Eunuch, You Really Get Around

Bai Yuji turned her back and ignored Qin Muye.

Qin Muye glanced at her shapely figure. He couldn't tell whether she truly didn't know which accomplices had framed her or simply didn't want to tell him.

There was nothing for it. He'd have to investigate slowly.

Time to fast-forward to the part where he trusted Chen Sui.

He closed his eyes, and the scene from earlier resurfaced in his mind. Everyone had a fate above their head, but the ordinary Brocade Guards had ordinary fates, mostly ninth-grade or common. There wasn't even a prompt saying he could grind for a fate skill.

Qin Yanying and Chen Sui's fates, on the other hand, were rather intriguing.

[Primary Fate General]: Torn between loyalty and filial duty; dies without a whole corpse.

[Fate Rank]: Seventh Grade (69/80)

[Note]: The emperor grows jealous; there is no way to serve the nation. After the Qin Family rebels, they are defeated and captured, and she is dismembered by five horses.

[Primary Fate and Hound]: A hound with a conscience; claws broken and teeth shattered.

[Fate Rank]: Seventh Grade (79/80)

[Note]: When the Qin Family is in peril, he risks his life to plead for them. Though he escapes punishment, he earns the heir apparent's resentment. After the new emperor ascends the throne, he lets his old enemies have their way, and the late emperor's hound is utterly destroyed.

Neither of them had a fate skill he could grind for.

Going by their notes, it seemed the Qin Family had no choice but to rebel.

Qin Muye didn't understand. The Qin Family's motto was fiercely loyal, and in his memories, Qin Kaijiang had shown no sign of rebellion. Even if the emperor truly couldn't tolerate him, Qin Muye would sooner believe Qin Kaijiang would bare his neck and await execution than launch a rebellion.

There had to be more to the story.

He couldn't figure it out for now, so he stopped thinking about it.

He was more curious about something else. Qin Yanying and Chen Sui were both fourth-grade masters, rarely matched below the third-grade Grandmasters, yet their fates were only seventh-grade. Even with downward fluctuations, they couldn't scrape together a fate skill.

Fate rank didn't seem to have anything to do with strength. Though these two were powerful, they would only die as collateral damage.

Bai Yuji's existence, by contrast, would spark great upheaval, which was why her fate rank was as high as fourth grade. That explanation made sense.

Qin Muye was a little frustrated. It took ten fate points to get a single attribute point, and the only way to earn them was by changing someone's fate. It was no easy task.

Small fry were basically useless. He needed to find a few big fish to fleece.

He stared for a while at the three characters "Thread-Puppet" above Bai Yuji's head. She was a princess of a fallen nation, after all. If she could escape her fate as a puppet and become an empress who restored her nation, he'd probably be able to farm quite a few attribute points.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"I can see the bearing of a great emperor in you."

"Heh... If not for your father, maybe I really could have become one."

"..."

An hour later.

A Flying Boat sailed in from the horizon. Before it had even come to a stop, a eunuch leaped down from it and rushed toward the cave, overcome with excitement. "Young Lord! Young Lord! This old servant has come to bring you home!"

The crystals beneath the boat blazed brightly, lighting up the valley as if it were broad daylight.

When Qin Yanying made out the eunuch's face, a smile immediately appeared on hers. "Eunuch Hong, why did you come in person?"

Eunuch Hong sighed. "His Majesty regards the young lord as his own nephew. If not for His Majesty's poor health, how could a mere servant like me have been sent to fetch him? Look at this Flying Boat..."

Qin Yanying looked up and only then realized that this Flying Boat was none other than the emperor's personal craft.

Her heart bloomed with joy, and she shouted, "Muye! Nephew's wife! Come out, quick! His Majesty sent someone to fetch you!"

At the words "nephew's wife," Eunuch Hong's expression shifted ever so slightly before returning to normal.

Seeing Qin Muye approach hand in hand with a woman, he hurried over. He looked him over, then became so overwhelmed with emotion that he could hardly contain himself. "Young Lord, thank goodness you're safe! You've been missing for so long, and His Majesty hasn't slept a wink. If anything had happened to you, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."

His emotions got the better of him.

He actually wiped away tears.

Qin Muye sneered inwardly. As expected, everyone who managed to stay by the emperor's side was an Oscar-worthy actor. The man looked like a kind old soul, but behind closed doors, who knew—some Lolita Island, some old-man party? Maybe he was up for anything.

He glanced at Eunuch Hong's panel. The man had a mere ninth-grade "Loyal Hound" fate. The note said that after the new emperor took the throne, he indulged in sensual pleasures and died in the bed of a male favorite.

