Volume 3, Chapter 400 – May I Ask, Were You Waiting for Me?

Chi Xiyan caught her breath as her eyes trembled faintly.

“I… I did not mean it that way…”

Chi Xiyan turned her gaze to the side.

“This is the Huayue Court… not the Chi Residence…”

“And it is not only women who have come to take part in the selection…”

Chi Xiyan’s words paused slightly as she scrambled for a reason, “If a man attending the selection were to see you in this state, it could harm your reputation.”

A lie.

Lu Zhuxin was at a loss for words at this woman who could lie so brazenly with a straight face.

Right now, all the sons and daughters of noble families taking part in the selection were with Wei Ziqing. There was no way anyone would come sneaking over here to spy on them.

Besides, something like reputation held no use to her at all right now.

Even setting that aside, their current identities were as young ladies of the Cheng family. Even if someone saw something, it would only affect the Cheng family’s reputation, nothing more.

What was more, Lu Zhuxin had already swept her spiritual consciousness across the surroundings and confirmed there was no one else nearby.

Lu Zhuxin let out a soft sigh.

She said, “Sister, the reason I am telling you all this is only because I want you to know that I am no longer that little child who understood nothing. I can protect myself too.”

“And besides, compared to me, is it not sister who is in more danger…”

Lu Zhuxin looked into Chi Xiyan’s eyes, “It was sister who said we must hide our identities and cannot reveal them until we see the Empress.”

“But sister, what exactly have you been doing?”

“Not even twenty years old, yet able to refine high grade pills, while also possessing a fourth realm sword cultivator’s power…”

“Sister… do you feel your identity is not being revealed quickly enough?”

Chi Xiyan fell silent.

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She opened her mouth, then closed it, unable to say anything.

To ensure she passed the selection, showing off her skill in alchemy had been the safest choice.

Though a grandmaster alchemist at her age was rare, one could still find quite a few of them in the Medical Immortal Valley.

But revealing her skill in swordsmanship had been completely outside of what Chi Xiyan had planned.

Truthfully, rationally speaking, Chi Xiyan should not have revealed her sword cultivation.

Cheng Yinyin had only wanted to ruin Cheng Lixue’s reputation, make her lose face entirely, and thereby cost her the right to continue in the selection.

Muxue… would never have been in any danger to her life.

Had this been the old Chi Xiyan, she would have made that very choice.

Losing a bit of face was always better than having one’s identity exposed.

And it would also put an end to Cheng Lixia’s wish to continue with the selection.

What was more, her status was not exactly spotless to begin with…

And yet… Chi Xiyan found she simply could not do it.

When it came to the girl standing before her, she could no longer act so rationally as before.

Nor could she coldly stand by and watch.

And the root of all of this was that forbidden, heretical feeling buried in her heart.

Seeing that Chi Xiyan had stayed silent for a long while, Lu Zhuxin tilted her head and asked in confusion, “Sister?”

Chi Xiyan let out a soft sigh, momentarily pushing down those unspeakable feelings within her.

“Beihe Commandery has already been sealed off. Even if Wei Ziqing has his suspicions, it will still take him some time to confirm our identities…”

“As long as we can keep our identities hidden until the Empress arrives… that will be enough…”

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“Oh…” Lu Zhuxin lowered her head slightly, “So sister is still gambling too.”

“Since we are both gambling anyway… what does it matter if I add my own stake to it as well?”

“We came here together to take part in the selection. If I were to suddenly withdraw ahead of time, would that not make people even more suspicious of us?”

“Since Wei Ziqing wants me to continue with the selection… then why not go along with his wish for now, and keep him steady?”

“And there is something even more important.”

Lu Zhuxin’s voice grew low. “Sister keeps saying it is for my safety, but I want to ask sister something too. If I withdraw right now, then while sister is taking part in the selection… who will protect me?”

Chi Xiyan froze, and she lowered her eyes.

“You could stay at an inn for the time being. As long as there are enough spirit stones, we could hire plenty of cultivators willing to protect you.”

