Lu Chen was slightly taken aback by Chu Yuqin's response.
Was that really the case?
He had once asked Wang Qingci why nothing seemed to be happening with his health, yet more than half a year had passed without any reaction from his body.
Unbelievable. That damned woman—how dare she secretly use her inner strength to forcefully expel the feelings he had deliberately infused into her?
Outrageous!
The next time he saw her, he would definitely teach her a lesson—let her know what it meant to go against her master! To dare conceal such a thing from him for half a year?
He had even begun to doubt himself, suspecting that perhaps there was something wrong with his own body. Yet now, it was clear—it had been her doing all along.
At this moment, Chu Yuqin gently reminded him, "Chen'er, though Wang Qingci is a ninth-rank martial artist, her public status is still that of the courtesan from Baihua Tower. If you just want to play with her, that's one thing. But if you intend to take her as a concubine, I'm afraid it will damage your reputation."
Though Chu Yuqin had always held a few prejudices against Wang Qingci, her words weren't entirely baseless. In this era, societal standing was no trivial matter.
Even if a courtesan later reformed and became a virtuous woman, or was taken into a wealthy household, she was rarely accepted as a formal concubine—much less in the case of a prince.
Lu Chen was royalty. If word got out that a prince had taken an oiran as his concubine, it would be a laughingstock throughout the capital.
But Lu Chen only smiled faintly and said, "Aunt Chu, don't you think keeping her as a concubine might actually help buy me more time to grow?"
Hearing this, Chu Yuqin paused, frowning. "Are you saying… you want to deliberately continue sullying your name? To mislead the court into believing you're still that good-for-nothing prince?"
Lu Chen nodded calmly. "These are troubled times. Although Beijun isn't currently under intense scrutiny by the court, there are still plenty of eyes watching this territory. Every move I make is under a magnifying glass."
Chu Yuqin remained silent for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. "Chen'er, you've grown up. You have your own ideas now. Go ahead—do as you see fit. If you run into any problems, just tell me. I'll help you speak with your grandfather and seek his assistance."
A warm smile bloomed on Lu Chen's face. "Actually, Aunt Chu, I do have a problem recently."
Chu Yuqin looked at him with concern. "What kind of trouble?"
Lu Chen responded seriously, "Lately, while practicing martial arts, I've felt a strange energy swirling around in my dantian. It's left me feeling uncomfortable. Could you take a look and see what's going on?"
Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned.
When Lu Chen was a child, she used to examine him regularly without hesitation. But now he was grown, with several wives no less. It wasn't exactly appropriate anymore.
After all, they were adults now—and men and women had boundaries.
After thinking it over, Chu Yuqin said softly, "Chen'er, you're no longer a boy. It really isn't suitable for me to examine your body again. I'll ask General Li to check for you later. He should be able to tell what's going on."
Lu Chen immediately protested, "But Aunt Chu, General Li only recently broke through to the eighth rank. He's still inexperienced compared to you."
Chu Yuqin replied, "You have Jinyiwei under your command too, don't you? Commander Qin should still be stationed in Yancheng. He's a seasoned expert—let him take a look."
Her tone made it clear that she had no intention of examining Lu Chen personally. Deep down, she feared that if their bodies came into contact again, something might happen—something that would change everything.
Lu Chen sighed dramatically. "Ah… I understand. Aunt Chu… you don't like me anymore."
Chu Yuqin's expression changed at once. "Chen'er, how could you say something like that? I'm your aunt. How could I possibly dislike you?"
Lu Chen looked down, voice tinged with sadness. "When I was little, you used to check my body all the time. But now that I'm grown, you won't even look at me. If that's not dislike, then what is it?"
His words caused Chu Yuqin's cheeks to flush crimson, the color spreading all the way down to her neck.
She opened her mouth, as if to explain, but Lu Chen turned away with an air of grievance. "Forget it, Aunt Chu. If you won't help me check, it's fine. If something happens to me, then so be it. I guess you just don't care about me anymore."
Hearing this, Chu Yuqin froze in place. Then, with a mixture of helplessness and frustration, she scolded, "Chen'er, how can you talk so lightly about life and death?"
Before he could respond, she reached out and gently grasped his wrist.
The corners of Lu Chen's mouth curved up slightly. With his back turned to her, she couldn't see his smile.
He had already sensed that Chu Yuqin had been trying to distance herself from him recently.
And he knew exactly why.
She was afraid—afraid that if they got too close, something would eventually happen between them. That she'd become his woman.
Despite her elegance and grace, Chu Yuqin was a deeply traditional woman. She simply couldn't accept such a possibility right now.
After a moment of silent deliberation, Chu Yuqin sighed and said, "Come with me to the room. I'll take a look and help regulate your internal energy."
In truth, she'd long been curious about Lu Chen's progress. Though he was fated for immortality, martial cultivation was ultimately a personal journey—no one could say for certain whether anything might go wrong.
But every time she considered offering her help, she was reminded of the past… and the lustful glint that occasionally flickered in Lu Chen's eyes when he looked at her. That bad boy had clearly coveted her for some time.
So she'd been suppressing the urge, never once offering to check his condition herself.
Now that she'd finally agreed, Lu Chen beamed and said cheerfully, "Then I'll trouble Aunt Chu."
The two headed toward the study.
The moment they entered, Chu Yuqin wrinkled her nose, frowning slightly. A strange odor lingered in the air.
"What's that smell? It's awful."
Though she was nearly twenty-nine, Chu Yuqin was still a virgin. She had no experience with such things, so certain scents were unfamiliar to her.
Lu Chen answered calmly, "It's a new perfume developed in the palace."
"Perfume?" Chu Yuqin asked, surprised. "Who in their right mind would buy perfume with such a terrible scent?"
She took another cautious sniff and added, "Could it be that this odor is affecting your martial cultivation? Maybe your discomfort is being caused by this perfume?"
It wasn't unheard of for environmental factors to disrupt energy flow during cultivation.
Lu Chen shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe that's part of it."
Blushing faintly, Chu Yuqin glanced at him and said, "Take off your shirt. Let me see your condition first."
Without hesitation, Lu Chen began to undress.
The moment he removed his upper garments, revealing his chiseled physique, Chu Yuqin's blush deepened. Her ears turned scarlet, as if she'd suddenly developed a fever.
Lu Chen's toned body stood in stark contrast to her memories. His neatly defined eight-pack abs shimmered under the candlelight, causing her to momentarily lose her composure.
She was stunned.
When he had married Mu Zixuan, Chu Yuqin had personally examined him. Back then, he'd had a bit of baby fat—a slight belly, soft and rounded.
Now… his transformation was shocking.
Though she knew he had become a cultivator, she'd never actually witnessed his training. For someone who rarely displayed his efforts, his current physique was nothing short of astonishing.
In truth, it left her utterly speechless.
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