Chapter 85: What You Owe Me

In the carriage, Jiang Chenbi lowered her head and glanced at her wrist, which Cui Wangshu gripped tightly. She wondered if crushing the token now would make Liu Xuan come rescue her immediately.

With that thought, Jiang Chenbi’s hand quietly slipped into her bosom. Cui Wangshu watched her movements intently and narrowed her eyes upon seeing her fumbling inside. In the next second, she yanked Jiang Chenbi’s hand out.

The atmosphere froze as Cui Wangshu stared at the token clutched in Jiang Chenbi’s hand.

“What is this?” Her voice was ice-cold.

Jiang Chenbi cursed inwardly. What kind of eyes did Cui Wangshu have to spot it so quickly? She secretly tightened her grip while keeping a calm expression on her face. “A token.”

Though she didn’t know its purpose, Cui Wangshu had a gut feeling that this token would let Jiang Chenbi slip away from her again. Ever since that bizarre heavy snow five years ago, Cui Wangshu never doubted her intuitions.

With swift decisiveness, she snatched the token from Jiang Chenbi’s hand.

Jiang Chenbi: !! Damn it!

“Give it back!” Unable to hold back, Jiang Chenbi anxiously reached out to grab it.

Seeing her so desperate only confirmed Cui Wangshu’s suspicions. She raised her hand high, out of Jiang Chenbi’s reach, and fixed her gaze on Jiang Chenbi’s face. “This token lets you leave here, doesn’t it?”

Jiang Chenbi pressed her lips together and didn’t answer. She stood up to snatch it, but Cui Wangshu’s expression turned frigid. She tightened her grip on Jiang Chenbi’s wrist and yanked her down onto her lap. In a cold voice, she called out, “Jiang Ci.”

She extended the token out the window, and Jiang Ci immediately stepped forward to take it, tucking it securely into her bosom.

Jiang Chenbi’s face drained of color. It was over—truly over now.

A familiar fragrance invaded her nostrils, and her throat bobbed. Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened slightly as her palm clamped onto Jiang Chenbi’s waist, pulling her closer into her embrace. Jiang Chenbi was still dazed and only snapped back when she was pressed fully against her.

Meeting the familiar desire in those eyes, a chill ran through Jiang Chenbi’s heart, followed by an unbelievable thought.

She wouldn’t do it in the carriage…

“Jiang Chenbi.” Cui Wangshu called her name, her voice husky and suppressing her desire.

Jiang Chenbi suddenly struggled fiercely, trying to flee toward the carriage door. Cui Wangshu held her waist tightly. Jiang Chenbi stood up only to crash back down onto her lap. Cui Wangshu wickedly nudged her knee upward, drawing a muffled grunt from Jiang Chenbi as she froze in place.

A woman’s low laugh sounded in her ear, and Jiang Chenbi’s heart grew colder.

Cui Wangshu held her in her arms, her cold lips brushing Jiang Chenbi’s neck before trailing downward. She lightly nipped at Jiang Chenbi’s collarbone. Jiang Chenbi kept her head lowered, her expression inscrutable and shadowed, her body trembling faintly. In a hoarse voice, she said, “If you touch me, I’ll kill you…”

Cui Wangshu was already married. If anything happened between them now, what would that make her?

Cui Wangshu’s movements halted. She lifted her head and stared unblinkingly at Jiang Chenbi for a long moment before releasing her and shoving her onto the opposite seat. She closed her eyes and said nothing.

Jiang Chenbi licked her lips and straightened her collar. Looking at Cui Wangshu, her voice was somewhat strained. “Let me go, please?”

Cui Wangshu’s eyes snapped open, dark and sinister, a mocking twist at her lips. “Do you think that’s possible?”

Jiang Chenbi lowered her gaze in silence, her heart like dead ashes as she asked, “Why?”

Cui Wangshu stared at her, her gaze viscous and slick as it roamed from head to toe. In a hoarse voice, she said, “What you owe me.”

