TGPSAC – Chapter 134

Three months later.

Chi Wan stood outside the capital, gazing at the two characters for “Shengjing,” and felt as if a lifetime had passed.

If it hadn’t truly happened, she would have thought it was all a dream.

Three months. Not too long, but not too short either. For someone with a person to miss in their heart, it felt like every day was a year.

On her first day at Wudang, Chi Wan had requested to see the sect leader but was refused.

The general message was that the old sect leader’s days were numbered, and she was not seeing guests.

Just as she was pondering how she might get to see the old sect leader, someone else came out to stop her, telling her the old sect leader had summoned her.

Chi Wan was baffled. She followed the person to the back mountain.

There was only a single building on the back mountain. Unlike the grand halls at the front that could accommodate many people, this place was quite ordinary. Besides the main hall enshrining the Three Pure Ones, there were only two rooms, one on the left and one on the right.

Next to the building, however, was a staircase that led up to a viewing platform, from which one could overlook the mountain scenery.

The Daoist who had led her here gestured toward the left room. Puzzled, she walked inside.

Entering the room, Chi Wan saw a female cultivator sitting cross-legged on a couch. She had white hair and white eyebrows, yet her face was full of vitality and looked quite young. The phrase “crane hair and a youthful face” was a perfect description.

Chi Wan clasped her hands in a Daoist salute. “This humble one greets you, fellow Daoist and Sect Leader.”

“Your Highness is too kind,” the woman replied, her voice ancient. It didn’t seem to come from her throat, but rather from her abdomen.

“This humble one is also a cultivator. If the Sect Leader does not mind, you may call me Jinzhao.”

Addressing her as a fellow Daoist was a courtesy, and using her courtesy name was also a courtesy.

“Fellow Daoist” indicated they were both of the Daoist school, while using her courtesy name signified Chi Wan’s respect for the old sect leader—the proper etiquette of a junior toward an elder.

The sect leader’s cloudy eyes looked toward her. “You have come to have a Gu poison removed?”

“The Sect Leader’s insight is like a torch. This humble one has been afflicted with Nanyue’s River of Oblivion. A physician has examined it and said that someone with greatly accomplished internal energy is needed to assist with acupuncture to force out the Gu worm.”

A surge of anger rose in Chi Wan’s heart at the thought of the Gu worm in her head.

The people of Nanyue were too despicable, using such insidious means to force her far from the capital and away from Yu Jiuzhou.

“This old Daoist can remove your Gu, but I must first diagnose you,” the sect leader said with a gesture of invitation.

Chi Wan took a step forward, came to the sect leader’s side, and offered her hand.

The sect leader extended a pair of rosy, youthful-looking hands and placed them on her pulse. “This is orthodox Daoist practice. May I ask who your master was?”

She was about to say it was her grandmother, but in this world, her grandmother was the Old Madam Chi.

So Chi Wan changed her story. “My master was an itinerant Daoist. I heard that my grandmaster was from an orthodox Daoist lineage, but as for where, this humble one does not know.”

The sect leader nodded and picked up a book from the table beside her. “Read this first. In nine days, come find this old Daoist to have the Gu removed.”

Nine days? That was good. Of the three months, not even ten days had passed yet.

“Thank you, Sect Leader.”

Chi Wan took the book and was about to leave when the sect leader called out, “You may stay in the right-hand room.”

Were they to live so close to each other?

Since the other party had said so, she decided to obey and walked into the right-hand room.

Chi Wan immediately opened the book. It was a secret manual, from the same school as the internal energy cultivation she practiced. Cultivating with it would be twice as effective with half the effort.

She was very curious. It seemed the sect leader had known she was coming, had even prepared the manual, and knew what kind of internal energy she cultivated.

“Excuse me, Sect Leader, what is the connection between my internal energy and the manual you’ve given me?”

She hadn’t looked at the contents of the manual. It was part of the sect’s heritage; what if the sect leader had given it to her by mistake?

Chi Wan raised her voice slightly from the right-hand room.

The sect leader responded in a loud voice, “Because this is the only one this old Daoist knows.”

As if I’d believe you.

Chi Wan knew the other was talking nonsense but could only accept it. “Did the Sect Leader know in advance that I was coming?”

“The I Ching and the Eight Trigrams can deduce all things in the world.”

“The Sect Leader is truly amazing,” Chi Wan praised with a smile.

“This is merely the truth.”

“…”

This old Daoist was not the least bit modest.

After that, Chi Wan began to cultivate using the manual. Whenever she encountered something she didn’t understand, the moment her brow furrowed, the sect leader’s guidance would arrive.

