Girl, There's Something Wrong With You - Chapter 17

On the surface of Qinghe County, in the rear hall of the County Lord’s residence, Murong Shu was deep in conversation with two other women.

“Even the Ziwei Emperor wouldn’t dare recklessly storm into my territory for a large-scale search without solid evidence,” Murong Shu remarked with an arched brow. “If you leave in such a hurry now, you’re more likely to be discovered by spies outside, which could lead to your death. Let’s drop the matter for now—stay here and rest for a while.”

Su Lili and Ye Ru exchanged a glance, both looking troubled.

“Ah Shu,” Ye Ru began, “the North Star and South Star Lords are not like the Four Directional Deities. The Ziwei Emperor will stop at nothing to keep them under her control. With the South Star’s fire stolen, she can’t track it, but she absolutely won’t let the North Star’s fire slip away so easily.”

“If it were only me facing her and dying in battle, I wouldn’t mind,” Su Lili added anxiously. “But dragging you into this mess—I can’t bear it.”

“If you truly cared, why did you pass through my Qinghe County in the first place?” Murong Shu snapped, her expression turning cold. “Escaping trouble only to run by my doorstep—were you planning to put me in a moral dilemma?”

Ye Ru’s anger flared. “We fled from Luoyang to the open seas. Should we have taken a detour around your Qinghe County instead? Besides, we didn’t notify you in advance. You could’ve just turned a blind eye and let us pass quietly. But you insisted on inviting us to stay, and now you’re blaming us?”

“I did it for your own good!” Murong Shu nearly exploded. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have made it to the coast before being caught!”

“Alright, alright, stop arguing,” Su Lili interjected, massaging her temples helplessly.

Murong Shu and Ye Ru were old acquaintances. Back when Murong Shu wasn’t yet a Star Lord, the two had been close friends. Now, seeing Ye Ru arguing with Murong Shu for her sake, Su Lili couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“Star Lord,” someone suddenly called from outside. “Lord Xin Yuehu requests an audience.”

“Not seeing anyone. I’m busy,” Murong Shu replied irritably.

“She claims it’s about your mother,” the subordinate added.

“Damn it!” Murong Shu stiffened in shock, and a murderous aura radiated from her instantly. “When it rains, it pours!”

“Ah Shu, be cautious—it might be…” Ye Ru reminded her.

Murong Shu quickly calmed herself. The Ziwei Emperor was combing the land and sea for clues, and the current situation was highly sensitive. If someone had captured her mother, it might very well be an attempt to coerce her.

If this matter escalated and caught the Ziwei Emperor’s attention, it would undoubtedly spell trouble for her. Handling it delicately was essential.

After exchanging a few words with Su Lili and Ye Ru, Murong Shu hurriedly left the rear hall.

In the main hall, Cheng Jinyang was curiously examining the surroundings.

The so-called Qinghe County Lord’s residence was no more than a repurposed, secluded military base from a bygone dynasty. It was now occupied by demons, and everywhere you looked, you’d see strikingly beautiful “young ladies.” Any one of them could effortlessly crush a man’s skull with their immense strength.

Lady Xin Yuehu appeared to be a graceful woman with a seductive figure. She spoke with a constant smile, engaging in polite conversation with Princess Sister while sneaking fiery glances at Cheng Jinyang.

Cheng Jinyang, however, ignored her intense gaze, instead whispering with Wang Wanrou and Jiang Jiu or occasionally exchanging a few words with the timid-looking Old Lady Luo, who followed behind them.

When Murong Shu stormed into the hall, the conversations abruptly stopped. Old Lady Luo’s face lit up with joy as she hurriedly approached, trembling. “Ah Yu…”

Murong Shu looked momentarily awkward. Her childhood name had been Ah Yu, but Murong Shu was the name of the original owner of this body. After taking over, she had kept the name out of convenience. Now, hearing her real name unexpectedly revealed to those around her, she immediately shot a glare at Xin Yuehu, who quickly bowed her head and shut her eyes, signaling she had heard nothing and would never speak of it.

“What do you want?” Murong Shu asked coldly after a brief moment of comforting her mother.

“Cooperation,” Cheng Jinyang responded with neither arrogance nor humility. “I currently hold command in Jingkou. I can ensure the Madam’s well-being in her later years.”

Murong Shu didn’t inquire further about the specifics of the cooperation. She simply nodded. “Jingkou Commandery… you’re Cheng Jinyang?”

“I’m honored that my humble name is known to a divine figure like you,” Cheng Jinyang replied with a slight smile.

“Your identity is quite sensitive, even on our side,” Murong Shu sighed. “Your mother did quite a number back in her day…”

She suddenly realized she’d said too much. What was the point of discussing past regimes in the current dynasty? Quickly changing the subject, she continued, “Collusion between humans and demons isn’t unheard of. For example, Lingguang Star Lord on our side once had a secret alliance with your Commandery Governor, Zu Shishao of Shouchun. But didn’t Zu Shishao and Su Zigao fail in their rebellion because Lingguang betrayed them from behind?”

“Humans and demons are ultimately different. Whether in terms of political interests or racial identity, we’ll never truly see eye to eye. If you think you can expect anything unreasonable from me, I advise you to give up on that thought early.”

“How could I dare harbor such delusions?” Cheng Jinyang wasn’t surprised by her response. Having already discussed this with Princess Sister and Miss Wang earlier, he simply smiled. “Jingkou and Qinghe don’t share a border, so there’s no direct conflict of interest between us. The principle of ‘allying with distant forces to attack nearby ones’ is only natural.”

“Oh, how thoughtful of you,” Murong Shu scoffed.

“Exchanging intelligence, facilitating trade, and ensuring care for the elderly—none of these require much effort,” Cheng Jinyang continued, handing over a prepared document. “It’s not intended as a deep alliance.”

Murong Shu glanced over the document briefly before setting it aside and nodding. “Fine.”

As for signing any formal contract—such an idea was laughable. Demons didn’t have much of a concept of law to begin with, and even in a lawful society, the strong could easily override the law. A piece of paper could be torn apart at any moment.

With the agreement reached, the atmosphere lightened considerably. Murong Shu instructed her subordinates to prepare a banquet to entertain the three human guests.

The food and drink served were all normal human fare. Everyone merely took a few symbolic bites before setting their utensils down, focusing instead on conversation. Princess Sister sought permission to pass through Qinghe County en route to Jinyang County. Miss Wang was curious about the demon world’s inner workings. Cheng Jinyang, meanwhile, aimed to gather information about Su Lili and Ye Ru. Thus, the discussions that followed were of utmost importance.

“Jinyang County?” Murong Shu frowned. “That’s under the domain of Zhizming Star Lord. I can’t say much about that place.”

“We’re not seeking classified information,” Princess Sister said with a smile. “We just hope the Star Lord will permit us safe passage through your territory.”

“I can arrange for you to be escorted there,” Murong Shu waved dismissively. “That won’t be an issue.”

With the first matter resolved smoothly, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the mood grew even more relaxed. Cheng Jinyang seized the opportunity to ask Murong Shu, “I have an old acquaintance named Su Lili. Has the Star Lord heard of her?”

“I haven’t,” Murong Shu answered instinctively, only to suddenly recall something.

Su Lili—that was the mortal name of Ye Ru’s friend, Yaoguang. Or rather, she should now be called the North Star Lord.

“This old acquaintance of yours, Su Lili—is she human or demon?” Murong Shu lazily asked, twirling her wine cup in hand. Yet, beneath her calm exterior, her energy locked onto Cheng Jinyang, making the atmosphere tense once more.