Ultimately, Luo Zhao used her astonishing willpower to forcibly suppress and crush all her emotions, sinking them into a bottomless, freezing pool.
She was Luo Zhao, the Crown Princess of Great Luo, the future Empress.
She could not, and should not, be swayed by any emotion.
What she needed to do was utilize everyone available to achieve her goals.
As for Gu Chengyin... she would wring every last drop of value out of him first. It wouldn't be too late to settle the score then.
With this thought, the ripples in Luo Zhao's heart completely settled.
She gave a slight nod, her voice cold and flat, devoid of any superfluous emotion.
Then I will leave this hard work to you.
These simple words were both an agreement and a delegation of responsibility.
Gu Chengyin paid no mind to the indifference in Luo Zhao's tone; this was the proper boundary between a ruler and a subject.
He nodded and continued, Your Highness, although there is a high probability that the Xiao and Cui families will not dare to make a move against the Crown Princess's Palace.
Even a cornered rabbit will bite. If they are truly pushed to the brink, there is no telling what crazy actions they might take.
Right now, it is still just the probing phase. But if this drags on and they find themselves out of options, I fear they might take a desperate risk and resort to more extreme measures.
Gu Chengyin paused before suggesting, I believe we should make preparations early and strengthen the defensive forces of the Palace. For example... General Chen.
Now that the matter concerning Chen Busha had been resolved, his loyalty was beyond doubt, and his personal martial prowess made him one of the strongest experts in the Foundation Establishment realm.
If he could lead the Golden Feather Guards to participate in the defense of the Crown Princess's Palace, its security would be greatly enhanced.
Luo Zhao expressed her agreement. I understand. Tomorrow, I will personally visit the Golden Feather Guards' encampment outside the city.
Going in person was not only to see Chen Busha but also to pacify the morale of the thirty thousand Golden Feather Guards.
Having said all that needed to be said, Gu Chengyin spoke no more and bowed to indicate the end of his report.
Luo Zhao stood up. Her gaze swept over Gu Xiaoli, who was about to fall asleep again nearby, and she instructed Shangguan Yunying,
Yunying, I am leaving Gu Xiaoli in your care. Remember, do not leave her side for even a single step.
Yes! Please rest assured, Your Highness, Shangguan Yunying responded solemnly.
Luo Zhao did not linger. With steady steps, she walked toward the door, her dark silhouette quickly blending into the night until she disappeared from sight.
Only after Luo Zhao's figure had completely vanished did the tense atmosphere ease slightly.
Shangguan Yunying immediately approached Gu Chengyin, her face etched with worry. Isn't... isn't this too risky for you?
What if the noble families really become desperate and send assassins after you at all costs?
Although you have cultivation, two fists are no match for four hands. How about... I dispatch a few highly skilled female officials to protect you in secret?
Shangguan Yunying was genuinely worried. In her heart, Gu Chengyin's importance had surpassed anyone else's, save for Her Highness.
Gu Chengyin smiled and shook his head. I appreciate Master Yunying's good intentions.
However, we are already short on female officials, and you have to split your attention to protect Gu Xiaoli, making your responsibilities even heavier.
You do not need to worry about my safety. Tomorrow, I will go find myself a protective charm.
A protective charm? Shangguan Yunying blinked in confusion. What protective charm? Is it an expert I know? It couldn't be General Chen, could it?
A mysterious smile appeared on Gu Chengyin's face as he waved his hand. Of course not. As for what exactly it is, you will find out tomorrow.
Seeing him so certain, Shangguan Yunying could only suppress her doubts, though she repeatedly urged Gu Chengyin to be extremely careful.
The next day, early morning.
The grand, vermilion-painted gates of the Cui Manor had just opened. The servants were sweeping the courtyard when they saw a carriage slowly come to a halt in front of the gates.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Gu Chengyin stepped down, dressed in dark cyan casual attire, looking completely at ease.
The servants at the door recognized him immediately and hurriedly ran inside to report.
Soon, having received the report, Cui Ziting rushed out to greet him. His face still carried traces of sleepiness, as well as surprise at seeing Gu Chengyin.
Marquis Gu? What brings you...?
Cui Ziting cupped his hands in greeting, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
It had only been one night; why was the Marquis of Equal Merit visiting again so early in the morning?
Could there be some unfinished business?
Gu Chengyin patted his shoulder, wearing a smile that suggested everything was perfectly natural, and got straight to the point.
Morning, Brother Cui. After I returned last night, I tossed and turned, unable to eat or sleep!
Ah?
Cui Ziting was stunned. Unable to eat or sleep?
Because of what? Was last night's singing and dancing not spectacular enough? Or was the fine wine not mellow enough?
Or perhaps... Cui Zilu's absurd question had offended him.
Did he get angrier the more he thought about it after going back, and had come today to settle the score?
At this thought, Cui Ziting's heart skipped a beat.
However, Gu Chengyin sighed with exaggerated emotion, The scenery of your esteemed manor is truly too elegant, and the fine wine and delicacies are too tempting. Especially your warm hospitality, Brother Cui, which made me feel right at home. I simply cannot stop thinking about it!
Meanwhile, the Crown Princess's Palace is cold and deserted, with far too many rules. It is truly suffocating.
Therefore, I have come uninvited today to trouble your noble household and stay for a few days. I wonder, Brother Cui, am I welcome?
Stay... stay for a few days?!
Cui Ziting was completely dumbfounded. His eyes went wide, his mouth hung slightly open, and he couldn't react for a long time.
The Marquis of Equal Merit, personally titled by Her Highness, the favorite before the Eldest Princess, and the principal manager of the Internal Affairs Department, had run to the gates of the Cui Manor early in the morning, asking to crash there?
What... what kind of play was this?! Had the Crown Princess's Palace caught fire? He hadn't heard anything about that!
Mar... Marquis Gu, you aren't joking, are you?
Cui Ziting laughed dryly, trying to find a trace of a joke on Gu Chengyin's face.
Do I look like I am joking?
Gu Chengyin wore a serious expression, even looking a bit hurt. What, Brother Cui? Just yesterday we were having a heart-to-heart, lamenting that we hadn't met sooner.
Today you despise me, reluctant to even offer a place to stay? Alas, it seems I have been overly presumptuous...
No, no, no! I meant no such thing! For Marquis Gu to grace us with your presence is an honor for the Cui Manor! You bring light to our humble dwelling! I am overjoyed, how could I possibly despise you!
Terrified, Cui Ziting waved his hands repeatedly, hurriedly making his stance clear.
Are you kidding? This master was currently favored by his father; he could not afford to offend him.
It is just... just that this matter is a bit sudden. I need to inform my father...
Gu Chengyin said nonchalantly, That is only natural. Go and inform him.
Then let me lead you to the reception hall first before I go inform my father.
Inside the reception hall of the Cui Manor, Gu Chengyin had just taken his seat.
Before he even had time to taste the fragrant tea served by the maid, Cui Ziting excused himself and hurriedly left to find Cui Shifan.
Gu Chengyin was in no rush, leisurely observing the furnishings in the hall.
Before long, steady yet slightly hurried footsteps came from outside.
Cui Shifan's figure appeared at the door, his face filled with pleasant surprise and enthusiasm, as if he were seeing a long-lost friend.
Without waiting for Gu Chengyin to stand up, he quickly stepped forward and grasped Gu Chengyin's hand firmly.
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
