《Ms. Doctor Divine》 Chapter 1: Reborn

Chapter 1: Reborn

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Spring March, Year 22 in the Saint Divine Land. It was a lively sight in the Capital, with flowers blooming everywhere. The begonias in the Gu Mansion stood out above all, embellishing the garden with various colors. They were arranged in this manner simply because the second miss of the Gu Mansion was partial to begonias. Standing in big contrast was the Qiong Pavilion. It was a cramped and shabby house with weed growing in the yard. Almost no sunshine could prate through the ce, making the surroundings extremely damp. Had it not been located within the area of the Gu Mansion, this patch ofnd would have been mistakenly considered as a slum dwelling. Gu Chaoyan felt that her body was sticky and cold. @@novelbin@@ She opened her eyes and was blinded by the sudden light. Gu Chaoyan was dizzy and couldn¡¯t decipher the murmurs around her. Her head was aching terrible and her stomach seemed to be bloated. Was her belly full of water? Her clothes were soaked and the clothes clung tightly to her body. She remembered that she had died. Was her corpse getting a bath at the funeral parlor now? But the color of her clothes was wrong. She was dressed in an outfit made of hemp material. Gu Chaoyan raised her hands and found them to be chubby and tanned. She had never been so plump. Her skin was always pale and delicate and her face had been considered as one of the prettiest! ¡°Oh Miss, finally you are awake!¡± A silhouette in light green clothes appeared in front of Gu Chaoyan, as she tried to move her sore body. ¡°Miss, the Old Master said that once you are awake, you should go to the front yard, but I am afraid....¡± The girl started to sob while speaking. ¡°It seems that your marriage with the Prince is ruined. Miss, you loved him so deeply, but he treated you so ruthlessly... what will you do in the future? Madam went away when you were young, and the Old Master is being so....¡± Miss? Prince? Marriage? What was going on? Gu Chaoyan was about to say something when a barrage of memories, which did not belong to her, appeared in her head. There were four countries in the current world ¨C the North Qi Land, the Saint Divine Land, the Feather Mulberry Land, and the Cloud Land. She was currently in the Saint Divine Land. The original host of this body was Gu Chaoyan, the lineal daughter of the Gu Family in the Capital of the Saint Divine Land. Gu Chaoyan had been engaged to Lu Jiming, the Prince of Duke Changning, in their childhood. Gu Chaoyan, the lineal daughter, was a chubby kid with extremely tanned skin ever since she was a kid. As she grew older, she became even more hideous looking. Moreover, she had a terrible temper and sometimes shoplifted things that belonged to other mansions and didn¡¯t even spare the servants. In the end, she was detested not only by her fiance but also by everyone in the Gu Mansion. So... One day before her wedding, Gu Chaoyan received the divorce paper from Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion. She went to Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion without hesitation and kneeled down in front of the mansion for hours, begging the Prince not to divorce her. She cried and screamed and even threatened to take her life. In front of all the members of the mansion, Lu Jiming told her gently that he would withdraw the divorce paper, as long as she jumped into theke. Gu Chaoyan proceeded to do so without any hesitation. She was eventually rescued only because she was a part of the Gu Mansion. She was returned to the Gu Mansion soaked in water. In the process, she managed to turn herself into the biggestughing stock of the Capital. Understandably, her father was extremely furious. As far as Gu Chaoyan could remember, her second sister, the prettiestdy in the whole family, was involved in this n too. Gu Chaoyan had not expected that the original host of this body underwent an even tougher life experience than she did. She could not help but feel a bit sorry for her. Well, since she was now in her body, she was definitely going to get back everything that should belong to her and take the revenge that the host should have taken. Chapter 2: Change

Chapter 2: Change

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Qing, stop crying and get me a mirror!¡± Gu Chaoyan sounded calm and cold. Qing always found her miss¡¯s voice extremely beautiful, especially when she was not shouting like she frequently did. What startled Qing more was that she wanted to check herself in the mirror! During all these years, her miss had not checked herself in the mirror even once. When she was ten years old, she had finally gotten the chance to go for an outing. On her very first trip, she wasughed at for being chubby and ugly. The story spread around that one of the girls in the Gu Family was revolting to look at. From that moment on, her miss¡¯s temperament started to change as well. It was that day when she stopped looking at herself in the mirror. Qing hesitated. She did not want to hurt her miss. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the front yard? Get me the mirror now.¡± Gu Chaoyan sounded a little strict. She had been an agent in her previous life, and was always resolute in dealing with matters. At this moment, she truly wanted to see her appearance, but this girl didn¡¯t move, making her irritable. Listening to hermanding voice, Qing went to fetch the mirror without any dy. @@novelbin@@ When the bronze mirror was given to her, Gu Chaoyan saw her reflection and almost passed out. Damn, she was indeed ugly! Her face was round like a ball, and her facial features werepletely t because of her dumpy cheeks. Her skin was extremely tanned as well. Gu Chaoyan sized herself up and found that she was dressed in shabby clothes... absolutely scruffy, to be honest. If not for Qing calling her as Miss, she would have thought that she was a beggar. Seeing her anguished look, Qing cried again. ¡°Miss, I am sorry!¡± Gu Chaoyan became irritated. She didn¡¯t like weepy people, and this girl seemed to shed tears all the time. Sigh, she could do nothing about her, because Qing had been genuinely loyal to the original host. That was reason enough for her to treat this girl well. Actually. She just got a little startled a moment ago. She had not expected this body to look so unsightly. But now she was fine with it. Unlike the original host, she had an in-depth knowledge of medicine. It wouldn¡¯t be tough for her to lose the weight and remove the tan. What she needed was just some time. Gu Chaoyan became much calmer after thinking through the matters. She spoke to Qing in a gentler way. ¡°Remember not to cry so easily from now on. No one will ever bully us again with me around.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Come with me to the front yard.¡± Qing threw a subconscious look at her miss. Her eyes widened in surprise. Gu Chaoyan had a pair of clear eyes, and in this moment, she looked calm, confident and rational. For some reason, Qing was tempted to believe her words without hesitation. Gu Chaoyan went to the front yard with Qing in tow. The atmosphere outside the Qiong Pavilion looked vibrant. Peals ofughter arose in the front yard, as if nothing untoward had happened in the Gu Mansion. Maybe they did not care that the lineal daughter of the Gu Mansion had died due to drowning in theke. The transmigrated Gu Chaoyan was well versed in etiquettes and discipline. Although the protocols differed in different eras, she still managed to give out an elegant air, subconsciously. Even with that plump body burdening her, she walked forward confidently and steadily. As they came to the front yard, a sharp female voice arose. ¡°Herees the weirdo! No wonder the yard started to smell bad suddenly.¡± As the shrill words arose, even the servants covered up their nose and mouth as if something was really stinking. Just as always, Gu Chaoyan was greeted with disdain and mocking words. The mansion¡¯s staff also treated her in this way. But... This time, Gu Chaoyan was going to disappoint those people who intended to have augh at her expense. Chapter 5: How Dare You?

Chapter 5: How Dare You?

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The words had just been uttered when Gu Xiuying¡¯s face turned pale and colorless. Both the Prince and Lord Huai were here. Moreover, Lord Huai was a noble entity. How dare this wretched Gu Chaoyan talk to her like this in front of them? How would she be able to maintain her image as a poiseddy in the future? She regretted not having left her to die at the bottom of theke the other day. ¡°You!!!¡± Gu Ruxue pointed at Gu Chaoyan and was about to scold her when Lord Huai stood up and said with slight impatience, ¡°Since the Prince has alreadypleted the annulment process, I am going to take my leave now. I have other things to deal with. Bye.¡± Having said the words, he got up, not allowing anyone to get close to him. Guards dressed in ck uniforms followed him, whilst others bent down respectfully to see him off. No one would care about the miffed Gu Ruxue when Lord Huai announced his departure. A man with such a high status as Lord Huai came to the Gu Mansion for the first time. Obviously, everyone in the house had to extol him to the sky, fearing that the slightest carelessness would irk him. Gu Chaoyan understood the situation perfectly. She stepped aside, leaving ample space for him to pass by. Dressed in a white outfit, Lord Huai looked even more imposing up close. He slowed down his steps as he reached her. After showing a half-smile momentarily, which could only be seen by Gu Chaoyan, he regained his cold aura and went away. Gu Chaoyan was confused. What was Lord Huai smiling at her for? Was she that funny? Could she have gotten something on her face? Gu Chaoyan touched her cheeks carefully but found nothing amiss. She shook her head. She was not in the mood to care about these small trivialities at this juncture. She was not inclined to linger on here any longer. She suspected that no one in the entire Gu Mansion would want her to be here anyways. She didn¡¯t like any of them either, so she decided to return to the Qiong Pavilion with Qing. But she had just turned when a furious voice arose from behind. ¡°Stop!¡± Gu Chaoyan looked up and saw Gu Zhenkang standing in front of her. He had just seen off Lord Huai and returned. ¡°What else do you need, father?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s tone sounded cold. Her head was slightly lowered, but her voice held no affection. With his teeth clenched, Gu Zhenkang red at Gu Chaoyan fiercely. He had approved of the engagement cancetion because the Prince, the son of Duke Changning, was never going to marry a girl whose mother had been a businesswoman. Worse was that this girl did not possess even the basic manners. He could have solved the affair easily and smoothly, but this bitch caused a great deal of trouble in the end. It did not matter if she wasughed at by the world. But it made a huge difference when the Gu Mansion was dragged along in the mud because of her.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 9: What Are You Doing Here?

Chapter 9: What Are You Doing Here?

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Hence, she was curious to know what Lord Huai¡¯s personality was like. ¡°Of course I do.¡± Qing answered without hesitation. She barely went out and didn¡¯t have much knowledge about the other lords. But she knew enough about Lord Huai. ¡°Lord Huai is the most beloved child of the King and the Queen. He gained his title at the age of eight. The King has many children, but he is the most cherished one. Everyone hopes to have some link with Lord Huai. All the girls in the Capital want to marry him. But...¡± Qing nced around cautiously, making sure no one was within sight. She lowered her voice to a whisper. ¡°Lord Huai doesn¡¯t have a good temperament. As per the rumours, he is irritable and ruthless. Miss Wang of the Wang Family got one of her arms chopped off just because she irritated him. The son of some officer was almost crippled by him, as well. I have heard that tons of dead bodies are often carried out of Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, and those are just the servants beaten to death by him.¡± Speaking these words, Qing shivered in fear. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t even think about Lord Huai, else you might die a terrible death!¡± The man Qing talked about seemed to be like a frightening Shura. But she had met many people in her life. As far as she could tell, Lord Huai did not seem like an irritable man but a calm and rational one. Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes at her. She did not buy the exaggerated story that Qing told her. Hearsay was always distorted to arge extent. Didn¡¯t the original host suffer from it, as well. She had never stolen anything but as per the rumor, she was an established thief. It was said that she even stole from the servants. In her case, it was most probably malicious gossip made up by her stepmother and sisters. Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes. Rumour was easier created than rified. Thinking of clearing her name in the future, she found that she had quite a lot of stuff to do. But first, she needed to be healthy again. At this point, the key thing was that her stomach was caving in. She looked at Qing with a begging look on her face. ¡°Qing, I am starving.¡± Qing jerked up in surprise. ¡°Oh Miss, you haven¡¯t eaten anything yet, right? I will go and get the lunch box from the kitchen.¡± She hurried off as if she did not want to see Gu Chaoyan suffering from starvation for a single more second. Seeing Qing leave, Gu Chaoyan closed her eyes and crashed on the bed. With her eyes shut, she thought about her little maid. She might be a watering pot, but was indeed a nice person. She was feeling a bit too tired from today¡¯s events, and soon she dozed off. The sunlight was quite warm. Gu Chaoyan smiled in her sleep. It was not until she heard someone throwing stones at her windows, did she get up. Who was that? The move and air of that person did not seem like Qing. She would never dare to throw stones at the window. It wasn¡¯t any of the sisters as well. If they intended to give her a hard time, they would always do it in public. Was it one of those annoying servants pulling a prank? @@novelbin@@ When she thought about this, Gu Chaoyan picked up one of the broken cups from the table. The moment she opened the window, she threw the cup with full strength. Unexpectedly... She did not hear the sound of the cup hitting the floor. Nor did she hear anyone getting hit on the head. So, Gu Chaoyan craned her neck out. A young man, dressed in white, greeted her with a smile. Chapter 10: Marry Me

Chapter 10: Marry Me

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Maniac! That was what Gu Chaoyan thought when she saw the man. Zhou Huaijin was holding the broken cup in his hand, and a sinister smile hovered over his handsome face. ¡°Come out!¡± Lord Huai was indeed a maniac. Gu Chaoyan was sure about that now! Gu Chaoyan put the nket over her body, looking alert. Although she knew that she was chubby and not pretty looking, if Lord Huai had a fetish for such girls, she might be in danger. After all, he came looking for her at the Qiong Pavilion. Was he interested in her body? Gu Chaoyan put the nket further over her head as she thought about this. Seeing her staying in and having such a lovely reaction, Zhou Huaijin burst intoughter. He came to this ce only because he was curious to see whether thisdy, who had recently been ditched, wouldmit suicide after the incident. Unexpectedly, she still lived on. She was even able to sleep at such a rotten ce which even beggars would not like. Her mindset must be quite strong. As Lord Huai thought about this, he walked straight in, forthrightly. Seeing this man walking into her ce without permission, Gu Chaoyan snapped at him. ¡°Unexpectedly, the famously respectful Lord Huai is actually a ¡®girl snatcher¡¯ who invades people¡¯s privacy!¡± Haha. Zhou Huaijin sized up the house and said, ¡°This is a girl¡¯s home? Honestly, even vagrants would not want to live here.¡± Then he put the cup on the table and had just withdrawn his hand when the table copsed. But Zhou Huaijin was fast enough to catch the broken cup. The smile disappeared from his face. ¡°Is this how Gu Zhenkang is treating his eldest daughter?¡± Gu Chaoyan snorted. ¡°What a hypocritical man!¡± Zhou Huaijin smiled. ¡°What an ignorant woman!¡± Zhou Huaijin suddenly fell into deep contemtion. A long whileter, his eyes brightened as if he had just thought of something brilliant. ¡°There is one thing that can change your life instantly, and make the Gu Family regret having treated you like this.¡± He looked supremely confident. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked nonchntly. She did not think that a noble man like Zhou Huaijin would have any practical solutions to offer. ¡°You can marry me!¡± Zhou Huaijin said happily. Haha... Gu Chaoyan would have spat out water upon his face, if she was drinking it at this moment. What kind of a suggestion was this? Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face was full of disapproval. Seeing her reaction, Zhou Huajin tried to convince her. ¡°Just think about it. If you marry me, you will be the Princess Consort of Lord Huai. You can enjoy a good life, and everyone from the Gu Family would need to bow to you!¡± He patted Gu Chaoyan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°How does that sound? Indeed a good idea, right? Let¡¯s shake on it, then!¡± Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes at him. What a weirdo! He said he wanted to marry a woman who was hideous, tanned, useless and freshly dumped? Gu Chaoyan gave him a kick and moved away from him. ¡°Not good at all!¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 13: Aloe Vera

Chapter 13: Aloe Vera

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions It was quite early in the morning. A gleam arose from the east, immersing the blue sky in an enchanting golden glow. The shabby Qiong Pavilion stood surrounded by a thick ntation. Gu Chaoyan was sitting down amongst this cluster when Qing arrived there with the food box that she had just got from the kitchen. ¡°Miss, what are you doing here? Come and have some breakfast!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Gu Chaoyan replied, yet she was unwilling to leave. She was still busy seeking more herbs amongst the weeds. She had identally found wormwood yesterday that could stop bleeding. She came today in the hope that something better may be waiting for her here. That was why she was here groping so early in the morning. And she was not disappointed. She had not only found Aloe Vera, but also some other herbs that could aid her in making a few types of poison. In this era, nts that could bloom beautifully were often considered to be noble and important. The green-looking herbs were deemed to be useless and had been termed as weeds. But people had no idea how much they could do with these ¡®useless¡¯ nts. Now, she was going to make full use of these nts. Gu Chaoyan smiled brightly. ¡°Qing, get some clean water here.¡± Soon Qing got the water ready, Gu Chaoyan put away other herbs, and washed Aloe Vera first. She squeezed out the juice and washed her face with it. Actually, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s skin was currently tanned, but the quality of her skin was excellent. Her face was smooth. As soon as she was able to remove the tan, she would be much prettier. Gu Chaoyan could not understand why a boudoir girl like her would manage to acquire such a dark skin tone which was worse than the servant girls in the mansion! But with the Aloe Vera nt here, she was easily going to solve the problem. She was even going to put some Aloe Vera juice on her body while taking a bath at night, so her whole body could acquire a lighter tone too. She had to remove the tan from top to bottom. ¡°Miss, what is this green thing that you used to wash your face?¡± Qing asked her in confusion. @@novelbin@@ She had been noticing her miss¡¯s weird behaviors during these past few days. It was as if she was apletely different person. But Qing still trusted her deeply. After Gu Chaoyan was done, she replied calmly in a good mood. ¡°It helps to remove the tan from skin, excellent stuff.¡± She said as she poured away the water, ¡°When you find time, you can try it yourself.¡± Qing gasped in surprise and curiosity. She was taken aback at how her miss had gained such knowledge about these nts. But more than that, she wanted to check whether this nt truly could bring about the so-called effects. She was about to ask her further when she saw a group of people headed in their direction. Qing spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°Miss, it is the Second Miss!¡± Gu Chaoyan turned around and saw the ostentatiously dressed girling towards them. Ha, she had not yet embarked on her revenge, instead the perpetrator had delivered herself to her doorstep. ¡°Qing, get me a chair.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. She picked up a small batch of the herbs which she had pulled out earlier and hid them in her sleeves. They were fresh, so Gu Chaoyan was not sure if they would be as effective. Yet, Gu Ruxue should be able to get a taste of her first strike. Qing had just brought the chair outside when Gu Ruxue came to them and sneered. ¡°You have learned to behave...¡± Just as she was just about to take a seat, a silhouette beat her to it and sat down. Chapter 16: A Bit Different

Chapter 16: A Bit Different

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan looked at Qing as if she were staring at an idiot. She sighed softly. This girl was nice in every way, except that she was a little slow. How to get out of the mansion? She knocked at Qing¡¯s head lightly. ¡°Of course, we are walking out of the front gate!¡± Qing was confused and looked at her mistress like a fool. ¡°Front gate? But the Old Master set the rule that we are not allowed to step out. The guards would definitely stop us.¡± But what Qing received, was not a proper answer, but another knock on the head. Qing touched her head and followed her in confusion. Gu Chaoyan felt quite happy and started to walk out with a bright smile on the face. They stepped out of the Qiong Pavilion and no one stopped them. Qing ignored the pain on her head and was totally surprised. Why was no one stopping them? What happened? They were always questioned whenever they walked out of the Qiong Pavilion in the past. What Qing did not know was that everyone in the Gu Mansion was busy taking care of the Second Miss right now, because something had happened to her! But, this good luck didn¡¯tst for long. They were finally stopped as they reached the front gate. The guards looked at the chubby miss and her maid with disdain on their faces. There was not even a hint of respect or friendliness in their expressions. They bellowed as if they were talking to beggars. ¡°What are the two of you doing here? Are you going outside to bring more shame to the mansion? The Old Master has given the order that you are not allowed to step outside the mansion!¡± During the past decade, Gu Chaoyan had only been outside the mansion twice. One was when she went to the temple as a little girl to pray. She gained the title as the most hideous person at that time. She understoodter that the reason why she was maligned like this was because of her stepmother. The second time happened a couple of days ago, when the original Gu Chaoyan rushed out to Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion after receiving the news regarding the divorce paper. That was also when the original Gu Chaoyan died. Since Gu Chaoyan was not allowed to leave the mansion after her first visit, how did she manage to go outst time when she went to meet the Prince? Gu Chaoyan was reminded of this by the guard¡¯s words. ¡°Miss...¡± Qing tugged at Gu Chaoyan¡¯s sleeves. Gu Chaoyan came back to herself and said, ¡°I am allowed to go out of the mansion.¡± The guards sneered as if they had just heard the biggest joke. ¡°How could that be possible?¡± ¡°You can ask the Old Master if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Gu Chaoyan said with determination. Guards looked at the confident girl in confusion. Not long ago, the Second Miss got a bad allergy and developed rashes all over her face. Within a quarter of an hour, numerous doctors went in and out of the mansion. The guards did not dare bother the Old Master for such a small matter. And this trashy miss did not look like someone who would dare to lie in front of anyone. While the guards were still hesitating, Gu Chaoyan had already walked out with Qing. Since the guards had not figured out if she was telling a lie or not, they could neither stop her nor leave her alone. Gu Chaoyan and Qing took advantage of this confusion and hastened their steps. They disappeared from the guards¡¯ line of sight before thetter could make up their minds. The guards consoled themselves that this coward miss would never dare to lie to them and becamecent. One of the guards jabbed the other. ¡°Hey, did you notice? Miss Ugly seemed a bit different today.¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 20: Problem

Chapter 20: Problem

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The steward said politely, ¡°We trade jade stones here, and the price is rtively more reasonablepared to that in other ces.¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a look at therge piece in her hands. It seemed that this jade was quite rare. Since, it was useless for her, she might just well get money for it. So, she gave it to the guy. In return, she got a cheque worth 100,000 yuan. Instead of lingering on, Gu Chaoyan left from there with Qing. Those who had intended to ask Gu Chaoyan to help them choose a stone had to terminate their ideas. But the lowest-level rocks suddenly became popr in the store. With a little luck, they may also get a lot of money after paying so little. After they left the store, Qing felt that she was floating in the air. Her mistress was amazing. In one morning, she saved someone¡¯s child and also earned so much money. Qing had never seen this much money before! She stared at Gu Chaoyan with stars in her eyes all the way home. Gu Chaoyan could not stand it any more. She threw a look at Qing and said, ¡°Stop staring at me, or I will dig out your eyeballs!¡± Qing lowered her eyes hastily and did not dare to look at her any more. Gu Chaoyan was still wondering about the unopened rock, but they were in the mood of any more walking. So they returned to the Gu Mansion. She frowned slightly when she was at the mansion¡¯s doorstep. The guards had been changed and the atmosphere felt a bit strange. Gu Chaoyan did not get time to think about anything more, when the Butler, Chen Fu, came to her with a weird look on his face. He said, ¡°The Old Master has asked you toe to the front yard.¡± To the front yard? Gu Chaoyan had a hunch about what the matter was. Bad news always travelled fast, while good news was always concealed. Instead of reacting to Chen Fu¡¯s condescending expression, Gu Chaoyan walked towards the front yard in a serene manner. On the way... the servants... everyone was staring at Gu Chaoyan with a look of sympathy rather than disdain. That annoyed Gu Chaoyan a bit. She had just walked into the front hall when Gu Zhenkang reached out to p her. But Gu Chaoyan dodged it. She was not going to allow anyone to hurt her anymore, not even Gu Zhenkang. ¡°Are you not done yet?!¡± Gu Zhenkang bellowed. ¡°Do you know what a huge mistake you have justmitted? You crazy wench! You were forbidden to leave the mansion. How dare you go out?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you want to die, die! Don¡¯t drag us alongwith!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How dare you crash into the Wang Family¡¯s wagon?!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You even hurt the Young Master! Ten lives of yours are not even worth one life of his!¡± Hearing Gu Zhenkang bellow at her, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hunch was confirmed. The unfounded rumour had already reached the Gu Family and they chose to believe it without bothering to check its authenticity. Qing wanted to exin it to Gu Zhenkang but Gu Chaoyan shook her head slightly. Gu Zhenkang had not even asked her what was going on before telling her to go and die. So, he was not going to believe whatever she said. @@novelbin@@ ¡°What a jinx you are!¡± The Old Madam came to them, knocking the floor with her cane. ¡°You should not have married a businesswoman like Lin. Nothing has gone right ever since you married her. Now her daughter is harming us and our Ruxue too.¡± The Old Madam threw a disdainful look at Gu Chaoyan as if she were staring at a venomous snake. ¡°Ruxue is going to marry the Prince. You are not allowed to obstruct it!¡± Apparently, she had forgotten that the engagement was originally intended for Gu Chaoyan and was awarded because of her mother¡¯s heroic deed. As the engagement was mentioned, Gu Zhenkang looked a bit less annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother. Jiming is a nice person. Now that the Wang Family is offended, he would surely do his best to help us! Anyways, we can go to the Wang Family and hand Gu Chaoyan over to them. In this way, we won¡¯t be affected!¡± Chapter 24: Situation

Chapter 24: Situation

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Wang Zhiyuan was not just being polite. He was truly thankful. Wang Zhiyuan¡¯s wife passed away at a young age and Tong was their only child. However, this child contracted a disease when he was young and even the imperial doctors had not been able to cure him. So the treatment had been ineffective. Noone knew if he was ever going to be cured or not. But after they met Miss Chaoyan, who gave him the acupuncture, the imperial doctors said that even if the root of the disease was not removed, he could still survive for decades with this treatment. Therefore, for the Wang Family, Miss Chaoyan was their savior. They had just got the presents ready and were going to express their gratitude towards her the following morning. They had not expected that the Old Master of the Gu Family mistakenly assumed his daughter to be guilty and could not wait to bring her over to avoid trouble to their family. How could there be a father like this in the world? The Gu Family had been a hot topic for discussion in the city during the past few years, and he had heard a few rumours. But he had not paid much attention to them since they were not rted in any way. Now, the situation was different. If Tong¡¯s savior was wronged, he was definitely going to step in. Gu Zhenkang was startled by what Wang Zhiyuan said. He had not foreseen this situation. He shivered slightly. @@novelbin@@ Lu Jiming, however, reacted fast and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s all a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°Just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°We are a family from now on!¡± Gu Zhenkang nodded alongside. Wang Zhiyuan found these two men to be extremely annoying. They were ruthless people who were not only pretentious but also disloyal. So, he snapped impatiently. ¡°Tong is still undergoing check-ups. Do you mind letting your daughter stay at our ce for a couple of days? Madame Wang likes her.¡± Hearing the words, Madame Wang smiled brightly and patted her hand. Gu Chaoyan was quite moved. She had not saved the boy for any reward but when she saw Madame Wang in the wagon, she deliberately disclosed her real identity, in case she could be of help to Gu Chaoyan in the future. But she had not expected that the Wang Family would treat her so nicely. Gu Chaoyan nodded and epted the Wang Family¡¯s good intention. Gu Zhenkang looked a bit embarrassed. But he could not turn them down. He asked courteously.¡±When should Ie and pick up my daughter?¡± ¡°When Tong gets better, we will bring her back. Don¡¯t worry, Officer Gu.¡± Wang Zhiyuan replied without much affection. Then he asked the butler to see them off at the doorstep. He was trying to tell them that they should leave. In this situation, Gu Zhenkang and Lu Jiming did not feel that it was proper to stay at the Wang Family any longer. Gu Zhenkang and Lu Jiming walked out of the door withplicated expressions on their faces. Madame Wang, on the other hand, showed Gu Chaoyan the room that she was going to live in. Wang Zhiyuan held a high position in the court, and the Wang Family was otherwise affluent, as well. But not many people were currently living in the mansion. Apart from Madame Wang and Officer Wang, Tong was the only other person in the mansion. So, they had enough space for her. Madame Wang gave her a room inside her own yard due to her affection towards this girl. When they reached the yard, no one else was around. Madame Wang asked her in a sombre manner. ¡°Chaoyan, tell me the truth. What is going on with your father?¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled helplessly as she held the freshly-boiled tea in her hand. Chapter 28: Suggestion

Chapter 28: Suggestion

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions It was these small gestures that made Gu Chaoyan feel good about Auntie Song. Auntie Song had been with Madame Wang for years. She had met all kinds of people. But Miss Chaoyan was quite special. Despite being Tong¡¯s savior, she did not behave arrogantly and never tried to take advantage of this special identity. Because of this attitude of hers, Auntie Song said involuntarily, ¡°Miss Chaoyan.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked gentle and friendly, an expression she only showed to those who treated her well. ¡°I was quite surprised after I saw you. You are totally different from what the rumors im. As someone who has eaten more salt than you, I would like to give you a suggestion. Miss Chaoyan, you will have to marry someone in the future . If you need help with it, Madame Wang can definitely help you. But, for that, you will have to clean up your public image, so that your future life can be smoother.¡± Auntie Song took a pause at this point. ¡°Please don¡¯t be offended by what I said.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Auntie Song and smiled sincerely. Her smile almost shocked Auntie Song. She suddenly found Miss Chaoyan to be extremely beautiful. ¡°I got it! Thank you for the suggestion.¡± Gu Chaoyan was aware of the rumors regarding her and she did not like her image being tarnished. But she was not worried about her marriage, because she never thought about getting hitched. As for her being ugly, it was true for now, but she could turn pretty in the future. She could also stand being called a dumped woman because of the engagement being annulled. Thesements didn¡¯t really bother her as much since none of this was her fault. But the shoplifting rumors were quite annoying, since that was something rted to her morals! The worst was that no one from Gu Mansion was bothered to rectify the rumor for her sake. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if it was Gu Mansion who started the rumor in the first ce. Else, who would know what she did in the mansion. To make the matters worse, her cheap father keptining publicly about her being a shame to the family. She was definitely going to find an opportunity to correct everything slowly. ¡°Here we are, Miss Chaoyan.¡± Auntie Song said politely when she saw her lost in her thoughts. Gu Chaoyan nodded and entered the room. Since Officer Wang was a male, he left the ce when Gu Chaoyan entered. Apart from Madame Wang, only Tong remained in there. The child stood up at the sight of Gu Chaoyan. He came upto Gu Chaoyan like a young adult. ¡°Sister, are you thedy who saved me the other day?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. He smiled and took Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands into his own. ¡°Sister, thank you so much. Grandma told me that if you had not been there, I would still be suffering from great pain. I will repay this debt when I grow up.¡± Facing Tong who was so passionate, Gu Chaoyan felt a bit anxious. She had not been ustomed to interacting with many people in her previous life. Now when she was facing Madame, Auntie Song and everyone else who was so kind to her, she had no idea how to react to the situation. She flushed and her ears turned red. Seeing her awkwardness, Qing came to her rescue. ¡°Little Sir, if you want to thank mydy, I have a good suggestion for you.¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 32: The Condition

Chapter 32: The Condition

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Understood.¡± The servant answered when he caught Gu Zhenkang¡¯s gaze and went to fetch the tool. Gu Zhenkang did not want to see Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face for even one second, because her face scared him. He feared that Gu Ruxue would be equally ugly in the future. Ruxue was considered as the prettiest girl in the entire city. She was the hope of the whole Gu Family and was the princess-to-be. ¡°Miss.¡± Qing was shivering. She was obviously scared. The next second, she kneeled down on the ground and started to kowtow. ¡°Old Master, punish me instead. Don¡¯t punish my mistress. It¡¯s not her fault!¡± Qing kept kowtowing, because she was indeed worried. When her miss was a young girl, she had identally pushed Miss Ruxue in excitement, causing her a little injury. The Old Master had be so worried that he beat her terribly at that time. Her mistress could not get out of bed for months post that incident. Seeing Qing¡¯s behaviour, Gu Chaoyan remembered that she had hated this kind of a feeble woman in her previous life. But Qing was protecting her with all she had, and that moved Chaoyan to tears and warmed her heart. She took a step forward and pulled Qing up from the ground. ¡°Get up, we do not have to kneel in front of this foolish man.¡± ¡°Miss, have you forgotten how you almost died because of the beating that year. Let¡¯s beg him. Please Old Master, have mercy.¡± Qing panicked. She could not let her young miss get punished again. ¡°Get up, Qing!¡± She sounded determined. Qing was startled and got up out of reflex. She stared at Gu Chaoyan, transfixed. Oh, she sounded so powerful! ¡°What is going on?¡± Madame Gu¡¯s annoyed voice reached them. She had just started to rx when she heard about the situation. She had no choice but to go and check it out. After all, Chaoyan was now rted to the Wang Family, and she could not be trampled upon like before. She knew what her son was capable of, clever in small things but stupid in major stuff. He had pinned all his hopes on Ruxue, but he did not realize that Gu Chaoyan was also of some value now. She was nked by Gu Xiuying and Gu Caiqin on each side. In order to show their love towards their grandma, they were holding Madame Gu¡¯s forearms. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan sneered. When she came home a while ago, neither of them was present. But when she was going to be thrashed, they were here to watch the show. Unfortunately, the beating would not take ce today. Gu Zhenkang was looking at Gu Chaoyan in anger. ¡°Mom, this impolite girl doesn¡¯t want to treat Ruxue even though my poor daughter is suffering. Worse, she dares to mock her and me. She has an evil heart and doesn¡¯t care about our reputation. She is hoping that Ruxue would be as ugly as she is. I have to beat her to death today!¡± Madame Gu looked at Gu Chaoyan with a pair of unfriendly eyes. Gu Chaoyan was standing there with her back straight. She might have felt furious or wronged in the past, but that Gu Chaoyan was long gone. She held no emotional connection with the Gu Family. Gu Zhenkang was a father with a terrible heart and he disgusted her. She was the one who had made Gu Ruxue¡¯s face get rashes. It was her punishment for bullying Qing. She did not give her a potent drug and Gu Ruxue would be better soon. But these people didn¡¯t know that. If they wanted her to treat Gu Ruxue, she would do it, but on her own terms. Although Gu Chaoyan was now rted to the Wang Family, Madame Gu would still give preference to Gu Ruxue, after all. She asked. ¡°Chaoyan, can you treat your sister¡¯s rashes?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°But you are not willing to?¡± Madame Gu looked serious. ¡°I am, only on one condition.¡± Chapter 36: Jealousy

Chapter 36: Jealousy

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan sneered. Honored princess? The Gu Family had a terrible memory. They had forgotten how she got the title of a princess in the first ce. But she did not react. She did not care about the position or the Prince. Honestly, speaking with these two people was just a waste of her time. If she had not gotten that promise from Madame Gu, she would not have been bothered to step into Begonia Yard. She came to the inner bedroom and looked at the surroundings. Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu were not assured, so they followed behind, fearing that she would do something to Gu Ruxue. Gu Chaoyan felt quite sorry for the original host of this body. She had been treated so terribly by her father during the past few years just because she was ugly. Now she hoped to be pretty as soon as possible so as to see how Gu Zhenkang would react at the sight of a ¡®new¡¯ her. Inside the bedroom, Gu Ruxue was lying in bed, surrounded by the servants who were busy taking care of her. Since she had rashes all over her face, she was not wearing any makeup and her hair was scattered over the pillow. The moment Gu Chaoyan entered, she jerked up and her expressions turned angry. She pointed at Gu Chaoyan with her index finger. ¡°What are you doing here, you hideous girl?¡± Before Gu Chaoyan could respond, Gu Ruxue threw a disdainful look at her. ¡°Are you here topare your ugliness with me? Unfortunately, even if my face has be like this, the Prince still loves me.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at her coldly, feeling nothing inside. Gu Ruxue¡¯s arrogance hadn¡¯t diminished even by an iota. Gu Ruxue had innocently assumed that even if she was stuck with this kind of a face permanently, Lu Jiming would still love her. She should have realised that Lu Jiming would definitely divorce Gu Ruxue in such a situation, since he did that to Gu Chaoyan due to the same reason. She shook her head. It was not her problem. ¡°You are truly naive. Honestly, a selfish and ruthless man like him is not my type. If you like him that much, I sincerely wish you all the happiness.¡± Gu Chaoyan said nonchntly. @@novelbin@@ She pulled out the herbs that she picked from her yard and passed them to a servant. ¡°Use this plus 0.5g of peri, 1g of atractylodes. Boil them together for one hour on medium fire. Drink the soup three times a day. After three days, the rashes will be gone.¡± The servant did not take the stuff from Gu Chaoyan and looked at Gu Ruxue, instead. Gu Ruxue pointed at Gu Chaoyan furiously. ¡°Ugly woman, you are trying to kill me, right? I am not using your herbs, if you had not...¡± Gu Chaoyan raised her eyebrows, wondering if Gu Ruxue would spill the truth that she had been pped by her the other day. Sure enough, Gu Ruxue did not continue but looked at her parents with a wronged expression on her face. ¡°Dad, mom, this fattie is jealous of me! Her intentions are malicious.¡± Hearing these words, Gu Zhenkang red at Gu Chaoyan, intending to scold her. Gu Chaoyan was not bothered and said calmly, ¡°You have no choice but to use it if you want to get better!¡± Then she stuffed the herbs into the girl¡¯s hands. As she turned around and met Gu Zhenkang¡¯s eyes, she said, ¡°Inform Madame Gu when her face gets better. I will go and get my condition fulfilled.¡± She looked so intimidating that no one dared to take a step forward to stop her. She started walking out when she seemed to remember something and paused. Chapter 39: Concubine Princess

Chapter 39: Concubine Princess

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Duke Changning and his wife were here? No wonder Chen Fu, the Butler of the Gu Family was here personally to ask her to show up. However, why was she being asked toe there at this time? @@novelbin@@ Could they be here on behalf of Gu Ruxue? After all, she was the one who gave her the prescription, making them suspicious of her. Thinking about this, Gu Chaoyan nodded. She did not have to put on makeup or change dresses like otherdies. So, she got up immediately and said, ¡°Lead the way, please.¡± Chen Fu smiled and stepped out. Qing was the only one serving Gu Chaoyan, so she brought her along. No one talked on the way. They reached the front yard after sometime. Gu Chaoyan discovered the changes that urred in the front yard within just a day. The front yard, which used to be filled with begonia flowers, was now empty, except for a few sporadic flowers that were still blooming. She smiled briefly. Her father did treat Gu Ruxue the best. He had altered the entire front yard, only because she mentionedst evening that those flowers might affect Gu Ruxue¡¯s recovery. Gu Chaoyan did not have much of a reaction towards this move, yet she could feel that the original host of this body would not have been very happy to see this. She sighed and walked into the hall of the front yard. It was quiet in the hall. Gu Chaoyan spotted Duke Changning and his wife sitting on the upper seats. Next to them was Lu Jiming in a blue robe. The previous Gu Chaoyan would have definitely gazed at Lu Jiming. He was a terrible man, yet he was indeed good-looking. No wonder the old Gu Chaoyan had done those things for his sake because even she found him attractive. Yet that happened before she met Lord Huai. After encountering Lord Huai the other day, she found that Lu Jiming was not that outstanding. Suddenly Gu Chaoyan was startled when she realized that she was thinking about Lord Huai at this point. Composing herself, she bowed and greeted the people in the hall politely. ¡°Nice to meet you Duke Changning, Mrs. Changning and Prince.¡± ¡°You may rise!¡± Gu Chaoyan stood straight and three pairs of eyes stayed fixed on her. The Wang Family had given some clothes to her before she departed from their house. These were made based upon Gu Chaoyan¡¯s instructions, and all of them were in light colors. Probably because of the new clothes, Lu Jiming found this hideous woman looking a bit prettier than before. He found that she was no longer that annoying to his eyes. Lu Jiming had no other standard in picking a spouse, except that she had to be good-looking. Otherwise he would not have fallen for Gu Ruxue. Duke Changning didn¡¯t speak up, and Gu Chaoyan stayed silent as well. Looking at the awkwardness in the room, Madame Gu said, ¡°Chaoyan,e to my side.¡± Seeing the smiling and affable-looking Madame Gu, Gu Chaoyan did not turn her down and approached her. As she came to Madame Gu, she said, ¡°The Duke Changning¡¯s family is here, because they want to discuss your marriage.¡± Marriage? Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face changed and she looked sharply at Lu Jiming. ¡°We had a small discussion the other day in the mansion. Duke Changning thinks that it is rude of us to cancel the marriage directly. Although your appearance and character are not enough to make you the princess, yet your mother helped us before, so we can¡¯tpletely ignore you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hence, we are here to offer the position of Concubine Princess to you.¡± Chapter 41: The Air of Miss

