Chapter 130: Just Teasing You (Second Update)

"Ji Wuqing, long time no see," she said.

Even dressed in the simple attire of a maid, she could not conceal her natural elegance the moment she raised her head. Her beautiful eyes, fixed on Ji Wuqing, shimmered with provocation and pride, and her stunning, glamorous features were enough to make anyone gasp in awe.

Yet, Ji Wuqing merely glanced at such a beauty, seemingly unsurprised by her arrival.

"Did Zuoqiu Liye send you here to die?" he asked indifferently. His tone was more wounding than mere contempt.

"No, I have come to make a deal with the King." Gongshen Ling'er looked at him, her cold, beautiful face blossoming into a smile that only served to highlight her remarkable spirit and beauty.

"A joke." As he had said, he began to laugh, as if amused by Gongshen Ling'er's overestimation of her own abilities and her self-proclaimed cleverness. "Since you have walked right into the trap yourself, I shall not be polite."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qinghe moved to take her into custody.

"Wait!" Gongshen Ling'er was no pushover. She quickly dodged. "Xue Xue, are you really content to watch Ji Wuqing be tortured by the Thousand-Foot poison for the rest of his life?" Though annoyed and hurt by Ji Wuqing's attitude, she remembered the purpose of her visit.

Upon hearing this, Xue Xue, who had remained silent, tilted her head.

"Thousand-Foot?"

She tilted her head toward Ji Wuqing, clearly asking him what this was about.

"It seems you didn't know," Gongshen Ling'er said, observing Xue Xue's expression. She knew Ji Wuqing would keep it from her. "Ji Wuqing’s poison has not been neutralized. He is—"

However, Qinghe did not give her the chance to finish. He moved with lightning speed, covering her mouth and subduing her.

"Qinghe." Xue Xue broke free from Ji Wuqing's grasp and walked over to Gongshen Ling'er. It was clear she intended to hear what Gongshen Ling'er had to say.

Although she trusted that Ji Wuqing would not lie to her, when it came to his health and safety, she could not afford to take any chances.

Qinghe looked toward his master. He could not disobey the Queen, but his true master was the King. Seeing Ji Wuqing nod, Qinghe finally released his grip on Gongshen Ling'er, though he remained alert to her movements to prevent any attack on the Queen.

"Tell me, is what you just said true?" Xue Xue stood before Gongshen Ling'er, her cold, composed demeanor radiating a powerful sense of pressure.

"It is naturally true. Otherwise, why would I have gone to such lengths and risked my life to come to Tan City?" Gongshen Ling'er stared at Xue Xue, her tone sharp.

If it weren't for this blind woman, why would Ji Wuqing have been poisoned? And why would the Wu Kingdom and the Ji Kingdom have gone to war so early?

"If I recall correctly, you are a person of the Wu Kingdom. Of course, provided that Young Master Gongshen also remembers correctly." The implication was clear: why would someone from the Wu Kingdom come here to tell them this?

"I have already said, I am here to make a deal with the King of Ji."

"In that case, you must have the pills made from the Soul-Parting Grass." Since she came to make a deal, she must have come prepared.

"Exactly."

"If I am not mistaken, you want to exchange the antidote for that Elder of the Wu Kingdom." If that were the case, it would make sense.

"Well? Can you, Queen, make the decision on this matter?"

"Gongshen Ling'er, stop wasting time. Your medicine is of no use to me." The only reason he let her speak to Xue Xue was because of Xue Xue's wishes; it was not because she had any leverage. "Qinghe, take her away."

As expected, Qinghe immediately subdued Gongshen Ling'er, showing no signs of gentleness toward the lady.

"Let go of me! I can walk myself!" She broke free from Qinghe's hold. "Ji Wuqing... do you not care about your life? Xue Xue, I hope you think this through. You are the only one who can make him change his mind..."

Gongshen Ling'er said to Xue Xue with lingering resentment. This was her only chance to save Elder Jin, and also... to save Ji Wuqing.

Only two people remained in the room. It was deathly quiet. Ji Wuqing just looked at her without speaking. Xue Xue furrowed her brows, pressed her lips together, and remained silent.

The atmosphere grew strange, not with the stillness before a storm, but rather...

"Let's eat. Ziqing, aren't you hungry?" Slowly, the expression on her face returned to calm, as if she had figured something out.

She sat at the table and began to place food into his bowl.

Ji Wuqing was clearly caught off guard. He lingered before sitting beside her, his eyes carefully watching Xue Xue's expression, trying to discern her thoughts.

"Why are you looking at me? Eat." In any case, some things could be discussed properly after they were full.

"Oh." The King, like a child who had made a mistake, obediently complied.

The meal finally ended, and the maids hurried in to clear the dishes. They were somewhat surprised by the shift in atmosphere between the King and Queen; moments ago, both had exuded a startling, commanding presence, but now they had returned to their usual warmth and sweetness.

