My enemies became my companions

Chapter 635 The Heroic Couple (Two-in-One)

Zhu E smiled, a glint of light in her eyes.

"Don't tease me," Chen Yi said with a smile.

“I was not joking,” she said with a hint of reproach in her voice, deliberately looking Chen Yi up and down, her voice soft as she said, “I have to give up my position as the principal wife to you, my lord.”

Chen Yi smiled and dismissed it, but Zhu E keenly sensed the change in his mood and tried to dispel the lingering unease. Unfortunately, emotions are not so easily dispelled, and he could only understand.

Zhu E noticed this too, and pretended to be sullen, saying, "Zhu E has been offered a warm face but received a cold shoulder from you, sir."

Chen Yi's heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't that he was particularly lustful, but rather that Zhu E was wearing a soft, slightly loose-fitting, plain-colored silk dress with a slightly open neckline that perfectly accentuated the graceful lines of her neck, while also exuding a relaxed, homely charm. Her radiant smile added to her allure.

Zhu E's beauty was already captivating, and as a princess, she was shrouded in a veil of taboo. What was originally an innocuous remark became perfectly complement to the scene before us.

At this moment, her fingertips, seemingly unintentionally yet deliberately, gently parted the only remaining opening of Chen Yi's inner garment.

Before long, he grasped Zhu E's restless wrist. The grip was light, and Zhu E did not struggle, but simply let him hold it, her eyes still sparkling with captivating light.

"Mother!" "Mother!"

Suddenly, two or three shouts rang out, and Zhu E's fingertips gently stopped.

Chen Yi's hand also stopped.

Turning my head, I saw Qin Yue's small figure wobbling as she stepped out of the threshold, calling out towards the courtyard, seemingly having seen Zhu E's figure from afar through the window.

Chen Yi sighed helplessly and said softly, "Let's not. If we were to have anything going on with Aunt Zhu right now, it would be too much of a jerk."

Zhu E awkwardly withdrew her hand, her languid and alluring demeanor receding like the tide. The light in her eyes froze, and she stared fixedly at Chen Yi. The probing and teasing from before vanished from the depths of her gaze, replaced by...
She was a little annoyed.

She gave him a small, disdainful look.

Chen Yiqiang pressed down on the corpse.

She adjusted her slightly open collar and then turned to face Qin Yue.

Qin Yue tugged at Zhu E's skirt and glanced warily at Chen Yi a few times. She continued to glance at him even after they entered the room.

This was because she was afraid he would make advances towards Zhu E. When Chen Yi looked away, she glared at him.

caveat.

caveat.

Chen Yi scratched his head. Qin Yue still disliked him. This little brat was quite vengeful; she had some of his traits.

But upon closer reflection, he hadn't made a good impression on Qin Yue much when he first appeared in her life.

The first time was in a dream, she was arguing and fighting with her birth mother and father, Qin Qingluo.

The second time, he tricked her by pretending salt was sugar, which made her cry.

The third time was just now when she was being intimate with her mother, Consort Zhu E. Although she was young and didn't understand much, she was still instinctively wary, afraid that he would take Zhu E away.

Chen Yi thought about it and realized that he hadn't really done anything good...

This can't go on.

He lowered his eyes slightly. The reason he didn't go along with the idea of ​​spending a night with Zhu E to ease his mind was partly because he was worried about Qin Yue. If Qin Yue really didn't acknowledge him, then the little family he had carefully built could collapse at any moment.

After all, his relationship with Qin Qingluo was still unstable. They were forcibly brought together by schemes and tricks, and there were too many variables involved.

What this female prince values ​​most has always been family affection, not romantic love.

………………

The afternoon sun carried a touch of the dry heat characteristic of southern Xinjiang.

Qin Qingluo changed into a black casual outfit, embroidered with simple cloud patterns in gold thread, which made her figure appear even more upright and her steps steady. Chen Yi followed half a step behind her, scanning their surroundings.

This is the outer courtyard of the Prince's Mansion.

