderclap, piercing the hard granite at the center of the Temple of Heaven with ease. Half of the sword was embedded in the ground.

“Please let Princess pull out the sword.”

Having witnessed these miracles, everyone recognized Qin Su as chosen by heaven and asked her to pull out the sword.

Qin Su did not refuse and, along with Shen Yi, stood before the sword. Instead of reaching out herself, she held Shen Yi’s hand, and together they grasped the hilt and easily drew the sword out.

Everyone watched as Shen Yi held the sword, surprised and confused by Qin Su’s intention.

At that moment, Hua Xi stepped forward at just the right moment.

“This sword is a divine gift bestowed by heaven, to be held by the chosen one! It is meant to suppress evil and maintain the integrity of Da Yong’s destiny!”

After Hua Xi spoke, everyone remembered the prophecy that Princess Qin Su’s fate contained evil, and finding the chosen one was to address that. Now that heaven had given her a divine sword for that purpose, it seemed to truly be destiny.

Qin Su also cooperated, “I swear here that if I fail to live up to the grace of heaven, commit acts of tyranny and recklessness, Shen Yi may use this sword to take my head as punishment, with heaven and the ancestors as witnesses!”

Looking at the people bowing down and worshiping, Qin Su remained expressionless. But when she looked at Shen Yi by her side, her eyes showed a hint of warmth.

Shen Yi did not know what Qin Su and Hua Xi had been preparing the past days and had some complaints. But now, as she held the sword tightly in her hand, she understood that Qin Su wanted to give her a privilege unique in the world. Qin Su handed her fate into her hands.

The ceremony of ancestor worship and reporting to the heavens would likely spread throughout the empire within a month, and no one would dare oppose Qin Su’s ascension and her decision to name Shen Yi as her consort.

Back at the Changle Palace, Shen Yi sat down on the couch, exhausted after standing all day. She watched as Qin Su studied the sword and said, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You made such a big decision on your own?”

“I would love to let An Ping handle this, but I’m afraid An Ping wouldn’t want to. What else could I do but act first and report later?”

Qin Su smiled and spoke to Shen Yi.

Shen Yi knew that Qin Su’s intentions were all for her benefit, not wanting her to face criticism. Just as she had been honest with Emperor Yongle and Prime Minister Shen, Qin Su was always thinking about her.

Lowering her eyes, Shen Yi felt a mix of emotions. She had once been annoyed with Qin Su’s independent decisions, upset that despite their agreement to face things together, Qin Su always shouldered the burden alone.

But Shen Yi knew that if she continued to insist, she would only risk nullifying all of Qin Su’s efforts.

Shen Yi looked at Qin Su and felt a pang of discomfort. Just as Qin Su always thought of her, Shen Yi also felt pained by what Qin Su endured. Qin Su was always protective of her, but did she ever think about her limits?

“Just a moment ago you were fine, so why are you crying now?”

Qin Su set down the sword and sat beside Shen Yi, pulling her into an embrace.

Leaning on Qin Su, Shen Yi held onto Qin Su’s sleeve. “You only worry about protecting me, but have you ever thought about yourself? What if one day I’m truly used by others, have you considered your future?”

Qin Su understood. Shen Yi had always been sensitive, sometimes overthinking.

She patted Shen Yi’s back. “An Ping, if I, Qin Su were to die at someone’s hands without holding any resentment, it would be either my father or you. To me, if you ever truly wanted to kill me with this sword, it would be because I had done something so wrong that I deserved to die.”

“Don’t say such inauspicious things,” Shen Yi covered Qin Su’s mouth and looked up at her with a frown, “You never allowed me to talk about these things before, so why are you saying them now?”

Shen Yi felt a suffocating pain when she recalled the night of Qin Su’s relapse. She meant what she said, that if Qin Su were to die, she wouldn’t want to live on.

Qin Su smiled, taking Shen Yi’s hand and kissing it. “Alright, we won’t talk about it. Let’s talk about happier things. I’ve already had your wedding dress made. I wanted to embellish it with gold and jewels, but I was worried it would be too heavy for you to move in. How about you come and have a look with me?”

Shen Yi did not expect Qin Su to be so quiet about that and had already started preparing the wedding dress. She blushed and spoke softly, “I have a wedding dress; why would you need to prepare one for me?”

According to the customs of the Da Yong dynasty, before a girl gets married, her family will prepare a set of wedding clothes, usually hand-sewn by the girl herself or crafted by an excellent embroiderer hired by the family, with the girl adding a few stitches to signify her part in the creation.

It was clear that Qin Su, who likely didn’t even know which end of a needle was sharp, would have little chance of knowing about the tradition.

“Then what should we do?”

Qin Su was a little confused, but when she had instructed the silk workshop to rush the wedding dress, why hadn’t anyone reminded her?

Shen Yi looked at Qin Su and laughed, “You must have misunderstood; the silk workshop is likely preparing your wedding dress, not mine.”

“Mine?!” Qin Su’s eyes widened as she looked at Shen Yi, who nodded. “Who else would it be? You can ask them to verify if you want.”

Seeing Shen Yi’s confident demeanor, Qin Su slapped her forehead in frustration. “It’s my fault, my fault. I only instructed them to prepare a wedding dress; I hadn’t thought…”

“It turned out to be a fortunate mistake,” Shen Yi reassured Qin Su. “But there are more complications in this wedding. If even the wedding dress was done incorrectly, what other misunderstandings might there be?”

Qin Su nodded, but she hadn’t realized the gravity of the situation yet. “But don’t worry; since the Ministry of Rites is handling it, we shouldn’t have to worry.”

“Is that so?” Shen Yi asked Qin Su.

Qin Su nodded absently, but she felt that Shen Yi was sitting back and waiting to watch the chaos unfold.

The subsequent events confirmed Qin Su’s intuition.

Sitting behind the desk in the imperial study, Qin Su was no longer faced with stacks of memorials but rather a pile of strange items.

She blinked at the Minister of Rites, “What are these?”

“These require your review, Your Highness. Please look through them. This is…”

The Minister of Rites hadn’t managed a royal wedding in a long time, remembering the last time being when Emperor Yongle married an empress. It had been over 20 years since then.

Although the situation was unusual this time, it was a marriage destined by fate, so he had to take it seriously, especially since the wedding coincided with the coronation ceremony. It could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him. He was busy, yet filled with energy.

Despite his white hair, the Minister of Rites seemed tireless as he explained each detail of the wedding preparations to Qin Su, making sure to involve her in every decision.

Once the Minister of Rites had left, Qin Su felt her ears ringing, her sense of direction gone.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Chi Shui stood beside Qin Su, looking at her in sympathy. Given the Minister of Rites’ focus on the minutiae, even she found it overwhelming just listening, let alone being the one interrogated.

After drinking some tea to calm her nerves, Qin Su began to recover. “Was it like this during my father’s wedding? Why didn’t he throw this old man in the dungeons to get some peace?”

“Please calm down, Your Highness,” Chi Shui tried not to laugh. “The reason this wedding is unprecedented and lacks any ancient precedents is because your marriage to Miss Shen is a unique event. The minister wants to ensure you decide on every aspect for peace of mind. In your father’s case, he followed established customs.”

Qin Su exhaled. There was no choice.

Rubbing her temples, Qin Su looked around. “Why has it been so quiet these past few days? I haven’t seen any memorials.”

“Isn’t that a sign of the current peaceful and happy times?

The weather is favorable throughout the land, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and officials have no issues to report. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Chi Shui responded.

Qin Su thought it over and agreed. “By the way, has there been any news from Hidden Camp and Qing Ji?”

Qin Su’s personality was such that when she was busy, she found it too much, but when there was suddenly nothing to do, she became unaccustomed.

“The expansion of Hidden Camp is mostly complete, and Qiu Luan is handling everything in an orderly manner, so there’s no need to worry. As for Qing Ji, the news is the same as before—plans are proceeding steadily, so rest assured.”

Chi Shui knew Qin Su wanted something to do, ideally avoiding the Minister of Rites, who had threatened to come back and discuss more matters in the afternoon. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much for Qin Su to focus on.

Qin Su drummed her fingers on her wrist in frustration. “By the way, what about Hua Xi? I haven’t seen her in days.”

After the Tiansha incident, Hua Xi left Qin Su to take a break, vanishing without a trace.

“The intelligence from Hua Xi has been coming in as usual, and a few days ago, Captain Wei dealt with two remnants of the Crown Prince’s faction based on information from Hua Xi. However, Hua Xi isn’t in the Flower Full Pavilion. Her current whereabouts are unknown.”

It was not that Chi Shui was being negligent; Hua Xi often acted with a great deal of freedom, staying away for days without issue. As long as everything was running smoothly, no one questioned Hua Xi’s movements.

Qin Su knew that too, and she had no interest in interfering with Hua Xi’s matters. But now she couldn’t even find Hua Xi, so she had to ask around. Yu Chen and the others were all busy, one after the other.

“Can I go to the Prime Minister’s residence to see An Ping?”

Qin Su thought of how everyone had been reminding her of the rules, and she slouched in her chair.

“No,” Chi Shui became alert when she heard Qin Su. “Your Highness mustn’t act impulsively. Newlyweds cannot see each other before the wedding. There’s still a month until your wedding with Miss Shen. Just be patient for a while.”

“Who made this rule?”

Qin Su was frustrated. Since the engagement, she hadn’t seen Shen Yi at all. Her every move was watched closely, while Shen Yi was even worse off, kept under watch at the Prime Minister’s residence and unable to leave, focused solely on sewing her wedding dress.

Chi Shui was used to Qin Su’s complaints, so she simply kept her head down and focused inwardly, acting as if she hadn’t heard anything.

As the new year approached, everyone was busy, except for Qin Su and Shen Yi, who were each watched over and focused on preparations for the wedding.

Though Qin Su complained aloud, she did not want to let Shen Yi down and wanted to avoid any mishaps during the wedding. Therefore, she insisted on using the best for the wedding. Besides the dowry sent to the Prime Minister’s residence upon engagement, countless treasures continued to be sent to the residence.

The Prime Minister’s residence was also meticulously preparing Shen Yi’s dowry. The old steward and a group of accountants worked tirelessly every day, clattering away on their abacuses as if sparks were going to fly.

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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WSIDMYBCHTLM – Chapter 53

The rain got heavier, the patter of raindrops on the umbrella becoming denser. The damp, cool breeze blew in from the mouth of the alley, carrying with it the whirring sound of motorbike engines and the clamor of voices from the roadside food stalls.

Though unnoticed in an inconspicuous corner, just a dozen meters away lay the bustling street, bustling with people. At any moment, someone could come by. The bold move made Xi Ning’s heart skip a beat.

Moreover, they had only just kissed before watching the movie.

Although it was an unspoken ambiguous period, for Xi Ning, who was experiencing the role of love for the first time, such frequency of kisses felt a bit too much, making her somewhat uncomfortable.

“You’re still out here…” Her voice was low as she raised her hand, which could only rest on Kong Nianxi’s slender waist, gently nudging her.

“Does that mean we can kiss when we go back?”

“…”

The approaching footsteps could be heard from the mouth of the alley. Xi Ning pulled Kong Nianxi’s hand down from her neck. Under the dim light of the umbrella, their blurred vision obscured the closeness between them. When she lowered her head, her lips accidentally brushed against something incredibly soft.

“Oops…”

She faintly heard a gasp in her ear, but Xi Ning was only focused on the footsteps. With her arm half embracing and half pushing Kong Nianxi, she guided her out of the alley before anyone approached.

Back in the apartment and inside the elevator, Xi Ning pressed the button. It was only then she noticed Kong Nianxi covering her mouth, not saying a word.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Didn’t you feel anything?” Kong Nianxi stepped closer, her backhand brushing against Xi Ning’s wrist, and she pointed to her lips. “You just kissed me too hard.”

“…”

Xi Ning recoiled her hand, paused for a moment, then glanced sideways. Seeing no broken skin or blood on her lips, she quickly averted her gaze again, unable to figure out what to say. She stood stiffly, staring at the ascending numbers on the elevator.

Seeing her silent again, Kong Nianxi couldn’t help but smile. Despite her cold demeanor, she was so easily embarrassed. Under her serious expression, her ears turned red… quite cute.

“You’re so indifferent.”

Her voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, but her face bore a smile. Kong Nianxi leaned closer, reaching out to pinch Xi Ning’s chin. “It hurts, blow on it~”

Xi Ning stared into those smiling eyes in front of her, about to act when the elevator stopped. She stepped back just as the doors opened.

