My enemies became my companions

Chapter 660 Whose child?

Yin Weiying's slightly pleading glance before parting flashed through his mind, like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating subtle ripples in his heart.

Chen Yi lowered his gaze and casually brushed it away.

He withdrew his gaze, but continued walking along the dimly lit corridor toward his courtyard.

Yin Weiying's thoughts were like the open pages of a book to him, not hard to guess. She simply hoped he would soften his heart, hoped he would remember their past relationship, and give her a way out so that she could lean on him again and gently let bygones be by her side with her usual gentle demeanor.

How many similar opportunities has he given us?
He recalled her arrogance and scheming when they first met in the capital, her brief dependence and subsequent betrayal in the underground palace, and her self-righteous plans after their marriage. Every time, she seemed determined to keep going until she hit a wall. He would either suppress her with thunderous force or punish her severely, but in the end, he always gave her room to "try" again through her aggrieved, coquettish, or ethereal flattery.

This time, however, his bottom line was crossed.

"We've given you enough opportunities."

This time, he won't give it to me.

It wasn't a punishment born of anger, but rather stemmed from a profound disappointment and a clear-headed realization that one could never truly trust someone like Yin Weiying; such trust would only become a breeding ground for her ambition, ultimately backfiring on her.

He pushed open the courtyard gate prepared for himself, and a night breeze carrying the dampness of southern Xinjiang rushed in, dispelling the last trace of the bloody scent from that eerie world from his body.

The interior was simply and comfortably furnished, and the lights had been turned on sometime earlier.

He closed the door behind him, lit the lamp, and went inside.

At this moment, all he wanted was a good night's sleep, and it would be even better if a woman were with him.

As for Yin Weiying... she has her own place to go and cultivate herself.

Chen Yi turned around the screen and stepped inside. The first person he saw was not the Crown Prince's daughter, but Zhu E.

"Aunt Zhu... what brings you here?"

Chen Yi was quite surprised. Zhu E was aware of his actions with Qin Qingluo but did not participate. Then, the Supreme Saint's unexpected self-destruction engulfed him and Qin Qingluo. Although he returned quickly, it inevitably caused Zhu E to worry.

To her surprise, Zhu E was waiting for her behind the door.

He had assumed she was still handling some business.

Zhu E looked utterly exhausted, but even so, she raised her eyebrows and greeted him, "My lord, you've finally returned?"

“I’m sorry to have worried you,” Chen Yi paused, “I thought you would go to Qin Yue after you got the news, and I didn’t want to bother you since it was too late.”

"How can you say such formal things?"

Those soft hands gently touched Chen Yi's hand, pulling him to sit down. Looking at her smooth wrist, her gaze went up to her fair neck. Chen Yi felt a slight stirring in his heart, but he suppressed it.

After pulling him to sit down, Zhu E got up to serve him tea. Her figure swayed slightly as she walked, the fine silk outlining her delicate and graceful curves. If the prince's actions were a wild and unrestrained release, the princess was a charming and mature fragrance.

This prince and princess have completely different tastes, and Chen Yi's mind wandered, recalling many things from the past.

"you are back?"

Chen Yi's expression suddenly hardened, and he slowly turned his head, almost startled.

Donggong Ruoshu blinked her eyes as she looked at herself.

"Donggong Ruoshu, what exactly are you doing?"

Chen Yi took a deep breath and questioned him in this way.

"Just kidding," the girl from the Eastern Palace replied matter-of-factly.

"Trying to scare me?" Chen Yi frowned and said coldly, "Go scare Qin Yue, don't try to scare me."

"Oh."

Donggong Ruoshu got up to leave.

Chen Yi snapped out of his daze and realized that the Eastern Palace girl was really going to scare Qin Yue, so he quickly stopped her. This silly girl didn't understand what irony meant, and what he had just said was indeed too much like a loving father and filial daughter.

