《Rumor Has It That I m Pregnant with His Highness Child》 Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Taking Responsibility Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao said stiffly. ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary fan.¡± With that, he was about to snatch the fan back. How could Yu Niaoniao let him get away so easily? She gripped the fan tightly and refused to let go. The two of them grabbed the ends of the folding fan and refused to give in. They looked like they were about to fight at any moment. The surrounding people looked at the two of them in confusion, not understanding what they were doing. Yu Niaoniao deliberately pretended to be puzzled. ¡°But I remember that it was Master Wang¡¯s fan. It¡¯s impossible for me to remember wrongly.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you show it to us? If it¡¯s really not Master Wang¡¯s fan at the village entrance, I¡¯ll apologize to you now.¡± Then she looked at the others and asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see if that fan was done by Master Wang at the Village Entrance?¡± Everyone was naturally extremely curious. They all spoke up, wanting Wei Liao to open his folding fan for everyone to see. Of course, Wei Liao was unwilling. ¡°This is my fan. Why should I show it to you?!¡± He pulled the fan back harder. Yu Niaoniao staggered and almost fell on him. Fortunately, she reacted quickly enough and reached out a foot to step on the leg of the stool Wei Liao was sitting on. She barely managed to maintain her balance. She gripped the fan tightly with both hands. ¡°Are you feeling guilty?¡± Wei Liao threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t let go, don¡¯t blame me for being rude to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not afraid. ¡°If you¡¯re anxious, you must be guilty!¡± Wei Liao suddenly raised his hand and poked her eye! Out of human instinct, Yu Niaoniao subconsciously closed her eyes. Wei Liao¡¯s hand grabbed a direction in midair and fell. He tapped her wrist twice. Yu Niaoniao felt her hand go numb, and her grip softened. Wei Liao took the opportunity to pull out his folding fan. Yu Niaoniao opened her eyes and realized that she had been tricked. In exasperation, she picked up the teacup on the table beside her and splashed the tea in his face. The tea had been there for a while. It was not very hot and would not burn anyone. But it was still water. It would definitely be embarrassing to be splashed with water in front of so many people. Especially with Wei Liao¡¯s flashy personality, he definitely did not want to be in such a sorry state. Yu Niaoniao thought he would cover his face with his sleeve. She could take the opportunity to snatch the fan from him. Unexpectedly, Wei Liao only turned around and put the fan into his pocket, using his sleeve to block it from being splashed by water. In the end, the tea splashed on the side of his face. Water dripped down his cheeks. Everyone present was stunned. Yu Niaoniao was stunned on the spot and asked in disbelief. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge?¡± Wei Liao casually wiped the tea off his face with a dark expression. He looked at Yu Niaoniao as if he was going to tear her apart in the next moment. ¡°Are you done?!¡± Yu Niaoniao felt a little guilty. She took out the silk handkerchief she carried and handed it over. ¡°Wipe it off.¡± Wei Liao wanted to refuse, but his hand reached out. By the time he reacted, the silk handkerchief was in his hand. Yu Niaoniao defended herself softly, ¡°You provoked me first. I wanted to ask you to help introduce me to the troupe master, but you brought me here and deliberately taunted me. You wanted to see me make a fool of myself. I was so angry that I retaliated.¡± Wei Liao scolded angrily as he wiped the water off his face with a silk handkerchief. ¡°At most, I teased you a little. But you attacked me directly. Fortunately, the tea was cold. If it had just been boiled, I would have been disfigured.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in my prime now and haven¡¯t married or had children. If you disfigure me, what will I do for the rest of my life? Can you bear the responsibility?!¡± Yu Niaoniao could not raise her head. She said awkwardly, ¡°I can take responsibility.¡± Wei Liao was stunned. He had deliberately made the matter sound serious to occupy the moral high ground and criticize Yu Niaoniao fiercely. Unexpectedly, Yu Niaoniao was really willing to take responsibility. How did she want to be responsible? Did she want to take care of him for the rest of his life? Immediately after, he heard Yu Niaoniao continue. ¡°I can send you off in your old age.¡± Wei Liao was speechless. Although the meaning was the same, why did it make him want to beat her up? Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m not dead yet, and you want to send me off?¡± Yu Niaoniao forced herself to defend herself. ¡°This is called being prepared.¡± Before Wei Liao could retaliate, her eyes suddenly widened as she pointed at the folding fan in Wei Liao¡¯s arms. ¡°Aiya, your fan seems to be a little wet. Wipe it off!¡± Wei Liao¡¯s heart tightened. Before his mind could react, he had already taken out his folding fan to see if it was really wet. Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to rush over and pinch the top of the fan. Wei Liao immediately pulled back his fan. Unexpectedly, his actions met Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expectations. She only pinched a small corner of the fan, but when Wei Liao pulled it back, it opened with a whoosh! The portrait depicted on the fan was exposed to everyone. Everyone present widened their eyes in unison, unable to hide the surprise on their faces. Wasn¡¯t the drawing of the female princess in The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation? Even though Wei Liao quickly put away his folding fan, it was too late. He glared at Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Look what you did!¡± Not only was Yu Niaoniao not afraid, but she also giggled at him. She wanted to see how he would clean up this mess. Wei Liao had a headache. He had clearly scolded Master Wang at the Village Entrance the most, but in the end, he actually hid the folding fan drawn by Master Wang at the Village Entrance. Wasn¡¯t this slapping his own face? If everyone questioned him later, he would not even be able to defend himself. Forget it, let¡¯s not care about this. The best plan was to leave. Just as he was about to find an excuse to slip away, Zheng Changle rushed up to him and asked anxiously. ¡°Brother Wei, Brother Wei, where did you get this fan?¡± Wei Liao felt even more guilty and raised his voice. ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± ¡°Brother Wei, sell this fan to me. You can name any price!¡± As Zheng Changle spoke, he began to take out banknotes. Seeing this, the others were shocked by Zheng Changle¡¯s actions and questioned him. ¡°Brother Zheng, how can you do this? Don¡¯t you hate Master Wang at the Village Entrance like us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if Brother Wei betrays us now, but why are you betraying us too?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten what you said before? You swore to the heavens that you would never read Master Wang¡¯s books again!¡± Zheng Changle¡¯s fat face flushed red as he was forced to defend himself. ¡°I only said not to read his books. I didn¡¯t say not to read his paintings..¡± Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Stubborn Chapter 401: Stubborn Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone was shocked by Zheng Changle¡¯s thoughts. They had never seen anyone go back on their word like this. Unexpectedly, this was not the end. Next, Zheng Changle began to point at their noses. ¡°Who are you to say anything about me? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done in private.¡± ¡°Second Brother Lu, you say that you hate Master Wang¡¯s books the most, but you secretly booked all the books in the bookstore!¡± Second Brother Lu blushed. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t want others to be poisoned by The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation, so I bought all the books in advance. I locked those books in the box and didn¡¯t read a single one!¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°And you, Hu Si. You especially paid a high price to hire someone to crush all the important characters written by Master Wang at the village entrance into sugar figurines to decorate the house!¡± Hu Si shrunk his neck. ¡°I got the sugar figurines made because I wanted to eat all those sugar figurines. I felt good eating the annoying characters.¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°As for you, Wu Xiaoliu, there¡¯s even less of a need for me to say anything, right? Last time, you even secretly found me and wanted me to choose a few people from the theater so that we could perform the Seven Treasures Record and the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation.¡± Treasures Record and the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation.¡± Wu Xiaoliu covered his face with his sleeve. ¡°You promised not to tell anyone.¡± By the time Zheng Changle finished speaking, everyone present had already been found out. Even Wei Liao was surprised. He had thought that it was already impressive enough for him to secretly collect portraits of the little mute and the princess. He did not expect this group of people to be even worse than him. However, these people were still stubborn. At this point, they were still unwilling to confess. Yu Niaoniao was also stunned by this reversal. She had thought that these were her anti-fans. She did not expect them to still be fans on the inside. Zheng Changle¡¯s mouth went dry. However, he couldn¡¯t care less about drinking water to moisten his throat. His eyes were fixed on Wei Liao. To be precise, he was looking at the folding fan in his arms. ¡°Brother Wei, since the fan has already been revealed, there¡¯s no need to hide it. Name a price. I promise I won¡¯t bargain!¡± Seeing this, the others leaned over and shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll pay 100 taels. Sell it to me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay 200 taels!¡± ¡°300 taels, give it to me!¡± Zheng Changle was exasperated. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about snatching it from me. I¡¯ll pay a thousand taels!¡± With that, he slammed a stack of banknotes on the table. His aura could be said to be quite strong. Everyone present was shocked by his imposing manner. Unexpectedly, Wei Liao did not even look at the banknotes and said slowly. ¡°Not to mention 1,000 taels, I won¡¯t sell it even if it¡¯s 10,000 taels. Zheng Changle immediately panicked. ¡°I can¡¯t take out 20,000 taels in a short time.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°What I mean is that no matter how much you pay, I won¡¯t sell my fan.¡± Zheng Changle begged, ¡°Don¡¯t. We¡¯re all friends. Let¡¯s discuss it again!¡± The others also looked at Wei Liao eagerly, wanting him to sell the fan to them. Wei Liao enjoyed this feeling. He took out his fan and opened it, revealing the portrait drawn on the fan. Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on the fan. Their burning gazes seemed to raze the fan. Wei Liao was very proud and his tone was filled with bragging. ¡°This fan was personally drawn by Master Wang at the Village Entrance. There¡¯s only one in the world. It¡¯s impossible for me to sell it. Give up.¡± As he had hoped, he saw disappointment on everyone¡¯s faces. He felt even happier. In the past, he felt good about scolding Master Wang at the Village Entrance with everyone, but now, this feeling of being envied and jealous was even better! At that moment, a small hand reached over and picked up the stack of banknotes on the table. ¡°Give me this thousand taels. I¡¯ll help you get a fan drawn by Master Wang at the Village Entrance.¡± Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yu Niaoniao happily counting banknotes. She did not expect a fan to sell for so much money. If she had known that money was so easy to earn, she would have drawn a dozen of them every day. Zheng Changle was skeptical. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Wei Liao. I got him the folding fan in his hand.¡± Zheng Changle immediately looked at Wei Liao and asked if it was true. Wei Liao¡¯s expression was very ugly. What was wrong with this woman? Had she been bribed with a mere thousand taels? Did she still want her status as the Princess Consort of Lang County? Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Of course not. Master Wang personally handed this fan to me. It has nothing to do with this guy.¡± Yu Niaoniao had already expected Wei Liao to not cooperate, so she returned the banknotes to Zheng Changle and said to him. ¡°Take this money back first. When I bring the fan over tomorrow, the goods and money can be exchanged at the same time. How about that?¡± Zheng Changle nodded without hesitation. ¡°Alright! When are you coming tomorrow?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought for a moment. She still had to go to the Justice Department tomorrow to clock in. She definitely did not have time during the day. ¡°In the evening. I¡¯ll meet you here then.¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°Alright, you just have to tell the waiter at the door that you¡¯re here to look for me tomorrow. You don¡¯t have to buy a ticket in advance.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Originally, she had come here to look for the troupe master to talk to him about the adaptation of Prince Lang¡¯s Liaodong Tour. No matter what Xiao Juan thought of her now, she would not change her original intention. She would try her best to reverse Xiao Juan¡¯s bad image in the hearts of the public. Now that she realized that the troupe master¡¯s son, Zheng Changle, was a fan of her book, she felt that she could start with Zheng Changle. She would first establish a certain trust with him before asking him to help facilitate the adaptation. The others were also tempted. They also wanted to obtain the folding fan drawn by Master Wang at the Village Entrance, but they could not take out 1,000 taels for the time being. They looked at Yu Niaoniao eagerly. Yu Niaoniao noticed their gazes and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°I can also get a bookmark personally written by Master Wang at the Village Entrance. Do you want it?¡± Everyone nodded hurriedly. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! We want it! How much?¡± The bookmark was just a word. Unlike the folding fan, which had to be drawn, Yu Niaoniao did not raise the price very high. She extended a fair finger. ¡°One tael of silver apiece.¡± Unexpectedly, in the next moment, Zheng Changle took out the banknotes and slapped them on the table. ¡°Give me a hundred bookmarks first!¡± The others shouted. ¡°I want a hundred bookmarks too!¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. There were so many people. If each of them bought a hundred pieces, her hands would be crippled, right?! She spoke with difficulty. ¡°A hundred won¡¯t do. Everyone is limited to ten.¡± Although everyone was disappointed, they could only reluctantly accept it. ¡°Ten will do.¡± After counting the bookmarks, Yu Niaoniao prepared to turn around and leave. While it was still early, she had to go back and quickly make the folding fan and bookmarks. These were all white silver! As soon as she walked out of the private room, Wei Liao followed her. Wei Liao blocked her way and said with a dark expression. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to draw fans for others!¡± Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Despicable Chapter 402: Despicable Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao had just tasted the wonderful feeling of being envied by a group of people. He hadn¡¯t had enough yet. If Zheng Changle also had a fan, he would never be able to show it off to others in the future. How could he accept it? Yu Niaoniao did not know what Wei Liao was thinking. She just thought this guy was ridiculous. She couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. She prepared to walk around him and go downstairs. Wei Liao extended his arm and blocked her way again. ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡± Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes and said angrily, ¡°I heard you. No, please move!¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°You promised me before that the fan you gave me would be unique in this world. Don¡¯t tell me you want to go back on your word?!¡± So that was what he was worried about! Yu Niaoniao was enlightened. This fellow was even stronger. He did not even want anyone else to have the same fan. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if I draw another fan for others, it will be another pattern. It will be completely different from the pattern on your fan.¡± Hearing this, Wei Liao felt a little better. But his tone was still tough. ¡°Can you not draw a fan for someone?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°How can I earn money if I don¡¯t draw fans for others?¡± Wei Liao looked disdainful. ¡°It¡¯s just a thousand taels of silver.¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed in anger at his tone. ¡°A mere thousand taels? That¡¯s all? Brother, do you have a gold mine at home? A thousand taels is actually nothing to you. If you¡¯re really so rich, why don¡¯t you take out some money to help the poor?¡± Wei Liao said slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t see any poor people in the circles I usually interact with.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m an out-and-out poor person standing in front of you. Can you give me some money?¡± Wei Liao didn¡¯t understand. ¡°You¡¯re the Princess Consort of Duke Lang. Doesn¡¯t he give you money to spend? He doesn¡¯t look like such a stingy man.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately defended Xiao Juan. ¡°It has nothing to do with him! I want to earn money with my own abilities. I don¡¯t want to be a rice worm that only knows how to ask men for money.¡± Wei Liao looked suspicious. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a self-reliant woman.¡± Yu Niaoniao gritted her teeth. ¡°What do you mean? Are you looking down on me?!¡± Seeing that she was angry, Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. I¡¯m just telling the truth. You look like the kind of lazy person who doesn¡¯t have any ambitions. You won¡¯t sit if you can lie down. You won¡¯t stand if you can sit. You just want to eat and wait for death every day.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Damn it! She couldn¡¯t argue. He was indeed talking about the life she had dreamed of! Wei Liao took a step forward and bent down to stare into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry to earn money. Do you have some unspeakable secret?¡± This fellow was indeed the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards. His thoughts were indeed very sharp. Yu Niaoniao subconsciously tensed up. ¡°I don¡¯t have any unspeakable secrets. I¡¯m upright. Don¡¯t judge me with your dirty thoughts!¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°You¡¯re feeling guilty.¡± Yu Niaoniao denied loudly, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Wei Liao rubbed his ears. ¡°Keep your voice down. You¡¯re going to deafen me.¡± Yu Niaoniao pushed him hard. ¡°A good dog doesn¡¯t block the way. Move!¡± Wei Liao took the opportunity to stand up. ¡°I¡¯ll say it one last time. You¡¯re not allowed to draw fans for others. Otherwise, I¡¯ll tell everyone the truth that you¡¯re Master Wang at the Village Entrance and let everyone in the Imperial Capital know that the Princess Consort of Lang County secretly earns money by drawing third-rate novels.¡± Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not drawing a third-rate storybook!¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°The setting in The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation is so exciting. If the Chinese court officials find out that it was you who did it, guess what they will say about you and Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao was immediately speechless. She was not afraid of being criticized, but she did not want Xiao Juan to be used as a topic of conversation. It was a long time before she spoke again. ¡°How dare you threaten me with such a thing. You¡¯re despicable.¡± Wei Liao wasn¡¯t ashamed. Instead, he was proud. ¡°Thank you for the compliment. I¡¯m a bad person by nature. The more you call me bad, the happier I am.¡± Yu Niaoniao felt that this person was most likely seriously ill. She said angrily, ¡°I¡¯ll promise you. I won¡¯t draw fans for others.¡± There were so many types of comics around. Even if she didn¡¯t draw a fan, she could still make other things, such as pillows, dolls, hands, screens, and so on. Having achieved his wish, Wei Liao finally stopped blocking her and stepped aside. When Yu Niaoniao walked past him, she really could not hold back the anger in her heart. She suddenly stretched out a foot and stepped on the back of his foot! She stepped on it quite hard. However, she was only a woman and had never practiced martial arts. Even if she used all her strength, it would be nothing to Wei Liao. What Wei Liao really couldn¡¯t stand was that this woman stepped on his instep and jumped up. She was shorter than him, so her head bumped into Wei Liao¡¯s chin! This time, it really hurt! Wei Liao covered his painful chin and reached out to grab Yu Niaoniao. In the end, he missed. Like a loach, the woman darted far away. Wei Liao strode after her. He had to teach this woman a lesson today! When Yu Niaoniao heard footsteps behind her, she immediately ran even faster. Her two slender legs moved vigorously, like two rapidly spinning fire wheels. In the blink of an eye, she was near the theater door. Just as she was about to rush out the door, a large hand suddenly grabbed the back of her collar from behind. She was forced to brake. She turned around and saw Wei Liao staring at her angrily. His chin had clearly turned red. Wei Liao gritted his teeth. ¡°Run! Why aren¡¯t you running anymore?¡± Yu Niaoniao was a little afraid. After all, her strength was far inferior to the other party. But on second thought, there were people coming and going around. He probably wouldn¡¯t dare to really attack her. So she mustered her courage again. ¡°Men and women shouldn¡¯t touch each other. Let go of me.¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Ha, now you know that men and women shouldn¡¯t touch each other. Why didn¡¯t you think of that when you lifted your hand to attack me just now?¡± Yu Niaoniao retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t lift my hand on you!¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°You didn¡¯t lift your hand, but you lifted your foot! You even used your head!¡± He really had to hand it to this woman. As the Princess Consort, she actually dared to fight with a man and was so shameless. He wondered how Duke Lang could tolerate her?! Wei Liao pondered over how he could teach this woman a lesson. No woman had ever dared to provoke him like this. He definitely could not let her off easily. However, she was the Princess Consort of Lang County after all. He could not use violence against her in public. Just as Wei Liao was thinking about what to do next, he saw a figure from the corner of his eye.. Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: An Eye for an Eye Chapter 403: An Eye for an Eye Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao caught a glimpse of a man standing beside a pillar not far away. That person looked like he was watching the performance on the stage, but his eyes kept sneaking in the direction of Wei Liao and Yu Niaoniao. Coincidentally, Wei Liao had seen him in the Justice Department. He was an Eagle Guard. When the Eagle Guard realized that Wei Liao seemed to have noticed him, he immediately retracted his gaze and walked in another direction. The distance between the two widened. In the blink of an eye, the Eagle Guard was gone. Wei Liao had already guessed most of it. Duke Lang must have been worried about Yu Niaoniao going out alone and specially sent an Eagle Guard to protect her in secret. Although the Eagle Guards were gone, they must not have gone far. They must have hidden nearby. He had to keep Yu Niaoniao safe. He could not be too far away from her. With a thought, Wei Liao suddenly knew how to teach Yu Niaoniao a lesson. He quickly put on a warm smile as he let go of her lapels and quickly hooked her shoulder with his other hand, deliberately looking intimate. ¡°Brother Yu, you had a good time in Sky Oriole Garden today, right? Ye Yin served you well, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao had yet to recover from his sudden change in expression. When she heard what he said, she was even more confused. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense¡­¡± Wei Liao interrupted her in an extremely ambiguous tone. ¡°Alright, I know. You like Ye Yin very much. I can¡¯t even say. I¡¯ll just stop.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t forget your promise to Ye Yin. You promised to give him something. You must be more careful when you get back.¡± ¡°Come over early tomorrow. Don¡¯t let him wait too long.¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, Wei Liao pushed her out the door. She staggered and almost fell. Yu Niaoniao turned around angrily, but she realized that Wei Liao had already walked away. She could only curse angrily. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± As soon as the clerk at the door saw her, he immediately smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t hear anything just now.¡± was speechless. ¡°What did you hear?¡± The clerk looked around to make sure that no one was paying attention to him before flattering him softly. ¡°Ye Yin is the new star here. Although he¡¯s a little young, he¡¯s definitely the number one in our Heavenly Oriole Garden in terms of looks and figure! You have good taste taking a fancy to him!¡± He had been standing at the door just now, and Wei Liao had spoken loudly. He had no choice but to hear him. Yu Niaoniao was so angry that her face turned red. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I have nothing to do with Ye Yin. If you spread rumors, I¡¯ll get someone to cut off your tongue!¡± The clerk was frightened to death and hurriedly apologized. ¡°I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have spoken nonsense. I¡¯ll slap myself now!¡± With that, he really slapped himself twice. He hit himself very hard. Two crisp sounds immediately attracted the attention of many people. Seeing that everyone was looking over, Yu Niaoniao was afraid that she would make things worse, so she could only run away in a hurry. She rode the donkey back to the Langjun Imperial Palace. Granny Xiu Yan asked with concern. ¡°Did it go well outside today? Were you bullied?¡± waved her hand and said no. Although she had met that annoying Wei Liao today, she had not been able to gain an advantage over him. The two of them were even. Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Then are you hungry? Are you thirsty? I¡¯ll get someone to prepare some refreshments for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer the question. ¡°Is the embroiderer in the residence free today? I have something to ask her for help.¡± Granny Xiu Yan immediately replied, ¡°Of course she¡¯s free! The residence has spent money to raise several embroiderers. I¡¯ll get someone to call them over.¡± Soon, the four embroiderers were brought to Yu Niaoniao. They knelt down and bowed to Yu Niaoniao in fear. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked them to get up and casually took out a draft. ¡°Can you embroider the pattern on this?¡± One of the embroiderers took the draft and looked at it. She saw that there were two people drawn on it. Although the proportion of the characters and their facial features were a little strange, it should not be difficult to embroider. Therefore, the four of them nodded in agreement. immediately smiled. ¡°Very good. Get to work now. Embroider the contents of this painting into pillowcase. The pillowcase is about this wide and long. Make it almost as t a real person¡­¡± She gestured above her head as she spoke. The embroiderers pricked up their ears and listened carefully, memorizin: everything the County Princess said. After saying all the requests, Yu Niaoniao took out four silver ingots and p them on the table. ¡°As long as the pillowcases you make satisfy me, these four silver ingots a yours.¡± The four embroiderers were naturally overjoyed and hurriedly agreed. Yu Niaoniao instructed, ¡°Remember, you only have one day. After you fini making the pillowcase tomorrow, put in the pillow core and hand it to Gr? Xiu Yan. She¡¯ll send someone to give me a pillow.¡± The four of them replied in unison, ¡°Yes.¡± They immediately got to work after returning to the embroidery room. Whether it was to get on the Princess Consort¡¯s good side or for the four ingots, they had to do their best this time! At the same time, the Eagle Guards in charge of secretly protecting Yu Niaoniao had returned to the Justice Department. He went to report to Lo Pingsha. Unexpectedly, he bumped into Lo Pingsh talking to Duke Lang. Xiao Juan had already learned from Lo Pingsha that Yu Niaoniao had gone out today. He also knew that Lo Pingsha had ordered one of the Eagle Guards to protect Yu Niaoniao. He caught a glimpse of someone coming and asked calmly. ¡°What is it?¡± The Eagle Guard glanced at Lo Pingsha before speaking. ¡°Your Highness, the Princess Consort has returned to the Regional King¡¯s Mansion safely.¡± Xiao Juan continued to ask, ¡°Did she encounter any trouble today?¡± After asking, he saw the Eagle Guard hesitate and immediately understood that Yu Niaoniao must have encountered an unusual situation outside today. So his face darkened and his voice was cold. ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± The Eagle Guard was afraid and did not dare to hide it, so he told the truth. ¡°Today, the County Princess went to the Heavenly Oriole Garden.¡± ¡°However, because I did not have a ticket, I could not follow her in and could only look for an opportunity nearby.¡± ¡°When I finally found an opportunity to sneak into the Heavenly Oriole Garden, I saw that the Princess Consort had already walked down the stairs. There was a man behind her.¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°What man?¡± ¡°It was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, Wei Liao. He seems to be very familiar with the Princess Consort. He even told her¡­ said.. Xiao Juan reprimanded, ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. Don¡¯t hem and haw!¡± ¡°Wei Liao mentioned a young man called Ye Yin. He said that he served the Princess Consort very well and asked her not to forget to prepare gifts for hi He also promised to see her tomorrow.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression gradually turned ugly. ¡°Who is Ye Yin?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked around. Ye Yin is a small actor in the Heavenly Oriole Garden. I heard that he¡¯s very handsome. Many rich daughters spend money to suppo him.¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. Lo Pingsha said nothing. Heavens! Was the Princess Consort actually raising an actor behind Duke Lang¡¯s back?! Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Not Worthy of Her Chapter 404: Not Worthy of Her Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lo Pingsha asked carefully. ¡°Your Highness, do you want to go home and talk to the Princess Consort? Perhaps there¡¯s a misunderstanding. The Princess Consort has such deep feelings for you that she won¡¯t do anything to let you down.¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes and remained silent. Everyone thought that she was loyal to him. Even he thought so in the past. But now he recognized the reality. She had no romantic feelings for him at all. Since she didn¡¯t like him, it wasn¡¯t impossible for her to find another man. Xiao Juan silently told himself that she had the right to pursue happiness. He should not shackle her, but the uncomfortable feeling in his heart became stronger and stronger. He tried his best to suppress the urge to rush home and ask Niaoniao about it. ¡°I still have things to do. I can¡¯t go back for the time being.¡± Lo Pingsha wanted to say something else, but Xiao Juan changed the topic. ¡°Although the corruption case from ten years ago has been solved, the suspect is dead, and the one million taels of dirty money is missing. Now that we had finally found a clue, the emperor is taking it very seriously and ordered us to capture the suspect. ¡°Pass down the order to divide the Eagle Guards in the Justice Department into two teams. A group of people went to the various city gates to guard and investigate suspicious people. ¡°The other team will search every house in the city. They definitely won¡¯t let go of any clues!¡± Seeing that he had made up his mind, Lo Pingsha could only sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll do it now.¡± After everyone went out, only Xiao Juan was left in the room. He finally did not have to pretend anymore and his expression became extremely gloomy. The moment he thought that she might be intimate with another man, the violent emotions in his heart kept surging. He really wanted to rush out now and find the man called Ye Yin and cut him into pieces! But logic told him not to. Even if Niaoniao liked other men, he could not interfere with her choice. He should set her free. He should be happy that she had found happiness. Two opposing extreme emotions kept tugging at his heart, making his mental state worse and worse. He even felt self-loathing. It was her freedom to like whoever she liked. What right did he have to point fingers at her? Someone like him, who had grown up in the dark, was only worthy of staying in a dark corner. It was normal for her not to like him. If it were him, he wouldn¡¯t like a bad person like him, who was infamous, unromantic, and had blood on his hands. He was not worthy of her. Inside Mirror House with closed doors and windows, the light was dim and nothing could be seen clearly. Xiao Juan sat quietly behind the desk and did not move for a long time, like a lifeless sculpture. When the sun was about to set, there was suddenly a knock on the door of Mirror House. Meng Xizhou¡¯s voice came through the door. ¡°Your Highness, are you there? I have something to report.¡± After a long time, Xiao Juan replied. ¡°Come in.¡± The door was pushed open, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone in. The originally dark house suddenly became much brighter. Meng Xizhou bowed before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ve already followed your instructions and brought people to search the city door to door for the suspect. Although we haven¡¯t found the target yet, we brought back someone.¡± Xiao Juan asked calmly, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°A performer in the Sky Oriole Garden called Ye Yin.¡± Xiao Juan slowly looked up and asked as if to confirm, ¡°Ye Yin?¡± Meng Xizhou deliberately lowered his voice and explained. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about the Princess Consort and Ye Yin.¡± ¡°The Princess Consort is deeply loyal to you and will not change her mind easily.¡± ¡°That actor called Ye Ying must have seduced the Princess Consort!¡± ¡°Coincidentally, I found out about the Heavenly Oriole Garden today and happened to see Ye Yin, so I brought him back.¡± ¡°Do you want to take the opportunity to teach him a lesson?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also to let him know that the Princess Consort is not someone an actor like him can think about.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression immediately darkened as he reprimanded. ¡°Nonsense! I ordered you to search the entire city to capture the suspect, not to use your official position for personal gain!¡± Niaoniao had no feelings for him to begin with. If she found out that he had abused his power to vent his personal anger, she would definitely look down on him even more. She might even leave him in anger. No! He could not let Niaoniao leave him. Meng Xizhou was shocked by Duke Lang¡¯s cold gaze and hurriedly apologized. ¡°I know my mistake. I¡¯ll let him go now.¡± With that, he turned to leave. Xiao Juan suddenly stopped him. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Meng Xizhou could only stand obediently. ¡°Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?¡± Xiao Juan was silent for a long time before asking the question that was suppressed in his heart. ¡°What did he look like?¡± Meng Xizhou said without hesitation, ¡°He¡¯s greasy and weak. He¡¯s far inferior to you!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart dimmed. Unfortunately, Niaoniao did not think so. Meng Xizhou could tell that he was actually quite curious about Ye Yin, so he advised softly. ¡°In any case, we¡¯ve already captured him. Why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to take a look with your own eyes?¡± Xiao Juan was tempted. He was really curious. He wanted to know what type of man could make Niaoniao¡¯s heart flutter. ¡°Take me there to take a look.¡± Meng Xizhou immediately replied, ¡°Yes!¡± They entered the cell and quickly saw the rumored Ye Yin. This person looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. He was slender and had very fair skin. His eyebrows had been carefully repaired and he looked more exquisite than ordinary men. Originally, he had planned to go on stage to perform, but as soon as he changed his clothes and before he could put on his makeup, he was caught by the Eagle Guards. At this moment, he was wearing heavy costume. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with fear and uneasiness. When he saw Xiao Juan and Meng Xizhou appear, he knelt down without a word. ¡°Please forgive me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a commoner and a serious actor. I make hard-earned money by singing opera and had never done anything bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m innocent!¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes and looked down at him. Such an actor who knelt down for mercy at the drop of a hat could actually obtain Niaoniao¡¯s liking. Why? How was he inferior to this actor? Xiao Juan even prayed maliciously, wishing that Niaoniao could be here and see this scene with her own eyes. Meng Xizhou deliberately frightened him. ¡°Everyone who comes here feels very innocent, but as long as they¡¯re interrogated, they quickly become less innocent.¡± Ye Ying was frightened and trembled. He had heard that the methods of interrogating criminals in the Justice Department could be said to be extremely cruel. Even if he survived the interrogation, he would be skinned alive. It was hard to say if the Heavenly Oriole Garden would still want him in the future. His life had just begun. He didn¡¯t want it to be ruined. Ye Yin kowtowed hard. ¡°Please be magnanimous and not torture me.. I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Confession Chapter 405: Confession Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Xizhou originally only wanted to scare the other party casually. Seeing Ye Yin¡¯s reaction, he immediately understood that Ye Yin was really hiding something. He subconsciously looked at Duke Lang, who was standing beside him. Xiao Juan¡¯s expression did not change, and his tone was as cold as ice. ¡°You only have one chance to tell the truth.¡± Meng Xizhou took out the saber he carried with him and aimed the blade at Ye Yin¡¯s cheek. He sneered and threatened. ¡°If you dare to lie, I¡¯ll turn you into a flowery-faced man. You won¡¯t have to put on makeup anymore when you go on stage to perform in the future. It¡¯ll save you a lot of trouble.¡± Ye Yin was so frightened that he cried. Tears and snot flowed down his face. However, he did not bother to wipe it and hurriedly replied. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to lie to the two officials!¡± ¡°Yesterday was the 60th birthday of the old madam of the Assistant Minister of Rites. In order to make the old madam happy, Assistant Minister Wei invited our opera troupe to the Wei residence to perform.¡± ¡°I went along.¡± ¡°Because I drank too much water, I needed to pee. As soon as I got off the stage, I rushed to find the toilet. On the way, she happened to see Assistant Minister Wei talking to someone by the window.¡± ¡°Because of the distance, I could not hear what they said. However, I saw the appearance of the person beside Assistant Minister Wei clearly. He looks very similar to the person on the wanted poster!¡± Xiao Juan glanced at Meng Xizhou beside him. Meng Xizhou sheathed his saber and took out a wanted order from his sleeve. The man drawn on the wanted poster was the suspect on the run from the corruption and bribery case. ¡°Look closely. Is that him?¡± Ye Yin hurriedly wiped his tears and craned his neck to stare at the wanted order. Then, he nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s him!¡± Xiao Juan instructed in a low voice, ¡°Bring people to Assistant Minister Wei¡¯s residence.¡± Meng Xizhou immediately turned around and left the cell. Xiao Juan looked down at Ye Yin and continued to ask, ¡°If you¡¯ve seen the person on the wanted poster, why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± Ye Yin shrank his neck. ¡°I¡¯m just an actor. My status is low. All I want is to eat and wear warm clothes to live well. Assistant Minister Wei is a high-ranking official in the court. I can¡¯t afford to offend him. He was an actor. Not only did he have to know how to act, but he also had to play the game. Yesterday, he saw Assistant Minister Wei talking to someone in the Wei Mansion. Although he did not know who that person was, he knew that he should be inconspicuous in such a matter. Therefore, he only glanced at Assistant Minister Wei and that person from afar before quietly leaving. After that, he hid this matter in his heart and told no one. Even when the Eagle Guards posted the arrest warrant at the entrance of the Heavenly Oriole Garden, he did not say a word. He had thought he had hidden it well. No one would know about him. He had not expected to end up in the hands of the Eagle Guards. Ye Yin was puzzled. How did this happen? Xiao Juan asked a few more questions about the suspect. Ye Yin answered them one by one. When there was really nothing else to ask, Xiao Juan knew that he could leave. But he stood still. He looked at the disheveled Ye Yin and was silent for a long time. In the end, he could not help but ask, ¡°What did you talk about when you met?¡± Ye Yin looked confused. ¡°Who did I meet?¡± Xiao Juan could not say her name and could only say, ¡°A young woman. She is beautiful and has a good personality.¡± Ye Yin was still very confused, not understanding who the other party was talking about. Seeing him like this, Xiao Juan could not help feeling angry. He was just an actor. It was already an honor to receive Niaoniao¡¯s favor, but he actually could not remember her! Xiao Juan turned around and left with a dark expression. Ye Yin hurriedly shouted, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve already explained everything. Can you let me go?¡± Xiao Juan said without looking back. ¡°You¡¯ll have to stay here until the suspect is caught.¡± When he walked out of the cell, he instructed the Eagle Guard in charge of the cell. ¡°The person in here will have a meal every day.¡± The Eagle Guard looked at the cell where Ye Yin was and replied in understanding, ¡°I understand.¡± Under normal circumstances, the persons in the cell would have two meals a day. Xiao Juan gave Ye Yin a meal. Although he would not starve to death, he could still make Ye Yin feel uncomfortable for a while. It did not matter if someone said that he was taking revenge or that he was narrow-minded. He would admit it! In any case, he did not want the actor called Ye Yin to have an easy time. He would be a villain for once! When Xiao Juan returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace, it was already night. Granny Xiu Yan said as she helped him take off his cloak. ¡°Dinner has just been prepared. Go to the dining hall first. I¡¯ll inform the Princess Consort now.¡± Xiao Juan asked casually, ¡°What did she do today?¡± Granny Xiu Yan told him everything. ¡°As soon as the Princess Consort returned today, she called all the embroiderers in the residence over and asked them to help embroider a pillowcase.¡± ¡°She said that she wanted to embroider a pillow about the height of a real person according to the portrait drawn by the princess consort!¡± ¡°After that, the Princess Consort went to the study and wrote for the entire afternoon. She hasn¡¯t come out yet.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What did she write?¡± Granny Xiu Yan shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but something that can make the Princess Consort write for an entire afternoon must be very important. It might be a letter or something.¡± She wanted to hint to Duke Lang that the Princess Consort probably wanted to write to him to resolve the conflict between the two of them. Unexpectedly, Xiao Juan recalled the Eagle Guards¡¯ report. Before the Eagle Guard said that Niaoniao left the Heavenly Oriole Garden, she had promised to prepare a gift for Ye Yin. Now that she was making pillows and writing letters, it was very likely that they were all prepared for Ye Yin. Seeing that Granny Xiu Yan was about to look for Niaoniao, Xiao Juan spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll get her.¡± As soon as he said that, he regretted it. Why did he offer to look for Niaoniao? Did he want to see with his own eyes what a love letter Niaoniao gave to someone else looked like? He was really afraid that he would not be able to resist tearing the letter apart on the spot. Granny Xiu Yan misunderstood what he meant. She thought that he wanted to take the initiative to make peace with the County Princess, so she immediately beamed and hurriedly replied. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. The Princess Consort is in the study. Go quickly.¡± He could not swallow the words he had said. Xiao Juan could only walk out step by step. He walked to the study and raised his hand to knock. A sound came from inside the room. ¡°Who is it?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± There were hurried footsteps, and then the door was pulled open from the inside by Yu Niaoniao. She looked at Xiao Juan in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Xiao Juan looked at the happy smile on her face and felt as if he had not seen her for a long time. They had clearly met yesterday. In the past, when he heard that a day apart felt like three years, he thought it was purely pretentious. Now that he had truly experienced this feeling, he knew the bitterness. Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s time to eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Alright, come in first. I have to tidy up the things on the table.¡± Xiao Juan hesitated for a moment before walking in. He immediately saw the stack of papers on the desk. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡®What are you writing?¡± Yu Niaoniao said openly. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you look..¡± Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: A Barefooted Person Would Not Be Afraid of a Shoe Chapter 406: A Barefooted Person Would Not Be Afraid of a Shoe Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After some hesitation and struggle, Xiao Juan finally could not hold back his curiosity and walked to the desk. In the dim candlelight, he saw what was written on the paper¡ª ¡°Thank you for your support along the way.¡± Xiao Juan could not help but frown, but he resisted asking and flipped to the second long page. This time, it wrote¡ª ¡°Your support is my motivation and courage to move forward.¡± He scrolled further back. It was almost the same content. ¡°In the wind and rain, you were with me all the way.¡± ¡°With your help, I can walk freely.¡± ¡°A thousand words can¡¯t express my feelings for you. I¡¯ve already remembered how touched I was by you.¡± These words didn¡¯t sound like love letters. They sounded more like thank-you letters. Xiao Juan looked at Yu Niaoniao, wanting to ask but not daring to. He was afraid that he would be annoying if he interfered too much. Yu Niaoniao took the initiative to explain. ¡°I¡¯m going to make these sentences into bookmarks.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What¡¯s the use of making so many bookmarks?¡± Yu Niaoniao blurted out, ¡°To give it to someone!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart sank. As expected, she was preparing a gift for Ye Yin. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you get the embroidery ladies to make pillows to give away too?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart sank to the bottom. He knew he didn¡¯t need to ask anymore. The answer was right in front of him. Niaoniao had someone else. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to so much trouble to prepare a gift for him. Xiao Juan¡¯s heart was filled with jealousy. It was too easy for him to let Ye Yin eat only one meal a day. He should starve to death! He didn¡¯t want to look at the bookmarks again. He turned and walked toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°Hey! Wait for me. I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± As Yu Niaoniao shouted, she hurriedly sorted out the bookmarks. When she packed everything and rushed out of the study, she saw Xiao Juan standing in the courtyard with a lantern. From the look on his face, he was clearly waiting for her. Yu Niaoniao was quite happy. Although this man said that he wanted to keep a distance from her, he still could not let her go. No matter how hard he pretended to be, he was soft-hearted. Yu Niaoniao ran towards him happily. She wanted to hold the man¡¯s hand as usual. However, he dodged. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Juan turned around after saying this, his attitude very cold and distant. Yu Niaoniao could not help but be stunned. A huge sense of loss welled up in her, and the corners of her mouth drooped. She looked at the man¡¯s back and could not help but ask. ¡°What exactly do you want me to do to accept my apology?¡± Xiao Juan stopped in his tracks. He did not turn around. His voice sounded exceptionally cold in the night. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± She had done nothing wrong. It was just his own wishful thinking. She did not need to apologize at all. Yu Niaoniao misunderstood him. He wasn¡¯t even willing to give her a chance to apologize. He was determined not to make up with her! Xiao Juan continued walking. No matter what Yu Niaoniao said next, he would not utter a word. Lo Pingsha had already arrived at the dining hall. When he saw Duke Lang and his wife walk in one after another, he immediately stood up and greeted them. Xiao Juan still looked cold. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite. Sit.¡± During the meal, Yu Niaoniao tried to put food into Xiao Juan¡¯s bowl several times, but he refused. He indicated that he had hands and did not need help with his food. Even someone as optimistic and positive as Yu Niaoniao could not help but feel a little depressed after being rejected repeatedly. She lowered her head and silently dug into her mouth. Even her favorite prawn meat did not feel so sweet in her mouth. Lo Pingsha sensed the anomaly between the two of them and was secretly anxious. Now that there was a possibility of the Princess Consort having a change of heart, Duke Lang actually did not try his best to salvage it. What was he thinking? Lo Pingsha tried to do something for the two of them, so he tried to find a to to ease the atmosphere. ¡°Princess Consort, do you have any plans tomorrow? I heard that a restauran had recently opened in the city. The chef came from Sichuan and cooked goo Bashu dishes. Do you want to try it tomorrow? If you think it¡¯s delicious, I¡¯ll t it with my colleagues from the Justice Department later. ¡± Xiao Juan did not speak, but his eating clearly slowed down. He waited for Yu Niaoniao to answer. Yu Niaoniao looked troubled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not tomorrow. I have an appointme with someone else tomorrow.¡± Lo Pingsha knew something was wrong. He looked at Duke Lang and saw that his expression had indeed become extremely ugly. Lo Pingsha hurriedly saved him. ¡°I wonder who the Princess Consort is meeting tomorrow? Is it convenient you to bring us along?¡± If the Princess Consort was not dating another man, she should not refuse tc bring them along. At that time, the misunderstanding would be resolved, she and Duke Lang would probably reconcile. Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Whether she sold books or the surrounding areas, she was doing it to earn money for her drama. However, she could not let Xiao Juan know about the drama for the time being. This was mainly to avoid trouble for him. The scene she wanted to arrange was ¡°Prince of Lang, Liaodong¡±. This book could not even pass the review from the Directorate. If it was moved to the stage in the future, it would definitely cause a huge commotion in the court. At that time, there would definitely be people taking the opportunity to find fault. If those people knew that this drama was prepared by Xiao Juan, they would definitely say extremely unpleasant things. There could even be people who deliberately exaggerated, saying that he knew the law and broke it. He knew that this book could not pass the review, but he still insisted on letting it appear in front of the world. He would do anything for his reputation. They would even seize a few words from the opera and take them out of context as evidence to attack Xiao Juan. Yu Niaoniao did not want things to become like that. She could not let Xiao Juan be involved. Even if someone talked about this drama in the future, she could bear the responsibility alone. The entire matter was planned by her, and Xiao Juan did not know at all. Anyway, she was just a weak woman with no official position at all. There was nothing to be afraid of. Those people could not do anything to her even if they talked! Lo Pingsha became even more anxious. What a good opportunity. Why did the princess reject it? Could she really have someone outside? Just as he was racking his brains to think of a way to resolve this matter, he saw Duke Lang put down his bowl and chopsticks and say coldly. ¡°I¡¯m full. Enjoy.¡± Then he stood up and strode out of the dining room. Yu Niaoniao could not help but frown. ¡°He¡¯s only eaten half a bowl of rice. Why is he full?¡± Lo Pingsha¡¯s expression was complicated. ¡°Princess Consort, tell me the truth. Do you still have Duke Lang in your heart?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course. Lo Pingsha said, ¡°Then do you still want to continue living with him?¡± Yu Niaoniao continued to nod. Lo Pingsha said, ¡°In that case, you should be loyal to Duke Lang.¡± With that, he felt that the other party should understand what he meant. So he stood up and walked out too. Yu Niaoniao was left sitting alone, confused. What was going on? Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Sentimental Chapter 407: Sentimental Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After leaving the dining hall, Xiao Juan went straight to the study. He prepared to continue sleeping in the study tonight. He unintentionally saw the neatly placed pieces of bookmark papers on the desk and could not help but feel angry. He wanted to burn all those bookmarks. But he was afraid that doing so would make Niaoniao angry. He could only suppress his anger. He thought that out of sight, out of mind. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, preparing to sleep. In the end, he couldn¡¯t fall asleep. He was thinking about something. Even with his eyes closed, his mind was still thinking about what had happened during the day. Did Niaoniao really have another lover? Was he about to be abandoned? Could Niaoniao really obtain happiness by following that actor? It was said that actors were heartless. Could she have been deceived by that actor? The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. He couldn¡¯t sleep. At that moment, there was a sudden knock on the door. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s voice came through the door. ¡°Your Highness, are you asleep?¡± Xiao Juan immediately sat up. He walked quickly to the door and reached for it, but stopped when his fingers touched it. His emotions were in a mess now. He was afraid that he would lose control after seeing Niaoniao. He didn¡¯t want to scare her. Therefore, he could only suppress the urge to open the door and speak to Yu Niaoniao through the door. ¡°What is it?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked carefully, ¡°If you¡¯re not asleep, can you let me in? The materials for my bookmarks are still on the desk. I want to do the final finishing.¡± Xiao Juan felt as if someone had poured cold water on him. The surging emotions in his heart were immediately extinguished. His entire heart turned cold. So she had come to him in the middle of the night for those damn bookmarks. So she had come to him in the middle of the night for those damn bookmarks. She had come to prepare a gift for another man, not for him at all. He almost flattered himself again. Xiao Juan slowly opened the door. Without looking at the girl standing outside the door, he turned around, walked around the screen, and sat back on the edge of the bed. From the beginning to the end, it was as if he had not seen Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao was still holding a food box. That was supper she had specially made for Xiao Juan. He had only eaten half a bowl of rice tonight. He must be hungry now. She knew that Xiao Juan might not open the door for her, so she deliberately used the bookmarks as an excuse to make Xiao Juan open the door to her study. But before she could speak, Xiao Juan turned around and left. That cold attitude hurt Yu Niaoniao a little. But she quickly perked up and walked into the study with the food box. She placed the food box on the small table and turned to Xiao Juan. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared supper for you. Come and eat.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s answer was still very cold. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But I¡¯ve already made it. If you don¡¯t eat it, you can only throw away all this food.¡± She sounded aggrieved. Xiao Juan could not stand this. A moment later he came out from behind the screen. He walked over to the small table and sat down. A smile immediately appeared on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face again. She opened the food box and took out a bowl of hot beef ramen. There was also a plate of cucumber salad and a plate of pickles she had marinated herself. Xiao Juan silently picked up his chopsticks and buried his head in his noodles. The noodles were very chewy in the mouth. With the big bone soup as the foundation, they were fragrant and delicious. The beef was braised and cut into pieces. It was salty and delicious. Coupled with the crisp and refreshing cucumber salad and pickles, everything could be said to be just right! Yu Niaoniao looked at him eating and was especially satisfied. In the past, Madam Xie had liked to see her and Feng Lianghan eat. At that time, she did not understand why. Now, she finally understood. Making delicacies for important people to eat, and seeing that they liked it very much created a sense of achievement for the people who cooked. Xiao Juan noticed that Niaoniao had been standing at the side and not moving, so he asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get the bookmarks?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get it done now. Eat slowly.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get it done now. Eat slowly.¡± She went to the desk, took out her tools, and cut the notepaper into equal sizes. Then she used the paste to glue them to the thin bamboo slices she had prepared in advance. These bamboo pieces had been specially polished. Their surfaces were very smooth, and the words Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation were engraved on the back. After pasting the paper, Yu Niaoniao took out a bundle of colorful silk pendants. There was a small hole under the bamboo slice in advance. She only needed to pierce the thread of the silk pendant through it and knot it tightly. A small bookmark was done! Xiao Juan finished the noodles and felt much better. He turned to look at Niaoniao and saw her carefully threading the wire in front of the candlelight. His mood, which had finally improved, suddenly worsened. He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It¡¯s so late. Can¡¯t you do it tomorrow?¡± The light was bad at night, but she still had to do such a delicate job. Wasn¡¯t she afraid of hurting her eyes? Was it worth it to go to all this trouble for an actor? He was going to sleep in the study tonight, but she still had to light the lamp to do things. It would definitely affect his sleep. She said hurriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll pack my things and take them back to the bedroom to do them. Go to sleep.¡± When Xiao Juan heard this, he was even more unhappy. She actually had to go back to the room to continue working. Was she going to sleep tonight?! He got up and walked over, snatching the bookmark from her hand. ¡°Leave your things here. Go to sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao said awkwardly, ¡°But I promised to send these things over tomorrow. I can¡¯t go back on my word.¡± Xiao Juan frowned harder and harder, feeling more and more annoyed. But he held back and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was surprised. ¡°Can you do it?¡± Xiao Juan glanced at the bookmark in his hand. The structure was very simple, so he said. ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated for a moment before finally rejecting his kindness. ¡°You still have to get up early tomorrow to go to the Justice Department. You¡¯re so busy. You can¡¯t take up your precious rest time because of a small matter like mine. You should sleep early. We¡¯ll do these things tomorrow.¡± Xiao Juan was angry when he saw these bookmarks. He had endured it and wanted to help make the bookmarks for Niaoniao. When he heard her say that, he said without hesitation. ¡°Then go to sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the screen beside her. She knew that there was a bed behind the screen. That place was usually used for a nap. Now, it had been requisitioned by Xiao Juan. He had slept here last night. It still seemed that way tonight. Yu Niaoniao asked carefully. ¡°Can I stay tonight?¡± Xiao Juan avoided her gaze and turned to look elsewhere. He said coldly, ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao refused to give up. ¡°Why? I¡¯m not fat. I won¡¯t take up too much of your space.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No means no. Leave quickly.¡± His tone was very cold and there was no room for negotiation. Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes and pounced on Xiao Juan to hug his waist. She acted shamelessly on the spot. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m going to sleep here tonight. Don¡¯t even think about chasing me away!¡± She thought that since she had taken the initiative, Xiao Juan would not push her away again if he was still a man. In the next moment, her acupoints were pressed by Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan picked her up and walked around the screen. He placed her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. ¡°Since you insist on sleeping here, we¡¯ll do as you wish, your acupoints will be unlocked in an hour. Sleep in peace.¡± With that, he got up and left.. Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Miss Conch Chapter 408: Miss Conch Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao lay upright on the bed and stared at the beam with dead fish eyes. At this moment, there was only one thought in her mind: She could not live like this! The bastard had actually left her here and run away alone. To think that she did not hesitate to put down her reservations as a girl and took the initiative to throw herself at him. In the end, this was the outcome. She had really thrown her flirtatious glances at a blind person and wasted her efforts! Yu Niaoniao gritted her teeth and thought hatefully that she could not forgive Xiao Juan so easily. Didn¡¯t he refuse to acknowledge her? Then she would ignore him! She said would see who can outlast who?! She practiced many ways to have a cold war with Xiao Juan in her mind and unknowingly fell asleep. What she did not know was that Xiao Juan had not gone far. He had been standing outside the study door. After the aura in the room calmed down, Xiao Juan pushed open the door and walked in silently. He walked to the bed and looked at Niaoniao quietly, his eyes filled with obvious longing. At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was sleeping soundly and did not notice the movement beside her. After looking at her for a while, Xiao Juan reluctantly retracted his gaze and turned to walk to the desk. He picked up the half-finished bookmark on the table and studied it carefully in the bright moonlight coming through the window. Then he tried to process it. Because he had no experience, his movements were inevitably a little clumsy. After a few more times, he mastered the method and did it more and more smoothly. He hated the bookmarks, and hated the person who was about to receive them even more. But he knew that he could not stop Niaoniao from sending these bookmarks out. She could not finish these bookmarks tonight. She would definitely have to continue tomorrow, but she had to report to the Justice Department tomorrow morning. She could only get up early and rush work. Xiao Juan did not want her to wake up so early. He wanted her to sleep more. He could only suppress his discomfort and help her make all these bookmarks. Yu Niaoniao still remembered the bookmarks. Before dawn the next day, she struggled out of bed. She had to finish the rest of the bookmarks before she went to the Justice Department. But when she reached the desk, she realized that all the bookmarks had been made. They were neatly arranged on the desk. Yu Niaoniao could not help but be stunned. She remembered that she had not finished the bookmarks last night! Could it be that her memory was messed up? Or had the legendary Miss Conch appeared and helped her finish everything? Yu Niaoniao scratched the back of her head, puzzled. The sky outside the window was still gray. It was still early. She yawned, sleepiness rising. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not think about it. I¡¯ll go back and catch up on my sleep. I¡¯ll talk about the rest when I¡¯m full.¡± Yu Niaoniao staggered back to bed, pulled the blanket over her, and continued to sleep. When she woke up again, the sky was already bright outside the window. She jumped out of bed and stretched. It felt good to sleep well! She remembered the bookmarks and suspected that she was hallucinating. She immediately ran to the desk and realized that the bookmarks were still there. They had been made. Nothing was an illusion. This was really strange! Yu Niaoniao dressed, washed up, and walked towards the dining room. She was still thinking about the bookmarks as she walked. Since there was no evidence, she would use the elimination method. Not many people in the entire Langjun Imperial Palace knew that she was going to make the bookmarks, let alone sneak into the study in the middle of the night to secretly make them. A tall figure quickly appeared in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mind and she muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s Duke Lang?¡± The more she thought about it, the more she felt that it might be him! He was definitely the ¡°Miss Conch¡± who had sneaked into the study to help her! She stepped into the dining hall and saw Xiao Juan sitting at the table eating porridge. She immediately ran over and asked. ¡°Did you help me finish those bookmarks last night?¡± Xiao Juan replied coldly, ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him skeptically. ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I don¡¯t have to lie to you.¡± At this moment, Granny Xiu Yan walked in with a set of clothes and asked. ¡°Your Highness, do you want to wash these clothes?¡± Xiao Juan only glanced at the clothes before quickly looking away and replying indifferently. ¡°Yeah.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to look at the clothes in Granny Xiu Yan¡¯s arms. Her sharp eyes noticed the white marks on the sleeves. Granny Xiu Yan was about to leave with her clothes when she was stopped by Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± She leaned over to take a closer look at the white marks on the sleeve and realized that they were paste stains. Granny Xiu Yan did not understand her actions, so she took the initiative to explain. ¡°His Highness only changed into these clothes last night, but this morning, His Highness placed them on the cabinet beside the bed. I don¡¯t know if I should wash them, so I can only ask His Highness.¡± Yu Niaoniao grabbed the sleeve and turned to look at the man sitting at the table. ¡°Where did the paste on your sleeve come from?¡± Xiao Juan lied without changing his expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe I accidentally rubbed it somewhere.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not so easy to fool. ¡°No one in the house used paste last night. Only I used paste when I made the bookmarks. Your sleeve must have been accidentally stained when you made the bookmarks, right?¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything. Last night, the lights in the study were not lit and he could only see under the moonlight. The moonlight was hazy and he could not see clearly. In addition, it was his first time making a bookmark, so it was inevitable that he made some mistakes and accidentally touched some paste. He thought he would be fine after changing out of his clothes. Unexpectedly, Granny Xiu Yan ran over with the clothes and was bumped into by Niaoniao. Xiao Juan was actually very embarrassed that his lie had been exposed. However, he still maintained an expressionless face and looked very cold. Yu Niaoniao waved at Granny Xiu Yan, indicating that she could leave. Xiao Juan finished the porridge in his bowl in two or three mouthfuls and stood up to leave. Yu Niaoniao stretched out her leg and placed her hands on her hips, blocking Xiao Juan. ¡°Why are you running? Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I have to go to the Justice Department.¡± Yu Niaoniao was no longer intimidated by his cold face. Because she knew that the man in front of her was stubborn but soft-hearted. He pretended to be polite and distant as he pushed her away again and again. He looked completely emotionless towards her, but he would sneak into the study after she fell asleep to help her finish what she had not done. Yu Niaoniao said firmly, ¡°You made the bookmarks!¡± Xiao Juan tilted his head slightly and deliberately looked away from her. ¡°If you say so.¡± Yu Niaoniao took a step forward. ¡°Why did you secretly help me make the bookmarks?¡± She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°secretly¡±. Her sudden approach made Xiao Juan nervous. He had to take a step back. ¡°No reason.¡± Yu Niaoniao took another step forward. ¡°Why don¡¯t you dare to look at me?¡± Xiao Juan retreated again. ¡°No, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Yu Niaoniao continued to approach. ¡°Then look at me when you speak?¡± Xiao Juan continued to retreat. His back pressed against the back of the chair. He could no longer retreat.. Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Too Tragic! Chapter 409: Too Tragic! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao originally wanted to have a cold war with Xiao Juan and let him have a taste of being ignored. However, after knowing that this guy had secretly helped her make bookmarks in the middle of the night, she extinguished the thought of a cold war. Cold war, her ass. She didn¡¯t want a cold war! When dealing with such a stubborn but soft-hearted man, she had to be tougher. She had to force him to face his heart and make him face the truest thoughts in his heart. Yu Niaoniao looked at the man who had been forced into a corner by her and a sly smile appeared on her face. ¡°How are you going to hide now?¡± Xiao Juan looked down at the girl in front of him. Whether it was his height or his status and power, he was the one who had the upper hand. But now, he could not even resist. More accurately, he had no intention of resisting. He even enjoyed the close contact with her. Xiao Juan reached out, as if he wanted to touch the girl in front of him, his eyes filled with anticipation. Seeing this, not only did Yu Niaoniao not dodge, but she even took the initiative to raise her face and lean towards his finger. However, in the next moment, she heard Xiao Juan say softly. ¡°If only all this were true.¡± With that, he placed his hand on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s shoulder and forcefully pushed her away with a powerful force. Yu Niaoniao was forced to retreat. Seeing that Xiao Juan was about to leave, she subconsciously reached out and grabbed his sleeve. ¡°This is all true!¡± Xiao Juan did not believe it. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯ll try my best to help you do whatever you want. But please don¡¯t tell me such a lie again. I don¡¯t want to be fooled again.¡± He thought he had it, but he realized that everything was a lie. He still had nothing. He did not want to experience this huge difference again. Xiao Juan retracted his sleeve and turned to walk out of the dining hall. He told himself silently. As long as there was no hope, there would be no disappointment. Yu Niaoniao stood rooted to the ground and watched him leave. She did not understand. Xiao Juan clearly still had feelings for her. Why did he refuse to accept her? What was he fighting for? Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan went to the Justice Department. This time, unlike before, the two of them did not ride in the same carriage. Xiao Juan chose to ride a horse. Yu Niaoniao rode a donkey. The two of them rode along the streets of the Imperial Capital one after another. Yu Niaoniao was originally riding behind, but at some point, Xiao Juan¡¯s speed became slower and slower. Yu Niaoniao gradually overtook him. Xiao Juan stared at the graceful back Yu Niaoniao in front of him for a long time. When they arrived at the Justice Department, The two of them still entered one after another. This time, even the Eagle Guards guarding the door realized that something was wrong. They recalled the rumors they had heard yesterday and could not help but secretly exchange glances. Could it be that the County Princess really had someone else outside? Could it be that Duke Lang would return to being single in less than a year of marriage? If that was the case, Duke Lang was too miserable! Yesterday, Meng Xizhou brought the Eagle Guards to Assistant Minister Wei¡¯s house to arrest him. At first, Assistant Minister Wei refused to admit it and tried his best to stop the Eagle Guards from searching the Wei Mansion. Meng Xizhou was used to such scenes. Without a word, he got someone to tie up Assistant Minister Wei and even his family. Immediately after, they searched the entire Wei Mansion. Finally they caught the suspect by the wall, who was about to escape over it. Now that the suspect had been imprisoned in the Justice Department, Lo Pingsha was interrogating him with his men. The suspect¡¯s mouth was very tight. No matter how Lo Pingsha tortured him, he refused to tell him the whereabouts of the stolen silver. Xiao Juan personally went to the cell to take a look. The suspect was already on his last breath from the interrogation. There was not a good piece of flesh on his body. Xiao Juan knew in his heart that this guy was already determined to die. The possibility of him speaking was slim. He instructed Lo Pingsha. ¡°Go interrogate the Assistant Minister of Rites.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± The emperor already knew that Assistant Minister Wei was harboring th suspect and had long ordered him to be dismissed and investigated. The Department could interrogate him however they wanted. The current Assistant Minister Wei was no longer as glorious as before. looked disheveled and uneasy. As soon as Lo Pingsha saw Assistant Minister Wei like this, he knew 110M deal with him. Lo Pingsha first brought Assistant Minister Wei to admire the suspect¡¯s state. As expected, Assistant Minister Wei was so frightened that his fact turned pale, afraid that he would become like that. Then Lo Pingsha let him see his wife and children. Facing his wife and children who were crying, Assistant Minister Wei¡¯s l; of defense collapsed. It was fine if he suffered himself, but he did not want his wife and childr suffer with him. ¡°I can tell you everything I know, but you have to keep my family safe.¡± He emphasized the word ¡°safe¡±, making it obvious that he meant sometl Lo Pingsha immediately understood what he meant. He was afraid that his family would be the target of revenge after he con everything. Lo Pingsha said without hesitation. ¡°The Eagle Guards have already taken care of all your family members. There are people guarding them twenty-four hours a day.¡± ¡°Their safety would definitely not be a problem.¡± ¡°After we find out the truth and confirm that they are innocent, we will secretly send them elsewhere. No one but us would know where your family had gone.¡± ¡°In the future, they can start a new life.¡± Assistant Minister Wei accepted the other party¡¯s arrangements. Then he told him everything he knew. Lo Pingsha recorded everything he said. This confession was quickly sent to Xiao Juan. Actually, Assistant Minister Wei did not know where the stolen silver had gone. He was only in charge of covering the suspect and thinking of a way to send him out of the city. As for why he did this? The reason was simple. Someone had something on him and had threatened him, forcing him to help hide the suspect. Lo Pingsha said, ¡°The mastermind hid it very well. Assistant Minister Wei didn¡¯t even know who threatened him. He only received an anonymous letter. In the letter, that person made it very clear that he had once taken bribes.¡± Xiao Juan put down the confession and asked. Lo Pingsha said truthfully, ¡°The mastermind asked Assistant Minister Wei to burn the letter after reading it, but he was careful. He hid the anonymous letter in a secret compartment in the study.¡± Xiao Juan called Meng Xizhou over and asked him to bring people to search Assistant Minister Wei¡¯s study. Yu Niaoniao sat behind the small desk and watched them busy themselves. She was the only one with nothing to do. She couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Xiao Juan casually replied, ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her head. ¡°Okay.¡± At this moment, Yan Nanguan walked in. Yu Niaoniao thought that he was also here to look for Xiao Juan, but she did not expect him to look for her. ¡°Princess Consort, the people from Langjun Imperial Palace sent these things over. They said they were for you.¡± Then, he placed the big pillow he was holding on the table. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes lit up. Her real-life pillow was finally done! Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Couldn 鈥榯 Keep Her Chapter 410: Couldn ¡®t Keep Her Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In order to prevent the pillow from being dirtied, Granny Xiu Yan specially wrapped it up with a cloth and tied it tightly with cotton thread. When it was brought to Yu Niaoniao, it looked like a long worm. Yu Niaoniao opened it excitedly, revealing the human-shaped pillow inside. Xiao Juan sat still, but his eyes were on her. Seeing her hug the big strangely shaped pillow, he was even more concerned. He wanted to know what it was. Why was Niaoniao so happy? Before long, Yan Nanguan asked. ¡°Princess Consort, what is this?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°This is called a pillow. I specially asked the embroiderers to customize it.¡± The pillow was as tall as an adult. There was a little mute embroidered on the front and a princess on the back. The embroidery was very exquisite. The stitches were delicate and neat. They were smooth and flat to the touch. The pattern looked lifelike. Zheng Changle would probably like it very much. Yan Nanguan had only heard of pillows in the past, but this was the first time he had seen a pillow. He smiled and flattered, ¡°This pillow looks quite beautiful. It¡¯s very suitable for the County Princess.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°This is specially made for someone else.¡± Yan Nanguan blurted out without thinking. ¡°It¡¯s for His Highness, right?¡± He was even prepared to praise Duke Lang and his wife for having a deep relationship, but Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not for him. It¡¯s for someone else.¡¯ The smile on Yan Nanguan¡¯s face froze, and he swallowed the praise on the tip of his tongue. The large pillow that the Princess Consort had carefully prepared was actually not for Duke Lang. So who is she giving it to? Yan Nanguan could not help but recall the recent rumors about the Princess Consort having a new lover. He had originally thought that those were just rumors. The Princess Consort and Duke Lang were so close. How could the Princess Consort cheat on him? But now it seemed that perhaps the rumors were true. Thinking of this, Yan Nanguan could not help but look at Duke Lang. He saw that Duke Lang was still expressionless and did not even have the intention to ask who she wanted to give the pillow to. Since Duke Lang did not ask, Yan Nanguan could only ask on his behalf. ¡°May I ask who you want to give the pillow to? Do you need my help to send it to you?¡± No matter what, Yan Nanguan did not want Duke Lang and the Princess Consort to really break up. Before the matter of cheating was confirmed, Yan Nanguan had to hurry up and find out who the person who tried to seduce the County Princess was. Then, he would secretly put a sack on his head and beat him up to warn her not to have any designs on the County Princess again. Xiao Juan quietly pricked up his ears. He already knew who the guy who seduced Niaoniao was. He still wanted to observe her attitude. Yu Niaoniao smiled slyly. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you for the time being.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes darkened. She refused to tell them. Was she afraid that they would harm that actor? Did she care so much about that actor? Yan Nanguan still wanted to ask, but Yu Niaoniao did not give him a chance. ¡°You should be busy, right? Go do your thing. I¡¯ll send this pillow over myself.¡± Yan Nanguan was sent away just like that. Xiao Juan watched as she happily put away the big pillow and could not help but ask, ¡°Are you going out today?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to the Heavenly Oriole Garden later.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart sank a little. Was she really going to the Sky Oriole Garden to date that actor? He whispered, ¡°A place like the Heavenly Oriole Garden is very chaotic. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t go too often.¡± If she was going, she should bring him along. Yu Niaoniao did not understand what he meant. She smiled and said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already been there. The garden isn¡¯t as chaotic as you think. I¡¯m just watching the show and drinking tea.¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything else. He got up and left Mirror House. He went to the cell and instructed the Eagle Guards in charge of guarding the prison. ¡°Release that actor called Ye Yin.¡± The Eagle Guard was surprised. ¡°Let him go now?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Later, Niaoniao would go to the Heavenly Oriole Garden to meet Ye Yin. If she could not see Ye Yin, she would definitely track him down. When she found out that Ye Yin had been captured by the Eagle Guards, she would probably think that he was using his position to take revenge. What would she think of him then? Xiao Juan did not want his image in Niaoniao¡¯s heart to be destroyed. He could only put Ye Yin back. When the sun set, Yu Niaoniao could finally get off work! She specially changed into men¡¯s clothes, carried the bag containing the bookmark on her back, picked up the oversized pillow, and walked out excitedly. Xiao Juan could not help but ask, ¡°Do you really not need me to send you off?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No, I can do it myself. I¡¯ll go home when I¡¯m done.¡± With that, she touched the big pillow in her arms, her eyes filled with obvious anticipation. After selling this big pillow, she would be able to raise a thousand taels of silver. How was this a pillow? This was simply white silver! Thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t wait. Xiao Juan was stung by the anticipation in her eyes. He had wanted to ask her to stay longer, but now it seemed that he could not. All he could do was let go. Seeing that Xiao Juan had nothing else to say, Yu Niaoniao left the Justice Department with the pillow and rode the donkey to the Heavenly Oriole Garden. The Sky Oriole Garden in the evening was even livelier than during the day. The garden gate was as crowded as a marketplace. An entire row of red lanterns hung. There was an endless stream of people dressed in bright clothes. When they approached, they could vaguely hear cheers coming from the theater. When the waiter in charge of entertaining the guests at the door saw Yu Niaoniao arrive, he quickly welcomed her as if he had seen a female Bodhisattva. This time, he did not dare to mention the tickets again and respectfully invited her in. The clerk led her directly to the VIP area on the third floor. He pushed open the door of one of the private rooms and gestured for Yu Niaoniao to enter. ¡°Please come in.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked in with a big pillow and realized that there were many people sitting in the private room. They were all familiar faces she had seen yesterday, including Wei Liao. She could not help but ask, ¡°Why is Vice General Wei here?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here? You don¡¯t own this place. I can come and go as I please.¡± As Wei Liao spoke, he peeled a peanut and threw it into his mouth, chewing it with a crisp sound. Yu Niaoniao was focused on earning money and could not be bothered to waste her breath on him. She spoke directly to Zheng Changle. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared what you want.¡± Zheng Changle rubbed his chubby hands and asked expectantly. ¡°Take it out and take a look.¡± Wei Liao emphasized, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise.¡± She was not allowed to draw a fan for others. He would be the only one who had the fan of the little mute and the princess¡¯s fan! He had specially come here early today to supervise Yu Niaoniao and prevent her from going back on her word. ¡°What did Brother Yu promise you?¡± Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Pricing Chapter 411: Pricing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao didn¡¯t answer. He stared intently at Niaoniao¡¯s movements, wanting to see what she had prepared for Zheng Changle today. Yu Niaoniao looked around and realized that the low couch beside her was empty. She placed the big pillow on the low couch and untied the thin rope and fabric in front of everyone, revealing the pillow inside. ¡°For some difficult reasons, the fan can¡¯t be drawn anymore, but I asked Master Wang at the Village Entrance to prepare something else for you. It¡¯s this big pillow. It¡¯s a limited edition customized version of the little mute and the princess. Are you satisfied?¡± The moment the human-shaped pillow appeared, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. That gaze was not like seeing a pillow. Instead, it was like seeing a peerless beauty! The surprise and desire in his eyes were almost overflowing. Zheng Changle was fat, but he was surprisingly agile now. He pounced on the pillow and touched it with his chubby hands. His voice was trembling with excitement. ¡°Satisfied, so satisfied! I like it so much!¡± The others gathered around, reaching out to touch the pillow. This made Zheng Changle unhappy. He hid the pillow behind him and looked at everyone warily. ¡°This is my baby. You can¡¯t touch it. What if you dirty it?¡± Everyone accused him of being too petty and not even letting them touch it. However, no matter what everyone said, Zheng Changle refused to let them touch it. He had even thought about taking this pillow back and putting it in his bed. From now on, he would sleep with it every night. Seeing Zheng Changle monopolize such a big treasure, everyone was extremely envious. Among them was Wei Liao. He had watched Yu Niaoniao intently, afraid that she was drawing a fan for someone else. Unexpectedly, she had made such a huge human pillow. The little mute and the princess were embroidered on it. If one hugged it in his arms, it would be like hugging a character from a sketchbook. Who wouldn¡¯t want such a treasure?! Wei Liao walked up to Yu Niaoniao and looked at her faintly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you could make such a pillow?¡± Yu Niaoniao threw up her hands. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I want a pillow too. Make one for me.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can pay.¡± Yu Niaoniao still remembered this guy threatening her and giggled. ¡°Sure. Give me two thousand taels and I¡¯ll make you one.¡± Wei Liao was very dissatisfied. ¡°You sold it to Zheng Changle for a thousand taels! You can¡¯t raise the price on the spot!¡± Yu Niaoniao said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not raising the price on the spot. I¡¯m setting a price for people. For ordinary people, I could sell them for a thousand taels. But not for you. The price I¡¯ll give you will all be doubled.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Wei Liao couldn¡¯t take out two thousand taels, but he couldn¡¯t take this lying down. He sneered. ¡°Do you believe I¡¯ll expose your pen name now?¡± Yu Niaoniao choked. She had almost forgotten about the alias. Wei Liao was one of the few people who knew her pen name. If her identity was exposed, it might affect her future plans. She shook her small fists and asked angrily. ¡°Is that all you know?¡± Wei Liao said proudly, ¡°As long as it works, it¡¯s fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re shameless?¡± Wei Liao¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I¡¯m very happy to be shameless.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked by his shamelessness. ¡°The walls of the Imperial Capital were built according to your thick skin, right?¡± Wei Liao touched his face proudly. ¡°I¡¯ve never measured it. I don¡¯t know if it is.¡¯ At this moment, Zheng Changle had already woken up from his joy. He took out a thick stack of banknotes and handed it to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°This is a thousand taels. Count it.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the banknotes and quickly counted them. It was indeed a thousand taels. There was no mistake. The others gathered around and asked questions. ¡°Brother Yu, can you customize a pillow like that for us?¡± Facing money that came knocking on her door, how could she reject it? Yu Niaoniao said with a smile. ¡°I can help you customize it, but the workmanship of that kind of pillow is more complicated. It¡¯s a limited edition. Everyone can only buy one. I can only sell 10 in the entire Dayan Dynasty at most.¡± When they heard that it was a limited edition and only 10 could be sold, everyone panicked. Afraid that they would never be able to buy it if they missed it, they immediately rushed to pay. ¡°Make me one!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring enough money with me. These are the deposit. I¡¯ll make up the rest tomorrow.¡± ¡°I want to make one too. Remember it for me!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s head hurt from the noise. She raised her voice. ¡°Everyone, calm down. There are only seven of you. Ten bolsters will definitely be enough. How about this? You guys register with me first and pay a deposit. When the pillows are ready, I¡¯ll get someone to send them to your houses.¡± Zheng Changle was very cooperative and immediately ordered someone to bring over a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. Yu Niaoniao finished at the table and dipped her pen in ink. ¡°Who¡¯s first?¡± However, when she looked up, she saw Wei Liao sitting opposite her. He smiled at Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯m the first. Yu Niaoniao looked at the group of people behind him who were angry but did not dare to say anything. She immediately understood that this fellow had relied on his strong martial arts to force them away. She rolled her eyes rudely. ¡°Your name, identity, and address.¡± ¡°Wei Liao, Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards. I live in Wei Mansion on White Plum Street in the east of the city.¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly noted down his information and said casually, ¡°Pay a deposit of four hundred taels first. If the order is canceled, the deposit will not be refunded.¡± Wei Liao took out a few banknotes and handed them over. At the same time, he craned his neck to read what she had written. When he was sure she had written it correctly, he stood up and left, relieved. Almost as soon as Wei Liao¡¯s butt left his seat, someone sat down impatiently. ¡°Me, me, me! It¡¯s my turn!¡± Then, he quickly told her his information and took the initiative to offer the banknotes. Yu Niaoniao registered the information and accepted the banknotes. ¡°Next!¡± Soon, everyone¡¯s information was registered. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s harvest could be said to be very generous. She was very satisfied with the banknotes. With so much money, she did not have to worry about not being able to hire famous actors during the rehearsal. The matter of the pillow was temporarily over. Yu Niaoniao opened the bag and took out the bookmarks inside. ¡°These bookmarks cost one tael of silver each. There are a total of 70. Those who booked them yesterday, please come over and collect the goods.¡± Everyone¡¯s mind was filled with the pillow and they almost forgot about the bookmarks. They gathered around and saw that there was indeed Master Wang¡¯s signature on the bookmark and his personally written blessings. They were immediately excited again. They had already bought a pillow worth a thousand taels of silver. Would they not be able to afford a bookmark worth a mere tael of silver? Soon, the seventy bookmarks were sold out. Only Wei Liao did not buy it. Who asked him not to make a reservation yesterday? He looked at Yu Niaoniao again with that faint gaze. Everything was unspoken. Yu Niaoniao was speechless.. Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: No Free Lunch in the World Chapter 412: No Free Lunch in the World Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although the surrounding products had made Yu Niaoniao a large sum of money, she had not forgotten her original intentions. She said to Zheng Changle, ¡°Can we talk in private? I have something to discuss with you.¡± Zheng Changle hugged his precious pillow and let go. He was as happy as a 200-pound fatty. No matter how he looked at Yu Niaoniao, she was pleasing to the eye. When he heard this, he agreed without thinking. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s talk next door.¡± Zheng Changle greeted the others and left the private room with Yu Niaoniao. Wei Liao watched them leave and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Yu Niaoniao and Zheng Changle entered the private room next door. Zheng Changle was still hugging his big pillow. His chubby face was pressed against the pillow as he looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked. ¡°Go ahead. What is it?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I know you¡¯re a straightforward person, so I¡¯ll be straightforward. I¡¯m planning to film a show. I¡¯ve already prepared the script. I need your opera troupe to provide the cast and performance venue. I¡¯ll pay the fee. If we earn money, we¡¯ll split it equally. How about that?¡± As the young master of the Heavenly Oriole Garden, Zheng Changle naturally knew very well about the opera troupe. Although he liked Yu Niaoniao, doing business was a separate matter. Even biological brothers had to settle accounts clearly. He sat up a little straighter and asked. ¡°Did you bring the script?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately took out the sketchbook and handed it over. Zheng Changle carefully placed the pillow in the chair beside him, picked up the sketchbook, and opened it. He recognized it on just one page and blurted it out. ¡°Is this a book drawn by Master Wang at the Village Entrance?¡± Yu Niaoniao admitted frankly, ¡°Yes.¡± Zheng Changle snorted. ¡°I wonder what ridiculous story he drew this time?¡± Even as he said that, his hand deftly turned to the second page. Yu Niaoniao sat quietly at the side and waited. It was a thin sketchbook, only about ten pages long. He quickly flipped through it. Zheng Changle did not react. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Unwilling to give up, he flipped back a few more times. Unfortunately, there was nothing left. Yu Niaoniao explained, ¡°It¡¯s just a small portion. If you¡¯re willing to cooperate with me, I¡¯ll show you the complete play.¡± Zheng Changle reluctantly put down the sketchbook. ¡°To be honest, the plot of your play is indeed quite exciting. Even if it¡¯s only a small portion of the first half, it¡¯s already piqued my appetite. But I have a question. I wonder if I should ask?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Zheng Changle lowered his voice slightly. ¡°The male lead in your play is Duke Lang¡­ Could he be the one in charge of the Justice Department now?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Zheng Changle hugged the pillow back into his arms and shrunk his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how scary the Justice Department and the Eagle Guards are? If our opera troupe dares to frame Duke Lang, we¡¯ll probably have to pack up and leave soon. In serious cases, we might even be imprisoned!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I guarantee that the Justice Department and the Eagle Guards won¡¯t do anything to your opera troupe. Just go ahead and rehearse.¡± Zheng Changle did not believe it. ¡°You¡¯re just a young man selling goods. Can you control the Justice Department? The Eagle Guards are a group of evil spirits who eat people without spitting out their bones.¡± Yu Niaoniao said helplessly, ¡°The Eagle Guards are really not as terrifying as you think. Like you, they are ordinary people with flesh and blood.¡± Zheng Changle was a little angry when he heard this. ¡°If you tell anyone else this, see how many people will believe you.¡± ¡°Putting aside other matters, the Eagle Guards captured Ye Yin from our opera class yesterday.¡± ¡°Although Ye Yin had spent a little, he was not a bad person and had not done anything bad. However, those Eagle Guards rushed in and captured him indiscriminately.¡± ¡°He was not released until noon today. He had been sick when he returned.¡± ¡°He s still in bed. The doctor said that he wanted to recuperate for a while.¡± ¡°My father told me that although Ye Yin had been released, he had offended the Eagle Guards. He probably could not stay in the Imperial Capital anymore.¡± ¡°When he recovers, we¡¯ll have to send him away. That kid, Ye Yin, sang quite well. Originally, we planned to promote him. Now, that kid¡¯s future was ruined. What do you think this is?!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not expect this. She tried to defend herself. ¡°The Eagle Guards don¡¯t arrest people randomly. There must be a reason they took Ye Yin.¡± Zheng Changle frowned at her. ¡°Why are you so protective of the Eagle Guards? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re one of them. But you don¡¯t look like one. I remember that the Eagle Guards have selection criteria. They have to be tall. You¡¯re so short that you¡¯ll be eliminated in the preliminary round.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She covered her stabbed heart and said weakly. ¡°If you¡¯re talking, talk properly. Don¡¯t make personal attacks.¡± Her height of 1.65 meters was not short among women! Zheng Changle said, ¡°When the Eagle Guards took Ye Yin away, they didn¡¯t say anything. We, commoners, don¡¯t dare to ask.¡± ¡°In any case, it¡¯s up to them to arrest or release him.¡± From his tone and expression, it was obvious that he had a lot of resentment toward the Eagle Guards. Yu Niaoniao changed her angle and continued to persuade him. ¡°You just said that you wanted to send Ye Yin away. In my opinion, why don¡¯t you keep him? Isn¡¯t my script short of people? Give him to me. The price is negotiable.¡± Zheng Changle sized her up. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that Ye Yin is someone who has been locked up in the Justice Department¡¯s prison. If you keep him here and the Justice Department finds trouble with you in the future, you have to bear it yourself. We don¡¯t dare to interfere.¡± Yu Niaoniao promised confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as Ye Yin is honest and doesn¡¯t violate the rules, I guarantee that he¡¯ll be safe and sound. No one will dare to find trouble with him.¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°I still have to discuss this with my father. In addition, I have to ask Ye Yin for his opinion. Come back tomorrow. I¡¯ll give you an answer then. ¡± Yu Niaoniao agreed. She reached out to take the sketchbook away. Zheng Changle reached out and pressed the sketchbook down. Yu Niaoniao looked at him in confusion. Zheng Changle cleared his throat. ¡°Can you sell this book to me?¡± This was a book personally drawn by Master Wang at the Village Entrance. Although it was only a dozen pages, it was more collectible than the paintings sold on the market. He was naturally very covetous. Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes and said, ¡°If you really want it, I can give you this book. ¡± Zheng Changle was pleasantly surprised. But he was a businessman and knew very well that there was no free lunch in the world. He tried to remain calm. ¡°What are your conditions?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I want to set up the show. Help me make this happen.¡± Zheng Changle was in a difficult position. ¡°You can set up the show, but this script of yours is really too dangerous.¡± ¡°Once performed it¡¯s equivalent to dancing on the tip of a knife. Not to mention me, even my father wouldn¡¯t dare take such a risk.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you change the script? Or change the male lead?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s upper body leaned forward slightly. She stared into Zheng Changle¡¯s eyes and enunciated each word. ¡°I won¡¯t change either the script or the male lead..¡± Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Eavesdropping Chapter 413: Eavesdropping Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zheng Changle did not understand why Yu Niaoniao insisted on using this script, but the other party clearly did not want to say much, so he tactfully did not ask further. The two of them prepared to get up and leave. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she suddenly asked. ¡°Do you know any way to make people happy? Recently, Xiao Juan had always been cold to her. She had to think of a way to coax him. But she had tried everything she could, and none of them had worked. She could only learn from others. The people from the Justice Department and the Langjun Imperial Palace were too familiar with one another. If she asked them, this matter would immediately reach Xiao Juan¡¯s ears. Zheng Changle was a very good research subject. He was a man like Xiao Juan and should know what men were thinking. Moreover, he did not know Xiao Juan and would definitely not tell him about this. Zheng Changle was puzzled by her sudden question. ¡°Why are you asking? Are you going to coax someone?¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°I was just asking.¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°There are many ways to coax people. This has to be adjusted according to the actual situation. Are you coaxing a man or a woman? Is he old or young? What does he like?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Male, older than me. His preference is¡­ work?¡± Zheng Changle was speechless. ¡°Can work be considered a hobby?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Everyone has different preferences.¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°From your description, this person must be very boring and old-fashioned. There are no emotions in his daily life. He¡¯s as hard as a block of wood.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao nodded frantically. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°The best way to deal with such a person is to pester him and think of a way to make him notice you. You can use extreme methods when necessary.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked humbly, ¡°What method?¡± Zheng Changle chuckled and said ambiguously, ¡°Men definitely can¡¯t escape two things. Wine and sex. Bring him to a brothel later and find him a beautiful girl. It will only take one night to coax him.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Shut up! Zheng Changle was not reliable at all. Yu Niaoniao decided to end this research. When the two of them walked out of the private room, they immediately saw Wei Liao standing with his back against the wall. Wei Liao crossed his arms and turned to look at the two of them with a smile. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Yu Niaoniao exposed him mercilessly. ¡°What coincidence? You were clearly standing here deliberately to eavesdrop!¡± Wei Liao¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You guessed it.¡±¡® Yu Niaoniao was speechless. ¡®What do you mean, she guessed?¡¯ Seeing how fearless he was, he had never thought of hiding it! Yu Niaoniao complained, ¡°Can you be any more arrogant?¡± Wei Liao turned around and stood up slightly. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was eavesdropping here. Is that arrogant enough?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. At this moment, only a curse could express her feelings. Seeing the two of them bicker, Zheng Changle could not help but sigh. ¡°You must have a good relationship in private.¡± Yu Niaoniao said solemnly, ¡°I suggest you go back and eat more dragon eyes (longans).¡± Zheng Changle did not understand. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To make up for your poor eyesight and judgment.¡± With that, she turned around and left. Wei Liao followed. When he passed Zheng Changle, he saw that Zheng Changle was still confused and casually explained. ¡°She¡¯s asking you to nourish your eyes before you go blind again.¡± Only then did Zheng Changle react. However, before he could argue for himself, Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao had already walked away. The mission to the Heavenly Oriole Garden today had been completed. Yu Niaoniao prepared to leave. She heard footsteps behind her and turned around. When she saw Wei Liao following her, she immediately went on guard. ¡°Are you following me?¡± Wei Liao was speechless. ¡°How am I following you? I¡¯m looking for you openly.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What can you want from me?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I heard everything you said to Little Fatty Zheng just now.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned for a moment before realizing that the Little Fatty Zheng he was talking about was Zheng Changle. She was speechless. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you eavesdropped, but you actually came specially to tell me about this. What do you want to do? Are you trying to show off your ability to eavesdrop?¡± Wei Liao ignored her sarcasm and asked directly. ¡°Did you want to set up Duke Lang¡¯s matter as a play for the stage? You want to use this to refresh the bad impression of Duke Lang in the hearts of the commoners?¡± Just two simple sentences exposed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s thoughts. She snorted. ¡°What business is it of yours?¡±¡® Wei Liao continued, ¡°Does Duke Lang know about this?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re asking a lot of questions?¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me directly, which means Duke Lang doesn¡¯t know about this. This is all your wishful thinking.¡± The words wishful thinking sounded harsh. Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°So what if it¡¯s my wishful thinking? If I¡¯m willing, what can you do?!¡± Wei Liao really had no need to interfere. He did not get along with Duke Lang, to begin with. Whether Duke Lang lived or died had nothing to do with him. However, facing Yu Niaoniao now, he seemed to be possessed. His mouth opened and closed uncontrollably, saying all the things he should and should not say. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you. The reason why the emperor established the Justice Department and placed Duke Lang in an important position was to train Duke Lang into the sharpest knife in his hand.¡± ¡°What was a knife? It was a weapon to kill. You couldn¡¯t have selfish desires.¡± ¡°The emperor would definitely be wary when he used him.¡± ¡°Why do you think not many people know about what Duke Lang did?¡± ¡°Because Duke Lang was just a knife. The knife doesn¡¯t need a reputation. He just needs to do what he has to do.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. She murmured, ¡°But he¡¯s not a knife. He¡¯s a person.¡± Wei Liao smiled and said coldly, ¡°So what? Who cares?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I care.¡± It was Wei Liao¡¯s turn to be stunned. Yu Niaoniao said seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t want him to live in a dark world forever. I want everyone to know how good he is. I hope he gets more kindness.¡± If Xiao Juan was a knife in the emperor¡¯s hand, she was a knife in Xiao Juan¡¯s hand. She would help him break through the dark clouds and let the sun shine on him. Wei Liao chuckled again. This time, the laughter revealed an indescribable complicated emotion. ¡°You¡¯re too naive.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips. She knew that this guy was indirectly calling her stupid. Wei Liao said, ¡°You specially used Master Wang¡¯s pen name to publish the book and even sold those pillows and bookmarks yourself to earn money to rehearse, right? Do you know that you¡¯ve done so much for Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao complained, ¡°You really have so many questions today..¡± Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Excursion Chapter 414: Excursion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao said, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand.¡± He did not understand why he and Xiao Juan were both loners in the darkness, but only Xiao Juan could meet a silly girl who did not care about rewards. Seeing that he was staring at her, Yu Niaoniao clutched her chest and retreated. ¡°What kind of look is that? I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Wei Liao sneered in disdain. ¡°Look at you. Don¡¯t tell me you really think I can be interested in you. I¡¯m not Fatty Zheng. I¡¯m not blind.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her hand. ¡°That¡¯s best. I¡¯m going home. Don¡¯t follow me anymore.¡± Before she could turn around, Wei Liao stopped her again. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked impatiently, ¡°What else do you want?¡± Wei Liao smiled ambiguously and mischievously. ¡°You just asked Little Fatty Zheng how to coax a man. Did you quarrel with Duke Lang? Do you want to make him happy and resolve the conflict between the two of you?¡± Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Yu Niaoniao exploded. ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind anything about our family matters!¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry. I can help you.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not believe a word he said. ¡°Heh, can you be so kind?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can follow me. I know a place that makes people happy.¡± Yu Niaoniao was still skeptical. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°You have the pillow and the bookmarks I want. If I lie to you, you can choose not to sell me the pillow and bookmarks. You don¡¯t have to return the four hundred taels deposit.¡± Yu Niaoniao calculated in her heart. If he didn¡¯t lie to her, she would know how to coax Xiao Juan. If he lied to her, she would get four hundred taels of silver for nothing. No matter how she looked at it, she did not lose out. Yu Niaoniao immediately made a decision. ¡°I¡¯ll believe you this time.¡± The smile on Wei Liao¡¯s face deepened. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you.¡± The two of them left the Sky Oriole Garden together. It was dark, but there was still some time before curfew. There were still many pedestrians strolling on the street, and the shops on both sides were open. Wei Liao led the way on his horse, while Yu Niaoniao followed behind on her donkey. After crossing two streets, they stopped in front of the brightly lit Smokey Lane. This was a famous place for fireworks in the Imperial Capital. There were more than a dozen Qin¡¯s Loft and Chu¡¯s Halls of various sizes in the alley. As far as the eye could see, it was a feast. Even before entering the alley, Yu Niaoniao could smell the rich fragrance of wine and makeup in the air. She turned to Wei Liao and questioned him angrily. ¡°Is this what you mean by making people happy? You¡¯re teasing me!¡± With that, she turned to leave, away from this place of fireworks. However, Wei Liao reached out and blocked her way. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to leave. I¡¯m not lying to you. Don¡¯t you want to make Duke Lang happy? You just have to go in and see how those girls do it and you¡¯ll know how to coax him.¡± Yu Niaoniao still refused. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll see something I shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll get sore eyes.¡± Wei Liao leaned over and hooked his arm around her shoulder. ¡°Actually, Little Fatty Zheng is right. As long as you¡¯re a man, you can¡¯t avoid alcohol and sex. ¡°Lust is a gentle land, and wine is a man¡¯s tomb. The girls here ware are all good at this. Their ability to coax men is something you cannot compare to. As long as you can learn a little, coaxing your Duke Lang will not be a problem.¡± He was not entirely unreasonable. Yu Niaoniao was a little tempted. She was just going in to take a look. She would treat it as broadening her horizons and not do anything else. Yu Niaoniao shook off his arm and raised her chin. ¡°You, lead the way.¡± Wei Liao smiled and dutifully walked to the front to lead the way. He was clearly a regular here and was very familiar with it. When the girls on the street saw him, they leaned toward him like bees and butterflies. They winked and stuffed handkerchiefs, all wanting to pull him into their pavilion. Wei Liao did not refuse the flirtatious glances and handkerchiefs sent over, but he did not stop for a moment. He led Yu Niaoniao forward and finally stopped in front of a brothel called Green Garden. Unlike the other brothels whose doors were open, the courtyard door of Green Garden was closed. There was a white octagon lantern hanging at the door, and a gardenia tree beside it. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Is this a brothel too?¡± ¡°This place only accepts business from acquaintances and doesn¡¯t usually receive guests. It¡¯s most suitable for someone like you who can¡¯t show your face. With that, Wei Liao went forward and knocked. A moment later, the courtyard door was pulled open and a little girl with two buns walked out. She clearly knew Wei Liao. As soon as she saw him, she immediately turned around and respectfully invited him in. The decoration in the Green Garden Courtyard was very elegant. It did not look special, but there was actually ingenuity everywhere. It was obvious that it had been carefully decorated at a high price. Yu Niaoniao looked around as she walked. She had thought that brothels were messy places with good and bad people. Now that she was in them, she realized that she was shallow. Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao were brought to a private room. The little girl lit the incense burner and filled their cups with tea before silently retreating. The door was closed, leaving only Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao in the private room. Wei Liao casually threw aside the handkerchieves he had just received and patted the spot on his body that was stained with makeup. Then, he picked up his teacup and took a sip. Seeing that he had drunk the tea, Yu Niaoniao picked up the teacup and drank it. She did not understand tea leaves and could not tell if it was good or bad. She only knew that it was quite fragrant. Then she put down her teacup, stood up, and walked around the private room. Not only were there tables and chairs, but there were also beds, desks, wardrobes, screens, and incense burners. In addition, there was an expensive-looking zither. There were also other musical instruments such as lutes and flutes hanging on the wall. There was also a chessboard and a complete tea set on the table. Yu Niaoniao reached out her finger and gently fiddled with the zither. The zither made a clear clang. Yu Niaoniao retracted her hand and sighed. ¡°The girls here have many talents.¡± Wei Liao leaned back and said slowly. ¡°The guests here don¡¯t necessarily come to satisfy their lust. Some just want to find someone with whom to chat, play chess, and relax.¡± Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that she did not have to worry about getting sore eyes from seeing discordant scenes. The door was pushed open and a young woman in a light blue gauze dress walked in. She bowed to Wei Liao and said gently. ¡°Greetings, Young Master Wei. You haven¡¯t been here for a while.¡± Wei Liao pointed at Yu Niaoniao and said, ¡°She¡¯s the protagonist today. She wants to learn how to make men happy.¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately coughed twice. Even if he was telling the truth, there was no need to be so direct. Yu Shi looked at Yu Niaoniao and recognized at a glance that she was a woman. She was just dressed as a man. She was very tactful and knew that she could not ask about the guests, so she replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely do my best to help you..¡± Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Singing and Dancing Chapter 415: Singing and Dancing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the Langjun Imperial Palace, Xiao Juan was sitting behind his desk and reading. He was reading very intently as if he was concentrating all his attention on the book. But every few moments he glanced up at the door. As if he was waiting for someone. Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Someone was coming! Xiao Juan immediately put down his book and looked anxiously at the door. The person who walked in was Granny Xiu Yan. He immediately felt a strong sense of disappointment. But his expression did not change. He asked calmly, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Granny Xiu Yan was worried. ¡°It¡¯s already so late and the Princess Consort isn¡¯t back yet. Could she have met a bad person? Should we send someone to look for her?¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes, his heart aching. Niaoniao had promised him that she would come back as soon as possible, but it was already so late. If she wasn¡¯t back yet, it meant that she was getting along so well with that actor called Ye Yin that she had forgotten to go home. Logically speaking, he shouldn¡¯t have gone to her. After all, she was flirting with her sweetheart. If he brought people to look for her, wouldn¡¯t he be asking for trouble? However, he was really worried. What if Niaoniao was really in danger? Granny Xiu Yan was about to die of anxiety. ¡°Your Highness, say something.¡± In the end, his worry for Niaoniao prevailed. Xiao Juan stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go find her. ¡± Even if Niaoniao would despise him for being nosy because of this, he had to confirm if she was safe now. Niaoniao¡¯s safety was more important than anything! Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to prepare a horse for you now.¡± In Green Garden¡¯s private room, Yu Shi asked gently, ¡°May I know where you want to learn?¡± Yu Niaoniao touched her stomach. ¡°I think we should start with dinner.¡± Yu Shi was stunned. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Niaoniao explained. ¡°I haven¡¯t had dinner yet. I¡¯m so hungry. Can you get me something to eat?¡± There was only tea on the table, but tea would not satiate one¡¯s hunger. Yu Shi pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t entertain you well. I¡¯ll prepare food for you now. Please wait a moment.¡± She left the private room leisurely. Wei Liao mocked, ¡°Your brain is filled with food. No wonder you can¡¯t even handle your own man.¡± Yu Niaoniao was both straightforward and strong. ¡°What do you know? Food is the priority of the people. It¡¯s human nature to want to eat when you¡¯re hungry. If you have the ability, don¡¯t eat later!¡± Wei Liao chuckled again. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got.¡± Yu Shi returned quickly. Behind her were several maidservants. They served dishes and wine. Yu Niaoniao was already hungry. When she saw that there was delicious food, she immediately picked up her bowl and chopsticks and ate impatiently. Yu Shi washed her hands and picked up a drunk prawn with her slender fingers. She peeled off the shell and placed the crystal clear prawn meat in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s bowl. ¡°This drunk shrimp is a famous dish here. Try it.¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up the prawn meat and placed it in her mouth. Her eyes immediately widened, and she gave Yu Shii a thumbs up. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± Yu Shi smiled and continued to serve her. Yu Shi was very good at reading people¡¯s expressions. Almost as long as Yu Niaoniao glanced at any dish, Yu Shi would immediately put that dish into her bowl. At the same time, she would smile gently. After the meal, Yu Niaoniao was extremely satisfied. Not only were there beauties in this place, but there were also delicacies and wine. It was indeed a paradise on earth. No wonder men liked to come here for fun. As a woman, Yu Niaoniao liked this place! However, she quickly came back to her senses. The bills at such a place must be very high. She wondered if her purse can handle it. Poverty sobered her! Seeing that Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao were almost done eating, Yu Shi stood up and called someone in to clean up the table. Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to approach Wei Liao and asked in a low voice. ¡°we¡¯ll go clutcn¡± Wei Liao didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What dutch?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It means splitting the fees equally. You pay half, I¡¯ll pay half. We won¡¯t take advantage of each other.¡± She couldn¡¯t let herself bleed alone. She had to let Wei Liao share half the burden. Wei Liao did not care about this bit of silver, but this did not stop him from teasing Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Why should I? You ate more than me just now.¡± Yu Niaoniao directly blamed him. ¡°You, a man, ate less than a little girl like me. How dare you blame me for eating too much?¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°I¡¯m not that hungry. I¡¯m not like you. You were like a ghost that was going to be reincarnated.¡± Yu Niaoniao began to act shamelessly. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Anyway, you brought me here. We have to split tonight¡¯s expenses equally.¡± Wei Liao complained, ¡°Didn¡¯t you earn a lot of money today? Do you have to be so stingy?¡± Yu Niaoniao held her purse tightly. ¡°My money is for serious business, not for spending money on wine and land.¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°Should I spend my money on drinking and drinking?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded without hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s right! You look like an indecent fellow. You like to visit brothels and attract bees and butterflies everywhere.¡± Wei Liao was speechless. Although he usually liked to eat, drink, and have fun, he felt very uncomfortable being described so bluntly by Yu Niaoniao. He could let others say that, but not Yu Niaoniao. Wei Liao frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not as dirty as you think.¡± Yu Niaoniao clicked her tongue and deliberately said in an exaggerated tone. ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re just flirtatious, not obscene.¡± Wei Liao gritted his teeth. ¡°If you say another word, you¡¯ll settle tonight¡¯s bill alone. I won¡¯t pay a single cent!¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately shut her mouth obediently. As long as the other party was willing to pay, she did not mind being mute. Yu Shi returned quickly. This time she brought a pot of warm wine and some side dishes and desserts. She spoke gently as she poured wine. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not difficult to make people happy. You just have to remember four words. ¡± Yu Niaoniao asked humbly, ¡°Which four words?¡± ¡°Play to his liking.¡± Yu Niaoniao said in distress, ¡°But I don¡¯t know what he likes.¡± Xiao Juan usually looked cold. Other than work, there was nothing else in his eyes. He was like a meticulously designed work machine with no personal preferences. Yushi smiled and her voice was gentle. ¡°Then we can only try them one by one. We can start with the most common preferences, such as zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, or sing and dance to see which one he likes.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t like any of this?¡± ¡°Then try something else.¡± Yu Shi smiled. ¡°Actually, matching their preferences is just a method. You don¡¯t have to be too constrained by it. The sincerity you displayed in trying to suit him is the most touching. ¡± Yu Niaoniao was convinced. It was because she had used too many tricks previously that Xiao Juan misunderstood her after her lie was exposed. Having learned her lesson, she had to take it as a warning. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Now the question is, which one should I try first?¡± Wei Liao interrupted, ¡°His quietness is definitely useless. I suggest you start with singing and dancing.¡± Yu Shi took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Can you sing and dance?¡± Yu Niaoniao scratched her cheek and said awkwardly. ¡°I did learn a little a long time ago.¡± Wei Liao was immediately interested. ¡°Really? Show us..¡± Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: I Promise You! Chapter 416: I Promise You! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression was quite complicated. ¡°Are you sure you want to see it?¡± ¡°Yes! ¡± Wei Liao replied without hesitation, He was a man who had seen many things and had watched many exciting dance performances. However, he was still filled with anticipation for Yu Niaoniao¡¯s performance. The urge to see it was like a young boy who did not know anything yet. This feeling was quite new to him. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 can dance, but this dance of mine is rather special. I can¡¯t be the only one dancing. Someone has to dance with me.¡± Wei Liao immediately said, ¡°Let Yu Shi dance with you.¡± ¡°No, Sister Yu Shi has to play the zither for me.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Shall I call someone else over?¡± Yu Niaoniao refused again. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble. Just dance with me.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°But I can¡¯t dance.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t know. I can teach you. The movements are very simple. You can learn them after watching them once.¡± Wei Liao had also seen a two-person dance. Usually, this kind of dance required an extremely high level of tacit understanding between the two dancers. During this period, it was inevitable that there would be much physical contact. He swallowed the refusal on the tip of his tongue at the thought. He almost covered his ears and said to himself. It was just a dance anyway. There was no one else here. There was no need to care too much. Yu Shi sat down and stroked the strings of the zither with both hands. ¡°What kind of accompaniment do you want?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I want cheerful and energetic music. It¡¯s best if it has a little rhythm.¡± Yu Shi indicated that she understood. Yu Niaoniao stood in the middle of the house, moved her arms, and began to prepare. Seeing that Wei Liao was still sitting still, she asked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting up? Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯ll watch you dance first.¡± He wanted to see what dance Yu Niaoniao was dancing before deciding if he wanted to dance with her. Yu Niaoniao was unwilling. ¡°What if you don¡¯t dance with me later? It¡¯ll be so awkward for me alone.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep my word.¡± Yu Niaoniao seized the opportunity to ask, ¡°If you refuse to dance with me later, you¡¯ll have to finish all the wine on the table. You¡¯ll bear the cost tonight.¡± These were all small matters. Wei Liao agreed without hesitation. ¡°Sure. ¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately said, ¡°In addition, you have to learn to bark three times. ¡± Wei Liao was immediately unwilling. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if he paid for the drinks. He didn¡¯t care about that anyway. But barking like a dog was different. It would hurt his pride. He couldn¡¯t accept it. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you can do what you say, you don¡¯t have to bark like a dog. Seeing your reaction, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already prepared to go back on your word. If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t dance anymore. Coincidentally, I don¡¯t really want to dance.¡± With that, she sat down on the stool and really refused to dance. Seeing this, Wei Liao spoke before his brain could react. ¡°I promise you!¡± When he came back to his senses, he wanted to slap himself. Was he crazy? He actually agreed to her unreasonable request! Wasn¡¯t it just a dance? If he wanted to see it, any dancer could dance better than Yu Niaoniao. Why did he have to be stubborn about her? He felt that he might have a serious illness tonight! Yu Niaoniao immediately beamed. ¡°You promised. A gentleman has to keep his word. Sister Yu Shi, help me bear witness!¡¯ Yu Shi smiled and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up again, took off her coat, and threw it aside. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, revealing a slender and fair arm. She also picked up the hem of her clothes and stuffed it into her belt to avoid interfering with her next actions. She twisted her neck and hips, stretching her arms and kicking. When the preparations were almost done, she gestured to the Yu Shi to start. Wei Liao sat up straight, his eyes filled with anticipation. Yu Shi strummed the strings, and the brisk and lively sound of the zither drifted out. Yu Niaoniao said aloud. ¡°Now for the seven sets of radio gymnastics. The times are calling! The first set ¨C stretch!¡± With that, she extended her left arm, then her right, raised her hands high, crossed them above her head, and squatted. She was still chanting to give herself a sense of rhythm. ¡°One, two, three, five, six, seven, eight. Two, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!¡± Yu Shi¡¯s fingers almost slipped off the strings. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and quickly stabilized her mind. She continued to play according to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s rhythm. Wei Liao was stunned on the spot. He was incredulous. ¡°You call that dancing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so? How could there be such an ugly dance in the world?¡± This was just the prelude. The rest of the action should look good. Wei Liao comforted himself silently. Finally, when the first set ended, Yu Niaoniao finally changed her movements. ¡°Second set ¨C exercising your limbs!¡± She stretched out her arms and drew a circle in the air. Then she twisted around and bent her knees to squat. Her small arms shook off one after another. Next was to keep cycling this action. Wei Liao¡¯s expression gradually became dazed. What was the difference between this action and the previous one? Weren¡¯t they all equally ugly? How can this thing be called dancing? It was simply out of character! Although she had not done this exercise for many years, Yu Niaoniao still remembered every action clearly with her powerful memory. ¡°Third set ¨C chest expansion exercise!¡± Yu Niaoniao puffed out her chest and raised her head. She raised her arms and pressed them back. After putting them down, she repeated this action. When she was about to reach the fourth set, Wei Liao finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and called for a halt. ¡°Alright, stop dancing.¡± He covered his eyes, looking like he couldn¡¯t bear to watch. Yu Niaoniao stopped what she was doing and looked eager. ¡°I told you these movements were simple. Come and dance with me.¡± This was worlds apart from the double dance that Wei Liao had expected. His entire body was filled with resistance. ¡°I¡¯m not dancing.¡± Even if he died, even if he jumped down from here, he could not dance such a stupid and ugly dance! Yu Niaoniao had expected this. She smiled and said, ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re not jumping, you have to drink, pay, and bark like a dog.¡± Wei Liao stood up. ¡°I suddenly remembered that I have something to do. I have to go first.¡± He wanted to slip away. Yu Niaoniao immediately said loudly. ¡°If you dare to run, you can forget about your pillow and bookmark. In the future, if I make anything related to the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation, you can forget about it.¡± Wei Liao gritted his teeth and said fiercely. ¡°That¡¯s all you know how to do!¡± Yu Niaoniao said proudly, ¡®T)idn¡¯t I learn this from you? There¡¯s no need for a new move. As long as it works..¡± Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Consenting Chapter 417: Consenting Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meng Xizhou rushed out of the Heavenly Oriole Garden. He strode up to Xiao Juan and cupped his fists. ¡°Your Highness, I couldn¡¯t find the Princess Consort in the theater. The opera troupe said that the Princess Consort had already left the theater.¡± Xiao Juan could not help but frown. ¡°Since she left here long ago, why didn¡¯t you see her go home? Did she leave the theater alone?¡± Meng Xizhou¡¯s expression became complicated. ¡°The staff in the theater saw the Princess Consort leave with Wei Liao. The two of them seemed to have discussed where they were going, but I don¡¯t know where it was.¡± Xiao Juan frowned even more. Wei Liao was not a simple person. Niaoniao would probably suffer if she stayed with him. Xiao Juan immediately gave the order to let the spies in the city investigate the whereabouts of Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao. Soon, the Eagle Guards sent the results. Meng Xizhou¡¯s expression became even more complicated. ¡°Someone saw the Princess Consort and Wei Liao go to Mistwater Alley together.¡± Everyone in the Imperial Capital knew what Mistwater Alley was. Any girl from a good family would stay far away from such a place. But now, Yu Niaoniao had actually gone to that kind of place with Wei Liao. The man had gone to Mistwater Alley to have fun. What could a woman like her It was really puzzling. Xiao Juan did not think too much about it and immediately ordered. ¡°To Mistwater Alley,¡± In Green Garden¡¯s private room. The brisk and lively sound of the piano sounded again. Yu Niaoniao skipped around as she shouted the beat. Wei Liao imitated her movements and did exercises with her. He had a lifeless face the entire time as if the entire world had turned gray. Don¡¯t ask him how he was feeling. He regretted asking her to dance. He especially regretted it! When he stepped into Mistwater Alley with Yu Niaoniao, he had never dreamed that he would welcome the most embarrassing moment of his life tonight. He even began to ponder about life¡­ ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± Yu Shi watched the two of them jump around. Yu Niaoniao was already delicate and cute. Doing these actions did not feel out of place. In fact, she was a little cute. But Wei Liao was different. He was tall and burly, with long arms and legs. Coupled with his scowl the entire time, he looked like a big monkey who had been forced to operate. Yu Shi wanted to laugh, but professionalism told her not to. She could only purse her lips and endure it. She did not expect to see such a rare scene tonight. She had profited! From time to time, Yu Niaoniao would turn to look at Wei Liao. Seeing that he looked like he was about to die, she urged him seriously. ¡°You have to perk up. You have to feel like a baby eagle preparing to take off. You¡¯ll soon be able to spread your wings and soar. Your body is filled with energy!¡± Wei Liao¡¯s lips twitched in a fake smile. ¡°How long will this dance take?¡± At this moment, every moment was torture for him. He was about to collapse. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. It¡¯s almost over.¡± Wei Liao believed her and thought that it was really going to end soon. In the end, after dancing set after set, it finally ended after a long time. Yu Niaoniao was panting a little, but she was in good spirits. She said energetically, ¡°Dance once a day and live to 99! Wei Liao, do you feel relaxed and especially comfortable now?¡± Wei Liao slumped in his chair. He was as weak as a broken rag doll. At this moment, he only had one thought: What could he do to remove the image of him dancing from his mind? He did not want to remember that embarrassing scene again in his life. Seeing that Wei Liao was ignoring her, Yu Niaoniao could only talk to Yu Shi. ¡°How do you think I danced just now?¡± Yu Shi thought for a long time before speaking with difficulty. ¡°You dance very cutely, making people feel very happy. However, such a dance still lacks a little beauty. I think you can dance more gently. This way, you can show your characteristics as a woman. If you don¡¯t mind, I can dance for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately replied, ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Yu Shi got up leisurely, walked to the middle of the house, and began to jump. Even without the accompaniment, she could still accurately grasp the rhythm. Every move was gentle and beautiful, making people want to pity her. Yu Niaoniao watched intently. However, Wei Liao¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in her ears. ¡°Did you dance that dance just now for anyone else?¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at Wei Liao, who was sitting beside her, and replied truthfully, ¡°No.¡± Wei Liao slapped his thigh and cursed inwardly. Why was he so unlucky? So many people had never been poisoned by her dance. Why did he have to be the one? He suggested sincerely, ¡°In the future if you see someone dying, you can dance for him. There¡¯s no need to doubt your ability. With your dance, even a dead person can be frightened to death by you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She faked a laugh. ¡°Hehe, if you die one day, I¡¯ll definitely dance for you.¡± Wei Liao said with lingering fear, ¡°Then forget it. Just let me leave this world quietly and don¡¯t let me accept your torture again.¡± Yu Niaoniao was about to say something when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside. Immediately after, the door of the private room was pushed open and a maidservant ran in and shouted. ¡°Oh no, Duke Lang has barged in with the Eagle Guards!¡± Yu Shi stopped dancing and frowned. ¡°Why are the Eagle Guards here for no reason?¡± The maidservant shook her head vigorously. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. They didn¡¯t say anything. After breaking in, they walked around. It looks like they¡¯re looking for someone.¡± Wei Liao looked at Yu Niaoniao and smiled when he saw her guilty expression. ¡°You¡¯re finished.¡± If Duke Lang saw her drinking lotus wine here with the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, his reaction would definitely be very exciting. How could Wei Liao bear to miss such a good show? Yu Niaoniao forced herself to calm down. She did not panic. She felt that she could still be saved! She said to Wei Liao, ¡°Leave this place immediately. Don¡¯t let Duke Lang see you.¡± Wei Liao refused to move. He leaned back and crossed his arms, looking pleased with himself. ¡°1 won¡¯t leave.¡± Yu Niaoniao was exasperated. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving, are you? Then I¡¯ll leave!¡± With that, she was about to run out when she suddenly remembered that her coat was still on the ground. She hurriedly ran back, picked it up, and put it on. The maidservant reminded her, ¡°There are all Eagle Guards outside. If you go out, you¡¯ll definitely bump into them.¡± Yu Shi looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked tentatively, ¡°Could you be the person the Eagle Guards are looking for?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled awkwardly. ¡°Probably.¡± Yu Shi asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the person you want to coax is Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao became even more embarrassed. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Shi pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°He personally brought people to look for you. He must value you very much. Since you¡¯re willing, why don¡¯t you seize this opportunity?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Shi leaned over and whispered in her ear.. Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Drunk Chapter 418: Drunk Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Niaoniao heard this, she asked doubtfully. ¡°Will this work?¡± Yu Shi said, ¡°Won¡¯t you know if it works? Even if it doesn¡¯t, you didn¡¯t lose anything. ¡± Yu Niaoniao thought about it and agreed. Even if it didn¡¯t work, she wouldn¡¯t lose anything. If it did, she would profit! She immediately made a decision to take a gamble. She took off the coat she had just put on and threw it aside. She strode to the table, picked up the wine pot, and began to pour it directly into her mouth. Wei Liao was stunned and frowned. ¡°The concentration of this wine is very high. Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting sick from drinking it like this?¡± Yu Niaoniao ignored him. In the blink of an eye, she had finished the entire pot of wine. She put down the flask, opened her mouth, and burped, reeking of alcohol. A thin blush quickly appeared on her originally fair face, and her eyes became misty. Yu Shi whispered a few instructions to the maidservant. The maidservant accepted the order and left. Due to the alcohol, Yu Niaoniao began to feel light-headed and could not stand steadily. Wei Liao reached out to help her, but he stopped when he was about to touch her body. Yu Niaoniao reached out and placed her hand on the table to stabilize herself. She turned to look at Yu Shi and chuckled. ¡°The wine you have here is quite delicious. Is there more? Give me another pot.¡¯ Yu Shi only wanted her to pretend to be pitiful with wine so that Duke Lang could not let go of her. She did not expect her to be addicted to drinking. Yu Shi said helplessly, ¡°This is the strongest wine we have here. Just this pot is enough to make you drunk for a day. You can¡¯t drink anymore.¡± Yu Niaoniao was unwilling. ¡°That¡¯s all. I won¡¯t get drunk no matter how much I drink! Back then, when I was in Bashu, I drank white wine like water. The wine in Bashu was really strong. It burned in one mouthful of wine and two mouthfuls of side dishes. It was very strong!¡± Seeing that she had already begun to talk incoherently, Yu Shi could not help but worry. ¡°Do you remember what you¡¯re going to do later?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation, ¡°Of course, I remember. I would just sleep with Duke Lang!¡± Yu Shi was speechless. So was Wei Liao. Xiao Juan, who had just walked to the door and was about to enter the room, was speechless. The Eagle Guards following behind Xiao Juan were all speechless. Heavens! The Princess Consort actually publicly announced that she wanted to sleep with Duke Lang. This was too explosive! Was this what they could hear? If they could, there was no problem paying! But then again, the Princess Consort and Duke Lang had been married for almost a year. Shouldn¡¯t they have slept together long ago? Facing the hot gazes of the people behind him, Xiao Juan instructed without changing his expression. ¡°Wait outside first.¡¯ The Eagle Guards had no choice but to obey Duke Lang¡¯s orders. They could only retreat reluctantly with a heart full of gossip. Xiao Juan pushed open the door and strode into the private room. He immediately saw Yu Niaoniao standing at the table. She was wearing men¡¯s clothes and her coat had been thrown aside. Her face, which was not covered in makeup, was already red. Even her nose had turned red. Her small mouth was pouting slightly and she was muttering. ¡°I told you to bring the wine, so bring it. I won¡¯t get drunk! None of you know what my nickname in Bashu is, right? I won¡¯t get drunk after a thousand glasses! My alcohol tolerance is super good!¡± When Yu Shi saw Duke Lang walk in, her face turned pale with fear and she hurriedly knelt down. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Wei Liao greeted him lazily, ¡°Good evening, Your Highness. Do you want to sit down and have a drink?¡± Xiao Juan did not even look at them and walked past them. He bent down to pick up the coat that had been thrown to the ground and asked coldly. ¡°Who undressed her?¡± Although he didn¡¯t name him, Wei Liao knew that he was asking him. Wei Liao deliberately smiled ambiguously. ¡°Guess.¡± Xiao Juan put his coat on Yu Niaoniao and pulled out the No Return Saber at his waist. The sharp blade drew a cold arc in the air. The blade stopped near Wei Liao¡¯s neck. With just another inch, Wei Liao¡¯s head would be separated from his neck. Wei Liao stood still, the smile on his face fading. ¡°Is Duke Lang trying to kill me?¡± Yu Shi was afraid that Duke Lang would really kill Wei Liao here. Wei Liao was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards and the adopted son of the chief eunuch, Wei Huai¡¯en. If anything happened to him in Green Garden, everyone in Green Garden would be implicated. Yu Shi mustered her courage and explained in a trembling voice. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Young Master Yu took off her clothes herself. It has nothing to do with Young Master Wei.¡± She thought that if she explained everything clearly, Duke Lang would stop. However, Xiao Juan did not move. He looked coldly at the man on the other end of the blade and asked coldly. ¡°You deliberately brought Niaoniao to a place like this. What are you thinking of doing to her?¡± Wei Liao said disdainfully, ¡°What do you think I can do to her? She¡¯s just a silly woman. I was just teasing her when I had nothing to do.¡± ¡°It better be.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Juan sheathed his saber. He took Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand and whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Yu Niaoniao tilted her head and looked at him. ¡°Who are you?¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you even recognize me?¡± Yu Niaoniao leaned over and stared at his face up close. Finally, she recognized him. ¡°It¡¯s you! My baby, why are you so late? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time!¡± With that, she plunged into Xiao Juan¡¯s arms and pressed her face against his chest. She rubbed against him hard, and her two small arms wrapped around his waist and hugged him tightly. Xiao Juan¡¯s body immediately became extremely stiff, and he did not know how to release his limbs. He subconsciously stood up straight, his muscles tense. ¡°Let go of me first.¡± Instead of letting go, Yu Niaoniao hugged him tighter. ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t want to leave you.¡± She was clearly very drunk. Xiao Juan knew that drunkards could not be reasoned with. He could only press on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s wrist and use a little force. Yu Niaoniao felt her wrist ache and numb and subconsciously let go. Xiao Juan took the opportunity to retreat. Seeing that Yu Niaoniao was about to pounce on him again, he picked her up horizontally. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, then carried Yu Niaoniao and strode out. Yu Shi waited until they were far away before she dared to stand up. She pressed her chest and heaved a long sigh of relief. Amitabha. Fortunately, Duke Lang did not start a massacre here. Green Garden had escaped tonight. Yu Shi turned to look at Wei Liao, only to see him staring fixedly in the direction Duke Lang and Yu Niaoniao had left. Usually, he would always smile and scold others, not taking anything to heart. However, at this moment, he actually looked a little lonely. Yu Shi had read countless people, so she could not help but make a guess. But she knew Wei Liao¡¯s personality. There were some things that Yu Niaoniao could say, but she could not. Therefore, she did not dare to say a word and silently retreated.. Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Pinky swear Chapter 419: Pinky swear Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan carried Yu Niaoniao out of Green Gardeni¡¯s courtyard door. The Eagle Guards waiting outside were all stunned. When they saw Yu Niaoniao¡¯s flushed face and her face rubbing against Xiao Juan¡¯s chest, the Eagle Guards¡¯ eyes widened. At this moment, their hearts were filled with thoughts. Just now, the Princess Consort had said that she wanted to sleep with Duke Lang. They did not expect her to have succeeded so quickly! How should one put it? As expected of the Princess Consort. She was awesome! Xiao Juan ignored everyone¡¯s burning gazes and walked straight to the carriage. He stuffed Yu Niaoniao into the carriage. He wanted to punch someone, but Yu Niaoniao grabbed his wrist. Yu Niaoniao refused to let go no matter what, still humming softly. ¡°Baby, don¡¯t go. I¡¯m so dizzy. I have to hug you.¡± Seeing that she was frowning and looked really uncomfortable, Xiao Juan could only jump into the carriage and bend down to get into it. The Eagle Guards winked at each other as if they had nothing to say. The carriage moved slowly, and the Eagle Guards followed on horseback. The group successfully left Mistwater Alley. In the carriage, Yu Niaoniao hugged Xiao Juan¡¯s arm and refused to let go. She leaned close to Xiao Juan and rubbed her cheek against his chest, smiling like a fool. ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re so cool. I like it so much.¡± Xiao Juan sat upright and held Yu Niaoniao¡¯s shoulder with one hand to prevent her from falling. His other hand was placed obediently on his knee. Other than that, he did not do anything else. He looked down at the girl leaning against him. The strong smell of alcohol drilled into his nose. He frowned. ¡°How much did you drink?¡± Yu Niaoniao extended a finger. ¡°I only drank one glass!¡± Xiao Juan did not believe her nonsense at all. ¡°Have you forgotten what I told you? You can¡¯t drink too much outside, especially when I¡¯m not with you. What if you¡¯re drunk and bullied?¡± Yu Niaoniao pouted. ¡°But I¡¯m unhappy and want to drown my sorrows with alcohol.¡± Xiao Juan was puzzled. ¡°Why are you unhappy? Yu Niaoniao snorted through her nose. ¡°Because you¡¯re ignoring me! Recently, you¡¯ve been pretending not to see me as if I don¡¯t exist. You avoid me when you eat and sleep. You even look cold when you talk to me. I don¡¯t like you like this. I really don¡¯t!¡± The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She waved her small fists and punched him twice. Xiao Juan did not dodge and explained, ¡°If you don¡¯t like me, I naturally have to stay away from you.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her head and glared at him with her watery eyes. ¡°When did I say I don¡¯t like you? If I don¡¯t like you, can I marry you?!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The reason you married me was that the emperor gave us a marriage.¡± Yu Niaoniao defended herself forcefully, ¡°It¡¯s true that the emperor gave us a marriage, but I didn¡¯t resist you! How many things have we experienced along the way? Don¡¯t you know how I feel about you?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. He had also thought that after experiencing so much with Niaoniao, no matter how dangerous it was, she would always be by his side and never leave him. She should have feelings for him, right? But every time this happened, another voice would pop into his mind. What if? What if she was just trying to gain his trust? What if he was being wishful again? Xiao Juan could not afford to bet on this ¡°what if¡±. He was afraid of losing, and even more afraid that in the end, he and Niaoniao would not even be husband and wife in name. He could only bury his head in the sand like an ostrich and not think or ask. He would live like that as long as he could. Yu Niaoniao shook his arm. ¡°Say something!¡± Xiao Juan looked at her flushed cheeks and whispered. ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡± Yu Niaoniao straightened her neck and looked stubborn. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk! ¡± Xiao Juan said in a coaxing tone, ¡°Alright, you¡¯re not drunk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you very seriously now that I like you very much. You¡¯re the best person in the world besides my mother, my stepfather, and my grandfather and grandmother. I¡¯ve lost my mother and my stepfather. I can¡¯t lose you.¡± ¡°So, you can¡¯t leave me¡­ Hiccup!¡± At the end, Yu Niaoniao could not help but burp loudly again. When Xiao Juan heard her say that she liked him, his heart involuntarily beat faster. He almost believed her. But he quickly calmed down. Niaoniao was drunk. She was talking drunkenly now. Drunken words could not be taken seriously. Yu Niaoniao hugged his arm and repeated. ¡°You have to remember that you can¡¯t leave me. Ever.¡± Xiao Juan gently patted her back to calm her down and coaxed her gently. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll remember. I won¡¯t leave you.¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her pinky. ¡°Let¡¯s pinky swear.¡± At this moment, Xiao Juan was a completely different person from his usual unreasonable appearance. His temper was exceptionally good. He did whatever Yu Niaoniao asked him to do. Their pinkies hooked. Yu Niaoniao said in a low voice, ¡°Pinky promise, hang yourself. You¡¯re not allowed to change for a hundred years!¡± Xiao Juan replied, ¡°Alright, nothing will change.¡± Yu Niaoniao cupped his hand, lowered her head, and kissed the back of it. Xiao Juan was immediately stunned. Yu Niaoniao looked up and giggled at him. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ve stamped you. That way, you¡¯re not allowed to go back on your word.¡± Xiao Juan felt the back of his hand tingle. The soft touch of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lips seemed to have not disappeared. He looked involuntarily at Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lips. Her lips were small and full, red and beautiful. Just looking at them made her look very sweet. If he could take a bite¡­ Xiao Juan quickly dismissed the thoughts in his mind. Niaoniao was still drunk. No matter what she did now, she was drunk. He could not take advantage of her. The carriage stopped in front of the Langjun Imperial Palace. Xiao Juan ordered the Eagle Guards to return. He carried Yu Niaoniao and strode into the residence. Granny Xiu Yan heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that they had returned safely. Xiao Juan instructed, ¡°Go prepare some hot water and a bowl of hangover soup.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Granny Xiu Yan quickly prepared everything Duke Lang needed. Xiao Juan picked up the hangover soup and carefully fed it to Yu Niaoniao. Then, he called Chun Feng and Ye Yu over and asked the two of them to help Yu Niaoniao bathe and change. After making the arrangements, Xiao Juan prepared to leave. However, Yu Niaoniao grabbed the hem of his shirt and refused to let go. She said pitifully, ¡°You promised not to leave me.¡± Her face and nose were red and her eyes were misty. Coupled with her small expression, she looked very pitiful. Chun Feng and Ye Yu could not help but soften. The bolder Qiu Feng advised softly, ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t you stay?¡± In any case, Duke Lang and the Princess Consort were husband and wife. It did not matter even if they bathed together. Xiao Juan also wanted to stay. But he knew he couldn¡¯t. Niaoniao was drunk now. If he took the opportunity to do something to her, she would definitely hate him to death tomorrow when she woke up. He steeled himself. ¡°Just the two of you take care of her.¡± With that, he pulled her hand away and walked out without looking back.. Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: True Lord Chapter 420: True Lord Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao¡¯s body was submerged in hot water. The heat kept rising, making her sleepy. Chun Feng and Ye Yu carefully carried her out of the bathtub. After drying her, they helped her lie on the bed. Ye Yu covered her with the blanket and lowered the bed curtain. Chun Feng left an oil lamp at the head of the bed. She blew out the other oil lamps. They retreated quietly. As soon as they went out, they saw Duke Lang standing under the porch. The two of them hurriedly bowed. Xiao Juan asked calmly. ¡°How is she?¡± Chun Feng said softly, ¡°The Princess Consort is already asleep.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°She drank a lot and might wake up at night. Remember to watch her.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu agreed in unison. ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the closed door again before turning to leave. He still spent the night in the study. Watching him leave, Ye Yu was puzzled and asked softly, ¡°Duke Lang is clearly very concerned about the Princess Consort. Why didn¡¯t he stay behind to accompany her just now?¡± Chun Feng shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Over the past few days, the relationship between Duke Lang and the Princess Consort had become cold. As maidservants, they naturally noticed it. They had thought that Duke Lang had lost his sense of novelty in the relationship and did not like the Princess Consort anymore, but from his attitude, he clearly still had the Princess Consort in his heart. They were even more confused. What was going on between the two of them? Yu Niaoniao slept soundly. When she woke up, it was late in the morning. She sat up and looked out the window at the bright sunlight. She couldn¡¯t help but rub her throbbing forehead. ¡°What time is it?¡± Chun Feng answered truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s already nine o¡¯clock.¡± Damn, it was already so late! Yu Niaoniao immediately lifted the blanket and jumped out of bed. ¡°Quick, bring my clothes over.¡± Ye Yu brought over the dress she had prepared long ago and helped the County Princess put it on. Yu Niaoniao urged, ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯m already late.¡± She had to clock in at the Justice Department early in the morning. She was already an hour and a half late! Chun Feng said, ¡°Princess Consort, there¡¯s no hurry. Before His Highness left, he instructed that he would apply for leave for you today. You can rest in the residence in peace.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned and blurted out, ¡°Will the fee be deducted if I take leave?¡± Chun Feng hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± She did not understand. Logically speaking, when the Princess Consort found out that Duke Lang had helped her apply for leave, she should be touched by his thoughtfulness, right? Why was the Princess Consort¡¯s first reaction to the question if money would be deducted? Chun Feng said carefully,¡±His Highness specially applied for leave for you out of love. Compared to His Highness¡¯s love, that bit of money should be nothing. When His Highness returns, you have to thank him properly.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied, ¡°Yes, yes, I will.¡± However, she felt extremely regretful. If she missed a day of work, she would lose a day of salary! Putting up a drama was a money-burning endeavor. Every copper coin she had now was incomparably precious! After washing up, Yu Niaoniao sent Chun Feng and Ye Yu out. She dug out the banknotes she had earned last night and counted them one by one to make sure not a single one was missing. Very good. She did not pay for the expenses at Green Garden last night. She had saved another huge sum! Yu Niaoniao carefully put the banknotes into the box and locked it. She gently stroked the surface of the box, her eyes filled with love. ¡°Baby, stay here well. Don¡¯t go anywhere. Whether I can help Duke Lang clear his name in the future depends on you.¡± After breakfast, Yu Niaoniao called the four embroiderers over. She first rewarded the embroiderers with ten taels of silver each, then gave them the task of making seven bolsters. The embroiderers accepted the mission and left happily with the silver. Then, Yu Niaoniao went to the study and made ten bookmarks. Looking at the customized bookmark of Phoenix Cry Country, Yu Niaoniao thought of a certain man who had secretly helped her make bookmarks in the middle of the night. Although the plan last night had failed and she was very frustrated and a little angry, this indirectly proved one thing¡ª Xiao Juan was really a gentleman! Thinking of this, Yu Niaoniao felt a little proud. Her man was not the kind of person who would be tempted at the sight of prey. He could still maintain his bottom line in the face of temptation. Hehehe, she liked it so much! Yu Niaoniao picked up her pen and dipped it in ink. According to Xiao Juan¡¯s image, she drew a group of cute little people. As she drew, she imagined Xiao Juan doing these actions and the corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously. When she was done, she made this set of cartoons into a bookmark. Yu Niaoniao placed this specially customized set of bookmarks into a box and pasted a small note of ¡°Baby¡¯s Kiss¡±. But on second thought, she was afraid that Xiao Juan did not know that this was for him. So she drew another bird in the corner of the small note. Yu Niaoniao placed the box neatly in the middle of the desk, ensuring that Xiao Juan would see it at first glance when he returned. After doing this, she left the study and returned to the bedroom to change into men¡¯s clothes. Then, she rode the donkey to the Heavenly Oriole Garden. Today, she entered the theater as usual. She went up to the third floor and into the private room. She realized that other than Zheng Changle, there was also a middle-aged man who looked similar to Zheng Changle. It was obvious that this middle-aged man was Zheng Changle¡¯s father. As expected, he introduced himself. ¡°My name is Zheng Zaizhou. I¡¯m the owner of the Heavenly Oriole Garden and Changle¡¯s father.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about you from Changle. I¡¯ve already read the play you gave me.¡± ¡°To be honesty the plot of the script was very good. The ups and downs were very interesting. ¡± ¡°However, the protagonist inside was mapped to Duke Lang. You should know very well what kind of person Duke Lang is.¡± ¡°Although our opera troupe is a little famous in the Jade Capital, we are still ordinary people. I really can¡¯t afford to offend Duke Lang and the Justice Department.¡± Yu Niaoniao listened quietly. When he was done, she spoke slowly. ¡°If Master Zheng didn¡¯t want to cooperate with me, he wouldn¡¯t have appeared here today. Since you appeared, it means that you actually have the intention to cooperate.¡± Zheng Zaizhou smiled helplessly. ¡°I do like your play. From my experience, if it¡¯s adapted into a play and moved onto the stage, the response will definitely be very good. It¡¯s just that the protagonist in the play has to be changed¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao interrupted him. ¡°The protagonist can¡¯t be changed. It has to be Duke Lang.¡± Her tone was firm and there was no room for negotiation. Zheng Zaizhou said, ¡°Why do you have to do this? Why do you have to go against Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao explained, ¡°In this movie, Duke Lang has always had a positive image. Even if Duke Lang finds out, he won¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°Who can guarantee that? After all, Duke Lang is famous for being cold-blooded and heartless.. What if he doesn¡¯t like being treated as the protagonist in the show and kills us all out of displeasure?¡± Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Introduction Chapter 421: Introduction Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No matter what Yu Niaoniao said, Zheng Zaizhou was still very afraid and unwilling to take this risk. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao could only give up on the idea of working with the Heavenly Oriole Garden. She stood up. ¡°Since Old Master Zheng is unwilling, I can¡¯t force you. Just pretend I didn¡¯t mention this. Goodbye.¡± With that, she walked out. Zheng Changle quickly chased after her and stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to leave!¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped. ¡°Since the business can¡¯t be discussed, what¡¯s the point of me staying here? Why don¡¯t I take a look at the other theaters while it¡¯s still early?¡± The Heavenly Oriole Garden was not the only theater in the Imperial Capital. If it could not be done here, perhaps she could try other places. Zheng Changle advised, ¡°Even if you run around the entire Imperial Capital, it¡¯s impossible for anyone to dare to cooperate with you. Because everyone is afraid of death! No one would offend the infamous Duke Lang for a show. This isn¡¯t worth it!¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip with a stubborn expression. ¡°If everyone refuses to cooperate with me, I¡¯ll buy a theater myself. I¡¯ll be the owner. I can arrange any show I want!¡± Zheng Changle did not expect her determination to be so great. He was puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a play? Do you have to spend so much money?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. This is very important to me. I have to finish it. Zheng Changle sighed. ¡°Since you¡¯re determined, I won¡¯t persuade you. I know that there was an opera troupe in the city that is about to stop operating. The troupe master is preparing to sell the opera troupe and leave the Imperial Capital. If you really want to open a theater, I can introduce you.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Zheng Changle was caught by her sparkling eyes and involuntarily puffed out his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to him now.¡± Yu Niaoniao followed him downstairs excitedly. When the two of them walked out of the theater, they bumped into Wei Liao. Wei Liao raised his eyebrows. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Zheng Changle did not know what to say. Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, he told Wei Liao everything. Knowing that Yu Niaoniao was going to buy an opera troupe, Wei Liao clicked his tongue. ¡°Do you know how much it costs to buy a theater?¡± ¡°Oh, right. You made a lot of money selling pillows and bookmarks. You should barely buy a dilapidated opera troupe.¡± ¡°But do you know how much it costs to rent a venue and pay to keep a theater running?¡± ¡°Do you have enough?¡± Yu Niaoniao subconsciously touched the pouch at her waist and said confidently, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Wei Liao smiled and extended his right hand. ¡°Where¡¯s my bookmark?¡± Yu Niaoniao took out the ten bookmarks from her sleeve and placed them in his hand. ¡°Here you go. We¡¯re even. Don¡¯t follow me anymore.¡± With that, she walked away. Zheng Changle did not know how to ride a horse, so he could only take a carriage. Yu Niaoniao was still riding her donkey. The two of them walked through the streets and alleys for a long time before they found the Cheri opera troupe Zheng Changle had mentioned. The opera troupe was located in a very remote place. There were poor people living all around. The pedestrians on the streets were dressed very shabby. When they saw the two well-dressed people, Yu Niaoniao and Zheng Changle, they could not help but look at them twice, Yu Niaoniao looked at the courtyard door in front of her. There was a piece of red paper stuck to it. On the paper were four words: Qirui Opera Troupe, This was their troupes signboard. It was really very shabby. Zheng Changle went forward and knocked. As he waited for the door to open, he whispered to Yu Niaoniao. ¡®¡±The troupe master of Cherys opera troupe is called Liu Qirui. He has a bad temper and is very stubborn. If he says anything to make you unhappy, don¡¯t lower yourself to his level.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You seem to know him very well.¡± Zheng Changle had a complicated expression as he spoke slowly. ¡°He and my father are sworn enemies. The two of them had been fighting since they met. My father often said other things. Sometimes he gritted his teeth in hatred, and sometimes he was smug. But more of it should be appreciation. Although Qirui Opera Troupe looked dilapidated now, it was also a famous drama troupe back then. Even our Heavenly Oriole Garden would be suppressed by it.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, Liu Qirui had unfortunately offended an influential person in the capital. That noble sent people to cause trouble every day. The onlookers were all so frightened that they did not dare to come again, so Qirui Opera Troupe declined.¡± ¡°Why do I dare to say that no one in the Imperial Capital dares to cooperate with you? It¡¯s because your play mapped Duke Lang. Duke Lang is even more terrifying than the noble Liu Qirui had offended. Who would dare to court death?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked like she understood. The courtyard door was pulled open from the inside and an old man with a haggard expression and a beard stuck his head out. The moment he saw Zheng Changle, his expression changed. ¡°Why are you here again? I told you, even if I starve to death, I won¡¯t sell the troupe to your Heavenly Oriole Garden!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at Zheng Changle beside her. Zheng Changle touched his nose and explained in embarrassment. ¡°My father has always wanted to take over Qirui Opera Troupe, but Liu Qirui was unwilling.¡± Seeing that Liu Qirui was about to close the courtyard door, Yu Niaoniao hurriedly reached out and blocked it. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m the one who wanted to buy your theater today.¡± Liu Qirui paused and looked her up and down, his eyes filled with suspicion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in cahoots with the Zheng father and son?¡± After Zheng Changle¡¯s introduction and Liu Qirui¡¯s attitude, Yu Niaoniao had a preliminary understanding of how to talk to him. Yu Niaoniao raised her smile and said sweetly. ¡°I originally planned to cooperate with Old Master Zheng, but I couldn¡¯t accept his conditions. In the end, the cooperation didn¡¯t succeed. Then, Zheng introduced me to you.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s convenient for you, can you let us in to talk?¡± When Liu Qirui heard that she had refused to work with Zheng Zaizhou, he immediately had a good impression of her. ¡°You can come in, but not him.¡± He glanced at Zheng Changle. Yu Niaoniao had a crossbow hidden in her sleeve to ensure her safety. She turned to Zheng Changle. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll get going. Be careful.¡¯ After Yu Niaoniao entered the small courtyard, Liu Qirui immediately closed the courtyard door. Zheng Changle turned around and was about to leave when he saw Wei Liao standing beside the carriage. He was leaning back against the carriage, arms folded, a lazy smile on his face. ¡°Did you really leave her here alone?¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Although Liu Qirui has a bad temper, he¡¯s still a good person. He won¡¯t bully Brother Yu.¡± Wei Liao was used to thinking the worst of people. He had never believed that there were people who were absolutely good in this world. Hearing Zheng Changle¡¯s words, Wei Liao sneered disdainfully. ¡°Heh, all businessmen are evil. Not many of you businessmen are good.¡± Zheng Changle was so angry that his chubby face turned red. ¡°How can you say that? To think I treated you as a brother!¡± Wei Liao ignored him and walked straight to the courtyard door. Then, he used his movement technique to cross the wall and easily sneaked into the courtyard.. Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: No Way Out Chapter 422: No Way Out Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao looked around as she walked and saw many costumes drying in the small courtyard. Those costumes had been used for a long time and had long been washed out of color. There were obvious signs of mending. When she walked into the house, she realized that it was filled with old tables and chairs. There was a temporary stage built of wooden planks in the middle of the house. Liu Qirui took the initiative to introduce the troupe. ¡°We originally had a theater, but in order to repay our debt, we were forced to give it up. Now we could only live here. The more famous actors in the theater had left.¡¯ ¡°Now that the opera troupe was in danger, I don¡¯t know how long we could last. Even if you¡¯re willing to pay for the opera troupe, it¡¯s very difficult to let it return to its former glory.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at his hard face and asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too willing to let me buy the troupe?¡± Liu Qirui admitted frankly, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to sell the opera troupe.¡± Yu Niaoniao expressed her understanding. ¡°You have no choice.¡± Seeing that her attitude was still polite, Liu Qirui did not put on a high and mighty attitude the way he did with the other buyers. Hence, Liu Qirui softened his tone and advised pertinently, ¡°I believe that kid from the Zheng family has already told you the reason why our opera troupe declined. If you don¡¯t want to cause trouble, I advise you not to get involved in this mess.¡± A crisp woman¡¯s voice suddenly came. ¡°Father, what are you talking about?!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked in the direction of the voice and saw a little girl in an apricot-colored dress with two buns walking over quickly. The little girl looked to be about fourteen years old. Because she had been malnourished for a long time, her face was a little yellow and her body was even thinner than her peers. She held the tray with both hands. On it were two teacups. She walked quickly, but the tray was held firmly. The tea in the teacup was not spilled at all. Liu Qirui frowned at her. ¡°Sixing, why are you out?¡± ¡°I heard that we had a guest, so I came to take a look.¡± The little girl placed the tray on the table and took out a cloth from her waist. She wiped the table and chairs quickly and invited Yu Niaoniao to sit down with a smile. She placed the teacup in front of Yu Niaoniao with a very enthusiastic attitude. ¡°My name is Liu Sixing, and I¡¯m the daughter of the troupe master. May I know your name?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°My surname is Yu.¡± Liu Sixing ignored her father¡¯s unhappy expression and sat down opposite Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Young Master Yu, you¡¯re here to buy our opera troupe, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao felt that this little girl was quite interesting and replied with a smile, ¡°Yes.¡± Liu Sixing said, ¡°You have such good taste! Our Qirui Opera Troupe used to be a famous drama troupe in the Imperial Capital. There were countless spectators who came to our opera troupe every day, and the demand for tickets was even greater.¡± ¡°The actors nurtured by our opera troupe are all outstanding. Any name you call out can resound with the audience like thunder.¡± Liu Qirui scolded angrily, ¡°Enough. That¡¯s all in the past. Don¡¯t mention it again! Go down first. You have nothing to do here.¡± Liu Sixing¡¯s butt was still on the stool, as she refused to leave. ¡°Although those things are in the past, they really happened. I have to tell Young Master Yu, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Miss Liu is right.¡± Liu Sixing seemed to have found something to rely on and raised her chin at Liu Qirui. ¡°See, Young Master Yu supports me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain it to you clearly!¡± Liu Qirui was angry and anxious. He turned to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Sixing is young, so she¡¯s inevitably a little rash. Don¡¯t lower yourself to her level. No matter how glorious Qirui Opera Troupe was in the past, it has declined now.¡± Liu Sixing panicked when she heard this. ¡°Father!¡± Liu Qirui did not look at her and continued to speak to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Our opera troupe has fallen and we still owe a huge debt. Even if the opera troupe was mortgaged, it would not be enough. If you buy our opera troupe, not only will you have to bear the risk of offending the powerful, but you also have to bear a huge debt.¡± ¡°You look quite young. Don¡¯t act rashly. I advise you to go back and discuss it with your family. Think carefully before making a decision.¡± Seeing that her father had exposed everything, Liu Sixing could not sit still anymore. She jumped up and shouted. ¡°Father, if you continue like this, we¡¯re really going to starve to death!¡± Liu Qirui retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t we hungry already?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because senior brothers go out every day to do manual labor! Do you know how much work they have to do every day and how much disdain they have to suffer to earn enough money to live?¡± ¡°They took you as their master back then to learn opera from you. But now I can¡¯t remember how long it has been since they last appeared on stage!¡± At the end, Liu Sixing¡¯s eyes turned red and her voice became choked. Liu Qirui¡¯s lips trembled as if he wanted to defend himself, but in the end, he could not say anything. Liu Sixing wiped her eyes hard. ¡°If there was any hope, I wouldn¡¯t want to sell the opera troupe, but now we¡¯re really at our wits¡¯ end.¡± Liu Qirui lowered his head and remained silent. Seeing him like this, Liu Sixing felt mentally and physically exhausted. She had said similar things many times, but every time she reached the end, her father would be as silent as he was now. The atmosphere between father and daughter gradually stiffened. Yu Niaoniao spoke on time, ¡°Do you guys want to hear me out?¡± The Liu father and daughter turned to look at her. Yu Niaoniao cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯ve understood most of your situation. It¡¯s time for you to know my situation. I¡¯m actually not very interested in singing opera. The reason I want to buy a theater is to perform a show.¡± She took out the playbook and placed it on the table, indicating for the Liu father and daughter to take a look. Liu Qirui opened the play and read. Liu Sixing craned her neck to take a look too. The playbook expressed the plot in a series of drawings. Even if they did not know many words, they could understand the content. Yu Niaoniao picked up the teacup and lifted the lid to take a look. Only then did she realize that it was filled with cold water. There was not even a single tea leaf. After all, tea leaves were quite expensive. With the troupe¡¯s current situation, they definitely could not afford it. After looking at the script, the expressions of the father and daughter were very solemn. Liu Sixing asked directly, ¡°Young Master Yu, do you think your life is too comfortable and wish to deliberately cause trouble for yourself?¡± Liu Qirui also said, ¡°No one in the entire Imperial Capital dares to film your script.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why I came to you. Anyway, you¡¯re already in such a sorry state. You can¡¯t be much worse.¡± The Liu father and daughter felt as if they had been stabbed in the heart. Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Making a Comeback Chapter 423: Making a Comeback Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I know. This play is mapped to Duke Lang. It¡¯s normal for you to be afraid. But there are two sides to everything. Let¡¯s think about it from another angle. It is because everyone is afraid of Duke Lang that no one dared to arrange his deeds into operas.¡± ¡°If the Qirui Opera Troupe could successfully bring Prince of Lang, Liaodong, to the stage.You are the only ones in the Imperial Capital. ¡°You¡¯re experts. You should know what being unique means, right?¡± Liu Qirui muttered, ¡°It means that we are the only ones and are irreplaceable.¡± Yu Niaoniao snapped her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s right! Everyone has a curious mentality. They will be inevitably curious about new things they had never seen. Especially since the protagonist of this movie was Duke Lang! ¡® ¡°Duke Lang is a famous figure in the Dayan Dynasty. Usually, as long as there was any movement on him, it would cause a huge reaction among the people. This meant that everyone was actually very concerned about Duke Lang. ¡® ¡°If Qirui Opera Troupe uses Duke Lang¡¯s image as the protagonist in the show, which was equivalent to borrowing Duke Lang¡¯s influence. There is no need for special publicity to win the attention of many people. ¡® ¡°When the show is officially moved to the stage, Qirui Opera Troupe can also take advantage of the situation and soar up, recreating its glory back then!¡± The more she spoke, the more excited she became. Her voice rose, and she grew taller. There seemed to be holy light shining on her. The Liu father and daughter had to look up to see her face. Liu Sixing was overwhelmed by her words and could not help but clench her fists. She shouted excitedly, ¡°Well said! Qirui Opera Troupe will definitely regain its former glory!¡± Liu Qirui¡¯s old face flushed red, and his eyes glistened with tears. He refused to sell the opera troupe under immense pressure, partly because of his feelings for it, and partly because he was indignant. He was unwilling to give up the career he had worked on for most of his life. At this moment, he finally saw the hope of making a comeback. How could he not be excited? Yu Niaoniao reached out to them, her voice filled with bewitchment. ¡°Come, bring Prince of Lang, Liaodong, to the stage with me. We¡¯re going to bring Qirui back into the public eye. We have to let everyone in the Imperial Capital know that our Qirui Opera Troupe is back!¡± The minds of Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing were filled with endless expectations for the future. Without thinking, they walked towards Yu Niaoniao, wanting to hold her hand At that moment, a tired figure suddenly spoke. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing stopped in their tracks. They both turned to look at the door. After seeing the two people standing at the door clearly, Liu Sixing called out i] surprise. ¡°Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, you¡¯re back!?¡± Those two were Liu Qirui¡¯s disciples. They had just returned from work and were very tired. Their gazes circled the three people in the room before finally landing on Yu Niaoniao. They asked in confusion. ¡°Who is this young man? Why are you standing on the stage? And why is there a hole in the roof?¡± When Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing heard this, they realized that Yu Niaoniao had already climbed onto the stage. No wonder she looked so tall. There was a small hole in the roof above her. Sunlight seeped through it and shone on her. This made her look especially dazzling as if she was enveloped by holy light. Yu Niaoniao coughed lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t mind these details. In short, our goals are the same. I think we can work together.¡± On the roof, Wei Liao sat cross-legged with one hand supporting the side of his face, and the other holding a tile. In order to make it easier to see into the house, he had just removed two tiles, making a small hole in the roof. Unexpectedly, this small hole was used by Yu Niaoniao and became her ¡°light prop.¡± Wei Liao watched as Yu Niaoniao talked non-stop, fooling the Liu father and daughter. He could not help but smile silently. This woman was really interesting. In the room, Liu Qirui had already been convinced by Yu Niaoniao. He didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity to make a comeback, but he still had doubts. ¡°Duke Lang is not someone to be trifled with. What if he wants to settle scores with us?¡± Yu Niaoniao promised solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have some ties with Duke Lang. When the time comes, I¡¯ll go to him and plead for mercy. He should be fine.¡± Liu Qirui did not expect her to have a relationship with Duke Lang and immediately thought even more highly of her. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll sell Qirui Opera Troupe to you.¡± When he said the last few words, his voice was almost out of tune, as if he was trying his best to suppress his reluctance. Yu Niaoniao patted his shoulder and comforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Even if I buy Qirui Opera, you¡¯ll still manage it. I usually have my own things to do and will not interfere in the troupe¡¯s matters.¡± Liu Qirui was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Really?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, we can write this in the contract.¡± Liu Qirui hurriedly waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Next was to discuss the specifics of reselling the opera troupe. Qirui Opera Troupe was not worth much, but the opera troupe owed a large amount of foreign debt. If those foreign debts were included, it would cost at least eight thousand taels of silver. Yu Niaoniao added up the profits from selling books and the surrounding areas, which was only more than 8,600 taels. She took out eight thousand taels of silver to buy the opera troupe and used the remaining few hundred taels of silver to maintain the daily expenses of the opera troupe. After everything was settled, both parties signed the contract and went to the government office to notarize it. When the procedures were all done, Yu Niaoniao became the new owner of Qirui Opera Troupe. She was quite happy to have achieved something big. But when she touched her shriveled purse, she immediately became worried again. The opera troupe could not stay in this dilapidated small courtyard forever. They had to rent a decent theater. Every inch of land in the Imperial Capital was expensive, and the rent was definitely not cheap. In addition, she had to hire someone to buy new props¡­ Everything had to be spent. The remaining 600 taels were not enough at all. Yu Niaoniao rode the donkey back, her mind filled with thoughts of earning money. She didn¡¯t even notice when Wei Liao followed her. ¡°Congratulations, the new owner of Qirui Opera Troupe.¡± Yu Niaoniao came back to her senses and turned around to see Wei Liao riding beside her. She frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Wei Liao said slowly. ¡°I heard that you just bought Qirui Opera Troupe and specially came to congratulate you. By the way, do you need to borrow money? I have money here. I only need 30% interest. The price is fair and honest.¡± Yu Niaoniao originally wanted to refuse, but she quickly had a plan. She spoke leisurely. ¡°There¡¯s no need to borrow money. If you have too much money to spend, you can consider becoming a sponsor of Qirui Opera Troupe.¡± Wei Liao was interested.. ¡°What is a sponsor?¡± Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Jealous and Angry Chapter 424: Jealous and Angry Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was a little hungry. When she saw a small restaurant selling mutton steamed buns in front, she suggested. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Why don¡¯t we sit down and talk while we eat?¡± Wei Liao agreed. ¡°Sure.¡± The two of them walked to the door of the small restaurant and realized that it was pitifully small. There were only two sets of tables and chairs in the shop, and they were already filled with people. Some diners had nowhere to sit, so they could only squat on the steps at the door with bowls and chopsticks to eat. The scene looked chaotic. It did not match Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao¡¯s identities at all. Wei Liao thought that Yu Niaoniao would leave. However, Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath and praised, ¡°It smells so good!¡± It smelled so good. It must taste good! Not only did Yu Niaoniao not want to leave, but she was also a little impatient. She asked the lady boss, ¡°Can you get more seats here?¡± The lady boss immediately brought out two small stools from the house and placed them on the steps by the door. ¡°Please take a seat. What do you want to eat?¡± Yu Niaoniao sat down on a small stool. ¡°Two bowls of mutton steamed buns first, plus a large chicken plate and cold fungus. And two servings of cow¡¯s milk cheese.¡± ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.¡± The lady boss noted down the names of the dishes and left in a hurry. Wei Liao asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what I want to eat before you order?¡± Yu Niaoniao was filled with confidence. ¡°I¡¯ve already seen it just now. Their most famous dishes here are mutton steamed buns and the large chicken plate. The taste definitely won¡¯t be bad!¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t like mutton and chicken?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then don¡¯t eat it. I won¡¯t force you to eat it.¡± Wei Liao seemed determined to argue with her to the end and continued to ask. ¡°Can you finish all these dishes alone?¡± Yu Niaoniao said matter-of-factly, ¡°If I can¡¯t finish it, I can take it home.¡± Wei Liao choked. Although this shop was small, the dishes were served quite quickly. Soon, the lady boss brought over two large bowls of hot mutton soup. The white flatbread was placed in a small bamboo basket and placed in front of Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao. Because the two of them had ordered more food, the lady boss had specially set up a small table for them. Yu Niaoniao tore the flatbread into small pieces and soaked it in the mutton soup. After absorbing the soup, the flatbread became very soft and smooth. It even had the rich fragrance of mutton soup. She ate with relish, and her small face was full of enjoyment. Wei Liao originally did not want to eat such unknown food, as he was afraid that it would not be clean. However, when he saw Yu Niaoniao eating so happily, he could not help but eat. Needless to say, the mutton soup here was indeed very strong, and the flatbread was also very chewy. It tasted no worse than the dishes made by famous chefs. The two of them were wearing expensive clothes. Be it their appearance or bearing, they were very different from the surrounding commoners. From afar, the two of them looked out of place. However, they did not have such self-awareness. They only focused on eating and ignored the gazes of others. After eating until she was about 80% full, Yu Niaoniao slowed down and began to talk about serious matters. ¡°You just said that you¡¯re willing to lend me money. This means that you should have a lot of spare money on hand. That money is useless in your hands. Why don¡¯t you take it out to do business? ¡± ¡°If you used your money to make money, you could get more money. Of course, you¡¯re busy and don¡¯t have time to manage your business.¡± ¡°It just so happened that our Qirui Opera Troupe is planning to come up with a new show recently. It was guaranteed to be popular.¡± ¡°We are still in the beginning and a little short on money. You can invest the spare money you don¡¯t need for the time being to help us rehearse.¡± ¡°When we earn money in the future, we¡¯ll give you a dividend according to the ratio of your investment. That way, you won¡¯t have to worry about business and can earn a lot. Isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡± Wei Liao looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°To put it bluntly, you want to gain something for nothing.¡± Yu Niaoniao defended herself righteously. ¡°How can you say that? Give us the money and we¡¯ll help you earn money. It¡¯s called mutual benefit. It¡¯s a win-win situation!¡± Wei Liao said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not the silly father and daughter of the Liu family. Your bluff doesn¡¯t work on me. It¡¯s not impossible for me to pay for your opera, but you have to show your true abilities. It¡¯s impossible to get money from me with just a few big words.¡± Yu Niaoniao cursed inwardly. This fellow was really sneaky. He wouldn¡¯t let go until he saw something tangible! Her plan to gain something from nothing was a failure. She had no choice but to take out the backup plan. ¡°Alright, when I get back, I¡¯ll write a plan and write out the selling points and the specific implementation plan for our drama for you to see. If you think it¡¯s okay, consider investing in us. Otherwise, forget it.¡± Wei Liao looked interested again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait and see.¡± The lady boss brought the freshly made cow¡¯s milk cheese to the two of them. Yu Niaoniao eagerly picked up the bowl and took a sip. Before she could taste it, she heard the diners beside her mention Duke Lang. She immediately pricked up her ears to listen. ¡°Have you heard? Last night, Duke Lang rushed into Mistwater Alley with a group of Eagle Guards. In the end, he even snatched someone out.¡± ¡°Someone who can catch Duke Lang¡¯s eye must be a peerless beauty, right?¡± ¡°What beauty? Duke Lang snatched a handsome man!¡± The diners were stunned. Someone blurted out. ¡°Duke Lang actually swings that way?!¡± Yu Niaoniao almost spat out the cheese in her mouth. What was going on? A straight man like Xiao Juan was actually called a homosexual. This was too ridiculous! Wei Liao, on the other hand, smiled especially happily. He was gloating as usual. The diners continued to gossip. ¡°Look at how ignorant you are. What¡¯s there to be surprised about? Duke Lang only married at his age. Who would believe that he doesn¡¯t have any special hobbies in that area?!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what about the Princess Consort of Lang County? If she finds out that her husband likes men, won¡¯t she be angered to death?¡± ¡°Perhaps the Princess Consort of Lang County already knows. Otherwise, why would she have a gigolo outside?¡± Everyone was shocked again. There was too much gossip today. Yu Niaoniao felt terrible. When did she have a gigolo outside? The diner, however, spoke eloquently, ¡°Don¡¯t doubt me. The Princess Consort of Lang County likes an actor from the Heavenly Oriole Garden. I think his name is Ye Yin.¡± ¡°She likes that actor very much. Recently, she had been running to the Heavenly Oriole Garden every day. And every time she goes, she brings bags. Those are gifts for Ye Yin.¡± The other man echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! I know someone in the Heavenly Oriole Garden and he told me about this. The day before yesterday, Ye Yin was even locked up by the Eagle Guards in the Justice Department.¡± ¡°Initially, we were all puzzled. We did not understand what a small actor like Ye Yin could do to alarm the Eagle Guards.¡± ¡°Later on, we found out that Duke Lang was jealous and angry!¡± Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Divorce Chapter 425: Divorce Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°That Ye Yin dared to snatch a woman from Duke Lang. He¡¯s really bold. I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t have much to live for in the future.¡± When Wei Liao heard this, he couldn¡¯t stop laughing. He did not expect that his casual nonsense would spread among the people and be taken seriously. When he thought about how the usually cold and indifferent Duke Lang had become a cuckold, Wei Liao felt that this matter was too much fun! At this moment, Yu Niaoniao understood everything. She placed the porcelain bowl hard on the low table and glared at the man in front of her. ¡°You deliberately mentioned Ye Yin to me that day to ruin my reputation, right?¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Who asked you to bump my chin? Of course, I have to teach you a lesson.¡± Yu Niaoniao was so angry that her face turned green. ¡°Just you wait!¡± With that, she stood up and ran away angrily. Wei Liao wanted to chase after her, but the lady boss stopped him. ¡°Sir, you haven¡¯t paid the bill!¡± Wei Liao could only take out his pouch to pay. However, by the time he finished paying the bill and looked for Yu Niaoniao, she had already left on the donkey. Wei Liao scolded angrily, ¡°Last night, we agreed to split the bill equally at Green Garden, but you ran away. In the end, the bill was all on me. You ran away again today. In the end, I was the one paying. So you¡¯re treating me like a fool!¡± When Yu Niaoniao rushed to the Justice Department on her donkey, the Eagle Guards guarding the door were surprised to see her. ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Highness say that you¡¯re resting today? Why are you here?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I have an urgent matter to discuss with Duke Lang.¡± With that, she crossed the threshold and ran into the Justice Department. She was originally puzzled and did not understand why Xiao Juan had become so awkward these few days. He deliberately avoided her and was unwilling to talk to her much. He was also indifferent to her initiative. So it was because Xiao Juan had believed those rumors outside! He must have thought that she had someone outside and was unhappy. That was why he suddenly became so cold. Since she had already found the root of the problem, she had to resolve it! Yu Niaoniao ran to the door of Mirror House in a hurry, planning to explain the matter to Xiao Juan. She was about to knock when she heard Xiao Juan and Meng Xizhou¡¯s voices coming from the house. Meng Xizhou said, ¡°Are you really not going to bring the Princess Consort along to Liangzhou this time?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s better for her to stay in the Imperial Capital.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand stopped in midair and did not knock. What was Xiao Juan doing in Liangzhou? Why hadn¡¯t he mentioned this to her? And why had he abandoned her? Meng Xizhou said, ¡°But it will take at least half a year for you to go. Can you really be at ease leaving the Princess Consort here?¡± This time, there was a long silence before she heard Xiao Juan¡¯s voice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. She is a woman and could not do anything. If we bring her along, she will only drag us down.¡± Meng Xizhou said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. The Princess Consort has done a lot.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve already decided on this matter. She¡¯ll stay obediently in the Imperial Capital and not cause trouble for us.¡± His tone was cold and unyielding as if he really treated Yu Niaoniao as a burden. Yu Niaoniao looked at the closed door in front of her and felt indescribably uncomfortable. She slowly withdrew her hand, lowered her head in frustration, turned around, and walked down the steps. In the house, Xiao Juan sat behind the desk. Although he was speaking to Meng Xizhou, his eyes were on the closed door. He could hear the fading footsteps outside clearly. Meng Xizhou also turned to look at the door and asked. ¡°Was there someone outside just now?¡± Xiao Juan did not answer. His senses were naturally sharper than those of ordinary people. He had already sensed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s presence when she approached the door. He had deliberately said those words to her just now. This time, he went to Liangzhou on an order. Liangzhou was the fief of Princess Ni Yang and his hometown. It was the place where he was born and where he endured the darkest years of his life. That place was the source of his nightmares. It was a past he never wanted to look back on. He did not want to bring Niaoniao along. He did not want Niaoniao to fall into that dark quagmire. Initially, he was still in a difficult position, not knowing what to do to make Niaoniao stay obediently in the Imperial Capital. Knowing her, if she found out about his trip to Liangzhou, she would want to accompany him. Now it was all good. She would be disappointed in him after what he¡¯d said. She probably wouldn¡¯t want to see him again for a while. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t accompany him to Liangzhou. Meng Xizhou waited for a while. Seeing that Duke Lang had no other instructions, he silently retreated. After he left, only Xiao Juan was left in the room. He turned to look at the vertical screen beside him. In the past, he could see Yu Niaoniao¡¯s figure on the other side through the screen. But now he could see nothing. Niaoniao probably didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore. However, in the next moment, he heard familiar footsteps. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yu Niaoniao storm in. Xiao Juan was very surprised. Hadn¡¯t she already run away in anger? Why was she back? Yu Niaoniao was indeed very sad. She racked her brain to earn money so she could put together the drama under immense pressure. She did all that because she wanted to help Xiao Juan change his image in the hearts of the commoners. She wanted more people to understand how good he was. However, Xiao Juan actually said that she was a burden and ignored her thoughts. He had insisted on abandoning her and she had nowhere to vent her grievance and disappointment. She originally wanted to leave the Justice Department and not see Xiao Juan again. But the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She had done nothing wrong. Why should she run? Taking a step back, even if she really wanted to run, she had to make things clear to Xiao Juan before she ran, lest outsiders who did not know better thought that she was being unreasonable. She, Yu Niaoniao, would not suffer this grievance! Yu Niaoniao rushed over and slapped the desk. ¡°Who did you just say was a burden? Try saying that again!¡± When she said this, she was very imposing. Her eyes were burning like a small steel cannon that was ready to fire. As long as Xiao Juan said that she was a burden again, she would immediately explode on the spot and kill him! Xiao Juan did not say anything. Those words just now were not from his heart. He could not say it in front of Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao pointed at him. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can get away with pretending to be dead! You have to make things clear to me today. Otherwise, don¡¯t live like this!¡± After a long time, Xiao Juan spoke. ¡°Since you heard everything, why ask again?¡± Yu Niaoniao was exasperated and spoke without thinking. ¡°Alright! Then I won¡¯t ask anymore. Let¡¯s not live like this anymore. Just write the divorce letter now. We¡¯ll split up now. In the future, you walk your sunny path and I¡¯ll cross my wooden bridge. Let¡¯s not interact with each other anymore!¡± When he heard her mention divorce, Xiao Juan¡¯s expression finally changed. He just wanted to anger Yu Niaoniao so she would stay away. He didn¡¯t want to divorce her. Yu Niaoniao placed the pen and paper heavily in front of him. ¡°Hurry up and write!¡± Realizing that the matter was out of control, Xiao Juan panicked. ¡°Niaoniao, don¡¯t be rash.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to write, right? Then I¡¯ll write!¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up her pen and prepared to write the divorce letter. Xiao Juan pressed her hand down. ¡°Let me explain.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up. Her eyes were red as if she would cry at any moment. ¡°Then explain!¡± Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Birthday Chapter 426: Birthday Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan caused a huge commotion, attracting many Eagle Guards. They did not dare to enter and could only gather outside the door and peer into the house. Initially, they were worried that Duke Lang would attack the princess in a fit of anger. They were even prepared to risk their lives to rush in and stop the fight. In the end, he only saw the Princess Consort slapping the table and shouting at Duke Lang. Not to mention attacking, he did not even dare to breathe loudly from the beginning to the end. The entire time, they only saw him sitting there and being reprimanded. He was so honest that their heart ached. It was not until the Princess Consort suggested a divorce that Duke Lang became agitated. He pressed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand tightly, refusing to let her write the divorce letter. Meng Xizhou, who was hiding in the crowd watching the commotion, could not help but persuade her. ¡°Princess Consort, calm down. Divorce is not a joke.¡± The other Eagle Guards agreed. They quite liked watching the commotion, but they did not want Duke Lang and the Princess Consort to really divorce. Yu Niaoniao was furious. She turned and roared at the group outside the door. ¡°What are you looking at? Haven¡¯t you seen a couple fight?¡± Xiao Juan scolded in a low voice, ¡°Get lost!¡± The Eagle Guards were frightened and immediately scattered. In the blink of an eye, the door of Mirror House was empty. Xiao Juan pried open her fingers and pulled the brush out of her hand. Then, he threw the brush far away. After making sure that she could not get the pen, he felt slightly relieved. He looked at Yu Niaoniao¡¯s red eyes and his heart ached. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never thought of you as a burden. You mean a lot to me. It¡¯s because you¡¯re too important that I don¡¯t want to take you to Liangzhou.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not understand. ¡°Why are you going to Liangzhou? Why can¡¯t you take me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Do you remember Ye Yin?¡± How could Yu Niaoniao not remember? She hurriedly explained, ¡°I have nothing to do with him. I don¡¯t know him at all. Don¡¯t listen to the nonsense outside!¡± Xiao Juan was slightly stunned. ¡°You don¡¯t know him?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve never even met him. How can I know him? It was all that bastard Wei Liao¡¯s fault. He had deliberately made up some wild lies to make fun of me. Don¡¯t fall for his trap!¡± Xiao Juan did not expect the truth to be like this. So she hadn¡¯t fallen for another man. It had all been a misunderstanding. The dark clouds that had accumulated in his heart for the past few days dissipated. It didn¡¯t matter even if she didn¡¯t like him. As long as she didn¡¯t like anyone else, she wouldn¡¯t leave him for the time being. Xiao Juan could not help but blurt out, ¡°That¡¯s the best.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What?¡± Xiao Juan forcefully changed the topic. ¡°Previously, the Eagle Guards captured Ye Yin and learned from him where the suspect in the bribery case was.¡± ¡°Based on the clues he had provided, the Eagle Guards captured the fugitive at Assistant Minister Wei¡¯s house.¡± ¡°That suspect could not bear it. Torture was useless.¡± Yu Niaoniao listened attentively. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Then, we shifted the interrogation target to Assistant Minister Wei. Compared to the lone suspect, Assistant Minister Wei, who had a family and a job, was clearly easier to break through. That proved to be the case. Assistant Minister Wei quickly confessed everything he knew.¡± ¡°But he wasn¡¯t at the center of the bribery case. He didn¡¯t know where the stolen money had gone. He said that he had been coerced into asking a tiger for its skin.¡± ¡°He hid all the letters the man had threatened him in a secret compartment in the study. The Eagle Guards brought back those letters and handed them to me.¡± At this point, Xiao Juan opened the desk drawer and took out a few thin pieces of paper. He placed them in front of Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao immediately picked up the letter and read it carefully. The contents of the letter were very simple, almost the same as what Assistant Minister Wei had said. Because he had been bribed before, someone had something on him and forced him to work for them. Yu Niaoniao flipped through the letters several times. The letters were neither signed nor had any trace of personal information. Even the handwriting was different. It had clearly been deliberately disguised. The letter itself was the most ordinary kind of rice paper on the market. It was neither too expensive nor incredibly cheap. Yu Niaoniao looked up and asked in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s the use of these letters?¡± Xiao Juan reached out his well-defined fingers and gently tapped the words on the paper. ¡°Do you smell it?¡± Yu Niaoniao leaned closer to the letter and sniffed it carefully. ¡°There¡¯s a faint fragrance of ink, but that¡¯s nothing, right? As long as it¡¯s high-quality ink, it will have a hint of fragrance.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°This is not an ordinary ink fragrance. This is the unique smell of Qingyun Mo. Qingyun MO is produced in Qingyun County, and Qingyun County is under the jurisdiction of Liangzhou.¡± That faint ink fragrance was nothing special to ordinary people. However, Xiao Juan¡¯s senses were naturally sharper than those of ordinary people. Even a little fragrance could not escape his nose. He was born in Liangzhou and lived there for a long time. He knew that Qingyun MO was the most common ink used by people in Liangzhou and had long memorized that smell. Almost as soon as he touched the letter, he thought of Qingyun Mo. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Is that why you¡¯re going to Liangzhou?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°This is only one of the reasons. The other reason is that Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday is coming soon. The emperor ordered me to go back and celebrate Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Princess Ni Yang¡¯s fief is in Liangzhou, so I have to return to Liangzhou.¡± Yu Niaoniao had once heard Xiao Juan mention Princess Ni Yang. She was a woman who liked delicious food and luxurious clothes and was obsessed with enjoyment. She could even ignore the life and death of her biological son. How could Yu Niaoniao be at ease with Xiao Juan going back to face such a mother? She grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s sleeve and said go back with you.¡± Xiao Juan was not surprised by this outcome. He pulled his sleeve out of Niaoniao¡¯s hand. ¡°On the surface, I¡¯m returning to Liangzhou to celebrate Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday. In fact, I¡¯m there to investigate the relationship between the bribery case and Liangzhou.¡± ¡°This is not a joke. It might be very dangerous. It¡¯s safer for you to stay in the Imperial Capital.¡± Yu Niaoniao refused to stop and asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t I encounter many dangers when I went to Liaodong County previously? Not only did I not implicate you, but I also helped you. Why can¡¯t I do it this time if it¡¯s Liangzhou?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Yu Niaoniao looked into his eyes and asked word by word. ¡°Is it because of Princess Ni Yang?¡± Xiao Juan subconsciously avoided her gaze. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to be in danger again.¡± Seeing that he refused to tell the truth, Yu Niaoniao did not ask further. She just emphasized her attitude again. ¡°No matter what you¡¯re worried about, I¡¯m going to Liangzhou with you. Unless you divorce me, don¡¯t even think about getting rid of me!¡± It was impossible to divorce. Not in this life. Xiao Juan could only reply, ¡°Let me think about it again..¡± Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Act First and Report Later Chapter 427: Act First and Report Later Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios They returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace in the evening. Yu Niaoniao felt that the misunderstanding had been resolved. Xiao Juan probably would not sleep in separate rooms with her tonight. However, after dinner, he went to the study again. Yu Niaoniao was immediately furious and ran to knock on the door angrily. Xiao Juan had just opened the box and saw a set of bookmarks inside. A cute cartoon figure was drawn on each bookmark. It was obvious that this was Niaoniao¡¯s doing. Xiao Juan thought of the scene when Niaoniao made these bookmarks. The corners of his mouth involuntarily curled up, and his expression softened. At this moment, the voice that represented rationality sounded in his mind and said, ¡°Wake up! She made these bookmarks to please you. She wants you to help find out the truth about the Feng family¡¯s destruction. She¡¯s using you. Don¡¯t fall for her trap!¡± The smile on Xiao Juan¡¯s face faded slightly. But his gaze on the bookmark was still affectionate. Even if it was to use him, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as it was something she wanted to do, he would do his best to help her. Knock knock knock! Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door. Xiao Juan immediately stopped smiling and placed the bookmark back into the box. He walked over and opened the door. He sawYu Niaoniao standing outside. ¡°It¡¯s late. Why are you looking for me?¡± Yu Niaoniao said solemnly with a tense face. ¡°I¡¯ve already made things clear to you. I don¡¯t even know Ye Yin. I¡¯ve never done anything wrong to you. Why are you still throwing a tantrum?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m not throwing a tantrum.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not believe him. ¡°If you¡¯re not throwing a tantrum, why are you sleeping in the study?¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes and said softly. ¡°Because I know my limits.¡± She didn¡¯t like him, so he naturally had to keep a distance from her. Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°What limits?¡± Xiao Juan did not answer. There were some things that it was enough for everyone to know. If he had to make it clear, it would embarrass both parties. Xiao Juan forcefully changed the topic. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go to Liangzhou? I¡¯ll agree to it.¡± The surprise came too quickly. Yu Niaoniao could not help but be stunned. The series of questions she had prepared were also stuck in her throat. Xiao Juan continued, ¡°We¡¯re preparing to set off in three days. It¡¯s a long journey to Liangzhou this time, and the weather in Liangzhou is very different from the Imperial Capital. Remember to bring more winter clothes.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Go to sleep.¡± With that, he closed the door. Yu Niaoniao looked at the closed door and finally came back to her senses. Wasn¡¯t she here to ask Xiao Juan about it? But in the end, she didn¡¯t get anything out of him! He was fooling her again! Yu Niaoniao raised her hand and wanted to knock again, but when she thought of Xiao Juan dodging, her raised hand fell again. Initially, she thought that the conflict between her and Xiao Juan came from Ye Yin. As long as she explained clearly, everything would be fine. The result was completely different from what she had expected. Xiao Juan was still avoiding her. He didn¡¯t even want to discuss the problem between them. Every time she mentioned this, he would change the topic. On second thought, perhaps the problem between them had nothing to do with outsiders at all. From the beginning, she approached Xiao Juan with a motive. Xiao Juan happened to have an extremely sensitive personality. Once he realized that he had been deceived, it would be difficult for him to trust her again. All their present problems resulted from this. Trust was something that could not be re-established with just a few pleasant words. Even if she knocked on the study door tonight and forcefully brought Xiao Juan back to the bedroom, the problem between them would still exist. If she wanted to really solve the problem, she still had to rely on practical actions. Yu Niaoniao let out a long sigh. There was still a long way to go! She returned to the bedroom. Instead of sleeping directly, she took out her pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. She began writing her revival plan for Qirui Opera Troupe in the dim candlelight. There were only three days left. She had to write the plan as soon as possible so that she could trick Wei Liao into¡­ oh, no, get the sponsorship from him. This way, even if she was not in the Imperial Capital for a long time, Qirui Opera Troupe would be able to obtain enough money to successfully bring Prince of Lang, Liaodong, to the stage. At the same time, an uninvited guest arrived at Wei Liao¡¯s house. This person was wearing a wide black cloak, and his entire face was hidden under the hood. Behind him were four guards. When he took off his hood and looked up, Wei Liao finally saw his face clearly and couldn¡¯t help but look surprised. ¡°Father, why are you here?¡± The person who came was Wei Huai¡¯en, the eunuch beside the emperor. Due to his identity, Wei Huai¡¯en rarely left the palace. Usually, if he had any instructions, he would send someone to convey them to Wei Liao. He had actually come personally tonight, which really shocked Wei Liao. Wei Huai¡¯en waved his hand. The guards understood and silently retreated. They guarded the door and forbade irrelevant people from approaching. Wei Huai¡¯en sat down at the head of the table and spoke slowly. ¡°You should have heard Duke Lang is about to leave for Liangzhou, right?¡± Wei Liao nodded. ¡°Yes, I heard that Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday is coming soon. Duke Lang is going back to congratulate her.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Princess Ni Yang celebrates her birthday every year. Why is it only this year that the emperor asked Duke Lang to go back and congratulate Wei Liao said respectfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hope Father can enlighten me.¡± ¡°Recently, the Justice Department has been investigating a corruption case. The dirty money involved is eight million taels. Now that this dirty money is missing, it must not be a coincidence that Duke Lang is going to Liangzhou at this time.¡± Wei Liao understood. ¡°Are you suspecting that the dirty money is hidden in Liangzhou?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en did not give a positive answer. ¡°This is just a guess. The truth remains to be confirmed. I¡¯m telling you these things because I want you to have an idea. When you go to Liangzhou, you¡¯ll have a rough goal and won¡¯t be led by the nose.¡± Wei Liao was puzzled. ¡°Do I have to go to Liangzhou too?¡± ¡°Yes, this is the emperor¡¯s idea. He¡¯s worried about Duke Lang and wants you to follow him to Liangzhou.¡± At this point, Wei Huai¡¯en took out a secret order and placed it in front of Wei Liao. ¡°This is a secret order given by the emperor. Keep it well. If Duke Lang and Princess Ni Yang have any ill intentions, you can act first and report later.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He took the secret order with both hands and carefully put it away. Wei Liao could not help but ask, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If the emperor doesn¡¯t trust Duke Lang, why did he send him to Liangzhou?¡± There were so many people in the court. The emperor could choose anyone to go to Liangzhou. There was really no need to go through so much trouble. Wei Huai¡¯en only said four words indifferently. ¡°The heart is unpredictable.¡± He stood up and prepared to leave. Before he left, he suddenly thought of something and looked at Wei Liao. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been very close to the Princess of Lang County recently?¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s quite interesting.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I told you before. Stay away from Duke Lang.¡± ¡°I understand what you mean. Don¡¯t worry. My approach to the Princess Consort would only make Duke Lang hate and wary of me even more. And isn¡¯t that what that person wants to see?¡± Although he did not name the person, it was implicit who ¡°that person¡± was. Wei Huai En did not say anything else. He pulled up his hood and returned to the palace under the escort of his guards.. Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Obsession Chapter 428: Obsession Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao stayed up all night and finally finished writing the proposal. She was so sleepy that her eyelids kept falling. But she couldn¡¯t sleep yet. She still had to go to work in the Justice Department and give this proposal to Wei Liao. There was no rest day for workers! Yu Niaoniao walked out of the bedroom with two huge dark circles under her eyes. She kept yawning along the way. In the dining hall, Granny Xiu Yan had already prepared breakfast. When she saw Yu Niaoniao, she could not help but be stunned and quickly asked. ¡°Princess Consort, where did you go last night? Why do you have such dark circles under your eyes?¡± Yu Niaoniao subconsciously touched her eyes and said guiltily, ¡°Nothing much. Perhaps I didn¡¯t sleep well last night.¡± At this moment, Xiao Juan walked in. When he saw Yu Niaoniao, he immediately frowned and asked the same question as Granny Xiu Yan. ¡°What did you do last night?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled awkwardly. ¡°Haha, I just didn¡¯t sleep well. I¡¯ll just catch up on my sleep later.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then hurry up and catch up on your sleep after you¡¯re done eating. You don¡¯t have to go to the Justice Department for the next three days. Stay at home and pack your luggage. At the same time, prepare a few birthday gifts for Princess Ni Yang.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately nodded in agreement. After breakfast, Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha went to the Justice Department as usual. Yu Niaoniao did not return to the house to rest. She pocketed the plan and rode out on the donkey. She first got someone to send a letter to Wei Liao and asked him to meet her in a private room on the third floor of the Heavenly Oriole Garden. Then, she rode her donkey straight to the Heavenly Oriole Garden. She remembered the rumors outside. They had spread from the Sky Oriole Garden. There were too many people in this place to tell who had more mouths. Initially, she did not want to come here again, but Ye Yin¡¯s matter still needed an outcome, so she had no choice but to come again today. In order to avoid causing another misunderstanding, Yu Niaoniao specially brought a bamboo hat out this time. There was a circle of white gauze at the edge of the bamboo hat. The white gauze fell and could cover her face, making it impossible to see her face. Since she had covered her face, she naturally could not enter the Sky Oriole Garden by showing her face. However, the tickets to the Heavenly Oriole Garden had long been sold out. Yu Niaoniao could only grit her teeth and endure the pain of spending a high price to buy a ticket from the scalpers. Her heart was bleeding when she entered the Sky Oriole Garden with the tickets. Heavens, this was all money! She would never come to this godforsaken place again. It was too expensive! When Yu Niaoniao went upstairs, she was stopped by the waiter. ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t go upstairs without an appointment.¡± Yu Niaoniao directly reported Zheng Changle¡¯s name. When the clerk heard the young master¡¯s name, he immediately let him in. Yu Niaoniao went straight to the third floor, pushed open the door, and walked into the private room. As soon as she sat down, Zheng Changle, the little fatty, ran over. Seeing that Yu Niaoniao was wearing a bamboo hat, he could not help but ask. ¡°There¡¯s no sun or wind or rain in this house. Why are you wearing a bamboo hat? Don¡¯t you feel stuffy?¡± It was indeed very stuffy to wear a bamboo hat in the house. It was indeed very stuffy to wear a bamboo hat in the house. Since there was no one else here, Yu Niaoniao took off her bamboo hat. Zheng Changle gasped when he saw her face. ¡°Oh my god, why are your dark circles so heavy? Did you go out as a thief last night?¡± Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to explain again. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well last night.¡¯ Zheng Changle clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. You don¡¯t look like you didn¡¯t sleep well. Instead, you look like your energy has been sucked away by a demoness. Tell me honestly, did you go somewhere to have fun last night?¡± Yu Niaoniao yawned. ¡°I stayed at home last night and didn¡¯t go anywhere.¡± Zheng Changle¡¯s smile became even more ambiguous. ¡°Aiyo, I didn¡¯t expect Sister-in-law to be so powerful. She squeezed your body dry.¡± Yu Niaoniao coughed lightly. ¡°Watch your manners.¡± She was mindful of cracking dirty jokes lest she got investigated. After chatting about the gossip, Zheng Changle finally got down to business. ¡°I heard you bought Qirui Opera Troupe?¡± There was nothing to hide. Yu Niaoniao admitted frankly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Zheng Changle leaned over and asked in a low voice, ¡°How much did it cost?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why are you asking so many questions?¡± Zheng Changle chuckled, and two dimples actually appeared on his fair and fat face. ¡°I know you¡¯re not interested in opera. You bought Qirui Opera Troupe for Prince of Lang, Liaodong. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do this? No matter how much you pay for Qirui Opera Troupe, I¡¯ll pay 30% more for it.¡¯ ¡°With this money, you could totally buy a better troupe.¡± ¡°If you really can¡¯t, you can still set up your own opera troupe. If you lack people, you can come to me. I have everything here.¡± ¡°How about that? It¡¯s still a good deal for you.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao poured herself a cup of tea. She took two sips of tea before speaking slowly. ¡°Young Master Zheng is so rich. Why must you be so persistent about Qirui Opera Troupe?¡± Zheng Changle smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s not that I have an obsession with Qirui Opera Troupe, but my father¡¯s obsession is too deep! He had always wanted to completely defeat Liu Qirui.¡± ¡°As long as he could get his hands on Chery Drama Company, Liu Qirui would be completely defeated by my father.¡± ¡°This way, I can fulfill one of my father¡¯s long-cherished wishes.¡± Yu Niaoniao put down her teacup. ¡°Qirui Opera Troupe is already in dire straits. Your father has long been a winner.¡± Zheng Changle shook his head. ¡°These are just appearances.¡± ¡°To people like Liu Qirui and my father, as long as there was a trace of hope, they could not be considered a complete failure.¡± ¡°And you are Liu Qirui¡¯s last hope.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You want to extinguish Liu Qirui¡¯s last hope?¡± Zheng Changle hurriedly explained. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I actually admire Liu Qirui very much. I don¡¯t have any ill intentions toward him. Even if I bought Qirui Opera Troupe, I wouldn¡¯t do anything to him. I¡¯ll feed him well and let him live comfortably.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked unhurriedly, ¡°Do you think Liu Qirui can accept this outcome?¡± Zheng Changle laughed awkwardly. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m discussing it with you. As long as you agree, this matter will be settled. ¡± ¡°As for Liu Qirui, he might not be able to accept it for a while.¡± ¡°In the future, he will naturally be able to accept it.¡± Yu Niaoniao also smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a good thought. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t take you up on your offer.¡± Zheng Changle was puzzled. ¡°Why? This business won¡¯t do you any harm.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°As a person, I have to be honest. Since I promised Liu Qirui that I would help Qirui Opera Troupe make a comeback, I have to do what I say.¡± Zheng Changle was even more surprised when he heard her say that. ¡°You don¡¯t really think Qirui Opera can still make a comeback, do you?¡± Back then, the reason why he introduced Qirui Opera Troupe to Yu Niaoniao was that Liu Qirui was prejudiced against them and refused to sell them the troupe no matter what. He had no choice but to let Yu Niaoniao appear. He planned to wait for Yu Niaoniao to buy the opera troupe before increasing the price to buy it from her. From the beginning to the end, he did not think there was any hope of Qirui Opera Troupe making a comeback.. Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Proposal Chapter 429: Proposal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why not?¡± Zheng Changle advised earnestly. ¡°Did Liu Qirui not tell you about the situation with Qirui Opera Troupe?¡± ¡°Not only had their opera troupe offended the influential people in the capital, but they also owed a lot of debt.¡± ¡°The celebrities and musicians the troupe had spent a lot of effort nurturing had all run away. Now, their opera troupe could not even afford a servant.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve taken over Qirui Opera Troupe, not only do you have to help them pay their debts, but you also have to prevent the dignitaries from looking for trouble again.¡± ¡°In addition, they had to pay a high price to poach people elsewhere and find a new venue¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure you can bear such a heavy burden?¡± ¡°Taking a step back, even if you really carried it, you could not guarantee that Qirui Opera Troupe would definitely become popular in the future.¡± ¡°Taking another step back, even if Qirui Opera Troupe was really lucky and popular, it would be difficult to fill in the amount of money you had invested in a short time.¡± ¡°Even if you just recoup your capital, it would take a long time. Why? You don¡¯t have to torture yourself like this at all!¡± Yu Niaoniao extended a finger and said unhurriedly. ¡°First, I¡¯m not afraid of the powerful. If anyone dares to come looking for trouble, I can beat them up.¡± ¡°Second, I¡¯ve already paid off all the debts owed by Qirui Opera Troupe.¡± ¡°Third, don¡¯t you have famous actors here? Don¡¯t forget that you promised to give Ye Yin to me.¡± Zheng Changle looked at her in shock. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know whether to complain that she was too rich or that she wasn¡¯t afraid of death. Zheng Changle persuaded him for a long time. His mouth was dry, but Yu Niaoniao still refused to change her mind. No matter how he calculated, he did not expect to misjudge Yu Niaoniao in the end. This person looked like he was focused on earning money, but he was actually a naive and stubborn fellow. His father had told him before that such people were the hardest to deal with. Naive people had a unique set of values. Money could not move them. Coupled with stubbornness, it was simply hopeless. Zheng Changle could only admit defeat. ¡°Alright, if you want to keep the Qirui Opera Troupe, keep it. In the future, if you feel that you can¡¯t hold on anymore, you can come to me anytime. I¡¯ll still increase the price by 30%. I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡± He was certain that Qirui Opera Troupe would not last long. In the end, Qirui Opera Troupe would still fall into the hands of his family. Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°That day won¡¯t come.¡± At this moment, the door of the private room was pushed open and Wei Liao walked in. He immediately saw the two huge dark circles under Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes and asked. ¡°Did you go thieving last night?¡± Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°That¡¯s right. I went to your house to steal something. Hurry up and report it to the authorities and arrest me.¡± Wei Liao laughed. ¡°I¡¯m an official. I can arrest you now.¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t just say it. Catch me now.¡± She was sure that the other party was just having fun with his mouth. He definitely wouldn¡¯t really arrest her. Unexpectedly, Wei Liao really took out a set of iron chains. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao retracted her claws. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Wei Liao smiled faintly. ¡°Since you admit that you¡¯re a thief, of course, I have to arrest you.¡± Yu Niaoniao retorted, ¡°Then if I say that I¡¯m your ancestor, will you immediately kneel down and kowtow to me three times?¡± Wei Liao sized her up and sneered, ¡°With someone like you, you¡¯re more like a foot-washing maid to my ancestor.¡± Yu Niaoniao mocked, ¡°You¡¯re paranoid at such a young age. How pitiful!¡± Zheng Changle found it very interesting to listen to the two of them bicker. This was much more interesting than listening to a play! Wei Liao noticed that there was still an onlooker beside him and immediately changed his target to Zheng Changle. ¡°Didn¡¯t Brother Yu only invite me? Why is Brother Zheng here?¡± Zheng Changle smiled and explained, ¡°I¡¯m here to discuss something with Brother Yu.¡± Wei Liao sat down in the empty seat beside him and asked with a faint smile. ¡°Are you done discussing?¡± Zheng Changle felt a chill down his spine from his gaze and immediately stood up. ¡°We¡¯re almost done talking. I¡¯ll leave now. Enjoy your chat.¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped him. ¡°You haven¡¯t given me a definite answer about Ye Yin. Is he coming or not?¡± Zheng Changle said truthfully, ¡°I¡¯ve already told Ye Yin about this. He agreed immediately. He said that he¡¯s very grateful to you for taking him in. He can go on stage to perform at any time.¡± If it were in the past, it would definitely cost a lot of money to poach Ye Yin. But things were different now. Now that everyone knew that Ye Yin had been imprisoned in the Justice Department, who would dare to take him in? He was already very satisfied as long as he could have a place to stay. Yu Niaoniao asked Ye Yin about his recent health and learned that he was almost better, so she said, ¡°Get Ye Yin to pack up. He can come with me to Qirui Opera Troupe later.¡± Zheng Changle nodded in agreement. After Zheng Changle left, only Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao were left in the private room. Wei Liao leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. ¡°Why did you call me here?¡± Yu Niaoniao took out the proposal and placed it on the table. ¡°This is the proposal for the revival of Qirui Opera Troupe. Take a look.¡± Wei Liao did not take the proposal. His eyes were still on Yu Niaoniao. ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep last night just to write this?¡± Yu Niaoniao said stubbornly, ¡°How is that possible? I casually wrote this plan. Why would I need to spend the entire night?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the dark circles on your face?¡± Yu Niaoniao forced a quibble. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it just now? I didn¡¯t sleep well last night. Cut the crap and quickly read the proposal. If there¡¯s a problem, tell me now. I¡¯ll change it for you immediately.¡± It was not fun being Party B. When she became rich in the future, she would also be a party A! Wei Liao picked up the proposal and read it. Based on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s understanding of him, this fellow would definitely seize the opportunity to find fault with her. She might have to work overtime to change the proposal when she returned today. Yu Niaoniao was prepared to face the sarcasm. Unexpectedly, Wei Liao only casually flipped through two pages. Then, he took out the personal seal he carried with him and stamped the end of the proposal. He then put the mud to his finger and pressed his handprint on it. After doing this, he wiped his fingers with a silk handkerchief, took out a stack of banknotes, and threw them in front of Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Three thousand taels, is that enough?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not react and looked at him in a daze. Was she dreaming? Did this guy actually pay so decisively? Wei Liao knocked on the table and urged impatiently. ¡°Say something!¡± Yu Niaoniao came back to her senses and hurriedly picked up the banknotes. ¡°That¡¯s enough money.¡± Wei Liao nodded and put the proposal into his pocket. ¡°Then that¡¯s it. Take the money and go back to sleep. Be careful not to die suddenly.¡± With that, he got up and left. Yu Niaoniao quickly stopped him. ¡°You can¡¯t take the plan with you!¡± However, Wei Liao didn¡¯t seem to hear her. He walked quickly and left the private room in the blink of an eye.. Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Independence Chapter 430: Independence Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The proposal was taken away by Wei Liao, so Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to write another one. This time, she wrote in greater detail. She even specially marked a few of the more important places with a red pen. When she was done, she found Yu Pingping. Yu Pingping was quite surprised when she arrived at the Langjun Imperial Palace. ¡°You actually took the initiative to ask me out. That¡¯s really rare!¡± Yu Niaoniao drank a cup of strong tea and felt much more energetic. ¡°Sister, sit down. It¡¯s been a long time since the two of us spoke alone.¡± Yu Pingping had goosebumps all over her body when she called her sister. She could not help but shake her arms, looking like she could not stand it. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. Don¡¯t give me that.¡± Yu Niaoniao gave her a meaningful smile. ¡®You¡¯re coming of age next year. I suppose Father is going to matchmake you?¡± At the mention of this, Yu Pingping pouted and complained angrily. ¡°Previously, Father helped introduce me to a young man from a family. However, after my mother¡¯s accident, that family quickly arranged a marriage for their young man.¡± ¡°It was as if he was afraid that I would cling to them. Hmph! They don¡¯t like me, but I don¡¯t like them too. What¡¯s the big deal!¡± Yu Niaoniao said earnestly. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve been there before. I can understand your feelings very well.¡± ¡°Actually, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It was those people outside who looked at you with prejudice. You don¡¯t have to care about them. You just have to be yourself.¡± Ever since Yu Pingping fell out with those sisters, she rarely said such private words to anyone. In the past, when Madam Jiang was around, she could still chat with her for a while. Later on, Madam Jiang was sent away, and no one talked to her about this anymore. Although her brother was very good to her, he was a man after all. His thoughts were not as delicate as a woman¡¯s, and he knew nothing about a woman¡¯s thoughts. Yu Pingping could not talk to him about these topics. Hearing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s words, Yu Pingping could not help but feel a lump in her throat. But she insisted on being stubborn and said angrily, ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say. How can anyone completely ignore the gazes of others?¡± ¡°Father often said that reputation was the most important thing for a woman. Now that my reputation has become like this, those good gentlemen will definitely look down on me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future.¡± Yu Niaoniao said encouragingly, ¡°I don¡¯t think Father is completely right. Reputation is indeed important, but it¡¯s not the most important. You don¡¯t have to undervalue yourself because of this.¡± ¡°If I were you, instead of placing all your hopes on your future husband, who is not even decided on yet, why don¡¯t you build it yourself?¡± Yu Pingping was puzzled. ¡°How?¡± Yu Niaoniao took out the proposal and placed it in front of her. ¡°I recently took over an opera troupe and am preparing for a new show. This is my plan. Take a look. If you¡¯re interested, you can consider joining.¡± Yu Pingping did not understand. ¡°Even if you want to do business, you can do business like satin teahouses, rouge, and makeup. There¡¯s no need to set up a troupe, right? Acting is a lowly profession. You¡¯ll be looked down upon.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Look, this is prejudice. Just now, you complained that people looked down on you. Now, you turn around and despise others. What¡¯s the difference between you and those who are biased?¡± Yu Pingping blushed in embarrassment. This time, she was not stubborn. She lowered her head and did not say anything else. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I naturally have my reasons for buying the opera troupe. You¡¯ll naturally know in the future. Look at the proposal first.¡± Yu Pingping opened the plan and read silently. At first, she was quite calm. The more she read, the wider her eyes became. After reading it, she was in a state of shock and muttered. ¡°There are actually so many tricks in a show? Why haven¡¯t I seen it before?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s naturally no such thing anywhere else. These tricks will only appear in our Qirui Opera Troupe.¡± Everyone had a curious mentality, and Yu Pingping was naturally no exception. She could not wait to see Cheery¡¯s Theatre reopened. Yu Pingping said, ¡°You just said you wanted me to join. How can I join?¡± Yu Niaoniao explained, ¡°I¡¯m going to Liangzhou with Duke Lang in two days. This trip will take at least half a year.¡± ¡°I will not be in the Imperial Capital and cannot take care of Qirui Opera Troupe, so I wanted someone to help me watch over it. After thinking about it, I think you¡¯re the most suitable.¡± Yu Pingping pointed at her nose and asked in surprise. ¡°Can I do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. Liu Qirui is in charge of the opera troupe. You don¡¯t have to worry. You just have to help me do two things.¡± ¡°The first thing is to help me hold on to these banknotes. If Liu Qirui needs money, as long as it¡¯s within a reasonable range, you would give it to him.¡± ¡°The second thing was to check the accounts at the theater once a month. Leave a copy of the account book for me to check when I get back.¡± With that, she took out three thousand taels of silver and placed it in front of Yu Pingping. It sounded quite simple. Yu Pingping felt a little more confident. ¡°I did learn from my mother how to check the accounts, but are you sure you can trust me with so much money?¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°You¡¯re my biological sister. If I can¡¯t even trust you, who else can I trust?¡± Yu Pingping was very touched. It felt like drinking a cup of hot tea in the dead of winter. Her heart was warm. She promised solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely help you do this!¡± Yu Niaoniao continued, ¡°When you¡¯re familiar with it, you¡¯ll be in charge of Qirui Opera Troupe¡¯s accounts in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay you monthly and have a bonus at the end of the year. The amount will definitely satisfy you.¡± ¡°When you have your own career and a stable source of income, you can speak and do things more confidently in the future.¡± ¡°In the future, if you saved enough money, you could even buy some businesses for yourself.¡± ¡°When you don¡¯t have to rely on others and can live comfortably on your own, you¡¯ll really stand tall.¡¯ Yu Pingping was very strong-willed and did not want to listen to others¡¯ arrangements for everything. The future blueprint drawn by Yu Niaoniao hit her heart. She had always felt that her mother was too stupid. She had placed all her hopes on her family and thought that her family was her greatest backer. In the end, her family had almost caused Madam Jiang¡¯s son to lose his life. She did not want to be like her mother. She had to have the right to speak for herself. Yu Pingping took the banknotes and counted them before carefully pocketing them. ¡°Am I working now?¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up. ¡°You still don¡¯t know where Qirui Opera Troupe is. I¡¯ll bring you to recognize the door and introduce you to each other. It¡¯ll be easier for you to interact in the future.¡± Yu Pingping nodded. The sisters took a carriage to Qirui Opera House. After Yu Niaoniao¡¯s introduction, Yu Pingping and the Liu father and daughter had a preliminary understanding of each other. Then, Yu Niaoniao left the plan and script to Liu Qirui and instructed,¡±l¡¯m leaving the Imperial Capital for a while. I¡¯ll leave Qirui Opera Troupe to you. I hope to see a new scene when I return.¡± Liu Qirui promised, ¡°I won¡¯t let you down!¡± Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Acupuncture Point Chapter 431: Acupuncture Point Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Niaoniao returned home, it was already afternoon. She was so tired that she didn¡¯t even bother to take off her clothes. She fell into bed and fell asleep. She slept soundly. When she woke up, the house was dark. She called Chun Feng and Ye Yu in and asked what time it was. Chun Feng replied truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s already midnight.¡± Yu Niaoniao rubbed her eyes. It was already so late! Chun Feng helped her out of bed, and Ye Yu found clothes for her. Yu Niaoniao yawned. ¡°Is His Highness back?¡± Chun Feng pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°He was back long ago. He even came to see you, but you were still asleep at that time. You didn¡¯t know.¡± Only then did Yu Niaoniao realize that she was wearing a coat before she fell asleep. Why did her coat disappear after she slept? She asked Chun Feng and Ye Yu if they had changed them. Chun Feng and Ye Yu shook their heads and said no. Yu Niaoniao touched her chin. Could it be that Xiao Juan had helped her take off her coat? She wanted to ask Xiao Juan, but her stomach was rumbling with hunger. It was more important to fill her stomach first. Yu Niaoniao touched her stomach. ¡°Is there anything to eat?¡± Ye Yu immediately said, ¡°Dinner has been hot on the stove. I¡¯ll bring it over for you now.¡± After eating and drinking her fill, Yu Niaoniao ran to the study to look for Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan was still awake. When he saw her, his expression was still indifferent. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Yu Niaoniao leaned over and asked with a smile, ¡°I heard from Chun Feng and Ye Yu that you visited me tonight and even undressed me?¡± Xiao Juan frowned slightly. When he went to see her, he saw that she had not even taken off her coat when she slept. He felt she could be uncomfortable sleeping in her outerwear, so he helped her take it off. This was originally a small matter. Why did it sound like something else when it came from Yu Niaoniao? However, this matter was not easy to explain. In order to avoid making things worse, Xiao Juan simply denied it. ¡°I didn¡¯t take off your clothes.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him wide-eyed. ¡°You¡¯re still not admitting it?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. Why should I admit it?¡± From the looks of it, he was planning to deny it. However, Yu Niaoniao had no choice. Who asked her to have no evidence? She snorted. ¡°If not you, then a puppy undressed me.¡± Xiao Juan, who had been forced to become a dog, was speechless. He forcefully changed the subject. ¡°You came to me specifically to talk about this?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s something else. Isn¡¯t Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday coming up? What kind of congratulatory gift should I prepare for her? I don¡¯t know Princess Ni Yang very well. Give me some advice.¡± When she said the last sentence, she dragged out her tone slightly, as if she was wheedling. Xiao Juan could not deal with her wheedling. He instinctively turned his head away, afraid to look at her again. ¡°She likes delicacies in the Hua Residence. There is still a lot of jewelry and satin rewarded by the emperor in the storeroom. Pick some of the fresher styles and wrap them up before sending them over.¡± Yu Niaoniao sensed his avoidance. She deliberately leaned closer. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it seem too perfunctory to just give these? Do you want to prepare some other antiques, calligraphy, and paintings?¡± Xiao Juan immediately took two steps to the side and distanced himself from her. ¡°There¡¯s no need. She doesn¡¯t like those. Besides, she doesn¡¯t lack such things. We just have to be polite.¡± Yu Niaoniao blinked. ¡°Why have you been avoiding me?¡± Xiao Juan quickly denied it. ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao leaned over again and asked with a naughty smile, ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Juan suddenly reached out and tapped her acupoints. Yu Niaoniao immediately could not move. She glared at the man in front of her with wide eyes in silent accusation. The bastard actually did this to her again! Xiao Juan picked her up and strode out of the study. He walked through the corridor and into the bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. However, Yu Niaoniao was not sleepy at all. She glared at Xiao Juan angrily. Xiao Juan sighed softly, his voice like a murmur. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like me, don¡¯t provoke me again.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to refute him. It was not that she did not like him. But she was still lit up and could not say a word. She could only stare. ¡°Rest well. The acupuncture points will be unlocked in an hour.¡± After saying this, Xiao Juan turned around and left. Yu Niaoniao could only lie on the bed and look up at the sky speechlessly. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She could not let this matter go! The next day, Yu Niaoniao especially woke up early. She ran to Lo Pingsha for advice. ¡°Your medical skills are so superb. You should know your acupuncture points very well, right?¡± Lo Pingsha was puzzled. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I have a friend. She¡¯s often tapped on her acupoints. Every time she¡¯s tapped, she can¡¯t move. She¡¯s very distressed about this, so she asked me to ask you if there¡¯s any way to remove her acupoints on her own.¡± Lo Pingsha was surprised. ¡°Are you often tapped? Who did it?¡± Yu Niaoniao emphasized guiltily. ¡°It¡¯s my friend, not me!¡± Lo Pingsha did not expose her. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s actually very simple to unseal your acupoints yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao pricked up her ears. ¡°How?¡± ¡°As long as your internal energy is stronger than the other party¡¯s, you can break through your acupoints with your internal energy alone.¡± Yu Niaoniao was immediately disappointed. ¡°If my internal energy were stronger than his, I wouldn¡¯t have to ask you.¡± Lo Pingsha immediately pressed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that person was your friend?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Oh no! She had accidentally let it slip. Yu Niaoniao decided to forget about that part and forcefully changed the topic. ¡°Is there any other way?¡± Lo Pingsha shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao refused to give up. ¡°If I practice martial arts from now on, how long will it take me to catch up to my opponent?¡± ¡°That depends on how strong your opponent is.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°He¡¯s probably as strong as Duke Lang.¡± Lo Pingsha immediately became excited and said angrily, ¡°Prince Lang actually tapped your acupoint? Why did he do this to you?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Why did his brain react so quickly to such a thing?! Yu Niaoniao tried her best to maintain the last layer of privacy. ¡°Not Duke Lang. I¡¯m just using him as a reference.¡± Lo Pingsha spoke righteously. ¡°Stop covering for Duke Lang. There are only zero and countless domestic violence. If you keep enduring it, he will only become worse in the future. Please be brave and tell us what happened. We¡¯ll help you!¡± Yu Niaoniao explained weakly, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.. Lo Pingsha was indignant. ¡°Princess Consort, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll go to Duke Lang now and ask him to give you an explanation. How can a man attack his wife?!¡± Seeing that he was really going to look for Xiao Juan, Yu Niaoniao had no choice but, to tell the truth. ¡°I was the one who wanted to do something bad to him. He wasn¡¯t willing, so he attacked me.¡± Lo Pingsha said nothing.. Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Erectile Dysfunction Chapter 432: Erectile Dysfunction Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Until Yu Niaoniao left, Lo Pingsha was still in an indescribably complicated state. His beautiful wife took the initiative to throw herself into his arms. As her husband, not only was Duke Lang indifferent, he even stopped her. Was this something a normal man could do?! Since Duke Lang could do it, it meant that he was not a normal man. Lo Pingsha was considered knowledgeable. There were only two possibilities for such a situation¡ª Either he was gay or he had an obstacle in that area. Duke Lang did not look like a homosexual. The latter was clearly more likely. Then he thought of the conflict between Duke Lang and the Princess Consort recently. It might have something to do with Duke Lang¡¯s incompetence in bed. This also explained why Duke Lang deliberately ignored her when he clearly had the princess in his heart. Because he couldn¡¯t, he could only be cold. The more Lo Pingsha thought about it, the more he felt that this was the truth! Duke Lang and the Princess Consort had done him a favor. He could not watch the two of them continue to be in a stalemate. He had to cure Duke Lang so that this couple could live a harmonious and perfect life. Lo Pingsha remembered a medical book that specifically recorded how to treat men with erectile dysfunction. He immediately rummaged through the book and studied it. When it was lunchtime, Lo Pingsha especially went to the dining hall early to wait. As soon as he saw Duke Lang appear, he immediately went up to him. ¡°Your Highness, can we talk in private?¡± Seeing his serious expression, Xiao Juan thought that it was some important secret and nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± They walked to the private room and sat down. Lo Pingsha lowered his voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already heard the Princess Consort talk about you. Your Highness, you can¡¯t continue like this. If there¡¯s a problem, you have to resolve it as soon as possible. If you delay it, it will only get worse. It¡¯s bad for you and the Princess Consort.¡± Xiao Juan looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lo Pingsha thought that he was unwilling to tell the truth. After all, this matter concerned a man¡¯s dignity. It was normal for him not to tell anyone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no one else here. I¡¯m a doctor. If you have any questions, just let me know. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. There¡¯s no need to hide it.¡± Lo Pingsha was still single, so it was inevitably awkwvard to talk about this. He braced himself and whispered. ¡°Have you and the Princess Consort had a lot of problems in that area recently?¡± Xiao Juan asked patiently, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lo Pingsha looked even more embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s about sex.¡± Xiao Juan was slightly stunned before asking, ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡± Lo Pingsha felt guilty under the expression in his eyes and blurted out subconsciously. ¡°The Princess Consort told me¡­¡± Before he could finish, he came back to his senses and quickly shut up. Unfortunately, it was too late. Xiao Juan¡¯s frown deepened. Niaoniao actually told others that he could not do it in bed? She had never even tried it with him. How did she know that he definitely could not?! However, he could not discuss this with anyone. He could only say stiffly. ¡°I¡¯m in good health. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lo Pingsha looked at him skeptically. ¡°Really? If you really have a hidden illness in that area, you can tell me. I¡¯ll try my best to treat you. Don¡¯t avoid treatment.¡± Xiao Juan emphasized word by word with a dark expression. ¡°I¡¯m really healthy!¡± Lo Pingsha felt a chill run down his spine under his sinister gaze. He immediately shut his mouth and did not dare to make another sound. Xiao Juan said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, leave.¡± Lo Pingsha retreated obediently. Only Xiao Juan was left in the private room. The fragrant food was served, but he had no intention of eating. At this moment, there was only one thought in his mind¡ª Did Niaoniao actually feel that he could not do it? Recently, the emperor had been bedridden and had not appeared in court for a long time. He could not even approve the memorials and could only leave them to the cabinet ministers for the time being. But this was not a long-term solution. The number of memorials regarding the appointment of the crown prince soared and were sent to the cabinet in a steady stream. The elders were also anxious. They mentioned the appointment of the crown prince to the old emperor almost every day. The old emperor had always said that he was still considering it, but he had never confirmed a final candidate. The hearts of the people in the court wavered. The Third and Fourth Princes¡¯ attempts to rope people in became more and more frequent. In the past, they would be covert about it. Now, they could not even care less. They were just short of snatching it openly. The two brothers were very tense about this. Today, the two of them entered the palace to visit their sick father, but they quarreled in the bedroom over a small matter. The old emperor was already in a bad mood because of his illness. He became even more irritable after their argument. He scolded hoarsely. ¡°Look at you now. Where¡¯s your brotherhood? Get out!¡± The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were chased out of the bedroom. Instead of letting it go, the two of them became even more anxious. They continued to argue outside the bedroom. In the end, they actually started fighting. The guards could not stop them. In the end, it was Wei Liao who happened to pass by and pulled the two princes away. When the old emperor found out about this, he was really angry. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, but they¡¯re already so anxious. When I¡¯m really not around, won¡¯t they cause a ruckus?! ¡°Huai¡¯en, pass down my decree. The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince are grounded for a month to reflect!¡± Wei Huai En accepted the order and left. He passed on the old emperor¡¯s decree. Although the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were still very unconvinced, they did not dare to continue causing trouble because of their father¡¯s dignity. They could only return reluctantly. After dealing with this farce, Wei Liao prepared to leave. At this moment, the Seventh Prince, Shen Zhuo, arrived. Recently, he had been coming to the palace every day to visit the old emperor. He served tea and water and served him well. Wei Huai¡¯en and Wei Liao bowed in greeting. ¡°Greetings. Your Highness.¡± Due to his congenital deficiency, Shen Zhuo had not been in good health. His face looked even paler than those of ordinary people. He was wearing a moon-white long-sleeved robe. His eyebrows were delicate and gentle, giving off an elegant and otherworldly aura. Even in the face of people like Wei Huai¡¯en and Wei Liao, who had lower statuses than him, he did not put on any airs and appeared approachable. In addition, he was handsome, so many young palace maids in the palace secretly liked him. Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°Wei Liao, you¡¯re here too. I have something to tell you.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s first reaction was that the Seventh Prince wanted to rope him in. It wasn¡¯t that he thought too highly of himself, but recently, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had been fighting too fiercely. The two brothers had been snatching people everywhere, so Wei Liao, the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, had naturally not been missed. The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had invited him to their residence more than once, but he had rejected them using various reasons. Although the Seventh Prince had never done anything and looked like he had a peaceful life, Wei Liao knew very well that these were just appearances. Now that the Seventh Prince suddenly looked for him, it was difficult not to think too much.. Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Acupuncture Point Chapter 433: Acupuncture Point Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao said politely, ¡°Your Highness, feel free to instruct me.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re going to Liangzhou with Duke Lang. It¡¯s a long journey. I¡¯m worried that there will be dangers on the way. I hope you can protect the Princess Consort of Lang County well.¡± Wei Liao thought he had misheard and couldn¡¯t help but look up at the other party. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Princess of Lang County? Shouldn¡¯t it be Duke Lang?¡± Shen Zhuo smiled gently. ¡°She¡¯s indeed the Princess Consort of Lang County. We¡¯re considered old friends. Although we don¡¯t interact much anymore, I still want her to be safe.¡¯ Wei Liao was filled with confusion. He did not understand how the Seventh Prince was related to Yu Niaoniao. However, he knew that this was not something he should ask, so he could only agree. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to protect Duke Lang and the Princess Consort. I¡¯ll definitely do my best.¡± Shen Zhuo nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved. When he was gone and there was no one else around, Wei Liao lowered his voice and asked Wei Huai¡¯en. ¡°Father, what does the Seventh Prince mean?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°What else could it mean? What other matters could there be between a man and a woman?¡± Although he was a eunuch, he had seen many things between men and women and understood the Seventh Prince¡¯s thoughts at a glance. Wei Liao frowned. ¡°But Yu Niaoniao is already the Princess Consort. The Seventh Prince won¡¯t covet someone else¡¯s wife, right?¡± But Wei Huai En smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not like there hasn¡¯t been a precedent of a king liking his subject¡¯s wife.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°But he¡¯s not a king yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± Wei Liao was stunned. ¡°You mean the emperor wants to make the Seventh Prince the Crown Prince? But hasn¡¯t the emperor always disliked the Seventh Prince?¡± This was because the Seventh Prince was birthed by Empress Wen and had the support of the entire Wen family; the Wen family had always been a thorn in the old emperor¡¯s heart, causing the old emperor to never like the Seventh Prince. This was already common knowledge in the palace. Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°The emperor hasn¡¯t explicitly said who he wants to appoint as the crown prince, but from the current situation, the seventh prince has a high chance of winning. Even if the emperor doesn¡¯t like the seventh prince, there¡¯s nothing he can do. Who asked the other two princes to be so disappointing?¡± Wei Liao was silent. The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were indeed too naive. The two of them fought fiercely, but there was actually no tangible content at all. It looked like a child playing house as two rookies pecked at each other. Compared to them, the Seventh Prince looked exceptionally steady and reserved. He was indeed the best choice for the position of Crown Prince. Wei Huai¡¯en patted his shoulder and said earnestly. ¡°Seventh Prince¡¯s future is limitless. He¡¯s willing to let you help now. Just do your best to help him.¡± ¡°Anyway, it was not a big deal. After it¡¯s done, you can still make him owe you a favor. This favor might bring you a lot of benefits in the future.¡± Wei Liao felt inexplicably unhappy. As for how this unhappiness came about, he himself did not know. However, he had to agree obediently to his father¡¯s instructions. ¡°Thank you for your teachings, Father. I¡¯ll remember.¡± After Wei Liao left the palace, he rode home. In his bedroom was a locked wooden box. He treasured this box very much. No one was allowed to touch it. Because they were leaving for Liangzhou in two days, it was not convenient for Wei Liao to bring this wooden box with him, so he specially ordered someone to open a secret compartment in the wall. He took out the things in the wooden box one by one. There was a custom-made portrait, folding fan, bookmark of the Record of Phoenix Cry Nation, and a plan written by Yu Niaoniao. The last thing that was taken out was a pale pink silk handkerchief with two little birds embroidered on it. This was the silk handkerchief Yu Niaoniao had used to wipe the tea off his body with tea. She had forgotten to get it back. It was just a very ordinary silk handkerchief and was really not worth collecting. He could have thrown it away long ago. However, for some reason, he had kept it until now. Wei Liao neatly folded the silk handkerchief and placed it in a secret compartment with everything else. He locked it. Yu Niaoniao realized that Xiao Juan was a little strange tonight. He glanced at her from time to time, but when she looked at him, he quickly looked away and pretended that nothing had happened. After repeating this several times, Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask. ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡± Xiao Juan wanted to ask her why she felt that he could not do it. However, it was really not easy to say such things. He was silent for a long time. Finally, he spat out two words. Yu Niaoniao blinked. ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Juan forcefully changed the topic and asked, ¡°Did you look for Little Lo today?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded and said yes. Xiao Juan asked again, ¡°What did you tell him?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately felt a little guilty. What else could she say? Wasn¡¯t it just asking Lo Pingsha for advice on how to deal with Xiao Juan? She laughed dryly. ¡°Haha, why are you asking?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Little Lo came to look for me. He told me about you.¡± When Yu Niaoniao heard this, she immediately panicked. ¡°How could he tell you that? I was just asking him for advice on acupuncture. He didn¡¯t teach me anything. That¡¯s fine, but why did he complain? That¡¯s too unreliable.¡± This time, it was Xiao Juan who was stunned. ¡°Did you look for Little Lo to learn acupoints?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What else? What do you think I¡¯m doing?¡± Seeing how matter-of-fact she was, he didn¡¯t think she was lying. Xiao Juan could not help but wonder if Lo Pingsha had misunderstood Niaoniao. Or was Niaoniao¡¯s acting too good that even he had been deceived? He really could not understand. He could only put the question aside for the time being and ask. ¡°Why are you learning acupoints?¡± Yu Niaoniao tapped her two fingers against each other and whispered, ¡°I just want to learn a defensive skill. Xiao Juan said, ¡°But touching acupoints requires internal energy. If you start cultivating internal energy now, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a little late.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her head in disappointment. ¡°I know.¡± Xiao Juan did not want to disappoint her and continued, ¡°Although you can¡¯t learn acupoints, I can teach you something else.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately raised her head and looked at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Some simple self-defense techniques. This doesn¡¯t require internal energy. You just need to master the technique.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked excitedly, ¡°Then if I learn it, can I subdue you?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. That was a dangerous thought. Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°I was just joking with you. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Xiao Juan thought to himself that she didn¡¯t look like she was joking just now. Yu Niaoniao urged, ¡°There¡¯s no time like the present. Start teaching me now.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Reach out.¡± Yu Niaoniao obediently extended her hands. Xiao Juan pressed her right wrist and exerted a little force. Yu Niaoniao immediately felt her wrist go numb. Xiao Juan pointed at her wrist and told her that there was an acupuncture point there. As long as she pressed it down, she would feel a violent soreness. Yu Niaoniao was eager to try. ¡°Reach out and let me try.¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. For some reason, he felt that she had other intentions.. Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: So Stupid! Chapter 434: So Stupid! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although he had a bad feeling, Xiao Juan still extended his hand. Yu Niaoniao reached out two fair fingers and tapped his wrist. ¡°Is this the place?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°A little lower.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s fingers moved down a little. Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Yu Niaoniao grabbed his forearm with one hand and pressed the acupuncture point on his wrist with the other. ¡°Do you feel anything?¡± Xiao Juan was expressionless. ¡°A little.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked humbly, ¡°Is it not strong enough? Shall I exert more force?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao pressed down with all her might. The soreness on his wrist intensified, and Xiao Juan could not help but frown. Yu Niaoniao immediately asked, ¡°How is it? Is this okay?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s voice became low. ¡°Yes.¡± Outside the door, Lo Pingsha heard the commotion in the room clearly and was already blushing. Initially, he was still thinking about what had happened during the day. Since Duke Lang refused to listen to his advice, he planned to start with the Princess Consort and ask her to persuade Duke Lang not to avoid treatment. The sooner this illness was treated, the easier it would be to recover. Coincidentally, Granny Xiu Yan was coming to inform Duke Lang and the Princess Consort for dinner, so Lo Pingsha volunteered and specially came to look for Duke Lang and the Princess Consort. Unexpectedly, just as he reached the bedroom door, he heard DUke Lng and Princess Consort talking. Every line was filled with fierce words. This greatly agitated Lo Pingsha, who was still single. His baby face turned red. But then again, since Duke Lang could have sex with the Princess Consort, it meant that there was no hidden illness in his body. Lo Pingsha naturally did not have to worry too much. With a flushed face, he walked away silently. In the dining hall, Granny Xiu Yan had already set up the dishes. She asked when Lo Pingsha walked in. ¡°Why is your face so red? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Lo Pingsha said vaguely, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a little hot.¡± ¡°Coincidentally, we made mung bean paste tonight. Drink some of this. It can reduce heat.¡± Granny Xiu Yan placed a bowl of mung bean paste in front of him and asked. ¡°Where are His Highness and the Princess Consort? Why arent they here yet?¡± Lo Pingsha looked even more embarrassed. ¡°They¡¯re busy. They¡¯ll have to come back later.¡± Granny Xiu Yan did not suspect anything. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± They waited for a long time before Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan arrived. Lo Pingsha quietly took a few more glances at them and saw that Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face was flushed with excitement, while Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was expressionless and cold. Lo Pingsha found it puzzling. Usually, after doing that, the woman would be tired and the man would be satisfied. Why was it the other way around when it came to Duke Lang and the Princess Consort? Recalling what the Princess Consort had said previously, Lo Pingsha was secretly shocked. Could it be that Duke Lang was at a disadvantage in the bedroom? He had accidentally chanced upon a huge gossip! When Lo Pingsha looked at the County Princess again, he felt admiration. Yu Niaoniao felt that Little Lo was looking at her strangely and could not help but ask. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Lo Pingsha sighed sincerely. ¡°You really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. The Princess Consort¡¯s strength is admirable.¡± Although she did not understand what the other party was saying, Yu Niaoniao was still very happy to be praised. She smiled proudly. ¡°Of course!¡± Seeing her admit it so readily and without the shyness of an ordinary woman, Lo Pingsha felt more and more that she was really a strange woman. He suggested seriously with admiration, ¡°Although you¡¯re still young, you still need to control yourselves, especially Your Highness. You can eat more nourishing food on a daily basis.