Chapter 225: Gu Qingzhou Appears, A Top-Level Understanding of the Aggrieved (1)
"Since that's the case, you might as well make a little sacrifice. It'll make things easier for me."
The self-centered, venomous beauty had a knack for dragging others down with her.
"Not bad, I like that fighting spirit of yours."
Su Qing said with satisfaction.
"By the way... Master, I've recently learned a new massage technique. Want to give it a try?"
Princess Consort spoke with a hopeful glint in her eyes.
"Massage? Sure, sounds perfect to help me relax."
Su Qing readily agreed.
Last night had been quite a long one, with no time to rest at all.
Although, with his physique, skipping a night of sleep wasn't a big deal, he still felt a bit mentally drained.
A bit of relaxation would be more than welcome.
Moments later—
Su Qing lay comfortably on the soft couch, ready to enjoy some pleasant service.
Honestly, he hadn't thought much about the massage itself.
Even if it was some technique learned from a book, it didn't exactly appeal to him.
After all, he was a master himself—why would he care about a beginner's moves?
But it wasn't long before he was genuinely stunned.
A soft, gentle touch glided across his back, sending him into a deeply relaxed state.
Clearly, the Princess Consort was putting every advantage of her body to good use.
With such a generously endowed figure, the comfort she offered needed no explanation.
Alongside the sensation came a faint, elusive fragrance from behind.
"How... how did you even learn to do this kind of thing?"
Su Qing opened his eyes, incredulous.
"Please, Master, just enjoy it. Isn't it natural for me to learn things like this for you?"
Princess Consort's voice was soft and obedient, filled with submission.
Every now and then, she leaned close to Su Qing's ear, breathing out that sweet, subtle scent.
"Very nice. Keep it up. Don't stop."
Su Qing smiled, praising her.
He closed his eyes again and began to fully enjoy the moment.
Her initiative had surprised him, but he was more than happy to receive it.
What he didn't notice was the cold glint hidden deep in her eyes.
Princess Consort continued what she was doing, pulling out all the stops to please Su Qing.
But this was just her way of being flexible.
Playing the pet role came naturally to her, but if the time came, she wouldn't hesitate to strike.
She certainly wanted the Imperial Jade Seal—but earning it as the victor would do just fine.
Su Qing had no idea a silent threat was quietly taking shape.
Meanwhile, Prince Qi stood miserably in the courtyard, his eyes lifeless.
He didn't know exactly what was happening inside, but he could imagine.
Just the thought of it made his heart ache to the point of madness—it was unbearable.
For years, he had placed the Princess Consort on a pedestal, seeing her as an untouchable queen and spiritual anchor.
Because of this, he had never complained, no matter how poorly he was treated.
But now, that spiritual anchor was shattered.
Prince Qi watched as his queen tried everything to please another man.
The once unshakable figure who towered over him now bowed and scraped before someone else.
This had been his one and only belief!
And now—now that belief was cracked.
It was like someone who worshipped a god with fanatical devotion.
Willing to give everything, even life itself, for that deity.
Then one day, they see their god pouring foot-washing water for another god.
Even the most devoted zealot would have a crisis of faith.
That was exactly how Prince Qi felt now.
He looked at the expression on her face—and for a moment, it overlapped with his own.
Wasn't this exactly how he used to look?
The former queen, now someone's obedient little puppy—there really wasn't much difference between them anymore.
Beneath all the sorrow in his heart, there was a strange, unexplainable feeling.
If you had to name it, that feeling would be—excitement.
Compared to the Princess Consort, wasn't Su Qing, the one who turned her into a dog, even more impressive?
He might be young, but he had conquered his queen—he was like a god himself!
His worship for Han Jin Xiu quietly shifted to Su Qing.
Like a fanatic watching their god serve another, stronger god.
It only made sense that their faith would shift to the stronger one.
Princess Consort had no idea that another hidden threat was silently forming behind her.
After leaving the Prince Qi's manor, Su Qing felt completely refreshed.
Whatever mental fatigue he'd felt was long gone.
Truth be told, even as a massage master, he couldn't reach that level of effect.
The hardware just wasn't the same!
And the technique—so simple and direct—was perfect for massage newbies. Worth promoting.
Next up, he needed a proper combat partner.
He had plenty of elite soldiers under his command. Even though the Heavenly Dao Sect's leader probably couldn't match him, she could still run.
Facing off head-on against so many elite troops wasn't exactly a wise move.
The smarter option? Two words—decapitation strike!
He was the core of his troops. Take him out, and the problem solved itself.
So, someone strong had to be by his side.
Not necessarily someone who could defeat the Heavenly Dao Sect master—just stall her.
Hold her off just long enough to trap the assassin in a net of soldiers…
Well, the outcome would speak for itself.
And the ideal candidate? His aunt, of course!
Her combat strength was truly reliable.
It was precisely because she existed that the Empress hadn't insisted on sending other experts.
In a quiet courtyard—
Gu Hanyan, for once, wasn't cultivating. Her gaze was on the sky.
Those beautiful eyes were blank, clearly lost in thought.
As the cold and aloof former saintess of the Demonic Sect, such a dazed expression was extremely rare.
"Auntie!"
When Su Qing came in, this was exactly what he saw.
A question mark practically floated above his head—he was clearly confused.
"Oh... it's you, Qing'er!"
Gu Hanyan seemed startled. She quickly turned toward the sound.
Once she saw who it was, she breathed a sigh of relief and her expression softened.
"Auntie, what were you just thinking about? You looked completely lost."
Su Qing asked curiously.
Of course, that was putting it nicely—she'd really just been zoning out.
"Nothing much. Just thinking about some bottlenecks in a technique."
"There are just too many techniques in this world, and so many of them are incredible."
Gu Hanyan's tone carried a faint trace of awe.
"Hmm, if Auntie wants to discuss it with someone, I could introduce you to someone."
Su Qing immediately played the role of the dutiful nephew, trying to help this beautiful elder out.
His Majesty's strength was beyond doubt—more than qualified to discuss cultivation with anyone.
As for whether she would agree?
Did that kind of thing really require asking first? A bit of sweet-talking would take care of it.
He rarely asked for favors anyway—at worst, he'd get scolded. No big deal.
Hmm... could this be the legendary case of someone being spoiled rotten by favoritism?