Chapter 133: This Joke Has Gone Too Far

At noon today, Princess Hansi, Li Qingying, was refining medicinal pills in the alchemy room of Prince Xiang’s mansion when a maid rushed in to report, "Your Highness, a female cultivator has arrived at the gate. She claims to be a rogue cultivator without any sect affiliation, and she is carrying a large coffin on her back. She says there is a living dead person inside."

"She also claims that this living dead person has a significant connection to our mansion."

Li Qingying’s brows furrowed slightly. A living dead person? And connected to Prince Xiang’s mansion? Could the cultivator be referring to her eldest niece, Li Qingyu, who had been missing without a trace for three years? Li Qingying immediately headed to the mansion's main gate.

Outside, she saw a delicate-looking woman dressed in long white robes, indeed carrying a coffin on her back. Li Qingying sensed that this woman possessed considerable cultivation and was, in fact, a demonic cultivator. Although Li Qingying had learned orthodox immortal cultivation techniques in her youth and was considered a disciple of the immortal sects, she was also a daughter of the Li imperial family. In the imperial court of the Li Kingdom, the distinction between immortal and demonic paths was not strictly enforced; many officials practiced demonic techniques, which was not a rare occurrence. Thus, despite her orthodox training, Li Qingying held no prejudice against demonic cultivators.

"How should I address you, fellow cultivator?" Li Qingying asked.

"My surname is Yu, and my given name is Qiu," the woman replied calmly.

"Cultivator Yu Qiu, you told my servants that the person in the coffin on your back has a great connection to my mansion. Would you be willing to open it for me to see?" Li Qingying requested.

The cultivator nodded, immediately lowered the coffin from her back, and pried the lid open with her bare hands. Inside lay a woman of breathtaking beauty. The woman in the coffin still had body heat and a rosy complexion; clearly, she was not dead.

The maids at the gate gasped in unison, "It’s the Princess!"

...

At the Yancheng Prefectural Office, Zhao Zhigao was playing chess with Prefect Wang.

"Does Song Ye intend to annul his engagement to the Princess?" Wang Demao suddenly asked Zhao Zhigao.

Zhao Zhigao shook his head. "I spent all of yesterday talking until my mouth went dry, but he still refuses. Actually, I had anticipated this. After all, he is the most devoted man I have ever met in my life."

Wang Demao lowered his voice. "But the Princess has been missing for three years; she must have met with misfortune. Even if she is found, she likely won't be in one piece. She might even be half-paralyzed. When that happens, not only will she be unable to bear him an heir, but she will also be a burden to him for the rest of his life. He will be miserable."

Zhao Zhigao’s eyes widened. "That won't do. Song Ye is the only son of his family. We must find a way to make him agree to the annulment as soon as possible. If this drags on, things will truly become dire."

Just then, a dignified female voice echoed from the entrance of the office: "The marriage contract of the Li imperial family is not something to be discarded at will!"

Zhao Zhigao and the Prefect looked toward the voice to see Princess Hansi, Li Qingying, standing tall and imposing at the doorway. Wang Demao and Zhao Zhigao hurried over to welcome her.

"I apologize for failing to greet you properly, Your Highness," Wang Demao said, bowing low.

"Where is Song Ye? Have him come out to meet me," Li Qingying commanded coldly.

"Song Ye is on leave today and is not at the office," Wang Demao replied.

"Then send someone to his home immediately and tell him to go to Prince Xiang’s mansion at once." With that, Li Qingying left with her retinue of servants.

...

Zhao Zhigao personally traveled to Pear Blossom Lane to bring Song Ye to the mansion. On the way, he said earnestly, "Brother Song, something very unpleasant might happen at the mansion. You should prepare yourself mentally."

Song Ye nodded without a word. At the mansion gate, two Ziyu Guards were already waiting, as if fearing they might try to flee. The guards made Zhao Zhigao wait outside, leading Song Ye directly into a room in the inner courtyard.

The room was already filled with women. The two male guards stopped at the door, leaving Song Ye as the only man inside. There were six women in total, three of whom were dressed as maids. One woman, dressed in luxurious garments with a dignified bearing and appearing to be in her thirties, clearly held a high status. Beside her stood a young woman in simple robes with delicate features. The last woman, Song Ye recognized: she was Qi Shuyu, a Three-Star Ziyu Guard. Since her sister, Qi Shuyi, had been recalled to the capital, all Ziyu Guards in Yancheng were now under her command.

Qi Shuyu quickly introduced the woman in luxury, "This is Princess Hansi, the aunt of the current Emperor."

Song Ye bowed, "Greetings, Princess Hansi."

Li Qingying glanced at Song Ye, her pupils constricting slightly, before saying calmly, "The Princess has returned. Go and take a look at her."

A maid standing by the bed pulled back the curtains.

Song Ye walked over and saw a woman in a light blue dress lying on the bed. The face of the woman was one Song Ye knew well—it was the face of his wife, Qin Xuanxi!

"According to Cultivator Yu Qiu, when she found the Princess, she was already in a coma, much like her father, as if someone had placed a dark curse upon her," Li Qingying explained.

Song Ye knew full well that someone like Qin Xuanxi could not be easily incapacitated by a mere curse. He immediately attempted to use his inspection ability to check the cultivation of the "Qin Xuanxi" on the bed.

The interface displayed: [???]

The inspection ability could only assess the cultivation of living beings; if used on an inanimate object, it would return question marks. In other words, the "woman" on the bed was not the real Qin Xuanxi—it wasn't even a human! It was merely an object. Who would play such a cruel joke on him, using an object to impersonate his fiancée?

Suspecting the cultivator Yu Qiu, he used the inspection tool on her: [Bai Ruoling: Eighth Level of the Demon Origin Realm].

Song Ye remembered the name Bai Ruoling; she was the one who had impersonated Qin Xuanxi last time. If she dared to do this, she must have been authorized by Qin Xuanxi herself. Did this mean that using a humanoid object to masquerade as the Princess was also Qin Xuanxi’s intent? What was the meaning of this?

This joke his wife was playing on him was too much. Previously, she had impersonated the Princess herself, which showed some degree of sincerity, but now she was trying to fool him with a humanoid doll!

Just then, the humanoid object opened its eyes and mumbled vaguely, "Where am I? My body... it feels like I can't move."

The object’s gaze then fell upon Song Ye. "Little husband?! It’s so good to see you alive!"

Song Ye was stunned. The object could actually speak, and it used Qin Xuanxi's voice.