Chapter 92: Shura Field Warning

Liu Yao stared at the woman and forced a smile. “Then you must know how to dodge them, right?”

The woman glanced at Liu Yao with interest and said faintly, “Dodge? They’re not watching any one person in particular, but everyone—especially you, madam, still wearing that veil…”

Liu Yao gritted her teeth. What was she supposed to do now?

Just then, the sound of drawn-out opera drifted in from outside. Liu Yao’s eyes lit up. She had an idea.

In the past two years, opera troupes had been performing all over the place. As the capital of Great Zhao, Jingcheng naturally had even more. All the great families and pleasure houses loved inviting troupes to perform, and today, there was one at the brothel.

The Imperial Palace had one too.

A little while ago, the queen of Yuan Kingdom had written to Cui Wangshu, proposing to send her princess over for a marriage alliance to strengthen ties between the two nations. Cui Wangshu had rejected the idea, but before her reply could be sent, word came that the princess was already on her way.

Cui Wangshu was irritated, but both courtesy and reason dictated she couldn’t just send the princess back midway. She had no choice but to wait for her arrival, explain things clearly, and then arrange an escort home.

The Yuan princess had arrived late last night. This morning, after court, Cui Wangshu hosted a banquet in the palace, with the stage performing Prosperous Moonlit Era to symbolize the enduring friendship between the two nations.

Cui Wangshu raised her cup and curved her lips. “Princess, welcome to Great Zhao for your visit. If there’s anything you need, just tell the palace maids. I’ll send someone over shortly. She’ll make arrangements for wherever you’d like to go.”

With that light remark, she brushed aside the marriage alliance and reframed the princess’s visit as mere tourism.

The princess bit her lip, staring at that noble, superior face. She wanted to say something, but met Cui Wangshu’s cold, warning gaze and fell silent.

When the queen had first told her she was to marry a woman, the princess had thrown a tantrum. But this morning, upon seeing Cui Wangshu’s ethereal, otherworldly beauty—like a descended immortal—she had been stunned for a long time.

Only afterward did she notice her own racing heartbeat. The princess shyly lowered her head, missing the flash of disgust in Cui Wangshu’s eyes.

The Yuan queen had presumptuously sent the princess without warning, which had already angered Cui Wangshu. She was holding back only for the sake of the new cooperation agreement just signed this year.

When she saw the blatant admiration in the princess’s eyes, Cui Wangshu couldn’t deny that a murderous impulse had stirred within her.

With a glance, Cui Wangshu shifted her gaze away to the performance on stage and said coolly, “I’ll write to the Yuan queen and make things clear. Princess, enjoy the sights of Great Zhao for now. Once matters are settled, someone will escort you home.”

The princess paled at her words. This was tantamount to holding her hostage.

Biting her lip, she couldn’t understand it. Her looks and figure weren’t peerless, but they weren’t bad either. Why was Cui Wangshu so vehemently opposed, willing to risk straining relations between their nations just to refuse?

“Your Majesty the Female Emperor, Yuan Kingdom is on good terms with Great Zhao. Have you considered the consequences of this?” The princess looked at her face and couldn’t help blurting out.

As a princess traveling thousands of li for a marriage alliance, only to be sent back in disgrace—what would Yuan’s people think of her?

Cui Wangshu’s expression didn’t change, but her gaze swept over coldly, her tone icy. “The one who should consider the consequences is Yuan Kingdom, not me.”

In recent years, Great Zhao had become the strongest nation, its territory expanding repeatedly. Only in the last two years had Cui Wangshu paused her ambitions toward Yuan for some recuperation. If the queen didn’t get the message, Cui Wangshu wouldn’t mind erasing Yuan from the list of neighboring states.

The Yuan queen had acted out of desperation to curb her ambitions with this marriage ploy, but she had no idea about things even Great Zhao’s own people didn’t dare mention these past five years. This had touched Cui Wangshu’s reverse scale.

The army needed reorganization lately, and Cui Wangshu didn’t want to start a war unless absolutely necessary—it would drain resources and make the people suffer.

Seeing the chill in her eyes, the princess swallowed hard. Remembering the queen’s warning not to anger Cui Wangshu, her earlier impulse turned to fear.

Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened slightly as she stood. “Amuse yourself as you please, Princess. I have matters at court.”

The princess nodded dazedly. By the time she came to her senses, she was drenched in cold sweat.

Back at Yangxin Hall, Cui Wangshu looked at Xun An, who had been waiting patiently, and raised a brow. “You’re back.”

Xun An lowered her eyes respectfully. “Your Majesty.”

Cui Wangshu walked further inside, with Xun An following. Once Cui Wangshu sat down, Xun An took a booklet from her bosom and presented it. “Your Majesty, this is the information I’ve gathered over this time.”

After Cui Wangshu ascended the throne, Xun An and Jiang Ci had stayed by her side. Both held third-rank official positions but handled no court affairs—instead, they managed her private matters.

The court officials knew the Female Emperor valued them far beyond their ranks and treated them with respect.

Cui Wangshu flipped open the booklet and scanned the contents, saying indifferently, “Drop the token investigation for now. A while back, Ji Yunwei mentioned a suspicious clinic at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain.”

“I suspect she’s been there all these years. I’ve already sent someone to check. You’ve worked hard—rest for now.”

