Chapter 54: Can You Not Calculate?

Jiang Chenbi paused in her steps, turned around, and narrowed her eyes. “What did you say?”

Wang Xian frowned. “I took her pulse today. The Love Gu inside her body is no longer controlling her.”

Jiang Chenbi curved her lips. “Doesn’t Elder Wang know? This Love Gu can’t be undone.”

Originally, she had only agreed to undo half of it at the beginning because Cui Wangshu’s desires were incomplete, fearing she might have an accident. But that didn’t mean Jiang Chenbi was willing to let Cui Wangshu know about this.

In terms of medical skill, Jiang Chenbi was no match for Wang Xian, but when it came to playing with bugs, Wang Xian couldn’t compare to her.

Wang Xian hesitated. In theory, that Love Gu was indeed incurable, but Cui Wangshu’s pulse clearly showed she was fine now.

Jiang Chenbi’s gaze fell on Wang Xian’s face. Taking advantage of his lack of understanding of Gu worms, she coaxed him in a low voice, “The Love Gu has a decay period. After it stabilizes in the body, its outbreaks form a cycle. It’s normal that you couldn’t detect it, Elder Wang. No need to be surprised.”

Wang Xian was completely taken in by her, stunned. Had the Poison Gu Sect’s Gu worms developed to such a level?

But his knowledge of Gu worms wasn’t extensive either, so he nodded half-believingly.

Only then did Jiang Chenbi curve her lips and turn to open the door.

Ying Lan had stopped Cui Wangshu far outside the door to prevent her from hearing the conversation inside.

Jiang Chenbi was quite satisfied and chuckled lightly. “Why is little Ying Lan being so inconsiderate?”

Cui Wangshu raised her eyes to look at her, her gaze profound and inscrutable.

“Little Master Cui, why are you still standing there? Come in.”

Cui Wangshu: “…”

Ying Lan pursed her lips, sheathed her sword, and stepped aside.

Inside the room, Cui Wangshu glanced at Wang Xian’s expression and saw he had no intention of speaking. Her eyes darkened slightly as she turned to Jiang Chenbi and asked, “How is it?”

Ying Lan poured tea for Cui Wangshu, her gaze flickering as she glanced at Jiang Chenbi.

Jiang Chenbi curved her lips. “Nothing serious, just some chronic ailments. She’ll recover with slow conditioning.”

Cui Wangshu lowered her eyes and let out an “mm.”

The atmosphere grew tense, and Ying Lan unobtrusively retreated to the side.

Wang Xian didn’t want to get involved in their affairs, so he simply said he would go grab medicine for them. Jiang Chenbi chuckled lightly. “Ying Lan, take Elder Wang to the medicine room.”

Once everyone had left, the atmosphere in the room grew even heavier.

Cui Wangshu stared at Jiang Chenbi. “Still not planning to tell me?”

Jiang Chenbi heard the displeasure in her tone and coaxed, “Didn’t I just say it? It’s nothing major.”

Cui Wangshu let out a cold laugh, rose from the stool, and slowly paced behind Jiang Chenbi. She leaned down and whispered in her ear, “If you won’t say it, I have plenty of ways to find out.”

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes, turned her head, and her lips brushed against Cui Wangshu’s cheek. She pulled back a little and said coolly, “Who taught you that?”

She was even threatening her now.

Cui Wangshu turned her head to meet Jiang Chenbi’s gaze, her pitch-black pupils staring unwaveringly at her. “You did, of course, my good sister.”

She still remembered that first meeting in the Cold Palace, when Jiang Chenbi had said, “Sister will save you.” So wasn’t calling her this now just following her teaching?

Jiang Chenbi’s heart trembled. That “sister” from Cui Wangshu nearly made her blurt out, “When did you find out?”

But fortunately, calmness overcame her turbulent emotions. Jiang Chenbi carefully discerned the feelings in Cui Wangshu’s eyes and confirmed she still didn’t know about their relationship. Perhaps out of guilt, Jiang Chenbi stood up and turned her back, refusing to look at Cui Wangshu.

