Xu Liniang was clearly a little embarrassed as well, defending herself, "I know I did a terrible job, okay? That's why I asked you for help a month ago, wasn't it? But who knew there'd be a cooldown..."
Only then did Chu Lu remember that Xu Liniang had indeed looked frantic at the time. When she learned that Chu Lu could not go over immediately, every word she wrote had been steeped in despair.
Fine. At least she had some self-awareness. Chu Lu thought.
Xu Liniang said again, "So, Chu Lu, can you come over?"
Chu Lu said, "I can! Of course I can!"
He figured that while he was not particularly skilled in this area, if it really came down to court intrigue, he would probably perform like an idiot. But acting like an idiot was still better than being a real idiot!
Just as he was thinking that, a pop-up window suddenly appeared in the Chat Group.
A powerful emotional fluctuation has been detected. Chat Group mission activated. Mission: Travel to Female Fiction World No. 9 and help Xu Liniang eliminate all hidden enemies, stabilizing the realm. Mission reward: One random skill pack. Accept?
"There are missions too? Even better." Chu Lu muttered.
Then he said in the Chat Group, "I'll head over right now. Is it convenient on your end?"
Xu Liniang said, "To be honest... there won't be a more convenient time than this."
"Alright."
Chu Lu tapped accept.
Mission accepted. Traveling to Female Fiction World No. 9.
This crossing was much like the last one. He felt nothing at all, and in an instant, the surroundings changed.
He arrived in a rather luxurious bedchamber.
Just as he was looking around, a weak voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Y-you... are Chu Lu?"
Chu Lu turned around and saw a woman lying on a large bed.
She was covered in thick quilts, with only her head exposed. Her face was pale, and she looked gravely ill.
"You're Xu Liniang?" Chu Lu asked.
She nodded.
Chu Lu examined her closely. Honestly, perhaps because she had long held a high position, she truly possessed the bearing of someone in authority. If he had not known her background, he might really have thought she was some remarkable figure.
At the same time, Xu Liniang was studying Chu Lu. Then she sighed, "So this is what men look like..."
Chu Lu said, "..."
"Alright, enough nonsense. Let's get to work," Chu Lu said.
He first tested his cultivation realm. Just as expected, he could not use it.
The mana within his body was as still as if it had died, and his physical strength had also fallen drastically.
Right now, he was merely a somewhat sturdier mortal.
Still, Chu Lu was not too disappointed. It was within his expectations.
He walked to Xu Liniang's bedside and said, "You said in the Chat Group that you were slapped yesterday, so you've already been placed under house arrest. Is the Commandant outside watching you right now?"
Xu Liniang nodded.
"Is that so? Then we need to deal with that first," Chu Lu said. "If you remain imprisoned, anything you want to do will be nothing but a fool's dream."
Chu Lu looked around, found a pair of scissors, and directly handed them to Xu Liniang. "You. Go out there and kill that Commandant."
Xu Liniang said, "Huh?"
She looked at the scissors, then at Chu Lu. "Me?"
"Who else would it be?" Chu Lu said. "I'm a man of unknown origin. If I dared show my face, the Empress would probably have me burned as a monster in minutes."
"But..." Xu Liniang could not help saying, "Chu Lu, can't you see? I'm bedridden with an illness."
"That's precisely your advantage," Chu Lu said. "You're sick this badly, so she'll definitely let down her guard. Then you can seize the opportunity and ambush her. Just stab those scissors into her throat, and it's done."
Xu Liniang said, "...Chu Lu, why don't you take another look at my complexion?"
"Grit your teeth and go all out?"
"I can't go all out!"
"You really are useless... Fine. I'll do it." Chu Lu sighed and took out the Soul Seizing Talisman.
Honestly, he truly did not want to use it. Using it on Xu Liniang was somewhat wasteful. If he could directly seize the Empress's body, the problem would become much simpler.
But he had no access to the Empress if he stayed here.
After all, the timing was wrong. The period when the Empress came every day to feed her medicine had already passed.
At that moment, Xu Liniang looked at the talisman in Chu Lu's hand and said, "Is that the Soul Seizing Talisman Xiao Luo mentioned?"
"Mm. You unwilling?"
"No. I prepared myself long ago. Use it."
Thus, Chu Lu activated the Soul Seizing Talisman. His figure instantly vanished and merged into Xu Liniang's body.
Xu Liniang's expression changed slightly. This body had already been taken over by Chu Lu.
The next moment, Xu Liniang's voice immediately sounded in his mind.
"So this is what it feels like to have your body seized? It's pretty much what Xiao Luo described. It really feels like being locked inside a little black room, able to peek at the outside world only through a few cracks. But my body feels light and floaty, and it doesn't hurt anymore. Pretty nice."
Feeling the weakness flooding every inch of his body, Chu Lu could not help rolling his eyes. "You're quite happy about this."
Xu Liniang's illness was even more absurd than he had imagined. Chu Lu lay there for quite some time before gradually adapting. Then he threw back the covers and discovered that Xu Liniang was wearing only a single undergarment.
He could not be bothered to change clothes. Slowly climbing out of bed, he picked up the scissors and made his way toward the door, step by step.
At that moment, outside the door, the Commandant and several soldiers were bragging and bantering.
After all, guarding someone was dull and tedious, yet extremely important. They could not slack off even if they wanted to, so they could only pass the time by boasting.
The Commandant was named Liu Fenggu. She was broad-shouldered and round-waisted, her face covered in fleshy jowls. She looked like a butcher who had slaughtered pigs for ten years, as though she carried the stench of blood and meat all over her.
At that moment, she was recounting her glorious achievement from the previous night to the soldiers.
"That Dog Emperor, I don't know whether she took the wrong medicine or had her heart blinded by lard. My cousin worked diligently every day to help her handle state affairs, never holding it against her that she was a sickly invalid. It would have been one thing if she didn't appreciate it, but her mouth was filthy too, cursing nonstop." Liu Fenggu gestured wildly as she spoke. "Yesterday, she kept calling my cousin a poisonous woman over and over. It made my head buzz. I charged right in and planned to show her what was what."
"Whoa." The soldiers were utterly shocked. "That was the Emperor. General, weren't you afraid?"
"Hmph. I was so furious then that I nearly went mad. How could I care about all that? She dared curse my cousin? Was she worthy?" Liu Fenggu snorted. "Besides, that Dog Emperor was nothing impressive, just trash. I hauled her up from the bed and gave her two slaps—smack, smack—then said, 'Curse again?' She immediately curled up and didn't even dare breathe loudly."
"Wow!" The soldiers looked at her with worship in their eyes. That was the Emperor! Their general had been so bold that she even dared strike the Emperor!
"Hehe." Liu Fenggu smiled, thoroughly enjoying the soldiers' admiration.
Just then, the door creaked open behind them.
Everyone turned their heads and saw Chu Lu walk out from inside.
Before you continue