CHAPTER 529: CHAPTER 528: GUARDING VIGILANTLY, STRIVING FOR CONTINUOUS PROGRESS

She might need to wait until the day she seized the Imperial Palace of Dawei before she could lay down her arms, return to the fields, and go back to the life of a normal person.

A sense of yearning emerged in Su Bai’s eyes.

At this moment, Madam Chen Qing had already finished cooking.

They warmly invited her to join them at the table for the meal.

Opening a jar of fine wine, the trio ate and drank, laughing and chatting merrily, utterly carefree.

Madam Chen Qing had originally thought Su Bai to be a reticent person, but it was only tonight that she discovered Su Bai’s talkative and witty nature, which felt as refreshing as a spring breeze.

After three rounds of drinks, Su Bai was slightly tipsy, propping her chin with her hand while picking up peanuts with her chopsticks.

The conversation of the Chen couple shifted to their hope of conceiving a child by the end of the year to continue the Chen Family’s lineage.

When the topic of children came up,

a spark suddenly flashed through Su Bai’s mind.

It was very quick, too fleeting for her to grasp.

That spark brought with it a deep pain that pierced her brain, turning her face white instantly.

"What’s wrong with you, benefactor?" Madam Chen Qing, being a considerate woman, immediately asked with concern.

After the sharp pain subsided, Su Bai waved her hand dismissively, "It’s nothing, probably just drank a bit too much."

Forcing down the unease and restlessness deep inside, she mustered a smile and steered the conversation back, "If you two plan to have a child by the end of the year, then you both need to stop drinking now."

"Why is that, benefactor?" Chen Qing asked, puzzled as he had never heard of this advice before.

"Children conceived this way will be healthier," Su Bai replied naturally.

Then she just as naturally went on to explain many details about childbirth, to which the Chen couple listened intently.

"I never expected the benefactor to know so much. But since you are not married or have children of your own, how did you come to know all of this?" Madam Chen Qing asked curiously.

Most women would be clueless, only learning a thing or two under the guidance of their elders. However, Su Bai was said to be solitary and destitute, having sworn allegiance to a foster father after her family’s downfall, and that man certainly wouldn’t know about these things, which made Madam Chen Qing curious.

This question somewhat stumped Su Bai.

How did she know?

Su Bai’s mind went blank.

It was as though she just knew.

These matters, as if etched into her soul, naturally spilled out of her mouth as if she had experienced them herself.

Su Bai curved the corners of her lips, "I heard it from a doctor."

She knew what she had said was correct, but not knowing where it came from, she could only tell a benign lie.

After finishing the meal and resting for a while, Su Bai took her leave from the Chen couple and leisurely rode her horse back towards the Imperial Palace.

Who else but the Emperor would refuse to grant her a mansion, insisting instead that she, a General with an official rank, live within the Imperial Palace?

Because of this, she had unfairly attracted a lot of criticism.

But the clean need not worry about others’ slander, and she didn’t care what others said.

Once she killed Xiao Pingfeng and avenged the Su Family, she would request to be relieved of her official duties from Chu Qi, and then she would wander the landscape, sword in hand and horse beneath her, living a life of unrestrained pleasure and enmity.

She was in high spirits today, having drunk quite a lot, and on her way back, she felt it wasn’t enough, so she bought another pot of wine to drink as she ambled along on horseback. When she reached the gates of the palace, the duty officers, accustomed to her state, had already opened the gates from afar.

"General Su, have a good rest," they called out.

Propped on the horse’s back, Su Bai raised her wine pot behind her, a picture of absolute freedom, devoid of the demureness expected of a woman.

Yet those on duty showed not a trace of disdain in their eyes, only respect, and they watched until she disappeared beneath the red walls before they returned their gaze.

In the Imperial Palace, only General Su was treated with the privilege of riding a horse; no one thought her arrogant or presumptuous. Her contributions to the Chu Kingdom over the past three years were evident to all, and the respect was heartfelt.

Su Bai finished the last sip of wine. Along the way, a blushing Palace Maid came forward to take the pot, and Su Bai winked at her in thanks. The maid, holding the pot, laughed heartily in delight.

The evening breeze swept across the stone-paved paths of the Imperial Palace, with Palace Attendants carrying lanterns all around. The horse, well-accustomed to the route, carried its rider back to her palace.