Cui Wangshu turned her head to look at Jiang Chenbi’s back, straightened up, and deliberately brought up the Imperial Mausoleum. “About the Imperial Mausoleum, doesn’t Miss Jiang plan to explain it to me?”

Jiang Chenbi paused, her tone somewhat cold. “Explain what?”

Cui Wangshu’s lips pulled into a cold smile. “Explain… You clearly took me to the Imperial Mausoleum for the Xuanji Strategy, yet outside the mausoleum, you pretended to know nothing. Why?”

Jiang Chenbi closed her eyes. As expected… she had guessed it.

She turned around, having already adjusted her expression, and deflected lightly. “Minister Cui should know what I’ve been planning all along. Wanting to get the Xuanji Strategy—that’s not strange, is it?”

Seeing she wasn’t going to explain, Cui Wangshu didn’t get angry. She walked up to her, stared at her lips, and said, “I don’t like you calling me Minister Cui.”

Jiang Chenbi raised a brow and let out an “oh?” She licked her lips and met her gaze. “Then what do you like me to call you?”

Cui Wangshu leaned in closer, smiling faintly. “Don’t you know what I like?”

Jiang Chenbi reached out and hooked her waistband, teasing, “Did you call me sister just now because you want… to be my love sister?”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze roamed darkly over her face, and she tugged the corner of her mouth coldly. “Have you considered the consequences of that word ‘love’?”

Jiang Chenbi tugged the corner of her mouth and stepped back, not responding directly. She compromised, “That was just an accident. I originally planned to go alone. That day, I just wanted you to see the Corpse-Eating Rats in the passage. Who knew we’d fall in?”

Cui Wangshu scoffed. “Do you think I’ll believe you?”

Jiang Chenbi whipped her head around to stare at her, her mind seeming detached as she said coldly, “Then what? Are you saying I deliberately deceived you and forced you to stay by my side?”

Cui Wangshu frowned, unsure why she had suddenly flared up. She toned down her aggressive demeanor and asked puzzledly, “…What’s wrong with you?”

Jiang Chenbi’s pupils contracted, her gaze flickering. She blinked lightly, averted her eyes, and bit her teeth. “Nothing.”

She had gotten too agitated, momentarily thinking Cui Wangshu was questioning her—why she hid the Twin-Born Daughters matter, why she put them in this improper relationship.

Cui Wangshu sighed, seemingly at a loss with Jiang Chenbi. She didn’t want to push and make her angry, but also wanted to give her a chance to explain, lest things become irreparable once she investigated herself.

“Why do you always refuse to tell me?” Whether it was her physical condition or the secrets shrouding her.

Jiang Chenbi’s sharp tooth bit through the inside of her cheek, tasting her own blood. Her voice was hoarse as she said, “I can’t say.”

If she did, what identity would she use to face Cui Wangshu?

Cui Wangshu looked at her, her thoughts struggling.

“Can you not calculate it?” Jiang Chenbi’s voice trembled slightly, interrupting Cui Wangshu’s hesitation. Tears had welled up in her eyes as she looked at her.

Cui Wangshu held her breath, staring dazedly at the flush at the corners of Jiang Chenbi’s eyes, staining her sickly pale face. It inexplicably stirred a desire to protect her.

Jiang Chenbi lowered her eyes and pleaded softly, “No matter what it is, don’t calculate it, okay? When the time is right, I’ll tell you.”

Even knowing the person before her had been deceiving her since they met, and was still hiding things now, would she yield to her once more?

The answer was yes.

Cui Wangshu stepped forward, gently wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, and sighed. “Alright.”

If it was Jiang Chenbi, she was willing to yield again—because she liked her, because she knew her health was poor, so she feared losing her and kept compromising.

Jiang Chenbi broke into a smile through her tears. “Thank you, Cui Wangshu.”

Cui Wangshu lowered her eyes, hiding the complex emotions in them. She curved her lips, gently pulled her into her embrace.

