Chapter 363 – The Tempo of a Forced Marriage
Not long after Xia Qingyue had left, the room door opened once again. Xiao Lingxi had rushed into the room hurriedly, and behind her was Xiao Lie with an equally anxious expression.
“Little Che, you’re awake!” Xiao Lingxi made a flying pounce: “How are you feeling now? Anywhere feeling uncomfortable?”
Yun Che had already finished changing. He jumped off his bed and replied easily: “Don’t worry, I’m alright. I was only weak, and did not suffer any injuries. I’ve mostly recovered after two days of sleep.”
Yun Che’s movements were swift and stable, his face also did not seem to show any peculiarities. Xiao Lingxi finally heaved a sigh of relief. As Xiao Lie walked over, he smiled and said: “It’s good if you’re alright. Don’t act tough just to assure us.”
Yun Che pounded his chest and replied confidently: “Please rest assured, Grandpa. At the Bluefire Region, you have already personally witnessed my body’s recovery abilities… Are you used to living here so far?”
Xiao Lie smiled and replied while appearing to be lost in his thoughts: “I have lived excellently here. To visit the Imperial City has always been a wish of mine. Never would I dare imagine that not only did I manage to come here, I could still enter the Imperial Palace with the Emperor personally welcoming us and throwing a banquet for us… Before this, such things were even considered too much for dreams.”
When Xiao Lie arrived, not only had Cang Wanhe personally welcomed him, he had also personally looked after him. As the emperor of the nation, not only did he treat him courteously, he was also respectful. He would personally accompany them in their three meals each day. He served them the state banquet, and even made him stay in the chambers meant for neighboring emperors… Xiao Lie naturally understood that being treated like that by the emperor was definitely due to Yun Che. These two days especially, after Yun Che and Xia Qingyue defeated Ling Tianni together, Cang Wanhe treated him with even more courtesy and respect. Within the palace, from the palace guards and eunuchs, to the princes and ministers, all of them treated him with respect and revealed signs of flattery.
Because he was Yun Che’s grandfather.
All these, still seemed like a dream.
“If you like it here, you and little aunt can stay within the imperial city in the future.” Yun Che immediately suggested: “If you don’t want to, going the New Moon City is not bad too. Not long ago, I had already greeted Senior Sikong from the New Moon Profound Palace. If Sikong Han sees Grandpa, he would be elated. It’s not far from Floating Cloud City too. If Grandpa misses home, you can go back at any time.”
Yun Che’s status was originally already flourishing. Now that he had defeated Ling Tianni and indirectly became the strongest person in the Blue Wind Empire, Xiao Lie knew that as his grandfather, no matter where he went, people would line up begging to welcome him. Xiao Lie replied laughingly: “Lingxi likes this place very much, and the few days I was here have been pleasing. At the moment, I don’t have plans on leaving yet. Those matters can be discussed in the future.”
“HAHAHAHA!”
An authoritative yet cheerful laughter came from outside: “We have been chatting enjoyably with Brother Xiao lately. If Brother Xiao wants to leave, we will miss him tremendously.”
The laughter came from Cang Wanhe who walked in side by side with Cang Yue. He was dressed in his golden dragon robe. Behind him was Dongfang Xiu, who was three steps behind them. As he entered, he immediately looked at Yun Che.
Cang Wanhe’s face was now flushed and his voice was strong. His gaze was also strong and sharp. Even his hair that had already turned white when he was lying in bed half-dead last month was now a thick black. It was as though he was another person altogether. With the abundance of resources in the Imperial Palace, Cang Wanhe’s recovery rate was much faster than Yun Che had mentioned. Cang Wanhe felt deep gratitude towards Yun Che. His courtesy towards Xiao Lie was partly due to Yun Che’s influence, but was mainly out of gratitude towards him. Yun Che had not only saved his life, but also the life of the entire Blue Wind Imperial Family.
What Cang Wanhe said had stunned Cang Yue as she said: “Father, Grandfather Xiao is Junior Brother Yun’s grandfather. You addressing him as brother… Wouldn’t that be messing up the seniority.”
Judging by age, Cang Wanhe was only a few years younger than Xiao Lie. However, after the disaster that he went through the past few years, he treated his only daughter with gratitude and doting. Once she finished speaking, Cang Wanhe became embarrassed and laughed loudly: “Yes yes. Yue’er’s scolding was right. We cannot mess up the seniority. Then… we shall refer to you as… Senior Xiao?”
“This… this cannot be…” Xiao Lie was hugely shocked as he frantically placed his hands together respectfully: “If Your Majesty were to call me like that, I am truly undeserving.”
Cang Yue smiled instantly, dragging along her elegant phoenix dressed forward as she gently spoke: “Junior Brother Yun. You’ve just woken up, your body must still be weak. It’s better for you to rest in bed.”
“No need.” Yun Che pounded his chest: “I know my body well. I’m definitely not as delicate as senior thinks.”
“Haha.” Cang Wanhe laughed loudly: “He has the ability to defeat the Sword Saint. We are not worried about him at all. Yue’er, you don’t have to be this worried… You have barely slept or ate these past two days, and visited every hour. We are more worried about you.”
“Father…” In front of some many people, Cang Wanhe completely exposed her feelings without reserve. She uttered an elegant cry and lowered her head, avoiding everyone’s gaze. Her actions made Cang Wanhe and Dongfang Xiu unable to hide their laughter.
