Chapter 82 - 71: Nothing to Say, We’re Pretending to Each Other (Part 2)

Chapter 82: Chapter 71: Nothing to Say, We’re Pretending to Each Other (Part 2)

Gu Xiangzhu sighed softly. "Are you still as carefree as you used to be?"

Zhao Ci fell silent, a shadow crossing his eyes.

"And what about later?"

Gu Xiangzhu shook her head, a hint of emotion in her voice. "This is only the first day you’ve felt lonely. One day is bearable, one month is still manageable, and even a year is fine. But... what about ten years?"

Zhao Ci’s gaze wavered. After a moment’s hesitation, he finally sat down opposite Gu Xiangzhu.

He couldn’t help but ask, "Are... are you also unhappy in the palace?"

"It’s not a matter of being happy or unhappy."

Gu Xiangzhu shook her head with a smile. "It’s just being surrounded by people who have never treated you with sincerity, while doing things you don’t particularly enjoy. But it all adds up, bit by bit, and eventually brings some peace of mind."

Hearing this, Zhao Ci fell into a long silence.

He cautiously stole several glances at Gu Xiangzhu. When he saw that she was simply eating with her head slightly lowered, his gaze grew bolder.

A trace of heartache and pity seemed to appear in his eyes.

The atmosphere felt a bit oppressive.

"Ac-actually..."

Zhao Ci broke the awkward silence with a deliberately cheerful laugh. "Actually, I don’t hold any hostility toward you. In fact, you’ve helped me quite a bit. Even though you took my mother’s place, the fault isn’t yours. Um, yes... You don’t have to be so lonely."

"Oh?"

Gu Xiangzhu paused in the middle of eating. She took a deep breath, but didn’t react to his statement, quickly regaining her previous calm and composure.

"What would you like to eat tomorrow?"

Zhao Ci asked, feigning nonchalance, but then felt it was inappropriate and added, as if to cover his tracks, "I mean, so I can repay my debt to you as soon as possible."

Gu Xiangzhu smiled faintly. "Anything is fine. Just make something that only you can make."

"Mm..."

Zhao Ci grunted in acknowledgment and fell silent again.

’Damn it!’

’This woman is a master.’

’But I’ll give her some credit. She only wants to tame me into a lapdog, not something as vicious as turning me into a puppet.’

’She might be a player who messes with people’s feelings, but does she think she can tame me with just this? Not unless you use your body...’

’I won’t think about that for now.’

’The best plan for now is to take it slow and play her game.’

"Oh, right!"

Zhao Ci suddenly looked worried. "Just now in the Imperial Study, I think something went wrong."

Gu Xiangzhu’s delicate brows rose. "What happened?"

Zhao Ci frowned, recounted what had happened in the Imperial Study, and asked worriedly, "This is the first time I’ve ever talked back to Father-Emperor. Will it arouse suspicion?"

"It shouldn’t!"

Gu Xiangzhu waved her hand. "A young man flying into a rage for a beautiful woman is the most normal thing in the world. He won’t be suspicious. However... your move was ultimately a bit risky.

If you wanted to use this to boost your reputation, the most rational approach would have been to do as Zhao Yong said.

Putting all the pills toward the Northern Three Prefectures would have made the people there grateful to you, but it would have been limited to just the Northern Three Prefectures.

Insisting on your own way today was a thankless task. Don’t do it again."

"A man must know what he will and will not do!"

Zhao Ci snorted. "I never intended to fight for the throne. I only asked the Emperor for the pills to benefit the common people. Besides, I already promised Kan Luotang, how could I go back on my word so easily? And Father-Emperor is benevolent; he already intended to ease the hardships in the Northern Three Prefectures. Why couldn’t I do this?"

’This young man certainly has a temper!’

Gu Xiangzhu found herself thinking it would be very fun to conquer Zhao Ci.

’But from the way he talks, he still worships Zhao Huan from the bottom of his heart. After all, the Martial Emperor is a hero in the eyes of almost everyone in the Great Yu. She even felt that if one day Zhao Huan really wanted to take his Waizi, he would only feel sad, not resentful.’

’Can’t rush things.’

She acted a little annoyed. "I’m just thinking of you. Why are you getting so worked up?"

Zhao Ci was at a loss for words. "I... I’m not angry at you!"

Gu Xiangzhu stood up. "Forget it! As a subject, you are loyal; as a son, you are filial; as a friend, you are righteous. You know very well what you should do. Why should I interfere and make myself look petty?"

Zhao Ci: "I..."

Gu Xiangzhu made a "please leave" gesture. "The matter of the Pill Association concerns your achievements and my financial resources. We should work together. I won’t harm you. As for the debt you think you owe me, just repay it quickly and be done with it. I have other things to attend to. I won’t see you out!"

Zhao Ci was speechless.

He hesitated for a moment.

He could only start to leave. But he paused at the courtyard gate, glanced back with an expression of anxiety and indecision, then finally turned and left Wangshu Palace.

Once he was far away.

Gu Xiangzhu leaned against the window, watching the direction he’d gone, a smile creeping onto her lips.

