Chapter 69 Cold talk

"Zhu Zhuyun, there's no need to be so hypocritical." Zhu Zhuqing snorted coldly and raised her head with a cold face, "We are the only two people here right now, if you want to kill me it would be best to do it while you can! If you want me to help you join forces to kill Ah Man who saved us, I won't help you, I, Zhu Zhuqing, will never be an ungrateful person."

Saying that she lifted the blanket and stood up, "If you don't have anything to offer, then I'm going to leave."

"Zhuqing, you are still so naive." Zhu Zhuyun chuckled, "Zhuqing, have you ever thought about it?"

"I'm a level 41 Spirit Ancestor with two Spirit Elders, chasing after you, a Spirit Grand Master who isn't even level 30. If I really want to kill you, will you be able to escape?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing froze, turned around and frowned, "Zhu Zhuyun, what do you mean?"

"That's why I said that you were dumb from a young age, and with such a simple mind, how can you survive in this cruel world." Zhu Zhuyun smiled and looked up at Zhu Zhuqing, her expression turning soft as she sighed, "Silly girl. Because I never thought of killing you from the very beginning. This pursuit is nothing more than an expulsion, a charade to get you out of the Star Luo Empire and out of your cage."

"How could..." Zhu Zhuqing's body stiffened, then her eyes reddened as she gritted her teeth and said, "Why?"

"Because the fate of the Zhu Family's women has never been their own." Zhu Zhuyun's expression flickered with a trace of bleakness, "Dai Mubai that waste of space escaped alone, Zhuqing, have you ever thought about what will happen to you if you continue to stay in the Star Luo Empire? Have you forgotten the traditions of our Zhu family?"

"Zhuqing, all the women of our Zhu family are nothing more than tools for the family to solicit people's hearts. When Dai Weisi inherits the throne, you will be gifted to be married to a certain general or their first son who had not previously submitted to him. You will become that general's stain and also become the proof of that general's oath of allegiance, and our family will also be able to climb up the ladder, and that's the last thing that you'll ever be of value to the family and the imperial family."

"Hehe, in the Star Luo Empire right now, which of the great generals with suitable conditions are not over fifty years old, and all of their first sons also have families. Not to mention these great generals who didn't choose to stand in the line with him before, do you think Dai Weisi will reuse them? If you marry over, even if you can end up as a common wife, even if your husband's family loves and cherishes you, you won't be able to avoid being fingered by your husband's family behind your back."

"Zhuqing, is that kind of life you want? Are you willing to accept such a fate?"

"I," Zhu Zhuqing's face instantly reddened, and tears seeped out of her eyes, looking like a pear blossom carrying raindrops.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuyun's face flashed with a trace of heartache, patting the carpet, she softly said, "Sit down first."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing bent her knees and sat down while wiping her tears.

Taking out a handkerchief from the spirit tool and handing it to Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Zhuyun continued, "Zhuqing, I know that you came out this time because you were preparing to go look for that loser Dai Mubai. To be honest, if he could have taken you along with him back then, perhaps I would have been able to think highly of him for a few moments, and maybe even manipulate him a little bit, so that the two of you could go far away. But now it seems that he is not a man worth trusting. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have had to change my plans and stage this kind of chase and kill, and even harm myself."

Speaking of this, a trace of anger also grew on Zhu Zhuyun's face, but it quickly dissipated as she sighed, "Zhuqing, I'm sorry, the imperial struggle is just so cruel, and I can only try to save myself first, and subsequently seek safety. This was the case for Zhuyu in the beginning, and it is the same for you now."

At those words, Zhu Zhuqing's body stiffened again, and she turned her head to look at Zhu Zhuyun, her gaze carrying a hint of shock.

"Otherwise, why do you think Zhu Zhuyu is still alive when the Prince is dead." Zhu Zhuyun smiled faintly, then shook her head, "Originally, I wanted to go back and completely hand myself over to Dai Weisi after sending you away this time. Then I would blow off some pillow talk and find a good match for Zhuyu amongst the younger generation of the family who have already sworn allegiance to Dai Weisi before the group of old men in the family could say something stupid. Zhuqing, if you didn't choose to leave the Star Luo Empire, this would be the optimal choice I could make for you. But now, I'm afraid it's not possible."

Speaking of this, Zhu Zhuyun sighed sadly, "This time, I'm afraid that I can only flee the empire just like you."

"Why?"

Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but ask in a small voice, "Ah Man didn't do anything to you, you just need to go back and explain things clearly no? Besides, you and Dai Weisi always had a good relationship, so he should be able to understand."

"Didn't do anything?" Zhu Zhuyun turned her head to look at Zhu Zhuqing, looking up and down, teasing, "Zhuqing, are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid?" Tapping her chin, "See that pile of clothes? It's all rotten to the core. There is also this pool of water, given the wounds on our bodies, do you still need me to say it? Nothing happened, it was already considered lucky that this kid was tolerant enough."

"What do you think?" She said, raising her willow eyebrows.

"I feel that guy called Ah Man, his character is not bad, and his looks are not bad either, should we consider marrying him?"

"???" Zhu Zhuqing was instantly taken aback, a bit unable to handle this sudden change of topic, her pretty face could not help but flush, it was unknown whether it was from anger or embarrassment.

