Chapter 2128: Helplessness

Zu An had a bit of a headache; these merfolk women were even more enthusiastic than the demon women. He had politely declined her, so why was she still relentlessly pursuing him? Fortunately, Shang Hongyu accepted on his behalf, saying, "Of course." Only then did the duchess leave, satisfied. The surrounding merfolk nobles all nodded in approval. The Queen was indeed as graceful and generous as ever, beyond reproach. It was fortunate that the Dragon King had seen the error of his ways; otherwise, where would they find such a perfect Queen again?

At that moment, Zu An was already dancing in the ballroom, his arm around Shang Hongyu's waist. In everyone's eyes, he was tall and handsome, and she was stunningly beautiful. Especially as they nestled intimately together, their affection seemed even stronger than before.

"Why didn't you accept the duchess's invitation? She's so beautiful; countless men in the hall are looking at her eagerly," Shang Hongyu said with a faint smile, then added, "She only arrived at the Dragon Palace recently, so neither the true Dragon King nor the fake one should have gotten close to her yet. You don't need to worry."

Zu An smiled slightly, "No matter how beautiful she is, she's not as beautiful as the Queen."

"Smooth talker," Shang Hongyu chided softly. Though she knew he was just flattering her, she was truly delighted at that moment. After a while, she added, "Still, you should dance with those beautiful ladies and young women later. That fits the Dragon King's lecherous reputation."

Zu An sighed, "It's really not easy being the Dragon King."

"Hmph, you're complaining while enjoying the benefits," Shang Hongyu chuckled. "Those are the top beauties of the merfolk; countless men would give anything for such a chance."

"But I'm not an ordinary man," Zu An said, his face expressionless, a hint of distress in his eyes.

Shang Hongyu knew he was telling the truth. With his current cultivation and status, even if he looked like a pig, let alone being so handsome, countless beauties would probably still flock to him. "Hmph, no, that's not right. If he looked like a pig, at least I wouldn't bother with him."

"What's so strange about it? You're not my husband," Shang Hongyu said with a smile. "You're still hesitating over such a good thing."

Zu An sighed, "I really don't want such 'good things'." A few years ago, it would have been quite appealing to him. But now, his mind was occupied with too many other things, leaving little room for such matters.

"Just bear with it. It's all for the success of our plan," Shang Hongyu advised, though she found it strange. How could any man in the world be unwilling to enjoy such a beautiful opportunity? He truly is a special man!

After the next dance ended, the duchess from before walked over, smiling. Zu An, feeling somewhat helpless, accepted her invitation and re-entered the dance floor. Zu An was utterly bewildered. Was this woman truly the gentle and virtuous Queen that everyone in the merfolk believed her to be?

Just then, a man approached Shang Hongyu. His exquisitely tailored formal attire perfectly complemented his physique, making him appear even more handsome and distinguished. He bowed gracefully, every detail impeccable, drawing admiring glances from several noble young women. "Beautiful Queen," he said, "may I have this dance?"

This man was, of course, Ao Yong, the Dragon King's brother. At this moment, he was exceptionally pleased. No matter what, the Queen was no longer wanted, and he could see her every day from now on. Moreover, after this incident, even though the couple maintained a good facade, there would surely be resentment between them. His sister-in-law must have seen his brother's heartlessness, and combined with his brother's philandering over the years, she must be utterly disillusioned with him. Now was his chance to be by her side, offering her the most meticulous care. Then she would truly understand who genuinely cared for her.

Back during the Dragon Palace wedding, the first time he saw the new Queen, this beautiful sister-in-law left an indelible impression on his heart. For years, countless nights were spent fantasizing about being with her; he didn't know how many times they had met secretly in his dreams. However, he had always known that he had no chance, because his brother was the powerful Dragon King, and the couple had always been deeply in love. But after this incident – although, in retrospect, the whole affair seemed strange in many ways – he was still delighted. Because if there was a rift between the couple, that would be his opportunity. Although the Dragon King was strong, he was willing to take any risk for love. His gaze was particularly fervent. He knew that his sister-in-law had always been gentle towards him; although she was kind to everyone, he could sense a difference in her attitude towards him. *She must be interested in me too!* So this time, he seized the opportunity while the Dragon King was dancing with the duchess to invite the Queen. Surely, his sister-in-law must be seething with jealousy right now. Her dissatisfaction must have reached its peak, making it highly probable that she would agree to be his dance partner.

Just as he was filled with anticipation, Shang Hongyu subtly moved to the side, saying, "Please excuse me."

Ao Yong was stunned. What kind of answer was that? Did she accept or not? However, he followed her gaze and saw Zu An and the duchess swaying together on the dance floor. He then understood. "My brother is attending to the duchess right now, so allow your younger brother to attend to you, sister-in-law."

Shang Hongyu offered an apologetic smile. "I'm terribly sorry, but I'm feeling a bit unwell today and would like to rest. There are many young ladies over there waiting for the Prince to invite them."

