Chapter 188: Not Bad After All

　　The banquet had ended, and the next event would be the farewell party. By tomorrow, the sects would go their respective ways.

　　After the banquet, all the disciples went back to pack their bags happily.

　　All except for Lu Mingshu.

　　Even though nobody explicitly said it, she was well aware that the name list for the return trip didn’t include her.

　　How interesting.

　　She chuckled. Who was the one that said, “We Martial Practitioners place greater importance on the inheritance from a teacher to their disciple than the relationship between a father and child”? …selling me out now without any notice.

　　The sect leader of Nine Jade Palace, and her own father.

　　When the banquet ended, the noise coming from the Flying Imperial Palace died down.

　　Lu Mingshu walked on the edge of the cliff under the moonlight and the fragrant flowers then opened the door to the greenhouse.

　　The door creaked open, revealing the beautiful scenery under the moonlight. A man was sitting at the edge of the cliff, looking at the night sky through the clear glass.

　　Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, he turned around in surprise. “Miss Lu?”

　　This meeting shocked Lu Mingshu, but she smiled in response, “What a coincidence. Is this considered ‘two hearts beating as one’?”

　　Her smile and her words somehow felt out of place.

　　Xie Lianzhen glanced up at Xie Zhanghui beside him. Xie Zhanghui nodded and left the greenhouse.

　　“What brings you here, Miss?”

　　“I didn’t know where to go, so now I’m here.” Lu Mingshu slowly walked toward him and stood beside him, looking out of the window. “Is the scenery here nice? I don’t see anything good over here.”

　　Xie Lianzhen smiled softly. He looked at the moon that was half-hidden behind the mountains. “How beautiful the scenery depends on your mood.”

　　“So how are you feeling right now?” Lu Mingshu tilted her head and smiled at him

　　Xie Lianzhen could faintly smell the wine on her. “Did you drink a lot?”

　　“Not much.” The smiled still hung on her face. “I only drank two glasses when I was with the queen for courtesy.”

　　Xie Lianzhen finally found out what was weird. She’s obviously drunk.

　　“Only two glasses? You have a bad capacity for liquor, eh?”

　　Lu Mingshu rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know. I’ve never had alcohol before.”

　　Being used to her act so fierce and defensive, and now having her suddenly become nice, it was really…

　　“Don’t ever drink again,” Xie Lianzhen said softly.

　　“Ah,” she responded without thinking much. After a while, she opened her eyes and seemed more awake. “Who are you to tell me that?”

　　Seeing that he couldn’t answer, Lu Mingshu sneered. “Aren’t I supposed to accompany the queen? Not only two glasses, but I should also even drink an entire jar just to make her happy. Why shouldn’t I drink?”

　　Xie Lianzhen answered softly, “You don’t have to bootlick her.”

　　“Isn’t it normal for me to bootlick her? My future right now depends on her,” Lu Mingshu replied calmly as if she was fully awake now.

　　“I said there’s no need, so that means there’s no need. Do whatever you like and whatever you want. Nobody can do anything to you.” He furrowed his eyebrows, showing that he wasn’t pleased.

　　Lu Mingshu started laughing out loud. “Xie Lianzhen, are you stupid?”

　　Ignoring his expression, she continued, “You don’t even know who you are, do you? There’s no need for you to please the queen because she loves you unconditionally, but for me, I am just an accessory. I’m only valuable to the queen because of you, but that may change in the future. She does not care about my opinion or my desires, so I obviously have to please her.”

　　This made Xie Lianzhen’s face red with anger, looking like he was about the burst.

　　“Since you know why you’re valuable, why do you bootlick someone else? What do you think you’re going to accomplish?” he asked coldly.

　　Lu Mingshu laughed so hard that she couldn’t stand straight. “Xie Lianzhen, it’s the queen who won’t let me go, not you. Are you clear on who I’m supposed to please now?”

　　Maybe because she was drunk, she began to speak without a filter. “I have thought clearly about it. Actually, this life won’t be bad. Just look at Emissary Xiahou and Emissary Ding; don’t they have great lives? They have whatever they want – power, position, and resources. Oh, I even heard that Emissary Xiahou spends a Mystic Crystal when she bathes! I doubt even State Master Jiayan lives such a good life. Compared to those two, I would have even more of an advantage because I would be considered her family member!”

　　Xie Lianzhen’s fist tightened upon hearing Xiahou Shan’s and Ding Qingqing’s names.

　　Xiahou Shan indeed led a good life. The king of Zhongzhou didn’t care, and the queen had full control. As the queen’s personal aide, she held greater power than most. Even the king of Yijun was below her. As the ears and eyes of the queen, one would have to please her if they wanted to please the queen. Rare treasures and precious gems from all over the world flowed into Xiahou Shan’s palace like water. Her life was indeed more than good.

　　As for Ding Qingqing, she was always beside the queen. Whatever was given to the queen would need to go through her first. How could she ever give up such great authority? She had probably bullied and killed many people to keep it, and who knows what else?

　　One who loved money, and one who loved power. These two women may look gentle and nice, but how many bad deeds had they done in secret?

　　This was the result of the queen being lenient with them.

　　Greed wasn’t something scary, it was precisely what let the queen have full control of them.

　　Xie Lianzhen felt a shiver run down his spine. As if he just remembered something, his hand shook.

　　After a while, he calmed himself down and gritted his teeth. “You’re going to make me give up with this method?”

　　Lu Mingshu looked at him weirdly. “What?”

　　“So, you think I’ll let you off because of those words, huh?” He grabbed her hand tightly and pulled her down.

　　He was very strong, causing Lu Mingshu to trip. “What on earth?” she asked unhappily.

　　As soon as she said that, Xie Lianzhen held her chin tightly. Lu Mingshu met his cold eyes. “Lu Mingshu, I’ll do anything to get what I want, even if I ruin it. Give up.”

　　“Why are you so agitated?” Lu Mingshu said weirdly, “I have already given up, so I’ll choose a route that I think is best. Are you happy now? Let go, it hurts!”

　　Swinging away his hand, Lu Mingshu rubbed her chin, which was in pain from Xie Lianzhen’s grasp. She looked down at him and raised her eyebrows. “You don’t want me to become like them? Do you hate Xiahou Shan and Ding Qingqing? Even the queen too, right?”

　　The more she said, the darker Xie Lianzhen face looked.

　　Lu Mingshu already knew the answer deep in her heart. “Xie Lianzhen, aren’t you selfish? You want me to stay, but you expect me to remain the same. Is that even possible? One’s personality is closely related to the environment in which they live – have you ever heard that saying? Nevermind, I doubt you have. You’re already like this, what’s new? All you want is to break my spine and make me give in, right?”