Chapter 41: The Air of Miss

Madame Gu asked her to step down. When she did it, Gu Chaoyan could still hear Duke Changning¡¯s wife cursing her about not finding a proper family to marry in the future. Gu Chaoyan did not care about these. She was going to take revenge on all of them, and there was no hurry to do anything right now. ¡ª When Madam Gu asked for Gu Chaoyan again, it was already the evening time. Gu Chaoyan had just finished exercise and drank some tea with spring water. @@novelbin@@ It was not Chen Fu who showed up this time, but Cai Zhu, the eldest maid of Madam Gu at Pear Yard. When Cai Zhu saw Gu Chaoyan, she was behaving in a normal way. ¡°Miss, Madam Gu asks you to visit her at Pear Yard.¡± Cai Zhu sized up Gu Chaoyan with fixed gazes. Gu Chaoyan was still showing a t look. Seeing Cai Zhu not showing so much passion, she got up and answeredzily, ¡°Just wait outside. I will be there when I have changed.¡± No one had liked or cherished Gu Chaoyan before in the mansion. She had been bullied by anybody so she had been discreet about her own behaviors. She even showed courtesy to these maids. However, now she was Gu Chaoyan, and she had been a killer in the previous life. She never hesitated about anything or showed any timid behaviors. She was the Miss, so she was going to act like one. Cai Zhu looked displeased instantly, so she added ironically, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, you are now involved with the Wang Family, so you are in a different situation. But none of us are sure how much longer the rtionship canst.¡± Seeing the situation, Qing was about to exin... when Gu Chaoyan walked to her and pped right on Cai Zhu¡¯s face. That was not a soft strike. Cai Zhu¡¯s face turned swollen as she turned a look of disbelief at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°How dare you p me, you moron!¡± The next second... The other side of Cai Zhu¡¯s cheek turned swollen too. Cai Zhu got so annoyed that she stepped forward just to start a fight with Gu Chaoyan, whose hands gripped her neck directly. She said to Cai Zhu with a look of coldness. ¡°I can even take your life.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Do you think Madam Gu is going to speak for a maid?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know how much longer I can stay rted to the Wang Family, but I do know that as long as I am rted to them, I can still kill you. Madam Gu is not going to pick on me about this matter, because of the Wang Family.¡± Having said the words... Gu Chaoyan released her hands. Cai Zhu copsed to the ground, panting in fury and fright. Miss was thinking about killing her! They had been bullying her so fiercely before, but she had not uttered a sound. Maybe that was why they had more or less forgotten that this hideousdy was their master and that even without the Wang Family, the maids would not have any advantage if she reported their behavior to Madame Gu. She was the master! Seeing the seriousness of this problem, Cai Zhu waited politely next to her despite the swollen cheeks. Qing got startled at the sight of them. She had been worried that when Miss was getting changed, Cai Zhu would report the dyed behavior to Madam Gu. If that happened, her miss would have a bad time. Howeve, Cai Zhu got even more frightened than she was. That made Qing extremely happy. Gu Chaoyan did not have Qing with her when she went to the front yard. She expected Qing to take a break and she also worried that Cai Zhu was so unconvinced that she would take the chance to bully Qing. As they came to the front yard, Madame Gu spotted the injury on Cai Zhu¡¯s face. Her face sank. ¡°Cai Zhu, what happened to your face?¡± She said as she turned a displeased look at Gu Chaoyan. Cai Zhu had just been to Qiong Pavilion. So it must have been someone from Qiong Pavilion who caused the injury. Chapter 43: Marriage Arrangement

Chapter 43: Marriage Arrangement

She was old and still held the control of the Gu Family instead of leaving it to Mrs. Gu. So she was a forceful person who would not tolerate her maid turning to others for help. She was d that Madam Gu made this decision too. That was how she was going to establish her status in the Mansion. After all, there were quite a few maids and servants who were looking down on her. Cai Zhu was sentenced to death today, so none of the maids and servants would dare to irritate her any more. ¡°Chaoyan, you are getting more and more like a Miss. I feel assured.¡± Madam Gu pointed at a seat for Gu Chaoyan randomly. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°I am calling you here to ask you why you turned down the concubine position of Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion, even if it meant offending them?¡± Gu Chaoyan had just sat down and did not panic at what Madam Gu was asking. She more or less understood what Madam Gu was going to ask on her way there. Madam Gu was a very smartdy. She put the me of offence on her so she could feel guilty. However, Gu Chaoyan was not like before, and she was not going to feel guilty because of what Madam Gu said. When she was turning down the offer, Madame Gu did not stop her either, meaning that Madam Gu did not think it was a proper deal either. Gu Ruxue was the Princess Consort, and what was the use to add one more granddaughter for that Mansion. Besides, this granddaughter of hers was now rted to the Wang Family. Knowing what Madam Gu intended to get from her, Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly following Madam Gu¡¯s ideas. ¡°Grandma, i am doing this for the Gu Mansion¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Second Sister is already the Princess Consort, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I am married to the Duke¡¯s Mansion either.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Also, Madame Wang decides to establish a marriage for me too, seeing that my engagement was cancelled.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°So if Madame Wang is out for this business, I think that the match would be very good for the Gu Mansion, so why not listen to her instead.¡± After the speech, Madame Gu smiled brightly. ¡°You can do something more for the Gu Mansion. You can mention Xiuying for them too. Xiuying might not be as pretty as Ruxue, yet she is also an intelligent and lovely girl.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered obediently. That made Madam Gu satisfied and gratified. Soon, the Gu Mansion would find their way to be a ce of prestige. Zhenkang the Old Master had been working at the Temple for years, but it was a terrible working ce with very little payment. Now he was connected with Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion and the Wang Family, he would soon get promoted. @@novelbin@@ She had no other expectation for her remaining life any more. She just expected that her son would get promoted so she could get a title of Imperial Madam before she passed away. Madame Gu was satisfied, so was Gu Chaoyan. Cai Zhu died, but was soon forgotten by Madame Gu. So she smiled friendly. ¡°Chaoyan, just go back to your ce now. Eat dinner at your Qiong Pavilion tonight, bute to join us for breakfast here in the front yard tomorrow. We can have the meal together.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chaoyan bowed and left. Seeing her Missing out, Qing sized her up first and saw that Miss was not injured. She let out a sigh of relief and went back to Qiong Pavilion behind her back. As they came out of the front yard, Qing whispered as she saw that no one was around. ¡°Miss, Cai Zhu is dead. I worry that we are falling into deep trouble!¡± Chapter 45: The Position of Lineal Daughter

Chapter 45: The Position of Lineal Daughter

Chaoyan was still in the middle of contemtion when the sound of footsteps arose. They were on the way here. She was an agent in her previous life, so she had a better hearing ability. It took a while before she heard their voices and saw Madam Gu arriving with a group of people. Madame Gu had a slight smile on her face. That meant that Gu Ruxue was getting better. She got up and greeted her. Madame Gu waved her hands directly and said, ¡°Your prescription worked. Ruxue¡¯s face has been cured.¡± Standing next to Madame Gu, Gu Ruxue did not show a sense of gratitude, and instead looked down at Gu Chaoyan. She had been furious about Gu Chaoyan for daring to raise an exchanged condition, but now Madam Gu was here helping her to get the position of lineal daughter so she could get married openly. So Gu Ruxue was not that displeased for the moment. Instead, she was showing much pleasure on her face. ¡°Great Gu Chaoyan, you are smart enough not to hurt me. It is already humiliating enough that you are ugly in the mansion.¡± Gu Ruxue said disdainfully, as she sat down one seat lower than Madame Gu. ¡°Hehe.¡± Gu Chaoyan said disdainfully too. Madame Gu had no intention of irritating Gu Chaoyan because of Gu Ruxue at the moment. Chaoyan was indeed a very nning girl. As she thought back at what happened to Cai Zhu, she realized that it must have been a purposeful job done by Gu Chaoyan! If she was irritated now, it might not be so easy to get her lineal daughter¡¯s position. So she said, ¡°We talked about this before. If Ruxue¡¯s face is cured, you will get one thing from me as I will from you.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I will try my best to meet your demand, as long as it is reasonable!¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I have got one demand here. Your Second Sister is now engaged with Prince and she is going to be the Princess Consort soon, the most promising girl of our family. So for the sake of the Gu Family and the children of the Gu Family, I hope that you can give up your position as the lineal daughter for your Second Sister so that she is able to marry Prince openly and reasonably. She needs the position as the Princess Consort, understand?¡±Madam Gu¡¯s fixed her blurry gaze at Gu Chaoyan. She was asking her if she understood what she meant, not whether she was willing to give up. Hearing this demand, Gu Chaoyan felt her heart freeze. She had thought that the Gu Mansion already did everything bad they could to hurt her, but now they were still trying to deprive her position as her mother¡¯s daughter. That was how the Gu Family tried to trick themselves and others. She was the lineal miss, and no matter how the past few years had been like for her, she was still the miss, but now... They were trying to get her lineal position. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyanughed out of extreme anger. ¡°Alright then, I agree.¡± Madame Gu had been prepared to make a long speech, but now the words were stuck in her throat. She had not expected that she would agree so fast without hesitation. Madame Gu had thought that she had turned smarter because of what happened to Cai Zhu, but it seemed that she still had no idea of the importance of being a lineal daughter. Her birth mother went away too early so she just could not get a full understanding of her own ce. It was good in this way too. Madame Gu said with a smile, ¡°It is good that you are so understanding. We are doing this for the family¡¯s interest and you are benefitting from there too.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded briefly. She just could not turn it down at the moment. However, soon these people would be paying back double of what they were asking now. She had no intention of sticking to the position. What she needed was the interests she could get now. ¡°Since I agree with what you asked for, you will have to approve of my demand too.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I have no other thoughts but to get back my mother¡¯s dowry!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s smile froze instantly. Chapter 46: Dowry

Chapter 46: Dowry

Madame Gu had thought that what Gu Chaoyan was going to ask for was her own defence, so she could have an easier time in the Gu Mansion. She had not expected that she was demanding to get the dowry her birth mother had left her. ording to thend¡¯sw, the girl¡¯s dowry when getting married belonged to her only, and it was something to be dealt with by the girl¡¯s children. Ms. Lin died at a young age, so the Gu Mansion had been taking care of the dowry. ording to thews, the dowry should be her own daughter¡¯s, namely Gu Chaoyan¡¯s despite her early death. However, Ms. Lin¡¯s dowery was quite exceptional. The Lin Family was in the medicine business and had rtions with the imperial court. So the dowries were quite abundant. The Gu Mansion could be so wealthy right now mostly because of the dowry from the woman. The Gu Family had been a family with literacy, yet none of the men stood out because of their knowledge. So the whole family had had a very poor life. That was the reason why Gu Zhenkang married Ms. Lin back then. Although he married Ms. Lin for her money, he just did not want to mention this woman at all. That was why Ms. Lin had been a rare mention in the entire Gu Mansion. Even Madam Gu almost forgot that it had been the stores, which were from Ms. Lin¡¯s dowry, that kept the expenses going on for the entire Gu Mansion. Silence dominated the entire hall. Gu Chaoyan was very sure by now that Ms. Lin¡¯s dowry was very abundant. The Gu Family just did not want to give them up. No wonder Gu Chaoyan had been deserted in the Qiong Pavilion these years. If she had not noticed the leases of these stores in the Qiong Pavilion a few days earlier, she would not have thought about the dowry at all. What an excellent thing! Great! Madam Gu¡¯s face expression turned and then she replied with slightly calmness. ¡°The dowry from your birth mother will be given to you when you are married.¡± Madame Gu was offhand with her. She was just trying to convince Gu Chaoyan for the time being. Gu Chaoyan did not believe those words but said straightforwardly, ¡°Grandma, what I mean is that you can put mother¡¯s dowry in my hands. I was too young and too busy to take care of the dowry, but now I am going to be an adult and the marriage has been recently cancelled, I truly feel insecure not to have the dowry with me.¡± Mrs. Gu who had been watching the show was now not very d. If the hideous woman got the dowry, what should they do about Ruxue¡¯s dowry? Ruxue was a very nice girl and she deserved to have those things rather than this hideous woman! However, Mrs. Gu could not spill those words, so she said, ¡°There are so many stores in Ms. Lin¡¯s dowry, and you are not able to manage them well. When you get married, those will be yours anyway. You don¡¯t trust me to take care of them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gu Chaoyan said without blinking. ¡°You!!!¡± Mrs. Gu pointed at Chaoyan furiously. Gu Chaoyan had no fear at all. ¡°Everyone knows what kind of life I have had in the Gu Mansion these years, so of course I don¡¯t trust you.¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree with my demand, then our deal is off. I am still a lineal daughter.¡± As the words were spoken, Gu Ruxue got more nervous. She tugged at her mother¡¯s sleeves, ming Mrs. Gu inwardly. @@novelbin@@ The most important thing right now was the position as the lineal daughter, but her mother kept talking about dowry. When she got the position as the lineal daughter, the dowry would be in their charge anyway! Chapter 49: The Blame

Chapter 49: The me

The maid was aware that she had bumped into ady, so she kneeled down in front of Gu Chaoyan directly and kept kowtowing. ¡°Sorry, Miss, sorry Miss.¡± @@novelbin@@ She kowtowed and mumbled constantly. The passing servants, madams anddies could not help but turn to this position. Before Madam Gu could say a thing, Gu Ruxue appeared and said with a gentle tone, ¡°just rise, please.¡± She turned to Gu Chaoyan afterwards. ¡°Sister, she bumped into you identally. Don¡¯t me her any more.¡± The bystanders threw a very meaningful nce at Gu Chaoyan. ming the servants would be alright if conducted at one¡¯s own mansion, but ady should not me servants outside her home ¨C that was not a good thing for reputation. Gu Chaoyan had not said a thing, before Gu Ruxue defined her in this way. Gu Chaoyan felt a paper bag stuffed in the maid¡¯s sleeves, and she realized that it was her Second Sister who had been involved in this trick, though she thought that it was a normal conduct of people from the Huo Family. No wonder the trick had worked out so sessfully. Sheughed coldly as she threw a few more looks at this maid. ¡°Since my Second Sister, the daughter of a concubine, is so broad-minded and stops me from giving you the me, then just rise.¡± The maid looked up, threw a few looks, kowtowed and hurried off with head lowered. Gu Ruxue looked at Gu Chaoyan with an angry expression on her face. She just could not throw a temper in front of those people. What was it going on with this hideous woman! She was soon going to give up the position as the lineal daughter, and now she was still talking more than she should. Apart from Gu Ruxue, Madame Gu was not pleased either. Apparently she hated the feeling when her granddaughter was out of control, so she clicked her cane and said, ¡°Chaoyan, you are not often out on a banquet, so do not talk about what should not be spoken. This is the Huo Mansion, ming the servants is not allowed. Ruxue is just giving you a reminder.¡± Madame Gu was defending Gu Ruxue, for sure. Gu Chaoyan had not gotten a very strong sense about this when she was at the Gu Mansion, but now when she was out with the family, she clearly understood the feelings when she was scolded in public. She nodded and continued without saying anything more. During the process, Gu Ruxue came and whispered something into her ears with gritted teeth. Gu Chaoyan did not care. She was just thinking that if the maid who had set her up was from the Huo Mansion, then it must have been an order from someone in the mansion. She was famously hideous, but she barely went out. So she could not possibly have offended anyone from the Huo Mansion. So there was only one possibility why she was set up ¨C thedy of the Huo Mansion was a friend of Gu Ruxue. Gu Zhenkang the father was just a minor officer so he could not possibly have any rtionship with the Elder Huo. Then it must have been the Prince of the Duke Changning who had introduced them all. She was now getting curious to see what kind of trick they were going to do today. The Huo Mansion had arranged a very nice position for the Gu Family, probably because of their potential marriage arrangement with the Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion. ¡°That is your eldest sister?¡± A girl¡¯s voice arose. Gu Chaoyan looked up and saw a girl in red standing by Gu Ruxue, as she looked at her with disdain. They were friends. ¡°Why is she out for the banquet, when she is so hideous?¡± The girl in red asked in disbelief. Chapter 52: Search

Chapter 52: Search

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Searching her? That was an utterly huge humiliation for ady who was unmarried. And it was her Second Sister who had put forward this proposal. Expressionless, Gu Chaoyan showed sufficient anger. It seemed that the original host gained a bad reputation in this way. The old Gu Chaoyan could not counter the situation, but now she could. Hearing the words, Madame Wang stepped forward and said, ¡°No.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°What? Madame Wang is trying to defend her in my house?¡± Huo Wei asked with displeasure. Gu Chaoyan patted Madame Wang, telling her to get assured. Madame Wang did not step down. She was old enough to know well how the tricks worked in those mansions. Even if Chaoyan had not done that, she might have been framed. That was why Madame Wang tried to stop the possibility. If something dide out of Chaoyan¡¯s pocket, her life would be ruined. Gu Chaoyan whispered as Madame Wang was about to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madame Wang.¡± The words had just been spoken, when she took a few steps forward. She came to Huo Wei and Gu Ruxue and threw a cold look at her. ¡°Yes, you can do the searching, but what if you find nothing?¡± ¡°Then you get your innocence back, if nothing is found.¡± Huo Wei said with anger and impatience. If not for Madame Wang¡¯s sake, she would not waste so much time talking with this hideous woman. She was a kind of person who would never have a bright future so she did not fear her at all. Gu Chaoyan bowed and nodded, but her fists were tight. There was nothing else she could do to prove her innocence in this case. No one was helping her here, but what made Gu Chaoyan displeased was that no one of the Gu Family was defending her at all. What a cold family. ¡°Chaoyan, it is just a body search. If you have got nothing on you, we can pass on.¡± Madame Wang spoke seeing Gu Chaoyan not responding. She would not have said a thing if not for Madame Wang¡¯s presence. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Madame Gu. A cold look. It was Madam Gu who had suggested her being here for this banquet, but she was not at all trying to defend her. Great! Great! ¡°Then do the search. If you have found nothing, then I am left out of this case and you, Miss. Huo, must apologize to me.¡± Having said the words, she looked about. ¡°We are all girls here, so do the search here!¡± She was not showing off her courage; she was trying to prove herself in front of the crowd, in case Gu Ruxue and Huo Wei set up something else just to frame her when they were alone. Huo Wei had lost her patience. She did not care where she was searched. As for the apology, she was sure that she would find something, so she was not going to apologize anyway. She answered without hesitation. ¡°Deal.¡± Then she said to the maid next to her. The maid was doing the search for a while with a rxed expression on her face, when her face started to change. And Gu Chaoyan had been observing her all this time. Now she was more sure that she had been framed. A long whileter, sweat appeared on the maid¡¯s forehead as she mumbled. ¡°Howe nothing is here?¡± Seeing the scene, Madame Wang knew that nothing was found. So she said with certainty inside her heart, ¡°Well, still not done?¡± Chapter 56: Suspicion

Chapter 56: Suspicion

Servants were like their master. Lord Huai looked lethal, so were his guards, who stopped Auntie Song expressionlessly. Auntie Song did not dare to make a move. Other lords might help her but Lord Huai did not. He was a cruel man who would kill those who displeased him. Auntie Song cringed and followed behind the girl. Hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, Lord Huai looked less lethal. Yet the cold expression did not disappear from his face. He was still squinting at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°So you mean the girl¡¯s face will not cure?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded cruelly. ¡°Since she spent so much effort to say that I caused it, then I should do something to make the usation true.¡± This sentence made Lord Huai smile a little. This woman was indeed interesting. She was totally different from the other annoying ones. She admitted what she did, just as he would normally do. After they finished discussing Huo Wei, the two quieted down and continued to walk forward without saying anything more. Gu Chaoyan was not a talkative person in either of her lives. And Lord Huai was even less talkative than she was. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan could not help but hesitate, wondering if he could be a wonderful partner. She kept thinking that this man was a little manic. He smiled at her at their first meeting and offered to marry her, who was ugly. Now he was putting up a cold air of himself... She was definitely confused. However, this thought did not linger long in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mind. She could ept that even if Lord Huai was a manic, since she could not find a better partner. So as they came to the Lake Center Pavilion, Gu Chaoyan asked straightforwardly, ¡°Do you still hold the intention of marrying me, as you said before?¡± Hahaha. Augh arose suddenly. Gu Chaoyan looked at Lord Huai and spotted the man in ck hidden in the dark corner. ¡°Lin Sen!¡± Lord Huai frowned slightly, quieting the man in ck down. Then he turned to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Lin Sen is my hidden guard. He doesn¡¯t talk much.¡± Having said the words, he ced his scorching eyes upon Gu Chaoyan. He loved her eyes that were clear, and fair with noplications. ¡°You want to say yes now?¡± Zhou Huaijin was calm, showing no emotions as he spilled out the words. Gu Chaoyan inhaled. She knew it! She knew that a man with that social status never said anything serious, but she was prepared. She breathed out and said with confidence. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I was too naive before to assume that I can get whatever I want with my own abilities. But now, the idea has been proved wrong. So I thought over your suggestion, realizing that I would not be picked on by those mean bitches, if I were your Princess. Everything will be easier.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t be your Princess for nothing.¡± Zhou Huaijin looked at her with interest as he heard the words. He made her a cup of tea. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°You proposed to marry me, because for you, I am practical in some way too. Qing says that you are the most noble lord of the Saint Divine Land, and the king loves you. Everyone thinks that he treats you with utter love, yet I do not think so.¡± ¡°Lord!¡± Rong Chuxuan bellowed furiously and threw a hostile look at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Shut up!¡± Zhou Huaijin threw a cold look at her but turned to Gu Chaoyan with a look of gentleness. ¡°Please, continue.¡± Chapter 60: Lord Huai’s Words

Chapter 60: Lord Huai¡¯s Words

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Seeing the scene, Madame Gu took up the cane and flung it at Gu Zhenkang as she bellowed. ¡°What are you talking about? Chaoyan did not do it on purpose.¡± Not on purpose, so Madam Gu was putting the me on her. The old Gu Chaoyan would have assumed that Madam Gu was on her side, but now... She noticed that when Madam Gu was hitting Gu Zhenkang, she was showing a big gesture but no force at all. She had obviously agreed with what Gu Zhenkang said. Madame Gu was indeed smart. She was making use of her, but did not want to favor her either. She definitely panicked when Gu Zhenkang bellowed at her, she had wished so much that none of the ident had happened. Unfortunately, she was not the old Gu Chaoyan any more. Standing right on the spot, she showed no sense of panic or guilt. ¡°You all know pretty well that I rode with the Wang Family. If you are so kind, why not wait at the doorstep of the mansion so that you can invite her in yourselves. I am not on the same level as Madame Wang, so it is against the rules for me to ever invite her in. As for what happened at the Huo Family... Miss. Huo and the Second Sister imed that I offended Miss. Huo, but the misunderstanding had been cleared. Howe I offended the Huo Family anyway? Are you so dumb in the head too, Father?¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly with her chin raised. Gu Zhenkang panicked too. He had no idea how to reply to her. They knew that Gu Chaoyan rode with the Wang Family back home, but they themselves did not go to greet the Wang Family. So when they heard from Chen Fu that Madame Wang refused to walk in, they forced all the me upon Gu Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ The words she said were all true, but Gu Zhenkang was still angry because of the arrogant air he was holding. He pointed at Gu Chaoyan and was about to bellow at her when Madame Gu snapped with real anger. ¡°Shut up!¡± Gu Zhenkang got both surprised and angry. During the past few years, he had been used to being the master of everything in the mansion, but he did not dare to snap back at his mother. So he just stood there in displeasure. Madame Gu was angry too. She had only one son, who turned out to be dumb. This girl was not only under the defence of the Wang Family nowadays. She was talking with Lord Huai too! That would be a huge potential opportunity for the Gu Family. They had intended to frighten her so they could get her weak point, but now it seemed to be a bit difficult to do so. If that was the case, she was not to be offended. How stupid her son had been not to understand this point! No wonder he never got promoted at his position! ¡°Chaoyan, these were not your fault. Your father was not present so he knows nothing, don¡¯t mind his words, alright?¡± Madame Gu showed a friendly look. ¡°What did Lord Huai say to you today?¡± True, they were concerned about what Lord Huai said. She was definitely not going to tell Madam Gu what they were talking about. So she just showed a brief smile. ¡°Nothing very special, just some things about diseases. Lord Huai told me to keep my mouth sealed.¡± Mouth sealed? Madame Gu now understood that it must be something important. She twisted her band subconsciously and continued. ¡°You can keep your mouth sealed to the outsiders, but we are a family, so you can definitely share.¡± ¡°You really want to know?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. Chapter 64: No One

Chapter 64: No One

¡°Anything you want to tell me, Mom?¡± Gu Zhenkang asked with confusion. ¡°Nothing serious. Just telling you that the girl is now useful for us, so don¡¯t just scold or hit her every time you meet her.¡± Madame Gu reminded him. ¡°Also, try to leak the information that Lord Huai is asking us for help.¡± Gu Zhenkang was startled, but soon he understood the meaning of it. So he lowered his head and nodded. He did not like Ms. Lin that much. He was a schr and he should not have married a businesswoman. Mrs. Gu, on the other hand, was the daughter of an officer, who was a great match for him. The ugly girl was Ms. Lin¡¯s daughter, whom he disliked, but she was, after all, his daughter, and he had never thought about doing anything bad to her. Yet this ugly girl kept losing face for his family so he developed a hatred towards her gradually. Now the situation was different. She had be useful, so she should be treated better. Gu Zhenkang could get this point. Seeing that the idea was going through him, Madame Gu waved her hands and let him leave. Seeing her son¡¯s back figure, she sighed. He was not smart, but at least he listened to her ideas. That would be enough. ¡ª The following day, Gu Chaoyan left with Qing. They were heading towards the Lin Family, so if Qing followed her, she would be in a safer situation than in the Gu Family, where Gu Ruxue or Gu Xiuying might bully her. The wagon was ready, which was quite unexpected. She had never expected that Mrs. Gu would have gotten her such a nice wagon. Didn¡¯t she look unconvinced yesterday? It seemed that Madam Gu had said something that satisfied her. Honestly... In the Gu Mansion. Madame Gu was one of the few ones who had a clever brain. No one was seeing her off. Only Cai Ming came to greet her. Apparently, it was Madam Gu¡¯s order. Gu Chaoyan went onto the wagon with Qing and headed towards the Lin Family. The Lin Family were residing in the capital too. The Lin Family used to be the imperial business family. Yet after the Old Master left, they were disqualified from being the imperial business family. That was why the Lin Family were forced to move to the outskirts. It took two hours for them to arrive there. It was not a long ride, but despite the short distance between the two families, the Lin Family and the Gu Family never visited each other. Gu Chaoyan did not think that it was because the Gu Family were arrogant. It was just because the Lin Family had lost the position as the imperial business family so the Gu Family gave them up. She shook her head. ¡°Miss, do you think the Lin Family will want to see us? You caused big trouble and you hurt them too.¡± Qing asked worriedly. Of course they would not want to see her, but she had already asked Rong Chuxuan to check the situation of the Lin Family, so she hade up with an idea. Rong Chuxuan was Lord Huai¡¯s bodyguard. Lord Huai had asked him to follow Gu Chaoyan so as to protect her. And she did not turn that down. Rong Chuxuan was indeed quite useful and coulde in handy. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Miss, we are here.¡± The footman reminded her. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied and left with Qing. Rong Chuxuan was not far from them, bearing a t expression on their face. As they came to the Lin Mansion Qing went up and said, ¡°We are the miss from the Gu Mansion, and we would like to see the Old Master, please pass on the message for us.¡± ¡°You are from the Gu Mansion? Please go back, Old Master has ordered that we are never meeting anyone from you.¡± The housekeeper showed a false smile as he said. He had a very weird expression on him as he looked at Qing. Everyone from the Lin Family knew that the Lin Family and the Gu Family never visited each other. Qing looked at Gu Chaoyan with a worried expression on her face. ¡°Miss, what should we do?¡± Chapter 68: The Young Man

Chapter 68: The Young Man

So that was what the woman was thinking about! He hated to be led along, especially in the aspect of his marriage! So just because he was a dying man, he had lost the right to marry the girl he loved? His pale face turned furious, as redness went upon his cheeks. The two girls who were serving at Jingxin Hut, namely Shan Lan and Shui Lan, greeted him as they saw Lin Jiashu. ¡°Greetings, Young Master!¡± Lin Jiashu did not linger upon them, but went straight into the inner room. Shan Lan was a little bit anxious so she whispered. ¡°Did he hear what we just said?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Shui Lan replied and felt a bit joyful inside. Judging from Young Master¡¯s expression, he must have heard what they said. As long as he was angry and hated that girl from the Gu Family. If she was marrying the Young Master in the future so what? Young Master would not like her, and she herself... She was just thinking when Shui Lan asked Shan Lan to follow. They were the maids for Jingxin Hut , and even if they were inside the room for some talks, it was totally reasonable. Shan Lan hesitated, but Shui Lan said straightforwardly, ¡°We are the maids from Jingxin Hut, it is okay!¡± Shan Lan agreed. In the inner room. Lin Jiashu sat down in front of Gu Chaoyan as Qing poured them the tea. Lin Jiashu had a weird expression on his face, apparently annoyed. Gu Chaoyan did not give the expression a thought but kept drinking the tea. This young man in front of her was quite twisted, and she was aware of that. He had been sick for years, so of course he was more sensitive than others, but Gu Chaoyan did not care. ¡°You are curing me, because you have a condition with my parents?¡± Lin Jiashu snapped angrily. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at him, lowered her head and nodded. So that was true! Lin Jiashu felt so furious that the anger inside his chest burst out! With fist tightly clenched, he found his knuckles turning pale. Gu Chaoyan did not understand why her conditions would make this man angry, as she was drinking the tea. Did this young master never go out of the mansion or was he never aware that buying things needed payment, same went for the disease check-up? She threw a pitiful look at Lin Jiashu. Seeing her look, Lin Jiashu got even more angry. ¡°What are you staring at me for? Are you pitying me?¡± He was such an extremely twisted and sensitive young man! Gu Chaoyan showed more patience thinking that she was her cousin. ¡°Even if there are other doctors whoe to check you, your family needs to pay them too. I don¡¯t need money, so I just want to get something from your family as an exchange, which is totally reasonable. In your parents¡¯ eyes, nothing is more important than your life! So they approved my proposal.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to think too much about that. Just wait until your disease is cured. That is what makes your parents happiest.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Lin Jiashu sneered self-mockingly. True... He was their only child and his life mattered above all. What choice did he have as long as he could stay alive. He did not even have choices with his own marriage! @@novelbin@@ However, he was very displeased, he did not like being forced to do anything. So he snorted and left Jingxin Hut. Even Gu Chaoyan found the whole thing confusing. She had no idea that the maids of the Lin Mansion were assuming that she was here to marry Lin Jiashu after healing him. ¡°Miss!¡± Qing pursed her lips. ¡°Look at this Young Master! You are his doctor!¡± Chapter 71: Acupuncture Medical Bath

Chapter 71: Acupuncture Medical Bath

Lin Jiashu hated it most when people considered him a sissy or like a girl. He had always looked extremely skinny because of the disease, and he did have a pretty face, so people kept saying that he looked like a girl. That was why he was barely willing to walk out of Chuyun Pavilion. Now Gu Chaoyan was saying that he looked like a girl! Furious, he stripped off his clothes, hoping to see this hideous girl flushing. Seeing him without clothes, Gu Chaoyan did not even blink. She took out the silver needles and started the acupuncture. Lin Jiashu got so furious that redness covered his cheeks, but there was nothing else he could do about it. He got increasingly annoyed about the idea of marrying this hideous girl. She was so annoying! However, soon he had no time to think about any of these. As silver needles were used on him one after another, Lin Jiashu tolerated the pain that came to him and had his teeth clenched, trying not to be mocked by this girl in front of him. Gu Chaoyan threw him a casual nce. She said calmly, ¡°If it hurts, you can say so.¡± Lin Jiashu snorted, refusing to open his mouth for any sound. So Gu Chaoyan left him the way he was. Gu Chaoyan started to withdraw the silver needles carefully when another doctor carried in the medical bath. She pointed at the bucket and said, ¡°Go and take a bath there. One hour will do.¡± Having said these words, she ignored Lin Jiashu, and brought out the prescription from her arms. ¡°This is the prescription, ask the staff in the kitchen to follow the steps. What he needs to do is to eat the medicine the next few days.¡± @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Lin took over the prescription and took a nce at the content. There were dozens of medical materials blended, including forsythia, mint, hemp, red peony etc. Mrs. Lin hesitated. Her son got acupuncture and took the medical bath today, and now he had to eat the medicine including those materials... Doctors mentioned before that he had to be careful about what he ate. There was one time when Jiashu ate the wrong prescription and coughed blood for days without being able to take in any food. ¡°Does the medicine have to be made today?¡± Mrs. Lin asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied. She was not angry about Mrs. Lin¡¯s suspicion and hesitation. Lin Jiashu had been sick for years, and the Lin Family must have hired numerous doctors whose treatments caused tons of results. It was reasonable that she was being discreet. She thought for a while and continued. ¡°The acupuncture, medical bath and medicine go hand in hand. No effects wille out unless the medicine is taken alongside the treatment. You havee to this stage, do you want to give up everything you have done before?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to suspect me for anything, Aunt. I said that I need something when it is done, yet I won¡¯t raise an unreasonable proposal, don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Chaoyan reminded her. That made Mrs. Lin slightly relieved. Lin Jiashu, however, got so furious and pale in the face that he passed out directly. Mrs. Lin panicked. ¡°It is okay, he will wake up soon.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°I will get the medicine ready.¡± Mrs. Lin was worried about Lin Jiashu, who had just passed out, but she also understood that the medicine was of great importance. Mrs. Lin soon left. Seeing her miss doing fine, Qing stepped forward and reminded her. ¡°Miss, let¡¯s go and eat some breakfast.¡± Gu Chaoyan found herself getting hungry too, so she left for breakfast with Qing. When Lin Jiashu woke up, he did not see Gu Chaoyan at all. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She went to eat breakfast.¡± Shui Lan said and added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master. I believe that Miss. Gu will surely cure you. She has a deal with the mansion, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Chapter 73: Words to Say

Chapter 73: Words to Say

He was thinking as he kissed Shui Lan on the mouth and said, ¡°Get me the clothes. When I am cured, you are mine.¡± Shui Lan flushed. She had never expected that happiness came so fast. So during these past few years, Young Master had been so fond of her too? Her hands were shivering as she helped him to get changed. It took a long while to get the work done. Lin Jiashu looked really handsome after the medical bath. He was flushing with color probably due to the heat. Lin Jiashu was throwing a casual gaze at Gu Chaoyan, hoping to get some differential emotions from her face to see if she had minded his recent behavior. However, he was disappointed. Gu Chaoyan was still wearing a t expression. He got more furious because of the disappointment. He looked at Gu Chaoyan and said straightforwardly, ¡°Shui Lan is a maid I love. Shui Lan, you don¡¯t have to work at Jingxin Hut, just stay here to serve me, does that sound okay?¡± Gu Chaoyan was sipping the tea when she heard what he said. Then she nodded instantly. She already had Qing who served her all this while. She did not mind who the Lin Mansion had arranged for her. So if Lin Jiashu needed her maid, she would not mind that at all. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied. Lin Jiashu felt very angry inwardly, but he could not vent it or extinguish it for some reason. Mrs. Lin came in. She had the medicine Gu Chaoyan asked her to prepare. Seeing Lin Jiashu seated there with a flushing face, Mrs. Lin got so happy. ¡°Come, Jiashu, drink the medicine while it is still hot.¡± Lin Jiashu took over the medicine and drank it with a frown. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Gu Chaoyan said, seeing him finishing the drink. Startled, Lin Jiashu offered the hand. She felt his pulse before smiling briefly. She had been wondering whether she should add some magical spring water into Lin Jiashu¡¯s medicine, but now it seemed unnecessary. He was getting better. @@novelbin@@ ¡°How is it?¡± Mrs. Lin asked anxiously. ¡°He is doing well. He will definitely be cured within one month.¡± Gu Chaoyan said with full confidence. This was a promise that made everyone in the room show a smile. Seeing that she was not needed, she got up and said, ¡°I need to take a break now, we can continue with the acupuncture tomorrow.¡± Mrs. Lin nodded constantly. ¡°Sure!¡± Seeing Gu Chaoyan leaving, Lin Jiashu looked at Shui Lan next to him. ¡°Go to Jingxin Hut and bring your stuff here.¡± Shui Lan could not help but want tough, yet she did not dare to do that in front of Mrs. Lin, but answered with a lowered head, ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Lin had no idea what had happened, so she looked at her son with a look of inquiry. Lin Jiashu had no intention of exining anything more but said, ¡°I need her to serve me.¡± Mrs. Lin did not want to disappoint Lin Jiashu when he was sick, so she did not say anything more, but said to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Chaoyan, I will get you some more maidster.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled and nodded, then she left for her residence with Qing. Shui Lan followed them. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s back, Shui Lan started to think inside her head. Young Master liked her, and she was pretty aware of that. However, if Miss. Gu did cure Young Master, the Old Master and Madame would surely be very thankful to her. What if she gave her problems when she became the mistress? What was she going to do by that time? As she was thinking, Shui Lan stepped forward and said, ¡°Miss. Gu, I need to talk with you.¡± Chapter 76: Misunderstanding 1

Chapter 76: Misunderstanding 1

Although she saved Lin Jiashu and gave him the second time of life, just like a mother of his rebirth... Yet even if that was the case, she could not be like his real parents who would control who he wanted to marry. What did they mean by for her sake. How annoying! So she had to repeat with patience. ¡°I am his doctor, you don¡¯t have to tell me about it. Also, he is almost cured, his sexual actions will not influence his physical conditions. Gu Chaoyan said and intended to leave. ¡°It is not really convenient for me to be involved with the family affairs of the Lin Family. I need to take a break at Jingxin Hut.¡± Gu Chaoyan bowed. However, she had just taken one step outwards, when the Old Master dragged her back. When Lin Jiaxing got reunited with his niece, he had been very annoyed and refused to talk with her, but during the past few days, he gradually realized that she was treating Jiashu with all of her heart. And she was not at all like any of the Gu Family. Therefore, as her uncle, he should not make Chaoyan displeased again. Even if it meant that he was displeasing his own son! He had to fight for justice for her sake! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chaoyan. From this day on, I am standing by your side. If you cure this boy, he is going to treat you well throughout your entire life. If you are not happy with what he ns to do, he is not going to do anything. If you are okay with his behaviors, we won¡¯t allow him to do these things either.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°When you talked about the deal, we were not very willing to let him marry you just because you cured him. But during the past few days, we have witnessed your manners and ethical actions, so we all approve of you being here. So you don¡¯t need to turn us down or get frightened. Me and your aunt will be standing by your side!¡± Lin Jiaxing said with confidence. If a man like him cared to exin this much, it basically meant that he did worry that Chaoyan could be saddened by what happened today. Gu Chaoyan frowned. Now she understood what it was going on. She did mention about a deal after curing Lin Jiashu, so everyone was thinking about getting her married? No wonder... No wonder Lin Jiashu¡¯s mother stressed that he was one year younger. She was indicating something! And then Shui Lan talked with her, and the servants of the Lin Family threw her some strange look. Even Lin Jiashu seemed very displeased about herself. That was all because of the misunderstanding. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan stayed silent as she went through what happened, but Lin Jiaxing and Mrs. Lin thought that she was thinking about marrying into the Lin Family. Lin Jiaxing jabbed Mrs. Lin with the elbow. Mrs. Lin came back to herself and said with a persuading tone as she nced at Lin Jiashu, ¡°It is Jiashu¡¯s fault and our fault too, but we are going to defend you so nothing like this will ever happen again.¡± Mrs. Lin said as she nced at Lin Jiashu. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Lin was not really willing to defend others against her son. She cared for her son who had been sick since childhood and had no rights to choose the girl he liked. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. ¡°What? If you are displeased, I will get this woman killed now!¡± Lin Jiaxing hurriedly said. ¡°I think you have all misunderstood me.¡± Chapter 79: Marrying You

Chapter 79: Marrying You

¡°What are you doing?!¡± Mrs. Lin asked anxiously. Shui Lan wondered too. She even wanted to run out after him, but with Mrs. Lin here, she could do nothing but stand on her knees motionlessly, with eyes upon Lin Jiashu. Hearing what Mrs. Lin asked, Lin Jiashu replied briefly, ¡°I need to ask Gu Chaoyan something.¡± Lin Jiashu kept thinking of the words Gu Chaoyan said ¨C You have all misunderstood me. What I need is the list for the dowry! Did he truly misunderstand her? From the first day when Gu Chaoyan moved into Jingxin Hut, he heard from the maids that Gu Chaoyan was going to marry him. @@novelbin@@ Andter... He asked his mother too. She said the same thing. So inwardly, he believed that Gu Chaoyan was going to marry him. Though he disliked this idea, and hated the feeling of being threatened, he still believed that she was going to marry him. However, now she was telling him that they all misunderstood her? That was something he could not ept. Gu Chaoyan was not that annoying either. At least she was indeed skillful in medicine and careful in treating himself. She was distant, silent and chubby, but he knew that she had never had an easy life. She was forced to get her engagement cancelled. She was not good-looking and rumor said that she often did shoplifting. Even if the Wang Family might step forward to help her with the marriage, she was not going to marry anyone excellent. If she married him, though he disliked her, she was not going to suffer in the Lin Family since she was his savior. The more Lin Jiashu thought through the whole thing, the clearer his mind became. As he came to Jingxin Hut and stood in front of Gu Chaoyan, he was not panicking any more. Instead, he was showing a look of confidence. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked distantly with slight surprise. She did not expect that Lin Jiashu woulde to her ce. Was he about to give her any warnings? Gu Chaoyan got increasingly lethal as she thought about the possible words, but Lin Jiashu did not seem to notice any of these. With eyes upon Gu Chaoyan, he said with a pitiful tone, ¡°I have thought about it. I can marry you.¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a very cold look at Lin Jiashu. Did he not understand what she said or did his head work terribly? What was he thinking? Marrying her? She was not going to marry him either, even if he wanted to. ¡°Mr. Wang might have a high position in the office, but anyone who marries you for his sake would not give you a great life. I was narrow-minded before, but now I have thought it through. I don¡¯t like you, but I won¡¯t allow you to live in a bad environment. The Lin Family will treat you well for your treatment upon me. But...¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°But I have to be responsible for Shui Lan. You can¡¯t punish her. As long as you can ept this condition, I will definitely marry you,¡± Lin Jiashu mumbled constantly. Having said the words... He suddenly felt rather pleased. Seeing Gu Chaoyan standing in silence, he assumed that she was just being shy, so he said, ¡°I will tell mom.¡± ¡°Hang on.¡± Gu Chaoyan spoke in a very freezing tone. Lin Jiashu looked at her with confusion. Chapter 83: No Wonder

