After Losing My Memory, I Became My Rival's Palm-Sized Chirper - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Solo Flight

In Weiyang Palace.

“Your Consort, it’s already noon. His Majesty should have finished the morning court session long ago.” Shuoling placed down a freshly brewed pot of fruit tea. “Are you not going to find him?”

“Why should I?” By the window of the Empress’s bedchamber, a round, pale-yellow little bird had curled himself into a ball. He gazed at the sky with his head half-tilted, his expression looking somewhat sorrowful.

Qi Jia spoke listlessly, “Must I absolutely go find your Emperor?”

“Of course not.” Shuoling smiled. “This immortal is just curious. Yesterday, Your Consort was clinging to His Majesty so tightly; why the sudden change of heart today?”

“…Shuoling, are there storybooks in the Heaven Realm? Find some for me.” The round bird didn’t answer directly, merely shifting his posture while maintaining his melancholy look.

“Storybooks… there should be. I’ll go look for some in a moment. What kind does Your Consort want?”

“The kind… that can clearly explain what ‘mating’ (cross-tailing) is.”

“? Your Consort, what did you say?” Fairy Shuoling’s voice spiked. “Mating??”

“Sigh.” Qi Jia let out a long breath as he vividly recalled what had happened the previous night in the Emperor’s bedchamber—

Yu Baixi had carried him to the couch. Yu Baixi had leaned over him, his eyes as cold as ever but carrying a sharp edge. Yu Baixi had whispered in his ear that today, he would let him know what mating truly meant…

…Because the moment the other leaned over, Qi Jia had instinctively panicked. Though even now, he wasn’t sure what he was panicking about. Perhaps it just felt strange to be so close to Yu Baixi suddenly. The medicinal scent on the man made his heart hammer against his chest.

In the dark bedchamber without a single lamp lit, the way the man looked at him made his skin crawl—like ants were marching over him. It was itchy and incredibly unsettling.

So, Qi Jia had instinctively raised a hand to block him. Yu Baixi had caught that hand. As his wrist pressed against the man’s cold fingertips, Qi Jia felt as if his heart was about to leap out.

And then, he was bitten.

The round little bird sighed lazily again and looked at his bitten wrist… no, wait, his little wing.

To be precise, Yu Baixi hadn’t actually bitten him. The man’s teeth hadn’t touched him, and there were no wounds on his wrist. From beginning to end, the man had only held his wrist.

It was an illusion. His second senior brother, Hu Lang back at Mt. Budu, was very skilled at illusions. Qi Jia had seen such spells before, but clearly, Yu Baixi’s was far more sophisticated and seamless.

The feeling was hard to describe. In short, the moment he was pinned to the couch last night, Qi Jia suddenly understood: mating wasn’t just simply taking off clothes and sleeping together.

Even now, Qi Jia felt this matter was difficult to handle. Because if he placed himself back in last night’s scenario, he still felt strange. Especially that moment when Yu Baixi leaned over… he would feel short of breath.

And that was while Yu Baixi was still fully clothed. He had originally thought two people taking off their clothes to lie together was a simple thing. Now it seemed it wasn’t simple at all!

“Does mating always hurt?” Qi Jia muttered to himself, holding up his fluffy wing. He felt his reaction was surely due to being traumatized by Yu Baixi’s “bird-eating” behavior.

“This… does Your Consort truly not remember anything?” Facing his question, Fairy Shuoling seemed a bit conflicted. “Ma—that thing, if the technique is good, it shouldn’t hurt… Ah!” Mid-sentence, Shuoling had a realization. “Did His Majesty hurt you yesterday?!”

“A little, tiny, bit.” Qi Jia said, holding his wing. After all, even if it wasn’t a real bite, being bitten in an illusion still hurt! Besides, if mating meant being bitten all over his body, it would definitely be painful! The “Chirp-Chirp” was genuinely worried about this.

Shuoling suddenly became very excited. “Then His Majesty is far too inconsiderate! No wonder you aren’t going to see him. Hmph! …Does Your Consort need me to summon the Medicine King or a celestial physician?”

