The window suddenly slammed shut, drawing the attention of Uncle Fu and Sima Qing in the courtyard.
Before Uncle Fu could react, Sima Qing spoke in a languid tone.
"This prince already told you—your courtyard is a shambles. See? Even the windows can’t stay up." Sima Qing leisurely brushed off bits of straw from his hair and shook his head. "Wasn’t the Crown Princess said to be highly favored?"
Without waiting for Uncle Fu’s response, Sima Qing feigned sudden realization. "Ah, perhaps it’s a difference in customs between our nations. In Tianqi, we’d never reward someone with such a dilapidated residence."
Uncle Fu: "…"
No wonder the emperor had locked him in the woodshed.
Expressionless, Uncle Fu knocked on the door and ushered him inside, only to turn around and find—
The room completely empty.
Uncle Fu stared blankly. "Huh? Your Highness?"
Where had the Crown Princess gone???
Sima Qing leaned lazily against the doorframe, his gaze sweeping the room before settling on another wide-open window.
A gust of wind rattled the frame.
He coughed lightly, his smile faintly mocking.
"Seems your princess had urgent matters to attend to," Sima Qing chuckled, then turned to leave at a leisurely pace. "No need to see me out. This prince can find his own way."
Uncle Fu: "…"
Uncle Fu: "???"
…
As for Jiu Yue… she had already fled.
Damn it! Why did it have to be Sima Qing?!
Logically speaking, though they’d started as employer and mercenary before becoming collaborators, something about him burying her (figuratively or otherwise) left her inexplicably guilty.
She scratched her head, baffled by her own reaction—she hadn’t even done anything wrong!
Jiu Yue pursed her lips.
Meanwhile, her system fell into deep thought.
"Host," it suddenly spoke with unusual gravity, "what exactly is your relationship with that regent?"
Jiu Yue blinked, about to reply, when the system projected a progress bar into her mind—
The previously stagnant 50% had now risen to 53%.
Jiu Yue: "…"
She was stunned.
"There’s no relationship, right?" Jiu Yue questioned her own sanity. "I just swindled a bit of money from him. Was it really that traumatizing?"
To her, the progress bar was just a numerical display. But the system categorized it—the first 25% pale pink for "romance," the next 20% light green for "anguish," followed by 5% pale yellow for more "anguish." The new 3%? Back to pale pink "romance."
Whatever.
The system decided to observe quietly.
"By the way, host, once a task begins, there’s no rewinding," it added as a precaution. "Even if you kill the regent, this virtual world won’t generate another male lead. So… good luck!"
Jiu Yue: "…"
Jiu Yue: "."
In a daze, she made her way to the Fu Residence.
Grand Tutor Fu’s illness was real, but the family’s call for physicians had been a pretext to send out search parties. They hadn’t expected Jiu Yue to show up voluntarily.
Now that she’d been found, the Fu family retracted the notice, and Grand Tutor Fu and Old Madam Fu returned from their countryside estate.
Jiu Yue arrived without fanfare.
So when Fu Yan’an passed through the garden after visiting his grandparents, her sudden appearance nearly gave him a heart attack.
"Cousin, it’s me," Jiu Yue waved.
Fu Yan’an: "…"
He sighed and sat across from her.
"Your Highness, next time, could you use the front gate?" He massaged his temples wearily.
"We’ll see," Jiu Yue mumbled, propping her chin listlessly.
Studying her expression, Fu Yan’an smirked. "Met Tianqi’s regent already, have you?"
Jiu Yue looked up, immediately spotting the gossip in his eyes.
"That reaction… not satisfied with your royal consort? Is he too old?"
Jiu Yue: "…"
"I’d complain more about him not bathing," she deadpanned.
Fu Yan’an paused, his expression turning odd. "It’s that bad?"
Jiu Yue twitched her lips and cut off his wild assumptions. "Enough. I didn’t come here for this."
Fu Yan’an straightened.
"Consort Ning probably wants her son as crown prince. When Muling was named for the grassland marriage alliance, she likely feared Father would impulsively declare Muling heir…" Jiu Yue summarized her findings.
Fu Yan’an nodded. "When His Majesty proposed making you crown princess in court, I realized it too."
Jiu Yue hesitated. "There must’ve been opposition?"
"What do you think?" Fu Yan’an gave her a look. "The entire court—except Grandfather and me—vehemently protested. Veteran ministers even joined forces to petition daily, begging His Majesty to reconsider."
Jiu Yue: "…"
Her expression softened. "Father never told me."
Fu Yan’an chuckled. "It’s over now. Though I’ll never forget seeing Grand Tutor Fu brawling in court—truly a sight to behold."
Jiu Yue gasped. "You didn’t help?!"
"Of course I did," Fu Yan’an grinned. "Hence the spectacle. Grown officials scuffling like street vendors—unprecedented absurdity."
Jiu Yue laughed, touched despite herself.
"Anyway, Consort Ning has ties to a martial arts faction. Keep an eye out," she added.
Fu Yan’an nodded thoughtfully.
Jiu Yue left as abruptly as she’d come, returning to the palace by night.
Being betrothed without her knowledge—even to an acquaintance—was hard to swallow.
But after talking with Fu Yan’an, she calmed.
Her father must have his reasons.
By the time she reached Glazed Jade Palace, Emperor Yan was still waiting.
"Father…" Jiu Yue was both surprised and guilty. She rubbed her nose and smiled sheepishly. "Have you eaten?"
Emperor Yan sighed at her disheveled state. Glowering… he then instructed Eunuch Mao to bring dinner.
Jiu Yue beamed, radiating innocence.
After the meal and the physician’s check-up, the emperor’s worry finally eased.
They turned to business.
"You’ve met him," Emperor Yan said solemnly. "I know you may feel wronged, but trust that this is for your good. Sima Qing—left in Tianqi, he’d have matched our strength within five years."
"He’s Tianqi’s sharpest strategist," the emperor said fondly. "Now, he’ll be yours."
Jiu Yue froze—she hadn’t expected this.
Sima Qing was indeed a master of political games.
"As for men," Emperor Yan said with a satisfied look, "if Zhaoning meets someone she likes, she can just take him as a consort. You’re already the Crown Princess—you can have whatever you desire."
Jiu Yue: "..."
One was more than enough! She absolutely did not want a bunch of men!!!