Chen Yi had been in the inner courtyard for a while, and Qin Qingluo had some free time today, so she took him to visit the outer courtyard.

The air was filled with the scent of ink and the dry smell of paper, and the passing officials created an invisible, tense pressure.

They walked along a wide passageway paved with huge bluestone slabs. On both sides of the passageway were rows of uniformly arranged and imposingly guarded courtyards.

Above each courtyard gate hangs a plaque with black background and gold lettering, the characters square and rigid.

There were more carriages and horses in front of the Household Registration Office. Several clerks in black official robes hurried in and out carrying thick books. The faint sound of abacus beads clicking and low arguments could be heard from inside the courtyard. The gate of the adjacent Works and Construction Office was wide open, and various timbers, stones and tools could be seen piled up inside. Looking into the distance from there, one could see tall warehouses that were tightly closed, with guards standing at the gate with their hands on their swords. Carts were being transported in and out, and the shouts of weighers and the voices of recorders could be clearly heard. That was the granary.

Qin Qinglu walked at a leisurely pace, seemingly oblivious to the bustling scene on both sides, only occasionally using extremely concise words to clarify the responsibilities of each position.

Her voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced through the surrounding noise, allowing him to understand more deeply how this vast royal palace operated intricately, drew power from itself, and maintained its rule.

The outer courtyard of the Prince's Mansion is more like an outer city than an outer courtyard, covering an area several times larger than the inner courtyard, resembling a small imperial court.

It makes sense. Southern Xinjiang was a remote and uncivilized region, far from the reach of the emperor. The Annam Prince's Palace was practically a separatist regime, nominally responsible for guarding the border, expanding territory, managing local chieftains, and cultivating land for defense. Its operations far exceeded the scope of ordinary officials under the prince's palace.

At the end of the passageway is a relatively independent courtyard in a slightly secluded location.

The courtyard walls seemed higher than elsewhere, and the gates more imposing. Unlike the bustling crowds at the entrances of other government offices, this place was eerily quiet, almost unsettlingly so.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed, and above it hung a plaque with three bold, powerful characters that exuded a murderous aura:
"Zhigesi"

Qin Qinglu stopped in front of the door, but instead of pushing it open immediately, she turned to look at Chen Yi.

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Is there a Ceasefire Division here too?"

His most prominent title now is Commander of the Western Depot, but he also served as the Assistant Director of the Ceasefire Division for a short period of time.

The reason is simple: calling a notorious person a "commander of the Western Depot" is more convincing than calling him a "commander of the Western Depot."

"Originally, it didn't exist; it was created by me."

She pointed to the plaque on the door.

"Its predecessor was the Spy Agency, which, as the name suggests, was responsible for spying, finding loopholes, and doing shady things. However, by the time of my father's generation, the Spy Agency had become larger and more bloated, a mixed bag of people. He wanted to split it up but died halfway through. Until I ascended the throne, I split the Spy Agency into the Zhige Division and the Chaying Guard. The former was under my command, while the latter was managed by Aunt Zhu and had many members of the Divine Cult."

The reason it's called "Zhigesi" is twofold: firstly, it borrows the name of a government office, making it easy to understand and convenient to operate, thus avoiding many disputes; secondly...

Chen Yi took the initiative to say, "Secondly, the name of Zhigesi is more attractive to people from the martial arts world."

Qin Qingluo was not angered by his interruption, but said, "You didn't become the commander of the Western Depot for nothing."

"I learned a lot from following the prince," Chen Yi said modestly.

Qin Qinglu chuckled, but she was clearly pleased inside.

"You handled the matter of Dao Chengsi decisively," Qin Qingluo continued, her tone devoid of praise or criticism. "But your heart isn't hard enough. You should use your best steel where it's needed most. Afterwards, you'll be in charge of handling some affairs of the Zhige Division."

Chen Yi remained silent, settling scores with swords and blades, something he had always excelled at.

“This place is different from the capital. You are a member of the Prince’s Mansion, so you don’t need to be too cautious. There are rules, but we value results more. You can also be more flexible in your methods.”