A girl entered, carrying a cat, standing in front of them. With the addition of a stranger, Kong Nianxi stood beside Xi Ning.

The adorable orange cat lay on the girl’s shoulder, its big round eyes looking at Kong Nianxi. Kong Nianxi leaned against Xi Ning, her eyes and brows all carrying an unchanging smile.

After the elevator stopped on another floor, the girl with the cat left to meet another girl waiting at the door.

“Why are you here so late?”

“I couldn’t sleep alone…”

The elevator continued upward.

Most of the tenants in the apartment building were students from nearby schools. Su Yuqi lived on the same floor they had just been on, but she went home on weekends.

Thinking of going home…

With a soft click, the door closed behind her.

“It’s already eleven thirty. Want to take a shower first?”

Kong Nianxi handed her a pair of slippers, waiting for Xi Ning to change. Then, she took her by the little finger and led her into the room. “You’ve been in my bathroom before when you helped me undress. You should be familiar with it.”

“…I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”

“It’s okay, I have some new pajamas you haven’t worn. If you need, you can wear my clothes tomorrow.”

“…”

“Which one do you want?” Kong Nianxi threw two nightdresses on the bed.

Xi Ning lowered her head to look, feeling a bit absent-minded. Compared to the last time she stayed over at Kong Nianxi’s apartment, it was different. She felt a strange sensation creeping up, but the boundaries were not very clear to her.

In the gap of her distraction, Kong Nianxi took the clothes and walked towards the bathroom. “I’ll go wash first~”

Her tone was relaxed and casual.

Watching her disappearing figure, Xi Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just one night.

Not staying in the bedroom any longer, Xi Ning sat in the living room, waiting while scrolling through her phone.

As a high school student with strong self-learning abilities, Xi Ning turned to the omnipotent internet to fill in the gaps of some vague concepts at that stage. When the information popped up, she scanned it briefly, seeing terms like “top and bottom,” “1, 0,” and “TP,” her eyes widened slightly, feeling her ears heat up.

Lost in thought while staring at her phone, Kong Nianxi emerged from the bathroom. The night dress showcased her figure. Her wet hair cascaded down her slender neck as she approached, using a towel to wipe herself as she walked towards Xi Ning. “Go ahead and wash. There are new toothbrushes and towels inside.”

“…”

Xi Ning closed the screen with her fingertip, picked up her clothes, and walked into the bathroom.

The warm water poured down, but she found herself lost in thought during the shower. She didn’t know what she was thinking, her mind was in chaos, with random thoughts popping up.

After washing up, Kong Nianxi had already blow-dried her hair and was lounging on the sofa playing with her phone. When she saw her, she patted the spot beside her and raised her eyebrows, “Finally done washing up? Come here, let me blow dry your hair for you.”

Xi Ning was wearing Kong Nianxi’s pajamas, deliberately choosing a longer one, but due to her height, it still fell short on her, reaching only to her mid-thigh.

She adjusted the hem of the skirt awkwardly and walked over, taking the hairdryer from Kong Nianxi. “No need, I’ll do it myself.”

Kong Nianxi handed her the hairdryer without saying anything, smiling as she got up. “Well, hurry up then. Once you’re done, come to the bedroom. I’ll be waiting for you in bed.” With that, she winked and turned to head to the bedroom.

“…”

Xi Ning tightened her grip on the hairdryer, turning the airflow to the maximum, feeling the hot air against her ears.

Sometimes she wondered what was going on in Kong Nianxi’s mind, saying those things so casually.

After drying her hair, Xi Ning glanced at her phone. It was already midnight, and her body, accustomed to early sleep, was starting to feel tired. Setting down the hairdryer, she walked into the bedroom.

Kong Nianxi was sitting at the foot of the bed, watching videos on her tablet. Her slippers were half hanging off her fair feet, and her slender legs lazily swayed. She was laughing at something on the screen, then looked up at Xi Ning. “This video is so funny, come over and watch.”

She shook the tablet, and Xi Ning approached, her arm pulled as she sat down.

The screen showed a compilation of cute pet moments, perfect for Xi Ning, who had a soft spot for furry animals. They watched and laughed together, and a few minutes later when the video ended, Xi Ning noticed that Kong Nianxi had somehow half leaned against her, her legs intertwined with hers. The pajamas were thin, to begin with, and the physical intimacy felt particularly close.

Moving her arm that was wrapped around her, Xi Ning glanced towards the door. “It’s late, let’s go to sleep.”

“Okay.”

Kong Nianxi’s laughter echoed in her ears as she was pulled into bed. Xi Ning felt a panic rise within her and struggled to sit up. “Wait, hold on.”

“Hmm?”

“I noticed, don’t you have a guest room here?”

“That’s Tata’s room. If you want, you can sleep under its cat tree.”

“…”

Kong Nianxi chuckled and rested her wrist on Xi Ning’s shoulder, asking, “Xi Ning, what do you think our relationship is now?”

Xi Ning slowed her breathing. Although neither of them explicitly said it, they both knew very well that ever since she confessed, the last barrier between them had been torn down.

Kong Nianxi met her gaze. “Do you like me?”

“…”

Xi Ning nodded.

“Then don’t hesitate.”

The bedroom was spacious, and the bed was large. Kong Nianxi flipped over, kneeling on the bed, face-to-face with Xi Ning, reminding her, “You still owe me a deep kiss.”

Xi Ning supported herself with her hands on the bed, gripping the soft sheets tightly.

Sighing softly, Kong Nianxi wrapped her arms around Xi Ning’s shoulders, slowly leaning in. “I’ll count to three, and I won’t force you.”

“But if you miss this chance,” Kong Nianxi pressed down on her legs, “your position in the future will be like this. Don’t think about turning things around.”

“…”

Xi Ning remembered the “new knowledge” she had just encountered.

“One.”

“…”

“Two.”

“…”

As the word “three” left her lips, Xi Ning’s vision darkened, her lips covered by a pair of cool hands.

Xi Ning gently parted her lips, tilting her head to touch Kong Nianxi’s lips, her tongue tentatively exploring, cautious and delicate around the edges.

It was an unfamiliar attempt for her. It was Xi Ning’s first time taking the initiative to kiss someone, not impulsive but restrained, polite, and reserved, with a gentleness that penetrated to the bone.

As her lips were touched and licked carefully, Kong Nianxi’s back softened, and she reached out to support Xi Ning’s shoulder. Even though the kiss barely ventured outside her parted lips and didn’t even touch her tongue.

But after licking for a long time and not getting on track, she spoke, “You need to go deeper.”

“…”

Xi Ning let go of her, her face blushing intensely. For the first time, she felt what a real heartbeat was like, her blood flowing backward.

There was a mist of confusion in Kong Nianxi’s eyes as she lowered her gaze slightly, her lips curved in a seductive smile, her arm around Xi Ning’s neck, lifting her chin with a cool fingertip. “Didn’t I teach you before?”

The heat on her cheeks reached her heart. Xi Ning pursed her lips, but her warmth was rubbed away by the cool fingertip.

Kong Nianxi looked down at her, her seductive eyes smiling like an enchanting fairy. Her voice carried a hint of playfulness. “Can you do it right? Or should I teach you again?”

“…”

That was insane.

If they hadn’t been together all along, Xi Ning would have suspected she was drunk.

And indeed, Kong Nianxi was “drunk”. When Xi Ning took the initiative to kiss her, her heart had already drifted away, unable to resist, unwilling to endure.

Feeling the fingertips passing through her hair at the back of her head, a shadow fell over her eyes, and a faint sweetness surged. Xi Ning’s lips were sealed firmly.

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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TISAG – Chapter 99

After a long time, the burning pain of the heavenly fire gradually dissipated, replaced by a clear sense of coldness, which extinguished the remaining burning pain.

Yue Ge did not want to get up and lazily leaned against Zhu Yu. She said lazily, “Ah Zhu, you are so comfortable to lean on. I’ll stay for a while longer.”

Zhu Yu’s embrace was cold and soft, with a barely perceptible clean and fresh cold fragrance. It was tough to resist…

In any case, at that moment, Yue Ge didn’t have the willpower to move away.

Zhu Yu lowered her eyes, lightly stroking the back of Yue Ge’s neck with her long, slender fingers.

“Itchy—” Yue Ge protested with her eyes closed.

Zhu Yu remained calm: “Not comfortable?”

Yue Ge: “…”

It was comfortable. Ah Zhu’s fingers also gave off a hint of coolness, naturally pleasant when in contact with the skin—

But that didn’t negate the tingling, itchy feeling!

“If you keep doing this, I’ll nuzzle you.” Yue Ge nuzzled against Zhu Yu’s chest. “A fair exchange.”

Don’t mention it, the feeling of nuzzling the chest felt quite good… So she squinted her eyes and nuzzled again.

There was a hint of amusement in Zhu Yu’s eyes as she effortlessly lifted Yue Ge and lowered her head to plant a light kiss on the back of her neck.

After a while of tenderness, Yue Ge finally spoke: “I told my father that I want you to become the queen of the Asura tribe.”

Zhu Yu: “Mm.”

Both of their tones were quite calm.

“My father is quite eager to pass the position on to you as soon as possible. But we still need to focus on cultivation and reach the realm of immortals first.”

Yue Ge paused and then whispered, “In hindsight, I was impulsive. It should have been decided by you, but I was carried away and told my father everything…”

Zhu Yu smiled: “I know you want to give me the best, and that’s enough.”

“As for whether I become the queen or not, it doesn’t matter much to me.”

Yue Ge thought honestly: “However, being queen means handling a lot of tribe affairs—it’s fine, I’ll help you! You can leave all the clan affairs to me!”

Zhu Yu remembered the appreciative look her father-in-law gave her a few days ago: “…”

So that’s what it was.

“It doesn’t matter.” Zhu Yu shook her head slightly. “Handling clan affairs, we can delegate them to whoever is more skilled.”

If neither of them wanted to do it, it wouldn’t be difficult to distribute the responsibilities among several elders.

“However… from then on, you would no longer be the young miss, but my queen. Is that alright?”

Yue Ge contemplated that in her heart and spoke the truth: “I think the title of empress sounds nicer.”

“Is that so…” Zhu Yu fell into deep thought and after a long time said, “Actually, it is feasible for the two empresses to rule together.”

Yue Ge pondered for a moment, then waved her hand and said, “Let’s not do it.”

Zhu Yu was puzzled. “Why?”

Of course, it was because…

If we were to stand on the stage together, I wouldn’t be able to see you in your high and mighty manner.

Yue Ge mumbled, “There’s no special reason, I just don’t want to go. That’s why I found you to do the heavy lifting.”

Zhu Yu thought about something, and said, “If that’s the case, I want to be compensated.”

Yue Ge blinked her eyes, seeing the faint gleam in Zhu Yu’s eyes, she understood what she meant, then smiled and said, “Installments or lump sum?”

Zhu Yu softly said, “Installments, but in a lump sum amount.”

Yue Ge wrapped her arms around Zhu Yu’s neck, muttering, “Why is my empress so greedy…”

Zhu Yu didn’t reply; she just found Yue Ge’s lips and pressed hers gently against them.

Everyone has their desires, and Zhu Yu’s longing for Yue Ge was from the bottom of her heart.

She wished she could be even greedier.

So, the installment term would be a lifetime.

The next day.

It was almost noon when Yue Ge stepped out the door.

The old clan elder was sitting in the hall, playing with Jin Qingcha. When he saw his daughter come out, he looked her up and down with his big round eyes and was satisfied, “Not bad, your foundation is solid, and your level of cultivation is very stable… Very good.”

Yue Ge smiled and said, “I have to thank Father for the guidance.”

“There’s nothing to thank. Even if I hadn’t guided you, you would have figured it out yourself, just with a bit more effort.” The elder said.

After chatting for a while, the old elder couldn’t hold back any longer, “Ah Yue, what about the fried giant ling fish slices you promised me?”

Yue Ge paused, then cleared her throat, “Don’t worry, I was just about to prepare it for you.”

She had forgotten about it…

Hearing that he would get to eat fish, the old elder was happy and caught a giant ling fish king.

The fish, several hundred meters long, placed in front of Yue Ge, left her unsure of how to begin.

It was her first time facing such a large ingredient.

Her usual assistant, Zhu Yu, was also there.

She had been satisfied yesterday, and her expression seemed much more relaxed today. She was concentrating on forming ice blades, looking at the thrashing giant ling fish with a cold, dissecting gaze.

“Cut along here, into thin slices.” Yue Ge thought for a moment, then added, “The thinner the better.”

Zhu Yu raised her hand. “I understand.”

“Mm, I’ll leave it to you.” Yue Ge smiled.