Looking at this innocent-looking, clueless girl, Chen Yi didn't know how to reason with her. He had already tried explaining things before, and after thinking it over, he could only manage to stammer out:
“Miss Donggong, it’s not good to scare people. You should not scare anyone in the future, and you should not suddenly appear like this.”

I thought he was being reluctant to say that, but to my surprise, Donggong Ruoshu nodded in agreement.

Looking into Donggong Ruoshu's pure and unadulterated eyes, Chen Yi's prepared long speech suddenly became useless. He thought that this girl would tilt her head and ask, "Why not?" or simply ignore him, but he did not expect her to nod so readily.

"You... you agreed?"

Donggong Ruoshu nodded vigorously again, "Hmm, I've thought about it and you're right, scaring people... doesn't seem like a good idea."

"...You really agreed?"

She seemed to have reached her own conclusion, nodded firmly, and then asked in return:
Am I such an unreasonable person?

This overly smooth "understanding" left Chen Yi somewhat bewildered. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only utter a single "good."

Donggong Ruoshu then drifted away.

Just as Chen Yi was somewhat speechless after being rendered speechless by Donggong Ruoshu, a delicate aroma of tea wafted in.

He turned his head instinctively.

Zhu E returned carrying a tea tray. Her steps were still elegant, but whether intentionally or unintentionally, the neckline of her fine silk nightgown seemed a little looser than before.

A delicate, creamy sheen peeked out from the slightly sloping neckline, revealing her exquisite collarbone, which shimmered with a warm and alluring glow in the soft candlelight. The perfect curve of her collarbone extended downwards, half-concealed by the soft fabric, inviting contemplation.

She leaned slightly forward and placed the teacup on the table beside Chen Yi. This movement caused her loose neckline to slip down a little further, revealing her breathtakingly full figure beneath the thin silk, her cleavage deep and alluring.

Chen Yi was slightly anxious. He had been enjoying the fruits of his labor for several days, but he hadn't had enough. Most of the time, Yin Weiying's gifts were punishments and revenge. Although the prince's half-hearted reward was pleasant, it was still only half-hearted and half-hearted, leaving him wanting more. His gaze was fixed on the exposed spring scenery.

The scent emanating from her, a blend of tea fragrance, natural body odor, and a hint of perfume, became exceptionally rich and alluring, seeping into her nostrils and reaching straight to her heart.

Zhu E put down her teacup but did not immediately straighten up. She raised her watery eyes, the corners of which were slightly upturned, carrying a hint of allure.

"My lord, you and Qingluo... are much better than before, aren't you?"

In a single sentence, Chen Yi's guard was instantly lowered.

Chen Yi had always trusted Zhu E more than anything. The reason he hadn't touched her since arriving at the Prince's Mansion was because of Qin Qingluo. Their relationship was too fragile and couldn't withstand many small waves.

Zhu E is, after all, his princess, and the two have a blood pact. If he gets carried away, he's not just spanking her, he's slapping the prince in the face.
Although it did indeed slap the prince's face not long ago.

That's true. Turning back, Chen Yi caught a glimpse of Zhu E's full red lips curving into a very slight smile. "My lord has been working hard for Qingluo for many days. She must know your true feelings today."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi's heart skipped a beat.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his gaze became deep and intense.

He stood up, reached out, and instead of touching the teacup, grasped Zhu E's soft, boneless wrist, still warm from the teacup.

Their skin touched, and the delicate, smooth touch sent a shiver through them both.

“Aunt Zhu,” Chen Yi’s voice was low, “it’s late and the dew is heavy, come back to your room with me.”

Chen Yi did not use a question, but a statement.

Immediately, he tightened his grip slightly, pulling Zhu E, whose eyes instantly became watery and whose cheeks flushed, and without looking at anything else in the hall, he turned and walked towards the bedroom.

The door leading to the bedroom closed gently behind them, isolating them from everything outside. No one knew what kind of beatings the princess suffered inside.

Except for the prince.

Under the same night sky, another courtyard of the Prince of Annam's Palace was also brightly lit.

Qin Qingluo did not go to rest as she had suggested.

