Chapter 23: Endless Turmoil

Jiang Chenbi raised her hand and removed Cui Wangshu’s hair bun, letting her long hair cascade down like a waterfall.

Raven-black hair framed ruby lips, with slender shoulders and a soft waist.

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes. “Lord Cui, has anyone ever told you that you look beautiful with your hair down?”

Cui Wangshu pressed on Jiang Chenbi’s waist, pulling her even closer, leaning in toward Jiang Chenbi but not kissing her.

Warm breath carrying a cool fragrance flooded her nostrils. Jiang Chenbi had thought she was used to this scent, but every time they drew near, she still found herself entranced.

Her thumb caressed Jiang Chenbi’s lower lip, and Cui Wangshu mischievously rubbed it harder, making the already swollen lips look even more pitiful.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“You…”

……

The Mid-Autumn sacrificial rites drew quietly near.

Cui Daoyuan looked up. “Is everything prepared?”

Cui Wangshu replied, “Yes.”

The reason the Cui Family had maneuvered the Emperor into personally conducting the rites was to pave the way for Prince Cheng’s return to the capital. Since the Emperor’s ascension, both Prince Sui and Prince Cheng had been stationed at the frontiers, holding military power but forbidden from returning to the capital.

The Emperor feared their military authority and had pressured them openly and covertly to relinquish it, but everyone in the court knew that Prince Cheng, backed by the Empress Dowager, had long been eyeing the throne covetously.

Prince Sui guarded the Northern Frontier, where small nations occasionally encroached. He was skilled at leading troops in battle, but his stance remained ambiguous, caught between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, pleasing neither side.

With murders occurring frequently and folk cults deliberately stirring unrest, neither Prince Cheng nor Prince Sui enjoyed popular support and dared not return to the capital without permission.

Cui Daoyuan had schemed tirelessly to have the Emperor lead the Mid-Autumn rites personally, hoping Cui Wangshu could leverage astrological portents to build momentum for Prince Cheng among the people.

Cui Wangshu had verbally agreed that everything was ready, but now that she knew of the changes planned for the day of the rites, she harbored other ideas.

Cui Wangshu was no fool. After years as an official in the court, she could clearly see the maneuvers behind Jiang Chenbi’s actions.

However… she had never intended to cooperate with Cui Daoyuan in bringing Prince Cheng back to the capital anyway.

Now, with this perfect excuse and the favor it would curry with both Jiang Chenbi and the Emperor, why wouldn’t she seize it?

…

On the day of the Mid-Autumn sacrificial rites, Cui Wangshu left early to make preparations. Jiang Chenbi lounged lazily on the couch, her beautiful eyes fixed on the other woman’s movements as she dressed.

Jiang Chenbi had always thought Cui Wangshu looked good in her official robes. The winged hat gathered all her long hair, revealing only her smooth forehead and accentuating her aloof features.

The line from her nose bridge to her brow bone was flawlessly natural, her skull and facial contours smooth and full—a living immortal descended to earth.

Her lean waist was wrapped in the wide red official robes. The lingering desire in her eyes softened some of the intense coldness about her, while her tall, straight back added a touch of ascetic allure.

Remembering Cui Wangshu’s taut waistline, Jiang Chenbi rubbed her fingertips, still warm from the touch.

Jiang Chenbi gathered her loose robe around her and walked behind Cui Wangshu, encircling her slender yet strong waist.

Cui Wangshu paused, then placed her warm hand over Jiang Chenbi’s, asking gently, “Do you want more?”

Jiang Chenbi flushed with annoyance, like a cat scratching with its paw. She pulled her hand free and lightly smacked the back of Cui Wangshu’s hand, whining coquettishly, “What are you saying? Do you think I’m that insatiable?”

Cui Wangshu chuckled softly and turned to look at Jiang Chenbi, her gaze seeming quite certain. “Aren’t you?”

Jiang Chenbi licked her lips and tiptoed up to plant a kiss on hers, but she only lingered there without going further.

Cui Wangshu let her kiss, and after a moment with no further movement, she gripped her waist to deepen it.

Jiang Chenbi stepped back, raising an eyebrow like a cat. “Who’s the insatiable one now?”

Cui Wangshu laughed in exasperation. “Me.”

Jiang Chenbi said, “After tonight, the Cui Family won’t have it easy. Have you thought it through?”

Cui Wangshu’s expression grew serious. “Pawns must be discarded when the time comes.”

Now that she had chosen another path, it was time for the Cui Family to have their arrogance curbed.

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes. “So heartless.”

Cui Wangshu smiled. “Didn’t you teach me that?”