Zhu Yue, who had avoided being used as a kitchen knife, was swaying around, curious about why it wasn’t being used this time.

Watching the large fish being cut, seemed somewhat interesting, and it expressed a desire to cut as well.

“You can’t.” Zhu Yu glanced at it without paying much attention. “This job requires precision, and you can’t handle it evenly.”

Zhu Yue looked aggrieved, convinced it could do the job.

Zhu Yu thought about it and threw a small piece of fish meat. “Then give it a try?”

After attempting, Zhu Yue gave up.

Soon after, Zhu Yu cut a large plate of thin fish slices.

Yue Ge couldn’t resist picking up a piece and putting it in her mouth.

“Delicious… Why not make half of it sashimi?” Yue Ge exclaimed.

Zhu Yu also quietly took a piece. “I agree.”

Jin Qingcha stood on her tiptoes to take a piece, her eyes also flashing with amazement. “Great!”

Only the old elder protested, “We’ve had enough sashimi. We should fry the fish slices… or perhaps grill them?”

Yue Ge didn’t say anything and just took out a jar of sauce from her storage space, suggesting the elder dip the sashimi in it.

“How is it?”

“…Let’s make half of it sashimi.”

So that was settled.

The large giant ling fish took them half a day to consume completely.

Naturally, the old elder ate the most, being high in cultivation. Eating another giant ling fish wouldn’t be an issue for him.

Jin Qingcha, on the other hand, was quite saddened; she could only eat one bowl and already felt full. Forcing more would likely burst her stomach!

After that, they took a good stroll around Gourmet City, where they ran into Shen Yan and Qian Se.

According to them, since Gourmet City was established, they hadn’t returned to the clan lands. They lived and ate in the city.

“The young miss is quite remarkable, almost on par with us,” Qian Se sighed. “It is a case of the newer generations surpassing the older ones. The older waves look at the newer waves, sigh.”

Shen Yan first shook her head with resignation, then smiled appreciatively, “The young miss’s wife’s cultivation is also impressive. Next time we meet, we’ll probably be looking up at you.”

Yue Ge responded, “Not at all, there’s still room for improvement.”

Zhu Yu nodded in agreement without speaking.

The old elder on the side seemed disappointed and muttered, “It’s just that you two haven’t focused your minds yet. Given your talents, you should be much stronger by now!”

Shen Yan at least humbly accepted the advice, while Qian Se feigned innocence, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.

Yue Ge remembered the times when she was accompanied by these two seniors; they were not like others who meditated every day, and their training was more laid-back.

But seeing their attitudes now, they were satisfied with their way of life.

Watching the two Asura women walk away, Yue Ge smiled slightly and took Zhu Yu’s hand, walking in the opposite direction.

Even in a world that revered martial prowess, some didn’t care as much about cultivation, but…

Everyone had their way of living and there was no need to worry about it.

After a brief relaxation, it was back to intense training.

Since breaking through the bottleneck, Yue Ge felt that the path of cultivation before her was smooth and unobstructed. She had a clear understanding of what she needed to do and how to do it.

The insights she gained from her nine-day and nine-night epiphany were enough to sustain her until she reached the Immortal realm.

With a set direction, she needed to move forward towards it.

During that time, Yue Ge visited the Academy’s Council Chamber due to certain fortuitous circumstances and was reminded that she had become a powerful practitioner in the Immortal realm but had not yet graduated.

“If Yue Ge also graduates from the Academy, the small courtyard under your name will be reclaimed,” an elderly cultivator from the Council Chamber said.

Yue Ge asked, “Is there a way to keep it?”

The elderly cultivator had been waiting for this question and replied with a smile, “As long as you become a guest lecturer at the Academy and complete tasks for the Academy when necessary, the ownership of the small courtyard will be yours.”

Indeed, it was a good deal…

After discussing with Zhu Yu, Yue Ge agreed to the arrangement.

As a result, Cold Moon Residence became their exclusive dwelling within the Academy, which they could modify as they wished.

Jin Qingcha was the happiest of all, planting various flowers and trees around the small courtyard, making it vibrant and beautiful.

It didn’t quite match the name “Cold Moon Residence.”

Cultivation, dual cultivation, and training continued…

Ten years later, Jin Qingcha grew into an eighteen-year-old young woman and entered Dongming Academy as the top core student to further her studies.

Ten years also saw Zhu Yu and Yue Ge both reach the Immortal realm one after the other. At this point, they were already capable of standing on their own as powerful practitioners.

Since they had both reached the Immortal realm, they fulfilled Wu Yue Immortal’s conditions.

Yue Ge prepared a lavish meal and announced the news to Jin Qingcha over dinner:

“We are going to explore a certain secret realm,” she said. “Chacha, your cultivation is going well, but you still can’t go there yet, so you’ll stay at the Academy.”

Jin Qingcha was already accustomed to her parents going out together for training. She swallowed her tea cake and said earnestly, “All right, come back early.”

Zhu Yu added, “Don’t slack off on your cultivation. When we return, we’ll have to test you properly.”

Jin Qingcha pouted, “Got it. You always say the same thing every time you go out…”

Zhu Yu raised her eyebrows, and Jin Qingcha lowered her head to drink porridge, pretending she hadn’t said anything.

Once everything was in order, Yue Ge finally took out the Five Elements Jade Discs that had been sealed away for twenty years.

After Wu Yue Immortal’s image repeated the same lines, a bright golden beam of light appeared once again.

Yue Ge watched the straight beam of light point toward the distant northwest, and she grasped Zhu Yu’s hand tightly.

“Let’s go,” she said softly.

Zhu Yu’s gaze was gentle. “Okay.”

The long-buried mystery. Could it finally be revealed?

Yue Ge did not know.

But she had a premonition that the journey to the ancient Immortal’s tomb might lead to an extraordinary outcome…

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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TISAG – Chapter 98

To make Zhu Yu the queen of the Asura tribe… in this world?

The old clan leader’s expression became serious as he said solemnly, “Do you understand what you are talking about?”

Yue Ge replied without hesitation, “Of course.”

The clan leader remained silent, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the table. His eyes, resembling copper bells, narrowed slightly as if contemplating something.

After a while, he slowly said, “Explain your reasons.”

Although she knew that the Asura were not as sensitive about topics such as royal succession as humans, Yue Ge still felt relieved by the calm attitude.

She lowered her eyes and said, “This starts with the origin of the Heavenly Spirit Asura…”

The position of leadership within the Asura tribe was passed down through generations, always to the head of the clan, who was also revered as the Asura King.

The tribe leader, though holding the highest power, was not necessarily the one with the highest level of cultivation—those with the highest cultivation often stepped back to become elders, dedicating themselves to cultivation and guarding the tribe.

… Of course, that was under the condition that there was no emergence of a new Heavenly Spirit Asura.

If a new Heavenly Spirit Asura were to arise and return to the clan, the current bloodline would have to step down.

Only the Heavenly Spirit Asura could be called the Supreme Asura, leading the tribe through calamities and toward glory—at least, that was what the ancestors of the Asura had said.

That said, changing leadership wasn’t easy, especially at a time when the clan’s life was stable and prosperous. How could they simply accept a new ruler who suddenly appears?

That wasn’t like a protagonist from a fantasy story who exuded an aura of kingliness and could gain the sincere loyalty of the entire tribe.

Otherwise, the Asura King would be renamed as the Mind Control King!

Yue Ge explained her encounters with the Flower Fairy King and how she learned about the writings of the Asura ancestors from him, sharing every detail with her father.

She had wanted to say it for a long time; she wanted Zhu Yu to become queen and possess what she rightfully deserved—

Even before she recovered her childhood memories and believed herself to be just an outsider, Yue Ge had thought so.

After retrieving her memories, the thought became even more intense and did not change despite her clear understanding of her identity.

She wanted to see her ascend the high platform, wanted to see her don the imperial pearl crown symbolizing the emperor, and wanted to see her with a cold expression admired by all the tribe members.

Like Sikong Yueyi, like the demon girl Kong Xianglan, like the mermaid queen—standing without reservation at the highest point.

Yue Ge planned to wait until Ah Zhu became a celestial king and could be at the same level as her father before bringing up the matter with him.

However, encountering that group of Asura youths this time left her displeased… so she couldn’t hold back from bringing it up.

The action was impulsive, but since she had already said it, she did not regret it.

Seeing her father deep in thought, Yue Ge lowered her head to hide her expression from him.

After a while, the old clan leader spoke.

“Oh, you foolish daughter of mine!”

He yelled.

His palm, as large as a fan, landed on Yue Ge’s shoulder with a pat. He restrained his strength, but the effect wasn’t quite right.

Yue Ge felt her shoulder ache from the slap. She grimaced and looked at her father in confusion. “What, what’s the matter?”

“You say you’re not foolish, but why didn’t you say anything earlier if you knew this long ago? You let so many years go by before telling me!”

Yue Ge: “…”

Huh?

Meanwhile, the old clan leader laughed for a while and then said:

“The ancestral traditions cannot be abandoned.” He suddenly stood up. “I will go find my father now, hahaha—come, Ah Yue, follow me, bring Ah Zhu, and let’s hand over the position as soon as possible!”

Yue Ge raised her hand, puzzled, “Wait a moment, father?”

She thought her father was being sarcastic, but his demeanor showed nothing but joy!

“The tribe leader has long planned for the young lord to take the position.” An attendant appeared silently and spoke softly. “Young lady may not know, but the clan leader has always been uninterested in tribe affairs. Since the ban on the Western Sea was lifted, he has been even more unengaged and goes out frequently.”

Yue Ge: “…So?”

The attendant gave her a sympathetic look. “So, the tribe leader approached the chief elder to discuss handing the position over to the young lady quickly so he could leave the Western Sea and travel outside for a long time.”

“But the chief elder, wise as he is, rejected the tribe leader’s proposal and chastised him for not considering the younger generation’s cultivation. The tribe leader, feeling guilty, reconsidered the fact that the young lady’s cultivation level is not on par with any elder, and thus he gave up the plan.”

Yue Ge: “…”

No wonder her father was so happy.

He had resigned himself to staying in the Western Sea for another thousand or so years, and then his foolish daughter suddenly came up with the tradition that allowed the Heavenly Spirit Asura to become the supreme queen! She wouldn’t even need to consider her cultivation level and could assume the throne immediately—

Anyone would be happy to finally let go of their responsibilities!

Yue Ge’s proposal was an impulsive decision without much careful thought.

Now, on further consideration, she and Ah Zhu need to focus on cultivation, so how could they have time for tribe affairs?

Yue Ge stood up, trying to catch up, “Father? Regarding Ah Zhu’s ascension, I never specified a timeline! I was merely giving you a heads-up!”

The old clan leader was undeterred and walked quickly with his sturdy Asura legs. “Daughter, what are you saying? The whale calls are too loud; I can’t hear you—”

Yue Li, who was already asleep: “Huh?”

After much chaos, the old clan leader finally agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Once Ah Zhu reached the level of an immortal, and they both returned from their adventures, they would discuss the matter.

“Ah Zhu should have taken the position when she returned to the tribe over a decade ago,” the old clan leader said sadly. “Look at me, your father. I’ve worked for over ten years without getting a chance to go to the infinite sea and catch deep rainbow crabs to eat.”

Yue Ge realized she couldn’t refute him and paused for a moment before offering comfort, “…I’ll make fried giant fish slices for you today?”

The old clan leader nodded. “Okay, okay.”

Expressing her thoughts relieved Yue Ge.

Naturally, she began to reflect on her father’s teachings. Since she said she would cultivate quickly, she must strive to break through to the celestial realm.

Her vague ideas about the power of gold began to combine, extend, and evolve into different processes…

During the process, Yue Ge’s approach to utilizing the power of gold subtly changed.

Yue Ge’s eyes widened slightly.

In her eyes, the light shifted between light and dark, like molten gold.

The old clan leader: “…”

His daughter had no sense of decorum.

Cultivating without returning to her room, sitting there in the hall, making it impossible for him to eat his fish.

However, being able to have an epiphany after explanation was a rare occurrence.

Suddenly, he furrowed his brow and thought to himself: Could it be that since the discussion about Ah Zhu’s position was settled, his daughter was finally able to relax and have an epiphany…

Did she have an epiphany as soon as her mental block was resolved?

The old clan leader shook his head, carefully using his spiritual power to lift Yue Ge and gently transport her back to her small room.

Ah Zhu was there at the time, as usual, meditating with closed eyes.

Jin Qingcha was also there, staring at her book with a troubled expression, reminiscent of a child being tested on knowledge they hadn’t studied for, staring blankly at their textbook.

