Chapter 84

Lu Yinghuai sat before Xiayou, watching the young man articulate his views with earnestness, a hint of amusement gradually appearing in his eyes.

Initially, Xiayou was a tad anxious. Yet, catching the gentle amusement in Lu Yinghuai’s eyes, he quickly deduced, “Your Highness doesn’t agree with the Emperor’s perspective?”

Right, His Highness had earlier said that the Emperor "seemed to feel…" On reflection, those words felt more like an impartial recounting rather than a personal stance.

It was then that Lu Yinghuai began typing: [Indeed, I don't believe it's the right decision either.]

[However, it's currently the quickest and, for now, the only option.]

The bargaining chips in Xiayou’s hands are limited. The Empire's peerage system doesn't award titles based on marriage. Therefore, the Emperor intends for Xiayou to participate in the meeting as a royal family member. Yet even so, Xiayou would only be a symbolic mascot, standing in for Lu Yinghuai's decision, with no real authority.

This was why, back then, even after becoming the Empress, Lu Jiuzhu didn’t relinquish her military duties.

If this was the case for the Empress, it was even more so for Xiayou, a prince consort.

Xiayou sat on the carpet, legs stretched out, toes touching. He inquired brightly, “What if my psychic power is upgraded to an S-level? Would I then have a say in such meetings?”

Yet, there are quite a few soldiers in the Empire with S-level psychic abilities.

Lu Yinghuai paused and glanced at Xiayou.

The black leopard tail rested on Xiayou's legs, its curve forming an 'M'. Xiayou couldn't resist playing with it, brushing it with his calves.

[Did An Hong tell you this?]

Lu Yinghuai's keen intuition had made many uncomfortable in the past, but Xiayou merely gripped the leopard's tail between his legs, tugging lightly and retorted, “It’s my turn to ask, Your Highness.”

Lu Yinghuai looked down, the leopard’s claw lightly pulling, attempting to free itself from Xiayou's grasp.

Xia You hurriedly retracted her hefty leopard paw and shot Lu Yinghuai a glance, saying indignantly, "I want to know if both of you, uncle and nephew, have the same story. We'll see whether I lose my leopard pillow tonight or the little tiger gets a spanking!"

Lu Yinghuai looked at Xia You with surprise in his eyes.

This was the first time Xia You exhibited such dominance — not just expressing her thoughts independently, but a strong desire to gather information from multiple sources to decide whom to listen to or side with.

This was a control technique that Lu Yinghuai often used on others. He did teach it to Xia You, but he didn't expect it to be used on him so soon.

Xia You playfully prodded the dark pads of Lu Yinghuai's paw, implying impatience.

Lu Yinghuai smiled and continued typing with another leopard paw: [Throughout the empire, besides me and my elder sister, all those who are dormant due to psychic disturbances are of S-class.]

Lu Yinghuai is SSS-ranked, and while Lu Jiuzhu was forcibly dormant with a chaotic psychic state, the main system indeed acknowledged several peaks of her psychic power reaching SS-rank.

[Xia You, even when your psychic power was at A-rank, you could awaken my consciousness and make Fan Yuxin and Cheng ZhiNian, who should have been dormant, fully awake. So, when you reach S-rank in psychic power, whether or not you can fully cure the psychic disturbances, you have the capability to maintain the sanity and consciousness of the afflicted.]

In other words, Xia You, whoever you stand behind can become a Marshal candidate unaffected by psychic disturbances.

A Marshal, unaffected by psychic disturbances and not entering dormancy, plays a crucial role in maintaining political stability.

Beyond this, there are many more who have been given a second chance because of Xia You.

This is the true voice of authority that belongs only to Xia You.

This is also why, before Xia You reached S-rank in psychic power, the noble families could still remain seated and unthreatened.

Xia You's grip tightened on the leopard's paw pad. In a flash, all the benefits and consequences that the "spicy strip" hadn't directly mentioned became crystal clear.

The "spicy strip" is indeed close to him, but as the crown prince of the empire, he has an inherent royal stance.

Giving Xia You a hint was already the utmost the little tiger, "spicy strip", could do.

Once he returns to the imperial capital, becoming Crown Prince Qin Anhong, he'll naturally wish to use this opportunity to win over Zhu Zaiyuan and have him become the Marshal under the royal faction.

From Lu Jiuzhu to Lu Yinghuai, both Marshals have been striving to balance the two sides, pacifying the Senate, making sure these cunning nobles remain oblivious to the royal family's intention of seizing power.

His Majesty, the Emperor, has been slowly ensnaring the Senate for years, clearly hinting at tightening the noose.

Xia You pursed her lips, moved closer to Lu Yinghuai, leaning into the leopard's ear and whispered like a mosquito, "If His Majesty doesn't tolerate the Senate and takes action... Will our family still be tolerated by him after the purge?"

