Chapter 095
Chapter 95: Big Brother! What Is Your Relationship with Shi Zi Chu?
As the emperor’s voice echoed through the air, the imperial study fell into a heavy silence.
Shi Zi Chu, kneeling off to the side, remained as still as a puppet.
She was not surprised by the outcome.
If the task were so easily accomplished, the Ten Thousand Visions Realm wouldn’t have caused cultivators to tremble in fear just by its mention.
Ye He Qi turned his head slightly and whispered to Shi Zi Chu, “You may return for now.”
She nodded in acknowledgment, rising to leave.
If Ye He Qi couldn’t even show this small amount of sincerity, then their collaboration was clearly not meant to be.
Shi Zi Chu stepped outside the palace gates, where she was immediately escorted back to the prince’s residence by the guards.
Three days later.
What returned with Ye He Qi was an imperial edict officially naming Shi Zi Chu as the prince’s consort.
The eunuch who had come to announce the decree went through the formalities before handing the imperial edict to Shi Zi Chu.
After dismissing the eunuch, Shi Zi Chu took the edict to Ye He Qi’s residence.
Inside, the imperial physician was tending to Ye He Qi’s knee injury. Shi Zi Chu considered stepping aside but was called over.
“Come here.”
The man reclining on the bed was handsome and elegant, his appearance refined yet pale and weak from the loss of blood.
Shi Zi Chu walked up and sat beside him, worry and concern clouding her face. “How is your injury?”
“It’s fine.” Ye He Qi glanced at the imperial edict. “Have a look.”
Shi Zi Chu opened the edict.
The first half of the imperial edict declared her as the prince’s consort, while the second half granted Ye He Qi a fief, instructing him to head there immediately after marriage.
Shi Zi Chu closed the edict, blinking innocently. “I don’t know how to read.”
After all, she was just a peasant girl now!
Not knowing how to read was only natural!
“…” Ye He Qi was caught off guard by her words, momentarily stunned.
After a brief pause, his voice softened. “It’s alright. I’ll teach you slowly from now on.”
Once the imperial physician finished bandaging his wound and left, Ye He Qi dismissed the maids in the room.
Shi Zi Chu lifted the imperial edict in her hand and asked, “Is your task to become crown prince, or to take the throne?”
“Both,” Ye He Qi replied gently.
Shi Zi Chu nodded. “Tell me about it.”
“Can I rest for a while first?” Ye He Qi asked with a tired voice.
He had knelt outside the imperial study for three days just to secure this imperial edict, and his once-ironclad body was beginning to show signs of wear.
Shi Zi Chu quickly realized and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, please rest.”
With that, she stood and left.
Her room was right next to Ye He Qi’s, so it took her only a few steps to get there.
Once inside, Shi Zi Chu tossed the imperial edict onto the table, her eyes drifting to the silver ring on it.
Chu Zhi Rou had definitely discovered something.
“Someone come.”
A maid rushed in, respectfully speaking, “What is it, Young Lady?”
“Bring a silversmith here,” Shi Zi Chu instructed.
The maid didn’t question further and quickly left.
That afternoon, the silversmith arrived.
In the evening, the maid came to invite Shi Zi Chu for dinner with Ye He Qi.
After the meal, Shi Zi Chu took out a fine silver ring and handed it to him.
Ye He Qi glanced at the simple, unadorned silver ring and silently asked with his eyes what she intended to do with it.
Shi Zi Chu didn’t explain. “Stretch out your hand.”
Ye He Qi, still confused, extended his left hand, only to watch as Shi Zi Chu slipped the delicate silver ring onto his middle finger.
“Do you still need to rest?” Shi Zi Chu asked, looking at him after pulling her hand back.
Ye He Qi shook his head. “I’ll tell you about the current situation first.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded, and the two of them returned to the bedroom.
Inside, Ye He Qi lay on the bed, speaking slowly and calmly, while Shi Zi Chu sat by the bed, listening. The incense burner in the corner sent curling wisps of smoke into the air.
“So, you know I came because someone is watching you?” Shi Zi Chu asked.
Ye He Qi nodded, speaking softly, “I returned half a month earlier than you did. When you didn’t show up, I knew you hadn’t arrived, so I had someone keep an eye on the city gates.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded in understanding.