Jiang Chenbi was far more ruthless than Cui Wangshu when it came to discarding pieces. Spending time with her had made Cui Wangshu wicked too.

Jiang Chenbi reached out to smooth the wrinkles on her collar. “That madwoman in the Cold Palace—ignore her.”

Cui Wangshu hummed in acknowledgment but still hesitated. “She’s really mad?”

Jiang Chenbi curved her lips. “If she can serve me, it’s what she wants most.”

Cui Wangshu shook her head lightly, her lips curving up. “The real madwoman is right in front of me.”

Jiang Chenbi stood on tiptoe, her soft lips brushing the sensitive earlobe. “Hurry and go. Tonight, when you come back… don’t take off your official robes.”

Cui Wangshu’s breathing suddenly grew heavy, her voice husky. “Alright.”

After Cui Wangshu left, Jiang Chenbi tidied herself up and headed out.

She wasn’t so idle herself. There were issues with Prince Cheng lately, and Ying Qi had said some matters needed to be discussed in person.

She and Cui Wangshu had cleared up the matter of the Love Gu and were no longer awkward around each other. They weren’t children—desires were normal, especially under their daily pressures.

Their nightly indulgences were driven by the Love Gu and desire, but also served as a way to vent stress.

Now, things between them were more like mutual consent, tacitly understood.

Emotional matters could wait; they were too fragmented and complicated, and she lacked the energy to deal with them now.

As long as the person stayed by her side, that was enough.

At least, that’s what Jiang Chenbi told herself.

Brushing aside the annoying rats the Cui Family had planted outside the Shangshu Residence, Jiang Chenbi turned and entered a teahouse.

The shopkeeper spotted her from afar, his eyes lighting up. He unobtrusively led her to a private room on the second floor, whispering en route, “Palace Lord, Old Qian is here too.”

Jiang Chenbi frowned. “Old Qian?”

But she soon relaxed. “Got it. You can go.”

Entering the room, she saw a veiled woman seated at the table, her features delicate and her demeanor mild. Upon seeing Jiang Chenbi, she stood respectfully. “Palace Lord.”

The man by the window also turned. “Chenbi’s here.”

Jiang Chenbi tugged at her lips and nodded. She knew Qian Yuan was here about Liu Baizi Bend and felt some embarrassment at having been caught changing plans without informing him.

Li Cong had ascended the throne, and to cover tracks, Qian Yuan had been handling all matters big and small for the Yellow Path Palace. As her elder, Jiang Chenbi felt guilty for altering plans without a heads-up.

Unable to save face, she plastered on a sycophantic smile and wheedled, “Uncle~ Why are you here? The journey’s so far.”

Qian Yuan huffed, glaring. “So you still remember you have an uncle.”

Jiang Chenbi pulled Qian Yuan to sit and hurriedly poured him tea. “I’ve just been too busy and forgot, that’s all.”

Qian Yuan didn’t know Jiang Chenbi had planted the Love Gu on Cui Wangshu and assumed she had simply been too preoccupied missing her sister to remember him. Either way, they were his nieces; he had no real reason to stay angry and took her cue to descend the steps.

Ying Qi kept her eyes down, minimizing her presence.

Qian Yuan took a sip of tea and asked, “How’s A Wan? Does she know your identity yet?”

Jiang Chenbi’s smile stiffened for an instant, but she quickly composed herself. “Haven’t told her yet. She thinks I just want to restore my position.”

Deceiving both sides.

No, more accurately, not a word from Jiang Chenbi’s mouth was true.

Qian Yuan sighed. “A Wan is your sister. The Jiang Family has only you two left now—you’re each other’s only kin. Your uncle’s health isn’t great…”

Jiang Chenbi interrupted, somewhat angrily, “Uncle, don’t talk nonsense. With me here, you’ll live to a ripe old age.”

To Jiang Chenbi, Qian Yuan was like both father and mother. Back during the Imperial Astronomical Bureau fire, if he hadn’t risked his life to carry her out, she wouldn’t be alive today.

Jiang Chenbi opened her mouth to say more but suddenly coughed. “Cough cough…” She hurriedly grabbed a handkerchief to cover her mouth and wiped the blood from her lips.

Qian Yuan frowned. “Wasn’t your coughing blood condition stabilized? Why does it seem worse?”

Jiang Chenbi pressed her lips together. Survivors of the fire all developed the coughing blood syndrome. These years, countless heavenly treasures and earthly elixirs had barely sustained her life.

Qian Yuan couldn’t help nagging. “I told you back then not to cultivate Poison Blood…”

“Uncle…”

Under Jiang Chenbi’s gaze, Qian Yuan stopped. How could he not know that cultivating Poison Blood had been a last resort for her?

