Category: After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration]

Chapter 102: The Abandoned Little Emperor (6)

When Xiao Miyun woke up, most of the imperial physicians had left, and the palace servants, wary of the iron-blooded Regent, didn’t dare to approach her.

So, when the little emperor spoke, only the two of them could hear.

Looking at the killing god sitting by her bed, Xiao Miyun wanted to slap her sleepy self. How could she be so unguarded, letting anyone approach her without any defenses?

Now, this pervert was close again.

Thinking of this, she suddenly felt that her pain had vanished, all her attention focused on Su Mingxiu. She instinctively sat up, trying to move away. “Forgive me, Right Chancellor, Zhen was instructing the servants earlier, I didn’t know you were here, such trivial matters—”

“Your Majesty’s safety concerns everyone in the country. How can anything related to you be trivial?”

Su Mingxiu interrupted her casually.

At the same time…

The person lying in bed clearly felt the hand on her body move, the touch neither light nor heavy, devoid of any suggestive intent, yet it made her feel a surge of shame and mortification.

She instinctively reached into the quilt, trying to stop Su Mingxiu’s movements. “R-Right Chancellor…”

The child’s face was flushed like a blooming peach blossom, her beauty vibrant. Her soft, pleading tone was incredibly endearing.

She was truly skilled at using her looks to her advantage.

Weak, pitiful, pretending to be strong… It reminded Su Mingxiu of Suhui. A voice in her head told her that they only shared a similar appearance, this resemblance was probably just a coincidence.

Even if this was Suhui’s reincarnation, since Xiao Miyun didn’t have those feelings for her, she should let go of the past and treat Xiao Miyun as a complete stranger.

“Not feeling uncomfortable anymore?”

Su Mingxiu’s black eyes stared at Xiao Miyun, ignoring her attempt to stop her, her expression unreadable. But her soft voice only made Xiao Miyun feel even more uneasy.

The little emperor, originally holding Su Mingxiu’s hand, wanting to stop her, now hesitated, then finally let go timidly, as if submitting to her touch.

Her obedience would have evoked sympathy in any adult. But remembering the things Xiao Miyun had done behind her back, Su Mingxiu could only smile.

So she did.

There was a saying in the capital: When the Yama of Su smiles, officials lose their heads. This woman, when expressionless, actually seemed less dangerous than when she was smiling.

Xiao Miyun, seeing her alluring smile, imagined flowers blooming in the underworld. Her heart pounded with fear for her life, yet she couldn’t tear her gaze away from Su Mingxiu’s face.

Since she didn’t speak, Su Mingxiu’s touch became even more forceful, making Xiao Miyun gasp softly, a delicate moan escaping her lips.

“It hurts…”

Hearing her cry of pain, Su Mingxiu knew that this wasn’t just discomfort from her first period, the little bud was about to bloom into a flower, the little girl about to blossom into a woman.

There was no lust in her eyes as she declared calmly: “I’ll be staying here tonight.”

Her tone was that of an announcement, as if this imperial palace was her own backyard, she could go wherever she pleased.

Xiao Miyun felt a sense of foreboding, but after Su Mingxiu finished speaking, she could only swallow her refusal.

She forced a smile. “The Right Chancellor cares so much about state affairs, discussing them with Zhen late into the night, Zhen is deeply moved.”

Terrible acting.

Su Mingxiu commented inwardly.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t bother staying to watch the little emperor’s performance, which, in the modern entertainment industry, would be criticized as talentless.

But this was a private matter, and although Su Mingxiu could guarantee that she had no ulterior motives, she couldn’t guarantee that Xiao Miyun wouldn’t be taken advantage of by others if she left.

After all…

This little emperor had ambition and desire, but her methods were clumsy. Any cunning wolf could easily devour her whole.

Even though Su Mingxiu had purged the palace, the Xiao Zhou dynasty, having just experienced tyranny and chaos, still faced threats from within and without. Some regional lords still commanded their own armies, the Turkic forces loomed at the northern borders, and the new emperor and the Regent’s identities were unique. With both internal and external troubles, no one could truly relax.

Su Mingxiu clearly understood the Xu family’s scheme.

These aristocratic families had been entrenched in the country for centuries, their methods and secrets countless. No matter what Xiao Miyun’s intentions were, just one wrong move in this game of power could result in her being used as a breeding vessel by the Xu family, her child kept and she herself disposed of, giving the Xu family the perfect opportunity to install a new emperor.

Thinking of this…

Su Mingxiu looked at Xiao Miyun again, her gaze sweeping over her youthful, blossoming face, a hint of appreciation in her eyes.

“Why is the Right Chancellor looking at Zhen like this?”

Xiao Miyun pulled the blanket tighter, trying to control her gaze and ignore where the woman’s deadly hand was placed.

“Your Majesty is very beautiful.”

She heard the Prince of Zhenbei say this, her tone so simple and straightforward that Xiao Miyun wondered, Is she… complimenting me?

But she didn’t like being praised for her looks.

There was no shortage of beautiful women in the palace.

“Zhen… the Right Chancellor is also beautiful,” the little emperor replied.

Su Mingxiu didn’t mind her almost saying “Prince of Zhenbei.” Hearing the crackling of the candles in the hall, realizing that it was late, she waited for the palace maid to bring the prepared medicine. After someone tasted it, she brought it to the little emperor.

Xiao Miyun didn’t even dare to frown. She closed her eyes and drank the medicine. As she handed the empty bowl back, she heard Su Mingxiu’s gentle concern: “Is it bitter?”

The little emperor, having been “cared for” by Su Mingxiu many times, knew better than to take her seemingly kind words at face value. Otherwise, she might find a hidden blade beneath the sugar coating.

So she shook her head firmly. “It’s not bitter.”

The figure sitting by her bed was dressed in a bright purple silk robe, her long hair cascading down her back, an image of unparalleled elegance and unrestrained casualness.

From her appearance, it was clear that she had come to the palace in a hurry from the Zhenbei Manor, her hair even unbound, giving the impression that she was deeply concerned about the emperor.

But now, the little emperor she cared so much about watched as she picked up the candied fruits beside the medicine bowl, her slightly pale fingertips holding them delicately as she brought them to her lips.

One after another.

She didn’t even bother massaging Xiao Miyun’s aching areas anymore.

The little emperor watched in disbelief as the Prince of Zhenbei ate all the candied fruits meant to alleviate the bitterness of the medicine, then heard her casual comment: “The chefs in Your Majesty’s palace are quite skilled, it would be a shame to waste these.”

Xiao Miyun: “…”

She really wanted to curse.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t. She could only watch as the Prince of Zhenbei, having finished her candied fruits, pulled back the golden silk quilt on the dragon bed and lay down beside her.

Xiao Miyun’s entire body stiffened. As Su Mingxiu’s hand reached into the quilt, she said quickly: “Zhen is fine now.”

Su Mingxiu had originally planned to wait until Xiao Miyun was comfortable before sleeping. But now, hearing her evasive tone, she didn’t withdraw her hand. Instead, she pulled Xiao Miyun closer, a playful smile in her voice: “Since that’s the case, please return the favor and warm this minister up, Your Majesty.”

Xiao Miyun, who had felt warm and even slightly sweaty after drinking the medicine, now felt a chill as she was pressed against Su Mingxiu’s chest.

Was this mad king made of ice?

How could she be so cold?

She remained motionless, cursing inwardly, her hands clenched into fists under the quilt, trying to endure the cold. But as the chill on her back subsided, she unconsciously drifted off to sleep in the warm palace.

Only when Xiao Miyun’s breathing became even did Su Mingxiu withdraw her arm, her eyes opening to look at the person with their back to her. Her circulating internal energy calmed down, and she got out of bed.

As she moved, her fingertips, which had been warmed up under the quilt, became pale and cold again.

When the little emperor woke up the next day, the Prince of Zhenbei was long gone.

The little emperor’s fainting incident, which had caused a commotion in the Imperial Hospital, was finally resolved. And her coming-of-age ceremony was approaching.

Since she had no imperial consorts, the ceremony was handled by the Ministry of Rites. And because there had never been such a young empress in the dynasty’s history, the Ministry of Rites couldn’t find any precedents for celebrating a coming-of-age ceremony for an emperor, delaying the matter day after day, arguing about it during every court session.

Su Mingxiu sat on the gilded throne beside the dragon chair, her fingertips tapping the armrest rhythmically, her gaze fixed on the darkening sky outside, lost in thought. She didn’t seem to have any intention of interrupting the officials’ debate.

Xiao Miyun, dressed in her formal court attire, kept glancing at her. Seeing that the Regent wasn’t interested in the court proceedings today, she pursed her lips and voiced her agreement with the Grand Scholar from the Ministry of Rites’ suggestion.

As soon as the court session ended…

Su Mingxiu summoned the cabinet ministers and the six ministry heads to the Qinzheng Palace for a meeting. The emperor naturally accompanied her. Just as they entered, Su Mingxiu spoke: “The northern regions are suffering from a severe winter disaster this year. Even the capital has to set up relief stations for the victims. I want you to calculate how much the national treasury can afford to spend on military expenses.”

“This minister dares to ask, what war are we preparing for, Right Chancellor?”

“The Turkic forces,” Su Mingxiu replied concisely. “Three years ago, the Turkic leader, Zhao Yi Abu, was killed, and their tribes are now divided. Whether they reunite or not, this winter’s harsh climate will inevitably force them south.”

Even though the court hadn’t received any reports of war yet, Su Mingxiu knew that this battle was inevitable. Even if they didn’t engage in war now, the Xiao Zhou dynasty had to be prepared for a sudden Turkic invasion.

She was mentally reviewing the generals stationed at the northern border when she heard the pacifist faction among the cabinet ministers advise her against war. The country had just been reunified after a costly war, and with internal strife still rampant, they shouldn’t provoke external conflicts. Moreover, the national treasury was depleted this year. A war would be detrimental to the people.

The little emperor sitting beside her shifted slightly. Having sat motionless for a long time during the court session, she now wanted to stretch her legs.

Suddenly, Su Mingxiu turned to her and asked:

“What is Your Majesty’s opinion on this matter?”

Xiao Miyun: “?”

She felt a nervousness she had never experienced even in Cheng Qing’s lessons. Suddenly called upon by the Prince of Zhenbei, hearing the Ministry of Revenue’s report on the current state of the treasury, she calculated inwardly, knowing that if the Turkic forces invaded, the national treasury wouldn’t be able to sustain a war.

The best course of action was to temporarily endure this humiliation and negotiate peace with the Turkic tribes.

But Xiao Miyun, thinking about Su Mingxiu’s background, her military family, her hatred for foreign enemies, hesitated for a long time, then said simply: “We fight.”

Hearing this, a few ministers from the pacifist faction frowned, but they didn’t dare to show their disapproval too openly.

After all, they all knew the Prince of Zhenbei’s temper and understood that the emperor was only trying to please the Regent.

“How do we fight?” Su Mingxiu asked again.

Xiao Miyun instinctively looked at her. Although she didn’t like Su Mingxiu’s monopoly on power, she also knew that the Xiao Zhou dynasty’s military strength depended heavily on the Prince of Zhenbei and her soldiers.

Not receiving an answer, Su Mingxiu naturally understood what she meant. She chuckled softly.

Then, she said casually: “Courage without strategy is recklessness.”

Similarly, ambition without the ability to match it, sitting on this throne, was a dangerous burden.

The other ministers, hearing the Regent’s reprimand of the emperor, all lowered their gazes. After Su Mingxiu turned back to them, they all pleaded with her to consider the stability of the country and not to start a war.

Xiao Miyun didn’t say another word until the ministers left the Qinzheng Palace. Returning to the Qian Yuan Palace, her mood was foul. She didn’t even touch the newly prepared dishes from the imperial kitchen.

Ayue, seeing her bad mood, guessed that she had been angered during the court session. Dismissing the other servants, she tried to comfort Xiao Miyun, saying that her birthday was approaching, and she should be happy.

“Zhen naturally wants to be happy, but some people just insist on causing trouble.”

She was referring to Su Mingxiu, of course.

Clearly unwilling to share power, yet pretending to let her participate in political affairs, even reprimanding her in front of the court, Xiao Miyun was very unhappy.

“Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, everything will eventually be yours, just endure it for a little while—”

“Zhen is already enduring it.”

Ayue smiled faintly at her words. After a while, as if remembering something, she said hesitantly: “Your Majesty’s unhappiness naturally worries us, your servants. I heard there will be celebrations outside the palace for your birthday… would Your Majesty like to go and see?”

At the palace gates…

Su Mingxiu had her carriage stop. Seeing Sun Feiyan, who was on duty today, approaching, she waited for the general to stop at a distance and salute: “Wangye.”

“You’ve been stationed in the palace these days, enduring the little emperor’s whims, do you want to be transferred somewhere else?”

Sun Feiyan knew that nothing in the palace could escape Su Mingxiu’s eyes, but she still said: “His Majesty hasn’t made things difficult for this minister—we will obey Your Majesty and Wangye’s commands.”

The person behind the curtain looked at her for a while, then chuckled softly. “As you wish. But with His Majesty’s birthday approaching, the palace might be a bit chaotic. I’ll have to trouble General Sun to strengthen the security and protect the emperor.”

“It is this minister’s duty, I wouldn’t dare complain. Thank you for your concern, Wangye.”

Su Mingxiu nodded and lowered the curtain. The Zhenbei Manor’s carriage slowly rolled away, leaving the imposing palace walls behind.

West Palace.

Sun Feiyan, after finishing her duty, returned to her quarters. Remembering the Prince of Zhenbei’s instructions, she started checking the palace defenses, looking for any loopholes.

Under the candlelight, she stared at the map for a long time, then remembered the secret passages built during the Xiao Zhou dynasty.

The next morning, Sun Feiyan had her soldiers patrol the areas around these secret passages in disguise. It was a precautionary measure. Who knew that on the day before Xiao Miyun’s birthday, one of her subordinates reported that two palace maids, dressed in ordinary clothes, had been seen exiting one of the secret passages.

“Did you follow them?”

“Yes,” the subordinate replied. “We initially thought they were stealing palace treasures to pawn outside. But they only wandered around the city, eating and drinking, as if they just snuck out to have fun.”