She looked a bit desolate.

Hearing the commotion, Ah Zhu opened her eyes and nodded, “Father.”

The old clan leader’s gaze was very kind, “Hmm.”

Ah Zhu: “…”

She felt that her father-in-law’s gaze was like he was looking at a laborer…

Was it an illusion?

After placing his daughter on the cushion, the old clan leader said, “Ah Yue had an epiphany. After this round of cultivation, she should be able to break through her bottleneck.”

Ah Zhu replied, “I will protect her during her cultivation.”

The old clan leader smiled, “Good!”

After a moment’s pause, he turned to Jin Qingcha with hopeful eyes, “Chacha, come and chat with Grandpa for a while?”

Jin Qingcha immediately put down the books, saying, “Chacha understands!”

Before she could even stand up, she met Zhu Yu’s indifferent gaze, and Jin Qingcha stopped, looking back pitifully.

“Oh dear, Chacha is still so young… children of this age should play freely, and only after having enough fun can they focus on cultivation.” The old clan leader couldn’t resist the little girl’s expression, so he spoke up on her behalf.

Zhu Yu looked away. “Go on.”

Jin Qingcha cheered, “Great—”

Zhu Yu then added flatly, “I’ll give you a quiz tomorrow, remember that.”

Jin Qingcha replied, “…okay.”

The old clan leader took Jin Qingcha away and closed the door behind them.

Under the bright luster of the Pearl of the Sea, Yue Ge’s eyes shimmered with a golden aura, making them appear more beautiful.

Zhu Yu quietly watched her for a while before closing her eyes again to continue meditating.

Yue Ge’s realization lasted for nine days and nine nights.

During that time, the old clan leader took Jin Qingcha on a thorough tour of Gourmet City, leaving their mark in almost every tavern and eatery.

Zhu Yu, on the other hand, kept her doors closed and \ monitored Yue Ge’s condition.

When she sensed that Yue Ge was about to make a breakthrough, she released eighty-one gold-energy-infused crystals and evenly spread them around Yue Ge.

Soon after, Yue Ge’s energy began to fluctuate wildly, and her momentum surged, like a carp attempting to leap over the dragon gate.

That was the riskiest part of the process, and Zhu Yu kept a close watch on her.

Luckily, accompanied by the faint sound of something breaking, Yue Ge’s energy stabilized and settled in the realm of the Celestial.

Zhu Yu’s expression did not ease; she then released a series of light blue crystals that fell into Yue Ge’s arms, emitting strands of chilling cold.

Breaking through to the realm of the Celestial comes with tribulations for land-dwelling races, particularly strong ones.

But for sea-dwelling races like Asuras and Merfolk… they’ve never experienced lightning tribulations.

Otherwise, one strike would wipe out every spiritual creature within a ten-mile radius of the sea, leaving no bones behind.

What they faced was the entry of celestial fire into the body.

Like the lightning tribulations, it tested the strength of the tribulation transcender and simultaneously refined the body. However, celestial fire entering the body may be even more unbearable than lightning tribulations, as it coursed through the body via the meridians, burning everything…

Ouch.

In short, that was also a significant hurdle.

Yue Ge had used Zhu Yu’s cold energy to refine many ice spirit crystals in preparation for her tribulation, planning to use them during the process to mitigate the power of celestial fire.

Under Zhu Yu’s unwavering gaze, Yue Ge passed through the celestial fire tribulation and then…

Suddenly threw herself into Zhu Yu’s arms.

“So—hot!” Yue Ge nearly burst into tears.

As she cultivated the gold spiritual root, fire restrained gold, so she doubted her very existence due to the celestial fire’s intensity.

Yue Ge’s journey through cultivation naturally involved pain, but if she were to rank her experiences of pain, celestial fire entering the body would be the most excruciating.

It still burned and scorched her!

Fortunately, Ah Zhu’s body was cold and soothing, offering a perfect counter to the heat and providing great comfort.

Yue Ge buried her face in Zhu Yu’s embrace.

Zhu Yu wrapped her arms around Yue Ge’s waist, finding the situation amusing but still conscientiously emitting stronger cold energy… acting as a cooling pack.

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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TISAG – Chapter 97

With a flick of its big head, Yue Li swam back, looking aggrieved, and uttered, “…Yi.”

Jin Qingcha Observed the giant whale.

Land spirit beasts, even the fearsome giant tiger king, whose size didn’t even amount to a third of the Moonlight Whale, which never inhabited the vast oceans.

Therefore, it was Jin Qingcha’s first time seeing such a large creature…

Yue Ge lightly patted Yue Li’s forehead and exclaimed, “Yue Li, you’ve gotten fat—grown up again.”

It felt… the little whale had doubled in size since they last met, its markings deeper and more pronounced, a sign of the Moonlight Whale maturing into adulthood.

After several years, finally reunited with the only acknowledged companion, and the first thing said was about getting fat.

Too cruel.

Yue Li stared straight at Yue Ge with its dark whale eyes, silently expressing its reproach.

Zhu Yu indifferently interjected, “Indeed, it has grown quite a bit.”

Then that faint gaze turned towards Zhu Yu again…

Feeling guilty, Yue Ge corrected herself seriously, “I was joking. This isn’t getting fat, it’s growing.”

Only then did Yue Li reluctantly acknowledge, retracting its resentful gaze.

Since Yue Li was here, it was a good opportunity for her to test the internal environment of the beast control card.

Yue Ge took out the jade card, recited an incantation, and with a slight sound, Yue Li’s massive body disappeared on the spot.

Using her spiritual sense to explore, Yue Ge saw that the Moonlight Whale shrunk in size, swimming happily in a pool of blue water.

It shook its head and tail, surrounded by abundant spiritual energy, looking very content.

“It looks fine.” Yue Ge released Yue Li again, satisfied.

Yue Li: “Yi!”

Agreeing with whale sounds and body language.

The family of three rode on Yue Li’s back and returned to the Asura clan territory.

Yue Li’s speed had increased compared to before, but she still loved to somersault and challenge difficult maneuvers, making the entire ocean her stage of freedom.

Yue Ge and Zhu Yu were accustomed to it, showing no change in expression and even joking around; Jin Qingcha, however, was startled by the scene, her face pale as she tightly grasped the whale’s dorsal fin.

“Yue Li is very gentle, just a bit too big…”

Yue Ge’s words echoed in her mind.

Jin Qingcha remained expressionless: “…”

Finally confirming that her mother must be teasing her.

Where was Yue Li gentle? Even the most mischievous monkeys in the mountains couldn’t match her wild movements!

Soon, the Asura group arrived at the Asura tribe territory.

Yue Li reduced her size and swam beside Yue Ge.

Inside the Asura King’s hall.

“Father isn’t here?” Yue Ge was taken aback.

The Asura man responsible for guarding the hall replied, “The tribe leader left the hall early this morning, saying he wanted to go to Gourmet City to feast. It’ll probably be a few days before he returns.”

Yue Ge: “So that’s how it is…”

They’ve just missed each other in the city

Upon hearing the news, Yue Ge and her companions were not in a hurry. They decided to wait for the old patriarch to return.

“Chacha, you stay in this room,” Yue Ge led Jin Qingcha to a room in the White Coral Palace. “Remember to cultivate and don’t slack off.”

Jin Qingcha responded, “Okay.”

But after a moment, Jin Qingcha emerged from her small room.

She walked to her parents’ door, squinting to peer through the crack. Yue Ge and Zhu Yu were sitting cross-legged, practicing cultivation.

After some thought, she slipped out of the palace.

As the small figure drifted away, Yue Ge opened her eyes and couldn’t help but laugh.

“So Chacha wants to go out and play. She finds the Asura tribe quite fascinating… That little girl is quite mischievous, don’t let her wander off.”

Zhu Yu said, “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Yue Ge finished laughing and waved her hand, “Yue Ge, why don’t you go too? Oh, Yue Li, are you going?”

Yue Li tilted his head, thought for a moment in a humanized manner, and then swam out.

Jin Qingcha wandered through the clan’s territory, looking around with curiosity.

The Asura tribe’s territory seemed much emptier than before, mainly because most of the Asuras were drawn away by the delicacies of Gourmet City.

They could stay in that city for ten days or half a month, reluctant to leave. Some simply lived along the coastline, building small stone houses there.

…Leaving behind a group of empty-nest Asuras in the tribe’s territory.

As Jin Qingcha wandered around, she heard cheerful whale songs behind her.

“Are you Yue Li?” she asked hesitantly. “Did Mother send you?”

The little whale, Yue Li, raised the same unchanging smile towards her. Upon closer inspection, one could see a sword hidden behind its tail, adorned with a string of beads.

Well, her discreet excursion had been discovered.

Jin Qingcha pursed her lips and pounced on Yue Li’s back, “I’m tired of swimming, will you carry me?”

The little whale happily rotated 365 degrees.

Jin Qingcha moved away, “I was joking, I’ll swim by myself—”

The little whale’s tail dropped.

Jin Qingcha averted her gaze, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.

She didn’t want to ride on that whimsical whale again!

As she swam, a tall and burly figure came into view.

Jin Qingcha hesitated and stopped.

Wasn’t the Asura man in front of her, with a small red umbrella at his waist, her grandfather?

The old patriarch had never seen his granddaughter, but Jin Qingcha had seen him when she was just a sapling herself.

Jin Qingcha felt awkward.

Should she go up and say hello? How should she address him?

Before she could decide on a course of action, the old patriarch noticed her.

“Whose child are you…”

The old patriarch had drunk quite a bit in Gourmet City, and was a bit dizzy at the moment, murmuring, “Why does she look so much like Yue?”

As he approached, the old patriarch became even more surprised, “Oh, the eyebrows also look like Zhu’s!”

Jin Qingcha: “…”

Jin Qingcha sighed and raised her hand, “Grandfather.”

The old patriarch was startled, “Little girl, you’ve mistaken an Asura!”

He only had one daughter, and his daughter only had one partner, who was also a woman!

Jin Qingcha said earnestly, “I haven’t made a mistake, Grandfather. My mother is Yue Ge.”

The old patriarch’s eyes widened. He noticed Yue Li following behind the little girl, the whale that belonged to his daughter.

His drunkenness dissipated.

The old patriarch had planned to eat and drink in Gourmet City for a few days. Since Gourmet City was built on the western coast, he had become a regular visitor, hardly going anywhere else.

However, the responsibility of being the patriarch still rested on his shoulders, and it wasn’t good to be constantly running around every few days.

If he hadn’t encountered a dozen or so young Asuras crying bitterly in Gourmet City, learning from them that his daughter and her wife had returned to the clan, the old patriarch wouldn’t have hurried back so soon.

Of course, he selectively ignored… that those young Asuras wanted to complain to him.

But before he could return to the palace, reality surprised him with such a big gift—

A grand-daughter!

A granddaughter who was already several years old!

A cute grand-daughter who was already several years old!

The old patriarch was stunned. Jin Qingcha swam up to him and tilted her head, “Grandfather, are you okay?”

“I’m fine—very fine.” After hesitating for a moment, the old patriarch asked, “Is your mother at home?”

Jin Qingcha smiled, “She and Mother are practicing cultivation. I came out to play by myself.”

The word “Mother” once again shook the old patriarch.

Right, how did this granddaughter come about? Could it be two women…

Ugh.

The old patriarch didn’t dare to think deeply. He used his spiritual power to wrap up his grand-daughter and the little Yue Li and swam back to the palace.

When he returned, Yue Ge and Zhu Yu were still practicing cultivation. Naturally, the old patriarch wouldn’t interrupt them. He just sat in the hall and chatted with his sudden appeared granddaughter.

“What’s your name?”

“Jin Qingcha. Grandfather, you can call me Qingcha like Mother does, or you can call me Chacha like Mom does~”

“…How old are you this year, Chacha?”

“Seven and a half.”

“What does Chacha like to eat?”

“Qingcha fruit!”

“Oh…”

The grandfather and granddaughter continued their question-and-answer session until Yue Ge and the others finished their cultivation.

“Dad, we’re back.” Yue Ge sat down beside her old father and smiled.

The old patriarch was being entertained by his granddaughter and didn’t greet his daughter as usual. Most of his attention was on his granddaughter.

Yue Ge: “…”

There was a subtle sense of being out of favor.

The feeling was fleeting, Yue Ge didn’t pay much attention to it, just smiled and said, “Father likes Chacha.”

The old patriarch laughed heartily, “Of course!”

He paused for a moment, then transmitted his voice again, “You two are women, how is Chacha…?”

