Wang Residence, Anzhi Court.
Upon seeing Wang Sandong return, Wang Tong’s eyes instantly reddened.
“Young Master, you’re finally back.”
Wang Sandong smiled.
“Don’t worry. Yuanyuan and I share a deep bond; she wouldn’t harm me.”
As he spoke, he cast a glance at the nearby Emperor Yuan.
“It’s not that,” Wang Tong said.
“The First Lady came to see you just now. I tricked her into believing you were asleep, and she only just left.”
“Oh,” Wang Sandong replied casually.
After a moment, a meaningful smile played on his lips.
“She is my birth mother after all; she still cares for me quite a bit.”
Hearing this, Emperor Yuan looked over out of the corner of her eye.
“The First Lady naturally cares for the Young Master,” Wang Tong added.
“Everyone in the residence cares deeply for you.”
“Hahaha,” Wang Sandong laughed.
He glanced at the ruins before him and commanded, “Alright, go tidy up a room for me to rest.”
He then turned to Emperor Yuan.
“Are you staying overnight?”
Without waiting for her to answer, he continued, “You should stay. Although the back courtyard of the Fengyue Pavilion is quiet, there are still drunks wandering around. Wang Tong, prepare an extra room for Yuanyuan.”
Then, on a sudden whim, he looked at Emperor Yuan with a lewd grin and said, “It’s a pity. If my body could hold up, I could have told Wang Tong to save himself the trouble of preparing a second room.”
Emperor Yuan looked at the elegant young man before her and swallowed back a biting retort.
Fine, why bother bickering with a child?
He could only enjoy the cheap thrill of a sharp tongue.
At the thought of “tongue,” her gaze unconsciously drifted to Wang Sandong’s soft, pink, and moist lips. In her mind, the memory of being “ambushed” by him while she was carrying him surfaced again.
That kind of ambush…
Even with Emperor Yuan’s supreme cultivation, it was truly impossible to guard against.
Due to a moment of negligence, her mental composure had actually flickered for a second.
She even found herself thinking of an old acquaintance…
“What are you thinking about?”
Wang Sandong waved a hand in front of Emperor Yuan’s face, teasing her.
“I know I’m handsome, but surely not enough to make a big shot like you go starry-eyed?”
In Wang Sandong’s view, someone of Emperor Yuan’s stature should have immense self-control.
In fact, that was true.
Emperor Yuan had not been seduced by Wang Sandong’s “beauty.”
She gave a soft laugh and replied, “That wretched, cheeky look of yours… it reminds me very much of an old acquaintance.”
“Oh?”
Wang Sandong asked with a laugh.
“An old flame?”
“Not quite.”
A “yes” or a “no” would have been dull.
The answer “not quite” instead piqued Wang Sandong’s interest.
He grabbed Emperor Yuan’s hand and pulled her into the room.
“Come, come, tell me your story.”
Having lived for over two hundred years, Emperor Yuan naturally had many stories.
Works like The Chronicles of the Five Emperors, The Biography of Emperor Yuan, and various unofficial histories and “romance records” contained many tales about her—true or false, right or wrong, most were impossible to verify.
However, most records were clear on one thing: Emperor Yuan’s appearance was as ethereal as an immortal.
To use the word “Immortal” to describe the beauty of a Great Demon was the highest form of praise.
“You probably know my story better than I do,” Emperor Yuan replied with a half-smile.
“You’ve been spending quite a bit of time reading lately while you’ve had nothing to do.”
“Unofficial histories can’t be trusted,” Wang Sandong laughed.
“How could they be more interesting than a firsthand account?”
Emperor Yuan ignored him, walking straight to the bed and sitting down cross-legged.
“I’m tired. Sleep.”
Seeing this, Wang Sandong pouted secretly, then narrowed his eyes with an ulterior motive.
“What exactly is the thing the Emperor of Qin wants? Aren’t you… curious? Don’t you want to investigate it?”
“Extremely curious,” Emperor Yuan replied, closing her eyes to begin regulating her breath.
“Then—”
“When one’s strength is insufficient, one should know when to retreat,” Emperor Yuan whispered, her eyes still closed.