After a pause, he asked: “Should we continue following them?”

Sun Feiyan stopped him and had someone confirm the emperor’s whereabouts. After a while, a soldier reported that the little emperor was unwell and resting in the Qian Yuan Palace, no one was allowed to enter.

“Unwell?”

With this little ancestor’s personality, if she was truly unwell, the entire Imperial Hospital would know by now.

Sun Feiyan guessed the truth and couldn’t help but rub her temples. She unfastened her armor and walked behind a screen. “Have someone continue following them, I’ll take over personally later.”

“Yes.”

The clever subordinate also guessed the truth and asked: “Should we inform the Zhenbei Manor?”

The person behind the screen was silent for a long time.

After a while, she said hesitantly: “Children are playful by nature, don’t disturb Wangye unless it’s something important.”

This little emperor already felt stifled. She constantly caused trouble in the palace. Sneaking out was probably just a way for her to relax. After all, she cherished her imperial power more than anyone.

Unless necessary, Sun Feiyan didn’t want to provoke her.

“Yes,” the soldier lowered his head and retreated.

Chapter 101: The Abandoned Little Emperor (5)

The shadow Su Mingxiu cast over the little emperor was so deep that she tossed and turned, unable to sleep for the rest of the night. She worried about the Xu family’s unfulfilled promise of soldiers, and the chipped corner of the pink jade landscape ornament.

When she finally drifted off, she dreamt of Su Mingxiu smiling faintly, pinning her hand to the table, and asking: “Which hand did you use?”

Xiao Miyun was jolted awake by the nightmare.

She felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave, her entire body chilled to the bone.

Ayue appeared by her bedside at some point, whispering that it was a day of rest, she didn’t have to attend court, and she could sleep a little longer.

Looking at the golden canopy above her, Xiao Miyun blinked, her mind clearing. Realizing that she didn’t have to face Su Mingxiu’s interrogation about her secret dealings with the Xu family, she breathed a sigh of relief, then asked Ayue to help her get up and prepare a bath. She hadn’t slept well all night.

After soaking in the petal-filled bathtub and washing away the lingering chill, she thought she had also washed away the shadows of last night.

But after changing into fresh clothes, Xiao Miyun discovered that without her orders, no one had dared to touch the mountain of gifts Su Mingxiu had left behind.

Those large and small wooden boxes filled the Qian Yuan Palace. Even without looking, she knew that they must be filled with rare treasures from all over the Xiao Zhou dynasty, gifts from Su Mingxiu.

If these gifts were from anyone else, she would have opened them excitedly. But they were from…

…the Prince of Zhenbei.

Her feelings were complex. After staring at the boxes for a while, she decided not to open any of them. As long as she didn’t look, she wouldn’t be tempted.

“Ayue, have someone—”

Just as she spoke, Xiao Miyun remembered the person who had helped Su Mingxiu thwart her plan and changed her words: “Have someone invite General Sun. Tell her Zhen has important matters to discuss with her.”

An hour later.

Sun Feiyan arrived from the training grounds, still in her armor. She casually handed her spear to someone outside the palace gates, then entered and, after greeting the little emperor, stared at the countless wooden boxes filling the hall.

Silence fell over the Qian Yuan Palace.

Xiao Miyun sat on the warm couch, a faint smile playing on her lips. “What, is General Sun unwilling to help Zhen? These are precious gifts from the Right Chancellor. If those clumsy palace maids were to handle them, and something happened, how would Zhen face the Right Chancellor?”

Any other general, even the most straightforward one, would be furious at such a blatant request to act as a laborer. They would have refused on the spot.

But Sun Feiyan only stood there silently for a moment. Hearing Xiao Miyun’s urging, she walked towards a nearby wooden chest and bent down without a word.

Ayue, hidden behind a curtain, quietly retreated, and other palace maids took her place.

Xiao Miyun, who had been planning to goad Sun Feiyan further, was surprised by her compliance.

She didn’t know what was inside this particular box, but it was one of the larger ones. Even though Sun Feiyan had braced herself, she still struggled to lift it.

After all, it had been carried in by soldiers from the Zhenbei Manor, it must be quite heavy.

Sun Feiyan instinctively loosened her grip slightly, and the box tilted downwards. Xiao Miyun, who had been sipping her freshly brewed tea, immediately slammed the lid of her cup down and shouted: “Don’t break my treasures!”

Last night’s tragedy couldn’t happen again!

Sun Feiyan, hearing the little emperor’s words, didn’t even flinch. As the edge of the box hit the floor, her fingers, still gripping it, were crushed beneath its weight, a cracking sound echoing in the air.

The little emperor winced.

Xiao Miyun’s eyes widened, watching Sun Feiyan’s fingers trapped beneath the box. She thought she heard the sound of bones breaking, and she instinctively felt a pain in her own hand.

She thought, I’m doomed.

It had been a prank, a way to vent her frustration. But now, if Sun Feiyan’s hand was crippled, and the news reached Su Mingxiu, the cunning Prince of Zhenbei would definitely read between the lines…

The little emperor, well-versed in political maneuvering, instinctively thought of this.

Then, a second thought arose…

She must be in a lot of pain.

But Sun Feiyan didn’t show any sign of distress, as if it wasn’t her fingers that had been crushed. She even tried to lift the box again.

A red bloodstain was left on the floor.

Xiao Miyun, watching her act like a puppet, suddenly felt bored and waved her hand dismissively: “Forget it, it seems General Sun isn’t suited for this task. Zhen will find some strong laborers.”

Sun Feiyan carefully put the box back and bowed, her voice calm. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

As she turned and left the palace, her right hand hanging by her side, dark red blood dripping from her fingertips, Xiao Miyun stared at her retreating figure.

Only after Sun Feiyan disappeared did she look away and instruct the palace maids: “Have the best bone doctor from the Imperial Hospital bring the finest medicine to the West Palace later.”

The palace maids acknowledged her order and retreated.

Xiao Miyun reached for her tea, intending to drink it. But her gaze fell on her own slender, delicate fingers, so different from Sun Feiyan’s. She was lost in thought for a moment.

“Your Majesty is so kind,” Ayue, who had reappeared beside her at some point, praised.

Xiao Miyun looked at Ayue’s ordinary, unremarkable face, her voice equally nondescript, and thought, If it weren’t for her, a woman like Ayue wouldn’t be able to survive in the palace.

It was said that life in the imperial palace was the best, but Xiao Miyun, having been born and raised within these walls, had seen too much filth. Beautiful women suffered tragic fates, treated worse than beautiful clothes, while ordinary-looking ones died unnoticed, like falling leaves.

She looked away and said, contradicting Ayue: “No.”

“A benevolent ruler in turbulent times won’t have a good ending. Zhen is not benevolent.”

Xiao Miyun thought, She simply didn’t want the news to reach Su Mingxiu, not out of any sympathy.

Outside the Qian Yuan Palace…

Sun Feiyan came out, her left hand taking her spear. After a few steps, she encountered a group of patrolling soldiers.

“General Sun!”

The leader of the group approached her, a seventh-grade military badge on his waist. As he reached her, he noticed the injury on her right hand. He was about to ask who had hurt her when he saw the palace behind her, his expression changing immediately.

“That little emperor again…”

He was a fellow countryman of Sun Feiyan’s, having fought alongside her through life and death. He felt indignant on her behalf: “A mere puppet, she only sits on the throne because of our Wangye’s support. If Wangye changes her mind one day, she won’t even have a whole corpse left. Just a bastard of the Xiao Zhou dynasty, General, as long as you give the order—”

His rambling was stopped by Sun Feiyan’s cold gaze.

“Finished?”

“Uh…”

“Either hold your tongue and receive a hundred lashes now, or finish your sentence and lose your head. Choose.”

Sun Feiyan planted her spear in the snow, tore a piece of cloth from her inner robe, and casually wrapped it around her injured hand. Seeing the soldier scurry away to receive his punishment, she also turned and left.

Upon returning to her palace, she heard that the emperor had sent an imperial physician. Her expression darkened, and she refused the physician’s treatment, not even accepting the medicine.

Xiao Miyun, lying on the couch in the Qian Yuan Palace, reading a book, heard the news and said with displeasure: “Let her be. It’s not Zhen’s hand that’s broken.”

That being said, she put the book aside, still feeling a lingering discomfort, both mentally and physically, even though she had almost forgotten about the nightmare.

Was it because the fruit she had eaten after lunch was too cold?

Or was she not dressed warmly enough?

Seeing Xiao Miyun unconsciously rubbing her stomach, Ayue asked if she was feeling unwell. The little emperor waved her hand dismissively: “It’s nothing.”

“Dr. Cheng’s lesson is about to start, Zhen has to finish reading this policy paper.”

Half an hour later.

Su Mingxiu, resting at her manor, heard that the little emperor had fainted in the Qinzheng Palace.

Qian Yuan Palace.

The imperial physicians were gathered around. Cheng Qing and his servant waited outside the palace. Thinking about the bloodstains on the chair where Xiao Miyun had been sitting, he wasn’t too worried.

After all, he knew exactly what those stains were.

Soon, the sound of carriage wheels rolling over the palace paths could be heard. Everyone in the palace knew who it was.

The palace maids and eunuchs of the Qian Yuan Palace lined up on both sides, their heads lowered respectfully, their gazes fixed on the fluttering hem of the Prince of Zhenbei’s robe.

As soon as Su Mingxiu arrived, the imperial physicians gave their diagnosis: the little emperor’s current condition was due to some old injuries from childhood, aggravated by recent stress, resulting in a severe reaction to her first menstrual cycle. She needed to take some medicine to regulate her body and keep warm, and she would recover soon.

Oh.

Su Mingxiu thought, So it’s her period.

Actually, with the imperial physicians attending to her, she didn’t need to stay here. After all, there was no apparent connection between Xiao Miyun and her lover from the previous world.

She didn’t need to transfer her affections to this little girl.

Despite this thought, Su Mingxiu still walked towards the inner chambers and saw the little emperor’s peaceful sleeping face.

Without those feigned flattery and fear, the little emperor looked much more pleasing to the eye.

And even more endearing.

Su Mingxiu warmed her palms with her internal energy, intending to pull the blanket up for the little girl, knowing that she would touch her skin, not wanting to startle her awake with her cold fingertips.

As expected, Xiao Miyun didn’t wake up.

But as Su Mingxiu’s fingers withdrew, Xiao Miyun mumbled in her sleep: “Stomach ache…”

Such weak defenses, and she wants to fight against the original owner? Su Mingxiu looked down at her sleeping face, this thought crossing her mind.

But perhaps Xiao Miyun’s coquettishness was too natural. After the little emperor mumbled a few more times, the woman sitting by the bed finally reached into the quilt and, through her clothes, started massaging her stomach.

The imperial physicians and palace maids nearby pretended to be invisible.

Ayue, who had been staying away from Su Mingxiu, looked up and stared at this scene for a long time, a strange glint in her eyes.

Su Mingxiu vaguely sensed the gaze, but she didn’t see anything when she looked up.

The sleeping little emperor was difficult to please. As soon as Su Mingxiu’s hand moved away, she would whimper in pain, clingy and coquettish.

By the time it was dark outside, Su Mingxiu still hadn’t left the palace.

She hadn’t planned to stay, but the sleeping person grabbed her wrist, and in her half-asleep state, unconsciously pulled Su Mingxiu’s hand upwards, past her abdomen, to a softer place.

“Massage this too…”

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu froze.

Perhaps because of her relationship with the mermaid in the last world, and her own unique constitution, she had almost forgotten the various symptoms a girl might experience during her first period.

Some couldn’t sleep from the pain all night, some had backaches…

Breast tenderness was indeed one of the possible symptoms.

But looking at Xiao Miyun’s face, she felt torn, not knowing whether to help or not.

Xiao Miyun, soothed by her gentle massage, had woken up slightly, but she didn’t realize that the person beside her was Su Mingxiu. So, still relaxed, she kept her eyes closed.

Only her soft voice carried a commanding tone:

“Hurry up…”

Why was Ayue so slow today?

Besides, she didn’t mind, what were these palace maids so concerned about?

Xiao Miyun lazily opened one eye, her hand still holding Su Mingxiu’s wrist. Her words were faster than her thoughts: “Zhen pardons you, quickly—”

Before she could say “massage,” she was met with those deep, black eyes.

The little emperor was instantly speechless. Su Mingxiu, her eyes lowered, replied with a playful smile: “Then this minister shall obey your command?”

Chapter 100: The Abandoned Little Emperor (4)

The fiery red fox fur cloak draped over the couch, revealing the bright yellow imperial robes beneath. Xiao Miyun, the most esteemed person in the Xiao Zhou dynasty, sat before Su Mingxiu. She shouldn’t have to fear anyone.

But her youthful face was filled with unconcealable fear.

Like a rabbit caught in a hunter’s trap, her eyes and nose red with fright, her weak spot held captive, she remained motionless, resigned to her fate.

Su Mingxiu, remembering the Xu family’s plan and looking at Xiao Miyun’s current state, even though she guessed that with Xiao Miyun’s intelligence, she probably wasn’t truly interested in the Xu family’s offer and was merely stringing them along, she still felt a surge of displeasure—

She loosened her grip slightly, then lifted Xiao Miyun’s chin, her deep gaze scrutinizing the familiar face, her eyes like sharp blades, dissecting the little emperor’s delicate features.

Xiao Miyun didn’t even dare to breathe loudly, a thin layer of sweat appearing on her forehead, whether from the pain earlier or from fear now, she didn’t know.

She didn’t even dare to meet Su Mingxiu’s eyes.

Nor could she guess what the Prince of Zhenbei was thinking.

If Xiao Miyun didn’t share Suhui’s appearance, Su Mingxiu might not have been so angry. She knew that the original owner’s plan was to gradually transfer power to the emperor. Her own sensitivity to cold, her uninhibited intrusion into the Qian Yuan Palace in the middle of the night, only served to send a clear message to the court:

Xiao Miyun was nothing more than a puppet in her hands, a tool for her to control the imperial court.

“What… is your relationship with her?”

Su Mingxiu’s voice was very low, almost a murmur, as if she didn’t expect an answer from Xiao Miyun.

As expected…

The little emperor only looked at her with wide, innocent eyes.