Chapter 83: No Wonder

He had thought that he misheard her. Lord Huai, really? The most noble lord of the Saint Divine Land, the lineal son of the Queen and the most beloved child of the King. The king did not even me him for chopping off the arm of the minister¡¯s daughter. He was indeed a lethal man! How did Chaoyan get to know anyone like him? Seeing her uncle¡¯s overly startled look, Gu Chaoyan realized that she should not reveal her n of marrying Lord Huai in the future. Instead, she exined calmly. ¡°We ran into each other at the Elder¡¯s mansion. He heard of my excellent medical skills and needs my help. So he dispatched several men for me to use.¡± Despite the exnation Lin Jiaxing was still in shock. So Lord Huai was asking her for help? Did she really mean that? No wonder... No wonder Chaoyan was so confident. No wonder Chaoyan was bold enough to fight against the Gu Family. Lin Jiaxing turned extremely excited. He hated the Gu Family for abandoning the Lin Family when they lost the status as the imperial business family. He hated it when they looked down at them for this reason, but now Chaoyan had befriended Lord Huai. So... So if the Lin Family could ever regain the status as the imperial business family... That would be beyond Lin Jiaxing¡¯s imagination! ¡°Uncle, just stay here. I need to go home now.¡± Gu Chaoyan said as she saw the wagon standing outside the door. ¡°Oh.¡± Lin Jiaxing brought back to himself. They had alreadye to the doorstep. What he had been thinking should not be mentioned at the moment. However, he could talk about that in the future. ¡°Chaoyan, after you get home, please inform me when you need anything.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled and nodded, then she went into the wagon. Standing at the doorstep and seeing the wagon disappearing, Lin Jiaxing let out a sigh of relief and started to walk into the mansion. Then heughed and felt like he was in a good mood. He had intended to return to the study, when he thought of Lin Jiashu and took the turn to Chuyun Pavilion. The situation at Chuyun Pavilion had already returned to normal under Mrs. Lin¡¯s control. Shui Lan was just a maid, and her bing a concubine depended on one order from Mrs. Lin, who only needed to get them a nice room to get the whole thing settled. Mrs. Lin was speaking with Lin Jiashu at the moment. Seeing Lin Jiaxing here, Mrs. Lin walked up and said with a smile. ¡°Old Master, have you got what Chaoyan needs?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Chaoyan is not as mild as sister. She is quite intimidating. Please talk with her about it, okay? She sttered tea water over Jiashu just because he exchanged a few words with her. She would not make a good wife for any family!¡± Mrs. Lin sounded very gentle, just like a senior who cared deeply about a junior. Lin Jiaxing would not take it seriously if it had been the past, but now things were different. Hearing what Mrs. Lin, he red at her. ¡°If you two had not misunderstood her, Chaoyan would not have gotten mad! Don¡¯t ever bad mouth Chaoyan in front of me. She is Jiashu¡¯s savior, don¡¯t you ever forget! You have to treat her nicely and politely.¡± Mrs. Lin¡¯s smiling face sank. So now, Gu Chaoyan was more important than Jiashu in the Old Master¡¯s heart? She did not dare to counter, but sat there in utter silence. ¡ª @@novelbin@@ At the Gu Mansion. Gu Chaoyan had juste to the doorstep when Chen Fu came to her and showed a ttering smile. ¡°Miss, Madame Gu is asking for you in the front yard, now.¡± Chapter 87: The Sea

Chapter 87: The Sea

Hearing the words, Madame Guughed. Young people always liked dreaming. ¡°Chaoyan, it is good that you are ambitious, but you have to get a clear understanding of yourself. You may be skilled with some medical knowledge, but families with high social statuses would not marry you as the wife just because of that point! ¡°....¡± ¡°You have just returned from the Lin Family, and you are pretty aware of how the Lin Family treated you. That is what business families are like, let alone official families. You think you are going to have a better future than your Second Sister?¡± Madame Gu said in a mocking tone,ughed and shook her head. No wonder Chaoyan insisted on going to get the list of dowries from the Lin Family. She was trying to get herself a good family to marry. However, the result turned out to be the same as she had assumed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will watch out for your marriage. We may not be able to find an excellent suitor, yet he won¡¯t be a terrible one either.¡± Madame Gu promised. ¡°Just try to think through these matters, you will understand it all. Alright, you can leave now.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled coldly. Just because she was not as pretty as Gu Ruxue or as smart, she was going to have a worse futurepared to her? She would like to see what expression Madame Gu would have on her face the day when she married Lord Huai. For now, she was not bothered to argue about that at all. So she went back to her residence directly. At Qiong Pavilion. Qing had already gotten the hot water ready. @@novelbin@@ Seeing Chaoyaning home, she helped her with the bath and asked casually, ¡°Miss, what did Madame Gu call you for?¡± ¡°We are going to the imperial court.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Qing suddenly ceased her moving hands that helped her with the blouse. ¡°Miss, did you say yes? Let¡¯s not go there. What if something terrible happens again!¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Qing. She was worried, but she had no idea how to put her points forward. ¡°What something terrible?¡± ¡°I mean... Miss, did you forget what happened when you were little?¡± Qing got so anxious that she almost stomped her feet. She looked so worried. ¡°Miss, you became the way you look after you visited the imperial court, now you are getting better....¡± She knew what Qing was worried about. Gu Chaoyan patted her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing terrible will happen this time.¡± Qing looked at her miss who seemed calm. She became calm again. For some reason, she started to trust her own miss after she was rescued from theke. When Miss said that nothing would happen, she believed that nothing would happen. Qing continued to help her with her clothes, then went outside while she was taking the bath. Gu Chaoyan did not like it when someone watched her as she was taking a bath. After Qing left the room. As she had always been doing, she squeezed out the magical water with her consciousness. However, what became different this time was that she saw a well in her mind, a well that had nothing inside. In the meanwhile, she got a few more drops of water out of her fingers. That was a change that startled Chaoyan. It seemed as if she had gotten all the fortune she needed. Again, Gu Chaoyan delved into her consciousness to observe the well even more carefully. Chapter 92: B*tch

Chapter 92: B*tch

She had lost a lot of weight, a little chubby still, yet her skin had turned fair. She was sofortable to look at, when her eyes wererge and clear. Lu Jiming even found her a little bit attractive. He felt his heart hopping as he saw her standing there in a confident and calm way. @@novelbin@@ He regretted as he had eyes upon her. He should not have been so determined to have cancelled their engagement. And he should have been more sincere when asking her to be the concubine. In that way, he might be able to get both her and Ruxue. How wonderful would that be. However, that was just a momentary matter. He soon realized something. The reason why Chaoyan had lost so much weight must have been because of sadness. She had been admiring him for the past few years. So she must have turned skinny because he never liked her. He could exin to her in a fine manner when they both had timeter. As long as Chaoyan could lose some more weight, he could consider giving her a nice wedding, when he married Ruxue. Lu Jiming smiled as he made up his mind. Gu Chaoyan did not know that many weird ideas had shed across Lu Jiming¡¯s mind during this brief period of time, but Gu Ruxue had noticed his strange behavior. That was how Lu Jiming stared at her a while back. How dare he! How dare he stare at the ugly woman in this way? ¡°Prince.¡± Gu Ruxue called him with a lovely tone, bringing Lu Jiming back to himself. He looked at Gu Ruxue. ¡°What is it, Xue?¡± He had just said the words, when he saw the two maids next to Gu Ruxue. The two maids who had swelling cheeks, should have returned at Madame Gu¡¯s order, but Gu Ruxue insisted on making them stay. Now seeing how Lu Jiming was looking at her sister, Gu Ruxue was d that she had kept the two girls. Now they came in handy. ¡°Prince, are you attending the banquet too?¡± Gu Ruxue asked gently. Lu Jiming nodded and asked instantly, ¡°What is wrong with the two maids?¡± Hearing Lu Jiming¡¯s question, Gu Ruxue got delighted inwardly. However, she could not show that on her face, but said with a concerned tone, ¡°Sister hit them as we were waiting outside the gate. We are visiting the imperial court today, so we have no medicine with us. We have to wait until we meet Princess Gu to see if they can be given the medicine.¡± Hearing these words, Lu Jiming felt very concerned about her. Ruxue was also so gentle and kind, and she even showed concern to two maids and thought about giving them the medicine. Gu Chaoyan on the other hand... He no longer liked her. What was the point of getting prettier? She was still so evil! He red at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°What an evil woman!¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a lethal look back at him and asked coldly, ¡°Who are you referring to?¡± Maybe it was because of the intimidating air Gu Chaoyan put on, but Lu Jiming did not answer directly. However, Madame Duke Changning did not lose the chance and said with a sneering tone, ¡°Jiming said nothing wrong! You are evil to hit your servants. Luckily we canceled the engagement, or our servants would suffer.¡± ¡°It seems that no one at Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion has any manners.¡± Gu Chaoyan said mockingly, ¡°So you have to worship your servants who make mistakes instead of punishing them. How low-ss the owners of Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion are!¡± ¡°What are you talking about, b*tch!¡± Madame Duke Changning shouted. Chapter 95: Reputation Raised

Chapter 95: Reputation Raised

Chaoyan! Wasn¡¯t Chaoyan the famous ugly girl of the Gu Family? Princess Gu still could not believe that. This so-called ugly girl had not only be prettier, but also befriended Lord Huai! She threw a nce at Madame Gu behind their backs, hoping to get confirmation from her about the real identity of this girl. Madame Gu got Princess Gu¡¯s look and showed a proud smile on her face full of wrinkles. She nodded slightly. Princess Gu got both startled and d. She was about to talk with Gu Chaoyan to show their family rtionship, when Lord Huai said before anyone did. ¡°Now she is here, I am off. Take good care of Chaoyan!¡± The words had just been spoken, when Lord Huai left. Princess Virtue here was one of the top four princesses whilst Princess Gu was one of the princesses in the imperial court with a rtively lower level too. Yet Lord Huai did not need to show any courtesy towards them. ¡°See you around, Lord Huai!¡± Princess Virtue and Princess Gu said. A long whileter, Lord Huai finally disappeared out of sight. Princess Virtue asked in confusion, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, which family are you from?¡± Lord Huai was calling her by her given name, namely Chaoyan rather than mentioning her family name, so Princess Virtue had no idea where thisdy was from. Also, she was a stranger to her, though she had met most of thedies from different families, unless thedy was not the lineal daughter. However, normally, daughters of concubines were not invited to the imperial court. That was why she found it confusing, when she found this newdy speaking with Lord Huai. @@novelbin@@ Hearing the question, Madame Gu said instantly before Chaoyan could answer. Her well-weathered face was full of pride. ¡°Princess Virtue, Chaoyan is the daughter of our family.¡± What?! Princess Virtue looked at Madame Gu with disbelief and then at Princess Gu next to her. Ady from the Gu Family! How did anyone from the Gu Family get to be a good friend with Lord Huai? As far as she remembered, the daughter of the Gu Family was both chubby and ugly, and her engagement had just been cancelled too. Because of this daughter of the Gu Family, Princess Gu had beenughed at by peers in the imperial court for a long time, but now... Princess Virtue was not very d, yet Princess Gu showed a bright expression on her face. Years had gone before, and she finally gained some nice reputation for herself at Biquan Pce! It was the correct decision to invite Gu Chaoyan! ¡°Princess Virtue, let¡¯s just receive them inside the Pce, please.¡± Princess Gu reminded her. Princess Virtue came back to herself. She was still displeased, yet she had to show some manners. So she led the guests indoors. As they came into Biquan Pce, it became Princess Gu who was out there receiving the Gu Family and Madame Duke Changning. Princess Virtue was one of the top princesses with a much more noble status. The reason why she was out there receiving the Gu Family was only because Lord Huai had been there. She would not have shown up herself if Lord Huai had not been there. Not many people were at Biquan Pce by this hour. Thedies and madams who arrived first were normally from a family with a rtively low rank. The Gu Family was one such family. Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion was no better, except that the Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion had a marquis rank. With her own family around, Princess Gu asked for a word with Madame Gu in a corner, inquiring rapidly, ¡°Mom, what is it going on? How did Gu Chaoyan get to know Lord Huai? Look at how Princess Virtue took it just now! She helped me to raise my reputation!¡± Madame Gu knew the answer, but she had not expected that Lord Huai would have helped them to this degree. ¡°It is said that he appreciates Chaoyan¡¯s medical skills, and asked her for help back at the Huo Family!¡± Chapter 97: What to Do

Chapter 97: What to Do

Though Madame Gu was asked to get her, Madame Gu was of a high status so she wouldn¡¯t go there personally. She told her maid Cai Ming. ¡°Get Miss here.¡± Cai Ming answered and walked towards Gu Chaoyan. At this moment, Gu Chaoyan was drinking the tea, frowning. In front of her was Lu Jiming who kept nagging. Lu Jiming simply could not notice that Chaoyan was displeased. He assumed that Gu Chaoyan liked him a great deal and that she would be d to be able to speak with him. So he asked straightforwardly, ¡°Chaoyan, when did you befriend Lord Huai?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Chaoyan, are you still angry with me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright, I misunderstood you before, but don¡¯t be narrow-minded and take it as a big deal.¡± Lu Jiming got impatient seeing that she stayed silent. Gu Ruxue, who was not faraway, snorted. ¡°So what you know is just some medical knowledge. Don¡¯t you dare humiliate us when you are performingter.¡± She had never expected that the Prince would one day try to console the ugly girl. What was good about this ugly girl anyway? However, she could not do anything here at Biquan Pce anyway. @@novelbin@@ Seeing Gu Ruxue getting pissed, Lu Jiming got concerned. He walked away from Gu Chaoyan and consoled Gu Ruxue with a small voice, ¡°Ruxue, don¡¯t get mad. I only adore you. The ugly girl is now a friend of Lord Huai¡¯s, so she is going to be practical for Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion! I am consoling her so that she can marry me as a concubine, but she is never going to be a threat to you. You are going to be Princess Consort, and you can do anything to her! And, isn¡¯t it good for you too, if she can benefit us at Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion.¡± Hearing those words, Gu Ruxue felt assured and showed a slight smile. That was the case. She knew that Jiming only adored her. She would not have liked it if Chaoyan was marrying the Prince. However, after hearing what the Prince said, she found it a very beneficial thing for them all. Gu Chaoyan thought that she was capable, did she? Okay then, she was going to see how much further her daydream of marrying an extraordinary man would go when she came to Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion, where she was going to be in full control. As Gu Ruxue thought of these, she again showed pride. Then she threw a look into Gu Chaoyan¡¯s direction. However... The seat was empty. Gu Ruxue looked about and did not see Gu Chaoyan within sight. So she asked her mother, ¡°Mom, where is Gu Chaoyan?¡± Mrs. Gu was confused too. ¡°Princess Gu was asking for her, so she went away with Madam Gu¡¯s maid.¡± It used to be Ruxue who got to speak with Madam Gu and Princess Gu, but now, Chaoyan became the only one to join the conversation. Cai Ming did not even want to bring Ruxue with her. How annoying! What was wrong with that ugly woman! ¡°I am going to check it out!¡± Unconvinced, Gu Ruxue was about to leave, but Mrs. Gu gripped her instead. Without Madame Gu¡¯s order, she did not dare to release Ruxue. They were in the court, not some casual ce. ¡°Just continue to talk with the Prince, leave yourself out of the mess over there,¡± Mrs. Gu said. Gu Ruxue stomped her feet, giving up the thought. ¡°Mom, I have got one more thing to tell you.¡± Gu Ruxue suddenly thought of something. Chapter 101: Unexpected.

Chapter 101: Unexpected.

She might be a killer in her previous life, but she was also skilled in zither, chess, calligraphy and painting. So performing was not a difficult thing for her. She looked at her dress that was prepared by Gu Ruxue, which was most suitable for dances, she said naturally, ¡°I will dance.¡± ¡°I would very much like to see what the ugliest girl would do with dances!¡± Princess Xunyang said arrogantly and returned to her seat. Gu Chaoyan did not make any preparations but went on the stage directly. Gu Ruxue nned to follow, but upset the tea in her hands, as the water sttered over Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan noticed that her shoulders had be wet. So what she had assumed was true. ¡°Sister, do you want to get changed?¡± Instead of making an apology, Gu Ruxue asked casually. Well... Everyone was waiting for Gu Chaoyan to perform. She had no time to get changed at all. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. She went up to the middle of the stage directly. Gu Ruxue watched in her seat carefully. She was expecting to see Gu Chaoyan get humiliated in public! Gu Chaoyan was talking with the instrument yers about the melody. Those yers were imperially employed, and Gu Chaoyan¡¯s messages to them went through easily. Gu Chaoyan started to perform openly. She started to sing a song called The Bright Moon... Alongside with the melody, Gu Chaoyan danced as she sang, ¡°Bright, bright moon in the sky, fairy up there, please tell me what it is this year? How I wish to fly away, yet the pavilion high up, makes me feel scared in some way. I dance with the silhouette up in heaven, how wonderful it feels on the earth even.¡± Those who had expected to see a ridiculous and funny show, started to pay great attention the moment she started to sing. Gu Chaoyan was slightly chubby, yet the way she danced was so beautiful that her chubbiness was ignored. What remained was the lovely voice of hers. @@novelbin@@ And they had never heard her singing in this way before. It was so beautiful. Gu Ruxue was shocked too! Where did the ugly girl learn this? But it did not matter. She was waiting to see how she was going to live on when her dress fell off. A small smile hovered over her face, as she waited patiently. The song ended, and what Gu Ruxue had expected did not happen. Gu Chaoyan was standing right in front of them with a great posture. After a moment of silence, the crowd started to p. Madame Min went up and gripped Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands excitedly, ¡°Did youpile the dance and song yourself?¡± Gu Chaoyan did not know who Madame Min was, but she replied with a great manner. ¡°I did.¡± Having said the words, Gu Chaoyan felt somehow guilty. Since she was living in a different ancient time, the real writer for this melody and lyrics had not existed yet. No wonder this song made thisdy so d. ¡°Impossible!¡± Gu Ruxue shouted. Madame Min threw a look at Gu Ruxue. ¡°What do you mean, Second Lady, or are you saying that you made the song and melody?¡± Gu Ruxue looked up guiltily, ¡°No, no, I just find it curious. Sister never learned those things in the past, how did shee up with such a song and dance all of a sudden.¡± Madame Min had heard some rumor about thisdy. She looked at Gu Chaoyan briefly. She still believed her, but Madame Min found it curious too. Instead of answering the question directly, Gu Chaoyan asked, ¡°Second Sister, you just told Princess Xunyang that i have been making preparations for this performance for a long while, so how did Ie up with the dance and song all of a sudden?¡± Chapter 104: Outstanding

Chapter 104: Outstanding

As she was speaking, Gu Ruxue was struggling just to start a fight with Gu Chaoyan. However, Madame Gu stopped her and covered her mouth, fearing that something more inappropriate woulde out of her mouth. She would have approved of Ruxue before. She was pretty and had an excellent suitor, and the Gu Family had to rely on her. For her sake, Gu Chaoyan was nothing, and she could even bear the responsibility for today! However, now it would not work. Ruxue had humiliated herself, yet she could not get Chaoyan involved. Chaoyan had not only the support from the Wang Family, but also Lord Huai as well as Madame Min. What was more, Princess Gu had helped to arrange a marriage for her too. So, no, she must not do anything. Madame Gu covered up Gu Ruxue¡¯s mouth and asked the maid to bring Gu Ruxue back to the inner chamber of Princess Gu at Biquan Pce. And during the whole process, Gu Chaoyan was standing right on the spot with back straight, staring at Gu Ruxues¡¯s mess. @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Gu red at Gu Chaoyan fiercely. She did not believe that Gu Chaoyan was smart enough to set up Ruxue, but she was making a mistake today, if she did not get her to admit. Also, she was angry that Madam Gu was not helping Ruxue this time. She took a few steps forward and red at Chaoyan with a fierce look. ¡°Ugly girl, you better admit the wrong doing today, or you are never going to have a peaceful day in your life.¡± Gu Chaoyan sneered and approached Mrs. Gu, asking calmly, ¡°Auntie Gu, did you ask Madame Gu for permission for me to admit the mistake?¡± The words had just been spoken when Gu Chaoyan left without taking one more look at her. Mrs. Gu stood motionlessly on the spot. She felt that something different had happened to Chaoyan, but she could not tell what the difference was. She shook her head. Impossible. She was still the ugly girl that could be easily bullied by them. Mrs. Gu followed the gang. As they came into Biquan Pce, Gu Chaoyan was on the way to see Gu Ruxue when a maid from Biquan Pce stopped her. It was a stranger who showed a cold expression to Gu Chaoyan as they met. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, Princess Virtue is asking for you.¡± Princess Virtue? Gu Chaoyan nodded and left with the maid. It was a fortunate thing if Princess Virtue was asking for her. When she was checking up Princess Gu during the daytime, she more or less understood that Princess Virtue would either ask for her or try to cause her trouble. It would be great if it was the former. It was always more useful to get one more friend than one more enemy. Princess Virtue was the main princess at Biquan Pce. So she was residing in thergest hall. There were quite a few maids and eunuchs in the major hall, and the maid led her in. Princess Virtue was seated in fullposure. Her well polished hand was holding the teacup. However, she was not taking a sip from the tea, nor did she show any expression. Gu Chaoyan greeted her politely. After the greeting, Princess Virtue nodded. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You stood out very clearly today.¡± Princess Virtue said as she was still holding the cup. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but look at her hand. ¡°Thanks, Princess Virtue.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied with a smile. ¡°However, you should never get confused by one glorious moment and assume that you can do anything and achieve anything.¡± Princess Virtue said, sounding honest. At the interval, her maid changed a new teacup for her. Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°You got what?¡± Chapter 109: Not Their Business

Chapter 109: Not Their Business

Having said these words, Gu Zhenkang flung his sleeves, suggesting that those men could bring her away. The officers thanked him. It was always very difficult to get the suspect from home. They had thought that they would experience hardship, yet it worked out more smoothly than they had never expected. It seemed that this Miss of the mansion was not at all worthy. The officers who took her all the way to the Government Office not only scolded her but also lectured her, since they understood what status she was in. However, Gu Chaoyan threw no temper, just frowned. It was not until they reached the Government Office that they met the chief. The chief was a fat man withrge ears. Seeing the woman standing in front of him, he snorted at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°So you are the Miss of the Gu Family, the so-called ugliest girl of the entire city? But you don¡¯t look that ugly at all.¡± He reached out his chubby hand, intending to touch Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. Gu Chaoyan red back at him lethally. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever dare touch me!¡± The fat chief withdrew his hand uneasily. His heart was itching, as he saw a fair-skinneddy of a family, totally obvious that he should not conduct such a thing. He let out some dryughter. ¡°Look at you, wild girl. Do you really think you are the Miss of the mansion?¡± He said to his staff, ¡°Get her in the prison, and do not feed her anything.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The fat chief snorted, then left. ¡ª At the Qiong Pavilion. Seeing the staff from the Government Office taking Chaoyan away, Chen Fu went to tell Qing back at the Qiong Pavilion, feeling unassured. Hearing the words, Qing sprang up and shouted, ¡°What? The staff from the Government Office took Miss?! No one from the Gu Mansion stopped them?¡± ¡°...¡±Chen Fu was silent. Qing paced back and forth anxiously. She finally understood that people from the Gu Mansion were not reliable at all. What was she going to do?! After thinking for a long while, Qing finally recalled the Lin Family. She stomped her feet. ¡°I am going to the Lin Family!¡± Then she dashed off. Seeing the scene, Chen Fu did not stop her, but went to attend his own matters. He left the girl alone at the mercy of God. Qing walked very fast. As she was about to walk out of the mansion, she bumped into Madame Gu who had juste home. Seeing that it was Madame Gu standing in front of her, Qing got so excited as if she had seen a hero. After all, Madame Gu had been treating Miss well during the past few days. She kneeled down on the ground and said to Madame Gu. ¡°Madame Gu, you have to save Miss!¡± @@novelbin@@ Madame Gu got excited. What had happened in the short interval when she was away? Gu Zhenkang happened to be receiving his mother when he saw Qing who was on her knees. He gave her a kick. ¡°Bitch, how dare you stop Madame Gu!¡± Madame Gu did not care how Qing was doing, but she was curious what happened. ¡°What is it going on?¡± ¡°Of course it is the ugly girl¡¯s wrong doing! She hit the Prince yesterday and Madame Duke Changning reported her! The staff of the Government Office came to bring her away!¡± Gu Zhenkang said nonchntly, feeling somehow d. ¡°What?¡±! Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxueughed as they heard the words. Mrs. Gu said, ¡°Serves her right! How dare she hit the Prince! She set up Ruxue back at the court, and I don¡¯t think that she should be kept in our mansion any more!¡± Having said these words, Mrs. Gu looked at Madame Gu. She was worried that Madam Gu would interfere with this matter, so she added. ¡°Madame Duke Changning must be very angry if she reported to the government. She doesn¡¯t even care that our two families are soon to be united! If we do anything about it, Ruxue¡¯s marriage would be affected.¡± ¡°Madame Gu, it is not Miss¡¯ fault!¡± Qing looked at Madame Gu with a persistent look. Madame Gu threw a look at Qing. Chapter 112: Not A Miss

Chapter 112: Not A Miss

He whispered. ¡°Your Miss hit Prince of Duke Changning?¡± Qing nodded. The Old Master¡¯s heart sank. The officer who went inside to pass on the message showed up again. Seeing the wagon from Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion, he had no choice but said, ¡°Old Master Lin, Chief said he has no time for you.¡± The officer said the words and returned to his own spot. When Madame Duke Changning and Lu Jiming got there, they did not notice the Lin Family, but went straight into the Government Office. The guarding officers at the door bowed politely. Seeing the scene, Qing kneeled down directly. ¡°Old Master, what should we do? What can Miss do?¡± The Old Master looked helpless as well. He had the intention of helping her, but he had no other method, since the officers did not give them the chance to meet the chief. The money I had prepared could note in handy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? The Chief refuses to see us. There is nothing we can do.¡± Mrs. Lin said quickly. It was a 1000 note that could be saved, when the Chief turned them down. Lin Jiashu made a circle on the spot, not knowing what to do. @@novelbin@@ Seeing that the Lin Family had no way out, Qing rushed out. She started to beat the drum crazily whilst shouting loudly, ¡°Our miss was wronged! Our miss was wronged!¡± She had made some noise when she was brought in too. ¡°What are we going to do!¡± Lin Jiashu got anxious. He intended to rush in, but the guards stopped him. Unable to do anything, Lin Jiashu stood worriedly. Seeing that, Mrs. Lin consoled. ¡°What can we do? We are just a business family who have no power against the Government! Also, even the Gu Family did not care about her, so we better go home. She will be released after she gets punished.¡± Hearing what Mrs. Lin said, Lin Jiashu shook his head and said with determination, ¡°No, I am waiting right here.¡± Old Master sighed and got the point. Madame Duke Changning must be very annoyed at the moment. She would be fine after Madame Duke Changning vented her anger. The Gu Mansion left themselves out of it, because they had no intention of offending Duke Changning. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see. I believe that when Madame Duke Changninges out, we can give them some money so that she can be released.¡± However, Chaoyan might have to suffer a little in the prison. Inside the Government Office. Madame Duke Changning came to meet the Chief with Lu Jiming whose face had be totally bloated. Chief smiled courteously as he saw Madame Duke Changning. ¡°Madame, Prince, we have caught the girl. She is now inside the cell.¡± Chief was displeased as he mentioned Chaoyan. He said with a strange tone, ¡°Thatdy of the Gu Family is very arrogant. She behaved as if she were at her own home here,¡± Madame Duke Changning smiled. ¡°She is not a miss.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If she were a miss, she would not have shoplifted. If she were a miss, she would not have jumped into theke. And if she were a miss, she would not have been divorced.¡± Madame Duke Changning snorted. ¡°You have spoken too highly of her. She has offended you, and you can do whatever you want with this nortriousdy!¡± Hearing what Madame Duke Changning said, the chief regretted having done nothing with her except for cutting off her food source, just because he worried that she was thedy of the Gu Family. He was the chief, and he could do whatever he wanted with this kind of woman! Seeing Chief¡¯s expression, Madame Duke Changning smiled. ¡°Where is she?¡± Chapter 116: Lord Huai

Chapter 116: Lord Huai

¡°Shut up!¡± Lin Jiaxing got furious hearing Mrs. Lin¡¯s sour words. The Lin Family would sooner orter get ruined by what this woman said. ¡°Do you still want to live or not, that is Lord Huai!¡± ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Lin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Lord Huai? A lord? But he was holding the ugly girl... how could that be possible. Before Mrs. Lin gave it one more thought, Gu Chaoyan already came to their side. Zhou Huaijin had put down the girl, but he was following her around. ¡°Uncle, Aunt, Jiashu... you... well, thank you.¡± Gu Chaoyan was not that good at expressing herself. She had no idea how to spill out the words of gratitude. ¡°It is okay, we have done nothing.¡± The Old Master felt a little embarrassed. He had done nothing, so the words were way too heavy for him to bear. However, Mrs. Lin was aware that the man next to Chaoyan was a lord. So she started to behave differently and said with a smile, ¡°Chaoyan, Qing told us that something happened to you, so your uncle and Jiashu were worried and came here in a hurry.¡± Mrs. Lin said as she tugged Lin Jiashu. ¡°Right, Jiashu?¡± Lin Jiashu looked a bit embarrassed. He was not willing to answer a thing. Yes, they dide here, but they had done nothing except for being anxious. When he saw the man standing next to her, who had carried her out of the office. Lin Jiashu finally understood why Gu Chaoyan was so arrogant as to say those words ¨C that was because he was nothing except for being the Young Master of the Lin Family. Zhou Huaijin did not like those people from the Lin Family. Seeing that they were pestering them, he did not want to waste time but said, ¡°Yan is injured, I need to take her home for treatment.¡± @@novelbin@@ Only now did the Old Master notice the blood stain on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s body. He said quickly, ¡°Sure, sure.¡± The words had just been spoken when Gu Chaoyan was carried up again, but this time she did not struggle. Mrs. Lin belittled her in every aspect, thinking that a divorced woman like her would never get married again. However, Zhou Huaijin was such an outstanding man that Chaoyan did not mind showing off a little right here. A small smile hovered over her face. Zhou Huaijin looked happy as well. ¡°I will thank them for you, if the Lin Family had the intention of helping you!¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. Then Zhou Huaijin stuffed the girl into the wagon. Inside the wagon, Zhou Huaijin kept frowning as heid eyes upon her wound. It was not very deep, fortunately. Probably because Madame Duke Changning was a woman who did not use a whip often. However, even if that was the case, Zhou Huaijin was still full of guilt and concern. He dabbed medicine upon the wound discreetly. ¡°Hurt?¡± Chaoyan shook her head. ¡°Not really.¡± This was such a small wound for her, who had experienced wounds many times more serious than this. However, she felt heat rising up inside her, as she saw Zhou Huaijin¡¯s enthusiastic look upon her. She lifted the drapery to get some air as she looked out. Then she noticed that the wagon was going in a strange direction. ¡°We are not going back to the Gu Mansion?¡± Chapter 120: A Few Days later

Chapter 120: A Few Dayster

Madame Gu clicked her cane and looked at Gu Zhenkang with displeasure. ¡°What happened to Mrs. Lin was because of her naive actions. She was just a girl from a business family...¡± As she spoke of this, Madame Gu felt a bit worried inwardly. ¡°Just forget it...¡± ¡°..l..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever mention what happened before. Chaoyan knows nothing about it, and what could she do even if she ever finds out the truth?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She is a girl who needs the help of the Gu Family. Do you think that she would ever defend herself against the Gu Family just because of her business-family born mother?¡± Madame Gu smiled with confidence. It would not be possible. Hearing what Madam Gu said Gu Zhenkang felt a bit calmer. Those words made sense. If that was the case, Gu Zhenkang knew what he should do. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡± Madame Gu nodded with satisfaction. Her son might be weak and dependent, but he was, after all, obedient. @@novelbin@@ Now she was in control of the Gu Mansion, but soon she would be too old to take care of anything. Now her eldest grandson Yunhe and grandson Yunxun could give a hand too, so she did not have to be too worried. As she thought of the Gu Mansion¡¯s future, Madame Gu was indeed d. Everything seemed to go forward in a very smooth way, and that made her really pleased. The mother and the son had a long discussion in the front yard. Then Chen Fu came back in a hurry. Seeing Chen Fu, Madame Gu looked surprised too. Didn¡¯t he go to the Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion? What was he doing here so fast? ¡°Stop kneeling, just get up and tell us what happened? Did you go to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion? What did they say?¡± Madame Gu asked anxiously. It was a matter of honor for the Gu Mansion, so it was important. Chen Fu was panting. He wanted to get up too, but he couldn¡¯t. His legs were shivering. Oh god! He just went to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, and he got to speak with the housekeeper! And the housekeeper was treating him nicely too! As the housekeeper of the Gu Family, Chen Fu had never expected that he could get such a great treatment ever in his life. His legs were copsing. ¡°Madame Gu... I did...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The housekeeper said that our miss is injured and the imperial doctor says that she needs to take a long break. So Miss is staying at Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion these next few days...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Miss will be home in a couple of days.¡± Chen Fu said as his teeth ttered. Madame Gu got so excited that the cane fell out of her hand. Gu Zhenkang picked it up quickly. ¡°What is it, mom?¡± Madame Gu epted the cane and said with an excited smile. ¡°Nothing... just very d.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Zhenkang, have Chaoyan¡¯s Qiong Pavilion cleaned these days and ask Mrs. Gu to do it.¡± As they were talking, Madame Gu suddenly thought that the Qiong Pavilion was way too broken to get cleaned properly. So she said, ¡°Forget it, pick a better yard for her, sort it out and let her move to the front yard when she returns.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Zhenkang said with an understanding tone. ¡°Also, ask Mrs. Gu to get ready and tell the backyard that the whole family should go and greet Chaoyan on the day of her return.¡± Madame Gu was slightly satisfied as she said this. Oh man... She wasing home from Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion! Princess Gu had been the only woman of the family who had gotten such a treatment. However, Princess Gu had never bought any profits for the Gu Mansion. That was what Madam Gu was regretful about. Hopefully, Chaoyan could make a difference. Chapter 122: A Forceful Kiss

Chapter 122: A Forceful Kiss

Gu Chaoyan cringed subconsciously, looking at him in confusion. Could it have been something else? What was wrong with Lord Huai? What made him angry all of a sudden? He had been fine a while ago. Gu Chaoyan smiled embarrassedly. ¡°What is wrong? Did I say something weird?¡± The next second Zhou Huaijin swept her into his arms, lowered his head and touched her lips. He took a gentle bite at her lips as a means of punishment. Gu Chaoyan realized what he had done to her, so she kept struggling, but... Even the slightly chubby girl like Gu Chaoyan looked quite small in the arms of the tall Zhou Huaijin. Her struggle did not work and she could not get rid of his grip. Seeing her Miss being bullied, Qing was about to rush up, ¡°Miss, I aming!¡± However, the moment Qing took a step forward, Lord Huai¡¯s servants dragged her away. They kept winking at Qing, however, she didn¡¯t pay it any attention. What dominated her mind was that her Miss was being bullied! The servants could not stop Qing from going forward, so they pressed down her head so she could see nothing. The couple was left alone. Zhou Huaijin found the whole thing wonderful, and the girl in his arms tasted so sweet. He had thought about behaving more like a gentleman in front of Yan. However, Yan seemed to show no willingness, so he decided to not stay gentle, but went with his feelings. The girl had, after all, agreed to be his Princess, his only princess. It was not until Gu Chaoyan could not breathe any more that Zhou Huaijin released her and said cheerfully, ¡°Yan, don¡¯t say such words any more, or you will know what you are going to get from me.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face sank. She lifted her fist and was about to hit Zhou Huaijin when he gripped the fist and said, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be childish. Let¡¯s eat lunch.¡± They were talking as he led Gu Chaoyan forward with her hand in his. Gu Chaoyan was still showing an expression of confusion ¨C so she was not allowed to reveal that they were just cooperative partners? Gu Chaoyan was still flushing with heat. At that moment, she even forgot to fight against Zhou Huaijin. The lunch was very rich. Gu Chaoyan made a rough count and concluded that there were at least 30 dishes, each of which had totally different food. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face twitched. ¡°Are you feeding a pig?¡± @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin¡¯s long fingers covered Gu Chaoyan¡¯s lips. ¡°Yan, be careful about what you say.¡± Gu Chaoyan let out a small sound of agreement. She did not understand what he really meant. There were many rules in Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion. It was an imperial mansion, after all. They sat down. Zhou Huaijin said calmly, ¡°The food served at Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion might not be as excellent as that of the King, so if you think the food here is for pig feeding, what about the food for the King?¡± Zhou Huaijin looked at Gu Chaoyan with a pair of heated eyes. Gu Chaoyan covered up her own mouth, after realizing what happened. She let out an embarrassed smile. She might have been a top killer in her previous life, yet she was in a different time when she did not dare to counter the King. She had to be careful about what she said. Instead of saying anything more, Gu Chaoyan focused on eating the food. She was so hungry that she kept stuffing food into her mouth. Yet she was still graceful. As he watched Gu Chaoyan eating the food Zhou Huaijin became more hungry too. Suddenly, Zhou Huaijin thought of something and said, ¡°The housekeeper of the Gu Mansion came and asked about you. But I told him that you are staying here for a few more days and will not return until you recover. Sounds okay? I don¡¯t expect that the staff from the Gu Mansion will take great care of you.¡± Thest sentence he said was full of inquiries and expectations. Chapter 127: What?

Chapter 127: What?

