"You just offered yourself to me earlier, remember? Such a big gift, how could you forget."
Ruo Qiu looked at the corners of Lin Zaozao's mouth that had curled up and her face approaching once again, causing his cheeks to flush uncontrollably.
In the midst of his shyness, when Ruo Qiu reached out to pull Lin Zaozao's face away, he accidentally knocked off the half-mask on her face.
The next moment, Lin Zaozao's eyes uncontrollably began to flirt with Ruo Qiu.
And drool had already flooded her mouth.
Ruo Qiu looked at Lin Zaozao, who was winking and drooling.
She really resembled the fool at the village entrance who had fallen into the water.
"Ruo Qiu, quickly give me back the mask."
Lin Zaozao pulled on Ruo Qiu's clothes and quickly wiped away her drool, while continuing to flirt and ask Ruo Qiu for the mask.
Seeing Lin Zaozao's awkward appearance at this moment, Ruo Qiu, while in a daze, forcibly suppressed the urge to burst into laughter and put the mask back on Lin Zaozao's face.
When Lin Zaozao saw the freckles and big ears on Ruo Qiu's face through the mask, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Luckily, the dog system only punished her with three days of seeing handsome guys flirting and drooling. If it were a few more days, she would have gone crazy.
Having to turn a good-looking guy into someone with acne and pig ears is really a waste of a precious resource.
"Ruo Qiu, what gift did you say you wanted to give me earlier?"
Lin Zaozao picked up the tea on the table, using the cup to cover the embarrassment on her face, and asked softly.
"Zaozao, I want to give you half of the wealth of Canglan and Han countries."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Lin Zaozao turned her head, asking incredulously.
"Half of the wealth of Canglan and Han countries!"
"That's right. Zaozao, before I was forced to take the poison, I had already ordered someone to transfer half of the wealth of Canglan and Han countries to Han Country.
Originally, I thought I was going to die for sure. So I considered all the wealth I had accumulated over the years as a gift for you to become the Empress of Han Country.
But unexpectedly, I managed to survive.
Since I'm alive, I am confident that I can move all the treasuries of Canglan and Han countries to Han Country.
It turns out that I spared the demands of the Empress of Canglan, who always stood behind my mother, because of my mother's position as the Prime Minister of Canglan.
So, I have always been very compliant with the requests of the Empress of Canglan.
Over the years, the Empress of Canglan has taken countless valuable things from my private treasury.
Now, my beloved parents and the Empress of Canglan want to join forces to harm me. If I don't fight back, they will really think of me, Ruo Qiu, as an easy target.
I will let them know that over the years, along with wealth, I have also accumulated invisible means of killing."
As Lin Zaozao listened to Ruo Qiu's cold voice, her heart tightened.
She had tried to ease the atmosphere just a while ago to make Ruo Qiu feel better.
But what was the result!
They had just exchanged a few words when Ruo Qiu's eyes turned cold again, haunted by past events.
Lin Zaozao held Ruo Qiu's hand early on, paused for a moment, and then spoke up.
"Ruo Qiu, can you tell me what happened after you returned home?"
"Zaozao, after we left Luoshui Village and just returned to Canglan Country, Ji Fantian heard that members of the Divine Physician Clan had been driven to the prosperous border city.
After giving us some simple instructions, Ji Fantian rushed from Canglan Country to the border city without stopping.
As for me, I went back to my home with the steward.
Zaozao, I think you should know my identity by now!
I am not only the young master of Canglan Country's first store but also the wealthiest person in both Canglan and the prosperous countries.
Above me, there are three sisters and two brothers. We are six siblings, all with different fathers.
Because we are not from the same father, the relationship among us siblings is not very good.
My grandfather was a businessman, and his business spanned both Canglan and the prosperous countries.
It was because my grandfather was so wealthy that my mother married my father as his sixth concubine.
My father, spoiled by my grandfather since childhood, was too naive and childish. So when my grandfather passed away, he had no idea how to take over the massive business left behind.
I was only twelve years old when my grandfather passed away. For the sake of my father, I took over the massive business left behind by my grandfather.
I never expected that after taking over my grandfather's business, I had an extraordinary talent for commerce.
In just a few years, I multiplied the wealth left behind by my grandfather several times over, and my fortune rivalled that of Canglan Country's wealthiest.
Because I became increasingly wealthy, my naive and childish father also flourished by my mother's side, living a comfortable life.
Although I knew my mother had ulterior motives for using my father, it has been so long that it's pointless for me to say more.
But I never expected that when my mother took me to attend the palace banquet held by the Empress of Canglan, who was nearing forty, she actually took a liking to me and wanted to make me her male consort!
I refused, so the Empress of Canglan told my mother that as long as I became her male consort, she would ensure the prosperity and security of my mother's family.
In exchange for this verbal promise from the Empress of Canglan, my mother actually drugged my tea and sent me naked to the Empress's bed.
If it weren't for the Third Prince and Gu Shan saving me that night, I would have long become the Empress of Canglan's male consort.
That night, the plot of the Empress of Canglan and my mother failed, and since they coveted the wealth in my hands, they dispatched people to spread rumors in Lan City that Ruo Qiu is a useless man who cannot bear children.