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. His Highness is not in good health. You have to be especially particular about food. I spent a lot of effort on this.¡± This concerned a man¡¯s dignity, but she mentioned it in public. Lo Pingsha was afraid that Duke Lang would be unhappy. He stole a glance at Duke Lang and saw that he was still cold and indifferent. He did not show any displeasure. Lo Pingsha secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Since Duke Lang did not care about this, there was no need for Lo Pingsha to hide. He said to Yu Niaoniao, ¡°I¡¯ll write a prescription to nourish the body later. You can give it to His Highness according to the prescription. I believe it will be beneficial.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Xiao Juan ate silently without saying a word. Actually, when he was in the bedroom just now, he had heard someone outside the door. From the rhythm of the footsteps and the frequency of his breathing, he could guess that it was Lo Pingsha. He did not take this small matter to heart, so he naturally did not tell Niaoniao. He had listened to the conversation between Niaoniao and Lo Pingsha. Niaoniao did not know what Lo Pingsha was thinking, but Xiao Juan could guess most of it. He knew that Lo Pingsha must have misunderstood, but this kind of thing was not easy to explain. He could only pretend not to know anything and let Lo Pingsha continue to talk to Niaoniao. After dinner, Yu Niaoniao said excitedly to Xiao Juan, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s continue!¡± She had only learned one self-defense technique just now. It was naturally better to have as many life-saving skills as possible at such a critical moment! Lo Pingsha was so shocked that his chopsticks fell to the ground. Holy shit, the Princess Consort actually wanted to continue doing embarrassing things with Duke Lang! Didn¡¯t they just do it? Why were they doing it again? Were all young people so vigorous? Xiao Juan glanced at the dumbfounded Lo Pingsha and replied indifferently. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± Lo Pingsha watched the two of them leave and could not help but sigh. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid!¡± he said at the thought that Duke Lang and the Princess Consort were very discordant in bed. In fact, the couple was very harmonious. Eight times a day was not a problem! Granny Xiu Yan was confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lo Pingsha spoke in an extremely complicated tone. ¡°Nanny, perhaps there will be good news from the Langjun Imperial Palace soon. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan was very curious. ¡°What good news?¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s good news about another member.¡± Granny Xiu Yan was immediately anxious. ¡°What? Does His Highness want to take a concubine? How can that do?! The Princess Consort will be unhappy!¡± Lo Pingsha said nothing. He felt that Granny Xiu Yan was thinking too highly of Duke Lang¡¯s ability. It was already very difficult for Duke Lang to deal with the Princess Consort alone. How could he accept another one? Lo Pingsha coughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. What I mean is to give birth. The Princess Consort and Duke Lang are so loving. They might give the Duke¡¯s Mansion a little heir or daughter soon.¡± Granny Xiu Yan¡¯s worry immediately turned to joy and she couldn¡¯t stop smiling. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that¡¯s great!¡± Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Send Off Chapter 435: Send Off Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After days of rushing work, the embroiderers had already finished making all seven big pillows. Yu Niaoniao chose a young man with fast legs from the many servants and handed him the pillow and the list of people who had ordered it. ¡°Chu, help me give these pillows to the people on the list. Remember, change into something inconspicuous before you go out. If anyone asks you about the origin of the pillow, you would say that you didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Try to keep a low profile. Don¡¯t let anyone know that you¡¯re from the Langjun Imperial Palace.¡± The servant named Ah Chu nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll remember.¡± He went to change first, then went to a nearby carriage dealership to rent a carriage. The carriages in the Langjun Imperial Palace all had emblems, which were dead giveaways. Ah Chu carried the bolsters into a carriage and delivered them according to the list. In a day, he had almost run through the entire Imperial Capital. It was not until the sun set that he returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace to report to the Princess. ¡°I¡¯ve sent all the pillows. Here¡¯re their signatures.¡± Chu handed over a stack of signing slips with both hands. Yu Niaoniao took the receipt and roughly glanced at it. After confirming that there was no problem, she placed it aside. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you today. This is your reward.¡± She handed over a heavy silver ingot. Ah Chu was naturally overjoyed to receive the reward and hurriedly knelt down to kowtow. ¡°Thank you for your reward, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about today.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When Wei Liao returned home, he heard that someone had sent a big thing over. He opened the packaging and found that it was the princess and the little mute. He ignored the strange gazes of the servants and hugged the big pillow for a long time. When he went to bed at night, Wei Liao was still reluctant to let go of the pillow. He lay on the bed with a pillow in his arms, reluctant to part with it. Tomorrow, he would set off for Liangzhou. He would not be able to touch his precious pillow for a long time. If only this pillow could be smaller so that he could take it on a long trip. But he quickly dismissed the thought. There were so many bad people outside. What if someone coveted his pillow and stole it? It was safer to leave it at home. Wei Liao fell asleep unknowingly as his thoughts ran wild. The next day, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan woke up at dawn. The two of them quickly washed up and ate breakfast before preparing to set off. All the luggage had been packed into the carriage yesterday, and the accompanying Eagle Guards were already ready to leave. This time, Meng Xizhou was left in the Imperial Capital, while Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha were added to the entourage. In order to take care of Yu Niaoniao, Granny Xiu Yan especially stuffed the two of them into the convoy. Granny Xiu Yan reluctantly sent Duke Lang and the Princess Consort to the entrance. ¡°You must be careful along the way. Remember to wear more clothes when it¡¯s cold. There¡¯s a lot of food prepared in the carriage. Eat when you¡¯re hungry. If you encounter any problems, get someone to send a message back. You must take good care of yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve traveled far. We can take care of ourselves. You too. You have to take care of your health and not work too hard.¡± With that, she stretched out her arms and walked over to hug Granny Xiu Yan. ¡°Nanny, take care.¡± This sudden closeness made Granny Xiuya¡¯s heart soften. At this moment, she could clearly feel that the County Princess did not treat her as a servant but as family. Granny Xiu Yan held back her tears and replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Princess Consort.¡± She exhorted Chen Feng and Ye Yu, ¡°You must serve the Princess Consort well. If there¡¯s any danger, you have to shield her. Don¡¯t let her suffer any injuries.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu nodded in unison. ¡°We¡¯ll remember.¡± It was getting late. They could not delay any longer. Yu Niaoniao bade farewell to Granny Xiu Yan and boarded the carriage with Chun Feng and Ye Yu. Xiao Juan mounted his horse and gave the order to set off. Granny Xiu Yan stood on the steps and watched the team leave reluctantly. When the convoy approached the west city gate, they realized that there was not a single ordinary citizen near the west city gate. The entire street had been cleaned up. Yu Niaoniao sensed that the carriage had stopped and immediately stuck her head out the window to look forward. She saw a group of people standing in front of her. Among them were two familiar faces. They were the Seventh Prince, Shen Zhuo, and the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, Wei Liao. Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. Why were they here? Xiao Juan dismounted and casually threw the reins to the Eagle Guards beside him. He stepped forward and cupped his fists. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled and said gently, ¡°Father values your trip to Liangzhou very much. Unfortunately, he¡¯s sick in bed and can¡¯t show his face, so he asked me to send you off.¡± He looked at the carriage behind Xiao Juan and asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t I see the Princess Consort?¡± Xiao Juan lied without changing his expression. ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well and can¡¯t be exposed to the wind. I hope Your Highness can forgive her.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°If she can¡¯t see the wind, why is she sticking her head out of the carriage?¡± Xiao Juan turned around and saw Yu Niaoniao leaning against the car window to look out. The lie was broken. He could only order someone to invite Yu Niaoniao over. Yu Niaoniao bowed politely as if she had never seen the Seventh Prince before. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo looked at her face that he had been thinking about day and night. There were a thousand things he wanted to say to her, but his rationality prevented him from saying them. He had to restrain himself. ¡°It¡¯s a long journey to Liangzhou. Princess Consort, you must take good care of yourself along the way.¡± Although he did not do anything out of line, Xiao Juan¡¯s expression became even colder. Wei Liao¡¯s gaze swept over the three of them, revealing a faint smile. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Seventh Prince. With Duke Lang around, I will definitely be well taken care of.¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart was pierced. But he couldn¡¯t show it. He got someone to bring wine and poured wine for Xiao Juan, Yu Niaoniao, and Wei Liao. ¡°Here¡¯s to you. Have a safe trip and come back early.¡± Yu Niaoniao held her wine glass in confusion. Why did he include Wei Liao? Was Wei Liao going to Liangzhou with them? Wei Liao finished his wine and smiled when he saw Yu Niaoniao¡¯s stunned expression. ¡°The emperor was worried that you would be in danger along the way, so he specially sent me along to protect you.¡± Yu Niaoniao muttered, ¡°As if I¡¯ll believe you!¡± Everyone in the Imperial Capital knew that the Sky Wolf Guards and the Eagle Guards did not get along. Wei Liao targeted Xiao Juan everywhere. Yet the emperor actually sent Wei Liao to protect Xiao Juan? That was ridiculous! However, since Wei Liao dared to say that, it meant that the emperor had really ordered him to go to Liangzhou with him. No matter how bold he was, he could not fake an imperial edict. As for Wei Liao¡¯s true goal, only he and the emperor knew. Shen Zhuo placed the glass back on the tray and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I won¡¯t delay your precious time. Please set off.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned around and returned to the carriage. Xiao Juan and Wei Liao also got on their horses. This time, Wei Liao also brought a group of people. The two groups gathered near the western city gate, and the entire group immediately became even larger.. Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: You 鈥榬e Not Allowed to Go! Chapter 436: You ¡®re Not Allowed to Go! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The convoy found the courier station before dark. After a day of traveling, everyone was tired. Bathing was impossible. After dinner, they washed their faces briefly and returned to their rooms to rest. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were husband and wife, so they were naturally arranged to stay in the same guest room. Looking at the bed in front of her that could accommodate two people, Yu Niaoniao could not help but be amused. She threw herself onto the bed and rolled, then propped up her upper body and waved at Xiao Juan. ¡°I tried it for you. This bed is quite soft. Come and sleep with me.¡± They had not slept together since their argument. When they were in the Langjun Imperial Palace, Xiao Juan insisted on sleeping in the study. Yu Niaoniao had tried all kinds of methods, but they were all useless. Unexpectedly, they were suddenly going to sleep together again. This was a pleasant surprise! Xiao Juan looked at her expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯ll get another room.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately sat up. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go! Tonight, this courier station has been booked by our people. All the rooms were already full. It was impossible for there to be any empty rooms.¡± ¡°Besides, we¡¯re husband and wife. If you sleep elsewhere, what will others think of me?¡± As she spoke, her face was filled with grievance and pity. Xiao Juan did not want her to be criticized, so he could only take a step back. ¡°I¡¯m going out to get something.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to run?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t run.¡± Yu Niaoniao was relieved and put on a smile again. ¡°That¡¯s good. Go.¡± Xiao Juan pushed open the door and walked out. Yu Niaoniao lay on the bed and giggled with the blanket. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping me tonight.¡± In order to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Yu Niaoniao decided to sacrifice herself. She quickly undressed and took off her coat and socks. The pearl hairpin on her head was all removed. Her long black hair fell down, and she was only wearing a thin white inner shirt. She especially pulled open the collar, revealing a small piece of snow-white skin. After doing this, she lay down and supported the side of her face with one hand, creating an enchanting figure. In a situation where a man and a woman were alone, she did not believe that Xiao Juan could still control himself! After a while, Xiao Juan returned. He was stunned to see Yu Niaoniao. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao blinked her big eyes. ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± Xiao Juan put down the blanket in his hand and strode over. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart could not help but beat faster. It seemed that her seduction plan had succeeded. Xiao Juan could not hold it in anymore. Immediately after, she saw Xiao Juan pull up the blanket and cover her with it. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night. Don¡¯t freeze.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. I¡¯ve already taken off my clothes, and you¡¯re telling me this?! Xiao Juan moved the table and chairs to the side, then shook off the blanket he had just carried back and spread it on the ground. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao could not help but widen her eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the floor tonight.¡± Yu Niaoniao lifted the blanket on her and sat up, questioning loudly. ¡°Did you just say you were going out to get something so you could sleep on the floor with the blanket?¡± Xiao Juan replied, ¡°Yes.¡± He had just told the junior official at the courier station that the night was too cold and there was not enough blanket. The junior official believed him and immediately brought him a thick new blanket. Xiao Juan originally wanted to take off his coat, but just as his well-defined fingers touched his belt, he remembered that Niaoniao was still watching from the side. He put down his hand and lay down in his coat. Yu Niaoniao was furious. ¡°Xiao Juan!¡± This was the first time she had called him by his full name. Xiao Juan opened his eyes. ¡°What else?¡± Yu Niaoniao jumped out of bed and ran to him barefoot without even putting on her shoes. ¡°Get up!¡± Xiao Juan looked away from her smooth and small feet and said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We still have to travel tomorrow. Go back to bed and sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao refused to leave. ¡°You¡¯ll sleep in the bed with me.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll sleep here.¡± said, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll sleep here.¡± Yu Niaoniao said angrily. ¡°If you don¡¯t sleep in the bed, then I won¡¯t sleep tonight.¡± Xiao Juan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said slowly. ¡°Niaoniao, don¡¯t force me anymore.¡± Yu Niaoniao actually heard some suppressed pain in these words. She immediately panicked and quickly explained. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you. I don¡¯t want you to sleep on the floor. The floor is wet. You¡¯ll get sick.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But¡­¡¯ Xiao Juan interrupted her. ¡°No buts. Go to sleep.¡± His tone was tough and he would not accept refusal. Yu Niaoniao lowered her head and replied aggrievedly. She had just turned around when she was stopped by Xiao Juan. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± got up and walked to the bed. He bent down to pick up the embroidered shoes on the ground and placed them in front of Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Put on your shoes. Don¡¯t run around barefoot.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately smiled through her tears. Although this man always put on a cold expression and refused to get close to her, he was actually still very concerned about her. She stretched out a small foot and said coquettishly. ¡°Then help me put it on.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her steadily. Yu Niaoniao thought that he was unwilling and was about to put down her foot when she saw the man bend down. He knelt on one knee, his eyes lowered. He held Yu Niaoniao¡¯s ankle with one hand, picked up the embroidered shoe with the other, and helped her put it on. His movements were not very gentle, but they were very meticulous. Yu Niaoniao looked down at him. From this angle, she could see the high bridge of his nose and long, thick eyelashes. Compared to the men in Imperial Capital, Xiao Juan¡¯s facial features were even more deep and three-dimensional. She asked suddenly. ¡°Are all the men in Liangzhou as good-looking as you?¡± helped her put on both shoes before answering. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get to Liangzhou. Go to sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao dawdled back to bed. Xiao Juan blew out the oil lamp and darkness descended. Yu Niaoniao could not see the man on the ground clearly, so she could only close her eyes and sleep obediently. Although Xiao Juan said that he was fine, the next morning, Yu Niaoniao still got someone to cook a bowl of ginger tea for him to help him remove the wet and cold air in his body. The small official at the courier station ordered someone to bring breakfast to their respective rooms. After breakfast, the group set off again. This trip was a long one. Yu Niaoniao was bored and asked Chun Feng and Ye Yu to help grind ink and spread paper. She picked up her pen and prepared to draw the second part of the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation. Although this book attracted tirades toward her, the sales were not worse than the Seven Treasures Record. Many people were like Wei Liao and Zheng Changle. They cursed as they read. This surprised the booksellers and made them even happier. They naturally did not want to miss this business opportunity. Before she left the Imperial Capital, the booksellers had looked for her, hoping that she could produce a second book as soon as possible. Yu Niaoniao had an opera troupe to support now and was very short of money, so she agreed and said that she would submit the manuscript when she returned.. Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Pain in the Face Chapter 437: Pain in the Face Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao only used a few strokes to outline a living person. Chun Feng looked at the person on the paper and blurted out. ¡°This person looks like Young Master Wei.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, her expression changed. She must have said something wrong. The Princess Consort only had Duke Lang in her heart. How could she have drawn another man? Chun Feng hurriedly knelt down and apologized. ¡°I said something wrong! I deserve to die!¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯re right. The person I drew does look like Wei Liao.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu were stunned. They did not expect the County Princess to admit it so openly. Could it be that the Princess Consort was¡­ This was shocking news! Chun Feng immediately pointed at the sky and swore, ¡°I promise not to tell anyone about this. If I violate the heavens, I¡¯ll be struck by lightning!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked puzzled. This was not a big deal. Was there a need to make such a poisonous oath? On the way, the carriage stopped to rest. Yu Niaoniao got out of the car to stretch her muscles. Chun Feng and Ye Yu walked toward the back. All the luggage was in the carriage behind. They wanted to get some tea leaves and rice paper. They muttered softly as they walked. ¡°Why did the Princess Consort draw Young Master Wei?¡± ¡°Shh, stop it. Someone might hear you.¡± They did not notice someone on the big tree beside them. Wei Liao was sitting on a tall tree branch. He had originally planned to sit here and enjoy the breeze, but he did not expect to hear the conversation between the two maidservants. Was Yu Niaoniao painting him? Wei Liao thought for a moment and understood what was going on. She had once said that the male lead in the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation, the little mute, was based on him. The painting the two maidservants were talking about should be the little mute in the story. Could it be that Yu Niaoniao was preparing to draw the second part of The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation? Wei Liao immediately became interested. He jumped to the ground and found the carriage Yu Niaoniao was in. There was no one in the carriage at this moment. Wei Liao jumped into the carriage and bent down to get in. The pen, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table had not been tidied up. A few finished manuscripts were placed beside them. Wei Liao picked up the sketch and looked at it. It was indeed the content of The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation. Unfortunately, there were only a few pages and he finished them in an instant. Wei Liao was very dissatisfied. Why was that woman drawing so slowly? He really wanted to find a small black room to lock her in. She was not allowed to do anything except draw. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wei Liao looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yu Niaoniao appear beside the carriage. As she stared at the sketch in his hand, her small face gradually crumpled. ¡°You stole from me!¡± Wei Liao denied it. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You barged into my carriage without permission and took my things. You stole them without asking! ¡± Wei Liao couldn¡¯t argue. In the end, he simply put the draft into his arms. ¡°Okay, since you insist that I stole it, I¡¯ll steal this for you to see.¡± Yu Niaoniao had never seen such a shameless person. Her face turned red with anger. ¡°Put that down!¡± Not far away, Xiao Juan heard the commotion and rushed over. He asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at Wei Liao in the carriage and complained angrily, ¡°This guy stole my things!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s face immediately darkened. He pulled out the No Return Saber and aimed the tip at Wei Liao. ¡°You¡¯re courting death.¡± Wei Liao didn¡¯t back down. He placed his hand on the hilt of the saber at his waist and sneered. ¡°Are you sure you want to fight me here?¡± This was Yu Niaoniao¡¯s carriage. If they really attacked here, the carriage would definitely be damaged. Xiao Juan took a step back. ¡°Come out.¡± Wei Liao rolled out of the car window and landed steadily on the ground. He patted his chest. ¡°It¡¯s right here. Come get it if you want it.¡± Without a word, Xiao Juan swung his saber at his chest! Wei Liao drew his dual blades to block. The weapons collided with a crisp sound. The entire convoy was alarmed. They looked over in unison and saw Xiao Juan and Wei Liao fighting fiercely. Yu Niaoniao was stunned. They actually fought. She only wanted Xiao Juan to help her get the draft back. Not only did Wei Liao not return it, but he also drew his saber and fought head-on. Was there a need to do this for a few drafts? What surprised Yu Niaoniao, even more, was that the Eagle Guards and the Sky Wolf Guards also drew their weapons, looking ready to fight at any time. They already disliked each other and usually had a lot of grudges. Now, they had no choice but to gather because of the imperial edict. When they saw the two bosses fighting, they naturally felt they did not have to endure anymore. Seeing that the situation was bad, Yu Niaoniao hurriedly shouted. ¡°Stop fighting! Stop fighting!¡± Someone would definitely be injured in a fight. She didn¡¯t want anyone to bleed over such a small matter. Anyway, it was just a few drafts. If it was gone, so be it. She would draw again later. However, Xiao Juan and Wei Liao were fighting fiercely and had no intention of stopping. Yu Niaoniao could only use the ruse of self-injury to hold her stomach and shout. ¡°Aiyo, my stomach feels so uncomfortable! Am I poisoned?¡± As soon as they heard her shout, Xiao Juan and Wei Liao put away their sabers at the same time. Yu Niaoniao shouted even more pitifully. ¡°It hurts so much. I¡¯m going to die!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Just wait!¡± Then, he strode over to Yu Niaoniao, picked her up, and placed her in the carriage. He called Lo Pingsha over. Wei Liao sheathed his saber and sneered at the carriage not far away. ¡°You were so fake in your act. Only that idiot Xiao Juan would fall for it.¡± Although he said that, he didn¡¯t leave. He stayed where he was. A Sky Wolf Guard came over and asked, ¡°Boss, are we still fighting?¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°They¡¯ve already run away. Why should we fight?¡± Seeing that their boss had said so, the Sky Wolf Guards could only put down their weapons. Seeing that the other party had stopped fighting, the Eagle Guards could only give up. A large-scale armed battle had ended before it even began. In the carriage, Lo Pingsha finished taking Yu Niaoniao¡¯s pulse. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°How is it?¡± Yu Niaoniao quietly reached out and tugged at Lo Pingsha¡¯s sleeve, giving him a crazy look. Lo Pingsha received the hint from the County Princess. He said solemnly with a baby face. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. The Princess Consort might have a happy pulse.¡± Yu Niaoniao was so frightened that she almost jumped up. She shouted in her heart, ¡°Holy shit, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± She was still a virgin. How could she have a happy pulse?! Xiao Juan¡¯s expression became indescribable. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure yet. We¡¯ll need some time to know if she¡¯s really pregnant. In short, during this period of time, the Princess Consort must maintain a good mood. Everything has to be done according to her wishes. Don¡¯t make her angry again.¡± He knew that the Princess Consort was pretending to be sick for Duke Lang. There was no illness that men liked and valued more than pregnancy. Lo Pingsha thought this was a brilliant plan. For some reason, the Princess Consort did not look happy.. Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Liangzhou Chapter 438: Liangzhou Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao secretly hinted to Lo Pingsha that she hoped he would find a random illness to fool him. She did not expect him to refer to pregnancy! This development was like a bolt from the blue, instantly stunning Yu Niaoniao. Others might not know, but as the parties involved, she and Xiao Juan knew very well that the two of them had never consummated their marriage. What would Xiao Juan think of her? Would he think he was going to be a father to an unknown child again? She found it difficult to argue. She looked at Lo Pingsha with extreme resentment¡ª ¡°Little Lo, you really killed me!¡± she muttered Lo Pingsha did not know that he had caused trouble and was still carefully reminding Xiao Juan of various things to take note of. Xiao Juan was expressionless the entire time. After Lo Pingsha left, only Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were left in the carriage. Xiao Juan looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked slowly. ¡°Am I going to be a father again?¡± The reason they knew each other was because of the rumors. At that time, everyone in the capital was saying that the two of them were engaged and that Yu Niaoniao was pregnant with his child. In the end, they had been married for almost a year and there were no signs of her belly swelling. Yu Niaoniao could not care less about pretending to be sick and quickly denied it. ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°But Little Lo said that you have a happy pulse.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly explained, ¡°He said it might be a happy pulse. It¡¯s just a possibility!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Little Lo¡¯s medical skills are very good. He usually won¡¯t misdiagnose.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Maybe he made a mistake this time? Isn¡¯t that how life is? There are accidents everywhere.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her quietly. Yu Niaoniao shrank back guiltily. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Continue making it up. Let¡¯s see how long you can sustain this.¡± Yu Niaoniao became even more embarrassed. ¡°You can tell?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m not blind. If I can¡¯t tell, I can retire early.¡± When he first heard Niaoniao cry out in pain, he was indeed very nervous. That was because he was confused by his concern for her. But when he picked her up, he saw that her face was rosy and her voice was clear. She did not look sick at all. He knew that she was lying. He did not want her to be embarrassed in front of outsiders, so he cooperated with her performance. Yu Niaoniao muttered softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to continue fighting. It wasn¡¯t worth it for a few drafts. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Did Wei Liao steal the drafts?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ll get their back for you.¡± He was about to get out of the carriage when Yu Niaoniao quickly stopped him. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s just a few drafts. It¡¯s not worth much.¡± She was very afraid that Xiao Juan would fight Wei Liao again. Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Whether it¡¯s worth it or not, they¡¯re yours. No one else can take them.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Wei Liao is very shameless. He won¡¯t return the drafts. It¡¯s useless for you to look for him. It¡¯s better not to waste time on him.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she heard Wei Liao¡¯s voice outside the carriage. ¡°I originally wanted to come and return the drafts. Since you said I¡¯m shameless, I won¡¯t return them. I can¡¯t suffer your scolding for nothing, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately pushed open the window and looked out. She saw Wei Liao leaning against the carriage, holding the drafts in his hand and wearing a particularly annoying smile. Yu Niaoniao accused, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you steal, but you even eavesdropped on others. Can¡¯t you have a bottom line?¡± Wei Liao waved the drafts in his hand. ¡°I have no bottom line, to begin with. You should be used to it.¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her hand. ¡°Return the drafts to me!¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want them anymore?¡± Yu Niaoniao gritted her teeth and threatened, ¡°If you take my drafts away, I won¡¯t be able to submit them. If I don¡¯t, you¡¯ll never see the sequel to the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That¡¯s for the best. A lousy book like the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation shouldn¡¯t appear in this world.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Since you think it¡¯s a lousy book, why steal the drafts?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯m happy to. Can¡¯t I?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Shameless!¡± Wei Liao smiled with enjoyment. ¡°Go on, scold as much as you can.¡± This time, Yu Niaoniao did not even want to scold him. She took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Don¡¯t argue with idiots.¡± She closed the car window, blocking out Wei Liao¡¯s annoying face. Out of sight, out of mind! Soon, Chun Feng and Ye Yu returned. They saw a few drawings on the shaft of the carriage. They picked them up and saw that they were the princess consort¡¯s paintings. They immediately told the Princess Consort about this. Yu Niaoniao took a look at the drafts. They were the ones that had been stolen. There was no need to guess. Wei Liao must have placed the drafts there. She found it inexplicable. ¡°What exactly does Wei Liao want?¡± Xiao Juan looked at the drafts with an exceptionally cold expression. The team set off again. Yu Niaoniao continued to work on her drafts. With her previous experience, she was much more vigilant. She locked all the drafts into a secret compartment in the car to prevent Wei Liao from stealing them again. Today, they could not find a courier station and could only search for a village nearby to stay for the night. Xiao Juan still slept on the floor, which made Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart ache. Instead of that, they might as well sleep in separate rooms. Liangzhou was close to the northwest border. It would take at least two months to travel from the Imperial Capital. They changed from a dry road to a water road and back to a dry road. They traveled for more than seventy days. The journey was quite smooth. Even if there were bandits, when they saw that there were many people in the convoy and that all of them were armed, they knew that they were not to be trifled with and tactfully kept a distance. Occasionally, a few blind thieves would be dealt with by the Eagle Guards. Yu Niaoniao used her free time on the way to finish the sequel to The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation. She felt a sense of accomplishment about this. When she returned to the Imperial Capital, she could earn another sum of royalties. Presumably, the new scene in Qirui Opera Troupe would be staged then. Yu Niaoniao pushed open the car window and looked out. Ever since the convoy entered Liangzhou, the scenery had become more and more desolate. At this moment, all she could see were loess and rocks. Even the trees were short and small. The hot wind blew sand in their faces. Yu Niaoniao subconsciously narrowed her eyes. Chun Feng advised, ¡°The sandstorm outside is strong. Don¡¯t look anymore. Be careful not to be blinded by the sandstorm.¡± Yu Niaoniao sat back down. Ye Yu quickly went forward and closed the carriage window. Chun Feng helped Yu Niaoniao clean the sand from her hair and complained softly. ¡°Liangzhou is really not a good place. There¡¯s sand everywhere. The sun is especially scorching, the air is dry, and there¡¯s very little water.¡± Ye Yu was not good with words. She did not speak, but she nodded slightly in agreement with Chun Feng. This place was far inferior to the Imperial Capital. Yu Niaoniao did not care much about this. She said in a relaxed tone, ¡°This place isn¡¯t as bad as you think. At least the scenery here is not bad..¡± Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Teasing Chapter 439: Teasing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chun Feng did not understand. ¡°How is this good? There¡¯s yellow soil and sand everywhere. I can¡¯t even see a taller tree.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen enough tall trees, flowers, and birds in the Imperial Capital? ¡°We¡¯ve all left the Imperial Capital, so we naturally want to see a different scenery from the Imperial Capital. We¡¯ll treat it as broadening our horizons.¡± ¡°When you return to the Imperial Capital in the future, you can still talk to your sisters and tell them you have walked through the rocky mountains of Liangzhou, tasted the specially roasted sheep of Liangzhou, and seen the rainbow of Liangzhou fall to the moon. Those are experiences they have never had before. They will envy you to death.¡± Hearing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s words, Chun Feng and Ye Yu could not help but smile. Even the resistance in their hearts dissipated. Before coming, Yu Niaoniao had already checked some documents about Liangzhou and had a rough understanding of this place. Liangzhou occupied a vast area and was one of the largest prefectures in the Dayan Dynasty. However, half of the land here was covered in sand all year round. The soil was barren and water resources were scarce. Ordinary crops could not survive. After the convoy entered Liangzhou, Yu Niaoniao realized that the dishes on the dining table had changed greatly. The vegetables became fewer and fewer, and the staple food changed from good white rice to sorghum rice. The number of meat dishes did not decrease, but the cooking method was mostly roasted. The reason was very simple. There was no need for water for roasting. In Liangzhou, water had to be bought. This night, they stayed at the courier station as usual. The small official at the courier station explained with a smile, ¡°Please forgive us. Our conditions here are simple and crude. I hope you can forgive us.¡± Xiao Juan was from Liangzhou and naturally knew the environment very well. He knew that the small official at the courier station was telling the truth and was not deliberately being negligent with them, so he did not say anything. He just waved his hand and dismissed the small official. Yu Niaoniao was not picky with her food. She picked up her chopsticks and ate. ¡°This roast lamb chop is quite tender, but there¡¯s too little cumin. It¡¯s not fragrant enough.¡± Wei Liao was not very interested in these dry dishes. He said lazily, ¡°Do you think cumin is cheap? Spices like this are very expensive.¡± As Yu Niaoniao ate, she said, ¡°But I remember that Liangzhou is rich in cumin.¡± Wei Liao raised his chin at Xiao Juan meaningfully. Yu Niaoniao looked at Xiao Juan curiously. Xiao Juan explained, ¡°Liangzhou is barren. Cumin is one of the few specialties here that can be brought out. Therefore, the government has classified cumin as a tax item. If the commoners don¡¯t have money, food, and cloth, they can also use cumin.¡± Yu Niaoniao understood. ¡°The government bought a large amount of cumin and then transported it elsewhere to sell it to earn profits, right?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I remember it¡¯s not just cumin. There¡¯s also a specialty in Liangzhou. ¡± This was Xiao Juan¡¯s hometown. Yu Niaoniao was very interested in everything here, so she asked. ¡°What is it?¡± Wei Liao said slowly, ¡°Beauty.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°Huh?¡± Wei Liao spoke tirelessly as if he were telling a story, ¡°The beauties of Liangzhou are very famous. Almost every palace talent show will shortlist women from Liangzhou. Cui Chang, the famous concubine who was doted on and even had her name in the history books, came from Liangzhou.¡± ¡°Oh right, Prince Lang¡¯s mother, Princess Ni Yang, was also a famous beauty. It¡¯s said that a foreign envoy once came all the way to the Imperial Capital to see Princess Ni Yang¡¯s beautiful face.¡± Even if she had never seen Princess Ni Yang, Yu Niaoniao could guess that she was definitely not ordinary. Otherwise, she would not have given birth to a handsome son like Xiao Juan. However, Wei Liao¡¯s words still gave Yu Niaoniao a higher understanding of her beauty. Everyone loved beauty, and Yu Niaoniao was naturally no exception. She rubbed her small hands and her eyes lit up as she said to Xiao Juan. ¡°Let¡¯s walk around outside later.¡± She could also admire the beauties of Liangzhou. Xiao Juan replied indifferently, ¡°Yes.¡± After dinner, Yu Niaoniao could not wait to pull Xiao Juan out of the courier station. She realized that there was someone following her. She turned around and saw Wei Liao. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Wei Liao said lazily, ¡°The food at the courier station is too disgusting. I want to go out and see if there¡¯s anything edible.¡± Yu Niaoniao was skeptical. ¡°You¡¯re not following us, are you?¡± Wei Liao sneered disdainfully. ¡°Heh, I followed you? You think too highly of yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the best if you¡¯re not following us.¡± After Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan left the courier station, they went to the busiest street in the city. In the evening, the temperature dropped a lot. It was not as hot as during the day. It was quite cool with the night wind. The commoners who were free ran out to stroll, so there were quite a lot of pedestrians on the streets. Along the way, Yu Niaoniao had indeed discovered many beauties. The people of Liangzhou were generally tall. Because they often bathed in the sun, their skin was mostly honey-colored. Their hair was thick and black, and they had high noses and deep eyes. She also realized that the women here liked to wear gorgeous dresses. No matter their age or background, they could walk the streets openly. There were also many women in charge of the stalls and shops on the street. From everyone¡¯s reaction, this should be the norm here. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°The status of women in Liangzhou seems to be quite high.¡± Xiao Juan explained calmly. ¡°Liangzhou used to be a large tribe that respected women. Although they were later edified by the Imperial Court and gradually integrated into the customs of the Central Plain, the status of women here is still relatively high. ¡± Yu Niaoniao understood. ¡°I see.¡± No wonder Xiao Juan accepted Phoenix Country¡¯s settings well. It was because he was born in Liangzhou and had long adapted to the culture of honoring women. At this moment, a man suddenly rushed over and blocked their path. The man looked Niaoniao and Xiao Juan up and down and asked in an ambiguous tone. ¡°Can we talk in private?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought that the other party was a lecher who wanted to tease her and refused without thinking. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m already taken.¡± With that, she leaned toward Xiao Juan. Unexpectedly, the man laughed. ¡°So this gentleman is your husband. That¡¯s easy. I wanted to ask your husband if he was interested in entering the princess¡¯s manor.¡± He stared at Xiao Juan¡¯s handsome face and smiled even more ambiguously. ¡°My name is Fu Run. I¡¯m someone who specializes in searching for handsome men for Princess Ni Yang. Believe me, with your looks and figure, you¡¯ll definitely be loved by Princess Ni Yang. There¡¯s endless wealth waiting for you in the future!¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. She had thought that she was the one being teased. She did not expect her target to be her husband! She immediately hugged Xiao Juan¡¯s arm and said loudly. ¡°This is my husband!¡± Fu Run smiled and asked, ¡°Do you mind changing husbands? The price is negotiable.¡± Yu Niaoniao was suffocated by the other party¡¯s actions. Could her husband be used to make money? Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Lust Chapter 440: Lust Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan thought that Yu Niaoniao would refuse sternly, but he did not expect her to ask how much it was. Was she tempted? Of course, Yu Niaoniao was not tempted. It was purely an instinctive reaction because she had been too short of money recently. Feeling the death stare of the man beside her, she quickly salvaged the situation. ¡°No matter how much you pay, I won¡¯t sell my husband!¡± What a joke. If the money was gone, she could still earn it. If a handsome, steady, and loyal man like Xiao Juan was gone, it would be difficult to find another one. Fu Run did not give up. ¡°How about three hundred taels? If not, five hundred taels. In addition, I can give you a full set of red agate.¡± Yu Niaoniao imitated Wei Liao and snorted disdainfully. ¡°Do we look like the kind of people who lack money?¡± Even if she was short of money, she could not show it! Fu Run said, ¡°How much money do you want? Tell me. There are so many men in the world. Why do you have to cling to this one?¡± Yu Niaoniao said loudly. ¡°There are many men in the world, but those have nothing to do with me. I only want my husband. He¡¯s my treasure. No one else can covet him!¡± With that, she pulled Xiao Juan forward. It was rare for Fu Run to meet such a handsome man, so he refused to let him off. He blocked their way again, his expression hardening. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re locals. You¡¯re new here and don¡¯t know the rules of Liangzhou. Princess Ni Yang had the final say here. There is no man she cannot get.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sensible, follow me obediently. Otherwise, when Princess Ni Yang finds out about this, she won¡¯t let you have it easy.¡± This time, without needing Yu Niaoniao to speak, Xiao Juan pulled out the No Return Saber. The tip of the saber was less than an inch away from his moist eyes. He only had to push forward a little and blood would burst out of his eyes. Fu Run¡¯s legs went weak from fear. His face was pale and his eyes were filled with fear. He stammered for mercy. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t kill me.¡± Xiao Juan spat out two words coldly. ¡°Get lost.¡± Fu Run immediately scrambled away. Xiao Juan sheathed his saber. Yu Niaoniao thought that this matter was over. Unexpectedly, they encountered a few more people who tried to strike up a conversation. There were men and women, and they were all here to ask if Xiao Juan was willing to enter the princess¡¯s residence. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mood was killed by this group of pimps and pulled Xiao Juan back to the courier station. As soon as they entered, they saw Wei Liao talking to a petty official at the courier station. Wei Liao¡¯s expression was unfriendly. ¡°Why are there guys looking for men for Princess Ni Yang everywhere?¡± The petty official explained, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t blame me. Princess Ni Yang released a notice saying that she wanted to collect all the handsome men in Liangzhou.¡± ¡°Be it those who recommended themselves or those who recommended others, as long as they could catch the Eldest Princess¡¯s eye, they would be rewarded heavily.¡± ¡°In order to obtain a reward, those people searched everywhere for handsome men. Any slightly good-looking man in the city could not escape harassment.¡± ¡°In addition, the Eldest Princess¡¯s birthday was coming soon. The officials and squires in Liangzhou had to send gifts. Everyone knew that the Eldest Princess liked handsome men, so they naturally had to give a few good-looking men as congratulatory gifts.¡± ¡°Therefore, there have been especially many people searching for handsome men recently.¡± Wei Liao frowned. ¡°In other words, I have to continue being harassed along the way.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind. ¡°So you were harassed too!¡± Her tone was filled with gloating. Wei Liao turned around and saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan walking in. He chuckled. ¡°Also? Looks like Duke Lang didn¡¯t escape those people¡¯s clutches either.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled evilly. ¡°Prince Lang is Princess Ni Yang¡¯s biological son. He¡¯s definitely safe. You might not be. When you see Princess Ni Yang later, she¡¯ll be tempted by you. Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°What else can I do? I can only obey. Anyway, Princess Ni Yang is gorgeous. I won¡¯t suffer any losses if I follow her. Instead, you and Duke Lang will suffer a little. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°If I follow Princess Ni Yang, it will be equivalent to becoming Duke Lang¡¯s stepfather. In the future, you will have to call me father-in-law when you see me. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a loss?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. The image took her breath away. Wei Liao revealed a triumphant smile. Xiao Juan spoke at the right time, ¡°Princess Ni Yang already has a prince consort. Even if you follow her, you can only be a gigolo. There are countless gigolos like you in the princess¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Their status is only slightly higher than that of servants. When they see me, they have to bow respectfully and call me Your Highness.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s smile froze on his face. This time, it was Yu Niaoniao¡¯s turn to smile proudly. ¡°Oh hehe, just be prepared to be a gigolo!¡± With that, she pulled Xiao Juan away, not giving him a chance to counterattack. When he slept at night, Xiao Juan chose to sleep on the floor as usual. Yu Niaoniao lay on the bed and stuck her head out to look at him. She asked softly. ¡°Won¡¯t you mind?¡± Xiao Juan did not understand. ¡°Mind what?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Princess Ni Yang raises gigolos and even searches for handsome men everyvvhere.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Her business has nothing to do with me.¡± This reaction could be said to be extremely cold. Seeing that he was not uncomfortable because of this, Yu Niaoniao was completely relieved. She did not care about Princess Ni Yang. She just did not want Xiao Juan to be hurt. The next morning, the team set off again. They continued along the official road. When they reached the next stop, Yu Niaoniao wanted to go out and shop again. With the previous lesson, she specially prepared a bamboo hat for Xiao Juan to wear. The gauze curtain hanging down the edge of the bamboo hat could cover his head tightly. This way, no one would harass him anymore. Yu Niaoniao pulled him out and did not forget to remind him. ¡°Boys have to protect themselves when they¡¯re out. Don¡¯t show your face casually, lest bad people think of you.¡± Xiao Juan was silent. This time, there were indeed no more pestering people, but occasionally, one or two people would want to take off Xiao Juan¡¯s bamboo hat using various excuses and see what he looked like. After all, he had an attractive figure. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. He looked especially eye-catching in the crowd. With such a good figure, as long as he looked decent, he could be included in the list of candidates for the princess. Yu Niaoniao saw someone selling veils by the roadside. The color was quite good. She chose one and gestured at her hair. ¡°Is it nice?¡± Xiao Juan said that it looked good. Yu Niaoniao looked at him and then at the veil in her hand. She suddenly had an idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pretend to be a woman? Then no one will have any designs on you.¡± Xiao Juan refused firmly. ¡°No need.¡± He was not Shen Xu, who would resort to wearing female clothes in order to survive. Far away in Liaodong County, Shen Xu suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose.. ¡°Which little vixen is nagging about me again?¡± Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Stealing Chapter 441: Stealing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao chose two of her favorite veils. She was about to take out her money when the man beside her reached out and placed a small piece of silver on the stall. Yu Niaoniao turned to look at the man and pursed her lips into a smile. ¡°Is this a gift from you?¡± Xiao Juan avoided answering. ¡°Are we still shopping?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Niaoniao took the wrapped veil from the stall owner. As soon as she turned around, a little beggar rushed over and bumped into her. She staggered and almost fell. Fortunately, Xiao Juan hugged her waist in time. When she steadied herself, he quickly withdrew his hand. The little beggar¡¯s face was dirty. It was impossible to tell his age. He was very thin and weak, a head shorter than Yu Niaoniao. His clothes were tattered, his hair was messy, and he smelled bad. He kept bowing to Yu Niaoniao and saying something. However, because he was speaking in the Liangzhou dialect, Yu Niaoniao did not understand. She could only ask the man beside her. ¡°What is this child talking about?¡± As a citizen of Liangzhou, Xiao Juan naturally understood the language here. He helped translate. ¡°He¡¯s apologizing to you. He said he didn¡¯t mean to hit you.¡± Yu Niaoniao rubbed her aching waist. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Xiao Juan let the little beggar leave. The little beggar turned and ran as if he had been pardoned. Yu Niaoniao rubbed her waist twice and suddenly realized that the pouch hanging at her waist was gone! She reacted quickly and shouted behind the little beggar. ¡°Stop! Return my purse!¡± When the little beggar heard her shout, instead of stopping, he ran faster. Yu Niaoniao wanted to chase after him, but Xiao Juan stopped her. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll chase.¡± With that, he used his qinggong and chased after the little beggar at a speed that left others in the dust. How could Yu Niaoniao stay? That pouch contained more than half of her assets! Now that she was short of money, her heart would ache if she could not get that money back. ¡°Wait for me!¡± Yu Niaoniao lifted her skirt and followed. The little beggar was very familiar with the terrain here. His small figure quickly passed through the streets and alleys. After turning left and right, the figure following behind finally disappeared. The little beggar was tired after running for so long. He leaned against the wall and panted. He was secretly glad that he had shaken that guy off. He wiped the sweat off his face haphazardly, then took out the pouch to look at it. There was a lot of broken silver and a stack of banknotes. There were more than he had expected. He was glad, but also worried. Fortunately, with this money, his sister¡¯s illness could be saved. He was worried that the young lady who had lost so much money just now would be very anxious. The little beggar gripped his pouch tightly and tried to suppress the guilt in his heart. His sister¡¯s condition was getting worse. There was nothing else he could do. For his sister¡¯s sake, he had to be a bad person. He put the pouch back in his pocket and ran forward. Unexpectedly, before he could take two steps, he was blocked by a figure who had descended from the sky. Xiao Juan stood upright with the afterglow of the setting sun behind him. His face was hidden under the bamboo hat, and his voice was as cold as ice. ¡°Hand over the purse.¡± The little beggar did not expect the other party to catch up. He was so frightened that he quickly turned around and ran. Xiao Juan did not chase after him this time. He raised his hand to the sheath of the No Return Saber and swept it forward. The scabbard left his hand and flew straight at the little beggar¡¯s back. The little beggar could not see what was behind him. He could only feel a strong gust of wind flying toward him. Immediately after, he felt a pain in his back and threw himself forward. The little beggar endured the pain in his back and struggled to get up. Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°If you run again, it won¡¯t be the scabbard that hits you next time. It¡¯ll be the saber in my hand.¡± These words succeeded in scaring the little beggar. He did not dare to act rashly again. Xiao Juan slowly walked over, as the No Return Saber in his hand refracted a snow-white light. He aimed the tip of the knife at the little beggar and said, ¡°For the last time, hand over the purse.¡± The little beggar looked at the sharp tip of the knife inches away and trembled in fear. He hesitated before handing over the pouch. He wasn¡¯t afraid of death. He was afraid that no one would take care of his sister after he died. He had to live. Only by living could he find hope. Xiao Juan took the pouch, but he did not let the little beggar off. ¡°Get up and follow me to the officials.¡± The little beggar immediately panicked. He scrambled to his hands and knees and pleaded, ¡°Please, don¡¯t take me to the officials. I can¡¯t go to jail. Please let me off this time!¡± With that, he kowtowed hard. At this moment, Yu Niaoniao finally caught up. She was out of breath from running. Her face was red and her forehead was covered in sweat. ¡°I¡­ I finally found you.¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait there?¡± Yu Niaoniao was almost exhausted. At this moment, she could not even stand steadily. She could only lean on Xiao Juan and say weakly. ¡°How dare you talk to me like that? You ran so fast and left me there alone. What if a bad person kidnaps me? Of course, I have to follow you.¡± Xiao Juan was helpless. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired. Let me rest for a while.¡± Xiao Juan returned the pouch to her. Yu Niaoniao put away the pouch and took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat off her head. Her gaze landed on the little beggar and she was immediately furious. ¡°You stinky child. You didn¡¯t learn the good things and actually learned to steal. Do you know that stealing is illegal?!¡± The little beggar was still kowtowing. ¡°Please don¡¯t arrest me to see the officials. I¡¯ll do anything you want. Just don¡¯t put me in jail.¡¯ This time, he spoke in Liangzhou¡¯s official language. Yu Niaoniao could understand him. Seeing that his forehead was broken and he looked really pitiful, Yu Niaoniao could not help but soften. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go to jail, why did you steal?¡± The little beggar cried. ¡°My sister is sick, but I don¡¯t have the money to treat her and get medicine. I can only¡­ I can only steal. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ll kowtow to you. Please spare me this time!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not expect there to be an inside story, so she asked. ¡°How old is your sister? What¡¯s her illness?¡± The little beggar said, ¡°She¡¯s seven years old this year. I don¡¯t know what illness she has. She feels very uncomfortable when she breathes and keeps coughing. Today, she even started to feel hot all over. I don¡¯t know what to do. I want to find a doctor for her, but I can¡¯t fork out the consultation fee. The doctor is unwilling to treat her.¡± He whimpered as he spoke.. Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Madness Chapter 442: Madness Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao hated it when children cried. She pulled the little beggar to his feet and continued to ask, ¡°Are there no adults in your house?¡± The little beggar cried. ¡°They¡¯ve all been taken.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°Who captured them?¡± The little beggar refused to say anything else this time. It seemed that there was something else going on. Yu Niaoniao turned to look at Xiao Juan and asked. ¡°It¡¯s a life, after all. Can we go see his sister?¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly in agreement. Yu Niaoniao squatted down and said to the little beggar, ¡°I know a powerful physician. He might be able to cure your sister, but you have to take us to see her first. We have to make sure you¡¯re telling the truth.¡± The little beggar did not know if the other party was telling the truth. But he had no better choice now. His sister was still waiting for him. He had to take a chance. ¡°Alright, follow me.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan followed the little beggar. The three of them walked further and further away. The houses around them became smaller and more dilapidated. Finally, they came to a dilapidated straw shed. it had become a shelter for the little beggar and his sister. The little beggar moved away the piles of hay, revealing his sister hidden under them. He explained to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°When I was away, I was afraid that my sister would be bullied, so I covered her with hay so she would not be seen.¡± Yu Niaoniao squatted down and looked at the little girl lying in the hay in front of her. She looked thin and small. Her face was as pale as paper. Her lips were dry and her eyes were half-open. Every time she breathed, it was very difficult. She coughed from time to time. Yu Niaoniao reached out and touched her forehead. It was indeed very hot. The little girl struggled to speak. ¡°Brother¡­¡± The little beggar gripped his sister¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Miaomiao. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll save you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said to Xiao Juan, ¡°This child is very sick. We have to get Little Lo to take a look at her quickly.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then bring her back.¡± Yu Niaoniao picked the little girl up. This little girl was really too thin. She was so light that she could barely feel her weight. She panicked when she saw that she was being held by a stranger. She called out hoarsely for her brother. The little beggar hurriedly called out, ¡°Give me my sister. I can carry her.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at his thin appearance and was a little worried. ¡°Can you do it?¡± The little beggar vowed, ¡°I carry my sister often. I can do it!¡± Seeing that the little girl kept calling him brother, Yu Niaoniao could only place her on the little beggar¡¯s back. Although the little beggar was thin, he was quite strong. He steadily carried his sister. The little girl immediately hugged her brother¡¯s neck; her face filled with attachment and trust. They left the straw shed and walked towards the station. On the way, Yu Niaoniao asked about the two children. ¡°I still don¡¯t know your names.¡± The little beggar said, ¡°My name is Ling Hai. My sister¡¯s name is Ling Miao.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Little Hai. How many times have you stolen things?¡± Being exposed for stealing in front of his sister made Ling Hai very embarrassed. He blushed and explained, ¡°I¡¯ve never stolen anything before. Today is the first time.¡± Yu Niaoniao had mixed feelings. ¡®Why am I so unlucky?¡± She did not understand and continued to ask. ¡°There were so many people on the street. Why didn¡¯t you steal from someone else? Why did you target me?¡± Ling Hai¡¯s eyes wandered. ¡°Because you¡¯re dressed well and good-looking.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Little Hai, I want to hear the truth.¡± Ling Hai¡¯s voice became very soft. ¡°Because you look rich and stupid. The risk of being caught stealing from you would be low.¡± In short, it was easy to get money from stupid people! Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She turned to look at Xiao Tnan beside her and asked angrilv- ¡°Do I look stupid?¡± Xiao Juan thought for a moment before saying, ¡°No, you just look more innocent.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s anger immediately abated. She had clearly accepted this simple explanation. Ling Hai secretly looked at Xiao Juan with admiration. He was awesome! The group walked a long way back to the courier station. When Ling Hai saw the courier station, he was clearly stunned. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why are you living here? Are you officials?¡± This was an official station, a place where only officials could stay. Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the Princess Consort. This is Duke Lang.¡± Ling Hai¡¯s eyes immediately widened like a frightened little beast, his face filled with fear. ¡°Duke Lang? Are you Princess Ni Yang¡¯s son, Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao was confused. ¡°Why do you look like that? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ling Hai carried his sister and retreated. ¡°Why is it you? How did we meet you? You¡¯re actually here to catch us, right? You planned all of this, right?!¡± Yu Niaoniao was confused. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You were the one who bumped into me first and stole my pouch. You made these choices yourself. How could it be planned?¡± Her words calmed Ling Hai down a little. No matter how powerful a person was, they could not predict his choice in advance. Perhaps all of this was really just a coincidence. However, Ling Hai still felt uneasy. He wanted to leave with his sister, but just as he turned around, he was surrounded by the Eagle Guards. Xiao Juan had worked on many cases and was very experienced in reading people. He keenly caught the main point of Ling Hai¡¯s words and forced a question. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m arresting you? Have you committed a crime? Are you wanted by the authorities?¡± Ling Hai hurriedly denied it. ¡°We have not committed any crimes! Our family is innocent! It was Princess Ni Yang who took a fancy to my eldest brother and forced him to enter the princess¡¯s manor to be her servant.¡± ¡°My eldest brother was already married. He was unwilling to abandon his wife and refuse to obey.¡± ¡°In a fit of anger, Princess Ni Yang ordered someone to capture our entire family. My father, mother, uncles, and eldest brother and sister-in-law have all been captured. Their fate is still unknown.¡± ¡°Only my sister and I survived when my father hid us in the cabinet. You¡¯re Princess Ni Yang¡¯s son. You must be in cahoots with her!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not expect the truth to be like this. If all of this were true, Princess Ni Yang would really be inhumane. Although everyone loved beauty, it was too crazy to capture someone else¡¯s entire family to satisfy their selfish desires. Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°How do I know if you¡¯re telling the truth?¡± Ling Hai said, ¡°This matter is not a secret. Many people in the city know about it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can investigate!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll naturally investigate, but before that, I have to trouble you for a while.¡± With that, Xiao Juan got the Eagle Guards to capture the Ling siblings.. Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Do Your Best Chapter 443: Do Your Best Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ling Hai thought that death was waiting for him. He regretted it. If he had known earlier, he would not have stolen money. If he hadn¡¯t stolen anything, he wouldn¡¯t have provoked Duke Lang, let alone implicate his sister. Ling Hai hugged his sister in despair and refused to let go. Even if he died, he would die with his sister. She was the last of his family. They depended on each other and no one could separate them. Yu Niaoniao looked at him helplessly. ¡°If you don¡¯t let go, how are we going to treat your sister?¡± Ling Hai thought he had misheard. He looked up at Yu Niaoniao in disbelief. ¡°Treatment?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at Lo Pingsha, who was standing beside her, and introduced. ¡°Here, this is Physician Lo. His medical skills are very good. If you still want your sister to live healthily, quickly let him take a look at her.¡± This plot development far exceeded Ling Hail s expectations. His brain couldn¡¯t react. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to arrest and kill us?¡± he muttered. Yu Niaoniao was speechless. What did this child take them for? Murderous demons? ¡°Although you stole my purse, this crime isn¡¯t enough to sentence you to death. We¡¯re not unreasonable people. Duke Lang has already sent someone to investigate your family. If it¡¯s true, we¡¯ll give you an explanation.¡± Ling Hai could not understand. ¡°But Duke Lang is Princess Ni Yang¡¯s son. Shouldn¡¯t you be in cahoots with her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. In short, you just have to understand one thing. Duke Lang is Duke Lang and Princess Ni Yang is her own person. They¡¯re not in cahoots!¡± When she said the last sentence, Yu Niaoniao deliberately strengthened her tone to show her attitude. Ling Hai was skeptical. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Yu Niaoniao spread her hands. ¡°You can choose not to believe us. In that case, you can only hug your sister and wait for death.¡± Ling Hai looked down at his sister, who was in his arms. She was so feverish that she could not even open her eyes, but she was still calling out softly. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Ling Hai was extremely anxious. He looked up at Lo Pingsha and asked urgently, ¡°Are you really a physician? Can you really cure my sister?¡± Lo Pingsha didn¡¯t finish. ¡°I have to see your sister¡¯s condition before I come to a conclusion.¡± This concerned his sister¡¯s life and death, so Ling Hai could only take the risk. He let go of his sister. ¡°Physician, please cure my sister.¡± Lo Pingsha bent down and first pried open Ling Miao¡¯s eyelids to take a look. He touched her forehead and cheek and finally checked her tongue and pulse. ¡°The cold air has entered her body and has already injured her heart and lungs. This child is still young and can¡¯t take many types of medicine. It¡¯s very troublesome.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Can she be treated?¡± Lo Pingsha looked grim. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. First, carry her into the room, put her to bed, and change her into clean clothes.¡± This time, without needing Yu Niaoniao to speak, Ling Hai had already picked up his sister and walked into the room. He carefully placed his sister on the bed. There were no clean little girl¡¯s clothes in the courier station for the time being. Yu Niaoniao could only let Chun Feng send over a set of her clothes. She would change Ling Miao first before getting someone to buy two sets of clean children¡¯s clothes from the streets. Chun Feng and Ye Yu stayed in the room to change Ling Miao¡¯s clothes. The others left. After Ling Miao was changed, Lo Pingsha continued to treat her. At the same time, Xiao Juan ordered someone to go to the county office and pull out the Ling family¡¯s dossier. The dossier was sent to Xiao Juan, who read it seriously. The dossier said that the eldest grandson of the Ling family had committed adultery. The Ling family protected the murderer and was equivalent to an accomplice. But there was no physical evidence mentioned in the dossier. There were only two statements. And it had only taken two days for this case to close. The speed at which the case was solved could put the Justice Department to shame. Xiao Juan put down the dossier with a solemn expression. There was something strange about this case. Clearly, the truth was not as simple as it was described in the dossier. Perhaps Ling Hai was not lying. The cause of this matter was Princess Ni Yang. That woman had always been arrogant and domineering. As long as she wanted something, there was nothing she could not get. Yu Niaoniao returned to the bedroom and saw the dossier on the table. She could not help but ask. ¡°Is this the Ling family¡¯s dossier?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can I see it?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately picked up the dossier and read it quickly. She frowned. ¡°There¡¯s obviously not enough evidence in this case. Why did the county magistrate close the case?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The county magistrate closed the case in a hurry. It¡¯s very likely that someone above was pressuring him. He had no choice.¡± ¡°Could it be Princess Ni Yang?¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything, which was a tacit agreement. Yu Niaoniao wanted to scold her, but she endured it. After all, he was Duke Lang¡¯s biological mother. Even if their relationship was not good, she could not scold his mother in front of him. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°How¡¯s Ling Miao?¡± ¡°Little Lo prescribed medicine for her. She¡¯s already asleep. Little Lo said that he had to observe more. If she could cool down tomorrow, she should be fine.¡¯ ¡°Little Hai was worried and stayed by her sister¡¯s bed.¡± After saying that, Yu Niaoniao picked up the dossier and read it. At the end of the dossier, it mentioned that the entire Ling family had been demoted to hard labor, but it did not mention where they were working. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What about the Ling family?¡± She really wanted to seek justice for the Ling family, but this matter involved Princess Ni Yang. She could not interfere even if she wanted to. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to follow up on the investigation and see if we can find any clues, but this will take some time.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°I understand. You can¡¯t rush such things.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°And don¡¯t forget the purpose of our trip. We¡¯re here to investigate the whereabouts of the stolen silver. This is the most important thing.¡± Yu Niaoniao suddenly had a thought. ¡°Could that stolen silver have been hidden by Princess Ni Yang?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you have evidence?¡± Yu Niaoniao cringed. ¡°No.¡± ¡°The amount of stolen silver is huge. The emperor values it very much. Don¡¯t talk nonsense without evidence.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied obediently, ¡°I know.¡± Xiao Juan changed the topic. ¡°But what you said is not impossible. Liangzhou is Princess Ni Yang¡¯s territory. If the stolen silver is really hidden here, it¡¯s impossible for Princess Ni Yang not to know.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s what I think. We¡¯re thinking the same thing! ¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s still the same thing. You can¡¯t rely on guesses. You have to have evidence.¡± Yu Niaoniao stroked her chin in thought. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money. It¡¯s tens of millions of taels. Just piling it up would make up a small mountain. Where can you hide so much silver without being discovered?¡± Regarding this, the two of them thought for a long time but could not figure it out. In the end, they could only wash up and sleep.. Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Three Fathers Chapter 444: Three Fathers Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The next day, Ling Miao finally stopped feeling hot. Lo Pingsha said that her condition had begun to improve and prescribed her another set of medicine. Ling Hai held the medicine bowl and carefully fed it to his sister. After drinking the medicine, Ling Miao ate some millet porridge and fell asleep again. Ling Hai covered his sister with the blanket and walked out quietly. Yu Niaoniao was about to visit Ling Miao when she saw Ling Hai come out. ¡°How¡¯s your sister?¡± Ling Hai was filled with gratitude. ¡°She¡¯s much better. Thank you.¡± Regardless of whether Duke Lang and Princess Ni Yang were in cahoots, they had saved Ling Miao. Duke Lang and his wife were Ling Hai¡¯s benefactors. Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. Take good care of Miaomiao. Let us know if you need anything.¡± Ling Hai knelt down in front of her. ¡°I will never forget your kindness. From now on, my life is yours. I will do whatever you ask me to do. Even if I have to climb mountains of blades and dive in seas of flames, I will never retreat! ¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly pulled him up. ¡°Why would I want your life? You should keep your life for taking good care of your sister. We¡¯re still investigating your family. If you have any clues, you can provide them to us.¡± Ling Hai quickly said, ¡°Back then, my brother was accused of raping a woman, but he stayed at home on the day of the crime. Our entire family can testify for him. He definitely didn¡¯t go out to commit the crime.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Is there no one else other than your family who can testify for your brother?¡± Ling Hai shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Is there really none?¡± Ling Hai thought carefully for a long time and suddenly said. ¡°I remember! That day, my mother arranged to meet the people from Zhang¡¯s Tailor Shop to measure and tailor.¡± ¡°Her mother thought about how her eldest sister-in-law had just entered the house and planned to make her two new clothes.¡± ¡°That day, my brother had been with Sister-in-law. When Tailor Zhang was measuring Sister-in-law, Brother should also be around.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°In other words, Tailor Zhang should have seen your brother on the day of the crime?¡± Ling Hai nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility.¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°This clue you provided is very useful.¡± However, Ling Hai was a little uneasy. ¡°I went to the tailor afterward, wanting him to help testify for my brother. But he insisted that he had never been to my house that day.¡± ¡°He even threatened me that if I looked for him again in the future, he would report me to the authorities and get the soldiers to arrest me. ¡°After that, he moved away with his family. I don¡¯t know where he is now.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll definitely find him.¡± She went to find Xiao Juan for breakfast and told him the clues Ling Hai had provided. Xiao Juan had an idea. After breakfast, he got someone to go to the county office again and found the household register of Tailor Zhang and the travel pass he used to move out of this place. Coupled with the memories of the soldiers at the city gate, the Eagle Guards quickly locked onto the direction where Tailor Zhang had left. Xiao Juan sent two Eagle Guards to continue tracking Tailor Zhang. Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday was imminent, so they could not stay here for long. They had to continue their journey. Yu Niaoniao was worried about leaving Ling Hai and Ling Miao on their own. ¡°Do you guys want to come with us?¡± Ling Hai was naturally willing. Although his sister¡¯s condition had improved, she had not completely recovered. It was best if she followed the large convoy. Only then could Physician Lo continue to treat his sister. Seeing him nod, Yu Niaoniao continued. ¡°We¡¯re here on a decree to celebrate Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday. If you want to follow, it¡¯s best if you disguise yourselves to avoid being recognized.¡± When Ling Hai heard the name Princess Ni Yang, he could not help but frown. He did not want to celebrate that bad woman¡¯s birthday! But for his sister¡¯s sake, he could only suppress his resistance and say obediently. ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever you want us to do.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then pretend to be my follower. Your sister will assume the identity of a maidservant. Can you do that?¡± Ling Hai nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay!¡± When the team set off again, Yu Niaoniao had two servants by her side. She had specially arranged another carriage for Ling Hai and Ling Miao to ride. This way, it would be easier for Ling Hai to take care of his sick sister. The convoy moved steadily along the official road. They passed through a small town on the way and stopped to rest and have lunch. Yu Niaoniao also jumped out of the carriage. Her head was wrapped in a new gauze scarf. The thin gauze scarf wrapped her hair and cheeks, keeping away the wind and sand. She strode to the restaurant and sat down at the table. She pulled off her veil and ordered all the specialties in their shop with a wave of her small hand. Wei Liao sat down in the empty seat beside her and asked with a faint smile. ¡°Why are there two new faces beside you? Where did they come from?¡± Yu Niaoniao slapped the veil on the table and said with a fake smile, ¡°Hehe, I bought them casually on the way. Do you Sky Wolf Guards even care about such things?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about you. Why are you reacting so strongly? Are you feeling guilty?¡± Yu Niaoniao continued to smile fakely. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, please walk away. I don¡¯t want to eat at the same table as you. Seeing your face will affect my appetite.¡± Wei Liao sat still. ¡°That¡¯s good. You should eat less and lose weight.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯ll be fat if I want to be fat and thin if I want to be thin. Do I need you to say anything? Go wherever you want. Don¡¯t disturb my meal.¡± As she spoke, she flicked down her veil and made a shooing motion. Wei Liao looked at the veil in her hand and asked, ¡®Where did you get it?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled proudly. ¡°Of course, it was given to me by Duke Lang. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°So ugly!¡± With that, he stood up and sat down at another table. Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath and told herself not to be angry. The angrier she was, the more excited he got. The best way to deal with him was to ignore him. At this moment, Xiao Juan walked in. He sat down in the empty seat opposite Yu Niaoniao and asked. ¡°Have you ordered everything?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I just received news that the princess¡¯s manor will send someone to pick us up. We have to stay here for a day.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very curious. ¡°Who will be sent here?¡± ¡°Princess Ni Yang¡¯s third Prince Consort, Cheng Qi.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°The third Prince Consort? Could it be that Princess Ni Yang has married three¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish the sentence. She was afraid that Xiao Juan would feel uncomfortable. However, Xiao Juan did not care about this. He admitted frankly, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s been married a total of three times. The first two consorts have passed away. My biological father was the second consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao clicked her tongue. ¡°Your family situation is quite complicated.¡± She felt that having two fathers was enough. She did not expect Xiao Juan to have three fathers. She had lost.. Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: A toast Chapter 445: A toast Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan briefly introduced Cheng Qi¡¯s situation. This person was the legitimate son of the famous Cheng family in Jingzhou. His grandfather was the famous cabinet minister, Ye Zhaohai. Yu Niaoniao had a deep impression of Ye Zhaohai. He was the oldest, most senior, and most irritable in the cabinet. Back then, Xiao Juan was ordered to investigate the anti-government poetry case. Although he had already found out the truth, he was questioned by Ye Zhaohai. This elder had a deep prejudice against Xiao Juan. He often impeached Xiao Juan and strongly advocated the abolition of the Justice Department and all the Eagle Guards. For this, he had won the support of many people in the court. Yu Niaoniao frowned at the thought of that old man. ¡°Could Cheng Qi be as difficult to deal with as his grandfather?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°No, Cheng Qi has been pampered since he was young. He¡¯s a playboy who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun. He never cares about politics. Although he¡¯s the consort, he doesn¡¯t have an official position. Don¡¯t worry too much about him.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not understand. ¡°Why did Princess Ni Yang marry such a person?¡± Xiao Juan explained, ¡°This is a marriage arranged by the emperor. Moreover, Cheng Qi¡¯s appearance is very outstanding and suits Princess Ni Yang¡¯s taste.¡± Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. As long as his face was good-looking, nothing else mattered. After dinner, the group found an inn in the town. Because there were many of them, they booked the entire inn. Yu Niaoniao specially chose a suite. There were two small bedrooms in the suite. She and Xiao Juan occupied one each. This way, Xiao Juan did not have to sleep on the floor at night. When the local gentry heard that Duke Lang was here, they came to visit. They even held a banquet in the best restaurant in the town and warmly invited Duke Lang and the others to the banquet. Xiao Juan had never liked to socialize, but he was here with a mission this time. He had to find out where the stolen silver had gone. These squires had lived here for a long time and should be very familiar with the situation here. Perhaps he could uncover some clues from them. Hence, Xiao Juan accepted the invitation. In the evening, he brought Yu Niaoniao to the banquet. Yu Niaoniao heard footsteps behind her and turned around. When she saw that it was Wei Liao, she could not help but ask, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Wei Liao pulled an invitation from his sleeve and waved it in front of her with a smug smile. ¡°That group of squires invited me too. I was bored, so I went to join in the fun.¡± Yu Niaoniao was suspicious, but she did not ask further. After getting into the carriage, Yu Niaoniao said to Xiao Juan. ¡°Why do I feel like Wei Liao is following us?¡± Along the way, no matter where she and Xiao Juan went, Wei Liao would follow them. At first, she thought that he had nothing better to do and deliberately came to argue with her to kill time. However, as time passed, she could not help but suspect something. Previously, when she had asked Wei Liao in person if he was following them, Wei Liao mocked and denied it. This time, she did not ask directly, but the suspicion in her heart did not dissipate. Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°This should be his mission.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Is his mission to follow us? Who gave him the mission?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one person in this world who can give the Sky Wolf Guards a mission.¡± Hearing this, the old emperor¡¯s face immediately appeared in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mind and she could not help but blurt out. ¡°It¡¯s the emperor! But why?¡± Xiao Juan slowly explained his guess. ¡°Back then, the emperor sent me to escort Prince Min and his son to Liaodong County. He hinted that I would get rid of Prince Min and his son on the way.¡± ¡°However, in the end, Prince Min and his son arrived in Liaodong safely. I did not do as the emperor expected.¡± This matter must have left a knot in his heart. ¡°The emperor was afraid that I would be disobedient like last time, so he specially asked Wei Liao to keep an eye on me.¡± Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. What did he mean by asking Wei Liao to protect Duke Lang? It turned out that he wanted Wei Liao to monitor Duke Lang. This old emperor¡¯s need for control was really abnormally strong! Seeing Xiao Juan¡¯s calm expression, Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask, ¡°Did you already guess Wei Liao¡¯s true motive?¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao gritted her teeth. ¡°Wei Liao is indeed up to no good. To think he still has the cheek to say that he¡¯s here to protect us. Shameless liar!¡± The carriage stopped at the entrance of the restaurant. Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao alighted one after another. The squires had already prepared the food and wine. They even carefully arranged a song and dance performance. There was fine wine and delicacies, and the sound of music. Beauties danced. The scene could be said to be very lively. The squires raised their glasses and toasted Duke Lang. Xiao Juan¡¯s stomach was not good. Usually, if it was not necessary, he would not drink at all. However, at the dining table, drinking was the best way to let people relax. He picked up his glass and drained it. Everyone cheered in unison and praised Duke Lang for his amiable personality. Yu Niaoniao looked worried. She picked up some food and placed it in Xiao Juan¡¯s bowl, letting him eat something to fill his stomach. Drinking on an empty stomach was bad for the body. In the eyes of the squires, they immediately seized the opportunity and began to praise the love between Duke Lang and the Princess Consort crazily. Then, they toasted again. Seeing that Xiao Juan was about to drink again, Yu Niaoniao was anxious. From the corner of her eye, she saw Wei Liao eating and watching a good show. An idea came to her and she immediately said in an exaggerated tone, ¡°Don¡¯t just toast my Duke Lang. Don¡¯t leave Vice General Wei behind! Not only is he the adopted son of Eunuch Wei, but he is also a popular person in front of the emperor. Because he is capable and loyal, he is very important to the emperor.¡± ¡°Previously, the Chen Nation¡¯s diplomatic mission had come to the capital and sent many beauties. The emperor had even specially chosen two beauties to give to Vice General Wei. It¡¯s obvious how much the emperor liked him. Everyone, why aren¡¯t you toasting him?¡± Wei Liao, who was gloating, was speechless. He saw everyone¡¯s gazes on him, and the smile on his face stiffened. Why were they looking at him? He was not interested in drinking with a group of men! The squires had originally thought that Wei Liao was just an ordinary official from the capital. They did not expect him to be the emperor¡¯s trusted aide. They immediately gathered around Wei Liao like dogs seeing bones and fought to toast him. Wei Liao tried to lie that he was not feeling well and could not drink. Yu Niaoniao immediately exposed his lie. ¡°Vice General Wei has always been in good health. I saw you drink during lunch today. How can you not drink? Don¡¯t stand on ceremony. Don¡¯t let down everyone¡¯s kindness.¡± Wei Liao deliberately spoke in a meaningful tone, ¡°The County Princess even saw that I drank at noon. It seems that you¡¯re very concerned about me. You¡¯re actually secretly paying attention to me.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied generously, ¡°That¡¯s right. After all, you were specially sent by the emperor to protect us. The emperor trusts you so much. Your status is so important, so His Highness and I are naturally very concerned about you.¡± Her words also had a deeper meaning. Only Wei Liao and Xiao Juan understood what she meant.. Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: Wine Ceremony Chapter 446: Wine Ceremony Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao knew that Yu Niaoniao was deliberately targeting him. Because she knew the real purpose of his trip. But he wasn¡¯t ashamed. With his current status, he was destined not to care about right or wrong. He just had to complete the mission according to the emperor¡¯s request. Everything else had nothing to do with him. While the squires¡¯ attention was on Wei Liao, Yu Niaoniao quickly scooped a bowl of chicken soup and placed it in front of Xiao Juan. ¡°Eat more.¡± Xiao Juan drank the hot chicken soup and ate some dishes. His stomach, which had been a little uncomfortable from the alcohol, finally felt much better. After drinking two glasses of wine, Wei Liao deliberately raised his voice and said to Xiao Juan. ¡°Duke Lang, don¡¯t just eat. Drink two glasses with us!¡± Immediately, someone carried a wine pot over and filled it for Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan picked up his wine glass and was about to drink when Yu Niaoniao suddenly spoke. ¡°How boring is it to just drink? Why don¡¯t we do a drinking game? The loser not only has to drink, but he has to perform on the spot.¡± This suggestion was unanimously approved by everyone. Yu Niaoniao continued, ¡°I¡¯m on the same side as Duke Lang. I¡¯ll help him administer the wine. If he loses, let him drink. I¡¯ll perform. How about that?¡± Wei Liao chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that unfair?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s just a game. Why do you have to be so particular? Or are you afraid of losing?¡± Wei Liao said disdainfully, ¡°Provocation doesn¡¯t work on me.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you think it¡¯s unfair, you can find a helper.¡± With that, she casually pointed at the women playing the piano and dancing. ¡°There are so many girls. Pick whoever you want.¡± The squires cheered for Wei Liao to pick a girl. In the past, Wei Liao would not be afraid of such a scene. Wasn¡¯t it just picking a girl? This was a good thing that had come knocking on his door. It would be a waste not to take it. But now he was a little unwilling. He could not explain why. He felt that he was most likely sick, and quite sick. Yu Niaoniao smiled at him as if she wanted to see the world burn. ¡°Choose whoever you like.¡± The girls had already stopped dancing and playing music. All of them blushed. Two of the bolder ones had already begun to wink at Wei Liao. They knew that Wei Liao was a high-ranking official from the Imperial Capital, and he was very handsome. If they could become his women, it would undoubtedly be a very good way out for lowly women like them. Wei Liao was a little impatient. He sneered. ¡°Who do you think I am? Can I like a girl so easily? Don¡¯t you want to drink? Just bring it on.¡± Seeing this, the girls were very disappointed, but they did not dare to say anything. They could only continue to dance and play. The rule of the wine order was very simple. It was a poem. The last word of the previous sentence had to be the same as the first sentence of the next. Yu Niaoniao could remember everything. The Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty and the Selected Song Ci were all in her mind. This kind of poetry game was child¡¯s play to her. She was familiar with 5,000 years of poetry. No matter what the previous sentence was, she could quickly follow with the next. With Yu Niaoniao as a cheat, Xiao Juan did not even lose once. He watched helplessly as the others at the table drank glass after glass. Even Wei Liao was not spared and lost twice. After drinking too much, everyone¡¯s reaction speed slowed down, and their bodies relaxed. They were no longer as restrained as before and spoke and did things more freely. Not only did the loser have to drink, but he also had to perform. Most of them were performing poetry recitations. There was also singing and dancing. The scene was noisy. After the new round of drinking, Yu Niaoniao expressed that she did not want to hear the poetry recitation. She wanted to hear the other party tell a story. ¡°It¡¯s best if it¡¯s a local story in Liangzhou. The stranger the better. For example, did a group of strangers suddenly appear here? Or is there a haunted place?¡± The drunken squires had lost their ability to think. They followed her words and began to recall. ¡°You¡¯re the only strangers who¡¯ve been here recently. There¡¯s no one else.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything about ghosts.¡± ¡°Who said there aren¡¯t ghosts? Have you all forgotten about the Ghost Weeping Forest?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! The Ghost Weeping Forest is haunted. I heard that someone once took a shortcut there and happened to encounter the Yin soldiers. He was so frightened that he peed his pants and fell seriously ill when he returned home. From then on, he went crazy. I heard that it was because his soul was taken away by the Yin soldiers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just the Ghost Weeping Forest. There¡¯s also the Chillywind Valley. That place often emits the shrill cries of women. I passed by there once and heard the cries with my own ears. It was terrifying!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget the Xianglan Temple. No one has dared to approach it since it was burned to ruins by the fire, but recently, someone saw ghostly fire near it.¡± As Wei Liao listened to these people tell stories, he finally understood why Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao had come to the banquet tonight. These two people were pretending to socialize at the banquet to get information from the local gentry. As Wei Liao ate, he memorized the places they had mentioned and prepared to send someone to those haunted places to check. He did not believe in ghosts. Even if there were really ghosts, they could only be pretending. By the time the banquet ended, it was late at night. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan left the restaurant and returned to the inn in a carriage. Tonight¡¯s matter went even smoother than Xiao Juan had expected. This was all thanks to Niaoniao. She had helped him block the drinking and even helped him get information. As Xiao Juan stared at the side of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face, his heart was warm. She was really good to him and thought about him all the time. No wonder he thought she really liked him. If it were any other man, they would probably not be able to help but indulge in her meticulous treatment. Yu Niaoniao noticed the man¡¯s gaze and turned to look at him. ¡°Do you feel dizzy? Do you want to rest?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I only drank one glass. It¡¯s fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you encounter such a thing again, let me help you drink. My alcohol tolerance is very good. I won¡¯t get drunk even after a thousand glasses!¡± Xiao Juan recalled the last time she was drunk and refused to let go of him. He praised her against his will. ¡°You can hold your liquor very well, but you still can¡¯t drink too much. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡± Although Xiao Juan had only drunk one cup, after returning to the inn, Yu Niaoniao still personally cooked hangover soup for him. Coincidentally, Wei Liao came to the kitchen to find water. He saw Yu Niaoniao cooking soup and immediately brought over a porcelain bowl. ¡°Give me a bowl.¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her hand. ¡°Ten taels a bowl.¡± Wei Liao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rob someone?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Take it or leave it. It¡¯s not for you anyway.¡± Wei Liao took out a heavy silver ingot and placed it on the stove. Yu Niaoniao happily pocketed the silver ingot and looked at Wei Liao with an exceptionally kind gaze. She looked as if she was looking at a fat sheep. It would be a waste not to take advantage of the opportunity! Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: Prince Consort Chapter 447: Prince Consort Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao scooped a bowl of hangover soup for Wei Liao and gave him a businesslike smile. ¡°Please enjoy.¡± Wei Liao was already used to her greedy reaction. He picked up the bowl and took a sip. In the past, he had drunk hangover soup before. It did not taste good, but today, this bowl of hangover soup was delicious. He couldn¡¯t resist taking two more sips. Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°If you think the taste is good, you can come often in the future. My price is fair and I¡¯m honest.¡± With that, she turned around and left with another bowl of hangover soup. Wei Liao slowly finished his hangover soup. He originally wanted to put the empty bowl back, but on second thought, this was soup he had spent ten taels of silver on. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem to receive the bowl for such an expensive soup, right? Inexplicably, he tucked the empty bowl into his sleeve and walked out of the kitchen as if nothing had happened. The next morning, Xiao Juan called Yan Nanguan over and told him about the haunted places he had heard about at the banquet yesterday. He also asked him to send someone to check those places. Just as Yu Niaoniao had said, it was almost impossible to transport tens of millions of taels of stolen silver into Liangzhou without anyone knowing. It was inevitable that someone would notice something amiss during the process. If one wanted to hide it, ghosts were the simplest and most effective way. As long as there was news of a ghost, the commoners would consciously keep a distance from that place. Occasionally, someone would pass by and notice something amiss, but they would consciously attribute everything to ghosts. Of course, this was just speculation. In the end, it still depended on the results of the investigation. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had just finished breakfast when Cheng Qi arrived. His appearance and outfit were very different from the locals of Liangzhou. His facial features were very handsome, and his eyebrows were slender and exquisite. His lips were red and his teeth were white. The outline of his face was very gentle. His long black hair was casually tied behind him with a headband, and he was wearing a loose long-sleeved shirt. His skin was even fairer than ordinary people¡¯s. From afar, it looked so fair that it glowed. It was a stark contrast to the honey-skinned locals around him. When Yu Niaoniao saw him, she immediately understood why Princess Ni Yang had chosen to marry him. Even though he was already middle-aged, he did not show any signs of gaining weight. He still looked so elegant and handsome. Cheng Qi sized Xiao Juan up and praised him with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. You¡¯ve really grown up! Back then, when you left Liangzhou, you were less than half my height. Now, you¡¯re even taller than me.¡± ¡°Everyone says that the feng Shui of the Imperial Capital is good for people. Now, it seems that it¡¯s true. Look at how well you¡¯ve been raised!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was indifferent, and there was a hint of distance in his politeness. ¡°You don¡¯t look much different from before. You¡¯re still very young.¡± Cheng Qi waved his hand and said humbly, ¡°I¡¯m just superficial. I¡¯m old on the inside. I can¡¯t compare to young people like you.¡± Then, he looked at Yu Niaoniao, who was beside Xiao Juan, and his eyes lit up. ¡°This is Niaoniao, right? As expected of a daughter raised by a scholar. She¡¯s really slender and elegant.¡± Yu Niaoniao bowed. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Consort.¡± Cheng Qi¡¯s gaze was fixed on her. ¡°Niaoniao is sixteen this year, right? She¡¯s really at a good age.¡± ¡°I came in a hurry this time and didn¡¯t prepare anything good for you. This is the sachet I usually use. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± With that, he took off the sachet at his waist and handed it to Yu Niaoniao. His words made everyone present speechless. No father-in-law had ever given his daughter-in-law a sachet he had used when he first saw her. A sachet was a very personal thing. It was usually only given to the closest person to him. Cheng Qi¡¯s intentions were obvious. Yu Niaoniao politely declined. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I don¡¯t usually use sachets.¡± Seeing that she refused to accept it, although Cheng Qi was disappointed, he did not continue to pester her. ¡°In that case, forget it. I¡¯ll give you something else another day.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not know what to say and could only smile awkwardly and politely. Although she had long known that this Prince Consort was a playboy, she had never expected him to not even let his daughter-in-law off. Did he really not care about appearances at all? Xiao Juan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Prince Consort, please respect yourself. Niaoniao is already my wife. ¡± Cheng Qi smiled indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I just think that Niaoniao is cute and can¡¯t help but want to take care of her.¡¯ He said this matter-of-factly as if he really just wanted to take care of his cute daughter-in-law. Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of my Princess Consort myself. There¡¯s no need for others to worry about.¡± Cheng Qi looked helpless. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re still as serious as you were when you were young. With your personality, you¡¯re easily taken advantage of.¡± Xiao Juan seemed to have thought of something, and his gaze turned colder. Cheng Qi yawned, looking sleepy. ¡°I woke up too early today. I haven¡¯t slept enough. Hurry up and pack up. I¡¯ll go back to the carriage to sleep for a while.¡± With that, he turned around and walked out of the inn. Xiao Juan ordered everyone to pack up and set off as soon as possible. Although his face had always been expressionless and one could not tell if he was happy or angry, Yu Niaoniao could still sense that he was not in a good mood. She comforted him softly, ¡°Ignore Cheng Qi. He¡¯s most likely sick.¡± Someone who could target his daughter-in-law was definitely not a normal person. Xiao Juan looked down at her and reminded her, ¡°Cheng Qi does everything based on his whims. He¡¯s a person with no bottom line. You have to be careful. Don¡¯t let him have the chance to approach you.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded obediently. ¡°Yes!¡± Xiao Juan still felt worried. He had to get something special from Lo Pingsha later. The convoy set off again and continued forward. Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha were both riding horses. They spoke quietly as they rode forward. At the end of the conversation, Lo Pingsha nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make it as soon as possible.¡± On the way, when the team stopped to rest, Cheng Qi came to look for Yu Niaoniao for lunch, but she politely declined. Beside him, Chun Feng and Ye Yu looked worried. Even they could tell that this Prince Consort had impure thoughts about the Princess Consort. Yu Niaoniao did not want Cheng Qi to affect her mood for eating. She ate with her usual relish. Xiao Juan regretted agreeing to bring Niaoniao here. If she hadn¡¯t come here, she wouldn¡¯t have suffered this grievance. Wei Liao walked past them and spoke with a faint smile. ¡°That Prince Consort is very enthusiastic about the Princess Consort.¡± He thought Yu Niaoniao would definitely refute him, but she only looked up at him and continued eating. Wei Liao was not used to this. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Better to Enjoy It Alone Chapter 448: Better to Enjoy It Alone Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I just suddenly feel that you¡¯re actually quite pleasing to the eye.¡± Xiao Juan stopped eating and turned to look at her. Wei Liao was also surprised. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Niaoniao said seriously, ¡°As the saying goes, people die when making comparisons; likewise, goods that are compared have to be thrown away. Looking at you, your words are indeed very annoying but compared to Cheng Qi, you¡¯re actually not bad.¡± Wei Liao was speechless Listen, was this what a human would say? Xiao Juan looked away and continued to eat silently. Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Hehe, you really know how to talk.¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°Are you instantly filled with confidence in yourself?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯m not confident, but I¡¯m full of killing intent.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately stopped smiling and turned to lean on Xiao Juan. ¡°Baby, someone wants to kill me. I¡¯m afraid and want a hug¡­. Feeling the warm and soft touch of her leaning over, Xiao Juan¡¯s body involuntarily stiffened. After a long time, he squeezed out three words from his throat, his voice low and a little hoarse. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Yu Niaoniao continued to wheedle. ¡°I want a hug.. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± This scene deeply pierced Wei Liao¡¯s eyes. He felt almost blind. ¡°Can you guys be any more disgusting?¡± Yu Niaoniao snorted. ¡°If you feel disgusted, stay away from us.¡± ¡°You make it sound like I really want to stay with you guys.¡± With that, Wei Liao turned around and left. Xiao Juan pulled his arm out of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao opened her mouth. ¡°I want you to feed me.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu pursed their lips and giggled. They quietly retreated so as not to disturb the couple¡¯s intimacy. Xiao Juan forced himself to look away from Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lips and said expressionlessly, ¡°Eat it yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao pouted. ¡°You can¡¯t even feed me a bite. You¡¯re so petty.¡± Xiao Juan was not petty. He was afraid that he would not be able to control his emotions. He had to keep his distance from her and remind himself at all times not to fall into it again. When it was almost dark, the convoy stopped again. Xiao Juan planned to stay at the courier station as usual, but Cheng Qi was unwilling. He despised the simple environment of the courier station and brought everyone to live in the house of a local squire. The country squire had a big business and a very imposing house. Faced with the visit of the Prince Consort and Duke Lang, the squire was naturally overjoyed. Not only did he let all the best rooms in the house be vacated, but he also carefully prepared a sumptuous meal. Facing a large table of fine wine and delicacies, Cheng Qi was still not satisfied. ¡°Why is there only fine wine? Why isn¡¯t there a beauty?¡± The squire froze. His family actually had some dancers, but because of his status as the emperor¡¯s son-in-law, he did not dare to call those dancers out, as he was afraid of making Princess Ni Yang unhappy. Unexpectedly, the Prince Consort took the initiative to ask for a beauty to serve him. From the looks of it, he did not seem to be afraid of Princess Ni Yang pursuing the matter. The squire could only order someone to bring over all the dancers at home to dance for the distinguished guests. Cheng Qi drank as he admired the beauties dancing. After three rounds of wine, the alcohol hit him. He reached out and pulled the two dancers into his arms. He leaned over and took a deep breath against the beauty¡¯s skin. ¡°The fragrance on a beauty is even more intoxicating than the fragrance of wine.¡± The beauties giggled shyly. If this continued, there would probably be a restricted scene that was not suitable for children. Xiao Juan did not want to dirty his eyes and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m full, Niaoniao. Let¡¯s go.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not want to stay here anymore and left with Xiao Juan. Cheng Qi did not care about this. Seeing that Wei Liao was still around, he asked the beauties to toast him. ¡°It¡¯s better to be happy alone than together. Vice General Wei, don¡¯t be restrained. Please indulge your enthusiasm to enjoy the women of Liangzhou.¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Although I like beauties too, I¡¯m a picky person. If I don¡¯t like them, I won¡¯t be able to enjoy them.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There are Eagle Guards everywhere. Who can bully me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. The eldest daughter of this family was bullied by the Prince Consort just now.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What did Cheng Qi do to her?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Take a guess.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Yu Niaoniao shouted in exasperation, ¡°You¡¯re too wicked!¡± In return, Wei Liao laughed. Fortunately, Xiao Juan returned not long after. He told Yu Niaoniao what had happened. It turned out that Cheng Qi had entered the wrong room after getting drunk and even molested the country squire¡¯s eldest daughter. That was where the shout had come from. Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°What should we do about this?¡± Regardless of whether Cheng Qi had done anything to her, that girl¡¯s reputation was gone. This was a matter that concerned her life. However, Cheng Qi had a noble status, so the squire¡¯s family did not dare to do anything to him. They could only grit their teeth and bear with it it. Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Cheng Qi is the Prince Consort. The Prince Consort can¡¯t take a concubine. Even if that girl follows him, she can at most be his mistress.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not know what to say about this matter.. In the end, she could only curse, ¡°Cheng Qi is really a piece of trash!¡± Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Wolf Pack Chapter 449: Wolf Pack Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The next morning, when Yu Niaoniao saw Cheng Qi again, she saw a young woman beside him. The girl¡¯s eyes were red as if she had just cried, but she did not show much resistance when Cheng Qi hugged her; it seemed as though she had accepted reality. Cheng Qi did not feel ashamed of doing anything wrong. He smiled and said. ¡°I disturbed you last night. It¡¯s my fault. When we reach Jinwu City later, I¡¯ll treat you to wine as an apology.¡± Xiao Juan replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go.¡± Cheng Qi carried the new beauty into the carriage. Yu Niaoniao watched them leave and sighed inwardly. Everyone said that a pot matched a lid. This fellow and Princess Ni Yang were really a match made in heaven. The squire¡¯s family must have benefited from Cheng Qi. Not only did they not pursue the matter last night, but they even sent him away happily. The convoy set off again. Yu Niaoniao leaned against the soft pillow and swayed with the carriage. Unknowingly, she gradually fell asleep. At noon, she was woken up for something to eat. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep in the afternoon. She could only take out cards and play Fight the Landlord with Chun Feng and Ye Yu to pass the time. By the time the carriage stopped again, the sun had set. But they did not manage to find a place to stay. Yu Niaoniao jumped out of the carriage to ask Xiao Juan about the situation and happened to see him talking to Cheng Qi. Xiao Juan had a serious expression and a cold voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that this road could reach Jinwu City faster?¡± Cheng Qi looked helpless. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either. Previously, I took this shortcut to find you. How would I know that I actually went in the wrong direction this time?¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask, ¡°Are we lost?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Cheng Qi said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault this time. I¡¯ll get someone to search the vicinity and see if there¡¯s a place to stay.¡± With that, he called the accompanying guards over and asked them to search nearby. Xiao Juan called Yan Nanguan over and asked him to bring a team of Eagle Guards to investigate the terrain. It was dark and windy now. If there was any danger around, it would be very difficult for them to guard against it. They had to be prepared in advance. Yan Nanguan quickly left with his men. At this moment, Wei Liao came over. He crossed his arms and smiled as if he was watching a good show. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we would take a shortcut? Where are we cutting?¡± Cheng Qi did not feel awkward and smiled. ¡°This time, I did something bad out of kindness. I shouldn¡¯t have led the way. However, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. This place shouldn¡¯t be far from Jinwu City. If something really happens, Jinwu City will send someone to support us.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°So we¡¯re sleeping in the open tonight?¡± Cheng Qi immediately said, ¡°My carriage is very spacious. If you don¡¯t mind, you can spend the night in my carriage.¡± Xiao Juan looked at him expressionlessly, his eyes projecting a death stare. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Cheng Qi explained, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I mean to let Niaoniao and Xiaoya spend the night in the carriage. I¡¯ll just find another place to make do for the night. No matter how difficult the conditions are, it¡¯s impossible for the girls to suffer.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao was speechless. This fellow actually made sense. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Prince Consort. My own carriage is quite comfortable. There¡¯s no need to change places.¡± She looked around and saw that they were now in a rock forest. As far as the eye could see, there were strange rocks. Under the dark sky, these rocks looked like ghosts. Coupled with the cold night wind, a sinister and terrifying atmosphere arose spontaneously. Yu Niaoniao subconsciously shrank her neck. This place did not feel good. A thick cloak fell on her. She turned around and saw Xiao Juan standing behind her. Xiao Juan retracted his hand. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night. Wear more.¡± Yu Niaoniao gathered her cloak and smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Yes!¡± Xiao Juan took out a sachet. ¡°This is for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the sachet and sniffed it. Its fragrance was very special. At first sniff, it smelled a little bitter, but it was very comfortable after a long time. There should be some herbs added to it. She asked curiously, ¡°Where did this sachet come from?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I asked Little Lo to specially make this. There are some special herbs added to it. Wearing it with you can prevent mosquitoes and insects. If you smell it hard, you can even refresh your mind.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very happy. ¡°Wow! Little Lo has such an ability. It¡¯s too powerful! ¡± She immediately put the sachet on. Yan Nanguan returned with the Eagle Guards. They had searched the vicinity, but they had not even seen a family, let alone an inn. This area was filled with rocks. Other than rocks, there was nothing else. It seemed that they would have to sleep in the open tonight. The night was dark, and it was too troublesome to set up a tent at the last minute. Anyway, it was only a night, so Xiao Juan did not let the Eagle Guards set up a tent. Everyone used the firewood they had picked up to light two bonfires. Everyone sat around the fire to warm themselves and casually ate some dry food and water. It was considered dinner tonight. As the night deepened, Yu Niaoniao brought Chun Feng and Ye Yu back to the carriage to rest. Xiao Juan and the Eagle Guards were still sitting by the bonfire. They were prepared to make do tonight. Wei Liao sat beside another bonfire with the Sky Wolf Guards. The two sides were clearly separated and did not interfere with each other. While Yu Niaoniao was in a daze, she suddenly heard an urgent knocking. Knock knock knock! She, Ye Yu, and Chun Feng woke up. The three of them hurriedly pushed open the car window and saw Xiao Juan standing outside the carriage. He lowered his voice. ¡°There¡¯s danger. Get out of the carriage. Be gentle.¡± Yu Niaoniao, Chun Feng, and Ye Yu were shocked. They hurriedly put on their clothes and tiptoed out of the carriage. Xiao Juan immediately protected Yu Niaoniao behind him and retreated behind the rock with the three of them. Yu Niaoniao realized that there were dozens of green eyes not far ahead. They were hidden in the night and could not be seen clearly. Only their eyes emitted a faint cold light. It was a wolf pack! They approached the camp silently under the cover of the night. If not for the fact that the wolves had been discovered by the Eagle Guards on night duty, the convoy would not have known that they had become someone else¡¯s prey. Yu Niaoniao had never seen such a scene and could not help but feel a chill in her heart. Why were there so many wolves? The wolf pack seemed to have sensed their abnormality and knew that they were about to run. The alpha made a prompt decision to raise his head and howl. Immediately after, dozens of wild wolves rushed out of the darkness! They pounced at the humans like arrows. Xiao Juan pushed Yu Niaoniao behind the nearest rock. He drew the No Return Saber. The blade was bright, refracting a sharp light in the night. The first wolf to pounce was injured by the blade and fell to the ground, wailing in pain. The night wind blew over, spreading the smell of blood. The wolves were stimulated and rushed towards Xiao Juan! Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Lost Chapter 450: Lost Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The moment she saw the wolf pack pounce on Xiao Juan, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart was in her throat and she almost forgot to breathe. She took an involuntary step forward and was immediately grabbed by Chun Feng and Ye Yu behind her. ¡°Princess Consort, you can¡¯t go over!¡± Yan Nanguan arrived in time with the Eagle Guards and helped Xiao Juan block most of the wild wolves. Then, Wei Liao and the Sky Wolf Guards arrived. At this critical moment, they could not care less about factional struggles. They pulled out their sabers and attacked! Amidst the blades and shadows, wild wolves kept falling and wailing in pain. The alpha realized that something was wrong. If this continued, even if they could capture a few humans as prey, they would pay a heavy price. The losses outweighed the gains. After weighing the pros and cons, the alpha made a prompt decision and let out a piercing howl. When the remaining wolves heard the order, they immediately withdrew from the battle and quickly gathered together. They lowered themselves to face the enemy, growling low in their throats as they retreated. Yan Nanguan asked, ¡°Should we chase after them?¡± The night was dark and windy. They did not know the terrain here. If they continued to pursue the wolves, it was very likely that the team would get separated and fall into even greater danger. Xiao Juan quickly made a decision. ¡°Don¡¯t chase after a desperate enemy.¡± After waiting for the two sides to put a relatively safe distance between them, the wolf pack turned and left. Their backs quickly disappeared into the vast night. Yu Niaoniao quickly ran out from behind the rock. After confirming that Xiao Juan was not injured, she heaved a sigh of relief. A few carcasses of wild wolves were left at the scene. In addition, a few Eagle Guards and Sky Wolf Guards were injured in the battle. Fortunately, no one died. Lo Pingsha was treating the injured. Yan Nanguan brought people to deal with the carcasses of the wild wolves and cleaned up the remaining blood on the ground to prevent the smell of blood from attracting more wild beasts. Wei Liao spoke suddenly. ¡°Cheng Qi is gone.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan immediately turned to look for Cheng Qi¡¯s carriage. Only then did they realize that his carriage was gone. The guards and servants who had been following Cheng Qi were also gone. Xiao Juan¡¯s expression immediately darkened. ¡°They must have escaped in the chaos.¡± Just now, all of them were busy dealing with the wolf pack and no one was in the mood to pay attention to Cheng Qi and the others. Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°Why did Cheng Qi run away for no reason?¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because he¡¯s guilty.¡± Hearing him say this, Yu Niaoniao had a guess and blurted out. ¡°Could Cheng Qi have deliberately led us the wrong way?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Cheng Qi has lived in Liangzhou for so many years. Logically speaking, he should be very familiar with this place, but he led us to take the wrong way. This doesn¡¯t make sense. In addition, Cheng Qi took the opportunity to escape when the wolves suddenly attacked in the middle of the night. Who would believe that he didn¡¯t deliberately arrange this?¡± Yu Niaoniao was still puzzled. ¡°But what does he want? Even if he kills us, he won¡¯t gain anything.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t forget what we came to Liangzhou for.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to celebrate Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday and secretly investigate the whereabouts of that stolen silver¡­ At this point, Yu Niaoniao was enlightened. ¡°It¡¯s that stolen silver!¡± If Cheng Qi was related to that stolen silver, then he had a very good reason to kill Duke Lang! Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°He can run, but he can¡¯t hide. Cheng Qi definitely has to return to the princess¡¯s residence. When we find him, we¡¯ll definitely confront him!¡± Wei Liao said lazily. ¡°But we have to get out of here safely. It¡¯s only been one night and we¡¯ve encountered a wolf pack. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll encounter tomorrow.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°At dawn, we¡¯ll set off and reach Jinwu City as soon as possible.¡± Wei Liao yawned. ¡°I hope we can still make it to Jinwu City.¡± With that, he turned around and walked away, planning to sleep well while there was still some time before dawn. Xiao Juan asked Yu Niaoniao to go back and sleep for a while. Yu Niaoniao also knew that at this point, it was most important to recuperate and deal with the next predicament. ¡°Have a good rest too.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Niaoniao, Chun Feng, and Ye Yu returned to the carriage. After that soul-stirring battle just now, the three of them were still a little afraid. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao was happy-go-lucky. She closed her eyes and fell asleep not long after. When she woke the next morning, the wolf¡¯s carcasses were gone and the blood had been cleaned off the ground. The Eagle Guards were methodically counting the supplies. Everything looked normal again. It was as if the fierce battle last night had been a dream. At this moment, the sky was bright and Yu Niaoniao could finally see her surroundings clearly. Large rocks were scattered everywhere. Their surfaces showed signs of being eroded by wind and sand, interspersed with small trees. Occasionally, crows flew across the sky, letting out ugly cries. No matter how she looked at it, this was not a good place. After a simple breakfast, the group set off again. They tried to head back the way they had come, but after walking for most of the day, they could not find the original path. No matter how they walked, they were still surrounded by huge rocks in strange shapes. They could neither see anyone nor find a decent path. Yan Nanguan pointed at a triangular mark on the rock and spoke with difficulty. ¡°This is the mark I made before. We¡¯re back where we were.¡¯ In other words, they were lost. Xiao Juan looked at the triangular mark with a dark expression. ¡°Try another direction.¡± The group chose a completely opposite direction and continued on their way. But in the end, they returned to the marked place. This time, the entire team fell silent. Even the horses were moving uneasily in place. At this moment, the sun was already setting in the west. It would be dark soon. Yu Niaoniao jumped out of the carriage and walked over to look at the triangular mark on the rock. Then she looked around. The rocks were like natural walls, turning the place into a huge maze. And they were the travelers trapped in the maze. If they couldn¡¯t find a way out, they could only die trapped in this godforsaken place. Wei Liao was also a little frustrated. He said angrily, ¡°This finally explains why Cheng Qi lured us here.lf we were bitten to death by the wolves, he could blame the wolves for everything. Even if we were lucky enough to escape from the wolves, we would not be able to leave this godforsaken place safely. In the future, if the Imperial Court sent someone to investigate this matter, Cheng Qi could say that we had taken the wrong path. In short, everything has nothing to do with him.¡± Cheng Qi did not look promising. He seemed to be just a profligate son who was obsessed with alcohol and sex. They did not expect him to be so powerful when it came to harming people. Not only Wei Liao, but even Xiao Juan had misjudged. Yu Niaoniao stroked the triangular mark with her fingertips and asked coldly. ¡°Little Yan, are you sure this is the mark you drew?¡± Yan Nanguan nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes..¡± Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Ghost Cry Forest Chapter 451: Ghost Cry Forest Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you suspect that there¡¯s something wrong with this mark?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought for a moment and said, ¡°We deliberately changed directions just now. Logically speaking, we shouldn¡¯t have returned to where we were. There are only two possibilities for this to happen. One, the mark has been tampered with, and two, our sense of direction has deviated.¡± In order to verify if there was anything wrong with the mark, Yu Niaoniao ordered someone to get a brush. She dipped it in ink and wrote a strange English sentence on the rock. No one around her could understand what she was writing. They looked confused. Yu Niaoniao threw the brush to Ye Yu and looked at the English on the rock. She nodded in satisfaction. ¡°In that case, it¡¯ll be difficult for others to imitate it. The group continued forward with their torches. After a long walk, they saw the string of English words Yu Niaoniao had written. Yu Niaoniao had a photographic memory. After carefully comparing every detail of the English language, it was exactly as she remembered. This confirmed that the mark was fine. The problem was their sense of direction. There were rocks everywhere. They looked different, but if you looked at them for a long time, you would realize that they actually looked similar. It was easy for them to affect one¡¯s sense of direction. Yu Niaoniao looked up at the starry sky above. Sensory distractions might appear, but the stars in the sky did not lie. She turned to look at Xiao Juan and asked, ¡°Do you remember which direction the sun set when we came here yesterday?¡± The sun naturally set from the west, but Xiao Juan knew that was not what she was asking. He remembered briefly and replied. ¡°It¡¯s our left.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then we came from the north.¡¯ She pointed to the Big Dipper in the sky and continued, ¡°It¡¯s in the north. We just have to go straight in its direction and we should find a way out.¡¯ Everyone was a little confused, not understanding how she had come to this conclusion. Xiao Juan did not think too much about it and immediately gave the order to advance in the direction of the Big Dipper. It was late at night, and the cold wind kept blowing through the cracks between the rocks, making a whooshing sound like a woman¡¯s cry in the night. On the way, they also found traces left behind by the wolves, which meant that the wolves had been around. Even though they were already very tired, everyone had no choice but to perk up and be careful to avoid being ambushed by the wolves again. This time, Yu Niaoniao did not take a carriage. She also chose to ride a horse. She was wearing a thick cloak. From time to time, she would look up at the starry sky to make sure they were heading in the right direction. The Eagle Guard in charge of scouting ahead suddenly shouted. ¡°There¡¯s no way forward!¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately urged the horse under her to go forward with Xiao Juan. They reached the front of the group. In the hazy starlight, they could see a small rock mountain ahead. If they continued, they would die. At this moment, Wei Liao rode over. He looked at the rocky hill ahead and smiled. ¡°Princess Consort, your judgment seems to be wrong. We didn¡¯t see such a small mountain when we came.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not say anything. At this moment, she wondered if she had made a mistake. Xiao Juan dismounted and walked to the front of the rock mountain. He raised his hand and touched the rock wall before shouting at Yan Nanguan. ¡°Torches!¡± Yan Nanguan immediately ran over with a torch. With the help of the fire, Xiao Juan carefully observed the marks on the rock wall and squatted down to look at the sand on the ground. Yu Niaoniao also jumped off the horse and walked to his side. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The sand on the ground should have been newly paved. Someone had been here before. In order not to be discovered, they took the sand from elsewhere to cover the traces.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao squatted down to take a closer look. Indeed, the sand on the surface was a little different from the sand below. She reached out and pulled away the sand on the surface. She saw two deep ruts below. ¡°This must be a mark left by a carriage. For it to make such deep ruts, it must be carrying something heavy¡­¡¯ At this point, she had a guess. ¡°Could this be their way to deliver stolen silver?¡± At this moment, Wei Liao also leaned over. He squatted down and carefully examined the marks on the ground. ¡°Princess Consort, looks like I have to take back what I just said. You should be right this time.¡± Xiao Juan ordered the Eagle Guards to sweep away the sand on the ground. We Liao was unwilling to fall behind, and his Sky Wolf Guards also joined in the cleaning. The sand on the surface was swept away, and the long ruts were clearly displayed in front of everyone. They followed the rutted track and saw that it extended to the foot of the rock hill and stopped abruptly in front of a boulder. The Eagle Guards and the Sky Wolf Guards worked together to move the huge rock away. A deep tunnel appeared in front of everyone. Yan Nanguan led a small team into the tunnel. They went to investigate the situation first. The others waited outside. They did not have to wait long before Yan Nanguan returned with his men. Their faces were filled with joy. ¡°The way out is ahead!¡± Hearing this news, everyone perked up. The team entered the tunnel methodically. The tunnel was just wide enough for a carriage to enter. By the time they passed through the tunnel, the sky was already bright. Yu Niaoniao looked over and realized that this was already the edge of the rock forest. As long as they moved forward for a while, they could leave this place. At this moment, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. They were finally leaving this godforsaken place! After leaving the tunnel, the rutted tracks extended to the road ahead. Carriages often passed by on this road. The ruts on the ground intersected with each other. It was difficult to tell who was who. A middle-aged man was walking forward with firewood. He was startled to see a large group of people coming out of the rock forest and shouted in the local language. ¡°Why are you guys out of this place?¡± Only Xiao Juan could understand Liangzhou language and he responded, ¡°Is there a problem here?¡± The middle-aged man was also enthusiastic and immediately spoke to him. Yu Niaoniao did not understand a word. Xiao Juan got someone to give the middle-aged man a silver ingot and sent him away. Seeing that Yu Niaoniao was looking at him curiously, he took the initiative to explain, ¡°The person just said that the place where we were trapped is called the Ghost Cry Forest. The terrain there is complicated. If you¡¯re not familiar with the locals here, it¡¯s difficult to come out once you enter. Moreover, there are wild beasts there at night that eat people.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately remembered. ¡°Previously, those squires mentioned the Ghost Weeping Forest. Could this be it?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s said that there¡¯s a cold wind here all year round and you can hear the cries of female ghosts. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called the Ghost Weeping Forest..¡± Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Xianglan Temple Chapter 452: Xianglan Temple Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao recalled the previous night¡¯s experience and knew that the ¡°weeping¡± was actually the sound of the wind passing through the rock gap. It did sound a little like a woman crying, but in fact, there were no ghosts at all. Xiao Juan continued, ¡°That person just said that there¡¯s a village ahead. We can go there to rest.¡± After a day and night, they were already tired. They continued to find a place to rest. The group walked along the road and quickly saw the village the middle-aged man had mentioned. Knowing that they were important guests from the Imperial Capital, the village chief did not dare to delay. He killed chickens and sheep and prepared a very sumptuous meal to entertain them. After eating dry food for two days, Yu Niaoniao could finally eat a hot dish today. Naturally, she was very happy. Seeing that she was eating to her heart¡¯s content, Xiao Juan was especially generous when he paid. The village chief held the heavy silver ingots and smiled from ear to ear. Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to ask for the route to Jinwu City. After receiving the reward, the village chief naturally answered everything he knew and quickly told them everything he knew. Although Cheng Qi had tricked them into the Ghost Weeping Forest, there was something he wasn¡¯t lying about¡ª This place was indeed not far from Jinwu City. As long as they walked along the road, they would see the official road. After walking along the official road for half a day, they would see Jinwu City. Yu Niaoniao turned to ask again. ¡°Have you seen a large group of people driving past here in carriages recently?¡± The village chief spoke in accented official language. ¡°Yes, although this place is remote, we can reach Jinwu City from here. Some caravans who could not bear to pay on the official road would choose to take our path. Sometimes, they will even come to our village to rest. We can also take the opportunity to earn some tea money.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Was there a strange-looking team among them? The kind of people who don¡¯t like to talk and are obviously not to be trifled with. They¡¯re very vigilant. ¡± The village chief thought about it carefully. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve never seen anyone like them.¡± ¡°What about the others in your village?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I¡¯ll ask for you.¡¯ ¡°The village chief was about to leave when his son suddenly spoke from behind, ¡°I saw a team not long ago. They passed in front of our village. I was returning from herding sheep.¡± ¡°There were many people on their team and it was getting late. I thought that if they could stay in the village for the night, we could earn a lot by providing accommodation.¡± ¡°Unexpectedly, as soon as I asked, they glared at me. It was terrifying. It was as if they were going to kill me if I dared to say another word. I was so frightened that I hurried home.¡± The village chief quickly asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this before?¡± His son scratched his head. ¡°It was just a small matter so I forgot. If this lady hadn¡¯t asked today, I wouldn¡¯t have remembered that.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Did you see which direction they went?¡± The village chief¡¯s son said, ¡°I remember they were heading for Xianglan Mountain.¡± The village chief was very surprised. ¡°Why did they go to Xianglan Mountain? No one dared to go to that place for a long time. Did you remember wrongly?¡± His son hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t think I remember¡­¡± Seeing the village chief¡¯s strange expression, Xiao Juan asked. ¡°Is there a problem with Xianglan Mountain?¡± The village chief hesitated for a moment, but in the end, on account of the large reward, he told the truth. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with Xianglan Mountain, but there¡¯s something wrong with Xianglan Temple in the mountains. There were clearly no incense offerings in that temple.¡± ¡°However, the monks in the temple never came out to ask for alms and never interacted with the commoners living around. It was very strange!¡± ¡°Not long ago, the temple was on fire. The entire temple was burned clean. Logically speaking, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone in the temple. However, someone saw figures moving in the temple at night.¡± ¡°Everyone said that that temple was haunted. Anyone who dared to approach the temple would be pestered by evil spirits. As time passed, no one dared to approach it again.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan exchanged glances. They already understood each other. It seemed that they had to visit the ¡°haunted¡± Xianglan Temple. The group filled their water bags with fresh water again and fed the horses before setting off again. They saw the rumored Xianglan Temple the next afternoon. It happened to be a cloudy day. The sky was misty and there were mountain rocks everywhere. Xianglan Temple, which had been burned to ruins, stood alone. From afar, it really looked a little sinister. Xiao Juan was about to go in and investigate personally when he was stopped by Yan Nanguan. ¡°We don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on inside. It won¡¯t be good if you encounter danger inside. Why don¡¯t you let me go in and investigate the situation for you first?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. When you go in and come out, it¡¯ll probably be dark. We don¡¯t have much time left. We have to investigate this place today. Take someone to keep watch outside. I¡¯ll bring a team in. If the situation inside is wrong, I¡¯ll ignite the quiver and inform you.¡± Seeing that he was determined to leave, Yan Nanguan could only compromise. ¡°Alright, you have to be careful.¡± At this moment, Wei Liao walked over and said to Xiao Juan. ¡°I have nothing to do anyway. I might as well go down with you.¡± Xiao Juan refused expressionlessly. ¡°No.¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t trust me?¡± If it were anyone else, they would more or less hide it, but Xiao Juan admitted it frankly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll stab me in the back.¡± With that, he left with the Eagle Guards. Wei Liao¡¯s mission this time was to keep an eye on Xiao Juan. He could not let Xiao Juan leave his field of vision. He was about to follow when Yan Nanguan blocked his way. Yan Nanguan said solemnly, ¡°His Highness has said that you can¡¯t follow him in. Please don¡¯t disobey His Highness and wait here in peace.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Get lost!¡± Yan Nanguan stood still. Wei Liao sneered. ¡°You asked for it!¡± Just as he was about to make a move, Yu Niaoniao stopped him. ¡°What are you doing? Duke Lang has just left, and you¡¯re already planning to rebel?¡± Wei Liao snapped, ¡°It has nothing to do with you. Move.¡± Yu Niaoniao placed her hands on her hips and said righteously. ¡°What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? I heard it all just now. You want to cause trouble for Duke Lang. Duke Lang is my husband. This has a lot to do with me!¡± Wei Liao laughed in anger. ¡°Hehe, are you saying I¡¯m causing trouble?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not want to fall out with him at this time. After all, Xiao Juan was not around. If Wei Liao really fought, no one present could suppress him. Hence, Yu Niaoniao softened her tone. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve been traveling for so long. Don¡¯t you feel tired? Hurry up and rest.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± Yu Niaoniao rubbed the back of her waist. ¡°But I¡¯m tired. My back hurts from riding in the carriage every day. It¡¯s so uncomfortable.¡± Wei Liao said disdainfully, ¡°Delicate!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I¡¯m delicate! How can I compare to Young Master Wei? You were born with thick skin. Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: Explosion Chapter 453: Explosion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although Yu Niaoniao said that she wanted to rest, she was actually very worried and could not be at ease. She kept pacing back and forth, occasionally glancing up at the temple. She wondered how Xiao Juan was doing inside. Would he be in danger? The others were busy with their own things. No one spoke. Everyone was waiting for Duke Lang¡¯s return. Time passed bit by bit. Yu Niaoniao felt more and more uneasy. She could not help but ask. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they out yet? Should we send someone in to take a look?¡± Wei Liao took the initiative to say, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± This time, Yan Nanguan did not stop him because he was also a little uneasy. Yan Nanguan said, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone in with you.¡± Wei Liao knew that they didn¡¯t trust him, so he couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything else. He walked straight towards Xianglan Temple. However, he had only taken two steps when he suddenly heard a loud bang! The underground of Xianglan Temple exploded! The already charred ruins were immediately blasted into pieces. Red flames soared into the sky, followed by billowing smoke. Everyone present was shocked by this sudden scene. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face instantly turned as pale as paper. ¡°No! It can¡¯t be!¡± Without thinking, she wanted to rush into the temple, but Wei Liao stopped her. ¡°You¡¯re courting death if you go in now!¡± Yu Niaoniao was completely flustered. There was only one thought in her mind ¡°Xiao Juan is still inside!¡± She struggled desperately, wanting to rush into the temple to look for Xiao Juan. However, Wei Liao held onto her tightly. Yan Nanguan had already reacted and roared, ¡°What are you waiting for? Put out the fire!¡± Everyone began to scramble for tools to extinguish the fire. There was no water source nearby, so they could only rely on sand to extinguish the fire. Baskets of sand were carried over and poured into the sea of fire. The fire was gradually diminishing, but no one was seen running out of the temple. Everyone¡¯s hearts sank. It seemed that it was very likely that something had happened to Duke Lang. When the flames were almost extinguished, Wei Liao let go of Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao rushed into the temple that had been burned to ruins and shouted Xiao Juan¡¯s name. ¡°Xiao Juan! Where are you!¡± There was no response. The Eagle Guards also came in and began to search everywhere, hoping to find traces of Duke Lang. Unfortunately, they found nothing. Yan Nanguan gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Continue searching! I want to see him dead or alive!¡± The Eagle Guards had no choice but to continue searching. They searched all night and found nothing the next morning. This time, even Yan Nanguan did not know what to do next. Yu Niaoniao had searched almost every part of the ruins, but she still could not find the person she was looking for. Her hands, face, and clothes were covered in black charcoal dust. She was dirty; she did not look like a county princess, but more like a beggar. But at this moment, she could not care less. She stood in the ruins, looking around blankly, her voice hoarse. ¡°Xiao Juan, where are you?¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu followed her and helped her search. Both of them had given up hope. Duke Lang was most likely to have been blown up. But they did not dare to say that. They were afraid that the Princess Consort would not be able to accept it. Lo Pingsha walked over and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°You must be tired after searching all night. Go eat something and rest. Leave this to us.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao did not seem to hear him. She was still repeating that sentence¡ª ¡°Xiao Juan, where are you?¡± Helpless, Lo Pingsha could only let Chun Feng and Ye Yu forcefully send the Princess Consort back to the carriage. Chun Feng and Ye Yu supported Yu Niaoniao¡¯s arms on both sides. ¡°Princess Consort, let¡¯s go.¡± Yu Niaoniao refused to move. ¡°I haven¡¯t found him yet. I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Chun Feng advised, ¡°Even if you want to look for him, you have to take care of yourself first. What if you fall sick when you find His Highness? His heart will ache then!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes turned red as tears fell one after another. ¡°Can I still find him?¡± No one could answer that question. Chun Feng and Ye Yu fell silent. Even Lo Pingsha did not know how to answer. Yu Niaoniao cried and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t made things clear to him. I haven¡¯t let him see the scene I specially rehearsed for him. There are still many things I haven¡¯t done with him¡­¡± The more she spoke, the worse she felt and the louder she cried. Grief spread through the ruins and everyone present felt terrible. Even Yan Nanguan, who had always been calm and reserved, could not help but tear up. Although it was normal for the Eagle Guards to suffer casualties since they were a group of people walking on the edge of a knife. Danger and death followed them every day. However, Duke Lang had left too suddenly. Before they could react, it had happened. They didn¡¯t even have a chance to redeem themselves. This sudden separation was the most unacceptable. At noon, Yu Niaoniao still refused to rest and continued to search the ruins. As long as she had not seen the corpse, there was still a glimmer of hope in her heart. Her hands were bruised and battered. She was so tired that she could barely stand. Lo Pingsha felt that he could not let her continue like this. He reached out and knocked her unconscious on the back of her neck. Then he let Chun Feng and Ye Yu help her back into the carriage. Lo Pingsha brought the medical kit and helped her treat the wounds on her hands. When Yu Niaoniao woke up, it was already night. She had been changed into clean clothes. Her face and hands were clean. She struggled to get up, wanting to continue searching for Xiao Juan in the ruins. As soon as she sat up, she saw Wei Liao sitting beside her. Yu Niaoniao asked hoarsely, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Wei Liao had been sitting here for some time. Just now, he had looked at her quietly and saw that she was frowning even when she was sleeping. She was still shouting Xiao Juan¡¯s name. Wei Liao had never experienced the feeling of treating another person as important. He couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°What will you do if Duke Lang really dies?¡± His words accurately pierced the most painful place in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart. She was very angry. ¡°Even if you die, Xiao Juan won¡¯t die!¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be angry with me. We both know that in this situation, Xiao Juan¡¯s chances of survival are very low.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to refute him, but she could not. Thinking that she would never see Xiao Juan again, her tears fell again. Wei Liao said disdainfully, ¡°Why are you crying again? Women are so troublesome.¡± Even as he said that, he handed over his silk handkerchief. Yu Niaoniao did not take the silk handkerchief. She hugged her legs, lowered her head, and buried her face between her knees. Her thin shoulders rose and fell with the crying. Wei Liao¡¯s voice reached her ears. ¡°If Duke Lang is no longer around, do you want to consider following me?¡± Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Fragrance Sachet Chapter 454: Fragrance Sachet Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao¡¯s tone was filled with mockery. It was obvious that he was joking. Yu Niaoniao was furious. She grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it at him, crying and cursing. ¡°Get lost!¡± Wei Liao reached out and caught the pillow, his smile growing wider. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a two-legged toad. Two-legged men are all over the street. Why would you hang yourself from a tree?¡± Yu Niaoniao was exasperated. ¡°Are you leaving? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll call for help!¡± Wei Liao put down the pillow and stopped smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll stop teasing you. I came to you for something serious.¡± Yu Niaoniao wiped her tears and said doubtfully, ¡°What serious business can you have?¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°Have you ever wondered why Xianglan Temple suddenly exploded?¡± From the beginning of the explosion until now, Yu Niaoniao had been immersed in grief. Her brain had forgotten to function and she was not in the mood to think about anything else. Hearing his question, Yu Niaoniao began to think. ¡°There was a strong smell of gunpowder in the ruins. Someone must have buried gunpowder in Xianglan Temple. There must be a lot of gunpowder to cause such a big explosion.¡± Wei Liao also smelled the gunpowder. ¡°Gunpowder is not something ordinary people can get their hands on, let alone such a large amount of gunpowder.¡± Yu Niaoniao recalled the ruts they had seen in the Ghost Weeping Forest and had a guess. ¡°Maybe the ruts in the Ghost Weeping Forest are bait. Whoever¡¯s behind this knows that if we want to leave the Ghost Weeping Forest, we¡¯ll definitely find those ruts and follow them to this place.¡± Wei Liao continued, ¡°So they planted explosives here in advance. Whoever dares to enter will be killed. This is a series of schemes!¡± From the Ghost Weeping Forest to Xianglan Temple, it was all about killing those who wanted to track down the stolen money. Yu Niaoniao clenched her fists and smashed them against the floor of the carriage. ¡°It must have been Cheng Qi! That guy is too vicious!¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Cheng Qi is a suspect, but we don¡¯t have any evidence. Even if we confront him, he can deny it.¡± Cheng Qi was from a prestigious family and was the Prince Consort. Moreover, this was Liangzhou, the territory of Princess Ni Yang. Without real evidence, the Eagle Guards and the Heavenly Wolf Guards could not do anything to him. Yu Niaoniao was angry, hateful, and deeply helpless. She could not help but mutter, ¡°If only Xiao Juan was still here¡­¡± If he was around, he would definitely have a way to deal with Cheng Qi. Wei Liao asked coldly. ¡°Do you think Duke Lang must be dead?¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her head. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want him to die, but now that we can¡¯t find him¡­ Wei Liao explained his thoughts, ¡°From what I know of Duke Lang, he¡¯s not the kind of person who will be killed easily. If one could get rid of him so easily, he would not have been alive and well after being in charge of the Justice Department for so many years.¡± ¡°It had to be known that there were countless people in the court who wanted him dead, including many who were stronger than Cheng Qi. If they can¡¯t even take Duke Lang¡¯s life, can Cheng Qi do it alone?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up at him and blinked slowly. ¡°You mean, Xiao Juan should still be alive? But if he¡¯s still alive, why didn¡¯t he come out?¡± Wei Liao couldn¡¯t figure this out either. Xiao Juan cared so much about Yu Niaoniao. If he wanted to fake his death, he would definitely inform her in advance to prevent her from being sad. However, from Yu Niaoniao¡¯s reaction, she really did not know anything. Wei Liao said as he thought, ¡°Did Duke Lang give you any hints before? Or did he give you anything special?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought for a moment and remembered. ¡°He gave me a sachet.¡± With that, she took off the sachet hanging at her waist. On the surface, it was just an ordinary sachet and nothing special. Wei Liao asked her to open the sachet to take a look. Yu Niaoniao opened the sachet and poured out all the spices inside. She realized that there was a small note mixed in. She immediately unfolded the small note. On it was a line of words¡ª Princess¡¯s birthday in Jinwu City. Yu Niaoniao immediately became excited. ¡°This is Xiao Juan¡¯s handwriting!¡± Wei Liao took the note and looked at it. ¡°Prince Lang probably wants us to continue to Jinwu City and attend Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday banquet. He will meet us at the birthday banquet.¡± Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. ¡°In that case, he¡¯s still alive. He¡¯s not dead!¡± Wei Liao nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure Duke Lang had already expected that the rest of the trip would be dangerous and agreed on a rendezvous point with you in advance.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately smiled through her tears and straightened up. ¡°Then let¡¯s set off now and hurry to Jinwu City!¡± Wei Liao returned the note to her and reminded her, ¡°The fewer people who know about this, the better.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded in understanding. Although she did not know what Xiao Juan¡¯s plan was, the fact that he only told her about this meant that it was not appropriate to spread it. She burned the small note and carefully put the spices back into the sachet. Seeing that she had completely recovered, Wei Liao prepared to get up and leave. Yu Niaoniao suddenly stopped him. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Take a guess.¡± Yu Niaoniao really did not understand. ¡°Logically speaking, if Xiao Juan dies, it will be beneficial to you. There¡¯s no need for you to do anything unnecessary.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. If Duke Lang really dies, it will only cause more harm to me.¡± Seeing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s puzzled expression, he patiently said a few more words, ¡°Why do you think the emperor set up the Sky Wolf Guards? It was to use us to restrain the Eagle Guards. Once Duke Lang dies and the Eagle Guards disperse, do you think there¡¯s a need for us to exist?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Wei Liao laughed at himself. ¡°It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t want Duke Lang to be well, but I don¡¯t want him to really die. Only when he¡¯s alive can our Heavenly Wolf Guards continue to have value.¡± With that, he pushed open the carriage door and jumped out. Yu Niaoniao shouted at him, ¡°Thank you!¡± Whatever his motives, he had helped her. If he hadn¡¯t reminded her, she would still be in grief. Wei Liao stopped and turned around to speak to her. ¡°If you really want to thank me, consider my previous suggestion. I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯re a widow, as long as you can still paint.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not react at first. After a while, she remembered what he was suggesting. This guy was still thinking of poaching her! She was furious. ¡°Get lost!¡± She couldn¡¯t be polite to this guy! Wei Liao laughed and walked away. In the eyes of others, Wei Liao had taken advantage of the fact that Duke Lang had just left to bully the Princess Consort. His actions were really arrogant. Yan Nanguan gritted his teeth in anger. ¡°Wei, don¡¯t go overboard! Even if Duke Lang was no longer around, we¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°If anyone dares to bully the Princess Consort, they will be enemies with our Eagle Guards!¡± Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Jinwu City Chapter 455: Jinwu City Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Eagle Guards stared at Wei Liao with hostility. Seeing this, the Sky Wolf Guards were not to be outdone and glared back fiercely. The two sides fell into a tense state again. Yu Niaoniao quickly jumped out of the carriage and shouted at them. ¡°Wei Liao didn¡¯t bully me. Don¡¯t do anything rash. Now is not the time for internal strife!¡± Now that Xiao Juan was not around, she had to stabilize the situation for him. For the sake of the County Princess, the Eagle Guards looked away. Yan Nanguan went forward and asked, ¡°Why are you down?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes were still red and her voice was a little hoarse, but her mental state had returned to normal. ¡°Have a good night¡¯s rest. We¡¯ll leave here in the morning.¡± Yan Nanguan was surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to look for Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her eyes, her expression sad. ¡°If we could have found him, we would have.¡¯ ¡°If we delay any longer, it would only waste time. We might as well leave this place first. Let¡¯s go to Jinwu City and tell Princess Ni Yang about this. We have to find out the cause of the explosion and see who planned all this.¡± When she said the last two sentences, she gritted her teeth and her tone revealed some ruthlessness. ¡°Whoever did it has to pay with his life!¡± Yan Nanguan¡¯s expression was stern. ¡°Okay.¡± He passed down the Princess Consort¡¯s order. Although the Eagle Guards still could not accept the fact that Duke Lang had suddenly left, they rationally knew that the Princess Consort¡¯s actions were the most correct. Instead of being obsessed with grief, they might as well take action and avenge Duke Lang! When Yu Niaoniao turned around, she saw Ling Hai and Ling Miao standing not far away. Ling Miao¡¯s condition was almost healed, but her body was still very thin. She clung to her brother, and looked a little nervous. Ling Hai brought his sister to Yu Niaoniao and said, ¡°I heard that something happened to Duke Lang. Is there anything we can do to help?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head to indicate that she did not, then said. ¡°You should know that our destination is the princess¡¯s residence, right? I know you don¡¯t like Princess Ni Yang, but I still hope you can control your emotions next. Don¡¯t let anyone see through you.¡± Ling Hai pursed his lower lip. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t cause you trouble.¡± If he was alone, it did not matter if he risked his life to take revenge on Princess Ni Yang. But he still had a sister. If he died, how would his sister live? His sister was all he had left. He couldn¡¯t leave her alone. He had to live. Only by living could he protect the people he wanted to protect. The next morning, the team set off again. Yan Nanguan found Yu Niaoniao and looked troubled. ¡°Princess Consort, there¡¯s a little trouble with Dark Cloud.¡± Dark Cloud was Xiao Juan¡¯s mount. It seemed to be able to sense everyone¡¯s sadness and stayed on the spot anxiously, unwilling to leave and not allowing anyone to approach it. It kicked anyone who dared to approach it. When Yu Niaoniao went over, she saw a few Eagle Guards surrounding the Dark Cloud, trying to calm it down so that it could obediently leave with the main group. Unfortunately, it was useless. Like its owner, this fellow was stubborn. Yu Niaoniao leaned over and waved at Dark Cloud. At the same time, she called its name. Dark Cloud remembered Yu Niaoniao¡¯s voice and the scent on her body. It relaxed its vigilance a little. Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to approach it and reach out to touch its head. Yan Nanguan was very nervous. ¡°Princess Consort, be careful. Don¡¯t be kicked by it. This guy is so strong that it could break the bones of an adult man with a kick.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her hand, indicating for Yan Nanguan to stop talking. She slowly placed her small hand on Dark Cloud¡¯s head. Seeing that Dark Cloud did not reject her, she gently touched its head. Dark Cloud felt very comfortable and subconsciously leaned towards Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao took out an oil paper bag from her sleeve. There were a few Maltesers in the oil paper bag. She pinched a Malteser and brought it to Dark Cloud¡¯s mouth. Dark Cloud first sniffed and smelled the sweetness. He immediately opened his mouth and bit into the Malteser, eating it. The candy was quickly finished. It licked its mouth reluctantly and rubbed its head against Yu Niaoniao¡¯s arm, indicating that it wanted more. Yu Niaoniao gave it another piece of candy. When it finished eating and wanted a third piece, Yu Niaoniao refused to give it anymore. ¡°Too much sugar will cause your teeth to rot. When we reach Jinwu City, I¡¯ll get you some more delicious food.¡± It was unknown if the Dark Cloud understood her. When Yu Niaoniao led it forward, it did not resist and obediently followed its mistress. This scene made Yan Nanguan angry and amused. He had thought that Dark Cloud was unwilling to leave because it refused to leave its master, but two Maltesers coaxed it. It turned out that in its heart, its master had about the same value as two Maltesers. Yu Niaoniao did not take the carriage again today. She chose to ride. Dark Cloud carried her steadily forward. There was no sun today. The wind was strong, blowing in their faces with sand. Yu Niaoniao was wearing a cloak and a veil on her head. She covered herself tightly. They stopped for a rest on the way to replenish the horses¡¯ feed and water before continuing on their way. They finally arrived at Jinwu City before dark. To Yu Niaoniao¡¯s surprise, the gatekeeper of Jinwu City was actually a woman. The female general was tall and tanned. When she smiled, she revealed neat white teeth. ¡°You¡¯re the Princess Consort of Lang County, right? The Eldest Princess has already instructed us to wait for you here.¡± Yu Niaoniao pulled down the veil covering her mouth and nose and asked, ¡°Where is the Eldest Princess now?¡± The female general said, ¡°The weather has been hot recently. The Eldest Princess has gone to the courtyard outside the city to avoid the heat. She should be back tomorrow. Please go to the princess¡¯s residence to rest for th time being.¡± She looked behind Yu Niaoniao and asked hesitantly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I see His Highness?¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her eyes and looked sad. ¡°He had an accident on the wa The female general was extremely surprised. ¡°Something happened to Duke Lang? How did this happen?¡± Yu Niaoniao roughly explained the accident they had encountered at Xiangk Temple. The female general was puzzled. ¡°Why did you go to a place like Xianglan Temple for no reason?¡± ¡°We heard that it was haunted and didn¡¯t believe it, so we wanted to go over and take a look. Who knew that such a thing would happen? If I had known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to go there no matter what.¡± As Yu Niaoniao spoke, her eyes turned red again. The female general hurriedly comforted her. ¡°My condolences. I¡¯ll report thi matter to Princess Ni Yang. We must find out the truth and give you an explanation.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded with tears in her eyes. ¡°Thank you, General.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Princess Consort.¡± The female general led the way in front and led Yu Niaoniao and the others to the princess¡¯s residence. As soon as Yu Niaoniao entered the princess¡¯s residence, she saw a familiar face. Cheng Qi greeted her with a smile. ¡°Welcome to the princess¡¯s residence..¡± Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Let鈥檚 Die Together! Chapter 456: Let¡¯s Die Together! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The moment she saw Cheng Qi, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s fists immediately hardened. She wanted to rush up and beat his smiling face into a pig¡¯s head! But reason kept her emotions under control. She barely suppressed the urge to punch him and asked word by word, ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave with us? Why did you leave us in a lurch?¡± Cheng Qi looked surprised as if he was puzzled by her words. ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s because the wolf pack attacked. The scene was too chaotic, so we had no choice but to get separated from you. How can I leave you behind and run away? You can¡¯t say that casually.¡± Yu Niaoniao had expected him to refuse to admit it. Unless she had evidence, there was nothing she could do to him. Yu Niaoniao tried her best to maintain her composure. ¡°We know what the truth is. The heavens are watching. I hope you know what¡¯s good for you.¡± Cheng Qi smiled. ¡°Why am I only seeing you? Where¡¯s your Duke Lang?¡± Yu Niaoniao bit her lower lip and remained silent. Seeing this, Cheng Qi¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you quarreled with Duke Lang and left him on the road?¡± As Yu Niaoniao glared at him, her hands clenched into fists, as if she was trying her best to suppress her emotions. Cheng Qi took a step forward. ¡°If Duke Lang doesn¡¯t want you anymore, you can tell me. I¡¯ll comfort you well.¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, a large hand reached out from the side and placed it between the two of them. Cheng Qi followed the hand and saw that it was Wei Liao, the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards. Wei Liao smiled at him. ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Prince Consort, you have to pay attention to first come, first served, right? Even if the Princess Consort of Lang County wants to find a substitute, the first candidate will be me. You have to rank behind me.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression froze and she wanted to curse. What nonsense was he talking about? When did she say that she wanted to find a substitute?! He made her sound like a player. God in heaven, she was not such a person. She was pure and good! Cheng Qi¡¯s expression became very strange. ¡°So Vice General Wei has taken a fancy to the Princess Consort of Lang County. Could it be that the two of you have long¡­¡¯ Wei Liao¡¯s smile remained. ¡°You can¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Cheng Qi smiled. ¡°I understand, I understand!¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to curse. What did he understand? Before Cheng Qi could finish, Wei Liao interrupted him. ¡°Princess Consort, it¡¯s been a long journey. Hurry up and rest.¡± After saying that, he winked at Yu Niaoniao. In Cheng Qi¡¯s eyes, this scene was equivalent to Wei Liao secretly sending a signal to Yu Niaoniao, confirming their affair. However, Yu Niaoniao understood that Wei Liao was hinting at her to endure. Now was not the time to fall out. They did not have conclusive evidence to identify Cheng Qi. This was Cheng Qi¡¯s territory. If they really caused a scene, they would be the ones to suffer in the end. Yu Niaoniao suppressed her anger. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing that they were about to leave, Cheng Qi stopped them. ¡°Since you¡¯re all here, why do you have to stay outside? This is half a home for Niaoniao. I¡¯ve already gotten someone to tidy up the guest rooms. You can stay there directly.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not want to live here, but she noticed the hint in Wei Liao¡¯s eyes and could only agree against her will. ¡°Fine. ¡± Cheng Qi immediately asked the butler to lead them to the guest rooms. Princess Ni Yang was hedonistic, so her residence was naturally built extremely luxuriously. There were all kinds of strange flowers and plants in the courtyard, and jade buildings were scattered everywhere. The servants in the residence were also wearing gold and silver. When she entered the guest room, Yu Niaoniao realized that the decoration in the room was even more exaggerated. Not to mention those antique calligraphy and paintings, any piece of furniture was red sandalwood. Even the fabric used to make the window was high-grade silk. Compared to this place, the Langjun Imperial Palace was like a slum. As a girl who lived in a ¡°slum¡± all year round, Yu Niaoniao could not help but feel a little jealous. If she had that much money, she wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard to sell the periphery or paint desperately to submit the manuscript. Chun Feng and Ye Yu went to pack their luggage. Yu Niaoniao walked around the room and was about to go out for some air when she saw Wei Liao walking over. Wei Liao laughed. ¡°You¡¯re going out? What a coincidence. Shall we take a walk together?¡± Yu Niaoniao indeed had something to ask him, so she agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ye Yu, who was tidying the bed, could not help but guess when she saw the two of them leave. She communicated quietly with Chun Feng. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s really something going on between the princess consort and Young Master Wei?¡± Chun Feng glared at her. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? If anyone hears you, be careful of your tongue!¡± Ye Yu shrank back in fear and did not dare to make another sound. Chun Feng nagged as she worked, ¡°As servants, we shouldn¡¯t interfere in the master¡¯s matters. Besides, outsiders might not know what kind of person the Princess Consort was, but don¡¯t we know? She won¡¯t do that kind of thing.¡± Ye Yu nodded. ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t talk nonsense again.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Wei Liao had already walked into the garden. Looking at the courtyard filled with strange flowers and plants, Yu Niaoniao sighed sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s good to be rich!¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re a princess consort after all. You don¡¯t lack money.¡± At this point, he suddenly remembered that she had secretly rehearsed her new opera behind Duke Lang¡¯s back¡­. If it was just her daily expenses, she really did not have to worry about money. However, she still had to support such a big opera troupe and could not tell Duke Lang about this. It was impossible for her not to lack money. Wei Liao teased her bluntly. ¡°I almost forgot that you really don¡¯t have money. You even asked me for 3,000 taels previously.¡± Yu Niaoniao emphasized, ¡°I¡¯m not asking for it. It¡¯s an investment! In the future, when the opera troupe earns money, I¡¯ll give you a dividend!¡± Wei Liao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you really think your opera troupe can earn money?¡± Yu Niaoniao snorted. ¡°It¡¯s useless to say anything else. You¡¯ll naturally know if you can earn money.¡± After the small talk, she turned to business. ¡°Why did you wink at me to stay just now? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know what Cheng Qi is like. What if he wants to harm us?¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°Will he let us go if we stay in an inn?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She knew this very well. She just hated Cheng Qi and did not want to stay under the same roof as him. Wei Liao stated his plan. ¡°Eldest Princess Ni Yang will only be back tomorrow. The defense of the princess¡¯s residence shouldn¡¯t be very tight now. If we stay, I can investigate the internal situation of the princess¡¯s residence tonight. We might be able to find some clues. Yu Niaoniao looked him up and down suspiciously. ¡°Can you do it? You won¡¯t be discovered, will you? If you are, I won¡¯t admit to being with you.¡± Wei Liao laughed in anger. ¡°If I¡¯m caught red-handed, I¡¯ll be the first to expose you! If we die, we die together!¡± Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Return of the Princess Chapter 457: Return of the Princess Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although she said that, Yu Niaoniao was still quite worried when night came. If Wei Liao was really caught, it would only be bad for her. There was nothing she could do but pray silently for him. She hoped everything would go well for him. The next morning, after washing up, Yu Niaoniao could not wait to ask Wei Liao about last night. However, as soon as she entered the door, she was stunned to see him looking like he was about to die. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why do you look like you¡¯ve been squeezed dry?¡± Wei Liao sat in a chair and said weakly, ¡°Last night, I went to the study to see if there were any useful clues hidden there. In the end, I saw Cheng Qi with two maidservants¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. Yu Niaoniao blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you watched a live erotica?¡± Wei Liao¡¯s lips twitched in disdain. ¡°I was almost blinded.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You could have left if you didn¡¯t want to see it.¡± Speaking of this, Wei Liao felt even more pained. ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t want to leave? I was sitting on the beam and they were doing that kind of thing directly under me. I just had to move a little and they¡¯ll discover me.¡± Yu Niaoniao gasped. ¡°So you watched all night?¡± Wei Liao mocked, ¡°All night? You think too highly of Cheng Qi. He doesn¡¯t have that ability. I waited for them to finish before leaving.¡± Yu Niaoniao admired him sincerely. ¡°Then you¡¯re quite impressive. You actually watched it from beginning to end.¡± Wei Liao raised his hand to cover his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine if it hurts my eyes, but it¡¯s especially noisy. Those two women seem to be competing with each other in terms of their voices. Each of them shouted louder than the other, making my head buzz. When I came back, I even had a nightmare. My dream was filled with women¡¯s shouts. It was terrifying!¡± Listening to his description, an image appeared in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mind¡ª Cheng Qi and the two maidservants were doing such shameless things. The three of them were fighting fiercely, and they were very excited. Wei Liao was trapped on the beam, between a rock and a hard place. Images and sounds attacked his fragile nerves at the same time, making him suffer. He was like a pitiful and helpless little white flower being ravaged by a storm. Yu Niaoniao laughed unkindly. ¡°Hahaha, to think that you¡¯re the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards. You¡¯re actually frightened by such a small scene. You¡¯re too useless!¡± Wei Liao retorted angrily. ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯ve seen this before!¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled as she said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this. Did you find anything last night?¡± Wei Liao stared at her faintly. ¡°Then can you stop smiling?¡± Yu Niaoniao barely suppressed the corners of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not smiling.¡± Wei Liao took a sip of tea to refresh himself before telling her the results of his investigation last night. Putting aside those trivial matters, there were only two important things¡ª Firstly, Princess Ni Yang had the habit of raising ferocious beasts. There was a tiger in the backyard now. Anyone who made her unhappy would be thrown to the tiger. Secondly, the relationship between Princess Ni Yang and Prince Consort Cheng Qi was very bad. Although the two of them were still husband and wife, they had not slept together for a long time. They were only husband and wife in name. Now, the two of them were playing their own games and did not interfere with each other. When Yu Niaoniao heard that there was a tiger in the backyard, she immediately recalled Xiao Juan¡¯s previous encounter. When he was young, he was thrown into a cage by Princess Ni Yang to fight ferocious beasts and almost lost his life. That woman could even be ruthless to her son. She must be even more ruthless to others. Yu Niaoniao was deep in thought. ¡°Maybe we can use the discord between the couple to use Princess Ni Yang to deal with Cheng Qi.¡± Her thoughts coincided with Wei Liao¡¯s. Wei Liao said, ¡°Princess Ni Yang will return to the residence today. Think of a way to get close to her and get a feel of what shes like. Find out what she likes and hates. Then, you¡¯ll use the right medicine to sow discord between her and Cheng Qi and make them turn against each other.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded, then immediately reacted and asked unhappily. ¡°Why me?¡± Wei Liao spread his hands helplessly. ¡°I have no choice. Who asked you to be Princess Ni Yang¡¯s daughter-in-law? Compared to an unimportant outsider like me, you clearly have an advantage.¡± Yu Niaoniao smirked. ¡°Who said you don¡¯t have an advantage? Aren¡¯t you quite good-looking? You can sell your looks to seduce the Eldest Princess.¡± Not only was Wei Liao not angry, he even smiled happily. ¡°So you think I¡¯m good-looking too. Tell me honestly, do you usually peek at me? Don¡¯t be shy to admit it. Everyone loves beauty. I can understand you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was furious at his shamelessness. ¡°Can you be any more shameless?!¡± Wei Liao touched his cheek. ¡°How can I bear not to have such a beautiful face?¡± Yu Niaoniao could not take it anymore and stood up. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered with you!¡± With that, she stood up and walked out. Wei Liao was no longer sleepy. He picked up the mirror and looked at his face. He looked left and right and said happily. ¡°You have good taste!¡± When it was almost noon, the girl from the princess¡¯s residence came to inform Yu Niaoniao that Princess Ni Yang had returned to the residence. Yu Niaoniao immediately brought the spring breeze and night rain to welcome them. When she arrived at the entrance, she realized that Wei Liao was already there. There were also more than a dozen well-dressed men. It was said that they were all gigolos raised by Princess Ni Yang. She had to admit that Princess Ni Yang¡¯s aesthetic standards were good. These men were indeed very good-looking. Just looking at them was pleasing to the eye. Wei Liao noticed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s gaze and said sarcastically. ¡°Stop looking. Be careful not to be mistaken for having any thoughts about Princess Ni Yang¡¯s gigolos.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you said? Everyone loves beauty. I just want to admire something beautiful. Is that wrong?¡± Wei Liao glanced at the group of gigolos. He didn¡¯t think there was anything to see in these men who relied on women. He could defeat ten such weak gigolos at once. Cheng Qi was the last to arrive. He must have just put on his clothes. The creases at the hem had not been smoothed out yet. The corners of his eyes drooped slightly, and his face was tired. From time to time, he would yawn. One look at him and one would know that he had overindulged last night. Those gigolos bowed to him. Cheng Qi did not care at all about the wild men raised by his wife. He asked lazily. ¡°Is she not here yet?¡± The female official replied respectfully, ¡°Her Highness¡¯s carriage will be here soon.¡± Cheng Qi yawned again and muttered softly, ¡°If I had known she wasn¡¯t here yet, I would have slept a little longer.¡± The official pretended not to hear anything. A moment later, Princess Ni Yang¡¯s honor guard finally arrived.. Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Loving Front Chapter 458: Loving Front Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The luxurious carriage pulled by eight horses stopped in front of the princess¡¯s residence. The door opened and a beautiful woman in luxurious clothes emerged. The official stepped forward and held her hand. ¡°Slow down, Your Highness.¡± Princess Ni Yang slowly walked down on the mahogany stool. She was tall and slender. Even though she was middle-aged, her skin was still well-maintained. It was fair and smooth, and there were almost no wrinkles. Her black hair was combed into a high bun and decorated with a golden headdress inlaid with red agate. Long golden tassels fell and swayed slightly with her steps. Her red skirt slowly dragged across the ground. Her slender waist and jade belt were graceful. Her facial features were a little similar to Xiao Juan¡¯s. They were exquisite and three-dimensional, and the ratio was perfect. The difference was that Xiao Juan looked more murderous and cold. He was like a flower on a high mountain, making people retreat and not dare to approach rashly. However, Princess Ni Yang was more like a blooming mandala. She was bright, moving, and flirtatious. Even though one knew that she was poisonous, one could not help but want to approach her. Their temperaments could be said to be poles apart. Cheng Qi stepped forward and held her hand. He said gently, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re finally back. I missed you very much when you were away.¡± Princess Ni Yang replied with a faint smile, ¡°I miss you too.¡± At first glance, the couple was very loving. Even Yu Niaoniao was a little suspicious and could not help but whisper to Wei Liao. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the couple didn¡¯t get along? They didn¡¯t look like they are on bad terms.¡± Wei Liao also lowered his voice. ¡°The royal family cares about their reputation. Even if they¡¯re already separate in private, they still have to pretend to be on good terms. This is called united on the outside but separated on the inside.¡± Princess Ni Yang noticed a few unfamiliar faces and immediately pulled her hand out of Cheng Qi¡¯s. She asked Yu Niaoniao with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re Ah Juan¡¯s new wife, right?¡± Cheng Qi also lowered his hand. At the same time, he deliberately took two steps back and distanced himself from Princess Ni Yang. Their movements were very small, but Yu Niaoniao still saw them. It seemed that Wei Liao was right. This couple really did not get along. Yu Niaoniao went forward to greet her. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± In her impression, Princess Ni Yang should be an extremely difficult person to get along with. She had the typical image of an evil mother-in-law. She was already prepared to put up with difficult behavior. Unexpectedly, Princess Ni Yang took the initiative to hold her hand and said affectionately with a smile on her face. ¡°I originally planned to stay in the courtyard for two more days. When I found out that you were here, I rushed back in advance. Your name is Niaoniao, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao was flattered. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Princess Ni Yang led her inside and spoke as they walked. ¡°Niaoniao, actually, I¡¯ve wanted to see you for a long time. Unfortunately, we¡¯re too far apart. I can¡¯t see you even if I want to. Fortunately, Ah Juan brought you here this time. Otherwise, I don¡¯t know when I would have to wait to see you. By the way, why don¡¯t I see Ah Juan?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought to herself that she finally remembered that she had a son! She looked sad. ¡°We were plotted against on the way. His Highness had an accident.¡± Princess Ni Yang raised her eyebrows. ¡°Is he dead?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Was this something a mother could say?! She lowered her head and told him about the explosion at Xianglan Temple. Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so unlucky to be blown up. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get someone to collect his corpse later.¡± Although she was a little surprised, she was not sad. It was as if the life and death of her biological son were just an insignificant occurrence to her. Yu Niaoniao looked at her blankly. ¡°You don¡¯t look sad.¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled gently. ¡°He grew up in the Imperial Capital and has no feelings for me. Why should I be sad for him?¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip. The reason why Xiao Juan grew up in the Imperial Capital was that he could not survive living with her. However, looking at Princess Ni Yang¡¯s matter-of-fact expression, she did not feel that she had done anything wrong at all. Yu Niaoniao could not help but say, ¡°His Highness is your child after all.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°So what? Although I gave birth to him, that doesn¡¯t mean I have to love him. Correspondingly, even if I die in the future, I don¡¯t need him to send me off. It¡¯s very fair.¡± Yu Niaoniao really wanted to ask, ¡°Since you don¡¯t love your child, why did you give birth to Xiao Juan?¡± But she swallowed the words. This question was too sharp and could easily make Princess Ni Yang unhappy. She still had to use Princess Ni Yang to deal with Cheng Qi. She had to think of a way to build a good relationship with Princess Ni Yang. Yu Niaoniao smiled bitterly. ¡°You can accept it, but I can¡¯t.¡± Princess Ni Yang said slowly, ¡°I can understand how you feel. When my first consort died, I couldn¡¯t live with it any more than you did. I felt as if the sky had fallen.¡¯ ¡°By the time the second consort died, I was numb. Although he was still alive, he was no different from dead. I was used to this. There was no one in this world who could not live without anyone.¡± ¡°Even without a man, we women can still live well.¡± Seeing that Yu Niaoniao was silent, she suddenly stopped and pointed at the group of gigolos behind her. ¡°The best way to heal a love wound is to develop a new relationship. Look at these men. Which one do you like? Take your pick. I¡¯ll give them all to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. Before his son¡¯s corpse turned cold, his biological mother had already started to arrange a family for his daughter-in-law? This was really something she had not expected. She looked at the reactions of the gigolos again. Although they were a little surprised, they did not have much resistance; it was as if they were used to this. Yu Niaoniao politely declined. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I¡¯m not in the mood to think about this now.¡± Princess Ni Yang narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly. ¡°Do you despise them for being used by me?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately denied it. ¡°No, no!¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you despise them. There are still a few little fellows backyard of the princess¡¯s residence that I haven¡¯t touched. I can give tl to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s really no need.¡± Princess Ni Yang was about to persuade her again when Cheng Qj spoke. ¡°Your Highness, you might not know this, but the princess consort alre someone by her side. The novelty has yet to pass. No matter who you gi she won¡¯t accept it.¡± Princess Ni Yang was very surprised. ¡°There¡¯s someone beside Niaoniac is it?¡± Yu Niaoniao had a very bad feeling. When she saw Cheng Qi point at Wei Liao, her heart skipped a beat. Damn it, no! Cheng Qi said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s this Vice General Wei.¡± Wei Liao was speechless. This was beyond his expectations.. Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: I鈥檒l Dote on You Well Chapter 459: I¡¯ll Dote on You Well Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hearing Cheng Qi¡¯s words, the first reaction of Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha was to deny that there was definitely nothing between the Princess Consort and Wei Liao! Cheng Qi must be talking nonsense! However, Princess Ni Yang had yet to speak. There was no place for subordinates like them to interrupt. They could only glare at Cheng Qi unkindly. Princess Ni Yang had not noticed Wei Liao before. After hearing Cheng Qi¡¯s words, she took a closer look at Wei Liao and saw that he was tall and handsome. His peach-blossom eyes seemed to be filled with love at all times. Even Princess Ni Yang, who had seen countless handsome men, could not help but light up. At this moment, they had already entered the princess¡¯s residence. There was no need for Princess Ni Yang to pretend to be harmonious with Cheng Qi. Princess Ni Yang sized Wei Liao up unscrupulously and asked with a smile. ¡°Are you Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s adopted son?¡± Wei Liao replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Princess Ni Yang nodded slightly. ¡°You¡¯re indeed good-looking. Niaoniao, you have good taste.¡± Yu Niaoniao explained weakly, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. Wei Liao and I are innocent.¡± Princess Ni Yang was surprised. ¡°So he¡¯s not yours?¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly said no. Hearing this, Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha thought that it was as expected. It was impossible for the Princess Consort to like Wei Liao. The two of them heaved a sigh of relief. Princess Ni Yang¡¯s red lips curled up as she smiled happily. ¡°Since he¡¯s still ownerless, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Immediately after, she saw Princess Ni Yang wave at Wei Liao, as if she was calling a puppy. ¡°Little guy, come here.¡± Her voice was melodious and pleasant, enough to melt one¡¯s bones. Wei Liao immediately froze on the spot. Although he had encountered a lot of harassment along the way, those people were not his match. He could teach them a lesson without any burden. But the person in front of him was Princess Ni Yang. He could not attack her. He looked at Yu Niaoniao and crazily hinted at her to quickly help say something! He did not want to become one of Princess Ni Yang¡¯s many lackeys! Looking at Wei Liao¡¯s pitiful and helpless gaze, Yu Niaoniao wanted to laugh. Haha, she didn¡¯t expect him to have such a day! Seeing Wei Liao standing still, the smile on Princess Ni Yang¡¯s face faded a little. ¡°Why are you so disobedient? Do you think nothing of me, a princess?¡± Wei Liao had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk over. He knelt on one knee. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Princess Ni Yang raised his chin with her slender finger painted with bright r cardamom and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re indeed quite lovely. Do you want to follow me? I¡¯ll dote on you well.¡± Wei Liao said with difficulty, ¡°Thank you for your favor, Your Highness. My status is low. I¡¯m really worthy of you.¡± Princess Ni Yang narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you rejecting me?¡± Wei Liao tried to salvage the situation. ¡°If Your Highness likes handsome mer I can help you search. I can summon whatever you want.¡± Princess Ni Yang let go of his chin, and the smile on her face completely disappeared. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling, I won¡¯t force you, but I hate being rejected the most. Men, send Wei Liao to the backyard and give Rouge more food.¡± Rouge was the name of the big tiger in the backyard of the princess¡¯s residence. Wei Liao¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Please spare me, Your Highness!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not expect things to suddenly become like this. She liked to see Wei Liao make a fool of himself, but she didn¡¯t want him to really die. Seeing the guards of the princess¡¯s residence walking towards Wei Liao, it seemed that they were planning to bring him to the backyard to feed the tigers. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly shouted. ¡°Stop!¡± She turned to Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Not only is Wei Liao Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s adopted son, but he¡¯s also the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards. He¡¯s someone the emperor can trust. If you kill him, how are you going to explain yourself when the emperor investigates?¡± Princess Ni Yang only replied casually. ¡°He¡¯s just a martial artist. If I kill him, so be it. Can my brother take my life for a martial artist?¡± Yu Niaoniao choked. The other party¡¯s attitude of not taking human lives seriously was too arrogant. The other party¡¯s attitude of not taking human lives seriously was too arrogant. However, the other party was the Eldest Princess, the only legitimate princess of the previous emperor. With her status, everyone had to respect her. As long as she did not rebel, even the emperor could not do anything to her. Yu Niaoniao continued to persuade her. ¡°Even if the emperor won¡¯t do anything to you, he¡¯ll still be a little unhappy. There¡¯s no need for you to have a grudge against the emperor for an unimportant person.¡± Princess Ni Yang said casually, ¡°What does it have to do with me if he¡¯s happy? I just have to be happy.¡± Yu Niaoniao realized that the Eldest Princess in front of her was a classic example of supremacy. She was self-centered and could not tolerate rejection or listen to others¡¯ suggestions. It would never work to reason with her. Yu Niaoniao did not know what to do and was anxious. Princess Ni Yang looked her up and down and asked thoughtfully. ¡°Why are you so anxious? Didn¡¯t you say that you have nothing to do with Wei Liao?¡± Yu Niaoniao made up her mind and said shamelessly, ¡°To be honest, Wei Liao is very important to me. I can¡¯t live without him. Your Highness, please spare his life!¡± Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha immediately froze on the spot, as if they had been struck by lightning. They were filled with disbelief. The Princess Consort had actually admitted her relationship with Wei Liao! Duke Lang¡¯s corpse was not cold yet. How could she do this?! Princess Ni Yang smiled again. ¡°I knew there was something going on between the two of you. You were pretending with me a moment ago. You can¡¯t pretend anymore, can you?¡± She waved at the guards. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll spare him today.¡± The guards immediately retreated. Wei Liao let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. ¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°You should thank Niaoniao. If not for her, I wouldn¡¯t have spared you.¡± With that, she deliberately winked at Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao could not say anything. She hoped that Xiao Juan would not know about today¡¯s matter. Otherwise, the misunderstanding between the two of them would definitely deepen. Wei Liao looked at Yu Niaoniao and said. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank between us.¡± Princess Ni Yang pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. If you like him, you have to get him. Why care about the judgment of the world?¡± Yu Niaoniao echoed guiltily, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Princess Ni Yang held her hand again and said affectionately. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you something good.¡± Yu Niaoniao was forced to follow her. Seeing that there was nothing else for him to do, Cheng Qi returned to his room to catch up on his sleep. The others went about their business. In the end, only Yan Nanguan, Lo Pingsha, and Wei Liao were left standing there. Yan Nanguan and Luo Pingsha stared fixedly at Wei Liao, their eyes almost spitting fire. ¡°Wei, how dare you seduce our County Princess?!¡± Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Infatuation Chapter 460: Infatuation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Based on their understanding of the Princess Consort, Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha felt that she was not a promiscuous woman. Wei Liao must have taken advantage of the situation to seduce her! Looking at his foxy appearance, he was born to be a playboy. Looking at his foxy appearance, he was born to be a playboy. Unfortunately, this was the princess¡¯s residence and it was not convenient for them to attack. Otherwise, they would definitely beat this male vixen up! Wei Liao spoke unhurriedly. ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s seduction. After all, my conditions are right here. Be it appearance, ability, or status, they¡¯re not much inferior to Duke Lang¡¯s. It¡¯s normal for Niaoniao to like me.¡± Yan Nanguan was livid with anger and clenched his fists. ¡°Are you worthy of being compared to Duke Lang? You think too highly of yourself. The Princess Consort will always love Duke Lang the most!¡± Lo Pingsha also said, ¡°The princess consort is only temporarily bewitched by you. When she wakes up, she will definitely dump you.¡± Wei Liao chuckled. ¡°Then we¡¯ll see!¡± With that, he ignored their fire-breathing gazes and swaggered away. Yu Niaoniao was very nervous along the way, afraid that the ¡°good thing¡± Princess Ni Yang was talking about was the big tiger called Rouge. She didn¡¯t want to get close to that man-eating tiger. Just the thought of that scene was terrifying! In the end, she was brought to the study by Princess Ni Yang. There were several study rooms in the princess¡¯s residence. This was Princess Ni Yang¡¯s private study. Usually, no one, including Prince Consort Cheng Qi, was allowed to enter without her permission. The others consciously stopped outside the door. Only Yu Niaoniao was brought into the study by Princess Ni Yang. There were several bookshelves in the study, each filled with books. Princess Ni Yang walked to one of the bookshelves and turned to speak to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Come and take a look.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked over and took a look. She realized that the bookshelf was filled with copies of the same book. The title of the book was ¡°The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation¡±! She was immediately stunned on the spot. She had never expected Princess Ni Yang to be a fan of her books! Princess Ni Yang took out one of the books and gently stroked the cover with her slender fingers. She smiled happily. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen such an interesting book in a long time. After reading it once, I couldn¡¯t forget it. I couldn¡¯t help but reread it many times. I even specially ordered someone to buy all the copies of the book in the Liang Province to collect it as a memento.¡± At this point, she looked at Yu Niaoniao meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯m very curious about who Master Wang is. Why could she design such an interesting plot? She was really too talented!¡± ¡°Especially the Phoenix Cry Nation she described in the book. It was simply the ideal world in my heart. That sense of affinity was simply uncanny. I specially ordered someone to investigate the author¡¯s background, only to discover something very interesting¡­.¡± ¡°So Master Wang at the village entrance was Ah Juan¡¯s new wife At that time, I sighed. Fate was really a wonderful thing. My favorite author was actually my daughter-in-law. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a coincidence?¡± ¡°I was really happy to know that you were coming to Liangzhou. I¡¯ve been looking forward to this meeting for a long time.¡± Her front had been stripped clean. Yu Niaoniao was a little embarrassed. ¡°I love to write and draw when I¡¯m free. I didn¡¯t expect to catch your eye. I¡¯m really embarrassed.¡± She really did not expect that The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation, which had been cursed badly by countless people, would actually be liked by Princess Ni Yang. Moreover, from the looks of it, it was not an ordinary liking. It could be said to be an obsession. Princess Ni Yang smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re so talented. You should be proud. What¡¯s there to be ashamed of?¡± She casually flipped to the last page of the book and sighed softly. ¡°Your book is good in every aspect. The only bad thing is that the story is too short. It¡¯s gone before I can get enough of it. There should be a follow-up, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a second one. I¡¯ve already finished painting it. I¡¯m just waiting to return to the Imperial Capital to print it in bulk and officially distribute it.¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s eyes lit up. She asked expectantly. ¡°Can I see the second part first?¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to build a good relationship with Princess Ni Yang, so she agreed without hesitation. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll bring it over now.¡± Princess Ni Yang urged, ¡°Go, go!¡± Yu Niaoniao walked out of the study and saw many servants waiting outside. They all greeted Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked away quickly. She still hadn¡¯t reacted. Before coming to the princess¡¯s residence, she had imagined many scenarios of meeting Princess Ni Yang. However, she did not expect the outcome to be like this. Princess Ni Yang was actually a die-hard fan of her book! No wonder she had taken a fancy to Wei Liao at first glance. It must be because Wei Liao looked very similar to the male lead in the book, Little Mute. Yu Niaoniao returned to the bedroom to get the draft. She bumped into Wei Liao on the way back. Wei Liao immediately saw the draft in her hand and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you accompanying Princess Ni Yang? What are you doing with the draft?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s tone was very complicated. ¡°Princess Ni Yang wants to know the subsequent plot of the story so I brought the draft to her.¡± Wei Liao was stunned. ¡°Princess Ni Yang also reads The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Like you, she likes it very much.¡± Wei Liao blurted out without thinking, ¡°Who said I like the book? I hate this book very much. It¡¯s the worst book I¡¯ve ever read in my life!¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°Who brought the custom-made folding fan of the princess and the little mute with him? Who used a thousand taels of silver to order the custom-made big pillow of the princess and the little mute from me? And who took the opportunity to sneak into my carriage and steal the draft?¡± Wei Liao was speechless He could not answer a word of this series of questions. He could only forcefully change the subject. ¡°Why does Princess Ni Yang like your book?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°For the same reason as you.¡± Wei Liao was speechless The change of subject failed. Seeing that he was speechless, Yu Niaoniao felt great! She smiled triumphantly. ¡°I know that the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation I created is very outstanding. It¡¯s normal for you to like such an outstanding story. I can understand you.¡± These were the words he had used to retort Yu Niaoniao this morning. She had returned them to him. Wei Liao was speechless. ¡°Since Princess Ni Yang likes your book, it¡¯s easier for you to approach her. Don¡¯t forget our plan.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡± She hugged the drafts and prepared to leave. Wei Liao called out to her. ¡°Princess Ni Yang is temperamental. No matter how close she appears to you, don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°I know.. What a nag!¡± Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Reception Chapter 461: Reception Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As soon as Princess Ni Yang saw Yu Niaoniao return, she asked impatiently. ¡°Where¡¯s the draft? Show it to me.¡± Yu Niaoniao handed over the thick stack of drafts. ¡°It¡¯s all here.¡± Princess Ni Yang took the drafts and immediately flipped through them. She was reading so intently that she completely forgot that there was someone beside her. Seeing that she could not finish reading it in a short time, Yu Niaoniao began to stroll around the study. She realized that other than the entire bookshelf of the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation, the other bookshelves were filled with serious books like history books. There were even a few military books mixed in, each of them very thick. Yu Niaoniao casually took out a book and realized that it had traces of being read. This meant that these books were not for show. Princess Ni Yang had really read these books. She could not help but turn to look at Princess Ni Yang. Seeing that she was immersed in the world of comics, Yu Niaonuao could not help but feel puzzled. In Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes, Princess Ni Yang was cold and heartless. In the eyes of outsiders, Princess Ni Yang was domineering and tyrannical, but the Princess Ni Yang she knew was obsessed with comic books. However, in private, Princess Ni Yang would read a lot of history books. Which one was the real Princess Ni Yang? Princess Ni Yang finished the last page of the draft and was still unsatisfied. She praised her sincerely. ¡°These are wonderful drawings. No, I was reading too casually just now. I have to take a closer look.¡± With that, she flipped back to the first page and began to read for the second time. Seeing the female official outside the door looking around, Yu Niaoniao walked over and asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The female official whispered, ¡°Lunch is ready. Where does Her Highness want to eat?¡± She knew Princess Ni Yang¡¯s habit. Without permission, no one was allowed to step into this study, so she did not dare to enter or make a sound, afraid of disturbing Princess Ni Yang. However, it was getting late. If Princess Ni Yang was hungry, she would be the one punished later. Hence, she was extremely conflicted. Yu Niaoniao turned around and looked at Princess Ni Yang, who was engrossed in her comic book. She hesitated for a moment before saying. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her for you.¡± The official looked grateful. ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked to Princess Ni Yang¡¯s side and reminded her softly. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s time for lunch.¡± Princess Ni Yang replied without looking up, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not dare to persuade her further and could only turn around and leave. Unexpectedly, she had only taken two steps when she was stopped by Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at her. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Princess Ni Yang reluctantly put down the draft. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to read this draft later. We have to eat lunch today. After all, you came all the way to me. I must welcome you. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± With that, she stood up and walked over to hold Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand affectionately before walking out. When the female official saw Princess Ni Yang come out, she hurriedly went forward and asked respectfully. ¡°Where do you want to eat today, Your Highness?¡± Princess Ni Yang looked to be in a good mood. She smiled and said, ¡°As usual. Remember to prepare more good wine and dishes. I want to entertain Niaoniao well. ¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Although the land in Liangzhou was barren and it was difficult to see lush vegetation, the flowers and plants in the princess¡¯s residence were served very well. No matter how difficult it was to grow precious species, they could be raised here. After all, Princess Ni Yang had said that if the flowers and plants could not be raised, the person in charge of serving them would be thrown into the backyard to feed Rouge. Not wanting to become a tiger¡¯s meal, the gardeners naturally worked hard to tend to the flowers and plants. Princess Ni Yang held Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand and walked through the flowers. She casually picked a beautiful peony and pinned it to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s temple. ¡°The color of these flowers suits you.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her hand to touch the flower at her temples. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Princess Ni Yang said slowly as she admired the flower on Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Many scholars like to compare women to delicate flowers. Because they felt that women should be as gentle and weak as flowers and let them pick as they pleased. ¡°But you¡¯re different. The woman you portray is cold and heartless. She can easily step on men and play with them.¡± She smiled again as she spoke, her beautiful face becoming even more charming. ¡°Niaoniao, I like the world you narrate.¡± Yu Niaoniao complained softly, ¡°But many people feel that the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation is not good. The Directorate was not even willing to stamp me and review me.¡± Princess Ni Yang snorted. ¡°They¡¯re men and can¡¯t accept being dominated by women, so they naturally can¡¯t accept the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation.¡± ¡°In the end, it was because they were afraid. They were afraid that they would one day become characters in a book. A group of cowards.¡± You don¡¯t have to care. Just stick to your creative idea. ¡°If anyone says anything bad about you in the future, just tell me. I¡¯ll throw them to Rouge for extra food.¡± Yu Niaoniao only complained casually. She did not expect to cause someone to lose his life because of this. She said hurriedly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Princess Ni Yang said slowly. ¡°The best way to deal with people who take a different stand is to make an example of them. As long as they see what happens when they go against us, they¡¯ll be much more obedient in the future.¡± At this moment, Princess Ni Yang was cold, heartless, and domineering. She immediately coincided perf tly with the image in the hearts of Xiao Juan and the commoners. Perhaps this was the real Princess Ni Yang. Even if she liked to read comics, it was only because the settings in the book happened to reach her soft spot. If not for this ¡°coincidence¡±, Princess Ni Yang would definitely not be so close to her. At that time, the Princess Ni Yang she would have to face would most likely be a cold and heartless evil mother-in-law. Yu Niaoniao shut her mouth and did not dare to say anything else. They arrived at the third floor of the Breeze Pavilion. This place had a wide view. Standing by the window, they could see most of the princess¡¯s residence. The dishes on the table were ready. Seeing that there was only Cheng Qi at the table, Princess Ni Yang asked. ¡°Where¡¯s Wei Liao?¡± Cheng Qi replied casually, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Logically speaking, with Wei Liao¡¯s status, he was not qualified to eat at the same table as Princess Ni Yang. However, Princess Ni Yang made an exception today. ¡°Wei Liao is Niaoniao¡¯s man. I¡¯m going to welcome her today. How can Wei Liao not accompany her? Call him over.¡± The servant left in a hurry and quickly brought Wei Liao over. Princess Ni Yang pointed at the spot beside Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Sit there.¡± Wei Liao was very obedient and obediently walked to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s side and sat down. During the meal, he even poured wine and picked up food for Yu Niaoniao from time to time, acting very solicitous. He performed the part of a male vixen who was anxious to get promoted vividly.. Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Disgust Chapter 462: Disgust Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Princess Ni Yang was very satisfied with Wei Liao¡¯s performance. Men not only had to be good-looking, but they also had to be as discerning and capable as Wei Liao. How could Yu Niaoniao let go of such a good opportunity? She began to deliberately torture Wei Liao. She said that the tea was too hot and asked him to change it to cold. Then, she said that there were too many fish bones and asked him to pick them clean. Anyway, she was just looking for trouble. She wanted to see Wei Liao being forced to serve her despite his impatience. Unexpectedly, Wei Liao was surprisingly patient. When she said to change the tea, he went to change a fresh cup and brought it over, not forgetting to remind her. ¡°Drinking cold tea is bad for your health. I changed it for you. It can¡¯t be too hot or too cold. It¡¯s just right.¡± When she said that he should pick the bones, he used his chopsticks to pick clean the small bones in the fish. ¡°Is this enough fish? If not, I¡¯ll help you pick another one.¡± This development was completely different from what Yu Niaoniao had expected! She really wanted to pounce on Wei Liao and grab his face to see if he was someone else in disguise. The Wei Liao she knew could not be so gentle and considerate! Seeing that she was sitting still, Wei Liao took the initiative to ask. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? Do you think the fish isn¡¯t delicious? Then I¡¯ll peel a few prawns for you.¡± With that, he really began to peel the prawns. Soon, there were a few more fresh prawns in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s bowl. She looked at the fish and shrimp in her bowl and wondered if she should eat them. Princess Ni Yang noticed her abnormality and asked with concern. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Yu Niaoniao could only pick up her chopsticks and bite the bullet to pick up the prawns in her bowl and put them into her mouth. There was naturally no need to mention the taste of the dishes. Be it the ingredients or the cooking method, they were very good. However, when she thought about how Wei Liao had personally peeled these prawns, she felt as if a fishbone was stuck in her throat. It was as if she was sitting on pins and needles! Wei Liao looked at her expectantly, his tone exceptionally gentle. ¡°Is it good?¡± Princess Ni Yang also asked, ¡°Niaoniao, are the dishes today still to your liking?¡± Yu Niaoniao said that it was delicious. She regretted it. She had originally wanted to take the opportunity to anger Wei Liao, but she did not expect to be the one who was disgusted in the end. Wei Liao immediately smiled. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll peel prawns for you every day in the future.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him with a fake smile and warned softly, ¡°Don¡¯t go too far.¡± Wei Liao smiled brightly. ¡°It takes one to know one.¡± Did she want to torture him? Then he would disgust her to death! Cheng Qi smiled and teased, ¡°The two of you are still whispering. What a good relationship. How long have you been together?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked sad. ¡°I suddenly thought of Duke Lang and felt terrible. Wei Liao was comforting me just now.¡± Cheng Qi said, ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t expect the Princess Consort to be so infatuated.¡± When he said those last few words, there was mockery in his tone. He was clearly being sarcastic. Yu Niaoniao seemed to have suffered a huge grievance and her face turned pale. ¡°If you look down on me, Prince Consort, you can just say it. I¡¯ll leave.¡± With that, she stood up to leave. Princess Ni Yang hurriedly stopped her. ¡°We¡¯re not done eating. Why are you leaving? Sit down.¡± Then, Princess Ni Yang glanced at Cheng Qi coldly and said in a very unfriendly tone. ¡°It¡¯s not your place to ask about Niaoniao¡¯s matters. Just take care of yourself.¡± Although Cheng Qi did not get along with her and they had quarreled before, that was in private. The two of them never showed it in front of outsiders. But now, with an outsider like Wei Liao present, Princess Ni Yang actually reprimanded him directly. Where would he put his face? Cheng Qi had been doted on since he was young. How could he be willing to suffer? His face darkened and he casually threw his chopsticks on the table. ¡°According to seniority, I¡¯m considered Niaoniao¡¯s father-in-law. As an elder, am I not even qualified to say a word to her? Besides, I was just joking with her just now. She was the one who felt guilty and didn¡¯t dare to answer me. What does it have to do with me?¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s attitude was very domineering. ¡°Niaoniao is mine. If you say she¡¯s wrong, you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m wrong.¡± Cheng Qi laughed in anger. ¡°It¡¯s only your first day meeting her. I¡¯m your official husband. Yet you actually think she¡¯s more important than me? Since you care so much about her, go with her in the future!¡± With that, he stood up and strode out with a dark expression. Princess Ni Yang¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°If you leave, don¡¯t come back. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be annoyed!¡± Cheng Qi quickened his pace and went downstairs. Soon, he could not be seen. Princess Ni Yang asked Yu Niaoniao to sit down. Yu Niaoniao looked uneasy. ¡°Did I cause you to quarrel? I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll explain to the Prince Consort for you.¡± When facing Yu Niaoniao, Princess Ni Yang looked exceptionally magnanimous. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. He provoked you first. Men are all bitches. You don¡¯t have to care about him. Just eat in peace.¡± Yu Niaoniao sat back obediently. ¡°Oh.¡± Wei Liao, who had suddenly been labeled a b*tch, was speechless. How could he be shot while lying down? After dinner, Princess Ni Yang was in a hurry to read the comic. She asked Yu Niaoniao to do whatever she wanted. If she needed anything, she could tell the female official. After Princess Ni Yang left, Yu Niaoniao immediately heaved a sigh of relief. She finally didn¡¯t have to act anymore. She could relax! Wei Liao looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°You acted well just now. You made Princess Ni Yang and the Prince Consort quarrel with just a few words.¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°You acted well too. You even helped me peel prawns.¡± Wei Liao said proudly, ¡°As a wild man raised by you, I have to have this ability.¡± He accidentally disgusted Yu Niaoniao again. She rubbed her arms, looking like she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°I¡¯m not blessed with a wild man like you.¡± Tomorrow was Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday. The princess¡¯s residence had already begun to get busy. Those who wanted to take this opportunity to curry favor with Princess Ni Yang gathered from all directions. Some of them had arrived at Jinwu City in advance and handed over their business cards to visit Princess Ni Yang. In the end, they were all rejected. They would all think that Princess Ni Yang was busy preparing for tomorrow¡¯s birthday banquet. In fact, Princess Ni Yang was too obsessed with comics to deal with the people outside. After Prince Consort Cheng Qi left the princess¡¯s residence angrily, he did not return all night and only returned drunk the next morning. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that he must have been out fooling around again last night. On the night before his wife¡¯s birthday, her husband ran out to fool around with another woman. Any woman would be angry. Princess Ni Yang was very calm after knowing this. ¡°I don¡¯t care what he did last night. When the birthday banquet begins later, he has to stand beside me dressed up. If he dares to embarrass me, I¡¯ll skin him alive.¡± The official shivered and hurried off to find the consort.. Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: Lust Chapter 463: Lust Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cheng Qi was sleeping soundly when he was suddenly woken up. He was extremely unhappy. He looked at the female official with a dark expression and dealt with her impatiently. ¡°Alright, alright, I know.¡± The female official was still a little worried and instructed carefully, ¡°Her Highness has instructed you to be on time. If she¡¯s mocked because of you, please bear the consequences.¡± Cheng Qi enunciated each word clearly. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be there on time! Is that okay?¡± The female official bowed and left. As soon as they left, Cheng Qi kicked over the stool beside him and gritted his teeth. ¡°Isn¡¯t she just a lousy princess? Does she really think of herself as a queen? I have always been at her beck and call, never caring about my feelings.¡± ¡°¡® You haven¡¯t even had a child in years. What kind of woman are you?¡± ¡°It was fine if you refused to give birth yourself, but you actually killed another woman and her child!¡± ¡°You¡¯re causing me to have no descendants!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really unlucky to have married a vicious woman like you!¡± The servant shrank his neck, not daring to make a sound. After Cheng Qi finished cursing, the servant went forward and set the stool up. He advised softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. It might harm your body.¡± Cheng Qi placed his hands on his hips and sneered. ¡°Since she doesn¡¯t treat me as a person, I¡¯ll make sure she can¡¯t even be a living person! Have you arranged everything I asked you to arrange?¡± The servant nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all been arranged. The poison has been added to the dishes and wine. The guests attending the birthday banquet have also been swapped. I guarantee that Princess Ni Yang won¡¯t leave today¡¯s birthday banquet alive.¡± Cheng Qi could not help but laugh when he thought of Princess Ni Yang dying on the spot. ¡°Haha, after so many years, I¡¯ve finally waited until today! ¡°Vicious woman, let¡¯s see how long you can be arrogant.¡± He could not wait to see that scene. He immediately stretched out his arms. ¡°Help me change. I¡¯m going to celebrate Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday¡­ Oh, no, her birthday will soon become the anniversary of her death. I should go pay my respects to her.¡± The servant quickly helped Cheng Qi put on the gown. Cheng Qi straightened his clothes in the mirror. After being married for more than twenty years, he was still handsome, but if one looked closely, one would see a few small lines at the corners of his eyes and the corners of his mouth. His eyes were no longer as bright as when he was young. He looked away from the mirror. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Back then, the emperor gave him and Princess Ni Yang a marriage. On the surface, it was a gift to the Cheng family, but in fact, he wanted to use this method to tie the Cheng family and the royal family together. This was a calculated political marriage. Cheng Qi knew this very well, so he had never thought of giving his feelings to this marriage. However he played before the marriage, he would continue with it after the marriage. As for Princess Ni Yang, she could also play to her heart¡¯s content. The two of them just didn¡¯t interfere with each other. Even if Princess Ni Yang had a bad temper, he endured it. But she should never have killed his bloodline. He was already forty years old this year. Brothers around his age already had grandchildren, but he did not even have a son or daughter. Cheng Qi still could not forget the scene of him rushing to the courtyard outside the city ten years ago. When he pushed open the door, he saw his mistress lying in a pool of blood and on her last breath, shouting to save her child. The only child he¡¯d had in years had drowned in a vat. When he fished the child out of the vat, his small body was cold. The vengeance for killing his son was irreconcilable! Cheng Qi strode forward, his eyes filled with hatred. Today was that woman¡¯s birthday. She had set up a birthday banquet in the residence. All the famous people in Liangzhou would come to congratulate her. He had chosen this time today, when she was at her most glorious, to make her bleed on the spot! Let her have a taste of falling from the clouds into the mire and shattering into pieces! Cheng Qi happened to meet Yu Niaoniao halfway. After Yu Niaoniao dressed up, she walked to the front courtyard with Chun Feng and Ye Yu, preparing to attend Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday banquet. She did not expect to bump into Cheng Qi. The two sides met at the intersection. Cheng Qi sized Yu Niaoniao up with an impudent gaze. ¡°Niaoniao looks even more beautiful than usual with this outfit today.¡± Because she was attending the birthday banquet, Yu Niaoniao especially changed into a dress that represented her status as the County Princess. Her already exquisite facial features became even more beautiful and moving after being carefully drawn. She did not like Cheng Qi¡¯s naked gaze, which seemed to want to strip her, and frowned. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Prince Consort. I still have to attend the birthday banquet, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± She was about to circle around Cheng Qi when Cheng Qi reached out and stopped her. He smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? There¡¯s still some time before the birthday banquet begins. Since we met here, it means that we¡¯re fated. Why don¡¯t we sit down and have a good chat?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him warily. ¡°We have nothing to talk about.¡± Cheng Qi took a step forward and asked in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how Duke Lang died?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression immediately changed as she said hatefully. ¡°You killed Duke Lang!¡± Cheng Qi laughed. ¡°So what if I did? But do you have evidence?¡± Yu Niaoniao was furious. She raised her hand to slap him. However, before her hand could land, Cheng Qi grabbed it. Cheng Qi pinched her wrist and smiled even more impudently. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a soft little hand. How can you use it to hit someone?¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu hurriedly stepped forward, wanting to pull Cheng Qi away. ¡°Prince Consort, please respect yourself!¡± Cheng Qi said impatiently, ¡°Tie these two girls up. Don¡¯t let them interfere with my business.¡± The attendants behind Cheng Qi immediately grabbed Chun Feng and Ye Yu. They struggled desperately. ¡°What are you doing? Let go. Help.. Before they could shout, their mouths were covered. Immediately after, they were tightly tied up and their mouths were gagged by cloth. They could not make a sound. Yu Niaoniao looked at Cheng Qi in disbelief. ¡°Are you crazy? This is the princess¡¯s residence!¡± Cheng Qi looked indifferent. ¡°So what if it¡¯s the princess¡¯s residence?¡± Yu Niaoniao stepped back. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Princess Ni Yang will be angry? Cheng Qi said, ¡°She can¡¯t even protect herself. How can she care about you and Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had a bad feeling. ¡°What did you do?¡± Cheng Qi grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Do you want to know? As long as you serve me well and make me happy, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her knee and slammed it into his lower abdomen. An intense pain came to his vital part, and Cheng Qi Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to break free fron away. Cheng Qi took out the saber at the attendant¡¯s waist Chun Feng¡¯s neck. His tone was extremely ruthless. ¡°If you dare to run, I¡¯ll kill these two girls immediately!¡± Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Behind You Chapter 464: Behind You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to stop. She looked at Chun Feng and Ye Yu and saw that Chun Feng¡¯s neck had been cut by a blade. A trace of dark red blood slowly flowed down the wound. Chun Feng trembled with fear and tears fell. However, she still endured the pain and shook her head. She told the Princess Consort to ignore them and run! Yu Niaoniao lowered her hands and secretly tightened her grip on the crossbow tied to her forearm under the cover of her wide sleeves. She threatened fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t forget my identity. I¡¯m the official wife of Duke Lang. How dare you touch me?!¡± Cheng Qi laughed. ¡°If Duke Lang was still alive, I wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you, but he¡¯s dead now. No one can protect you.¡± Yu Niaoniao bit her lower lip and looked indignant. ¡°If something happens to Duke Lang, the Imperial Court will not ignore it. When the emperor sends someone to investigate, you will definitely not be able to escape responsibility!¡± Instead of being afraid, Cheng Qi laughed even more impudently. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that the emperor has been bedridden for a long time. He can¡¯t even approve the memorials. Now that all the matters of the court have been handed over to the Cabinet, the three princes are fighting for the throne. They could not take care of themselves and would not care what happened in a remote place like Liangzhou. Even if the Imperial Court really sends someone to investigate, I have a way to cover up everything.¡± Yu Niaoniao was silent. Cheng Qi was telling the truth. The current royal court had been messed up by the battle for the crown prince. Everyone was watching the three princes, wanting to see who would ascend to the throne in the end. At this juncture, no one would be distracted by Liangzhou¡¯s business. It was almost impossible to wait for the Imperial Court to send reinforcements. Cheng Qi handed the hilt to the attendant beside him and reached out to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Little beauty, is there anything else you want to say?¡± ¡°If not, come to me obediently. A smart person had to learn to judge the situation. The current you can only live by obeying me.¡± face was tense as she glared at him angrily. However, because she was unable to protect herself, she could only slowly walk toward him with hatred and unwillingness. Seeing her like this, Cheng Qi became even happier. ¡°I like your stubborn little temper best. It¡¯s cute.¡± When she was only a step away, he reached out and grabbed her arm. Eagerly, he pulled her into his arms and leaned over to kiss her. ¡°Niaoniao, I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you.. Before he could finish, he felt something cold and hard press against his jaw. With difficulty, he rolled his eyeball and looked down. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s right sleeve slid down, revealing the crossbow hidden inside. The sharp arrow was under Cheng Qi¡¯s chin. As long as she extended the trigger, the arrow would pierce his chin. Yu Niaoniao said coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, get them to let my people go. ¡± Cheng Qi did not expect her to carry such a dangerous weapon and was shocked. But he was not flustered. He could even smile. ¡°Niaoniao, are you sure you can kill me?¡± said, ¡°Do you want to try?¡± Cheng Qi said, ¡°There¡¯s something you might not know. I know martial arts too.¡± Before the syllable of the last word could land, he attacked at lightning speed. He grabbed the joint of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s right arm and twisted it hard. With a sound, the joint in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s right wrist dislocated. Her right hand hung limply. The pain made her face turn pale. Cheng Qi pulled her into his arms and smiled proudly. ¡°I¡¯m a descendant of an aristocratic family. I¡¯ve learned the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, and riding and archery sword techniques. I might not be good at dealing with experts, but it¡¯s more than enough to deal with a weak woman like you.¡± Yu Niaoniao endured the pain and pushed him out. ¡°Let go of me.¡± Cheng Qi reached out and touched her face. ¡°Be good. I¡¯ll give you a good time.¡± As he spoke, he took the crossbow bolt off her arm, then picked her up horizontally and strode toward the nearest guest room. Behind him, the attendant said, ¡°Prince Consort, aren¡¯t you going to Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday banquet?¡± Cheng Qi said without looking back, ¡°I¡¯m very busy now. Just follow the plan!¡± struggled with all her might, but a woman was naturally weaker than a man in terms of strength. Moreover, her right hand was dislocated now, so it was even more impossible for her to break free. Cheng Qi kicked open the guest room door and strode over with Yu Niaoniao. He threw her onto the bed and immediately began to undress impatiently. Yu Niaoniao endured the pain in her wrist and quickly got up. She wanted to escape, but just as she got out of bed, Cheng Qi pushed her back onto the bed. Cheng Qi strangled her and warned, ¡°You¡¯d better be good. Don¡¯t keep thinking about escaping. My patience is limited. If you exhaust it all, don¡¯t blame me for not showing mercy.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her leg and kicked his lower abdomen. But this time, Cheng Qi was prepared and pressed his leg against hers. Yu Niaoniao was tightly pressed and could no longer struggle. She could only change her routine, pause her struggles, and beg with red eyes, ¡°Can you let go of me first? You¡¯re hurting me.¡± Seeing that she had finally learned her lesson, Cheng Qi smiled in satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. As long as you¡¯re obedient, I¡¯ll dote on you.¡± With that, he really let go of Yu Niaoniao. He was very confident in his strength and could completely control Yu Niaoniao. It was impossible for her to escape from him. Yu Niaoniao quickly sat up and moved back to distance herself from Cheng Qi. Her mind raced as she thought about what to do to get away. That was when she saw someone jump through the window. The man was agile and silent when he landed. With the sunlight coming in through the window, Yu Niaoniao saw the person¡¯s face clearly and could not help but be stunned. It was actually Xiao Juan! When did he arrive at the princess¡¯s residence?! In the blink of an eye, Xiao Juan had already walked to the bed. He looked at Cheng Qi coldly, as if he was looking at a dead person. However, Cheng Qi¡¯s back was facing the window. He did not notice what was happening behind him and was still looking at Yu Niaoniao with narrowed eyes. ¡°Niaoniao, don¡¯t be shy. Come over and let me hug you.¡± At this moment, the panic and uneasiness in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart had completely dissipated. She was even in the mood to tease Cheng Qi, ¡°Prince Consort, that¡¯s not good, right? I¡¯m already Duke Lang¡¯s wife. If Duke Lang finds out about what you¡¯re doing to me, he¡¯ll definitely kill you.¡± Cheng Qi said indifferently, ¡°He¡¯s already dead. He¡¯s just a dead person. Why bother with him? You just have to live happily with me! ¡± ¡°But he¡¯s right behind you.¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her little finger and pointed behind Cheng Qi.. Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Beat Them At Their Own Game Chapter 465: Beat Them At Their Own Game Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Instead of scaring Cheng Qi, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s words made him laugh. ¡°Haha, Niaoniao, you¡¯re really cute. Do you think I¡¯ll be frightened by such a clumsy lie? A moment of passion is worth a thousand gold. Don¡¯t delay anymore. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± As he spoke, he was about to pull Yu Niaoniao¡¯s skirt when someone suddenly grabbed the back of his collar. Then a powerful force attacked. He was sent flying and slammed into the wall before falling to the ground in a sorry state. Before he could get up, Xiao Juan¡¯s fist had already landed. Immediately after, there was a one-sided beating. Cheng Qi could not resist at all. He could only hug his head and wail. Yu Niaoniao covered her eyes with her uninjured hand. Oh my, it was so bloody and violent that she didn¡¯t dare look at it. Xiao Juan did not use any weapons and just punched down one after another. Every punch was ruthless. Even from a distance, Yu Niaoniao could hear the sound of bones breaking. That feeling made her scalp tingle just thinking about it. When Cheng Qi¡¯s shouts became softer and softer, as if he was about to die, Yu Niaoniao looked through her fingers and saw that Cheng Qi had been beaten into a pulp. If he continued, he would really be dead. Yu Niaoniao quickly put down her hand and shouted, ¡°Stop hitting, stop hitting. Don¡¯t really kill him. I still have something to ask him.¡± Xiao Juan stopped and Cheng Qi lay on the ground like a dead dog. His body was covered in wounds. His originally handsome face was bruised and swollen He did not even have the strength to stand up. Yu Niaoniao jumped off the bed and ran to Xiao Juan¡¯s side. She had a lot to say to Xiao Juan but now was not the time. There were more important things to do now. Yu Niaoniao asked Cheng Qi. ¡°You just said stick to the plan. What¡¯s your plan?¡± Cheng Qi said nothing. Xiao Juan raised his foot and stepped on his face, pressing it down. Cheng Qi felt as if his entire skull was about to crack. The pain made him wish he was dead. He had to speak. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you.¡¯ Xiao Juan relaxed his strength and gave him room to speak. Cheng Qi said, ¡°I have to see Princess Ni Yang before I can tell you my plan.¡± Xiao Juan stepped down harder. ¡°You¡¯re not qualified to negotiate with us.¡± Cheng Qi endured the pain and spoke with difficulty. ¡°Instead of torturing me here, why don¡¯t you see how Princess Ni Yang is doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Did you do something at the birthday banquet?¡± Cheng Qi grinned and laughed. Blood flowed down the corner of his mouth. However, he did not care at all. ¡°It¡¯s useless even if you kill me. The plan has already begun. I want Princess Ni Yang to die with me.¡± Yu Niaoniao was anxious. ¡°What did you do?¡± At this moment, Xiao Juan suddenly spoke, ¡°He got someone to poison the food and wine of the birthday banquet. He even arranged for many killers to disguise themselves as guests and sneak into the birthday banquet. He wanted Princess Ni Yang to die.¡± Cheng Qi¡¯s laughter stopped. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Because I¡¯ve been secretly investigating you these days. I know everything you¡¯ve done.¡± He had already expected a trap in Xianglan Temple and deliberately left Niaoniao and the others outside the temple while he led his men into the temple. As expected, there was indeed danger in the temple. Xiao Juan discovered the gunpowder buried underground. He might as well beat them at their own game and deliberately detonate the gunpowder to create the illusion that he had been killed. But in fact, he had already left Xianglan Temple. Cheng Qi thought that his evil plan had succeeded and believed that Xiao Juan was dead. Naturally, he would not guard against a dead person. This created an opportunity for Xiao Juan. He used the advantage of ¡°the enemy is in the light while I¡¯m in the dark¡± to secretly investigate Cheng Qi. Cheng Qi thought that his plan was flawless, but little did he know that everything he did was observed by Xiao Juan. Today¡¯s birthday banquet was the time for Cheng Qi to carry out his plan. At the same time, it was the day Xiao Juan closed the net. Cheng Qi¡¯s face was twisted. ¡°Since you know everything, why are you asking Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s interesting to see you think you¡¯re in control. I want you to do more so that I can hit you a few more times.¡± Cheng Qi was dumbfounded. He was about to curse, but Xiao Juan stepped on him. Yu Niaoniao said anxiously, ¡°Isn¡¯t Princess Ni Yang in danger now?!¡± Today was Princess Ni Yang¡¯s birthday. All the famous people in Liangzhou were gathered in the princess¡¯s residence. The entire princess¡¯s residence was decorated with lights and streamers. There was a lot of traffic in front of the door, and it was bustling. When the guests were all here and the birthday banquet was about to begin, there was still no sign of the Prince Consort. Princess Ni Yang looked at the female official beside her and asked in a low voice. ¡°Where¡¯s the Prince Consort?¡± The female official whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the Prince Consort He said he would be there on time. Why don¡¯t we wait a little longer? Perhaps he¡¯s been delayed. He should be here soon.¡± Princess Ni Yang endured and continued to wait. The female officer asked the dancers to dance to liven things up and divert everyone¡¯s attention. The dance was quickly finished. The Prince Consort still did not appear. Princess Ni Yang sat alone at the head of the table, her face as dark as water. No one dared to say anything. They could only peek at Princess Ni Yang from time to time and guess what had happened between Princess Ni Yang and the Prince Consort. Why didn¡¯t the Prince Consort even show up on such an important day? Could it be that the Prince Consort could no longer tolerate Princess Ni Yang¡¯s bad temper and was determined to break up with her completely? No matter what, there was going to be a good show today! The female officer had to ask the dancer to dance again. However, Princess Ni Yang did not want to endure it anymore. She ordered coldly, ¡°Go and bring me the Prince Consort, whatever he¡¯s doing now. Even if he¡¯s dead, bring me the body!¡± The female official hurriedly agreed. ¡°Yes!¡± She immediately arranged for someone to find the Prince Consort. At this moment, Yan Nanguan walked over and was very anxious. ¡°Your Highness, the princess consort hasn¡¯t appeared yet. We can¡¯t find her anywhere. Could something have happened to her?¡± Princess Ni Yang frowned and looked around. Indeed, she did not see Yu Niaoniao. Just now, she was so angry that she did not notice that someone was missing. Princess Ni Yang asked someone to call Wei Liao over and ask him if he had seen Niaoniao. Wei Liao was surprised. ¡°The Princess Consort is gone?¡± Yan Nanguan said quickly. ¡°I even went to look for her this morning. She was still dressing up at that time and asked Little Lo and me to come to the front first. She would come over when she was ready, but we waited for a long time without seeing her.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°All the exits of the princess¡¯s residence are guarded. If Niaoniao leaves, someone will definitely report to me. Now that I haven¡¯t received any news, it means that Niaoniao is still in the residence. As long as she¡¯s in the residence, she won¡¯t be in danger.¡± Wei Liao was not so optimistic. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. The princess¡¯s residence is not absolutely safe.¡± Princess Ni Yang looked displeased. ¡°Are you questioning me?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. Your Highness is talented and wise. No one in the residence is unconvinced of that. I¡¯m worried about the Prince Consort. He previously had bad intentions toward the Princess Consort. Now that he and the Princess Consort disappeared at the same time, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a coincidence..¡± Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: The Wicked Would Always Complain First Chapter 466: The Wicked Would Always Complain First Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Princess Ni Yang stood up and said sternly. ¡°The Prince Consort actually has designs on Niaoniao? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Go find them!¡± When the guests noticed that Princess Ni Yang was about to leave, they all stopped talking and looked at her in unison. What was happening now? Princess Ni Yang was not in the mood to care about the guests¡¯ thoughts. She hurried out, her long skirt dragging across the ground. Yan Nanguan and Wei Liao followed closely behind. Just as they reached the door, more than a dozen guests suddenly rushed out! ¡°Demon woman, hand over your life!¡± They pulled out the swords hidden in their clothes and stabbed toward Princess Ni Yang with ferocious expressions! This change was too sudden. Before Princess Ni Yang could call for help, the assassin¡¯s sword was already in front of her. Fortunately, Yan Nanguan and Wei Liao reacted quickly. Yan Nanguan pulled Princess Ni Yang behind him. Wei Liao pulled out the dual blades on his waist and blocked. The weapons collided with a crisp sound. Only then did the guests present react. They were immediately frightened out of their wits and screamed. The assassins¡¯ goal was very clear. They did not even look at the others. They only wanted to take Princess Ni Yang¡¯s life. Princess Ni Yang shouted, ¡°There¡¯s an assassin. Help!¡± In the end, after shouting for a long time, no guard came in. The assassins surrounded her, Wei Liao, and Yan Nanguan. One of the assassins sneered. ¡°Demon woman, the guards outside have long been transferred away. Even if you shout until your throat breaks today, no one will save you. Just die obediently!¡± With that, they swarmed forward. Each move was fatal, as they sought to kill Princess Ni Yang as quickly as possible. Wei Liao and Yan Nanguan were not pushovers. Even though they did not have an advantage in numbers, they still relied on their powerful martial arts to knock these assassins to the ground one by one. Seeing that their numbers were decreasing, the assassin in the lead finally panicked. He raised his foot and kicked over a nearby table. Cups, bowls, and plates fell to the ground, and broken porcelain flew everywhere with a clatter. This was the signal he had agreed with his accomplices. If the assassination failed, they would overturn the table. When their accomplices guarding outside heard the sound, they would immediately rush in with their men to support them. The next moment, the assassins saw a figure appear outside the door. Thinking that reinforcements had arrived, they were relieved only to realize that the people who walked in were Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, and Cheng Qi, who had been grabbed by the collar and dragged along the ground. Behind them was a large group of Eagle Guards. The assassins were shocked. They were waiting for reinforcements. Why were these people here?! Yu Niaoniao walked in front. Her right hand was in an abnormally twisted posture. Her clothes and hair were a little messy. Her face was pale and she looked anxious. Xiao Juan was wearing a black narrow-sleeved robe with a leather belt around his waist and deer boots. His black hair was tied behind his head with a black headband. His face, which was similar to Princess Ni Yang¡¯s, was expressionless, and his eyes were as cold as ice. Cheng Qi, who was being dragged by him, was the most miserable. His body was covered in injuries and his face was swollen. It was almost impossible to see his original appearance. Yu Niaoniao asked as soon as she entered, ¡°Your Highness, are you okay?¡± Princess Ni Yang asked, ¡°Niaoniao, are you okay?¡± They spoke almost at the same time. Realizing that they asked the same question, the two of them froze. Yan Nanguan exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re still alive!¡± Wei Liao had long known that Xiao Juan was faking his death, so he did not react much. His gaze lingered on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s dislocated wrist for a moment. He wanted to ask her how she had been injured, but in the end, he could not. The Eagle Guards swarmed forward and subdued the remaining assassins in a few moves. The crisis was averted. Xiao Juan threw Cheng Qi forward as if he was throwing a piece of trash. ¡°Mother, this is a birthday gift for you.¡± Cheng Qi rolled in front of Princess Ni Yang. He looked up with difficulty and was stunned to see that Princess Ni Yang was still safe and sound. Why was Princess Ni Yang still alive? Had his plan failed? Then he saw the captured assassins. Those were the death warriors he had carefully nurtured. Every one of them was an expert, but now, more than half of them had fallen to the ground and fainted. The remaining half were also tied up tightly. It was obvious that their assassination had not succeeded. Cheng Qi¡¯s heart immediately sank to the bottom. This was the last outcome he wanted. Princess Ni Yang frowned at the person in front of her and said in disgust, ¡°What is this thing?¡± Xiao Juan said expressionlessly, ¡°Your Prince Consort.¡± Princess Ni Yang was amazed. Was this ugly thing actually Cheng Qi? Although there were a lot of issues with Cheng Qi, his face was flawless. However, the person in front of him was bruised and battered, like a stray dog. The difference was too great. Even his wife could not recognize him. Princess Ni Yang despised Cheng Qi for being too ugly and quickly retracted her gaze to ask Xiao Juan. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Before Xiao Juan could speak, Cheng Qi shouted first, ¡°Princess, you have to help me! I just discovered Duke Lang¡¯s plan to murder you, so he wanted to silence me. Look at the injuries on my body. They were all caused by him!¡± Yu Niaoniao was in disbelief. The bastard actually complained first! She was furious. ¡°You were the one who wanted to murder the princess. You arranged for all these killers!¡± ¡°Niaoniao, don¡¯t even think about pinning the blame on me. These killers were clearly arranged by Duke Lang.¡± At this point, Cheng Qi turned to look at the trussed assassins. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, Your Highness, you can ask them and see who¡¯s behind them.¡± Princess Ni Yang looked at the assassins. The assassins received a look from Cheng Qi. They were all death warriors trained by Cheng Qi. Cheng Qi¡¯s orders were more important than their lives. They immediately said, ¡°Duke Lang instructed us to assassinate Her Highness!¡± Yu Niaoniao was a little anxious. ¡°Your Highness, they¡¯re in cahoots with Cheng Qi. They¡¯re deliberately slandering Duke Lang. Don¡¯t believe them!¡± Cheng Qi knew that this was his last hope of survival. He had to grasp it. Otherwise, what awaited him was a tragic death. He endured the pain all over his body and quickly retorted, ¡°I know that Duke Lang has always hated the princess. He has long wanted her to die!¡± ¡°In the past, he was young and did not have the ability to deal with the princess. Now that he was in charge of the Justice Department and had power, he wanted to return and take revenge.¡± ¡°He had arranged for these assassins, as well as the poison in the food and wine. Your Highness, you treated Xiao Juan so badly back then. How could he still treat you as his mother?¡± ¡°This person is ruthless and disregards his family.. Don¡¯t believe him!¡± Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: Clown Chapter 467: Clown Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was very afraid that Princess Ni Yang would believe Cheng Qi¡¯s slander. Just as she was racking her brains to think of a way to clear Xiao Juan¡¯s name, she saw Princess Ni Yang walk to the table and casually pick up a glass of wine. She asked Cheng Qi, ¡°Did you say there was poison in these dishes?¡± Cheng Qi said yes without hesitation. Princess Ni Yang handed the wine glass to Xiao Juan and said with a faint smile. ¡°Since the Prince Consort said you poisoned the wine, take a sip and let me see. As long as you dare to drink, I¡¯ll believe you¡¯re innocent.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Your Highness, no!¡± Princess Ni Yang ignored the others and only looked at Xiao Juan. ¡°Are you going to drink it or not?¡± Seeing this, Cheng Qi was overjoyed. As long as Xiao Juan dared to drink that wine, he would definitely die. However, if Xiao Juan did not dare to drink it, it could prove that he had a guilty conscience. He would not be able to clear his name. No matter the outcome, it was in Cheng Qi¡¯s favor. Everyone present looked at Princess Ni Yang and Duke Lang with rapt attention, waiting for the final outcome. Yan Nanguan knelt down with a thud. ¡°I¡¯m willing to drink this cup of wine on behalf of His Highness!¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled gently and her tone was arrogant. ¡°Who do you think you are? What right do you have to replace Duke Lang?¡± Xiao Juan reached out to take the wine glass. In a moment of desperation, Yu Niaoniao could not care less and rushed forward to snatch the wine glass from Princess Ni Yang¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. I¡¯ll drink for him!¡± With that, she brought the wine glass to her mouth. Before she could drink the wine glass, Xiao Juan pressed the back of her hand. Xiao Juan forcefully pulled the wine glass out of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s just a glass of wine. I¡¯ll drink it.¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. This wine is very likely poisonous!¡± Xiao Juan was very calm. ¡°You have to believe me.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao calmed down a little. From Xiao Juan¡¯s attitude, this glass of wine did not seem to be poisonous at all. She no longer stopped him and watched helplessly as Xiao Juan drank the wine. Everyone stared at Xiao Juan without blinking, wanting to see if the poison would act up on the spot. Cheng Qi¡¯s lips had already curled into a smug smile. He knew that a vicious woman like Princess Ni Yang would not even let her biological son off. She would definitely not believe Xiao Juan. In the end, he was right. Princess Ni Yang actually let her biological son test the poison. Hahaha! He wanted to see how Princess Ni Yang would clean up after Xiao Juan died from the poison! However, Cheng Qi waited for a long time and did not see Xiao Juan show any abnormality. He had been standing there looking perfectly fine. His posture was straight, and his exDression did not chance. He did not look D0isoned at all. The smile on Cheng Qi¡¯s face gradually disappeared. Immediately after, he saw Princess Ni Yang pick up another glass of wine and drink it in front of everyone. She swirled her empty glass and chuckled. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s no poison in this wine.¡± Cheng Qi was in disbelief. ¡°How is this possible? How can this be?¡± He had clearly asked someone to poison the food and wine! Why were Princess Ni Yang and Duke Lang fine after drinking?! Yu Niaoniao heaved a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, the wine was not poisonous. She was really frightened just now. She said angrily to Cheng Qi, ¡°Duke Lang has proven his innocence. What else do you have to say?¡± Cheng Qi hurriedly defended himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know why things turned out like this. Xiao Juan clearly poisoned the food and wine. He said it himself. I heard it with my own ears. It can¡¯t be fake!¡± Princess Ni Yang turned around and placed the empty wine glass back on the table. Cheng Qi crawled to her feet on all fours, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and begged, ¡°Princess, you have to believe me! I swear I¡¯m not lying to you¡­¡± He broke off. Princess Ni Yang drew a sword from the waist of an Eagle Guard. The blade was unsheathed and drew a sharp arc in the air before slitting Cheng Qi¡¯s throat. Blood splattered, dying the hem of Princess Ni Yang¡¯s dress red. Everyone present was shocked by this sudden scene. Some timid guests could not help but scream. Cheng Qi covered the wound on his neck and swayed to the ground. Blood kept seeping out between his fingers. His eyes widened as he glared at Princess Ni Yang, his face filled with disbelief. ¡°W-why?¡± Princess Ni Yang casually threw the sword back to the Eagle Guards. She looked down at Cheng Qi with an arrogant gaze as if she was looking at a lowly ant. ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know all the things you did in private?¡± Cheng Qi was extremely stunned. She actually knew everything! No wonder she dared to let Xiao Juan drink that glass of wine in front of so many people. So she had known the truth behind the poison. What assassins? Poison? It was just a show she was helping to put up. However, he thought that his plan was flawless. Just now, he had tried his best to quibble for himself and put the blame on Xiao Juan. In the end, he realized that he had become a clown in everyone¡¯s eyes. Despair and resentment overwhelmed him together, making Cheng Qi unable to hold it in anymore. He gritted his teeth and cursed while enduring the pain. ¡°The thing I regret most in my life is marrying a vicious woman like you. You couldn¡¯t have a child yourself. You even killed my son. The heavens are watching. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll suffer retribution!¡± Princess Ni Yang seemed very surprised and raised her thin eyebrows slightly. ¡°You mean the child who drowned in the vat? I almost forgot about the incident if you didn¡¯t mention it. Don¡¯t tell me you hate me for it?¡± Cheng Qi could no longer speak, but his expression was clearly saying¡ª Of course! The vengeance for killing his son was irreconcilable! ¡°Have you thought of a question?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve raised so many women outside over the years. Why aren¡¯t those women pregnant?¡± ¡°Only that woman gave you a son?¡± She Imew that Cheng Qi could no longer speak, so she took the initiative to give an answer. ¡°Not long after we got married, I had someone drug your diet. That medicine is colorless and tasteless. It won¡¯t harm your body. Its only use is to make you infertile. ¡± Everyone present was stunned. Since Cheng Qi was infertile, it was impossible for him to have children. In other words, the son born to that mistress was actually not Cheng Qi¡¯s flesh and blood. Cheng Qi had actually been cuckolded! What was even more ridiculous was that he did not notice that he had been cuckolded at all. He even thought that the dead child was his own flesh and blood. For this, he did not hesitate to endure humiliation and plot to murder Princess Ni Yang to avenge his son. At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was already overwhelmed by the gossip. First, Princess Ni Yang drew her sword and killed her husband. Then the Prince Consort took revenge, and finally, the Prince Consort was cuckolded. The plot reversed so quickly that she could not keep up.. Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind Chapter 468: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Cheng Qi opened his mouth, wanting to say that it was impossible. This vicious woman was definitely lying to him. But there was a hole in his throat. More blood flowed. He could no longer speak. He could only pant heavily and glare at Princess Ni Yang. Princess Ni Yang smiled ambiguously. ¡°I helped you get rid of the mistress who cheated on you and even helped you kill that little bastard. I was helping you. You should thank me. Why do you hate me?¡± Cheng Qi was furious. More blood flowed. After a moment, he stopped moving. He was lying in a pool of blood, covered in injuries. The blood on his neck was blurry. His eyes were wide, and his face was filled with hatred and unwillingness. The guests felt a chill in their hearts at this scene and wished they could escape immediately. The guests felt a chill in their hearts at this scene and wished they could escape immediately. However, without Princess Ni Yang saying anything, no one dared to move. They could only hold their breaths. Wei Liao went forward and checked Cheng Qi¡¯s breathing to confirm that he was dead. Princess Ni Yang said casually, ¡°Men are a bunch of ungrateful things.¡± She ordered someone to drag Cheng Qi¡¯s corpse down. Immediately, a servant walked in with a bucket and quickly rinsed the blood off the ground, and laid a beautiful new carpet. The assassins were taken away by the Eagle Guards, and everything in the house returned to normal. It was as if everything that had just happened was an illusion. Princess Ni Yang slowly sat back on the main seat and smiled. ¡°Today is a good day. I¡¯m very happy that everyone has come from afar to celebrate my birthday. It¡¯s my fault for scaring everyone just now. I¡¯ll toast everyone as an apology.¡± With that, she picked up her glass and downed it. But the guests hesitated, afraid to move. Even though the scene had been cleaned up, the smell of blood still lingered in the air. It kept reminding everyone that it was here that Princess Ni Yang had personally killed her husband. Everyone was terrified, afraid that Princess Ni Yang would kill them if she was unhappy. Who was in the mood to drink and eat?! Princess Ni Yang put down her wine glass and looked around at everyone. The smile on her face faded a little. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you drinking? Are you not giving me respect?¡± The guests were shocked. Afraid that they would make Princess Ni Yang unhappy, they hurriedly sat back down, raised their glasses, and drank all the wine in them. Seeing this scene, Princess Ni Yang smiled again. ¡°What happened today was really an accident. I originally didn¡¯t want to see blood on today¡¯s day, but it happened so suddenly that I had no choice. Please don¡¯t blame me.¡± The guests said in unison, ¡°No, no.¡± Princess Ni Yang spun the glass in her hand. Her phoenix eyes flickered, and her red lips were charming. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. Please relax. As long as you¡¯re not stupid like the Prince Consort and behave yourselves, I won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± The guests hurriedly stood up and knelt down, fighting to show their loyalty to Princess Ni Yang. ¡°We swear to follow Your Highness to the death. We¡¯ll do whatever you want us to do. We won¡¯t say a word even if we have to climb mountains of blades and seas of flames!¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡¯ Seeing this scene, Yu Niaoniao suddenly remembered what Princess Ni Yang had once said about killing the chicken to warn the monkey. At this moment, everyone present should be monkeys. Cheng Qi, who had been killed in public just now, should be that chicken. The guests present were all famous figures in Liangzhou. As long as they could be controlled, the entire Liangzhou could be firmly kept in check by Princess Ni Yang. From the respectful and frightened reactions of the guests, Princess Ni Yang¡¯s goal of killing the chicken to scare the monkey had been achieved. From this result, it happened to verify that proverb¡ª The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. The sound of silk bamboo rose as the dancers danced again. The princess¡¯s residence was filled with song and dance. Xiao Juan went forward and said, ¡°Mother, Niaoniao¡¯s hand is injured. I have to bring her down to treat her injuries first.¡± Princess Ni Yang was in a good mood and naturally agreed readily. ¡°Go quickly. Tell me what medicinal herbs you need. The residence has them.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Xiao Juan brought Yu Niaoniao out. The sounds behind them gradually faded away. The two of them arrived at the bedroom. Then, Xiao Juan ordered someone to call Lo Pingsha over. Lo Pingsha helped Yu Niaoniao reattach her dislocated wrist and stabilize it with splints and gauze. ¡°For the next period of time, please try not to touch this hand. Don¡¯t let the bones dislocate again. This is the ointment for you. Apply it once every night. Also, take two pills every morning and night.¡± Xiao Juan took the ointment and medicine bottle. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lo Pingsha rarely heard Duke Lang¡¯s gratitude and could not help but feel flattered. ¡°These are my duties. You don¡¯t have to thank me, Your Highness.¡± He still had a lot to tell Duke Lang, but he noticed the atmosphere between Duke Lang and the Princess Consort. The two of them probably had private things to say to each other, so he tactfully chose to shut up and retreat silently. Xiao Juan poured out two pills and poured a glass of warm water before placing it in front of Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Take your medicine.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the pill from him and suddenly asked, ¡°When did you arrive at the princess¡¯s residence?¡± The moment she saw Xiao Juan, she wanted to ask this question, but because the situation was urgent, she could not find a chance to ask. She waited until she finally had the chance to ask the question. Xiao Juan lowered his eyes. ¡°A little later than you.¡± After living with him for so long, Yu Niaoniao knew some of his habits very well. For example, every time he felt guilty, he would subconsciously avoid her gaze. Just like what he was doing at present. Yu Niaoniao said solemnly, ¡°Look me in the eye and speak.¡± Xiao Juan glanced at her, but quickly looked away. Yu Niaoniao said firmly, ¡°You lied to me.¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Tell me the truth. When did you arrive at the princess¡¯s residence?¡± After a while, she heard Xiao Juan speak again. ¡°I followed you to the princess¡¯s residence.¡± Yu Niaoniao was slightly stunned before she reacted. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been following us all the way? Xiao Juan stopped talking again. Not saying anything was equivalent to a tacit agreement. Yu Niaoniao suddenly remembered what she had said to save Wei Liao¡¯s life. Could Xiao Juan have heard it? Also, did Xiao Juan see her pretending to have an affair with Wei Liao? The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became! Xiao Juan reminded her, ¡°The water is getting cold. Take your medicine.¡± Yu Niaoniao ate the pill in a daze. Seeing that Xiao Juan was about to leave, she quickly stopped him. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to help you find Chun Feng and Ye Yu.¡¯ Her clothes and hair were in a mess. He had to get Chun Feng and Ye Yu to help her change into clean clothes.. Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Envy Chapter 469: Envy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Eagle Guards found Chun Feng and Ye Yu in a remote house that had been idle for a long time. Chun Feng¡¯s neck had been cut by a knife. Fortunately, the wound was not deep. After stopping the bleeding, she was fine. Seeing the two of them brought back safely, Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re all fine.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu hurriedly asked when they saw the Princess Consort¡¯s right hand wrapped in gauze. ¡°Is your hand injured?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked relaxed. ¡°My wrist was dislocated. It¡¯s already reattached. I¡¯m fine.¡¯ With that, she shook her right arm. Chun Feng hurriedly advised, ¡°As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to break a bone. You have to take good care of your hand. Don¡¯t move it.¡± Ye Yu nodded vigorously in agreement. Yu Niaoniao lowered her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve frightened you today. The monthly salary for this month has doubled. Consider it compensation for you. Especially Chun Feng. You¡¯re also injured. This should be considered a work injury.¡± She raised her uninjured hand, took a golden hairpin from her head, and placed it in Chun Feng¡¯s hand. ¡°This is for you. Whether you keep it for yourself or sell it for money, it¡¯s fine.¡± It was not that Yu Niaoniao was unwilling to give her money directly, but she did not have any money on her. All the money she had earned from selling the surroundings had been used to support the opera troupe. The only valuable things she could produce now were jewelry. Chun Feng held the heavy golden hairpin with both hands and hurriedly said, ¡°I can¡¯t accept such expensive jewelry!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No matter how precious something is, it¡¯s not as important as your life. I told you to take it. Just take it.¡± Chun Feng gripped the golden hairpin tightly and kowtowed to her. ¡°Thank you, Princess Consort.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu were helping Yu Niaoniao change her clothes in the house. Xiao Juan stood alone under the porch and quietly looked at the strange flowers and plants in the courtyard. At this moment, Yan Nanguan walked over. He cupped his fists at Duke Lang. Xiao Juan turned slightly and his gaze landed on the other party. ¡°Is everything settled?¡± Yan Nanguan answered truthfully, ¡°Those assassins have been imprisoned. Lo Pingsha is interrogating them. I believe there will be a result soon.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Where are Cheng Qi¡¯s servants?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all locked up too. They¡¯re awaiting interrogation.¡± Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°After interrogating, kill them all.¡± Yan Nanguan shivered. ¡°Yes!¡± Over the years, Cheng Qi bullied good people and snatched women. Those attendants were his accomplices. Their hands were stained with a lot of blood, so they deserved to die. However, he was still puzzled. Duke Lang was not a bloodthirsty person. Why would he suddenly kill so many people? Xiao Juan naturally had a reason for doing this. Previously, when Cheng Qi had ill intentions toward Yu Niaoniao, several attendants had seen it. If they spread this matter, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s innocence would be gone. In any case, they were not good people. They might as well kill them to prevent future trouble. Yan Nanguan asked carefully. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have an accident at Xianglan Temple previously? Why did you suddenly appear in the princess¡¯s residence? What happened between then and now? Please answer me, Your Highness.¡± Now that the matter had come to an end for the time being, there was no need to keep it a secret. Xiao Juan finished his experience during this period of time in a few words. Yan Nanguan came to a realization. That was the truth! He smiled. ¡°I was originally puzzled. Your Highness was talented and intelligent. Why did you suddenly encounter an accident?¡± ¡°So this was all Your Highness¡¯s plan. Your Highness¡¯s move was really awe-inspiring!¡± ¡°Now that Cheng Qi had been executed, the soldiers and generals under him had been controlled. I think we¡¯ll be able to find that stolen silver soon and return to the court.¡± Xiao Juan was not that optimistic. ¡°Cheng Qi is dead, but that stolen money might not be found.¡± Yan Nanguan was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was solemn and his tone was serious. ¡°I¡¯ve been secretly investigating Cheng Qi recently.¡± ¡°He was indeed the suspect who had written to the Assistant Minister of Wei in the Imperial Capital and threatened him to help hide the stolen money. That batch of stolen silver had indeed entered Liangzhou through him.¡± ¡°But strangely, the stolen silver had disappeared after leaving Xianglan Temple. Even Cheng Qi did not know where the stolen silver had gone. He also sent people to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the stolen money, but there was never any result.¡± Yan Nanguan was shocked. ¡°How could such a large amount of silver disappear just like that?!¡± Xiao Juan placed his hands behind his back and said unhurriedly. ¡°I have a feeling that Cheng Qi might not be behind the stolen money case. This isn¡¯t over.¡± ¡°Looks like Duke Lang is thinking the same thing as me.¡± Xiao Juan and Yan Nanguan turned their heads at the same time and looked in the direction of the voice. They saw Wei Liao leaning against a stone pillar not far away. Wei Liao crossed his arms over his chest. He looked as if he had no bones and was lazy. Yan Nanguan frowned. ¡°Were you eavesdropping on us?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound so ugly. I just happened to pass by and a gust of wind happened to blow into my ears.¡± Yan Nanguan was speechless. How could there be so much coincidence? This guy was clearly quibbling! As soon as Xiao Juan saw Wei Liao, he recalled what Yu Niaoniao had said a few days ago¡ª In front of so many people, she admitted that Wei Liao was very important to her. Could it be that Niaoniao had really fallen for Wei Liao? Thinking of this, Xiao Juan felt his heart ache. Jealousy grew like weeds, almost engulfing his rationality. Wei Liao had already walked up to Xiao Juan. He waved his hand in front of Xiao Juan. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you stupid?¡± Yan Nanguan was anxious to protect his master and said angrily, ¡°Be more respectful to His Highness!¡± Wei Liao withdrew his hand and chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m afraid of you.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°You also think Cheng Qi is not the mastermind behind the stolen money case?