¡°Do you think that you still have a chance?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked calmly. Rong Chuxuan looked shocked as he threw a nce at his own master. Whenever his master spoke with this tone, it must have been because of a huge mistake, but... However, all that he had done was to fail to notice Miss. Gu getting jailed. Also, Miss. Gu was doing fine now, just slightly injured. He made the mistake because of what happened at Shadow Door. Rong Chuxuan was confused, thinking that he could stop thinking about Miss. Gu. ¡°Lord, let me stay by your side instead. I am not handy with Miss. Gu. I am the hidden guard of Shadow Door!¡± Zhou Huaijinughed out of fury. ¡°Do you think that you still have a chance?¡± In his opinion, it had been because of the smooth life of Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion and Shadow Door that his employees got so proud as to be careless at work. @@novelbin@@ They did not think that his order was of importance. Nor did they have the intention of sticking to it. Rong Chuxuan looked at his own master with a confused expression on the face. What was he talking about? Was he going to be fired because of a woman? Impossible! Rong Chuxuan was about to counter, when the next second Zhou Huaijin said, ¡°Anyone who disobeys me shall get fiftyshes with a staff. If you get through theshes, you are allowed to get back to Shadow Door. Luo Fan will get you some small errands to do.¡± What! Rong Chuxuan got so shocked when he heard the news. Fiftyshes with a staff and small errands for the future? Did he mean... Did he mean that he was no longer a highly-ranked employee? Theshes would be a small matter. What Rong Chuxuan could not stand was that he was only allowed to deal with small errands, just like those newbies! ¡°Why! Why are you treating me like this, Master, for the sake of a woman! Nothing serious has happened to her!¡± Rong Chuxuan said, feeling unconvinced. Zhou Huaijin threw a cold look at him. ¡°A woman? She overpowers the whole Shadow Door! Who do you think you are!¡± He waved his hands. The other hidden guards took hold of Rong Chuxuan. Rong Chuxuan looked at his own master with disbelief. On the other side a silhouette hurried off as he saw the scene. ¡ª Gu Chaoyan did not feel like sleeping as sheid down. She nned to study her changed consciousness, so she asked Qing to guard the door whilst she watched the dry well with her consciousness. Something changed inside the dry well. Some clear water leaked out of the dry well, and the withered woods started to turn green on the four walls of the well. Gu Chaoyan was startled at the sight of the withered woods. Those were not simple withered woods, but some expensive and rare herbs. They were well grown with just a small amount. When Gu Chaoyan took a closer look at it, she got slightly tired. And at this point the sound of knocking on her door arose from outside. Gu Chaoyan stopped her exploration. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Miss, are you asleep? It is a guard from Lord Huai. He is asking for you about some urgent matter.¡± Qing said. She would not have allowed anyone to disturb her miss¡¯s sleep if it had been someone else, but it was Lord Huai¡¯s private guard and she was worried that they needed something urgent. So she knocked at the door. Asking for her? Gu Chaoyan got up. She was not sleeping, so her clothes were still neat. She just did some simple adjustment and walked out. As she saw the man, Gu Chaoyan had a brief impression of him. She had met him back at the Huo Family. He, together with Rong Chuxuan, were both the guards next to Zhou Huaijin. ¡°You are asking for me? What is it?¡± Chapter 130: The Winner

Chapter 130: The Winner

If the Lord hated her, Chuxuan would skip being punished. He had been hit fifty times! When he thought about this, Lin Sen did not find the broken arm so sore any more. This ferocious woman was so evil that she made him turn numb first, so he was not able to set the broken bone. ¡°Lord!¡± Lin Sen looked at Lord Huai as he held his arm. ¡°Miss. Gu is so terrible that she yed an evil trick upon me!¡± He was the Lord¡¯s guard. The Lord would definitely care about him, when the evil woman hurt him. That was why Lin Sen said it without politeness. Zhou Huaijin threw a cold look at him. ¡°How useless are you?¡± Having said these words, he walked past Lin Sen and came to Gu Chaoyan, sizing her up. ¡°You are not injured, are you?¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan shook her head. Then she showed a small smile at Lin Sen. It was a smile of revenge. Lin Sen¡¯s face sank. Knowing that Gu Chaoyan was fine, Zhou Huaijin started to deal with the situation. He knew pretty well what Lin Sen wanted from Yan. He did not have to think deeply. Lin Sen and Rong Chuxuan grew up together like brothers. It was totally understanding that he came begging for mercy. He was a man with emotions, but... He made Yan do something about him! That was not a forgivable crime! Yan would not have done a thing about him, if he had not offended her first! ¡°Lin Sen, you have behaved way over the top! It seems that you guys are losing track of the rules of Shadow Door after being there for too long!¡± Zhou Huaijin said sinisterly, looking rather lethal. Lin Sen just could not believe his ears. Yes, he did behave a little too over the top, but... But... the Lord mentioned Shadow Door in front of this ferocious woman! ¡°Lord...¡± ¡°Someone, take him away.¡± Zhou Huaijin said coldly. Instantly, some hidden guards came out from the dark corners. They soon brought down Lin Sen. The whole thing happened too fast. Seeing the scene Chaoyan felt envious. It seemed that she needed to train her own men as well. She would not be able to do everything alone. Zhou Huaijin had no idea that Gu Chaoyan had been thinking so many things within a brief second of time. He looked at her in concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one would dare to disobey you from now on.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I made a mistake before about the arrangement. I will select the fittest one to keep you protected. No more idents are allowed to happen.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She was definitely going to ept the men Zhou Huaijin offered her. After all, she only had Qing with her and she needed to deal with quite a lot of matters in the future. With so many enemies at the Gu Mansion, she had no idea what would happen in the future. So the more men she had, the better. However, Gu Chaoyan had no idea how much Zhou Huaijin had heard a moment ago. Lin Sen was right. She was a heartless woman and she was much more heartless than he had expected. She had no idea if Zhou Huaijin would ept such a person like her. If he could not, she would expect that they confessed to each other as soon as possible. ¡°Your guard was here begging for help, but I turned him down. I am not helping him, and I think that you should punish him seriously. Do you think that I am... heartless?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, sounding a bit uneasy. Chapter 135: A Glorious Return 2

Chapter 135: A Glorious Return 2

In the hall of the front yard, the guards, instead of following the rules of telling the housekeeper Chen Fu about the message, rushed into the hall. ¡°Madame Gu!¡± ¡°What is it? Where are your manners?!¡± Gu Zhenkang bellowed displeasedly. The guards were not supposed to enter the hall without telling the housekeeper, who was supposed to tell the masters and mistresses first. That was the rule. So at this moment, Gu Zhenkang was very displeased seeing that the housekeeper rushed in and broke the rules. The Gu Mansion was not like before, rules mattered very much! Madame Gu did not think about this deeply. She understood that when the guard failed to follow the rules, he must be confronted with something important. ¡°Spill it, what is going on?¡± The guard calmed himself down after being lectured. ¡°It is Lord Huai and his men. They are now at the gate of the Gu Mansion!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Madame Gu dropped her cane. Cai Ming went to pick it up and gave it back to Madame Gu. Madame Gu clicked the cane against the ground excitedly. ¡°Tell everyone to get out of their room and go to greet Lord Huai!¡± Madame Gu got so excited that she flushed vividly, standing up just to greet Lord Huai. Within a few seconds the front yard got chaotic. Messengers went about to pass on the information, and some others were making preparations. Gu Zhenkang also started to think about how to thank Lord Huai for taking care of his lineal daughter. He even started to consider that with Lord Huai standing by his side, he would soon leave his current position and get promoted directly all the way to the 3rd rank, or even the 2nd! By that time, he would very much like to see what expression those who once bullied him andughed at him in his old workce would have on their face. @@novelbin@@ Within one quarter¡¯s time, everyone at the Gu Mansion showed up. Including Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue who barely showed and some concubines who never got to visit the front yard. Madame Gu led the team and came to the gate of the Gu Mansion with all of the members of the Gu Mansion. Then they kneeled down at the sight of the purple-clothed man on horse-back, saying, ¡°Greetings Lord Huai, wish you a very long life.¡± The voice sounded very sturdy. Zhou Huaijin nced at these people. He had intended to make them stand on their knees for a longer time, before he decided to hold the n forter use. He waved his hand. ¡°Just get up.¡± As he was speaking, he hopped off the horse and walked towards the wagon. ¡°Come out please, Yan.¡± The way he addressed Yan made Gu Zhenkang and Madame Gu startled and their eyes widened. Gu Ruxue looked in that direction with hatred. Why? Why was Lord Huai treating her so well just because she knew some medical knowledge? Gu Chaoyan was walking out of the wagon. She was dressed in a white gown with a simple style, but it was the newest and finest brocade upon her that made Chaoyan look so clean and fresh. Gu Chaoyan was still slightly chubby, but her skin had turned fairer. Herrge eyes made her look extremely cute. Madame Gu got startled. It seemed that she had failed to notice that Chaoyan was getting prettier and prettier. However, none of that mattered. What mattered above all was the purple-dressed young man in front of them. ¡°Lord Huai, pleasee to the mansion.¡± What Madame Gu wished above all was to get Lord Huai to take a seat in the mansion. He had been into the mansion before for the sake of Prince of Duke Changning, but now, he was here specially for the Gu Family. If only he could take a seat in the mansion... The following day the Gu Mansion would be totally different! Chapter 139: A Shocking Scene

Chapter 139: A Shocking Scene

Something more important? Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu exchanged a look with each other, not knowing what was happening. As she mentioned that, Madame Gu showed a smile on her face. ¡°The officer of the Ministry of Revenue and his wife will be here tomorrow to take a look at Chaoyan. After that, the marital arrangement between Chaoyan and their second son would more or less be fixed. Princess Gu has set the arrangement, and she is not getting away from it.¡± Mrs. Gu¡¯s face sank. What did this ugly girl have to get this?! Gu Zhenkang looked pleased. ¡°If we can be the iws with the officer of the Ministry of Revenue, then the marriage would exceed that with Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion!¡± @@novelbin@@ Madame Gu nodded. That was totally true. The officer of the Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, which was one of the six ministries of the imperial court. The Gu Mansion had never imagined that such an excellent marital arrangement would have ever happened to them. Madame Gu found the whole thing so proper. Compared to this, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s request of the dowries seemed to be a rather small matter. As she asked Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu to leave, Madame Gu walked towards the Pear Yard with confidence. At the Qiong Pavilion. Qing and Sword One were cleaning the room whilst Sword Two were tidying up the yard. Madame Gu had gotten her men to clean up the new yard rather than the Qiong Pavilion, so she had to get her servants to do the cleaning herself. Gu Chaoyan was drinking the tea in the room as she said, ¡°Just clean up the trash, leave the rest there. When I get hold of the stores and earn some money, we can hire some people to renovate the house for us.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qing asked expectantly. Gu Chaoyan nodded. Apart from renovation, she was going to nt some flowers here too. She was just drawing the n for the future of the Qiong Pavilion when Sword Three came running. He panted heavily as he said, ¡°Miss, something has happened!¡± Gu Chaoyan almost upset her teacup. She threw a helpless look at Sword Three. When Zhou Huaijin presented the four guards to her, she thought that they were all hidden guards who did not talk orugh much. However, it seemed that they did have their own personalities. Sword Three for example, was a hidden guard who got anxious easily. She suspected if Sword Three was really a hidden guard. ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked helplessly. ¡°I was listening against the wall of the old aunt. It seems that they are setting you up and even arranging a marriage for you!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you marrying Lord Huai?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Lord Huai showed his intention so clearly today. What is wrong with the Gu Family when they think about arranging a marriage for you! Lord Huai is so high in rank! Damn it!¡± Sword Three looked confused. He thought that the whole Gu Family were just dumbasses. Gu Chaoyan smiled. The Gu Family was not dumbasses, nor was it because of Lord Huai¡¯s rank. Instead... ¡°Lord Huai is just too far-fetched for them to think about.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He is high in status, so the Gu Family never thought that we can make a couple.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They don¡¯t think that a man like Lord Huai would ever like a person like me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So how would they ever be able to understand Lord Huai¡¯s intention?¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Actually, it was because her previous ugly face had left too deep an impression upon the public. Even if she had be slightly better-looking now, they still considered her hideous. And she had a bad reputation before and she had been divorced. All of these would leave her out of the reach of Lord Huai in their opinions. ¡°So if you and Lord are getting married in the future, they will...¡± Sword Three did not dare to continue to imagine. Chapter 141: Out of Mansion 2

Chapter 141: Out of Mansion 2

¡°If we get time on the way home, we can buy some things and let them carry them for us. Or, are you carrying them?¡± Gu Chaoyan said withposure. She had nned this ¨C she was getting some things to nt in the empty space. That was arge ce, and it would be hard to exin to anyone if what she bought was missing. So what she could do was to buy many things and nted some in the Qiong Pavilion and the others in her own space. She would needborers to carry those stuff, and Madam Gu had just given her what she needed. Sword Two¡¯s face twitched. So that was what his Miss was thinking. Actually, he would be willing to carry the stuff too, but Sword Two would very much like to take a small break, if someone else was there doing the work for him. Heughed and stopped talking. As they walked out of the mansion, Gu Chaoyan did not head directly towards her stores, but asked the horsemen to take a tour around. She would like to see where those stores were located. Judging from what Zhou Huaijin told her, her mother had arge amount of valuable dowries, but as far as she could remember, the Gu Mansion was not that wealthy either. Could the bleak business be the result of Mrs. Gu¡¯s poor management? After she checked up the location of the stores, Gu Chaoyan was more sure about the cause ¨C Mrs. Gu was indeed a terrible manager. Her mother stores were located at the most bustling ce of Chang¡¯an Avenue, very close to the imperial court. That should be the most ideal and best section, where there were more than one store but ten of them! After she took a nce at the ten stores, Gu Chaoyan found that Mrs. Gu and the Gu Family had taken full advantage of the original host. @@novelbin@@ Luckily she was now inside the original host¡¯s body. If there had not been any changes happening to the original host, those stores might be in the charge of Mrs. Gu and the whole Gu Family until their deaths! The Gu Family had taken full advantage of the girl, truly! The Gu Family imed that they did not like and looked down at business families, but they had taken possessions of the Lin Family¡¯s stores. ¡°What is it, Miss?¡± Qing asked worriedly. ¡°Nothing. I just feel that with these stores in our hands, we are going to have a very wonderful life.¡± Gu Chaoyan stopped thinking any deeper and answered. Qing smiled. She thought so too. After Miss got rescued frommitting suicide, she became full of ideas. She had thought that as long as Miss married someone kind, she was going to have a peaceful life, but now the maid thought that even if Miss married no one, they were also going to have a peaceful life. As she was talking, they came to the doorstep of one store that sold clothes. Gu Chaoyan did not think highly of the store as she nced at it. Mrs. Gu must be a stupid woman to open such a low-level cloth store on such a wonderful and bustling street. So she walked in. The salesboy saw that Gu Chaoyan had her own maid and servant, he walked up and said with a ttering tone, ¡°Miss, are you buying garments?¡± Instead of answering him, Gu Chaoyan sized up the store carefully. She shook her head. What a waste of space! As she was speaking, the salesman¡¯s voice arose as he pushed away the madam standing right in front of him with impatience and disdain. ¡°Just get out of here, if you can¡¯t afford the garments.¡± The madam fell onto the ground after being pushed. Gu Chaoyan took a look at her and Sword One went up to help her up. The salesman said to Gu Chaoyan with a smile, ¡°Miss, just leave this woman alone! They are poor people who could not afford the garments in our store so they are here trying to trick us into paying them back.¡± Gu Chaoyan saw the garments in the woman¡¯s arms. Those garments were worn out with a tear and faded color. Chapter 144: To the Court

Chapter 144: To the Court

Seeing Lady Chaoyan who talked on behalf of them, themon people became extremely happy. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, here are the garments, are we really getting double times ofpensation?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied calmly. ¡°In your dreams!¡± The manager, who was at the mercy of Sword One, was still acting restlessly. ¡°Nopensation will be given out for the sold garments! If you want money, make this so-called Lady Chaoyan pay you back! You better ask her for help now, otherwise she herself will fall into trouble very soon.¡± p... The manager had just finished his words when Sword One pped him right on the face. @@novelbin@@ That was a hard p that made half of his cheek swollen. Sword One was indeed angry. She had never met anyone who spoke so highly of himself when he was hoaxing themoners. With hand over his cheek, the manager pointed at Sword One. ¡°How dare you hit me! I am Mrs. Gu¡¯s cousin! I will send you to court!¡± Haha... ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will be in court before she is.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied without showing any politeness. Sending Sword One to the court? Haha, the court was not going to receive her, considering that she was Lord Huai¡¯s guard, no matter if she had made a mistake. Instead of speaking with the manager Gu Chaoyan came to the counter. She opened the counter and then she brought out the money. ¡°Come, anyone who wantspensation, bring it to me.¡± Thosemoners, who had been worried that this youngdy would fear Mrs. Gu, came running towards her cheerfully seeing that she was not at all scared. Some kind-heartedmoners imed that they did not need doublepensation, just the exact amount ofpensation would do. They were not people who acted unreasonably. The garments sold from this store had been of such bad quality that they did not dare use them, otherwise they would not havee to get the money back. There was a lot of money on the counter. But there were quite a lot who needed thepensation, so soon the money was out. Seeing the money running out right in front of his face, the manager kept struggling yet failed to get rid of the grip. He kept cursing Gu Chaoyan at the beginning, but Sword One found a piece of cloth to gag himter. The incident at the garment store had caused a sensation in town. One of the page-boys who kept Gu Chaoyanpany had already run back home to report this matter. As the page boy was done with the report, he came running back. ¡°Miss, Madame Gu is asking for you at the mansion. She needs to have a word with you..¡± The words had just been spoken when Sword Three joined the crowd too. Gu Chaoyan had been rather busy with thepensation, and as she saw Sword Three, she summoned Sword Three and said, ¡°I still have other matters to deal with at the Gu Mansion, please deal with the rest of the affair. Give the double payment to themoners who are here for thepensation. I will go to Mrs. Gu if the money is out.¡± Then she threw a look at the so-called Mrs. Gu¡¯s cousin. ¡°Sword One, take him to the court. He hasmitted the crime!¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°Ahhh...¡± The manager was gagged and failed to speak. He got extremely excited. As the page boy saw the scene, he said, ¡°Miss, this is Mrs. Gu¡¯s cousin, isn¡¯t it improper for him to go to the court?¡± ¡°Oh, so Mrs. Gu¡¯s cousin can skip seeing the court, even if hemits the crime? Since when did the Saint Divine Land be the domain of the Gu Family?¡± Gu Chaoyan snapped roughly. The manager turned pale and the page boy became silent. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Madame Gu is asking for me? Let¡¯s go and check what she needs.¡± Chapter 148: Gu Ruxue’s Wild Imagination

Chapter 148: Gu Ruxue¡¯s Wild Imagination

She had been fed up with her sister during the past few days. Gu Chaoyan, the ugly girl, instigated Lord Huai to hit Prince! Instead of punishing her, Madame Gu got her a really wonderful arrangement of marriage, the officer of the Ministry of Revenue! How dare this ugly girl get an iw family like that! And now she caused a big fuss at the stores. Who did she think she was! @@novelbin@@ Gu Ruxue could not stand it any more and decided to do something about that. If not for Mrs. Gu, who stopped her all the time, she would not have tolerated it to the present day. ¡°We can¡¯t do something about the bitch now. Madame Gu adores her! Prince is still healing, so we don¡¯t have anyone to back us up. Let her do her wild deeds for a few more days. She won¡¯t have too long a time to go.¡± Mrs. Gu calmed herself down and thought over the whole thing. Hearing what Mrs. Gu said, Gu Ruxue widened her eyes. ¡°Mom, you have got a better idea?¡± Mrs. Guughed. She did not need to think of any method. ¡°That bitch has been unsteady in mind for years and got a terrible reputation. Do you think that the officer of the Ministry of Revenue would ever approve of this marriage? The reason why she can marry the son is only because the son is crazy. He is crazy and violent. His previous wives were all beaten to death.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So the bitch will be beaten to death a few days after the wedding day, I am sure.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Since she is causing trouble at the stores, let¡¯s just make sure that she can¡¯t find any fault in the stores.¡± As she was saying... Mrs. Gu looked at her maid Lianxiang. ¡°Go out of the mansion and tell the managers of the stores to stay smart. If the bitch wants to read the revenue and cost, just show her the list. We won¡¯t lose anything when she reads them. Don¡¯t think that she can do anything just by reading the paper.¡± Mrs. Gu threw a disdainful smile. She had beaten the bitch girl¡¯s mother, and this bitch girl had been under her control all this while. Now she might have grown up, so what? She was nobody to be scared of. Lianxiang nodded. ¡°What about Manager Gu Lin?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just let him stay in the court for a couple of days in case he keeps being arrogant. In the meanwhile, he should have some idea of what I am like.¡± Mrs. Gu said calmly. Lianxiang got it directly. She nodded, bowed and left. Mrs. Gu was very satisfied with the perfect arrangement. She had been feeling rather d. With her eyes upon Gu Ruxue, she stressed. ¡°Ruxue, you are going to be the daughter-inw of Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion, just learn to stay calm instead of being anxious all the time. Otherwise you will lose to your opponent easily.¡± Knowing that Gu Chaoyan would sooner orter get beaten, Gu Ruxue was feeling extremely happy at the moment. She nodded at what her mother told her without thinking. ¡°Got it, mom.¡± ¡°Good... if you have time these two days, go and visit Prince. He will be very grateful if you visit him when he is sick.¡± Mrs. Gu said. That was how she made Gu Zhenkang get attached to her easily. She was indeed experienced. As Prince was mentioned, Gu Ruxue was no longer enthusiastic like before. She just thought of Lord Huai... Even an ugly girl like Gu Chaoyan could befriend Lord Huai, what about the prettiest girl of the capital city like her? She was capable of everything and she could probably... Chapter 149: From the Lin Family

Chapter 149: From the Lin Family

After one night¡¯s consideration Gu Chaoyan found that selling the stores was indeed a wonderful method. And Gu Chaoyan already got the candidate of the buyer. Zhou Huaijin! It was not very easy to survive in the capital. @@novelbin@@ Look at Mrs. Gu who was running a useless business. She had a garment store at such a wonderful ce, but she was still selling the cheap garments. So she had thought that it was because Mrs. Gu was not good at doing business, but after a thorough consideration, she realized that Mrs. Gu was not a stupid woman. She should have some knowledge as ady born in an official family. If she was not stupid, why was she using the best store to run the most ordinary business? The only exnation was that that was the only business she was able to run. Why? The stores on Chang¡¯an Street were all managed by the wives of those highly-ranked officers, and it was already a fixed thing which person ran what business. Mrs. Gu did not dare to run a luxurious business to steal their business, if she wanted to keep the stores. Therefore, even if she took them over it was still a hot issue to deal with. She wanted to make full use of the stores and earn a great deal of money from it. So she had to devote herself to do the work. However, with her social status and abilities, she was not able to make a big fuss without causing much trouble. So she needed to get Zhou Huaijin involved. She was going to sell half of her stores to Zhou Huaijin. In this way, she was going to get the money and a supporter behind her back at the same time. What a wonderful deal. As she was thinking about these, Chaoyan kept nning. ¡°Miss...¡± Sword One called with a small voice. When she saw how Miss behaved, she understood that something weird was going on. ¡°Sword One, we need to get out of the mansion today.¡± Because Gu Chaoyan was cheered up as she thought about the n, she said it with a bright smile on the face. Sword One felt that those managers were going to suffer a lot today. ¡°Which store are we going to visit today?¡± Sword One asked. Sword Four was going to do some work too, if she was going to visit the stores. ¡°None.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled and said, ¡°We are going to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion!¡± What? Sword One looked confused. What were they heading to the Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion for? Could it be because she missed Lord Huai? That would make the Lord so happy. ¡°I will make preparations now.¡± Sword One said. Gu Chaoyan nodded. When no one was around Gu Chaoyan sneaked into the space with her consciousness again to check up on the fruit trees. She was startled. The small saplings were now growing so rapidly with small fruits dangling back and forth. The fruits were not ripe, but Gu Chaoyan felt that the fruits would bepletely ripe by night. What was more, Gu Chaoyan found that the space had been expanded. If the situation went on like this, she was going to start her n of getting the herbs in the mountains as soon as possible. Otherwise the space would be wasted! She was thinking about getting ordinary ginseng nted here so that they could be the valuable kind. Gu Chaoyan was in the middle of her beautiful imagination when Qing¡¯s voice arose from outside the space. ¡°Miss, someone from the Lin Family is here to see you!¡± Chapter 150: A Better Candidate

Chapter 150: A Better Candidate

Hearing Qing¡¯s voice, Gu Chaoyan quickly came out of the space. The Lin Family wanted to see her? What would the matter be? Could it be because of Lin Jiashu¡¯s physical condition? No, it could not be possible. She believed that her medical skills were excellent enough not to leave anyplications. Gu Chaoyan could not figure out the matter, so she nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s meet them before we leave the mansion. We can just meet them at the front yard instead of here at the Qiong Pavilion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qing replied. Then they left for the front yard together. In the front yard, Old Master and Mrs. Lin as well as Lin Jiashu were waiting for her anxiously. The Old Master was absolutely unwilling toe to the doorstep of the Gu Family. However, for his son¡¯s sake, they had no choice but toe to this ce. Luckily, the Gu Family did not dare to drive them away because of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s status. However, the Old Master was still feeling uneasy. Probably because he was at the Gu Mansion, or probably because they were going to ask Gu Chaoyan for a favor. ¡°Uncle, what do you need from me?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked as she approached them. She did not hate her uncle. Apart from treating her nicely, Uncle at least showed up at the Government Office when she was arrested. So Gu Chaoyan showed respect to the Master of the Lin Family. Seeing her approaching them, Mrs. Lin greeted her with a smile. She was in a totally different statepared to before, when she was really mean. Gu Chaoyan found the whole thing weird. She dodged Mrs. Lin¡¯s outstretched hand towards her and took a seat. Mrs. Lin was not displeased either. She withdrew her hand and said with a smile, ¡°We need your help, Chaoyan.¡± @@novelbin@@ The words had just been spoken when she pulled Lin Jiashu to her side. ¡°Not about your cousin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Jiashu is healthy now, and he is just like a normal boy. During the past few years, he might have been sick but he never idled about. He has done a lot of reading. So we were wondering if you can ask Lord Huai to get Jiashu a job at the office. It doesn¡¯t have to be a high position, a normal one will do.¡± Mrs. Lin put forward the whole point straightforwardly. She continued as she looked at Gu Chaoyan with a bright smile. ¡°Chaoyan, I had not behaved properly before. I tried to stop your marriage. But now I figure that you are a very nice girl, so if you are willing to ept my son, we won¡¯t stop you from getting married.¡± Hearing these words, Gu Chaoyan frowned deeply. She was about to speak, when a furious and aged voice arose. ¡°What marriage? Why am I not aware of anything about it?¡± Madame Gu clicked the cane. Her face sunk. She had no intention of meeting the Lin Family, but Cai Ming reminded her that she should check them out to see what the Lin Family wanted to get from Chaoyan. That was why she was here. Sure enough, she heard the Lin Family mentioning a marriage the moment she walked in the room. She was d that she was here! Otherwise the Lin Family would hoax the girl into doing something unexpected. ¡°What is going on? What marriage!¡± Madame Gu repeated the question with suppressed anger. ¡°It is a marriage between Chaoyan and Jiashu! Jiashu is healthy now. He is one year younger, but that is not a problem, right? They make a cute couple!¡± Mrs. Lin said. Madame Gu threw a look at Lin Jiashu who was standing next to her. ¡°You mean him? He doesn¡¯t work. We already have a better candidate for Chaoyan,¡± Madame Gu said with a proud smile on her face. Chapter 152: Missing Me?

Chapter 152: Missing Me?

¡°Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly, as if she could visit such a ce whenever she wanted. Madam Gu¡¯s bellowing words got stuck in her throat. She swallowed the whole thing. Soon she showed an expression of respect. ¡°So Lord Huai is asking for you? Just go, don¡¯t bete. His errand has the highest priority.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. Seeing Madam Gu¡¯s cheerful face, she thought that if Madam Gu knew what she was going to do with Lord Huai, she would totally stop smiling. Nevertheless, Gu Chaoyan did not dy a minute. She had no intention of wasting any more time with Madam Gu. She left directly. Seeing her leaving figure, Madame Gu had her hands crossed, mumbling. ¡°Thanks, God, the Gu Family and Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion are friends now!¡± As she left the mansion Gu Chaoyan inhaled some air, feeling that it was totally fresh outside the mansion. On the way to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, Qing kept looking at Gu Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan could not help but ask, ¡°Qing, what is the matter?¡± Qing cringed. ¡°Miss, are you still angry with Uncle Old Master? Uncle Old Master and Young Master went to the Government Office directly the other day, when they heard that something happened to you.¡± In Qing¡¯s heart they were nice people. ¡°I know.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. It could not be denied that her uncle and cousin were truly people with kindness. Otherwise she would not have told her uncle about her n. However, she knew a little bit more about the Lin Family. They were kind people, and her mother¡¯s family. So she was definitely going to help them when necessary, but the favor they asked from her today was against her principles. Also she was going to treat the Lin Family as an ordinary family of rtives. Uncle was kind, but slightly stupid. If he was smart enough, he would not havee begging her for help. If she had helped him and given him more responsibilities in the future, she would probably bring him trouble. Gu Chaoyan was even wondering if her grandfather gave up the position as the business family, because he knew that his son was not suitable to manage the imperial business. Nevertheless, she had no way to find out. With her eyes upon Qing, she said, ¡°Qing, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be mad at them, as long as they don¡¯t hurt me for benefits.¡± Qing let out a sigh of relief and smiled. Gu Chaoyan did not dwell upon that matter for too long. She wondered if it was because Qing, who was a few years older than her, had some past experience with the Lin Family, so she knew them better. As she was talking they arrived at Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion. Sword One got off the wagon first. By the time Chaoyan got off the wagon, the gate of the Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion was already wide open. Uncle Zhou showed an affable smile. ¡°Wee, Miss. Gu. Lord is at the mansion, you are free to visit him now.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled. She was not yet fully used to facing Uncle Zhou, but Uncle Zhou did not tag along, so she went forward alone. She had a deep memory of Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion after spending a few days here. Sword One was a qualified guide too. She was just thinking uneasily when Zhou Huaijin¡¯s voice arose from a short distance away. ¡°Yan, are you missing me?¡± Chapter 156: An Argument

Chapter 156: An Argument

Zhou Huaijin took a step forward and was about to assist the girl when Gu Chaoyan stopped him directly. She had alreadye up with an idea of how to teach Huo Wei a lesson. She had been fighting against her all this while. So Huo Wei intended to exceed her in all aspects, so she decided to see if she was able to get through the pressure. ¡°I add 50 more, go and wrap it up, salesboy.¡± Having said the words, she threw a disdainful look at Huo Wei. She was disying her disdainful look upon Huo Wei who only added ten. ¡°I add 100!¡± Stimted, Huo Wei shouted out directly! Seeing the situation, the salesboy suggested to another employee that he should get the manager. Those who shopped at Jinxiu Pavilion were indeeddies like Miss. Huo, who was noble and wealthy. What was this salesboy supposed to do when twodies were in a fight against each other. The manager called Lady Lian soon arrived. When Lady Lian arrived, Gu Chaoyan had just said calmly, ¡°500¡± @@novelbin@@ Lady Lian threw a nce at Gu Chaoyan and said nothing. She was watching the whole show in silence. If thesedies were so willing to offer so much money... Lady Lian was definitely bold enough to ept the payment. Huo Wei added without hesitation. ¡°1000 more!¡± She did not think that she would be beaten by a disgraced ugly girl like Gu Chaoyan. If she added 500, she just doubled that! The moment she bellowed out the figure of 1000, Huo Wei threw a proud look at Gu Chaoyan. She was sure that Gu Chaoyan was never going to add any more upon the price. She could not possibly have that much money to buy one single dress. Even for ady like her, 1000 was almost out of her saving. ¡°So, ugly girl, you don¡¯t dare to add any more right? You are not able to get that much money anyway, are you?¡± Huo Wei said with a look of disdain. Hearing what Huo Wei said, Lady Lian frowned involuntarily. ¡°2000.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly and smiled briefly with eyes upon Huo Wei. Huo Wei¡¯s face twisted. How dare this ugly girl add so much more! ¡°3000!¡± Huo Weis shouted. Her maid tugged at her sleeves, but Huo Wei was too excited to pay attention to the maid. ¡°4000!¡± ¡°5000¡± Huo Wei added without showing any weakness. Gu Chaoyan blinked and said calmly with her gaze upon Huo Wei. ¡°If you like this dress so much, please take it.¡± Having said the words Gu Chaoyan pointed at a yellow dress and said to Qing, ¡°Qing, do you like this one?¡± Qing nodded. Then she pointed at one dress for Sword One who liked it too. Then they got everything packed up. During the whole process, she ignored the angry face of Huo Wei. She then got a few more for herself. And everything cost less than 300. Gu Chaoyan paid the bill directly. Lady Lian looked at Huo Wei and reminded her. ¡°Miss Huo, that dress originally costs 80, but you offered 5000 extra, so it will be 5080 in total for you. Are you going to pay that directly or pick something else first.¡± 5000... She did not have that much money at all! ¡°What do you mean 5080! If that dress is 80, it will stay as 80!¡± Huo Wei said angrily. She had less desire to pick that dress when she saw what Gu Chaoyan got for her maids. She was ady, she was not going to wear the same dress as maids did! ¡°So Miss. Huo, are you trying to get away from the payment?¡± Lady Lian interrogated with a t look on her face. Chapter 158: An Accident

Chapter 158: An ident

Hearing that Jinxiu Pavilion was going to ask for the money at the Huo Mansion, she did not dare to leave any more. She regretted her actionspletely. She was just too angry to behave rationally. She could have gotten away from other stores, but Jinxiu Pavilion was one of the top stores in the capital city, and those kinds of stores often had some high-ranking officers backing them up. When they imed that they were going to ask for the money at the Huo Mansion, they would surely do that. Nevertheless, she just could not let the Huo Mansion know that she spent 5,000 upon such a dress because of her irrational anger. @@novelbin@@ She might be thedy of the Huo Mansion, but there were otherdies at the Huo Mansion... what if she fell into disgrace because of this incident! Huo Wei just could not imagine that consequence. She said with a shivering voice, ¡°Okay... okay... you, go to the mansion and ask my mom for some money.¡± The maid left, shivering from head to feet. Since Huo Wei was willing to pay for the dress, Jinxiu Pavilion spared a seat for her so she could wait. Lady Lian asked the salesboy, ¡°Who was thedy that just left?¡± ¡°Well... I never met her before, but I heard that she is from the Gu Family.¡± The salesboy said based on his memory. ¡°Okay.¡± Lady Lian answered, saying nothing more. *** Outside Jinxiu Pavilion. Qing and Fu Bao wereughing so hard. The whole thing was so funny. Sword One was still holding herughter. Zhou Huaijin was showing a faint smile on his face the entire time. Yan was so much fun. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, how did you know that Miss. Huo would bid against you, what if she had not?¡± Fu Bao asked with confusion. ¡°She definitely would.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Fu Bao did not understand why Lady Chaoyan was so certain about this. ¡°Because she thinks that she is better than me. So of course she will bid against me. But most importantly...¡± ¡°What?¡± Fu Bao asked with a curious expression on the face. ¡°She is not smart enough to understand her own abilities. Which smart people would do that?¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a serious expression on her face. Fu Bao thumbed up at Gu Chaoyan. After the incident at Jinxiu Pavilion they realized that evening was approaching. Gu Chaoyan was thinking about the fruit trees in the space, so she said, ¡°Let¡¯s just go home now, we can do the shopping again when we all have time. Oh by the way...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When the stores are ready, I would like to take a trip to the mountains.¡± She was telling Zhou Huaijin about that. Zhou Huaijin nodded. ¡°I will give you a lift home. The staff will be ready tomorrow for you to use. Tell them what they are supposed to do.¡± ¡°Do you have other staff like Fu Bao?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°I have many.¡± Zhou Huaijin answered. ¡°Then get several ready, let Sword One guide them. And no more arguing, just toss the original staff out of the stores.¡± Gu Chaoyan said seriously. Fu Bao was dumbfounded... She was more resolute than the Lord! But... He liked that! As they were talking, they already arrived at the gate of the Gu Mansion. Zhou Huaijin did not enter the mansion, so Gu Chaoyan left the wagon and returned home with Qing and Sword One. The moment they entered the room Chen Fu said with an anxious expression on his face, ¡°Miss, go to the front yard, Madame Gu is asking for you.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She already knew what the matter was, so she was not anxious at all. As they came to the front yard, Madame Gu said with a face of disappointment at the sight of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Chaoyan, the son of the officer of the Ministry of Revenue is gone. Your marriage arrangement is gone too, I am so sorry...¡± Chapter 161: To Punish Gu Chaoyan

Chapter 161: To Punish Gu Chaoyan

Soon dozens of messy-looking and seriously-bruised men were gathered at the guards of the gate of the Gu Mansion. ¡°We are from the stores, we need to meet Mrs. Gu!¡± The guards recognized them, since they were the gang that paid tributes to the Gu Mansion every year. At this time, the guards rushed in to pass on the message. Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue were just in the middle of eating bird drop soup in a good mood. Gu Ruxue could not help but say with a small. ¡°The son of the officer of the Ministry of Revenue is dead. The ugly girl has no one to marry now.¡± ¡°See, I told you not to be worried. That bitch is always unlucky. See what happens!¡± Mrs. Gu showed a smile on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s see what she is going to do now! Haha!¡± Gu Ruxue nodded. She thought inwardly that she had gotten anxious for no use. Gu Chaoyan was destined to have a worse life than her, no matter what. Prince was getting better now, and the ugly girl got pay-back. All had returned to what it was like before, and that made Gu Ruxue extremely pleased. It seemed that the bird drop soup in her mouth tasted much better than usual. ¡°Mom, the dowries will all be mine, don¡¯t let the ugly girl take them!¡± Gu Ruxue said. The biggest dream of her life was to marry someone with an extraordinary status, and on their wedding day, she needed to look fantastic with lots of dowries. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Mrs. Gu said determinatively. The words had just been spoken, when Chen Fu hurried in. ¡°Something is wrong, Madame!!!¡± ¡°Bah, what are you talking about, it is a beautiful day today!¡± Mrs. Gu snapped. Chen Fu looked extremely anxious. Something was wrong! However, Mrs. Gu was not anxious, only he was. @@novelbin@@ A whileter, Mrs. Gu finished the snack and asked slowly, ¡°What is it, what happened?¡± Chen Fu said, ¡°The managers and salesboys of those stores are all here at the Gu Mansion, saying that Miss has driven them out! They need to get justice from you!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mrs. Gu sprang up, smashing the bowl directly. ¡°What didn¡¯t you say earlier?!¡± She hurried off without hesitation. Chen Fu looked helpless. He told them that something bad had happened, but she stopped him from saying anything. Gu Ruxue now realized that something bad had happened. She followed and red at Chen Fu. ¡°You old ve, you are going to be punished, if something goes wrong!¡± Chen Fu felt his heart sink. Why was this his fault? He sighed. Feeling helpless, he followed them out. It was extremely chaotic at the front yard. Those managers got increasingly angry. They thought that Mrs. Gu would be able to help them get justice, so they became increasingly excited. They hoped that Mrs. Gu would be able to punish the arrogant Miss so their anger could be vented. They did not believe that a Miss from a mansion would dare counter Madame Gu and Mrs. Gu! As Mrs. Gu came to them they shouted as if they saw the savior. ¡°Miss, you have to help us!¡± Chapter 165: Gu Zhenkang’s Plan

Chapter 165: Gu Zhenkang¡¯s n

As Gu Ruxue was mentioned, Gu Zhenkang instantly became happy. His anger was no longer apparent. His mother told him that Gu Chaoyan was hanging out with Lord Huai these days, so he should treat her better if he expected to get something good out of her. He also thought about demeaning himself by treating this ugly girl better, but now... The son of the officer of the Ministry of Revenue was dead, and her marital arrangement was gone. What was more, she ruined the stores! That was why he got rather furious! Also... Even if Lord Huai needed her medical skills. So what? She was just going to be nothing more than a doctor! And she was going to be ignored when she was not needed. Ruxue was different. Thinking of what the ambassador of Lord Ling said, Gu Zhenkang was sure that Ruxue was going to have a more promising future! With Ruxue standing by his side he was not going to tter that ugly girl born by the daughter of a business family. Never! Gu Ruxue had been watching the show happily when she suddenly heard what her father said about her. She got confused. Could it have been because of Prince who just woke up? What was her father thinking about her? Anyway, Gu Ruxue found herself back in her original position again. She threw a look of pride to Gu Chaoyan. Seeing the situation getting worse, Madame Gu could not sit still any more, but stood up and came to Gu Chaoyan with her cane supporting her. ¡°Don¡¯t me your father. He is just too anxious.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But you should learn from this lesson too. The Gu Family have been running the stores for so many years and you sold them without telling us! I am not helping you this time, receive the punishment.¡± Madame Gu was very displeased. ¡°You better get those stores back!¡± Gu Chaoyan was just in the middle of thinking about Gu Zhenkang¡¯s suddenly changed attitude, when she brought herself back. Hearing what Madam Gu said, she turned cold. How shameless these people are! They really think that they are the owner of the dowries! Getting the stores back? Never! Since the Gu Family cared so much about the money, she could instill some hope into them. With her eyes upon Madame Gu, Gu Chaoyan said with a serious tone. ¡°I am never getting anything back from Lord Huai.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But Lord Huai would not treat us badly. We sold the stores to him, so he offered something profitable back. Lord Huai is going to use the stores to open a restaurant, and half of the revenue will belong to us.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just think about it, Madame Gu. Those stores were running a bleak business before...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now we are working with Lord Huai. Do you think that he will earn less money than us?¡± ¡°...¡± Gu Chaoyan said those tempting words. That moved Madam Gu as well. When the Lin Family lost the position as the imperial business family, the Gu Mansion lost its supporters. Those stores could not be developed well without supporters... so Lord Huai¡¯s involvement was definitely going to boost up the revenue! ¡°He is really offering half of the ie?¡± Madame Gu asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Madame Gu became expectant again. If the Gu Family could get enough money, they could use the money to help Zhenkang to get some promotion in career. Then she red at Gu Zhenkang, suggesting that he should not lecture Gu Chaoyan any more. @@novelbin@@ Gu Zhenkang snorted, leaving Gu Chaoyan alone. Since the issue of the stores was solved, Madame Gu asked Gu Chaoyan to go back to her pavilion first and leave Mrs. Gu to deal with the rest. Then she asked Gu Zhenkang to join her in the room. The moment they stepped into the room, she asked her son seriously, ¡°What is wrong with you? I told you to treat the girl nicely, otherwise she would not help you in the future!¡± Chapter 169: The Poisonous Herbs

Chapter 169: The Poisonous Herbs

Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes fell upon Zhou Huaijin¡¯s. He looked very sincere as he said to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°The mountains are located in the capital city, but the deeper we go, the more dangerous it would get. There are beasts and monsters appearing here and there too. Actually, many people got bitten to death by the beasts a couple of months ago.¡± Gu Chaoyan flushed, but hearing what Zhou Huaijin said, Gu Chaoyan stopped being shy and said, ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. The deceased were just ordinary people. No officers in the government cared about who they were specifically, but he found the whole thing peculiar. @@novelbin@@ So when Yan decided to get into the mountains, he hurried to catch up to her, hoping to keep her safe. ¡°No one except hunters dare to go into the mountains these years. So I was really worried about you,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. Gu Chaoyan wanted very much to tell him that she was not afraid of beasts, since she herself was quite skilled in kung fu, but she swallowed the words at the sight of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s sincere expression. She stretched out her hands and gripped his. ¡°We are going to be fine.¡± Zhou Huaijin put his other hand upon hers and then kissed the chubby, fair-skinned hand of hers. That warm touch made Gu Chaoyan withdraw her hand directly. She protested with a small voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t be like this.¡± Now, she was not willing to ce her hand into his any more. With his eyes upon her, Zhou Huaijin chuckled. Finally they arrived at Mount Maiji. Gu Chaoyan felt that being with Zhou Huaijin alone in the wagon, the temperature inside was extremely high. Yet as they got off the wagon and faced the mountain in front of them, the air cooled down. The next second, a hand wrapped around her waist and held Gu Chaoyan, as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and check it out while it is still bright outside.¡± Gu Chaoyan froze. Feeling bashful... she removed Zhou Huaijin¡¯s hand. ¡°Sword One and everyone are here.¡± ¡°They are not watching us.¡± Zhou Huaijin said seriously. Gu Chaoyan looked at them... Sure enough, Sword One and Sword Two had their heads lowered. Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes. ¡°Who are you working for anyway? You are not defending me at all! I miss Qing so much. She always treats me nicely!¡± Unfortunately, Qing was not martially skilled. Zhou Huaijin was busy thinking which one of his friends was the same age as Qing, so that he could arrange a marriage between that person and Qing. As he was thinking Gu Chaoyan already started to walk into the mountains. Zhou Huaijin caught up with them directly. Those people were highly skilled. They walked really fast in the mountains. Gu Chaoyan had been used to picking these herbs in her previous life, so she wasted no time in getting whatever she needed. Apart from some ordinary herbs with no effects, Gu Chaoyan harvested most of the herbs she had seen. Even Zhou Huaijin asked with disbelief as he looked at a stream. ¡°Yan, how did you know there are things you need there!¡± As he was asking her, Gu Chaoyan was digging up the herbs discreetly and passed them to Sword Two. ¡°It is a stream covered by tall grass. So the animals in the mountains nevere to this ce. The reason why they don¡¯te near to this ce, is probably because the grass is poisonous. That¡¯s how I found them.¡± Hearing the word ¡°poisonous¡±, Sword One shivered and almost dropped the herbs. Chapter 171: Who Do You Think You Are