The sect leader used ventriloquism powered by her internal energy, transmitting her words precisely to Chi Wan’s ears.

A month later, she felt her internal energy was just one step away from reaching the stage of great accomplishment.

But this one step was like a chasm, impossible to cross.

With a master of greatly accomplished internal energy right beside her, she certainly couldn’t let the opportunity pass. Chi Wan hurried over to ask for guidance.

The old Daoist’s eyes were closed. “Your internal energy is being suppressed by the Gu worm. You originally possessed profound internal energy, but because of the Gu, you had to start cultivating anew. Now your internal energy is profound once more, and only a step away from great accomplishment. Once the Gu worm is dealt with, you will be able to advance further.”

Chi Wan’s eyes lit up. Greatly accomplished internal energy was something only legendary figures possessed. If her strength reached that level, there would be nowhere in the world she couldn’t go.

Even if there were assassins, unless they numbered in the tens of thousands, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to her.

It would truly be a case of Jinzhao standing with sword in hand, unassailable by ten thousand men.

The prerequisite, however, was that she could reach the stage of great accomplishment, and the first step was to resolve the Gu worm problem.

Chi Wan bowed deeply. “I implore the Sect Leader to remove this Gu poison from me.”

Only then did the old Daoist open her eyes and, for the first time, speak to her with her mouth. “This old Daoist has studied the needle technique. My disciple has also collected water of extreme yin. The Gu worm favors yin. If you circulate your fire-aspected internal energy, it will become agitated, and this old Daoist can then use silver needles to extract it.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader.”

Chi Wan bowed again and sat cross-legged beside the old Daoist.

From their first meeting until now, they had never discussed the conditions for removing the Gu.

But she knew that unspoken conditions were the most expensive. The moment they met, the old Daoist had revealed her identity, so she hadn’t bothered asking about terms.

A favor owed by a Prince was already a heavy debt, let alone one owed by Chi Wan.

She was not only a Prince but also the Emperor’s consort, second to one and above all others in Great Zhou. It was no exaggeration to call her the most powerful official in the empire.

She had military achievements, political accomplishments, and the Emperor’s affection. Such a person was invincible in Great Zhou.

She could guess that the old Daoist was doing this to leave a favor for Wudang. After all, the struggles in the martial world were also fierce.

Wudang once had a master of great accomplishment, but the old Daoist’s life was nearing its end; she was just hanging on by a thread. She had to leave some protection for the sect’s future.

A favor from a Prince would ensure the sect’s safety for at least a hundred years.

“Calm your qi and focus your mind.”

The old Daoist spoke in a low voice, and Chi Wan gradually entered a meditative state.

---

Seven hours later, Chi Wan made a cut on her finger with a dagger and soaked the wound in the yin water.

The so-called yin water was dew collected in the early morning, with some medicinal herbs added to it.

A worm pushed open the wound on her finger and crawled into the yin water.

Chi Wan’s eyes flew open. She covered the bowl of yin water to prevent the Gu worm from escaping, then spat out a mouthful of blood.

The old Daoist spoke in a deep voice, “Sleep.”

While awake, the constant return of memories would be agonizing for Chi Wan. It would be better if she were asleep.

The old Daoist struck the nape of Chi Wan’s neck with the side of her hand, and she immediately fell unconscious.

Looking at Chi Wan, who had collapsed onto the meditation cushion, the old Daoist shook a small bell beside her.

A moment later, a young girl walked in. “Master.”

“Take her back to rest.”

The old Daoist closed her eyes after speaking.

The newcomer’s gaze fell on Chi Wan, her expression unfriendly. “Master, you can no longer use your internal energy. Why did you still save her?”

The old Daoist’s eyes remained closed. “Sansheng, it was not this old Daoist who saved her. With her talent, she would have reached the stage of great accomplishment sooner or later and could have removed the Gu herself. But she came to find this old Daoist, which gave me an opportunity to ask for a favor. You, my child, are not suited for cultivation. You should enter the mortal world.”

“Master! But you used your internal energy this time, so your remaining days…”

Sansheng couldn’t finish her sentence. She knew her master’s body was already holding on by a thread. She avoided speaking as much as possible each day, as speaking would deplete her qi, and if too much qi was lost, she would not last.

This time, to force out the Gu worm, her master had expended a great deal of energy. Her body wouldn’t hold out for more than a few days.

“Foolish child, it is precisely because this old Daoist’s strength is failing that it took so long. A normal master of great accomplishment could have dealt with the Gu worm on her in half an hour.”

