Chapter 533: The King Is in Trouble

Zu’an remained uneasy. Noticing the opulent surroundings and the faint shadows of guards outside the door, he first re-covered Pei Mianman with the blanket, then called out, "Someone!"

Just then, the door creaked open, and a young girl, dressed as a maid, slowly walked in.

The maid was quite pretty; in his previous life, she would have been considered at least a class or grade beauty.

However, having grown accustomed to Pei Mianman’s extraordinary beauty, Zu’an’s aesthetic standards had significantly risen, and ordinary looks could hardly stir his interest.

Yet, her attire was quite eye-catching because she wore very little clothing, seemingly just a bra and a mini-skirt that barely covered her vital areas.

Her fair, slender waist and a pair of well-proportioned, pale legs were exposed, showcasing her youthful vitality to the fullest.

After a moment of slight surprise, Zu’an realized that in ancient times, resources were scarce and textile manufacturing was undeveloped, so people often wore minimal clothing. It wasn't that the girl was deliberately dressed provocatively.

He couldn't help but inwardly sigh, "Men of ancient times truly had a feast for their eyes."

As he was lost in thought, the maid bowed and asked, "What are your orders, Great King?"

"Great King?" Zu’an was startled, and Pei Mianman, by his side, also widened her eyes, clearly not expecting such a turn of events.

"What dynasty is this?" Zu’an hastily asked.

"Dynasty?" The maid looked puzzled, clearly not understanding the word.

"Uh, I mean, what country are we in?" Zu’an quickly clarified.

The maid now understood. "We are the State of Shang. What is wrong, Great King? Why are you suddenly asking such strange questions?"

Zu’an’s heart skipped a beat, fearing she might notice something amiss. But then he reconsidered: he was the Great King, so what was there to worry about? After all, in the Shang Dynasty, people were often sacrificed like livestock.

So he put on a stern face and snorted, "Am I asking you, or are you asking me?"

Sensing his "anger," the maid dropped to her knees with a thud, trembling uncontrollably. "Great King, spare my life! Great King, spare my life!"

Seeing her terrified expression, Zu’an could sense the horrifying punitive methods of the Shang Dynasty.

He felt a pang of reluctance to frighten a young girl in such a way, but remembering his objective, he steeled himself. "Speak my name, and your life will be spared."

The maid hastily kowtowed and begged forgiveness. "Great King, spare my life! This servant dares not utter your taboo name."

Zu’an snorted, "If I tell you to say it, then say it. If you refuse, I'll have you dragged out and minced."

The maid's face paled, clearly aware of how gruesome mincing punishment was. She quickly replied, "You are Wu Ding, the greatest emperor since ancient times, you are..."

As if suddenly inspired, she immediately launched into a torrent of flattering praises.

"Wu Ding?" Zu’an’s expression shifted slightly. He recalled documentaries he had seen in his previous life and Mi Li’s explanations as they passed the murals earlier, and much information about Wu Ding flashed through his mind.

He had come for a trial; how had he suddenly become Wu Ding, the restorer of the Shang Dynasty?

A sudden thought struck him. He pointed at Pei Mianman beside him and asked, "What about her? Who is she?"

The maid's expression was strange; she thought, "You don't even recognize her. Have you truly been possessed?"

However, after the previous incident, she dared not show any such thought and hastily replied, "She is your Queen, Lady Fu Hao."

"Fu Hao?" Zu’an was even more surprised by this than by learning he was Wu Ding. Fu Hao was, after all, the first recorded female general in Chinese history, as well as a queen and a high priestess; her diverse roles made her life exceptionally legendary.

Pei Mianman was also very surprised. Although she didn't know the history of the Shang Dynasty, she had previously learned some information about Fu Hao from Ya Chang, knowing her to be a remarkable female hero. Furthermore, the bronze artifact at the entrance to their trial was the Fu Hao Owl Zun.

Seeing the maid trembling on her knees, Zu’an, who hailed from a civilized world, felt a pang of compassion. He asked her a few more questions, then let her leave.

