The Great King Ordered Me to Marry – Chapter 19
by Little PandaSpeaking of the Fox Making a Bet and Regretting It
The hall door was half open; no sound came from within, and there seemed to be no one else inside.
Liangmeng turned, her hands folded elegantly before her, and said to Longming, “I’ve noted the talisman. I’ll look into it for you.”
“Much appreciated.” Longming nodded.
Zhuoxue perked up her ears, nearly snapping the handful of Leaf Cards in her grip in half, catching only the word “talisman” faintly.
“But where exactly did you see this talisman?” Liangmeng narrowed her eyes.
“I saw it long ago. It came to mind last night, which is why I troubled you to come.” Longming was unhurried, not betraying the slightest flaw.
“Troubled indeed. I was supposed to inspect goods at Mount Buzhou today, and had to postpone by a day.” Liangmeng covered her lips with a faint smile. “Since I’m here, I can’t have come for nothing.”
“Lingkong Mountain happens to be hosting a banquet. Why not have a meal before you go,” Longming said.
It was practically the sort of polite small talk you’d hear in the Mortal Realm, soaked in the mundane flavor of earthly life, utterly at odds with her otherworldly face.
“You’ve written ‘cold and callous’ all over your face. Even your dinner invitation lacks sincerity.” Liangmeng shook her head, then surveyed her surroundings, her gaze skimming past the fox and settling lightly on Kunyu.
She scoffed and frowned. “I won’t eat with a demon who wears dead people’s bones on her face. Never mind—seeing you once isn’t a wasted trip.”
From afar, Kunyu seemed not to hear, tapping the table lightly, urging Zhuoxue to stop dawdling.
Zhuoxue couldn’t hear them, so she simply turned back and said, “Even in play, one must think twice before acting. Rush, and the cards get messy.”
Kunyu’s hand was all good cards—so good that deliberation was unnecessary. She said at her leisure, “I’m afraid you could think twice and still not beat me playing at random.”
Liangmeng had no desire to spare Kunyu another glance. She quickly withdrew her gaze and turned back to Longming, switching to demonic power to transmit her voice directly into her ear. “However, Kunlun Jade Capital has been rather strange these past few days. The Heavenly Gate allows entry but not exit. The Jade Lapis Wall is packed solid with heavenly soldiers on guard. Naturally, the immortals and gods coming and going from the Huangliang Dream Market have thinned as well. I may not be able to gather any news.”
Zhuoxue tilted her head slightly, able only to see the master of the Huangliang Dream Market’s lips moving. Her mind went astray, and she nearly discarded the wrong Leaf Card.
Before the deep, lofty doorway, Longming and the master of the Huangliang Dream Market stood facing each other—both silent, both solemn and grave.
What secrets were they whispering, so unfit for others’ ears? Zhuoxue grumbled inwardly.
After a long moment, Longming finally spoke. “It’s fine. A scrap or two of news would be good, but if there’s none, so be it.”
Liangmeng turned. “I won’t be joining this All-Demons Banquet. The sight of a certain demon ruins my appetite.”
Kunyu flung down her last Leaf Card. The moment it hit the table, it was a sweeping victory. “I’m in a good mood today. I won’t bother arguing with you.”
Liangmeng calmly summoned several auspicious birds, each no larger than a palm. Their bodies seemed veiled in sunset gauze, and when sunlight fell upon them, they shimmered brilliantly.
And yet these seemingly frail birds bore Liangmeng aloft as steadily as any golden carriage or jade sedan parked at a cliff’s edge.
As the master of the Huangliang Dream Market gradually receded into the distance, Kunyu’s expression darkened abruptly. What had seemed like indifference moments ago now felt like a storm approaching, black clouds churning like ink in her eyes.
Her fury condensed frost in the air beside her, thick demonic energy scattering wildly like rain, without discrimination.
The great demons sharing her table were long accustomed to this, chatting merrily among themselves.
Zhuoxue was sitting perfectly fine when Kunyu seized her arm and hauled her to her feet. The Leaf Cards in her hand clattered to the table, and she hastened to wince and cry out.
“It hurts, it hurts!”
A great demon nearby laughed. “Why take it out on this little fox?”
Zhuoxue thought: Exactly—why take it out on her!
Who would have thought the demon lord of Jueming Ridge was so mercurial—gentle and amiable one moment, a fierce devil the next.
“I’m leaving too.” Kunyu gritted her teeth. “This round is my sweeping victory. I won this fox, so naturally she comes with me.”
Zhuoxue had grievances she couldn’t voice, cursing herself for misjudging the demon. She regretted it.
Longming approached unhurriedly and said coolly, “Going with whom?”
Zhuoxue pulled a bitter face and said nothing.
“A bet made cannot be undone. Are you and that Huang Liangmeng both here to provoke me?” Kunyu loomed close, her ghostly, skull-like face stripped of any remaining warmth.
Longming said dismissively, “The little demon doesn’t know any better, taking herself as a wager without permission.”
Kunyu still gripped Zhuoxue’s arm tightly. Any more force and that slender arm might snap outright.
Zhuoxue’s tears streamed from the pain as she hastily dug herself a way out. “It’s not like I have any possessions to my name. I had no choice but to bet myself.”
“Greedy.” Longming didn’t take it seriously. “I’d say you wanted to use the excuse to leave Lingkong Mountain.”
“My loyalty is beyond question!” Zhuoxue said, her conscience pricking her. “Besides, my fox life is in the Great King’s hands. Whether this bet can even go through is still up to you, Great King. I figured you’d never agree, so I had the nerve to run my mouth.”