It was she who had abandoned her. The debt from these five years—Jiang Chenbi could never repay it in a lifetime.

Jiang Chenbi bit the soft flesh inside her cheek, her voice taut as she asked, “You know we’re Twin-Born Daughters, don’t you?”

Cui Wangshu answered, “Yes.”

Jiang Chenbi turned her face away and closed her eyes. “You’re married, aren’t you?”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened. “Yes.”

Jiang Chenbi turned back, frowning slightly. “Then we should each live our own lives peacefully. That’s all in the past—why entangle ourselves again?”

The carriage fell deathly silent. After a long while, Cui Wangshu sneered. “Live peacefully? In the past?”

“Jiang Chenbi, what right do you have to say that?” Cui Wangshu stared at her, long-suppressed emotions threatening to erupt.

“Between us, who knew we were Twin-Born Daughters yet still used the Love Gu to seduce me? Who made promises but refused to keep them? Who said they’d return as long as they were alive, then hid away for five whole years?” Cui Wangshu’s emotions surged, her words aggressive and unrelenting.

After a long moment, Cui Wangshu reined in her feelings and warned hoarsely, “What you owe me, you couldn’t repay in a lifetime. From now on, stay obediently by my side. You’re not going anywhere.”

Her gaze slid over Jiang Chenbi’s face as she threatened, “Otherwise, Ying Lan and all your subordinates won’t live.”

At those final words, Jiang Chenbi’s expression turned icy. She hated being threatened most of all, but right now, she had no means to resist. That didn’t mean she’d swallow her rage.

Jiang Chenbi arched a brow mockingly. “And you’re so much better? You already knew I’m your sister, yet you’re no different from those beasts in heat.”

Cui Wangshu’s face remained impassive, merely staring coolly at her before pulling a cold smile. “Do you know what happened to the last person who said you were my sister?”

Of course Jiang Chenbi knew—they’d been killed by her.

Cui Wangshu glanced at her, fully calm now. No matter how Jiang Chenbi provoked her, she showed no reaction. She merely reminded her, “Don’t worry. You’re my sister…”

“So naturally, I’ll let you feel the thoughtfulness of a little sister.”

Over these five years, she had long stopped caring about that so-called sisterly bond with Jiang Chenbi. What she wanted was Jiang Chenbi herself, regardless of her identity.

Jiang Chenbi drew a deep breath and looked away, not meeting her eyes. She hadn’t expected Cui Wangshu to be this shameless. In the past, she might have thought Cui Wangshu would abandon her upon learning the truth.

She hadn’t imagined she wouldn’t care at all. If it were the old Jiang Chenbi, she’d have been thrilled.

But now, she only wanted to escape Cui Wangshu and desperately hoped she’d discard her because of their bond.

“Where are you taking me?” Jiang Chenbi asked.

With her eyes closed, Cui Wangshu replied, “The Temporary Palace. After the Thousand Autumn Festival ends, back to the Capital City.”

Seeing Cui Wangshu mention the Thousand Autumn Festival so nonchalantly ignited jealousy in Jiang Chenbi’s heart once more. Thinking of how she was married yet still entangled with her made her feel even more disgusted. She couldn’t help sneering, “Don’t you love the Empress so much? Aren’t you afraid she’ll see me and get angry with you?”

Cui Wangshu frowned and opened her eyes, noting the fury in hers. She suddenly understood what that word “dirty” meant and why she’d refused to let her touch her. Amusement flickered in her eyes, but she didn’t explain. Instead, she said, “Haven’t we been married before? Besides, I’m the Female Emperor.”

She wanted Jiang Chenbi to taste the same flavor—being kept in the dark while entangled in a taboo relationship.

Jiang Chenbi glared at her, eyes nearly shooting flames. She couldn’t fathom how the Cui Wangshu from before had become the one spouting such words. Her palms clenched tight; she truly wanted to slap her across the face.

Cui Wangshu noticed her movements and arched a brow. “Want to hit me again?”