Chapter 171: Who Do You Think You Are

With chin raised in the air, Gu Ruxue spoke with Gu Chaoyan as if she were the savior of the world. She looked extremely confident. Huo Wei, on the other hand, was looking at Gu Chaoyan as if she were watching a show. Her eyes pierced through Gu Chaoyan, and she relished the thought that something would happen to her! Because of what Gu Chaoyan did to her at Jinxiu Pavilion, she not only lost 5,000 yuan for no reason but she got grounded and scolded for days. She was now falling out of disgrace at the Huo Family. That was all this ugly girl¡¯s fault! If she had not heard from Madame Huo that the ambassador of Lord Ling had spoken with Officer Gu, and she was not asked to talk with the Gu Mansion to check out the situation, she would still be trapped indoors! So she hated Gu Chaoyan extremely deeply! However, she was unable to do anything at the Gu Mansion. So she wanted to watch Gu Chaoyan begging at Gu Ruxue¡¯s feet, so that her anger could be vented. She said arrogantly, ¡°It seems that you stupid girl have no idea who County Princess Anxi is!¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°...¡± ¡°County Princess Anxi is the daughter of the eldest princess, very much loved by the queen. If you irritate her, you might get yourself killed!¡± ¡°...¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at her coldly. Instead of showing any expression on her face, Gu Chaoyan said, ¡°So what?¡± Huo Wei snorted. She thought that Gu Chaoyan had gotten scared. Sheughed wildly and looked at Gu Chaoyan as if she were staring at an idiot. This ugly girl was so stupid to not fathom what she was reminding her for. So she added generously. ¡°So what? So you better take this opportunity and beg Ruxue for help! If she is happy, she might help you to get rid of the punishment! Gu Ruxue was standing next to Huo Wei. She was not denying what Huo Wei said. She might not have been in a position to say anything in the past, but now the situation had changed. She was going to marry someone like Lord Ling, the son of the King! The Queen adored County Princess Anxi deeply, so County Princess Anxi was going to be her rtive in the future. So if she begged her for help, County Princess Anxi might do her the favor. However, she was not going to beg for this ugly girl. Unless she was in a good mood... then she might spare her life. Gu Ruxue was thinking as she stood on the spot, waiting for Gu Chaoyan to tearfully beg her for help. A whileter, Gu Ruxue was still waiting. She threw a nce at Gu Chaoyan who showed a nonchnt look on her face. ¡°Thanks, Miss. Huo, but I don¡¯t need any mercy from you. I can beat County Princess Anxi.¡± Then she smiled brightly and was about to leave. ¡°How dare you!¡± Mrs. Gu¡¯s shrill voice arose, as she red at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Who do you think you are, that you can beat County Princess Anxi?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You have picked up none of the skills in the past few years. What makes you think that you can beat County Princess Anxi?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drag us down.¡± Mrs. Gu snapped. She had been watching them for a long while, and she thought that the ugly girl would beg Gu Ruxue for help. She loved to see this ugly girl being demeaned. Unexpectedly, however, what she saw was her saying shamelessly that she could beat County Princess Anxi! How ridiculous! Even Ruxue did not dare to say that she could beat County Princess Anxi. Who did this ugly girl think she was! Chapter 175: Words to You

Chapter 175: Words to You

The following day Gu Chaoyan did not wake up until lunch time. She had a very sound sleep the night before, probably because Zhou Huaijin was with her. It left her assured! As she thought of Zhou Huaijin, Gu Chaoyan took a look at the floor subconsciously. The mattress was gone, so was Zhou Huaijin. Without him in sight, Gu Chaoyan felt slightly disappointed, but... After a moment of disappointment, she called out. ¡°Qing.¡± Qing hurried in, taking with her tools forbing and washing. Gu Chaoyan kept the dressing process as simple as possible, so it was only a short while before the dressing process was done. After she got dressed Gu Chaoyan felt a bit hungry. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Qing¡¯s expression looked a bit peculiar. She seemed to be at the edge of saying something, but did not dare to utter a word. Then she went to fetch the food. It was not until she saw the food that she realized what made Qing look so hesitant. Because of Madame Gu¡¯s defense against Gu Chaoyan during the past few days, no one dared to mistreat her any more. The food delivered to them might not be extremely important, yet at least they were okay food dishes, but today... @@novelbin@@ The food delivered from the kitchen was just pure water with almost no contents. There was no meat and the dishes werepletely cold. With her gaze upon the dishes in front of her, Gu Chaoyan could not help but shake her head. The Gu Family had never changed their terrible habit of being prejudiced. She put down the chopsticks in her hand and said, ¡°Since the food is terrible, let¡¯s eat out!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Sword One reacted fast. She did not like it when Miss was served with such terrible food. The Lord would feel so concerned! She was going to tell the Lord about this, even if Miss did not want to tell him. Qing on the other hand became a bit hesitant when hearing what she said. ¡°Will that be okay?¡± Madame Gu asked Miss to stay at the Qiong Pavilion, but now they were going to eat out! Gu Chaoyan knew that Qing was always hesitant and fearful. It was a type of personality that could not be changed easily. She said straightforwardly, ¡°It is fine, we have tons of money!¡± Gu Chaoyan was never hesitant about anything she set her mind to do. So she left directly with her gang. The servants of the mansion would scold her and push her back to the Qiong Pavilion if they saw her in the past, but this time... None of the servants dared to stop her and just lowered their heads as they saw her walking outside. Gu Chaoyan nodded with satisfaction. It seemed that during the past few days, how she behaved did work. She had set up her own influential image among those people. That was what human beings were like. They were scared of the intimidating figures and bullied the weaklings. The original host was the miss of the mansion, but was too weak to even face her servants. That was how she got herself bullied by them. At least those servants had to understand one thing ¨C She was a mistress no matter what. ¡°Miss, that looks like Prince of Duke Changning.¡± Qing reminded her. Gu Chaoyan had not paid any attention to her surroundings. However, when Qing reminded her about that, Gu Chaoyan caught sight of Duke Changning and Madame Duke Changning as well as Lu Jiming. Unexpectedly, the mother and the son were recovering well. Now they were well enough to make the proposal here. However, that was not Gu Chaoyan¡¯s business. She ignored them and was about to leave when Lu Jiming caught up with her, seeing that she did not stop for his sake. ¡°Chaoyan!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Chaoyan, hang on, I have a few words to share with you.¡± Chapter 177: Unwilling

Chapter 177: Unwilling

The two hideous people made a great couple. They could just spend the remaining time together. That sounded nice, but Gu Chaoyan was not going to get herself involved. She gave him a kick, pped her hands and was about to leave, when she heard Lu Jiming screaming suddenly. ¡°She only wants benefits. She does not deserve me!¡± Hearing the words, Gu Chaoyan ceased her steps automatically. She felt like hearing the gossip. It was true that Gu Ruxue only wanted things that were for her own good. Otherwise she would not have spared no efforts to steal Lu Jiming from her, but... It sounded as if she was not marrying Lu Jiming? That sounded quite new. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°She is not marrying you?¡± Hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s questions, Lu Jiming nodded, assuming that Gu Chaoyan was showing him concern and caring about him. So he spilled out all the bitterness hidden inside his heart. ¡°When she visited me a couple of days ago, she told me that when I got well, I should go and make the proposal. Today, my parents are here for the proposal, but Madame Gu refuses to admit our engagement. She said that Ruxue is marrying Lord Ling, not me!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I never expected that Ruxue was a woman like this. I thought that she was kind-hearted!¡± Gu Ruxue was marrying Lord Ling? When did that happen? Was that why Madam Gu asked her to get into Saint College? Judging from the situation, everything was clear. She was going to ask Zhou Huaijin about this matter, but seeing Lu Jiming deeply hurt, Gu Chaoyan felt so great that she could not help but burst intoughter. Hearing theughter... Lu Jiming. who had been feeling a bit mad, thought that Chaoyan must have be cheerful because of what happened. After all, without Ruxue, she was able to marry him! Lu Jiming was about to say something... when Gu Chaoyan said with roaringughter. ¡°Lu Jiming, that totally serves you right!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You thought that Gu Ruxue is a deeply adoring girl, pretty and lovely, so you deserted Gu Chaoyan for her. But now Gu Ruxue thinks Lord Ling is better than you, so she deserted you!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You two do make a great couple!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Both of you are followers of the rich and the powerful. Lu Jiming, don¡¯t me Gu Ruxue for that. You are of the same kind.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So funny!¡± As she finishedughing, Gu Chaoyan turned around and headed towards the restaurant for her big lunch. Lu Jiming looked at Gu Chaoyan with a fixed gaze. Only a long whileter did he realize that Chaoyan was actuallyughing at him. Duke Changning and Madame Duke Changning came hurrying to him. @@novelbin@@ Duke Changning asked anxiously, ¡°Jiming, have you talked that ugly girl around? She might not be as wonderful as Ruxue, yet that is the only way out for us! Marrying her isn¡¯t a bad choice. She and Lord Huai are friends. If you marry her, Lord Huai would not hate us anymore and we can be in the same family as Lord Ling too!¡± He did not like the way the Gu Mansion behaved, but he had to maximize his own benefits. Even Duke Changning regretted what happened. He should have tried to keep the engagement with that ugly girl back then. Lu Jiming shook his head, looking very lost. Chaoyan wasughing at him! She was the woman who would do everything for him and followed him wherever he went, but now she wasughing at him? ¡°What? She is unwilling to do it? How dare she! It is a big honor that we are offering for her to be the Princess Consort! Let me talk with her!¡± Madame Duke Changning got so mad that she was about to rush after Chaoyan. Chapter 181: Gu Ruxue Here Again

Chapter 181: Gu Ruxue Here Again

¡°We had a deal beforeing to Restaurant Tianxiang! You were supposed to drug me with some diarrhea pills, but now you intended to kill me just because you wanted to get the fullpensation for yourself!¡± The poisoned man got very upset and said with disbelief. As he was talking, he even went to grab his Third Brother¡¯s pocket and dug out a medical bag from there. Subcounsciously, he gave it to Gu Chaoyan who had treated him and fed him the tea. ¡°Please, Miss. Doctor, help me identify what is inside!¡± Considered as ¡°Miss. Doctor¡±, Gu Chaoyan did not counter a thing. She took the bag with outstretched hand. @@novelbin@@ The Third Brother arose instantly seeing that she was about to get the bag, expecting to grab away the bag, but he was not faster than Gu Chaoyan. Before he realized what happened, Gu Chaoyan already got the bag. As the bag was opened, a very strong smell greeted her nose. It was not a healthy thing, judging from the smell. ¡°This is arsenolite, not as strong as white arsenic, but strong enough to kill someone within a day¡¯s time.¡± Then Gu Chaoyan turned to the poisoned man with a look of sympathy. ¡°You are lucky to have run into me, or you wouldn¡¯t have lived to see the next day.¡± ¡°Nonsense! That is not poisonous, it is just some drug that causes diarrhea!¡± The Third Brother shouted. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly and threw a look at the man who tried to defend himself. If this Third Brother had been panicking after poisoning his brother, she might have assumed that he himself was tricked into using this kind of drug. But this Third Brother had not shown a single hint of surprise from the beginning and kept seeking trouble from Restaurant Tianxiang. That made her feel certain that this man was perfectly aware of what he had fed his brother. ¡°If that is the case, what about eating it yourself?¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly as she put some powder into the teacup and passed it to the man. ¡°Drink it then. If it is just some drug that causes diarrhea, you can get away with it easily, can¡¯t you?¡± With eyes gazing at the teacup, the man did not dare to make a further move. He was shivering. ¡°You don¡¯t dare to?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked coldly. The man kept shivering and did not dare to ept the cup. Gu Chaoyan put the teacup on the table and looked at the manager of Restaurant Tianxiang. ¡°You must understand what happened, Manager. I will leave the rest to you to deal with.¡± The manager said to Gu Chaoyan with full gratitude. ¡°Which mansion are you from, Miss? I will pass on my appreciation to you when I am done with them.¡± Gu Chaoyan simply shook her head, then she left with Sword One, Sword Two and Qing. As for what happened at Restaurant Tianxiang, Gu Chaoyan was sure that the manager was able to handle it properly, otherwise Restaurant Tianxiang would not have been so popr for so long. She had intended to take a walk around the city, but due to what happened at Restaurant Tianxiang, the time became quitete. So they headed directly back to the Gu Mansion instead. *** At the Qiong Pavilion. Gu Ruxue was seated in the hall. That was quite abnormal, since Gu Ruxue never liked taking a seat at the Qiong Pavilion. Now the Qiong Pavilion was getting better in embellishment, she could tolerate being there for a short while. Seeing Gu Chaoyan returning from outside, she showed her arrogance directly and looked at Gu Chaoyan with her chin up. She asked with dissatisfaction, ¡°Where have you been, Sister? Have you forgotten what Madame Gu asked you to do? You are not supposed to go out and cause trouble!¡± Chapter 186: Assisting Second Sister

Chapter 186: Assisting Second Sister

At Pear Yard. It was not the first time for Gu Chaoyan toe to Pear Yard. On the way there she thought that Madam Gu did know how to enjoy life. There were pavilions, houses, pools and trees against the ever-green pines that stood in the middle of rockeries and pots. On the way to the hall, there were aisles and yards on both sides with servants walking by, one group after another. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face sank as she thought of how these things were built upon her mother¡¯s dowries. One day Gu Chaoyan was going to get all of these back for Mrs. Lin. ¡°Here we are, Miss. Madame Gu is waiting for you inside.¡± Cai Ming reminded her. Gu Chaoyan had been received by Madame Gu in the hall, so Cai Ming was worried that Gu Chaoyan had no idea how to get to this ce. She looked up. Then, Gu Chaoyan nodded and continued to walk inside. Cai Ming let out a sigh of relief. For some reason, she had always felt a lot of pressure in front of the Miss. Maybe it was because of what happened to Cai Zhu before. ¡°There you are.¡± Madame Gu¡¯s blurry and aged voice arose, as she ced her teacup back in its original ce. She showed no love as she used to, but looked at Gu Chaoyan with a serious look instead. Gu Chaoyan greeted her coldly. ¡°Madame Gu, what do you want me to do?¡± Madame Gu did not want to fake a look of kindness, so Gu Chaoyan did not show enthusiasm towards her either. Instead, she stood there calmly. Madame Gu thought that Gu Chaoyan seemed different, but she could not tell what was different about her. However, she was no longer useful and Madam Gu did not want to waste time on her any more. So she cut in directly. ¡°Chaoyan, I believe that you must have heard that Ruxue is going to marry Lord Ling, who is a totally different, and extraordinary man. If a girl from our family is able to marry someone like that, then we will be extremely lucky. During this time, we should all make efforts to help Ruxue.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You have offended County Princess Anxi, and County Princess Anxi is definitely going to give you a lot of hard times in the future. Ruxue is supposed to help you with the problem.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So you have to understand that you have to help the Second Sister who can help youter. So we have to ce your Second Sister on the top. Now you are able to open a restaurant with Lord Huai, and it is also our luck. You have to share that luck with your Second Sister!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Got it?¡± Madame Gu was trying to persuade her, but she sounded intimidating. ¡°As long as Ruxue is doing well, we will all be fine.¡± Gu Chaoyan showed a brief smile, but she had known what Madame Gu was like. She was a woman with ambitions. She thought that Lord Huai¡¯s interest in her medical skill would make her get promoted. That was why she showed courtesy. However, now that Gu Ruxue was able to marry Lord Ling, she turned her attention to Gu Ruxue. Madame Gu was bncing her benefits. One of the girls was spotted for her medical skills whilst the other was spotted for marriage. Of course she had to pay attention to the one with marriage. However, if Madam Gu knew that Lord Huai already offered her the position of Princess Consort, she would not behave like that. Nevertheless, Gu Chaoyan was not going to let the Gu Mansion take anything from Zhou Huaijin. ¡°Madame Gu, are you sure about that?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked coldly. Chapter 188: Threatening

Chapter 188: Threatening

Before the waiter spoke, Gu Chaoyan took a step forward and asked coldly, ¡°What ce is this?¡± @@novelbin@@ The head of the gang snorted. Seeing the slightly-chubby girl speaking, he raised his chin and said proudly, ¡°This is the capital!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In the capital, there are tons of people you just can not irritate.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Stop being nosy, you little girl.¡± He said and then looked at her. ¡°Also, don¡¯t choose to eat at this ce either. Soon the restaurant will be gone.¡± As the head of the gang said this the other gang membersughed loudly. They weren¡¯t the crazy type. Some people were bold enough to open restaurants on the street yet they either went bankrupt or got closed. It had been years since some foolish people came opening restaurants here. Unexpectedly, such people were seen again. They thought that the owners were either outsiders or stupid. So they were not at all scared. The head of the gang did not have the intention of speaking more with the girl. He struck the table and shouted. ¡°Where is the manager? Come out here now! We can talk now, if I get impatient, we won¡¯t be able to stay friendly any more.¡± Gu Chaoyanughed coldly. ¡°You look ferocious but you are so stupid! I am standing right in front of you, who else are you turning to?¡± What? The head of the gang looked at Gu Chaoyan with disbelief. After gazing at her for a few more seconds, he burst intoughter with the other men. The head of the gang looked at Gu Chaoyan with excitement and struck the table. ¡°Oh, it is such a stupid girl like you who decided to open a restaurant here?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh girl, you didn¡¯t know about the situation here, so I won¡¯t me you for a thing. Give me 10,000 yuan and close this restaurant, then the problem will be solved.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. With her eyes upon him, she said, ¡°You are from Restaurant Jixian?¡± The man lifted his chin proudly. He nodded in acknowledgement of what she had said. ¡°You know what this ce is?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Where is this ce?¡± The head of the gang asked with a face of confusion. ¡°It is the capital!¡± Gu Chaoyan answered. ¡°In the capital, there are tons of people you can¡¯t afford to offend. You are a man, so stop making trouble here.¡± The head of the gang was a bit confused at first, but after thinking for a while he realized that it was exactly what he had said. The tone was so arrogant that the head of the gang paused and observed her face carefully, making sure that she was not someone who should not be irritated. After a few moments of observation, he was sure that he had no impression of who she was. He was not in a low position at Restaurant Jixian, and during the past few years, he had met almost everydy of the capital city. He knew pretty well who to offend and who to stay polite to. And he was certain that she was not ady from any important family. The head of the gang became proud again. With a shallow face, he said, ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t pretend to be strong. This is the capital city, and it is the Elder Princess who is behind my restaurant. Do you think that you can afford to offend her?¡± As the Elder Princess was mentioned, the head of the gang was expecting to see a scared expression on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. He even expected her to shiver. Chapter 192: One More Chance

Chapter 192: One More Chance

The Elder Princess felt a headache arising inside her head. She massaged her temples, thinking that she had been spoiling Anxi a little bit too much. She should learn how to behave like a smart person. She waved her hands. ¡°Anyway, justpete with her, but don¡¯t restrain your own abilities against her.¡± *** At the restaurant. After Fu Bao tossed County Princess Anxi and the gang from Restaurant Jixian out, Zhou Huaijin sized up Gu Chaoyan from head to toes, making sure that she was not injured. Only then was he assured. Gu Chaoyan thought that he was way too exaggerating. She said, ¡°Sword One and Sword Two are with me, I will be fine.¡± ¡°I am still worried even if they are with you.¡± Zhou Huaijin said straightforwardly, not minding snapping at the two guards of his own. The faces of Sword One and Sword Two twitched. Why didn¡¯t they realize that their lord was such a wife-protector before? Sword One and Sword Two even thought that Lord Huai had no idea what love was and how to get on well with women, but now it seemed that it had been their own mistaken thoughts. Nevertheless, Sword One and Sword Two were not saying this out loud. They did not dare to. At this moment, their Lord, whom they assumed had no idea of how to get on well with women, was looking at Gu Chaoyan with a look of ttery. ¡°Yan, what is the special dish you talked about? I hurried here just to try your special dish.¡± Gu Chaoyan almost forgot about it when Anxi came to cause trouble. ¡°Where is the kitchen?¡± ¡°Lady Chaoyan, the kitchen is over there.¡± Manager Zhao of the restaurant stepped out and said courtesly. He was a manager that had been well trained by Shadow Door. He would have been in charge of running the properties of Shadow Door if he were not assigned here. Shadow Door had extremely many properties in the capital. Manager Zhao, who was assigned here to run the restaurant, was not particrly assured, especially after knowing that the owner was a young girl, but... After meeting with this new owner, he more or less approved of her position and abilities. So now, he was showing respect and willingness to cooperate. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan was about to follow him when Zhou Huaijin¡¯s cold voice arose. ¡°No thanks. I am leading her there myself. Manager Zhao, go and pack your stuff, we are not keeping you.¡± Manager Zhao looked surprised. Did Lord mean... Did Lord mean that they were fired? He looked at Gu Chaoyan with disbelief. He started to reevaluate the importance of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s position at the moment. ¡°Lord!¡± Manager Zhao was both startled and anxious as he threw a pleading look at Gu Chaoyan. Manager Zhao knew pretty well what his lord was like. He was resolute and never changed his mind. Subcounsciously, he thought that this Lady Chaoyan would be able to help him. Gu Chaoyan eventually said, ¡°Just give them one more chance.¡± Actually, she knew what Manager Zhao was thinking. The staff Zhou Huaijin arranged for her should not have been people with no abilities. Manager Zhao would not suddenly bend down to a new master and decide to work for her resolutely. Therefore, when County Princess Anxi was causing her trouble, they did not step out but watched the show from start to finish. And by the end of the show, they must have already epted her. That was not something unforgivable. Gu Chaoyan was more than willing to be a nice person on this asion. ¡°Yan, if you don¡¯t like them, I can get a new batch of people.¡± Zhou Huaijin said. He was not at all happy about how Manager Zhao dealt with the situation. Chapter 197: The Jiang Mansion’s Thanking Gift

Chapter 197: The Jiang Mansion¡¯s Thanking Gift

Madame Jiang sat up. Her face, which looked pale, started to show some color. She said with energy. ¡°I have to say that Lady Chaoyan is very skilled with acupuncture. I no longer have any pain.¡± She said this as she intended to get off the bed for a walk. The auntie next to her stepped up to help her. She walked a few steps. Madame Jiang suddenly found that she was really cured. She was not feeling dizzy or constricted in her chest. She felt totally fresh like never before. She said cheerfully, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, you are indeed a divine doctor!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Gu Chaoyan said politely. ¡°Deputy Chief Zhang, now you believe how skilled this little girl is, do you?¡± Madame Jiang said, not showing any anger towards Deputy Chief Zhang. Deputy Chief Zhang had a look of total disbelief. He came to feel Madame Jiang¡¯s pulse. After that, he looked at Gu Chaoyan with disbelief for a very long time before he came back to himself. Madame Jiang smiled. Zhou Huaijin was also very surprised to see how skilled Gu Chaoyan was. After all Doctor Zhang was already very excellent and now Chaoyan was doing even better. When did she pick up this skill? Confused, Zhou Huaijin asked. ¡°Do you need to give her a prescription?¡± ¡°No need. Just be careful of what you eat these days. I will get you some pills in a couple of days.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. She decided to make some pills with the herbs from the space. Those pills were going to be useful for both Madame Jiang and Zhou Huaijin. Hearing that no medicine was needed... Madame Jiang said cheerfully, ¡°Chaoyan, we don¡¯t need to eat any pills, really?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You have no idea how much I dislike drinking bitter medicine these years. Everything will be bitter for me, if I continue.¡± Madame Jiang said with a face ofint, looking rather displeased. Gu Chaoyan more or less understood what happened. Madame Jiang¡¯s health must have something to do with how she took her food. And the reason why she could not eat a thing was because of the medicine. It waspletely rted. In this era, medicine was not very well developed. Deputy Chief Zhang was too old-fashioned to realize these problems. @@novelbin@@ After Madame Jiang thanked Gu Chaoyan, she took a walk outside with Auntie. Zhou Huaijin kept Gu Chaoyanpany on the way back to the Gu Mansion seeing that the day was gettingte. After she returned to the Gu Mansion Gu Chaoyan started to make her pills. The magical air in the space was indeed wonderful. The herbs she nted were of excellent quality and they would work well with the magical water. *** The following day the housekeeper of the Jiang Mansion came to the doorstep with gifts. Hearing that it was the housekeeper of the Jiang Mansion, Chen Fu rushed towards Pear Garden whilst showing a bright smile on his face. After the people from the Jiang Mansion arrived at the door, the Gu Mansion was going to receive tons of guests. And when the Gu Mansion became popr, the servants would have a great life too. ¡°Madame Gu! Madame Gu!¡± Chen Fu shouted excitedly. Madame Gu frowned instead of scolding him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is the housekeeper from the Jiang Mansion with lots of presents! The housekeeper is showing so much courtesy.¡± Chen Fu said excitedly. It was the Queen¡¯s mother¡¯s mansion. The Jiang Mansion? It was never expected that the Gu Mansion could one day receive someone from the Jiang Mansion. Madame Gu said with joy on her face. ¡°Go to Begonia Yard to get Ruxue.¡± Ruxue was going to marry the Lord Ling, and the housekeeper must be here to check on Ruxue! Chapter 200: For Elder Miss!

Chapter 200: For Elder Miss!

Gu Chaoyan had just finished making her medical pills and was about to brew her fruit wine with magical water, when Chen Fu came to her in a hurry. Madame Jiang was just expressing her thankfulness back at the Jiang Mansion the day before. And due to her rtionship with Zhou Huaijin, no payment was mentioned. She had not expected that Madame Jiang would be so friendly that she arranged for her housekeeper to give her thank you gifts. That basically meant that she was setting up a position for her at the Gu Mansion. In this way, if anyone from the Gu Mansion intended to embarrass her, they would be scared of Madame Jiang. As she thought of the friendly look of Madame Jiang the day before, Gu Chaoyan felt her heart filled with warmth. She had no family in her previous life. And in this present life, Gu Zhenkang was not like her real father at all. She had thought that she could feel some family love from Madame Gu at the beginning, but Madame Gu was actually a woman who only aimed at profits and interests. If Gu Ruxue was marrying Lord Ling, she would definitely be deserted. Madame Jiang, however, made her feel very happy. And she did not feel tired at all from the medical pills she stayed up making the night before. She walked all the way to the front yard and then walked into the hall. She then saw the housekeeper of the Jiang Mansion, who looked very friendly, and was about to say something when Gu Ruxue snorted and said ironically, ¡°Housekeeper Jiang, just look carefully. Maybe you have made a mistake.¡± Gu Ruxue did not think that Housekeeper Jiang had not made a mistake. Why would the Jiang Mansion give such precious gifts to this ugly girl? Housekeeper Jiang looked a bit furious. He had never met such an ill-mannereddy. Nevertheless, he still showed a smiling face to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, these are the presents from Madame Jiang. She is doing very well now, and the imperial doctor says that she ispletely healthy now. Lady Chaoyan, you are very skilled!¡± Housekeeper Jiang spoke highly and sincerely of her. Madame Jiang had never been doing well. Even the imperial doctors could not figure out the solution. Now that Lady Chaoyan cured her, the whole mansion was indeed grateful to her. Gu Chaoyan nodded. Just as she had expected, Madame Jiang was not suffering from any serious disease. There were just some problems arising due to old age. She took out the bottle of medical pills from her pocket and gave it to Housekeeper Jiang. ¡°Just make sure Madame Jiang eats well, and one pill a day will do.¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan had thought about giving some fruits from the space to Madame Jiang, but as she thought about it, it might not be a good time. Therefore, she was thinking about watering the fruit trees in the Qiong Pavilion with magical water first before getting the fruits delivered to her. The medical pills would do for now. Hearing their conversation Gu Ruxue got so angry that her face turned pale! If not for Madame Gu who tried to stop her, she really had the intention of leaving. Madame Gu was slightly disappointed, but Gu Chaoyan was, after all, thedy of the Gu Mansion. So she said with a smile, ¡°That is very kind of you. It is Chaoyan¡¯s honor to be able to treat Madame Jiang!¡± Housekeeper Jiang did not like Madame Gu either. When the Second Lady was making such a huge fuss, she did not even try to stop her! It seemed that the Gu Mansion had spoiled her totally. However, for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s sake, he still said with kindness, ¡°It is okay, Madame Gu. Now the gifts are here, it is time for me to leave.¡± Then he turned to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, when you have time, pleasee to the Jiang Mansion for a cup of tea. Madame Jiang enjoys talking with you.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded before seeing Housekeeper Jiang out personally. As she returned, Madame Gu could not wait to take hold of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands. ¡°Chaoyan, what is going on? When did this happen?¡± Chapter 204: Mrs. Gu’s Plan

Chapter 204: Mrs. Gu¡¯s n

Mrs. Gu enjoyed seeing Mrs. Jinzhang¡¯s ttering face. Mrs. Jinzhang waved at the maid in the room, ordering her to serve the tea. She had meant to cause Mrs. Gu trouble, but now she did not dare to. That was why she asked her maid to serve the tea directly. Mrs. Gu started to drink the tea slowly. After putting down the teacup, she said calmly, ¡°Calm down about Meixiang...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am here to talk about something else, which is even better.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is there anybody from the Zhang Family who can marry that bitch girl? Chenyi seems to be at a proper age?¡± Mrs. Gu said with teeth clenched. Hearing that it was about the ugly girl Mrs. Jinzhang looked very disappointed. She had thought that there was something even better, but that girl... that girl had been divorced and she was very ugly. Chenyi was at a proper age of getting married, but he was not going to marry someone like that! Mrs. Jinzhang did not utter a word because she was totally against the idea. Seeing Mrs. Jinzhang¡¯s expression, Mrs. Gu understood what she was thinking. ¡°If you don¡¯t want Chenyi to marry her, then pick someone else, maybe the son of a concubine, from the family to marry her.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Honestly, you are earning big by marrying her.¡± Mrs. Jinzhang pursed her lips. She was totally against the idea. They were going to be totally humiliated if they married her. With her eyes upon Mrs. Jinzhang, Mrs. Gu looked arrogant. ¡°Mom, get someone to marry her, it¡¯s best if it¡¯s the son of a concubine. The son is going to get many wives and concubines anyway. So the marriage wouldn¡¯t hurt. She has a lot of dowries and she is running stores with Lord Huai. She is earning a great deal, at least she is rted to Lord Huai! Maybe the son is going to be hired directly. What a nice deal?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mrs. Jinzhang asked with a look of surprise. She did not like the girl because she was ugly and divorced, but if the whole family could get such great profits by taking her as a concubine, she was not going to let the son of the concubine take it. If the son of a concubine became highly promoted because of the rtionship with Lord Huai. What would Chenyi do? She had to get Chenyi to take this opportunity! @@novelbin@@ ¡°Sister, don¡¯t ask so many questions. You are not offering your Chenyi anyway.¡± Then she turned to Madame Zhang. ¡°Mom, get a concubine here, so I can speak with you about the details. If she approves, I can get it done as soon as possible.¡± Mrs. Jinzhang panicked, tugging at Madame Zhang. ¡°Madame Zhang, if she is here for the concubine, Chenyi can do it. Chenyi is the lineal son.¡± Madame Zhang nodded with approval assuring Mrs. Jinzhang. However, Madame Gu was a very smartdy. ¡°Will Madame Gu approve?¡± Mrs. Guughed. ¡°We can do it first before telling her the news, then she will have no way to turn the table.¡± Mrs. Gu whispered in Mrs. Jinzhang¡¯s ears. When the n was done, she mentioned. ¡°Get Meixiang to the imperial banquet. She may not be able to marry Lord Ling, but she may still find someone with a great background.¡± Mrs. Jinzhang nodded. The Zhang Mansion was never able to get into the imperial court, so she showed courtesy. ¡°You are so capable, Aunt.¡± Mrs. Gu smiled with satisfaction. She loved it when people tried to tter her, because that made everything easy. When Ruxue married Lord Ling in the future, there would be more and more people who tried to tter her. She was going to teach those who used to bully her a very deep lesson at that time. Chapter 207: Mrs. Gu at the Restaurant 2

Chapter 207: Mrs. Gu at the Restaurant 2

When they were outside eating the hot-pot, she had spotted those two people checking the ce out. There was no one in Yellow Crane back then, and they would have been very weed toe and eat here, but they wereughing at them from a short distance away. However, now that Yellow Crane became popr, they came here forcing the guests to spare seats for them just because they were the Miss¡¯s family members, now that the seats were not avable. How ridiculous! So she rushed in and told Miss about it. When the waiters heard that the guests were Miss¡¯s family members, they did not dare to give them trouble and tried to appease them. When Manager Song heard that, he tried to find a proper method to deal with the situation. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Lady Chaoyan, let me go and check it out and see if we have a ce for them to sit.¡± Manager Song asked. He had made up his mind to work for Lady Chaoyan, so he had to behave well. However, Gu Chaoyan shook her head directly. Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue were so troublesome. What were they doing here? Had they forgotten that Lord Huai was one of the shareholders of this restaurant too? She sneered. ¡°They are all guests who try to find a seat at the restaurant. They can juste by when there are seats avable. It is totally unreasonable of them to force others to spare seats for their sake!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be friendly, just toss them out directly!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We are all guests at Yellow Crane no matter what our social statuses are. We are not supposed to spare seats for anyone!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Go and deal with it.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Manager Song¡¯s eyes widened ¡ª tossing them out? Weren¡¯t they people from the Gu Mansion? ¡°Go and do it now!¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a cold expression. Those employees were all from Shadow Door, but since they were now Chaoyan¡¯s staff, they had to obey her orders. He had been very displeased about Manager Song trying to test Yan, and now he was suspecting Yan¡¯s decision! It made Zhou Huaijin want to rece them directly. Manager Song did not expect that his friendly intention had led to such trouble. Bellowed at by Lord Huai, he finally realized what was going on here. So he set off to do the work directly. Mrs. Gu was still shouting loudly at the restaurant. The waiters did not dare to do anything since they were all people from the Gu Mansion. Seeing Manager Songing downstairs, they turned to him directly. ¡°Manager Song, what are we supposed to do.¡± Here came the Manager. There was one table where ordinary-looking people were seated. They got a little bit worried seeing the situation. After all, the two women were rted to the owner of the restaurant, whilst they themselves were just people without power. They had better give the seats to them. That was what they were normally doing at Restaurant Jixian. They thought it through and then looked at each other and said, ¡°Manager, we can move.¡± Manager Song might appear very soft in front of Gu Chaoyan, but when facing such an intense situation, he was quite intimidating. With a t and serious look on his face, he said, ¡°What is going on?¡± Mrs. Gu was very satisfied with the guests who were about to leave. Seeing their expression, she looked even more arrogant. She threw a very disdainful look at Manager Song, whom she was not at all scared of. She snapped, ¡°I am your owner¡¯s mother, get me a seat!¡± She said this as she threw a disgusted look at the guests in the restaurant, then at the guests who were moving away. ¡°I am not eating here with those people, get me a very nice elegant room.¡± Those people who were eating did not feelfortable about what they heard. Why were they looked down on? They were not filthy people! However, there was nothing they could do. The two guests were rted to the owner and soon they were going to be led to an elegant room. Chapter 211: Family Law 1

Chapter 211: Family Law 1

Zhou Huaijin frowned slightly. He looked at Gu Chaoyan, wondering if she was displeased with Manager Song¡¯s way of dealing with the matter, or with something else. The staff at Shadow Door had been well trained, and even the managers who were supposed to run business were always ferocious. So it was very reasonable for Manager Song to deal with the incident in this way, but he was worried that Yan did not like it when he made the decision himself. If Yan was displeased with him, then he could be reced directly, even though he was the best at Shadow Door. At this time, Manager Song knocked at the door and entered. He showed great coutersey in front of Gu Chaoyan. He bowed slightly and said politely, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, the whole thing is done. I made the decision myself, so sorry for that.¡± He realized that Lady Chaoyan was going to be his mistress in the future. If Lady Chaoyan dismissed him, he would never get back to Shadow Door. A minute ago he was showing hispetence. If Lady Chaoyan could ept him, then he was definitely going to be her most capable assistant and help her devotedly. If Lady Chaoyan did not ept that, he was going to dismiss himself and leave for home. Within this short period of time he felt very nervous. He was worried about what kind of answer he was going to get. Gu Chaoyan smiled and said with a determined tone, ¡°Manager Song, you have done a great job. That is exactly the way for you to deal with someone like Mrs. Gu.¡± If she was tossed out directly, what she would have gotten was just humiliation, but now she had offended Mrs. Zheng. The whole Gu Family was going to be in trouble, so Madame Gu was not going to give her a peaceful time. Gu Chaoyan was very pleased. If Manager Song were not a manager for Yellow Crane, she would very much try to keep him by her side. The four Sword guards were okay, but they were not full of conspiracies and ns. She needed a strategist! However, it was not the time for her to make an emotional speech. ¡°Manager Song, just go and finish your work. Since you are running Yellow Crane, what you need to do is to get everything in order. Unless it deals with the new branded dishes, I am not going to get involved with anything rted to Yellow Crane.¡± Excitement hovered over Manager Song¡¯s face. So Lady Chaoyan trusted him now? He bowed and said calmly, ¡°Okay!¡± Then he exited the room. Gu Chaoyan smiled. She had not understood why Zhou Huaijin had got her Manager Song, but after this incident, she knew it all. Within this day¡¯s time, Yellow Crane was doing very well. By the evening Zhou Huaijin apanied Gu Chaoyan home. The moment she entered the mansion, Chen Fu said with a serious expression, ¡°Miss, Madame Gu is asking for you.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. That was what she had expected... @@novelbin@@ When Mrs. Gu got humiliated at Yellow Crane today, she must have med her for it. They must have been waiting for her toe home for a long while. Then she started to walk towards the front yard. There were a few begonias in the front yard, because of Gu Ruxue. She was allergic towards begonias, so none of the flowers were kept. As the servants of the front yard saw Gu Chaoyan, they showed a pleased look on their face. In their eyes, Gu Chaoyan was even worse than the servants. She walked past them and came to the hall. The moment she entered the hall, Gu Zhenkang shouted furiously as he pointed at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You are such a terrible daughter! Look at what you have done today! Are you trying to ruin our reputation?!¡± Chapter 214: A Different Turnout

Chapter 214: A Different Turnout

¡°Kneel down now!¡± Gu Zhenkang bellowed at Gu Chaoyan with his finger pointing at her. Gu Chaoyan shrugged and looked at Gu Zhenkang as if she were staring at an idiot. No wonder this man was stuck with his position of a low rank for years. Gu Zhenkang simply had no brain! He had not even thought through the whole matter before supporting Mrs. Gu instead of listening to anyone else¡¯s words. How could someone like this be the master of a huge family? It seemed that her mother married her father just because of his look. Everyone in the Gu Family were stupid, but they all had pretty faces. Gu Zhenkang had gotten older at the moment, but his face was still shining. Princess Gu, for example, she became a princess just because she was pretty, despite the fact that she was disgraced very soon afterwards. Even Gu Ruxue had gained a title of the prettiest girl in the whole capital city. Madame Gu was still in deep thoughts. It seemed that she had no idea who was wrong and right at the moment. Instead of wasting any more time with them, Gu Chaoyan snapped directly, ¡°Before Mrs. Zheng left, she even asked her servants to find out who had offended her. She looked very furious.¡± What?! Mrs. Gu stumbled and almost copsed. She could not keep herself steady without her maid helping her. Scared, she asked in disbelief, ¡°Really?¡± This sentence forced her to admit what she had done. @@novelbin@@ Madame Gu got so angry that she tossed the cup at Mrs. Gu. ¡°Look at what you have done!¡± Gu Zhenkang looked very unhappy. He was either ashamed because of the misunderstanding or because of fear. Mrs. Gu kneeled down directly and said with a crying tone, ¡°Madame Gu, you can¡¯t me me for that! I did not know that it was Mrs. Zheng who was seated in the elegant room. If I had any idea about that, I would not have done anything so reckless! The manager of Yellow Crane should have told me about it, it is his fault that I offended Mrs. Zheng!¡± What Mrs. Gu said, made the manager of Yellow Crane the culprit. Madame Gu was displeased. She turned to Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan showed a rxed face and said, ¡°What I have is just Qing. And when Yellow Crane opened, the Gu Mansion did not have anyone to help. So everyone at the restaurant works for Lord Huai, so it is totally out of my control that Lord Huai¡¯s man did something like that. If you are against the decision, please go to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion and tell them about that.¡± Mrs. Gu cringed. She did not dare to go to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion at all. Madame Gu felt uneasy and did not dare to mention that any more. Everyone was focusing upon Ruxue and ignored this incident. They had not paid any attention to Chaoyan and that had been their fault, honestly. ¡°What are we supposed to do?¡± Mrs. Gu was scared. ¡°If Mrs. Zheng really wants to get revenge, we must not drag Ruxue down! She is the only hope of our family!¡± Madame Gu felt annoyed. What that woman had offended was the wife of the chief of the Ministry of Personnel! What were they supposed to do? If the rumor went to Lord Ling¡¯s ears and he refused to marry Ruxue, all would be lost! They had to solve this issue, what were they going to do? She looked up and then saw Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Chaoyan, we have misunderstood you. We can skip the punishment, but could you please beg for mercy with Lord Huai. You have cured Madame Jiang, he has to help us!¡± Gu Chaoyan sneered inwardly. So they were asking her to help Mrs. Gu? Chapter 217: Dumb-Headed Miss

