Chapter 27: Imperial Capital Past Events

"Tap-tap-tap—"

The wooden door of the side chamber was knocked on from the outside, and Xu Yuan turned his head at the sound.

"What is it?"

"A message from the Third Prince—your medicinal stew is ready," a slightly raspy female voice entered the room.

"Come in."

"Click—"

With a soft creak, the door was pushed open from the outside, and a slender woman in the attire of a Shadow Guard entered, carrying a tray.

It was Yin'er, the one who had always accompanied Xu Changge.

Her face was concealed beneath a mask, her tight black robe, crimson sash, and a neatly tied ponytail swaying gently at the back of her head.

Looking at her, Xu Yuan's eyes slightly narrowed.

In memory,

as a typical indulgent villain,

as a lustful glutton who would rather forcibly consume medicine than let a single dragon play with five phoenixes,

Xu Changtian naturally had thoughts about the slender figure beside his elder brother—thoughts so vivid they even led to a "subtle" request from Xu Changge during their time in the Imperial Capital.

The original body saw her merely as a dog kept in their household, a higher-tier dog no different from a lower one.

The outcome of that request, naturally and seamlessly, was a brutal beating from his elder brother.

These memories flashing through Xu Yuan’s mind left him utterly speechless.

How absurd.

Sleazing around in the entertainment districts, sleeping with maids, snatching common women—those were just petty sins. But this second-generation scion of a noble family, the original body, had actually set his sights on their very military apparatus.

That figure was a high-level Shadow Guard trained and raised within their own household.

Xu Changge's demand on others was akin to a prince offering his bed to a female general who had returned from war.

Though knowing it was absurd, the performance had to go on.

After confirming he hadn't been possessed, Xu Changge said nothing and simply departed.

Where did this mysterious technique originate?

How was the Primordial Dao Body acquired?

What exactly happened to him during the journey when he was taken as a hostage by Ran Qingmo, and why did he finally release him at the end by threatening his life?

Xu Changge never inquired into any of these matters.

Or perhaps—

Xu Changge didn't believe that his foolish, little brother, whom he'd beaten since childhood, would ever honestly tell him these things.

If not for having sealed his mouth before beating Xu Yuan, Xu Changge might have thought he could hear some utterly rebellious words from this damned creature's mouth.

Thus, he left this shadow that had always followed him beside Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan judged it as protection, as well as surveillance.

Every move of his would likely be transmitted unchanged to Xu Changge.

His personality could slowly shift, but never in a sudden leap.

Using death as leverage to free Ran Qingmo could be explained by the affection that had grown between them on the journey—yet the conversation and expressions between him and Ran Qingmo at the cave entrance should have been clearly visible to Xu Changge atop the mountain, through his spirit.

Moreover, the absurd act of threatening death was not unfamiliar to his original self.

Thinking this,

Xu Yuan's gaze openly wandered over the slender form of the shadow, wrapped tightly in a form-fitting black robe.

This time, Xu Changge had not struck hard—though Xu Yuan had been knocked unconscious, two days had passed and he was now able to get up and walk.

The shadow entered the room, silently bending to place the tray upon the wooden table at the center of the side chamber.

At that moment,

Xu Yuan suddenly chuckled softly and said,

"Ha~ Well, it turns out Xu Changge still gave you to me."

Ying'er seemed not to have heard him, continuing as always, carefully removing the medicinal stew from the plate and placing it upon the wooden table.

"..."

Seeing this, Xu Yuan got up from the bed, a smile playing at the corner of his lips, and slowly walked to the back of Ying'er's slender figure, reaching out to tap her back.

His hand descended.

Snap—

A sharp sound echoed in the stillness of the chamber.

The room fell utterly silent.

The shadow's gaze dipped slightly, devoid of any emotional tremor.

Xu Yuan's mind stilled.

How could this woman possess such mastery and still not flee?

Previously, hadn't every attempt of his lewd advances been effortlessly repelled by her?

