78: Chapter 78 The Princess Breaks Down: Mother, You're a Romantic Superstar!

Queen Elizabeth's temple twitched.

"Princess Evelyn."

Her voice was not heavy.

But the temperature throughout the White Gold Palace treasury seemed to drop by two degrees instantly upon the mention of that name.

The Royal Knights lowered their heads in unison.

No one dared to look.

And even fewer dared to listen.

Unfortunately, Princess Evelyn clearly lacked self-awareness in this regard.

She nodded hurriedly, her little Face filled with expressions of "I understand, I really, truly understand."

"I get it, I get it."

"Late night in the palace, an ambush in the treasury, and an old lover walking right into the trap."

"You hold the potion, he wears a mask."

"One is noble and icy, the other is cold and stubborn."

"One sets the trap on purpose, the other jumps right in despite knowing it's a pit."

The more Princess Evelyn spoke, the brighter her eyes became, and she even gasped softly.

"Mother, the atmosphere is absolutely maxed out."

"Isn't this better than a royal ball?"

The Royal Knights bowed their heads even lower.

Especially the Knight Commander.

He felt like he might die today.

Not by being killed by Bai Cang.

But because he had heard too many royal secrets he shouldn't have, and would be casually purged by Queen Elizabeth later.

Su Chen finally couldn't help but speak up.

"I am not her old lover."

His voice was as cold as ice.

However, Princess Evelyn just blinked, pinpointing the focus with great precision.

"Then have you rejected my mother's marriage proposal?"

Su Chen fell silent.

The air in the treasury also fell silent along with him.

Princess Evelyn immediately spread her hands.

"See, you're silent."

Su Chen's Face under the mask darkened slightly.

He said coldly: "I have never thought about marriage."

Princess Evelyn was even more shocked.

She looked as if she were seeing such an outrageous person for the first time.

"You are even a scumbag in your excuses!"

Queen Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment.

At this moment, she suddenly wanted to stuff Princess Evelyn back into her bedchamber.

No.

It would be better to stuff her into the Royal Etiquette Academy and lock her up for three months.

"Princess Evelyn, go back to your room."

"No."

Princess Evelyn was indignant.

"This is my first time seeing a living, legendary scumbag."

"And a legendary scumbag who rejected my mother's proposal at that."

"As an Empire princess, I must witness such a historic scene with my own eyes."

Su Chen couldn't be bothered to explain.

He was never the type to like explaining things anyway.

Furthermore, explaining such things now was meaningless.

He raised his hand.

A wisp of deep blue water flowed from his fingertips, circled gently, and took the holy rose essence hanging in mid-air into his palm.

The moment he held the potion, Su Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

The red liquid flowed quietly.

Golden light spots floated within it.

It was the real thing.

And it was the one with the highest purity.

Xiao Yun could be saved.

At least in Su Chen's view, Xiao Yun would definitely be saved.

Queen Elizabeth stood where she was, watching him quietly, without stopping him.

She didn't even raise her scepter once.

If she had really wanted to stop him, the twelve light pillars in the White Gold Palace treasury would have switched to lethal mode long ago.

But she didn't.

From the very beginning, she never intended to actually keep him here.

After confirming the potion was undamaged, Su Chen turned and left.

"I'm taking this."

He paused his steps.

He did not look back.

"I owe you a favor."

Queen Elizabeth said indifferently: "Bai Cang's favor is very expensive."

Su Chen didn't even turn his head.

"So you've profited."

As soon as these words were spoken, Princess Evelyn was completely stunned.

She widened her eyes, looking at Su Chen's back, then at her mother.

"No way!"

"That's it?"

"He broke into our palace in the dead of night, stole from our treasury, and was caught red-handed by my mother."

"My mother didn't kill him, and even gave him the holy rose essence."

"And he just leaves after saying he owes a favor?"

Princess Evelyn pointed at Su Chen's back, her tone shocked as if she were witnessing the most outrageous scam in the Empire's history.

