Chapter 0.37 The New Favorite of the Empress
“Please follow me.”
As expected, within a few moments, Qin Gou and the other two were brought into the Great Liang Imperial Palace. By using the name ‘Ling Cuiyan’, the Empress, who was a good sister to her, had no reason not to see them.
Furthermore, to collect the four required tokens from the empress, this “Little Saint Monarch” of Great Liang, using Little Zhao’s identity was clearly more advantageous for Qin Gou’s plans, and he wouldn’t have to worry about losing face. It was a win-win situation.
Arriving outside a luxurious palace, the eunuch leading the way chuckled respectfully, “Her Majesty wishes to only meet with this Brother Zhao alone at this moment. The other two may follow me to a side hall to rest temporarily.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Gou nodded slightly towards the Little Gambler and Ao Banwei. After they left, he tidied his clothes and pushed the door open.
There was no one else in the hall except for a woman in a dark cyan palace gown, who was seated at a desk. Upon seeing Qin Gou approach, she slowly put down the memorial she was reading and looked up.
This woman’s appearance was indeed very similar to Ao Banwei’s, but she was slightly older, appearing to be in her mid-twenties. If she were not of Human Race bloodline, and if Qin Gou had not already known her true identity, he might have mistaken her for Ao Banwei’s elder sister.
“Greetings, Empress of Great Liang,” Qin Gou said with a humble smile, cupping his fists in a refined manner.
“I heard about you from Cuiyan. I heard you two met within the borders of my Great Liang Dynasty? So, there’s no need to be so formal. Just call me Ye Yaoh,” said Ye Yaoh, the ruler of the Great Liang Dynasty, her beautiful eyes gleaming as she teased, “I’ve always heard Cuiyan praise her desired husband for his extraordinary handsomeness. Seeing you today, it’s indeed true. Brother Zhao’s unparalleled appearance is enough to make countless women envious.”
“But, did Cuiyan know about Brother Zhao’s reason for coming to my Great Liang Dynasty today? I heard from her before that Brother Zhao seemed to have left in a huff, leaving Cuiyan in a state of melancholy for quite some time.”
“To tell the Empress the truth, that’s ancient history. Cuiyan and I have long since reconciled. And the reason I’m here to meet the Empress today is also related to Cuiyan,” Qin Gou said, a hint of melancholy in his eyes, “Cuiyan’s whereabouts are currently unknown!”
“Oh? What?” Ye Yaoh’s expression was a little complex, “Brother Zhao, please explain in detail.”
Qin Gou forced a bitter smile and shook his head, “No one knows where she went or why she disappeared. She didn’t return to the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace. I went to inquire at their branch in the Great Liang Dynasty out of concern before. According to the disciples there, Cuiyan had already set off to return to the sect. It’s clear she went missing on her way out of the Great Liang Dynasty, which is why I’ve come to you, Your Majesty.”
As he spoke, Qin Gou’s eyes filled with pain, and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. “Cuiyan and I share a deep bond. If anything were to happen to her, I would not wish to live alone in this world!”
“Brother Zhao, please don’t get too agitated. Calm down,” Ye Yaoh said, visibly moved. “Have you tried using spiritual power to send a message to Cuiyan? As someone close to Cuiyan, you should have her communication imprint… Never mind, it seems you can’t use spiritual power, right? Let me try sending a message to Cuiyan for you.”
From Ling Cuiyan’s perspective, Zhao Xinting was just a mortal. Qin Gou wasn’t surprised that Ye Yaoh thought he couldn’t use spiritual power.
Qin Gou nodded and said, “I’ve already tried, but it was useless. Your Majesty can try and see what’s going on.”
Ye Yaoh immediately took out a jade talisman, used her spiritual power to write a few lines in the air, and instantly the words transformed into a semi-transparent small bird. However, the bird shattered halfway through its flight.
“This…” Ye Yaoh’s eyes flickered with surprise and uncertainty. “There are only two possibilities. Either Cuiyan is currently too far away from us, or she has indeed fallen into some secret realm or dangerous place and is completely immobilized. Brother Zhao, do you know the status of Cuiyan’s life lamp at the Mystic Maiden Palace?”
“It’s flickering uncertainly, its whereabouts unknown,” Qin Gou sighed mournfully.
“Then she must have fallen into a secret realm,” Ye Yaoh nodded slightly and said decisively, “Brother Zhao, please rest assured. As long as Cuiyan is indeed still within the territory of my Great Liang Dynasty, I will do my utmost to find her. Until then, you can wait here in my palace with peace of mind.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Qin Gou said, cupping his fists with satisfaction.
“Guards, escort Brother Zhao to… Oh, I almost forgot this.” As she said this, Ye Yaoh pointed at Qin Gou from a distance, planting a spiritual imprint within him. She smiled charmingly, “Brother Zhao, there’s no need to be nervous. This spiritual imprint will not only not harm you, but it will help you endure a blow from an enemy and protect your safety.”
A flicker of surprise flashed in Qin Gou’s eyes. He said in a deep voice, “It’s not just that, is it? Once this spiritual imprint is planted, as long as I dare to step beyond a certain range, Your Majesty will know immediately. What do you mean by this?”
