Chapter 42: Mounting Ambiguity

"How could this be?"

The sight of Chen Huai'an, bound in heavy shackles and covered in blood, pierced deeply into Ye Qingyan's mind.

She froze right where she stood.

A wave of unprecedented panic instantly surged into her heart.

[Kill him!]
[Kill him!]
[Kill him!!!]

The cold, mechanical voice of the Tyrant System shrieked frantically inside her head, carrying a fury that bordered on the deranged.

That murderous intent was so overwhelming it felt as though it might shatter her skull.

"Ah!"

Ye Qingyan let out a muffled groan of pain, clutching her head with both hands.

This was the first time she had ever felt such a sharp, distinct headache.

The system harbored a living, bone-deep hatred.

It was as if Chen Huai'an had desecrated its ancestral graves.

"Big brother, calm down!"
"Shut up! You're giving me a splitting headache!"

Ye Qingyan roared inwardly.

[Host, execute the order! Kill him!]

The system's voice was frigid, every single word radiating unquestionable murderous intent.

"Kill my foot!"

Panicked, Ye Qingyan threw all notions of courtesy between ruler and subject to the wind.

"Has your CPU melted down? What good would his death do me right now?"

Enduring the tearing agony in her head, she rapidly organized her thoughts, attempting to placate the bristling system.

"Your Majesty, calm your wrath! This man possesses immense destiny; he cannot be killed!"
"He is my... my pawn for overthrowing the imperial court!"
"Yes, exactly! A pawn! It would be such a waste to kill such a useful piece right now!"

Ye Qingyan rambled wildly, almost convincing herself.

Yet, the moment the words left her mouth, she paused abruptly.

She realized this was more than just an excuse.

At the moment she saw Chen Huai'an trapped in dire straits, what surged within her was not the regret of losing a pawn, but a heartfelt, visceral impulse to protect him.

Protect Chen Huai'an?

As soon as this thought surfaced, Ye Qingyan was frightened by it herself.

She and Chen Huai'an had been mutually utilizing each other—one seeking revenge, the other fighting to survive.

She had always regarded him merely as a tool.

Without her realizing it, her state of mind had quietly shifted.

Yet now...

Looking at the blood-stained face in her mind, a sharp pain pierced her heart.

This nominal "cousin" already weighed far more in her heart than she had ever anticipated.

So much so that she felt a desire to share hardships with him.

"Calm down! This man is my cash cow! My tool! My living bodhisattva!"

Ye Qingyan ranted frantically in her mind, attempting to brainwash the system.

"If he dies, where am I supposed to find such a useful tool again?"
"If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me first!"

She knew the system could not harm its host.

Her tactic worked instantly.

The system's murderous intent abruptly stalled, then grew even more manic.

[Host, you have been bewitched! This person is a harbinger of doom! He will destroy you!]

[Kill him! It is your only path to survival!]

"Crap!"

Ye Qingyan gritted her teeth in retort.

"If anyone is going to destroy me, it won't be him! You're the one who wants to destroy me the most!"

She took a deep breath, struggling to steady her emotions.

"Quiet down for a second. Let me think this through."

She forced herself to calm down, desperately recalling that fleeting glimpse of a vision within the "Emperor Filter" just moments ago.

The more she thought about it, the stranger it felt.

The dragon robe worn by that towering figure—its style, texture, and even the gold-threaded embroidery on the cuffs—was identical to the "Dragon Robe Trial Pass" she had used before!

It was completely a "costume" produced by the system!

What was the meaning of this?

A future emperor wearing a dragon robe produced by the Tyrant System?

Was this a prophecy, or was the system up to something?

A massive question mark weighed heavily upon Ye Qingyan's heart.

And then there was this dragon robe...

Her head throbbed as if it were splitting apart.

She spent the entire night tossing and turning without sleep.

The next day, with two massive dark circles under her eyes and floating steps, Ye Qingyan went to find Chen Huai'an.

The study was fragrant with the subtle scent of calming incense.

Chen Huai'an sat behind the desk, holding a volume of a book, his expression as calm and unrippled as ever.

Yet, at a single glance, Ye Qingyan could tell he was holding the book upside down.

Go on, keep pretending.

She rolled her eyes inwardly.

"Huai'an."