"You're no wanted criminal!"

"You're an emotional scammer!"

Su Chen paused.

In the air, a wisp of water vapor imperceptibly condensed into a blade.

The Royal Knight Commander's expression changed.

But the next second, that water blade silently dissipated.

Su Chen ultimately did not turn back.

Princess Evelyn continued her verbal assault.

"Taking a woman's medicine, owing a woman a favor, and not giving the woman a title."

"Mother, he is not Bai Cang."

"He is Scum Cang!"

Queen Elizabeth: "..."

The Royal Knight Commander's shoulders shook violently.

He forcibly held it in.

Must not laugh.

Absolutely must not laugh.

If he laughed today, the Empire's Knights would need a new Knight Commander by tomorrow.

Su Chen's Face under the mask was terrifyingly dark.

But he also knew that this was not the time to continue entanglement.

Xiao Yun was still in Great Xia.

That child might still be forcing herself to endure her injuries, pretending nothing was wrong.

Thinking of this, Su Chen's heart sank a few more degrees.

He tapped his right foot lightly.

His whole body turned into a wisp of water shadow, merging directly into the shadows of the treasury.

The twelve white gold light pillars trembled simultaneously.

The spatial lockdown Formation lit up for a moment.

But that water shadow seemed to have already figured out the gaps in the Formation, actually passing right through the cracks between the light pillars.

No explosion.

No tearing.

Only a water mark flashed lightly on the ground, then completely disappeared.

The Royal Knights felt a chill in their hearts.

Bai Cang.

Top ten on the global wanted list.

Leader of the Salvation Society.

This man, even though he had been being teased by Princess Evelyn just now, was by no means an existence that could be underestimated.

Princess Evelyn looked at the empty treasury entrance, clicking her tongue in wonder.

"Ran away so fast."

"Scumbags are indeed all good at retreating."

Queen Elizabeth glanced at her.

Princess Evelyn immediately pretended to look at the ceiling.

...

Inside the White Gold Palace treasury, Su Chen had already left.

The twelve light pillars had not yet been withdrawn.

The Royal Knights still kept their heads lowered.

No one dared to move.

Because Queen Elizabeth had not spoken.

Queen Elizabeth stood where she was, her scepter hanging at her side, her gaze still fixed on the spot where Su Chen had disappeared.

That holy rose essence had been taken away.

She did not stop him.

From beginning to end, she hadn't even truly activated the treasury's lethal-level Restriction.

She just wanted to see him once.

And just wanted to confirm one thing.

Whether that man was still the same as he was back then.

Now it seemed the answer had not changed.

He was still the same.

Cold and hard.

Dangerous.

Unwilling to bow his head.

And unwilling to stay for any power.

But this time, he broke into the White Gold Palace in the dead of night, not for some earth-shattering plan, nor for the interests of the Salvation Society.

But for his brother.

A trace of complexity flashed in Queen Elizabeth's eyes.

There were indeed not many people who could make Bai Cang go to such lengths.

Or rather, almost none.

Princess Evelyn looked at her mother, then at the empty treasury entrance.

She understood.

She completely understood.

This was not entrapment at all.

This was fishing to feed the fish.

And the kind where you personally hand the bait to the fish's mouth, fearing the fish wouldn't be full.

Princess Evelyn cleared her throat.

"Mother."

Queen Elizabeth did not turn around.

"Go back to sleep."

"I can't sleep."

"Then go read about royal etiquette."

"I have no interest in etiquette right now."

Princess Evelyn walked to her side, lowered her voice, and her tone was full of curiosity.

"I just want to know now, why do you like a thief who steals medicine?"

The Royal Knight Commander's eyelids twitched violently.

Princess Evelyn was truly brave.

He wanted to kneel down voluntarily just hearing that.

Queen Elizabeth finally turned around.

She didn't answer Princess Evelyn immediately, but first looked at the two rows of Royal Knights.

"There were no intruders in the treasury tonight."

