Chapter 404 - 402: Proving Innocence
"Little Silver Thief?"
The Empress glanced at the Flower Fairy, then at Qin Yu, who looked apprehensive, and even the Empress Dowager beside them had a gleam in her eyes, evidently aware of some inside story.
Even Lian Xiangrui knows, yet as the Empress, she had no clue about it at all?!
What exactly happened that turned Qin Yu into a silver thief?
A long-lost curiosity arose in the Empress’s heart. She suddenly wanted to know what Qin Yu had done to provoke the Flower Fairy to such an extent.
"Your Majesty, please hand over this little silver thief to me."
The Flower Fairy took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the anger in her heart.
If it weren’t for the Empress being present, she would have already taken action directly, not giving Qin Yu any chance to escape.
In the end, there was still some apprehension in her heart.
After all, Qin Yu was a tributor to the Great Yan Royal Family, and it seemed that Little Ling’Er needed him.
"Dear Flower, could you tell me what happened?"
The Empress looked at Qin Yu, who seemed guilty.
Overall, it seemed that her tributor probably hadn’t suffered any loss.
Hmm.
Then it’s necessary to first attend to the Flower Fairy’s feelings, and this was definitely not due to any curiosity.
"Your Majesty..."
The Flower Fairy was somewhat speechless.
Was the Empress protecting Qin Yu?
And where was the Empress’s dignity?
This expression of eating popcorn reminded her of the girl who trained with her before becoming the Empress.
She even forgot how long it had been since she saw this expression on the Empress.
"I will stand by you."
The Empress’s expression returned to normal, her face indifferent, the majesty of the emperor making it impossible for anyone to question.
If it weren’t for having trained with the Empress and knowing her better than others, the Flower Fairy would have truly believed her.
"Your Majesty, I will definitely give you an explanation in the future. Please hand this little silver thief over to me for handling."
The Flower Fairy felt disheartened and even changed her term of address for the Empress.
She really couldn’t bring herself to speak of her own humiliation.
Now, she could only gamble, gamble on the Empress considering past affection and respect, to hand Qin Yu over to her for disposal.
"This..."
The Empress furrowed her brows slightly, paused, and then slowly said, "Dear Flower, I did not deceive you. The injury within Ling’Er requires reliance on Qin Yu to stabilize."
Upon hearing this, the Flower Fairy staggered.
Although the Empress did not explicitly refuse, this attitude explained a lot.
"You can say how Qin Yu offended you, and I will give you an explanation."
Looking at the Flower Fairy, who was heartbroken and on the verge of tears, the Empress sighed softly, saying.
This time, it really wasn’t out of curiosity!
"He..."
The Flower Fairy’s expression struggled, as her fairy-like face showed a girlish embarrassment and anger.
"He broke into my courtyard in the dead of night!"
The Flower Fairy practically gritted her teeth while saying it. She realized that if she didn’t say something conclusive, the Empress wouldn’t easily hand Qin Yu over to her.
As soon as the words finished, the Empress became instantly sober.
Countless possibilities flashed through her mind in an instant.
Wait...
Could it be that Xiangrui, relying on her special perception, knew about this for a long time?
No wonder she seemed so alert from the moment the Flower Fairy entered.
Damn Xiangrui, how dare she not inform me of such a matter. Do you know how much effort I put into searching for that non-existent mouse over these three days?!
After this, I must have a good... heart-to-heart talk with Xiangrui.
The Empress Dowager Dai Mei furrowed her brows and silently took a few steps back.
Being a Xiangrui, able to avoid misfortune, she felt that this tyrant had thoughts toward her, and not good ones at that!
"Is Dear Flower joking?"
The Empress suddenly thought of a very serious question and asked, "To enter your courtyard without alarming you? Even I couldn’t do that."
"What does Your Majesty mean?!"
The Flower Fairy was stunned.
Shouldn’t you think it was intentional on my part to let the silver thief in to peep at my bathing?!
Could I, in the Empress’s eyes, sacrifice myself to abduct a minor Golden Core?
"Qin Yu, you tell the truth, how did you trespass into Dear Flower’s courtyard?"
The Empress seemed to realize that asking the Flower Fairy that question was indeed inappropriate.
"I don’t know how I ended up in the Fairy’s courtyard, it really was a misunderstanding."
Qin Yu didn’t know how to explain it.
Instant Movement, even those at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm couldn’t do it.
He was merely a Golden Core, how could he traverse through space and appear in such a place like that?
Even if he told the truth, the Empress and the Flower Fairy wouldn’t believe him!
"Your Majesty, Fairy, you have to believe me."
Qin Yu opened his mouth, and seeing the Empress’s meaningful gaze, felt that his words were in vain.
"What you said, I naturally believe."
The Empress didn’t even believe a single punctuation mark!
This guy had long wiped out the upper echelons of the Cyan Mountain Sect and even Yan Yu, who approached him, had now become his Dao Companion.
Moreover, if it weren’t for her presence, even Yan Lin, who had only met him once, could have been abducted.
Not to mention the Empress Dowager, who was eager to offer herself every day!
The Empress had just been thinking about why Qin Yu was so honest, running so far when he saw the Flower Fairy coming.
As it turned out, he had done everything behind her back?!
