Chu Lege cursed inwardly, urging Smith to get on with it, hoping he wouldn't get bogged down reminiscing with the beauty.
After all, the beauty before him was no mere mortal.
She was a beautiful serpent, venomous not only in her bite but also in her teeth.
Smith and Su Xiaoqi were chatting animatedly in English.
He was introducing his family background.
He hailed from a ducal family with generations of lineage in Europa, possessing a grand ancient castle.
Upon his father's passing, he, as the sole heir, would inherit the castle and become a true duke.
He found Su Xiaoqi to be exceedingly beautiful and wished to persuade her to accompany him back to Europa and become a Duchess.
His castle housed a vast collection of jewels from around the world, each of immeasurable value.
For her beauty, he was willing to bestow them all upon her.
Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but smile, a cold, humorless smile.
She asked Smith if he was unaware that she was already married.
Her husband, she pointed out, was right beside her.
Was it truly proper for him to abduct her so openly in front of her husband?
Smith responded nonchalantly, "My esteemed lady, you have the power to choose again. Therefore, who do you select between him and me?"
As he spoke, Smith gestured to himself and Shen Yun.
Although Shen Yun couldn't understand the words, he could roughly surmise from Smith's expression that the topic was unfavorable to him.
He rose and stood beside Su Xiaoqi, grasping her hand in a gesture of declaration.
Su Xiaoqi returned his gesture with a gentle smile, clasping his hand back, and then lightly squeezing it. She then said to Smith:
"See, you observe this is my decision."
Smith did not appear angered, merely a touch regretful, stating that he would not be leaving Daliang anytime soon and she still had time to consider.
Su Xiaoqi's inner cold smile was almost too much to contain.
However, considering they were in the Imperial Palace, and before Emperor Yongxing, she maintained a masked smile and said:
"Mr. Smith, do you truly believe I've lost my mind to forsake my husband, soon-to-be Prince Consort, for you?
To endure hardship and travel far to your so-called Europa.
To reside in your eerie and terrifying castle; if you aren't afraid of vampires, then I certainly am.
Furthermore, look at my husband, and then look at yourself." Their appearances were utterly incomparable!
Su Xiaoqi, confident in the fact that outsiders couldn't understand her, spoke with the most elegant and composed smile, delivering the most scathing remarks.
Smith feigned a flicker of hurt on his face.
He then said, "Since Madam looks down upon my European empire and myself so much, I have no other recourse.
I shall, as Mr. Chu intended, expose the truth behind Madam's statement just now."
Although he hadn't seen the sheepskin scroll, merely hearing Su Xiaoqi's words was enough for him to know they weren't genuine.
It simply wasn't the style of communication for Europeans.
Su Xiaoqi had been waiting for this very statement from him.
She gestured for him to open the sheepskin scroll in his hand, indicating she was ready.
Su Xiaoqi crossed her arms, appearing quite at ease.
Seeing her in this state, Smith became even more captivated.
He silently compared her to the beauties Chu Lege had gifted him.
The comparison made him realize that those beauties were merely mud on the ground, while she was a cloud in the sky, white and soft, yet unattainable!
Undeterred, he planned to strike first, to bring this pure, immaculate cloud down from the heavens, and then win her over.
However, the moment he opened the sheepskin scroll and read its contents, he froze, utterly stunned.
As if in disbelief, he rubbed his eyes, then opened the scroll again to read.
Yes, his eyes were not deceiving him, nor had he misread.
Several lines on the scroll described an erotic scene.
There were also two lines containing vulgar curses directed at genitalia.
The foulest kind.
The kind that, upon hearing, would immediately conjure vivid imagery in one's mind.
"Shit..." Smith muttered under his breath and looked at Chu Lege.
This imbecile, was he trying to trick them?
How could he present such a thing, to carry it around like a treasure?
Well, perhaps such direct language wasn't entirely out of the ordinary in their European countries.
Some manor lords with peculiar tastes, even those with noble titles, collected similar items, sometimes even with illustrations, for private amusement, to spice things up.
But why bring something like this out?