¡± Wei Liao replied frankly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Cheng Qi is the Prince Consort and comes from a prestigious family. He¡¯s been living in luxury since he was young and doesn¡¯t have to worry about not having money to spend. He doesn¡¯t have to take the risk for that stolen silver.¡± Yan Nanguan retorted, ¡°That¡¯s tens of millions of silver. Who wouldn¡¯t be tempted by such a large sum of money? Besides, who would think that it¡¯s too little?¡± Wei Liao wagged his index finger. ¡°No, no, no. This is different. Stealing stolen silver was a capital crime. Cheng Qi would know this. If he dared to take the risk of losing his head to steal the stolen silver, he must have a strong purpose. ¡®So what¡¯s his motive?¡¯ Could it be that he stole tens of millions of taels of stolen silver for pleasure? Then the problem was that with his status, he could still live a rich life even without stealing stolen money. There¡¯s no need for him to take this risk.¡± Although Yan Nanguan disliked Wei Liao, he had to admit that Wei Liao¡¯s analysis made sense. There was indeed something fishy about Cheng Qi stealing the stolen silver.. Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: I鈥檓 Only Interested in You! Chapter 470: I¡¯m Only Interested in You! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan said, ¡°But I did find clues about Cheng Qi stealing the silver.¡± Wei Liao spread his hands. ¡°So that¡¯s the problem! Why did he steal the silver? I think as long as we investigate this, we might know the truth behind the stolen silver case.¡± Yan Nanguan followed his words and racked his brain to figure out what the truth was. Xiao Juan suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re not attending the birthday banquet in the front courtyard and specially came here to tell us this?¡± Wei Liao laughed. ¡°Haha, didn¡¯t I just say that? I just happened to pass by and wanted to talk to you. By the way, how¡¯s the Princess Consort? Is she seriously injured?¡± Even though he sounded relaxed as if he was asking casually, Xiao Juan knew in his heart that his real motive for coming here was for Niaoniao. Xiao Juan¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Niaoniao is doing very well. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Both sides were smart people. Some things just had to be nipped in the bud. Wei Liao smiled again. ¡°Haha, I¡¯m glad she¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get going.¡± With that, he turned around and left. The moment he turned away, his smile disappeared. When Xiao Juan was not around, he could easily see Yu Niaoniao. However, now that Xiao Juan was back, it was difficult for him to even see Yu Niaoniao again. This made him very unhappy. Yan Nanguan looked at Wei Liao¡¯s departing figure and hesitated before speaking. ¡°Your Highness, Wei Liao and the Princess Consort have been quite close recently. There are already many rumors.¡± ¡°I naturally believe in the Princess Consort. She is devoted to you and can¡¯t have an affair with another man. But she is still subjected to withstand public opinion!¡± ¡°Moreover, Wei Liao is not a good person, to begin with. It would be bad if he had designs on the County Princess. You must be more careful. Don¡¯t let Wei Liao take advantage of you.¡± Xiao Juan was silent. If Niaoniao really did not like Wei Liao, he would naturally chase Wei Liao far away and not let him harass her. But what if Niaoniao liked Wei Liao? In that case, they were in love. What right did Xiao Juan have to break them up? The bedroom door was pulled open and Chun Feng and Ye Yu walked out. One of them was carrying the clothes the County Princess had changed out of, and the other was carrying a copper basin with washing water. The two of them bowed to Duke Lang. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Niaoniao?¡± Before Chun Feng could answer, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s voice came from the room. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± With that, she skipped out. Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t run. You¡¯re still injured.¡± Yu Niaoniao said righteously, ¡°I injured my wrist, not my foot. What does it matter if I run a couple of steps?¡± Yan Nanguan cupped his fists at her. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately asked, ¡°How are those assassins? Have they confessed?¡± Yan Nanguan said, ¡°They¡¯re still being interrogated.¡± Yu Niaoniao said indignantly. ¡°It¡¯s fine if they attempted to assassinate Princess Ni Yang, but they actually want to frame Duke Lang. We have to teach them a lesson. Don¡¯t be soft-hearted when you interrogate them.¡± Seeing that she was still so concerned about Duke Lang, Yan Nanguan could not help but smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her uninjured hand and waved it twice. ¡°All of you, leave. I have something to talk to His Highness alone.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± Yan Nanguan, Chun Feng, and Ye Yu had all left. Only Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao were left under the porch. Yu Niaoniao asked deliberately. ¡°The birthday banquet is being held in front. There are wine, meat, and beauties dancing there. Why don¡¯t you go there and play?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in those.¡± Yu Niaoniao leaned over and looked into his eyes. ¡°Then what are you interested in?¡± Xiao Juan did not answer and asked, ¡°What are you interested in now?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There are many things, such as delicious food, interesting stories, beautiful scenery, beautiful dresses, sparkling jewelry, and the most popular rouge and powder¡­ I¡¯m very interested in all those!¡± Xiao Juan subconsciously blurted out, ¡°Are you interested in Wei Liao too?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Xiao Juan immediately corrected himself. ¡°Forget it, pretend I didn¡¯t ask.¡± Actually, the moment he said it, he regretted it. It was her freedom to like someone. If he interfered too much, he would only make Niaoniao unhappy. Xiao Juan turned around, wanting to leave. Yu Niaoniao quickly grabbed his sleeve and said quickly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in Wei Liao.¡± Xiao Juan stopped in his tracks. Yu Niaoniao continued, ¡°To be precise, I¡¯m not interested in any man in this world except you. I¡¯m only interested in you!¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes. She was doing it again. She was weaving false dreams again. Seeing that he was silent, Yu Niaoniao knew that he did not believe her and hurriedly emphasized. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not lying to you!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You¡¯re indeed not lying to me. I can help you find out the truth about the Feng family¡¯s destruction. I¡¯m useful to you, so you¡¯ll naturally be very interested in me.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him blankly, her fingers involuntarily loosening. Xiao Juan¡¯s sleeve fell. He walked away. In the end, Yu Niaoniao was still angry and shouted behind him. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one in this world who can help me. Wei Liao can also help me find out the truth, but why am I not interested in him? Why can¡¯t you think about this?¡± Xiao Juan said without looking back. ¡°Because you don¡¯t trust him.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Xiao Juan¡¯s back quickly disappeared around the corner. Originally, Yu Niaoniao wanted to explain it to Xiao Juan that she and Wei Liao were just putting on a show. She had no thoughts about Wei Liao at all, and Wei Liao treated her the same. They hated each other and would never have an affair in their lives. However, from Xiao Juan¡¯s reaction, no matter how she explained, he would not believe her. He had already decided that there was something ambiguous between her and Wei Liao. The more Yu Niaoniao thought about it, the angrier she became. She really wished she could pry open Xiao Juan¡¯s mind and see what he was thinking. After the birthday banquet, the news that Princess Ni Yang stabbed the Prince Consort to death quickly spread throughout Jinwu City. The commoners discussed this. ¡°Did you hear? Princess Ni Yang killed her consort!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Prince Consort want to murder her first? The Prince Consort has committed a capital crime.¡± ¡°Even so, he¡¯s still her Prince Consort. How can she kill her own Prince Consort with her own hands?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The Prince Consort committed a crime and could have been handed over to the Imperial Court. The Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple are not to be trifled with. How can a princess like her kill someone herself? Moreover, she killed her own Prince Consort!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that a day as husband and wife is a hundred days of kindness. How could she bear to do it? She¡¯s really cold-blooded!¡± As the rumors spread, Princess Ni Yang¡¯s image in the hearts of the commoners became more and more terrifying. Now, as long as everyone talked about her, they would look afraid. As the person involved, Princess Ni Yang did not care at all. She even had the time to gossip with Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Now that Juan is back, what about your Young Master Wei?¡± Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Art Mirroring Life Chapter 471: Art Mirroring Life Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s embarrassed expression, Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°I know your troubles. You can¡¯t bear to part with Wei Liao, but you can¡¯t let go of Ah Juan. You¡¯re in a dilemma and don¡¯t know how to choose, right? This question is actually very simple. Since you can¡¯t make a choice, don¡¯t make one. You¡¯ll take both.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked by her words. Could this really happen? ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡± Princess Ni Yang raised her eyebrows and said disapprovingly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong witn that( Can it be that men are allowed to nave three wives and tour concubines, but women are not allowed to raise a few more men?¡± ¡°Ordinary women would be restrained by three or four virtues, but you probably wouldn¡¯t. You¡¯re a woman who can draw The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation. Your thoughts shouldn¡¯t be so narrow.¡± Yu Niaoniao explained with difficulty, ¡°I don¡¯t think women should be born inferior to men. The so-called three rules of subordination and four virtues are just shackles to restrain women. If Duke Lang has let me down, I can abandon him, but he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong to me. How can I let him down?¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°You¡¯re still too naive, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Since you¡¯re worried about An Juan, continue to be the Princess Consort of Lang County in peace. I¡¯ll help you deal with Wei Liao. I promise I won¡¯t let him affect your relationship as husband and wife.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. After spending the past few days together, she had a rough understanding of Princess Ni Yangs character. When Princess Ni Yang said that she would deal with him, she really wanted to deal with him completely and make him disappear from this world. Yu Niaoniao was indeed troubled by the scandal between her and Wei Liao. She wanted to explain this matter as soon as possible so that Xiao Juan would not continue to misunderstand. But she didn¡¯t want Wei Liao to die because of this! After all, it was a life, and Wei Liao had helped her. She couldn¡¯t push him into the fire. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. There¡¯s no need.¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled mischievously. ¡°You still can¡¯t bear to part with Wei Liao, right? Look at you. You clearly want both of them, but you still insist on saying no. Why?¡± Yu Niaoniao was extremely embarrassed. This matter was already getting worse. There was no way to explain it. She made up her mind and braced herself. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t like Wei Liao.¡± Princess Ni Yang narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone revealing a hint of danger. ¡°Then you told me before that Wei Liao is very important to you. Are you lying to me?¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No! How would I dare to lie to you?! Wei Liao was indeed very important to me, but the truth was not what you thought.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something you might not know. Duke Lang is sick. Although he looks no different from a normal person on the surface, his illness would flare up once he is agitated and he would become especially crazy.¡± ¡°We sought out many physicians who said there was no cure.¡± ¡°This was until a divine doctor suddenly appeared and gave Duke Lang a prescription. He said that it could cure Duke Lang¡¯s illness, but this prescription needs a medicinal catalyst in the form of human blood. Moreover, it has to be the fresh blood of a person with a Yin fate.¡± ¡°Wei Liao¡¯s fate happened to be Yin. He is the medicinal catalyst I found for Duke Lang.¡± After she finished these words in one breath, her heart was still beating like a drum. She did not know if these lies could fool Princess Ni Yang. Princess Ni Yang frowned slightly, as if in deep thought. After a moment, she said, ¡°Why does this plot sound familiar? Isn¡¯t this the story between the little mute and the princess in The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation?¡± Yu Niaoniao said guiltily, ¡°Yes, as the saying goes, art originates from life. My creative inspiration is drawn from life.¡± ¡°I see! I knew it. I was wondering why the little mute in the book looks so similar to Wei Liao. At first, I thought you liked him, so you drew him in the book. Now, it seems that I was wrong.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled awlwardly. ¡°Wei Liao has to live. Otherwise, Duke Lang¡¯s illness will be out of control. I hope Your Highness can help me keep this secret from outsiders.¡± Especially not Wei Liao. If this guy knew that he had become someone else¡¯s medicinal primer, he would immediately overturn the roof of the princess¡¯s residence. Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand.¡± Yu Niaoniao secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She had finally fooled Princess Ni Yang this round. Since Princess Ni Yang knew that she did not like Wei Liao, she would probably not matchmake her with him in the future. This way, she could save a lot of trouble. Princess Ni Yang asked expectantly. ¡°There should be a third book, right? When do you plan to start writing? Do you need me to provide you with creative material?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡®What creative material?¡± ¡°There are so many gigolos in the residence that you can choose at will. Take away whoever you like. Whether it¡¯s cutting out the heart, lungs, or eyeballs, it¡¯s up to you. They¡¯re your material.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s scalp went numb. ¡°No, no need. I don¡¯t have the inspiration to create a third installment yet. I¡¯ll look for you when I need it.¡± Back then, she had indeed written The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation with the goal of torturing people to death, but she had not really wanted to kill anyone because of this. What did Princess Ni Yang mean by digging out the heart, lungs, and eyes? Just the thought of that scene was terrifying. Princess Ni Yang was a little disappointed. ¡°How can there be no inspiration? I¡¯m still waiting to see the third book.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s how creation is. It¡¯s a test of inspiration. As long as inspiration comes, I could draw the entire book in an instant. But without inspiration, every stroke is torture.¡± ¡°Moreover, my hand is still injured. The doctor said that it would take a hundred days to recover. It¡¯s impossible for me to paint this hand again without recuperating for two or three months.¡± With that, she pointed at her right wrist, which was wrapped in gauze, indicating that she was telling the truth. Princess Ni Yang sighed helplessly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± She looked around. ¡°Why don¡¯t I see Juan? Where did he go?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°He went out early in the morning. He must have something to do.¡± Princess Ni Yang was very dissatisfied. ¡°You¡¯re injured, but he¡¯s not at home with you. He¡¯s too insensible. When he comes back, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson for you!¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t. Business is more important. I understand.¡± Princess Ni Yang chuckled. ¡°You just can¡¯t bear to part with him.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her head with a shy expression. Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°It¡¯s quite boring for you to stay in the house all the time. Why don¡¯t I take you out to play? I know a very interesting place.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up and asked curiously. ¡°What place?¡± Princess Ni Yang deliberately kept her in suspense. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes..¡± Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Joy Seeking Pavilion Chapter 472: Joy Seeking Pavilion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Princess Ni Yang first brought Yu Niaoniao to the backyard. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for a few days, but I haven¡¯t introduced you to Rouge.¡± Princess Ni Yang pointed at the tiger locked in the large iron cage and smiled. ¡°This tiger is Rouge. I¡¯ve had it for three years. It¡¯s a very cute little thing.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the man-sized tiger in front of her and could not help but tense up. Her heart was pounding. How was this thing cute? If it opened its mouth, it could swallow her in one bite. Scary was more like it! The big tiger slowly walked out of the iron cage. He had a metal ring around his neck. There was still blood around his mouth. He must have just finished eating. As Princess Ni Yang reached out and stroked the big tiger¡¯s head, her eyes were filled with love. ¡°Rouge hasn¡¯t gone out to play for a long time. Let¡¯s bring it out for some air today.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very afraid that the big tiger would turn around and bite off Princess Ni Yangs slender hand. Fortunately, the big tiger only glanced at Princess Ni Yang and did not do anything else. Princess Ni Yang ordered someone to get a chain and buckled it to the metal ring around the tiger¡¯s neck. When the princess¡¯s carriage appeared on the street, the commoners were frightened by the big tiger and scrambled away. The shops on the street also closed their doors and windows. Soon the street was empty. The big tiger walked forward step by step. The metal rings and chains around his neck clinked from time to time. Yu Niaoniao and Princess Ni Yang sat in the carriage. They could see through the carriage window. In the eyes of those commoners, Princess Ni Yang in the carriage was no different from that big tiger. They were both terrifying monsters who ate people without spitting out their bones. If it were an ordinary person facing such a situation, they would definitely be unhappy. However, the corners of Princess Ni Yang¡¯s mouth curled up. She kept a smile on her face and looked like she was in a good mood. She seemed to enjoy being feared by everyone. The carriage finally stopped in front of a dazzling three-story building. Yu Niaoniao followed Princess Ni Yang out of the carriage. She looked up and saw the words Joy Seeking Pavilion written on the sect in the small building. Such a simple and clear name made Yu Niaoniao hesitate. ¡°What is this place?¡± The conflict between her and Xiao Juan had yet to be resolved. If Xiao Juan found out that she had gone out to have fun, it would make the situation even more complicated. Princess Ni Yang said slowly, ¡°In the past, it was always the men who went out to have fun. Women could only do housework at home and wait for them to come home obediently. I got someone to build this brothel. This place only receives female guests. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you in to broaden your horizons.¡± With that, she walked up the steps. After taking two steps, she realized that Yu Niaoniao was not following her. She turned back to Yu Niaoniao and asked. ¡°Why are you still standing there? Come here quickly.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we forget it? My hand is still injured. The doctor said that I have to recuperate. I¡¯d better go home.¡± Princess Ni Yang said angrily, ¡°Look at you! Isn¡¯t it just for fun? Those men spend all their time philandering outside and never think there¡¯s anything wrong with their actions. What are you afraid of? Come in with me!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. I just don¡¯t think this is good¡­¡± Princess Ni Yang did not waste her breath on her. She got someone to lift her up and forcefully brought her into the Joy Seeking Pavilion. Unlike what Yu Niaoniao had imagined, the interior of the Joy Seeking Pavilion was very elegant. There were no jarring scenes. There was a song and dance performance on the stage. Female guests sat below the stage and watched. Among them were old women and young ladies who had yet to be married. From the way they were chatting and laughing in groups, they must come here often to play. When Princess Ni Yang saw Yu Niaoniao looking at the female guests, she immediately guessed what she was thinking. ¡°Do you think the guests here are all looking for men? Then you¡¯re too narrow-minded. Many female guests come here just to find a place to chat and drink with their friends and relax.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao said sincerely, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s expression became ambiguous. ¡°Of course, if you want to find a man to accompany you, this place can provide corresponding services. I¡¯ll take you to the private room upstairs. There are many men there. You can choose.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly waved her hand in refusal. ¡°No need!¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°Heh, I knew you wouldn¡¯t dare. Forget it, you can¡¯t force such a thing. I¡¯ll take you downstairs to take a look.¡± Yu Niaoniao subconsciously looked at the floor under her feet. ¡°There¡¯s a basement here?¡± ¡°The best things are hidden underground.¡± After saying this, Princess Ni Yang led Yu Niaoniao forward. They crossed the lobby and entered the atrium. The other end of the atrium was connected to the backyard. Yu Niaoniao noticed that people entered the atrium from the backyard. There were men and women among them. From their attire, they should be from rich families. When they saw that Princess Ni Yang was also there, they hurriedly bowed. Princess Ni Yang walked past them without looking at them. She led Yu Niaoniao through the hanging flower door and into a small courtyard. There were people guarding the courtyard. When they saw Princess Ni Yang arrive, they immediately opened the door behind them and said respectfully. ¡°Your Highness, please come in.¡± Yu Niaoniao followed Princess Ni Yang into the house. There was a tunnel inside the house. They went down the stairs and into the tunnel. Although the tunnel was dim, there were people carrying lanterns in front and behind, so it was not in the way. Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask softly. ¡°Your Highness, didn¡¯t you say that this place only receives female guests?¡± She had seen a man enter here just now. Princess Ni Yang replied casually, ¡°The Joy Seeking Pavilion does only receive female guests, but this is underground and no longer belongs to the Joy Seeking Pavilion. Regardless of their gender, as long as they can afford it, they can come here to play.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not understand. What was so fun about coming to such an airtight basement? When they reached the end of the tunnel and pushed open the door in front of them, a huge colosseum appeared in front of them. In the circular colosseum, two beasts were tearing at each other. The guests in the stands were shouting desperately. The noise and the smell of blood assaulted her, causing her to stop involuntarily. It turned out that their so-called play was to watch the beast fight performance. Princess Ni Yang sensed that she had stopped again and said helplessly, ¡°Hurry up and leave. There¡¯s a very exciting performance coming up. Don¡¯t miss it.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not dare to look at the two ferocious beasts fighting. She followed Princess Ni Yang into the stands and sat in the best seat exclusive to Princess Ni Yang. After the battle between the two ferocious beasts ended, someone entered the venue and dragged the corpses of the ferocious beasts away. They simply cleaned up the scene. Then, a big tiger walked in. Yu Niaoniao recognized it at a glance. It was Rouge. The metal ring and chain around its neck had been untied. When the audience in the stands saw it appear, they immediately erupted in cheers of understanding. It was obvious that it was very popular with these people. Immediately after, more than a dozen shackled people were pushed into the Bestial Battle Arena. What was about to happen was a battle between a ferocious beast and humans.. Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Beast Fight Chapter 473: Beast Fight Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When the dozen or so people were pushed into the colosseum, the audience in the stands fell silent. They had come here for the beast fight performance. They did not expect a battle between a beast and humans to suddenly happen. A guard helped the dozen or so people remove the shackles around their necks. They had been given freedom after a long time, but they could not be happy. Because the big and strong tiger was watching them not far away. They looked up and found Princess Ni Yang among the many onlookers. They hurriedly ran to the edge of the Bestial Battle Arena and knelt down and kowtowed to Princess Ni Yang in the stands, begging, ¡°Your Highness, please spare us! We know our mistake. We won¡¯t dare to do it again!¡± Only then did the onlookers notice that Princess Ni Yang had actually come. The already silent atmosphere became even quieter. Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask, ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing?¡± Princess Ni Yang looked down at those people and said slowly. ¡°These people were originally servants of the princess¡¯s residence. They should have obeyed me. However, they accepted Cheng Qi¡¯s bribe and actually tried to poison the food and wine to harm me. How can I let such traitors off easily?¡± Yu Niaoniao came to a realization. After the birthday banquet ended, the princess¡¯s residence was cleaned up by Princess Ni Yang. Those people who had been bribed by Cheng Qi were all exposed. Initially, Yu Niaoniao thought that those people would be killed by Princess Ni Yang as an example. Unexpectedly, Princess Ni Yang actually brought them into the Bestial Battle Arena. It seemed that she didn¡¯t just want those people to die. She wanted them to die slowly in extreme pain and fear. In the end, they would die in an incomplete state. Princess Ni Yang noticed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression and smiled. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cruel?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer. Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet? If they survive this duel, I¡¯ll let them live.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Do you think they can survive?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t they survive? If Ah Juan could survive at such a young age back then, why can¡¯t so many adults? They can¡¯t be worse than a child, right?¡± It would have been fine if Princess Ni Yang did not say this, but once she did, Yu Niaoniao felt even worse. The reason why the Bestial Battle Arena repulsed her was that this place reminded her of Xiao Juan¡¯s encounter when he was young. He had also been forced to duel with beasts. He had also struggled desperately on the line between life and death. Yu Niaoniao could not help but speak, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why did you treat Duke Lang like that?¡± Princess Ni Yang was puzzled. ¡°What did I do to him? Didn¡¯t I just throw him into a cage and let him play with a tiger for a while?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at her in disbelief. ¡°You think that¡¯s playing? That¡¯ll kill him! ¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°That tiger wasn¡¯t even an adult yet. It might not be able to bite him to death. Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this. The performance is about to begin. Let¡¯s watch the performance.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the tiger in the colosseum began to move. It charged at the men, moving extremely fast. The men were unarmed and could only run as fast as they could. Probably out of instinct for survival, they ran as fast as they had ever run in their lives. They were actually able to keep a distance from the tiger. They ran around the Bestial Battle Arena without being able to let the tiger catch up. Princess Ni Yang chuckled when she saw this. ¡°You can¡¯t just think about escaping. I didn¡¯t sit here just to watch such a boring game of cat and mouse.¡± She glanced at the female official beside her and instructed calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t let them run away again.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± The official passed on Princess Ni Yang¡¯s order. Then, a guard from the princess¡¯s residence raised his bow and aimed at the people running for their lives. He shot an arrow and hit one of them in the calf. The man screamed and fell to the ground. Before he could get up, the tiger had spread itself over him and snapped his neck in one bite. In an instant, blood splattered. The audience in the stands cried out in horror. Some timid women covered their eyes and cried softly. They liked to watch beast-fighting performances, but this did not mean that they could accept the scene of a living person being bitten to death by a beast. After all, they were humans themselves. They would have empathy for their kind. After the tiger bit that Derson to death. it ate his corose on the SD0t. The sound of sharp teeth snapping bones and flesh being chewed made the scalps of the audience in the stands tingle and their backs break out in cold sweat. Usually, when they saw the big tiger bite other ferocious beasts to death, they would cheer it on and think that it was especially impressive. However, now that they saw it eat a human thigh in two or three bites, the audience did not even dare to breathe loudly, afraid that this ferocious tiger would rush to the stands and bite them to death. After eating that person, the tiger continued its unfinished hunt. The guards of the princess¡¯s residence raised their bows and stared around the arena. If anyone dared to escape again, they would shoot at that person. Those people could not escape, so they could only risk their lives to fight the tiger. However, they were unarmed and had never practiced martial arts. How could they be a match for that big tiger? Next was the tiger¡¯s one-sided torture of that group of people. Screams and cries kept coming from the colosseum, mixed with the sound of a tiger biting off bones. The smell of blood became stronger. Yu Niaoniao felt her stomach churn and wanted to vomit. She didn¡¯t dare look anymore. She turned her head away. The dozen or so people were quickly bitten to death by the tiger. The ground in the arena was already red with blood, and the remains of some broken fingers that had not been eaten clean were scattered everywhere. Princess Ni Yang smiled gently. ¡°Niaoniao, looks like you lost the bet. They didn¡¯t survive.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face turned pale. She did not want to say a word. Seeing that she did not look good, Princess Ni Yang said considerately, ¡°You don¡¯t look well. Let¡¯s go back.¡± The female official walked forward and helped Yu Niaoniao stand up. The audience was silent. They looked at Princess Ni Yang with fear. After today¡¯s incident, their fear of Princess Ni Yang would increase. They walked out of the Joy Seeking Pavilion. The guard followed with the tiger. The tiger¡¯s face and body were stained with blood. There was still wet blood dripping from his mouth. Princess Ni Yang was clearly very satisfied with its performance today. She personally took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the blood on its face. ¡°Rouge is so obedient.¡± Tiger, who was full, was in a good mood. He stood still and let the woman wipe his face. At first glance, the scene seemed quite warm. However, as long as Yu Niaoniao thought of the tiger devouring people just now, she felt very uncomfortable. That feeling of nausea surged up again, making her feel extremely sick.. Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Nightmare Chapter 474: Nightmare Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After a night of interrogation, the assassins confessed. They did not know where the stolen silver had gone, nor did they know why Cheng Qi had swallowed that large sum of dirty silver. But they mentioned something¡ª Cheng Qi had a good relationship with the Liangzhou City Guard Captain, Yuan Gui. The two of them often went to drink together. The information about Yang Gui was quickly handed to Xiao Juan. Young Gui, the County Governor of Liangzhou, and Princess Ni Yang were the three forces in Liangzhou. The city guard captain was in charge of the military, and the county governor of Liangzhou was in charge of politics and livelihood. Princess Ni Yang seemed to not care about anything, but because of her noble status, be it the City Guard Captain or the County Governor of Liangzhou, they had to treat her carefully. All these years, the three parties had restrained each other and got along quite harmoniously. The City Guard Captain, Yuan Gui, looked like an uncouth person. He was burly and liked wine and beauties. In this aspect, he was quite similar to Cheng Qi. However, someone who could sit firmly in the position of City Guard Captain and handle the three factions with ease was definitely not a simple uncouth person. Xiao Juan personally went to the commandant¡¯s residence, planning to get something out of Yuan Gui. When he arrived at the commandant¡¯s residence, he realized that Wei Liao was also there. Wei Liao smiled harmlessly. ¡°Is Duke Lang also here to drink with Lieutenant Yuan?¡± Xiao Juan looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I heard that Captain Yuan has been cooping himself up in his house for a long time, so I specially came to ask him for two glasses of wine to try.¡± Yuan Gui clapped and laughed heartily. ¡°Haha, I don¡¯t have much else at home, but I hoard a lot of wine. It¡¯s rare for the two nobles to come Imocking. We must drink lintil we¡¯re drunk!¡± Xiao Juan knew in his heart that Wei Liao had deliberately followed him to monitor him. Due to Yuan Gui¡¯s presence, Xiao Juan could not say much and could only agree. ¡°Since you¡¯re so kind, I¡¯ll accept it respectfully.¡± Yuan Gui ordered someone to bring over a few large wine jars and a large table of dishes. The three of them sat around the table and drank. Xiao Juan and Wei Liao both wanted to get Yuan Gui drunk. The two of them kept finding reasons for Yuan Gui to drink, drinking glass after glass. Soon, Yuan Gui was drunk. Wei Liao wanted to take the opportunity to ask about the relationship between Yuan Gui and Cheng Qi. Unexpectedly, halfway through his question, Yuan Gui closed his eyes and fell asleep on the table. Seeing this, Wei Liao could not help but curse. Xiao Juan looked calm. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s go.¡± He put down his glass and stood up, walking out. Wei Liao immediately followed. ¡°Are we really going to let it go?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What else do you want?¡± Wei Liao choked. Yuan Gui was a third-grade city guard captain. He had military power and was a true local bully. Even if Xiao Juan and Wei Liao were high-ranking officials from the Imperial Capital, they could not do anything to Yuan Gui before they were fully confident. Fortunately, Xiao Juan had already expected this outcome and was not too disappointed. Yuan Gui was a meticulous person. He would definitely be wary of the two strangers who suddenly came looking for him. It was not so easy to get information from him. He must have deliberately fallen asleep so smoothly just now. Xiao Juan walked out of the door of the commandant¡¯s residence and mounted his horse. He looked back at Wei Liao and asked. ¡°And tell me, how did you find this place?¡± Wei Liao chuckled. ¡°Whatever your Eagle Guards can find out, our Sky Wolf Guards can find out too.¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything else and rode away. On the way, he happened to pass by a fruit stall. He saw that the grapes on the stall were plump and had water droplets on their surface. They looked crystal clear and very beautiful. He couldn¡¯t help but think of Niaoniao. She had said that she liked good food. Presumably, she would like the grapes. Xiao Juan dismounted and bought two bunches of grapes. He carefully placed the grapes in his cloth bag. When he returned, he deliberately slowed down to avoid crushing the grapes with the vigorous actions of the horse. After returning to the princess¡¯s residence, Xiao Juan carried the grapes to look for Niaoniao and happened to encounter Chun Feng at the door of the bedroom. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Is Niaoniao in the house?¡± Chun Feng was worried about not being able to share what happened to Yu Niaoniao with anyone. When she saw Duke Lang arrive, she immediately poured out all the words she had been holding in. ¡°The Princess Consort went out with Her Highness this morning. After returning, the Princess Consort¡¯s face turned pale and she looked very uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I wanted the physician to take a look at the Princess Consort, but the Princess Consort said that she was fine and just needed to rest.¡± ¡°After that, the Princess Consort stayed in the room to rest and did not even eat much for lunch. She said she had no appetite and could not eat.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you have to persuade the Princess Consort to eat something. Don¡¯t let her starve.¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re dismissed.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Xiao Juan pushed open the door and walked into the bedroom. He saw Yu Niaoniao sleeping on the bed. She seemed to be having a nightmare. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her face was pale. She gripped the blanket tightly with both hands and nodded vaguely from time to time. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­ Xiao Juan placed the grapes on the table and slowly walked to the bed. He reached out and touched her forehead. Fortunately, there was no fever. But there was a lot of cold sweat on her forehead, and her hair was soaked. Xiao Juan got up to wring the wet handkerchief and help her wipe the sweat off her face. Yu Niaoniao suddenly opened her eyes and woke up from her nightmare! Xiao Juan stopped wiping her sweat. Seeing her terrified expression, Xiao Juan could not help but soften his voice and coax her softly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It was all just a dream.¡± It took Yu Niaoniao a while to recover from the fear of the nightmare. She placed her hands on the bed frame and slowly sat up. ¡°When did you get back?¡± Xiao Juan picked up a soft pillow and placed it behind her. He replied, ¡°I just returned. Did you have a nightmare just now?¡± Yu Niaoniao recalled the scene in her dream and hurriedly grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s hand. Xiao Juan wanted to pull his hand back, but he heard her say. ¡°I saw you in a dream.¡± Xiao Juan paused. ¡°A dream about me?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded vigorously and said anxiously. ¡°I dreamed that you were locked in a large iron cage and fighting a big tiger. The tiger bit you until you were covered in wounds. You were about to die¡­¡¯ The more she spoke, the more uncomfortable she felt. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but whimper. Tears rolled down her face. ¡°Boohoo, I¡¯m so scared! I wanted to save you, but I couldn¡¯t get into the cage. I couldn¡¯t help you!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart ached from her crying. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m right here. Look at me. I¡¯m fine. The dream was all fake. There is no big tiger. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him with tears in her eyes and choked. ¡°But I saw the big tiger today. That tiger even ate many people.¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t win back then, wouldn¡¯t it be impossible for me to know you?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression immediately changed drastically, and his voice contained shock and anger. ¡°Did that woman take you to the Bestial Battle Arena?!¡± Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Heartache Chapter 475: Heartache Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Previously, Xiao Juan had heard that Niaoniao had gone out with Princess Ni Yang. After returning, Niaoniao had become very strange. Initially, he thought that Princess Ni Yang had bullied Niaoniao. Now, he knew that it was because Niaoniao had been brought to the Bestial Battle Arena. Xiao Juan knew very well what kind of place the Bestial Battle Arena was. Niaoniao must have been frightened to become like this. Xiao Juan hated Princess Ni Yang. It was fine if she abused him, but she didn¡¯t even let Niaoniao off. This was something Xiao Juan could not tolerate. He tried to slow his voice and coaxed gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay. With me here, that tiger can¡¯t hurt you.¡± Yu Niaoniao cried. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of that tiger. My heart aches for you.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart softened. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out to wipe her tears. His fingers stopped just before they touched her cheek. Xiao Juan silently told himself that he could not be tempted again. He could not be fooled again. He was about to retract his hand when Yu Niaoniao took it first. She took the initiative to lean her cheek against his palm and nuzzle it gently. Hot, wet tears wet his palms. He pursed his thin lips involuntarily and wanted to retreat, but his body seemed to have lost control and refused to move. Yu Niaoniao choked and said, ¡°What if I¡¯m also locked in a large iron cage one day and Princess Ni Yang forces me to fight a ferocious beast? What should I Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°No, I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± The pain he had experienced would never be experienced again. He would definitely protect her firmly behind him and not let her be hurt at all. However, Yu Niaoniao insisted on arguing with him, ¡°I¡¯m talking about what if. What if that day comes? If I¡¯m really unlucky and an accident happens, will you feel sad for me? Will you cry for me?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. He did not dare to think about how he would survive alone if Niaoniao was gone one day. Xiao Juan forcefully changed the topic. ¡°If Princess Ni Yang wants to harm you, you just have to remember one thing.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him with her red eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No matter what she does to you, you can¡¯t give in.¡± Seeing the confusion on Niaoniao¡¯s face, Xiao Juan explained patiently, ¡°Eldest Princess Ni Yang has a strong desire to control. In her eyes, human lives are as worthless as grass.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t expect any sympathy from her.¡± ¡°Showing weakness and asking for help are tactics that do not work on her. She might even think that you are too boring and end your life early.¡± ¡°The more she wants to suppress you, the more you have to resist.¡± ¡°As long as you didn¡¯t compromise and give in, she would feel that you are an unfinished work that needs to be continued. You can take this opportunity to stall for time and fight for a chance to escape.¡± As he spoke, he looked dazed, as if he had recalled some bad memories. His brows slowly furrowed. Yu Niaoniao asked carefully, ¡°Is this how you endured as a child?¡± Xiao Juan replied softly, ¡°Yes.¡± When he was thrown into the iron cage, he had asked Princess Ni Yang for help, but she was indifferent. After knowing that asking for help was useless, he could only risk his life to fight the ferocious beasts. It was also at that time that Princess Ni Yang finally looked him in the eye. After the duel ended, she even asked the doctor to bandage his wound for the first time. Because of this, Xiao Juan could barely survive and live for a few more days. Otherwise, by the time the palace sent someone to Liangzhou, he would have been seriously injured and cold. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart ached even more. ¡°If there¡¯s a next life, I must meet you sooner so that I can protect you from others.¡± Xiao Juan looked down at her and could not suppress the increasingly strong emotions in his heart. His fingers gently brushed past the corners of her eyes and wiped away the hot tears. He did not dare hope for another life. He was satisfied as long as he could not be separated from Niaoniao in this life. Yu Niaoniao leaned over. ¡°Ah Juan.¡± This was the first time Xiao Juan had heard her call him that. His heart could not help but tremble. That soft voice with a little sob could kill him. Involuntarily, he lowered his head and followed his heart. He wanted to get close to her, hug her, and kiss her. Yu Niaoniao looked at him unblinkingly. There were still sparkling tears on her curly eyelashes. She looked wet and her face was a little pale. There were still wet tears on her face. She grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s clothes bit by bit. She was extremely nervous, and her heart was pounding. Knock knock knock! There was a sudden knock on the door. Xiao Juan suddenly came back to his senses and quickly sat up straight before retracting his hand. The distance between them widened. Yu Niaoniao could not help but call out again. ¡°Ah Juan.¡± Xiao Juan avoided her gaze and turned to look at the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± The sound of Chun Feng came through the door. ¡°The Princess Consort didn¡¯t eat much for lunch. I was worried that she would starve, so I specially prepared some food.¡± Xiao Juan stood up and walked over to open the door. He took the food box from Chun Feng. Chun Feng asked with concern. ¡°How¡¯s the Princess Consort now? Is she better?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°She¡¯s just too frightened. She¡¯s fine. Go make a pot of calming tea. ¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Chun Feng accepted the order and left. Xiao Juan closed the door with one hand. He placed the food box on the table and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Come and eat something.¡± Yu Niaoniao shouted in her heart. She was so close! If Chun Feng had come a little later, the two of them would have kissed! She refused to give up and stammered. ¡°I¡¯m weak. Can you carry me over?¡± Xian Tuan aglced her to wait Then, he took out a low table and placed it on the bed. Then, he took out the food from the food box and placed it neatly on the low table. ¡°Since you¡¯re weak, sit on the bed and eat. ¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. This man must have done it on purpose. He must have done it on purpose, right? She took a deep breath and continued to wheedle. ¡°My right hand is injured and I can¡¯t use any strength. I can¡¯t hold my chopsticks. Feed me.¡± Xiao Juan scooped a bowl of soup and placed it in front of her. ¡°Then have some soup first.¡± Yu Niaoniao held her right wrist, which was wrapped in gauze, and said pitifully, ¡°I can¡¯t carry the bowl. I can¡¯t carry the spoon.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her steadily. Yu Niaoniao looked back at him without guilt. She was indeed injured. She wasn¡¯t lying! The two of them looked at each other for a long time. In the end, Xiao Juan was defeated. He held a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other and began to feed her soup. Yu Niaoniao opened her mouth and drank a mouthful of soup. In the end, she even smacked her lips. ¡°Aiyaya, why does this soup taste so sweet today?¡± Xiao Juan still did not say anything, but the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. After finishing the bowl of soup, Yu Niaoniao pretended to comment. ¡°You¡¯ve served me well, Little Juan. I¡¯m very satisfied..¡± Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: Don鈥檛 Be Smooth Chapter 476: Don¡¯t Be Smooth Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan picked up his bowl and chopsticks and continued to feed her. Yu Niaoniao took a bite of the fish and immediately frowned. ¡°Why are there thorns in this fish?¡± Xiao Juan immediately lowered his head to look at the remaining fish in his bowl and used his chopsticks to pry open the fish to examine it carefully. He did not see any fish bones. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°The fish bones are too small to see. If you don¡¯t believe me, try a bite.¡± Xiao Juan did not suspect anything and picked up the fish to taste. There were indeed no fish bones. Yu Niaoniao asked him to try it again. He looked up at Yu Niaoniao and saw her sly smile. How could he not understand? He had been played by her. Xiao Juan put down his bowl and chopsticks. ¡°You already have the strength to fool people. Looks like you don¡¯t need me to feed you anymore. Eat slowly.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t go! I won¡¯t tease you anymore.¡± Xiao Juan was not really leaving. Hearing her say this, he picked up his bowl and chopsticks and continued to feed her. With every bite of rice, Yu Niaoniao had to look at Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan was a little nervous but his expression did not change. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re good-looking. As long as I look at you, my appetite will improve.¡± Xiao Juan was a little happy to be coaxed, but he still looked cold. ¡°Don¡¯t be glib.¡± Yu Niaoniao retorted, ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± Xiao Juan did not argue with her and silently fed her. After eating and drinking her fill, Yu Niaoniao leaned back and said lazily. ¡°This meal today is really delicious. It¡¯s better than anything I¡¯ve eaten before! Do you know why, Juan?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart trembled at her address. He lowered his eyes, picked up the low table as if nothing had happened, and turned to leave. Yu Niaoniao shouted behind his back, ¡°Because you fed me this meal today. I think it smells especially good!¡± Even as Xiao Juan warned himself not to believe her sweet words, he could not help but smile. He bumped into Chun Feng as he walked out of the door. Chun Feng was holding a teapot in her hand when she accidentally saw the smile on Duke Lang¡¯s lips. She could not help but stand rooted to the ground. She had been in the Duke¡¯s Mansion for so many years, but she had never seen him smile! She thought she was hallucinating and wanted to take a closer look, but the corners of Duke Lang¡¯s mouth had returned to normal, and the special effects on his face had disappeared. Chun Feng could not help but feel a little dazed. Could it be that she was really hallucinating just now? Seeing that she was standing still, Xiao Juan asked calmly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Chun Feng came back to her senses and hurriedly lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver calming tea to the Princess Consort.¡± Xiao Juan replied indifferently, ¡°Yes, go in.¡± He turned aside and let Chun Feng into the house. Chun Feng heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the County Princess sitting on the bed. Her face was red again and she was humming a tune. She looked to be in good spirits. It seemed that the County Princess should be fine. ¡°Princess Consort, this is the calming tea that His Highness specially instructed me to cook for you.¡± Chun Feng poured tea as she spoke. She noticed two hangings of fresh grapes on the table and smiled. ¡°These are the grapes His Highness bought for you, right? They look so fresh. They must be very sweet. I¡¯ll wash them for you now.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded vigorously. ¡°Go, go.¡± After Chun Feng handed her the teacup, she took the grapes to the copper basin and washed them one by one with clear water. Yu Niaoniao held her teacup and sipped. Chun Feng said, ¡°Princess Consort, I have something to tell you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you still remember Ling Hai and Ling Miao?¡± Chun Feng looked at the County Princess nod before continuing. ¡°The room where the siblings live is next to me and Ye Yu. I often take care of them. Previously, they had obediently stayed in the house and did not go out, but recently, for some reason, the two of them had often run out.¡± ¡°When I ask them what they were going to do, they hemmed and hawed, as if they were hiding something.¡± Do you want to call the siblings over to ask?¡± Yu Niaoniao put down her teacup. ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯m free. I¡¯ll just look for them.¡± With that, she lifted the blanket and got out of bed. She called Ye Yu in to help her change. Chun Feng hurriedly asked, ¡°What about these grapes?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Bring them along.¡± After changing, she brought Chun Feng and Ye Yu to the Ling siblings¡¯ residence. The truth was indeed as Chun Feng had said. Ling Hai and Ling Miao were not in the room. They must have gone out again. Ye Yu brought over a chair and invited the County Princess to sit down. Yu Niaoniao waited as she ate the grapes. The grapes were indeed very sweet. She finished them one after another and could not stop. Not long after, Ling Hai and Ling Miao returned. The siblings were shocked to see the County Princess as soon as they entered. They hurriedly knelt down. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked them to stand up and talk. After this period of recuperation, the two children had gained some weight on their bodies and faces, and their skin had become fair and clean. In addition, their facial features were exquisite, to begin with, so they became even more cute and beautiful. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Where did you go just now?¡± Ling Hai replied softly, ¡°It¡¯s too stuffy in the house. I took my sister out for some air.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But I heard that you guys have been running out every day recently. Could it be that you go out for air every day?¡± Ling Hai¡¯s voice became even softer. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao caught a glimpse of Ling Miao¡¯s hands behind her back, as if she was hiding something, so she asked. ¡°Miaomiao, what are you holding?¡± Ling Miao¡¯s face instantly turned pale. She stuttered, ¡°N¡­ nothing.¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed and educated them earnestly, ¡°You¡¯re all good children. Good children can¡¯t lie. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to become bad children?¡± Ling Miao hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No! We¡¯re not bad children!¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her right hand. ¡°Then show me what you have.¡± Ling Miaojiang looked at his brother for help. Ling Hai knew that he could not hide it anymore, so he could only take the initiative to confess. ¡°Reporting to the Princess, we were not actually going out for some air. We went to see a friend.¡± Yu Niaoniao was rather surprised. ¡°You still have friends in the princess¡¯s residence?¡± Ling Hai told him everything. ¡°His name is Wang Jun. Many years ago, I attended the birthday banquet of the Wang family¡¯s elders and saw him in the Wang family. We haven¡¯t seen each other since. This was until three days ago when we happened to see Wang Jun in the princess¡¯s residence. ¡°He didn¡¯t look well. He was weak as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time. We have been saving our rations and giving him half.¡± Seeing that her brother had told her everything, Ling Miao took out the small basket hidden behind her. The small basket was used to store food. The food inside was gone, leaving an empty basket. Yu Niaoniao was curious. ¡°Wang Jun? Where is he now?¡± Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: Do You Want to Go Home? Chapter 477: Do You Want to Go Home? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ling Hai hesitated. ¡°Wang Jun is still a child. Can you be magnanimous and let him off?¡± Yu Niaoniao was amused by him. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re talking as if you¡¯re not a child yourself.¡± Ling Hai lowered his head in embarrassment. Yu Niaoniao stopped smiling and said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I mean your friend no harm. I just want to meet him and see what kind of person he is.¡± Ling Hai and Ling Miaodu were still children and were easily fooled. Yu Niaoniao had to see Wang Jun personally to confirm that he was not a bad person. Ling Hai still trusted Yu Niaoniao very much. Hearing this, he was relieved. ¡°I know where he lives. Let me take you to him.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ling Hai held his sister¡¯s hand and the siblings led the way. The group walked around the residence and became more and more remote. Finally, they arrived at a grayish-white courtyard wall. Yu Niaoniao looked around. There were trees all around and no scenery. There was not even a decent road. If not for the two siblings leading the way, Yu Niaoniao would not have known that such a place was hidden in the residence. Ling Hai climbed up the tree trunk beside him. When he reached the top of the branch, he shouted into the courtyard wall. ¡°Ah Jun!¡± A moment later, there was a giggling sound in the grass at the foot of the wall. Then the head of a young boy emerged from the grass. He was the Wang Jun that Ling Hai had mentioned. Ling Miao immediately walked forward and helped pull Wang Jun out of the dog hole. Ling Hai also slid down the tree trunk and ran to Wang Jun. Wang Jun¡¯s hair was messy. It was obvious that he had not combed it for a long time. His clothes were also crooked. Even his clothes were not tied in the right position. He smiled foolishly when he saw Ling Hai. ¡°Hehe, Ah-Hai.¡± Yu Niaoniao realized that something was wrong with this child¡¯s expression. She squatted down and gave Wang Jun a kind smile. ¡°Hello, Ah Jun.¡± Only then did Wang Jun realize that there was someone else beside him. He was shocked and hurriedly hid behind the door. His face was filled with vigilance and fear. Ling Hai hurriedly comforted him. ¡°Ah Jun, don¡¯t be afraid. This big sister is a good person. She saved Miaomiao and me. She¡¯s our benefactor.¡± Wang Jun still hid at the door and refused to come out. Ling Hai turned to Yu Niaoniao and explained, ¡°Ah Jun was born with a strange illness. Although his appearance is no different from those of ordinary people, his reaction speed is always slower than others. He¡¯s also lacking in intelligence, but he¡¯s very kind.¡± Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. So that was it! She asked Chun Feng to take out the remaining grapes and handed them to Wang Jun. ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you food. These grapes are sweet. Do you want to try them?¡± When Wang Jun saw the plump and sparkling grapes, he swallowed involuntarily and his eyes were filled with desire. But he was still a little afraid of strangers. Yu Niaoniao grabbed a handful of grapes and handed them to Ling Hai and Ling Miao, asking them to bring them to Wang Jun. The siblings immediately did so. This time, Wang Jun did not refuse. After taking the grapes, he threw them into his mouth without even peeling them. Seeing that his mouth was filled with juice, Yu Niaoniao asked Chun Feng to wipe his mouth. Chun Feng squatted down and took out a silk handkerchief to wipe Wang Jun¡¯s mouth. Because of the delicious food, Wang Jun had a good impression of the three big sisters he had just met for the first time. When Chun Feng approached him, he only glanced at her but did not move away. Chun Feng wiped his mouth clean and helped him spread out the straps of his clothes that were not tied in the right position. His coat and lapels opened, revealing a jade pendant hanging on his chest. Chun Feng picked up the jade token and looked at it. She realized that the front of the jade token was engraved with the pattern of the Qilin auspicious beast. Not only was Wang Jun¡¯s name engraved on the back, but there was also a string of addresses. ¡°Princess Consort, come and see.¡± Yu Niaoniao leaned over to take a look. When she saw the address behind the jade pendant, she sighed softly. ¡°Poor parents! This must have been custom-made for him by his family.¡± ¡°His family knew that he was different from the other children. Afraid that he would get lost outside, they specially engraved the address behind the jade pendant they carried with them.¡± ¡°If a kind person picks him up, they can send him back according to the address. ¡± Chun Feng could not help but ask. ¡°If his family cares so much about him, why would they leave him alone in such a lousy place?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not know this either. She reached out and touched Wang Jun¡¯s little head. ¡°Ah Jun, can you tell us why you¡¯re here?¡± Wang Jun shook his head as he ate the grapes. Yu Niaoniao asked again, ¡°Then does your family know you¡¯re here?¡± Wang Jun still shook his head. Yu Niaoniao thought for a moment and changed the question. ¡°Do you want to go home?¡± This time, Wang Jun did not shake his head. He burst into tears. ¡°Wuwuwu!¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked and hurriedly comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you this. I was wrong.¡± Ling Hai also helped comfort Wang Jun. Wang Jun gradually calmed down. He sobbed, ¡°I want to go home.¡± Hearing this answer, Yu Niaoniao knew what to do. It seemed that this child did not stay here willingly. She looked at the courtyard wall behind him and continued to ask. ¡°How did you get here?¡± Wang Jun stammered, ¡°They brought me here and didn¡¯t allow me to go out. No one cared about me. They only brought me some food for a few days. I¡¯m so hungry. Boohoo.¡± He started crying again as he spoke. ¡°I miss my parents and grandfather so much. Boohoo!¡± This child looked less than ten years old. He was really pitiful to have encountered such things. Yu Niaoniao sympathized and comforted him gently. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. These grapes are for you. What do you like to eat? I¡¯ll get someone to send them to you later.¡± Hearing that there was good food, Wang Jun quickly stopped crying. ¡°I want noodles with eggs. Can I?¡± In the past, he could eat whatever he wanted at home, but now, he could not even eat ordinary food like noodles and eggs. Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Yu suddenly reminded, ¡°Someone¡¯s coming!¡± Yu Niaoniao had yet to figure out Wang Jun¡¯s identity and could not alert him for the time being. She immediately let Wang Jun crawl back through the dog hole. She quickly left with the group. After returning to her residence, Yu Niaoniao asked Ling Hai. ¡°Do you know whose child Wang Jun is?¡± Ling Hai shook his head. ¡°I went to his house a few years ago. At that time, I was only two or three years old. No one would introduce the elders in Wang Jun¡¯s family to me, but I remember that his house was very big and there were many servants in the residence. The servants called Wang Jun Young Master.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± ¡°Yes! We won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Yu Niaoniao left the Ling siblings¡¯ residence with Chun Feng and Ye Yu. After returning to the bedroom, the more Yu Niaoniao thought about it, the more she felt that Wang Jun¡¯s matter was very strange. She wanted to talk to Xiao Juan about this, but she was told that Xiao Juan had gone out again.. Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: Gentleman Chapter 478: Gentleman Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Other than Princess Ni Yang, the City Protection Lieutenant Yuan Gui and the County Governor of Liangzhou had the highest status. Xiao Juan had already seen Yuan Gui in the morning and could not obtain any useful clues from him. In the afternoon, Xiao Juan prepared to meet the County Governor of Liangzhou. This person had been the County Governor of Liangzhou for more than 30 years. He should be very familiar with what had happened in the county over the years. Before this, Xiao Juan had gotten someone to investigate this Liangzhou County Governor. His name was Wang Jianan and he was almost sixty this year. It was said that Wang Jianan had a gentle personality and liked to collect famous calligraphy and paintings. He often brought a group of scholars to drink, have tea, and recite poetry. He rarely interfered in government affairs in Liangzhou. There were once people who came to him to beg for mercy, but he always used the excuse of being old and frail. As time passed, the commoners stopped counting on him and even secretly gave him a nickname: Wang Did Not Care. This nickname happened to suit his character¡ª Whatever happened, he didn¡¯t care. When Xiao Juan arrived at the County Governor¡¯s Mansion, he happened to meet Wang Jianan drinking with a group of scholars. Knowing that Duke Lang was here, Wang Jianan greeted him warmly. ¡°It¡¯s better to come at the right time. Your Highness, come and play too!¡± Xiao Juan was not interested in elegant things like wine. He said coldly, ¡°I have something to discuss with County Governor Wang. Can we talk in private?¡± Wang Jianan could only say to the group of scholars. ¡°You guys play first. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± He stood up with the help of his attendant and walked forward with his cane. ¡°It¡¯s rare for Your Highness to come to my residence. Shall I show you around?¡± Xiao Juan followed him forward. After walking for a distance and no longer hearing the scholars reciting poems behind him, Xiao Juan spoke. ¡°County Governor Wang should have heard about Prince Consort Cheng Qi, right?¡± Wang Jianan was old and his spine could no longer be as straight as a young man¡¯s. He was slightly hunched over, holding his walking stick with one hand. 1¨C1is hair was gray, and his face was covered in wrinkles of varying depths. Hearing this, he slowed down and looked at Xiao Juan with his gray eyes. ¡°I know what you want to ask, but I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice. ¡°Since you know what I¡¯m here for, you should know. The stolen silver was accumulated from the hard work of countless people, one copper coin for one copper coin.¡± ¡°It is very important to the Imperial Court. I have to get it back! If you can provide useful clues, the Imperial Court will definitely reward you heavily!¡± ¡°On the other hand, I have to wonder if you¡¯re in cahoots with them?¡± Wang Jianan smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to scare me. At my age, my only son is no longer alive. No matter how bad it is, it¡¯s just death. What do I have to be afraid of?¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°Are you really willing to live like this?¡± ¡°So what if I¡¯m indignant? This is the way of the world. I¡¯m powerless alone.¡± Wang Jianan stopped and sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard about Your Highness. Although you¡¯re unreasonable and your style is a little extreme, you¡¯re one of the few upright gentlemen in the court. I admire you.¡± Xiao Juan was slightly stunned. This was the first time he had heard such words from an official in the court. There was actually someone who sincerely admired him? How rare! Wang Jianan looked at the calm lake in front of him and laughed at himself. ¡°But I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be like you.¡± Xiao Juan continued to persuade him, ¡°You just have to tell me what you know. I¡¯ll guarantee your personal safety.¡± But Wang Jianan had already turned around. ¡°No matter how many times you ask, I¡¯ll say the same thing. I don¡¯t know.¡± He walked slowly forward on his cane and did not look back. Xiao Juan had no choice but to leave the mansion and return emptv-handed. When he returned to the princess¡¯s residence, the sun was already setting. Chun Feng helped him take off his cloak and said. ¡°Her Highness just sent someone to invite the County Princess over. She said that she wants to have dinner with her.¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly, indicating that he understood. He went to wash his face and wash the sand off it. Then he strode toward the dining room. In the dining hall, Princess Ni Yang sat at the head of the table. She smiled at Yu Niaoniao, who was sitting at the other side. ¡°I heard you were sick when you came back today. Did you let the doctor take a look?¡± The longer they interacted, the more Yu Niaoniao could feel Princess Ni Yang¡¯s mood swings. She became even more cautious when facing Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I¡¯m much better.¡± Princess Ni Yang gently patted the empty seat beside her. ¡°Sit here. Let¡¯s sit closer so that we can talk better.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very unwilling. As long as she saw Princess Ni Yang now, the bloody scenes in the Bestial Battle Arena would appear in her mind. Her stomach churned again and she felt very uncomfortable. But she was also very worried that if she said no, she would make Princess Ni Yang unhappy. Just as she was in a dilemma, Xiao Juan strode in. He bowed to Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Mother.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Xiao Juan walked over and naturally sat down beside her. ¡°Yes, I heard you were here, so I came over.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You came at the right time. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± She turned her head and asked the maid to prepare the dishes. Seeing how intimate the couple was, Princess Ni Yang did not mention letting Yu Niaoniao sit beside her and asked instead. ¡°I heard that Juan ran out twice today. Did something happen?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°Nothing happened. I just went to visit the City Protection Lieutenant and the County Governor of Liangzhou to chat with them about the situation in Liangzhou over the years. After all, I¡¯ve left Liangzhou for so many years. There have been many changes here. There are many things I don¡¯t know.¡± Jinwu City was only so big and his identity was so sensitive. He would definitely not be able to hide the fact that he had been to see the City Protection Lieutenant and the County Governor of Liangzhou. In that case, he might as well say it openly. Princess Ni Yang looked interested. ¡°What did you guys talk about?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Actually, we didn¡¯t talk much. I drank some wine with Captain Yuan and heard County Governor Wang recite some poetry.¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°Yuan Gui loves to drink and is warm and hospitable. Every time his guests come, he has to keep them for drinks until they¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°As for Wang Jianan, he liked to study painting and calligraphy. Previously, he specially sent someone to deliver a box of famous calligraphy and paintings for my birthday.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The calligraphy and paintings that County Governor Wang sent to you must not be ordinary.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°If you¡¯re interested, I¡¯ll get someone to send them to you later. ¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Thank you, Mother. I don¡¯t know much about calligraphy. You should keep them for yourself to admire slowly.¡± Seeing that he did not appreciate it, Princess Ni Yang did not care much. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao ate in silence. Other than the fact that the two of them looked a little similar, they did not look like mother and son at all. They gave off a cold feeling.. Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: There Must Be Something Wrong Between You! Chapter 479: There Must Be Something Wrong Between You! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After dinner, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan greeted Princess Ni Yang and returned to their residence. The two of them had just walked to the door of the guest room when they saw Wei Liao. Wei Liao leaned against the door frame, crossed his arms, and greeted her lazily. ¡°Yo, you¡¯re finally back.¡± Xiao Juan subconsciously took a step forward and shielded Yu Niaoniao behind him. He asked expressionlessly, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Wei Liao said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m here to look for the Princess Consort. Please make way, Your Highness. Don¡¯t block me from talking to the Princess Consort. ¡± No matter how dissatisfied Xiao Juan was, he knew that he had no right to stop Niaoniao from talking to others. He could only take two steps to the side. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± This was the first time Wei Liao had spoken to Yu Niaoniao directly since Xiao Juan returned. He straightened a little. ¡°This afternoon, Princess Ni Yang got someone to send over many supplements. She said that they were for me to replenish my Qi and blood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in good health and said that I had no use for such things. However, the person sent by Princess Ni Yang said that these were specially prepared for me. He said that if there¡¯s anything I don¡¯t understand, I can ask the Princess Consort.¡± ¡°Therefore, I specially came here to ask the Princess Consort to give me an explanation. Why is that?¡± Yu Niaoniao felt guilty. The melodramatic story she had spouted in front of Princess Ni Yang had been taken seriously by the latter. She had even sent someone to send a large number of supplements to Wei Liao. She smiled awkwardly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want those supplements, you can take them back and sell them for money. Nobody will stop you.¡± Wei Liao said angrily. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you? That¡¯s all I have.¡± ¡°I want to know now. What did you say to Princess Ni Yang to make her send me so many supplements?¡± Yu Niaoniao whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me, are you? I¡¯ll go find Princess Ni Yang now. She should be willing to tell me the answer.¡± With that, he turned to leave. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Wait a minute! I¡¯ll tell you!¡± If Eldest Princess Ni Yang told him the truth, he would definitely sell her out. Wei Liao looked at her calmly. ¡°Speak.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Before I say anything, you have to promise me that no matter what I say next, you¡¯re not allowed to be angry, let alone fall out.¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°So you really didn¡¯t say anything good about me.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not dare to answer. Wei Liao said, ¡°I promise you. Tell me!¡± Yu Niaoniao subconsciously moved closer to Xiao Juan to increase her sense of security. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal. Previously, Princess Ni Yang asked me how I would choose between you and Duke Lang. I definitely chose Duke Lang, so Princess Ni Yang felt that you were too redundant and wanted to throw you to the tiger. I couldn¡¯t watch you be killed, so I could only make up a small lie.¡± When he heard that she had chosen Duke Lang, Wei Liao felt very uncomfortable. Even his tone became nasty. ¡°What exactly did you say?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s mood was the opposite. When he found out that Niaoniao had chosen him without hesitation, he was naturally extremely happy. Yu Niaoniao shrank her neck. ¡°I said that Duke Lang is suffering from a terminal illness and needs the blood of someone with a special fate as the medicine catalyst. You¡¯re the medicine catalyst I chose. Only if you¡¯re alive can you cure Duke Lang¡¯s terminal illness.¡± Wei Liao laughed in anger. ¡°No wonder Princess Ni Yang specially sent me so many supplements to nourish my Qi and blood. So it¡¯s to make me bleed more so that your Duke Lang treat his illness?!¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly explained, ¡°I was just expedient. I was trying to save your life!¡± Wei Liao took a step forward and asked, ¡°Then tell me, do you really want to use my blood to treat Duke Lang? Am I really just a medicine primer in your eyes?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face took on a big embarrassed expression. Why did this person really put himself in it? His immersion was too strong! ¡°Wake up! Duke Lang doesn¡¯t have a terminal illness, and you¡¯re not a medicine primer. Those are all lies I told Princess Ni Yang. They¡¯re all fake!¡± Wei Liao was skeptical. ¡°Is it really fake? Why do I feel that this is the truth?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Look at Duke Lang. Does he look like he¡¯s terminally ill?¡± Wei Liao asked without hesitation, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t have a terminal illness, why hasn¡¯t he had a child after being married to you for a year?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Xiao Juan was speechless. Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Hehe, you have nothing to say, right? One of you must be sick! ¡± Yu Niaoniao spoke with difficulty, racking her brains to find an excuse for herself. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. We don¡¯t have children because I don¡¯t want them for the time being. I¡¯ve always taken contraceptives. We¡¯re healthy. There¡¯s nothing wrong with us.¡± Wei Liao still didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°How can a normal couple not want children? There must be something between you!¡± In some ways, he was right. There was indeed something wrong with the relationship between Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. They were only husband and wife in name. They had never really consummated their marriage. Recently, Xiao Juan had been avoiding Yu Niaoniao. If this continued, their relationship would probably only exist in name. But these could not be told to outsiders. Yu Niaoniao pretended to be calm and retorted loudly. ¡°I think you¡¯re the one with the problem! Whether we have children or not is our private matter. What does it have to do with you? Do you need to ask questions here? If you¡¯re bored, go back and eat all the supplements the princess gave you. You can nourish your brain and save yourself from letting your imagination run wild.¡± Wei Liao narrowed his eyes and said in a dangerous tone. ¡°As expected! You treat me as a medicinal catalyst. You want to fatten me up with supplements so that you can kill me at the end of the year!¡± Seeing that she could not explain, Yu Niaoniao gave up and retorted loudly with her hands on her hips. ¡°If I wanted to kill you, why would I wait until the end of the year? I can do it now!¡± Wei Liao was so angry that he laughed. ¡°Are you still so self-righteousfor doing such a thing?¡± Yu Niaoniao stuck out her tongue at him. ¡°Hehe Wei Liao¡¯s fists hardened. ¡°Are you asking for a beating?!¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately hid behind Xiao Juan and shouted. ¡°If you want to hit me, you have to step on my Duke Lang first!¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t want to care about her. Wei Liao rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t dare?¡± Yu Niaoniao stuck her head out from behind Xiao Juan and continued to clamor. ¡°Come on! If you have the ability, walk over on Duke Lang!¡± Wei Liao shouted, ¡°Duke Lang, move aside!¡± Xiao Juan looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°How old are you guys this year? You¡¯re so childish.¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re noble and you¡¯re amazing. The two of you ganged up to bully me..¡± Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Concerns Chapter 480: Concerns Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao wanted to retort. However, before she could say anything, she was pushed into the room by Juan. Then the door clanged shut. Yu Niaoniao was locked in the room. She was puzzled as she waited with wide eyes for the closed door. Why did he lock her in? Outside the door, Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in private.¡± Wei Liao was still sneering. ¡°What can¡¯t be said here?¡± Xiao Juan did not force her and said bluntly, ¡°You didn¡¯t come here just for those supplements, right?¡± The sneer on Wei Liao¡¯s face gradually faded. He glanced at the closed door beside him and walked down the steps. Xiao Juan followed. They walked out into the courtyard. At this moment, Wei Liao no longer looked as exasperated as before. He returned to his usual lazy appearance. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± Xiao Juan said unhurriedly. ¡°You actually know very well that what Niaoniao said just now was the truth. She had made up the story about the medicinal primer.¡± ¡°But you insisted on pretending not to believe it and arguing with her. Didn¡¯t you just want to take this opportunity to spend more time with her?¡± Wei Liao chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re thinking too much?¡± Xiao Juan did not insist on getting to the bottom of it and said calmly, ¡°I hope I¡¯m thinking too much.¡± This place was a distance from the door, and they deliberately lowered their voices. Even if Yu Niaoniao in the room pricked up her ears to eavesdrop, she could not hear what they were saying. Xiao Juan turned around and walked up the steps, pulling open the door. Yu Niaoniao stuck her head out. She saw Wei Liao standing alone in the courtyard. Wei Liao happened to be looking at her. That gaze was too complicated, making Yu Niaoniao feel like he wanted to say something. Before she could think carefully, the door was closed again. This time, Wei Liao was the only one locked outside. He stared silently at the closed door. Warm yellow light leaked through the gap. Unfortunately, that light would never reach him. In the room, Yu Niaoniao pulled Xiao Juan¡¯s sleeve and explained anxiously. ¡°You have to believe me. I made up the story about the medicinal primer and terminal illness!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I believe you.¡± Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Xiao Juan was not as imaginative as Wei Liao. He was still very reliable. Just as she exhaled, she heard Xiao Juan ask, ¡°Were you making up that bit about asking Wei Liao to step on me?¡± Yu Niaoniao held her breath. She had almost forgotten about this. She smiled awkwardly. ¡°I was deliberately scaring Wei Liao. You¡¯re so powerful. How could Wei Liao step on you? His legs would be broken!¡± With that, she pulled Xiao Juan to the table and sat down. She poured tea for him with her uninjured hand and looked for a topic to distract him. ¡°Where did you go during the day? Why didn¡¯t you bring me?¡± Xiao Juan took the teapot from her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that? I went to see the City Protection Lieutenant and the County Governor of Liangzhou.¡± ¡°How did it go? Did they say anything?¡± Xiao Juan poured two cups of tea and pushed one of them in front of Yu Niaoniao. ¡°They didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t you have made a wasted trip?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Not really. Although the Liangzhou County Governor didn¡¯t say anything, I keep feeling that he knows something. He just has some misgivings and isn¡¯t willing, to tell the truth.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I accompany you to the County Governor¡¯s Mansion tomorrow?¡± Xiao Juan shook his head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s useless. Until we figure out what he¡¯s afraid of, we won¡¯t be able to get him to talk.¡± He saw Niaoniao frown, looking very troubled. He did not want her to waste her time on these things, so he took the initiative to change the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Did you rest well at home today? Does your wrist still hurt?¡± At the mention of this, Yu Niaoniao immediately perked up. ¡°I was about to tell you. I saw a child in the princess¡¯s residence today. His name is Wang Jun. He¡¯s locked up in a remote small courtyard in the residence. I keep feeling that this child¡¯s identity is not simple and want you to send someone to investigate.¡± As she spoke, she took out two drawings. The first was a portrait of the child. The second drawing was the Qilin auspicious beast jade pendant. Yu Niaoniao also wrote down the address carved on the back of the jade pendant. ¡°He probably lives here. Apparently, his family is rich. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find.¡¯ When Xiao Juan saw the portrait and the Qilin auspicious beast jade pendant, he did not react much. However, when he saw the address, his expression immediately changed. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the address of the County Governor¡¯s Mansion?¡± Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. ¡°County Governor¡¯s Mansion? Could it be that Wang Jun is the young master of the County Governor¡¯s Mansion? But if the young master of the County Governor¡¯s Mansion is lost, the County Governor will definitely send someone to look for him.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the child¡¯s portrait on the drawing paper and said in a low voice, ¡°Or it could be because he¡¯s afraid to look.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao recalled what Xiao Juan had just said and immediately reacted. ¡°Could it be that the county governor of Liangzhou is worried about Wang Jun?!¡± Xiao Juan put away the drawing paper. ¡°Looks like I have to visit the County Governor¡¯s Mansion tonight.¡± When it was late at night, everyone in the princess¡¯s residence was asleep. Xiao Juan, who was dressed in black, quietly left the princess¡¯s residence. He used his qinggong and silently moved through the night. When he arrived at the County Governor¡¯s Mansion, it was silent. Other than the person in charge of the night shift, everyone else was asleep. County Governor Wang Jianan was no exception. Because he was old, he slept lightly at night and was easily woken up. At this moment, he was in a daze when he suddenly felt someone beside him. He suddenly opened his eyes and saw a tall figure standing by the bed. Wang Jianan was about to shout when the other party stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t scream. It¡¯s me.¡± Wang Jianan recognized the voice. It was Duke Lang, whom he had met during the day! He sat up hurriedly and fumbled to light the oil lamp by the bed. ¡°Your Highness, why are you visiting so late at night?¡± Xiao Juan did not waste his breath on him. He took out the two pieces of drawing paper and placed them in front of him. ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± Wang Jianan did not understand. He picked up the pieces of drawing paper with both hands and looked at them under the dim candlelight. When he saw the young boy in the painting, his eyes widened. His hands trembled. Even his voice trembled. ¡°Isn¡¯t, isn¡¯t this my Ah Jun?!¡± He hurriedly looked at Xiao Juan and asked anxiously, ¡°Have you seen Jun? Where is he? Is he still alive?¡± Xiao Juan replied calmly, ¡°He¡¯s in the princess¡¯s residence. He¡¯s still alive.¡± Wang Jianan looked like he was crying and laughing. ¡°Alright, alright! As long as he¡¯s alive!¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Who is Wang Jun to you?¡± Wang Jianan gently stroked the young man¡¯s face in the painting. His gray eyes were filled with love and longing. ¡°Ah Jun is my grandson. Ever since my son and daughter-in-law passed away, Ah Jun is the only family I had left in the world.¡± ¡°Poor child. He was born deficient and a little silly. Even though I took care of him carefully, he was still abducted by bad people. I haven¡¯t seen him since..¡± Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Other Purposes Chapter 481: Other Purposes Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wang Jianan¡¯s son was a famous talent in Liangzhou. His calligraphy could be said to be priceless. Five years ago, Princess Ni Yang asked Wang Jianan¡¯s son to paint for her. Wang Jianan¡¯s son did not like Princess Ni Yang¡¯s style and was unwilling to paint for her. This matter made Princess Ni Yang very unhappy. Not long after, Wang Jianan¡¯s son had his hand broken and he could no longer write or draw. Wang Jianan knew very well that this matter was most likely done by Princess Ni Yang. However, he had no evidence and could not identify Princess Ni Yang. He could only swallow his anger. Because his hands were crippled, his son never recovered and chose to commit suicide in the lake one morning. Wang Jianan¡¯s daughter-in-law could not take the blow and fell sick. Not long after, she died. Only Wang Jun was left. Wang Jianan had always protected Wang Jun as his darling, but Wang Jun still fell into Princess Ni Yang¡¯s hands. Princess Ni Yang used Wang Jun¡¯s life to threaten Wang Jianan to compromise. After hearing Wang Jianan explain his encounter, Xiao Juan asked. ¡°What did Princess Ni Yang ask you to do?¡± Wang Jianan shook his head. ¡°She didn¡¯t ask me to do anything.¡± ¡°She knew I wasn¡¯t really obeying her and that I would turn on her at the first opportunity. So she was very wary of me and never told me her plan.¡± ¡°Her only request to me is to keep my mouth shut and say nothing. I was to be an obedient and incompetent county governor.¡± It was not that he really did not want to care about anything, but because of his grandson¡¯s life, he had no choice but to pretend to play dumb. Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve been the County Governor of Liangzhou for so many years that you¡¯re more familiar with this place than anyone else. There are some things that you should be able to sense even if Princess Ni Yang doesn¡¯t tell you.¡± Wang Jianan admitted frankly,¡±Yes, I know that the Prince Consort secretly transported some shameful things into Liangzhou.¡± ¡°I also knew that the person who helped him transport those things was from the military camp.¡± ¡°The military power in Liangzhou was in the hands of the City Protection Lieutenant, Yuan Gui.¡± ¡°Since the Prince Consort could mobilize troops to help him transport things, Yuan Gui must be involved.¡± ¡°However, what the Prince Consort did not know was that Yuan Gui had already hooked up with Princess Ni Yang in private.¡± ¡°Now that the Prince Consort is dead, the things he brought into the Liang Province might very well fall into the hands of Princess Ni Yang.¡± At this point, Wang Jianan looked at Xiao Juan deeply and his tone was very solemn. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what those things are, something that even the Prince Consort and Princess Ni Yang want must not be simple. Your Highness must have come all the way to Liangzhou for those things, right?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Wang Jianan carefully put down the portrait and knelt on one knee towards Xiao Juan. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m already half-buried. There¡¯s nothing to care about anymore. The only person I was worried about was Ah Jun.¡± ¡°As long as you can help me save Ah Jun, I¡¯ll do anything you want!¡± Princess Ni Yang was violent and unpredictable. As long as Wang Jun was in her hands, Wang Jianan would not be at ease. He had to save Wang Jun as soon as possible while he was still alive. Xiao Juan asked him to stand up before saying. ¡°At this point, I don¡¯t have to hide it from you. The Imperial Court has lost a batch of stolen silver, amounting to tens of millions of taels. The emperor ordered me to recover the stolen silver.¡± Wang Jianan understood. ¡°I see!¡± It was no wonder they fought over such a large sum of money. Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re more familiar with the situation here. Can you tell me if Princess Ni Yang and Yuan Gui have done anything special in the past few years?¡± He did not believe that Princess Ni Yang had racked her brains to obtain such a large amount of dirty silver just to eat, drink, and enjoy herself. She must have other motives! Wang Jianan thought for a moment. ¡°Princess Ni Yang has always been like that. Her mood changes easily. She does whatever she wants. She¡¯s really unpredictable.¡± ¡°If there is anything different about her in the past few years, it would probably be her wanton search for handsome men. ¡°This is ridiculous. Not only did she keep gigolos in her residence, but she also got someone to search for outstanding young men outside.¡± ¡°If those men did not obey, Princess Ni Yang would order someone to capture their entire family and send them to serve as laborers.¡± ¡°There were once people who came to beg me to uphold justice, but I was worried about Ah Jun¡¯s safety and did not dare to care about these things.¡± At this, he let out a long sigh, ashamed. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you know how many families have been captured?¡± Wang Jianan said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the details, but there are at least a hundred families. Xiao Juan quickly calculated. If there were ten people in a family, there would be more than a thousand people! Why did Princess Ni Yang capture so many people? What endeavor needed so much labor? Xiao Juan asked again, ¡°Is there any place in Liangzhou that has been building rapidly recently?¡± Wang Jianan shook his head no. Xiao Juan frowned. That was strange. Since there was no construction, where did the captured commoners go? He spoke to Wang Jianan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll help you save Wang Jun as soon as possible.¡± Wang Jianan was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll never forget your kindness. I¡¯ll definitely repay you in my next life!¡± With that, he knelt down towards Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan reached out to stop him. ¡°Alright, I should go. Tonight, pretend I didn¡¯t come.¡± Wang Jianan nodded vigorously. ¡°I understand!¡± He watched Xiao Juan leave and turned around to return to bed. Thinking of his grandson, he could not fall asleep. In the princess¡¯s residence. Yu Niaoniao was dozing off by the bed. She woke up immediately when she heard the door open. She propped her head up and opened her eyes. She looked anxiously at the door. She saw Xiao Juan push open the door and walk in. Xiao Juan closed the door and asked her, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly went up to him. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. How is it? What did County Governor Wang say?¡± Seeing that she was so worried about him, Xiao Juan was naturally very happy. Whether she meant it or not, as long as she was still willing to pay attention to him, he was satisfied. Xiao Juan roughly repeated his conversation with Wang Jianan. After Yu Niaoniao heard this, she began to count with her little fingers, trying to smooth out the logic. ¡°Cheng Qi had designs on that batch of stolen silver because of Yuan Gui¡¯s instigation, and Yuan Gui was secretly colluding with Princess Ni Yang. In other words, Cheng Qi had been used from the beginning. He was just a pawn in Princess Ni Yang¡¯s hands.¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°That should be the case.¡± Yu Niaoniao had mixed feelings. ¡°In that case, Cheng Qi is actually a little pitiful.¡± After Cheng Qi lost his value, Princess Ni Yang should have already planned to send him to the afterlife. However, his actions at the birthday banquet sent him to his early death.. Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: Braised Beef Chapter 482: Braised Beef Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao asked Xiao Juan what he planned to do next. Xiao Juan told her to hurry up and sleep. ¡°It¡¯s late. If you don¡¯t sleep, it¡¯ll be dawn.¡± With that, he pushed Yu Niaoniao towards the bed. The bedroom was divided into two parts. There was a low couch for a lunch break in the outer room. Xiao Juan slept there at night. Since Xiao Juan had returned safely, Yu Niaoniao could naturally relax. She lay on the bed and fell asleep not long after. Xiao Juan lay on the low couch and listened to the calm breathing coming from the inner room. His heart calmed down. He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. The next morning, Chun Feng and Ye Yu brought breakfast. Yu Niaoniao prepared to continue last night¡¯s topic while eating with Xiao Juan. Unexpectedly, just as they sat down, Wei Liao appeared. He did not treat himself as an outsider at all. Without needing Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan to speak, he sat down on the empty seat at the table and smiled. ¡°Yo, are you preparing to eat? Coincidentally, I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Give me a pair of chopsticks.¡± Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯m here to discuss serious matters with you.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not believe him. ¡°What serious business can you have?¡± ¡°I heard something. The county governor of Liangzhou, Wang Jianan, has a grandson called Wang Jun.¡± ¡°That kid disappeared five years ago and has been missing since.¡± ¡°From then on, Wang Jianan became indifferent to the world and focused on antique calligraphy and painting.¡± ¡°He did not care about Princess Ni Yang¡¯s various evil deeds.¡± ¡°Sometimes, he would even take the initiative to help Princess Ni Yang clean up the mess. He had already become Princess Ni Yang¡¯s vassal.¡± ¡°I guessed that Princess Ni Yang probably had something on him that caused his personality to suddenly change.¡± ¡°That weakness is very likely related to Wang Jun. We can investigate from this point.¡± After Wei Liao finished speaking, he was surprised to find that Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao did not move. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is a valuable clue? I especially shared such an important clue with you. Shouldn¡¯t you give any indication?¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her chin and said proudly. ¡°We already knew about this!¡± Wei Liao was even more surprised. ¡°When did you know?¡± Actually, Yu Niaoniao only found out last night, but in order to pretend, she could not tell the truth. ¡°We knew about such a small matter a long time ago!¡± Wei Liao narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°But I told you everything!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But we already know. There¡¯s no point in telling us.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°But before I told you, I didn¡¯t know you already knew.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What difference does it make?¡± Wei Liao refused to give in and argued, ¡°Of course there¡¯s a difference!¡± ¡°Without knowing that you already know the clues, I took the initiative to share the important clues I had investigated with you.¡± ¡°I thought of you immediately if anything good happened, but you were unwilling to share your clues with me. In comparison, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re very selfish?!¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Okay, okay, okay. You¡¯re in the right.¡± Wei Liao snapped, ¡°I¡¯m the one in the right!¡± Xiao Juan interrupted unhurriedly, ¡°If you continue arguing, the noodles will pile up.¡± Only then did Yu Niaoniao remember that she had not eaten breakfast. There was no food in her stomach, and she had no aura when she quarreled. She immediately picked up her bowl and chopsticks and ate. Wei Liao slammed the table and reminded, ¡°Where¡¯s my share?¡± In view of his good behavior of taking the initiative to provide clues, Yu Niaoniao still got someone to add a set of bowls and chopsticks for him. Wei Liao scooped up noodles from the casserole and did not forget to ask. ¡°How did you know about Wang Jian¡¯an and his grandson?¡± Yu Niaoniao replied casually, ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen his grandson. He¡¯s in the princess¡¯s residence. I even promised to send him food today.¡± Wei Liao laughed. ¡°You¡¯re really lucky to encounter such a thing.¡± Seeing the two of them chatting back and forth in a harmonious and natural atmosphere, Xiao Juan could not help but feel a little bitter. He lowered his eyes and looked at the noodles in his bowl. They tasted bland and like chewing wax. At that moment, two large slices of braised beef landed in his bowl. He looked up along the chopsticks and saw Yu Niaoniao smiling at him. ¡°Eat more.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s feelings were cured by this smile. Wei Liao knocked on the edge of the bowl and shouted shamelessly. ¡°I want beef too!¡± Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Go eat your fart!¡± Xiao Juan picked up the poached egg in his bowl and placed it in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s bowl. ¡°This is for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Recently, Xiao Juan had been avoiding her and rarely took the initiative. She was both shocked and happy. She immediately forgot about Wei Liao and picked up the poached egg to take a big bite. ¡°This poached egg that our Ah Juan gave me smells so good!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart raced at her intimate tone. He lowered his eyes and returned to his noodles, pretending not to hear her. For some reason, the taste of the noodles became delicious again. Wei Liao was very unhappy with the scene in front of him. He threw his bowl and chopsticks on the table and said angrily. ¡°No! These lousy noodles taste terrible!¡± Yu Niaoniao ate happily as usual and ignored him. If she did not speak, Xiao Juan naturally would not speak either. So there was only the sound of noodles being sucked and soup being drunk. Wei Liao stared at the two people in front of him and sneered. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re really magnanimous. Princess Ni Yang is about to rebel, but you still have the mood to eat noodles!¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan stopped eating their noodles at the same time and looked at him in unison. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What rebellion? What do you know now?¡± Wei Liao crossed his arms and raised his chin slightly, looking domineering. ¡°I want beef!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t eating?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I just dislike the noodles, but I didn¡¯t say that the beef isn¡¯t delicious. If you want to know what I mean, you have to follow my instructions, understand?¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up the plate of braised beef and placed it heavily in front of him. ¡°Eat! All for you!¡± Wei Liao glanced at her. ¡°Is that your attitude?¡± Yu Niaoniao had never seen such an annoying fellow. However, she had a favor to ask. She could only endure her temper and pick up a piece of braised beef and put it in his bowl. ¡°Can Young Master Wei do this?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°That¡¯s too little.¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up a large handful of braised beef and placed it in his bowl. ¡°Eat slowly. Be careful not to choke.¡± Wei Liao smiled happily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t choke.¡± He picked up his chopsticks and slowly ate two pieces of braised beef. When he was satisfied, he spoke. ¡°Actually, I found something else.¡± ¡°There was once a rumor that there was an iron mine in Liangzhou.¡± ¡°However, no one knew where the iron ore was, and the authorities had not received any news about it.¡± ¡°Over time, this matter was treated as a rumor..¡± Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Capture the Leader First Chapter 483: Capture the Leader First Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao asked. ¡°Where did you get this information?¡± Wei Liao deliberately kept them in suspense. ¡°We, the Sky Wolf Guards, have our own channels of information. There¡¯s no need to tell you this.¡± Xiao Juan suggested in a low voice, ¡°If there¡¯s really an iron mine in Liangzhou, it will definitely require a large number of people to mine it. Coincidentally, Eldest Princess Ni Yang captured many commoners to serve as laborers under the excuse of searching for gigolos.¡± Wei Liao said lazily, ¡°In my opinion, snatching men is just an illusion used by Princess Ni Yang to confuse the public. Her real goal is to gather enough people to mine iron ore for herself.¡± Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the family of Ling Hai and Ling Miao should have been captured to mine iron ore. As long as we can find the iron ore, we can help them find their family.¡± Wei Liao unceremoniously poured cold water on her. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple! What we just said is just a guess. At the moment, we¡¯re not even sure if the iron mine really exists. How can we find the exact address?¡± Xiao Juan was deep in thought. ¡®What¡¯s their goal in mining iron ore?¡± Wei Liao leaned back and said mockingly, ¡°It can¡¯t be that she¡¯s forging iron to sell pots, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao recalled that she had spent a large sum of money to buy the iron pot and kitchen knife. It could be seen that iron ore was an extremely precious resource in this era. Having an iron mine was no different from having a golden mountain. She asked Wei Liao, ¡°You just said that Princess Ni Yang wants to rebel. What¡¯s going on?¡± Wei Liao spread his hands and analyzed slowly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Princess Ni Yang used Wang Jun to control Wang Jianan and forced him to turn a blind eye.¡± ¡°What she did was equivalent to separating Liangzhou from the Imperial Court, preventing the Imperial Court from knowing about the change in the situation in Liangzhou.¡± ¡°She had also killed the Prince Consort and hidden the iron mine. Perhaps she had even pocketed the stolen silver. ¡°As a princess, she does not lack food or clothes. She could live in luxury for the rest of her life. However, she had to take such a huge risk. She must have a huge plan.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t she love reading your Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation? I guessed she was envious of the princess in the book.¡± ¡°She also wants to be like the female lead in the book and stand at the peak of power, trampling all those men who think highly of themselves.¡± Actually, the reason why he suspected Princess Ni Yang was because of an imperial edict secretly sent to him by his adoptive father, Wei Huai¡¯en, before he left the Imperial Capital. The emperor asked him to keep an eye on Xiao Juan. Once Xiao Juan and Princess Ni Yang did anything unusual, he would kill them without mercy! At first, he did not understand the emperor¡¯s decree. It was when he came to Jinwu City and met Princess Ni Yang that he gradually understood the meaning behind the decree. Perhaps the emperor had long been suspicious of Princess Ni Yang. He was worried that his half-sister would plot to usurp the throne, but because Liangzhou was too far from the Imperial Capital, he could not do anything about this matter. He could only let Wei Liao go to Liangzhou in his place. What Wei Liao found out later further confirmed his guess. These words were reasonable. Yu Niaoniao believed them. She had not interacted with Princess Ni Yang for long, but she could feel that Princess Ni Yang was the kind of person who did not want to submit to others. Her strength was even greater than that of many men. Ordinary people would not dare to think about rebelling, but it was hard to say if it was Princess Ni Yang. Xiao Juan said expressionlessly, ¡°These are just your guesses.¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°They¡¯re indeed just guesses, but you already believe them, don¡¯t you?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Yu Niaoniao was very worried. If Princess Ni Yang really wanted to rebel, what would Xiao Juan do? Even though everyone knew that the mother and son did not have a good relationship, it was still impossible to erase their blood relationship in this era of filial piety. Once Princess Ni Yang rebelled, regardless of whether she succeeded in the end, Xiao Juan would fall into a predicament. She reached under the table and placed her hand on the back of Xiao Juan¡¯s. Xiao Juan looked sideways at her. He saw worry and concern in her eyes. Wei Liao spoke again, drawing their attention to him, ¡°What are your plans next?¡± Xiao Juan was still silent. Wei Liao was helpless. ¡°Do you still want to fight alone at a time like this?¡± Under the table, Yu Niaoniao held Xiao Juan¡¯s hand bit by bit, silently telling him¡ª Whatever his choice was, she would always support him. Xiao Juan felt the warmth from the back of his hand, and his silent attitude melted bit by bit. ¡°I already met Wang Jianan last night. He said that Princess Ni Yang and Yuan Gui had already colluded. That batch of missing dirty money might have fallen into their hands.¡± Wei Liao clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk, as expected!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart was heavy. ¡°They captured innocent people wantonly and secretly mined iron ore. This will allow them to continuously forge weapons.¡± ¡°In addition, there is the dirty silver worth tens of millions of taels and the military power in the city guard captain¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°They have already taken advantage of the right time, place, and people.¡± A rare solemn expression appeared on Wei Liao¡¯s face. ¡°They¡¯re prepared and only lack the east wind. What about us? Even if we add up all the people in our hands, there are less than two thousand. If we want to stop them from rebelling, it¡¯s no different from a mantis trying to stop a cart. We¡¯re courting death.¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this place first. We¡¯ll attack when the Imperial Court¡¯s reinforcements arrive.¡± Wei Liao laughed. ¡°You¡¯re naive. Do you think we¡¯ll ever leave Liangzhou safely?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately fell silent. She actually knew that with Princess Ni Yang¡¯s style of doing things, it was impossible for her to let them leave safely. Now that Princess Ni Yang had yet to fall out with them, she probably felt that the time was not ripe. And this was all they had. Wei Liao fiddled with the chopsticks on the table and looked between Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I have an idea, but I wonder if you can accept it?¡± Yu Niaoniao refused without thinking. ¡°No!¡± Wei Liao raised an eyebrow. ¡°I haven¡¯t even said what it is, and you¡¯re already saying no?¡± Yu Niaoniao said almost shamelessly. ¡°I don¡¯t care. You just can¡¯t!¡± Wei Liao looked at her angry face and suddenly laughed. ¡°Have you guessed what I¡¯m going to say?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked away, ignoring him. She had indeed guessed. But she couldn¡¯t accept that solution. At this moment, Xiao Juan suddenly spoke. ¡°What¡¯s your solution?¡± Yu Niaoniao held his hand. ¡°Ignore him. He likes to talk nonsense!¡± Xiao Juan held her hand. ¡°I know what to do.¡± Wei Liao spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sure Duke Lang knows the principle of capturing the leader first, right?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°You want to kill Princess Ni Yang?¡± Wei Liao corrected him, ¡°We will kill Princess Ni Yang and Yuan Gui together. As long as the two of them die, the people below will be leaderless and will naturally collapse.. ¡° Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Both Chapter 484: Both Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao had already thought of Wei Liao¡¯s suggestion. But she couldn¡¯t say it. Princess Ni Yang was Xiao Juan¡¯s mother. Even if Princess Ni Yang had never treated Xiao Juan as her son, Xiao Juan could not kill his mother himself. No matter what the reason was, once he was guilty of killing his mother, he would definitely be scolded by the world. As Yu Niaoniao glared at Wei Liao, her eyes were filled with hatred. Wei Liao smiled indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you the way. It¡¯s up to Duke Lang to decide.¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes covering the emotions in them. It was a long time before she heard him speak. His voice was low and deep. ¡°Princess Ni Yang is the only legitimate daughter of the late emperor. She has a noble status. We accused her of rebellion without evidence.¡¯ ¡°It would be fine if that was the truth. But if she had no intention of rebelling, we¡¯ll have to bear the crime of assassinating the princess. You and I will both die.¡± Wei Liao laughed softly with a hint of smugness in his tone. ¡°The emperor had given me a privilege.¡± ¡°Once I discover any abnormal movements from Princess Ni Yang, I can kill her on the spot!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked surprised. The emperor had actually expected Princess Ni Yang to have the intention to rebel! She did not expect that guy to plan so far ahead when half of his body was already in the ground. As expected of the final winner who could defeat many brothers and sit on the throne. His schemes were deep! Xiao Juan looked at Wei Liao deeply, as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end, he did not say anything. Wei Liao had clearly guessed what Xiao Juan wanted to ask, but he pretended not to know anything and continued to smile. ¡°You can relax now, right?¡± Xiao Juan had an indescribable feeling in his heart, and his voice became suppressed. ¡°Since the emperor expected this day, what else can I say? Let¡¯s do as the emperor says.¡± Yu Niaoniao was anxious. ¡°Ah Juan!¡± When the emperor said that he wanted to kill Princess Ni Yang, it was just a matter of words. However, if this matter fell on Xiao Juan, it would be a huge crime of killing his mother! He was already infamous. If he was convicted of killing his mother, he would be reviled no matter where he went in the future. Perhaps even the history books would record this and make him famous for ten thousand years. He had done nothing wrong. Why did he have to face this? Yu Niaoniao could not accept it. Xiao Juan comforted her softly. ¡°Niaoniao, it¡¯s fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao said anxiously, ¡°How can it be fine? Princess Ni Yang is your biological mother. If you kill her, outsiders won¡¯t think that you¡¯re putting righteousness before family. They¡¯ll only scold you for being heartless and inhumane!¡± Xiao Juan originally felt very uncomfortable. Seeing how anxious she was in thinking for him wholeheartedly, he suddenly felt much better. No matter what the future held, at least Niaoniao was still by his side. That was enough for him. He had obtained too little in his life and knew that the greater his request, the greater his disappointment. When he was young, he struggled to survive in the princess¡¯s residence. He had fantasized that Princess Ni Yang would only forget him for the time being. As long as he could make Princess Ni Yang think of him, he could escape his misery. However, when he finally saw Princess Ni Yang after much difficulty, he saw that she was having sex with another man. She saw Xiao Juan appear at the door. Her gaze was devoid of a mother¡¯s longing for her child. There was only coldness and boredom. Xiao Juan¡¯s hopes for motherly love were completely shattered at that moment. Huge disappointment wrapped around him, leaving him at a loss. Later, he met Niaoniao. He thought that he and Niaoniao were both willing parties. But the truth slapped him hard in the face. She had an ulterior motive for approaching him. Her sweet words were all lies. So it had been his wishful thinking from the beginning to the end. Once again, he tasted the bitterness of disappointment. Since then, he had understood a fact¡ª He was not worthy of hope. As long as there was no hope, there would be no disappointment. Xiao Juan said softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me? Don¡¯t care what people say. As long as I know I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Yu Niaoniao felt even worse. When she said this back then, she did not think too much about it. She thought that they just had to persevere. But now, she had already experienced the difficulty of Xiao Juan¡¯s position and understood the terrifying meaning of words. Wei Liao bent his index finger and knocked on the table to show his presence. ¡°It¡¯s enough for the two of you. You haven¡¯t even done anything yet, but you¡¯re already worried about personal gains and losses. If Duke Lang really can¡¯t bear to do it, let me deal with Princess Ni Yang. In any case, I¡¯m not related to her by blood. I won¡¯t feel any psychological burden. As for Duke Lang, you deal with Yuan Gui. Let¡¯s split up. Is that okay?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately broke free from her sadness. Wei Liao¡¯s suggestion could be said to be foolproof. Not only could they complete the mission given by the emperor, but they could also absolve Xiao Juan of killing his mother. She looked at Wei Liao with bright eyes and said happily. ¡°Vice General Wei, Young Master Wei, Brother Wei! How can you be so smart?!¡± At this moment, Wei Liao was like a Bodhisattva who had saved the world. His entire body emitted a benevolent golden light. She wished she could immediately kneel down and offer three more incense sticks. Xiao Juan looked at Wei Liao differently. He really did not expect Wei Liao to take the initiative to suggest such a method. Wei Liao had a cold personality and had always been indifferent. In addition, Xiao Juan was not on good terms with him, to begin with. He could not wait to see Xiao Juan in trouble. But now, he was willing to help Xiao Juan. It was really unexpected. Wei Liao enjoyed the flattery from Yu Niaoniao. He crossed his arms and raised his chin, smiling smugly. ¡°Now you know I¡¯m smart? What were you doing earlier?¡± Yu Niaoniao crazily praised, ¡°I had bad judgment previously. I underestimated Young Master Wei. Young Master Wei is the smartest person in the world!¡± Wei Liao¡¯s smile widened. ¡°It¡¯s rare to hear such nice words from you. Say a few more words.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you like to read the Seven Treasures Record? When we return to the Imperial Capital, I¡¯ll draw another new book with the same style as the Seven Treasures Record. I guarantee you¡¯ll enjoy it!¡± Wei Liao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± Yu Niaoniao patted her chest and promised. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true!¡± Wei Liao couldn¡¯t wait any longer and immediately urged. ¡°Stop dilly-dallying! I¡¯ll go look for Princess Ni Yang now. Duke Lang will look for Yuan Gui. Let¡¯s end this matter as soon as possible so that we can return to the Imperial Capital as soon as possible.¡± The sooner he returned to the Imperial Capital, the sooner he could read his new book. Xiao Juan stopped him. ¡°Wait a moment. Princess Ni Yang is not so easy to kill. Even if your martial arts are strong, you might not be able to succeed. Think of a foolproof plan first.. Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: Disrespectful Heart Chapter 485: Disrespectful Heart Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao also felt that they could not act rashly. Wei Liao could only reluctantly sit back down. ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡± Xiao Juan analyzed, ¡°Previously, Cheng Qi tried to assassinate Princess Ni Yang, but he failed. He was a lesson to us. ¡± If we attack in the princess¡¯s residence, the success rate will be extremely low. The best way is to help her trick her out and do it outside the residence.¡± Wei Liao followed his train of thought. ¡°Princess Ni Yang always brings enough people with her every time she goes out. The success rate of directly assassinating her is very low. It¡¯s best if we can find someone trustworthy by her side and attack her when she¡¯s unprepared.¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°The question is where can we find such a person?¡± Wei Liao looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Aren¡¯t you very trusted by Princess Ni Yang?¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, Xiao Juan flatly refused. ¡°This matter is extremely dangerous. Niaoniao doesn¡¯t know any martial arts at all. Don¡¯t even think about touching her!¡± Wei Liao spread his hands as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Alright, alright. Forget I said anything. ¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated for a moment before mustering her courage to speak. ¡°I think what Wei Liao said is not completely unreasonable. Perhaps I can really try.¡± Xiao Juan still refused. ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you take the risk.¡± His tone was extremely determined. There was no room for negotiation. Yu Niaoniao wanted to persuade him again, but there was a sudden knock on the door and the sound of the Chun Feng came in. ¡°Princess Consort, Her Highness wants to see you. Please go to the study.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go immediately.¡± She turned to look at Xiao Juan and reminded him in a low voice. ¡°Discuss it first. I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Niaoniao pushed open the door and walked out. She instructed Ye Yu, who was standing at the door. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to prepare a bowl of hot soup noodles and two eggs. Send them to Wang Jun. It¡¯s best if you bring Ling Hai and Ling Miao along. Remember to be careful not to be discovered.¡± Ye Yu nodded and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll remember.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked towards the study with Chun Feng. There were many servants standing at the door of the study. They were waiting here so that the Princess could summon them at any time. When they saw the County Princess arrive, they bowed and greeted her. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡± The female official welcomed her. ¡°Her Highness is already in the study. Princess Consort, please come in.¡± She pushed open the door and bowed slightly, gesturing for him to come in. According to tradition, other than Princess Ni Yang herself, only those invited by her could enter the study. No one else could step into the study. Chun Feng could not enter, so she could only wait outside the door. In the study, Princess Ni Yang was painting. When she saw Yu Niaoniao arrive, she immediately put down her brush and greeted her excitedly. ¡°Niaoniao, come over quickly. Look at my painting.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked over and realized that she was drawing the princess and the little mute. Princess Ni Yang asked expectantly. ¡°How much do you think this painting looks like the protagonists in your book?¡± Yu Niaoniao praised, ¡°Your Highness is brilliant. The characters you draw are even more charming than the characters in the book.¡± She was not flattering her. She was sincere. Not only was the princess drawn by Princess Ni Yang graceful and luxurious, but she also had an aura of looking down on the world. As a superior, her image was vivid on paper. In comparison, the little mute, who was the male lead, was much weaker. Standing beside the princess, he did not look like her husband, but more like her sidekick. Princess Ni Yang smiled, looking very happy. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been vexed that you don¡¯t have the inspiration for the third part of Phoenix Country? I can provide you with an idea here.¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended to be all ears. ¡°Princess, please speak.¡± Princess Ni Yang casually pulled out a scroll from a vase by the table. She unfolded the scroll, revealing the image. The princess in The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation was drawn on the painting, but the difference was that she was not wearing a royal robe that represented her status as a princess, but a dragon robe that represented her status as an emperor. Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Princess Ni Yang placed the painting on the desk and smiled as she admired her painting. ¡°The Drincess in the book is resourceful and Imowledzeable. It¡¯s too much of a waste to just let her be a princess.¡± ¡°She was the biological sister of the Empress, and she was also a royal. Logically speaking, she had the right to compete for the throne.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you arrange a plot for her to ascend the throne in the third movie?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart pounded. Previously, Wei Liao had told her that the reason why Princess Ni Yang liked Phoenix Cry was that she wanted to become a character in the book. Now it seemed that Wei Liao was right! Princess Ni Yang really had the heart to rebel! Princess Ni Yang stared at her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Do you think the plot I¡¯m talking about is bad?¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly denied it. ¡°No! I¡¯m thinking about how to arrange this plot to make sense?¡± Princess Ni Yang said casually. ¡°Isn¡¯t that simple? We just have to kill the Empress and replace her.¡± Yu Niaoniao carefully objected. ¡°But the relationship between the sisters is not bad. If they suddenly fall out, I¡¯m afraid the readers won¡¯t accept it.¡± As Princess Ni Yang smiled gently, her tone was mocking. ¡°What feelings do you have when you¡¯re in the royal family? Even if there were, it would be an illusion.¡± ¡°The princess is smart and capable. Has the empress really never suspected her at all? ¡°The princess is not inferior to the empress. Is she really willing to submit to others?¡± Yu Niaoniao could not answer. Every word the other party said had another meaning. If she said anything wrong, she might be killed. She was so nervous that cold sweat kept breaking out on her back. Princess Ni Yang changed the topic and suddenly asked, ¡°I heard that you have a brother and a sister. How did they treat you? Were your parents biased when they faced you?¡± Yu Niaoniao said carefully, ¡°They¡¯re all quite good to me.¡± Princess Ni Yang extended her slender fingers. Her red-painted fingertips pinched Yu Niaoniao¡¯s chin and gently raised her face. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°I sent someone to investigate you.¡± ¡°Your biological mother has passed away. Your stepmother has been mean to you and has tried to harm you several times.¡± ¡°Your father never trusted you. He even kicked you out of the house.¡± ¡°Although the back of a hand was covered in flesh, the flesh in the palm was thicker than the back of the hand.¡± ¡°Do you really not hate them at all for treating you like that?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless again. She wasn¡¯t a saint. How could she not have any resentment? It was just that she could distinguish between priorities. She knew that resentment would only make her lose her mind, so she tried to ignore it. She had to focus on something more meaningful.. Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: Plan Ahead Chapter 486: Plan Ahead Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Princess Ni Yang looked into her eyes and said meaningfully, ¡°An ordinary family like yours can¡¯t avoid scheming against each other, let alone the royal family. ¡°So what if they¡¯re sisters? As long as it involves a conflict of interest, they¡¯ll still fall out when it¡¯s time. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Yu Niaoniao said with difficulty, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll draw the third installment like how you said.¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled in satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your new work.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and prepare to draw the third one now.¡± With that, Yu Niaoniao was about to leave when she was stopped by Princess Ni Yang. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go back. I have everything here. Draw here.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. ¡°Draw here?¡± Princess Ni Yang said matter-of-factly, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s quiet here. Other than me, no one else will come in to disturb you. You can concentrate on writing new books.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be here with you. If you encounter any difficulties in the plot, you can communicate with me. Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped herself from saying, ¡°Of course not! ¡± She was still in a hurry to go back and discuss countermeasures with Xiao Juan and Wei Liao! Yu Niaoniao racked her brain to find a reason for herself. ¡°Your environment is indeed very good, but I have a problem. I like to create in a familiar environment.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here twice and am not familiar with it. If I stay here to compose, I will feel very uncomfortable and it will affect my performance.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°That¡¯s easy. If you stay here for a while longer, you can read the books here and use the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table.¡± ¡°After a while, you¡¯ll naturally be familiar with this place.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But¡­¡± Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door, followed by the voice of the female official. ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s a letter for you.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Bring it in.¡± The door was pushed open and the female official walked in with her head bowed. She presented a letter with both hands and withdrew. The door was closed again. Princess Ni Yang did not evade Yu Niaoniao. She opened the envelope in front of her and took out a letter filled with words. She read the letter quickly, her red lips curving as she chuckled. ¡°Niaoniao, do you know who sent this letter?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head to indicate that she did not know. Princess Ni Yang placed the letter in front of her and gestured for her to read it herself. Driven by curiosity, Yu Niaoniao picked up the letter. This letter was sent by the head of the Cheng family. He had already learned that Cheng Qi had attempted to murder Princess Ni Yang. In the letter, he sincerely apologized to Princess Ni Yang and said that Cheng Qi¡¯s death was deserved. The Cheng family would not blame Princess Ni Yang for this. At the end of the letter, the head of the Cheng family hoped that Princess Ni Yang would let the Cheng family bring Cheng Qi¡¯s body back to his hometown for burial on account of their past relationship. ¡°Are you willing to return the Prince Consort¡¯s body to the Cheng family?¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled. ¡°How? I¡¯ve already asked Rouge to eat him. There¡¯s not even any bone left.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately recalled the scene of the big tiger devouring human flesh and could not help but tense up. ¡°Then how are you going to explain it to the Cheng family?¡± Princess Ni Yang said slowly, ¡°Who do they think they are? Why should I answer to them?¡± Yu Niaoniao said carefully, ¡°But the Cheng family has a deep foundation in the court. It¡¯s not good for you to offend them.¡± Princess Ni Yang did not care about this. ¡°So what if their foundation is deep? They¡¯re just a group of ants who listen to others. As long as the emperor says something, he can make the Cheng family unable to enter the royal court again. From then on, their foundation will be destroyed and they won¡¯t have a future.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless and felt even more nervous. It seemed that Princess Ni Yang had already made up her mind to rebel. She had even thought about it. When she ascended the throne, she would uproot the Cheng family and prevent future troubles. Princess Ni Yang took the letter from her hand, casually crumpled it into a ball, and threw it to the ground. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be delayed by unimportant people and things. Hurry up and think about how to draw the sequel, okay? I have everything you need. If you need something, I can get someone to find it.¡± Yu Niaoniao knew that she would not be able to leave here for a while, so she could only think of a way to stall for time. ¡°I really can¡¯t draw it for a while. Let me read someone else¡¯s book first. I might be able to find inspiration.¡± Princess Ni Yang agreed readily. ¡°Alright, take a look.¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended to be looking for books seriously and began to walk back and forth between a few bookshelves. It took her a moment to pull a book out of it, then she sat down and pretended to read. Princess Ni Yang also found a book for herself. She sat opposite her and read quietly. Unknowingly, the morning passed. Xiao Juan and Wei Liao waited for a long time, but Yu Niaoniao did not return. They ordered someone to look for Yu Niaoniao, but they were told that Yu Niaoniao had been retained by Princess Ni Yang and would not be back for a while. Xiao Juan felt very uneasy. When night fell, he still did not see Niaoniao return. The uneasiness in Xiao Juan¡¯s heart multiplied. He was worried that Princess Ni Yang would do something bad to Niaoniao, so he immediately went to look for her personally, wanting to get her back. In the end, Princess Ni Yang did not even see him. Using the excuse that it was late and she wanted to rest, she got the official to send Xiao Juan away. Xiao Juan returned empty-handed. He couldn¡¯t sleep that night. His mind was filled with Niaoniao. Princess Ni Yang clearly did not want him to see Niaoniao. What the hell did she want? What if she wanted to hurt Niaoniao? Xiao Juan could not bear the pain of losing Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯ll look for Wang Jianan now and ask him to find a reason to deceive Princess Ni Yang. We¡¯ll set up an ambush in the County Governor¡¯s Mansion in advance and attack when the time is right.¡± This was the plan they had discussed. Originally, he had planned to implement it in a few days, but now that Niaoniao had been detained by Princess Ni Yang, Xiao Juan could only bring the plan forward in order to prevent anything from happening to her. Wei Liao asked with a faint smile, ¡°Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?¡± Xiao Juan frowned and said in a low voice. ¡°Niaoniao hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s expression immediately became serious. His thoughts coincided with Xiao Juan¡¯s¡ª He could not let Niaoniao continue to stay in Princess Ni Yang¡¯s hands. With Princess Ni Yang¡¯s unpredictable personality, she might suddenly want to throw Niaoniao to feed the tiger. Wei Liao didn¡¯t ask further and quickly said. ¡°We¡¯ll divide the work as we agreed before. I¡¯ll deal with Princess Ni Yang. You deal with Yuan Gui. We have to take down both of them.¡± Xiao Juan called Lo Pingsha and Yan Nanguan over and told them his plan. ¡°Little Lo, stay behind. Tomorrow, as soon as Princess Ni Yang leaves the princess¡¯s residence, think of a way to save Niaoniao and come to the county governor¡¯s residence to meet us.¡± Lo Pingsha nodded.. ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: Secret Door Chapter 487: Secret Door Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the County Governor¡¯s Mansion, Wang Jianan was shocked when he heard Xiao Juan explain his intentions. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this to Princess Ni Yang? She¡¯s your mother!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression did not change as he said in a low voice, ¡°The Son of Heaven is guilty of the same crime as the commoners. No matter who she is, she has to be punished by the law.¡± Wang Jianan did not know what to say. He knew that Duke Lang had always been impartial, but he did not expect him to be so ruthless to his mother. How many people in the world could be so heartless? Wei Liao urged, ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. Send an invitation to Princess Ni Yang immediately. Tell her that we have something important to discuss and ask her to come and see you as soon as possible.¡± Wang Jianan asked uneasily. ¡°Are you sure you can kill Princess Ni Yang? What if she escapes? Don¡¯t forget the lesson of the Prince Consort. He was killed by Princess Ni Yang because of the failed assassination. I heard that Princess Ni Yang didn¡¯t even let go of his corpse and threw it to the tiger to eat. There were no remains!¡± Xiao Juan said coldly. ¡°If Princess Ni Yang doesn¡¯t die, your grandson will be imprisoned by her for the rest of his life.¡± Wang Jianan thought of his little grandson. He was already an old bag of bones. It didn¡¯t matter what happened, but Wang Jun was still young. He couldn¡¯t let Wang Jun spend the rest of his life in captivity. For the sake of his grandson, Wang Jianan gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and knocked his walking stick hard on the ground. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll risk my life to gamble with you!¡± He immediately wrote a letter and ordered someone to send it to the princess¡¯s residence. Wei Liao transferred all the Sky Wolf Guards under him to the County Governor¡¯s Mansion and began to set up traps. He was determined to keep Princess Ni Yang alive here. Xiao Juan ordered someone to send a letter to the City Protection Lieutenant, Yuan Gui, and invited him to the Drunken Fairy Building to drink. The Drunken Fairy Building was the largest restaurant in the city. In order to make it easier to attack, Xiao Juan had booked the entire restaurant in advance. In order to avoid any accidents, he specially chose a nimble Eagle Guard and asked him to pretend to be an ordinary person and leave Jinwu City quietly with a secret letter. In the princess¡¯s residence, Yu Niaoniao had been in the study for a day and a night. During this period, she found many excuses, but they were all rejected by Princess Ni Yang. Princess Ni Yang was determined to let her draw the third installment here. Otherwise, she would not be allowed to leave. In addition to books, there was also a bed for resting in the study. Three meals a day were sent over, and hot water was provided for her to bathe at night. Even a change of clothes had been prepared for her in advance. The size was just right, as if they were tailor-made. To be honest, if she did not care about Xiao Juan, Yu Niaoniao would feel quite comfortable here. She could eat and drink. She didn¡¯t have to do anything. There were many books for her to pass the time. These were simply godlike days! The female official sent an invitation, saying that it was from the County Governor¡¯s Mansion. Princess Ni Yang opened the invitation and took a look. It was indeed Wang Jianan¡¯s handwriting. His personal seal was still on it. He said that he had recently discovered some abnormal movements from the Eagle Guards. They might want to deal with Princess Ni Yang. It was not convenient to explain the details in the letter. He hoped that Princess Ni Yang would go to the County Governor¡¯s Mansion to talk to him as soon as possible. This time, Princess Ni Yang did not show the letter to Yu Niaoniao. Instead, she burned it. She stood up slowly. ¡°Niaoniao, I¡¯m going out for a while. I¡¯ll be back soon. Stay here in peace and don¡¯t run around. If you need anything, just let the servants know.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded in agreement. She watched Princess Ni Yang leave. The study door was quickly closed again. Yu Niaoniao knew that there was someone guarding the door. It was impossible for her to get out. But she had no intention of staying here obediently and doing nothing. Yu Niaoniao threw the book aside, stood up, and began to search the study carefully. She wanted to see if she could find evidence of Princess Ni Yang plotting a rebellion here. Although Wei Liao had received the emperor¡¯s special permission and would not be blamed even if he killed Princess Ni Yang, Princess Ni Yang was still Xiao Juan¡¯s mother. Those who did not know the inside story would definitely scold Xiao Juan to death. Therefore, Yu Niaoniao hoped to find evidence of Princess Ni Yang¡¯s crimes. As long as there was conclusive evidence, if anyone dared to attack Xiao Juan in the future, she could smash the evidence into that person¡¯s face so that those troublemakers would shut their mouths! Yu Niaoniao searched every corner and broke out in a thin sweat, but she still found nothing. At this moment, there was a knock on the door and the female official¡¯s voice came in. ¡°Princess Consort, there¡¯s afternoon tea prepared in the kitchen. Do you want some?¡± Yu Niaoniao refused without hesitation. ¡°No, I¡¯m not hungry!¡± ¡°Alright then. If you want to eat, please let me know.¡± There was silence outside quickly. Yu Niaoniao wiped the sweat off her forehead and looked at the large bookshelf in front of her, unwilling to give up. This was Princess Ni Yang¡¯s exclusive study. It was extremely private and was always guarded at the door, not allowing outsiders to step in. If Princess Ni Yang had any secrets, they would definitely be hidden here. Yu Niaoniao rolled up her sleeves. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t find it!¡± Her gaze wandered around the large bookshelves in front of her. These shelves were placed against the wall. Each was made very high. There was a foot or so between them. In the middle would be floor-to-ceiling vases for decoration. Yu Niaoniao moved the vases away one by one. When she moved to the last vase, she realized that the bottom was fixed to the ground. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t move it. Inspired, she wrapped her arms around the vase and tried to spin it from side to side. In the end, the vase was really turned. The next moment, she saw the bookshelf in front of her slowly open to both sides, and a secret door appeared in front of her. The secret door was locked. A key was needed to open it. Yu Niaoniao fiddled with the brass lock. She had never liked to read the Four Books and Five Scriptures since she was young, but she loved to read those messy miscellaneous books. Among them was a book called the Thousand Locks. That book recorded the way to open a thousand locks. Coincidentally, the brass lock in her hand was among them. Although many years had passed, she still remembered every word of the book. She took off her gold earring and removed the dangle. Then she straightened the thin ear hook. The end was deliberately twisted into a small hook. She inserted the gold wire into the lock and fiddled with it carefully. At the same time, Princess Ni Yang had already left the princess¡¯s residence and was riding a carriage to the County Governor¡¯s Mansion. As soon as she left, Lo Pingsha began to move. He first found Ling Hai and Ling Miao and asked the siblings to find Wang Jun. Then, he arranged for the Eagle Guards to protect them. When he was done, Lo Pingsha went straight to the study. He had to save the Princess Consort as soon as possible.. Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: Change of Plans Chapter 488: Change of Plans Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the study, after a few attempts, Yu Niaoniao finally opened the brass lock. She took off the brass lock and pushed. The secret door slowly opened. A secret passage appeared in front of her. Yu Niaoniao subconsciously looked back at the door and confirmed that the doors and windows of the study were closed. Outsiders could not see the scene in the study. She raised the candlestick and tiptoed into the secret passage. As soon as she entered, the secret door closed automatically behind her. She immediately turned. In the dim candlelight, she was relieved to find that the secret door could be opened from the inside. At least she didn¡¯t have to be trapped in this secret passage. Yu Niaoniao walked along the secret passage and soon entered a secret room. There was a bronze statue in the secret room. This person seemed to be tailor-made according to Princess Ni Yang¡¯s appearance. Be it her facial features or figure, she was exactly the same as Princess Ni Yang. Most importantly, this bronze statue was actually wearing a bright yellow dragon robe! Yu Niaoniao raised the candlestick and approached the statue. The embroidery on the dragon robe was extremely exquisite. It was impossible to create such a lifelike pattern without decades of effort. The clothes were made of high-grade golden silk, and the fabric was also a treasure of foreign tributes. When she approached, she could even smell a faint ambergris. Such a dragon robe was enough to substitute the real thing. Yu Niaoniao walked around the statue and realized that not only was this dragon robe heavy, but it was also large. It was almost impossible for her to take it off and bring it out without anyone knowing. She could only give up on this dragon robe for the time being and look at something else. A map hung on the wall. Yu Niaoniao had seen this map in Mirror House before. It was a map of the Dayan Dynasty. In the map, all the mountains, rivers, villages, and cities in the Dayan Dynasty were depicted in great detail. She found Liangzhou in the diagram and realized that someone had drawn a circle here with a red pen. Yu Niaoniao looked at the place where the circle was drawn again and again. Then, she realized that there was a small map hanging beside it. The map depicted the terrain in Liangzhou. Yu Niaoniao compared the two maps and quickly realized that the place circled was called Chillywind Valley. She remembered hearing someone mention Chillywind Valley. That place was filled with Yin energy. Someone had even met a ghost soldier there. When that person returned, he fell seriously ill and was scared out of his wits. It was very strange! Yu Niaoniao naturally did not believe the rumor. Since there were no ghosts, there could only be someone causing trouble! Yu Niaoniao suspected that the rumored iron mine might be in the Chillywind Valley. The princess¡¯s carriage stopped at the entrance of the county governor¡¯s residence. Wang Jianan personally went out to welcome him with his walking stick. ¡°Greetings, Princess.¡± Princess Ni Yang slowly alighted from the carriage with the help of her maidservant. Her head was wrapped in a red veil, covering most of her face, revealing only a pair of flirtatious phoenix eyes. Wang Jianan suppressed the nervousness and apprehension in his heart and turned to make way. When Princess Ni Yang walked through the door with her men, he followed with his walking stick. He said as he walked, ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. Your Highness, please follow me to the study for a secret discussion.¡± Princess Ni Yang said nothing and nodded slightly in agreement. They arrived at the study door. Wang Jianan asked the others to wait outside. Only he, Princess Ni Yang, and a few maidservants beside her entered the study. After Princess Ni Yang sat down, she looked at Wang Jianan, wanting to hear what he wanted to say. Wang Jianan closed the door and gave Princess Ni Yang an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was forced. Please forgive me, Your Highness.¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s eyes revealed confusion. Immediately after, she saw Wei Liao jump down from the beam and a few Sky Wolf Guards rush out from behind the screen. They drew their sabers and aimed the blades at Princess Ni Yang. Princess Ni Yang suddenly stood up and the maidservants beside her shouted. ¡°There¡¯s an assassination! Save the princess!¡± Unfortunately, there was no response outside the door. Wei Liao smiled triumphantly. ¡°Stop shouting! It¡¯s useless. We¡¯ve already controlled the guards you brought. Now, no one will save you even if you scream your throat out.¡± Princess Ni Yang glared at him. Her body trembled slightly, but she said nothing. The maids beside her had already turned pale with fear and were at a loss. Wei Liao that some thing was wrong. Princess Ni Yang had not said a word since she entered the door. That didn¡¯t sound like her. He stopped smiling and lifted the veil off Princess Ni Yang¡¯s face with the tip of his knife. What was revealed was an unfamiliar face. She was not Princess Ni Yang at all! Wei Liao and Wang Jianan¡¯s expressions changed at the same time. Wang Jianan was in disbelief. ¡°How can this be?!¡± This woman¡¯s eyes were extremely similar to Princess Ni Yang¡¯s, and her height was almost the same. After deliberately dressing up, she was no different from the real Princess Ni Yang, so Wang Jianan could not recognize her. Wei Liao cursed inwardly. Princess Ni Yang was not here. She was probably still in the princess¡¯s residence. Yu Niaoniao, Lo Pingsha, and the others were in danger if they stayed in the residence! He made a prompt decision and ordered. ¡°Go to the princess¡¯s residence!¡± In the Drunken Fairy Building, Xiao Juan waited for a long time but did not see Yuan Gui appear. His heart was filled with doubts. Worried that the plan had changed, he ordered someone to go to the County Governor¡¯s Mansion and the Princess¡¯s Mansion to investigate. At the same time, Lo Pingsha had rushed to the vicinity of the study. He saw that the study door was guarded. There were only two of them. He was confident he could handle it. He pretended to have been lost and walked towards the study door, but was stopped by two guards. ¡°This is not a place for you. Please leave immediately!¡± Lo Pingsha hurriedly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not familiar with this place and took the wrong path. May I ask which way to the reception hall?¡± The guards pointed casually. ¡°That way!¡± ¡°Can you just walk straight that way? Don¡¯t you need to turn?¡± The guards were impatient. ¡°Why are you talking so much nonsense? Leave quickly, or don¡¯t blame us for being rude!¡± Lo Pingsha pretended to be frightened and terrified, but in the next moment, he raised his hand and threw out two silver needles. The silver needles pierced into the two guards. Before they could cry out, their vision darkened and they fainted. Lo Pingsha took the keys from them and opened the study door. He pushed it open and walked in, only to see that the study was empty. There was no sign of Yu Niaoniao. He was greatly surprised. Where had she gone? Had she already sneaked out? Lo Pingsha was puzzled. He was about to search carefully again when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside. It was as if a lot of people were rushing over. Shocked, Lo Pingsha hurried out of the study. He realized that there were indeed a large number of guards gathered outside. Princess Ni Yang, who should have left the princess¡¯s residence, was standing among the guards. She was dressed very differently today. She was no longer wearing a red dress, but a black riding outfit. She had a sword at her waist and the tall and powerful tiger beside her. Princess Ni Yang curled her red lips and smiled. ¡°Do you know the consequences of trespassing in my study without permission Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: Leaving a Clue Chapter 489: Leaving a Clue Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lo Pingsha¡¯s heart had sunk to the bottom. Although he did not understand why Princess Ni Yang was here, he knew that she would definitely not let him off. If he wanted to leave this place, he could only fight to the death. Lo Pingsha gripped his saber tightly. ¡°I just want to find the Princess Consort. I have something very important to discuss with her in person. If I¡¯ve offended you, please forgive me, Your Highness.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Niaoniao is very busy now and doesn¡¯t have time to see you. If you have anything to say, you can tell me. I¡¯ll help you tell her.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. There¡¯s no need to trouble you. I¡¯ll look for her when the Princess Consort is free. Goodbye.¡± As Lo Pingsha spoke, he moved to the side. Princess Ni Yang touched the big tiger beside her and said gently. ¡°Hungry, aren¡¯t you? Go find something to eat.¡± With that, she released the chain around the big tiger. After the big tiger regained its freedom, it immediately pounced on Lo Pingsha! Lo Pingsha drew his knife and swept it across, cutting a wound on the tiger¡¯s forelimbs. Blood flowed. The pain stimulated the tiger, causing it to become ferocious. It pounced at Lo Pingsha at an even faster speed! Lo Pingsha retreated quickly as he took out the quiver he carried. The quiver was pulled open, and an arrow with sparks shot straight into the sky with a piercing whistle. When the Eagle Guards scattered in the residence heard this voice, they immediately rushed in Lo Pingsha¡¯s direction. When the Eagle Guards arrived, they saw Lo Pingsha fighting the big tiger. Both sides were injured. Princess Ni Yang stood at the side and watched the show. When she saw the Eagle Guards arrive, she did not feel nervous. She still looked relaxed and calm. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here. Just in time. It saves me the trouble of looking for you one by one.¡± She raised her hand and ordered. ¡°Take them all down.¡± The guards of the princess¡¯s residence immediately rushed forward and fought the Eagle Guards. Amidst the flashes of light, people kept falling, mixed with the roar of a tiger. In the study, Yu Niaoniao came out of the secret passage and was immediately shocked when she heard the commotion outside. She walked quickly to the door and looked out. The courtyard was filled with people. Lo Pingsha and a group of Eagle Guards were surrounded by the guards of the princess¡¯s residence. She wanted to help Lo Pingsha, but she did not know martial arts. Rushing out now would only increase the burden on the Eagle Guards. Princess Ni Yang eyes were extremely sharp. Even though there were people in front of her, her gaze still passed through the many figures, and saw Yu Niaoniao hiding at the door. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s gaze met hers, and her heart skipped a beat. Oh no, she had been discovered! Yu Niaoniao immediately retracted her head. If Princess Ni Yang knew that her secret had been discovered by her, she would definitely kill her! She ran toward the window, planning to escape through it. She wanted to look for Xiao Juan and Wei Liao and ask them to hurry back to save Lo Pingsha. Unexpectedly, the window was locked from the outside and could not be pushed open at all! Yu Niaoniao returned to the door and saw Princess Ni Yang striding towards the study under the escort of the guards. What should she do? Yu Niaoniao forced herself to calm down and thought quickly. Although she could not go out now and could not see Xiao Juan, she knew he would definitely come here to look for her. She had to leave him some clues! Yu Niaoniao ran to the desk, picked up her brush, and quickly wrote the words Chillywind Valley on the paper. There was no time to wait for the ink to dry. She took off the other golden earring from her ear and wrapped it in the paper, kneading it into a small ball. She ran to the bed again and poked a hole in the window paper with her fingers. Then she threw the ball of paper hard through the hole. There was a small garden outside the window. After the ball of paper flew out, it landed in the grass. At the same time, Princess Ni Yang walked into the study. ¡°Niaoniao, what are you doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao forced herself to remain calm. ¡°I want to open the window to get some air, but this window is locked. I can¡¯t push it open.¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s gaze circled the room before stopping on the bookshelf. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart was in her throat. Was she going to be discovered? Princess Ni Yang slowly walked to the bookshelf and reached out to touch the mouth of the vase beside her. Just as Yu Niaoniao thought that she had been exposed, she saw Princess Ni Yang¡¯s hand leave the vase and land on the bookshelf. She pulled a book from the shelf. Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that she had not been exposed. Princess Ni Yang casually opened the book and asked casually. ¡°Niaoniao, what were you doing when I wasn¡¯t around?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Reading.¡± Princess Ni Yang placed the book back on the shelf. ¡°How obedient.¡± She turned to look at Yu Niaoniao and smiled. ¡°Since you¡¯re so obedient, let me take you somewhere.¡± Yu Niaoniao still remembered that Princess Ni Yang had said something similar to her last time. In the end, she was brought to the Bestial Battle Arena by Princess Ni Yang and had to watch a bloody beast fight with her own eyes. That experience made Yu Niaoniao uncomfortable for a long time. Now that she heard that Princess Ni Yang was taking her somewhere, she instinctively felt uneasy. It was definitely not going to be a good place. She didn¡¯t want to go. She turned the vase, and the bookshelf slowly opened, revealing the secret door hidden behind it. Seeing that the situation was bad, Yu Niaoniao wanted to run, but she was caught by the guards. She recalled the defensive technique Xiao Juan had given her and slammed her elbow into a guard¡¯s heart. While the guard relaxed his grip, she quickly retracted her hand, then grabbed the thumb of one of the guards and pulled it out. The guard cried out in pain. Yu Niaoniao broke free and rushed towards the door, shouting at the same time. ¡°Little Lo¡­ Before she could finish shouting, another guard grabbed the back of her neck from behind. She felt her vision go black and she fell straight down. Princess Ni Yang took out the key she carried with her and was about to open the brass lock when she accidentally realized that the keyhole had been pried open. She immediately turned and looked at the unconscious Yu Niaoniao. While she was gone, Yu Niaoniao was the only one in the study. The only person who could discover the secret door and pry open the brass lock was Yu Niaoniao. Princess Ni Yang suddenly smiled, and her eyes were filled with admiration. ¡°As expected of you. You discovered my hidden secret so quickly.¡± She unlocked the brass lock, pushed open the secret door, and instructed the guards around her. ¡°Bring her.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A guard bent down and carried Yu Niaoniao over his shoulder. Then, Princess Ni Yang ordered someone to set a fire. The study was filled with books. Once the fire rose, it quickly spread and turned into a raging fire. Princess Ni Yang led her men into the secret passage. When the secret door closed, Princess Ni Yang left a few guards behind and asked them to seal the secret door with mud and stones before blocking the entire secret passage with stones. In this way, no one could enter this secret passage again.. Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: Madness Chapter 490: Madness Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan and Wei Liao rushed back to the princess¡¯s residence as quickly as possible and realized that thick smoke was rising from the residence. The servants in the residence were escaping in a panic. Among them were Ling Hai, Ling Miao, and Wang Jun. When they saw Duke Lang, they cried as if they had seen a life-saving straw. ¡°Your Highness, the Princess Consort and Lord Lo haven¡¯t come out yet! Hurry up and save her!¡± Xiao Juan arranged for a few Eagle Guards to stay with the three children and then rushed towards the study with his men. Wei Liao followed without thinking. The closer they got to the study, the more intense the fire became. When they arrived near the study, they realized that the entire study had been engulfed by flames. Even the nearby rooms were affected and ignited. Lo Pingsha was still fighting the guards of the princess¡¯s residence with the Eagle Guards. Both sides were already at the end of their rope. As for the big tiger called Rouge, it had already been seriously injured and fallen to the ground. The arrival of Xiao Juan and Wei Liao greatly increased the strength of the Eagle Guards. In just a few moves, they settled all the guards. Xiao Juan asked anxiously. ¡°Where¡¯s Niaoniao?¡± Lo Pingsha clutched the wound in his shoulder and panted. ¡°I went into the study to look for her, but I didn¡¯t see her. I thought she had escaped.¡± ¡°However, when I was dealing with the guards of the princess¡¯s residence just now, I heard the Princess Consort shout.¡± ¡°It sounded like it was coming from the study.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Juan and Wei Liao turned to look at the study at the same time. At this moment, the study had already become a sea of flames. Those flames were like ferocious beasts baring their fangs and brandishing their claws. As long as anyone dared to enter, they would immediately be devoured. Xiao Juan wanted to rush into the sea of fire without thinking. He had told himself more than once that it didn¡¯t matter if Niaoniao didn¡¯t love him. As long as she was alive and well, as long as she was willing to stay by his side, he was satisfied. He would give her everything she wanted. But now, even his last hope was shattered. After Niaoniao left, he would be left alone in this world. No one would rack her brains to make him happy or eat and chat with him. A beam of light had just risen in his life. Before he could grab it, it was extinguished. He couldn¡¯t accept this ending. Lo Pingsha and Yan Nanguan hurriedly pulled him back. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t be rash!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. He stared fixedly at the study and ordered word by word. ¡°Let go!¡± If it were any other time, Lo Pingsha and Yan Nanguan would definitely retract their hands in fear. However, no matter how afraid they were now, they had to grit their teeth and hold on to Duke Lang tightly, not letting him die. Wei Liao stared blankly at the study, his eyes blazing. He felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart. It was as if a hole had been torn in his heart. A cold wind blew through the hole. The chill seeped into his bones, almost freezing the blood. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Was Niaoniao really dead? Surely not? It was said that a scourge would live for a thousand years. A scourge like her would definitely live for more than ten thousand years. As he thought about it, his feet involuntarily walked toward the study. When the Sky Wolf Guards noticed Wei Liao¡¯s abnormal actions, they were shocked and hurriedly pulled him back. They did not understand. It was fine if Duke Lang went berserk after the Princess Consort of Lang County got into trouble, but why was Vice General Wei also crazy? Lo Pingsha spoke through the pain. ¡°Princess Ni Yang hasn¡¯t come out since she entered the study. She should have set this fire. It¡¯s impossible for her to set fire to herself, so I guess there¡¯s a secret passage hidden in the study.¡± These words woke Xiao Juan up. If there was a secret passage, Niaoniao might not be dead. He immediately ordered, ¡°Put out the fire!¡± For the first time, the Eagle Guards and the Sky Wolf Guards united. They worked together to extinguish the fire. Jinwu City had very few water resources, but it had a lot of sand and stones. They transported a large amount of sand and stones into the princess¡¯s residence and poured them into the study. The flames were suppressed bit by bit. It was not until the sun set and it was almost dark that the fire was completely extinguished. Xiao Juan and Wei Liao led their men and searched the study. There were no corpses. This meant that Yu Niaoniao and Princess Ni Yang had already left. They were still alive. Yan Nanguan suddenly shouted. ¡°There¡¯s a secret door here!¡± Xiao Juan and Wei Liao immediately ran over. The bookshelves that had been against the wall collapsed from the fire. After the Eagle Guards moved the shelves, they discovered the secret door hidden behind them. However, no matter how hard they tried, they could not push open the secret door. Xiao Juan reached out and knocked on the secret door. When he heard the dull sound, he could not help but frown. ¡°There¡¯s a wall behind the door. Someone must have blocked it.¡± Yan Nanguan asked, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± As long as they knew where the secret passage behind the door led, they would know where Niaoniao had been taken. How could Xiao Juan give up just like that? He ordered in a low voice, ¡°Break this wall!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yan Nanguan got someone to find tools and prepare to smash the wall. Yan Nanguan got someone to find tools and prepare to smash the wall. Soon, they summoned heavy hammers and began to smash the wall. The wall shook from the impact and quickly formed a huge hole. However, the outcome was not satisfactory. Even though the wall had been broken, the secret passage behind had been blocked by sand and stones. Seeing this, the usually calm Yan Nanguan could not help but curse. ¡°These sons of bitches!¡± Xiao Juan did not give up. Behind this wall was a rockery. He ordered someone to chisel open the rockery. He had to figure out where the secret passage inside led to! At this moment, the sky was completely dark. The Eagle Guards and Sky Wolf Guards were still busy. All of them were sweating profusely from exhaustion. Wang Jianan rushed to the princess¡¯s residence. At his age, his vision was poor and his legs were inconvenient, but he still came for his grandson. Seeing his thin grandson, Wang Jianan was so excited that tears streamed down his face. He held his grandson for a long time until someone beside him reminded him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the business, sir.¡± Only then did Wang Jianan let go of his grandson reluctantly. He asked his trusted aide to keep an eye on Wang Jun before bringing people into the princess¡¯s residence and finding the Eagle Guards and Heavenly Wolf Guards who were still digging the rockery. ¡°Your Highness, why are you still here?¡± ¡°Yuan Gui surrounded the entire Jinwu City with his troops. He said that you plotted to assassinate Princess Ni Yang and kill your biological mother.¡± ¡°He even told the entire city that anyone who could hand over your head would receive a reward of a thousand taels of silver.¡¯ ¡°If they don¡¯t see your head in three days, they¡¯ll break into the city. It would be a fierce battle when the time came. There would definitely be countless casualties. The citizens in the city did not want to fight. They were looking for you in groups Quickly hide!¡± Wang Jianan did not want to fight, but he was someone who knew the inside story. He knew that Duke Lang had been wronged. Moreover, Duke Lang saved his grandson. He could not be ungrateful. Wei Liao stabbed the shovel in his hand into the soil and asked with a faint smile. ¡°Duke Lang, do you think they¡¯ll agree if I exchange your life for that of the princess?¡± Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha immediately glared at him. ¡°Stop coming up with bad ideas!¡± Chapter 491 - Chapter 491: Beat Him At His Own Game Chapter 491: Beat Him At His Own Game Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wang Jianan was anxious. ¡°Why are you still fighting among yourselves at a time like this? Run!¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°Where can we go? They¡¯ve already surrounded Jinwu City. Unless we grow wings, we can¡¯t leave Jinwu City.¡± Xiao Juan said expressionlessly, ¡°Then don¡¯t leave.¡± Wang Jianan said anxiously, ¡°Then won¡¯t we have to wait for death?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to send a secret letter. The reinforcements should be here soon. Continue digging. You must find the secret passage!¡± Wei Liao was surprised. ¡°When did you send the secret letter?¡± ¡°Before we executed the plan.¡± Xiao Juan was used to preparing for the worst. Of course, he had to be sufficiently prepared for an important matter like assassinating Princess Ni Yang. Yuan Gui had a lot of troops, but the Imperial Court had even more. If they really fought, it was still uncertain who would win in the end. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they still had a chance to turn the tables. Xiao Juan raised his hammer and smashed it fiercely at the rockery. A hole was punched in the mountain rock, and gravel fell. His arms were already sore and numb, and there was faint blood seeping out from between his thumb and index finger. However, he could not stop. He had to find the secret passage. He had to save Niaoniao! His heart filled with regret. He should not have let Niaoniao meet Princess Ni Yang. He should have guarded her at all times and not let her leave him even a step! Wei Liao flicked his arm and said nothing else. He picked up the shovel again and continued digging. Seeing this, the others also got busy. Lo Pingsha was injured and could not join the team digging the rockery. He could only wander around to see if he could find any useful clues. The night was dark and the moon was hazy. Lo Pingsha held the lantern, his eyes wide as he carefully searched every inch. Suddenly, he felt something under his feet, as if he had stepped on something. He raised his foot, then bent down and reached out to push through the grass. In the dim light, he saw a paper ball lying quietly in the grass. He picked up the ball of paper and unfolded it. He found a golden earring wrapped inside. There were also three words written on the paper in very scrawled handwriting¡ª Chillywind Valley. Lo Pingsha looked up and around and saw the study window not far away. The window had long been burned beyond recognition. But Lo Pingsha already had a guess. He rushed to find Duke Lang with the paper and gold earring. ¡°Your Highness, I found the clues left behind by the Princess Consort!¡± His shout immediately made everyone stop. Everyone looked at him in unison. Xiao Juan threw it away and took the paper and gold earring with his bleeding fingers. Although the handwriting was messy, he recognized it at a glance. It was Niaoniao¡¯s handwriting! She had worn earrings too. Niaoniao was telling him that she had been brought to the Chillywind Valley. Xiao Juan stuffed the note and earrings into his arms and said in a low voice. ¡°Get out of the city and go to Chillywind Valley!¡± Wang Jianan hurriedly reminded him, ¡°The city gate has long been blocked from the outside. Now, the city wall is filled with archers arranged by Yuan Gui. As soon as we appear, we¡¯ll be shot by them.¡± Xiao Juan turned to look at Wei Liao. ¡°I accept your suggestion just now.¡± Wei Liao was stunned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Don¡¯t they just want my life? If you tie me up and send me to them, will they reject?¡± Wei Liao immediately understood what he meant. ¡°Are you planning to beat him at his own game?¡± Yan Nanguan was a little uneasy. ¡°But this is too dangerous. If anything goes wrong, His Highness will really die.¡± Xiao Juan was determined. ¡°Time is tight. I have to leave the city immediately to save Niaoniao.¡± He looked around at everyone and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I need someone to help me send me to Yuan Gui now. I wonder which of you can help me?¡± Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha immediately stood up. ¡°We can!¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°The two of you are Duke Lang¡¯s trusted aides. The entire world knows that you are loyal to him. Yuan Gui is not a fool. How can he believe you?¡± Although Yan Nanguan and Lo Pingsha were angry, they did not refute. Because what the other party said made sense. Wei Liao crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m willing to help, but Yuangui already knows that I¡¯m in cahoots with Duke Lang. He definitely won¡¯t believe me.¡± Wang Jianan hesitated. ¡°Why don¡¯t I go?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You betrayed Princess Ni Yang and Yuan Gui. If Yuan Gui sees you, he might kill you.¡± Wang Jianan immediately stopped talking. He had yet to settle his grandson down. He could not die yet. At that moment, a slightly childish voice sounded. ¡°Let us go!¡± Everyone made way, revealing Ling Hai and Ling Miao standing at the back of the crowd. The siblings held hands and strode towards Duke Lang. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re children. They won¡¯t be too wary of us.¡± ¡°We usually hid in the backyard of the princess¡¯s residence and rarely appeared in front of others. Not to mention Yuan Gui, even Princess Ni Yang had never seen us. They definitely won¡¯t know us.¡± Wei Liao stroked his chin. ¡°They¡¯re indeed good candidates.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the Ling siblings in front of him and asked solemnly. ¡°This is very dangerous. Are you sure you want to go?¡± Ling Hai said, ¡°As long as we can leave this place and capture Princess Ni Yang, we might be able to find our family. As long as we can see our family again, we can bear any danger!¡± Ling Miao nodded vigorously, agreeing with her brother. Xiao Juan had never liked children. The reason why he took in these two children back then was because Niaoniao was soft-hearted. He usually ignored the two children, but now that he saw how they looked without hesitation, he could not help but be moved. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. The entire Jinwu City was in a panic. No one could sleep peacefully. The streets were empty. The commoners had their doors and windows closed, not daring to go out for fear of being implicated. Ling Hai and Ling Miao pulled the handcart all the way through the streets and alleys before finally stopping near the city gate. The archers on the city wall immediately pulled back their bowstrings and aimed their arrows at the Ling siblings. Ling Hai hurriedly raised his hands to show that he had no ill intentions. He shouted, ¡°Officers, don¡¯t shoot arrows. I¡¯m here to collect my reward!¡± A moment later, the armored Yuan Gui appeared by the window of the city tower. He looked down at Ling Hai and asked. ¡°What reward do you want?¡± Ling Hai said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that as long as we capture Duke Lang, we¡¯ll get a reward of a thousand taels? I brought him here. Shouldn¡¯t you give us the reward?¡± Hearing this, everyone on the city wall stirred. Yuan Gui¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°You really captured Duke Lang? Why should I believe you?¡± Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Aren 鈥榯 You Dead? Chapter 492: Aren ¡®t You Dead? Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ling Hai and Ling Miao worked together and lifted the straw mat covering the handcart, revealing the man lying under it. Even from a distance, under the moonlight, Yuan Gui could still see clearly that the man was Duke Lang, Xiao Juan! These two children had really brought Duke Lang here! Yuan Gui was very surprised, but at the same time, he was a little suspicious. He was afraid that there was a trap, so he did not act rashly and asked. ¡°How did you capture Duke Lang?¡± ¡°To be honest, we¡¯re two wandering beggars who happened to be taken in by Duke Lang. However, he treated us extremely harshly and let his subordinates bully us.¡± ¡°We had long intended to escape. Today, there was suddenly a fire in the princess¡¯s residence. The residence was in chaos. We siblings seized the opportunity to escape.¡± ¡°On the way, we bumped into Duke Lang. He was looking for the county princess and asking if we had seen her. I lied to him and said I knew where the princess consort was.¡± ¡°He really believed me and asked me to quickly bring him to see the County Princess. We took him somewhere private and stabbed him in the heart when he was unprepared.¡± As Ling Hai spoke, he pointed at Xiao Juan¡¯s heart. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, look for yourself. The dagger is still in him!¡± Yuan Gui looked over and indeed saw a dagger inserted in Xiao Juan¡¯s heart. The wound had already stopped bleeding, but the clothes on Xiao Juan¡¯s chest had long been dyed dark red by blood. The truth was right in front of him. Yuan Gui had no choice but to believe it. He told Ling Hai and Ling Miao to stand still and then spoke to the deputy general beside him. ¡°Go down and take a look.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The deputy general led the two men down the stairs. Their footsteps hurried down the city tower to the handcart. They first reached out to check Xiao Juan¡¯s breathing. He was indeed dead. Then, they checked the wound on Xiao Juan¡¯s chest and confirmed that it was real. The deputy general gripped the hilt of the dagger and pulled it out. A string of bright red blood beads flew out. Ling Miao was very afraid and hurriedly hid behind her brother. Ling Hai was not nervous at all and even took the initiative to speak. ¡°Go ahead and check, sir. We swear we¡¯re not lying.¡± The deputy general looked at Xiao Juan, who was lying motionless on the handcart, and already believed what Ling Hai said. It seemed that Duke Lang was really dead. Who would have thought? The famous Duke Lang had actually died at the hands of two unknown children. No one would believe this. The deputy general casually threw the dagger aside and wiped the blood on the back of his hand on his shirt twice. Then he took out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve. ¡°Here¡¯s your reward. Take it.¡± The moment Ling Hai saw the banknotes, his eyes lit up. He was like a real money-grubber. He grabbed the banknote tightly and kept thanking him. ¡°Thank you, sir! Thank you!¡± Then he pulled his sister and ran away quickly. The soldier beside him could not help but ask. ¡°General, are we just going to let them go?¡± The deputy general said indifferently, ¡°They¡¯re just two brats. There¡¯s no need to waste time on them. The most important thing now is Duke Lang. The two of you, carry the corpse up for the commandant to see.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Two soldiers lifted Xiao Juan and strode towards the city gate tower. Yuan Gui placed his hands behind his back and walked back and forth in the house. He immediately asked when he saw the deputy general return with his men. ¡°How¡¯s the situation? Is it really Duke Lang?¡± The deputy general said, ¡°I¡¯ve already verified that it¡¯s indeed Duke Lang. We even brought him back!¡± Hearing this, Yuan Gui was shocked and hurriedly retreated. He reached out and pressed the saber at his waist, looking like he was about to draw it at any moment. The deputy general hurriedly explained. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Duke Lang is already dead. We brought back a corpse. It can¡¯t hurt you.¡± Yuan Gui let go of the hilt and cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not nervous. Where¡¯s the body?¡± The deputy general asked his two soldiers to carry the corpse into the house. The body was placed. Yuan Gui walked over to take a closer look and was overjoyed to find that Xiao Juan was really dead. ¡°Sure! That¡¯s great!¡± Ever since he found out that the wretched emperor had sent Duke Lang to Liangzhou, he had been uneasy. He was afraid that the secret of him and Princess Ni Yang secretly colluding and plotting a rebellion would be discovered. Now that Duke Lang was dead, no one could threaten him anymore. He would soon be able to take over the entire Liangzhou and establish himself as a king. In the future, he would annex the nearby territory step by step until he took the entire Dayan for himself! The deputy general was very discerning. He immediately knelt on one knee and congratulated him. ¡°Congratulations, Captain, on getting rid of your greatest worry! ¡± The others in the room knelt down and congratulated the commandant in unison. Yuan Gui¡¯s face lit up. ¡°We resolved Duke Lang without spending a single soldier. This matter has to be recorded so it will go down in history in the future.¡± The deputy general flattered him. ¡°Of course!¡± Yuan Gui circled Xiao Juan twice again. Seeing that the saber hanging in his suite was very good, he could not help but bend down and reach out to take it, muttering. ¡°This should be the legendary No Return Saber, right? I heard that as long as it¡¯s unsheathed, it must see blood. Wouldn¡¯t it be a pity to lose such a divine weapon? Why don¡¯t you leave it for me as a souvenir¡­¡± Before he could finish, he saw Xiao Juan, who was supposed to be dead, suddenly open his eyes. Before he could react, Xiao Juan had already pulled out the No Return Saber and pressed the blade against Yuan Gui¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Yuan Gui felt the chill on his neck and trembled in fear. Afraid that his neck would be severed, he didn¡¯t dare move. The deputy general and the others were also shocked. They hurriedly pulled out their sabers and aimed them at Xiao Juan. Yuan Gui asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you dead?¡± Xiao Juan was naturally not really dead. The wound in his chest looked deep, but it was less than an inch. It was still a distance from his heart. Coupled with Lo Pingsha stopping the bleeding in time, it was not fatal at all. Just now, he had taken Lo Pingsha¡¯s special pill to make his breathing very weak. He was using his internal energy to hold his breath and make himself appear very dead. As for the dagger in his heart, it was actually a retractable knife. Only a portion of the tip of the knife stabbed into Xiao Juan¡¯s chest, but because a portion of its knife had been retracted, outsiders would think that the dagger had pierced very deep. Xiao Juan had already stood up. He held the knife in one hand and pressed the other on Yuan Gui¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Open the gates if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± Yuan Gui suppressed his fear, ¡°Do you want your subordinates to leave Jinwu City? That¡¯s impossible. I won¡¯t let them leak the news!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not afraid of death?¡± Yuan Gui gritted his teeth. ¡°If I die, don¡¯t even think about leaving here alive!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll send you on your way first.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he slashed out with the No Return Saber in his hand. Before Yuan Gui could even cry out, a deep wound appeared on his neck.. Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: Unfair Chapter 493: Unfair Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Niaoniao woke up, she realized that she was lying on a large carved bed. There was soft bedding under her, and she could smell a faint fragrance. She placed one hand on the bed and slowly sat up. Then she raised her hand to the back of her neck. After a brief blankness in her mind, she gradually remembered what had happened before she fainted. She immediately became nervous. Princess Ni Yang already knew that she had entered the secret passage. Would she be silenced? Yu Niaoniao looked around warily. This was an exquisitely decorated boudoir. The candles on the table were burning quietly. The incense burner was still emitting faint green smoke. There was a thick wool carpet on the ground. The room was empty except for her. Where was she? Yu Niaoniao got out of bed and realized that she was only wearing a piece of loose light-colored innerwear. The hairpin in her hair had been removed, and her long black hair hung straight behind her. She casually pulled the outer shirt hanging from the hanger and wrapped it around her. Then she picked up the brush on the desk and quickly tied her waist-length hair into a bun. She looked down at her bare feet and back at the bed. There was no sign of shoes. There were no shoes in this room. Yu Niaoniao could only walk to the door barefooted. The door was closed. She had expected it to be locked from the outside. However, she pushed it open with a gentle push. This surprised her and made her even more uneasy. Princess Ni Yang had kidnapped her here but did not lock the door. This could only mean that Princess Ni Yang was not worried that she could escape at all. She stuck her head out and looked out. There was a long corridor with palace lights hanging under it. There were no stars or moon in this place, let alone the sun. One could only rely on the lights. Yu Niaoniao extended a foot and crossed the threshold. She stepped on the white marble floor. The coldness made her shiver. She gritted her teeth and put her other foot out. The feeling of stepping barefoot on white marble could be said to be heart-piercing. But now was not the time to fuss over such small matters. Yu Niaoniao found a direction and ran forward quickly. She wanted to find out what this place was. How could she get out of there? At the end of the corridor was a door. She pushed open the door and walked in. What greeted her was the dazzling palace room. Princess Ni Yang was trying on a dragon robe tailored for her. Four or five palace maids surrounded her and helped her tidy her skirt and bun. Hearing a commotion behind her, Princess Ni Yang turned around. She saw Yu Niaoniao, who had suddenly barged in, and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± Although Yu Niaoniao had long known the secret of Princess Ni Yang wanting to become an emperor, she could not help but be stunned on the spot. The dragon robe on Princess Ni Yang had been modified, and the style had become more suitable for women. When it was worn on Princess Ni Yang, it could highlight her figure as a woman and give her an imposing aura that made people not dare to look at her directly. She raised her right hand and her wide sleeve waved gently. ¡°Come, help me take a look at this outfit. Is there anything else I need to change?¡± The surrounding palace maids silently retreated to the side. Yu Niaoniao braced herself and walked over. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you dressed like this. It feels strange.¡± Princess Ni Yang raised her hand to adjust the golden dragon hairpin on her head and asked with a smile, ¡°Then do you think I¡¯m suitable for this outfit?¡± She had to bow her head. Yu Niaoniao praised, ¡°You¡¯re as beautiful as a fairy. You look good even in a sack. ¡± Princess Ni Yang laughed out loud. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet.¡± She extended her right hand to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Come, it¡¯s rare for you to come. I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not wait to look around and explore the terrain. She immediately replied, ¡°Okay.¡± She placed her right hand in Princess Ni Yang¡¯s. The two of them walked out of the palace hand in hand. Walking out of the door, she saw a group of palaces as far as the eye could see. In the distance, she could even see high palace walls. But magically, it was still dark above their heads. They could see neither moon nor stars nor the sun. They could only rely on lanterns and torches for illumination. Princess Ni Yang was very proud of her success. ¡°How is it? It¡¯s not bad here, is it?¡± Yu Niaoniao said sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s too spectacular.¡± She was sure that this was not the palace, but everything here was extremely similar to the palace, like a miniature high-quality imitation of the palace. Building such a place would require a lot of manpower and financial resources, not to mention time. It could be seen that Princess Ni Yang¡¯s plan to become the emperor had been confirmed a long time ago. Princess Ni Yang led her up the steps and strolled along the palace path while chatting. ¡°At this point, I¡¯m sure you know that I don¡¯t want to be just a princess. I want to ascend the throne like those men and rule the world.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked carefully, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be a princess?¡± Princess Ni Yang asked, ¡°What¡¯s so good about it? Isn¡¯t it just that you don¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Wasn¡¯t it enough to live in luxury? This was the dream of many people! Princess Ni Yang said unhurriedly. ¡°My biological mother is the empress. I¡¯m the only legitimate daughter of the late emperor. In terms of background, none of those brothers could compare to me.¡± ¡°In terms of talent, I¡¯m no worse than any of them. But because they¡¯re princes, and I¡¯m a princess, they would have a chance to be made heir apparent, while I could only be used as a bargaining chip in a marriage alliance with a man I didn¡¯t even know. ¡°Is that fair?¡± Yu Niaoniao said honestly, ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± Princess Ni Yang continued. ¡°My first Prince Consort was a great general with a strong military power of 300,000 men. Father decreed a marriage for us.¡± ¡°Not long after I married him, he was sent to fight and then died on the battlefield. It had not been more than three months.¡± ¡°After my Prince Consort died, my father naturally took back his military power. At that time, I was still young and did not think about how sinister the human heart could be.¡± ¡°It was not until much later that I gradually understood the hidden trick. Myhad actually wanted to get rid of the great general who had made great contributions.¡± ¡°He had given me and the great general a marriage just to temporarily stabilize the great general and lower his guard against the emperor.¡± ¡°This was so that it would be convenient for my father¡¯s next plan. As for whether the general had really died on the battlefield or was killed by someone else, no one knew.¡± ¡°Anyway, my father only treated me as a pawn from the beginning to the end. He wouldn¡¯t care how I felt. He wouldn¡¯t understand the pain of losing my consort so soon after marriage.¡± ¡°He only rewarded me with some things and felt that this matter could be over. I¡¯m a person, not some Tom, Dick, or Harry. As long as I¡¯m given some meat and bones, I have to forget the pain he caused me!¡± Yu Niaoniao felt sad. So paranoia wasn¡¯t just a trait of the current emperor. The previous emperor had been just as paranoid. This could be considered hereditary.. Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: Two Choices Chapter 494: Two Choices Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was hatred in Princess Ni Yang¡¯s eyes, but the corners of her mouth remained curled up, and her smile was filled with mockery. ¡°After my father passed away, the new emperor ascended the throne.¡± ¡°My brother was still young at that time and his foundation was unstable. In order to rope in the hearts of the people and stabilize my status, he decreed that I should marry Marquis Anxi.¡± ¡°Marquis Anxi was more than ten years older than me. His first wife had long passed away. He had once led troops to stop foreign enemies and protect the peace of the people in the northwest. He was very famous in the northwest.¡± ¡°What my brother wanted happened to be this reputation. It was not until I married Marquis Anxi that I found out that he was weak and sickly and would not live long.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure my brother knew about this long ago, but even if he knew, he still bestowed a marriage on me and Marquis Anxi. The emperor¡¯s order could not be disobeyed. Even if I was a princess, I could not divorce him.¡± ¡°Fortunately, Marquis Anxi was not a bad person. He was very considerate to me and comforted me slightly. Later, I even developed a little affection for him.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, he had a short life. He died of illness a year later. What was worse was that I didn¡¯t know I was pregnant until after he died.¡± ¡°In order to appease us, Imperial Brother planned to bring us back to the Imperial Capital. However, I learned my lesson this time. I knew that even if I returned to the Imperial Capital, there was very likely a third marriage waiting for me.¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m not old and useless, my brother won¡¯t give up on using me. So I offered to stay in Liangzhou and not go anywhere.¡± ¡°If anyone dares to force me, I¡¯ll die with the child. My brother didn¡¯t dare to really force me to death. After all, he still wanted his reputation.¡± ¡°So he gave me Liangzhou as a fief. All the taxes in the fief will belong to me.¡± When Yu Niaoniao heard her finish, she realized that Xiao Juan was actually a remnant son. He had already lost his father before he was born. Princess Ni Yang lifted her skirt with one hand and held the handrail with the other as she slowly walked up the stairs. ¡°From then on, I understood a principle. If a person wanted to live with dignity, they had to firmly hold the choice in their hands. If you want to get the right to choose, you have to stand at the highest position.¡± She reached the fifth floor of the palace and stood by the window. She had a panoramic view of the small palace. ¡°Where is the highest place? That¡¯s here, the highest point of the palace, the peak of power.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood beside her and looked at the small palace, but because the light was bad, she could not see it very clearly. Compared to her ambition for power, Yu Niaoniao felt more like the cold wind blowing at her. It was clearly autumn, but the temperature here was very low. It was as if winter had entered. Coupled with the fact that they were standing too high, it was even colder when the cold wind blew. Yu Niaoniao shrank her neck and rubbed her small hands. She asked softly, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that it¡¯s lonely at the top?¡± Princess Ni Yang sighed softly. ¡°If you stand too high alone and don¡¯t even have anyone to talk to, you will indeed be lonely.¡± ¡°Fortunately, I met you. The Phoenix Cry Nation you created is my ideal country.¡± ¡°No one has ever understood me as well as you do. I only hate myself for not Imowing you sooner. When I become the empress in the future, you will be my Imperial Preceptor.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. She had made up Phoenix Cry Nation to disgust Wei Liao and those straight men. She did not expect Princess Ni Yang to take it seriously and even treat her as a confidante. She hurriedly refused. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but I know my limits. You can let me draw, but you really can¡¯t let me be the Imperial Preceptor. I don¡¯t have that ability. ¡± Princess Ni Yang did not mind. ¡°Those useless people who only know how to drink and play with women can become officials. Why can¡¯t you?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand. ¡°I really can¡¯t. There are so many people in the world. You should find someone else.¡± Princess Ni Yang stopped smiling and her tone was sharp. ¡°Do you look down on me?¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly denied, ¡°No, no!¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think like those stupid men that women can¡¯t be emperor?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean that. In my opinion, women are the same as men. Their status should be equal. Whether they¡¯re an official or an emperor, they should be occupied by the capable. It has nothing to do with gender.¡± Princess Ni Yang was still unhappy. ¡°You¡¯re wrong! Men should be inferior to women. When I become emperor, I want to change all the officials in the court to women. In the future, only women can have three husbands and four concubines. Men can only obediently stay at home and do housework with their children. They have to abide by three obediences and four virtues. They¡¯re not allowed to show their faces or read and write.¡± Yu Niaoniao was thinking that although her worldview was warped, why do these words sound inexplicably satisfying? No, no! She could not be led astray. She coughed lightly and said solemnly. ¡°That might cause dissatisfaction among the men. What if they band together and rebel?¡± Princess Ni Yang said coldly, ¡°Then kill! I¡¯ll kill as many as they come until I kill all those rebels!¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless and could only praise. ¡°Your Highness is so bold.¡± Princess Ni Yang could tell at a glance that she was not sincere. ¡°You think my methods are too ruthless, but you don¡¯t know that those who achieve great things are stepping on countless bones. If I¡¯m not ruthless, how can I suppress those arrogant men?¡± Yu Niaoniao echoed, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re willing to be my Imperial Preceptor?¡± Yu Niaoniao choked. When did she say that she was willing to board this pirate Ship? She hurriedly distanced herself. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Princess Ni Yang took a step forward and forced her. ¡®You have to understand that I¡¯m informing you, not consulting you. You have no right to refuse me.¡± Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to take a step back. ¡°I¡­ I understand.¡± She would give in verbally now and use this opportunity to stall for time. In the future, even if Princess Ni Yang was captured, they would not be able to identify her without evidence. Just as she was thinking this, she saw Princess Ni Yang get someone to bring a piece of paper. The paper was covered in words. ¡°This is your promise. As long as you sign and sign it, you will be my subordinate in the future. When I ascend to the throne in the future, you will be my Imperial Preceptor. I will definitely not mistreat you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. This person was prepared! If she signed it and it was exposed, the evidence would be irrefutable. She would not be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River. If she were to be persecuted for the crime of treason, even Xiao Juan could not protect her. She definitely could not sign this! Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, right? We¡¯re so familiar with each other. There¡¯s no need for this formality.¡± Princess Ni Yang refused to give her a chance to bluff her way through. ¡°You only have two choices now. You can sign and sign obediently and celebrate with me.¡± ¡°Or I¡¯ll get someone to throw you down from here and leave you in pieces.¡± ¡°Take your pick..¡± Chapter 495 - Chapter 495 Water Prison Chapter 495 Water Prison Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao asked pitifully. ¡°Can I choose neither?¡± Princess Ni Yang smiled. Her tone was gentle, but the words she spat out were extremely domineering. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Yu Niaoniao made up her mind and closed her eyes, like a brave warrior about to die. ¡°I can¡¯t sign this!¡± The smile on Princess Ni Yang¡¯s face instantly disappeared. She emphasized her next words coldly. ¡°Throw her down.¡± Two guards immediately came forward, grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s arms, and lifted her up, preparing to throw her out the window. Yu Niaoniao shouted in fear, ¡°No way? You¡¯re actually serious!¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking with you?¡± Yu Niaoniao gripped the edge of the window tightly and refused to let go. ¡°I¡¯m your daughter-in-law after all. Are you really going to kill me?!¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°I can even kill my own son, let alone you, my daughter-in-law. Throw her down.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No, no, no! If I die, who will continue the story of Phoenix Cry Nation? If I die, you won¡¯t be able to see the finale of Phoenix Cry Nation for the rest of your life!¡± Princess Ni Yang did not care. ¡°I really like the story of The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation, but unfortunately, you don¡¯t know how to appreciate favors. In that case, I can only bear the pain and part with my love to let you bring The Record of Phoenix Cry Nation to Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You can¡¯t do this! We can talk things over!¡± Princess Ni Yang did not want to give her a chance to stall for time. She said, ¡°Clean it up.¡± Then, she turned around and prepared to go downstairs. Half of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s body was pushed out the window. Her nails were almost broken from gripping the edge of the window. At this critical moment of life and death, she suddenly remembered what Xiao Juan had once said to her¡ª Princess Ni Yang was a person with no empathy. Weakness and pleading were useless to her. The only way to keep her from killing her was to not compromise or beg for mercy. The more stubborn the other party was, the more she wanted to crush that person. Yu Niaoniao shouted at the top of her lungs. ¡°Do you know why I refused to sign? Because I know that your rebellion will definitely not succeed this time! You have ambitions but no ability to govern the world. If I follow someone like you, I¡¯ll only die!¡± Princess Ni Yang suddenly stopped. She turned back and looked at Yu Niaoniao sharply. ¡°What did you say?¡± Seeing that Princess Ni Yang had returned, the guards could only pause. Half of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s body was in the room, and the other half was hanging in the air outside the window. She spoke with difficulty, ¡°You know very well what I¡¯m saying. You¡¯re cold and brutal, disregarding human life. As long as the commoners of Liangzhou mentioned you, their faces would turn ashen and they would tremble. You¡¯re like the tiger you raised to them.¡± ¡°You know what a tiger is, right? It¡¯s a beast who eats people without spitting out their bones!¡± The guards shouted, ¡°How dare you!¡± Princess Ni Yang had never been criticized like this in person, and her expression turned extremely ugly. A guard advised, ¡°Your Highness, please calm down. I¡¯ll throw her down now to save her from talking nonsense.¡± Princess Ni Yang sneered, and her tone was sinister. ¡°It¡¯s too easy on her to kill her like this. Put her in a water cell.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t have to die for the time being. The so-called water prison was to trap a person in a pool. The depth of the pool was just below the prisoner¡¯s mouth. As long as the prisoner relaxed a little, the water would reach his nose and make him unable to breathe. The prisoner would not feel anything for the time being, but after a long time, the prisoner¡¯s stamina and willpower would gradually weaken. His body would not be able to hold on and it would become extremely torturous. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hands were tied behind her back. Her body was soaked in cold water. There were stone walls around her and an iron fence above her head. She looked up and saw Princess Ni Yang standing at the edge of the pool through the fence. ¡°Are you angry because I hit the nail on the head?¡± Princess Ni Yang looked down at her. Along the way, Princess Ni Yang had calmed down a lot. ¡°I know. You¡¯re deliberately provoking me to stall for time.¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°I admit that I did it on purpose, but I¡¯m telling the truth. You really don¡¯t have the potential to be a wise ruler.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Do you think my brother can be considered a wise ruler if I can¡¯t become one? He¡¯s so suspicious. For the sake of power, he can even be ruthless to his own family. In terms of coldness, he¡¯s not inferior! ¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°He¡¯s suspicious, but at least he still knows how to cover up his evil deeds. However, in order to satisfy your selfish desires, you can trample on the law without restraint, fish the commoners, and disregard human lives!¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s eyes revealed deep disappointment. ¡°I thought you would understand me very well, but it seems that I was wrong about you. You actually don¡¯t understand anything.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand why you can naturally place yourself above others.¡± ¡°You were just born into a good family. What¡¯s so great about that?!¡± ¡°The delicacies you eat every day, the silk and satin you wear, and all the privileges you have were exchanged with the hard-earned money of the commoners. ¡± ¡°It was difficult for the commoners to eat and wear warm clothes, but they still had to hand over most of their annual harvest to the Imperial Court.¡± ¡°Those grains were exchanged for money and turned into imperial delicacies for you to eat, drink, and enjoy.¡± ¡°But you treated the commoners as ants and trampled on them wantonly. If a person like you can become emperor, the Dayan Dynasty will really be finished!¡± Princess Ni Yang said coldly, ¡°You really dare to voice your thoughts.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°In any case, I¡¯m already like this. What¡¯s there not to say?¡± On account of the other party¡¯s creation of The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation, Princess Ni Yang did not mind chatting with her a little more before she died. Princess Ni Yang said unhurriedly. ¡°You¡¯re a woman too. You should know very well. Men had always placed importance on fame and fortune. I wanted to fight my way out of so many men. I had to be even more cold and heartless than men.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get rid of anyone who gets in my way. I also want everyone to see how miserable it is to be my enemy. Those who submit will prosper, and those who disobey will die!¡± ¡°This is the only way to intimidate those restless thieves. I thought you would understand all this. Unfortunately, you disappointed me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re like those mortals outside. You talk about benevolence and morality, but you actually don¡¯t know anything.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°To put it bluntly, you¡¯ll do anything to achieve your goal. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being notorious for generations? Princess Ni Yang asked, ¡°So what if I am? Those who achieved great things did not care about trifles. When I achieve great things in the future, who would remember what kind of person I used to be?¡± ¡°History had always been written by the victors.. In the future, all the people in the world will remember will be my great achievements!¡± Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: Pawn Chapter 496: Pawn Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, Princess Ni Yang was extremely calm. The conviction in her heart was extremely firm. No matter what Yu Niaoniao said, it could not shake her at all. She looked down at Yu Niaoniao, who was locked in the water prison. Her gaze was no longer as gentle as before. It was as cold as ice. ¡°Do you have anything else to say? If not, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Yu Niaoniao knew that if she left, she would never return, and she would be trapped in this dark water prison. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly shouted. ¡°I have another question!¡± Princess Ni Yang asked, ¡°What question?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Back then, you threw Xiao Juan into a cage and forced him to fight the beasts. Did you really want him to die back then?¡± She still could not believe that a mother would want to kill her son for no reason. Princess Ni Yang seemed to be recalling something from a long time ago, and her gaze became a little distant. After a long moment, she spoke. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t want to kill him. I just wanted to do a test.¡± ¡°I wanted to see how strong his survival instincts and adaptability were when he was in a desperate situation.¡± ¡°As it turned out, he was even more outstanding than I had expected.¡± ¡°Are you going to ask what¡¯s the point of doing this test?¡± ¡°Of course, it meant something. I finally gave birth to him after ten months of pregnancy. He has an extraordinary value to me.¡± Yu Niaoniao keenly caught the keyword. ¡°Value?¡± To think a mother would actually use a word like ¡°value¡± to measure her child. However, Princess Ni Yang felt that it was only right. ¡°If I keep Ah Juan by my side to raise him, Brother will definitely be worried.¡± ¡°He would think of ways to plant people in Western Liang. This was not conducive to the implementation of my plan. ¡± ¡°The best way is to send Ah Juan away.¡± Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. ¡°You deliberately abused Xiao Juan to make outsiders think that you wanted to kill your son. The emperor and the empress dowager believed it and sent someone to bring Xiao Juan to the Imperial Capital.¡± ¡°After Xiao Juan left, only you were left. At that time, the emperor was still young and not as suspicious as he was now. He relaxed the surveillance of Liangzhou, and that¡¯s what you wanted.¡± Princess Ni Yang said slowly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ah Juan is indeed a smart child. Not long after he arrived in the Imperial Capital, my brother discovered his talent.¡± ¡°He had obtained my brother¡¯s trust step by step and climbed to his current position. I had originally thought that when Juan returned this time, I would lay my cards on the table and let him join my camp.¡± ¡°This way, I would be like a tiger with wings and have a higher chance of winning.¡± ¡°He is my only son. I was already infertile and would have no other children in the future. If I become emperor, the future throne would definitely pass to him.¡± ¡°This is a good thing for him. Unfortunately¡­¡± She did not finish, but Yu Niaoniao knew what it meant. Unfortunately, Xiao Juan was different from Princess Ni Yang. He was a very principled person. Even if the emperor used him and suspected him, he still remembered the emperor¡¯s saving grace. He would never rebel. Princess Ni Yang sighed softly. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that after so many years, Ah Juan is still brooding over what happened back then. He doesn¡¯t even want to acknowledge me as his biological mother.¡± Yu Niaoniao was so angry that her voice was trembling. ¡°For your ambition, you almost killed Xiao Juan and even used him like a tool.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a living person, not a toy you bought. You never thought about his feelings. You¡¯re not worthy of being a mother!¡± Princess Ni Yang said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m my father¡¯s only legitimate daughter, but isn¡¯t he treating me as a pawn? ¡°And when has he ever cared about my feelings?¡± ¡°Since my father can treat me like this, why can¡¯t I treat my son like this?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You keep blaming your father. You hate him for disregarding their father-daughter relationship, but what¡¯s the difference between you and your father now?!¡± Every word was like a knife that accurately pierced the most sensitive part of Princess Ni Yang¡¯s heart. From the first time she was given a marriage, she hated her father deeply. It was her father who had ruined her life. She could ignore the curses of the world, but she could not accept that she had become like her father. Princess Ni Yang¡¯s face turned ashen in an instant. She glanced at the guard beside her. ¡°Let her suffer.¡± The guard understood and went forward to open the cell door. He grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hair and pressed her into the water. Yu Niaoniao sank into the water. Water drilled into her head through her ears and nose. She couldn¡¯t breathe. She kicked as hard as she could. When she was about to suffocate, the guard let go. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s head could finally come out of the water. She tilted her head back and breathed hard. Because her breathing was so rapid, she coughed hard. Princess Ni Yang looked down at her. ¡°That¡¯s the price for saying the wrong thing.¡± At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was drenched. Her hair was stuck to her cheeks, and water droplets rolled down her forehead. Her face was pale, and she looked extremely sorry. But even so, she straightened her neck and said, ¡°What did I say that was wrong? You and the late emperor are indeed biological father and daughter. You¡¯re selfish! You have no right to hate the late emperor because your face is as ugly as your father¡¯s!¡± If she had deliberately provoked Princess Ni Yang previously to buy time to survive, then she was purely complaining about injustice for Xiao Juan presently. It was clearly the sin of the late emperor and Princess Ni Yang. Why should Xiao Juan bear the consequences? In this era of filial piety, Xiao Juan could not say anything bad about his parents, but Yu Niaoniao was not Princess Ni Yang¡¯s child. She would not spoil this selfish and vicious woman. She was going to scold this woman for Xiao Juan today! Princess Ni Yang¡¯s hands hidden in her wide sleeves were clenched into fists. ¡°Go on!¡± The guard pressed Yu Niaoniao into the water again. It was a long time before she was released. She popped her head out of the water. Her eyes were watery and she couldn¡¯t see clearly. Her mind was spinning from lack of oxygen. Her voice was hoarse. ¡°Do you think that by giving birth to Xiao Juan, you can rule his life and control his life?¡± ¡°Your thoughts really coincide with your father¡¯s!¡± ¡°He gave birth to you and raised you. He¡¯s done you a huge favor. What¡¯s wrong with him just using you?¡± ¡°You actually held a grudge against him for so many years over such a small matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t done the same thing before. What right do you have to resent others?¡± ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡± Princess Ni Yang could not help but pull out the sword at the guard¡¯s waist and point it at Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face. At that moment, there was a sudden shout not far away. ¡°Your Highness, something happened!¡± She stopped and turned to see an armored female general rushing over. The female general fell to her knees. ¡°Duke Lang has appeared at the entrance of the Chillywind Valley with his men. He¡¯s going to kill his way in soon!¡± Princess Ni Yang was first shocked. How did Xiao Juan know that they were here? She went through everything that had happened in the past two days from beginning to end and quickly reacted. Then, she suddenly turned around and stared fixedly at Yu Niaoniao in the water prison. ¡°You leaked our whereabouts!¡± Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: Where There Was Life, There Was Hope Chapter 497: Where There Was Life, There Was Hope Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. Xiao Juan had finally found her! When she looked at Princess Ni Yang, she saw that the other party was looking at her with an extremely sinister gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. Yu Niaoniao pretended to be calm and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Your Highness wants to use me as a hostage to force Xiao Juan to retreat?¡± Princess Ni Yang did not deny it. This was a tacit agreement. The female general beside her clearly had the same intention. She spoke quickly. ¡°Lord Yuan Gui has already been killed by Duke Lang, and all his troops have been captured. With just these people in our hands, we can¡¯t compete with Duke Lang. ¡°In my opinion, Duke Lang values the Princess Consort so much. Why don¡¯t you threaten him with her life and force him to retreat?¡± Before Princess Ni Yang could speak, Yu Niaoniao spoke first. ¡°So what if Xiao Juan is willing to retreat?¡± ¡°The Imperial Court has already discovered your scheme and knows that this is your nest. Even if Xiao Juan does not kill you, the emperor would still send troops to suppress you.¡± ¡°If you want to live, you can only escape in panic and hide like a stray dog. You may not be have the next meal after eating. There would be no tomorrow after today. ¡®Your Highness, can you stand this grievance?¡± Princess Ni Yang¡¯s knuckles turned pale as she gripped the hilt of her sword, and her expression turned even uglier. The female general hurriedly advised. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. She¡¯s deliberately provoking you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stall Duke Lang and fight for an opportunity to leave this place.As the saying goes, where there¡¯s life, there¡¯s hope. As long as you¡¯re alive, there will definitely be a day when you make a comeback!¡± Yu Niaoniao continued to dampen their spirits. ¡°That¡¯s easy to say. What can you use to make a comeback? Yuan Gui is dead, his troops have been seized, and even the iron mine hidden in the Chillywind Valley has been discovered. Now, you don¡¯t have money or people. On what basis do they have to work for you? Could it be because of Her Highness¡¯s peerless beauty?¡± The female general was exasperated. ¡°Shut up!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not even look at the female general as she stared intently at Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Your Highness prides herself on her peerless talent and wisdom. She wouldn¡¯t bring herself to do such a despicable thing, right?¡± Princess Ni Yang suddenly thought of something and laughed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I really can¡¯t stand this grievance.¡± The female general was extremely anxious. ¡®Your Highness, as long as you¡¯re alive, there¡¯s still hope. You¡¯re familiar with books. So many big shots in history have made a comeback after experiencing defeat. As long as you survive this, you¡¯ll definitely be lucky in the future!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that the big shots you¡¯re talking about are all men. They suffered nothing more than starvation, cold, and being looked down upon. ¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a woman and a beautiful woman at that. I don¡¯t need to tell you what a beautiful woman who can¡¯t protect herself will encounter. You should know.¡± The female general was furious. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning. You¡¯re deliberately scaring the princess to make her give up resisting and surrender. Dream on!¡± She then said to Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Ignore this woman. As long as I¡¯m with you, no one can bully you!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You cant even protect yourself, so how can you protect others?¡± The female general gritted her teeth in anger, wishing she could kill Yu Niaoniao now. However, she still had to use Yu Niaoniao as a hostage. She could only glare fiercely at Yu Niaoniao and warn her not to spout nonsense! Yu Niaoniao ignored the warning and continued. ¡°If I were you, I would obediently surrender. After all, Her Highness is the biological mother of Duke Lang and the emperor¡¯s biological sister. As long as Her Highness can sincerely admit her mistake, perhaps the emperor can spare your life.¡± Princess Ni Yang slowly lowered her sword. ¡°Since I chose this path, I can¡¯t turn back, let alone surrender.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart sank. The persuasion had failed. It seemed she had to prepare for the worst. The female general hurriedly said, ¡®Yes, yes. We won¡¯t surrender. We¡¯ll leave now.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Go pack your things and wait for me at the back door.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± The female general left in a hurry. Princess Ni Yang asked the guards to bring Yu Niaoniao out of the water prison. Then, they went to the main hall. The layout of this hall was an imitation of the Zhengde Hall in the palace. The ground was completely paved with smooth white marble. Eight coiling dragon pillars stood around. In the front were nine steps, and above the steps was the dragon chair that represented the supreme royal power. Yu Niaoniao was thrown to the ground. She was already dressed thinly. Now that she was drenched, she shivered when her body touched the cold white marble floor. Her face was pale from the cold. Under repeated drowning, her lungs choked on water, causing her entire windpipe to burn. Her head was dizzy and she felt terrible. Princess Ni Yang asked the guards to move all her precious wine over. Wine jars of all sizes were placed on the ground. Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°Go to the back door. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± The guards obeyed and left. Only Princess Ni Yang and Yu Niaoniao were left in the empty hall. Princess Ni Yang casually picked up a small wine jar. She lifted the lid, and the rich fragrance of wine spread. ¡°These are fine wines I specially ordered someone to gather from all over the world. I want to take these fine wines out to celebrate with everyone on the day of the coronation. Now that we can¡¯t celebrate, it¡¯s a waste to leave so much fine wine. Why don¡¯t the two of us have a good drink?¡± With that, she poured all the wine in the jar onto Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hands were tied behind her back and she could not move. The rich fragrance of wine entered her nose, waking her up a little. She raised her head with difficulty and looked at Princess Ni Yang. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to escape?¡± Princess Ni Yang casually threw away the empty jar. It fell to the ground and shattered. She turned and picked up another jar of wine. This time she didn¡¯t pour it out again. Instead, she brought it to her mouth and took a long sip. She narrowed her eyes in enjoyment. ¡°It¡¯s indeed good wine!¡± She glanced at Yu Niaoniao, who was lying on the ground, and sneered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that even if I could escape for a while, I wouldn¡¯t be able to escape for the rest of my life? Where else would I go after leaving here?¡± ¡°I was my father¡¯s only legitimate daughter and the most respected princess of the Dayan Dynasty. I had never lowered my head to anyone since I was young.¡± ¡°But if I escape, in order to survive in the future, I have to give up my pride as a princess. I still have to kneel on the ground and pander to the guys I used to look down on.l can¡¯t do that.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°You don¡¯t want to escape or surrender. Then what do you want?¡± Princess Ni Yang took another sip of wine, then slowly walked to the Coiling Dragon Pillar. As she reached out and gently stroked the pattern on the pillar, her eyes seemed a little dazed.. Chapter 498 - Chapter 498: Incorrigible Chapter 498: Incorrigible Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°It took me years of hard work to build this underground palace. To me, it¡¯s my dream. Now that my dreamland has been destroyed, I¡¯ll let it die with me.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. ¡°What do you want?¡± Princess Ni Yang casually threw the wine jar to the ground. With a crack, the jar shattered, and wine splattered all over the ground. Princess Ni Yang laughed. ¡°This underground palace, these jars of fine wine, and the dragon robe I¡¯m wearing are my favorite things.¡± ¡°Ah, right. And Niaoniao. You know me best. You are my best burial items.¡± With that, she smashed several jars of wine in a row. In the end, she could not be bothered to smash them. After removing the lid, she kicked all the wine jars over. The mellow wine flowed everywhere. Princess Ni Yang stepped on the wine and walked up the steps toward the dragon throne she had dreamed of. The gorgeous skirt was wet from the wine and thickened. There were chaotic shouts and hooves in the distance. The enemy had already arrived at the city and would soon attack the underground palace. However, this did not affect Princess Ni Yang¡¯s footsteps at all. She sat upright on the dragon chair, her wide sleeves hanging down the armrest. Yu Niaoniao was anxious and tried her best to break free. However, the rope around her wrist became even tighter after being soaked. No matter how hard she tried, even if her skin was scraped, she could not break free. Princess Ni Yang looked down at Yu Niaoniao and smiled happily. ¡°You were my only witness when I ascended the throne. You should be honored.¡± Yu Niaoniao cursed, ¡°You lunatic! Don¡¯t drag me down with you!¡± Princess Ni Yang reached out her slender fingers painted with bright red cardamom and picked up the candle placed on the candlestick beside her. The candle flame swayed gently with her movements, flickering. ¡°I gave up a lot to be able to sit in this position.¡± ¡°I had thought I would spend the rest of my life alone.¡± ¡°Fortunately, with you as my confidant before I die, I won¡¯t be too lonely on the road to hell. From the looks of it, the heavens have treated me well.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao did not want to die. She still had a lot to do and people she wanted to see. Xiao Juan would definitely find her. She had to think of a way to stall for time. ¡°At this point, do you still not have any regrets?¡± Princess Ni Yang asked, ¡°What do you want me to regret?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you had treated your child well back then, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± Princess Ni Yang looked at her steadily. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Go back. As long as you can sincerely admit your mistake, Xiao Juan will forgive you.¡± Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Princess Ni Yang said, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s forgiveness either.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but curse. ¡°You¡¯re incorrigible.¡± Princess Ni Yang laughed again. ¡°The Phoenix Cry Nation you created, the world in my dream¡­ if I bring you along, I might be able to reincarnate into that world in my next life.¡± In the next moment, she threw the candle gently. The candle flew out of her hand and landed on the ground. The moment the flame touched the wine, it suddenly soared, and the fire immediately spread at an extremely fast speed. In the blink of an eye, the entire hall turned into a sea of fire. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s clothes were roasted and burned until she was in pain. Princess Ni Yang¡¯s skirt was also burned. But she didn¡¯t dodge. She just sat upright on the dragon throne and let the flames climb up her skirt. Her red lips curled into a smile that was both satisfied and desperate. From the moment she was born, she had been the center of attention. She had been proud all her life. Even in death, she was still the proud Dayan Princess. No one could humble her. No one could break her spine. In the next moment, an arrow suddenly flew in from outside the hall and hit Princess Ni Yang¡¯s heart! The arrow pierced her body and pinned her to the dragon chair. Her smile froze on her face, and her pupils dilated. Blood kept gushing out, staining her dragon robe. She watched helplessly as Xiao Juan and Wei Liao rushed into the sea of fire. Wei Liao held a bow in his hand. It was obvious that he had shot the arrow just now. Xiao Juan wrapped Yu Niaoniao in a wet cloak and carried her out. Wei Liao was a step slower. He could only watch as Xiao Juan carried Niaoniao and ran out. From the beginning to the end, Xiao Juan did not look up at the woman on the dragon throne. The moment she left the hall, Yu Niaoniao turned to look at Princess Ni Yang. She saw Princess Ni Yang sitting alone on the high dragon throne. Her face was as pale as paper, and there seemed to be a glint of tear in the corners of her eyes. Her lips were slightly open as if she wanted to say something. But no one present was willing to stop and listen to her. She was left in the sea of fire. Yu Niaoniao could not help but ponder. She had given everything but still ended up with nothing. Had she really never regretted it? Xiao Juan hugged Niaoniao tightly, his heart beating extremely fast. He shouted as he ran. ¡°Little Lo! Little Lo!¡± Lo Pingsha quickly ran over. ¡°You found the Princess Consort?¡± Xiao Juan said anxiously, ¡°She¡¯s burned. Take a look at her.¡± There were many empty rooms in the underground palace. Xiao Juan found a clean room and placed Yu Niaoniao on the bed so that Lo Pingsha could treat her. Yu Niaoniao knew that she was safe and sound, and her tense nerves suddenly relaxed. She finally couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Lo Pingsha spoke as he washed his hands. ¡°Your Highness, help me take off the Princess Consort¡¯s clothes so I can treat her wound.¡± Xiao Juan was stunned. ¡°Me?¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°I know this is a little unfair to you, but in the current situation, there¡¯s no one else more suitable. I can only let you do it for me.¡± Be it the Eagle Guards, the Heavenly Wolf Guards, or the reinforcements sent by the Imperial Court, they were all men. They clearly could not help Yu Niaoniao take off her clothes. There were some maidservants in the crypt, but they were all subordinates of Princess Ni Yang. Lo Pingsha could not trust them. The most suitable person now was Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan looked at Yu Niaoniao and curled his fingers bit by bit. He had already made up his mind to keep a distance from her. But in the past two days, when Niaoniao was in danger and he knew that he might never see her again, that determination had been slowly obliterated. He was desperate to get her back. He did not want to be separated from her again. It didn¡¯t matter if she didn¡¯t love him now. At most, he would woo her again. If one time was not enough, he would do it ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times¡­ He would do his best to be good to her and make her feel the love that came from him. Xiao Juan loosened his clenched fingers. He bent down and extended his hands. With gentle movements, he helped Niaoniao untie her clothes and took them off bit by bit. Nothing in this world could separate them. Even if it meant death.. Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: Sleep Chapter 499: Sleep Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In a daze, Yu Niaoniao opened her eyes and realized that she had returned to the backyard of the Feng family¡¯s old residence. The surrounding vegetation had been swallowed by the flames. Thick smoke surrounded them. Feng Lianghan extended his hand. ¡°Quick, step on my shoulder and climb up. As long as you climb over this wall, you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted Madam Xie to go out first. However, Madam Xie was unwilling. She insisted that Niaoniao leave first. The fire grew stronger. Feng Lianghan seemed to have heard something and urged eagerly, ¡°Quick! If you don¡¯t leave, none of us will be able to!¡± Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to follow Madam Xie¡¯s wishes. She carefully stepped on Feng Lianghan¡¯s shoulder and placed her hands on the courtyard wall. When Feng Lianghan stood up, her hands were just enough to grab the edge of the top of the wall. She gritted her teeth and used all her strength to climb up. She turned around and looked at Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie. ¡°Come on up!¡± However, Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie did not move. They just stood there quietly, staring at her longingly. ¡°Niaoniao, leave. Forget what happened tonight and live well.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to be separated from you!¡± She jumped down the wall recklessly, wanting to return to Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie. However, just as she landed, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. It was dark all around, and the cold night wind blew in her face. There was a piercing pain in her ankle. Her vision was blurred by tears. Her head was spinning. Her body fell to the ground uncontrollably and she was too weak to get up. Despair welled up in her, making her almost give up. She might as well die like this. She might even be able to catch up to her parents and reunite with her family on the road to the afterworld. Tap, tap, tap! There was the sound of hooves approaching, and then someone walked to her side. There was some confused conversation in his ears. Among the many words, she heard a familiar voice¡ª ¡°Send her to the medical center and inform the local government to go to the Feng family. ¡± She immediately recognized that it was Xiao Juan¡¯s voice. She opened her eyes with all her might and looked in the direction of the voice, but all she could see was a blurry figure. She opened her mouth with difficulty to call his name. But something seemed to be stuck in her throat. She couldn¡¯t make a sound. Her brain grew groggy. Her eyes closed uncontrollably, and her consciousness fell into darkness. When she opened her eyes again, she saw herself standing in darkness with a lantern. The faint light coming from the lantern was just enough to illuminate a small area of the ground at her feet. Yu Niaoniao looked around blankly. ¡°Xiao Juan( Where are you!¡± A moment later, a tall figure walked out of the darkness and approached her. It was Xiao Juan! Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. However, the next moment, she heard Xiao Juan ask, ¡°Why did you lie to me? You said you liked me. It¡¯s all a lie.¡± ¡°You deliberately approached me so that I could help you find out the truth about the Feng family¡¯s destruction.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood frozen in place. She wanted to explain, but she did not know how to speak. Xiao Juan said, ¡°You liar, I won¡¯t believe you anymore.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly chased after him, wanting to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± In the guest room of the County Governor¡¯s Mansion. Yu Niaoniao lay on the bed with her eyes closed. Her entire body was hot, and her face was abnormally red. She frowned and muttered vaguely. Xiao Juan wiped her cheeks and palms with a wet handkerchief. She suddenly raised her right hand as if to grab something and shouted at the same time. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Xiao Juan immediately held her hand. ¡°Niaoniao, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m not leaving.¡± He looked at Niaoniao without blinking and saw that her eyes were still closed and she had not woken up. It had been two days. She slept for two whole days. Xiao Juan stayed by her side and helped her change her dressing and wipe her body. He did not close his eyes for two nights. At this moment, his expression was even worse than the unconscious Yu Niaoniao. Lo Pingsha persuaded him to rest. ¡°If you continue to stay up like this, your body will collapse. Go and sleep. We¡¯ll watch over here. If the Princess Consort wakes up, we¡¯ll definitely inform you immediately.¡± However, Xiao Juan did not seem to hear anything. All his attention was on Niaoniao. At this moment, Wei Liao walked in. He looked at Yu Niaoniao on the bed, then at Xiao Juan sitting by the bed. Finally, he looked at Lo Pingsha and asked angrily. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the Princess Consort awake yet? Can you cure her? If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll find another doctor.¡± Lo Pingsha was anxious too. But he knew there was no point in being anxious. He walked over and carefully checked the wounds on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s body. He realized that they were still a little swollen. It seemed that he had to adjust the formula of the ointment again. Lo Pingsha returned to his residence and studied it for the entire afternoon. At night, he came to look for Xiao Juan with the improved ointment. ¡°Try this ointment on the Princess Consort.¡± Xiao Juan opened the lid and first dug out a little ointment to touch his wrist. After confirming that there was no problem, he carefully applied it to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s wound. Lo Pingsha then brought out another bowl of medicine. ¡°This is medicine to reduce the fever. Please give it to the County Princess.¡± The warm medicine flowed down her esophagus into her body. Perhaps it was because the bowl of medicine was more effective, but after Yu Niaoniao drank the bowl of medicine, she did not dream again. She was sleeping so soundly that her brows relaxed. Xiao Juan guarded her for another night. The next morning, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s fever subsided, and the swelling of her wound subsided a lot. Lo Pingsha said, ¡°The situation has improved a lot. The Princess Consort should be fine.¡± Xiao Juan asked hoarsely, ¡°Then why isn¡¯t she awake yet?¡± Lo Pingsha spoke hesitantly. ¡°She¡¯s probably too weak. Let her sleep a little longer. She might wake up later.¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything else and continued to look at Niaoniao without blinking. Lo Pingsha advised, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten much for the past two or three days. If this continues, your body will definitely not be able to take it. County Governor Wang asked the kitchen to prepare some food. Take a few bites.¡± Xiao Juan did not say a word, as if he had not heard anything. Lo Pingsha scooped out a bowl of fish porridge from the casserole and handed it to Xiao Juan. ¡°Eat some.¡± Xiao Juan did not move. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten for so long. How can you not be hungry¡­¡± Before Lo Pingsha could finish, he noticed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyelashes tremble and her eyelids move. His eyes widened involuntarily. ¡°Is the Princess Consort about to wake up?¡± Xiao Juan immediately held Niaoniao¡¯s hand and realized that her fingers were also moving slightly. Immediately after, they saw Yu Niaoniao slowly open her eyes. Lo Pingsha could not help but exclaim, ¡°She¡¯s really awake!¡± Xiao Juan subconsciously clenched his hands tightly, not daring to blink, afraid that he was dreaming. Faced with their burning gazes, Yu Niaoniao opened her mouth with difficulty and said the first words she had said in three days¡ª ¡°I¡¯m so hungry..¡± Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: Not Enough Chapter 500: Not Enough Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha were stunned. Yu Niaoniao sniffed hard, and the fragrance of fish porridge entered her nose. She looked eager. ¡°Can you give me something to eat?¡± Xiao Juan finally came back to his senses and snatched the bowl from Lo Pingsha¡¯s hand. He scooped up the fish porridge with a spoon and carefully fed it to Niaoniao. Because he was so agitated, his hands trembled slightly. Yu Niaoniao ate three large mouthfuls of norridge in one go. It was really uncomfortable to lie down and eat porridge. She made a second request. ¡°Can you help me up?¡± Lo Pingsha had just extended his hand when Xiao Juan beat him to it. Xiao Juan helped Niaoniao up with one arm. Lo Pingsha took the opportunity to pick up a soft pillow and stuff it behind Yu Niaoniao. Xiao Juan glanced at Lo Pingsha expressionlessly. Lo Pingsha immediately retreated tactfully. ¡°I still have to brew medicine. Goodbye!¡± He raced out, no longer acting as an annoying third wheel. Xiao Juan continued to feed Yu Niaoniao porridge. The bowl of fish porridge was quickly finished. Yu Niaoniao pouted, looking as if she had not had enough. Xiao Juan silently scooped another bowl of porridge and continued to feed her. Seeing that she was eating happily, he finally felt hungry and his stomach gurgled. Yu Niaoniao immediately looked at his stomach. ¡°Are you hungry too?¡± Xiao Juan felt awkward, but he still looked calm and said as if nothing had happened. ¡°Eat first. I¡¯ll eat later.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t. Go ahead and eat. Just let Chun Feng or Ye Yu feed me.¡± She wanted to eat with a bowl herself, but her hands were burned too. Her claws were wrapped like dumplings, and she couldn¡¯t hold the bowl. How could Xiao Juan give the beautiful job of feeding Niaoniao to others? He said expressionlessly, ¡°They¡¯re all busy.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not want Xiao Juan to starve, so she suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a few bites first before feeding me?¡± Xiao Juan wanted to refuse, but his heart skipped a beat and the words suddenly changed. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± With that, he scooped up the fish porridge in his bowl with a spoon and placed it in his mouth. After two mouthfuls, he scooped up the porridge with a spoon and brought it to Niaoniao¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s your turn to eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. wait! She had meant for Xiao Juan to take a few bites first from another set of bowl and spoon, not to share a spoon with her! Wouldn¡¯t a spoon for two people be equivalent to an indirect kiss? Didn¡¯t Xiao Juan even know this bit of common sense? Was he deliberately teasing her? However, looking at Xiao Juan¡¯s upright expression, she suspected that she was thinking too much. With his wooden personality, how could he take the initiative to tease her? That was impossible! There must be something wrong with her own mind. She should reflect on herself deeply. Yu Niaoniao thought about it and shook off those messy guesses. She silently opened her mouth and ate the fish porridge. She did not know if it was her imagination, but she realized that Xiao Juan was especially slow this time, especially when the spoon stayed in his mouth for a long time. Countless thoughts immediately popped up in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mind¡ª He had done it on purpose, right? He must have done it on purpose! She did not expect him to be such a sensual person. She really could not judge a book by its cover! Xiao Juan scooped up the fish porridge with a spoon again and brought it to her lips. Yu Niaoniao could not help but swallow. Her mind was filled with the scene of Xiao Juan holding the spoon in his mouth just now. How, how could she open her mouth? Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating anymore?¡± He didn¡¯t show it, but he was actually very nervous. He was afraid that Niaoniao would feel repulsed. He was afraid that she would despise him. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face turned red. She opened her mouth and silently accepted the feeding. Although this feeding method was a little shameful, she liked the taste of handsome men and delicacies at the same time! Seeing that she did not seem to feel conflicted after eating the fish porridge, Xiao Juan immediately heaved a sigh of relief and his mood became especially good. They finished the bowl of fish porridge and Xiao Juan felt that he had not had enough. He had never thought that an ordinary bowl of fish porridge could be so delicious. Yu Niaoniao was not full yet. She wanted another bowl. But she was rejected by Xiao Juan. ¡°You just woke up. You can¡¯t eat too much at once. You won¡¯t be able to digest it.¡± Yu Niaoniao could only give up. Xiao Juan finished the rest of the food in front of her. Lo Pingsha appeared at the right time. He handed the freshly brewed medicine to Xiao Juan and called someone over to clean up the dishes on the table. Xiao Juan first took a small sip of the medicine. After confirming that the temperature was just right, he brought the medicine to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lips. Yu Niaoniao frowned and opened her mouth unwillingly. After drinking this bowl of medicine, her stomach was completely full. At this moment, Wei Liao walked in. He saw that Yu Niaoniao had finally woken up, and the stone in his heart was lifted. Once people relaxed, they had fewer scruples when they spoke. ¡°You slept for three days before waking up. Even a pig can¡¯t sleep as well as you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°I slept for three days?¡± She thought she had only slept the night. Unexpectedly, three days had passed! Lo Pingsha quickly seized the opportunity to take credit for Duke Lang. ¡°His Highness has been by your side for the past three days. It¡¯s all thanks to His Highness¡¯s careful care that your injuries have recovered so well.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the green and black shadows under Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes and her heart ached. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xiao Juan met her gaze and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to talk about this between you and me.¡± He was her husband. It was only right for him to do anything for her. Yu Niaoniao realized that ever since she woke up, Xiao Juan¡¯s attitude toward her seemed to have changed. But she wasn¡¯t sure if she was imagining it. Wei Liao snorted and his tone was sour. ¡°For these three days, Duke Lang just needs to stay by the Princess Consort¡¯s side.¡± ¡°I was out of luck. Not only did I have to settle so many prisoners, I still had to arrange for people to send those miners back to their places of origin.¡± ¡°I still had to comfort the commoners in the city.¡± ¡°In addition, I had to get someone to send a letter back to the Imperial Capital and tell the emperor what had happened here.¡± ¡°I was so busy that I felt dizzy. I wished I could grow three heads and six arms. In the end, I didn¡¯t even get a good word.¡± Yu Niaoniao blinked. ¡°Captive miners?¡± She felt like she had missed a lot of the plot. Xiao Juan explained patiently. ¡°Yuan Gui and Princess Ni Yang are already dead. We also discovered the underground palace secretly built by Princess Ni Yang and the iron mine she secretly dug.¡± ¡°Everything was as we had guessed. Princess Ni Yang used the excuse of searching for handsome men to capture a large number of innocent citizens who were unwilling to obey her.¡± ¡°Those commoners were all reduced to miners who specially mined iron for Princess Ni Yang. The family members of Ling Hai and Ling Miao are among them.¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly asked, ¡°Has their family been reunited?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. This made her feel happier than realizing that she had narrowly escaped death herself. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Chapter 501 - Chapter 501: Planning Ahead Chapter 501: Planning Ahead Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan roughly explained how they discovered the underground palace. It turned out that the underground palace and iron mine were hidden in the Chillywind Valley. When they found the iron mine, not only did they discover a large number of enslaved miners, but there were also a large number of well-made weapons. The rumors about the Chillywind Valley being haunted were naturally fake. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Didn¡¯t someone say that he was scared out of his wits and went crazy when he saw the Yin soldiers passing by?¡± Xiao Juan explained patiently, ¡°That person was indeed crazy, but he did not go crazy from fear.¡± ¡°Instead, it was because he had accidentally entered the Chillywind Valley and discovered the hidden secret. When he returned, he was in a panic. He had frightened himself and made himself sick.¡± ¡°In addition, his family did not have the money to treat his illness, and treatment was delayed. Although his life was saved in the end, it left behind the sequela of being delirious.¡± ¡°Others mistakenly thought that he had gone crazy from witnessing the passage of the Yin soldiers. As word spread, the matter became more and more strange. ¡± Wei Liao sat down in a chair, crossed one leg, and said slowly, ¡°Everyone listened to the rumors and was so frightened that they did not dare to approach Chillywind Valley.¡± ¡°This happened to fall into Yuan Gui and Princess Ni Yang¡¯s plans.¡± ¡°They secretly sent someone to help to encourage and deepen the commoners¡¯ understanding that Chillywind Valley was haunted. It caused the secret of the Chillywind Valley to be hidden until now.¡± Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I see!¡± She then asked, ¡°I have another question. How did you find me?¡± The palace was filled with wine, and the fire burned extremely quickly. If Xiao Juan and Wei Liao looked for her after seeing the fire, she would probably have been burned into a fireball by the time they found her. So they must have known she was in that palace before the fire started. The problem was that there were so many palaces in the crypt and the terrain was so complicated. How were they able to locate her accurately? This question puzzled Yu Niaoniao very much. Xiao Juan took out a charred sachet from his sleeve and placed it in front of her. ¡°Do you remember this?¡± Although half of the sachet had been burned black, Yu Niaoniao still recognized it at a glance. This was the sachet Xiao Juan had given her. She nodded vigorously. ¡°Of course, I remember.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I asked Little Lo to specially concoct the spices in this sachet. Not only does the smell of this spice last, but it¡¯s also very unique. After entering the underground palace, I smelled this fragrance. Although it¡¯s very faint, I can confirm that it¡¯s the smell left behind by the sachet on your body.¡± That faint fragrance was very difficult for ordinary people to smell. However, to Xiao Juan, whose five senses were naturally different from ordinary people, it was very easy to smell. Realization dawned on Yu Niaoniao. ¡°So you followed the fragrance?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Liao deliberately said in a sarcastic tone. ¡°Duke Lang must have deliberately given such a sachet to the Princess Consort to make it easier to lock onto her location. Tsk tsk tsk, such a man is really terrifying. ¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes, feeling uneasy. His fingertips hidden in his sleeve curled up slightly. When he gave Niaoniao the sachet, his motives were indeed impure. He was Now that Niaoniao knew the truth, would she blame him? Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes at Wei Liao. ¡°What do you know? Our Ah Juan is afraid that I will be kidnapped by bad people. ¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing this out of concern for me. This is called planning ahead!¡± ¡°As it turned out, he was very thoughtful. This sachet was really useful.¡± ¡°If Ah Juan hadn¡¯t found me in time following the fragrance, I¡¯m afraid I would have been burned to charcoal by now.¡± The nervousness in Xiao Juan¡¯s heart disappeared, and his fingers relaxed. Yu Niaoniao raised her two claws wrapped in gauze and rubbed against Xiao Juan¡¯s arm. ¡°Baby, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t listen to the instigation of a despicable person. I¡¯ll always believe you!¡± Xiao Juan gently held her claws and said in a muffled voice, ¡°It¡¯s my fault this time. I didn¡¯t take good care of you and made you suffer so much.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°It has nothing to do with you. Those bad people are too bad. They¡¯re at fault.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°But if I could protect you, you wouldn¡¯t be injured.¡± Yu Niaoniao pouted. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. If Princess Ni Yang didn¡¯t lo¡±ck me in the study, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to know the secret of the Chillywind Valley. ¡°If the secret of Chillywind Valley had never been discovered, how could those miners go home to reunite with their relatives? I think this injury is worth it.¡± With that, she chuckled. Wei Liao looked at her as if she were a fool. ¡°Is your brain damaged by the fire? Those miners are unrelated to you. What does their lives have to do with you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the Bodhisattva Guan Yin. Just manage yourself and don¡¯t worry about others!¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to retort, but she realized that there was a thin wound on Wei Liao¡¯s jaw. It had already scabbed over and looked like it had been cut by a blade. She asked immediately, ¡°Why is your face injured?¡± Wei Liao raised his hand and touched his chin. It hurt a little. That was because he had been too anxious when he was fighting the rebels and had accidentally been cut by them with a knife. As for why he was anxious? It was because he was worried about Yu Niaoniao. He was afraid that she would be too stupid to protect herself and be tortured to death by that maniac, Princess Ni Yang. Wei Liao did not want to say this lest Yu Niaoniao teased him. He lied casually, ¡°I accidentally cut myself when I shaved with a knife.¡± Yu Niaoniao clicked her tongue. ¡°To be able to make such a long cut, it seems that knife is quite sharp.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. The reason I was injured wasn¡¯t that the knife was too sharp, but because my skin was too thin. It broke with a gentle scrape.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Pui, narcissist!¡± Wei Liao laughed unscrupulously. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Yu Niaoniao could not be bothered with him. She looked at Xiao Juan and asked, ¡°When are we going back to the Imperial Capital?¡± She wanted to return to the Imperial Capital quickly and see how the rehearsal in Qirui Opera Troupe was going. Xiao Juan whispered, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. You¡¯re injured and can¡¯t move around for the time being- We¡¯ll rest here for a while first.¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her small arms. ¡°I¡¯m fine now! Look if you don¡¯t believe me. I can run and jump now. I can set off at any time.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her two thin arms wrapped tightly in gauze and sounded helpless. ¡°Be good and lie down. Don¡¯t move.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to get out of bed and take two steps to prove that she was really fine. However, Xiao Juan pressed her shoulder and did not let her move. ¡°Rest for a few days. It won¡¯t be too late to get off the ground when your injuries recover.¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Tsk tsk, look at you now. You¡¯re covered in gauze like a little monster. If you really run out, you¡¯ll definitely scare people to death..¡± Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: Yearning Chapter 502: Yearning Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As long as it was a woman, she would love beauty. Yu Niaoniao was naturally no exception. When she heard Wei Liao¡¯s words, she immediately became nervous. ¡°Ah Juan, do I look ugly now? Am I disfigured by the fire? Show me a mirror.¡± Xiao Juan glanced at Wei Liao coldly, warning him not to speak nonsense. Xiao Juan stroked Yu Niaoniao¡¯s head and comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the ointment Little Lo made for you is special. As long as you follow the instructions and change the dressing on time, and don¡¯t let the wound get wet or crack, it won¡¯t leave a scar.¡± Lo Pingsha reminded him, ¡°You have to be careful about your food. Don¡¯t eat recklessly.¡± Xiao Juan asked him to make a list of food that she needed to avoid. Lo Pingsha immediately found a brush and paper and wrote a long list on the spot. Things like seafood, beef, and mutton could not be eaten. Spicy food like chili had to be avoided as much as possible. Yu Niaoniao glanced at the names of the ingredients on the list and immediately felt her vision darken. How could she live if she could not eat so much?! Wei Liao gloated and deliberately said, ¡°In order to celebrate our quelling the rebellion and killing the bandit leader, County Governor Wang specially prepared a sumptuous banquet for us.¡± ¡°The time is set for tonight. At that time, all the famous figures in Jinwu City would come. It is said that there would be many famous local delicacies at the banquet. Do you want to come and play?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes were filled with desire. She wanted to go! She really wanted to go! Xiao Juan originally wanted to persuade her to lie in the house and recuperate in peace, but when he met her pitiful gaze, his heart softened. ¡°If you want to go, come with us.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. She pounced on him and hugged his waist. ¡°Ah Juan, you¡¯re so good to me. I love you to death!¡± Xiao Juan quickly held her shoulder, afraid that she would bump into the wounds on her body. Lo Pingsha coughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to customize a wheelchair for the Princess Consort. This way, it¡¯ll be easier for her to travel.¡± With that, he ran out. He didn¡¯t want to stay here and be forced to witness their public displays of affection anymore. Wei Liao originally wanted to pique Yu Niaoniao with the banquet, but he did not expect Xiao Juan to agree to bring her to the banquet. He looked at the clingy couple and was very unhappy. He turned around and left. Yu Niaoniao still remembered the mirror. She urged Xiao Juan to get her a mirror. Xiao Juan took the mirror from the dressing table. He helped hold the mirror up. Yu Niaoniao leaned in front of it and examined it from left to right. She realized that not only were her limbs and body wrapped in gauze but even her head was wrapped in gauze. Only her eyes, nose, and mouth were revealed. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Looks like Wei Liao was right. I¡¯m really a little scary.¡± She could act as a mummy without putting on makeup. Xiao Juan was afraid that she would be sad, so he hurriedly comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be fine after a while.¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately teased him. ¡°Then if the scars remain and I become an ugly person in the future, will you still want me?¡± Xiao Juan said seriously, ¡°No matter what you become, you¡¯re the best-looking in my heart.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart immediately felt as if it had been filled with honey, and the corners of her mouth could not help but curl up. Ever since they quarreled last time, Xiao Juan had not said anything nice to her. Now, he was finally enlightened. He was no longer as distant as before. Yu Niaoniao raised her head and pretended not to have heard him. ¡°What are you talking about? I didn¡¯t hear you clearly. Say it again.¡± Xiao Juan forcefully changed the topic. ¡°I haven¡¯t showered in a few days. I still have to go to the dinner party tonight. I have to take a shower and change. Go to sleep.¡± With that, he turned and walked out. Yu Niaoniao shouted at his back. ¡°I just asked you to say a few pleasant words. Why are you running?¡± When Xiao Juan heard her words, he walked faster. From the back, he actually looked like he was fleeing. Yu Niaoniao laughed until she fell back. In the end, extreme joy turned to sorrow. She accidentally pulled on her wound, causing her to shiver in pain and immediately not dare to move again. Xiao Juan returned quickly. He had changed. The end of his hair was still wet. There was some moisture between his eyebrows. He walked to the bed and saw that Niaoniao was already asleep. She was just lying on the bed with no blanket over her. Her head was tilted to the side, and her small mouth was slightly open. She looked like she was sleeping soundly. Xiao Juan picked up the blanket and gently covered her. Then he sat on the edge of the bed. As he looked at her quietly, his eyes were filled with yearning. He had almost lost her forever. Every time he thought of this, he felt a lingering fear. In the past, he had always felt that death was very far away from him. He did not feel any sense of urgency, so he could lie to himself with a clear conscience. He felt that it did not matter even if Niaoniao did not like him. However, after this matter, Xiao Juan suddenly felt a strong sense of urgency. Life was short. What if someone between him and Niaoniao had to leave this world forever in the future? He couldn¡¯t waste any more time. He had to cherish every moment he spent with Niaoniao. Even if he was going to die in the future, he could not leave any regrets for himself. Xiao Juan¡¯s fingers gently brushed past the tip of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s nose. He bent down close to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face. Just as his lips were about to touch her face, she suddenly rolled over. In the end, she accidentally pressed on the wound. She woke up from her dream in pain and cried out. Xiao Juan hurriedly asked. ¡°Where does it hurt? Let me see.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao wheedled, ¡°My arm hurts.¡± Xiao Juan carefully checked the gauze on her arm and did not find any bleeding. ¡°Fortunately, the wound didn¡¯t open.¡± Yu Niaoniao continued to moan. ¡°It hurts.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I get Little Lo to prescribe you some painkillers?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No, just blow on it for me.¡± Xiao Juan had no choice but to lower his head to blow on her wounds. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Yes, much better.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Lie down properly and try not to move.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 was asleep. How could I control myself? Why don¡¯t you sleep beside me? That way, you can watch me and not let me move?¡± With that, she even smiled obediently to show that she was harmless. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You haven¡¯t slept for three days. How can you not be sleepy? Come and lie down. Don¡¯t force me to beg you.¡± Xiao Juan had no choice but to take off his coat and lie down beside her. He lifted the blanket for her. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao obediently closed her eyes. Just as Xiao Juan thought that she was about to fall asleep, he suddenly heard her ask coldly. ¡°You were sneaking around just now. Did you want to do something to me?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless.. Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: Banquet Chapter 503: Banquet Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan said expressionlessly. Yu Niaoniao looked at him bitterly. ¡°As a man, you¡¯re neither greedy for wealth nor good wine. If you¡¯re not even greedy for beauty, then what¡¯s the point of living?¡± Xiao Juan looked at her covered in gauze and moved his lips, wanting her to understand that her current appearance was completely unrelated to beauty, but in the end, he held back and said nothing. Forget it. As long as she was happy. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I completely agree.¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed and looked like she was in a good mood. ¡°I appreciate your apology, but that¡¯s not enough. You have to correct your mistake.¡± Xiao Juan asked humbly, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her claws wrapped in gauze and gently tapped Xiao Juan¡¯s lips. Then, she tapped her lips and asked. ¡°That¡¯s it, understand?¡± Xiao Juan followed her movements and looked at her lips. Because she was injured, her lips were pink and she looked a little pale. But he couldn¡¯t look away. Of course, he understood what she meant. Although he was a little nervous, he was unwilling to give up this great opportunity. He obeyed the wishes in his heart and slowly leaned over. Yu Niaoniao looked at his approaching handsome face and her heart involuntarily beat faster. Although she appeared so proactive, it was actually her first time. She was very nervous. When their lips touched, they held their breaths in unison. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the man in front of her without blinking. Xiao Juan was also looking at her. This was the first time he had looked at her so closely. Now he could even see how many eyelashes there were on her eyelids. Their breaths intertwined, and the ambiguous temperature quickly rose. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart beat like a drum. Just as she was about to close her eyes and prepare to make further contact, Xiao Juan suddenly retreated. The touch of his lips disappeared. Yu Niaoniao looked at him in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Juan was even more puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Could it be that he felt that kissing was just their lips touching? From the looks of it, that really seemed to be what he was thinking! Yu Niaoniao did not know what to say for a moment. Xiao Juan asked again, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± He had never kissed anyone before and had no experience in this area, but looking at Niaoniao, it was as if he had done something wrong just now. This made him very uneasy. Could it be that Niaoniao despised him? Yu Niaoniao sighed in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go to sleep.¡± No matter how thick-skinned she was, she could not discuss something like kissing. Xiao Juan watched her close her eyes, but he could not fall asleep. He secretly regretted it. If he had known earlier, he would have done his homework in advance. Now, Niaoniao already knew that he was a fool who did not even know how to kiss. His image as a man was ruined. When the sun was about to set, Lo Pingsha sent over a wooden wheelchair. This wheelchair was specially made for Yu Niaoniao. Chun Feng had specially sewn a soft cushion and placed it on the chair. Xiao Juan picked Niaoniao up and placed her in the chair. Be it size or height, it suited her very well. She touched the wooden handle and smiled. ¡°This wheelchair is very good. I like it very much. Little Lo, thank you!¡± Lo Pingsha was delighted. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s go.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± Xiao Juan pushed the wheelchair out. When he reached the door, the wheelchair was stopped by a high threshold. Lo Pingsha, Chun Feng, and Ye Yu were about to step forward to help when they saw Xiao Juan grab the wheels on both sides of the wheelchair and carry Yu Niaoniao with it. After crossing the threshold, Xiao Juan placed the wheelchair steadily on the ground. Yu Niaoniao wanted to give him a thumbs up, but because her claws were wrapped in gauze, she could only give him a fist. ¡°You¡¯re awesome!¡± Xiao Juan smiled gently. It was not until this moment that the depression from the kiss completely dissipated from his heart. When they arrived at the attic where the banquet was held, there were already many people sitting there. As the owner, Wang Jianan had naturally arrived early. He was talking to Wei Liao. Seeing Duke Lang arrive, everyone went forward to greet him. Wang Jianan personally led Duke Lang and his wife to the master seat. The guests saw Duke Lang pushing a wheelchair. The woman sitting in the wheelchair was covered in gauze, only revealing her eyes, nose, and mouth. She looked quite scary. They had long heard that the Princess Consort of Lang County was injured, but they did not expect her injuries to be so serious. From the looks of it, the Princess Consort of Lang County must have been disfigured. Men liked beautiful women, and Duke Lang was definitely no exception. Even if he did not divorce the Princess Consort, he would definitely not dote on her in the future. Thinking of this, everyone looked at Yu Niaoniao with sympathy. Yu Niaoniao did not know what others were thinking at all. As soon as she sat down, she asked impatiently. ¡°What delicious food would there be tonight?¡± Wang Jianan was very grateful to the Princess Consort who had saved his grandson. He read the menu of the banquet from beginning to end and finished. ¡°That¡¯s all for the time being. If there¡¯s anything else you want to eat, just tell me. I¡¯ll get someone to prepare it.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very content. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± The maidservants filed in with food and wine. Yu Niaoniao watched as the delicacies on the table increased and was extremely touched. Tears flowed down the corners of her mouth. Wang Jianan raised his glass and said loudly. ¡°For so many years, Princess Ni Yang has been like an invisible mountain, pressing down on us until we can barely breathe. Now that this mountain has finally disappeared, be it us or the commoners, we¡¯re all happy about this. All of this is thanks to Duke Lang and the Princess Consort. Let¡¯s toast them! ¡± The guests stood up and looked at Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Princess Consort!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hands were wrapped in gauze, so she definitely could not raise her glass. She could only look at Xiao Juan eagerly, hoping that he could feed her a sip of wine. Xiao Juan coldly rejected her request. ¡°You¡¯re injured. You can¡¯t drink while you¡¯re still taking medicine.¡± Then, he picked up his glass and clinked it with everyone¡¯s. Everyone raised their heads and drained their glasses. Xiao Juan put down his empty wine glass, picked up a piece of chicken, and fed it to Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao immediately forgot about the bitterness of not being able to drink and ate the chicken happily. After she finished the chicken, Xiao Juan picked up a piece of vegetable for her. Yu Niaoniao ate the vegetables in one bite. Then, Xiao Juan picked up another piece of yam for her. Yu Niaoniao ate the yam and said at the same time,¡±l want that venison..¡± Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: Dreams Into Reality Chapter 504: Dreams Into Reality Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The venison was cooked with chili and drizzled with red chili oil. It was obvious that its flavor was strong. Xiao Juan picked up a piece of venison, but he did not send it directly to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mouth. Instead, he placed it in the tea and washed it. When the spicy oil on the venison was washed clean, he brought it to Niaoniao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the tasteless venison and could not help but frown. ¡°This venison doesn¡¯t taste good.¡± Xiao Juan placed the venison on a plate and picked up a piece of chicken for her. The chicken was steamed, with sauce on the side. However, the chicken that Xiao Juan picked up for her was not dipped in sauce. Although the steamed chicken was not inedible, she still wanted to eat something dipped in sauce. Yu Niaoniao extended her round gauze-wrapped claws and pointed at the small plate containing the sauce. ¡°Get some of this.¡± Xiao Juan said solemnly, ¡°No, not only can you not eat spicy food now, but you can¡¯t have soy sauce and vinegar either. Otherwise, it will leave a scar.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not understand. ¡°Why can¡¯t I have soy sauce and vinegar?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°This is medical advice.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat crabs. The crab meat will be delicious even if it¡¯s steamed.¡¯ Xiao Juan said, ¡°Shrimp and crabs are all seafood. You can¡¯t eat them either.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips and was about to cry. ¡°I can¡¯t eat this or that. Then what else can I eat?¡± In order to comfort Niaoniao, Xiao Juan placed the chicken in the vegetable soup and rolled it around, letting it be stained with some oil before sending it to Niaoniao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Try this and see if it¡¯s delicious.¡± Yu Niaoniao opened her mouth and ate the chicken. With the enhancement of the vegetable soup, the chicken tasted much better. Seeing that she liked to eat it, Xiao Juan scooped some vegetable soup and poured it on the rice. After mixing it evenly, he covered it with some vegetables and chicken and fed it to Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao obediently accepted the feeding and ate until her mouth was oily. Seeing this, the guests present were surprised by Duke Lang¡¯s thoughtfulness. They did not expect the legendary living King of Hell to have such a gentle side. Was this the legendary transformation of steel into softness? Initially, they were worried that the Princess Consort of Lang County would be despised. Now, it seemed that they were thinking too much. Duke Lang cared a lot about the Princess Consort! Wei Liao looked at Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao¡¯s intimate appearance and heard the guests praise Duke Lang and his wife. He felt even more unhappy. Everyone gave Duke Lang the credit and forgot about him. The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had lost. Seeing that Xiao Juan was only focused on feeding her and could not eat anything himself, Yu Niaoniao could not help but say. ¡°Eat too. ¡± Xiao Juan knew that she liked to hear sweet nothings, so he wanted to take this opportunity to coax her. He had wanted to say that as long as he saw that she was full, she would not be hungry, but because he was not familiar with the business, it came out warped. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m full when I see you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was confused. Xiao Juan was speechless. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Let me explain. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Yu Niaoniao seemed to have suffered a huge blow and looked extremely aggrieved. She Imew that she did not look good now, but Xiao Juan did not have to despise her so much, right?! He had clearly said that she was the best in his heart! Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Wretched man, big liar!¡± Xiao Juan forcefully explained, ¡°I said that I¡¯m full when I see you because you¡¯re too beautiful. I don¡¯t feel hungry as long as I see you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was skeptical. ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. When have I ever lied to you?¡± Yu Niaoniao began to dig up old scores. ¡°You lied to me last year in Liaodong County. You secretly drugged the tea and tricked me to drink it. You drugged me and left me behind.¡± Xiao Juan felt a little guilty. ¡°It¡¯s been so long. How can you remember?¡± Yu Niaoniao snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll remember this for the rest of my life! Let¡¯s see if you dare to lie to me again.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you this time. I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you unless you prove it to me with practical actions.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Peel a prawn for me.¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. So she was waiting for him there! Xiao Juan picked up a piece of chicken and handed it over. He said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any prawns. I have a piece of chicken. Do you want it?¡± Yu Niaoniao glared at him angrily. ¡°Man, you¡¯ve already lost my trust in you!¡± With that, she took a bite of the chicken and chewed hard. She whispered as she ate. ¡°I used to dream often. In my dream, there was someone wearing egg soup pancakes, stepping on marshmallows, and looking for me with roasted meat and drumsticks. I originally thought that person would be you, but now I know that the dream is fake. That person can¡¯t appear in reality.. She stopped talking. Because she saw Wei Liao walking over. He held a shiny drumstick in one hand and a plate of fragrant roasted lamb chops in the other. His entire body was filled with the fragrance of food. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. Could it be that Wei Liao had suddenly found his conscience and came to deliver delicious food to her? Was this the legendary dream shining into reality?! Xiao Juan frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Wei Liao deliberately waved the drumstick in front of Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes followed the drumstick, her desire obvious. She extended her round claws. ¡°Is this for me? Thank you.¡± Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still taking medicine? How can you eat such greasy food?¡± With that, he opened his mouth and bit off a piece of meat from the drumstick. He ate it with relish. Yu Niaoniao looked at him in disbelief with wide eyes. Wei Liao said as he ate, ¡°It¡¯s better for me to eat such greasy food. If you want to eat it, you can watch me eat it. You¡¯ve heard the allusion to quenching your thirst, right? It¡¯s the same principle as this.¡± Yu Niaoniao was about to cry from anger. How could there be such a bad person in the world?! Xiao Juan comforted her. ¡°Ignore him. Let¡¯s continue eating.¡± He scooped up a spoonful of silver fungus lotus seed soup and brought it to her mouth. After Yu Niaoniao had the lotus seed soup, she saw Wei Liao grab a roasted lamb chop. ¡°Tsk tsk, this lamb chop is really fragrant. There are many spices sprinkled on it. There¡¯s cumin, chili powder, peppercorn powder, onions¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao thought of the fragrance emitted by the seasonings sprinkled on the lamb chop and immediately felt that the silver fungus lotus seed soup in her mouth was tasteless. She also wanted to eat roasted lamb chops! Wei Liao bit off a piece of mutton and spoke as he ate. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the mutton was that delicious in the past, but today, I think the taste of this mutton chop is simply superb! Princess Consort, why are you looking at me? Do you want to smell the mutton chop? Alright, I¡¯ll let you smell it.¡± He handed over the lamb chop. That fragrance drilled into Yu Niaoniao¡¯s nose and hooked out all the gluttons in her stomach! Xiao Juan poured a bowl of strong tea on the lamb chop. Tea dripped down the lamb chop. There were still a few tea leaves hanging on it. Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°Sorry, my hand slipped..¡± Chapter 505 - Chapter 505: If There鈥檚 an Afterlife Chapter 505: If There¡¯s an Afterlife Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao threw the wet lamb chop back onto the plate and asked with a faint smile. ¡°Did Your Highness do it on purpose?¡± Xiao Juan replied without changing his expression, ¡°Would you believe me if I said no?¡± The two of them did not show much anger, but there was a tense aura. When their eyes met, it was as if lightning was flashing and there was gunpowder. Seeing that the situation was bad, Wang Jianan quickly stood up and said. ¡°Quickly change a plate of roasted lamb chop for Young Master Wei and make a new pot of tea for His Highness.¡± The maidservants quickly walked forward and took away the roast lamb chop and empty teacups. Then, Wang Jianan called the dancers to begin the performance, and the sound of music floated up. Wang Jianan wanted to use the song and dance performance to dilute the animosity between Xiao Juan and Wei Liao, but the two of them did not even look at the dancers. Wei Liao said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Don¡¯t you want good food? Eat whatever you want on my table. Do you want to come with me?¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Niaoniao is injured. She needs to keep to the food restrictions while taking medicine.¡± Wei Liao sneered in disdain. ¡°What do you mean by food restrictions? That¡¯s just a quack doctor¡¯s trick. I was injured in the past and still drank and ate meat while recuperating. Aren¡¯t I fine now?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Niaoniao is different from you. It doesn¡¯t matter how thick your skin is, but she¡¯s delicate and needs to recuperate well. She can¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°These are all your excuses! You just want to control Yu Niaoniao and use this to satisfy your desire to control.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m Niaoniao¡¯s husband. I have an obligation to take good care of her. On the other hand, you¡¯re not related to her. What right do you have to point fingers at our matters here?¡± Wei Liao choked. He was indeed in no position. He was purely unhappy, so he wanted to make others unhappy too. As for why he was unhappy? He didn¡¯t want to think about it. Instinct told him that the answer would be unacceptable to him. Wei Liao pretended to be calm and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Just you wait. At this rate, you¡¯ll definitely be controlled by him in the future.¡± With that, he turned around and walked away. Looking at his back, he actually looked a little angry. Yu Niaoniao was very puzzled. ¡°What is this guy doing here?¡± Xiao Juan replied indifferently, ¡°Who knows?¡± They were both men, but he could feel that Wei Liao¡¯s attitude towards Niaoniao was very different. In the past, Wei Liao would harass Niaoniao from time to time. He could even say that Wei Liao was deliberately provoking her, commonly known as looking for trouble. However, now that Wei Liao was causing all kinds of trouble, it was more like he wanted to attract Niaoniao¡¯s attention. It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess what a man wanted to do if he wanted to attract the attention of the opposite sex. However, Xiao Juan did not intend to tell Niaoniao this. He scooped up a piece of soft, tender white tofu with a spoon and brought it to her lips. ¡°Ignore him. Continue eating.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After the banquet ended, Xiao Juan pushed Niaoniao back to the guest room. People were especially prone to sleepiness after eating and drinking their fill. Yu Niaoniao was like this now. She kept yawning on the way. When Xiao Juan picked her up and placed her on the bed, she fell asleep almost as soon as she touched the pillow. Xiao Juan could not sleep yet. He had to change Niaoniao¡¯s dressing. In order not to wake her up, his movements were extremely gentle throughout the entire process. The next day, Yu Niaoniao woke up and did not realize that the gauze on her body had been changed once. She was helped to sit up. Xiao Juan wiped her face with a wet handkerchief and said. ¡°I¡¯m going out later.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked curiously, ¡°Why are you going out?¡± Xiao Juan had no intention of hiding it and said frankly. ¡°Although Princess Ni Yang has committed a heinous crime, she¡¯s still my mother. I have to arrange her funeral.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± She knew that she would definitely not be of much help in this state, but she was really worried about Xiao Juan. Princess Ni Yang occupied a very important place in his life. Now that he was going to arrange her funeral, he would definitely not feel good. At a time like this, she had to be with him. Xiao Juan looked up at her and saw that her expression was firm. It was obvious that she had made up her mind to leave, so he nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Niaoniao specially asked Chun Feng to choose plain white clothes for her. In her current state, she did not have to consider hairpins or jewelry. She just had to casually tie her long hair up and stabilize it with a sandalwood hairpin. Xiao Juan was still wearing his usual black clothes. He had a leather belt around his waist and black boots, looking deep and reserved. After breakfast with Niaoniao, he left the County Governor¡¯s Mansion and took a carriage to a temple in the city. The abbot in the temple clearly knew Xiao Juan. When he saw Xiao Juan bring Yu Niaoniao over, he immediately led the couple to the back hall. There was a black coffin parked in the back hall. Beside it were four monks kneeling. They were chanting scriptures as they knocked on the wooden fish. Yu Niaoniao originally thought that they were chanting the Reincarnation Scripture. After asking, she realized that they were actually chanting the Calamity Surpassing Scripture. This was specially instructed by Xiao Juan. He lit three incense sticks and inserted them into the incense burner. ¡°Princess Ni Yang hurt many people when she was alive. She never repented for this until she died. I hope to use the Calamity Surrogate Sutra to make her turn over a new leaf and be a good person in her next life.¡± Smoke curled up from the incense. The smoke misted his eyes, making them look a little blurry. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t believe in ghosts and gods?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in ghosts, but I hope that people can have a next life. Yu Niaoniao became even more curious. ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Juan looked at her silently. If there was really an afterlife, he might be able to meet her again. He admitted that he was greedy. He felt that one life was not enough and wanted another. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Xiao Juan looked away. ¡°If people can have a next life, I might be able to make up for a lot of regrets.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked like she did not understand. Xiao Juan walked to the side of the coffin and reached out to push open the lid, revealing the charred corpse lying inside. Princess Ni Yang, who was once known as the number one beauty of Dayan, was now charred by the fire and unrecognizable. Seeing this scene, Xiao Juan felt very complicated. He had thought of many endings, but he had never thought that this would be the ending between him and his mother. The host asked, ¡°Your Highness, do you need someone to redecorate Her Highness?¡± The local custom was that after a person died, they had to be washed up and buried in a coffin. Xiao Juan replied indifferently. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± She was already charred. What else was there to dress up for? Even if Princess Ni Yang was still alive, with her vain and strong personality, she definitely did not want others to see her unrecognizable appearance. Xiao Juan covered the coffin and ordered someone to bring iron nails. He personally sealed the coffin. When he was done, he let the Eagle Guards in to bring the coffin out of the temple.. Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: Farewell to the Past Chapter 506: Farewell to the Past Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao could not ride a horse now and could only take a carriage. She pushed open the car window and looked out. She saw many commoners standing on the street. The Eagle Guards carried the coffin and walked on the streets of Jinwu City. Xiao Juan rode at the front of the convoy. All of them were wearing black brocade robes and dark red cloaks. There were sabers hanging at their waists. It was obvious that they were not to be trifled with. Although they did not say a word the entire time, the commoners knew that they were sending Princess Ni Yang¡¯s coffin out of the city. The commoners hated Princess Ni Yang to the core and wished they could throw a few rotten eggs at her coffin. However, because of the aura of Duke Lang and the Eagle Guards, no one dared to really attack. The commoners could only glare at the coffin with hatred and curse Princess Ni Yang in their hearts that she would never be able to reincarnate after languishing in the eighteen levels of hell. Yu Niaoniao could read the resentment in the hearts of the commoners through her eyes. Actually, she admired Princess Ni Yang a little. As a woman, she could break through her shackles and had talent and ambition that was not inferior to men. However, Princess Ni Yang¡¯s methods were too extreme. This made her lose the love and respect of the people. Without the love and respect of the people, even if she could really be lucky enough to ascend to the throne, she would definitely not be able to sit on it for long. Yu Niaoniao closed the carriage window and prayed silently. She hoped that Xiao Juan could forget the negative emotions brought about by Princess Ni Yang as soon as possible. After leaving Jinwu City, the team walked along the official road for a while before going up the mountain. It was not convenient for the carriage to enter the mountain, so Xiao Juan carried Niaoniao to the horse¡¯s back and rode with her. The mountain path was rugged, so it was inevitable that it would be bumpy. In order to avoid aggravating the wounds on Niaoniao¡¯s body, Xiao Juan tried his best to slow down so that the horse could move more steadily. Finally, the team stopped in front of a mausoleum. Xiao Juan carried Niaoniao down the horse and gave her an introduction. ¡°This is my father¡¯s tomb. I heard from the servants in the princess¡¯s residence that he had a good relationship with the Eldest Princess when he was still alive. If the two of them are buried together, I believe they should be willing.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the tombstone standing in front of her and recalled what Princess Ni Yang had once said. Princess Ni Yang had mentioned her three consorts, but she only showed nostalgia only when she mentioned the second Prince Consort. It was obvious that she did have some feelings for the second Prince Consort. The Eagle Guards dug up the Prince Consort¡¯s tomb and placed Princess Ni Yang¡¯s coffin inside. Then, they filled the soil and buried it again before completely sealing the tomb. Xiao Juan kowtowed to the tombstone and placed fresh fruits and tributes. He also burned some paper money to pay tribute to his deceased father. Yu Niaoniao also wanted to kowtow to her dead father-in-law, but her entire body was wrapped in gauze and she really could not kneel down. She could only bend her waist slightly. Xiao Juan personally added Princess Ni Yang¡¯s name to the tombstone. In this way, Princess Ni Yang¡¯s funeral was completed. The entire process was extremely simple. Other than Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao, only the Eagle Guards were present. There was no one else. Such a funeral could be said to be simple for a princess. However, Xiao Juan felt that this was enough. No matter how lively the funeral was, it was for outsiders to see. He didn¡¯t care what outsiders thought. He just needed a clear conscience. Xiao Juan carried Niaoniao back to the horse. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They rode down the mountain. Yu Niaoniao sat in Xiao Juan¡¯s arms and looked back at the mausoleum. It buried Xiao Juan¡¯s parents and his past. From now on, he would bid farewell to the past completely and welcome a new life. Xiao Juan noticed her gaze and asked. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer the question. ¡°Although people can¡¯t choose their background, they can choose the path they want to take in the future, Ah Juan, have you thought about which path you want to take?¡± Xiao Juan blurted out without thinking. ¡°I¡¯ll take whichever path you take.¡± With that, he shut his mouth and silently waited for Niaoniao¡¯s reaction, feeling a little nervous. Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°I realize you¡¯re getting better at coaxing people recently.¡± Xiao Juan was afraid that she would misunderstand that he was coaxing her, so he immediately said seriously. ¡°I¡¯m not coaxing you. I mean it.¡± Yu Niaoniao gently leaned against his chest. ¡°Then you have to do what you say. No matter what happens in the future, you have to follow me. We can never be separated.¡± Xiao Juan replied softly, ¡°Yeah.¡± The group returned to Jinwu City the same way they came. In the end, just as they entered the city, yan Nanguan rushed towards them on his horse. ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s a letter from the capital!¡± The carriage stopped. Yu Niaoniao pushed the cart out and saw Yan Nanguan rush to Xiao Juan and deliver a letter to him. Xiao Juan took out the letter and frowned as he read the contents. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao could not help but worry. Something must have happened to make Xiao Juan¡¯s expression change. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What happened in the capital?¡± Xiao Juan rode to the carriage and handed the letter in through the window. Yu Niaoniao took the letter and read it quickly. This was a secret letter sent from the Justice Department. The person who wrote was Meng Xizhou. In the letter, he said that the emperor¡¯s condition had worsened and he had not attended the morning court assembly for two months. In order to fight for the position of Crown Prince, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had used various methods. Because the Third Prince accidentally fell off his horse and broke his right leg, he was crippled for life. The Fourth Prince had become a fool because he had drunk too much and accidentally injured his head. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that these incidents were man-made. It was just that the emperor cared about his face and did not want the world to know about the family scandal between the brothers, so everyone pretended to be oblivious. There were a total of three princes. The first two had met with mishaps one after another and lost their right to compete for the position of Crown Prince. In the end, only the Seventh Prince was still intact. Therefore, the position of Crown Prince fell into the Seventh Prince¡¯s hands without any suspense. The emperor had already decided to hold the crowning ceremony for the Seventh Prince, Shen Zhuo, on the tenth day of October. At that time, Xiao Juan and Wei Liao had to participate. Yu Niaoniao put down the letter. She was already mentally prepared for Shen Zhuo to be conferred the title of Crown Prince, so she was not too surprised. She was concerned about something else. ¡°It¡¯s already August. There are only two months left until the day of the Crown Prince¡¯s conferment. It will take at least two months to set off from here to the Imperial Capital. In other words, we have to set off now.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Wei Liao and I will leave first. You stay here and continue to recuperate. It won¡¯t be too late to return to the Imperial Capital when your injuries recover. I¡¯ll leave Little Lo behind to take care of you.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately refused. ¡°You just promised me that no matter what happens in the future, we have to walk the same path. In the end, you turned around and wanted to abandon me. You didn¡¯t keep your word!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°But you¡¯re injured now, so it¡¯s not convenient for you to travel.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 ride in a carriage every day anyway. What¡¯s inconvenient about it? If it really doesn¡¯t work, we can still turn to the water and take a boat.¡± Xiao Juan thought for a moment and felt that the water route was indeed a solution, so he chose to compromise. ¡°Okay, then. You¡¯re coming with us..¡± Chapter 507 - Chapter 507: Everyone Has Their Aspirations Chapter 507: Everyone Has Their Aspirations Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wang Jianan did not expect them to leave so quickly and could not help but be a little flustered. He hurriedly got the chefs to prepare the dry rations for them to eat on the way. In addition, he got someone to prepare a lot of local specialties that filled two large carts. In addition, he had something to ask Duke Lang. ¡®What should we do with the princess¡¯s residence?¡± According to the law, Princess Ni Yang had committed the crime of treason and would be executed. However, her status was special. If her family was really executed, the current emperor and the empress dowager would lose their heads with her. Therefore, it was impossible to execute her entire family. They could only arrest all the servants in her residence, convict them, and sell them again. The person was gone, but the princess¡¯s residence was still there, and there was a large amount of gold, silver, and treasure hidden in the residence. Wang Jianan did not know how to deal with it and could only seek Duke Lang¡¯s advice. Xiao Juan already had an idea about this and said, ¡°Take out 100,000 taels of silver and distribute it to the innocent commoners who were captured to be miners. Consider it compensation for them. The remaining money will be used to set up a charity hall to specially accommodate the helpless old, weak, women, and children. You¡¯ll supervise this matter.¡± Wang Jianan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± He sighed inwardly. Although Duke Lang looked cold and unreasonable, he was actually quite kind. Compared to his ruthless mother, he was really a good person. At dawn, the next day, Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, and the others left the County Governor¡¯s Mansion. Wang Jianan sent them all the way out of the city. Seeing that they were about to exit the city, Xiao Juan asked Wang Jianan to go back. Wang Jianan could only stop. He got out of the carriage with the help of others and bowed deeply to Duke Lang. ¡°I¡¯ve already said my thanks many times, but I have to say it one last time. Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my Ah Jun. I can¡¯t repay your kindness. If Your Highness has any orders in the future, you just have to say one word. I won¡¯t hesitate to go through hell and high water!¡± His words were equivalent to surrendering to Xiao Juan, indicating that he was willing to stand on his side in the future. Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to do anything. You just have to do your job and be a good official with a conscience.¡± Wang Jianan replied solemnly, ¡°I will follow your teachings and definitely not let you down, Your Highness!¡± Xiao Juan waved his whip, and the horse under him sped up and dashed forward. The others followed closely behind. Wang Jianan stood there and watched them leave. After they were gone, Wang Jianan looked away and waved at the old servant beside him. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± In the next few days, every time Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan¡¯s team arrived, they would be warmly welcomed by the local people, especially those rescued from the iron mine. They wished they could worship Duke Lang as an immortal. Their gratitude was obvious. Not to mention Xiao Juan himself, even the Eagle Guards following behind him were not used to it. Ever since they entered the Justice Department, they had become ferocious tigers in the hearts of the commoners. As long as they appeared, the commoners would tremble and hide everywhere. This was the first time in history that the commoners showed liking and gratitude to them. Faced with the eggs, flatbread, and other thank-you gifts sent to them by the commoners, this group of Eagle Guards did not know how to react. They could only continue to maintain their expressionless and cold appearance. They did not want anything. But even so, there would still be some commoners who would forcefully stuff things into their hands. Yu Niaoniao saw a tall girl stuff a handkerchief into Lo Pingsha¡¯s hand and hug him when he was unprepared. When he came back to his senses and wanted to return the handkerchief, the girl had already run away. So Lo Pingsha could only stand there with a red face, not knowing what to do. Seeing this scene, Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. Lo Pingsha discovered the Princess Consort and took a handkerchief to her for guidance. ¡°What should we do with this handkerchief?¡± He had never encountered such a thing before. He had no experience at all. Yu Niaoniao said as she smiled. ¡°Since it¡¯s a gift from a girl, accept it.¡± Lo Pingsha blushed and said in embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s not good to take a girl¡¯s things rashly, right? What if someone misunderstands?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Let me see the handkerchief.¡± Lo Pingsha hurriedly offered the handkerchief with both hands. Yu Niaoniao waved her two claws wrapped in gauze, indicating that she could not hold a handkerchief now. Only then did Lo Pingsha remember that the Princess Consort was still injured. He immediately spread out his handkerchief for her to see. Yu Niaoniao said after looking at both sides of the handkerchief. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no girl¡¯s name embroidered on this handkerchief. Even if someone saw you holding this handkerchief, they would not know who had given it to you.¡± ¡°Besides, we¡¯re leaving tomorrow morning. From now on, you and she will be separated by thousands of mountains and rivers. It will be very difficult for there to be a misunderstanding between the two of you.¡± Lo Pingsha thought about it and felt relieved. ¡°Thank you for your advice, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao sized him up and asked coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. Haven¡¯t you thought of marrying and having children?¡± Although Lo Pingsha had a baby face and looked very young, he was actually two years older than Yu Niaoniao. In this era of common early marriage and early childbearing, he could already be considered an old leftover man. If anyone else asked such a thing, Lo Pingsha would definitely think that they were meddling and would not even care. But now that he was facing the Princess Consort who had done him a favor, she could be considered half a relative in his heart. She could ask such a question out of concern for him. Lo Pingsha shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet.¡± Yu Niaoniao had no intention of urging him to get married. After all, everyone had their own ambitions. She only reminded him, ¡°If you meet a girl you like, you can tell me. I¡¯ll help you refer. If you really can¡¯t meet anyone, I can introduce one to you.¡± Lo Pingsha lowered his head shyly. ¡°Okay.¡± At night, in the courier station, Xiao Juan was changing Niaoniao¡¯s dressing. Because the wounds on her body were scattered, she had to take off all her clothes. At first, Yu Niaoniao was very shy, but when she realized that Xiao Juan was even more nervous than her, she immediately forgot about her embarrassment. As the saying went, as long as she wasn¡¯t embarrassed, others would be. Seeing that Xiao Juan was carefully applying medication on her and staring at the wounds on her body the entire time, Yu Niaoniao did not dare to look anywhere else and could not help but want to laugh. When Xiao Juan heard her laughter, he paused in his actions. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Nothing. I just thought of Little Lo. A girl sent him a handkerchief during the day and made him helpless. He was quite cute.¡± Xiao Juan tightened his grip on the medicine bottle, his expression unchanged. ¡°You think Little Lo is cute?¡± Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: Jealous Chapter 508: Jealous Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao admitted frankly, ¡°That¡¯s right. Although he¡¯s a man, he has a baby face. He looks very cute.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you like him?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression immediately became meaningful. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re not jealous, are you?¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes and continued to apply medication to her. ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao rolled her eyes and continued to smile. ¡°I do like Little Lo. He¡¯s cute, good at medicine, and talented and good-looking. Who wouldn¡¯t like a boy like him?¡± Xiao Juan told himself that it was impossible for Niaoniao to like Lo Pingsha. There could not be anything between the two of them. But his lips were pursed tightly. Jealousy spread wildly in his heart. He couldn¡¯t control it. At that moment, he heard Niaoniao say something. ¡°So I quite want Little Lo to be my brother-in-law.¡± Xiao Juan was stunned. ¡°Brother-in-law?¡± Yu Niaoniao said slowly. ¡°My father has been looking for a suitable in-law for Pingping. I think Little Lo is quite good. He¡¯s reserved and doesn¡¯t talk much. But he is smart, thoughtful, and reliable.¡± ¡°Pingping had an extroverted personality. She chattered all day long and was a little carefree. However, she is clear about her love and hate and is sincere with others. She is very sensible about important matters.¡± ¡°Their personalities happened to complement each other. Wasn¡¯t that just right? However, this is just my wishful thinking. Whether they like each other in the end depends on themselves.¡± Xiao Juan did not expect Niaoniao to think that way. ¡°I thought you¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°Why? Do you think I like Little Lo? You let your imagination run wild.¡± Xiao Juan also felt that he was thinking too much. Because he liked Niaoniao himself, he felt that all the men in the world would snatch her from him. Love had made him worried about personal gains and losses. He was a little unlike his old self. ¡°I was thinking too much. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Yu Niaoniao only wanted to joke with him. Seeing that he was seriously admitting his mistake, she felt a little embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong either. I didn¡¯t express myself clearly enough just now.¡± Xiao Juan took the opportunity to change the topic. ¡°Can your father agree to let your sister be with Little Lo?¡± Civil officials like Yu Kangtai, who had come from a proper background, hated the Justice Department and the Eagle Guards the most. In their opinion, the Eagle Guards were a group of jackals, tigers, and leopards. Yu Kangtai only had two daughters in total. His eldest daughter had been betrothed to Duke Lang by the emperor. There was nothing he could do about it. He could only accept it. He would definitely not want his youngest daughter to marry an Eagle Guard. Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°In the past, he would definitely not have agreed.¡± ¡°But things were different now. Ever since Madam Jiang¡¯s accident, my family had become infamous in the Imperial capital.¡± ¡°Everyone knew that Madam Jiang is a vicious woman. As her biological daughter, Pingping¡¯s reputation is naturally not much better.¡± ¡°Now, all the upright families in the Imperial capital were unwilling to form marriage relations with our family.¡± ¡°And my father looked down on those who wanted to marry into our family. In comparison, isn¡¯t Little Lo the best choice?¡± She made sense. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Then, are you planning to introduce them to each other?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. When we return to the Imperial Capital, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to mention this to them. If they don¡¯t dislike it, let them meet. If not, forget it.¡± Xiao Juan bandaged her wound again. Yu Niaoniao wanted to reach out and scratch her arm, but she was stopped by Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan told her not to move. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But my wound has been itching recently. It feels uncomfortable if I don¡¯t scratch it.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°That¡¯s the wound slowly healing. Bear with it.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 know, but I still itch.¡± Xiao Juan had no better idea and could only say to her. ¡°Go to sleep. You won¡¯t feel itchy after you fall asleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao pouted. ¡°Give me a kiss. It won¡¯t itch anymore.¡± Xiao Juan was exceptionally obedient at this moment. He bent down and kissed her gently on the lips. ¡°Is this okay?¡± Yu Niaoniao smacked her lips with a reluctant expression. ¡°It¡¯s passable.¡± Xiao Juan was caught between laughter and tears. The next day they continued on their way. When they passed by a county city, they saw Ling Hai and Ling Miao. So this was where the Ling family was. The Ling family had already returned to their original residence and had even received compensation from the government. They used this compensation to buy materials, hire workers, and continue to do the cloth business. Their lives returned to normal. In order to express their gratitude, the Ling family prepared a sumptuous meal and warmly entertained Yu Niaoniao and the others. Although Yu Niaoniao could not drink, she was happy for the Ling family. The next morning, Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, and the others prepared to set off again. As soon as they walked out of the door, they saw Ling Hai standing in the courtyard with his luggage. Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Unexpectedly, Ling Hai knelt down in front of her. ¡°His Highness and the Princess Consort saved our Ling family. You¡¯re our benefactors. I don¡¯t know how to repay you. I can only follow you and work for you. I hope Your Highness and Princess Consort can accept me!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯re still young. Even if you want to repay my kindness, you can do so in a few years. You should stay at home and study hard now.¡± Ling Hai was unwilling. ¡°I¡¯m already twelve years old this year. I¡¯m not a child anymore. Please give me a chance, Princess Consort. I¡¯m very capable of suffering. As long as you let me follow you, I¡¯m willing to do anything!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not understand. ¡°Why do you have to follow us? If you leave with us, won¡¯t your family worry about you?¡± Ling Hai had clearly considered this and said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ve already told my parents, brother, and sister about this. They all think that men have ambitions and support me in following you to the Imperial Capital.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at Xiao Juan and asked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Xiao Juan really wanted to arrange an errand boy beside Niaoniao. Although Meng Xizhou and Yan Nanguan could help her, they were still from the Justice Department and had their own things to do. They could not wait for Niaoniao¡¯s instructions at any time. Ling Hai was a good candidate. The child was smart and brave. Most importantly, he was grateful to Niaoniao and was reliable. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Let him follow you to try out first. Coincidentally, it¡¯s inconvenient for you to move now. You can instruct him to do anything.¡± Yu Niaoniao agreed. ¡°Fine.¡± Ling Hai was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Princess Consort!¡± Although Ling Hai said that he had already obtained his family¡¯s approval, Niaoniao still met the Ling family personally. Ling Hai¡¯s father said, ¡°We can¡¯t bear to part with Little Hai, but he has his own opinions. He didn¡¯t want to be trapped in this small place. He wanted to see the outside world. As parents, we could only let him fly.¡± ¡°We all know that you and His Highness are good people. We¡¯re very relieved to have Little Hai by your side..¡± Chapter 509 - Chapter 509: Rich Chapter 509: Rich Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When they parted, Ling Miao hugged her brother¡¯s arm and refused to let go. She cried until her face was covered in tears. Ling Hai could not bear to be separated from his family. However, in the end, he gritted his teeth, pushed his sister away, turned around, and walked out of the Ling family¡¯s door resolutely. Yu Niaoniao, who was sitting in the carriage, could not help but ask when she saw this scene through the window, ¡°If you¡¯re reluctant, why did you leave?¡± Ling Hai wiped his eyes. ¡°Because I want to become stronger.¡± Duke Lang and his wife were the most capable people he had ever met. Not only could he broaden his horizons by helping them, but he could also learn. When he became stronger in the future, he would be able to protect his family from bad people. Yu Niaoniao had mixed feelings. He was twelve years old. In modern society, he was still a junior high school student, but Ling Hai had already begun to plan for the future. Life had taught him the fickleness of human nature in advance, and it had also taught him too early the cruelty of the adult world. She wondered if this was good for him. The team set off again. After dozens of days of crossing mountains, they finally left Liangzhou. The team continued along the official road for another five days before finding the jetty. Originally, Xiao Juan had planned to charter a large ship, but when they reached the ferry terminal, they realized that charter ships needed to be booked in advance. The ships docked at the ferry were either cargo ships or merchant ships that had been booked. There were a few ships that could still carry guests, but they were all small ships that could not accommodate so many people from the Eagle Guards and the Sky Wolf Guards. Yu Niaoniao suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we continue on our way in the carriages?¡± Xiao Juan disagreed. ¡°The rest of the journey will get bumpier. You¡¯ll feel terrible.¡± He asked Yan Nanguan to find the owner of one of the merchant ships and expressed his willingness to pay double the price to charter this ship. If double wasn¡¯t enough, triple was fine. Yan Nanguan returned quickly. He even brought back the owner of the merchant ship. The owner of the merchant ship was a balding middle-aged man. From the way he was dressed, one could tell that his family was very rich. He bowed to Xiao Juan. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. I heard that Your Highness wants to take a boat to Daqian City. I happen to be going to Daqian City to sell goods. If Your Highness doesn¡¯t mind, you can travel with me. Although my boat conditions are ordinary, it¡¯s spacious enough to accommodate all of you.¡± Seeing that he was so tactful, Xiao Juan was very satisfied. He immediately took out a banknote and handed it over. ¡°This is our fee.¡¯ Wang Yue hurriedly declined. ¡°No, no, no. I can¡¯t take your money.¡± Xiao Juan frowned. He had never believed that there was a free lunch in the world. If the other party did not want money, he would definitely ask for something else. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Wang Yue smiled awkwardly. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m actually selfish. From here, we have to pass through a dangerous beach between the big city. The river flows rapidly and there are many reefs hidden under the water. Ships could easily be in danger there.¡± ¡°What is worse was that there was a nest of pirates laying in ambush nearby. They would rob passing merchant ships. The last time I passed there, I was robbed. Not only did we lose a lot of goods, but several of our fellows were also injured.¡± Xiao Juan immediately understood what he meant. ¡°You want us to help you deal with those water bandits?¡± Wang Yue rubbed his hands and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of Your Highness¡¯s reputation and know that the Eagle Guards under you are very powerful. As long as you¡¯re around, those pirates definitely won¡¯t dare to attack.¡± He was a businessman, so he naturally could calculate it. If he hired an escort to escort him the entire time, the fee would be much more expensive than the ship fee. Moreover, the escort might not be able to protect his merchant ship. In comparison, inviting these people to board the ship for free was the most cost-effective choice. Of course, if he could take this opportunity to build a relationship with Duke Lang, that would be even better! Xiao Juan had seen countless people, so he naturally knew what Wang Yue was thinking. He slapped the banknote on Wang Yue. ¡°We won¡¯t pay a penny less for the boat fees. As for that group of pirates, we won¡¯t let them off if they dare to appear.¡± Seeing that he could not refuse, Wang Yue could only accept the banknotes. He led them respectfully to the ship. Wang Yue was right. His ship was indeed very big. There were many rooms on it, enough for all of them. Even the horses and carriages they had brought could be accommodated. The horses and carriage were arranged in a warehouse under the cabin. Someone would take care of them every day. Yu Niaoniao sat in a wheelchair and leaned against the porthole. She could see the vast river. Chun Feng and Ye Yu were busy packing their luggage. There were ready-made bedding in the guest room, but it was a little damp to the touch. They folded those bedding and put them in the cabinet, then replaced them with the bedding and pillows they had brought. In addition, they took out teapots, cups, copper basins, chamber pots, dressing mirrors, and other daily necessities. In the end, they even moved out a large bathtub that could accommodate two people. Soon, they filled the small room. Yu Niaoniao was deeply impressed. Rich people were so particular when they went out. It took her a moment to realize that she was the ¡°rich man.¡± But in fact, her pockets were cleaner than her face. She had no money at all! At the thought of this, Yu Niaoniao could not help but feel melancholic. Her draft had died in the sea of fire with Princess Ni Yang, so she had to draw it again. She still remembered the plot. But she was wrapped in gauze now and had the same hands as Doraemon. She could not even hold her chopsticks, let alone draw. If she couldn¡¯t draw, she wouldn¡¯t be able to submit the manuscript. If she could not submit the manuscript, she would not be able to earn money. Without money, how could she support the opera troupe? The more Yu Niaoniao thought about it, the more depressed she became. She could not help but sigh deeply. ¡°I¡¯m so poor!¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu looked up at her at the same time, puzzled. ¡°How can you be poor? His Highness is so rich. If you lack money, you can tell him.¡± Yu Niaoniao said righteously, ¡°Your thinking is wrong! No matter how rich Duke Lang is, it is still his money. What does it have to do with me? How could I be thinking about his money?¡± ¡°If I spend his money, I would suffer in front of him in the future and have to listen to him for everything. If this continues, what dignity will I have?¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu were dumbfounded. Yu Niaoniao educated them earnestly. ¡°We women can¡¯t rely on men for everything. We have to learn to be independent. Even if we have to spend money, we have to spend our own. Only then can we have an independent personality. Do you understand?¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu looked at each other. Finally, Ye Yu extended her right hand and said carefully. ¡°I have a question.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Ask.¡± Ye Yu asked sincerely, ¡°What if we don¡¯t have money?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Your question is very critical. I¡¯m also worried about it.. Do you have any good money-making ideas?¡± Chapter 510 - Chapter 510: Surprise Chapter 510: Surprise Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Vesting her faith in the wisdom of the crowds, Yu Niaoniao looked at Chun Feng and Ye Yu hopefully, hoping that they could think of a good solution. Chun Feng immediately said, ¡°You can borrow money from His Highness. As long as you ask, His Highness will definitely be willing to lend it.¡± Ye Yu nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re going to borrow money. You¡¯ll pay it back when you have money in the future. This way, you don¡¯t have to lose your dignity.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but if Duke Lang asks me why I want to borrow money, how should I answer?¡± This was exactly what Chun Feng and Ye Yu wanted to ask. They asked in unison, ¡°That¡¯s right. What do you want so much money for?¡± Yu Niaoniao said vaguely, ¡°I¡¯m going to do something big and need a lot of money, but I can¡¯t let Duke Lang know for the time being.¡± Ye Yu seemed to have thought of something and immediately understood. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you really have an actor outside?¡± Chun Feng looked shocked. The Princess Consort asked Duke Lang to borrow money to support an actor. If Duke Lang found out, wouldn¡¯t he be angered to death? So much for killing people! Outside the door, Xiao Juan carried the freshly brewed medicine and was about to push open the door when he heard Chun Feng¡¯s low cry. He stopped involuntarily as his hand froze in midair. Although eavesdropping was immoral, morality was no longer in his mind. He just wanted to know how Niaoniao answered. Had she really kept an actor outside? Yu Niaoniao hurriedly denied it, ¡°Nonsense! I don¡¯t have an actor! Besides, with Duke Lang¡¯s looks and figure, could the actors outside compare to him? I must be blind to throw Duke Lang away and go out to look for other men!¡± Ye Yu hurriedly knelt down. ¡°I said something wrong. I deserve to die!¡± With that, she slapped herself hard. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Alright, get up. Don¡¯t say such things again.¡± Ye Yu stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t dare to talk nonsense again.¡± Chun Feng asked curiously, ¡°Then why do you want so much money? Are you buying something expensive?¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated again and again. Thinking that there was no one else here, she felt there was no harm in revealing some inside information, so she said to them, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± Seeing the two of them nod vigorously to ensure that it would not leak out, Yu Niaoniao continued, ¡°I actually wanted to prepare a surprise for Duke Lang.¡± Chun Feng became even more curious. ¡°What surprise?¡± Yu Niaoniao refused to say anything else. ¡°It won¡¯t be a surprise if I tell you everything.¡± Although Chun Feng and Ye Yu were desperate to know the answer, they tactfully did not continue to ask. Outside the door, Xiao Juan¡¯s mood was like a roller coaster that had experienced huge ups and downs. First, he was shocked and suspicious. Then he was pleasantly surprised. Then he was intensely curious. He really wanted to know what the surprise was. However. no matter what it was. as long as Niaoniao was still willing to snend the effort to prepare a surprise for him, it meant that she had him in her heart. As long as Niaoniao had him in her heart, it was more important than anything else! In the room, Yu Niaoniao was still thinking about how to earn money. Chun Feng quickly came up with another idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sell something? You have so much jewelry. You can earn a lot by selling a few.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t thought of this method? Every piece of jewelry I have has the mark of the Duke¡¯s Mansion. Do you believe that if I take the jewelry into the pawnshop now, the pawnshop will expose this matter to Duke Lang in the next moment?¡± Back then, she took Xiao Juan¡¯s jade pendant to the pawnshop to sell for money. In the end, the shopkeeper of the pawnshop personally came looking for her the next day. Not only did he return the jade pendant to her, but he also made this matter known to everyone in the city. It was enough to have learned such a lesson once. She didn¡¯t want to do it again. Ye Yu thought hard. ¡°What do you have that can be sold for money but won¡¯t be discovered to be from the Langjun Imperial Palace?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the two of them and suddenly smiled evilly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I sell you guys?¡± The two of them immediately turned pale with fear and knelt down in front of her, crying and pleading. ¡°Princess Consort, please spare us. Don¡¯t sell us!¡± Yu Niaoniao only wanted to joke with them. She did not expect them to take it seriously and hurriedly called them up. ¡°No, no. I wouldn¡¯t sell you guys even if I sold myself.¡± At this point, Yu Niaoniao seemed to have found a way to make money. She stroked her chin thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s right. I can sell myself.¡± Chun Feng and Ye Yu even forgot to cry and looked at her in a daze. What did the Princess Consort say? Was she going to sell herself? Was she crazy from poverty? Yu Niaoniao cleared her throat and began to talk nonsense in all seriousness. ¡°I¡¯ve already thought of the auction proposal. Listen. I¡¯m female and 80% new. I¡¯m in my prime.¡± ¡°The procedures are complete. And I¡¯m not injured at all. There is no need to top up money.¡± ¡°I will only need a catty of rice and two taels of meat to move a hundred miles. I¡¯m especially capable!¡± ¡°I could pick the soil in the fields, chop firewood in the mountains, cook, and do laundry.¡± ¡°If I have money, I would spend it. If I don¡¯t, I would stay at home.¡± ¡°You can bring me out. Whether you can bring me back depends on your ability. Interested parties are welcome to consult!¡± Xiao Juan, who was eavesdropping outside the door was speechless. She had even thought of the pitch. She really planned to sell herself! Chun Feng and Ye Yu were dumbfounded. They never expected the Princess Consort to think of this. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°How much do you think I can sell myself for?¡± Chun Feng spoke with difficulty. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°I want to joke, but my purse doesn¡¯t allow it. If I don¡¯t sell myself, what else can I sell?¡± Ye Yu hurriedly said, ¡°Can¡¯t you sell paintings?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her two claws. Seeing her round hands wrapped in gauze, Ye Yu was immediately speechless. Chun Feng had an idea. ¡°You can still sell recipes! Don¡¯t you usually think about all kinds of delicious food? Those delicacies can¡¯t be bought outside even if you have money. If you¡¯re willing to sell them, all the restaurants will definitely fight to buy them. ¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± It was much faster to earn money by selling recipes than by selling books. It was the best for emergencies. Chun Feng continued, ¡°Actually, if you can open your own restaurant, you¡¯ll definitely earn more money.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at her faintly. ¡°If I could afford a restaurant, would I need to think of a way to raise money?¡± Chun Feng was speechless. At this moment, there was a knock on the door and Xiao Juan¡¯s voice came in. ¡°Niaoniao, can I come in?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately glanced at Chun Feng and Ye Yu, indicating for them to shut their mouths and not talk nonsense. ¡°Come in.¡± The door was pushed open and Xiao Juan walked in with the medicine. Chun Feng and Ye Yu bowed to him. Seeing that he ignored them, they tactfully retreated.. Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: Ghost Ship Chapter 511: Ghost Ship Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After drinking the medicine, Yu Niaoniao was a little sleepy. Xiao Juan picked her up and placed her on the bed, covering her with a blanket. Yu Niaoniao closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. Xiao Juan looked at her quietly and wanted to ask what surprise she had prepared. If she was short of money, he could give it to her. But in the end, he resisted asking. Because he knew that once he asked, Niaoniao would definitely be unhappy. Xiao Juan reached out and gently pushed the loose hair away from her forehead. ¡°You went to so much trouble to prepare a surprise for me, which proves that you actually have me in your heart, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao was already asleep, so she naturally would not give any response. The merchant ship left the ford and moved gently along the river. It was peaceful for five days. On the sixth day, it suddenly rained, and the river rose. Wang Yue reminded everyone that there was a dangerous beach ahead and told them to be more careful. The river ahead narrowed, and the merchant ship slowed. But after the merchant ship turned a corner, the river suddenly became rapid. The boat swayed violently with the river. The wheelchair Yu Niaoniao was sitting in slid out. Fortunately, Xiao Juan quickly grabbed the wheelchair and prevented her from falling with it. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Yu Niaoniao gripped the armrest of the wheelchair tightly, still in shock. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±. She looked out the porthole. Both sides of the river were covered in rocky cliffs. Wind and rain poured in through the window. Chun Feng and Ye Yu hurriedly closed the window. The waves hit the boat with a violent sound. The boatmen shouted in unison as they paddled desperately. The captain gripped the steering wheel tightly and tried his best to control the direction of the merchant ship, careful to avoid the hidden reefs hidden under the river. The merchant ship rocked harder. Wang Yue gripped the rope tightly and swayed along the ship. The rain soaked him, but he didn¡¯t even have time to wipe his face. Because he realized that the merchant ship was moving away from its predetermined route. If he followed this direction, the hull would definitely hit the rock wall on the shore. He cried out in fear. ¡°We¡¯re going to hit it. Turn around!¡± The captain spun the wheel hard, but it was useless. He roared into the wind and rain. ¡°The wind is too strong today. The boat is out of control!¡± Xiao Juan realized that something was wrong and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Stay in the room. I¡¯ll take a look outside.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Juan left in a hurry. Chun Feng and Ye Yu gripped the wheelchair under Yu Niaoniao tightly to prevent her from sliding out again. When Xiao Juan ran to the deck, he realized that Wei Liao, Yan Nanguan, and Lo Pingsha were also there. The wind and rain hit them in the face, wetting their clothes. But no one cared about that now. They focused all their attention ahead. There was a rock wall ahead. If the merchant ship continued forward, it would quickly bump into it. In that case, the entire ship would be finished! The captain roared at the top of his lungs, urging the boatmen to work harder. However, even though the boatmen tried their best, there was still little effect. Xiao Juan made a prompt decision and ordered the Eagle Guards to join the rowers and help them row the boat. At this critical moment, Wei Liao did not say anything else. He asked the Sky Wolf Guards to help. With the help of so many people, the merchant ship finally slowed down. However, at this moment, the wind and rain suddenly became stronger. The river kicked up huge waves with the wind. The water hit the deck, and the ship shook violently. The people on the deck were almost thrown out. The captain shouted, ¡°Put down all the sails!¡± After asking for the location of the sail, Xiao Juan immediately used his Qinggong and flew up the pole. He gripped the long pole with one hand and untied the rope with the other. Whoosh! The sail suddenly fell. Lo Pingsha and Yan Nanguan caught the rope below and tied it firmly to the earth hook. At the same time, Wei Liao used his Qinggong to fly to another pole and lower the sail. After all the sails were lowered, the ship finally stabilized. The rain was still falling. and the wind had not stopped- However, after everyone worked together, the merchant ship had changed direction and returned to its predetermined route. Seeing this, Wang Yue heaved a long sigh of relief. He had finally escaped death. He had never been so glad before. Fortunately, he had invited Duke Lang and the others to board the ship. Otherwise, they would definitely not be able to escape today. However, before Wang Yue could relax for long, he suddenly heard someone shout. ¡°Look, there¡¯s a ship ahead!¡± Wang Yue was shocked. The only ships that would appear here at a time like this were those pirates. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the pirates are here to rob us?¡± He raised his hand to wipe the water off his face and looked ahead with wide eyes. Through the wind and rain, he saw a small ship floating ahead. From the size of the ship, even if there were really pirates on it, there were definitely not many people. There was nothing to fear. There were still so many Eagle Guards and Sky Wolf Guards behind Wang Yue. He immediately felt confident and turned to ask Xiao Juan. ¡°Your Highness, what do you think we should do?¡± Xiao Juan also saw the small ship and casually replied, ¡°Let¡¯s lean over and take a look.¡± If they were really pirates, he did not mind getting rid of them for the people. The merchant ship slowly approached the small ship. Coincidentally, the wind and rain were much lighter now. Without the impediment of the rain, not only did the merchant ship stabilize, but everyone¡¯s vision became much clearer. Wang Yue craned his neck to look over, but there was no one on the small ship. He was surprised. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there anyone?¡± The ship often went back and forth along this river. He remembered the rumors he had heard and his expression changed. ¡°This can¡¯t be a ghost ship, right?¡± Wang Yue was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. How can there be ghosts in broad daylight?!¡± The captain¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I heard that the ghost ship appears in storms like this. Anyone who sees it will suffer.¡± Hearing his vivid description, Wang Yue was even more afraid. Wang Yue trembled as he said to Xiao Juan. ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t we leave that ship alone?¡± Even if there were many Eagle Guards and Heavenly Wolf Guards on their ship, it was impossible for them to defeat ghosts! Xiao Juan did not believe that there were ghosts in this world. He asked Yan Nanguan to take a few people to see what was going on with that small ship. Yan Nanguan immediately accepted the order and left. There was a spare small boat in the storage area under the merchant ship. Yan Nanguan left in a small boat with a few Eagle Guards. The captain reached into his pocket and took out the amulet. He pressed it tightly to his heart and kept muttering Amitabha, praying for Buddha¡¯s blessing. Wang Yue was scared to death, but he could not help but look at the small ship. The more he looked at it, the stranger he found it. Perhaps it was really the ghost ship that was rumored to bring misfortune to people! Not long after, Yan Nanguan returned with the Eagle Guards. He was holding a blood-stained arrow. ¡°There¡¯s indeed no one on that ship, but there¡¯s a lot of blood. I brought this arrow back from that ship..¡± Chapter 512 - Chapter 512: Jade Bracelet Chapter 512: Jade Bracelet Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan took the arrow and looked at it. His expression changed slightly. Wei Liao also saw the arrow and could not help but frown. ¡°The standard of this arrow is very similar to the arrows in the army.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s just a resemblance.¡± Wei Liao took a closer look and realized that this arrow was actually a little different from the ones in the army. He pressed, ¡°Did you find anything else?¡± Yan Nanguan said, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of money hidden on the ship. We checked and found that the money should have been plundered by the pirates. In other words, that ship was indeed owned by the pirates.¡± Wang Yue could not help but interrupt. ¡°Could that group of pirates have been retaliated against by their enemies? They rob passing merchant ships for a living. People like them must have a lot of enemies.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the arrow in his hand and said slowly. ¡°Someone who can use such an arrow must not be an ordinary person.¡± Wei Liao continued. ¡°The other party only kills and doesn¡¯t want property. This means that they don¡¯t care about that money at all. How could a group of pirates provoke such a powerful enemy? Could it be that not only did they rob merchant ships, but they also robbed official ships?¡± Wang Yue immediately shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. These pirates aren¡¯t crazy. How would they dare to rob an official¡¯s ship? If they dared to attack the official ship, the Imperial Court would have sent troops to destroy them long ago.¡± Lo Pingsha said thoughtfully, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. If it¡¯s really for revenge, they just have to kill them. But what about the corpses? Why isn¡¯t there anyone on the boat?¡± Wei Liao laughed softly. ¡°This is getting more and more interesting.¡± Wang Yue did not find it interesting at all. He rubbed his arms, looking afraid. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me those who were once killed by them turned into malicious ghosts to take revenge on them?¡± Yan Nanguan was speechless. ¡°With your imagination, it¡¯s a pity not to write a storybook. ¡± Wei Liao suggested, ¡°Those pirates often move around this area, which means their nest should be nearby. Why don¡¯t we look for their nest?¡± Wang Yue shouted in fear. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, right? Can¡¯t we pretend that nothing happened? Anyway, those pirates are not good people. They deserve to die. Leave them alone. Xiao Juan did not care about the lives of the pirates, but he cared very much about the origin of this arrow. The person who could create such an arrow was very likely related to the military. He made a quick decision. ¡°Investigate.¡± Wang Yue was extremely unwilling, but Duke Lang¡¯s status and reputation could not be disregarded, so he did not dare to disobey. The merchant ship slowed and searched along the riverbank. In the end, they really found traces left behind by the pirates. There was a small jetty by the river. Because it was blocked by trees, one would not notice its existence unless one looked closely. The reason why they could set up a jetty in such a remote place was most likely to make it easier for the pirates to rob. Yan Nanguan brought the Eagle Guards close to the jetty in a small boat and ashore from that jetty. The others stayed on the boat and waited. Everyone waited for a long time before Yan Nanguan and the others returned. Yan Nanguan¡¯s expression was ugly. ¡°Your Highness, we found the nest of the pirates, but they¡¯re all dead. Their corpses and houses were burned clean, leaving no one alive.¡± Wei Liao became even more interested and planned to go ashore personally to take a look. Xiao Juan also decided to go to the event location to take a look. The boat set off again. Xiao Juan and Wei Liao went ashore from the small jetty. They walked along the mountain path and found the vegetation by the roadside stained with blood. On closer inspection, he could see streaks of blood on the ground. They must have been marks left behind when the bodies were dragged. Wei Liao clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk tsk, it¡¯s fine if they kill people, but they have to drag the corpses back and burn them. These people have a strange hobby.¡± When they found the village where the pirates lived, they saw that it was charred. The entire village had been burned to ruins. Peeling open the collapsed beam, he could see the charred corpse that had been burned beyond recognition. These charred corpses were all gathered in one place. This meant that after those people killed the pirates, they specially dragged the corpses here and burned them. Wei Liao stroked his chin. ¡°Why would they do that?¡± Xiao Juan looked at the ruins in front of him and was silent for a long time before saying. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s to make it easier to count.¡± Wei Liao understood. ¡°That¡¯s right. With so many pirates and their families, there must be a lot of them. In order to prevent anyone from escaping, those people will definitely count the number of corpses.¡± He praised Xiao Juan for once. ¡°As expected of Duke Lang. He¡¯s so good at guessing the hearts of murderers.¡± Xiao Juan ignored this guy¡¯s sarcasm. His gaze lingered on one of the charred corpses for a long time. He realized that the charred corpse¡¯s right hand was clenched into a fist. He could vaguely see a little green between its fingers. It was like he was holding something in his hand. Xiao Juan walked over. He pried open tne cnarred corpse¡¯s nngers Witn tne NO Return saber, and an emerald jade bracelet rolled to the ground. Xiao Juan wrapped the bracelet in a handkerchief and picked it up. At this moment, Wei Liao came over. ¡°The texture is transparent and clear, and the color is bright and green. It¡¯s good stuff!¡± Xiao Juan turned the bracelet around and his gaze stopped on the inside of it. His eyes narrowed slightly. Wei Liao immediately asked, ¡°What did you find?¡± He reached out to take the bracelet and look at it. However, Xiao Juan avoided his hand, wrapped the bracelet, and put it in his sleeve. ¡°Nothing. Go back.¡± Wei Liao was very dissatisfied. ¡°Hey, you clearly found a clue. Why didn¡¯t you tell me? You can¡¯t be so selfish and petty!¡± Xiao Juan could not be bothered with him. He squatted down and checked the charred corpse in front of him. Male, medium build. Cause of death was an arrow pierced through the heart. Because the corpse was burned too badly, Xiao Juan could only take note of this for the time being. He instructed the Eagle Guards behind him. ¡°Take this body back.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± The Eagle Guards made a simple stretcher out of tree branches at the event location and carried the male charred corpse down the mountain. Seeing that they had finally returned, Wang Yue heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to urge them to leave this troublesome place quickly, he saw that the Eagle Guards had actually carried back a charred corpse! Wang Yue gasped in fear and almost fainted. ¡°W-w-w-why did you bring this back? Throw it off the boat!¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°This is important physical evidence. You can¡¯t throw it away.¡± With that, he ignored the anxious and afraid Wang Yue and turned to instruct Lo Pingsha. ¡°I¡¯ll let you examine this body. Give me a result as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± Then, Xiao Juan walked straight to the cabin. Wang Yue shouted impatiently, ¡°Set sail, quickly!¡± The merchant ship set sail again. After leaving the small jetty, it continued along the original route. In the guest room, Niaoniao heaved a long sigh of relief when she saw that Xiao Juan had returned safely. Yu Niaoniao asked why the boat was stopped. Xiao Juan told her about the pirates¡¯ murder and took out the jade bracelet wrapped in a handkerchief from his sleeve. ¡°This isn¡¯t an ordinary bracelet. It came from the palace..¡± Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: To Split Hairs Chapter 513: To Split Hairs Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was very curious. ¡°Why is something from the palace in the hands of the pirates?¡± This was also something Xiao Juan could not figure out. Yu Niaoniao took the bracelet from him and took a closer look at the sunlight outside the window. The more she looked at it, the more familiar it looked. Seeing her strange expression, Xiao Juan could not help but ask. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yu Niaoniao stared at the bracelet and tried her best to search her memory. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen this bracelet somewhere. Where is it¡­ ¡°Ah, right!¡± ¡°I remember now. My mother has an emerald bracelet that looks very similar to this bracelet!¡± Xiao Juan looked surprised. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at the pattern on the inside of the bracelet and said. ¡°My mother¡¯s bracelet also has this pattern on the inside. She usually treasured this bracelet and usually did not take it out. She would only take it out to wear it on very important occasions. ¡°She even told me that she wanted to leave that jade bracelet for me as a dowry. I couldn¡¯t have remembered wrongly.¡± Xiao Juan said thoughtfully, ¡°All the jewelry in the palace will be marked. The pattern on the inside of this bracelet is the mark. If the bracelet in your mother¡¯s possesion had this pattern, it meant that the bracelet in her hand also came from the palace. But why does your mother have something from the palace?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°That bracelet was given to her by my stepfather. He said it was the Feng family¡¯s heirloom.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of your stepfather and have sent someone to investigate him. Someone from the Feng family¡¯s ancestors once became an official in the court, but their official positions were not high. It¡¯s unlikely that they would be rewarded by the emperor.¡± The two of them looked at the jade bracelet in their hands and felt that there was something fishy about its origins. Xiao Juan put away the bracelet. ¡°Everything in the palace is recorded. When we return to the Imperial Capital, I¡¯ll go to the palace to investigate the origin of this bracelet.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± After the merchant ship left the dangerous beach, it drove even more steadily. The rain outside the window gradually stopped. In the evening, Lo Pingsha came to look for Xiao Juan. ¡°The autopsy results are back. The victim is a man, probably in his fifties. He was thin. He suffered from a variety of illnesses when he was alive. He had rheumatism and the joints in his knees were swollen. He should have felt terrible on a rainy day. His lungs were also a little swollen. It was a congenital lung disease. He should have coughed often when he was alive. The cause of death was obvious. An arrow pierced his heart and he died on the spot. He died quickly and barely experienced pain.¡± Xiao Juan listened quietly and asked. ¡°Is that all?¡± Lo Pingsha hesitated before speaking. ¡°There¡¯s something else. The joints of his right wrist and fingers are slightly deformed. His cervical vertebrae are also slightly bent, as if caused by prolonged writing. But that¡¯s just my guess. The body was burned too badly. I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s true.¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°I understand. It¡¯s been hard on you. Go rest.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± Xiao Juan returned to the guest room and told Niaoniao the autopsy results. Yu Niaoniao became even more curious. ¡°What kind of person writes for a long time? A teacher? A scholar? Or someone like me who earns money hi hilhli.shing hooks? Bilt either way. they must be cultured. Why would a cultured person appear in a pirate village?¡± These days, scholars were very precious. Even if they were short of money, they could be private teachers for rich people or take in a few farmers¡¯ disciples as students. If they really couldn¡¯t, they could be accountants. They wouldn¡¯t be reduced to becoming pirates. Xiao Juan said slowly, ¡°If we can find out the background of the jade bracelet, we might be able to find out the identity of the deceased.¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°That¡¯s all we can do now.¡± After dinner, Xiao Juan wiped Niaoniao¡¯s face and changed her dressing. When they were done, they lay on the bed together. Usually, Niaoniao would fall asleep almost as soon as she touched the pillow, but tonight, she opened her eyes and looked straight at the top of the bed. She did not fall asleep for a long time. Xiao Juan sensed her abnormality and took the initiative to ask. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± In the silent night, his voice was exceptionally deep. Coupled with the sound of the waves outside, it was especially reassuring. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about the jade bracelet. Could the deaths of my mother and stepfather have something to do with that bracelet?¡± Xiao Juan could not answer this question. Yu Niaoniao muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of anything wrong with that bracelet before. If you hadn¡¯t happened to find this bracelet today, perhaps I wouldn¡¯t have thought of it for the rest of my life. Were there many other clues like this? But I ignored them. To think that I claim to have a photographic memory. I¡¯m actually a bad judge of character, right?¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t say that about yourself. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Perhaps you¡¯re just thinking too much. That bracelet has nothing to do with your mother¡¯s death.¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to comfort me. I¡¯m too useless. I haven¡¯t been able to find any useful clues that made my mother and stepfather die with grievances. That¡¯s why they¡¯re guiding us to find this bracelet.¡± Xiao Juan pulled her into his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t split hairs to go down a dead end. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± He realized that although Niaoniao usually looked optimistic and open-minded; it was as if there was nothing in the world that could defeat her. However, as long as it involved Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s deaths, it was very easy for Niaoniao to lose her mind. In the end, it was because she cared too much. Yu Niaoniao leaned into Xiao Juan¡¯s arms and only calmed down after a long time. She nuzzled the lapel of his shirt. ¡°I want to go back to Bashu.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°When I return to the Imperial Capital this time and settle what I¡¯m doing, I¡¯ll accompany you back to Bashu.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± Xiao Juan hugged her tighter. ¡°Yes.¡± Ten days later, the merchant ship successfully arrived at the crossing of Daqian City. After Xiao Juan and the others landed, they bade farewell to Wang Yue. When the local county magistrate learned that Duke Lang was here, he personally brought a group of officials to welcome him and warmly invited them to drink and eat. Xiao Juan refused their banquet and mentioned the destruction of the pirates. He asked tne county magistrate to send someone to tne pirates¡¯ village to deal with the follow-up matters. The county magistrate naturally agreed. Those pirates had always been his greatest worry, but because the cunning pirates were extremely good at swimming and were very familiar with the terrain, he could not capture them at all with the few people in the county office, Now that the group of pirates was dead, the county magistrate was very happy. At the end of the year, these would be his achievements! Because of this, the county magistrate became even more enthusiastic about Duke Lang and the others. He sent them all the way to the courier station and got someone to pack food from the best restaurant in the area and send it to the courier station. If not for the fact that he was afraid that Duke Lang would be unhappy, he would have stuffed himself into the courier station to stay. At night, Xiao Juan removed the gauze and changed the dressing for Niaoniao as usual. The wounds on her body had scabbed over. In places, the scabs began to fall off. For the time being, she was recovering very well.. Chapter 514 - Chapter 514: Returning to the Capital Chapter 514: Returning to the Capital Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After two months of traveling, Xiao Juan and the others finally returned to the Imperial Capital. At this moment, the gauze on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s body had been removed, but because the scar was still there, she could only cover her face with a veil. When she jumped out of the carriage and looked at the familiar door of the Langjun Imperial Palace, she immediately felt as if her feet had finally stepped on the ground. Home was the best! Granny Xiu Yan brought the servants out to welcome them. As soon as she saw Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao, her eyes could not help but turn red. ¡°You¡¯re finally back. Ever since you left, I haven¡¯t slept well. I¡¯m worried sick every day, afraid that something would happen to you outside. Fortunately, God bless you. You¡¯re all back safely.¡± Yu Niaoniao went forward and hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all fine!¡± Granny Xiu Yan looked her up and down and said the classic saying of an elder ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight!¡± Yu Niaoniao was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. I¡¯ve become even slimmer!¡± Granny Xiu Yan was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°Why do you need to be so slender? It¡¯s better for a girl to be fat. It means she¡¯s lucky.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her chin. ¡°But a slender figure looks good in clothes!¡± Granny Xiu Yan looked like she was helpless against Yu Niaoniao. The servants began to move the luggage. Yu Niaoniao held Xiao Juan¡¯s hand and walked into the Langjun Imperial Palace. Granny Xiu Yan looked at the two of them holding hands and could not help but purse her lips and smile. It seemed that the couple had reconciled again! Xiao Juan had just sat down and had yet to take a sip of water when someone from the palace came. They said that the emperor had summoned Duke Lang. Xiao Juan could only immediately get up and ride straight to the palace. Before he left, he did not forget to remind Niaoniao that he would definitely be back late tonight and asked her to have dinner first. She did not have to wait for him. Granny Xiu Yan asked as she served tea to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want the kitchen to get you something to eat?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No, I ate on the way. I¡¯m still full.¡± In order to make it easier to drink water, she had no choice but to take off the veil on her face. Granny Xiu Yan was shocked to see the scar on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± She was originally a pretty young lady with fair skin. Now, there were two reddish-brown scars on her face. They were especially obvious. Yu Niaoniao took a sip of water before explaining. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. These are scars from the burns. Little Lo prescribed me medicine to remove the scar. I have to use it every day. The scar will be gone after a while.¡± Granny Xiu Yan became even more nervous. ¡°Burns? How did you get burned? Are there any other burns on your body? Are they serious?¡± Yu Niaoniao said casually, ¡°There are still a few burns on her body, but they¡¯ve all healed. There are only scars.¡± Her tone was very relaxed as if she was talking about the weather, but Granny Xiu Yan was terrified. Those were burns. If she was not careful, she would die! Granny Xiu Yan asked, ¡°Are you really fine? Do you want Duke Lang to get the imperial physician in the palace to take a look at you?¡± Yu Niaoniao rolled up her sleeves, revealing the scar on her arm. ¡°Look, they¡¯re really all better. Little Lots medical skills are very good. He¡¯s not inferior to the imperial physicians in the palace. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Granny Xiu Yan¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Looking at the size of this scar, you must have been seriously injured. It must have hurt a lot at that time, right? Seriously, why didn¡¯t he protect you well? He made you suffer so much.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately said. ¡°It has nothing to do with Duke Lang. It was all an accident.¡± In order to prevent Granny Xiu Yan from continuing to be sad about this matter, Yu Niaoniao quickly changed the topic. ¡°I¡¯m going to change. I have to go out and do something later.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly said, ¡°Where are you going? Do you want a carriage?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just ride Gray.¡± She returned to the bedroom, changed into a light dress, and rode the donkey out of the Langjun Imperial Palace. Yu Niaoniao arrived at the dilapidated small courtyard rented by Qirui Opera Troupe. The courtyard door was still the same, but everyone in the courtyard had moved away. She asked the family next door and found out that Qirui Opera Troupe had moved to Jasmine Street. They had rented a new garden there and named it Qirui Garden. Yu Niaoniao rode the donkey and continued on her way. As she asked around, she searched and finally found Qirui Garden. The gate to the garden was closed. The plaque above the gate was still covered in red cloth. It didn¡¯t look like it had officially opened. She stepped forward and knocked. Soon the door was pulled open from the inside and Liu Sixing¡¯s head poked out from behind it. She originally wanted to tell the people outside that the theater had not opened for business yet and let them come back after a while, but she did not expect to see a familiar pair of eyes. Although the other party¡¯s face was covered by a veil, Liu Sixing recognized her at a glance. ¡°Boss!¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Long time no see. I¡¯m back.¡± Liu Sixing sized her up in surprise. ¡°So you¡¯re a woman too!¡± Previously, when she saw her, she was dressed as a man and looked quite handsome. Unexpectedly, she was a slender little girl. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Wearing men¡¯s clothes was for convenience.¡± Liu Sixing gave her an understanding look. ¡°That¡¯s right. Usually, if I go out to do something, I¡¯ll change into men¡¯s clothes for convenience.¡± She opened the door completely and welcomed Yu Niaoniao in enthusiastically. Yu Niaoniao looked around as she walked. The garden was a little larger than she had expected. The tables and chairs were arranged in an orderly manner. There was also a small pool beside it. There were carps raised in it. Coupled with the banana leaves in the corner, it looked quite elegant. On the stage, Ye Yin was acting with someone. The two of them walked back and forth on the beat, babbling and singing opera words. Liu Qirui was sitting below and watching. He was so engrossed in watching that he didn¡¯t notice anyone enter. He didn¡¯t come back to his senses until Liu Sixing called out to him. Liu Qirui turned around and saw Yu Niaoniao. He was stunned for a moment before reacting. ¡°Are you the owner?¡± Liu Sixing whispered to him, ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss. The boss is a woman to begin with. She wore men¡¯s clothes for convenience.¡± Liu Qirui was indeed very surprised. He did not expect his boss, who was so generous, swift, and business-minded, to be a woman. At his age, he had experienced ups and downs and had seen countless people, but he had never seen a woman like Yu Niaoniao. Liu Sixing warmly invited Yu Niaoniao to sit down and poured her a cup of tea. Yu Niaoniao looked at the teacup and smiled. ¡°There are tea leaves this time. It¡¯s finally not cold.¡± Liu Sixing was very embarrassed. ¡°Previously, we didn¡¯t have money and couldn¡¯t afford tea leaves. We could only greet you with cold water.¡± Yu Niaoniao took a sip of tea. ¡°This tea is not bad. Where did you buy it?¡± Liu Qirui answered honestly, ¡°This is from your sister. She said that there are many tea leaves at home that they can¡¯t finish, so she sent some over, in case we can¡¯t even bring out a decent cup of tea when we entertain guests.¡± Towards the end, the honest man blushed, looking embarrassed. Yu Niaoniao put down her teacup. ¡°Since she gave it to you, just accept it.. By the way, how¡¯s the new scene going? Chapter 515 - Chapter 515: To Puff Oneself Up at One鈥檚 Own Cost Chapter 515: To Puff Oneself Up at One¡¯s Own Cost At the mention of the rehearsal, Liu Qirui immediately perked up. He changed from his embarrassment and said excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s all been set up. We¡¯ve been rehearsing for the past few days. This is a lyric book I wrote myself. What do you think?¡± Yu Niaoniao took the lyrics book and flipped through it. Even though she did not understand opera, she felt that these words were very exciting. This made her look forward to the entire show even more. ¡°Not bad. You wrote well. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so talented.¡± In his field of expertise, Liu Qirui appeared very confident. ¡°I studied for a few years when I was young. Although I didn¡¯t get a scholarship, I gained a lot from writing lyrics and composing.¡± Liu Sixing suggested, ¡°Since the boss is here, why don¡¯t you sit down and watch us rehearse? You can give us some pointers.¡± Yu Niaoniao had the same intention and agreed immediately. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to give you pointers. I¡¯ll just take it as joining in the fun.¡± Liu Sixing immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go dress up now.¡± Yu Niaoniao was quite surprised. ¡°You can act too?¡± Liu Sixing chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled everywhere with my father since I was young and spent every day in the theater. I¡¯ve learned a lot from you. If I don¡¯t sing well, I hope you can forgive me.¡± Under Liu Qirui¡¯s arrangements, the curtain was pulled open, revealing that the background was not the usual big white cloth, but a background map depicting mountains and rivers. Not only that, but there were also many mountain rocks, flowers, and trees on the stage. This made the audience know at a glance that the story happened on the mountain path. Accompanied by the drumbeat, Duke Lang, played by Ye Yin, appeared on the stage with his subordinates. Because it was just a rehearsal, he was not wearing a full outfit. He had only painted his face. Fortunately, he was handsome, to begin with, and this made him look elegant. Then, the Princess Consort played by Liu Sixing appeared and helped Ye Yin capture human traffickers to fight with the spies. Their movements were beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Especially when the actors playing the rebels went on stage and fought the couple, the drums and gongs became even more intense and hurried. Red flames appeared in the background behind them, and smoke overflowed from both sides of the stage. It was as if they were really on the battlefield. Yu Niaoniao felt extremely immersed in the audience. Her heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster and her palms sweat. When all the bad people fell, the two protagonists won a complete victory. The background was changed to a prosperous street market. The kidnapped women were reunited with their families and cried tears of joy. The commoners cheered. The curtain fell, and the play came to an end. Due to the limited time, they could only act for this part, but it was already enough to satisfy Yu Niaoniao. Whether it was the actors¡¯ singing voice, their control of the rhythm, or the art design of the stage, they were all very good. Yu Niaoniao praised sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s well arranged. When do you plan to officially stage it?¡± After receiving the approval of their boss, Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing were very happy. Liu Sixing jumped down from the stage happily and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve chosen a few days and were waiting for you to come back and make a decision.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Oh?¡± They chose a total of three days. They were three days later, ten days later, and the sixth of next month. Yu Niaoniao thought for a moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t three days too rushed?¡± Liu Qirui said, ¡°No, we¡¯ve prepared everything we should. We can hold the opening ceremony at any time.¡± Yu Niaoniao naturally hoped to let the new scene play out quickly, so she made a decision on the spot. ¡°In three days, then.¡± Liu Qirui said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll hold the opening ceremony in three days. Boss, you must be there on time. At that time, you¡¯ll have to host the opening ceremony.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for me to show my face in front of others. You can host the opening ceremony.¡± Liu Qirui nodded obediently. ¡°Then I¡¯ll accept it respectfully and take the limelight for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯ve spent most of the money I left, right?¡± Liu Qirui was a little embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s indeed finished.¡± Liu Sixing knew her father¡¯s personality. He was not good with words. In order not to be misunderstood, Liu Sixing quickly explained on behalf of her father. ¡°We¡¯re already doing our best to save money. However, just renting this garden cost two thousand taels of silver.¡¯ ¡°In addition, we had to buy costumes and props and hire waiters and musicians. The silver poured out like water¡± ¡°Now, in order to save money, we only eat two breakfasts a day, each with steamed buns and pickles. We haven¡¯t seen meat in five months.¡± The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became. Her voice lowered. Liu Qirui secretly tugged at his daughter a few times to stop, but it was useless. She still said everything she wanted to say. He was so embarrassed that he did not know what to do. He said dryly, ¡°Boss, Sixing isn¡¯t complaining to you. Don¡¯t be angry. Anyway, the garden will open in two days. At that time, with income, our lives will be better.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not angry. She also knew that it was very expensive to support such a large opera troupe. It was not easy for them to last with three thousand taels until now. Yu Niaoniao took out a silver ingot from her purse and placed it on the table. ¡°It takes a lot of effort for you to rehearse. You can¡¯t just eat two meals a day. Take this money to buy some rice, grains, and vegetables.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not feasible to be extravagant, but you cannot save what needs to be spent. Don¡¯t worry, I still have money here. I won¡¯t starve you.¡± Liu Qirui hurriedly declined. ¡°How can that do? How can I let you spend money again?¡± Liu Sixing looked at Yu Niaoniao with stars in her eyes. They were both women. How could the boss be so generous?! She really hoped to become a woman who kept her word like her boss. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Alright, there¡¯s still a long way to go. There¡¯s no need to be so polite to me. Continue working. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Seeing that she was about to get up and leave, the Liu father and daughter hurriedly asked her to stay. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for a meal before leaving?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°I eat a lot. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll eat all the food you have left.¡± With that, she walked out. Seeing that they could not stop her, the Liu father and daughter could only send her out. After leaving Qirui Garden, Yu Niaoniao rode the donkey back the way she had come. She let out a long sigh, very worried. Just now, she had acted especially generous in front of the Liu father and daughter, as if she really had an endless mountain of gold and silver in her hands, but in fact, she did not have many taels of silver left in her pocket. She had to deliberately to puff herself up at her own cost so that the Liu father and daughter could hold the opening ceremony more thoughtfully. She touched her shriveled purse. She was poor now. She had to earn money quickly. After returning to the Langjun Imperial Palace, Yu Niaoniao plunged into the study and began to write furiously, penning down all the recipes she remembered. She did not come out of the study until it was dark. In the end, it was only when Granny Xiu Yan personally brought dinner to the study that she felt hungry belatedly. She finished her meal quickly and returned to writing the recipe. Writing a few more recipes would earn him more money. For a small sum of money, charge! Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: Second Time Chapter 516: Second Time After Xiao Juan entered the palace, he met the emperor. The emperor was in a better state than the rumors said. Although he was sick in bed and needed someone to serve him, at least his mind was clear and he looked in good spirits. He listened to Xiao Juan recount the entire journey to Liangzhou from beginning to end. The content was almost the same as what Wei Liao had said. The old emperor sat on the bed and spoke very slowly, with the unique bearing of an old person. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ni Yang to do such a thing. She really disappointed me. Fortunately, you didn¡¯t collude with her. You¡¯re still a good child and didn¡¯t let me down.¡± Xiao Juan said respectfully, ¡°It¡¯s my duty to be loyal and patriotic.¡± The old emperor said, ¡°You¡¯ve contributed to the quelling of the rebellion this time. Tell me, what reward do you want?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I want a three-month vacation.¡± The old emperor was surprised. ¡°Why do you need such a long vacation?¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes, looking a little sad. ¡°Although Mother made a huge mistake, she¡¯s still my biological mother. I feel terrible and want to take a break.¡± The old emperor sighed. ¡°This is all Ni Yang¡¯s fault. She implicated you and made you suffer with her. I¡¯ll listen to you and let you rest for three months to relax.¡± Xiao Juan bowed and thanked him. ¡°Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty.¡± The old emperor said, ¡°In addition, I¡¯ll reward you with a thousand taels of gold and a hundred pieces of satin.¡± Xiao Juan thanked him again. Just saying these words made the old emperor look tired. Xiao Juan tactfully bade farewell and left. After walking out of the bedroom, he did not go straight home. Instead, he took a detour to the Internal Affairs Division. When the eunuch in charge of the Internal Affairs Division saw Duke Lang arrive, he hurriedly knelt down and bowed in fear. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. May I know why Your Highness has suddenly come?¡± Xiao Juan took out the jade bracelet wrapped in a silk handkerchief from his sleeve and said in a low voice. ¡°Help me investigate the origins of this bracelet.¡± The eunuch in charge took the bracelet with both hands and looked at it carefully. ¡°This is indeed something from the palace, but it should be an old item from many years ago. Why is it in His Highness¡¯s hands?¡± Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t ask too much about things you shouldn¡¯t.¡± The eunuch in charge shrank back, afraid to say anything else. Although he was quite old, his memory was really good. He quickly found the relevant records of the jade bracelet in a large pile of books. ¡°This bracelet was gifted by the Persian country fifty years ago. Later, it was given to Imperial Concubine Meng by Emperor Ren. Ever since then, this bracelet has never appeared again. I remember that there was a pair. Why is there only one left? Where¡¯s the other?¡± Xiao Juan ignored the eunuch in charge¡¯s question and asked in a low voice. ¡°Where¡¯s Imperial Concubine Meng?¡± The eunuch in charge extended a finger and pointed at the sky. ¡°She¡¯s long dead. If she was still alive, she would be a hundred years old now.¡± Xiao Juan asked again, ¡°Does she have descendants?¡± The eunuch in charge shook his head. ¡°No, Imperial Concubine Meng is a very good person. She¡¯s famous for her good temper in the palace. Unfortunately, she has no children in her life and doesn¡¯t even have a princess.¡± Xiao Juan did not ask further. He put away the jade bracelet and instructed. ¡°I don¡¯t want a third person to know what you just told me.¡± The eunuch in charge hurriedly replied, ¡°I understand.¡± He watched Duke Lang leave. After confirming that he was gone, the eunuch in charge immediately left the Internal Affairs Division and rushed to find Wei Huai¡¯en. He told Wei Huai¡¯en about Duke Lang¡¯s investigation of the jade bracelet. Wei Huai¡¯en did not understand. ¡°Why would he investigate the origins of a bracelet?¡± The eunuch in charge shook his head. ¡°He didn¡¯t say. I don¡¯t know.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en waved his hand to dismiss the eunuch in charge and ordered someone to call Wei Liao over. ¡°Father, why have you summoned me?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°When you followed Duke Lang to Liangzhou, did you see a jade bracelet in his hand?¡± Wei Liao nodded without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it.¡± Then, he explained the discovery of the jade bracelet. ¡°At that time, I wanted to see the bracelet, but Duke Lang wouldn¡¯t let me. From the looks of it, he must have discovered something unusual about the bracelet.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en was thoughtful. ¡°Why would a pirate have something from the palace? Where¡¯s the corpse of the bandit?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Duke Lang took it away. It should be in the Justice Department now.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en stopped asking. Because he knew that as long as the corpse entered the Justice Department, it was Impossible tor mm to toucn It again. Wei Liao asked curiously, ¡°Is that bracelet really from the palace?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°That¡¯s what Emperor Ren rewarded Imperial Concubine Meng, but Imperial Concubine Meng has been dead for many years. Why would her things appear in the hands of a pirate? And why is Duke Lang so concerned about this matter? This matter is too strange. You have to keep an eye on it.¡± Wei Liao nodded. ¡°I will.¡± After getting down to business, Wei Huai¡¯en softened his tone and chatted with him. ¡°You look a lot tanned after being out for a long time. You must have suffered a lot along the way, right?¡± Wei Liao smiled casually. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I think it¡¯s good to go out and broaden my horizons.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°I heard that there was a scandal between you and the Princess Consort of Lang County. Your relationship with her is unclear. Is this true?¡± Wei Liao denied it without hesitation. ¡°No, those are just rumors.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en stared at him. ¡°If you say no, then I¡¯ll take your word for it. But I still want to ask you. Do you really not have any thoughts about Yu Niaoniao?¡± Wei Liao pretended to smile casually. ¡°This is the second time you¡¯ve asked me.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Is your answer the same as last time?¡± Wei Liao opened his mouth to say yes, but Yu Niaoniao¡¯s bright smile suddenly appeared in his mind. He suddenly could not say the words on the tip of his tongue. He just stood there in silence. Wei Huai En frowned slightly. ¡°You should know that you don¡¯t walk on the same paths.¡± Wei Liao was still silent. Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Go back first. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll assign you an errand. I¡¯ll let you leave the Imperial Capital for a while and come back when you have calm down.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± After bidding farewell to his adoptive father, Wei Liao walked out of the palace alone. There were high palace walls on both sides and flat and hard white marble ground under their feet. He looked ahead, still thinking about what his adoptive father had just said. His father asked him what he thought of Yu Niaoniao. He did not think he could have any thoughts about Yu Niaoniao. At that moment, he was so overwhelmed that he could not deny it. Could it be that he really liked Yu Niaoniao? That was impossible. She was not his type at all! There must be a mistake somewhere! His father was right. He had to calm down. Wei Liao clenched his fists and silently told himself that when he calmed down, he would know that it was impossible for him to have feelings for Yu Niaoniao.. Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Garlic Ribs Chapter 517: Garlic Ribs Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Xiao Juan returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace, it was already late at night. The winter night was exceptionally cold. As soon as he pushed open the door, a cold wind blew into the house. Granny Xiu Yan helped him take off his cloak and handed it to the maidservant beside him. ¡°Have you had dinner?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No, where¡¯s Niaoniao?¡± ¡°The Princess Consort is still in the study. She said she wanted to write some recipes. She¡¯s been writing all afternoon. She¡¯s put in a lot of effort. Even dinner is in the study.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go see her.¡± With that, Xiao Juan walked out. Granny Xiu Yan quickly chased after him. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten your dinner yet. I got someone to save food for you. I¡¯ll send it to you now.¡± Xiao Juan did not stop and went straight to the study door. The door was only ajar. It opened with a gentle push. He walked in and saw Yu Niaoniao sleeping on the desk. She had the recipe she had just finished writing in front of her and a brush in her right hand. There was a little black ink on her face, making her look strange and ridiculous. Xiao Juan took the brush from her hand and placed it on the brush mountain. Then, he wiped the ink off her face with a wet handkerchief. His movements were very gentle, and the look in his eyes was even gentler. Niaoniao was sleeping soundly, unaware of everything around her. Xiao Juan brought a blanket and gently covered her. The dim candlelight fell on her face, casting her in the only light in Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes. He just stared at her quietly for a long time. Until there was a gentle knock on the door. Granny Xiu Yan stood at the door and asked. ¡®Your Highness, where do you want your dinner?¡± Xiao Juan raised his hand and gestured for her to keep quiet. Unfortunately, he was too late. Yu Niaoniao was already awake. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Ah Juan, when did you come back?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I just returned. Don¡¯t sleep here. Be careful not to catch a cold. Go back to the room and sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao yawned loudly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep together?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I haven¡¯t washed up yet. Go ahead. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Yu Niaoniao put away the recipe in front of her and stood up to walk out. Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Princess Consort, shall I send you back to your room?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand. ¡°No need. Stay here and serve Duke Lang.¡± Granny Xiu Yan could only stay where she was and watch the Princess Consort leave. Then, Granny Xiu Yan got someone to send the food to the study. ¡°Your Highness, eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± As she spoke, she placed a full bowl of rice in front of Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan did not eat directly. Instead, he looked at her and asked. ¡°How many years have you been in the palace?¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Almost forty years.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Then do you know about Imperial Concubine Meng?¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Of course, I do.¡± ¡°Imperial Concubine Meng was a rare kind person in the palace.¡± ¡°Back then, I had just entered the palace and was bullied at a young age. Coincidentally, Imperial Concubine Meng saw me.¡± ¡°Not only did she reprimand the palace servants who bullied me, but she also rewarded me with a box of ointment. That ointment was very effective. After I applied it, the bruises on my body quickly dissipated.¡± Xiao Juan did not expect her to have such a relationship with Imperial Concubine Meng. He immediately took out the jade bracelet. ¡°Have you seen this bracelet?¡± Granny Xiu Yan took the bracelet and took a closer look. Then she shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Xiao Juan asked again, ¡°This is Imperial Concubine Meng¡¯s bracelet. Are you sure you¡¯ve never seen her wear it?¡± Granny Xiu Yan still shook her head. ¡°Indeed not.¡± Xiao Juan was a little disappointed. It seemed that the clues had been cut off again. Granny Xiu Yan returned the bracelet to him and suggested. ¡°If you want to know about Imperial Concubine Meng, why don¡¯t you ask the palace maids serving her? They must know more than me.¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get someone to ask later.¡± Granny Xiu Yan suddenly thought of something and said. ¡°If you really can¡¯t find any clues, you can try your luck with the Empress Dowager. Imperial Concubine Meng had a good relationship with the Empress Dowager when she was alive. The Empress Dowager might know about her.¡± Xiao Juan was rather surprised. ¡°Why is the Empress Dowager on good terms with Imperial Concubine Meng?¡± Not only were the two of them separated by seniority, but they were also not related by blood. Logically speaking, they were not related at all. Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°I heard that the reason why the Empress Dowager could enter the palace as a consort back then was because of Imperial Concubine Meng, but I¡¯m not very sure what happened.¡± Xiao Juan looked thoughtful. Granny Xiu Yan waited for a moment. Seeing that he had nothing else to ask, she silently retreated. After dinner, Xiao Juan washed up and returned to the bedroom. He saw that Niaoniao was already lying on the bed and sleeping. He took off his coat, lifted a corner of the blanket, and lay down quietly beside Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao sensed the movement beside her and opened her eyes slightly. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Did I wake you up? Yu Niaoniao turned around and crawled into his arms. ¡°What took you so long?¡± Xiao Juan hugged her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was too slow.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want an apology. I want a kiss Xiao Juan kissed her almost without hesitation. Their lips touched, then parted. Yu Niaoniao smacked her lips and chuckled. ¡°It smells like garlic!¡± Xiao Juan had garlic ribs for dinner just now. He did not expect her to taste them even after he rinsed his mouth. He smiled involuntarily and patted her back gently. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Go to sleep.¡± The next morning, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan finished their breakfast. Yu Niaoniao wiped her mouth and said to Xiao Juan. ¡°I have something on today and have to take leave. I can¡¯t go to the Justice Department with you.¡± Xiao Juan asked casually, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled mysteriously. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Xiao Juan did not need to guess to know that she probably wanted to sell recipes to earn money. However, in order to preserve the surprise, he did not ask anything and only reminded her. ¡°Don¡¯t go out alone.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Got it.¡± She put on her veil and ran out happily. When she saw Ling Hai on the way, she immediately waved at him. ¡°Come here. I have something to tell you!¡± Ever since Ling Hai came to the Langjun Imperial Palace, he had been very uneasy. Everything here was too unfamiliar. Everyone in the residence had their own things to do, except for him. He was like a useless person. Ling Hai did not want to wait like this, so he took the initiative to look for the Princess Consort, wanting to get some work. Hearing the Princess Consort say that she had something to discuss with him, Ling Hai perked up and quickly ran to her. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m going out to do something. Go get my carriage.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ling Hai thought that the Princess Consort¡¯s carriage should be a famous colt similar to Dark Cloud, but when he arrived at the horse shed, he saw a gray donkey.. Chapter 518 - Chapter 518: Selling Recipes Chapter 518: Selling Recipes Little Ling Hai asked a question from the depths of his soul. ¡°Are you sure? I want the Princess Consort¡¯s mount.¡± The coachman answered truthfully, ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the Princess Consort¡¯s mount. ¡± With that, he took Gray out of the horse shed and stuffed the reins into Ling Hail s hand. Ling Hai looked at the donkey in front of him. The donkey looked back at him. The boy and donkey stared at each other. In the end, Ling Hai compromised and resigned himself to fate. He led the donkey out. Forget it, forget it. Wasnt it just a donkey? As long as the Princess Consort was willing, it did not matter if she rode a LUI LUIse: Ling Hai realized that he was walking in place. He turned and saw the donkey standing still. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t pull it. In the end, the coachman couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took the initiative to remind him. ¡°Gray doesn¡¯t go with strangers. You can¡¯t take it with brute force.¡± Ling Hai wiped his sweat. As expected of the Langjun Imperial Palace. Even the donkey they raised was so loyal. He asked humbly, ¡°Then what should I do?¡± The groom was experienced. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just get him something to eat.¡± With that, he pointed at the bamboo basket containing the white radishes beside him. Ling Hai took out a white radish from the basket and handed it to Gray. Gray unceremoniously opened his mouth and bit the radish, eating it with a crunch. In the blink of an eye, it finished a big radish. Even the way it looked at Ling Hai became much kinder. This time, when Ling Hai took it away, it did not resist anymore. He led it out smoothly. Ling Hai was speechless. He had thought that this was a loyal donkey to its master. He did not expect its loyalty to be equivalent to the value of a big white radish. He didn¡¯t know if he should feel sorry for the big white radish or for its owner. Yu Niaoniao stood at the entrance of the Langjun Imperial Palace and waited. When she saw Ling Hai bring the donkey over, she immediately turned around and rode it. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ling Hai was stunned. ¡°Are you taking me out with you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Yu Niaoniao planned to go out to discuss business. She was afraid that she would not be able to handle the scene alone, so she planned to bring Ling Hai along. Ling Hai was pleasantly surprised. The Princess Consort finally had a use for him! On the city street, Ling Hai walked slowly with the donkey. Yu Niaoniao rode on the donkey¡¯s back. Her head turned this way and that, looking around for the right target. They walked for a long time. Ling Hai could not help but ask. ¡°Princess Consort, what are you looking for?¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Princess Consort outside. My identity has to be kept a secret.¡± Ling Hai immediately corrected himself. ¡°I understand, Master.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to say that he could just call her Madam, but she was afraid that others would ask who her husband was. At that time, she would have to fabricate a fake husband identity to fool others. It would be troublesome. Hence, she tacitly agreed to Ling Hai¡¯s address. ¡°I want to find a restaurant.¡± Ling Hai asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t there restaurants everywhere nearby?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°These restaurants are too small. I¡¯m looking for the kind of very imposing restaurants that are obviously super rich.¡± Ling Hai did not understand. ¡°I see.¡± He glanced around from the corner of his eye and suddenly pointed at a restaurant in front of him. ¡°That restaurant looks quite rich.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a resplendent restaurant in front. It was estimated to have three floors. Exquisite palace lights hung on each floor. There was a lot of traffic in front of the door. It was obvious that they were not short of money. Yu Niaoniao clapped her hands. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± In order to avoid being exposed later, she had to talk to Ling Hai first. ¡°Remember, we¡¯re businessmen now. ¡®I¡¯m going to talk business with someone, and you¡¯re my attendant.¡¯ ¡°Watch my expression later. Whether or not the business is successful in the end, we can¡¯t expose our true identities.¡± If others found out that they were from the Langjun Imperial Palace, no one would dare to do business with her. Ling Hai nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll remember.¡± They stopped in front of the wine house. When the clerk at the door saw them, he immediately went up to them and spoke politely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re already full. Do you want to come back tonight?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to eat. I¡¯m here to discuss business with your boss. ¡± ¡°Go tell your boss that I have a recipe book passed down from my ancestors.¡± ¡°It documents many secret recipes that were unknown to outsiders. I¡¯m sure your boss will be interested.¡± The clerk looked her up and down. Seeing that she was dressed appropriately, he guessed that her family was not short of money. Seeing that she was confident and did not look like she was lying, he decided to believe her for once. ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll call the shopkeeper over to talk to you.¡± With that, he turned around and ran into the restaurant. Soon, he called over a middle-aged man. It seemed that he was the shopkeeper of this restaurant. He looked at Yu Niaoniao suspiciously. ¡°You really have an ancestral recipe book?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Look if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Yu Niaoniao took out the recipe and casually flipped open a page for him to see. The shopkeeper had run the restaurant for many years. Although he did not personally cook, he was quite knowledgeable about culinary skills. As soon as he saw the recipe, he knew that the taste of these dishes was definitely not bad. Most importantly, these were dishes he had never seen before. If he could really make it, it would definitely become one of their specialties. The shopkeeper¡¯s thoughts immediately became active. He immediately made up his mind to buy this recipe. However, as a businessman, he naturally had to bargain, especially when he saw the young lady in front of him. She must be the eldest daughter of some family. In order to supplement her lover, she took out her ancestral recipe book to exchange for money. It was not like he had not seen such a thing before. Such an ignorant young lady was the easiest to fool. The shopkeeper pretended not to be very interested. ¡°The last thing we lack here is recipes. Your recipe doesn¡¯t look like much. If it were our boss, he definitely wouldn¡¯t buy it. I¡¯m a kind person and don¡¯t want you to come all the way for nothing. How about this? I¡¯ll pay fifty taels of silver for your recipe.¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°Fifty taels is too little.¡± The shopkeeper looked reluctant. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another twenty taels at most. This is already a very high price. ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you? The recipes outside are only sold for ten or twenty taels at most. Don¡¯t be too greedy.¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, a smiling voice came from above her head. ¡°I¡¯ll pay five hundred taels for this recipe!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up and saw Wei Liao leaning against the railing on the second floor of the restaurant. He was holding a wine pot in his hand and smiling with his flirtatious eyes. ¡°You want to buy someone else¡¯s recipe for a mere seventy taels of silver? Dream on!¡± The shopkeeper flushed. He wanted to argue, but he didn¡¯t dare. He had wanted to bargain and take the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. He did not expect someone to throw a wrench in the works. He held his breath and asked, ¡°Young Master Wei, you don¡¯t do restaurant business. Why are you buying this recipe?¡± Wei Liao said lazily, ¡°I have money. What can you do if I buy it and burn it for fun?¡± The shopkeeper was angry again.. Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Sky-high Price Chapter 519: Sky-high Price The shopkeeper knew that Wei Liao was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards and a popular person with the emperor. He definitely could not afford to provoke him. No matter how angry he was, he did not dare to flare up. However, he could not abandon such a precious recipe book. After all, anyone who had unique recipes these days would definitely hide them. No one would take them out to sell unless they had no choice. If he missed this opportunity today, it would be difficult to encounter such a good thing in the future. The shopkeeper could only make up his mind and say to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯ll pay five hundred and ten taels for your recipe book.¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, Wei Liao spoke loudly. ¡°I¡¯ll pay six hundred taels!¡± The shopkeeper almost couldn¡¯t breathe. He was filled with hatred! This guy must be here to cause trouble! However, considering the other party¡¯s identity, the shopkeeper could not say anything and could only swallow his anger. ¡°I¡¯ll pay six hundred and ten taels.¡± Even if their restaurant¡¯s business was booming, more than 600 taels of silver was not a small sum to them. He was just acting first and reporting later. He still had to ask the boss for instructions later. He hoped Wei Liao wouldn¡¯t raise the price again. Unfortunately, Wei Liao didn¡¯t let him have his way. ¡°I¡¯ll pay eight hundred taels.¡± This sudden increase of 190 taels was already so high that the shopkeeper could not bear it. The shopkeeper felt his temples throbbing. He pinched his forehead and gritted his teeth. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do something with this eight hundred taels? Why do you have to waste your time here?¡± Wei Liao smiled lazily. ¡°It¡¯s still the same thing. A thousand taels of gold can¡¯t buy my happiness!¡± The shopkeeper had no choice but to bite the bullet and increase the price. ¡°I¡¯ll pay eight hundred and ten taels.¡± After announcing this price, he immediately looked up at Wei Liao on the second floor and begged with cupped hands. ¡°Please stop raising the price. We¡¯re small businesses. We can¡¯t withstand your sky-high bids.¡± There were many people coming and going at the entrance of the restaurant, including people who liked to watch the commotion. When the shopkeeper and Wei Liao began to bid, many people stopped to watch. At this moment, there was already a circle of people gathered. They were watching the show and shouted at Wei Liao upstairs. ¡°Hurry up and bid! Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Wei Liao lived up to their expectations and raised an index finger. ¡°A thousand taels. ¡± The shopkeeper swayed and almost fainted. This amount was almost their restaurant¡¯s monthly profit. If he had to spend a month¡¯s profits on a recipe book, it would be fine if he could earn it back later, but what if he could not? He had to bear the responsibility. The problem was that he could not afford it! At the end of the day, he was just a worker. He did not have much authority. The onlookers were still shouting, urging the shopkeeper to increase the price. The shopkeeper held his forehead and pretended to be uncomfortable. He secretly winked at the clerk beside him. The clerk understood and immediately went forward to support him. ¡°Shopkeeper, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The shopkeeper said, ¡°I have a headache. Help me in and rest.¡± Seeing that he was about to slip away, the onlookers booed and laughed at him for being too cowardly. The shopkeeper pretended not to hear anything and quickly left. Seeing that one of the parties involved had already left, the onlookers knew that there was nothing else to watch and dispersed like birds. Yu Niaoniao looked up at Wei Liao on the second floor and asked. ¡°Are you really going to spend a thousand taels on my recipe?¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°Why? Are you afraid that I won¡¯t be able to pay?¡± In order to prove that he was rich, he immediately took out a stack of banknotes and waved them at Yu Niaoniao. The banknotes rustled in the breeze. Yu Niaoniao did not expect him to be serious and was rather puzzled. ¡°Why are you buying my recipe?¡± Wei Liao took a sip of wine and chuckled. ¡°Why do you care why I am buying it? Alright, hurry up and send me the recipe.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not be bothered to look for him. She prepared to let Ling Hai help her send the recipe upstairs. However, at this moment, a young man in a blue robe ran over quickly and shouted at Yu Niaoniao. ¡®Wait!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him. ¡°You are?¡± The blue-robed man cupped his hands at her politely. ¡°My surname is Gongsun. I¡¯m running a restaurant in the city. Recently, I¡¯ve been worried about developing new dishes. When I heard that someone was selling recipes here, I rushed over. May I ask if your recipes are still available? Can you sell them to me?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at Wei Liao on the second floor. ¡°He just offered a thousand taels for my recipe.¡± The blue-robed man immediately said, ¡°I can pay two thousand taels!¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. This person had doubled the price so swiftly. He was too ostentatious! Wei Liao was very dissatisfied. ¡°What do you mean? Do you understand? First come, first served? I¡¯ve already bought this recipe. Take your bid away with you!¡± The blue-robed man was not afraid of Wei Liao at all. He said unhurriedly, ¡°What matters in business is that we¡¯re even. Since you haven¡¯t paid, it means that this business hasn¡¯t been done yet. It¡¯s reasonable for me to make a request now.¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°Alright, since you insist on snatching it from me, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you. I¡¯ll pay three thousand taels!¡± The blue-robed man extended a hand. ¡°Five thousand taels.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Eight thousand taels!¡± The blue-robed man said, ¡°Ten thousand taels!¡± The onlookers, who had already dispersed, gathered again. When they heard the number of ten thousand taels, they could not help but gasp. This was an astronomical price! What peerless recipe could be sold for such a high price?! Yu Niaoniao was also very surprised. Before she came, she had already calculated that her recipe would at most sell for seven to eight hundred taels of silver. If Wei Liao hadn¡¯t shouted a price just now, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to earn a thousand taels of silver. Unexpectedly, someone shouted ten thousand taels in one go! This price was too ridiculous. Wei Liao placed the wine pot on the table beside him and shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll pay twelve thousand taels!¡± Wasn¡¯t it just raising the price? Then come at him. If he admitted defeat today, he would be a grandson! Yu Niaoniao looked up at him. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± That was twelve thousand taels. No matter how rich he was, he could not squander it like this, right?! The blue-robed man said without changing his expression. ¡°Fifteen thousand taels.¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. He was actually increasing the price. Wei Liao slapped the fence. ¡°Twenty thousand taels!¡± The blue-robed man said, ¡°Twenty-three thousand taels.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Twenty-five thousand taels.¡± At this moment, the onlookers were speechless. They all looked at the two bourgeoisie quietly with one thought in their minds¡ª Were these two crazy? If they were not sick, why would they spend tens of thousands of taels of silver to buy an unknown recipe book?! Yu Niaoniao really could not stand it anymore. She interrupted their raises. ¡°Stop bidding!¡± Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: Deal Chapter 520: Deal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao wanted to earn money, but she had never thought of becoming rich overnight. It was said that there was no free lunch in the world. This was the situation now. Yu Niaoniao knew very well that her recipe could not be sold for tens of thousands of taels. If she really sold the recipe to one of them for more than ten thousand taels, it would be equivalent to her taking advantage of the other party. Niaoniao still did not know the background of the blue-robed young master. However, she knew that Wei Liao was definitely not the kind of person who would let others take advantage of him for nothing. If she took advantage of him today, he would definitely think of a way to make it up later. Moreover, if Wei Liao and Young Master Gongsun continued to shout, this matter would only become bigger and bigger. She had hidden her identity to go out and sell recipes. Her greatest fear was that things would blow up. Therefore, this matter had to be resolved quickly. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°My recipe is only sold for a thousand taels. Wei Liao, I know you¡¯re not interested in the recipe. You¡¯re just bored now. It¡¯s a waste to sell this recipe to you. Why don¡¯t you sell it to someone who really needs it?¡± Wei Liao was very unhappy. ¡°How can you say that? I¡¯m doing you a favor by paying for your recipe. If I hadn¡¯t helped you raise the price just now, you would have been cheated by that unscrupulous profiteer for fifty taels.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied insincerely, ¡°Then thank you!¡± Wei Liao was furious. ¡°You¡¯re in trouble!¡± The blue-robed young man took out a stack of banknotes. ¡°This is twenty thousand taels. Count it.¡± Yu Niaoniao only took away two banknotes worth five hundred taels. ¡°If I say a thousand taels, it¡¯s a thousand taels.¡± The blue-robed young man laughed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you. I respect your thoughts.¡± This person¡¯s attitude was not bad. Yu Niaoniao had a good impression of him. ¡°I can sell you the recipe, but I have another condition.¡± The blue-shirted young man said, ¡°Tell me.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I want to take a look at the restaurant you run.¡± This person appeared too suddenly, and as soon as he appeared, he raised the price of the recipe to a terrifying number. This made her a little suspicious of his background. The blue-robed young man was stunned for a moment before agreeing readily. ¡°Alright, please follow me.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked Ling Hai to follow with the donkey. On the second floor of the restaurant, Wei Liao sneered as he watched the three of them leave. ¡°How dare you snatch business from me? You¡¯re really tired of living!¡± The Sky Wolf Guard standing at the side stepped forward and asked, ¡°Do you want me to follow after that kid and teach him a lesson?¡± Wei Liao¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Go and see where that kid comes from.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Niaoniao followed the blue-robed young man to a restaurant called ¡°Qian Shanxue¡±. Not only did this restaurant have an elegant name, but the interior was also decorated very elegantly. It was obvious that the owner of this place was a very tasteful person. The blue-robed young man invited Yu Niaoniao into the private room for tea. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such an elegant restaurant here.¡± The blue-robed young man poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of her. ¡°My restaurant has just opened not long ago. It¡¯s indeed not famous.¡± ¡°As I¡¯m sure you can see, business here is not good. This is because our dishes are too ordinary and featureless.¡± ¡°Your recipe book can resolve our urgent needs. This can be considered our fate. Since there was no problem with the other party¡¯s identity, Yu Niaoniao did not think too much about it. She took out the recipe and placed it in front of him. ¡°This is the recipe. Look at the contents first. If you don¡¯t think this recipe is worth a thousand taels, I can refund you the money.¡± The blue-shirted young man wiped his hands with a handkerchief before picking up the recipe and reading it carefully. He looked impressed. ¡°I don¡¯t cook much. However, looking at the records inside, I could guess that the dishes cooked according to it must be delicious.¡± ¡°I was lucky today and picked up a treasure. This thousand taels was worth it!¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The blue-shirted young man was in a good mood. ¡°If you have such a recipe to sell in the future, you must prioritize me. Don¡¯t worry about the price. It will definitely satisfy you.¡± Yu Niaoniao naturally agreed. After discussing business, Yu Niaoniao stood up and bade farewell. The blue-shirted young man walked her to the door. After they were gone, the blue-robed young man turned around and returned to the restaurant. He returned to the private room. At this moment, there was another person in the originally empty private room. It was Xiao Juan, who was wearing a black robe. The blue-robed young man handed over the recipe with both hands and said respectfully, ¡°Your Highness, this is the recipe sold by the Princess Consort. I¡¯ve already bought it according to your request.¡± Xiao Juan reached out to take the recipe and gently stroked the cover with his well-defined fingers. This was a personally written recipe. There was only one in the world. How could he let it fall into the hands of others? The blue-robed young man said, ¡°Fortunately, I arrived in time. Otherwise, this recipe would have been bought by Wei Liao.¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t bother about him.¡± He knew that Wei Liao had unspeakable thoughts about Niaoniao, but Niaoniao had no thoughts about Wei Liao. Wei Liao was just making his presence known. The best way was to ignore that guy and let him suffer alone. Although he was reluctant, Xiao Juan still handed the recipe to the blue-robed young master. ¡°Take it and copy it. Since you promised to use this recipe to develop a new dish, you have to do what you say so that you won¡¯t be exposed in the future.¡± The blue-robed young man understood. ¡°I¡¯ll return the original to you immediately after I¡¯m done copying.¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± A moment later, Xiao Juan left Qian Shanxue and rode to the Justice Department. The Sky Wolf Guard hiding not far away saw this scene. He rushed back to the restaurant and reported what he had seen to Wei Liao. ¡°I originally wanted to bring a few brothers to Qian Shanxue to cause trouble. I had to teach that kid surnamed Gongsun a lesson.¡± ¡°I did not expect to see Duke Lang appear.¡± ¡°When it comes to Duke Lang, I don¡¯t dare to act rashly. I can only come back and ask you for instructions.¡± Wei Liao placed his wine glass on the table. His tone was disdainful as he said, ¡°I was wondering why that Gongsun kid happened to appear at this time. So it was arranged by Duke Lang. Isn¡¯t it just a recipe? Does he have to go through so much trouble?¡± The Sky Wolf Guards suggested, ¡°Should we tell the Princess Consort about this? That way, Duke Langs plan will be exposed.¡± Wei Liao kicked him and scolded angrily, ¡°You¡¯re really stupid! If Yu Niaoniao finds out the truth, not only will she not blame Duke Lang, but she might even be touched by this. What will I become then? Will I become their matchmaker?¡± The Sky Wolf Guard did not dare to cry out in pain after being kicked. He reminded him softly. ¡°You¡¯re a man. A man can¡¯t be a matchmaker. He can only be a cupid.¡± Wei Liao was speechless. His eyes were fierce. ¡°Say that again.¡± The Sky Wolf Guard shrank back in fear and did not dare to speak again. He shrank pitifully into a corner. Wei Liao gritted his teeth and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Justice Department!¡± The Sky Wolf Guard asked carefully, ¡°Why are we going to the Justice Department?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know the identity of that charred corpse? I¡¯ll investigate now.¡± ¡ªAt the same time, he would stir some trouble for Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao.. Chapter 521 - Chapter 521: Leaving You Chapter 521: Leaving You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace happily with a thousand taels. She took some spices and beef jerky she had brought back from Liangzhou, then brought Ling Hai out again. They had originally planned to go to the Yu Residence to look for Yu Pingping, but they did not expect to bump into her on the way. Yu Pingping had just walked out of the bookstore when she saw Yu Niaoniao riding a donkey over. She was pleasantly surprised and could not help but smile. ¡°Sister! When did you return to the Imperial Capital?¡± After not seeing her for half a year, not only had this little girl grown taller, but her facial features had also grown. The childishness on her body had faded a lot, and she looked even more like a lady. Yu Niaoniao jumped off the donkey¡¯s back. ¡°I just returned yesterday.¡± Ling Hai led the donkey to the side so as not to disturb the sisters from catching up. Yu Pingping pouted and complained. ¡°What took you so long? It¡¯s almost the new year. I thought you wouldn¡¯t be back until next year.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled mischievously. ¡°Why? Do you miss me?¡± Yu Pingping immediately blushed and cursed angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself, okay? I wouldn¡¯t miss you unless I had nothing better to With that, she turned around to look elsewhere, looking angry. Yu Niaoniao was still smiling. ¡°When I saw you just now, I thought you had grown up. From the looks of it, you¡¯re still a child.¡± Yu Pingping originally wanted to ignore her, but she was unwilling to be looked down upon by her, so she could not help but defend herself. ¡°If you think I¡¯m childish, then don¡¯t leave the Qirui Opera Troupe to me.¡± Yu Niaoniao spread her hands and pretended to sigh helplessly. ¡°I have no choice. You¡¯re my only biological sister. I don¡¯t trust anyone else. I only trust you.¡± Yu Pingping could not help but smile. ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you treating me better?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked Ling Hai to take out those spices and beef jerky. ¡°Don¡¯t say I don¡¯t remember you as my sister. These are the specialties I brought back from Liangzhou. I specially brought them for you.¡± Yu Pingping snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not something valuable.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it back.¡± She reached out as if to take the specialties away. Yu Pingping immediately panicked and hurriedly hugged the box containing the specialties. ¡°Who asks for a gift back? You¡¯re too petty!¡± Yu Niaoniao said matter-of-factly, ¡°Don¡¯t you despise these things for being worthless? Since you don¡¯t want them, I naturally have to take them back.¡± Yu Pingping said angrily. ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t want them? I just said something casually, and you¡¯re in a hurry to take them back. How can there be someone like you? You¡¯re not sincere at all!¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her hands and compromised. ¡°Okay, okay, okay. I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have taken it too seriously.¡± She looked at the bookstore beside her and asked. ¡°Are you out to buy books?¡± Yu Pingping nodded and said yes. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your book?¡± Speaking of this, Yu Pingping was furious. She snorted heavily and said unhappily. ¡°I didn¡¯t get it!¡± Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. ¡°What book? You can¡¯t buy it yet?¡± Yu Pingping complained. ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t buy it, but it¡¯s not on the market yet. Those profiteers had previously tricked us into saying that they would definitely publish a new book at the end of the year. But it¡¯s almost the new year and I haven¡¯t even seen the shadow of my new book.¡± ¡°No, I still have to come tomorrow. I rush them every day. If they don¡¯t produce the new book, I¡¯ll annoy them to death!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Do you have to do that? It¡¯s just a book. There are so many books in the bookstore. Can¡¯t you read something else?¡± Yu Pingping said angrily, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Master Wang¡¯s book is different from others. No book can replace his.¡± Yu Niaoniao thought she had misheard. ¡°Whose book are you talking about?¡± Yu Pingping knew that she had let it slip. Although Master Wang¡¯s book was good, many people said that it was a ridiculous work. If her sister found out that she read such a book, she would definitely take the opportunity to laugh at her. She blinked and pretended to be oblivious. ¡°Did I just say whose book? I didn¡¯t¡­ Before could ask further, Yu Pingping said quickly. ¡°Alright, alright. I still have something to do. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± With that, she was about to leave. Yu Niaoniao grabbed her arm. ¡°Wait a minute. I need your help with something. ¡± Yu Pingping could only stop. ¡°What else?¡± Yu Niaoniao took out the thousand taels of silver and handed it to her. ¡°While I¡¯m away, help me manage the assets of Qirui Garden quite well. You¡¯ll continue to manage the finances in the future.¡± Yu Pingping thought that the money had been given to her sister by Duke Lang, so she did not ask further and simply accepted the banknotes. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re so sincere in asking me for help, I¡¯ll reluctantly help you again.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Qirui Garden will officially open for business the day after tomorrow. I plan to take advantage of the first day of business to hold a preferential activity. For example, as long as you¡¯re an audience who enters the Qirui Garden to watch the show, you can get a 20% discount on all expenses. If the total consumption exceeds a certain amount, you can even give an additional portion of special snacks. What do you think?¡± Yu Pingping thought for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s a good way to attract attention.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. You have to be there on the opening day. At that time, you have to cut the ribbon in my place.¡± Yu Pingping frowned. ¡°You¡¯re the boss. Why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be inconvenient.¡± As Yu Niaoniao spoke, she took off the veil on her face, revealing the brown scar. Yu Pingping¡¯s eyes widened. She was so frightened that she almost could not hold the box. ¡°W-what happened to your face?¡± Yu Niaoniao put on the veil. ¡°I was injured in Liangzhou. My injuries have healed, but the scar is still there, so it¡¯s not convenient for me to show my face in front of others. I can only ask you to help me.¡± Yu Pingping was also a woman and knew how important looks were to women. She was extremely anxious. ¡°You¡¯re already in this state. Why do you care about the opening ceremony? Hurry up and find a doctor to treat you. Isn¡¯t your man Duke Lang? Let him enter the palace to get an imperial physician for you. If you really can¡¯t, you can issue a bounty and pay a high price to seek treatment. I don¡¯t believe you won¡¯t find a divine doctor who can help you remove the scar!¡± Yu Niaoniao felt that her anxious appearance was quite fun. She wanted to tease her, so she pretended to be helpless. ¡°It¡¯s useless. This is all I can do for the rest of my life. Fortunately, Duke Lang doesn¡¯t despise me. He said that no matter what I become, he won¡¯t abandon me.¡± Yu Pingping expected better from her and stomped her feet. ¡°Are you stupid! If you can believe a man¡¯s words, even a sow can climb a tree! Putting aside those we don¡¯t know about, look at our father. As soon as he divorced your mother, he married my mother.¡± ¡°How seamlessly did he transit from one to another? As the saying goes, they¡¯re all the same! No matter how nicely they said it, he would still despise you when you were old.¡± ¡°Not to mention that you¡¯re disfigured now. He¡¯ll abandon you before you get old.. ¡° Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: Bad Woman Chapter 522: Bad Woman Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°Why are you saying that about our father?¡± It was not that she respected Yu Kangtai very much, but this era valued filial piety too much. As a girl born and raised in a traditional family, Yu Pingping would definitely be affected by this patriarchal thought and naturally, treat her father as her sky. However, Yu Pingping¡¯s words just now were openly mocking her father. Yu Niaoniao found it unbelievable! Yu Pingping pursed her lips. ¡°In the past, I felt that there was nothing wrong with our father. But ever since I helped you manage the finances of the opera troupe, my father had interfered with my freedom in all kinds of ways.¡± ¡°He despised the opera troupe as a lowly business.¡± ¡°He forbade me to go out and interact with the opera troupe.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t listen, he¡¯ll use the family law on me. I¡¯m sick of him now!¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°Did he hit you?¡± Yu Pingping said, ¡°He wanted to hit me, but my brother stopped him. I don¡¯t understand. I just wanted to find something to do. Why did he do everything to stop me?¡± The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, and her voice lowered. Yu Niaoniao looked at her seriously. ¡°Then do you still want to help me manage the finances of the opera troupe?¡± Yu Pingping gave an affirmative answer without hesitation. ¡°Of course! The more my father looked down on me, the more I had to prove to him that I was no worse than anyone else. Even if I leave him, I have the ability to raise myself!¡± It would be fine if she was still the little girl who had been raised in the inner residence, but after tasting the sense of accomplishment of earning money with her own ability, how could she be willing to listen to her father? Although she could not be as powerful as the princess in The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation, she hoped to have the right to make decisions for herself. Yu Niaoniao smiled and praised sincerely, ¡°Good for you.¡± Yu Pingping raised her chin and smiled triumphantly. ¡°Of course!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Go back and prepare a beautiful set of clothes. I¡¯ll see you in Qirui Garden the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Pingping left with the gift box. After taking two steps, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at Yu Niaoniao. ¡°You almost fooled me. The scar on your face¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I was just teasing you. My scar can disappear. It just takes a while.¡± Yu Pingping was immediately furious. ¡°How dare you lie to me? You¡¯re too much!¡± She rushed over with the gift box and bumped into Yu Niaoniao hard before running away angrily. Yu Niaoniao took two steps back and smiled helplessly. ¡°Why are you still acting like a child? Childish!¡± They were about to leave when a familiar shout came from behind. ¡°Princess Consort, is that you?¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped in her tracks and turned to look in the direction of the voice. She saw a fat middle-aged man running out of the bookstore. She recognized him at a glance. This fat man was one of the many booksellers she had worked with. She cursed inwardly. This guy was definitely here to rush her for the manuscript. Yu Niaoniao pulled Ling Hai along and was about to run. Seeing this, the fat bookseller hurriedly increased his speed and chased after him, shouting. ¡°Princess Consort, stop running. I recognized you! ¡®When did you get back? Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡¯ When are you going to return the manuscript you owed us previously?¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended not to hear and ran even faster. The fat bookseller said, ¡°If you run again, I¡¯m going to call out your pen name.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately braked and stopped. Now that there were people everywhere in broad daylight, if the fat bookseller shouted her pen name, it would be equivalent to the entire city knowing that she was selling sketchbooks. She placed her hands on her hips and spoke to the fat bookseller. ¡°Don¡¯t shout. We have an agreement. If you expose my pen name, our cooperation will immediately end. You¡¯ll have to pay me ten times the royalties.¡± The fat bookseller was tired and panted. ¡°I¡ªI had no choice.¡± ¡°You were gone for half a year. We agreed to submit the manuscript when you returned. ¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t tell us that you were back. You even made so many of us wait for you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, but people come to the bookstore every day to ask about new books. We were racking our brains to think of a way to stall for time.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s almost the end of the year. We really couldn¡¯t delay it any longer. Please do us a favor and give us the draft quickly.¡± He bowed with both hands as he spoke, looking really pitiful. Yu Niaoniao felt guilty. Back then, she had promised to submit the manuscript when she returned, but now she could no produce it. She was the one who had gone back on her word. She was in the wrong. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. Wait a little longer. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m done.¡± The fat bookseller was not so easy to fool. ¡°You always say to wait a little longer, but it won¡¯t end. You have to give us a definite answer this time. When can you submit the manuscript?¡± Yu Niaoniao scratched her face and said awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ll submit the manuscript after the Lantern Festival.¡± ¡°Lantern Festival! ¡± The fat bookseller widened his green bean eyes and roared in disbelief. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that you would submit the manuscript during the Dragon Boat Festival?¡± Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll submit the manuscript during the Dragon Boat Festival!¡± The fat bookseller was so angry that he almost soared to the sky. ¡°Do you know how many people are waiting for your new book?¡± ¡°Do you know how much pressure we booksellers have to endure every day?¡± ¡°Look at mv size. I¡¯m so worried that I¡¯m gaininz weight!¡± ¡°And my hair, it falls off in large quantities every day!¡± ¡°If this continues, my wife will despise me!¡± ¡°Please do us a favor and stop torturing us, okay?¡¯¡±¡® Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you look like you have a lot of hair?¡± The fat bookseller pulled the hat off his head and reached out to pull his hair back, revealing a small patch of bare scalp. ¡°Look, is there a lot of hair? Is there a lot?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the reflective scalp and really could not go against her conscience. The fat bookseller put his hat back on and said angrily, ¡°I¡¯ve seen countless authors, but I¡¯ve never seen an author who can drag it out as well as you.¡± ¡°However, you have a noble status, so I don¡¯t dare to do anything to you. No matter how stressed I was, I had to endure it myself.¡± ¡°God, I just want to sell a few books to earn some money to support my family. Is it easy for me? Boohoo!¡± He actually covered his face and cried as he spoke. The surrounding pedestrians looked over and sized up the fat bookseller and Yu Niaoniao curiously. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why are you crying? Men don¡¯t cry easily.¡± The fat bookseller said, ¡°Boohoo! You didn¡¯t keep your word. You can¡¯t do what you promised me, you big liar!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I have my reasons.¡± The fat bookseller said, ¡°Boohoo! What difficulties can you have? Don¡¯t you just want to play with me? You just feel very happy to see me worried about you every day, don¡¯t you?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°When did I? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The fat bookseller said, ¡°You do! You bad woman!¡± Seeing that the onlookers¡¯ gazes were becoming stranger and stranger, Ling Hai hurriedly pulled Yu Niaoniao¡¯s sleeve and reminded her softly. ¡°This is not a place to talk..¡± Chapter 523 - Chapter 523: Win-Win Cooperation Chapter 523: Win-Win Cooperation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao had already personally experienced the gossip ability of the onlookers in the Imperial Capital. She did not want to become the center of gossip again, so she suggested finding another place to talk. But the fat bookseller was unwilling. He wanted to use the power of the crowd to pressure the Princess Consort to submit the manuscript quickly. ¡°Wuwuwu, if you don¡¯t give me a definite answer today, I¡¯ll die in front of you!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s scalp went numb from his crying. She said angrily, ¡°Alright, alright, stop howling. Isn¡¯t it just handing in the manuscript? Don¡¯t make it sound like I did something to you.¡± The fat bookseller said, ¡°Then submit the manuscript now!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a script now.¡± The fat bookseller wailed at the top of his lungs. ¡°Wu, ow, ow!¡± An auntie beside him could not help but ask. ¡°Young lady, did you cheat him of his money? Or did you cheat him of his feelings? The auntie did not believe him. ¡°If you didn¡¯t, how could a young man like him cry so badly?¡± The other onlookers nodded in agreement. Yu Niaoniao could not explain. She said helplessly, ¡°I really don¡¯t have a script now. It¡¯s useless even if you cry to death here.¡± The fat bookseller lowered his crying slightly. ¡°Then how soon can you submit the manuscript?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°The Lantern Festival¡­ As soon as these three words left her mouth, she heard the fat bookseller¡¯s cries suddenly rise. She hurriedly covered her ears and corrected herself. ¡°The New Year! I¡¯ll submit the manuscript before the New Year, okay?¡± The fat bookseller silently calculated the time in his heart. There were only ten days left until the new year. He would get the printing shop to work overtime during the new year and could still publish books before the Lantern Festival. So he said, ¡°You have to keep your word.¡± Yu Niaoniao promised solemnly. ¡°Definitely!¡± The fat bookseller threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t listen to me this time, I¡¯ll strangle myself in front of your house!¡± With that, he raised his hands and made a strangling gesture. At this moment, a team of soldiers walked over and scolded loudly. ¡°What are you guys doing blocking the middle of the road? Can¡¯t you see that the carriages coming and going can¡¯t pass? Spread out!¡± Everyone hurriedly retreated to the sides. Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to slip away with Ling Hai. After completely shaking off the troublesome fat bookseller, Yu Niaoniao slowed down. Ling Hai asked carefully. ¡°Princess Consort, who was that person just now?¡± Yu Niaoniao replied casually, ¡°A bookseller.¡± Ling Hai asked again, ¡°Then do you write books?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°To be precise, I draw books.¡± Ling Hai¡¯s eyes revealed admiration. ¡°Those who can publish books must be very knowledgeable. What book are you drawing? Can I take a look?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled awkwardly and politely. ¡°Hehe, about that. You¡¯re still young and not mature enough to read such books.¡± Ling Hai was very disappointed, but he did not say anything else. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you want to read, I¡¯ll find some books for you to read later. By the way, you should still be studying at your age, right? I¡¯ll find you a school later.¡± Ling Hai immediately shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to school. I have to work for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°You¡¯re only so young. What can you do? You should go to school obediently. When you grow up in the future, you might even be able to become a top scholar or something. In the future, you¡¯ll return to your hometown in glory. How glorious will that be!¡± Ling Hai still shook his head and insisted on not going to school. Yu Niaoniao thought that he did not like to study, so she did not force him. Ling Hai asked, ¡°Are we going home now?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go home and change first. Then we¡¯ll go somewhere.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Sky Oriole Garden.¡± After not seeing each other for half a year, the Sky Oriole Garden was still filled with guests. Yu Niaoniao was wearing men¡¯s clothes and a mask. Ling Hai followed behind her. This was his first time in a place like this. He was nervous and curious. His black and white eyes could not help but look around. Zheng Changle, the little fatty, ran downstairs and craned his neck to look around, but he did not see the person he wanted to see. He was not only a little anxious. He asked the clerk beside him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Brother Yu was here? Where is he?¡± The clerk pointed at the handsome young man in the mask. ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± Coincidentally, Yu Niaoniao turned around and saw Zheng Changle. Hence, she took the initiative to walk toward Zheng Changle. ¡°Brother Zheng, long time no see.¡± Hearing her voice, Zheng Changle immediately confirmed her identity. He stared at the mask on her face and asked, ¡°Why are you still wearing a mask when you come to me? Yu Niaoniao raised her hand and took off her mask, revealing the scar on her face. ¡°I was injured a while ago and can¡¯t see anyone for the time being.¡± With that, she put the mask back on. Zheng Changle was first shocked, then he asked, ¡°How did this happen? Is it serious? Have you seen a doctor?¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°My injuries have actually healed, but the scar can¡¯t be removed. In the future, I might have to wear a mask to see people.¡± Seeing his good friend become like this, Zheng Changle felt extremely sorry. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I did come to you today because I need your help with something.¡± Zheng Changle immediately said, ¡°Just tell me. I¡¯ll definitely help!¡± Yu Niaoniao took out a piece of paper from her sleeve. ¡°My request is very simple. I want to paste this at the entrance of your theater. It only needs to be pasted for three days.¡± Zheng Changle reached out and took the paper. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. There¡¯s no problem¡­¡± When he saw what was written on the paper, he stopped. His eyes widened in disbelief. ¡®What is this?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s like this. Qirui Garden is about to open for business, but we¡¯re a new theater. No one knows about it. I was afraid that no one would come to support us on the opening day, so I personally drew this poster and wanted to paste it at the entrance of your theater. There are many people here and they¡¯re all old fans. I believe it can bring a little popularity to Qirui Garden.¡± The clerk with Zheng Changle was very angry. The clerk scolded indignantly, ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the competition among peers? You¡¯re blatantly coming to our theater to snatch guests. Our young master will never agree!¡± He thought that his young master would stand on the same side as him, but he heard Zheng Changle ask, ¡°Master Wang drew this poster, right? I recognized it at a glance. Can you sell it to me?¡± The clerk immediately turned to look at the young master, only to see him hugging the poster lovingly. He looked as if he wished he could kiss it. ¡°Young Master, what are you doing? Didn¡¯t you hear that he was coming to our house to snatch guests?! Yu Niaoniao said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not snatching guests. This is a win-win cooperation. ¡®You guys helped me attract popularity today. If anything good happens in the future, we won¡¯t forget you. Mutual benefits are benign. Only then can we go far..¡± Chapter 524 - Chapter 524: Pulling Guests Chapter 524: Pulling Guests Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was bullsh*t that the cooperation was win-win. Even a three-year-old child would not believe this! The clerk thought that his young master would definitely not fall for it. However, Zheng Changle was already deeply fascinated by the poster. He had completely forgotten his status as the young master of the Sky Oriole Garden and only said. ¡°Sell me this poster. For whatever it costs.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°As long as you want it, I can give you the poster.¡± Zheng Changle was overjoyed. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. Thank you!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But you have to promise me to paste it at the door of the Sky Oriole Garden. As long as you paste it for three days, it¡¯s yours in three days.¡± Zheng Changle was about to agree when the clerk pulled him hard. ¡°Young Master, wake up! If you stick this thing at the entrance of our theater, it¡¯s equivalent to sending our guests to their business. When the troupe master finds out later, he won¡¯t let you off!¡± Zheng Changle immediately imagined his father chasing after him with a feather duster. He shivered in fear and immediately woke up. ¡°No, no, I can¡¯t! My father will beat me to death!¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed, very disappointed. ¡°I also know that I¡¯ll make things difficult for you, but I don¡¯t have any better way now. My face was injured and I might never be able to communicate normally.¡± ¡°I could neither take the imperial examination nor get married and have children. My life is over.¡± ¡°Qirui Garden was my last hope. ¡°I came to you for help because I really had no choice. Forget it if you¡¯re unwilling. I¡¯m sorry I caused you trouble.¡± ¡°I might not publish books or show my face in front of others in the future. I¡¯ll give you that poster as a souvenir. I¡¯ll get going first. Take care.¡± With that, she turned around and left in a daze. Zheng Changle hurriedly stopped her. ¡°What do you mean? Is Master Wang you?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s already like this. Is it important whether I am Master Wang?¡± Actually, Zheng Changle had already suspected that Brother Yu was Master Wang. But at that time, he had no evidence. He could not ask too much. NOW tnat Brotner yu nad exposed ms Identity, ms guess was true. This shocked and delighted Zheng Changle. He wished he could transform into a screaming chicken and roar on the spot. Ahhh, he had seen his idol! He had even spoken to his idol! Zheng Changle said excitedly. ¡°Of course it¡¯s important. If you¡¯re Master Wang, I¡¯ll definitely help you!¡± The clerk stomped his feet anxiously. ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t be rash. He¡¯s lying to you. Don¡¯t fall for it!¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°He¡¯s already disfigured. How can he be bluffing?!¡± The clerk said, ¡°Even if he¡¯s disfigured, what does it have to do with you?¡± Zheng Changle was immediately furious. ¡°Shut up!¡± How could it not be related? Master Wang at the Village Entrance was his favorite author! If Master Wang did not publish books in the future, where would he find spiritual food in the future? How could he live without spiritual food?! Zheng Changle pushed the clerk away and said loudly to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Master Wang, I¡¯ll help you paste the poster at the entrance of the Sky Oriole Garden.But you have to promise me that you won¡¯t give up on yourself. You must pull yourself together. I¡¯m still waiting for your new book!¡± Yu Niaoniao was very touched. ¡°Thank you. When I publish a new book later, I¡¯ll definitely arrange a role for you in it.¡± Zheng Changle immediately felt as if he had been injected with chicken blood and was extremely excited. ¡°Really? Can I appear in your book too?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It might just be a small role. If you¡¯re unwilling¡­¡± Zheng Changle nodded crazily. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m willing!¡± When the book fans gathered later, he would definitely tell the other readers about this and make them die of envy! Yu Niaoniao raised her right hand. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Zheng Changle did not understand what she meant. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Put your hands up too.¡± Zheng Changle obediently raised his hands. Yu Niaoniao reached out her right hand and gently patted his left. ¡°This is our agreement.¡± Then, Yu Niaoniao left the Sky Oriole Garden with Ling Hai. Zheng Changle still stood rooted to the ground in a daze, looking in the direction Yu Niaoniao had left. The clerk was anxious. ¡°You¡¯re not really going to help them pull guests, are you?¡± Zheng Changle clenched his left hand. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± The clerk was delighted. ¡°You¡¯ve changed your mind? You won¡¯t help them anymore?¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°I won¡¯t wash my hands anymore!¡± The clerk was speechless. Zheng Changle said, ¡°This was slapped by Master Wang!¡± The clerk said nothing. This young master was hopeless. The troupe master should quickly father another one. Inside the Justice Department. Xiao Juan was flipping through the dossiers in the Qianji Building. He took out all the information about Imperial Concubine Meng and read them one DY one. Imperial Concubine Meng¡¯s life was quite smooth-sailing. Other than the fact that she had no children, her life could almost be said to be easy. It was also because of this that there was very little information about her. Xiao Juan searched for a long time but could not find any useful information. He remembered what Granny Xiu Yan had said and decided to change his line of investigation. He found the records when Empress Dowager Deng entered the palace back then. As expected, he saw Imperial Concubine Meng in this record. Back then, it was difficult for the late emperor to have heirs. Empress Dowager Li was anxious and wanted to help the late emperor expand his harem. She decided to choose women of the right age from the aristocratic families to enter the palace. However, it was not convenient for Empress Dowager Li to leave the palace, so she asked Imperial Concubine Meng to help with the selection. When Imperial Concubine Meng went to the Deng family, she took a fancy to the Second Miss of the Deng family and brought her into the palace. After the Second Miss of the Deng family entered the palace, she was conferred the title of Zhaoyi. Two years later, she gave birth to a prince. She was promoted to Concubine Deng. When the prince grew up and inherited the throne, Concubine Deng became the current Empress Dowager Deng. The reason why Empress Dowager Deng could enter the palace as an imperial concubine was all thanks to Imperial Concubine Meng. No wonder her relationship with Imperial Concubine Meng was very good. Perhaps Empress Dowager Deng would really know where Imperial Concubine Meng¡¯s jade bracelets went. Should he ask Empress Dowager Deng? Just as Xiao Juan was thinking, he suddenly heard Meng Xizhou¡¯s voice outside the door. ¡°Your Highness, Wei Liao is here.¡± Xiao Juan put down the dossier. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s here to investigate a case.¡± Xiao Juan walked out of the Qianji Building and came to the front yard. There were several Eagle Guards standing in the courtyard. They surrounded Wei Liao and were on guard. Wei Liao crossed his arms lazily. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m here to investigate a case, not fight. You don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡± Xiao Juan looked at him expressionlessly and said coldly, ¡°What case are you investigating?¡± The Eagle Guards bowed to him. Wei Liao said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring back a charred corpse previously? I suspect that he¡¯s related to a case I recently investigated. I hope your Justice Department can cooperate and let me examine that charred corpse.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What if I don¡¯t cooperate?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so petty. We¡¯re all working for the emperor. If you help me, it¡¯s equivalent to helping the emperor.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If the emperor issues a decree, I¡¯ll definitely do as he says.. May I ask if you have an imperial edict?¡± Chapter 525 - Chapter 525: Unforgettable Chapter 525: Unforgettable Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao looked very helpless. ¡°Alright, since Your Highness is unwilling to help, I can¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll enter the palace and seek an audience with the emperor. I¡¯ll report to the emperor that Your Highness found Imperial Concubine Mengs belongings in the hands of pirates and ask the emperor to allow me to investigate this matter thoroughly.¡± With that, he turned to leave. Xiao Juan looked at him coldly and did not react. Wei Liao took a few steps before stopping and turning to look at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t stop me? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll tell the emperor about this?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If you really wanted to tell the emperor, you would have told him on the first day you returned to the capital. Why wait until now? Besides, I have nothing to hide. Tell him if you want.¡± Wei Liao was really helpless now. ¡°You¡¯re really stubborn. Alright. alright. I lost this time.¡± Even though he said that, Xiao Juan had no intention of being happy. Xiao Juan asked coldly, ¡°You specially came to the Justice Department to say Wei Liao said slowly. ¡°I know that you¡¯re actually Qian Shanxue¡¯s real owner. You were the one who bought Yu Niaoniao¡¯s recipe. You knew that she urgently needs money and wanted to help her in this way.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°So?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Then do you know that Yu Niaoniao has already borrowed three thousand taels from me?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. Wei Liao said, ¡°How interesting. You¡¯re clearly husband and wife, but she would rather borrow money from me than ask you for it.¡± Xiao Juan slowly walked forward and stood in front of him. Their eyes met. The air was thick with gunpowder. The Eagle Guards could not help but feel nervous and subconsciously gripped the saber at their waists. Wei Liao also thought that Xiao Juan would flare up and attack. He did not show it on his face, but he was secretly prepared to retaliate at any time. Just as they were about to fight, they heard Xiao Juan say unhurriedly. ¡°These are just your one-sided words. Why should I believe you?¡± ¡°Taking a step back, so what if Niaoniao borrowed money from you?¡± ¡°She is still my Princess Consort. I¡¯m the one who can sleep with her every day. I¡¯m the one who can grow old with her, The person who can have children with her is still me.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s expression gradually turned cold, and the hostility in his eyes intensified. Xiao Juan said, ¡°You¡¯re a smart person. You should know very well that there¡¯s no possibility between you and Niaoniao. Instead of wasting your efforts, why don¡¯t you stop your losses in time? Run before you fall too deep.¡± Wei Liao smiled again, this time filled with mockery. ¡°What are you talking about? Don¡¯t tell me you think I fancy that stupid woman, Yu Niaoniao? Forget your bad taste. Don¡¯t confuse me with you.¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything else, but he looked at Wei Liao as if he could see through his heart. Wei Liao was very angry and said without thinking. ¡°I¡¯ll be blind to like a stupid woman like Yu Niaoniao who has no looks, no figure, and a one-track mind!¡± A sudden shout came from the door. ¡°His Highness, the Seventh Prince, has arrived!¡± Xiao Juan and Wei Liao¡¯s expressions changed at the same time. The two of them immediately walked out the door and saw Shen Zhuo, who had just gotten out of the carriage. Shen Zhuo was wearing a light blue long robe. His black hair was raised high by a jade crown. His face was handsome, and his eyebrows were gentle. He was tall, but his face was slightly pale and he looked a little thin. The attendant helped him up the steps. He smiled and asked, ¡°I heard you arguing from afar.¡± Xiao Juan and Wei Liao cupped their fists at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making a fool of myself, Seventh Prince.¡± Shen Zhuo stepped over the high threshold and into the Justice Department. He looked as he walked. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that the Justice Department is unusual. Now that I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes, it¡¯s not as scary as the rumors say.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The rumors on the streets are not trustworthy.¡± Shen Zhuo glanced at him. ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t believe everything. For example, if the rumors between you and Niaoniao were all fake, why would you and her really get married?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Shen Zhuo turned to look at Wei Liao. ¡°I heard you mention Niaoniao¡¯s name outside the door just now. Why? Do you have a relationship with her in private?¡± Wei Liao was very unhappy to hear him call her Niaoniao. It was fine if Xiao Juan called her Niaoniao. After all, they were husband and wife who had worshipped the heavens and the earth. It was justifiable for Xiao Juan to call her that. However, what was wrong with the Seventh Prince? He had nothing to do with Yu Niaoniao! Wei Liao smiled. ¡°Your Highness, you must be joking. What kind of relationship can there be between me and the Princess Consort? I was just spouting nonsense just now. I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Shen Zhuo sat down in a chair and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t have a relationship. It¡¯s best not to say such things in the future. If word gets out, it won¡¯t be good for Niaoniao¡¯s reputation.¡± Wei Liao replied pretentiously, ¡°Thank you for your reminder, Your Highness. I¡¯ll definitely be careful with my words and actions in the future. If there¡¯s nothing else, Your Highness, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I heard that Wei Huai¡¯en helped you get an assignment from Father. After the ceremony of the Crown Prince is over, you have to set off for the Imperial Capital. I probably won¡¯t see you for a long time. I hope you can do a good job this time and not let Wei Huai¡¯en down.¡± His words were not only a reminder, but a warning. Wei Liao understood what the other party meant and felt even more unhappy. However, he still had to pretend that nothing had happened and reply with a smile. ¡°I understand.¡± When Wei Liao turned around and walked out the door, the smile on his face suddenly disappeared. He strode out of the Justice Department with a cold expression. His mood was already extremely bad. Shen Zhuo had come to the Justice Department mainly to look for Xiao Juan. ¡°I heard about your encounter in Liangzhou this time. Niaoniao was seriously injured. How is she now? How are her injuries recovering?¡± Xiao Juan said expressionlessly, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Seventh Prince. Niaoniao is fine. Shen Zhuo frowned slightly, looking dissatisfied. ¡°If I had known that she would be injured, I wouldn¡¯t have let you bring her to Liangzhou. Seriously, before we set off, I specially instructed you to protect Niaoniao well. Why did you still let her be injured?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Shen Zhuo sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m too naggy. Niaoniao has a lively personality and often does whatever she wants. However, she doesn¡¯t know martial arts and doesn¡¯t have the ability to protect herself. If you can¡¯t protect her, don¡¯t bring her around.¡± Xiao Juan was silent for a long time before saying four words. ¡°Niaoniao is doing well.¡± He did not like Shen Zhuo to talk about Niaoniao in such a tone. Niaoniao did not know martial arts, but she was smart and independent. She was not a weak woman who could not live without protection. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Niaoniao is naturally very good. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish the sentence. However, Xiao Juan already understood what he meant. It was precisely because Niaoniao was very good that Shen Zhuo could not forget her.. Chapter 526 - Chapter 526: You鈥檙e Too Annoying! Chapter 526: You¡¯re Too Annoying! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°If you can¡¯t protect Niaoniao, leave on your own. There will naturally be someone more suitable to protect her.¡± After saying this, Shen Zhuo left the Justice Department. Xiao Juan sat alone in the house in a daze for a long time. Previously, Wei Liao¡¯s provocation did not affect him because he was very sure that there was no possibility between Niaoniao and Wei Liao. However, Shen Zhuo was different. He was a prince now and would soon become the crown prince and the emperor in the future. Xiao Juan was still only a county king. If Shen Zhuo was determined to snatch her from him, could he really protect her? Yu Niaoniao brought Ling Hai back to the Langjun Imperial Palace. Because she had completed the mission to sell the recipe, Yu Niaoniao was in a good mood. Even her walking was lighter than usual. It was not until Ling Hai reminded her to submit the manuscript on time that she returned to reality. Her footsteps became heavy again. Sigh! She had to work overtime again tonight. She went to the study and began to paint. Fortunately, she had already drawn it once. She could rely on her superb memory to redraw the previous draft. However, she had promised to give Zheng Changle a small extra, so she had to change the plot a little. Unknowingly, the sky outside the window had already darkened. Chun Feng came to remind her. ¡°His Highness is back. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Yu Niaoniao put down her brush, stood up, and stretched. When she walked into the dining hall, she saw that Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha were already sitting at the table. Once she sat down, the three of them could start eating. As Yu Niaoniao ate, she asked, ¡°What case did the Justice Department work on today?¡± Xiao Juan picked up a meatball for her and replied casually. ¡°I investigated what happened to Consort Meng when she was alive and realized that she was on good terms with Empress Dowager Deng when she was alive. I¡¯m considering if I should ask Empress Dowager Deng about Consort Meng.¡± Yu Niaoniao was surprised. She did not expect that Empress Dowager Deng was involved. ¡®Will the Empress Dowager be unhappy if we go to her for such a small matter?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The Empress Dowager has a gentle personality, so she shouldn¡¯t take issue with us. However, I¡¯m worried that if this matter is exposed to the Empress Dowager, His Majesty might find out. The case of the Feng family¡¯s annihilation has already been decided by the Ministry of Justice. If we want to reverse the case, we have to find strong evidence, but we don¡¯t have any evidence now.¡± Yu Niaoniao understood what he meant. ¡°Are you worried that His Majesty won¡¯t let us continue investigating after finding out?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± The reason why he did not tell the emperor about the jade bracelet was that he had considered this. The emperor was very goal-oriented. He had spent so much money to support the Justice Department and the Eagle Guards, not for the sake of the world, but for himself to better control the civil and military officials. To the emperor, it was a huge waste for the Eagle Guards to spend so much effort on an old case that had already been settled. He would definitely not be happy. Yu Niaoniao suggested. ¡°Why don¡¯t we test the Empress Dowager?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°How?¡± Yu Niaoniao briefly explained her plan. ¡°When I enter the palace later, I shall put on that jade bracelet. If Empress Dowager Deng knew that bracelet, she would definitely recognize it.¡± ¡°I could take the opportunity to talk to her and get the information I wanted. But if she doesn¡¯t recognize it, it means that she had never seen this bracelet either. We don¡¯t have to spend time on Empress Dowager Deng.¡± ¡°This way, no matter what the outcome was, there was no need to alarm the emperor. What do you think?¡± Xiao Juan thought about it seriously. ¡°I can give it a try, but you have to control yourself. Don¡¯t let anyone see that you did it on purpose.¡± Lo Pingsha also felt that this idea was feasible. Yu Niaoniao clapped her hands. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled! We just need a reason to enter the palace to see Empress Dowager Deng.¡± Granny Xiu Yan spoke at the right time. ¡°The day after tomorrow is the day the Seventh Prince is anointed as the Crown Prince. At that time, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and His Majesty will go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Duke Lang and the Princess Consort will also go to watch the ceremony.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. The Crown Prince ceremony! This is a good opportunity to get close to the empress dowager!¡± Hearing the words Crown Prince, Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes darkened. He didn¡¯t say another word after that. The entire time, he was very quiet. At first, Yu Niaoniao did not notice anything amiss. When the two of them returned to the bedroom and Xiao Juan applied medication for her as usual, she However, Xiao Juan did not say a word. He was as quiet as a sawed gourd. Only then did Yu Niaoniao notice his abnormality. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you unhappy?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Nothing.¡± Yu Niaoniao stared at his expressionless poker face and said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re just unhappy! Something must have happened to you?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. After applying the medication for her, he got up to wash his hands. Yu Niaoniao put on her clothes and sat cross-legged on the bed. ¡°What exactly happened to you? Tell me. Perhaps I can help you think of a way.¡± Xiao Juan washed his hands in silence and wiped them clean with a cloth towel. When he returned to the bed and saw Yu Niaoniao staring at him without blinking, he could only say, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Go to sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very unhappy. She fell straight onto the bed, then rolled back and forth, left and right, making a mess of the bedding and muttering. ¡°You clearly have something on your mind, but you didn¡¯t tell me. Do you not trust me? I feel so terrible. I definitely won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight. It¡¯s all your fault. You caused me to lose sleep. You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Xiao Juan looked at her quietly for a long time before speaking. ¡°Shen Zhuo is about to become the Crown Prince. Don¡¯t you have any thoughts about this?¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped rolling and looked up at him, looking confused. ¡°What can I think? Whether he becomes the Crown Prince or something else, it has nothing to do with me. I¡¯ve long lost contact with him.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°But he came to look for me today. He cares about you very much.¡± Yu Niaoniao rolled over and sat up, scolding angrily. ¡°Why is he looking for you? Is there something wrong with him!¡± After cursing, she immediately covered her mouth, her eyes darting around as she said sneakily. ¡°Will I be arrested if I insult the future Crown Prince?¡± Xiao Juan was amused by her appearance and his eyebrows involuntarily relaxed. ¡°What you¡¯re saying here won¡¯t be heard by anyone but me.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her hand. ¡°That¡¯s good. Let me tell you, Shen Zhuo is just so cheap. When my stepfather proposed to him, he rejected him without hesitation. Now that I¡¯ve already thrown him away, he wants to turn back. Dream on!¡± After saying that, she rolled her eyes. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Marriage proposal?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s been many years. At that time, I didn¡¯t know his true identity. My stepfather took a fancy to his and felt that he was promising, so he had the intention of marrying me to him.¡± Logically speaking, Xiao Juan should feel uncomfortable, but seeing that Niaoniao¡¯s words were open and there was no guilt, he knew that she had really let go of what happened back then.. Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: If I Don鈥檛 Like Him, I Don鈥檛 Like Him! Chapter 527: If I Don¡¯t Like Him, I Don¡¯t Like Him! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao had almost forgotten about Shen Zhuo. She did not expect this fellow to come looking for her again. She knew that this matter was a knot in Xiao Juan¡¯s heart, so she might as well tell him the truth so that he would not let one¡¯s imagination run wild in the future. ¡°When I was young, I might have had a good impression of Shen Zhuo, but that good impression had been extinguished 800 years ago. I don¡¯t have any thoughts about him now, let alone in the future. If he comes looking for you again, you can treat him as a fart.¡± Xiao Juan stared at her. ¡°But he¡¯s going to become the Crown Prince soon.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°So what if he becomes emperor? If I don¡¯t like him, I don¡¯t like him!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If he really becomes the emperor, his words will be an imperial edict. You can¡¯t refuse.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then let¡¯s leave here and find a private place to live in seclusion so that he can¡¯t find us! But in this way, you can¡¯t continue to be a duke. You might not be willing to¡­¡¯ Xiao Juan said without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately beamed. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Looking at her smile, the corners of Xiao Juan¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, and the lingering and uneasy feelings in his heart dissipated. No matter what would happen to Shen Zhuo in the future, it was enough as long as she stood firmly by his side. He would think of a way to fight for the rest. The next day, Xiao Juan went to the Justice Department as usual. Because Yu Niaoniao had agreed to submit the manuscript before the end of the year, she could only stay at home to rush it. She was leaning against the table painting when Chun Feng walked in with tea and snacks. ¡°Princess Consort, please have some refreshments.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied without looking up, ¡°Yes.¡± After a while, she did not hear footsteps leave. Yu Niaoniao looked up and realized that Chun Feng was still standing at the side. She could not help but ask. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Chun Feng said, ¡°I saw Little Hai just now. He¡¯s wandering outside the study as if he has something to ask you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I see. Let him in.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Chun Feng turned around and walked out of the study, waving at Ling Hai, who was still wandering in the courtyard. ¡°The County Princess wants to see you. Go in quickly.¡± Ling Hai perked up and hurriedly tidied up before running into the study. ¡°County Princess Consort, do you need me for something?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to look for me for something? I heard from Chun Feng just now that you¡¯ve been wandering outside the study for a long time.¡± Ling Hai scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°I want to ask you if there¡¯s anything I can do. I¡¯ve been in the Langjun Imperial Palace for two days and haven¡¯t been assigned any work. I don¡¯t know what I can do. I don¡¯t know anyone else, so I can only come to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was enlightened. ¡°So it¡¯s about this. It¡¯s my fault for not thinking it through.¡± Ever since she returned to Langjun Imperial Palace, she had been so busy that she had forgotten to settle Ling Hai. Yu Niaoniao looked around and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°How about this? You¡¯ll be my assistant from now on.¡± Ling Hai didn¡¯t understand what an assistant did. Yu Niaoniao explained, ¡°The assistant¡¯s matters are very complicated. Let¡¯s start with the simplest. Do you see these drafts? This is a storyboard sketch, this is a line draft, and this is a finished sketch.¡¯ Ling Hai pointed at a map in the corner. ¡°What about this?¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up the diagram and looked at it. ¡°It¡¯s useless. Just throw it away.¡± With that, she crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the basket. Ling Hai followed her guidance and sorted out the messy drafts on the table in the order of the scenes. Seeing that he got everything in good order, Yu Niaoniao was very satisfied and asked again. ¡°Can you read?¡± Ling Hai was a little embarrassed. ¡°I only recognize some common words.¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at the blank spot on the sketch. ¡°Do you see here? You need to write character dialogue here. Fill in the dialogue according to the script. If you encounter words you don¡¯t know, check the dictionary yourself. The dictionary is on that bookshelf.¡± She raised her hand and pointed at the large bookshelf standing by the opposite wall. Ling Hai nodded and replied, ¡°Got it.¡± After making the arrangements, Yu Niaoniao let him be and continued to paint. When Chun Feng came to deliver lunch to them at noon, Yu Niaoniao put down her paintbrush. She stood up to wash her hands and saw that Ling Hai was still busy, so she said to him. ¡°Don¡¯t be busy. Come and eat first.¡± Ling Hai replied, ¡°I¡¯m just missing the last bit. I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Yu Niaoniao wiped her hands clean and walked to Ling Hail s side to take a look. She realized that he was writing the conversation on a blank piece of paper and did not write the conversation directly on the sketch. She couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Why did you write the conversation here?¡± Ling Hai hurriedly explained. ¡°My handwriting isn¡¯t good. I want to write a few more times on the blank paper to see which is better before cutting it and pasting it on the draft. In this way, I can change it even if I accidentally write the wrong words. I don¡¯t have to ruin your draft.¡± Yu Niaoniao gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Not bad. You¡¯re quite smart.¡± Ling Hai was very embarrassed by the praise. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you¡¯re free, you can read more books. You can read all the books here. It won¡¯t do you any harm to learn more while you¡¯re young.¡± Usually, Xiao Juan was in the Justice Department and rarely used this study. She was usually the one using it here, and there was nothing to keep secret. Ling Hai was extremely grateful. ¡°Thank you.¡¯ Previously, the County Princess wanted to send him to school to study, but he rejected her. It was not because he did not like to study, but because he did not want to cause trouble for the County Princess. Now, not only could he help the County Princess, but he could also study and learn. It was killing two birds with one stone. He was naturally very happy. After lunch, the two of them continued to work. With Ling Hail s help, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s work efficiency increased greatly. Seeing that the sky was about to turn dark, she instructed Ling Hai. ¡°I¡¯m not in the residence tomorrow. You can rest for a day.¡± Ling Hai replied obediently, ¡°Okay.¡± The next day, at dawn, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan set off from the Langjun Imperial Palace. They had to enter the palace first before following the main group to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. After entering the palace, Yu Niaoniao and the other women were going to visit the Empress Dowager and Empress. However, unlike the other women, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face was covered by a veil, revealing only her eyes. This caused many people to look at her strangely. When a luxuriously dressed Madam passed by her, she deliberately snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve already entered the palace, but you¡¯re still dressed like this. Could it be that you¡¯ve been at the border of Liangzhou for too long and have forgotten the rules of the palace?¡± Although she lowered her voice, Yu Niaoniao could still hear her clearly. Clearly, the other party was saying it for her to hear. Yu Niaoniao glanced at the person and saw that she was very unfamiliar. She did not know her at all. Seeing this, the Madam immediately slowed down. ¡°Is there anything you want to say to me, County Princess?¡± She thought that Yu Niaoniao would be angry or embarrassed, but no matter what, the person who would be embarrassed in the end would definitely be Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao said seriously, ¡°I want to ask, who are you?¡± That Madam was speechless.. Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: A Match Made in Heaven Chapter 528: A Match Made in Heaven Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao really did not know the other party and did not know why she was looking for trouble. Her question was completely sincere. However, in that Madam¡¯s ears, it became a mockery. Her face turned livid. ¡°Good, very good!¡± With that, she flicked her sleeve angrily and left. Yu Niaoniao was left standing there at a loss. Who was this person? A young eunuch behind them said at the right time. ¡°That¡¯s Mrs. Yang. Yang Xianrong is her daughter.¡± Hearing the name Yang Xianrong, Yu Niaoniao immediately understood what was going on. Back then, because of the fight between Yang Xianrong and Yu Pingping, Yang Xianrong was punished and grounded. Her father was even reprimanded by the emperor. Almost two years had passed since this incident and Yu Niaoniao had almost forgotten about this small matter. However, from Mrs. Yang¡¯s attitude, it was obvious that she was still brooding over the matter. Yu Niaoniao casually took out a piece of silver and handed it to the young eunuch. ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± The young eunuch hurriedly refused. ¡°Not really. Young Master Wei specially instructed me to take care of you more.¡± Yu Niaoniao was surprised. Was Wei Liao was actually so considerate? The sun had really risen from the west! The group arrived at the Biquan Palace. Empress Dowager Deng and Empress Wen were dressed very formally today. The two of them sat at the head of the table and accepted the kneeling of the women. After they stood up, Empress Dowager Deng realized that Yu Niaoniao had a veil on her face and could not help but ask. ¡°Princess Consort Lang, why are you still covering your face?¡± In the crowd, Mrs. Yang sneered secretly. She actually dared to wear a veil when she saw the Empress Dowager and Empress. She clearly did not take the Empress Dowager and Empress seriously. The Princess Consort of Lang County would be punished! The others also looked at Yu Niaoniao. Most of them were waiting to watch a good show. After all, Duke Lang¡¯s reputation was really bad. He had many enemies in the court, and no one hoped for him to be well. Yu Niaoniao explained calmly. ¡°Your Highness, I was injured in Liangzhou and have a scar on my face. I was afraid of scaring you and the Empress, so I entered the palace with a veil.¡± Empress Dowager Deng frowned slightly. ¡°How did this happen? Appearance is very important to women. I¡¯ll get the imperial physician to take a look at you later.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Empress Dowager. I¡¯m using medication. I believe the scar will be removed soon. There¡¯s no need to trouble the imperial physician to make another trip for me.¡± Mrs. Yang questioned, ¡°The Princess Consort said that she has a scar on her face, but we didn¡¯t see it with our own eyes. We still don¡¯t know if this matter is true.¡± She deliberately wanted to embarrass Yu Niaoniao. If Yu Niaoniao was really disfigured and took off her veil in public, it would be equivalent to exposing her ugly appearance to everyone. She would definitely lose all her face. However, if Yu Niaoniao was not disfigured, she would have lied to Empress Dowager Deng. The consequences would be even worse. Empress Dowager Deng was not an aggressive person. She said warmly, ¡°I believe the County Princess won¡¯t joke about such a thing. Don¡¯t say anything else.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Since the Empress Dowager trusts me so much, I naturally can¡¯t make things difficult for you. I¡¯ll take off my veil now to prove my innocence, lest others spread rumors about this.¡± With that, she raised her hand and took off the veil on her face. Before leaving, Chun Feng specially applied more cosmetics to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face and helped her hide most of the scars on her face. However, after leaving, Yu Niaoniao quietly wiped the cosmetics off her face. At this moment, the scar on her face was clearly visible to everyone. The women present were stunned. Even Empress Wen was a little shocked. She did not expect the scar on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face to be so obvious. If this scar could not be removed, how could yu Niaomao tace otners In tne tutureg The others had similar thoughts. As the person involved, Yu Niaoniao was very calm. She put the veil back on and looked at Empress Dowager Deng on the high seat. Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s face was pale as if she had been violently frightened. She was stunned. The nanny beside her sensed Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s abnormality and hurriedly asked. ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Empress Dowager Deng did not answer, her eyes still fixed on Yu Niaoniao. Mrs. Yang immediately scolded Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Princess Consort Lang, look at what you¡¯ve done. If anything happens to the Empress Dowager because of you, you won¡¯t be able to absolve yourself of the blame even if you die ten thousand times!¡± Empress Wen frowned and said, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t make a huge fuss here. Hurry up and call the imperial physician.¡± Mrs. Yang could only shut her mouth resentfully and not dare to say anything else. Empress Wen helped Empress Dowager Deng to the inner room to rest while the others waited outside. Without the Empress and the Empress Dowager holding the fort, the women gathered in groups and discussed softly. Only Yu Niaoniao was excluded. She sat alone in the corner and gently turned the jade bracelet on her wrist. Her ears were filled with the whispers of the women. ¡°Did you see that? The face of the Princess Consort of Lang is so scary.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to really be disfigured. This is retribution. Who asked Duke Lang to harm so many people?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she just say that the scar could be removed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a lie she used to preserve her last bit of dignity. How can such a serious scar recover?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between her current appearance and a hag? She¡¯s a match made in heaven with that living King of Hell, Duke Lang.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. These two are too compatible!¡± Mrs. Yang looked at Yu Niaoniao gloatingly. Seeing her sitting alone in the corner in a daze, she felt the pleasure of successfully taking revenge. However, in fact, Yu Niaoniao did not care about the discussions of others. Her mind was filled with thoughts about Empress Dowager Deng. When she raised her hand to take off the veil just now, she deliberately let her sleeve slide down, revealing the jade bracelet hanging on her wrist. Empress Dowager Deng and Empress Wen, who were sitting opposite, could definitely see it clearly. Everyone thought that Empress Dowager Deng was frightened by the scar on her face. Only Yu Niaoniao knew that Empress Dowager Deng was frightened by the jade bracelet on her hand. At that time, other than shock, there was also fear and uneasiness in Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s gaze. From this reaction, it could be seen that Empress Dowager Deng definitely knew this jade bracelet. The imperial physician quickly rushed over. He checked Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s body and said that her emotions were fluctuating too much. There was no big problem. He asked her to drink a cup of calming tea and rest for a while before running away. Seeing that it was about time, Empress Wen helped Empress Dowager Deng out and prepared to leave Biquan Palace. The women retreated to the sides and made way for the Empress Dowager and Empress to go first. wnen tne Empress Dowager passea DY YU INIaomao, sne pausea. ¡°The Princess Consort of Lang County.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her head slightly. ¡°What can I do for you, Empress Dowager?¡± Empress Dowager Deng said, ¡°After the conferment of the Crown Prince is over, come to the Biquan Palace. I have something to ask you.¡± Yu Niaoniao agreed respectfully. ¡°Yes..¡± Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: Anointing the Crown Prince Chapter 529: Anointing the Crown Prince Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Huai¡¯en brought the young eunuchs to help the old emperor change his clothes, then let Wei Liao in to carry the old emperor out. At this moment, the old emperor was already very sick. He could not even stand up. Usually, he could only lie in bed. Today was the day to confer the title of Crown Prince. He had to be there personally and could only force himself to stay awake. Wei Liao quickly walked in and knelt on one knee in front of the bed, waiting to carry the old emperor out. However, the old emperor said. ¡°Let Xiao Juan carry me.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en could only ask Wei Liao to leave and invite Xiao Juan in. Xiao Juan knelt on one knee and bent down. When everyone helped the old emperor onto his back, he felt a weight on his back. Then, he stood up with the old emperor on his back and steadily walked out the door. The old emperor leaned on Xiao Juan¡¯s back and said weakly. ¡°In the past, I believed some rumors. Thinking that Ah Zhuo¡¯s fate was not good, I sent him to the temple.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t pick him up until he was 20 years old. As a father, I owe him a lot.¡± ¡°However, he ignored the past and spent the past six months serving me with all his might. He¡¯s a good child like you.¡± Xiao Juan walked forward without looking sideways. He knew that the emperor must have a purpose for saying these words, so he did not answer and only listened quietly. The old emperor took a deep breath and continued. ¡°Although I¡¯ve already issued a decree to make Ah Zhuo the Crown Prince, there are still many objections in the court.¡± ¡°They felt that Ah Zhuo had grown up in a temple since he was young. He was ignorant and did not have any outstanding achievements. He could not bear the burden of inheriting the throne.¡± ¡°In order to reduce their prejudice against Ah Zhuo, I changed the narrative of your deed of capturing the spy of the Chen Nation in Liaodong County and rescuing the kidnapped woman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m having Ah Zhuo to take the credit for this deed. In exchange, Tang Guixi could continue to lead the East Expedition.¡± ¡°You should be able to accept it, right?¡± Xiao Juan said expressionlessly, ¡°I submit to His Majesty¡¯s arrangements.¡± The old emperor smiled in satisfaction. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t mind. You¡¯re a good child. You¡¯ve done a lot for me over the years and didn¡¯t let me down.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already told Ah Zhuo.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.¡± Wei Liao and Wei Huaien were just a step behind them. Even though the old emperor¡¯s voice was very soft, Wei Liao and Wei Huaien could still hear him clearly. Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s expression did not change, as if he had not heard anything. The corners of Wei Liao¡¯s mouth curled up slightly into a mocking smile. However, this smile disappeared in the blink of an eye. Xiao Juan carried the emperor into the carriage. After the emperor was settled, Xiao Juan jumped out of the carriage and rode to the front of the team. At this moment, everyone was already here. Xiao Juan led the Eagle Guards to clear the way in front. The large group marched towards the city gate. When they arrived at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, it was already noon. The civil and military officials knelt on the ground and quietly listened to Wei Huai¡¯en read the imperial edict loudly. This imperial decree was dictated by the emperor and written by a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. A huge part of it was praised for the beautiful quality of the Seventh Prince, Shen Zhuo. For example, he was born with auspiciousness and had been talented since he was young. He knew how to love the commoners at a young age and had secretly done many good deeds that no one knew about. When Yu Niaoniao heard this, she did not think there was anything wrong. Wasn¡¯t it just business flattery? It was just a process. However, next, Wei Huai¡¯en mentioned what happened in Liaodong County last year. All the credit for designing the capture of human traffickers, rescuing the kidnapped woman, finding the spy of the enemy country, breaking the huge conspiracy of the Chen Nation, returning the commoners¡¯ fields¡­ was given to the Seventh Prince, Shen Zhuo. It was because of Shen Zhuo¡¯s secret arrangements that Xiao Juan could do these things. In short, all of this was Shen Zhuo¡¯s achievement. As one of the people who had accompanied Xiao Juan through life and death in Liaodong County, Yu Niaoniao could not take it anymore. She was about to look up when Xiao Juan, who was kneeling beside her, reached out and pressed her down. She turned to look at Xiao Juan, only to see him looking down at the ground. There was no anger or surprise on his face, as if he had known that such a thing would happen. Yu Niaoniao wanted to ask what was going on. However, considering that it was not appropriate to make a sound at this moment, she could only shut her mouth and choose to remain silent. Whatever else Wei Huai¡¯en said next, Yu Niaoniao could not listen to a word. She was filled with anger now. She had never hated Shen Zhuo so much. It was clearly not his achievement. How could he accept all of this with a clear conscience? Didn¡¯t he feel guilty?! After reading the imperial edict, Shen Zhuo stood up and took it with both hands. The emperor personally put on the golden dragon crown that represented his new status. Everyone shouted in unison, ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince!¡± Yu Niaoniao kept her mouth shut. Shen Zhuo stood at a high place and looked at the scene of the civil and military officials submitting to him. At this moment, it was as if all living beings were ants, and he was the emperor who controlled the life and death of everyone in the world. This condescending feeling was too fascinating. Next was to worship the ancestors and tell their ancestors about Shen Zhuo becoming the Crown Prince so that they could bless the Shen family¡¯s territory to be passed down from generation to generation. When the entire ceremony was completed, it was already afternoon. During this period, everyone had to kneel non-stop. It was boring and tiring, and they could not eat or drink. They could not even go to the toilet. If it were in the past, Yu Niaoniao would definitely be dizzy from hunger. But now she was so focused on sulking that she forgot to be hungry. Yu Niaoniao returned to the carriage and Chun Feng immediately served refreshments. ¡°You must be hungry, right? Quickly eat something to fill your stomach.¡± Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°No! I¡¯m full of anger!¡± Chun Feng hurriedly asked, ¡°Who made you angry? Tell Duke Lang and ask him to avenge you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s no point in telling him.¡± The emperor had personally issued the imperial edict. The contents were decided by him. If anyone dared to question it, it was equivalent to going against the emperor. Even if Xiao Juan was Duke Lang, he still could not resist the imperial power. Chun Feng did not know the inside story and did not understand what Yu Niaoniao meant. However, seeing that Yu Niaoniao had no intention of explaining in detail, she tactfully did not ask further and asked. ¡°What do you want to eat when you get home later? Or do you want to sleep and rest first?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I have to go to the palace later.¡± Chun Feng said, ¡°Then you should eat something first, lest you feel uncomfortable when you enter the palace later.¡± Yu Niaoniao thought about it and agreed. It was not worth starving her body for that bastard Shen Zhuo, so she grabbed the cake and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing hard. Looking at her ruthlessness, it was as if she was biting someone¡¯s flesh instead of cake.. Chapter 530 - Chapter 530: Unrewarding Chapter 530: Unrewarding Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After the ceremony, everyone returned to their homes, but Yu Niaoniao still had to enter the palace to see Empress Dowager Deng. Xiao Juan was worried about her entering the palace alone and decided to accompany her. The two of them walked along the long palace path. Xiao Juan saw that Yu Niaoniao still had a straight face and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you still angry? Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°How can I not be angry? It¡¯s clearly all your credit. Why should you give it to others? What¡¯s the difference between them and bandits? Shameless! Too shameless!¡± Xiao Juan raised his index finger and reminded her to keep her voice down. Although there was no one in sight, this was the palace after all. What if the walls had ears? Yu Niaoniao could only shut up, her eyes still burning. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not take this lying down. She questioned, ¡°Did you already know about this?¡± Xiao Juan admitted frankly, ¡®Yes, the emperor told me about this before leaving the palace.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Did you agree?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Can I not agree?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. The other party was the emperor. If Xiao Juan did not agree, he would be defying the decree. Xiao Juan raised his hand and gently placed it on the top of her head to comfort her. ¡°At this point, it¡¯s useless no matter how angry you are.¡± ¡°Its just an empty title. I didn¡¯t care about it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that? No matter what others do, we don¡¯t need to mind as long as we have a clear conscience.¡± Yu Niaoniao said hatefully, ¡°The thing I regret most in my life is telling you this.¡± His conscience was clear! She was only angry and aggrieved. Xiao Juan smiled helplessly. ¡°Let me tell you something that would make you happy. The emperor promised me that he won¡¯t send anyone to take over the Eastern Expedition Army for the time being, which means that Tang Guixi can continue to be in charge of the Eastern Expedition Army.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately reacted. ¡°Is this an exchange for stealing your credit?¡± Xiao Juan did not deny it. Yu Niaoniao was even angrier. ¡°He let Guixi manage the Eastern Expedition Army to protect the safety of Liaodong County. He actually used this as a bargaining chip?!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No matter what, at least there won¡¯t be any changes in the Eastern Expedition Army in the next few years. This is a good thing for the citizens of Liaodong County.¡± Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°This is his territory and his people. What has it got to do with us? Why are we so idle? It¡¯s strenuous and unrewarding!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Dont say such angry words.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to say something else, but she was interrupted by Xiao Juan. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately shut up. A team of patrolling imperial guards walked out from the corner ahead. When they saw Duke Lang and his wife, they stopped and greeted them. After they were far away, Yu Niaoniao spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop here.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯ll know tomorrow.¡± Tomorrow was the opening day of Qirui Garden, and it was also the official opening day of Duke Lang in Liaodong. The Emperor thought that Liaodong County was far from Mount Yujing. The commoners of Liaodong County would not know what had happened in the capital, and the commoners in the capital would not know the real situation in Liaodong County. It did not matter if he took all the credit for Duke Lang. Anyway, he had the final say. The old thing¡¯s plan was really good! Tomorrow, Yu Niaoniao would let everyone in the Imperial Capital know the truth. When they arrived at the Crystal Spring Palace, Xiao Juan was stopped outside the door. The nanny said respectfully, ¡°The Empress Dowager only wants to see the County Princess. Please wait outside, Your Highness.¡± Xiao Juan could only stand on the spot and watch her walk in. Not long after, the eunuch¡¯s shout sounded outside. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!¡± Shen Zhuo, who had just been conferred the title of Crown Prince, crossed the threshold and walked into the Crystal Spring Palace. The palace servants went forward and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Xiao Juan had no choice but to cup his fists and bow. Shen Zhuo gestured for everyone to dispense with courtesy. He smiled and said, ¡°I heard that my grandmother was sick, so I specially came to visit. I didn¡¯t expect to meet Duke Lang here. Are you also here to visit my grandmother?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the Princess Consort here.¡± Shen Zhuo looked surprised. ¡°Niaoniao is also in the palace?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we last met. I have a lot to tell her. It¡¯s a coincidence today.¡± Xiao Juan replied indifferently. At this moment, in the bedroom, Yu Niaoniao had already composed herself. She hid all her dissatisfaction and resentment. She bowed to Empress Dowager Deng. ¡°Greetings, Empress Dowager.¡± Empress Dowager Deng leaned against the soft blanket. Her legs were covered with a blanket, and the hairpin on her head had been removed. She frowned slightly and her face was pale, looking a little depressed and weak. She looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked, ¡°Where did you get the bracelet on your wrist?¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her right hand, revealing the emerald jade bracelet. ¡°Are you talking about this? I bought this from a peddler on the way back to the Imperial Capital from Liangzhou.¡± Empress Dowager Deng asked, ¡°What peddler?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary peddler walking the streets. I once asked him where he got such a good bracelet. He said that an old scholar in his fifties sold it to him. He said that old scholar didn¡¯t look too well and was coughing and limping.¡± After hearing her description, Empress Dowager Deng was stunned for a long time before speaking. ¡°Is that all?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all I know. After that, I never saw that peddler again.¡± Empress Dowager Deng seemed to have thought of something. Her fingers involuntarily retracted and her lips pursed tightly. Yu Niaoniao pretended to be ignorant. ¡°Do you like this bracelet?¡± Empress Dowager Deng forced a smile. ¡°I just think this bracelet looks familiar. I seem to have seen it before. Bring it here for me to take a closer look.¡± Yu Niaoniao obediently took off the bracelet and offered it with both hands. Empress Dowager Deng took the bracelet and looked at it carefully under the sunlight outside the window. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Have you seen this bracelet before?¡± Empress Dowager Deng put down the bracelet. ¡°Yes, this belongs to Consort Meng. I didn¡¯t expect it to fall outside the palace. It must have been stolen by some little thief.¡± Yu Niaoniao understood. ¡°I see.¡± Empress Dowager Deng said, ¡°I remember that there¡¯s a pair of this bracelet. Why did I only see one? Where¡¯s the other?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. This is the only bracelet that the peddler sold to me.¡± Empress Dowager Deng muttered, ¡°If we can find another¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at her curiously. ¡°Is there anything special about the other bracelet?¡± Empress Dowager Deng shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Since this bracelet was left behind by Consort Meng, I¡¯ll keep it for her. As compensation, I¡¯ll give you another pair of high-quality suet jade bracelets.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked happy. ¡°Thank you, Empress Dowager.¡± ¡°You can leave. Don¡¯t tell outsiders about what happened today.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± After Yu Niaoniao turned to leave, the bedroom door was closed. Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. She instructed the nanny beside her, ¡°Send a message back to the Deng family and ask them to send someone to check if the Princess Consort of Lang County is telling the truth.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± Chapter 531 - Chapter 531: Marriage Chapter 531: Marriage Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Facing Shen Zhuo, who had just been conferred the title of Crown Prince, Xiao Juan did not change his attitude towards him. He was still cold. Shen Zhuo had his own interpretation of this. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve made a great contribution in Liaodong County. All of this should be your credit. Now that they have all been credited to me, you must feel very uncomfortable. This is normal. Anyone would not feel good.¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re thinking too much. I¡¯m not dissatisfied.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a petty person. Since I¡¯ve received benefits from you, I¡¯ll definitely give you a corresponding return. Tell me, what do you want? Money or power?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± Shen Zhuo said seriously, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be polite to me. I don¡¯t like to owe others a favor. Tell me what you want. Only by returning this favor will I feel better.¡± Xiao Juan felt that he had already made it very clear. He did not want anything. However, Shen Zhuo in front of him seemed to not understand human language and spoke to himself the entire time. At this moment, Yu Niaoniao came out. She happened to hear Shen Zhuo¡¯s last words and immediately said to him bluntly. ¡°Then please continue to feel uncomfortable, Your Highness!¡± When Shen Zhuo saw her appear, his eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Niaoniao, long time no see. I heard that you were injured in Liangzhou.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been worried and want to see you.¡± ¡°However, I was afraid that others would misunderstand our relationship so I thought it would be inconvenient to look for you directly.¡± ¡°How are you now? How are your injuries recovering?¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes hiding the coldness in them. Because they had lived together for a few years when they were young, Yu Niaoniao already treated him as half a family. Even though she knew that he had set her up and used her, she was only disappointed, but she did not hate him. But now, she really hated him. Yu Niaoniao did not hide her disgust at all and frowned. ¡°My business has nothing to do with His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Shen Zhuo frowned slightly and the eunuch beside him immediately scolded sternly. ¡°How dare you! How dare you speak to the Crown Prince like this?!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at Shen Zhuo and said neither humbly nor arrogantly. ¡°If Your Highness feels that I¡¯ve offended you, you can punish me. You can kill me or torture me!¡± The eunuch wanted to say something, but Shen Zhuo raised his hand to stop him. Shen Zhuo was very sad. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say such things to me. I can¡¯t hurt you.¡± Yu Niaoniao sneered. ¡°Yes, you just know how to use me.¡± Shen Zhuo looked hurt. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for what happened before. I apologize to you. How can you forgive me?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°My request is very simple. Just clarify it to the world and tell them the truth.¡± ¡°What truth?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s the truth in Liaodong County last year. The person who caught the spy of the enemy was Duke Lang. The person who saved the kidnapped women was also Duke Lang. The person who ordered the return of the commoners¡¯ land was Duke Lang. All of this was done by Duke Lang. It has nothing to do with you!¡± Shen Zhuo sighed helplessly. ¡°So you were throwing a tantrum because of this.¡± ¡°I know that my father did something wrong, but at this point, it¡¯s impossible for my father to take back his words.¡± What compensation do you and Duke Lang want? As long as it¡¯s within a reasonable range, I can satisfy you.¡± Yu Niaoniao became even angrier. ¡°Who do you think we are? Did you think I said so much just to ask you for benefits?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that low! We don¡¯t need any compensation. We only want justice!¡± Shen Zhuo smiled gently, his tone as if he was coaxing a disobedient child. ¡°After so many years, I didn¡¯t expect you to still be so innocent. The world is not as black and white as you imagined.¡± ¡°Only a fool would be obsessed with justice. Smart people think about how to obtain the greatest benefit for themselves.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Can benefits represent everything?¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°What else?¡± Yu Niaoniao seemed to have really recognized the man in front of her for the first time. So this was his true appearance. She suddenly lost the desire to communicate with him. Because no matter what she said, she was still whistling in the wind. They were not from the same world at all. ¡°We have different paths, so let¡¯s leave it at that. Your Highness, please take care. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that, she held Xiao Juan¡¯s hand and strode out without looking back. Shen Zhuo called her twice, but he could not stop her. The eunuch beside him asked, ¡°Do you want me to get someone to stop them?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Forget it.¡± There was still a long way to go. There was no hurry. When he became the emperor in the future, no matter what Niaoniao wanted, he could satisfy her. At that time, she would know how good he was. The eunuch could not help but say, ¡°You¡¯re the Crown Prince. How dare they speak to you like this? Especially the Princess Consort of Lang County. She doesn¡¯t take you seriously at all.. Before he could finish, he was stuck under the Crown Prince¡¯s cold gaze. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°You talk too much.¡± The eunuch hurriedly knelt down. ¡°I deserve to die!¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Go and get 20 strokes yourself. If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll beat you to death.¡± The eunuch kowtowed hard. ¡°Yes!¡± The nanny walked out and bowed to Shen Zhuo. ¡°Your Highness, the Empress Dowager invites you in.¡± Shen Zhuo walked into the bedroom and saw Empress Dowager Deng leaning against the soft couch, resting with her eyes closed. ¡°Greetings, Grandmother.¡± Empress Dowager Deng opened her eyes and looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s Ah Zhuo. Today is your day. Congratulations.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Fame and fortune are just external things. Grandmother¡¯s health is what I care about the most. Are you feeling better? What did the imperial physician say?¡± Empress Dowager Deng smiled in relief. ¡°You¡¯re a filial child. This is an old problem. There¡¯s no big problem. I¡¯ll be fine after resting for two days.¡± Shen Zhuo said with concern, ¡°Even if it¡¯s a small illness, you have to recuperate well. Don¡¯t neglect it.¡± Empress Dowager Deng said, ¡°I know. You¡¯re even more long-winded than that old imperial physician.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°This concerns your health. It¡¯s not too much to be cautious. Even if you despise me for being noisy, I have to come to your ear every day.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, alright. From your filial piety, I didn¡¯t dote on you for nothing.¡± At this point, Empress Dowager Deng changed the topic and suddenly asked. ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. Logically speaking, you should have gotten married and had children long ago. However, because you were sent to the temple since you were young, you were only brought back last year, which delayed your marriage. Now that you¡¯ve become the Crown Prince, why don¡¯t you celebrate? I¡¯ll arrange a marriage for you.¡± The smile on Shen Zhuo¡¯s face faded a little. ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention of getting married for the time being.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. Being unfilial is the most important. You have to father children for our royal family. Only then will you not let down the emperor and me.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Marriage is not a small matter. I have to discuss it with Mother and Father.¡± Empress Dowager Deng said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. As long as you nod your head in agreement, I will settle it with them..¡± Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: A Year鈥檚 Promise Chapter 532: A Year¡¯s Promise Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this point, Shen Zhuo understood that the Empress Dowager was determined for him to get married. ¡°Since Grandmother is so kind, it¡¯s not good for me to dampen your spirits. May I ask which girl you¡¯re talking about?¡± Empress Dowager Deng laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a little girl from the Deng family. Her name is Deng Tingxue.¡± ¡°According to seniority, she should call me Grandaunt. You have to call her Cousin.¡± ¡°This girl is about the same age as you. She is beautiful and knew when to advance and when to retreat. She would definitely be a virtuous wife in the future.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with you marrying her. ¡± What else did Shen Zhuo not understand? Empress Dowager Deng wanted to push a daughter from the Deng family to the position of the Crown Princess. When he inherited the throne in the future, Deng Tingxue would be the Empress Dowager. In this way, the Deng family¡¯s status in the royal family could be further stabilized. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°The Deng family¡¯s girl is definitely very good. I appreciate your kindness, but to be honest, I was already engaged to someone ten years ago.¡± Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s expression changed. ¡°There¡¯s actually such a thing? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Who is the other party?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I once went out to study and was lucky to be under a great teacher. That teacher taught me and wanted me to propose marriage. He wanted to betroth his daughter to me.¡± Empress Dowager Deng hurriedly asked, ¡°You agreed?¡± Shen Zhuo lowered his eyes and lied without changing his expression. ¡°I agreed.¡± Empress Dowager Deng was furious. She raised her hand and patted the soft cushion. ¡°You¡¯re confused ! ¡± ¡°The other party was just the daughter of a villager, but you are the precious crown prince. ¡± ¡°The difference in status between the two of you is like heaven and earth.¡± ¡°How could you marry such an unpresentable countryside woman? Are you trying to anger me to death!¡± Shen Zhuo hurriedly comforted her. ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°At that time, I was just a little prince that no one cared about.¡± ¡°I had grown up in a temple and had never seen my father and grandmother. I thought that I would never be able to return to the palace.¡± ¡°At that time, my teacher taught me carefully and treated me like family. I felt the warmth of home from him and couldn¡¯t help but agree to my teacher¡¯s marriage proposal.¡± ¡°This matter was my fault, but I do not regret it.¡± ¡°Grandmother, you can punish me however you want. I have no objections!¡± With that, he knelt down and bent down to kowtow. Empress Dowager Deng could not be angry anymore. Back then, they were the ones who sent Shen Zhuo, who was not even a year old, to the temple. They all thought that it was impossible for this child to grow up safely. They only treated him as a child the royal family never had. In the end, they had let Shen Zhuo down. They owed him. Queen Mother Deng let out a long sigh. ¡°Although I want to facilitate your marriage with Tingxue, I¡¯m unwilling to be such an evil person.¡± ¡°Forget it, go back first. Bring that girl over for me to see later. The rest can be discussed at length in the future.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Grandmother. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± After Shen Zhuo left the Biquan Palace, he went to the Fengyi Palace. He told Empress Wen about Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s intention to marry the eldest daughter of the Deng family to him. Empress Wen¡¯s expression was indifferent and she did not react much to this. ¡°The Deng family¡¯s appetite is too big.¡± Not only did the Deng family have an Empress Dowager, but they also wanted another crown princess consort. At this rate, the Deng family would probably become the number one relative of Dayan. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I felt that this was inappropriate, so I found a reason to reject it.¡± Empress Wen said, ¡°The best way to resolve this matter is to help you settle the marriage. Do you have anyone you like? If not, I¡¯ll help you choose one from the many daughters of the aristocratic families.¡± She also wanted to select a girl from the Wen family, but there were only two girls in the Wen family¡¯s direct line of descent. One was ten years old, and the other was eight years old. They were still children. Neither was suitable. As for the daughters of concubines and collateral relatives, they were naturally not worthy of the position of the Crown Princess. Empress Wen could not even be bothered to mention them. Facing his mother, who had raised him, Shen Zhuo did not hide his true thoughts. ¡°The person I like is Niaoniao.¡± Empress Wen frowned. ¡°You know that it¡¯s impossible between you and her.¡± Shen Zhuo lowered his head and fell silent. Empress Wen advised earnestly. ¡°Although you¡¯re already the Crown Prince, there are still many voices opposing you in the court.¡± ¡°This means that your status was not firm.¡± ¡°If you could choose a marriage that is helpful to you, it would be equivalent to having an additional power of your own in the court.¡± This will be very helpful to your future path. Do you understand?¡± Shen Zhuo naturally understood. But he was still indignant. ¡°Mother, can you give me a little more time? A year will do. If Niaoniao still won¡¯t marry me after a year, I¡¯ll listen to your arrangements.¡± Empress Wen did not think that a year would change anything, but looking at Shen Zhuo, she knew that he would not change his mind. Forget it, she would give him one last chance to be willful. ¡°You said it yourself. You only have a year. You can¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan rode the carriage home. In order to appease Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan took the initiative to ask. ¡°Shall we eat out tonight? What do you want to eat?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without thinking, ¡°Qian Shanxue.¡± She could go and see if her recipe had come in handy. Xiao Juan agreed without changing his expression. ¡°Okay.¡± The carriage stopped at Qian Shanxue¡¯s door and the waiter led the two of them into the private room. Soon, Gongsun Yuan came over. He was still dressed in blue and bowed elegantly. ¡°Greetings, Duke Lang and the Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°How¡¯s the research on the new dishes here?¡± Gongsun Yuan said, ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve already developed several new dishes. The customers¡¯ response is very good.¡± Yu Niaoniao was filled with anticipation. ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Serve those new dishes.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it now.¡± Not long after, the food was served. Yu Niaoniao turned her anger into appetite and picked up her bowl and chopsticks to eat. Xiao Juan advised, ¡°Slow down. No one is snatching it from you.¡± Yu Niaoniao chewed the braised hoof tendon hard, looking murderous. ¡°To think that I used to call him Brother Junzhi. I didn¡¯t expect him to be such a despicable person. I¡¯m blind. I¡¯m so angry!¡± Because she ate too quickly, she choked. Xiao Juan hurriedly patted her back. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Yu Niaoniao gradually caught her breath. She picked up the teacup in front of Xiao Juan and took a sip of tea. Xiao Juan was about to say that it was his cup. He had already drunk it, but seeing that she had already drunk it, he could only shut up silently. Yu Niaoniao put down her cup. ¡°Ah Juan, fortunately, you¡¯re the one I married.¡± If Shen Zhuo had agreed to the marriage proposal back then, she would definitely have been angered to death after the marriage. Fortunately, that big idiot rejected her back then. Yu Niaoniao raised her cup again. ¡°Thank you for not marrying me!¡± Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: Qirui Garden Opens Chapter 533: Qirui Garden Opens Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After eating and drinking, Yu Niaoniao was in a much better mood. She touched her bulging stomach and sighed sincerely. ¡°The ancients said that delicacies have the power to heal people¡¯s hearts. They didn¡¯t lie to me!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard of this ancient saying? Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard it now?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. Fine, she was good-looking. Anything she said was right. Yu Niaoniao was amused by his helpless expression. She took his arm and asked. ¡°Shall we go back to Bashu after the new year? Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He had already applied for leave from the emperor. Three months was enough for them to make a trip to Bashu. Yu Niaoniao immediately smiled. Xiao Juan looked down at her. She was not wearing a veil now, and the scar on her face was obvious. It should have been a regretful face, but he could not look away. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao suddenly felt evil. She reached out and pinched his chin, pretending to be frivolous. ¡°Little Brother, why are you looking at me? Do you have any thoughts about Xiao Juan still looked at her without blinking. He stretched out his right hand and gently stroked the scar on her face. Yu Niaoniao inexplicably felt her heart race. She immediately retracted her claws. ¡°I¡¯m not teasing you anymore. Leave after eating.¡± With that, she stood up and skipped away. Xiao Juan followed unhurriedly. The two of them left Qian Shanxue and rode the carriage back to the Regional King¡¯s Mansion. The conferment of the Crown Prince was a big deal to the Imperial Court, but it did not affect the commoners in the Imperial Capital much. As long as they could survive, it did not matter who was the emperor. The next morning, Qirui Garden opened. The sound of firecrackers, gongs, and drums resounded throughout the entire street. There were also children helping to distribute flyers everywhere. The commoners who lived near Qirui Garden and some rich, idle, and interested people in the city were attracted over. Yu Niaoniao had already arrived at Qirui Garden. However, she did not show her face directly. Instead, she stood by the window of the private room on the second floor and looked at everyone downstairs. Liu Qirui stood on the stage and gave a simple speech. He mainly introduced the characteristics of Qirui Garden and the discounted content of its opening. Then, it was the ribbon-cutting ceremony. He and Yu Pingping cut the red satin together. At the same time, the red cloth hanging above the plaque fell off, revealing a plaque with the words ¡°Qirui Garden¡±. Liu Sixing and the others from Qirui Garden immediately took the lead and applauded. The others also applauded. At this moment, a waiter walked in and shouted. ¡°Who¡¯s in charge here?¡± Liu Qirui hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°A young master surnamed Wei bought a decoration in our shop. He said that it was for your Qirui Garden as an opening gift.¡± After saying that, the waiter turned around. Then, two burly men carried a golden large Pixiu ornament in. This Pixiu was almost the height of a person. The workmanship was very exquisite and looked lifelike. It was obvious that it was expensive. Everyone present was shocked by it. Liu Qirui couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is this made of gold?¡± The clerk explained, ¡°It¡¯s gilded. Only the surface is covered in gold foil, but the inside is brass.¡± Liu Qirui heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± If it was pure gold, he did not even dare to accept it, afraid that he would be targeted by strong bandits and cause chaos here later. The shop assistant asked where to put it? Liu Qirui looked around and pointed at the empty space beside the stage. ¡°Just leave it there.¡± After the golden Pixiu was placed, the waiter left Chery Garden with his men. Yu Niaoniao looked at the Pixiu ornament. Such a big item was definitely not cheap. Wei Liao was quite generous. The strange thing was, why didn¡¯t he show up today? Where did he go? At the city gate of the Imperial Capital, Wei Liao was wearing a crimson round-collared brocade robe with a black leather belt around his waist. The black cloak behind him fluttered in the wind. Behind him were dozens of Heavenly Wolf Guards. The group looked like they were going out, but they did not set off for a long time. They waited for a while before a Heavenly Wolf Guard rode over. Then, he stopped in front of Wei Liao, dismounted, and knelt on one knee. ¡°Vice General, I¡¯ve already followed your instructions and got someone to send the Golden Pixiu to Qirui Garden.¡± Wei Liao looked in the direction of Qirui Garden. Originally, he planned to personally send the Golden Pixiu to Qirui Garden and see the opening scene with his own eyes. He wondered how it would feel when the troupe performed. However, the emperor had recently learned that in a county under Changze County, someone had dug out the Grand Duke from the mountains. It was rumored that this thing could revive the dead and was comparable to immortal pills and spirit medicines. The emperor was seriously ill and did not have much time left. He was unwilling to wait for death. After knowing that the Grand Duke had appeared, the emperor immediately ordered Wei Liao to go to Changze County. No matter what, he had to bring the Grand Duke back. Wei Liao knew that his father had told the emperor this news. It was also his father who had suggested sending him to Changze County to transfer him out of the Imperial Capital so that he could calm down. He knew in his heart that his father was right. The most important thing for people like them was to know their limits. If he couldn¡¯t get it, he should let go and cut the losses in time. Wei Liao retracted his gaze and mounted his horse. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He would definitely be gone for a long time. He hoped that by the time he returned, he would have already extinguished all those thoughts that he should not have. The group rode out of the city without looking back. In Qirui Garden, the new scene had already begun. Logically speaking, there should not be many people in the new theater, but strangely, it was filled today. Liu Qirui hid backstage and saw the crowded scene outside. The excitement that he had not felt for a long time surged into his heart, making him unable to help but feel excited. It was a good start. Next was the main event. The new drama that they had rehearsed for half a year was about to go on stage. Whether they could make a comeback or whether Qirui Garden could leap through the dragon gate from now on depended on this! Liu Qirui pinched his cheek hard to calm himself down. Then, he turned around and asked Liu Sixing and Ye Yin. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Seeing that both of them had nodded, Liu Qirui gestured to the musicians, indicating that they could start. Yu Niaoniao stood on the second floor and saw a familiar figure enter Qirui Garden. That person lowered his head and even covered his face with his hands. His facial features could not be seen clearly, but from his round figure, she could tell that this guy was the young master of the Sky Oriole Garden, Zheng Changle. When Zheng Changle reached the second floor, Yu Niaoniao walked out of the private room and called out to him. ¡°Young Master Zheng!¡± When Zheng Changle saw that it was her, he was overjoyed. ¡°Master Wang!¡± He had originally reserved a private room, but now, he only wanted to stay with Master Wang at the Village Entrance, so he squeezed into the private room where Yu Niaoniao was. There was no one else here. Zheng Changle finally lowered his hand, revealing his bruised face. Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°What happened to your face? Who hit you?¡± Chapter 534 - Chapter 534: Seduction Chapter 534: Seduction Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Zheng Changle said bitterly. ¡°My father beat me up.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why else? Isn¡¯t it because of your poster?¡± ¡°I did as you said and pasted the publicity poster for Chery Garden¡¯s opening at the entrance of our theater.¡± ¡°My father found out about this. He chased me for two streets about the feather duster.¡± ¡°Although my face was swollen from the beating, my butt was actually even more swollen. I don¡¯t even dare to sit for the past two days. It hurts so much!¡± As Zheng Changle spoke, he reached out and touched his butt. From his pained expression, it was obvious that he had been beaten up quite badly. Yu Niaoniao wanted to laugh. But she held back. She said with a touched expression, ¡°Thank you. If not for your help, our Qirui Garden wouldn¡¯t have so many guests today. I¡¯ll cover all your expenses here today.¡± With that, she got someone to bring over a thick cushion and placed it on the chair so that Zheng Changle could sit. Zheng Changle carefully sat down. Although his butt still hurt, it was still tolerable. He stuck his head out of the window and looked downstairs. Seeing that the stage was covered tightly with a red curtain, he couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Why did you cover the trick table? How would the audience watch the show?¡± Yu Niaoniao poured him a cup of tea. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. You¡¯ll know later.¡± Just as she finished speaking, gongs and drums sounded from downstairs. The new show was finally about to start! Yu Niaoniao and Zheng Changle looked downstairs. The red curtain was slowly pulled open, revealing the carefully arranged stage. The first scene featured Duke Lang being ordered to go to Liaodong County. Along the way, he saved a beautiful woman. The beautiful woman tried to seduce Duke Lang with her beauty. The woman on the stage tried her best to approach Duke Lang. She had charming eyes and an enchanting figure. Coupled with the lights and the design of the dance, the atmosphere had the effect of doubling the charm of her beauty! The male audience below the stage could not take their eyes off her. They wished they could rush onto the stage to replace the unromantic Duke Lang and enjoy this rare luck with the beautiful woman for him. The bait failed, and Duke Lang was unmoved. Seeing that one plan did not work, the female assassin thought of another. She secretly poisoned Duke Lang¡¯s food in an attempt to poison him. This plan naturally failed again. Duke Lang tore off her disguise in public and forced her to expose her identity. Both sides drew their swords and fought on the stage. At this moment, the female assassin was no longer flirtatious. Every move was filled with cold killing intent. The male audience who had been drooling over her beauty earlier were terrified. What did it mean to not judge a book by its cover? This was a living example. They originally thought that she was a cute little white flower, but they did not expect it to be a man-eating plant that ate people without spitting out bones! The fighting scenes were personally designed by Liu Qirui. Every action was very beautiful. Coupled with the hurried soundtrack, this scene was very intense. Whether it was upstairs or downstairs, the audience could not take their eyes off it. From time to time, they would erupt with excited cheers. In the end, the female assassin¡¯s death led to the subsequent plot. It turned out that there was a huge conspiracy behind her. The first scene came to an end. The actors left the stage to rest, and the red curtain fell again. The audience below the stage was not satisfied and asked when the next scene would start. Liu Qirui asked everyone to calm down. Fifteen minutes later, the second scene began. During the break, the audience gathered in groups to discuss the plot just now. ¡°Why do I feel that the Duke Lang in the show is the living King of Hell?¡± ¡°So you think so too? When the character first appeared, I felt that he was very similar to Duke Lang. Be it his clothes or his age and identity, they¡¯re almost identical.¡± ¡°Could it be that this show was created with Duke Lang as the model?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Duke Lang is a living King of Hell who kills without batting an eyelid. He¡¯s completely different from the upright and brave Duke Lang in the show. I think it¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± ¡°I remember that Duke Lang went to Liaodong County last year. Is there really such a coincidence in the world?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. As long as the show is good, it¡¯s fine. The rest has nothing to do with us.¡± Zheng Changle, who was sitting in the private room on the second floor, naturally heard everyone¡¯s discussion. He could not help but turn to look at Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Are you really not afraid that something will happen?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What can happen?¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°As long as it¡¯s anyone, they can tell that the protagonist in the opera is Duke Lang. If Duke Lang finds out about this, he will definitely not let it go. Duke Lang is not a person to be trifled with. Have you thought about how to deal with the aftermath?¡± Not only was Yu Niaoniao not afraid, but she also smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already thought of what to do. It will definitely be fine.¡± Zheng Changle was curious. ¡°Can you tell me what you¡¯re going to do?¡± Yu Niaoniao flipped her hair and blinked. ¡°Guess.¡± Zheng Changle trembled at her wink. A thought appeared in his mind. He looked at her with wide eyes and asked in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to use a honey trap, are you?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded seriously. ¡°A honey trap? Yes, that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Zheng Changle believed her and was afraid that she would really seduce Duke Lang, so he hurriedly advised. ¡°Prince Lang is famous for not being close to beauties. It¡¯s not that no one has given him beauties in the past, but he hasn¡¯t touched any of them. On the other hand, those who wanted to curry favor with him didn¡¯t end up well. Don¡¯t court death!¡± From the looks of it, Yu Niaoniao in front of him was a young girl who was about to go astray. He had to pull her back from this path of no return. After all, he was still waiting to see Master Wang¡¯s new work! If she died, wouldn¡¯t the Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation be a lost cause? No! Zheng Changle could not accept that rotten ending! Yu Niaoniao was amused by Zheng Changle¡¯s anxious expression. She burst out laughing. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore. I have connections in the Justice Department. I¡¯ll talk to some of them later. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Zheng Changle was relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good. If you lack money, you can tell me. I¡¯ll lend it to you, but don¡¯t do anything stupid. A person like Duke Lang is not someone we can afford to provoke.¡± As soon as she heard the word money, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°How much can you lend me?¡± Zheng Changle touched his pouch and poured out all the silver inside. ¡°That¡¯s all I have. Take it all if you want.¡± Yu Niaoniao stretched out her fair fingers and fiddled with the silver. ¡°Is this all you have? I remember that you were quite rich before. You gave me banknotes worth more than a thousand taels.¡± Zheng Changle said in embarrassment. ¡°My father knew that I had secretly helped your Qirui Garden do publicity. Not only did he beat me up, but he also took away all the banknotes on me. I¡¯m only left with this little silver.¡± He was already so pitiful. Yu Niaoniao was really embarrassed to take advantage of him again. She put the silver back into the pouch and stuffed it into his chubby hand. ¡°I appreciate your kindness. You should take this money back. If you¡¯re hungry, buy something to eat. Don¡¯t lose weight from hunger..¡± Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: Trouble Chapter 535: Trouble Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios On the first day of the new scene in Qirui Garden, it was filled with praise from the audience because of its exciting plot and ingenious stage design. Their reputation spread throughout the capital. The next day, the tickets were quickly sold out. Their powerful rise quickly attracted the attention of their peers. As the troupe head of the Sky Oriole Acting Class and the owner of the Sky Oriole Garden, Zheng Zaizhou naturally knew about this very quickly. He couldn¡¯t help but pick up the feather duster and beat up his traitorous son again. After beating him up, he did not forget to ask his son to write a thousand words. Zheng Changle held his swollen butt and asked with tears in his eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zheng Zaizhou said angrily. ¡°What else can it be? Of course, it¡¯s the review of Duke Lang in Liaodong!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been running to Qirui Garden every day for the past two days and watching their new scene from beginning to end. I can¡¯t let you watch it for nothing, right?¡± Zheng Changle said, ¡°But I thought you don¡¯t like to watch Uncle Liu¡¯s shows!¡± Zheng Zaizhou raised his hand and slapped his forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t like to watch his shows, but I can¡¯t stop the audience from liking it! Now that Qirui Garden¡¯s new show is famous, can our Sky Oriole Garden only watch?¡± ¡°You have to write your review well. You have to write it in real detail. I¡¯d like to see what¡¯s so special about their new play. We might be able to use it when we practice our new drama later.¡± Zheng Changle¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Dad, are you plagiarizing!¡± Zheng Zaizhou was almost angered to death. He slapped his son¡¯s head again. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? This is called borrowing. It¡¯s a normal spar between peers!¡± Zheng Changle did not dare to refute and could only shut his mouth aggrievedly. Although Zheng Zaizhou was angry, he did not have any other thoughts. After all, he knew very well that with Liu Qirui¡¯s powerful strength, he could easily take off as long as there was a suitable opportunity. There was nothing difficult to accept. However, the other theaters were not so open-minded. They watched helplessly with red eyes as the audience surged towards Qirui Garden. Some of them really couldn¡¯t take it anymore and secretly ran to the Marquis of Yining¡¯s Estate to find the heir of the Marquis¡¯ Estate, Zhu Kui. Back then, the noble Liu Qirui accidentally offended was Zhu Kui. The reason was that Zhu Kui had taken a fancy to Liu Qirui¡¯s daughter, Liu Sixing, and wanted to take her in as a concubine, but Liu Qirui rejected him. As the heir of the Marquis¡¯s Estate, how noble was Zhu Kui? He was willing to take in the daughter of the troupe head as a concubine. It was a blessing that she had accumulated for three lifetimes. However, Liu Qirui actually did not know what was good for him and rejected him. This made him a laughing stock in the eyes of the second-generation heirs in the capital, causing him to very angry. He also spread the word that as long as he was around in the future, Qirui Opera Troupe could forget about operating in the Imperial Capital. After that, Zhu Kui sent people to Qirui Opera Troupe every day to cause trouble. The audience was afraid of getting into trouble and did not dare to watch shows put up by the opera troupe again. Even if Liu Qirui reported it to the officials, the Imperial Capital could only give a symbolic warning because of Zhu Kui¡¯s status as the heir. Soon, Qirui Opera Troupe couldn¡¯t continue and was forced to close down. After more than a year, Zhu Kui had almost forgotten about this. Now that he suddenly heard someone mention it, Zhu Kui finally knew that Qirui Opera Troupe had made a comeback. He happened to have nothing to do and immediately went straight to Qirui Garden with a group of servants. He had to let those lowly actors know how miserable the consequences of offending him were! When they arrived at Qirui Garden, they were stopped outside the door. Because all the tickets had been sold out recently, they, who had not bought tickets, naturally could not enter. Zhu Kui was here to cause trouble, so he immediately blocked the door with his men. If they blocked the door, the audience would not be able to enter. How could Qirui Garden do business? The shop assistant hurriedly ran to look for Liu Qirui. When Liu Qirui found out that Zhu Kui was looking for trouble again, his face turned pale. The others in the theater were also extremely afraid. Even Liu Sixing, who was usually the most talkative, felt uneasy. The originally lively backstage instantly fell silent. Everyone was waiting for the troupe master to make a decision. At this moment, Yu Pingping ran backstage. Seeing that everyone was standing still, she hurriedly reminded them. ¡°It¡¯s almost time. Why aren¡¯t you starting the show?¡± Liu Qirui squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying. ¡°Miss Yu, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to act today.¡± He told her about the grudge between the opera troupe and Zhu Kui. Yu Pingping was not afraid of Zhu Kui, but she also knew that her status alone could not suppress that bastard. She thought about everyone she could ask for help. In the end, she could only look for her sister. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Don¡¯t let Zhu Kui enter the theater. I¡¯ll get someone to help.¡± Liu Qirui hurriedly said, ¡°Then hurry up and come back!¡± The front door was blocked by Zhu Kui and his men. Yu Pingping could only leave through the back door. She hurriedly ran to the Regional King¡¯s Mansion. Coincidentally, she bumped into a team of Eagle Guards halfway. If it were any other time, Yu Pingping would definitely not dare to provoke the Eagle Guards. She had to take a detour when she saw them on the way. However, perhaps because she had watched too much the show these past two days, she had been convinced by how the Eagle Guards in the show risked their lives to save Deoole. Their affectionate and righteous image was engraved in Yu Pingping¡¯s mind, making her feel that the Eagle Guards were not so scary. Coupled with the urgency of the situation, Yu Pingping actually rushed up. ¡°Brother Eagle Guards, someone is causing trouble in Qirui Garden. Can you help chase away those bad people?¡± Lo Pingsha had been ordered to bring a team of Eagle Guards out on an errand today. It was unknown if it was their imagination. Over the past two days, when they walked on the road, there would often be commoners looking at them strangely. In the past, the commoners would hide far away as long as they saw them. They avoided them like snakes and scorpions and did not dare to take another look. Although Lo Pingsha was puzzled, he did not think too much about it. Unexpectedly, a young lady suddenly rushed out halfway. Coincidentally, Lo Pingsha had seen this girl before. She was the half-sister of the Princess Consort of Lang County. After hearing what she said, Lo Pingsha said calmly. ¡°The Imperial Capital is in charge of harassment. You should report it to the Imperial Capital.¡± Actually, she regretted it after Yu Pingping shouted the first sentence. She shouldn¡¯t have been so impulsive. What if these Eagle Guards found her in the way and slashed her? In the end, not only did the other party have no intention of attacking her, but he also calmly reasoned with her. This immediately gave her some courage. Yu Pingping begged, ¡°I know, but the person who caused trouble is Zhu Kui. He¡¯s the heir of the Marquis of Yining¡¯s Estate. Even if I go to the Imperial Capital to report the case, no one will care. I can only beg you for help. Please save us!¡± As she clasped her hands together, her eyes were filled with begging. Lo Pingsha looked at her steadily. Just as she thought the other party would refuse, he suddenly said, ¡°Lead the way.¡± Yu Pingping¡¯s eyes lit up. Her gaze was filled with surprise as if she had seen her savior.. Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: Seeing Is Believing Chapter 536: Seeing Is Believing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Pingping returned to Qirui Garden with the Eagle Guards, she realized that Zhu Kui and the others had already forcefully barged into the theater. They overturned all the tables and chairs in the theater, and teapots and cups fell to the ground. The audience was trembling in fear. They wanted to escape, but because the door was blocked by the people Zhu Kui had brought, no one could escape. Liu Qirui knelt down and begged for mercy. ¡°Lord Zhu, please be magnanimous and spare us!¡± Zhu Kui admired his anxious appearance and smiled proudly. ¡°It was your honor that I took a fancy to your daughter back then, but if you don¡¯t know how to appreciate kindness, don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡± With that, he ordered loudly. ¡°Men, take off his pants and beat him up until I¡¯m satisfied!¡± Liu Qirui was a normal man. If his pants were taken off in public and he was beaten up, how could he face anyone in the future? He would rather die! The servants of the Duke Mansion walked towards Liu Qirui. At this moment, the servants blocking the door were all sent flying. They fell to the ground and screamed. Seeing this, Zhu Kui immediately looked angry. ¡°Which reckless thing dares to ruin my plans?¡± The next moment, he saw a team of Eagle Guards striding in. The person in the lead was Lo Pingsha. He first scanned the situation in the theater and had a general idea. Although Zhu Kui was not a small fry, he was still a little afraid of the Eagle Guards. He subconsciously restrained his aura. Lo Pingsha said expressionlessly, ¡°We received a report that someone was looking for trouble here.¡± Zhu Kui immediately denied it. ¡°It wasn¡¯t us!¡± Yu Pingping immediately rushed out from behind the Eagle Guards and said loudly. ¡°It¡¯s you! You brought a group of people to our place to cause trouble. Everything here was broken by you. With so many eyes watching, don¡¯t even think about denying it!¡± Zhu Kui was not afraid at all. He looked around and sneered. ¡°Did any of you see me cause trouble just now? If you do, stand up.¡± These words were clearly a threat. Due to his status, everyone was angry but did not dare to say anything. Zhu Kui spread his hands and was very shameless. ¡°Look, no one can prove that I did it.¡± Yu Pingping was so angry that her face turned red. ¡®You!¡± Lo Pingsha was used to such scoundrels and said without changing his expression. ¡°Since you don¡¯t admit it, come back to the Justice Department with us. After we investigate this matter and confirm that you¡¯re innocent, we¡¯ll let you go home immediately. But if you lie¡­ Heh, you know the consequences.¡± That last sneer scared Zhu Kui so much that his scalp went numb. What kind of place was the Justice Department? If he entered that kind of place, he would either die or lose a layer of skin! He immediately did not dare to be shameless and hurriedly defended himself. ¡°Don¡¯t! I brought people here to cause trouble. I got someone to overturn these tables and chairs, but I¡¯m doing this to protect Duke Lang¡¯s reputation!¡± Lo Pingsha thought he had misheard. ¡°Protect whose reputation?¡± Zhu Kui said quickly. ¡°You guys don¡¯t know yet, right? There was a show called Duke Lang in Liaodong playing here every day. The protagonist in the scene was called Duke Lang, but it is actually about Duke Lang of the Justice Department. They are deliberately making things up about Duke Lang and destroying his reputation in the hearts of the commoners!¡± Lo Pingsha did not expect such an inside story. He looked at Yu Pingping and asked. ¡°Is it true?¡± Yu Pingping felt uneasy. Liu Qirui and the others in the theater were also nervous. Moreover, she had been with Nangong Jue the whole time. He didn¡¯t even say anything. Could it be that He Rong didn¡¯t come over to visit her son? Then what was she doing in Xiling? She immediately shook her head. She couldn¡¯t guess what a woman like He Rong would do. Yu Pingping said with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Zhu Kui immediately said, ¡°Look, she admitted it! Hurry up and arrest everyone here. Kill those who deserve to be killed and beat up those who deserve to be beaten. Don¡¯t let them ruin Duke Lang¡¯s reputation.¡± Lo Pingsha ignored Zhu Kui and questioned Yu Pingping. ¡°Who gave you the guts to arrange an opera with Duke Lang?¡± Yu Pingping stammered, ¡°It¡¯¡­it¡¯s my sister.¡± Lo Pingsha¡¯s expression went blank for a moment. Was this actually instigated by the County Princess? Seeing that the other party was silent, Yu Pingping was afraid that he would not believe her. Then, right on the heels of that, she said, ¡°This theater is also my sister¡¯s.¡± Zhu Kui did not know who Yu Pingping¡¯s sister was. He was still shouting. ¡°Now that even the mastermind has been exposed, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and arrest him!¡± Lo Pingsha said expressionlessly, ¡°Arrest these troublemakers.¡± No matter what the Princess Consort¡¯s intentions were, it was a family matter between her and Duke Lang. The couple could resolve it in private. However, since this was the Princess Consort¡¯s business, no one could have designs on it. The Eagle Guards immediately swarmed forward and captured Zhu Kui and the others. Zhu Kui never expected that he would be the one caught in the end. He was exasperated. ¡°Are you blind or deaf? The Qirui Opera Troupe maliciously framed Duke Lang. Instead of nabbing them, you actually came to capture me? Do you know who I am? I¡¯m the heir of the Marquis of Yining!¡± Lo Pingsha said coldly, ¡°Countless royal families have been locked up by our Justice Department. Not to mention that you¡¯re the heir of the Marquis Manor, even if your father, Marquis Yining, broke the law, we¡¯ll still arrest him!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Pingping clapped hard. Clap, clap, clap! She looked at Lo Pingsha with admiration. ¡°Well said!¡± Lo Pingsha was stunned. In the past, every time he went out on an errand, he would either face cold looks or cries and pleas. This was the first time someone had applauded him. Liu Qirui knelt down and kowtowed to him. ¡°Thank you for your help, Official. I can¡¯t thank you enough!¡± At this moment, the others in the theater also knelt down and kowtowed to Lo Pingsha to thank him. Although the audience did not move, they looked at the Eagle Guards with complicated gazes. They were all residents of the Imperial Capital and had long heard of Zhu Kui¡¯s actions. That guy relied on his status as the heir and often bullied men and women. Just now, when they saw Zhu Kui complain to the Eagle Guards, they thought that the Eagle Guards would collude with Zhu Kui and bully the people from the Qirui opera troupe. Unexpectedly, this group of Eagle Guards actually lawfully captured Zhu Kui. As the saying went, seeing was believing. In the past, the commoners often heard about how the Eagle Guards bullied others, but that was only hearsay. Now that they had seen it with their own eyes, they realized that the Eagle Guards were different from what they had expected. Could it be that what was depicted in the show was true? Could it be that the Eagle Guards were not as terrifying as the rumors said? Lo Pingsha did not know what the commoners were thinking. He took a pouch from Zhu Kui and weighed it. It was heavy and must have contained a lot of silver. He casually handed the pouch to Liu Qirui. ¡°These are compensation for what Zhu Kui broke with his men. Take them.¡± Liu Qirui held the pouch with both hands and hurriedly thanked him. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Lo Pingsha led the Eagle Guards to escort Zhu Kui and the others out of Qirui Garden.. Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: She Wanted Such Immortal Love Too! Chapter 537: She Wanted Such Immortal Love Too! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lo Pingsha escorted the captured people back to the Justice Department. Logically speaking, there was no need to tell Duke Lang about such a small matter. However, since it concerned the Princess Consort, Lo Pingsha hesitated for a while before finally looking for Duke Lang. He told him about his experience in Qirui Garden. Xiao Juan did not understand why Niaoniao suddenly started the business of a theater. He only felt that this was Niaoniao¡¯s latest hobby, so he did not think too much about it. When it was time to leave, Xiao Juan left the Justice Department and rode back to the Regional King¡¯s Mansion. On the way, he heard someone mention Qirui Garden¡¯s new show and how good it was. The person praised it so much that her saliva flew everywhere. On a whim, Xiao Juan suddenly changed direction and decided to go to Qirui Garden to take a look. He knew that his identity was special. If he went directly, it would definitely cause a commotion and affect the business of Qirui Garden. Therefore, he specially changed his clothes before going. Recently, Qirui Garden had been performing Duke Lang in Liaodong every day. The scene was full. Almost every day, as soon as the door opened, all the opera tickets were sold out. Xiao Juan did not have tickets and could not enter Qirui Garden. He could only give up and prepare to leave. However, just as he turned around, he was stopped. ¡°Brother-in-law!¡± Xiao Juan stopped in his tracks and looked in the direction of the voice. He saw Yu Pingping walking out of the theater. When she saw Duke Lang¡¯s back just now, she was still a little uncertain. She only called out to him tentatively. Seeing him turn around and look at her, she confirmed his identity. Yu Pingping quickly ran down the steps. ¡°Brother-in-law, why are you here?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m just walking around.¡± Yu Pingping¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You¡¯re here for our new show, right?¡± Xiao Juan had already learned about the new scene from Lo Pingsha. He knew that the protagonist of Qirui Garden¡¯s new scene was based on him. He was indeed a little curious and wanted to see what kind of image he had in the show. He said calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a ticket.¡± Yu Pingping immediately said, ¡°You¡¯re my brother-in-law and the owner of our Qirui Garden. Why would you need to buy a ticket to watch a show here? Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you in.¡± Xiao Juan silently followed her into the theater. Not only did the assistant at the door not stop Xiao Juan this time, but he also appeared especially enthusiastic. ¡°Please come in.¡± Seeing this, the people at the door who could not enter the theater because they could not buy tickets were very indignant. Someone couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t they say that all the tickets for today were sold out? Why can the two of them still enter? Could it be that you still have hidden tickets and are unwilling to sell them to us?¡± This shout immediately attracted many people to agree. ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re differentiating treatment. It¡¯s unfair!¡± The assistant at the door hurriedly explained, ¡°Miss Yu is our boss¡¯s sister and our manager. She doesn¡¯t need a theater ticket to enter or leave.¡± The person immediately pointed at Xiao Juan. ¡°What about him? Why doesn¡¯t he have to buy a ticket?¡± The shop assistant did not know Xiao Juan and could not answer. He could only look at Yu Pingping for help. Yu Pingping immediately said, ¡°This is my brother-in-law. My sister is the boss here. We¡¯re all family. Why does he need a ticket? Do you have to pay to eat at your wife¡¯s house?¡± That person was immediately speechless. The others also shut up resentfully. The assistant couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at Xiao Juan. He didn¡¯t expect this man to be the boss¡¯s husband. He was really imposing! Xiao Juan followed Yu Pingping into the theater. He glanced at the people still guarding the entrance of the theater from the corner of his eye and asked softly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sell more tickets?¡± Yu Pingping explained, ¡°Look at our place. It¡¯s only so big. There¡¯s a limit to the number of customers we can receive. There¡¯s no choice but to sell so many tickets. ¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then let¡¯s change to a bigger place.¡± Yu Pingping said, ¡°How can we have so much money? Just renting this garden almost emptied my sister¡¯s savings. If she hadn¡¯t made some money selling recipes recently, we wouldn¡¯t even have the money to buy costumes and accessories.¡± As she spoke, she led Xiao Juan to the private room on the second floor. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I heard that someone came to cause trouble here today?¡± Yu Pingping was angry when she mentioned this. ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s that guy called Zhu Kui who bullied others and smashed our tables and chairs. Fortunately, your Eagle Guards appeared in time to uphold justice for us, so we didn¡¯t let them destroy Qirui Garden.¡± ¡°The troupe master already added new tables, chairs, and cups. In order to appease the frightened guests, all the tea today is free.¡± At this point, her heart ached. If they lost so much money for tea, it was equivalent to their business today being wasted. Xiao Juan walked into the private room and sat down by the window. He glanced downstairs and saw that the lanterns had all been extinguished. Only the lanterns and candlesticks around the stage were still lit. The audience, who were still chatting happily, stopped talking and looked at the stage quietly. Yu Pingping said as she poured tea, ¡°Brother-in-law, you came at the right time. The most exciting scene is about to start.¡± With that, she quickly sat down and craned her neck to look downstairs, her eyes filled with anticipation. The red curtain on the stage was slowly pulled open. This play was about Duke Lang discovering that there were spies from an enemy country hidden in the army and fighting with them. During the process, Duke Lang did not hesitate to risk his life and almost died. Fortunately, at the critical moment, the County Princess appeared with her men and helped him deal with the bad people. Yu Pingping looked at the male and female leads who fought hand in hand on the stage and did not leave each other. Her eyes were filled with envy. She also wanted this kind of immortal love! Xiao Juan was stunned. This was something he had experienced personally. He had thought that no one would know about all of this. Unexpectedly, it actually appeared in front of everyone in this form. Ye Yin was indeed a famous actor. The Duke Lang he played was one against a hundred. The long saber in his hand was swung in a myriad of ways. His movements were beautiful and neat, causing the audience below the stage to cheer and clap like thunder. Facing the siege of the enemy, he did not give in at all. He pressed forward with passion just to protect the people of this land. Yu Pingping clapped hard. Although this was not the first time she had seen it, she still felt very affected. In the end, the spy was captured and the enemy¡¯s plot was destroyed. The county governor ordered the return of the land, and the commoners returned home happily in the most perfect outcome. However, the background on the stage changed. Duke Lang and the Princess Consort were assassinated on the way back to the capital with the Eagle Guards. Because they had asked for the land back for the commoners, they had seriously violated the interests of the local powerhouses. Wave after wave of killers attacked them. They had just finished dealing with a group of assassins, but they could not stop to rest. They had to force themselves to continue traveling. The Princess Consort played by Liu Sixing asked, ¡°This path is dangerous. It¡¯s unknown if you¡¯re dead or alive. Do you regret it?¡± Prince Lang, played by Ye Yin, replied without hesitation in his powerful voice. ¡°No regrets..¡± Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: It鈥檚 All For You Chapter 538: It¡¯s All For You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ever since Shen Zhuo was listed as the crown prince, his prince¡¯s residence had been changed to the crown prince¡¯s residence. Not only had the residence doubled in size, but the number of servants and guards in the residence had also increased several times. Today, Shen Zhuo entered the palace to greet the emperor and the empress dowager as usual. Then, he went to the study to deal with government affairs with the old ministers. When he returned to the crown prince¡¯s residence, it was already evening. As soon as he entered, he heard the steward in charge of the carriage say, ¡°Your Highness, when I went out to buy grass today, I heard someone say that a new theater has been opened in the capital. It¡¯s called Qirui Garden.¡± Originally, Shen Zhuo did not take it to heart. It was only when the steward mentioned the content of Duke Lang in Liaodong that Shen Zhuo reacted. ¡°Who wrote this script?¡± The steward said truthfully, ¡°I heard that it¡¯s the owner of Qirui Garden, but I don¡¯t know who it is.¡± Shen Zhuo immediately called the guard commander in. ¡°Go and find out who the owner of Qirui Garden is.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Although Yu Niaoniao deliberately hid her identity, she could not hide it from the crown prince¡¯s spies. Soon, Shen Zhuo knew the truth. It turned out that the real boss behind Qirui Garden was Yu Niaoniao. He placed his hands behind his back and paced back and forth in the house, his expression solemn. The appearance of Duke Lang in Liaodong was equivalent to slapping his face. This had an extremely bad impact on him, who had just ascended to the position of Crown Prince. He could not ignore this matter. Shen Zhuo took out the silver earring from his sleeve and rubbed it gently, muttering, ¡°Why do you have to go against me?¡± This silver earring had fallen from Yu Niaoniao. After Shen Zhuo picked it up, he treasured it. He held the silver earring in his hand. An inanimate object was naturally unable to give any response. Shen Zhuo clenched his silver earring. It seemed that some things had to be made clear in person. He walked out. ¡°To Duke Lang¡¯s Mansion.¡± The servants hurriedly set up a carriage and sent the Crown Prince to the Langjun Imperial Palace. In Qirui Garden, the lights on the stage gradually dimmed. Prince Lang and the Princess Consort looked at each other and smiled before leaving hand in hand. When they disappeared from the stage, the audience stood up spontaneously. A wave of enthusiastic applause washed over them. Xiao Juan watched this scene in a daze, his emotions surging with incomparable complexity. Yu Pingping¡¯s voice reached his ears. ¡°Brother-in-law, is the story on the stage true? Did you really save so many people?¡± Xiao Juan turned to look at Yu Pingping, who was sitting opposite the table. She looked a little nervous but she was looking forward to his reply. There was a long pause before he spoke. ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was true?¡± Yu Pingping said without hesitation, ¡°Of course! You¡¯re my brother-in-law. We¡¯re family. Who else can I believe?! In the past, I thought that my sister had no choice but to marry you. From the looks of it, my sister has good taste and chose a hero!¡± Xiao Juan could not help but ask. ¡°You think I¡¯m a hero?¡± Yu Pingping nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s right. You led the Eagle Guards and risked your lives to save so many people. If not for you, Liaodong County would have been occupied by the enemy and the citizens there would have been slaughtered. You saved them. You and Sister are heroes!¡± Xiao Juan did not know what to say. Yu Pingping immediately began to praise how difficult it had been for them to rehearse this show and how much they had suffered. Everyone did not think highly of them and felt that their show was not good. Only Yu Niaoniao was unwilling to give up and change the male lead no matter what. She insisted on rehearsing the plot according to the original work. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t understand my sister¡¯s choice back then. I even suspected that the plot was fabricated by my sister like everyone else.¡± Yu Pingping could not help but feel embarrassed. ¡°Later on, I gradually understood her intentions. She actually wanted to use this show to change your image in the hearts of the commoners. Everything she did is for you.