With a light chuckle, Cui Wangshu added, “Sister, save it for the bed.”

Hearing “sister” made Jiang Chenbi lose all strength. Cui Wangshu was doing it on purpose.

Not only reminding her of their relationship but also, knowing her disgust at Cui Wangshu’s contact with other women, explicitly declaring they would become intimate.

This revenge was worse than killing her outright.

Jiang Chenbi drew a deep breath, grinding her teeth. “Don’t call me sister.”

Cui Wangshu slanted a glance at her and let out a cold laugh, offering no response.

The carriage stopped in front of the Temporary Palace. Cui Wangshu reached out to pull Jiang Chenbi along, but she dodged fiercely. “Don’t touch me. I can walk myself.”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze chilled. She scooped her up, ignoring her struggles, and carried her down from the carriage. She warned, “Have you forgotten what I once told you?”

She could hit her, bite her—but not push her away.

Jiang Chenbi struggled in her arms, nearly falling. Cui Wangshu gritted her teeth and hoisted her over her shoulder.

The world spun, and Jiang Chenbi felt her stomach ache from the pressure. The bit of food she’d eaten that day nearly came up.

The guards at the Temporary Palace had never witnessed such a scene: Their Majesty shouldering a woman toward the Bedchamber Palace, the woman cursing Her Majesty all the while, yet Her Majesty not angry—instead, lightly laughing.

The guards kept their eyes straight ahead, though their hearts screamed in disbelief.

In the Bedchamber Palace, Cui Wangshu tossed Jiang Chenbi onto the bed. The palace maids, seeing this, tactfully withdrew.

Jiang Chenbi landed on the soft bedding, stars bursting in her vision. She frowned, clutching her stomach and head.

Damn Cui Wangshu—she wasn’t done with her!

Before Jiang Chenbi could recover, her wrist was seized, followed by a chill.

Peering through narrowed eyes, her soul nearly fled in fright.

A thick iron chain was locked to the bedframe at one end and to her wrist at the other.

The culprit loomed over her at the bedside, watching with keen interest, a vial of potion in hand.

Though Jiang Chenbi didn’t know what the potion was, she knew nothing good appeared at a time like this.

“Don’t—let’s talk this out. I spoke too loudly earlier.”

Jiang Chenbi kicked against the bed’s edge, retreating backward with a well-behaved expression on her face. She could bend and stretch as needed.

Amusement gleamed in Cui Wangshu’s eyes, hiding a trace of imperceptible tenderness. With a light laugh, she said, “You’re as slick and unwilling to suffer losses as ever.”

Jiang Chenbi swallowed. Who wanted to eat losses? In all her years, her specialty was bowing her head at the right time, then retaliating when the chance came.

Forcing a smile, Jiang Chenbi braced herself. “Can we just talk nicely?” No more rash actions.

Cui Wangshu stared at her, a meaningful smile playing at her lips. She uncorked the potion and poured it into her own mouth. Jiang Chenbi froze at the sight. Then, in the next second, Cui Wangshu leaned down.

She pried open Jiang Chenbi’s teeth and passed the potion mouth-to-mouth. Jiang Chenbi refused to swallow, so Cui Wangshu pinched her neck, applying slight pressure to force it down.

Jiang Chenbi retched dryly but couldn’t bring anything up. She cursed, “Are you insane? What is this?”

Cui Wangshu leaned closer, her throat bobbing. In a hoarse voice, she said, “Don’t you know?”

Jiang Chenbi was about to say how could she, when a wave of heat surged in her lower abdomen. Her strength drained instantly, and her legs clamped together involuntarily.

This… an aphrodisiac!

Cui Wangshu had drunk some too—half passed to Jiang Chenbi, half swallowed herself.

Facing Cui Wangshu’s near-obsessed gaze, Jiang Chenbi wanted to cry but had no tears. Powerlessly, she tugged at the shackle on her wrist, producing a “clang clang” sound.