Why ask him to translate it in front of everyone?
Translate it for them, indeed.
Seeing the look of utter disgust on Smith's face, Su Xiaoqi made no effort to hide her amusement, stating calmly:
"Well, Mr. Smith, do you not recognize it?"
She had deliberately spoken these words in Chinese.
Smith looked at her, then at the assembled company, and replied in stiff Daliang vernacular, "Of course, I recognize it."
He then switched to his native tongue, "However, as for these words, if there weren't so many people present, and only Madam were here, I would certainly perform them passionately for you. But now... there is no need."
Su Xiaoqi let out a soft chuckle, unbothered by his words.
Let him boast. Even though her husband couldn't understand their conversation,
He was exceptionally good at reading people's expressions.
He had likely already discerned Smith's sordid intentions from his lewd expression.
He was in trouble!
Su Xiaoqi gently squeezed Shen Yun's tense arm, silently offering a row of candles for Smith in her heart.
Illuminating his path forward, wishing him a smooth journey!
Su Xiaoqi chuckled inwardly, then guided the conversation in standard Daliang vernacular:
"So, Mr. Smith, do you believe my translation is correct?"
Smith was somewhat exasperated. What could he say? He was desperate himself.
He recognized the characters, but did he dare translate them truthfully?
No matter how ignorant he might be, he knew he was within the Daliang Imperial Palace, facing the supreme Emperor of Daliang.
If he dared utter such words, he would likely be beaten to death.
Smith was not foolish.
As he was weighing the pros and cons, Chu Lege behind him urged him on again.
"Mr. Smith, quickly tell the Daliang Emperor."
Smith turned back, looking at him calmly, and pointed at Su Xiaoqi:
"Mr. Chu, as you can see, she not only understands the European language but can also converse with me so fluently."
Her pronunciation was almost more standard than some Europeans.
Others were not blind or deaf.
They had likely formed their judgments the moment their conversation began.
Therefore, his translation at this point was no longer significant.
Chu Lege was not foolish; he should have realized this long ago.
He was simply too eager to deal with Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun.
Who would have thought that the valuable item he had spent so much money acquiring from a Xifan merchant would thus be thwarted?
How could he be reconciled?
Smith, however, paid no mind to Chu Lege's thoughts. He repeated Su Xiaoqi's words in his native language.
Of course, his pronunciation wasn't perfect.
But since everyone present couldn't understand anyway, it didn't matter.
Su Xiaoqi gracefully performed a banquet bow, then took Shen Yun's hand, turned, bowed once more to Emperor Yongxing, and returned to her seat.
As soon as she sat down, Du Yiyi gave her a thumbs-up.
"Amazing, truly amazing!"
Sister Xiaoqi was indeed a treasure.
Having earned the acknowledgment of this native European, Emperor Yongxing's previously darkened expression finally brightened once more.
He looked at Chu Lege, his face displeased but finally at ease.
Surely, Chu Lege wouldn't cause any more trouble now.
However, given Chu Lege's notoriously addled mind, Emperor Yongxing remained somewhat concerned and immediately ordered Prince Zhou, Liang Jingning, to escort him to a side hall to rest.
The excuse given was that he had drunk too much and was not thinking clearly.
Upon hearing this, Chu Lege realized they intended to remove him.
How could that be allowed?
He was about to stand up again,
But Smith intercepted him, saying in rather stiff Daliang vernacular:
"Mr. Chu, this is the Daliang Imperial Palace. You must not act recklessly."
The impulsive Chu Lege, upon hearing this, seemed to regain some clarity.
Indeed, this was the Imperial Palace, a place where he could not act as he pleased.
In fact, his earlier presumptuous behavior was only tolerated due to Emperor Yongxing's magnanimity.
Otherwise, anyone else would have long since taken offense.
Expelling him would have been the least of it.
He would have likely faced severe repercussions.
However, he was unaware that while the King of Hell might be easily appeased, minor devils could be troublesome.
Though Emperor Yongxing, the highest ruler of Daliang, had let him off,
A significant portion of his civil and military officials were eager to punish him!