Chapter 217: Dumb-Headed Miss

Gu Caiqin was still very confused. Didn¡¯t her sister get smarter? So why was she walking towards a different direction? She did not seem very smart after all. Seeing Gu Chaoyan ceasing her steps Gu Caiqin showed a very brief smile, thinking that this dumb-headed person was going to be very gulliable. ¡°Sister, you had better go to Pear Garden as early as possible, or Madame Gu is not going to be very pleased.¡± Gu Caiqin reminded kind-heartedly. That was only because she hoped to keep Madame Gu in a good mood so that she could be thought of. Gu Chaoyan nodded, but she did not show any intention of heading towards Pear Garden either. With her eyes upon Gu Caiqin, she said calmly, ¡°But I am not going to Pear Garden.¡± Gu Caiqin¡¯s eyes widened. Tears welled up in her eyes, as she showed a very wronged expression. ¡°Sister, aren¡¯t you willing to help me at all?¡± She looked so pitiful. The Gu Family did have great genes, this young Gu Caiqin looked very cute even if she was still a little girl. The way she looked made her very adorable. The old Gu Chaoyan would have helped her when facing a sister like this, but... Gu Chaoyan at the moment was not like this. She had witnessed many people in her previous life as a killer. She would be moved if someone sincere was facing her, but now, she was just pretending, and that made her very disgusted. She nodded seriously, ¡°Yeah, I am not helping you.¡± Why should she help her? The original host had no one to turn to when she was living a bitter life. Gu Caiqin looked confused. As far as she knew, her n would always work. However, unexpectedly, this sister of hers was not helping her! Now she did look very sad. ¡°Why, you just promised me...¡± Gu Chaoyan shrugged. She did make a promise, but she was just lying. And she was not going to make it happen now. ¡°I will help you when I am free and in a good mood.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. She was the lineal daughter, as everyone knew, and she should behave like one. ¡°You!¡± Gu Caiqin snapped as she pointed at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You are a liar!¡± ¡°I am the lineal daughter, and you are just a concubine¡¯s daughter, so you better not irritate me.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled coldly as she patted Gu Caiqin¡¯s shoulders. Then she left. Gu Caiqin was totally dumbfounded. Only now did she realize what happened and pointed in the direction that Gu Chaoyan left. ¡°Who do you think you are, a lineal daughter? Go to hell!¡± @@novelbin@@ How dare she trick her like this! She was going to make her pay! The maid next to Gu Caiqin reminded her with a small whisper. ¡°Fourth Lady, did you notice that something is different about Elder Miss? She seems to have be smarter...¡± Before the maid finished her words, Gu Caiqin pped her right in the face. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What difference can she make? She is looking down at us just because she has gained some poprity in the front yard! I am going to make her see how much longer she canugh in this way.¡± Gu Caiqin clenched the fist, stomped her feet and left. On the way to the Qiong Pavilion, Qing let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Miss, you just scared me! I thought that you were going to help her!¡± ¡°I am not that stupid, alright?¡± Gu Chaoyan said confidently. Qing nodded. Chapter 221: Into the Court 1

Chapter 221: Into the Court 1

Gu Chaoyan sounded so resolute that Lianxiang could not help but shiver. She looked up guiltily and then lowered her head. She found that everything was getting weird these days. Normally, she never showed fear in front of this uglydy. So right now, what Lianxiang could do was to mumble with a small voice inside. ¡°Second Lady is going to help me, Second Lady is going to help me!¡± Madame Gu had not paid any attention to this matter at all, because no matter who had the point... Ruxue was the hope of their family, so they had to favor Ruxue. However, when she heard that even a maid was lying to her, Madame Gu¡¯s expression sank and she said, ¡°What is going on?¡± Gu Chaoyan took a step forward, then she came to Lianxiang. She lifted her face up, stretched out her hand and ced it on her face. ¡°Madame Gu, please have a look at the handprint on her face. If she says that it is from Qing then she is lying, the prints are totally different! Clearly, she left the print with her own hand pping her face.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She pped herself because she made a mistake. How could you me Qing for something you did in front of Madame Gu!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What if something else happens in the future, are you also going to lie to us then?¡± Gu Chaoyan bellowed. Lianxiang shivered. Damn it... She had no idea about the print! Gu Chaoyan was still speaking without showing any courtesy. ¡°Madame Gu, if we keep this terrible maid, we are probably going to be lied to and sold by her in the future. Madame Gu, do you think that I have made a mistake? If that was my fault, there are simply no rules in the whole mansion!¡± Gu Chaoyan said quietly. Madame Gu had no expression on her face, but fury shed over her eyes. Of course, Gu Chaoyan had no idea whom she was angry with at the moment. However, the next second Madame Gu gave Lianxiang a kick directly. ¡°How dare you! Chen Fu, teach her a lesson!¡± As she finished saying these words, she looked at Gu Ruxue and said, ¡°Ruxue, you are getting a new maid.¡± Gu Ruxue¡¯s face sank. She had never expected that she would get a blow back. Lianxiang might have told a lie, but this ugly did the hitting first! And now Madam Gu was ming Lianxiang! Gu Ruxue red at Chen Fu and then got another maid for herself. She was the Second Lady. Without Lianxiang, she had numerous second-level maids as well. So Lianxiang was not irreceable. Unlike Gu Chaoyan... She only had one girl called Qing with her, who had been with her since Mrs. Lin was alive. Sword One was Zhou Huaijin¡¯s guard after all. Since they were all heading towards the court, Gu Ruxue could not make any more fuss, so the small incident passed by. Gu Chaoyan and her gang were in a good mood whilst Gu Ruxue was extremely displeased. She failed to take advantage of Gu Chaoyan on this asion. This time it was Gu Chaoyan¡¯s second time visiting the court alone. Since the Gu Mansion was in a very low position, they had to go through numerous processes. It was not until lunchtime when they finally reached Biquan Pce. Princess Virtue gave Gu Chaoyan a small nod, showing that she had finished her end in the deal they had. @@novelbin@@ Apart from Princess Virtue and Princess Gu. This time, one more princess, who looked even more highly-ranked than Princess Virtue, was in Biquan Pce. Her eyes were always upon Gu Ruxue and Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 225: Setting Her Up 1

Chapter 225: Setting Her Up 1

Gu Chaoyan was not aware of the fury that burned inside Zhou Huaijin¡¯s heart. She was so excited about the show that Zhou Huaijin sighed at the sight of her excited look. As he was sighing, Sword Three threw a person into the room at a high speed. Sword Three was very fast, but Gu Chaoyan still caught sight of the silhouette, which was very familiar yet not clear to her memory at the moment. When all was ready, Sword Three closed the door and left. As Gu Chaoyan was waiting impatiently, noise arose not faraway. It was Mrs. Gu who hade with a crowd of people. She was talking in a very loud voice, ¡°Our Lady Chaoyan is resting inside the room. She is not feeling well!¡± Originally, she only had Huo Wei and Princess Gu¡¯s maid next to her, but she talked so loudly that Gu Ruxue and Princess Jing were attracted here too. On the other hand, Gu Ruxue was purposefully bringing the group to this direction, so Princess Jing was here as well. Mrs. Gu made such a big fuss of it that soon Princess Virtue came with her followers too. @@novelbin@@ Princess Virtue had a t look on her face. Judging from her expression, Gu Chaoyan could not tell what she was thinking. So she said with a t tone, ¡°What is everyone doing here?¡± Mrs. Gu was about to say something, when some strange noise arose from inside the room. ¡°What is that sound?!¡± Tao¡¯er eximed. Mrs. Gu had a panicking look on her face, but she was alreadyughing inwardly ¨C ¡°you ugly bitch, you think that you are a match against me? Your reputation will be ruined at the Saint Divine Land in the future, and you are not going to die as easily as your mother. You will suffer as you are alive!¡± Ecstasy arose inside her, but Mrs. Gu had to show a worried look, ¡°What is happening in there? Chaoyan is resting there! Nothing should have happened!¡± She even moved her arm to block Tao¡¯er from entering the room. Tao¡¯er might just be a maid, but she was speaking with a firm tone, ¡°My Lady, this is the court. You do not need to help Elder Miss if she is doing something filthy!¡± Mrs. Gu, however, was showing a look of sadness. She pretended to stop Tao¡¯er. ¡°No, Tao¡¯er, no!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Chaoyan has been divorced, but I don¡¯t think that she would ever conduct anything like that!¡± Mrs. Gu looked as if she were a very kind mother. The sound inside the room arose. Even Princess Jing could not stand it any more. Now she understood that it was the Elder Miss of the Gu Family who was resting inside the room, so the woman inside the room was Elder Miss, what about the man? It was Biquan Pce, where Princess Gu and Princess Virtue lived. They had no children, so there could not have been any king¡¯s son who was living here. So the man should be a eunuch. Princess Jing got so disgusted. No wonder it was Gu Ruxue whom Huailing referred to. The Elder Miss might be a lineal daughter, but she was so disgusting because of what she was doing now! She could not have been the destined woman Master had told her about! How dare she do something like this in court! No one was going to help her at the moment. She had to be punished seriously, especially when she was on site too! With a cold face, Princess Jing said, ¡°Open the door, now!¡± Chapter 228: The Affair 1

Chapter 228: The Affair 1

Zhou Huaijin was very annoyed that they used such a terrible n to set up Yan. He was going to make them bear all the misery and they are going to suffer. Fu Bao did not hesitate the moment he got the order. He took the tea from the table and poured it directly upon them two, but the tea water did not work that well, so Fu Bao kicked Princess Gu, as well as the filthy man awake. They two came to their senses, opened their eyes and saw a group of people standing next to them. Princess Gu was so startled that she even forgot to get something to cover herself up. Instead, she gazed forward in a dreamy state as if she were sleep-walking. Fu Bao grabbed some nkets and covered the two. Princess Virtue and Princess Jing walked away directly, turned themselves around so as to avoid seeing this foreign man. Gu Chaoyan was very curious how these people were doing, so she sneaked a look through the crack from Zhou Huaijin¡¯s back, craning her neck just to see what was happening. Zhou Huaijin frowned slightly ¨C what was this girl looking at? That was a filthy man! If she wanted to see a naked man, he would strip just for her sake. As he thought about this, Zhou Huaijin covered her face up with a hand, pushed her behind his back and said with a warning tone, ¡°Don¡¯t look at this filthy thing.¡± Gu Chaoyan let out a slight ¡°okay¡± sound. Zhou Huaijin snapped at these two people, ¡°Princess Gu, how dare you sleep with someone else in your chamber! Have you gotten tired of living?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Someone,e and take her to my Father the King!¡± Princess Gu? Zhang Liangyu had been feeling dizzy yet came to his senses the moment he heard the phrase Princess Gu. He felt that something terrible was going on. If he had an affair with Princess Gu on the sly, he would have been very proud, since she was the King¡¯s woman! But now... he was sleeping with Princess Gu under everyone¡¯s eyes... he was definitely going to be killed, so was his family! Zhang Liangyi might have been an idling person, yet he was totally aware of this point. He got so frightened that he rolled off the bed and said with a shivering tone, ¡°Please, my Lord, I did not know that was Princess Gu!¡± What was going on?! Hadn¡¯t the n been ruining the girl¡¯s innocence? So he was able to get the dowries and the restaurant? That was why he dared to take the risk here! If he had known that it would be Princess Gu, he would never have taken the risk at all! How could that be possible? Zhang Liangyi was totally confused. He should not die! The Zhang Family might not have been arge family, yet he was still living a very luxurious and easy life! He did not want to die! Oh right! It was his aunt! It was his aunt¡¯s n! As Zhang Liangyi thought about this, he sought for Mrs. Gu among the crowd. Mrs. Gu was in a totally confused state at the moment. She just could not believe that it was Princess Gu who was in the room! Everything was over! With his gaze upon Mrs. Gu, Zhang Liangyi crawled to her as if he had found hisst straw. He was about to grab her dress when Mrs. Gu took a step backwards. Zhang Liangyi did not care about anything but shouted directly, ¡°Aunt, please help me! You arranged the whole thing, I am totally innocent of this matter!¡± @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Gu was so annoyed that she wished that Zhang Liangyi were dead. What was he doing trying to get her involved! Zhou Huaijin, on the other hand, was looking at Mrs. Gu with great interest. Chapter 230: A Strike Back 1

Chapter 230: A Strike Back 1

As she finished saying these words, Gu Chaoyan looked at Princess Gu as if she were looking at an idiot. Then she smiled. She was not at all smart enough to cooperate with Mrs. Gu to set her up. Now she had fallen into her own trap. She had not offended her in any way, except that she lost her face because of what she did as a little child. That was how Princess Gu started to hate her. She thought that it had everything to do with her being disgraced for dozens of years. She had been an ugly and divorced girl. Princess Gu did nothing when she heard the news. Now that she was getting better she was feeling quite unhappy, so she tried to make her marry a mental person and ruin her innocence. So whatever she was bearing today, was something that she deserved to have. Gu Chaoyan showed no sympathy at all. Zhou Huaijin also spoke with a cold tone, ¡°Take her down!¡± Fu Bao and the eunuchs of Biquan Pce took her arms and hauled her away. Princess Gu snapped, ¡°Ugly b***h, you set me up! I am going to haunt you even if I am a ghost!¡± Then she became silent. Maybe it was because she was too far away or maybe because Fu Bao shut her up. Suddenly, this wing-pce was dominated by silence. Princess Jing looked very displeased. What was going on? What was wrong with these people from the Gu Family? How horrible! Princess Jing did not like the Gu Family at all, but she could do nothing because the fortune teller said that the destineddy should be from the Gu Family! She no longer wanted to stay at this pce so she said directly, ¡°Now that the truth has been revealed, I am leaving.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded, showing no intention of causing her any trouble. Princess Jing was about to leave, when she took another look at Gu Ruxue and Gu Chaoyan. When Princess Jing was gone, only Princess Virtue remained. She had to deal with the remaining trouble since the whole incident happened at her Biquan Pce. So she said directly, ¡°Mrs. Gu, anddies, so many things have happened at my pce today, so it is going to be toote for you to leave the pce now. Please stay overnight instead.¡± The reason why they were asked to stay was because there might be some more remaining trouble that would get the Gu Family involved. So it was a very normal process. Gu Chaoyan was not against that. Zhou Huaijin said nothing more ¨C he approved of the Princess¡¯s proposal. So Princess Virtue left to deal with the remaining affairs. Zhou Huaijin went along as well. When they were all gone, only Princess Virtue¡¯s servants, Gu Ruxue and Gu Chaoyan remained on the spot. The three of them went directly to the ce where Madame Gu stayed. Madame Gu had not been with them on this asion, because Mrs. Gu had worried that Madame Gu would defend Gu Chaoyan if she had been there, so she kept her from following. Great that she was not here, otherwise Madame Gu would have had to witness all that was happening. At this time Madame Gu had no idea what happened... @@novelbin@@ Seeing the three of them returning in distress and the blood on Mrs. Gu¡¯s head, Madame Gu knew that something was wrong. With a sunken expression, she clicked her cane, ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We are in the pce! I told you not to cause any trouble, what happened?!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You always cause Princess Gu trouble. Princess Gu has had a very hard time in the pce so don¡¯t let her deal with your trouble!¡± Madame Gu looked furious. At this moment, Gu Chaoyan felt sorry for Madame Gu. Princess Gu was Madam Gu¡¯s daughter after all. Judging from how Madame Gu treated her daughter, it seemed that she did care about her! However, she had no idea that Princess Gu was done for. Chapter 235: Cloudy Day

Chapter 235: Cloudy Day

That was something Gu Chaoyan could not understand. Gu Ruxue might be a very pretty girl, but Lord Ling could get as many equally pretty girls as he wanted. And Gu Ruxue was not smart enough to be his assistant in his career either. ¡°Maybe Lord Ling is head-tamed?¡± Gu Chaoyan said casually, ¡°But Gu Ruxue is not skilled in doing this kind of witchcraft either...¡± Zhou Huaijin looked helpless, but he smiled in a sweet way. There was no such witchcraft existing in this world, and no one from the Gu Family was able to get close to Lord Ling either. They thought that there must be something they were not aware of in the process. ¡°Anyway, stop thinking about that. I will get my staff from Shadow Door to look into this matter. You have had a long day today, go and take a break now. You are heading home when you get up.¡± Zhou Huaijin said. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She did feel very tired. It was indeed a long day and many things had happened. *** The following day, no one mentioned what happened the day before the moment she woke up. The servants from Biquan Pce behaved normally as before. Gu Chaoyan would have not remembered that something so enormous happened the day before, if she had not seen Madame Gu getting carried away. No one of the whole Gu Family was uttering a word. Both Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue stayed silent. They were very quiet throughout the entire path leading outside the court. Then they got onto the wagon of the Gu Mansion and headed home. The atmosphere was so quiet and dark as if a rainstorm were on the way. Then they got off the wagon, walked into the Gu Mansion and headed towards the front yard. Gu Zhenkang, who was seated on the main seat in the front yard, was showing a face of distress. He looked as if the whole sky had fallen down. He did not shout at Gu Chaoyan at the sight of her, but red at the gang that walked in. As for what happened in the court... He already found out about it in the morning court session. And he had been seated on this spot for more than four hours. The servants helped Madame Gu down whilst Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue were standing motionlessly in the hall. The seat Gu Zhenkang was sitting on used to belong to Madame Gu, but Gu Zhenkang showed no intention of sparing it for her. He didn¡¯t even ask Madame Gu about how she was doing. After a long moment of silence Gu Zhenkang smashed the teacup and bellowed furiously as a vein popped out of his head. ¡°What on earth happened!¡± ¡°...¡± Even Mrs. Gu got startled by the way he was bellowing. Then she pointed at Gu Chaoyan instantly and said, ¡°It is all this b***h¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She should have been in that room, but Princess Gu ended up being there! It must have been her n to set Princess Gu up!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now Princess is dead, and Madame Gu is sick, it is all her fault!¡± Mrs. Gu bellowed furiously, totally unaware of what she had been like when interrogated by Madame Gu earlier. Now she was trying to get herself out of the trouble by making Gu Zhenkang believe what she said. Gu Zhenkang threw a re at Gu Chaoyan directly. Fury covered his face. He knew it! He knew that it was all this ugly girl¡¯s fault! @@novelbin@@ The Gu Family were a family of literatis... If Madame Gu had not forced him to marry a businesswoman, none of this would have happened! Business families were always full of bad luck! Even their bloodline was totally stained! Sure enough, the daughter born to a businesswoman would always cause trouble for the Gu Family. How would Ruxue marry Lord Ling in the future and how would he get promoted and make a fortune? Gu Zhenkang threw a look at Madame Gu who was unable to move, looking really annoyed. It was her fault too! If she had not insisted on the marriage, he would not have ended up being like this. ¡°Someone, take away this girl and beat her!¡± Chapter 238: Lord Ling’s Proposal

Chapter 238: Lord Ling¡¯s Proposal

Gu Chaoyan stayed and watched the show for a while, then she got bored ¨C nothing interesting happened when two equally terrible parties were fighting over one small errand. The Zhang Family might be pathetic at the moment, but they deserved all of this. The Zhang Family must have trusted Mrs. Gu¡¯s words so they got Zhang Liangyi to ruin her. In this way, the Zhang Family would be able to share the dowries and restaurant with her. However, they had never expected the result to be like this. Who could they me this on except for themselves? Gu Chaoyan was not a person who could be bullied as they wished. She threw a look at Sword One and Qing and left together with them. It was and of peace back at the Qiong Pavilion. The fruit trees they nted in the yard had been growing well. Gu Chaoyan asked Qing to pick some fruits. @@novelbin@@ These fruits could make Qing look prettier and healthier. In this way, she would avoid getting small diseases. Sword One, on the other, would get stronger and more powerful with martial arts. She could not expose her space. So what she could do was to get the supplements for Qing and Sword One in this way. When they had time, they would ask the four guards to have a taste of these fruits too. In the following few days, it was very quiet in the Gu Mansion. Gu Chaoyan heard from Sword One that the trouble with the Zhang Family had been solved. Mrs. Gu was worried that the Zhang Family would spread rumors about her, so she got them to live in the Gu Mansion for the time being. The Gu Mansion was enormous, since they used much of Mrs. Lin¡¯s money to conduct renovations. So it wasrge enough to hold the entire Zhang Family. Rumor went that Mrs. Jinzhang had gotten lots of money from Mrs. Gu as well, but Sword One was not sure how much exactly she had gotten. Madame Gu was doing better with her stroke. Yet she was still unable to get up and had to lie down in the Pear Garden the entire day. Soon the day of the entrance examination of Saint College approached. While Gu Chaoyan was making full preparations for the test, a piece of shocking news arose. Sword One said with a face of confusion, ¡°Miss, Lord Ling¡¯s men are here for the proposal!¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s lips twisted. What was wrong with Gu Ruxue? What made Lord Ling want to marry her anyway? Lord Ling¡¯s family not only begged the King for mercyst time, (although Gu Chaoyan imed that she did that to the Gu Family). ¡°And they paid a great deal of attention to this. They asked Madame Huo to be the ambassador, and the wedding gifts are enormous! People would even assume that he is getting the Princess Consort!¡± Sword One added, looking even more confused. Sword One even believed that Lord Ling must have be stupid, but she did not dare to say something like this. Gu Chaoyan just could not fathom the whole thing either. Nevertheless, it was very lively outside in the front yard. Gu Zhenkang had assumed that the marriage would be ruined after what happened to Princess Gu, and he even started to seek for other marital matches for Gu Ruxue at the moment. But now, Lord Ling¡¯s men were here for the proposal, so was Madame Huo. Gu Zhenkang smiled so brightly. He directly asked Chen Fu to bring Mrs. Gu, who had been grounded by him, to the front yard. ¡°Go get Mrs. Gu, she is the Second Lady¡¯s mother and has to be present.¡± Chen Fu hurried off. Madame Huo smiled brightly too. She had gained a glorious reputation for herself because of this marriage proposal. Lord Ling asked her to be the ambassador, only because Huo Wei and Ruxue had a close friendship. ¡°Officer Gu, the Gu Mansion will bepletely different in the future. We from the Huo Family would probably need your help!¡± Madame Huo said with arge smile. Chapter 243: The Branded Liquor

Chapter 243: The Branded Liquor

Gu Chaoyan was not worried. Zhou Huaijin was taking her side, and it would be impossible for County Princess Anxi to bribe the teachers of Saint College to set her up, because she was able toplete the task without any mistakes. She was very confident that the judges would be unable to find any faults. Well, it would be great if Zhou Huaijin could be present to keep an eye out for the examination, so she did not have to waste any time in fighting against those people. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s confident look, Zhou Huaijin could not help but ask, ¡°Which three of the skills are you going to take for the examination?¡± He could help her to make some preparations. He had to make sure that she was making full preparations for the examination. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and then decided that she was able to aplish any of the six skills after all, but... If what she needed was to prove her abilities, Gu Chaoyan was thinking about picking the ones she was best at. Among all the six skills, she was going to pick shooting, music and calligraphy. Okay, those three would do. So Gu Chaoyan replied without much hesitation. ¡°Shooting, music, and calligraphy.¡± The moment Gu Chaoyan was done talking, Zhou Huaijin looked really surprised. He believed that Yan would be good at music and calligraphy, but shooting & riding? When did Yan learn how to ride and shoot? She was not given any opportunities to learn any of these at the Gu Mansion! Thend of the Saint Divine Land was taken because they had great riders. The King also encouraged the folk of the country to learn to ride and shoot, but riding and shooting required not only horses but also space! It wasmon for men to master the skill, but for girls... Only those from huge families were able to learn to ride and shoot. County Princess Anxi, for example, picked up the skill when she was little. If Yan was out therepeting in this skill with her, then Yan was definitely going to run into County Princess Anxi. By that time, she would definitely run into Yan....Yan would probably have trouble with it too. ¡°Yan, are you sure you are going to take the riding and shooting?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked with a serious tone. He was actually quite confused, but he had no idea how to utter the questions. For example, even Gu Ruxue did not get the chance to ride and shoot. So Gu Chaoyan, who was always disgraced, would never get the chance either. However, he didn¡¯t ask anything more. He believed that soon, Yan was going to give him a clear exnation. Gu Chaoyan nodded. If she decided to stand out in the examination, she had to pick the ones she was best at. Zhou Huaijin said nothing more, but started to get his men to get the tools ready for her. At this moment, the sound of knocking arose from outside. Manager Song entered with a look of excitement. He was still holding the jug Gu Chaoyan had sent to the kitchen. He got so excited that he forgot to greet her, but asked directly, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, where did you get the wine?¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°How is the taste?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. She was looking forward to receiving feedback. She knew how to make a brewery, but she was not sure how well she could achieve it. The reason why she decided to make a brewery was only because she added magical water inside. The magical water was a great thing. As for the taste.... she was okay with it herself before bringing it here for a taste test. Now Manager Song was here for the feedback, and she was a little bit nervous. She was worried that the taste would be a disappointment. Manager Song nodded constantly and said with excitement. ¡°The liquor is very tasty! I have not tasted such great wine for ages! I am sure that this liquor would bring down the branded liquor of Restaurant Jixian.¡± ¡°The branded liquor of Restaurant Jixian?¡± Chapter 245: Argument

Chapter 245: Argument

¡°Be careful! I may drive all of you out of here!¡± Mrs. Gu said disdainfully. She had been fearing that The Zhang Family would spread the rumor and cause trouble that got the Gu Family involved, but now she did not need to fear a thing. Why would she be bothered to argue with a stupid woman like Mrs. Jinzhang? Mrs. Gu suddenly realized that the argument was not needed at all. Mrs. Jinzhang sneered. ¡°Okay, then do that! I don¡¯t think you would ever dare to do so. We are going to report you to the governmental office! Everything you did will be revealed to the public!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now, I have no other request. You got my eldest son killed, and I can leave that out. But now I have Mingyuan the second son with me and he needs a wife. You have to get a girl to marry him. If you don¡¯t, I will go and report whatever you have done to the government!¡± Mrs. Jinzhang threatened, thinking that this kind of threat would still work for Mrs. Gu, who had never done anything about it. Mrs. Jinzhang thought that she had a bargaining chip to use against Mrs. Gu. Mrs. Gu smiled coldly. Threatening her? She was not easily threatened any more. She said with a look of pride, ¡°There is one thing you are not aware of, I am afraid.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Lord Ling hase with a proposal. He is going to marry Ruxue as his concubine. You are going to report me? Aren¡¯t you worried that Lord Ling will stop you from talking? I am going to be Lord Ling¡¯s mother-inw and you will be nothing.¡± Mrs. Jinzhang said with a proud smile. She felt that her life was getting more and more glorious. Mrs. Jinzhang was startled and dared not utter a word. She was not going to offend Mrs Gu when she had Lord Ling as a supporter. ¡°You are my rtive, and I will not force you to leave. But now, you have no choice but stay at the Gu Mansion and obey my orders. If you ever dare to disobey me, I will not show any mercy.¡± Mrs. Gu said. Mrs. Jinzhang swallowed saliva. She did not dare to say anything more. Seeing that the show was over Gu Chaoyan said with an expression of boredom, ¡°Please move away.¡± Only now did Mrs. Jinzhang and her son as well as Mrs. Gu noticed that Gu Chaoyan was present too. Mrs. Jinzhang and Zhang Mingyuan hurried away. They had no idea who this girl was. Gu Chaoyan left without looking at them at all. Mrs. Gu did not stop her, but mumbled after she left. ¡°This b**ch is so impolite. She did not even greet me.¡± B**ch? Zhang Mingyuan looked at Gu Chaoyan¡¯s back. @@novelbin@@ Hearing these words he asked curiously, ¡°Aunt, who is that girl? Why did you call her b**ch?¡± ¡°Of course she is the ugly girl born by that businesswoman!¡± Mrs. Gu said with a look of disdain. Zhang Mingyuan started to think quickly. He had heard that before Aunt was married to the Gu Mansion, there was one daughter left by the original wife of the Gu Mansion. However, the rumor went that she was ugly and fat, so he did not care about her, but now that he saw the girl for the first time... He thought that the rumor in public and what aunt said were totally untrue. That girl was a little bit chubby but she was not ugly at all. She even looked a little cute! It was said that she had lots of dowries. Now the Zhang Family was in a downfall. They had no house to live and money to spend. They had to stay under the shadow of someone else. Mother intended to get him a wife, only because she wanted him to marry someone with a lot of wealth, so that the whole family¡¯s situation could be changed. If Aunt was not helping him, he would create the opportunity himself. That Elder Miss seemed like a perfect match. Chapter 249: Zhang Mingyuan

Chapter 249: Zhang Mingyuan

At the Qiong Pavilion. It was the early stage of autumn and the day was getting cool. A breeze brushed by every now and then. The fruit wine had been finished, and Chaoyan had been practising calligraphy these two days. She had been a very excellent calligrapher in her previous life, but even if that was the case, she still needed to do some practise for the examination for Saint College, which she considered as something extremely important. Only by proving her own abilities would she be confident enough to stand by Zhou Huaijin¡¯s side. When Qing served her the tea, she almost got shocked. Gu Chaoyan was dressed in a set of in-colored blouses with her hair casually tied up and some sporadic hair hanging down. Then she saw the characters on the paper... Those characters were very distinguished, totally different from those written by other elegantdies. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s style of writing was sharp, wild and gave out an intimidating air. Qing felt a little dizzy. @@novelbin@@ This woman looked like herdy, but did not seem to be herdy at all. Then came Sword One¡¯s voice. ¡°Miss.¡± Only at this moment did Qinge back to herself, and she almost upset her tray. She put the tray upon the table and said, ¡°Miss, have some tea, please.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied with a small nod. Instead of putting down the brush, she continued to finish her work. Sword One came to the window directly and craned her neck, as she said, ¡°Miss, the Young Master from the Zhang Family is here and he can¡¯t be driven away. Should I beat him up directly?¡± Sword One did not have the intention of leading him to Miss. None of those from the Zhang Family were good people, especially the Young Master who seemed to be up to something. Gu Chaoyan frowned slightly as the Young Master of the Zhang Family was mentioned. He was someone from Mrs. Gu¡¯s family. What was he doing here? She did not mind giving him a hand, if he was out there trying to set up Mrs. Gu. She got a little furious about how Gu Zhenkang talked of the dowries. She suddenly got the urge to y some tricks upon Mrs. Gu. She put down the pen in her hands. Then she said as she walked past the white-jade kettle on the table. ¡°Qing, bring the tea to the yard. We shall have some tea there.¡± Then she walked out. Sword One was shocked. What was Miss thinking? Why did she want to meet that filthy man? She stomped her feet and followed. Zhang Mingyuan was alone, after all. He was seated in the yard with a posture that he considered as cool. The moment he saw Gu Chaoyaning towards him, he looked very pleased, thinking that the girl was just pretending when she said that she was not seeing him. A divorced woman would definitely ept any Young Master who came to her door, he thought. Zhang Mingyuan did not show any passion, but said politely to Gu Chaoyan as she took the seat. ¡°Greetings, Elder Miss.¡± Then he looked up only to see that Gu Chaoyan was not staring at him, but pouring herself a cup of tea, sipping from the cup calmly. Zhang Mingyuan felt a bit displeased. Did he put on the cool posture in vain just now? He was about to say something when Gu Chaoyan put down the teacup and asked calmly, ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Mingyuan gave out a light cough. He withdrew the look of embarrassment and said, ¡°I have been taking a walk around the mansion when I identally came to this ce. I remembered that it was Elder Miss¡¯s yard and you are also participating in the entrance examination for Saint College, aren¡¯t you? I am not a very talented person, but I grew up as a participant in the academy. Please do tell me if there is anything I can do to help you, Elder Miss.¡± Gu Chaoyan sized up Zhang Mingyuan. Chapter 254: A Bet for Herself

Chapter 254: A Bet for Herself

Gu Chaoyan had already learned of the history of Saint College, but she felt that Saint College had been drifting away from the original intention of the founder to the present day. Saint College had be a ce for many nobledies to show off. It made them feel quite proud to be part of Saint College so that they could marry someone extraordinary in the future. The wagon pulled over, and Gu Chaoyan was aware that they had just arrived. @@novelbin@@ She hopped off the wagon and saw a very magnificent building. The characters Saint College were embodied upon a board on the top. As she came to Saint College, Gu Ruxue and her servants were taking the lead as if she were afraid of being seen with Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan did not care. She did not want to be seen with Gu Ruxue either. No one was receiving them at this stage, since it was just an examination. So every participant received a key and picked a room to stay at Saint College. It was very lively inside Saint College. Gu Chaoyan saw a crowd gathered in the center. She never liked to be part of the bustling crowd, yet as she passed by the crowd, she heard someone shouting loudly from inside. ¡°Only fools would think Gu Chaoyan could win. County Princess Anxi is so talented, so of course she is going to be the winner.¡± She became a wager? Gu Chaoyan had decided to leave, but then she ceased walking. She walked towards the crowd. Many people seemed to be interested in this bet. Gu Chaoyan had not expected that her bet with County Princess Anxi had be news to be spread around among all of them. A cold voice arose. ¡°I think Gu Chaoyan can win.¡± Then she brought out a lot of money from her pocket. Her voice quieted down the whole crowd. They all turned to her with disbelief. They looked at her as if they were staring at a fool. The useless miss of the Gu Family was never going to win in the match against County Princess Anxi. ¡°Girl, I am telling you not to take Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side. The money will be gone if you insist.¡± One man dressed in a set of luxurious clothes sounded very kind-hearted. Gu Chaoyan shook her head and said, ¡°She is going to win.¡± The words caused a lot ofughter. She was not going to win. She was so useless! The kind-hearted man asked withughter. ¡°You can¡¯t be her friend, are you? Even if that is the case, you should not believe that she is going to win!¡± Gu Chaoyan shook her head. That man thought that he could talk her out of the bet, if she was not her friend. He was about to talk when Gu Chaoyan added with a calm voice, ¡°I am Gu Chaoyan.¡± Having said these words, she passed her money. ¡°You won¡¯t cheat with this bet, will you?¡± After all she was going to get ten times this amount when she won. Gu Chaoyan would not be happy if the doubled amount was not given back. Among the crowd a figure dressed in white came to her with several servants following behind. He had not intended to step out, but this girl did seem interesting to ce a bet on herself. Since she suspected he was going to cheat, Zhou Huaiyu believed that he had to give an exnation. ¡°I set up a gambling house here every year, and I have never cheated. So please don¡¯t be worried.¡± Gu Chaoyan almost choked herself with a small cough. No wonder someone dared to start a bet here ¨C it was a Lord who started all of this. ¡°But girl, are you taking your own side? It is the first time for me to see such a way of gambling.¡± Chapter 257: Conspiracy 3

Chapter 257: Conspiracy 3

Liu Hanxiang sneered. She did not steal the money? That was impossible! She put the money on her. She made the whole n so it could not have failed. ¡°She must have stolen the money!¡± Liu Hanxiang said resolutely. Her mother arranged the man who did the trick. He was fast and skilled, and he left after he finished his mission. Li Yuanxiang would be framed, and the culprit would never be found. Gu Chaoyan understood the whole thing now, but she had no idea how Li Yuanxiang offended these two girls who tried to set her up. ¡°How can you be sure that she stole the money when you haven¡¯t even got evidence? Or did you put the money on her?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. ¡°You....¡± Liu Hanxiang pointed at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You are talking nonsense!¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan nced at the crowd, then she said calmly, ¡°There are rules andws in our country. When we are out of our homes, we should obey thews of the Empire by reporting the issue to the Governmental Office. However, now that we are in Saint College, it should be the teachers of Saint College who are there to make a fair judgement of whether Li Yuanxiang has stolen your stuff.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If private punishments are used at Saint College, like thisdy who sets others up and humiliates others just because of her identity, then could it be that anyone with a higher social status will have the right to do whatever they want?¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. The crowd hade to watch a bustling show, but hearing what Gu Chaoyan said, they all got shocked. They were alldies with social identity, and they were all going to meet people with a higher status in the future. Were they all going to be bullied too? That would not work. Suddenly, someone stepped forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go and ask the teachers of Saint College to make a fair judgement! We will know if the theft wasmitted!¡± Then someone went to fetch the teacher. Liu Hanxiang sneered. She was not at all worried. Great, if the teachers were here, she could make the teachers eliminate Li Yuanxiang directly. Everything seemed to go forward smoothly. She wondered if Li Yuanxiang¡¯s friend was so stupid as to cause her even bigger trouble. When something like this happened the teachers of Saint College came quickly. It was an aged man who frowned and said to the crowd with displeasure. ¡°Who stole the money?¡± Liu Hanxiang pointed at Li Yuanxiang. Li Yuanxiang shook her head. ¡°I did not!¡± ¡°Since the teacher is here, let your maid do the search. If the money is not found, you have topensate Li Yuanxiang with money!¡± Gu Chaoyan said as she stepped forward and then turned to the teacher. ¡°Please, sir, just be the witness.¡± The old man had no patience to deal with these kinds of small tricks. He nodded. Liu Hanxiang¡¯s maids went to search the room. A long whileter, the two maids walked out of the room. Liu Hanxiang¡¯s maid looked very frightened. She did not dare to look at her owndy. If she had known that nothing would be found, she would not go and do the search. She would be beaten! ¡°How is it? Did you find anything?¡± The teacher asked impatiently. ¡°Nothing...¡± The maid answered frightenedly. ¡°Impossible, I...¡±Liu Hanxiang did not dare to utter any more words. What happened? Li Yuanxiang let out a sigh of relief. The teacher was very displeased as he turned to Liu Hanxiang. In the past, Saint College always recruited people who were out there to learn knowledge, but during the past few years, the situation became very terrible ¨C there were always tricks going on like this. So he snapped at Liu Hanxiang. ¡°If that is the case,pensate her with money!¡± Chapter 261: Riding and Shooting Contest 1

Chapter 261: Riding and Shooting Contest 1

The first test was Riding and Shooting. All the participants were asked to carry out the test on the same pitch. What surprised Gu Chaoyan was that on the way to the pitch, Gu Chaoyan ran into Li Yuanxiang who was also there for the Riding and Shooting. That startled Gu Chaoyan ¨C so Li Yuanxiang was capable of Riding and Shooting? She was not looking down at Li Yuanxiang, but thought of what Zhang Mingyuan said earlier ¨C few girls and even guys born in ordinary families got to learn how to do Riding and Shooting. Li Yuanxiang thought that Li Yuanxiang was from an ordinary family since she had no maids with her. So what made her capable of Riding and Shooting? She started to connect Li Yuanxiang and Liu Hanxiang, but she did not look into the confusion ¨C that was not her business. As they came to the pitch many people were already there. Gu Chaoyan spotted County Princess Anxi from a distance away, and next to her was her sister Gu Ruxue and Huo Wei. A brief smile hovered on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face as she started to walk towards them. Gu Ruxue started to curse Gu Chaoyan at the sight of her. ¡°Honestly, sister, what are you doing here on the pitch? Are you even aware of what item we arepeting with each other for? We are doing Riding and Shooting, are you able to do that at all? Don¡¯t think about ming Saint College if you fall off the horse, or are you trying to get Saint College to ept you just because you get injured? Truly, sister, you are so cheeky thinking in this way!¡± Gu Ruxue kept mumbling and nagging. @@novelbin@@ County Princess Anxi was very satisfied. Someone helped her to curse this girl before she even needed to say anything. ¡°Elder Miss, don¡¯t cry when you lose.¡± County Princess Anxi said to Gu Chaoyan from amanding view. ¡°Same to you, County Princess Anxi.¡± Gu Chaoyan replied calmly. She did not think any of these participants were of any importance, not even Gu Ruxue. County Princess Anxi¡¯s face sank. What a wild person! She was looking forward to seeing if she was still going to be so wild on the horse! This girl was not at all qualified to even start apetition with her! She turned to Huo Wei who nodded back at her. Gu Chaoyan noticed what these people were doing, but she didn¡¯t show it. She was especially capable of horse riding. The teachers in charge of the test had arrived. They asked each participant to pick a horse and put on the uniform for Riding and Shooting. Everyone rushed forward to get the best breeds. When it was Gu Chaoyan and Li Yuanxiang¡¯s turn, only one date-color horse and a white pony remained. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and picked the white pony and spared the better one for Li Yuanxiang, because she did not know how capable this girl was when it came to horse riding ¨C that girl got the better breed. Li Yuanxiang was about to say something when Gu Chaoyan continued to get changed. She followed suit. County Princess Anxi, Huo Wei and Gu Ruxue were all out on the pitch. The three girls were dressed in tailor-made uniforms and looked extraordinarily radiant among the crowd. The three of them had crossed their arms and waited for Gu Chaoyan toe out so that they could have augh. Gu Ruxue knew that Gu Chaoyan had never prepared any uniform and she had no idea what Riding and Shooting was. Now it was time for her to have augh at this sister of hers. How dare she even think aboutpeting with her! Stupid girl! The door of the room opened and Gu Chaoyan walked out. She was dressed in the red uniform given by Zhou Huaijin. She had lost some more weight during the past few days, so the uniform became a little oversized on her, but the slightly baggy-looking uniform made her look not only radiant but also gently beautiful. Chapter 264: Accident 2

