Chapter 204 Shipping the CP

The curve at Shen Jue’s lips grew increasingly cold, the force in his grip turning his knuckles faintly white.

“Then I’d quite like to experience it for myself—just how much of Lord Lu’s so-called upright and honorable methods can actually hold up in real combat.”

In an instant, the topic veered a full one-eighty—from strategies of governance straight into a clash of martial disciplines.

Lu Yan folded his arms across his chest, looking down at him with arrogant disdain.

“This Commander practices the broad and unrestrained blade techniques of the military—focused on decisive, killing strikes that break through all methods.”

He cast a sidelong glance at the flexible sword at Shen Jue’s waist, his tone brimming with contempt.

“How could it possibly compare to your kind of insidious, treacherous snake-like swordsmanship—fit only for striking from the shadows?”

Shen Jue laughed in fury, his narrow eyes gleaming with chilling killing intent.

“Broad and unrestrained? That’s nothing but brute strength.”

His slender fingers had already come to rest on the hilt of his sword.

“In all martial arts under heaven, speed alone is unbeatable. Today, I’ll let you, a frog at the bottom of a well, witness what true killing techniques look like.”

“Bring it on! As if I’d be afraid of you!”

The distance between them was less than an inch. Their gazes clashed fiercely in midair, as if sparks might fly at any moment.

It looked like these two gods of slaughter were truly about to start fighting inside the cramped carriage—possibly tearing the specially made vehicle apart.

Meanwhile, Yu Qing, who had been curled up in the corner munching on sunflower seeds, glanced at the cold, abstinent-looking commander…then at the sinister yet stunningly beautiful, scheming and seductive Grand Eunuch of the Eastern Depot.

One was proud and prickly. The other cunning and mischievous.

Back and forth they went, neither willing to yield.

And just like that, the long-dormant fangirl soul within Yu Qing suddenly burst into flames without warning!

Excited, she tossed aside the sunflower seeds in her hand and sneaked over to Su Hewan like a thief.

Leaning in close to her ear, she whispered excitedly,

“Hey, Wanwan, look…”

“Don’t you think the way they argue actually gives off a bit of CP vibes?”

“Cough, cough, cough—!”

Su Hewan had been watching the scene with great interest, but upon hearing this shocking remark, she nearly choked on her own saliva.

Her eyes widened as she stared at her best friend in disbelief.

What on earth was going on in this girl’s head all day—nothing but this kind of nonsense?!

And yet…

Almost involuntarily, Su Hewan lifted her gaze again, her eyes falling back on the two men locked in confrontation.

One was like a blade of the court—cold and righteous as snow atop a mountain.

The other was like a phantom of the night—a dark powerbroker wielding immense authority.

Black and white. Light and shadow.

From initial wariness and mutual desire to kill each other… to now being forced into the same carriage, even bickering like elementary school kids over a bag of snacks—

It felt as though Su Hewan had just opened the door to a whole new world.

Somehow… it really did feel like there was something there.

【From a character dynamic perspective, this is the classic “enemies to lovers,” a love-hate relationship.】

【One is a tragic, beautiful, and powerful figure walking alone in darkness, burdened by blood-deep vengeance. The other is a straight-laced man of steel, upright and devoted to the greater good.】

【This extreme contrast and tension… it’s practically a match made in heaven!】

Su Hewan silently analyzed it all in her mind.

【This is amazing! With a setup like this, if it were in modern web novels, it would definitely be a massive hit!】

At that very moment, Lu Yan—who was just about to draw his blade—suddenly jerked.

He nearly crushed the hilt of his Xiuchun saber in his grip!

Because he heard it loud and clear—the deafening scream inside Yu Qing’s mind.

【Ahhhhh! Lu Yan’s broad shoulders and narrow waist—he totally has top energy!】

【And Chief Shen with that sickly, delicate vibe—cornered against the wall, eyes reddened, grinding his teeth in defiance—absolutely sinful!】

【Help! I’m in love with this CP!】

Lu Yan’s stern face instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot.

He stiffly turned his head, staring in disbelief at that dead girl with an excited expression.

Top? Pinned against the wall? Sinful?

Even if he didn’t understand what those meant exactly, he knew they weren’t anything good!

On the other side, Shen Jue wasn’t faring any better.

The moment he heard Su Hewan’s inner thoughts, his tsundere pride shattered into pieces.

Lovers? Love-hate relationship?

Him? With Lu Yan—that brute with well-developed limbs and a simple mind?

【Oh no, oh no—I’ve even come up with their CP name! “Dead End CP,” or “The Embroidered Guard and His Nine-Thousand-Year Little Wife”!】

Su Hewan might appear cold and composed on the outside, but right now, her imagination was running wild like an unbridled horse.

【Just imagine—on a dark and stormy night, Lu Yan’s sword pierces Shen Jue’s shoulder, but the moment he sees the blood, a flash of heart-wrenching regret appears in his eyes.】

【Then he pulls the injured Shen Jue into his arms and says hoarsely, “In this lifetime, you can only die by my hand…”】

【Wow… this beautifully tragic, power-couple romance is absolutely irresistible!】

Crack.

The exquisite purple sandalwood folding fan Shen Jue always carried was crushed in his hand—its ribs snapped cleanly in two.

What kind of disgusting nonsense was going on in Wanwan’s head?!

He might as well let Lu Yan just cut him down with a single stroke!

The two best friends exchanged a glance, instantly reading the unspoken understanding in each other’s eyes.

Confirmed by eye contact—they were shipping the same CP!

On the surface, they remained calm, sitting obediently in place.

But their gazes had already undergone a complete transformation.

【I’ve already planned a 100,000-word fanfic—the first chapter will have them clashing in court during the day, but secretly meeting in the Eastern Depot’s hidden chamber at night!】

Yu Qing screamed internally, rubbing her hands together in excitement.

【The second chapter must have a rain scene—they fight fiercely in the rain, then end up entangled together, unable to tell whether it’s rain or tears!】

Su Hewan immediately picked up the rhythm in her mind, filling in the plot.

Listening to these two voices that were like demonic chants drilling into their brains, Lu Yan and Shen Jue completely broke down.

The two top-tier experts, who had just been at each other’s throats and ready to fight to the death, now found even their hands trembling as they held their weapons.

They couldn’t argue anymore.

They simply couldn’t argue anymore!

Compared to the wild imaginations of these two women, even the Empress Dowager’s vicious schemes seemed as innocent as child’s play!

The carriage continued to jolt along the bumpy official road.

As Lu Yan and Shen Jue argued, they suddenly felt an icy chill rise from behind, creeping up their spines.

At the same time, they swallowed hard and stiffly turned their heads.

There sat Su Hewan and Yu Qing, propping their chins on their hands, staring at the two of them in perfect sync.

That look—like proud mothers gazing at their two foolish sons who had finally gotten together.

In short, it was filled with a terrifying mix of affection and excitement.

Lu Yan felt his scalp go numb. As the dignified Commander of the Embroidered Guard, he was actually intimidated by the gazes of two women with no physical strength.

Shen Jue sucked in a sharp breath and subconsciously scooted toward the other side of the carriage—trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and Lu Yan, his so-called “scandal partner.”