The Prince of Zhenbei, who had entered the palace late at night, wasn’t wearing her usual purple official robes, a symbol of power and authority. Instead, she was dressed in dark black, which made her skin appear even paler, colder than the melting snow outside the palace.

Xiao Miyun looked at her pale fingertips, wondering if this woman was a spirit descended from a snowy mountain. Otherwise, how could she explain her frail appearance yet possess such power to change dynasties?

“Forget it.”

Su Mingxiu muttered to herself and released Xiao Miyun’s ankle. Two bright red marks were left on the little emperor’s delicate skin, more tender than a flower.

Her right ankle, as if subjected to torture, was slightly swollen where it had been gripped.

The moment Su Mingxiu let go, the little emperor quickly retracted her foot. But recalling Su Mingxiu’s words, “Forget it,” she had a bad feeling. She wanted to cultivate her own power under Su Mingxiu’s protection, to eventually control this vast empire, but she wasn’t ready to challenge Su Mingxiu directly.

Her wings hadn’t fully grown, how could she leave the nest?

So, ignoring the pain in her ankle, Xiao Miyun forced a smile and even moved closer to Su Mingxiu, as if overcoming her instinctive fear, trying to appear affectionate.

“Right Chancellor… is something troubling you?”

Su Mingxiu didn’t answer. She was about to leave when her gaze fell on Xiao Miyun’s injured ankle. Finally realizing that she had used too much force and hurt the child, she instructed the palace maid waiting discreetly nearby to fetch medicine from the Imperial Hospital.

“It’s… it’s nothing… Zhen isn’t injured,” Xiao Miyun, truly frightened by Su Mingxiu’s unpredictable temper, only wanted to know why this killing god had come to the palace so late at night, and what she had been muttering to herself earlier. “Did Zhen do something wrong? Did Zhen disappoint the Right Chancellor?”

“No.”

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, a playful smile appearing on her lips. When she wasn’t smiling, she seemed cold and aloof, untouchable. Now, with this gentle smile, she seemed even more unfathomable.

Hearing her answer, Xiao Miyun relaxed slightly, thinking that even the all-powerful Su Mingxiu must have her blind spots. Her meetings with Xu Yan hadn’t been frequent, it shouldn’t have been such a coincidence.

As the medicine was applied to her skin, Su Mingxiu’s touch was exceptionally gentle, the pain within Xiao Miyun’s tolerance. Her thoughts raced, and she gradually relaxed.

Until Su Mingxiu’s gaze fell on her waist, noticing an exquisite pouch, and casually commented: “Why aren’t you wearing the jade pendant with the dragon pattern you used to like?”

Xiao Miyun, who had been drowsy from the warmth of the Qian Yuan Palace after being outside in the cold for so long, was instantly jolted awake. She let out a dry chuckle and replied: “Zhen prefers the craftsmanship of the Weaving Bureau recently, so Zhen had them put the jade pendant away.”

She discreetly observed Su Mingxiu’s expression, trying to detect any clues. But the person with downcast eyes seemed more interested in her injury, her full attention on massaging Xiao Miyun’s ankle, even warming it up.

Only after a palace maid presented a warm towel did the Prince of Zhenbei slowly wipe the remaining medicinal oil from her hands.

Suddenly…

Sun Feiyan’s voice came from outside the palace. “This minister has urgent matters to report to Your Majesty.”

Xiao Miyun instinctively looked at Su Mingxiu, her relaxed state vanishing, replaced by tension. Having just returned from General Sun’s residence, knowing how much the general avoided her, Sun Feiyan requesting an audience at this hour… It must be on Su Mingxiu’s orders.

Meeting her gaze, Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Why is Your Majesty looking at this minister like that?”

The little emperor cursed her inwardly for pretending but had to say in a welcoming tone: “It’s freezing outside, and General Sun has an old injury, quickly invite her in.”

Sun Feiyan entered, carrying a chill with her. She was met with the little emperor’s friendly smile, then shivered under her armor, enveloped by the warmth of the Qian Yuan Palace.

But it wasn’t noticeable. She respectfully saluted both of them, first the emperor, then the Right Chancellor, and, without indulging her curiosity, reported directly: “Your Majesty, our scouts have reported that the Xu family is hiding three thousand guards at their manor outside the city, posing a potential threat to the capital—”

Xiao Miyun’s eyelids twitched.

She heard Su Mingxiu ask with a smile: “Oh? Is that the Pingyang Xu family who abandoned the former emperor and fled? Now, returning with such fanfare, could it be that they intend to hold the emperor hostage and control the court?”

Before Xiao Miyun could understand what they were doing, Sun Feiyan beckoned someone behind her, who presented a tray. On it lay a bloodstained jade pendant, its intricate pattern making Xiao Miyun instinctively clutch the bedding to steady herself.

It was the dragon-patterned jade pendant she had just claimed to have put away.

“This minister also found Your Majesty’s imperial token on one of the people leaving the manor.”

As Sun Feiyan’s voice fell, the Prince of Zhenbei’s gaze, filled with suspicion, landed on Xiao Miyun. “Oh? What a coincidence. Just now, Your Majesty told me that you prefer the pouches from the Weaving Bureau these days, so how did this jade pendant end up in the hands of someone outside the palace?”

Within seconds, Xiao Miyun realized that her plan to collude with the Xu family and gain control of her own guards was about to be exposed. Now, the most important thing was to protect herself.

So she slammed her hand on the table beside her without hesitation. “Audacious thieves! They dare to infiltrate the palace and steal the emperor’s belongings! This is outrageous! Right Chancellor, General Sun, please thoroughly investigate this matter! Zhen’s safety depends on you!”

Sun Feiyan kept her head lowered. Even without looking at the little emperor’s expression, she could guess the relationship between Xiao Miyun and the Xu family. She was only surprised by Xiao Miyun’s ability to turn her face so quickly.

She thought of the saying, The most ruthless place is the imperial palace.

As a rare thought crossed General Sun’s mind, Su Mingxiu also observed Xiao Miyun’s change in expression. But the smile on her lips didn’t change, making it impossible to tell if she believed Xiao Miyun or not.

“Since Your Majesty has given the order, we dare not disobey—”

“The Xu family is hiding guards outside the capital, spying on the palace, and stealing imperial artifacts. They clearly harbor rebellious intentions. In Your Majesty’s opinion, what should be their punishment?”

Xiao Miyun couldn’t care less about her injured ankle now.

She only regretted that Su Mingxiu hadn’t hit her hard enough to knock her unconscious. Now, she had to break her own barely grown wings with her own hands.

But she didn’t dare to hesitate. As if under a spell, her gaze fixed on Su Mingxiu, she heard her own clear voice answer the Prince of Zhenbei’s question: “They shall be charged with treason.”

“Their entire clan shall be executed.”

She saw the woman in black smile even wider, as if hearing her favorite part of a song, a hint of pleasure in her eyes. Her voice was light as she said: “Did you hear that, General Sun?”

“This minister obeys the decree,” Sun Feiyan lowered her head even further.

As she retreated, she heard the Prince of Zhenbei’s further instructions: “Wait, please carefully investigate the shady dealings within the palace, General Sun—”

As she spoke, Su Mingxiu’s voice was still gentle, even looking at Xiao Miyun with concern: “Since the Xu family dares to reach so far, we should carefully investigate who else in the palace harbors such rebellious intentions. Cut off every finger that reaches out, break every inch that extends.”

Xiao Miyun couldn’t help but feel her hands turning cold.

She moved her hands under her sleeves.

She didn’t know if Su Mingxiu had noticed.

In any case, as the Prince of Zhenbei stood up, she casually glanced at the jade pendant and said to Xiao Miyun, as if discussing with her: “Some old things, once they’re dirty, should be thrown away.”

“Your Majesty’s birthday is approaching. I’ve already had people deliver the gifts to the palace. You can see if there’s anything you like.”

She waved her hand, and seemingly out of nowhere, soldiers from the Zhenbei Manor streamed in, carrying countless gifts, filling the entire Qian Yuan Palace.

Countless treasure chests awaited Xiao Miyun, but she could only watch helplessly as the decisive Prince of Zhenbei dismantled her plan in an instant, delivering a crushing blow, then leaving her with a mountain of gold and silver.

Xiao Miyun sat on the couch, the blush on her face still lingering, even the wet marks on her pants hadn’t dried yet.

After Su Mingxiu left, she angrily kicked a small wooden chest in front of her. The chest toppled over, and the sound of shattering jade echoed from within.

Xiao Miyun: “…”

She quickly opened the chest and saw that the corner of the pink jade carving of the Peach Garden had been broken.

For some reason, she felt even angrier.

Ah!

Chapter 99: The Abandoned Little Emperor (3)

Hearing his saccharine tone, Xiao Miyun felt a surge of disgust. She was distracted by thoughts of Su Mingxiu.

Although the mad king was unpredictable and often overly affectionate, she usually wouldn’t act so disgustingly without provocation.

Lost in thought for a moment, she saw the Xu family’s eldest son open his arms.

Xiao Miyun subtly avoided his embrace, glancing at the slightly open palace door behind him, and asked with feigned concern: “Brother Xu, did you see anyone on your way here?”

Unable to get close and only catching a whiff of the faint dragon “ambergris”, a rare and precious fragrance on her, Xu Yan felt a pang of regret. But this little emperor was undeniably beautiful, pampered with the finest food and clothing in the palace. It was hard to find such a beauty in the entire Xiao Zhou dynasty after the ravages of war.

Thinking of his family’s plan, and captivated by Xiao Miyun’s beauty, Xu Yan suppressed his desire and put on a gentle façade, reassuring her: “Don’t worry, I’m always discreet.”

Sensing his predatory gaze soften slightly, Xiao Miyun moved closer, but she maintained a certain distance, making him feel like she was within reach, yet he didn’t dare to pull her into his arms, only watching her longingly.

Xiao Miyun knew that the Xu family was considered a traitor to the former dynasty. Not only had they fled before the fall of the capital, but they had even sent envoys to Su Mingxiu’s rebel army to pledge their allegiance—

Unfortunately, their timing was poor, and they hadn’t earned Su Mingxiu’s trust, not even contributing to the final victory.

She listened to Xu Yan’s plan. As long as she helped the Xu family regain their position in the court, they would offer their privately trained soldiers as her personal imperial army.

Xu Yan’s words were sugar-coated, his gaze fixed on Xiao Miyun in the dimly lit side palace. “Then, we won’t have to meet like this anymore. I’ll enter the court as Prime Minister and help you achieve great things.”

Xiao Miyun was deeply moved, her eyes meeting his, tears welling up. But inwardly, she was thinking, I wonder how your Xu family, the masters of switching sides, would act before the Zhenbei Manor.

But it didn’t matter. The Xu family wasn’t a particularly powerful force among the aristocratic families. With Su Mingxiu’s current status, she probably wouldn’t be interested in such sycophants.

But their three thousand privately trained soldiers…

…were exactly what she needed.

As the sky outside the Tangquan Palace darkened, Xiao Miyun bid farewell to the Xu family’s eldest son and left the side palace. She met the palace maid who was always waiting outside. This was someone she had shown kindness to in the past, responsible for her daily needs, one of her own. When Su Mingxiu was around, to avoid this maid being executed for any perceived slight, which would require her to train a new confidante, Xiao Miyun never let her attend their meetings, protecting her until now.

Xiao Miyun wasn’t one for elegant names, simply calling her “Ayue.”

Ayue told her that no one had passed by earlier. Xiao Miyun nodded and left the palace with her. Before they even reached the imperial carriage, her shoes and socks were soaked from the snow on the secluded path, but she didn’t show it. Only after returning to the Qian Yuan Palace did she call for warm water.

After changing her socks, Xiao Miyun glanced at the snacks beside her, casually picking one up and taking a bite. She suddenly asked: “Is this a new creation from the imperial kitchen?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Bring another plate. The Imperial Tutor, Dr. Cheng, will be arriving in a moment. I remember his grandmother loves sweets, have him take some with him when he leaves.”

Ayue lowered her eyes and praised in a timely manner: “Your Majesty is so kind and thoughtful, Dr. Cheng will be deeply grateful.”

A smile appeared on Xiao Miyun’s lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

This Imperial Tutor, Cheng Qing, was one of the few remaining scholars from the former Xiao Zhou dynasty. His grandfather, when Su Mingxiu’s rebel army entered the capital, had declared his unwavering loyalty to the former emperor and chosen death, martyring himself for the fallen dynasty.

The Cheng family had been scholars for generations, remaining loyal even during the previous emperor’s incompetent reign, earning the emperor’s disfavor. Cheng Qing’s father had also died unjustly due to the emperor listening to the eunuchs’ slander.

Now, the Cheng family had fallen from grace, with only Cheng Qing remaining as the direct descendant. When Su Mingxiu enthroned Xiao Miyun, he was the first to offer his support. Now, as a Grand Scholar, he had become a pillar of the scholarly faction. No one knew what he was truly thinking.

But it was foreseeable that many would criticize him behind his back, accusing him of betraying his family and calling him a traitor.

Xiao Miyun thought about all this, then about this silent, unsmiling Grand Scholar. Although she knew he was difficult to please and, having experienced such a drastic change in his family’s fortunes, was probably a scheming person, he was still a capable official, someone she could try to win over.

As long as they weren’t those who had risen from the ranks with Su Mingxiu, Xiao Miyun wouldn’t let go of any potential allies. She would not only befriend Su Mingxiu’s enemies but also those within Su Mingxiu’s own faction.

Cheng Qing, courtesy name Wanli.

When the young man arrived at the Qinzheng Palace, Xiao Miyun had just returned from outside. After greeting him politely, she showed none of the timidity she displayed before Su Mingxiu, nor the subtle seductiveness she used with Xu Yan. She was even more courteous than the students at the Imperial Academy.

Cheng Qing, like most scholars, had a scholarly air about him. After greeting the little emperor, he began his lesson, not treating her differently because of her gender or age, his manner proper and respectful.

However…

After finishing his lecture on imperial history and assigning homework, the inkstone before Xiao Miyun had long dried. Because of her special status, Su Mingxiu hadn’t assigned her any study companions.

And the palace maids attending her weren’t allowed to listen to these lessons. So, in the Qinzheng Palace, in this space designated for her studies, Xiao Miyun always ground her own ink and prepared her own paper.