After contracting the coughing blood syndrome, her body had weakened dramatically. No famous physician could cure it; she wasn’t expected to live past twenty.

In the end, she apprenticed under Ma Gu Po and cultivated Poison Blood to barely suppress the condition. Though she survived, any trigger now made coughing blood even easier.

But cultivating Poison Blood wasn’t simple. The young Jiang Chenbi had endured untold suffering, nearly dying at death’s door multiple times.

Jiang Chenbi knew that after the Imperial Mausoleum incident, her body had suffered severe damage. Though the Soul Preserving Pill had saved her life, her poor constitution meant she couldn’t recover fully—who knew how much lifespan she’d lost.

Her gaze dimmed slightly. Lately, she’d noticed moments where she couldn’t hear…

Qian Yuan sighed. “Fine, if you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say more. Let’s talk about Prince Cheng.”

Jiang Chenbi’s expression improved. She sat down to listen as Qian Yuan spoke.

“The Huguo Army is tougher than we imagined. Prince Cheng isn’t a fool like Prince Sui; he covets the throne, and his troops are disciplined. Not a single spy of ours can infiltrate.”

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes. “Everyone has weaknesses, desires. If he doesn’t love beauties, but loves power, then send him the Mountain Lord.”

Qian Yuan looked at Jiang Chenbi. “You’re willing to part with the Mountain Lord?”

Jiang Chenbi smiled lightly. “He’s too idle. Tell him, once he seizes the military power, I’ll give him the Xuanji Strategy.”

Qian Yuan’s eyes widened. “That’s some serious commitment.”

Jiang Chenbi pondered. “Tell him to secure the military power before the Luo River diversion.”

She couldn’t wait any longer… if it dragged on…

Qian Yuan sensed something amiss. “You’ve waited over a decade. Why the sudden rush?”

Jiang Chenbi pressed her lips. She didn’t know how to explain. Previously, she hadn’t been urgent, but recent health issues forced her to think further ahead.

“I just want to reunite with A Wan sooner.”

Knowing this was Jiang Chenbi’s obsession for over twenty years, Qian Yuan didn’t press. He just didn’t want her exhausting herself; she’d been under constant pressure, even at the cost of her lifespan, paving the way.

Seeing the mood between them grow heavy, Ying Qi finally spoke. “Palace Lord, Liu Baizi Bend.”

Jiang Chenbi pulled herself from her emotions and straightened her expression. “Speak.”

Ying Qi reported, “Per your orders, I continued monitoring Liu Baizi Bend. As you suspected, not just Zhang Sanshui and his son—half the villagers have Human-Face Gu in their bodies.”

“I traced it further: people from Phantom Woman Valley supplied the Human-Face Gu. It’s not just Liu Baizi Bend; multiple villages around the capital suburbs have the same issue. The Southern Frontier may already be out of control.”

Jiang Chenbi rubbed her brow, wanting to lash out but holding back. One Southern Frontier mess, one Prince Cheng headache—both deliberately obstructing her.

After several forbearances, she couldn’t hold it. She slammed the teacup to the ground, shattering it into pieces.

Jiang Chenbi’s face darkened as she enunciated, “Go back and tell Li Qian: if the Southern Frontier can’t manage it and lets those filthy things extend into the Central Plains again, I’ll return and chop off her hands.”

Ying Qi lowered her gaze. “Yes.”

Jiang Chenbi’s head throbbed with anger. Ying Qi quickly stepped over to massage her temples.

Seeing her rage, Qian Yuan was unfazed—he was used to it. Jiang Chenbi had always been ruthless and vicious, sometimes cruelly detached.

Her subordinates rarely saw her gentle side; she was perpetually gloomy and seldom smiled genuinely.

Most smiles were polite or cold sneers.

Everyone feared her; only a few close ones could guess her thoughts.

It all boiled down to that person in the capital.

Qian Yuan advised, “You’ve been away from the Southern Frontier for years, and with the young sect master’s absence, Ma Gu Po’s age advancing and her disinterest in affairs, it’s inevitable some would scheme. Li Qian’s still young; this didn’t happen overnight. Why get so angry?”

Jiang Chenbi frowned, laughing bitterly. “I think Li Qian’s youth is fake—her laziness and inaction are real. The Southern Frontier has always been under Poison Gu Sect control; it’s made her forget peril and indulge in comfort.”

Jiang Chenbi gently held Ying Qi’s hand and added, “Tell her: if she doesn’t handle it within half a year, when I return to the Southern Frontier, it won’t be so simple.”

Ying Qi withdrew her hand, clasping it over her abdomen respectfully. “Yes.”

Qian Yuan shook his head. “You…”