……………… ………………

A pair of chivalrous lovers.

A rare sight in the world of martial arts, and one that cannot be too few.

In any martial arts world, the presence of a pair of chivalrous lovers instantly enlivens the entire community.

But in a martial arts world, if there are too many couples, the trouble will never end.

Because most women are naturally playful and men are playful, when the two are together, they both play and make a fuss, which leads to a lot of troubles. However, they are usually locked at home, so their family scandals cannot be aired in public. But once they go out into the world, one trouble after another will come.

Women, with the support of men, may become unreasonable and rely on their strength; men, in order to receive a word of praise or favor, may unconditionally side with women.

Fortunately, women who are too unreasonable cannot survive in the martial arts world for long, and men who are too biased are prone to angering the public. In the environment of survival of the fittest in the martial arts world, there will not be too many or too few martial arts couples.

But every couple in the martial arts world is a tough opponent.

The most difficult things to resolve in the world are family matters, and the most troublesome are matters between men and women.
Unfortunately, the affairs of chivalrous couples involve both, making them both difficult to resolve and extremely troublesome.

Here, a pair of chivalrous lovers did something they shouldn't have done and offended someone they shouldn't have offended.

The woods were dark.

The trees are very tall.

The air was sweet and pungent, mixed with the smell of rotting leaves and soil.

Liu Hanyan half-dragged, half-carried Yue Tingyun as they fled for their lives through the dark and damp forests of southern Xinjiang.

Behind them, in the dead silence of the deep jungle, it seemed as if an invisible beast lurked. There were no footsteps, no shouts, only a cold, sticky feeling, like being targeted by a venomous snake, tightly binding them.

"Tingyun! Yue Tingyun! Stop pretending to be dead!" Liu Hanyan's voice was like a whip, lashing the damp air. She supported Yue Tingyun, her steps unsteady, as if dragging a bag of breathing wet flour.

Yue Tingyun is not dead yet; he has only been struck by a palm.

The two wandered through the bushes for an unknown amount of time before finally stopping.

Liu Hanyan's face was even paler than Yue Tingyun's. She rushed forward to check his injuries. There was a mark on his left shoulder, a jet-black handprint, shiny black, with wisps of purple aura emanating from its edges, like several malevolent venomous snakes dancing.

"His palm...it's so poisonous..." Liu Hanyan stared at the palm print, still shaken. "It's chilling and bone-corroding...the internal energy...it crumbles upon contact...and instead...it backfires on me..."

She could almost feel his once powerful and vigorous inner energy now in complete chaos, like a wild horse running rampant through his meridians, guided by the insidious palm force, frantically attacking his injured internal organs.

Compared to Liu Hanyan's panic, Yue Tingyun remained remarkably calm, showing no signs of distress despite his serious injuries.

"Now that you've already shaken them off, why panic?"

“Don’t talk nonsense. He is definitely not an ordinary Miao master,” Liu Hanyan paused, her face showing unconcealed tension. “This is the Xuan Sha Palm, the most poisonous palm in the Southern Frontier. If the person struck by this palm does not take medicine to neutralize the poison as soon as possible, they will not live for more than an hour.”

Yue Tingyun scoffed, “I have practiced martial arts for many years and my internal strength is close to perfection. No matter how poisonous the palm strike is, it is impossible for it to kill me in an hour.”

Liu Hanyan was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed with surprise, "You...you're alright?"

"At least two hours."

"........."

"Ouch... Be gentle! Grandma!" Yue Tingyun grimaced, her face contorted like a freshly cooked bitter melon. "That old bastard... he's got a really strong grip..."

"Big?" Liu Hanyan said irritably, "Where did your so-called 'bullish strength' that could split rocks and shatter monuments go? Did he slap you back into your mother's womb?"

Yue Tingyun wanted to retort, but he couldn't catch his breath and coughed violently, almost spitting out his lungs. Dark red blood splattered on Liu Hanyan's newly bought lake-green shirt, like a few ominous plum blossoms.

