Chapter 111: Beyond Cure, Foolishness Runs Deep

How could someone already unconscious possibly stand up? Even if he were awake, there was no way he could rise with a carp-like flip. Moreover, Xia Mingxuan’s eyes were still closed. Xia Yue’er immediately sensed something was wrong with him.

Xia Jiujian had placed the “Puppet Curse” on Xia Mingxuan. Those afflicted fall into a trance, obeying only the simplest commands. Xia Jiujian said, “Let’s go.”

Xia Mingxuan followed Xia Jiujian, his body stiff as he took slow, mechanical steps toward the exit.

Xia Yue’er trembled, “What... what have you done? Why is my brother… why is he under… dark magic? This is witchcraft!”

A chill ran down her spine, goosebumps prickling her skin.

Just as the door closed, Xia Jiujian looked up, a sinister smile creeping across her face in the narrow crack. She said, “Perhaps it’s precisely because of dark magic that I can navigate your schemes so effortlessly.”

Xia Jiujian’s face in the slit of the door sent a shiver through Xia Yue’er.

Suddenly, she recalled that ever since Xia Jiujian went to the Jin Palace, she had changed completely. Even though Xia Wentao had poisoned her with a deadly toxin, Xia Jiujian had survived. Could it be that she had already died back then and was now a ghost sustained by dark magic?

The thought drained the color from Xia Yue’er’s face, her whole body trembling, unaware that as the door shut, a small insect crawled out from the sleeve of Xia Jiujian’s robe.

The creature climbed up the doorframe—a glowing green beetle, no larger than half a thumbnail. This was a gift Xia Jiujian had given to Jun Qianye.

Xia Jiujian led Xia Mingxuan into the neighboring room, while Xia Yue’er’s chamber was the last room in the side hall of the Moon Sparrow Palace. Xia Jiujian brought Xia Mingxuan to a front room to wait for Princess Anya.

Xia Jiujian didn’t know if Princess Anya had planned to use this room to scheme against Jun Bu Wen, but after some deduction, she believed this was the most likely location.

Today’s plot was orchestrated by Princess Anya and Jun Qianye together. Anya wanted to be with Jun Bu Wen, while Jun Qianye sought to entrap Xia Jiujian. Naturally, their stage would not be set far apart; otherwise, the grand performance could not unfold in unison.

Meanwhile, in the Treaty Hall, a comical scene was also playing out. The Southern Kingdom’s delegation had arrived, including the Third Prince Ming Ze, Princess Ming Ningzi, the Dark North King Bei Anjue, and several ministers and attendants.

At first, their exchanges were polite and friendly. Ming Ze’s gaze, however, began to subtly scan those present, lingering on Jun Bu Wen several times. Strangely, he could not spot Princess Anya’s figure. That cunning girl had toyed with him repeatedly, and this time, he was determined to teach her a lesson.

Jun Bu Wen also noticed Ming Ze. His gaze hovered above Ming Ze’s head, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. That smile seemed to mock Ming Ze, who felt as if Jun Bu Wen was ridiculing him.

Jun Bu Wen did not intend to smile, but recalling their meeting at Tong Sifang, now meeting again today… The Southern Kingdom’s Third Prince remained as charming and debonair as ever. It seemed the poisons Xia Jiujian had inflicted—baldness, foul gas, disfigurement—had utterly failed to affect him.

Both recognized each other perfectly but maintained facades of strangers, engaging in formal pleasantries. Each was a master of masking their true selves.

Ming Ze bowed and said, “On this mission to the Liguo Kingdom, I have a request.”

Inwardly, Ming Ze muttered that after being played by Princess Anya so many times, perhaps now it was his turn to outwit her.

Ever since their meeting at Tong Sifang, Ming Ze’s mind had been in disarray, with Princess Anya’s image frequently surfacing—her cunning, her deceit, how she had spun him around her finger. Yet, despite this, he found himself smiling involuntarily, much to the confusion of Princess Ming Ningzi, who thought her brother had lost his mind.

Ming Ningzi usually enjoyed playing alongside her brother, admiring his cleverness and worldly knowledge. So when the Third Prince led the delegation to the Southern Kingdom, she had insisted the Southern Emperor allow her to accompany them.

Unaware of the looming storm, Ming Ningzi’s presence on this journey was destined to be one-way—a sacrifice to the ruthless game of imperial power.

She appraised the Liguo courtiers present. They all seemed slightly inferior to her brother, but her eyes lingered on Jin Wang Jun Bu Wen.

It was the first time she had seen such a strikingly handsome man, clad in white robes with an ethereal elegance, as if a figure stepped out of a painting, so captivating that one could not tear their eyes away.

The Dark North King noticed Ming Ningzi’s gaze and whispered admiringly in her ear, “The man the princess is looking at is Jin Wang Jun Bu Wen of Liguo.”

Ming Ningzi was stunned. The Jin Wang who had defeated the Southern Kingdom’s strange stratagem five years ago?

She scoffed, “That was only because the Sacred Maiden was in retreat for cultivation; otherwise, how could he have triumphed so easily?”

Though she said this, her eyes repeatedly flickered toward Jun Bu Wen, scheming in her mind—once she captured him, even if he had defeated the Southern Kingdom, he would still fall for her beauty trap.

Ming Ningzi was confident, having grown up in luxury in the Southern Kingdom. With her fiery personality and alluring figure, she blindly believed that any man would fall at her feet.

The Third Prince of the Southern Kingdom then made his request. Emperor Zongkang naturally asked, “What is your petition?”

Ming Ze said proudly, “I wish to marry Princess Anya, to forge a stronger alliance between our two nations.”

In his mind, Ming Ze chuckled, imagining how surprised that girl would look when she learned she was to marry him. The thought made him impatient and amused.

Upon hearing Ming Ze’s words, Jun Bu Wen suddenly choked on his drink.

Emperor Zongkang frowned, glancing at Jun Bu Wen. Jun Bu Wen was usually incredibly composed, unshaken even by the collapse of mountains, yet now he had been caught off guard by Ming Ze’s statement. What was wrong with the Southern Kingdom’s Third Prince wanting to marry Princess Anya?

Jun Bu Wen looked at Ming Ze’s smug expression, as if the prince was silently saying, “I’ll take your little sweetheart for myself.”

Jun Bu Wen was shocked—did Ming Ze actually think Xia Jiujian was Princess Anya?

He rubbed his forehead, realizing why Xia Jiujian could bully Ming Ze so effortlessly. The prince’s face clearly read: “I’m a fool.”

Emperor Zongkang then said, “Later, there will be a palace banquet at Moon Sparrow Palace, where I shall formally bless your marriage to Princess Anya.”

Ming Ze, still beaming, said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Truly, the man was hopelessly foolish.