“Even if I am curious, I must endure it.”
Wang Sandong was speechless.
Endure it…
Fine.
Let it be.
Feeling weak and exhausted himself, and seeing that Emperor Yuan was not easily provoked, Wang Sandong lost interest and went to the other room to rest.
Wang Tong prepared the washbasin and tidied the bed curtains, chatting with Wang Sandong as he worked.
“Young Master, Senior Yuan is truly good to you. She even escorted you back personally.”
Good?
She’s just afraid I’ll die on the road and all her efforts will go to waste.
Wang Sandong gave a humored huff and reminded Wang Tong, “Don’t call her ‘Senior Yuan.’ Call her ‘Miss Yuanyuan.'”
“Huh? Is that appropriate?”
Wang Tong didn’t dare.
“Tch, appropriate or not, that’s what you must call her so you don’t slip up later,” Wang Sandong said solemnly.
“Remember, if anyone asks, say Miss Yuanyuan is a courtesan from the Fengyue Pavilion, a woman I’ve taken a fancy to, and that I plan to buy her and keep her in the residence.”
Wang Sandong raised his voice intentionally while speaking, clearly wanting Emperor Yuan to hear.
“Ah… this… I…”
Wang Tong looked at Wang Sandong’s hazy, beautiful face through the bed curtains, his eyes filled with admiration.
The Young Master might be weak, but he dared to toy with a Great Demon.
As a loyal servant, how could he be as timid as a mouse?
Thinking this, Wang Tong plucked up his courage and replied, “Since the Young Master has commanded it… I shall remember it.”
“You may go.”
“I shall take my leave.”
Once Wang Tong left, Wang Sandong rubbed his lower abdomen.
His willow-leaf brows furrowed in worry.
Was it because the Human Emperor ‘looked’ at me, and my blood and Qi still haven’t settled? Why does my lower abdomen feel so uncomfortable?
Could it be…
That time of the month?
He quickly checked.
There was no blood, allowing him to breathe a small sigh of relief.
Wait!
This feeling…
Deep breaths.
Think of something clean…
His body was too weak; if he died of “pleasure,” he would be the laughingstock of the world.
Wang Sandong forced his mind elsewhere—specifically, to the matter of the menses.
“Keeping” the Yuanyuan songstress certainly had its benefits: she could be a personal bodyguard, she was easy on the eyes…
However, living together day and night meant she would eventually discover the secret of his transformation.
He had a feeling Yuanyuan was waiting for him to transform so she could do something very bad!
And that bad thing would likely be detrimental to him!
This wasn’t just idle paranoia; it was a deduction supported by theory.
First, if Yuanyuan didn’t have a grand plan, why would she stay undercover for twenty years and work so hard to refine the Huitian technique?
Using him as a guinea pig was likely the means, not the end.
Second, Great Demons generally don’t do good deeds.
Furthermore, if this were beneficial to him, Yuanyuan would have surely said so to entice his cooperation.
Since she hadn’t mentioned it, it was almost certainly harmful.
Finally, the words of the Demon Emperor’s disciple might not have been baseless rumors!
Regardless, it was vital to hide the secret of the transformation as much as possible.
Oh…
My stomach feels so unpleasant.
Wang Sandong flipped over and lay face down.
After tossing and turning, he eventually curled his legs up and knelt with his bottom in the air.
Pressing his abdomen this way seemed to make it feel a bit better.
He eventually drifted into a groggy sleep.
He didn’t wake up until noon the next day.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he smelled blood.
Then, he felt a sticky sensation beneath him.
Wang Sandong froze.
His mind felt like it exploded.
After a brief moment of daze, his reason returned and his thoughts raced.
After a moment, he called out, “Wang Tong.”
“Young Master, you’re awake,” Wang Tong said, pushing the door open.
“Yes. Where is Yuanyuan?”
“Miss… Miss Yuanyuan went back to the Fengyue Pavilion.”
Hearing this, Wang Sandong breathed a massive sigh of relief, though he asked, “Why did she go back?”
“She said she would return this evening.”
“Oh,” Wang Sandong responded.