’This young man.’

’He’s quite fun.’

...

「On the carriage ride back to the Tenth Prince’s Mansion.」

Zhao Ci was cursing under his breath.

"Damn it!"

"She’s a master!"

"This constant push-and-pull and her mood swings... it’s the same playbook as the ’sea queen’ who took my virginity in my past life."

"Speaking of which, is she really a virgin?"

’Unbelievable!’

’We’re both just putting on an act!’

He rubbed his face in frustration. ’This ’bug’ isn’t going to be easy to exploit.’

’But...’

’As long as I act like I’m being ’conquered’ step by step, I should be able to get a lot of benefits from her.’

’I have to take my time with this.’

’Can’t be too hasty.’

’Most importantly, I have to keep a clear head. Otherwise, I’ll really become her little puppy, and a pitiful one with no ’milk’ to drink at that.’

Zhao Ci shook his head and went straight home.

’Cultivation first.’

’I’m going to the Northern Three Prefectures in a few days. The place is chaotic, and it’s not safe to go without some martial strength.’

’At Xiang Yunzhan’s speed, he should have the Wine Refining Vessel ready by tonight. I’ll still have to go through the trouble of assembling it.’

’When the time comes, I’ll still need to ask Xiang Yunzhan to find some trustworthy workers for the wine refining.’

’Failing that, I could go to the prisons and get some death row inmates.’

’The Hundred Poison Secret Manual has many strange poisons I can concoct. As long as the method of poisoning is complicated enough, not even Gu Xiangzhu would be able to figure it out.’

He hadn’t decided which of the two methods was better yet.

However, using people from the Xiang Family to work should be fine. Xiang Yunzhan was only against him recruiting too many Mansion Officials to share the spoils; he wasn’t against him making a killing. In fact, he was quite supportive.

As long as the pay on his end was good enough, he probably wouldn’t object.

’It’s a real pain in the ass, though.’

’In all of Lingge, he’s the only one I can completely trust.’

’Zhu Li is also trustworthy, but that girl has a certain resentment in her heart, one given to her by Zhujiang. If one day Zhujiang demanded she return to the Zhu Family, she’d probably have a hard time refusing.’

’At least, with their current relationship, she wouldn’t refuse.’

’In comparison...’

’Feng Kucha is more reliable, but that brother of mine is currently useless at everything and still can’t get enough to eat.’

’I must establish my own mansion.’

’I need to cultivate my own power base, unite all my Mansion Officials into a community of shared interests. That is the foundation of my standing.’

But... he looked at the list Kan Luotang had given him. It detailed the potential talents’ cultivation levels, preferences, and even a "conquest difficulty." He had to admit, Kan Luotang had put a lot of effort into this list.

But, looking only at their cultivation levels, they were at best in the upper-middle tier for their age. If he were still a good-for-nothing, he would have thought these people were great. But now that his own strength had soared, the list felt a bit lacking.

At least, until Zhao Ci was sure he couldn’t find anyone better, he wouldn’t spend a fortune to recruit them.

’Honestly, it’s a bit of a headache!’

’I need to prepare well when I get home.’

’The banquet in three days.’

’I can’t let this opportunity slip by.’

’If I can’t get high-end combat power, I must at least hold a firm grasp on the civilian resources.’

...

「Three days passed in the blink of an eye.」

During these three days, the Xingyu Pill Association had resumed production. From top to bottom, there was an enthusiastic atmosphere of everyone working together toward development.

In contrast, a gloomy cloud hung over the Yonghe Pill Workshop.

The pressure on them was already immense.

But then, a huge order for one thousand Qi Cultivation Pills came in, and it was a net output order.

Forget about making a profit; they couldn’t even dream of covering the cost.

They had to cover the cost of medicinal ingredients, furnace wear, and labor all on their own.

It was like being a goddamn sucker.

Although it wasn’t that they wouldn’t be paid, most of them were young elites from the Feng and Zhu families. Suffering so much frustration for nothing, they couldn’t help but complain.

"Victory and defeat are common in war!"

Zhu Yan admonished with a stern face, "Back when the country was in turmoil, my Zhu Family ancestors shouldered nearly half of the Great Yu’s pill supply, refusing to earn even an extra coin, and that is how they built our glorious foundation.

The struggle between mansions is inherently cruel. If we succeed, you will all be the founding elders of the Yonghe Pill Workshop. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, you will all be meritorious subjects, with a status far exceeding your peers who are cowering in their clans enjoying a life of ease.

How can such a future be won from a position of comfort?"

Hearing this, the spirits of every young person present were lifted.

Although there was still some resentment.

They gritted their teeth.

And the flames in their palms flared up once more.

Alchemy!

Let’s do this damn alchemy!

Only then did Zhu Yan breathe a sigh of relief and turn to look at Zhao Yong.

Zhao Yong gave him an appreciative look, then said in a low voice, "Tonight is the banquet at the Tenth Prince’s Mansion. You’re coming with me."

Zhu Yan was a little surprised. "We’re going too?"