Su Bai wanted to lie down a bit longer, but the horse knelt on its front and back legs, dropping her straight onto the ground.

"Not a shred of sympathy," Su Bai mumbled, rolling over and lying on her back, legs in the air, as the horse snorted in response.

After having carried a drunken you all this way, who really lacks sympathy?

After lying there for a while amidst the noisy croaking of frogs, Su Bai got up and staggered into her room.

She lived by herself.

Without any Palace Maids.

Initially, Chu Qi also arranged them for her, but they were really just his spies.

Just wanting to watch her every move and then report to the Emperor to curry favor.

Boring indeed.

Again and again, Su Bai found an opportunity to send all the palace maids out of the chamber.

She slipped out of her clothes and stepped directly into the hot spring pool, leaning against the edge to feign sleep.

Chu Qi indeed treated her very well. He sent all the finest things her way. For three years, her status within the Imperial Palace had risen sharply, and almost everyone knew the Emperor was interested in her.

But Su Bai was not interested.

If she didn’t like someone, she simply didn’t like them. There was no settling for that.

As she bathed, footsteps approached from outside the door.

Her eyes snapped open alertly.

"Su Bai, have you come back?" A deep male voice called from outside.

It was Chu Qi.

Su Bai initially wanted to ignore him, but considering her horse was still in the courtyard and Chu Qi wasn’t blind,

she therefore said, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment."

Resigned to her fate, she got up, dried off her body, dressed, and opened a small gap in the large door.

"Your Majesty, what brings you here so late at night?" she asked.

Chu Qi saw her wet hair and her face even more fair and delicate, his eyes gleamed.

His Adam’s apple bobbed unnaturally as he spoke slowly, "I have found the materials you need for forging a sword."

Su Bai, reluctant inside, nonetheless opened the door wider and gave thanks with a bow, "Thank you for your favor, Your Majesty. I am immensely grateful."

"We don’t need such formalities between us," Chu Qi said, frowning slightly as he stepped forward, attempting to offer assistance.

Su Bai was already up, dodging his hand, "The rituals between sovereign and subject must not be confused."

As long as she held the identity of a subject here, Chu Qi could not act presumptuously towards her.

"I heard you were practicing martial arts on the drill ground today. Your skills have improved significantly, congratulations," he said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Chu Qi tried to start a conversation, but Su Bai was not inclined to continue it.

"On such a clear and starry night, would you like to accompany me to the gardens to enjoy the moonlight?" he asked.

"This humble subject has tired herself out with training today and would like to rest early," she declined.

...

"Standing at the door for so long, won’t you invite me in for a seat and some tea?"

"This humble subject is only temporarily staying here, and I am not one of your concubines, Your Majesty. With so many prying eyes, I hope you will be magnanimous."

...

After several exchanges, Chu Qi’s expression darkened.

"Su Bai, even though I went out of my way to find those forging materials, why do you remain so cold?" he asked.

Su Bai looked up, "This humble subject did not ask Your Majesty to personally search for them." She emphasized the word "personally."

This kind of forced affection was something Su Bai did not value.

"Su Bai!" Chu Qi gritted his teeth in frustration.

"This humble subject is here," Su Bai said reverently.

"You truly are something," he remarked.

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. This humble subject will continue to do her best," she replied.

Chu Qi left in a huff.

Leaning against the doorframe, Su Bai yawned, watching him leave tempestuously for quite a while.

Only then did she slowly speak up.

"Eavesdropping on others is not very polite behavior. If you don’t come down from that tree soon, I’ll take offense," she said.

The plum blossom-shaped throwing star between her fingers glittered coldly in the moonlight, proving she was not joking.

The leaves rustled softly.

Immediately after, a man dressed in black leapt down from the tree.

He was not the least bit intimidated, and his gaze toward Su Bai even held a measure of appreciation and a touch of familiar intimacy.

"It’s been three years, and your martial arts have indeed improved a great deal," he said.

"Please do not pretend to be familiar with me, sir. It will not delay your demise," Su Bai said as the throwing star shot out from between her fingers straight towards his throat, showing no mercy.

As the plum blossom throwing star whistled towards him, the man in black simply sidestepped slightly. The weapon grazed his hair and embedded itself in the wall behind him, causing the wall to crack.

"But you still have a long way to go compared to me," the man said, his lips curved into a slight smile beneath his mask, his eyes full of interest.