The old Daoist was already like a lamp with its oil spent. Using her internal energy or not made little difference. She simply wanted to secure a life of comfort and status for her disciple and didn’t want her disciple to resent the person who would bring her that fortune.

Sansheng had never considered that, given time, Chi Wan could have removed the poison herself. “It was this disciple who was foolish.”

If her master hadn’t needed to act, Chi Wan would still have been fine, and for her master, the current outcome was the best possible one.

Her master had done it for the sect, and for her.

“It is good that you understand.”

Sansheng bent down, hoisted Chi Wan onto her shoulder, and carried her to the right-hand room.

---

Chi Wan remained unconscious for a full day and night before she finally awoke.

Upon waking, all her memories had returned. When she recalled her attitude toward Yu Jiuzhou after losing her memory, she wanted to punch herself.

How could she have been so cold with such a great beauty standing right in front of her?

“So damn pretentious.”

She cursed herself under her breath. When she remembered sneaking away, and how a pregnant Yu Jiuzhou had run for an entire night to catch up to her, she wanted to beat herself up again.

She had actually run away, abandoning her wife and children.

Chi Wan squeezed her eyes shut. It had truly been a thorough bout of amnesia; she had done everything imaginable.

She had already decided that once she returned to the capital, she would apologize properly to Yu Jiuzhou. And those two little ones were about to turn two. She had been away at war for so long, and then she had lost her memory. It had been a long time since she had spent any time with them.

Come to think of it, she really was an unqualified mother.

Chi Wan composed herself, got up, and went out. The first thing she did was to see the old sect leader.

“Thank you for the grace of removing the Gu, Sect Leader. If there is anything you require, this humble one will not shirk her duty.”

The Gu was gone, and it was about time for her to leave. She missed Yu Jiuzhou.

Hearing this, the old Daoist struggled to open her eyes. “Thank you, Your Highness. This old Daoist is greedy and has two requests.”

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “Please speak, Sect Leader.”

“After this old Daoist passes, I ask Your Highness to seal the mountain, allowing no outsiders to enter and no one from the mountain to leave.”

“Why?”

“The riches and honors of the mortal world are like sharp swords. Cultivators must not be tainted by them.”

The sect had become too involved. Once they offended a high-ranking official or noble, it could easily lead to disaster.

The incense offerings at the sect were now too abundant; too much of a good thing was not good.

Chi Wan nodded. “Alright.”

The old Daoist stated her second request. “This old Daoist has a disciple by my side. She has no affinity for cultivation. I ask Your Highness to take her down the mountain.”

Just taking one person with her.

“Alright.”

“In that case, this old Daoist thanks Your Highness.”

---

It was almost the first month. The children’s birthday was on the first day of the first month.

Chi Wan, along with Sansheng, rode at top speed, finally reaching the capital on the day before New Year’s Eve.

“Is this the capital?” Sansheng looked up at the characters for “Shengjing” and exclaimed in admiration.

No wonder the people of the capital called their home the countryside. Shengjing was truly dazzling.

Chi Wan rode her horse through the city gates. A familiar atmosphere washed over her, making her feel like she was home.

“Sansheng, go directly to the Imperial City Division. Just say I sent you.”

She couldn’t very well bring Sansheng back to the palace with her.

Sansheng smiled awkwardly. “Your Highness, what if they don’t believe me?”

Chi Wan tossed her the token from her robes. Sansheng caught it and weighed it in her hand. “Your Highness, is this token missing a corner?”

“Where do you think the horses came from?”

Chi Wan said this and then spurred her horse straight toward the imperial palace.

Many people saw her along the way, but no one dared to believe that the Prince of Qin Yu, who hadn’t been seen for half a year, would suddenly appear on the streets.

But the capital was not short of observant people, and someone still passed the news along.

Chi Wan didn’t care. Within the capital, with her greatly accomplished internal energy, no one could do anything to her.

Arriving outside the imperial palace, the guard captain was stunned to see her. “This subordinate greets the Prince of Qin Yu.”

“Rise. Open the gates.”

The guard captain hesitated. “Your Highness, this subordinate does not have the authority to make that decision.”

“Where is Duan Yun?”

“This subordinate will go and report immediately.”

Just then, Duan Yun came jogging over, shooting the guard captain a harsh glare. “Your Highness, my subordinate is ignorant. Please forgive him, Your Highness.”

“It’s fine. May I enter now?”

“Of course. Please, Your Highness.”

Chi Wan smiled at Duan Yun, pulled on the reins, and entered the imperial palace.

When she reached the inner palace, she dismounted and decided to walk to Daming Palace.