Jiang Chenbi rested her chin on Cui Wangshu’s shoulder, narrowed her eyes toward the distance, and silently curved her lips. Where was the broken expression from moments ago in her eyes?

When Cui Wangshu and Wang Xian arrived at Qingcang Mountain, the sun was already setting. Now the moon was nearly at its zenith, so they naturally stayed overnight at Yellow Path Palace.

But today, Cui Wangshu was unusually well-behaved. Whether due to the tense atmosphere that evening or something else, she unusually did nothing and simply held Jiang Chenbi steadily as they slept.

Held from behind by her, Jiang Chenbi listened to her light breathing, her gaze complex.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, at the foot of Qingcang Mountain.

An exquisite carriage stopped at the mountain base, with three graceful women standing beside it, seemingly seeing someone off.

Wang Xian had come to Luozhou only to treat Jiang Chenbi and wouldn’t stay long. After administering the needles to Cui Wangshu, he planned to leave Luozhou.

Before departing, he specially called Cui Wangshu into the carriage and said something to her. Cui Wangshu lowered her eyes, her expression complex, but she still nodded.

After the carriage left, Jiang Chenbi asked with a smile, “What did he say to you?”

Cui Wangshu pursed her lips, her ear tips flushing slightly. Wang Xian had just told her that they shouldn’t share a bed for the next month; both she and Jiang Chenbi needed abstinence while recuperating.

She coughed lightly, her gaze somewhat unnatural as she said, “Nothing.”

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes. Could it be that Wang Xian had told Cui Wangshu about her condition?

Cui Wangshu naturally knew about the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Needle, so she asked, “Did you feel better after the treatment this morning?”

Jiang Chenbi came back to herself and laughed. “How could it be that fast? Internal conditioning takes time and accumulation.”

Cui Wangshu let out an “mm” and instructed, “I have to go to Luoyang today. I’ll come if I have time. Remember to eat more.”

Jiang Chenbi’s lips curved upward. “Is little Master Cui concerned about me?”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze was gentle as she affirmed, “Yes.”

She added, “So, can you promise me?”

Jiang Chenbi raised her chin. “Reluctantly.”

A faint smile appeared on Cui Wangshu’s face. She leaned down and pressed a light, cherished kiss to her lips.

“I’m leaving.”

Watching her board the carriage and lift the curtain to smile gently at her, Jiang Chenbi felt her heart filled with sweetness. She curved her lips back at her.

After the carriage departed, Jiang Chenbi still stood there. She raised her hand to touch her lips, lowered her eyes, and chuckled softly.

Ying Lan: “…”

Had these two become so brazen in front of her now? Though she had gradually grown accustomed to it and even thought they suited each other…

Ying Lan coughed lightly to remind her. “Palace Lord, there’s the inner cabinet meeting today.”

Jiang Chenbi turned, raising a brow. “Is everyone here?”

Ying Lan nodded. “Everyone except the Mountain Lord.”

Jiang Chenbi licked her lips. “Then let’s go.”

In Dinggan Palace.

Jiang Chenbi sat in the high seat, her long legs crossed, lazily leaning back. Her beautiful eyes swept lightly over the people below.

“Has everyone been too complacent lately?”

The woman in the high seat asked with a smile, but the people of Yellow Path Palace feared this expression the most.

It was well-known that the Palace Lord’s thoughts were profound, beyond ordinary guesswork, but whenever she showed this expression, it meant either killing or making trouble.

The people below were all silent as mice, afraid a single breath might anger the Palace Lord.

Jiang Chenbi’s face turned cold, her voice gloomy. “Speak.”

Han Qi’s throat bobbed as she ventured, “Palace Lord, the matter with Alna before was due to my oversight, causing trouble for you. Please punish me.”

Jiang Chenbi tsked, her voice laced with laughter, but everyone heard the chill in her tone. “Do you think I made time to see you today just to hear your self-criticisms?”

The crowd’s faces changed, feeling like thorns on their backs.