Lu Zhuxin let out a wistful sigh, “Sister, do not be foolish.”

“In such a hurry, where would you even find trustworthy cultivators to hire?”

“In terms of power, who in the capital could possibly compare to the Wei family?”

She grasped Chi Xiyan’s sleeve. “Sister, we have no other choice left now…”

Chi Xiyan stayed silent.

Being noticed by Wei Ziqing truly was far more troublesome than she had imagined.

But what if, as Muxue had said, they took the initiative to get on Wei Ziqing’s good side instead?

Would that be enough to protect Muxue?

For some reason, Chi Xiyan found herself thinking of the way Wei Ziqing had looked at Muxue earlier that day.

Chi Xiyan very much wished it had only been her imagination.

But was Wei Ziqing’s gaze truly so innocent?

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Chi Xiyan clenched her fists.

At dusk.

Lu Zhuxin finally managed to persuade Chi Xiyan back into their room.

At the very least, after an entire afternoon of persuasion, Chi Xiyan was no longer so firmly against the idea of letting Lu Zhuxin stay and continue with the selection.

Sitting in the corridor, Lu Zhuxin looked up at the setting sun in the sky.

If she could not stay, Chi Xiyan would almost certainly have no chance of meeting the Empress.

And Lu Zhuxin’s own plans afterward would also become very difficult to carry out.

Now, she finally had a moment to spare to think about the matter of Wei Ziqing.

“After today’s little farce, Wei Ziqing should be making some kind of move soon.”

Lu Zhuxin leaned against the pillar, her words half to herself and half as if confiding in someone.

“If the Wei Ziqing in this world truly is the Wei Ziqing I remember, then it is practically a foregone conclusion that he will figure out who Chi Xiyan and I really are.”

“03, what do you think Wei Ziqing will do?”

[Host, the System does not have the authority to monitor the actions of the Heaven Mandated Male Lead.]

“I never asked you to go watch what he is doing.” Lu Zhuxin let out a light laugh. “I was only curious, which side the current Wei Ziqing will end up leaning toward.”

[Hm? 03 does not understand the host’s question.]

Lu Zhuxin twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, murmuring to herself.

“According to the original novel’s setup, the grassland princess Bu Lianshuang is meant to be Wei Ziqing’s Heaven Mandated female lead. If things followed the original storyline, Wei Ziqing should have gone to find Bu Lianshuang first.”

“But, Chi Xiyan’s Dragon Phoenix Scarlet Sun Pill holds an enormous appeal for Wei Ziqing.”

“Add to that her status as the eldest daughter of the Chi family.”

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“Weighing the gains and losses, it makes far more sense for Wei Ziqing’s interests that he go find Chi Xiyan first.”

“Heh…” Lu Zhuxin laughed softly, the smile never quite reaching her eyes. “System, tell me, which side do you think Wei Ziqing will choose first?”

[…]

The System did not answer.

She even found herself wondering whether this entire situation, starting from the moment she had allowed Bu Lianshuang to stay, had all been a trap Lu Zhuxin had set for Wei Ziqing from the very beginning.

Lu Zhuxin was testing the waters, testing just how binding the original storyline truly was.

At the same time, she was also testing this Heaven Mandated Male Lead, Wei Ziqing, to see just how much freedom he truly had within this world.

[Host, what exactly are you trying to do?]

Lu Zhuxin raised her eyes, a look of surprise on her face.

“Oh! I thought you would have guessed by now!”

“My little system.”

[…]

“It is nothing.” Lu Zhuxin waved her hand. “Just a small, unpresentable little trick. Not worth mentioning.”

Just then, a familiar presence entered Lu Zhuxin’s awareness.

Someone was coming.

Lu Zhuxin’s eyes narrowed slightly, a dim glint in her gaze.

Wei Ziqing had made a choice she had not expected.

“Miss Cheng, were you waiting for me here?” Wei Ziqing walked over at an easy pace, a warm smile on his face.

“Or perhaps, should I call you, Second Young Lady Chi?”