Xun An was naturally aware Jiang Chenbi had returned. She nodded. “Yes.”

Last night, upon her return, Jiang Ci had vividly recounted running into Jiang Chenbi that day. Xun An’s heart had leaped into her throat when she heard Cui Wangshu had grabbed her sword to go find her.

Now, seeing Cui Wangshu so calm and composed, things between them must have eased somewhat.

Cui Wangshu looked up at her and curved her lips. “Jiang Ci’s resting lately too. Aren’t you seizing the moment?”

The two saw each other infrequently these days, but anyone with eyes could see the ambiguous atmosphere between them—just one push to break that window paper.

Xun An’s expression grew a bit unnatural. “Your Majesty…”

Cui Wangshu chuckled lightly. “Fine, fine, I won’t meddle. Once you two make it official, I’ll grant your marriage.”

Xun An’s gaze drifted aside, but she still said respectfully, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”

Cui Wangshu curved her lips. “Go rest.”

“Yes.”

At the Shangshu Residence, Jiang Chenbi sighed and lounged idly on the imperial concubine chair. With Cui Wangshu keeping her cooped up like this, she was bored to death.

Seeing her still lying there as if oblivious, a palace maid frowned and leaned in. “Your Majesty the Empress, you need to think of something…”

How could the Empress still be so relaxed with the Yuan princess here for a marriage alliance?

Jiang Chenbi frowned, puzzled. “Think of what?”

The palace maid bit her lip, exasperated, and embellished the story. “His Majesty met with the Yuan princess today and is drinking with her right now.”

Jiang Chenbi: ?

“State affairs— what’s the issue?” Jiang Chenbi was baffled. Cui Wangshu was the Female Emperor; wasn’t this normal?

Seeing her so lacking in crisis awareness, the palace maid worried for her. The Empress was so naive—what would become of her?

From now on, she’d keep a sharp eye out for every woman around His Majesty.

“The Yuan princess is here for a marriage alliance, Your Majesty the Empress.” The palace maid reminded her helplessly.

Jiang Chenbi: “……”

Her palms clenched involuntarily. Jiang Chenbi kept her expression neutral to avoid looking feral, but she couldn’t hold back. “Did she agree?”

The palace maid’s eyes lit up. “This servant doesn’t know, but His Majesty likes Your Majesty so much. If you disagree, surely Her Majesty will reconsider.”

Jiang Chenbi took a deep breath. Reconsider? Besides refusal, what else would Cui Wangshu consider?

But thinking of their current relationship—purely physical desire without love—Jiang Chenbi’s heart drummed with doubt. It was state business, after all. Might Cui Wangshu really agree?

Seeing her still hesitating, the palace maid grew anxious. “Your Majesty, you can’t just sit idly by. The princess has Yuan Kingdom behind her—what if Her Majesty makes her the new empress?”

Jiang Chenbi felt irritated and turned away. “It’s not as exaggerated as you say. Enough—go. Let me think.”

The palace maid sighed inwardly. With the Empress’s soft nature, if His Majesty took other consorts later, she’d be bullied for sure.

Jiang Chenbi furrowed her brow. She’d planned to talk things out with Cui Wangshu once Ying Lan’s investigation cleared up, but now results were pending, and here came this Yuan princess for marriage.

She pursed her lips and called the palace maid back. “I can’t leave the residence, but what if I want to go to the palace? Do I still need her permission?”

The palace maid nodded. “Her Majesty said you can go to the Imperial Palace anytime—no need to report.”

Jiang Chenbi blinked. “Find me a gauze dress, the ethereal, floating kind.”

The palace maid: !!!!! Was the Empress finally making a move?

At the vanity, Jiang Chenbi studied herself for a long time, dotting a mole at the corner of her eye. She nodded in satisfaction.

The palace maid saw the mole and held her breath at the beauty. “Your Majesty the Empress, like this, Her Majesty won’t be able to hold back.”

Jiang Chenbi’s ear tips reddened. She coughed lightly. “Let’s go.”

In the Imperial Palace, the Yuan princess sat sullenly in a pavilion in the imperial garden, brooding over whether angering Cui Wangshu today would bring trouble to her nation, and heartbroken over her icy attitude.

Was she really that bad?

So heartbreaking. The princess’s peripheral vision caught a flash of white, and she held her breath.

What a beautiful woman.

Jiang Chenbi stomped her foot lightly as she entered through the moon gate, not noticing the group in the distance. Irritated, she wiped the water from her body, with the palace maid coaxing her along.

“Your Majesty, why not go back and change?”

Earlier, while wandering nearby, Jiang Chenbi had spotted koi in the pond and forgotten her purpose. She’d crouched by the edge, poking at the fish with a twig. Who knew one would leap out, splashing her all over? Luckily, the water was clean and odorless.

But her outfit was already somewhat sheer; now soaked, it clung tightly to her skin, painting an alluring picture.

The princess watched that indescribably beautiful face and softly asked her attendant, “Who is that?”

The attendant eyed the familiar face, frowning. It looked a bit like the Divine Statue of the Empress, but there was an extra mole at the eye corner, and only one maid attended her. Probably not.

But who else could freely enter the rear palace?

“Perhaps… Her Majesty the Empress.” The attendant guessed. Who else could come and go from the rear palace?