“It’s not that exaggerated. No need to call anyone.” Lowering his wing, the fat bird lazily rolled over. In the sunlight, the yellow bird radiated a soft, warm aura. “Sigh, I’m not really blaming him.”

Shuoling adored the Consort’s soft and cute appearance and couldn’t help but say: “True. His Majesty has been solitary for over ten thousand years. To suddenly… he might be excited. It’s understandable if he didn’t control his strength well.”

“…” Qi Jia didn’t quite follow Shuoling’s meaning. But he felt it all pointed to the same thing. He nodded. “Perhaps I provoked him too much yesterday… He even showed his dragon tail at the bottom of the pool.”

“Yes, yes. Your Consort has the grace of a dragon and phoenix; it’s normal for even His Majesty to lose control…” Shuoling nodded vigorously, then froze. “Wait! What did you say? His Majesty showed his tail???”

“Yeah…” Qi Jia sighed ghostlily. Speaking of this, he still felt some regret. His red string hadn’t even been tied on yet!

However, Qi Jia cared more about Shuoling’s tone. He asked, “Hmm? Is it very abnormal for your Emperor to show his tail?”

“Oh, it’s not that it’s abnormal.” Shuoling gave a knowing “Auntie smile.” “I just didn’t expect His Majesty to have such… passionate moments! Now the Prime Minister and the others can finally rest easy… Your Consort, I just remembered I have something to do. Rest for a bit; I’ll be back soon!”

Qi Jia: “?”

Fairy Shuoling left in a whirlwind, leaving Qi Jia to blink in confusion.

He didn’t know that an hour later, when Yu Baixi summoned the Prime Minister and several high-ranking officials for a private meeting, the young Emperor ended up being lectured by several old officials with earnest intentions—

“Given Your Consort’s current physical condition, Your Majesty must practice moderation. Desire should not be indulged, and pleasure should not be taken to the extreme. This is the way of longevity.”

—Though compared to the marriage-pressuring of a few days ago, they were now talking about something in a completely different direction.

Yu Baixi: ?

For the next few days, Qi Jia dived back into the Jade Capital’s Library, forgetting to eat and sleep as he devoured books.

He read everything from general knowledge to storybooks. Since he remembered nothing, it was equivalent to knowing nothing. There was too much to absorb, so he didn’t pick and choose. From the formal Annals of the Four Realms to the palace-drama storybooks Shuoling found for him, Qi Jia read whatever he could get his wings on.

The only pity was that the Heaven Realm also seemed to censor “erotic” content. There were no books in the library that clearly explained mating!

However, Shuoling couldn’t bear to see the Empress so dejected. She vowed to Qi Jia to wait for a few days, saying she could definitely get her hands on some. Qi Jia suppressed his impatience and waited.

What made the bird happy was that there were many books and even more abundant food in the Heaven Realm. Since arriving at the Jade Capital, he hadn’t felt hungry once. The fatigue and lack of energy caused by his spiritual depletion had basically vanished. In just a few days, he seemed to have grown a size rounder.

It was noon again. Qi Jia still refused no food brought to him, feasting heartily. Until a dish of richly colored “Phoenix Claws” (chicken feet) was served.

“…What is this?”

“Tiger-skin Phoenix Claws. A new dish researched by the Celestial Chef today. It’s said to be braised, then fried, then braised again. The process is very meticulous… Does Your Consort not like it?” Shuoling asked carefully.

Most immortals who cultivated from spirits didn’t mind eating food related to their origin. For example, Shuoling, being of the Peacock clan, didn’t mind eating chicken. But some immortal houses still avoided it. However, Shuoling remembered clearly that two days ago the Consort enjoyed the old duck soup, and yesterday he was satisfied with the chicken drumsticks…

“It’s not that.” Qi Jia was certainly not avoiding it for that reason. It was just that seeing these Phoenix Claws made him think of that day… the bird claw that was “nibbled” in the illusion.

…Was it possible that Yu Baixi was just a pervert who liked eating bird claws and only scared him like that? Maybe Dual Cultivation didn’t actually hurt that much?

