“Huangfu girl.”
“Y-Yes!”
Huangfu Wenqing was tense to the extreme. Whatever Master Chen Xi said next would be the final judgment on her relationship with Yan Zhen.
She heard Master Chen Xi say:
“This Seat has heard about what you did in your previous life. Even if there were extenuating circumstances, it was still quite over the top.”
Huangfu Wenqing drooped her head in dejection.
“I’m sorry. This junior knows she was wrong.”
Master Chen Xi shook her head.
“You should say that to Zhen’er. Only he can decide whether to forgive you and accept you. If you’re sincerely repentant, This Seat won’t say another word. This Seat won’t forcibly interfere with your engagement or battle pact with Zhen’er. Everything will follow his will. Do you understand?”
Huangfu Wenqing’s beautiful eyes brightened. A relieved smile returned to her face as she hurriedly replied:
“Thank you, Master Chen Xi!”
“But there’s still one issue…” Master Chen Xi changed tack, her gaze shifting to Yun Xiu beside Huangfu Wenqing. “You must be well aware of Zhen’er’s entanglement with your master. What do you plan to do about it? This isn’t a trivial matter.”
Yun Xiu’s heart clenched. She looked toward her own disciple.
Her original plan had been to have Yan Zhen marry into Cloud Heaven Palace. First, it would prevent Huangfu Wenqing from calling off the engagement. Second, it would avoid further conflicts between him and Cloud Heaven Palace. And third, it was her own selfish desire.
But she never imagined that Jiu Youyue had also reincarnated—and that she planned to pull off the same “hero saves the beauty” act as in their previous lives.
Yun Xiu had wanted to stop that demoness, only to get schemed against instead. She was forced to play along, leading to another intimate moment with Yan Zhen—and even having her identity exposed to him.
Things had started spiraling out of control, and so had her heart.
On the way escorting him to the City of Water, Yun Xiu had told Yan Zhen that she could be his “secret lover” to soothe his emotions. But he clearly hadn’t taken it seriously.
So after returning, Yun Xiu had racked her brains and decided to send her disciple to Holy Land Academy for further studies. That way, the two of them could nurture their feelings.
From Wenqing’s updates during that time, their progress had indeed been promising. Yun Xiu had felt quite gratified.
That meant no matter who won or lost their duel, things would work out fine.
If Wenqing won, it would be ideal. Yan Zhen would marry into Cloud Heaven Palace and become one of their own—benefiting the sect’s development while allowing her to see him often.
If Wenqing lost, it wouldn’t be a big deal either. With their budding feelings, Wenqing wouldn’t reject marrying into the Yan Family, and Yan Zhen wouldn’t push to dissolve the engagement or cling to her instead.
What Yun Xiu hadn’t anticipated was that, beyond She Ji and Jiu Youyue, Ji Ya and Yi Xian’er had reincarnated too. In fact, everyone who was supposed to had—and they were all making moves on Yan Zhen, vying to become his wife.
Reincarnators came with memories of their past lives. Given their biases against Wenqing and Cloud Heaven Palace, they would never agree to Yan Zhen marrying in. They wouldn’t even accept Wenqing joining the Yan Family.
In other words, her entire plan had gone up in smoke.
Yun Xiu had come here not just to visit Yan Zhen but also to talk things over with She Ji and the others, smooth relations, and get them to accept Wenqing. But in the heat of the moment, it had all blown up.
She had even drawn Master Chen Xi’s ire and gotten scolded. Now she had to face the reality that both she and her disciple had fallen for the same man.
There was no escaping it anymore.
“Master Chen Xi, I—”
Yun Xiu had just opened her mouth when Huangfu Wenqing cut in.
“—To report to Master Chen Xi, I… I actually don’t mind.”
“Eh?”
Huangfu Wenqing glanced at her master. After a moment’s hesitation, she fidgeted and said:
“Well… My original plan was to let Master be the principal wife while I serve as the concubine. We, master and disciple, could serve Yan Zhen together like that…”
“Eh?”