Hearing this, Ye Yaoh pursed her lips into a smile. “Brother Zhao indeed has keen insight, seeing through my true intentions at a glance. No wonder Cuiyan likes you so much. Actually, I don’t have any other intentions. It’s just that my Great Liang Dynasty is vast, and finding someone is like finding a needle in a haystack. It would consume a lot of resources, so how can I work for nothing? Even if Cuiyan knew about this, she would definitely understand me.”
What the hell?
Her own good sister was in trouble, and with one wrong move, she could perish. At such a critical juncture, she was still thinking about demanding a price? What kind of logic was this Empress of Great Liang operating on?
Qin Gou chuckled sarcastically, “Then, Your Majesty, what kind of reward do you want? I can go to the small branch of the Mystic Maiden Palace in Great Liang Dynasty and have them prepare something to offer Your Majesty.”
“There’s no need for such trouble.”
Ye Yaoh stood up, her steps graceful, a seductive smile playing on her lips as she walked towards Qin Gou, pointing at his nose. “You are enough.”
“What?” Qin Gou broke out in a cold sweat, sensing a hint of something ominous.
“From now on, Brother Zhao will honestly stay in my Great Liang Dynasty. If Cuiyan wants to see you again in the future, she can come to my imperial palace to see you,” Ye Yaoh said with a charming blink of her alluring eyes, “From now on, Cuiyan will have one more thing to ask of me.”
“Is Your Majesty not afraid that Cuiyan will be angered by this and cause conflict between the Great Liang Dynasty and the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace?” Qin Gou asked with a worried frown.
“If you agree to it yourself, what can Cuiyan say?” Ye Yaoh said dismissively with a smile, “Cuiyan is missing now, and we have plenty of time to spend together.”
Qin Gou gritted his teeth. “Your Majesty, why are you doing this? Is it just to use me as a bargaining chip to gain more benefits in future dealings with the Mystic Maiden Raksha Palace?”
“That’s only part of the reason, of course, it’s not just for that. Don’t resent me too much. Blame yourself.” Ye Yaoh licked her lips, a strong possessiveness of a ruler flashing in her eyes, and she smiled enchantingly, “Who told you to look so handsome? From today onwards, don’t just think about Cuiyan alone. Try to become my favored one, okay?”
This is unbelievable!
Qin Gou had doubts earlier about the sisterly affection between Ye Yaoh and Ling Cuiyan being mere pretense. Now, it seemed he was truly judging a noble person with a villain’s narrow mind!
These two women must be biological sisters. Even their crazy thoughts and their audacious actions were identical!
Qin Gou said with a dark expression, “Your Majesty, please stop joking. How can you do something so absurd? I, Zhao Xinting, am Ling Cuiyan’s Dao Companion, the husband of Your Majesty’s best sister!”
“Isn’t that even better?”
To his surprise, Ye Yaoh did not seem embarrassed by Qin Gou’s words at all. On the contrary, she became even more delighted.
“Damn it… Your Majesty, isn’t this going too far?”
“Silence!”
Ye Yaoh suddenly grabbed Qin Gou’s collar roughly, her voice imperious and cold, “Cuiyan once said that she liked your handsomeness the most, and I say that I only like your face. I don’t want to hear your nonsense here. Remember, this is the Great Liang Dynasty. Everyone and everything within the dynasty is my personal property. Whatever I want, I get.”
Qin Gou was dumbfounded. Was this going to spiral out of control? As expected, birds of a feather flock together. This Ye Yaoh was even crazier than Ling Cuiyan. Originally, Qin Gou felt somewhat conflicted about needing to obtain the tears, blood, or other items from an innocent woman he had heard about, but now he had no psychological burden at all!
Little Zhao, Xinting, my good disciple, I am now personally experiencing what you went through. But I am old, not as energetic as you young people. How can I withstand such stimulation?!
“However, you don’t need to worry. I understand that good wine isn’t afraid of being late. I won’t use any forceful methods to make you submit to me in the short term. I’ll give you some time to consider carefully.” With that, Ye Yaoh released Qin Gou’s collar, and at the same time, her fingertips grazed his chest almost unintentionally as she pushed Qin Gou.
“Alright, you may go now. You can move freely in most parts of the palace. This is the favor I bestow upon you; you must keep it in your heart.”
Qin Gou left with mixed feelings, his heart filled with a thousand emotions.
As Qin Gou completely disappeared from sight, a triumphant smile spread across Ye Yaoh’s lips. She elegantly walked towards the desk and took out a painting from a hidden compartment.
“Don’t really think of me as a promiscuous woman…”
As she spoke, Ye Yaoh unrolled the painting. A person who seemed like a god of snow, perfectly depicted, and the Wutian Dharma Aspect with its ominous aura and overwhelming might were vividly portrayed on the paper. The attire and appearance of Zhao Xinting in the painting were exactly the same as when the Demon Lord, in his rage, opened the path to the mortal realm to protect his adopted daughter Yan Qiaoyun.
Ye Yaoh had witnessed this scene with her own eyes, and she had painted it herself!
“Since that fool Ling Cuiyan could make you submit in such a way, luckily stumbling upon your affection, then I certainly can too! Moreover, I will be even more overbearing, ruthless, and merciless than Ling Cuiyan! Who told you that you seem to particularly like this kind of mood?”
“Purple Extreme Demon, Lord Zhao Xinting.”