“Indeed you have nerve. You even dared to rummage through my cabinets.” Longming’s tone was airy as she lifted Kunyu’s gaunt hand off Zhuoxue’s arm.
Zhuoxue didn’t dare breathe, her eyes round as copper bells.
Kunyu’s fury ultimately couldn’t be directed at Longming. She turned away without a word.
Zhuoxue clicked her tongue inwardly. This tiger demon was so imposing—even Kunyu could only turn away and sulk in her presence.
She had bet wrong. Catastrophically wrong.
At that moment, an artifact thudded onto the table, heavy and substantial, startling every demon into silence.
Even the well-traveled great demons around the table clicked their tongues and knit their brows, checking and rechecking whether the artifact before them was genuine.
Longming said evenly, “This fox wrongly bet herself. I’ll compensate you with the Fragrant Cloud Soul Flower Vase.”
Kunyu had been facing away. At the sound, she turned in astonishment, scrutinizing Longming again and again. Her expression shifted from dark to bright, and she clicked her tongue. “Such a grand gesture. You’re that unwilling to part with this fox?”
“This pelt is indeed hard to let go of.” Longming’s tone was cool and thin, with little discernible affection.
This was clearly echoing the fox’s self-praise from the night before.
Zhuoxue had never heard of any Fragrant Cloud Soul Flower Vase. She couldn’t see anything remarkable about it—it looked like nothing more than an ordinary jadeite flower vase.
But looking again, the vase was translucent as jade-green water, and a human face seemed to bulge from within—brows, eyes, nose, and mouth faintly visible. The face parted its lips and exhaled, and fragrance immediately flooded the room, refreshing to the heart and mind.
Looking closer still, lake mist rose from the vase, damp as dripping dew, and the human face vanished along with it.
The lingering fragrance wafted into every demon’s body, merging silently into their flesh. It flowed into their blood, surging upward to the crowns of their heads.
Zhuoxue suddenly understood—this fragrance was no ordinary thing. It was the purest spiritual energy!
“If you’re sincere about the trade, you can’t take it back.” Kunyu, afraid Longming would change her mind, hastily shook out her sleeve and swept the Fragrant Cloud Soul Flower Vase from the table into it.
Longming’s gaze swept around, ready to settle accounts with the fox. “Even if you wanted to seek a better master, you could have said a word, Zhuoxue.”
It was all because Zhuoxue had revealed her name last night. Now, spoken from Longming’s lips, it carried immense weight.
Zhuoxue thought: As if she wanted a better master. She was clearly plotting with a tiger for its hide1.
“What ‘better master’? Nonsense. I wanted the demon lords to envy the fact that a fox as fine as me isn’t so easily won away.”
“Then what were you rummaging through my cabinets for?” Longming asked.
Zhuoxue squeezed her eyes shut and said tremulously, “To clean the Great King’s bedchamber.”
“Truly?” Longming smiled.
Zhuoxue couldn’t concoct another excuse, so she simply admitted fault. “I was wrong. Great King, punish me.”
The fox’s face glowed like jade, her eyes suddenly suffused with rouge. When her lashes fluttered, it was like a butterfly alighting on a red bud.
She was, after all, lovely to look at. Had their hands not been poor, other demon lords would have wanted to win this fox too.
“Heh.”
Longming leaned close to the fox’s ear and said in a level tone, “I’ll punish you later. Afraid I’ll be harsh?”
“Not afraid.” Zhuoxue didn’t dare show weakness, terrified of displeasing Longming further.
Longming turned and walked back into the hall. “Carry on with your Leaf Cards. No more betting. Don’t wreak havoc at Lingkong Mountain.”
The moment the hall door closed, Zhuoxue’s ears shot upright. She seemed to hear Longming speaking to someone.
“Well? Have you thought it through? From where I stand, not a single word from your mouth is true. Think it over carefully before you speak. I won’t tolerate a single word of falsehood.”
There was actually someone else inside the hall?
Zhuoxue’s mind was no longer on the card table. From Longming’s tone just now, she was clearly not dealing with a servant.
Half a shichen2 later, the winner at the card table had changed.
Without the fox’s covert tricks, Kunyu lost until her expression grew grim. Fortunately, no stakes had been placed this round—losing cost her nothing.
In the next round, before Zhuoxue’s Leaf Cards had even been dealt, the hall door suddenly cracked open, revealing a slit of pitch black.
No lamps had been lit inside. It was darker than an abyss, darker than a deep pool.
Longming did not appear. Her low, heavy voice carried from afar. The other demons noticed nothing—only the fox could hear.
“Fox. Come.”
Zhuoxue rose, her heart in her throat. She set down her Leaf Cards and put on a smile. “My lord is calling me. Demon lords, please carry on without me.”
Kunyu waved her off. “You’ve ruined my game. You’ll have to get Longming to play a round with me later to make up for it.”
Zhuoxue’s smile vanished the moment she turned away. A few steps in, she was already drenched in cold sweat. She pinched her sleeve corner to wipe her forehead, afraid she might not find Lan Hui with all her limbs intact.
Beyond the narrow crack, it was quiet and cold. Zhuoxue was reluctant to close the door, leaving it slightly ajar—at least she could still see a few specks of light.
But it wasn’t up to her. The door boomed shut, heavy as a mountain collapse.
Before she could even feel shock, an unseen force lifted her into the air. She couldn’t find solid ground beneath her feet and flailed her limbs in terror.
So this was what she’d been waiting for. Well played, Longming.
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