If not, why would the Flower Fairy be so angry?
Well done!
Well done, Qin Yu!
You even managed to deceive me!
Perhaps only Little Ling’Er and the silly Xiangrui would unconditionally believe in Qin Yu.
"Enough!"
The Flower Fairy’s anger was almost overflowing.
You’ve seen everything, and you still want me to believe you?!
Besides, when our eyes met just now, this Silver Thief’s passionate gaze couldn’t be hidden at all!
Also, is the Empress really helping to crusade, or is she just enjoying the drama!
The sisterly bond forged through life and death, has it turned into a plastic flower for the sake of a tributor?
"Your Majesty, may I now handle him myself?"
The Fairy desperately suppressed the overwhelming fury about to erupt, and pleaded once again.
Now that everything’s been said, surely the Empress won’t still protect that little Silver Thief, right?!
"Qin Yu, do you have anything else to say?"
The Empress felt she couldn’t keep stalling anymore; the Flower Fairy’s stature was something that even she had to respect.
If she didn’t give her an explanation, it really wouldn’t be fair.
"Your Majesty, I truly didn’t mean it..."
Qin Yu forced a bitter smile.
Feeling the gaze of the Flower Fairy, like she wanted to devour him, he gritted his teeth and explained: "That day I suddenly had an epiphany, and instantly traversed space..."
"Shut up!"
The Flower Fairy shouted angrily, thinking that his cheek was the most shameless she had ever seen!
Space traversal?
She and the Empress couldn’t do it, yet you, a cultivator in the Golden Core Realm?!
"Swish!"
As soon as the Flower Fairy finished speaking, Qin Yu’s figure suddenly vanished, freezing the anger on her face.
"???
The Empress quickly collected her previously entertained demeanor, her eyes filled with gravitas.
That instant, she clearly felt a trace of spatial fluctuation, and then Qin Yu disappeared.
The Empress briefly glanced coldly at the Empress Dowager.
"He’s fled the palace, and just entered the Imperial Palace, heading this way."
The Empress Dowager pouted.
Why?
Does that look mean you want to eat me alive?
When Qin Yu returned to the Jade Flower Palace, Little Ling’Er was the first to greet him.
The Flower Fairy and the Empress were both silent, as they looked at Qin Yu with a slightly changed expression.
The Empress Dowager suddenly realized.
So that’s how Qin Yu suddenly appeared in the Flower Fairy’s courtyard.
Wow, his ability seems quite impressive.
In the future, there won’t be a need to fear being imprisoned by the Tyrant; at worst, just call Qin Yu to secretly take me out to have fun.
"Um... I can’t control the location when traversing space."
Qin Yu said, looking awkward.
The Empress suddenly regretted letting Qin Yu prove himself.
Instant Movement, space traversal!
This method is simply unheard of!
The Empress couldn’t imagine the chaos it would cause if such a thing was leaked.
"So, it wasn’t intentional on his part?"
The Flower Fairy was equally unsettled inside.
What he said, the misunderstanding, could it really not be an excuse?
However, before witnessing it herself, she couldn’t imagine a cultivator in the Golden Core Realm having such a method!
"Sister Flower, regarding Qin the Tributor..."
The Empress’s expression was somewhat complex.
If Qin Yu hadn’t proven himself, the Flower Fairy wouldn’t have let things rest.
Even if sparing him for her sake, once Qin Yu left the palace, he’d likely face the Flower Fairy’s pursuit again.
But now, with the Flower Fairy aware of Qin Yu’s ability, things seemed to have become even more complicated.
"I swear by the Ancestral Gods that today’s events will never be leaked."
The Fairy took a deep breath and said slowly.
She understood the Empress’s concerns, such ability, once Qin Yu matured, he could certainly become a major weapon of the Great Yan Royal Family in the future.
He’s merely in the Golden Core Realm, yet with this method, he could break through the restriction in her little courtyard; how terrifying will he become in the future?
"There’s no need, Sister Flower, I naturally trust you."
The Empress’s expression softened slightly.
Qin Yu also breathed a sigh of relief; with the Empress, Empress Dowager, and Little Ling’Er knowing, he wasn’t worried, but the Flower Fairy was ultimately an outsider.
Though they had exchanged candid words.
"Your Majesty, I will spare his life."
The Flower Fairy pondered for a while, looking at Qin Yu with a still icy gaze.
Even if it was an accident, being seen by him was an undeniable fact.
The Flower Fairy absolutely couldn’t tolerate a man, especially such a shifty man, seeing all of her... everything!
"What is she planning?"
Qin Yu shivered all over.
No, I’ve already proven it’s a misunderstanding!
Yet the Flower Fairy doesn’t seem ready to let it go, what’s she going to do?
Hit me with vines?
Honestly, being whipped by such a drop-dead gorgeous fairy, is too frightening.
Even that thought makes one laugh out loud...
Ptooey Ptooey!
Even thinking about it is terrifying!
"Let’s talk about this later."
The Empress shook her head; Qin Yu’s value to the Great Yan Immortal Country, and even the Nine Immortal Countries is immense.
She wasn’t worried about how the Flower Fairy might punish Qin Yu.
After all, this guy’s body was extremely resilient; even when that brute was in the Golden Core Realm, he couldn’t compare with Qin Yu.