Now, as Xiao Miyun leaned forward, one hand holding her sleeve, the other carefully grinding the ink stick, her lowered head and focused expression, accentuated by her light makeup, gave her a youthful, almost childlike appearance, like a child trying to act mature.

It was endearing.

But the more she tried to appear strong, the more she resembled a little kitten when she accidentally broke the ink stick, splashing ink on her nose, then hurriedly wiping it away, leaving a smudge.

Cheng Qing, seeing her slightly embarrassed apology, suddenly remembered a small kitten he had seen outside the Cheng residence when he was young. Smaller than his palm, thin and weak from the cold, it had huddled in a corner, shivering in the wind, meticulously licking every inch of its fur clean.

Xiao Miyun replaced the broken ink stick with a new one, holding her sleeve and slightly raising herself on tiptoe to reach the inkstone. The smudge on her nose had already dried.

But she didn’t notice. Cheng Qing, however, watched her for a long time. As she started writing, he silently took over the inkstone and started grinding the ink for her.

The little emperor seemed startled. She put down her brush, wanting to do it herself, but Cheng Qing simply said: “Focus.”

So Xiao Miyun could only watch his movements, her eyes wide. She picked up her brush again, her writing now faster, but her handwriting was still neat and elegant.

The howling wind and snow outside had stopped at some point, the palace lanterns illuminating the courtyard. After finishing her homework, Xiao Miyun instructed a palace maid to bring the pastries and watched as Cheng Qing’s figure disappeared down the path, a trail of footprints left on the snow-covered ground.

Ayue had been waiting outside the palace. Now, seeing her emerge, she silently draped a cloak over her shoulders. Noticing the slight curve of Xiao Miyun’s lips, she couldn’t help but comment: “Your Majesty seems to be in a good mood today.”

“Yes,” Xiao Miyun touched the bright red fox fur cloak, her breath forming a white mist in the air. “It was like ‘mountains and rivers doubtlessly end the road’—” (A line from a famous poem)

This Cheng Qing was like a stone, difficult to win over.

Unexpectedly, today, it was like “the willows darken, then flowers brighten another village.” (The next line from the same poem, meaning a sudden turn of events leading to a brighter future)

Xiao Miyun, having managed to crack a stone, felt a sense of accomplishment. After dinner, she decided to go out and “tease the cats and dogs” to aid her digestion. But these “cats and dogs” were in the Liuyun Palace on the west side of the imperial palace.

This was the residence of Sun Feiyan, the commander of the imperial guards, whose official rank was only fifth grade. But because she was Su Mingxiu’s confidante, her influence extended throughout the entire palace, making her status far more significant than her rank suggested.

To put it bluntly, if Su Mingxiu wanted to dispose of her, the puppet emperor, she only needed to give an order, and Sun Feiyan could enter the Qian Yuan Palace and take Xiao Miyun’s head while she was sleeping.

Xiao Miyun couldn’t quite grasp Su Mingxiu’s temperament, but she had gleaned some clues from her madness. She had carefully studied the stories of the Prince of Zhenbei, knowing that her life experiences had made her hate the Xiao Zhou dynasty. But the Su family’s unwavering loyalty must have left some mark on her…

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have placed Xiao Miyun on the throne after overthrowing the previous dynasty, instead of claiming it for herself.

The little emperor knew that everything she had was bestowed upon her by Su Mingxiu, giving her this chance to taste ultimate power. But having ascended to this position, who would willingly return to the dust?

She didn’t dare to rely entirely on Su Mingxiu’s unpredictable mercy. She could only strengthen her own wings while the mad king still had some affection for her.

Xiao Miyun didn’t want to live a life at another’s mercy again.

“General Sun, your swordsmanship is impressive.”

Now, standing outside the Liuyun Palace, having watched Sun Feiyan practice the Sun family’s sword technique in the empty courtyard, a lonely clap echoed in the air.

Sun Feiyan turned around and, seeing her, couldn’t help but frown. She was a meritorious official who had followed Su Mingxiu since the rebellion, but because she was too straightforward and not good at socializing with officials, Su Mingxiu had placed her in this position.

Now, seeing the little emperor, she felt a headache. The new emperor, who spoke to the Prince of Zhenbei with a voice sweeter than a songbird, had never shown such a good temper to her. She acted like the most spoiled child in the world, often making Sun Feiyan’s hand itch with the urge to draw her sword.

But this wasn’t someone she could touch.

So she could only endure.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Sun Feiyan gave her a proper salute in the snow. The sweat from her warm-up hadn’t dried yet, and her knees landed directly on the wet ground.

Xiao Miyun waited for her to kneel for a while before casually saying “You may rise,” then praised the Sun family’s swordsmanship with a smile. Then, she changed the subject, talking about the nightmares she had been having recently in the Qian Yuan Palace.

Sun Feiyan, impatient by nature, had no patience for her rambling. After figuring out what she meant, she said directly: “I will strengthen the security around the Qian Yuan Palace and have soldiers guard you at night, Your Majesty. You needn’t worry.”

“Soldiers can only protect me in the real world, how can they protect me in my dreams?” The little emperor asked with a smile.

“Uh…” Sun Feiyan closed her mouth obediently, waiting for the inevitable request.

As expected, Xiao Miyun continued slowly: “Why don’t you teach me the Sun family’s sword technique, General Sun, so I can defend myself against those evil spirits in my dreams? How about it?”

Not good.

Sun Feiyan’s frown deepened, her heroic face clearly showing her reluctance.

“What, do you think Zhen is not worthy of your family’s sword technique?”

The smile on Xiao Miyun’s face disappeared.

The female general, her head lowered, instinctively replied, “I wouldn’t dare.” She didn’t want to agree to Xiao Miyun’s whim, but she couldn’t find a reason to refuse either. After a while, she only managed to say: “Swords are dangerous… Your Majesty is… too precious…”

“Pfft,” Xiao Miyun was amused by her clumsy attempt at formality. She walked closer, arms crossed, the faint scent of flower petals from her bath, mixed with the dragon ambergris incense, assaulting the general’s keen sense of smell. “I understand, you’re afraid of injuring Zhen, and Zhen will go complain to the Right Chancellor, is that it?”

The bright moon shone through the clouds, illuminating the heavily guarded west side palace.

It also illuminated the little emperor’s face, making it even more radiant. The fiery red fox fur contrasted with her delicate features. Sun Feiyan could even see the cunning glint in her eyes.

She unconsciously held her breath.

Then, she felt a pain in her knees.

She didn’t know if it was from kneeling in the snow earlier or because she remembered the hundred lashes she had received at the palace gates during her first month in the palace, after the little emperor’s whiny complaints, which had aggravated an old injury.

Sun Feiyan quickly lowered her eyes, refusing to look at the little emperor, and replied calmly: “I wouldn’t dare.”

Hmph.

Xiao Miyun thought, These generals are so straightforward, even their lies are so clumsy… If only Su Mingxiu, who also came from a military family, was this easy to deceive.

Thinking of this, she raised her chin. “Then I shall reward you by learning the Sun family’s sword technique. You should cherish this honor, General Sun, not everyone has this privilege.”

“Uh…” Sun Feiyan knew that she had no choice but to accept this loss, so she stopped struggling and started explaining from the basic horse stance, intending to let the little emperor experience the hardship of martial arts training.

But soon, when the little emperor questioned if she was deliberately making things difficult, General Sun could only try to break down the movements.

“Ah!”

When Xiao Miyun’s cry rang out, as she twisted her foot, Sun Feiyan thought with a deadpan expression, How many lashes will I get tomorrow?

Her instincts were faster than her thoughts. She squatted down, wanting to check Xiao Miyun’s injury, but Xiao Miyun stepped on her shoulder, pushing her into the snow. Looking at the stained armor, Xiao Miyun burst out laughing: “Hahaha, just kidding!”

She probably wouldn’t play such a prank on anyone else. But this Sun Feiyan was the one who had charged into the palace and tried to kill her, the descendant of the previous dynasty, with a sword—

Satisfied with her “teasing the cats and dogs” achievement for the day, she turned and left, returning to the Qian Yuan Palace.

Sun Feiyan, looking at the half boot print on her shoulder, remained silent, her sword in hand, her expression hidden in the shadows of the courtyard.

The little emperor, humming a tune, returned to the warm Qian Yuan Palace. She hadn’t felt the cold while playing outside, but now, enveloped by the warmth, she realized that her fingertips were icy. She touched her face and, not seeing Ayue, instinctively felt something was wrong.

But she had already entered the palace. Under the candlelight, she saw a long shadow by the bed. Before the smile on her face could fade, her gaze met those deep, unfathomable black eyes.

“R-Right Chancellor.”

Xiao Miyun’s throat tightened, whether from the cold outside or something else, her voice slightly hoarse.

She was wondering, when did Su Mingxiu enter the palace?

And it was so late, in the middle of winter, why wasn’t this woman resting at her manor, but here in the Qian Yuan Palace at this hour?

The sudden change in temperature made Xiao Miyun’s body tense. She forced a smile, suppressing her anxiety, and asked softly: “Why has the Right Chancellor come to the palace so late at night?”

Su Mingxiu, who had been leaning against the bed with her eyes closed, slowly opened them upon hearing Xiao Miyun’s arrival. Now, she looked Xiao Miyun up and down, her gaze lingering on the bright red fox fur coat and the wet marks on her boots. After a long while, she finally replied slowly: “Enjoying the snow on a winter night, Your Majesty has such refined tastes.”

Xiao Miyun could only force a laugh and, following Su Mingxiu’s lead, started rambling about the winter plum blossoms in the palace.

Su Mingxiu, who knew that Xiao Miyun preferred peonies, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes, seeing that Xiao Miyun was still standing there, said softly: “Come here.”

Xiao Miyun, pretending to be affectionate, approached her. The fox fur coat, still cold from the outside, brushed against the bed, a beautiful red tail dangling down.

Only when Su Mingxiu grabbed her ankle did she step back in a slight panic. No matter how much she pretended to be close, she was still afraid of the Prince of Zhenbei deep down. Her voice stammered: “S-such trivial matters, let the servants do it.”

“The Right Chancellor is a pillar of the state, how can—”

“Shh…” A faint smile appeared on Su Mingxiu’s lips. Her grip on Xiao Miyun’s ankle tightened, making Xiao Miyun speechless from the pain.

Her bloodless fingers, pinching the delicate, white ankle, felt cold and painful.

Even though Su Mingxiu was the one who had entered the palace first, enveloped by the warmth of the heated floors, she was like unmelting ice and snow, making Xiao Miyun instinctively want to struggle, yet she didn’t dare to resist too much. Her body stiffened, only her eyelashes trembling, betraying her unease.

Under the flickering candlelight, the woman, holding her ankle, leaned closer, her nose stopping just before Xiao Miyun’s cheek, her voice like a sigh, reaching Xiao Miyun’s ear, still carrying a hint of amusement.

“Little kittens who carry too many scents from outside will be abandoned when they return to their nest.”

Xiao Miyun felt like her ankle was about to be crushed. The pampered little girl trembled, realizing two things from Su Mingxiu’s words, which disregarded their difference in status:

First, what she had done had probably… been discovered.

Second, the Prince of Zhenbei had probably gone mad again.

Chapter 98: The Abandoned Little Emperor (2)

As Su Mingxiu left the Qian Yuan Palace, a fragrant floral scent wafted towards her. She glanced at the flowerbed outside the palace, where peonies bloomed in vibrant colors, their majestic beauty illuminating the gloomy sky.

Dressed in a dark purple robe embroidered with python patterns, as the highest-ranking non-imperial official in the Xiao Zhou dynasty and the current Prime Minister, she had been granted the privilege of having her carriage enter the inner palace.

Within a few steps, a eunuch hurried over, holding an umbrella respectfully to shield her from the falling snow. Her silk boots stepped on the stone steps, barely touching the surface before she was greeted by her guards and escorted to the warm carriage.

Inside the carriage, a servant knelt beside her, helping her remove her slightly cold boots.

A silver-threaded charcoal brazier, filled with fragrant fruitwood, emitted a gentle warmth. Hot tea and snacks were kept warm on a small stove. Inside and outside the carriage were two vastly different worlds.

The warmth flushed Su Mingxiu’s cheeks slightly, making her already striking features even more alluring. A maid, kneeling beside her, inadvertently glanced at her mistress and blushed.

The original owner had suffered from the cold. After falling into an icy lake during a battle, she had developed a chronic illness. Despite her martial arts skills, she couldn’t completely eradicate the cold poison from her body, leaving her with a sensitivity to cold.

Su Mingxiu sat in the carriage for a while, her hands and feet still cold. She hugged a hand warmer wrapped in exquisite fabric and instructed the coachman to return to the manor.

“Come out and talk, System,” she said lazily, amidst the soothing warmth, ready to settle the score with the thing in her head.

“Talk about what?” It actually responded.

A faint smile appeared in the woman’s eyes, a soft yet dangerous glint amidst her sharp features, like a flexible sword, its gentle movements concealing a deadly strike.

[How many lifetimes of memories have I lost?]

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the system replied, its tone dripping with sarcasm.

Su Mingxiu, who had been casually tracing the embroidered patterns on the hand warmer’s silk cover, paused. Just then, the carriage bumped over a small stone.

The maid who had just helped her change her shoes and socks let out a soft cry and fell against her knees, her voice as delicate as her appearance.

Su Mingxiu had been thinking about how to force the truth out of the system. But the system, knowing her thoughts and having learned its lesson, had deliberately chosen a world with a low level of technological development to avoid the scenario of being extracted and beaten up, like in the cultivation or ABO worlds.

*A/B/O (an abbreviation for alpha/beta/omega)*

So, after pondering for a while, still unable to find an answer, Su Mingxiu, trapped in this seemingly inescapable situation, felt her mood sour. Seeing the maid fall against her knees, her flushed face and suggestive glances,

Su Mingxiu’s household didn’t have such presumptuous servants. But now, with her power and influence, countless people wanted to curry favor with her, sending her “gifts” endlessly.

Because of her close relationship with Xiao Miyun, the young emperor had often sat on her lap during court sessions. Even now, as Xiao Miyun entered her teenage years, Su Mingxiu still enjoyed teaching her how to write and review memorials personally. Therefore, rumors circulated in the court, whispering that she had a preference for women.

