Chapter 27: The First of the Dark Guards

  "What was Master Wang going to say to Yun Cong just now?" she asked in a soft voice, recalling the interrupted conversation.

  Zi Ruoye sat down beside him, looking a bit anxious and worried, "Yun Ning, are you afraid of being exposed?" Since she found out about her own poison, the night she took Yun Ning in, Zi Ruoye had secretly made arrangements for his future. She changed her official title, bought a house, and now business was booming. Her current poison was like a time bomb, not knowing when it would suddenly erupt and kill her. And Yun Ning had followed her for so long, according to the customs of the Imperial Family, men who married into the royal family were required to be buried with their wives after they died, unless they had an heir. This cruel tradition made Zi Ruoye's heart panic, so she only brought Yun Ning into the palace, but did not marry him.

  This is one, the second is that without hope, there will be no disappointment, and even less despair. After she died, Yun Cong had a small shop of her own, plus the secret guards she quietly sent to follow him, so no one would bully him. A few years after she died, when the rumors faded away, this useless and incompetent prince would no longer be a topic of conversation among people, then Yun Cong could find someone to marry or let someone into their family, everything was up to her.

  "Your Highness, why ask this? Yun Cong is just a mortal, how can he be afraid to show his face?" Perhaps in the past, when talking about his own identity, he would feel inferior. But since Your Highness hugged him and said that if anyone bullied him, she would cut down that person, he no longer worried about his own identity.

  Zi Ruoye's eyes sparkled with delight as she smiled in satisfaction, "This is good, this is good." She muttered to herself a few times. For now, she couldn't say anything yet. She had already arranged for her trusted guards to keep watch, and only when she left this world would he know everything she had planned.

  It's just that simple, even if the clouds gather in my heart and I try to understand the meaning of these four words, but suddenly I think of Liu Qingyou standing outside the door, and only then do I remind myself, "Your Highness, shouldn't you go out and receive your guest? Liu Gongzi has probably been waiting for a long time."

  "Hold on, hold on! Rushing out so quickly, wouldn't that make people think that I, the king, am... incompetent?!" A teasing and playful voice echoed, and Zi Ruoye gritted her teeth, determined to let Liu Qingyou wait a bit.

  Yun Cong's face, which had just managed to calm down, flushed pink again as she glared at Zi Ruoye with a hint of annoyance.

  "Hmm?" She looked at Yun Cong with a puzzled expression, "Beautiful lady is not satisfied, can't this king really satisfy you?" This won't do, this is a matter of the lady's reputation, making a show as if to pounce over, baring teeth and claws while making a face on the side, but it was all just thunder without rain.

  Yun Ning was amused by her appearance and couldn't help but laugh, but in her heart she was so angry that she wanted to poke his acupuncture points and scold him severely, just to teach him a lesson.

  Yun Cong almost laughed with his mouth open after being teased, and Zi Ruoye slowly walked into the main hall with a lazy pace.

  Liu Qingyou was getting angrier and angrier, and just as she was about to storm off in a huff, she saw the figure of Zi Ruoye walking towards her at a leisurely pace.

  "Liu Qingyou, why do you always find me when I'm busy?" Mingming was stared at by a pair of fiery beautiful eyes. Zi Ruoye, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, sipping wine while others drank tea. A faint flush rose to her cheeks, accompanied by a subtle, satisfied smile that hinted at her having just overheard an ambiguous and obscure romantic tryst.

  "Hmph! I didn't know you'd...!" The words trailed off, but the unfinished sentence made him blush with embarrassment. How shameless! Yet, gritting his teeth and with a tone that even he couldn't explain, "In broad daylight, you're really without any taboos!"

  Is everything allowed? He blinked, his eyes seeming to smile yet not quite smiling as he gazed at Liu Qingyu. For a moment, he wore an expression of mockery that Liu had never seen before. "Liu Qingyu, this is the Ye Wangfu. The place you accidentally stumbled into just now happens to be my main residence. No matter how broad daylight it is, this is still my own territory. You tell me, what's not allowed?"

  Upon hearing this, Liu Qingyou didn't respond with words and didn't want to get entangled in the matter. "What you said at noon today, say it again."

  She was used to his blunt and almost commanding tone, so Ye Ziruo didn't find it strange. She said softly, "I thought you would tell Li Yu about your feelings over the years, but when I saw him today, his face looked bad, so I knew something was wrong. That's why I want to ask you, what happened?"

  Why is it like this? He also wants to know!

