"As for Senior Luo, given your identity, that’s even less possible. So, I think I might have..."
"Not necessarily."
The other won had been "cornered" by Jiang Que’s remarks, but Luo Wanqing was not one to be so easily cowed.
With a smile brimming with confidence, the woman gently smoothed her dress and said:
"This Dazhou is already fractured beyond repair. If worse cos to worst, I’ll help Jiang Mo ascend the throne as Emperor. By then, I can naturally take my place as the Empress. So, it’s quite fitting for to be the rightful wife."
Jiang Que hadn’t anticipated that she would be so shaless, rendering him temporarily speechless.
At this mont, Qu Hongling spoke softly:
"Actually, the first woman Brother Jiang loved was Ye. If Sister Ye were still here, she’d undoubtedly be the rightful wife in his heart, and I doubt anyone would oppose it."
The mont the na "Sister Ye" reached Ran Qingchen’s ears, her eyelids twitched uncontrollably, like a calm lake shattered by a stone, rippling with waves.
She suddenly recalled seeing mories of Anhe Village within the Dream Mirror.
The impression Ye Zhuchan had left on her was vivid—gentle, composed, and perceptive of human nature—a truly flawless woman.
Jiang Mo had married into the Ran family precisely to uncover the truth behind Ye Zhuchan’s murder.
But was Ye Zhuchan truly dead?
What she had seen in the Water Moon Dream Mirror: was it rely a mory with self-awareness, or could Ye Zhuchan still be alive?
Ran Qingchen was deeply conflicted.
Similarly, upon hearing his disciple’s na, Li Guanshi’s face showed a hint of absent-mindedness.
...
anwhile, in the small room,
Jiang Shouzhong’s consciousness finally began to clear.
The man felt an ache spreading throughout his body as though he’d been tossed into a blender for a rciless round of tornt. Especially his lower abdon, which throbbed faintly in pain.
He looked around and was surprised to find the young girl Jinxiu nodding off in a chair beside him.
And ngniang, sitting cross-legged nearby in ditation.
An air of serenity surrounded her, harmonizing perfectly with the tranquil atmosphere.
ngniang’s entire figure was bare, her snow-white skin glowing with an alluring shimr under the soft light. Light beads of fragrant sweat adorned her body, adding an intoxicating charm to her presence.
Her slender and supple waist was particularly enchanting—delicate enough to hold with one hand, carrying a seductive grace that seed to possess a soul-enthralling allure.
Jiang Shouzhong was utterly dumbfounded.
He shook his head forcefully, faint fragnts of mory flickering by, yet he couldn’t piece them together entirely.
Why was ngniang here?
And Jinxiu too?
Could it be that I’m dreaming?
Jiang Shouzhong pinched his own thigh hard in a reflexive move, the sharp pain drawing a hiss from his lips and confirming that this was no illusion.
The man suddenly found himself overwheld with joy.
"ngniang..."
"Don’t speak."
Keeping her eyes closed, ngniang spoke softly, "I need to dissolve the powers of the Heavenly Tribulation along with the yang energy within you. Once it’s done, I’ll explain why I’ve only appeared now."
Jiang Shouzhong promptly fell silent, though his excitent remained palpable.
Among all the won around him, perhaps only Ye and ngniang could offer a sense of warm, familial affection.
After ngniang had entered seclusion and vanished from sight for so long, despite his belief in her safety, his heart had nonetheless been gripped with worry. Seeing her now filled him with a deep sense of comfort.
Jiang Shouzhong turned his gaze to the young girl sleeping at the table.
Jinxiu’s face bore traces of fatigue, her eyelashes trembling gently, painting faint shadows beneath her eyelids. Her slightly pouted lips exuded an innocent and adorable charm.
"Why is this little girl here too?"
Jiang Shouzhong furrowed his brows.
He instinctively reached out to wake her, but his hand froze just inches from her shoulder.
Instead, Jiang Shouzhong retrieved a thin blanket from the bed and gently covered the girl before dressing himself and stepping outside.
Nearing the living room, he abruptly caught wind of Qu Hongling’s voice.
Hong’er?
The familiar, delicate sound of the young girl made Jiang Shouzhong pause, his heart brimming with joy. He couldn’t help but hasten his steps toward the living room, paying little attention to what she was saying.
And so, an electrifying mont unfolded.
As Jiang Shouzhong’s tall figure appeared at the threshold of the living room, ti itself seed to freeze.