She changed into more comfortable casual clothes, loosely tied up her long hair with only a jade hairpin, and sat behind a large rosewood desk.

The desk was piled high with ancient files urgently retrieved, yellowed bamboo slips, and even a few tortoise shells engraved with strange runes. Her brows furrowed slightly, and her serpentine eyes swept sharply over the lines of obscure and difficult-to-understand ancient seal script.

"...stagnant as an abyss, mind imprisoned, light and darkness share the same origin...one waxes as the other wanes..." She turned a page and picked up another secret document about strange tales from the previous dynasty, "...Did Zhuanxu sever the connection between heaven and earth, or perhaps enter the realm of ignorance? Did Gun steal the Breath of Earth, burying his bones in the eternal darkness of the underworld?" The candlelight crackled, illuminating her focused and solemn profile.

Chen Yi's deduction weighed heavily on her heart like a stone.

If that strange place is indeed the "World of Ignorance" in the legends of the cult, and if Gongsun Guan is really allowing heretics to act in this way... this is undoubtedly a huge threat to the Southern Frontier and to her An'nan Prince's Mansion. She must find more clues and sort things out as soon as possible.

Just as her fingertips traced the words, trying to decipher their metaphor, a sudden, unexpected tremor arose from beneath her.

It felt like something had hit me hard.

Qin Qingluo's fingertips trembled suddenly as she held the pen, and a drop of full vermilion fell onto the yellowed paper with a "plop," quickly spreading into a dazzling red.

His snake-like eyes narrowed sharply, and his heroic brows suddenly furrowed with anger.

"Asshole..."

Qin Qinglu cursed under her breath, but she forced down her surging anger. She took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, and forced her gaze back to the book in front of her, trying to ignore the strange feeling that was bothering her.

"...That's all."

She coldly uttered a few words,
"Let him be."

Out of sight, out of mind. As long as it doesn't cause trouble in front of her and doesn't interfere with important matters... she can tolerate it for the time being.

The thought had just arisen,

Suddenly, two fierce impacts followed by a suppressed grinding caused her to tremble, as if a surging tide were crashing against a dam.

"Humph……"

Caught off guard, Qin Qingluo let out a short, cold sneer from her nose.

She leaned back slightly in her chair, closed her eyes, and seemed to be forcibly processing the even stronger impact.

A moment later, she opened her eyes again, the anger in her snake-like pupils now replaced by a mocking indifference.

She raised her hand, her fingertips unconsciously brushing across her tightly pursed lower lip, as if trying to erase some non-existent trace, ultimately culminating in a light, fleeting sentence, unsure of who it was addressed to:

"...They're quite strong."

The flickering candlelight cast a long shadow of her as she sat alone amidst a mountain of books.

This long night is destined to be anything but peaceful.

………………

He indulged in debauchery all night long.

Chen Yi opened his eyes. The fragrance still lingered beside him. Zhu E was no longer there; she had gotten up and left early. The faint outline of water stains remained on the bed.

Although Chen Yi felt a little uncomfortable not being able to hug the woman next to him after getting up, he was still in a great mood to finally be able to have a satisfying meal.

Just as Chen Yi was about to get up and change his clothes, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from the courtyard. He paused briefly, and soon after, the bedroom door was pushed open from the outside.

Qin Qinglu lowered her head slightly and squeezed into the doorway, where she happened to see Chen Yi, whose clothes were half-covered.

Chen Yi wasn't embarrassed, nor was the Queen. He glanced at her; she seemed to have been awake all night, and a slight pang of guilt shot through his heart.
Before he made a sound
"You should exercise restraint," the Queen said abruptly.

Suddenly being reprimanded, Chen Yi sat down with an air of nonchalance and asked with a smile, "What's wrong, Your Highness? Are you jealous?"

Qin Qingluo glanced at him sideways, and in the next instant, her hand shot out like lightning, striking the hilt of her sword.
Caught off guard, Chen Yi quickly retreated, and looking back with a lingering sense of shock, he saw the tall woman's eyes filled with disdain.

