Provoked by a beauty, Gu Chengyin naturally wouldn't remain indifferent.
So, he made his move.
Shangguan Yunying seemed as if she had been suddenly restrained.
Her body went rigid, not daring to move an inch.
She regretted it; she regretted arrogantly provoking Gu Chengyin like that.
"Do you really want to continue?"
Gu Chengyin said with malicious intent:
"Here? Right beside Her Highness?"
Shangguan Yunying yielded, she had no choice but to yield, eventually begging for mercy with a flushed face:
"I... I'm sorry, I misspoke, please... let me go, okay?"
Gu Chengyin took the opportunity to release her, while pondering whether to continue his verification.
If possible, Gu Chengyin really wanted to do something drastic to Luo Zhao.
Not just these trivial kisses, not this tentative probing.
But a true breach of the bottom line, a verification enough to make any pretender break down.
If, even after that, Luo Zhao could still maintain this perfect state of hypnosis, still keep her breathing steady, her heartbeat even, and her expression serene...
Then there would be nothing left to say.
Gu Chengyin could be one hundred percent certain that she was truly hypnotized.
But...
No.
Gu Chengyin's gaze fell upon Shangguan Yunying in his arms.
She was leaning against his chest, her crimson palace dress slightly disheveled, her dark hair scattered over her shoulders, her cheeks still flushed, and a smile lingering at the corners of her lips.
She was enjoying this embrace.
Enjoying the intimacy between them.
Gu Chengyin knew very well that Shangguan Yunying allowed him to mess around with her, allowed his kisses, because she liked him.
But this permission was strictly limited to herself.
It absolutely did not mean she would allow him to act out of line with Luo Zhao.
If he did something that crossed the line with Luo Zhao...
Gu Chengyin had no doubt that Shangguan Yunying would draw her sword on him immediately.
Even if she liked him.
Even though she had taken the initiative to kiss him just moments ago.
But this was Shangguan Yunying.
Complex, contradictory, yet with clear bottom lines.
Gu Chengyin held Shangguan Yunying as they sat on the edge of the bed, less than three feet away from Luo Zhao.
"Yunying."
Gu Chengyin spoke softly, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet bedchamber.
Shangguan Yunying murmured in response, her voice nasal, like a lazy cat.
"Aren't you angry?"
The question came very suddenly.
Shangguan Yunying bit her lip, thoughts racing through her mind.
Ultimately, she chose to tell the truth:
"Even though you bully me like this..."
"But... I really like you."
Gu Chengyin looked into Shangguan Yunying's eyes for a long time.
Finally, he nodded heavily:
"Me too."
Those two words flowed into Shangguan Yunying's heart like a warm current.
An incredibly joyful smile instantly bloomed on her face.
Not a disguise, not a calculation, not an act.
Pure, genuine happiness.
This pure joy made her whole being light up.
Looking at this smile, Gu Chengyin lost himself for a moment.
A smile that could light up the entire world.
Very beautiful.
So beautiful that it moved his heart.
But it was only for a moment.
The next second, Gu Chengyin regained his composure.
"These next few days, I need to prepare matters for the inspection team."
"I might return to the Crown Prince's Palace less frequently. There are many things I must personally verify."
Gu Chengyin spoke of these trivial matters as if he were giving instructions, but also as if he were explaining.
Explaining why he might not come around often over the next few days.
Explaining why he had to be busy with these affairs.
Explaining that he wasn't distancing himself from her.
The smile on Shangguan Yunying's face gradually faded, but the light in her eyes did not recede.
She nodded earnestly: "I know. Rest assured, I will take good care of Her Highness."
This was a promise.
And a declaration of her stance.
Gu Chengyin looked at her and continued:
"Yunying, I have a few things to instruct you on."
Hearing this, Shangguan Yunying's expression instantly turned solemn.
She sat up straight from Gu Chengyin's embrace, her expression becoming serious and focused, just like when she handled government affairs.
"Go ahead."
Gu Chengyin began, "First."
"You don't need to maintain hostility toward Emperor Luo. Emperor Luo is targeting me, not Her Highness."
"I will handle my own affairs. There is no need to worry."
"As for the rest... Yunying, you only need to tell Emperor Luo at the most critical moment that Her Highness is in my hands."
This was said very subtly.
But Shangguan Yunying understood.
Gu Chengyin was telling her that it was him Emperor Luo wanted to deal with, not Luo Zhao.
But when the critical moment came, for example, if Emperor Luo really wanted to sacrifice him, or deal a lethal blow to him.
She could use the fact that Luo Zhao was being controlled to blackmail Emperor Luo.
Shangguan Yunying's heart suddenly sank.
But she didn't show it, merely nodding:
"I understand."
She truly understood.
Furthermore, she knew that Gu Chengyin's words, while seemingly meant for her, were no different from instructing Luo Zhao.
Because Luo Zhao was right there beside them.
Luo Zhao could hear these words just the same.
And when that critical moment arrived, whether to blackmail Emperor Luo would be up to Luo Zhao herself to decide.
To decide whether to save Gu Chengyin.
Or let Gu Chengyin die at the hands of others.
"Second."
Gu Chengyin continued, "Her Highness now presides over the Ministry of Personnel. When you assist her, focus on building good relations with the officials from humble backgrounds."
This instruction made Shangguan Yunying pause in surprise.
"Why?"
She asked instinctively, "Isn't Cui Shifan the Chief Minister now? Shouldn't we..."
"The Chief Minister does indeed hold a high and powerful position, but in reality, whoever sits in that seat becomes the next target."
Gu Chengyin interrupted her:
"Cui Shifan is currently enjoying unparalleled prominence because he stepped on the corpse of The Xiao Clan."
"But how long can this prominence last?"
"The Xiao Clan has fallen, and the next to fall might be the Cui Clan."
"The struggles in the royal court have always been a matter of life and death."
"Today you are a hero of the state; tomorrow you could become a condemned traitor."
"But the faction of humble origins is different."
"They lack the massive family backgrounds of the noble houses, and they do not have such deeply entrenched, complicated networks of interests."
"To have climbed to their current positions, they relied on true talent and practical knowledge, on Emperor Luo's promotion, and on their ability to judge the times and assess the situation."
"Therefore, they are very low-profile and hide their true strengths."
"Most importantly."
"The faction of humble origins will not covet the position of Chief Minister, at least not for now."
Shangguan Yunying blinked.
She seemed to understand something, yet at the same time, she felt as if she understood nothing.
But she knew that Gu Chengyin's words definitely held profound meaning.
Although she understood court struggles to some extent, her insight was far from as thorough and far-reaching as Gu Chengyin's.
Shangguan Yunying could only nod in agreement: "I understand. I will pay attention to it."
Simultaneously, she silently prayed in her heart that Her Highness, being so intelligent, would definitely be able to understand Gu Chengyin's deeper meaning.
"Third."
Gu Chengyin's third point made Shangguan Yunying's heart clench tightly once again.
"The Second Prince is currently in the Ministry of Revenue. If I am unable to return, go find your father. He has a way to deal with the Second Prince..."
Before he could finish his sentence.
Shangguan Yunying abruptly raised her hand and covered Gu Chengyin's mouth.
"I forbid you from saying that!"
"Promise me, you absolutely must return!"
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