The Royal Knights bowed their heads simultaneously.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"holy rose essence number three has entered special diplomatic use."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You did not hear any private conversations just now."

The Knight Commander immediately stepped forward half a step and bowed: "Your Majesty, the wind in the treasury was very strong tonight, and we heard nothing."

Princess Evelyn glanced at him.

He knew how to talk.

No wonder he could be the Knight Commander.

Queen Elizabeth waved her hand.

The Royal Knights, as if granted amnesty, quickly withdrew from the treasury.

The White Gold doors closed again.

The twelve light pillars slowly extinguished.

The rose patterns also dimmed bit by bit.

In the vast treasury, only the mother and daughter remained.

Princess Evelyn immediately walked to the side and sat down very naturally on a crystal cabinet.

Queen Elizabeth looked at her.

"Get down."

"Oh."

Princess Evelyn jumped down and switched to sitting on the steps nearby.

Queen Elizabeth rubbed her brow.

"What did you say just now?"

Princess Evelyn blinked: "Which sentence?"

"Scum Cang."

"Oh, I think that assessment is very accurate."

Queen Elizabeth fell silent.

Princess Evelyn began to analyze seriously.

"Mother, look, he broke into the palace in the middle of the night, with a clear goal, and ran as soon as he stole it."

Queen Elizabeth said indifferently: "That is because his brother is injured."

"That's not the point."

Princess Evelyn held up a finger.

"The point is, he took your medicine."

She held up a second finger.

"He owes you a favor."

She held up a third finger.

"But he won't give you a commitment."

She concluded with a serious expression.

"In Great Xia internet love studies, this is called stringing someone along."

Queen Elizabeth slowly raised her eyes.

"Great Xia internet love studies?"

Princess Evelyn nodded.

"I've been learning the Great Xia language recently, and I've been reading a lot of Great Xia forums on the side."

Queen Elizabeth's expression gradually became dangerous.

"You haven't finished your royal courses, but you're reading forums?"

"This is called folklore research."

"Then what did you research?"

Princess Evelyn immediately sat up straight, her expression as serious as if she were reporting on the Empire's fiscal budget.

"Mother, I don't think your chances of success are very high."

Queen Elizabeth's fingers stopped.

"Reason."

Princess Evelyn was very serious.

"First, Bai Cang is a citizen of Great Xia."

"So?"

"According to the marriage customs I've looked up, men from Great Xia generally don't like women who have been married before."

The treasury fell silent.

The Queen looked up.

"???"

Princess Evelyn added the finishing blow: "And you have a child."

Queen Elizabeth: "..."

She had lived for so many years.

Ruled the Empire.

Suppressed Strange Tales.

Presided over the parliament.

Negotiated with the Holy Realm.

Sparred with the Great Xia High Command.

She had seen countless dangers.

And heard countless harsh words.

Yet, this was the first time she had been struck into brief silence by her own daughter using the phrase "remarried with a child."

The Queen took a deep breath.

"Princess Evelyn."

"I'm here."

"I am the Queen."

"That is exactly the second problem."

Princess Evelyn sighed.

"You are too overbearing."

The Queen said coldly: "Shouldn't the strong be overbearing?"

"It's different in relationships."

Princess Evelyn waved her hand, looking like a "Mother, you don't understand" expression.

"Especially men from Great Xia, they care about Face."

"You are the Queen of the Empire, and he is a globally wanted criminal."

"If you two stand together, what will outsiders say?"

The Queen said coldly: "What would they dare to say?"

Princess Evelyn counted on her fingers.

"The woman is strong, the man is weak."

"Matrilocal son-in-law literature."

"The Queen of the Empire and her delicate husband."

The Queen gripped her scepter tightly.

The rose patterns on the floor of the treasury suddenly lit up for a moment.

Princess Evelyn immediately changed her tune.

"Of course, Bai Cang is definitely not delicate."

The Queen sneered.

"Continue."

Princess Evelyn coughed.

"Third, he is a scumbag."

Queen Elizabeth: "..."