The Lu family has produced two Marshals, both commanding actual military power and great prestige. Uncle Zhou's very presence was already envied, and now with Xia You added...

Honestly, when all the noble houses in the Senate are combined, none shine as brightly as the current illustrious Lu family.

Lu Yinghuai's leopard ears flicked backward.

[He's afraid of his wife.]

Xia You: "…?"

Jumping from a grave political matter to a domestic issue in a second, Xia You blinked and then recalled a piece of gossip she heard earlier about the Emperor trying to approach the White Tiger but getting snubbed. She slowly raised an eyebrow.

[His wife is with us. Don't worry.]

Lu Yinghuai playfully tapped Xia You with the tip of his leopard tail.

Xia You initially found it somewhat amusing, but upon reflection, it made sense.

Before her sister recovers, the Emperor surely won't make a move against the Lu family. After her recovery, the Emperor wouldn't dare. Well, without considering future problems, at least for this generation, the future of the Lu family looks quite bright.

Xia You scrolled through the statistics chart Uncle Zhou had organized, made a few marks, and said, "Deputy Marshal Zhu once sent an invitation, but we never responded at that time. It wouldn't be appropriate to visit him alone, so if the weather is good tomorrow, we could check on the young rabbit-monkey."

Zhu Zaiyuan and his wife are conveniently located at the Blue Star base, and their mansion is also close to the Marshal's residence.

Lu Yinghuai nodded: [Okay.]

Looking at Lu Yinghuai, Xia You suddenly burst into laughter.

Lu Yinghuai glanced at him, his eyes questioning.

Xia You pulled out her psychic tendrils, molded them into a shape, and then fashioned them into a bow tie, placing it on the leopard's chest.

Indeed… it looked very formal and dashing.

Lu Yinghuai resigned himself as the psychic tendril on his chest morphed from a bowtie shape into various quirky shapes, even twisting into a rose-shaped collar at one point.

The light in the yard dimmed, and Xia You turned her head to look outside the window. She let go of the leopard's paw and extended her hand toward Lu Yinghuai, a smile illuminating her face.

Remembering the rose he had hastily stashed away in the space nexus earlier, regret flashed in Lu Yinghuai's eyes. With a swish of his tail and a low growl, he turned and headed for the door.

Xia You stretched lazily, grabbed her pajamas, and walked into the bathroom.

Since I'm already back, I might as well stay the night here.

***

The next morning, Xia You awakened to the scent of roses, and as she opened her eyes, she spotted the rose resting peacefully on the bedside table.

The little tiger and white tiger slept head-to-head on the terrace, while the lynx and snow leopard spent these days shuttling between the training base and the resting center, having given prior notice that they wouldn't be returning home.

The red panda was also absent — Xia You reasonably suspected that he hadn't slept at all the previous night.

Xia You playfully rolled once in the blanket, then rolled back, sticking out her tousled head to gaze at the rose on the bedside for a moment before retracting it.

Half an hour later, having freshened up and dressed, Xia You emerged from the dressing room.

The rose that was originally on the bedside had mysteriously disappeared.

The puppy named "Spicy Strip" yawned and habitually got up, but recalling that his bonding time with his mother was limited, he treasured it and lay back down.

Skipping breakfast once in a while shouldn't be a big deal, right?

The white tiger lifted an eyelid, lazily observing the now-matured silly pup, then raised its paw to rest on Spicy Strip's head.

As Xia You stepped out, she saw Uncle Zhou standing anxiously in front of Lu Yinghuai's room.

Startled, Xia You quickly approached, "Uncle Zhou?"

The elderly butler, seeing Xia You approaching, whispered, "The young master hasn't come down this morning. I sent a few messages, but there was no response."

"I'll take a look." Xia You said, swiftly unlocking and entering the room after the system's authentication sound.

Uncle Zhou adjusted his cuffs, displaying a practiced, unassuming competence.

All main rooms in the Marshal's mansion have intelligent alarm systems. If any irregularity in Lu Yinghuai's physical or mental condition is detected, it will automatically trigger an emergency door-opening sequence, explaining Uncle Zhou's patience waiting outside even when unable to contact him.

— Of course, he might also be waiting for the other master of the Marshal's mansion.

Xia You, familiar with the layout, quickly crossed the small living area outside and headed straight for the bedroom. Her psychic tendrils already swept into the room ahead of her.

The black leopard lay in the center of the bed, eyes closed and breathing steadily. Xia You's delicate psychic tendrils brushed against the leopard's cheek, then playfully tousled its ears. Finally, they settled worriedly on the pillow, their tips caressing the leopard's forehead in a soothing rhythm.

Xia You approached the bed, knelt on one knee, and reached out to touch Lu Yinghuai's leopard paw, extending her psychic tendrils into his being.

The small tendril rushed in eagerly, only to find an unexpected tranquility within the familiar form of the leopard.

In fact, compared to usual, the gray matter seemed notably diminished.