¡± Xiao Juan lowered his eyes. Scenes of the past flashed through his mind. While he listened to the rumors and suspected that she was keeping an actor outside, she was working hard to earn money so that she could bring his story to the stage and let everyone know the real him. His fingers curled up bit by bit. As he clenched his fists tighter, his nails were almost digging into his flesh. Regret and self-blame surged in his heart. At this moment, he really wanted to stab himself. He was really unworthy! Yu Pingping straightened her expression and said solemnly. ¡°My sister has done so much for you. She¡¯s so good to you. You must treat her well. ¡± ¡°If you lose her, you won¡¯t be able to find anyone as good as her in your life.¡± Xiao Juan replied softly, ¡°I know.¡± With that, he stood up. He wanted to go home. He desperately wanted to see Niaoniao. He wanted to hold her tightly in his arms. He wanted to give her everything he had. Xiao Juan strode downstairs. He heard the audience still discussing unsatisfied. ¡°Tell me, is the Duke Lang in the show really Duke Lang?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think so in the past, but now I think it might be true. After all, it was the Eagle Guards who appeared this morning to punish the heir of the Marquis of Yining. ¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that those Eagle Guards would actually uphold justice for us commoners. It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± ¡°Perhaps we really misunderstood Duke Lang and the Eagle Guards in the past.¡± Xiao Juan silently walked past those people. No one knew that the Duke Lang they were talking about was actually beside them. When Xiao Juan walked out of the theater, YO Pingping suddenly called out to him. ¡°Brother-in-law.¡± Xiao Juan turned to look at her. ¡°What else?¡± Yu Pingping did not know what she was thinking, but she shouted in a fit of excitement, ¡°You and Sister must be happy!¡± Xiao Juan was stunned. When he came back to his senses, Yu Pingping had already run away. As he rode back to Langjun Imperial Palace, his mind was filled with thoughts. His heart was filled with love for her. That love was still growing crazily and unscrupulously, as if it wanted to devour him. He rode faster and faster and couldn¡¯t help but call out¡ª ¡°Niaoniao.¡± In the Regional King¡¯s Mansion, Yu Niaoniao was painting in the study. She had been soaking in the study for the past two days and working hard to draw, wanting to submit the manuscript successfully before the end of the year. This way, she and Xiao Juan could spend the New Year quietly. After the new year, they could pack their luggage and go to Bashu. Granny Xiu Yan knocked on the door. ¡°County Princess Consort, His Highness sent someone over. He said that he has something to ask you to go to his residence for a chat.¡± Yu Niaoniao paused and replied without thinking. ¡°Just say that I¡¯m sick. I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll pass my illness to the Crown Prince, so it¡¯s not convenient for me to go to the Crown Prince¡¯s residence for the time being. Ask him to forgive me.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Granny Xiu Yan turned around and left. In the end, she returned after a while. Her expression was very ugly. ¡°Princess Consort, His Highness the Crown Prince is here personally. He¡¯s in the reception hall. He said that he¡¯s here to visit the Princess Consort..¡± Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Persuasion Chapter 539: Persuasion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°He came so quickly?¡± From the time Shen Zhuo sent someone to invite her to the residence for a chat until he personally appeared, less than ten minutes had passed. Granny Xiu Yan frowned. ¡°The Crown Prince was here long ago, but he didn¡¯t come in.¡± Yu Niaoniao was enlightened. It seemed that Shen Zhuo had long known that she would not see him, so he deliberately asked someone to come and put on an act first. Regardless of whether she would see him in the end, he would come personally. She put down her paintbrush. ¡°If it¡¯s a blessing, it¡¯s not a disaster. If it¡¯s a disaster, I can¡¯t avoid it. Lead the way.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Should we send someone to invite His Highness back?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the sky outside. ¡°He should be back soon. There¡¯s no need to send someone just to look for him.¡¯ ¡°Aye. ¡± In the flower hall, Shen Zhuo was looking at the banana tree outside the window in a daze. When he saw Yu Niaoniao appear, his eyes immediately lit up. Yu Niaoniao looked rosy and her eyes were bright. She did not look sick at all. However, Shen Zhuo still asked with concern. ¡°Niaoniao, I heard that you were sick, so I specially came to visit. How¡¯s your condition? Do you want the imperial physician to take a look at you?¡± Yu Niaoniao bowed. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. May I know why Your Highness has come personally?¡± Seeing that she was so distant, Shen Zhuo could not help but feel a little sad. ¡°I came to see you. Are you still angry with me?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°His Highness is of noble status. How would I dare to be angry with you?¡± Shen Zhuo took a step forward. ¡°Niaoniao.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately retreated. ¡°This is Duke Lang¡¯s Palace. I¡¯m the Princess Consort, and you¡¯re the current Crown Prince. If you don¡¯t want rumors of the Crown Prince bullying the wife of a subject, please respect yourself and don¡¯t forget your status.¡± Shen Zhuo had no choice but to stop. ¡°Niaoniao, do we have to go to this extent?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what the Crown Prince wants?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°You have to believe me. No matter what I do, I¡¯ve never thought of hurting you. You¡¯re the person I want to protect the most!¡± ¡°Protect?¡± Yu Niaoniao seemed to have heard a funny joke. The corners of her mouth twitched as she smiled. ¡°Is your so-called protection deceit and exploitation?¡± Shen Zhuo begged, ¡°I apologize for my previous mistakes. Yu Niaoniao looked at him steadily. In the past, she treated him as family and trusted him from the bottom of her heart. But now, he had become a stranger in her eyes. She asked slowly, ¡°At this point, don¡¯t you know what you did wrong?¡± Shen Zhuo remained silent. Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath and said what she had suppressed in her heart. ¡°Your concealment and deception have indeed disappointed me, but you had your reasons. Although I couldn¡¯t accept it, I could understand.¡± ¡°What I really can¡¯t accept is that you took the credit for Duke Lang. It was clearly not your achievement, but you took it for yourself.¡± ¡°Your actions were really despicable.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even believe it.¡± ¡°Brother Junzhi, who was once glorious, gentle, and humble, could actually do such a shameless thing. Every time I think of it, I feel embarrassed for you.¡± Shen Zhuo was extremely embarrassed by her words, and his pale face turned even paler. He said with difficulty, ¡°In the end, you¡¯re still doing it for Xiao Juan.¡± Yu Niaoniao felt that he was really hopeless. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not Xiao Juan, even if it¡¯s just an ordinary citizen, you shouldn¡¯t have done such a thing. You¡¯re the Crown Prince. You should be open and aboveboard, not like a thief who steals others¡¯ things!¡± Shen Zhuo laughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°So in your heart, I¡¯ve already become a thief.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts.¡± ¡°What a good saying!¡± Shen Zhuo stopped smiling. ¡°Since you want to talk about the matter with me, I¡¯ll talk to you about serious matters. Qirui Garden is a business under your name, right? You created Duke Lang in Liaodong, right? This show reflects the important ministers of the Imperial Court. Your reckless discussion of the country¡¯s politics has already caused an extremely bad influence on the people. I can order someone to seal your theater at any time!¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned for a moment before laughing. ¡°Heh, after talking for so long, His Highness the Crown Prince is here for Qirui Garden. You said that it reflects the important ministers of the Imperial Court. Do you have evidence? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve personally seen Duke Lang in Liaodong, right?¡± As she spoke, she took out an opera ticket from her sleeve and placed it in front of Shen Zhuo. ¡°Your Highness, please take a look. What¡¯s this line on the opera ticket?¡± Shen Zhuo looked down and saw a line of small words on the bottom left corner of the opera ticket¡ª This story is purely fictional and, if there are similarities, they are purely coincidental. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Do you see that? If there¡¯s a similarity, it¡¯s purely a coincidence!¡± Shen Zhuo was not frightened by her methods and said coldly. ¡°It¡¯s just a word game. This kind of cleverness can¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re talking nonsense about the government.¡± ¡°I order you to close the Qirui Garden immediately. If you don¡¯t obey, I can only send someone to capture everyone in the theater. I believe you don¡¯t want to see that happen, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao clenched her fists and her expression turned extremely ugly. She didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong, but in a feudal society, imperial power represented everything. The other party was the Crown Prince. Once the other party made up his mind to seize Qirui Garden, she could not stop him. Shen Zhuo looked at her face and softened his tone. ¡°I specially came to look for you today to talk to you calmly. As long as you¡¯re willing to stop running the show and promise not to interfere in politics in the future, I can pretend that nothing happened.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Is this a threat?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°No, this is just persuasion.¡± Yu Niaoniao let out a disdainful sneer. ¡°As expected of the Crown Prince. Dream on.¡± Shen Zhuo did not mind and advised unhurriedly. ¡°Those people in Qirui Garden are different from you.¡± ¡°You are the Princess Consort of Lang County. Ordinary people can¡¯t touch you. You have the right to be willful.¡± ¡°However, those people in Qirui Garden are only commoners. They do not have the ability to protect themselves. A casual sentence from me could take their lives.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kind by nature. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want them to be implicated and imprisoned, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao could not speak. Although she was angry, she could not implicate the innocent. At this moment, a low voice came from outside the door. ¡°What right does His Highness have to arrest and imprison them?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xiao Juan striding into the flower hall. She immediately forgot her anger and ran over happily. ¡°You¡¯re finally back!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I was delayed on the way just now. I came back a little late.¡± At this point, he looked at Shen Zhuo, who was standing not far away. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect His Highness to suddenly visit.¡± ¡°I heard that you wanted to capture the people from Qirui Garden just now. May I know the reason? I¡¯d just come back from Qirui Garden. I¡¯d watched their new play.¡± ¡°It was acted well. Although it¡¯s exaggerated, it¡¯s basically in line with the truth..¡± Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Forbearance Chapter 540: Forbearance Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios These words basically matched the truth. They came out of Xiao Juan¡¯s mouth casually, but to Shen Zhuo¡¯s ears, they sounded indescribably sharp. Shen Zhuo pretended not to understand the meaning of the other party¡¯s words and said calmly. ¡°Duke Lang is an important minister of the Imperial Court. They¡¯re looking down on the Imperial Court by referring to you in an opera. If we let this prevail, won¡¯t everyone be able to discuss the government in the future?¡± Facing the Crown Prince¡¯s question, Xiao Juan replied unhurriedly. ¡°I understand Your Highness¡¯ concerns.¡± ¡°However, the mouths of the commoners are like riverbanks. It is better to let go. The more we chase and intercept, the more it will stimulate the rebellious mentality of the commoners.¡± ¡°Instead of suppressing it blindly, it was better to relax the restrictions appropriately. Let the commoners be our mirrors. If we do anything wrong, the commoners can immediately point it out.¡± ¡°Not only could this reflect the tolerance of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, but it would also be beneficial to the long-term development of the Imperial Court.¡± ¡°What do you think, Your Highness?¡± The other party was reasonable, and Shen Zhuo could not refute him. As he regarded Xiao Juan steadily, his eyes were filled with coldness, as if he would flare up at any moment. Yu Niaoniao thought that Shen Zhuo would be angry and felt very uneasy. She was afraid that Xiao Juan would suffer. However, in the next moment, Shen Zhuo suddenly smiled gently. His brows were filled with gentleness, and his tone was very humble. ¡°Duke Lang is right. We should be as tolerant as possible to the commoners.¡± ¡°I was too anxious about today¡¯s matter. I only cared about the immediate benefits and forgot about the long-term development.¡± ¡°Fortunately, Duke Lang reminded me. Thank you.¡± With that, he cupped his hands at Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan immediately dodged. ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to do this. These are all my responsibilities.¡± Shen Zhuo straightened up and smiled. ¡°Father told me that Duke Lang is the pillar of the Dayan Dynasty. In the future, I still have many things to rely on Duke Lang. I hope that Duke Lang can still guide me like now.¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Your Highness is too polite. It¡¯s the blessing of the people of the world to have a tolerant leader like you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll leave first. I¡¯ll treat you to tea another day when I¡¯m free. At that time, let¡¯s sit down and have a good chat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you off.¡± Xiao Juan sent Shen Zhuo out of the royal palace. After he got into the carriage, the smile on Shen Zhuo¡¯s face instantly disappeared. His eyes turned extremely cold. Thinking of what had just happened, Shen Zhuo retracted his fingers bit by bit and clenched them tightly. He read the names of the two persons. ¡°Xiao Juan, Yu Niaoniao.¡± These two people did not give him any respect at all and did not take him, the Crown Prince, seriously at all. But he couldn¡¯t be angry. He was still only a Crown Prince. He still needed to maintain a gentle and harmless image. He could not leave anyone with anything to say. Just wait. When he ascended the throne in the future, he could slowly settle scores with those people. None of them could escape! Shen Zhuo slowly released his fingers. The silver earring that was originally held in his palm had already been pinched out of shape. In the Regional King¡¯s Mansion, Yu Niaoniao pressed her chest and heaved a long sigh of relief. ¡°I thought he would be angry with you just now. Fortunately, nothing happened. ¡± Xiao Juan was not as optimistic as her. He said with a dark expression, ¡°If he was really angry just now, it would have been fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xiao Juan explained slowly, ¡°The Crown Prince has just ascended the throne and urgently needs to stabilize his status.¡± ¡°Duke Lang in Liaodong happened to appear at this time. Those who oppose him in the court would definitely take this opportunity to seize on and make an issue of it.¡± ¡°It is impossible for him not to be angry, but he held it in. This meant that he is tenacious and could tolerate what ordinary people could not.¡± ¡°He will definitely remember what happened today. When he ascends to the throne in the future, he will definitely return it to us double.¡± Yu Niaoniao was immediately speechless. As the legitimate son of the Empress, Shen Zhuo was the most respected among all the princes. However, he was sent to the temple at a young age and grew up with the monks. The suffering of the green lamp, the rough tea, and the cold words of the surrounding people was definitely not something ordinary people could imagine. However, not only did he endure it, but he was also doubly filial to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager after returning to the palace. From this, it could be seen how powerful his temperament was. Shen Zhuo was different from the other spoiled princes who had never suffered setbacks. He had suffered, and he had experienced the coldness and warmth of human nature. His ambition and determination superceded those of the other princes combined. Provoking such a person was equivalent to planting a huge hidden danger. Yu Niaoniao suddenly regretted it. ¡°Did I provoke someone I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± Xiao Juan raised his right hand and placed it on her head, rubbing it gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After investigating the Feng family¡¯s case, we¡¯ll resign and go into seclusion in a place no one knows. At that time, even if the Crown Prince wants to take revenge on us, he won¡¯t be able to find us.¡± Although she said that, Yu Niaoniao was still a little worried. ¡°Will the Crown Prince secretly trip you up? Xiao Juan comforted her. ¡°No, the new show in Qirui Garden has caused him a lot of trouble. Recently, he has to think of a way to stabilize his status and eliminate the doubts of the ministers in the court. He doesn¡¯t have time to bother with me for the time being.¡± Hearing him say this, Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Then, she remembered that Xiao Juan had just said that he had been to Qirui Garden. She hurriedly asked, ¡°You¡¯ve seen the new show at Qirui Garden?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao was a little embarrassed, but she was a little expectant. ¡°What do you think? ws it good?¡± She had carefully rehearsed this show just for Xiao Juan. She did not care what the others thought of this show. She only cared about Xiao Juan¡¯s opinion. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao waited for a moment. Seeing that he did not continue, she could not help but ask. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Xiao Juan racked his brains for words. ¡°I don¡¯t know any opera. I don¡¯t know what kind of lyrics and songs are good. I only know that this drama is very good. It has extraordinary meaning to me. I like it very, very much.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and her eyes were shining. She raised her chin and said proudly. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Xiao Juan endured it and could not help but ask the question he wanted to ask the most. ¡°Why did you rehearse this show?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If I said I was doing it to earn money, would you believe Xiao Juan shook his head. ¡°There are many ways to earn money. You can sell recipes and sketchbooks. These are all very easy for you, but you chose the most difficult endeavor. You can¡¯t just be doing it for money.¡± Yu Niaoniao placed her hands behind her back and shook her head. ¡°Since you already know, why do you still ask?¡± Xiao Juan looked at her. ¡°I want to hear it from you.¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately teased him. ¡°Then beg me.¡± Xiao Juan lifted his clothes and knelt on one knee. ¡°Please..¡± Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: Unsettled Chapter 541: Unsettled Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao jumped back. ¡°Aiya, why is it such a big gift?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Because you¡¯re worth it.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips and smiled, pretending to sigh helplessly. ¡°Alright, alright. Seeing that you¡¯re so sincere, I¡¯ll be merciful and tell you.¡± Xiao Juan looked up at her and waited quietly for her answer. Yu Niaoniao placed her hands behind her back and bent down to him. ¡°You¡¯re too stupid. You¡¯ve clearly done so many good things. Not only did no one appreciate it, but someone even took credit.¡± ¡°I just want to help you clear your name so that everyone can recognize the real you.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Is that all?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What else?¡± Xiao Juan did not know what to say. Granny Xiu Yan walked in and was about to speak when she saw Duke Lang Imeeling on one knee and looking up at the Princess Consort standing in front of him. The Princess Consort bent down. The two of them were extremely close, as if they would kiss at any moment. This scene was too charming. Granny Xiu Yan was so frightened that she hurriedly covered her eyes with her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I came at the wrong time. I didn¡¯t see anything. I¡¯ll leave now. Please continue.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Yu Niaoniao quickly stopped her. ¡°We were just talking. It¡¯s not as complicated as you think.¡± Granny Xiu Yan lowered her hand and looked at them skeptically. ¡°If you were just talking, was there a need for His Highness to kneel?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s because there¡¯s a little dust on my shoes. He was helping me to wipe it off.¡± As Yu Niaoniao spoke, she pulled Xiao Juan up. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Xiao Juan did not answer. He looked at Granny Xiu Yan and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Only then did Granny Xiu Yan remember her intentions. She hurriedly said, ¡°Dinner is ready. I¡¯m here to remind you that it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± With that, he pulled Yu Niaoniao out. Seeing that the two of them were about to leave, Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly followed. The small interlude just now was hurriedly accounted for by Xiao Juan. Lo Pingsha was originally a little worried that Duke Lang would be dissatisfied with the Princess Consort opening the theater without permission. When they were eating, he saw that the couple was harmonious and did not seem to be having a conflict. He could finally relax. After dinner, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan returned to their room to rest. Xiao Juan changed the dressing for Niaoniao as usual. Yu Niaoniao consciously took off her clothes and sat on the bed, letting Xiao Juan apply medicine for her. In the past, she would still blush shyly. After a few times, she would get used to it. Because she knew that Xiao Juan was a gentleman. In the past, when she took the initiative to snuggle into his arms, he could sit still. Now, he naturally would not take the opportunity to take advantage of her. However, what she did not know was that Xiao Juan was a little distracted. Previously, he thought that Niaoniao had no feelings for him, so he tried his best to control himself and not have improper thoughts about her. But it was different now. He already knew how Niaoniao felt about him. She had sacrificed so much silently, so she must have feelings for him. Since they were willing, there was naturally no need to worry so much. Xiao Juan gently spread the ointment on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s skin. He looked down at her fair and beautiful back and couldn¡¯t help but lower his head, wanting to kiss her. However, ne Still nela It ln. After applying the medicine, Xiao Juan got up to wash his hands. When he returned, he saw that Niaoniao had already put on her clothes and lay down. Xiao Juan lifted the blanket and lay down. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. He leaned over and called out. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± His voice was low and hoarse, making him even sexier than usual. Yu Niaoniao did not think too much about it. She adjusted her posture slightly and leaned into Xiao Juan¡¯s arms at the most comfortable angle. ¡°Why did you call me?¡± Xiao Juan wanted to ask her if she wanted to consummate the marriage, but the restrained personality he had developed over the years made him unable to say such explicit words. He silently simmered in his heart for a long time before speaking. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to consummate the marriage previously? I think we can try tonight. What do you think?¡± He waited for a long time, but there was no response. Xiao Juan could not help but look down, only to see that Niaoniao had already closed her eyes and fallen asleep. He could only sigh. Previously, when Niaoniao took the initiative to throw herself at him, he pushed her away again and again. Now that he wanted it, she might not be willing. This was probably retribution. Because the old emperor was bedridden and could not attend the morning court session, the memorials of the ministers were sent to the cabinet and handed over to the elders to discuss and resolve. Crown Prince Shen Zhuo would also participate in the discussion, but because he was still young and inexperienced, he could only listen most of the time and rarely had the chance to express his opinion. In the past two days, the officials had a total of two goals¡ª One was Duke Lang, Xiao Juan. The officials suspected that Duke Lang had ordered people to arrange Duke Lang in Liaodong to improve his reputation. This move was akin to fishing for fame. The other was Crown Prince Shen Zhuo. Regardless of the motive for the appearance of Duke Lang in Liaodong, its description was basically true. Outsiders might not know, but many officials in the court knew very well that the person who had escorted Prince Min to Liaodong County was Duke Lang. At that time, Shen Zhuo was only an unknown prince. He was not even qualified to enter the palace to meet the emperor. What right did he have to order Duke Lang to do so many things? This did not make sense at all! However, since the emperor insisted on giving Shen Zhuo the credit for Liaodong County, no one could say anything and could only pretend to be oblivious. Now that Duke Lang in Liaodong was popular in the capital, its content completely restored what Duke Lang had done in Liaodong County. This was equivalent to telling the world that the Crown Prince had faked his contribution! The officials naturally could not let this go. They wrote about this matter in the memorial and strongly requested the Crown Prince to give an explanation! Shen Zhuo was already mentally prepared for this. He looked at the troubled expressions of the elders and said calmly. ¡°I was wrong this time. Tomorrow, I will take the initiative to admit my mistake in front of the civil and military officials and apologize to Duke Lang in public.¡± Regarding this, the elders were naturally very relieved. They praised him one after another. ¡°Your Highness is really magnanimous. It¡¯s really the blessing of the country!¡± Soon, this matter reached the old emperor¡¯s ears. He ordered someone to summon Xiao Juan to the palace. Shen Zhuo hurriedly said, ¡°Father, at this point, there¡¯s no need to make things difficult for Duke Lang. After all, he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± With that, he knelt down and pressed his forehead to the ground. The more he was like this, the more the old emperor pitied him. ¡°It was my idea to let you replace Xiao Juan. What has it got to do with you? I know you¡¯re kind, but you don¡¯t have to take all the blame. I can differentiate between right and wrong..¡± Chapter 542 - Chapter 542: Punishment Chapter 542: Punishment Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shen Zhuo wanted to say something else, but the old emperor did not give him a chance to speak. ¡°You can leave first. I will settle this matter. I won¡¯t let you suffer this grievance for nothing.¡± ¡°Aye. ¡± Shen Zhuo stood up and left obediently. After leaving the bedroom, he looked humble. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. What instructions do you have?¡± The old emperor was helped to sit up. He leaned back on the cushion and looked at Xiao Juan, who was standing upright in front of him. He asked weakly. ¡°Did you get someone to rehearse Duke Lang in Liaodong?¡± Xiao Juan said without hesitation, ¡°Yes.¡± He could not expose her, so he could only bear this matter alone. The old emperor¡¯s face was haggard, and his eyes were turbid, but his gaze was sharp. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯ve mistreated you and are indignant, so you¡¯re using this method to seek justice for yourself?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ve never had such thoughts.¡± The old emperor said, ¡°Then you hate the Crown Prince for taking credit and want to use such a method to embarrass him?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ve never hated the Crown Prince.¡± The old emperor stared at him and continued to interrogate him. ¡°Then what on earth are you doing?¡± Xiao Juan was silent for a long time before speaking. ¡°Because I also want to be recognized by others.¡± The old emperor clearly did not expect such an answer. He was stunned at first, then smiled disdainfully as if he had heard a funny joke. ¡°You want to be recognized? Have you forgotten your status?¡± Xiao Juan lowered his head and said nothing. The old emperor said, ¡°You¡¯re just a dog I raised. The only meaning of your existence is to listen to your master¡¯s orders. You have to remember that no one in this world will acknowledge the existence of a dog.¡± Xiao Juan knelt on one knee. ¡°I know my mistake.¡± The old emperor softened his tone. ¡°You haven¡¯t had a father since you were young, and your mother, Princess Ni Yang, has the same personality.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t care if you lived or died. If I hadn¡¯t sent someone to bring you to the palace to take care of you, you would have died long ago.¡± ¡°I have high hopes for you. Don¡¯t disappoint me, understand?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I will remember Your Majesty¡¯s kindness to me and never forget it.¡± The old emperor continued. ¡°Eldest Princess Ni Yang has committed a great crime of rebellion. You¡¯re her son. Logically speaking, you won¡¯t be able to escape death.¡± ¡°However, on account of your loyalty over the years, I specially let you off.¡± ¡°If someone in the court impeaches you, I will suppress it for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been so kind to you. You should be satisfied. Don¡¯t forget that you were able to have your current status because of me.¡± ¡°Without me, you¡¯re nothing.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ve let Your Majesty down. I deserve to die. Your Majesty, please punish me!¡± After saying so much in one breath, the old emperor¡¯s voice became hoarse, and his breathing became uneven. ¡°Since you know your mistake, go and receive your punishment yourself. Fifty court staves can be considered a small lesson for you. If there¡¯s a next time, it won¡¯t be so simple.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.¡± Xiao Juan left. Wei Huai¡¯en walked forward with the medicine and carefully fed it to the old emperor. After taking the medicine, the old emperor¡¯s aura returned to normal. Wei Huai¡¯en helped him lie down. ¡°Your Majesty, rest well.¡± The old emperor looked at him and asked, ¡°Has Wei Liao already set off?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s on his way to Changze County. He¡¯ll bring the Grand Duke back soon to offer to His Majesty.¡± The old emperor thought of the legendary Grand Duke that could revive the dead and could not help but feel indefinite. Even though he had already listened to the opinions of the ministers and appointed the crown prince, there was still a last trace of hope in his heart¡ª What if the rumors were true? What if the Grand Duke could really cure his illness? If he could recover from his condition and could continue to rule the world and not have to endure the helpless torture of lying in bed. The news that Xiao Juan had been hit by 50 court staves spread to the Fengyi Palace. At this moment, Shen Zhuo was playing chess with Empress Wen. The two of them sat opposite each other with a chessboard between them. Empress Wen held the black chess piece and said calmly. ¡°The emperor punished Duke Lang for you. Duke Lang will definitely hate you. You have to be careful in the future.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled and said gently, ¡°Thank you for your advice, Mother. Although Duke Lang is powerful, he¡¯s just a lackey raised by Father. When I succeed the throne in the future, I can take his wretched life at any time.¡± With that, he gently placed a white chess piece on the chessboard. Empress Wen looked at the chess game in front of her and said as she thought, ¡°Duke Lang is a good knife. If you use it well, it will have a miraculous effect. Shen Zhuo said nothing. Empress Wen placed a piece down and looked up at him. ¡°You¡¯re doing this for Yu Niaoniao, right?¡± Shen Zhuo placed a white piece right on the heels of Empress Wen¡¯s move and remained silent. Empress Wen picked up the black piece and gently placed it down, persuading sincerely, ¡®You¡¯re not fated with her. Why are you asking for trouble?¡± Shen Zhuo placed a white piece on the chessboard and said calmly, ¡°I won this round.¡± Empress Wen looked at the chessboard in front of her and smiled helplessly. ¡°In terms of chess, I¡¯m still inferior to you.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re fated. As long as I become the final winner, everything will belong to me, including her.¡± Empress Wen was speechless. On this day, Yu Niaoniao spent the entire day painting. In the evening, Granny Xiu Yan came to remind Yu Niaoniao to eat dinner as usual. Yu Niaoniao walked into the dining room and saw that Lo Pingsha was alone at the table, so she asked. ¡°Where¡¯s Duke Lang?¡± Lo Pingsha lied without changing his expression. ¡°His Highness is busy and won¡¯t be back until very late. He asked us to eat first.¡± In fact, Xiao Juan had been beaten up 50 times today. He had returned to the Justice Department with injuries. He did not want Niaoniao to know about this, so he stayed in the Justice Department and did not go home. He specially instructed Lo Pingsha to help deal with the lie. Yu Niaoniao did not suspect anything and muttered softly. ¡°No matter how busy he is, he can¡¯t not eat. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to recover. What if he starves again?¡± She asked Granny Xiu Yan to distribute a portion of food and heat it on the stove. She could heat it when Xiao Juan returned. Yu Niaoniao picked up her bowl and chopsticks to eat. She looked at Lo Pingsha beside her and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Little Lo, have you seen my sister?¡± Lo Pingsha nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What do you think of my sister?¡± Lo Pingsha answered truthfully, ¡°Pretty good.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± It seemed that Lo Pingsha had a good impression of Yu Pingping. She would ask Yu Pingping later. As long as the two of them had a good impression of each other, there would be a chance to matchmake them. Lo Pingsha was at a loss, not understanding why the princess consort suddenly asked this. After dinner, Yu Niaoniao returned to the house to wash up and sleep. It was not until late that Xiao Juan returned. At this moment, everyone was already asleep. He specially instructed the concierge not to wake everyone up. He quietly returned to the bedroom alone and looked at the sleeping Niaoniao. Then, he took the medicine box to the study, took off his shirt, and applied medication for himself under the dim candlelight.. Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: Covering Chapter 543: Covering Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios That night, Xiao Juan slept in the study. The next day, he woke up just as it was bright. The maidservants walked in and helped him take off his changed clothes to wash them. They were shocked to find that their clothes were stained with blood. Xiao Juan reminded in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone know about this, especially the County Princess.¡± The maidservants hurriedly nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± They carried their dirty clothes out of the study and bumped into Granny Xiu Yan. Granny Xiu Yan couldn¡¯t help but frown when she saw their panic. ¡°What happened?¡± The maidservants did not dare to tell the truth and could only say vaguely, ¡°Nothing. ¡± Seeing that they were hugging their clothes tightly as if they were carrying some shameful treasure, Granny Xiu Yan couldn¡¯t help but wonder if these two had stolen something. Granny Xiu Yan reached out. ¡°Bring the clothes over for me to see.¡± The maidservants were naturally unwilling. Seeing this, Granny Xiu Yan became even more suspicious and her face immediately darkened. ¡°Do you want me to do it the hard way? The maidservants were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They hurriedly knelt on the ground. ¡°Nanny, spare me!¡± Xiao Juan heard the commotion outside and walked out of the study. He said to Granny Xiu Yan, ¡°I was the one who didn¡¯t let them tell anyone. Nanny, don¡¯t make things difficult for them.¡± Hearing this, Granny Xiu Yan did not say anything else. She turned around and let the maidservants leave. As soon as they left, she immediately walked up to Xiao Juan and asked. ¡°Is Your Highness hiding something from me?¡± Xiao Juan only replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. I¡¯ve already resolved it myself. Nanny, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Seeing that he was unwilling to say anything else, Granny Xiu Yan could only ask about something else. ¡°Why did Your Highness sleep in the study last night?¡± Xiao Juan casually replied, ¡°I came back too late. I didn¡¯t want to disturb Niaoniao.¡± Granny Xiu Yan felt that this was not the truth. In the past, Xiao Juan had also returned late, but no matter how late it was, he would sleep with Yu Niaoniao. This was unless he had quarreled with Yu Niaoniao again. Thinking of this, Granny Xiu Yan couldn¡¯t help but have a headache. Young people were impatient and liked to bicker at the drop of a hat. She advised earnestly, ¡°The Princess Consort cares about you very much. She even specially asked someone to leave food for you last night. Don¡¯t neglect the Princess Consort because of a small matter. The most important thing for a couple is to learn to tolerate and understand each other.¡± Xiao Juan knew that she had misunderstood, but he had no intention of explaining. He replied calmly, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know. Ott is ready.¡± Xiao Juan ate something briefly and rode to the Justice Department with Lo Pingsha. When Yu Niaoniao woke up, it was late in the morning outside the window. She saw that the space beside her was empty. There was no sign of Xiao Juan. This was not something she was used to. She got off the bed and looked around, seeing that there were no traces of Xiao Juan returning. Chun Feng and Ye Yu walked in with hot water and skillfully helped Yu Niaoniao wash up and change her clothes. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Duke Lang? Didn¡¯t he come back last night?¡± Chun Feng replied truthfully, ¡°His Highness returned last night. He slept in the study for the entire night and left at dawn today.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately frowned. ¡°It¡¯s fine if he came back late, but he actually went to sleep in the study? Could it be that he¡¯s throwing a tantrum with me again?¡± She recalled carefully that she had been very honest recently and had not done anything to offend him. Chun Feng comforted him, ¡°His Highness likes you so much, so how can he bear to be angry with you? He probably came back too late and chose to sleep in the study because he was afraid of disturbing your sleep. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask him in person when His Highness returns.¡± Yu Niaoniao had the same thought. When Xiao Juan returned, she would definitely ask him clearly. What couldn¡¯t he say in person? Why did he have to hide? Granny Xiu Yan personally brought breakfast. Ye Yu hurriedly took the heavy food box from her. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°In the future, just let the servants do things like delivering food. There¡¯s no need for you to run around personally.¡± Granny Xiu Yan was old and her stamina was inferior to that of a young person. What if she accidentally fell with the food box? It was a big deal for an old person to fall. Granny Xiu Yan smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Princess Consort. It¡¯s not far. I can do it.¡± Yu Niaoniao sat down at the table and asked. ¡°Nanny, have you eaten? If you haven¡¯t, sit down and eat with me.¡± Granny Xiu Yan politely declined. ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten. Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.¡± Yu Niaoniao took a sip of soup. Seeing that Granny Xiu Yan was still standing at the side, she guessed that the other party had something to say, so she asked Chun Feng and Ye Yu to go down. After everyone left, Yu Niaoniao said. ¡°Nanny, if you have anything to say, just say it. We¡¯re all family, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said hesitantly, ¡°Eat first. It won¡¯t be too late for me to say anything after you¡¯re done.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can say your piece. It won¡¯t affect me.¡± Granny Xiu Yan could only tell the truth. ¡°This morning, I saw two maidservants secretly hugging His Highness¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°The servants looked suspicious and I felt that something was wrong. However, His Highness did not allow me to ask further, so I could only give up.¡± ¡°After that, I thought about it and still felt uneasy. I went to look for the two maidservants in private and happened to see them washing clothes for Duke Lang. ¡± At this point, her expression turned very ugly. Yu Niaoniao was curious. ¡°Is there a problem with washing clothes?¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°There¡¯s no problem with washing clothes. The problem is that there¡¯s blood on those clothes.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression changed. She pressed, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s blood?¡± Granny Xiu Yan said firmly, ¡°Although I¡¯m old, my eyes are still useful.¡± ¡°The clothes that Duke Lang had changed out of were indeed stained with blood. It was impossible for me to be wrong.¡± ¡°I questioned the two maidservants. They did not know where the blood came from. They only said that Duke Lang had instructed them not to spread this matter, especially not to the County Princess.¡± Logically speaking, she should not have told the County Princess about this, but she was really too worried. She had watched Duke Lang grow up and knew that he was not good with words. No matter what happened, he would shoulder it alone. Even if he suffered, he would not say a word to anyone. She did not want Duke Lang to face this alone. She wanted the Princess Consort to help Duke Lang. At the thought that Xiao Juan might be injured, Yu Niaoniao immediately lost the appetite to continue eating breakfast. Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly said, ¡°Eat more. It¡¯s not too late to go out after you¡¯re full. Yu Niaoniao waved her hand. ¡°No need. Just do as I say.¡± Granny Xiu Yan was helpless and could only retreat.. Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: It鈥檚 My Fault Chapter 544: It¡¯s My Fault Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao strode out. She originally thought that Xiao Juan was throwing a tantrum with her. Now that she thought about it, he must have been injured and did not want her to worry after knowing, so he chose to sleep in the study last night. He had always been like this. No matter what he encountered, he would keep it to himself. Yu Niaoniao pushed open the study door and walked across the threshold. She looked around. The arrangement in the study was still the same as usual. Yu Niaoniao refused to give up. She opened the closet door and rummaged through it. Then, she opened the drawers beside the bed one by one and finally found the medicine box in the bottom drawer. This medicine box was originally placed in the bedroom for emergencies, but now it appeared in the study. It must have been placed here after Xiao Juan applied medication last night. Yu Niaoniao opened the medicine box and took out the bottle of ointment specially used to treat external injuries. She opened the lid and took a look. There was less ointment inside than she remembered. Clearly, Xiao Juan had used it. In addition, there was less gauze. Yu Niaoniao closed the medicine box and walked out of the study with a dark expression. At this moment, she was already 100% sure that Xiao Juan was definitely injured, and he was quite heavily injured. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have to cover up like this, looking afraid that she would find out. Yu Niaoniao rode the donkey to the Justice Department accompanied by Ling Hai. This was the first time Ling Hai had come to the Justice Department. He had heard many rumors about the Justice Department, most of which were about how sinister and terrifying it was. As long as one stepped into the Justice Department, they would either die or suffer a layer of skin. The exaggeration was comparable to hell on earth. When he approached the door of the Justice Department, Ling Hai could not help but feel a little nervous. He followed closely behind Yu Niaoniao and dutifully acted as her sidekick, not daring to look at her. The two Eagle Guards on duty at the door immediately cupped their fists and bowed when they saw the County Princess appear. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Are Duke Lang and Little Lo inside?¡± The two of them nodded. Yu Niaoniao brought Ling Hai into the Justice Department. Ling Hai could not suppress his curiosity and could not help but secretly sized up his surroundings. He realized that the Justice Department was not as terrifying as the rumors said. The rooms looked very ordinary, and the Eagle Guards passing by were very normal. The fear and uneasiness in Ling Hails heart eased a lot. It seemed that the rumors were all lies. Yu Niaoniao asked around and learned that Lo Pingsha was interrogating the prisoners in the torture chamber, so she brought Ling Hai outside. She was afraid that the scene in the torture chamber would be too bloody and scare Ling Hai, so she instructed him. ¡°Wait for me outside. I¡¯ll be back soon. Ling Hai nodded obediently. ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Niaoniao pushed open the door and walked into the torture chamber. Ling Hai took a glance and saw someone hanging in the torture chamber. To be precise, it was not a human anymore. Its entire body was covered in blood. Not a piece of intact flesh was left. It was more like a piece of fresh meat that had been peeled off. Ling Hai was so frightened that his face turned pale. The terrifying rumors about the Justice Department in his memory attacked him again. So the rumors were not all lies. This place could really skin someone alive! In the torture chamber, Lo Pingsha was interrogating a criminal who had committed multiple rape and murder cases, forcing him to tell him the exact killing process. Unexpectedly, Yu Niaoniao appeared at this moment. Lo Pingsha hurriedly stopped the interrogation. He brought Yu Niaoniao to the small room next door. ¡°County Princess Consort, why are you suddenly here?¡± Yu Niaoniao was still thinking about something and was not affected by the bloody scene in the torture chamber. She asked solemnly, ¡°Tell me honestly, why did Duke Lang return to the Duke¡¯s Mansion so late yesterday? Did something happen to him?¡± Lo Pingsha subconsciously avoided her gaze and said vaguely, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you yesterday? Duke Lang has something to do.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I know everything.¡± Lo Pingsha asked, ¡°What do you know?¡± Seeing that he was still pretending to be stupid, Yu Niaoniao was a little angry. ¡°Little Lo, Duke Lang is injured, right?¡± ¡°You clearly knew the inside story, but you didn¡¯t tell me. You even helped Duke Lang lie to me. Aren¡¯t you letting me down by doing this?¡± ¡°To think that I treat you as family. No matter what good things there are, I won¡¯t forget your share. Is this how you repay me?¡± Lo Pingsha was already feeling guilty, but after being scolded by her, he could not raise his head. ¡°Duke Lang didn¡¯t want me to tell you. He was afraid you would be worried.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°He¡¯s always like this. In the name of being afraid that I¡¯ll be worried, he won¡¯t tell me anything. He never asked me what I thought. You men are too self-righteous!¡± Her eyes turned red as she spoke, as if she would cry at any moment. Lo Pingsha immediately panicked and hurriedly comforted him. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have lied to you. Please don¡¯t cry.¡± Yu Niaoniao choked and asked, ¡°Why was Duke Lang injured?¡± At this point, there was no point in hiding it. Lo Pingsha said truthfully, ¡°Yesterday, Duke Lang was summoned to the palace by the emperor. When he returned, he was injured. Although he didn¡¯t say how he was injured, from the injuries on his waist and back, he should have received at least 50 blows.¡± Lo Pingsha hurriedly supported her. ¡°Duke Lang practices martial arts all year round and is much stronger than ordinary people. Although he suffered the strokes, it¡¯s only a flesh wound. His bones and tendons are not injured. He can recover after resting for a few days.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked. ¡°Why was he flogged?¡± Lo Pingsha shook his head. ¡°Duke Lang refused to tell me. I don¡¯t know the inside story.¡± Yu Niaoniao ran through everything that had happened today and quickly thought of a possibility¡ª Could it be due to the performance of Duke Lang in Liaodong in Qirui Garden? The more she thought about it, the more she felt that it was possible. Back then, in order to increase Shen Zhuo¡¯s reputation, the emperor let Shen Zhuo take credit for Xiao Juan¡¯s contribution. The appearance of the show not only slapped Shen Zhuo¡¯s face, but also embarrassed the emperor. The emperor was furious and took it out on Xiao Juan. Logically, everything made sense. Yu Niaoniao muttered, ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± She thought that as long as she did not let Xiao Juan participate in the rehearsal of the show, Xiao Juan would not be implicated. Even if there was trouble later, she would bear it alone. Unexpectedly, the emperor did not care about the truth behind the scenes. He was certain about his judgment of culpability. He didn¡¯t need any evidence. Lo Pingsha looked at the pale Yu Niaoniao and was very worried. ¡°County Princess, are you alright?¡± He wanted to take Yu Niaoniao¡¯s pulse, but she pushed him away. Yu Niaoniao walked out the door. Lo Pingsha hurriedly followed. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Do what you need to. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Outside the torture chamber, Ling Hai stood rooted to the ground, not daring to move. He saw the County Princess walk out in a daze and hurriedly went up to her. ¡°County Princess Consort, you don¡¯t look well. Are you feeling unwell?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go back..¡± Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: Red Bean Soup (1) Chapter 545: Red Bean Soup (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Lo Pingsha sent the County Princess away, he felt uneasy. After thinking about it, he decided to look for Duke Lang. Xiao Juan couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard Lo Pingsha finish what happened. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to tell Niaoniao about this?¡± Lo Pingsha knelt on one knee. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m willing to be punished.¡± Now was not the time to pursue this. Xiao Juan stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go back first. We¡¯ll talk about the rest later.¡± He was very worried about Niaoniao now, afraid that she would let her imagination run wild and take all the responsibility. He had to go back and talk to Niaoniao. However, when Xiao Juan returned to the Lanjun Imperial Palace, he was told that Niaoniao had not returned. Xiao Juan was anxious. If Niaoniao didn¡¯t go home, where else could she go? He first went to Qirui Garden and did not see Niaoniao in the theater. Then, he rode to the Yu Residence. Yu Kangtai happened to be at home. When he heard that his son-in-law was here, he hurriedly brought his son out to welcome him. However, before they could greet him, he heard Xiao Juan ask hurriedly. ¡°Is Niaoniao at home?¡± Yu Kangtai and Yu Sheng were stunned. They looked at Xiao Juan in confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t Niaoniao in the Langjun Imperial Palace?¡± As soon as he saw them like this, Xiao Juan knew that Niaoniao had definitely not returned to her parents¡¯ house. He turned to leave, but Yu Kangtai stopped him. ¡°Your Highness, did something happen to our Niaoniao?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Niaoniao is gone. I can¡¯t find her anywhere.¡± Yu Kangtai said, ¡°Could she have gone out to play? She used to run out to play. When she was done, she would naturally go home.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s different this time. It¡¯s impossible for Niaoniao to go out to play.¡± With that, he got on the horse. Because his movements were too big, the wound on his back was affected and the pain suddenly came. He couldn¡¯t help but stiffen, and his expression turned even uglier. However, he had no intention of finding a physician o take a look. He flicked his horsewhip as if nothing had happened and rode away. Yu Kangtai and Yu Sheng stood there looking at each other. Yu Sheng was a little uneasy. ¡°Did something really happen to Sister?¡± Yu Kangtai felt that nothing would happen to Niaoniao. That girl was very smart and had a lot of evil ideas. Only she could cheat others. Very few people could cheat her. However, Duke Lang¡¯s expression just now was really terrifying, as if something big had really happened. Yu Kangtai could not make up his mind for a moment. Yu Sheng suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t I go out and help look for her?¡± Yu Kangtai thought for a moment before saying. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do today. Bring more people and we¡¯ll look for her together.¡± Yu Sheng immediately agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Kangtai instructed, ¡°Keep a low profile when we look for her. Don¡¯t let anyone know that we¡¯re looking for Niaoniao, lest outsiders make an issue of something. ¡± The Imperial Capital was only so big, and Yu Niaoniao¡¯s identity was so special. If others found out that she was missing, they would definitely spread this matter to the entire city. At that time, even if nothing happened, it would become a big deal. Wasn¡¯t this how Yu Niaoniao¡¯s marriage with Xuao Juan came about? Yu Sheng nodded to show that he understood. Yu Pingping was originally settling the accounts in her boudoir when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. She put down the account book and quickly walked out of the door. When she saw her brother running out with a large group of people, she hurriedly stopped them and asked. ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry?¡± Yu Sheng replied truthfully, ¡°Sister is missing. We went out to look for her.¡± Yu Pingping immediately panicked. She picked up her skirt and ran over. ¡°What do you mean missing? What happened?¡± Yu Sheng said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the details. Just now, Duke Lang suddenly ran to our house to look for Sister and said that she was missing. He left quickly without finding her at our house. Father and I plan to look outside to see if we can find Sister.¡± Yu Pingping hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Yu Sheng was a little hesitant. ¡°As a girl, it¡¯s not good for you to go out and show your face, right?¡± Yu Pingping placed her hands on her hips and said aggressively. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Yu Sheng was in a hurry to find Yu Niaoniao and did not have the time to chat with her. He could only do as she wished. ¡®You can go with me, but you¡¯re not allowed to run around. You have to follow me closely.¡± Yu Pingping said perfunctorily, ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I understand. You¡¯re so long-winded. Hurry up and leave!¡± After the group left the Yu Residence, they began to search the city. Xiao Juan could not find her himself, so he could only disperse the Eagle Guards and ask them to help find her. The two sides happened to meet in the city. Yu Kangtai hurriedly asked, ¡°Your Highness, have you found Niaoniao?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s face was dark and ashen. ¡°Not yet.¡± This time, everyone felt even more uneasy. Could something have really happened to Niaoniao? At this moment, Meng Xizhou hurriedly ran over and cupped his fists at Xiao Juan. ¡°Your Highness, a spy saw the County Princess leave the city near the east city Yu Sheng was puzzled. ¡°Why did Sister leave the city?¡± Yu Pingpings imagination ran wild. ¡°Could she have been kidnapped?¡± Duke Lang had so many enemies. It was possible that they could not deal with him, so they kidnapped the Princess Consort. This was very likely to happen. Xiao Juan looked at Meng Xizhou and asked. ¡°Did Niaoniao leave the city alone?¡± Meng Xizhou replied truthfully, ¡°The Princess Consort was riding a donkey with a half-grown child beside her. From the description of the spy, it should be Ling Hai.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a case of kidnapping.¡± Yu Pingping asked, ¡°If it¡¯s not a case of kidnapping, why did Sister leave the city? Could it be that she had an appointment with someone outside the city?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Kangtai glared at her. Yu Kangtai scolded angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Niaoniao is already married. Who can she ask out? How ugly would it be if word got out!¡± Yu Pingping curled her lips. ¡°Who said you have to ask a man out? Can¡¯t it be a friend?¡± Yu Kangtai said, ¡°You¡¯re still talking?!¡± Yu Sheng looked at Duke Lang and asked seriously. ¡°Brother-in-law and Sister are husband and wife. You should know her best. Do you know any pls ed outside the city that Sister often goes to?¡± Xiao Juan fell into deep thought. Yu Kangtai muttered softly, ¡°She grew up in Bashu and has only been in the Imperial Capital for two years. She¡¯s unfamiliar with this place. Other than her maiden family and the Langjun Imperial Palace, where else can she go?¡± Xiao Juan suddenly said. ¡°Ten Thousand Buddha Temple.¡± They all looked at him. Xiao Juan said, ¡°If we head out of the east city gate and go straight along the official road, we can reach the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple.¡± Yu Kangtai was puzzled. ¡°Why did Niaoniao go to the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple? She doesn¡¯t believe in Buddhism.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°She lit longevity lamps for her mother and stepfather in the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple and set up longevity tablets for them.¡± Yu Kangtai was stunned on the spot. He was maaam mes Ill-st nusoana ana actuany ma nor Know aoouc rms. Before he could ask again, Xiao Juan had already ridden away.. Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: Red Bean Soup (2) Chapter 546: Red Bean Soup (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the Changming Hall of the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, Yu Niaoniao knelt on the futon and kowtowed to Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan. Then, she stood up and offered three incense sticks to the two of them. At the same time, she placed a sum of money into the merit box beside her. After doing this, she stood quietly on the spot and looked at Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s memorial tablets in a daze. Actually, after leaving the Justice Department, she should have returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace. But how should she face Xiao Juan next? Should she apologize to him? Or should she pretend that nothing had happened? If she apologized, it meant that everything she had done before was wrong. But if she pretended that nothing had happened, she felt guilty. She really didn¡¯t know what to do and could only come here. Yu Niaoniao muttered softly. ¡°Dad, Mom, what should I do?¡± Outside Changming Hall, Ling Hai placed his hands in his sleeves and paced back and forth, trying his best to move his body to avoid being frozen. The winter was already cold. Coupled with the fact that the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple was built halfway up the mountain, the temperature was even lower. Ling Hai turned to look into the hall and saw that the Princess Consort was still in a daze at the memorial tablet. Other than many longevity lamps and longevity tablets, Changming Hall only had a small brazier. It was almost impossible to rely on that small fire to warm up. He wondered if the Princess Consort would be frozen. Ling Hai rubbed his hands hard, wondering if he should ask the monks in the temple for a bowl of hot soup so that the Princess Consort could warm up. At this moment, an old woman wrapped in a rough cloth headscarf walked over with two baskets. She stopped in front of Ling Hai and asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°Gentleman, do you want a bowl of red bean soup? I made this myself. It¡¯s still hot. It only costs one copper coin a bowl.¡± Ling Hai hurriedly said, ¡°I want a bowl.¡± He took a copper coin from his pouch and handed it over. The old woman reached out with her calloused rough palm and took the copper coin. Then, she removed the rough cloth covering the basket and revealed the clay urn inside. She untied the clay urn and scooped out a bowl of red bean soup. ¡°Here you go.¡± Ling Hai took the red bean soup with both hands. He could still feel the temperature through the thick porcelain bowl. This red bean soup must have just been boiled. He immediately walked into Changming Hall with the red bean soup and brought it to the County Princess. ¡°Have some soup to warm yourself up.¡± Yu Niaoniao was surprised. ¡®Where did the red bean soup come from?¡± Ling Hai pointed at the old woman standing outside the door. ¡°I bought it from her. ¡± The old woman noticed their gaze and bowed slightly to them as a greeting. Yu Niaoniao took a sip of the red bean soup. The red bean was boiled until it was delicate and smooth. There was also some osmanthus honey and lilies in it. The sweetness was just right. After drinking a bowl of soup, her body was much warmer, and her depressed mood improved. Yu Niaoniao walked out of Changming Hall and personally returned the empty bowl to the old woman. ¡°Granny, thank you for the soup. It tastes very good.¡± The old woman took the thick porcelain bowl with both hands and asked, ¡°Young lady, do you want another bowl?¡± Yu Niaoniao could tell from her accent. ¡°Are you from Bashu?¡± The old woman said, ¡°I¡¯m not from Bashu, but I¡¯ve lived in Bashu for many years. I¡¯m considered half a Bashu citizen.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked. ¡°Then why did you come to the Imperial Capital?¡± The old woman sighed. ¡°Everyone in my family is dead. As an old woman, I have nowhere to go and can only drift around.¡± ¡°Recently, I happened to come to the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. The abbot of the temple was kind. Seeing that I was pitiful, he allowed me to borrow the kitchen in the temple to cook some soup for money.¡± Yu Niaoniao felt sympathy. She opened her pouch and took out the largest piece of silver. ¡°This money is for you. I¡¯ll buy all your red bean soup.¡± It was already very difficult for a young man to carry a basket and sell soup on such a cold day, not to mention that the other party was a thin old woman with white hair and a hunched figure. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s ability was limited, so she could only help her buy all the red bean soup so that she could close the stall early today and rest. The old woman hurriedly refused. ¡°How can that do? Even if I sell all my red bean soup to you, it will only be 50 copper coins at most. You gave too much money. I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then treat it as my advance payment. If I want to drink red bean soup again in the future, I¡¯ll buy it from you. You can just deduct it from this money.¡± With that, she stuffed the silver into the old woman¡¯s hand. The old woman held the silver in her hand and looked at Yu Niaoniao with grayish-white eyes. Her gaze was indescribably complicated. Yu Niaoniao said to Ling Hai. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The old woman hurriedly stopped her. ¡°What about this red bean soup?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled at her. ¡°Keep it for yourself to drink slowly. If you can¡¯t finish it, give it to the monks in the temple.¡± With that, she left with Ling Hai. The old woman stood on the spot and watched them leave. After a long time, she muttered. ¡°She¡¯s a good child. What a pity¡­¡± Just as Yu Niaoniao and Ling Hai reached the entrance of the temple, they saw Xiao Juan striding over. Both sides bumped into each other and were stunned. Xiao Juan was the first to speak. ¡°Why did you come here without saying gooc1Dyef¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I wanted to offer incense to Father and Mother. Why are you here?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere and was very worried, so I came here to try my luck. I didn¡¯t expect you to really be here.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong when you came to offer incense to Dad and Mom. You don¡¯t have to apologize. However, if you want to leave the city in the future, remember to inform your family in advance so that everyone won¡¯t worry about you.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m apologizing to you for what happened previously. I was the one who asked the troupe to rehearse Duke Lang in Liaodong, but I caused you to be punished. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her steadily and suddenly asked. ¡°If you were given another chance, would you still get someone to rehearse the show?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation, ¡°Yes!¡± Although she felt guilty, she had never regretted it. It was a fact that Shen Zhuo had taken credit for his achievements, and it was also a fact that Xiao Juan had been misunderstood. She was just telling the truth to everyone. Even if she had to do it again, she would still insist on her choice. Xiao Juan seemed to have expected this answer and said calmly, ¡°In that case, why do you need to apologize?¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips. ¡°But I caused you to be punished.. Xiao Juan bent down slightly and approached her face. He looked into her eyes and said word by word seriously, ¡°Niaoniao, you¡¯ve never harmed me. On the contrary, you like me better than everyone else. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have done so much behind my back.¡± ¡°The reason why the emperor punished me was to better control me. The fault is his, not yours. You don¡¯t have to apologize, let alone feel guilty.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly covered his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re crazy. How dare you say such things. If anyone hears you, you¡¯re dead!¡± After saying that, she looked at the visitors who walked past her, afraid that someone would hear what Xiao Juan had just said. It was a capital crime to slander the emperor! Xiao Juan grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one heard it..¡± Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: You I ve Turned Bad Chapter 547: You I ve Turned Bad Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Since he had already arrived at the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, Xiao Juan went in to offer incense to Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan. When he knelt down and kowtowed, he accidentally pulled on his wound, causing him to gasp in pain. However, he quickly returned to normal. After kowtowing, he stood up without changing his expression. He guessed that the wound on his back should have opened. Fortunately, he was wearing black clothes. Coupled with the cloak, no one could discover it. When they went down the mountain, Yu Niaoniao gave the donkey to Ling Hai. She rode the same horse as Xiao Juan. When they returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace, Granny Xiu Yan finally heaved a sigh of relief when she saw them return safely. Xiao Juan was about to return to the Justice Department when he was stopped by Yu Niaoniao. She wanted to see Xiao Juan¡¯s injuries. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I still have something to do. I¡¯ll show you when I come back tonight.¡± Yu Niaoniao knew him too well. The fact that he was so secretive and refused to show her his injuries proved that he was definitely seriously injured. She grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s hand and refused to let go, threatening him shamelessly. ¡°If you don¡¯t show me, I¡¯ll cry.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I really have something on¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao pouted and tears began to well up in her eyes, as if they would burst in the next moment. Xiao Juan immediately compromised. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s evil plan succeeded. She immediately put away her crying expression and pulled Xiao Juan towards the bedroom. After walking into the bedroom, Yu Niaoniao closed the door and said to Xiao Juan. ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± Xiao Juan had no choice but to do it himself and begin to undress. Although the 50 court staves had not injured his foundation, they had also lacerated his flesh. Coupled with the fact that he had ridden back and forth just now, his wound opened again, and his injuries became even more serious. The clothes he had taken off were stained with blood, and the gauze was already dyed red. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s temples throbbed. Her heart ached and she was angry. ¡°You¡¯re already so injured, but you¡¯re still running around. Do you want to die?¡± Xiao Juan did not argue and admitted his mistake. ¡°Sorry.¡± Yu Niaoniao complained angrily, ¡°All you know is to apologize. What¡¯s the use of being sorry? Can¡¯t you think about yourself first?¡± Xiao Juan looked at her and fell silent. Yu Niaoniao asked someone to bring the medicine box over. She helped Xiao Juan remove the gauze. Looking at the badly mangled wound, she couldn¡¯t help but start nagging again. ¡°You¡¯re just relying on your youth to be flippant about your body. Let¡¯s see what you can do when you fall ill in the future. I¡¯ll tell you in advance that I won¡¯t serve you when you¡¯re old.¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t have to serve me.¡± Yu Niaoniao soaked the cloth towel in hot water. Hearing this, she paused and said angrily, ¡°Yo, you want someone else to serve you!¡± The jealousy in her words was about to make her die of jealousy. Xiao Juan smiled silently. ¡°When we¡¯re old in the future, I¡¯ll serve you.¡± Yu Niaoniao was immediately satisfied. She complained as she wrung out the cloth towel. ¡°Look at how you don¡¯t take your body seriously. I don¡¯t dare to count on you in the future. ¡± She used a cloth towel to wipe the blood near Xiao Juan¡¯s wound bit by bit. Afraid of hurting him, her movements were extremely gentle. Xiao Juan sat on the stool with his back straight and his muscles tensed. He couldn¡¯t see the scene behind him and didn¡¯t know Niaoniao¡¯s current expression, but he could feel the touch of her fingers gently brushing past his back. He involuntarily held his breath, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± Her voice was low and hoarse, with an indescribable ambiguity and attachment. Yu Niaoniao was focused on treating his wound and did not notice his abnormality. She replied without looking up when she heard him call her name. ¡°What?¡± Xiao Juan did not know what he wanted to do. He suddenly wanted to call out her name. This feeling came very strangely, even to himself. Yu Niaoniao threw the blood-stained cloth towel into the basin, opened the medicine bottle, wet the medicine with cotton gauze, and gently wiped the wound. Xiao Juan involuntarily clenched his fists and tensed up even more. Yu Niaoniao paused. ¡°Does it hurt very much?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Yu Niaoniao bent down and breathed into his wound. Xiao Juan felt that the wound on his back was cold, but his heart was warm. He couldn¡¯t help but call out again. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up. ¡°Yes?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I hope we can be like this in the future.¡± Yu Niaoniao said angrily, ¡°Do you still want to be injured every day in the future? Can¡¯t you hope for something good?¡± Seeing that she did not understand the meaning of his words, Xiao Juan was very helpless. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then do you want me to serve you like this every day in the future?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. She had killed the conversation today. Yu Niaoniao took out the bottle of Golden Creation medication and sprinkled the powder inside evenly on the wound. Then, she gently covered the wound with the folded gauze and wrapped it around his body. Yu Niaoniao asked him to raise his hands. Her hands passed through his sides, crossed the gauze in front of him, and circled back to his back. This went on and on. Every time her hands passed through from behind, Xiao Juan felt like she was hugging him. His heart involuntarily beat faster, and every touch of his body became especially sharp. When Yu Niaoniao was done, Xiao Juan was still in a daze. Why did it end so quickly? Yu Niaoniao took out clean clothes from the closet and shook them gently. ¡°Reach out.¡± Xiao Juan obediently reached out. However, because she was shorter, he had to bend his knees slightly to put his hands into his sleeves. She looked almost clumsy and cute. Yu Niaoniao reminded him as she helped him tie his belt. ¡°I know you¡¯re busy. You definitely don¡¯t want to rest at home, but you can¡¯t ride anymore. You¡¯re not allowed to do anything that will affect the healing of your wound. ¡± Xiao Juan stood rooted to the ground and looked down at her face as he replied softly, ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her hand. ¡°Alright, you can leave.¡± Xiao Juan was puzzled. ¡°Where am I going?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you had something to do and had to rush back to the Justice Department as soon as possible?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. He had almost forgotten about this! Yu Niaoniao looked at him suspiciously. ¡°You were not fooling me, were you?¡± Just now, Xiao Juan deliberately found an excuse to leave in order not to let Niaoniao see his wound. In fact, he had nothing to do at the Justice Department today. Coupled with the fact that it was already late, he would have nothing to do even if he returned to the Justice Department. He replied vaguely, ¡°It¡¯s almost dark. I¡¯ll do those things tomorrow.¡± Yu Niaoniao snorted angrily. ¡°Alright, you were indeed fooling me just now! Xiao Mozhu, you¡¯ve become bad. You¡¯re starting to lie!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± With that, he walked out the door. Yu Niaoniao immediately chased after him, still shouting. ¡°You clearly do!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You clearly did!¡± Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: Seal Chapter 548: Seal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The next morning, Yu Niaoniao was eating breakfast when she saw Ling Hai rush in. ¡°County Princess Consort, something bad has happened!¡± Yu Niaoniao had to put down her bowl and chopsticks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ling Hai panted. ¡°Early this morning, the soldiers of the Imperial Capital rushed into Qirui Garden aggressively. They said that they wanted to seize Qirui Garden and arrest everyone in Qirui Garden to be sent to the border.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression changed. ¡®What right do they have to arrest them?¡± Ling Hai shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not even bother to eat breakfast. She put on her cloak and quickly ran out. Ling Hai hurriedly chased after her. Because she was in a hurry, Yu Niaoniao did not ride a donkey this time. She and Ling Hai rode separate horses and went straight to Qirui Garden. When they arrived at Qirui Garden, they saw that the entrance of the theater had been sealed. Liu Qirui and the people in the theater were all shackled. The soldiers of the Imperial Capital were about to take them away. ¡°Wait!¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped them. Everyone looked at her. The moment Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing saw her, their eyes lit up, like dying people who had caught a life-saving piece of driftwood. ¡°Boss!¡± Yu Niaoniao dismounted and asked the soldiers of the Imperial Capital. ¡°What right do you have to arrest them?¡± The leader looked Yu Niaoniao up and down and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m the boss here. If you want to arrest someone, there has to be a reason, right?¡± The official avoided her question and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re the boss, arrest them all ! ¡± The soldiers of the Imperial Capital were about to go forward to arrest her when Ling Hai, who had followed closely behind, shouted. ¡°Stop! How dare you attack our County Princess?!¡± The soldiers were stunned. They were not the only ones. Everyone in Qirui Garden was stunned. Did they hear wrongly? Ling Hai had just mentioned the Princess Consort? Their boss was actually the Princess Consort? The soldiers did not dare to move anymore, and the officials were a little hesitant. ¡®May I ask which residence you are the Princess Consort of?¡± Ling Hai jumped off the horse. ¡°Duke Lang¡¯s Palace!¡± Everyone was even more surprised. Liu Qirui had long guessed that his boss was extraordinary, but he did not expect her to be the legendary Princess Consort of Lang County. He looked at Yu Niaoniao in disbelief, as if he had not really known her until this moment. No wonder she could take out 3,000 taels of silver in one go. No wonder she insisted on using Duke Lang as the protagonist in the show. No wonder she was so confident and was not afraid of the Eagle Guards looking for trouble. All of this was because she was the Princess Consort of Lang County! The official asked cautiously. ¡°How can you prove your identity?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at the horse beside her. ¡°Do you see the symbol on the saddle? Even if you don¡¯t know me, you should know this symbol, right?¡± The horses in the county king¡¯s residence were all equipped with special saddles. Every saddle was engraved with the county king¡¯s emblem. The official leaned over to take a closer look and immediately recognized that it was the emblem of the Regional King¡¯s Mansion! At this moment, a soldier leaned over to the official and whispered to him. ¡°Lord, she¡¯s really the Princess Consort of Lang County. I¡¯ve seen her before.¡± The official was surprised. ¡°You¡¯re just an ordinary soldier. How did you meet the Princess Consort of Lang County?¡± The soldier¡¯s expression became strange. ¡°You were only transferred to the Imperial Capital this year, so there are some things you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Two years ago, Assistant Minister Yu¡¯s eldest daughter ran away from home.¡± ¡°That night, I was patrolling the city with my companions and bumped into her. We didn¡¯t know her identity, so we arrested her.¡± At this point, his voice involuntarily lowered, looking very guilty. ¡°After that, Duke Lang personally came to the cell to take her away. After that, she entered the cell twice, so I have a deep impression of her. It¡¯s impossible for me to mistake her for someone else.¡± The official felt like he was listening to a heavenly book. The eldest daughter of the dignified Assistant Minister actually ran away from home in the middle of the night and was thrown into jail three times in a row. This was too ridiculous! Although the soldier deliberately lowered his voice, Yu Niaoniao still heard their conversation. She did not expect to meet someone she knew who would even dig up her glorious history. Yu Niaoniao upheld the principle that as long as she was not embarrassed, others would be and said righteously, ¡°If you still don¡¯t believe me, you can send someone to the Justice Department or Duke Lang¡¯s Palace to ask immediately. I¡¯ll wait for you here. How about that?¡± How could the officials dare to doubt him anymore? He immediately took a step back and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort!¡± Seeing this, the soldiers knelt on one knee. The people of Qirui Garden naturally did not dare to stand anymore. In the blink of an eye, everyone knelt on the ground. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Now can you tell me why you arrested them?¡± The official looked troubled. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why? Do you think I¡¯m not worthy of knowing the reason?¡± The official hurriedly said, ¡°No, no! I actually don¡¯t know what crime Qirui Garden has committed. It¡¯s an order from the palace to seal Qirui Garden immediately.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately understood. It must be an order from the old emperor! Not only did he punish Xiao Juan, but he also wanted to seal Qirui Garden. He was completely cutting off Xiao Juan¡¯s escape route and would never give him a chance to clear his name. Seeing her expression turn extremely ugly, the official spoke carefully. ¡°Although the people in the palace didn¡¯t say it explicitly, I can actually roughly guess the reason. It¡¯s nothing more than for the show Duke Lang in Liaodong. The main character in the show is Duke Lang. This is really a little taboo.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Everyone in Qirui Garden is innocent. You can¡¯t arrest them!¡± The official looked helpless. ¡°The emperor has said that it¡¯s useless even if they¡¯re innocent. We still have to arrest them. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to report it.¡± Yu Niaoniao was so angry that her face turned pale. In this era where the imperial power was supreme, the emperor would do whatever he said. Even if he accused a deer or horse of heinous crimes, no one dared to say anything. So what if there was no evidence? He could accuse someone with a word. He was rude and shameless. The official knew that Duke Lang was not to be trifled with. He was afraid that the Princess Consort of Lang would go back and complain to Duke Lang. When that happened, he would be the one to suffer later. He did not want to offend either side, so he lowered his voice and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°The Princess Consort should know very well that this matter is not big or small. As long as you change the content of the show, this matter will be over.¡± Yu Niaoniao suppressed her anger and asked, ¡°How do you want to change it?¡± The official said, ¡°It¡¯s not how I want to change it, but how the person in the palace wants to change it?¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to refuse. However, when her gaze swept across everyone in Qirui Garden, she could not reject them. She could take the risk for Xiao Juan, but she could not let the others suffer with her. Everyone was born and raised by their parents. Why should they be sent to the border for an unrelated person? Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath and tried her best to suppress the anger and unwillingness in her heart. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll change it!¡± The official immediately beamed. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good! As long as you¡¯re willing to give in, this matter will be easy..¡± Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: Non-existent Chapter 549: Non-existent Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The soldiers of the Imperial Capital removed the seal and left Qirui Garden. Seeing that Liu Qirui, Liu Sixing, and the others were still kneeling on the ground, Yu Niaoniao said to them. ¡°Get up, all of you.¡± Everyone got up from the ground. Liu Qirui said carefully, ¡°Boss¡­ Princess Consort, what should we do next?¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at the surrounding commoners and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in first.¡± Everyone followed Yu Niaoniao into Chery Garden. Usually, Qirui Garden was already full at this time, but today, it was cold and empty. There were no guests. Yu Niaoniao asked someone to bring the play over. Wasn¡¯t it just changing the script? She would change it! In front of everyone, Yu Niaoniao raised her pen and drew a horizontal line on the script. She crossed out the word ¡°Prince Lang¡± and wrote three words beside it. Liu Sixing leaned over curiously and whispered, ¡°King Zixu, what do you mean?¡± Yu Niaoniao put down her pen and laughed ambiguously. ¡°Since the name of Prince Lang has violated a taboo, let¡¯s change his name.¡± Then, she crossed out Liaodong County and changed it to Wuyou County. Liu Sixing finally understood. ¡°Zixu Wuyou! Non-existent!¡± Liu Qirui said, ¡°Are you clearly telling everyone that this story is fake? But can everyone believe it?¡± Yu Niaoniao spread her hands and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already changed it according to the requirements. As for whether others believe it or not, it¡¯s none of my business. ¡± Liu Qirui was speechless. He kept feeling that this name was filled with sarcasm. Liu Sixing asked a question. ¡°Then should we change the name of our show?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Of course we have to change it! Let¡¯s change it to King Zixu and Wuyou County.¡± Seeing that no one was saying anything, she asked, ¡°Do you think this name is bad?¡± Liu Sixing hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No, no. This name is quite good.¡± Liu Qirui was a little worried. ¡°I wonder if the audience can accept such a change?¡± No one could give a definite answer to this. They could only say that they would know when the time came. Yu Niaoniao reminded, ¡°Remember to put up a sign beside our stage and tell everyone that our show is purely fiction. If there¡¯s a similarity, it¡¯s purely a coincidence. In the end, we have to add the words ¡®Don¡¯t discuss state affairs¡¯.¡± Liu Qirui nodded and agreed, his mood very complicated. He felt that she was mocking someone! As for who it was, he did not dare to say. Anyway, everyone knew very well. Seeing that everyone was drooping their heads and looking very depressed, Yu Niaoniao clapped her hands and said loudly. ¡°It¡¯s almost the new year. After we finish acting for the last few days, we¡¯ll give everyone a break during the new year and let them go home to rest.¡± Everyone was immediately happy when they heard that it was possible. Liu Qirui said, ¡°We can¡¯t have a holiday during the new year.¡± Yu Niaoniao thought that he could not bear to part with the money for the theater tickets for the new year, so she advised, ¡°Everyone has worked hard for a year. You should rest at the end of the year. Only by balancing work and rest can you last.¡± Liu Sixing explained on behalf of her father. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want everyone to rest.¡± ¡°It is because the City God Temple is holding a temple fair on New Year¡¯s Eve.¡± ¡°According to tradition, all the theaters in the capital have to prepare programs, and our Qirui Garden is no exception.¡± ¡°When the temple fair ends, they will evaluate every program. Whichever program won would be the first in ranking. Although it¡¯s not much money, it¡¯s a good sign.¡± Yu Niaoniao was enlightened. ¡°I see.¡± The temple fair these days was equivalent to the Spring Festival Gala in modern society. For their theater to be on the Spring Festival Gala, they had to seize such a good opportunity. She asked with interest, ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Liu Qirui said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s still Duke Lang in Liaodong. This is a scene unique to our Qiuying Garden.¡± Liu Sixing reminded him, ¡°It¡¯s King Zixu and Wuyou County. Don¡¯t refer to it by the wrong name in the future.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s because King Zixu and Wuyou County have already been played many times. There¡¯s nothing new. I¡¯ll write another script later. You guys can rehearse a new scene according to the script. Don¡¯t worry, the plot won¡¯t be long. It¡¯s just enough to perform at the temple fair.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing immediately became nervous. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What kind of expression is that?¡± Liu Qirui said with difficulty, ¡°Please forgive me for asking, but is your new show related to Duke Lang again?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation. ¡°Of course not!¡± Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing immediately felt relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Duke Lang¡¯s theme was indeed very attractive, but there was a risk of being sent to the border at any time. They would rather earn less than take that risk. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing sent her to the door respectfully. Because of the change in the scene, they had to rehearse. Qirui Garden could only suspend operations today. The customers who had bought tickets previously could choose to refund the tickets or postpone it to the next day to watch the show. In compensation, Qirui Garden gave each of them a hand warmer. Not only were the words Chery Garden engraved on the hand warmer, but there were also portraits of several main characters in King Zixu and Wuyou County. After the originally dissatisfied guests received the hand warmer, their dissatisfaction immediately turned into surprise. They were all loyal fans of this show. Otherwise, they would not have bought tickets to support Qirui Garden. The portrait on the hand warmer had an extraordinary meaning to them. The guests returned happily with the hand warmer. Liu Sixing closed the door of the theater and heaved a long sigh of relief. ¡°We¡¯ve finally dealt with this matter.¡± They had long ordered that batch of hand warmers to be given to the old customers who came to support them at the end of the year as repayment for the most care they had taken of Qirui Garden since it opened. They hoped that they could continue to support them next year. Now that this matter had happened, in order to smooth things over, Liu Qirui could only take out the batch of hand warmers in advance and give them away. Liu Qirui called Liu Sixing and Ye Yin over and began to discuss how to change the word. When Zheng Changle heard that Qirui Garden was about to be sealed by the government, he immediately set off from home and rushed to Qirui Garden. When he reached Qirui Garden, he saw a large group of people walking out of it. All of them were smiling and looked very happy. Zheng Changle was puzzled and went forward to ask. ¡°Why are you all out? Why aren¡¯t you listening to the show inside?¡± Those people explained to him at once. When Zheng Changle heard that Cherui Garden was safe, he heaved a long sigh of relief. Then, he was told that customers who bought tickets today could obtain a special custom-made hand warmer. There was nothing special about a hand warmer but it was a custom-made version! Zheng Changle stared at the hand warmer in their arms with longing. ¡°Can you sell one to me? I¡¯m willing to pay double the entrance fee..¡± Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: Making a Mountain Out of a Molehill Chapter 550: Making a Mountain Out of a Molehill Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan heard that Qirui Garden had almost been sealed. Although the seal was finally removed by the Imperial Capital, Yu Niaoniao was forced to accept the conditions for changing the show. Actually, he didn¡¯t care if the show was changed. In any case, he had already gotten over it. No matter what others thought of him, as long as Niaoniao could understand him, it was enough. He was worried about Niaoniao. She had put in a lot of effort to prepare for Duke Lang in Liaodong. Back then, everyone had advised her to change the protagonist, but she refused to compromise. Now that she had no choice but to agree to change the show, this must be a huge blow to her. When he was sad, she accompanied him. Now that she was in trouble, he naturally had to be with her. Xiao Juan temporarily put down his work and left the Justice Department. He was worried and wanted to rush back to keep her company as soon as possible, but he had promised her yesterday that he could not ride a horse before his wound healed, so he could only choose to ride on a carriage, which was slower. When he passed by a candied plum shop, he got the carriage to stop and personally got out to buy two large boxes of candied plums. When he carried the heavy candied plums into Langjun Imperial Palace, Granny Xiu Yan was very surprised. ¡°Why is Your Highness here so early today?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°I came back to see Niaoniao. Where is she?¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°The Princess Consort is in the study.¡± Before walking into the study, Xiao Juan imagined many scenes, such as Nianiao smashing things to vent her depression, curling up in the corner to sulk alone, or silently crying at something¡­ In short, Niaoniao would definitely not be in a good state. However, when he pushed open the door and walked into the study, he saw the scene of her lying on the desk and writing furiously. She was so engrossed in writing that she didn¡¯t even notice anyone coming in. Until Xiao Juan called her. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± Only then did Yu Niaoniao look up. She looked a little confused and surprised. However, there was no anger or sadness. Xiao Juan was surprised by this. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sad?¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m alive and well. What¡¯s there to be sad about?¡± ¡°But I heard that Qirui Garden was almost sealed by the Imperial Capital. You were even forced to accept the conditions to change the show.¡± Yu Niaoniao was enlightened. ¡°You¡¯re talking about this? It¡¯s not a big deal. Isn¡¯t it just a matter of changing the name? I¡¯ve already changed it.¡± Seeing that she was so open-minded, Xiao Juan doubted his life for a moment. Could it be that he was making a mountain out of a molehill? Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What are you carrying? Xiao Juan placed the box on the desk. ¡°These the candied plums I bought for you.¡± Originally, he wanted her to eat something sweet to improve her mood, but from Niaoniao¡¯s reaction, there was no need. She was in a good mood without having eaten candied plums. Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. ¡®Wow! I¡¯m a little hungry. Baby, you¡¯re so considerate.¡± She opened the box, picked up a plum, put it in her mouth, and ate it with relish. Xiao Juan looked at the pen and paper in front of her and asked. ¡°What are you writing? As Yu Niaoniao ate, she said, ¡°There¡¯s a temple fair in the city during the new year. Our Qirui Garden has to participate. I have to write a new script.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Can I see it?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand and said heroically, ¡°We¡¯re all family. Don¡¯t stand on ceremony. Take a look.¡± Xiao Juan smiled silently. He picked up the paper and flipped through it. Because of the limited time, Yu Niaoniao did not draw this time. Instead, she used words to express the story. At the moment, she had only written the outline of the story. The details had to be refined. In addition, she also drew a few important scenes in the game in the form of a simple brush stroke. The scenes were vivid and interesting. The protagonists were also written interestingly by her. It was the kind of feeling that made people unable to help but laugh. This kind of comedy was indeed very suitable to watch during the new year. The story revolved around a landlord¡¯s house. The master of the landlord married a pair of sisters. The elder sister was his wife, and the younger sister was a concubine. The Old Master thought that he was enjoying the blessings of everyone, but little did he know that the sisters were complaining about him in their hearts. The content of these complaints would be presented through the opera, and every sentence would make people laugh. Unfortunately, his concubine was not lucky and unfortunately died in childbirth. At the same time, his first wife successfully gave birth to a son. Not long after, Old Master took in a new beautiful concubine and fathered a son. The entire family was in a tizzy. Old Master¡¯s sons met with accidents one after another. In the end, only his wife¡¯s son was still fine. He had no choice but to hand over all his assets to his legitimate son. It was not until he was about to die that the main wife told him the truth. It turned out that her biological son had died long ago. Her current son was actually born by her sister. Old Master was so angry that he kicked his legs and died on the spot. Outsiders did not think anything of this story, but Xiao Juan immediately sensed something amiss and asked. ¡°Your story is about Empress Wen and the Crown Prince?¡± The protagonists in the story were ordinary farmers. They were worlds apart from the royal family. Normal people would not associate them with the empress and the crown prince. However, Xiao Juan was different. Back then, he was the one who investigated the Moon Concubine case thoroughly. He knew very well the roles of Empress Wen and the Crown Prince. The truth that had not been presented in the dossier was all written in this story. Yu Niaoniao admitted frankly. ¡°¡®rnars ngnt.¡¯ Xiao Juan frowned and disagreed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. It¡¯s too risky.¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up another date and said slowly. ¡°They provoked me first. Everyone could clearly get along peacefully, but they wanted to pretend to take credit for it. Not only that, but Shen Zhuo even instigated the emperor to punish you. I can¡¯t take this lying down. Even if I can¡¯t hit them, I have to disgust them. I want them to understand that we are not pushovers and will not be controlled by them. If we¡¯re really forced into a corner, I¡¯ll do anything.¡± With that, she threw the date into her mouth and bit down hard. She actually looked a little fierce. Xiao Juan¡¯s heart was indeed soft. So she was doing all this to avenge him. Xiao Juan put down the paper. ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, do it.¡± No matter how Empress Wen and the Crown Prince dealt with them in the future, he would take care of them and not let Niaoniao be harmed. Qirui Garden reopened the next day. The customers who had bought tickets swarmed over. When they entered the lobby, they realized that there was an additional sign beside the stage with two lines of words on it. Immediately, someone who could read read it. ¡°This story is purely fiction. If there¡¯s a similarity, it¡¯s purely a coincidence. Note, don¡¯t talk about state affairs!¡± No one understood what this meant. When the curtain on the stage slowly pulled open, the protagonist went on stage and began to perform. The original Prince Lang became Prince Zixu, and the original Liaodong County became Wuyou County. It was all nonsense. Coupled with the words on the sign about not talking about state affairs and the rumors that Cherry Garden had almost been sealed yesterday, How could everyone not understand? Wasn¡¯t this because someone was anxious and forced him to change his scene, not wanting others to know the truth! Initially, some people were skeptical about the content described in the show. In this way, they completely believed that the truth was described in the show.. Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: Temple Fair Chapter 551: Temple Fair Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the year. Yu Niaoniao brought Ling Hai to work overtime to rush the manuscript and finally handed the second draft of The Record of the Phoenix Cry Nation to the booksellers before New Year¡¯s Eve. The booksellers were all excited. They did not even plan to celebrate the new year and prepared to pay more for the craftsmen to print books. On the night of New Year¡¯s Eve, there was a temple fair in the city. Yu Niaoniao specially changed into a red jacket dress and went out to play with Xiao Juan. Luo Pingsha and Ling Hai accompanied her. Originally, Yu Niaoniao wanted to bring Granny Xiu Yan along, but Granny Xiu Yan said that she was old and had limited energy. She wanted to rest early, so she did not go with young people like them. Starting from New Year¡¯s Eve, the Imperial Capital would cancel the curfew and would not resume the curfew until the Lantern Festival was over. During this period, the commoners could also come out to play at night and enjoy the lively atmosphere brought about by the Spring Festival. When Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, and the others rushed to the City God Temple, the temple fair had yet to begin. The people from the various theaters were preparing backstage. Yu Niaoniao asked Xiao Juan, Ling Hai, and Lo Pingsha to stay where they were. She went backstage and found the people from Qirui Garden. Liu Qirui was urging everyone to put on their makeup. When he saw Yu Niaoniao arrive, he immediately wanted to kneel and bow, but he was stopped by Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Don¡¯t kneel for no reason. There¡¯s no need. Let¡¯s just get along like before.¡± Liu Qirui replied, ¡°Yes.¡± However, looking at his terrified expression, Yu Niaoniao knew that he definitely did not listen to her. Forget it. This matter could not be changed overnight. They could only slowly adapt. She looked at the others and hurriedly said when she saw that everyone had stopped and was about to bow to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Just do your work.¡± Everyone went back to their work. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°How¡¯s the preparation for the new scene?¡± Speaking of his professional field, Liu Qirui immediately became confident. ¡°County Princess Consort, don¡¯t worry. Everything is ready.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked again, ¡°Which session is ours?¡± Liu Qirui said, ¡°The first.¡± Yu Niaoniao was slightly stunned. ¡°So soon?¡± Speaking of this, Liu Qirui was a little embarrassed. ¡°The order of the show¡¯s performance is decided by drawing lots. I was unlucky and drew first place at once.¡± As everyone knew, it was a loss to be the first to go on stage. This was because the audience had yet to completely enter the state of watching. If the effect of the program was not outstanding enough, it was very likely that the audience would ignore it. Yu Niaoniao comforted him. ¡°The first one is quite good. The sooner we finish acting, the sooner we can get off work. Everyone can go back and have a good gathering with their families.¡± Liu Qirui was caught between laughter and tears. Who comforted people like this? Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°In short, just do your best. Happy is still the most important during the new year.¡± Liu Qirui nodded. ¡°We will definitely do our best to act well and not embarrass you.¡± Yu Niaoniao took out the red packets she had prepared in advance and gave one to everyone in Qirui Garden. It was considered a New Year benefit for her boss and employees. After receiving the red packet, everyone became very happy and relaxed. Seeing that she had nothing else to do, Yu Niaoniao left backstage to look for Xiao Juan and the others. There were especially many people at the City God Temple tonight. The surrounding businesses were brightly lit, and the roadside was filled with vendors. All kinds of vendors shouted. On this special day, even families with poor family backgrounds would spend money to buy snacks for their children tonight. The children were naturally overjoyed to have delicious food. There was laughter everywhere. It was really a DrosDerous scene. Yu Niaoniao looked at the group of children chasing and fooling around with candied hawthorn. She couldn¡¯t help but recall that when she was young, she and her parents went to the temple fair in Jinguan City. After she said that she wanted to eat candied hawthorn, her stepfather waved his hand and wrapped an entire haystack of candied hawthorn for her. The other children could not buy candied hawthorn and could only look at her eagerly. Yu Niaoniao raised the candied hawthorn proudly and asked them to call her boss. As long as they were willing to acknowledge her as their boss, they could immediately obtain a stick of candied hawthorn. Therefore, on New Year¡¯s Eve that year, she took in dozens of underlings in one go and became a tyrant in Jinguan City. Yu Niaoniao was immersed in her memories when a hand suddenly reached over from the side. He was holding a string of red and shiny candied hawthorn. She turned around and saw that it was Xiao Juan. Seeing her staring at the children, Xiao Juan thought that she was craving the candied hawthorn in those children¡¯s hands, so he bought her a stick. Yu Niaoniao took the candied hawthorn and bit off one. It was sour and sweet. The taste was different from the candied hawthorn in her memory, but it was still delicious. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. Although she had lost her stepfather and mother, who loved her the most, she met Xiao Juan. This man would also accompany her to the temple fair and buy her candied hawthorn. If her stepfather and mother were in heaven and saw that she was not alone, they would probably be relieved. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Guess.¡± The temple fair was about to begin, and the commoners had all gathered in the square in front of the City God Temple. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan met many acquaintances here, including the Zheng father and son of the Sky Oriole Garden, Yu Kangtai, Yu Pingping, Yu Sheng, and many people in the Justice Department, such as Meng Xizhou, Yan Nanguan, Pan Dafu, and the others. They were all accompanying their families to join in the fun. As soon as everyone saw Duke Lang and his wife, they were about to greet them when Xiao Juan stopped them. ¡°We¡¯ll skip all this red tape tonight.¡± Meng Xizhou and the others already knew that the owner of Qirui Garden was the Princess Consort and asked expectantly, ¡°What¡¯s Qirui Garden playing tonight?¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately kept them in suspense. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes.¡± Yu Kangtai already knew that his two daughters had joined forces to open a theater. He did not agree that it would be bad for his family¡¯s reputation if a girl got involved in such a business. However, since Duke Lang did not say anything, he could not say anything. Yu Pingping asked curiously. ¡°How many of our programs are going on stage? Yu Niaoniao said that it was the first. Yu Pingping couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. ¡°Then won¡¯t they be under a lot of pressure?¡± Yu Niaoniao was very relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as we perform normally. With our acting troupe¡¯s strength, no matter how bad we are, we won¡¯t fall behind.¡± Yu Pingping was speechless and expected better from someone. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?!¡± Even if she didn¡¯t fight for first place, she should at least fight for the top three. Her sister, on the other hand, was fine as long as she wasn¡¯t last! Her sister was really capable! Yu Niaoniao said calmly, ¡°The higher the hope, the greater the pressure. It¡¯s better to relax. Do you know the joys of having no desire?¡± Yu Pingping curled her lips and refused to be fooled by her sister. A stage was built in the square. The magistrate of the Imperial Capital first went on stage to say a few words, then the dragon and lion dance team went on stage to perform. The lively dragon dance, coupled with the loud gongs and drums, instantly heated the atmosphere. The various theaters began to take turns performing. The first was a new show in Qirui Garden called ¡°Double Beauties¡±.. Chapter 552 - Chapter 552: Lucky Chapter 552: Lucky Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The protagonist of Double Beauties seemed to be the landlord, but it was actually his main wife and concubine. The sisters pretended to be at odds on the surface. Every day, they would use various methods to fight for favor, resulting in humorous situations. In fact, the two of them had a good relationship and often complained in private about the landlord, saying that he was old and conceited. However, the landlord did not suspect anything. He even felt that he was super powerful. Because there were many interesting memes added to the lines, coupled with the actors¡¯ good performance, the laughter was very dense. The audience below the stage could not stop laughing. Even Yu Pingping, who had already seen the rehearsal, could not help but laugh. She complained to Yu Niaoniao as she smiled. ¡°This landlord is too stupid. They are just coaxing him for fun, but he actually believed them. Hahaha!¡± Yu Niaoniao also smiled. ¡°He¡¯s quite stupid.¡± Everyone present was laughing, except for two people who did not react. One of them was Xiao Juan. He was silent the entire time. Everyone watching the show thought that this was just a show. Only he and Niaoniao knew that these were all things that had really happened. If everyone knew that the landlord who was mocked by everyone was the current emperor, the scene would be unimaginable. The other was Shen Zhuo. Tonight was New Year¡¯s Eve, and there was also a banquet in the palace. However, because the emperor was lying in bed and the Empress Dowager Deng was old and weak, and Empress Wen liked peace, the three big bosses only showed up at the banquet and left. Hence, this year¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve banquet ended especially early. Seeing that it was still early, Shen Zhuo changed into the clothes of ordinary people and brought a few followers out of the palace to shop. Unexpectedly, just as he arrived at the temple fair, he bumped into the stage performing ¡°Double Beauties¡±. At first, he could still smile along with the content of the scene. When the concubine gave birth to a twin son and died in childbirth, the smile on his face gradually faded. One of the twins died, and the other was hidden by his first wife and raised as the eldest son. The more Shen Zhuo watched, the colder his expression became. In the end, there was only coldness in his eyes. ¡°Go and find out who¡¯s performing on stage.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The follower behind him immediately left and returned after a long time. ¡°Young Master, they¡¯re from Qirui Garden.¡± Shen Zhuo said expressionlessly, ¡°Qirui Garden again.¡± He knew that Qirui Garden was established by Yu Niaoniao. As one of the people who knew about the case of Imperial Concubine Yue, she naturally knew his true background. She must have written the story between Imperial Concubine Yue and Empress Wen into a play. This was her revenge and also her warning. She was warning him and Empress Wen that she had something on them and told them to be careful! If it were anyone else who did this, Shen Zhuo would definitely not let them off. However, the other party just had to be Yu Niaoniao. Shen Zhuo closed his eyes and asked silently in his heart, ¡°Niaoniao, you clearly know that I can¡¯t do it to you. Why do you still provoke me again and again?¡± Shen Zhuo was no longer in the mood to watch what else was going on on stage. He turned around and left the City God Temple with a dark expression. As a show on stage, ¡°Double Beauties¡± received enthusiastic applause from the commoners. Among them, the people from the Justice Department shouted the loudest. Meng Xizhou and Yan Nanguan were afraid that the atmosphere would not be lively enough, so they clapped so hard that their hands turned red. From the scene of the audience cheering loudly, it was obvious that the performance of ¡°Double Beautiesl¡± was very successful. This made Liu Qirui very happy. He had even begun to plan. He was prepared to expand the script of ¡°Double Beauties¡± when he returned and turn it into a big show similar to ¡°Duke Lang in Liaodong¡±. If nothing went wrong, this new drama would make their Qirui Garden popular again. Seeing this, the other theaters were disappointed and nervous. Originally, when they saw that Qirui Garden was the first to go on stage, they thought that Chery Garden would perform abnormally under too much pressure. Unexpectedly, not only did they stabilize their performance, but they also won the love of the audience with their interesting new script. With ¡°Double Beauties¡± ahead of them, the commoners¡¯ expectations of tonight¡¯s temple fair were raised greatly. Once the following program did not meet their expectations, it would be equivalent to telling the entire Imperial Capital that their theater was inferior to Qirui Garden. Regarding this, the troupe leaders of the various theaters were uneasy and under immense pressure. In order not to appear especially lousy, the drama class did not dare to hold back anymore. They all used their best skills. The performances on the stage were each more hardworking than the last. Therefore, the commoners below the stage were dazzled and shouted in satisfaction. In the past, during the new year, they had also come to visit the temple fair, but no temple fair had been as exciting as tonight. Even Yu Pingping was stunned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them? All the celebrities in the various theaters are out. It¡¯s usually difficult to get a ticket for their shows. They actually can watch them tonight without buying tickets.¡± Meng Xizhou sighed. ¡°Is this something we can see without spending money?¡± Yu Niaoniao had never attended the temple fair in the Imperial Capital before. She did not know what programs were performed at the temple fair in the past. She thought that it was about the same every year. Hearing the sighs of the surrounding people, Yu Niaoniao realized that the standard of the temple fair tonight seemed to be higher than those in previous years. She was glad to see it. After the last performance ended, they began to evaluate all the programs. Yu Niaoniao originally thought that it was the audience at the event location voting. Only now did she know that it was a few famous scholars and officials discussing the final ranking. She wondered what was going on. They discussed for a long time before ending. As expected, Qirui Garden won first place. Everyone in Qirui Garden was naturally overjoyed. Liu Qirui went on stage on behalf of Qirui Garden and took the plaque for first place. There was thunderous applause from the audience. At this moment, Liu Qirui was excited. Back then, he fell from the peak of his career and fell into the mud, almost in despair. He thought that his acting career would be cut off and there would be no hope of revival in the future. But now, he, Liu Qirui, had made a comeback! All the hard work and sweat he had put in had been repaid tonight. At this moment, he was extremely glad. He was glad that he had persisted and met the Princess Consort of Lang County. After leaving the stage, Liu Qirui found Yu Niaoniao and said sincerely. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. You should rest. Those who should accompany their families should accompany them. Tomorrow will be the annual leave and we will reopen for the Shangyuan Festival.¡± Liu Qirui brought everyone to Qirui Garden. Yu Niaoniao was a little hungry and planned to find a place to eat with Xiao Juan. When the two of them walked to the river , they saw many people putting on river lamps. Many river lamps floated on the river, looking like a galaxy from afar. There was still a small boat slowly moving forward on the river. The boatman shook the paddle hard and pushed the small boat forward. At this moment, the boatman suddenly exclaimed. ¡°There¡¯s a dead person!¡± Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: Unnecessary Chapter 553: Unnecessary Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Be it the people on the boat or the people on the shore, they were all frightened by this shout. Xiao Juan immediately asked Lo Pingsha to call someone. Soon, more than ten Eagle Guards rushed over. They jumped into the river and swam in the direction the boatman pointed. Soon, a female corpse came out of the cold river. Lo Pingsha was already prepared. After the female corpse was placed, he immediately squatted down and began the preliminary examination of the corpse. Xiao Juan glanced at the surrounding onlookers and ordered the Eagle Guards to temporarily seal the event location to prevent the commoners from getting too close to the corpse. The boatman who discovered the female corpse first was also called ashore for questioning. Yu Niaoniao leaned over curiously. When she saw the female corpse clearly, she was stunned for a moment before blurting out. ¡°It¡¯s actually her!¡± The female corpse looked to be in her seventies or eighties. Her hair was white and her face was filled with wrinkles. There were a few terrifying scars on her cheeks. She was short and thin. She was wearing a patched rough cloth dress and her hands were covered in calluses. There were many wounds on her arm, abdomen, and heart, and she looked very miserable. Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha looked at her at the same time. ¡°You know her?¡± Yu Niaoniao answered truthfully. ¡°Not really. I had seen her once before at the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, where she sold red bean soup.¡± ¡°I thought it¡¯s not easy for an old woman like her to come out to make a living in the cold and paid for all her red bean soup. Little Hai was also present at that time. He had also seen this granny.¡± Ling Hai, who was beside her, immediately nodded. ¡°Yes, what the County Princess said is the truth.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Ten Thousand Buddha Temple?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°At that time, I chatted with her for a while. She said that she came to the Imperial Capital from elsewhere and was alone. She temporarily lived in the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. The abbot might know her background.¡± Xiao Juan looked at Meng Xizhou, who was standing beside him. Meng Xizhou understood. ¡°I¡¯ll bring people to the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple now.¡± Logically speaking, they should not disturb the peace of the Buddhist Sect during the new year. However, human lives were at stake. Meng Xizhou did not dare to delay. He asked his family to return first while he left the city with a team of Eagle Guards and went straight to the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. Lo Pingsha quickly ended the first autopsy. ¡°The victim looked old, but from her teeth and bones, she should be around 60 years old. She worked all year round and had serious physical injuries. She had a total of four knife wounds, one of which was a stab to the heart. However, the real cause of her death was drowning and suffocation.¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°You mean she was slashed four times before she was thrown into the river and drowned? How much hatred is there?¡± Xiao Juan was deep in thought. ¡°A thin old woman has already been stabbed four times. She definitely won¡¯t live. Why did the murderer throw her into the river? Why didn¡¯t he just find a hidden place to bury her?¡± Yu Niaoniao reacted. ¡°That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t the murderer doing something unnecessary?¡± Logically speaking, after killing someone, the murderer would definitely think of a way to destroy the evidence and not let anyone discover his crime. However, this murderer threw the victim into the river and let her flow down the river. This river ran through the entire Imperial Capital. Countless people came and went by the riverbank every day. It was only a matter of time before the corpse was discovered. It was impossible for the murderer not to have thought of this! Lo Pingsha also said, ¡°This matter is indeed very strange.¡± Xiao Juan ordered, ¡°Bring the corpse back first. Little Yan, bring a few people to the upper reaches of the river and see if you can find any useful clues.¡± Yan Nanguan cupped his fists and replied, ¡°Yes!¡± After everyone left, Xiao Juan asked Niaoniao where she wanted to eat supper. She had just discovered that someone had died and the deceased had even met Niaoniao once. No matter how carefree she was, it was impossible for her to have the appetite to eat now. She expressed that she wanted to go home. Hence, Xiao Juan brought Niaoniao and Ling Hai back to the Langjun Imperial palace. Tonight was New Year¡¯s Eve. They did not sleep early as usual. Instead, they sat around the stove and drank tea and chatted while guarding the New Year. The topic of their casual conversation was naturally the female corpse they had discovered tonight. Yu Niaoniao could not understand. ¡°A lonely old woman with no money or beauty. Why did someone kill her?¡± Xiao Juan had seen many murders and replied casually. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a revenge killing. The other party slashed her four times, and every slash was not fatal. It¡¯s very likely to vent his anger.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s very possible. In that case, we have to figure out her identity and background first.¡± Only by knowing who she was could they know whom she had a grudge against. Xiao Juan said, ¡°We should know when Little Meng comes back.¡± Meng Xizhou returned after midnight. He knew that Duke Lang was a workaholic. After returning to the city, he did not dare to delay at all and immediately ran to the Duke¡¯s Mansion. Xiao Juan heard a knock on the door and immediately woke up. He had just sat up when Niaoniao, who was sleeping beside him, woke up. She rubbed her eyes and asked in a low voice. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Little Meng should be back. I¡¯ll go see him. Go back to sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied obediently, ¡°Oh.¡± Xiao Juan got out of bed, casually pulled on his clothes, pulled open the door, and walked out. In the warm pavilion, Meng Xizhou was pouring hot tea into his mouth. On a winter night, the wind was so cold that it drilled into the bones. He rode his horse back and forth between the Imperial Capital and the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. His cheeks and ears were almost numb from the cold. After drinking a bowl of hot tea, his body felt a little warm. He had finally recovered. Xiao Juan got someone to move the brazier in front of him. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡± Meng Xizhou squatted beside the brazier and placed his hands on the fire to bake. He sniffed and said in a voice that was a little distorted by the cold. ¡°The abbot of the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple said that the deceased¡¯s name was Granny Li. As for her surname, she had never mentioned it, and no one in the temple knew.¡± ¡°Granny Li arrived at the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple two months ago. She said that she came to the Jade Capital to look for her family, but she had never been able to find them.¡± ¡°Seeing that she was old and weak and alone, the abbot felt pity. He allowed her to stay in the temple for free and even lent her the kitchen. It allowed her to survive by selling food.¡± ¡°During this period of time, Granny Li had been staying in the temple.¡± ¡°Until this morning, when she suddenly said that she had found her family and was leaving the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. Ever since then, they lost contact with her. ¡± ¡°I brought people to her residence to search. There¡¯s nothing in the house.¡± Xiao Juan looked at him. ¡°Is that all?¡± Meng Xizhou suddenly smiled mysteriously. ¡°Although I didn¡¯t find any clues in her residence, the abbot in the temple gave me something.¡± He took out a small pouch and handed it over. ¡°This was left for the abbot by Granny Li before she left. She said that if an Eagle Guard came to the temple to look for her in the future, the abbot should hand this thing to the Eagle Guard.¡± ¡°If no Eagle Guards come looking for her, this thing will be considered the rent for her staying at the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. The abbot will deal with it himself..¡± Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Another Bracelet Chapter 554: Another Bracelet Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Xiao Juan returned to the bedroom, he realized that she was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a thick blanket. She kept yawning, looking very sleepy but unwilling to sleep. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± Seeing him return, Yu Niaoniao immediately perked up and hurriedly said. ¡°I was waiting for you. Did Little Meng find anything?¡± Xiao Juan briefly repeated what Meng Xizhou had said before taking out the pouch. Yu Niaoniao eagerly took the pouch and opened it. There was an emerald bracelet inside. She took out the bracelet and looked at it carefully. Her eyes widened. ¡°Isn¡¯t this my mother¡¯s bracelet?! ¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at the inside of the bracelet and said, ¡°Look here. There¡¯s a pattern carved here. The jade bracelet you pulled out of the charred corpse¡¯s hand earlier also has this pattern inside.¡± Then, she turned the bracelet and pointed at a small crack. ¡°When I was young, I was naughty and accidentally knocked down my mother¡¯s make-up box. The jade bracelet inside fell to the ground. This crack had appeared at that time. My mother even scolded me for this. It¡¯s impossible for me to remember wrongly.¡± The jade bracelet was a tribute. There was only one pair in the world. One of the bracelets had already been taken away by Empress Dowager Deng. The other bracelet was buried with Madam Xie. But now, it appeared in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand. Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask. ¡°Who is that Granny Li? Why does she have my mother¡¯s bracelet? Could it be that someone dug up my mother¡¯s grave¡­¡± Thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. She lifted the blanket and was about to jump out of bed. ¡°I want to go back to Bashu. I want to see my mother¡¯s grave!¡± Xiao Juan quickly hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s so late. The city gate is already closed. You can¡¯t get out.¡± Yu Niaoniao was so anxious that she was incoherent. ¡°My mother¡¯s grave might have been dug up by someone. Could it be tomb robbers? Did they destroy my mother and stepfather¡¯s remains? I want to go back and take a look. I can¡¯t let their corpses be exposed in the wilderness!¡± Xiao Juan hugged her tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. When I come back from the palace tomorrow, I¡¯ll leave the Imperial Capital with you. Let¡¯s go to Bashu together.¡± ¡°If there are really tomb robbers who dare to touch my parents-in-law¡¯s grave, I will definitely catch them even if I have to go to the ends of the world.¡± Yu Niaoniao gradually calmed down. As she held the iade bracelet tightlv, her heart was filled with worrv and uneasiness. Usually, no matter how big the problem was, it would not affect her sleep, but tonight, she could not sleep. As long as she closed her eyes, she would see the scene of Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s remains being dug up by grave robbers and thrown into the wilderness. Back then, she had failed to protect Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan. This was already the greatest regret in her life. If she could not even protect Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s remains, how could she have the face to live? Xiao Juan could sense the uneasiness in her heart. He didn¡¯t sleep either. He stayed with her quietly for the entire night. The next day, at dawn, Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao changed into their gowns and rode the carriage into the palace. Today was the first day of the new year. According to tradition, all the nobles, officials above the fourth-grade in the capital, and their main wives had to enter the palace to pay their New Year greetings to the emperor, Empress Dowager Deng, and Empress Wen. Yu Niaoniao was in a low mood, but on such an occasion, she had to force a smile. When Xiao Juan saw this, his heart ached. Under the cover of his wide sleeve, he quietly held her curled hand and silently comforted her. Yu Niaoniao prayed silently that time would pass quickly, faster¡­ Empress Wen brought a group of women to Biquan Palace to wish Empress Dowager Deng a happy new year. The women tried their best to make Empress Dowager Deng happy. The atmosphere was very lively. Among them, only Yu Niaoniao remained silent the entire time. In the past, when she encountered such an occasion, she could still eat some tea and snacks to relieve her boredom. However, today, she was not in the mood to eat or drink. She only wanted to end it quickly and go home. Madam Yang suddenly called her name. ¡°I heard that the Princess Consort of Lang County opened a theater. I think it¡¯s called Qirui Garden. The opera there is very good. The Princess Consort of Lang County is so talented, and it¡¯s such a good day today. Why don¡¯t you sing something for Empress Dowager and the Empress to liven things up?¡± Her words immediately turned everyone¡¯s attention to Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao replied without thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to sing.¡± Madam Yang pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Princess Consort Lang, don¡¯t be humble. It¡¯s just a few lines. Are you not even willing to give Empress Dowager Deng and Empress Wen this bit of face?¡± Then, she looked at the other women and asked inquiringly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± The women did not mind watching the commotion and nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao was already in a bad mood. After being provoked by Madam Yang, her tone was naturally not good. ¡°According to Madam Yang¡¯s logic, the person opening the theater must know how to sing. I remember that there is a teahouse in Madam Yang¡¯s business. There should be storytellers and singers in the teahouse.¡± ¡°Madam Yang, do you want to give us a story or a song?¡± Madam Yang¡¯s face was red and pale from her words. She wanted to retort but couldn¡¯t. She was so angry that she was like a big hen that had exploded. She turned to look at Empress Dowager Deng and Empress Wen and complained angrily. ¡°Your Highness, Her Majesty, take a look. I just want the Princess Consort of Lang to sing a scene to liven things up.¡± ¡°It was fine if she was unwilling to give the two empresses respect, but she actually used words to mock me!¡± ¡°How could a woman who sings the song be a respected person?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a third-grade Madam conferred by the emperor. What right does she have to humiliate me like this?!¡± As she spoke, she covered her eyes with a silk handkerchief and sobbed. Empress Dowager Deng had always been gentle. Today was the first day of the new year, so arguing was not a good sign. She was about to comfort Madam Yang and persuade her not to cry anymore. Yu Niaoniao stood up and took two steps forward before kneeling down. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Everything is my fault. I spoke nonsense and hurt Madam Yang¡¯s dignity. I¡¯ll go home and reflect on my mistakes.¡± With that, she got up and turned to leave. Her speed could be said to be quite fast. By the time Empress Dowager Deng reacted, Yu Niaoniao had already walked to the door. Empress Dowager Deng quickly stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed secretly. She was still too slow. She had no choice but to retract her foot and turn to look at Empress Dowager Deng. ¡°What other instructions does the Empress Dowager have?¡± Empress Dowager Deng said, ¡°You can¡¯t be blamed for this. Madam Yang is also responsible. If she hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to provoke you, you wouldn¡¯t have said such things.¡± Empress Wen echoed, ¡°The Empress Dowager is right.¡± Madam Yang was speechless. How did it become her responsibility? Empress Dowager Deng said to Madam Yang, ¡°Apologize to Niaoniao and this matter will be over.¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand to indicate that there was no need. She was willing to bear all the responsibility alone. Let her go back and reflect on her mistakes! Empress Dowager Deng was very relieved. ¡°Niaoniao has really grown up and is becoming more and more sensible.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She was tired, really! Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Harmony Makes Wealth Chapter 555: Harmony Makes Wealth Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Since Empress Dowager Deng had spoken, it was impossible for Madam Yang not to give her respect. Madam Yang could only lower her head and bow to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I didn¡¯t think too much just now and offended the County Princess. Please don¡¯t lower yourself to my level.¡± Her tone was low and filled with grievance. Yu Niaoniao did not want to give up just like that. She was still trying to take the blame. She said sincerely, ¡°No, it has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s all my fault. I don¡¯t have the face to stay here any longer. Empress Dowager, please allow me to go home and reflect.¡± Unexpectedly, it made Empress Dowager Deng praise her even more. ¡°What a sensible child.¡± Then, Empress Dowager Deng said to Madam Yang, ¡°Look at how sensible the Princess Consort of Lang County is. Learn from her.¡± Madam Yang was powerless to refute. She could only nod in agreement as she spat at Yu Niaoniao in her heart. This hypocritical white lotus! All the women present also thought highly of Yu Niaoniao. They originally thought that this woman was just an empty vase who didn¡¯t Imow how to socialize and was not tactful. They didn¡¯t expect her to know how to retreat at the critical moment and beat Madam Yang to the ground. Most importantly, her acting was especially realistic. Even Empress Dowager Deng and Empress Wen who were used to the battles in the harem could not tell and believed her. Based on this alone, not many women present could compare to her. In short, there was only one word¡ª Awesome! Yu Niaoniao did not notice the subtle change in the gazes of the surrounding people. She was still begging. ¡°Your Highness, please let me go home. I really don¡¯t have the face to stay in the palace anymore!¡± She was so anxious that she was about to cry. She really wanted to go home quickly so that she could set off for Bashu quickly. Empress Dowager Deng comforted her gently. ¡°Alright, alright. Madam Yang has already apologized to you. For my sake, let this matter be over. Harmony should be the most important during the new year.¡± Yu Niaoniao said anxiously. ¡°No, no, no. Madam Yang didn¡¯t do anything wrong. She doesn¡¯t need to apologize to me. It was me who did not know the etiquette and spouted nonsense. I was too ashamed to face Madam Yang again. Empress Dowager, please let me go home and reflect.¡± Empress Dowager Deng looked helpless and troubled. Madam Yang could not hold it in anymore and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯ve already apologized to you. Why aren¡¯t you giving up? What do you mean by being too ashamed to face me? You just want the Empress Dowager to chase me out.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, its better to leave a way out for others so that you could each other in the future. Everyone lives in the Imperial Capital. Don¡¯t go too far!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked confused. ¡°When did I want to chase you out? Did you misunderstand me?¡± Madam Yang gritted her teeth and accused angrily, ¡°Keep pretending. Do you think everyone is a fool? Who doesn¡¯t know your thoughts?¡± ¡°Previously, you caused my daughter and husband to be reprimanded by the emperor and lose all their face. Now, you want to harm me. Do you have to force our entire family to death? You¡¯re so vicious!¡± The more she spoke, the angrier she became, and her tone became higher and higher as if she had vented all the resentment that had been accumulated in her heart for a long time. Yu Niaoniao really felt wronged. Madam Yang took the initiative to cause trouble a few times, but she did not take it to heart. Unexpectedly, Madam Yang did not know how to restrain herself and even played the blame game. This person was too unreasonable! Before Yu Niaoniao could defend herself, Empress Wen spoke first. Her voice was cold and filled with the dignity of a superior. ¡°Madam Yang, have you forgotten where this is?¡± Madam Yang met Empress Wen¡¯s cold and sharp gaze and subconsciously shivered. Her mind, which had been overwhelmed by anger and hatred, suddenly woke up. Regret and fear suddenly assaulted her heart. She thought of what she had just said and really wanted to slap herself. How could she quarrel with someone in Biquan Palace in front of Empress Wen and Empress Dowager Deng? Moreover, it was the first day of the new year. It was the first day of the new year. It was taboo to say those inauspicious words in the palace, but she had just mentioned death. Wasn¡¯t she bringing bad luck to the empress dowager and empress?! The more Madam Yang thought about it, the more afraid she became. Her legs went weak and she knelt on the ground. ¡°I spouted nonsense on impulse just now and begged the Empress Dowager and the Empress to show mercy and spare me this time.¡± Empress Wen couldn¡¯t be bothered to listen to her explanation and ordered. ¡°Today is the first day of the new year, so it¡¯s not appropriate for there to be blood. I¡¯ll waive your court cane and send you home directly. Reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors for three months. If you do it again in the future, you¡¯ll be stripped of your title.¡± Madam Yang hurriedly kowtowed to thank her. Soon, she was dragged down. Yu Niaoniao watched her leave, her heart filled with envy. Why wasn¡¯t she the one being dragged down? Boohoo, she really wanted to be sent home too! The warm pavilion was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. All the women held their breaths and did not dare to make a sound. They were afraid that they would be dragged down like Madam Yang. Although Madam Yang was not punished, what happened today would definitely spread throughout the Imperial Capital quickly. At that time, everyone would know that Madam Yang had been reprimanded by Empress Dowager Deng and Empress Wen and was chased out of the palace. To an official¡¯s family, this was equivalent to social death. In the future, Madam Yang would be too ashamed to go out and see anyone for a long time. Empress Dowager Deng called Yu Niaoniao in front of her and sized her up with a kind gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t take what Madam Yang said just now to heart. You¡¯re a sensible child who knows when to advance and when to retreat. I like it very much. In the future, you have to enter the palace to talk to me.¡± Although Empress Dowager Deng was old and her vision was not good, her heart was like a mirror and she understood everything. She could see very clearly that Yu Niaoniao¡¯s words just now were from the bottom of her heart. There was no acting component. It was precisely because of this that Empress Dowager Deng admired her even more. There was no shortage of smart people in this world. What they lacked were smart and kind people. Yu Niaoniao was very embarrassed by the praise. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Empress Dowager.¡± Empress Dowager Deng suddenly remembered. ¡°You¡¯ve been married to Duke Lang for two years, right? Why haven¡¯t I seen you pregnant? Could it be that there¡¯s something wrong with your body? Imperial Physician Liu in the palace is very good at gynecology. Let him take a look at you.¡± With that, she was about to get someone to call Imperial Physician Liu. Yu Niaoniao was shocked and hurriedly declined. ¡°There¡¯s no need! There is a physician in the Regional King¡¯s Mansion. He often asked for a safe pulse and my body had always been very healthy and there is no problem. The reason why I¡¯m not pregnant is probably because of fate. As you know, fate is also important when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth. As long as it¡¯s fated, the child will naturally come.¡± She and Xiao Juan had yet to consummate their marriage. It would be strange if she could get pregnant! However, this was a secret. She could neither say it nor let Imperial Physician Liu take her pulse.. If Imperial Physician Liu saw that she was still a virgin, she would be finished! Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: Trap Chapter 556: Trap Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Empress Dowager Deng was a Buddhist, to begin with. There was a saying of fate in the Buddhist Dharma. She agreed with Yu Niaoniao. ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s the fate between mother and son. I could enter the palace then and even get pregnant with the emperor¡¯s heir. All of this is because of fate.¡± The topic of children was like a switch that opened the mouths of the women. Everyone agreed and began to recount their pregnancy and childbirth. Empress Dowager Deng listened with relish. Seeing that press Dowager Deng¡¯s attention had finally shifted away from her, Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. She silently retreated to her original position. It seemed that her plan to go home early would not succeed. Now, she could only sit obediently and try to reduce her presence. After Xiao Juan and the other nobles and civil and military officials paid their respects to the emperor, they followed the crown prince to the Zhengde Hall. In the past, they had to accompany the emperor to talk in the Zhengde Hall. However, now that the emperor¡¯s health was very poor, it was difficult for him to even sit up, so the crown prince could only do this for him. Shen Zhuo first chatted warmly with a few respected elders before changing the topic and suddenly asking Xiao Juan. ¡°I heard a female corpse was fished out of the Imperial River last night. Coincidentally, your Justice Department was nearby. I wonder how¡¯s the investigation of this case?¡± Everyone turned to look at Duke Lang. Xiao Juan stood up and replied calmly, ¡°The female corpse has been brought back to the Justice Department. It¡¯s confirmed that she was killed, and the identity of the deceased has been confirmed. As for who the murderer is, we¡¯re still investigating further.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°As expected of Duke Lang. He found out the background of the female corpse in just one night.¡± ¡°I believe you should be able to find the real culprit soon, give justice to the dead, and calm the hearts of the people in the city, right?¡± These words seemed to be a compliment, but they were actually a trap. Xiao Juan did not answer and replied cautiously, ¡°I will definitely do my best.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Since everyone is present, why don¡¯t we make a bet on how long it will take you to solve this case?¡± With that, he looked at everyone present. Immediately, many people echoed, expressing their desire to participate in this bet. Xiao Juan glanced at those people. They were all from the Crown Prince¡¯s party. Many people did not say anything, but they had no intention of speaking up for Duke Lang. They clearly did not want to get involved in this matter. Shen Zhuo smiled and said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, Duke Lang? With your ability, it should be very simple to solve such a case.¡± At this point, Xiao Juan had no room to refuse. However, Xiao Juan said, ¡°Your Highness, you might not know this, but I¡¯ve already applied for a three-month long leave from the emperor.¡± ¡°When I leave the Imperial Capital tomorrow, the Yuhe Female Corpse Case can only be handed over to others in the Justice Department to investigate.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t make this bet with you. Please forgive me, Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo did not expect him to say that. He was stunned at first, then sighed regretfully. ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t force you anymore.¡± Then, he seemed to have suddenly thought of something and asked right on the heels of that. ¡°You¡¯ll be away for so long. There¡¯s no leader in the Justice Department. What if something happens?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling. He said in a low voice, ¡°Although I¡¯m not around, there are still many capable people in the Justice Department. They can help me take care of the Justice Department. ¡± Shen Zhuo expressed his disapproval. ¡°No matter how capable those people are, they can only handle some small matters. If they really encountered any urgent matters, there had to be an authoritative person in charge.¡± ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll send someone to help you manage the Justice Department. I guarantee that in the three months since you left the Imperial Capital, the Justice Department will be well-organized.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart sank. The Crown Prince wanted to plant people in the Justice Department when he was not in the Imperial Capital and take away the power in his hands. The princelings spoke up one after another in agreement with the Crown Prince¡¯s suggestion. Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Since it¡¯s His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s good intentions, I¡¯ll accept it.¡± With that, he cupped his fists at Shen Zhuo without any resistance. Now it was Shen Zhuo¡¯s turn to feel uneasy. With his understanding of Xiao Juan, he was not the kind of person who would let others interfere in the Justice Department, but Xiao Juan agreed to his suggestion without a word. This did not make sense! There must be something wrong with this abnormality. Shen Zhuo was secretly vigilant and asked with a smile, ¡°Who do you think is better to send to help you manage the Justice Department?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to His Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°You¡¯ve always been in charge of the Justice Department. You¡¯re the most familiar with it. You should be the one to choose the right person.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°But you¡¯re the Crown Prince and the future master of the Dayan Dynasty. I should listen to you.¡± These words sounded like flattery to the Crown Prince, but in Shen Zhuo¡¯s ears, it was like cold water, making him come to a realization. He knew his father¡¯s temper very well and the latter was extremely suspicious. Even if he had already been conferred the title of Crown Prince, and even if his father was already sick in bed and would not live long, his father was still not completely at ease with him. Xiao Juan listened to him and even said that he was the future master of the Dayan Dynasty. If this matter reached his father¡¯s ears, he could guess his father¡¯s reaction without thinking. His father would definitely think that he had secretly roped in important ministers of the Imperial Court and wanted to take over the Justice Department for his own use. He could not wait to replace his father. Shen Zhuo was secretly vexed. He had underestimated Xiao Juan. This guy seemed to be silent and unsociable, but he was not lacking in schemes. Shen Zhuo quickly composed himself and said calmly, ¡°Prince Lang, don¡¯t say such things. I have just become the Crown Prince and don¡¯t know many things. I still need the help of the ministers.¡± ¡°As for who to send to help you manage the Justice Department? Since you can¡¯t give me a suitable candidate, let the elders discuss it together. If there¡¯s really no other way, I can only thicken my skin and ask Father for advice.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Your Highness is wise. I¡¯m convinced.¡± Shen Zhuo immediately changed the topic and talked about something else. This small episode passed just like that. No one seemed to take it to heart. But in fact, everyone was guessing who the Crown Prince would send to temporarily manage the Justice Department. As for Shen Zhuo, he was secretly thinking about how to explain this to his father later. After lunch, everyone could finally leave. Yu Niaoniao stood up almost impatiently. Just as she was about to follow the other women out, she heard Empress Wen suddenly speak. ¡°Princess Consort Lang, wait a moment. I have something to tell you.¡± Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to suppress her anxiety and stop where she was. Empress Wen stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the Fengyi Palace. Let¡¯s talk on the way.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Aye.¡± The two of them walked out of the Biquan Palace and sat in their respective carriages. Originally, the two carriages were one after another, but in order to make it easier to speak, Empress Wen specially allowed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s carriage to move beside hers. The distance between the two sedans was very close. Empress Wen asked unhurriedly with the heater in her hand. ¡°I heard that Qirui Garden put up a new play last night called ¡®Double Beauties¡¯?¡± Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Bashu Chapter 557: Bashu Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Before entering the palace, Yu Niaoniao had already guessed that Empress Wen might mention ¡°Double Beauties¡±. She smiled and said, ¡°We did perform Double Beauties last night. I didn¡¯t expect the Empress to be interested in opera.¡± Empress Wen looked at her steadily. ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten what I told you, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer and asked, ¡°I wonder what you mean?¡± Empress Wen said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to act stupid. You know very well what I mean.¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended to be troubled. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. I hope the Empress can explain more clearly.¡± Empress Wen¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Are you determined to go against me?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked back at her neither servile nor overbearing. ¡°Aren¡¯t the Empress and the Crown Prince the ones who made things difficult for us first? Originally, we didn¡¯t interfere with each other in peace, but the Crown Prince wanted to take Duke Lang¡¯s credit for himself. Ask yourself, is this so kind?¡± Empress Wen said in a low voice. ¡°This was the emperor¡¯s idea. If you have the ability, go and reason with the emperor.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No matter whose idea it was, the Crown Prince was the one who benefited in the end.¡± Empress Wen closed her eyes and tried to soften her tone. ¡°Alright, consider this a debt, but this is not a bad thing for you. If you help the Crown Prince, he will definitely repay you in the future.¡± ¡°As long as you endure this for a moment, you will be able to exchange for greater benefits in the future. In the end, you will still earn it.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. This is indeed a good opportunity to curry favor with the Crown Prince. If it were anyone else, they would definitely be happy to make this deal. However, I¡¯m not willing, and neither is Duke Lang.¡± Empress Wen frowned. ¡°You¡¯re a smart person. You shouldn¡¯t fight for a moment. ¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°Then you¡¯re very wrong. Not only am I not smart, but I¡¯m also stupid and stubborn.¡± ¡°There is only one principle in my mind¡ª What should be ours, we won¡¯t give in, What shouldn¡¯t be ours. We won¡¯t touch it.¡± Empress Wen realized that there was a gap between her and Yu Niaoniao. It was impossible for her to convince Yu Niaoniao, and Yu Niaoniao could not change her. It would be a waste of breath to say anything else. Empress Wen said, ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t listen.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes, people of different paths can¡¯t work together.¡± Empress Wen looked ahead and said calmly. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret it in the future.¡± The two carriages parted ways. Yu Niaoniao rode the sedan to the vicinity of the palace door. Xiao Juan had been waiting here for a long time. When he saw Niaoniao finally appear, he immediately went up to her and reached out to help her out of the carriage. ¡°I heard that the Empress called you over. Nothing happened, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go back.¡± When the two of them returned to the Regional King¡¯s Mansion, Lo Pingsha had already prepared his luggage and horses and could set off at any time. The three of them did not say anything and immediately packed their bags, preparing to head to Bashu. Just as they walked out of the door, they saw Ling Hai kneeling in the snow with a bag on his back. ¡°Please take me with you, Your Highness.¡± With that, he kowtowed heavily. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°We¡¯re going out to do something this time, not go sightseeing. It¡¯s inconvenient to bring you along.¡± Ling Hai raised his head with an extremely serious expression. ¡°I know you¡¯re going to do serious business. I can be at your beck and call. I can do any rough work. I¡¯m not afraid of hardship. I just hope you won¡¯t abandon me.¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°Do you ride?¡± Hearing this, Ling Hai was overjoyed and hurriedly nodded. ¡°I will!¡± Yu Niaoniao got someone to prepare a horse for Ling Hai. Because they were in a hurry, they traveled light this time. Other than the necessary clothes, money, and dry food, they did not bring anything else. The four of them mounted their horses and left the Imperial Capital in the snow, walking quickly along the official road. Along the way, they tried their best to rest and travel as quickly as possible. Even so, it took them more than a month to reach Bashu. After more than three years, Yu Niaoniao returned to Jinguan City and realized that everything here was the same. The scenes in her memory assaulted her heart, making her involuntarily stop. The two children chased each other on the street and accidentally bumped into Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to stop. Before she could speak, a middle-aged woman rushed over and pulled the child over, reprimanding him with a straight face. ¡°How many times have I told you not to run around on the streets? Why can¡¯t you remember? If you continue like this, I¡¯m going to beat you up!¡± The woman then looked up and was about to apologize to the person who had been hit by the child, but she was stunned when she saw Yu Niaoniao¡¯s appearance. ¡°Niaoniao, why are you back?!¡± Yu Niaoniao also recognized her and replied with a smile, ¡°Aunt Wang, I just returned today.¡± Auntie Wang sized her up and clicked her tongue. ¡°It¡¯s been three years since we last met. You¡¯re getting prettier, especially your eyes. They¡¯re exactly the same as your mother¡¯s¡­¡± At this point, she stopped. Everyone in Jinguan City knew how tragically Madam Xie had died. As her daughter, Yu Niaoniao was naturally extremely sad. Auntie Wang¡¯s words were equivalent to poking the other party¡¯s sore spot. Aunt Wang¡¯s expression became awkward. She said awkwardly, ¡°Look at me. I spoke too quickly. Don¡¯t blame me.¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Auntie Wang hurriedly nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. It¡¯s all in the past. We have to look forward.¡± She looked at the three people following Yu Niaoniao and could not help but be curious. ¡°These are?¡± Yu Niaoniao introduced them one by one. ¡°This is my husband. The other two are my friends.¡± Auntie Wang immediately perked up. ¡°You¡¯re already married! Your husband is really good-looking. It¡¯s obvious that he¡¯s capable. If your parents knew in the netherworld¡­ Uh, sorry, I¡¯m talking too much again.¡± Yu Niaoniao knew Aunt Wang¡¯s personality. She was a straightforward person and often quarreled with others because she said the wrong thing. However, she was a kind person, so Yu Niaoniao only smiled. ¡°I came home this time to bring my husband to pay respects to my parents so they can rest in peace.¡± Seeing that she was not unhappy, Aunt Wang heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly said. ¡°Old Master Feng and Madam Feng doted on you so much when they were alive. Now that you¡¯re married, you should tell them. Originally, I wanted to weed your parents¡¯ graves during Qingming Festival this year. Now that you¡¯re back personally, we don¡¯t have to worry about this.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She asked, ¡°Did you visit my parents¡¯ graves?¡± Auntie Wang nodded. ¡°Yes! Every year during the Zhongyuan Festival and Qingming Festival, someone will clean up the weeds on your parents¡¯ graves and burn some paper money for them. Your parents are good people. When they were alive, they accumulated merit and helped many people.. Even if they¡¯re no longer around, everyone misses them.. Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Glory Chapter 558: Glory Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao interrupted her and asked. ¡°Then did you notice anything wrong with my parents¡¯ grave?¡± Aunt Wang was very confused. ¡°No, aren¡¯t tombs all like that? What can be wrong? Why do you ask?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°Nothing. I was just asking. Thank you for the past few years. ¡± Aunt Wang smiled again and said warmly, ¡°We¡¯re all fellow villagers. Why are you thanking me? It¡¯s rare for you to come back. Do you want to go home with me? I¡¯ll make you spicy rabbit heads.¡± Yu Niaoniao politely rejected the other party¡¯s kindness. After they left, Yu Niaoniao introduced them to Xiao Juan. ¡°Aunt Wang used to be our tenant farmer. Later on, after what happened to my parents, I sold all the family¡¯s farmland to the tenant farmers at a low price.¡± ¡°Auntie Wang and her man took advantage of that time to buy two acres of land. From the looks of it, their lives should be not bad.¡± Along the way, they encountered a few more acquaintances. When they saw Niaoniao return, they were both shocked and happy. They stopped to greet her. Xiao Juan looked at her catching up with the villagers and realized that she was always smiling. Clearly, she was in a good mood. After everyone left, Yu Niaoniao turned to look at Xiao Juan. Seeing that he was still staring at her, she could not help but touch her cheek. ¡°Is there something dirty on my face?¡± Xiao Juan did not answer her question. ¡°I¡¯m thinking that my parents-in-law must be very good people.¡± Even though he had never seen Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie with his own eyes, being remembered by so many people after their deaths was enough to show how good they were. Yu Niaoniao immediately smiled even more brightly. ¡°Of course! My father and mother are well-known for being good people. Not only did their family open a charity hall and school, but they also opened their warehouses and distributed food every winter to help the poor people in Sichuan.¡± ¡°The local county governor still wanted to erect a memorial for my father, but my father rejected him. He said that rather than spending money to build a useless archway, it was better to use this money to repair the roads everywhere.¡± At the mention of her stepfather, her face was filled with pride. Xiao Juan said sincerely, ¡°Father-in-law cares about the world. I¡¯m very impressed. ¡± At this moment, Lo Pingsha interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard of Mr. Feng¡¯s name in the capital. The Imperial Court even sent someone to invite him to become an official, but he rejected them.¡± ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s really a pity. With Mr. Feng¡¯s character, if he can become an official, he will definitely be able to benefit the people.¡± From his expression, he really felt sorry about this. Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°My father said that he¡¯s used to being a carefree crane and can¡¯t stand the rules of the officialdom. Actually, my father is afraid of trouble and wants to be lazy.¡± Xiao Juan raised his hand and patted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that about Father-in-law.¡± Yu Niaoniao stuck out her tongue. ¡°My mother couldn¡¯t stand him for this. She urges him behind him every day. My father listens to my mother very much. As long as my mother asks, even if he doesn¡¯t want to move, he will settle the matter as soon as possible¡­¡± The more she spoke, the more despondent she became, and her voice became lower and lower. Her past life was too beautiful. Thinking about it now was like an illusory dream, leaving her with endless disappointment. Xiao Juan raised his right hand and gently placed it on her head. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± Yu Niaoniao came back to her senses. The sadness on her face quickly dissipated and she regained her smile. She said energetically, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. We still have to look forward. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± The Feng family was originally the first family in Jinguan City, but the Feng family¡¯s house was built on the outskirts of the city. They had to leave the city first and walk for a while before seeing the Feng residence. The suburbs were much colder than the city. There were almost no families along the way. Other than the forest, there were only endless fields. Ling Hai looked around carefully, indicating that he could not understand. ¡°Why did the Feng family build a house in such a place?¡± With the Feng family¡¯s financial resources, they could totally build a house in the city. There were many people in the city, so it was convenient to buy anything. Wasn¡¯t it much better than living in the wilderness?! Yu Niaoniao explained, ¡°The Feng family has an old residence in the city, but my father and mother like peace and quiet, so they built a new house outside the city. Usually, our family lives in the new house in the suburbs.¡± At this point, she could not help but sigh. If their family had not lived in the suburbs back then but in an old house in the city, the moment their house caught fire, their neighbors would to help put out the fire and save the people. In that case, perhaps Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie would not have died. But there were no ifs in this world. Such assumptions were meaningless. The group passed through the fields and forest and arrived near the Feng residence. The courtyard wall was still there, but the courtyard door had already collapsed. Standing at the door and looking in, one could clearly see that the entire residence had been burned to ruins. It had been three years since the fire started. Many weeds grew on the black ruins. It was winter now, and the weeds were withered and yellow, making this house look even more desolate. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai walked into the courtyard and looked around. Xiao Juan was about to enter when he saw Niaoniao standing beside the courtyard wall in a daze. He walked over and asked. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up at the top of the high wall and muttered. ¡°I climbed over the wall from here back then.¡± ¡°It was my stepfather who knelt on one knee and supported me with his body, letting me step on his shoulder to climb out.¡± ¡°I escaped, but when I turned around to look for them, they¡­¡¯ Towards the end, her eyes inevitably turned red. Xiao Juan listened to her description and could imagine the scene. At the moment of life and death, Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie gave Niaoniao the chance to escape. In this world, there were selfish mothers like Princess Ni Yang, but there were also mothers like Madam Xie who could sacrifice everything for their children. Xiao Juan was even a little glad that Niaoniao could meet a mother as good as Madam Xie. Yu Niaoniao wiped her eyes and composed herself. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Let¡¯s go in and take a look.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Juan accompanied Niaoniao into the house. The houses inside were already in ruins, and the garden that had once been exquisite and beautiful was already dilapidated. They searched everywhere they could but did not find any useful clues. This was expected by Yu Niaoniao. After the fire back then, the officials searched carefully. All the clues they could find had been found. Even if there were any clues that they had missed, after three years of wind and rain, they no longer existed. Lo Pingsha could not help but ask. ¡°County Princess, are you sure that the fire back then was really man-made? What if it was really an accident?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation, ¡°It was definitely premeditated!¡± Xiao Juan looked at her steadily.. ¡°Do you know something?¡± Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Exhumating the Grave and Opening the Coffin Chapter 559: Exhumating the Grave and Opening the Coffin When Yu Niaoniao thought of that memory, her expression became heavier. She took a deep breath and tried to speak calmly. ¡°Back then, when there was a fire at home, I heard a scream. Someone must have broken into the house in an attack.¡± ¡°My parents brought me to the backyard. After I climbed over the courtyard wall and escaped, I heard the voice on the other end.¡± ¡°A man was saying, kill them all. Leave no one alive.¡± In the past three years, every time she thought of that cold and heartless voice, her back would break out in cold sweat. That was the biggest nightmare of her life. As long as they could not find out the truth, this nightmare would not disappear. Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell the local authorities about this clue?¡± Speaking of this, Yu Niaoniao felt very aggrieved. ¡°I told them, but no one believed me. Even my grandfather and grandmother thought that I was agitated and had auditory hallucinations.¡± Lo Pingsha could not help but ask, ¡°How can you be sure that it¡¯s not an illusion? Do you have any evidence?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I have no evidence.¡± It was precisely because she could not produce conclusive evidence and the inability of the government to find any clues left behind by the arsonists at the event location that they did not believe her. Xiao Juan had read the dossier of the Feng family¡¯s destruction back then and knew some details. He said slowly, ¡°Back then, the official in charge of this case thought that you couldn¡¯t take the blow and wasn¡¯t clear-headed. Moreover, you were still sick at that time and your entire body was hot. Even the doctor felt that you were probably talking nonsense.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips. ¡°I was indeed running a fever and felt a little dizzy, but I¡¯m sure I didn¡¯t hear wrongly. You have to believe me.¡± For the past three years, no one believed her. She could only pursue the truth alone. Now that she had finally found someone who was willing to accompany her in her investigation, she desperately wanted to obtain the other party¡¯s trust. Facing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s sincere gaze, Xiao Juan said without hesitation, ¡°As long as it¡¯s something you say, I believe it.¡± It was clearly afternoon, and the sky was gray, but she felt like she was at dawn. The sunlight was filled with layers of clouds, and everything in front of her was illuminated by golden light. She couldn¡¯t help but smile, her heart swelling and feeling extremely at ease. ¡°Thank you.¡± At this moment, Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai said in unison. ¡°We believe in you too.¡± After interacting with her for this period of time, they knew the Princess Consort very well. Although she usually liked to laugh and joke, she was never vague when it came to serious matters. Since she was sure that she had not heard wrongly, there was no mistake. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes heated up slightly. She was very moved. It was good to meet these people! In order to completely search this time, Xiao Juan decided to clean up all the collapsed sections in the house, but this was a huge project. He definitely could not do it this afternoon. So they decided to go to the cemetery first. They would deal with the ruins tomorrow morning when the tools were ready. The four of them rode up the mountain and arrived at the Feng family¡¯s cemetery. On the surface, the tomb was intact. It didn¡¯t look like it had been dug up. Yu Niaoniao took out the incense paper money and fruit tributes that she had prepared in advance. She arranged the things and bowed to Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie¡¯s tombstone. ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m back to see you. I¡¯ve been to many places in the past two years and met many people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m doing well. Ah Juan has always taken good care of me. He especially took a long leave to accompany me back.¡± Xiao Juan also knelt down and kowtowed to his in-laws¡¯ tombstone. Yu Niaoniao continued to chatter, ¡°Other than visiting you this time, we have something else to trouble you with.¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s bracelet appeared in someone else¡¯s hand. I¡¯m worried that your tomb has been robbed, so I can only dig up your grave and open the coffin to check. We have no choice. Dad and Mom, you¡¯re both reasonable people. I believe you can understand. If you¡¯re unhappy, you can visit me in my dreams. I¡¯ll kowtow and apologize to you.¡± When the paper money was almost burned, the four of them took out their tools and prepared to start work. There were many weeds around the tomb. They had to clean up the weeds before digging the grave. During this process, Xiao Juan discovered something unusual. ¡°Look here! ¡± The other three immediately stopped and leaned over to take a look. They realized that there was a strange area beside the tomb. There were fewer weeds here than elsewhere. Yu Niaoniao reached out and peeled open the withered grass leaves to take a look. The color of the bricks under was lighter than the ones elsewhere, and the color of the mud used to hold the bricks together was slightly different from elsewhere. Xiao Juan said, ¡°The bricks in this area should have been dug up and repaired.¡± That was why there was such a color difference. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Could there really be tomb robbers?¡± The four of them hurriedly sped up and quickly dug up the tomb, revealing the coffin buried under it. At this moment, the sky was already dark. There were no stars or moon in the sky, so they could only rely on torches to light up. Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha jumped into the pit and carefully opened the coffin, revealing the two corpses lying inside. After three years of corruption, Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s bodies had long turned into a pile of bones. Yu Niaoniao slid down the wall of the pit. Under the light of the torch, she checked carefully and realized that the burial items that had been placed in the coffin were all there. Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s remains were still intact. There were no traces of them being moved. The only thing missing from the entire coffin was the jade bracelet. Yu Niaoniao pointed at the wrist of one of the remains. ¡°Before my mother was buried, I specially put the jade bracelet on her wrist, but it¡¯s gone now.¡± Xiao Juan analyzed, ¡°If they¡¯re really tomb robbers, they won¡¯t only steal one bracelet.¡± Lo Pingsha agreed, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of gold and silver in the coffin. It¡¯s impossible for them not to take it.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But if it¡¯s not a grave robber, who can it be?¡± No one could give an answer. Since he was already here, Lo Pingsha naturally wouldn¡¯t waste this opportunity. He took out the toolbox he carried with him and performed an autopsy on the two remains at the event location. Yu Niaoniao felt terrible when she saw her mother and stepfather¡¯s bones being moved around. However, she didn¡¯t say anything and silently followed beside him to help. Lo Pingsha was very efficient and soon ended the autopsy. He picked up a rib and said sternly, ¡°This is a rib at the human heart. There are traces of a sharp weapon on it. From the location and depth of the scratch, the murderer should have stabbed the victim¡¯s heart and the victim died on the spot. His attack could be said to be very clean.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly leaned over to take a look and indeed saw a scratch on the ribs. Right on the heels of that, Lo Pingsha picked up the skull of another skeleton with both hands and continued. ¡°Look here. There are deep scratches on the neck bone. The murderer must have cut the victim¡¯s neck with force, causing him to bleed to death..¡± Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: The Most Beloved Family in the World Chapter 560: The Most Beloved Family in the World Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°In that case, Mother and stepfather were killed first before being set on fire to destroy the evidence? Lo Pingsha carefully put down the skull and nodded. ¡°From the current autopsy results, that should be the case.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes turned even redder. She muttered distractedly, ¡°They were indeed killed. This isn¡¯t an accident. This is murder.¡± Ling Hai could not help but ask, ¡°If both of them died under a knife, why didn¡¯t the coroner find out when he did the autopsy back then?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Back then, the coroner only took a few glances to confirm that my parents died in a fire.¡± Lo Pingsha had seen many cases of this. He took the initiative to explain. ¡°The surface will turn pitch-black after the body is charred. The wound will be hidden. Unless you cut open the body, it¡¯s very difficult to discover the real cause of death. Many coroners don¡¯t go that far.¡± If the coroner had been more careful during the autopsy back then, he might have been able to discover the real cause of the death of Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie. The Feng family¡¯s extermination would not have been decided to be an accident. There was no point in making these assumptions now. At this point, Yu Niaoniao could only think of a way to make up for it. She asked, ¡°Can you verify what the murder weapon was like?¡± Lo Pingsha shook his head. ¡°If the corpse hasn¡¯t decomposed, I can determine the murder weapon by the shape of the wound. But now, only bones are left of the corpse. With just these two scratches, I can only deduce that the murder weapon should have strength like a sword or something. I don¡¯t know more.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips and fell silent. Lo Pingsha opened his mouth a few times and closed it again, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated. Xiao Juan noticed his strange behavior and took the initiative to speak. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. There are no outsiders here.¡± Lo Pingsha hesitated again and again before speaking. ¡°Does the Princess Consort know that Madam Feng was pregnant when she was alive?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. ¡°Pregnant?¡± Seeing her like this, Lo Pingsha knew that she did not know about this. He regretted saying this, but he had already spoken. Even if he regretted it, he could only bite the bullet and continue. ¡°From the width of the opening and closing of the pelvis, it can be inferred that Madam Feng should be two months pregnant.¡± Yu Niaoniao froze in place, her body cold, and her face turned pale. ¡°You mean my mother was two months pregnant when she died?¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao suddenly remembered that she had seen Madam Xie touching her stomach once. She asked Madam Xie if her stomach was not feeling well. Madam Xie had a strange expression. She said that she was fine, but she had eaten a little too much lunch and her stomach was a little full. Yu Niaoniao did not think too much about it and believed Madam Xie. From the looks of it, Madam Xie must have long known about her pregnancy, but for some reason, she did not tell Yu Niaoniao about it. If Lo Pingsha had not learned of this through the autopsy, Yu Niaoniao would probably never have known that Madam Xie was pregnant. Shock, grief, regret, and other emotions surged into her heart, causing her vision to darken and her head to spin. She swayed involuntarily twice. Just as she was about to fall, Xiao Juan reached out in time to hold her waist and let her lean on him. ¡°Are vou okay?¡± Yu Niaoniao choked. ¡°My mother knew that she was pregnant, but she still gave me the chance to escape.¡± Xiao Juan did not know how to comfort her and could only silently hug her tighter. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯ve let my mother down. I¡¯ve let my stepfather down. Without me, my mother and the child in her stomach wouldn¡¯t have died. I killed them¡­ Xiao Juan interrupted her. ¡°Don¡¯t say such things. The murderer killed them. As long as we catch the real murderer, we can avenge them. You¡¯re also a victim. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Yu Niaoniao muttered, ¡°If the person who escaped back then was Mother¡­¡± Xiao Juan interrupted her again. ¡°Even if it happens again, I believe my father-in-law and mother-in-law will still choose to sacrifice themselves to let you live.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s tears flowed even more fiercely. She had always felt that she loved Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan very much. She treated them as her favorite family in this world. Only now did she know that Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan loved her far more than she had imagined. Yu Niaoniao reached out with trembling fingers and gently stroked the scratch on the ribs. ¡°Dad, Mom, I will definitely find the real murderer and avenge you.¡± They closed the coffin, filled in the soil, and restored the tomb to its original state. At this moment, the sky was completely dark. The four of them rode down the mountain and returned to Jinguan City. Back then, Yu Niaoniao had only sold all the Feng family¡¯s farmland, but the Feng family¡¯s old residence was still in the city. There were still a few old servants living in the house. They had lived with the Feng family since they were born and were already used to everything in the Feng family. Even though Niaoniao returned the indentures to them later, they were still unwilling to leave the Feng family. Yu Niaoniao asked them to stay in the old residence and help take care of the house to prevent it from being abandoned. When the servants saw that Eldest Miss had returned with her husband, they were naturally extremely surprised. They hurriedly tidied up the room and prepared dinner. The dishes they prepared were all Yu Niaoniao¡¯s favorite. Yu Niaoniao did not have much of an appetite, but in order not to let these old servants down, she still perked up and took a few bites. After dinner, they returned to their rooms to rest. The old servants especially boiled hot water for them to wash up. Yu Niaoniao took a hot bath. After soaking her body in the warm water, the fatigue in her body lessened a lot, and her mood recovered a little. This was not the time to be sad. She could not be trapped by those low emotions. She had to pull herself together and catch the real culprit as soon as possible to seek justice for her parents! Seeing that she had become a little more energetic after taking a shower, Xiao Juan was slightly relieved. She didn¡¯t say much the entire night and was very depressed. Everyone could tell that she was very sad. No one knew how to comfort her. They could only quietly accompany her and take care of her more carefully. The two of them went to bed to rest. As the night deepened, Yu Niaoniao closed her eyes and fell asleep after a long time. In her dream, she returned to three years ago. Madam Xie was doing embroidery. She was making a cloth tiger doll. Yu Niaoniao leaned over and asked with a smile, ¡°This doll is so cute. Was it made for me?¡± Madam Xie did not answer and asked, ¡®What if I say no?¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately pouted. ¡°I¡¯m your only daughter. If you¡¯re not giving me the doll, who else can you give it to?¡± Madam Xie pursed her lips and smiled. She asked jokingly, ¡°What if I give birth to another child?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation, ¡°No! ¡± Her mother was already in her thirties and was definitely an old woman. The risk of giving birth was extremely high. If she was not careful, two lives could be lost. Madam Xie¡¯s hand that was holding the embroidery needle paused, her expression uneasy. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want a brother or sister?¡± Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Regret Chapter 561: Regret Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao did not know how to explain the risk of an old mother to Madam AIC. After all, she was still a 13-year-old little girl. Her knowledge of conception and birth was definitely not something she could know. She could only pretend to be arrogant and rude as she pouted. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t want it!¡± Madam Xie asked again, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good for you to have a brother or sister?¡± Yu Niaoniao hugged her arm and said coquettishly, ¡°No, no. It¡¯s enough for Mother to have me as a child. I¡¯ll be filial to you and stay by your side for the rest of my life.¡± Madam Xie sighed softly as if she was very helpless. ¡°Fine. ¡± When Yu Niaoniao woke up from her dream, the house was still dark. She felt her eyes sting and had the urge to cry. Everything in the dream had really happened. Madam Xie was married twice. Although Feng Lianghan treated Yu Niaoniao as his own, they were not biological father and daughter after all. Madam Xie inevitably had to consider more. She was afraid that Niaoniao would let one¡¯s imagination run wild and mistakenly think that she and Feng Lianghan would not love Niaoniao anymore once they had a biological child. Therefore, Madam Xie did not dare to say that she was pregnant. She could only hint at Niaoniao indirectly, wanting to see her attitude. Out of consideration for Madam Xie¡¯s safety, Niaoniao directly expressed that she could not accept another brother or sister. Now that she thought about it, Madam Xie must have been very disappointed when she heard her words. This also explained why Madam Xie did not tell her about the pregnancy directly. Madam Xie was probably worried that she would not be able to accept that she was about to have a younger brother or sister, so she could only choose to hide it for the time being, thinking that she would think of a way to let her slowly accept it in the future. Unexpectedly, the heavens did not give them this chance. The sudden arrival of death separated them forever, and they no longer had the chance to clear the air. Strong guilt filled her heart, making Yu Niaoniao feel extremely uncomfortable. It was not that she did not like her siblings, but she did not want Madam Xie to take the risk of giving birth at an old age. If she knew that Madam Xie was already pregnant, she would definitely not say that. She would think of a way to help Madam Xie reduce the risk of giving birth. She would have comforted Madam Xie and pat her chest to guarantee¡ª ¡°I like my younger siblings very much. With me protecting them in the future, no one in Jinguan City will dare to bully them!¡± But these words could no longer be said. Yu Niaoniao turned around and faced the wall. Tears rolled down the corners of her eyes. Afraid of being discovered by Xiao Juan beside her, she did not dare to make a sound. She could only try her best to breathe softly and silently wipe her tears with her sleeve. What she didn¡¯t know was that when she turned around, the man beside her was already awake. Xiao Juan looked at her trembling back. Even though she tried her best to hold it in and had already lowered her voice to the lowest, he could still hear the intermittent sobs with his naturally abnormal sharp hearing. Xiao Juan knew that she had turned her back on him because she did not want him to see her fragile appearance. He shouldn¡¯t disturb her at this time. However, his hand seemed to have lost control. He raised it involuntarily and gently hugged Niaoniao from behind. He could clearly feel the little girl in his arms stiffen and her sobs disappear. Xiao Juan neither said anything nor had any intention of letting go. That feeling was both stubborn and clumsy. After a long time, Yu Niaoniao relaxed bit by bit. As she faced the wall, her vision was already blurred by tears, and her voice was clearly filled with grief. ¡°I regret it so much.¡± Xiao Juan followed her words and asked, ¡°Regret what?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Mother was so good to me, but I said that to her. She must be in a difficult position. If I could do it all over again, I definitely wouldn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t say that¡­¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then what do you really want to say?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 actually want a brother or sister very much. This way, there will be a blood bond between me, my stepfather, and my mother. We will be a real family.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You are a family now. A real family.¡± Yu Niaoniao cried harder. At first, she could still hold back her tears, but later on, she really couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Her cries gradually became louder and finally turned into loud wails. Xiao Juan said nothing and silently hugged her tighter. His silent companionship told her that although Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan were no longer around, she still had him. He would always accompany her and walk through this long night. The next morning, Ling Hai and Lo Pingsha saw that Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, and there were two dark circles under her eyes. It was obvious that she had not slept well last night and had cried. The two of them were very worried, but it was not good to ask further. They could only work harder. They brought their tools out of the city again and went to the Feng residence in the suburbs. They moved the burned beams and bricks away and cleaned up the weeds. The Feng residence was very big. The four of them worked hard for the entire day but could not clean up the place. They had to continue the next day. When they arrived at the Feng residence in the suburbs again, they were surprised to find more than ten people gathered here. Among them was Aunt Wang, whom they happened to meet two days ago. Aunt Wang held a hoe in her hand and said with a smile. ¡°We all know that you¡¯re back and guessed that you would definitely come here to clean up the ruins. Anyway, there¡¯s still some time before spring plowing. We have nothing to do at home, so we came to help you.¡± The others echoed. ¡°That¡¯s right! There¡¯s strength in numbers. It¡¯s faster to do work.¡± For a moment, Yu Niaoniao had mixed feelings. She said sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡± Aunt Wang smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re all on the same side. There¡¯s no need to thank us!¡± With the addition of so many people, the speed of clearing the ruins increased greatly. At this moment, a team of soldiers suddenly appeared near the Feng residence. ¡°What are so many of you doing here?¡± Yu Niaoniao straightened her back and raised her hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. ¡°This is my house. We want to clean this up.¡± The leader looked Yu Niaoniao up and down, narrowed his eyes, and looked skeptical. ¡°This is your house? As far as I know, this family is all dead.¡± When Yu Niaoniao heard the words ¡°all dead¡±, her heart felt like it had been pierced by a needle. It hurt. She pursed her lower lip. ¡°My name is Yu Niaoniao. Madam Xie is my mother, and Feng Lianghan is my stepfather. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check the household register. If you really can¡¯t, you can ask around in the city. Many people in the city know me.¡± Aunt Wang and the others immediately chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s right! We can all testify for Niaoniao!¡± The low-ranking official said angrily, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you. Don¡¯t interrupt!¡± He turned to look at Yu Niaoniao and said with a straight face. ¡°We¡¯ll verify your identity, but you can¡¯t touch the things here.¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°Why?¡± The low-ranking official said, ¡°There was a murder here. Without the permission of the government, no one is allowed to touch the things here.. This is the rule!¡± Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Complaint Chapter 562: Complaint Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was so angry that she laughed. ¡°What murder? Didn¡¯t you say that all of this was an accident back then? The Feng family died in an accident. Since it was an accident, how could there be a murder?¡± The low-ranking official was embarrassed by her words and his expression immediately turned ugly. ¡°Why are you so sharp-tongued?!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why? You can¡¯t argue, so you started to attack me personally?¡± The petty official pointed at her. ¡°You¡¯d better watch your attitude!¡± Just as he finished speaking, his outstretched finger was hit by a stone, causing him to scream in pain. The bailiffs beside him immediately became vigilant and quickly looked around to see who had thrown the stone. At this moment, Xiao Juan put down the hoe in his hand and said coldly to the official. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be mindful of attitude.¡± The low-ranking official covered his swollen finger and scolded angrily, ¡°How dare you attack an official? You¡¯re really rebelling.¡± He shouted at the bailiffs beside him. ¡°Why are you still standing there stupidly? Hurry up and arrest these people and throw them into jail. Let¡¯s see if they still dare to go against the government in the future!¡± Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha were about to attack when they saw the commoners led by Auntie Wang rushing over aggressively to stand in front of Yu Niaoniao. They widened their eyes in anger and roared at the top of their lungs. ¡°If anyone dares to move, we¡¯ll fight them to the death! Come if you¡¯re not afraid of death!¡± They looked murderous, as if he was really going to fight to the death. The guards shrank back in fear. Even the low-ranking official was a little afraid, and his arrogance became smaller. This time, it was Xiao Juan, Lo Pingsha, and Ling Hai who were surprised. They had heard that the people of Bashu were valiant in the past, but they did not expect that the people here were not even afraid of the soldiers and even dared to fight them head-on with weapons. Such a thing was unimaginable elsewhere. The low-ranking official said weakly. ¡°This has nothing to do with you. All of you, walk away. It won¡¯t end well for you to go against the government.¡± Auntie Wang retorted angrily, ¡°We¡¯re helping Niaoniao clean her house. What has it got to do with you? Stop being an eyesore here. Get lost!¡± With that, she picked up the broom and threw it at the official! Seeing that she really dared to attack, the low-ranking official hurriedly retreated in fear. ¡°You, you shrew!¡± Auntie Wang swung the broom and chased after him. ¡°I¡¯ll splash your face! You short-lived child, if you don¡¯t get lost, I¡¯ll break your legs!¡± The low-ranking official could only cover his head and flee. The bailiffs beside him wanted to help, but as long as they moved, the commoners would rush over. Although this group of bailiffs wore official uniforms and had sabers at their waists, they had actually not learned martial arts for many days and did not even know how to use knives. If they really fought, they would definitely be injured. As bailiffs, they only wanted to make a living. They did not have any fearless spirit, let alone sacrifice themselves for this. Therefore, Xiao Juan, Lo Pingsha, and Ling Hai were forced to watch a scene of Aunt Wang chasing after a small official. Not to mention that it was quite interesting, the three of them wanted to laugh. Not long after, the village head in charge of managing this area was alarmed. He rushed over on an ox cart with a family of old and young. When the low-ranking official saw the village head arrive, he pounced on him as if he had seen his savior and complained loudly. ¡°Old Master Zhang, you¡¯re finally here! Control this shrew. How dare she hit me with a broom in broad daylight? She¡¯s simply lawless!¡± Village Head Zhang had white hair and was walking slowly with a walking stick. Not only was he senior, but he was also well-known. When Aunt Wang saw him, she immediately put down the broom and obediently called him Uncle Zhang. The other commoners also shouted. Village Head Zhang frowned and said to Auntie Wang in disapproval. ¡°That¡¯s right. Which one of you hit someone in broad daylight? It¡¯s not good. If you want to hit someone, you should find a private place to do it.¡± The low-ranking official, who had been nodding in agreement, was stunned when he heard the last sentence. He turned to look at Village Head Zhang in disbelief. Old Master, listen to yourself! Aunt Wang looked like she had been taught a lesson. ¡°Uncle Zhang is right. I didn¡¯t do this well.¡± Village Head Zhang said, ¡°You have to be careful in public, lest outsiders think that the people here are especially fierce. They¡¯ll scare those traveling merchants so much that they won¡¯t dare to do business here.¡± Auntie Wang hurriedly replied, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ll definitely pay attention next time.¡± The official couldn¡¯t take it anymore and raised his voice. ¡°Old Master Zhang, are you blind? I¡¯m the one who was beaten up now. As the village head, aren¡¯t you going to uphold justice for me?!¡± Village Head Zhang frowned and said slowly, ¡°Lower your voice. I can hear you.¡± He narrowed his eyes and glanced at everyone, as if he was looking for someone. ¡°I heard that Niaoniao is back. Where is she?¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Village Head Zhang immediately smiled when he saw her. ¡°My little girl has grown up and is slender and elegant. Like your mother, you¡¯re a beautiful child. Come, come, I have candy here. Take it and eat it.¡± With that, he took out an oil paper bag from his sleeve and stuffed it into Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes stung and she quickly reached out to catch it. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± When she was young, her favorite elder was Village Head Zhang because every time she saw him, he would give her candy. His sleeve was like a Doraemon pocket, where he could take out candy at any time. After so many years, Yu Niaoniao was past the age where she needed candy to be coaxed , but Village Head Zhang still maintained this habit of giving her sugar when they met. Village Head Zhang was very happy. ¡°Of all the dolls, you¡¯re the most polite. You say thank you every time. The other dolls take the candy and leave.¡± Yu Niaoniao was embarrassed by the praise. She called Xiao Juan over and introduced him to Village Head Zhang. ¡°Grandpa, this is my husband. His surname is Xiao and his name is Juan.¡± Xiao Juan tidied his clothes and cupped his hands at Village Head Zhang as a junior. ¡°Grandpa.¡± Village Head Zhang saw that his tall figure and handsome eyes matched the way he stood up and could not help but nod repeatedly. ¡°Not bad, lad. You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡± Xiao Juan replied truthfully, ¡°I¡¯m from Liangzhou and live in the Imperial Capital.¡± Village Head Zhang said, ¡°The Imperial Capital is good. It¡¯s a big place with everything. Niaoniao will definitely be able to live a good life with you. It¡¯s rare for you to come back. You must come to my house for a meal today so that you can try the most authentic specialty dishes in Sichuan.¡± Seeing that their topic was getting further and further away, the low-ranking official could not help but remind them loudly. ¡°Village Head Zhang! Can you stop chatting? Now is the time to do serious business!¡± Village Head Zhang sighed. ¡°Is there something wrong with your ears? Why is your voice so loud?¡± The lowly official was speechless.. Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: Promise Chapter 563: Promise Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Village Head Zhang asked about the entire matter, he looked at the low-ranking official helplessly. ¡°This is someone else¡¯s house. They don¡¯t want it to be abandoned. Isn¡¯t it reasonable to prepare to clean it? Do you have to get the approval of the officials to clean your house first?¡± The low-ranking official retorted, ¡°But there was a murder here!¡± Village Head Zhang asked, ¡°If it¡¯s really a murder case, has your government found anything?¡± The low-ranking official¡¯s expression became awkvvard. ¡°Not yet.¡± Village Head Zhang said, ¡°It¡¯s been more than three years, but you still haven¡¯t found anything. Not only are you not ashamed, but you also came here to make things difficult for her. Do you think it¡¯s appropriate?¡± The low-ranking official was speechless. Village Head Zhang sighed again. ¡°Niaoniao¡¯s family passed away in that fire. Now, she¡¯s the only one left in the Feng family. What a pitiful girl. Your government should be magnanimous and let her off. Don¡¯t disturb her life anymore.¡± The lowly official tried to defend himself. ¡°That¡¯s not the case. Our original intention was to protect the crime scene so that the authorities could investigate the case. We never thought of making things difficult for anyone.¡± Village Head Zhang frowned. ¡°Since you¡¯re not making things difficult for her, why did you bring so many bailiffs here? Aren¡¯t you trying to bully a weak woman with numbers?¡± The low-ranking official opened his mouth, wanting to continue explaining, but he could not find a suitable reason. In the end, he could only scold angrily,¡±You¡¯re deliberately biased towards her. You¡¯re all in cahoots!¡± Village Head Zhang waved his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t stand here and be an eyesore. If you think I didn¡¯t do well, you can tell the county governor about this. I¡¯ll bear any consequences.¡± The low-ranking official gritted his teeth. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re determined to protect this little girl, let¡¯s see how you explain yourself when the county governor holds you accountable later!¡± With that, he flicked his sleeve and turned to leave with the bailiffs. Yu Niaoniao was a little worried. ¡°Grandpa, will this cause you trouble?¡± Village Head Zhang replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They won¡¯t do anything to me. Anyway, I¡¯m already one foot in the grave. What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯ll live to a hundred years old!¡± Village Head Zhang smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take your blessings and live a long life!¡± Everyone continued to work until the sun set. The entire residence had not been cleaned up. They had searched everywhere they could. Even the soil in the garden had been searched, but they still could not find any clues. Yu Niaoniao could not help but feel disappointed. However, she quickly pulled herself together. Three years ago, this place had been thoroughly searched by the soldiers. It was normal not to be able to find any clues now. Since she couldn¡¯t find any clues here, she would consider investigating from another angle. Village Head Zhang was warmly inviting Yu Niaoniao and the others to his house. ¡°It¡¯s already late. You should have missed dinner when you return to the city. Why don¡¯t you eat at my house? My house isn¡¯t far from here.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Village Head Zhang¡¯s house was not far from here. Perhaps she could find some useful clues from him. Hence, she readily agreed. ¡°That¡¯s great! I haven¡¯t eaten your food in a long time. I have to eat my fill tonight.¡± When they arrived at Village Head Zhang¡¯s house, it was already dark. When Village Head Zhang¡¯s two daughters-in-law learned that there were guests visiting, they quickly started the fire and cooked. Soon, the rich fragrance of food wafted out of the kitchen. Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, Lo Pingsha, and Ling Hai sat in the central room. Zhang Li was asking his son to serve them hot tea. They drank tea and chatted. Yu Niaoniao told him some interesting things she had encountered in the Imperial Capital, making Zhang Li laugh. Village Head Zhang sighed. ¡°The Imperial Capital is indeed a big place. There are so many fun things.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Although the Imperial Capital is good, I still like this place better. I wonder if anything has happened here in the two years I¡¯ve been away? For example, has anyone come to ask about our family?¡± Village Head Zhang could hear the underlying meaning in her words and knew that this might be the main reason why she came back, so he recalled carefully. Yu Niaoniao did not rush him and waited quietly. Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan¡¯s tomb had been opened by someone. The burial items inside were all there, except for a jade bracelet. The possibility of it being a case of grave robbery was very low. Thinking of the special nature of the jade bracelet, Yu Niaoniao suspected that the other party was here for the bracelet. Moreover, the other party should be sure that the bracelet was in Madam Xie¡¯s grave. Yu Niaoniao put herself in the shoes of the person who wanted to steal the bracelet. Before she did anything, she must have asked about the location of the Xie family¡¯s mausoleum. And this might become a useful clue. Zhang Li thought for a long time before speaking. ¡°A year ago, someone did come to ask about your family. At that time, my family had all gone out to do farm work, leaving me and a few insensible children at home.¡± At this point, he waved at the child squatting at the door and playing with the stones. ¡°Niu, come over.¡± The child was strong and had dark skin. He looked very strong. He ran to Village Head Zhang¡¯s side and called him Grandpa. Village Head Zhang asked, ¡°Do you still remember a year ago, you said that an old lady came to our house to ask for water?¡± Ah Niu tilted his head and thought for a moment. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°Then tell this sister in detail about the situation at that time.¡± Ah Niu said obediently. ¡°That day, I was sweepin the courtyard with my younger brother.¡± ¡°Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. I ran to open it and realized that there was an old lady standing outside the courtyard door.¡± ¡°She said that she was from another city and had traveled a long way. She was very thirsty and wanted to ask me for a bowl of water.¡± ¡°I returned to the kitchen, scooped a ladle of water with a gourd ladle, and brought it to her.¡± ¡°She thanked me after drinking the water and even gave me a straw grasshopper as a thank-you gift.¡± ¡°That grasshopper made it up especially well, as if it was real. I liked it very much, but Big Brother ruined it later¡­¡¯ Village Head Zhang interrupted him. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about the grasshopper. Talk about that granny.¡± Ah Niu replied resentfully and returned to the main topic. ¡°That granny even asked me about Uncle Feng¡¯s family. After asking, she left.¡± Village Head Zhang continued, ¡°At that time, I didn¡¯t even know that there was a guest at home. It wasn¡¯t until Ah Niu quarreled with a few other children because of that straw grasshopper that I found out about the old lady.¡± Ah Niu explained softly, ¡°That granny didn¡¯t let me tell anyone. I promised her, so I have to do as I say.¡± Village Head Zhang lectured earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s a principle to keep your word, but this depends on the situation. The other party is a stranger you don¡¯t know at all. What if the other party is a bad person? What if she wants to plot against our family? If you help her protect her whereabouts, it¡¯s equivalent to helping the evildoer. It will cause very bad consequences.¡± Ah Niu was frightened and his face turned pale. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so much. Grandpa, I was wrong. I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± ¡°If you encounter strangers asking you for anything in the future, you have to tell the elders immediately, understand?¡± Ah Niu hurriedly nodded.. ¡°I¡¯ll remember!¡± Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Not Spicy At All Chapter 564: Not Spicy At All Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Village Head Zhang finished educating his grandson, he softened his expression and said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°After the Feng family¡¯s incident, many people who had once received your stepfather¡¯s kindness came to pay their respects.¡± ¡°They had also asked about the location of your parents¡¯ tomb, but I had seen those people with my own eyes. They didn¡¯t look like bad people.¡± ¡°Only the old lady who came to ask for water was someone I had never seen.¡± ¡°Her actions were a little strange. I was really worried at that time, afraid that she was up to something bad. Later on, I specially got someone to take a look at your parents¡¯ tomb and didn¡¯t find anything abnormal.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at Ah Niu and asked seriously,¡±Do you remember what the old lady looked like?¡± Ah Niu said as he recalled, ¡°She¡¯s a little hunched and thin. Her clothes are very old, and her head is wrapped in a cloth towel.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Was there a scar on her face? She gestured twice at her face with her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s here. And here. Was there a scar?¡± Ah Niu nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Although the granny was wrapped in a headscarf and most of her face was covered by a cloth towel, she pulled it down a little while she drank water. It was at that moment that Ah Niu saw the scar on her face. Fortunately, he was born bold and was not afraid. Instead, he took the initiative to ask how the scar on the other party¡¯s face came about. Thinking of this, Ah Niu hurriedly added. ¡°At that time, I asked her why there was a scar on her face. She said that it was bitten by a dog, but I don¡¯t understand. Why would a dog bite her face? I have a dog at home too. The dog is very obedient and never bites.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°The granny was joking with you. The scar on her face was definitely not bitten by a dog. A dog is a friend of a human. Treat it well, and it will treat you well.¡± She was not lying. She had seen the old lady before. The scar on the old lady¡¯s face was definitely not caused by a dog. It was more like a scar left behind by something else. At this point, she suddenly realized that Village Head Zhang¡¯s expression was a little strange and could not help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Village Head Zhang hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°I heard you say that the old lady has a scar on her face just now. This reminds me of an old matter many years ago. That must have been more than forty years ago. A young woman had come to the village. She was quite good-looking and well-mannered. It was obvious that she had been raised by a rich family. Unfortunately, there were a few scars on her face. Her good face was destroyed just like that. ¡°By the way, she was still pregnant at that time. It looked like she was at least seven months old. She was about to give birth.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly asked, ¡°Then what? Was the child born?¡± Village Head Zhang let out a long sigh. ¡°I heard that she gave birth, but it was a stillborn. That woman suffered a huge blow and quickly left this sad place. I haven¡¯t seen her since.¡± Yu Niaoniao was surprised. Did the child actually die? She thought that the appearance of the old lady and the jade bracelet were related to that child. At this moment, Xiao Juan, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke. ¡°Grandpa, do you know that woman¡¯s name?¡± Village Head Zhang frowned and pondered. ¡°It¡¯s been more than 40 years. I really don¡¯t remember. What¡¯s it called?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked nervously, ¡°Was she called Li Niang?¡± Village Head Zhang was stunned for a moment before he suddenly remembered and hurriedly said. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! She was called Li Niang!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s guess was confirmed. The mysterious granny with the scar on her face was the young pregnant woman who had appeared in Jinguan City more than forty years ago. Li Niang had come here more than forty years ago, given birth to a child, and disappeared. Forty years later, she returned here and secretly stole the jade bracelet. Half a year ago, she brought the bracelet to the Imperial Capital and lived in the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. Not long after that, she died. These things seemed unrelated, but Yu Niaoniao kept feeling that there was a connection. Xiao Juan was very experienced in investigating cases and could easily grasp the key points of the case. He continued to ask, ¡°Grandpa, do you still remember who delivered Li Niang back then?¡± Yu Niaoniao came to her senses. This was indeed a very important clue! It was impossible for Li Niang to deliver her child. Someone must have helped her. As long as she found the midwife, she might be able to know if the child Li Niang gave birth to was alive or dead. This time, Village Head Zhang blurted out without thinking. ¡°It¡¯s the old lady of the Sun family. She often delivered babies and was enthusiastic. She couldn¡¯t bear to see Li Niang die, so she asked Li Niang to stay at her house. She was also the one who helped deliver Li Niangs child.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart sank. She Imew Old Madam Sun. She was a very hearty and enthusiastic granny. When she was young, she often came to her house as a guest. However, Grandma Sun died of illness eight years ago. It was already impossible to ask her about Li Niang. Village Head Zhang could tell that she was disappointed and gave her a suggestion. ¡°Although Old Madam Sun is no longer around, her son and daughter-in-law are still around. When she delivered Li Niang¡¯s child back then, her eldest son was already ten years old. Perhaps he can still remember some of the things that happened back then.¡± At this point, any clue was extremely precious to Yu Niaoniao. She hurriedly nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll visit the Sun family tomorrow.¡± Actually, she wished she could go to the Sun family now. However, her rationality made her hold it in. More haste less speed. She shouldn t be anxious but investigate slowly. Hot food was served. In the middle was a basin of red boiled fish. The bottom was made of soybean sprouts and cabbage, and the top was filled with thin slices of fish. Thick red oil floated in the soup, and there were some peppers, sesame seeds, and spring onions sprinkled on the surface. After being stimulated by the hot oil, the fragrance became especially rich. Today , the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhang family specially whipped out her best dishes to entertain guests today. Other than that, there was also spicy chicken, dried intestines, hairy blood curd, tiger skin, phoenix claws, and so on. They were all very famous local specialties and were also hometown dishes that Yu Niaoniao had eaten since she was young. Faced with so much delicious food, she immediately put aside the matters related to the case and sniffed hard, revealing an intoxicated expression. ¡°It smells so good!¡± Lo Pingsha also looked eager. He was looking forward to these delicacies. However, Xiao Juan and Ling Hai did not feel good. Xiao Juan¡¯s stomach was not good and he could not eat spicy food. Ling Hai simply did not like spicy food. However, other than the bowl of Sanxiang soup without chili, all the other dishes on the table were filled with chili. Xiao Juan had no choice but to scoop himself a bowl of soup. When everyone began to eat, only Ling Hai refused to eat for a long time. Seeing this, Village Head Zhang said to him happily. ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be afraid. Hurry up and eat. These dishes are not spicy at all.¡± Ling Hai was skeptical. ¡°Really?¡± Village Head Zhang said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. If you don¡¯t believe me, look at us. No one thinks it¡¯s spicy.¡± The rest of the Zhang family echoed. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not spicy at all.¡± Seeing that all of them were eating with relish and no one showed any signs of being spicy, Ling Hai was a little swayed. Perhaps these dishes really only seemed spicy? Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Coincidence Chapter 565: Coincidence Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ling Hai picked up his chopsticks and picked up a piece of fish. The fish meat wrapped in red oil looked rosy. He mustered his courage and placed the fish in his mouth. The moment he bit down, a strong spicy taste exploded in his mouth, right on the heels of which was a strong numbness. He felt his tongue and the inner walls of his mouth tremble. His face immediately turned red. He hurriedly put down his chopsticks, picked up the teacup, and poured water into his mouth. After drinking the water, he still felt that it was spicy. He took a deep breath and did not dare to close his mouth. How was this not spicy? This was explosively spicy! Seeing this, Village Head Zhang was very worried. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ling Hai cried from the spiciness. He said with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s too spicy. It¡¯s really too spicy.¡± What Village Head Zhang had said just now was the truth. This bit of spicy taste was indeed nothing to them. What he did not expect was that Ling Hai could not even withstand a little spicy taste. He asked his youngest son to scoop a bowl of soup for Ling Hai and got his eldest daughter-in-law to cook fragrant yam and steamed pork ribs. In addition, he cut a plate of cured sausages made by his family. Neither of these dishes was filled with chili. Xiao Juan and Linghai could eat them at ease. He even felt almost in awe of the Bashu people. To be able to eat such spicy food without changing his expression, they were really heroes! Before they left, Village Head Zhang told Yu Niaoniao Old Lady Sun¡¯s address and reminded her that if she encountered any trouble, she could look for him at any time. Yu Niaoniao and the others left the Zhang family and rode back to the city. Because she had met an old friend she had not seen for a long time and had eaten food filled with nostalgia, her mood became much more relaxed. She finally did not dream again tonight. She leaned into Xiao Juan¡¯s arms and slept soundly. The next morning, they decided to split up. Lo Pingsha brought Ling Hai out of the city. They planned to search the surroundings of the old Feng residence to see if they could find any useful clues. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan prepared to go to the Sun family. The Sun family lived in a small village under Jinguan City. They had to leave the city first and ride for two hours before finding the village. They got off the horse and entered the village to find someone to ask how to get to the Sun family. Unexpectedly, the villager looked at them strangely and asked, ¡°Where are you from? Why are you asking about this?¡± He seemed very vigilant. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m Feng Lianghan¡¯s daughter. I used to know Old Madam Sun. I came back this time to pay my respects to Old Madam Sun and meet her descendants.¡± Feng Lianghan¡¯s name was very useful in the entire Bashu. As expected, after the villager learned Yu Niaoniao¡¯s identity, his attitude immediately became much friendlier. ¡°So you¡¯re the daughter of Feng Dashan¡¯s family! The Sun family you¡¯re looking for lives at the east end of the village. If you walk along this road, you¡¯ll see his house. However, it¡¯s useless even if you find his house.¡± At this point, the villager heaved a long sigh, looking very regretful. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had a bad feeling and hurriedly asked. ¡°Did something happen to the Sun family?¡± The villager sighed. ¡°This is really unlucky. During the new year, Sun Dalang accompanied his wife back to her parents¡¯ house to pay a visit. At that time, he brought their children over. Unexpectedly, halfway through, the donkey suddenly ran around crazily and the cart flipped down the hill. When they were discovered, the corpses of their family were already rotten.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart sank. They were a step too late. The only clue was cut off just like that. But even so, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan still decided to go to the Sun family to take a look. The Sun family¡¯s courtyard door was locked from the outside. Yu Niaoniao went to the village chief to get the key and opened the courtyard door. Weeds had already grown in the courtyard, and the furniture in the house was already dusty. It looked very cold. No matter how they looked at it, this was just an ordinary small courtyard. They could not find any clues. Yu Niaoniao stood in the desolate courtyard and muttered. ¡°I followed Li Niang¡¯s trail and found out that Sun Dalang¡¯s family was dead. Is all of this really a coincidence?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Yu Niaoniao retracted her fingers bit by bit and clenched her fists. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence. Someone must have been afraid that we would find out the truth and deliberately killed them to silence them.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If you want to know if it¡¯s a coincidence, you¡¯ll know after checking.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him. ¡°How?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Something happened to Sun Dalang¡¯s family because the donkey suddenly went crazy. Why did the donkey go crazy and run around?¡± Yu Niaoniao suddenly remembered that she had seen a dilapidated cart rack in the backyard. She immediately turned around and ran towards the backyard. Xiao Juan followed closely. The two of them found the broken cart in the cowshed in the backyard. The cart was covered in damage, and the wheels had deformed. It looked like it had been hit violently. This should be the donkey cart that Sun Dalang¡¯s family was riding. The donkey had been disposed of, but the cart was still here. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan leaned over to take a closer look, but they did not find anything unusual. They did not give up. Then, they went to look for the village chief and asked about the details of Sun Dalang¡¯s family¡¯s accident. When the village chief learned that Yu Niaoniao was Feng Lianghan¡¯s daughter, he was very cooperative and answered almost every question. After his description, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan realized that no one had personally witnessed Sun Dalang¡¯s family encounter an accident. Everyone had inferred the cause of death from the situation at the event location when they discovered Sun Dalang¡¯s family¡¯s corpse. After that, the government also sent a coroner to check the remains of Sun Dalang¡¯s family, proving that they had died from falling down the hill and being seriously injured. All of this did not seem to be a problem. Yu Niaoniao could not help but feel disappointed. Could it be that she was thinking too much? At this moment, Xiao Juan suddenly asked. ¡°What happened to Sun Dalang¡¯s donkey cart later?¡± The village chief said truthfully, ¡°The donkey has already fallen to its death, and its carcass was rotting. It was definitely not edible and can only be buried on the spot. As for the cart, it was sent back to Sun Dalang¡¯s house and left in his backyard.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan looked at each other. The two of them did not say anything, but they tacitly decided to go to the crime scene to take a look. They asked the village chief for the exact location of the crime scene and left the village. The two of them rode for a long distance. After a few comparisons, they finally found the location of the crime that the village chief had mentioned. It was spring now, and the hillside was filled with tender green weeds. Xiao Juan tied the horse up and walked down the hill with the shovel in one hand and Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand in the other. The two of them searched as they walked and found many traces left behind by the donkey cart. In the end, they arrived at the place where the donkey¡¯s carcass was buried. Xiao Juan used the shovel to dig open the soil and quickly saw the rotten donkey carcass. Yu Niaoniao endured nausea and took out a donkey bone. She quickly wrapped it in fabric. Then, Xiao Juan filled the soil back in.. Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: Nothing Chapter 566: Nothing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan suspected that the reason why the donkey suddenly went crazy was that someone had secretly done something to it. They wanted to bring the donkey bone back for Lo Pingsha to test. When they returned to Jinguan City, it was already night. Logically speaking, Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai should have returned by now, but Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan did not see them in the Feng family¡¯s old residence. Yu Niaoniao was a little worried about their safety. Xiao Juan suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll go out of town to look for them. Stay at home and wait for news.¡± Yu Niaoniao was unwilling. ¡°You¡¯re unfamiliar with this place. If anything really happens, it won¡¯t be easy for you to deal with it. It¡¯s better for me to do it.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart ached. Ever since she left the Imperial Capital, she had been tense and busy every day. Xiao Juan was afraid that she would tire out and wanted her to stay at home to rest. However, since she was unwilling, he could not force her. He could only follow her wishes. Before leaving, Yu Niaoniao specially wrapped the donkey bone and brought it along. This bone emitted a strong rancid smell. Yu Niaoniao ran with it. At first, she could not stand the smell. After a long time, she became inured to it. At this moment, she could already carry the donkey bone on her back without changing her expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Juan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you going to leave with it?¡± Yu Niaoniao knew that it was a little strange, but she was still very insistent. ¡°It¡¯s better to be prepared. What if a thief sneaked in when we weren¡¯t at home? It¡¯s safer to carry this bone with us.¡± In any case, it was not heavy. It was just a little smelly. It would pass if she endured it. Xiao Juan could not help but laugh. ¡°Which thief would steal a stinky bone?¡± Although he said that, he respected her thoughts. The two of them went out together and rode out of the city. As soon as they left, a person in black night clothes quietly infiltrated the Feng family¡¯s old residence. He went straight to the bedroom where Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan lived and could not find anything. Then, the man in black went to the study and storeroom, but he still found nothing. In the end, he could only leave the Feng family¡¯s old residence empty-handed. The man in black quickly passed through the city and entered a very ordinary small courtyard. The moment he pushed open the door, an oil lamp suddenly lit up in the originally dark room. There were more than ten burly men standing in the room, all with sabers on their waists. The person in the lead was called Qin Jun. He was the tallest and was more than nine feet tall. Even though it was cold in spring, he still rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular arms. The outline of his face was hard and his skin was bronze. A portion of his left eyebrow was broken. Coupled with his sharp eagle-like eyes, he looked especially fierce and dangerous. The man in black who had just entered immediately knelt on one knee and lowered his head to report. ¡°Boss, I didn¡¯t find any bones or bracelets.¡± Qin Jun frowned slightly. ¡°Looks like they have everything.¡± He deliberately got someone to delay Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai so that the two of them could not return for the time being. Out of worry for them, Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao might look for them. Originally, Qin Jun thought that Yu Niaoniao would leave the donkey bone at home. After all, that thing was dirty and smelly. A delicate young lady like Yu Niaoniao probably wouldn¡¯t carry that thing with her. Unexpectedly, Yu Niaoniao was so cautious that she really kept the bone with her. Qin Jun asked, ¡°Where did they go?¡± The man in black replied truthfully, ¡°They went in the direction of the city gate. It seems that they are planning to leave the city.¡± Qin Jun ordered in a low voice, ¡°Go find them and snatch the thing.¡± The man in black asked carefully, ¡°What if they¡¯re unwilling to give it up? Qin Jun spat out a word coldly. ¡°Kill! When Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan found Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai, they realized that the two of them were surrounded by a group of soldiers. The leader was the low-ranking official she had seen yesterday. The low-ranking official said that Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai¡¯s origins were unknown and their whereabouts were suspicious. Claiming that they must be up to no good, he ordered someone to capture these two people and bring them back to the government office. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai were naturally unwilling to surrender, but they did not dare to expose their identities. After all, they had been reminded by Duke Lang on the way to Bashu. Their investigation this time was private. They had to keep a low profile the entire time and try their best not to be discovered. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai wanted to leave, but they were surrounded by soldiers. The two sides were in a stalemate until this moment. Xiao Juan could already tell that this official was purely looking for trouble and deliberately looking for trouble with them. He could not be bothered to waste his breath on the other party. He placed the scabbard of the No Return Saber on the lowly official¡¯s head and said coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, get lost immediately.¡± The low-ranking official was so frightened by his terrifying aura that he trembled and stuttered. ¡°You, you actually dare to threaten the officials of the Imperial Court? Are you trying to rebel?!¡± Yu Niaoniao sneered. ¡°You¡¯re just a small official. You can¡¯t even be considered an official. You actually call yourself an official of the Imperial Court? Who gave you the cheek to do so?¡± Usually, everyone said that they were officials, but real officials were actually different. According to the system of society, officials were considered proper civil servants. The low-ranking official was akin to a temporary worker in the modern day. The low-ranking official¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Even if I¡¯m just a low-ranking official, I¡¯m much better than you bumpkins! You offended me today, but I can put you in jail tomorrow!¡± Xiao Juan replied indifferently, ¡°Is that so?¡± The low-ranking official was totally angered and instructed the bailiffs to arrest them. They thought that with their numbers, they would definitely be able to capture them easily. Unexpectedly, Xiao Juan and Lo Pingsha were strong in martial arts. Although Ling Hai was young, he had learned a tew moves. More than ten bailitts were no match for them. In just a few moves, all the bailiffs were knocked down. In the end, only the low-ranking official was left standing. He looked at Xiao Juan, who was walking towards him step by step, and was so frightened that his face turned pale. He was no longer as arrogant as before and ran away without thinking. Xiao Juan was just scaring the other party. He had more important things to do and did not have the time to waste with this small official. Seeing that the other party had left, Xiao Juan did not chase after him. He spoke to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The four of them mounted their horses and walked back the way they came. On the way, Yu Niaoniao told Lo Pingsha what had happened to Sun Dalang¡¯s family and expressed her hope that he would help test the donkey bones. Lo Pingsha naturally agreed. ¡°My tools are all in the Feng family¡¯s old residence. I can start the test immediately when I get back. I should be able to give you an answer tomorrow morning. ¡± Yu Niaoniao was filled with anticipation. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Unexpectedly, at this moment, Xiao Juan¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He turned to look at the forest by the road and held the hilt of the No Return Saber with one hand as he shouted. ¡°Who¡¯s there? Come out!¡± The other three reined in their horses and looked at the dark forest. They did not see or hear anything, but they knew that Xiao Juan¡¯s five senses were naturally sharper than those of ordinary people. They all trusted Xiao Juan¡¯s judgment. Yu Niaoniao also raised her right hand, revealing the crossbow hidden in her sleeve, ready to fight at any time.. Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: Pursuit Chapter 567: Pursuit Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the next moment, they heard an ear-piercing cat cry from the forest¡ª Meow!!! Right on the heels of that, a wild cat darted out of the forest and quickly ran away. Yu Niaoniao lowered her hand and heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°So it¡¯s a cat.¡± However, at this moment, a group of men in black suddenly rushed out of the forest. They were all shrouded in black and wore masks that revealed only their eyes. Moreover, each of them was holding a weapon. Their actions were extremely agile, and it was obvious that they were experts. Yu Niaoniao was shocked. She hurriedly raised her right hand and aimed the crossbow at them. The men in black surrounded Yu Niaoniao and the other three. The tallest person took a step forward. This person was Qin Jun. He raised his head slightly and said to Xiao Juan, who was on horseback. ¡°Hand it over.¡± Xiao Juan asked calmly, ¡®What is it?¡± Qin Jun pointed at the bag on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s back with the tip of his knife. ¡°What¡¯s inside.¡± Yu Niaoniao subconsciously tensed up and quickly calculated. This group of people was here for the donkey bone. What did they want the donkey bone for? Or were they the real murderers who killed Sun Dalang¡¯s family? Did they want to retrieve the donkey bone to destroy the evidence? Xiao Juan asked Yu Niaoniao¡¯s guess. ¡°Did you kill Sun Dalang¡¯s family?¡± Qin Jun sneered. ¡°If you want to live long, don¡¯t know too much. As long as you hand over the item, we can consider leaving you a way out. Otherwise¡­¡± Xiao Juan asked calmly, ¡°Otherwise what?¡± Qin Jun¡¯s gaze suddenly became fierce, like a bloodthirsty wolf. ¡°I¡¯ll kill all of you!¡± Facing the threat, Xiao Juan was neither angry nor flustered. He continued to ask calmly. ¡°Why did you kill Sun Dalang¡¯s family? Who instructed you?¡± Qin Jun scolded, ¡°It seems like you want to do this the hard way!¡± With a command, he pounced at Xiao Juan and the other three with his men! Xiao Juan and the others naturally would not surrender. The two sides began an intense battle. Xiao Juan stood at the front. He was holding the No Return Saber and fighting ten alone. Lo Pingsha was slightly behind. His main mission was to protect Yu Niaoniao and Ling Hai from being injured by the men in black. Yu Niaoniao held the crossbow and tried to aim at the man in black in the lead. Unfortunately, the night was too dark, and the other party moved too quickly. His figure kept swaying, making it impossible for her to aim. She was afraid that she would accidentally hurt Xiao Juan, so she could only suppress her anxiety and not dare to pull the trigger easily. She had been waiting for the right time to shoot. Xiao Juan could be said to be the man with the highest martial arts in the entire Dayan, but these men in black were also rare experts, and they cooperated well. After a few rounds of fighting, Xiao Juan was accidentally injured and had a cut on his arm. He had no choice but to retreat, and his movements became slow. Seeing this, Qin Jun seized the opportunity to slash at Xiao Juan! However, just as he was about to hit Xiao Juan, a small crossbow arrow shot out from a diagonal and hit his arm! His expression changed drastically from the pain, and he stopped in his tracks. Blood flowed out of the wound. However, he still endured the pain and did not let go of his saber. He didn¡¯t even look at his wound. He wanted to raise his saber and slash again. However, Xiao Juan had already dodged. At the same time, he quickly waved the No Return Saber. His movements were extremely fast and did not slow down at all. Qin Jun was shocked and afraid. At this moment, he already understood that Xiao Juan had deliberately revealed a flaw just now to injure himself and pretend to be no match for him. Qin Jun had been tricked. He wanted to pursue the victory, but he did not expect the other party to suddenly counterattack. He was caught off guard and could only dodge awkwardly. However, the speed of the No Return Saber was too fast. He could only barely dodge to prevent his vital points from being hit, but his shoulder was still slashed. The wound was so deep that his bones could be seen. It was so painful that he let out a fierce groan and almost could not stand. Xiao Juan retracted the No Return Blade without hesitation and made a move to attack again. Qin Jun gripped the hilt of his saber tightly and planned to fight to the death. Unexpectedly, in the next moment, Xiao Juan used his qinggong, got on the horse, turned around, and ran! As for Lo Pingsha, Yu Niaoniao, and Ling Hai, they had long ridden far away. It turned out that all the men in black were focused on Qin Jun and Xiao Juan. When they saw their boss being injured by Xiao Juan, they were prepared to rush forward to help. Yu Niaoniao and the other two seized this opportunity to quickly escape. Qin Jun was exasperated. He held his bleeding shoulder and gritted his teeth. ¡°You bunch of useless things actually let them all escape!¡± The men in black lowered their heads and did not dare to make a sound. Qin Jun stared in the direction where Xiao Juan and the others had left with a dark gaze and a fierce tone. ¡°Do you really think you can escape?¡± Xiao Juan and the others rode back to the city. They did not go home. Instead, they went straight to the local county governor¡¯s residence and called him out. He had just washed up and was about to sleep. The local county governor¡¯s name was Yuan Jin. He was a middle-aged man in his forties. He was a little fat and his hair volume was very worrying. When he heard that a big shot from the capital was looking for him, he was so anxious that he did not even have time to comb his hair. He only put on his coat and hurriedly ran out. When he saw Xiao Juan and the other three in the hall, he recognized them at a glance. Wasn¡¯t this the famous Duke Lang?! Back then, when Yuan Jin entered the capital to report his work, he had seen Duke Lang once in the morning court. Duke Lang was not ordinary-looking and had a terrifying aura. It was difficult to forget him. Yuan Jin raised his head with both hands and bowed deeply. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness!¡± He was still guessing the reason for Duke Lang¡¯s sudden appearance when he heard him say in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m here to investigate a case. I encountered a group of assassins outside the city just now. Quickly send someone to capture them.¡± Yuan Jin was shocked and subconsciously looked up. Only then did he realize that Duke Lang¡¯s arm was injured. He hurriedly said, ¡°Your Highness, sit down. I¡¯ll get someone to call the doctor over to treat you.¡± Duke Lang had been assassinated and injured in the territory under his jurisdiction. If Duke Lang wanted to take his anger out on him, he would be in deep trouble! Xiao Juan was in no mood to care about his injuries and urged Yuan Jin to quickly send someone to capture the assassin. Yuan Jin had no choice but to arrange for people. After everyone left, Yu Niaoniao helped Xiao Juan sit down. Then, Lo Pingsha went forward and bandaged his wound simply. Looking at the bleeding wound, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart ached. Xiao Juan did not even look at his wound. His back was straight, and his expression was cold. ¡°Those assassins are not ordinary people.¡± Lo Pingsha did not stop moving and replied, ¡°Yes, their skills are superb and they cooperate well. They must have undergone long-term training. This means that the mastermind behind them is even more extraordinary.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°They¡¯re here for the donkey bone, which means that they Imow that we went to the event location where Sun Dalang¡¯s family encountered an accident. They also know that we dug out the donkey bone.. They must be following us secretly again! ¡° Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Suicide Chapter 568: Suicide Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan¡¯s expression darkened as he reflected on what had transpired. To think that he was confident in his extraordinary five senses. In the end, he did not even notice that they had been followed. He pursed his thin lips and said coldly. ¡°They could have been hiding in the dark all along. Now that they suddenly appeared to snatch the donkey bone, it means that our investigation direction is not wrong. We are approaching the truth step by step.¡± Although that was the case, no one felt relaxed. Instead, their mood became even heavier. They had only found a little, but there were already so many experts chasing after them. If they continued to investigate, their future situation would definitely be even more dangerous. Yuan Jin returned quickly. He bowed and promised again. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to chase after the assassins outside the city. Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. As long as they¡¯re still in Bashu County, I¡¯ll definitely capture them and give you an explanation!¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao revealed a strange expression. ¡°Duke Lang and I had no intention of leaving the city tonight. It was because our people had encountered some trouble and were delayed. That was why we had to decide to leave the city at the last minute to look for them.¡± ¡°However, we were attacked by an assassin on the way back to the city. County Governor Yuan, do you think all of this is a coincidence?¡± Yuan Jin looked at her in a daze. ¡°You are?¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could answer, Xiao Juan spoke first. ¡°She¡¯s my County Princess. Answer her question.¡± Yuan Jin hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Greetings, County Princess. If you have any doubts, feel free to say them. I¡¯ll definitely investigate.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You have a low-ranking official under you who has brought people to cause trouble for us time and time again. Originally, I didn¡¯t take him seriously, but tonight, it was because of his pestering that we decided to leave the city at the last minute. Moreover, not long after we separated from that official, we were assassinated.¡± Yuan Jin broke out in cold sweat. ¡°Was there actually such a thing? May I ask, Princess Consort, what¡¯s that lowly official¡¯s name? I¡¯ll definitely investigate him!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 don¡¯t know his name.¡± Yuan Jin said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call all the low-ranking officials in the residence over and let you recognize them one by one.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble. I remember his appearance. I can draw it for you to see.¡± Yuan Jin immediately ordered someone to bring over pen, ink, paper, and inkstone and personally laid out paper and ink for the princess consort. He had seen many portraits and knew that there was a huge difference between portraits and real people. Therefore, he did not have much hope for the County Princess¡¯s work, but he did not dare to dampen the County Princess¡¯s interest and could only stand at the side and watch silently. However, when he saw the County Princess outline a vivid face on the paper with just a few strokes, he could not help but be stunned. According to the image in her memory, Yu Niaoniao kept drawing. Her facial features became clearer and clearer, and the entire figure became more and more real. It was so real that it seemed like it would come to life at any time. Yuan Jin was surprised by the County Princess¡¯s exquisite painting skills and could not help but praise. ¡°This painting is wonderful!¡± Yu Niaoniao put down her paintbrush and asked, ¡°Have you seen this person?¡± Yuan Jin looked at the portrait carefully. ¡°He looks very familiar, but I can¡¯t remember who he is.¡± There were many small officials in the residence. As a county governor, he was very busy every day. How could he have the time to remember an unknown official? Yuan Jin called the head official over and pointed at the man in the portrait. ¡°Do you know this person?¡± The head official was in charge of the personnel changes in the county governor¡¯s residence. He knew everyone in the residence, so he recognized them at a glance. ¡°This is a small official under Official Gao. His name is Li Jia, and he¡¯s in charge of the security of an area in the east of the city.¡± Yuan Jin immediately said, ¡°Bring him over!¡± Seeing that the county governor¡¯s mood was not good, the head official did not dare to ask further and hurriedly agreed. ¡°Yes!¡± The head official hurriedly retreated. He left for a long time. Yuan Jin was nervous. From time to time, he would steal a glance at Duke Lang and the Princess Consort, afraid that they would be unhappy. Just as Yuan Jin was about to ask someone to look for the head official, he saw the head official hurriedly barge in. Before Yuan Jin could ask, the head official knelt on the ground and told him everything. ¡°County Governor, I went to look for Li Jia when I was informed that he was not in the residence. Therefore, I brought someone to his house, only to discover that he had already died at home!¡± Yuan Jin¡¯s expression changed and he hurriedly asked, ¡°How did he die?¡± Guardian: ¡°He¡­ he hanged himself. When we arrived at his house, he was already dead.¡± If he wasn¡¯t guilty, why would he have committed suicide? Yuan Jin could not help but feel nervous. Could it be that Li Jia had really colluded with an assassin to assassinate Duke Lang? However, Li Jia was only an unknown official. He had nothing to do with Duke Lang. Was there a need to take the risk to go against him? Li Jia¡¯s death was very sudden, but Xiao Juan did not react much. He asked calmly. ¡°Where¡¯s Li Jia¡¯s corpse?¡± The head official did not know the identity of the person in front of him, so he did not answer. Instead, he looked up at Yuan Jin. Yuan Jin said angrily, ¡°Why are you looking at me? Just say what you know!¡± Since the County Governor had said so, the head official naturally had nothing to worry about. ¡°The corpse has been brought back to the County Governor¡¯s Mansion.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Carry it in.¡± The head otticial looked at Yuan Jin again. Yuan Jin glared. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going?!¡± The head official hurriedly got up and went outside to get someone to carry the corpse into the house. Lo Pingsha stepped forward and untied the white linen covering the corpse. Li Jia lay straight on the stretcher. His face was gray and his eyes were closed. There was a deep strangulation mark on his neck. Lo Pingsha put on his gloves and carefully checked the ligature mark on Li Jia¡¯s neck. He quickly came to a conclusion. ¡°There are two strangulation marks on the victim¡¯s neck. One of the strangulation marks is facing back, and the other is facing up. The victim should have been strangled with a hemp rope first and hung high to create the impression that he hanged himself.¡± Yuan Jin hurriedly said, ¡°In that case, Li Jia didn¡¯t commit suicide?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yes.¡± Before Yuan Jin could heave a sigh of relief, he heard him continue right on the heels of that. ¡°Li Jia must have been killed by his accomplice.¡± Yuan Jin was stunned. Yu Niaoniao turned to look at Xiao Juan, who was sitting beside her, and asked softly. ¡°Could it be that group of assassins just now? Xiao Juan said, ¡°That¡¯s very possible.¡± Lo Pingsha stood up. ¡°From the temperature and stiffness of the corpse, the time of death should have been an hour ago.¡± The head official muttered, ¡°An hour is the time to go back and forth to Li Jia¡¯s house. In that case, he stopped breathing as soon as we arrived at Li Jia¡¯s house. This is too much of a coincidence. If we had arrived earlier, Li Jia might not have died.¡± Yuan Jin said, ¡°That¡¯s right. As long as you arrive a step earlier, you could have met that group of assassins head-on.¡± The head official immediately shrank his neck and did not dare to say anything else. He was only a civil servant. If he really met an assassin face to face, he would definitely die.. Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Investigation Chapter 569: Investigation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The troops Yuan Jin sent to chase after the assassins finally returned empty-handed. Regarding this, Yuan Jin was uneasy, afraid that Duke Lang would blame him for not doing his job well. However, in fact, Xiao Juan had already expected this outcome, so he did not say anything. The group of assassins was all experts and their whereabouts were secretive. After the assassination failed, they must have quickly fled. Xiao Juan ordered to issue a wanted order for those assassins in Bashu County. As long as they could provide the whereabouts of the assassins, not only could they guarantee the safety of the person who reported the case, but they could also provide a thousand taels of silver as a reward. When the head official took the wanted order from the county governor, he could not help but be tempted when he saw the amount of the bounty on the wanted order, let alone those ordinary citizens. The next day, Lo Pingsha gave the test results. ¡°This donkey was poisoned when it was alive. This is a rather special poison.¡± ¡°After taking it, it would not act up immediately. It would only act up after an hour or so.¡± ¡°On the way, the donkey¡¯s poison acted up and it ran off crazily, falling down the hill with the family in the cart. This led to the tragedy.¡± This result further confirmed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s guess. Sun Dalang¡¯s family had indeed been silenced. First, it was Li Niang, then Sun Dalang¡¯s family, and Li Jia¡­ These people died one by one. The people who killed them were trying to silence them. Obviously, someone did not want Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan to continue investigating. Yu Niaoniao clenched her fists. No matter who the mastermind was, she had to find that person! Not only was it to give Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan an explanation, but it was also to give justice to Sun Dalang¡¯s family, which had been innocently implicated! After the arrest warrant was posted, it immediately caused a heated discussion among the commoners. They were all coveting the reward of a thousand taels of silver. Many commoners would never see so much money in their lives. If they could obtain this bounty, it was equivalent to not having to worry about food and drink for the rest of their lives! Money talks was a common principle since ancient times. In order to obtain the bounty, as long as the commoners were free, they would look for traces of assassins everywhere. The wanted poster had the appearance of assassins. Although those assassins were masked, the author had drawn their eyes vividly. As long as one searched carefully with his eyes, one might be able to find the assassin. Soon, someone provided clues to the county governor¡¯s residence. Someone had seen the assassin on the wanted list in the city. Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao immediately received the person. The person who came was a middle-aged woman. She looked fair and chubby. She shook the embroidery handkerchief and said vividly. ¡°I have several unused houses in the city that I usually rent out.¡± ¡°A foreigner came to me not long ago. He claimed to be here to do business in Bashu and wanted to rent my house.¡± ¡°He was very generous. Not only did he not bargain with me, but he also doubled my rent.¡± ¡°His only request was that no one should disturb him usually because he liked peace and quiet and hated being disturbed by people he did not know.¡± ¡°At the time, I thought it was strange. How could a businessman have such a quirk?¡± Didn¡¯t business involve dealing with all kinds of people? Otherwise, how could he earn money?¡± ¡°However, the rich man was the boss. He had given so much money. As long as the house was not damaged, he could do whatever he wanted. Until this morning, when I saw the wanted order posted on the bulletin board. Only then did I realize that the strange man who rented the house looked very similar to one of the people on the wanted poster.¡± With that, she took out the wanted order she had taken off the noticeboard and pointed at the portrait of the man on it, indicating that it was him. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± The fat Madam said without hesitation. ¡°I have very sharp eyes. I can¡¯t be wrong. It¡¯s these eyes. It¡¯s definitely him!¡± They quickly found the small courtyard the fat Madam had mentioned. On the surface, this small courtyard was very ordinary. There were even shops doing business around it. There were people coming and going on the road in front of the courtyard door. No one would expect a nest of assassins to be hidden here. Xiao Juan ordered someone to kick open the courtyard door and rush in with his men. Yu Niaoniao brought another team to guard the courtyard door in case there was a trap inside. Not long after, Yu Niaoniao saw Xiao Juan come out again with his men. She asked hurriedly, ¡°Did you find him?¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°No.¡± Just now, he had searched the house and its surroundings with his men, but he did not find any traces of the assassin. Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°Could the information be wrong? The assassin doesn¡¯t live here at all?¡± At this moment, Xiao Juan took out a medicine bottle. The cap had been opened. There was still blood on the bottle. ¡°I found this in the house. There were also the night clothes that had been changed out. They were stained with blood.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the medicine bottle and looked at it to confirm that it was a Golden Creation potion used for treating external injuries. She took the opportunity to speculate. ¡°So this is indeed where the assassins stayed. They came back last night and bandaged their wounds here, but then they ran away.¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly in agreement with her guess. Yu Niaoniao wiped the bottle with her fingertips and caught a little blood. ¡°The blood hasn¡¯t dried yet. They might not have run far.¡± In the name of the county governor, Xiao Juan ordered more people to strictly investigate everyone who left the city. The reason he didn¡¯t seal the city gate was to give the assassins a glimmer of hope that they might be able to escape. Only then would the assassins walk into a trap. The truth was indeed as Yu Niaoniao had guessed. After the failed assassination last night, Qin Jun brought people back to the small courtyard in the city. Qin Jun was seriously injured, but he could not go to the medical center. Fortunately, they had prepared medicine to treat external injuries. He treated his wounds himself in the small courtyard. At the same time, he instructed his subordinates to kill Li Jia to prevent him from revealing their whereabouts. He had thought that when he was done, it would be fine. They could continue to hide in this small courtyard. Unexpectedly, the government suddenly issued a wanted order, and there was a portrait of them on it. When Qin Jun saw himself in the portrait, he felt terrible. Even though the man in the portrait was masked, his eyes were too recognizable. One could recognize him at a glance! He was so angry that he tore the wanted order into pieces. However, he quickly calmed down. He could not stay here for long. He had to leave immediately! Qin Jun could not care less that he had yet to recover from his serious injuries. He did not even have time to pack the things in the house before quickly leaving the small courtyard with his subordinates. They disguised themselves as a funeral procession and planned to sneak out of Jinguan City without anyone knowing. In the end, when they approached the city gate, they realized that there were a large number of soldiers standing next to the gate. Anyone who wanted to leave the city, no matter their identity, had to be strictly interrogated.. Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: Severed Chapter 570: Severed Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The funeral procession was very eye-catching. As soon as they appeared, they attracted the attention of the soldiers. Qin Jun knew that if he turned around and left now, it would be equivalent to telling everyone that they were very suspicious. So he could only suppress the uneasiness in his heart and carry on walking with the memorial tablet. Behind him, ten people carried the heavy coffin. The others were dressed in mourning and crying as they scattered paper money. Since everyone had to be interrogated, they could only be allowed to leave the city after confirming that there were no problems. This process was slower, so there was a long line of people leaving the city. When it was the funeral procession¡¯s turn, it was an hour later. Qin Jun¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, and his face was covered in a beard. He hugged the memorial tablet tightly with both hands. His voice was hoarse and filled with tears. ¡°I came here from elsewhere to do business. I didn¡¯t expect my father to suddenly contract an evil illness and die. His only last wish when he was alive was to return to his roots. I have to send him back to his hometown. Please let us pass quickly. I¡¯ll kowtow to you!¡± With that, he knelt down and his head hit the ground. The soldiers were not buying it. Not only did they have to check all their travel passes and luggage, but they also had to open the coffin to check. Qin Jun¡¯s dissuasion was useless. In the end, he could only pretend to be extremely angry and let the soldiers open the coffin. There was only the cold corpse of an old man in the coffin. The soldiers found nothing. They did not stop there. Then, they took out the wanted posters and began to compare them to the people in the funeral procession. Qin Jun was the first. Qin Jun stood rooted to the ground and cried until he was out of breath. He kept calling out for his father. Originally, his eyes were identical to the assassin¡¯s eyes on the wanted poster. But now his eyes were red and swollen and completely out of shape. They were very different from the man in the wanted poster. The soldiers looked left and right but could not recognize him. The others in the funeral procession were the same. Their eyes were red and swollen from crying. The soldiers compared them but could not find anyone similar. Qin Jun thought that he had bluffed his way through. Unexpectedly, one of the soldiers said, ¡°The higher-ups have instructed that, in the next two days, if more than ten persons want to leave the city, no matter their identity, they have to be detained first. They can only be released after capturing the real assassin. Everyone, I¡¯m sorry. I have to trouble you to stay in the government office for a few days.¡± Qin Jun was so angry that he almost vomited blood. He did not hesitate to use chili to make his eyes red and swollen Such a hard-working performance was all useless! If he had known earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted his time! It was impossible to beg the government office. It was impossible to leave in this life! Qin Jun suddenly threw the memorial tablet at the soldier closest to him. Then, he pulled out the short dagger hidden in his sleeve and stabbed it into the soldier¡¯s heart! Instantly, blood splattered. The commoners screamed in fear and fled with their heads in their hands. At this moment, Qin Jun had completely torn off his disguise and revealed his ferocious appearance. He led his assassins and rushed forward. Whether the people blocking his way were soldiers or ordinary people, he would kill anyone he saw! Fortunately, Xiao Juan was nearby. When he heard the commotion, he immediately rushed to the city gate. His gaze swept past the chaotic crowd and quickly locked onto Qin Jun. He immediately pulled out the No Return Saber and flew over with Qinggong. The blade was wrapped in a biting cold killing intent as it approached Qin Jun! Qin Jun reacted quickly and turned around to block. The blades collided. There was a clang and sparks flew. It was a battle of strength. In the end, the No Return Saber was superior. The blade of the short knife in Qin Jun¡¯s hand gradually bent, and with a crack, it broke into two! Xiao Juan still wanted to know the mastermind from Qin Jun and could not take his life for the time being. Therefore, he restrained his strength in time the moment the No Return Saber landed. The No Return Saber suddenly stopped. At this moment, the blade was less than an inch away from Qin Jun¡¯s face. Qin Jun looked at the sharp blade in front of him. This was the first time he had faced death so close. His heart involuntarily beat faster, and his breathing quickened. When the other assassins saw that their boss had almost been killed, they stopped moving and did not dare to act rashly. The soldiers took the opportunity to evacuate the people and then surrounded the assassins. Xiao Juan looked at the pale and stiff Qin Jun and asked coldly. ¡°Who instructed you to kill us?¡± Qin Jun spoke with difficulty. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You¡¯ve been secretly following us. You killed Sun Dalang¡¯s family and Li Jia because you didn¡¯t want us to continue investigating.¡± Qin Jun said, ¡°If you want to kill, kill. You don¡¯t have to tell me this.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I know you¡¯ve all been professionally trained. You¡¯re not afraid of death. It doesn¡¯t matter. Our Justice Department specializes in cracking tough nuts, especially ones like you. There¡¯s no mouth in this world we can¡¯t pry open.¡± With that, he gave the order to bring all these assassins back! The soldiers were about to kidnap him when at a critical moment, an arrow suddenly shot out from the dark and pierced through Qin Jun¡¯s heart! The soldiers were frightened by this sudden change. The other assassins seized the opportunity and slit their own throats. In just a moment, everyone fell into a pool of blood. Xiao Juan was the first to react. He rushed forward and squatted beside Qin Jun. ¡°The mastermind has already wanted to silence you Qin Jun was already prepared to die, but he did not expect to die at the hands of his own people. This made him very indignant. He opened his mouth and struggled to make a sound. ¡®Wait¡­¡¯ Xiao Juan immediately leaned over and listened carefully. However, before Qin Jun could say a second word, he had already died. When Yu Niaoniao and Lo Pingsha rushed over, they saw corpses all over the ground. This bloody scene stunned them for a moment. Xiao Juan had already ordered someone to search the vicinity, wanting to find the person who had hidden in the dark and shot the arrow just now. In the end, he found nothing. This made Xiao Juan¡¯s heart sink and his expression turned ugly. He spoke to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Our leads are cut off again.¡± Every time they felt that they were one step closer to the truth, the clues would be forcefully cut off. It was as if an invisible hand had blocked their way. Yu Niaoniao did not give up and asked, ¡°Did the assassin leave any clues before he died?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Before he died, he said the word ¡®wait¡¯. I don¡¯t know what he meant.¡± Yu Niaoniao pondered carefully. A blurry thought flashed across her mind, but she could not grasp it. At this moment, Lo Pingsha walked over. He was still holding the arrow he had pulled from Qin Jun¡¯s heart. The arrowhead was stained with blood. ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary arrow. There¡¯s no mark on it..¡± Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Coincidence Chapter 571: Coincidence Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The soldiers brought all the corpses back and handed them to Lo Pingsha to examine one by one to see if he could find any clues from their corpses. Ling Hai stayed behind to help him. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan could not help and could only go back for the time being. When the old servants saw that they were back, they hurriedly prepared hot food for them. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were a little distracted. No one spoke at the dining table. Seeing this, the old servant standing at the side thought that the couple had quarreled, so he began to find something to talk about, wanting to help the two of them ease the atmosphere. ¡°The residence bought cinnamon today. This is the first batch of cinnamon this year. It¡¯s very tender. In the past, when Master and Madam were still around, they had to eat cinnamon scrambled eggs every spring.¡± Thinking of the past, Yu Niaoniao felt wistful. She was even less in the mood to eat and asked casually. ¡°When did you arrive at the Feng family?¡± The old servant recounted the past. ¡°I¡¯m the son of the family. My father used to serve the Old Master. Back then, the Old Master and the Matriarch were out of town doing something and bought two servants locally. My father was one of them.¡± ¡°Later, my father followed the Old Master and Matriarch back to Jinguan City and got to know the maidservant at home.¡± ¡°They had a good impression of each other. When Matriarch Lu found out, she arranged a match for the two of them and facilitated this marriage. Then they gave birth to me.¡± Xiao Juan, who was originally eating quietly, suddenly asked. ¡°Old Master and Matriarch have been overseas? The old servant nodded and answered honestly. ¡°That¡¯s right. He was gone for a full three years. Matriarch Lu was pregnant at that time. When the two of them returned home, Young Master was not even a month old.¡± Xiao Juan was deep in thought before asking. ¡°What did they go out of town for?¡± The old servant hesitated. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°We¡¯re all family. There¡¯s no need to have any scruples. Tell me what you know.¡± The old servant thought about it and agreed. Missy and Young Master were not outsiders. It did not matter even if those things were said. ¡°I heard this from my father. The Old Master and Matriarch were a young couple and had a deep relationship. However, for some reason, she had not been pregnant after being married for many years.¡± ¡°There were many rumors outside that the Matriarch could not give birth. I won¡¯t mention the details. In short, it wasn¡¯t very pleasant.¡± ¡°The Old Master brought Matriarch out to look for a physician and saw many of them. ¡°In the end, the heavens did not disappoint those who worked hard. They finally found the divine physician. Matriarch successfully got pregnant and gave birth to a child, who became Master and your father.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but guess¡­ Perhaps the Old Master and Matriarch did not find any divine physician back then, and the Matriarch did not get pregnant as she wished. The child they had brought back was not their biological child either. She turned to look at Xiao Juan and saw that he was also looking at her. Their eyes met. They said nothing, but they already understood each other¡¯s thoughts. Yu Niaoniao knew that Xiao Juan¡¯s thoughts coincided with hers. After dinner, they went back into the room. Closing the door, they were alone in the room. Only then did Yu Niaoniao speak. ¡°I want to go to the Zhang family again tomorrow. I have something to ask Village Head Zhang.¡± Village Head Zhang was the oldest person in a hundred miles. He definitely Imew more about those ancient things than others. Xiao Juan hugged her and gently patted her back. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow. Go to sleep.¡± ¡°Yeah. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai were busy until the next morning. As Xiao Juan had expected, they could not find any useful clues on the assassin¡¯s corpse. Those assassins were death warriors who had been trained for a long time. They were prepared to sacrifice their lives for their master at any time. They would never expose their master¡¯s identity, let alone leave clues on them that might expose their identity. Because they had been busy all night, Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai were very tired. Yu Niaoniao asked the two of them to eat something and rest. Then, she instructed the servants in the residence not to disturb their rest unless necessary. Then, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan rode out of the city. Village Head Zhang naturally welcomed them warmly and poured tea for them enthusiastically. He even asked his daughters-in-law to quickly bring out the melon seeds and peanuts they had fried at home. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Grandpa. We¡¯re here today to ask you something.¡± Village Head Zhang asked what it was about. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°When did Li Niang come to Jinguan City when she was pregnant?¡± Village Head Zhang thought carefully. ¡°It should have been thirty-nine years ago.¡± If Feng Lianghan was still alive, he would be 39 years old this year. Could this be a coincidence? Yu Niaoniao continued to ask, ¡°I heard that my grandparents went overseas for three years and came back with a child. Do you still remember this?¡± Village Head Zhang laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that your father they brought back?! Of course, I remember this. My father and I even went to the Feng family to celebrate your father¡¯s one-month-old celebration! At that time, your grandmother was not in good health and didn¡¯t have enough milk to feed the child. It was Grandma Sun who helped her find a nanny.¡± Hearing Grandma Sun¡¯s name again, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She tried to remain calm and asked. ¡°Was Li Niang still in Jinguan City at that time?¡± Zhang Lizheng was not very sure about this. ¡°She should still be around. She had just given birth at that time and was still very weak. She couldn¡¯t leave even if she wanted to. As for when she left Jinguan City, I didn¡¯t know.¡± She usually stays at Auntie Sun¡¯s house and rarely shows her face in front of outsiders. Other than Auntie Sun, no one knows about her.¡± These things seemed to tell Yu Niaoniao that her guess was probably true. Village Head Zhang was very puzzled. ¡°Why did you suddenly think of asking about these things?¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended to smile casually. ¡°Nothing. I just want to know more about my father¡¯s past.¡± Before Village Head Zhang could ask again, she pleaded right on the heels of him. ¡°Can you describe Li Niang in detail when she was young? I want to draw a portrait of her. ¡± Although Zhang Lizheng still felt puzzled, he agreed readily out of trust in her. ¡°Okay.¡± The descendants of the Zhang family were all studying and had pens, ink, paper, and inkstones at home. Zhang Li was asking his eldest son to help him get a pen and paper. Then, Zhang Lizheng dictated, and Yu Niaoniao drew according to his description. Because too much time had passed and Zhang Lizheng was very old, his memory was inevitably a little blurry. He often got stuck as he spoke and had to think for a long time before he could continue. Yu Niaoniao was very patient and tried her best to help him recall the past. It took more than four hours to finish this painting. After that, Yu Niaoniao held the portrait in front of Village Head Zhang. ¡°Do you think it looks like it?¡± Zhang Lizheng followed the light outside the door and looked over. He saw that the woman on the paper had long eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a beautiful nose, and cherry lips. Her skin was as fair as snow, and her black hair was like clouds. It was not an exaggeration to say that she was as beautiful as a fairy. The only pity was the scar on her face. Her beautiful face was greatly affected, making people sigh. Zhang Lizheng nodded hurriedly. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.. She looked like this when she was young!¡± Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: I Remember! Chapter 572: I Remember! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan declined Village Head Zhang¡¯s enthusiastic invitation to stay. The two of them left the Zhang family with the portrait. On the way back, Xiao Juan saw that Niaoniao was troubled, so he advised. ¡°Don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. I¡¯m here for everything.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the young Li Niang looks a little familiar?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you think she looks similar to Feng Lianghan?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Objectively speaking, Li Niang and Feng Lianghan were indeed a little similar, but the reason why Yu Niaoniao found her familiar was not because of Feng Lianghan. However, Yu Niaoniao could not remember who it was for a while. This blurry feeling made her very anxious. She kept a straight face, her lips pressed tightly together. She had to remember who it was. Xiao Juan was worried that she would split hairs, only to go down a dead end. After returning to the city, Xiao Juan specially found a popular restaurant, wanting to bring Niaoniao in to eat something delicious and help her divert her attention. This move was indeed effective with Niaoniao. Looking at the dazzling array of delicious snacks, Yu Niaoniao temporarily threw those messy thoughts to the back of her mind and could not wait to follow Xiao Juan into the restaurant. The restaurant was filled with people. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had no choice but to share a table with others. The old couple and a child shared the table with them. The old grandfather and grandson were discussing what they wanted to eat. The old lady took out a handkerchief she carried with her and carefully wiped the bowls and chopsticks of the three of them. Seeing this, the old grandfather could not help but mutter. ¡°Why are you so particular about going out for a meal?¡± The old lady glanced at him sideways and said slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been so particular since I was young. Back then, I was also a famous beauty in our family¡±. ¡°My parents even spent money to hire a female teacher to teach me zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They wanted me to marry a scholar in the future.¡± ¡°Unexpectedly, I have bad eyesight and actually liked you ¡®You were a scholar when I married you.¡¯ ¡°Now that our grandchildren are running around, you¡¯re still a scholar. I¡¯m old with white hair. Without youth and beauty, this is all that¡¯s left.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re complaining about me? Are you letting me down?¡± The old grandfather¡¯s head swelled from her nagging and he hurriedly admitted his mistake. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the wooden sign hanging on the wall. The wooden sign was filled with the names of the dishes. He did not know what was delicious here, so he wanted to ask Niaoniao, a local. Unexpectedly, he called out twice but did not receive a response. He turned around and saw her staring straight at the old lady sitting opposite the table. She had heard the conversation between the old lady and the old man. Those words sounded ordinary, but like a bolt of lightning, they dispelled all the fog in her mind. Her blurry thoughts suddenly became clear. The old granny clearly noticed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s gaze and took the initiative to ask. ¡°Little girl, why are you looking at me? Have we met before?¡± However, Yu Niaoniao did not seem to hear the old lady¡¯s question. She suddenly grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s wrist and said excitedly. ¡°I remember!