So, the beauties in the Zhenbei Manor were as numerous as the peonies outside the Qian Yuan Palace, blooming in all seasons.

She narrowed her eyes and remained silent.

The woman leaning against her knees, taking her silence as tacit approval, became bolder and leaned closer, like a snake coiling around a staff, deliberately showcasing her beauty to the Right Chancellor, who held the power of life and death in the Xiao Zhou dynasty.

“Right Chancellor…”

Su Mingxiu’s title of Zhenbei Wang (Prince of Zhenbei) was earned through genuine merit, her position as Prime Minister solidified by the blood on her sword. Those fearless officials had long become souls under her blade, only the spineless ones could retain their positions in the court.

Perhaps it was because they lacked something that they insisted on emphasizing it. The original owner didn’t like being addressed as “Wangye (Your Highness),” preferring the title “Right Chancellor,” perhaps to irritate those civil officials.

The same title, coming from the little emperor’s mouth, sounded like the innocent attachment of a fledgling, a dependence on a powerful figure. Coming from this maid’s mouth, it sounded like blatant flirtation.

Perhaps because of her fondness for Suhui’s face, Su Mingxiu had some tolerance for the little emperor.

But this audacious maid, daring to extend her claws towards her master, was not within the scope of her forgiveness.

A smile suddenly appeared on her lips, the coldness of her usually pale face melting away, giving the illusion of warmth: “Do you like what you see?”

The maid, captivated by her sudden smile, her eyes filled with amazement, couldn’t respond, only nodding unconsciously under her spell.

“Since you like it so much, how about I gouge out your eyes and keep them in my room, so they can watch me day and night? How about that?”

The amusement in her voice was like strands of spun sugar, so sweet that it was intoxicating, tempting one to lean closer, only to find that the sweetness was a deadly poison.

The maid suddenly snapped out of her daze, realizing what Su Mingxiu had said. Her face turned pale as she knelt at Su Mingxiu’s feet, kowtowing repeatedly. “Y-Your Highness, spare me! I didn’t mean it!”

Su Mingxiu wasn’t the original owner, the sickly prince who would casually maim people. To avoid suspicion, she feigned annoyance and had the noisy maid dragged away.

After the scent of cosmetics dissipated, the empty carriage, devoid of another person’s warmth, felt even colder.

By the time she returned to the Zhenbei Manor, the light snow had turned into a heavy blizzard, the sky so dark that it was hard to tell day from night. Su Mingxiu got out of the carriage, wrapped in a sable cloak, a hand warmer clutched in her arms. Her delicate features and frail appearance made her look like a palace consort returning home for a visit.

But the servants in the manor respectfully lowered their gazes. The housekeeper greeted her and asked if she wanted to have dinner, then mentioned that there was a guest in the study, from the Xu family.

The Xu family—a prominent family from the previous dynasty. They had fled before Su Mingxiu’s army entered the capital. Now, seeing that the new dynasty had stabilized, they were hoping to regain their position.

“I understand.”

Su Mingxiu had her own plans for these aristocratic families. She dismissed the housekeeper without a second glance, showing no intention of going to the study.

As she sat down in the main hall, the housekeeper, understanding her intentions, instructed the servants to prepare dinner. Then, he stood beside her, reporting on the manor’s affairs, such as which officials had sent gifts, who had tried to make connections with the manor’s staff.

After a pause, he said: “His Majesty’s coming-of-age ceremony is approaching. We have prepared gifts, would you like to choose them personally?”

“Bring them for me to see.”

Since it was Xiao Miyun’s important birthday, although she presented herself as a male to the public, the officials knew her true gender. Her fifteenth birthday would naturally be a grand celebration.

Xiao Miyun had been neglected in the palace since childhood, living a life worse than a palace maid despite her status as a princess. So, after gaining power, she became fond of luxury.

The gifts prepared by the housekeeper were also to Xiao Miyun’s liking. For example, a carving of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, made of red agate, its color as vibrant as pigeon blood;

A folding screen embroidered by dozens of artisans, depicting a vast landscape with shimmering clouds and rivers, its imagery so vivid that it seemed to come alive…

Dozens of gifts were brought in one after another, treasures from all over the country, from the coast to the inland, all within reach of Su Mingxiu’s sword, now filling her manor.

She could also sense the original owner’s indulgence towards Xiao Miyun.

“There’s no need to choose, send them all to the palace—”

Su Mingxiu leaned back against the sandalwood chair, her eyes closed as if resting, her voice soft: “His Majesty is still a child at heart, fond of lively occasions. Birthdays are a rare celebration, send more gifts to the palace to make her happy.”

“Yes,” the housekeeper retreated with the gifts.

A moment later, a figure in black appeared silently and knelt before her. This was Su Mingxiu’s true informant, responsible for reporting the officials’ private affairs, and the happenings within the palace.

When he mentioned that “the eldest son of the Xu family has recently received an imperial token and has been frequently entering the palace for private audiences with the emperor,” Su Mingxiu slowly opened her eyes.

“Oh?”

She asked with a playful smile: “An imperial token?”

At the same time.

Outside the Tangquan Palace.

Xiao Miyun, ignoring the palace maids’ pleas, kicked the eunuch blocking her imperial carriage. “I hate eunuchs the most, get out of my sight.”

But the figure remained kneeling, his back bent under the weight of the wind and snow: “Your Majesty, please forgive me. The wind and snow are too strong outside, please return to the Qian Yuan Palace and rest. If you were to fall ill in this weather, this servant wouldn’t know how to explain it to the Right Chancellor.”

Xiao Miyun, who had an appointment with the Xu family’s eldest son but couldn’t meet him in the Qian Yuan Palace, sneered upon hearing this. She was the emperor, Su Mingxiu was merely a minister, and she had to explain her actions to Su Mingxiu?

But she knew that the palace wasn’t a monolith, especially these eunuchs who weren’t favored by her. They would definitely side with the most powerful force, like grass swaying in the wind.

So she paused for a moment. “I know the Right Chancellor cares about my well-being, there’s no need for you to relay this—”

“My birthday is approaching. Last night, I dreamt of my mother crying. Moved by this dream, I simply want to visit her palace and pay my respects.”

“You may leave, I have others to attend to me.”

The eunuch refused to leave, so he was kicked aside by a palace maid beside Xiao Miyun, who spat at him: “Eunuch dog, don’t block the way.”

Before entering the Tangquan Palace, Xiao Miyun even glanced back to make sure the eunuch wasn’t following her, then she hurried towards the side palace, lifting her robes.

This neglected palace was usually deserted and incredibly cold. Xiao Miyun stamped her feet and paced back and forth, blowing on her hands and rubbing her ears. After a long while, she finally heard the faint creak of a door opening.

She was already irritated by the cold, but when she turned around, a delighted expression appeared on her face, and she called out sweetly: “Brother Xu!”

The newcomer also hurried towards her, calling out affectionately: “Sister Xiao.”

Chapter 97: The Abandoned Little Emperor (1)

The biting wind and frost, carrying early winter snow particles, drifted into the room, landing on the bright yellow sleeves. When Su Mingxiu suddenly opened her eyes, she saw the snowflakes melt silently.

A warm weight rested in her arms.

She looked down and saw a youthful face, like a blooming hibiscus, its beauty not yet fully unfolded, yet already showing hints of future elegance. A natural charm graced their eyes and lips.

But the bright yellow robe was intricately embroidered with dragons, a design exclusive to emperors.

So she instinctively reached out, pinched the small face, lifted the person’s chin, and carefully examined their throat—

Still no discernible Adam’s apple.

Su Mingxiu wondered what game her fish was playing, suddenly appearing so young, even resembling the pre-differentiation state she had only heard of in legends.

But before she could speak, the person in her arms gave her a sweet, flattering, and ingratiating smile, addressing her as: “Right Chancellor.”

The child’s voice, still in puberty, was undeniably hoarse, their gender still indistinguishable.

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow slightly.

Then, she noticed that her fingers pinching the other person’s cheek were bloodless and cold, as if frostbitten, their pale, slender appearance almost sickly.

At that moment, the long-lost mechanical voice appeared in her mind:

[Host deployment successful… Loading world storyline… Loading failed…]

As this voice echoed in her mind, countless fragments of memories, as if awakened, flooded her consciousness, prompting her to respond instinctively:

[Failed again? Are you even capable of doing this?]

The system, which had been planning to continue its deception, was stunned, asking subconsciously: “How do you remember?”

It had clearly erased Su Mingxiu’s memories! Could it be that after experiencing so many worlds, her soul had recovered enough strength to resist it?

[Oh? What should I have forgotten?]

Su Mingxiu narrowed her eyes. Perhaps because she was distracted, her already cold and sharp features became even more unreadable.

The person leaning against her trembled slightly.

But Su Mingxiu didn’t notice. From those countless fragments of memories, she belatedly realized… that she had already parted with her beloved fish.

She even remembered the scene of Suhui’s death, her slightly aggrieved complaint: “We merfolk don’t have ‘next lives’ like you humans, we only live once… If you have a next life, will you bully someone else like you bullied me?”

“I will find you.”

“You won’t be able to find me… Forget it, I’ll let you find me, but if there’s a next time, can I bully you a little more?”

“Okay.”

…

Su Mingxiu looked at the face before her, her grip loosening slightly. Seeing the red marks her fingers had left on the delicate cheeks, she realized she had used too much force.

Snapping out of her memories, seeing this face that was almost identical to Suhui’s, she instinctively wondered, Did their wish come true? Or… is their fate being manipulated by something else?

Just then, the system, still shocked that she retained memories from the previous world, decided to stuff the background information of this world into her mind first, then figure out how to deal with her while she was processing it.

[Loading identity…]

Su Mingxiu’s lips parted slightly, but before she could speak, she was overwhelmed by the incoming memories.

Her vision suddenly went dark.

It wasn’t blindness, but rather as if something was blocking her sight, a hazy darkness. She couldn’t see anything, but she could hear the sounds of blades cutting through skin, weapons piercing flesh.

Then came the smell of burning, a strange aroma of cooked meat, and… the nauseating stench of blood.

She didn’t know how long she had been in this darkness. Until the gnawing hunger in her stomach, the burning pain in her abdomen, made her struggle.

But she was like the Monkey King trapped under the Five Finger Mountain, an immense weight pressing down on her, making her immobile.

Until, little by little, she struggled free. As she turned over, a loud crash echoed in her ears. A skull rolled to her feet, half of its face still covered in skin, maggots crawling out of its eye sockets.

“Ah!”

She screamed and stumbled back, startling a flock of crows in the nearby forest.

Only now did she see that she had been buried under a pile of corpses, surrounded by bodies and countless nameless graves, forming small hills.

She was… in a mass grave.

“The Su family’s reign has finally come to an end…”

“Twenty years after Emperor Xiao Zhou founded the dynasty, the Su family, despite their distinguished military service, became arrogant and complacent. They repelled the Turkic invasion and defended the borders, earning great merit. But after the eldest son died on the battlefield, Elder Su requested that his second son inherit the title, which was refused by His Majesty. Resentment brewed… Now, their rebellion has given the Emperor an excuse, and their current fate is their own doing.”

“Indeed, avarice is a bottomless pit.”

Hearing these words, Su Mingxiu was struggling with a dog over a steamed bun. The dog, fat and strong, ran into a tavern in the city. She, thin and weak, tripped and fell in the mud, her clothes stained.

The dog, holding the bun in its mouth, looked at her with disdain, baring its teeth as if mocking her, then barked and ran away.

This commotion alerted a waiter from the tavern, who rushed out with a broom. “Where did this beggar come from? Get out of the way! Scram!”

Su Mingxiu had just gotten up when she was knocked back into the mud by the bamboo broom. But many voices echoed in her ears: “Brother, do we really have to go?”

“Of course, Mingxiu. You live a comfortable life in the capital, but you don’t know that on the borders, there are many children your age, living under the constant threat of foreign invaders, their lives precarious, their stomachs empty.”

“So, Brother is going to protect them?”

“Yes.”

“Father! The Turkic forces have breached the Protectorate General to Pacify the West, capturing eight cities! If we don’t act now, once they cross the river and head east, the capital will be in danger!”

“His Majesty has replaced several generals, yet he continues to ignore our Su family’s pleas. He’s clearly wary of us, Ling’er. You’ve read history books since childhood, how can you not understand?”

“He’s wary of this, afraid of that, but he’s not afraid of losing the country?!”

“Silence!”

…

Like the power struggles between emperors and their subjects often recorded in history books, the victor between the Su family and the Xiao Zhou dynasty was the emperor.

But only for a while.

After Su Mingxiu wandered for half her life, during the tyrannical reign of the emperor’s later years, she raised a rebel army, sweeping from the south to the north, conquering the capital, and opening the palace gates. The tables had turned, and the victor was now the Su family.

Just like Emperor Xiao had done to the Su family, Su Mingxiu retaliated in kind. The imperial edict that had condemned the entire Su clan to death was now used against the Xiao family. From the emperor to the palace maids, blood flowed through the streets of the capital for half a month, the stench lingering in the palace.

Before her, the Su family had never coveted the throne. After her, no one could touch it without her permission.

The Xiao Zhou bloodline was almost completely eradicated. Only a bastard daughter, born to an unknown palace maid, remained, like a cruel mockery of fate. Su Mingxiu personally placed the yellow robe on this child, carried her to the court, and announced that this was the last descendant of the Xiao Zhou dynasty, the rightful heir to the throne.

The officials, with swords held to their necks, were forced to acknowledge this unknown child, watching helplessly as the Xiao Zhou dynasty was inherited by this… girl.

Since ancient times, warriors died in battle, scholars died remonstrating. Many officials, to demonstrate their loyalty or to leave their names in history, chose death, refusing to be complicit with this “traitorous minister.”

Su Mingxiu, holding the new emperor she intended to enthrone, sat on the dragon throne and said with a smile: “Very well.”

“Someone, hang this official’s body on the palace gates for all to see—but before that, cut out his heart and liver and bring them to me. Let me see what this ‘unwavering loyalty’ looks like.”