Over the past few days, Qi Jia had been thinking it over. He felt the road ahead was long, and he couldn’t give up just because of a little discomfort. Moreover, he had flipped through many books on cultivation and noticed that during “Spiritual Cultivation,” one could see their own “Original Spirit Essence.”

—Despite his appearance as a round yellow bird—and he quite liked himself this way since it was cute—Qi Jia always felt something was off. Every time he looked in the mirror as a “Chirp,” he felt like a stranger. But he didn’t have this feeling in his human form. Deep down, he knew that exceedingly handsome young man was himself.

Since he could have amnesia, it wasn’t impossible for someone to have tampered with his appearance. Qi Jia had suspected this long ago. But there were too many mysteries. The more he tried to untangle them, the messier they got. Previously, he was focused on finding the beast who dumped him, so this suspicion was temporarily set aside.

Now, he dug the mystery back up. Especially since Yu Baixi repeatedly emphasized that not telling him his identity was for his protection. This implied many people might know him, and those people might include the enemies who caused his amnesia… Thinking this way, turning into a yellow parrot might be a form of protection.

Regardless, confirming his Original Spirit Essence would help him recover his memories. Qi Jia was willing to try. The problem was… his inner core was still empty, and his spiritual power was insufficient. A single “Chirp” simply couldn’t enter such a deep state of Spiritual Cultivation alone.

If he wanted to cultivate in the short term, he needed to Dual Cultivate with someone of high spiritual power… The bad news was that because he carried the Dragon Breath, he could only Dual Cultivate with Yu Baixi, otherwise he would be backlashed by the breath in his belly. The good news was that Yu Baixi perfectly fit the definition of “someone of high spiritual power.” But the even worse news was that Yu Baixi was unwilling to Dual Cultivate with him.

… So it was a dead end. Sigh.

Qi Jia sighed but didn’t let it affect his meal. Since he had started walking around the Jade Capital in his human form quite openly, he also ate in human form. Mostly because the human form had better teeth and a bigger mouth than the “Chirp,” making eating more convenient and enjoyable.

Today, half of Qi Jia’s black hair was secured with a jade crown, while the other half flowed freely over his shoulders. Paired with a blue-patterned brocade robe, he looked noble, lazy, and elegantly striking.

Then, this exquisite young man suddenly picked up a Tiger-skin Phoenix Claw and brought it to his mouth. His beautiful eyes immediately widened— “Don’t say, the taste is actually quite good!”

Shuoling smiled. “The Celestial Chef would be very happy to know Your Consort likes this dish.”

Qi Jia smiled too. “Your Celestial Chef here is truly motivated. The food these past few days hasn’t repeated once.”

Shuoling said, “That’s because before you arrived, His Majesty had no harem. Only His Majesty lived here, and he has no desire for food or drink… The kitchen was rarely summoned in the past. In these ten thousand years, the chef has made more medicinal broth for His Majesty than actual dishes. Now that you are here, the chef is naturally very happy!”

“Oh.” Qi Jia didn’t know that being a head chef in the Heaven Realm was so lonely…

Shuoling laughed again. “But it’s fine. Low workload, high pay. As I said, jobs here are all ‘sweet deals.’ Everyone is very happy to work for His Majesty and Your Consort…”

“Mhm.” Qi Jia had also felt the enthusiasm of the attendants lately. He could tell they were truly bored to the point of madness and were finally glad to have something to do. Unless one was a natural workaholic, no one likes working. But truly being idle for thousands of years with nothing to do… that would indeed be boring.

Then again, Qi Jia still preferred a bit of leisure. Luckily, the position of “Empress” seemed pretty good so far.

Fairy Shuoling suddenly stopped smiling. “Speaking of which, Your Consort hasn’t gone to see His Majesty for several days…”

Qi Jia tilted his head slightly. Sunlight spilled over his jade-white cheeks, his long lashes casting small shadows. “Why should I see him? He refuses to Dual Cultivate with me.”

Shuoling: “…But how can an Emperor and Empress not meet for several days? It’s already the fourth day. If word gets out, people will say you are at odds, and even the Little Highness will be sad.”