"You already said that just now."

"That was behavioral scum, this is a personality risk assessment."

Princess Evelyn was serious.

"He rejected your proposal, then came to take your medicine, and every time he says he owes a favor."

"This kind of person is the most terrifying."

"Because he doesn't refuse completely, he gives just a little bit."

"He doesn't cut it off completely, he leaves a thread."

"Mother, according to cases on Great Xia forums, this kind of person is the most addictive."

The Queen couldn't find a response for a moment.

Princess Evelyn grew more enthusiastic as she spoke.

"And, he is a brother-obsessed fool."

The Queen frowned.

"Brother-obsessed?"

"It means someone who unconditionally supports their younger brother."

Princess Evelyn explained earnestly.

"Look, he broke into the White Gold Palace for his brother."

"He rejected the throne for his brother."

"He didn't even want the Queen for his brother."

"What does this mean?"

The Queen did not speak.

Princess Evelyn answered for her.

"It means his brother ranks first in his heart."

The Queen's voice was calm: "Family is important, that is not a flaw."

"Yes, but you need to think clearly."

Princess Evelyn stared at her.

"After you are with him, who does the holy rose essence belong to?"

Queen Elizabeth: "..."

"Who does the royal treasury belong to?"

"..."

"How many gifts do you prepare for his brother every year?"

"..."

"If you and his brother fell into an abyss rift at the same time, who would he save first?"

The Queen said coldly: "I don't need him to save me."

Princess Evelyn spread her hands.

"See, the problem is even more serious."

Queen Elizabeth: "Where is it serious?"

"You don't need saving, but his brother does."

Princess Evelyn gave the fatal conclusion.

"So he would still save his brother first."

The Queen was silent for three seconds.

She suddenly felt that Bai Cang had left too quickly just now.

She should have kept him here to listen to this himself.

What kind of messy accusations are these?

Princess Evelyn continued: "Mother, I'm not trying to bring you down."

"You already have."

"I am just analyzing rationally."

"Your rationality comes from forums."

"There are many real cases on the forums."

Princess Evelyn opened her portable communicator and clicked on a favorites folder.

The Queen saw the titles.

"Top Ten Reasons to Stay Away from a Brother-Obsessed Girlfriend"

"The Cold CEO Fell in Love with Me, a Remarried Cleaner"

"She Rejected Me for Her Brother, Does She Not Love Me Enough"

"A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls in Great Xia In-Law Relationships"

"What Is He Actually Thinking When a Cold Man Doesn't Reply to Messages"

"How to Determine If a Woman Is Leading You On"

The Queen's expression changed bit by bit.

"Princess Evelyn."

"Hmm?"

"Starting from today, your Great Xia language teacher is being replaced."

"Why?"

"Your teaching materials need to be purified."

Princess Evelyn immediately hid the communicator behind her back.

"No, I think these are very useful."

The Queen said coldly: "Where are they useful?"

"At least now I know that you cannot be too proactive."

Princess Evelyn said seriously: "The more proactive you are, the faster he runs."

"You have to play hard to get."

The Queen repeated: "Play hard to get?"

"Yes."

Princess Evelyn stood up and began on-site teaching.

"Step one, you cannot give medicine for free anymore."

The Queen looked at her.

Princess Evelyn reached out.

"You must make him pay a price."

"For example?"

"For example, make him take you to Great Xia to meet his family."

The Queen's eyes flickered.

Princess Evelyn continued: "Step two, you cannot directly say you like him."

"Then what should I say?"

"Say you want to survey the Great Xia market and are just passing by."

The Queen was silent.

"Step three, you must win over his brother first."

The Queen paused.

"His brother?"

"Yes."

Princess Evelyn's tone was firm.

"The biggest weakness of a brother-obsessed person is their brother."

The Queen did not refute this.

She did indeed acknowledge this point.

Bai Cang is the type of person who wouldn't bow even with a blade to his throat.

But when his brother is mentioned, he would break into the White Gold Palace at night.

