Chapter 143: Take Back What Belongs to You and Become the Supreme Ruler

Jin'er raised her eyes to look at his gloating smile, and she really wanted to kick him flying. However, fearing that Ying'er would feel heartache over it, she ultimately chose to endure it.

"How is the matter we discussed the other day coming along in your considerations?" Chu Yifan asked as he raised his wine cup to clink it against Jin'er's, before tilting his head back to drain it in one gulp.

Jin'er ignored him and simply continued drinking her own wine.

Chu Yifan chuckled as he watched her for a moment, then lowered his head to refill his cup. "You don't have to think of it as considering the common people. Think of it as doing this for yourself."

At these words, Jin'er's hand paused for a fraction of a second, but she quickly returned to normal, acting as if she had not heard a word he said.

"To take back what rightfully belongs to you, to become the Supreme Ruler, and to seize control of your own destiny and the fates of millions—are you truly not tempted in the slightest?" Chu Yifan said in an exceptionally soft and calm tone, his gaze never leaving Jin'er's eyes.

Clearly, these words were far more enticing than his previous long-winded arguments. At least, he caught a faint trace of interest in her eyes.

"I know you have suffered greatly, endured much hardship, and perhaps even harbored resentment toward a world that has been far too cold to you. So why not seize this opportunity to reclaim the status that is rightfully yours? Now that no one in the royal family can stand above you, what is there left to fear?" Chu Yifan pressed on, striking while the iron was hot.

Jin'er looked at him with an ambiguous smile, took another small sip of her wine, and then slowly spoke, "Aren't you afraid that I might become a tyrant in the future?"

Chu Yifan raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Not at all. At worst, you'd just be a muddle-headed ruler. But with me around, you won't be that muddle-headed."

"Flatterer," Jin'er gave him a sideways glance and smiled.

"Well? Anyone else would not be nearly as hesitant. In my eyes, you possess far more of a monarch's bearing than the Empress of Shui."

Hearing this, Jin'er smiled with pressed lips and drained the wine in her cup in one gulp. "I wouldn't have guessed you were so skilled at flattery."

"Hehe, if you consider this flattery, Your Highness, you are the very first person to ever enjoy such treatment." Chu Yifan smiled, raising his cup toward her.

Jin'er smiled, clinked her cup against his, and said, "It sounds wonderful, but it's nothing more than drawing a cake to satisfy hunger."

"A cake?" Chu Yifan raised an eyebrow.

"It's all illusory. How easy do you think restoring the nation is?" Jin'er's cherry lips parted slightly, speaking in a voice audible only to the two of them.

"Leave the specifics to us; Her Highness need not worry too much."

Jin'er raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "I'll think about it. Cheers."

"Cheers."

After that, the two ceased discussing matters of state and simply drank casually.

"How time flies. To think that back then, you were just a scrawny little girl practicing clumsy martial arts moves by Ying'er's side, and in the blink of an eye, you've become a peerless beauty skilled in both formidable martial arts and supreme medical arts. It's truly a bit hard for me to get used to." Chu Yifan gave Jin'er a deep look and said with a smile.

With her cheeks flushed pink from the alcohol, Jin'er smiled with a trace of smugness. "My abilities go far beyond what you've seen so far."

"Oh? I'm becoming increasingly curious. Care to enlighten me?" Chu Yifan leaned in closer and asked.

Seeing his handsome face suddenly draw so close, Jin'er, who had been resting her chin in her hand with her elbow propped on the table, hurriedly straightened her posture. "Can't be bothered with you." With that, she cast a sidelong glance at him and poured herself another cup of wine.

Chu Yifan curled his lips, smiled helplessly, and said, "Stop drinking. If you drink any more, you'll pass out."

"Nosey," Jin'er retorted unhappily.

"Fine, then keep drinking. If you pass out, it'll just give me a chance to hold a beauty in my arms." With a mischievous wink at the end, Chu Yifan smiled wickedly at Jin'er.

Jin'er shivered, her hand shaking so badly that the wine in her cup spilled over the brim.

Damn it, why is he winking at her like that?! He scared the life out of her...

"I'm leaving!" Jin'er dropped the remark in a huff, slammed her cup down onto the table, and stood up to leave, only to be hit by a sudden wave of dizziness that made her stumble.

"Are you alright?" Chu Yifan, sitting across from her, appeared by her side out of nowhere and caught her by the arm.

"I'm fine." Jin'er pushed him away, shook her slightly dizzy head, and forged ahead. Though she tried her best to maintain her composure, her feet ultimately refused to cooperate, making her walk in a somewhat unsteady, wobbly fashion. Fortunately, she remained quite sober; though her legs felt weak, she was not quite at the point of falling over.

"Miss, you haven't paid yet!" A waiter rushed over to block Jin'er's path, only to be reined in by someone pulling him from behind.

"I'll pay." After shoving some silver coins into the waiter's hands, Chu Yifan followed unhurriedly behind Jin'er.

"Oho, whose young lady is this? She looks just like a fairy dropped from heaven. Tsk tsk tsk... Look at those blushing cheeks, it makes this lord simply want to take a bite." In a deserted alleyway, a few scoundrels surrounded the slightly intoxicated Jin'er.

"Scram!" Jin'er glared at the men before her, shouting with breath reeking of alcohol.

"Oh ho, quite the spicy one! Looks like she's had quite a bit to drink too. Playing with her should be a lot of fun, hahaha..." One of them leered at Jin'er with an obscene smile, prompting the others to burst into loud laughter as well.

