Chapter 2673: Chapter 2673
Though Princess Liu Yunyao was embroiled in the power struggle for the throne, in private moments she treated her maidservant like a sister. They often shared intimate conversations, using these exchanges to alleviate the pressures of court life.
The maidservant, Hongling, had grown up alongside the princess since childhood. Their bond was unbreakable, with no secrets kept between them.
Meanwhile, outside Ye Liuyun’s tent, a commotion was brewing. Word had spread of his return, and soon a gaggle of young women began loitering outside his quarters. They chatted idly among themselves, mostly lamenting the lack of worthy suitors or boasting of their unattached status.
Yet Ye Liuyun remained absorbed in his cultivation, utterly indifferent to their presence. Lin Xiaoxiao, however, burned with jealousy at the sight. In a fit of pique, she unleashed her brown lion, stationing it menacingly before Ye Liuyun’s tent.
The sudden move startled even Ye Liuyun himself, who hurried outside to investigate. "What’s the meaning of this?" he demanded, eyeing Lin Xiaoxiao warily.
The lion, sensing Ye Liuyun’s formidable aura, shrank back slightly, its earlier bravado fading in his presence.
"I was just keeping watch for you," Lin Xiaoxiao explained with feigned innocence. "Wouldn’t want any distractions interrupting your training, would we?"
Ye Liuyun suppressed a sigh. If not for her reckless stunt, he wouldn’t have been disturbed in the first place.
Though he remained silent, the gathered women were far less forgiving.
"Xiaoxiao, how dare you lump us all together as ’distractions’?" one retorted sharply.
"Exactly!" another chimed in. "If anyone’s disrupting Master Ye’s cultivation, it’s you! He never came out until you pulled this little stunt."
"Quite right," a third added with a sneer. "Master Ye tamed that beast for you, not so you could parade it around to intimidate others!"
Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Lin Xiaoxiao found herself cornered by their relentless barbs, unable to muster a single word in her defense.
"Alright, everyone, let’s call it a night and get some rest!" Ye Liuyun finally spoke up to help Lin Xiaoxiao out of the awkward situation.
Seeing that Ye Liuyun had intervened, the women lost interest in Lin Xiaoxiao and immediately turned their attention back to him instead.
"The weather’s too perfect for training! Why don’t we have a bonfire party—drink, roast some meat, and enjoy the night?"
"Yeah, yeah! We could even dance and see who moves the best!"
The women chattered excitedly, tossing out suggestions. None of them wanted to go back to rest—they all wanted Ye Liuyun to stay with them.
Trapped in the middle of the eager crowd, Ye Liuyun could only stand there awkwardly, helpless against their enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, the princess’s maid returned after gathering information and reported back to her.
"What was his reaction?" the princess asked.
"Master Ye clearly wasn’t interested. He looked quite uncomfortable surrounded by all those women," the maid replied.
Hongling, witnessing the scene, winked at Liu Yunyao. "Aren’t you going to rescue your future husband?"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Liu Yunyao shot back, though her cheeks flushed slightly in front of the other maids.
"Be proactive! Those women out there devour men without leaving a single bone behind. If you’re not careful, someone else might snatch him up first!" Hongling teased.
Liu Yunyao rolled her eyes but realized she should indeed help Ye Liuyun escape the situation. She instructed Hongling to fetch him.
"Go invite him. Tell him it’s to thank him for saving the princess’s maid. I’ll disguise myself as a maid again and receive him."
"Got it!" Hongling agreed cheerfully and dashed off. Meanwhile, Liu Yunyao quickly changed back into her maid’s attire and had a cabin prepared to receive Ye Liuyun.
Ye Liuyun found himself surrounded by a gaggle of women, their persistent pleas drowning out his repeated excuses about needing to return for cultivation practice. No matter how he tried to explain, they simply wouldn’t let him leave.
Lin Xiaoxiao had been shoved aside by the crowd, her cheeks puffed in frustration, yet powerless to intervene.
Hongling couldn’t help but smirk when she noticed Ye Liuyun’s furrowed brows and awkward expression amidst the throng. Composing herself, she cleared her throat and announced loudly, "Master Ye! The princess requests your presence—she wishes to thank you for saving her handmaid!"
A collective sigh of disappointment rose from the women, but none dared protest when the princess summoned someone.
Yet Ye Liuyun’s mind reeled with confusion. *Wasn’t that handmaid actually the princess earlier? What’s going on here?* His mouth hung slightly open as he stared at Hongling, momentarily speechless.
"Master Ye?" Hongling called again, misinterpreting his stunned expression as surprise at the royal invitation.
"Oh!" Ye Liuyun snapped back to reality and followed Hongling toward Liu Yunyao’s battleship.
As they walked, he ventured, "May I ask your name, miss?"
"This humble servant is Hongling, Her Highness’s personal attendant," she replied. Noticing his pensive frown, she added, "Is something troubling you, Master Ye?"
"Nothing serious," he said offhandedly. "Just... something feels odd."
"What do you mean?" Hongling tilted her head.
"Your cultivation level and aura..." Ye Liuyun chose his words carefully, "they seem identical to the princess’s."
Hongling’s breath hitched, though she quickly steadied herself. *He’ll find out eventually anyway.* With practiced ease, she deflected, "Indeed. All of us handmaids share similar cultivation realms with Her Highness."
Ye Liuyun didn’t press further. His golden pupils never deceived him.
"So the real princess is someone else. The previous one was just a maid in disguise! With that mask on, no one could tell the difference. And an ordinary maid wouldn’t draw much attention anyway."
Driven by curiosity, Ye Liuyun scanned the interior of Liu Yunyao’s battleship before entering. To his surprise, there was no sign of the princess—only her ceremonial robes neatly displayed.
"Perhaps the princess never came aboard at all," he mused silently.
After Hongling escorted Ye Liuyun inside, a maid led him to the cabin Liu Yunyao had prepared. Tea and pastries were already laid out, with Liu Yunyao awaiting his arrival.
The moment he saw her, Ye Liuyun visibly relaxed.
"Consider this my way of bailing you out. Does it earn me a discount on that protection fee I owe you?" Liu Yunyao teased, her eyes glinting with amusement.
"Hah! I really should thank you. Those women were relentless. Tell you what—I’ll knock off ten divine crystals from your debt," Ye Liuyun chuckled, plopping down across from her without waiting for an invitation.
"How generous of you," Liu Yunyao shot back sarcastically, tossing him a Interspatial Ring.
With a quick mental sweep, Ye Liuyun confirmed it contained the divine crystals she owed. He pocketed it without counting. "So you summoned me just to settle debts?"
"What else? I couldn’t risk you storming the royal palace to collect, could I? A money-grubber like you might actually do it!" Laughing, she began pouring tea for him.