This was the rule. Those in high positions should lead by example. There were so many eyes in the outer court; if a censor were to submit a memorial of impeachment, it would be troublesome.

Chi Wan strode toward Daming Palace. It now had a new master: the first Kun Ze empress in the history of Great Zhou, Yu Jiuzhou, her beloved.

She stepped into Daming Palace but didn’t encounter a single palace maid or eunuch. Just as she was wondering what had happened, she saw Yu Jiuzhou sitting on the arhat bed.

She immediately ran over. “Wife!”

Chi Wan ran so fast that she had to come to a screeching halt in front of Yu Jiuzhou, then grabbed her hand. “Sister, I’m back.”

A clear trace of faint anger was visible between Yu Jiuzhou’s brows, but without the familiar coldness.

She didn’t speak, merely looked at Chi Wan with cold eyes, as if waiting for an explanation.

Chi Wan hurriedly said, “I only just recovered my memory, and the old sect leader who treated me passed away. I stayed there to observe a month of mourning and then rushed back immediately.”

Sansheng certainly had to mourn for her master. Since the woman had removed her Gu poison, it was only proper for her to stay and mourn as well.

Yu Jiuzhou sized up Chi Wan. Seeing her cautious, smiling expression, her heart softened, but her face remained cold.

“So the Prince has recovered her memory now? Do you still think I am a thief who imprisoned you, and will you flee the capital again?”

The words sounded like an interrogation but were more of an angry outburst. In truth, Chi Wan could see the deep longing in her eyes.

Chi Wan wouldn’t take angry words to heart. “Wife, how could you say such a thing? You are so charming that even when I lost my memory, I still fell in love with you.”

Hearing her confession, Yu Jiuzhou’s expression finally softened, her gaze growing more and more gentle.

Ever since Chi Wan had left, she had dreamed of her every night, dreamed of the moment she would return.

“Hmph, you actually ran away, trying to escape from my side. You must have been planning it for a long time. Do you still see me as your wife?”

At these words, Chi Wan immediately knelt on one knee beside Yu Jiuzhou’s legs, taking her hand and shaking it back and forth. “Sister, you mustn’t misunderstand me. Of course you are my wife, you are Chi Jinzhao’s wife. It was wrong of me to run away. Please punish me, Sister.”

Chi Wan tilted her head up, her eyes glistening, like a puppy begging for a god’s mercy.

“Punish?”

Yu Jiuzhou’s ears turned red. She couldn’t help but remember. Chi Wan said she wanted to be punished, but who knew who would be punishing whom.

She would say it was a punishment, but in reality, she always ended up teasing her until she didn’t know which way was up.

Noticing Yu Jiuzhou’s reaction, Chi Wan quickly buried her head in Yu Jiuzhou’s abdomen. “Sister, Jinzhao accepts your punishment.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s gaze drifted awkwardly to the side. “How do you want me to punish you?”

“Of course, it’s up to Sister. Jinzhao will listen to whatever Sister says.”

Chi Wan’s eyes lit up. She was quite looking forward to a punishment from her wife.

To her surprise, Yu Jiuzhou stood up and walked a few steps to the side. “Then you can just kneel here.”

Chi Wan: “?” Shouldn’t the punishment be in the bedroom?

Yu Jiuzhou had just been blushing. Could it be she wasn’t thinking of that?

Seeing Chi Wan’s dazed look, Yu Jiuzhou’s mood improved slightly, and she curled her lips. Just as she was about to leave, she took a cushion from the arhat bed. “Kneel on this.”

Chi Wan smiled. Her wife still couldn’t bear to punish her.

But she wasn’t going to just kneel obediently. If she knelt without saying anything, her wife would get angry later.

She reached out and grabbed the hem of Yu Jiuzhou’s robes, moving forward on her knees step by step.

Even while kneeling, Chi Wan’s predatory gaze made Yu Jiuzhou’s heart tingle for a moment, and her body went soft. She couldn’t help but take a step back.

But how could Chi Wan let her go? She advanced two steps, closing the distance.

“Does Sister want me to serve you while kneeling?”

Yu Jiuzhou’s body tensed, her heart aching slightly. What nonsense was this person spouting now?

She said huffily, “You are not allowed on the bed.”

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “It’s possible without the bed.”

An image once again surfaced in Yu Jiuzhou’s mind, and she couldn’t resist lightly touching Chi Wan with the tip of her foot.

Chi Wan reached out and caught her foot, using the momentum to stand up. She bent down and swept the other woman into her arms.