He also deliberately offered her a few comforting words, which gradually calmed her frightened heart.

"This servant will not disturb the Great King and Queen's rest," the maid said, as if granted a great pardon, then hastily closed the door and withdrew.

Pei Mianman looked worried. "Ah Zu, this trial is truly bizarre. We have no idea what it's meant to test."

Zu’an nodded, pondering, "So far, we only know one thing."

"What is it?" Pei Mianman eagerly asked.

Zu’an looked at her with a hint of a smile. "That is, in this world, we are officially husband and wife, so it's time we did what married couples do."

Pei Mianman playfully chided him. She had seen his serious expression and expected him to say something profound, not something like that.

However, now understanding their current circumstances, her previous apprehension had significantly receded. Coupled with their mutual affection and emotions heightened by physical closeness, she was already more than willing.

Seeing this, Zu’an leaned back over her, resuming their previously interrupted activity.

"But what if this stage is a test of resisting temptation?" Pei Mianman was still somewhat worried.

Zu’an shook his head. "No, Wu Ding and Fu Hao were a normal married couple. They loved each other throughout their lives and had several children, so we're simply going with the flow."

"How do you know all this so clearly?" Pei Mianman asked, somewhat curious, as she had never heard of the Shang Dynasty or Wu Ding.

Zu’an smiled slightly, pointing to his head. "This is the world I saw in my dreams."

Pei Mianman blinked, then couldn't help but exclaim, "I never expected the world in your dreams to be so similar to these secret realms. Sometimes I even wonder if you're a Child of the Heavenly Dao."

Zu’an chuckled heartily, "Well, that's perfect then. Let's get intimate so you can experience the laws of the Heavenly Dao. Perhaps your cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds."

"Pah, you really think you're some kind of treasure," Pei Mianman scoffed, her face red. But she immediately froze, remembering how Chu Chuyan's cultivation had once been comparable to her own—or even lower, as she had hidden her superior cultivation. Yet, after emerging from the Yaoguang Secret Realm, Chu Chuyan's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds; this time, she was already at the seventh rank. Could it truly be influenced by this fellow's "nourishment"?

However, her thoughts quickly became muddled, and she gradually lost herself in his masterful caresses.

"I wonder where he learned such skills to tantalize a lady..." A hazy thought flashed through Pei Mianman's mind, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around the man on top of her.

A moment later, she sensed her lover's hesitation and tenderness. She smiled sweetly. "Ah Zu, it's fine. My whole body is already slick from you."

"What a temptress..." Zu’an sighed. Pei Mianman and Chu Chuyan were clearly two different styles: Chu Chuyan was cool and ethereal, like a block of ice, while Pei Mianman was passionate like fire, actively taking the initiative once she recognized a relationship.

Faced with the girl's gentle, fluid invitation, Zu’an could no longer hold back and eagerly pressed closer.

Even the sharpest, unparalleled sword would be sheathed, its edge disappearing inch by inch.

Pei Mianman's expression was a mix of pain and sweetness. She took a deep breath, tightly embraced her lover, and only much later managed to catch her breath.

Her face flushed, her eyes watery, she murmured, "Chu Chuyan is truly pitiful."

Zu’an was confused.

Pei Mianman bit her lip. "She has to be tormented by you like this every day."

Zu’an leaned close to her ear. "And you?"

A faint, inexplicable smile flickered across Pei Mianman's face. "My body isn't as delicate and slender as Chu Chuyan's. This kind of torment... I quite like it..."

Such words were more potent than any aphrodisiac. Soon, the bed became a scene of passionate undulation, and the room echoed with the painful creaking of the bed frame, as if it could fall apart at any moment.

Outside the door, the little maid guarding them stuck out her tongue and secretly murmured, "The Great King and Queen have such a good relationship..."

"And the Great King's stamina is also... very good..."

After an unknown period, urgent footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the door. "Great King, Great King, something's wrong!"