Though the system’s prompt sounded utterly unreliable, Su Chen’s body seemed to receive a new command, shifting from passive to active, leading Ying Qingge into a graceful dance.
“Junior Brother, didn’t you say you couldn’t dance?”
Ying Qingge blinked curiously.
“I don’t know much, just a little.”
Su Chen claimed to know only a bit, but his hands and feet moved with such precision that they epitomized professionalism.
This “barely skilled” friend was undeniably the star of the dance floor, his fluid steps and varied moves leaving everyone in awe.
Pretending to be weak to take down the strong—you’ve mastered it!
Even Ying Wuyan was stunned, clearly puzzled.
Su Chen had seemed like a complete novice before, so how had he transformed so drastically in the blink of an eye?
Watching their fairy-like, harmonious dance, the Imperial Consort’s eyes gleamed with intrigue.
This game was getting more interesting!
As the song ended, a long silence was followed by thunderous applause.
Ying Qingge’s chest heaved, her parted lips exhaling warm breaths, her narrow eyes sparkling with excitement as she gazed at her Junior Brother.
Why do I feel like you’re still hiding things from me? Were you out dancing with other girls every day before?
Su Chen, however, was genuinely innocent.
His dance king performance was entirely thanks to the system’s assistance.
“Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission: One Dance to Settle the Army’s Heart.”
“You thought you were just showing off your dance moves? Wrong! You were flaunting your love and winning hearts!”
“You’ve earned the exclusive achievement Dance Master. Wherever there’s dancing, you’re the undisputed king.”
“For your flawless performance, you’ve received an additional reward: one bottle of Mysterious Clear Essence Pill.”
“Mysterious Clear Essence Pill: Crafted from nineteen rare spiritual herbs, it nourishes qi and blood, strengthens bones, and solidifies the foundation.”
Amid the flurry of prompts, Su Chen could barely keep up.
The Dance Master achievement aside, this bottle of pills was extraordinary.
Through his recent studies, he had gained some cultivation knowledge.
Though the Mysterious Clear Essence Pill’s description was simple, it was incredibly difficult to refine and highly valuable, its greatest feature being its universal efficacy across all realms.
In other words, it was effective at any stage of cultivation.
This was remarkably precious!
Not only for himself but for his Senior Sister too.
…
Late at night, after the banquet ended—
Unlike their tense first encounter, Ying Qingge bid her “mother” farewell with surprising warmth.
Thanks to you, I got so close to my Junior Brother~!
Such blatant provocation!
Ying Wuyan merely smiled, seemingly unbothered.
But who knew what she really thought?
On the way back—
Shedding her earlier elegance, Ying Qingge suddenly said with a serious tone,
“Junior Brother, remember this.”
“You can ignore anyone in the palace, but her… Ying Wuyan is an extremely dangerous person!”
“Huh? That serious?”
Su Chen was taken aback, asking in confusion.
From their two encounters, Ying Wuyan hadn’t given him any sense of danger or terror.
Ying Qingge shook her head.
“My ‘mother’ was once Great Qin’s most beautiful woman and the unluckiest Imperial Consort.”
“She entered the palace just as the late Emperor died, plunging Great Qin into its darkest period, with internal strife and external threats, the court in unprecedented chaos.”
“In such a turbulent time, a disfavored consort like Ying Wuyan surviving would’ve been a miracle.”
“But instead, with seemingly no foundation, she swiftly consolidated power in the harem in an astonishingly short time, taking sole control.”
“Not only that, at least half the power and influence in the palace, both overt and covert, is under her control today.”
“Such a person can’t be summed up as merely ‘dangerous.’”
Ying Qingge’s assessment of Ying Wuyan was both high and accurate.
Achieving even one of these feats would elevate an ordinary person to the heavens.
Yet Ying Wuyan had done them all.
If Ying Qingge herself hadn’t endured twenty years in silence, Great Qin might have truly changed hands!
“Ying Wuyan is cunning, adept at schemes and deception, with layers of facades. Avoid contact with her if you can—you’re too naive.”
Ying Qingge repeatedly warned, worried her easily deceived Junior Brother might fall into a trap.
Such a gullible Junior Brother—I can’t rest easy!
But Su Chen brushed it off, saying,
“If she’s as formidable as you say, yet you’re still the Empress, doesn’t that mean you’re even more impressive, Senior Sister?”
“Oh!”
The sudden question made Ying Qingge’s cheeks flush, a rare shy expression gracing her stunning face.
Her Junior Brother’s sweet talk was so unexpected!
Why are you speaking such blunt truths?!
In no time—
Su Chen returned to his room, ready to sleep.
He thought his Senior Sister would rest too, but who would’ve guessed that after such a busy banquet, she still had the energy for a sneak attack?
“Senior Sister, you should rest.”
Seeing her sneakily slip into his bed, Su Chen firmly refused.
Not sleeping at night and not waking in the morning—how could she handle state affairs and govern the nation like this?
“Ahem… actually, I’m injured…”
Sensing Su Chen was about to politely decline, Ying Qingge covered her mouth and coughed up a trace of bright red, claiming she was hurt and needed to recover!
“Senior Sister, you’re injured?”
Su Chen’s face showed concern, though he was also skeptical.
She seemed too lively to be injured.
“Maybe I’ve been overexerting myself lately. It’s not a big deal… cough cough!”
As she spoke, Ying Qingge coughed up two more mouthfuls of blood.
Now Su Chen was truly alarmed.
“Senior Sister, what’s wrong with you?!”
“It’s… nothing. But if I could lie beside you…”
“Your injuries would lessen?”
“No way! It’d just hurt less.”
“…”
Seeing his Senior Sister’s pitiful act, Su Chen couldn’t find a reason to refuse and let her stay in his bed.
Even if he knew she was faking, having a plausible excuse was enough.
On the other side—
Ying Qingge, having successfully sneaked into his bed, was oblivious to his thoughts, secretly delighted with her cleverness.
Good thing I ate some ketchup beforehand—I’m such a genius!
Before the bed—
Once in bed, Ying Qingge, true to her nature of pushing boundaries, quickly rolled into Su Chen’s arms.
Faced with such an “injured” patient, Su Chen didn’t refuse, instead gently wrapping his arms around her waist.
In an instant—
Ying Qingge’s body trembled, completely unprepared for this development.