Towards outsiders, it was natural to conceal some facts, but there was nothing to hide from her father.

Yue Ge hesitated for a moment, then looked at Jin Qingcha— the latter nodded gently behind the old patriarch, meaning she agreed to tell her grandfather about it.

So, Yue Ge sorted out her thoughts and revealed Chacha’s origins.

After hearing it, the old patriarch breathed a sigh of relief, saying with a smile that it turns out that way, no wonder Chacha was so sensible, it all made sense now…

Completely subconsciously ignoring the fact that his granddaughter was several thousand years older than him.

Jin Qingcha also liked this grandfather very much, holding her face and smiling happily, as if saying, “Nobody can stop me from communicating with my grandfather.”

Zhu Yu glanced at her and transmitted to Yue Ge, “Is Chacha going to be lazy today?”

The daily cultivation tasks, she hadn’t even started yet.

Yue Ge looked at the happy scene of the grandfather and granddaughter, not concerned, “Well, she’s still young, Chacha is sensible…”

Zhu Yu pursed her lips, not agreeing.

Whether she was her biological child or not, since she acknowledged her, she must take up the responsibility of supervision and not let her play around recklessly.

Jin Qingcha received her mother’s stern gaze and shrank her neck.

Alright, she knew she was wrong, can’t she chat with her grandfather for a while before going to practice?

#The combination of a lenient mother and a strict mother#

#Probably like this#

——————

Jin Qingcha went to practice with three steps back and forth.

Zhu Yu walked in front of her, already determined to discipline her daughter well today.

Yue Ge watched their backs, a smile in her eyes.

Then, she turned to her father, and straightened her posture, “Father, I have some questions and would like to ask for your advice.”

The old patriarch glanced at her, sitting cross-legged, “Are you stuck at a bottleneck?”

Yue Ge smiled, “Father sees through everything.”

“Don’t, don’t flatter your old father.” The old patriarch pondered for a moment, gathering a ball of golden spiritual energy in his palm before speaking slowly.

“I also know about the intricate divisions among other clans, after understanding them, I feel they are of little use.”

“But upon careful consideration, there is some rationale to it…”

From reaching the Cloud Ascendant Realm to becoming an Immortal, it was a crucial watershed for the Human Tribe.

Countless cultivators risk their lives to ascend to the clouds, surpassing the mundane, yet unable to enter the Immortal Realm, stuck in a state of neither advancement nor retreat.

“I won’t elaborate too much for you,” the old patriarch said solemnly. “Otherwise… my path may affect your understanding of your cultivation path, which would be counterproductive.”

Yue Ge nodded, “I understand, please don’t hesitate to teach me, Father.”

The lengthy discussion between father and daughter continued into the night, with only a few Hai Ming Pearls used by Asuras for illumination, leaving the entire clan territory incredibly quiet.

The old patriarch lived for about two hundred years, considered young for a powerhouse at the Immortal King level. Nevertheless, his experience was not to be underestimated.

Yue Ge felt enlightened, vague ideas forming in her mind, fleeting yet profound.

“Next is the refining process, you’ll have to rely on yourself.” The old patriarch stood up. “I won’t disturb your cultivation anymore…”

Yue Ge stopped him, “Wait, father, there’s something I want to tell you!”

“What is it, do you want to specially cook a meal to treat your father?” The patriarch’s eyes lit up.

Yue Ge paused, then turned her head, “It’s about Zhu Yu.”

She spoke softly, determined.

“I want to appoint Zhu Yu as the Queen of the Asuras.”

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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ARIMTFE – Chapter 96

After sending Emperor Yongle back to Yong’an Palace. Qin Su returned to Changle Palace with a heavy heart. “Summon Hua Xi into the palace.”

“Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

Chi Shui stood behind Qin Su. It had been several months since she had seen Hua Xi. There was someone dedicated to delivering information into the palace regularly. Now, suddenly summoning her, could it be that Qin Su was injured?

Qin Su didn’t want to talk much now, waved her hand, and Chi Shui stopped asking further and left to handle things.

Hua Xi arrived quickly, wearing a white silk dress, glancing around Changle Palace. “Tsk, I never expected I’d have a day to enter the Eastern Palace.”

“Not only do you have a day to enter the Eastern Palace, but these days you may also have to stay here. I suspect someone poisoned the Emperor.”

Qin Su glanced at Hua Xi. “How did you become so thin?”

“Of course, it’s perfect to play Miss Shen,” Hua Xi turned around, mimicking Shen Yi’s voice, “Zi Xun?”

Hua Xi’s voice startled Qin Su. Looking closely, Hua Xi now resembled Shen Yi in her back.

“You’ve done enough. I said from the beginning that I didn’t intend to use you to take this risk. The most important thing now is to find out if my father, the Emperor, is poisoned.”

Qin Su rubbed her temples. She hadn’t received news from Shen Yi for several months. If it weren’t for Yu Kong’s monthly replies, assuring that everything was fine, she would have thought Shen Yi had encountered trouble.

“Oh, right,” Hua Xi remembered the matter at hand. Turning around, she sat opposite Qin Su. “Tell me in detail, what poison the Emperor has been exposed to, for how long? What are the symptoms?”

“I don’t know at all,” Qin Su said, “I only have this guess. You’ll need to find out more.”

“Examine the Emperor? Can I?”

Hua Xi’s relaxed demeanor became serious, hesitating.

“What’s the matter? Didn’t you diagnose and treat the Empress and the Second Prince’s difficult illnesses before?”

Qin Su reassured Hua Xi.

“It’s different. That’s the Emperor. Whether you cure him or not, it doesn’t matter much. I can always be hunted down again. But if something goes wrong with the Emperor, I’ll be wanted throughout the realm, and my whole family will be executed. Wouldn’t that be terrible for me?”

Hua Xi blurted out her inner thoughts, then saw the frown Qin Su suppressed, hurriedly making up, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Enough talking, after lunch, come with me to Yong’an Palace. We don’t need your immediate conclusion, just a general idea will do.”

Qin Su decided not to give Hua Xi a chance to speak again.

Hua Xi reluctantly agreed.

After lunch in Changle Palace, Qin Su led Hua Xi to Yong’an Palace. At the gate of Yong’an Palace, they saw Qin Yan coming out of Yong’an Palace.

“May Her Highness be well.”

Qin Su’s status was different now, and Qin Yan also avoided her and saluted when he saw her.

Qin Su didn’t stop, didn’t even glance, just walked past Qin Yan and into Yong’an Palace.

Hua Xi followed Qin Su’s steps and murmured in Qin Su’s ear, “Is this the aura of the Imperial Princess? It makes me feel a bit like I’m taking advantage of others!”

“There’s no need to describe yourself so accurately.”

Qin Su’s expression remained unchanged as she replied to Hua Xi, leaving her half-exasperated.

As the two spoke, Eunuch Li welcomed them in. Emperor Yongle was leaning on the couch reading a book.

“Xun’er, what brings you to see your father?”

Emperor Yongle put down the book and saw Hua Xi, who entered with Qin Su. “Who is this?”

“Your daughter pays respects to Your Majesty. This is the imperial physician in my palace. I noticed Father’s complexion was a bit off and wanted the imperial physician to check your pulse, Father.”

Qin Su introduced Hua Xi to Emperor Yongle.

“Hua Xi, greetings to Your Majesty.”

Emperor Yongle had heard that there was an imperial physician in Qin Su’s palace, but he hadn’t seen her before. “You’ve made an effort, but Father didn’t feel anything unusual. There shouldn’t be any issue.”

“Just let her check my pulse. It will put my mind at ease.”

Qin Su walked to Emperor Yongle’s side and placed her wrist under Emperor Yongle’s hand, letting Hua Xi come over to take the pulse.

Emperor Yongle couldn’t refuse Qin Su either, so he went along with Qin Su.

After all, that was Emperor Yongle. Hua Xi was nervous, but once she started feeling the pulse, she forgot about her nervousness.

Emperor Yongle’s pulse was strange, and after examining it for a while, Hua Xi looked at Emperor Yongle. “Your Majesty, may I see your tongue?”

Emperor Yongle closed his mouth and thought for a moment. “Feeling tired in spring, lethargy in autumn, and dozing off in summer. Isn’t that normal?”

“That’s not entirely normal.” Qin Su heard the explanation for the first time.

Thinking for a moment, Hua Xi asked, “Has Your Majesty been taking any medicine recently? Or have you been eating any unusual dishes?”

Emperor Yongle raised his hand, summoning Eunuch Li. “Xiao Li, what was that thing I ate some time ago? The one specially prepared at the Summer Villa, very refreshing, and you sent some back for Xun’er.”

“Your Majesty, that thing is called Icegrass. It’s cool and has the effect of relieving heat. It’s unique to the Summer Villa and is suitable for making porridge or tea.”

Eunuch Li remembered very clearly what dishes Emperor Yongle ate every day and what his preferences were, let alone something Emperor Yongle particularly liked.

Emperor Yongle remembered as well. “Right, it’s called Icegrass, blue and tender, with a sweet and sour taste.”

“That should be fine.”

Although Hua Xi hadn’t seen it before, since it was a tribute from the Summer Villa to Emperor Yongle, it must have been checked by the imperial kitchen and medical officers. There couldn’t be any major issues.

“What’s going on then?”

Qin Su listened on the side. She had tasted Icegrass before and found nothing wrong with it. She just didn’t fancy it much; she still preferred plum soup.

Hua Xi couldn’t explain it for a moment either. Qin Su twitched her nose, “Hmm? Has the fragrance in the hall changed?”

“Xun’er’s sense of smell is sharp. Isn’t that the spice you brought back from the borderlands for Father a few years ago? And the incense burner you sent to Father together with it, it smells good.”

Emperor Yongle also remembered, “What’s the matter?”

Qin Su looked at the incense burner. “Father, when did I give you this incense? Three or four years ago?”

Emperor Yongle thought for a moment. “Was it three or four years ago? Together with this incense burner as a birthday gift.”

“Three or four years ago?” Qin Su tried to remember, but couldn’t recall. “Send for Chi Shui.”

Chi Shui was waiting outside. Eunuch Li called her in.

“Chi Shui, do you remember four years ago when I brought back some spice from the borderlands as a birthday gift for Father?”

Just as Emperor Yongle asked Eunuch Li when he couldn’t remember, Qin Su asked Chi Shui when she couldn’t recall.

Chi Shui thought for a moment. “Does Your Highness mean the Inkstone fragrance brought back four years ago?”

“Your Highness once asked His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince about the matter of presenting birthday gifts to His Majesty, and it just so happened that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince suggested using this incense along with an incense burner as a congratulatory gift.”

Chi Shui couldn’t possibly forget about such a thing. When reminded by Qin Su, she vaguely recalled something. “That should be correct.”

“Why did Father suddenly think of changing the incense? Was the previous agarwood used up?” Qin Su remembered something and turned to look at Emperor Yongle.

“I just felt that the agarwood became a bit cloying during our stay at the Summer Resort. It didn’t whet my appetite when I smelled it. That’s why Xiao Li suggested changing the incense. It just happened that he brought the spices you gave, so we changed it. This fragrance smells good, so we haven’t changed it back since then,” Emperor Yongle replied to Qin Su.

Hua Xi, who was beside them, had lowered her head and remained silent. It was only after speaking that she realized she and Qin Su were in the same boat. Her words just now might have provided evidence of Qin Su’s crime.

Fortunately, seeing Qin Su still calm and composed, answering Emperor Yongle’s questions without any defense, Hua Xi relaxed. It was also fortunate that Qin Su was the one standing there. Otherwise, anyone else would have been taken away for interrogation first.

“Let’s change the spices then, Father. What do you think?” Since the conversation had reached that point, if Emperor Yongle still didn’t understand, despite growing up in the palace for so many years, Qin Su would be disappointed.

Emperor Yongle’s expression did indeed darken. “Is it Qin Yan?”

“These are just the words of your child, and your child has also told Father about it. Regarding the matter of the Third Prince, your child investigated in the capital for a long time and found no evidence in the end. We could only guess vaguely, relying on the testimonies of the Eighth Prince and Concubine Shu. It should also be related to the Crown Prince. If Father wants evidence, your child will need Father’s cooperation to stage a big show.”

Qin Su laid all the cards on the table with Emperor Yongle. It was time.

Emperor Yongle pondered for a long time. “Your elder brother just came to me earlier, asking me to thoroughly investigate the death of your third brother.”

Qin Su’s eyebrows furrowed briefly. “Who does he want to harm now?”

“He knows a lot?” Emperor Yongle asked, following up.

