Chapter 1441: The Beauty Undercover General's 32nd Trick

Muyue leaned against Jin Chen's waist, nestling in his embrace to rest; hearing his words, she lifted her head to look at him, saying, "I was just speaking casually."

She looked so pitiful and innocent.

It was as if she had never done anything wrong.

Jin Chen smiled silently, gently stroking Muyue's back, and said, "Your words make it hard for people to believe."

"As long as my elder brother believes me, that's enough; no one else needs to."

Muyue changed the subject, deflecting with talk of left and right.

As for that secret, Jin Chen still hadn't managed to get anything out of her.

"Are those people after the Tianmu Pearl?" Jin Chen asked.

Muyue glanced at Jin Chen, then nodded, saying, "He's the emperor; tricking me into coming out to steal the Tianmu Pearl? I wouldn't give it to him."

"I haven't even gotten the antidote yet; why should I give it to him?"

Jin Chen frowned at the corpses scattered on the ground, saying, "This person might still have an insider in the capital; otherwise, how could they know the terrain of this mountain path, the most complicated part of the whole mountain?"

Muyue lay on Jin Chen's shoulder and looked over; sure enough, the ground was covered with poisonous snakes. She said, "What a pity."

"Poisonous snakes must have their fangs removed to be harmless."

Jin Chen, of course, heard the double meaning in those words and said, "Muyue, rest assured; I will eliminate those fangs."

Muyue narrowed her eyes and smiled silently.

Recalling what the imperial physician had said today, Jin Chen pulled up Muyue's right wrist sleeve; the faint pattern had already vanished, as if it had never existed.

Naturally, the explanation of the totem collapsed on its own.

Only then did Muyue not pull her hand back, letting him look; she rubbed against Jin Chen's embrace and said, "The totem is gone."

Jin Chen: "……"

"Let's go; I'll go treat other wounds outside."

Jin Chen had wanted to pick her up, but Muyue shook her head and said, "Carry me on your back, carry me."

Jin Chen raised his brows slightly, secretly guessing that the little trickster was up to some new stunt, turned around and squatted down slightly.

The terrain in the mountains was uneven and extremely complicated; Jin Chen didn't look for another shortcut, but simply retraced the way they had come.

Muyue lay on Jin Chen's back, feeling completely safe; she casually tossed the unused silver chain into a haystack, then wrapped her arms around his neck, closed her eyes to rest, and soon grew drowsy.

Jin Chen didn't see what he was doing; he only noticed that the fragrance had suddenly become much richer, and out of the corner of his eye he glanced at the haystack.

——

The ruler of Xiwu State almost fell victim to assassination within the Chixiao Realm, and the assassin even had an insider in the capital.

Upon learning of this, the emperor flew into a rage, ordered a thorough investigation, and added several more divisions of the Imperial Forest Army to guard tonight's welcoming banquet.

Since Xiwu State has run into trouble, the vassal state's affairs have all gone down the drain!

That night.

The officials, still unaware of the relationship between the Grand General and the Xiwu ruler, stared at the two as they entered arm in arm, their faces looks as if they had seen a ghost, and then exchanged glances.

First they were surprised that the Grand General and the Xiwu ruler actually knew each other, then it became complicated as they watched the two enter their seats overly intimately arm in arm.

Even close friends couldn't manage that!

After exchanging various pleasantries, the emperor invited Muyue to take the upper seat, saying that given his status and Jin Chen's, they really shouldn't sit together.

Muyue bluntly refused, not caring how much the other officials were startled, and said frankly, "I don't drink much; I'd rather sit with my elder brother."

The emperor forced a laugh twice.

"You're just sitting there happily! Have some regard for your status! Jin Chen isn't even your country's general!"

"The two tiger talismans are still clenched in Jin Chen's hand; with so many eyes watching, those who don't know might think he's about to betray the nation!"

But no one paid any attention to the emperor's disheveled, wind‑tossed appearance.

The Minister of Justice and the Right Minister exchanged a glance, gave a light cough, bowed and rose, saying, "Your Majesty, I have a matter to report."

"You can speak later; I still have questions for the ruler."

The emperor hastily waved his hand, thinking, "You always have the most to say; I suppose you'll be impeaching another official again."

While sitting beside Jin Chen, Muyue had just eaten a few grapes when she overheard the emperor ask, "The ruler has come from afar and has not yet presented a welcoming gift; what does the ruler desire?"

Upon hearing that, Muyue sprang up and declared bluntly, "I want the Grand General."

After saying that, she leaned a little more against Jin Chen's shoulder.

The emperor stared in shock: "Who do you want?!"

"You don't even try to hide it! In front of all these people!"

Muyue was about to repeat it again when the emperor hastily stopped her, saying, "All right, ruler, don't say any more; let me think."

All the officials in the banquet hall:???

"What is the Xiwu ruler saying! And Your Majesty, what are you answering?"

"Such a matter should be firmly refused with righteous indignation! Why should you even consider it? That is their war‑god general!"

The officials, who usually exchange glances during court, used that same silent communication now; everyone looked at each other in astonishment, then, without prior agreement, all turned their gaze toward the Right Minister.

"It's all the Right Minister's fault!"

"If it weren't for him memorializing the general in that document, causing the general to almost be imprisoned and chilling his heart, he wouldn't have wanted to go to another country!"

The Right Minister, bewildered by the sudden collective stare: "……"

"None of this old man's business!"

"It's not yet this old man's turn!"

The Right Minister Stared at the Minister of Justice, the meaning unmistakable.

"Hurry up and make this ruler, who came out of nowhere, step down!"

After thinking it over repeatedly, the emperor decided to step back.

He rubbed his knee, feeling a little nervous as it was the first time he had betrayed a close friend.

In my view, this is not good.

I will have the Grand General marry the Lord; the Lord should then agree to the conditions previously promised, right?

Jin Chen: "……"

He glanced at the emperor, then calmly took a sip of tea.

Since they're going to marry anyway, it doesn't matter who marries whom.

Muyue instinctively pressed his wrist, "Let's discuss this later alone with Your Majesty."

Good, good, good, I'll toast the Lord with a cup.

If there's something to discuss, it probably means it can succeed.

I never imagined his realm could expand this much in his hands.

The emperor was overjoyed, and in a blink saw the Vice Minister of Justice rise, "Your Majesty, may I speak?"

Go ahead, go ahead.

While I'm in a good mood today!

The Vice Minister of Justice glanced warily at Jin Chen, yet was genuinely moved by the Right Minister's terms, immediately kneeling in the hall, his voice resonant and forceful.

Your Majesty, the person present is not the true Lord of Xiwu!

Emperor: "……What did you say?"

I knew that old guy was up to no good.

Who has the gall to impersonate the Lord!

The officials, continually startled, again looked toward Muyue, only to see his expression calm, and then he linked arms with the Grand General.

Brother, why don't you just go back to Xiwu with me? These people are really unpleasant.