"I am genuinely jealous and want to control myself. Do you have a chance?"

Chen Yi remained calm and composed. Only after she turned away with her sneer did he silently swallow.

When this female prince gets wild, is it a bit too much for anyone to live with?

"To cut to the chase, I had a batch of case files brought in last night, and I've sorted them out myself. They're all listed now, and you can go to the study to look them up." Qin Qingluo paused, then continued, "I don't have a very deep understanding of the Divine Sect, so I might not know as much as you do. If any files are missing, I'll have them brought in."

Chen Yi nodded slightly, straightened his clothes, and said, "No rush, no rush. I've finally come back, I want to see Yue'er first."

Hearing him mention Qin Yue, Qin Qingluo's expression softened slightly, but she didn't want to act coy like a little girl in front of Chen Yi, so she forced a frown, making her expression somewhat complicated.

"Go ahead, I'll go back and rest for a while."

Qin Qingluo left quickly. After changing his clothes, Chen Yi pondered how to amuse Qin Yue. Suddenly, he remembered something he had neglected for a while.
Thai Killing Sword.

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

Yin Weiying couldn't calm down all night and thought about spending the night thinking about it.

The sky outside the window had changed from deep black to gray-white.

She went over her previous schemes, tests, and clever tricks that she thought she had him under her control. Lately, every time, she ended up suffering the consequences, though she could still bear it.

But this time, the coldness in Chen Yi's eyes was more frightening to her than any ruthless tactic.

Let's bow our heads first.

Yin Weiying said to himself.

This time he was probably really angry, angry to the core. Disappointment overshadowed all affection, and given his temperament, he would never give her another way out. Since that was the case, it would be better for her to take the initiative to back down first and advance by retreating.

Even if it means being humble, even if it means enduring the humiliation and pain of the scalding chrysanthemum tea, you have to go. He is just an ignorant mortal, and if you keep going, it will only push him further away, leaving no room for maneuver.

She took a deep breath, her fingertips unconsciously clenching her palms.

As dawn broke, Yin Weiying finally got up and drank half of the tea he had ordered.

Flowers and leaves rise and fall, bitterness known only to themselves.

Asking for directions from passing maids, she wandered through the pavilions, towers, carved railings, and painted beams of the Annan Prince's Palace. She had been enjoying the sights last night, but now she was distracted, her mind solely on finding Chen Yi.

After walking around a corridor, we suddenly heard the sounds of children playing in the distance.

Yin Weiying looked up and saw a little girl, about two or three years old, running around on the ground, with the old maids of the Prince's mansion beside her, nervously calling out to her.

"It, it, it's chasing me!!!"

"No, don't chase them!"

"A sword, so long, a flying sword!"

That was his sword, the Tai Sha Sword… Yin Weiying looked up and saw the child dodging the Tai Sha Sword's pursuit, and felt a little relieved.

He's so childish, actually playing with the old woman's child in the house.
However, it seems he didn't hold a grudge too much...

With confidence in her mind, the female Taoist priest walked down the corridor with light and graceful steps, her figure ethereal.

As Qin Yue ran, she threw herself into a man's arms—it was Chen Yi. He lifted her high and gently comforted her.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

"Yue'er...she chased after him. It's terrible..." Qin Yue's eyes were filled with tears, "Terrible!!"

"It's very obedient, Yue'er, don't be afraid."

As he spoke, Chen Yi turned his head and saw someone coming over.

After exchanging a brief glance with him, Yin Weiying approached from afar, thinking it best to pretend nothing was wrong and strike up a conversation to get the ball rolling. With a light step, she greeted him with a gentle smile:

"Chen Yi, what are you doing, grinning like an idiot while holding someone else's child?"

"...This is my child."

"A grown man like you should hurry up and return the child to its mother," Yin Weiying, who was lecturing Chen Yi, paused, his face suddenly showing astonishment, "...Wait...whose child is this?"

(End of this chapter)