“Your child doesn’t want to know so much, but if your child didn’t know so much, Father might have sent the wrong person to their death.”

Qin Su didn’t dodge, meeting Emperor Yongle’s gaze squarely and admitting frankly.

Emperor Yongle shook his head helplessly. “You, ah, if you weren’t raised by Father’s hands, after those words of yours just now, Father would have been suspicious of you seven or eight points.”

“Your child speaks the truth. If Father suspects your child because of this, then Father’s eyesight has gone bad.”

Hearing Emperor Yongle say that, Qin Su knew that Emperor Yongle trusted her. She smiled and sat down. “So, Father, are you willing to cooperate with your child to stage this play?”

“If Father is unwilling, are you going to tear down the roof of Yong’an Palace again?” Emperor Yongle joked, rubbing Qin Su’s head as he did when she was a child, but his eyes carried more feelings of helplessness and resignation. “With your temperament, if Father is gone, what will you do?”

Qin Su felt a lump in her throat, annoyed, and glared at Emperor Yongle. “Father only says ominous things. Father will surely live a long life.”

“If Father lives a long life, by the time you, the Empress, ascend the throne, won’t you be an old lady?” Emperor Yongle teased, seeing Qin Su genuinely frightened, he joked again to comfort her.

“Father, being a long-lived Emperor, peaceful and at ease, isn’t that great?” Qin Su had already made arrangements for Emperor Yongle.

Emperor Yongle teased Qin Su with a brain-cracking joke. “You, this girl, there’s nothing you wouldn’t say. You haven’t even ascended the throne yet, and you’re already settling your father?”

“Then your child will support Father, and Father will still be dissatisfied?” Qin Su retorted confidently.

The father and daughter spoke casually and happily, while the others watched like clay figurines, pretending not to hear anything.

After the idle talks, Qin Su discussed her plan with Emperor Yongle again, explaining how Emperor Yongle should feign illness and how they would draw Qin Yan out. It was certain that Emperor Yongle would witness everything firsthand.

They stayed in Yong’an Palace for the entire afternoon. After all the discussions were finalized, Qin Su had dinner in Yong’an Palace. Hua Xi, as the hero of the day, also had dinner with them. However, she was reluctant to accept the favor.

Finally, when they were able to return to Changle Palace, Hua Xi breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they stepped out of Yong’an Palace. “Just for this task, it’s probably shaved off ten years of my life.”

Back in Changle Palace, Qin Su arranged for Hua Xi to stay in a side hall and, to appease her, sent her some jewelry. Eventually, Hua Xi agreed to stay in the palace and cooperate.

“Your Highness, isn’t this too risky?” As Hua Xi happily counted the silver coins in the side hall, Chi Shui stood beside Qin Su, looking worried. According to Qin Su’s plan, it was almost no different from forcing Qin Yan to rebel.

“I’m aware of the risks, but this is an effective method. Moreover, with the Second Prince in charge, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

According to Qin Su’s plan, Emperor Yongle would suffer a stroke due to consuming a large amount of cooling substances, combined with the toxicity of the spices. He would become incapacitated, and it would be discovered that the spices were a gift from Qin Su, leading to her temporary arrest.

At that moment, Qin Su would confront Qin Yan. She would claim that the spices were suggested by Qin Yan and given to Emperor Yongle under his persuasion. Qin Yan couldn’t afford to be captured at that point. The Imperial Guards would also discover that Qin Su, who was supposed to be under arrest, had fled, and they would pursue her.

At that opportune moment, if Qin Yan didn’t use it to eliminate Qin Su, then he wasn’t Qin Yan. Therefore, in a situation where Qin Su couldn’t defend herself, she would likely flee the palace.

At that point, there would only be Emperor Yongle, who was “unconscious due to a stroke,” in the palace. A country couldn’t go a day without a ruler, so that would be the best time for power struggles. After all, who knew if Emperor Yongle would ever wake up again?

With the Imperial Princess Qin Su already fleeing, whoever took the throne would be the ultimate winner. After years of planning, how could Qin Yan simply let go of that opportunity? 

With the Second Prince disabled and the Seventh Prince and Qin Yan being birds of a feather, they need not be considered. The Ninth Prince, King of Nanxiang, had returned to Nanxiang, so there was no need to consider him either. At that point, Qin Yan’s only competitors would be the Fourth Prince and the Sixth Prince, both of whom were undoubtedly presented with a golden opportunity.

Thinking of Qin Yan’s smug face in her past life, Qin Su felt an itching hatred. In this life, when Qin Yan became smug again, it would be the day of his demise.

After thinking through everything, Qin Su breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn’t help but admire her cunning strategy. She couldn’t wait to go to Xuanyin Palace and show off to Qin Hao.

Of course, in the risky plan, Qin Hao was also a crucial part. When Qin Su “fled,” it would be up to Qin Hao to handle things in the capital. After all, to make Qin Yan let down his guard, Qin Su would have to ensure that Jin Shaoyun, Yu Chen, and others were all arranged properly.

Chi Shui watched from the side, seeing that Qin Su had made up her mind and didn’t try to persuade her further.

Qin Su had already discussed everything with Emperor Yongle, but there was still a lot of preparation to be done. First of all, she needed to communicate with Qin Hao to see how much information he had about Qin Yan’s movements during this time. Additionally, she needed to refine her plan further.

As the night grew deeper, Qin Su entered Qin Hao’s sleeping quarters, startling him awake.

Turning on the light, Qin Hao looked displeased as he faced Qin Su, who seemed completely unaware. “Do you have any sense of propriety? It’s the middle of the night. Even if I am your elder brother, it’s not appropriate for you to barge into my sleeping quarters. If I had a princess consort, would you still barge in like this?”

“You don’t.”

Qin Su moved a stool over and sat by Qin Hao’s bed, looking sincerely at him. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Qin Hao that based on her past life experience, even ten years later, Qin Hao would die without a princess consort. Not even a secondary consort. And because of that, Qin Yan spread rumors about his impotence.

Qin Hao didn’t know what Qin Su was thinking, and her words were making him uncomfortable. “If you have something to say, say it.”

Qin Su was waiting for Qin Hao to say that. She quickly explained her previous plan to him in detail and added any necessary supplements.

After finishing, Qin Su waited for Qin Hao’s response.

“…So, you mean to say you’ve already discussed this with Father Emperor? Then why didn’t you just inform me directly? What’s there to discuss with me?” Although Qin Hao’s mind was still clouded by Qin Su’s words, he caught the main point.

“Second Brother, you still don’t understand Father Emperor?” Qin Su looked at Qin Hao helplessly. The version she had discussed with Emperor Yongle was full of loopholes because Emperor Yongle naturally lacked talent in this area. Qin Su suspected that even what she had said, Emperor Yongle hadn’t understood, but he had agreed happily in the end.

Clearly, not only Qin Su understood Emperor Yongle. Qin Hao hesitated for a moment but nodded in agreement. He took a pillow and leaned back. “Bring paper and a pen. I’ll help you complete this honeycomb-like plan.”

“Okay!”

Qin Su, without complaint, went to fetch paper and pen and brought them back.

—

“Qin Su! Surrender quickly!”

Outside the capital, amidst pouring rain, a large group of troops was chasing after a few individuals, with a commander shouting from behind.

Qin Su glanced backward and then at the narrow bridge ahead, signaling to the person beside her.

Arrows from behind flew like meteors. With two screams, two people beside Qin Su fell off the bridge, struck by arrows, and her horse was hit too, throwing her off.

Qin Su landed on the bridge just in time, but countless arrows flew towards her, reminding her of the excruciating pain of being pierced by thousands of arrows in her heart in her past life, and the death of Shen Yi.

Her daze lasted only for a moment as she drew her sword and parried a few blows. Seizing the opportunity, she opened a bag filled with blood she had prepared earlier, spilling a large pool of blood before dropping her sword and falling off the bridge.

By the time the pursuers caught up, all they saw was blood on the ground and a long streak of blood in the water.

The lead commander suppressed a barely visible smile, turned around, and addressed the troops solemnly, lifting Qin Su’s sword.

“Qin Su is dead!”

Downstream, Qin Su, without panic, waited for someone to rescue her.

It was all premeditated; among the pursuers were Qin Yan’s men, and now they would report back to him.

After thinking for a while, Qin Su raised her head from the water to see who was coming to rescue her. But at that moment, a wave hit her, knocking her back into the water.

“…”

Qin Su realized she might have taken too big a risk.

A sudden downpour had raised the water level significantly, making it impossible for the people designated to rescue her to see her in the water.

Qin Su was a good swimmer, but she was starting to struggle.

Finally, when Qin Su was about to lose strength, she surfaced, seeing a painted boat ahead.

She was finally going to be saved. Qin Su swam over with all her strength. The people on the boat had noticed her in the water, and though they were startled, they still dropped a ladder and pulled her up.

Qin Su felt like she had drunk enough water to fill her lungs, unable to feel the chill of the autumn rain on her face anymore, only the gratitude of surviving a disaster.

“Shopkeeper.”

Qin Su heard movement and stood up, wanting to thank the owner of the boat. But as she raised her head, she saw a woman in white standing under a green oil-paper umbrella, elegant and beautiful, with brows like distant mountains and eyes like autumn waves.

All the words stuck in Qin Su’s throat. After a while, only two words came out.

“An Ping…”

Not only Qin Su, but Shen Yi also hadn’t expected to meet Qin Su again under those circumstances.

Seeing Qin Su, soaked like a drowned rat, and recalling the rumors circulating in the capital, Shen Yi’s eyes were filled with complexity and pity.

As the two locked eyes, time seemed to stand still. Another person emerged from the boat, dressed in green, gallant and graceful. He took the oil-paper umbrella from Shen Yi’s maid and stood shoulder to shoulder with her, a perfect match of talent and beauty.

The young man was careful, tilting the umbrella more towards Shen Yi, not minding his shoulder already wet from the rain.

Qin Su heard the young man asking Shen Yi, “Wang Chen, do you know this person?”

“I don’t.”

Qin Su heard Shen Yi’s reply.

The icy autumn rain couldn’t extinguish the fire in Qin Su’s heart. She ignored Shen Yi’s trance and pointed at the young man, “What Wang Chen? You say you don’t know me? Who is this person?”

---

This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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TPOCTTWFP – Chapter 70

Yun Ge still couldn’t recall where exactly she had picked the so-called strawberries during her childhood.

She had to give up on the thought and decided to return to her cave because there were some things she needed to check. Yun Ge bid farewell to Lin Ling and prepared to return to her cave to look through her diary, hoping to find something useful.

Lin Ling, having finally met her senior sister, couldn’t bear to let Yun Ge leave. She cried and insisted on accompanying them. Yun Ge initially wanted to talk to Huan Mo about something, but seeing how difficult Lin Ling’s life had been recently, she agreed to let her come along.

The three of them prepared to go to Yun Ge’s cave, but Yun Ge didn’t expect to encounter Ming Xuan.

At first sight of Ming Xuan, Yun Ge didn’t recognize him. She didn’t think the man in front of her could be the prodigy of the heavens. Then Lin Ling nudged Yun Ge’s arm, and Yun Ge noticed Ming Xuan’s gaze, filled with gloom, directed at her.

Yun Ge’s first reaction was to tightly grip Huan Mo’s hand beside her, feeling guilty.

Huan Mo stood calmly in front of Yun Ge.

Lin Ling noticed that these two didn’t seem prepared to recognize each other, so she spoke first, “Senior Brother Ming Xuan, long time no see.”

Ming Xuan withdrew his gaze from Yun Ge and replied, “Junior Sister Lin Ling.”

“Senior Brother Ming Xuan, Lin Ling is here with two junior sisters for some business. We’ll leave first,” Lin Ling felt something was off in the atmosphere.

Lin Ling understood her senior sister very well. She wouldn’t do anything she disliked, even if pressured by the sect. So when her senior sister agreed to become Ming Xuan’s dao companion, Lin Ling was initially unhappy. How could her senior sister marry someone else?!

Later, she thought it wasn’t bad and reluctantly accepted it, but she hadn’t expected this turn of events.

Lin Ling also knew her senior sister’s innocence was gone, and Yunfu Sect would not tolerate her. Now that Ming Xuan had come, Lin Ling naturally imagined a tragedy.

But seeing the look in Ming Xuan’s eyes, Lin Ling had a bad feeling. Oh no, her senior sister’s innocence! It seemed not as she had imagined.

Lin Ling didn’t care about what had happened. She had idolized her senior sister since childhood. But she cared about how others viewed her senior sister. Yunfu Men’s pursuit this time had caused Lin Ling a lot of trouble, and now with this incident, it became even more complicated.