However, the reality was that as soon as the meal was over, the King was dragged into the inner room to be "lectured."

"Don't think you can escape just because I didn't press you earlier." She sat there, her tone very serious.

"My wife may interrogate me as she pleases," the King said, acting like a well-behaved child. "Though I cannot promise to tell the whole truth."

"…You only need to tell me if there is anything wrong with your body." Xue Xue was momentarily choked by his words; she hadn't expected him to be so brazen about not wanting to tell the truth.

"Does my wife not already know whether there is anything wrong with my body? We were... intimately acquainted just a few days ago, after all." The King looked away, wearing a mischievous grin. "Has my wife already forgotten?"

Xue Xue's face changed instantly, turning from red to green.

"Sleep by yourself tonight." With that, she stood up, brushed off her clothes with an air of authority, and made to leave.

She wasn't just talking; she was determined to sleep in separate beds. No, separate rooms!

"I won't!" The King immediately lunged at her, pinning her onto the bed and wrapping his arms around her with a shameless air.

"..." Xue Xue was almost amused to the point of laughter. Where was the dignity and majesty of a King in this man? He was clearly nothing but... a rogue.

"How can you threaten me like that, Xue'er? It’s too hurtful..." He held her, complaining incessantly.

If others were to see their noble and kingly ruler acting in such a way, they would likely be terrified.

"Don't move around! You'll strain your wounds!" She could feel him holding her tightly with both arms, wriggling and acting spoiled—this certainly counted as "strenuous exercise," and the scabs had only just formed.

"So Xue'er does care about me." The King finally settled down, holding her without letting go.

Xue Xue didn't know what else to say. Why wouldn't Ji Wuqing face her questions directly? What hidden truth was behind all this?

"Don't you know? The more you keep from me, the more curious and worried I become."

"I swear, my body is fine. There is no need for you to worry, Xue'er." The King quickly expressed his stance. "I was just trying to tease you earlier; I couldn't help myself. Please don't be angry, Xue'er." He looked at her with an air of innocence.

Was he just teasing her?

That seemed acceptable, as long as he was truly fine.

"Then how do you plan to handle Gongshen Ling'er?" She could feel that Gongshen Ling'er didn't just want to save that Elder; she truly cared about Ji Wuqing.

"Gongshen Ling'er? She is merely being used by Zuoqiu Liye," Ji Wuqing said. "Even if she successfully saves that old man, it would be useless. Zuoqiu Liye has long been dissatisfied with him; she would just be sending him back to his death."

"He fears that the old man might turn around and help the Ji Kingdom against him, so he resorted to such a tactic." She wasn't familiar with that Elder, only knowing that he was currently at the Yishou Li residence and was a very important authority figure in the Wu Kingdom.

Moreover, the fact that the Ji Kingdom had not taken action against him was likely what made Zuoqiu Liye suspicious.

"He just doesn't know that the old man had long ago explicitly refused our proposals. He is a loyal protector, but unfortunately, Zuoqiu Liye will never see his loyalty," Ji Wuqing said with a hint of regret.

Since that old man wouldn't cooperate with the Ji Kingdom, he was an enemy. While he wouldn't go so far as to kill him, he certainly wouldn't let him return to the Wu Kingdom.

"You said it yourself, Zuoqiu Liye has many enemies." So, that Elder must be one of the very few loyal ones.

It seemed Zuoqiu Liye was surrounded by danger.

"However, his decision to add Dan Ying to his ranks can be considered a wise choice, at least from my perspective."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because the two of them are in league with each other, and I will do everything in my power to destroy them. Besides, have you ever heard of two tigers living in peace? Tigers are solitary creatures, not pack animals." While Zuoqiu Liye appeared to have gained Dan Ying's help, he was actually walking with wolves—black-hearted wolves.

"There are no permanent enemies in the world, and naturally, no permanent friends, right?" Xue Xue agreed with this point.

Even blood relatives could scheme against one another, let alone those bound only by mutual interest.

Wu Kingdom Camp.

The night wind grew more ferocious, causing the campfires outside to roar and the tents to flap as if they might be uprooted.

"Your Majesty, reports from below state that contact with the Young Master has been lost." Yun Wu knelt outside the tent, dust-covered and looking like someone begging for mercy.

Though the King did not speak of his worry for the Young Master, he had sent men to protect her. Unfortunately, those men had also lost contact, presumably discovered by the Ji Kingdom.

"Then she is useless." Zuoqiu Liye held something in his hand, a relaxed, sinister curve appearing on his lips.

"Your Majesty, perhaps we should send the men from the Dark Pavilion..." Yun Wu kept his head low, not daring to look at the expression on the King's face.

"No need. Since it has come to this, why waste more men?"