Chapter 559: He’s Green (Cuckolded), I’m Red (Popular)

It felt like charcoal in snowy weather¹. However, Ye Wenxin couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all a bit too convenient, as if there might be some hidden agenda. She continued negotiating with the envoys while discreetly sending the rabbit demon to find Wen Susu. Hopefully, Wen Susu could examine the memories of these visitors to determine if they were trustworthy.

As she continued navigating the discussions, a light breeze swept through. The kitsune made her entrance, her face glowing.

“Fox Queen.”

“Greetings, Fox Queen.”

The others immediately rose. Ye Wenxin alone forwent any formal bow. The kitsune smiled at the gathering and gently patted Ye Wenxin’s shoulder. She signaled for her to take the seat of honor before joining the negotiations with the envoys.

Compared to Ye Wenxin’s makeshift hosting, the kitsune’s smooth responses deeply satisfied the envoys. They finalized the arrangement soon after. Both sides agreed to send representatives for surveys. They aimed to discover mutual business opportunities and achieve a beneficial partnership.

Ye Wenxin thought her role was done until she heard one of the envoys calling her name.

“I feel a connection with you, Lady Wenxin. I wonder if you would consider joining the inspection group this time.” The astute female envoy flashed a smile at Ye Wenxin. Immediately, she sensed a piercing gaze from the kitsune sitting on the throne.

Although Ye Wenxin was merely the secret lover, such open attempts at poaching her company still annoyed the kitsune. Sighing inwardly, Ye Wenxin replied, “I’m a bit busy these days, but I’ll be sure to visit you if I get the chance, Envoy Ju.”

All of the Hundred Flowers Dynasty’s envoys had flower names. The envoy chatting with Ye Wenxin was named Hua Ju, which literally meant “Chrysanthemum”. It was a perfectly respectable name, but due to certain associations people on Earth have with chrysanthemums², Ye Wenxin felt odd whenever she said it.

“That’s truly a shame. I was hoping to invite you to sample our Hundred Flowers Brew.” The envoy showed a look of disappointment. Her gaze lingered on Ye Wenxin’s rabbit ears, giving Ye Wenxin the strange impression she had a kink for them.

Ye Wenxin smiled awkwardly. Unable to reveal she was a temporary substitute, she deftly brushed off the comment.

The setting later shifted from the hall to the dining room. They were joined by the former Fox King and the kitsune’s bear demon fiancé.

Demons were inherently free-spirited. Those willing to learn, like the kitsune, were few. Also, the time she often spent with Wen Susu showed in her refined manners at the dinner table. In contrast, the bear demon had lived for a thousand years yet lacked much interaction with humans, which made him rather boorish.

The bear demon lacked the etiquette of a ruler. After Ye Wenxin managed to deflect a few of his awkward remarks, he wandered off in search of honey. The atmosphere returned to normal. The kitsune served some food to Ye Wenxin, creating an image of harmony between the ruler and the subject.

However, looking at the meat placed in her bowl, Ye Wenxin knew it would be another sleepless night. She smiled wryly.

The envoys watched their interactions with envious expressions.

“You two have such a good relationship. Did you grow up together?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

The two gave completely different answers. They glanced at each other before trying again, but the answers only changed speakers.

The envoys looked puzzled, not understanding why their responses didn’t match. The kitsune had to step in to explain, “Well, our relationship is a bit complex. To put it in your human terms, we’ve sworn our lives to each other.”

Former Fox King laughed heartily at this while the old city lord handed him food. Their affection for each other was evident.

Seeing the harmonious scene between humans and demons, the envoy smiled. “I truly envy the bond you two share. It’s not like our cold and distant Flower Lord.”

Ye Wenxin thought the comment was a little inappropriate. However, the envoy was already plastered, spilling her true feelings. So she decided to let her continue.

The envoy’s tales of the Flower Lord’s various deeds and the myriad aspects of life in the Hundred Flowers Dynasty sparked Ye Wenxin’s desire to visit.

Suddenly, she felt the envoy grasp her hand.

The kitsune’s tails and ears popped out, nearly puffing up in anger. Ye Wenxin realized how deceptive women could be. They might claim to be unconcerned about polygamy. However, they still get emotionally riled up when they see her interacting with someone else.

Ye Wenxin quickly shook her head, stopping the kitsune from attacking a drunken envoy. The envoy released a hearty burp and continued, “The Flower Lord’s birthday is coming soon. It will be quite the celebration! Even if you can’t make it now, Lady Wenxin, you must visit when the time comes.”

She patted Ye Wenxin’s hand repeatedly as she spoke, unable to resist touching it a few more times. Ye Wenxin understood it was her constitution acting up again. She managed to muster a smile but didn’t feel wronged. After all, she would inevitably get groped a few times using the peach blossom chains. Ye Wenxin had grown accustomed to people’s touches.

However, the kitsune was still bristling. Ye Wenxin had no choice but to retract and replied, “Alright, I’ll definitely visit when I have the time.” She found an excuse to slip away. Too much interaction with the envoy might make the kitsune more enthusiastic tonight.

Yet, before she could even take a few steps towards the exit, she saw the envoy with the kink taking advantage of her drunkenness again to grab the kitsune’s tails. This time, the kitsune’s fur puffed up in genuine rage. Others hurried to apologize for the envoy’s poor drinking habits.

Ye Wenxin watched with amusement when she suddenly noticed Wen Susu stealthily approaching her.

“Are you planning to steal something or have an affair? You’re acting so secretively.” Ye Wenxin eyed the second annoyance. The kitsune had already opened up 108 times while Wen Susu refused to tell her anything.

“As the Heavenly Book, I should maintain a sense of nobility.”

“Alright then, goodbye!” Ye Wenxin rolled her eyes. Wen Susu hastily tugged at her sleeve. “Fine, I won’t act noble in front of you. For now.”

Ye Wenxin suppressed an annoyed twitch in her eye but figured Wen Susu probably had something important to discuss. “So, are these people to be trusted?”

Wen Susu nodded. “Their memories are clean. They genuinely want a straightforward partnership. However, I did see something interesting in their memories.”

Ye Wenxin perked up. “What is this interesting thing?”

Wen Susu feigned mystery, teasing, “I’ll tell you if you don’t sleep with Luo Mo tonight.”

“Deal,” Ye Wenxin replied without hesitation. She and the kitsune had agreed to meet in the wee hours to have sufficient alibis. So this deal was technically not a violation.

“I found Ms. Asuka, the one you’ve been searching for. She is now a scholar under the Flower Lord in the Hundred Flower Dynasty.” Wen Susu revealed what she saw in the memories, but her expression looked complicated. “And I have a feeling my missing pages must be with her.”

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Footnotes:

1. 1. A Chinese idiom meaning ‘help in a time of need’. ↩︎
2. 
   2. 菊花, chrysanthemum, is also slang for an*s, or an*l intercourse. ↩︎