Chapter 72 Jealousy Takes Root

The morning light filtered through the bamboo blinds and fell onto Chen Yuan's Face.

He opened his eyes as his magical power completed its final cycle through his Meridians, returning to his Dantian as steady as a rock.

Taiyi Peak.

His Foundation was thirty percent more stable than it had been last night.

Chen Yuan stood up and changed out of the wrinkled white robes he had worn yesterday.

Three small side dishes and a bowl of porridge were laid out on the table, still steaming.

The chopsticks were neatly placed on the edge of the bowl, pointing to the right—his habit.

He hadn't even noticed when Yunxiao had come in to set them down.

He walked to the front hall and sat down. Just as he picked up the bowl, he caught a glimpse of a figure by the doorframe.

Bixiao was leaning there with her arms crossed, her Face turned toward the outside as if she were looking at the bamboo in the courtyard.

But her gaze was in the wrong direction; the bamboo was to the left, but she was looking to the right—toward the front hall.

Chen Yuan didn't call her out and lowered his head to drink the porridge.

The sound of splashing water came from the courtyard. Qiong Xiao was crouching by the pond, pinching fish food in her hand.

She dropped the food into the water grain by grain, doing so extremely slowly, while her head turned toward him from time to time.

Chen Yuan had finished half the bowl when a loud, vigorous voice suddenly rang out from the direction of the manor gate.

"Chen Yuan, give me a word if you're dead or alive! You haven't shown your Face for seven days, and the whole of Chaoge is saying you're terminally ill!"

The voice traveled past the spirit screen and through two moon gates, vibrating the eaves bells under the corridor so hard they shook.

Bixiao's brow instantly furrowed.

"Who is that?"

Qiong Xiao poked her head up from the pond and peered outside, muttering to herself.

"What a loud voice."

Yunxiao had appeared in the corner of the back hall at some point, holding a cup of tea.

Her chopsticks paused for a moment as she looked calmly at Chen Yuan without saying a word.

The strength in her fingers as she gripped the edge of the porcelain bowl increased slightly.

The gatekeeper ran inside.

"Young Master, the Female Guardian General, Miss Huang, has arrived. She says she's here to deliver thanks for the Eastern Yi campaign and has brought a carriage of medicinal herbs and a jar of wine."

Chen Yuan set down his bowl, wiped the corner of his mouth, and stood up to walk out.

Huang Yuerong had already strode through the second gate.

She wore no makeup and was dressed in the sturdy attire of a military officer, a saber at her waist and her right arm wrapped in thick bandages.

That was the injury left when the mountain-overturning seal had knocked her aside on the Altar of God; it still hadn't fully healed.

She froze for a moment when she saw Chen Yuan.

His complexion was ruddy, he was full of energy, and his steps were steady—where was there any sign of being terminally ill?

"You brat, you really are fine!"

She punched Chen Yuan's shoulder with genuine force.

"I've been worried for nothing for seven days!"

Chen Yuan was knocked back half a step by the punch and gave a wry smile. "Sister Rong, take it easy. You're actually going to punch me into an illness."

In the back hall, Bixiao's Face darkened inch by inch.

Qiong Xiao leaned over and pulled on her sleeve, whispering.

"Second Sister, if you use any more force, the bowl will break."

Bixiao looked down and saw that a hairline crack had already been squeezed into the rim of the tea bowl in her hand.

Yunxiao set down her bowl, picked up her teacup, and took a leisurely sip.

In the front hall.

Huang Yuerong sat down in a bold, wide-legged stance, and Chen Yuan took a seat opposite her.

"Is the Eastern Yi matter settled?" Chen Yuan asked.

"It's finished. The leaders of the seventeen tribes were escorted back to Chaoge, and Zi Shou interrogated them personally."

Huang Yuerong lowered her voice and glanced toward the back hall. After confirming no one was there, she continued.

"Zi Shou is now in command of Chaoge's military forces, given by Emperor Yi. But as for you, things aren't looking good."

"How so?"

"People in the court are impeaching you. They say you 'neglect the court while ill and are arrogant due to your merits.' Three memorials have been submitted. Emperor Yi has kept them without acting, but he hasn't rejected them either."

Chen Yuan picked up his teacup, his expression unchanged.

"Also," Huang Yuerong's voice dropped even lower. "Emperor Yi sent someone to my manor to test me, asking 'how deep is your friendship with Lord Wende?'"

Chen Yuan's fingers paused slightly.

Emperor Yi didn't just want to kill him; he wanted to sever his influence. The impeachment was the first strike, and testing Huang Yuerong was the second.

Where would the third strike land next?

"How did you respond?"