“Where are you going, Junior Sister?” Although Ming Xuan’s question was directed at Lin Ling, his gaze was fixed on Yun Ge, filled with hostility.

Yun Ge felt she indeed owed Ming Xuan, but even if she wanted to apologize, now was not the time. She remained silent, pretending Ming Xuan hadn’t recognized her, with an expressionless face.

Huan Mo’s lowered eyes were not as calm as one might imagine. She sneered inwardly. She hadn’t expected this person to come so quickly. Couldn’t kill him, huh? So what? Huan Mo sneered. She had noticed a problem from the beginning: she couldn’t kill Ming Xuan, just like she couldn’t kill the White Tiger. But what did it matter? Huan Mo’s right hand, with fingers as slender as white jade, emitted a faint black thread at this moment. It was almost imperceptible unless one looked carefully, but her left hand was

Holding Yun Ge’s hand, it felt as warm as ever.

Yun Ge originally thought Ming Xuan might give her a hard time, but unexpectedly, after a couple of sarcastic remarks, Ming Xuan stiffened for a moment, then walked away without even looking back.

Lin Ling also found it a bit strange and approached, “Senior Sister, don’t you think Ming Xuan’s senior brother is acting strangely?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yun Ge touched her nose, “Junior Sister, let’s go first, we have urgent matters.”

Lin Ling still wanted to know what happened back then, but since Senior Sister didn’t want to talk about it, Lin Ling didn’t ask anymore.

…………………………………..

“Ah…” A certain sensitive spot on her body was being playfully teased, causing Lin Yuan to involuntarily arch her neck, softly moaning. Her snow-white legs on the fiery red blanket appeared even more enticing, but at this moment, just when she was trembling from the stimulation of that sensitive spot, the person on top of her, who was supposed to be in close contact with her skin, stopped. Lin Yuan felt like crying… Why stop at this critical moment?

The tear-inducing event happened: the person who moments ago was indulging her in desires started reciting erotic literature. Yes, indeed, erotic literature! Lin Yuan listened to the embarrassingly explicit content and felt like dying…

“…Don’t…” Lin Yuan couldn’t help but struggle in fear. She knew she couldn’t resist, even if she tried, it wouldn’t be successful. But wouldn’t it hurt if it went in? How could she endure it? But at that moment, Lin Yuan’s crying only seemed to arouse the person’s lust even more. Squatting down, she lifted one of Lin Yuan’s legs onto her shoulder, gently parting her petals, finding a certain spot, then sucking and teasing with her tongue, causing a wave of heat to surge from her lower abdomen, gradually losing her sanity… 

“Yuan’er is so tight and enticing,” Bing Ling finished reading with a puzzled expression, her voice originally cold, but now looking at Lin Yuan blushing, her eyes filled with confusion and concern. “It just feels like something’s not right,” Bing Ling muttered to herself. She couldn’t see Lin Yuan’s thoughts after transforming, so she felt a bit uncomfortable. Moreover, Lin Yuan’s reaction was very different from what she had seen in her mind before, which made her even more confused.

…Lin Yuan’s mental state at that moment was on the verge of collapse. She had never experienced such a situation before! Damn it, can’t you finish the job before thinking about these things?

“Beast…” Lin Yuan looked pitifully at the conflicted Bing Ling, her eyes moist, exuding an indescribable temptation.

Bing Ling felt that this version of Lin Yuan belonged only to her. Ignoring what might be wrong, she leaned down again, their skins tightly pressed together once more, allowing Lin Yuan to breathe a sigh of relief, but then feeling the deep malice emanating from Bing Ling.

Malice from all over the world.

“Why aren’t you crying?” Bing Ling’s voice still carried a kind of temptation, but the content was not diluted!

Bing Ling continued, “In your thoughts, doing this kind of thing, isn’t it supposed to make you cry when you feel comfortable?”

Let lightning strike her, she understood why Bing Ling stopped just now and said such words. She could say it was because of her perverse taste, no, it was the readers’ perverse taste, enjoying strong scenes. Pushing forcefully made it enjoyable… uh… she dared not force love again… really…

The lack of response from Lin Yuan made Bing Ling think she hadn’t done well. Bing Ling thought again about those things that had made Lin Yuan blush when she first saw them in her mind.

Lin Yuan wanted to cry. Would stopping and starting like that not leave her with any shadows? She thought so, but her body still seemed out of her control, as if someone’s unrelenting touch made Lin Yuan tremble all over again, her waist softening.

Lin Yuan decided she had to resist on her own, otherwise, life would become unbearable. But the refusal she originally intended, with a righteous tone, turned into a “don’t do this to me” because of her panting. 

Lin Yuan twisted her waist, which was being held by someone, seeming to avoid yet also cater, dancing with an intoxicating allure. “Beast…”

The person being called lifted their head and kissed her. The beautiful face of the person in front of her, with rosy cheeks, exquisite features, enchanting eyebrows and eyes, flirtatious gaze, and bewitching eyes that made people feel unparalleled allure, even though the person in front of her had that appearance, it was her who was being pressed down. Lin Yuan felt so wrong!

That feels like she, a tough woman, was being pressed by the charming female lead of a xianxia novel…

Wait a minute, didn’t Senior Sister go through the same thing back then… Both were people who had fallen into the world!

At that moment, Bing Ling was finally satisfied but did not let go of this person, instead, they exchanged more deeply…

In the end, Lin Yuan lay on the blanket, sore and weak, feeling utterly powerless, tears welling up…

“I have to go find the master…” Lin Yuan had only that one thought. She did not want to be alone with Bing Ling again… it was too crazy…

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ARIMTFE – Chapter 95

The palace became lively again. There were cries from Concubine Shu Palace, bustling sounds of moving things back and forth, and various palace ladies and princes preparing to go to the summer resort.

Qin Su sat on the roof of the Zhengyang Palace, observing all that.

“Your Highness, the Emperor is here. You should come down.”

Chi Shui called up to Qin Su from below. Emperor Yongle also entered the courtyard, looking up at Qin Su, “Xun’er, what are you doing up there?”

Qin Su turned and landed on the ground, “I pay respects to Father Emperor. I went up to sunbathe.”

“With this free time, why don’t you accompany Father Emperor?”

Emperor Yongle raised his hand and tidied up Qin Su’s slightly messy hair, with a sense of complexity in his heart.

Qin Su met Emperor Yongle’s gaze, “Father Emperor, Third Brother is innocent.”

Emperor Yongle’s hand on Qin Su’s head trembled slightly. He thought of something, “Xun’er, let’s not talk about this for now. Accompany Father Emperor instead.”

Qin Su silently followed beside Emperor Yongle. They walked out of the Zhengyang Palace, passed through the Imperial Garden, and arrived at the Golden Phoenix Hall where court sessions were held.

Before them were layers of white jade stairs, and the majestic hall stood above. Looking up from below, it felt suffocating.

Qin Su stood in the middle, looking up without any fear in her eyes, only a sense of inevitability in obtaining what she desired.

Emperor Yongle understood upon seeing that and showed a weary expression, “Xun’er, Father Emperor is getting old.”

Qin Su’s gaze fell on Emperor Yongle beside her. Despite the years of indulgence, Emperor Yongle still hadn’t shown signs of aging, retaining the charm of his prime.

Qin Su remained silent. Emperor Yongle took Qin Su’s hand, step by step ascending the stairs until they stood in front of the Golden Phoenix Hall.

Looking at the dragon throne before them, Emperor Yongle led Qin Su towards it. On the throne lay a black package with golden patterns, “Xun’er, open it.”

Qin Su looked at the black package in front of her, puzzled. She placed the package on the dragon case, untied the knots, and unfolded the cloth, revealing a jade seal and an imperial edict.

“Father Emperor?”

Qin Su’s breath lightened considerably as she looked at Emperor Yongle.

“Xun’er, this is the imperial jade seal and the edict of enthronement. Father Emperor can give you anything you want, but you must promise Father Emperor to give your royal brothers a way out.”

Emperor Yongle had thought about it for a long time and made up his mind. Rather than watching his own flesh and blood harm each other before him, it was better to establish the imperial position first, so that others could give up hope and calm down early.

Qin Su’s gaze fell on the imperial jade seal, “Father Emperor, what if the royal brothers want your daughter’s life?”

Emperor Yongle glanced at the hall, and sighed deeply, “Imprisonment, exile, or leaving your life is enough.”

“I promise Father Emperor not to actively harm my siblings.”

Qin Su left the room. Unless necessary, she didn’t want to engage in more killings, especially since they were all still blood relatives.

“Father Emperor believes in you.”

In the nineteenth year of Yongle’s reign, Princess Qin Su was enthroned as the Crown Princess, and the Emperor led the officials to the summer resort of Fengtian, leaving Princess Su in the capital.

The news shocked the world, but in the court, there was no opposition to the decision.

After the grand enthronement ceremony, Emperor Yongle and others went to the summer resort, leaving the vast palace empty.

Qin Su sat at the gate of the Changle Palace. After the enthronement ceremony, Qin Su moved from the Zhengyang Palace to the East Palace, which was much more spacious, but unfamiliar.

“Your Highness, there’s news from the East Sea.”

Chi Shui approached and handed a thick envelope to Qin Su.

With the palace empty, Qin Su leaned against the door frame and opened the envelope.

It was a letter from Yu Chen and Wei Zikang. Yu Chen wrote mostly about the military situation and the issues of consolidation in Jing Guo, while Wei Zikang wrote mostly about the epidemic.

After the previous outbreak, Wei Zikang took direct and decisive measures, mobilizing the army to quarantine all areas affected by the epidemic, investigating the source, burning corpses, brewing medicines, etc. After these measures, the spread of the epidemic was temporarily contained within a certain range.

The physicians sent from the capital also discovered several effective herbs during this period. It was estimated that in another month or so, the epidemic would be eradicated.

Wei Zikang’s letter relieved Qin Su. Everything was progressing in a positive direction.

Folding the letter, Qin Su fanned herself, “Has there been any news from my aunt?”

“Not yet.”

Seeing Qin Su’s expression, Chi Shui wanted to ask about Shen Yi, but ever since Yu Kong took Shen Yi away, not a single letter was sent. Of course, the letters Qin Su sent out were also lost, as she didn’t even know the whereabouts of the Yunzhai Tower herself.

“What about the Ministry of Justice?”

Qin Su had mentioned to Emperor Yongle before he left that the Third Prince might have been framed, so the assassination case was reopened and handed over to the Ministry of Justice. It had been some time, and there was no news of any progress.

“Not yet, Your Highness. The Ministry of Justice has searched every possible lead, but apart from the evidence pointing to the Third Prince, nothing else was found.”

After a long time, even if the Ministry of Justice conducted a thorough investigation, the results were minimal. There were too few clues left at the scene back then. Apart from the bodies of the men in black, there was nothing useful. Moreover, those men in black were well-trained and left no trace.

No progress had been made, which was troublesome.

Qin Su could guess the mastermind behind it all, but without evidence, her guesses were futile.

“Then we can only start with the Eighth Prince. Tonight, I will explore the Imperial Mausoleum.”

Qin Su stood up, her mindset, but it startled Chi Shui.

“Your Highness, the Imperial Mausoleum is heavily guarded and off-limits. Why not visit the Cold Palace to see how Concubine Shu is doing?”

“The burial ground for the emperors of the Da Yong dynasty throughout history is known as the Imperial Mausoleum, and trespassing is not allowed.”

Qin Su hesitated for a moment and had no choice but to comply.

After dinner, Qin Su took her men to the Cold Palace.

The Cold Palace was located in the farthest corner of the palace. Since the reign of Emperor Yongle, no one had lived there, and it had fallen into disrepair. Now that the noble concubine was banished to the Cold Palace, she was the only one there.

Qin Su covered her nose and mouth, frowning. There was too much dust in the Cold Palace, mixed with the smell of decay and mildew, which was quite unpleasant.

“Is the noble concubine here?”

Qin Su looked at the half-collapsed palace in front of her, wondering if the noble concubine, who had always been accustomed to luxury, could adapt to living there.

After Qin Su finished speaking, Chi Shui was about to knock on the door when she saw a dark figure flash by.

Before Chi Shui could tell Qin Su, she saw Qin Su chasing after the figure, followed closely by Shi’er, and the Imperial Guards following suit.

The dark figure was fast but not faster than Qin Su and the others. With a swift move, Shi’er threw their daggers, hitting the figure in the back, and causing them to fall from the palace wall.

After Qin Su landed, the Imperial Guards had already subdued the figure and removed their mask, rendering them unable to die.

