Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Space Exposed (1)
Within Xiangyun Hall, after Lady Xiu abruptly finished listening to the Demon Lord paying his respects, her body stiffened for a moment, confusion in her heart, yet her face betrayed no emotion as she deftly smiled and said, "How wonderful, the Demon Lord is still alive, truly blessed with great fortune."
Kneeling on the ground, Xiu Yang instinctively looked up at his aunt, only to see her glare at him, quickly lowering his head again with a feeling of being wronged and slightly pouting.
Dugu Han turned his head towards Lady Xiu, revealing a brilliant smile, "I have always firmly believed that my brother would be safe and sound."
Lady Xiu smiled slightly and nodded gently, picking up the teacup from the small tea table, lightly moistening her throat, her eyes cast downward revealing disdain. For that sudden change in his expression was not joy but shock, enough to prove that the relationship between the two brothers was not as harmonious as others believed, her lips silently curving into a slight arch.
Sitting below, both the Spinster Princess and the Fragrant Princess exchanged glances, then shifted their gaze, occasionally looking outside the hall.
Together, they walked into Lady Xiu’s palace, seeing the emperor seated at the head of the room, a few others seated below him, and a woman kneeling on the ground, Dugu Chen slightly furrowed his brow.
"Your brotherly subject, and your daughter-in-law, pay respect to the emperor, may the emperor be blessed with endless prosperity." One with a clasped fist, the other with a bent knee, they greeted the emperor seated in the high position, which the others present completely ignored.
Lady Xiu was unfazed, long accustomed to Dugu Chen’s cold nature, while the Spinster Princess frowned, a face full of dissatisfaction looking at the Demon Lord and his princess, whereas the Fragrant Princess maintained a fitting smile on her face. But whether the smile contained more genuineness or deception was hard to tell.
Upon seeing his brother, Dugu Han immediately came down from his seat, trembling hands supporting Dugu Chen’s arms, filled with relief he said, "It’s good that you’ve come back, I...I thought..." he choked up while saying a few words, symbolically wiping the corners of his eyes to squeeze out two drops of tears.
"Does Imperial Brother think that I couldn’t return?" Dugu Chen stood up straight, his voice flat as he questioned the emperor clad in plain golden robes.
Seeing Dugu Chen address himself as ’this prince,’ Dugu Han’s heart skipped a beat, wondering if his brother knew something.
"Why would you say that, Second Brother? How could I entertain such thoughts!" Dugu Han retorted with furrowed brows.
Dugu Chen lightly tugged at the corner of his mouth, "I thought Imperial Brother would not want me to return."
"How could that be? Come, let me take a good look at you," he said, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
Extending his hand to pat Dugu Chen on the shoulder, "Well done, just a bit thin, take your time to replenish," he thought bitterly to himself, that the one hundred thousand taels of gold he had paid as a deposit had gone to waste, cursing the Demon Lord in his heart.
Turning to glance at Feng Xuxu, "Sister-in-law, Dugu Chen has returned, now you should be at ease, I didn’t deceive you, did I?"
Feng Xuxu, holding a handkerchief, lightly covered her mouth and smiled, "I must give thanks for Your Majesty’s auspicious words," she said with a slight bow.
"Eh... Sister-in-law truly has a way with words." Upon hearing Feng Xuxu say ’Your Majesty,’ Dugu Han’s face instantly became as pleasant as a breeze in June, his smile gratified.
"Summon someone, bestow the reward," he said, then turned and walked back to his seat.
"Your Majesty, it seems the Demon Lord’s princess’s belly is already five months along, isn’t it?" the Fragrant Princess said with a coy smile looking at Feng Xuxu, envy clearly arising on her face.
Feng Xuxu smiled, softly replying, "Replying to the Fragrant Princess, it’s just over three months."
"Such a big belly for just over three months?" The Spinster Princess looked at Feng Xuxu with surprise, "Could it be that...?"
"What do you mean by that, Spinster Princess?" Dugu Chen’s face darkened, his cold gaze sweeping towards the Spinster Princess sitting to the side, narrowing his phoenix eyes, extremely dissatisfied with her words.