Master Chen Xi stared blankly, clearly thrown off by the girl’s extraordinary line of thinking.
“Wenqing?” Yun Xiu gaped at her disciple, wondering if her ears were playing tricks. “W-What are you saying?”
Jiu Youyue covered her mouth with both hands and let out an exaggerated “Whoa~”.
“Little Wenqing, you’re something else! Actually offering Little Zhen Zhen a master-disciple feast. Such high awareness~”
Cai Lian, Ji Ya, and Yi Xian’er were all stunned.
In their minds, Huangfu Wenqing had always been that proud young lady. They’d never imagined such explosive words coming from her mouth!
This was master and disciple—a total taboo!
Master Chen Xi composed herself.
“Are you serious, Huangfu girl?”
Huangfu Wenqing bit her lip, summoning her courage to look up.
“Ever since reincarnating, that’s what I’ve thought… I like Yan Zhen, but I know Master likes him even more. I can’t fight her for him, and I don’t want to give up. Plus, Yan Zhen really likes Master too—just like in our previous life, he’d never abandon her no matter what. So the three of us together is the best solution.”
Her voice grew weaker as she spoke, since Yun Xiu was already glaring at her.
But bolstered by Master Chen Xi’s presence, Huangfu Wenqing pressed on.
“If Yan Zhen marries into Cloud Heaven Palace, he could occasionally pay respects to Master and such. Everyone would be blissfully happy…”
Hearing this, Master Chen Xi took a fresh look at the girl decked out all in green. Suddenly, she seemed much more agreeable.
Huangfu Wenqing’s words had sparked an idea. If master and disciple could share one husband, then sharing between masters and disciples wasn’t off-limits either.
—Not bad, not bad at all.
Cai Lian, Ji Ya, Yi Xian’er, even Long Ying and Aunt Mu all regarded Huangfu Wenqing with newfound respect. They suddenly understood why she favored that all-green outfit.
Yun Xiu, however, flushed with a mix of shame and fury. Her ample chest heaved dramatically, quite the sight.
She could share Yan Zhen with Jiu Youyue, or even She Ji—heck, with any woman she knew. But not Huangfu Wenqing.
After all the trials of their previous life, Yun Xiu had long come to see Huangfu Wenqing as her own daughter. They were master and disciple, practically mother and daughter. She’d poured her heart into her disciple’s happiness—how could they both marry the same man?
“You foolish girl! Talk about ‘honoring your teacher’—even suggesting Yan Zhen ‘pay respects’ to your master! You… You’re going to give your master a heart attack!”
Huangfu Wenqing looked utterly aggrieved.
“But Master, I don’t want you to be unhappy. You’ve given so much for me. I… I want to do something for you too.”
“You!”
Yun Xiu was too furious to speak. Seeing the knowing looks from the other women, her pretty face turned a deep crimson.
“Master Chen Xi, that girl’s just talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart.”
Master Chen Xi coughed twice, putting on a serious face.
“This is a matter between you master and disciple. If you can steel yourselves to it, This Seat certainly won’t stand in your way.”
Eh? Yun Xiu was dumbfounded. Did that mean Master Chen Xi wasn’t opposed?
Emboldened by the elder’s approval, Huangfu Wenqing grew even bolder.
“See, Master? Master Chen Xi agrees. That proves I’m right.”
Jiu Youyue chimed in with a cheer.
“Little Wenqing is so thoughtful. Who knew? Big Sis, don’t waste her good intentions. Team up with her for a big master-disciple feast for Little Zhen Zhen~”
Even Cai Lian let out a cold chuckle.
“You’ve raised a fine disciple, Yun Xiu. Willing to share even her husband. What an eye-opener for this queen!”
“…”
Now it was Yun Xiu’s turn to wish the ground would swallow her.
What a sin!