All the won’s gazes shot toward him like arrows, locking onto his figure with an unrelenting intensity, leaving him nowhere to hide.
Jiang Shouzhong, initially stunned as if under an immobilization spell, stood dumbfounded. The smile initially etched on his face froze, transforming into an expression of shock.
However, amidst his surprise, a fleeting joy surfaced in his heart. But before it could fully spread, he beca acutely aware of the awkward situation unfolding before him.
Under the continued scrutiny of the won’s unwavering stares, Jiang Shouzhong felt as if his back was prickled by thorns, cold sweat seeping involuntarily from his forehead.
"What’s the matter? Not happy seeing so many beauties?"
Li Guanshi teased.
"This... uh... this..."
Jiang Shouzhong, drenched in sweat, looked utterly flustered, resembling a child caught red-handed in mischief.
When his gaze fell upon Ran Qingchen’s icy expression, a pang gripped his heart.
This was their first encounter since the wedding.
The woman appeared noticeably thinner.
"Qing..."
Jiang Shouzhong tried to step forward, but Jiang Que suddenly dashed over and clung to his arm, her voice lilting: "Jiang Mo, you’ve woken up just in ti. We were discussing how to rescue Ms. Jiang."
Ms. Jiang? Jiang Yi?
Jiang Shouzhong froze montarily, puzzled. "What happened to her?"
Jiang Que explained, "Miss Leng said that Ms. Jiang has been trapped inside that cactus."
"What?"
Jiang Shouzhong was stupefied, utterly incredulous.
Miss Leng calmly elaborated on the situation. Listening, Jiang Shouzhong was astounded, marveling at the twists of fate—he would have never guessed he’d cross paths with the imprisoned Jiang Yi in such a way.
Turning to Ran Qingchen instinctively, he said:
"Qingchen, don’t worry—Aunt won’t co to harm. I’ll make sure to rescue her."
"What does her rescue have to do with ?"
Ran Qingchen’s exquisitely beautiful face was frosted with cold indifference. Rising, she flicked her sleeves and left the living room.
Jiang Shouzhong reached out, his fingertip brushing against the hem of her sleeve.
"Brother Jiang..."
Qu Hongling stepped before him, looking at his despondent figure with eyes full of guilt and concern, "Sister Ran is only upset. She’ll calm down eventually."
Jiang Shouzhong forced a smile, tinged with bitterness and helplessness.
Curious, he asked, "Why does Qingchen seem... like a different person?"
Qu Hongling recounted Ran Qingchen’s experiences to Jiang Shouzhong. Upon hearing that Ran Qingchen had fused with the Asura Queen, waves of shock roiled through his heart.
Qu Hongling said, "I don’t think Sister Ran has changed entirely. I can still feel her caring about —she just refuses to lower her pride..."
"That’s only because she hasn’t completely discarded Ran Qingchen’s emotions."
Dugu Luoxue suddenly interjected, "This ti, Ran Qingchen’s visit to Water Moon Manor is to seek the Great Bodhi Mother and obtain her Nichang Tears.
Nichang Tears can purify Ran Qingchen’s benevolence and emotions in reverse. Once erased, she’ll no longer be Ran Qingchen."
Hearing this, Jiang Shouzhong’s heart sank with worry.
Luo Wanqing sneered, "A man dithering back and forth—so utterly repulsive.
If you can’t bear to part with her, then why not simply take her, toss her onto the bed, and properly teach her until she submits? Surely, with your abilities, you can handle one Asura Queen? What a joke."
Her words made Jiang Shouzhong’s face darken.
Perhaps out of her lingering animosity from their earlier confrontation, Jiang Que retorted, "How shaless for soone who calls herself an Empress!"
"Little girl, do you want to tear your mouth apart?"
Luo Wanqing’s beautiful eyes flashed with cold fury.
Wait!
Empress!?
Jiang Shouzhong’s jaw dropped as he stared at the breathtakingly elegant yet fiery woman.
Had Xie not been one of the Empress’s attendants?
So how had her identity shifted?
Which ans, I’ve... with the Empress...
Seeing his shocked expression, Luo Wanqing covered her red lips with a delicate hand and yawned lazily before saying:
"To be honest, I shouldn’t have co. Now that this boy knows my true identity, he’ll likely get even more excited. Ah, what a pity—my husband died young. If he were alive, it’d be truly poetic to consummate with this lad right in front of him."
She suddenly smiled coquettishly at Jiang Shouzhong and said, "Jiang Mo, would you like to be Emperor?"
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