“Little Highness?”

“The Dragon Heir in your belly, Your Consort!”

“Oh…” The food had been too good lately, and his spiritual intake was sufficient. Coupled with the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, Qi Jia could barely feel the Dragon Breath warming him anymore. It was no longer like when he was at Mt. Budu, relying solely on the breath to slowly heal… He had almost forgotten about the Dragon Heir.

But remembering it now, Qi Jia couldn’t help but get angry again. “I don’t go to him, and he doesn’t come to find me either. It’s always like this, Big Scumbag Dragon! This Consort just won’t go find him!”

Shuoling: “…”

After lunch, Qi Jia stepped out of the library and took a walk around the Jade Capital. Unlike the simple sightseeing when he first arrived, this time he had a clear purpose—Qi Jia suddenly wondered if it was possible that someone else in the Heaven Realm recognized him.

Because he woke up near Mt. Budu, he had always assumed he was part of that place. Mt. Budu was isolated from the world and geographically belonged to the mortal realm, but Qi Shaoxu said their techniques belonged to the Demon Realm… In short, Qi Jia never associated Mt. Budu with the Heaven Realm. He assumed he and Yu Baixi met somewhere outside, so he hadn’t thought to look for information about himself from other people in the Heaven Realm.

But recalling that both the Ancestor and the Emperor were unwilling to let him know his identity before his spiritual power recovered, the more Qi Jia thought about it, the more suspicious it felt. He sensed he might not be a “nobody.”

Last time he toured the Jade Capital as a round bird, no one recognized him. Everyone looked at him with curiosity. This time, Qi Jia simply used his human form. But unfortunately, it seemed no one recognized him still. He even went to the area where the celestial officials worked daily. Under the guise of an “Empress inspection,” he met the officials formally for the first time.

Yet even those high-ranking, knowledgeable officials were mostly curious; none seemed to know who he was. Qi Jia could only subtly interact with them. Using his recent studies and some memorials he had seen at Yu Baixi’s place, he pretentiously chatted about current events before leaving calmly.

After he left, the officials gathered together. An old official with white hair and beard said in surprise, “The Empress’s species is ordinary, and according to His Majesty, he has no family background. I originally thought he was only chosen for his looks… I didn’t expect him to have such an extraordinary bearing and insightful views. Thus, he is fit for the role!”

“Have you forgotten the Empress shattering the gate array days ago? With that kind of strength, even if his species is a common parrot, His Consort must be exceptionally gifted. How could he be ordinary!”

“His Majesty’s gaze is never wrong.” The Prime Minister stroked his beard, satisfied as could be. “This is good. The Empress is reliable, and His Majesty has an heir. Heaven blesses our Celestial Clan!”

Qi Jia, who had intended to eavesdrop on useful intel: … Confirmed. These people really don’t know me.

However… Qi Jia narrowed his eyes, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. These people speak quite nicely, though.

But he didn’t expect what came next to be even more explosive…

He heard another official say, “Lord Si is truly broad-minded. I originally thought you wanted to marry your daughter to the Emperor, which is why you had Fairy Shuoling serve His Majesty, but it turns out…”

The Prime Minister laughed. “I did have that intention originally, but His Majesty was unwilling, and my daughter was unwilling. I’ve been anxious for so many years for nothing, haven’t I?”

Qi Jia: “…” He looked at Shuoling beside him.

Shuoling, who was also eavesdropping while invisible: “…” She looked at the Consort awkwardly.

“Forgive me, Your Consort.” Shuoling spoke immediately, about to kneel.

Qi Jia quickly stopped her. “What crime have you committed? I said you don’t need to kneel. But you’re actually the Prime Minister’s daughter?”

The supported Shuoling laughed awkwardly. “…Yes. After I came of age, my father arranged for me to enter Hongmeng Palace as a female official… But as I said before, His Majesty and I have barely met! I don’t like His Majesty at all! If it weren’t for my dad…”

“Don’t be nervous. Who said that working by His Majesty’s side means I would think something is going on between you?” Qi Jia smiled warmly at Shuoling. Because his features were so brilliant and his eyes were like silk, the smile held a hint of captivating charm. “This Consort isn’t that petty.”

