Although the war had ended, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t need her in the future. Even if he didn’t need her, he didn’t want to become her enemy. He knew too well the consequences of being her opponent.
Before returning to the Imperial City, he had planned to use her low status and lack of cultivation as excuses for his father’s disapproval. This would allow him to marry Jiang Anya while forcing her to compromise and continue supporting him from behind. However, things seemed to have gone awry.
If she ever used her past tactics against him, he dared not imagine the consequences. If absolutely necessary, he could only eliminate her, preventing her from having any chance to oppose him.
Chen Qingyang didn’t know at all that he had no such opportunity—Murong Chao had already acted first.
But Chen Qingyang still wanted to salvage the situation. “Chaochao, do you remember our first encounter…”
Murong Chao glanced at Chen Qingyang mockingly. This was reminding her that she owed him a debt for saving her life.
“Back then, you saved my life, and I assisted you for three years, helping you achieve the title of War God. During these three years, although I didn’t directly save your life, how many times did I help you avoid life-threatening dangers? Can you count them?”
Chen Qingyang’s face turned extremely grim, because what she said was all true. Upon careful calculation, he owed her even more.
“Chen Qingyang, I don’t owe you anything.” Murong Chao spoke these words with an extremely light tone, but to Chen Qingyang, they exploded like thunder in his ears.
“The Imperial Marriage Edict has been issued, and the wedding date won’t be far off. The Third Prince should be quite busy, so please don’t come here anymore.”
Murong Chao didn’t give Chen Qingyang another chance to speak. Whatever else he said would be meaningless.
As long as the Crown Prince wasn’t foolish, he would inevitably solidify Chen Qingyang and Jiang Anya’s marriage in the shortest possible time.
“Qingdai, escort our guest.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Qingdai, who was waiting outside, walked to the door and said coldly, “Third Prince, please.”
Chen Qingyang felt a suffocating anger in his chest, unable to rise or fall.
Did she really expect him, a prince of a nation, to marry only her—a solitary woman without cultivation or family support?
Even if she didn’t owe him anything, were their three years of affection false? Was she giving up so easily?
What was wrong with him wanting to take a shortcut? She couldn’t possibly not know how much support Jiang Anya’s Protector-General’s Estate would provide him.
Without him, what could she do even with her intelligence?
This world never belonged to the weak, especially a woman without cultivation or support. What could intelligence achieve in the face of absolute power? It meant nothing.
Even the courtyard she lived in belonged to him.
He refused to believe she truly wanted to abandon him.
He didn’t want to endure this humiliation either. After all, he was now Fengyun Kingdom’s War God, his father’s strongest son, and soon the son-in-law of the Protector-General.
Although he had acted hastily, causing his father to be wary, the Continental Championship was approaching. He doubted his father would abandon him at this time, given the desire for more resources.
Once he became Crown Prince, what happened afterward wouldn’t be decided by his father.
“You’re right to be angry. I’ll come again in a few days.”
Even if Chen Qingyang was furious, he didn’t want to abandon Murong Chao, his strategist, unless absolutely forced. Without Murong Chao, there would be no War God Chen Qingyang today.
She was a solitary woman without cultivation or family support. Ultimately, she would still have to rely on a man to survive. He refused to believe she had any better choice than him.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have wholeheartedly helped him these past three years.
Her stubbornness was merely a desire for recognition. This time, he must make her understand her place, know how to treat him in the future, and stay contentedly in his backyard, offering him counsel—that was what she ought to do.
Watching Chen Qingyang’s retreating figure, Qingdai spat. The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, yet just enough for Chen Qingyang to hear.
His steps faltered, his expression darkening further. Once Chaochao yielded, Qingdai could not remain. He quickened his pace and left.
Murong Chao smiled. “Qingdai, why get angry? From the moment he sought the Imperial Marriage Edict for Jiang Anya, he lost any chance at the position of Reserve Sovereign of Fengyun Kingdom.”
Murong Chao’s voice was soft and sweet, no different from that of an ordinary girl in her prime.
As for Chen Qingyang, Murong Chao had no intention of killing him. After all, the life-saving grace from three years ago was genuine.
Whether it was because he was captivated by her beauty or for some other reason, he had saved her life.
Although she truly owed him nothing over these three years, as long as he did not attempt to kill her, she would not take his life. That was her bottom line.
After three years, she understood Chen Qingyang well. If left to his own devices, as long as he wasn’t irredeemably foolish, he would choose to keep her around to continue exploiting her wisdom for his own ends.
Repaying the life-saving grace with three years of assistance and the title of War God was enough. He should not expect anything more. As for the future, that would depend on him. As long as he did not provoke her again, their grudges would be settled.
However, she would absolutely not let Jiang Anya off.
She had no intention of staying long in Fengyun Kingdom. Chancellor Chu would come again today, and the time for departure would be decided. Today, she still needed to visit Jiang Anya. To have a grievance and not seek revenge is not the way of a noble person. Though she was not a noble person, she possessed the heart of one.
At that moment, in a courtyard not far from where she resided, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties hurried into the front yard.
“Xuanhe,” the woman called out as she walked.
The door to the room opened, and an exceptionally young man with striking phoenix eyes, a peerlessly handsome face, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, stepped out.
His steps were neither hurried nor slow, his demeanor calm and restrained. His ink-black hair was half-tied up, secured with an exquisitely carved, openwork white jade hair crown. The stark contrast between the rigid jade and the soft, silky black hair, along with his flowing brocade robe dancing in the wind, created a harmonious blend of strength and gentleness.
“Aunt, what is it?” Chu Xuanhe’s voice was icy cold.
Chu Xuanhe’s phoenix eyes narrowed imperceptibly. His aunt had entered the palace as a female official at sixteen, earning the deep trust of the Empress. Her wisdom and methods were among the best among women, and now she held the position of Chancellor.
Chu Xinlan glanced at her nephew. “Aren’t you going today?”
Chu Xuanhe frowned. “Aunt can go.”
“Don’t forget, you are the Imperial Princess Consort.” Chu Xinlan felt weary every time she faced this nephew. Whom did he inherit such a cold temperament from?
“Aunt should know that I cultivate the Path of Emotionlessness.” Chu Xuanhe’s voice grew even colder.
Chu Xinlan sighed. Her perfectly fine nephew, for some reason, had chosen to cultivate the Path of Emotionlessness.
She patiently advised, “What does the path you cultivate matter? For the sake of the Chu family, what’s wrong with leaving an heir?”
There was another thing she didn’t say: no matter how strong one’s talent, no one on the Yagu Continent had achieved Ascension before the age of a hundred. It wouldn’t hinder him in any way.
Three days ago, when she went to fetch the Imperial Princess, the Imperial Princess had refused to return without hesitation.
Now that Chen Qingyang is going to marry Jiang Anya, she should finally give up. As soon as her nephew appears, with just his face alone, she doesn’t believe the Crown Princess can resist being captivated by his beauty.
First trick her—no, bring her back, and then figure out the rest if it doesn’t work.