Chapter 57

  Xuan Yuan Chen's eyes flashed with a hint of confusion, his eyebrows furrowed, and he said in a low voice, "Your Majesty wants to use it to exchange for someone with me? I didn't know that there was someone by my side who is so important to Your Majesty?" The low voice was filled with undisguised doubt, but the self-address had changed unintentionally.

  Because the things in that box are extremely, extremely important to him, related to the truth of his father's death back then. It can be said that this thing is now worth exchanging for his life, and he will not hesitate to agree. For so many years, he has always wanted to get it, but because of his promise to the former emperor, he did not force it.

  However, he was even more aware that this thing was extremely important to the Emperor, related to the Emperor's throne and even the Emperor's life. Today, the Emperor actually used this thing to exchange for a person, which shows how important this person is. But in his memory, there was no such person.

  Or he didn't believe there was a person in this world who could make the emperor sacrifice and take risks.

  Because in his heart, there is no one else in this world who can make him sacrifice like that.

  "This person is of no importance to me, what's important is that I know how much this thing means to you." The emperor's words paused for a moment, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a cold smile with a hint of deeper meaning. "What? Do you still need to consider?"

  In a cold voice, he deliberately concealed all his emotions, but only in the deep eyes did he reveal a hint of urgency.

  "Oh?" Xuan Yuan's eyebrows slightly raised, and he became less urgent. After all, now it was the Emperor who needed him, not the other way around. The Emperor had gone to such great lengths, so naturally he wouldn't give up easily. Therefore, at this moment, Xuan Yuan didn't rush to respond either. He smiled as if unintentionally, "It's indeed very important to me, but I'm afraid it's also...?" His words intentionally trailed off, the implication already quite clear.

  The emperor's face sank, and suddenly there was a sense of awkwardness at being told the truth. "Xuan Yuan Chen, you don't have to pretend to be mysterious, use it to exchange for someone who is insignificant to you, this is a rare opportunity, if you don't want to exchange, then just forget that I ever said anything, and I won't bother you." As he spoke, he deliberately walked towards the door. A woman, to Xuan Yuan Chen, was indeed someone who could be had or not had, even if that woman was his newlywed queen today, it didn't make much of a difference. The emperor thought so, and everyone who understood Xuan Yuan Chen also thought so, and Xuan Yuan Chen himself probably thought the same way too.

  Xuan Yuan Chen didn't have the slightest intention of stopping the emperor, but instead smiled faintly and said, "In that case, I won't see you off far." A pair of sharp eyes gazed at the emperor's suddenly stiffened back, flashing a hint of cold satisfaction.

  The emperor's footsteps came to an abrupt halt, his face growing increasingly unsightly. He had never expected that Xuan Yuan Zhi would have such a lukewarm attitude. Had he guessed wrong? Did Xuan Yuan Zhi not want it after all????

  It's impossible, Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't have imagined that this thing would be so unresponsive. Even he had only made such a decision because of his sudden agitation just now. Now thinking about it, he still feels a lingering fear. Although he has never opened the box before and doesn't know if what's inside is really as the previous emperor said...

  He had just intended to leave, but his action was somewhat like a cat playing with its prey. However, it was also because of the fear and hesitation in his heart. But Xuan Yuan Chen's attitude made him involuntarily raise a doubt in his heart.

  "What? Don't tell me you don't want it." The departing footsteps froze, and the body slightly turned sideways, staring straight at Xuan Yuan Chen.

  "Haha, haha, haha." Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud, his profound and mysterious expression making the Emperor even more bewildered. After all, the Emperor had just ascended to the throne not long ago and had always lived in the palace, listening to and reading only the opinions and memorials of his ministers. How could he possibly be a match for Xuan Yuan Chen, who had experienced many things in his life?

  It can be said that the Emperor is still somewhat immature, so three years ago, because of a chance encounter with Ling Feng, he made such an impulsive decision, resulting in today's difficult situation.

  But it is precisely because of his innocence that he has such deep feelings for Ling Feng, because he has not been completely tainted by the darkness of the world, and still has an innate kindness, so he has a natural yearning for emotions.

  "What, my words are that amusing?" The emperor was visibly annoyed, already regretting his rash behavior today. Now being laughed at by Xuan Yuan Chen, he couldn't hold his head up high anymore.

  "This king dares not laugh at Your Majesty, this king is just a bit self-deprecating. However, this king is very curious, who exactly does Your Majesty want to use it to swap out from your side?" Xuan Yuan stopped the smile on his face and spoke slowly, with a calm expression, because he was slightly afraid of the emperor's anger.

  However, in his heart, he was not as relaxed as he appeared on the surface. He too was eager to get that box, and the reason for his calm demeanor just now was because he had already detected the emperor's hesitation. He knew that if he showed too much eagerness, the emperor might have second thoughts, so he adopted a pretentious attitude of indifference. The slight smile just now was intentionally meant to provoke the emperor's anger, making him overlook the serious consequences of the matter for the time being. This was because he understood the emperor's character all too well and knew what kind of decisions he would make under what circumstances.

  The emperor's face regained some calmness, and he said with a pretended ease, "I only want one woman, just one woman. To you, she is nothing more than an article of clothing. So this deal is quite profitable for you."

  "Women?" Xuan Yuan Chen slightly furrowed his brow, and his eyes flashed quickly. A figure rapidly flashed through his mind. However, deep down, he didn't feel as relaxed and happy as the Emperor had said. He calmly replied, "A woman, to me and to Your Majesty, seems to have no great difference in significance. Your Majesty isn't someone who indulges in romantic entanglements."

  Ambiguous words, intentionally not expressing himself, but suddenly in his heart, he had a hint of hesitation about that thing. In fact, he could still get that thing by other means, as long as he wanted to, of course, the price he would have to pay might not be as simple as a woman, but at this moment, he inexplicably hesitated.

  His Majesty smiled coldly, "What kind of person I am doesn't need your comment, just answer me, will you exchange or not?"

  "When did Your Majesty become so interested in the woman of this king?" Xuan Yuan Chen still didn't show any expression, and gave that ambiguous answer again, as if he was subconsciously avoiding something. At this moment, it's likely that even he himself wasn't clear about what he was thinking, or what he was trying to avoid.

  "Your woman?" The emperor growled, his voice low and menacing, striking a chord with the anger in his heart. But he quickly hid the anger on his face, and smiled lightly, "I only know that she is the woman I want, it's just that simple." The emperor indeed thought of emotional matters as being this simple, or perhaps it was hard for people to understand, and even harder for them to believe, that an emperor would be so serious and persistent about emotions.

  "I won't bother arguing with you, I want to use it to trade for Murong Lingfeng." The emperor suddenly lost his patience, because he knew that in front of Xuan Yuan Zhen, he absolutely wouldn't have the upper hand, and just now his disguise couldn't deceive Xuan Yuan Zhen's eyes.

  "Murong Lingfeng?" Xuan Yuan Chen said in a low voice, seemingly asking the emperor, yet also seeming to be muttering to himself. His cold face still didn't show much expression, but his hands hidden under his clothes suddenly clenched tightly.

  "It's her, the one who just became the princess today. I know that to you, she is just a woman. How about this deal? Is it acceptable to you?" The emperor continued, his words too decisive, but it was unclear whether he was intentionally highlighting Xuan Yuan Chen's ruthlessness or trying to conceal his own urgency.

  "Haha, yes, yes," Xuan Yuan Chen laughed lightly again, "The emperor is right, she's just a woman after all." But the smile on his face slowly faded away, and his eyes suddenly sank.

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