Yun Che felt touched and he laughed slightly before looking at Cang Wanhe and asking: “Your Majesty, Palace Chief Dongfang, in these two days that I’m unconscious, did anyone try to break in?”
Dongfang Xiu shook his head without hesitation: “Originally, I was also afraid that someone might attempt to assassinate you while you were unconscious and raised security. However, it seemed as though I was too worried as the palace was very calm. No one tried to intrude. Maybe it was because Xia fairy stayed in the palace. Even though they had such intentions, they were wary of Xia fairy and did not dare to attempt it.”
Following the growth of Yun Che’s reputation, more and more people knew of his past, which had been spread widely. Among those, his grudges with the Xiao Sect’s Xiao Kuangyun were naturally included. What Dongfang Xiu was wary of the past two days was also Xiao Sect.
“However, there were numerous people bringing gifts to visit.” Cang Wanhe laughed: “There are more than a thousand various big and small sects and clans bringing you elixirs and treasures. Your gifts are piling up like a mountain, and even though our palace is big, we almost have no more space to keep your gifts. Even though we have been the emperor for such a long time, we have never seen such a sight before. Hahahaha.”
“Among them, Xiao Sect’s gifts were the most precious.” Cang Yue said: “They had sent a Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, Purple Jade Golden Scale Ointment, and the Scarlet Eagle Profound Blood which are all invaluable treasures. Furthermore, they also sent fifteen kilograms of Purple Crystals and ten kilograms of White Profound Jade, which is much more than the palace had managed to accumulate for the past tens of years. Furthermore…” Cang Yue suddenly laughed dubiously: “ They also sent three extremely great beauties who are not even twenty yet.”
“What… What great beauties!” Hearing this, Xiao Lingxi puffed her lips and stamped, replying angrily: “They are clearly ugly monsters. They are hundred and thousands of times below me and Princess Sis! Little Che would never look at them! Isn’t that right, Little Che!?”
“Mn, mn!” Yun Che immediately nodded continuously, replying with a righteous tone: “How could those commoners compare to my little aunt and senior sister! I would never look at them. Send them back where they came from… Oh, but if Little Aunt is willing, you can make them your servants.”
“Hehe, no way. I don’t want them.” Xiao Lingxi replied happily.
“Xiao Sect’s gifts were also personally sent by Great Elder Xiao Boyun, and he has not left yet. He claims to want to meet you after you wake up. Are you interested in meeting him?” Cang Wanhe asked with a complicated expression. In the past, any elders from the Four Major Sects who entered the palace were all arrogant, and some had even treated the emperor without respect. Even if they broke the rules, the emperor still treated them kindly. This time however, Xiao Sect’s First Elder Xiao Boyun was extremely respectful after entering the palace. He was humble, courteous and amiable, which was a huge difference. This made Cang Wanhe unable to remain calm… In this world, it was indeed power that was respected. Only absolute power was able to command respect. Even though the Blue Wind Imperial Palace seem to possess absolute authority, in front of absolute power, they were totally insignificant.
“About that…” Yun Che nodded slightly and laughed: “Meet, of course I’ll meet him. Xiao Sect’s Great Elder delivered such valuable gifts from such a distance away. How can I just let him walk away like that.”
“Alright.” Cang Wanhe nodded: “We have heard of your grudges with the Xiao Sect. How you want to handle it is up to your wishes… Um, eh, *cough cough*…”
Although he was the emperor, Cang Wanhe suddenly started to speak before stopping half way, constantly hesitating about what he wanted to say. Yun Che moved his lips a little, carefully asking: “Does Your Majesty still have any instructions for Yun Che?”
“It’s not instructions per se, but… It’s… *cough cough*…” Cang Wanhe cleared his throat and he finally spoke clearly. He kept a straight face and looked at Yun Che: “Yun Che, this life of ours, was saved by you. If not for you, we would have already passed on without knowing why. And now, we are still alive thanks to you. Even though the internal struggle between the imperial family is still unsettled, we still have to thank heavens. We do not have any more things that we are unsatisfied with, except… except for one matter that we still worry day and night about.”
“The matter that Your Majesty worries about day and night about is…” Yun Che suddenly had a prediction.
Cang Wanhe stepped forward, pulled Cang Yue closer and said with a doting face filled with longing: “Yue’er is our only daughter. All these years, we have been sabotaged by evil people and our unfilial sons. Only Yue’er accompanied us through all these, working hard for us, suffering for us, and even found a benefactor like you who saved both our fates. Our only wish now is for Yue’er to find true happiness in marriage… Unwittingly, Yue’er is already twenty one. In the whole thousand year history of the imperial family, princesses who have not married by twenty are exceptionally rare. As her father, we cannot eat and sleep properly, and worry constantly, wash our face with tears daily in hopes for my daughter to find her Mr. Right. If this wish comes true, we are willing to even lose thirty years of my life. If Yue’er is still unable to get married by this year, we would really be sorry towards her and cannot face her Queen mother in death…”
As Cang Wanhe spoke, his eyes were red with tears and it seemed as though he was about to cry.
What Cang Wanhe had said caused Yun Che’s face to twitch, and what he said next made him feel overwhelmed…
“We can see that Yue’er is not interested in any other man except for you, and her heart is strongly devoted towards you. If you have the same feelings for Yue’er, that would be excellent. If you marry Yue’er, even if we die now, it would be without regrets. If you do not have the same feelings… Sigh, such matters naturally cannot be forced. It is only a pity that Yue’er can only long for you hopelessly and remain single for her entire life. It would be our fault…”