“Knock them out and take them away.”

Qin Su glanced at them and turned back. When she arrived at the noble concubine’s palace, she glanced at Chi Shui, who was still standing there, and asked, “What’s the situation?”

“Your Highness, the person didn’t succeed, and the noble concubine is unharmed.”

Chi Shui stayed behind to watch over the noble concubine while Qin Su and the others went out. Now the noble concubine was dressed plainly, sitting in the courtyard looking gray and defeated. When she saw Qin Su, she shrank back.

“Noble concubine, do I need to waste my time talking to you again? Who wants to kill you?”

Qin Su stood in front of the noble concubine, looking at her as if she had aged several decades in just a few days in the Cold Palace.

The torment of the past few days had left the noble concubine mentally exhausted. Coupled with the recent scare, she was in a daze, taking a while to respond to Qin Su’s words, looking at her as if she were foolish, “What did Your Highness say?”

“I don’t have time to waste with you. If you don’t want to talk, I won’t force you. But you should think about it. Today you’re lucky that I saved you. What about tomorrow? What about your son in the Imperial Mausoleum?”

Qin Su didn’t believe that the noble concubine was truly foolish. After saying that, she waited for a moment, seeing that the noble concubine remained the same, she turned and left. Life and death were up to fate, and if the noble concubine didn’t want to live, she wouldn’t force her.

“Wait.”

Before Qin Su could step out of the Cold Palace, the noble concubine stood up and called out to her.

“Qin Su, if I tell you everything, can you guarantee the safety of my son and me?”

At that point, the noble concubine had understood. Especially after the assassination attempt, if she wanted to live, Qin Su was her only lifeline.

“It depends on whether what you say is valuable.”

Qin Su turned back, waiting for the noble concubine to speak.

The noble concubine also understood that she had no bargaining chips now. She could only gamble on Qin Su’s conscience.

After thinking for a while, the noble concubine recounted the whole story of the incident.

“Seventh Prince?”

Qin Su was surprised. That was unexpected. “Are you sure it’s the Seventh Prince?”

“Qin Su, I’ve said everything I can. I hope you keep your promise. If there’s any falsehood in what I’ve said, let my son and I perish miserably.”

The noble concubine was also flexible. Looking at Qin Su, she spoke firmly.

At that point, Qin Su believed that the noble concubine had no reason to cover up for someone who had used them and was now trying to silence them.

“Chi Shui, arrange for the Cold Palace to be repaired. Ensure that the noble concubine has everything she needs and provides her with proper clothing and food. Also, leave two people to serve her.”

Qin Su got the answer she wanted, so she couldn’t mistreat the noble concubine.

Seeing that Qin Su was trustworthy, the noble concubine let go of her worries and added, “Your Highness, Prince Jun made a big mistake, he told me that before the Third Prince died, he accused the Crown Prince of betrayal and villainy, calling him a wicked man. The Third Prince treated Prince Jun and the others as if they were the Crown Prince. I don’t know if this information is useful to Your Highness.”

Qin Su’s eyes narrowed. “When the Eighth Prince and his men ambushed the Third Prince, they got the information from the Seventh Prince. How many casualties were there that day? Was there any evidence left behind?”

The noble concubine frowned, recalling, “There were no casualties that day. According to Prince Jun, when they saw the Third Prince, he was on the verge of collapse, and they succeeded without much effort. As for evidence…

The brooch that Prince Jun dropped that day. This could be considered karma for me and my son. Everything is predetermined.”

In the end, the noble concubine sighed deeply. Everything was fated.

In Qin Su’s mind, everything fell into place. She didn’t linger in the Cold Palace for long and left with her men.

Back in the Changle Palace, Qin Su, who was reading military reports at the desk, remembered that when the Sixth Prince Qin Yun questioned her in the study earlier, he had heard from the Seventh Prince that the Third Prince had been stabbed dozens of times and killed.

Qin Su had always known that the Sixth Prince had a close relationship with the Seventh Prince, so it was normal for the Sixth Prince to hear things from the Seventh Prince. But the problem was, none of that had been made public at that time. After the body of the Third Prince was brought back, it was kept in the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Justice was under his control. There was no way the news could have leaked out. How did the Seventh Prince know that the Third Prince had been stabbed dozens of times?

Rubbing his temples, Qin Su connected all the clues.

It was true.

The birth mothers of the Seventh Prince and Qin Yun were both from humble backgrounds and were not favored in the palace. Their situations were different from the other princes who had their maternal families to rely on. Therefore, in the palace, they faced many difficulties.

Because of that, Qin Yun was always cautious and made friends with everyone, pretending to be a good person all the time, and enduring any grievances. The Seventh Prince, Qin Wen, was the same, always following the Eighth Prince around like a lackey.

It was not surprising that the two would join forces. Moreover, Qin Su had seen the Third Prince and Qin Yun together often. With the simple mind of the Third Prince, it was normal for him to be swayed by Qin Yun. So, it was easy for Qin Yun to get hold of something personal belonging to the Third Prince, and then leave it at the scene of the assassination to frame him.

Perhaps the Third Prince only realized before his death that the one who wanted to harm him was not Qin Su, whom he had trusted, but Qin Yun. When the Third Prince was fleeing, Qin Yun extended a helping hand, inviting him to drink and eat, unaware that the food and wine were poisoned.

All of that was part of Qin Yun’s plan. While he was dining with the Third Prince, he had already arranged for the Seventh Prince to inform the Eighth Prince. The Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince had grown up together, and the Seventh Prince had always been the Eighth Prince’s lackey. Naturally, the Eighth Prince trusted him. So, he led his men to the scene.

However, the Seventh Prince, who was trusted by the Eighth Prince, had secretly taken the Eighth Prince’s brooch and left it at the scene of the assassination. Later, he even provided the Ministry of Justice with a weapon belonging to the Eighth Prince’s mother, the symbol of the noble concubine’s family, a curved moon blade, which matched the wounds on the Third Prince, thus confirming the Eighth Prince’s guilt.

Putting down the report, Qin Su lightly tapped her wrist. If she guessed correctly, the next one to meet with trouble should be the Sixth Prince, who had just been entangled by the Seventh Prince.

They were coming one by one, but the Sixth Prince was not like the Third Prince and the Eighth Prince, one reckless and one straightforwardly foolish. The two of them cannot possibly resort to the same tricks again to plot against the Sixth Prince, can they?

Thinking about the people at the Summer Villa, Qin Su couldn’t help but feel a bit expectant. Under the Emperor’s nose, would they still dare to cause chaos?

Having understood everything, Qin Su wrote a letter to Qin Hao, who was also at the Summer Villa, explaining in detail the causes and consequences of the matter, as well as her next guesses. Then she sent someone to deliver it to the Summer Villa overnight. What to do next would depend on Qin Hao.

—

After summer arrived, each day was hotter than the last. Qin Su lay back under the shade of a tree in Changle Palace. Even though she wore only a thin silk shirt, the heat was suffocating. She lifted the chilled plum soup and shook her fan, “It’s almost the end of July, how much longer will it be this hot?”

In the blink of an eye, another month passed. Emperor Yongle and others were cooling off at the Summer Villa, while Qin Su remained in Shengjing, handling matters in the capital.

The attendants nearby moved closer to Qin Su and fanned some breeze behind her. The wind they fanned felt scorching, making the heat even more unbearable.

“Your Highness, it should be about two more months of heat.”

The sun was blazing overhead, and Qin Su had moved the palace attendants and shadow guards on duty to the shade. Chi Shui brought over a large bowl of ice cubes, replying to Qin Su, “Why doesn’t Your Highness let the attendants fan you?”

“She’s about to faint from the heat herself,” Qin Su glanced at Shi’er, who was still wearing a robe and boots. “Chi Shui, take Shi’er to change her clothes first. Seeing her like this, why doesn’t she just put on a cotton-padded jacket?”

Chi Shui chuckled, “Shouldn’t Your Highness thank her?”

Shi’er blushed at Qin Su’s words, thanked her, and then followed Chi Shui to change clothes.

Qin Su added more ice cubes to the plum soup and felt her breathing ease after drinking it. When Chi Shui and Shi’er returned, she was still fanning herself in the shade. “Your Highness, tomorrow is the day when General Yu and Minister Wei, Duke Jin, and others return to the capital.”

“I am aware. Hasn’t the Ministry of Rites made the preparations?”

Just the thought of having to wear layers of formal attire to greet them at the city gate tomorrow made Qin Su feel like she was going to faint from the heat. “Why is it so hot this year?”

Seeing Qin Su in that state, Chi Shui also felt relieved. “It’s about the same as previous years. It’s just that Your Highness is staying in the capital this year, so you’re experiencing the peak summer of Shengjing.”

Qin Su could only endure it helplessly.

This time Yu Chen and the others’ return to the capital also marked the success of Jing Guo’s annexation into Da Yong. Despite some setbacks due to the actions of traitors, and significant losses among the Jing Guo’s people, everything had passed. With the reorganization, they could revive.

Qin Su stood on the city tower, welcoming the triumphant return of the crowd. The feeling was still somewhat novel to her. In the past, it was her returning triumphantly; it was the first time she welcomed someone else’s triumph.

“Lord Jin, Duke Yang, and all you gentlemen have worked hard.”

Although the ministers couldn’t hide their fatigue, many of them still showed joy on their faces. “We are fortunate to be able to serve Da Yong diligently.”

After exchanging pleasantries, the enthusiastic crowd escorted them to the palace.

In the Imperial Study, after detailed reports of the trip, everyone could return home to rest and wait for the evening banquet arranged by the palace.

After Yu Chen Wei Zikang and other ministers left, they remained.

“Congratulations to the Princess on achieving her wish.”

Listening to their congratulations, Qin Su smiled and helped them up. “Cousin Chen, Minister Wei, you’ve both helped me a lot.”

“It’s our duty.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

Yu Chen and Wei Zikang both spoke at the same time.

Seeing their return, Qin Su felt much more stable. “You’ve traveled far this time and endured a lot. Go rest for a while, and after the palace banquet tonight, we’ll discuss further.”

At that moment, Qin Su didn’t know that these two pieces of information would become the greatest assistance to her in her future campaigns against the traitors.

—

Time flew like a white horse passing a crevice, summer departed, and autumn arrived imperceptibly. Before she knew it, the ground was covered in yellow leaves, and the rising autumn wind dispersed the last remnants of summer warmth.

Qin Su, dressed in a black and gold python-patterned robe, stood at the city gate, watching the vast procession from afar.

Autumn had arrived, and Emperor Yongle and others would be returning from the Summer Villa.

What surprised Qin Su was that the news from the Summer Villa had been unusually calm for the past two months. Even the Sixth Prince, whom Qin Su suspected might become the next Third Prince, was safe and sound. She didn’t know if it was because Emperor Yongle was there or if they hadn’t found a new scapegoat yet.

Qin Su greeted Emperor Yongle’s carriage, riding alongside it. Father and daughter chatted, but Qin Su furrowed her brows as they spoke, “Father, are you tired?”

“Why do you ask, my child?”

Emperor Yongle looked at the surrounding people with a somewhat indiscernible expression.

Qin Su couldn’t say exactly, she listened to Emperor Yongle’s voice, as if he lacked some vigor compared to before they went to the Summer Villa.

Suppressing her doubts, they returned to the palace together.

Everything had been arranged in advance, and everyone returned to the palace to rest first. Qin Su followed Emperor Yongle to Yong’an Palace.

Watching Emperor Yongle slowly walking step by step, Qin Su realized that she had been overthinking earlier on the way.

“Father, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

Qin Su reached out to support Emperor Yongle, realizing her voice was trembling slightly.

“Father is very well, but my child seems to have lost weight again.”

Emperor Yongle didn’t notice anything unusual and was still concerned about Qin Su.

Each step Qin Su took was difficult, and she tried hard to prevent Emperor Yongle from noticing any abnormalities.

Emperor Yongle reminded Qin Su of her past life. At this time in her past life, she was still at the border and hadn’t returned yet. When she hurried back, she saw Emperor Yongle like that, asking about her condition with concern. Unfortunately, at that time, she was focused on military expeditions and didn’t notice anything unusual.

One negligence after another ultimately led to the tragic news about Emperor Yongle. That was when she realized how much she had missed.

She thought she had taken every precaution in this life, but she didn’t expect to make a mistake again.

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This is a fan translation, the novel does not belong to me. Support the author by donating to the site linked on the synopsis page. You can also donate to me if you appreciate my work and help get the funds to donate to the authors. I would also appreciate it if you left a comment!

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