Smooth, fair skin.
Hmm, this refers to Li Mengdie's fair and tender skin, not anything else. Those who thought otherwise, go to the wall.
Chu Chen placed his index and middle fingers on Li Mengdie's pulse, closed his eyes slightly, and infused a trace of spiritual energy to examine her body.
The Dao Heart Seeding Demon, a cultivation technique only seen in novels from his previous life, operated in a way that greatly intrigued Chu Chen. He had already planned to investigate it, and now that Li Mengdie personally invited him, why not?
Traces of spiritual energy infiltrated Li Mengdie's body without any resistance, as if she had completely given up and resigned herself.
Chu Chen's spiritual energy circulated through Li Mengdie's body, but he found nothing.
"No abnormalities in the meridians. Could it be in the three dantian points: lower, middle, or upper?"
Chu Chen frowned and divided his spiritual energy into three, simultaneously infiltrating the three dantian points.
Nothing was found in the lower dantian. In the middle dantian, he discovered a massive object that looked more like a jade bracelet-like artifact than the Dao Heart Seeding Demon.
The upper dantian...
"This thing, occupying one-tenth of the realm like a pill, is the Dao Heart Seeding Demon?"
Chu Chen cautiously controlled his spiritual energy, keeping a distance as he peered into the Dao Heart.
It was half red and half black, circular in shape, covered in unknown patterns, and emitted faint mental fluctuations.
Compared to other colored spheres, its size was immense.
"Dao Heart Seeding Demon... it now occupies one-tenth of the Divine Court. I wonder if it can be removed, and if that girl Xin Yue's Divine Court also has one."
Chu Chen's expression was solemn as he observed the entity with his spiritual energy. His intuition told him that all his spiritual energy combined might not be a match for it.
"What a troublesome thing!"
Chu Chen mentally noted its appearance, then withdrew his spiritual energy from Li Mengdie's body, letting it dissipate into the world rather than recalling it.
This was not cowardice, but caution. Who knew if the Dao Heart Seeding Demon could contaminate his spiritual energy? If he were to absorb it back into his body and have the Dao Heart Seeding Demon planted within him, it would be a disaster.
"Prime Minister Chu, how is my body?"
As Chu Chen opened his eyes, he heard Li Mengdie's words, which seemed to carry a double meaning. His expression turned peculiar, and he thought, "Damn it, it's as if I did something to you."
He maintained a serious expression and said, "Your Highness's body shows no signs of illness. Are you feigning sickness to avoid returning to the capital? That won't do. If your achievements are not brought back, how will His Majesty and the court know of my contributions?"
"Is that so? But I feel a pain in my abdomen. Perhaps Prime Minister Chu could trouble himself further and examine me?"
Li Mengdie looked at him with a half-smile, making a gesture as if to lift the covers.
Chu Chen raised an eyebrow. Even now, she was still feigning illness to tease him? Fine, if she wanted to play, he would play along. Let's see who breaks first.
Seeing that Chu Chen did not object, a hint of madness flashed across Li Mengdie's face. She stopped pretending and genuinely lifted the covers.
Instantly, Chu Chen's vision was filled with a blinding white expanse.
"This is bad, it's a trap! I'm done for! My eyes are contaminated!"
Chu Chen was greatly alarmed and wanted to get up, but his eyes were inexplicably drawn to the white expanse, as if trying to discern the true nature of the trap to protect him.
"How is it? Am I ill?" Li Mengdie slowly rose from the bed, her jade hand reaching out to embrace his neck, and asked with a soft laugh.
"Uh~ uh~ perhaps, maybe, it's indeed an illness?"
Chu Chen didn't know what he was saying, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. This was too... much.
Could it be that His Highness the Prince was truly ill? Yes, it must be, otherwise, this scene couldn't be explained!
"Is that so? Then please, Prime Minister Chu, treat me."
Saying this, Li Mengdie took Chu Chen's hand and placed it on her body. Then, with a slight exertion of her right hand, she pulled Chu Chen down.
They both fell onto the bed. With a slight hook of her toes, the bed curtains fell again.
A moment later, Chu Chen reacted. The Prince was testing him, the cadre. Which cadre could withstand such a test!
No, he couldn't betray the court, His Majesty, or Xin Yue!
"Let go quickly, you're not sick at all!"
Chu Chen struggled to get up, only to be met with a few soft moans.
"If I'm not sick, why would I be like this?"
"...This seems to be the case. No! You're quibbling. This isn't a physical illness, I think you have a mental illness! I can't treat that! Goodbye!"
Saying this, Chu Chen grabbed Li Mengdie's wrists, forcing her to be still.
Just as he was getting up to leave.
Suddenly, Li Mengdie's eyes glinted with disdain as she laughed, "Prime Minister Chu, you, a fake eunuch, rose to the position of prime minister. The world says you're pretending to be a eunuch, but now it seems you might be a real one."
"What? Which scoundrel is spreading such nonsense! I am a proper man! My 'thing' is bigger than theirs! How can I be a real eunuch!"
Chu Chen was instantly enraged. This fake eunuch identity was a sore point. Was he going to be mocked for it by everyone? Like Bi Ma Wen?
"Is that so? But facts speak louder than words."
"Damn it! Woman! You're playing with fire!"
Chu Chen glared at her fiercely. His feet had already lifted the bed curtains, and he was about to leave. Yet, Li Mengdie continued to look at him with disdain and contempt, softly saying, "Eunuch!"
"...You! I am majestic and extraordinary, with six-pack abs, and my body is filled with virile energy!"
"Eunuch!"
"...When I was on the battlefield, I was decisive, my sword swift. Who didn't praise me as a true man?"
"A eunuch without that thing!"
"...I am already engaged to Xin Yue, and His Majesty has decreed me a true man!"
"Still a eunuch?"
"...Damn it! You're making me furious!"
Chu Chen felt the rage in his chest had nowhere to go, he was about to explode!
He roared, "This is your own doing! Since you're sick, I'll give you a good treatment and show you whether I'm a eunuch or not!"
Saying this, he released Li Mengdie's wrists and, with a swift change of attire, pounced on her.
"If you're sick, you need treatment! Let me give you an injection with my Western medicine needle!"
"Mmm~ it hurts so much~"
Li Mengdie's face contorted in pain, but inwardly, she felt a twisted sense of satisfaction.
"Fifth sister, second sister has gone ahead of you! The competition between us has just begun! The throne's fate is yet undecided, hahahaha~ Fifth sister, oh fifth sister!"