Chapter 149 -
Yueqing picked up her tea cup, taking one last, calm sip before giving him a confident nod. "We have a deal, Your Highness."
Xiao Chen’s smirk deepened into a satisfied, brilliant smile. "Excellent."
An hour later, two horses trotted up the dirt path leading back toward the military base. The camp was still quiet, locked in its low-energy standby mode while the main army marched further toward the mountain pass.
Yueqing pulled back on her reins, coming to a halt near the supply tents where she had been hiding earlier that morning.
Xiao Chen dismounted smoothly, his loose red robe swaying with the motion. He reached up, placing a hand on her waist to help her down from her horse. The moment her boots hit the dusty ground, a frantic voice cut through the silence of the camp.
"Young Madam!"
Lu Yue came sprinting out from between the tents, her face pale and her chest heaving as she breathed heavily. She looked like she had aged ten years in a single hour.
"Young Madam! Where did you disappear to?!" Lu Yue cried out, running straight up to Yueqing, her hands hovering in absolute panic. "We searched everywhere! I thought—"
Lu Yue’s words choked in her throat.
Her eyes darted sideways, landing squarely on the tall, imposing man standing right beside her mistress.
The dark, luxurious traveling cloak, the pitch-black eyes, the striking golden-brown hair, and the unmistakable air of imperial nobility—it hit Lu Yue all at once.
Her heart dropped straight to her stomach.
"T-Third Prince..." Lu Yue stammered, her knees instantly giving out as she dropped low to the ground in a deep, trembling bow. "Your... Your Imperial Highness!"
Xiao Chen didn’t even look down at the kneeling guard. He kept his black eyes fixed on Yueqing, a subtle, entertained glint dancing in their depths.
"It seems your little guard was quite worried about you, Lady Sue," Xiao Chen said smoothly, resting a hand casually on his belt. He gave Yueqing a small, lingering look, his voice dropping into a low, private tone for her ears alone. "I shall have my carriage sent to the back gates of the camp at sunset. Pack whatever you need."
Yueqing patted her coat, brushing off a speck of dust as she gave him a quiet, reassuring nod. "I will be ready."
Xiao Chen smiled, mounted his black stallion with effortless grace, and turned his horse around, riding away down the trail without a single backward glance.
Once the sound of horse hooves faded, Lu Yue scrambled up from the dirt, grabbing Yueqing’s arm with shaking hands.
"Young Madam!" Lu Yue squeaked, her eyes wide with total terror. "Why were you with the Third Prince?! And... and what did he mean by carriage?! Where are you going at sunset?!"
Yueqing turned toward her tent, a cool, unbothered smile playing on her lips.
"Pack my bags, Lu Yue," Yueqing said casually, walking straight toward her tent. "We are moving out of this cold dirt and into a mansion."
While seated comfortably on her plush fur bed, Sue Yueqing leaned back and called out in her mind.
[Nine, come out for a second.]
A soft flicker of blue-green light flashed inside the tent, and Nine manifested into his physical sprite form, hovering silently in the cold air with his arms crossed.
[Nine, I’m curious,] Yueqing asked, resting her chin in her hand. [Why exactly are Xiao Chen and Wenzhe such bitter enemies in this world? What made them hate each other so much?]
Nine let out a digital, sarcastic sigh, his blue-green light flickering with dramatic annoyance.
[System 009: Oh, I don’t know, Host... maybe because one is a fierce General protecting the crown, and the other is a villainous prince plotting a bloody coup? Just a wild guess.]
Yueqing rolled her eyes. [Cut the attitude and explain the background story properly.]
Nine floated down a bit, his mechanical glow steadying into a serious tone as he brought up the historical records.
[System 009: Fine. It all traces back to his childhood in the Cold Palace. After his mother died—]
"Me," Yueqing corrected immediately out loud, pointing a finger at her own chest.
Nine paused, his digital face twitching.
[System 009: ...After Concubine Bai Mila died—]
"Me," Yueqing interrupted again, her voice louder and firmer. "I am Bai Mila. It was me."
Nine’s blue-green light flared with irritation as he hovered right in front of her nose.
[System 009: Host, in this current storyline, you are Sue Yueqing! Concubine Bai Mila is a deceased historical figure from your previous life! For plot consistency, please let me finish the—]
"I spent six years starving in that freezing palace, Nine," Yueqing argued, crossing her arms and glaring right back at the floating sprite. "I drank the poison cup! It was me! Stop calling my past self a random historical figure!"
[System 009: It is proper system terminology! You are currently Host Sue Yueqing!]
"It was ME!"
[System 009: CONCUBINE BAI MILA!]
"ME!"
Nine’s digital shoulders slumped, his blue-green light dimming in total, exhausted defeat as he let out a heavy sigh.
[System 009: Fine. Fine! You win, Host. After you died in the Cold Palace...]
Sue Yueqing smirked, leaning back against her plush pillows with a look of absolute victory. "Good boy. Carry on."
Nine hovered in the air, his glowing blue-green sprite form flickering erratically as if his internal processor were overheating from sheer annoyance. He let out another long, static-filled sigh.
[System 009: As I was saying... after you died, Xiao Chen was left completely unprotected in the imperial court. He grew up surrounded by enemies, forced to act harmless while secretly building his own power. Naturally, the Emperor favored the Crown Prince’s faction—which meant General Xi Wenzhe and his family were given absolute military control.]
Yueqing tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Okay, so political rivalry. Standard court drama. But that’s just business. What made them despise each other on a personal level? Xiao Chen looked like he wanted to eat Wenzhe alive when he spoke about him earlier."
[System 009: Ah. That personal grudge...]
Nine floated closer, displaying a glowing, detailed archive log in front of her eyes.
[System 009: That trace goes back to a specific incident twelve years ago at the Northern Border...]