Eunuch, you really get around!

Third-grade Grandmaster strength, with a ninth-grade fate.

This guy was the real dickhead!

He grabbed Eunuch Hong's hand, looking deeply flattered. "His Majesty was really that worried about me?"

"Of course!"

Eunuch Hong pointed to the Flying Boat in the sky. "Look, His Majesty even sent his own Flying Boat! Come with this old servant back to the Capital City. Don't keep His Majesty worrying any longer!"

He tugged on Qin Muye's hand, and Qin Muye tugged on Bai Yuji's. Then he brought Qin Yanying and Chen Sui to stand beneath the Flying Boat.

The next moment, the great array at the bottom of the Flying Boat activated.

Qin Muye felt his body lighten, and he began to float skyward.

Throughout Great Gan, Flying Boats were rare and exorbitantly expensive, yet their speed was nothing special—roughly equal to that of a fourth-grade expert hurrying at full speed. They were of no use for either civilian or military purposes, serving only as a means of transport for powerful families and the wealthy.

Still, having a private plane come to the rescue was pretty comfortable.

A smooth ride in a Flying Boat beat walking a hundred li through the mountains.

The boat was decorated with carved balustrades and jade ornaments, and a three-story elegant pavilion stood in its center, looking both splendid and refined.

As soon as they stepped onto the deck, Eunuch Hong said respectfully, "Young Lord, there are imperial physicians aboard. Come with this old servant!"

As he spoke, he gave Bai Yuji a subtle smile.

Chen Sui's eyes also swept over Bai Yuji's face now and then.

Bai Yuji nudged Qin Muye's arm, worry in her voice. "Qin, go let the imperial physicians examine you. I'm afraid that villain poisoned you."

Qin Muye: "..."

You damn well know you're the villain?

You were acting like a young woman worried sick over her sweetheart. I thought you'd gotten into character!

He stroked the back of her hand and said gently, "Don't worry. Stay with Aunt and chat. I'll be right back."

Then he followed Eunuch Hong up to the third floor.

When they arrived, he glanced at the little old men waiting in line and couldn't help but stare. "Are all these people imperial physicians?"

Eunuch Hong smiled. "His Majesty is terribly worried. What kind of sense would it make to send just one imperial physician? Young Lord, please come right in!"

Qin Muye nodded and cupped his hands toward the physicians. "Thank you for your trouble, everyone!"

What followed was a long examination, with everything from pulse-taking to blood draws.

About half an hour later.

Qin Muye finally let out a breath. "Imperial Physician Sun, how is my condition?"

Imperial Physician Sun smiled. "Rest assured, Young Lord! You show signs of having been poisoned, but the residual poison has been cleared from your body. The true essence used to heal you was very nourishing. You're even healthier now than you were at your last examination."

Qin Muye: "..."

That little minx really was skilled. How had so many imperial physicians failed to notice the Luanfeng Gu she'd planted?

Wait!

Could she have given him a fake drug and deliberately tricked him into protecting her?

He pressed further. "Earlier, when I was unconscious, I felt like my internal organs were failing. I almost thought I was going to die. How are they now?"

Imperial Physician Sun smiled. "Your organs have all recovered, and your heartbeat is even stronger than before. This is certainly cause for celebration!"

Qin Muye: "..."

His heart was exactly where the Luanfeng Gu was staying.

And now his heartbeat was even stronger.

Imperial Physician Sun, you're really damn incompetent!

That little minx really was a poison expert. Looks like he needed to keep his head down for now.

He stood up, thanked the physician, and left.

As soon as he stepped out of the examination room, Bai Yuji came over and affectionately clung to his arm. "Qin, are you all right?"

With you around,

could I possibly be all right?

Qin Muye lifted her chin and kissed her. "Thanks to you, I'm perfectly fine!"

Bai Yuji: "???"

Eunuch Hong beamed. "Good, as long as you're well. We'll reach the Capital City soon. Rest well when you return to the estate, Young Lord. I'll head back to the palace and report the good news to His Majesty!"

"Wait!"

Qin Yanying immediately grew displeased. "The villain is still at large. How can we rest now? Eunuch Hong, that treacherous minister openly colluded with the bandits and had my nephew kidnapped. His intentions are plainly sinister! Take the two of us into the palace to confront him. Surely we can bring him to justice!"

Eunuch Hong: "..."

He looked troubled and shot Chen Sui a glance.

Chen Sui: "Yanying..."

Qin Yanying: "Shut up!"

Chen Sui: "Yes, ma'am!"

Eunuch Hong: "..."