“If it’s no different from that of a commoner, if there’s nothing special about it, then he shall be charged with deceiving the emperor, and his entire clan shall be executed.”

The bloody liver was presented, and the court fell silent.

The little emperor, not yet enthroned, fainted from fright. From then on, she couldn’t stand the smell of meat for three months.

[Identity established. Imperial System activated! Issuing ultimate mission—]

Before Su Mingxiu could even process her tumultuous past, she was interrupted by the eager mechanical voice in her mind.

She came back to her senses and pursed her lips. She had already suspected the system’s ill intentions in the last world, but it had always been so passive and inconspicuous that she hadn’t bothered dealing with it.

Now, it seemed its true nature was finally revealed.

[Hey? Weren’t you the Culinary God System before? Changed your name now? Did you fail so miserably that you need a new disguise?]

System: “…”

It typed out a string of code that could be translated as a curse word.

Unable to keep up the act, it finally revealed its true colors: “Tempering System activated. Issuing ultimate mission: Before Xiao Miyun reaches adulthood, give her the most difficult trials, make her transcend petty emotions, seize power, and become a qualified emperor.”

[Warning! No OOC behavior allowed.]

Heh.

Su Mingxiu ignored it and asked: “How much of my memory did you devour? Spit it out first.”

The system pretended not to hear.

She was about to continue grilling this garbage system when the person in her arms, startled by her prolonged silence, suddenly scrambled out of her embrace and stammered nervously: “Did… did Ayun displease you?”

Su Mingxiu responded instinctively, her voice light yet carrying a hint of warning: “I am your subject, you are the ruler. I’ve taught you how an emperor should address themselves.”

“Xiao Miyun, if you don’t want to be the emperor—”

She drew out her words, seeing the little emperor tremble before her. Using the most noble self-address, the little girl uttered the most humble plea: “Zhen… Zhen does.” (Zhen is the word emperors use to refer to themselves)

Su Mingxiu had too many questions to sort through. From her earlier observation, she already knew that this little girl, although sharing Suhui’s appearance, had a completely different personality.

But the truth hadn’t been fully revealed yet, so she didn’t dare to jump to conclusions. She used this incident as an excuse, feigning disappointment as she flicked her sleeves and left.

Only the little emperor remained in the hall.

After an unknown amount of time, the trembling figure stopped. As the palace maids cautiously approached, the weak and pitiful, cautious aura around her vanished, replaced by a deep disgust in her eyes.

She even vigorously rubbed the cheek that had been touched by Su Mingxiu with her sleeve, until it was red and raw, still unsatisfied.

It was as if that person’s disgusting, bloody scent still lingered on her. Thinking of this, Xiao Miyun said with displeasure: “Zhen wants a bath!”

Only after soaking in the petal-filled bath did Xiao Miyun finally relax. Thinking about how she had been trying to please Su Mingxiu, only to be met with disdain, she unconsciously crushed the petals in her hand, staining her fingers with their juice.

Just you wait.

When she truly held power, she would see if this woman would grovel before her in the throne room, begging for mercy, just like the officials of the Xiao Zhou dynasty she had killed.

That scene would be quite a show.

Would she grant her a merciful death… or have her drawn and quartered in the marketplace?

Chapter 96: The Center of the Fish Pond (End)

“Splash—”

Near the coastline of a seaside city, the sound of something entering the water was barely audible.

A beautiful, black-haired woman was holding a camera, dressed in a blue casual outfit. She was aiming the camera at the railing on the coastline, where a dazzling figure had been standing just moments before.

The live stream camera flying nearby and the staff members rushing over were all shocked by the sudden disappearance.

—

[Live broadcast accident?]

[Did anyone see how Suhui fell? The railing seemed perfectly safe, didn’t it? She seemed to have fallen backwards on her own…]

Su Mingxiu, also worried after hearing the splash, put away her camera and rushed to the railing, looking down.

Seeing the churning blue waves below, she breathed a sigh of relief.

This incident started with the filming of the second episode of the variety show. The theme for this episode in the seaside city was a random card draw. Each card had a different travel budget, offering different travel packages—

Package A: A luxurious one-day city tour worth 888 yuan, including a candlelit dinner at a high-end hotel and various premium tourist attractions.

Package B: A set of tickets to local attractions worth 88 yuan, including a couple’s hot dog combo at the amusement park.

Package C: A bus ticket from a shady travel agency worth 8 yuan, providing only two hours of bicycle rental. Travel, meals, entrance fees, and other expenses had to be covered by themselves.

The three couples each drew a card to determine their travel budget for the day. And Su Mingxiu and Suhui… unfortunately, drew Package C.

In addition to the travel packages, the program team also gave each couple a camera, asking them to capture memorable moments during their trip. The photos would then be auctioned off, and all proceeds would be donated to charity.

This meant that the photos taken by the three couples had to be either beautiful or meaningful. Otherwise… they would have to rely on their fans to buy them.

Since Su Mingxiu and Suhui had drawn Package C, this meant that apart from the free view of the sea, they wouldn’t be visiting any scenic spots.

She had originally planned to take some photos of Suhui by the coast, but Suhui, sitting on the railing, had suddenly fallen backwards…

Su Mingxiu, gripping the railing, saw a silver head emerge from the churning waves. Suhui looked up at her, waving.

As if inviting her to join her in the water.

Program staff: “…”

The viewers in the live stream, relieved, commented that they had never seen such “surprising” guests on a variety show.

Su Mingxiu gestured for the fish in the sea to come back up. But Suhui shook her head, still wanting Su Mingxiu to join her.

After a stalemate, Su Mingxiu finally gave in. She walked over to a staff member, handed over the camera hanging around her neck, and asked if they had any equipment suitable for underwater photography.

Program team: “??”

The director was also shocked.

After all, the purpose of this episode was to see how different couples’ relationships would develop under different budget constraints. But Su Mingxiu and Suhui, taking the unconventional route, actually wanted to film underwater…

Regardless of whether they could get the equipment or ensure their safety, the most important thing was that once they entered the sea, the live stream cameras wouldn’t be able to follow them.

They were essentially reducing their own screen time.

After much effort, Su Mingxiu finally convinced the director. They chose a spot that was easier to access the water. With a waterproof camera and a small camera attached to her, she went to join Suhui.

The live stream viewers had a new experience.

[I thought the forest exploration and the sports competition were their limits, I didn’t expect to be watching an ocean documentary on a dating show, I’m shocked.]

[Does anyone remember the rumors about Su Mingxiu and Suhui disappearing on Produce 101? It’s been ten minutes, and they’re still underwater, their swimming skills are amazing. So… how did they disappear from the ship back then? Could it be that they jumped into the sea like today?]

[Suhui grew up by the sea, it’s understandable that she’s a good swimmer, but what about Su Mingxiu?]

[For a moment, I couldn’t tell which one of them was the real superhuman.]

…

The live stream chat was still buzzing with discussion as the camera descended into the ocean. But when Su Mingxiu and Suhui reached the depths where sunlight couldn’t penetrate, the screen turning dark, the comments gradually decreased.

Su Mingxiu had originally come to bring Suhui back, but after reaching her, she heard the fish say that she sensed a place nearby that was very attractive to her, and she instinctively wanted to explore it.

What could the owner do when their pet fish acted coquettishly?

Indulge her, of course.

A transparent fishing line, with a glistening white, teardrop-shaped pearl strung on it, floated from Su Mingxiu’s neck, swaying with the underwater currents.

As they descended into the deep sea, Suhui’s body began to transform. The fiery red coral slipped off her ankle, like a red ribbon, unfurling in the water, swaying with the currents, as if dancing around her.

Her silver-blue tail appeared, its translucent scales covering its powerful form. From the bottom up, the characteristics of a mermaid gradually emerged, fins extending from her elbows and behind her ears.

Almost as soon as she reverted to her true form, Su Mingxiu untied the camera equipment without hesitation, letting it float away with the current.

Suhui wrapped her tail around Su Mingxiu’s waist and, with powerful strokes, swam towards the place that was calling to her.

Along the way, Su Mingxiu finally saw other merfolk.

Red, silver, blue, all sorts of beautiful tails swam past her, a flash of hostility in their eyes.

At first, Su Mingxiu didn’t understand where their hostility came from. Until Suhui suddenly increased her speed and whispered in her ear: “I can sense that only one mermaid is allowed to enter that place.”

Limited resources, competition was inevitable.

They stopped in a cloud of blood, Suhui’s aura becoming restless. Su Mingxiu patted her arm, signaling her to let go.

Then, in the center of the murky, crimson water, she accurately pinpointed the source of the killing intent.

As a swift hand reached out from the blood mist, Su Mingxiu quickly grabbed its wrist, her cheek narrowly avoiding its sharp nails. She used the momentum to throw the mermaid away.

Suhui let go of her and faced another enemy from her clan.

Initially, Su Mingxiu had only been dodging their attacks like playful fish in a pond, not intending to harm them. But this all changed when Suhui was injured.

The third live stream had been black for too long. The viewers, initially patient, gradually became restless.

Some even called the program team, asking if the two guests had drowned or encountered an accident, demanding that they be rescued.

While the people outside were worried, Su Mingxiu and Suhui had just won a massive brawl.

At first, Suhui’s competitors had thought she was foolish for bringing a weak human here.

But after seeing the blood from their injured comrades attract a school of sharks, they only dared to surround them, no one daring to attack first.

They knew that Suhui was the descendant of the previous clan leader, but before the call of the place of inheritance, as long as the next clan leader hadn’t been chosen, all merfolk would be driven by their instincts to fight amongst themselves, until the place of inheritance chose the strongest one as its successor.

The selection process was simple—

The merfolk who were deemed unqualified would instantly lose their connection to the place of inheritance and would instinctively leave the battleground, returning to their usual gentle and beautiful forms.

Su Mingxiu, beside Suhui, saw the unwilling looks in the eyes of the different colored merfolk as they left one by one, until only the two of them remained in the crimson water.

Suhui vaguely sensed that she had won. She happily cupped Su Mingxiu’s face and kissed her, then pulled her towards the place that was calling to her.

They were finally enveloped in a white light, an ethereal voice echoing from within.

“Are you willing to guard this vast ocean with me, to share my long life?”

“Of course.”

The mermaid princess, having come ashore, found her other half. Witnessed by the place of inheritance, their vows were eternal, until they both turned into foam in this ocean.

Ten years later.

Heart of the Ocean Photography Exhibition.

Someone stopped before a photo and said in surprise: “This is…?”

“Yes, this photo of Suhui, the music queen, and her lover was taken during a dating variety show. She looks like a siren, it’s truly her most captivating photo.”

In the photo behind the glass frame, the subject’s long, silver-blue hair flowed in a faint, bloody mist. A lingering killing intent remained in her blue eyes, like a siren returning from a victorious battle against a pirate ship.

Or like a cold-blooded hunter returning from a hunt.

The shimmering waves reflected on her sharp features, but they couldn’t conceal her beauty or the power in her eyes.

The visitor’s gaze lowered, landing on the title of the photo:

Mine.

He was stunned for a moment, a flicker of confusion in his eyes, then he remembered Suhui’s participation in that dating variety show.

Although she and Su Mingxiu had never appeared together in front of the cameras again, the speculation about their relationship hadn’t stopped.

But seeing this photo, knowing its title, the answer should be clear.

The photographer’s lens, capturing this moment for Suhui, had a casual, almost careless quality, making the red in the background blurry. But they didn’t seem to care about these details.

Because they had already captured the breathtaking beauty of the subject.

…

Many years later, a story began circulating among the merfolk clan.

It was said that after coming ashore, a mermaid had a chance to lure a smart and powerful human to bear their eggs with their beauty.

But the price was that they would be kept by this human.

But so what?

The merfolk were powerful. In the fish pond where she resided, she was the only one, the exclusive center.

Chapter 95: The Center of the Fish Pond (30)

Faced with such an unlucky pair of guests and their dramatic “elopement” threat, the director couldn’t help but consider going easy on them in the next round.

But before he could make a decision, the other two couples had already finished the first challenge. Double Su had six points, Flower J (Zhao Xiaohua and Jacker) had seven. They all moved on to the second round.

“Welcome to the second round, the race! There’s a mud pit ahead. One partner will carry the other on their back. The partner being carried needs to hold two cups of water. The team that carries the most water to the finish line within the time limit will earn 10 points.”

—

[Is your show really bullying the two girls?]

[No way, no way, are you really looking down on Suhui’s status?]

The fans who had been laughing at Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s bad luck now sensed something amiss. Even the main live stream chat was filled with comments defending them.

But Su Mingxiu and Suhui, hearing about this competition, both breathed a sigh of relief, exchanging glances as if communicating silently.

Then, they both spoke almost simultaneously: “I’ll carry you.”

“Let me carry you.”

Suhui didn’t want to lose again. She firmly believed that a mud pit was nothing. Merfolk had strong lower body strength, even on land, she was confident that she could easily surpass ordinary humans.

Su Mingxiu, seeing her insistence, pursed her lips and placed her hand on Suhui’s shoulder, her voice softening considerably. “Your feet are so beautiful, I don’t want them to get muddy. Let me carry you, okay?”

“Uh…!” Although Suhui was aware of her own beauty, being praised like this in front of the viewers and the other guests still made her blush.

After a pause, she said: “You’re also very beautiful, and I can do it.”

“I’m not on camera anymore, I can be a bit rough, but you can’t, you’re our little fairy.”

—[“Our family”? Is this an official announcement?]

[Damn! The other two couples had no disagreements about their roles, I didn’t expect to get some candy here!]

[Wuwuwu, who wouldn’t want to be praised like this by a beautiful girl?]

[Suhui truly is a fairy!]

Suhui seemed to be convinced by Su Mingxiu. Her ears slightly red, she walked behind Su Mingxiu and said nervously: “I want to win, I don’t want you to freeze tonight.”

“I know,” Su Mingxiu half-squatted down, her eyes sparkling under the sunlight as she tilted her head. “I won’t let you lose.”

Just then, the director, also realizing that this wasn’t appropriate, announced through the megaphone that Su Mingxiu and Suhui didn’t have to carry each other, only one of them needed to participate.

Hearing this, Suhui was about to step back and volunteer, but Su Mingxiu said with her head lowered: “Isn’t that unfair?”

Director: “Huh?”