"I'm serious, this is an issue we really need to consider." Saying that Zhu Zhuyun's expression suddenly sank, "As for Dai Weisi, Zhuqing, I can only say that you don't know him very well." After musing, she added:

"Zhuqing, let me tell you something."

"When I was about ten years old, at that time, Dai Weisi was a few years older than me and already had a mansion of his own. Once I went to look for him and found him all the way in the backyard. Guess what I found?"

Saying this, she glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, "He was surrounded by a few unclothed maids, that picture. In short, it was extremely unpleasant to look at."

"At that time, I was indeed a bit angry, and Dai Weisi also noticed me. To coax me, it can be said that he spoke a lot of nice words. Then I casually asked, 'What are you going to do with these maids?' At that time, I was still young and naïve in my thinking, and I had thought that Dai Weisi would send those maids away. But as it turned out, the next day he came running over to me and told me that those maids had been killed by him."

"Killed them all!?" Zhu Zhuqing's pupils instantly shrunk and her pretty face went white, filled with shock and disbelief.

"Zhu Zhuqing, at that time, my expression was the same as yours right now." Zhu Zhuyun's voluptuous body subconsciously trembled, clenching her fists, "Perhaps the Dai Weisi at that time thought that I would be moved by that."

"But the truth is, I was very scared."

"I had nightmares almost every night for a few days and had sent someone to investigate the identities of the dead maids. It was only later that I learnt that they had been bought by Dai Weisi from the auction house and had been in captivity for a long time."

"The reason why he killed them in such a painful manner was purely because he lost interest in those maids and got tired of playing with them."

"Honestly, I don't mind how many women he has. Which man isn't lustful, let alone a powerful prince? What I really hate is that he started and ended it, and I'm terrified that I'll face a similar end in the future." Speaking of this, she subconsciously touched her face, her complexion was bleak, "We women, we will grow old one day."

"It was also from that time onwards that I began to purposely keep a distance from Dai Weisi, and make myself a precious treasure that he can't get his hand on easily."

Saying that she turned her head to look at Zhu Zhuqing and sighed, "Zhuqing, for us women, chastity is the ultimate capital. If it's too easily obtained by a man, it will be worthless. If you are born in an ordinary family and meet someone you love, as long as the two of you share the same sentiment, you can give it away. But being born in the Zhu family, which will be caught up in imperial struggles at any time, one must consider the consequences and benefits. It's the same as a businessman investing."

"The reason why I decided to hand over my body to Dai Weisi completely after driving you away from the Star Luo Empire, besides Zhuyu, there is another reason. That is now that the prince is dead, Dai Mubai has also fled the empire. And given Dai Mubai's qualifications, age, and strength, there is no longer any chance for him turning the table, things have already settled, and it's almost a foregone conclusion that Dai Weisi will be the Emperor in succession later on."

"Zhuqing, the battle for the throne is brutal. Once a prince loses the competition and is killed, women like us who have some beauty are nothing more than trophies for the winner. Either to be enjoyed by the winner or to be rewarded to the ministers to be used for pulling their strings or restraining them, all of these have precedents in the history of the Star Luo Empire. And once we lose our chastity in advance, if we don't have a strong power of our own, our lives will be miserable."

"In addition, Zhuqing, you have to understand one more thing." Zhu Zhuyun put down the porcelain bowl, extended her index finger, and solemnly said, "That is, people's hearts are treacherous!"

"If one's preconceptions are a huge mountain, then rumours are knives that scrape the bones and cut the flesh."

"This time, we were unfortunate enough to encounter the Thousand-Year Stormwind Demon Wolf Pack and were besieged and targeted. With that alpha whose cultivation is clearly over five thousand years old, any person would think that we have met with misfortune and have even suffered insults. Which naturally includes the two male Spirit Elders that I brought with me. Hehe, the focus of that group of thousand-year Stormwind Wind Demon Wolves encircling was only us, so these two were lucky enough to find a chance to escape. Counting the time, they should already be on their way back to the country by now in the name of seeking help for us."

"Zhuqing, what do you think the two of them will report back to the clan when they return?" Zhu Zhuyun raised her eyebrows and said.

"Even if they don't add to the story and answer truthfully. The two of us who were chased by thirteen thousand-year-old Stormwind Demon Wolves, what will the members of the clan think? What would the Imperial Emperor think? What would Dai Weisi think? If it is spread out, what will the ministers in the court think? If the people who hated us spread the word to the city, what would the common people think? Can you and I block the many mouths of the people?"

"By that time, rumours will be spreading and stereotypes will have already been born. Even if I go back, how will I be able to live in peace? In the hearts of the Emperor and the courtiers, I will no longer be the best candidate for being the Crown Princess. In addition, even though I have not lost my chastity, going back to please Dai Weisi may also be rewarded with a momentary favour and gain the status of a Crown Princess, but what about after that?" Zhu Zhuyun smiled coldly, "With Dai Weisi's status, what kind of beautiful woman can't he get? As for me, perhaps I'll be left idle after he got tired of playing with me, and live out my life coldly and quietly."

"Zhuqing, this is the so-called imperial palace being as deep as the sea. You are still too young to understand it, while I have long since seen through it."

"So, with the current situation, rather than returning to the Star Luo Empire to be pointed at and spend the rest of my life alone, I might as well take the opportunity to escape far away."

"..." Zhu Zhuqing instantly fell into silence, then said, "Then what are you going to do next?"

"You're not really going to marry him in the future, are you?"

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