Ye He Qi was able to arrive so quickly because he had someone watching her. But what about Chu Zhi Rou? Had she considered the consequences of her actions once she left the Ten Thousand Visions Realm?
Or perhaps she was confident enough to let Shi Zi Chu perish in the realm?
A shadow of contemplation crossed Shi Zi Chu’s eyes. “What about the proposal earlier? Have you considered it?”
“…” Ye He Qi tilted his head back against the soft pillow, his face full of helplessness.
The silk collar of his robe loosened slightly with his movement, revealing a hint of his beautiful collarbone, a few strands of dark hair cascading down his pale, white neck.
“You really repay kindness with ingratitude.”
Hearing Ye He Qi’s accusation, Shi Zi Chu smiled playfully, her eyes curving as she spoke. “Let me explain…”
“I’m not listening.” Ye He Qi interrupted her.
Looking at the slightly spoiled man, Shi Zi Chu laughed helplessly twice before changing the subject. “It’s June or July now. The rainy season has started in Xiang Prefecture. When I came, I noticed that there will be floods.”
Ye He Qi glanced at her. “What do you plan to do?”
“You need to deceive Chu Zhi Rou…” Shi Zi Chu laid out her plan clearly.
Seeing that Ye He Qi furrowed his brows, clearly reluctant, she clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. “I know this will put you in a difficult position, but this is for your grand plan!”
Ye He Qi remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on her. “You just want to take the easy way out.”
“Don’t you want to know if Chu Zhi Rou has something valuable on her?” Shi Zi Chu raised an eyebrow. “It could be demi-god rank, or even god rank! Aren’t you tempted?”
How could he not be tempted? But… well, fine. He’d endure the discomfort, considering the heavenly treasures at stake!
Ye He Qi waved his hand dismissively. “Give me a list of the required medicinal ingredients tomorrow morning.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded.
The Next Day.
After giving Ye He Qi the list, Shi Zi Chu left it at that.
Chu Zhi Rou was invited to Ye He Qi’s residence, her face dark with dissatisfaction.
Leaning against a couch, Ye He Qi was dressed neatly. Aside from a slightly pale complexion, he seemed unaffected.
After dismissing the palace maid, he raised his hand and spoke gently, “Come here.”
Out of fear for Ye He Qi, Chu Zhi Rou reluctantly walked over, pouting in displeasure. “Big Brother! What is your relationship with Shi Zi Chu?”
The tone of her question made Ye He Qi chuckle.
“You really have no brain, do you?” he teased with a smile, but seeing that Chu Zhi Rou was increasingly unhappy, he softened his tone. “The Ten Thousand Visions Realm is a rare opportunity. How many times have you suffered under her hand? This time, Big Brother will back you up.”
Chu Zhi Rou bent slightly as she sat on the prepared stool, her beautiful eyes full of confusion as she looked at Ye He Qi.
Big Brother was helping her?
If that was the case, why was he marrying Shi Zi Chu?
As this thought crossed her mind, she asked out loud.
“Did I say you’re stupid, and you really are?” Ye He Qi shook his head, his face still carrying a smile, though there was a helplessness in it.
Suddenly, facing such a gentle Big Brother, Chu Zhi Rou stared at his exquisite face, which was handsome yet utterly devoid of feminine softness, her mind in a daze as her cheeks flushed slightly.
Ye He Qi watched her with coldness in his eyes.
“The crown prince of Zhou Kingdom is Yan Zhou Bai. If I don’t act first, she’ll become the crown prince’s consort.”
At this point, Ye He Qi sighed, his expression growing more helpless. “If you kill her, and she goes to Venerable Xing Lan to complain, what will you do?”
Chu Zhi Rou froze. “But didn’t you say that if someone dies in the Ten Thousand Visions Realm, they die for good?”
“Idiot.” Ye He Qi scolded her, and seeing her pale face filled with grievance, he softened his voice. “There’s a condition to dying in the Ten Thousand Visions Realm. The task must be incomplete.”
Chu Zhi Rou had been pulled into the Ten Thousand Visions Realm as soon as she left the Hall of Justice, so she had no idea about these details.