I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 416 Just Treat It Like Walking a Dog
But the person in front of him was the emperor.

"This humble servant pays his respects to Your Majesty." Gu Qing forced a smile and knelt down to pay his respects.

Xiao Jingfan didn't wake him, but stared down at him: "Have you ever heard of the Heavenly Lotus Fruit?"

"Huh?" Gu Qing looked bewildered. "What is that?"

Chen Xing looked at him: "You really don't know?"

Gu Qing shook his head, his long white beard swaying like a white ribbon.

Chu Liuzheng tilted his head and stared at it.

[Tsk tsk, someone with an air of otherworldly wisdom isn't necessarily a god; they could also be a fraud. This old man's skill at playing dumb is top-notch.]

If I had that old man's acting skills, I definitely wouldn't have been discovered by the tyrant if I pretended to be asleep.

She stared at Gu Qing, looking him over from left to right, trying to learn from him.

Xiao Jingfan glanced at her secretly, thinking to himself that he had discovered this woman was pretending to be asleep not because of her looks.

Gu Qing felt uneasy under Chu Liuzheng's gaze.

The girl's eyes were so clear and bright, as if they could see through all his secrets. He had never felt this way when facing the emperor. His years of experience in the martial world told him that this girl definitely had a touch of evil about her.

Such people are the ones you should never mess with.

So he forced a friendly smile at Chu Liuzheng, but unexpectedly Chu Liuzheng asked curiously, "What did you take from the vegetable cellar?"

Gu Qing: "..."

It really does have a sinister feel to it.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” he said. “What else could be in the cellar besides vegetables? I can’t cook. I’m going to the cellar to hide from my enemies. I’m not taking anything.”

"Is that so?" Chu Liuzheng turned to Xiao Jingfan decisively. "Your Majesty, this servant doesn't think he's an honest man. Why don't we search the things he brought?"

[This old man was very cunning. Worried that the money Yi Shusheng offered would be a burden, he deliberately followed him. He happened to see Yi Shusheng enter the vegetable cellar with a bundle and then come out empty-handed. Thinking that Yi Shusheng had hidden some treasure in the cellar, he climbed over the wall several times when the neighbors weren't home.]

After several attempts, the old man finally found the item and was about to take it to the black market to have it appraised when Xiao Da caught him red-handed as he was leaving the cellar.

The old man thought Xiao Da had come to steal his treasure, and he wouldn't believe a word Xiao Da said, which is why Xiao Da used unconventional methods to bring him back.

After listening to his thoughts, Xiao Jingfan gave the fat old man a meaningful look and ordered Xiao Da to search the old man's tent.

As for Gu Qing himself, Chen Xing had already rolled up his sleeves and pounced on him.

Gu Qing had nowhere to hide, so she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Don't strip me of my clothes!"

"Hey hey hey! My pants!"

"Let go! You little brat, don't you know any shame!"

"what!!"

The old man was chased all over the place by Chen Xing, who was all smiles, his eyes shining, and he was making giggling noises. He was even more abnormal than a pervert, and for a moment everyone turned their heads away because they couldn't look at him directly.

Only Chu Liuzheng's eyes sparkled as he enthusiastically watched the spectacle unfold, inwardly applauding and cheering for Chen Xing.

Yes, yes, strip him naked! Strip him naked!

[That fat old man is really wicked. He teamed up with that scumbag to trick the girl into believing she was facing some kind of bloody disaster, and that she could only avert it by walking home through the bustling city wearing only her underwear.]

The young woman refused to undress, yet the man, under the guise of doing her a favor, forced the beggar to strip her. Luckily, the officials arrived quickly, otherwise the scoundrel's scheme would have succeeded.

[Hmph, today I'll let you experience what it's like to be naked in front of everyone.]

Chu Liuzheng rubbed his hands together, eager to get started himself.

Xiao Jingfan's eyelids twitched, and he quickly reached out and pulled the person to his side.

Chu Liuzheng: ?

Why are you pulling me? I'm not going to hit anyone.

