Chapter 284: Bear Him a Child

Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Bear Him a Child

The entrance to Celestial Wave Valley.

Chu Fan had Long Yinwen wait at the entrance. He took out two elixirs, handed one to Yan Ying, and they each swallowed one.

Then, the two of them entered Celestial Wave Valley.

These two elixirs were given to him by Long Jingyao. The Cloud Flower causes illusions, and these elixirs were meant to counteract that property.

In order to save Long Yinwen’s life, Chu Fan naturally had no reason to doubt the authenticity of the elixirs Long Jingyao had given him.

Yan Ying watched Chu Fan take his elixir. After a moment of hesitation, she took the one Chu Fan had given her, then secretly swallowed another elixir as well.

"Yinwen may be the Imperial Grandson, but from my observations over the years, while his abilities aren’t terrible, he is far too small-minded. If he were to inherit the throne, it would be a disaster for the realm, and could even plunge it into chaos. Therefore, I have decided that when your grandfather, the Emperor, is ready to abdicate, the throne of the Emperor will be yours."

"I am giving you this supreme authority for two reasons. First, because Yinwen is not fit for the role. Second, because of your mother. Although I have many Concubines, she was the only one who truly entered my heart. From the moment she passed, I have had little attachment to this world. The only reason I didn’t join her is that I still had to raise you and help you secure your position as Emperor."

"But you are, after all, a woman. If you become the Emperor, your identity as a woman must be hidden forever. This makes succession an issue. This trip into the Secret Realm is the perfect opportunity."

"I have long known about your feelings for Chu Fan. Over the years, I’ve had him investigated. His talent, character, and strategic cunning are all top-tier. But you and he are ultimately from different worlds. You are to become the Emperor, so you can never marry. Therefore, it is fated that you two can never be together."

"Besides, he and his wife are deeply in love. They say it’s not about forever, but about the moments you had. In the Secret Realm, you just need to do as I say. Once you’re in Celestial Wave Valley, take this elixir, and you will be able to conceive his child."

"There’s no need to be shocked. I am your father, after all; I would never harm you. Since it’s destined that you can never be with him, and you can’t marry anyone else in the future, having his child to one day inherit the throne—isn’t this the best of both worlds for you?"

"Furthermore, this Chu Fan has pushed for the unification of the Eastern Domain, making him an enemy of our Hua Xu Empire. You should understand the principle of not letting others sleep beside your own bed. You know my methods. If it weren’t for your feelings for him, he would already be dead. If you refuse my plan, I can guarantee you that he will not leave the Central Domain alive."

"Whether you see this as a threat or something else, I am still the Crown Prince of this Empire. The succession and strength of the Hua Xu Empire must come first. Matters of the heart come second. You are my daughter, so you must bear this burden. It is your duty."

"Think about it. If you come out of the Secret Realm pregnant, I can spare his life and allow him to leave the Central Domain safely. Otherwise... you can imagine what will happen to him."

The night before entering the Secret Realm, the Crown Prince, Long Jingyao, had paid a visit to Yan Ying’s private chambers.

Yan Ying was powerless to resist his plan.

Whether it was because Long Jingyao threatened Chu Fan’s life, or because he tempted her with the idea of bearing Chu Fan’s child to continue the Empire’s line of succession, she had no other choice.

No one understood Long Jingyao better than she did. His word was law; throughout the entire realm, no one dared to defy him, except perhaps the Emperor himself.

What was killing a man from the Eastern Domain like Chu Fan? Hadn’t he killed his own brothers just as easily?

At the same time, she was also aware of the love between Chu Fan and Yun Xi. And what of Leng Yingxue, first on the Hundred Flowers List, a Saint Realm master? How could Yan Ying not have noticed her love for Chu Fan?

But what happened to Leng Yingxue? Didn’t she just leave in silence?

Unrequited love was, in the end, a tragedy.

But if she could bear his child, raise that child to adulthood, and help them become the Emperor of the Hua Xu Empire... perhaps that was the greatest future her love could ever have.

And so, after taking the elixir Chu Fan had given her, though Yan Ying hesitated for a moment, she resolutely swallowed the pill her father had given her—the one guaranteed to make her conceive a male heir.

After taking the elixirs, the two of them headed deeper into Celestial Wave Valley.

Looking into the valley from the outside, one could see a hundred flowers in bloom, a picture of tranquility.

But upon entering, they discovered the valley held a world of its own.

Not only were there fields of fragrant grass and flowers, but also a babbling brook with water so clear you could see the bottom, where schools of fish swam lazily.

Further in, there was a large pavilion. It was octagonal, built from white jade, and carved with dragons and phoenixes.

From time to time, they could hear the pleasant, melodious sound of string and bamboo instruments.

"Where is that music coming from?" Chu Fan asked, looking around.

"Chu Fan, the water in that deep pool is so clear. Wait here for me, I’m going to take a bath, alright?" Yan Ying said.

"Huh? Bathe here? Aren’t you afraid I’ll peek?"

"You lecher. Wait for me in the pavilion, and no peeking," Yan Ying shot him a coquettish glare, then trotted toward the deep pool.

Yan Ying’s voice had completely changed. Before, though it was somewhat high-pitched, no one would have ever associated it with a woman’s.

But now, her voice was sweet and delicate, enough to make Chu Fan’s bones melt at the first listen.

’So this is her real voice?’

Yun Xi’s voice was gentle and clear, and she spoke slowly, giving off a feeling of quiet grace.

Leng Yingxue’s voice, while as crisp as a wind chime, carried the aura of a superior, aloof and cold.

Yan Ying was different from both of them. Hearing her voice just now was like taking a large mouthful of honey—sweet, and enough to make one’s body go soft.

Ever since he had known Yan Ying, she had always been disguised as a man, so Chu Fan had no clear impression of her figure.

Just her voice from a moment ago, combined with her saying she was going to bathe, was enough to stir a commotion in Chu Fan’s heart.

An amorous scene couldn’t help but play out in his mind.

But in the end, reason won out over desire. He walked into the pavilion, sat down, and waited quietly.

The pleasant music of strings and bamboo drifted by his ears, but he couldn’t shake the thoughts from his mind, imagining the scene in the deep pool behind him.

He didn’t realize that this was the effect of the elixir.

He just thought it was his natural male instincts.

After all, Yan Ying was very beautiful. They had spent so much time together, and it had always been pleasant. He liked her character, too; otherwise, they never would have become so close.

Chu Fan slapped himself across the face and quietly admonished himself, "Yan Ying treats you as a friend, yet you want to sleep with her. Who do you think you’re answering to? Can you face Yun Xi? Can you face Yingxue? Can you face the trust Yan Ying has placed in you?"

Ultimately, reason triumphed over desire. He slapped himself several more times, stopping the impulse to turn around and peek.

Before long, with a SPLASH from the pool, Yan Ying came ashore. Her hair was down, and she was draped in a silk gauze dress as she walked into the pavilion.

Seeing her body, faintly visible beneath the silk gauze, Chu Fan’s nose began to gush blood.

"S-s-sorry, it’s just... internal heat, internal heat!" Chu Fan apologized, wiping the nosebleed with his sleeve.

He forced himself to turn his head away and not look at her.

But his mind was filled with her image.

It had to be said, the Yan Ying of this moment was utterly captivating, peerlessly beautiful, and filled with endless charm...