For a moment, Xu Yuan's smile remained unchanged, pressing forward with stubborn resolve, only to be met by a sudden blur in his vision.

"Click—."

A severed hand fell to the ground.

The cut was clean and precise, cold to the touch, suffocating in its chill, as if plunging one into the heart of an eternal ice pit.

"Buzz—."

And then—back to reality.

Xu Yuan's hand still gently pressed against the woman's round buttocks, while Ying'er merely glanced back at him with a calm, indifferent gaze.

This presence stirred a memory—of the dizzying illusion when he first saw Ran Qingmo, his head lifted high with delirious pride.

In that instant, Xu Yuan understood her intention: to end his persistent watching with a single, definitive act.

Breathing rapidly, Xu Yuan obediently bit his lip and stepped back two paces.

"What... what do you mean?"

"......"

Ying'er said nothing. She calmly withdrew her gaze, turned, and stepped out of the room, once again gently closing the door behind her.

Inside the room, silence settled for two seconds.

"Clang—!"

Xu Yuan kicked the wooden table in front of him, sending it toppling over. The precious medicinal stew scattered across the floor in a chaotic cascade.

After taking a few deep breaths, Xu Yuan pretended to rage in the room, while simultaneously beginning to destroy everything around him:

"I'll kill you! Daring to treat me like this, I'll have my father kill you!!

"Damn fool!! When my cultivation reaches a certain level, I'll sever your meridians and lock you up in the dungeon!!"

...

...

On the eaves of the top floor of the giant pygmy eagle's back, two figures sat leisurely, enjoying the breeze.

Zhou Chen, with a beard full of wild growth, lay sideways on the eave, his sword resting beside him, drinking from a large wine flask with gusto.

Feeling the disturbance from what was happening inside the main chamber, Zhou Chen shivered slightly.

This third son—how dare he even touch that woman's rear?

A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips as he glanced at his companion, Si Ziyu, speaking with a tone of quiet admiration:

"Not to be outdone, the Third Prince truly possesses astonishing courage."

Si Zi Yu sat beside him, equally sensing what was unfolding below, and murmured with a smile:

"The Third Prince has always displayed a courage beyond ordinary men. Even the daughter of the Duke of Wu was once taken back to the Imperial Chancellor's estate by him."

"Really? That's astonishing."

Chou Chen was taken aback. "I thought that lady had only recently arrived in the capital to formally marry her match a year ago?"

That was the granddaughter of the Northern Army's war hero—how dare he have her seized?

The Third Prince truly has a fiery temperament.

Si Zi Yu glanced at Chou Chen:

"Otherwise, what do you think motivated the Third Prince to come from the Imperial Capital to Jingjiang City exactly one year ago?"

Chou Chen ran a hand over his beard, his eyes flickering for a moment before suddenly lowering his voice and whispering:

"So... did it happen?"

Si Ziyu's eyes flickered with a hint of smile:

"Still interested in such things?"

Zhou Chen sighed, idly clicking his lips:

"It can't be said, then it's just not said."

Si Ziyu looked toward the distance, speaking softly:

"Almost. At that time, it was I who was in charge of the Third Prince's safety—Wei Cheng's eldest son led men into the Prime Minister's estate and rescued him."

Zhou Chen shook his head, lifting the gourd to pour wine:

"That young Marquis? Were you his opponent?"

Si Ziyu shook his head: "No."

Zhou Chen arched an eyebrow:

"I remember his temper isn't exactly good—how could the Third Prince not have been killed?"

Si Zi Yu spoke slowly:

"At that time, the eldest prince was inside the estate, but he didn't know that the girl was the granddaughter of Wu Cheng's peer."

"..."

Silence.

Zhou Chen's eyes narrowed slightly:

"Your meaning is that the young princess was captured by the Third Prince before she even recognized her kin upon entering the city—how incredibly coincidental?"

Si Zi Yu shook his head:

"Of course not. The Third Prince said he was only persuaded into it."

"But... who encouraged him, he can't remember."