Princess Evelyn lowered her voice.

"As long as his brother approves of you, Bai Cang can't run away."

The Queen was thoughtful.

"How do I get his brother to approve?"

Princess Evelyn opened the communicator and flipped out another Great Xia guide.

"Give gifts."

The Queen said indifferently: "holy rose essence?"

"Not enough."

Princess Evelyn shook her head.

"This thing was taken by Bai Cang, his brother might not know it was from you."

"You must give it in person."

The Queen frowned: "I go to Great Xia personally and give another bottle?"

"Yes."

Princess Evelyn's eyes lit up.

"In the name of a state visit."

The Queen looked at her.

"And then?"

"Then 'accidentally' meet Bai Cang's brother."

"And then?"

"Build favorability."

"Hmm?"

Princess Evelyn nodded seriously.

"Yes, build favorability."

"As long as his brother thinks you are a good person, Bai Cang will definitely waver."

The Queen was silent for a moment.

A look of determination belonging to an imperial ruler gradually lit up in her eyes.

"I understand."

Princess Evelyn nodded with satisfaction.

"It's good that you understand."

The Queen raised her hand, and the White Gold scepter tapped the floor lightly.

"I will issue a diplomatic negotiation now."

"Make Great Xia cancel the wanted order for Night Owl."

The smile on Princess Evelyn's Face froze.

"Wait."

She blinked.

"Who is Night Owl?"

The Queen said indifferently: "Bai Cang's brother."

Princess Evelyn: "..."

The treasury fell silent.

Princess Evelyn took a slow breath.

Her expression went from shock, to confusion, to disbelief.

"His brother is also a wanted criminal?"

The Queen frowned at her.

"You should pay more attention to international situations."

Princess Evelyn almost choked to death on these words.

No.

She is the dignified Princess of Great Britain.

She normally has to study royal etiquette, spiritual energy history, imperial finance, Holy Realm diplomacy, and also guard against Strange Tales disasters.

What's wrong with not following the Great Xia wanted list?

And is that the point of the problem?

Isn't the point—

Bai Cang is a globally wanted criminal.

Bai Cang's brother is also a wanted criminal.

What kind of hereditary profession does this family have?

A wholesaler of wanted criminals?

Princess Evelyn spoke with difficulty.

"Mother, are you sure you want to cancel the wanted order for one criminal for the sake of another?"

The Queen said calmly: "This is a diplomatic probe."

Princess Evelyn: "You clearly said it was to build favorability just now."

The Queen remained expressionless.

"A type of diplomatic probe."

Princess Evelyn stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly said gloomily: "Mother, this is no longer just being love-struck."

The Queen looked at her.

Princess Evelyn said seriously: "This is imperial-level love-struck."

The Queen's scepter vibrated slightly.

The White Gold rose patterns lit up again.

Princess Evelyn immediately shut up.

The Queen turned and walked toward the treasury door.

Her voice regained the dignity that a Queen of the Empire should have.

"Notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"Submit a formal note to Great Xia tomorrow."

Princess Evelyn stood behind, muttering softly.

"I've already thought of the headline."

The Queen paused.

Princess Evelyn shrank her neck.

But she couldn't help but finish.

"《Shocking! Queen Pressures Great Xia for Love, Only to Bail Out Her Future Brother-in-Law.》"

In the treasury, the White Gold rose patterns suddenly lit up brightly.

Princess Evelyn turned and ran.

While running, she didn't forget to add a finishing blow.

"Mother! Don't worry!"

"I will help you study Great Xia mother-in-law relationships in advance!"

A vein on the Queen's temple twitched slightly.

The next second.

The treasury door opened with a bang.

Princess Evelyn's screams and laughter disappeared at the end of the corridor.

And in the White Gold treasury, Queen Elizabeth stood alone.

After a long time.

She looked down at the spot where Su Chen had disappeared, her eyes complex.

"Bai Cang."

"What you owe me is more than just one bottle of medicine."