I Was Supposed to Simp for the Female Lead for Three Years to Earn an Armory, but She Took It Seriously - Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: The Truth

“He said our entire family would soon be reunited with the heroic ancestors, and that I should hurry and buy a few coffins while I still can. If you don’t believe me, send someone to Cheng residence right now and ask Xianyi if what I said is true!”

This news made the Grand General of the Empire collapse into his chair.

A slip of the tongue from the Fourth Prince?

But… how could that be possible?

The Grand General simply couldn’t believe that the Emperor, who sat on the dragon throne, could be so ruthless to a loyal general who had defended the empire with blood and sacrifice!

Yet when he looked into his son’s determined and concerned eyes, and saw his daughter’s pale, horrified face, his lips trembled. A cold chill spread throughout his body.

“I understand.” The Grand General closed his eyes and waved his hand. “You two return to your rooms. I need a moment alone.”

Zhou Cheng gave his father a long look, afraid the old man might become so stubborn as to say something like, ‘If the Emperor wants his minister dead, the minister must die.’

Such was the absurdity of this fabricated era.

It didn’t matter whether the minister was right or wrong. If the Emperor wanted him dead—he’d die.

He decided to wait until morning, before departure, to have a proper talk with his father. Military authority absolutely could not be surrendered. For now, letting him calm down was best.

At the hour of Xu (around 7–9 p.m.), Madam Zhou returned home and, upon hearing the news, her face turned grave. She immediately sought out the Grand General in his study, where he sat in silence.

“I just heard…” she began.

“It’s true,” the Grand General said.

“What Cheng’er said—is it really true? The Emperor plans to destroy our Zhou family?” Madam Zhou’s heart was filled with dread.

“Maybe it was just a joke from the Fourth Prince. Our Zhou family has shed blood for the royal family, fought on the frontlines… we’ve only had peace for a short while. It shouldn’t be this way…” The Grand General still held out hope for the Emperor who sat high above.

Madam Zhou pressed her lips together and asked, “Then tomorrow—will you hand over the military command?”

“What if I don’t?” The Grand General had already thought of everything.

That “shouldn’t be” he just said—at least seventy percent of it was to comfort himself. It was a gamble, a bet on the Emperor’s conscience. “Our Zhou family commands only 300,000 troops.”

“But Madam, there are still 500,000 soldiers stationed in the south, and their commanding general is from the Crown Prince’s maternal family. The Emperor has likely been planning this for a long time.”

“Over the years, he’s been supporting the Crown Prince’s maternal clan. He summoned us back to the capital just to dilute our Zhou family’s power.”

“Now the time has come. This is the perfect moment for the Emperor to reclaim military command. I have no choice. If I don’t hand it over, it will be seen as treason. How can our 300,000 troops stand against 500,000?”

This wasn’t a matter of choice anymore.

It had to be done.

Because the Grand General knew exactly what would happen if he didn’t comply.

Though he held command over the army, the food, supplies, and weapons were all provided by the court.

The fact that the Emperor was already forcing him to relinquish power meant everything had been prepared. If he showed even the slightest hesitation, the army would be cut off from supplies immediately.

And then what?

Would he let the soldiers loot and kill civilians for rations?

“So…” Madam Zhou’s body turned cold. “That means… tomorrow, there’s no avoiding handing over the command?”

“But… what if what Cheng’er said is true? That once we hand over our military authority, the Emperor will falsely accuse us of treason? What happens then? What happens to our whole Zhou family?”

“Husband, is there really no other way?”

Just imagining their entire family being falsely executed filled her with rage and unwillingness.

But she knew—there was no path left.

If they handed it over, maybe they could gamble on the Emperor’s conscience.

If they didn’t, they’d either starve due to lack of supplies or die in battle against the 500,000 southern troops.

The outcome would be the same.

The Grand General closed his eyes. In that moment, he seemed ten years older. “At first light tomorrow, send Cheng’er away. A son who risked his life on the battlefield to defend our nation… now comes home to face this end. How ridiculous…”

…

That night.

Lying in bed, Zhou Cheng couldn’t fall asleep.

He kept thinking about his father’s reaction upon learning of the Emperor’s intentions. The sorrow in his father’s eyes seemed heavier than shock, and more bitter than disappointed.