Chapter 264: ident 2

The horse was not in the right state. Zhou Huaijin¡¯s smiling face sank directly. Such an evil trick was happening at the examination of Saint College. Since when did Saint College be like this? County Princess Anxi had just reached the finishing line. Seeing Zhou Huaijin standing over there, she showed a bright smile, hopped off the horse and rushed towards Zhou Huaijin. ¡°Brother Lord Huai, are you here watching me ride the horse, because you are worried about me?¡± That was County Princess Anxi¡¯s first thought. Zhou Huaijin did look at her this time, but he showed total disdain in his eyes. The next second, he hopped off the ground and came to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side andnded upon her horse, carrying Gu Chaoyan directly off the horse whilst Fu Bao took hold of the crazy horse and went away into the distance. The two figures in purple and rednded on the ground, creating a wonderful scene in front of everyone. Zhou Huaijin looked at Gu Chaoyan nervously and sized her up. He was slightly assured when he made sure that she was not injured. As he moved his eyes away from Gu Chaoyan, he again showed a cold look on his face. He threw a look at Anxi and then at the teacher in charge of the examination. ¡°Officer Ming, since when did Saint College ept this kind of filthy trick?¡± In the Saint Divine Land, this woman was the only woman who was addressed as Officer Ming. @@novelbin@@ She looked very serious. She already noticed that something was wrong. She had intended to show some skills when she noticed the excellent skill of this student. That was why she stood still and continued with the observation. Unexpectedly, Lord Huai appeared and confronted her, but Lord Huai was not wrong. Saint College never allowed such filthy tricks in the examination process, and the cheaters would be eliminated directly when discovered. County Princess Anxi suddenly found that something was wrong. She did y the trick, and she did not even hide the trick. After all, she did not care if she was epted by Saint College. What she cared about was that Lord Huai saved that b***h who went through the whole process safe and sound. County Princess Anxi was extremely annoyed. ¡°I will definitely look into this matter!¡± Officer Ming said with a serious expression on her face. County Princess Anxi did not care. So what? Could this Officer Ming dare reveal her identity? That could be a joke! She was County Princess Anxi, and her mother, as well as the Reigning Queen would not possibly allow this Officer Ming to do anything. County Princess Anxi threw a look at Huo Wei. Huo Wei was shivering. She had been worried that County Princess Anxi would ask her to take the me when some ident happened. Now Gu Ruxue was engaged to Lord Ling, and she was the only free person to use. Sure enough, she was asked to do what she was afraid of doing. Huo Wei felt dizzy yet she still stepped forward with trembling legs. ¡°Officer Ming, Lord Ling, greetings. It was my fault! I should not have used such a filthy trick. Luckily, Gu Chaoyan is doing fine, what we have lost is nothing but a small pony.¡± Although she was supposed to take the me, Huo Wei still stressed a different topic ¨C As long as the girl was doing fine, she would not be seriously punished. Officer Ming frowned and stayed silent, then she threw a look at Huo Wei and County Princess Anxi who showed a nonchnt look. Chapter 268: Li Yuanxiang’s Tale

Chapter 268: Li Yuanxiang¡¯s Tale

The man in the green blouse had no idea that Gu Chaoyan was first at the riding test, so he trusted what Gu Ruxue said. Well, it sounded quite reasonable. She was a disgraced miss who had never been tutored to do anything. So she would not be able to write any poetry at all. The man in green continued to work on his own paper as he ignored Chaoyan¡¯s behavior. Gu Ruxue, however, got totally angry as she held the brush tightly. Damn Gu Chaoyan, she was totally annoying. Lots of thoughts went on in her head and she could note up with any lines. Gu Chaoyan, who already walked out of the pavilion, had no idea what was going on inside. She was in a good mood. The whole test seemed quite easy for her. If everything went well, she was definitely going to be epted by the Medical Department. By that time, she could finally stand by Zhou Huaijin¡¯s side and feel equal. After she went into the Medical Department, she was going to achieve something great with her own abilities. Only in this way would she be someone excellent enough to be Zhou Huaijin¡¯s wife. What Gu Chaoyan was thinking was to survive in this society the moment she arrived here. However, she had not expected that Zhou Huaijin had be one of her biggest motivations. ¡°What are you thinking for you to smile like that?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked as he came to her side. Gu Chaoyan was startled. With her eyes upon Zhou Huaijin¡¯s handsome face, she asked, ¡°What... are you doing? Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Zhou Huaijin shook his head and pointed in one direction as the two started to walk there. ¡°I don¡¯t have much to do today, so I am waiting for you here. You finished your work quickly!¡± Zhou Huaijin said, thinking that it was lucky that he did not leave, otherwise he would not have been able to see her again. Gu Chaoyan felt a little bit guilty as he spoke with her. She had borrowed the ancestors¡¯ poetry which did not originally belong to her. She chuckled. Instead of continuing with the topic, she asked Zhou Huaijin curiously as she thought of how Zhou Huaijin spoke about Li Yuanxiang. ¡°You said that you know who Li Yuanxiang is, howe?¡± Zhou Huaijin found an empty pavilion and asked Gu Chaoyan to take the seat next to him. Zhou Huaijin was never surrounded by anyone, either because Fu Bao stopped all the potential visitors or because no one dared to take a step forward. As far as she remembered, only County Princess Anxi dared to approach Zhou Huaijin but most of the time, she ended up being in a terrible situation. Zhou Huaijin had never been interested in gossip, but Li Yuanxiang and her mother were so different that they drew his attention. He said straightforwardly when Yan asked him to tell the story, ¡°Actually, many people in the capital city should be aware of Li Yuanxiang¡¯s story.¡± ¡°Her mother used to be the madame of the Liu Mansion, the lineal son of the Liu Mansion, namely Liu Zongyuan, is an intelligent man with integrity. He made many efforts to find a position for him in the capital, since he was born in a very poor family. Unfortunately, however, after he married Li Yuanxiang¡¯s mother, he also got many concubines. And he favored his concubines too! So both Li Yuanxiang and her mother suffered a great deal.¡± Then he even thought about getting one of his concubines, namely Liu Hanxiang¡¯s mother, to rece the position of legal wife. That disappointed Li Yuanxiang¡¯s mother deeply,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. @@novelbin@@ ¡°What happened then?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked curiously. Zhou Huaijin was not someone who cared about other people¡¯s family affairs, but if he did know so much, it basically meant that the whole thing must have been quite unique in his eyes. Chapter 271: Pills

Chapter 271: Pills

Gu Chaoyan had an even sharper sense of hearing than normal people. So the moment she heard the noise, she rushed out and saw Li Yuanxianging out of her room as well. They two exchanged a look, saying nothing before going directly into the origin of the noise. The noise appeared from the furthest spot of the dormitory. Gu Chaoyan suddenly thought of what Li Yuanxiang told her about Liu Hanxiang living there. When they came to the doorstep of the room, they saw Liu Hanxiang standing there in a panic, surrounded by a group of people who were all living in this row of dorms. The group of people were apparently frightened. ¡°What is going on?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked straightforwardly as she walked in. ¡°I did not cause this!¡± Liu Hanxiang shook her head constantly. Li Yuanxiang and Gu Chaoyan walked into the room... Then they saw a person lying on the floor with blood dripping out of her mouth. She was still breathing and alive, but she was not in a very good state. Gu Chaoyan fetched a cup of tea, added some magical water inside, took out the pill and asked Li Yuanxiang to help with making the person swallow. @@novelbin@@ When all of these were done, the teacher of the Medical Department arrived. He was startled too. He had never run into a situation where participants were poisoned. Now many strange things were happening around them. The horse was stabbed and went through the healing process, and now a student was poisoned. He squatted and felt the pulse. Then he turned to Gu Chaoyan and Li Yuanxiang in surprise. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± Hearing what the teacher asked, Gu Ruxue stepped forward and pointed at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°It was she who fed her something strange!¡± Then she showed a sinister smile. That pill failed! This girl was never going to be healed. What a stupid person Gu Chaoyan was! Liu Hanxiang should have beenpletely responsible for this matter, but now Gu Chaoyan got herself involved. Great, in this way, all of these annoying girls could be driven out of her sight! The teacher looked at Gu Chaoyan in total surprise. Gu Chaoyan was a girl who had barely be an adult. Where did she get such useful pills! The teacher got a bit excited. It took him a long while before he calmed himself and asked with a shaking voice, ¡°Where did you get the pill?¡± Only now did Gu Chaoyan realize that the pills, which contained magical water, were such an excellent existence. She did it out of emergency. She did not want to give up saving a life, if she was able to. Although the pills were discovered, yet she had nothing to regret. She had to present the pills anyway. So she nodded. ¡°I made them myself.¡± Joy filled up the teacher¡¯s aged eyes. He could tell directly that the student had taken in fatal poison and she would not have survived. Also, he was bothte and incapable of saving her no matter what. The most he could have achieved was to make sure she lived a few more days. However, when he felt her pulse, he found that the poison was removed from her body and all she needed to do was to rest for several more days. That was what made him so excited. ¡°What is it, Sir? Can this person be saved? Gu Chaoyan must have killed her right? She could have made it.¡± Gu Ruxue reminded him. Chapter 274: Strange

Chapter 274: Strange

Gu Chaoyan had not expected that the teacher would turn to her. She had offered her pills, so the drugged girl should be on the way to recovery as long as she was given some more supplementary nutrients, which should be avable at Saint College. She did not know much about Liu Hanxiang, so he did not have to turn to her for the investigation. Gu Chaoyan looked confused. She even wondered whether it was because of her sister Gu Ruxue, who had been investigated. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan looked even colder as she thought about this. The teacher, on the other hand, showed an honest smile. He could not walk into the room that belonged to a girl. So he pointed at an empty ce not far away and said, ¡°I need to ask you something.¡± Gu Chaoyan had no choice but to follow him. He was a teacher of the Medical Department. He might even be her future teacher after all. Unassured, Sword One kept a tight pace with her. The teacher nced about and whispered as she saw no one else was within sight. ¡°Do you have any more pills? Could you give some to me?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s lip corner twitched. She suddenly felt distress dominating her. She had been prepared for all kinds of possibilities for this small, secretive talk except for this one. Gu Chaoyan had no idea how to face this situation, when what the teacher needed of her was nothing more than her pills. Gu Chaoyan was silent for a while. Then the teacher exined quickly. ¡°The pills are so important for the Medical Department. Sometimes when we need to save someone, what we need is pills like this. If you make the pills yourself, we can unconditionally provide you materials to continue with the manufacturing. That is to say, you can get epted to our Medical Department directly, as long as you offer us some of your pills.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am the Dean, I make the decision.¡± The elderly man sounded proud as he mentioned who he was. Gu Chaoyan was surprised. She looked at this Officer Dean. She did not mind getting epted so easily, but she was still confused. ¡°It won¡¯t cause any suspicion among others?¡± Dean Zhang shook his head and said confidently, ¡°No one would dare to suspect you, if we ept you of our own ord. No one else is able to make pills like this, is there?¡± Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and nodded. Then she took out a white porcin bottle from her sleeves and passed it to Officer Dean. ¡°These are the only avable ones right now. Please take them.¡± As he got the pills the Dean got so excited that he opened the lid and took a sniff. The light scent of herbs went into his nose, making him totally satisfied. Then he told Gu Chaoyan what the Medical Department would normally do when it came to exceptional eptance, before leaving in great joy. Gu Chaoyan stood in totalposure as she watched him cheerfully hopping away. In the days that followed, Gu Chaoyan did not need to prepare for any examination. So she and Sword One took the opportunity of taking a tour around Saint College. She liked this ce. It felt like home when she was here. However, they, who could never draw any attention in the past, were now the focus. People kept sizing up Gu Chaoyan and then whispered something between each other. Gu Chaoyan found the whole thing weird. She had no choice but to ask Sword One to stop someone and ask what was going on. Chapter 278: Problems

Chapter 278: Problems

The moment Gu Chaoyan finished speaking, the air froze. Mrs. Liu burst out in anger. Instead of remaining friendly, she pointed at Gu Chaoyan and interrogated. ¡°Who are you? You are talking nonsense here!¡± ¡°Someone,e and p her!¡± Mrs. Liu said furiously. When she noticed Hanxiang¡¯s hesitation, she more or less understood that Hanxiang did not pass the examination, but she still had some hope inside her, assuming that Hanxiang refused to talk because of Li Yuanxiang¡¯s presence. @@novelbin@@ Unexpectedly, however, this woman revealed the truth in public! Mrs. Liu immediately became furious! After all, this inly-dressed girl, who hung out with Li Yuanxiang, must have been born from amon family. She could not have any supporting background and punishing her was not going to bring her any trouble. Liu Zongyuan did not stop her. It was just an ordinary girl who could be punished if his wife wanted it. He was very furious that Hanxiang did not make it, but he could punish her when she returned home, not here in public! Hearing the order, Mrs. Liu¡¯s maid came towards Gu Chaoyan. Sword One was about to stop her when Zhou Huaiyu¡¯s voice arose from a short distance away. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you having fun?¡± The words had just been spoken when Zhou Huaiyu appeared in front of the group. Seeing Zhou Huaiyu. Liu Zongyuan showed a bright smile and greeted Zhou Huaiyu. ¡°Lord Yu, what are you doing here?¡± Then he answered with a smile. ¡°We are not doing anything here, I am just here picking up my girl for home.¡± With Zhou Huaiyu standing in front of them, Liu Zongyuan did not dare to mention that they were about to bully a girl. Well, he was also sure that this girl did not dare to mention the bullying either. The Liu Family were not someone thatmoners dared to offend. So this girl should understand what she was supposed to do. With a smile on his face Zhou Huaiyu looked at Gu Chaoyan and Li Yuanxiang. Gu Chaoyan let out a confused sound and then said as she turned to Liu Zongyuan and his wife, ¡°Officer Liu, are you going home now? Your wife has just said that I should be pped in the face. Have you changed your mind?¡± The words had just been spoken when Liu Zongyuan and Mrs. Liu¡¯s expressions changed. They turned pale and started to panic. Zhou Huaiyu soon stopped smiling. He sized up Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face and understood that she had not been pped. However, even if that was the case, Zhou Huaiyu was still annoyed. If he had not happened toe to Gu Chaoyan today, Liu Zongyuan would have bullied the girls! Liu Zongyuan did have many staff with him, guards and maids, but Gu Chaoyan was alone with Li Yuanxiang. ¡°Officer Liu, is that true?¡± Zhou Huaiyu inquired. Liu Zongyuan got so anxious that sweat came dripping alongside his forehead. He kept wiping the sweat from his head. He did not know what Lord Yu was like as a person. He might want to help this pretty-looking girl. Mrs. Liu, however, was not afraid. This girl was just amoner, and her husband was an officer with fourth rank, could Lord Yu favor the girl instead of them? ¡°Lord, that is true! But I did so only because the girl is talking nonsense and spreading rumors about our family. That was why I decided to punish her!¡± Mrs. Liu said with a natural tone. Chapter 283: The Jiang Mansion

Chapter 283: The Jiang Mansion

Gu Chaoyan had once treated Madame Jiang, and she seeded in helping her recover. That was why Madame Jiang had been taking her side all this time. Since he had no idea what the Jiang Family needed of her, he should not be punishing her at this moment. Gu Ruxue was not very pleased by how Gu Zhenkang behaved after hearing that the Jiang Family was here. She threw herself back into the chair, looking gloomy. She threw an even more disdainful look at Gu Chaoyan, as she clenched the mug in her hands, ring at Gu Chaoyan fiercely. Gu Chaoyan sensed the re so she showed her a brief smile. @@novelbin@@ That made Gu Ruxue even more annoyed. Her hands shook, as the tea spilled out of the mug and ran over her hand. She let out a scream, then came a maid who helped her to wipe the water off. Gu Ruxue got even more furious. She smashed the mug on the maid and said, ¡°What do I need you for, when you can¡¯t even do this simple thing well?!¡± The maid did not dare to move an inch though she was already burned. She just stood on the spot, shivering from head to toe. Gu Chaoyan frowned. She truly did not like how Gu Ruxue treated the servants, but she did not dare to point that out. If she did, Gu Ruxue might treat this maid even worse. Seeing that someone from Jiang Mansion was on the way, Gu Zhenkang waved at the maid impatiently, ¡°Just leave now.¡± The maid left directly. Then another maid came to serve Gu Ruxue. Due to what happened to the previous maid, she was shivering even more as she stood next to Gu Ruxue. The housekeeper of the Jiang Mansion walked in and showed a very nice smile at the sight of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Greetings, Lady Chaoyan.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded with a smile, ¡°Uncle Jiang!¡± Then Uncle Jiang greeted Gu Zhenkang and said, ¡°Officer Gu, Madame Jiang heard that Chaoyan has arrived home from the sessful examination at Saint College, she asked me to bring Lady Chaoyan home to us for a short stay.¡± Then he exined after he took a look at Gu Zhenkang. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Officer Gu, there are not so many people at our mansion. General passed away a long while ago, and only one of the Queen¡¯s children is living there, as well as Madame Jiang. Sometimes Lord Huaies and visits us, so nothing serious will happen.¡± Gu Zhenkang showed a bright smile. Of course he would approve of that proposal. If she could spend some time at the Jiang Mansion, then it meant that the Gu Mansion and the Jiang Mansion would have a rtionship with each other, and that would make everything better. Gu Zhenkang approved of the proposal directly and thought that the girl was a little useful in some way. ¡°I am totally assured about her staying next to Madame Jiang. Just take her, as you want.¡± Gu Zhenkang said with a look of ttery. Then he turned to Gu Chaoyan with a look of seriousness. ¡°While you are at the Jiang Mansion, do remember to take good care of Madame Jiang, understand? Don¡¯t make her unhappy!¡± He had intended to make some threat, when he stopped himself. The housekeeper of the Jiang Mansion was here, so he should not have behaved too obviously. Gu Chaoyan threw a t look at Gu Zhenkang, saying nothing more. Gu Zhenkang had no patience to talk with Gu Chaoyan any more. He waved his hands. ¡°Just leave with Housekeeper Jiang, and bring the luggage you brought to Saint College. There is nothing left at the mansion now.¡± He was very worried that Housekeeper Jiang would ask someone to help her pack up at the Qiong Pavilion. Chapter 287: Bet

Chapter 287: Bet

Manager Song became even more gloomy, as he heard what Gu Chaoyan said. He showed an empty seat and asked Gu Chaoyan to sit down, as he told her the story. ¡°Restaurant Jixian is running a winepetition. Anyone who is able to exceed the brewer of Restaurant Jixian will be able to get 500,000 yuan and free drinks at Restaurant Jixian.¡± ¡°The contest has been going on for three days and it is noting to an end. Yellow Crane has been out of business for almost three days.¡± Manager Song said unhappily. He did have the intention of getting Yellow Crane to boom, so he could show some achievement for Elder Miss. However, the business had just gone a little bit upwards, when something like this happened. That was why he got very gloomy. Princess Xunyang, who was dressed as a boy, said, ¡°It is quite difficult to beat the brewer from Restaurant Jixian. His family have been brewing wine for generations, and he grew up drinking wine and he never gets drunk. During the past few years, no one has been able to exceed him. Restaurant Jixian has been winning a great deal of money through the contest!¡± Gu Chaoyan heard about this before. Manager Song felt quite gloomy, but she said with a way of constion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It is just a matter of days before guests lose interest in drinking there. When this contest is over, Yellow Crane can get back to our business. If we don¡¯t have so many guests these days, the staff can take turns taking a break.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°But...¡±Manager Song was about to say something when he found that what Elder Miss said made sense. That was what business was always like. So he nodded. He was about to follow her order when a riot arose at the doorstep. Manager Song and Gu Chaoyan turned around and saw County Princess Anxi, who spotted Gu Chaoyan inside the restaurant. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, let¡¯s have a bet, shall we?¡± Gu Chaoyan was speechless. This County Princess Anxi was so damn annoying. She wanted one more bet after her loss at Saint College. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at the waiters who were stopping them, indicating that they coulde in. Only then did the waiters release them unwillingly. ¡°What is the bet?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s have a bet on wine drinking! If anyone from Yellow Crane can exceed our brewer, then we will never sell wine again! Vice verse, how does that sound?¡± County Princess Anxi asked with a look of pride. Oh well... Everyone from Yellow Crane, including Manager Song, looked helpless. No one was able to drink as much wine as the one from Restaurant Jixian. So of course, they should never take the bet. Manager Song whispered in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s ears. ¡°No, Elder Miss, that would not work.¡± Gu Chaoyan patted Manager Song¡¯s shoulders and suggested that he should be assured. ¡°Sure, when do you want to have the bet?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. Hearing what Gu Chaoyan said, Manager Song got so frightened that he dropped the teacup in his hands. County Princess Anxi could not help butugh at the sight of this. She knew that Gu Chaoyan was trying to puff herself up at her own cost. She was very d to see what she was going to do when she lost the bet. After County Princess Anxi told Gu Chaoyan the time, she left happily. The staff in the restaurant got anxious, especially Manager Song. ¡°Who should we send to participate in thepetition?!¡± Chapter 290: The Contest

Chapter 290: The Contest

Zhou Huaijin was still staring at Gu Chaoyan motionlessly. It was a cool day of early spring, and Gu Chaoyan felt heat arising inside her. She felt a little warm. Even though she was in a close rtionship with Zhou Huaijin, she was still not feeling thatfortable with him so close. ¡°I am sorry.¡± Gu Chaoyan gave up. ¡°But don¡¯t stay so close to me.¡± She was so nervous that her eyshes were shivering. Seeing the way she behaved, Zhou Huaijin did not continue, but caressed her cheeks gently and withdrew, putting his hands back where they belong. They had spent quite a lot of time together these days. So he had a pretty clear understanding of what Yan was like. She never made promises that she could not aplish. She was not like other ordinary girls. She was proud and she wasn¡¯t someone who hid behind him. He was just a little bit concerned about her. He did not want to interfere with her private life. He took hold of her hand that was hanging down, then he said seriously, ¡°I willpete with you.¡± Gu Chaoyan was still flushing. Hearing that he insisted onpeting, she thought for a while and nodded whilst whispering, ¡°Just do as much as you can.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. The wagon pulled over and they had arrived at Yellow Crane. Zhou Huaijin got off the wagon, offered her his hand and helped Gu Chaoyan off the wagon. Then Princess Xunyang came to her and saw Gu Chaoyan¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°Chaoyan, what happened to you? Are you feeling unwell? Why is your face so red?¡± She said as she tried to feel Gu Chaoyan¡¯s forehead. Gu Chaoyan took hold of Princess Xunyang¡¯s hands and said as she avoided her gaze, ¡°It¡¯s fine, just a little hot in the wagon.¡± Hot? Xunyang checked the thick outfits she was wearing. It was autumn and the weather was getting colder and colder at the Saint Divine Land. Why was it hot in the wagon? She was there too, and she didn¡¯t find it very hot. Xunyan followed them with a confused look on her face. Zhou Huaijin, on the other hand, was quite pleased. He kept smiling along the way. At the sight of Manager Song, Zhou Huaijin was still wearing a smile on his face. Manager Song touched his eyes and thought that he had not seen it right. He was only assured when he saw his master showing a bright smile at him, but Elder Miss was standing next to him in silence. Manager Song seemed to have understood the reason. If the Lord was here, the bet with Restaurant Jixian would not be a problem any more. He was definitely going to find a solution. They were just discussing when a proud pageboy from Restaurant Jixian came running, urging them. ¡°What are the Yellow Crane staff doing here? Are you too afraid to do the contest?¡± The page boy was blocked outside the restaurant, so he did not know what was inside. Gu Chaoyan looked at Zhou Huaijin who nodded. Then they started to go out with Sword One and Fu Bao, startling the proud pageboys. They were all startled by Zhou Huaijin¡¯s appearance. They never knew that Lord Huai was there as well @@novelbin@@ ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. They were just shivering when Fu Bao stopped them. ¡°Lead the way.¡± The pageboys walked forward with their heads lowered. Restaurant Jixian was not very far away. County Princess Anxi was very d at the sight of Gu Chaoyan. She thought that she would be able to do anything to her, as long as she was here. However she had just taken a few steps when she spotted Zhou Huaijin and her expression changed. Chapter 294: The Contest 4

Chapter 294: The Contest 4

Some small changes hovered over County Princess Anxi¡¯s face. She had not expected that Gu Chaoyan was not that bad. However, it was just a small jar, and she was not going to be a match against Qin Mingjie. Qin Mingjie had started to drink the second jar, and Zhou Huaijin had just finished the first jar. His face turned slightly red, but the other contestant from Restaurant Jixian almost copsed. The wine of Restaurant Jixian might taste light yet it gave a very strong kick. Zhou Huaijin threw a look at himself and then at Gu Chaoyan. He understood what she meant by being confident. One contestant was out. The remaining three contestants continued. They drank one jar after another. When it came to the fifth jar, Zhou Huaijin was not feeling right anymore. He had been trying to release the alcohol with his internal energy. When Gu Chaoyan noticed that he was not doing well, she asked him to stop drinking. Zhou Huaijin looked at Gu Chaoyan who did not even have any reaction, he realized that he was not as good as Gu Chaoyan at drinking. If he kept on drinking, she might be distracted. So he nodded, then he quit the contest. Only Gu Chaoyan and Qin Mingjie remained in the contest. Qin Mingjie was obviously not drunk, and he even got a bit excited. These two people were probably the most excellent wine drinkers he had met during the past few years. What he had not expected was that this girl was so good at drinking. @@novelbin@@ He wanted to see how much more this girl could take. So he opened one more jar and said, ¡°Come, girl!¡± Gu Chaoyan bowed and nodded, then she opened one more jar. Compared to Qin Mingjie who was behaving roughly, Gu Chaoyan had been drinking one jar after another in a very elegant way. Many people were staring at Gu Chaoyan among the crowd. She looked pretty. Dressed in white clothes, she had a red birthmark on her face, so that was a little stain for her beautiful face, but that did not matter ¨C after all, she was so pretty when she was drinking the wine. No other women were equally pretty. She must be the first girl like this in the capital city. Soon they came to the tenth jar, Qin Mingjie¡¯s eyes started to turn red. He had thought that this girl could onlyst to the seventh or eighth jar, but it seemed that she still looked very rxed. He was not drunk, but his belly was not that big. He started to feel a little bloated. He expected that he was only going tost five more jars. However, now he truly had no idea how much longer this woman could go. This girl looked so small and thin, how did she manage to hold in so much wine? At this time County Princess Anxi noticed that something was wrong. It was already the tenth jar! She did not have time tough at Gu Chaoyan, but hurried into the elegant room on the second floor. ¡°Mom, what are we going to do? We must not lose! However, Gu Chaoyan the b***h is still doing well!¡± The Elder Princess looked displeased. She felt very regretful! She regretted not having turned Anxi down when she made the proposal. She should not have let her do this stupid contes, but it was her own fault for not being careful enough ¨C after all, Qin Mingjie had not run into anyone who was equally good at wine drinking as he was. So she thought that it was just a small contest... Unexpectedly... Well, Restaurant Jixian had to continue to sell wine! Wine was the real reason why Restaurant Jixian existed. If not for Lord Huai¡¯s presence, everything would be easy, but now with him around, she could not just cancel the bet. She had to make sure they won! After a long moment of silence, the Elder Princess thought for a while and brought out one pill ¨C it was something that could only be used at the most critical moment! Chapter 297: Failure 3

Chapter 297: Failure 3

Qin Mingjie shook his head in disbelief and then turned to County Princess Anxi. He and his family had been brewing wine for Restaurant Jixian for generations. After the young master passed away, the Qin Family had been brewing wine for the Elder Princess. Unexpectedly, the Elder Princess intended to get him killed just to win the bet. He was the only son in the Qin Family. Restaurant Jixian had not been doing well these years, so he had been too busy making the wine to even get married. If he got killed, what was his mother supposed to do? Qin Mingjie kept shaking his head as he retreated. ¡°No, no, I was not sold to Restaurant Jixian as a ve. I wanted to eat it because they told me it helped! But they are trying to get me killed!¡± Then he pointed at County Princess Anxi. ¡°You are such a fierce woman!¡± County Princess Anxi was not pleased when she was med. She had not expected that the pill her mother gave to her had a wine worm. She thought it was just an ordinary pill that would help him to get better, but so what? ¡°Yes there is a wine worm inside, so what? You are a servant, and you should do whatever your master tells you to! When you are dead, the Elder Princess will definitely treat your family well. How can you be such a coward as a servant? You don¡¯t even dare to make a sacrifice!¡± County Princess Anxi snapped in displeasure. They had spent so much money supporting Restaurant Jixian, and now those servants did not do anything for them! How useless! Hearing County Princess Anxi¡¯s words, the audience was very annoyed. Yes they might be servants, but why did they have to be killed? Also, this man was not even her ve! Just look at how evil she was! Hearing these words, Anxi got very displeased. She pointed at Qin Mingjie and then at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You b***h, it is all your fault!¡± ¡°Anxi!¡± The Elder Princess snapped, as she looked at County Princess Anxi. She was toote to stop Anxi from making such a rude speech. Anxi stopped saying anything as the Elder Princess was here. The Elder Princess looked at Qin Mingjie and said, ¡°I bought this pill from a businessman at a high cost, but I did not know that the pill had such a secret! I had never opened the pill, so I did not expect that it would be like this. If I had known that the pill would get you killed, I would never have given it to you!¡± Then she red at County Princess Anxi. ¡°Anxi, apologize to Brother Qin!¡± Anxi pursed her lips and mumbled. The Elder Princess was extremely angry. She said with an apologetic tone, ¡°Anxi has been very spoiled by Empress Dowager, please don¡¯t mind her behavior.¡± @@novelbin@@ Now that the function of the pill was discovered they were definitely going to lose the bet. Since they were losing the bet, she was trying to keep Qin Mingjie so either he or his name could help to sell the wine for Restaurant Jixian. Qin Mingjie calmed slightly ¨C so the Elder Princess had no idea what this pill was. ¡°So, Elder Princess, you said that you bought this pill from a businessman at a high cost... actually, you can get a pill to reduce the drunkness from a very ordinary pharmacy, so if you spent so much money on one pill, why didn¡¯t you ask the businessman what this pill could do?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked with a dubious tone. The Elder Princess might be intimidating for others, but Gu Chaoyan was not intimidated. She had already offended the Elder Princess, and she was not afraid of worsening the whole matter. Normally, she would extinguish people like County Princess Anxi, who kept causing harm to others. Chapter 301: Mistaken?

Chapter 301: Mistaken?

As Lord Huai, Zhou Huaijin grew up in the imperial court where conspiracies and evil minds were found everywhere. And as the most beloved son of the King, he was inevitably confronted with conspiracies. Therefore, he had never rxed, except when he was with Gu Chaoyan. That was when he could totally rx and stopped thinking about those ns. ¡°You are a smart guy, how could you not think of this point?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked a little worried ¨C she had expected more of him. Then she exined. ¡°He is such an excellent brewer, a loyal one too! Of course, we should get him to work for us. We might not have been able to do that before, but now the Elder Princess has hurt him so deeply. It will be much easier for us to get him.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked a little proud as she was talking. Actually, Gu Chaoyan had not thought about getting that man to work for her, but at the contest, he took the pill given by County Princess Anxi without any hesitation. That meant that this man was honest and loyal. He was going to be very practical for her! With a hand supporting his head, Zhou Huaijin opened and closed his mouth as he watched her delivering the speech. Then he pulled her over. Being pulled over all of a sudden, Gu Chaoyan lost her bnce and fell upon Zhou Huaijin. Subconsciously, Gu Chaoyan tried to get up. With the beautiful girl in his arms, Zhou Huaijin would not release her so easily. He reached for her and held her tightly, staring at Gu Chaoyan with bright eyes. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s entire face flushed and her mind froze for a moment. A long whileter, she staggered. ¡°You... you are drunk, I will get Fu Bao to take care of you.¡± ¡°I am not drunk.¡± Zhou Huaijin replied resolutely, as he approached Gu Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ ¡°You are really drunk!¡± Gu Chaoyan stiffened. She looked very nervous, as she tried to get rid of Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijin thought that she was just being shy, so he put some force into his grip. However, when he noticed that he was wrong, he released his hands and caressed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I am not drunk, really.¡± Gu Chaoyan calmed down a little. She was not scared, it was just that she had never been so close to anybody and that made her nervous, just subconscious nervousness. Zhou Huaijin caressed her head and moved away from her, fearing that she would be scared. Then he thought for a while and said, ¡°Sword One,e in and serve some tea for your miss.¡± Sword One had just walked a step away when she heard her name called, so she rushed in directly. She had thought about letting Lord and Miss spend some time alone together, and thought that she was not needed. Soon she came with a kettle of tea. ¡°Miss...¡± Then she put down the kettle, thought for a while and said, ¡°I... will be going out now?¡± ¡°Just stay here.¡± Gu Chaoyan stressed. Sword One was shocked. *** At the Gu Mansion. Zhou Huaiyu had made a deal with Gu Chaoyan that when the money was ready, he would get the money delivered to the Gu Mansion. He had thought about asking his men to do the job, when he realized that he could do it himself ¨C he was avable today, anyway. When Chen Fu passed on the message to Gu Zhenkang, he thought that he heard it wrong. ¡°Lord Yu is here? Are you sure?¡± Chen Fu shook his head and said resolutely. ¡°Old Master, I would never mistake Lord Yu. Also, no one would dare to impersonate him, would they?¡± Chapter 304: Lord Yu’s Visit 3

Chapter 304: Lord Yu¡¯s Visit 3

What Zhou Huaiyu said made Gu Zhenkang¡¯s face twitch. Gu Xiuying had not noticed what happened, until she turned around and saw that she was the only girl in the hall. Then she wore a very weird expression on her face. As she came to the hall, she saw two maids standing right here. Seeing the two maids looking pretty and dressed well, she knew that the two girls were up to something. So she drove them away directly and remained here alone. So since she was alone, the lord l kept looking at her. However, now Gu Xiuying stomped her feet and turned to Gu Zhenkang, looking rather upset. ¡°Dad...¡± Gu Zhenkang was very anxious too. He had not expected that Lord did not know Xiuying at all, but instead took her as the maid! ¡°Lord, this is my third daughter Xiuying, not the maid.¡± Angry as Gu Zhenkang was, he still spoke with a polite tone. He was the lord so what more could he say? It was also his carelessness that caused the embarrassment. Where were the maids in the hall! Gu Zhenkang¡¯s face sank and turned to Chen Fu with a displeased look. ¡°Chen Fu, you have been working with us for a long time and you have not made one single progress! Where are the maids? Why is no one here? Are you asking me to serve the guest?¡± He said with a heavy tone, though he was not bellowing at him. With his head lowered, Chen Fu said, ¡°It is my fault, I will get the maids here.¡± Gu Zhenkang let out a heavy sigh, sounding rather furious. Chen Fu was feeling wronged too. There were maids waiting at the hall before, but the Third Lady came and beat them both before driving them away. She even stated that no maids were allowed here! What was he supposed to do apart from obeying the Third Lady! Now a misunderstanding was caused and he had to take the me. With the lord here, his fault might be ignored. However, when the lord was gone, he would have to receive punishment. When Madame Gu was in charge in the past, she was never strict to the servants, but now the Gu Mansion was full of an angry air. He sighed and continued to get the maids. In the hall, Gu Zhenkang showed a smiling face, ¡°Lord, we are correcting that immediately.¡± Zhou Huaiyu frowned slightly and started to dislike Gu Zhenkang. He didn¡¯t know any rules of how to behave properly! @@novelbin@@ He should have introduced thedy when he first walked inside, otherwise he would not have taken her as the maid. Now when he, the Old Master made a mistake, he pushed the me to the servant instead. He never cared much whether he was served. He could always serve himself. If not for Chaoyan¡¯s sake, he would have lost his patience. ¡°Lord, what are you doing here today?¡± Gu Zhenkang asked. Zhou Huaiyu took a deep breath. He got so pissed that he almost forgot what he was here for. ¡°I am here to talk with Chaoyan, please get her.¡± Zhou Huaiyu felt much better as he thought of Gu Chaoyan. He sounded more cheerful too. Gu Zhenkang¡¯s face sank as he heard what he said. Gu Xiuying¡¯s face turned pale too. He was here asking for the trash, Gu Chaoyan? Gu Xiuying was so angry that her fists were tightly clenched. Why did everyonee here asking for that trash? Was she even worse than her? Zhou Huaiyu could tell that the Gu Family was not behaving well when Chaoyan was mentioned. Chapter 307: Gu Zhenkang’s Idea

Chapter 307: Gu Zhenkang¡¯s Idea

Instead of moving, Gu Chaoyan sat there quietly, looking very cold. She frowned even more deeply and answered calmly, ¡°Maids are supposed to serve the tea.¡± Zhou Huaiyu, who had been very displeased, was now smiling. He had been thinking that something was wrong with the Gu Mansion, but he had not sensed what was wrong. Now when Chaoyan was here, he finally understood what was wrong ¨C Gu Zhenkang was a literati and an officer in the court, but he did not even know how to behave properly! He asked his daughter to serve the tea for him! Even if that daughter of his was born by a concubine, she was still ady, not a maid. He suddenly felt that everything was better, and even the air too as he was seated here. However, he found that the two extra people in the hall were quite annoying. ¡°Officer Gu, and Lady Gu, just get down to your business, me and Elder Miss have our own business to talk about.¡± Gu Zhenkang¡¯s ttering face stiffened, and he did not utter any more words. He was a bit embarrassed and threw a look at Gu Xiuying, answering courteously, ¡°I will be off now.¡± Gu Xiuying stomped her feet and red at Gu Chaoyan. She was very displeased. Why! Why was she asked to go out when Gu Chaoyan was here? It was she who spent so much time with the Lord today! Trash Gu Chaoyan, she was so annoying. Gu Zhenkang pulled her away directly, even if she did not want to leave. ¡°Finally, I am feeling better.¡± Zhou Huaiyu stretched his arms and said. ¡°Where is my stuff?¡± Gu Chaoyan reached out and cut straight to the topic without any polite words. Zhou Huaiyu almost burst into coughs when he just rxed. ¡°Can you be a little bit more implicit? Why are you asking me for money the moment we are meeting? We should chit chat first.¡± Zhou Huaiyuined with dissatisfaction. In thisnd, every woman behaved gently and nicely when they saw him. They all wanted to show what they were capable of in front of him, but Gu Chaoyan was different. She was treating him like air and thinking about money! She was totally different from that ttering dad of hers. Hearing what Zhou Huaiyu said, Gu Chaoyan squinted at him and said, ¡°Are you trying to get away with it?¡± Zhou Huaiyu, who was in the middle of drinking tea, spilled it directly. What was this woman thinking anyway? Zhou Huaiyu felt difort dominating him again. He grabbed a stack of money from his pocket and passed it to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°I am not like that, alright?¡± Gu Chaoyan was already counting the money. After that, she answered indifferently. ¡°I was not sure alright, it is not a small figure.¡± Zhou Huaiyu felt very furious. He had never been so pissed before. He stood up instantly. ¡°The money is here, I am off.¡± Damn, he should not have been so kind-hearted as to deliver the money here personally. He should have asked one of his guards to do it, that would have been enough. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan threw a look at him and put the money into her space. She dusted herself up and was about to leave for the Jiang Mansion. She had just left the hall when Gu Zhenkang stopped her. ¡°How did you get to know Lord Yu?¡± ¡°At Saint College.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered coldly. Oh yah, there. So the lord treated her well because she was from the Gu Family. ¡°Your sister Xiuying is soon going to be an adult and I think that she looks cute together with Lord Yu. Do remember to mention her often in front of Lord Yu.¡± Gu Zhenkang stated. Chapter 310: Missing