However, no sooner had the laughter escaped their lips than a series of miserable shrieks and groans rang out. In the blink of an eye, Jin'er staggered forward a couple of steps, dusted off her sleeves, and continued strolling away gracefully, paying no further mind to the group of ruffians groaning in agony on the ground behind her.

Not far behind, Chu Yifan smiled silently and resumed following her. Only after watching her safely pass through the palace gates did he turn and leave.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..." A young eunuch came running at top speed toward Heling Feng and reported, "The Divine Doctor has returned, but it seems she drank quite a lot. She's having a very hard time walking. The palace maids wanted to help her back, but she wouldn't let them."

Before the sentence had even finished, Heling Feng had already risen and strode swiftly toward the exit.

"Don't mind me, I'm not drunk! I'm just tired, I'll rest for a bit... then keep going!" Jin'er leaned her back against a rockery in the garden, waving her sleeves and shouting in annoyance.

Honestly, she could take down a bunch of thugs, so why on earth would she need them to help her walk?!

"This maid pays respects to Your Highness." The synchronized voices of the maids rang in her ears. Before Jin'er could figure out who they were bowing to, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and her feet suddenly left the ground.

"Ah!!" After letting out a startled shriek, Jin'er realized she had been scooped up horizontally into someone's arms.

"Let me go! Put me down! I can walk by myself! Let me go!" Jin'er shouted as she flailed her fists and hammered them against the man's chest.

Heling Feng furrowed his brow, gritting his teeth in silence as he endured the blows, completely speechless at the drunken menace in his arms. And she wasn't pulling punches either—even intoxicated, those fists packed quite a wallop.

After struggling haphazardly in Heling Feng's embrace for a short while, Jin'er, whose limbs were already devoid of strength, had no choice but to surrender.

So dizzy, so tired... She slumped limply into the crook of his arm, closed her eyes, and fell asleep within two minutes. Seeing that she had finally quieted down, Heling Feng let out an inward sigh of relief.

Carrying her back to her chambers, he laid her down carefully onto the bed, then sat beside her and pulled a quilt over her body.

Gazing at her flushed, pretty face and her cherry lips that looked ready to be plucked, Heling Feng could not resist raising a hand to gently stroke them. The pad of his thumb softly caressed her smooth cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness and affection.

Noticing the slight frown between her brows, he gently massaged the area with his fingers, wishing he could smooth away her worries, yet the furrowed brow refused to relax.

"Jin'er, is marrying me truly that agonizing for you? I will love you, cherish you, and treat you well for the rest of my life." With a soft sigh, Heling Feng slowly lowered his head and gently pressed his lips against her pink, tender lips with a hint of nervousness.

He had originally intended only a brief, passing kiss, but the intoxicating sweetness of her lips made him reluctant to pull away. Moving his lips slightly, he slowly closed his eyes and deepened the kiss with tenderness and profound affection.

The sleeping figure let out a soft murmur, startling Heling Feng into halting his actions and snapping his eyes open. Seeing that she had not woken up, he let out a silent breath of relief and was about to pull away when he felt a tickle on his lips—to his surprise, Jin'er had begun to reciprocate.

A wave of joy washed over Heling Feng; how could he bear to leave now? He closed his eyes once more and kissed her with mounting fervor. He did not know whether she had regained consciousness or was still fast asleep, but her present gentleness and passion intoxicated him, making him willingly drown in the sensation.

Their breathing grew increasingly hurried and ragged, and a fierce desire ignited deep within Heling Feng's heart—a yearning to possess her completely right then and there. Yet he knew he must not; he wanted to reserve that most precious moment for their wedding night.

With this thought, Heling Feng forcefully suppressed his intense desire and pulled away from Jin'er's lips.

With her eyes still closed, Jin'er frowned and pouted slightly, looking somewhat dissatisfied.

Seeing her looking so endearing and adorable, Heling Feng couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. He turned over to lie down beside her, slid his arm beneath her neck to serve as a pillow, and pulled her into his embrace with his other arm, gently patting her back to soothe her into a sound sleep.

Sensing this warmth, Jin'er finally smoothed out her brow, nuzzled deeper into his chest, and settled into a comfortable position as she drifted back into a deep slumber.

Listening to her steady, gentle breathing and looking down at her lovely sleeping face, Heling Feng felt his heart soften into a pool of cotton.

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"Ah!!!!!!!!"

Jin'er jolted awake from her dream. Opening her eyes to find herself in a man's embrace, she screamed in sheer terror, shoved him away fiercely, and scrambled back to the far side of the bed.

Recognizing the man as Heling Feng, the events of earlier suddenly rushed back to her, and she muttered in exasperation, "Pervert! Get out of here right now!" With that, she hurriedly checked herself over, and upon finding her clothes completely intact, she let out a silent sigh of relief.

Heling Feng gave her a profound look, said nothing, and silently rolled out of bed to leave.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Jin'er finally relaxed completely. Her mind suddenly flashed back to the dream where Qingyang had kissed her and held her in his arms as she slept... Damn it! Could it be that earlier it was actually... him?!

Good heavens, no wonder people always say it's easy to lose control after drinking! If he had actually done anything to her back then, she probably would have mistaken him for Qingyang and offered no resistance at all...

Tsk tsk tsk... She would definitely need to learn her lesson from this in the future. [End of Today's Update] Alcohol really is something else.