Chu Yuqin had no idea who the visitor outside the palace was this time, but since a guest had arrived, etiquette dictated that she personally go and greet them.
With a calm and steady demeanor, she followed the royal guards toward the palace gates.
However, the moment she stepped past the threshold and caught sight of the woman standing outside, her footsteps faltered. A flicker of disbelief flashed in her eyes, and her expression froze in surprise.
The woman before her had undergone a drastic transformation. Her delicate features had matured, blooming into a beauty that exuded an icy allure. Her presence was sharper, colder—like a blade hidden beneath pristine snow. But even with all those changes, Chu Yuqin recognized her at a glance.
"…Little… Xiaobai?" she asked in stunned disbelief.
The woman—Bai Qingqing—stood there with her usual cold expression, her eyes unreadable and face emotionless, as if sculpted from jade. But Chu Yuqin did not doubt her identity for a second. That frosty look had been there since Bai Qingqing was a child.
Her master had once explained that Bai Qingqing possessed a special constitution—one that rendered her devoid of emotion. Joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness—none of these ever touched her heart. Such a disposition made her an ideal candidate for martial cultivation.
Back then, when the master took her away, Chu Yuqin had believed she would never see the girl again. But here she was, standing in the North King's palace—appearing as suddenly as she had disappeared.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Chu Yuqin stepped forward without hesitation. Bai Qingqing spoke in her typically aloof tone, devoid of any warmth or fluctuation:
"Madam Chu, I was passing through Beijun, so I came to visit."
Despite the emotionless delivery, Chu Yuqin felt deeply moved. Even a simple gesture from this girl held weight, considering her nature.
Bai Qingqing had originally been a maid taken in by Chu Yue. In fact, Chu Yue had initially intended for her to serve as Lu Chen's personal maid. But once she discovered Bai Qingqing's rare talent for martial arts, she set aside that idea, choosing instead to let her pursue cultivation.
After Chu Yue's passing, Bai Qingqing was taken away by the master who had identified her potential. At that time, Bai Qingqing had only been three or four years older than Lu Chen. And since Chu Yue had raised her to become Lu Chen's maid, the two had grown up together—eating, living, and even sleeping in the same quarters. Their relationship was closer than siblings.
To Chu Yuqin, Bai Qingqing had always felt like another little sister.
How could she not feel overwhelmed, seeing this long-lost "sister" again after all these years?
A thought suddenly occurred to Chu Yuqin. She turned quickly to the soldier beside her and ordered, "Go inform His Highness at once. Tell him that Bai Qingqing is here."
"Yes, Madam!" the soldier answered, saluting respectfully. Although he didn't recognize the visitor, Chu Yuqin's reaction made it clear—this was someone significant to the prince.
Without delay, the soldier turned and rushed into the palace to deliver the message.
Chu Yuqin then turned back to Bai Qingqing, stepping closer and gently taking her icy-cold hand in hers. Her voice softened with concern. "Xiaobai, where have you been all these years?"
"I've been training in the mountains with my master," Bai Qingqing replied in a flat tone.
"That must've been difficult," Chu Yuqin said, her gaze full of heartache.
"It wasn't," came the curt response.
Despite the coldness of her voice, Chu Yuqin smiled gently and continued, "If Chen'er knew you were here, he would be so happy. After you left, he missed you every day… There were so many nights he couldn't sleep."
***
Meanwhile, inside the Northern Palace.
Lu Chen sat in the study, going over intelligence reports provided by the Jinyiwei. His brow furrowed slightly as he absorbed the contents, until a knock sounded at the door.
"Your Highness," a soldier announced from outside, "Madam Chu has instructed me to inform you that a woman named Bai Qingqing has arrived at the palace."
Lu Chen froze.
That name…
It was distant yet familiar.
"Bai Qingqing?" he repeated, his voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "The maid my mother had arranged for me…?"
A wave of memories washed over him.
He could still remember the emotionless little girl who used to climb into bed with him every night. Though her name had faded in his memory, her icy presence had not. That girl was unlike any of the other palace servants. She wasn't afraid of him—despite his identity as the prince—and her constant indifference had left a deep impression on him.
He used to spend countless hours trying to make her laugh. He would tease her, prank her, even try silly antics in bed just to break through that frozen exterior. But no matter what he did, he never succeeded. Her face remained blank, like an eternal winter sky.
Later, his mother explained that Bai Qingqing had been born without emotions. That revelation had helped him understand why she was always so expressionless—how could someone show joy, anger, or sadness if they didn't even understand what those feelings were?
Now, she was back.
"I remember she left to train with a master," Lu Chen muttered. "Why would she suddenly come to Beijun now?"
He rose from his seat, curiosity burning in his chest.
Opening the door, he asked the soldier, "Where is she now?"
"Still at the palace gate with Madam Chu," the soldier replied.
Without another word, Lu Chen strode toward the palace gate.
***
The moment he arrived, his eyes locked onto the woman standing beside Chu Yuqin. His steps slowed slightly.
There she was—icy and radiant like a snow lotus blooming atop a cold mountain peak.
Bai Qingqing had changed drastically.
Her once-immature figure had developed into something breathtaking: curvaceous, graceful, and elegant. Yet her aura had only grown colder, enveloping her like a frosty mist that kept others at bay. There was something about her now that made people instinctively cautious around her—an invisible pressure radiated from her presence.
And Lu Chen… felt a strange urge awaken within him. A desire to conquer that frosty façade.
He immediately activated the System to inspect her status.
[Name]: Bai Qingqing
[Identity]: Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards of Great Xia. Age: 20. Grandmaster-level cultivator. Placed beside Chu Yue by order of Emperor Xia. Sent to Beijun under secret orders to monitor the Northern King. Emperor Xia suspects the involvement of Xuanyue Palace and wants to uncover their intentions.
[Rating]: 95
[Favorability]: 0 (Requires Dragon and Phoenix Tea to restore her emotions)
Lu Chen's eyes widened in shock.
So… she was one of his father's people?
That meant… all along, even back when his mother Chu Yue was alive, his father had already planted this girl by her side?
He'd always thought Bai Qingqing was just a strange little bed-warming maid. He never imagined she was hiding such a terrifying identity.
If not for the system's insight, he would've remained completely unaware. He never would've guessed that this emotionless maid was actually the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards—one of the most powerful secret forces under Emperor Xia himself.
To rise to such a position, her strength must be extraordinary.
But then again… regardless of her true identity, the system showed her rating was over ninety. And if such a woman had come to his palace, then by default, she was his woman now.
Lu Chen smirked inwardly. His father was truly thoughtful—sending a high-quality woman right into his lap, especially one at the Grandmaster level. With so few high-rated women in Beijun, this was quite the generous gift.
At that moment, Chu Yuqin noticed Bai Qingqing's gaze shift.
She followed it and saw Lu Chen approaching.
Her eyes lit up, and she turned to him with a smile. "Chen'er, do you remember her? It's Xiaobai, the little maid who grew up with you."
Lu Chen smiled as he approached the two women.
"Of course I remember her."
He came to stand in front of Bai Qingqing, looking her straight in the eyes. Despite the blank expression on her face, he chuckled softly and said:
"Xiaobai… It's been so many years. I've missed you. Without you by my side, I haven't slept well for a long time."
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