  "It's not just you who's annoying me today! I'm uncomfortable seeing anyone! Unconsciously, I got into an argument with her." She refused to listen, as if she had a bad headache today, and actually defended Ye Ziruo, still staring at her with beautiful eyes, looking like it was all Ye Ziruo's fault.

  Alas... is it her fault again?

  "Alright." He always says nothing more than him, nor does he want to argue with him. "You should spend more time with Li Yu and get to know her better. As for what's going to happen next, no matter what I do, you just keep quiet." You'll find out what kind of person Li Yu is by spending more time with her, whether she's the right one for you or not. Let Liu Qingyou use his own eyes to confirm and his heart to feel it.

  "How can I see a woman?" She bit her lip, knowing that he was now engaged to her and couldn't possibly meet with another woman alone.

  "This... a rotten person has their own rotten ideas." Zi Ruoye, however, seemed to be drunk, half-closing her eyes, drinking the plum blossom wine, and smiling as she replied, once again returning to the state of being drunk and only knowing how to indulge in life's pleasures like the king.

  She called herself a rotten person, but Liu Qing's hand hidden in her sleeve tightened slightly, and she shouted angrily, "Don't be such a rotten idea! I'm leaving."

  Damn it! Why is he bothering me again? That rotten man, drunkard and lecher, isn't this kind of woman the one he hates the most?! Still always playing with men's emotions, he absolutely detests her. Easily ignoring the sourness rising again in his chest, he left the Wang Manor without looking back.

  Zi Ruoye slipped into the imperial study under the cover of a moonlit night, when the stars shone brightly in the sky, like a ghostly apparition. She knew that at this hour, Zi Yanran would certainly be staying in the imperial study to review memorials.

  "Your Majesty!"

  When Zi Ruoye called out to her, Zi Yanran looked up in surprise, seeing that Zi Ruoye was wearing a black night-traveling robe, with a black curtain embroidered with the bold and striking Mu Dan flower, representing the strongest power guarding the country of Zixuan in secret, the highest decision-maker.

  Who would have known that the dissolute and incompetent Ye Wangye, the Ye Wangye with no martial arts skills at all, was actually the leader of the 500 dark guards? The difference between heaven and earth is so great. Who knows, perhaps the person who shouted it out loud in their sleep should just wash up and go back to bed, and not have unrealistic dreams anymore.

  "Mushroom, why do you appear before me in this manner." Since Zi Ruoye stood behind Zi Yanran, she had established this rule. If she wore the night-traveling clothes, then they were not sisters, but ruler and subject. However, since the country was stabilized, Zi Ruoye had appeared before her without wearing these clothes.

  "I have a request to make." Zi Ruoye knelt down on one knee respectfully, knowing that if it were an ordinary day, Zi Yanran would definitely bring up Liu Qingyue and leave her speechless. But since she had changed into this outfit, it meant there was no room for turning back.

  "You say." Zi Yanran furrowed her brow, quietly waiting for her next words.

  "Please, Your Majesty, secretly grant a decree to Liu Qingyu, allowing him to clear his name and marry the woman of his choice." This way, if he has truly seen through Li Yu, he can marry someone else; or if he has given his heart to Li Yu, he can marry her instead. After all, this is just for her own merit after death.

  "Muxin, must you be so stubborn?" Ziyanran couldn't understand why Ziruoye had refused three times already. The imperial edict was already a done deal, and if she gave that edict to Liuqingyou, it would undoubtedly be a severe slap in the face for the royal family.

  "Your Majesty, I have something difficult to say, please grant me your favor." With her head lowered, and a tone that was different from her usual light and frivolous voice, she spoke with a steady and unshakeable determination. This imperial decree had been decided upon.

  "Muhou, if you don't explain the reason, not only will I not issue this imperial decree, but I'll also have you two get married ahead of schedule." Perhaps it was Purple Ye's attitude that had infuriated her, but Purple Yanran responded in an equally calm tone.

  Zi Ruoye let out a soft sigh, stood up and said, "Imperial sister, sometimes knowing the truth can increase the pain." Standing in front of Zi Yanran, she began to untie her clothes, revealing the secret she had hidden for so many years, it was time to tell her now.

  Whatever... It's better to tell Zi Yanran, just in case she suddenly dies one day and scares people. As Zi Ruoye took off her clothes layer by layer, Zi Yanran's eyes changed from astonishment, confusion, shock to... anger.

  Digression

  It's now Beijing time... 5:55. The fish has gone to sleep...

  Thank you kkaammee for the huge diamond!