Chapter 51: A Demure Lady at Home, Two Maniacs Abroad

As dawn just broke, Jiang Chenbi woke up from the heat. She drowsily looked over and saw that Cui Wangshu was holding her tightly, with her mouth still containing Jiang Chenbi’s…

Jiang Chenbi sighed and raised a hand to cover her eyes, her ear tips burning hot.

Was she still a child?

Just as Jiang Chenbi tried to shift Cui Wangshu’s head away, the woman mumbled something in her sleep and sucked gently.

Jiang Chenbi drew in a sharp breath and shifted uncomfortably. It was so early in the morning…

What on earth was she doing!

Unable to endure it any longer, Jiang Chenbi slapped Cui Wangshu across the face. Cui Wangshu’s eyes snapped open, a chill in her gaze spreading to her brows, revealing clear displeasure.

“Let go…” Jiang Chenbi rasped.

Cui Wangshu blinked and gradually woke up fully. She obediently released the tip of the peach and guiltily wiped her mouth.

“Hiss—” Jiang Chenbi frowned and kicked Cui Wangshu in the calf.

It had already swollen a bit from the night before, and now this wipe sent a sharp sting through it.

Little Minister Cui pursed her lips, looking pitiful as she rubbed her face and clutched her leg, accusingly staring at Jiang Chenbi.

Jiang Chenbi stared at her speechlessly. If she fell for this act, wouldn’t she end up picked clean to the bone?

Jiang Chenbi cleared her throat and pointed at Cui Wangshu, scolding, “If you dare to fall asleep like that again, I’ll kick you to death.”

Cui Wangshu tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a childlike smile, and crawled over fawningly. “Next time, I won’t bite, okay?”

Jiang Chenbi pushed her face aside expressionlessly. “No.”

With that, Jiang Chenbi got up to fetch some ointment. How could the opportunistic little Minister Cui let her apply it herself? She immediately hopped out of bed to do it for her.

Yesterday, while watching Jiang Chenbi, she had grown sleepy herself. Before sleep, her gaze had fallen on those little rabbits of hers. It had been so long since she’d tasted them, so she thought she’d just have a little. But once she latched on, she fell asleep—and stayed that way all night.

Under Jiang Chenbi’s displeased gaze, Minister Cui unusually touched her nose tip guiltily.

After applying the ointment, Jiang Chenbi asked, “When are you going back?”

Cui Wangshu blinked innocently, feigning grievance. “Isn’t it good for me to stay here with you?”

It was good… but this woman changed her tune every day, and Jiang Chenbi felt like she couldn’t keep up. Cui Wangshu’s current tricks had long surpassed the simple intimate matters she’d imagined back then.

If you had asked Jiang Chenbi from over three months ago, she would never have believed that the elegant and moonlit Minister Cui in people’s eyes could play so many variations in private.

Jiang Chenbi’s thoughts drifted. The Cui Family was a renowned noble house, after all. Were all the imperial descendants this naturally adept at bedroom arts without any teaching?

Jiang Chenbi coughed lightly. “Don’t you have Myriad Nations Conference matters? And the Luo River diversion—have you decided when to start?”

Seeing her change the subject, Cui Wangshu didn’t mind and went along. “I just need to oversee the Myriad Nations Conference. The Ministry of Rites doesn’t keep dead weight these days. As for the Luo River diversion, I’ve already planned it.”

“Luoyang County was originally within Luzhou City and should have developed greatly, but the frequent Luo River floods isolated it from other counties for half the year. Taking advantage of this Myriad Nations Conference, I’ve petitioned the court for the diversion—it’s for flood control.”

Jiang Chenbi hummed in acknowledgment. Going through official channels worked too; whether they followed the flood control blueprint during construction was another matter.

It seemed Minister Cui was pulling a “build the plank road openly, pass through Chen Cang secretly.”

Jiang Chenbi raised a brow, finally understanding why she’d been told to wait in Luzhou. “So, back in Tongzhou, you already planned to use the Myriad Nations Conference to divert the Luo River?”

Cui Wangshu curved her lips. “Yes.”

Jiang Chenbi lifted her gaze, staring at Cui Wangshu with watery tenderness. “I thought Little Minister Cui set the Myriad Nations Conference in Luzhou for my sake. Turns out I was being sentimental.”

She felt unsatisfied if she didn’t tease Cui Wangshu once. Even though she was always the one whimpering afterward, she forgot about the whimpering in less than three seconds.

Cui Wangshu said helplessly, “It’s both official business and personal desire. I thought you knew my feelings.”

Jiang Chenbi huffed deliberately. “I don’t know.”

Cui Wangshu curved her lips. “There’s plenty of time ahead. You’ll know.”

Jiang Chenbi pursed her lips, her ear tips heating up. That beast could actually say sweet nothings quite nicely.

After Cui Wangshu naturally helped her wash up, she said, “Wang Lao will arrive tonight. Shall we still meet him?”

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes. Wang Lao, the chief disciple of Medicine King Valley, Wang Xian—his medical skills were naturally unparalleled, or he wouldn’t have stayed by Cui Wangshu’s side for so many years. Although she had her own way to detox…

Jiang Chenbi’s gaze fell on Cui Wangshu’s face, seeing the unmasked concern in her eyes, and compromised. “Sure.”

A faint smile graced Cui Wangshu’s face, fragmented sunlight dancing in her eyes, making her look exceptionally gentle.