After a moment of contemplation, the tendril cautiously made its way towards the brain.

Indeed, within the hazy area of the brain, apart from the energy orbs Xia You had previously left, there was now a luminous sphere that was magnitudes larger than the others.

This massive orb floated leisurely within Lu Yinghuai's brain, taking large bites out of the gray matter, shrinking a bit, and then swelling back up as it brushed and consumed the smaller orbs.

Xia You's psychic tendril hesitated as it reached out, and the squishy energy sphere, seemingly nourished, expanded significantly in an instant.

Xia You: "..."

This bandit-like manner of consumption felt all too familiar.

Feeling the touch of a paw pad on her wrist, Xia You opened her eyes to meet Lu Yinghuai's gaze, softly asking, "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Lu Yinghuai closed his eyes, pausing for a few seconds before shaking his head.

But after a moment, he gave a slight nod.

Having just journeyed with her psychic power inside the leopard's form, Xia You had an uncanny understanding of what Lu Yinghuai meant.

While his body felt discomfort, his overall condition was improving.

It was the side effect of the psychic healing, reminiscent of previous instances. Before, other fluffy beings would often become drowsy, but the black leopard never showed such a reaction.

It seems that either His Highness was enduring it, or the previous treatments hadn't reached an intensity that truly made a significant impact.

[I'm sorry... We were supposed to go out together.]

With considerable effort, Lu Yinghuai typed on his holographic screen.

Xia You, unable to bear watching, forcefully turned off Lu Yinghuai's holographic computer, pulled the blanket over the big cat, and lay down beside him, reminiscent of times when Lu Yinghuai used to tuck her in.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Your Highness. This is a good sign," Xia You lowered her head, rubbing her forehead against Lu Yinghuai's, her voice filled with excitement, "I'm overjoyed!"

This was the first time her psychic healing had elicited such a noticeable change in Lu Yinghuai.

The lengthy whiskers of a leopard brushed against Xia You's cheek, causing him to tilt his head and let out a delicate sneeze.

Turning back with a hint of embarrassment, he gazed at the big cat resting on a pillow with eyes wide open. Xia You pressed his lips together, and whispered with determination, "Your Highness, rest assured, I'll definitely establish a collaboration with Vice Marshal Zhu."

To willingly join this maelstrom, to stand at its center as a target without taking sides in the power struggles, was a challenging and thankless task, especially for Zhu Zaiyuan, who had always preferred to stay out of trouble.

Yet, it was crucial.

Lu Yinghuai watched Xia You intently. Suddenly, he closed his eyes, shifted his face closer to Xia You's fingers, and rested against them.

Xia You: "!!!"

The words 'If I hadn't gone out with His Highness...' almost slipped out.

After a few minutes, before Xia You could decide whether to withdraw his hand, Lu Yinghuai retreated back to the original pillow.

[I'm fine, just a bit tired.]

"Your Highness..."

Xia You had never seen Lu Yinghuai, who maintained his composure even when wheelchair-bound or on the verge of fainting, in such a state. His concern deepened.

Lu Yinghuai lifted a paw, lightly pressing Xia You's hand with his paw pad.

[Go on.]

[I'll wait for you at home.]

……

Even as he left the bedroom, Xia You couldn't resist looking back.

After changing into his clothes in his dressing room, Xia You was about to pick up the visiting gifts prepared by Uncle Zhou. As he passed the corridor on the first floor, he paused.

Suddenly, Xia You sprinted through the corridor, rushing all the way to the underground resting chamber. He knelt beside Lu Yinghuai's resting pod, knocking on its lid.

In response, a tentacle from inside the resting pod peeked out from the dense white mist.

Its once chubby and round body had visibly slimmed down considerably.

The fingers Xia You had placed on the pod's lid tightened involuntarily, his eyes blazing with intense brightness.

He knows—it's all become clear to him!

His Highness's mindscape differs from everyone else's. Merely treating the companion beast won't influence the main body, thus it won't result in effective treatment.

Only by allowing one's psychic energy to enter the core of His Highness's mindscape can the treatment be precisely targeted!

When His Highness was previously conscious, he deliberately kept Xia You's psychic tendrils at bay—perhaps due to a subconscious sense of responsibility to shield the Queen of the Insects' mental power.

However, when His Highness is in hibernation and his consciousness shifts to the black panther, his mindscape becomes unprecedentedly relaxed.

Only under these conditions can Xia You proceed with the treatment for Lu Yinghuai.

But... there's a problem.

With a resigned expression, Xia You gazed at the hibernation pod.

The psychic energy that a tiny tendril can carry is insufficient. He needs a direct connection with His Highness to consciously administer the treatment.

Now, with both separated by the hibernation pod, it's impossible to recklessly remove the hibernating body of His Highness.

Xia You stared thoughtfully at the pod.

He couldn't possibly... consider squeezing himself in there, could he?