A man without the ability to procreate naturally wouldn't have any women willing to marry him. Even if someone considered marrying me out of interest in my wealth, my mother and the Empress of Canglan would never agree.
Therefore, my mother used the excuse that I couldn't start a family and establish a career, so I had to relinquish all the wealth in my hands.
Under the deliberate guidance of my mother and the Empress of Canglan Country, I, Ruo Qiu, went from being the young master of the Shoupu family, the wealthiest man in Canglan Country, to becoming a despised rat that everyone called for on the streets.
In that isolated and helpless situation, I originally intended to leave Canglan Country with my father. Whether it was to Fengshuo Country or the extremely harsh frontier region, it didn't matter.
However, unexpectedly, my mother took the initiative and used my father as leverage, forcing me to submit and climb into the bed of the Empress of Canglan.
I disagreed, so I had no choice but to join forces with the Third Prince, Ye Yi, in an attempt to seize power and change my current situation.
But unexpectedly, at the most critical moment, my father and the members of our clan, left behind by my grandfather, were all brought under the control of my mother and the Empress of Canglan.
At this point, Ruo Qiu's voice choked up involuntarily.
He held Lin Zaozao's hand and whispered softly.
"Zaozao, we were just one step away from successfully seizing the throne. Unfortunately, because of our momentary softness of heart, all our previous efforts were in vain.
Because we couldn't bear to watch our clan members die one by one in front of us under the control of the Empress of Canglan.
I clearly remember that on the day of the rebellion, the Empress of Canglan and my mother had control over me and the five other members of our clan.
As long as we refused to surrender, they would kill one after another.
As a result, the blood of our clan members dyed the towering city walls blood-red. How could we not hesitate when faced with such a tragic scene?
We hesitated for only a moment, and everything turned around.
Zaozao, Ye Yi, Ji Fantian, and I failed in our rebellion.
After the rebellion failed, instead of killing us directly, the Empress of Canglan had us all poisoned with an incurable poison and then betrothed us to you, who were fat and foolish at the time, while constantly keeping us under surveillance.
Her purpose was to use you, who were fat and foolish, to humiliate us.
But she had no idea that what concerned us at the time was not humiliation, but whether we could survive and rescue our loved ones from danger.
Unfortunately, my father, whom I desperately tried to save, actually believed my mother's words and personally poisoned me.
Zaozao, I never expected my father to betray me. Since I can remember, my father has always been naive and carefree.
But I never imagined that he would believe my mother's words and poison me with his own hands."
Lin Zaozao looked at the tears streaming down Ruo Qiu's face, feeling extremely distressed in her heart.
What kind of parents had she encountered day after day?
If the Empress of Canglan Country and the Empress of Fengshuo Country were monarchs, that's why they would be ruthless.
But why would Ruo Qiu's father want to kill his own child?
Was it really just for money?
Or was it for his own love?
Damn it, he was an old man. His love, which smelled like dog shit, had been gilded. How could it be more important than his own flesh and blood?
Ruo Qiu rested his head on Lin Zaozao's shoulder and said with a vacant expression.
"Zaozao, when I found out that you are the Empress of Han Country, I secretly transferred my assets to Han Country. What my father, mother, and Empress Canglan have left is just an empty shell. I wonder what expression they will have when they realize all their efforts have led to obtaining that empty shell?"
"Ruo Qiu, please don't be sad. Since they have abandoned you themselves, you should cut ties with your parents. Rest assured, I will seek revenge on your behalf."
Lin Zaozao patted Ruo Qiu's shoulder and spoke softly.
"Okay! I believe in you, Zaozao."
After Ruo Qiu finished speaking, he suddenly looked up at Lin Zaozao.
"Zaozao, the situation is not good for Ye Yi, Murong Hai, and even Gu Shan is not safe right now. If you can, please find a way to bring them out of Canglan Country as soon as possible!"
Upon hearing Ruo Qiu's words, Lin Zaozao furrowed her brow involuntarily.
Since the Empress of Canglan Country was willing to hand Ruo Qiu over to her, she must know that Ye Yi and Murong Hai were her lovers. The fact that she was openly opposing her now indicated that she truly intended to provoke a war between Canglan and Han Country.
However, the Empress of Canglan should know that even if Lin Zaozao joined forces with the military of Fengshuo Country, the combined force of one hundred thousand soldiers would still not be able to defeat Han Country.
So why would she create such chaos and bloodshed?
Moreover, Lin Zaozao had never actually met the Empress of Canglan Country. What kind of grudges and grievances existed between them to make her act like a madwoman, causing trouble in Han Country?
While Lin Zaozao was pondering, Wushuang suddenly appeared before her and spoke in a deep voice.
"Master, Princess Ye Chao of Canglan Country has escaped from the dungeon during the chaos and successfully left Han Country."
"Alright, I know. Wushuang, continue to follow Ye Chao and see what she does next."
"Understood!"
Seeing Wushuang leave like a shadow, Lin Zaozao sighed helplessly.
She wondered how things were progressing with Han Ye's investigation. Without a concrete plan, she couldn't make the next move. After all, she was just a paper tiger when it came to leading troops into battle.
Even if the military forces of Canglan and Fengshuo were not strong, they still amounted to a total of one hundred thousand soldiers!