Xiao Jingfan held the man firmly, thinking to himself that tearing off the old man's clothes was less effective than beating him. His face turned cold: "Stay put."

"Oh." Chu Liuzheng secretly tried to pull his arm back, but someone took advantage of the situation and instead grabbed his hand.

Chu Liuzheng glared at the large hand that was taking an inch and then a mile.

Hey! How come I never realized before that the tyrant was so shameless and so adept at taking advantage of others?

The problem is, she didn't give me a pole either!

Even with his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets, the large hand didn't seem to know when to let go.

Chu Liuzheng: "..."

Chu Liuzheng: "..."

[Oh well, holding hands won't hurt, so let's just do it. I'll just treat it like walking a dog.]

Chu Liuzheng, who dared not turn against the emperor but only dared to talk nonsense in his heart, thought so.

Xiao Jingfan: ...Walk a dog??
He suddenly loosened his grip, and as Chu Liuzheng pulled his hand back, he took the opportunity to slip his fingers through the gaps between them, palm to palm, interlocking his fingers.

Well, I can't let this scolding go unpunished.

Chu Liuzheng: ?!
She tried to pull her hand back, but it wouldn't budge.

Someone even shamelessly swung over using the force, their arms brushing against each other, the scent of sandalwood brushing against their noses, making them feel a little itchy.

Chu Liuzheng: "..."

She took a deep breath, turned to look at the young man beside her, her clear eyes widened slightly, her gaze full of accusation: You've gone too far, haven't you?
Xiao Jingfan raised an eyebrow and shook their clasped hands, feeling that he hadn't gone too far.

Chu Liuzheng: Deng Tu Zi!
Xiao Jingfan: Where are you?

Chu Liuzheng: Let go!

Xiao Jingfan: No!
The two were exchanging glances as if no one else was around, completely unaware that everyone's attention had shifted from Chen Xing chasing Gu Qing and tearing off her clothes to the two of them.

Everyone: This side looks better.

Chen Xing was multitasking, searching people while glancing in this direction, wishing he could be a cross-eyed person.

Feng Jing raised his hand to touch his chin, feeling that he could learn from Chu Liuzheng.

The emperor seems difficult to deal with, much like his physician Qin. He should learn from Chu Liuzheng how to win the emperor's heart.

After exchanging glances, Xiao Jingfan finally compromised and changed their interlocked fingers to simply holding hands.

Having seen the comparison just now, Chu Liuzheng strangely felt that this was barely acceptable.

The main point is that the temperature of the emperor's palm is neither too hot nor too cold. Holding his hand won't make you feel uncomfortably hot, nor will it feel freezing cold. The pressure is also just right. If you don't pay special attention to it, you can completely ignore it.

So, the easygoing Chu Liuzheng simply ignored it, mainly because someone was so persistent in refusing to let go, leaving her no choice but to ignore it. She focused on watching Chen Xing search her body.

The system says the Heavenly Lotus Fruit is on the old man. But the Heavenly Lotus Fruit must be stored in a Jade Box, which is so big. How is the old man going to carry such a large box on his person?

The answer came quickly.

Chen Xing found a small white bottle in the old man's belt. The material was like a combination of jade and porcelain. It was two fingers wide and half a palm long. It was cool to the touch and did not get warm even after holding it for a long time.

She presented the small bottle to the emperor for inspection.

Chu Liuzheng tilted his head curiously to look.

[Isn't the Heavenly Lotus Fruit about the size of a fist? How can it fit in such a small bottle?]

Xiao Jingfan glanced at it briefly and then casually handed the bottle aside.

Chu Liuzheng reached out and took it, finding the bottle cool to the touch, somewhat like holding an ice cube through a towel, exuding a chill—definitely a great way to beat the summer heat.

"Tell me, what's in the bottle?" Chen Xing dragged Gu Qing back, who was trying to sneak away, and with a flick of his wrist, the bluish blade of the plum blossom dart pressed against the old man's neck.