After lunch, Cui Wangshu returned to the mansion. Today, people from the Ministry of Rites had also arrived in Luzhou. Only after delegating tasks could she relax and accompany Jiang Chenbi.

In the mansion.

Cui Wangshu changed into her official robes and sat squarely in the center, her brows and eyes cool and detached—her usual pristine immortal demeanor in front of others.

“Minister, do we need to oversee the flood control matters ourselves?”

The speaker was the newly appointed Vice Minister of Rites, Mo Wenqing.

Cui Wangshu glanced at the people seated below, her brows softening unusually. After the Kang Li incident, she had swiftly replaced several female officials.

The previous Minister of Rites had left behind many incompetents, which had taken Cui Wangshu considerable effort to handle. Later, for factional interests, she’d had to retain some dead weight once the Ministry stabilized.

Even though Cui Wangshu knew how those people idled in their positions, the Cui Family’s web of interests forced her to tolerate them temporarily.

Now, using the Kang Li matter as pretext, she could fully seize control of the Ministry and replace them without restraint.

Now, all the key positions in the Ministry were held by women. Cui Wangshu curved her lips. This wasn’t enough; she would gradually replace everyone in the court with women.

“I’ll handle the flood control personally. You all just ensure the conference venues and related procedures are in place.”

Mo Wenqing and Zhang Xiexue nodded, diligently noting down the specific instructions Cui Wangshu had just given.

Cui Wangshu watched them, a surge of satisfaction rising in her heart.

Being an official required not only vast knowledge and insight into history but also keen sensitivity and moral integrity.

These qualities came more naturally to women, who were inherently clever and meticulous. Given the chance to learn, they mastered them faster.

Cui Wangshu always favored promoting women, intentionally or not using Cui Daoyuan’s hand to elevate many female officials.

Thinking of Cui Daoyuan darkened her gaze slightly. After the Myriad Nations Conference, it was time to change the Chief Minister in the Capital.

The Cui Family no longer had the right to sit back and watch from the sidelines.

When Cui Wangshu had been dragged into the vortex of power by the Cui Family and Rongguo Duke’s Mansion, she knew she was a pawn for the Cui Family’s ambitions.

But the moment a pawn realized it was a pawn, the chessboard was doomed to be overturned.

Her years of feigned submission before Cui Daoyuan, playing the pawn role—it was time to end that.

Mo Wenqing, Zhang Xiexue, and the remaining Ministry people could keep up with Cui Wangshu’s pace, so the briefing wrapped up quickly, and they dispersed to their duties.

Finally, Cui Wangshu had time to meet Chen Quan.

Setting aside Chen Quan’s matter for now, atop Qingcang Mountain, the Palace Lord of Yellow Path Palace finally revealed her true face.

In front of Cui Wangshu, Jiang Chenbi was different—not exactly disguised.

It was just that, when handling matters beyond emotions, the extreme disregard for life deep in Jiang Chenbi’s bones showed more clearly.

The back mountain of Yellow Path Palace was the training ground for Palace Council members. Yellow Path Palace was divided into the Palace Council and the Merchant Association; the Merchant Association was mostly managed by Qian Yuan daily, while the core Palace Council was firmly gripped by Jiang Chenbi.

Within the Palace Council was a shadow organization led by Ying Lan, its members deathsworn implanted with Life Gu, including many demonic cultivators and eccentrics. They obeyed only Jiang Chenbi and handled her daily protection.

The regular operatives had clear hierarchies. Inner Cabinet members like Shan Jun and Lai Niang dealt with core Yellow Path Palace affairs; Outer Cabinet members like Alna’s group were more often discarded as pawns.

There were two paths to the Inner Cabinet: personal recruitment by Jiang Chenbi, like Shan Jun, or winning monthly selections from thousands to catch her eye.

But being seen didn’t guarantee entry—one per thousands monthly, twelve a year in Yellow Path Palace.

Jiang Chenbi sat in her chair, propping her head lazily as she watched the twelve below sparring.

Boring moves.

She frowned and beckoned. Ying Lan immediately leaned in.

“Stop.”

Ying Lan said expressionlessly, and the group halted without delay, hurrying over.

Ying Lan took out the vial of Soul-Seizing Powder Jiang Chenbi had given her yesterday. “This is a new poison. Who among you is willing to demonstrate its effects to the Palace Lord?”

The implication was clear: prove loyalty with your life.

Jiang Chenbi watched their colorful expressions with interest, counting down inwardly: three, two…

“This subordinate is willing!”

The speaker was a woman with a high ponytail, dark skin, but eyes bright and resilient.

Jiang Chenbi curved her lips as the woman downed the Soul-Seizing Powder without hesitation, her face resolute in the face of death.

Jiang Chenbi couldn’t help laughing. Yellow Path Palace actually had such naively foolish types—it had been a while.

The woman closed her eyes awaiting death, but as time passed, no symptoms appeared.

She opened her eyes in astonishment, meeting Jiang Chenbi’s amused gaze. Stared at by that stunning face, her ears reddened involuntarily.

Ying Lan looked back for instructions. Jiang Chenbi frowned, seemingly troubled, and after a long pause said, “Kill the remaining eleven. As for this one… interesting.”

Almost as soon as Jiang Chenbi spoke, Ying Lan crushed the Mother Gu in her hand. The eleven others didn’t even have time to beg; swarms of Gu Worms devoured their bodies.

In a blink, a gust scattered the worm corpses as ash, leaving no trace on the ground.

Jiang Chenbi looked at the terrified woman and smiled sweetly. “Are you afraid of me?”