Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Loulan palace, the Empress’ pavilion. Presently, the empress sat quietly in a gazebo. Beside her, Loulan Xue stood still like a statue.
“What do you think of him?” the Empress asked out of the blue.
Loulan Xue looked at the Empress in confusion.
“Ye Futian,” she clarified.
“He is very talented,” answered Loulan Xue.
“Besides talented?” the Empress continued to ask.
Loulan Xue blinked a couple of times, still not understanding the meaning behind her mother’s questions. Seeing how confused Loulan Xue was, the Empress realized just how clueless her daughter was to these things. Her eyes drifted toward the pond by the gazebo. She said softly, “He’s got the look. It’s hard to find someone so handsome in the palace. Plus, he is also gifted. Although he is a little young, age has never been a problem when it comes to the world of cultivation. What do you think?”
Loulan Xue’s beautiful silver eyes widened. The expression on her face meant she finally understood her mother’s meaning.
“I never thought about it,” said Loulan Xue.
“It’s not too late to start thinking now,” the Empress said, turning her gaze back to her daughter. “You’ll have to start thinking about this topic sooner or later. Now the perfect match has arrived. If you let him go, it’ll find hard to find a better guy.”
Loulan Xue looked into her mother’s eyes, realizing she had a point. Ye Futian was able to acquire ritual implements and the book at the first level Dharma Plane. Her mother also told her that Ye Futian was able to communicate with the sage’s will in the book. There was no doubt that he was extremely gifted. He was also very handsome, which indeed make him the perfect candidate.
The Empress noticed that Loulan Xue was thinking about what she had just said. “If you don’t choose him now, you’ll still have to pick someone in the future. Think carefully.”
Loulan Xue hesitated briefly before nodding. “Alright.” Her reply was simple, as if she hadn’t just made one of the most important decisions in her life. It was simply a mission to be accomplished by her.
Just as the Empress had said, she was going to have to find a man sooner or later and she did indeed have a great impression of Ye Futian. He was easy on the eyes.
“Then it’s settled,” smiled the Empress. She had a clear understanding of her daughter’s personality. Loulan Xue was disinterested in most things, just like the vibe she gave off to others. This also applied to her love life. She had not known Ye Futian for long so naturally, she had no special feelings for him, but she did know how to make the best choice for herself. Ye Futian was definitely not a bad choice.
“Empress,” a servant girl stepped in to report, “he has emerged.”
“Perfect timing.” The Empress smiled. “Have him come over.”
The girl was shocked. The Empress was inviting Ye Futian into her pavilion? No other man had ever had the privilege of doing so. Although she was shocked, she had to suppress her emotions. The servant girl bowed and was off to carry out the Empress’ order.
Not long after, Ye Futian was brought to the Empress. In his eyes, the Empress and Loulan Xue looked like sisters, both cold yet beautiful. Except, the Empress was more of a dignified beauty. No one would dare to disrespect her. With silver hair and eyes, Loulan Xue’s beauty was bewitching.
“Greetings to the honorable Empress.” Ye Futian bowed.
The Empress nodded in acknowledgment and looked straight at him. “How did the cultivation go?”
“I have made some progress thanks to you, Empress,” said Ye Futian, expressing his gratitude. He was worried about why the empress had summoned him. The pavilion where the Empress and the Virgin resided hardly seemed like a place where he should be entering.
“You earned it,” the Empress replied nonchalantly. “What do you think of the Virgin’s looks?”
Ye Futian froze. All he managed to do was blink. What was going on? He looked over to Loulan Xue. She simply stood there, cold and silent, like a statue.
“She’s beautiful, of course,” Ye Futian answered with a nod. This was the truth. He was a truthful man.
“In Ancient Loulan, whether it be the Virgin’s appearance or her gifts, she is truly outstanding. Peerless if I may say so,” the Empress rambled on, complimenting her daughter.
The wheels turned in his head as Ye Futian tried to figure out why the Empress was saying all this to him.
“And so, it’s difficult to find a man worthy of the Virgin in Ancient Loulan,” she said. “The topic of her future is a big headache.”
Ye Futian did not dare to follow up with any comment. A ridiculous thought popped into his mind, Have my good looks brought me trouble once again?
“Do you have any thoughts about this?” the Empress asked Ye Futian with a smile.
“I wouldn’t dare to express any opinions on such an important subject.” Ye Futian lowered his head. He had a bad feeling about all this.
The Empress chuckled. Was he playing dumb? Her intentions were already very clear but he was still not giving a proper reply. Did she really have to spell it out for him? This boy was too sly.
“How would you feel if I betrothed the Virgin to you?” asked the Empress. Her tone was extremely casual.
Ye Futian’s entire body tensed up. He was even more nervous now than he had been fighting the Nobles and the army in the relic. Right now, he was in the pavilion of another kingdom’s Empress and she was trying to marry her daughter to him. No words were needed to explain just how stressed he was.
“How could I be worth on the Virgin?” Ye Futian said politely. As sound as he was finished, an invisible force descended upon him. He felt cold. It was the Empress’ aura.
