Chapter Forty-Nine: A Chance Encounter

The next morning, Zhu Yu awoke with a heart full of lingering emotions. He shifted slightly, trying to shake the numbness from one side of his body, and began to ponder the events of the previous day. Yesterday, he had been overtaken by the most basic instincts of human nature; otherwise, knowing his own character, the plot would never have unfolded as it did.

Since waking, Zhu Yu had been turning over in his mind the matter of Jiang Yuyan possessing inner strength, but after a long while, he could not come to any conclusion. In the end, he decided to wait until Jiang Yuyan woke to ask her directly.

Though this puzzle eluded him, Zhu Yu did manage to recall and clarify the sequence of the story. In the original tale, Jiang Yuyan killed Jiang Yufeng and took her place in the palace. With her new identity as imperial consort, she stirred up chaos. Later, after her failed attempt to seduce Hua Wuque, she was discovered by the emperor himself. Left with no other choice, Jiang Yuyan simply killed the emperor.

After that, Jiang Yuyan began her ruthless spree of murder.

But now, Zhu Yu realized that recalling the original plot was pointless—everything had already changed beyond recognition. Glancing down at Jiang Yuyan, who was still curled up in his arms, he knew with certainty that the story had taken a new turn, and there was no longer any meaning in clinging to the old script.

Still, Zhu Yu remembered one useful detail: if Jiang Yuyan had mastered the "Transferring Flowers and Connecting Wood" technique, she too could absorb others' inner strength. What he recalled was that her rise to become the grand antagonist involved absorbing the true qi of three people: Lianxing, Yaoyue, and Yan Nantian. Though not many in number, each was a master of the highest caliber.

Given what he now knew about cultivation in this world and the requirements for advancing in rank, Zhu Yu seriously doubted whether Jiang Yuyan could achieve the same level as in the original story.

Just as these thoughts swirled in his mind, Jiang Yuyan opened her eyes. Once she realized that the events of the previous night had not been a dream, she gazed up at Zhu Yu with a dazed, infatuated look.

Zhu Yu immediately felt her gaze and, feeling awkward, wanted to break the intensity of her stare.

"Are you awake?"

"Mmm," Jiang Yuyan replied, her response a sound that came softly through her nose.

"How are you feeling? Any discomfort?"

Jiang Yuyan did not speak but shook her head in Zhu Yu's arms, her eyes never leaving his face.

"About yesterday—how did you suddenly have inner strength? Have you been practicing martial arts?" Trying to divert her attention from the way she was looking at him, Zhu Yu pressed on.

"Yes, didn't Your Majesty tell me to practice?" At last, Jiang Yuyan withdrew her devouring gaze and spoke her first clear words since waking.

"I told you to? Wait, have you already learned 'Transferring Flowers and Connecting Wood'?" Zhu Yu was astonished.

Once he had begun practicing martial arts himself, Zhu Yu realized just how difficult it was to teach oneself a supreme skill.

"Yes. From now on, I can be of help to Your Majesty too," Jiang Yuyan replied, her words carrying an innocence that should have made Zhu Yu's hair stand on end, yet instead he felt nothing and continued questioning.

"Are you sure it's 'Transferring Flowers and Connecting Wood'?"

"Of course, what's wrong? You were the one who told me about the Six Ren Mystic Dice. Apart from that technique, there was nothing else inside."

"No, I mean, after unlocking the Six Ren Mystic Dice, you just learned it straight away?"

"Of course not. The manual wasn't written in Chinese—you told me that yourself. After I unlocked the Six Ren Mystic Dice, I asked around and confirmed that the script was Persian.

So, I broke up the manual into parts, took them to different people to translate, and then I followed the instructions and mastered it," Jiang Yuyan explained in detail her process of unlocking the dice and learning the technique.

Jiang Yuyan spoke earnestly, but Zhu Yu's attention was elsewhere. He continued, "You must've suffered a lot practicing such a technique. How long did it take you to master it?"

"It wasn't hard at all. I learned it in less than a day."

Zhu Yu was thunderstruck by her answer. He looked down at Jiang Yuyan's innocent, wide eyes and felt a surge of frustration.

What kind of divine talent was this? Were villains simply born with cheats?

Jiang Yuyan had no inkling of the blow she had just dealt Zhu Yu in a few short sentences. Fortunately, Zhu Yu himself possessed a system, so after a moment of envy, he recovered his composure.

Still, this matter served as a reminder. It seemed that in every martial arts drama, both heroes and villains were all geniuses.

But after pondering for a while, Zhu Yu gave up thinking about it. What use was it to know? It wasn't as if he could gather every protagonist and antagonist under his own command.

In the days that followed, Zhu Yu accompanied Jiang Yuyan as they toured every corner of the palace. The entire court soon realized just how favored this new consort was.

In truth, Zhu Yu did not relish the effort, but he feared that Jiang Yuyan, having moved into the palace so quietly, might be underestimated. If people did not know her background, they might begin scheming, and by the time Zhu Yu noticed, his harem would be in chaos.

It sounded exaggerated, but Zhu Yu decided it was better to be safe than sorry.

Yet, among all those in the palace, one man's feelings differed from the rest—Yu Huatian.

Upon receiving reports from within the palace, Yu Huatian could barely contain his excitement. Clenching his fists, he knew he had bet on the right horse. If Jiang Yuyan continued to whisper sweet words into the emperor's ear, could the position of the Western Depot not rise to the heavens?

But Yu Huatian had no idea that, in Jiang Yuyan's heart, all credit belonged to Zhu Yu. He was still planning to flatter Jiang Yuyan in a few days.

At this time, Zhu Yu had finished his official duties and, having shown Jiang Yuyan around the palace, was fulfilling her request to dress in plain clothes and take her on a proper tour of the capital.

On the bustling streets of the city, Zhu Yu watched Jiang Yuyan ahead of him, delighting in her unrestrained joy and childlike curiosity, and felt a strange sense of disquiet.

Why was it that in the past, whenever he ventured out of the palace, he always felt a sense of poetic atmosphere, but today, with someone at his side, that feeling was absent?

Was the problem with her or with himself?

The question had only just formed in his mind when it was interrupted.

"Chief, long time no see!"

Someone patted Zhu Yu on the shoulder. He turned to see Ye Zhanqing standing behind him, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower.

"So it's Zhanqing. What a coincidence," Zhu Yu replied with a smile.

"I've never had the chance to thank you for your reward—the Nine Yin Manual, the Muscle and Bone Changing Chapter. I don't know what grade of technique it is, but its quality is definitely extraordinary. It's such a generous gift."

"It’s nothing. In Blackstone, anyone who contributes will be rewarded. I’ve heard many people regret you didn’t start martial arts sooner.

Let me make up for that regret. If you think the gift is too great, just work diligently for Blackstone in the future—that will be enough to repay me..."

Before Zhu Yu could finish, a cool, clear voice sounded behind him.

"Husband, what are you two doing?"

Jiang Yuyan stood there, her face wreathed in a gentle smile, curiosity in her eyes, yet within those pure, limpid pools lurked a profound, unfathomable depth.