Chapter 134: The Wife Knows Not the Husband

The people in the room, hearing the Princess who had been in a coma for so long suddenly speak, crowded around the bed in an instant.

At this moment, Bai Ruoling, who was using the alias "Yu Qiu," had not expected that her master would suddenly project her consciousness into that human-shaped vessel, and even speak to the mortal man.

So, was this what her master meant earlier when she said she would "punish" this mortal man? By taking the field herself to deceive him?

However, as Li Qingying and the others reached the bedside, Qin Xuanxi’s consciousness withdrew from the vessel. The shell instantly lapsed back into a comatose state, eyes shut tight, unresponsive to any calling.

"What is happening? I clearly heard the Princess speak just now," Li Qingying said, turning to look at Bai Ruoling. "Cultivator Yu Qiu, what is the meaning of this? You are a demonic cultivator; do you know what kind of evil curse the Princess is suffering from? Why does she drift in and out of consciousness?"

"I cannot identify the specific nature of the evil curse," Bai Ruoling improvised, thinking on her feet. "Perhaps it is because the Princess sensed the presence of her beloved, causing a burst of powerful spiritual energy within her, which allowed her to momentarily break free from the curse's suppression and regain consciousness. But this is only temporary," she added. "The curse is highly insidious and cannot be dispelled by external force. From now on, she will have to rely on her own spiritual strength to fight it."

Upon hearing this fabricated explanation, Li Qingying immediately said to Song Ye, "It seems the Princess truly holds you in high regard. You must visit the Prince of Xiang’s residence often to keep her company; it may help her overcome this curse sooner."

Of course, Li Qingying did not rely solely on Song Ye; she intended to seek out other demonic cultivators to find a way to break the spell. However, the Princess’s sudden disappearance three years ago was likely connected to the Demon Lord Xuanyuan. If the curse had been planted by that female devil herself, few in this world could hope to break it. The father and daughter had suffered so much; after finally reuniting, they had both fallen victim to the devil’s curse. Thinking of this, Li Qingying felt a wave of sorrow and sighed three times.

She turned back to Song Ye and said, "Do not harbor any more thoughts of annulling your engagement. I am more familiar with the laws of Great Li than you are. The Princess may be in a coma, but she is here and she is alive. Even if she never wakes up, you cannot break this betrothal."

Suddenly, Qi Shuyu asked out of the blue, "Can he take a concubine first?" She did not know why she had asked such a foolish question.

"No concubines allowed," Li Qingying replied. "According to the laws of Great Li, a man betrothed to a member of the royal family may not take concubines before the official wedding."

After hearing this, Qi Shuyu looked at Song Ye with a hint of pity. After all, a mortal’s lifespan was short. By the time Song Ye reached the end of his days, the Princess might still be in her coma, and he would be unable to marry another or carry on his family line. Thinking of this, Qi Shuyu felt he was truly pitiful—so handsome, yet with no outlet for his life.

At this point, Song Ye finally understood Qin Xuanxi’s intent in sending Bai Ruoling here with that human-shaped object. In the end, she simply did not want him to break the engagement so that she could maintain her complete hold over him. Song Ye sighed inwardly: *A wife who does not know her husband!* He had never intended to break the engagement; why couldn't his little lady trust him more? Why go to such great lengths?

...

After Song Ye left the residence, Zhao Zhigao asked anxiously, "Brother Song, why did they summon you to the residence?"

"Nothing special," Song Ye said indifferently. "They just told me to visit often when I have time."

"Why?" Zhao Zhigao asked, confused.

"To visit the Princess."

"The Princess is back?" Zhao Zhigao’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Did you really see her? What did she say to you? When will you get married?"

"She didn't say anything. She was just lying in bed, motionless," Song Ye replied.

"Motionless? You were in her private chambers?" Zhao Zhigao’s eyes widened further. "And you didn't move?"

"Stop your wild imagination. Let's go home." Song Ye walked home with his hands behind his head, his steps light.

...

A month later, in Yan City, at the Prince of Xiang’s residence. It was a rest day, and Song Ye had come to visit the fake Princess. Throughout the month, Magistrate Wang Demao had been granting him time off for no reason—in truth, Princess Hansi had been pressuring the magistrate to give Song Ye more time to accompany her niece.

Although Song Ye knew the Princess on the bed was merely an object, he had to pretend ignorance and visit every few days. Besides, with that female devil behind the scenes, he didn't know what kind of chaos she would cause if he didn't cooperate. After all, a woman who could murder, burn, destroy sects, and escape her own wedding was capable of anything.

Bai Ruoling, alias "Yu Qiu," seemed to have taken up residence in the palace as well. Every time Song Ye visited, she stayed in the room, seemingly terrified that he might have improper thoughts about the Princess’s body.

Today, as Song Ye sat by the bedside, the "Princess"—the human-shaped vessel—finally spoke again after a month. "Little husband, you've come." She turned her eyes toward Song Ye, a faint smile on her lips.

Song Ye now understood why the vessel spoke; it was equivalent to a modern-day surveillance camera. Qin Xuanxi could project her voice from afar and monitor the surroundings through its eyes. Mainly, she was monitoring him. However, it seemed she could not remotely control the limbs of the vessel.

"Yu Qiu, take the servants and leave. I wish to speak with Song Ye alone." Qin Xuanxi’s eyes shifted to Bai Ruoling. She clearly knew that Bai Ruoling was using the alias "Yu Qiu." The master and disciple must have rehearsed their lines; such painstaking effort just to trap him.

Bai Ruoling knew that when the vessel spoke, her master’s consciousness was present. Not daring to defy her, she led the two maids out of the room. Thus, Song Ye was left alone in the room with an object whose true nature he could only guess.