She walked over, her voice somewhat dry.

"Has... has something happened at home recently?"

Hearing her, Chen Huai'an finally deigned to move his gaze away from the upside-down medical text.

He lifted his eyes, his gaze landing on her face, quiet and carrying a scrutinizing weight.

There was something buried far too deep within that look, an abyss that made her heart flutter with unease.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice low.

"Nothing."

Ye Qingyan curled her lips. I'd sooner believe in ghosts.

Unwilling to give up, she leaned closer, pressing both hands against the edge of his desk, leaning forward to force him to look at her.

"Chen Huai'an, look into my eyes."

The distance between them instantly vanished.

The crisp, clean calming incense blended with the unique, faint fragrance that belonged only to her.

Chen Huai'an's breathing faltered imperceptibly for a split second.

His gaze fell upon her weary brow and the two dark shadows beneath her eyes.

"You didn't sleep last night?" he asked, a trace of concern in his tone that even he hadn't noticed.

"Whether I slept or not isn't the point."

Ye Qingyan felt a flicker of annoyance. Why was this man deflecting?

"The point is you! Don't try to brush me off, something is wrong with you!"

Watching her puffed-up, indignant expression, the bottomless grief in the depths of Chen Huai'an's eyes melted into a faint, fleeting warmth.

He suddenly reached out a hand.

Startled, Ye Qingyan instinctively wanted to lean back.

However, his fingertips merely brushed lightly across the skin beneath her eye, leaving behind a tingling, itching sensation.

"The young miss has actually learned to care for others."

His voice was very soft, carrying a hint of self-deprecating amusement.

Ye Qingyan felt completely numb all over.

Big brother, please don't mess with my mindset!

We're talking about serious matters here! What is with the flirting?!

Feeling her cheeks flush with heat, she abruptly straightened up, widening the distance between them.

"Who... who's caring about you! You're my person; if something happens to you and it ruins my career pursuits, who am I going to cry to?"

Though her words sounded righteous and bold, her heartbeat thudded like a war drum.

Chen Huai'an also stood up. Though slender, his posture was straight, naturally exuding an oppressive presence.

"Very well."

He acknowledged, gazing at her with deep eyes.

"In order not to delay the young miss's career, I will take good care of myself."

He paused, shifting the subject.

"As for you, the capital has been restless lately. Don't go out much."

Coming from him, this piece of advice carried a weight a thousand times heavier than before.

Looking awkward, she mumbled a response, practically fleeing the room.

"I... I know!"

Watching her hurried retreat, the warmth in Chen Huai'an's eyes was once again swallowed by endless stillness.

He slowly sat back down and picked up the upside-down book. This time, he didn't even bother to flip it right side up.

Chen Huai'an's reaction only deepened her suspicions.

It also made her even more certain that the future she had witnessed was no groundless phantom.

Family infighting? Business wars?

Ye Qingyan suddenly felt that all of those were far too small-scale.

An even greater vortex was silently pulling them into its depths.

She had to become stronger.

Not merely for the sake of revenge anymore.

But also to protect the person who... had brushed away the fatigue beneath her eyes.

She needed to earn more wealth, build her own intelligence network, and cultivate her personal influence.

She would not only become the master of the Ye family, but the "Guardian Commerce Deity" capable of swaying the capital and even the imperial court!

Only by doing so could she seize a glimmer of survival amidst the storms of the future.

Suddenly, an imperial edict arrived from the palace.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Ye Qingyan, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Ye family, is summoned to enter the palace and present herself before the Emperor immediately. End of decree!"

The eunuch transmitting the decree spoke in a shrill voice tinged with amusement.

He cast a meaningful glance at Ye Qingyan and leisurely added a postscript.

"Hearing of Miss Ye's wondrous feat of 'selling wine in a dragon robe,' His Majesty was greatly pleased and specially summoned the young miss to the palace for a conversation."

Ye Qingyan's heart sank.

Selling wine in a dragon robe?

How on earth did that reach the imperial palace?

Was this a blessing or a curse?

This time, what she had to face was the true majesty of the Son of Heaven.

Yet, upon hearing the words "His Majesty," her Tyrant System fell completely silent.

[Host, danger!]
[Run away!]
[It's a trap!]