The Imperial Decree

This is spiraling out of control.

Qin Gou’s thoughts raced as he watched Xu Shuangshuang’s reaction. He couldn’t afford to stay any longer tonight. If he did, the dynamic between “brother and sister” might shift irreversibly, bringing shame to the Marshal’s household. This realization seemed to hit Xu Shuangshuang at the same time.

“Uh, little brother, Second Sister just remembered something urgent. I need to leave for tonight,” Xu Shuangshuang said hurriedly, her face flushed as she pressed a hand against Qin Gou’s chest and stepped back in a panic.

Qin Gou’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Oh? But didn’t Second Sister say earlier that everyone in the Marshal’s estate knows your rule? The first night you return home, you always spend it with your dearest little brother. Are you really going to break that tradition now, after so many years?”

As he spoke, Qin Gou gently brushed a strand of hair away from Xu Shuangshuang’s ear.

“Don’t!” she exclaimed, her shoulders trembling as if she’d been startled by a snake.

Qin Gou feigned innocence. “What’s wrong? I was just touching your hair. Is that not allowed either? Second Sister, are you really this afraid of me?”

Tears welled up in Xu Shuangshuang’s eyes as she took two steps back. “Alright, alright, little brother. Second Sister admits she was wrong. Please stop scaring me.”

“Scaring you? Second Sister, what are you talking about? I adore you. Why would I scare you?” Qin Gou said with a mischievous grin. He knew that if he backed down now, all his efforts would be wasted. There was no turning back.

But Xu Shuangshuang, ever resourceful, clutched her stomach and cried out, “Ah, little brother, my stomach hurts! I really can’t stay tonight. You understand, don’t you?”

Qin Gou raised an eyebrow. “Your… monthly issue?”

“Yes, yes, that’s it,” Xu Shuangshuang nodded vigorously.

“Well, if that’s the case…” Qin Gou sighed dramatically, stepping aside. “I suppose there’s no helping it. But if Second Sister still wants to stay, I don’t mind. We can just sleep like we used to—nothing will happen, I promise.”

“No, no need! What if I dirty your bed? I’d die of embarrassment!” Xu Shuangshuang exclaimed, seizing the opportunity to flee. Clutching her stomach and feigning discomfort, she quickly left the room, her eyes glinting with relief.

Left alone, Qin Gou let out a long sigh, shaking his head with a chuckle. “Still too inexperienced, little girl.”

But he couldn’t help but think about the mess he’d left for the real Xu Jin. Once they switched back, Xu Jin would have to deal with the fallout of these interactions. The sheer awkwardness of it all was unimaginable. Still, for Qin Gou, this wasn’t entirely a bad thing. With his reputation as Xu Jin now firmly established, he could move on to the next phase of his plan.

After securing the room, Qin Gou activated the Dreamwalker spiritual tool, entering a dreamscape where he summoned Mu Man’er. There, he shared the details of his carefully laid plans.

Unbeknownst to him, someone had been observing his every move.

—

A few days later, Qin Gou was surprised to find that despite his scare tactics, Xu Shuangshuang hadn’t distanced herself from him. On the contrary, she continued to act as if nothing had happened, calling him “little brother” at every turn and sticking close to him whenever she could. However, she never brought up the idea of sharing a bed again.

This left Qin Gou feeling both relieved and disappointed. He had hoped to resolve the situation once and for all, but it seemed he’d only managed to delay the inevitable.

“Second Sister, is our elder brother really that busy? It’s been so long, and not only has he not visited, but he hasn’t even sent a servant to deliver his congratulations,” Qin Gou said, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.

Xu Shuangshuang sighed, her expression helpless. “Little brother, how many times do I have to tell you? That’s just how he is. He’s always been cold and distant, even with me. And with you… well, he’s never really acknowledged you, has he?”

“But I’m not the same Xu Jin I used to be. Does he still refuse to see me?” Qin Gou said, clenching his fists, his face set with determination.

Xu Shuangshuang seemed to recall something unpleasant, her cheeks flushing as she gave Qin Gou a sharp look. “Maybe in his eyes, even if you’re no longer a cripple, it doesn’t change anything.”

“Is that so?” Qin Gou smiled faintly, his eyes filled with resolve. “Then I’ll prove him wrong.”

As he spoke, his aura surged, and before Xu Shuangshuang’s astonished eyes, he broke through from the Artifact Refining Realm to the Hidden Artifact Realm.

“What… Little brother, are you joking? Your cultivation…” Xu Shuangshuang covered her mouth in shock. Her mind flashed back to the court’s Grandmaster, who had commented on Xu Jin’s recent progress with just four words: A late bloomer.

But this speed was beyond terrifying. Even flying on a sword wouldn’t be this fast.

“Second Sister, come with me to see Father and Mother,” Qin Gou said.

“Alright… but what are you planning to do, little brother?”

“The best way to prove myself is to challenge our elder brother directly,” Qin Gou said calmly.

“Are you insane?” Xu Shuangshuang exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. “There’s no way you can beat him! Have you lost your mind?”

Qin Gou smiled gently, his eyes brimming with sincerity and sorrow. “I know I probably can’t beat him. But so what? For twenty years, I was a cripple, bedridden and useless. During those years, I swore through my tears that everyone would one day see me.”

“Xu Jin…” Xu Shuangshuang stopped in her tracks, staring at Qin Gou’s back. Her heart felt heavy, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

In his words, she felt the weight of endless pain and suffering. Guilt washed over her. Perhaps her little brother’s strange behavior that night was a result of his desperate need for love and validation. He feared losing the one person who loved him most, aside from their mother.

“Second Sister has been so blind. I didn’t realize how fragile you truly are,” Xu Shuangshuang whispered, tears streaming silently down her face.

Of course, if Qin Gou had seen her reaction, he would’ve slapped himself. His attempt to scare Xu Shuangshuang into distancing herself had completely backfired.

—

“What? You want to participate in the Sword-Wielding Princess’s martial arts marriage contest?” Xu Chengfeng’s tiger-like eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in disapproval. “Absolutely not. I won’t allow it.”

Liu Fuyun, standing beside him, nodded in agreement. “Jin’er, listen to your parents. Forget about this idea. After all… the imperial decree has already been made.”