“…That’s good.” Shuoling relaxed and stuck out her tongue. It wasn’t that Shuoling was oversensitive, but the gossip in the Heaven Realm was too much. Especially since the Emperor hadn’t married for ten thousand years and Shuoling was the daughter of a high official; there were all sorts of rumors when she first started.

“I’m so glad you came, Your Consort.” Shuoling said sincerely.

Qi Jia realized something and said with a smile, “No wonder you were so invested in the matters between me and His Majesty.” Since he arrived at the Jade Capital, Shuoling had been praising Yu Baixi and trying to get them to meet. Qi Jia had found it strange, thinking the girl was just enthusiastic. He didn’t realize there was this underlying reason.

“Ahem…” Shuoling became even more awkward. “Although Your Consort and His Majesty are a perfect match, I truly hope you stay together for a long time out of my own selfishness… To prevent misunderstanding, I want to clear things up once and for all…”

“Go ahead.” Qi Jia tilted his chin.

“Actually, my dad gave up long ago and agreed to transfer me, but I chose to stay.” Shuoling spoke quickly. “But me staying is absolutely not because of His Majesty!”

“Oh?”

“…Because the workload here is low and the pay is high.” Shuoling said honestly.

Qi Jia: “…”

“Anyway, being here, we rarely see His Majesty.” Shuoling sighed. “While there are inevitably some dissatisfactions, if I don’t work here, I’d have to work elsewhere. No matter what job it is, work is work. Other places require more brainpower.”

“…You’re a bit different from the ‘Immortal Second-Generations’ in storybooks.” Qi Jia commented.

Shuoling waved her hands. “The key is that my dad refuses to support a ‘lazy immortal’!”

Qi Jia: “…Every family has its own cross to bear.”

Shuoling nodded bitterly. “Indeed.”

Qi Jia was amused. He felt this fairy was sincere and responsible, and grew to appreciate her more. He jokingly asked, “Do you really dislike your Emperor that much?”

“Who dares to like His Majesty? …Except for Your Consort, who is wise, divine, possessed of extraordinary bearing, infinite charm, and is deeply favored by His Majesty!” Shuoling didn’t even pause for breath while praising him.

Qi Jia intentionally smirked, looking at her with a dismissive smile without making a sound.

Shuoling: “Since we’re talking about this, I won’t hide it… Years ago when I first started, on the first day, I saw His Majesty slap an immortal attendant to death! …It’s said that attendant sneaked into His Majesty’s bedchamber at night to offer themselves!”

Qi Jia: “…” He suddenly remembered that he had sneaked into Yu Baixi’s bedchamber at night more than once… And also wanted to offer himself. … He suddenly began to think that the day Yu Baixi pulled him into an illusion to bite him might have simply been to punish him?

Shuoling: “Although I later learned that person was a spy from the Demon Realm meant to poison His Majesty. But His Majesty already has an ‘evil’ reputation. In the past, Hongmeng Palace would periodically carry out several attendants or female officials wrapped in white cloth. Some even rumored that His Majesty had to eat a few attendants alive every year…”

Qi Jia: “…”

“In short, for many years, I would walk the long way around if I saw His Majesty, for fear of being eaten alive.”

Qi Jia: “…”

“Back then I was young and had seen little.” Shuoling smiled embarrassedly. “Later, the demons probably realized His Majesty absolutely wouldn’t be seduced… no, wait, wouldn’t be deceived. Fewer people were sent, fewer died, and His Majesty didn’t seem as terrifying…”

“…You’ve had it hard, and your Emperor has had it hard too.” Qi Jia evaluated fairly.

“But it’s true His Majesty won’t be deceived. It’s also true he has a cold personality.” Shuoling said. “Think about it, Your Consort, I’ve served here for thousands of years! Thousands of years! I’ve barely seen His Majesty! I have no idea what he does daily or what he likes. No matter how you look at it, it’s too terrifying!”

As Shuoling spoke, she looked at Han Mo, who had been pretending he didn’t exist. “Isn’t that right, General Han?”

