Volume 1, Chapter 51: I Leave It in Your Hands, Lord Wujiang

Li Yunrui’s eyes slowly bloomed with a dangerous light as she asked suspiciously,
"Senior sister?"

Zhao Wujiang nodded and explained to Li Yunrui,
"Both of them used to be Long Zhan's senior sisters, and they were also victims. Now, they have turned over a new leaf and are cooperating with me... From now on, they are my senior sisters."

Li Yunrui’s eyes carried a scrutinizing gaze as she looked at the exquisitely beautiful and alluring Liu Ruyan.

Ling Qingxue was better; her temperament was cold and aloof, making it look like she had nothing untoward going on with Zhao Wujiang...

But this Liu Ruyan oozed allure, and even her gaze toward Zhao Wujiang was teasing and seductive. Were they truly just senior sisters? Was there no other relationship?

"Ahem..." Zhao Wujiang gave a dry cough and said sincerely,
"To be honest, I have always been deeply grateful to my two senior sisters. I owe a great deal of my current martial arts prowess to their immense help."

Ling Qingxue and Liu Ruyan were taken aback; they hadn't expected Zhao Wujiang's tone to be so earnest, actually thanking them face to face.

Li Yunrui furrowed her brows. Was what Zhao Wujiang said true or false?

Zhao Wujiang’s tone grew even more sincere.
"Senior Sister Liu Ruyan gave me a lot of help when I first stepped into the realm of martial arts, teaching me my very first top-tier martial art. Moreover, she attentively assisted me as my cultivation realm continually grew, putting in a lot of... effort...

As for Senior Sister Ling Qingxue, she even went so far as to briefly lend me her own power...
Yunrui, do you remember that day at the Ancestral Court?
A large portion of the credit for my victory over Long Zhan came from the supreme techniques previously imparted to me by Senior Sister Ling Qingxue."

[It's a pity that the progress of the Wedding Gown Divine Skill has stagnated and hasn't been perfected yet.]

Zhao Wujiang sighed inwardly. After all, he and Ling Qingxue had never truly bared their souls to each other and still harbored caution.

Liu Ruyan's beautiful eyes trembled as she glanced at Zhao Wujiang. She hadn't expected her senior sister to have even taught the Wedding Gown Divine Skill to Zhao Wujiang. Their relationship was profound and far from ordinary; it seemed her senior sister's usual icy demeanor toward Zhao Wujiang was just a facade...

Ling Qingxue's cold temperament softened slightly at this moment. Viewed in this light, Zhao Wujiang had always kept this matter to heart, and her cooperation with him had not been in vain.

Although Zhao Wujiang sighed inwardly over the progress of the Wedding Gown Divine Skill, it couldn't be helped. How could she truly bare her soul to him? Being able to briefly lend each other their internal energy was already quite remarkable. If they were to go any further... how could she possibly let down her guard?

Li Yunrui nodded. Observing the expressions of all three, especially Zhao Wujiang—since she could hear his inner voice, how could he possibly keep anything from her?

It seemed the talk of senior sisters was indeed true.

Now, with two additional women of exceptional beauty and temperament, though they posed a threat to her, they were merely a threat. In this world, she could hear Zhao Wujiang's innermost thoughts; no matter what, she would always be the woman who understood him best.

Thinking of this, the threat Li Yunrui felt dissipated, and her expression softened. She slowly curtsied, displaying proper etiquette and understanding,
"Thank you both, Senior Sisters."

Zhao Wujiang looked at the harmonious scene and nodded slowly,
"Living our days well together matters more than anything else..."

His sincere expressions of gratitude toward Liu Ruyan and Ling Qingxue earlier were not meant to brush the three of them off, but rather reflected his true inner thoughts.

In Zhao Wujiang's code of conduct, there were three forms of "requital."

The first was the requital of beauty: to be a hedonistic young lord enjoying the world's finest women.

The second was the requital of gratitude: whoever helped him and treated him well, he would always remember and repay one by one.

The third was the requital of vengeance: an eye for an eye! Whoever tried to harm him, he would remember and make them pay the price.

Li Yunrui had already become his primary wife, and with Liu Ruyan and Ling Qingxue also residing within the Prince's Estate, they were bound to run into each other constantly.

Therefore, there was no time like the present. Zhao Wujiang took this opportunity to introduce the two "senior sisters" to Li Yunrui in advance as a precaution against future chaos.

Ever since the morning court session ended, Zhao Wujiang had been repeatedly weighing the current situation in his mind. His father's military command had been stripped away, and Long Zhan had been promoted once again. As a thorn in Long Zhan's side, how should he respond?

Since the reality could not be changed, he would make use of it to maximize his own interests.

Just as he had told Li Yunrui earlier, what had happened had happened; we must learn to accept things that are not perfect, and accept an imperfect self...

After their harmonious conversation, Zhao Wujiang arrived at the door of the room where Chiba Hiteru was placed under house arrest.

According to the imperial edict, Chiba Hiteru was to be taken away by the Hansang diplomatic delegation. Could he extract any value from her before she was taken away?

Lost in thought, Zhao Wujiang pushed the door open and saw Chiba Hiteru, whose expression appeared somewhat haggard.

"Your father must have loved you very much." Zhao Wujiang said in a gentle tone, squatting down in front of Chiba Hiteru, who was sitting on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Tear tracks stained Chiba Hiteru's cheeks. Thinking of her father's death, a mist of tears welled up in her eyes once more, on the verge of weeping.

"I sympathize deeply..." Zhao Wujiang slowly unlocked her chains.
"But Hansang is in turmoil, its internal conflicts intensifying, and it will only grow weaker. Great Xia's national power is flourishing, and Hansang's doom is sealed...
Your best option is to cooperate with me...
You know what I am talking about..."

Kept under house arrest in the Prince's Estate with her sources of information cut off, Chiba Hiteru was unaware of the temporary peace between Great Xia and Hansang. She assumed Great Xia was about to launch another military campaign against Hansang and worried for her country's survival.

Could she cooperate with Zhao Wujiang? Was there any way to save a Hansang in turmoil?

[If my old man hadn't returned, taking advantage of the Hansang Emperor's death, Hansang would be in even greater chaos than it is now!]

Hearing Zhao Wujiang's inner voice once again, Chiba Hiteru's pupils dilated in shock. The Prince of Northern Suppression wasn't really dead? He had returned?

Was it because of Zhao Wujiang's wedding?
Did Zhao Wujiang hold the Prince of Northern Suppression back?
If Zhao Wujiang had incited the Prince of Northern Suppression to slaughter Hansang, how could a Hansang currently in chaos possibly resist? They would undoubtedly perish and their nation would fall...

"Zhao Wujiang, you must help me, okay?" Chiba Hiteru dropped to her knees instantly, pressing her palms together against the floor, her tone laced with begging,
"I will agree to any demand you have! Anything!"

[I am acting on imperial orders, so it wouldn't be proper to actually keep this woman behind. Since she's asking for my help, she at least needs to show some sincerity, right?]

A thoughtful look appeared in Zhao Wujiang's eyes.

Chiba Hiteru bit her lower lip with her white teeth, immediately untying the sash of her skirt, and knelt in prostration once more.
"Please, Wujun..."