The system had said his father ultimately did hand over the military authority. Perhaps Zhou Cheng had oversimplified things… Maybe it wasn’t because of blind loyalty—but because he truly had no way out?

Whoosh whoosh—

Suddenly!

A shadow flickered past the window.

Zhou Cheng’s heart tightened slightly, and he instantly slowed his breathing.

Could it be that damn Emperor already sending someone to plant false letters of treason?

Creak—

The door slowly opened.

Zhou Cheng kept his eyes shut, only cracking one open just enough to reach for the pistol in his Portable Space.

Tap tap tap—

The shadow approached.

Zhou Cheng was ready to strike.

But suddenly—

His hand was gently held.

Zhou Cheng: “???”

It was soft… and warm?

What kind of weird situation was this?

[Ding!]

[Points increased by 1! By 2… now 15!]

Hearing the Material Mall’s point increase notifications, Zhou Cheng froze. It wasn’t until now that he could faintly make out the person’s features through the darkness.

Cheng Xianyi.

She wore black nightclothes. Her fair face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Clearly, sneaking into the General’s residence hadn’t been easy.

She sat carefully on the edge of his bed, her black hair cascading down, some strands brushing against the back of his hand.

“Ah Cheng, I heard what you said during the day.”

“You said… if only you could sleep holding my hand at night too. So I snuck in. Please don’t blame me for being presumptuous. I just… I missed you too much.”

“I don’t know why you’re no longer avoiding my touch, and I don’t know what it is you want, but it’s okay. Whatever it is… it’s all okay.”

Only in a moment like this could Cheng Xianyi drop her guard.

Only now could she finally voice everything she had buried in her heart for so long.

She gently placed her delicate hand in Zhou Cheng’s palm again, and then sneakily glanced at him. After confirming there was no sign of him waking, she relaxed.

After a moment of hesitation, she gathered her courage.

Her beautiful eyes fell on Zhou Cheng’s thin lips.

Could she?

Would he blame her if he found out later?

But she loved him—so, so deeply. He was her reason to live. Just this once. Just once… after all, he wouldn’t even know, right?

Chu~

She swiftly planted a kiss on Zhou Cheng’s lips, like a dragonfly skimming water.

Zhou Cheng nearly lost it on the spot: “??!!!”

[Ding!]

[Material Mall bonus reward—First lip-to-lip contact: +10,000 points!]

[Duration: 1 second, +100 points!]

Zhou Cheng: “??!!!” What the hell!

You can do that?!

Why didn’t you tell me earlier?

Holding hands gives 1 point per second.

But a kiss gives 100 per second, and a bonus 10,000?

Then if they went even further—no no, stop, don’t think about that now.

Eyes still closed, Zhou Cheng was overwhelmed with excitement. He immediately glanced at his current point balance. He hadn’t used any of the points from Flower Street earlier, so his current total was: 21,933 points.

Right now, since Cheng Xianyi’s hand was still in his, the points were steadily climbing.

Climbing happily…

While Cheng Xianyi stared at his face with eyes full of light, and gently whispered, “Ah Cheng, will you still treat me the way you did today?”

“If only it could always be like this. Then I wouldn’t have to keep thinking of ways to see you more. I wouldn’t have to struggle for just one more word with you.”

Thinking of ways?

What did that mean?

Zhou Cheng was completely confused.

Cheng Xianyi went on, “I know Miss Lin really hates me. She can’t stand to see me doing well. That time during the capital’s poetry and painting banquet, I was the one who arranged it.”

“I knew she’d definitely cling to you and ask for the landscape painting I did, then add her name and submit it. That way, she could steal the title of talented lady from me.”

“But it’s okay. I don’t care about those things at all.”

“I only knew, if she made such a request, you’d definitely come to Cheng residence to ask me for the painting. You’d definitely say a few more words to me.”

“……”

Zhou Cheng was absolutely stunned at this point!

She… she planned that?

Just to make sure he’d come see her?

He thought she was just a lovestruck fool… but it turns out she was a clever, talented, and scheming lovestruck fool!

If he weren’t pretending to be asleep—yes, pretending was the best move right now—if he suddenly opened his eyes, Cheng Xianyi would die of embarrassment on the spot.

Wait a minute!

That painting event was planned… then what about all the other things?

The cat she sent… the servants getting humiliated… stealing silk in public…

What about the nearly a hundred incidents that made the Cheng family look bad?!