Han Mo: “…It is indeed so.” Even he felt His Majesty was a bit excessive in this regard. After all, ten thousand years ago, he was His Majesty’s childhood friend. But in these ten thousand years, His Majesty wouldn’t see him if he didn’t want to.

“Oh?” Qi Jia looked at Han Mo, suddenly realizing he had overlooked something. “By the way, General Han, do you know me?”

Han Mo: “Ah? Kn—know you? You are the Empress Consort…”

“No.” Qi Jia narrowed his eyes. “I mean, did you know me before?”

“…I didn’t.” Han Mo followed the plan he had agreed upon with His Majesty to simply pretend he didn’t know him, but he found he couldn’t quite withstand the gaze of the Consort. …He could handle the cute round bird form, but these bright, piercing eyes in human form were hard to stand up to even if he wasn’t feeling guilty… Furthermore, that one distant glance Han Mo had of his idol ten thousand years ago—General Feng Yan looked exactly like this.

… Out of necessity, Han Mo lowered his head again to hide his reddening face.

“It suddenly occurred to me. Your Emperor sent you to protect me; he must have explained something to you?” Qi Jia observed his reaction carefully.

Han Mo: “…He really said nothing.”

Qi Jia: “I heard you are the Emperor’s childhood friend.”

“No, no, no.” Han Mo waved his hands and shook his head. “Your Consort flatters me. I only stayed by the Previous Empress’s side for a few years; how could I be a childhood friend…” Facing the Empress’s scrutinizing gaze, Han Mo instinctively compromised. “I’ll tell the truth. Ten thousand years ago when His Majesty was still the Crown Prince, our relationship was indeed decent. Back then, His Majesty’s temper wasn’t like it is now… but in these ten thousand years, His Majesty’s personality changed drastically, and even I am not favored… If there’s anything special about me as a ‘childhood friend,’ it’s probably just that I can help His Majesty argue in court.”

This was true, so Han Mo spoke with ease.

Qi Jia asked, “Argue about what in court?”

Han Mo said, “Fairy Shuoling knows about this.”

Shuoling nodded and said to Qi Jia, “It’s still my dad and the others risking their lives to urge His Majesty to marry… His Majesty doesn’t like verbal disputes with the ministers. After being nagged for a long time, he found General Han to be his ‘mouthpiece.'”

Han Mo nodded. “At first, His Majesty could offer a few excuses. Later, it was all me talking.”

Qi Jia said, “Then your Emperor’s temper isn’t actually that bad. He hasn’t gotten angry after being nagged for ten thousand years; he even has the leisure to watch arguments.”

“Now that Your Consort mentions it, it’s true. I was annoyed to death by my dad’s nagging! His Majesty actually doesn’t get angry.” Shuoling clapped her hands, her expression lively. “If it were me, being nagged for ten thousand years and often suspected of being ‘incapable,’ I’d have to drag out a couple of officials and kill them just to vent!”

Qi Jia: … Wait a minute, Fairy Shuoling. Have you considered that the ‘couple of officials’ might very well include your father?…

General Han, as the mouthpiece, had more to say on this. He waved his hand. “I was actually curious about this too, so I asked His Majesty indirectly… His Majesty’s original words were: ‘If the immortals in the Palace of Nine Heavens can still argue about such things, it means the world is at peace and the Four Realms are harmonious.'”

“…” Both Qi Jia and Shuoling fell silent.

Maybe he had read too many storybooks, but Qi Jia’s mind automatically painted a picture: In the Palace of Nine Heavens, the Emperor leaned lazily on his throne, listening to the ministers argue until their faces were red over his marriage. The cold-faced Emperor had “violence and impatience” written on his face, but in his heart, he was secretly rejoicing: How nice, another peaceful day.

… A moment later, Qi Jia looked at Han Mo. “…So you are your Emperor’s… Guardian of Marriage?”