“Go, bring a basin of water.”
He paused, then added, “Hot water. And bring a few clean towels.”
“Right away.”
Wang Tong soon returned with a basin of hot water.
“You may go now.”
Though Wang Tong didn’t know what his master was up to, he didn’t ask and simply retreated.
After waiting outside for a long while, he heard Wang Sandong call again and hurried back in.
He saw a pile of sheets, bedding, and clothes on the floor by the bed.
At the top of the pile were bloodstains.
“Oh! Young Master! This…”
Wang Tong turned pale with fright.
He looked at Wang Sandong in terror, his eyes scanning up and down as if trying to see where he was hurt.
Wang Sandong was already dressed neatly, sitting in a padded chair.
He tried his best to remain calm, but he couldn’t stop the heat rising to his face.
“Ahem. I was injured. But the wound has been treated; you don’t need to worry.”
Before Wang Tong could speak, he added sternly, “Do not speak of this to anyone.”
Wang Tong hurriedly replied, “Rest assured, Young Master, my lips are sealed. It’s just…”
Looking at the large amount of blood on the clothes, he was worried.
“Is your injury truly not serious?”
“I’m fine. Hide these things first. When it’s convenient, wash them secretly. Don’t let anyone see.”
Wang Tong thought for a moment and answered, “Understood, Young Master. Leave it to me.”
Wang Sandong nodded.
Only after Wang Tong had cleared away the laundry did she let out a long breath.
Originally, she had thought about just throwing the things away.
The Wang family was wealthy enough that no one would notice a few missing items.
But after thinking it over, she worried the hidden disciples of the Demon Emperor or Emperor Yuan—who was always monitoring her—might discover the “evidence.”
Therefore, she decided that cleaning the evidence within the safety of the Wang Residence was the most secure way.
If she weren’t so weak and physically unable to touch cold water, it would have been better to wash them herself without telling Wang Tong.
Wang Sandong said, “Prepare the carriage.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The carriage strolled slowly down the street as usual.
Sitting inside, feeling the slight jolting of the carriage, Wang Sandong called out, “Wang Tong.”
From the driver’s seat outside the curtain, Wang Tong answered, “Young Master, I am here.”
Wang Sandong said, “It’s good… to have you here.”
Wang Tong bit his lip, a sudden surge of excitement hitting him.
He was only twelve years old, still at an age of innocence, and didn’t know how to respond.
He didn’t even understand why he was so moved—he felt like he wanted to cry.
His heart pounded and his head felt warm.
Finally, he found the words.
He swallowed hard, his gaze becoming resolute and happy.
In a trembling voice, he said, “Young Master, I am but a dog to you.”
He had occasionally heard terms like “henchman” or “dog-servant.”
Wang Tong felt that being the Young Master’s dog was a very good thing.
Wang Sandong’s mouth twitched.
It felt as though a warm, pleasant painting had been splashed with black ink by Wang Tong.
“Sigh, you… you are a person, not a dog,” Wang Sandong reminded him.
But Wang Tong replied with firm conviction, “I am willing to be your dog.”
“You…”
Wang Sandong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
He sighed and didn’t pursue the topic.
“I remember there’s a Liu Family Rouge Shop ahead?”
“Yes. Does the Young Master want to buy rouge?”
“Yes, for Yuanyuan,” Wang Sandong replied with a smile.
In reality, she needed to buy some “sanitary belts.”
It was common knowledge that while these things were sold elsewhere, the ones from the Liu Family Rouge Shop were the best.
The Liu family, one of the Nine Great Families, used artifact-refining methods to create sanitary belts.
Their water-locking effect was excellent, and the designs were “considerate and thorough.” Aside from being expensive, they were perfect.
However…
Wang Sandong had forgotten one thing: today was the Grand Celebration.
The streets were incredibly boisterous.
A famous shop like the Liu Family Rouge Shop was running a promotion, and the store was packed to the rafters.
Stepping down from the carriage and seeing the throngs of people, Wang Sandong felt a massive headache coming on.
Should she go somewhere else?
She feared there wasn’t enough time.
She was only making do with a towel for now.
It felt like it was about to leak.