Chapter 11: 011 Rogue Personality

“I am not afraid.” Duanmu Cheng’s eyes narrowed into a dangerous slit. “If you were truly that terrifying, you wouldn't have compromised and married the much-publicized 'Foolish Prince.' Furthermore, I, Duanmu Cheng, fear neither heaven nor earth. No matter what divine entity you may be, if you stand in the way of my plans, I will slay gods and Buddhas alike!” Duanmu Cheng’s words were brimming with dominance. Xiao Zhiyan felt that calmness and depth were merely Duanmu Cheng's outward appearance; at his core, he must be filled with ambition.

“Wow~ what a brilliant analysis!” Xiao Zhiyan said to Duanmu Cheng with a forced, skin-deep smile, clapping her hands. Although she admired him, she refused to admit it because she didn't want to be seen through. “Have you been reading too many ghost stories? You've developed a persecution complex, haven't you? You're talking complete nonsense—what is this about wandering souls and lonely ghosts? It's bizarre.” Xiao Zhiyan's disdainful manner made Duanmu Cheng feel somewhat embarrassed, but more so speechless... This woman was not only rude, but utterly exasperating... Forget being a lady from a prestigious family; even a woman from an ordinary household would be more well-mannered than her...

“Regardless, I hope you understand that cooperating with the right person is what is most beneficial to you.” Duanmu Cheng struggled to control his emotions, forcing himself back into a state of calm.

“I get it.” Xiao Zhiyan turned back and gave Duanmu Cheng a brilliant smile. “It's just that Lord Duanmu doesn't actually trust me, does he? But it doesn't matter. I won't be sad even if you don't trust me. Actually, you could just ignore me entirely. You can mess around however you like; it has nothing to do with me. Isn't this deliberate guarding against me actually just making me pay more attention to you? I'm not stupid enough to fall for your tricks and then go looking for trouble for myself.” Having said that, Xiao Zhiyan walked briskly toward the main hall without looking back.

“...” Duanmu Cheng watched Xiao Zhiyan's slender figure grow distant. A vein in his forehead throbbed violently. This Xiao Zhiyan possessed an absolutely rogue personality; no matter what he said to her, she showed zero interest, repeatedly telling him that she knew nothing of music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, found laundry and cooking too tiring, and that she didn't care about anything they did as long as she was well-fed and well-housed...

“This concubine pays her respects to the Emperor.” Upon arriving at Ye Muqing's Dragon Hall, Xiao Zhiyan immediately spotted Ye Muqing sitting upon the dragon throne. It had to be said that a silent Ye Muqing was truly perfect; even she couldn't help but marvel inwardly that such a handsome man actually existed in this world. Every movement he made exuded an air of freshness and nobility, completely different from Duanmu Cheng's cold and domineering aura.

“Xiao Yan!” Ye Muqing suddenly jumped down from the dragon throne and walked straight up to Xiao Zhiyan. “You're awake, Xiao Yan! Master missed you so much!”

“Master...” A vein throbbed violently on Xiao Zhiyan's forehead. The palace maids in the hall all quietly covered their mouths, looking as if they wanted to laugh but didn't dare. “All of you, withdraw.” As soon as Xiao Zhiyan turned around, all the maids vanished without a trace.

“You really have the nerve to call me that...” Xiao Zhiyan shot Ye Muqing a sidelong glance. Ye Muqing, completely unaware of his mistake, continued to speak cheerfully, “Xiao Yan, come play chess with me!”

“I refuse!” Xiao Zhiyan rejected him expressionlessly. “I have zero interest in your moronic Gomoku. I'm going back to my palace; Emperor, go play by yourself!”

“Actually, I also feel that Gomoku isn't as fun as it used to be.” To her surprise, Ye Muqing was not offended but instead nodded in complete agreement. “Does Xiao Yan have anything else fun to play?”

Xiao Zhiyan rolled her eyes at him speechlessly. Of course it wasn't fun; this Foolish Prince hadn't won a single game against her yesterday... She thought for a moment and said, “Actually, this concubine has a game that is many times more fun than Gomoku, it's just that I lack the equipment...”

“That is easy. Someone, summon Ouyang Zimo!” Ye Muqing called out loudly.

A moment later, a handsome man appeared before Xiao Zhiyan. She couldn't help but lament that this world was truly a gathering place for beauties; any random person one grabbed would be a top-tier hunk.

“You called for me?” To Xiao Zhiyan's utter shock, the moment this handsome man spoke, he struck a discordant note. He spoke to Ye Muqing with a hint of impatience, “You know how busy I am. Don't summon me for every little thing, alright?”

Xiao Zhiyan swallowed hard. A warrior! This was a true warrior! He actually dared to speak so recklessly to the Emperor; this guy was exactly her type!

“Wow! A beauty!” At that moment, the man named Ouyang Zimo turned around and discovered Xiao Zhiyan standing to the side. He sized her up and said, “Could it be that you want to betroth this beauty to me? You are far too kind! Although I have helped you quite a bit, you are still the Emperor after all. You are being too generous; then, I shall thank you in advance~”

Xiao Zhiyan's mouth twitched. Ouyang Zimo said to her, “Although I am indeed very handsome, there's no need to stare at me until you get cramps. There is plenty of time ahead; my wife, you can see your husband every single day in the future! Oh, right, what is your name?”

“My surname is Ni, and my given name is Niang,” Xiao Zhiyan answered with a look of utter bewilderment.

“Wow! Ni Niang, what a lovely name, I love it!” Ouyang Zimo clapped his hands excitedly. “Ni Niang, let's go home!”