Suhui also remembered how Su Mingxiu had dominated her in the sea, knowing that her strength was even greater than a mermaid’s. So she nodded in agreement: “Yes, that wouldn’t be a challenge, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.”

Jacker and Movie King Su both laughed. Movie King Su said: “I’ve never lost a sprint in my school’s sports meets!”

Jacker: “I participated in a celebrity sports meet and won first place in running too.”

Su Mingxiu, carrying Suhui on her back, waited for the staff to bring the two cups of water. After a moment of thought, she replied seriously: “I’ve never participated in any sports meets.”

[Eh? This line sounds familiar.]

[Remember when she said she had never learned singing or dancing during Produce 101? And then… look at her performance scores.]

[No way, two grown men, carrying their wives, can’t beat a single girl? That wouldn’t be right.]

“Ready—”

After they had secured the cups of water, the director blew the whistle mischievously.

The three of them stepped into the mud pit. With their first step, they realized that this wasn’t a normal track. The mud was incredibly sticky, each step like pulling a radish from the ground, their legs sinking deep into the mire.

Movie King Su felt himself and his wife sinking and couldn’t help but exclaim, his footing unsteady.

Zhao Xiaohua on Jacker’s back yelled: “I’m going to fall! Be careful, honey!”

Su Mingxiu stood still, assessing the depth of the mud pit and the stickiness of the mud, making Suhui on her back nervous. Suhui’s legs tightened around her waist as she urged: “Can you do it?”

“Should I carry you instead?”

The woman carrying her remained steady, chuckling softly. “Whether I can do it or not, you’ll find out soon.”

Then, she started walking forward, one step at a time, her pace not particularly fast, but her steady progress quickly left the other two couples struggling in the mud far behind.

Movie King Su: “?”

Jacker: “?”

Movie Queen Su burst out laughing, teasing her husband: “Mr. Su, didn’t you say you always won first place in sports meets? How come you can’t even beat a little girl now?”

“Mrs. Su, that was in elementary school, a long time ago.” Movie King Su, still struggling with the mud pit, calmly defended his honor.

They had only reached the halfway point when they saw Su Mingxiu returning. Zhao Xiaohua looked at them with admiration: “How are you so fast?”

Suhui still felt that they were slow. She was playfully saying “Giddy up” to Su Mingxiu. Hearing Zhao Xiaohua’s question, she looked over in confusion. Su Mingxiu didn’t mind, replying with a smile: “Because little fairies who grow up drinking nectar are as light as clouds, so carrying them is easy.”

[Pfft.]

[I believe it.]

[Here we go again! After turning wilderness survival into a picnic, this woman has now conquered a sports competition. Su Mingxiu’s physique is perfect for variety shows… too bad she retired.]

[Seeing her easily carry Suhui to victory, I’m kicking my boyfriend, who complained about me being too heavy, off the bed.]

…

In the end, Su Mingxiu easily carried Suhui to victory in the second round, earning 10 points.

The program team had originally planned fewer physical activities, considering that this group was all female. Now, seeing their dominant performance, they decided to bring out the third challenge.

The three-legged race.

Suhui had originally planned to follow Su Mingxiu’s lead, but realizing that their pace wasn’t fast enough, she suddenly scooped Su Mingxiu up and ran forward.

Su Mingxiu, suddenly lifted off the ground: “?”

She stood at the finish line, watching as Suhui raised her chin triumphantly: “The heating equipment is ours!”

Su Mingxiu, who had been about to say something, chuckled along with her. “Yes, thank you for carrying me to victory.”

She squatted down and untied the straps around Suhui’s ankles. The silver-haired fish looked down at her and, for some reason, reached out and patted her head.

The comments section, which had been amazed by their athletic abilities, now praised their sweetness.

The first episode ended with the crackling sound of a bonfire outside the tents.

As soon as the edited first episode of Date with Me Season 2 was uploaded, a large number of viewers flocked to watch it.

On the day of its release, the program team and the guests all reposted and shared sweet messages to promote the show.

Su Mingxiu and Suhui were no exception.

A simple “Please support us” message would have been enough, but Suhui, holding her phone, posted this—

Suhui V: Someone asked if we’re real? @ChefSuMingxiu

ChefSuMingxiu: More real than pearls. @SuhuiV

Their bold declaration immediately attracted a flood of fans and passersby. Many entertainment forums were buzzing with discussions about them.

[Gossip] Shocking! Is this considered an official announcement?

1st Floor: Already hooked, currently reviewing their interactions during Produce 101. I just realized that Suhui has always been special to Su Mingxiu. Although she cooked for other friends, she only hand-fed Suhui.

2nd Floor: Suhui always wears those candy earrings, I bet Su Mingxiu gave them to her! And Su Mingxiu always wears coral jewelry, plus her nickname for Suhui is “笨鱼 (foolish fish).” Fish and coral, do I need to emphasize the significance of these tokens of love?

3rd Floor: Where are those who said they were fake?

4th Floor: Since when can we use real names on this forum? Can’t you see they’re just creating buzz for the show?

5th Floor: For those who are blind, even if you put candy in front of them, they’ll say it’s shit. I understand. I’m betting on this couple being together forever, okay?

…

Suhui, sitting at home, saw the online discussions. Thinking about the location for the next episode’s filming, she looked towards the kitchen.

Su Mingxiu was making breakfast. She was so familiar with the routine that she didn’t even bother putting on an apron. Amidst the sizzling sound of oil in the wok, the system was also pondering.

According to its true mission, Su Mingxiu was supposed to play with Suhui’s feelings, then abandon her, leaving the heartbroken Suhui to struggle alone in the entertainment industry.

After suffering various setbacks, she would return to the sea dejectedly, unconsciously activating her inheritance and becoming the sole ruler of the deep sea.

But…

Thinking about Su Mingxiu’s actions, which had inadvertently caused Suhui’s temporary heartbreak and helped her navigate the entertainment industry, but the part about returning to the sea and activating her inheritance—

Thinking about the next filming location by the sea, which was very close to the place of inheritance, the system lit a cigarette.

It realized that the more it interfered, the more rebellious the host became. But even if it did nothing, there seemed to be an invisible force guiding Su Mingxiu towards fulfilling Suhui’s destiny.

A destiny that was both ultimate and better, completely different from the one it had planned.

Why was this happening?

Love should only make the protagonist weaker.

The system, puffing on its data cigarette, thought, I’m not wrong, it must be because the gap between Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s identities isn’t wide enough.

So far, the successful strategy was to wear a disguise, which lowered Su Mingxiu’s guard against it. The mistake was that the identity it chose was too ordinary. It needed to add some… obstacles that would completely set them against each other.

Thinking of this, the system stopped worrying about Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s progress and started planning for the next world.

The kitchen had a small window, allowing plenty of sunlight to stream in. In the morning, golden rays of sunlight filled the room.

Su Mingxiu was almost finished cooking. Before she could turn around, she felt a cool presence behind her.

She turned off the heat and saw Suhui holding an apron, gesturing with it, and asking curiously: “How do you wear this?”

The woman put down the plate. “Should I teach you?”

Suhui nodded and handed her the apron. As Su Mingxiu held the apron against her and started tying the straps, Suhui tilted her head in confusion.

She protested: “I wanted to help you put it on.”

The woman looked up at her, her dark eyes filled with amusement: “If you learn how to wear it yourself, you can help me next time, right?”

Is that so?

Suhui didn’t believe her and insisted that Su Mingxiu untie it. As a result, she was placed on the dining table and wasn’t allowed to leave… In the end, everything but the apron was removed.

The foolish fish grabbed the woman’s hair, white pearls falling onto the dining table and scattering on the floor. She tilted her head back, her voice choked with a sob: “Why do you always bully me…”

Su Mingxiu traced Suhui’s lips with her tongue, collecting the moisture. She looked up and asked: “Don’t you like it?”

Suhui didn’t answer, only tightening her grip on Su Mingxiu’s hair.

—She liked it.

Even though this person always bullied her, she still liked Su Mingxiu very much, even… so much that she wanted to find the legendary place of inheritance of the merfolk clan and share her long life with Su Mingxiu.

Chapter 94: The Center of the Fish Pond (29)

With the luxurious lunch taken care of, and still some time before evening, the program team had naturally planned activities for the couples in the afternoon.

But the three couples, enjoying their afternoon nap, were unaware of this.

Su Mingxiu and Suhui were using the tent to block the sunlight, resting with their arms as pillows. But as Su Mingxiu was drifting off to sleep, she felt a cool presence snuggling against her.

Suhui’s body temperature, like a deep-sea fish, was always low. So every time Su Mingxiu held her close, she felt like she was being chilled…

Conversely, Su Mingxiu, holding her while sleeping, felt like she was hugging an ice cube, especially in winter.

Thankfully, she had a good constitution, and with the heater on in their room, as long as Suhui took a hot shower, they could sleep peacefully through the night.

Now, the tent blocked the sunlight but trapped the heat inside. As Su Mingxiu was feeling drowsy, she suddenly felt a cool touch and instinctively reached out to hold it.

But the person snuggling against her was wide awake, even mischievously reaching out to touch Su Mingxiu’s eyelashes, tickling her slightly.

Su Mingxiu, her eyes still closed, caught Suhui’s fingers. Her voice was a bit hoarse: “If you’re not sleeping, go play by yourself.”

No way.

Suhui knew there were no cameras inside the tent, they were all set up outside. After all, the program had adopted a bold live broadcast format, and even though post-production editing was necessary, they were still afraid of capturing something inappropriate.

She remembered how, at home, even the slightest provocation would make Su Mingxiu lose control. She felt that participating in this variety show was indeed a good way to relax.

After all…

With so many people around, even if she provoked Su Mingxiu, Su Mingxiu wouldn’t dare to do anything to her.

Thinking this, Suhui felt even more comfortable. She found a more comfortable position in Su Mingxiu’s arms, the rustling of fabric against fabric. After a while, her cool lips brushed against Su Mingxiu’s jawline.

The drowsy woman: “?”

She opened her eyes slightly, a playful smile on her lips, and looked down at the mischievous mermaid in her arms. “What are you doing? Why not sleep in your own bed?”

Actually, the program team’s audio equipment was excellent. Even though the cameras were only set up outside the tents, not allowed inside, the surrounding sounds could still be captured.

The conversations in the other two tents were clearly audible to the live stream viewers. Although the voices in Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s tent were low, the occasional whispers still gave the viewers a sense of secret excitement.

“You’re warm,” Suhui said, blinking innocently.

Su Mingxiu closed her eyes again, not bothering to respond, letting Suhui wriggle around in her arms like a restless fish.

Until two cool hands were placed on her waist—

Like a handful of snow slipped down her shirt in winter.

And that coolness wasn’t content to stay there, it was moving upwards. Su Mingxiu’s drowsiness vanished completely. She grabbed Suhui’s wrists and warned in a low voice: “Behave.”

“But I’m cold,” Suhui said, her silver-blue hair falling around her face, some strands tangled with Su Mingxiu’s. Her clear eyes, as blue as the sky, looked at Su Mingxiu. “Won’t you warm me up?”

Cold?

A fish that had lived in the sea for over twenty years was afraid of the cold?

Su Mingxiu vaguely remembered a winter trip last year, at a ski resort. This fish hadn’t wanted to wear proper winter clothing. After much persuasion, she had reluctantly put on a bulky outfit, waddling around like a penguin.

Then, after falling while skiing, Suhui had angrily taken off her jacket and become the most stylish person on the slopes.

It was obvious that this fish, having eaten her fill, was looking for trouble again, right?

“Then how about we go out and bask in the sun?” Su Mingxiu asked patiently.

“No.”

Suhui raised her head slightly, leaning closer to Su Mingxiu’s ear and whispering: “I want you to warm me up.”

“Uh…”

[Let me in! Let me warm Suhui up!]

[Why are they so quiet? Suhui refused to bask in the sun, then what? Let me see what’s happening inside the tent! I don’t believe that Su Mingxiu, who’s so good at coaxing people, would remain silent! There must be something I didn’t hear!]

[Mingxiu just told her to behave, heehee, guess what Suhui did?]

The live stream viewers were dying to know what was happening inside their tent. But the director, as if anticipating the scene, suddenly blew a whistle and announced the end of their break through a megaphone.

“Please come out and participate in the afternoon activities, couples! Work hard to earn your dinner and heating equipment for the night—”

Saying this, he looked specifically at Su Mingxiu and Suhui and added: “For safety reasons, no fires are allowed inside the tents. Please use appropriate heating equipment.”

He was practically telling everyone, So what if you managed to get food? You’ll still freeze at night.

Su Mingxiu and Suhui: “…”

[Director: Special attention for you two!]

Suhui actually didn’t need any heating equipment, but she knew Su Mingxiu was afraid of the cold. So she could only suppress her annoyance, her arms crossed, and wait to see what kind of trouble the director was planning, interrupting their sweet afternoon nap.

The other two couples looked at them with amusement.

“The second game: The Ultimate Chemistry Test, with three rounds. The first round is charades—”

One partner from each couple would wear headphones, while the other would act out the word on their card, using gestures, lip movements, and body language. The partner with the headphones had to guess the word. Each correct answer earned 1 point.

Suhui put on the headphones, and Su Mingxiu went to draw a card. The first line on the card was…

From Baidi City, amidst colorful clouds, at dawn I depart. (A line from a famous Chinese poem)

Su Mingxiu: “…”

She instinctively glanced at the director, making sure he wasn’t targeting her.

At the same time, Zhao Xiaohua and Movie Queen Su also received their cards and started acting.

Jacker: “Cheers!”

Movie King Su: “Hearts connected!”

Su Mingxiu: “?”

[Hahaha, the others got words and idioms, and SS got a poem, lol.]

Suhui looked at her with a confused expression, wondering why she hadn’t started acting yet.

Su Mingxiu, knowing Suhui’s Chinese proficiency, gave up on the first card: “Forget it, next one.”

This time, she waited for Zhao Xiaohua’s team to finish before drawing her card. She saw the words: youyou up. (Internet slang)

“Uh…” She wanted to curse.

Su Mingxiu’s expression went blank. She turned to Suhui and said clearly:

“Youyou up.”