Han Mo lowered his head further. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Qi Jia narrowed his eyes again. If General Han was specifically responsible for helping Yu Baixi solve marriage problems, then it made sense for Yu Baixi to send him to protect him. It was also possible the man didn’t know him. But Qi Jia didn’t fully believe his words. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe what was said, but rather that the man’s behavior in front of him was strange.

“You said your Emperor’s personality changed drastically ten thousand years ago. When did that happen?”

“This…” On this point, both Han Mo and Shuoling seemed conflicted. Discussing the Emperor was a serious crime. Although they gossiped plenty in private, it seemed inappropriate to say such things in front of the Empress…

Qi Jia said, “Only the three of us will know what is said today.” He had no intention of prying into a person’s long-term privacy. Even if that person was to be his future partner. He just wanted to find some clues that could fill the questions in his heart…

Qi Jia simply raised a barrier around the three of them. This was a spell he upgraded based on the principle of the astral barrier, specifically designed to prevent eavesdropping. “This Consort treats you both as friends. We can speak freely.”

Shuoling was the first to speak. “Actually, it’s not a secret. His Majesty’s personality changed drastically over ten thousand years ago after he solo-killed the Demon God and was battle-damaged. Afterward… the Previous Emperor passed away, His Majesty ascended the throne, and in these ten thousand years, His Majesty became increasingly solitary and cold, to the point where even my dad and the others find him unpredictable.”

“Speaking of that.” Qi Jia’s brow furrowed slightly. “This Consort heard it was His Majesty who killed the Previous Emperor.”

“…” Shuoling and Han Mo were both silent. Complaining about the Emperor’s personality was very different from discussing the events of that year. At least in the Heaven Realm, no one would mention it…

“No need to say more.” Qi Jia waved his hand. “I won’t make it difficult for you.” He just found it strange. If the story he heard at Mt. Budu wasn’t true, why had it been spread in the Four Realms for so many years? And if it was true, the question remained: if the Emperor was so brutal he killed his own father, why would he let the Four Realms comment on it so freely? No matter the reason, killing one’s father isn’t something that sounds good when spread. Furthermore, if Yu Baixi had some traits of madness or mental instability, it might make sense. But he didn’t. Qi Jia didn’t feel any of that from him. He even felt the man was excessively lucid. Otherwise… Qi Jia instinctively gripped his wrist.

The mysteries increased. Qi Jia shook his head slightly. He wanted to solve his own mysteries, not burden himself. He quickly put the matter aside.

After a fruitless tour of the Jade Capital, Qi Jia returned to the library. Fairy Shuoling took the Empress’s orders to heart. In the evening, she brought Qi Jia a colored scroll that was larger than a storybook. She told Qi Jia mysteriously: “This is something that can clearly explain all the ways of mating.”

Shuoling said, “This thing wasn’t easy to get. I pulled many strings to get it from the black market in the mortal realm.”

“Thank you, Shuoling.” Qi Jia took it with a smile. His focus, however, was: So there are many ways of mating?

Before Qi Jia could open it, Fairy Shuoling claimed she had business and ran out of the library. As she left, both her cheeks were flushed red.

Qi Jia: ? He felt Fairy Shuoling’s reaction was a bit strange. With this strange feeling, Qi Jia casually unfurled the scroll. Pictures of small figures intertwined came into view…

A moment later, Qi Jia decisively closed the scroll. A strange blush uncontrollably crept onto his jade-white cheeks. Common sense that had been lost due to amnesia suddenly spread across his mind like the unfurling scroll…

Uh. He finally knew what “mating” meant!…

Late at night, Hongmeng Palace.

The Emperor had just pulled out a memorial and opened it when he suddenly looked up. To the empty space, he said, “What is it?” His voice was bone-chillingly cold, like crushed jade on ice.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Consort took another tour of the Jade Capital today and met with Lord Si and the others. It seems he is trying to find anyone else in the Jade Capital who knows him.” Han Mo’s voice came from the void.

“Mhm.” With a low response, the Emperor held his brush and lowered his eyes, writing a single-word comment on the memorial: Mhm.