“If I say you’re worthy, then there’s no problem,” said the Empress. How dare this boy say no?
“…” Ye Futian was completely dumbfounded.
The wheels in his head turned faster. “The Virgin and I have not known each other for long and have barely communicated. It’s hardly fair to the Virgin to make such a rash decision.”
Loulan Xue looked at him calmly and said, “I have no objections.”
“…” Ye Futian was rendered speechless. I know I’m good looking but how can they be so direct?
“If you’re already standing here, it means that I’ve already asked for her opinion. There’s no need for you to consider anything else,” the Empress said. “I’m going to pick a good date and announce it to the people. Let’s get you guys married as soon as possible. How about it?”
“Empress, you can’t do this.” There was a change in his expression. Hua Jieyu was still waiting for him in the Cangye Kingdom. There was no way he could just marry another girl.
The Empress frowned. Another force of majestic energy was released from her and pushed down on Ye Futian.
“I already have a woman I love.” Ye Futian knew there was no other way around this. All he could do was tell the truth.
“How can she be better than the Virgin?” asked the Empress after pausing briefly in shock. She was trying to betroth Loulan Xue to Ye Futian and he was actually unwilling. Now, he was doing everything he could to get out of this situation. She was the empress, so of course, this put her in a foul mood.
“Empress, this isn’t a matter of who is better or more gifted,” said Ye Futian. In his heart, Hua Jieyu was obviously better but he couldn’t come out and say that to the Empress.
The Empress stared at Ye Futian. She could see the determination in his eyes. He was looking her straight in the eyes, unwilling to back down. The force of energy disappeared and she spoke again, “If so, then you can take that girl as a concubine.”
Make Hua Jieyu a concubine? Ye Futian shook his head at the Empress.
The Empress’ frown grew and she continued to stare at him. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to make the Virgin be a concubine?” She was already being very polite to him. If it wasn’t because the sage favored Ye Futian, she wouldn’t be here bartering with a junior. She was the empress for crying out loud! But here he was, not appreciating her kindness.
“Then, I’ll just have to kill her,” said the empress coldly.
As soon as he heard this, the look in Ye Futian’s eyes sharpened, shooting daggers at the Empress. His fists clenched tight. He was trying to control his boiling anger.
Seemingly sensing the change in Ye Futian, the Empress’ aura grew colder. Everything in the surrounding looked about ready to freeze over. The atmosphere in the room was ice cold. Loulan Xue also did not anticipate for things to end this way. She looked at the two people in front of her and said, “If he doesn’t want to, then forget it.”
Not only did the Empress’ anger not die down after these words, her aura grew even colder. She had brought up marriage for her daughter and offered to betroth Loulan Xue to Ye Futian. Then, he actually rejected. Hearing her daughter’s words now, only made her feel that Loulan Xue had been wronged.
The Empress called out to summon someone and multiple females appeared. “Capture that b*stard and keep a close eye on him,” ordered the Empress.
“Yes!” The females stepped closer to him.
“I can show myself out,” said Ye Futian. He turned around and began to walk away with the females following behind him.
“How preposterous!” said the Empress in anger. This b*stard!
“You wanted me to marry him because you valued his talent and wanted him to become a citizen on Ancient Loulan but by doing this, you are offending him.” Loulan Xue remained calm all throughout. Although, she did feel strange. Her mother had made an offer to marry her to Ye Futian and she had even agreed to it herself. Now, they had both been rejected.
“Then kill him,” said the Empress in a cold demeanor. So what if he was extremely gifted? She had already made her compromise, allowing him to marry both females. It was that jackass who chose to reject. Did he really plan to make Loulan Xue his concubine? Or did he think that Loulan Xue was not worthy to be his wife?
“Why do you have to do this? Didn’t you say that the sage holds him in high esteem?” Loulan Xue attempted to dissuade her mother from killing Ye Futian.
The Empress’ anger began to die down. She was just pissed. After all, this was her only daughter. As the empress, of course, she would be upset after getting rejected by Ye Futian after she had been the one to offer her daughter’s hand in marriage.
“I shall go speak with the sage.” In a flash, the Empress disappeared and showed up at the hall for cultivation. She sat down at the center of the ice matrix. The book was still floating in the air. The Empress’ consciousness slipped into the book. Not long after, she opened her eyes with a strange expression on her face. Lifting her feet, she walked outside. She then arrived at the place where Ye Futian was being put on lockdown. He was being watched. Seeing the Empress approach really pissed him off. Indeed, Loulan Xue was beautiful, but so what? Did that mean he had to marry her?
“What were you thinking?” The empress stopped right in front of Ye Futian. Her tone was much calmer now. The anger from before was no longer there.
“I don’t understand what you mean,” said Ye Futian.
“When you tried to leave before, I really wanted to kill you but the Virgin begged for me to have mercy on you,” she answered.
“Then, please thank her for me,” Ye Futian replied coldly.
“I’ll make another compromise. What if you just take both of them as your wives?”
“I’m not marrying her,” Ye Futian answered calmly.