Suhui looked at her moving lips, her ocean-blue eyes filled with confusion. Blushing slightly, she thought that since Su Mingxiu was willing to express her love in this situation, she should also respond.

So she pouted her lips: “Mua!”

After giving a loud air kiss, she urged: “Hurry up and say it.”

She could feel the pressure from the other teams quickly drawing new cards.

Su Mingxiu, receiving an air kiss from her partner: “…”

She tried to slow down her speech: “You… you…”

Suhui, losing her patience: “Mua! Mua!”

Su Mingxiu: “Forget it, next one.”

Comments section: [Hahaha!!]

[Suhui’s kisses are so cute!]

[Su Mingxiu: Confirmed, the program team is messing with us.]

After drawing five cards in a row with no success, Su Mingxiu once again scored zero. They switched places, letting Suhui draw the cards.

Suhui couldn’t understand why Su Mingxiu’s lip movements were always so strange, until she drew her first card.

Speechless with grief. (An idiom)

She tried to say the words.

“Me and you?”

“Oh yeah?”

The mermaid never thought that participating in a variety show would require her to practice her acting skills. She tried to act out the idiom, her eyes starting to redden. Su Mingxiu, startled, immediately took off her headphones.

She strode towards Suhui. “It’s okay, let’s skip this round, don’t worry, don’t cry.”

Suhui looked at her blankly and showed her the whiteboard: “I’m not crying.”

The director, with his sharp hearing, had already heard their conversation: “Okay, Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s team forfeits the first round.”

[Good dog, director!]

[Wow, are they only going to have each other for warmth tonight?]

Suhui discreetly pinched Su Mingxiu’s wrist. Although she hadn’t known how ridiculous the program would be before coming here, she did know the filming locations. She whispered in Su Mingxiu’s ear: “It’s okay, we’re going to the beach tomorrow.”

“We can just elope.”

The director and the live stream viewers, hearing this: ??

Chapter 93: The Center of the Fish Pond (28)

The director drew out his words, teasing them: “You might think there isn’t one, but maybe the other person thinks there is?”

Su Mingxiu: “…”

Suhui held the pen, her blue eyes fixed on Su Mingxiu. Seeing Su Mingxiu shake her head slightly, she breathed a sigh of relief and wrote on her whiteboard: None.

[Director, they’re exchanging answers, report them!]

[Lol, and this is what you call chemistry?]

The director’s voice came through the loudspeaker mercilessly: “Please answer the questions individually, do not attempt to cheat. One point will be deducted for each attempt.”

“Second question: write down the nickname you use for each other.”

“By the way, we already have a copy of your answers from the questionnaires you filled out before the show. So please don’t try to be clever, answer truthfully.”

Su Mingxiu continued writing on her whiteboard without hesitation.

Suhui started struggling again…

She first wrote “Baby,” then thought for a moment and crossed it out. After all, this was a term of endearment Su Mingxiu only used during intimate moments, not in everyday life…

“None”?

Crossed out again.

There was one, she remembered. When she did something foolish, Su Mingxiu would call her “foolish fish” with an exasperated yet amused tone.

Suhui finally wrote this down.

…

After answering ten questions, the couple revealed their answers. The live stream chat was filled with laughter.

The director started revealing their answers from the questionnaires they had filled out before the show, displaying them side by side on a whiteboard for the audience to see clearly.

The first question was about their favorite drink. Suhui:

Anything Susu makes.

Su Mingxiu: Plain water.

The second question was about nicknames. Suhui:

Susu.

Su Mingxiu: Baby.

As the answers were revealed one by one, comparing Suhui’s crossed-out, incorrect answers with Su Mingxiu’s correct ones, everyone burst out laughing.

[Hahaha, Suhui is a comedian!]

[Foolish fish?? Is this nickname real? I didn’t know you two were so kinky in private!]

[Am I the only one who feels sorry for Su Mingxiu getting all the answers right, while Suhui got them all wrong?]

[Su Mingxiu: I also didn’t expect her thought process to be like this.]

While the live stream audience was laughing, Su Mingxiu also saw Suhui’s answers. After a moment of thought, she also chuckled.

Only Suhui was unhappy, hearing the director announce their score of 0.

She stood up with her arms crossed and watched the other guests answer questions beside Su Mingxiu.

Compared to their comedic performance, Actress Zhao and Jacker were overflowing with lovey-dovey sweetness. Even without special effects, one could practically see pink bubbles floating in the air.

After each question, they would even reminisce about related events, their responses perfectly in sync.

[This is how a couple should be!]

[Wuwuwu, Xiao Zhao, be happy!]

[Jacker is so good at this! He’s so doting! I want a man like him!]

In the end, they scored 6 points. Compared to Su Mingxiu and Suhui’s zero, they had successfully escaped the self-assembled tent.

The questions for the Double Su couple were even harder. The first one was: “What’s the most memorable thing you’ve done for each other?”

Having been married for almost ten years, with children aged five or six, they had countless shared memories. Choosing the most memorable one was difficult.

But the viewers in the live stream saw them write down the same answer simultaneously.

In the end, they scored 9 points…

[Worthy of being the legendary couple of the entertainment industry, so envious!]

[Wishing you eternal happiness!]

The director’s voice rang out in a timely manner: “This concludes the first round of the chemistry test. For the couple with the lowest score, please work harder and cultivate more sweetness in these harsh conditions.”

Movie King Su smiled at them: “We old folks can’t really handle roughing it in the wilderness. Good luck! We’ll grill the food for you, come join us later.”

Seeing how pitiful Su Mingxiu and Suhui were, they offered to share their food.

After thanking them, Suhui turned to Su Mingxiu, her expression filled with frustration.

If Su Mingxiu had also answered incorrectly, she could have claimed that they didn’t understand each other well enough. But now, she was the only one who got the answers wrong…

“Here, hold this corner for me,” Su Mingxiu said, patting her arm.

Suhui obediently followed her instructions, but as Su Mingxiu was about to leave, she whispered: “Am I… really that stupid?”

More importantly, would Su Mingxiu, seeing her answers, think that she wasn’t taking things seriously and be disappointed in her?

“Of course not,” Su Mingxiu smiled at her. “The answers you wrote are all correct in my eyes. Who says there can only be one answer?”

Since Suhui was holding the tent canvas, Su Mingxiu’s free hand could give her a hug. “You got a perfect score on this test, because you remember everything I’ve said.”

[Damn! She’s so smooth!]

[No wonder Suhui is completely smitten… I would be too!]

[I don’t know who to envy more! Beautiful women in love are truly the best!]

The viewers in their live stream were also satisfied with their harmonious interaction despite their 0 score.

With Suhui’s cooperation, Su Mingxiu quickly set up the tent. The other two couples looked at them in surprise.

After all, setting up a tent was manual labor, they hadn’t expected two girls to complete it so easily and effortlessly.

Although their tent wasn’t as luxurious as the Movie King and Queen’s, it wasn’t much worse than Zhao Xiaohua and Jacker’s. At least it was big enough for two people to sleep in.

A barbecue grill had already been set up in front of the luxurious tent. Movie King Su’s grilling skills were excellent, Movie Queen Su only needed to fan the smoke away, the fragrant aroma of meat wafting through the air.

Their barbecue had meat, vegetables, and various seasonings. Zhao Xiaohua and Jacker’s, however, only had simple pork and cabbage, with only salt and soy sauce for seasoning.

But it was still better than Su Mingxiu and Suhui, who had nothing.

They walked into the forest on the barren mountain. Reminded by the other two couples to be careful, the camera crew followed them.

[If all else fails, let’s just get some food from the Double Su couple. No one has any wilderness survival skills these days, this mountain is scary!]

[Isn’t Su Mingxiu a chef? She should know some edible plants, right? As long as she doesn’t try to pick mushrooms, it should be fine.]

[Wow, Suhui is channeling Shennong (the legendary Chinese emperor who tasted hundreds of herbs), isn’t she?]

In the live stream, the beautiful, silver-haired girl was putting a leaf she had just found into her mouth.

Su Mingxiu’s eyelids twitched. Although she could accurately identify edible plants and poisonous ones in this forest thanks to the system’s culinary buff, Suhui’s recklessness still made her nervous.

“What are you doing?”

Suhui looked up at her, taking the leaf out of her mouth. “It looks like a scallion, I thought it would taste similar.”

“Uh…” Perhaps sensing Su Mingxiu’s speechless expression, Suhui added: “Don’t worry, I’m highly resistant to poison.”

This was true. The blue-ringed octopus, known as the most venomous creature in the ocean, could only paralyze a merfolk’s skin for a few hours with its neurotoxin.

Su Mingxiu had indeed heard Suhui mention this when they were watching nature documentaries. But that didn’t mean Suhui was also resistant to terrestrial plants and animals, right?

She didn’t dare to gamble.

If Suhui really got poisoned, and she lost her partner while filming a dating variety show, that would be a disaster.

[Shennong probably thought the same thing back then.]

[The first time I’ve heard someone say they’re resistant to poison, how about you prove it?]

[Suhui: I grew up drinking pesticide.]

Su Mingxiu refused without hesitation: “No.”

To ensure their safety, she even held Suhui’s hand as they walked, making sure Suhui was always within her sight. “From now on, you’re not allowed to put anything in your mouth without my permission.”

… Fine.

Suhui quietly followed her, watching as Su Mingxiu expertly picked some wild vegetables and common mushrooms. After walking for a while, she asked: “Are we not having any meat today?”

Su Mingxiu looked at the cameraman behind them: “Eating wild animals here… isn’t that bad?”

Cameraman: “…” Don’t look at me, I’m just a tool.

Thankfully, the director was also watching them. He quickly announced a bonus meal plan for the last-place team.

“There’s a pond two hundred meters ahead. If you play a game with us and win, you’ll get fishing tools. Then, you’ll have a fish for lunch—”

As soon as the director finished speaking, Actress Zhao’s team at the campsite asked: “What game?”

In the forest, Suhui asked the cameraman: “Where’s the pond?”

Cameraman: ?

He looked at them in confusion, then led them to the pond. He thought they wanted to check if there were any fish before deciding whether to participate in the game. Who knew…

Suhui squatted down and touched the water.

The director’s voice came through the loudspeaker: “To get the fishing tools, you have to come out and answer a question.”

Suhui pretended not to hear.

Su Mingxiu couldn’t help but smile, her lips curving upwards slightly. She patted the person squatting before her. “Do you want to try fishing?”

Actually, she didn’t want Suhui to attract too much attention, afraid of exposing her identity and causing unnecessary trouble.

But the beautiful woman by the pond turned around and looked at her incredulously, as if asking with her eyes: Are you kidding? Do I need tools to catch fish?

Su Mingxiu also half-squatted down, her eyes level with the mermaid’s. “But I want to try.”

With a skilled fisher right here, she still wanted to try the clumsy method. Suhui pouted and said: “Then you go and look at the question. If it’s still one of those boring questions with only one correct answer, come back, and I’ll catch fish for you.”

“Okay,” Su Mingxiu smiled. “If the question is too difficult, our meat supply for lunch depends on you.”

Suhui raised her chin. “Of course.”

[Did you forget that the director can also hear you?]

[Director: Boring questions? Activating hell mode.]

[Hahaha, Jacker from the other team is already crying because he has to arm wrestle the cameraman.]

But Su Mingxiu didn’t know the difficulty of the challenge yet. So she casually walked out of the forest with the ingredients she had gathered. When she heard that the director wanted her to compete in a mountain race with a randomly chosen staff member—

Su Mingxiu: “Goodbye.”

She turned around as casually as she had arrived. “We’ve found the pond, we can catch fish ourselves, thank you.”

Director: “?”

[Does anyone remember that this is a dating show? This is the first time I’ve seen a guest leave the director speechless.]

[So satisfying! I love how she doesn’t follow the script, hhh.]

[Su Mingxiu: Variety show assassin, that’s me.]

[The wilderness date I imagined: Wuwuwu, I’m scared, hug me! The Double S wilderness date: Easily carrying the entire show! Bonus wilderness survival guide!]

The director, not to be outdone, picked up the megaphone and shouted at her retreating figure: “The fish in the pond are wild and incredibly cunning, ferocious and strong! Without fishing tools, you’ll never catch anything!”

Su Mingxiu: “Really? I don’t believe it.” The most ferocious fish was already at her home.

The other two pairs of guests: “?”

So wild!

They curiously followed them, wanting to see how they would catch fish in the pond.

When Su Mingxiu returned, a group of people was trailing behind her. Suhui didn’t mind. While Su Mingxiu was gone, she had already identified the edible and delicious fish in the pond.

So she gestured to Su Mingxiu: “There’s the kind you used to make sauerkraut fish at home…”

“Grass carp?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s have that.”

“How big do you want it?”

“Five or six pounds? Too big and it’ll be fishy, and we can’t finish it all. Don’t catch one that’s too big.”

[Am I at the fish market?]

[You haven’t even caught the fish yet, and you’re already planning the meal?]

[This pond is so deep, I can’t see anything, Suhui, are you kidding me?]

The comments section was filled with doubt.

Then, in the next second, the woman squatting by the pond suddenly knelt down on one knee and plunged her hand into the water. Within a second, she pulled out a long, black-scaled grass carp.

Judging from the force of its thrashing tail and the splashing water, it was a powerful fish, yet it was easily held by Suhui, who then handed it to Su Mingxiu: “Is this one okay?”

—

[Is catching fish really that easy? I’ve learned it, I’m going to the market to try it today.]

[No exaggeration, my cat catches goldfish slower than her.]

[Did the program team speed up the footage?]

[Grass carp: That was… unexpected.]

The other two guest couples were also dumbfounded. Jacker even walked over, as if in a trance: “I… I’ll also try and see if I can catch one like that.”

Then, Su Mingxiu turned to them and explained: “That’s a special skill, please don’t imitate. She grew up by the sea, so she’s good at catching fish.”

Other guests: “Wow! Amazing!”

Comments section: [I don’t believe you.]

When Su Mingxiu and Suhui returned with their catch, the director’s team was speechless.

So much for using hardship to build a beautiful love story and foster chemistry. Su Mingxiu’s grilled fish was the MVP of the day.

After they finished eating, Su Mingxiu even went to the nearby forest and picked some wildflowers to decorate their tent. This way, their tent had a touch of warmth and romance.