Upon hearing her refusal, Ao Yong's smile instantly froze. However, after a brief moment, he recovered. "In that case, Queen, please rest well. I won't disturb you." He maintained his composure throughout, earning silent nods of approval from many nearby nobles.

Ao Yong quickly found another noble young woman to dance with. The girl was clearly flattered; he was the Dragon King's handsome brother, the dream man of countless maidens. She was so excited that she missed her steps several times, even stepping on his foot.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the girl stammered, flustered.

"It's alright. Just follow my rhythm, I'll guide you," Ao Yong said with a brilliant smile that captivated the girl. She wondered how the Queen could have refused such a perfect man.

Ao Yong was pondering the same question. Could it be that his sister-in-law still deeply loved the Dragon King? *Hmm, no, that's not right. She smiled at me just now; she clearly has feelings for me. It must be because we're in public. She probably didn't want to appear too intimate with me in front of everyone. Ah, I was too hasty. Next time, I should try to find her secretly when there are fewer people around.* Imagining some wonderful scene, his smile grew even brighter, and the young woman in his arms was completely enchanted by it. *The Dragon King's daily life is truly too extravagant; he really deserves a good critique.*

Just then, the duchess pursed her lips and chuckled. "Your Majesty seems different from usual."

Zu An's heart tightened. "How am I different?" Had she noticed a flaw in his disguise?

"Before I came to the Dragon Palace, I heard many rumors about Your Majesty," the duchess chuckled. "But seeing you now, you're quite different from what I heard. It feels as if I'm dancing with a gentle gentleman, not the Dragon King."

Zu An was speechless.

"Hurry up and make a move! Why aren't you hesitating like this when you touch me during our training?" Shang Hongyu's exasperated voice came again.

Zu An was speechless. *How can that be the same?*

The duchess followed his gaze and saw Shang Hongyu in the distance. She couldn't help but smile, "I knew it! So the Dragon King is thinking of the Queen. It seems you two are even more devoted than the rumors say."

"Of course," Zu An grunted.

"But the Queen is being looked after by Prince Yong right now, so Your Majesty needn't worry. Just focus on dancing with me," the duchess cooed, a hint of slyness in her eyes.

Zu An, being who he was, immediately realized that this woman seemed to be trying to sow discord between him and Ao Yong. He wondered what her motive was. Still, he couldn't help but glance over. That brother-loving Ao Yong was constantly hovering around Shang Hongyu, annoyingly like a fly. Just then, he saw Shang Hongyu reject Ao Yong and find a seat.

Shang Hongyu raised a glass of fruit wine, looking at him with a faint smile, and her teasing voice reached him through a spiritual message: "Are you jealous?"

"We're not really married, so why would I be jealous?" Zu An replied calmly.

"That's a disheartening answer," Shang Hongyu scoffed, then suddenly whispered, "Don't worry, I'll only let you hold me like that while dancing. I won't let any other man touch me."

Zu An's heart stirred. What did she mean by that?

At that moment, Shang Hongyu's voice came again, much louder than before. "You are the Dragon King. Countless eyes are secretly watching you throughout the hall. If you reveal any flaws, our plan will be ruined..."

Zu An sighed. He wasn't one to be overly delicate; since he had to act, he might as well do it convincingly. More importantly, he couldn't stand Shang Hongyu constantly badgering him in his ear. He was speechless.

However, he had no time to ponder these things. Soon, a young lady from a general's family came to invite him to dance. Although she wasn't as dazzling or curvaceous as the duchess, her youthful vitality and collagen-rich face made her exceptionally lively. Sensing several subtle gazes focused on him in the hall, Zu An knew this was his first act in the Dragon Palace. He had to perform it perfectly to minimize suspicion. Otherwise, once the seed of doubt was planted, no matter how well he performed afterward, his disguise would have already failed. So, he smiled, stood up, and re-entered the dance floor with the young lady.

Zu An finally understood why the Dragon King rarely stayed in the palace; the outside world was simply too exciting.

"You wish," Shang Hongyu scoffed. In the eyes of the many guards and palace maids, she returned to her room first, her face stern.

Zu An, meanwhile, took the opportunity to summon Prime Minister Gui. "By the way, there was a misunderstanding between the Queen and me a few days ago. Shang Liuyu disappeared, perhaps fearing implication. Have you found any trace of her?" He wasn't lost in pleasure; he remained concerned about Sister Shang's safety.

Prime Minister Gui replied, "The Third Princess often goes out, and her whereabouts are unpredictable. We haven't been able to find her."

"Now that the misunderstanding between the Queen and me has been resolved, you must promptly announce it to the world so she knows everything and returns as soon as possible."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will attend to it immediately," Prime Minister Gui said, hunching as he backed away, his tortoise shell on his back.

Not long after, the former guard captain entered. "Dragon King, why did you let the Queen stay?"