Huang Yuerong gave a cold laugh and leaned back against the chair.

"I told them that he saved my life on the battlefield, and I owe him my life for the rest of my days. If anyone wants to move against him, they'll have to ask my spear first."

Chen Yuan looked at her.

When these words reached Emperor Yi's ears, it was equivalent to publicly taking a side.

Huang Yuerong had offended the Human King for his sake. As a newly appointed Female Guardian General whose Foundation was not yet stable, she had tied herself to his ship.

Did she know what this meant?

Looking into her eyes, she knew.

Chen Yuan was silent for two breaths before saying softly, "Thank you."

Huang Yuerong was taken aback.

A faint blush crept onto the tips of her ears, and she quickly turned her head away.

"Don't be sentimental."

Chen Yuan didn't say anything more.

At that moment, Qiong Xiao walked into the front hall with a tea tray, smiling as she refilled Huang Yuerong's tea.

Huang Yuerong sized her up, her gaze lingering on her Face for two breaths.

This maid was far too beautiful; her features were so delicate she didn't look like someone meant for service.

Qiong Xiao set down the teacup, her tone sweet and soft.

"The Young Master has had people taking care of him these past few days, so you needn't worry, Miss."

Had people taking care of him.

People.

Huang Yuerong's gaze slid from Qiong Xiao's Face toward the back hall, seemingly realizing something. Her mouth twitched, but she didn't press further.

She stood up to take her leave, stopping at the door.

"In three days, Zi Shou is hosting a banquet at the Eastern Suburbs Hunting Ground to reward the meritorious officials. You must be there."

She looked back at Chen Yuan.

"His exact words—if you don't show up, he'll move the banquet to your manor."

With that, she strode away.

As the sound of footsteps vanished beyond the spirit screen, Bixiao walked out from the back hall.

She crossed her arms and stared at Chen Yuan, her gaze cold enough to freeze ice.

"Mortals certainly have a lot of nerve, rushing to crowd around you."

Chen Yuan looked innocent. "She came to deliver medicine."

Bixiao snorted.

"Medicine? From the way she looked at you, she'd love nothing more than to deliver herself too."

Qiong Xiao burst out laughing nearby and quickly covered her mouth.

Chen Yuan opened his mouth, but realizing that any response to this topic was a dead end, he decisively shut it.

Yunxiao had not participated in this conversation at all.

Only at the end did she speak calmly.

"She is a Mortal who has done you a kindness and has offended the Human King for your sake."

She paused.

"Treat her well as a guest when she comes in the future."

Her tone was ordinary, but Chen Yuan could hear the emphasis—she had stressed the word 'guest' slightly more.

Treat her well as a guest.

Guest.

Chen Yuan didn't respond and turned to walk toward the study.

As he passed by Yunxiao's side, he caught a glimpse of her profile. She was looking down and clearing the dishes from the table, her movements light and her expression indifferent.

There were several faint finger marks on the back of her hand.

She had pinched them into herself.

Chen Yuan's steps paused for a breath, and he said softly before closing the door.

"Senior Sister, I'll wash the dishes."

It was quiet outside for a moment.

There was no reply.

Bixiao's voice came from the distance, kept very low, but Chen Yuan's Taiyi Peak Divine Sense heard it clearly.

"Scumbag."

Chen Yuan closed the door and sat back down at his desk.

A map of Chaoge's city defenses was spread out on the table, which he had commissioned someone to draw previously.

But right now, he wasn't looking at the map; instead, he stared out the window at the old locust tree in the courtyard for a while.

Emperor Yi's blade had already been raised.

The impeachment was an open blade, and testing Huang Yuerong was a hidden one. Would the banquet at the hunting grounds in three days be the third blade?

Since Zi Shou was hosting a banquet to reward the meritorious, Emperor Yi would definitely be present.

He had to go.

Not for Zi Shou's Face, but because he needed to personally shut down the grounds for impeachment in front of Emperor Yi.

Neglecting the court while ill? Then let the entire civil and military court see that he, Chen Yuan, was alive and well.

Arrogant due to merit? Then let Emperor Yi see that he, Chen Yuan, was still that Lord Wende who smiled as he gave thanks and remained utterly composed.

Outside the window, Qiong Xiao had crouched back down by the fish pond.

Bixiao was leaning against a corridor pillar, filing her nails, her expression still sour.

Yunxiao was no longer in the courtyard.

Chen Yuan withdrew his gaze, spread out the city defense map, and picked up a brush to draw a circle around the location of the hunting grounds.

Three days later, the Eastern Suburbs Hunting Ground.

He had to figure out exactly what Emperor Yi wanted.