World's First Traitor System (371)

Chapter 371 - Wealth Arrives

Before dawn, Qing Qiu returned to the dwelling, though it was only her clone.

"How do you feel?" Fan Li asked hastily.

He chose his words carefully, not wanting Chang Le to realize the existence of the clone.

This behavior even surprised Fan Li himself.

Did he not trust Princess Chang Le?

It seemed reasonable, yet also felt unreasonable.

"I'm fine," Qing Qiu replied.

She came and sat beside him, snuggling close.

Such boldness was unexpected, but watching her fox tail swaying, Fan Li couldn't help but feel a mix of awkwardness and enjoyment.

"Hehehe, Master, long time no see," Princess Chang Le stared at Qing Qiu with her phoenix eyes.

Using her woman's intuition, she could sense something was different about Qing Qiu. Yet, she couldn't pinpoint what had changed.

This was indeed the master she knew, there was no mistake.

"Long time no see," Qing Qiu glanced at Princess Chang Le with a dismissive look. It was the typical cold and aloof expression that she had always worn.

The three of them remained silent.

After a moment, as the sky began to lighten, several Great Zhou generals entered the dwelling.

The first among them carried a silver platter, upon which sat a wine jug and cups.

Without a word, he filled the three cups and offered them to Fan Li and the two women.

"Drink," the general commanded.

Fan Li knew this was the Soul Cleansing Wine, capable of sealing their cultivation.

He was worried. Shangguan Wan'er was not to be trusted. What if the Soul Cleansing Wine had other effects?

As he hesitated, he saw Princess Chang Le casually pick up a cup, as if picking a flower, and empty its contents.

Qing Qiu did the same.

"Drink," Qing Qiu told Fan Li.

He understood immediately. Her clone was testing the wine for poison.

It seemed the Soul Cleansing Wine had no other side effects?

Yet, it didn't prove Shangguan Wan'er's trustworthiness, Fan Li instead began to suspect that to arrange the Four Exceptional Individuals Formation, they truly needed all four to be completely unharmed.

One cup of wine per day.

For seven consecutive days, Fan Li, under constant watch, was forced to drink a cup of Soul Cleansing Wine. Afterwards, the Great Zhou generals would leave, no longer interfering with their imprisonment.

During the day, Fan Li and the two women maintained an uneasy peace.

But at night, Qing Qiu and Chang Le seemed to engage in a silent competition.

As soon as Fan Li lay down, he would find one arm clasped by Qing Qiu, the other embraced by Princess Chang Le. He was forced to sleep on his back, unable to turn over through the entire night.

If he so much as shifted towards Qing Qiu, Princess Chang Le would pull him back. If he leaned towards Chang Le, Qing Qiu would gently pull him straight.

In this state, sleep was impossible.

He tried reminding the two women that, with three straw mats, there was no need to huddle together so closely.

But this only made things worse.

Upon hearing him, Princess Chang Le simply picked up the third straw mat from the corner and added it to the stack.

Three layers of straw, creating a surprisingly soft and comfortable bed.

Her actions even earned her praise from Qing Qiu.

Fan Li was utterly defeated.

Thus, after only two days, he resorted to meditating at night.

Though the Soul Cleansing Wine had sealed his cultivation, he continued to meditate.

As for Qing Qiu and Chang Le, the two women remained silent, leaning against Fan Li’s left and right shoulder, sitting still until dawn.

On the eighth day, Fan Li began to wonder if finding “Wealth” was truly that difficult. Why was Shangguan Wan’er gone for so long?

But at noon, he heard footsteps approaching outside the dwelling.

He was puzzled. He had already drunk the Soul Cleansing Wine in the morning. There shouldn't be anyone coming now.

Thump!

A figure was thrown into the room. Fan Li saw Shangguan Wan'er standing before him.

"Excellent."

"I’ve heard all three of you have been cooperating these past few days, not causing me any trouble."

Fan Li had no interest in listening to Shangguan Wan'er's praise. He stared, dumbfounded, at the person who had been thrown into the room.

Familiar?

No, no, no! More than familiar.

"Big Brother, you… how did you get captured?" Fan Li blurted out.

"Second Brother?"

"Sage Ruler Qing Qiu?"

"Empress Consort!"

Fan Zhengming, being from Chu, still instinctively called Princess Chang Le "Empress Consort”.

He was speechless, gaping at Fan Li in disbelief. Then he saw the three straw mats stacked together, and his expression changed, glancing at his brother with suspicion.

"The Fan Clan Trading Company's owner, his fortune and influence second to none, is the perfect candidate for ‘Wealth’."

"Ten days from now, on the Double Ninth Festival, I will arrange the Four Exceptional Individuals Formation. I ask that the four of you be patient. When the formation is complete, you shall be freed.”

Freed?

Fan Li thought, More likely we'll be killed, right?

Shangguan Wan'er, unconcerned with his thoughts, turned and left the dwelling.

Outside, a flurry of footsteps indicated the Great Zhou army had strengthened their security detail.

"Cough!"

Fan Zhengming coughed lightly, drawing Fan Li’s attention.

"Second Brother, what in the world is going on?"

"I was inspecting a branch of the trading company when that woman captured me, then dragged me here without rest."

"What does she want? What is the Four Exceptional Individuals Formation?"

Fan Zhengming's questions were serious, but his gaze lingered between Fan Li and the two women.

"And you, and those two…"

"Big Brother! Focus on the important matter first!"

Fan Li interrupted him, and briefly explained the situation, leaving Fan Zhengming looking helpless.

"We’re going to become sacrifices, to resurrect the Celestial Empress?"

"Second Brother, do you have a way out?"

A way out?

Fan Li smiled bitterly.

His initial plan had been to use the system-rewarded Substitute Dolls. He and Qing Qiu would both use clones as substitutes.

But now, the situation had changed: ‘Wine’ was Princess Chang Le, and ‘Wealth’ was his own brother. It complicated everything. Then, Fan Li sensed that Chang Le seemed confident, as if she had a plan. This meant that only his brother, Fan Zhengming, needed rescuing.

Fan Li quickly conveyed his thoughts to Fan Zhengming, whose previously tense expression instantly relaxed.

"Second Brother, if the situation becomes dire, don't worry about my life. For the Celestial Empire's target to be us, we will die. If the four of us can live through it, then consider it to be very fortunate. It's just that…"

"Just what?" Fan Li asked.

Fan Zhengming sighed, "All these years, I've secretly been preparing for your wedding. The bridal sedan chair… I only had one prepared. I never imagined, Sage Ruler Qing Qiu, the Empress Consort, Imperial Noble Consort Lu, and Han... Ugh ugh ugh?!"

Fan Li’s face turned crimson, and he quickly covered his brother’s mouth! He was so furious! What timing for his brother to discuss these trivialities?!

“Han Yue?” Qing Qiu said quietly.

“Lu Fubao?” Princess Chang Le’s eyes bored into Fan Li.

“You….”

Fan Li swallowed hard.

“Let me explain…”

That night, Fan Zhengming refused to occupy the same space as his brother. He left the meager dwelling to spend the night outside, exposed to the stars and moon.

Though his cultivation was sealed, Fan Zhengming was strong and healthy. He wouldn't freeze.

But by morning, Fan Zhengming had vanished.