¡± Xiao Juan was puzzled. ¡°What did you think of?¡± Yu Niaoniao said quickly, ¡°I remember now. It¡¯s the Empress Dowager. When Li Niang was young, she looked a little similar to the Empress Dowager!¡± Hearing her say this, Xiao Juan also felt that Li Niang¡¯s nose was indeed a little similar to the Empress Dowager¡¯s. However, the Empress Dowager had taken good care of herself. Even though she was old, she still had some beauty from her youth, but Li Niang had experienced destruction. Time had left countless marks on her face, completely changing her appearance. If the scar on Li Niang¡¯s face was removed and the Empress Dowager became younger, their appearance would definitely be even more similar. Initially, Yu Niaoniao did not think of this. It was the old lady opposite the table who reminded Niaoniao, making her think of the Empress Dowager. The three of them sitting across the table were stunned. They thought they had misheard. The young lady opposite them actually knew the Empress Dowager! That was a big shot they did not even dare to mention! Yu Niaoniao ignored the surprised gazes of the others and continued. ¡°Do you remember the last word the assassin said before he died? He actually didn¡¯t mean wait. He meant Deng instead of ¡°wait¡±!¡± It was Empress Dowager Deng! Xiao Juan noticed the gazes of the surrounding people. He held Niaoniao¡¯s hand and whispered. ¡°This is not a place to talk. Let¡¯s go.¡± There were too many people here. It would not be good if someone with a heart sat beside them and heard their conversation. At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was no longer in the mood to eat. She stood up impatiently and left the restaurant with Xiao Juan. The two of them rode back to the Feng family¡¯s old residence. After returning home, Yu Niaoniao plunged into the study. She first drew Li Niang¡¯s young appearance again. This time, she deliberately did not engrave a scar so that Li Niang¡¯s appearance could be completely displayed. Then she drew a portrait of the Empress Dowager when she was young. She had never seen the Empress Dowager when she was young and could only push it back according to her facial features and the outline of her face. However, after both paintings were completed, Xiao Juan helped her compare the two paintings together. From the looks of it, not only were their noses similar, but even their mouths were similar. If anyone who didn¡¯t know better saw this, they would think that they were sisters! Yu Niaoniao muttered, ¡°This can¡¯t be a coincidence. There must be a relationship between Li Niang and the Empress Dowager.¡± This development was really beyond Xiao Juan¡¯s expectations. For a moment, he did not know what to say. If their guess was true, then the Empress Dowager was probably behind the Feng family¡¯s annihilation. But why did she do it? Even if there was really some grudge between the Empress Dowager and Li Niang, it was a matter of the previous generation. Besides, the Empress Dowager was already the mother of the country and had an extremely respected status. She really did not have to make things difficult for a few commoners. No matter how he looked at it, this matter was very strange. Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°Looks like we have to go to Luzhou.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°Luzhou?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The Deng family¡¯s main family is in Luzhou, which is also Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s hometown. We can go there and ask. Perhaps we can find out what the relationship between Empress Dowager Deng and Li Niang is.¡± Yu Niaoniao said impatiently. ¡°Let¡¯s set off now!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. Luzhou is far from here. We have to spend some time preparing the carriage and luggage. Moreover, Little Lo and Little Hai were busy last night. Let them rest well today. It¡¯s not too late to set off tomorrow morning.¡± Yu Niaoniao could only suppress her eagerness and answer honestly. ¡°All right, then.¡± Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai slept all day and only woke up at night. After sleeping well, the two of them were much better. Yu Niaoniao told them that they were leaving for Heron State tomorrow morning. Although they were surprised, they quickly accepted this plan and prepared to have a good night¡¯s sleep to recuperate so that they could travel tomorrow. Just as everyone fell asleep, Xiao Juan suddenly received a secret letter from the Imperial Capital.. Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: Taking Over the Magpie鈥檚 Nest Chapter 573: Taking Over the Magpie¡¯s Nest Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hearing the knock on the door, Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao woke up at the same time. The old servant¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Young master, someone has something urgent to tell you. They said that they rushed over from the Imperial Capital.¡± Xiao Juan let Niaoniao continue sleeping. He put on his clothes and strode out of the bedroom. He saw the person in the central room. The other party was wearing the clothes of an ordinary citizen. He was actually an Eagle Guard from the Justice Department. As soon as the Eagle Guard saw Duke Lang appear, he immediately knelt on one knee and took out a secret letter. ¡°This is a letter Lord Meng asked me to give you.¡± Xiao Juan took the secret letter with both hands and quickly opened it. He pulled out a thin letter. This letter was written by Meng Xizhou. He said that the Crown Prince had planted a trusted aide in the Justice Department and wanted to divide the power in Duke Lang¡¯s hands. It was worth mentioning that this matter had been approved by the old emperor. In other words, the old emperor and the crown prince were on the same side. They both wanted to squeeze Duke Lang out of the Justice Department. Meng Xizhou was very indignant. Duke Lang had done so much for the old emperor. After risking his life for so many years, not only had he been reviled, but he even had to give up the Justice Department. The old emperor was really bullying him! Meng Xizhou begged anxiously, hoping that Duke Lang would return to the Imperial Capital as soon as possible. The Crown Prince¡¯s trusted aide had just arrived at the Justice Department and his foundation was unstable. If Duke Lang could rush back, he could chase the Crown Prince¡¯s trusted aide out of the Justice Department. This was not only Meng Xizhou¡¯s hope, but also the hope of all the Eagle Guards. None of them wanted the Justice Department to fall into the Crown Prince¡¯s hands. They were only loyal to Duke Lang. Xiao Juan read the contents of the letter and did not react. He walked to the table and placed the letter on the candle flame. The letter was ignited. The flames kept jumping and quickly turned to ashes. The Eagle Guard looked up and said eagerly, ¡°Your Highness, when are we leaving? Xiao Juan replied indifferently. ¡°I still have something to do. I can¡¯t go back for the time being.¡± The Eagle Guard was shocked and looked at him in disbelief. ¡°But Lord Meng said that if you don¡¯t go back, the Justice Department will.. ¡® Xiao Juan had already seen through it and said unhurriedly. ¡°Even if I go back, I can¡¯t change the situation. The Crown Prince had already received the His Majesty¡¯s support; even if I could temporarily keep my power, what about the future? The Crown Prince will ascend the throne sooner or later. ¡± He let out a very, very low sigh at the end. The Eagle Guard was speechless. This world was still the emperor¡¯s alone. The Eagle Guard was indignant. ¡°Are we just going to sit around and wait for death?¡± The Eagle Guards had followed Duke Lang for many years. They had risked their lives with him and experienced many storms. They were already in the same boat. If Duke Lang lost his power, his subordinates would definitely not have an easy time. The best outcome was to be replaced by a newbie and go home to retire. The worst outcome might be death. The Eagle Guard in front of him was unwilling to accept such an outcome, and so was Meng Xizhou, who was far away in the Imperial Capital. Xiao Juan naturally did not want these loyal old subordinates to end up miserably. He immediately wrote a letter and sealed it with wax before handing it to the Eagle Guard. ¡°Send this to Meng Xizhou and tell him to do as the letter says.¡± The Eagle Guard perked up. It seemed that Duke Lang already had a way to deal with it. He took the secret letter with both hands and carefully pocketed it. Xiao Juan said, ¡°It will be a while before I return to the Imperial Capital. Go back first.¡± The Eagle Guard cupped his fists. ¡°Goodbye!¡± He turned around and walked out of the central room, striding out of the Feng residence in the cold wind. Xiao Juan sat alone in the central room for a while before returning to the bedroom. As soon as he entered, he saw Niaoniao sitting up in bed. Yu Niaoniao asked with concern. ¡°Did something happen in the Imperial Capital?¡± Xiao Juan took off his coat and casually placed it on the screen. ¡°Nothing. Go to sleep. It¡¯s getting late. We still have to set off for Luzhou tomorrow morning.¡± He lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down beside Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao did not believe him. Her face was tense. ¡°It must be something important for them to come to you in the middle of the night. Don¡¯t try to fool me.¡± Xiao Juan said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s really nothing serious. I¡¯ve been away from the Imperial Capital for so long. The Crown Prince was worried that the Justice Department would be leaderless, so he sent someone to help me manage it.¡± When Yu Niaoniao heard this, she exploded. She propped up her upper body and said angrily. ¡°The Crown Prince wants to occupy the Imperial Capital while you¡¯re not around!¡± Xiao Juan pulled her into his arms and lifted the blanket to prevent the cold wind from blowing in. ¡°Not really. After all, he¡¯s the Crown Prince and the future emperor. The entire world is his, let alone a mere Justice Department.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, you ran the Justice Department single-handedly. You also nurtured the Eagle Guards. He didn¡¯t do anything and wanted to take away your hard work. What right does he have?¡± The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She gritted her teeth so hard that they almost shattered. Xiao Juan patted her back to calm her down. After Yu Niaoniao was angry, she was deeply worried. ¡°If the Crown Prince treats you like this before he ascends the throne, won¡¯t he skin you alive when he becomes emperor in the future?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that we would find a place to live in seclusion in the future? If he can¡¯t find us, he naturally can¡¯t do anything to us.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her face. ¡°But are you really willing?¡± After so much blood, sweat, and infamy, it was not easy for him to obtain his current status. But he had to give up everything. To go from a high and mighty duke to a commoner with nothing, any man would feel unbalanced. Xiao Juan¡¯s gaze was calm as he said slowly. ¡°The emperor sent someone to bring me to the palace and raised me. Regardless of his true goal, he had raised me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve risked my life for him for so many years and helped him do so much. It can be considered repayment for raising me.¡± ¡°He gave me the title of Duke and the power of the Justice Department. After returning it all to him, I no longer owed him anything. In terms of unwillingness, there might have been in the past, but it has long been worn down.¡± Yu Niaoniao could hear an indescribable loneliness in his words. Her heart ached and she could not help but hug Xiao Juan tightly. ¡°You still have me.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Juan lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. In the future, the only person who could make him risk his life would be Niaoniao. The next morning, Yu Niaoniao and the other three set off from Jinguan City for Luzhou. They left quietly, without disturbing anyone. When County Governor Yuan Jin wanted to visit Duke Lang and his wife in the Feng Residence, he was told that they had already left. He could not help but feel extremely regretful. He had missed a great opportunity to build a good relationship with Duke Lang. Ten days later, Yu Niaoniao and the others successfully arrived at Luzhou. As the most famous aristocratic family in the area, it didn¡¯t take long to find out where the Deng family lived.. Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Deng Family in Luzhou Chapter 574: Deng Family in Luzhou Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan originally planned to ask around about the Deng family in Luzhou and see what outsiders thought of the Deng family. Unexpectedly, not long after they arrived in Luzhou, they were targeted. After Xiao Juan discovered it, he pulled out the stalker. After asking, he found out that the other party was from the Deng family. The four of them were alreadv consDicuous. When thev were asking around about the Deng family, it was impossible for the Deng family not to notice them. Since their whereabouts had been exposed, Xiao Juan might as well visit them. From the results of the current investigation, the Deng family¡¯s position was unclear. Just in case, Xiao Juan asked Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai to stay outside the residence to receive them. He brought Niaoniao into the residence to see the head of the Deng family. On the way here, Xiao Juan had already roughly introduced the Deng family to Niaoniao. The Deng family was a famous family second only to the Wen family in the entire Dayan Dynasty. Their history was long and deep, and almost every emperor would marry someone from the Deng family. The current Queen Mother Deng was from the direct line of descent of the Deng family. The family head who was in charge of the entire Deng family was Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s biological brother, Deng Yuchuan. When Deng Yuchuan was young, he was a general who had been stationed at the border for decades. Later, when he became old, he retired and returned to Luzhou. The butler led Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan into the reception hall and served refreshments. His attitude was very respectful. ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll inform Master now.¡± However, the butler did not return. Even after Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan finished the tea in their cups, they still did not see Deng Yuchuan appear. Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips. ¡°Looks like he doesn¡¯t want to see us.¡± Xiao Juan stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As soon as the two of them reached the door, they saw a group of people walking over. The leader was Deng Yuchuan. His hair was already white. It was obvious that he should have been tall when he was young, but now that he was old and weak, his figure was little hunched. He held a walking stick in one hand and walked slowly. A young man held him up, afraid that he would accidentally fall. Deng Yuchuan¡¯s eyesight was not good. He narrowed his eyes for a long time before confirming Xiao Juan¡¯s identity. ¡°Where are you going, Your Highness?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°We waited for a long time and didn¡¯t see him. We thought that Old Master Deng was busy and didn¡¯t have time to see us, so we planned to visit another day.¡± When the young man beside Deng Yuchuan heard this, he was very unconvinced and explained for his grandfather. ¡°My grandfather is old and not in good health. He has just caught a cold these few days. The doctor originally did not let him go out in case he caught a cold.But he still forced himself to meet you. ¡°It¡¯s a little slow. Please forgive me, Your Highness.¡± Deng Yuchuan gestured for the young man to say less before introducing him to Xiao Juan. ¡°This child is my youngest grandson, Lu Yun. He¡¯s usually spoiled by his family, but his temper is very good. I hope Your Highness won¡¯t lower yourself to this child¡¯s level.¡± He was talking about a child. If Xiao Juan really wanted to argue with him, he could not help but look too petty. Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Deng Luyun helped his grandfather into the house and let him sit down at the main seat. He was very patient the entire time. It was obvious that this kid was really filial to his grandfather. Deng Yuchuan noticed that the tea on the table was gone and immediately got someone to change Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao¡¯s tea. Xiao Juan said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself. We¡¯re only here to ask some questions. We¡¯ll leave after that. It won¡¯t take too much time.¡± Deng Yuchuan was very easy to talk to. ¡°Your Highness, feel free to ask. I¡¯ll definitely answer everything.¡± Xiao Juan turned to look at Niaoniao. Niaoniao took out the drawing paper from her sleeve and unfolded it. She raised it so that Deng Yuchuan could see the woman in the painting clearly. ¡°I wonder if Old Master Deng knows the person in the painting?¡± Deng Yuchuan narrowed his eyes and stared at the young woman in the painting for a long time. His expression didn¡¯t change. She couldn¡¯t tell if he knew him or not. ¡°I wonder where you got the portrait?¡± Faced with his question, Yu Niaoniao immediately had an affirmative answer. She kept her expression neutral and replied calmly. ¡°I drew this myself.¡± Deng Yuchuan seemed surprised. He stared at Yu Niaoniao for a while longer. ¡°The Princess Consort looks very young. How has she seen the person in the painting?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°In that case, Old Master should know the person in the painting.¡± Deng Yuchuan neither admitted nor denied it. He looked away and said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to mention the past. If Your Highness and the Princess Consort are here today for the person in the painting, please forgive me for not being able to receive you.¡± With that, he picked up the teacup beside him. This was what it meant to serve tea and send the guest off. Yu Niaoniao was unwilling to give up just like that. She took a step forward with the portrait and said. ¡°The person in the painting is called Li Niang. She was killed three months ago and her corpse was placed in the Justice Department. If you know her, please tell us about her. This way, we can find out the truth and arrest the murderer to give her justice!¡± Deng Yuchuan¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he held his teacup, and the tea almost spilled out. But he quickly regained his composure and said expressionlessly. ¡°Send the guest out!¡± Before Yu Niaoniao could say anything else, Deng Luyun began to chase her away. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the woman in the painting. She has nothing to do with our Deng family. Princess Consort, please don¡¯t make things difficult for us anymore. butler, send the guest off!¡± The butler immediately walked in and gestured for Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan to leave. ¡°Please come this way.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at Deng Yuchuan one last time. Seeing that he was ignoring her, no matter how unwilling she was, she could only leave with Xiao Juan. After walking out of the Deng family¡¯s door, Yu Niaoniao immediately said to Xiao Juan. ¡°Old Master Deng must know Li Niang!¡± Although Old Master Deng did not admit it, from his reaction, it could be seen that there was definitely a connection between him and Li Niang. Xiao Juan comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. We¡¯ll think of something else.¡± Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai, who had been waiting outside, walked over quickly. They were relieved to see Duke Lang and the Princess Consort safe and sound. Seeing that it was getting late, Xiao Juan and the others went to a nearby restaurant to eat and discuss things. Yu Niaoniao was very indignant. ¡°Old Master Deng clearly knows Li Niang, but he still pretended not to know her. He must have something on his mind!¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°But he doesn¡¯t want to admit it. There¡¯s nothing we can do to him.¡± As the saying went, a strong dragon could not suppress a local snake. Luzhou was the Deng family¡¯s territory. They were extremely powerful here. Even if Xiao Juan was Duke Lang, he could not touch Deng Yuchuan without full confidence. Xiao Juan picked up a piece of braised deer tendon and whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. Tonight, I¡¯ll take a look at the Deng family and see if I can find their genealogy.¡± If Li Niang was from the Deng family, she would definitely leave her name on the genealogy. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes lit up.. This was a good idea! Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: Attack Chapter 575: Attack Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When the night deepened and everyone fell asleep, Xiao Juan changed into his black night clothes and prepared to go out. Yu Niaoniao instructed softly, ¡°Be careful on the way. If you really can¡¯t find any clues, forget it. Safety is the most important.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the worry in her eyes and lowered his head slightly to kiss her forehead. ¡°Wait for me to come back.¡± Yu Niaoniao watched him leave. When he was gone and could no longer be seen, she returned to the bedroom and closed the door. The oil lamp on the table was still burning quietly. She sat down by the bed. Logically speaking, she should be asleep at this time, but she was still worried about Xiao Juan and was not in the mood to sleep at all. Until there was a Imock on the door and the voice of the inn clerk came through it. ¡°Sir, are you asleep?¡± Only then did Yu Niaoniao come back to her senses. She hurriedly said, ¡°Not yet. Why?¡± The clerk said, ¡°Nothing. I saw that the oil lamp in your room was still lit. I was afraid that you would forget to turn it out before you went to bed. Not long ago, a guest fell asleep without turning it out and almost caused a fire. For safety¡¯s sake, don¡¯t forget to turn it out before you go to bed.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I understand.¡± She stood up and walked to the boat. She bent down and blew out the oil lamp. The room immediately fell into darkness. The footsteps outside the door faded. The clerk must have walked away. Yu Niaoniao fumbled back to the bed. She lifted the blanket and lay on the bed. Her eyes closed, but she still couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She opened her eyes and planned to get up and go out for some air, but at this moment, she saw a shadow flash past the window. Shocked, she immediately sat up and took the crossbow out from under her pillow. She aimed the crossbow at the window and snapped. ¡°Who¡¯s out there?¡± He waited for a moment, but there was no reaction. Only the shadows of trees swaying in the wind could be seen through the window paper. There was no figure. Yu Niaoniao could not help but wonder if she was mistaken just now. But to be on the safe side, she decided to look for Ling Hai and Lo Pingsha next door. She tied the crossbow to her forearm and got out of bed in the dark. In an instant, Yu Niaoniao felt her scalp tingle and alarm bells rang in her heart. Her strong survival instinct made her throw herself forward and fall to the ground. She turned her head and looked back. When she saw the arrow whose tail was still trembling slightly, intense fear welled up in her heart, almost freezing the blood in her body. If she hadn¡¯t bent down just now, she would have been pierced by that arrow. She had almost died. Yu Niaoniao did not dare to make a sound. Her body was tightly pressed to the ground as she crawled towards the door. Right on the heels of that, several more arrows pierced through the window. However, because there were no lights on in the room, it was dark. No one outside could see what was happening in the room. They could only shoot arrows in the direction of the bed according to their understanding of this inn. More arrows appeared on the bed. Yu Niaoniao did not dare to look back. She crawled to the door on all fours. She raised her upper body slightly and straightened her arms to reach the wooden bolt behind the door. During this time, a few more arrows shot in. It was unknown if it was a coincidence, but one of the arrows actually shot in the direction of the door. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao reacted quickly and retracted her hand in time. She looked up and saw the arrow nailed right above her. If she had reacted a little slower just now, her arm would have been crippled. Yu Niaoniao was so frightened that her heart was pounding. This house was too dangerous. She couldn¡¯t stay any longer. She took off one of her shoes and threw it in the direction of the screen. The shoe hit the screen door with a snap. When the killers outside the house heard the commotion, several arrows immediately pierced the window and shot in the direction of the screen. At the same time, Yu Niaoniao suddenly stood up and pulled open the wooden bolt as quickly as possible. She pulled open the door and rushed out. Then, she bent down and squatted. She rolled on the ground behind the left wall. A series of movements flowed like water, so fast that they almost left afterimages. At this point, she couldn¡¯t be bothered about techniques. Her desire to live outweighed stylistics. When she opened the door just now, it creaked. The killers outside heard the sound and knew that the people in the room had fled. They didn¡¯t shoot again. Instead, they broke through the window and barged into the guest room, preparing to use force. When Yu Niaoniao heard the window break, she hurriedly got up and ran towards the guest room next door. At the same time, she shouted. ¡°Help! Murder!¡± Ling Hai and Lo Pingsha, who lived next door, were the first to rush out. They were shocked to see that Yu Niaoniao was not even wearing a coat and had a bare foot on the ground. ¡°Princess Consort, what happened?¡± Yu Niaoniao said quickly, ¡°There are assassins. They¡¯re catching up. Run!¡± Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai looked behind her and saw indeed assassins in black. There were at least a dozen of them, and each of them was holding a weapon. At this moment, Xiao Juan was not around. Yu Niaoniao did not know martial arts, and Ling Hai only knew a few simple moves. The only combat strength was Lo Pingsha. He immediately drew his saber and took a step forward, protecting Yu Niaoniao and Ling Hai behind him and whispered. ¡°Leave quickly. I¡¯ll cover the retreat.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why should we leave? We don¡¯t know if there are any accomplices lying in ambush outside. If there are, it¡¯s equivalent to a sheep entering the tiger¡¯s den if we run out.¡± Lo Pingsha thought about it and agreed, so he did not mention letting them leave on their own anymore. The three of them retreated together. Yu Niaoniao continued to shout. ¡°Help! Someone¡¯s going to kill. Is anyone going to care?!¡± The doors of a few guest rooms were opened. The guests in the room stuck their heads out. When they saw a group of fierce killers with weapons, they were immediately frightened out of their wits. They hurriedly shrank back into the rooms and locked the door from the inside. In the end, no one helped them even after Yu Niaoniao shouted her lungs out. Yu Niaoniao was speechless. The world was cold, and the hearts of people were not ancient! There was not even a brave man willing to do anything. Forget it. One couldn¡¯t rely on others. They should escape quickly! Lo Pingsha held a saber to deal with the killers who pounced on him. Yu Niaoniao and Ling Hai hid behind him and looked for an opportunity to finish him off. The three of them fought and retreated. Soon they were out of the long corridor and in the backyard. They sped up and ran forward. However, when they passed by the woodshed, they suddenly saw the door of the woodshed being pushed open. Immediately after, a hand reached out from inside, grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s arm, and dragged her into the woodshed. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai were afraid that the Princess Consort would be in danger, so they hurriedly chased after her. As soon as the three of them entered, the door to the woodshed was closed. The killers who followed closely behind realized that they were gone. Naturally, they were indignant and began to search the backyard. In the woodshed, Yu Niaoniao then saw the person who pulled her in through the window.. It was actually the clerk of this inn! Chapter 576 - Chapter 576: The Only Way Out Chapter 576: The Only Way Out Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The clerk gestured for them to keep quiet. There were killers everywhere outside. They would lure the killers over if they made the slightest sound. Yu Niaoniao, Lo Pingsha, and Ling Hai could only shut their mouths and swallow their doubts. The clerk squatted on the ground and brushed away the dust, revealing a ring handle. He grabbed the handle and pulled it up. The secret door was pulled open, and a secret passage appeared in front of them. ¡°Come with me.¡± Then he led the way into the secret passage. Yu Niaoniao, Lo Pingsha, and Ling Hai looked at one another. Although the clerk had just saved them, they were not completely sure that the clerk could be trusted. What if the clerk had hidden a trap in the secret passage? If they went in further, wouldn¡¯t they be walking into a trap? But the killers outside were still looking for them everywhere. A few of them had already noticed the woodshed and were walking towards it. Listening to the approaching footsteps, Lo Pingsha steeled himself and decided to take a chance! He squatted down, placed one hand on the ground, and jumped into the secret passage. After confirming that there was no danger in the secret passage, he looked up and gestured to Yu Niaoniao and Ling Hai, indicating that they could come down. Hence, Yu Niaoniao and Ling Hai jumped down too. The clerk climbed the ladder to close the secret door. Right on the heels of that, they heard footsteps above their heads. It was obvious that someone had walked into the woodshed. The men searched the woodshed. From time to time, a few whispered words came. ¡°Did you find them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Search again. Look carefully.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The clerk took out the match he carried and lit the torch. With the dim firelight, Yu Niaoniao saw the interior of the secret passage clearly. This was a narrow secret passage only wide enough for one person to pass through. On both sides were compacted earth walls. Because there were no doors or windows, the air could not circulate and was very stuffy. The clerk led the way with a torch. Yu Niaoniao followed closely behind. After Ling Hai, Lo Pingsha fell last. Yu Niaoniao looked at the back view in front and could not help but ask. ¡°Little brother, I still don¡¯t know what to call you.¡± The clerk neither turned nor answered her. Yu Niaoniao continued to ask. ¡°Why did you save us?¡± The clerk still didn¡¯t answer. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she suddenly asked. ¡°Did you expect an assassin to kill me tonight? The reason you especially came to remind me to turn off the lights was that you were afraid that the assassin hiding outside would discover my location.¡± ¡°From the looks of it, you shouldn¡¯t be in cahoots with that group of killers, but you definitely know their background.¡± ¡°This secret passage could not be dug out in a short time. It meant that you had lived here for many years. ¡°Digging tunnels was not something a single person could do. It meant that you had accomplices, more than one. You have a lot of power locally. I wonder how you compare to the Deng family?¡± This time, the clerk finally reacted. He stopped and turned to her. He opened his mouth slightly. Instead of making a sound, he whippd out a thin silver needle. There were walls on both sides. Yu Niaoniao did not dodge and was stabbed in the heart by the silver needles. Before she could make a sound, she felt her vision go dark. Her body swayed and she fell backward. Ling Hai hurriedly held her. ¡°Princess Consort!¡± Lo Pingsha hurriedly reached out to take Yu Niaoniao¡¯s pulse. When he realized that she had only fallen asleep and was not poisoned, he felt a little relieved. He looked at the clerk warily and questioned him. ¡°Why did you hurt her? Who the hell are you?¡± The clerk looked helpless. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt the Princess Consort. She can only blame herself for being too smart. I¡¯m afraid that if she continues to guess, she¡¯ll guess everything about us.¡± Lo Pingsha keenly caught the keyword. ¡°Us? You really have an accomplice?¡± The clerk didn¡¯t answer. He turned back. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ling Hai and Lo Pingsha refused to move. The clerk said without looking back, ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you. The air here is bad. If you stay here forever, you¡¯ll suffocate to death quickly.¡± They would meet those killers if they went back. They would suffocate to death if they stayed here. It seemed that their only way out now was to walk forward. It was late at night and everyone in the Deng Mansion was asleep. The courtyard was silent except for the rustling of leaves as the night wind stirred them. Xiao Juan, who was wearing a black night suit, jumped down from the roof and silently landed on the grass. He looked around to make sure no one was around and strode up the steps to the study door. With a gentle push, he pushed open the study door. He crossed the threshold and walked in. When he walked to the bookshelf and was about to search for the Deng family tree, he suddenly stopped. As if sensing something, he turned to the right and asked in a low voice. ¡°Who is it?¡± On the right was an arched carved door with gauze curtains hanging under it. Behind the door was an inner room with a low couch and coffee table. It was usually used for lunch break. The night wind stirred the gauze curtain, and it fluttered with it. A moment later, a slightly hunched voice appeared behind the gauze curtain. He lifted the gauze curtain with one hand and walked out slowly with his walking stick in the other. It was the head of the Deng family, Deng Yuchuan! He looked at the man standing nearby and asked unhurriedly as if he had seen an old friend. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s only been half a day since we parted. Why are you here again? Did something land in our Deng family?¡± Seeing him like this, Xiao Juan knew that he had been waiting here for a long time. Deng Yuchuan must have expected him to visit the Deng family at night and had specially waited for him here. In that case, there was no need for him to beat around the bush. He explained his intentions. ¡°I¡¯m here for Li Niang.¡± Deng Yuchuan asked, ¡°Why do you have to investigate Li Niang?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°It seems that Your Highness is still wary of me. Why don¡¯t I give you a gift as a token of my appreciation?¡± He raised his walking stick slightly and knocked on the ground three times. The red sandalwood walking stick collided with the white marble ground, producing a crisp sound. A moment later, one of the white marble tiles slowly sank. A narrow secret passage appeared in front of them. Right on the heels of that, the clerk crawled out of the secret passage with a torch, followed by Ling Hai and Lo Pingsha. Yu Niaoniao was still sleeping. Lo Pingsha carried her. When they saw Xiao Juan, they could not help but be stunned. ¡°Your Highness, why are you here?!¡± Xiao Juan was also very surprised. He had never expected Yu Niaoniao and the other two, who were supposed to be sleeping in the inn, to appear in the Deng family¡¯s study! Deng Yuchuan placed his hands on his walking stick and smiled. ¡°Your Highness, are you satisfied with my gift?¡± Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: Deng Family鈥檚 Past Chapter 577: Deng Family¡¯s Past Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan strode over. After confirming that Niaoniao had only fallen asleep and that there was nothing wrong with her body, he was relieved. Then, he took Niaoniao and held her in his arms. He asked Lo Pingsha. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± Lo Pingsha recounted how they had come here. Xiao Juan thought for a moment and guessed that someone wanted to kill Yu Niaoniao when he was not around. The Deng family saved Yu Niaoniao and the others in time. In that case, the Deng family did not seem to be an enemy. Deng Yuchuan turned his body slightly, revealing the low couch behind him. ¡°You can put the Princess Consort on the couch to rest.¡± Xiao Juan stood still. Although Deng Yuchuan had sent someone to save Niaoniao, Xiao Juan still had doubts about him. Deng Yuchuan said helplessly. ¡°This is the Deng family. If I really want to harm you, I just have to shout. There¡¯s no need to go in such a big circle.¡± Although he had already retired, he still had a group of private soldiers under him. It was at least a thousand people. If he really fought head-on, it would be very difficult for Xiao Juan to escape unscathed. The reason why he did not use force directly was because he wanted to have a good talk with Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan naturally knew this. He strode over and placed Niaoniao on the low couch. He pulled the blanket over her. The clerk lit the candle in the inner room and finally retreated out the door. Xiao Juan turned to look at Deng Yuchuan and asked the question in his heart. ¡°Why did you pretend not to know Li Niang during the day and chase us out of the Deng family only to secretly meet me at night?¡± Deng Yuchuan sat in the armchair and spoke slowly. ¡°There were too many people during the day to talk.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°This is the Deng family. As the head of the Deng family, you actually have concerns?¡± Deng Yuchuan sighed. ¡°The Deng family is a large family. There are many people in the family. Even if I¡¯m the head of the family, I can¡¯t guarantee that everyone is reliable.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then can you tell me now what your relationship with Li Niang Deng Yuchuan asked instead. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me. Why are you investigating Li Niang?¡± Between questions and answers, they seemed to be back to square one. Xiao Juan was silent. Deng Yuchuan spoke unhurriedly, ¡°From the moment you entered Luzhou, you were targeted.¡± ¡°You have already become prey in the eyes of others, but you are still ignorant.¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t sent someone to the inn to protect you, your Princess Consort would probably have fallen into the hands of evil people. Isn¡¯t that enough to show my kindness to you?¡± Xiao Juan was unmoved and asked calmly, ¡°Since you have no ill intentions towards us, why can¡¯t you answer my question first?¡± Deng Yuchuan could not help but laugh. ¡°Forget it, let me speak first.¡± He closed his eyes as if remembering something. It was a long time before he spoke again. ¡°Li Niang is my sister.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, not only Xiao Juan, but even Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai were stunned. Before they could ask further, Deng Yuchuan continued. ¡°Li Niang and I were born to the first wife. After our mother died of illness, Father married a second wife. The current Empress Dowager Deng was born to the second wife.¡± In other words, he and Li Niang were biological siblings from the same mother. Empress Dowager Deng was only his half-sister. The relationship between them was very clear. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Since Li Niang is the legitimate daughter of the Deng family, why did she appear alone in Jinguan City?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve followed my uncle to the border since I was young.Because the border is far from Luzhou Mountain, I can only go home once every few years.¡± ¡°Usually, I could only communicate with his family through letters.¡± ¡°In the past, Li Niang would send me a letter every month. ¡°She didn¡¯t want me to worry, so she only reported the good news in her letters. So I thought she was having a good time at home.¡± ¡°Until thirty-nine years ago, I hadn¡¯t heard from Li Niang for a long time.¡± ¡°I was very worried, but the border battle was tight at that time and I could not escape. By the time the battle stabilized slightly, two years had passed.¡± ¡°I rushed back to Luzhou, but I was told that Li Niang had died of illness and her body had been buried.¡± At this point, Deng Yuchuan slowly opened his eyes, his gray eyes filled with sadness. ¡°Li Niang has always been in good health. I don¡¯t believe she will suddenly die of illness.¡± ¡°I wanted to open the coffin and perform an autopsy, but my father wouldn¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°Because of this, I quarreled with my father and almost severed ties with him.¡¯ ¡°In the middle of the night, I sneaked out of the house in the dark and quietly went to Li Niang¡¯s grave to dig it up.¡± Xiao Juan, Lo Pingsha, and Ling Hai were all entranced. Lo Pingsha could not help but ask. ¡°And?¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°There was a skeleton lying in the coffin. Although there was no flesh and I couldn¡¯t see his facial features clearly, I was sure that the skeleton in the coffin wasn¡¯t Li Niang.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°Li Niang once told me in her letter that she accidentally fell once. The small toe of her left foot hit the stone.¡± ¡°Although the injury was later treated, the little toe was a little deformed. It was usually impossible to tell when she walked. Not many people knew about this.¡± ¡°The bones in the coffin were intact. There are no signs of deformation, so I concluded that she was not Li Niang.¡± Xiao Juan accepted his explanation and continued to listen to his narrative. ¡°After I returned home, I told Father about this, hoping that he would investigate this matter thoroughly and find the missing Li Niang.¡± ¡°In the end, Father locked me up and ordered me not to spread this matter.¡± Ling Hai could not understand and could not help but say. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he care about his biological daughter at all?¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°I once asked him that.¡± ¡°He said that he was not only Li Niang¡¯s father, but also the head of the Deng family. He had to think for the entire Deng familAs for Li Niang, she can only blame her bad luck.¡± The more he went on, the softer his voice became. His fingers tightened involuntarily on his walking stick, and the veins on the back of his thin hand bulged. Clearly, he was not calm at all. ¡°For so many years, I¡¯ve been thinking of ways to investigate Li Niang¡¯s whereabouts. However, everyone in the family kept their mouths shut. ¡°No matter how I questioned them, no one told me the truth.¡± ¡°When my father and stepmother passed away, I inherited the position of head of the family. Those who knew back then were no longer alive.¡± ¡°What if Li Niang wasn¡¯t dead? What if she was still alive? Perhaps she was waiting for me somewhere in the world to save her. I could never give up searching for her.¡± ¡°Until you suddenly appeared. Not only did you bring a portrait of Li Niang, but you also brought news of her death.¡± When he said the last sentence, Deng Yuchuan could not hold it in anymore. His eyes were red and his voice was filled with grief. The heavens had even cut off his last hope. Ling Hai also had a sister, so he could empathize with Deng Yuchuan. If something had happened to his sister, he would definitely break down in grief.. Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: I Knew It Was Her! Chapter 578: I Knew It Was Her! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Deng Yuchuan took a deep breath and tried to calm down. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve told you everything I know. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you tell me how you met Li Niang?¡± Xiao Juan said truthfully, ¡°The people who really saw Li Niang were Niaoniao and Little Hai. When I saw Li Niang, she was already a corpse.¡± Niaoniao was still unconscious and could not speak for the time being, so she could only let Ling Hai do it for her. When Niaoniao saw Li Niang, Ling Hai was also present. As an observer, he heard the conversation between Niaoniao and Li Niaoniao clearly. He repeated their conversation word for word. Deng Yuchuan listened carefully and felt even worse. His sister was already gray-haired, but she still had to sell red bean soup alone in the temple. It was obvious how difficult her life had been all these years. She was the eldest daughter of the Deng family and had never done anything since she was young. She should have been pampered and raised by a noble person, but she ended up like this. How could Deng Yuchuan accept this? He suppressed the grief in his heart and asked. ¡°How did Li Niang die?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Her body was salvaged from the Imperial River. After examination, she died from drowning. Before she died, she had four knife wounds.¡± Lo Pingsha added, ¡°There are scars on her face and body. They¡¯re old. From the color of the scars, they¡¯re at least forty years old.¡± In other words, the scar on Li Niang¡¯s body had been there before she left the Deng family. Deng Yuchuan gripped his walking stick tightly and gritted his teeth. ¡°Who harmed her?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°We¡¯re still investigating Li Niang¡¯s case. She left us a clue when she was alive.¡± With that, he bent down and reached out to take Niaoniao¡¯s left hand. He lifted her sleeve, revealing the jade bracelet on her wrist. In order to prevent the bracelet from being lost or damaged, Niaoniao had always worn it on her hand and would not take it off easily. Deng Yuchuan stood up and walked over with his walking stick. He studied the bracelet in the dim candlelight. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this bracelet in the residence. It shouldn¡¯t belong to the Deng family.¡± Xiao Juan explained, ¡°It was originally an offering from the palace and was given to Imperial Concubine Meng by the late emperor, but it finally appeared in Li Niang¡¯s hands.¡± Hearing him mention Imperial Concubine Meng, Deng Yuchuan immediately remembered. ¡°In the last letter Li Niang wrote to me before she disappeared, there was a mention of Imperial Concubine Meng.¡± ¡°She said that Imperial Concubine Meng was going to hold a flower appreciation party in the capital and had invited many noble ladies.¡± ¡°Li Niang and Luo Niang also received the invitation. Coincidentally, the talent show that year was about to begin.¡± ¡°They plan to enter the capital to participate in the talent show and take a look at the flower appreciation fair.¡± Deng Yuchuan paused and explained in a low voice. ¡°Luo Niang is the current Empress Dowager¡¯s maiden name. Li Niang¡¯s full name is Deng Yuli. The Empress Dowager¡¯s full name is Deng Yuluo.¡± Xiao Juan had a guess in his heart. Back then, after the Deng sisters went to the Imperial Capital, they saw Imperial Concubine Meng at the flower appreciation banquet. Perhaps it was at that time that Imperial Concubine Meng gave her bracelet to the sisters. After Li Niang left the Deng family, she was still wearing the jade bracelet. After she gave birth and gave the child to the Feng couple, she left the bracelet for the child as a memento. That child should be Feng Lianghan. When he grew up, he married and gave the bracelet to his wife, Madam Xie. This would explain why Madam Xie had that bracelet. Seeing Xiao Juan¡¯s thoughtful expression, Deng Yuchuan asked. ¡°Did Your Highness think of anything?¡± Xiao Juan hesitated for a moment before telling him his guess. ¡°These are all my guesses. There¡¯s no actual evidence. It might not be true.¡± Deng Yuchuan believed most of his guess and asked right on the heels of that. ¡°I wonder where Li Niang¡¯s child is now?¡± Xiao Juan said in a low voice, ¡°The entire Feng family has been silenced. Even the fetus in Madam Xie¡¯s stomach was not spared.¡± Deng Yuchuan felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His vision darkened, and his body involuntarily swayed twice, as if he was about to fall in the next moment. Xiao Juan reached out to help him. Deng Yuchuan hurriedly held his walking stick and stabilized himself. Then, he waved at Xiao Juan, indicating that he did not need anyone to help him. His lips trembled slightly as if he wanted to say something, but something seemed to be stuck in his throat. It was a long time before he forced a sound through his teeth. ¡°Who did it?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°We¡¯re still investigating this case. We still don¡¯t know who the real culprit is.¡± Deng Yuchuan¡¯s eyes turned red and his voice trembled. ¡°Is it Deng Yuluo?¡± He did not even refer to her respectfully and called her by her maiden name. Xiao Juan said cautiously, ¡°There¡¯s no evidence. I can¡¯t confirm it.¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°In other words, Deng Yuluo is very suspicious, right?¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly and gave an affirmative answer. Deng Yuchuan tightened his grip on his walking stick, his knuckles turning pale. His chest was filled with hatred. ¡°I knew it was her! I knew it was her!¡± Xiao Juan reminded him, ¡°Everything is just a guess. There¡¯s no substantial evidence. If we¡¯re wrong¡­¡± Deng Yuchuan interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to be wrong. It must be Deng Yuluo! She had been jealous of Li Niang since she was young and often snatched her things.¡± ¡°When we were young, I felt that she was still young, so I did not take it to heart about the conflict between her and Li Niang.¡± ¡°I thought that it would be fine when they grew up. Unexpectedly, Deng Yuluo became even worse.¡± ¡°She bullied Li Niang when I was not at home and forced her to leave her hometown. Now, he did not even let go of Li Niang¡¯s child.¡± ¡°You vicious woman, you¡¯ll die a horrible death!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°We have to have conclusive evidence to convict the Empress Dowager. ¡± Deng Yuchuan said without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you to the Imperial Capital. As long as I can see Li Niang¡¯s body, I can confirm her identity.¡± ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll bring Li Niang¡¯s body into the palace to confront the Empress Dowager and see what else she has to say!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If she insists on not admitting it¡­¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll die with her! Even if I die, I¡¯ll drag her to hell with me and make her apologize to Li Niang!¡± Xiao Juan wanted to persuade him again, but Deng Yuchuan was determined. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to arrange a guest room for you to rest. We¡¯ll set off for the Imperial Capital tomorrow morning.¡± With that, Deng Yuchuan walked out with his walking stick. His back seemed even more hunched than before, and he looked even older. The death of his biological sister had dealt him a huge blow. Soon, a steward walked in and said respectfully. ¡°Your Highness, please follow me.¡± Xiao Juan could only carry Niaoniao. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai followed closely behind. The four of them were brought to the guest room to rest for the time being. Yu Niaoniao only woke up at dawn the next day. She opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar bed. She immediately sat up and looked around warily. Xiao Juan walked over with her clothes. ¡°How do you feel? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?¡± As soon as Yu Niaoniao saw him, she immediately released a lot. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Where are we?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°This is the Deng family.¡± Then he roughly explained what had happened last night.. Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: Trap Chapter 579: Trap Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios From the clues they had so far, Empress Dowager Deng was very likely the real culprit who killed the entire Feng family. However, Yu Niaoniao still had many doubts. ¡°Why did Li Niang leave the Deng family back then? Who¡¯s the father of the child in Li Niang¡¯s womb? And that nameless charred corpse. Who is he? Why does he have an emerald bracelet?¡± Xiao Juan could not answer and could only say. ¡°Maybe when we see the Empress Dowager, we¡¯ll understand all these things.¡± The two of them were talking when there was a knock on the door and Ling Hail s voice came in. ¡°Your Highness, Princess Consort, Old Master Deng said that the carriage is ready. He asked me to ask when you can set off.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan pushed open the door and walked out. They arrived at the central room. He realized that other than Deng Yuchuan, the rest of the Deng family had also arrived, including Deng Yuchuan¡¯s son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Deng Luyun, whom they had met yesterday, was among them. When they found out that Old Master Deng was going to the Imperial Capital, they were very worried. After all, Old Master Deng was already old and his health was no longer as good as before. What if he tired himself out from traveling back and forth? However, Deng Yuchuan had already made up his mind. No one could change his decision. Helpless, the Deng family could only choose one of the juniors to accompany Old Master Deng. This chosen person was Deng Luyun. When the Deng family saw Duke Lang and his wife appear, they went forward to greet them. As the eldest son of the first wife, Deng Huai was about to exchange a few pleasantries with Duke Lang to use this opportunity to close the relationship between the two sides so that Duke Lang could take care of his father more along the way. Unexpectedly, before Deng Huai could speak, Deng Yuchuan beat him to it. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. Go!¡± With that, he walked out with his walking stick, looking eager. Deng Luyun hurriedly reached out to help him over the high threshold. Deng Huai had no choice but to swallow his words and send Duke Lang, his wife, and his Old Master out. They sent them all the way out of the Deng residence. In the end, Deng Huai could not help but worry. He quickly ran over before Xiao Juan could mount his horse. ¡°Your Highness, my father is old and impatient. I hope you can take good care of him along the way.¡± Xiao Juan replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why my father is going to the Imperial Capital, something that my father would do anything for must be very important to him. However, there has to be a head at home. I really could not leave.¡± ¡°If my father encounters any trouble in the Imperial Capital, please help him if you can. If you can¡¯t help, please send someone to give us a message. Please.¡± With that, Deng Huai took a step back, raised his head with both hands, and bowed to the end. His attitude could be said to be very sincere and solemn. Xiao Juan replied again, ¡°I will.¡± Deng Yuchuan saw this scene through the carriage window and immediately urged. ¡°Alright, stop talking. Let¡¯s go!¡± Xiao Juan mounted his horse and clamped his long legs around the horse¡¯s stomach. The horse dashed off. The convoy moved down the long street. Deng Huai bowed to his father¡¯s carriage. He hoped that his father would be safe and return early. Not only did Deng Yuchuan bring his grandson, Deng Luyun, but he also brought nearly a hundred private soldiers. These private soldiers were dressed as guards and rode on horses with swords. They were in charge of protecting Deng Yuchuan and Deng Luyun. The group passed through the city gate and officially left Luzhou. The commoners looked at the long line and whispered to each other. ¡°Those look like the Deng family, but who¡¯s the man riding at the front? Why haven¡¯t I seen him in Luzhou before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He doesn¡¯t look like an ordinary person. He might be an important guest of the Deng family.¡± ¡°The Deng family is making such a big scene. Where can we go?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe he just wants to go out and have fun.¡± There were more than ten men standing at the back of the crowd. They were wearing ordinary rough clothes and carrying bows and arrows. They were dressed like a group of hunters who had come to the city to sell goods. But in fact, they were the killers who had assassinated Yu Niaoniao last night. At this moment, they were watching Xiao Juan and the others leave and discussing softly. ¡°Boss, they¡¯re all gone. What should we do?¡± ¡°Master has ordered us to get the bracelet back. If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll all die.¡± ¡°Then we can only take a chance.¡± The group quietly left Luzhou and secretly followed Xiao Juan and the others, waiting for an opportunity to make a move. When the night darkened and Xiao Juan and the others stopped to rest, the assassins attacked when they were unprepared. But when they rushed into the carriages, they found it empty. The assassins immediately realized that they had been tricked! They wanted to retreat, but it was too late. Deng Luyun surrounded the assassins with the guards. Looking at the masked assassins in front of him, Deng Luyun shouted imposingly. ¡°If you want to live, surrender obediently!¡± On a small hill not far away, Deng Yuchuan could not help but sigh when he saw this scene under the moonlight. ¡°He¡¯s still too young.¡± Xiao Juan understood what Old Master Deng meant. Those were all death warriors. It was impossible for them to surrender. The correct way was to capture them as soon as possible and not give them a chance to commit suicide. In the end, it proved that Deng Yuchuan and Xiao Juan were right. When those assassins realized that they had nowhere to escape, they made up their minds and slit their throats. Seeing this, Deng Luyun hurriedly got someone to stop them. Unfortunately, it was too late. These assassins were extremely ruthless. In the blink of an eye, they were dead. Ling Hai helped Deng Yuchuan down the hill. Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, and Lo Pingsha also walked down. When they reached the carriage, they saw a pile of corpses. Deng Luyun stood at the side, sword in hand. He wanted to say something, but he did not know what to say. He looked a little at a loss. He was extremely talented in martial arts. In addition, under the guidance of a great teacher, he had good martial arts at a young age. No one in his generation was his match. When others came to the Deng family as guests, they would praise him as a young hero when they saw him. He would definitely become a great person in the future. He had originally thought that he would only capture a few assassins. With his strong martial arts and numbers, he would definitely be able to take them down easily. Unexpectedly, it ended like this. Now everyone was dead. No one was left alive. As for who the mastermind was, they still knew nothing. Deng Luyun felt extremely stupid. He didn¡¯t even dare look up at his grandfather. He was afraid of seeing the disappointment on his grandfather¡¯s face. Seeing him like this, Deng Yuchuan sighed. ¡°Take this as a lesson. Be careful next time.¡± Only then did Deng Luyun dare to look up. His childish face was filled with frustration and self-reproach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry..¡¯ Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: Uneasy Chapter 580: Uneasy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Actually, when they first left Luzhou, Xiao Juan sensed that someone was following them, but he pretended not to notice anything and continued on his way. It was not until after dark that the group stopped to rest. Only then did Xiao Juan secretly tell the others that they were being followed. They pretended to be asleep, deliberately giving themselves away. As expected, the assassins appeared. It was originally a good plan. As long as they could capture the assassin alive, they could ask who the mastermind was. In the end, Deng Luyun messed up. This was the first time he had suffered a setback in his life. The young man¡¯s confidence fell and he wilted. Yu Niaoniao walked over and squatted down. She reached out and pulled off the mask on an assassin¡¯s face. She saw that the other party¡¯s face was unfamiliar. Seeing the quiver on the assassin¡¯s back, she took out an arrow and looked at it. She immediately recognized it. ¡°This is the assassin who ambushed me last night.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved the arrow in her hand. ¡°This arrow is identical to the one that was shot at me last night. They should be the same group.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the assassin¡¯s corpse on the ground and then at the carriage beside him. He frowned slightly. ¡°This group of assassins came for you twice, but you don¡¯t know them. Is there something on you they want?¡± Yu Niaoniao reacted quickly. ¡°It¡¯s that jade bracelet!¡± Xiao Juan agreed with her guess. ¡°The reason Li Niang died back then was very likely related to that jade bracelet. Now that the bracelet is in your hands, the mastermind has targeted you again.¡± Hearing him mention Li Niang, Deng Yuchuan could not help but speak. ¡°Empress Dowager Deng must have sent someone to do it. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know about the bracelet. She¡¯s afraid that her crime of murdering her own sister would be exposed.¡± Xiao Juan felt that it was not that simple. ¡°Assuming you¡¯re telling the truth, the Empress Dowager would not have sent someone to kill Li Niang if she was really afraid of the crime being exposed.¡± ¡°Anyway, she was the Empress Dowager. Even if Li Niang complained, she could not do anything to the Empress Dowager.¡± ¡°There was no need for the Empress Dowager to do anything unnecessary. There must be a bigger secret hidden here.¡± This was a secret that the mastermind had to hide even if he killed everyone. There was too little evidence. If they relied on speculation, they would never be able to confirm the truth. The guards dug a hole and buried all the assassins¡¯ corpses. At dawn the next day, they set off to continue their journey. Yu Niaoniao sat in the carriage and looked at the jade bracelet on her wrist in a daze. Seeing this, Ling Hai could not help but ask, ¡°Did you think of something?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°So many people have died for such a small bracelet. First, my mother and stepfather, then Sun Dalang¡¯s family, and Li Niang. Now that this bracelet is in my hands, will I also¡­¡± Ling Hai hurriedly interrupted her, ¡°No! You¡¯re blessed. You¡¯ll definitely be fine!¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. She lowered her hand. ¡°Thank you for your kind words. Let¡¯s hope I survive until the truth comes out.¡± As it turned out, her worries were not groundless. Along the way, assassins kept attacking them. The assassins¡¯ goals were surprisingly the same¡ª They were all coming for Niaoniao. Once the assassination failed, they would commit suicide without hesitation. Even if Xiao Juan took precautions in advance and stopped them from committing suicide on the spot, they would still die from the poison before long. It turned out that these assassins had taken the poison before they took action. Once the mission succeeded, they would immediately take the antidote. However, if the mission failed, they would die from the poison. This almost suicidal assassination method was enough to show the mastermind¡¯s determination to kill Yu Niaoniao. Xiao Juan suggested, ¡°Give me the bracelet.¡± If those assassins were really after the bracelet, he would take all the risks. Yu Niaoniao did not want Xiao Juan to take the risk for her, but she knew her limits. She did not have the ability to protect herself, so the bracelet was even more safe in Xiao Juan¡¯s hands. Hence, she obediently handed the jade bracelet to Xiao Juan. Soon, they were attacked again. The assassins¡¯ targets this time were two¡ª Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. Even though Niaoniao did not have a bracelet on her, those assassins still did not let her off. After a fierce battle, the assassins were defeated. Deng Luyun reacted quickly this time and did not give the assassins a chance to commit suicide. He captured them immediately and dislocated their chins and limbs, making them lose their ability to commit suicide. Unfortunately, it was useless. After a while, the assassins twitched all over and spat out black blood. Then, right on the heels of that, they kicked their legs and stopped breathing. It was obvious that they had already taken the poison and had died from it. Deng Luyun gritted his teeth in hatred, but he was helpless. Yu Niaoniao walked up to Xiao Juan and looked at him. ¡°Just give me the bracelet.¡± Xiao Juan stood still. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°As you saw just now, their target is not just the bracelet, but me. No matter who has the bracelet, they wouldn¡¯t let me off.¡± ¡°Instead of having one more person take the risk, why don¡¯t you put the bracelet on me?¡± Xiao Juan knew that she had a point. But he couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°I won¡¯t let you face danger alone. Even if I have to die, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± When the man said this, his tone was extremely low, like a blade stabbing into the ground, exuding a determined aura. Yu Niaoniao smiled, looking both helpless and happy. ¡°Well, since you insist on sharing my troubles, I have no reason to refuse you.¡± At this point, Niaoniao did not mention asking for the bracelet back. But when she was alone, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was being too selfish. She wanted to pursue the truth and avenge her mother and stepfather. For this, no matter the risk, she was willing. However, Xiao Juan did not need to avenge anyone. He could have chosen not to intevene.Now he was going to put himself in danger for her. The days passed. They were getting closer to the Imperial Capital. The assassins seemed to know that there was not much time left. Their attacks became crazier. Once, Xiao Juan was unfortunately injured. Although it was only a light injury, it made the uneasy feeling in Niaoniao¡¯s heart intensify. Niaoniao bandaged Xiao Juan¡¯s wound very carefully. Seeing that she was silent, Xiao Juan took the initiative to comfort her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a small injury. I¡¯ll be fine in two days.¡± Yu Niaoniao opened her mouth, wanting Xiao Juan to stop investigating. She could investigate the Feng family¡¯s case alone. She did not want Xiao Juan to be injured for her. But she swallowed the words. Because she knew that Xiao Juan would not agree. If she were in Xiao Juan¡¯s shoes, she would definitely not leave him. Xiao Juan looked at her steadily and suddenly said in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll always be by your side. Don¡¯t even think about getting rid of me.¡± Yu Niaoniao became a little flustered. She quickly lowered her head. ¡°Why are you talking about this? Don¡¯t ride for the next two days. Take the carriage or the wound will open.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Okay..¡± Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: Take It One Step at a Time Chapter 581: Take It One Step at a Time Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan left the Imperial Capital on the first day of the Lunar New Year. At that time, the Imperial Capital was still covered in snow. Now that they had returned to the Imperial Capital, it was already autumn and refreshing. Golden osmanthus hung on the branches by the road, and a rich fragrance wafted far away. Yu Niaoniao looked out of the carriage window and saw red lanterns hanging at the entrance of the shops on the street. She guessed that it should be a joyous occasion in the capital. Xiao Juan invited Deng Yuchuan and Deng Luyun to stay in the Langjun Imperial Palace for the time being. Deng Yuchuan politely declined. ¡°Our Deng family has a residence in the Imperial Capital. It¡¯s cleaned all year round and can be lived in at any time. We¡¯ll just stay there. When we¡¯re settled, we¡¯ll discuss entering the palace.¡± Although Deng Yuchuan could not wait to know the truth, he was still someone who had experienced many storms. He knew that not everyone could enter the palace. He had to find the right time. Xiao Juan did not force him. After traveling for a while, the carriage finally stopped in front of the Langjun Imperial Palace. Yu Niaoniao jumped out of the carriage and looked up at the familiar door of the Langjun Imperial Palace. After this chase, she was finally home safely. She felt her suspended heart relax and she relaxed. The door of the Langjun Imperial Palace opened and Granny Xiu Yan quickly welcomed her. She looked at the safe and sound Duke Lang and the Princess Consort and was overjoyed. ¡°You¡¯re finally back. I was worried sick!¡± Yu Niaoniao stretched out her arms and hugged Granny Xiu Yan. ¡°Nanny, I miss you so much.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said sincerely, ¡°I miss you too. I¡¯m worried about how you ate and slept outside every day. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll be bullied. Fortunately, you¡¯re all safe. Come in and sit down to rest.¡± The group walked into the Langjun Imperial Palace. Yu Niaoniao asked as she walked. ¡°I saw many families hanging red lanterns in the city. Could it be something happy? Granny Xiu Yan smiled and explained, ¡°In ten days, it will be Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s sixtieth birthday. The emperor is preparing to hold a big party. Many foreign envoys have come to the Imperial Capital to congratulate the Empress Dowager. You guys came back in time just in time for the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday. This might be a good opportunity. She immediately said to Xiao Juan, ¡°The Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday is not a small matter. We have to prepare well.¡± Xiao Juan immediately understood what she meant and nodded slightly. ¡°Okay.¡± Granny Xiu Yan did not know the hidden meaning of their words and followed them. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared some birthday gifts. I¡¯ll invite Your Highness and the Princess Consort to take a look later and see if they¡¯re suitable. If not, I can change as soon as possible.¡± The group chatted as they walked and bumped into Meng Xizhou on the way. They cupped their fists and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness, Princess Consort.¡± Seeing their expressions, Yu Niaoniao knew that they had been waiting here for a long time. They probably had something to tell Xiao Juan, so she said tactfully. ¡®You guys chat first. Granny and I will go into the house and sit for a while.¡± Xiao Juan nodded in agreement. Yu Niaoniao brought Granny Xiu Yan and Ling Hai into the house, while Lo Pingsha stayed where he was. Meng Xizhou could not wait to report. ¡°Not long ago, someone in the court submitted a memorial to impeach our Justice Department for being too rough in investigating cases, causing many wrongful cases. The Crown Prince ordered someone to investigate the previous cases of the Justice Department. The entire Justice Department was in a mess.¡± Lo Pingsha still did not know what had happened in the Justice Department. When he heard Meng Xizhou¡¯s words, he could not help but frown. However, Duke Lang did not speak, so Lo Pingsha naturally did not dare to speak. He could only listen silently. Meng Xizhou became angrier and angrier. ¡°The Crown Prince used the excuse of investigating cases to dig up many old cases. ¡®l¡¯ney spouted nonsense and Insisted tnat tnere was sometnlng wrong with the dossier. Then, he threw caution to the wind and dismissed the Eagle Guards who were investigating the case back then.¡± ¡°Some Eagle Guards were even flogged for this. In just two months, everyone in the Justice Department had been changed. Now, the people in the Justice Department with real power were all people planted by the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Even Pan Dafu, who was in the kitchen, was chased away. They said that we did not follow the rules and lacked substantial evidence. But what about them? They didn¡¯t even have any evidence. They convicted us with just a few words. Aren¡¯t they even more unruly than us?!¡± Xiao Juan knew in his heart that the so-called impeachment should have been secretly instructed by the crown prince to make it easier for him to eliminate dissidents and take over the Justice Department faster. He had expected this, so he did not react much. ¡°Where¡¯s Little Yan?¡± At the mention of this, Meng Xizhou immediately restrained his anger and replied truthfully. ¡°Per your instructions, we¡¯ve already asked all the Eagle Guards. Anyone who¡¯s willing to follow us has been taken away from the Imperial Capital by Yan Nanguan. They should be on their way to Liaodong County now.¡± Hearing this, Lo Pingsha could not help but speak. ¡°Are we going to Liaodong County?¡± Meng Xizhou said angrily, ¡°That¡¯s right! Since the Imperial Capital can¡¯t accommodate us, let¡¯s go to Liaodong. The world is so big. I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s no place for us!¡± He then stared at Lo Pingsha and asked. ¡°Little Lo, do you want to come with us?¡± Lo Pingsha gave an affirmative answer without thinking. ¡°Of course!¡± He no longer had any family in the Imperial Capital. Duke Lang, his wife, and everyone in the Justice Department were equivalent to his family. Wherever his family was, he would be there! But Lo Pingsha was still worried. ¡°If we leave just like that, will the crown prince send someone after us?¡± Regarding this, Xiao Juan had already calculated. ¡°I¡¯ve already despatched someone to send a letter to Prince Min and Tang Guixi. Liaodong County is their territory. Tang Guixi still has 300,000 troops in her hands. With them blocking for us in front, the crown prince won¡¯t dare to use force.¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°But this is not a long-term solution. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future and really takes power, he will definitely think of a way to force Tang Guixi to return her military power. At that time, what should we do?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then we can only think of a way when the time comes.¡± Lo Pingsha sighed. In the current situation, they could only take it one step at a time. Meng Xizhou had had enough of being cowardly in the Justice Department recently. He wished he could grow wings and fly out of the Imperial Capital immediately. He couldn¡¯t care less. He asked impatiently, ¡°Your Highness, when are we leaving? Xiao Juan said, ¡°We still have to wait a little longer. I still have something to deal with.¡± Meng Xizhou had no choice but to agree. ¡°Fine.¡± Xiao Juan crossed the threshold and walked into the central room. He saw Niaoniao flipping through the gift list. Seeing that Xiao Juan had arrived, Yu Niaoniao immediately handed over the gift list. ¡°Take a look. These are all birthday gifts for the Empress Dowager.¡± Xiao Juan took the gift list and scanned it briefly. He did not think there was any problem and handed it to Granny Xiu Yan. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare according to the gift list.¡± ¡°Yes.. ¡° Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: Too Much Chapter 582: Too Much Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After traveling for so long, logically speaking, Yu Niaoniao should be very tired, but she was focused on the case. She didn¡¯t sit long before she stood up, wanting to go to the Justice Department to see the charred corpse and figure out his background. Xiao Juan stopped her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to the Justice Department. I¡¯ve already ordered someone to move the charred corpse to the Langjun Imperial Palace.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. It was not an ordinary piece of evidence. It was a charred body. Why would someone move the body into their house? Wasn¡¯t he afraid that Granny Xiu Yan would be frightened? Yu Niaoniao asked the question in her heart. ¡°Why did you move the charred corpse into the house for no reason?¡± Xiao Juan originally did not want to tell Niaoniao about the change in the Justice Department lest she worried for nothing. But at this point, she would find out sooner or later. Instead of letting others spout nonsense at her, he might as well take the initiative to explain the matter to her. Xiao Juan quickly prepared a script in his heart and finished what had happened in the Justice Department in a few words. His tone was flat as if this was no big deal. However, Yu Niaoniao was furious. ¡°Shen Zhuo is too much!¡± At first, she thought that Shen Zhuo wanted to divide the power, but he wanted to take the entire Justice Department for himself. This method was equivalent to not giving Xiao Juan a way out at all! If Shen Zhuo was standing in front of her now, she would definitely not be able to control her hands and rush forward to give him a hard time! Xiao Juan comforted her. ¡°Since he wants the Justice Department, I¡¯ll just give it to him. Later, we¡¯ll leave the Imperial Capital with our men and go to Liaodong County to join Prince Min and Tang Guixi. Liaodong County is far from here. Shen Zhuo¡¯s hand can¡¯t reach there. At that time, we can live our lives in peace behind closed doors.¡± Yu Niaoniao was coaxed by him until her anger dissipated a little. ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you make it sound.¡± Shen Zhuo could not even accommodate a Justice Department, let alone such a huge Liaodong County. In the future, he would definitely think of a way to deal with Tang Guixi and Prince Min, just like how he was dealing with Xiao Juan now. Xiao Juan said, ¡°There is always a way out. There will always be a way.¡± Then, he brought Niaoniao to the place where the charred corpse was stored. This was originally a guest room. Because no one had lived here for a long time, it had been idle. Now that a guest had finally lived in it, it was a charred nameless corpse. Yu Niaoniao studied the charred corpse for a long time, but she still could not figure out anything. She could only call Lo Pingsha over and they studied it together. Xiao Juan still had to enter the palace to meet the emperor, so he could only leave first. After entering the palace, Xiao Juan saw the old emperor. The old emperor looked in good spirits. He could even sit up. His face still had a rosy sheen. He smiled and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been out for so long. Did you go anywhere good?¡± Xiao Juan replied concisely, ¡°I accompanied Niaoniao back to Bashu County to pay respects to her mother and stepfather. At the same time, I went elsewhere to shop.¡± The old emperor sighed. ¡°I really envy you, young people. You can go wherever you want, unlike me, who can only be trapped in this palace and can¡¯t go anywhere.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You look much better. You should recover soon. In the future, it won¡¯t be a problem for you to go anywhere.¡± Clearly pleased, the old emperor laughed. ¡°Haha, ever since I ate the Grand Duke meat, I do feel much better. Looks like the rumors are not groundless. That Grand Duke meat really has the miraculous effect of reviving the dead!¡± At this point, he turned to look at Wei Huai¡¯en and praised him happily. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Wei Liao. If he hadn¡¯t helped me find the Grand Duke from afar, my condition wouldn¡¯t have improved.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en replied expertly, ¡°Wei Liao was just following your decree. This is what he should do. Your condition improved because you¡¯re the Son of Heaven and are blessed by the heavens.¡± These words were clearly to curry favor but the old emperor fell for it. He felt even more carefree. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mistreat Wei Liao. I¡¯ve already ordered someone to draft a decree to confer Wei Liao as General Huaiyuan and give him a residence.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en immediately knelt on both knees and kowtowed to thank the emperor for his adopted son. General Huaiyuan was a third-grade subordinate. Although it was only a fake title, it meant that Wei Liao already had a place in the court. In addition, he was still young, so his future was limitless. The old emperor said some unimportant matters again and did not mention anything about the changes in the Justice Department. It didn¡¯t take long for him to feel tired. He closed his eyes and wanted to rest. Xiao Juan tactfully retreated. He calmed the internal strife of the Eastern Expedition Army and destroyed Princess Ni Yang¡¯s scheme. He saved many innocent people and made so many contributions, but he could only be rewarded with some gold, silver, and jewelry. Wei Liao could be conferred the title of general just by helping the old emperor find Grand Duke meat. Anyone would feel unbalanced by such favoritism. Xiao Juan naturally felt uncomfortable. But soon he threw this matter aside. In any case, he was already prepared to take Niaoniao far away. The old emperor could use whoever he wanted. Everything had nothing to do with him. In the Langjun Imperial Palace. Seeing that the Princess Consort and Lo Pingsha had been staying in the guest room and did not come out, Granny Xiu Yan was worried that the Princess Consort was so busy that she would not even bother to eat lunch. She had no choice but to look for them with the food box. She had no choice but to look for them with the food box. When Granny Xiu Yan walked into the guest room and saw the charred corpse on the bed, she was shocked and almost dropped the food box in her hand. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly pulled over the white cloth to cover the charred corpse. ¡°Nanny, don¡¯t be afraid. This is just an ordinary corpse.¡± Granny Xiu Yan placed the food box on the table and stroked her heart, looking like she had lingering fears. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t seen a dead person before, but she had never seen a charred one. It was terrifying. She tried not to look at the charred body on the bed. ¡°No matter how busy you are,¡± she advised, ¡°don¡¯t forget to eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Got it.¡± She and Lo Pingsha washed their hands and sat down at the table. They picked up their bowls and chopsticks and prepared to eat. Yu Niaoniao asked casually. ¡°Have you eaten, Granny?¡± Granny Xiu Yan said that she had eaten as she scooped rice for them. Yu Niaoniao took the bowl and suddenly remembered that Granny had lived in the palace for many years. She should know a lot, so she asked. ¡°Did Granny know that the Empress Dowager had a sister?¡± Granny Xiu Yan thought about it carefully and really remembered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard someone mention that the Empress Dowager has an elder sister. Back then, the two sisters were both in the selection range. Initially, everyone thought that her sister would be chosen. They did not expect her to be the one chosen in the end.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly asked, ¡°Why do you think she should be the chosen one? Is there anything extraordinary about her?¡± Granny Xiu Yan tried harder to remember and gradually remembered some details. ¡°The elder sister¡¯s looks are even more outstanding. I heard that she¡¯s the most beautiful girl in that batch. In terms of looks, no one could compare to her. In addition, she was the eldest daughter of the Deng family, and her background was impeccable. Most importantly, Imperial Concubine Meng likes her very much and praises her endlessly..¡± Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: Two Letters (Part 1) Chapter 583: Two Letters (Part 1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao expressed her confusion,¡±Since the eldest is so outstanding, why did they choose the younger sister in the end?¡± Granny Xiu Yan shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Yu Niaoniao thought of the scar on Li Niang¡¯s face and tried to ask, ¡°Could it have something to do with the eldest sister¡¯s disfigurement?¡± Even if Li Niang was too beautiful when she was young, once her face was destroyed, she would never have the chance to enter the palace again. Granny Xiu Yan was very surprised. ¡°Eldest Miss Deng was disfigured? I¡¯ve never heard of this.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly remembered. ¡°By the way, I did hear some rumors back then. It was said that the eldest daughter of the Deng family had contracted an evil illness and could not see anyone. She had to be sent back to Luzhou to recuperate. However, these were just rumors and I could not tell if they were true. I just listened and did not take them to heart. Later, the two daughters of the Deng family were even invited by Imperial Concubine Meng to the palace to drink tea, which confirmed that the rumors were nonsense.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Are you sure the two daughters of the Deng family have entered the palace?¡± Granny Xiu Yan was not sure. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard about this and haven¡¯t seen it with my own eyes. It shouldn¡¯t be wrong.¡± Seeing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s solemn expression, she could not help but ask. ¡°Is this very important?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Very important!¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Please give me some time to think about it.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Please.¡± She had lunch with Lo Pingsha and continued to study the charred corpse. This time, they prepared to start from the beginning and carefully examine every part of the charred corpse. In the end, they really discovered something unusual¡ª The charred corpse had six toes on its left foot. Because the body had been burned by high temperatures and was severely carbonized, the fingers and toes showed a tendency to curl and stick tightly together. If they hadn¡¯t examined it carefully from beginning to end, they might never have discovered that the charred corpse had one more toe on its left foot than ordinary people. Yu Niaoniao immediately recorded this discovery in the autopsy report. From the current clues, the charred corpse had suffered from serious rheumatism and heart and lung disease when he was alive. He had six toes on his left foot. These were his personal characteristics and could be important clues to verify his identity. At this moment, Granny Xiu Yan came looking for her. She looked apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m still not sure if the Deng sisters entered the palace back then.¡± Yu Niaoniao comforted him gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯ve already helped me a lot.¡± Granny Xiu Yan asked, ¡°Really?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What you said indirectly confirmed some of my guesses. It¡¯s indeed very helpful to me.¡± Granny Xiu Yan smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. By the way, Old Master Deng sent someone to the Regional King¡¯s Mansion just now. He said that he has something very important to discuss with you and His Highness and wants to invite you to the Deng Mansion as soon as possible.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao immediately said. ¡°Prepare the carriage. I¡¯m going to the Deng residence.¡± Lo Pingsha followed closely. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going with His Highness?¡± Yu Niaoniao could not wait anymore. Deng Yuchuan suddenly called them over in a hurry. He must have found clues about Li Niang. She had to go over immediately. ¡°When His Highness returns, tell him that we went to the Deng family.¡± With that, she hurried out with Lo Pingsha. The two of them rode to the Deng residence. The Deng Residence¡¯s door was closed, and it was cold and empty. Lo Pingsha stepped forward and pounded on the door. Soon the door was pulled open from the inside. The door was opened by a guard. When he saw that it was the Princess Consort of Lang County and Lo Pingsha, he immediately said, ¡°My master has been waiting for a long time. Please come in.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Lo Pingsha strode across the high threshold and in. The guard led them across the front yard and straight to the study. Deng Luyun was like a door god who was quietly guarding the door. He spoke solemnly, ¡°Grandpa said that we can only let the Princess Consort in.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to Lo Pingsha, who was following behind. ¡°Wait for me outside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao pushed open the door and walked into the study. She saw Deng Yuchuan sitting in a chair. On the desk in front of him was a dirty mahogany box. Deng Yuchuan looked like he had just cried. His eyes were red. He looked at the mahogany box in front of him in a daze. His gaze seemed to penetrate it and see people or things from a long time ago. It was filled with nostalgia and reluctance. Yu Niaoniao did not stand on ceremony with him and asked, ¡°Why did you call me here?¡± Deng Yuchuan raised his right hand and pointed at the mahogany box in front of him. ¡°This is the box I dug out from under the cinnamon tree.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked over and saw that the mahogany box had been opened. Two folded pieces of paper lay quietly inside. She glanced at Deng Yuchuan. Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°Princess Consort, please help yourself.¡± Only then did Yu Niaoniao reach out and pick up the thin rice paper. She unfolded the paper and saw the first line of words. It said¡ª It has been many years. How is my brother? Yu Niaoniao was stunned for a moment before she realized that Deng Yuchuan only had two sisters. One of his sisters was Empress Dowager Deng. She would definitely not write to Deng Yuchuan in this way. In that case, the only remaining possibility was that this letter was written by Li Niang! Before she could ask, Deng Yuchuan took the initiative to give an answer. ¡°This is a personal letter from Li Niang.¡± Back then, when Deng Yuchuan was about to leave the Deng family for the border, Li Niang cried very sadly. Her biological mother had passed away early, and her brother had become the person she was closest to at home. She could not bear to let her brother go. She did not want to be separated from him. In order to comfort his sister, Deng Yuchuan planted a pear tree sapling behind her boudoir. And promised his sister that he would be back when the pear tree bore fruit. Li Niang treasured that pear tree very much. Every time she wrote to her brother, she did not forget to mention the growth of the pear tree at the end of the letter. Deng Yuchuan knew in his heart that his sister was reminding him not to forget his promise. Unfortunately, he broke his promise in the end. The pear trees bloomed and bore fruit year after year, but his return was out of reach. As soon as Deng Yuchuan arrived today, he realized that there was a pear tree in the courtyard. It reminded him of his sister, whom he had not seen for years. Back then, Li Niang had complained to her brother in her letter and asked him why he wasn¡¯t home yet. She even said in a fit of pique that if she died one day, she would bury her will under the pear tree. She asked her brother not to forget to look for letters under the pear tree when he returned home. Scenes of the past assaulted him. For some reason, Deng Yuchuan suddenly had the urge to get his grandson to dig up the soil under the pear tree. In the end, he really dug out a mahogany box. There were two letters in the box. Even after so many years, Deng Yuchuan could still recognize Li Niang¡¯s handwriting on the letter. A joke from back then had now become true. Intense grief surged, making the gray-haired old man cry. He choked. ¡°I¡¯ve let Li Niang down. If I had returned home earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much, let alone died tragically at the hands of others..¡± Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Two Letters (2) Chapter 584: Two Letters (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The first letter was not very long. In the letter, Li Niang said¡ª ¡°When my brother sees my letter, I would have died long ago.¡± ¡°After so many years, you haven¡¯t forgotten me. I¡¯m very happy that you can still remember our agreement.¡± ¡°The reason I hadn¡¯t contacted my brother over the years was because I knew a secret.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let anyone know my whereabouts. I don¡¯t want to implicate my brother. I can¡¯t let you and the rest of the Deng family be involved in danger.¡± ¡°I originally wanted to bring that secret to the grave to end all my grudges. I was prepared to die. Before I died, I went back to Bashu to see my child. But when I got there, I found out that my child was dead.¡± ¡°I know they did it. They had killed the entire Feng family!¡± ¡°I also knew that there was a survivor from the Feng family. That child had gone to the Imperial Capital.¡± ¡°She was a smart and filial child. I left the bracelet to her.¡± ¡°I believe that she would definitely find out the truth and give the Feng family justice.¡± ¡°Brother, when she finds you, please help her.¡± Li Niang was superb. Yu Niaoniao eagerly unfolded the second piece of paper. The paper was covered in words. In this letter, Li Niang revealed the secret¡ª It turned out that the talent show back then was not just to choose a concubine, but also to choose an empress. The late emperor¡¯s first wife, the empress, had passed away from illness and there was a need for the emperor to marry another empress. As the most experienced person in the palace, Imperial Concubine Meng had a good character and morals, so the late emperor entrusted this matter to her. The matter of establishing an empress was no small matter. In order to avoid causing unnecessary disputes, Imperial Concubine Meng did not make it public and kept an extremely low profile. Therefore, very few people knew about this. Imperial Concubine Meng took a fancy to Li Niang at a glance. She felt that be it her looks, background, or moral talent, she was the best choice to inherit the Empress. However, the day before the talent show began, Li Niang suddenly fell down the stairs. Although the rescue was not life-threatening in time, there would definitely be scars on her face and body. In this way, she could no longer participate in the talent show, so the position of the empress was naturally out of her reach. Then, her sister, Deng Yuluo, replaced Li Niang and was brought into the palace by Imperial Concubine Meng, becoming the candidate for the empress. Everyone thought that Li Niang had accidentally fallen and injured herself. Only Li Niang knew very well that she had been pushed down the stairs. The person who had harmed her was her half-sister. Li Niang could not take this lying down. She was determined to take revenge. She knew that Deng Yuluo had interacted with a young and handsome scholar in private. Deng Yuluo had a good impression of that scholar. Originally, she had planned to let that scholar propose at her house after she failed. However, when she found out that this talent show was not only about choosing a concubine, but also about choosing an empress, Deng Yuluo immediately cut ties with that scholar and focused on the talent show. Being thrown out for no reason, the scholar felt resentful. When Li Niang looked for him, he agreed to help her almost without thinking. Li Niang entered the palace under the pretense of visiting her sister. She had two maidservants with her. One of the maidservants was a scholar in disguise. She took advantage of the situation and drugged Deng Yuluo¡¯s food. When the drug took effect and Deng Yuluo was infatuated, Li Niang called the scholar over. Then, Li Niang walked out of the room. At the end, she did not forget to close the door and hand Deng Yuluo to the scholar. Li Niang thought that as long as Deng Yuluo¡¯s body was broken, it was impossible for her to be conferred the title of empress. What she could not obtain, Deng Yuluo could forget about it! Coincidentally, the emperor suddenly visited that night. He wanted to see with his own eyes what the talented and beautiful eldest daughter of the Deng family looked like. Li Niang did not want the emperor to see her ugly appearance, so she deliberately extinguished all the candles in the room. When the emperor came in, he could only vaguely see Li Niang¡¯s slender figure under the hazy moonlight coming in through the window. The emperor wanted someone to light the candle and take a closer look at Li Niang¡¯s face. Li Niang was desperate. Such times call for desperate measures and a drowning man will clutch at a straw. Using the excuse of toasting, she secretly poured the last of the unused knockout powder into a wine glass. After a glass of wine, the emperor began to feel groggy and hot. Li Niang wanted to take the opportunity to leave, but she was stopped by the drugged emperor and pressed to the cold ground. Li Niang did not dare to make a sound. If she attracted the attention of the palace maids and eunuchs outside, her plan would be exposed. At that time, not only her, but the entire Deng family would suffer. She could only grit her teeth and endure it. It was not easy for her to make it to the end. The emperor was so tired that he fell asleep. Li Niang endured the pain and humiliation and got up. She dressed and quietly left. At dawn the next day, Li Niang hurriedly left the palace with two maidservants. When they returned to the Deng residence, Li Niang gave the scholar a sum of silver and asked him to leave the Imperial Capital as far as possible. It was also then that she found out that the scholar had taken the jade bracelet on Deng Yuluo¡¯s wrist. He said that he would never see Deng Yuluo again and wanted to keep it as a souvenir. At that time, Li Niang did not think too much about it and quickly sent him away. She originally thought that Deng Yuluo would definitely fail after her body was broken. In the end, it proved that she had underestimated Deng Yuluo. Deng Yuluo used some methods to hide from the physical examination in the palace and was successfully chosen as the empress. Li Niang watched helplessly as Deng Yuluo ascended to a high position and took the phoenix seal that represented her status as the empress from the emperor. In that moment, Li Niang knew that she had lost. Deng Yuluo, who had become an empress, would definitely not let her off. She could only disguise herself and leave the Imperial Capital quietly. Initially, she wanted to return to the Deng family, but on the way, she accidentally realized that she was pregnant. This time, she could not even return to the Deng family. She could not explain the origin of the child in her stomach. She could only hide and drift. After a few turns, she finally arrived at Jinguan City and gave birth to a son with Grandma Sun¡¯s help. She knew that she was powerless to raise her son, and she was even more afraid that her existence would implicate him. Hence, she could only trouble Grandma Sun to find a good family for her son. Coincidentally, the Feng couple wanted a child very much at that time, so Grandma Sun sent the child to their house. After confirming that the Feng couple could take good care of the child, Li Niang quietly left Jinguan City and continued her wandering journey. That was the end of the letter. There was no need for Li Niang to say anything else. Yu Niaoniao knew everything. Li Niang could not accept her son¡¯s tragic death. She did not hesitate to take the risk to return to the Imperial Capital and use herself as bait to lure the real culprit out. She had deliberately jumped into the Imperial River on New Year¡¯s Eve to attract the attention of the authorities. She knew that Yu Niaoniao would definitely pursue the truth. So she left the jade bracelet as a clue. She also knew that her brother would come all the way to the Imperial Capital for her. So she buried two letters under the pear tree. Even if she had to give up everything, she wanted the truth to be revealed and the real culprit executed! Yu Niaoniao held the light rice paper, but she felt that it weighed a thousand pounds. Some of these truths were what she had expected. But there were some things she hadn¡¯t expected.. Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: Battle Report Chapter 585: Battle Report Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, a messenger rushed to the city gate of the Imperial Capital. The city guard was about to stop him when he saw the messenger take out his token and shout at the top of his lungs. ¡°Urgent battle report for 800 miles!¡± Baixin, who was near the city gate, hurriedly made way. The city guards also retreated, not daring to stop him. They looked at the back of the messenger as he sped away and discussed softly. ¡°Where did the battle report come from?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s going to be a battle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hope it¡¯s a false alarm. Don¡¯t fight.¡± The messenger rode wildly through the city. By the time he reached the palace gate, the horse was so tired that it could not stand steadily and fell to the ground. The messenger fell. Ignoring the pain, he got up on all fours, raised the token that represented his status, and roared at the imperial guards in front of the palace gate. ¡°Battle Report! Urgent Battle Report for 800 miles!¡± Because he shouted so hard, his voice changed. The imperial guards checked the token and hurriedly opened the palace door. At this moment, Xiao Juan was walking out of the palace. He paused as the messenger ran past him. He had heard the messenger¡¯s roar too. He had a bad feeling. Could there be a battle at the border? Thinking of this, Xiao Juan immediately quickened his pace. After leaving the palace, he rode back to the Langjun Imperial Palace. Niaoniao was not in the residence. After asking, he found out that she had gone to the Deng residence. Hence, Xiao Juan immediately went out and rode to the Deng Residence. When he arrived at the Deng residence, the sun had already set and the sky was gradually turning dark. In the study, Yu Niaoniao placed the two letters back into the mahogany box. Seeing Deng Yuchuan¡¯s grief, she knew that now was not the time to say these words, but she still asked. ¡°Since you already know the truth, do you still plan to enter the palace to see the Empress Dowager?¡± Deng Yuchuan was silent. He had traveled thousands of miles to the Imperial Capital to confront Deng Yuluo and figure out why Li Niang had died. Now that the truth was in front of him, his goal had been achieved. There was no need for him to confront Deng Yuluo again. But he was unwilling to stop. Li Niang had died so tragically. He wanted justice for her. But the other party was the Empress Dowager. Although the emperor was guilty of the same crime as the commoners, that was just talk. Deng Yuchuan knew very well that reality would not be so beautiful. The Empress Dowager was the biological mother of the emperor and a woman standing at the peak of power. If he wanted to convict the Empress Dowager, it was no different from taking chestnuts from the fire. If he was not careful, he would attract trouble. Moreover, this matter involved the emperor¡¯s background. Once the Empress Dowager¡¯s crimes were proven, everyone would know that the emperor was not legitimate. The emperor would never allow this to happen. Deng Yuchuan was already half-buried. He was not afraid of death, but the entire Deng family was standing behind him. If Deng Yuluo was convicted of confusing the royal bloodline, the Deng family would definitely suffer. The hundred-year foundation accumulated by their ancestors might be destroyed in his hands. At this moment, Deng Yuchuan understood many things. His father should have known the truth. The reason why Deng Yuluo could successfully pass the examination during the talent show back then was because of the Deng family. Otherwise, it would not explain how a weak woman like Deng Yuluo could pass the layers of screening. His father knew everything. He had even been Deng Yuluo¡¯s accomplice. He tied the future of the Deng family and Deng Yuluo together to stabilize the Deng family¡¯s foundation. It was not that he did not want to care about Li Niang¡¯s life, but compared to the entire Deng family, Li Niang¡¯s fate alone did not seem so important. This was cold, but this was reality. That was why his father said that he was not only Li Niang¡¯s father, but also the head of the Deng family. He had to take into account the future of the entire Deng family. And ctnndino in hic fathor¡¯e He had to face the same choice as his father. Was he desperate to seek justice for Li Niang? Or should he pretend that nothing had happened to preserve the Deng family¡¯s long-term prosperity? After a long time, Deng Yuchuan spoke slowly, his voice difficult. ¡°What do you plan to do, Princess Consort?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation, ¡°I want to fulfill Li Niang¡¯s last wish and let the truth be revealed to the world. I want the mastermind to be executed. I have to make the perpetrator pay!¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°Have you ever thought that you might put the people around you in danger? For example, Duke Lang is already in a difficult situation in the court. If you insist on revealing the truth, not only will Duke Lang¡¯s future be ruined, but he might even lose his life.¡± Thinking of Xiao Juan, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s emotions were complicated, and her voice became much softer. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to keep him safe.¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you to achieve the best of both worlds. Are you going to swallow your anger for the living or uphold justice for the dead? You can only choose one of the two.¡± Yu Niaoniao was silent. This choice was too difficult. The atmosphere in the study became extremely oppressive. At this moment, there was a knock on the door and Deng Luyun¡¯s voice came in. ¡°Grandpa, Duke Lang is here.¡± The atmosphere in the room eased a little. Yu Niaoniao found her voice. ¡°I should go back.¡± Deng Yuchuan placed his hands on the arms of his chair and prepared to stand up to send the guest off. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to send me off.¡± However, Deng Yuchuan insisted on sending her out of the study. When Deng Luyun saw his grandfather come out, he hurriedly went forward to help him. The grandfather and grandson bowed to Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan nodded slightly at the two of them before holding Niaoniao¡¯s hand and leaving the Deng Residence. After the two of them left, Deng Yuchuan locked himself in the study and read the will left behind by Li Niang. He could not fall asleep for the entire night. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace. At this time, Granny Xiu Yan had already gotten someone to prepare a sumptuous meal for them. But Niaoniao had no appetite. Xiao Juan looked at her troubled expression and took the initiative to ask. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated before telling him the contents of the will left behind by Li Niang. After Xiao Juan heard that, he was naturally very surprised. Although he had long guessed that Feng Lianghan was Li Niang¡¯s child, he did not expect Feng Lianghan¡¯s biological father to be the late emperor. No wonder Feng Lianghan was killed. Regardless of whether Feng Lianghan knew the truth back then, just his background was enough to become a huge problem for Empress Dowager Deng. She definitely had to eliminate him. Yu Niaoniao poked the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks and said slowly. ¡°I want the truth to be out. I want justice for Mother and my stepfather, but I¡¯m worried that doing so will put you in danger.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°From the moment I married you, I was already prepared to live and die with you. You just have to do what you want. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Yu Niaoniao felt a lump in her throat. She quickly lowered her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She murmured something. ¡°Thank you..¡± Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: Military Power Chapter 586: Military Power Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ever since the old emperor was seriously ill, he had not attended the morning court session. But today, he suddenly announced that he wanted to hold an early court assembly. All officials above the fourth-grade in the capital had to participate, including Xiao Juan. He left the Langjun Imperial Palace at dawn and rode to the palace. When the morning court assembly began, the old emperor was helped out and slowly sat on the dragon throne. The Crown Prince led the civil and military officials to kneel and kowtow. Just a dozen steps from the gate to the dragon throne made the old emperor pant with exhaustion. He sat and rested for a long time before his breathing calmed down. ¡°I summoned all my beloved ministers to the palace today because I have something to discuss. Last night, I received an urgent battle report from Liaodong County. ¡± Wei Huai¡¯en unfolded the urgent battle report and read the contents to everyone. The content was very short. The general content was that the Chen Nation¡¯s army was pressing down on the border and wanted to invade Liaodong County. County Lord Xiangtai led the Eastern Expedition Army to fight. However, because the food was burned, the 300,000 Eastern Expedition Army was in danger and asked the Imperial Court to quickly send food support. As for why the food was burned? It was only because back then, County Lord Xiangtai and Prince Min forced the local powerhouses to return the land and severely damaged the interests of the local powerhouses that these people held a grudge and joined forces to stop the food supply. In addition, the spies of the Chen Nation interfered, causing the food to be burned. The old emperor asked everyone if this matter should be resolved. The ministers began to strategize. Putting aside the details, it was certain to send food support. That was 300,000 soldiers. If they really starved to death, it would be a huge loss to the Imperial Court. Moreover, the war was imminent. If they abandoned the Eastern Expedition Army and let the Chen Nation¡¯s army march in, they would endanger the entire Dayan in the future. Neither the emperor nor the Crown Prince nor the civil and military officials wanted to see that situation. But how much food should be sent? Who should deliver it? These had to be considered carefully. The old emperor listened quietly for a while before suddenly asking. ¡°Crown Prince, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Shen Zhuo, who had been called out, stood up and said respectfully. ¡°I have a suitable candidate in my heart. This person is on good terms with County Master Xiangtai and Prince Min and has been to Liaodong County before. He¡¯s quite familiar with the situation in Liaodong County. It¡¯s most suitable for him to lead the team and send food.¡± Although Shen Zhuo did not name him, everyone present already understood who he was talking about. They all looked at Duke Lang. The old emperor said, ¡°Are you talking about Xiao Juan? He¡¯s indeed a good candidate.¡± Xiao Juan had a bad feeling. The Crown Prince suddenly suggested that he go to Liaodong County with ill intentions. But he couldn¡¯t refuse. He had no choice but to step forward and bow slightly. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be trusted by the emperor and the Crown Prince.¡± The old emperor said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll leave the task of escorting the provisions to you. I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°As you command.¡± Then, Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Although County Lord Xiangtai is a heroine, she¡¯s still a woman.¡± ¡°The military was filled with men, so it must be inconvenient.¡± ¡°If General Tang was still alive, he would probably not want his daughter to risk her life every day. It was safer to leave things like protecting the country to us men.¡± ¡°Therefore, I ask Father to issue a decree and summon County Lord Xiangtai back to the capital.¡± ¡°In addition, send a suitable general to Liaodong County to take over the Eastern Expedition Army.¡± As soon as he said this, he immediately received the support of many ministers. ¡°Your Highness is right. There¡¯s a difference between men and women. Women shouldn¡¯t appear in the military camp.¡± ¡°The reason why the food was destroyed is still related to County Lord Xiangtai. Although she has good intentions, she has already developed a grudge against the powerhouses in Liaodong County. It was fine during the peaceful years. Now that the battle is imminent, this grudge might breed more danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now that they¡¯re only burning the rations, they might do something even worse in the future. Before it happens, I suggest changing generals as soon as possible and recalling County Lord Xiangtai to the Imperial Capital.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s resolve the internal problems first before dealing with the external enemies. Only then can we achieve twice the results with half the effort!¡± The old emperor hesitated. ¡°With the current war, if we suddenly change generals, I¡¯m afraid it will shake the morale of the army.¡± Shen Zhuo was prepared for this and said unhurriedly, ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. Duke Lang is on good terms with County Lord Xiangtai. If Duke Lang goes to negotiate with County Lord Xiangtai, I¡¯m sure County Lord Xiangtai will understand our good intentions. As long as County Lord Xiangtai has no objections, the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army naturally won¡¯t have any thoughts.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Juan finally understood Shen Zhuo¡¯s goal. This fellow was deliberately digging a hole for him! Shen Zhuo knew that he had a good relationship with Tang Guixi and deliberately let him be this evil person because he wanted him to have a conflict with Tang Guixi. As long as he and Tang Guixi fell out, it was equivalent to cutting off one of his arms. In the future, when Shen Zhuo ascended the throne, it would be even easier to deal with him. Xiao Juan¡¯s emotions were in a mess, but he could not show it on his face. In the end, the old emperor accepted the Crown Prince¡¯s suggestion and decided to let Xiao Juan bring the imperial edict to Liaodong County. While distributing food, he would take back the military power in Tang Guixi¡¯s hands and send other generals to Liaodong County to take over the Eastern Expedition Army. As for who to send? This matter had to be discussed again. After the court session, the civil and military officials walked out in groups. Among them, only Xiao Juan was alone. He wondered what to do next. A familiar voice came from behind. ¡°Your Highness, please wait.¡± Xiao Juan stopped and looked in the direction of the voice. He saw Wei Liao, who was wearing a military official¡¯s uniform. Wei Liao had just been conferred the title of General Huaiyuan. His favor was strong and he was very proud. He strode up to Xiao Juan and smiled slightly. ¡°Your Highness, long time no see. How have you been?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wei Liao smiled gloatingly and said in a tone as if he was watching a show. ¡°I heard that County Lord Xiangtai has a deep relationship with the Princess Consort. If you force County Lord Xiangtai to hand over her military power now, it¡¯s equivalent to falling out with County Lord Xiangtai. Have you thought about how to explain it to the Princess Consort when you go back?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°This is my family matter. It has nothing to do with you.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Wei Liao said to his departing figure. ¡°If I were you, I would go to the emperor and cry. I would pretend to be pitiful. On account of our past relationship, the emperor might soften and send someone else to Liaodong County.¡± Xiao Juan ignored him. The focus now was not on who to send to Liaodong County, but the fact that emperor was already determined to take back Tang Guixi¡¯s military power. This was actually not difficult to predict. Previously, the emperor could tolerate Tang Guixi being in charge of the Eastern Expedition Army because the situation in Liaodong County was unstable at that time. Tang Guixi was the only daughter left behind by Tang Pei. Tang Pei had sacrificed his life for the country and was extremely famous in the army. If he forcefully took back the military power in Tang Guixi¡¯s hands, not only would it leave a topic of conversation, but it would also easily cause a mutiny. But now that the battle was imminent, 300,000 Eastern Expedition troops were waiting for food to save their lives. In order to obtain food, no matter how unwilling Tang Guixi was, she could only obediently hand over her military power. Xiao Juan had to think of a way to stop this from happening.. Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: The Hands of Fate Chapter 587: The Hands of Fate Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace. He learned from the servants that Niaoniao was in the guest room. When he pushed open the door and walked into the guest room, he saw Niaoniao sitting in a chair, quietly looking at the charred corpse lying on the bed. He wondered how long she had been looking at the corpse like that. Xiao Juan called out, ¡°Niaoniao.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at him with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Xiao walked to her side and squatted down. He looked into her eyes and asked. ¡°What were you thinking just now?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m wondering what to do to make the truth come out.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve thought of something?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She looked at the charred corpse again with an unprecedented calm. ¡°It¡¯s been many years since the incident. Many clues no longer exist, and none of the people in the know survived. A suicide note from Li Niang alone can¡¯t convict Empress Dowager Deng. But it doesn¡¯t matter. The dead can still speak. I once heard of an autopsy secret technique called Blood Examination. The method is very simple. Drop your blood into the dead person¡¯s bones. As long as the blood can be absorbed by the bones, it means that this person is the closest relative of the dead.¡± Xiao Juan quickly reacted. ¡°You want to prove that this charred corpse is the emperor¡¯s biological father in this way? Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± As long as it was proven that the old emperor was not the orthodox lineage of the royal family, he and Empress Dowager Deng would lose the protection of their privileges. When the truth came out, Empress Dowager Deng would also pay for her crimes. Xiao Juan said, ¡°The emperor won¡¯t agree to a blood test.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°The day after tomorrow is the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday. If I expose this matter in public in front of the civil and military officials and foreign envoys. If the emperor wants to prove his innocence, he has to agree to a blood bone test. Otherwise, he will be guilty. How will the world look at him in the future?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. This was indeed a solution, but it was extremely dangerous to implement. The other party was an emperor with the power to decide life and death. If one was not careful, one would lose his life. Yu Niaoniao sensed Xiao Juan¡¯s abnormality and took the initiative to ask. ¡°Do you think my method is too risky?¡± Xiao Juan thought for a moment and finally decided to tell the truth. ¡°In the current situation, if we want the truth to be revealed, we can only take risks. No matter what, I¡¯m willing to accompany you. However, something happened in the morning court today. The Imperial Court received a battle report from Liaodong County.¡± He told her that the Chen Nation¡¯s army had attacked and that he had to set off immediately to escort the provisions to Liaodong to support them. ¡°The emperor wants to take this opportunity to take back Tang Guixi¡¯s military power. I can¡¯t let the emperor have his way. I¡¯m going to Liaodong this time partly to escort the food and partly to tell Tang Guixi not to return to the capital. ¡± Although the emperor had already issued a decree to order Tang Guixi to return to the capital, he would not obey the orders of the emperor. As long as Tang Guixi insisted on not coming back, the emperor would not dare to force her. After all, she still had 300,000 troops in her hands. If he really forced her into a corner and caused the Eastern Expedition Army to defect, the internal and external problems might shake the foundation. Yu Niaoniao did not expect a sudden battle at this juncture. She was very worried about Tang Guixi¡¯s safety. ¡°Will Guixi be fine?¡± Xiao Juan comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s fine for the time being.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why did the Chen Nation suddenly start a war at this time?¡± Xiao Juan had previously sent someone to send a letter to Tang Guixi and told her about the situation in the Imperial Capital. As a form of courtesy, Tang Guixi also replied to him and explained the situation in Liaodong County in the letter. The Chen Nation was adjacent to Liaodong County, so Tang Guixi had some understanding of the Chen Nation. Xiao Juan told her everything he knew. ¡°I heard that it¡¯s because the old emperor of the Chen Nation is seriously ill. Logically speaking, a crown prince should succeed him after he passes away, but the Ninth Prince also has the intention to fight for the throne. The Ninth Prince used a honey trap to coax the old emperor into agreeing to send troops to Dayan. As long as the Ninth Prince can break through the Dayan this time and successfully take down Liaodong County, the position of crown prince will be his.¡± Yu Niaoniao had a good memory. When she heard him mention the Ninth Prince of the Chen Nation, she immediately remembered that long-lost name¡­ ¡°Han Chengxi?¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± Yu Niaoniao still remembered that when Han Chengxi fled the Dayan, he even took Princess Tao Ran away. She couldn¡¯t help but have a thought. ¡°Could the honey trap the Ninth Prince used be Princess Tao Ran¡­ Xiao Juan gave a positive answer. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Back then, Princess Tao Ran was sent to the Chen Nation to marry the emperor. However, Princess Tao Ran was unwilling no matter what and almost killed Xiao Juan. In the end, after going around in circles, she finally married the emperor of the Chen Nation. Could this be fate? Xiao Juan continued. ¡°I heard that Princess Tao Ran changed her identity in the Chen Nation. She¡¯s no longer a princess, but a dancer raised in Han Chengxi¡¯s residence. She was sent to the emperor of the Chen Nation by Han Chengxi. Although she was favored, she was not fated to be the empress because of her lowly background and only entered the palace to be a concubine.¡± Xiao Juan knew this very well. He knew that Princess Tao Ran had been raped by Han Chengxi. In addition, Han Chengxi¡¯s scheme to collude with Shen Rui had been exposed, and the alliance between the two countries was ruined. Princess Tao Ran¡¯s identity as Princess Dayan could definitely not be used anymore. Han Chengxi had arranged a new identity for her. On the one hand, it was to make it easier to send her to the palace, and on the other hand, it was to completely cut off her contact with Dayan. In this way, she was far away in the Chen Nation alone and had no one to help her. She could only rely on Han Chengxi. Naturally, she had to do whatever Han Chengxi asked her to do. Yu Niaoniao only hated Princess Tao Ran. She knew that she had fallen into such a situation, but she did not hit her when she was down, nor did she have any sympathy. In the end, she deserved it. She could not blame anyone else. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Han Chengxi is definitely determined to get Liaodong County this time. You have to set off quickly. The sooner you send the food to Liaodong, the sooner Guixi and the others can chase the enemy out of Liaodong.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°But if I leave, I¡¯ll miss the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday. Your matter will¡­ Yu Niaoniao looked like she did not care. She waved her hand and deliberately said in a relaxed tone. ¡°It¡¯s fine. After the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday, there¡¯s still the emperor¡¯s birthday. Anyway, there¡¯s still a long way to go. There¡¯s no hurry. We¡¯ll find another opportunity.¡± Xiao Juan stroked her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to Liaodong to fight this time, so I can¡¯t bring you there. Wait for me to come back at home and don¡¯t go anywhere. When the situation in Liaodong stabilizes, I¡¯ll rush back immediately to help you.¡± Yu Niaoniao acted exceptionally obedient. ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± It had been a long time since Xiao Juan had seen her so obedient. His heart tightened and he could not help but lean over and kiss her forehead.. Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Hidden Chapter 588: Hidden Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The next morning, Xiao Juan left the Imperial Capital with his troops. They escorted the provisions to Liaodong County. This time, Lo Pingsha did not follow Xiao Juan to Liaodong County. He was left in the Langjun Imperial Palace to protect Niaoniao. Early this morning, he saw that the people from the Langjun Imperial Palace were busy moving things out and could not help but ask. ¡°Where are you guys going?¡± A servant answered truthfully, ¡°The Princess Consort said that she wants to stay in the courtyard outside the city for a while tomorrow and asked us to follow. There will be more things with more people. We have to move quickly to avoid delaying our time out of the city.¡± With that, he carried a large box out. Lo Pingsha still remembered Duke Lang¡¯s instructions before he left. Duke Lang had specially asked him to keep an eye on the Princess Consort and try not to let her go out. He immediately ran to find Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao was sorting out the draft with Ling Hai. Seeing Lo Pingsha arrive, Yu Niaoniao said quickly. ¡°We¡¯re leaving this afternoon. Little Lo, hurry up and pack. Don¡¯t forget to bring anything you usually need.¡± Lo Pingsha was puzzled. ¡°Why do you suddenly want to live in a courtyard outside the city?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°His Highness is not at home. I¡¯m bored alone and want to go out of the city to get some air.¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°But Duke Lang instructed me not to let you out¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao put down the draft and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m the Princess Consort, not a prisoner of your Justice Department. Why shouldn¡¯t I go out?¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Duke Lang is worried about your safety. He¡¯s afraid that you¡¯ll encounter an accident when you go out.¡± Yu Niaoniao retorted righteously. ¡°I¡¯m not going out alone. There are so many of us. What accident can happen? Taking a step back, even if we really encounter bad people, can¡¯t so many of you protect me?¡± Lo Pingsha thought about it and agreed. In addition to him, there were almost a hundred guards in the residence. With so many people around, it was definitely not a problem to protect the Princess Consort. Besides, they were not going to a remote place. They were just going to a courtyard outside the city. That place was considered the territory of the Regional King¡¯s Mansion. Everyone was very familiar with it. So Lo Pingsha said nothing else and obediently went back to pack his luggage. After lunch, the entire residence boarded the carriages and left the Imperial Capital majestically for the courtyard outside the city. With such a huge commotion in the Langjun Imperial Palace, it definitely could not escape the attention of the emperor. In the palace, the old emperor leaned against the soft couch to rest after taking his medicine. When he heard that the Princess Consort of Lang County had brought a large group of people out of the city, he could not help but open his eyes. ¡°Where are they going?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en bowed slightly and replied respectfully. ¡°Your Majesty, after the people from the Duke¡¯s Mansion left the city, they went to Duke Lang¡¯s courtyard outside the city. I heard that they¡¯re going to stay there for a while.¡± Knowing that they had only gone to a courtyard outside the city, the old emperor relaxed. Wei Huai¡¯en had served the old emperor for many years. When he saw the old emperor¡¯s reaction, he knew what the old emperor was worried about and took the initiative to speak. ¡°Your Majesty, do not worry. I¡¯ve already gotten someone to keep an eye on the people from the Regional King¡¯s Mansion in secret. I won¡¯t let them be too far from the Imperial Capital.¡± Now that Duke Lang had escorted the food to Liaodong County, in order to prevent him from communicating with Tang Guixi, he had to keep a close eye on the people from the Duke¡¯s Mansion. If necessary, he could still use them as hostages to restrain Duke Lang. The old emperor nodded slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en waited. When the old emperor did not speak for a long time, he thought he was asleep and prepared to retreat silently. Unexpectedly, in the next moment, he heard the old emperor suddenly speak. ¡°Call Wei Liao over. I have something to ask him.¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Not long after, Wei Liao arrived at the bedroom. He knelt on one knee and cupped his fists. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± The old emperor asked, ¡°Did anything happen on the way back to the Imperial Capital from Liangzhou?¡± Wei Liao answered truthfully, ¡°Everything went smoothly. Nothing happened.¡± Then the old emperor stopped talking. He closed his eyes as if he were recuperating, but he didn¡¯t say a word about telling Wei Liao to leave. Wei Liao was anxious. He quietly raised his head and looked at Wei Huai¡¯en. Wei Huai¡¯en was indeed an old man who had served the emperor for many years. He knew the old emperor¡¯s temper very well and secretly winked at Wei Liao to let him think carefully. Wei Liao could only speak as he thought. ¡°My journey back to the capital was indeed very smooth. We¡¯ve never even encountered bandits. We did encounter pirates, but those pirates were long dead. Even the entire pirate village was burned down. Other than that, there¡¯s really nothing else.¡± The old emperor slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Pirates?¡± Seeing this, Wei Liao knew that he had finally hit the nail on the head. He immediately explained how they had encountered the pirates from beginning to end. The old emperor¡¯s expression became very strange. ¡°You¡¯re saying that not only did Xiao Juan take the jade bracelet, but he also took the charred corpse with him?¡± Wei Liao didn¡¯t understand why the old emperor cared about this small matter, but he still nodded. ¡°Right.¡± The old emperor asked, ¡°Where is the charred corpse now?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°He should be in the Justice Department.¡± The old emperor immediately decreed that Wei Liao should go to the Justice Department to transport the charred corpse into the palace. However, when Wei Liao rushed to the Justice Department with the Sky Wolf Guards, he realized that the charred corpse had already disappeared. After asking, he found out that the charred corpse had long been taken away by Duke Lang. Wei Liao could only return empty-handed. When the old emperor found out about this, his expression became even more unfathomable. ¡°He¡¯s hiding.¡± Wei Liao didn¡¯t understand. It was just a nameless charred corpse. What was there to hide? But from the looks of it, the old emperor seemed to have an extraordinary background. Just as Wei Liao was thinking in his heart, he heard the old emperor speak unhurriedly. ¡°Go to the courtyard outside the city and bring the Princess Consort of Lang County over. I have something to ask her. ¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Liao was about to leave when he suddenly heard the old emperor add. ¡°Remember, bring her alone.¡± Wei Liao immediately had a bad feeling. If it was just an ordinary question, the old emperor would not have specially instructed him to only bring Yu Niaoniao. Coupled with what had happened before, Wei Liao guessed that this matter was very likely related to that charred corpse of unknown origin. However, he really could not guess what their relationship was. After Wei Liao retreated, the old emperor ordered someone to call over a trusted general. ¡°Take a team and catch up to Xiao Juan¡¯s team as soon as possible.¡± The general asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you have any orders that you need me to convey to Duke Lang?¡± The old emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve raised Xiao Juan for many years and treated him as my own. Now that it¡¯s time for him to repay me, I need what he has. I hope he can hand it over.¡± ¡°May I ask what it is, Your Majesty?¡± The old emperor spat out the words unhurriedly¡ª ¡°His life.¡± He had long been suspicious of Xiao Juan, but because he still needed him, he had been enduring it. But now, his greatest secret had been known by Xiao Juan. In that case, he could only send Xiao Juan on his way as soon as possible. In this world, only the dead would not talk nonsense.. Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: Entering the Palace Chapter 589: Entering the Palace Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao brought a large group of people to the courtyard outside the city. The servants were about to unload the luggage from the carriage when Yu Niaoniao stopped them. ¡°This luggage stays in the carriage. We don¡¯t have to move it for the time being. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan did not understand and could not help but remind her. ¡°It¡¯s dark now. We have to settle down quickly. Otherwise, we won¡¯t have anywhere to rest tonight.¡± Yu Niaoniao instructed the servants, ¡°Chase the carriage to the backyard first.¡± After everyone left, Yu Niaoniao brought Granny Xiu Yan, Lo Pingsha, Ling Hai, and the others into the courtyard through the main door. The courtyard was taken care of all year round. Even though no one had lived there for a long time, it was still orderly. After Ling Hai closed the door, Yu Niaoniao spoke to them. ¡°You¡¯re leaving tonight. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan looked puzzled. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Yu Niaoniao explained quickly. ¡°The Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday is in six days. At that time, I¡¯m going to do something big. You don¡¯t have to know what it is. The less you Imow, the better. Now, set off for Liaodong quickly. If you¡¯re fast enough, you might be able to catch up to Duke Lang¡¯s team.¡± Although she had promised Xiao Juan to temporarily give up on the plan to expose Empress Dowager Deng, But in fact, she had already decided to implement her plan on the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday. She wanted to expose the fact that the old emperor was not of royal blood in front of the civil and military officials and foreign envoys. She wanted to make the murderer pay the price! This matter was very dangerous. If she was not careful, she would be crushed. Initially, she did not plan to let Xiao Juan get involved, but because she knew Xiao Juan¡¯s personality very well, it was impossible for him to let her take the risk alone, so she did not dare to mention this. Now that he had gone to Liaodong, this could not be better for her. When she said that she wanted to stay in the courtyard for a while, she actually wanted to find an excuse to bring everyone from the Langjun Imperial Palace out of the city. When she settled everyone in the Langjun Imperial Palace, she could do what she wanted without any worries. Granny Xiu Yan did not know what she was going to do, but Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai could roughly guess her thoughts. Lo Pingsha spoke firmly. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re going to do, we can¡¯t leave you alone!¡± Ling Hai nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes!¡± Granny Xiu Yan looked from one to the other. ¡°What exactly do you want to do? Can you make yourself clear?¡± Yu Niaoniao said earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°On the one hand, I asked you to leave first because I didn¡¯t want to implicate the innocent. There are so many people in the Langjun Imperial Palace. Everyone was born and raised by their parents. There was no need to risk their lives for me alone.¡± ¡°On the other hand, it was to leave me an escape route. If anything happens to my plan, you can still pick me up.¡± ¡°If you all stay here, you¡¯ll easily be captured. At that time, there won¡¯t even be anyone to help deliver the message.¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°Can¡¯t you wait until Duke Lang returns?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°No, his current situation is very sensitive. If he¡¯s implicated by me again, he¡¯ll probably lose his life.¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°But what if something happens to you? What will Duke Lang do? Have you thought about his feelings?¡± Yu Niaoniao closed her eyes and tried her best to suppress the indescribable bitterness in her heart. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to come back alive. If¡­ if I really can¡¯t live, let him forget me.¡± Lo Pingsha asked, ¡°If it were you, could you forget?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer the question. ¡°Time can dilute everything.¡± Lo Pingsha could not help but say something offensive. ¡°You¡¯re being selfish.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied self-destructively, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m that selfish. Leave quickly while there are fewer people outside when it¡¯s dark.¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what others think, but I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Yu Niaoniao was about to say something when she suddenly heard a knock on the door. Bang, bang, bang! The crisp sound was exceptionally clear in the night. Ling Hai went forward to open the door and saw a team of Sky Wolf Guards standing outside. The leader was Wei Liao, whom she had not seen for a long time. Wei Liao was wearing the official uniform of a crimson general and had two sabers at his waist. His posture was straight. The two Sky Wolf Guards behind him held torches. The bright firelight shone on his face, making his originally flirtatious eyes look heroic. He asked Ling Hai. ¡°Where¡¯s your Princess Consort?¡± Ling Hai asked, ¡°Why are you looking for our Princess Consort?¡± Wei Liao said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m under the emperor¡¯s orders to invite the Princess Consort to the palace for questioning. I hope she can follow me to the palace immediately.¡± When Ling Hai heard that it was the emperor¡¯s decree, he did not dare to delay and hurriedly said. ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll inform the Princess Consort now.¡± Wei Liao reminded him, ¡°Hurry up. Don¡¯t let the emperor wait. By the way, the emperor specially instructed that only the Princess Consort should enter the palace. Let her know what to do.¡± Actually, there was no need to say that last sentence. But he said it anyway. As for the various reasons, he already knew them in his heart. During the time Wei Liao left the Imperial Capital, he had thought a lot. At first, he would try his best to find an excuse for himself, wanting to prove that it was impossible for him to like Yu Niaoniao at all. However, as time passed, he realized that he could not help but think about things related to Yu Niaoniao. The woman kept appearing in his mind, like a ghost. He could not shake it off. In the end, he could only give up and accept his fate. Ha, didn¡¯t he just take a fancy to a married woman? It was not a big deal. Anyway, no one else knew about this. As long as he hid it well, he would not be embarrassed. Ling Hai hurriedly turned around to look for the Princess Consort and told her about what Wei Liao said. After Yu Niaoniao heard this, she had a very bad feeling. It was already so late, but the emperor suddenly summoned her to the palace and specially asked her not to bring anyone with her. It must not be anything good. However, Wei Liao had already come looking for her with his men. She had no choice but to go. Yu Niaoniao emphasized. ¡°Little Lo, after I leave, leave through the back door immediately with your men and chase after Duke Lang overnight.¡± Lo Pingsha was naturally unwilling. He wanted to accompany the Princess Consort to the palace, but the emperor had instructed her not to bring anyone. He was conflicted. What should he do?! Yu Niaoniao went forward and hugged Granny Xiu Yan; her heart was filled with reluctance. ¡°Nanny, you have to take good care of yourself. If we¡¯re fated in the future, we might meet again.¡± Granny Xiu Yan asked anxiously, ¡°What exactly do you want to do? Why are you sending us all away? Are you in danger?¡± Yu Niaoniao let go of her and took a step back. ¡°That¡¯s right. I might encounter danger when I enter the palace this time, so please catch up to Duke Lang as soon as possible and tell him about this.¡± In Granny Xiu Yan¡¯s heart, she had always felt that Xiao Juan was extremely powerful. Any problem could be solved as long as Xiao Juan was found. Therefore, she did not think too much about it and hurriedly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll definitely find Duke Lang as soon as possible and get him to save you!¡± Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: Bad Outcome Chapter 590: Bad Outcome Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No matter how hard Lo Pingsha racked his brains, he could not think of a suitable solution for the time being. Now there was only one way in front of him¡ª They would do as Yu Niaoniao said. They would find Duke Lang as soon as possible and let him come back to save her. Yu Niaoniao took the cloak from Grannv Xiu Yan and Dut it on herself. Seeing that everyone¡¯s expressions were ugly, she smiled gently and pretended to be relaxed as she teased, ¡°Why are you all crying? I¡¯m just going to the palace to meet the emperor. I might be back soon. Don¡¯t forget to leave me some food for supper.¡± Granny Xiu Yan smiled reluctantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely save some food and drinks for you. I guarantee that you won¡¯t starve.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved.¡± As Yu Niaoniao spoke, she walked towards the door. The night was cold and a cold wind blew. She suddenly felt some ice on her face. She looked up and realized that it was snowing. At that moment, Lo Pingsha caught up quickly. He handed over an oil-paper umbrella. ¡°Princess Consort, be careful. You must protect yourself. We¡¯ll save you as soon as possible. ¡± Yu Niaoniao opened the oil-paper umbrella to cover the falling snow. She said softly, ¡°When you see Duke Lang, tell him for me that I¡¯m very lucky to be able to marry him in this life!¡± Lo Pingsha¡¯s eyes stung. ¡°When you see him, tell him this yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°I hope there¡¯s still such a chance.¡± Lo Pingsha¡¯s voice became choked. ¡°Princess Consort¡­¡¯ Yu Niaoniao sighed, feeling extremely reluctant, but she still spoke calmly. ¡°You¡¯ve followed Duke Lang for so many years and have always been loyal. I believe you don¡¯t want him to be in danger. ¡°When you see Duke Lang, don¡¯t mention me. In the future, when he brings you to Liaodong, take root there and never return to the Imperial Capital.¡± This was the best choice for Xiao Juan and the others. Lo Pingsha shook his head. ¡°No¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao continued to persuade him. ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s just me and Duke Lang, but there are so many people. Think about the old Granny Xiu Yan and the young Ling Hai. They can¡¯t withstand this back and forth. The best solution is to find them a place to stay as soon as possible.¡± Lo Pingsha looked at her. ¡°What about you? What will you do?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°I can only do my best and leave it to fate! ¡± She turned to leave with the oil-paper umbrella. Lo Pingsha could only stand and watch her go. The black night sky and the white snowflakes seemed to form a scene in a thick ink painting. The painting was empty. Only Yu Niaoniao¡¯s back was real. Yu Niaoniao walked out of the courtyard and saw Wei Liao standing on the steps, as well as nearly a hundred Sky Wolf Guards behind him. Snowflakes fell, causing the torches in their hands to flicker. The light became dazed. Yu Niaoniao asked half-jokingly, ¡°What a huge scene! I¡¯m alone. Is there a need for so many people?¡± Seeing that she had really come alone, Wei Liao¡¯s emotions were rather complicated. ¡°We¡¯re all under orders.¡± In other words, he had no choice. Yu Niaoniao smiled briskly. ¡°I know. Fortunately, you came tonight. We¡¯re so familiar with each other and can still talk on the way. If it were anyone else, I would have suffocated to death along the way.¡± She looked too relaxed as if she was going on an outing. Wei Liao couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What am I afraid of?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Xiao Juan is not in the Imperial Capital now. If anything happens to you, no one can protect you.¡± He thought that if Yu Niaoniao was willing to beg him, he might be willing to take the risk to help her. Yu Niaoniao was very optimistic. ¡°I¡¯m going to see the emperor. What can happen? Can the dignified Son of Heaven make things difficult for a little girl like me?¡± Wei Liao sneered. ¡°The toughest feature on you is your mouth.¡± He asked someone to bring the horses. Yu Niaoniao mounted her horse and followed the Sky Wolf Guards toward the Imperial Capital. The winter night was already cold. In addition, the snow was swaying, and the cold seeped into the bones, making the hostage shiver. Wei Liao turned to look at Yu Niaoniao, who was following behind. She looked small on the back of a tall horse. Although she was wearing a thick cloak, it was wet because of the increasing snowstorm. Her face was red from the cold. Wei Liao subconsciously reined in and slowed down. The others slowed down. Wei Liao asked Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Can you still do it?¡± He was clearly concerned, but because of his provocative expression, these words sounded more like he was looking for trouble. Yu Niaoniao gathered her cloak with one hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Wei Liao secretly regretted it. If he had known it would snow, he would have brought a carriage out of the city. He deliberately said in a cynical tone, ¡°You¡¯re a woman. You should show weakness when you have to. Don¡¯t force yourself like a man.¡± Yu Niaoniao followed his words. ¡°If I cry now, will you let me go back?¡± Wei Liao immediately stopped talking. Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°Look, showing weakness is useless.¡± Wei Liao thought that was not necessarily the case. If Yu Niaoniao really cried at him, he might really do something irrational. But he said nothing as if he was tacitly agreeing with Yu Niaoniao. The group braved the snow and wind through the city gate and walked along the silent street. Finally, they stopped in front of the palace gate. The Sky Wolf Guards stayed outside the door. Only Wei Liao and Yu Niaoniao walked into the palace. At this moment, there was already a thin layer of snow on the road. They walked along the palace path, leaving two sets of footprints behind them. Yu Niaoniao was thinking about how to deal with the emperor later when she suddenly heard the man beside her ask. ¡°What¡¯s the background of that charred corpse?¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at Wei Liao and asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly think of asking this?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°The emperor asked me to go to the Justice Department to look for that charred corpse today, but I didn¡¯t find anything. Then, he asked me to bring you to the palace.¡± These words should not have been said to Yu Niaoniao. But Wei Liao still told her everything. Yu Niaoniao understood. It seemed that the emperor already knew about the charred corpse. She was indeed doomed to enter the palace this time. Seeing that she was silent, Wei Liao had no choice but to reach out and block her way. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done in private, but if you want to live now, the only way out is to hand over the charred corpse. You have to remove yourself from this.¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped. She looked steadily at the man in front of her and suddenly smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s heart was in a mess from her smile. He deliberately looked fierce. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you about serious business. What¡¯s so funny?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I can¡¯t turn back anymore.¡± From the night Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan were killed, it was impossible for her to be carefree. Wei Liao asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer the question. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the emperor have something to ask me? Coincidentally, I have something to ask him too..¡± Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Better to Believe It Than Not Chapter 591: Better to Believe It Than Not Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Liao watched Yu Niaoniao walk into the room. The front door opened and closed, completely cutting off his vision. However, he still stood rooted to the ground, having no intention of moving. After a moment, Wei Huai¡¯en walked out of the bedroom with the palace servants. Wei Huai¡¯en frowned when he saw Wei Liao¡¯s distracted expression. He waved his hand to dismiss the palace servants. After everyone left, Wei Huai¡¯en asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°What does the emperor plan to do with her?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en warned solemnly, ¡°This is not something you should ask.¡± If it were any other time, Wei Liao would definitely listen to his father¡¯s teachings. However, at this moment, he seemed to have been bewitched by something. His heart was filled with worry for Yu Niaoniao. He pressed stubbornly, ¡°Is the emperor planning to take her life?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Wei Liao, have you forgotten your identity?!¡± Wei Liao¡¯s expression was bitter. ¡°I know I have no right to interfere in the emperor¡¯s matters.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Then why did you ask?¡± Wei Liao was speechless. Wei Huai¡¯en continued to stab him in the heart. ¡°Even if you know everything, what can you do? Do you dare to snatch her back from the emperor?¡± Wei Liao¡¯s originally straight back gradually bent, as if all his energy had been sucked out. Yes, he was just a lackey raised by the emperor. If he could not even control his life, what could he use to protect Yu Niaoniao? Forget it. He shouldn¡¯t embarrass himself again. Wei Huai¡¯en watched as the light in Wei Liao¡¯s eyes dimmed. He couldn¡¯t bear it, but rationality made him swallow his comforting words and reprimand him with a straight face. ¡°Stop standing here and go back!¡± Wei Liao turned around silently and strode into the snowy night without an umbrella, letting large snowflakes fall on his head and face. The bone-chilling cold wrapped around him, but he did not react. Wei Huai¡¯en watched him leave and let out a long sigh. In the end, he was still too young and was easily affected by his feelings. He hoped that he could calm down when he returned and not make any more mistakes. After Wei Liao left the palace, he rode his horse along the empty and silent street. His heart was in turmoil. Reason told him not to interfere in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s business, but feelings prevented him from really letting it go. When they reached the crossroads, Wei Liao reined in and the horse stopped. He closed his eyes, wanting to clear his mind and regain his composure. However, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s figure could not help but appear in his mind. She smiled at him¡­ ¡°Thank you.¡± Wei Liao opened his eyes and cursed inwardly. He gave up struggling as if he had given up on himself. With a flick of the reins, he turned his horse around and sped toward the right fork. Tap, tap, tap! The sound of hurried hooves drifted through the silent snowy night. On the way, he encountered patrolling soldiers. When they saw someone riding a horse in the city at night, they were about to go forward and arrest him when they realized that the person riding a horse was actually the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, Wei Liao. They immediately dispelled the thought of arresting him and hurriedly stepped aside to make way. Wei Liao rode to the vicinity of the Crown Prince¡¯s residence. He jumped off the horse and looked around to make sure no one was following him. Then, he used his qinggong to climb over the wall and silently entered the crown prince¡¯s residence. Shen Zhuo had just finished bathing, but he was not asleep yet. He was wearing loose snow-colored pajamas. He was seated behind the desk and was quietly reading the book in his hand in the bright candlelight. There was a sudden knock on the study window. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo immediately put down the book and looked warily at the window. With a creak, the window was pulled open from the outside. Wei Liao was standing outside the window. His hair and shoulders were covered in snow, and his face was snow-white from the cold. In the dark night, he did not look like a living person. An outsider suddenly appeared in front of him, but Shen Zhuo was not flustered at all. He frowned and asked, ¡°How dare you barge into the Crown Prince¡¯s residence in the middle of the night? Are you trying to rebel?¡± Wei Liao exhaled hot air, his voice changing from the cold. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The situation was urgent and I had no choice but to do this. I hope Your Highness can forgive me.¡± Shen Zhuo had met Wei Liao a few times, but the two of them had almost no interaction, let alone friendship. Shen Zhuo had no intention of letting him in and asked calmly. ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Yu Niaoniao was summoned to the palace by the emperor. I guess the emperor wants to kill her.¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s expression immediately changed drastically. ¡°How is that possible?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the exact reason. I guess Yu Niaoniao knows something she shouldn¡¯t. The emperor wants to silence her. If you don¡¯t want her to die, enter the palace as soon as possible to save her.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Believe it or not.¡± With that, he turned around and left. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Shen Zhuo hurriedly pulled open the door and chased after him. Unfortunately, he was too late. When he ran out, he was gone. The courtyard was silent as if no one had ever been there. Only a string of footprints left under the eaves proved that everything just now was not an illusion. Shen Zhuo repeated what Wei Liao had just said in his heart a few times. In the end, his worry for Niaoniao prevailed. What if Wei Liao was telling the truth? This concerned Niaoniao¡¯s life. He would rather believe it than not! Shen Zhuo shouted, ¡°Someone!¡± Soon, two eunuchs rushed over. When they saw that the Crown Prince was only wearing thin pajamas, they hurriedly found a cloak to put on him. Shen Zhuo pushed them away and said in a low voice. ¡°Prepare the horses. I want to enter the palace!¡± All the eunuchs and palace maids left the room, leaving Yu Niaoniao and the old emperor alone. The brazier in the room was burning very brightly. Not long after Yu Niaoniao entered, she began to sweat. She had been riding on horseback and was quite cold. Her clothes were still wet. She was cold for a while and hot for a while. The change was too great, so her body could not help but feel a little overwhelmed. Yu Niaoniao felt a headache and her nose was a little blocked. These were all signs of a cold. The old emperor leaned against the soft couch, his lower body covered by a thick and soft silk blanket. He looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked, ¡°Do you know why I want to see you?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The old emperor was not angry when he saw her pretending to be stupid. To him, a mere Yu Niaoniao was like an ant under his feet. As long as he casually raised his foot, he could easily trample her to death. So the old emperor couldn¡¯t be bothered to guess what she was thinking. He went straight to the point. ¡°Where did you hide the charred corpse?¡± He thought that Yu Niaoniao would continue to play dumb or deny it. In the end, she replied calmly, ¡°So Your Majesty wants that charred corpse. Since Your Majesty has asked, I naturally don¡¯t dare to hide it.. However, before I answer your question, can you answer a few questions too?¡± Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: Extermination Chapter 592: Extermination Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The old emperor really did not take Yu Niaoniao seriously. At the same time, he really did not intend to spare her life. He was prepared to end her life after asking for the whereabouts of the charred corpse. After tonight, Yu Niaoniao would no longer exist in the world. The old emperor only smiled gently at Yu Niaoniao¡¯s words. His gaze was as if he was looking at a lamb struggling on the verge of death. ¡°Very few people dare to talk to me like that. You¡¯re quite bold.¡± Yu Niaoniao said neither servile nor overbearing, ¡°I hope Your Majesty will allow it.¡± The old emperor did not mind letting her talk a little longer before she died, so he said. ¡°Ask away. ¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Does Your Majesty already know your true background?¡± She asked the sharpest question as soon as she spoke. The old emperor¡¯s smile quickly faded. ¡°I thought you would ask who the real culprit who killed Feng Lianghan¡¯s family back then was.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 really want to know about this.¡± The old emperor said, ¡°Do you think it will be me?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I originally suspected that the Empress Dowager was the real culprit, but if all of this was done by the Empress Dowager, then when the Empress Dowager saw the jade bracelet, she wouldn¡¯t have reacted in shock and confusion. On the other hand, Your Majesty¡¯s reaction after knowing about the charred corpse was more like that of an insider, so I had a new hypothesis.¡± The old emperor leaned back slightly and looked at her calmly. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Your Majesty must have known long ago that you are not of royal blood. In order to hide this secret, you sent someone to kill my stepfather and mother. Later, you silenced everyone who knew. In the end, even your biological father was not spared. You¡¯re really ruthless.¡± The words biological father agitated the old emperor. His face darkened as he emphasized each word. ¡°He¡¯s not my father!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If he wasn¡¯t your father, why would you kill him? You even burnt his corpse.¡± The old emperor¡¯s gaze became more and more dangerous. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t want to live anymore.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him calmly. ¡°Your Majesty never wanted me to live to see the sun tomorrow, did he?¡± The old emperor stopped talking. This was tacit agreement with her. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Actually, Li Niang had already given up on taking revenge when she was alive. My stepfather had never thought of fighting for the throne. As for your biological father, he had already hidden his identity for many years. These people only want to live a peaceful life. As long as you don¡¯t tell anyone, no one will know your secret. Why do you have to be so ruthless?¡± In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but reveal hatred in her tone. The old emperor said coldly, ¡°Only the dead can keep secrets.¡± At this D0int. he could not be bothered to hide it and admitted everything frankly. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You even killed your biological father. Aren¡¯t you afraid of retribution?¡± The old emperor sneered as if he had heard a funny joke. ¡°Retribution? If there¡¯s really retribution in this world, then let the heavens strike me to death now.¡± Looking at his fearless appearance, Yu Niaoniao was filled with hatred and unwillingness. ¡°It¡¯s just not time yet.¡± The old emperor was a little tired. He could not be bothered to waste his breath on her and said, ¡°Tell me quickly. Where did you hide that charred corpse? As long as you tell me the truth, I can leave you an intact corpse.¡± The truth was out. He had stopped hiding his malice towards her. Yu Niaoniao slowly walked forward. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now. That charred corpse is hidden¡­¡¯ Her voice trailed off. In order to hear the last few words clearly, the old emperor had to prick up his ears and concentrate. At this moment, she actually raised her right hand and expanded it according to her motive. The crossbow hidden in her wide sleeve was immediately activated! An exquisite and small arrow was suddenly shot at the old emperor¡¯s heart! The old emperor was weak and slow. It was impossible for him to dodge. He watched as the arrow approached him. The next moment, a figure fell from the roof and stood in front of the old emperor. The man was dressed in black. He was tall and strong, and his figure was as fast as a ghost. It was obvious that he was an expert. He drew the saber at his waist and blocked the arrow with the back of it. There was a clang as the arrow bounced away. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao shot two more arrows. In the end, they were all blocked by the man in black with a saber. Yu Niaoniao pressed it a few more times. Unfortunately, the crossbow was empty and could no longer shoot. The old emperor was indeed frightened just now. He gently stroked his heart, his tone filled with killing intent. ¡°How dare you assassinate me? How dare you?¡± Yu Niaoniao had long known that she would not be able to escape death tonight, so she wanted to take a last gamble. She saw that she and the old emperor were alone in the bedroom. The old emperor was weak. If she suddenly attacked, it would definitely be difficult for him to dodge. In the end, she was too naive. How could someone as cautious and suspicious as the old emperor put himself in danger? There had always been secret guards hidden by his side, but outsiders could not see them. Yu Niaoniao lowered her hand. She Imew she had lost the bet. The resentment and unwillingness in her heart intertwined, making it impossible for her to accept this ending. It did not matter if she died, but how could the murderer in front of her live well? He had killed so many innocent people. He was the one who really deserved to die! The old emperor looked at her as if she was a corpse and ordered coldly. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not going to tell the truth. Since you want to die so badly, I¡¯ll fulfill your wish. Take her down and don¡¯t let her die too quickly.¡± The secret guard went forward to grab Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao tried to resist. She used all the self-defense techniques Xiao Juan had taught her and almost escaped. However, before she could touch the door, two more secret guards appeared. The three of them attacked together. This time, Yu Niaoniao could not resist at all and was knocked out and taken away. Those who had made mistakes in the palace were usually sent to the Punishment Division. However, the old emperor did not want others to know of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s existence. He asked the secret guards to send her to the dungeon. When they brought Yu Niaoniao to the dungeon, before they could wake her up, Shen Zhuo suddenly barged in. The secret guards Imelt down and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo first looked at the sleeping Yu Niaoniao. After confirming that she was safe, he heaved a sigh of relief. He wanted to pick Yu Niaoniao up and take her away. The commander of the secret guards hurriedly went forward to stop him. ¡°His Majesty has already ordered the Princess Consort of Lang County to die. If you take her away, I won¡¯t be able to report to His Majesty.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, only you and I know what happened tonight. Later, find another female corpse with a similar figure to Niaoniao to replace her. Leave the rest to me. I promise I won¡¯t implicate you.¡± The secret guard commander hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. ¡°Then we¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Although he was the commander of the secret guards by the old emperor¡¯s side, he was actually a spy planted by the Wen family. Other than Empress Wen and the current head of the Wen family, only Shen Zhuo knew about this.. Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: Protect You Chapter 593: Protect You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao originally thought that she would definitely die this time. She was already prepared to reunite with Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan in the netherworld, but she did not expect to wake up again. She sat up on the bed and looked down at herself first. There were no injuries on her body. Then she looked around and realized that she was in a bedroom. But the layout of the bedroom was very unfamiliar. She was sure she had never been here. Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. Where was this place? And how had she gotten here? What had happened while she was asleep? She rubbed the back of her neck, which was sore, lifted the blanket, and got out of bed. At this moment, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside and a maidservant walked in with food. She was not surprised to see Yu Niaoniao awake. ¡°The doctor said that you should be awake by now. You should be hungry. This is food I specially prepared for you. Try it and see if it suits your taste.¡± As she spoke, she placed the food on the table. Yu Niaoniao did not lean over. She asked warily. ¡°Who are you? Why am I here?¡± The maidservant said, ¡°My name is Huan¡¯er. His Highness sent you here. His Highness has gone out to do something and should be back soon. Eat something first. ¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. How was this related to Shen Zhuo? She touched her stomach. She was indeed a little hungry, but the situation was unclear, so she did not dare to eat casually. Huan¡¯er saw through her thoughts and took the initiative to pick up a pair of chopsticks to taste every dish on the table. ¡°Look, these dishes are not poisonous.¡± Yu Niaoniao still did not move. Huan¡¯er was very helpless and advised painstakingly, ¡°Your body is your own. If you starve, you¡¯ll suffer in the end.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the closed door and window and asked coldly. ¡°What time is it?¡± Huan¡¯er could not follow her train of thought. She was stunned for a moment before answering. ¡°There¡¯s still a quarter of an hour to noon.¡± Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. It was already noon the next day. She had been asleep for too long! Hopefully, Lo Pingsha had already led the people from the Langjun Imperial Palace far away. Yu Niaoniao asked right on the heels of that, ¡°Is this the Crown Prince¡¯s residence?¡± Huan¡¯er shook her head. Yu Niaoniao wanted to know what this place was. But Huan¡¯er refused to tell her anything. Yu Niaoniao could only change the question. ¡°Can I go out?¡± This time, Huan¡¯er answered straightforwardly, ¡°Of course! Before His Highness left, he instructed that if you¡¯re bored, you can go out for a walk. As long as you don¡¯t leave this courtyard, you can go anywhere.¡± Yu Niaoniao walked towards the door without hesitation. Huan¡¯er quickly picked up her cloak and chased after her. ¡°Eat before you go out!¡± The snow had stopped outside, and the snow on the stone path had been swept clean. However, the flowers and trees in the courtyard were all covered in snow. From time to time, a snowball or two would slide off the eaves and smash into the snow. Yu Niaoniao walked quickly along the wet stone path. Huan¡¯er chased after her with her cloak, shouting as she chased. ¡°Slow down. The ground is slippery. Be careful not to fall.¡± This courtyard was very large. Yu Niaoniao walked for a long time but could not find an exit. In the end, she was really tired and could only stop to rest. Huan¡¯er took the opportunity to catch up to her and put the cloak on her. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Let¡¯s go back.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s breathing eased a little, and her body regained some strength. She walked on without hesitation. Huan¡¯er had no choice but to accept her fate and follow behind. Yu Niaoniao searched for a long time before she finally found the location of the door. Ignoring Huan¡¯er¡¯s obstruction, she ran towards the door. She had to leave this place as soon as possible! Huan¡¯er shouted for help anxiously. When the servants who were warming themselves by the fire in the gatehouse heard the commotion, they hurriedly ran out and stopped Yu Niaoniao from approaching the door. At that moment, the sound of hooves suddenly sounded outside the door. Right on the heels of that, there was a knock on the door. A servant hurriedly went forward to open the door. When he saw the person standing outside clearly, he hurriedly knelt down and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Everyone in the courtyard looked in the direction of the door. The front door was pushed open from the outside. Shen Zhuo led his followers over the threshold and walked in. The servants in the courtyard knelt down and bowed. Only Yu Niaoniao remained where she was. A follower stepped forward and reprimanded, ¡°How dare you! Why didn¡¯t you bow to His Highness?¡± Shen Zhuo raised his hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. All of you, leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When everyone retreated, only Yu Niaoniao and Shen Zhuo were left near the projection wall. Shen Zhuo had probably just come out of court and was still wearing the ceremonial robe that represented his status as the Crown Prince. He slowly walked up to Yu Niaoniao. There was a faint smile in his long phoenix eyes. The words he said were as gentle as water, making it easy to have the illusion that he was holding her in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Let¡¯s go in and sit down and talk slowly.¡± With that, he reached out to hold Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand. Yu Niaoniao took a step back to avoid his hand. ¡°Your Highness, where is this place? Why did you get me here?¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s hand paused in midair, and his expression became even more helpless. ¡°I mean you no harm. You don¡¯t have to be so wary.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Since there¡¯s no malice, why don¡¯t you let me leave?¡± Shen Zhuo explained gently, ¡°I wanted to protect you. Last night, Father wanted to take your life. I secretly saved you from the palace and replaced you with another corpse. Father thought you were dead. You¡¯ll hide here for a while. When this period passes, I¡¯ll let you out.¡± Whatever the other party¡¯s motives, it was a fact that he had saved her. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression softened a lot. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°There¡¯s never a need to thank me between us.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯re very thoughtful, but I¡¯m sorry. I still have very important things to finish. I have to leave here immediately.¡± The smile on Shen Zhuo¡¯s face froze before he rejected her without hesitation. ¡°No, as long as you leave here now, you¡¯ll be discovered. At that time, Father won¡¯t let you off. If he can get someone to kill you the first time, he can kill you the second time!¡± Yu Niaoniao was very stubborn. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I have to Shen Zhuo sighed. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do with you.¡± He reached out again and grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s wrist with a powerful force that allowed no resistance. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you back to the room myself.¡± Yu Niaoniao struggled hard. Although Shen Zhuo looked gentle and refined like a weak scholar, he had actually practiced martial arts since he was young. Be it riding, archery, or sword techniques, he was very good. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s strength was nothing in front of him.. Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Hard to Disobey an Emperor鈥檚 Order Chapter 594: Hard to Disobey an Emperor¡¯s Order Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was forcefully sent back into the house. As soon as Shen Zhuo let go, she ran for the door. However, he was stopped by the guards guarding the door. Shen Zhuo sat down at the table leisurely. ¡°You should be hungry after such a long time, right? Coincidentally, I have not had lunch. Come and eat with me.¡± Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath and silently told herself that she had to remain calm at a time like this. She walked to the table and sat down. Huan¡¯er wanted to go forward and serve them, but Shen Zhuo stopped her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to serve me here. You¡¯re dismissed.¡¯ Huan¡¯er could only retreat silently. Shen Zhuo personally scooped a bowl of chicken soup and placed it in front of Yu Niaoniao. Ever since he became the Crown Prince, he had never curried favor with someone so much. Facing such an honor, Yu Niaoniao was not happy at all. She asked stiffly without looking at the chicken soup in front of her. ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I¡¯ve just said that I just want you to live well. That¡¯s all.¡± Yu Niaoniao begged seriously, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I really can¡¯t stay here. I still have very important things to do.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°What¡¯s more important than your life?¡± Yu Niaoniao opened her mouth, wanting to talk about revenge. But she swallowed the words. She said in a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t I understand? Don¡¯t you just want to find out the truth behind the Feng family¡¯s destruction? You¡¯ve been thinking about this for so many years.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not speak, tacitly agreeing with him. Shen Zhuo looked at her steadily and promised seriously. ¡°In the past, I was just a powerless and downtrodden prince, but it¡¯s different now. I¡¯m the Crown Prince and will be the emperor in the future. The entire world will belong to me. No matter what you want to do, I can help you, including finding out the truth and taking revenge for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her eyes and asked in a barely audible voice. ¡°What if the person who killed my mother and stepfather was your father?¡± Shen Zhuo was stunned. He thought he had misheard. ¡®What did you say?¡± he asked. Yu Niaoniao looked up at him and enunciated each word. ¡°The person who ordered the murder of the entire Feng family is the current emperor, your father. Can you avenge me?¡± Shen Zhuo was in disbelief. ¡°Are you mistaken? How could Father do such a thing? He has no grudge against the Feng family. There¡¯s no reason for him to kill anyone.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Let¡¯s not care about the reason first. You just have to answer me. Can you avenge me?¡± Shen Zhuo pursed his thin lips and did not speak for a long time. Yu Niaoniao suddenly chuckled. ¡°Huh. ¡± This laughter fell into Shen Zhuo¡¯s ears, filled with mockery. Involuntarily, he folded his fingers and clenched his hands into fists. ¡°Father is not the kind of person who will kill the innocent. If he really killed the entire Feng family, he must have a reason to do so.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You mean my mother and stepfather are both people who deserve to die?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± The atmosphere between the two of them had already stiffened. There was no room for reconciliation for a while. Shen Zhuo simply stood up. ¡°Calm down. The past is the past. People should look forward. If Mr. Feng is still alive, he definitely doesn¡¯t want you to split hairs or go down a dead end for revenge. I¡¯ll leave first and see you tonight.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Yu Niaoniao looked at his back and said. ¡°If my stepfather were still alive and he knew that the student he had carefully taught could not even distinguish between right and wrong, how disappointed and sad would he be?¡± Shen Zhuo stopped in his tracks. ¡°Mr. Feng is well-read. I¡¯m sure he knows that it¡¯s difficult to disobey a ruler¡¯s orders.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Even if this monarch¡¯s orders are wrong?¡± Shen Zhuo turned his head slightly and looked back at her. ¡°As long as it¡¯s an order from an emperor, it can¡¯t be wrong.¡± Even though she had long seen the reality, Yu Niaoniao could not help but feel a chill in her heart because of his cold words. She laughed at herself. ¡°So I¡¯m the one at fault?¡± Shen Zhuo did not say anything else and walked out. The door was quickly closed again. Yu Niaoniao was left alone in the room. She looked quietly at the food in front of her, her stomach gurgling. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but pick up her bowl and chopsticks to eat. Since she was still alive, it meant that she was not destined to die. She had to fill her stomach before she had the strength to escape. After eating and drinking her fill, Huan¡¯er came in to help clean up the dishes. Seeing Yu Niaoniao stand up, she quickly asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without looking back. ¡°The toilet.¡± Huan¡¯er followed her closely. When she entered the toilet, she immediately closed the door. She looked around and saw a small window to the side. She immediately pushed it open and climbed out on all fours. Unexpectedly, just as she landed, she saw Huan¡¯er standing at the side and looking at her. Huan¡¯er asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled awkwvardly. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll stretch my muscles after eating.¡± With that, she pretended to wave her arm. Huan¡¯er did not expose her clumsy lie and continued to ask. ¡°Can you go back now?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯ll walk around again.¡± She began to walk around the residence to see where there was a chance to escape. Huan¡¯er followed behind her the entire time and saw her actions. In the end, she could not help but take the initiative to remind her. ¡°Give up. As long as His Highness doesn¡¯t relent, it¡¯s impossible for you to get out.¡± Yu Niaoniao said casually, ¡°Oh.¡± Huan¡¯er continued, ¡°Although there are not many people in this mansion, there are actually many guards hidden in the dark. Your every move is under their surveillance. It¡¯s impossible for you to escape.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s expression finally changed. Huan¡¯er thought she had finally intimidated her. However, she asked with a terrified expression¡ª ¡°Then did they see me go to the toilet just now?¡± Huan¡¯er was dumbfounded. She asked with difficulty, ¡°Is that the point?¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point? Don¡¯t you mind having men watching you when you go to the toilet?¡± Huan¡¯er was speechless. It was a long time before she spoke again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, His Highness¡¯s guards know their limits. They will avoid you when you go to the toilet or take a bath and change.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then you just said that my every move is under their surveillance cameras. There are loopholes in your words. They¡¯re not rigorous.¡± Huan¡¯er was dumbfounded. She shut up and swore fiercely to herself¡ª If she said another word to this stubborn person, she would be a puppy! Yu Niaoniao had searched every part of this mansion, but she could not even find a dog hole to crawl out of. This disappointed her. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I really want to go home!¡± Huan¡¯er¡¯s heart softened and she could not help but ask, ¡°Do you miss your family?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I miss the dog hole at home.¡± Huan¡¯er was dumbfounded. Okay, she was now a puppy! Woof! Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Envy Chapter 595: Envy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No matter what Yu Niaoniao asked next, Huan¡¯er refused to answer. As a result, Yu Niaoniao felt she could only talk to herself. As time passed, she felt very bored. She shut up and walked up the steps to the rockery. Huan¡¯er thought that she was going to the octagonal pavilion on the rockery to play, so she did not stop her and just followed behind her silently. When Yu Niaoniao reached the octagonal pavilion at the top of the mountain, she did not sit down to rest. Instead, she rolled up her sleeves, lifted her skirt, and tucked it into her belt. Then, she hugged the big tree beside the octagonal pavilion and climbed up. Huan¡¯er was shocked and hurriedly dissuaded her. ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s too dangerous. Come down!¡± Yu Niaoniao turned a deaf ear and climbed up. Soon, she reached the top of the tree. The snow on the tree fell on her head, wetting the ends of her hair. She didn¡¯t care about this. She stepped on the tree branch and carefully moved towards the cornice of the octagonal pavilion. Huan¡¯er was frightened. If Yu Niaoniao fell from such a high place, she would be paralyzed even if she did not die. She hurriedly shouted down the mountain, ¡°Someone! Someone!¡± The servants in the residence rushed over when they heard the news. When they looked up and saw this scene, they were all frightened. Even the guards hiding in the dark had no choice but to appear. They wanted to use Qinggong to fly up, but Yu Niaoniao discovered them first. Yu Niaoniao deliberately said in a threatening tone, ¡°It¡¯s very slippery up here. If you scare me, I might fall off it. When the Crown Prince pursues it, all of you will have to watch the show.¡± Her words successfully frightened everyone present. The guards did not dare to act rashly. They could only stare at her without blinking, ready to fly up and save her at any moment. The tree branch was slightly pressed down by Yu Niaoniao¡¯s foot, and the snow fell. She bent down and reached out to grab the cornice of the octagonal pavilion. She moved over on all fours and successfully climbed to the top. This should be the tallest place in the entire mansion. From here, not only could she see the entire mansion, but he could also see the terrain near it. As Yu Niaoniao had expected, there were forests nearby. It was very quiet. Yu Niaoniao was a little tired from standing. She squatted down and tucked her hands into her sleeves. She looked in the direction of the door, deep in thought. What should she do next? She thought about it all afternoon. The sky gradually darkened, and Shen Zhuo arrived at the mansion again. As soon as he entered, he was told that Yu Niaoniao had climbed to the top of the octagonal pavilion and immediately rushed to the vicinity of the rockery. Although it was already dark, the lanterns in the courtyard were all lit. In addition to the reflection of the snow, as long as Shen Zhuo looked up, he could see a small person squatting on the eaves of the octagonal pavilion. His heart tightened as he called gently, ¡°Niaoniao, what are you doing up there?¡± Yu Niaoniao sneezed loudly. She rubbed her nose and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°I¡¯m here admiring the scenery.¡± Seeing that she was not going to commit suicide, Shen Zhuo relaxed a little. He gave the guards a look and walked up the steps. ¡°It¡¯s dark. Come down. It¡¯s not too late to look at the scenery tomorrow.¡± He originally thought that it would take some effort to convince Niaoniao, but she agreed readily. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Shen Zhuo stopped in his tracks. Even though he was smart, he could not figure out Niaoniao¡¯s thoughts. He wanted the guards to fly up and catch Niaoniao. However, Yu Niaoniao rejected him. She had her own thoughts. ¡°Find a ladder.¡± Shen Zhuo was very afraid that she would jump down from the eaves of the octagonal pavilion and not dare to go against her wishes at all. He immediately ordered someone to find a ladder and placed it beside the octagonal pavilion. Yu Niaoniao slowly climbed down the ladder and landed successfully. Shen Zhuo¡¯s hanging heart relaxed. He was about to say something when he saw Yu Niaoniao sneeze hard. She had spent the afternoon in the cold wind on the eaves of the octagonal pavilion. Her nose was red from the cold, and her face was pale. Coupled with the fact that she had to sneeze from time to time, it was obvious that she had caught a cold. Shen Zhuo hurriedly sent her back to the house and ordered someone to invite a doctor to treat her. As expected, Yu Niaoniao was indeed sick. She lay groggily on the bed, feverish and coughing. The doctor left the prescription and left. Shen Zhuo took the wet towel from Huan¡¯er and gently covered Yu Niaoniao¡¯s forehead. Looking at Niaoniao¡¯s sickly appearance, Shen Zhuo was both worried and sympathetic. He could not help but reach out and gently stroke Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hot cheek. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her eyelids slightly and did not move at all. Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°You¡¯re only obedient at this time. You¡¯re usually wary of me and won¡¯t even let me touch you.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lips parted slightly, as if she was saying something. But it was too soft to hear. Shen Zhuo thought she was calling his name. Delighted, he hurriedly bent down and put his ear to her lips. But he heard her call¡ª ¡°Ah Juan.¡± The joy in Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart instantly dissipated. He felt like he was in an icehouse. His entire body was cold. His gaze suddenly turned fierce. His large hand grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s neck and questioned her word by word. ¡°Why? Why are you still thinking about him at a time like this? What¡¯s so good about him that you miss him so much?¡± Her neck was pinched hard, and the suffocating feeling became even more uncomfortable. She managed to make a sound. ¡°Ah Juan, save me¡­¡± Shen Zhuo suddenly approached her and stared into her eyes. ¡°Xiao Juan will never come back. You¡¯ll never see him again.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not breathe from the pinch, and rational tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Even so, she was still calling Xiao Juan¡¯s name. Shen Zhuo wished he could strangle her. In the end, rationality prevailed. He released his fingers and propped up his upper body. Yu Niaoniao panted heavily, then coughed non-stop. Her pale cheeks flushed abnormally. Shen Zhuo gradually regained his composure. She was a patient now. Her brain was fried. He couldn¡¯t lower himself to her level. Anyway, they still had a lot of time. He would slowly warm her heart. One day she would know that he loved her the most in the world. Only he could be with her forever. Only he could protect her. Shen Zhuo ordered someone to bring warm water and personally fed it to Yu Niaoniao. After drinking the water, Yu Niaoniao felt her throat ease. She asked with difficulty, ¡°You just said that Ah Juan will never come back.. What do you mean?¡± Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: Bet Chapter 596: Bet Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Today, after Shen Zhuo heard Yu Niaoniao say those things, his heart was filled with doubts. After he returned to the palace, he contacted the commander of the secret guards in private. He handed a female corpse that looked extremely similar to Yu Niaoniao to the other party and asked the commander of the secret guards to scratch her face. Then, the latter carried the head to the old emperor. The truth was as Shen Zhuo had expected. The old emperor was blind and could not see the abnormality of the female corpse¡¯s head. In addition, he firmly believed in the commander of the secret guards, so he thought that Yu Niaoniao was really dead. ¡°Send it out of the palace for burial.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The commander of the secret guards left the bedroom with the head. He heaved a sigh of relief that he had successfully bluffed his way through. Right on the heels of that, he saw the Crown Prince appear in front of him again. He quickly looked around to make sure there was no one around before speaking. ¡°There are many people in the palace. It¡¯s safer for Your Highness not to meet me.¡± Usually, unless it was necessary, Shen Zhuo would not interact with the commander of the secret guards. However, he had too many doubts today. These doubts were suppressed in his heart. If he did not get an answer, he would probably not be able to sleep all night. Shen Zhuo whispered, ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you something. I¡¯ll leave after that.¡± The commander of the secret guards said, ¡°Please tell me.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I know. Father silenced Niaoniao because she knew one of his secrets. What¡¯s the secret she knows?¡± The commander of the secret guards was speechless. Shen Zhuo stared at him. ¡°You must know.¡± The commander of the secret guards said, ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know these things.¡± His attitude confirmed Shen Zhuo¡¯s guess. Shen Zhuo¡¯s voice was a little unstable. ¡°Father¡­ he¡¯s actually not of the orthodox royal blood, right?¡± The commander of the secret guards was speechless. His silence was tantamount to a tacit agreement. Even though he had expected this, Shen Zhuo could not help but be shocked. It was a long time before he found his senses and continued to ask. ¡°Who else knows about this other than Yu Niaoniao?¡± The commander of the secret guards said, ¡°Her Majesty.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°Who else?¡± The commander of the secret guards hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Those who knew back then have been silenced.¡± Shen Zhuo had just heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the commander of the secret guards speak again right on the heels of that. ¡°But in the process of investigating the truth, Yu Niaoniao learned this secret. Duke Lang was also investigating this with her.¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°In other words, Xiao Juan also knows this secret?¡± The commander of the secret guards said, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. The emperor has already sent someone to hunt down Duke Lang. It¡¯s impossible for him to return alive.¡± Only then did Shen Zhuo relax. He instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this. Not even my grandfather.¡± The commander of the secret guards nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± At this moment, facing Yu Niaoniao¡¯s questioning, Shen Zhuo did not want to tell the truth. However, when he thought of how worried she was about Xiao Juan just now, there was a nameless fire burning in his heart. The corners of his mouth lifted in a mocking chuckle. ¡°Didn¡¯t I make it clear enough? Xiao Juan touched Father¡¯s reverse scale. Father has already sent someone to take his life. It¡¯s impossible for him to reach Liaodong County alive. You won¡¯t see him again in your life.¡± He thought that Yu Niaoniao would definitely be anxious and even break down and cry after knowing this news. However, in fact, after a short moment of shock, Yu Niaoniao quickly calmed down. She said firmly, ¡°Ah Juan won¡¯t die.¡± Her reaction disappointed snen znuo. At tne same time, It made tne anger In his heart burn even stronger. His tone was filled with malice. ¡°No matter how strong Xiao Juan¡¯s martial arts are, it¡¯s impossible for him to escape the pursuit of so many experts. He¡¯s dead this time.¡± Yu Niaoniao still said the same thing. ¡°He won¡¯t die.¡± Shen Zhuo did not understand. ¡°Where did you get your confidence? What makes you think he won¡¯t die?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Because he¡¯s Xiao Juan.¡± Shen Zhuo was furious at her attitude. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s make a bet and see if Xiao Juan can come back alive.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If I win the bet, let me go.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°If I win, you have to completely forget Xiao Juan.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Zhuo deliberately provoked her. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t deny it when the time comes.¡± Yu Niaoniao retorted, ¡°I should be the one saying that to you.¡± With that, she closed her eyes and looked like she was going to sleep. Shen Zhuo stood up and walked out. He stood under the porch and looked at the snow-covered vegetation in the courtyard. After thinking for a moment, he called over a guard and instructed. ¡°Take someone to Duke Lang¡¯s Mansion and see if everyone is there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guard quickly disappeared into the vast night. Shen Zhuo placed one hand behind his back and had a bad feeling. Just now, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s confident appearance made him suspect something. Could it be that Xiao Juan had already expected this day? If that were the case, Xiao Juan would definitely have been prepared. Shen Zhuo had never dared to underestimate Xiao Juan. Not only was this person¡¯s martial arts powerful, but his thoughts were also deep. If he was already prepared, it would not be so easy to take his life. The next morning, Shen Zhuo received a report from his guards. ¡°Your Highness, everyone in Duke Lang¡¯s Mansion is gone.¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart sank. As expected! He pressed, ¡°Do you know where they went?¡± The guard reported truthfully, ¡°I heard that they accompanied the Princess Consort out of the city to the courtyard two days ago, but they didn¡¯t return.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°Have you checked the courtyard outside the city?¡± The guard said quickly, ¡°I¡¯ve already checked. The courtyard is empty. The luggage and carriages are gone.¡± Shen Zhuo placed his hands behind his back and said nothing for a long time. It seemed that he was right. Yu Niaoniao had already made arrangements. It was probably that as soon as she was taken away by the Sky Wolf Guards, those people from the Langjun Imperial Palace ran away overnight with their luggage. As for the direction they fled, it was obvious that they had gone after Xiao Juan. There were so many people in the Langjun Imperial Palace. When they met Xiao Juan, he would Imow what had happened in the capital. He would definitely raise his guard. The assassins sent by the emperor would most likely return in failure. Thinking of this, a plan appeared in Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart. A perfect plan that could make Niaoniao loyal to him and get rid of Xiao Juan. He instructed quietly. ¡°Pass down the order. From today onwards, send more people to the various city gates to investigate the people who entered the city.¡± The guard asked tentatively, ¡°Is Your Highness investigating someone?¡± Shen Zhuo looked up at the blue sky. It was not snowing today. The sky was blue. ¡°If Duke Lang returns, send a message to me immediately.¡± The guard was very surprised. ¡°Your Highness thinks Duke Lang will return to the Imperial Capital?¡± Shen Zhuo smiled and said slowly, ¡°How can he not come back when the woman he loves is in danger?¡± Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: Receiving the Decree Chapter 597: Receiving the Decree Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The team transporting the provisions had been traveling day and night for four days. Be it humans or horses, they were already tired. Seeing that it was dark, the accompanying inspector took the initiative to suggest to Duke Lang. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid the horses won¡¯t be able to take it if this continues. Why don¡¯t we set up camp tonight and rest? It won¡¯t be too late to travel tomorrow morning.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the dark sky and then at the horses, which were trembling with exhaustion and panting heavily. He nodded slightly and agreed to the inspector¡¯s suggestion. Knowing that they could finally rest tonight, everyone was very happy. They hurriedly set up camp and started a fire to cook. In the dead of night, other than the few soldiers on night duty, everyone was sleeping soundly. The camp was silent except for the rustling of leaves as the cold wind stirred them. At this moment, Xiao Juan suddenly opened his eyes. He heard footsteps approaching outside the tent and immediately sat up. He looked in the direction of the door and asked in a low voice. ¡°who?¡± A moment later, the inspector¡¯s voice came in. ¡°Your Highness, someone from the palace has come. They said that the emperor has something to instruct you. Please receive the decree immediately.¡± Xiao Juan casually pulled on his outerwear, picked up the No Return Saber by the bed, and strode out of the tent. The cold wind blew in his face, fluttering the hem of his shirt. He looked at the respectful inspector and asked. ¡°Did he say what it was about?¡± The inspector said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is exactly, but from the looks of those people, it should be something very important. I hope you can go over quickly and not delay.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Where are they?¡± The inspector said, ¡°They¡¯re just ahead. Please follow me.¡± Xiao Juan instructed the two shadow guards standing beside the tent. ¡°Go wake everyone up and follow me to receive the decree.¡± The inspector hurriedly said, ¡°No, the person who sent the imperial edict specially instructed me to keep this imperial edict a secret and not let outsiders Imow. I hope Your Highness won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Xiao Juan looked at him deeply. The inspector felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously shrank back. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t take offense. I¡¯m just following orders.¡± Xiao Juan turned to the two shadow guards and instructed, ¡°Call Meng Xizhou over.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± The inspector wanted to say something, and his lips parted. When he met Xiao Juan¡¯s cold and sharp gaze, he shut his mouth resentfully and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. In just a moment, Meng Xizhou rushed over. Because he had come in such a hurry, he had not even fastened his clothes and his hair was messy. ¡°What can I do for you, Your Highness?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The emperor sent someone to send an imperial edict. Follow me to receive it.¡± Meng Xizhou did not think too much about it and quickly replied, ¡°Okay.¡± As he straightened his clothes and hair, he followed Duke Lang. The three of them walked through the night and through the cold wind. Seeing that they were about to leave the camp, Meng Xizhou could not help but ask. ¡°If they¡¯re sending an imperial edict, why don¡¯t they enter the camp?¡± The inspector led the way, lantern in hand. He explained without looking back, ¡°This is a secret decree. The fewer people who know, the better. There are many people in the camp. It won¡¯t be good if the news gets leaked. They¡¯re waiting for His Highness near the camp. They¡¯ll leave after delivering the imperial edict.¡± Meng Xizhou muttered in his heart, feeling that this matter was strange. However, seeing that there was no change in Duke Lang¡¯s expression, he did not say anything and followed obediently. The three of them walked out of the camp and through the forest for a while before seeing the person the inspector had mentioned. There were more than twenty people on the other side, all wearing armor and carrying weapons. The leader was a burly general. Xiao Juan knew the general and said, ¡°General Dou, how have you been?¡± General Dou cleared his throat. ¡°Time is tight. It¡¯s not too late to exchange pleasantries after we¡¯re done with business. Is Duke Lang going to kneel down to listen to the decree?¡± With that, he took out a thin piece of silk from his sleeve. Xiao Juan and Meng Xizhou knelt on one knee and lowered their heads. General Dou unfolded the silk and slowly read, ¡°Someone reported that Duke Lang abused his power, used his official position for personal gain, and framed a loyal person. After investigation, the situation is true. He has committed an unforgivable crime. I specially ordered him to be killed on the spot!¡± Meng Xizhou suddenly looked up and shouted in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Without evidence, what right does the emperor have to convict Duke Lang?! ¡± General Dou sneered. ¡°Are you questioning the emperor¡¯s decision? Don¡¯t tell me you want to resist the decree?¡± Meng Xizhou wanted to say something, but Xiao Juan raised his hand and suppressed him. Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°If you want me to die, I have no choice. Since the emperor is determined to take my life, I can only accept my fate.¡± General Dou said, ¡°I hope Duke Lang can hand over your saber.¡± With that, he winked at the two soldiers beside him. The two soldiers immediately strode forward and walked up to Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan took off the No Return Saber at his waist and handed it over with both hands. Just as the soldiers reached out to take the saber, Xiao Juan suddenly unsheathed it. A snow-white cold light flashed. There was a deep wound on the necks of the two soldiers. Blood splattered! Before either soldier could scream, his eyes widened and he fell straight down. They were no longer breathing. General Dou was shocked. ¡°Xiao Juan, how dare you?!¡± Xiao Juan stood up, his eyes condensed with ice. ¡°You were the ones who kept assassinating me along the way, right?¡± General Dou avoided his gaze and denied loudly, ¡®What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I do such a thing?!¡± In fact, he had indeed assassinated Xiao Juan several times along the way, but he had always failed. He could not be blamed for being incompetent. Xiao Juan¡¯s martial arts were really too good. The people he sent could not even touch the corner of Xiao Juan¡¯s clothes, let alone kill him. Later, he even thought of using a scheme like poison. However, other than the dry food and water he brought, Xiao Juan did not eat anything else, so General Dou could not find an opportunity at all. There was really no choice. General Dou could only change his plan. Since it couldn¡¯t be done in the dark, he would do it openly. He used the excuse of accepting the decree to lure Xiao Juan here, planning to get rid of him here. General Dou knew that this was his last chance. If he still could not kill Xiao Juan tonight, the mission given to him by the emperor would be a complete failure. When he returned to the Imperial Capital, the emperor would definitely not let him off easily. He gritted his teeth and steeled himself. ¡°Xiao Juan, not only did you resist the decree, but you also killed someone in public. You¡¯re really bold and lawless! I must take your life tonight!¡± With that, he swung his saber and cut the rope tied to the tree trunk beside him. The rope suddenly broke, and the net hanging from the branch fell, covering Xiao Juan and Meng Xizhou! Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: Counterattack Chapter 598: Counterattack Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan raised his hand and waved his saber, and the blade of the saber slashed fiercely at the net! Seeing this, General Dou looked smug. ¡°This net is woven from special iron wire and is extremely flexible. Ordinary swords can¡¯t cut it¡­¡± Before he could finish, he heard a sizzling sound. The blade of the No Return Saber made a long cut in the net. A huge hole immediately appeared in the huge net. Xiao Juan and Meng Xizhou flew out of the cave and the wire net clattered to the ground. General Dou was stunned. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Meng Xizhou chuckled. ¡°As you said, ordinary blades can¡¯t break your net, but our Duke Lang¡¯s No Return Saber is not an ordinary blade. It¡¯s a peerless good weapon in this world. It¡¯s indestructible!¡± Seeing Xiao Juan rush towards him with his saber, General Dou hurriedly raised his saber to block and ordered everyone to attack. He wanted to take down Xiao Juan with their advantage in numbers. As it turned out, he had underestimated Xiao Juan¡¯s martial strength. Even if all of them rushed forward, they were still no match for Xiao Juan. After an intense battle, all the soldiers under General Dou were killed, leaving General Dou standing alone. But he was also an arrow at the end of its flight. His grip on the knife was trembling. Blood kept flowing down the wound in his leg. His body was on the verge of collapse as if he would fall at any moment. As he looked at Xiao Juan, who was approaching him step by step, his eyes were filled with fear, and he stuttered, ¡®ID-don¡¯t come over. I¡¯m here on the emperor¡¯s orders. If you kill me, the emperor will definitely not let you off!¡± Hearing this, Meng Xizhou could not help but worry. General Dou was here on a decree. If they really killed him and others found out, the team escorting the food might very well riot. It had to be known that Tang Guixi and the others were still waiting for the food to save their lives. They had to send the food to Liaodong County as soon as possible. There could not be any accidents on the way. Just as Meng Xizhou was hesitating if he should persuade Duke Lang to think twice, he heard him speak slowly. ¡°You faked an imperial edict. You deserve to be executed. I¡¯m enforcing the law. It¡¯s only right for me to kill you.¡± General Dou hurriedly argued, ¡°The imperial edict is real! I didn¡¯t fake it. If you don¡¯t believe me, look for yourself!¡± As he spoke, he pulled out the cloth. Xiao Juan picked up the cloth with the tip of the No Return Saber and brought it close to take a look. ¡°It¡¯s fake.¡± General Dou was so anxious that his eyes turned red. ¡°Impossible! The emperor personally handed this to me. There¡¯s even the emperor¡¯s personal seal on it!¡± Xiao Juan extended his hand to the inspector. ¡°Let me borrow the lantern.¡± The inspector¡¯s legs went weak from fear and he fell to the ground. He had originally thought that Duke Lang would definitely die this time, but it was completely the opposite of what he had expected. Not only was Duke Lang fine, but he had also defeated General Dou and the others. At this moment, in the inspector¡¯s heart, Duke Lang was scarier than a ghost. He didn¡¯t dare ask. He got up on all fours and handed over the lantern, trembling. Xiao Juan placed the cloth on the lantern. Candlelight lit a corner of the cloth. The tongue of the fire quickly spread and devoured the cloth in the blink of an eye. Xiao Juan casually threw it away. The cloth fell to the ground and was already burned to charcoal. General Dou¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°How dare you burn the imperial edict? Do you know what kind of crime this is?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s just a fake imperial edict. So what if it¡¯s burned?¡± General Dou said, ¡°This is clearly real¡­¡± Xiao Juan suddenly raised the No Return Saber and swung the blade at lightning speed. General Dou stopped talking. He subconsciously raised his hands to touch his neck. In the end, his hand fell just as he raised it. His neck was severed. His head slid off and hit the ground with a dull thud. In the next moment, General Dou¡¯s body fell with a bang, and blood quickly spread in the snow. The fear in the inspector¡¯s heart rose to the extreme. His pupils trembled violently. He wanted to scream but did not dare to. He could only cover his mouth with both hands. Xiao Juan flicked the No Return Saber, and the blood bead flew out along the tip of the saber. He looked coldly at the decapitated General Dou and said expressionlessly, ¡°If I say this imperial edict is fake, it¡¯s fake.¡± At this moment, Meng Xizhou had already understood Duke Lang¡¯s intentions. Whether the imperial edict was real or fake, as long as they insisted that it was fake, it was fine. Even if someone questioned them, they could not produce decent evidence. As long as they could successfully reach Liaodong County, other matters would not be a problem. Thinking of this, Meng Xizhou walked toward the inspector with his saber. General Dou and the people he had brought were all dead. Only the inspector was still alive. Keeping him was a hidden danger. It was best to deal with him immediately. When the inspector saw Meng Xizhou approaching step by step, the fear in his heart soared. He hurriedly retreated, crying and pleading. ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me. I don¡¯t know anything. I¡¯m innocent!¡± Meng Xizhou sneered. ¡°Are you trying to deceive a three-year-old child? You deliberately lured us to this godforsaken place. Do you dare to say that you don¡¯t know anything?¡± The inspector couldn¡¯t answer. He struggled to defend himself. ¡°I was forced. General Dou insisted that I do this. He even brought up the imperial edict. I didn¡¯t dare to disobey the edict, so I could only do as he said.¡± Xiao Juan asked coldly. ¡°So you were the one who secretly drugged my food?¡± Meng Xizhou was stunned before he flew into a rage. ¡°How dare you poison His Highness?!¡± They had eaten at the courier station when they passed it yesterday. At that time, Xiao Juan sensed that his food had been drugged. But he didn¡¯t show it. He just got someone to remove the food and eat the dry ration he had brought. Xiao Juan had wondered who the person who drugged him was. Now it seemed that the answer was obvious. The inspector hurriedly defended himself. ¡°General Dou asked me to do this. He said that the emperor has already ordered that you have to die. If you don¡¯t die, we¡¯ll all die. I was forced to have no choice but to drug your food. I already Imow my mistake. I won¡¯t dare to do it again. Please forgive me this time!¡± Xiao Juan could not be bothered to say another word to him. After giving Meng Xizhou a look, he turned around and left. Seeing Meng Xizhou raise his saber at him, the inspector knew that he was doomed, so he shouted for help at the top of his lungs and ran. However, he had never practiced martial arts. Even if he tried his best, he could not compare to the agile Meng Xizhou. In the blink of an eye, Meng Xizhou caught up to him and ended his life. Meng Xizhou returned to the camp and called over a team of Eagle Guards to bury all these corpses and clean up the blood on the snow. At the same time, Lo Pingsha finally caught up to the large convoy escorting the provisions tonight after traveling day and night with the people from the Langjun Imperial Palace.. Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: Entering the Tiger鈥檚 Den Chapter 599: Entering the Tiger¡¯s Den Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Lo Pingsha led the people from the Regional King¡¯s Mansion into the camp, he caused quite a commotion. Everyone in the camp woke up. Torches lit up one after another. In the blink of an eye, the entire camp was illuminated as brightly as day. Meng Xizhou was the first to walk out of the crowd. He was very surprised. ¡°Little Lo, why aren¡¯t you staying in the Imperial Capital? Why are you here?¡± Because they had been traveling day and night for several days, Lo Pingsha looked travel-worn. He was not the only one. The others from the Regional King¡¯s Mansion were also very tired. All of them did not look good. Lo Ping Sha spoke hoarsely. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. You want to help me settle Granny Xiu Yan and the others. Where¡¯s His Highness? I have something very important to report to him.¡± Meng Xizhou pointed at the tent behind him. ¡°His Highness is talking to someone inside. Why don¡¯t you¡­¡± Before he could finish, Lo Pingsha had passed him and strode toward the tent. Meng Xizhou looked at his anxious back and scratched the back of his head. ¡°What exactly happened? Why is Little Lo so anxious?¡± Lo Pingsha did not even wait for the news to spread before he lifted the curtain and rushed into the tent. In the tent, two civil officials were questioning Duke Lang. ¡°It¡¯s already so late and there are deep mountains and forests around. Where can the inspector go? Did something happen to him? Why isn¡¯t His Highness willing to send someone to look for him? Aren¡¯t you worried about the inspector¡¯s safety at all?¡± Xiao Juan had already changed out of his bloodstained clothes. This time, he was wearing a loose black inner shirt. He sat down and wiped his No Return Saber, as if he had not heard the two civil servants¡¯ questions. Xiao Juan¡¯s gaze immediately changed greatly. ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t I ask you to stay in the Imperial Capital to protect Niaoniao?¡± Lo Pingsha glanced at the two civil servants, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated. Xiao Juan understood and immediately asked the two civil servants to leave. The two civil officials were already very dissatisfied with Duke Lang¡¯s cold attitude. Now that they saw that he wanted to chase them away, they were immediately even angrier. ¡°Prince Lang, the inspector¡¯s whereabouts are still unknown. Are you really indifferent?!¡± ¡°If anything happens to the inspector, who will bear the responsibility? You?!¡± Xiao Juan glanced at them coldly and said in a cold voice, ¡°Since you want to know where the inspector is so badly, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. The inspector has been killed by me.¡± The two civil officials were shocked. ¡°What?! How dare you kill an official of the Imperial Court? Do you want to die?!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The inspector and the bandits faked an imperial edict and wanted to kill me. Shouldn¡¯t he be killed?¡± The two civil officials refused to believe Xiao Juan. ¡°What right do you have to say that the inspector faked an imperial edict? What evidence do you have?¡± Xiao Juan narrowed his eyes slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of danger. ¡°You¡¯re so biased towards the inspector. Are you in cahoots with him?¡± The two civil servants subconsciously blurted out, ¡°Of course not!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then shut up and get out!¡± The two civil officials were about to argue when the No Return Saber in Xiao Juan¡¯s hand swept over. They felt a chill on their heads and subconsciously raised their hands to touch them. Their neat buns had been cut off, and their hair fell. The two of them were shocked and afraid. They trembled and could not even say a complete sentence. Xiao Juan said, ¡°If you say another word, I won¡¯t cut off your hair next time, but your heads. Get lost!¡± The two civil servants were frightened out of their wits and almost scrambled out of the tent. Seeing that there were no outsiders around, Lo Pingsha spoke. ¡°Something happened to the Princess Consort!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s gaze immediately darkened. ¡°Tell me in detail.¡± Lo Pingsha explained how the old emperor had sent someone to take Yu Niaoniao away in the middle of the night. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why the emperor took the Princess Consort away, from the looks of it, nothing good will happen. The Princess Consort seems to know that she¡¯s doomed this time, so she specially asked me to bring people from the Regional King¡¯s Mansion to join His Highness.¡± Outsiders might not know the reason, but Xiao Juan knew very well that the old emperor must have sensed that his secret had been known, so he sent someone to kill him. At this moment, something had probably happened to Niaoniao. The more Xiao Juan thought about it, the more anxious he became. He immediately ordered someone to call Meng Xizhou over and instructed. ¡°Next, you¡¯ll lead the team and continue to escort the food to Liaodong County.¡± Meng Xizhou hurriedly asked, ¡°What about you? Where are you going?¡± Seeing Meng Xizhou¡¯s confused expression, Lo Pingsha explained concisely what had happened in the Langjun Imperial Palace. Meng Xizhou was worried. ¡°The emperor has already wanted to kill you. You¡¯ve just settled those guys who tried to kill you. If you return to the Imperial Capital, won¡¯t you be walking into a tiger¡¯s den?¡± Lo Pingsha also said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back with you?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s attitude was very settled. ¡°No, you have to send the food to Liaodong County as soon as possible. Tang Guixi and the others are still waiting for this batch of food to save their lives. If you don¡¯t deliver the food in time, the 300,000 Eastern Expedition Army will be trapped to death. This matter cannot be delayed. You will set off tomorrow morning!¡± Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha were still a little hesitant. They all understood the logic, but they were really worried about letting Duke Lang return to the Imperial Capital alone. Xiao Juan emphasized, ¡°Now, the only people I can trust are the two of you. If you don¡¯t help me send the food to Liaodong County, I really don¡¯t know who to count on.¡± This was the first time Duke Lang had spoken to them in such an almost pleading tone. Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha could no longer refuse and could only reply with red eyes, ¡°I promise you.¡± Xiao Juan instructed, ¡°When others ask tomorrow, tell them that I have something to do and have to leave for a while. The route to escort the food has already been decided. You just have to continue according to the predetermined route.¡± Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha nodded in unison. ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Juan quickly packed his luggage, carried his bag, and strode out. Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha sent him off eagerly. They all Imew very well that the road ahead was dangerous. Duke Lang was taking a risk. They did not know if they would see each other again in the future. Xiao Juan mounted his horse and said to Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha. ¡°All of you, go back.¡± Meng Xizhou wiped his tears. ¡°Your Highness, you must save the Princess Consort safely.¡± Lo Pingsha said, ¡°After we send the food to Liaodong County, we¡¯ll rush to meet you immediately.¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly. ¡°Yes, goodbye!¡± As soon as his voice landed, he raised his whip. Dark Cloud immediately raised its hooves and rushed out.. Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: Threat Chapter 600: Threat Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao lay in bed for three days, but her condition did not improve. At first, Shen Zhuo thought that the doctor¡¯s medical skills were not exquisite enough. He changed several doctors for her, but it was useless. Almost every doctor said that she had caught a cold and that it was not serious. As long as she took medicine on time and rested well, she would recover in three to five days. But tne trutn was tne opposite ot wnat tne doctors nad said. Not only did Yu Niaoniao not show any signs of getting better, but her illness also became worse. This made Shen Zhuo suspicious. He called Huan¡¯er over and asked her carefully about her words and actions over the past three days. Huan¡¯er told him everything she knew. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Are you saying that every time she takes medicine, she lets all of you out?¡± Huan¡¯er nodded. ¡°Yes, Miss Yu said that she didn¡¯t like anyone watching her when she drank the medicine, so she asked us all to go down. When I entered the house again, she had already finished the medicine in her bowl.¡± Hearing this, Shen Zhuo had an idea. He ordered someone to boil a bowl of medicine, then personally carried it into the bedroom. Yu Niaoniao lay weakly on the bed. Her face was as pale as paper and looked very thin. Shen Zhuo sat down by the bed and helped Yu Niaoniao up with one hand. ¡°Come, drink your medicine.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned her head away. ¡°Put the medicine down. I can drink it myself. ¡± Shen Zhuo did not force her and followed her instructions to place the medicine bowl on the small table by the bed. Yu Niaoniao reached out and picked up the medicine bowl, but she did not drink it. Instead, she said to Shen Zhuo. ¡°Get out.¡± Shen Zhuo said warmly, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with you. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Yu Niaoniao put down her bowl. ¡°I can¡¯t drink like this.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled and picked up the bowl of medicine again. ¡°Let me feed you.¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°What do you want?¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s expression was still gentle, but his words were very domineering. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. I want you to drink medicine. You can only get better after drinking medicine.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend in front of me. I know what you want to do.¡± Shen Zhuo pretended to be interested and asked, ¡°Oh? Then tell me, what do I want?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You spent so much effort treating me. You¡¯re afraid that I would die, because you wanted to know where the charred corpse went from me, right?¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°What if I say no?¡± Yu Niaoniao clearly did not believe him. ¡°Can you swear that you don¡¯t want to know where the charred corpse went from me? That charred corpse concerns your father¡¯s status. If you don¡¯t find that charred corpse, you and your father won¡¯t be at ease for a day.¡± Shen Zhuo let out a long sigh, looking helpless. ¡®Yes, I do want to know the whereabouts of that charred corpse, but I really want you to recover.¡± The corners of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mouth twitched as she sneered. ¡°If I die of illness, you¡¯ll never know where that charred corpse is hidden.¡± Shen Zhuo frowned slightly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to say it. I won¡¯t force you. You don¡¯t have to joke about your health.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll still believe you?¡± Shen Zhuo felt very powerless. ¡°I¡¯ve lied to you before, but I¡¯ve never thought of hurting you. My feelings for you have never changed. Can¡¯t you trust me a little more?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought of the past when she was young. The memories of them being childhood sweethearts really existed. Except that everything had changed. She said slowly, ¡°In my heart, the old Brother Junzhi is long dead. The person in front of me now is the Crown Prince of the Dayan Dynasty, Shen Zhuo.¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he held the medicine bowl. The medicine in the bowl rippled. He felt bitter. A deep sense of powerlessness wrapped around him, as he was clueless about what to do with the woman in front of him. He closed his eyes and suppressed the chaotic emotions in his heart. When he opened his eyes again, they were clear. Shen Zhuo enunciated each word clearly. ¡°I took the risk to save you. Your life already belongs to me. Without my permission, you can¡¯t die even if you want to.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned her head away and looked elsewhere, ignoring his words. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°You only have two choices now. Either you drink the medicine obediently, or I¡¯ll tap your acupuncture points and feed you mouth to mouth.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately turned her head around and glared at him fiercely. ¡°Aren¡¯t you disgusting?!¡± Shen Zhuo was not angry at being scolded. In fact, he was a little happy. Compared to her hopeless look, she was a little livelier when she was angry and looked more vivid. Shen Zhuo handed over the medicine bowl and asked again. ¡°Which one do you choose?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°From the moment I stepped into the palace, I was prepared to die. There was no need for you to save me.¡± Shen Zhuo did not like to hear her say such things. He frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you still want revenge? If you die, what will happen to your parents¡¯ grudge? Are you going to give up just like that?¡± Yu Niaoniao said coldly, ¡°This is my business. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Shen Zhuo sent the medicine bowl to her again. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to forcefully feed you medicine, drink it yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the medicine bowl. ¡°I can drink the medicine, but you have to agree to one condition.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Other than letting you go, you can name any other conditions. ¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If I remember correctly, it¡¯s the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday the day after tomorrow. At that time, the palace will hold a grand birthday banquet. I want to join in the fun.¡± Shen Zhuo looked at her inquiringly. ¡°What are you thinking now?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked innocent. ¡°I¡¯ve already been captured by you. What else can I do? Besides, there are so many imperial guards in the palace. I¡¯m a weak woman who doesn¡¯t know martial arts at all. I¡¯m no match for them at all. I just want to join in the fun. I promise I won¡¯t do anything.¡± Shen Zhuo did not believe a word she said. Although this girl did not know martial arts, she often had unexpected ideas. Not only would the civil and military officials be present on the day of the birthday banquet, but there would also be foreign envoys. If anything went wrong at the birthday banquet, no one would be able to clean up the mess. Shen Zhuo rejected Yu Niaoniao¡¯s request. ¡°No, just stay here obediently. You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended to pour out the medicine in her bowl. Shen Zhuo quickly grabbed her wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t agree to my conditions, I won¡¯t drink the medicine. Let me die of illness.¡± Shen Zhuo reprimanded in a low voice, ¡°Stop fooling around!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know martial arts? You can tap my acupuncture points, but I can promise you that as long as you dare to tap my acupuncture points, I¡¯ll immediately bite my tongue and commit suicide. If you don¡¯t believe me, try it!¡± After saying that, she deliberately bit her tongue with her teeth, clearly threatening him. Shen Zhuo was really helpless against her now. ¡°Father thinks you¡¯re dead. If Father finds out that I brought you to the palace for a banquet, the consequences will be very serious.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then I don¡¯t care. Anyway, I know you must have a way.¡± Shen Zhuo sighed helplessly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll promise you..¡± Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: You Can 鈥榯 Escape Chapter 601: You Can ¡®t Escape Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Two days passed in a flash. On the day of the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday, Yu Niaoniao specially woke up early. Huan¡¯er helped her wash up and dress up. Then, she followed Shen Zhuo out. Before leaving, Yu Niaoniao secretly stuffed a small note into her sleeve. She had to find an opportunity to send the note out later so that Xiao Juan would know her current situation. Although she had already told Lo Pingsha to follow Xiao Juan to Liaodong County and repeatedly reminded him not to return to the Imperial Capital, However, she knew very well that Xiao Juan would not do as she said obediently. Once he knew that she was in danger, even if he knew that there was a mountain of blades and a sea of flames ahead, he would still jump in without hesitation. Therefore, she guessed that he would definitely return to the Imperial Capital. She had to be prepared in advance, in case Xiao Juan really believed that she was dead after returning to the capital. After boarding the carriage, Shen Zhuo took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve. He took a small pill from the porcelain bottle and handed it to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Eat it.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not move. ¡°What is this?¡± Shen Zhuo had no intention of hiding anything and said directly, ¡°This is the Bone Softening Pill. After you take it, you¡¯ll feel weak all over. This is to prevent you from causing trouble during the birthday banquet. After the birthday banquet ends and you leave the palace, I¡¯ll give you the antidote.¡± The reason he did this was partly to be safe and partly to test Yu Niaoniao and see if she was really up to no good. If she really had ill intentions, she would definitely not be willing to take the Bone Softening Pill. Under Shen Zhuo¡¯s gaze, Yu Niaoniao took the pill and threw it into her mouth without hesitation. Seeing her being so straightforward, not only did Shen Zhuo not relax, but he also became even more puzzled. What was the woman thinking? Yu Niaoniao appeared to be amenable. ¡°What other requests do you have? Tell me everything.¡± Shen Zhuo took off the veiled hat hanging on the wall of the carriage and instructed solemnly. ¡°Put this on. Don¡¯t take it off before you leave the palace. If anyone sees your appearance, the news that you¡¯re still alive will leak. At that time, Father will definitely want to kill you again.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the veiled hat and put it on her head. Long white gauze draped down, covering her face tightly. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Is that okay?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to follow you. After entering the palace, you have to be obedient. Don¡¯t think about running. You can¡¯t escape.¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°Heh.¡± Her voice was filled with mockery. Shen Zhuo was not angry. His expression was still gentle. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why you insist on entering the palace today, as long as it¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll try my best to satisfy you. I hope you won¡¯t let me down.¡± Yu Niaoniao ignored him. She turned her head and reached out to push open the car window. The cold wind blew in with snow. The gauze curtain under the veiled hat fluttered in the wind. Shen Zhuo reached out and closed the carriage window with a force that allowed no resistance. ¡°You¡¯ve just recovered. You can¡¯t stand the cold wind anymore.¡± Vil Niaoniao chuckled again- The carriage moved slowly, swaying slightly. Shen Zhuo looked at her and asked. ¡°I¡¯m concerned about you. What¡¯s so funny?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯re always like this. In order not to let me be killed by the emperor, you put me under house arrest. In order not to let me fall sick from the cold, you didn¡¯t allow me to open the window. You think you did everything for my own good, but you never asked me what I really wanted.¡± Shen Zhuoshun questioned, ¡°Then what do you really want?¡± ¡°Freedom.¡± Shen Zhuo looked helpless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me before why I chose Xiao Juan? How are you worse than Xiao Juan? Now I can tell you that Xiao Juan will respect my wishes. Even if what I do might make him unhappy, he will still choose to endure for me. This is because he cares more about my feelings than his own emotions.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°That¡¯s because he already has you. He knows that your heart is firmly tied to him. Even if he lets go, you won¡¯t leave. But I¡¯m different. Once I let go, I might lose you forever.¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. If it were Xiao Juan, he would be sad if he knew that the person I loved was someone else, but he would never force me, let alone put me under house arrest and force me to take any Body Softening Pills.¡± Back then, when Xiao Juan found out that she had a motive for deliberately approaching him, he mistakenly thought that she had no feelings for him. He was very disappointed and angry, but he did not take any extreme measures against her. He even took the initiative to retreat, keeping a distance from her at all times and never crossing the line. This was the greatest difference between Xiao Juan and Shen Zhuo. No matter what Xiao Juan thought, he would never force Yu Niaoniao. It was not the case with Shen Zhuo. Compared to Niaoniao¡¯s feelings, he was more concerned about his gains and losses. Shen Zhuo did not know the past between Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. He felt that the reason Niaoniao said this was because she liked Xiao Juan, so in her heart, Xiao Juan was good no matter what. And whatever he did, it was bad in her eyes. Shen Zhuo said slowly, ¡°If you can treat me like you treated Xiao Juan, I¡¯ll naturally let you go. At that time, you can go wherever you want. I¡¯ll never restrain you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t like you at first¡­¡¯ Shen Zhuo¡¯s gaze changed at this moment. His thin lips moved slightly as if he wanted to say something. However, he was interrupted by Yu Niaoniao¡¯s next words. ¡°But that good impression was personally destroyed by you. You used me first, but now you want me to be loyal to you.¡± ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone too far?¡± Every word stabbed accurately into Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart like a knife. Shen Zhuo¡¯s thin lips pursed into a straight line and he could no longer speak. A long silence hovered in the carriage. The carriage drove for a long time before finally stopping in front of the palace gate. At this moment, many officials had already gathered in front of the palace gate. It had snowed all night last night. Although the snow on the ground had been swept clean in advance, it was still a little wet and slippery when stepped on. Shen Zhuo entered the palace first, and Yu Niaoniao was left in the carriage. After the officials in front of the palace gate left, the carriage carried Yu Niaoniao along the palace wall and entered the palace through another side door. When she got out of the carriage, she found herself being sent backstage to the opera troupe. Behind her was a eunuch and a palace maid. Shen Zhuo had specially arranged these two people. They were both hidden experts. Not only did they have to protect Niaoniao¡¯s safety, but they also had to monitor her every move and not let her cause trouble. Today was Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s birthday. The palace had specially invited a famous opera troupe, planning to perform at noon. There were many people in the theater, and they were all unfamiliar faces. Shen Zhuo arranged for Yu Niaoniao to be among them, so it was very difficult for anyone to notice anything unusual.. Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: What a Coincidence! Chapter 602: What a Coincidence! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao stood up and wanted to walk, but the Bone SofteningPill had already taken effect. All the bones in her body felt as if they had been soaked in vinegar all night. They were sore and soft. Not to mention walking, even standing up was a problem. She could only sit obediently in her chair. This was a small cubicle backstage. The cubicle had no door and was only covered by a curtain. There was a table in front of her. There were some fruits, refreshments, and a small window beside it. She could see the situation on the stage through the window. There was still some time before noon. It was empty, and there was no one below the stage. Yu Niaoniao still refused to give up. It didn¡¯t matter if she couldn¡¯t see. She could still listen. At this moment, there were people everywhere backstage. The opera troupe was busy putting on makeup and dressing up, preparing for the various matters before the performance. Among them were voices, footsteps, and various sounds of moving things. Yu Niaoniao pricked up her ears and carefully distinguished the voice. Soon, she found a familiar voice among the many voices¡ª ¡°Today is the time for our troupe to become famous. Everyone, you have to act well later. If you act well later, you will definitely benefit!¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Wasn¡¯t this the voice of that little fatty, Zheng Changle?! So it was Zheng Changle¡¯s opera troupe who came today! She was immediately amused. What a coincidence! Yu Niaoniao was constantly paying attention to the commotion outside. When she heard footsteps outside, she pretended to drink tea, but when she picked up her teacup, she deliberately tilted her hand and the tea poured out. She immediately cried out, ¡°Ah! It¡¯s so hot! It hurts!¡± The people passing outside the cubicle immediately stopped when they heard this voice. This person was none other than the young master of the Sky Oriole Opera Troupe, Zheng Changle. Originally, his father should have brought the opera troupe into the palace to perform today, but unfortunately, his father had been sick recently, so he could only take over. Just now, the Crown Prince had sent someone to add a cubicle backstage and even instructed everyone not to approach it, let alone enter it. Although Zheng Changle was curious, he did not dare to ask further. He had just happened to pass by the cubicle and did not expect to hear a woman¡¯s cry from inside. The voice sounded more and more familiar. Zheng Changle involuntarily stopped and wanted to hear more when he saw a eunuch run out of the cubicle. Zheng Changle was shocked and was about to run off when he was stopped by the eunuch. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Zheng Changle could only stop and say respectfully, ¡°What can I do for you, Eunuch?¡± The eunuch raised his chin slightly. ¡°Go prepare a clean dress.¡± Zheng Changle took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Do you want to change your Miss¡¯s clothes?¡± The eunuch said coldly, ¡®You shouldn¡¯t ask so much!¡± Zheng Changle shrank his neck resentfully. ¡°Yes.¡± He turned dejectedly and walked away. After a while, he returned with a clean dress. He raised his hand and wanted to knock on the door frame of the cubicle first, but on second thought, he retracted his hand and lifted the curtain to stride in. ¡°Eunuch, I brought you the dress!¡± The eunuch and palace maid in the room were shocked. The palace maid hurriedly took a step forward and stood in front of Yu Niaoniao. The eunuch scolded Zheng Changle angrily. ¡°How dare you barge in without permission? Do you know your status? You¡¯re just a commoner. If you offend a noble, can you bear the responsibility? Get out!¡± Zheng Changle was still young and thin -skinned. After being scolded like this, he immediately blushed. He wanted to retort, but he could only hold it in. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± He placed the dress on the table and prepared to turn around and leave. Yu Niaoniao suddenly stopped him. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Hearing this familiar voice, Zheng Changle was finally sure that the other party was the Princess Consort of Lang County! He looked up instinctively. Yu Niaoniao reached out and nudged the palace maid in front of her. ¡°I haven¡¯t even spoken. Why are you arguing?¡± The palace maid apologized, but her body still stood rooted to the ground, unwilling to move. Yu Niaoniao could only put her hands on the arms of the chair and twist her body with difficulty. She craned her neck and stuck her head out from behind the palace maid. She looked at the stunned Zheng Changle and smiled. ¡°Little fatty, come here for a moment. I have something to tell you.¡± Zheng Changle really wanted to ask why the Princess Consort of Lang County was here. However, he sensed that the palace maid and eunuch beside him had strange expressions, so he tactfully chose to shut up and obediently walk up to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at the teacup on the table. ¡°I accidentally spilled the tea just now. Make me another cup. Also, prepare a few books to relieve my boredom.¡± Zheng Changle hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯ll do it now.¡± With that, he left the cubicle. The eunuch then left, leaving the palace maid in the cubicle to help Yu Niaoniao change her clothes. Soon, Zheng Changle returned. He put the hot tea and storybook he had just made on the table and asked, you have any other instructions?¡± Yu Niaoniao pointed at the clothes on the stool beside her. ¡°That¡¯s my clothes that I accidentally wet just now. Please take it down and help me clean it up.¡± The palace maid suddenly said, ¡°You should take your clothes back and let your own people wash them.¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at her. ¡°Are you teaching me how to do things?¡± The palace maid lowered her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Even your Crown Prince can¡¯t control me. What right do you think you have to control me? Do you think you¡¯re stronger than His Highness?¡± The palace maid turned pale with fear and hurriedly knelt down. ¡°I definitely didn¡¯t mean that!¡± Yu Niaoniao snorted softly, then looked at Zheng Changle. ¡°Why are you still standing there?¡± Zheng Changle hurriedly reached out and picked up the stack of dresses. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± He hugged the dress and quickly ran out of the cubicle. He didn¡¯t stop until he had run a long distance. Recalling what had happened in the cubicle just now, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong. The Princess Consort of Lang County clearly knew him. Why did she pretend not to know him? At that moment, a small note fluttered down from the dress in his arms. Zheng Changle immediately bent down and picked up the small note. There were only two lines written on it¡ª There was a change in the palace. Leave the palace quickly and inform Duke Lang about this! Zheng Changle was shocked. Was something about to happen in the palace? Was she serious? After thinking about it, he decided to believe the Princess Consort of Lang County for once. The troupe was ordered to enter the palace to perform. It was impossible to cancel the performance at the last minute. Zheng Changle could only leave the opera troupe in the palace to perform as usual, while he found an excuse to leave the palace alone. At the same time, Xiao Juan finally returned to the Imperial Capital after traveling day and night.. Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Looking for Her Chapter 603: Looking for Her Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan had disguised himself and sneaked into the city without attracting anyone¡¯s attention. He quietly returned to the Langjun Imperial Palace and found that it had been searched haphazardly. Even the soil in the garden had been dug up. From the looks of it, someone was looking for something. Xiao Juan thought for a moment and guessed that the emperor was probably looking for the charred corpse. However, Yu Niaoniao had not hidden the charred corpse in the Langjun Imperial Palace at all. The person sent by the emperor could only return empty-handed. Then, Xiao Juan secretly went to the Yu Residence. Today, the palace was holding a birthday banquet. Yu Kangtai had entered the palace early in the morning, leaving only Yu Sheng and Yu Pingping at home. They were shocked to see Duke Lang suddenly appear. Yu Sheng said, ¡°Your Highness, didn¡¯t you go to Liaodong County? Why are you here?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I came back secretly to do something. I hope you won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± After seeing the siblings nod in agreement, Xiao Juan continued to ask. ¡°Have you seen Niaoniao recently?¡± The siblings shook their heads, indicating that they had never seen him. Yu Pingping could not help but ask, ¡°Why do you ask? Did something happen to Sister?¡± Xiao Juan did not want them to worry, so he lied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s fine now. Have there been any strange things going on in your family recently?¡± Yu Sheng thought for a moment and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing special recently. The emperor once sent someone to our house and said that he was looking for something very important. Those people searched our house, but they didn¡¯t find anything. I asked them what they were looking for, but they told me not to ask too much. Brother-in-law, what¡¯s going on?¡± Xiao Juan knew very well that the charred corpse was a thorn in the emperor¡¯s heart. As long as he did not find the charred corpse, the emperor would not be completely at ease. The emperor could not find the charred corpse in the Langjun Imperial Palace, so he sent someone to the Yu Residence to look for it. Unfortunately, he still returned empty-handed. Xiao Juan had no intention of explaining. Instead, he reminded him in a low voice. ¡°Hurry up and pack your luggage. When your father returns, leave the Imperial Capital with him. The farther the better.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Yu Sheng and Yu Pingping hurriedly chased after him, wanting to ask for clarification. But when they chased him out of the house, they realized that the courtyard was empty. Duke Lang was long gone. After Xiao Juan left the Yu Residence, he was about to enter the palace to take a look when he happened to meet Zheng Changle, who was in a hurry, near the palace. Zheng Changle lowered his head, his legs moving quickly, and he kept muttering. ¡°Duke Lang, where can I find Duke Lang? Princess Consort, you¡¯re making things too difficult for him¡­¡± In the end, because he ran too quickly, he accidentally bumped into someone. When he looked up and saw his face clearly, he exclaimed. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Xiao Juan was also very surprised. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Zheng Changle thought to himself that this was too much of a coincidence. It was simply impossible for this to happen! He did not even care about etiquette and hurriedly grabbed Duke Lang¡¯s forearm. ¡°I was just about to look for you! I saw the Princess Consort in the palace just now. She said that there was an accident in the palace and asked me to quickly leave the palace to look for you. Do you know what happened in the palace? Our opera troupe won¡¯t be implicated, right?¡± When Xiao Juan heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he immediately had a bad feeling. He pulled him behind a large tree and lowered his voice. ¡°Calm down. How did you meet the Princess Consort? How is she now? Tell me in detail.¡± Meeting Duke Lang¡¯s dark and deep eyes, Zheng Changle calmed down a little. He recounted his encounter with Yu Niaoniao in detail. Xiao Juan listened carefully and already had an idea. It seemed that Niaoniao had been held hostage by the Crown Prince and would not be able to leave for a while. Fortunately, she was still safe and shouldn¡¯t be in any danger for the time being. Xiao Juan felt a little relieved. As long as she was fine. He instructed solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about the Princess Consort when you get back.¡± Zheng Changle still had a stomach full of questions, but because he was afraid of Duke Lang¡¯s aura, he could only nod obediently. ¡°Yes.¡± Although meeting Zheng Changle was unexpected, this did not change Xiao Juan¡¯s plan to enter the palace. He looked up at the towering palace wall with unparalleled determination¡ª ¡°Niaoniao, wait for me.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll come and get you home soon!¡¯ When it was almost noon, there were gradually more people below the stage. The old emperor, Empress Dowager Deng, Empress Wen, and the others sat steadily on the main seat in the middle. The others sat down according to their identities. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s position was very ingenious. From her angle, she could see the entire scene below the stage, but the people below the stage could not see her. She glanced over and quickly found the old emperor among the many people. Because she was a distance away, she couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying, but from the looks of it, he seemed to be in good spirits. She had thought that he was terminally ill and incurable. She did not expect his body to improve. This was really in line with the old saying¡ª A good person did not live long, but a scourge lived for a thousand years! Yu Niaoniao suppressed the indignation in her heart and turned to look at Empress Dowager Deng, who was sitting beside the old emperor. As the protagonist today, Empress Dowager Deng was naturally the focus of everyone¡¯s attention. After carefully dressing up, she was really graceful and elegant. Unfortunately, she had not been feeling well recently and did not seem energetic. Other than saying a few words to the old emperor occasionally, she barely made a sound. Empress Wen still looked calm and gentle. She was not overly outstanding, but it was impossible to ignore her existence. Further down was Crown Prince Shen Zhuo. He was wearing the ceremonial robe that represented his status as Crown Prince today. He looked even more luxurious and solemn than usual. Even his every move looked exceptionally dignified. He seemed to notice that someone was looking at him. He suddenly turned his head and looked in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s direction. Yu Niaoniao subconsciously dodged to the side. However, she quickly realized that she had done something unnecessary. Shen Zhuo could not see her from that angle. When the auspicious time arrived, the birthday banquet began. First, the dancers went on stage to dance, making the atmosphere warm. Fine wine and delicacies were served like flowing water. The tempting fragrance of food and wine spread in the air, accompanied by the melodious sound of bamboo. It was really intoxicating. When the atmosphere was about right, it was time for the birthday gifts to be presented. From the princes and princesses to the civil and military officials, to the foreign envoys, and even the representatives of the aristocratic families everywhere, they all had to go forward to offer birthday gifts. In order to take this opportunity to please the Empress, everyone racked their brains to search for all kinds of rare treasures. Therefore, the birthday gifts presented today were of all kinds. But without exception, they were treasures that money could not buy. The long gift list made Yu Niaoniao sleepy. When the official from the Ministry of Rites read the name Duke Jing, Deng Yuchuan, Yu Niaoniao instantly woke up.. Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: Without Looking Back Chapter 604: Without Looking Back Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios She quickly sat up straight and leaned over the window to look forward for a better look. Deng Yuchuan walked slowly to the emperor and Empress Dowager Deng with his walking stick. Usually, Deng Luyun would follow him, but today, he entered the palace alone. There was no one beside him. He knelt down shakily. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager.¡± Empress Dowager Deng smiled and said, ¡°Brother, please stand up. We¡¯re all family. There¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± The old emperor also said, ¡°Someone, take a seat for Uncle.¡± Someone immediately brought a chair over and placed it behind Deng Yuchuan so that he could sit and talk. Deng Yuchuan did not sit down. He was still standing there with his walking stick. His body was a little hunched because of his age. Although the outline of his face was still very firm, his face was already covered in wrinkles of varying depths, and his hair was already gray. He said unhurriedly, ¡°Time passed. I didn¡¯t expect that in the blink of an eye, the Empress Dowager and I had already reached the age of sixty.¡± Queen Mother Deng sighed. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re all old.¡± Empress Wen comforted her at the right time. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t say that. You look very young.¡± The others echoed, praising the Empress Dowager for still being very young. Empress Dowager Deng knew in her heart that everyone was coaxing her, but she still smiled. Who in this world didn¡¯t like to hear good things? She was naturally no exception. The guards walked up with a heavy mahogany box. They placed the large box on the ground and stood it up according to Deng Yuchuan¡¯s instructions. The official from the Ministry of Rites read the words on the gift list slowly. ¡°From Duke Deng Yuchuan, a Jade Buddha!¡± Empress Dowager Deng was a Buddhist all year round. At this moment, she still had a string of green jade prayer beads on her wrist. Hearing this, she could not help but look expectant. ¡°So Brother gave me a jade Buddha. ¡± The old emperor looked at the large mahogany box and smiled. ¡°Looks like this jade Buddha should be quite big. Open it quickly and let me broaden my horizons.¡± Deng Yuchuan declined the help of others. He walked over with his cane and used the key he carried to open the copper lock. Then he slowly opened the lid of the box. The contents of the mahogany box were revealed to everyone. Tm The atmosphere of the birthday banquet froze. It turned out that what was in the mahogany box was not a jade Buddha, but a charred corpse! Shen Zhuo was the first to react. He stood up and shouted sternly, ¡°Someone, move this thing down!¡± Deng Yuchuan reached out and pressed his hand on the mahogany box. His voice was very loud. ¡°Seeing how anxious His Highness is, I¡¯m sure you already know the background of this charred corpse. According to seniority, you should call him grandfather.¡¯ As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue was in an uproar! The old emperor¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°Deng Yuchuan, do you know what you¡¯re doing?!¡± Empress Dowager Deng looked at the charred corpse in a daze, her expression gradually turning to panic. She couldn¡¯t believe she would see that man again in this situation after so many years. The scenes from back then appeared in her mind again. Those were nightmares she would never want to remember. Yu Niaoniao watched this scene quietly, recalling what had happened six days Before she left the Imperial Capital with everyone from the Langjun Imperial Palace, she secretly ordered someone to send the charred corpse to the Deng Residence and handed it to Old Master Deng. She had originally planned to disguise herself and sneak into the Deng family¡¯s team to attend the banquet after sending everyone from the Langjun Imperial Palace away. Unexpectedly, something unexpected happened. The emperor suddenly found out about the charred corpse and she was urgently summoned to the palace. What happened after that was beyond her control. She could no longer follow the plan and could only place her hopes on Deng Yuchuan. Before this, Yu Niaoniao had made many assumptions. The worst outcome was that Deng Yuchuan gave up on taking revenge for his sister and chose to destroy the evidence to protect himself and the entire Deng family. Everyone was selfish. If Deng Yuchuan really did that, Yu Niaoniao had noone to blame. She had no choice but to accept her fate. What transpired did not disappoint her. Deng Yuchuan did not retreat, let alone give up. Even though he knew that there was a dead end ahead, he still did not hesitate. As Yu Niaoniao looked at Deng Yuchuan¡¯s slightly hunched figure, her heart surged. Even if time was heartless, even if the dead had long turned to bones, there were still people in this world who remembered them. There were still people who would bravely advance for them. The imperial guards rushed towards Deng Yuchuan aggressively, planning to take him down on the spot. Deng Yuchuan took out the lighter unhurriedly and blew gently. Sparks flew. He moved the match closer to the mahogany box and glanced at the Imperial Guard. ¡°The compartment in this box is filled with gunpowder. As soon as I light the fuse, the gunpowder will explode immediately. Everyone present will be blown away.¡± The imperial guards took a closer look. There was indeed a thin fuse at the corner of the mahogany box. As long as Deng Yuchuan¡¯s hand moved forward a little, the match would ignite the fuse. Immediately, everyone retreated in fear, not daring to act rashly. The old emperor was furious. ¡°Are you crazy?! Not only was Deng Yuchuan not crazy, but he was even calmer than ever. He realized that someone was trying to sneak away and immediately spoke loudly. ¡°Now, please do your best and listen to a story quietly. When the story is over, I¡¯ll naturally leave you here. However, if anyone acts rashly before that, I¡¯ll immediately light the fuse.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, those who wanted to escape immediately did not dare to move and could only sit back obediently. Empress Wen barely maintained her composure. ¡°If the explosives are detonated, you won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°Since I¡¯ve done this, I¡¯m prepared to die.¡± Shen Zhuo endured it again and again, but in the end, he could not help but turn to look at Yu Niaoniao again. From his angle, he could only see a small window and not Yu Niaoniao at all. At this moment, he finally understood why Yu Niaoniao insisted on entering the palace to attend the birthday banquet today. She must have known Deng Yuchuan¡¯s plan long ago. Perhaps she was part of this plan! Shen Zhuo pursed his lips and clenched his fists in his sleeves. He tried his best to suppress the anger in his heart. After a long time, Queen Mother Deng found her voice with difficulty. ¡°Brother, why are you doing this? We¡¯re clearly family. Can¡¯t we sit down and talk things out? Why did you make things like this? If something happens to me and the emperor, not only you, but the entire Deng family will suffer. Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should think for your descendants.¡± Deng Yuchuan asked, ¡°Do you really treat me as family?¡± Empress Dowager Deng said, ¡°Of course¡­¡± Deng Yuchuan interrupted her. ¡°What about Li Niang? Did you treat her as family again?¡± Hearing the name Li Niang, Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s face instantly turned pale.. Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: Life and Death Chapter 605: Life and Death Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, a prince suddenly asked. ¡®Who¡¯s Li Niang?¡± Crown Prince Shen Zhuo immediately looked in the direction of the voice and realized that the person who spoke was his uncle, Prince Jia. This time, the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday was very grand. Not only did many envoys from the neighboring countries come, but even many princes far away came. Prince Jia was one of them. Deng Yuchuan seemed to be waiting for Prince Jia¡¯s question. Almost as soon as Prince Jia finished speaking, Deng Yuchuan quickly gave an answer. ¡°Li Niang is the biological sister of my mother. She and the current Empress Dowager are also sisters. Back then, the sisters entered the capital together to participate in the talent show. In the end, Li Niang was disfigured and forced to leave her hometown. She drifted for many years and finally died in a foreign place. Before she died, she left a letter and told the entire truth about her being plotted against by her biological sister.¡± Everyone present was shocked. Many guesses involuntarily appeared in their minds. In an instant, everyone¡¯s expressions kept changing. As one of the parties involved, Empress Dowager Deng felt like she was in an uncomfortable situation, and her expression became even uglier. Prince Jia looked puzzled. ¡°In your words, could it be that Li Niang¡¯s death is related to the Empress Dowager? That¡¯s unlikely. The Empress Dowager has always been very benevolent. How can she be so ruthless to her own sister?¡± The old emperor slammed the table. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?! ¡± The cups, bowls, and plates on the table trembled. Even the hearts of everyone present skipped a beat. Prince Jia also seemed frightened and bent down in fear. ¡°Your Majesty, calm down. I spoke nonsense.¡± Then, he turned to look at Deng Yuchuan and reprimanded with a dark expression. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense without evidence. The Empress Dowager is the mother of a country. Everyone knows that she¡¯s benevolent. How can you slander her with a few words?!¡± Deng Yuchuan said loudly, ¡°Who said I don¡¯t have evidence? This charred corpse beside me is evidence! Back then, the first person Imperial Concubine Meng liked was Li Niang. After she wanted Li Niang to enter the palace, Deng Yuluo was jealous and deliberately plotted to disfigure Li Niang and snatch her chance to enter the palace. Li Niang was unwilling to be schemed against just like that, so she plotted against Deng Yuluo and plotted for her to have an affair with another before she got married¡­¡¯ ¡°Shut up!¡± The old emperor stood up angrily and roared at the top of his lungs. ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s all nonsense! Someone, drag this lunatic down and tear him into pieces!¡± However, the imperial guards did not dare to move. They were all afraid of the box of gunpowder. Deng Yuchuan looked like he had really risked everything. He could not be afraid of death, but the others had to be. Empress Dowager Deng seemed to recall the scenes back then. Her hands hidden in her wide sleeves were clenched into fists, and her lips, which had been smeared with lip fat, were pursed into a straight line. She was clearly the legitimate daughter of the first wife. Be it looks or talent, she was not inferior to her sister. However, outsiders felt that her sister¡¯s status was more precious than hers and their attitude towards her was clearly more respectful. Even her father valued her sister more, let alone her brother. He only had Li Niang in his eyes and did not take her seriously at all. She hated such a sister. She even hoped more than once that she would not have such a sister! Actually, she had a man she liked back then, but in order to compete with her sister, she took the initiative to abandon that relationship and follow her sister to the Imperial Capital. She wanted to use this opportunity to prove to everyone that she was more outstanding than her sister and deserved to be valued! She tried her best to perform, but Imperial Concubine Meng seemed to be blind and fell for her sister at a glance. Once her sister entered the palace, she would be a high and mighty empress. And she could only go home with her tail between her legs as a loser. How would she face her parents then? And the lover she had abandoned would definitely laugh at her, right? If she took a step forward, she would be rich. If she took a step back, she would have nothing. Who could resist such temptation? Deng Yuluo could not resist. In the end, she still used the most despicable method to disfigure her sister. When she saw her sister crying in despair while covering her unrecognizable face, she actually felt guilty. She thought that when she became empress, not only would she bring glory to the family, but she would also find a good family for her sister. It did not matter even if she lost her beauty. Her sister was the legitimate daughter of the Deng family and had a sister who was the empress. Her husband¡¯s family would probably not dare to underestimate her. She could still live well for the rest of her life. Deng Yuluo thought about it again and again. After thinking too much, she believed in her own rationalization. Even the last bit of guilt disappeared. Unfortunately, reality did not go as planned. Li Niang did not admit defeat obediently as she had expected. Not only that, but Li Niang also schemed against her. She had underestimated Li Niang¡¯s temper. Even if she had to fight to the death, Li Niang would let her have a taste of living a life worse than death. What happened that night became a nightmare that Empress Dowager Deng did not want to remember for the rest of her life. Even though her parents had sent someone to smooth things over and help her bribe the people in the palace tasked to check the concubines¡¯ bodies so that she could bluff her way through, she still felt afraid. She was afraid that the matter would be exposed and the truth would be known. Especially on the night of the wedding. She was trembling with nervousness and almost couldn¡¯t hold back from telling the truth. Fortunately, in the end, logic prevailed. She gritted her teeth and endured. Perhaps God was helping her too. The emperor was in a good mood that night. He had drunk a lot before entering the bridal chamber and was no longer sober. Deng Yuluo took the opportunity to pour him a few more glasses of wine. While he was drunk, she pretended to consummate her marriage with him. The next day, the emperor woke up and forgot most of what had happened on his wedding night. He thought that he had already slept with the empress, so he did not think too much about it. The matter was closed. All these years, Deng Yuluo had been careful with her words and actions. She took every step in the palace. Not only did she stabilize her position as the empress of the Central Palace, but she also let her son inherit the throne. And she had also become Empress Dowager Deng, the most respected woman in the entire Dayan Dynasty. Now that she had gray hair, her life had come to an end. She thought she would have no regrets in her life, but the secret that had been sealed for years was suddenly revealed. The past she had deliberately forgotten came flooding back. The intense uneasiness and fear almost engulfed her. Empress Dowager Deng stared fixedly at the charred corpse, thinking that the secret she had hidden for many years was about to be made public. She felt her vision darken and a fishy sweetness well up in her throat. She opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood. Then, she closed her eyes and fainted. The old emperor was anxious. He wanted to rush over, but because he moved so much, he accidentally bumped into the corner of the table. The cups on the table were knocked over, and tea spilled all over the ground. ¡°Imperial physician! Call the imperial physician!¡± Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: Echoing Each Other Chapter 606: Echoing Each Other Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The imperial physicians rushed to the event location. They were all shocked by the situation at the event location, but they tacitly chose to shut up and not ask. After an emergency rescue, Empress Dowager Deng slowly woke up. The old emperor called anxiously, ¡°Mother!¡± Empress Dowager Deng, however, seemed unwilling to face reality. She closed her eyes again and remained silent. The old emperor immediately said, ¡°Send the Empress Dowager back quickly. Today¡¯s birthday banquet is over!¡± How could Deng Yuchuan let him have his way? He immediately said. ¡°Are the Empress Dowager and the emperor trying to escape?¡± The old emperor glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m upright. Why should I escape?!¡± Deng Yuchuan said, ¡°In that case, Your Majesty, please cooperate with me to verify. This charred corpse is the person who slept with the Empress Dowager back then. Although he¡¯s dead, his corpse is still there. There¡¯s an ancient saying that blood can be used to test one¡¯s family. This method can also be used on bones. If Your Majesty is really a descendant of the orthodox royal family, the blood will definitely not seep into the corpse. However, if Your Majesty and this charred corpse are father and son, Your Majesty¡¯s blood can seep into the corpse.¡± The old emperor flatly refused. ¡°It¡¯s all nonsense! With my status, how can I listen to your orders? Don¡¯t lie to the public anymore!¡± Prince Jia looked at the imperial physicians and asked curiously. ¡°Is it true that kinship can be tested with a drop of blood?¡± The imperial physicians looked at one another. No one dared to answer. Seeing this, what else did everyone not understand? A blood test should be true, but the imperial physicians did not dare to say anything because of the emperor¡¯s might. Prince Jia pondered for a moment as if he had made up his mind. He rolled up his sleeves to reveal his forearm and spoke like a generous warrior. ¡°The emperor¡¯s dragon body is noble. How can it be tested casually? Why don¡¯t you let me try it first and see if the blood test is true?¡± With that, he picked up the knife used to slice meat on the table and gently cut his forearm. Blood slowly overflowed and dripped into the bowl. He handed the bowl of blood to Deng Yuchuan. Deng Yuchuan did not hesitate. He immediately cut the skin of the charred corpse with a knife, revealing the bones inside. Then, he slowly dripped the blood onto the bones in front of everyone. Viscous red blood landed on the bones and slid down them. There were no signs of integration. Seeing this, Prince Jia said half-jokingly, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not related to this charred corpse!¡± Then, he looked at the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince. Finally, his gaze stopped on the Fourth Prince. Ever since he broke his head from drinking too much, the Fourth prince had become a fool. In order not to let him embarrass himself outside, the emperor did not allow him to go out. He could only stay in the prince¡¯s residence forever in an nrrnnopnnpnt that nn diffprpnt frnn-n nrrpct Today was the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday. The emperor wanted to gather the family for a reunion, so he made an exception and got someone to bring the Fourth Prince into the palace. Seeing Prince Jia look at the Fourth prince, the hearts of the old emperor and Shen Zhuo skipped a beat. Anyone with a brain would not get involved in Deng Yuchuan¡¯s matter at this time. However, the Fourth prince was now a brainless person. As expected, in the next moment, they heard Prince Jia speak amiably. ¡°The emperor¡¯s dragon body is precious and is indeed not suitable for a blood test. However, Deng Yuchuan is certain and has brought evidence. If we can¡¯t give a clear explanation, I¡¯m afraid it will tarnish the emperor¡¯s reputation. In more serious cases, it might shake the foundation of the country. The Fourth Prince has always been very filial. I believe the Fourth Prince will be happy to take the emperor¡¯s place in the blood test, right?¡± The Fourth Prince grinned foolishly. ¡°Hehehe, sure.¡± Shen Zhuo immediately stopped him. ¡°Fourth Brother¡¯s situation is special now. Prince Jia is an elder. Why bully an insensible junior?¡± Prince Jia looked at him. ¡°Your Highness, do you mean you¡¯re willing to set an example and test your legitimacy on behalf of the emperor? Actually, it¡¯s fine. Anyway, you¡¯re all the emperor¡¯s biological sons. Any one of you can test this on behalf of the emperor. As long as you can tell everyone with actual evidence that you have nothing to do with this charred corpse, everything Deng Yuchuan said will be nonsense.¡± Then, he looked at the civil and military officials present. His gaze paused on the older cabinet ministers and he said meaningfully. ¡°The royal orthodoxy can¡¯t be confused. I¡¯m sure you want the truth, right?¡± The elders quietly exchanged glances. After a long time, they spoke vaguely. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not impossible to try. Treat it as an explanation to the world, in case anyone talks nonsense about this in the future.¡± The old emperor stared hard at Prince Jia. All these years, Prince Jia had not been well-behaved. He had secretly accumulated money and trained his troops. His ambition was not small. But because he was far away in his fief, the old emperor could not touch him. This time, the old emperor used the excuse of the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday to recall Prince Jia to the Imperial Capital so that he could take this opportunity to detain Prince Jia in the capital and prevent him from returning to his fief. He would then send someone else to take over his money and troops and completely take him over. Unexpectedly, before the old emperor could do anything, Prince Jia attacked first. When Prince Jia and Deng Yuchuan echoed each other just now, it was obvious that they had already communicated. These two must have connected in private. Deng Yuchuan wanted to seek justice for his sister, and Prince Jia wanted to take this opportunity to stab the old emperor. Both sides took what they needed. The old emperor was so angry that his heart ached. His condition, which had already improved, seemed to show signs of being aggravated again. He endured his illness and tried his best to maintain his composure. The more tumultuous it was, the calmer he had to be. He was no longer the young boy who had just become emperor. After so many years in a high position, he understood many things. Deng Yuchuan and Prince Jia¡¯s alliance was for benefit. Then as long as he offered greater benefits, the alliance between them would be broken. Without Prince Jia¡¯s help, Denz Yuchuan could only rely on one arm. The Fourth Prince sat foolishly on the spot and let Prince Jia roll up his sleeves. When the knife cut through the flesh, the pain made the Fourth Prince struggle. Prince Jia coaxed him kindly, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be done soon. Uncle will give you candy later.