Han Mo was used to this and didn’t find it odd. He added, “However, in the past, the Consort rarely appeared before others in human form. Very few in the Jade Capital have seen him. Even I only saw him once from afar while following Your Majesty back then. At the time, I only felt he was staggeringly beautiful, causing me to freeze on the spot, marveling at his peerless grace, far beyond what ordinary people—”

“Get to the point.” The Emperor’s voice came even colder, cutting Han Mo off. His grey-blue eyes scrutinized coldly. “At that time, he was not your ‘Consort.'”

Han Mo: “…Hasn’t the idol in my memory completely merged with the current person? No conflict!”

The Emperor gave a slight, cold smile, his eyes glinting. “You saw him once and were floored? Then back then, did you admire his strength, or were you merely shocked by his appearance?”

Han Mo: “Naturally it was—!”

“No need for me to know.” Interrupting General Han’s pointless rambling again, Yu Baixi lowered his eyes. “What else is there to report?” His voice returned to cold indifference.

Han Mo: … Regarding this Emperor, who was clearly colder than before, Han Mo felt he was out of options. If it weren’t for working in front of his idol and the fact that His Majesty gave him a raise, he really wouldn’t want to serve anymore—

His Majesty bullied the Consort himself, causing the Consort not to see him for days. Yet he didn’t go find him, instead locking himself in his room. He claimed that it was good for them to have no intersection, yet under the guise of looking after him, he demanded Han Mo report every night via secret transmission.

… The key was, His Majesty’s way of “bullying” the Consort was biting him once in an illusion… If His Majesty had actually done something to the Consort to make him angry… even if it was a real bite! Han Mo wouldn’t feel so ashamed for this young master he had followed for years!!

Perhaps calling His Majesty “ashamed” was disrespectful. Han Mo chose to describe his Emperor this way: Simple.

In short, even if no one else believed it, Han Mo was convinced there was no child in the Consort’s belly. …Even if there were a child, it couldn’t possibly be His Majesty’s! How would it even get there!

“Your Majesty, are you still going to the Nine-Layer Tower tonight?” Han Mo asked helplessly.

The Nine-Layer Tower of the Nine Heavens was where the world’s evil energy was gathered and suppressed. The filthy evil energy was endless and would automatically condense into evil beings. Since the Heaven Realm established the tower tens of thousands of years ago to actively attract evil energy, one of the Emperor’s duties was to clear it. The tower had nine levels. Because the evil energy was constant, the beings inside grew continuously and could devour each other. The higher the level, the stronger the beings.

Even so, with the current Emperor’s power, clearing the tower three or four times a year to ensure the beings didn’t escape was enough. But according to Han Mo’s knowledge, in the four days and three nights that the Consort hadn’t come to see him, His Majesty had already gone three times! Three batches of top-level evil beings in the tower were already dead!

Yu Baixi didn’t answer where he was going tonight. He only asked coldly, “What is the matter?”

“Oh, there is one more thing.” Han Mo said. “Fairy Shuoling found a… Spring Palace Drawing (erotica) for the Consort today.”

“Spring Palace Drawing?” Yu Baixi’s hand movements paused. After a moment of silence, the Emperor moved again. “It is well. He never knew what it was… now that he knows, it is well.”

As he said it was well, the Emperor’s eyelids drooped slightly, his long lashes casting a shadow that hid his thoughts. In truth, Yu Baixi thought, that bird was only amnesiac, not ignorant. His personality, though seemingly more straightforward and mischievous than before, hadn’t actually changed when examined closely. For such a private matter as mating… Now that he knew what it was, he probably wouldn’t come looking for him again.

Truly, there was no need to meet again before his memory recovered. And once he remembered who he was… they would see each other even less.

Yu Baixi looked down at the desk. Just then, Han Mo’s voice rang out again: “The problem is, the Consort said he wants to research the mating methods in the drawings… and he went to Yuxian Pavilion.”

Yu Baixi: ? The Emperor suddenly looked up.

Han Mo was worried his “simple” Majesty wouldn’t understand and continued to explain: “It’s that Yuxian Pavilion in the mortal realm, the Four Realms’ famous Southern Breeze (male brothel)—”

This time, before he could finish. The Emperor’s figure had already vanished from the spot.