NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 14:
Chapter 14: Under the Watchful Eyes, A Confrontation:
“How dare you!” The Empress lost her composure, unable to hold back her emotions due to her deep concern for Qianrou. Her mind was in turmoil.
“What could possibly be more important than my sister?”
Shen Yuan replied calmly, “Your Majesty, did you not just order me to pay a thousand taels of gold and return the Frostfall and Light Snow mirrors? My family is not wealthy, so I must return home to prepare the funds accordingly.”
“Moreover, I must also head back to retrieve the mirror seals before returning them to Your Majesty…”
The Empress clenched her teeth in frustration.
“I humbly request Your Majesty’s permission to leave at once. Once I have settled these matters, I will rush to the Sunset Palace to treat Princess Qianrou without delay. Even if it drains my energy and leaves me exhausted, I will not hesitate.”
This man!!
The Empress fumed inwardly, veins bulging on her clenched fists, yet she found herself powerless. At present, Shen Yuan was the only one capable of saving Qianrou.
Across the entire Shen family, no one had managed to advance the Thousand Illusion Spirit Pupil beyond the fifth level—only Shen Yuan, a monstrous talent, had cultivated it to the ninth level.
But now, Shen Yuan clearly had no intention of helping.
As the Empress, Ji Yaoshi could certainly order him to treat Qianrou, but what good would that do?
He could easily feign effort and later claim that he had done his best.
“Prime Minister, I suggest you postpone the matter of gold and the mirror seals for now and focus on treating Qianrou first.”
“Since it is Your Majesty’s wish, I shall do my utmost. However, I must remind Your Majesty that I am but a cripple with limited cultivation. If I fail to cure Princess Qianrou, I hope Your Majesty will not hold me accountable.”
This man!
The Empress barely restrained the urge to strike him.
“Your cultivation is exceptional, and you have advanced the Thousand Illusion Spirit Pupil to the ninth level. Such talent is rare even in our Northern Qi Immortal Empire. I have full confidence that with your help, Princess Qianrou will recover.”
Shen Yuan remained indifferent. “Princess Qianrou is innocent and charming; I naturally hold great affection for her. However, I am well aware of my own limitations. Even if I give my all, I might still fall short. I hope Your Majesty will not blame me.”
The Empress clenched her teeth so hard that they nearly cracked.
“Prime Minister, if you can cure Qianrou, I shall revoke your punishment. The thousand taels of gold and the two mirror seals shall remain yours. What do you think?”
A faint smile played on Shen Yuan’s lips. As expected, Princess Qianrou was Ji Yaoshi’s weakness.
But after being reprimanded and having his power curtailed earlier, how could he let it slide so easily?
“My stance remains the same, Your Majesty. I will do my best. If I succeed, it will be thanks to Princess Qianrou’s good fortune. However… if I fail, I hope Your Majesty will not blame me.”
The Empress could hear the implication in his words loud and clear. She had already backed down and offered him everything he wanted, yet he still dared to push further!
For someone like Shen Yuan, money was meaningless. The true prize was retaining control over the two mirrors of the Demon Suppression Division.
Who would willingly give up their power?
At this moment, the Empress’s fair complexion was flushed with anger, her chest heaving with frustration.
“Then, Prime Minister, what would you suggest to better assist you in treating Qianrou?”
The Empress nearly ground the words out through clenched teeth.
“I have long heard that Your Majesty possesses numerous rare treasures, among them the ‘Saint-Breaking Pill.’ If Your Majesty could grant me this pill, I believe the chances of curing Princess Qianrou would greatly increase.”
The Saint-Breaking Pill?!
Not only did Shen Yuan want to reclaim control over the mirrors, but he also dared to ask for a Saint-Breaking Pill?!
The pill was an invaluable treasure, difficult to obtain even with immense wealth. The Empress, currently at the peak of the Supreme realm, had been waiting for the right moment to use it to break through to the Saint realm.
And now, Shen Yuan wanted it!
On one side was her sister’s life; on the other was the opportunity to advance to a higher cultivation realm. Ji Yaoshi’s expression wavered with hesitation.
Meanwhile, Shen Yuan stood calmly, his demeanor unchanged.
He could afford to wait.
But could Princess Qianrou afford to wait? That was uncertain.
Shen Yuan was confident—after all, the Empress cared deeply for her sister. It was part of the original plot.
Later in the novel, Qin Yang had won the Empress’s favor precisely by capturing Princess Qianrou’s heart.
“Since the Saint-Breaking Pill can aid in Qianrou’s treatment, I will grant it to you…”
In the end, the Empress compromised.
“Your Majesty is wise! With the aid of the Saint-Breaking Pill, I am certain I can heal Princess Qianrou. Eunuch Li, shall we proceed to Sunset Palace now?”
“Prime Minister, this way please…”
The eunuch hurriedly led Shen Yuan out of the grand hall.
The Empress clenched her fists so tightly that a faint cracking sound could be heard. Her eyes shimmered with suppressed emotion.
Since ascending to the throne, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?
After all, she was only sixteen years old—not fully mature in mind or experience.
Had it not been for the former Emperor’s untimely demise from injuries sustained in battle against the Immortal Qin Empire, she would still be a carefree princess instead of an Empress burdened with responsibilities.
Before his death, the late Emperor had transferred his cultivation to Ji Yaoshi; without it, the court would have already fallen into chaos.
Yet despite her Supreme-level cultivation, deep down, she was still just a young girl.
Two years of ruling had indeed honed her skills and confidence, allowing her to stabilize the court. However, today, Shen Yuan had pushed her step by step into a corner.
At this moment, she felt emotions she had never experienced in the past two years—grievance, humiliation, and overwhelming fury!
How dare a mere minister push her around like this?!
From the way he acted earlier, it was clear—without the Saint-Breaking Pill, he would refuse to treat Qianrou.
How could she, the Empress, tolerate such an insult?
“Shen Yuan…”
Looking at the Empress’s dark expression, the officials below remained silent, not daring to utter a single word.
“If there’s nothing else, you are all dismissed.”
“We take our leave, Your Majesty!”
The officials hurriedly left. They had no choice—the Empress’s current expression was terrifying, as if she was ready to devour someone.
The temperature in the grand hall seemed to drop several degrees.
Once everyone had left, the Empress could no longer suppress her rage.
With a loud crash, she swept all the memorials off her desk, sending them scattering like falling leaves.
The maids and eunuchs behind her swallowed nervously, not daring to make the slightest sound.
Shen Yuan… how dare you humiliate me likew this?! How could you?!