¡± Hearing that there was candy to eat, the Fourth Prince¡¯s struggles decreased slightly. At this moment, the old emperor called Shen Zhuo in front of him and whispered in his ear. Shen Zhuo nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± He quietly left the birthday banquet event location and rushed to the study. He wrote an imperial edict according to his father¡¯s instructions and stamped it with a jade seal that represented imperial power. After doing this, he folded the imperial edict and stuffed it into his sleeve. When he rushed back to the birthday banquet event location, he happened to see Prince Jia give the porcelain bowl containing blood to Deng Yuchuan. Shen Zhuo immediately whispered a few words to the young eunuch beside him and handed over the imperial edict hidden in his sleeve. A moment later, the young eunuch carried the tray to Prince Jia and knelt on both knees. He raised the tray over his head with both hands and spoke respectfully. ¡°His Highness¡¯s wound is still seeping blood. There¡¯s fabric and medicine here.. Do you need me to bandage it for you?¡± Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: Extinguished Chapter 607: Extinguished Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Prince Jia was on guard. ¡°No need.¡± The young eunuch continued, ¡°This is a handkerchief specially prepared for you by His Highness. Please use it.¡± Only then did Prince Jia notice that there seemed to be something pressed under the handkerchief on the tray. Deng Yuchuan sensed the commotion here. He stopped what he was doing and turned to look at the young eunuch. Seeing that there was a basin of clear water and a handkerchief on the tray and nothing special, he looked away and continued with his business. Prince Jia looked at Deng Yuchuan, who was focused on dripping blood, and hesitated for a moment. In the end, he extended his hands and soaked them in a basin of water. He casually washed them with warm water and picked up a handkerchief to wipe his hands. After the handkerchief was picked up, the bright yellow silk cloth hidden under it was revealed. Prince Jia recognized at a glance that this was the tribute silk used by imperial edicts. He subconsciously glanced at the old emperor in the high seat, only to see him staring at him unblinkingly. He looked like he was expecting him to open it quickly. Prince Jia was also really curious. He wanted to know what the old emperor was up to. Therefore, he pretended to be fine and calmly picked up the bright yellow silk handkerchief. He turned around and turned his back to Deng Yuchuan. He unfolded the silk and glanced at it. Soon, he finished reading the description. This was an imperial edict for a reward. The person rewarded was Prince Jia. The pmernr was willing in allocate all the areas north of the river in Prince Tia Prince Jia could recruit soldiers at will in his fief and the Imperial Court would no longer question. This was a large river that ran through the middle of the Dayan Dynasty. If he gave the area north of the river to Prince Jia, it would be equivalent to giving a Dayan Dynasty to him. Without a single soldier or blow, he could take down half of the country. The temptation was too great. Even Prince Jia, who was mentally prepared, could not hold it in. He had hoarded a lot of troops, money, and food over the years. Actually, it was mainly to protect himself. The older the old emperor got, the more suspicious he became. One prince after another was killed by him in various ways. Prince Jia was very worried that it would be his turn in the next moment. He thought of ways to station troops and build up his strength in secret. If the old emperor wanted to attack him, he would fight him to the death. When he found out that the emperor had issued a decree to summon him to the capital to celebrate the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday, Prince Jia guessed that the old emperor probably wanted to take the opportunity to attack him. He might not return this time. However, he could not openly resist the decree. He could only instruct his eldest son before he left. Once something happened to him in the capital, Prince Jia¡¯s Mansion would immediately mobilize. Prince Jia was prepared for the worst. Unexpectedly, not long after he entered the capital, Deng Yuchuan came looking for him. The two of them used to be old acquaintances. The two families had even had a marriage alliance and were quite familiar with each other. When Deng Yuchuan told him his plan, Prince Jia agreed to join almost without hesitation. To Prince Jia, this trip to the capital was a narrow escape. Instead of waiting for death, he might as well take a risk. If he was lucky, he might be able to turn the tables. The two of them clicked and decided to deal with the old emperor together. But now, Prince Jia had received an olive branch from the old emperor. That was the temptation of half a country! Who wouldn¡¯t be tempted? Prince Jia resisted the urge and weighed the pros and cons in his heart. Now there were two choices before him. Firstly, he could accept the emperor¡¯s reward. He could easily obtain half a country without spending a single soldier. From then on, he could be on equal footing with the old emperor and no longer have to endure the distress of being afraid. Secondly, he would reject the emperor and continue to cooperate with Deng Yuchuan. When the truth was exposed, the Imperial Court would definitely be in chaos. The old emperor would not be able to protect himself and would definitely not have time to care about anything else. Meanwhile, he could take advantage of the chaos to leave the Imperial Capital and return to his fief. Then, he would mobilize his troops in the name of protecting the orthodox lineage of the royal family and seize a place in the chaotic world. No matter how one looked at it, the former was more attractive. Not only was fighting a war expensive, but it also took time and effort. It was the last resort. It was a desperate choice. Now that he had a better choice, there was no need for him to take this risk. Unknowingly, the scales in his heart had been tipped to one side. At the same time, Shen Zhuo ordered someone to send a secret letter to the old cabinet ministers. Deng Yuchuan was so focused on the blood test that he did not notice the subtle changes at the scene. When he saw the blood slowly seeping into the bones, the weight in his heart was suddenly lifted. It seemed that what Yu Niaoniao said was true. A blood test was indeed feasible! Their plan had worked. Deng Yuchuan immediately shouted at Prince Jia, ¡°Look, the Fourth Prince¡¯s blood has seeped in!¡± Prince Jia quickly crumpled the imperial edict into a ball and stuffed it into his sleeve. He quickly walked to the charred corpse. He craned his neck over and squinted at it for a long time, his face uncertain. ¡°Did it really seep in? Why can¡¯t I see clearly?¡± Deng Yuchuan was stunned. He hurriedly said, ¡°It clearly seeped in. Take a closer look!¡± Prince Jia replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a look again.¡± After a moment, he still shook his head, looking very helpless. ¡°Aiya, I¡¯m old. My eyes really can¡¯t take it anymore. I can¡¯t see clearly. Why don¡¯t you get someone else to take a look?¡± With that, he retreated with his hands in his sleeves. Deng Yuchuan looked at him in disbelief. ¡°How did you¡­¡± This was different from what they had agreed on! Previously, Prince Jia had clearly promised him that he would help him complete today¡¯s plan. But why had Prince Jia¡¯s attitude suddenly changed? Deng Yuchuan had a bad feeling. Shen Zhuo took the opportunity to stand up and say, ¡°Since Prince Jia can¡¯t see clearly, let the elders take a look. The elders are highly respected and are the trusted aides of our Dayan. Their words will definitely be reliable.¡± The elders were pushed out and could not refuse. They could only brace themselves and walk forward. Deng Yuchuan tilted the body slightly so that they could see the blood seeping into the bones. However, the elders seemed to be blind and shook their heads. When Yu Niaoniao, who had been sitting backstage and watching, saw this scene, she finally could not help but stand up. ¡°They¡¯re lying through their teeth to tell bald-faced lies!¡± She wanted to rush out and confront the lying men. In the end, she was stopped by the eunuch and palace maid who had been watching her. Deng Yuchuan was angry and anxious. ¡°How can you lie through your teeth? The Fourth Prince¡¯s blood clearly seeped in!¡± The elders were a little embarrassed. But at this point, that was all they could do. Deng Yuchuan turned to look at the others present and saw that everyone was looking at him as if he was a liar. Shen Zhuo said unhurriedly, ¡°You insisted on a result. Now that it¡¯s out, it turns out that everything you said is fake. Father has nothing to do with this charred corpse. ¡± Deng Yuchuan trembled with anger. ¡°You¡¯re in cahoots and deliberately distorting the truth! I won¡¯t let you succeed. The heavens are clear. You¡¯ll all suffer retribution!¡± With that, he was about to light the fuse. However, just as he extended the lighter, countless sharp arrows shot over from above. They pierced through Deng Yuchuan¡¯s body accurately. Deng Yuchuan did not even have time to make a sound before he fell straight into a pool of blood. The match in his hand fell to the ground, soaked in spreading blood. The last flame was completely extinguished. Along with them was the hope in the hearts of Deng Yuchuan and Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao struggled desperately, but she was weak. She could only be pressed to the ground by the palace maid and was unable to move. Her mouth was also tightly covered by the palace maid¡¯s handkerchief.. Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: For Her Own Good Chapter 608: For Her Own Good Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Deng Yuchuan¡¯s corpse was dragged down and the blood on the ground was quickly cleaned up. As for the charred corpse that made the old emperor feel like a fishbone was stuck in his throat, it was also pulled away by the Imperial Guards to be destroyed completely, leaving no trace. Although the farce was over, no one was in the mood to continue drinking. The birthday banquet had to end hastily. When Xiao Juan arrived, Yu Niaoniao was already gone. Before he could be disappointed, he saw a small pearl by the foot of the table. He picked up the pearls and looked at them. They must be the beads on the woman¡¯s head. For some reason, one of the small beads fell. Although the pearls were small, from the color and shape, they should be tributes from the South Sea. As long as it was a tribute, there would definitely be a record in the Internal Affairs Department. Xiao Juan gripped the pearl tightly and rushed to the Imperial Attendant Province. In order not to be discovered, he disguised himself as the Imperial Guards and carefully avoided the gazes of others. He quietly sneaked into the Internal Affairs Province. As he had expected, he quickly found records on the South Sea pearls in the register. These pearls were all rewarded to the concubines in the harem. The empress took the lion¡¯s share, and the empress rewarded the crown prince with the portion of pearls she had obtained. Xiao Juan paused for a moment at the word Crown Prince, already having an idea. He replaced the register, turned, pulled open the window, and jumped out. As soon as he landed, he saw an acquaintance standing under the porch. Wei Liao crossed his arms and leaned against the pillar, looking boneless and lazy. He looked at Xiao Juan with a faint smile and asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Duke Lang be on his way to Liaodong County at this time?¡± Xiao Juan frowned slightly and asked, ¡°When did you arrive?¡± Wei Liao teased, ¡°I just arrived and happened to see Duke Lang sneak into the Internal Affairs Division. Why? Is Duke Lang planning to become a thief?¡± Xiao Juan did not know what the other party¡¯s attitude was, so he did not answer and only looked at him warily. Wei Liao stood up slightly. ¡°What are you looking for here, Duke Lang?¡± Xiao Juan was silent for a moment before telling the truth. ¡°Niaoniao is gone. I¡¯m looking for her.¡± Hearing Niaoniao¡¯s name, the smile on Wei Liao¡¯s face faded. ¡°She¡¯s not here. Duke Lang is in the wrong place.¡± Xiao Juan keenly found the key point in his words and quickly asked. ¡°Do you know where Niaoniao is?¡± Wei Liao laughed at himself. ¡°How can I know where she is?¡± Then, he sized Xiao Juan up and said in a gloating tone. ¡°If the emperor sees Duke Lang like this, guess what his reaction will be?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Of course he knew. If the emperor found out that he had quietly returned to the Imperial Capital, he would definitely fly into a rage and take this opportunity to punish him severely. At that time, not to mention his status, even his life would be lost. Wei Liao pretended to be thinking seriously. ¡°How about this? If you promise to give Niaoniao to me, I won¡¯t leak the secret that you returned to the capital on your own. How about that?¡± Unexpectedly, just as he finished speaking, the No Return Saber in Xiao Juan¡¯s hand was unsheathed. The sharp blade cut through the wind and arrived in front of him in the blink of an eye! A sharp killing intent attacked like an avalanche. Wei Liao retreated in fear. He touched his head, which had almost been struck by the No Return Saber. A strand of cut hair slowly fell. Wei Liao exclaimed with an exaggerated expression of lingering fears, ¡°No way? I was just joking. Do you have to be so ruthless?¡± Xiao Juan held the No Return Saber in his hand and looked at him coldly. ¡°Was it really just a joke?¡± Wei Liao put down his hand and sighed. ¡°Do you have to be so straightforward? No wonder so many people in the court hate you. With your bad temper, who can like you?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°As long as Niaoniao likes it.¡± Wei Liao choked hard. He gritted his teeth and said hatefully, ¡°She was blind!¡± There were so many good men in the world. Why did she have to like this stubborn bastard in front of him? Xiao Juan was still thinking about Niaoniao¡¯s safety and was not in the mood to waste time with him. He sheathed his saber. ¡°Let me ask you one last time. You really don¡¯t know where Niaoniao went?¡± At the mention of serious matters, Wei Liao¡¯s expression became a little more serious. ¡°It¡¯s useless even if we know where she is. It¡¯s impossible for you to snatch her back alone.¡± ¡°Taking a step back, even if you could snatch it back, you could not protect her. If you really want what¡¯s best for her, let go. Don¡¯t let her take any more risks with you.¡± Towards the end, he sounded more serious than ever. It was obvious that he meant it. However, Xiao Juan did not seem to understand what he meant. He said expressionlessly, ¡°Is she at the Crown Prince¡¯s place?¡± Wei Liao frowned. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already guessed it, you should know I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Xiao Juan said this and turned to leave. Seeing that he did not know what was good for him, Wei Liao was furious. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m scaring you. With your current situation, you can¡¯t even protect yourself, let alone protect Niaoniao. Now, only the Crown Prince can protect her in the entire Dayan Dynasty. I¡¯m doing this for her own good!¡± Xiao Juan stopped in his tracks. He said without looking back, ¡°The emperor killed Niaoniao¡¯s stepfather. Shen Zhuo is the son of the person who killed her father. Do you really think she¡¯ll be willing to live with Shen Zhuo?¡± Wei Liao couldn¡¯t answer. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Besides, how do you know I won¡¯t be able to protect her?¡± With that, he strode away. Wei Liao stood rooted to the ground and watched him quickly leave. He held back for a long time before saying something. ¡°Fool! It was unknown if he was scolding Xiao Juan or himself. Yu Niaoniao was sent back to the courtyard. She sat motionless in her chair and stared blankly at the corner. Her usually bright and pure eyes were gray at this moment. It was as if her entire world had lost its color. Huan¡¯er specially asked the kitchen to make many delicious dishes and place them in front of Yu Niaoniao, but it was useless. Yu Niaoniao did not even look at them. After that, Huan¡¯er thought of many ideas, but she still could not make Yu Niaoniao say a word. When Shen Zhuo returned, Huan¡¯er quickly went up to him as if she had seen her savior. ¡°Your Highness, Miss Yu hasn¡¯t spoken or eaten since she returned. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Shen Zhuo waved his hand. ¡°You can leave first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Huan¡¯er obediently retreated. Only Yu Niaoniao and Shen Zhuo were left in the dim room. Shen Zhuo walked to the table and fiddled with the wick of the candle, making it brighter. Even the room was much brighter. He looked at Yu Niaoniao¡¯s pale face and reached out to touch her hand. But she dodged. Shen Zhuo looked helpless. ¡°I¡¯ve already done what I promised you.. Why are you still angry with me?¡± Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Winner Takes All Chapter 609: Winner Takes All Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shen Zhuo looked like he was coaxing a petulant child. But Yu Niaoniao was not a child. She was not throwing a tantrum. She enunciated each word. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Shen Zhuo sat down in front of her and smiled. ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Why did Prince Jia change sides on the spot? And why did a few cabinet ministers help you refer to a deer as a horse?¡± There were no outsiders here. Shen Zhuo did not hide anything and generously gave an answer. ¡°Father gave Prince Jia an imperial edict and allocated all the areas north of the river to him. As long as he accepted the imperial edict, he would be able to obtain half of the Dayan Dynasty.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°I see. What about those old cabinet ministers?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Gave them what they wanted. If they want money, we¡¯ll give it to them. If they want power, we¡¯ll give it to them.¡± Yu Niaoniao mocked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me everyone is blinded by greed?¡± Back then, the reason why she planned to reveal the truth at the birthday banquet was because she knew that although not all the officials in the court were reliable, there was no lack of loyal and straightforward people. As long as that portion of people knew the truth, they would not let the old emperor continue to fool the world. Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. There are two stick-in-the-muds. Threats and temptations are useless against them. Compared to their personal interests, they care more about the livelihood of the world. Therefore, I told them that if Deng Yuchuan exposes the truth in front of everyone, it will definitely cause chaos in the court. At that time, the nobles everywhere will take the opportunity to rise up, and the neighboring countries will take the opportunity to invade. Internal and external problems will erupt at the same time, and the entire Dayan Dynasty will collapse. The flames of war will be smeared, and the people will live in misery. This is a result that no one wants to see.¡± Yu Niaoniao said hoarsely, ¡°So they compromised?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°In order to protect the peace of the world, they¡¯re willing to be evil people for once.¡± Yu Niaoniao seemed to have heard a funny joke and laughed softly. ¡°Heh, in that case, I look more like an evil person. I ignored the world for my personal grudge. How detestable am I?¡± Shen Zhuo comforted her gently. ¡°You¡¯ve actually done very well. I almost fell into your trap.¡± He was telling the truth. He really did not expect Niaoniao to do that at the birthday banquet. Unfortunately, she had miscalculated the human heart. Everyone had seven emotions and six desires. Even those loyal and straightforward people would have things they cared about. Yu Niaoniao clenched her fists. ¡°The winner takes all. I lost this time. You can kill or torture me as you please.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°Let this matter go. We¡¯ll forget about it and start over.¡± As he spoke, he wanted to hold Niaoniao¡¯s hand again. However, Yu Niaoniao shook him off again. Shen Zhuo did not stop there. Instead, he ignored Yu Niaoniao¡¯s resistance and held her hand tightly. ¡°I know you¡¯re indignant. I promise you that there will be a reasonable explanation for the deaths of your mother and stepfather. I won¡¯t let you suffer for nothing. You just have to wait a little longer.¡± Yu Niaoniao would not believe a punctuation mark of what he said. No matter how hard she tried, she could not break free from Shen Zhuo¡¯s hand. She was angry and anxious, and her eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for us! Not in this life, not in the next! Give up!¡± Her words pierced Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart like a knife. Shen Zhuo was furious and could not help but raise his right hand. ¡°Shut up!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not dodge. Her red eyes were wide open in anger, like an injured little beast that had been forced into a corner and still refused to admit defeat. Shen Zhuo¡¯s hand stopped in midair. In the end, he could not bear to hit her. He retracted his hand weakly. ¡°Niaoniao, why can¡¯t you be more obedient? As long as you¡¯re obedient, I can promise you anything.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Including letting me go?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°You know this won¡¯t do.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him cynically. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°But I can help you do other things, such as protecting your family. Although you didn¡¯t appear directly this time, Father can guess that you were the mastermind. Now that Deng Yuchuan is dead, Father won¡¯t do anything to the Deng family for the sake of the Empress Dowager, but your family won¡¯t be so lucky. Father will definitely vent his anger on your family.¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped talking. She had originally thought that the plan would succeed. The emperor could not even protect himself. He should not be in the mood to cause trouble for the Yu family. But now that the plan had failed, the outcome was completely different. After a long time, Yu Niaoniao spoke. ¡°What are your conditions?¡± Shen Zhuo said warmly, ¡°I said that I just want you to be obedient.¡± Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath and tried her best to suppress the hatred and unwillingness in her heart. She squeezed out a word with difficulty. ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled, his eyes filled with tenderness. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely do what I promised you.¡± When Yu Sheng and Yu Pingping heard Duke Lang¡¯s words, they immediately began to get someone to pack up. As soon as their father returned home, they pulled him away. However, Yu Kangtai was unwilling to leave. He felt that Duke Lang¡¯s words could not be trusted and strongly condemned his unauthorized return to the caDital. If not for the fact that Duke Lang was his son-in-law, he would have personally entered the palace to complain! The siblings could not persuade their father. Just as they were feeling anxious, they saw a group of masked people rush into the Yu Residence. Without a word, they knocked Yu Kangtai, Yu Sheng, and Yu Pingping out and carried them away. Not long after they left, the imperial guards arrived at the Yu Residence with the emperor¡¯s order. They were here on orders to capture Yu Niaoniao¡¯s family. In the end, they were told that they were too late. Yu Kangtai, Yu Sheng, and Yu Niaoniao had already been abducted. Night fell. In the courtyard, Yu Niaoniao looked at the table full of delicacies, but she had no appetite. Shen Zhuo picked up a piece of fresh fish and placed it in her bowl. ¡°Eat quickly. It won¡¯t taste good when it gets cold. Be good.¡± He emphasized the last word ¡°good.¡± When it stopped in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s ears, there was a hint of threat. She had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks, pick up the fish, and put it in her mouth. The fish was delicious, but it tasted like chewing wax in her mouth. She repeated the chewing mechanically. Shen Zhuo said as he picked up some food for her, ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll take you to see someone.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not interested in what he said and did not respond. After dinner, they walked along the promenade for a while before stopping at the door of the tea room. Shen Zhuo pushed open the door and walked in with Niaoniao. There was a teapot sitting on the small stove, gurgling hot steam. There was a familiar man sitting at the table. Yu Niaoniao could not help but be stunned when she saw that person. ¡°Father?¡± Yu Kangtai had been waiting here for a long time. When he saw the Crown Prince appear, he hurriedly stood up and bowed. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Then, he looked at Niaoniao, unable to hide the surprise in his eyes. ¡°Why are you here?¡± His gaze paused on the Crown Prince¡¯s hand holding Niaoniao¡¯s, and his expression became even stranger.. Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: Real Father Chapter 610: Real Father Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At the tea table, Yu Niaoniao and Shen Zhuo sat side by side. Yu Kangtai sat opposite them. Shen Zhuo reached for the teapot and poured tea into a cup. He pushed the first cup of hot tea in front of Yu Niaoniao. ¡°This tea has a calming effect. Drink some. You can have a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up her teacup in silence and took a token sip. Yu Kangtai watched their interaction and looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. Actually, when they were sent to this courtyard, someone had already explained the situation to Yu Kangtai. Yu Kangtai, who had just found out the truth, was naturally shocked. He even suspected that he was dreaming. Otherwise, why would there be such a ridiculous thing in the world? But now that the Crown Prince was sitting in front of him, he had no choice but to believe it. Shen Zhuo finished his tea and gently put down his teacup. ¡°I know you must have a lot to talk about. Coincidentally, I have something to do. Take your time.¡± With that, he stood up and left the tea room. As soon as he left, Yu Kangtai asked impatiently. ¡°Niaoniao, what¡¯s going on between you and the Crown Prince? Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a married woman now. You can¡¯t do anything against the rules!¡± Yu Niaoniao said expressionlessly, ¡°I have nothing to do with the Crown Prince.¡± Yu Kangtai was unconvinced. ¡°Really?¡± He had been there before, so he could naturally tell that the Crown Prince¡¯s attitude towards Niaoniao was very unusual. Yu Niaoniao did not want to say this. She forcefully changed the topic. ¡°Are Yu Sheng and Pingping okay?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all fine.¡± Speaking of this, Yu Kangtai could not help but feel a lingering fear. ¡°Initially, I heard from Duke Lang that there was a change in the palace and he wanted us to leave the Imperial Capital quickly. I didn¡¯t expect it to be true. Fortunately, the Crown Prince sent someone to take us away in time. Otherwise, we would probably be dead now.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly asked, ¡°You saw Duke Lang?¡± Yu Kangtai answered truthfully, ¡°No, Ah Sheng and Pingping met Duke Lang. He came to our house this morning, but he left not long after. I was attending the birthday banquet in the palace at that time and did not meet him.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips, as her heart was filled with worry. Xiao Juan had indeed returned. What an idiot! He had come back knowing that he would put himself in danger. Yu Kangtai was also worried. However, what he was worried about was completely different from Niaoniao. He looked at his daughter in front of him and spoke sternly. ¡°Do you know how much trouble you caused today? You made the Empress Dowager vomit blood and turned the entire palace upside down. Even our family was almost implicated by you!¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She did not think she had done anything wrong, but she had indeed almost implicated the rest of the Yu family. She felt guilty for not thinking it through carefully. Seeing that she was admitting her mistake with a good attitude, Yu Kangtai softened his tone slightly. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know your mistake. Don¡¯t do such a stupid thing again. Now that Deng Yuchuan is dead, this matter is over. Forget about the past.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up at him quietly. Yu Kangtai felt uncomfortable under her gaze. He touched his cheek. ¡°Why are you looking at me? Is there something on my face?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Does Father think I did something wrong too?¡± Yu Kangtai said without hesitation, ¡°Of course you were wrong! It¡¯s simply a huge mistake. It¡¯s ridiculously wrong! Since ancient times, no woman has been as bold as you. You actually dared to cause a scene at the Empress Dowager¡¯s birthday banquet. Do you know that the Dayan Dynasty almost had a war because of your willfulness!¡± Yu Niaoniao was silent for a long time before saying those words. ¡°My mother and stepfather died in vain. I want justice for them.¡± Yu Kangtai said, ¡°They¡¯re already dead. The dead can¡¯t be revived! So what if you get justice? Don¡¯t be too naive!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him in a daze. ¡°But that¡¯s my biological mother and your former wife.¡± It didn¡¯t matter if others didn¡¯t understand her, but why didn¡¯t her father understand her either? Could it be that he really had no feelings for Madam Xie at all? Yu Kangtai subconsciously avoided her gaze. ¡°Niaoniao, you can¡¯t live in the past forever. You have to look forward.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I can¡¯t do it. They¡¯re my closest relatives. I¡¯ll never forget how they died.¡± Yu Kangtai could not take it anymore. He slapped the tea table and reprimanded sternly. ¡°Yu Niaoniao, wake up! They¡¯re already dead! Are you going to ignore our lives for two dead people?!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°But they¡¯re my mother and father¡­¡± Yu Kangtai roared angrily, ¡°I¡¯m your father! Feng Lianghan is just your stepfather. He¡¯s just an outsider. We¡¯re the family connected by blood. You should really care about us!¡± Yu Niaoniao slowly shook her head. ¡°No, in my heart, Feng Lianghan is the real father.¡± Yu Kangtai was stunned. He thought he had misheard and could not help but ask. ¡°What did you say?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Although I¡¯m not Feng Lianghan¡¯s biological child, he treats me as his own. He gave me all his fatherly love. In order to protect me, he and Mother even sacrificed their lives. In my heart, he¡¯s the greatest father in the world.¡± Yu Kangtai looked at her as if she were crazy. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not answer the question. ¡°I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong. If I could do it all over again, I would still choose to expose the truth.¡± Yu Kangtai pointed at her and muttered, ¡°Crazy. You¡¯re really crazy.¡± Yu Niaoniao said stubbornly, ¡°Just pretend I¡¯m crazy.¡± Yu Kangtai was angry and hateful. He was afraid that if he stayed here any longer, he would not be able to help but slap this unfilial daughter twice. He suppressed his anger and stood up. ¡°If the Crown Prince hadn¡¯t sent someone to take us away, your siblings and I would have been dead by now. If that was the case, do you think you¡¯re wrong?¡± Yu Niaoniao was silent. Yu Kangtai said, ¡°You only see the dead in your eyes, but you don¡¯t think about us, the living people, at all. With a cold-blooded and heartless daughter like you, I might as well not have one.¡± With that, he left with a dark expression. When he reached the door, he suddenly heard a voice behind him. ¡°Mother was pregnant before she died.¡± Yu Kangtai stopped. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°She was burned alive with a child. I often think about how much Dain she was and how indignant she was before she died.¡± Yu Kangtai did not turn around. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You can forget her, but I can¡¯t.¡± Yu Kangtai left. In the end, only Yu Niaoniao was left in the quiet tea room. She looked at the cold tea in front of her and suddenly felt lonelier than ever. Everyone felt that she had done something wrong. Even her biological father was not on her side. Was she really wrong? Should she pretend like everyone else that nothing had happened? Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Don鈥檛 Worry, I鈥檓 Her Chapter 611: Don¡¯t Worry, I¡¯m Her Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Creak¡ª It was the door being pushed open. Yu Niaoniao thought it was Shen Zhuo. She lowered her head and wiped her tears. ¡°Can you leave me alone for a while?¡± Footsteps approached slowly, and a hand rested gently on her shoulder. ¡°Niaoniao, it¡¯s me.¡± The familiar voice made Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart flutter. She looked up sharply at the man standing in front of her, her eyes wide and round. She exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°Ah Juan! ¡± Xiao Juan raised his right hand and placed his index finger to his lips, shushing her. ¡°Shh, lower your voice.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly stood up and threw herself into his arms. She hugged his waist tightly and pressed her face against his chest, like a tired bird returning to its nest, greedily absorbing the warmth of his body. She had never needed him as desperately as she did now. Xiao Juan did not say anything and hugged her quietly. After a long time, Yu Niaoniao found her senses. She took a small step back and lowered her voice. ¡°How did you find this place?¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s whereabouts were not especially secretive. It did not take Xiao Juan much effort to discover this place. He took Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Let¡¯s get out of here first. We¡¯ll talk about the rest later.¡± Yu Niaoniao was worried. ¡°This is Shen Zhuo¡¯s territory. Can we leave?¡± With her understanding of Shen Zhuo, if he discovered Xiao Juan, he would denmtelY not let go ot tms opportumty to Kill mm. Xiao Juan¡¯s voice was filled with determination. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± This simple sentence was like a calming pill to Yu Niaoniao, making her heart calm down. She held Xiao Juan¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Okay!¡± After experiencing so much, Yu Niaoniao had completely lost hope in the hearts of people. Now, the only person she could still trust and rely on was Xiao Juan. Yu Niaoniao had already memorized the terrain of this courtyard. She was in charge of pointing the way, and Xiao Juan was in charge of protecting her. The two of them carefully avoided the patrolling guards. If they really could not avoid them, Xiao Juan would knock them out. Just like that, they successfully escaped the courtyard. Although it was already night, there was still some time before curfew. There were still vendors setting up stalls on the street. The shops on both sides were still open and looked very lively. It had been a long time since Yu Niaoniao had felt such vigor. She was still in a daze as Xiao Juan led her forward. ¡°Did we really escape? That was too easy.¡± Xiao Juan looked back at her. Under the lights, his face looked exceptionally gentle. ¡°Now we¡¯re free.¡± For some reason, Yu Niaoniao still felt a little uneasy. ¡°Shen Zhuo will soon find out that I¡¯m gone. At that time, he will definitely send people to look for us everywhere. Let¡¯s leave the city as soon as possible.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The city gate is closed now. Let¡¯s stay in the city for the night and leave tomorrow morning. ¡± Although Yu Niaoniao was uneasy, she had no better way. She could only nod in agreement. She originally thought that they were going to stay in an inn, but she did not expect Xiao Juan to bring her to the door of a courtyard. Under the hazy moonlight, Yu Niaoniao saw two words written on the plaque above the door. Pan Residence. Xiao Juan went forward and knocked on the door. Soon, someone ran to open it. When she entered the courtyard and saw Pan Dafu¡¯s fair and fat face, Yu Niaoniao realized that this was actually Pan Dafu¡¯s house. Pan Dafu and his family were very enthusiastic. Not only did they prepare sumptuous food and wine, but they also tidied up the best room in the house for the two of them to stay. The night deepened. The Pan family was asleep, and the residence became very quiet. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan lay on the bed. Xiao Juan told her how he had found her from beginning to end. When Yu Niaoniao heard this, she was both touched and angry. She buried her head in Xiao Juan¡¯s arms and complained softly. ¡°I told you not to come back. Why did you run back here stupidly? Do you know how dangerous it is to do this?¡± Xiao Juan hugged her and whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t leave you alone.¡± Yu Niaoniao hugged his waist tightly, like a drowning person hugging a life-saving piece of driftwood; she was unwilling to let go for a moment. Although she was angry at Xiao Juan for running back despite the danger, she was actually very glad. Fortunately, he came to her at that moment. Otherwise, she would really have to give up struggling and let herself fall into the abyss, becoming a numb puppet controlled by Shen Zhuo. Without realizing it, Yu Niaoniao closed her eyes and fell asleep. In her dream, she returned to the Feng family¡¯s old residence. Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan risked their lives to send her out. She was lucky enough to escape, but Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan were left in the sea of fire. In the monstrous firelight, she could vaguely see twisted figures. Yu Niaoniao wanted to rush over to save them. However, when she rushed into the sea of fire, she saw Yu Kangtai, Yu Sheng, and Yu Pingping. They were covered in blood and struggled to crawl towards Yu Niaoniao, shouting in pain. ¡°Niaoniao, save us!¡± ¡°Niaoniao, we¡¯re also your family. Why did you kill us?¡± ¡°Niaoniao, why are you so selfish?!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t!¡± Yu Niaoniao woke up from her dream with a shout. Xiao Juan, who was beside her, immediately woke up. He hugged Yu Niaoniao and asked. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the top of the bed with wide eyes. At this moment, she already knew that she was dreaming. Those were all fake, but her body was still trembling uncontrollably. Xiao Juan hugged her tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡± After a long time, Yu Niaoniao spoke with difficulty. ¡°I really want to seek justice for Mother and my stepfather, but everyone thinks I did something wrong. They accused me of destroying the stability of the world for my own selfish desires.¡± ¡°If one is dead, there is nothing left. I shouldn¡¯t drag everyone down with me for the sake of two dead people.¡± ¡°Ah Juan, did I really do something wrong? Was I really too selfish?¡± Toward the end, her voice had already become choked. Warm hot water rolled down, wetting Xiao Juan¡¯s clothes. There were no lights on in the house, so the light was very dim. Xiao Juan could not see Niaoniao¡¯s expression clearly, but he could clearly feel that the woman in his arms was on the verge of breaking down. Her revenge plan, which she had prepared with all her might, ended in failure. Deng Yuchuan, the only one who had stood on the same side as her, died tragically. The evidence was destroyed. Nobody would believe what she said. Even her biological father thought she had done something wrong. She was like a traveler who had trekked a thousand miles on a long snovvy night. There was darkness ahead. The cold and loneliness kept gnawing at her body and mind, making her more and more tired. She really couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Xiao Juan gently stroked her back and whispered in her ear. ¡°Niaoniao, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± His voice was soft, but his tone was extremely firm. ¡°It¡¯s this ruthless world that¡¯s wrong..¡± Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: Elimination Chapter 612: Elimination Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao snuggled into Xiao Juan¡¯s broad and warm arms and fell asleep. In the darkness, Xiao Juan raised his hand to her cheek and carefully wiped her tears. Perhaps Niaoniao had already forgotten, but Xiao Juan still remembered that two years ago, on such a night, he had wavered in his actions. He wanted to Imow if what he had done was right. Niaoniao told him without hesitation that he was not wrong. No matter when or where, it couldn¡¯t be wrong to uphold justice. And now he had to convince her that she was right. The truly selfish ones were those who disregarded the laws and distorted the truth for their own desires. Xiao Juan got up quietly, put on his clothes, and walked out of the bedroom silently. There were some things he had to explain to Pan Dafu. Usually, everyone would be asleep at this time, but tonight was different. The courtyard was still brightly lit. Everyone in the courtyard was silent. Huan¡¯er knelt on the ground, her face pale and trembling. ¡°I was incompetent and did not take good care of Miss Yu. Please punish me, Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo sat in a chair. The stove beside him kept emitting warmth. He did not even look at Huan¡¯er. He looked down at the silver earring in his hand. This was the earring that Niaoniao had accidentally dropped back then. After he picked it up, he had always carried it with him. Every time he thought of Niaoniao, he could not help but take it out to take a look. Huan¡¯er kept kowtowing and apologizing. Her forehead was bleeding, but the Crown Prince still did not speak. She didn¡¯t know what he meant, but she didn¡¯t dare stop. She could only continue to kowtow. A guard strode in and cupped his fists. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve found them.¡± Only then did Shen Zhuo look away from the silver earring. He said indifferently, ¡°Stand down.¡± Huan¡¯er retreated with the other maidservants as if she had been pardoned. After everyone left, the guard continued. ¡°I followed His Highness¡¯s instructions. Ever since Duke Lang and the Princess Consort left the courtyard, I¡¯ve been secretly following them. I saw them enter the Pan Residence with my own eyes. They¡¯re in the Pan Residence now.¡± Shen Zhuo narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°The Pan residence?¡± The guard explained, ¡°The residence of Pan Dafu. He was originally a chef in the Justice Department. I heard that he has a good relationship with the Princess Consort.¡± Shen Zhuo understood. ¡°I see.¡± The guard sized up the crown prince¡¯s expression as he spoke carefully. ¡°Your Highness, do you want me to send someone to wipe them out all at once?¡± If he attacked now, he would definitely be able to capture all the people from Unexpectedly, Shen Zhuo rejected his suggestion. ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly for the time being.¡± The guard did not understand. ¡°What if Duke Lang escapes? Duke Lang is really cunning. If I hadn¡¯t received your instructions long ago and had been secretly monitoring the Princess Consort, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to discover his whereabouts. If he escapes, it will be difficult to catch him in the future!¡± Shen Zhuo had a plan in his heart. He said calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± The guard couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What are you waiting for, Your Highness?¡± Shen Zhuo did not answer. Instead, he instructed. ¡°Continue to keep an eye on them. I¡¯ll tell you what to do tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guard hurried away. It was late, but Shen Zhuo had no intention of going to bed. He changed his clothes, went out, boarded the carriage, and went straight to the palace. As soon as Shen Zhuo walked into the bedroom, a heat wave hit him. The brazier in the room was burning very brightly. In addition, the doors and windows were closed and the aura was not circulating. The room was filled with the bitter smell of medicine, making people feel very uncomfortable. Shen Zhuo only frowned slightly when he entered and returned to normal in the blink of an eye. He did not even have time to take off his cloak before he hurried into the inner room and saw the sick old emperor in bed. Shen Zhuo knelt on one knee by the bed and asked with concern, ¡°Father, isn¡¯t your condition getting better?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en helped the old emperor sit up and explained. ¡°Ever since the birthday banquet ended, His Majesty¡¯s old illness has relapsed. The imperial physicians have already prescribed medicine, but it hasn¡¯t improved.¡± Shen Zhuo hurriedly asked, ¡°What about the Grand Duke from before? Didn¡¯t they say that he would be fine after eating it?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en still shook his head. ¡°He has already eaten it. It¡¯s still useless.¡± Shen Zhuo was anxious. ¡°How could this be? How could this be?¡± The old emperor spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse and weak. ¡°Junzhi, where¡¯s Prince Jia?¡± Shen Zhuo answered truthfully, ¡°As soon as the birthday banquet ended, he left the Imperial Capital at full speed. He should be on his way back to his fief now.¡± The old emperor said, ¡°Send someone to intercept him. Don¡¯t let him return to his fief alive.¡± Although he had already given the imperial edict to Prince Jia, as long as Prince Jia died, the imperial edict would not count. As for Prince Jia¡¯s family, if they dared to cause trouble, they would all die. Shen Zhuo lowered his head and agreed. ¡°I understand.¡± The old emperor panted and continued, ¡°And those old things in the cabinet, find an opportunity to resolve them all. Other than me, only the dead can know my secrets.¡± Shen Zhuo replied respectfully, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± The old emperor sneered. ¡°I sent someone to the Yu family, but I was too late. Yu Kangtai and his children had already run away. Did they think that was all right?¡± ¡°Although I can¡¯t find Yu Kangtai for the time being, I know where Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan are buried.¡± ¡°Since they don¡¯t let me have it easy, I won¡¯t let them rest in peace. Send a team to Bashu and dig out the corpses of Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan. I want to burn them to ashes!¡± Shen Zhuo lowered his head even more. ¡°Yes.¡± The old emperor glanced at him. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Shen Zhuo said nothing. The old emperor thought he had tacitly agreed and educated him earnestly. ¡°Junzhi, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless. When you sit in this position in the future, you will understand.¡± ¡°If you wanted to achieve great things, you cannot be soft-hearted, let alone leave something in others¡¯ hands. Anyone who obstructs us has to be eliminated.¡¯ ¡°Leave none alive!¡± Shen Zhuo said seriously, ¡°Thank you for your teachings, Father. I¡¯ll definitely remember it. I¡¯ll send someone to Bashu tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll let everyone remember that anyone who goes against Father will not have a good ending!¡± The old emperor was gratified. ¡°You¡¯re promising.¡± Shen Zhuo begged sincerely, ¡°The country can¡¯t live without a ruler for a day. I can¡¯t live without Father. Please recuperate as soon as possible.¡± No matter how indignant he was, the old emperor had no choice but to recognize the reality. Now, he was no longer able to control the court. If he wanted political stability, he could only give up his power. He said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m old. This country will be yours sooner or later. You have to learn to take charge alone. You can make your own decisions about the court in the future. ¡± With that, he closed his eyes and looked tired.. Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Farewell Chapter 613: Farewell Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shen Zhuo hurriedly said, ¡°Father, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m still young. I still have to rely on Father to make decisions for many things.¡± The old emperor sighed. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± Shen Zhuo tactfully shut his mouth and left obediently. Wei Huai¡¯en walked him to the door of the bedroom. ¡°Take care, Your Highness.¡± Shen Zhuo glanced at him. ¡°Take good care of Father. I¡¯ll visit him tomorrow.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Zhuo took two steps before suddenly stopping. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the Empress Dowager¡¯s health?¡± Wei Huai¡¯en answered truthfully, ¡°The Empress Dowager¡¯s condition isn¡¯t too good now. The imperial physician has already tried his best to treat her. Whether she can survive this, in the end, depends on fate. The Empress is currently taking turns with the concubines to take care of her in the Biquan Palace. I hope the Empress Dowager can be safe.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I see. Then I¡¯ll go to the Biquan Palace to take a look.¡± He got into the sedan and rode the night to the Biquan Palace. In fact, Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s words were more optimistic. Empress Dowager Deng¡¯s current situation was already very weak. She could not even say a word. From the heavy expressions of the imperial physicians, it could be seen that Empress Dowager Deng would probably not last long. Shen Zhuo looked at Empress Wen¡¯s red eyes and his heart ached. ¡°Mother, go back and rest first. There are others here to watch. Nothing will happen.¡± Empress Wen took a sip of strong tea and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You came at the right time. I have something to ask you.¡± The mother and son went to the side hall. When there was no one else around, Empress Wen asked solemnly. ¡°Junzhi, are you hiding something from me?¡± Shen Zhuo lowered his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Mother is talking about.¡± Empress Wen¡¯s gaze was sharp. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be stupid. For today¡¯s birthday banquet, you secretly brought Yu Niaoniao into the palace. Do you really think no one knows about this?¡± Shen Zhuo immediately stopped talking. Empress Wen reprimanded in a low voice, ¡°Junzhi, you¡¯re muddle-headed! Now that the emperor and Empress Deng are sick, no one will notice your cheap shots for a while. That¡¯s why you managed to get away with it. However, there are many spies in the palace. This matter might be exposed soon.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. This matter will pass quickly.¡± Empress Wen frowned. ¡°Why are you so confident?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°You¡¯ll know soon.¡± Empress Wen looked at the calm Shen Zhuo and suddenly realized that this child had really grown up. He was no longer the young child he had been. He was becoming more and more like a real king. She could not even tell what he was thinking. The next morning. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan prepared to leave. Pan Dafu insisted on sending them out of the city personally. They could not refuse and could only agree. Pan Dafu drove the carriage, with Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan sitting in it. When she passed by the city gate, Yu Niaoniao saw that there were many people gathered around the noticeboard. She looked over and immediately saw the notice stuck in the middle of the noticeboard. The notice said that Feng Lianghan and the descendants of the Xie family had rebelled and were unforgivable. The emperor ordered to dig them out and whip their corpses, before burning their bones and scattering their ashes as an example! Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart tightened. The wretched emperor did not even let the dead off! She wanted to jump out of the carriage and tear up the notice, but she was stopped by Xiao Juan. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s useless even if you tear up the notice.¡± Yu Niaoniao was angry and hateful. ¡°Isn¡¯t he afraid of retribution?!¡± Xiao Juan hugged her and comforted her in a low voice. ¡°He¡¯ll have retribution soon. ¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°I can¡¯t let them disturb my parents¡¯ rest. I want to go to Bashu. I want to hide my parents¡¯ bones before they do anything.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Alright, leave everything to me.¡± The carriage successfully drove out of the city gate. No matter how reluctant he was, there would always be a farewell. Pan Dafu could only send him off here. He jumped out of the carriage and waved his arm at the departing carriage. ¡°Have a safe trip, Teacher!¡± The carriage pulled into the official road and moved steadily forward. For some reason, Yu Niaoniao suddenly felt dizzy and her vision became blurry. She did not want to delay their journey, so she endured it and did not say anything. However, Xiao Juan quickly sensed it. Fortunately, there was a guest house beside the official road. Xiao Juan stopped the carriage and helped Niaoniao into the guest house. He let Niaoniao lie down on the bed and covered her with a blanket. ¡°Rest well. I¡¯ll get you a doctor now.¡± Yu Niaoniao took his hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no need to see a doctor. Let¡¯s continue our journey.¡± She had to rush to Bashu quickly. She had to move the corpses of Madam Xie and Feng Lianghan and hide them in a place no one knew. She could not let the wretched emperor disturb her parents¡¯ rest. Xiao Juan touched her cheek. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. Don¡¯t be anxious. I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t let anyone disturb my parents-in-law. I¡¯ll help you continue what you want to do but can¡¯t finish.¡± Yu Niaoniao felt that something was wrong with his words. But she couldn¡¯t think carefully because her mind was getting groggy. Her thoughts were falling uncontrollably, and her eyelids closed bit by bit. Xiao Juan bent down and kissed her forehead gently. ¡°Have a good sleep. I¡¯m leaving.¡± As soon as Xiao Juan left the guest house, the people from the Crown Prince¡¯s residence surrounded the entire guest house. A luxurious carriage stopped in front of the guest house. The emblem representing the crown prince¡¯s residence hung on the carriage. The curtain was lifted, and Shen Zhuo stepped out of the car on a low stool. A guard knelt on one knee. ¡°Your Highness, Duke Lang has already left. I sent someone to follow him and confirm that he has returned to the Imperial Capital.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°Continue following him. No matter what he does, there¡¯s no need to stop him.¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Zhuo walked into this inconspicuous guest house. Everyone in the guest house had been gathered and watched. Shen Zhuo walked in unimpeded. The guard was in charge of leading the way. Finally, they stopped in front of a guest room. The guard said ingratiatingly, ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Shen Zhuo glanced at him. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s here?¡± The guard hurriedly said, ¡°I saw Duke Lang bring the princess into this guest room with my own eyes. Duke Lang left on his own just now. The princess must still be in this room.¡± Shen Zhuo raised his chin slightly. ¡°Open the door.¡± The guards immediately pushed them away. Shen Zhuo crossed the threshold and walked in unhurriedly. The blanket on the bed bulged slightly. Niaoniao should be lying on the bed. From the way she didn¡¯t move, she must be asleep. Shen Zhuo raised his hand, indicating for the others to leave. He walked gently to the bed and reached out to lift the blanket. ¡°Niaoniao, good to see you again¡­¡± Before he could finish, he stopped. Because he realized that there was a pillow stuffed under the blanket. From afar, it looked like someone was lying under the blanket, but there was actually no one on the bed! He had been tricked! Chapter 614 - Chapter 614: Unpardonable Chapter 614: Unpardonable Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Niaoniao woke up, she realized that she was in the carriage. The carriage was moving, and even she swayed a little. She rubbed her temples and tried to remember what had happened before she fell asleep. Soon, she remembered that she had been brought to a guest house by Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan said that he wanted to help her find a doctor, but from the looks of it, he was clearly lying. The reason why she suddenly felt dizzy and fell asleep was probably because of Xiao Juan. She trusted him so much and was defenseless against him. It was a very simple matter for him to put some knockout powder in her food. But why did he do it? Where is he now? Yu Niaoniao placed one hand on the ground and pulled open the curtain in front. She saw Pan Dafu sitting on the shaft. Pan Dafu was driving when he heard a commotion behind him. He quickly turned around and glanced at her. ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re awake!¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Duke Lang?¡± Pan was vague. ¡°He has something to do. He wants us to leave first.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What is he going to do? Why didn¡¯t he bring me along?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Anyway, Duke Lang said he¡¯ll be back soon. Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll come to us when he¡¯s done.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not so optimistic. With her understanding of Xiao Juan, he would not abandon her unless he had no choice. He was definitely going to do something very dangerous! Yu Niaoniao recalled what Xiao Juan had said to her before he left. He was going to finish what she wanted to do and couldn¡¯t. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°That idiot, don¡¯t tell me he wants¡­¡± Could it be that he wanted to kill the emperor to avenge her parents? Pan Dafu was still nagging. ¡°Before His Highness left, he specially instructed me to send you to Liaodong safely. The money and dry food are all prepared and placed in the car. If you¡¯re hungry, you can take them out at any time¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao interrupted him. ¡°Stop the car!¡± Pan Dafu did not understand. ¡°Why are we stopping? We¡¯re still a long way from the next stop.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I want to return to the Imperial Capital. Stop the carriage and let me down!¡± ¡°But the Duke Lang said that he must send you to Liaodong. He must have his reasons for arranging this. Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Yu Niaoniao said loudly, ¡°If you don¡¯t stop the carriage, I¡¯m going to jump out!¡± Pan Dafu was in a difficult position. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. I won¡¯t be able to explain it to the Duke Lang later.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a thud behind him! It was as if something had hit the ground. Pan Dafu hurriedly turned around and saw that Yu Niaoniao had really jumped out of the carriage! She fell to the ground. It looked like it hurt badly, but without a word, she quickly got up and limped back. Pan Dafu could only stop the car and chase after him. ¡°Teacher, where are you hurt? Did you sprain your ankle? I¡¯ll take you to a doctor now.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned a deaf ear to his words. She gritted her teeth and endured the pain as she continued walking. Seeing that her forehead was sweating from the pain, Pan Dafu was anxious, but he could not do anything to her. In the end, he could only compromise. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you back.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao immediately stopped and looked straight at him. ¡°Would you keep your word?¡± Pan Dafu let out a long sigh. ¡°Definitely.¡± Only then did Yu Niaoniao obediently return to the carriage. Pan Dafu steered the carriage around and led her back the way they had come. In the bedroom, the old emperor had another nightmare. He dreamed that his secret had been exposed in public. Everyone in the world knew that he was not from the orthodox line of the royal family. He was stripped of his dragon robe and condemned. He wanted to defend himself, but no one listened to him. He was forced into a corner. In his despair, he suddenly woke up from a nightmare. In the warm yellow candlelight, he saw the interior of the bedchamber clearly and knew that he was still the emperor. Nothing in his dream had happened. He heaved a sigh of relief. He felt a dry cough in his throat and opened his mouth to make a weak sound. ¡°Water¡­¡¯ The door was pushed open and a eunuch walked in. He knelt on one knee at the bed and raised the tray with both hands. There were teacups on it. The old emperor turned to the side with difficulty. From this angle, he could not see the eunuch¡¯s face. But the old emperor still recognized at a glance that this person was not Wei Huai¡¯en. The old emperor asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the Huai¡¯en?¡± ¡°Eunuch Wei has something on and will leave for a while. I¡¯ll serve His Majesty for the time being.¡± When the old emperor heard this familiar voice, his eyes immediately widened and he shouted in shock, ¡°You¡¯re Xiao Juan!¡± The eunuch looked up, his cold face revealed in the candlelight. It was Duke Lang, Xiao Juan! He looked at the old emperor darkly. ¡®Your Majesty, long time no see. How have you been?¡± Alarm bells rang in the old emperor¡¯s heart. He raised his hand to pull the ribbon hanging at the head of the bed. As long as the ribbon was pulled, the copper bell would ring. The secret guards would know that the emperor was in danger and immediately rush in to protect the emperor! However, before he could touch the ribbon, his hand was stopped by Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan brought the teacup to his mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t Your Majesty thirsty? This is tea specially made for you. Please drink.¡± The old emperor opened his mouth to shout for help. However, just as he opened his mouth, Xiao Juan grabbed his chin and forced the entire cup of tea into him. The old emperor struggled desperately to resist. However, his strength was useless to Xiao Juan. After he finished his tea, his already weak body became even weaker. His limbs were so sore that he could not even raise a finger. What was worse was that he could not make a sound in his throat! No matter how hard he tried, he could not say a word! Xiao Juan put down his empty teacup and looked down at the old emperor lying on the bed. He still remembered that he was only eight years old when he was brought to the palace and saw the emperor for the first time. At that time, the emperor was in his prime and in high spirits. He had to look up to see the emperor¡¯s face. Not only had the emperor given him a place to stay, but he had also ordered someone to teach him how to read and write and how to ride and shoot. He was grateful to the emperor from the bottom of his heart. In order to repay him for raising him, he was willing to be the knife in the emperor¡¯s hand and be condemned by everyone. Today, this saber was out of his control. It stabbed at the emperor himself. Xiao Juan said slowly, ¡°Your Majesty, do you remember what you said to me the day you handed the Justice Department to me?¡± He looked at the old emperor¡¯s stricken face and his lips curled. ¡°After so many years, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve forgotten, but I still remember.¡± ¡°You told me then that justice and the preservation of the law were the meaning of the existence of the Justice Department.¡± ¡°No matter who it is, as long as they break the law, they will be punished.¡± The old emperor remembered. He had indeed said those words back then. However, that was because he suspected that someone from the royal family had ill intentions. He was afraid that Xiao Juan would not dare to attack those royal relatives, so he said those words. Xiao Juan pulled out the dagger hidden in his sleeve and pressed the tip of it against the old emperor¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯ve killed so many people.. Did you ever think that you would be punished one day?¡± Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Bait Chapter 615: Bait Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The moment the blade cut through the neck, the fear of death completely drowned the old emperor. He opened his mouth as wide as he could to shout. In the end, he could only make a sound like a broken bellow. He looked at Xiao Juan with pleading eyes. Xiao Juan increased his strength expressionlessly, and the blade dug into his flesh. Blood flowed out continuously. The old emperor¡¯s body twitched uncontrollably. A moment later, he was completely dead. He stared at Xiao Juan with wide eyes. The remaining bedsheets had already been soaked in blood and turned bright red. Xiao Juan wiped the blood off the dagger and put it back into his sleeve. Then, he picked up the candlestick on the table and casually threw it on the bed. The candlelight ignited the bed curtain, and the fire spread. In just a moment, the old emperor was engulfed by flames. Back then, he ordered someone to kill Feng Lianghan and Madam Xie and even burned the Feng family¡¯s residence to ruins. And now, he wanted to have a taste of being burned. After doing this, Xiao Juan did not look at the old emperor again. He used his qinggong to fly up the beam. Smoke seeped out through the crack in the door. The people outside the house sensed the abnormality and hurriedly pushed open the door to rush in. When they saw the fire in the house, everyone was frightened to death. Some people pounced on the bed, wanting to save the emperor, while others rushed out to get water and put out the fire. People came and went in the bedroom. Xiao Juan mixed in the crowd and silently left the bedroom. When he arrived near the palace gate and prepared to sneak out as an imperial guard, his true identity was exposed. ¡°Stop him! He¡¯s Duke Lang, the murderer who assassinated the emperor!¡± The person who shouted was a guard from the crown prince¡¯s residence. The guard followed Xiao Juan secretly under the crown prince¡¯s orders. He saw Xiao Juan sneak into the palace in disguise and sneak into the bedroom. Not long after, the bedroom caught fire, and right on the heels of that, the news of the emperor¡¯s assassination spread. He knew that this was definitely done by Xiao Juan! The Crown Prince had instructed him not to let Xiao Juan leave the palace alive. Therefore, he exposed Xiao Juan¡¯s identity in public just before he was about to step out of the palace gate. The imperial guards pulled out their sabers, planning to take Xiao Juan down. Xiao Juan naturally would not surrender. The two sides fought near the palace gate. Xiao Juan¡¯s martial arts were strong and his skills were extraordinary. Even though the Imperial Guards had many people, they could not take Xiao Juan down for a while. Seeing that the palace door was about to be closed, Xiao Juan made up his mind. If the palace door closed, he would have no hope of escaping. Although he was mentally prepared for the worst before he came, Xiao Juan was still a little unwilling. He was still worried about Niaoniao. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to hug her again and say goodbye to her properly. Xiao Juan slashed at the imperial guards in front of him and rushed out of the palace gate without care. The archers on the palace wall immediately drew their bows and nocked arrows, all aiming at Xiao Juan, who was running below. Arrows rained down. Even though Xiao Juan¡¯s Qinggong was at its peak, he could not dodge all the arrows. He was shot twice in the back. However, he still did not stop. He gritted his teeth and ran out of the archers¡¯ range while enduring the pain. By the time Shen Zhuo arrived at the palace, the fire in the bedroom had been extinguished. The old emperor¡¯s body was burned beyond recognition. Empress Wen and a group of concubines knelt on the ground and cried. Shen Zhuo went forward to help Empress Wen up and comforted her gently. ¡°Mother, sit down and rest. Don¡¯t cry yourself to death.¡± Empress Wen wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief. She saw that although Shen Zhuo looked sad, he was not surprised and could not help but ask. ¡°Junzhi, why aren¡¯t you surprised? Do you know that your father was killed?¡± Shen Zhuo glanced at the people beside him. Evervone understood and silentlv retreated. Only the mother and son were left in the room. Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I know. Father was harmed by Xiao Juan. I¡¯ve already ordered someone to capture him. I definitely won¡¯t let Father die in vain.¡± Empress Wen could tell that something was wrong from his calm expression and suddenly had a bold guess. She lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Tell me the truth. Did you already know that Xiao Juan would harm your father?¡± Shen Zhuo did not give a positive answer. ¡°It was Xiao Juan who killed him. It has nothing to do with me.¡± It really had nothing to do with him. He had only deliberately asked someone to relax the surveillance in the palace when Xiao Juan sneaked into the palace, giving Xiao Juan an opportunity. This matter had been done by Xiao Juan alone from the beginning to the end. Xiao Juan was the only one who should be cut into pieces. Empress Wen involuntarily grabbed Shen Zhuo¡¯s voice tightly and deliberately lowered it. ¡°Junzhi, he¡¯s your father.¡± Shen Zhuo asked calmly, ¡°Back then, Mother died in childbirth and my twin brother was forced to die young. At that time, did Father ever think about the father-son relationship between him and me?¡± Empress Wen could not help but remind him, ¡°The person who killed Imperial Concubine Yue was Noble Consort Shu.¡± Shen Zhuo continued to ask, ¡°But without Father¡¯s tacit approval and indulgence, how could Noble Consort Shu harm Mother alone?¡± Empress Wen was stunned. From a young age, she had told Shen Zhuo that Noble Consort Shu had killed his mother and did not mention the emperor. Unexpectedly, Shen Zhuo had already thought through the reason. The child actually understood everything. It was because he understood that he hated his father. With this hatred, he had worked hard to become stronger and carefully planned for today. Shen Zhuo held Empress Wen¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Isn¡¯t this good now? Father is dead, and Xiao Juan will be executed for regicide. Niaoniao¡¯s revenge has been avenged. Mother, you don¡¯t have to suffer anymore to please Father. Mother will rest in peace in the netherworld. Everything is great.¡± At the end, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly in a faint smile. He looked like he was really in a good mood. For a moment, Empress Wen did not know what to say. She looked at Shen Zhuo¡¯s eyebrows and felt that this child had changed a lot. He was becoming more and more shrewd, making it harder to see what he was thinking. At this moment, a guard rushed over. ¡°Your Highness, Duke Lang broke through the siege of the imperial guards and escaped from the palace through Deyang Sect. He¡¯s gone!¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s expression changed, and a ruthless glint appeared in his usually gentle eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t so many of you even capture Xiao Juan? The guard knelt on the ground, trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t do my job well. I deserve to die!¡± Shen Zhuo sneered. ¡°Does he think he¡¯ll be fine after escaping the palace? Pass down the order. From today onwards, send heavy troops to guard the various city gates. Everyone who leaves the city has to be strictly interrogated. In addition, send someone to search the entire city. As long as anyone can capture Xiao Juan, they will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold!¡± The guard obeyed and left. Empress Wen looked at Shen Zhuo and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you seal the city gate directly?¡± Shen Zhuo said meaningfully, ¡°When hunters hunt, they prepare bait in advance.¡± To Xiao Juan, the hope of leaving the city was equivalent to the best bait.. Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: Holding Her Own Chapter 616: Holding Her Own Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After escaping from the palace, Xiao Juan headed straight for the city gate. He wanted to leave the Imperial Capital before anyone reacted. However, he was still too late. When he arrived near the city gate, he saw that there were heavy troops guarding it. It was impossible for him to rush out with his serious injuries. He could only retreat silently, planning to find a place to hide for the time being. Unexpectedly, just as he turned around, he saw soldiers searching house to house not far away. Xiao Juan lowered the bamboo hat on his head to cover most of his face and turned to walk in the other direction. At this moment, a child¡¯s cry suddenly sounded beside him¡ª ¡°Uncle, your back is bleeding!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart tightened. The arrow on his back had been pulled out, but because of the time constraint, he did not have time to apply medication. He only bandaged it with a strip of cloth. From the looks of it, the wound had split open. The surrounding pedestrians stopped in their tracks and looked at Xiao Juan together. Indeed, they saw blood seeping out of the clothes behind him. The soldiers not far away also sensed the abnormality and walked over. Xiao Juan did not dare to stay here any longer. He immediately used his Qinggong and rushed out of the crowd at an extremely fast speed, escaping into the alley beside him. Seeing this, the soldiers immediately chased after him. ¡°Stop!¡± Wind blew under Xiao Juan¡¯s feet as he quickly shuttled through the alley. But he could not shake off the pursuers behind him. Because the wound on his back was seeping blood. Blood dripped to the ground, becoming the best indicator of his whereabouts. As long as the pursuers followed the blood, it was impossible to lose them. More and more blood flowed. Xiao Juan began to feel light-headed and subconsciously slowed down. Just as he was about to be caught up by the soldiers, a courtyard door beside him suddenly opened. A hand reached out and grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s forearm. ¡°Follow me!¡± Xiao Juan wanted to break free, but he stopped when he heard this familiar voice. He let the person drag him into the doorway. Then the courtyard door was quickly closed. Xiao Juan looked at the woman in front of him, unable to hide the surprise in his black eyes. ¡°Niaoniao, why are you here?¡± Yu Niaoniao was filled with anger. She originally wanted to scold him after meeting him to vent her anger, but when she saw his pale face, she immediately stopped. As soon as I returned to the Imperial Capital, I heard that an assassin had appeared in the palace. Now, all the soldiers in the city are capturing the assassin. ¡± ¡°I guess this has something to do with you.¡± ¡°You should be thinking of a way to get out of the city, so I waited near the city gate. In the end, I really bumped into you.¡± ¡°Why do you look so pale? Are you injured?¡± Xiao Juan subconsciously took a step back, not letting her see his back. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao noticed the blood on the ground and her heart tightened. She was about to ask him where he was injured when she heard hurried footsteps outside the door. The soldiers must have caught up. She immediately shut her mouth and quickly took off her cloak. She put it on Xiao Juan and helped him cover the blood on his back. Then she ran to the water tank and scooped up clear water with a calabash ladle to wash the blood off the ground. After doing this, the two of them hurriedly left the small courtyard. There was a carriage parked at the side of the road. Pan Dafu was standing on the edge of it, craning his neck to look around, looking worried. He saw Yu Niaoniao help a man in a bamboo hat out and hurriedly opened the carriage door. The two of them helped Xiao Juan into the car. After they were seated, Pan Dafu drove the carriage away. There was a medicine box in the carriage. Yu Niaoniao found gauze and medicine and began to treat Xiao Juan¡¯s wounds. There were many wounds on his body, most of them superficial. Only the two arrows on his back were very serious. Looking at the deep wound where the bones and flesh were exposed, Yu Niaoniao¡¯s fingers that were holding the medicine bottle could not help but tremble. From the situation, it was obvious that the arrowhead had a barb. This guy pulled the arrow very roughly, pulling out even the flesh. Just thinking about that scene made one¡¯s scalp tingle. However, this guy was still silent. Yu Niaoniao resisted the urge to cry and deliberately cursed in a relaxed tone, ¡°Were you a tortoise in your previous life? You¡¯re so tolerant.¡± Xiao Juan was puzzled. ¡°What does the two have to do with each other?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s a kind of turtle called the Divine Ninja Turtle. They¡¯re best at ninjutsu.¡± Xiao Juan asked humbly, ¡°What is ninjutsu?¡± Yu Niaoniao sniffed. ¡°A skill for someone like you, who can still endure the pain and not say anything.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to call him an idiot, but before she could say anything, tears fell. She bandaged him as she cried. Xiao Juan wanted to turn around and look at her, but she scolded him. ¡°What are you looking at? Sit still!¡± Xiao Juan could only sit obediently and not move, like a clumsy bear. Yu Niaoniao wiped her tears with the back of her hand. ¡°Why did you come back?¡± At this point, there was nothing to hide. Xiao Juan answered truthfully, ¡°I want to help you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Help me with what? I can settle my own matters myself. You don¡¯t have to take the risk!¡± Xiao Juan did not know how to explain and could only remain silent. Yu Niaoniao gently poked the back of his waist with her finger and choked. ¡°Say something! ¡± Xiao Juan felt an itch and wanted to dodge, but he was afraid that Niaoniao would be angry, so he sat obediently and did not move. He lowered his head slightly and spoke softly,¡±l know. You can hold your own, but I still want you to rely on me a little more.¡± In the past, he was a knife in the emperor¡¯s hand. From now on, he was only willing to be her knife. If she couldn¡¯t take revenge, he could help her. He could help her kill someone she couldn¡¯t. From now on, she no longer had to hold her own because he was everywhere for her. Yu Niaoniao gently placed her forehead on his back and scolded in a sobbing voice, ¡°You big idiot. You¡¯re already so injured. How can I rely on you in the future? If anything happens to you, I won¡¯t be a widow for you. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll find someone to remarry and anger you to death!¡± Xiao Juan laughed softly. Yu Niaoniao looked up and glared at the back of his head with red eyes. ¡°You¡¯re still laughing?!¡± Xiao Juan stopped smiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 heard everything. Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± Then the carriage stopped and Pan Dafu¡¯s voice came in. ¡°Teacher, we¡¯re here.¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly wiped her tears and took out a set of clean clothes to throw to Xiao Juan. When he was dressed, they pushed open the door and got out. He realized that this was the back door of Qirui Garden. Xiao Juan did not understand why they were here. Yu Niaoniao went forward and knocked. Soon, the courtyard door was pulled open. When Liu Sixing saw that it was Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan standing outside, she immediately turned around and let them in. Yu Niaoniao turned around and looked at Pan Dafu. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about what happens next. Go back quickly. Don¡¯t let your family worry.¡± Pan Dafu looked at her reluctantly. ¡°Teacher, will we see each other again?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled brightly. ¡°Of course we can!¡± Pan Dafu cupped his fists and bowed one last time to Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. ¡°Teacher, Your Highness, take care!¡± Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: Interrogation Chapter 617: Interrogation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Today, Qirui Garden was closed for business. Liu Qirui had long cleared out all the unrelated people. The few people who could still stay in the theater could be trusted. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Is everything ready?¡± Liu Sixing quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m ready. Look!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a dark coffin in the backyard. Liu Qirui stood beside the coffin with his three disciples. They were all dressed in mourning clothes, looking like they were about to mourn. In order to make their performance more realistic, they had even smoked their eyes with chili in advance. Now their eyes were red and swollen. They looked like they had cried out of grief. Liu Sixing pushed open the coffin lid. ¡°Time is limited and I can¡¯t custom-make a coffin. I can only ask you to make do first.¡¯ Seeing this scene, Xiao Juan already understood that they planned to disguise themselves as a funeral procession and sneak out of the city. This was a good idea, but it was hard to say if it would succeed. Now that they had no better idea, they could only try their best. Xiao Juan did not hesitate and crawled into the coffin with Yu Niaoniao. Liu Sixing said to them, ¡°After the coffin is closed, it should be very stuffy inside. Bear with it for the time being. You¡¯ll be fine when you leave the city.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°I know. Thank you so much this time.¡± Liu Sixing smiled in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you that our opera troupe can make a comeback. Previously, you were the ones protecting us. Now, it¡¯s our turn to help you.¡± She carefully closed the coffin. Liu Qirui carried the coffin with his disciples and left the theater through the back door. Liu Sixing was wearing white linen clothes and walking in front with the memorial tablet in one hand. She covered her mouth with the other and cried until she was out of breath, performing the role of a widow who had just lost her husband vividly. In order not to be recognized by an acquaintance, the five of them had dressed carefully. They looked very different from usual. There were many pedestrians on both sides of the street who stopped to watch, but no one recognized them as the people from Qirui Garden. Many soldiers could still be seen by the roadside. They were searching around with portraits. Some soldiers noticed the funeral procession. They took the portraits forward to compare them and realized that the five people who were in the procession were not the people they were looking for, so they released them. The funeral procession arrived near the city gate safely. Because everyone who left the city had to be strictly interrogated, the speed at which they left the city was greatly reduced. At this moment, there was already a long line in front of the city gate. The funeral procession stood at the end of the line. They moved slowly forward with the line. Seeing that they were getting closer and closer to the city gate, Liu Sixing, Liu Qirui, and the others could not help but worry. Especially when they saw the person standing in front of the city gate clearly, they became even more panicked. In order to capture Xiao Juan, not only were the people from the Imperial Capital and the city defense camp transferred away, but even the Sky Wolf Guards had no choice but to help. Coincidentally, the people on duty at this city gate were the Sky Wolf Guards. The leader was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, Wei Liao. He sat in his chair, crossed his legs, and sipped his tea leisurely. He looked relaxed. The Sky Wolf Guards were not as free as him. All of them were fully armed and were 120% focused as they carefully interrogated everyone who left the city. Not only did everyone who left the city have to take out the citations, but they also had to compare the portraits one by one. Anyone who was found to have resemblance to the portrait had to be taken down on the spot. Liu Sixing was not afraid of anything else, but that Wei Liao would bump into her. If Wei Liao discovered their identities, they would be finished! Liu Sixing was filled with regret. If they had known that they would meet Wei Liao here, they wouldn¡¯t have walked through this city gate! But turning around and leaving now would definitely arouse suspicion. She could only pray silently that Wei Liao wouldn¡¯t recognize them. The people in front left the city one by one. Finally, it was the funeral procession¡¯s turn. In the coffin, Yu Niaoniao could not help but hold Xiao Juan¡¯s hand. Xiao Juan held her tightly and comforted her silently. The conversation outside kept coming into the coffin. ¡°What are your names? What are you doing out of the city? Take out your travel passes.¡± ¡°My surname is Liu. This is my travel pass. Although my husband came to the capital to buy goods, he suddenly contracted an evil illness and unfortunately died. I could only buy a coffin at the last minute and bring my husband¡¯s corpse back to my hometown with my servants for a good burial. Only then can I be considered to have returned to my roots. I hope you can make it easy for me.¡± Liu Sixing cried as she spoke. As she handed over the pass, she also handed over a banknote. When the Sky Wolf Guard took the banknotes, he quickly glanced in Wei Liao¡¯s direction. Seeing that Wei Liao was looking elsewhere and did not notice his movements, the Sky Wolf Guard familiarly put the banknotes into his sleeve and his attitude softened slightly. ¡°We¡¯re all under orders. We didn¡¯t mean to make things difficult for you.¡± Then, he took out the portrait and walked forward with another Sky Wolf Guard to compare Liu Qirui and his three disciples. The four of them were not similar to Xiao Juan in the portrait at all. The Sky Wolf Guards put away the portrait. Liu Sixing secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She thought that would be fine, but Wei Liao stood up at this moment. He walked slowly to Liu Sixing and looked her up and down. Liu Sixing¡¯s heart jumped into her throat. She lowered her head, her body stiff. She didn¡¯t even dare breathe. The Sky Wolf Guard beside him hurriedly asked, ¡°Sir, do you know this woman?¡± Wei Liao didn¡¯t answer directly. He placed his hands behind his back and strolled to the coffin. He spoke suddenly. ¡°Open it and take a look.¡± Liu Sixing immediately panicked. She wanted to stop him, but she was afraid that Wei Liao would see through her identity, so she did not dare to speak rashly. Liu Qirui and his disciples were also frightened. They froze in place, afraid to move. The Sky Wolf Guards immediately surrounded them, planning to open the coffin on the spot. At the critical moment, Liu Qirui suddenly shouted. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do anything. Leave such rough work to me.¡± With that, he rolled up his sleeves and took the initiative to push open the coffin lid. When Wei Liao heard his voice, he looked at him twice. A corner of the coffin was pushed open. Liu Qirui bowed and said, ¡°My master died of illness. He didn¡¯t look good when he died. Please forgive me if I frightened you.¡± Wei Liao took a step forward and looked down. Two living people lay in the coffin. Xiao Juan hugged Niaoniao tightly in his arms. The two of them were staring at Wei Liao without blinking. Their eyes met. Wei Liao could not help but be stunned. He subconsciously wanted to call someone over, but he saw Niaoniao¡¯s eyes fill with tears and her lips open and close slightly. Although she didn¡¯t make a sound, it was obvious from the way her mouth moved that she was saying¡ª ¡°Please..¡± Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Unreliable Chapter 618: Unreliable Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan secretly tightened his grip on the No Return Saber at his waist and was on guard. As long as Wei Liao called for help, he would immediately attack. Although he was seriously injured now and it was very disadvantageous for him to tight head-on, at this point, he could only go all out. It did not matter it he died. At least he had to send Niaoniao safely out of the city. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart was in her throat, and her body trembled slightly. Now, both their lives were all on Wei Liao. What would he do? With his disgust for Xiao Juan, he would definitely not let go of such a great opportunity to kill Xiao Juan. And her. She had never treated Wei Liao well. Wei Liao wouldn¡¯t disobey the Crown Prince¡¯s orders for her sake, right? Liu Sixing¡¯s limbs went weak and she could barely stand. There was only one thought in her mind now¡ª Oh no! Duke Lang and his wife had been discovered. They were all finished! In comparison, Liu Qirui was still relatively calm. He still had the last hope that Wei Liao would let them off. Although Wei Liao usually looked like he did not care about anything and often quarreled with Yu Niaoniao, and the two of them did not seem to get along, Wei Liao was also a part of the reason why Qirui Opera Troupe could make a comeback. With Wei Liao¡¯s wealth and status, he probably wouldn¡¯t care about the income of a small opera troupe. He could only be willing to help for Yu Niaoniao. Pushing aside his pretenses, it was hard to tell what he was thinking about Yu Niaoniao. Liu Qirui just wanted to take a gamble. In any case, he had no better choice in the current situation. The worst outcome was death. He might as well take a gamble. If they were lucky enough to win the bet, they would all be able to leave the Imperial Capital alive. However, if he lost, at least he could take this opportunity to deny that he and his daughter did not know the situation in the coffin. He might even be able to save their lives. Liu Qirui carefully raised his head and observed the change in Wei Liao¡¯s expression, secretly guessing what he was thinking. Wei Liao placed one hand on the coffin and his gaze wandered to Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan¡¯s faces before finally landing on Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao was really too nervous. Tears rolled down her face. Crystal tears rolled silently down the corners of her eyes. Wei Liao¡¯s fingers tapped the coffin gently, again and again. His face was thoughtful, as if he was thinking about something. A Sky Wolf Guard tried to ask, ¡°Sir, is there anything unusual in the coffin? Do you want me to open the whole coffin and examine them carefully?¡± Wei Liao suddenly smiled at Yu Niaoniao and retracted his hand. ¡°There¡¯s only the body in the coffin. It stinks. Cover it up.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qirui hurriedly closed the coffin lid as if he had been pardoned. At the same time, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan in the coffin heaved a sigh of relief. Liu Sixing was stunned for a moment before she reacted. She resisted the urge to laugh and said in a choked voice, ¡°Thank you, sir. Thank you!¡± Wei Liao sat back in his chair, leaned back, and waved his hand. ¡°Hurry up and leave. Don¡¯t block the way.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Liu Qirui lifted the coffin with his three disciples and hurried through the city gate. The Sky Wolf Guards continued to interrogate the commoners behind the team. Wei Liao supported his chin with one hand and quietly looked in the direction the funeral procession had left. His thin lips were slightly parted as he muttered in a low voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t even thank me. You heartless thing.¡± The funeral procession walked for a long time. After confirming that there were no pursuers behind them, Liu Qirui and the others slowed down. They found a moment when no one was looking and ducked into the forest beside them. Under the cover of the trees, Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing opened the coffin lid. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan could finally come out of the depressed coffin. Liu Sixing pressed her chest and looked like she had lingering fears. ¡°I was really scared to death just now. I almost thought I was going to die here today.¡± Liu Qirui echoed, ¡®Yes, yes. Fortunately, we¡¯re all safe and sound.¡± He realized that Duke Lang was looking at him with a deeper meaning and his heart skipped a beat. Could it be that his thoughts had been discovered by Duke Lang? He didn¡¯t dare say, let alone ask, so he lowered his head guiltily. In the end, Xiao Juan did not mention what had just happened. He said calmly, ¡°Thank you for your help today, but the Imperial Court will definitely not stop chasing me. If you still act with me, it¡¯s very likely that even you will be wanted. Why don¡¯t we part ways here and meet again in the future?¡± Liu Sixing hurriedly said, ¡°How can that do? How can we disregard you for our own safety?¡± Yu Niaoniao first glanced at Liu Qirui before saying. ¡°Sixing, if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should think for your father. He¡¯s too old to hide with us.¡± Liu Sixing was immediately speechless. Her father only had her as his daughter. She had to consider her father¡¯s well-being. Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°When there¡¯s a chance in the future, you can come to Liaodong County to perform. At that time I¡¯ll treat you to delicious food!¡± Liu Sixing pursed her lower lip, feeling very guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I.. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to say this. I helped you before. Now that you¡¯ve helped me, we¡¯re even. We¡¯ll part ways today. Everyone, take care.¡± Liu Sixing said reluctantly, ¡°Take care too.¡± When the two sides separated. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan carried their luggage along the mountain path. They chatted as they hurried. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°When we were interrogated at the city gate just now, Liu Qirui probably wanted to sell Wei Liao a favor.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You can tell too. Don¡¯t you hate him?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. I don¡¯t hate him to that extent. After all, in a situation where life and death are at stake, normal people will prioritize themselves. Moreover, he¡¯s a father. He definitely doesn¡¯t want his daughter to lose her life.¡± Xiao Juan had the same thoughts. Although he could not accept it, he could understand. Yu Niaoniao smiled at him. ¡°You deliberately suggested leaving separately because you don¡¯t trust Liu Qirui, right? YOu¡¯re afraid that he¡¯ll sell us out again.¡± Xiao Juan replied indifferently, ¡°Yes.¡± Since he had already seen that Liu Qirui was unreliable, he naturally would not keep this hidden danger by his side. It was safer to send him away early. Yu Niaoniao stretched. ¡°That¡¯s good too. Only the two of us are left. Seeing her relaxed appearance, she did not look like she was on the run. Instead, she looked like she was on an outing. Xiao Juan could not help but sigh. ¡°You¡¯re really carefree.¡± Yu Niaoniao corrected him. ¡°This is not being carefree. This is being optimistic! Anyway, things have already come to this. It¡¯s meaningless to be sad. I might as well calm down and accept everything in front of me..¡± Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Convinced Chapter 619: Convinced Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Because the emperor had passed away, the entire country mourned. White lanterns were hung on all the streets and alleys in the Jade Capital. The commoners in the city also changed into plain clothes, and places like brothels and pleasure houses were temporarily closed. The entire city became cold and solemn overnight. In the palace, the emperor¡¯s body had already been placed in a coffin. Empress Wen and Crown Prince Shen Zhuo knelt in front of the memorial tablet with a group of concubines and princes. The eminent monks who had been specially invited from the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple were reciting the Reincarnation Scripture. Chanting, crying, and the knocking of the temple block intertwined like a gloomy cloud. The atmosphere was extremely oppressive. It was already time for dinner, but Empress Wen and the Crown Prince were still kneeling and not moving. The others naturally did not dare to mention this. In the end, it was Wei Huai¡¯en who reminded them. ¡°Your Majesty, His Highness, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Empress Wen wiped the corners of her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite. Junzhi, go eat something.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°If Mother doesn¡¯t eat, how can I eat?¡± Empress Wen had no choice but to stand up with the help of others. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Everyone, go eat something to fill your stomachs. The night is still growing. Don¡¯t let your bodies burn out.¡± Everyone agreed. When Shen Zhuo walked out of the mourning hall and saw the commander of the Imperial Guards and Wei Liao waiting outside, he stopped and asked. ¡°Have you captured them?¡± The commander of the imperial guards lowered his head and replied, ¡°Not yet.¡± Shen Zhuo frowned. ¡°You haven¡¯t found any clues in a day?¡± The commander of the imperial guards said, ¡°Our people once found traces of a suspected Duke Lang near the city gate, but that person ran very quickly. Our people chased for a while before he shook them off.¡± Shen Zhou cursed coldly. ¡°Trash. ¡® The commander of the imperial guards knelt on one knee. ¡°We¡¯re still investigating. I believe we¡¯ll find Duke Lang soon!¡± Shen Zhuo reminded him, ¡°He¡¯s not Duke Lang anymore. He¡¯s a traitor who assassinated the emperor.¡± The commander of the imperial guards immediately changed his words. ¡°We will definitely catch that traitor, Xiao Juan, and bring him to justice to comfort the emperor in heaven!¡± Shen Zhuo turned to Wei Liao and asked. ¡°You have no clues on your side either?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°We checked everyone who left the city, but we didn¡¯t find Xiao Juan¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Shen Zhuo was very dissatisfied with this outcome. However, the current situation was a time to use people. He could not flare up. He instructed calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two days. If you still can¡¯t find Xiao Juan, issue a sea arrest document to all places. As long as one can help us capture Xiao Juan, one can get a reward of a thousand taels no matter if he is dead or alive. If it¡¯s an official, he can can advance two levels at one. If you discover that Yu Niaoniao is still following him, try your best to capture her alive. Don¡¯t hurt her.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wei Liao and the commander of the imperial guards lowered their heads and sent the Crown Prince off. After they were gone, Wei Liao looked up. He saw Wei Huai¡¯en standing nearby. Wei Huai En looked at him quietly, his gaze very complicated. Wei Liao walked forward and bowed. ¡°Father.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said calmly, ¡°Follow me. I have something to ask you.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Wei Liao immediately followed. The father and son walked for a long time before finally arriving at Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s residence in the palace. Wei Huai¡¯en retreated, leaving only the father and son in the room. There was only one oil lamp lit in the room, and it was relatively dim. Wei Huai¡¯en stared at his adopted son, who was taller than him, and suddenly spat out two words coldly. ¡°Kneel!¡± Wei Liao lifted the hem of his clothes and knelt down without a word. Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± Wei Liao took off his shirt in a few moves, revealing his well-defined upper body. Wei Huai En took out the branch in the vase and asked expressionlessly. ¡°You brought people to guard the city gate today. Did you find anyone suspicious among the commoners leaving the city?¡± Wei Liao lowered his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the branch in Wei Huai¡¯en¡¯s hand slapped his back hard, immediately leaving a deep red scar. Wei Liao couldn¡¯t help but tense his muscles, but he gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t make a sound. Wei Huai¡¯en looked at him and continued to ask. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Did you find anything?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°No.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en raised his hand and the branch whipped down again. With a slap, another wound appeared on Wei Liao¡¯s back. Slap! Another blow. Next, Wei Huai¡¯en kept asking the same question over and over. But no matter how he asked, Wei Liao insisted on answering no. The branch as thick as a thumb slapped Wei Liao¡¯s back again and again. In the end, because he used too much strength, the branch broke. Wei Huai¡¯en threw the broken branch to the ground and looked at Wei Liao with disappointment. He had raised Wei Liao himself. It could be said that he knew Wei Liao the best in the world. When the Crown Prince asked Wei Liao a question just now, Wei Huai¡¯en was watching from afar. He could tell at a glance that Wei Liao was not telling the truth. That was why he had interrogated Wei Liao in private. He wanted to give Wei Liao a chance to confess, but Wei Liao would rather be punished than change his words. Wei Huai¡¯en glared at him and scolded him in expected better from someone. ¡°Xiao Juan killed the emperor. He¡¯s a traitor, but you actually helped him hide his whereabouts. Do you want to become an accomplice of a traitor?!¡± Wei Liao lowered his head for a long time before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m not helping him.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en said, ¡°Then who are you helping?¡± Then he quickly reacted and blurted out. ¡°Are you helping Yu Niaoniao?¡± This time, Wei Liao did not refute. Wei Huai¡¯en took two steps back and fell into a chair. He pointed at Wei Liao and cursed. ¡°You¡¯re really muddle-headed! If you really like Yu Niaoniao, you should have thought of a way to keep her.¡± ¡°Now that they have run away and left you alone in the capital, what are you going to do? What you¡¯re doing is thankless!¡± Wei Liao naturally knew this. However, when he saw Yu Niaoniao cry, he immediately lost his mind. His eyes were filled with love for her. In that instant, not to mention letting Yu Niaoniao go, even if she wanted the moon in the sky, he had to think of a way to pluck it for her. This was probably what ordinary people meant by being blinded by lust. It was too late to regret it now. Wei Liao almost gave up on himself. ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯s gone. It saves me the trouble of seeing her again.¡± Wei Huai¡¯en scolded with a dark expression, ¡°Useless thing, do you have to do this for a woman? If you really like her so much, think of a way to snatch her back.¡± Wei Liao laughed at himself. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s quite good for her to follow Xiao Juan. ¡± Although he was very annoyed with Xiao Juan, he could not help but admire his courage. He had the courage to give up all wealth, power, and even his life for the sake of the person he loved. This was something neither he nor Shen Zhuo could do. So he was convinced of his defeat.. Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: The Only Choice Chapter 620: The Only Choice Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The emperor¡¯s funeral was held seven days later. The Crown prince led the civil and military officials to send him off. All the citizens in the city knelt down along the streets. The white banner fluttered in the wind, and paper money fell like snowflakes. Amidst everyone¡¯s cries, a dynasty ended. The next day, Crown Prince Shen Zhuo held the coronation in the Imperial Capital and officially ascended the throne. Empress Dowager Deng was respected as the Grand Empress Dowager, and Empress Wen was acknowledged as the Empress Dowager. However, before Shen Zhuo could stabilize the throne, Prince Jia¡¯s Mansion far away in Jiangbei suddenly mutinied. Prince Jia was killed on the way back to his fief. His family guessed that the emperor had done it. In order to protect himself and take revenge, Prince Jia¡¯s eldest son took the handwritten order left behind by his father and summoned his troops. First, he killed the local provincial governor and used his head to force the other officials to surrender. When this matter spread to the Imperial Capital, it immediately caused a huge commotion. Shen Zhuo issued a decree to send troops to suppress it, but the Ministry of Revenue said that Liaodong County was still fighting. There was not enough money and food in the treasury to support two wars at the same time. Hence, Shen Zhuo issued another decree and suspended the reinforcements to Liaodong County. Even the food that had been sent to Liaodong County had been recalled. Empress Dowager Wen was very worried. ¡°This is equivalent to giving Liaodong County away. Not only will this damage our Dayan¡¯s reputation, but it will also make those with ill intentions seize on this matter and make an issue of something. You have to think twice.¡± Shen Zhuo had already made up his mind about this matter. He only smiled at his mother¡¯s persuasion. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. This is just a temporary measure. After the rebellion in Jiangbei is calmed, I will send troops to take back Liaodong County. It belongs to our Dayan and will definitely not be taken advantage of by outsiders.¡± Empress Dowager Wen was still a little hesitant. ¡°But what about the 300,000 troops of the Eastern Expedition Army?¡± Shen Zhuo spoke his considerations unhurriedly. ¡°Those 300,000 people are indeed very important to us Dayan, but most of them follow Tang Guixi¡¯s lead. No matter how much money and food I send over, I¡¯m just supporting Tang Guixi. Why don¡¯t I take this opportunity to let the Chen Nation help us deal with a portion of the Eastern Expedition Army? It can be considered helping us clean up the mess. When the Chen Nation kills Tang Guixi later, I¡¯ll send someone to take over the Eastern Expedition Army. Wouldn¡¯t that be killing two birds with one stone?¡± Empress Dowager Wen thought about it carefully and felt that he was quite meticulous in his thinking, so she nodded slightly. ¡°Since you know what to do, I won¡¯t say anything else.¡± She looked at Shen Zhuo¡¯s increasingly calm appearance and sighed softly. ¡°Now that you¡¯re the emperor, you¡¯re getting more and more organized. It¡¯s just that you look thinner. You probably didn¡¯t rest well, right? I have to take care of the Empress Dowager every day during this period of time and don¡¯t have time to take care of you. You¡¯ll have to bear with it for a while. When I¡¯m free later, I¡¯ll choose an empress for you. With the empress taking care of you in the future, you¡¯ll be much easier.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°I¡¯m very good now. Mother, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. As for helping me choose an empress, it¡¯s still early. We¡¯ll discuss it at length in the future. ¡± Empress Dowager Wen looked at him deeply. ¡°Are you still thinking about Yu Niaoniao?¡± Shen Zhuo neither admitted nor denied it. Empress Dowager Wen frowned slightly and advised painstakingly, ¡°You know very well that she¡¯s not suitable to be the empress. Her thoughts are not on you at all. You can lead a horse to water but you can¡¯t make it drink. Let go.¡± Shen Zhuo lowered his eyes, looking very respectful, but his words were stubborn ¡°She was just blinded for a moment. I have a way to make her realize that I¡¯m her only choice in this world.¡± Empress Dowager Wen wanted to say something else. However, Shen Zhuo spoke first. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re tired these few days. You should go back and rest early. I still have some memorials to review, so I won¡¯t send you off.¡± Empress Dowager Wen looked helpless and could only leave silently. As soon as the Empress Dowager left, Shen Zhuo called the commander of the imperial guards and instructed in a low voice. ¡°Take 200 elite soldiers and search along the route from the Imperial Capital to Liaodong. Once you find any traces of Xiao Juan, kill him without mercy!¡± Although he had already sent out the arrest warrant for Xiao Juan, eight days had passed, but there was still no news. Now that Xiao Juan was like a street rat, there was no place for him in the Dayan Dynasty. If he did not want to leave Dayan, he could only go to Tang Guixi. As Tang Guixi was in Liaodong, Xiao Juan was most likely going to Liaodong County. The commander of the imperial guards hesitated. ¡°My duty is to protect the palace and His Majesty¡¯s safety. If I leave the Imperial Capital, what will happen to His Majesty¡¯s safety?¡± Actually, he was more worried that once he left the Imperial Capital, his official position would be replaced. After all, this emperor had just ascended the throne and needed people. Many people were racking their brains to get in front of the emperor. Shen Zhuo understood what he was thinking and said calmly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this. I¡¯ll get someone to temporarily replace you. If you can successfully complete the mission, the position of commander of the imperial guards will still be yours. But if you can¡¯t complete the mission, you don¡¯t have to come back.¡± The commander of the imperial guards trembled and hurriedly knelt down to show his loyalty. ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t worry. Even if I have to climb mountains of blades and seas of flames, I will definitely take Xiao Juan¡¯s head!¡± Shen Zhuo suddenly reminded her. ¡°If you meet Yu Niaoniao, tell her for me that as long as she can come back obediently, I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The commander of the imperial guards accepted the order and left. Shen Zhuo looked at the scenery outside the window, his gaze becoming deeper and deeper. He knew that with Niaoniao¡¯s personality, even if Xiao Juan became a traitor that everyone had to kill, she would not abandon him and leave on her own. However, he also knew that with Xiao Juan¡¯s personality, he would definitely not let Niaoniao suffer with him. Shen Zhuo placed one hand on the window lattice and tapped his index finger gently. ¡°You love her so much, you must know what¡¯s best for her, right?¡± Although Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had successfully escaped the Imperial Capital, the Imperial Court¡¯s arrest warrant for them had not stopped. In order to cover their tracks, they changed their appearances and disguised themselves as an eloping couple. Seeing that night was approaching, the two of them found a guest house to stay at. The lady boss of the guest house was sharp-eyed. When she saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan¡¯s cautious appearance, she revealed an ambiguous smile. ¡°Are you two hiding from someone?¡± Yu Niaoniao blushed and pretended to be shy as she defended herself weakly. ¡°We¡¯re not hiding from anyone. We¡¯re just going out to join our relatives. Please get us a guest room.¡± The lady boss¡¯s smile became even more ambiguous. ¡°Get a guest room. Looks like the two of you are husband and wife.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face immediately turned even redder. Xiao Juan took out a piece of silver and threw it on the counter. ¡°Please boil some hot water. My wife wants to take a bath.¡± The lady boss accepted the silver and sized Xiao Juan up. She saw that had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His posture was straight and his bearing was very extraordinary. Even though he had deliberately lowered his bamboo hat and used the brim of it to cover most of his face, she could still tell that this person¡¯s appearance and temperament could be said to be excellent.. Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Unsettled Chapter 621: Unsettled Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As the saying went, the hedonistic love food and sex. The lady boss was naturally no exception. She covered her mouth and smiled coquettishly. ¡°Not only are you handsome, but you¡¯re also very considerate to your wife.¡± Then, she winked at Yu Niaoniao. ¡°You have good taste. You chose a good man.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face was so red that it was about to bleed. She hid behind Xiao Juan, looking like an extremely embarrassed wife. The lady boss could not help but laugh. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re so cute.¡± She sashayed and led the way, leading them to the guest room. ¡°Rest well. Hot water will be sent over later.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The chef has already gone home. If the two of you want to eat, you can only go to the kitchen to cook yourself. The money for the ingredients will be calculated with the room fee later.¡± After explaining this, the lady boss looked at the two of them again. She had been running the shop for so many years and welcomed them every day. She had also seen eloping couples, but in terms of looks, none of them could compare to the couple in front of her. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no one living in the guest room next to yours. Even if you make any noise tonight, no one will hear you.¡± With that, she closed the door and walked away humming a tune. Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. She had finally sent her away. It was very tiring to pretend to be shy! The guest room was not big. There was a bed against the wall and a cabinet beside it. There were tables and chairs by the window. There was nothing else. Xiao Juan placed the bag on the table. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who should feel wronged.¡± As Yu Niaoniao spoke, she walked over, opened the bag, and took out gauze and a medicine bottle. ¡°Sit down and take off your shirt.¡± Like a large canine, Xiao Juan obediently followed her instructions and took off his shirt, revealing his strong chest wrapped in gauze. Yu Niaoniao said as she helped him remove the gauze. ¡°You could have continued to be your Duke Lang in the Imperial Capital and lived a luxurious life every day. Now, you¡¯ve become a wanted criminal for my sake. Now, you have nothing. If I were you, I would definitely feel wronged.¡± Xiao Juan sat on a stool with his hands on his knees and his back straight. He said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t feel aggrieved.¡± Yu Niaoniao gently wiped the edge of the wound with gauze. The edge of the wound was a little swollen and looked a little inflamed. She couldn¡¯t help but worry. There were no antibiotics these days. Inflammation could kill. When the ointment touched the wound, Xiao Juan involuntarily tightened his muscles and curled his index finger slightly. Yu Niaoniao became even gentler. ¡°If it hurts, tell me.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Yu Niaoniao thought to herself, How could such a deep wound not hurt? If it were her, she would definitely cry from the pain. Knock knock! There was a knock on the door. Right on the heels of that, the lady boss¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Sirs, the hot water you wanted has been delivered.¡± Xiao Juan wanted to get up to open the door, but Yu Niaoniao stopped him. ¡°Sit still. I¡¯ll open the door.¡± Yu Niaoniao casually took a shirt and put it on Xiao Juan. She quickly walked to the door. She pulled open the door and saw the lady boss standing outside with a bucket. She immediately reached out to take it. The lady boss said warmly, ¡°How can I let you do it yourself? Let me carry it in for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao declined. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± The lady boss glanced into the house and saw Xiao Juan sitting on a stool. He was wearing a coat, and his firm chest muscles could vaguely be seen. She immediately imagined many inappropriate scenes and could not help but chuckle. Yu Niaoniao looked at her in confusion, not understanding why she was laughing. The lady boss patted Yu Niaoniao¡¯s shoulder and said meaningfully. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so playful. Teach me when you¡¯re free later. I want to find a handsome man like your husband too.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately blushed. This time, she wasn¡¯t pretending to be shy. She was really shy. She did not even dare to answer the lady boss. She quickly thanked her and hurriedly closed the door. Xiao Juan¡¯s hearing far exceeded that of ordinary people. Even though Yu Niaoniao and the lady boss¡¯s voices were not loud, he still heard them. He could not help but feel a little embarrassed. He wanted to say something, but he did not know where to start. Yu Niaoniao pretended that nothing had happened and walked to his side to continue changing his dressing. It was unknown if it was because of the lady boss¡¯s words just now, but the two of them, who were originally focused, were a little distracted at this moment. Even the atmosphere became romantic. Although the two of them had been married for more than two years, they had yet to consummate their marriage. This matter did not make sense no matter what. Yu Niaoniao bandaged his wound again. Xiao Juan put on his clothes, stood up, and walked towards the door. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s so late. Where are you going?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Take a bath. I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated before saying, ¡®You haven¡¯t bathed for a few days. Why don¡¯t¡­ you bathe with me?¡± By the time she finished, her face was flushed and her heart was pounding. She said it so bluntly that even a blockhead would know what she meant. Xiao Juan looked at the closed door in front of him and was silent for a long time before speaking. ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Yu Niaoniao felt as if someone had poured a basin of cold water on her head. She immediately felt cold from head to toe. He had actually rejected her! He didn¡¯t want her! Yu Niaoniao had never been so embarrassed in her life! She felt ashamed and angry. She wanted to rush forward and bite him. ¡°Say that again if you have the guts!¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything else. He silently opened the door and walked out. Soon the door was closed again. Yu Niaoniao was left standing there sulking. She angrily undressed and sat in the bathtub. As she scrubbed her body hard, she cursed fiercely. ¡°You cowardly bastard, how dare you reject me? Just you wait. Don¡¯t even think about touching me for the rest of your life. Let¡¯s see who can last longer!¡± Outside the room, Xiao Juan stood quietly under the porch, the cold moonlight falling on him. Ahead of him, all he could see was darkness. He did not know where this path would eventually lead, nor did he know how many days he could protect Niaoniao. The faint pain on his back kept reminding him that he was guilty of regicide. He could not give Niaoniao the future she wanted. In that case, he could not hope for more. The door behind him was pulled open. Yu Niaoniao glared at him angrily. ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± Xiao Juan walked into the house in silence. He washed his face with the remaining hot water and lay side by side with Yu Niaoniao on the bed. The bed was not big. It was just enough for two adults to lie on. Although she was still very angry, Yu Niaoniao was too tired after running around for so long. Soon, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. She unknowingly leaned on Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan silently reached out and hugged her. He knew that was wrong, but he couldn¡¯t bear it. It was just a hug. He could only do it for a moment.. Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: Wanted Person Chapter 622: Wanted Person Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Just as Yu Niaoniao was in a daze, she suddenly heard someone talking outside the house. ¡°I¡¯m really not lying. We really didn¡¯t see the man in your painting in our shop today. Please be kind and spare our shop. This is a little tea money. Please accept it.¡± This was the voice of the lady boss of the guest house. Yu Niaoniao immediately woke up from her sleep. She turned around and realized that Xiao Juan was already awake. Xiao Juan put his index finger to his lips and gestured for her to keep quiet. Yu Niaoniao could only shut up obediently and swallow the words on the tip of her tongue. Xiao Juan lifted the blanket and quietly got out of bed. He threw the clothes to Niaoniao and gestured for her to quickly put them on. Outside the house, no matter how the lady boss begged, the soldiers refused to stop. The leader said coldly, ¡°Someone saw foreign guests in your guest house today. For safety¡¯s sake, we have to check them one by one. Hurry up and call them out!¡± The lady boss said awkwvardly, ¡°That¡¯s not good. They¡¯re all resting. In the middle of the night¡­¡± The officer pushed her away. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling, we¡¯ll go in and look for it ourselves.¡± With that, he rushed into the backyard aggressively with his men and began to check the rooms one by one. The guests, who were originally sleeping soundly, were woken up and forced to be searched by the soldiers. The entire guest house was filled with complaints. The footsteps outside the door were getting closer and closer. Yu Niaoniao became even more nervous. She quickly put on her clothes, shoes, and socks and jogged to Xiao Juan¡¯s side. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Xiao Juan carried the bag on his back and held the No Return Saber in one hand and Niaoniao¡¯s hand in the other. ¡°Follow me.¡± They pulled open the door and ran out, only to see people on both sides of the corridor. No matter which way they left, they would bump into the soldiers. Xiao Juan did not panic at all. He hugged Niaoniao¡¯s waist and used Qinggong to fly up the eaves with her. They ran a few steps over the eaves, then jumped to the big tree beside them. At this moment, it was late at night. Coupled with the cover of the leaves, it was difficult for outsiders to notice two people hiding on the tree. Yu Niaoniao looked down through the gaps in the leaves. She saw the soldiers rush into the guest room they had just occupied. The guest room was empty. No one was there. A soldier turned to ask the lady boss. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there were two people living here? Where are they?¡± The lady boss was at a loss- ¡°T don¡¯t know- They were here before- Why are they gone? Did they go to the toilet?¡± Two of the soldiers ran towards the toilet, but they naturally returned empty-handed and found nothing. Faced with the interrogation of the soldiers, the lady boss had no choice but to say her guess. ¡°Although they won¡¯t admit it, I can tell that they¡¯re probably young couples who eloped behind their families¡¯ backs. They might have heard the commotion and thought that their families had sent someone to arrest them. That¡¯s why they sneaked away.¡± She became anxious as she spoke, slapping her legs and shouting, ¡°Oh my! They haven¡¯t paid for the room yet. They¡¯re leaving!¡± The soldiers were impatient to hear her nonsense. They took out the portrait and spoke to the lady boss. ¡°Take a closer look. Do those two look like the man in this portrait?¡± The lady boss stared at the portrait again and again. To be honest, the man in the portrait was a little similar to the man of the eloping couple, but because the man had been wearing a bamboo hat with the brim lowered, and the night was hazy, she could not see his entire face. She could only see his mouth and jaw. That alone was impossible for her to confirm. The officer urged, ¡°Have you seen him or not?¡± The lady boss followed the principle that it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him!¡± After turning the entire guest house upside down, the soldiers still could not find the person they were looking for and could only give up. The soldiers slapped the portrait on the table before leaving and instructed the lady boss. ¡°This person has committed regicide and is a wanted criminal by the Imperial Court. He¡¯s very dangerous. If you discover his whereabouts, you must inform the authorities immediately.¡± The lady boss hurriedly replied, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll remember. Take care, sirs. Come to our shop for a drink another day.¡± She smiled with him as she escorted the soldiers out the door. As soon as they left, she quickly closed the door and pressed her chest to heave a sigh of relief. ¡°We¡¯ve finally sent this group of pestilence away.¡± She picked up the portrait and looked at it again. The more she looked at it, the more she felt that the man in the portrait looked like the man in the bamboo hat. After thinking about it, she decided to go to that guest room to take a look. If that man was really a wanted criminal, she had to quickly inform the authorities. The guest room was empty. The young couple had not returned. But there was a small piece of silver on the table. There were two words written on the side¡­ Room money. The water had not dried, which meant that they had not gone far. The lady boss hurriedly picked up the silver and ran out of the guest room, only to see no sign of the couple. She smiled. ¡°At least you still have a conscience and know how to make up for the room.¡± With that, she put the portrait and the silver into her sleeve. Then, she yawned and returned to her room to rest. As for whether the man in the bamboo hat was a wanted criminal, it had nothing to do with her. After Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan left the guest house, they did not stay in the city anymore. They traveled through the night. It was not until five days later that they saw people again. They came to a small town. Today was the day of the market. Almost all the villagers living nearby had gathered here. They took out their goods to sell and hawked. It was very lively. After days of running around, the two of them had tanned a lot. A thin layer of green stubble appeared on Xiao Juan¡¯s chin. He still had a wide bamboo hat on his head, and the brim of the hat was pressed very low. He was wearing gray rough clothes. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his strong forearms, and the straw shoes on his feet were almost worn out. Yu Niaoniao was wearing a patched rough dress and tied her hair with branches. Her face was bare, and her lips were a little peeling. Her face was dirty, and her straw shoes and skirt were stained with a lot of dust. The two of them stood in the crowd and immediately blended into the surrounding commoners. Yu Niaoniao craned her neck and looked around, overwhelmed. She smelled the fragrance of meat buns and turned to Xiao Juan. ¡°I¡¯m hungry and want to buy something to eat. Wait for me under the shade in front.¡± Xiao Juan was worried about her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it with you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°No need. You¡¯re still injured. Sit down obediently and rest for a while. I¡¯ll buy a few buns from the bun shop over there. It¡¯s just a few steps. It¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Xiao Juan looked in the direction she was pointing and saw that the bun shop was across the street. It was indeed not far, so he followed her wishes. He walked silently to the shade, his eyes still on Yu Niaoniao. From this angle, he could clearly see what was happening in front of the bun shop.. Chapter 623 - Chapter 623: Meat Bun Chapter 623: Meat Bun Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Business at the bun shop was very good. There were many diners gathered in front of the shop. Yu Niaoniao finally squeezed in. She asked the boss, ¡°How much are the buns?¡± The boss said as he busied himself selling buns, ¡°Three copper coins for the meat filling and two copper coins for the vegetable filling.¡± Yu Niaoniao opened the pouch and poured out the copper coins inside. There were exactly ten copper coins. She handed over all ten copper coins. ¡°Two for the meat and two for the vegetable.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The boss accepted the copper coins and quickly picked up four buns. He wrapped them in oil paper and handed them to her. ¡°Young lady, here are your buns.¡± Yu Niaoniao held the hot buns and turned to Xiao Juan. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit in the shade in front.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The sun was quite hot today, but the villagers were busy doing business and did not have time to rest. Therefore, the shade of the tree was empty, making it convenient for Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. They found a random place in the shade and sat down. Yu Niaoniao carefully opened the paper bag and handed two buns to Xiao Juan. ¡°Two each. This is yours.¡± Xiao Juan took the bun and lowered his head to take a bite. The soft skin was wrapped in delicious meat filling. When he took a bite, hot soup overflowed. It tasted very good. As Yu Niaoniao ate, she said, ¡°These buns are so delicious!¡± Xiao Juan looked up at her and saw that the bun in her hand had vegetable filling. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why is that a vegetable bun?¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°I want to eat something vegetarian recently.¡± With that, she opened her mouth and took another big bite of the bun. Her cheeks puffed up as she ate, looking like she was enjoying herself. Xiao Juan seemed to have thought of something. He picked up another bun and gently opened it. It was also filled with meat. So his two buns were stuffed with meat. He looked at Yu Niaoniao again and asked. ¡°How many meat buns did you buy?¡± As Yu Niaoniao ate, she said, ¡°Why are you asking? Hurry up and eat. The buns won¡¯t taste good when they get cold.¡± Xiao Juan took the other bun from her hand. Yu Niaoniao immediately panicked. ¡°What are you doing? You haven¡¯t finished your own buns. How can you snatch mine? Return the buns to me!¡± With that, she reached out to snatch it. When a passerby saw this scene, he could not help but look at Xiao Juan disdainfully and mutter softly. ¡°Who is he? He actually wants to snatch his wife¡¯s bun. He¡¯s really not a man.¡± When Yu Niaoniao heard this, she was immediately embarrassed. On the other hand, Xiao Juan looked calm and did not care what others thought. He broke open the bun he had just snatched. As expected, there were only cabbage and carrot shreds inside. There was no meat at all. There were a total of four buns. She ate the ones with vegetable filling herself and gave him two with meat fillings. Xiao Juan¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he held the bun, his heart aching. Meat buns were not worth much, but she still left the best for him. ¡°Niaoniao, I¡¯m sorry.¡± When they got married, he had promised to take good care of her. But now, she had to sleep in the open with him. She couldn¡¯t even eat a meat bun. Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°Why are you sorry? I gave you all the meat buns because I was worried that you were injured and needed something good to nourish your body. When you recover, you can earn money and bring me to eat all the delicacies in the world.¡± Xiao Juan did not say anything and silently reached out to hug Niaoniao. He hugged her hard as if he wanted to rub her entire body into his. Yu Niaoniao felt a little out of breath. She cried exaggeratedly, ¡°Alright, alright. There are still people watching. Let go of me.¡± Xiao Juan did not care what others thought. He hugged Niaoniao and refused to let go. His voice was muffled. ¡°I don¡¯t like meat buns. Help me eat them.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Liar! The meat buns smell so good. How can anyone not like them?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t like them. From now on, all my meat buns are yours.¡± Xiao Juan paused and added. ¡°You can have everything I have.¡± Yu Niaoniao was caught between laughter and tears. ¡°It¡¯s just two meat buns. Do you have to do this?¡± To the previous Duke Lang, two meat buns were indeed nothing, but to the current Xiao Juan, two meat buns were a rare delicacy in this world. No matter how many years passed in the future, he would never forget what was happening now. After obtaining Yu Niaoniao¡¯s agreement, Xiao Juan let go of her. Yu Niaoniao held the half-eaten meat bun and said in amusement. ¡°You¡¯ve already eaten this. Why don¡¯t you finish it?¡± Xiao Juan looked at her steadily. ¡°Are you despising me?¡± Yu Niaoniao denied it. ¡°How can that be? No way!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. Under the man¡¯s burning gaze, Yu Niaoniao obediently ate both meat buns. Xiao Juan took out the water bag from his bag and handed it to her. Then, he picked up the two vegetable buns and finished them in two or three bites. After eating and drinking his fill, Xiao Juan asked Niaoniao what she wanted to do next. Yu Niaoniao wanted to buy some medicinal herbs for treating injuries. The arrow wound on Xiao Juan¡¯s back was inflamed. The inflammation had not subsided, and they were about to run out of medicine. They had to replenish it as soon as possible. Previously, Yu Niaoniao had mentioned buying medicinal herbs, but Xiao Juan had rejected her. When the authorities found out that he was injured, they would definitely set up spies in various pharmaceutical shops and medical centers in advance. As long as they appeared, they would be arrested. To them, the pharmacy and medical center were like traps set by hunters. Xiao Juan could not let Niaoniao take the risk. Yu Niaoniao naturally knew Xiao Juan¡¯s scruples, but if the medicine was cut off, the injuries on Xiao Juan¡¯s body would become even more serious and might even endanger his life. She was going to die either way. She might as well take a gamble! She raised her hand to her forehead as if she was blocking the sun. ¡°It¡¯s too hot today. Go buy me an oil-paper umbrella. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Xiao Juan looked at the market in front of him. There were indeed shops selling oil paper umbrellas. He said to Yu Niaoniao, ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Stay here and don¡¯t move.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded obediently and said. ¡°It¡¯s quite tiring for you to run around with the bag. Why don¡¯t you give it to me? Anyway, I don¡¯t have to move when I sit here.¡± Xiao Juan did not think too much about it. He immediately took off the bag on his back and handed it to her. ¡°When I get back, don¡¯t run around.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Got it.¡± Xiao Juan pressed down the brim of his bamboo hat and strode towards the shop selling oil-paper umbrellas. After he left, Yu Niaoniao immediately jumped up. She dashed towards the nearest pharmacy with her bag. There were too many people in the pharmacy. The two clerks were busy. Yu Niaoniao looked around and did not find anyone suspicious in the medicine shop. She leaned over the counter and asked one of the clerks. ¡°Do you have medicine for external injuries here?¡± Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Lucky Chapter 624: Lucky Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hearing this, the clerk looked up at her. ¡°What external injuries?¡± Yu Niaoniao lied without changing her expression. ¡°My child accidentally fell when he went to cut pig grass and broke his head. He bled a lot. I want to buy him some medicine.¡± The clerk took a booklet from under the counter and spoke as he opened it. ¡°The authorities have ordered that anyone who comes to buy external injuries medicine recently has to leave their name and address. ¡®We can only sell you the medicine when the authorities confirm that there¡¯s no mistake.¡¯ ¡°Please tell me your name and address. I¡¯ll help you register.¡± Yu Niaoniao casually made up an address. ¡°My husband¡¯s surname is Zhang. He lives a little far away. It¡¯s too late to go back and forth. Forget it, I¡¯ll look elsewhere. If there¡¯s really no other way, I¡¯ll get some local prescriptions for my child to try.¡± With that, she let out a long sigh, looking very disappointed. The clerk said, ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere else. To be honest, it¡¯s not just our town¡¯s pharmacy. It¡¯s the same everywhere else. Recently, the Imperial Court has been tracking down wanted criminals and controlling the use of medicine for external injuries very strictly. Yu Niaoniao heard something else in his words. She decided to test him. ¡°My child is in a hurry to use the medicine. He really can¡¯t wait that long. As long as I can buy the medicine now, it doesn¡¯t matter if the price is doubled.¡± With that, she took out a shiny silver ingot from her bag and placed it on the counter. As soon as the clerk saw the silver ingot, his eyes lit up. He quickly picked up the silver ingot and put it in his sleeve. Then, he placed one hand on the counter and leaned out with his upper body. He lowered his voice and spoke to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°My relative often goes up the mountain to pick herbs and then sells the herbs he picks at our pharmacy. He has what you want.¡± ¡°His house is not far away. It¡¯s the first family in Apricot Flower Alley.¡± ¡°Give this to him and say that Ah Shu from the pharmacy asked you to look for him. He naturally knows what to do.¡± As the clerk spoke, he took out a small bamboo skewer. He stuffed the bamboo skewer into Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand and quickly retracted it. He pretended that nothing had happened and continued to organize the herbs. Yu Niaoniao stuffed the bamboo skewer into her bag and turned to walk out of the medicine shop. In the end, just as she went out, she saw Xiao Juan. He held the oil-paper umbrella in one hand and a bowl of tofu pudding in the other. Yu Niaoniao met his dark eyes and could not help but stop. She cursed in her heart. He had seen her! Xiao Juan looked at the pharmacy behind her and then at her guilty expression. In the end, he did not say anything and turned to leave. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly chased after him. ¡°Ah Juan, wait for me.¡± Xiao Juan slowed down slightly. When Yu Niaoniao caught up, he handed her the tofu pudding. ¡°I saw someone selling tofu pudding on the way just now, so I bought you a bowl. Eat it quickly.¡± As he spoke, he took the bag from her back and carried it on his back. Then, he opened the oil-paper umbrella with one hand and helped her block the piercing sunlight. Yu Niaoniao held the tofu and hesitated before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lied to you. I went to the medicine shop just now. We¡¯re almost out of medicine. I wanted to buy more.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Don¡¯t do such a thing again. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at his cold expression and asked carefully. ¡°Are you angry? Xiao Juan said, ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip. ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡± Xiao Juan was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m indeed angry, but I¡¯m angry at myself. It¡¯s because of my injuries that you didn¡¯t hesitate to take the risk to buy medicine. If anything happens to you, it¡¯s my fault.¡± The more he said that, the worse Yu Niaoniao felt. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re not at fault.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Niaoniao, I implicated you.¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped and said angrily, ¡°If you say that again, I¡¯ll really be angry! ¡± Xiao Juan also stopped. He looked back at her, wanting to apologize, but not Imowing how to say it. His guilty and clumsy gaze made Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart ache. Yu Niaoniao sighed and said helplessly, ¡°If you really want to calculate, I was the one who implicated you. I¡¯m the one who should apologize.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Everything was my choice. You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± ¡°But the cause is with me. If you hadn¡¯t met me, you would still be the mighty Duke Lang in the Imperial Capital. You wouldn¡¯t have to hide every day like now. You wouldn¡¯t even dare to see a doctor when you are injured.. As Yu Niaoniao spoke, her eyes could not help but turn red. Xiao Juan reached out his right hand and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°But the luckiest thing in my life was meeting you. ¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him in a daze. ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Juan said seriously, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true.¡± In the past, although he held power, he was scolded by the world. Even he fell into doubt about himself. Fortunately, he met Niaoniao. She supported him firmly and did her best to clear his name. No matter when or where, as long as she was by his side, he would feel warm and at ease from the bottom of his heart. Yu Niaoniao smiled through her tears. ¡°Me too.¡± When no one understood her and she was at her most helpless, it was Xiao Juan who told her firmly that she had done nothing wrong. He did not hesitate to bear the crime of regicide and put himself in eternal damnation to seek justice for her. She had probably saved the world in her previous life to be lucky enough to meet him in this life. In the noisy market, there were people coming and going. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan could only see each other. An untimely voice suddenly sounded¡ª ¡°Please make way! The couple in front!¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan quickly came back to their senses. They turned around and saw a farmer walking over with these two large wicker baskets. The two of them stood there in a daze, blocking someone else¡¯s way. They took two silent steps to the side. ¡°Looking at you guys, you must have just gotten married, right? If you want to be intimate, go home. It¡¯s not good to have a public influence in broad daylight.¡± Yu Niaoniao retorted, ¡°We¡¯ve been married for more than two years!¡± The farmer looked surprised. ¡°Really? You can still be so intimate after more than two years? You are quite close!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked up with a smug expression. ¡°Of course!¡± The farmer laughed at her. ¡°Hahaha, young lady, you¡¯re so interesting. If your husband marries you, his life will definitely be very happy.¡± Xiao Juan, who had been silent, suddenly replied, ¡®Yes.¡± The farmer froze for a moment, then laughed even louder. ¡°You two are interesting!¡± Seeing that he was in a good mood, Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Brother, do you know where Apricot Flower Alley is?¡± The farmer raised his chin in front of him and replied, ¡°Go straight that way. Turn right at the second intersection and you¡¯ll see Apricot Flower Alley.¡± ¡°Thank you! ¡° Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Trap Chapter 625: Trap Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After separating from the talkative farmer, Yu Niaoniao ate the tofu pudding as she walked toward Apricot Flower Alley. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Why are you going to Apricot Flower Alley?¡± Yu Niaoniao obediently told him her goal. Unexpectedly, Xiao Juan firmly disagreed. ¡°What if this is a trap? We can¡¯t go.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately panicked. ¡°But we¡¯re almost out of medicine. If we don¡¯t think of a way to buy medicine, your injuries will never recover!¡± Xiao Juan appeared very calm about this. ¡°My injuries are fine. It doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t use medicine.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°How can it be fine? Your wound is inflamed. You have to use medicine!¡± Xiao Juan turned around and walked in the opposite direction from Apricot Flower Alley. He said, ¡°I know my body very well. I¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yu Niaoniao glared at his back and stomped her feet. ¡°Alright! You refuse to go, right? Then I¡¯ll go alone!¡± With that, she turned and ran in the direction of Apricot Flower Alley. Xiao Juan had no choice but to change direction and chase after her. He grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash! ¡± Yu Niaoniao turned her head and glared at him with red eyes. ¡°Do you know that if the wound is seriously inflamed, you might die? If you die, what do you want me to do? Are you going to leave me alone?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die. I want you to stay with me forever. Just stay with me and never be separated. Boohoo!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart ached and softened. He reached out and clasped the back of her head, pressing her into his arms. ¡°Alright, stop crying. I won¡¯t die.¡± The pedestrians passing by turned to look at them. Countless gazes fell on the two of them. Yu Niaoniao continued to cry as if no one was around. ¡°Wuwuwu!¡± Xiao Juan tilted the oil-paper umbrella at her, blocking the gazes of the pedestrians. He whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Apricot Flower Alley together to buy medicine.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s cries immediately stopped. She raised her head and looked at Xiao Juan with watery eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Xiao Juan was very helpless. ¡®Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled through her tears again and immediately pulled Xiao Juan forward. Xiao Juan reminded him, ¡°Slow down. Be careful not to spill the tofu pudding in the bowl. I still have to return the bowl later.¡± Yu Niaoniao handed over the remaining half bowl of tofu pudding. ¡°I can¡¯t finish it. Help me.¡± Xiao Juan could only take the bowl and eat the remaining tofu pudding in two or three bites. When he passed by the stall selling tofu pudding, he returned the empty bowl to the boss. The two of them arrived at Apricot Flower Alley. Yu Niaoniao was about to knock when she was stopped by Xiao Juan. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go in alone.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll meet you outside. If there¡¯s a problem inside, shout.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If I don¡¯t come out, leave.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip, very unhappy. ¡°Can you not say such a thing?¡± Xiao Juan touched her head. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop.¡± He took out the small bamboo skewer and hid it in his sleeve. Then, he handed the bag and the oil-paper umbrella to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Juan did not knock. Instead, he used his Qinggong to climb over the courtyard wall and quietly sneaked into the house. The alley was very quiet. There were high courtyard walls on both sides, preventing sunlight from entering. Yu Niaoniao put away the oil-paper umbrella and stood against the wall, feeling very nervous. She hoped that everything would go well for Xiao Juan. Unfortunately, the heavens refused to let her have her way. The crisp sound of weapons colliding suddenly sounded behind the wall, mixed with chaotic footsteps and shouts. ¡°Quick! Stop him! Don¡¯t let him escape over the wall.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. She immediately looked up and saw Xiao Juan flying up the wall. But in the next moment, pursuers appeared on the wall. Xiao Juan held the No Return Saber and killing intent appeared in his eyes. ¡°Niaoniao, hold the umbrella!¡± Yu Niaoniao did not understand, but she still subconsciously listened to him and quickly opened the oil-paper umbrella. At the same time, the No Return Saber in Xiao Juan¡¯s hand cut the neck of the pursuer in front of him. Dark red blood splattered and fell like rain, dripping onto the oil-paper umbrella. The originally plain white umbrella was stained with a dazzling blood color. Right on the heels of that, the pursuer¡¯s corpse fell off the courtyard wall and fell heavily to the ground. Yu Niaoniao took two steps back in fear, her hand trembling slightly as she held the oil-paper umbrella. After dealing with the two pursuers following closely behind, Xiao Juan jumped down the courtyard wall and grabbed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± They left the town as quickly as possible. When it rained, it poured. The originally sunny sky was suddenly covered in dark clouds and was about to rain. Xiao Juan sped up and ran forward with Yu Niaoniao. Soon, rain fell. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao did not throw away the oil-paper umbrella. The rain fell on the umbrella, diluting the remaining blood on it. The two of them ran along the mountain path for a long time until it was dark before they found a mountain temple that had been abandoned for a long time. The Mountain Temple was badly damaged, but at least it could block the wind and rain. Xiao Juan found some dry wood in the temple and lit it with the lighter he carried with him. The fire emitted an endless warmth, diluting the cold brought by the rainy night. Yu Niaoniao took off her wet coat and placed it by the fire to roast. She said to Xiao Juan, ¡°Take off your clothes and roast them too.¡± Xiao Juan leaned against the pillar and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a while. I¡¯ll roast them later.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Were those people chasing us just now soldiers?¡± Recalling the scenes just now, Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°No, they were not.¡± Yu Niaoniao was a little surprised. ¡°Then why were they chasing us?¡± Xiao Juan spat out two words indifferently. ¡°Bounty.¡± Yu Niaoniao understood. ¡°They came to hunt us down to get a thousand taels of gold?¡± Xiao Juan explained unhurriedly, ¡°They should be in cahoots with the clerk from the pharmacy. The clerk from the pharmacy used his identity to find a target and lure him to the agreed location. If the person being lured over is really a wanted criminal, they can naturally take the head to collect the bounty. Taking a step back, even if it¡¯s not a wanted criminal, they can take the opportunity to extort a sum of money. It¡¯s not a loss.¡± Yu Niaoniao lowered her head. ¡°So it was a trap from the beginning to the end. I almost harmed you.¡± Xiao Juan comforted her. ¡°They¡¯re meticulous. Clearly, this is not the first time they¡¯ve done such a thing. Leaving such scum alive will only harm more people. Today, I severely injured them. In the future, they won¡¯t dare to harm anyone for a long time. We¡¯re indirectly getting rid of evil for the people.¡± Yu Niaoniao clenched her fists. ¡°I¡¯ll be even more careful in the future.¡± Seeing that she quickly perked up, Xiao Juan was relieved. He closed his eyes and prepared to rest. With the help of the fire in front of her, Yu Niaoniao realized that something was wrong with his expression and hurriedly asked. ¡°Ah Juan, are you feeling unwell?¡± Xiao Juan opened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not so easy to fool and said directly. ¡°Take off your clothes. I want to see the wound on your back..¡± Chapter 626 - Chapter 626: Fever Chapter 626: Fever Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan did not move. ¡°My injuries are the same. There¡¯s nothing to see. It¡¯s getting late. Go to sleep.¡± The more he avoided her, the more Yu Niaoniao felt that something was wrong. She leaned over and reached for his belt as she prepared to undress him. ¡°No, I have to see it.¡¯ Xiao Juan pressed her hand down. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao frowned and immediately held his hand. ¡°Why is your hand so hot?¡± She held his hand as if it were a piece of red-hot iron. It was frighteningly hot! Xiao Juan immediately retracted his hand. ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t I feel anything? Perhaps you¡¯re hallucinating.¡± Yu Niaoniao reached out to touch his forehead. It was equally hot. She was anxious. ¡®You have a fever! It must be from the inflamed wound. No, you have to show me the wound, or I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡± In the end, she really could not think of anything she could threaten Xiao Juan with. After stuttering twice, her eyes suddenly turned red and she choked. ¡°I¡¯ll cry for you to see!¡± When Xiao Juan saw her crying, he immediately panicked and hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Yu Niaoniao cried even louder. She could tell that this guy was amenable to coaxing but not coercion. As expected, Xiao Juan could not resist her tears and quickly disarmed and surrendered. ¡°Stop crying. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately stopped crying and looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°Then take it off quickly.¡± Xiao Juan was helpless and could only obediently take off his clothes. His rain-soaked shirt was thrown aside, revealing his muscular chest. Yu Niaoniao wiped her tears. ¡°Turn around and let me see your back.¡± Xiao Juan obediently turned around, revealing his back. The wound that was originally wrapped in gauze had already cracked open. Threads of blood seeped out, dying the gauze red. Yu Niaoniao was filled with worry as she carefully helped him remove the gauze. As she had expected, the inflammation of the injury became even worse. The wound, which had only been swollen, was now showing signs of festering. She hurriedly opened the bag and took out the ointment and gauze, but she realized that the ointment in the porcelain bottle was almost empty. She dug with her fingers for a long time and scraped the inner wall of the porcelain bottle clean before barely getting some ointment. She gently applied the ointment to the wound. The stabbing pain from his wound made Xiao Juan¡¯s body stiffen and he subconsciously tightened his muscles. No matter how Yu Niaoniao plundered, she could not scrape out any more ointment. She had no choice but to bandage Xiao Juan¡¯s wound again with gauze. ¡°Ah Juan, how do you feel now?¡± Xiao Juan felt dizzy. His body alternated between cold and hot, making him feel very uncomfortable. But he didn¡¯t show it on his face. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± Yu Niaoniao took out a clean shirt and put it on him. ¡°Then sleep. You should feel better after a nap.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Juan sat on the ground with his back against the pillar and one leg bent. He placed one hand on his knee and the other on the hilt of the No Return Saber. He closed his eyes to rest. He was really tired. Coupled with his fever, he quickly fell asleep. Yu Niaoniao helped him hang up his wet clothes and dried them. over a fire Then, she touched Xiao Juan¡¯s forehead. It was still terrifyingly hot. His eyebrows were furrowed and his face was pale. His lips were bloodless. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable. Yu Niaoniao took out her handkerchief and ran to the door of the Mountain God Temple. She used the rain to wet the handkerchief and ran back to Xiao Juan. She placed a wet handkerchief on Xiao Juan¡¯s forehead. When the wet handkerchief was not so cold, she took it and ran to the door to catch the rain. After getting it wet again, she ran back to apply it on Xiao Juan. She ran back and forth like this countless times. It rained all night, and Yu Niaoniao worked all night. The sky had unknowingly brightened. Xiao Juan slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked hoarsely. ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep all night?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I was just taking care of you.¡± She reached out and touched Xiao Juan¡¯s forehead again. It was still very hot. Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip. She could not continue like this. She had to find the medication as soon as possible! She stood up. ¡°Rest well here. I¡¯ll find something to eat outside.¡± Although Xiao Juan¡¯s head was dizzy, his intelligence was still there. He asked, ¡°Don¡¯t we still have dry food in the bag?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You¡¯re so seriously injured. How can you just eat dry food? I¡¯ll go outside and look for it. Perhaps I can catch a pheasant to nourish your body. At the same time, I can go nearby to investigate the situation and see where this place is. It¡¯s convenient for us to decide which direction to go next.¡± Xiao Juan looked out the window. ¡°It¡¯s still raining outside. Don¡¯t go out.¡± Yu Niaoniao picked up the oil-paper umbrella and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have an umbrella. It won¡¯t drench me.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her fake relaxed smile and knew that he could not change her decision no matter what he said. After hesitating for a while, he could only say, ¡°Be careful on the way.¡± Yu Niaoniao waved at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± She opened the oil-paper umbrella and ran quickly out of the Mountain Temple. Her slender figure quickly disappeared into the rain and fog. Xiao Juan endured the pain from the wound on his back and gritted his teeth as he stood up. His head was spinning. His body swayed twice involuntarily. He hurriedly grabbed the pillar beside him and steadied himself in time. Xiao Juan composed himself and took a deep breath. He endured the pain and bent down to pick up the coat and bamboo hat on the ground. He put on his coat and a large bamboo hat. He left the Mountain God Temple in the rain and chased after Niaoniao. Since he could not change Niaoniao¡¯s decision, he could only follow her silently and quietly protect her. With her photographic memory, Yu Niaoniao successfully found the way down the mountain. After a night of rain, the mountain path became muddy. Yu Niaoniao was anxious and accidentally slipped to the ground. Her dress was stained by mud and water, and the oil-paper umbrella in her hand fell to the ground. Xiao Juan, who was following behind, felt his heart tighten and wanted to go forward to help. However, in the next moment, he saw Yu Niaoniao quickly get up. She picked up the oil-paper umbrella, lifted her skirt, and tucked it into her belt. She casually wiped the mud off her face and continued her way. Xiao Juan could only suppress the worry in his heart and continue to follow her silently. Yu Niaoniao walked back along the route from yesterday. After rushing through the rain for half a day, she finally returned to the county city yesterday at noon. It was unknown if it was because Xiao Juan had killed someone in the city yesterday, but there were many soldiers in the city today. A wanted order appeared on the noticeboard at the city gate. Yu Niaoniao stopped when she passed the noticeboard. She saw Xiao Juan¡¯s portrait on the wanted poster. Next to the portrait, there were soldiers shouting at the illiterate commoners. ¡°Open your eyes wide and see clearly. The man in this portrait is a wanted criminal by the Imperial Court. His name is Xiao Juan, and he¡¯s an extremely ferocious fellow! There is a young woman with him. If any of you see unfamiliar men and women, you must report it to the authorities in time. Anyone who provided clues about them would be heavily rewarded! ¡°But if you dare to not report it, you¡¯ll be harboring fugitives and will lose your heads!¡± Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: Getting Medicine Chapter 627: Getting Medicine Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Someone in the crowd asked curiously, ¡°Why is there only Xiao Juan¡¯s portrait on the wanted order? Where¡¯s the woman with him? Why didn¡¯t you post her portrait too?¡± The others nodded in agreement, indicating that they had the same doubts. The soldier explained gruffly, ¡°Xiao Juan was the one who committed the crime of regicide. That woman was coerced by him and had no choice but to act with him. The emperor specially instructed me to try my best to protect that woman and not hurt her. It would be even better if she could take the initiative to come back. The emperor would let bygones be bygones.¡± The commoners secretly clicked their tongues. It seemed that that woman¡¯s relationship with the emperor was not simple! Someone could not help but joke, ¡°Looks like the emperor likes that woman very much. For the dignified emperor to be so concerned about her, she must be beautiful!¡± The officer immediately scolded with a straight face, ¡°How dare you make things up about the emperor? I think you don¡¯t want to live anymore!¡± The man immediately shrank back and shut his mouth resentfully. More and more people gathered on the noticeboard for money. Even the rain could not stop the commoners¡¯ enthusiasm to watch the show. Yu Niaoniao retracted her gaze from the noticeboard and continued through the crowd. Xiao Juan had been following her at a distance. He had heard what the soldier had said just now. Shen Zhuo did not post Niaoniao¡¯s portrait to protect her reputation. This proved that he really cared about her. As long as Niaoniao could return, Shen Zhuo could let bygones be bygones. From now on, she no longer had to hide with Xiao Juan and worry about him. She could live the rest of her life without worry. Yu Niaoniao especially looked for a pharmacy yesterday and found Rejuvenation Hall, a a medical center. Because of the rain, not many people came to see the doctor and get medicine. Yu Niaoniao stuck her head out of the door and looked into the medical center. There were two clerks and an old doctor inside. The old doctor was sitting at the table drinking tea and looked very relaxed. She looked around but could not find anything suitable. She could only grit her teeth and bang her head against the wall when no one was paying attention! Her head was hurt, and blood slowly flowed out. Yu Niaoniao endured the pain and covered her wound with her hand. She quickly ran into the medical center. Not long after she left, Xiao Juan appeared where she had been standing. There was still a little blood on the wall. After the rain washed away, the blood faded a lot. Xiao Juan raised his right hand and gently wiped the blood with his finger. The intense guilt almost engulfed him. It was all because of him that Niaoniao harmed herself. Not only did he fail to protect her, but he also became a burden to her. He faced the wall and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± In the medical center, the old doctor helped Yu Niaoniao clean her wound and apply medication. ¡°How did you get this wound?¡± Yu Niaoniao said weakly, ¡°I accidentally hurt my head while walking on the mountain path.¡± Seeing that she was covered in mud and in a sorry state, the old doctor asked the waiter to bring hot water and let her wash her face and wipe the mud off her body. Yu Niaoniao was very grateful. ¡°Thank you.¡± The old doctor wrote a prescription and handed it to the clerk. ¡°Get three sets of medicine according to this prescription.¡± The clerk hesitated. ¡°But the authorities specially instructed that anyone who comes to our medical center to buy medicine has to be registered and verified, especially since this girl is an outsider¡­¡¯ Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao immediately covered her head and forced a smile on her pale face. ¡°To be honest, I sneaked out of my house and met human traffickers on the way. I was in a panic and accidentally knocked my head. Thank you for just now. I know I¡¯ve caused you trouble. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± With that, she put down a silver ingot and turned to walk out. The old doctor hurriedly stopped her. ¡°I just bandaged your wound. It wouldn¡¯t cost so much!¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at him with tears in her eyes, looking pitiful. ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to meet a good person. Take the extra money as gratitude to you.¡± The old doctor was a warm-hearted person, to begin with. How could he not soften when he saw this scene? He sighed and turned to the clerk. ¡°Go get the medicine.¡± The clerk still hesitated. ¡°But¡­ The old doctor said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the wanted poster says that there are two people, a man and a woman, but this girl is alone. It¡¯s different from what the wanted poster says. Besides, if she¡¯s really the woman mentioned in the wanted poster, she¡¯ll definitely report it to the authorities immediately after escaping the coercion of the evil person. Why would she come to us to treat her injuries? You must be thinking too much. Hurry up and get the medication.¡± The clerk felt that what he said made some sense, so he suppressed his doubts. He took the prescription with both hands and obediently went to get the medicine. Soon the clerk was done grabbing the medication. The old doctor specially found an old food box and placed the medication bag inside. Then he covered it so that it was impossible to tell what was inside from the outside. He handed the food box to Yu Niaoniao and instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone you bought medicine from me when you get out.¡± Yu Niaoniao was grateful. ¡°Thank you so much. You¡¯re my benefactor.¡± With that, she was about to kneel down to him. The old doctor hurriedly held her up. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. It¡¯s not good to be seen. Go.¡± Yu Niaoniao wiped her tears and begged, ¡°Can you give me another prescription to reduce the fever? I heard that external injuries are prone to fever, so I want to prepare some first to prevent a possible illness.¡± The government only controlled the use of medicine for external injuries, but there were no restrictions on treating medicinal herbs like fever. The old doctor agreed readily. ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s always better to be prepared.¡± He immediately wrote another prescription and asked the waiter to grab two packets of medicine according to it. Yu Niaoniao carried the food box in one hand and an oil-paper umbrella in the other as she hurriedly left the medical center. As she passed the restaurant, she smelled the fragrance of food coming from inside. She turned around and walked in to buy a roast chicken. The roasted chicken was wrapped in oil paper and placed in the food box. Yu Niaoniao carried the heavy food box, but she felt very happy. Not only did she buy medicine, but she also bought roasted chicken. When she returned, she would definitely give Xiao Juan a big surprise. With this anticipation, she quickened her pace. It took half a day to get to the city, so it was the same when they returned. By the time she saw the Mountain Temple, the sky had darkened and the rain had eased. At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was very tired. But she was eager to return and did not slow down at all. When she ran into the Mountain God Temple excitedly, she saw that the temple was empty. There was no sign of Xiao Juan. The fire had turned cold. It must have been out for a long time. The coat and bamboo hat that belonged to Xiao Juan were also gone. ¡°He didn¡¯t sneak away alone, did he?¡± Yu Niaoniao felt very uneasy. She put down the food box and looked around the Mountain God Temple with the oil-paper umbrella, but she still could not find Xiao Juan. The sky was getting darker, and the wind and rain at night were as cold as ice. Yu Niaoniao looked around in confusion, not knowing where to go. ¡°Ah Juan, where did you go?¡± Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: Confession (1) Chapter 628: Confession (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Rain pattered down, and a cold wind brushed her cheeks. Yu Niaoniao felt cold and hungry, and her footsteps became heavier. She called the man¡¯s name over and over. ¡°Ah Juan, Ah Juan¡­¡± In the deep night, only the shadows of trees swaying in the wind and rain could be seen. That person never appeared. After walking for an unknown period of time, the last strength in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s body had been exhausted. The ground was wet and slippery. She staggered and fell, the oil-paper umbrella tumbling to the side. This time, she did not get up as quickly as she had during the day. She almost gave up on herself and lay on the ground, letting the rain wet her. Tears rolled down her face and rolled into the mud. ¡°Ah Juan, don¡¯t leave me behind.¡± Her eyes filled with tears, and her vision blurred. Her choked voice was mixed with the sound of the rain. The rain that had been falling suddenly disappeared. Yu Niaoniao thought that the rain had stopped. However, when she looked up, she saw Xiao Juan standing in front of her. He had arrived at some point, holding the oil-paper umbrella with one hand. The umbrella blocked the wind and rain above Yu Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao looked at him in a daze. She wondered if she was dreaming. ¡°Ah Juan, is it really you?¡± Xiao Juan bent his knees and squatted down. He turned his back to her. ¡°Come up. I¡¯ll carry you back.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not move. ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Xiao Juan had indeed left. He did not want Niaoniao to be injured because of him again. He did not want to be a burden to her. Only by leaving him could Niaoniao live a stable life. But he didn¡¯t get far before he turned back. Because he was worried about Niaoniao. She was alone in the deep mountains and forests. What if she encountered wild beasts or bad people? He had originally planned to quietly hide in the shadows and protect Niaoniao until he was sure that she was really safe. When he returned to the Mountain God Temple and saw Niaoniao¡¯s sad appearance, intense heartache and regret instantly welled up in his heart, causing him to temporarily forget the thought of leaving. Facing Niaoniao¡¯s question, Xiao Juan did not know how to answer. Just as he was debating whether to tell the truth, he felt a weight on his back. Niaoniao was already hugging him while on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. The tears on her face had yet to dry, but she was smiling. ¡°That¡¯s great. You didn¡¯t leave. You didn¡¯t abandon me.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart softened. He thought he was leaving for her own good, but in her eyes, it was abandonment. Was he protecting her? Or hurting her? Xiao Juan fell into deep self-blame and guilt. Yu Niaoniao let go of him and raised her hand to wipe the tears off her face. ¡°Get up. I don¡¯t need you to carry me.¡± Xiao Juan thought that she was angry at him for leaving. He was about to say something when he heard her continue. ¡°The wound on your back hasn¡¯t healed yet. If you really carry me back, you¡¯ll probably have to lie on the ground halfway.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can carry you back.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to bully the injured. You can carry me after you recover.¡± Xiao Juan had no choice but to stand up. He held the oil-paper umbrella and walked back with Niaoniao. At this moment, Niaoniao¡¯s footsteps were brisk and she looked like she was in a good mood. ¡°I thought you were gone just now and would never come back. You scared me to death.¡± She sounded relieved. Xiao Juan said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yu Niaoniao recalled how worried she was just now and could not help but feel a little angry. She turned to glare at the man beside her and accused angrily. ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise me before? You have to stay in the temple and wait for me to come back. Why did you run out without a word? Do you know that you¡¯re still running a fever? What would I do if you had an accident?¡± Xiao Juan did not dare to look into her eyes. He looked down at the ground. ¡°I was worried about you and wanted to look for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you went down the mountain? You weren¡¯t discovered, were you?¡± Xiao Juan shook his head, indicating that he did not. Yu Niaoniao was relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good. You don¡¯t know, but the authorities are looking for you everywhere now. You have to hide well. Don¡¯t be discovered by them.¡± Xiao Juan replied softly, ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Niaoniao touched the back of his hand. It still felt hot. She couldn¡¯t help but speed up. She had to get back quickly. When they returned to the Mountain God Temple, Yu Niaoniao lit the fire again and took out the herbs she had bought.. Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: Confession (2) Chapter 629: Confession (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Fortunately, she had bought a casserole when she bought the medicine today. She placed the herbs in the casserole, added water, and boiled them on the fire. Soon, a strong bitter medicinal smell wafted out. Yu Niaoniao took out the new ointment and smiled proudly as if she was taking credit. ¡°Look, I bought medicine!¡± Xiao Juan did not look at the ointment in her hand. His gaze remained on her forehead. Her torehead was wrapped in gauze. Because she had fallen in the mountains, there were some muddy spots on the white gauze. Coupled with her dirty dress, she looked like a little beggar. She was in such a sorry state, but she was still smiling, her eyes sparkling. Xiao Juan felt his heart ache and soften. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± If not for him, she would not have suffered so much, let alone fallen to this state. Yu Niaoniao urged, ¡°Don¡¯t always be sorry. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why are you always apologizing? Take off your clothes. I¡¯ll apply medicine for you.¡± Xiao Juan did not move. He was silent for a long time before telling the truth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I actually left you just now.¡± The smile on Yu Niaoniao¡¯s face froze. She looked at him blankly, her eyes puzzled and stunned. ¡°Why did you leave me? Did I do something wrong?¡± The medicinal soup in the casserole was gurgling. Hot steam rose, and the bitter smell of medicine filled the tip of his nose. The bitterness seemed to seep through his skin and into Xiao Juan¡¯s heart. ¡°You¡¯re very good. I¡¯m the one who dragged you down. As long as I leave you, you won¡¯t have to hide anymore.¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t bear to part with you. I hadn¡¯t gone far when I came back.¡± ¡°Niaoniao, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m too selfish. Even though I knew it would harm you, I didn¡¯t want to let go of you. A despicable fellow like me is not worth being so good to me.¡± His voice faded, and even the light in his eyes dimmed. He just sat there quietly, silent and weak, like a criminal waiting to be judged. Whether he lived or died depended on what the person in front of him said. Yu Niaoniao knew that Xiao Juan liked to think about nonsense, but she did not expect him to view their relationship like this. She sighed softly. ¡°Ah Juan, did I never tell you that I like you? Xiao Juan was stunned. He had imagined many outcomes before confessing. The only thing he did not expect was such an answer. Yu Niaoniao placed her hands on his knees, raised her head, and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. ¡°If I didn¡¯t tell you before, you should know now. Ah Juan, I like you. It¡¯s the kind of love that would keep me with you for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m with you, I¡¯ll feel at ease. You¡¯re extremely important to me.¡± ¡°Now I have nothing. I only have you. If even you leave me, what do you want me to do?¡± With that, she kissed him again. Xiao Juan was already feverish and dizzy. He was even more confused by her kiss. Unknowingly, his lapels were pulled open and Yu Niaoniap¡¯s palms pressed against his chest. He was wide awake in an instant and took her hand. ¡°Enough.¡± He was happy because of her confession, but it was really not appropriate to do those things now and here. Most of all, he was afraid she was acting on impulse now. He was afraid she would regret it in the future. Yu Niaoniao blinked and said innocently, ¡°I just want to help you take off your clothes so that I can help you apply medication.¡± He let go of Niaoniao¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Yu Niaoniao moved back a little and watched calmly as he undressed. Her gaze was too heavy, making Xiao Juan feel inexplicably shy. Although this was not the first time he had undressed in front of her, she had never stared at his body without blinking before. Especially since he still had the smell of her on his lips. It felt even more ambiguous. Xiao Juan wanted her to stop looking, but he felt that this was too feminine and could only endure it. Silently, he took off his shirt, revealing his gauze-wrapped upper body. Yu Niaoniao leaned over and helped him remove the gauze on his body. When the medicine was applied, she helped him wrap the gauze again. Coincidentally, the medicine was ready. Yu Niaoniao poured the medicine from the casserole into a bowl, cooled it a little, and handed it to him. ¡°Drink up.¡± The medicine was very bitter, but Xiao Juan did not seem to be able to taste it. He drank half a bowl without changing his expression. He handed the remaining half bowl of medicine to Niaoniao. ¡°You have a head injury. You have to take medicine too.¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately cheated. ¡°Feed me.¡± She reached out her fair finger and tapped Xiao Juan¡¯s lips. ¡°You have to feed it with your mouth.¡± Xiao Juan felt that Niaoniao was too enthusiastic this night. He was very afraid that he would do something to her if he could not control himself. Although Niaoniao said that she liked him, he was still worried. Now that he had nothing, he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t be able to give her the future she wanted. If the two of them really consummated their marriage, she would not even have a chance to go back on her word in the future. This concerned her lifelong happiness. Xiao Juan wanted her to think about it again and not be in a hurry to make a decision. Xiao Juan forced himself to harden his heart and whispered, ¡°Drink it yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If you don¡¯t feed me, I won¡¯t drink it. At most, my wound will fester and I¡¯ll die of pain.¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. His heart, which had just hardened, softened again. He poured medicine into his mouth, then bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. Yu Niaoniao immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. The bitter medicinal juice was diverted into her mouth. After she swallowed the medicine, Xiao Juan wanted to let go of her, but she clung to him like an octopus. Yu Niaoniao leaned over and kissed his chin. ¡°Do you like me?¡± This was obvious. There was no need to lie. Xiao Juan replied gloomily, ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled like a demon. ¡°Don¡¯t say yes. Do you like me or not?¡± like¡­.¡± Yu Niaoniao kissed him again and coaxed, ¡°Be clear. Who likes who?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him expectantly. Xiao Juan held it in for a long time before finally spitting out the words he had suppressed in his heart. ¡°I love you.¡± He wasn¡¯t talking about liking. He was talking about love. Like was possession, but love was restraint. He would rather be hurt so that the other party to live well. Yu Niaoniao could not help but kiss him again. He had been so insecure because he could not be sure of their relationship. In that case, she would completely confirm their relationship as husband and wife. Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Cherish Chapter 630: Cherish Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was a night of passion. When Niaoniao woke up, it was already the next day. The fire had long been extinguished, and messy clothes were scattered on the ground. She sat in Xiao Juan¡¯s arms, wearing his coat. His steady heartbeat was in her ears. After a while, Yu Niaoniao gradually woke up. She placed her hands on Xiao Juan¡¯s chest and sat up slightly. It was just a small action, but it made her ache, especially in her waist and legs. Xiao Juan woke up. He immediately opened his eyes and saw Niaoniao frowning slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± Yu Niaoniao snorted. ¡°My waist hurts.¡± Xiao Juan touched her waist. ¡°Is it here? I¡¯ll rub it for you.¡± He didn¡¯t dare rub too hard. He rubbed it very gently. Yu Niaoniao felt itchy and could not help but laugh. ¡°Haha, forget it, forget it. Stop rubbing.¡± Xiao Juan was a little embarrassed by her giggle, but he could not bear to let go of her. He pulled her back into his arms and lowered his head to her neck. He gently bit the back of her neck. A faint red mark was left on her originally fair skin. Yu Niaoniao took a deep breath in pain. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her voice was soft and nasal. Xiao Juan then kissed the red mark. His thick eyelashes lowered to hide the uneasiness in his eyes. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Niaoniao, you won¡¯t regret it in the future, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao originally wanted to tease him, but when she thought of the worry he had shown last night, she held back. This guy looked quite big, but he was actually very sensitive. Especially when it came to relationships. He couldn¡¯t take any jokes. Yu Niaoniao could only patiently give a serious answer. ¡°I won¡¯t. ¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Then do you really like me? Not because of guilt or anything else, right?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart settled. Last night¡¯s Niaoniao was too enthusiastic, making him feel unreal. He was afraid that it was all a dream, and even more afraid that it was a moment of impulse. Fortunately, his worries did not come true. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then I have a question.¡± Xiao Juan let go of her a little and looked at her seriously. ¡°Ask.¡± Whatever the problem, he would tell her everything. Yu Niaoniao touched his flat and strong abs and asked with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel hungry?¡± Xiao Juan was speechless. He thought that Niaoniao was going to ask an important question related to their future. He did not expect her to ask such a question. Yu Niaoniao felt that it felt good, so she touched his abs again. Her soft fingers circled his body. ¡°I ran around all day yesterday and didn¡¯t eat much. I spent the night with you. I¡¯m starving now.¡± Xiao Juan did not notice that he was being taken advantage of. His mind was filled with the many discordant images of his time with Niaoniao the night before, and the tips of his ears quietly turned red. ¡°I¡¯ll find you something to eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I bought roast chicken yesterday. It can be eaten when it¡¯s hot. ¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They dressed. Xiao Juan lit the fire again and roasted the chicken on it. The chicken skin was sizzling with oil, and the fragrance drilled into her nose. Yu Niaoniao squatted beside the fire and stared at the roasted chicken without blinking. She was drooling. When the roasted chicken was hot, Xiao Juan tore off one of the drumsticks and gave it to her. ¡°Eat.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not stand on ceremony with him and ate the drumstick in big mouthfuls. This roasted chicken tasted good, to begin with. In addition, she was extremely hungry, so the deliciousness was doubled! After she finished the drumstick in her hand, Xiao Juan handed her the other drumstick. Yu Niaoniao licked her fingers. ¡°I don¡¯t want chicken drumsticks anymore. I want chicken wings.¡± Xiao Juan tore off both chicken wings and gave them to her. The two of them finished the entire roasted chicken. Yu Niaoniao took out her water bag and poured two large mouthfuls of water into her mouth. She could not help but sigh. ¡°It feels so good to eat and drink my fill!¡± Xiao Juan took the water bag from her and took two sips. A small hand suddenly reached over and covered his forehead. Xiao Juan stopped holding the water bag. He looked at Niaoniao in confusion. Yu Niaoniao retracted her hand and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s great. It¡¯s not so hot Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao said proudly, ¡°I saved you this time. You have to be grateful forever. In the future, you have to be good to me. You have to listen to me about everything. I have to decide everything at home.¡± Facing her unreasonable request, Xiao Juan accepted it completely. ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Also, I¡¯m the only one in your heart. There can¡¯t be anyone else.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Most importantly, you¡¯re not allowed to run away without a word again. You¡¯re mine now. No matter where you go in the future, you have to report to me first.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Okay.¡± He looked serious and strict. Every promise came from the bottom of his heart. Yu Niaoniao liked him like this the most. He was extremely cute. She couldn¡¯t help but lean over and give him a big bear hug. She rubbed her cheek against his chin, but it itched and hurt from the stubble on his chin. She bit his lip as if in a fit of pique. The bite hurt a little. However, not only did Xiao Juan not dodge, but he even hugged her to prevent her from falling off him. Yu Niaoniao hugged his neck and kissed him from time to time. It tickled his heart like a cat. Xiao Juan could not help but want to kiss her back, but she retreated and deliberately parted his lips. When he gave up helplessly, she leaned forward to continue kissing him. Xiao Juan was like a big cat being teased by a kitten. He was very helpless and willing, and filled with indulgence. Outside, the rain had stopped. The ground was still wet, but the sky was surprisingly clean. The vegetation was emerald green and lush, and sparkling dew dripped from the petals. Occasionally, birds would fly past, and a breeze blew into the Mountain God Temple. It had the peace and beauty of a paradise. At first, Yu Niaoniao only wanted to tease Xiao Juan, but unknowingly, sparks flew. Although she had already caused a ruckus all night last night, it was far from enough for a young man who had just tasted it. Their bodies pressed together again. They expressed their love for each other without restraint. The Imperial Court¡¯s arrest warrant for them had not stopped. Countless people were looking for them. The future path was filled with thorns. No one knew what their tomorrow would be. For them, was already an honor to meet in this life. They did not dare to ask for more. The only thing they could do now was cherish every moment they had.. Chapter 631 - Chapter 631: Thousands of Dangers Chapter 631: Thousands of Dangers Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although Xiao Juan¡¯s fever had subsided, his injuries had yet to recover. Yu Niaoniao planned to stay in the Mountain God Temple for two more days. At the very least, she would wait for Xiao Juan¡¯s wound to scatter before setting off again. Her intention was for Xiao Juan¡¯s own good. But for some reason, as long as the two of them were together, the scene would gradually become discordant. They were like two skin-hungry patients who could not help but touch each other; it was as if this was the only way to comfort each other. They spent three shameless days like this. Xiao Juan¡¯s wound finally began to scab. Yu Niaoniao could not wait to pack up and continue on her way. Before leaving, Xiao Juan could not help but turn around and look at the Mountain God Temple. He actually felt a little reluctant. Although the past few days had been bitter, it was enough for him to remember happy memories for the rest of his life. The two of them could not take the official road and could only take the winding and rugged mountain road. There were many snakes, insects, rats, and ants in the mountains. Occasionally, they could even encounter ferocious beasts. Fortunately, Xiao Juan¡¯s Qinggong was impressive. He shuttled through the forest with Niaoniao and quickly escaped the pursuit of the ferocious beasts. They traveled through the mountains for four days before finally seeing people again. Ahead was a small town. Logically speaking, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan should not go to such a crowded place again. However, they were almost out of dry food in their bags. They had to replenish it. The two of them sneaked into the town and realized that although this town was small, there were many people. There were often soldiers patrolling the streets, and there was even Xiao Juan¡¯s wanted order stuck on the noticeboard. However, because Xiao Juan was too down and out now, he was almost a different person from the portrait. Even when he brushed past the soldiers, no one recognized him. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan sat down at the teahouse by the roadside. ¡°Two bowls of Yang Chun noodles with an egg each.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The boss was busy at the stove. The diners at the other tables were focused on their food. Yu Niaoniao looked at Xiao Juan, who was sitting opposite the table, and suddenly had a naughty intention. She quietly stretched out her foot and reached under the table to rub against his calf. Xiao Juan sensed her small actions and cheap trick. He wanted to wrap his legs around her restless little foot. Yu Niaoniao quickly retracted her foot, causing him to miss. She propped her chin on one hand and deliberately gave him a provocative smile. Xiao Juan really wanted to kiss the corners of her mouth. However, there were people everywhere now. They could not be too intimate in public. He could only sit still, as he missed his days in the Mountain Temple. At that time, they could be intimate with each other without restraint. And now he could only watch her silently. He could do nothing. Yu Niaoniao could not help but raise her butt and move to the stool beside him. She grabbed Xiao Juan¡¯s hand under the table and placed it in her lap. Then she scratched his palm with her fingers. Xiao Juan immediately held her hand and rubbed the back of it with his fingers. His movements were secret and intimate, filled with an indescribable love. Yu Niaoniao patted the back of his hand with her other hand, indicating that he should let go. Xiao Juan obediently loosened his fingers. Yu Niaoniao turned his palm over and threaded five fingers through his. Then she clasped them tightly. Their fingers intertwined, as their palms touched. Xiao Juan could not help but call out. ¡°Niaoniao. ¡± His voice was low and a little hoarse, making Niaoniao¡¯s ears itch. She felt sweet and helpless. Oh my, what a clingy big fellow. At this moment, the boss brought two large bowls of hot Yang Chun noodles to the table. ¡°Please enjoy.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s attention was immediately attracted by the fragrant noodles. She quickly withdrew her hand and picked up her chopsticks to eat. Xiao Juan looked down at his empty palm and felt his heart empty. Then, he looked at Yu Niaoniao. Seeing that she was focused on the noodles, he could not help but feel a little helpless. Yu Niaoniao picked up the sunny-side up egg in her bowl with her chopsticks. The eggs were fried until both sides were golden. When she took a bite, they were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They were very fragrant! Yu Niaoniao could not help but sigh. ¡°This sunny-side up is really delicious!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, there was a sunny-side up in her bowl. She looked up and realized that Xiao Juan had given her the sunny-side up in his bowl. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Eat it. If there¡¯s not enough, add more.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not stand on ceremony with him and ate the sunny-side up in two or three bites. After a bowl of Yang Chun noodles each, the two of them felt warm. Xiao Juan took out the water bag he carried with him and filled it with water. After paying the bill, he brought Yu Niaoniao to the bun shop to buy a bag full of steamed buns. The two of them planned to leave the town, but not long after, they saw a large group of soldiers appear in front of them. The soldiers were chasing a man. The two sides raced down the street, one after the other. The stalls on the street were knocked askew, and complaints and shouts filled the air. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan could not even protect themselves, so they naturally did not want to cause trouble. Just as they were about to turn around and leave, they caught a glimpse of the man from the corner of their eyes and stopped in unison. That person was actually Meng Xizhou, whom she had not seen for a long time! What was he doing here? No matter the reason, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan could not sit back and do nothing. Yu Niaoniao looked around and quickly locked her gaze on the flagpole not far away. She tugged at Xiao Juan¡¯s sleeve and pointed at the flagpole. Xiao Juan immediately understood. Meng Xizhou ran like the wind. Even so, he could not shake off the pursuers behind him. If this continued, he would definitely be caught. At this moment, a flagpole standing beside him suddenly broke and fell straight toward Meng Xizhou! Meng Xizhou sped up and rushed over. The flagpole fell close to his back. The soldiers in hot pursuit stopped in fear. The distance between the two widened. Meng Xiuzhou was about to run forward when a hand from the crowd suddenly grabbed his arm accurately and pulled him away. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the crowd. The soldiers naturally refused to give up. They immediately spread out and began to search the entire town. The people who saved Meng Xizhou were naturally Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. They were also the ones who broke the flagpole just now. When Meng Xizhou saw the two of them, he was shocked and happy. He spoke incoherently. ¡°Your Highness, Princess Consort, that¡¯s great! You¡¯re still alive! I finally found you!¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Meng Xizhou panted and said quickly. ¡°Little Lo asked me to look for you. He said that you would definitely come to Liaodong County. This is the only way to Liaodong County. I was waiting for you here. I didn¡¯t expect the Imperial Court¡¯s pursuers to arrive first.¡± ¡°From the looks of it, they should also know that you¡¯re going to Liaodong County and set up an ambush here in advance.¡± Xiao Juan was not surprised. With Shen Zhuo¡¯s methods, he would definitely not let him reach Liaodong County alive. His journey must have been filled with danger. Chapter 632 - Chapter 632: Surrounded Chapter 632: Surrounded Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The entire town was surrounded by soldiers. No one was allowed to leave the town. Originally, Xiao Juan was prepared to leave this place as soon as possible. In this situation, they definitely could not leave. They could only find a place to hide in the town for the time being. However, soon, the soldiers began to search the town. The town was only so big. It was only a matter of time before they were found. The three of them hid in a grocery store. The owner of this shop had gone overseas to visit his relatives. He had not been at home for the past few days and the shop had been empty. It was convenient for the three of them to hide. Xiao Juan looked out through the crack in the door. The commoners had already been ordered to stay at home and were not allowed to go out again. Now, the street was empty and only the figures of the soldiers could be seen. Meng Xizhou paced back and forth uneasily. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Xiao Juan turned to look at him and asked, ¡®Why did Little Lo ask you to look for us? Did something happen in Liaodong County?¡± He had to admit that Duke Lang was indeed Duke Lang. His intuition was really sharp. Meng Xizhou said bitterly, ¡°The Eastern Expedition Army was defeated, and Liaodong County fell completely.¡± Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao were stunned at the same time. Yu Niaoniao asked in disbelief, ¡°How did this happen?¡± Meng Xizhou said, ¡°The Imperial Court stopped providing support to Liaodong and even took back the rations that were sent to Liaodong previously. There was nothing to eat for the 300,000 Eastern Expedition Army. They could only fight on the battlefield on an empty stomach. In the end, they could only¡­¡± At this point, his eyes turned red. His hands were clenched into fists, and he had nowhere to vent his anger. The Eastern Expedition Army was united and fought the enemy with all their might. They could clearly win. As long as they had food, they could chase the Chen Nation¡¯s enemy out! However, because of an imperial edict from the emperor, all the provisions were taken back, causing the soldiers to fall into an isolated situation. In the end, they suffered heavy casualties. As a result, the commoners in Liaodong County were slaughtered by the enemy. Their once calm and peaceful home was now covered in blood and corpses. Meng Xizhou wanted to rush into the palace and grab the emperor¡¯s collar to question him. Were those soldiers and commoners that perished not his people? Why did he give them up? Why did he leave them in the lurch? Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What about Guixi and Prince Min? Are they okay?¡± Meng Xizhou said, ¡°General Tang is injured. Fortunately, her life is fine. Prince Min and the heir are still fine. They led the remaining Eastern Expedition Army to hide in the forest. Little Lo guessed that the emperor would harm His Highness, so he came with me to pick you up.¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Little Lo is here too?¡± Meng Xizhou told them their plan. ¡°Yes, he was the one who asked me to wait for you here, but he was afraid that there would be an ambush here, so he separated from me. He agreed with me that if I didn¡¯t go back before dark today, it meant that something had happened to me. At that time, he would think of another way to receive His Highness.¡± Xiao Juan looked thoughtful. A moment later, he spoke to Meng Xizhou. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here for long. Later, I¡¯ll think of a way to distract the soldiers. Take the opportunity to leave with Niaoniao. After you find Little Lo, wait for me downstream of the Heron River.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately protested. ¡°You want to leave me behind again!¡± Xiao Juan explained, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for me to bring you along. Leave with Little Meng first. I promise I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not believe his words at all. She held Xiao Juan¡¯s hand tightly and said angrily. ¡°You promised me that you would be wherever I went in the future. We would never be separated again. Are you going back on your word?¡± Xiao Juan looked at her stubborn expression and sighed softly. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re with me.¡± He did not want her to take the risk, so he asked her to leave with Meng Xizhou. But she was unwilling. In that case, he could only bring her along and do his best to protect her. If they were really at their wits¡¯ end, they would die together. This could be considered to have fulfilled their relationship as husband and wife. Yu Niaoniao immediately beamed with joy. The three of them agreed on the details of the escape plan and then began to split up. The soldiers searched the town door to door. They quickly found the grocery. When they pushed open the door of the grocery store, two figures suddenly rushed out, scaring them so much that they hurriedly drew their sabers. When they looked over, they realized that the people who rushed out were Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao! The soldiers immediately chased after the two of them. As soon as they left, Meng Xizhou slipped out of the provision store. When the soldiers searching elsewhere heard that they had found the fugitive, they immediately swarmed toward the place where the fugitive had appeared. This way, the number of guards at the town¡¯s entrance greatly decreased. Meng Xizhou seized the opportunity to escape. He ran as fast as he could to find Lo Pingsha. The entire town fell into an unprecedentedly tense atmosphere because of Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. The soldiers surrounded the two of them from all directions. Xiao Juan brought Yu Niaoniao through the streets and alleys quickly. In the end, they were pincered from the front and back and had no way to escape. Xiao Juan used his qinggong to fly up to the roof with Niaoniao. They continued to escape on the tiles. These soldiers had been mobilized from the nearby government office. Although they usually practiced martial arts, they knew nothing about Qinggong. They could not fly to the roof as easily as Xiao Juan and could only carry ladders. However, by the time they brought the ladder over, Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao had already run away. The commander of the Imperial Guards, who had been observing in the dark, could not help but curse. ¡°Useless things!¡± Initially, he thought that he could take Xiao Juan down with numbers. In the end, he still had to do it himself. The commander of the Imperial Guards ordered, ¡°Go!¡± More than 200 Imperial Guards flew up to the roof in unison and chased after Xiao Juan. They were all experts carefully selected from more than 20,000 Imperial Guards. They were far from what those ordinary soldiers could compare to. Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao were quickly caught up by the Imperial Guards. A fierce battle was inevitable. He unsheathed the No Return Saber in his hand. The sharp blade reflected a terrifying cold light under the sun. The commander of the Imperial Guards said in a low voice, ¡°Xiao Juan, I know you¡¯re extraordinary, but it¡¯s difficult for two fists to fight four hands. Moreover, you have a weak woman by your side. It¡¯s impossible for you to escape. I advise you to put down your weapon and surrender obediently. Only then can you suffer less.¡± Xiao Juan ignored him. He held the No Return Saber in one hand and Niaoniao in the other and asked in a low voice. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°With you around, I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Xiao Juan curled his lips slightly. ¡°Then follow me closely.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he rushed towards the commander of the Imperial Guards like an arrow leaving the bow, the tip of the No Return Saber heading straight for his heart! The fierce killing intent swept over like a tide. The commander¡¯s expression changed drastically and he immediately raised his saber to block. The weapons collided with a crisp clang, making one¡¯s eardrums tremble.. Chapter 633 - Chapter 633: Cliff Chapter 633: Cliff Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan used all his strength to force their way out of the encirclement, but he was also injured. The arrow wound on his back had not healed, to begin with. Now that he was injured again, his condition could be said to be very bad. But he couldn¡¯t stop. The Imperial Guards were still in hot pursuit. Once they caught up, Xiao Juan would definitely die. At first, Xiao Juan could still use Qinggong. Later on, because he had bled too much, his stamina was exhausted, and his hand holding the No Return Saber was trembling. He no longer had the strength to use Qinggong. Seeing that they were about to be caught by the enemy, Yu Niaoniao pulled Xiao Juan and suddenly turned into a fork at the side. There was a carriage parked quietly on the side of the road. When Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were shopping in the town just now, Yu Niaoniao had noticed this carriage. She followed the route she remembered and returned here smoothly. Yu Niaoniao took the No Return Saber from Xiao Juan¡¯s hand and swung it to cut the noose. Then, she pulled Xiao Juan onto the horse. Xiao Juan¡¯s situation was not good at this moment. In order to prevent him from falling off the horse, Yu Niaoniao asked him to sit in front. She hugged his waist from behind and pulled the reins with the other hand. The horse galloped forward with the two of them. The imperial guards chased after them, but how could a person¡¯s two legs outrun a horse¡¯s four? Seeing that the two of them were about to escape from the town, the commander of the imperial guards shouted sternly. ¡°Archers!¡± The archers immediately stepped out of line. They flew to the roof, drew their bows, and nocked arrows. The arrows were all aimed at Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. Next, as long as the commander of the Imperial Guards gave the order, they could shoot the two of them off the horse. But they waited for a long time, but there was no order to shoot. They could not help but look at the commander of the Imperial Guards. The commander of the Imperial Guards had an ugly expression. He knew that as long as he gave the order to shoot, he could kill Xiao Juan. However, Yu Niaoniao was sitting behind Xiao Juan now. If he wanted to shoot Xiao Juan, he had to kill Yu Niaoniao first. However, before setting off, the emperor had specially instructed him not to hurt Yu Niaoniao. He had to bring her back to the Imperial Capital alive. If he killed Yu Niaoniao, the emperor would definitely blame him. He weighed the pros and cons in his heart before finally withdrawing all the archers. However, this did not mean that he would let Xiao Juan off. The Imperial Guards rode out of the town and chased after Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. Not long after, they saw a string of bright red blood on the ground. It should be the blood on Xiao Juan¡¯s body. The commander of the Imperial Guards sneered at the string of blood. ¡°Let¡¯s see where else you can run?!¡± They continued their pursuit along the blood trail and quickly reached the foot of the mountain. There were dense forests on both sides and endless winding mountain roads ahead. The commander of the Imperial Guards was vigilant and asked, ¡°Where does this road lead?¡± They had brought a local official as a guide on this trip. The official immediately stood up and answered respectfully. ¡°General, this path should lead to the top of the mountain.¡± The commander of the Imperial Guards did not understand why Xiao Juan would go to the top of the mountain, so he asked again. ¡°What¡¯s so special about the mountaintop?¡± The official answered truthfully, ¡°This is an ordinary mountain. If there¡¯s anything special, it¡¯s that there¡¯s a cliff at the top. There was once a hunter who accidentally lost his life by falling off the cliff. Since then, very few people have gone to the top of the mountain.¡± Hearing this, the last doubts in the commander¡¯s heart disappeared. He sneered disdainfully. ¡°Heh, they chose a dead end out of so many paths. How stupid The group followed the mountain path. On the way, they saw a few more bloodstains and hoofprints beside the blood. All of this proved that they were in the right direction. The imperial guards increased their speed and successfully arrived at the top of the mountain. However, they only saw a lonely horse and did not see Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. The imperial guards immediately scattered to search carefully. Soon, they found Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao at the edge of the cliff. Xiao Juan was seriously injured. At this moment, his face was pale and he was on the verge of collapse. He could only rely on Yu Niaoniao to barely stabilize himself. The commander of the Imperial Guards looked at the two people who had been forced into a corner like a hunter seeing his prey that he had been chasing for a long time. A smug smile appeared on his face. ¡°You finally have nowhere to run, don¡¯t you?¡± Xiao Juan said weakly, ¡°Let us go. Otherwise, we¡¯ll jump down from here.¡± The commander of the Imperial Guards laughed. ¡°Haha, you still want to threaten me when you¡¯re about to die? Do you think you¡¯re still Duke Lang? You¡¯re just a fugitive who deserves to die.¡± ¡°Even if you jump to your death from here, I can still bring your corpse back to report. ¡± At this point, he specially glanced at Yu Niaoniao, his tone filled with coaxing. ¡°Miss Yu is still young and has a good life in the future. There is really no need to sacrifice your precious life for a fugitive.¡± ¡°Come over to me now. I¡¯ll take you back to the Imperial Capital. The emperor is still waiting to see you.¡± At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was sweating profusely and her hair was messy. She looked very disheveled, but her demeanor was very firm. She said neither servile nor overbearing, ¡°Then please help me pass a message to Shen Zhuo. I¡¯ve already cut ties with him. Even if I die in the future, I won¡¯t see him again on the road to hell!¡± She could understand Shen Zhuo¡¯s desire to fight for the throne. In his position, he could only be stepped on if he could not rule the world. However, she could not accept it. Shen Zhuo had set a trap to lure Xiao Juan into the pit, causing Xiao Juan to bear the crime of regicide. He also sent people to hunt Xiao Juan down and abandoned the people of Liaodong and the 300,000 Eastern Expedition Army. Such a method was too sinister and vicious! The commander of the Imperial Guards¡¯ face immediately darkened. ¡°Miss Yu, it¡¯s your good fortune in your previous life that the emperor likes you! Such a heaven-sent opportunity to become a phoenix is something many people can¡¯t even dream of!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. If you want such good fortune, take it. If you can achieve good things with Shen Zhuo in the future, don¡¯t forget to treat me to a wedding banquet.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± The commander of the Imperial Guards flushed with agitation. ¡°How dare you insult the current emperor? Do you want to die?!¡± Yu Niaoniao clicked her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re so protective of Shen Zhuo. Looks like you¡¯re really devoted to him. Such deep love is really touching. Tsk, tsk, tsk. A guard has a deep crush on the handsome emperor. You can only hide your deep love in your heart and go to the ends of the earth to get a smile from your sweetheart. Aiyaya, you really love him!¡± The commander of the Imperial Guards exploded in anger. From the corner of his eye, he saw that the guards¡¯ expressions were very strange. Could it be that they really believed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s nonsense?! No, he could not let Yu Niaoniao continue talking nonsense. Otherwise, when these words reached the emperor¡¯s ears, he would definitely die with an incomplete body. The exasperated commander of the Imperial Guards ordered, ¡°Catch them!¡± Chapter 634 - Chapter 634: Survival Chapter 634: Survival Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although Xiao Juan threatened that they would jump down, the commander of the Imperial Guards thought that he was just threatening. If he really wanted to die, he would not have escaped here with so much difficulty. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just wait for death in the town? In the end, he would not want to die. As long as there was a chance of survival, it was impossible for him to commit suicide. Therefore, the commander of the Imperial Guards did not take Xiao Juan¡¯s threat seriously at all. The imperial guards pounced on Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to retreat. However, the cliff was behind them. They looked at each other. Xiao Juan asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded without hesitation. ¡°I trust you!¡± ¡°Then jump with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them turned around together and jumped off the cliff under everyone¡¯s stunned gazes! The expression of the commander of the Imperial Guards changed drastically. He hurriedly rushed forward to stop her. Unfortunately, it was too late. When he rushed to the edge of the cliff, Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao had already jumped down. The two of them fell straight down like kites with a broken string. In just a moment, they were gone. The commander of the imperial guards was in disbelief. ¡°Are they crazy? They actually jumped down!¡± Then, he grabbed the accompanying official and asked fiercely, ¡°What¡¯s under this cliff?¡± The official replied with trepidation, ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s the Heron River.¡± The commander of the Imperial Guards gave the order loudly with his last hope. ¡°The river water is deep. They might not die if they fall. Go down and look for them. Remember, I want to see them whether they¡¯re alive or if they¡¯re dead!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The elite guards quickly descended the mountain and headed straight for the Egret River. At the same time, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had already fallen heavily into the Heron River. Xiao Juan hugged Yu Niaoniao tightly. He used the last bit of his internal energy to protect their bodies from the sudden powerful water pressure. The cold river surrounded them, and the intense weightlessness made them dizzy. When his internal energy was exhausted, Xiao Juan could no longer hold on and fainted. Yu Niaoniao gripped his arm tightly and swam up desperately. The two of them had just surfaced a little when they were washed away by the rapid river. Water poured in through her ears and nose. It was uncomfortable. Even so, Yu Niaoniao did not dare to relax at all. She held Xiao Juan with one hand and paddled desperately with the other. But it was useless. The river was really too fast. The powerful water current did not allow her to struggle at all. She and Xiao Juan were washed further and further away. After an unknown period of time. Yu Niaoniao was about to run out of stamina. If this continued, she would sink too. Yu Niaoniao could not help but call out in her heart. Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha, where are you? It was as if God had heard her call. She vaguely saw a small boat floating in front of her. There was a person standing on it. From the way he was dressed, it seemed to be Meng Xizhou, who had not been separated from them for long. Yu Niaoniao seemed to have grabbed the last straw to clutch at and shouted with all her might. ¡°Help! We¡¯re here!¡± Meng Xizhou was standing at the bow and craning his neck to look. He muttered anxiously, ¡°Why aren¡¯t they here yet? Did something happen?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone shout for help. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan struggling in the river. He hurriedly took off his coat, shoes, and socks and plunged into the water, quickly swimming to their side. Lo Pingsha and Xia Haisheng paddled hard, and the small boat leaned towards Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were pulled onto the boat. They slumped to the deck, breathing hard. Lo Pingsha noticed the injuries on Xiao Juan¡¯s body and immediately said, ¡°Hurry up and carry Duke Lang in. He¡¯s seriously injured. He has to be treated immediately.¡± Meng Xizhou and Xia Haisheng worked together and carried Xiao Juan into the cabin and placed him on the bed. There were spare medicine boxes in the cabin. Lo Pingsha rolled up his sleeves, opened the medicine box, and began to treat Xiao Juan. Yu Niaoniao was worried, but she knew that she could not help much now, so she did not cause trouble at the side. She went to the next room to change into clean clothes. When she came out, she saw Meng Xizhou and Xia Haisheng rowing desperately. Although they had already met up with Duke Lang and the Princess Consort, the pursuers might not stop here. To be safe, they had to leave immediately. Yu Niaoniao was extremely tired. She found a seat and sat down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in the Xia family village? Why are you here?¡± Xia Haisheng was pleasantly surprised. He did not expect her to still remember him. He quickly explained, ¡°The Chen Nation¡¯s army attacked Liaodong, and our Xia family village was not spared. Many people in the village were killed by the Chen Nation. I fled into the mountains with the remaining villagers and happened to encounter General Tang and the others, who were also hiding in the mountains. When I heard that they were coming to pick you up, I took the initiative to help.¡± Meng Xizhou immediately said, ¡°Haisheng is very familiar with the terrain in Liaodong. With him leading the way, it saved us a lot of trouble.¡± Yu Niaoniao said sincerely, ¡°Haisheng, thank you.¡± Xia Haisheng was very embarrassed. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. If you hadn¡¯t saved us back then, everyone in our Xia family village would have died long ago. You¡¯re our savior. It¡¯s only right for us to do anything for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao did not expect that those people would remember this kindness until now just because she had saved some people on the way to find Xiao Juan. She had recognized the selfishness and cruelty of human nature in the palace and had been deeply shaken. But now she felt the warmth of human nature. Not everyone in this world was evil. There were also many good people who were kind and knew how to repay kindness. Lo Pingsha came out of the cabin. Yu Niaoniao immediately stood up and ran over to ask. ¡°How¡¯s Ah Juan¡¯s injury?¡± As Lo Pingsha rolled down his sleeve, he said, ¡°The wound has been bandaged. His life is not in danger for the time being. He needs to recuperate for a while.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll go see him.¡± With that, she hurriedly ran into the cabin. Yu Niaoniao pushed open the door and entered the room. She saw that Xiao Juan was already awake. ¡°Ah Juan, how are you feeling?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s face was pale and his voice was very weak. ¡°I¡¯m much better.¡± Yu Niaoniao held his hand tightly and smiled. ¡°We all survived.¡± Xiao Juan held her hand. ¡°Yes, we all survived.¡± Along the way, they experienced many pursuits and narrowly escaped death several times. They had almost lost their lives just now. At this moment, they could finally rest for a while. Yu Niaoniao leaned over to kiss him and pressed her cheek against his chest, rubbing against him. She said briskly, ¡°It¡¯s said that we¡¯ll be blessed after surviving a disaster. We¡¯ve experienced so much and survived. We¡¯ll definitely live happily in the future.¡± Xiao Juan looked down at her with an extremely gentle gaze. ¡°Yes..¡± Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: Choose One of Two Chapter 635: Choose One of Two Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Lo Pingsha walked in with the freshly brewed ginger soup and happened to see Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan snuggling intimately. He immediately stopped. For a moment, he could neither advance nor retreat. Xiao Juan looked up at him, and the gentleness in his eyes faded. In an instant, he returned to his usual unsmiling appearance. ¡°What is it?¡± Lo Pingsha said dryly, ¡°You¡¯ve just soaked in the river for a long time. You should drink a bowl of ginger soup to dispel the cold.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up and walked over, taking the tray from him. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Lo Pingsha turned to leave, but Xiao Juan stopped him. ¡°Wait a minute. I have something to ask you.¡± He obediently stood where he was. Seeing that he was a little pitiful, Yu Niaoniao said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Sit and talk.¡± Lo Pingsha obediently found a seat and sat down. Xiao Juan finished the ginger soup in his bowl and asked, ¡°Are Granny Xiu Yan and the others okay?¡± Lo Pingsha answered truthfully, ¡°They¡¯re with General Tang now. They¡¯re safe for the time being.¡± Xiao Juan turned to ask about the situation in Liaodong County. Lo Pingsha told him everything he knew. This battle caused more than half of the Eastern Expedition Army to die. The remaining Eastern Expedition Army hid in the forest, but this was only a temporary measure. The Chen Nation¡¯s army was burning, killing, and plundering in Liaodong County. The Eastern Expedition Army could not ignore it. More importantly, the Eastern Expedition Army had no food now. The entire army could only tighten their belts. If this continued, they would starve to death, if not be trapped. In short, the current Liaodong County was no longer safe. Even if Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao escaped to Liaodong County, they might not be able to survive. Xiao Juan looked at Lo Pingsha and asked. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Lo Pingsha had taken a risk to come so far to pick them up. He must have done more than worry about their safety. As expected, Lo Pingsha did have his own plans. ¡°The reason why Your Highness and the Princess Consort want to go to Liaodong County is because Liaodong County is safer for you.where you could be protected by General Tang and Prince Min.¡± ¡°But now, they can¡¯t even protect themselves, let alone protect you. This way, you will lose the meaning of escaping to Liaodong County.¡± ¡°I specially came to see you to tell you this information in advance so that you can think carefully before making a decision.¡± Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao understood what he meant. If they insisted on going to Liaodong County, it meant that they would be involved in the war between the two countries. No one knew if they would live or die. If they were unwilling to participate in the war, they would immediately change direction and continue to escape at the risk of being hunted. Choosing one of the two was a major decision that could change Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lives. Xiao Juan turned to look at Yu Niaoniao and asked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already make a decision? Why are you still asking me?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°No matter what my decision is, just tell me what you think.¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped smiling and said solemnly, ¡°Guixi and I are as close as sisters. I definitely won¡¯t abandon her.¡± Xiao Juan smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to Liaodong. We¡¯ll go together.¡± Instead of being chased around like a stray dog, it was better to fight those bandits from the Chen Nation to the death openly! Even if he unfortunately died in battle in the future, it would be a worthy death! Lo Pingsha got the answer he wanted and left silently with his empty bowl. Only Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were left in the room. Today, they had repeatedly gone to the edge of life and death. Now that they were finally safe, their tense nerves relaxed, and their bodies became exhausted. Yu Niaoniao yawned. She really wanted to sleep. Xiao Juan consciously moved inside. Yu Niaoniao took off her coat, shoes. and socks, lifted the blanket, and crawled in. She hugged Xiao Juan¡¯s arm and adjusted her posture to the most comfortable position. Then, she closed her eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Xiao Juan looked down at her sleeping face. He looked like a dragon protecting its beloved treasure, and his eyes were filled with her. Unknowingly, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. The boat sailed along the Heron River for three days before finally docking in the morning of the fourth day. They changed to a land route and continued on their way in a carriage. The closer they got to Liaodong County, the tighter the inspection of the various towns. In the end, Yu Niaoniao and the others did not dare to enter the city to replenish their supplies. They could only rely on hunting and picking wild fruits to fill their stomachs. It was difficult for them to move forward in this way. More than ten days passed. They crossed the mountains and bypassed the search of the officials of the Imperial Court and secretly sneaked into Liaodong County. However, they could not let their guard down. Although the Imperial Court¡¯s pursuit of them had come to an end, the flames of war were raging in Liaodong County. The figures of the Chen Nation¡¯s enemies could be seen everywhere. Yu Niaoniao and the others had to be doubly careful and try their best to avoid the eyes and ears of the Chen Nation. Xia Haisheng slid down the tree trunk and said, ¡°If we go further, we¡¯ll reach the Li family village. We passed by there on our way here. Because that village is remote, it hasn¡¯t been discovered by the Chen Nation for the time being. We can go there later to ask for food.¡± The five of them had not eaten a hot meal for many days. When they heard Xia Haisheng¡¯s words, they were immediately excited. They perked up and sped up. But before they could reach the Li family village, they heard shouts coming from afar. The five of them were immediately wary. Could it be that the Chen Nation¡¯s enemy had discovered this place? What they were afraid of really happened. It was a small team from the Chen Nation. Yu Niaoniao and the others had no choice but to stop and hide in the dense forest. They looked out through the gaps in the leaves and saw the Chen Nation people barge into the Li family village. Immediately after, heart-wrenching cries came from the village. The voice was heart-wrenching. A man held his daughter¡¯s hand and fled the village. However, before they could run far, they were caught by the Chen Nation. The man¡¯s ear was cut off and he immediately bled. However, he could not care less about the pain. He knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing, begging the other party to let his daughter go. But it was useless. The two Chen Nation people pressed his daughter to the ground and roughly tore her clothes. The man¡¯s eyes almost popped out. He wanted to rush forward to protect his daughter, but he was beaten even more fiercely by the Chen Nation. He was beaten until he could not fight back. He could only lie on the ground and watch his daughter be violated. Seeinq this scene, Yu Niaoniao could not take it anymore. Even if her whereabouts would be exposed because of this, she could not sit back and do nothing. She pulled an arrow from the quiver behind her and pulled back the bowstring. The arrowhead was aimed at the two Chen Nation people who were pressing against the little girl. Xiao Juan, Lo Pingsha, Meng Xizhou, and Xia Haisheng did not stop her. Whoosh. The arrow flew out and hit the neck of one of the soldiers! Immediately, blood splattered in all directions, spraying in the face of the Chen Nation soldier beside him. He screamed in fear and dodged back on all fours.. Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: About to Die Chapter 636: About to Die Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the past, Yu Niaoniao would definitely feel a little uncomfortable when she saw the arrow she shot kill a living person. But now, looking at the Chen Nation soldier lying in a pool of blood, her heart was as calm as water. She was terrifyingly calm the entire time. Because she understood something¡ª Not everyone in this world was worthy of being a person. At this moment, she was not killing a person, but an animal. She didn¡¯t need to feel any guilt. Yu Niaoniao shot a few more arrows. Every arrow could accurately take a life. When the last person from the Chen Nation who tried to escape was also shot and fell, Yu Niaoniao finally put down her bow. She turned around and wanted to say something to Xiao Juan, but she saw the other three looking at her strangely. She was puzzled. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Her archery was personally taught by Xiao Juan. Seeing her calmly shoot the enemy just now made his heart ache. He was gratified by her growth and his heart soared for her. Lo Pingsha, Meng Xizhou, and Xia Haisheng were sincerely impressed. This was especially the case for Xia Haisheng. The admiration in his eyes was about to overflow. The Princess Consort¡¯s archery was too powerful! Every arrow she shot just now seemed to have hit his heart. It was ridiculously dashing! Xiao Juan said without changing his expression, ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, he stood up and strode towards the Li family village. Yu Niaoniao and the other three quickly followed. Yu Niaoniao was a little worried that her actions would cause trouble for everyone. As she walked, she said, ¡°I was a little impulsive just now.¡± Although she said that, she had no intention of regretting it. Even if it happened again, she would still do it. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t attack just now, I would have.¡± Meng Xizhou, Lo Pingsha, and Xia Haisheng said right on the heels of that, ¡°The same goes for us!¡± They wanted to keep a low profile and travel, but this did not mean that they had to lose their conscience. In tnat situation just now, It was Impossible tor anyone witn tne guts to Sit back and do nothing. Hearing this, the worry in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart immediately dissipated. She was even a little touched. Back then, when she was in the Imperial Capital, she desperately wanted to seek justice for her family who had died tragically, but no one was willing to support her. Everyone thought that she was crazy and that the entire world was standing against her. Now, in order to save two strangers, she had rashly shot the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers. This nosy behavior received the unconditional support of her companions. Comparing the two, only she knew the difference. The five of them arrived at the village entrance. The little girl almost scrambled to her father¡¯s side. Father and daughter hugged each other and cried until they were out of breath. When they saw someone coming, they thought that it was the Chen Nation again and hurriedly got up to escape. Xia Haisheng hurriedly stopped them and communicated with them in the local dialect of Liaodong County. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s me! I¡¯m Xia Haisheng from the Xia family village. We came to your village not long ago. We shot the arrows just now. We¡¯re here to save you.¡± Hearing this, the father and daughter stopped. They saw Xia Haisheng¡¯s appearance clearly and confirmed that he was a friend and not an enemy. Only then did they lower their guard. The man¡¯s ear was still bleeding. Lo Pingsha took gauze and medicine from his bag and simply treated his wound. The cries in the Li family village had yet to stop; the wails were mixed with the excited laughter of the Chen Nation. Xia Haisheng said to the father and daughter. ¡°Leave quickly.¡± The man did not leave. Instead, he asked hopefully, ¡°You just said that you¡¯re here to save us. Are you planning to save the entire village? Xia Haisheng did not dare to make this decision. He turned to look at Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan gave an affirmative answer without hesitation. ¡°Yes.¡± Since he had already made a move, he might as well save them all. The man was at first delighted, then worried. ¡°There are more than a hundred people from the Chen Nation, but there are only five of you. Can you defeat them?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I have my ways.¡± The man seemed to have thought of something. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind to speak to his daughter. ¡°Go into the mountains and find a place to hide. I¡¯ll help them save the people.¡± Xia Haisheng was surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± The man choked. ¡°My father, mother, and my wife are in the village. I can¡¯t leave them alone. I have to go back and save them.¡± He had no choice just now. He could not save the entire family alone. He could only escape with his daughter. But now that someone was willing to help save him, he naturally had to do something. Although the little girl was trembling and disheveled, she was still thinking about her grandparents and mother. She knew that she could not help much. If she followed, she would only be a burden. She could only suppress the fear in her heart and say in a trembling voice, ¡°Father, you have to be careful.¡± Yu Niaoniao bent down and took off the scimitar from the waist of a Chen Nation citizen. She handed the scimitar to the little girl. ¡°Take it for self-defense.¡± The little girl took the heavy scimitar with both hands and choked. ¡°Thank you, Sister.¡± After the little girl left, the man introduced himself briefly. His name was Li Deyi. He was an ordinary farmer and would enter the mountains to hunt when he was free. At this moment, he was carrying a homemade bow, but his quiver was empty. Previously, in order to escape, he had used all his arrows. Yu Niaoniao looked at the corpses of the Chen Nation people on the ground and said ambiguously, ¡°No more, no less. There are exactly six of them. Could this be fate?¡± There were originally five of them. Now that Li Deyi was included, there were exactly six. Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed fate.¡± Even the heavens were helping them. It was obvious that their operation would definitely go smoothly. The six of them quickly took off all the clothes on the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers and replaced them with their own. Then, they hid the corpses in the bushes. Among them, only Xiao Juan could speak some simple Chen Nation language. Hence, Xiao Juan led the way and ran into the village with the other five. Xiao Juan pretended to be flustered and shouted in the Chen Nation language. ¡°The Eastern Expedition Army is here! They¡¯re about to kill their way in. Run!¡± His shout immediately shocked the Chen Nation soldiers who were still doing evil. A few of them did not even have time to pull up their pants before they hurriedly ran out of the house. After the Chen Nation¡¯s people plundered the village, it had already become a mess. Corpses lying in pools of blood could be seen everyvvhere. Even though Yu Niaoniao was already mentally prepared, she could not help but feel shocked. Li Deyi¡¯s eyes turned red as he clenched his fists. The veins on the back of his hand bulged. He had to do his best to suppress the urge to kill. Soon, all the Chen Nation soldiers ran out, led by a young general. This young general must have drunk some wine. His face was red and he was not dressed properly. He shouted at the top of his voice, ¡°Who said the Eastern Expedition Army was here? Where is the Eastern Expedition Army?¡± Xiao Juan walked forward. ¡°I was the one who saw the Eastern Expedition Army. ¡± The general¡¯s mind was not clear at this moment. Although he looked at the unfamiliar person in front of him, he did not think too much about it. After all, the other party was speaking the authentic Chen Nation language. He was clearly from the Chen Nation. ¡°Come here and tell me what happened in detail.¡± Xiao Juan walked up to him and lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s like this. I happened to encounter two soldiers from the Eastern Expedition Army just now. They said¡­ The general was dissatisfied. ¡°What did they say? Speak up!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Juan suddenly unsheathed the No Return Saber in his hand. Before anyone could react, the blade had already cut the general¡¯s throat. Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°They said that your death is imminent..¡± Chapter 637 - Chapter 637: Saving Someone Chapter 637: Saving Someone Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The sudden death of the general caused all the Chen Nation soldiers present to fall into a panic. They subconsciously retreated, then hurriedly drew their sabers and prepared to counterattack. However, without anyone to command them, these people were like to be in a state of disunity. They did not know which direction to attack, so they simply surrounded Xiao Juan. Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha protected Xiao Juan from both sides and helped him share the firepower. Li Deyi and Xia Haisheng also wanted to rush up, but Yu Niaoniao stopped them. Yu Niaoniao whispered, ¡°Follow me!¡± The three of them took advantage of the chaos to retreat and find a high place as quickly as possible. They hid behind cover and shot at the Chen Nation soldiers. Every time they hit someone, they would immediately move elsewhere to continue shooting. The Chen Nation soldiers kept being shot by the arrows and fell screaming. There were also archers among the Chen Nation soldiers. They wanted to draw their bows and shoot back, but the positions of Yu Niaoniao and the other two kept changing. They could not find the two of them at all. Every arrow they shot missed. Li Deyi saw through Yu Niaoniao¡¯s intentions. Relying on his familiarity with the Li family village, he took the initiative to take on the task of finding suitable positions. The three of them cooperated well. But soon the problem came¡­ They were almost out of arrows. Li Deyi was anxious. ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m out of arrows.¡± Xia Haisheng said, ¡°Me too!¡± Yu Niaoniao only had one last arrow left. Although they had already killed nearly twenty Chen Nation soldiers and Xiao Juan, Lo Pingsha, and Meng Xizhou had also dealt with a portion of them, there were still more than forty people left. Yu Niaoniao noticed the firewood piled in the corner beside her and suddenly had an idea. She led the way into a neighboring house, followed by Li Deyi and Xia Haisheng. The house was in a mess. Two corpses lay on the ground. An old man and a child were tied up in the corner. When the old man saw that someone had barged in, he thought that the Chen Nation soldiers had returned. He was both hateful and afraid, and his body could not help but tremble. The child cried until his voice was hoarse and kept calling his parents. When Li Deyi saw that it was them, he hurriedly said, ¡®Village Chief, it¡¯s me!¡± The old man heard a familiar voice and looked over. Only then did he realize that it was an acquaintance. ¡°Deyi, why is it you? Why are you dressed like this?¡± There was no time for small talk now. Yu Niaoniao interrupted and asked, ¡°Is there lamp oil?¡± The old village chief was a little dumbfounded by her question. He did not know what was going on with this girl in the Chen Nation¡¯s soldier¡¯s clothes. Li Deyi cut the ropes on them with his scimitar and urged them. ¡°Village Chief, tell me quickly! They¡¯re all good people who came to save our village. They¡¯ve already killed half of the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers outside.¡± Knowing that they had killed many Chen Nation soldiers, the old village chief immediately crawled to the bed and stuck half of his body under it. He straightened his arm and pulled out a pot. ¡°Here you go. All our lamp oil is here.¡± Yu Niaoniao casually pulled a shirt off the ground, tore it into strips, wrapped it around the arrowhead, and inserted it into the pottery jar. When she pulled it out again, the arrowhead was wrapped in lamp oil. She picked up the pot and threw it to Xia Haisheng. ¡°I have a mission for the two of you. It might be more dangerous.¡± Xia Haisheng and Li Deyi hurriedly said, ¡°Tell us, we¡¯ll definitely do as you say!¡± After explaining, Yu Niaoniao turned to look at the old village chief and said. ¡°Pack up some dry food and water, then think of a way to inform the others in the village to meet up at the village entrance. You can¡¯t live here anymore. You have to leave.¡± The old village chief quickly asked, ¡°Where can we go?¡± Now that Liaodong County was filled with people from the Chen Nation, the entire Liaodong County was no longer safe. Yu Niaoniao thought for a moment and quickly said, ¡°How about this? You guys go into the mountains and hide for a while. When we get rid of these Chen Nation people, we¡¯ll look for you. At that time, come with us.¡± The old village chief hurriedly replied, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Li Deyi could not help but say, ¡°Village Chief, please help me find my family. If they¡¯re still alive, please bring them out of the village.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will.¡± After leaving, Yu Niaoniao, Xia Haisheng, and Li Deyi split up. Xiao Juan, Meng Xizhou, and Lo Pingsha were still fighting the Chen Nation soldiers. The Chen Nation soldiers surrounded the three of them with their numbers. At this moment, they could not care less about moves and cooperation. They only waved their weapons at the three of them. The three of them were more or less injured. As they dealt with the enemy, they searched for a chance to escape. At this moment, they suddenly heard the sound of wheels crushing the ground, right on the heels of Xia Haisheng¡¯s roar¡ª ¡°Come this way!¡± Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xia Haisheng rushing over with a handcart. There was a mountain of firewood on the handcart. Xia Haisheng ran for a distance before suddenly letting go. Under the influence of inertia, the handcart rushed straight at the Chen Nation soldiers! The Chen Nation soldiers were so frightened that they dodged to the sides. Xiao Juan, Meng Xizhou, and Lo Pingsha seized the opportunity to break out of the encirclement. How could the Chen Nation soldiers let the three of them off? They immediately wanted to chase after them. Li Deyi, who was hiding on the roof, raised his pottery jar and smashed it at the Chen Nation soldiers with hatred. ¡°Go to hell!!¡± The pot exploded in the crowd, and lamp oil splattered with broken porcelain. Many Chen Nation soldiers were stained with lamp oil. Right on the heels of that, Yu Niaoniao, who had already pulled the bowstring, suddenly loosened her fingers. The bowstring suddenly flicked, and the last arrow was shot out! The arrowhead of this arrow burned with flames and drew a long golden-red arc in the air. In the end, it hit a Chen Nation soldier squarely. This person was covered in lamp oil. As soon as he was shot, the flames soared. He wailed in pain and ran wildly, wanting to call for help from his companions around him. As a result, the other Chen soldiers whose clothes were stained with lamp oil were also burned. The sparks landed on the ground and immediately spread along the lamp oil. Even the firewood on the handcart was burned. The fire grew stronger, and the surrounding houses were unfortunately implicated. Fortunately, the surviving villagers had been moved away in advance. The Chen Nation soldiers could no longer care less about chasing after Xiao Juan and the others. They all fled crazily. Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao successfully met. The six of them did not leave just like that. They first picked up the arrows and weapons that could still be used on the ground before taking away all the horses of the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers. After completing the aftermath, they left the village. Almost as soon as they appeared, the old village chief emerged from the forest with a large group of villagers. Li Deyi found his parents and daughter among them at a glance. He asked hurriedly, ¡°Where¡¯s the child¡¯s mother?¡± Father Li choked and said, ¡°Your wife didn¡¯t want to be bullied by the Chen Nation, so she knocked her head against the wall and died.¡± Li Deyi stood rooted to the ground as if he had been struck by lightning. After a while, he suddenly cried. ¡°Mother of the children, I¡¯ve let you down!¡± Chapter 638 - Chapter 638: Meeting Chapter 638: Meeting Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After the Chen Nation soldiers barged into the Li family village, they immediately killed all the young men in the village. Most of the people still alive were old, weak, women, and children. They did not have the ability to protect themselves. In this chaotic world, if they were left alone, it was equivalent to sending them to their deaths. Hence, Xiao Juan agreed to Yu Niaoniao¡¯s suggestion and brought these villagers along. The team, which originally only had five people, became ten times stronger in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao had reminded the villagers to bring dry food and water, so they did not have to worry about starving to death for the time being. But the villagers were still in low spirits. Among them was the young women. Although they had already changed into clean clothes, from their numb expressions and the wounds on their necks and wrists, it could be imagined that they had definitely been bullied by the Chen Nation soldiers previously. That night, they rested in the forest. Yu Niaoniao asked Lo Pingsha to boil some medicine and bring it to these women. She told the women that it was contraceptive medicine. Hearing this, the women picked up the medicine and drank it without thinking. Being bullied was already a great misfortune. If they had to get pregnant and have children for those beasts, it would be even worse than killing them. After drinking the medicine, they all heaved a sigh of relief. Yu Niaoniao fiddled with the fire in front of her more vigorously. She said gently, ¡°The more you care about this, the more smug those dogs will be. Why don¡¯t we treat it as if they bit us? In the future, we¡¯ll capture those dogs and chop off their things to feed them.¡± A little girl whispered back, ¡°Dogs don¡¯t eat that stuff.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s right. The dog didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why did you harm it?¡± These words made the others laugh. The atmosphere softened a lot. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow morning will be a new beginning. You still have a good life in the future.¡± The other little girl muttered, ¡°Do we have a future?¡± Yu Niaoniao said firmly, ¡°Of course, we all have a better future.¡± Along the way, they encountered some villages that had been attacked by the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers. As long as they could be saved, they would do their best. So their team grew. By the time they saw Tang Guixi, their team had more than 300 people. As soon as Tang Guixi saw them, she knew what they had experienced along the way. She did not say anything else and ordered someone to settle the commoners. This place was located in the deep mountains and old forests. There were few people around. Unless one was very familiar with this place, they would usually not be able to find this place. The 100,000 -strong Eastern Expedition Army was hidden here. They knew that they were going to stay here for a while, so they used the trees in the mountains to build wooden houses. Along the way, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan could see nearly a hundred wooden houses. Tang Guixi led them into the largest wooden house inside. ¡°The conditions here are simple. There are no tea leaves, only mountain spring water. Make do with it.¡± With that, Tang Guixi placed two bowls of water on the table. Yu Niaoniao looked at the thick gauze wrapped around her head and asked worriedly. ¡°How are your injuries? Are they serious?¡± Tang Guixi touched the gauze on her forehead and smiled indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was grazed by a stray arrow. It¡¯s just a superficial wound. It¡¯ll heal quickly.¡± The thought of an arrow grazing her scalp was terrifying. To think she could make it sound so casual. Yu Niaoniao could not help but say, ¡°You¡¯re really careless.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°I taking a leaf from you.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her eyebrows. ¡°You actually learned to shift the blame?¡± Tang Guixi scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯m clearly telling the truth.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao could not help but laugh. Seeing her laugh, Tang Guixi laughed too. The two of them had been separated for more than a year. Now that they saw each other again, their situation and appearance had changed greatly¡ª One was the down and out Princess Consort who was on the run, and the other was a female general who had been forced into a corner. Although their appearances had changed, they were still the same. They were still good sisters who could hand over their lives for each other¡¯s sake. Yu Niaoniao suddenly walked forward, stretched out her arms, and hugged Tang Guixi tightly. ¡°I missed you so much.¡± Tang Guixi patted her back. ¡°Me too.¡± Xiao Juan watched this scene quietly and was silently happy for Niaoniao. Ever since Niaoniao left the Imperial Capital, there had been a string in the depths of her heart that had been tense. Even when they met Lo Pingsha and Meng Xizhou later, that string still did not loosen. It was not until this moment that she faced her best sister that the tension in her heart completely relaxed. Niaoniao¡¯s mother and stepfather had passed away, and her biological father did not want her anymore. As for Yu Pingping and Yu Sheng, there was a high chance that she would never be able to see them again. Now, Tang Guixi was her only family. The reverse was the same. When the two of them were done talking, they changed the topic to serious business. Tang Guixi said, ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you can think of me at a critical moment and come thousands of miles to seek refuge with me, but you¡¯ve all seen the situation here. Now that I can¡¯t even protect myself, I don¡¯t know what the future will be.¡± She sighed at the end, looking very depressed. Now, she was not the only one. The morale of the entire Eastern Expedition Army was very low. Not only because they had been defeated, but also because the Imperial Court had given up on them. They had risked their lives for the Dayan Dynasty for so many years. They did not expect to be abandoned by the emperor in the end. How could this be reconciled? Yu Niaoniao held her hand and encouraged, ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged! Since Shen Zhuo has given up on Liaodong County, let¡¯s bring it over. We¡¯ll take over this land and the commoners living on it.¡± Tang Guixi was stunned at first, then she looked stunned and asked in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you thought of a rebellion?¡± To the ancients who were born and raised in subservience to the ruler, rebelling was an extremely treasonous thing. They did not even dare to think about it, let alone practice it. However, for Yu Niaoniao, who had a modern soul, there was no psychological burden in doing such a thing. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Shen Zhuo is narrow-minded. In order to satisfy his selfish desires, he can ignore the lives of the people of Liaodong. He¡¯s definitely not a wise ruler. Since he¡¯s heartless, there are no problems with you being unjust! He doesn¡¯t give us food and let the Eastern Expedition Army be slaughtered. If you still want to serve him, won¡¯t you be a fool?!¡± Tang Guixi was a little tempted by her words, but logic still prevented her from agreeing. ¡°A rebellion is not a small matter. If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll die without a burial place.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s already like this. Even if we don¡¯t rebel, will Shen Zhuo let us off? I bet even if you can defeat the Chen Nation¡¯s army in the future and snatch Liaodong County back, Shen Zhuo won¡¯t give you a way out. Because he wants the military power in your hands. He wants the entire Eastern Expedition Army and Liaodong County to listen to him alone..¡± Chapter 639 - Chapter 639: Useless Chapter 639: Useless Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Tang Guixi understood that Yu Niaoniao was right. Even if she tried her best to win this battle, Shen Zhuo would not let her off. In that case, why should she work for him anymore? In any case, the worst outcome was death. She might as well take a chance. Tang Guixi quickly made a decision. ¡°Damn the emperor. In the future, we¡¯ll do it alone!¡± Only then did Xiao Juan speak, ¡°Even if we want to mobilize, there¡¯s no need to be in a hurry. Our top priority now is to chase the Chen Nation¡¯s army out.¡± At the mention of this, Tang Guixi could not help but frown. ¡°We don¡¯t have any food now. The soldiers don¡¯t have enough to eat and can¡¯t fight at all.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her idea. ¡°There are still 100,000 people left in the Eastern Expedition Army. In addition to the commoners who came to hide, there are enough people to farm. As long as we can farm, there will be food.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°But we don¡¯t have any land to farm now.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°There is plenty of land. There are many fields near the Xia family village alone. Those are good fields that their ancestors worked hard to cultivate. They¡¯re perfect for growing food.¡± Tang Guixi looked helpless. ¡°I also know that those are good fields. The problem is that those fields have already been occupied by the Chen Nation. If we want to snatch the fields back, we have to fight them. However, we don¡¯t have any food now. The soldiers are all hungry. How can we go to the battlefield?¡± Xiao Juan said coldly, ¡°The Chen Nation has food, right?¡± Tang Guixi was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to¡­¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Since they like to snatch other people¡¯s things so much, let¡¯s snatch some food from them too. That¡¯s not too much, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°This is what it means to reciprocate!¡± Tang Guixi was deep in thought. ¡°That¡¯s not impossible. I know they ransacked the granaries of many county offices. There must be a lot of food stored. I wonder where they hid it?¡± The people of the Chen Nation would definitely hide an important resource like food. Xiao Juan said, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for the Shadow Guards to investigate this matter later. ¡± Tang Guixi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Thank you!¡± She had almost forgotten that investigating information was the specialty of shadow guards. The door was pushed open and Prince Min and his son strode in. Although they were both smiling happily, there was deep worry and exhaustion in their eyes. Prince Min smiled and greeted, ¡°Xiao Juan, Niaoniao, I¡¯ve long heard that you were coming, but I haven¡¯t seen you. I waited for a long time before you came.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up. ¡°Prince Min, long time no see.¡± Shen Xu sized her up and deliberately teased, ¡°From the looks of it, you must have suffered a lot along the way, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the bruises under his eyes and clicked her tongue. ¡°Tsk, you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re having a good time either. You probably couldn¡¯t sleep last night, right?¡± Shen Xu said angrily, ¡°We¡¯re trapped here and don¡¯t know if we can walk out alive. Anyone will be worried, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°What are you worried about? You were born with a golden spoon. You¡¯ve been living in luxury since you were young. You¡¯ve eaten all kinds of delicacies and worn silk. You have nothing to regret in your lire, SO let It go.¡± Shen Xu muttered, ¡°Who said I have no regrets? I¡¯m not even married.¡± At this point, he secretly glanced at Tang Guixi. However, Tang Guixi did not notice his little action. She said to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°It must have been hard on you all. Go and rest first. I¡¯ve already gotten someone to tidy up the room next door. You can live in it straight away.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were indeed tired. The two of them greeted Tang Guixi and went out together. As soon as they left, Prince Min asked, ¡°Guixi, we can only rely on picking wild fruits and hunting to fill our stomachs now, but this is not a long-term plan. Do you have any good ideas?¡± Although he was a prince, it had only been an empty title ever since the day he fled. The reason why he and his son were still alive was because of Tang Guixi. Now, Tang Guixi was their backbone. Tang Guixi comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Duke Lang and I have already thought of a solution. Wait a few more days.¡± Hearing this, Prince Min could not help but look forward to it. It seemed that Duke Lang was really capable. He had thought of a way as soon as he arrived. Shen Xu coughed lightly and pretended to say, ¡°If you need me for anything, just let me know.¡± Tang Guixi looked at him and scanned him, as if she was weighing something. Shen Xu was inexplicably nervous. He subconsciously straightened his back and puffed out his chest. He even tiptoed quietly to make himself look as tall as possible. After a while, he heard Tang Guixi say, ¡°You¡¯re too thin to do hard work.¡± Shen Xu was immediately unconvinced and straightened his neck to defend himself. ¡°I lost weight because I haven¡¯t eaten much recently. I¡¯m very strong. If you don¡¯t believe me, look!¡± With that, he raised his right arm, rolled up his sleeves, and squeezed his biceps hard. ¡°Look, I have muscles. Don¡¯t underestimate me. I¡¯m very strong! I can do any hard work!¡± Tang Guixi looked at his biceps; he could only squeeze out a little arc with all his might, and Tang Guoxian wanted to laugh. However, she probably held back to preserve his pride as a man. She asked, ¡°Then can you farm?¡± Shen Xu was stunned. He thought he had misheard and couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°What did you Tang Guixi explained patiently, ¡°Farming the fields. It¡¯s very difficult. Can you do it?¡± If there was really a field, all of them would have to go to the fields to farm. Only then could they collect the first batch of food before winter came. Shen Xu widened his eyes like an angry cat and said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m the heir of Prince Min. Are you asking me to farm?¡± Tang Guixi knew this would be the outcome. She said helplessly, ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t know how to do it. I still have things to do. Help yourselves.¡± With that, she walked out. Shen Xu was still angry. He complained to Prince Min. ¡°Father, she¡¯s bullying us!¡± Prince Min, however, was all smiles and looked happy. Seeing this, Shen Xu was very puzzled. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Prince Min placed his hands behind his back and said as he walked out, ¡°What Guixi meant just now was that we¡¯ll have fields soon. With fields, we¡¯ll have food. We won¡¯t have to starve in the future. Isn¡¯t this worth a smile?¡± Only then did Shen Xu realize that Tang Guixi¡¯s words had this meaning. Then he said, ¡°But she asked me to farm.¡± Prince Min glanced at his disappointing son. ¡°Then farm. It¡¯s a good opportunity for me to see that you¡¯re not really useless.¡± Shen Xu was speechless. He felt that his father was encouraging him, but for some reason, he felt that something was wrong.. Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Ambush Chapter 640: Ambush Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan¡¯s room was beside theirs. They only had to turn left and take a few steps. Two acquaintances stood at the door. It was Granny Xiu Yan and Ling Hai, whom they had not seen for a long time. As soon as they saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan, their eyes immediately turned red. Granny Xiu Yan looked much older. Her hair, which was originally only mixed with traces of white hair, had turned completely white and she had lost a lot of weight. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness and Princess Consort.¡± With that, she knelt down shakily. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly reached out to support her. ¡°We¡¯re all family. There¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Granny Xiu Yan first looked at Yu Niaoniao, then at Xiao Juan. There were tears in her eyes, but a gratified smile appeared on her face. ¡°That¡¯s great. You¡¯re all fine. That¡¯s great!¡± During this period of time, Granny Xiu Yan had been worried about Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao every day. She was so worried that she could not sleep at night. She could not do anything but pray for the two of them day and night, hoping that they would be safe. Now that she saw with her own eyes that they were all fine, Granny Xiu Yan could finally relax. For a moment, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan felt rather guilty. Granny Xiu Yan was already so old and should be at home enjoying her life, but she still had to be implicated by them and live in fear all day. Yu Niaoniao comforted her gently for a while before asking Granny Xiu Yan to stop crying. Granny Xiu Yan wiped her tears. ¡°Don¡¯t stand here. Go in and rest. Little Hai, boil water for the Duke and Princess Consort to bathe. I¡¯ll get some food. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped her. ¡°Stop working. We¡¯re not hungry.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°You¡¯ve been running around for so long. How can you not be hungry? Don¡¯t worry, my old bones can¡¯t do anything else, but I can cook.¡± Ling Hai added, ¡°I can help Granny. I won¡¯t tire her out.¡± Seeing their insistence, Yu Niaoniao could only let them be. The small wooden house was very simple. There was a bed against the wall and a cabinet beside it. There was a set of tables and chairs in the middle of the room. There was nothing else. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were not picky people. They were used to the current conditions. The bed was covered in bedding. It looked old. Fortunately, it had been washed clean and had been exposed to the sun for almost two days. It was soft to the touch. Soon, Granny Xiu Yan and Ling Hai returned. They brought food and hot water. The food was very simple. There were only cornmeal steamed buns and stir-fried wild vegetables. There was also a pot of wild chicken soup. Granny Xiu Yan was originally a little worried that Xiao Juan would not be able to eat. After all, his stomach had always been weak. It was not until she saw that Xiao Juan had finished a cornmeal steamed bun in two or three bites and did not look uncomfortable that she was relieved. As Yu Niaoniao ate, she asked, ¡°Have you eaten? If not, eat together.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly said, ¡°We¡¯ve all eaten. Take your time. Let us know if you have any instructions. We¡¯ll go out and get busy first.¡± With that, she left with Ling Hai. After Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan ate and drank their fill, they wiped their bodies with hot water from the bucket, changed into clean clothes, and lay on the bed to rest. They slept exceptionally peacefully. Under Xiao Juan¡¯s arrangements, the shadow guards disguised themselves and sneaked into the city. After figuring out the nearest military camp of the Chen Nation, they sneaked into the military camp at night and found the exact location of the granary. The next day, Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi led 100,000 Eastern Expedition troops to raid the enemy camp, catching the Chen Nation¡¯s army off guard. Because Yu Niaoniao could not help, she could only stay in the camp with the other old, weak, women, and children. She was bored, so she practiced archery on the drill ground. Although it was called a drill ground, it was actually an empty space temporarily opened up by the Eastern Expedition Army. There were dozens of targets erected in the empty space. This was where the soldiers usually trained. Today, they had all gone out to fight. The sky above the drill ground was empty and very quiet. Yu Niaoniao drew her bow and nocked an arrow, aiming at the distant target. Releasing her index finger, the arrow flew out with a whoosh and hit the bullseye. She shot more than ten arrows in a row. The sound of arrows could be heard clearly on the quiet drill ground. She felt her arm ache, so she put down her bow and arrow, planning to move her arm before continuing to practice. At this moment, two young ladies carefully leaned over. When Yu Niaoniao heard footsteps, she looked over and recognized the two girls from the Li family village. The taller one was called Li Hongye, and the shorter one was called Li Xing¡¯er. Li Hongye was bolder. She spoke first. ¡°Princess Consort, I¡¯m Hongye from the Li family village.¡± With that, she elbowed the girl beside her, hinting at her to speak quickly. The other girl whispered, ¡°My name is Xing¡¯er, Li Xing¡¯er.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°I know. I still remember you.¡± They were both delighted to hear that. She had thought that the Princess Consort would not take it to heart about small fries like them. She did not expect her to remember them. This was a great encouragement to them. Both of them looked excited. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Li Hongye rubbed her hands in embarrassment. ¡°We saw you shooting arrows here just now, so we came over to take a look out of curiosity. I didn¡¯t expect your archery to be so good. I know our request might be a little presumptuous, but I still want to ask you if you can teach us archery?¡± Yu Niaoniao was stunned. Yu Niaoniao was stunned. She had not expected such a request. Seeing that she was silent, Li Hongye and Li Xing¡¯er were very uneasy. Li Xing¡¯er wanted to beat a retreat, but Li Hongye refused to give up. She bit her lower lip and gritted her teeth to kneel down to Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Please teach us. We¡¯re willing to work for you!¡± Yu Niaoniao helped her up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. It¡¯s not impossible for me to teach you archery, but you have to tell me why you want to learn archery.¡± Hearing that she was willing to teach, Li Hongye¡¯s eyes immediately lit up and she hurriedly replied. ¡°Almost all the men in our Li Village are dead. Almost all the young people who are still alive are girls. If we don¡¯t want to be bullied, we can only think of a way to learn some life-saving skills.¡± Li Xing¡¯er nodded vigorously in agreement. Yu Niaoniao understood. ¡°I see. When do you plan to start learning?¡± Li Hongye looked impatient. ¡°Can I do it now?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled again. ¡°Sure.¡± She pointed at the bamboo basket with bows and arrows beside her and said, ¡°Go and choose a suitable bow and arrow yourself.¡± They obeyed. It was their first time using bows and arrows. They didn¡¯t even know how to put their hands. Yu Niaoniao could only teach them from the most basic posture. Li Hongye and Li Xing¡¯er studied extremely seriously. Shen Xu had come over. ¡°Yu Niaoniao, I want to ask you something.¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at him. ¡°What did you call me?¡± Shen Xu was speechless. He took a deep breath and endured the humiliation before changing his words. ¡®Cousin-in-law, can I ask you something?¡± Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Peerless Delicacies Chapter 641: Peerless Delicacies Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Ask.¡± Shen Xu looked at the two girls and coughed lightly. ¡°Can we talk in private?¡± Yu Niaoniao straightened the postures of Li Hongye and Li Xing¡¯er and asked them to maintain them. Then, she said to Shen Xu. ¡°Let¡¯s talk over there.¡± They walked under a large tree beside the drill ground. Shen Xu scratched his head and stammered, looking like he wanted to say something but did not know how to say it. Seeing that he was in such a difficult position, Yu Niaoniao could not help but become serious. Could it be that he really had something important? Just as she was thinking about it, she heard Shen Xu ask dryly. ¡°Can you farm?¡± Yu Niaoniao was immediately stunned. ¡°What did you say?¡± Since he had already said it, Shen Xu might as well go all out and pretend to be enl m ¡°It¡¯s farming. Didn¡¯t you grow up in the countryside? You must know how to farm.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao was speechless. ¡°Even if I grew up in the countryside, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean I know how to farm.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t farm, what will you eat?¡± Yu Niaoniao was defeated by his young master¡¯s thinking. She explained patiently, ¡°My family has some assets in Bashu. The fields in my family are rented out for others to plant. Besides, my family has a business other than fields. My stepfather is a calligrapher himself. Even if he has nothing, he can support a large family by selling calligraphy and paintings.¡± Shen Xu understood. So the countryside people were not as poor as he had imagined. He looked disappointed. ¡°So you don¡¯t know how to farm.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Although I¡¯ve never farmed personally, I¡¯ve followed my parents to the fields to play and seen how farmers farm.¡± Shen Xu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then can you teach me how to farm?¡± Yu Niaoniao thought that she had misheard and raised her hand to rub her ear. ¡°You want to learn to farm?¡± Shen Xu was a little embarrassed. ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± Although their lives were tough now, as the heir of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Shen Xu had been living in luxury since he was young. The word ¡°farming¡± should not exist in his dictionary. Shen Xu stammered, ¡°I-I just want to learn. Teach me.¡± Yu Niaoniao crossed her arms and said calmly, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the reason, I won¡¯t teach you.¡± Shen Xu had no choice but to tell the truth. ¡°Tang Guixi asked me to farm, but I didn¡¯t know how to. I came to ask you.¡± As Yu Niaoniao looked him up and down, her tone was filled with suspicion. ¡°Why are you so obedient to Guixi? Tell me the truth. Do you have ill intentions toward her?¡± Shen Xu denied it. ¡°My father said that Tang Guixi¡¯s words made sense and asked me to listen to her more.¡± Yu Niaoniao was skeptical. ¡°Is it really that simple?¡± Shen Xu asked, ¡°What else? Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. I just treat Tang Guixi as my sister!¡± Seeing that he refused to admit it, Yu Niaoniao could not ask further. She continued on to the previous topic. ¡°Although I¡¯ve seen others farm, I¡¯ve never actually done it myself. I can only talk about it theoretically. If you really want to learn how to farm, you can consult them.¡± With that, she raised her chin at the old men and women in the distance. Shen Xu looked over and saw the uncles and aunties sitting together weaving straw shoes. They were all ordinary people who had come to hide. Because they were old, they could not do heavy work. Usually, they could only make straw shoes and mend clothes. In the past, Shen Xu would definitely not be able to bring himself to ask the commoners for advice. But now that time had passed, he no longer had the capital to put on airs. He could only bite the bullet and walk towards the uncles and aunties. Seeing this, Yu Niaoniao could not help but smile. She returned to the drill ground and continued to teach Li Hongye and Li Xing¡¯er archery. They practiced for an entire day. When they returned, Niaoniao felt that her arms were very sore. If she was like this, the conditions of Li Hongye and Li Xing¡¯er must be even more serious. Yu Niaoniao thought that they would rest for a day the next day, but when she arrived at the drill ground, she realized that Li Hongye and Li Xinger had been waiting there for a long time. In addition to the two of them, there were more than a dozen young girls. Yesterday, after Li Hongye and Li Xing¡¯er returned, they told the others about learning archery from the County Princess. This made the other girls eager to try. Hence, they were all here today, wanting to learn archery with him. They did not expect to practice well. However, they had hopes that they could have a life-saving ability in this chaotic world. To Yu Niaoniao, chasing a flock of sheep was the same thing. So she agreed without much hesitation. The day passed quickly. The next morning, Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi returned with the Eastern Expedition Army. Their surprise attack had been a complete victory. Not only had they destroyed the enemy¡¯s camp, but they had also snatched all the food in it. The morale of the entire army soared. The soldiers, whom they had not seen for a long time, got busy and kneaded the dough especially vigorously. Soon, the fragrance of steamed buns filled the camp. The soldiers sucked in their breaths hard as they drooled. During this period of time, they had wild fruits and wild vegetables every day and occasionally added some wild animals. They had not eaten a proper meal for many days. They could finally eat to their heart¡¯s content today! When the white steamed buns were brought out, the soldiers were so touched that they cried. Even Prince Min and Shen Xu were no exception. They took a bite of the white and soft steamed bun and felt so happy that they were about to float. In the past, they would not even look at such dry steamed buns. But now, they really felt that white steamed buns were the best food in the world! They could be said to be peerless delicacies! Then, Tang Guixi waved her hand and sent a lot of food to the commoners living in the camp so that they could eat. It was like celebrating the New Year. Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with joy. The haze that had suppressed everyone¡¯s hearts for the past few days dissipated a lot. After eating and drinking their fill, the soldiers slept soundly. After everyone rested, Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi set off again. This time they split up, but the goal was the same place¡ª Xia Family Village. This was the method provided by Yu Niaoniao. They would start with the Xia family village and attack all the villages in that area. Because it was only a small village, the Chen Nation would definitely not send many soldiers to guard it. The success rate of the attack by the Eastern Expedition Army would naturally be much higher. After snatching back all the villages in that area, they would advance towards the nearest Heng City. If they attacked step by step like this, they would be able to take back the entire Liaodong County sooner or later. Knowing that the Eastern Expedition Army was going to take back the Xia family village, all the men in the Xia Family Village stepped out and volunteered to be the vanguard. Hence, Xia Haisheng formed the captain of this vanguard team. Relying on their familiarity with the terrain, they went through the forest and opened up a new route. The Eastern Expedition Army followed this route and approached the Xia Family Village without the enemy knowing.. Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Turning Point Chapter 642: Turning Point Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The truth was as Yu Niaoniao had expected. There were very few Chen Nation soldiers guarding the Xia family village. The Eastern Expedition Army easily took down the Xia family village. Right on the heels of that, they began to advance toward the surrounding villages and towns with the Xia family village as their stronghold. Battle after battle, more than a month passed in the blink of an eye. The villages near the Xia family village were recovered one after another. The soldiers of the Eastern Expedition were energetic. Tang Guixi struck while the iron was hot and attacked Heng City in one go. Although Heng City was small, it was by the mountains and rivers and had a geographical advantage. It was an important place with abundant resources, easy to defend, and difficult to attack. There were many soldiers stationed here in the Chen Nation¡¯s army. This also meant that the next battle of the Eastern Expedition Army would definitely be very difficult. Tang Guixi led her troops across the river and attacked from the front. Xiao Juan led another group over the mountain ridge and attacked from behind. They attacked from the front and back, cooperating with each other. After fighting for half a month, they still could not invade the city. The battle was in a stalemate. If this continued, the rations of the Eastern Expedition Army would not be able to sustain them. However, if they gave up now, all their previous efforts would be in vain. Tang Guixi was so anxious that she could not sleep for several nights. However, things changed. The turning point happened in the wee hours of the morning. At dawn, the city gate of Heng City suddenly opened by itself! A Chen Nation scout walked out with a scholar. The Chen Nation scout placed a knife to the scholar¡¯s neck. The scholar trembled and shouted at the Eastern Expedition Army in front of him. ¡°There¡¯s no need to kill envoys when two armies fight! We¡¯re here to negotiate!¡± Xia Haisheng looked at Tang Guixi. After receiving her permission, he ran forward with his shield. The two sides negotiated from a distance of ten feet. Xia Haisheng said, ¡°We have nothing to talk to you about!¡± The scholar had clearly been instructed. He spoke as if memorizing a lesson. ¡°The general of the Chen Nation said that their people have already found your nest and are attacking now. They will soon be able to wipe out your nest at once. You only have two choices now. Either rush back immediately to save them, or continue to stay here and waste time with them.¡± Hearing this, Xia Haisheng¡¯s expression immediately changed greatly. This expedition had almost exhausted all the troops of the Eastern Expedition Army. Now, the camp in the mountains was filled with the old, weak, women, and children. Most importantly, the Princess Consort was still there! If the camp in the mountains was attacked, those people would definitely not survive. Xia Haisheng forced himself to be calm. ¡°Why should we believe you?¡± The scholar said, ¡°They said your nest is hidden deep in the Mang Mountains.¡± Xia Haisheng was really flustered now. Their camp was indeed hidden in the depths of the mountain! What Chen Nation Army said was true. They were not lying! Xia Haisheng hurriedly ran back and told Tang Guixi about this. Tang Guixi was also anxious. But she knew that she could not panic at a time like this. She forced herself to calm down and quickly analyzed the situation. ¡°Since they already know where our camp is, there¡¯s no need to tell us about this. But now, they¡¯ve made this matter public and even forced us to retreat immediately. This could only mean one thing¡ª The situation in Heng City was even worse than we had expected. The Chen Army should not be able to hold on much longer. They were forced to negotiate with us. This is a rare opportunity for us. We can¡¯t let it go.¡± Xia Haisheng asked, ¡°But what about the Princess Consort?¡± Tang Guixi quickly made a decision. ¡°Go and tell Duke Lang about this and ask him to bring people back to save her. I¡¯ll stay here and continue to attack. I have to take down this Heng City!¡± After fighting for so long, they were almost out of ammunition and food. If they retreated, it would be equivalent to wasting all their previous efforts. Not only would this be a huge blow to their morale, but it would also cause the Eastern Expedition Army to fall into a crisis of running out of food again. The only way to resolve all the dangers facing the Eastern Expedition Army was to take down Heng City. Xia Haisheng led the vanguard team through the night and bypassed Heng City to find Xiao Juan and the others hidden in the forest. When Xiao Juan found out that Niaoniao might be in danger, he immediately ordered the troops to retreat. They hurried back without stopping. When they rushed back to the camp in a hurry, they saw wooden houses that had been burned to ruins. The ground was messy with footprints and blood, and there were many corpses lying by the roadside. Seeing such a tragic scene, Xiao Juan felt that the blood in his body was almost frozen. His brain was buzzing. He couldn¡¯t hear what the people around him were saying. He walked towards his residence with Niaoniao. As he walked, it became a run. Initially, he still had hope, but when he saw that the wooden house where he and Niaoniao lived had also been burned to ruins, the last hope in his heart was extinguished. ¡°Niaoniao, Niaoniao!¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes were red as he strode into the wooden house that had already become ruins. He searched it desperately, wanting to find traces of Niaoniao. Lo Pingsha, Meng Xizhou, Yan Nanguan, and the others also scattered and searched the camp carefully to see if they could find anyone alive. The corpses were also gathered by them. In the end, he realized that these corpses were all from the Chen Nation. Lo Pingsha told Xiao Juan about this. Xiao Juan immediately felt great hope. If the people who died were all from the Chen Nation, it meant that not only did the Chen Army not succeed in ambushing the camp, but they were also killed by Yu Niaoniao and the others. Then Yu Niaoniao should still be alive! They were not in the camp now. They were probably hiding. Xiao Juan immediately took out the quiver he carried and lit the fuse. A small arrow suddenly jumped out and exploded in the sky with a loud bang. This sound was especially abrupt in the silent forest. The nearby birds were so frightened that they flapped away. In a cave not far away, hundreds of people were crowded together. If one were to look carefully, one would see that they were all old, weak, women, and children. They were originally living in the camp as usual. They did not expect the Chen Army to suddenly attack two days ago. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao reacted quickly. She gathered everyone immediately. She led everyone to fight and retreat. The girls who had been learning archery from her played a huge role at this moment. They carried all the bows and arrows they could use. They did not care if they could hit. In short, they would shoot first. Finally, they fled the camp and hid in this cave. They had been hiding here for the past two days. They ate wild fruits when they were hungry and drank mountain spring water when they were thirsty. The others were fine, but Niaoniao felt especially uncomfortable. She did not know why, but her appetite had been bigger recently and she had eaten much more than usual. However, for the past two days, she could only rely on wild fruits to fill her stomach. It was really uncomfortable. But she couldn¡¯t say what was bothering her. She could only grit her teeth and endure it. Shen Xu realized that her expression was ugly and asked with concern, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand to indicate that she was fine. At that moment, they suddenly heard a loud bang. Everyone was shocked. They thought that the Chen Army was here again! Only Yu Niaoniao jumped up and shouted in surprise. ¡°Ah Juan is back!¡± Chapter 643 - Chapter 643: Severe Illness Chapter 643: Severe Illness Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao rushed out of the cave like a gust of wind and ran towards the camp. Because she ran too quickly, she accidentally tripped over the vines. Fortunately, there were thick weeds on the ground, so it did not hurt her much to fall on them. Ling Hai, who had caught up, hurriedly helped her up and asked with concern. ¡°Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand to indicate that she was fine. When they rushed to the camp, they happened to see Xiao Juan and the others preparing to go out to look for them. The two sides met at the entrance of the camp, both shocked and happy. Yu Niaoniao ran over and threw herself into Xiao Juan¡¯s arms, shouting excitedly. ¡°Ah Juan! I knew it was you! I knew it!¡± Xiao Juan hugged her tightly and lowered his head, greedily absorbing the warmth from her body. When he saw the burned wooden house just now, he felt like his world was spinning. It was as if the entire world had collapsed. He thought he would never see Niaoniao again. Fortunately, the heavens were not that cruel. Niaoniao was still alive. She returned safely to him. Everyone looked at the two of them hugging tightly and smiled kindly in unison. Shen Xu still felt indescribable envy. He wondered when he would be able to hug the woman he loved without any worries like Xiao Juan. When the two of them separated, Shen Xu walked forward and asked. ¡°Why are you the only ones back? Where¡¯s Tang Guixi?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°She¡¯s still leading troops to attack Heng City.¡± Shen Xu could not help but worry. ¡°Will she be fine?¡± Xiao Juan was very calm about this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she will definitely win this battle.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao hurriedly asked for the reason. Xiao Juan explained patiently. ¡°The Chen Army sent someone to negotiate with us and even used your lives as a bargaining chip to threaten us. It must be because there¡¯s a problem in Heng City. They can¡¯t hold on anymore and can only use this plan. I retreated with my troops first. Then, Tang Guixi pretended to retreat from Heng City. When the Chen Army in Heng City sees that we¡¯ve all left, they will definitely relax their vigilance. Once they relax, they will expose themselves. At that time, Tang Guixi can attack Heng City unprepared.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked enlightened. ¡°No wonder the Chen Army attacked us. They wanted to use us to disturb your morale.¡± Hearing this, Shen Xu, Ling Hai, and the others could not help but rejoice. Fortunately, Yu Niaoniao reacted quickly and escaped with them. In this way, not only did they protect their lives, but they also destroyed the Chen Army¡¯s evil plan, causing the Eastern Expedition Army to have no worries. The two sides were reconciled. The crisis was temporarily resolved. Everyone could rest well for a while. They buried the pot and cooked. Soon, smoke curled up. Smelling the fragrance of the food, Yu Niaoniao felt even hungrier. But this was not the time to eat. She had serious things to do. Previously, when the Chen Army attacked the camp, Yu Niaoniao organized everyone to counterattack and escape. Many people were injured in the battle. She gathered all these injured people and asked Lo Pingsha to treat them with the military doctors. Xiao Juan found Yu Niaoniao and handed her a bowl of hot soup. ¡°Nanny Xiu Yan just cooked it. Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± As soon as Yu Niaoniao smelled the fragrance, her stomach growled. Ignoring the heat, she picked up the bowl and ate. There were some wild vegetables added to the soup. The soup was cooked with wild chicken and was very fragrant. The large bowl of soup quickly bottomed out. She licked the bottom of the bowl reluctantly and asked expectantly, ¡°Is there any more?¡± Xiao Juan said that there was more and asked her to wait. He left with the empty bowl and soon brought back a large bowl of soup. Yu Niaoniao ate a little slower this time. Seeing that Xiao Juan had been standing quietly at the side and looking at her, she asked him, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Xiao Juan said that he had already eaten and told her to eat at ease. Granny Xiu Yan had cooked a lot of soup. If it was not enough, there was more. Yu Niaoniao immediately smiled. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Xiao Juan was puzzled. ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s good to be alive to see you again and eat such delicious food!¡± It was not that she was not afraid of the Chen Army¡¯s surprise attack. She just did not want to die. If she died, she would never see the person she loved again, never taste delicious food, and her life would be hastily ended. How regretful. She did not want to accept such an ending. No matter how afraid she was, she had to grit her teeth and remain calm. She had to live with courage. The second bowl of soup was wiped clean again. Yu Niaoniao still felt that she had not had enough. She returned the empty bowl to Xiao Juan and said boldly. ¡°Another bowl!¡± Xiao Juan brought her another bowl of soup without a word. Seeing this scene, Shen Xu could not help but say, ¡°Yu Niaoniao, aren¡¯t you eating too much?¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at him sideways. ¡®What did you call me?¡± Shen Xu changed his address aggrievedly. ¡°Cousin-in-law.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I didn¡¯t eat your rice. Why do you care how much I ate?¡± Shen Xu said angrily, ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered with how much you eat. I¡¯m worried that your stomach won¡¯t be able to digest it. You haven¡¯t looked well for the past two days. You should be feeling unwell. Now that you¡¯re suddenly eating too much, it¡¯s not good for your health. You really don¡¯t know how to appreciate good intentions!¡± Yu Niaoniao was quite surprised. She did not expect this rash heir to know how to care about people. Xiao Juan immediately asked, ¡°Niaoniao, are you feeling unwell? Are you sick?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I haven¡¯t eaten much in the past two days, so my expression naturally won¡¯t be too good. I¡¯ll be fine now that I¡¯m full. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She did look a little rosy now. She didn¡¯t look sick. However, to be on the safe side, Xiao Juan still called Lo Pingsha over. Since he was already in front of her, Yu Niaoniao had no choice but to put down the soup reluctantly and extend her right hand. She did not forget to mutter softly, ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Lo Pingsha placed two fingers on her wrist and carefully felt the pulse. For some reason, he took much longer than usual to take her pulse. Seeing this, Xiao Juan had a bad feeling¡ª It was just a pulse check. With Lo Pingsha¡¯s medical skills, he would usually come to a conclusion quickly. Why did it take so long this time? Could it be that it was a bad diagnosis? Yu Niaoniao was still thinking about the bowl of unfinished soup and was very anxious. Seeing that Lo Pingsha had not made a sound, she could not help but ask, ¡°Are you not ready yet?¡± Lo Pingsha frowned slightly, his expression unprecedentedly serious. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Seeing him like this, Xiao Juan¡¯s heart sank again.. Could it be that he had guessed correctly that Niaoniao was really seriously ill? Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: Happy Pulse Chapter 644: Happy Pulse Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao was also frightened by Lo Pingsha¡¯s serious appearance. Involuntarily, she straightened her demeanor. ¡°Ask away.¡± Lo Pingsha deliberately lowered his voice. ¡°May I ask when you last had your period Yu Niaoniao could not help but be stunned. Why would he ask such a question for no reason? But soon she had a guess and couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She tried her best to maintain her composure and recalled seriously. ¡°It must have been almost two months.¡± Lo Pingsha could not help but ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something wrong with not having your period for so long?¡± Yu Niaoniao scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯ve had a situation where it would be irregular in the past. I thought it would be the same this time, so I didn¡¯t take it to heart. Anyway, I don¡¯t feel uncomfortable.¡± Lo Pingsha was once again amazed by her carelessness. He withdrew his hand. ¡°Have you had anything else happen to you recently, other than not having your period?¡± Yu Niaoniao blinked. ¡°Does eating a lot count?¡± Lo Pingsha was someone who had seen many storms. At this moment, he still maintained his calm appearance. ¡°I guess so.¡± Then he asked, ¡°Have you ever felt nauseous?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head no. Lo Pingsha nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s good to eat and sleep.¡± Xiao Juan listened to their conversation and became even more confused. He could not help but ask, ¡°Little Lo, what¡¯s wrong with Niaoniao?¡± Lo Pingsha cupped his hands at Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao. With a smile on his race, ne sma onsKIY, ¡®€ongrauuauons, your rngnness ana me yrmcess Consort. It¡¯s a happy pulse. The Princess Consort is pregnant.¡± Xiao Juan was stunned by this sudden good news. He was stunned on the spot, like a stone statue. With her guess confirmed, Yu Niaoniao was naturally overjoyed. She raised her hand to her flat stomach. She did not expect to have a small life in his stomach. Lo Pingsha straightened up and instructed carefully. ¡°The Princess Consort has just been pregnant for a month. It¡¯s the most important time. You have to take special care. Don¡¯t do too intense movements and try not to run around and jump around. You have to be careful about your food. I¡¯ll make a list for you later. Other than that, the most important thing is to relax and maintain a relaxed and happy mood.¡± Yu Niaoniao agreed. ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll remember. I¡¯ll take good care of myself and the baby. Thank you.¡± Unexpectedly, Shen Xu suddenly spoke and exposed her in public. ¡°You were running so fast in the mountains just now that you accidentally fell on the way.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. She turned her head and gave Shen Xu a death stare. ¡°You talk too much!¡± Shen Xu pointed behind her and smiled as if he was watching a good show. Yu Niaoniao knew that something was wrong. She turned around and saw Xiao Juan frowning at her solemnly. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Did you just fall?¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed guiltily. ¡°Haha, I just fell gently. It didn¡¯t hurt at all. Haha¡­ She laughed until her voice trailed off and her head drooped. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Xiao Juan said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not being attentive enough to realize that you¡¯re pregnant. If I had known that you¡¯re pregnant, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have left your side, let alone let you fall.¡± The more he said that, the more ashamed Yu Niaoniao became. She leaned over and hugged Xiao Juan¡¯s arm. She pressed her head against his chest and rubbed it gently. ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore. Why would I need you to take care of me? I¡¯ll be careful in the future. I definitely won¡¯t fall again. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Juan hugged her. ¡°But I think you¡¯re like a child sometimes.¡± Seeing the two of them being intimate as if no one was around, Lo Pingsha tactfully left silently. Shen Xu originally wanted to see Yu Niaoniao being taught a lesson, but he did not expect to be forcefully fed a mouthful of PDA. He left angrily with a heart full of envy. Yu Niaoniao still remembered her unfinished bowl of soup. She picked it up to continue eating. Xiao Juan took the bowl away from her. ¡°It¡¯s a little cold. Get Granny Xiu Yan to warm it up. Tell her about the pregnancy and make her happy.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded in agreement. Like two children, the couple held hands and went to look for Granny Xiu Yan. When Granny Xiu Yan heard that the Princess Consort was pregnant, she was immediately overjoyed. She clasped her hands together and kept muttering. ¡°Blessed Bodhisattva, His Highness finally has an heir. We¡¯re about to have a little heir.¡± Yu Niaoniao reminded her, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a son. Maybe it¡¯s a daughter.¡± Granny Xiu Yan smiled until her face was covered in wrinkles. Her eyes were shining, and she became younger. She said happily, ¡°It¡¯s good to have a daughter. A daughter is a little sweetheart. She¡¯s even more considerate.¡± With that, she helped Yu Niaoniao sit on the tree stump beside her and instructed seriously. ¡°This is your first pregnancy. You must be careful. Don¡¯t move around usually. If there¡¯s anything you want to do, just tell us. Tell me what you want to eat. I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao sat obediently. ¡°I want to have some more soup now.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly replied. ¡°Alright, alright. Princess Consort, wait for me. I¡¯ll cook for you now.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at her busy figure around the stove and said warmly, ¡°Ah Juan and I are no longer Duke and Princess Consort of Lang County. In the future, you don¡¯t have to call yourself a servant anymore. Call us by our names. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly said, ¡°That won¡¯t do. No matter what outsiders think of you, you will always be His Highness and the Princess Consort in my heart.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan understood. He walked over and squatted down, reaching out to help Granny Xiu Yan heat the fire. Granny Xiu Yan quickly stopped him. ¡°That won¡¯t do! You have a noble status. How can you do such rough work?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Duke Lang was given a title by the emperor so that I could work for him better. This title is like a shackle to me. Now that I want to break free from this shackle, I want to only be myself. In the future, I¡¯m no longer Duke Lang. I¡¯m just Xiao Juan.¡± Granny Xiu Yan sighed. She watched Xiao Juan grow up. She knew better than anyone how difficult it had been for this child. She understood and unconditionally supported all his decisions. Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes were gentle. ¡°Let me help you start the fire.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Be careful not to burn your hands.¡± She was originally a little worried that Xiao Juan would not be able to do such rough work. It was not until she saw him do it well that she was relieved. Yu Niaoniao could not sit still anymore. She stood up and said eagerly. ¡°Let me help too!¡± Xiao Juan and Granny Xiu Yan turned their heads at the same time and said to her in unison, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Yu Niaoniao could only sit back down resentfully. Granny Xiu Yan brought the hot soup to her. ¡°Princess Consort¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao corrected her. ¡°I¡¯m not the Princess Consort anymore.¡± Granny Xiu Yan could only change her words. ¡°Niaoniao, be careful not to burn yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the soup with a smile and ate happily.. Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: Victory Chapter 645: Victory Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Xiao Juan left, Tang Guixi pretended to retreat and hid in the forest near Heng City with her troops. That night, a small team quietly left Heng City. They rushed in the direction of Xingning City. However, before they could run far, they were caught by the Eastern Expedition Army, who had been lying in an ambush by the roadside. Tang Guixi ordered someone to interrogate them. After a few rounds of torture, the Chen Nation soldiers cried and confessed everything. It turned out that there was not much food stored in Heng City. After being surrounded by the Eastern Expedition Army for a month, the food in the city had been exhausted. The Chen Army was extremely hungry. They even had designs on the commoners in the city and began to kill and cook them. In this way, it aroused intense anger among the citizen. The city kept erupting with riots where the commoners resisted with their lives. Coincidentally, at this moment, the Chen Army heard the location of the Eastern Expedition¡¯s military camp, so they sent troops to launch a surprise attack, wanting to use this opportunity to disrupt the morale of the Eastern Expedition Army. Unexpectedly, the raid failed, and the Chen Army could only change their plans at the last minute. They deliberately revealed the plan to raid the camp and forced the Eastern Expedition Army to retreat. Then, they sent someone to Xingning City to ask for help. When they heard that they actually dared to eat human flesh, Tang Guixi and the soldiers present were so angry that their faces darkened. Ignoring the pleading of the Chen Nation soldiers, Tang Guixi waved her hand and dragged them down to kill. Tang Guixi ordered someone to put on the clothes of the dead Chen soldiers. They disguised themselves as Chen soldiers and rushed out of Heng City in the dark night. They blew the horn hanging at their waists. When the Chen Nation soldiers guarding the city wall heard the horn, they knew that their companions who had been sent out to ask for help had returned. They immediately lowered the city gates and opened them. Not far away, the scout hiding in the dark saw the city gate open and immediately rushed back as quickly as possible to tell Tang Guixi this news. Tang Guixi immediately ordered an attack! After those ¡°Chen Nation Soldiers¡± entered the city gate, someone from inside immediately came forward to ask for help. Without a word, they pulled out the scimitars at their waists. The sharp blade refracted a cold glint in the night. It cut the enemy¡¯s throat. Warm blood splattered. At the same time, the shocked and furious shouts of the Chen soldiers sounded. On the city wall, a general of the Chen Nation saw the figures rolling over not far away and hurriedly roared down. ¡°The enemy is attacking. Close the city gate!¡± The smoke signals were ignited, and horns sounded. The originally silent Heng City exploded like hot oil poured into cold water. The Chen Nation soldiers tugged the chain hard, wanting to quickly pull the city gates up. Tang Guixi rode her horse and rushed to the front of the team. She threw the spear hard. The red-tasseled spear shot out like an arrow and stabbed into the chain hanging from the city wall. The chain was stuck, and the axle could no longer turn. The city gate could not be pulled up and was stuck in midair. The few Eastern Expedition soldiers disguised as Chen soldiers seized the opportunity to take out the gunpowder bag hidden in their arms. After lighting the fuse, they threw it at the mechanism that opened the city gate. There was a loud bang. The mechanism was blown up, and the city gate fell heavily, landing above the moat. The Eastern Expedition Army rushed forward in one go, and the hooves of their horses stepped on the city gate to successfully cross the river. The General of the Chen Nation on the city wall shouted to shoot and arrows rained down. They did their best to stop the Eastern Expedition Army from entering the city. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle. The battle lasted a day and a night. In the end, it ended with a complete victory for the Eastern Expedition Army. The citizens in the city were saved. The separated families hugged each other and cried tears of joy. The Chen Nation soldiers who were still alive were captured. They were hung in the open space in front of the county office. Every day, commoners came and threw stones at them. The Chen Nation¡¯s flag on the city wall was cut down. By the time Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao rushed to Heng City with everyone, new flags had already been erected on the city wall. A large red flag with the symbol of fire had the word Tang written on it. It was Tang Guixi¡¯s Tang! When Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan saw the flag, they knew that Tang Guixi was really planning to set up her own stronghold. Knowing that Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao were coming today, Tang Guixi had been waiting near the city gate early. As soon as she saw Yu Niaoniao arrive, she immediately jumped off the horse and strode forward, planning to give her a big bear hug. However, she was stopped by Xiao Juan. ¡°You haven¡¯t washed the blood off your body. Don¡¯t scare Niaoniao and the child in her womb. Tang Guixi was stunned at first, then her eyes widened and she cried out, ¡°Niaoniao, are you pregnant?¡± Yu Niaoniao held her lower abdomen and smiled happily. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m more than a month pregnant.¡± Tang Guixi danced with joy and jumped on the spot a few times. She did not look like a great general who had just won a battle at all, but more like a three-year-old child. ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m going to be a godmother!¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately teased her. ¡°Did I agree to let you be the child¡¯s godmother?¡± Tang Guixi was shocked. She held her heart and took two steps back, as if her heart had been seriously injured. She questioned pitifully. ¡°Niaoniao, have you forgotten our many years of sisterhood?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten how I sent you the storybook when you were punished to kneel in the ancestral hall?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that I was the one who stayed with you when you were locked in a cell?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that I was the one who accompanied you when you crawled through the dog hole in the middle of the night to escape from your marriage¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao covered her mouth. ¡°Alright, alright, stop talking.¡± If Tang Guixi continued, her dark history would be exposed. Tang Guixi pulled her hand down and asked persistently, ¡°Then do you still want me to be your child¡¯s godmother?¡± Yu Niaoniao accepted her fate and nodded in agreement. Tang Guixi immediately beamed with joy. She wanted to touch Niaoniao¡¯s belly, but she retracted her hand when she remembered that she had just killed someone and was still murderous. She raised her head and puffed out her chest, pointing ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you the city I took down!¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Many places in Heng City had been damaged in the battle. The Eastern Expedition Army was organizing the commoners to repair Heng City. Next, they were going to use Heng City as a stronghold, which meant that they were going to live here for a long time. Although this place looked dilapidated, everyone was full of energy, making people involuntarily look forward to the future. After visiting Heng City, Tang Guixi got someone to send Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan to their temporary residence to rest. She still had something to do. Yu Niaoniao looked around as she walked. Suddenly, she heard the man beside her ask coldly. ¡°What did Tang Guixi say about escaping the marriage just now?¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at Xiao Juan and met his deep and dark eyes. Just now, she thought that Xiao Juan did not hear her. She did not expect him to have heard everything. He had just been holding it in and only asked now. Yu Niaoniao smiled awkvvardly. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not what it looks like. Let me explain..¡± Chapter 646 - Chapter 646: Looking at You in a New light Chapter 646: Looking at You in a New light Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As Yu Niaoniao walked, she told him about her experience of wanting to escape. She did not think much of it when she did those things back then. Now that time had passed, she could not help but think of it as ridiculous. She was a little embarrassed at first, but as she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She looked ahead and sighed sincerely. ¡°At that time, a rumor about you was circulating in the whole Imperial Capital. It described you as being especially scary. I was very afraid that you would come looking for trouble with me, so I could only escape through the dog hole. I didn¡¯t expect to fall into your hands in the end. That dog hole was for nothing.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You didn¡¯t go through the dog hole for nothing.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him in confusion. Xiao Juan looked down at her and said seriously, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t escaped through the dog hole that night, I wouldn¡¯t have met you.¡± In that case, they might have missed each other. Yu Niaoniao shook her head and said, ¡°In that case, we have to thank that dog hole.¡± Xiao Juan said seriously, ¡°I have to thank it properly.¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Unfortunately, that dog hole has been blocked.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If you like it, we¡¯ll make a dog hole in our courtyard in the future.¡± Yu Niaoniao deliberately teased him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll crawl out of the dog hole and meet someone else in private?¡± Xiao Juan was very sure. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then what if our child discovers the dog hole and likes to crawl out and play? Aren¡¯t you going to care?¡± Xiao Juan thought about it seriously. This was indeed a problem that needed to be treated seriously. It would be fine if it was a stinky son, but if it was a precious daughter who secretly ran out and was molested by someone else¡¯s pig, it would definitely not work. After weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Juan made a decision. ¡°Then let¡¯s not have a dog hole.¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed at his serious expression. Why was he so cute? Yu Niaoniao extended her pinky and hooked his finger. She shook it gently and asked curiously. ¡°Do you want a son or a daughter?¡± Xiao Juan said without hesitation, ¡°Daughter.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong with a son?¡± ¡°A son is not bad either, but I want a daughter like you.¡± Yu Niaoniao threw out a new problem. ¡°But daughters have to get married when they grow up. Can you bear to?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t let her get married. We can find her a live-in son-in-law.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to find a live-in son-in-law.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take our time. You¡¯ll find one eventually.¡± They held hands and chatted as they walked. As the sun set, golden light fell on them, coating them in a warm gauze. They had just won a huge battle, so they naturally had to celebrate. That night, Tang Guixi held a celebration party in the city to celebrate their successful recapture of Heng City. They had taken the first step for the Eastern Expedition Army to recover their lost land! Due to the limited conditions, there were no good wine or dishes, but at least everyone could eat their fill. Everyone ate to their hearts¡¯ content. Tang Guixi was the happiest. She had drunk a little too much and was a little drunk. When the banquet was over and everyone had left, she was still sitting there laughing foolishly. Yu Niaoniao went to wake her up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We should go back and rest.¡± Tang Guixi hugged her and chuckled. ¡°Niaoniao, do you think my father can see me from the sky? If he finds out that I won the battle, will he be happy for Yu Niaoniao looked up at the dazzling starry sky and said gently and firmly. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s happier than anyone.¡± Tang Guixi suddenly looked up and shouted at the starry sky above. ¡°Father, I¡¯m not embarrassing you!¡± ¡°So, rest in peace.¡± The Eastern Expedition Army took root in Heng City. Even the villages and towns near Heng City were included in their sphere of influence. Among them was the Xia Family Village. Xia Haisheng and the villagers of the Xia Family Village were able to return to their homes. They packed their luggage early in the morning and returned to the Xia Family Village in high spirits. Although the houses in the village had been emptied and the chicken coops, cowsheds, and other places had been destroyed, fortunately, their fields were still fine. They could still farm. As long as food grew in the fields, they could resume their old lives. There was still hope! In order to make more effective use of the fields, Tang Guixi calculated the fields near Heng City and divided them according to the number of heads. Be it the commoners or the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army, every adult could obtain two acres of land. Of course, these fields alone were far from enough. They had to let the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army lead their men to reclaim the wasteland. There was also a performance evaluation every month. The team that reclaimed the most fields could receive additional rewards. The entire army was extremely busy. Even Shen Xu, the heir, could not stay idle. He rolled up his sleeves and farmed with Xia Haisheng and the others under the sun. Before this, he had suggested asking the aunts and uncles in the village for advice on farming. He was mentally prepared, but when he really got into the land, he realized that farming was far more tiring than he had expected. After only a day of work, he was so tired that his back ached. When he returned home, he looked at the blisters on his hands and almost cried. He had never suffered like this in his life. Prince Min brought the ointment to apply on him. His heart ached as he looked at his precious son¡¯s blistered hands. ¡°This is only the first day and you¡¯re already like this. Are you still going tomorrow?¡± At this moment, Shen Xu¡¯s temper flared up. He said with a vicious cycle, ¡°Whoever wants to go can go. Anyway, I¡¯m not going! I¡¯ve had enough!¡± At this moment, a servant rushed in and reported, ¡°Your Highness, Prince, General Tang is here.¡± Prince Min and Shen Xu were shocked. Right on the heels of that, they saw Tang Guixi stride in. Tang Guixi had probably just finished work in the fields and her forehead was covered in sweat. She was wearing a round-necked narrow-sleeved robe that men often wore. Her hair was combed into a high ponytail. Because she often bathed in the sun, her skin was a little darker than that of ordinary girls. However, because her eyes were bright and her words and actions were suave, she had an extraordinary valiant temperament. Prince Min stood up. ¡°Guixi, why are you here?¡± Tang Guixi said generously, ¡°I heard that Shen Xu worked in the fields all day today and thought it was quite rare, so I came to see him.¡± At this point, her gaze landed on Shen Xu and she saw the blister on his hand. ¡°Yo, you have blisters! Looks like you¡¯ve really been busy all day. You¡¯ve really impressed me.¡± Shen Xu switched from his anger and grievance just now. His heart was filled with pride and joy. To be able to make Tang Guixi look at him in a different light meant that his hard work today had not been in vain. The corners of his mouth curled up hard, and his smugness was obvious. If he had a tail behind him now, it would definitely wag especially happily. Tang Guixi lifted the hem of her shirt and sat down at the table. She casually picked up the medication bottle on the table and looked at it. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with applying ointment to your blisters but you have to break them to recover quickly.¡± The smile on Shen Xu¡¯s face froze. W-what? She actually wanted to break them? That would hurt to death! Chapter 647 - Chapter 647: Regretful! Chapter 647: Regretful! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shen Xu said with difficulty, ¡°No need. I¡­¡± Before he could finish, Tang Guixi grabbed his hand and dragged it to her. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯ll pick it out for you.¡± Shen Xu was not being polite. He was really afraid of pain! But he couldn¡¯t bear to pull his hand away. After all, the person holding his hand was Tang Guixi. The two of them clasped their hands. Such an intimate action was something he had never experienced before. This kind of opportunity was too rare. If he gave it up, who knew when the next opportunity would be? Tang Guixi did not know about the messy thoughts in Shen Xu¡¯s heart. As she gripped Shen Xu¡¯s hand tightly, she picked up the silver needle. The thin needle quickly fell and pierced into a blister. Shen Xu immediately shivered in pain, and the imagination that ran wild in his mind dissipated. Tears welled in his eyes and were about to fall. But no. As a dignified man, he could not cry over such a small matter. Especially since the woman he had a crush on was sitting opposite him. He gritted his teeth and used all his endurance to force back his tears. Tang Guixi¡¯s movements were fast and accurate. One blister after another was broken. Not to mention Shen Xu, even Prince Min, who was a spectator, could not bear to watch anymore. He looked away and sighed inwardly. ¡°Son, you¡¯re on your own!¡± The blister was quickly flattened after being pricked. Tang Guixi picked out the ointment and applied it evenly on Shen Xu¡¯s palm. It was not until this moment that Shen Xu was in the mood to look at Tang Guixi. Her facial features were beautiful, especially her eyes, which were big and bright. Her eyelashes were long, and her nose was straight. Her hair was all combed into a ponytail, revealing her full forehead. Her skin was a healthy honey color. His gaze moved down her face. Her shoulders were very straight and her sitting posture was straight. Even though she was dressed tightly, it was obvious that she did not have any fat on her. She was tall and had long legs. The only shortcoming might be that her chest was flatter than most. But no one was perfect. She was already very good like this. Shen Xu looked at Tang Guixi in a daze, his thoughts drifting further and further away. Tang Guixi called him a few times but there was no reaction. She Rimnlv raised her hand and flicked him nn the forehead Only then did Shen Xu suddenly come back to his senses. ¡°Ah! What was that for?¡± Tang Guixi looked at him speechlessly. ¡°What were you thinking about just now? You looked like you had lost your soul.¡± Shen Xu felt guilty. ¡°N-nothing.¡± Tang Guixi stood up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Shen Xu hurriedly said, ¡°Do you want to stay for dinner before leaving?¡± Tang Guixi waved her hand to indicate that there was no need. ¡°I still have things to do, so I won¡¯t be having dinner with you.¡± Shen Xu could only suppress his reluctance and say, ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you off.¡± He walked her to the front door. Before leaving, Tang Guixi suddenly asked. ¡°Are you still going to work in the fields tomorrow?¡± Shen Xu had already decided that he would never plow again, but now he had changed his mind. ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll definitely go!¡± It was not easy for Tang Guixi to see him in a different light. He could not give up halfway. He had to persevere until the end! Tang Guixi raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°I originally wanted to help you do the work in the fields tomorrow, but it seems that there¡¯s no need. Then continue to work hard. See you another day.¡± With that, she waved and strode away. Shen Xu was left standing there in a daze. If he had said that he could not do it just now, Tang Guixi would have been able to help him. At that time, the two of them would have a chance to interact again. He had actually given up such a good opportunity. The tears he had painstakingly held back just now suddenly flew out. Boohoo, he regretted it so much! In addition to farming and reclamation, the Eastern Expedition Army had to build fortifications. Sentry towers rose from the ground, and earth walls connected to each other. By the time Xingning City found out that Heng City had been captured, it was already a month later. As the prefectural city of Liaodong County, Xingning City had once been the most prosperous place in the entire Liaodong County. Now, it had become desolate. The goods of the merchants in the city had long been looted and they could no longer do business. The homes of the ordinary people had been plundered clean. Even the once high and mighty local powerhouses were not spared. The entire Xingning City had almost become a dead city. The Chen Nation Army, who was entrenched here, was happily dividing the spoils. Unexpectedly, the news of the Eastern Expedition Army attacking Heng City suddenly came. Marshal Chen was naturally incomparably furious. He immediately ordered troops to attack the Eastern Expedition Army and take back Heng City! When the Chen Nation Army arrived near Heng City in a mighty manner, they were immediately discovered by the sentries on the sentry tower. The sentry immediately blew the horn hard. The sound of the horn spread from one watchtower to another and quickly reached Heng City. The soldiers and commoners who were still working immediately stopped working. All the soldiers put on their armor as quickly as possible and prepared their weapons. The commoners listened to the arrangements and quickly retreated to the city. Tang Guixi and Xiao Juan had both left the city to fight. All the matters in the city were temporarily handed over to Yu Niaoniao. Although Xiao Juan had promised Yu Niaoniao before he left that he would definitely return safely, Yu Niaoniao was still very worried. There were several times when she wanted to go up the city tower to take a look at the battle outside the city, but she was stopped by the people around her. Granny Xiu Yan advised, ¡°There¡¯s a battle outside the city. As the saying goes, swords have no eyes. What if a stray arrow hurts you? Just wait in the city in peace. ¡± Perhaps because she was overly worried, Yu Niaoniao suddenly began to vomit. She had to vomit no matter what she ate. Even if she didn¡¯t eat anything, she would vomit. In the end, she really couldn¡¯t vomit anything and could only vomit bile. Granny Xiu Yan¡¯s heart ached. She tried her best to make delicious food for her. Although she did not have an appetite, for the sake of the baby in her stomach, Yu Niaoniao could only bite the bullet and eat. As soon as she finished eating, she started vomiting again. Granny Xiu Yan patted her back to calm her down. When she was almost done vomiting, Granny Xiu Yan got someone to bring warm water. ¡°Have some water.¡± However, Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I want cold water.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Cold water is bad for the body. Warm water is better.¡± Yu Niaoniao insisted, ¡°Give me cold water.¡± Granny Xiu Yan had no choice but to change her cup of cold water. Yu Niaoniao picked up the cup of cold water. The cold liquid flowed into her body along her esophagus, and the disgusting feeling was suppressed a little. She finished the cold water in her glass in one gulp and finally felt better. At this moment, Ling Hai ran in quickly. ¡°Madam, Li Hongye requests an audience.¡± Ever since Yu Niaoniao stopped them from calling her the Princess Consort, everyone had switched to calling her Madam. Yu Niaoniao wiped her lips with a handkerchief. ¡°Let her in.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly took the spittoon away. Soon, Li Hongye arrived with a basket full of arrows. ¡°Madam, please take a look. My sister and I made these arrows ourselves.. Do you think they can be used? If they can be used, can they be sent to the soldiers in front?¡± Chapter 648 - Chapter 648: Change of Strategy Chapter 648: Change of Strategy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The weapons used by the Eastern Expedition Army were distributed uniformly, including bows and arrows. However, unlike other weapons, arrows were consumables. Every battle consumed a large number of arrows. There were people in the military camp who were in charge of making arrows. They usually accumulated a lot of arrows. However, in such a tense battle, the more arrows, the better. Yu Niaoniao took out an arrow from the bamboo basket and looked at it carefully. It was done very carefully. Be it its length or weight, it was almost the same as the standard arrows in the military. She smiled at Li Hongye. ¡°These arrows are very good. Can you make more?¡± Li Hongye was very happy that the arrows she made had been recognized. She nodded vigorously. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to my sister now. We¡¯ll make more arrows.¡± Because there was a battle outside the city, they could not farm in the fields. They had nothing to do in the city every day, so they might as well find something to do. Not only could making arrows kill time, but they could also help the Eastern Expedition Army. It was killing two birds with one stone. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you five copper coins for an arrow. There are about a hundred arrows here. Granny, please get five hundred copper coins for Miss Hongye.¡± Li Hongye hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°No, no! You don¡¯t have to give me money. I¡¯m already very happy that I can help you. How can I ask for your money?!¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to refuse. When you get back, you can tell the others that no matter who it is, as long as they can make arrows of good quality, they can sell them to me for five copper coins per arrow. Before this battle ends, I¡¯ll buy an unlimited number of arrows.¡± Li Hongye immediately understood what she meant. ¡°You want the commoners in the city to help make arrows.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She did this not only to replenish the arrows for the Eastern Expedition Army, but also to find something to do for the idlers in the city to prevent some people from having crooked thoughts when they had nothing to do. Granny Xiu Yan handed over a heavy cloth bag. ¡°There¡¯s a total of five hundred copper coins here. Count them.¡± Li Hongye did not refuse this time. She had to bring this money back for everyone to believe that Madam was really willing to pay for the arrows. She hugged the cloth bag with both hands and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Madam. Thank you, Granny.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you out.¡± The original county magistrate of Heng City had already been killed by the Chen Nation Army, and the county office had been destroyed. After this period of repair, the county office had mostly recovered. The county office had been temporarily changed to the General¡¯s Mansion. Usually, Tang Guixi, Yu Niaoniao, and Xiao Juan lived here. Now that Tang Guixi and Xiao Juan had gone out to fight, Yu Niaoniao was in charge of the General¡¯s Mansion. She asked Ling Hai to set up a straw shed at the entrance of the county office and hang a sign saying, ¡°Five copper coins for an arrow.¡± After Li Hongye¡¯s hard work in publicity, many people in the city knew about the General¡¯s Mansion buying arrows. There were constantly people who came to the General¡¯s Mansion with arrows they had made to sell. Not everyone could make excellent arrows like Li Hongye and her sister, and there was no lack of crude works. Any unqualified arrows would be rejected by Ling Hai. The arrows bought would be registered and sent to Yu Niaoniao for her random inspection. At first, Granny Xiu Yan was worried that Yu Niaoniao would be tired because of this. Later, when she saw that when she was focused on checking the quality of the arrows, her morning sickness reaction decreased a lot. Instead, she became a little more energetic, so she let her do whatever she wanted. The completed arrows were transported out of the city in batches and into the hands of the Eastern Expedition Army. Without anything to worry about, the Eastern Expedition Army fought even more fiercely. Initially, Marshal Chen did not take a mere Heng City seriously. With the strength of their Chen Nation¡¯s army, he thought they could definitely take down Heng City quickly. In the end, they ran into obstructions. No matter how they attacked, they could not break through the defense of the Eastern Expedition Army. The two sides fought back and forth for half a month. Not only did the Chen army fail to take down Heng City, but they also lost a lot of troops. He could not continue like this. Marshal Chen could only change his strategy. He still remembered that when he fought the Eastern Expedition Army previously, it was also the Eastern Expedition Army who had the upper hand at first. Later on, because the Eastern Expedition Army¡¯s rations were in short supply and the Dayan Emperor had cut off the rations support to the Eastern Expedition Army, the Eastern Expedition Army fell into a crisis and retreated. The reason why the Eastern Expedition Army could make a comeback was because they had raided the Chen military camp and snatched a large amount of food. In the end, food was the most important! Marshal Chen gathered the generals he had accepted for a meeting overnight. In the end, he decided to pause the attack. They were prepared to surround Heng City and cut off the communication between Heng City and other places, trapping the Eastern Expedition Army in Heng City. This way, the Eastern Expedition Army would be alone and helpless. The Eastern Expedition Army had limited food. When they finished their food, they could only starve. In the end, they only had two paths¡ª They would either starve to death or leave the city to surrender. On the Eastern Expedition Army¡¯s side, Tang Guixi and Xiao Juan realized that the Chen Army had stopped attacking. They sent scouts to investigate and realized that the Chen Army had not retreated. Not only that, but the Chen Army was also setting up camp, looking like they were preparing for a long battle. Tang Guixi and Xiao Juan calculated and guessed that the Chen Army should be planning to use a consumption strategy to surround and not attack. This was exactly what they wanted. They could not wait for a truce. This way, the Eastern Expedition Army and the citizens in the city would have more time to recuperate. The battle had temporarily come to an pause. The commoners carried their farming tools and went straight to the fields. The fields were bustling with activity again. Spring passed and summer came. Flowers bloomed and fell. The wheat seedlings in the fields grew higher day by day. In autumn, the wheat seedlings finally bore heavy ears. The commoners and the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army were extremely excited. They rolled up their sleeves and immersed themselves in the fields. They planted the wheat day and night and worked extremely hard. On the other side, Chen Army was still craning their necks in anticipation, wanting to know when Chen Jun could not take it anymore and took the initiative to surrender. They even deliberately roasted meat in the open space and fanned hard. They used the wind to send the fragrance of the roasted meat to the sentry tower, wanting to tempt the Eastern Expedition Army sentinel on the sentry tower. They had meat buns that the cook had just sent over. The dough was flour ground from the latest harvest of wheat, and it tasted delicious. They chatted as they ate. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Chen Nation people below?¡± ¡°Who knows about them? They¡¯re sick!¡± The Chen Nation soldiers spent a long time sweating from exhaustion, but they still did not see any movement on the sentry tower. They could not help but curse. However, because they were speaking in the Chen Nation¡¯s language, the sentries on the sentry tower did not understand a word.. Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Violence Chapter 649: Violence Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After the autumn harvest ended, the commoners entered a rare free time. Seeing that the weather was getting colder day by day, Yu Niaoniao got someone to put up the sign in front of the General¡¯s Mansion again and began to buy winter clothes for the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army. The commoners happened to be bored. Making winter clothes could kill time and they could take the opportunity to earn some money to supplement the family. It was killing two birds with one stone. Many people participated enthusiastically. After more than half a year of recuperation, the city gradually regained its vitality. The shops on both sides of the street reopened one after another. There would be a market on the 15th of every month. Compared to the prosperity and revival in Heng City, the other places in Liaodong County were much worse. A large number of young men were injured. Countless commoners left their hometowns and no one farmed them, causing all the fields to be abandoned. In the beginning, the Chen Army could still rely on robbery to obtain food. However, as time passed, the things they could snatch became fewer and fewer. It was almost winter, and the environment they would face would become even harsher. Marshal Chen looked at the terrain map of the army in front of him with an extremely solemn expression. They originally thought that they could trap the Eastern Expedition Army in Heng City, but after waiting for more than half a year, they did not see any signs of surrender. On the other hand, the Chen Nation Army had spent a lot of time and food here, but they achieved nothing. The emperor of the Chen Nation had already sent several secret letters over to ask him why he had yet to take down Heng City. There was faint dissatisfaction in the secret letter. He couldn¡¯t waste any more time. Marshal Chen slapped the map. ¡°Pass down the order. All troops, get into formation! We must take Heng City at all costs!¡± The day before winter, the Chen Nation Army suddenly launched a large-scale attack on Heng City! Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi had already expected this day. They methodically stopped the troops from fighting back. Unlike tne previous attack, tne cnen Nation Army was clearly going all out tn1S time. They used all their troops to come aggressively, and the battle was especially intense. The commoners in the city continued to live as usual. They gathered in groups and chatted as they made winter clothes and arrows. It was obvious that they were very confident in the strength of the Eastern Expedition Army. They believed that as long as the Eastern Expedition Army and General Tang were around, the Chen Army would not be able to attack. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s belly was already very big. Because her delivery date was coming up, her body was getting heavier and heavier. She had not gotten out of bed much for the past few days. Granny Xiu Yan guarded her day and night with two maidservants and served her daily life. Yu Niaoniao looked at the blue sky outside the window. If she listened carefully, she could vaguely hear the sound of a battle outside the city. She trusted the strength of the Eastern Expedition Army very much, but swords had no eyes on the battlefield. She could not help but worry for Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi and hope that they would not be injured. Granny Xiu Yan walked in with a stack of clothes and said with a smile. ¡°Madam, look. These are children¡¯s clothes sent by the commoners in the city.¡± She unfolded the small clothes one by one for Yu Niaoniao to see. The colors and styles of the clothes were different. They looked a little old. Fortunately, the texture was very soft and felt very comfortable. Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°Although these clothes are old clothes that other children have worn, it¡¯s precisely because they¡¯ve been worn that they¡¯re even softer. They¡¯re very suitable for newborn babies. They carry everyone¡¯s blessings for the baby. The baby will definitely grow up healthy in them.¡± Yu Niaoniao gently stroked the small clothes. ¡°Thank you, everyone. Please thank them for me.¡± Granny Xiu Yan said, ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten someone to send them gifts. I¡¯ll boil these clothes in boiling water and wash them carefully before putting them on for the baby.¡± At this point, she could not help but look at Yu Niaoniao¡¯s bulging abdomen. Her eyes were filled with anticipation and love. ¡°We have to let the mother and child be safe.¡± Yu Niaoniao gently stroked her stomach. She did not know if Xiao Juan could come back to accompany her when she gave birth. She really hoped the the war would end quickly! In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed. The Chen army tried everything but still could not take down Heng City. The earth walls looked rough, but they were made of triad soil and were abnormally strong. Winter came, and the temperature dropped with each passing day. Even though he was wearing a thick jacket under his armor, Marshal Chen still felt a little cold. If he was already like this, the soldiers charging at the front line would feel even worse. Their limbs were trembling from the cold, and it was even harder for them to fight. Marshal Chen Jun gritted his teeth. In this situation, he could only use some special methods. The next day, the Chen Army suddenly stopped attacking Heng City. The Eastern Expedition soldiers hiding behind the earth wall did not let down their guard because of this. Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi stood on the tall sentry tower and looked at the Chen Army below from afar. They were both thinking what bad ideas they were up to. Right on the heels of that, they saw the Chen Army appear in front of the earthen wall with a group of people. Taking a closer look, they were all ordinary people who were weak. They were trussed up, looking terrified. The Chen Nation soldiers stood behind them with scimitars in hand. Seeing this scene, Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi¡¯s hearts sank to the bottom. A Chen Nation soldier who could speak Dayan official language shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Bastards of the Eastern Expedition Army, listen up. I¡¯ll give you a day. If you don¡¯t open the door and surrender before the sun sets, we¡¯ll kill all these commoners!¡± Behind the earth wall, the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army were livid with anger. These bastards from the Chen Nation were too despicable! On the sentry tower, Tang Guixi looked at the commoners who were kneeling down. She wanted to rush down and save them, but logic told her she couldn¡¯t. She was the commander of the Eastern Expedition Army. Not only did she have to be responsible for the Eastern Expedition Army, but she also had to be responsible for the commoners living in Heng City. There was no way she would open the city gate and let the Chen Nation Army in. Time passed bit by bit. The sun gradually set in the west. At first, the commoners who were taken hostage could still cry for help. Later, their throats were hoarse from shouting and their strength was exhausted. The moment the sun set, the last hope in their hearts was destroyed. The Chen Nation soldiers had ruthless sneers on their faces. They raised their scimitars high and slashed at the kneeling commoners in front of them. Their arms rose and the knife fell. The heads fell to the ground. Instantly, blood flowed like a river. When the Eastern Expedition Army behind the earth wall saw this scene, they trembled with anger. Tang Guixi gripped the wall tightly with both hands, her eyes filled with hatred. Sooner or later, she would cut these beasts into pieces! Xiao Juan closed his eyes silently, unable to bear to watch anymore. It was getting dark. The Chen Nation soldiers dragged the corpses away, leaving only blood on the ground. This was the end of the matter. However, Xiao Juan knew that this was only the beginning. As it turned out, he was right. The next day, the Chen Army used the same trick again. They captured another group of commoners. This time, they were all old, weak, women, and children. The oldest was already gray-haired, and the youngest was only four or five years old.. Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Mixing Fish Eyes With Pearls Chapter 650: Mixing Fish Eyes With Pearls Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios These commoners knelt on the ground. The Chen Army deliberately frightened them, forcing them to cry. The miserable cry passed through the earth wall and entered the ears of the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army. They could only watch helplessly as those innocent people died tragically, they could not help. This was no different from the most painful mental torture for the Eastern Expedition Army. The wailing lasted all day. The moment the sun set, the Chen Army raised their swords again. All the cries stopped. The world fell silent. There was dead silence. Tonight, the Chen Army did not even deal with the corpses. They let the silk-like miserable corpses be thrown on the empty ground and pecked at by crows that smelled of blood. Every day after that, the Chen Army would capture a group of Liaodong commoners and force them to cry for help. Then, they would cruelly end their lives at sunset. This lasted until the fifth day. The soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army became very dispirited. They could risk everything on the battlefield to fight the enemy to the death, but they could not accept watching ordinary people be killed helplessly. Some soldiers with poor psychological tolerance had already begun to show symptoms of being in a daze. They began to fear the sun rising. They did not dare to face the eyes that yearned to live. Xiao Juan knew that this was the goal of the marshal of the Chen Nation Army. They had done all this to destroy the morale of the Eastern Expedition Army. Now it seemed that their scheme had succeeded by more than half. Next, as long as there was one last dose, the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army would completely collapse. This strong medicine came quickly¡ª Today, the Chen Nation Army proudly showed off to the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army behind the earth wall. ¡°Come out and take a look. See what good things we brought you today?¡± On the sentry tower, Tang Guixi watched as the Chen Army dragged out a group of ragged people. Although those people were all covered in injuries and some of them even lost arms and legs, Tang Guixi still saw a few familiar faces inside. Those were actually all soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army! In the previous battle, the Eastern Expedition Army lost more than half of their troops because they did not have enough food. Many of them were unfortunately captured. Tang Guixi originally thought that the captives had been killed. Unexpectedly, the Chen Army did not kill them. At this moment, Tang Guixi watched as they knelt on the ground. The Chen Nation Military Scimitars were pressed against their backs, forcing them to lower their heads. There were also Chen Nation soldiers who deliberately stepped on the places where they were injured and watched as they were in pain. The Chen Nation soldiers laughed maliciously. A Chen Nation soldier brought a horse. He grabbed a captive with a broken leg and put the rope around the captive¡¯s neck. Then he rode across the clearing. The captive could only chase after him desperately, but he only had one leg. How could he catch up to the horse? Soon he fell to the ground in a sorry state. Seeing this, the Chen soldier flicked the reins hard, and the horse under him ran even faster. The captive was dragged forward. His flesh was scraped, and his already broken body became even more mutilated. Seeing the captive lying on the ground like a dead dog, the Chen Nation soldiers beside him laughed even more enthusiastically. This scene deeply stimulated the spirits of the Eastern Expedition Army soldiers. Although the commoners who had been killed a few days ago were pitiful, they were unrelated to the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army. But it was different now. The people who were being humiliated and abused now were their former comrades who had lived and died with them. How could they endure the pain? Many people in the Eastern Expedition Army could not help but cry. They wanted to rush out to save them, but they were quickly stopped by their companions. They were soldiers, soldiers who valued military orders more than their lives. As long as General Tang did not speak, none of them could move. On the sentry tower, the emotions and rationality in Tang Guixi¡¯s heart were pulling desperately. She knew this was an enemy trick. She couldn¡¯t fall for it, but she really couldn¡¯t watch her former subordinates be tortured to death! What should she do? At this moment, an arrow tore through the air and hit the Chen soldier on the horse. The arrow pierced his chest. Before the Chen Army could react, he died on the spot. His eyes were wide as he fell straight off the horse. The horse stopped. At the same time, the laughter of the surrounding Chen soldiers stopped. Tang Guixi suddenly turned her head and looked in the direction where the arrow had been shot. She saw Xiao Juan appear behind the earth wall. He held a bow in his hand. The bowstring was still trembling gently. Xiao Juan ignored the gazes of the surrounding people and continued to draw his bow and aim at the Chen soldiers. Everyone¡¯s hearts skipped a beat. Those Chen soldiers stood very close to the captives. As long as the arrowhead was slightly tilted, it would injure those captives. This was also why the archers of the Eastern Expedition Army did not dare to attack. They were afraid that if they shot an arrow, not only would they not kill the enemy, but they would also kill their comrades. Xiao Juan did not have so many worries. He released his fingers and shot another arrow. This arrow accurately hit a Chen soldier again. This time, all the Chen soldiers were afraid. They hurriedly retreated and shot out the range of their bows. The captives were thrown into the open. Seeing this, Tang Guixi and the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army heaved a sigh of relief. No matter what, those captives did not have to suffer inhumane abuse for the time being. They did not have to face cruel mental torture anymore. However, this was not over. When the sun set, those Chen soldiers would still aim their butcher knives at the captives. Xiao Juan threw the bow to Meng Xizhou, who was following beside him. He turned to leave and strode up the sentry tower to find Tang Guixi. ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡± Tang Guixi¡¯s expression was ugly. ¡°Of course I know I can¡¯t let them continue like this, but I can¡¯t stop them.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I have an idea.¡± Tang Guixi gestured for him to speak. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Do you remember when we captured Heng City and captured those Chen Army captives?¡± Tang Guixi naturally remembered. She frowned. ¡°But most of those prisoners are dead.¡± Most of those captives had done many evil things. Tang Guixi had never thought of recruiting them. She dealt with them according to the crimes they had committed. Anyone who committed rape and murder was executed. But there were always exceptions. There were a few honest people among the captives. They were left behind to perform hard labor in the military camp. Tang Guixi said, ¡°The remaining prisoners who are still alive are also insignificant soldiers. The Chen Army might not be willing to let our people off for them. ¡® Xiao Juan said, ¡°Have you heard of the saying about mixing fish eyes with pearls?¡± Tang Guixi thought for a moment before her eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to¡­ But this is too dangerous! If the other party finds out, you¡¯ll definitely die!¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Tang Guixi was immediately speechless.. Chapter 651 - Chapter 651: Trap Chapter 651: Trap Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the end, Tang Guixi accepted Xiao Juan¡¯s suggestion. She wrote the letter herself, then tied the letter to the arrow and shot it into the open space in front of the earth wall. Seeing this, the Chen Nation Army scout, who had been hiding nearby, immediately raised his shield and ran over. He bent down to pick up the arrow and ran away. The arrow was handed to Marshal Chen. He unfolded the letter and saw that it was filled with Dayan writing. He could barely recognize a few commonly used words. He could not understand the entire text even with guessing. He could only get someone to call over an aide who understood the Dayan language. The advisor quickly read the content in his heart and translated it into the Chen Nation language for Marshal Chen. ¡°Tang Guixi wrote this letter. She said she has fifty Chen Nation prisoners. She wants to make a deal with us and exchange prisoners for prisoners.¡± Marshal Chen placed his hands behind his back and took two steps back and forth. He quickly made a decision. ¡°Get someone to tell the Tang woman that I accept this deal.¡± The aide frowned. ¡°This could be a setup¡­¡± Marshal Chen raised his hand and interrupted him. ¡°Let me finish first.¡± The aide obediently shut up. Marshal Chen Jun said, ¡°I can exchange prisoners with them, but in order to prove that they¡¯re not cheating, they have to let Prince Min bring the prisoners over to trade with us.¡± The aide immediately understood what he meant. ¡°Are you trying to take the opportunity to capture Prince Min?¡± Marshal Chen said unhurriedly. ¡°Prince Min is the uncle of the Dayan Emperor. His status is precious.¡± ¡°If we can capture him, we can use him to ask the Dayan Emperor for benefits in the future.¡± ¡°No matter what the relationship between Emperor Dayan and Prince Min was, as long as the Emperor Dayan still cared about his reputation, it was impossible for him to disregard Prince Min¡¯s life.¡± ¡°In that case, when we return to the court and the emperor asks why we were delayed so much in Heng City, we will have an explanation.¡± The advisor praised, ¡°Marshal is so thoughtful.¡± At the same time, the Chen Army captives were all brought to Xiao Juan. There were a total of three of them. For the past half a year, they had done the dirtiest and most tiring job in the military camp. They were exhausted every day, and the food they had been given could barely keep them from starving to death. At this moment, they were hunched over, their eyes numb, their faces sallow, their clothes tattered, and they smelled bad. Xiao Juan got someone to bring over a plate of white steamed buns and placed it in front of them. ¡°Eat.¡± The moment the three of them saw the white steamed bun, their eyes lit up in unison. They first looked at Xiao Juan to confirm that he was not joking with them before they pounced forward, grabbed the steamed buns, and stuffed them into their mouths. When they were almost done eating, Xiao Juan said to them in the Chen Nation language. ¡°I¡¯ll send you back later.¡± Seeing that they did not react, Xiao Juan specially added, ¡°I¡¯m sending you back to the Chen Nation¡¯s military camp.¡± All three of them looked stunned. How was that possible? Xiao Juan continued, ¡°But you have to think carefully. What will your marshal think if we take the initiative to send you back safely? Tell him that you¡¯ve only done some rough work in our Eastern Expedition Army for the past half a year and haven¡¯t suffered at all before we let you back. Will your marshal believe you?¡± All three of them were speechless. Although they were very tired in the Eastern Expedition Army¡¯s camp, the Eastern Expedition Army had indeed not deliberately abused them. There were no other scars on their bodies except those from accidental injuries while working. How could they explain it if they went back like this? One of them mustered his courage and asked, ¡°Can I not go back?¡± Although it was hard to stay here, at least he could live. If they were sent back to the Chen Nation¡¯s military camp for no reason, what awaited them might very well be all kinds of doubts and interrogation. The final outcome would definitely not be good. Xiao Juan looked at their uneasy expressions and continued to guide them patiently. ¡°You can stay if you want, but you have to do as I say. I¡¯ll give you a mission later. As long as you can complete the mission, not only can you continue to live in Heng City in the future, but you can also remove your status as a military slave and become a proper citizen of Heng City. I heard that your Chen Nation¡¯s lands are barren and it¡¯s difficult for crops to survive, so you gathered the army to invade our Liaodong County. How were your lives in the Chen Nation in the past? Can you eat such white steamed buns every day?¡± All three shook their heads in unison. It was because they could not eat enough that they had no choice but to enlist. If their families had a better life, they would not have risked their lives to become soldiers. Xiao Juan gently knocked on the plate used to store steamed buns. ¡°As long as you¡¯re from Heng City, you can get land. At that time, you¡¯ll be the same. Each of you will have two acres of land to farm well. I guarantee that you can eat white steamed buns every day next year. How about that?¡± The three of them looked at each other. The lingering fragrance of steamed buns in their mouths had yet to dissipate. They saw the longing in one another¡¯s eyes. The temptation of eating and drinking their fill every day was too great. In the next moment, they knelt. ¡°It¡¯s our honor to serve you, sir!¡± Next, Xiao Juan began to explain the details of the entire operation to them. On the other side, Tang Guixi received a reply from the marshal of the Chen Army. The other party expressed his willingness to accept the deal, but they had to get Prince Min to come forward and carry out this deal. Otherwise, they would not be able to believe the sincerity of the Eastern Expedition Army. Tang Guixi instructed the deputy general beside her. ¡°Go to Prince Min quickly and give him this letter.¡± The deputy general took the letter and hesitated. ¡°Will Prince Min be willing to help?¡± Tang Guixi was not confident about this. Those Eastern Expedition prisoners were her subordinates. They had to save them, but Prince Min was not from the Eastern Expedition Army. This matter had nothing to do with him. There was no need for him to take the risk. Moreover, Prince Min was not the kind of person who would sacrifice himself for others. Tang Guixi could only do her best and leave it to fate. The deputy general hurried away with the letter. It didn¡¯t take long for him to return. And he had brought back someone. This person was not Prince Min, but his heir, Shen Xu. Tang Guixi was clearly stunned when she saw Shen Xu. ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s your father?¡± Shen Xu raised his head and puffed out his chest. ¡°My father is old and can¡¯t do such a dangerous thing, so I came on his behalf.¡± Tang Guixi frowned. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Shen Xu defended himself firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not messing around. I know you want to save people. I can help you.¡± ¡°They wanted Prince Min. As the heir of Prince Min¡¯s Mansion, I am the future Prince Min. I can totally represent my father to make the deal.¡± Tang Guixi said in a low voice, ¡°Do you know how dangerous this matter is?¡± Shen Xu straightened his neck and said, ¡°I know!¡± Tang Guixi asked, ¡°Then aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Shen Xu said, ¡°No!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid, why are you trembling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trembling!¡± Tang Guixi looked at his trembling legs and was both angry and amused.. Chapter 652 - Chapter 652: Come Home With Me Chapter 652: Come Home With Me Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When the sun set, Shen Xu walked out of the earth wall with a team of 50 people. Not far away, the Chen Nation¡¯s army was watching covetously. There was an empty space between them. In the open space, more than twenty Eastern Expedition prisoners were still kneeling. They sensed footsteps approaching and raised their heads with difficulty. When they saw that it was Shen Xu, their eyes widened. Someone said hoarsely, ¡°Prince, leave quickly.¡± These words touched Shen Xu. He looked at the injured soldiers in front of him. They were clearly about to die, but they still wanted him to leave quickly. Previously, he was willing to take the risk to not disappoint Tang Guixi, but now, he hoped to bring these soldiers back. Shen Xu took out a small knife from his sleeve and helped them cut the ropes. ¡°Get up and come home with me.¡± Hearing the word home, their eyes turned red. After so much inhumane torture, going home had become an unattainable wish in their hearts. And now, their wishes were about to come true. The Chen soldiers raised their shields and quickly approached. They surrounded Shen Xu and the captives. Shen Xu immediately stood up and questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to exchange prisoners with us? I¡¯ve already brought your people here. You should let me bring our people back!¡± A moment later, a chariot slowly approached. A scholarly-looking aide stood in the chariot. He asked haltingly in the Dayan official language. ¡°Where are our people?¡± Shen Xu kept walking behind him. ¡°They¡¯re all here!¡± The advisor gave him a look and immediately, a Chen Nation soldier walked forward to check. He first pushed aside the hair of the three captives standing at the front and identified them carefully. They looked a little familiar. Then, he interrogated the other party in the Chen Nation language. The three of them answered each other fluently and he couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with them. They also wanted to examine the other prisoners. Shen Xu urged impatiently. ¡°Can we hurry? We¡¯re in a hurry to get back!¡± The advisor was originally looking at the captives. When he heard this, he looked at Shen Xu and asked unhurriedly. ¡°Our marshal specifically asked Prince Min to do the deal. Why don¡¯t I see him?¡± Shen Xu replied loudly, ¡°I¡¯m Prince Min¡¯s only son and his future heir. Today, I¡¯m here to make a deal with you on behalf of Father.¡± The advisor said, ¡°The heir is really filial, but unfortunately, our marshal wants to see Prince Min. If you don¡¯t fulfill the agreement as requested, we naturally can¡¯t make a deal with you.¡± With that, he gestured. Immediately, a Chen Nation soldier walked forward and prepared to grab Shen xu. Shen Xu blocked the knife in front of him in a defensive posture and asked fiercely. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± The advisor smiled and said, ¡°Since the heir is already here, we can¡¯t come for nothing. Marshal Chen wants to treat you to a glass of wine. Please give him the courtesy.¡± Shen Xu naturally knew that the other party must have ill intentions. He spat angrily, ¡°How can you lowly bandits be worthy of drinking with me?!¡± The smile on the aide¡¯s face disappeared, and his expression darkened. ¡°Prince, listen to my advice. It seems like you want to do this the hard way.¡± Shen Xu said sternly, ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, let us go immediately!¡± The aide looked at him coldly. ¡°To tell you the truth, it¡¯s not just you today. All the captives you brought have to stay. After that, we¡¯ll kill all the prisoners of the Eastern Expedition Army. We¡¯ll leave none alive!¡± The last four words were spoken slowly by him, revealing deep malice. Shen Xu laughed in anger. ¡°So you never planned to fulfill the agreement from the beginning. As expected of jackals, tigers, and leopards from the Chen Nation. You¡¯re all a group of shameless beasts who don¡¯t know etiquette!¡± Without another word, the aide gave the order to act. When the Chen Nation soldiers pounced at Shen Xu, the archers hiding behind the earth wall let go of their bowstrings. Countless arrows shot at the Chen Nation soldiers. The Chen Nation soldiers hurriedly raised their shields in front of them. Xiao Juan, who was disguised as a Chen soldier captive, and the other forty or so Eagle Guards seized the opportunity to pull out the saber hidden under their clothes. Among them, Xiao Juan used his Qinggong and jumped up. He stepped on the shoulder of the person in front of him and flew forward. He pointed the No Return Saber in his hand at the aide¡¯s vital point! The aide was shocked and hurriedly dodged back. He shouted, ¡°Save me!¡± However, before the Chen Nation soldiers around him could react, he had already been pierced through the chest by Xiao Juan. The scene fell into chaos. The Eagle Guards took advantage of the chaos to carry the captives of the Eastern Expedition Army and quickly retreat in the direction of the earth wall. On the sentry tower, Tang Guixi ordered loudly when she saw this scene. ¡°Archers cover them!¡± The archers behind the earth wall drew their bows and nocked arrows again. They kept shooting, forcing back the Chen Nation soldiers who wanted to catch up. Shen Xu retreated with the Eagle Guards. But before he could run far, he heard a rumbling behind him. They turned around in unison and saw that the Chen Nation Army had actually brought out the catapult. The Chen Nation soldiers stepped on the pedal hard, and the basin-sized stones were thrown high. They drew a parabola in the air and headed straight for Xiao Juan and the others. Shen Xu¡¯s pupils clearly reflected the stone. They closed in quickly. When Tang Guixi saw this scene from the sentry tower, her eyes widened and she roared, ¡°Shen Xu, run!¡± However, Shen Xu stood rooted to the ground as if he had been frozen. At the critical moment, Xiao Juan appeared in time and pushed Shen Xu away. The rock flew between the two of them and landed heavily on the ground, creating a small pit. Before they could heave a sigh of relief, another stone had already flown in front of Xiao Juan. At this moment, he was too late to dodge. Yu Niaoniao suddenly opened her eyes and woke up from a nightmare. Granny Xiu Yan, who was sitting by the bed doing needlework, immediately put down the needle and thread in her hand and asked with concern. ¡°Why do you look so pale? Did you have a nightmare?¡± Yu Niaoniao panted softly. ¡°I dreamed that Ah Juan was in danger on the battlefield. Granny, will something happen to him?¡± Granny Xiu Yan comforted her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ah Juan is a person with great fortune. God helps good people. He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao was still very uneasy. She did not know if her mood had affected the fetus in her stomach, but she suddenly felt pain in her abdomen. She clutched her stomach and frowned. ¡°My belly hurts. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s giving birth? Logically speaking, she should have to wait another two days.¡± To be safe, she still got someone to invite the midwife over. The midwife arrived quickly. She lifted Yu Niaoniao¡¯s skirt for a closer look and gave an affirmative answer. ¡°The amniotic sac has broken. She¡¯s indeed giving birth.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hurriedly got someone to bring over all the things needed for delivery and then called Ling Hai over. ¡°Go out of the city immediately and think of a way to find Xiao Juan. Tell him that Niaoniao is about to give birth.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: Wish Chapter 653: Wish Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The moment the rock smashed over, Xiao Juan circulated his internal energy and waved the No Return Saber. The sharp blade slashed. Sparks flew as the rock was forcefully cut in half. Shen Xu, who was closest, was shocked by this scene. He did not expect Xiao Juan¡¯s internal energy to be so deep. Xiao Juan grabbed his collar and dragged him up from the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They ran with all their might and finally hid behind the earth wall before the second batch of stones smashed over. Lo Pingsha had been waiting here with the military doctors for a long time. They hurriedly took the injured persons over to treat them. Shen Xu was not injured, but he was frightened. He fell weakly to the ground, breathing hard. In all his life, this was the first time he had run so fast. Meng Xizhou also sat on the ground to rest. He chuckled. ¡°Prince, was it exciting just now?¡± Shen Xu said weakly, ¡°It¡¯s enough to go through this kind of stimulation once. I won¡¯t have such an experience again.¡± Seeing that Xiao Juan was about to leave, he knew that Xiao Juan was probably going to look for Tang Guixi. He gritted his teeth, got up, and staggered after him. The two of them met Tang Guixi at the foot of the sentry tower. Seeing that the two of them were safe and sound, Tang Guixi heaved a long sigh of relief. ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re both fine. This way, I can explain it to Niaoniao and Prince Min.¡± Shen Xu switched from being fearful. He raised his head and puffed out his chest, grinning widely. ¡°I told you that you could leave this to me!¡± Tang Guixi said sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you this time. I¡¯ll remember this favor. If you need any help in the future, just let me know. I¡¯ll definitely do my best.¡± Shen Xu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This might be a good opportunity to express his feelings. Even if she didn¡¯t want to, on account of how much he had helped just now, she should be able to give him a way out without embarrassing him too much. But if she was willing, he would make a killing! Shen Xu made up his mind and mustered his courage. ¡°I do need your help.¡± Tang Guixi hurriedly said, ¡°Tell me.¡± Shen Xu was nervous and his face was hot, but because his face was covered in dust and sweat, he looked dirty. It was impossible to tell that his face had turned red. ¡°It¡¯s that¡­ I¡¯m not young anymore. Father has been urging me to get married quickly recently. I want¡­ I want to¡­¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Do you want me to help you find a good girl to be your wife? Alright, I¡¯ll get someone to find all the matchmakers in the city later. I must find you a wife that you¡¯re satisfied with in all aspects!¡± Shen Xu said anxiously, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Tang Guixi was puzzled. ¡°Then what do you want me to help with? You don¡¯t want me to be your wife, do you?¡± After saying that, she felt that this matter was too ridiculous and could not help but laugh. She stopped laughing. Because she realized that Shen Xu looked coy as if she had really hit the nail on the head. Tang Guixi¡¯s mouth widened in disbelief. ¡°No, no way? Are you serious?¡± Shen Xu took a deep breath and mustered his courage to nod and say that it was true. But before he could say anything, he was interrupted. ¡°Master! Master!¡± Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Ling Hai rushing over. Xiao Juan, who had been quiet just now, spoke at this moment. He asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay in the city and take good care of Niaoniao? Why are you here?¡± Ling Hai was sweating profusely and panting. ¡°Master, Madam is giving birth!¡± Hearing this, the expressions of everyone present changed. Xiao Juan¡¯s reaction was the greatest. He changed his calm appearance from when he was facing thousands of troops and asked anxiously, ¡°When did this happen?¡± Ling Hai said that it had been four hours. Xiao Juan said to Tang Guixi, ¡°I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Then, he strode towards the city gate. Tang Guixi quickly stopped him. ¡°Are you really planning to run back with your legs? At least ride a horse. Isn¡¯t a four-legged horse faster than you?¡± Only then did Xiao Juan remember to ride a horse. He had been in such a hurry just now that he had forgotten that he could still ride. He and Ling Hai each rode a horse and rushed back as quickly as possible. Tang Guixi still had to preside over the situation and could not return to the city for the time being. She clasped her hands together and muttered softly. ¡°Amitabha. Bodhisattva, please bless us. We must let Niaoniao and her child be safe.¡± Shen Xu looked at her uneasy expression and was about to comfort her when he heard her say right on the heels of that. ¡°Buddha, Bodhisattva Guanyin, Jade Emperor¡­ In short, no matter who it is, I¡¯m willing to exchange ten years of my life for the safety of Niaoniao and her child¡­ Shen Xu hurriedly interrupted her. ¡®What nonsense are you talking about? Who curses themselves like that?!¡± Then, he clasped his hands together and bowed to the heavens. ¡°God, don¡¯t take it seriously. She was talking nonsense just now. It doesn¡¯t count. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°As long as Niaoniao and her child are safe, so what if my lifespan is reduced by ten years?¡± Shen Xu said angrily, ¡°I can understand your concern for Yu Niaoniao, but there¡¯s no need to pay the price with ten years of your life. If Yu Niaoniao finds out, she¡¯ll definitely feel guilty. Why don¡¯t you change it to something else? It¡¯s best if it looks very important, but it¡¯s actually not that important to you. It¡¯s better to pay a price that won¡¯t cause any harm to you.¡± Tang Guixi felt that his words made sense. She thought about it seriously for a moment, then her eyes lit up. ¡°I got it!¡± Shen Xu was very curious. ¡°What is it?¡± Tang Guixi clasped her hands together and prayed seriously, ¡°Bodhisattva, God, Jade Emperor, I¡¯m willing to exchange my marriage for the safety of Niaoniao and her child.¡± Shen Xu was speechless. Tang Guixi said, ¡°As long as you can bless Niaoniao and her son¡¯s safety, I¡¯m willing to never touch men in my life, not break the lust taboo, and not marry anyone¡­¡± Shen Xu could not stand it anymore and interrupted her again. Tang Guixi frowned. ¡°Why not? Isn¡¯t this what you just said? You have to use something that looks very important but is actually not very important as the price of making a wish. Marriage seems very important, but it¡¯s not that important to me. Even without it, I can live very well. It¡¯s very suitable to use it as the price of making a wish!¡± Shen Xu could not argue. He really wanted to slap himself for talking nonsense just now! Shen Xu was angry and anxious. After holding it in for a long time, he could not say anything. ¡°But if you don¡¯t get married, who will take care of you when you¡¯re old in the future?¡± Tang Guixi had already planned this. ¡°Although I¡¯m not married, it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have children. Niaoniao¡¯s child can acknowledge me as her godmother. There shouldn¡¯t be a Droblem letting that child take care of me in the future, right?¡± Shen Xu was speechless again. He actually could not even provide the value of having children.. How sad! Chapter 654 - Chapter 654: Family Reunion Chapter 654: Family Reunion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Juan returned to the General¡¯s Mansion as quickly as possible. He jumped off the horse and casually threw the reins to the concierge. He ran all the way to the backyard. When he entered the backyard, he vaguely heard Niaoniao¡¯s cry before he approached the bedroom. Xiao Juan stopped in his tracks and sped up toward the bedroom. Niaoniao¡¯s shouts came from the room again and again. Every shout was filled with intense pain. Xiao Juan¡¯s heart tightened. He walked straight towards the bedroom but was stopped by the servant guarding the door. ¡°Master, this is the delivery room. The smell of blood is very strong. You can¡¯t go in. It¡¯s inauspicious!¡± Xiao Juan pushed him away. ¡°I just came down from the battlefield. In terms of the smell of blood, who can be stronger than me? Not to mention that it¡¯s a delivery room inside, I¡¯ll definitely rush through mountains of blades and seas of flames!¡± With that, he pushed open the door and strode in. When Ling Hai, who had followed closely behind, saw this scene, he was very anxious. However, he was not Xiao Juan. He did not dare to barge into the delivery room rashly and could only wait outside anxiously. Yu Niaoniao lay on the bed. Her face was pale and she was sweating profusely. Her lower body was in so much pain that she could not feel anything. Granny Xiu Yan gripped her hand tightly and encouraged her. ¡°Quick, use more strength. The child¡¯s head is out. Use more strength!¡± The midwife was also shouting, ¡°Madam, use more strength!¡± However, Yu Niaoniao was really weak. She could not hold on anymore. At this moment, she heard Xiao Juan¡¯s voice at the door. He was back! Yu Niaoniao turned her head with difficulty. In her blurry vision, a familiar tall figure came to the bed. Granny Xiu Yan let go of her hand. Right on the heels of that, another broad and warm hand held her. Xiao Juan leaned over to her and said gently, ¡°Niaoniao, I¡¯m back.¡± It was not only his voice that was too gentle, but the delivery process was too painful. Yu Niaoniao could not help but cry. She cried as she said, ¡°I dreamed that you fell on the battlefield covered in blood. I was so afraid. I thought you would never come back. What would happen to me and the child? Boohoo!¡± Xiao Juan lowered his head and kissed her sweaty forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not stop crying. Xiao Juan¡¯s heart ached. He wished he could replace her. Granny Xiu Van stood at the side and watched this scene- She could not help but wipe her tears. At that moment, they suddenly heard the midwife cry out in surprise. ¡°She gave birth! The child is born!¡± Everyone was shocked. Xiao Juan and Granny Xiu Yan turned to look at the midwife in unison and saw her bend down to cut the umbilical cord. When she stood up again, there was already a small baby in her arms. The midwife washed the child¡¯s bloody body with warm water and wrapped him in a soft blanket. She smiled and said, ¡°Congratulations, Master. Congratulations, Madam. You have a cute little daughter!¡± At this moment, Yu Niaoniao could not care less about crying. She said hoarsely, ¡°Show me the child.¡± The midwife gently placed the child on the bed. Beside her, Granny Xiu Yan immediately took out the pouch she had prepared long ago. She handed it to the midwife. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you today. I hope you can accept this small gift.¡± The midwife happily accepted the pouch. Granny Xiu Yan immediately asked, ¡°Don¡¯t children cry when they¡¯re born? How can she not cry?¡± The midwife explained, ¡°Not every child cries at birth. Some don¡¯t like to cry. If you¡¯re worried, you can spank the child. She¡¯ll naturally cry when she feels the pain. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan understood. ¡°I see. Thank you. I¡¯ll send you out.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at the baby in swaddling clothes and felt very strange. Just now, she thought she might not be able to give birth. She did not expect this child to suddenly come out. It was as if this child was deliberately waiting for Xiao Juan to return. As soon as Xiao Juan arrived, this child came out. As Yu Niaoniao thought this, she could not help but feel a little jealous. ¡°You heartless thing. You value your father over your mother.¡± Xiao Juan was looking at the baby in a daze, wanting to distinguish which part of her face looked like her mother, when he heard Niaoniao suddenly say this. He could not help but look up at her and ask. ¡°What?¡± Yu Niaoniao said what she was thinking, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have come out if you weren¡¯t here. She came out as soon as you did. She¡¯s biased towards you!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I think she saw that her parents were around and that she was the only one missing. She also wanted her family to reunite, so she did her best to come out.¡± Granny Xiu Yan, who had returned, was caught between laughter and tears when she heard the couple¡¯s conversation. The newborn baby couldn¡¯t even open her eyes. What could she know? These two adults were actually discussing so seriously. They were really more childish than children. Granny Xiu Yan got someone to bring hot water, wanting to help Niaoniao wipe and change. Xiao Juan took the handkerchief from her. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You guys go out.¡± Granny Xiu Yan hesitated. ¡°You just came back from the battlefield. You should be very tired. Do you want to rest first?¡± Xiao Juan shook his head to indicate that there was no need. Seeing his determined attitude, Granny Xiu Yan had no choice but to retreat with the maidservants. Xiao Juan soaked the handkerchief in hot water and walked to the bed, planning to help Niaoniao take off her clothes. However, he saw that she had already tallen asleep beside the swaddling clothes. She was really too tired. Previously, she had been trying her best to stay awake because she was worried about Xiao Juan and the child. Now that the child had been successfully born and Xiao Juan had returned safely, she had nothing to worry about anymore. She could finally rest. Xiao Juan quietly took off Niaoniao¡¯s clothes and wiped her body with a wet handkerchief. Because he was afraid of waking Niaoniao up, his movements were exceptionally gentle and careful. After helping Niaoniao clean up, he was also drenched in sweat. He covered Niaoniao with the blanket and walked out of the room with the dirty water. Granny Xiu Yan quickly got someone to pour the dirty water away. Then, she got someone to bring new hot water so that Xiao Juan could take a good bath. He returned to the bedroom, planning to have a good sleep. Unexpectedly, just as he lay down beside Niaoniao, the baby, who had been quiet just now, suddenly cried. Xiao Juan immediately panicked. He did not know why his precious daughter was crying. He wanted to coax her, but he did not know how. He wanted to hug her, but he did not know how to carry such a small child. He was afraid that he would hurt the child clumsily. The child¡¯s cries woke Niaoniao from her sleep. She opened her tired eyes and asked, ¡°What happened to the baby?¡± At this moment, Granny Xiu Yan pushed open the door and walked in. She asked nervously, ¡°Miss, why are you crying? Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan expressed that they did not know. This was their first time being parents. They had no experience raising children. Granny Xiu Yan picked up the child and took a look. Seeing that she was crying loudly, she secretly heaved a sigh of relief. It was good that she could cry. It meant that this child was not mute.. Chapter 655 - Chapter 655: Little Fortune Star Chapter 655: Little Fortune Star Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The baby cried because she was hungry. After Yu Niaoniao fed her milk, the child stopped crying. She stayed quietly in her swaddling clothes. Her two small claws were curled in front of her chest, and her small mouth was slightly open. She looked so cute that Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart was about to melt. Yu Niaoniao gently pinched the baby¡¯s meaty claws. The baby¡¯s little fingers moved, and she held his mother¡¯s hand tighter. Xiao Juan asked softly, ¡°It¡¯s still early. Do you want to sleep a little longer?¡± Yu Niaoniao replied softly, ¡°Yes.¡± With that, she yawned loudly. She closed her eyes and prepared to sleep. She suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Xiao Juan. ¡°There¡¯s still a war on the front line. Is it okay for you to come back suddenly?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± She asked again, ¡°Have you thought of a name for the baby?¡± Previously, he had thought of many names and felt unsatisfied. But just now, when he saw the quiet scene of Niaoniao sleeping with the baby, a name suddenly appeared in his heart. ¡°How about calling her Yining? Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Yining?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°It means mountains and rivers are peaceful with the blessings of the heavens!¡± Yu Niaoniao thought about it carefully and felt that Yining was a good name. ¡°Xiao Yining is not bad. I hope her arrival can really bring peace to the mountains and rivers and end this war as soon as possible.¡± Xiao Juan said warmly, ¡°Definitely.¡± Yu Niaoniao fiddled with the baby¡¯s fingers and smiled. ¡°Did you hear that? From now on, your name will be Xiao Yining.¡± The baby was in a daze. She gently kicked her short legs, as if telling her mother to stop fooling around and not disturb her sleep. Unknowingly, the family of three fell asleep again. At this moment, no one knew that an urgent secret letter had been sent to Marshal Chen. That night, a huge change happened in the Chen Nation¡¯s military camp. Right on the heels of that, they began to pack their luggage and retreat overnight. All of this happened too quickly. By the time Tang Guixi learned the news, the Chen Nation¡¯s army had already retreated more than 30 miles. Tang Guixi was at a loss, not understanding what the Chen Army was doing. Yesterday, the Chen Nation Army was clearly fighting the Eastern Expedition Army in full swing. Why had the Chen Nation Army disappeared in just a night? The deputy general was excited. ¡°General, the Chen Army has withdrawn. Does that mean that we won this battle? Are we going to guard Heng City in the future?¡± Tang Guixi raised her hand, indicating that he should not be happy too early. Something was wrong! She suspected that this might be a trap set up by the Chen Nation Army. For the sake of safety, she asked the entire army to hold back for the time being. In addition, she sent out another team of scouts to chase after the Chen Army. She wanted to see what the Chen Nation Army was up to. The scouts went for more than ten days. The Chen Nation Army did not return. Tang Guixi was still worried about Yu Niaoniao¡¯s safety. In any case, the Chen Nation soldiers had disappeared. No one would be able to fight for a while, so she took this opportunity to return to Heng City. After returning to the General¡¯s Mansion, she especially changed into clean clothes before running to visit Niaoniao and the baby. Unlike the red and wrinkled appearance when she had when she was first born, the baby had already become fair and tender, like a soft white dough. Her eyes were very similar to her mother¡¯s, round and sparkling. Tang Guixi liked her very much and asked expectantly. ¡°Can I hug her?¡± Yu Niaoniao handed over the child in her arms and patiently told her how to carry it. Tang Guixi carefully carried the baby over. Such a young child was soft and cute. Tang Guixi hugged the child lovingly. After a while, she returned the child to Niaoniao. ¡°Have you named this child?¡± Yu Niaoniao wiped the drool from the baby¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief and said, ¡°We shall call her Xiao Yining. Ah Juan gave her a name.¡± Tang Guixi repeated the name a few times and felt that it was not bad, so she asked again. ¡°What about nicknames? Do you have nicknames?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet. Why don¡¯t you give your goddaughter a nickname?¡± Tang Guixi had been waiting for this sentence! She rubbed her hands together, looking eager. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡¯ At this moment, Xiao Juan walked in with a letter in his hand. ¡°Tang Guixi, this is a letter just sent back by the scouts. They said that they have already found the whereabouts of the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers.¡± Tang Guixi could only reluctantly look away from her goddaughter. She took the letter. Other than her, there were only Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan in the room. They were all on the same side, so there was nothing to avoid. She opened the letter in a few moves and unfolded it. Her expression immediately became very strange. When Yu Niaoniao saw her expression, she immediately thought of the emoji of Grandpa Metro looking at his cell phone and could not help but be curious. ¡°What did the letter say?¡± Tang Guixi handed the letter to her. ¡°See for yourself.¡± Yu Niaoniao put down the child and took the letter. Her expression became strange. Xiao Juan sat down by the bed and leaned over to read the letter. In the letter, the scout said that they chased in the direction the Chen Nation Army had retreated and realized that the Chen Nation Army was not pretending to retreat. Instead, they were really not prepared to fight anymore. The marshal of the Chen Nation gathered all the troops scattered across Liaodong County. They were in a hurry and rushed straight to the Chen Nation. It looked like they had really encountered something important. While retreating, the Chen Army did not forget to steal and plunder all the towns along the way. Just as Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were thinking about what was going on, Tang Guixi suddenly slapped her thigh and said excitedly. ¡°The Chen Nation Army ran away as soon as our little darling was born. This means that our little darling is a natural lucky star. In the future, her nickname will be Fubao (Lucky baby)!¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were stunned. They did not understand how this matter had anything to do with their precious daughter. These two clearly had nothing to do with each other. Yu Niaoniao could not help but say, ¡°This should just be a coincidence.¡± Tang Guixi said righteously, ¡°How can there be such a coincidence in the world? This is clearly the credit of our Little Fubao!¡± With that, she picked up the baby and kissed her. Xiao Yining was dumbfounded by the kiss. Her eyes were wide and she looked even cuter. Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°Fubao is fine, but there should be another reason why Chen Nation Army suddenly retreated. You should get someone to investigate again.¡± Tang Guixi did not care so much. She hugged Little Fubao and was overjoyed. ¡°Little Fubao is really too powerful. Xiao Yining opened her small mouth and smiled toothlessly. She waved her small claws twice. It was as if she was echoing his godmother¡¯s grand plan. Yu Niaoniao held her forehead. She was suddenly a little worried about what the child would become when she grew up.. Chapter 656 - Chapter 656: Armistice Chapter 656: Armistice Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Since she knew that Niaoniao and her daughter were safe, Tang Guixi could completely relax. She asked Xiao Juan to stay in Heng City while she led her troops to chase after the retreating Chen Army. During the pursuit, Tang Guixi captured some Chen Nation soldiers. One of them happened to be an advisor under Marshal Chen. After some interrogation, the aide told the truth about the reason for their sudden decision to evacuate. The emperor of the Chen Nation was already old, but he had yet to appoint a crown prince. The princes fought to the death for the throne. Among them, the Ninth Prince, Han Chengxi, was the most likely to ascend. Back then, he had offered Princess Tao Ran to the emperor of the Chen Nation. After Princess Tao Ran entered the palace, she was doted on by the emperor of the Chen Nation. She even got pregnant and successfully gave birth to a little prince, the sixteenth prince half a year ago. The emperor of the Chen Nation was extremely happy to have a son at an old age. He ignored the dissuasion of others and decreed that Princess Tao Ran would be conferred the title of Imperial Noble Consort. With the Imperial Noble Consort whispering pillow talk into the emperor¡¯s ear every day and putting in good words for the Ninth Prince, Han Chengxi, the emperor ended up having a good impression of Han Chengxi. Just as the emperor of the Chen Nation was about to issue a decree to make Han Chengxi the crown prince, the other princes could not take it anymore. The brothers joined forces to initiate a revolt and forced the emperor to kill Han Chengxi. Han Chengxi was not easy to deal with. He had already expected that his brothers would not give up their hopes of fighting for the throne easily. He had planted spies around the other princes in advance. Through the news sent back by his spies, Han Chengxi had long known that the other princes were preparing to initiate the revolt. He had set up an ambush in advance. When the princes barged into the palace with their troops and tried to threaten the emperor to kill the Ninth Prince, he rushed over with his troops to save him. In the chaotic battle, Han Chengxi pretended to be anxious to save people and ¡°accidentally¡± killed all the princes. Due to the shock, the emperor of the Chen Nation suffered a stroke and became a vegetable. A spectacular palace upheaval came to an end. Everyone thought that the final winner of this power game was the Ninth Prince, Han Chengxi. However, things were unpredictable. No one expected Han Chengxi to suddenly die in the palace three days later. It was said that he had contracted an evil illness and died. No one knew the real reason. Right on the heels of that, the emperor of the Chen Nation issued a decree to make the Imperial Noble Consort the empress and the sixteenth prince she gave birth to was named the Crown Prince. Because the emperor of the Chen Nation was paralyzed in bed and could not move, only the empress could take care of him. All matters in the court had to be conveyed to the emperor of the Chen Nation through the empress. In other words, the actual person in charge of the Chen Nation¡¯s court was the empress. She was worried that someone in the Chen Nation would still want to harm the emperor, so she ordered someone to send a secret letter to the Marshal of the Chen Army and asked him to immediately withdraw his troops and stop fighting and retreat to the Chen Nation as soon as possible. And this was the real reason why the Chen Nation suddenly withdrew its army. Tang Guixi led the Eastern Expedition Army in pursuit. The Chen Nation Army was not in the mood to fight and ran quickly. In less than ten days, Tang Guixi chased the Chen Nation Army out of Liaodong County. At this point, the war that had lasted for more than a year came to an end. Tang Guixi cut off the flag representing the Chen Nation Army on the city wall of Xingning City and solemnly inserted the flag representing the Eastern Expedition Army. The bright red flag fluttered in the wind, and the ¡°Tang¡± word on it was extremely eye-catching. Far away in Heng City, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan were very happy to know about this. The commoners ran around telling the news as they cried tears of joy. Coincidentally, it was Xiao Yining¡¯s full month. Xiao Juan waved his hand and set up a three-day banquet in the city to celebrate his precious daughter¡¯s full month. This made the already jubilant Heng City even livelier. Tang Guixi rushed forward and finally caught up to her goddaughter¡¯s one-month-old celebration. She took out a small and exquisite silver lock and put it around Xiao Yining¡¯s neck. ¡°This is my gift to Little Fubao.¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ve made you spend money.¡± Tang Guixi laughed. ¡°Little Fubao has brought us a great blessing. It¡¯s all thanks to her that our war with the Chen Nation stopped so quickly. What kind of expense is a small lock?¡± Yu Niaoniao said excitedly, ¡°Haven¡¯t you already figured it out? This has nothing to do with our Fubao. Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± No matter what she said, Tang Guixi was certain that this was thanks to Fubao. Later, for some reason, this saying spread. Word spread like wildfire. The commoners actually believed this. On New Year¡¯s Eve, Yu Niaoniao, Xiao Juan, Prince Min, and the others moved out of Heng City, preparing to shift to Xingning City with Tang Guixi. The citizens of Heng City reluctantly sent them out of the city gate. Many of them were shouting Little Fubao¡¯s name. ¡°Fubao must be well. It will bring more blessings to our Liaodong County in the future!¡± ¡°As long as Fubao is around, our Liaodong County will definitely be safe.¡± ¡°When Fubao grows up, she will definitely become an impressive figure like General Tang.¡± ¡°Fubao, Fubao! You must protect us!¡± In the carriage, Little Fubao was sleeping soundly in her mother¡¯s arms, unaware of everything outside the carriage. Yu Niaoniao looked out of the carriage window and saw that the commoners were still following behind, unwilling to leave. They called out Fu Bao¡¯s name one after another. This made Yu Niaoniao sigh. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already get someone to explain it to everyone? The Chen Nation¡¯s sudden retreat has nothing to do with Fubao. Fubao is just an ordinary child. She¡¯s not as magical as everyone says.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I did explain, but the commoners didn¡¯t believe me.¡± Seeing that Yu Niaoniao was very troubled, he explained softly, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing bad about this. The war has just ended and there are still a lot of things to do. Many displaced commoners are confused about the future and need spiritual sustenance at this moment. Tang Guixi specially attributed the credit to Fu Bao. She should have considered this. The commoners believe that Fu Bao can bring blessings. They feel that the heavens still care about them, so they have the confidence to rebuild their home.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°What I¡¯m worried about is that if everyone finds out in the future that Fu Bao is not as powerful as they expected, they will definitely be extremely disappointed. At that time, what will Fu Bao do?¡± Xiao Juan smiled gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After a long time, everyone will gradually return to their previous peaceful life. Everything will return to the right track, and they will gradually forget the saying of a lucky star.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 hope so.¡± Seeing that she was still frowning and looking worried, Xiao Juan could not help but ask, ¡°What else are you worried about?¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated for a moment before saying the worry she had hidden in her heart. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the Chen Nation. Although they¡¯ve already retreated, don¡¯t forget that Princess Tao Ran has a deep grudge against us.. Now that she¡¯s become the empress of the Chen Nation, do you think she¡¯ll order another attack on Liaodong County to take revenge on us?¡± Chapter 657 - Chapter 657: Proposal Chapter 657: Proposal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Actually, Xiao Juan had a similar worry. Based on his understanding of Princess Tao Ran, that woman was paranoid and would do anything unscrupulous to get what she wanted. When she was taken away by Han Chengxi, her heart was filled with hatred. Now that she had power, she might take the opportunity to take revenge. Xiao Juan comforted her softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t let her hurt you and Fubao.¡± The convoy successfully arrived at Xingning City. The Prince Min¡¯s Mansion and the General¡¯s Mansion in the city were still there, but all the valuable items inside had been looted. Now, only an empty shell was left. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan originally planned to buy a house in the city to live on their own, but this was strongly protested by Tang Guixi. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you want to move out, but Fubao can¡¯t leave. I want to live with my goddaughter.¡± With that, she hugged Little Fubao tightly in her arms and refused to let go. Seeing how clingy she was, Yu Niaoniao could not help but tease her, ¡°Fubao will grow up too. When she gets married in the future, she¡¯ll still move out.¡± Tang Guixi immediately said, ¡°No! Fubao is so cute. No young brat in the world is worthy of her!¡± Yu Niaoniao pretended to be surprised. ¡°Then are you planning to let Fu Bao be single for the rest of her life? In the future, when we¡¯re old and no longer around, Fubao will be lonely.¡± Tang Guixi looked conflicted. She couldn¡¯t bear to be separated from Fubao, but she didn¡¯t want her to live alone for the rest of his life. In her dilemma, she suddenly had an idea and blurted out, ¡°If I give birth to a son and let him marry Fu Bao, Fu Bao won¡¯t have to move out and will have someone to accompany her. It¡¯s the best of both worlds!¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not even married. How can you have a son?¡± Tang Guixi snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. Isn¡¯t it just getting married? Just you wait. I¡¯ll get someone to send you a wedding invitation tomorrow.¡± With that, she put down Fu Bao and ran away. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan looked at each other, not understanding what Tang Guixi was doing. After Tang Guixi left the General¡¯s Mansion, she rode to Prince Min¡¯s Mansion. She grabbed Shen Xu¡¯s lapel as soon as she entered and said solemnly. ¡°Let¡¯s get married!¡± Prince Min, who was drinking tea, spat out a mouthful of tea and coughed violently as he held the table. Shen Xu was dumbfounded. He looked at Tang Guixi in a daze, wondering if he was dreaming. Did she actually say she wanted to marry him? Was that true? Had she drunk too much and was talking drunkenly? But she didn¡¯t look drunk. Tang Guixi grabbed him and shook him twice. ¡°Say something! Are you willing or not? Tell me.¡± Shen Xu stammered, ¡°This, this is too sudden. I¡¯m not prepared.. Tang Guixi interrupted him. ¡°Are you trying to reject me?¡± Shen Xu said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡¯ Tang Guixi said, ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, forget it. I¡¯ll ask someone else.¡± She let go of Shen Xu and prepared to turn around and leave. Shen Xu hurriedly grabbed her hand and shouted without thinking. ¡°I¡¯m willing! I¡¯m especially willing! I¡¯m ten thousand times willing!¡± Tang Guixi smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Very good. From now on, you¡¯re my husband.¡± Happiness came too suddenly. Shen Xu was in a daze. No matter what Tang Guixi said, he smiled foolishly and nodded. Prince Min could not stand it anymore and reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s my son¡¯s honor that General Tang likes him. I¡¯ll choose an auspicious day later and personally go to propose marriage. At that time, we¡¯ll discuss the wedding date.¡± Logically speaking, the parents of both parties should arrange the wedding date. However, Tang Guixi¡¯s parents were no longer around, and there were no proper elders at home. Tang Guixi could only manage these things herself. Unexpectedly, Tang Guixi waved her hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble! The wedding date is set for tomorrow. I¡¯ll come to your residence to pick him up tomorrow.¡± Prince Min thought he had misheard. Hic in Richali¡¯?f Tang Guixi said, ¡°I¡¯m just very anxious! The sooner I get married, the sooner I can give birth to a child. Time is tight. I have to be fast!¡± Hearing the word ¡°birth¡±, even the thick-skinned Shen Xu could not help but blush. He stammered, ¡°M-marriage is a big marriage. You can¡¯t be rash.¡± Tang Guixi looked at him seriously. ¡°Do I look rash and sloppy?¡± She really wanted to have a child quickly. Fu Bao was already one month old. Even if she got married now, it would take her at least a year to have a child. And she could not guarantee that her first child would be a son. If it wasn¡¯t a son, she would have to give birth again. All of this would take time! She could afford to wait, but Fubao could not! Shen Xu thought that she was unhappy and hurriedly explained, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to criticize you. I just think that marriage is a big deal and needs to be done step by step according to the rules. Only then can I show my respect for you.¡± Prince Min nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, yes! Marriage can¡¯t be taken lightly.¡± Tang Guixi frowned. ¡°Why are you guys dawdling? Forget it, I¡¯ll find someone else to marry.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Shen Xu grabbed her hand tightly and roared at the top of his lungs, ¡°No! You can¡¯t find anyone else! Isn¡¯t it just getting married tomorrow? I¡¯ll do it!¡± Prince Min slapped his forehead. It was over! The Prince¡¯s Mansion had not been tidied up yet. It was a mess everywhere. How could they hold a wedding? Tang Guixi was satisfied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow. Pack your luggage today.¡± Prince Min was puzzled and could not help but ask. ¡°Guixi, are you mistaken? You¡¯re the woman. Shouldn¡¯t we pick you up from the General¡¯s Mansion? You should be the one packing your luggage now, right?¡± Unexpectedly, Tang Guixi said matter-of-factly, ¡°After Shen Xu and I get married, Shen Xu will move to the General¡¯s Mansion to live with me. If Prince Min feels lonely, he can also move to the General¡¯s Mansion to live with us. Anyway, the General¡¯s Mansion is big enough to accommodate us.¡± Prince Min immediately objected. ¡°No! Aren¡¯t you just asking Xu to live in? I don¡¯t agree!¡± No matter how useless his son was, he could not be a live-in son-in-law. Tang Guixi scratched her head, looking very troubled. ¡°How troublesome. ¡± Prince Min wanted to persuade her to change her mind, but before he could say anything, he saw Tang Guixi sigh helplessly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about that. I¡¯ll have to get married to someone else. I¡¯m sorry to disturb you.¡± With that, she forcefully broke free from Shen Xu¡¯s hand, turned around, and strode out. Shen Xu was immediately anxious. He shouted, ¡°Tang Guixi, don¡¯t go! I won¡¯t allow you to find anyone else! I can move to the General¡¯s Mansion to live with you. I¡¯ll listen to you!¡± Tang Guixi stopped and looked back at him. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Xu nodded vigorously. ¡°Really!¡± Prince Min was furious. He hit his son in disappointment. ¡°Why did I give birth to a worthless bastard like you!¡± Chapter 658 - Chapter 658: Sense of Ritual Chapter 658: Sense of Ritual Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan looked at the big red wedding invitation in front of them and were stunned. Previously, when Tang Guixi said she was getting married the next day, Yu Niaoniao thought that she was joking. She did not expect her to be serious. In such a short time, she had even made a wedding invitation. Yu Niaoniao could not help but admire her. ¡°As expected of a great general. You¡¯re so efficient.¡± Tang Guixi crossed her arms and was very proud. ¡°Of course!¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You¡¯re getting married tomorrow, but you and Shen Xu haven¡¯t made your wedding clothes or prepared the ingredients needed for the banquet. Are you sure you can make it?¡± Tang Guixi waved her hand. ¡°These are all small matters. It doesn¡¯t matter if there¡¯s a wedding gown. I¡¯ll just wear a red shirt. There¡¯s even less of a need for a banquet. I plan to set up a table at home and let the few of us sit together for a meal.¡± Even someone as carefree as Yu Niaoniao could not stand it anymore. ¡°Marriage is a big deal. You¡¯re too sloppy.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Shen Xu and I are not the kind of people who care about such a small matter. As long as the two of us can live well, isn¡¯t it better than anything?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, you still have to have the necessary ritual. When you¡¯re old in the future, this will be an important memory.¡± Tang Guixi stroked her chin thoughtfully. ¡°You have a point. Alright, I¡¯ll prepare now.¡± With that, she ran away again. Yu Niaoniao watched her leave. For some reason, she had a bad feeling. ¡°Ah Juan, will Guixi mess things up? Xiao Juan patted her shoulder and comforted her silently. Although Tang Guixi expressed that she wanted everything to be simple, it was still a wedding. Yu Niaoniao was still worried. She specially got someone to buy a large number of red lanterns and red satin and decorated the General¡¯s Mansion overnight. She also bought the necessary dragon and phoenix candles, fruits, and snacks. Only the wedding dress was more troublesome. It would definitely be too late to make it now. Yu Niaoniao could only get someone to buy a ready-made red dress from the ready-made clothes shop and ask Granny Xiu Yan for help. She embroidered the hem of the dress with the pattern of a dragon and phoenix. The night passed quickly. Yu Niaoniao looked at Tang Guixi in the red wedding dress and realized that the dress length was still a little short. However, Tang Guixi was very satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s good. If it¡¯s too long, I can¡¯t move.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. ¡°You¡¯re getting married, not fighting a war. There¡¯s no need for you to move around. You just have to sit quietly in the carriage.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯m going to ride to pick Shen Xu up later.¡± Yu Niaoniao was in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re riding a horse dressed like that?¡± Tang Guixi asked, ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Yu Niaoniao was furious. ¡°Of course not! Who wears a red wedding dress to ride a horse? That¡¯s too ugly!¡± ¡°I see. Then I¡¯d better change.¡± With that, Tang Guixi began to undress. Yu Niaoniao quickly stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t change! It wasn¡¯t easy to put it on. If you take it off, won¡¯t it be a waste of effort? Besides, we only prepared this wedding dress. If you take it off, what are you going to wear to get married later?¡± Tang Guixi was very innocent. ¡°You were the one who said that riding a horse like this is too ugly.¡± Yu Niaoniao held her forehead in pain. ¡°Forget it, forget it. Just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. Stop fussing and wear it like this.¡± Tang Guixi was very happy. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick him up now.¡± Yu Niaoniao quickly stopped her. ¡°Wait, your hair isn¡¯t combed yet!¡± Tang Guixi touched her bun. ¡°Isn¡¯t it already combed?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just wearing a bun. You¡¯re not wearing a hair accessory.¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her hand and pointed, looking very imposing. ¡°Go sit there. Hurry!¡± Tang Guixi could only sit obediently beside the dressing table. Originally, the bride should wear a phoenix crown, but Yu Niaoniao really could not find a suitable phoenix crown for the time being, so she could only replace it with a peacock golden hairpin and a hibiscus flower. Tang Guixi felt her head sink. She could not help but turn to look at Yu Niaoniao and ask pitifully. ¡°Do I have to wear so many things?¡± Yu Niaoniao pinched her chin and forcefully turned her face back. ¡°Yes!¡± Granny Xiu Yan walked in with a tray. ¡°It¡¯s still early. Eat something to fill your stomachs.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Tang Guixi happened to be hungry. They thanked Granny Xiu Yan and picked up the pastries to eat. Granny Xiu Yan looked at Tang Guixi and smiled. ¡°General Tang is so beautiful today.¡± Tang Guixi chuckled. ¡°Thanks to these clothes and accessories you prepared for me.¡± However, Tang Guixi¡¯s situation was too special, so Yu Niaoniao and Granny Xiu Yan did not mention these words. They only reminded Tang Guixi to drink less water in case she had to go to the toilet during the wedding later. Tang Guixi not only thought of something, but she suddenly said. ¡°By the way, remember to help prepare some raw glutinous rice balls.¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°Why do you want to raw glutinous rice balls?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°For me to eat. When we enter the bridal chamber later, bring me the raw glutinous rice balls and ask me if they are raw (where I want to give birth). I¡¯ll say yes. Isn¡¯t this the custom for wedding nights?¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. ¡°Where did you hear all this strange customs?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°It¡¯s in the books.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You can¡¯t take what¡¯s in the book seriously!¡± Tang Guixi was very disappointed. ¡°I see¡­¡± Granny Xiu Yan smiled and said, ¡°Since General Tang wants it, I¡¯ll prepare some raw glutinous rice balls later.¡± Tang Guixi immediately became happy again. ¡°Thank you, Granny!¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do with you. Hurry up and do your makeup.¡± Tang Guixi finished the last pastry and sat down obediently. She did not forget to remind her, ¡°Don¡¯t put too much makeup on me. I don¡¯t like heavy makeup.¡± Yu Niaoniao replied, ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I understand.¡± Tang Guixi had relatively healthy honey-colored skin which Yu Niaoniao found to be quite good-looking. In addition, her skin was smooth and there were no flaws to cover. Yu Niaoniao did not apply powder for her and only applied a thin layer of rouge to her. Then, she traced her eyebrows and applied red lip gloss. However, this made it seem like there were too many decorations on Tang Guixi¡¯s head. Yu Niaoniao simply helped her take off the hibiscus flower and those extra hair accessories, leaving only the peacock golden hairpin and golden bead hairpin for her. This accentuated Tang Guixi¡¯s facial advantage. Tang Guixi herself felt that this was easier. Coincidentally, it was almost time. Tang Guixi stood up and prepared to go out to pick her husband up.. Chapter 659 - Chapter 659: Marriage Chapter 659: Marriage Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Before leaving, Tang Guixi was worried that the embroidered shoes on her feet would not be easy to ride in, so she temporarily changed them to boots. When Yu Niaoniao sent Tang Guixi out of the General¡¯s Mansion, she saw a large group of black heads. Looking closely, weren¡¯t these the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army? They were dressed in armor and stood upright. Their aura was fierce, as if they could go into battle in the next moment. Yu Niaoniao was shocked. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there going to be another battle?¡± Tang Guixi explained, ¡°There¡¯s no battle. These soldiers are accompanying me to Prince Min¡¯s Mansion to pick up the groom.¡± Yu Niaoniao was dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯re bringing the Eastern Expedition Army to pick up the groom?¡± With their formation, those who were in the know would know that they were going to pick up the bridegroom. Those who did not know would think that they were going to bathe in blood to kill the enemy. It was simply out of character! Tang Guixi was very proud. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that a wedding needs a sense of ceremony? Look, the soldiers of the three armies are accompanying me to pick up the groom. No one¡¯s wedding can be more ceremonial than ours, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao held her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean by a sense of ceremony.¡± Tang Guixi was puzzled. ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not know how to explain. She felt deeply powerless. Xiao Juan reminded them, ¡°Leave quickly. Don¡¯t miss the auspicious time.¡± Yu Niaoniao waved at Tang Guixi. What Tang Guixi didn¡¯t know couldn¡¯t hurt her. ¡°That¡¯s it. Go, go. Go get your groom.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Tang Guixi walked down the steps with her head held high. Granny Xiu Yan suddenly shouted, ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t put on the red veil!¡± She wanted to put the red veil on Tang Guixi. Tang Guixi was unwilling. ¡°You can¡¯t ride with this. Forget it.¡± With that, she walked to the horse. She thought her dress was in the way and lifted it up and tucked it into her belt, revealing the red silk pants underneath. What was revealed was her out-of-place black boots. Yu Niaoniao, who had witnessed this scene, was speechless. She covered her eyes. She couldn¡¯t stand it. Tang Guixi raised her arms and shouted, ¡°Boys of the Eastern Expedition Army, follow me to pick up the groom!¡± The soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army shouted in unison, ¡°Okay! !!¡± Their loud voices shot into the sky and resounded throughout Xingning City. Yu Niaoniao looked at the mighty Eastern Expedition Army and could only pray for Shen Xu in her heart, hoping that he would not be frightened by this scene. When the citizens in the city saw the Eastern Expedition Army appear, they were shocked. Like Yu Niaoniao, their first reaction was to think that there was going to be another war. After asking around, they found out that today was the day of General Tang¡¯s marriage. The Eastern Expedition Army was going to pick up the bridegroom. Many commoners followed behind the Eastern Expedition Army, planning to watch the commotion. The mighty team passed through several streets and finally stopped in front of Prince Min¡¯s Mansion. When Prince Min heard that the bridal escort team had arrived, he hurriedly ran out to welcome them. In the end, as soon as he went out, he was shocked by the majestic Eastern Expedition Army. He held the door frame and asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there going to be another war?¡± Tang Guixi dismounted and casually pulled out her skirt. She raised her hand and bowed to Prince Min. ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no war. We¡¯re here to pick up the groom.¡± Prince Min heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m glad there¡¯s no war.¡± He stood up straight and wanted to say something to admonish his daughter-in-law, such as abiding by the rules of a woman and helping her husband and children, but when he saw the murderous Eastern Expedition Army behind her, he swallowed the words. ¡°Forget it, forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about this nonsense.¡± Anyway, she wouldn¡¯t listen. Prince Min cleared his throat and spoke seriously, ¡°General Tang, please sit inside.¡± Tang Guixi waved her hand. ¡°No need. We¡¯ll leave after taking the groom. Also, you¡¯re an elder. Just call me by my name in the future.¡± Prince Min stammered, ¡°T-then alright.¡± After a while, Shen Xu walked out. He was wearing a bright red round-necked brocade robe today. He had a golden crown on his head and a jade belt at his waist. He walked with his head held high, his eyes bright, and he looked high-spirited. Shen Xu was stunned when he saw Tang Guixi and blurted out a question, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use a fan or put on a veil?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to ride with that thing.¡± Shen Xu looked behind her and realized that she had not come in a bridal sedan but on horseback. How should he put it? It was as expected of his wife. Even her wedding style was exceptionally different. However, Shen Xu was still a little disappointed. ¡°If there¡¯s no veil, I won¡¯t be able to lift it for you later.¡± In the end, it lacked the joy of marriage. Tang Guixi said casually, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal! When we return to the General¡¯s Mansion, I¡¯ll get someone to bring a veil over.¡± Shen Xu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Prince Min, who was listening to their conversation, was speechless. ¡°The bride wore a red veil to express her shyness. Why did it change when it came to you? You could actually put the veil on during the wedding. The two of you are smart enough to think of such a smart move. It¡¯s simply unprecedented!¡± Prince Min suppressed his stomach full of complaints and forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Leave.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Come with us.¡± Prince Min was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°We still have to serve you tea during the wedding later.¡± Prince Min was very surprised. He had always thought that Shen Xu had married into the family. According to the rules, he could not follow his daughter-in-law to her house, let alone be served tea. Prince Min suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked, ¡°Why are you still serving me tea?¡± Tang Guixi said matter of factly. ¡°My parents are no longer around, and Ah Xu¡¯s mother has long passed away. Now that you¡¯re the only elder between the two of us, who else can we serve tea to if not you? Let¡¯s go. Niaoniao and the others are still waiting for us.¡± Prince Min replied forcefully, ¡°Okay!¡± Then he said, ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll get something. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± With that, he quickly ran into the prince¡¯s residence. Shen Xu shouted at him, ¡°Just get someone else to get it. Why do you have to get it yourself?¡± Prince Min did not turn around and ignore him. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared. It took a while to see Prince Min run back. Dantinz. He was carrying something in his arms. Shen Xu recognized it at a glance and blurted out, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Mother¡¯s memorial tablet?¡± Prince Min hugged the memorial tablet like a baby and smiled. ¡°Today is your wedding day. You have to let your mother witness it.¡± Then, he looked at Tang Guixi and asked nervously, ¡°Is this okay?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Of course! ¡± The firecrackers at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were lit. Amidst the crackling sounds, the bridal escort team changed direction and returned majestically. By the time they reached the General¡¯s Mansion, everything was ready. Tang Guixi and Shen Xu walked into the General¡¯s Mansion under the blessings of everyone. Prince Min was invited to the main seat. He carefully placed his wife¡¯s memorial tablet on the table beside him. There were also two memorial tablets on the table. They belonged to Tang Guixi¡¯s father and mother.. Chapter 660 - Chapter 660: Have a Child Soon Chapter 660: Have a Child Soon Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Before the wedding, Tang Guixi expressed her desire for a red veil. Granny Xiu Yan quickly took out the red veil again. As she put the red veil on Tang Guixi, she smiled and said, ¡°That makes her look more like a bride.¡± The witness today was an old general in the Eastern Expedition Army. Although he was old, his voice was very loud. ¡°Bow to the heavens and the earth!¡± Tang Guixi and Shen Xu knelt down at the door and kowtowed. ¡°Second bow!¡± After Shen Xu got up, he wanted to reach out to help Tang Guixi, but she had already stood up deftly. The red veil and long dress did not affect her movements at all. The two of them turned around and knelt down to kowtow to Prince Min. Prince Min went forward and helped the two of them up. He casually took out an exquisite pouch and opened it. He poured out a red jade bracelet. He handed the bracelet to Tang Guixi. ¡°This is the dowry of Ah Xu¡¯s mother when she was alive. She once said that she wanted to leave this to her future daughter-in-law. Now that I¡¯m giving it to you, I hope you and Ah Xu can grow old together and have children early.¡± Tang Guixi took the bracelet solemnly, then took the teacup from Granny Xiu Yan and offered it with both hands. ¡°Father, please have tea.¡± Prince Min took the teacup and took a sip. He had drunk many top-grade teas in his life, but none of them tasted as good as the cup of tea in his hand. He smiled until his teeth were visible. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Prince Min then looked at Shen Xu and instructed seriously. ¡°You¡¯ll be an adult after you get married. An adult should act like an adult. You have to bear the responsibility of being a husband.¡± Shen Xu nodded and replied, ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. I will.¡± Next was the nuptial bow between husband and wife. They faced each other, knelt, and bowed. With that, the ceremony was complete. Amidst laughter, the couple was sent to the bridal chamber. When Tang Guixi sat on the bed, she felt something under her butt. She reached under the blanket and found a handful of cinnamon and peanuts. Granny Xiu Yan explained, ¡°These express well-wishes for a child. It¡¯s a good sign. ¡± Tang Guixi liked to hear things like having children early. She happily stuffed the peanuts and cinnamon back in. Shen Xu went forward and lifted the red veil. Tang Guixi looked up and smiled at him. Although he had already seen her outfit today, Shen Xu could not help but be stunned. It was not until Yu Niaoniao reminded them that it was time to do the bridal toast that Shen Xu came back to his senses. They picked up their glasses, interlaced their arms, and raised their heads to finish their wine. Shen Xu thought that it was done, but he did not expect Granny Xiu Yan to bring over two bowls of glutinous rice balls at this moment. ¡°The bride and groom will now have glutinous rice balls. Your life will be beautiful and reunited in the future.¡± Tang Guixi picked up the bowl happily and scooped a glutinous rice ball into her mouth. Seeing this, Shen Xu also picked up his bowl and ate. In the end, he had just taken a bite when he spat out the glutinous rice ball. ¡°Why is this raw? Granny Xiu Yan asked with a smile, ¡°Is it raw (Do you want to give birth?)?¡± Tang Guixi and Shen Xu said in unison, ¡°Yes!¡± The difference was that Tang Guixi was smiling happily when she said this, but Shen Xu frowned in confusion. Granny Xiu Yan deliberately asked again, ¡°Are you really giving birth?¡± Tang Guixi said impatiently, ¡°Yes! Definitely!¡± Granny Xiu Yan smiled and said, ¡°Then I wish the two of you a child soon.¡± It was not until this moment that Shen Xu connected the meaning of giving birth to glutinous rice balls. He could not help but be caught between laughter and tears. After the bridal ceremony, the unrelated people left, leaving Tang Guixi and Shen Xu alone in the room. Shen Xu could not help but feel a little nervous. He was brewing emotions in his heart, wanting to say something gentle and sweet to create the atmosphere that should pervade their wedding night. Unexpectedly, before he could brew it, Tang Guixi began to undress. She urged him as she took it off. ¡°Why are you still sitting there stupidly? Take it off. Everyone says that a moment of passion is worth a thousand gold. We have to hurry up and get down to business!¡± Shen Xu was stunned. Why was she even more anxious than him? Tang Guixi took off her undergarment and silk pants in a few moves. Seeing that Shen Xu was still not moving, she pushed him onto the bed and reached for his belt. ¡°You¡¯re really slow. Let me help you take it off.¡± Shen Xu hurriedly pressed down on his clothes and stammered, ¡°W-Wait a minute! Don¡¯t be in such a hurry!¡± Tang Guixi stopped and frowned at him. ¡°Are you unwilling to consummate your marriage with me?¡± Shen Xu hurriedly denied it. ¡°No! I really want to consummate our marriage, but¡­ Tang Guixi interrupted him. ¡°There¡¯s no but. As long as you¡¯re willing.¡± With that, she continued to pull Shen Xu¡¯s clothes. Shen Xu was not as strong as her. He could not resist and was quickly stripped down to his thin inner clothes. His face flushed, but he pretended to be calm. He was a dignified man. He could not be inferior at a time like this. Shen Xu wanted to make things right for himself. ¡°Do you know how to consummate the marriage?¡± He thought that Tang Guixi would be embarrassed, but he did not expect her to reach under her pillow and take out two books. She smiled proudly. ¡°Of course, I know how to consummate the marriage. It¡¯s all clear in these books.¡± Shen Xu picked up the two books and took a look. They were both booklets of female demons and male scholars falling in love at first sight and having sex. The process of the protagonists having sex was described in detail in these booklets. There was even a considerate illustration beside them. It could be said to be a combination of pictures and text, simple and easy to understand. Shen Xu could not help but ask, ¡°Where did you get these notebooks?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Of course, I paid for them. In the past, Niaoniao and I often collected all kinds of novels to read. I even hid many good things. If you¡¯re interested, I can lend them to you later.¡± Shen Xu blushed and denied, ¡°I¡¯m not interested!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s not talk about this. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± With that, Tang Guixi strode forward and sat on Shen Xu. Shen Xu wanted to say something else, but Tang Guixi grabbed his hand and placed it on her chest. Shen Xu was speechless. Shen Xu¡¯s face turned red. He tried to withdraw his hand, but it wouldn¡¯t obey him. Tang Guixi leaned forward and bit his lips. ¡°Hurry up. Don¡¯t waste time.¡± At a time like this, no man could tolerate it. Therefore, it was normal for Shen Xu to not be able to help it. He tore off the ribbon and the bed curtain fell, covering their bodies in each other¡¯s arms. The dragon and phoenix pearls on the table were still burning quietly. The candlelight shone on the bed curtain, and their figures kept swaying. During this period, someone messed up the blanket, and the peanuts and cinnamon balls pressed under it rolled down. They didn¡¯t stop until midnight. Her body was sweaty and uncomfortable, so Shen Xu let his wife continue sleeping. He put on his clothes and got out of bed, planning to get someone to get some hot water. Unexpectedly, he stepped on a peanut and lost his balance, falling backward. When he landed, the back of his waist was on the footstool. He immediately grimaced in pain.. Chapter 661 - Chapter 661: Imperial Edict Chapter 661: Imperial Edict Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The next morning, Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan went to the dining hall for breakfast as usual. Soon, Tang Guixi arrived. Tang Guixi was wearing a simple apricot-colored dress and no makeup. There were only two simple silver hairpins on her head. Other than the red jade bracelet on her wrist, she had no other accessories. She strode to the table and sat down. Her face was rosy and lustrous, and she was in a good mood with a smile on her lips. She looked like she should have had a happy wedding night last night. Yu Niaoniao was about to ask where Shen Xu was when she saw him limp in with his hand on his lower back. He frowned and looked pained. He looked uncomfortable. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s gaze darted back and forth between Shen Xu and Tang Guixi. She could not help but make a bold guess¡ª Could it be that Tang Guixi¡¯s performance last night was too brave and squeezed Shen Xu dry, causing him to become like this? Tang Guixi noticed Yu Niaoniao¡¯s gaze and could not help but ask. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Yu Niaoniao placed one hand on the table and leaned over with her upper body. She lowered her voice and reminded him. ¡°Shen Xu¡¯s body is weak. Take it easy. Don¡¯t scare him away.¡± Tang Guixi nodded. ¡°He¡¯s quite weak. I¡¯ll get the kitchen to stew some chicken soup for him later.¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at Shen Xu¡¯s hand on the back of his waist and said meaningfully, ¡°I¡¯m afraid chicken soup alone is not enough. I think we can get some other supplements.¡± Tang Guixi asked humbly, ¡°What supplement do you think is better?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I think anything that can strengthen the Yang and nourish the kidneys should be fine.¡± A question mark slowly appeared above Tang Guixi¡¯s head. ¡°Enhancing Yang and nourishing the kidneys?¡± Shen Xu, who had heard their conversation, was speechless. He gritted his teeth hard. ¡°My kidneys are very good. I don¡¯t need nourishment!¡± Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. ¡°You heard everything?¡± Shen Xu said, ¡°I¡¯m not deaf!¡± Yu Niaoniao chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just saying. Don¡¯t take it to heart. Come, come, let¡¯s eat!¡± The more she tried to gloss over it, the angrier Shen Xu became. ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me. I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t need to nourish my kidneys! The reason I held my waist was because I accidentally fell last night and happened to fall where my waist was.¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded. ¡°Yes, yes, I understand.¡± Shen Xu said, ¡°Be serious!¡± Yu Niaoniao blinked innocently. ¡°I¡¯m very serious.¡± Shen Xu was speechless. Ahhh, he was so angry! He turned to look at Tang Guixi. ¡°You can help me prove that I¡¯m telling the truth, right?¡± Tang Guixi had a meat bun in her mouth and was reaching for the porridge. When she heard this, she nodded and made a muffled sound in her throat. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s true.¡± only tnen did snen Xu reel better. He said to Yu Niaoniao as if he was showing off his might. ¡°Did you hear what Guixi said?¡± Yu Niaoniao replied casually, ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Then, she said to Xiao Juan, ¡°Help me roll a spring pancake. Put more vegetables and less sauce.¡± Xiao Juan agreed and skillfully rolled a spring pancake before handing it to Niaoniao. Niaoniao took a big bite and smiled happily. Seeing this, Shen Xu was not to be outdone. He also rolled up a large spring pancake and handed it to Tang Guixi. ¡°Wife, eat.¡± Xiao Juan was not the only one in this world who knew how to dote on his wife. He knew how to do so too! Tang Guixi had just finished eating the meat bun and was about to eat porridge. When she heard this, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll roll it up myself if I want to eat it. You can eat it yourself.¡± Shen Xu looked straight at her and stubbornly refused to put down the spring pancake. Tang Guixi could see a pitiful expression on his face. She sighed and resigned herself to it. Forget it. After all, he was her man. It did not matter if she doted on him a little. Hence, Tang Guixi revealed a doting expression and took the spring pancake. ¡°Thank you, Xu. ¡± Shen Xu was speechless. Why did he feel like their roles had been reversed? After breakfast, Tang Guixi ran to see her precious goddaughter. As the new godfather, Shen Xu naturally had to follow. Granny Xiu Yan found a nanny for Xiao Yining, but most of the time, Yu Niaoniao was still breastfeeding the child herself. At this moment, Granny Xiu Yan and the nanny were playing with Xiao Yining. When they saw Yu Niaoniao and the others arrive, they immediately went forward to greet them. Tang Guixi picked Xiao Yining up from the cradle and kissed her fair and tender face. ¡°My little Fubao, godmother is here to see you. Are you happy? Xiao Yining waved her short arms and smiled. Her eyebrows looked like Yu Niaoniao¡¯s to begin with. When she smiled, they looked even more similar. Tang Guixi exclaimed exaggeratedly, ¡°Wow, wow! Little Fubao is smiling. Looks like Little Fubao is very happy!¡± She carried Xiao Yining to Shen Xu and introduced him seriously. ¡°Little Fubao, do you see that? This is your godfather. He¡¯ll love you well with me in the future.¡± This was not the first time Shen Xu had seen Xiao Yining, but it was the first time he had seen her as her godfather. He took out a small purse from his sleeve. Inside the purse was a pair of silver bracelets specially made for children. The workmanship was very exquisite and small. ¡°Come, this is a greeting gift from Godfather to Little Fubao.¡± Yu Niaoniao accepted the greeting gift for Xiao Yining. In order to express his gratitude, Xiao Yining spat a large saliva bubble at Shen xu. Granny Xiu Yan quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe Xiao Yining¡¯s mouth. Tang Guixi looked at her precious goddaughter and liked her more and more. She could not let such a cute goddaughter end up with outsiders. She and Shen Xu had to work harder and strive to have a son as soon as possible so that he could marry Little Fubao in the future. A group of people surrounded Little Fubao and teased her. As they chatted and laughed, a general knocked on the door. He stood at the door and said respectfully, ¡°General Tang, there¡¯s an imperial edict from the Imperial Capital.¡± Everyone in the room was stunned. Tang Guixi¡¯s smile gradually disappeared. It was definitely not a good thing to receive an imperial edict at this time. She returned Little Fu Bao to Yu Niaoniao and asked, ¡°Where is he?¡± The general answered truthfully, ¡°He¡¯s waiting in the front hall.¡± Tang Guixi strode out, followed by Shen Xu. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan looked at each other and decided to follow and take a look. They handed the child to Granny Xiu Yan and quickly followed. When they arrived at the front hall, they realized that the person escorting the imperial edict was actually an acquaintance. It was the Vice General of the Sky Wolf Guards, Wei Liao, whom they had not seen for a long time. Wei Liao was sitting and drinking tea. When he saw them arrive, he slowly put down his teacup and stood up with a smile. ¡°Duke Lang, Princess Consort, long time no see. How have you been?¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask, ¡°Why is it you?¡± Wei Liao asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me?¡± Yu Niaoniao was silent. She had thought that she would never see Wei Liao again after they parted in the Imperial Capital. She did not expect to see him again. Wei Liao¡¯s gaze lingered on her face. She didn¡¯t look much different from before, but if one looked closely, one would notice that she had changed a lot. Come to think of it, after all, she¡¯d been through, anyone would have changed. Tang Guixi asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was an Imperial Edict?¡± Wei Liao took out an imperial edict from his sleeve. ¡°The Imperial Edict is here. County Lord Xiangtai, please accept it..¡± Chapter 662 - Chapter 662: Resistance Chapter 662: Resistance Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When the previous emperor was still alive, he conferred Tang Guixi as the County Lord and divided Xiangtai into her fief. Ever since the war with the Chen Nation, everyone had called Tang Guixi General Tang. It had been a long time since she had heard the title of County Lord Xiangtai. At this moment, Wei Liao called her County Lord Xiangtai to remind her not to forget her original identity. After Wei Liao finished speaking, he waited for Tang Guixi to kneel and listen to the decree. In the end, Tang Guixi had no intention of kneeling at all. She extended her right hand, her expression normal. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°That¡¯s against the rules.¡± Wei Liao looked at her steadily for a moment. Just as Yu Niaoniao thought that they would fall out, Wei Liao suddenly smiled. ¡°Alright, since County Lord has said so, we¡¯ll do as you say.¡± He handed over the Imperial Edict. Tang Guixi took the Imperial Edict with one hand and unfolded it on the spot, reading everything at a glance. There were many words written in the imperial edict, most of which were useless nonsense. In the end, there were three points¡ª First, the emperor was grateful that Tang Guixi had led troops to defeat the Chen Nation Army and rewarded her with two thousand taels of gold. She was conferred the title of princess and asked to return to the capital as soon as possible for the reward. Secondly, she was a woman after all, so it was not appropriate for her to wield military power. The Imperial Court would send someone to take over the Eastern Expedition Army and Liaodong County and ask her to prepare for the handover in advance. Third, Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao were wanted criminals by the Imperial Court. Tang Guixi should have been severely punished for hiding fugitives, but on account of Tang Guixi¡¯s contribution in leading troops to stop the enemy, the emperor could let bygones be bygones as long as she could send the two fugitives to the Imperial Court. Wei Liao clearly already knew the contents of the Imperial Edict. He cupped his fists and said politely. ¡°Congratulations, County Lord. You¡¯re going to become a princess soon. When you reach the Imperial Capital, the emperor will reward you even more.¡± ¡°From now on, you will enjoy all the glory and no longer have to take the risk to fight on the battlefield. If Old General Tang was still alive, he would definitely be relieved for you.¡± Unexpectedly, Tang Guixi casually threw the Imperial Edict at Wei Liao¡¯s feet. ¡°I appreciate the emperor¡¯s kindness, but I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m already used to living in Liaodong County and don¡¯t plan to move. Please go back with the Imperial Edict and don¡¯t come again.¡± Wei Liao couldn¡¯t help but frown and remind her in a low voice, ¡°County Lord, this is an Imperial Edict. Resisting it is a capital crime!¡± Tang Guixi seemed to have come back to her senses and said in realization, ¡°That¡¯s right. As a subject, you can¡¯t disobey the emperor¡¯s decree.¡± Wei Liao bent down and picked up the Imperial Edict. He brushed off the dust on it and offered it again with both hands. ¡°Since County Lord knows, please do as I say.¡± Tang Guixi smiled. ¡°Then I won¡¯t be a subject.¡± Wei Liao was stunned. ¡°What did you say? Tang Guixi took a step forward and enunciated each word. ¡°Back then, Shen Zhuo took the initiative to give up the Eastern Expedition Army and Liaodong County. Now, he wants to take them back with an Imperial Edict? Dream on. Go back and tell him that since he has already decided to give them up, don¡¯t think about taking them back. From now on, Liaodong County is my territory. I have the final say here.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°You want to rebel?¡± Tang Guixi imitated Yu Niaoniao and spread her hands. ¡°If you insist on thinking that way, there¡¯s nothing I can do. Wei Liao had already expected that this trip would not go smoothly, but he did not expect Tang Guixi to be so unyielding. Not only did she resist the decree, but she also wanted to rebel. Wei Liao continued to pressure her. ¡°You have to think carefully. Even if you have the military power of the Eastern Expedition Army, you only have slightly more than 100,000 troops left. If the Imperial Court wants to send troops to suppress you, can you really withstand Not onlv was Tang Guixi not afraid. but she also smiled confidentlv. ¡°Then fight. Let¡¯s see who wins in the end.¡± Her attitude made it clear that she would not look back. It was useless to say anything else. Wei Liao put away the Imperial Edict and prepared for the worst. ¡°County Lord probably won¡¯t let me return to the Imperial Capital alive if she tells me such an important thing.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. You let Niaoniao and Xiao Juan off previously. They owe you a favor. I won¡¯t kill you today. Treat it as repaying you on their behalf. Leave. Go back and tell Shen Zhuo on my behalf that Liaodong County won¡¯t be under Dayan¡¯s control in the future.¡± At this point, she paused. Since Liaodong County had already been separated from the Dayan, it could no longer be called a county. She turned to look at Yu Niaoniao and asked, ¡°Let¡¯s change the name of Liaodong County. What do you think it should be called?¡± Yu Niaoniao recalled the red flag fluttering on the city wall. On the flag was the word ¡°Tang¡±. ¡°The word Tang is very good. Our place is on the east side of the Dayan. Let¡¯s call it East Tang.¡± Tang Guixi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s call it Eastern Tang!¡± Then, she looked at Wei Liao again. ¡°Did you hear that? In the future, this place will no longer be Liaodong County, but the Eastern Tang Empire. It¡¯s my territory.¡± Wei Liao was dumbfounded At this moment, his emotions were very complicated. He did not know if he should be angry at Tang Guixi¡¯s rebellion or complain about their childish naming method. Tang Guixi sat on the main seat and raised her right hand. ¡°Lord Wei, please leave.¡± Wei Liao knew that he couldn¡¯t stay here for long. But he didn¡¯t move. He looked at Yu Niaoniao and asked, ¡°Can we talk in private?¡± Xiao Juan frowned. ¡°Can¡¯t you say anything here?¡± Wei Liao ignored him and looked at Yu Niaoniao steadily. Yu Niaoniao did not want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings, so she said, ¡°It¡¯s the same here.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how your father and siblings are doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao pursed her lower lip and hesitated. She really wanted to know how Yu Sheng and Yu Pingping were doing now. Tang Guixi interrupted, ¡°If you really want to say it, it¡¯s the same if you say it here. Why do you have to pull Niaoniao elsewhere to talk? Aren¡¯t you deliberately making things difficult for the couple?¡± Yu Niaoniao nodded, indicating that Guixi was right. ¡°Just say it here.¡± Wei Liao¡¯s lips twitched as he laughed at himself. ¡°You really don¡¯t give me any hope. Alright, I¡¯ll tell you. For you, the emperor sent someone to monitor the Yu family, but he didn¡¯t harm them.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Actually, the emperor didn¡¯t want to send me to Liaodong County this time. I took the initiative to do it. I just wanted to see you and ask you if you had any regrets for a moment after going through life and death from the Imperial Capital to Liaodong.¡± Yu Niaoniao gave an answer without hesitation. ¡°No.¡± Wei Liao exhaled softly as if he had been relieved of a burden. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± With that, he took a step back. ¡°My mission is completed. Farewell. Goodbye.¡± Wei Liao turned around and left, striding out of the front hall. Yu Niaoniao seemed to have thought of something and quickly chased after him. ¡°I forgot to tell you. Thank you!¡± Wei Liao stopped in his tracks, but he didn¡¯t turn around. He waved an arm to show he had heard, then continued striding forward.. Chapter 663 - Chapter 663: Title Chapter 663: Title Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A month later, Tang Guixi officially changed the name of Liaodong County to Eastern Tang at the Heaven Worshipping Ceremony in Xingning City. She became the founding empress of the Eastern Tang. Xiao Juan was conferred the title of Founding Duke. Yu Niaoniao became the Madam of the Duke and was specially conferred a first-grade order. Everyone in Eastern Tang accepted this well. Be it the soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army or the commoners, they all knew that when they needed help the most, it was Tang Guixi who stood in front of them without hesitation. They had lived and died together and had a deep friendship. In comparison, Emperor Dayan¡¯s actions of cutting off the provisions and abandoning Liaodong County were too heartless. The news of Liaodong County¡¯s independence quickly reached the Imperial Capital. Shen Zhuo was furious! Coincidentally, the rebellion in Prince Jia¡¯s Mansion was about to be suppressed. He prepared to send troops to Liaodong County to eliminate the rebels. In the end, he was dissuaded by the elders. ¡°We just ended a civil strife. It¡¯s really not appropriate to make a big fuss in the short term! ¡± ¡°Although we¡¯ve suppressed the rebellion of Prince Jia¡¯s Mansion, our casualties are also very heavy. If there¡¯s another war, be it the treasury or the soldiers, I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t be able to hold on.¡± ¡°After fighting one battle after another, I¡¯m afraid there will be resentment!¡± ¡°A mere Liaodong County is not a threat. Let¡¯s ignore them for the time being and recuperate for a while. It won¡¯t be too late to go to war when we have enough money and food.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Your Majesty, please think twice!¡± No one supported Shen Zhuo. He stormed off. In the Fengyi Palace, Empress Dowager Wen could not help but ask when she saw Shen Zhuo walk in with a dark expression. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Zhuo told Empress Dowager Wen what had happened in Shang¡¯s study just now. In the end, he could not help but snort heavily, ¡°All of them made it sound dignified, but they¡¯re actually very shrewd! The reason why they don¡¯t want to fight is that they¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll reward those generals again. They¡¯re afraid that their status will be replaced by the generals. What a group of sly old foxes!¡± Because he had successfully suppressed the rebellion of Prince Jia¡¯s Mansion, Shen Zhuo had rewarded a large number of outstanding generals, including many trusted aides he had nurtured. This made many civil officials in the court feel a sense of crisis. They were afraid that Shen Zhuo¡¯s emphasis on martial arts and literature would affect their status in the future. Therefore, the civil officials in the court did not want to go to war. Empress Dowager Wen comforted her. ¡°Since you know it in your heart, there¡¯s no need to be angry with them.¡± Shen Zhuo took a deep breath and tried to suppress the anger in his heart. ¡°I¡¯m not angry because of their thoughts. I¡¯m angry because¡­¡± It was because no one stood beside him and supported his decision at the critical moment. Empress Dowager Wen got someone to pour him a cup of chrysanthemum tea. ¡°Drink some tea to clear the fire. There¡¯s still a long way to go. Everything has to be done step by step. Those people in the cabinet were very cunning, but they were also humans. As long as they were humans, they would have weaknesses. As long as you can grasp their weaknesses, you can naturally restrain them.¡± Shen Zhuo took a sip of tea and completely calmed down. ¡°I understand. Thank you for your advice, Mother.¡± Empress Dowager Wen ordered someone to bring over a stack of portraits and said softly. ¡°You¡¯ve been on the throne for almost a year, but the harem is still empty. This is too ridiculous. I got someone to draw portraits of all the young ladies of prestigious families in the capital who were ready to marry. Take a good look and pick.¡± Shen Zhuo put down his teacup and stood up. ¡°I suddenly remembered that there are still some memorials that haven¡¯t been approved. I have to leave first. Mother, rest well. I¡¯ll visit you tomorrow. ¡± With that, he was about to leave. Empress Dowager Wen had expected this and said unhurriedly. ¡°Since the emperor is so busy, I¡¯ll bring these portraits to the study. I¡¯ll show you these portraits when you¡¯re done reading the memorials.¡± Shen Zhuo had no choice but to stop and beg, ¡°Mother, please spare me.¡± Empress Dowager Wen said, ¡°I know that you still can¡¯t forget Yu Niaoniao, but it¡¯s impossible for her to come back. Taking a step back, even if she really comes back, I¡¯ll never let her enter the harem. Give up.¡± Shen Zhuo was silent, exuding a silent stubbornness. Empress Dowager Wen sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal to have children. You can¡¯t stay single forever, right? Even if I can agree, the ancestors of the Shen family won¡¯t. ¡± Shen Zhuo naturally knew this. He was the emperor. He had to have a prince as his heir. But he was indignant. He already had the world. Logically speaking, he should be able to do whatever he wanted. But why couldn¡¯t he have Yu Niaoniao? Empress Dowager Wen said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you promised me before that if Yu Niaoniao hasn¡¯t married you in a year, you have to listen to my arrangements to choose a concubine. Now that the one-year deadline is up, it¡¯s time for you to fulfill your promise.¡± After a long silence, Shen Zhuo suddenly said as if he had made up his mind. ¡°But I¡¯m still indignant. Mother, give me a little more time. I¡¯ll confirm it one last time, just once, okay?¡± Towards the end, he was pleading. Empress Dowager Wen¡¯s heart softened in the end and she was willing to give him one last chance. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t be disappointed when you get an answer.¡± In the end, Shen Zhuo temporarily gave up on the idea of sending troops to attack Liaodong County. But that didn¡¯t mean he was giving in. He just needed some time to deal with the sly old foxes in the cabinet. At the same time, Tang Guixi excitedly found Yu Niaoniao to discuss conferring Xiao Yining as a princess. ¡°Take a look. This is the princess title I want for Little Fubao. What do you think?¡± Yu Niaoniao had once declined the conferment of a princess. After all, Xiao Yining was not Tang Guixi¡¯s biological daughter. It was a little against the rules to make her a princess without any merit. However, Tang Guixi insisted on doing this. Yu Niaoniao really could not persuade her, so she simply let her be. Yu Niaoniao picked up the rice paper and looked at it. There was a long string of titles written on the paper¡ª Princess Sheng¡¯an Jiashun Dexian. Yu Niaoniao was speechless. In her life, this was the first time she had seen such a long title. In her previous life, she had only seen such a long name for the female lead of a ridiculous novela. She couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°I might as well call Mary Sue Zibing Princess Meng Cuishuang.¡± Tang Guixi immediately took a brush and asked excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s a good title. Say it again. I¡¯ll make a note.¡± Afraid that she would take it seriously, Yu Niaoniao quickly advised, ¡°Don¡¯t you think these titles are too long? Most people won¡¯t remember them. They might bite their tongues when they read them. Let¡¯s change to a simpler title.¡± Tang Guixi disagreed, ¡°Little Fubao is a natural lucky star and can bring good fortune to our Eastern Tang. How can an ordinary title highlight her distinction? I think the name you just mentioned is very good. It¡¯s pleasant and special. Quick, repeat it for me to remember.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. ¡°Girl, I¡¯m sorry.¡± she muttered an apology her daughter couldn¡¯t yet understand.. Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Meeting Chapter 664: Meeting Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao did not want her daughter to grow up with the name Princess Mary Sue. She decided to take a step back. ¡°The title I¡¯m talking about just sounds okay, but it is far less meaningful than the one you chose. Let¡¯s choose Princess Sheng¡¯an.¡± Tang Guixi emphasized, ¡°It¡¯s Princess Sheng¡¯an Jiashun, Fuya, Shu, Shou, Zhaoyang, Yongrou, Ningkang, Changle, Hua Renhui. You have to read the full names.¡± ¡°Say that again. What princess is it?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Princess Sheng¡¯an Jiashun, Zhaoyang, Changle, Huaren, Yongrou, Kangfu, Yade, Shuhouhui.¡± Yu Niaoniao said calmly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that the title you read every time is different?¡± Tang Guixi was very surprised. ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t even notice.¡± Yu Niaoniao took the opportunity to guide her patiently. ¡°Look. If even you can¡¯t remember, how can ordinary people remember? Let¡¯s change the name.¡± Tang Guixi felt that her words made sense and immediately slapped the table to make a decision. ¡°Then let¡¯s call her Princess Mary Sue!¡± Yu Niaoniao sweated. ¡°There are so many words. Why do you have to remember Mary Sue?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Because it¡¯s the easiest to read.¡± Yu Niaoniao tried to struggle. ¡°I think the title of Princess Fulan is more convenient. Moreover, the meaning is good. Happiness and health. Let¡¯s choose this. ¡± Tang Guixi shook her head. ¡°The title of Princess Fu¡¯an is too ordinary. Many princesses in history have been given this title. I think Princess Mary Sue is better.¡± Yu Niaoniao really could not persuade him anymore. She simply said, ¡°Then let¡¯s draw straws.¡± Tang Guixi stroked her chin. ¡°We can draw straws, but we have to let Little Fubao catch it herself. After all, this is her title.¡± Yu Niaoniao agreed. Tang Guixi immediately ordered someone to bring a pen and paper and wrote the titles of Princess Fulan and Princess Mary Sue on two pieces of paper. Then, she crumpled the two pieces of paper into a ball and placed them in front of Xiao Yining. ¡°Little Fubao, which one do you want?¡± Xiao Yining was only two months old and did not understand what his mother and godmother were doing at all. She was in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s arms, her small arms waving wildly. Finally, she grabbed the ball of paper on the right. Under Yu Niaoniao¡¯s gaze, Tang Guixi slowly unfolded the paper. On it was written Princess Fu¡¯an. Yu Niaoniao immediately heaved a long sigh of relief. Fortunately! Tang Guixi was very disappointed. ¡°Why did you choose this title?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and said, ¡®We agreed that you would use whichever Fubao chose. You can¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Tang Guixi could only accept her fate. She personally wrote the title of Princess Fu¡¯an into the Imperial Edict and ordered someone to officially announce it to the world. From then on, Princess Fu¡¯an was introduced to Eastern Tang. Two days later, Tang Guixi suddenly received a secret letter from the Chen Nation. After reading the contents of the letter, she got someone to invite Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan over Tang Guixi handed over the letter. ¡°This is a letter sent by the empress of the Chen Nation. Take a look.¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated. ¡°Can we read such an important letter?¡± ¡°You¡¯re mentioned in this letter. Look.¡± Hearing this, Yu Niaoniao no longer hesitated. She took the letter and read it with Xiao Juan. In the letter, the empress of the Chen Nation expressed that the Chen Nation wanted to fight Eastern Tang again, but on account of her old relationship with Xiao Juan, she was willing to reconcile with Eastern Tang, but the prerequisite was for Xiao Juan to meet her. If Tang Guixi did not want to start a war, she would let Xiao Juan go to the top of the Tiger Mountain in three days. The empress of the Chen Nation would welcome him there. Yu Niaoniao frowned. ¡°She¡¯s clearly threatening us!¡± If Xiao Juan did not attend the appointment, the Chen Nation would go to war with Eastern Tang. Once the battle started, people would be plunged into misery and suffering again. Tang Guixi looked at Xiao Juan steadily and said seriously, ¡°The other party is here for you. You should make this decision.¡± Yu Niaoniao also turned to look at Xiao Juan, feeling very nervous. Personally, she really did not want Xiao Juan to go to the appointment. But one could not be too selfish. She could not only care about herself. She had to think for Tang Guixi and the people of the entire Eastern Tang. Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Can I consider it?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Of course. You can tell me anytime after you make a decision.¡± She paused and said a few more words, ¡°The empress of the Chen Nation deliberately threatened to start a war because she was sure that you would not dare to not agree to the appointment.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t actually have to be too afraid of her threat. Be it our Eastern Tang or their Chen Nation, it would require a lot of manpower and financial resources to start a war.¡± ¡°If she really dared to start a war for her own selfish reasons, the history books would definitely scold her to death. Her position as empress probably won¡¯t last long.¡± Xiao Juan nodded slightly. ¡°I understand.¡± Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan returned to their residence. Xiao Yining was still sleeping. Her face was red and her pink lips were slightly open. She looked extremely cute. Xiao Juan helped her lift the small blanket and gently stroked her face. Yu Niaoniao said worriedly. ¡°I think Guixi is still too optimistic. Normal people indeed don¡¯t dare to start a war between the two countries for their own selfish reasons, but Princess Tao Ran¡¯s personality is very extreme. She will do anything to achieve her goal.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her. ¡°So you still want me to see her, right?¡± Yu Niaoniao told the truth, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to have anything to do with her anymore, but if this causes a war between the two countries, you and I will both become sinners.¡± Xiao Juan sighed softly. ¡°We can live a little selfishly sometimes.¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head. ¡°This concerns our country. We can¡¯t tolerate the slightest bit of selfishness.¡± Xiao Juan reached out and pulled her into his arms. ¡°I understand.¡¯ Yu Niaoniao looked up at him eagerly. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely come back. You won¡¯t abandon me and Fubao, right?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Of course. Even if I die, I want to die beside you and Fubao¡­¡± Yu Niaoniao interrupted him. ¡°Don¡¯t say such inauspicious things! Spit three times in a row.¡± Xiao Juan obediently did as he was told and spat three times. Only then was Yu Niaoniao satisfied. Three days later, Tang Guixi, Xiao Juan, and Yu Niaoniao arrived near Tiger Mountain under the escort of the guards. Tiger Mountain was located at the border between Eastern Tang and the Chen Nation. Because it looked like a tiger, it was called Tiger Mountain. In case the empress of the Chen Nation got agitated again when she saw Yu Niaoniao, the latter did not go up the mountain. She and Tang Guixi stayed at the foot of the mountain. Xiao Juan led a team of guards up the mountain path. Soon, their backs disappeared into the forest. Tang Guixi could not help but ask when she saw Yu Niaoniao looking in the direction of Tiger Mountain. ¡°Are you worried that Xiao Juan will never return?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°1 believe he¡¯ll definitely come back. I¡¯m worried that the empress of the Chen Nation will do him harm.¡± Tang Guixi comforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already agreed with Xiao Juan that once he¡¯s in danger, he¡¯ll immediately pull the quiver he carries with him. When we hear the sound, we¡¯ll immediately go up the mountain to save him..¡± Chapter 665 - Chapter 665: Demon Concubine Chapter 665: Demon Concubine Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A temporary pavilion was built at the top of Tiger Mountain. bamboo curtains hung down on the four sides of the pavilion, and many guards stood around. When Xiao Juan appeared with his men, a guard immediately stopped them. ¡°The empress will only let Xiao Juan in.¡± Xiao Juan instructed the Eagle Guards following behind, ¡°Wait here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Eagle Guards took two steps back in unison. Seeing this, the guard turned around and gestured. ¡°Her Majesty is inside. Please come in.¡± Xiao Juan bought the steps and the palace maid standing at the side rolled up the bamboo curtain. In the pavilion, a gorgeous woman was leaning against a soft couch. She was wearing an exquisite palace dress with a white background and gold. Her long skirt fell to the ground along the edge of the couch. Her black hair was curled high on her head, decorated by golden hairpins. She was the former Princess Tao Ran and the current empress of the Chen Nation. She looked at the man who walked in and raised her red lips into a charming smile. ¡°Brother MO Zhu, I knew you would definitely come to the appointment.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her expressionlessly. ¡°Tao Ran, why did you call me here?¡± The empress of the Chen Nation raised her arm, and her wide sleeves fluttered in the wind. ¡°Princess Tao Ran is my title, not my real name.¡± At this point, she looked at Xiao Juan with a faint smile. ¡°Brother MO Zhu, do you remember my name?¡± Xiao Juan was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Shen Luqing.¡± His answer clearly pleased the woman. Her eyes lit up. ¡°Luqing is tall and elegant. MO Zhu describes bamboo. My name happens to match your name, MO Zhu. Doesn¡¯t this mean that the two of us are a match made in heaven?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°If you insist on thinking that, I¡¯ll change my name.¡± Shen Luqing was speechless. The smile quickly faded from her face. ¡°Brother MO Zhu, do you really hate me so much?¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t like you or hate you. You¡¯re just an unimportant stranger to me.¡± Shen Luqing raised her eyebrows. ¡°You really dare to say that. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m no longer the young Princess Tao Ran. I¡¯m now the empress of the Chen Nation. Now, I have the final say in everything regarding the Chen Nation. If you anger me, I can order the Chen Nation to send troops to Eastern Tang at any time.¡± Facing her threat, Xiao Juan¡¯s expression was still indifferent. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Shen Luqing said, ¡°Oh? You¡¯re so confident?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°The Chen Nation has just ended a civil strife. The hearts of the people are unstable. If you send troops to Eastern Tang at this time, it¡¯s equivalent to giving someone a handle. It¡¯s harmful to you.¡± Shen Luqing placed one hand on the couch and slowly sat up straight. ¡°So what? I don¡¯t care what others think. I just want Brother MO Zhu.¡± Xiao Juan looked at her steadily. Shen Luqing subconsciously raised her hand and gently stroked her cheek. ¡°What is Brother MO Zhu looking at?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You look much different.¡± Shen Luqing said, ¡°Really? How have I changed?¡± ¡°In the past, you might have ignored everything and just wanted to be happy, but not now.¡± Shen Luqing smiled gently. ¡°Anyone will change after experiencing so much.¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Shen Luqing reached out her slender hand, picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and gently pushed it in front of Xiao Juan. ¡°It¡¯s rare to meet. Sit down and have a cup of tea and a good chat.¡± Xiao Juan sat down at the table, but he did not touch the teacup in front of him. Shen Luqing asked, ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯ll poison the tea?¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°You have to be wary of others.¡± Shen Luqing smiled again. ¡°You¡¯re really straightforward. This is the best tea in our Chen Nation. It¡¯s priceless. You didn¡¯t even drink it when I treated you. What a waste.¡± At this point, she picked up her teacup and took a sip. Xiao Juan said, ¡°You didn¡¯t call me here just to drink tea, right?¡± Shen Luqing put down her teacup. ¡°Brother MO Zhu, I¡¯ve missed you for the past two years. Have you ever missed me for a moment?¡± Before Xiao Juan could answer, she spoke first. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no need to say anything. I know you¡¯re going to say no.¡± Xiao Juan did not speak, which was a tacit agreement. Shen Luqing asked, ¡°Do you know what I¡¯ve experienced in the past two years?¡± Xiao Juan continued to be silent. Shen Luqing continued. ¡°Han Chengxi is really a piece of trash. After he kidnapped me to the Chen Nation, he treated me as a plaything and raised me in the residence.¡± ¡°He even used unorthodox methods to train me and forced me to learn those dirty things. After training me, he packed me up as a gift and sent me to the emperor of the Chen Nation.¡± ¡°That emperor was even older than my father, an old man covered in wrinkles. Every time I got close, I could smell the bad old man smell on him. I wanted to vomit.¡± ¡°But I still had to do my best to please him. Only by gripping his heart could I have a chance of turning things around. Everyone called me a shameless demon concubine. But so what? There¡¯s no turning back. I can only climb up unscrupulously.¡± At this point, she could not help but close her eyes. All kinds of things from the past appeared in his mind. There were schemes from the harem, curses, and slander from the officials of the previous dynasty, and threats from Han Chengxi again and again. She was deeply involved in the harem of the Chen Nation. No matter how desperate she was, no one would not help her. Her once sharp personality had been forcefully worn down. She had learned to hide her strength and bide her time. She had learned to be humble. Logically speaking, at the emperor¡¯s age, it should be very difficult to get concubines pregnant again. But she did. It was not because she was lucky enough, but because while serving the emperor of the Chen Nation, she had to please Han Chengxi like a pet in private. The person who really got her pregnant was Han Chengxi. But this secret was only known to her and Han Chengxi. The emperor of the Chen Nation thought that the child was his and that he would have a son when he was old. He thought that he was strong and virile when he was old, so he went against everyone¡¯s wishes and conferred her the title of Imperial Noble Consort. With her pillow talk, the emperor of the Chen Nation indeed had the thought of making Han Chengxi the crown prince. Han Chengxi also thought that victory was in his grasp and that he was confident in the crown prince¡¯s throne. Little did he know that while he was using Shen Luqing, she was also using him. After a few princes who had the greatest hope of competing for the position of crown prince were all killed by Han Chengxi, Shen Luqing secretly drugged his wine when he was not on his guard. While he was in a daze, Shen Luqing pushed him down the stairs. He happened to break his neck when he fell to the ground and died on the spot. After that, she coaxed the emperor of the Chen Nation into conferring her the title of the empress and her son was made the crown prince. Now that the emperor of the Chen Nation had a stroke and was paralyzed, he was lying on the bed and could not move. She was in charge of everything in the court. As for the people who had hurt her, they were either dead or half-dead.. Chapter 666 - Chapter 666: Marriage Chapter 666: Marriage Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The unbearable memories of the past gradually dissipated. Shen Luqing slowly opened her eyes. Her mood had already calmed down. ¡°Brother MO Zhu, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ve indeed changed a lot. In the past, I naively thought that you were my world. Every time I was stepped on in the mud, I expected you to appear but you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Gradually, I understood a principle. I¡¯ve always been alone in my world. I can only rely on myself. Only by making myself strong will no one dare to bully me.¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°You¡¯ve indeed grown.¡± Shen Luqing said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve grown.¡± But the price of growth was too high. She had almost destroyed all her dignity and pride in exchange for her epiphany. Xiao Juan said, ¡°Since it wasn¡¯t easy for you to have everything you have now, you should manage it well. Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, think for your own son. It¡¯s not good for anyone if the two countries go to war.¡± Shen Luqing suddenly thought of something and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I really should think about my son. I heard that you and Yu Niaoniao had a daughter and were conferred the title of Princess Fu¡¯an by the empress of Eastern Tang. Why don¡¯t you send Princess Fu¡¯an to the Chen Nation for marriage when she grows up? Let her be my son¡¯s empress. This way, our two countries can become in-laws and not have to worry about war. How good would that be?¡± Seeing that she actually had designs on Little Fubao, Xiao Juan¡¯s face immediately darkened and he said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! Eastern Tang will never have a marriage alliance!¡± Shen Luqing was stunned at first, but then she laughed. She laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s really well said! When Dayan asked me to marry, no one said anything like that to me. Father told me that as a princess, I have to fulfill my duty as a princess after enjoying the treatment of a princess. But why? Why do I have to fulfill this obligation?¡± Xiao Juan was silent. Shen Luqing laughed for a long time before gradually stopping. The corners of her eyes were slightly red, and her eyelashes were wet. She looked dazed. ¡°Why did it have to be me?¡± Xiao Juan said firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens to Dayan, but Eastern Tang will never send a princess to another country for marriage in the future.¡± Whether it was his daughter or Tang Guixi¡¯s own daughter, it was impossible to give them to another country as a bargaining chip. Shen Luqing sat there in a daze for a while before gradually coming back to her senses. But she was no longer in the mood to continue the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Go.¡± Xiao Juan stood up without a word. ¡°Goodbye.¡± When he was about to walk out of the pavilion, he suddenly heard Shen Luqing¡¯s voice behind him. ¡°Actually, I just wanted to chat with you from the beginning. I¡¯m already the Empress of the Chen Nation. I can do whatever I want now. Why would I compromise and beg you to give me some love?¡± ¡°Xiao Juan, I still love you. But I don¡¯t need you anymore.¡± Xiao Juan stopped and looked back at her. At this moment, Shen Luqing had already wiped her tears, leaving only calmness on her gorgeous face. She was the empress of the Chen Nation. Shen Luqing looked at him steadily. ¡°I hope you can remember what you just said. Eastern Tang will never send a princess away.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Luqing took out a letter from her sleeve and placed it on the table. ¡°Take this to Tang Guixi.¡± Xiao Juan returned and bent down to pick up the letter. Shen Luqing leaned back and said lazily, ¡°Alright, you can get lost.¡± Xiao Juan turned around and left without hesitation. At the foot of the mountain, Yu Niaoniao craned her neck to look up. Her neck ached. She could not help but feel a little nervous. Why was he not back yet? Could it be that Xiao Juan was in danger? Just as she was about to call someone up the mountain to take a look, she heard the sound of hooves. Right on the heels of that, a familiar figure appeared at the end of the mountain path. It was Xiao Juan who had returned with the Eagle Guards! Yu Niaoniao was overjoyed. Great, they were all safe and sound! Tang Guixi heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Xiao Juan was fine. Otherwise, she would not know how to explain it to Niaoniao. Xiao Juan dismounted and strode to Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Yu Niaoniao gave him a big bear hug before asking. ¡°The empress of the Chen Nation didn¡¯t do anything bad to you, right?¡± Xiao Juan shook his head and said no. Tang Guixi stroked her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Did she really go through so much trouble to call you over just to see you?¡± Xiao Juan took out a letter from his sleeve. ¡°She asked me to pass this to you on her behalf.¡± Tang Guixi took the letter and unfolded it on the spot, quickly reading it. She laughed. ¡°The empress of the Chen Nation said in the letter that the Chen Nation wants to form an alliance with the Eastern Tang. As long as this alliance is reached, there will be no more war for at least ten years.¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed too. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing!¡± Ten years was enough for Eastern Tang to recuperate. Tang Guixi clicked her tongue. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. I didn¡¯t expect our Duke to be so powerful. He brought back such good news as soon as he set off.¡± Xiao Juan said calmly, ¡°This letter was prepared by the empress of the Chen Nation long ago. It means that she has already decided to ally with Eastern Tang. It has nothing to do with me.¡± Tang Guixi still said, ¡°But if you didn¡¯t go to the appointment, you won¡¯t be able to get this letter back.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°Even without this letter, the Chen Nation won¡¯t declare war on us in the short term. The Chen Nation has just ended a civil strife and needs to stabilize people¡¯s hearts. It¡¯s not appropriate to fight anymore. Geographically, our Eastern Tang happens to be between the Chen Nation and Dayan. If the Dayan wants to harm the Chen Nation, it have to pass through our Eastern Tang. In other words, we¡¯re a natural barrier. The benefits of the Chen Nation being on good terms with us outweigh the disadvantages.¡± Tang Guixi could not help but say, ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that the Empress of the Chen Nation used to be the princess of the Dayan? She¡¯s also from Dayan. She should be on good terms with Dayan. Why is she so wary of the Dayan?¡± Xiao Juan told them what Shen Luqing had just said. After hearing this, Tang Guixi finally understood the reason. ¡°The late emperor of Dayan was really ruthless. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t bear to give my daughter to such an old man as a wife.¡± Yu Niaoniao sighed. ¡°Back then, the late emperor of Dayan sent Princess Tao Ran to the Chen Nation to be the empress. I didn¡¯t expect her to become the empress in the end. Could this be fate?¡± Tang Guixi stretched. ¡°Who knows! Let¡¯s not care about this. Let¡¯s go back first.. With a load off our minds, we have to have a good drink tonight!¡± Chapter 667 - Chapter 667: Lantern Festival Chapter 667: Lantern Festival Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A year later, the emperor of the Chen Nation died of illness. The little crown prince, who was only a year old, ascended the throne. As the empress, Shen Luqing successfully advanced to the become the empress dowager. Because the new emperor was too young to govern himself, Shen Luqing listened to politics as the empress dowager. During the first morning court assembly, the young new emperor was wearing a dragon robe and sitting on a dragon chair that was too wide for him. He did not know anything yet and had to move from time to time. The palace servants standing at the side had no choice but to lower their voices to coax him, hoping that he would sit obediently and not move. Behind the dragon throne hung a gauze curtain. Behind the gauze curtain was the empress dowager¡¯s seat. Shen Luqing sat upright in a wide chair. Her gaze pierced through the thin gauze curtain and watched as the civil and military officials knelt down and bowed. ¡°Long live the emperor and the empress dowager!¡± Shen Luqing raised her right hand, and her wide sleeve swayed. The breeze caused the gauze curtain to sway gently. ¡°Ministers, rise.¡± After a year of recuperation, the lives of the commoners finally got on track. The destroyed houses were rebuilt, and the abandoned fields were revitalized. As for the lives that had unfortunately passed away, they would stay in people¡¯s hearts forever. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan had paid to open many Juan Niao schools all over Eastern Tang. Not only did the school not accept tuition fees, but it also did not have any restrictions about gender and accepted male and female students at the same time. If they were students with especially outstanding academic results, they could even receive scholarships to subsidize their families. It was said that not only did studying not cost money, but one could also earn money. Many commoners sent their children to the Juan Niao School. As long as it was not a busy farming season, the school would always be filled with people. Tang Guixi was prepared to open an imperial examination and take this opportunity to recruit talents. She often heard Yu Niaoniao mention the Juan Niao School and knew that many girls in the school had outstanding academic results, but she felt that it was a pity that they could not become officials. Therefore, Tang Guixi waved her hand and crossed out the rule restricting females from taking the imperial examination. She changed it to a rule that was gender agnostic and anyone with both virtue and talent could obtain a positon. As soon as this matter was out, everyone in the court protested. In the morning court assembly, the officials argued with Tang Guixi, wanting her to change her mind. But Tang Guixi did not listen to them at all. No matter how others spat, she always said those words¡ª ¡°I¡¯m the emperor. I have the final say.¡± ¡°You have the right to make suggestions, but I also have the right to refuse to listen. ¡± ¡°Do you look down on women? Coincidentally, I¡¯m a woman. Which one of you looks down on me? Stand up and let me take a look.¡± The ministers were exasperated, but they did not dare to do anything to her. In the end, they could only suppress their anger and go home. After the new imperial examination system was officially enacted, it caused a huge reaction among the people. Everyone was shocked by this matter. It was unprecedented for a woman to participate in the imperial examination. However, when they thought about how the emperor of the Eastern Tang was a woman and how she could govern the country, being well-versed in martial arts and was not inferior to men at all, the commoners felt that this matter was not so difficult to accept. On the day of the imperial examination, many women entered the examination hall. Under Yu Niaoniao¡¯s encouragement, Ling Hai also participated in the imperial examination. Unfortunately, Ling Hai did not make much progress in his studies and could not pass the examination. After failing the examination, he could not help but be disappointed. This aroused his fighting spirit. He was determined to study hard and be on the rankings the next time he took the imperial examination. If he could get into the civil service, he could even bring his family to Eastern Tang to stay. Even for his family, he had to work harder. The first imperial examination since the founding of the Eastern Tang finally ended. After layers of screening and examinations, in the end, there were 99 male and female students. They entered the royal court of the Eastern Tang and became the new batch of pillars. Today happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival. There would be a lantern festival in Xingning City at night. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan planned to bring their daughter to the lantern festival. When Tang Guixi found out, she insisted on following. Since she wanted to go, Shen Xu naturally had to follow. Hence, the five of them changed into the clothes of ordinary people and secretly sneaked into the lantern festival. Lanterns of various shapes hung on both sides of the street. Each lantern had a note hanging on it. The note had a riddle written on it. Those who guessed the riddle could take the lanterns for free. During this period, there were also many vendors who sold all kinds of things, including food, necessities, and entertainment. Xiao Juan bought a rattle drum for his daughter. Xiao Yining clearly liked this rattle drum very much. As long as Xiao Juan shook it, she would dance with excitement and laugh. Xiao Juan handed her the rattle drum. ¡°Take it well.¡± Xiao Yining hugged the rattle drum tightly, and an even brighter smile bloomed on her fair and rosy face. Seeing that there were many people gathered in front, Tang Guixi squeezed in curiously and realized that an opera troupe had built a stage there. They were singing now. She immediately squeezed out again and shouted at Yu Niaoniao and the others. ¡°Come quickly. Someone¡¯s singing here. It¡¯s very good!¡± Yu Niaoniao was very surprised. ¡°Is it a foreign troupe?¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that it¡¯s an opera troupe from the Imperial Capital. I think its name is Qi¡­ Qi something?¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she blurted out, ¡°Is it Qirui Opera Troupe?¡± Tang Guixi nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! It¡¯s them! Have you heard of them?¡± Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve more than heard of them. We¡¯re old acquaintances.¡± She turned to Xiao Juan and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and join in the fun.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± There were too many people gathered around the stage. Some of them really could not squeeze in and could only climb into nearby trees or even the roof to watch. Tang Guixi led the way and forcefully squeezed out a path. Shen Xu followed closely behind. Xiao Juan hugged his daughter with one arm and Niaoniao with the other to prevent her from being pushed away by the crowd. It wasn¡¯t easy for them to squeeze into the front row. Yu Niaoniao looked up and realized that the person performing on the stage was Liu Sixing. She looked like she had grown a little taller, and her figure had become even slimmer. Her melodious singing voice drifted out, winning waves of cheers. At this moment, she was singing ¡°Duke Lang in Liaodong¡±. The plot was turbulent and captivating. The setting on the stage was also unique and very different from ordinary opera troupe. When the song reached its climax, Tang Guixi could not help but clap and cheer with everyone. Yu Niaoniao also shouted, ¡°Sixing, that¡¯s awesome!¡± On the stage, Liu Sixing heard someone call her name. She glanced down the stage from the corner of her eye and saw Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan in the crowd. She didn¡¯t stop. She continued to sing smoothly. When the plot ended, the onlookers threw rewards and shouted for en encore. Liu Qirui went on stage to thank everyone for their support and said that the night¡¯s performance was over. They had to come back the next for another show. Seeing that there was no good show to watch, the onlookers reluctantly dispersed. Liu Qirui jumped off the stage and bowed to Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. ¡°Greetings, Duke Lang and the Princess Consort.¡± Yu Niaoniao reminded him, ¡°We¡¯re no longer Duke Lang and the Princess Consort of Dayan.¡± Tang Guixi crossed her arms and said proudly, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. They already have nothing to do with Dayan. Now, they¡¯re the Founding Duke and Madam of our Eastern Tang. Don¡¯t call them by the wrong address.¡± Liu Qirui hurriedly bowed again. ¡°Greetings, Founding Duke and Madam..¡± Chapter 668 - Chapter 668: Missing Chapter 668: Missing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing specially brought the opera troupe here to perform and visit Yu Niaoniao because they knew that she was in Eastern Tang. Yu Niaoniao was naturally very happy with their intentions. They went to a nearby restaurant and sat down, preparing to catch up as they ate. Yu Niaoniao suddenly realized that her purse was gone. She guessed that it had been accidentally squeezed out while she watching the show. She wanted to go back and look for it, but Xiao Juan stopped her. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll help you find it.¡± Yu Niaoniao considered that she was the most familiar with Liu Qirui and Liu Sixing. If she left, the others would probably not be able to talk to the Liu father and daughter. It was better for her to stay where she was, so she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Juan handed their daughter to Niaoniao and stood up to leave. Yu Niaoniao said to him, ¡°If you really can¡¯t find it, forget it. Come back early.¡± Xiao Juan nodded in understanding. He left the restaurant alone and went to look for Yu Niaoniao¡¯s lost purse. Liu Sixing smiled and teased, ¡°The Duke is so considerate to Madam. It wasn¡¯t in vain for Madam to accompany him through life and death.¡± Yu Niaoniao was not stingy with her praise for Xiao Juan. ¡°Although he doesn¡¯t like to talk, he¡¯s really good at taking care of people. He¡¯s good at everything at home and abroad.¡± Liu Sixing¡¯s smile widened. ¡°We¡¯re relieved to see that you¡¯re doing well.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°How have you been all these years? Is the opera troupe doing well?¡± Liu Sixing told her about the opera troupe¡¯s experience in the past two years. Ever since they left the Imperial Capital, they had been wandering around and performing everywhere. They would change places after two or three days. They were good singers, to begin with. In addition, Duke Lang in Liaodong, and the Double Beauties that Yu Niaoniao had left for them helped to grow their reputation. There were also some local squires who invited them to perform at a high price. Liu Sixing said, ¡°Although we earned a lot of money from the tour, we still want to find a place to settle down. After thinking about it, we¡¯ve decided to come to Eastern Tang to join you. I wonder if Eastern Tang can accept our opera troupe? At this point, she and Liu Qirui looked at Yu Niaoniao with anticipation. Before Yu Niaoniao could speak, Tang Guixi replied impatiently. ¡°Of course, you can! You guys stay here. In the future, I¡¯ll listen to you perform every day. What else can you do?¡± Liu Sixing smiled. ¡°We¡¯re naturally best at Duke Lang in Liaodong, and the Double Beauties. These two plays were written by Madam Duchess. The plots are very exciting. Those who have watched them say that they are good.¡± Tang Guixi and Shen Xu turned to look at Yu Niaoniao in unison. ¡°Do you have such an ability?¡± Yu Niaoniao raised her chin. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m very powerful.¡± Liu Sixing smiled and echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right. Not only is Madam¡¯s playbook written well, but she also draws well. The books she drew previously were in short supply in the Imperial Capital. Every day, there are people queuing up to buy the books.¡± As the collector of stories, how could Tang Guixi sit still when she heard this? She rubbed her hands together, her eyes shining. ¡°What kind of books are these? I want to see them too!¡± Shen Xu raised his hand in agreement. ¡°Me too. I want to see them too!¡± Liu Sixing said, ¡°Coincidentally, I brought two books here. They¡¯re especially for collection. I¡¯ll lend them to you to take a look.¡± With that, she took out two books from the bag she carried. Tang Guixi and Shen Xu could not wait to take the books. As soon as they opened one of the books, they were attracted by the lifelike images. Wow! It was all drawings. It was completely different from the scripts they had read before! At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the private room. A clerk walked in and asked carefully. ¡°May I ask which one is the Duchess?¡± Yu Niaoniao turned to look at him. ¡°It¡¯s me. What is it?¡± The clerk did not expect there to really be a Duchess. His legs went weak from fear and he knelt down. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Madam Duchess is here. Please forgive me, Madam.¡± Yu Niaoniao gestured for him to stand up. ¡°We just want a quiet meal. Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± The clerk nodded hurriedly. ¡°I understand.¡± Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± The clerk said, ¡°It¡¯s like this. Someone outside said that he saw your purse and wanted to invite you to see if it was yours.¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at Tang Guixi and Shen Xu, who were still engrossed in the scripts. She knew that it was impossible for the two of them to get up for a while, so she said to Liu Sixing and Liu Qirui. ¡°I¡¯m going out to take a look. Help me take care of Fu Bao. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± The Liu father and daughter nodded in agreement. Yu Niaoniao stroked her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. Be good.¡± Xiao Yining waved her arms, and the rattle drum made a Ding-Dong sound. The sound alarmed Tang Guixi and Shen Xu, who were still reading. Tang Guixi took the time to look up at Yu Niaoniao. ¡°Are you going out?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Someone picked up my purse. I¡¯ll go out and take a look.¡± Tang Guixi asked, ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡± Yu Niaoniao shook her head to indicate that there was no need. It was just a few steps. She would be back soon. Tang Guixi was still concerned about the plot in the book, so she did not insist. She only said, ¡°Then come back quickly.¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up and walked out of the private room alone. She followed the clerk all the way to the backyard of the restaurant. The backyard was empty. No one was in sight. The clerk scratched his head. looking nuzzled. ¡°Where is he? I clearly asked him to wait here just now.¡± Yu Niaoniao was about to ask him if he had made a mistake when she suddenly felt a pain on the back of her neck. Then, her vision darkened and she fainted. In the private room, Xiao Yining, who had been quietly waiting, suddenly opened her mouth and cried. Her cry immediately shocked everyone in the private room. Liu Sixing hurriedly coaxed, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, Miss Fubao. Don¡¯t cry.¡± Liu Qirui asked, ¡°Could she be hungry? Tang Guixi immediately threw the script aside. She scooped a bowl of chicken soup and wanted to feed it to Xiao Yining. But Xiao Yining refused to drink. She cried louder and louder. This time, even Tang Guixi panicked. Was this child feeling unwell? She picked Xiao Yining up and pressed her forehead against his. Her temperature was normal. There were no signs of fever. Tang Guixi hugged her and shook her gently as she asked, ¡°Fubao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Xu asked, ¡°Could she be missing her mother?¡± Tang Guixi felt that it was possible. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to Niaoniao now.¡± She carried Xiao Yining and searched the entire restaurant, but she could not find Yu Niaoniao. In the end, she found the restaurant clerk who had fainted in the backyard. According to the clerk, he took Yu Niaoniao to the backyard. In the end, not only did he not see the person with the purse, but he was also knocked out from behind. As for Yu Niaoniao, she was nowhere to be found. Tang Guixi immediately ordered, ¡°Seal the city gate immediately and don¡¯t let anyone enter or leave. Send someone to inform Xiao Juan that Niaoniao is gone and tell him to come back quickly..¡± Chapter 669 - Chapter 669: Privacy Chapter 669: Privacy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Niaoniao woke up, she realized that she was lying on an unfamiliar bed. She got up quickly and looked around. She saw a familiar figure sitting at the table. The window was half open. The candlelight flickered gently as the evening wind blew in. The man was looking down at a tree. When he heard the commotion, he looked up and met Niaoniao¡¯s eyes. Yu Niaoniao jumped out of bed. ¡°Shen Zhuo? Why are you here?¡± Shen Zhuo was wearing a light green long robe and a white crane-patterned feather cloak. His face was as fair as jade, and his eyebrows were delicate. He had the posture of a gentleman. ¡°Niaoniao, you¡¯re awake.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked wary. ¡°You kidnapped me here? What¡¯s your goal?¡± Shen Zhuo put down his book and gently patted the chair beside him. ¡°Come and sit for a while. We haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time. I want to have a good chat with you.¡± Yu Niaoniao ignored him. She walked quickly toward the door, wanting to bolt. But the door was locked from the outside and could not be opened. Yu Niaoniao was angry and anxious, but logic made her calm down. The sky outside the window was still dark. In the distance, they could still see the night sky illuminated by lamps, which meant that they should still be in Xingning City. When Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi found out that she had disappeared, they would definitely seal the city gate and search the entire city. As long as they searched door to door, it was only a matter of time before they found this place. What she needed to do now was to stabilize Shen Zhuo and not let him do anything out of line. Shen Zhuo looked at her quietly, taking in the change in her expression. Seeing that she was no longer pulling the door open, he knew that she had figured it out. Shen Zhuo said again, ¡°Come and sit.¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated for a moment before finally walking over obediently. She sat down opposite Shen Zhuo. Shen Zhuo poured a cup of hot tea and placed it in front of her. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?¡± How could Yu Niaoniao have the appetite to eat now? Moreover, she was worried that Shen Zhuo would drug the food. She did not dare to eat what he would give her. She said with a tense face, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Shen Zhuo picked up the book he had not finished just now. ¡°I¡¯ve read this Seven Treasures Record many times and have been waiting for the second book. I wonder when you can draw it?¡± When Yu Niaoniao saw that he was reading seriously just now, she thought that he was reading some rare book. She did not expect him to be reading a comic book. She pursed her lower lip. ¡°As the ruler of a country, you shouldn¡¯t read such unorthodox books.¡± Shen Zhuo smiled. ¡°A book is a book. The so-called orthodoxy is just a prejudice of humans. As long as I like it, it¡¯s the best book in the world. The same applies to people.¡± These words had a double meaning. Yu Niaoniao did not answer and said bluntly, ¡°This is Xingning City, the territory of the Eastern Tang. As the emperor of Dayan, aren¡¯t you afraid of losing your life here?¡± Shen Zhuo gently stroked the page. ¡°I¡¯ve already left an edict before I set off. If I don¡¯t return in ten days, the 500,000 troops guarding the border of Dayan will attack Eastern Tang.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but clench her fists and pretend to be relaxed. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me.¡± Shen Zhuo spoke unhurriedly, ¡°A year ago, Liaodong County announced that it was separating from the Dayan and changed its name to Eastern Tang. At that time, I wanted to send troops to take back Liaodong, but for some objective reasons, I couldn¡¯t do it. Now, I¡¯ve already cleaned up the stumbling blocks that would hinder me. I¡¯ve already prepared my troops and am just waiting for the battle.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already decided to go to war, why did you take the risk to come here to look for me?¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s gaze lingered on her. ¡°I want you to come with me.¡± The corners of Yu Niaoniao¡¯s mouth twitched as she mocked, ¡°In your dreams?¡± Shen Zhuo gently put down his book. ¡°There will be war here soon. You really don¡¯t have to stay here and suffer. As long as you come with me, I promise to let you live as freely as you did when you were young.¡± Yu Niaoniao seemed to have heard a funny joke. ¡°Free and easy? If you take me back, won¡¯t you control me like a canary? Why coax me with the nonsense that even three-year-olds won¡¯t believe?¡± Shen Zhuo said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not coaxing you. As long as you want it, I¡¯ll try my best to satisfy you. Back then, didn¡¯t you want to seek justice for your parents? I¡¯ve already helped you do it.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°The person who helped me do it is Ah Juan, not you!¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°But if I hadn¡¯t gone easy on him, how could he have sneaked into the palace so smoothly? I only did this on your account.¡± Yu Niaoniao endured it again and again, but in the end, she could not help but mock. ¡°Forget it! You were clearly doing it for yourself! Back then, the deaths of your mother and brother were related to your father. ¡± ¡°Since you were young, your father sent you to the temple and you lived a life worse than ordinary people. As a prince, you have never enjoyed the preferential treatment of a prince for so many years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t feel resentment! Now that your father is dead, not only can you take revenge, but you can also naturally ascend to the throne. You¡¯re doing this for your own selfish reasons. Don¡¯t use me as a cover!¡± When Shen Zhuo heard her finish, not only was he not angry, he laughed. ¡°As expected of Niaoniao. Your guess is really accurate. I¡¯m indeed hiding my selfishness. ¡± ¡°Ever since I was young, my mother had strictly taught me to work hard. Because I don¡¯t just represent myself. I represent the entire Wen family. No matter what I do, I have to think more than others. This is my responsibility and my destiny.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°In that case, you should continue to fulfill your destiny and not look for me again.¡± Shen Zhuo sighed softly. ¡°Niaoniao, that position is too high. It¡¯s lonely at the top. I hope to have you by my side.¡± Yu Niaoniao could tell that this person was greedy. Before he became emperor, he was focused on seizing the throne. Now that he had finally ascended the throne, he felt that this position was too cold and wanted someone by his side to accompany him for a long time. He had to take all the good things in the world. Yu Niaoniao asked, ¡°What if I don¡¯t agree?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll personally lead the troops to attack Eastern Tang. When Eastern Tang is captured, you still have to return to my side.¡± He was calm and composed, as if he had everything in hand. Yu Niaoniao looked at her steadily. She suddenly thought of something and softened her tone. ¡°Brother Junzhi.¡± Shen Zhuo, who had not heard this title for a long time, could not help but be stunned. Then he looked happy. ¡°You¡¯re finally willing to call me Brother Junzhi again.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Do you remember why you came to my house when you were young? Speaking of the past, Shen Zhuo¡¯s eyes were filled with nostalgia. ¡°Mr. Feng is both virtuous and talented. He¡¯s a rather famous literary master in the southwest. Mother secretly sent me to Bashu and asked me to become Mr. Feng¡¯s disciple to learn from him. That¡¯s where I met you..¡± Chapter 670 - Chapter 670: Killing Intent Chapter 670: Killing Intent Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The three years in the Feng family were the most relaxed and happy time in his life. Even after so many years, that memory still did not fade in his heart. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I remember my father once said that as a ruler, you have to prioritize the people of the world. Did you do it?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Of course.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°When the Chen Army attacked Liaodong County, the Eastern Expedition Army urgently needed food support. What was your choice?¡± Shen Zhuo immediately stopped talking. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°You chose to give up the Eastern Expedition Army and the entire Liaodong County.¡± Shen Zhuo explained, ¡°That¡¯s because of the rebellion in Prince Jia¡¯s Mansion. I have to calm the rebellion as soon as possible. The money and food in the national treasury are limited. I can only calm the internal strife first before dealing with the external trouble.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him penetratingly. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is only part of the reason. The reason why you gave up Liaodong County was that Tang Guixi was in Liaodong County.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me and Xiao Juan to rely on Tang Guixi. You don¡¯t want Tang Guixi to continue controlling the Eastern Expedition Army.¡± ¡°You want to use the Chen Army to get rid of Tang Guixi. What you want from the beginning to the end is personal.¡± Shen Zhuo could not refute. That was indeed what he had thought back then. Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°To you, protecting the throne is more important than anything. For this, you can even sacrifice the entire Liaodong County.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°When I take back Liaodong County, I can exempt it from taxes for the next five years. Consider it compensation for the people of Liaodong.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Five years of taxes in exchange for so many lives of the people of Liaodong. Let¡¯s see if they will agree.¡± Shen Zhuo was silent again. Liaodong County did not pay a lot of taxes every year, but it was not a small amount either. Five years of taxes were already the limit of what he could concede. The Ministry of Revenue would definitely not agree to anything more. Yu Niaoniao explained the current tax system of the Eastern Tang to Shen Zhuo in detail. Then, she explained the tax system of the Dayan. She compared the two tax systems. In comparison, the taxes on Eastern Tang were clearly much lower. The commoners still had a lot of surplus food after paying the taxes. In addition, Eastern Tang had a system of distributing land according to the number of people. Every commoner could be distributed two acres of land, regardless of gender. Every year, the government would distribute food seedlings to the farmers for free. If Eastern Tang was annexed by the Dayan, it meant that the land in the hands of the commoners would be taken back. Even if the Imperial Court was willing to reduce taxes for them for five years, what would happen after five years? In the future, they would still have to live a hard life after paying taxes. Shen Zhuo became more and more silent. Actually, it was not that he did not know the benefits of these systems to the commoners. He was also willing to reform like Eastern Tang. However, Dayan was not the Eastern Tang. The Eastern Tang was small and Tang Guixi had just finished the war. She was held in very high regard among the commoners. Her words were very influential. Even if some people in the court were dissatisfied, they did not dare to say anything. They controlled most of the fields and would never allow the Imperial Court to undergo land reform. No matter how ambitious Shen Zhuo was, he did not dare to touch the interests of those powerful people easily. Yu Niaoniao looked at him and said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to tell you.¡± ¡°From the moment you gave up Liaodong County, your image in the hearts of the people of Liaodong had been completely destroyed.¡± ¡°Especially the commoners who were unlucky enough to have their families destroyed in the war. They hate you to the core.¡± ¡°If you want to send troops to Eastern Tang, I can guarantee that the entire Eastern Tang will work together to fight you to the death. If you don¡¯t believe me, try it!¡± Towards the end, her expression had become stern and fierce. Shen Zhuo knew that it would be very difficult to take down the Eastern Tang, but if they really had to fight to the death, the price that Dayan would have to pay would be much greater than he had expected. After all, fighting a war depended on aura. If Eastern Tang really burned their bridges, it meant that they would fight this battle at all costs. As the saying went, there was nothing to be afraid of. Eastern Tang could risk everything to fight Dayan, but Dayan could not. Once the expenditure on the war exceeded expectations, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Cabinet would protest. In order to make up for the expenditure, the Imperial Court could only increase taxes. In this way, the commoners would resent them. The commoners would not analyze the reason. They would only become more and more dissatisfied with the Imperial Court and the emperor. It was a vicious circle. As the ruler of a country, Shen Zhuo had to be cautious. Yu Niaoniao continued, ¡°Taking a step back, even if you¡¯re lucky enough to win this battle, it will definitely be a tragic victory. At that time, the people and land of Eastern Tang will be almost destroyed. You spent so much manpower and financial resources to obtain such a dilapidated Eastern Tang. Do you think this deal is worth it?¡± Shen Zhuo was silent for a long time before speaking. ¡°Liaodong County is our Dayan¡¯s territoryu If I give up just like that, where will the national prestige of Dayan be?¡± Yu Niaoniao said coldly, ¡°When the Chen Nation Army invaded Liaodong County and waved the butcher¡¯s knife at the innocent people here, the prestige of the Dayan no longer exists.¡± ¡°The only way you could have restored the might of the country was to chase the Chen Nation Army out of Liaodong County and protect the people living here from the pain of war. ¡°But you gave up this opportunity. Brother Junzhi, you have already lost the right to talk about national power with the people of Liaodong.¡± Every word seemed to be sharp. Even that seemingly soft ¡°Brother Junzhi¡± was filled with mockery in Shen Zhuo¡¯s ears. No matter how much Shen Zhuo could tolerate it, he could not help but be angered. He grabbed Niaoniao by the neck, his eyes filled with hostility. ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to now? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll kill you now?¡± Outside the door, Wei Liao and the commander of the Imperial Guards stood on both sides. There were also many Sky Wolf Guards and Imperial Guards scattered around this room. They were meant to protect the emperor. He heard the conversation coming from the room and knew that Shen Zhuo wanted to kill Niaoniao. He subconsciously stood up and placed his hand on the hilt of the saber at his waist. Seeing this, the commander of the Imperial Guards immediately became vigilant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you discover any abnormal movements?¡± Wei Liao said nothing. He pricked up his ears to listen carefully for movement in the house. If Shen Zhuo really wanted to attack Niaoniao, he could only take the risk to rush in to save her. Fortunately, Shen Zhuo quickly regained his composure. He quickly released Yu Niaoniao. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was rash. I didn¡¯t hurt you, right?¡± She had clearly just walked on the line between life and death, but Yu Niaoniao could still smile. ¡°Look, even if it¡¯s me, as long as I offend you, you still can¡¯t help but want to kill me. This is also why you feel lonely at the top. Not because the seat is too high, but because you think too highly of yourself..¡± Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: Leave Chapter 671: Leave Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Niaoniao¡¯s words rendered Shen Zhuo speechless. Admittedly, he thought too highly of himself, but he didn¡¯t think it was wrong. Because he was the emperor, the ruler of a country. The entire Dayan belonged to him. He should be above all living beings. This was a privilege given to him by virtue of royal power. Shen Zhuo was silent for a long time before saying. ¡°Are you really not afraid of death?¡± Yu Niaoniao said frankly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m afraid of death.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Then why can¡¯t you say something to make me happy? Even if it¡¯s a lie.¡± Yu Niaoniao said calmly, ¡°If you want to hear pleasant lies, you can return to the Imperial Capital. With your status, I believe countless people will rush to curry favor. You can hear any lie you want, but a fake is a fake. You know this better than me.¡± Shen Zhuo finally could not speak. Yu Niaoniao said rudely, ¡°I can¡¯t give you what you want. Give up.¡± Shen Zhuo was still unwilling to give up. ¡°You weren¡¯t like this in the past. You used to like to pester me and would think of ways to make me happy. You wouldn¡¯t be as cold and heartless as you are now.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times that the past is in the past. Now that you¡¯re the emperor of Dayan and I¡¯m the Duchess of Eastern Tang, you have your territory and I have my husband, child, and friends. We¡¯ve long parted ways and there¡¯s no possibility of us interacting.¡± Empress Dowager Wen had said these words to Shen Zhuo before. But he wouldn¡¯t listen. He had been holding on to the last hope. He hoped that Niaoniao could still soften. He hoped that there was still a possibility of them reconciling. But now that he was seeing her in person, he realized that reality was far colder than he had expected. Yu Niaoniao carefully noted the change in his expression. Seeing that he seemed to be considering, she continued to persuade him. ¡°Xingning City should have been sealed off now. Ah Juan and Guixi must be looking for me everywvhere with their men. If you let me go now, I can pretend that nothing happened and let you leave Eastern Tang.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°What if I don¡¯t let you go?¡± Yu Niaoniao emphasized, ¡°Xingning City is only so big. Sooner or later, they will find this place. At that time, none of you will be able to escape.¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°If anything happens to me here, Dayan will immediately send troops to Eastern Tang.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Then let¡¯s fight. At most, we¡¯ll fight to the death!¡± Shen Zhuo was speechless. He looked steadily at the woman in front of him. She clearly did not know any martial arts and had no ability to protect herself, but at this moment, she was unyielding and refused to give in. Who gave her so much confidence? Was it Xiao Juan? Or Tang Guixi? Just as the atmosphere was in a stalemate, there was a sudden knock on the door. Knock knock! Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Wei Liao¡¯s voice came through the door. ¡°Your Majesty, the troops of the Eastern Tang are searching the entire city. They¡¯re almost here. We can¡¯t stay here for long. For your safety, please evacuate as soon as possible.¡± Yu Niaoniao immediately turned to look out the window and saw a large group of people approaching from afar. Those people were holding torches in their hands. The flames illuminated the night sky which became as bright as day. Even from afar, they could still see clearly. Shen Zhuo¡¯s eyes never left Yu Niaoniao. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to come with me?¡± Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation, ¡°No.¡± Shen Zhuo¡¯s voice deepened, and his tone sounded almost threatening. ¡°Even if I send troops to flatten Eastern Tang, you still won¡¯t come with me?¡± Yu Niaoniao still shook her head. The last hope in Shen Zhuo¡¯s heart was completely extinguished at this moment. The light in his eyes dimmed, and his expression turned cold. ¡°Do you believe I¡¯ll kill you now?¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at him neither servile nor overbearing. ¡°Brother Junzhi, do you really want to kill me?¡± Shen Zhuo was silent again. Brother Junzhi was such an intimate title. All these years, he had often heard Niaoniao call him that in his dreams. Her voice was sweet and crisp. Now that he heard her call him that in reality, he only felt strong mockery. The huge difference between his ideals and reality made him feel as if a piece of his heart had been dug out. He felt empty. Shen Zhuo knew that he could not bear to kill her. He had been abandoned by his father since he was born, and his mother was extremely strict with him. The people around him constantly reminded him to remember the responsibility he had taken. While the other children were playing carefreely, he was learning to endure. In order to make himself better than the other princes, he had to work twice as hard. He had been improving since he was young. His life seemed to have turned grayish-white, dull and boring. Niaoniao was the only color. It was also because of this that he especially cherished this hint of color. If even this bit of color was erased, there would be no happy time in his life to remember. Shen Zhuo seemed to have resigned himself to fate. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. Leave.¡± Yu Niaoniao could not help but be stunned. She did not expect Shen Zhuo to suddenly change his mind and let her go. Happiness came so quickly that she couldn¡¯t believe it. Shen Zhuo looked at her and laughed at himself. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t bear to leave?¡± Yu Niaoniao stood up. ¡°Goodbye!¡± With that, she strode towards the door. Shen Zhuo looked at her quick footsteps and felt even more bitter. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll send troops to Eastern Tang in a fit of anger?¡± Yu Niaoniao stopped. She turned back to the man sitting at the table and spoke calmly. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Shen Zhuo asked, ¡°Where did you get your confidence?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you to send troops to Eastern Tang for my sake. Brother Junzhi, perhaps you didn¡¯t realize it yourself. Every time you face a choice, you won¡¯t choose me.¡± Seeing that Shen Zhuo was stunned, Yu Niaoniao spoke unhurriedly. ¡°Back in Bashu, my father proposed to you. He wanted to marry me to you. You chose to refuse without hesitation at the time. This is because you were focused on returning to the palace to take back everything that belongs to you. I¡¯m the extra one in your life plan.¡± ¡°Later, in order to make the truth of Imperial Concubine Yue¡¯s murder public, you used me and Juan. You knew it would make me feel bad, but you chose to do it. Because your plan is more important to you than I am.¡± ¡°After that, you knew the truth behind my parents¡¯ murder, but you still chose to help the perpetrator. You even blamed me for being willful and reckless. This is because you knew that once the truth is made public, you won¡¯t be able to keep your position as crown prince.¡± ¡°Compared to your position as Crown Prince, I seem so insignificant. Every time, you will not choose me, So I guess this time will be no exception.¡± ¡°The war between the two countries is not a small matter. You have just ascended the throne and needed to stabilize your status and the hearts of the people.¡± ¡°Fighting a war will do you more harm than good. Fighting for a beauty was just a story told by the storyteller. You¡¯re not the kind of person to do such a thing. ¡± ¡°Perhaps one day, you will send troops to attack the Eastern Tang, but the goal should be for your own ambition. It can¡¯t be just for me.¡± With that, she pulled open the door and walked out without looking back.. Chapter 672 - Chapter 672: Esteemed Guest Chapter 672: Esteemed Guest Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shen Zhuo was left sitting alone at the table. It turned out that every time he made a choice, he subconsciously chose the outcome that was more advantageous to him. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh at himself. No wonder Niaoniao didn¡¯t want him. Outside the door, Wei Liao heard the conversation between the two of them clearly. When he heard that Yu Niaoniao was not afraid of death and fought Shen Zhuo head-on, he could not help but break out in a cold sweat for her. Others might not know, but people like him, who often followed Shen Zhuo, knew very well that Shen Zhuo only looked gentle and easy to talk to on the surface, but his methods were actually more ruthless than anyone else¡¯s. If she really angered him, Yu Niaoniao would definitely suffer. Fortunately, Shen Zhuo let her off in the end. When Wei Liao saw Yu Niaoniao walk out of the house safely, he silently heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Thank you.¡± They walked out along the corridor. This should be a courtyard. There were many chrysanthemums planted in the courtyard, and there was a stream beside the corridor. The night was hazy and the stream was gurgling. The scenery was very elegant. But neither of them was in the mood to admire the beautiful scenery. Yu Niaoniao was focused on returning quickly and walked quickly. Wei Liao walked unhurriedly beside her. He remembered what he had just heard from the conversation and asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll really kill you?¡± Yu Niaoniao did not expect him to suddenly ask and subconsciously stopped in her tracks. Although he didn¡¯t name anyone, they both knew who he meant. Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t harsh, he would take me away by force. Instead of that, why don¡¯t I take a gamble?¡± Wei Liao said, ¡°Do you know? He hasn¡¯t appointed an empress or taken a concubine yet because he has been waiting for you. As long as you go with him, you can become the empress of Dayan.¡± Yu Niaoniao was unmoved. ¡°So what? Belated love is cheaper than grass.¡± Wei Liao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°As expected of you.¡± After laughing, he regained his composure slightly. ¡°When we return to the Imperial Capital this time, he should take a concubine. This is your last chance. Are you really not going to regret it?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great. When he gets married, give him a big red packet on my behalf. I wish them a happy marriage.¡± Wei Liao laughed again. But as he smiled, he couldn¡¯t smile anymore. Because he thought of himself. Perhaps in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s heart, he was the same as Shen Zhuo. As much as she did not care about Shen Zhuo, she did not care about him. Unknowingly, the two of them had reached the courtyard door. A Sky Wolf Guard stepped forward and pulled open the courtyard door. Wei Liao stopped. ¡°This is as far as I can send you. Just leave this door and walk straight ahead.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Yu Niaoniao walked out briskly. Wei Liao watched her leave, thinking that this might be the last time they would see each other. From now on, they would be far apart and would never have the chance to meet again. Just as he was feeling sad, he suddenly saw Yu Niaoniao stop. She turned to him and smiled brightly. ¡°If you¡¯re free in the future, you¡¯re welcome to come to Eastern Tang.¡± Wei Liao was slightly stunned. When he came back to his senses, Yu Niaoniao was already far away. She disappeared into the vast night. The courtyard door was closed again. Wei Liao curled his lips and smiled gently. In that case, he was still different from Shen Zhuo. Niaoniao did not want to see Shen Zhuo again, but she looked forward to him coming to Eastern Tang as a guest in the future. ¡°I¡¯ll come if I get the chance.¡± In order to find Niaoniao, Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi almost turned the entire Xingning City over. They led a large group of people to search everywhere, but they still could not find any traces of Yu Niaoniao. Meng Xizhou said, ¡°Only the street in front hasn¡¯t been searched. If we can¡¯t even find Madam Duchess there, we can only dig three feet into the ground.¡± Xiao Juan did not speak. He strode forward with dark clouds in his black eyes. It was as if a thunderstorm could fall at any moment. As they turned the corner, they bumped into someone. Both sides were stunned. Yu Niaoniao cried out in surprise, ¡°Ah Juan!¡± She spread her arms and threw herself into Xiao Juan¡¯s arms. Xiao Juan hugged her in disbelief. Niaoniao had actually returned. He had thought he would never see her again. Meng Xizhou, Yan Nanguan, and the others were also pleasantly surprised. ¡°Madam, why are you here?¡± Yu Niaoniao hesitated for a moment before telling them the truth. Meng Xizhou was furious. ¡°Isn¡¯t Shen Zhuo staying well in Dayan? How dare he come to Xingning City to kidnap Madam? Isn¡¯t he looking down on us Eastern Tang people too much?! Isn¡¯t he afraid that we¡¯ll kill him?!¡± Although Xiao Juan did not say anything, it could be seen that he really wanted to kill Shen Zhuo from his gloomy expression. Yu Niaoniao hurriedly advised. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. Since Shen Zhuo dared to come here personally, he must be fully prepared. He said that he had already left an edict. If he doesn¡¯t return safely, Dayan will immediately send troops to Eastern Tang. We can¡¯t kill Shen Zhuo unless we have no choice.¡± Although she had acted tough in front of Shen Zhuo just now, the truth was that she did not want to fight. The commoners of Eastern Tang had just experienced a huge battle and had finally returned to normal life. No one wanted to ruin their hard-won peaceful life. Xiao Juan naturally knew this. However, he did not want to let Shen Zhuo off so easily. He asked Yan Nanguan to bring people to surround the courtyard where Shen Zhuo was to prevent him from secretly running away. Then, he brought Niaoniao to look for Tang Guixi. Tang Guixi was sweating profusely over Niaoniao¡¯s disappearance. She was naturally surprised and happy to see Niaoniao return safely. Xiao Juan told her about Shen Zhuo. She was the master of Eastern Tang. She had to make the decision now. Tang Guixi gritted her teeth. ¡°He actually dared to kidnap someone under my nose. How dare he? Does he really think our Eastern Tang doesn¡¯t dare to do anything to him?!¡± Yu Niaoniao advised her to calm down. Tang Guixi snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill him.¡± With that, she waved her hand and shouted. ¡°Go get my armor!¡± Yu Niaoniao was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s late at night and there¡¯s no war. Why do you want your armor?¡± Tang Guixi gritted her teeth. ¡°It¡¯s rare for the Dayan emperor to come to Eastern Tang. He¡¯s an important guest of our Eastern Tang. Of course, I have to put on my armor and bring everyone to welcome him formally!¡± Yu Niaoniao looked at her fierce expression and felt that she was not welcoming an important guest. Instead, she looked like she was going to fight in the street. Xiao Juan reminded her, ¡°Remember to sharpen your swords.¡± Yu Niaoniao was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Xiao Juan explained expressionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s too dark. Grind the swords until they¡¯re snow-white so that they can illuminate the way for the Dayan esteemed guests, in case they¡¯re blind and mess around in the future..¡± Chapter 673 - Chapter 673: I Believe You Chapter 673: I Believe You Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When he found out that Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi had brought people to look for him, Shen Zhuo was not surprised. He had already expected this moment. At the same time, he knew very well that Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi would not dare to do anything to him. Like him, they did not want another war for the time being. Shen Zhuo stood up slowly. ¡°Let¡¯s go out and meet them.¡± Wei Liao and the commander of the imperial guards turned to the side to make way. When Shen Zhuo walked out, they followed him silently. When the courtyard door was pulled open, there were hundreds of people standing outside. They held torches in one hand and weapons in the other. The firelight shone on the blades, refracting a terrifying cold light in the night. Xiao Juan and Tang Guixi stood at the front of the team with murderous expressions. When Shen Zhuo appeared, the corners of Tang Guixi¡¯s mouth twitched into a fake smile. ¡°Yo, if it isn¡¯t the emperor of Dayan. Why are you in a small place like ours?¡± It was very sarcastic. Shen Zhuo placed his hands behind his back and said calmly, ¡°I was traveling incognito and came here for a stroll. I didn¡¯t expect to alarm so many people.¡± Tang Guixi faked another smile. ¡°Heh! You strolled from the Imperial Capital to Eastern Tang. You¡¯ve wandered far enough.¡± Shen Zhuo glanced at the group of murderous soldiers behind her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t look like you welcome me.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°How can that be? Those who come are guests. We Eastern Tang people are the most hospitable.¡± She especially turned to look at the soldiers behind her and asked loudly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± The soldiers shouted in unison, ¡°Yes!!¡± The sound was deafening as it echoed through the night. It could be said to be very imposing! It made people feel inexplicably nervous that they were on the battlefield where a battle could be started at any time. Shen Zhuo¡¯s eyelids twitched. If not for the fact that he had long asked about Tang Guixi¡¯s personality and knew that she valued the livelihood of the people how to escape. He remained calm. ¡°I¡¯ve already felt Eastern Tang¡¯s enthusiasm, but I still have something to do and don¡¯t plan to stay here for long. I¡¯ll leave at dawn tomorrow.¡± Tang Guixi had never thought of keeping him, but she did not intend to let him go so easily. ¡°It¡¯s rare for the Dayan emperor to come to Eastern Tang, and I didn¡¯t have time to do my best as a host. Why don¡¯t we do this? Tomorrow, Founding Duke will bring troops to send you out of Eastern Tang. Don¡¯t worry, with Founding Duke around, your journey will definitely be smooth.¡± She turned to look at Xiao Juan and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Xiao Juan cupped his hands. ¡°I will definitely not let you down. I will definitely send the Dayan emperor out of Eastern Tang smoothly.¡± Tang Guixi clapped her hands happily. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Shen Zhuo wanted to refuse. However, Tang Guixi did not give him a chance at all. She said directly, ¡°Aiyaya, it¡¯s already so late. You still have to travel tomorrow morning. You have to rest well tonight. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Goodbye!¡± With that, she left with Xiao Juan without looking back. As for the hundreds of soldiers who came with them, they were left behind. They surrounded the small courtyard. It was called protection, but it was actually surveillance. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan returned to the Duke¡¯s Mansion with their daughter. Usually, Little Fubao slept alone in the small bed with the nanny and maidservant watching over her all night. However, tonight, Little Fubao refused to sleep alone. She clung to Yu Niaoniao. As long as Yu Niaoniao let go of her, she would cry. She had no choice. Yu Niaoniao could only sleep with her daughter tonight. Fortunately, the bed was big enough. There was still more than enough space for a little Fubao between Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan. Little Fubao snuggled in her mother¡¯s arms and grabbed her mother¡¯s lapels with her small hands. Her two black grape-like eyes stared at his mother without blinking, as if she was afraid that her mother would disappear in the next moment. Yu Niaoniao hugged her and gently patted her back, humming a lullaby gently. Her mother¡¯s breath and voice made Little Fubao feel at ease. Before she realized it, the little fellow closed her eyes and fell asleep. Yu Niaoniao stopped humming. She looked past Little Fubao and met Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes. She lowered her voice and asked, ¡°When are you leaving tomorrow?¡± Xiao Juan also lowered his voice. ¡°Five o¡¯clock. We have to set off at dawn.¡± Yu Niaoniao wanted to get up. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to prepare your luggage.¡± This trip would take at least ten days. They had to prepare food and clothes. Xiao Juan reached out to hold her down. ¡°No need. I¡¯ve already asked Granny to prepare. ¡± Granny Xiu Yan was still very reliable, so Yu Niaoniao lay back down in peace. There was a long silence. Just as Xiao Juan thought that she was already asleep, he suddenly heard her ask, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me?¡± Xiao Juan asked, ¡°Ask you what?¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Ask why Shen Zhuo kidnapped me. What did he say to me after I met him? And why did he let me back in one piece?¡± Xiao Juan naturally wanted to know very much. But after a moment of silence, he said, ¡°I want to hear what you want to say. If you don¡¯t wish to say it, I¡¯ll pretend none of this happened.¡± Yu Niaoniao became even more curious. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to care what happened between Shen Zhuo and me.¡± Xiao Juan said, ¡°I care.¡± He sounded certain and did not hesitate. Yu Niaoniao smiled and said in a low and soft voice, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you ask? Aren¡¯t you afraid that something would happen between me and Shen Zhuo behind your back?¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You won¡¯t do that. I believe you.¡± Although he said that, the intimate scene of Yu Niaoniao and Shen Zhuo still involuntarily appeared in his mind. He immediately had the urge to kill. After experiencing so much together, Yu Niaoniao had a deep understanding of Xiao Juan. Even if he didn¡¯t say it, she could guess what he was thinking through the subtle changes in his expression. In order to prevent his imagination from running wild, Yu Niaoniao simply told him everything she had said to Shen Zhuo. Xiao Juan suppressed the surging jealousy in his heart and commented without changing his expression, ¡°Shen Zhuo came all the way to Eastern Tang to look for you. He¡¯s indeed sincere to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao glanced at him. ¡°You seem to support him very much?¡± Xiao Juan immediately said, ¡°He¡¯s not worthy of you.¡± Putting everything else aside, just from the fact that Shen Zhuo had used Yu Niaoniao again and again and did not care about her feelings at all, he was not worthy of her. Yu Niaoniao smiled again. She, on the other hand, asked knowingly, ¡°Then who do you think is worthy of me?¡± Xiao Juan opened his mouth and the word ¡°I¡± circled on the tip of his tongue, but he could not spit it out. Yu Niaoniao looked at his hesitant expression and felt that it was very cute. If not for the fact that there was a little Fubao sleeping between the two of them, she would definitely have gone up to kiss him. Xiao Juan seemed to read her thoughts from her eyes. He propped himself up on the bed with one hand, reached past his precious daughter, and kissed his dear wife on the lips. It was a light kiss without any lust. There was the calmness and beauty of the years.. Chapter 674 - Chapter 674: Forever, Never Separated (1) Chapter 674: Forever, Never Separated (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Tonight, some people could not sleep for a long time, while others slept peacefully. The next morning, Yu Niaoniao opened her eyes and woke up to find that Xiao Juan had already left. After breakfast, Yu Niaoniao carried her daughter to the palace. As soon as Tang Guixi left the court, she was pestered by a group of ministers. There was also a mountain of memorials on the desk. Although Eastern Tang was a small country, there were many things to do. Tang Guixi had a headache from all kinds of government affairs every day. When she heard that Yu Niaoniao and Little Fubao had arrived, she felt as if she had been pardoned. She took the opportunity to shake off the chattering ministers and ran to see Yu and her daughter. Without the nagging of the ministers, Tang Guixi felt that the air had become fresh. She picked up Little Fu Bao and placed her on her knee. Little Fubao had learned it from someone. She had liked shiny things since she was young. She saw the golden hairpin on Tang Guixi¡¯s head and reached out to pull it. The hairpin was a lifelike golden dragon. The dragon¡¯s mouth held an east pearl, and there was a long golden tassel hanging at the end. It looked golden and luxurious. But that was a hairpin that represented the identity of the empress of the Eastern Tang. Yu Niaoniao wanted to stop Little Fubao, but Tang Guixi casually pulled out the golden hairpin. She deliberately shook the golden hairpin. Little Fubao¡¯s eyes followed the golden hairpin, and she waved his small meaty claws up and down, looking extremely excited. Tang Guixi smiled and said, ¡°Little Fubao, you like it? Then I¡¯ll give you this hairpin.¡± Yu Niaoniao hurriedly said, ¡°Little Fubao can¡¯t afford such an expensive thing.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°Little Fubao is a natural lucky star. There¡¯s nothing in this world that she can¡¯t afford. Not to mention this hairpin, even the entire Eastern Tang¡­¡¯ Yu Niaoniao quickly interrupted her. ¡°Tang Guixi!¡± Ever since Tang Guixi became the empress, Yu Niaoniao had never called her by her full name. Now that she suddenly called her by her full name, she was clearly really anxious. Tang Guixi chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright. I was just joking.¡± Yu Niaoniao was speechless. ¡°How can you joke like that?!¡± Fortunately, there were no outsiders in the room. If someone with ill intentions heard what Tang Guixi had just said, who knew how much trouble it would cause? Although the golden hairpin was good, it was too heavy for a baby. In addition, one end of the golden hairpin was very sharp. Little Fubao might stab herself if she held it. In the end, Tang Guixi did not give the golden hairpin to Little Fubao. She broke off the east pearl on the golden hairpin and stuffed it into little Fubao¡¯s hand. ¡°Take it and play with it. I¡¯ll give you the hairpin when you grow up.¡± The east pearl was the size of an adult¡¯s thumb. It was round and smooth, shiny, and warm to the touch. It was obvious that it was priceless. Although little Fubao was young, she knew her stuff. She held the east pearl lovingly. Yu Niaoniao stared at little Fubao¡¯s actions, afraid that she would foolishly stuff the east pearl into her mouth. She heard Tang Guixi say, ¡°Niaoniao, can you do me a favor?¡± Yu Niaoniao had already expected this. Someone who was unaccountably solicitous was hiding evil intentions. Tang Guixi suddenly gave little Fubao an east pearl. She must have a request. Yu Niaoniao looked at Tang Guixi and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Tang Guixi rubbed her hands and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°There have been more memorials recently. I really can¡¯t finish them alone. Can you help me share the burden?¡± Yu Niaoniao refused. ¡°No, how can a woman like me interfere in a national matter?¡± Yu Niaoniao continued, ¡°I¡¯m different from you. You¡¯re the empress. I¡¯m just a Madam.¡± Tang Guixi said, ¡°I can give you an official position.¡± Yu Niaoniao said, ¡°Thank you, but no.¡± Now, other than eating, drinking, and walking her child every day, she could even go out to play with Xiao Juan from time to time. Her days were extremely happy. She did not want to be a nine-to-five worker! Tang Guixi refused to give up and hugged her. ¡°Niaoniao, my good Niaoniao! Please help me share some government affairs on account of us being sisters!¡± Yu Niaoniao imitated her tone. ¡°Guixi, my good Guixi! Please let me off on account of us being sisters!¡± Tang Guixi looked at her pitifully with tears in her eyes. Yu Niaoniao wanted to escape. Tang Guixi hugged her arm tightly. In terms of strength, Yu Niaoniao was definitely not Tang Guixi¡¯s match. Yu Niaoniao could not break free and said word by word, ¡°Your Majesty, please respect yourself! ¡° Chapter 675 - Chapter 675: Forever, Never Separated (2) Chapter 675: Forever, Never Separated (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Tang Guixi pressed her face against her arm. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to help me, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Yu Niaoniao gritted her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your current identity. You¡¯re the empress, not a scoundrel!¡± Tang Guixi was very single. ¡°As long as I can get you to help me, I don¡¯t mind being a scoundrel for once.¡± Yu Niaoniao really could not shake off this sticky candy. She was forced to compromise. In any case, Xiao Juan was not at home during this period of time. She had nothing to do, so helping Tang Guixi deal with government affairs was just to pass the time. Tang Guixi had followed her father to the military camp since she was young and was very experienced in using troops and martial arts, but she was clueless about studying. In other words, she was an out-and-out bottom feeder. Recently, the court was preparing to revise the laws of the Eastern Tang. Tang Guixi looked a the various regulations and almost went crazy. At this moment, she returned all the amendments to Yu Niaoniao and said ingratiatingly. Yu Niaoniao moved her arm. ¡°My shoulder seems a little sore.¡± Tang Guixi leaned over and massaged her shoulders solicitously. ¡°Is there anywhere else that doesn¡¯t feel well? You can tell me.¡± Yu Niaoniao moved her legs again. ¡°My legs seem to be a little sore too.¡± Tang Guixi immediately squatted down to massage her legs. When Yu Niaoniao was comfortable, she reached out to pick up the draft law drawn up by the ministers and read it seriously. Unlike Tang Guixi. that bottom feeder. Yu had a DhotograDhic memory. She read the draft quickly and memorized all the regulations. Next was to revise it article by article. This was a very complicated job and required a lot of patience. At the same time, Xiao Juan led the Eastern Expedition Army to escort Shen Zhuo and the others out of Eastern Tang. The Eastern Expedition Army still remembered Shen Zhuo¡¯s withdrawal of food support and the hatred of disregarding the lives of the 300,000 soldiers. All of them held their breaths. Along the way, they glared at Shen Zhuo with hatred at all times. The dense killing intent was almost about to materialize. When Xiao Juan was practicing archery, he ¡°accidentally¡± shot an arrow to Shen Zhuo¡¯s side several times and almost pierced his head. The commander of the imperial guards following Shen Zhuo questioned angrily, ¡°Xiao Juan, what do you mean by this? Do you want to murder our emperor?!¡± Xiao Juan waved his hand and said slowly, ¡°Sorry, my hand slipped.¡± His tone was slow and perfunctory. The commander of the imperial guards was furious. However, he was under someone else¡¯s roof. This was still Eastern Tang¡¯s territory. In addition, Shen Zhuo was not injured, so he could only suppress his anger. Apart from that, every time Xiao Juan arrived at an area, he would get the Eastern Expedition Army to spread the news locally and let the local commoners know that the emperor of Dayan was there. Back then, the Chen Nation¡¯s army burned, killed, and plundered the territory of Eastern Tang, but the dayan Emperor did not save them. This debt had always been remembered in the hearts of the commoners of Eastern Tang. This was especially true for those who had lost relatives and friends in the war. They were even more vicious to the Dayan emperor. Because the Eastern Expedition Army was watching from the side, the commoners did not dare to attack the Dayan emperor. They could only follow behind the emperor¡¯s carriage and curse. The curses entered the carriage and Shen Zhuo heard them clearly. Involuntarily, he closed his eyes, his hands clenched into fists in his wide sleeves. So what Yu Niaoniao said was true. Everyone in Eastern Tang hated him. Even if he could send troops to flatten Eastern Tang, he could not erase the hatred in the hearts of the people of Eastern Tang. Because of this resentment, Eastern Tang was twisted into a rope and was impregnable. It was far more difficult for Dayan to take back the Eastern Tang than Shen Zhuo had expected. At this moment, Shen Zhuo finally felt a trace of regret¡­ If he had known earlier, he would not have given up on Liaodong back then. Xiao Juan sent him to the border of the Eastern Tang. There was no relationship between love rivals. After completing the mission, Xiao Juan did not want to look at Shen Zhuo anymore and planned to leave with the Eastern Expedition Army. Shen Zhuo suddenly stopped him. ¡°Xiao Juan.¡± Xiao Juan rode on the horse and looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°What else?¡± Shen Zhuo said, ¡°Tell Niaoniao that her parents¡¯ graves are still fine. I didn¡¯t let anyone disturb them. If Niaoniao is free in the future, she can come back to visit them anytime.¡± Xiao Juan was impatient to hear his nagging and casually replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Zhuo hesitated for a moment before taking out the small silver earring from his sleeve.. Chapter 676 - Chapter 676: Forever, Never Separated (3) Chapter 676: Forever, Never Separated (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°This is Niaoniao¡¯s. Please bring it back to her. Please take good care of her in the future. If she¡¯s not doing well in Eastern Tang, she can come back to Dayan to look for me at any time.¡± Xiao Juan rode forward and reached out to take the silver earring. He did not know that Shen Zhuo still had something that belonged to Niaoniao. That made him feel even more jealous. ¡°Niaoniao is my wife. I treat her like a treasure. There¡¯s no need for outsiders to say anything. I¡¯ll also take good care of her for the rest of my life.¡± He deliberately emphasized the last four words. Shen Zhuo felt lonely. He had once had a chance to marry Niaoniao, but unfortunately, he did not seize it well. Now that she was someone else¡¯s wife, it was useless for him to regret it. Seeing that he could no longer say anything, Xiao Juan pulled the horse to change direction and led the Eastern Expedition Army away. Shen Zhuo lowered the curtain and a calm voice came from the carriage. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As the carriage moved along the road, the Eastern Tang behind it seemed to get further and further away. Compared to when they came, Xiao Juan and the Eastern Expedition Army were much more relaxed when they returned. They retraced their steps back to Xingning City. It had been a long time since he last saw her. Xiao Juan was anxious to return. He went straight to the Duke¡¯s Mansion, but when he entered, he didn¡¯t see Niaoniao. After asking, he found out that his wife and daughter had been kidnapped to the palace. So he rushed to the palace without even changing. When Yu Niaoniao found out that Xiao Juan had returned, she immediately pushed the draft aside and ran out with her daughter. ¡°Ah Juan! ¡± Xiao Juan strode over and scooped his wife and daughter into his arms, hugging them tightly. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Little Fubao had not seen her father for many days. When she suddenly saw him today, she did not know why, but her mouth opened and he called out vaguely. ¡°Aiya, Father¡­¡¯ At more than a year old, she had long learned to call her mother, but she had not yet known how to call her father. Xiao Juan told himself not to take it to heart. After all, Fubao was still young and would learn to call him father sooner or later. With that being said, he was still a little disappointed Unexpectedly, he suddenly heard little Fubao call them father today. Xiao Juan and Yu Niaoniao were stunned. Xiao Juan was overjoyed and hurriedly said, ¡°Fubao, what did you call me just now?¡± Little Fubao seemed a little shy. She arched in Yu Niaoniao¡¯s arms before shouting again. ¡°Father.¡± The pronunciation was not standard. It sounded childish. The corners of Xiao Juan¡¯s mouth curled up involuntarily. The haze brought by Shen Zhuo was swept away. He was overjoyed now. He picked up his daughter and stood up. ¡°Good baby, call me that again.¡± Little Fubao called him father again. Xiao Juan felt comfortable all over and was about to fly. He held Niaoniao¡¯s hand with one hand, and a rare smile on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Juan said as he walked, ¡°I bought a lot of things on the way back. I brought them for you and Fubao.¡± Yu Niaoniao was filled with anticipation. ¡®What did you buy? Is there anything delicious Xiao Juan said, ¡°Of course. You must like it.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Wow!¡± Tang Guixi¡¯s shout came from behind. ¡°Niaoniao, don¡¯t go. You haven¡¯t finished what you¡¯re supposed to do today!¡± Hearing this, not only did Yu Niaoniao not stop, but she also pulled Xiao Juan away even faster. ¡°Go, go.¡± Xiao Juan could not help but be curious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Yu Niaoniao told him about being captured by Tang Guixi these few days. ¡°I¡¯ve already helped her revise most of the draft, but she¡¯s still not satisfied. She even wants me to help her account for the taxes for the first half of the year. Do you know how many ledgers there are to record the taxes? They fill a house!¡± As she gestured with both hands as she spoke, her expression was extremely exaggerated. ¡°Even if I have a photographic memory, you can¡¯t squeeze me dry like this, right? I¡¯ve decided that we¡¯ll leave Xingning tomorrow morning!¡± Xiao Juan smiled and asked, ¡®Where do you want to go?¡± Yu Niaoniao waved her hand. ¡°I want to go out and have fun. Our family of three will go wherever we want to go!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Although Little Fubao did not understand what the adults were talking about, she could feel that her parents were in a good mood, so she waved her small claws and shouted. ¡°Yiya, okay¡± Therefore, early the next morning, Xiao Juan left Xingning City with his wife and daughter. They welcomed the bright morning light and began the long-awaited trip. By the time Tang Guixi found out about this, the family of three had already fled.. Chapter 677 - Chapter 677: Forever, Never Separated (4) Chapter 677: Forever, Never Separated (4) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Her plan to capture rare talents was ruined. She could only accept her fate and deal with the endless memorials herself. After being busy every day, Tang Guixi had to write a letter and ask the messenger to bring it to Yu Niaoniao, who was traveling. In the letter, she cried about her hard work and tried to use the ruse of self-injury to move Yu Niaoniao and lure her back to share the government affairs with her. Unfortunately, Yu Niaoniao was heartless. Not only was she not moved, but she also did not want to return to Xingning. Perhaps the heavens were really looking out for Eastern Tang. Over the past year, the weather in Eastern Tang had been smooth and the crops in the fields had grown gratifyingly. During the autumn harvest, there were even more fruits. In the carriage, Yu Niaoniao looked at the large golden wheat fields outside the car window and was very happy. At this moment, Little Fubao was already asleep. Xiao Juan placed her on the soft cushion and gently covered her with a soft blanket. He looked up at the side of her face and hesitated for a moment. In the end, he took the silver earring out of his sleeve. Shen Zhuo had given it to him before he left and asked him to pass it to Niaoniao. He felt awkward and had never taken it out. But he knew very well that he would have to face this sooner or later. If he kept hiding it, it would only make the knot in his heart grow. ¡°This is yours, right? I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± Yu Niaoniao turned around and looked at the silver earring in his hand in surprise. ¡°Why is it with you?¡± Xiao Juan pursed his thin lips. ¡°Shen Zhuo asked me to give it to you. He also said that your parents¡¯ graves are still in place. You can go back and visit them anytime.¡± Yu Niaoniao reached out and took the silver earring. ¡°This is indeed mine.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s heart tightened, and his fingers subconsciously curled up. Did she still care about Shen Zhuo? Then, he saw Yu Niaoniao raise her hand and throw the silver earring out of the car window. The small silver earring drew a parabola in the air and silently fell into the wheat field, completely disappearing. Xiao Juan was stunned. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yu Niaoniao clapped her hands with a relaxed expression. ¡°That earring was originally a pair. Now that there¡¯s only one left, it¡¯s useless for me to keep it. I might as well discard it.¡± Xiao Juan¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved, and his curled fingers slowly relaxed. ¡°Can¡¯t you bear to?¡± Yu Niaoniao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just an earring. If I like it, I can buy it again anytime. What¡¯s there to be reluctant about?¡± Hearing this, Xiao Juan finally relaxed completely. He took off the pouch at his waist and handed it to her. ¡°It¡¯s all for you. You can buy as many earrings as you want.¡± Yu Niaoniao¡¯s smile widened, and her eyes were as bright as the sun. ¡°You said it.¡± Xiao Juan smiled too. ¡°Yes, I said so.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel sorry if I spend all your money later.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy, anything is fine.¡± ¡°Xiao MO Zhu, I realize that you¡¯re getting better at talking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± ¡°Then I have to be honest with you. Actually, I¡¯m hiding a secret. Do you want to know?¡± ¡®Yes, I do.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you yet. When we¡¯re old and can¡¯t walk anymore and we¡¯re about to die, I¡¯ll tell you what that secret is.¡± ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡± The couple got used to saying meaningless things every day. The carriage swayed gently, and the golden wheat waves in the fields rolled with the wind. A warm breeze blew into the carriage. The sun was bright and warm. Little Fubao, who was sleeping soundly, dreamed of something. She smacked her lips and her small face was filled with a sweet smile. Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan¡¯s voices gradually lowered. They sat next to each other and quietly looked out the window at the gradually setting sun. Xiao Juan suddenly took out something and stuffed it into Yu Niaoniao¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡± Yu Niaoniao looked down and realized that it was a square jade pendant. There was an auspicious beast totem engraved on it and a green silk ribbon below. She immediately recognized it. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the jade pendant you accidentally lost back then?¡± Xiao Juan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Back then, he had accidentally lost the jade pendant at the palace banquet. Yu Niaoniao had picked it up and wanted to sell it for money, causing a series of ridiculous rumors. It was also because of this that Xiao Juan could possibly know Niaoniao. Yu Niaoniao laughed. ¡°This jade pendant can be considered our matchmaker. I have to cherish it.¡± Xiao Juan also smiled. Yu Niaoniao put the jade pendant into her pocket. ¡°If there¡¯s a next life, let¡¯s rely on this jade pendant to acknowledge each other.¡± These words made no sense. How could they still hold the same jade pendant after reincarnation? However, Xiao Juan did not care about this. He replied seriously, ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Niaoniao extended her pinky. ¡°Pinky promise.¡± Xiao Juan obediently extended his pinky and twined it with hers, shaking it up and down. He knew he couldn¡¯t be so greedy. He should be satisfied with Niaoniao for the rest of this life, but he couldn¡¯t help but pray that he could still be with her in his next life. They would never be separated. -The End-