"Cough cough...you don't know anything..." Yue Tingyun caught his breath, his voice like a broken bellows, "That old bastard...his hands are colder than ice! I just put all my strength into it...good heavens! His ghostly palm force...whoosh! Not only did it penetrate in...but it also...converted into my own internal energy! And then he hit me hard in the heart! Is this even martial arts?"

Liu Hanyan kept walking, her brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito: "...This approach...sounds terrifying."

"More than terrifying!" Yue Tingyun rolled his eyes, though the way he rolled his eyes now looked more like he was about to die. "The Demonic Sect's most secret and despicable tricks can only be learned by elders... cough... old bastards..."

Liu Hanyan felt a chill run down her spine.

This time, they accepted the bounty from Zhigesi. A pair of chivalrous heroes roaming the martial world can be without connections or friends, but they absolutely cannot be without money.

However, the Southern Frontier is not like the Central Plains. The martial arts world has been stagnant for many years. Masters either serve the chieftains, are controlled by the royal court, or are absorbed into the army. They have no other way to make a living except by accepting the bounty offered by the Zhige Division.

Yue Tingyun gasped in pain, “That old bastard… his name is Wu Meng, ten years ago… hey… he was quite a ruthless character! He rose to the rank of elder in the Demonic Sect… but… he was dishonest. He stole a piece of scrap metal called a ‘Sacred Flame Token’… and was chased like a stray dog ​​by the even more ruthless members of the sect. Nobody could find him. We came to Gaoliang Mountain for a stroll, but we ended up hiding right under the noses of the Demonic Sect… hey… and now… he’s become a watchdog for a chieftain! Bah! What a loser!”

Liu Hanyan was terrified. She had accepted the bounty, but like most women who don't like reading long texts, she hadn't read it either.

“Tingyun? Yue Tingyun!” In silence, Liu Hanyan felt a weight on her arm. Yue Tingyun’s face turned ashen again, and he was barely breathing.

"You bastard, you dare to die!" Liu Hanyan was both anxious and angry. She kicked a tree trunk next to her, shaking off a few leaves. She knew that if she couldn't find a way out, Yue Tingyun would have to die in this ghost forest.

They had no choice but to ask for help.

Even if that old geezer discovers their tracks.

She deftly pulled something from her bosom—not rouge, nor a handkerchief, but a dark, heavy iron tube with a strange pattern of crossed weapons engraved on its surface.

"The old man gave it to me... saying that the Prince's Palace's Zhige Division... recognizes this..." Liu Hanyan muttered. Those of them who accept bounties often bear the consequences of their own lives. "Let's try anything as a last resort."

She pulled out the pin at the bottom of the tube, raised the iron tube high, and aimed it at the sky above her head, which was fragmented by branches and leaves.

call out.

A crimson flame, like a red-hot branding iron, tore through the deathly silence of the forest. It screamed, dragging its long, dazzling tail, and ruthlessly smashed through layers of branches and leaves, soaring straight into the sky.

Bang.

A huge, dazzling pattern exploded in the sky, clearly imprinted with the logo of Zhigesi, burning fiercely.

Liu Hanyan plopped down on the ground, looking at the bright red flower in the sky, then at Yue Tingyun beside her who was barely breathing.

"Hey! You surnamed Yue! Did you see that? Fireworks! I set them off for you, they're more exciting than New Year's!" She wiped her face, not knowing if it was sweat or tears. "If the people in the Prince's mansion are blind... we really would be... living like lovers in the wild here in the woods!"

Yue Tingyun didn't react, so she had to rely on her luck.

Only that crimson firework burned alone against the gray sky.

...............

Flames scorched half the sky.

Flare?
Chen Yi's foot lightly touched the leaves.

Under normal circumstances, the Prince's Palace's Zhige Division might not take care of such "outsourced" personnel. They would usually let them fend for themselves and only collect their bodies in the end, which would be considered a great favor.

But he just happened to run into Chen Yi, who was new to the area and wanted to make a name for himself.

There was something to do right away.

He quickened his pace.

(End of this chapter)