She strode over to the arhat bed and sat down. “Did Your Majesty have everyone in the palace withdraw because you were afraid I would do something in broad daylight?”

“Wouldn’t you?” Yu Jiuzhou shot her an annoyed glare.

“Of course I would.”

Chi Wan pressed her forehead against Yu Jiuzhou’s. “I’ve thought of Your Majesty day and night, and I’ve thought of our days and nights together.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s heart melted, and her body followed suit, clearly no longer resisting, even if she had only been pretending to resist before.

“Sister, may I kiss you?”

Chi Wan seemed to be asking for Yu Jiuzhou’s permission, but in the next second, she had already leaned in for a kiss.

The person she had longed for day and night was nestled in her arms, making her nearly lose control.

But she still remembered that Yu Jiuzhou was pregnant. After a light kiss, she pulled away from the lips she craved.

“I missed you so much, Sister,” Chi Wan confessed softly. She had missed her before her memories returned, and she missed her after they returned as well.

Yu Jiuzhou’s lips curled into a smile, her intense, lingering gaze fixed on Chi Wan’s face. “Am I at a disadvantage here?”

Chi Wan didn’t understand. “What?”

Yu Jiuzhou grabbed her by the collar, pulled her down, and kissed her directly on the lips. The kiss was urgent, and she even bit her lip.

The taste of blood spread in her mouth, but Chi Wan only smiled dotingly.

“Is Sister a puppy?”

Yu Jiuzhou immediately patted her on the chest. “You’re the puppy.”

Chi Wan chuckled lightly. “Oh~ so Sister is a kitten.”

“Hmph…”

Before Yu Jiuzhou could speak, a flurry of commotion came from outside.

“Her Majesty is busy. Your Highnesses, please come back another time.”

Just as the dissuading voice sounded, a milky, childish voice said, “Why must this princess change the time to see my mother?”

“That’s right, Older Sister is right. Mother said we can come see her anytime.”

The two milky voices chimed in one after another, leaving the person trying to stop them helpless.

Then, two pairs of short little legs stepped inside, struggling a bit with the threshold. Following behind them was another little tyke of about the same height.

The two little ones charged in on their short legs.

The people following them didn’t dare to enter and could only wait outside with their heads bowed.

It took the two little ones a while to cross the several-hundred-meter distance.

Seeing them approach, Yu Jiuzhou quickly got off Chi Wan’s lap and straightened her dress.

The two little ones energetically walked into the hall. The one in the lead, dressed in pink, spoke first. “Mother, why won’t you see us?”

“Why?”

The little one echoing her wore a green robe, fair and tender, and was also incredibly good-looking.

The two children were truly beautiful. Their round, chubby little faces were rosy-white, making one want to take a bite. Their big, clear, watery eyes held the unique innocence of children, sparkling like brilliant stars, utterly lovable. Their features resembled both Yu Jiuzhou and Chi Wan, like exquisitely carved dolls, impossibly pretty.

The one in pink must be Chenchen, and the one in green, Guiyi.

Chenchen’s big eyes were bright and lively as she stared at her curiously. “Mother, who is she?”

“Who is she!”

Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou exchanged a look. These two little ones were truly a perfect double act.

Yu Jiuzhou smiled. “Who do you think she is?”

Chenchen thought for a moment. “I think she looks like me.”

Guiyi nodded in agreement. “She looks like Older Sister and me.”

Seeing the two children’s adorable expressions, Chi Wan couldn’t help but smile, her heart melting. She squatted down in front of them and said, “My name is Chi Wan, courtesy name Jinzhao. Your mother gave me the name Jinzhao.”

Chenchen let out a sound of realization, “Oh~ so you’re Chi Wan? Our mother is also called Chi Wan.”

“Older Sister, is she our mother?” Guiyi asked, tilting her head.

Chenchen nodded seriously. “She should be.”

Chi Wan laughed out loud. “That’s right, I am your mother’s partner.”

Chenchen: “…So you’re our mother. Why beat around the bush?”

Guiyi: “Probably because she made Mother angry.”

Chenchen secretly glanced at Yu Jiuzhou’s expression, saying in disbelief, “Mother is angry?”

“Just now, Mother was sitting on Mother’s lap. She only got up when she saw us coming. We interrupted them, so of course Mother is angry.” Guiyi, who was only two, could already say so much and even reason in circles.

Then, the two little ones exchanged a look and, in unison, ran outside.

As she ran, Chenchen called back, “Mother, we’ll come see you another day!”

Yu Jiuzhou, blushing, pinched the soft flesh of Chi Wan’s waist. How embarrassing to be seen like this by two little children.

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