Chapter 310: Missing

Seeing Zhou Huaijin¡¯s worried look, Gu Chaoyan patted his hands and said, ¡°It is okay! I am just wondering. I haven¡¯t been keeping Madame Jiangpany these past two days.¡± Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief. General Jiang passed away ages ago, leaving Madame Jiang behind. Zhou Huaijin was very worried and concerned about her. Now what he expected was that Madame Jiang would live a few more years. The two ate dinner together. *** At the Gu Mansion. @@novelbin@@ Gu Yunxuan and Gu Yunhe hurried back home, after they received the letter from the family. They quit the military and arrived home before the Mid-Autumn Festival. On the way home, they heard a lot of shocking stories. They had not expected that such tremendous changes had happened during the past few years that they were not at home. Gu Zhenkang and Chen Fu were waiting for them at the city gate. Seeing his grownup sons, he felt very gratified, as if he had seen the future of the Gu Mansion. ¡°Yunxuan, Yunhe, here you are!¡± Gu Zhenkang greeted them with a smile. ¡°Father!¡± Gu Yunxuan and Gu Yunhe greeted him loudly. They had been away from home for too long and had had a hard time at the military. Seeing their family all of a sudden, the two boys got rather excited. Gu Zhenkang patted their shoulders and knew that it was not the right ce to have a conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s just go inside. Your mothers prepared some weing dinner for you.¡± Gu Zhenkang said. The two nodded, got back into the wagon and went home together. Everyone from the Gu Mansion, including the concubines and servants, were waiting at the doorstep for these two young masters toe home. As Gu Zhenkang took them inside the mansion, Mrs. Gu spotted Gu Yunhe directly. She could not help rushing up to him directly. ¡°He, you look so much thinner than before. You have had a hard time!¡± Gu Yunhe smiled. ¡°Mother! I am fine, now the bitterness is gone!¡± His father revealed something in the wagon. He knew that their Second Sister was marrying Lord Ling, so when they came home, they could work for Lord Ling, who could help them get some important positions. That sounded much better than being in the military! At the military camp, they never got any opportunities to achieve something despite the old rtionship with grandpa¡¯s friend. They were nothing more than minor soldiers who kept on training and working every day. The capital was naturally much better. So Gu Yunhe was very happy that he could finallye home, and he truly did not have any interest in mentioning what happened at the army. ¡°Alright, mom, dinner will get cold if you don¡¯t stop talking. Let¡¯s just go inside.¡± Gu Ruxue said as she looked up at Gu Yunhe. ¡°Come in, brother.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Gu Yunhe answered happily. He was very pleased with his sister. If not for her, he would not have been able to return to the capital city. Thank goodness that his sister was marrying Lord Ling. Gu Zhenkang patted Gu Yunhe and the whole family walked inside happily. And Gu Yunxuan, who was never noticed, smiled bitterly. He had always been treated like this before he joined the military, and now, the situation was still the same yearster. He was motherless, after all. He shook his head and followed in. They took their seats respectively, and then Gu Yunhe asked curiously, ¡°Where is Madame Gu and Gu Chaoyan? Why are they missing?¡± That question caused everyone to have a weird look. Chapter 314: Marriage

Chapter 314: Marriage

¡°What again?¡± She had just spoken when the sword was already upon that man¡¯s throat. Gu Yunxuan looked shocked and surprised, and then stared at Sword One with a look of admiration. After spending such a long time in the army, he had met many skillful people, but none of them were as excellent as this girl in front of him. This girl had her back to him a minute ago, and she was showing total indifference, but she was able to use the right spot and strength, so the sword fell upon his throat urately. If this girl had the intention of killing him, he would have dropped dead directly, instead of having a chance to fight back. Sword One got a little embarrassed at the sight of this strange face. She thought that the maniac returned. This man was a stranger too, but he wasn¡¯t as annoying as the one before. She softened her tone. ¡°Who are you, what are you doing?¡± Gu Yunxuan now was reminded of what he was here for. He showed an apologetic smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry,dy, I mean no harm. I just brought some snacks on the way home, and the snacks couldst for a long time. I have prepared these for Chaoyan, please tell her to put them away carefully. If she is not fed well, eat them! I was in a hurry home today, so I didn¡¯t have time to buy the salted chicken she likes, but I can sneak in some these days, when I have a chance.¡± @@novelbin@@ Then he passed the package to Sword One. ¡°You are Chaoyan¡¯s friend, aren¡¯t you? If she is not okay to see me, just pass this on to her please.¡± Then he threw another look in the direction of the room, looking very concerned. Sword One took a look at the package and then at Gu Yunxuan. For some reason, she felt tears swelling up into her eyes. She blinked her eyes, restraining the tears from rolling out. She had been a very rock-hearted person, but after spending time with Elder Miss, she became easily moved. This must be the other young master of the mansion. He was a concubine¡¯s son and she passed away when he was little. Madame Gu paid attention to him, only because he was a boy. He had a better time than Elder Miss, but that wasn¡¯t much better either. Unexpectedly, he was still thinking about Miss on the way home. Sword One felt tears welling up in her eyes, as she nodded seriously at Gu Yunxuan. ¡°When Miss is home, I will pass it on to her.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± Gu Yunxuan was surprised. Wasn¡¯t she forbidden to leave the mansion before? Soon, Gu Yunxuan thought of the rumor he heard on the way home. It seemed that she was having a better time now, and she was allowed to leave the mansion. ¡°The Jiang Mansion.¡± Sword One answered sincerely. Gu Yunxuan nodded and thought nothing more. He thought that it might be a mansion that was in a great rtionship with the Gu Mansion. Then he pointed at the door. ¡°I need to go now.¡± Sword One greeted him. Gu Yunxuan smiled and left. *** At Gu Zhenkang¡¯s study. Gu Zhenkang was surprised to see Gu Yunheing back to him. He was about to leave when he took the seat again. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Yunhe found a ce and sat down. Hearing what his father asked, he thought of the cold yet pretty girl a while ago. He showed a very proud smile. ¡°Yes. I do have one thing. Dad, I am not young any more, and I am the eldest son in the mansion. Back in the army, I could not possibly think about this, but now that I am back, do you think that I should get married soon?¡± Chapter 318: The Assassins

Chapter 318: The Assassins

The Saint Divine Land was an open ce, and the street was bustling on every festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival, in particr, was a day when all kinds ofnterns were hung. It was indeed new and interesting. Gu Chaoyan was totally attracted by the beautiful scene, as she walked out of the mansion. Zhou Huaijin took her hand, fearing that she would get lost among the crowd. Then he said to her with a smile, ¡°The night market would be even more shining, if we were out on Lantern¡¯s Day!¡± Gu Chaoyan was already shocked by the scene in front of her. Then she pointed at a ce where they could do somentern riddles. ¡°Let¡¯s go and check out there.¡± Then she took hold of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s hand and started to walk in that direction. Zhou Huaijin was startled at the beginning, but then soon saw the slender fingers on him. He smiled brightly. ¡°You want antern riddle too?¡± The owner of the stand asked with a smile. The girl was dressed inly, but a businessman like him could tell by one nce that the young master behind the girl was someone with an extraordinary status. He knew that the young master would pay however much the girl wanted, since he needed to tter the girl. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. She was not good at doing riddles, and thenterns were not that pretty either. She pointed at thergentern above her head and asked, ¡°How can we get that one?¡± The owner threw a look at thentern, then he said cheerfully, ¡°That is our top prize! The entry fee is 50 yuan. As long as we have ten participants ready, we are starting the contest and the first person that gets it, wins!¡± Ten participants... So that basically meant 500 yuan. Zhou Huaijin, however, did not have the intention of letting Gu Chaoyan wait. Instead, he asked Fu Bao to pay 500 yuan to the owner, hopped up and took down thentern directly. Gu Chaoyan was so d to see that. He looked extremely handsome among the patch ofnterns. Zhou Huaijin was about to go down when several men dressed in ck rushed out and besieged Zhou Huaijin. That startled Fu Bao too. He instantly stood before Gu Chaoyan and Qing, whilst Zhou Huaijin¡¯s hidden guards also rushed out, starting a fight with them. The civilians got all startled. They ran away directly. Gu Chaoyan was very anxious. She intended to rush out to give him a hand when Fu Bao stopped her. Fu Bao said seriously, ¡°Elder Miss, don¡¯t move, I will keep you safe. Lord is fine, we have many hidden guards. We are always ready for this kind of situation which happens often,¡± Fu Bao said calmly as if it was not a big deal. Gu Chaoyan, on the other hand, was not assured. Does this happen often? How much pressure did he have to bear every single day? @@novelbin@@ She had thought about this before ¨C the King might adore him most on the surface, but in the meanwhile, the King was also pushing him to the frontline, so he was the target for every other ambitious son. Those who had ambitions would remove him first. That was what was going on now. Gu Chaoyan got very anxious, but she was really bad at hopping, so she could do nothing but stand by. Fu Bao was standing in front of them all the time. That was the mission Zhou Huaijin gave to him. He had to keep Gu Chaoyan safe and sound. After the assassins were finished, Zhou Huaijin walked towards Gu Chaoyan with a smile, still holding thentern. Gu Chaoyan could sense the smell of blood. Then she saw the wound on his arm, and burst into tears. Chapter 321: Her Own Choice

Chapter 321: Her Own Choice

The way Gu Zhenkang talked sounded as if he had been granting someone a great favor. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face sank deeply. That was the first time for her to get really mad since she appeared at the Gu Mansion. Sword One might be a maid, but in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s heart, she was not! Sword One defended her all the time, taking her as first priority. In her heart, Sword One was her own sister, just like Qing. Nowadays, Gu Yunhe and Gu Zhenkang thought about taking Sword One as a concubine! She would have killed them both if it were the 21st century. However, now, she had to consider the so-called filial piety. How ridiculous. ¡°I say no.¡± Gu Chaoyan turned them down directly without any hesitation. Sword One was going to marry someone in the future, and that man did not have to be a noble person, yet he had to be a great match with Sword One, and Sword One was not going to be just a concubine. Gu Yunhe was not at all a great match. So she would definitely disapprove of this proposal. Gu Zhenkang had thought that he was going to get what he wanted directly, so he changed his expression when he heard her words. He looked at Gu Chaoyan as if he had misheard something. Then he brought himself back and his expression sank, realizing that she did say a no. He looked at Gu Chaoyan with displeasure. ¡°Why not? Your brother is a handsome, noble person. It is her honor that she can be a concubine!¡± Gu Zhenkang was not so arrogant before, but now, he thought that the Gu Mansion would have a promising future soon, and he assumed that he would probably be the future King¡¯s father! He thought that he was going to be rted to the imperial court! Then his son should get the best things and people in the whole world. That Sword One was just a maid! Gu Yunhe was displeased too. He struck the teacup on the table. ¡°If she was not your maid, I would have just slept with her!¡± Gu Chaoyan tightened her fist. She got so furious that she burst intoughter. With eyes upon Gu Yunhe and Gu Zhenkang, she said, ¡°If that is the case, you can turn to Lord Huai instead. He gave Sword One to me and he owns the contract. I can¡¯t make a decision. If you are able to convince Lord Huai, then I can leave myself out of this matter.¡± The two men shrank when Lord Huai was mentioned. They stayed silent for a long while. In the end, Gu Zhenkang let out a small cough in embarrassment. ¡°Lord Huai and you are friends, you can probably talk with him.¡± ¡°I told you, I said no.¡± Gu Chaoyan said resolutely. Gu Zhenkang¡¯s face sank, and then he raised his hand, intending to p Gu Chaoyan. Gu Yunhe said confidently, ¡°If you don¡¯t have the contract, you don¡¯t have to get involved. Just ask her what she wants. If she agrees, we can go to Lord Huai and talk with him together.¡± Well... he was a young master of the Gu Mansion. He was confident that Sword One would agree to marry him. After all, her own social status would be changed, and he believed that she would definitely say yes. As for Lord Huai... if Sword One agreed, Lord Huai would definitely go with her request. That was her own happiness! Also, Lord Ling was his brother anyway. Therefore, he did not want to waste any time talking with Gu Chaoyan here. @@novelbin@@ When Sword One said yes, her disapproval would not work. She was just a divorced woman who did not want to see other women getting happiness. Chapter 326: Back to the College

Chapter 326: Back to the College

Then he understood it all. Chaoyan was reminding him what to pay attention to and what to do. He only had one maid working for him at the yard, and no one else was with him, but the maid barely obeyed his order. His brother was different, on the other hand. The moment his brother came home, his father already got him guards. His brother always had some men with him, and his father was still helping him to recruit more staff. His father was never going to prepare these things for him. So he had to fight for whatever he needed himself. Gu Yunxuan expressed his gratitude. ¡°I got it now, really!¡± Gu Chaoyan, Sword One and Qing started to head towards the Qiong Pavilion. When they were a distance away from Gu Yunxuan¡¯s yard, Sword One asked. ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you going to help the Second Young Master? We can tell the Lord if he needs some job. The Lord can definitely offer him a proper job! In that way, he doesn¡¯t have to work for that bastard Elder Young Master!¡± Sword One was indeed annoyed. She felt that there was something wrong with Gu Zhenkang¡¯s head and judgement. He did not like Elder Miss, who was nice and friendly. He did not like the Second Young Master, who was nice and friendly too. Instead he preferred that bastard Elder Young Master! Honestly, what was he thinking? ¡°I am definitely going to help him.¡± Gu Chaoyan said, ¡°But not that directly. I would like to see what Second Brother is going to do himself, and only when I know what he is going to do himself, will I be able to know how I can help him along the way.¡± Sword One was not a straightforward person, but she understood clearly what Gu Chaoyan meant. Elder Miss was going to offer helpter. So she did not talk about that any more. As they went back to the Qiong Pavilion, Gu Chaoyan asked Qing to get down to other work. Then she turned to Sword One. ¡°Did you find anything strange about Chen Fu?¡± As she was talking about this, Sword One shook her head regretfully. She had been focusing on that man these days. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Not really. The only strange thing is that there was one time, when he came to the Qiong Pavilionte at night. However, he did not walk close to the Qiong Pavilion, but watched the house from a distance away.¡± Sword One answered. ¡°From a distance away?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked confused. Sword One nodded resolutely. She could not have been mistaken ¨C that was indeed the silhouette of Chen Fu. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She did not tell her to continue with the watch. She still did not give up on Chen Fu, but she thought that if Sword One failed to find anything strange about him, then it might not be that easy to find out something after all. So she had to wait. *** After the Mid-Autumn Festival... It was time for the students of Saint College to return to the school. Gu Chaoyan did not see Gu Ruxue from the moment she started to pack, until the moment she finished packing. It was Chen Fu who told her on the way to Saint College that the Second Lady had been at the Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion, and Lord Ling would keep herpany to Saint College personally. Only now did Gu Chaoyuan realize that Gu Ruxue was not at all at the mansion. What was more, Lord Ling not only invited Gu Ruxue to the Lord Ling, but also Mrs. Gu who also spent some time at the mansion too. Hearing the news, Gu Chaoyan did not pay attention to that at all. She did not believe that the fortune-teller¡¯s story about getting the world was real. It sounded so childish. ¡°Here you are, Elder Miss!¡± Chapter 331: The Strategist

Chapter 331: The Strategist

At the Study. Lord Ling was silent for a long time, as his eyes sparkled lethally. Then he turned to Xie Yan in front of him. Xie Yan saw Lord Ling¡¯s eyes, got startled subconsciously and asked discreetly, ¡°What is it, Lord Ling?¡± @@novelbin@@ He was Lord Ling¡¯s strategist who had made all kinds of ns for him. He was taking a huge risk, as he received superior power and money. For example, the way Lord Ling looked at him now was reminding him that something was wrong, but he could not figure out what was wrong, thus feeling rather unfathomed. He threw the letter Xie Yan at Xie Yan and snapped. ¡°What is it? Just see what you have found out!¡± ¡°Destiny Monk said that the Phoenix Girl is going through the reincarnation and the one who gets her gets the throne. What an important matter that is! Why didn¡¯t you look into it! You said that the Elder Miss is ugly, tanned and stupid, and that she has a terrible personality and morality. But when I met her today, I found that she was totally outstanding, even more outstanding than the Second Lady!¡± Faced with what Lord Ling asked, Xie Yan was shocked. When Destiny Monk came to the conclusion, he saw thedies from the Gu Mansion and Elder Miss was exactly like what he described earlier. As for the otherdies... they were simplyzy and idling around. Only the Second Lady looked like someone who might be the reincarnation of Phoenix Lady. That was why he decided that the Second Lady was the one. That was why he made the proposal. However, now Lord Ling said that the Elder Miss looked outstanding... could he have made a mistake? That could not be possible! Could someone change so fast within such a short period of time? If that was the case, then they might all have made a mistake ¨C maybe Elder Miss was the real Phoenix Girl! If that was the case... there was still time to save the matter. Even if he made the mistake in this case, as the strategist-in-chief, he was not at all stupid. In order to maintain his own position, he had to show that he had a back-up n. Xie Yan said instantly,ing up with a method to prevent the potential harm, ¡°Lord, we still have time to save the matter. ¡°The Gu Mansion is just a minor family, and the Gu Family don¡¯t know anything about Phoenix Girl, as far as I can tell. You are a noble man, and you can marry both of the girls.¡± As far as he could see, it was such an easy problem to solve. Hearing what Xie Yan said, Lord Ling became slightly less angry. He did not hold that dark expression any more. Normally, he should have given up Xie Yan after this incident. He had been simply too careless! However... It seemed that this man could be kept. It was just that he needed more than one strategist around him. He was going to achieve big things in the future, so he needed many staff around him. Seeing Lord Ling in obsession, Xie Yan was afraid that Lord Ling would fire him. So he added, ¡°Lord, when I saw that Elder Miss a while ago, she was indeed chubby and ugly. I had not expected that she could have such a tremendous change within such a short period of time. That made me think that it is probably because she is the real Phoenix Girl so such changes happen to her!¡± Hearing these words, Lord Ling looked at Xie Yanpletatively. Maybe that was true ¨C the Phoenix Girl should be special and he saw nothing special about Gu Ruxue at all. Chapter 335: The Contest 3

Chapter 335: The Contest 3

¡°That can¡¯t be possible.¡± Xue Feihan said in disbelief. Everyone would want to have the special rights granted by the Medical Department ¨C there were a lot of profits brought about when one had the special rights. At least, the student with the special rights could be guaranteed a future. That was why he approved of the contest. He was sure that the students would spare no efforts in the contest just to get the qualification. The Dean shook his head with a smile and pointed at the girl not far from him. ¡°Look at the herbs in her hands. She already has one to go and the remaining one isn¡¯t difficult to get. And she ignored that herb as she passed by it a while ago. Just look at her, she is just observing the other herbs in the field rather than picking up the one written on the note. The winner won¡¯t be her, but the other one.¡± The Dean pointed at Li Yuanxiang. Li Yuanxiang already got nine herbs, and had only one to go. Xue Feihan got startled suddenly. That was the case! So it seemed that he had ruined the situation by starting the contest, so he asked with a guilty voice, ¡°Dean, what should we do?¡± ¡°It is fine, she is still a student here, we can find other asions for her to contribute,¡± the Dean said. It was an unfortunate matter, but not totally unrecoverable. Huang Xuan, who was listening next to them, disagreed. She did not like it when the Dean spoke so highly of the girl ¨C she was not that special at all. So she said, ¡°I guess that she is just afraid of taking over the mission. Are you sure she made those pills? If not, she is just trying to cover up her own lies. Just because she can distinguish the herbs, doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that she is skilled at making medical pills.¡± The Dean frowned slightly as he heard the words. He had already noticed that Huang Xuan was displeased with Gu Chaoyan, but she did not have to do so, since they were not enemies. He assumed that she was just a little bit more strict against her. However, hearing those words, the Dean was not at all pleased. He thought that Huang Xuan was being over the top. ¡°That is not the case. The staff at our Medical Department are already top professionals, but even we are unable to make medicinal pills like that. Nor are we able to obtain such pills either. It is not possible that she paid a high price for the pills from somewhere else, because Gu Chaoyan has never even been out of the capital! Also, her birth mother Mrs. Lin¡¯s family used to be the supplier for the imperial court. It is possible that her mother gave her some guidance in making the medicine.¡± The Dean said. He had done some investigation about Gu Chaoyan, before he was certain that Gu Chaoyan made them herself. The Dean of the Saint College was not stupid after all. Huang Xuan did not say anything more, but she was still wearing a look of disapproval. The Dean sighed and shook his head. He did not say anything more either. He should have a serious talk with Huang Xuan in the near future, he believed. As they were talking... Li Yuanxiang already found ten herbs and came to the side of the Dean in full confidence. Then she passed the notes and herbs to the Dean and said, ¡°Here you are, Sir.¡± @@novelbin@@ The Dean could tell at the first nce that all were right. Although he felt a little bit sad that Gu Chaoyan spared the seat for someone else, it was still a great thing that a student like Li Yuanxiang was epted. He nodded with a smile. ¡°You are the champion here. Good luck to your next contest.¡± Li Yuanxiang nodded happily. She was d, yet she was still wearing a calm expression on her face. At this moment, Gu Chaoyan followed withposure. Chapter 338: Two Girls 2

Chapter 338: Two Girls 2

¡°What?¡± Xie Yan asked. He felt a mess growing inside him too. Normally, he could do everything perfectly, but right now, what he thought was a minor matter became a barrier for him. So he started to talk impatiently with Gu Zhenkang. Gu Zhenkang, however, did not notice that slight change at all. He said disdainfully, ¡°Gu Chaoyan¡¯s birth mother was a businesswoman, a daughter born by a businesswoman is not worth Lord Ling at all.¡± Xie Yan almost rolled his eyes at Gu Zhenkang. If not for Destiny Monk¡¯s words, none of Gu Zhenkang¡¯s daughters were worth Lord Ling! So what was the difference?! Despite what he thought inwardly, Xie Yan did not say that. No matter which of the girls was the Phoenix Girl, they were both Gu Zhenkang¡¯s daughters. If the rumor was right, Gu Zhenkang would have a totally different position. If Xie Yan wanted to stay by Lord Ling¡¯s side, he should not offend Gu Zhenkang right now. ¡°It is fine, if you can¡¯t make the decision, I will go and visit the Lin Family.¡± Xie Yan said and got up. Gu Zhenkang was anxious. He wanted to stop him to tell him something, but did not dare to. In the end, he had to see him out without saying anything. Then he said to Chen Fu. ¡°Get someone to inform the Second Lady about this matter at Saint College. Ask her toe home if she can.¡± Then he regretted it instantly. When Officer Xie was present, he focused too much upon Gu Chaoyan to think about Yunhe. Damn! @@novelbin@@ Xie Yan hurried directly to the Lin Mansion from the Gu Mansion. It was such a minor matter that should be done today! If it was not solved properly, the Lord would bepletely disappointed in him. So he barely had the time. Luckily, the Lin Family was residing at the outskirts of the capital, not very far away. It only took him two fast hours to arrive at the Lin Mansion. The Lin Mansion was not as enthusiastic about his arrival as Gu Zhenkang was. As he came to the hall, Lin Jiaxing did not arrive until a whileter. He said politely, ¡°Anything I can do for you, Officer Xie?¡± He did not greet him formally. Xie Yan was only Lord Ling¡¯s strategist without a formal position. That title of Officer was just a polite way of addressing him. Xie Yan did not care about that either. He needed to get his mission done, so he cut in straightforwardly, ¡°Old Master, I am here to discuss the Elder Miss of the Gu Mansion. I just went to the Gu Family who told me that only you could decide on Elder Miss¡¯s marriage. I was wondering if you are willing to marry Elder Miss to Lord Ling?¡± Lin Jiaxing had a weird expression on his face. He knew what Lord Ling was like. He already had a Princess Consort and one concubine. Gu Ruxue was also going to be another concubine. So now he was asking for Chaoyan¡¯s hand too? So she was going to be his servant concubine? Of course not! He was not going to ruin his sister¡¯s child! ¡°Officer Xie, I am afraid that we are not worthy of Lord Ling.¡± Lin Jiaxing turned him down directly. ¡°After Chaoyan was divorced, the Gu Mansion pushed her marriage affairs to us. Chaoyan is a girl with her own ideas and she is holding her own marriage certificate. If she is willing to marry Lord Ling, we won¡¯t interfere with that. So go and ask the Elder Miss yourself, Officer Xie.¡± # Chapter 343: Lord Ling Was Here

Chapter 343: Lord Ling Was Here

He already heard what happened, when he came to the imperial hospital. He had thought that Lady Chaoyan¡¯s major achievements were that she was epted by Saint College. He assumed that she felt a bit interested in medicine. However, he had not expected that Lady Chaoyan would be so skilled at medicine, and that she managed to save the Young Duke who even the imperial doctors failed to save. As a result, Chaoyan saved the Young Duke who was now in a steady state. In this way, not only did Duke North¡¯s Mansion owe Lady Chaoyan a favor, but she was also going to be very popr as a doctor in the capital. Therefore he was even more determined to marry her. Even if Lady Chaoyan might not be the Phoenix Girl, her being next to him would still boost him up. He was willing to promise her a lifetime of luxury. With these thoughts in his mind, Lord Ling found Gu Chaoyan increasingly interesting and beautiful. Gu Chaoyan, on the other hand, frowned. She had met the servant from the Lin Family who told her that Lord Ling intended to marry two girls at the same time. It was alright if he was into the Monk¡¯s words, but it made her disgusted, when he looked at her in this way. Gu Chaoyan said coldly, ¡°What do you want, Lord?¡± ¡°I went to Saint College to find you, but I heard that you came to the court, so I am here to keep youpany out of the court, how does that sound?¡± Lord Ling said with a smile on his face. He was an extremely patient person when he was speaking with those who were practical to him. Even if the girl was treating him coldly ¨C he did not mind that at all. Nor would he get angry. He had a firm belief ¨C as long as he had abundant patience, he would definitely get whatever he wanted. ¡°No thanks.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered stiffly, finding this man so disgusting. If it were in her previous life, she would have hit him directly. At this time, Sword One came to her in a hurry. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Sword One, otherwise she was at a loss of how to get rid of this annoying man. ¡°My girl is here, thank you for the offer, Lord Ling.¡± Gu Chaoyan said expressionlessly, and then headed towards Sword One, hastening up her pace. Zhou Huailing frowned slightly. He was the Lord, a highly respected lord. No one dared to go against his power. Now he already demeaned himself as he spoke with this woman who was pping him in the face. Zhou Huailing could not help but feel rather furious. He stretched out his hand to take hold of Gu Chaoyan, who dodged aside, looking at Zhou Huailing full of rm. Seeing her rmed look, Zhou Huailing suddenly stopped being angry. He thought that he was detested by this woman, but as it turned out, she was just scared of him. That was fine, a Lord like him could unavoidably be somehow intimidating. He took a few more steps and started to walk shoulder to shoulder with Gu Chaoyan. He said with a gentle tone, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared of me. I won¡¯t do anything to you. I just want to talk with you for a moment.¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyebrows were knitted. She had never met anyone as annoying as this man. ¡°Can I speak with you alone?¡± Lord Ling asked. ¡°Lord, I still have other jobs to do. The Young Duke has just woken up and he is not in a steady state yet. I need to boil the medicine now, you can go down to your own business,¡± Gu Chaoyan said impatiently. She had not intended to go to the medicine room, but now she decided to head there directly. Zhou Huailing thought for a while and realized that it might not be a proper time yet so he nodded. ¡°Then I wille to you again when Zheng Chenyi gets better.¡± # Chapter 347: Your Desire

Chapter 347: Your Desire

Gu Chaoyan nodded and followed Mrs. Duke North out of the room. She had already gotten the prescription ready and passed the responsibilities to the Dean, so she was basically assured. She thought that Mrs. Duke North must be curious about how her son was doing, so she did not think too much. There were many rooms in the imperial hospital, so Mrs. Duke North went to a vacant room and guided Gu Chaoyan in. The pageboy served a kettle of tea whilst Gu Chaoyan took it and poured a cup of tea for Mrs. Duke North. Because of what Zhou Huaijin told her about Duke North the day before, Gu Chaoyan felt that she should respect the people at Duke North¡¯s Mansion. Therefore, she was showing a very friendly manner in front of Mrs. Duke North. She took a sip of tea. It was honeysuckle tea that was served at the imperial hospital, which fitted the hospital¡¯s style perfectly. ¡°What are you wondering about, Madame?¡± Gu Chaoyan said involuntarily, ¡°Young Duke is badly injured, but he should recover well if he takes a good break.¡± These words were spoken to assure Mrs. Duke North. Mrs. Duke North nodded. Honestly, she did appreciate Gu Chaoyan, who was young and capable, and who also had a wonderful personality. If her husband had been alive, she would have agreed to hook her son with this girl up, but at present, they were all having a difficult time at Duke North¡¯s Mansion. Her son was called the Young Duke, yet there were way too many siblings and cousins from the Zheng Family who looked forward to seeing something happening to her son, so that they could get the rank. So Chen¡¯s wife had to be beneficial for him. The Gu Family were far too low in position. Otherwise she would have considered this girl as her son¡¯s wife. Mrs. Duke North sighed. ¡°Thanks to you, Chen is safe. What payment do you want, I can give you anything.¡± Gu Chaoyan took another sip of the tea. Instead of thinking, she shook her head directly. ¡°No thanks. It is what I should do.¡± She would not possibly ask for payment, since she did admire Duke North to some degree. Also, she was brought in by the Dean who would definitely offer her something good in return. Besides, she was not here for money. Seeing her direct rejection, Mrs. Duke North no longer smiled. Maybe she turned down the jewelry, because she was desiring something better. ¡°As far as I know, you are not having an easy time at the Gu Mansion. We from Duke North¡¯s Mansion might not be as honorable as before, yet we are still able to promise what you want. You are really giving the offer up?¡± Mrs. Duke North sounded a bit serious at this moment. Gu Chaoyan was about to say something, when Mrs. Duke North continued. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I am afraid that I may not be able to give you what you really desire. Chen is going to marry someone who is going to be beneficial for him, and she is not going to be you, although you did save his life.¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan was speechless. She could not utter a thing. She was no longer feeling as cheerful as before. This is Duke North¡¯s wife, not him. She should not have taken them as the same person. ¡°Then give me the jewelry. Just give me as much as you think the Young Duke¡¯s life is valued. And don¡¯t send them to the Gu Mansion, but to my restaurant. Someone will take care of it for me.¡± Gu Chaoyan snapped directly. Mrs. Duke North had a veryplicated expression on her face at this moment. # Chapter 350: Meeting the King

Chapter 350: Meeting the King

¡°Duke North¡¯s Mansion has not had an easy time these years, and you have just be an adult. These medical bills are a bit high for us, but you are my only child and you don¡¯t have a sister, so I can use my dowries to pay the bill, or we are going to beughed at!¡± Mrs. Duke North showed a brief smile as she was speaking. She sounded a bit helpless, but also showed much hope to her son. With fist clenched, Zheng Chenyiy in bed without saying a word. A long whileter, he said, ¡°Thank you for your efforts, mom!¡± Then he closed his eyes. Mrs. Duke North took a look at him and helped to cover him with the nket, before walking out of the room. Zheng Chenyi took out The Saint Divine Anecdotes, threw a look at it and then put it back under the pillow. *** Gu Chaoyan had just received the news that the King was going to meet her. The news came after lunch, when she had nned to take a nap, but now, she could not do that. She had been in the court several times, but it was the first time for her to meet the King. It was impossible not to get nervous. She wondered why the King wanted to see her ¨C could it be because she was going to be his future daughter-inw, or because she had just cured the Young Duke so he would like to meet a skilled doctor... She was feeling a little bit nervous as she thought of the former possibility. She was worried that the King would look down on her because of her family background just like Mrs. Duke North, so he would try to make her stay away from Zhou Huaijin. She had never thought about these points before, so she was quite nervous at the moment. As she came to Qianqing Pce, she almost tripped at the gate because of nervousness. Luckily, Sword One managed to help her up in time so the scene did not get too embarrassing. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Sword One had thought that her Miss was going to stay as calm as before, but now it seemed that she was rather nervous. For a moment, she had no idea how tofort her so she had to utter such a simple sentence. Gu Chaoyan, on the other hand, got even more nervous. The King who was seated on the other side, burst intoughter as he heard that. He seemed to be in a good mood. He was wearing a smile on his face when Gu Chaoyan finally faced him. ¡°You are Gu Chaoyan? Look up at me.¡± King Anqing said with a firm voice. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered briefly and looked up at King Anqing without making a move. King Anqing did not find this name strange. The news that hade to him a moment ago was that Young Duke was dying yet this Gu Chaoyan girl saved his life! Few people had this kind of excellent medical skills. For a moment, he had no idea whether he should be sad or d over this fact. That was why he had not asked to see her, but when he heard the name once again, it was mentioned by two of his sons who both had the intention of marrying this girl. He would have approved the proposal raised first if it were made to other girls, but this one was a skilled doctor and he had to carefully consider it. As he saw the girl with his own eyes, he found her very interesting. The eunuch said that she almost tripped at the gate of Qianqing Pce because she was too nervous, but now she had the boldness of looking at him directly in the eyes. What a wonderful woman! ¡°You know what I asked you here for?¡± King Anqing asked. ¡°You are wondering about the Young Duke?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. It was not Gu Chaoyan¡¯s style to pretend to y dumb, so she answered naturally. @@novelbin@@ Hearing the answer, the Kingughed some more. # Chapter 354: Getting Married?

Chapter 354: Getting Married?

Zhou Huaijin did not find that sentence nicely. What did she mean that Chaoyan did not have to worry about Zheng Chenyi? Chaoyan did not care for him at all. She was here to save his life! Chaoyan was worrying about herself, not others! Zhou Huaijin was dering his dominance. He almost burst out that she was his woman! Mrs. Duke North was also surprised. She had not expected that Lady Chaoyan and Lord Huai would be in such a rtionship. She instantly regretted what she did yesterday. If Duke North could establish a rtionship with Lord Huai, then Chen would have an easier life! She should not have said those words to her yesterday. Now Mrs. Duke North understood one thing ¨C That was why Lady Chaoyan said those words yesterday to put her into such an embarrassing situation. It was because her misunderstanding towards her intention made her angry. She felt that she was too reckless to behave in this way. She should have made an investigation about her special rtionship with Lord Huai. She wouldn¡¯t have said those words, and Lady Chaoyan would not be feeling so weird about Duke North¡¯s Mansion. She had made a huge mistake. It was probably Chen¡¯s sudden ident that made her reckless. She had to have a thorough conversation with Lady Chaoyanter. She was at least going to be a concubine to Lord Huai in the future, since Lord Huai dered their rtionship. However, a concubine would have some say about a lot of things. Zhou Huaijin already sat down at Zheng Chenyi¡¯s bedside. He took a look at Zheng Chenyi and saw that he was doing well and color had returned to his face even though he could not move. Zhou Huaijin felt assured seeing him in this way. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that the spies of the enemies had sneaked into the capital! I am afraid that something big is happening in North Q. But don¡¯t worry, just get well. Chaoyan says that you are well, so take a rest and you will soon get back on your feet,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. He did not know Zheng Chenyi well, but they were brothers to some degree. That was why he told him those things. Zheng Chenyi took a look at Zhou Huaijin and then at Gu Chaoyan who was drinking tea by herself not faraway. He did not want to admit it, but he had to say that they looked very cute together, and they seemed close. Zheng Chenyi had just made a move to touch the book when he resisted. He smiled. ¡°I got it!¡± Then he looked at Zhou Huaijin and Chaoyan. ¡°Lord, are you getting married?¡± Zheng Chenyi was very uncertain about this question. A small voice was whispering inside his head, trying to deny this matter. Zhou Huaijin smiled briefly. ¡°Yes, Father has approved of it. I am old enough to get married, and Chaoyan is very nice.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly instead of looking at Zheng Chenyi. She showed a bashful look after taking a small sip from the teacup. Mrs. Duke North was panicking. She did not catch what they talked about, except for one thing ¨C ¡°Chaoyan is very nice.¡± It seemed that all she had guessed was true. It seemed that Lord Huai was marrying her! @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Duke North could not sit still any more. She looked at Gu Chaoyan and said, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, the men need to talk, so can I have a word with you too?¡± # Chapter 358: Proposal

Chapter 358: Proposal

Or even worse, told Lady Chaoyan with a very cold expression that she should stay away from him. Whatever the situation was... she must have displeased Lady Chaoyan. That was why Lady Chaoyan was treating him so coldly today, could it have been because of this matter? Damn, he knew nothing! If he had known about this, he would have apologized himself and madepensation! He should have told her that he was not like that! However, when could he see Lady Chaoyan again? Maybe on her wedding day? Was Lord Huai going to marry her as the Princess Consort? Lady Chaoyan seemed to be from a very ordinary family, and she might only have the right to a concubine position. It would be so horrible for her to be just a concubine, she was such a nice girl! And there would not be any wedding held, if she was going to be the concubine. Zheng Chenyi felt messy in his mind. He kept thinking about various things, which might or might not happen. *** Outside the court. Zhou Huaijin led Gu Chaoyan up into the wagon. It was not until the wagon started to move forward that he asked, ¡°What happened, did Mrs. Duke North say anything to you to make you so unhappy?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked up at Zhou Huaijin with her watery eyes. She was startled. How did he find out? How did he know that she was unhappy? Gu Chaoyan was baffled. Zhou Huaijin felt her head and said, ¡°Silly girl, I noticed it when you walked in. I believed that Mrs. Duke North must have said something to you for you to get so displeased. I don¡¯t speak with her much, but I know what she is like.¡± ¡°Duke North passed away ages ago, and she was the only person that has been supporting the whole Duke North¡¯s Mansion. It is a job that requires a lot of pain, so she would definitely consider it more than others. That might do her some good, because she can always defend Young Duke, but the bad part is...¡± As he spoke about this, Zhou Huaijin continued, ¡°She might harm Young Duke in this way too.¡± Zhou Huaijin was a man with a clear mind. He could see through many things. Chaoyan knew that he might have guessed what happened. So she threw herself into his arms. Zhou Huaijin¡¯s arms were warm and she felt very secure inside. ¡°I know that she does all of this for her son¡¯s sake, so I won¡¯t say anything about that. I am just a little unhappy inwardly, but it doesn¡¯t matter, I just don¡¯t want to see her any more in the future,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Zhou Huaijin moved his lips and was about to say something, when he eventually chose to stay silent. He caressed her head softly, then he said with a smile, ¡°I will get the presents ready. I have told the Dean, so you don¡¯t have to be at school these days. Stay put in the mansion!¡± It was a cheerful thing that made each of them happy. Gu Chaoyan nodded and answered. ¡°Okay.¡± It was quiet in the wagon as it moved through a noisy street. Gu Chaoyan felt that nothing would make her happier than this. As they came back to the Gu Mansion... Zhou Huaijin would have gotten off the wagon first, but Gu Chaoyan stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t get off now, just leave when I am off.¡± Zhou Huaijin threw a look at Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and kissed him on his forehead. ¡°I am waiting for your proposal.¡± Then she hopped off the wagon. #@@novelbin@@ Chapter 361: Madame Gu Asking for You

Chapter 361: Madame Gu Asking for You

Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then when are you giving it to us? Can Yunhe go and fetch them with you at the Qiong Pavilion now?¡± Gu Zhenkang asked anxiously. He just could not wait. Gu Chaoyan frowned. She thought of Mrs. Lin ¨C could Mrs. Lin have been forced to share the doweries little by little years ago? She felt so disgusted by Gu Zhenkang. ¡°I will give them to you on the day I return to school.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered calmly. Gu Yunhe got a little bit displeased hearing this. He was about to say something when Gu Zhenkang stopped him. She already made the promise, so it did not matter when that would be. Also, she had just saved the Young Duke and should not be scolded now. He stopped Gu Yunhe and then smiled. ¡°You are tired, go and have some rest.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, and left directly without showing any emotions. They had just walked out of the yard, when Sword One said angrily, ¡°Elder Miss, are you really going to give them the prescriptions? How can you give that to them? They are using those things for their own interests! Lord Huai will definitely help you, even if you don¡¯t give them a thing.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly at Sword One. Sword One was so honest, just like Fu Bao who was always so down-to-earth. ¡°Mom left me no prescriptions. But I can give them some, if they want some.¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. Sword One¡¯s angry face stiffened. So she meant... She meant that there was no such thing as a prescription? So all Elder Miss needed to do was to make some scribbles on the paper? @@novelbin@@ As she realized what happened, Sword One started tough. ¡°Oh Miss, how could you!¡± ¡°Well, even if I told them that I haven¡¯t got any, they would not trust me and would think that I was hiding them. So why not just give them one.¡± Gu Chaoyan shrugged and said nonchntly. They went back to the Qiong Pavilion together. The Qiong Pavilion was a little far from the front yard, and it took quite a lot of time to walk between, but Sword One tended to tell some jokes, which made the whole walk much more interesting. They were justughing when someone rushed out and stopped Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan took a look at her and recognized that it was Cai Ming, Madame Gu¡¯s maid. Cai Ming looked messy, probably because she had been hiding. She kneeled down directly at the sight of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Elder Miss, please go and take a look at Madame Gu. She used to take care of you!¡± Gu Chaoyan frowned. She had not expected that Madame Gu wanted to see her. Normally, she should have desired to meet her son and her grandson, not her! Gu Chaoyan had intended to leave, when Cai Ming kneeled down directly in front of her. ¡°Elder Miss, please!¡± Then she kowtowed to her. Gu Chaoyan frowned. Instead of helping her up, she said, ¡°Please rise, and lead the way.¡± Hearing the words, Cai Ming kowtowed some more as if she had heard some wonderful news. Then she got up, wiped her tears and lead the way. Gu Chaoyan and Sword One followed her. After they walked for a long while Gu Chaoyan realized that something was wrong. They were not heading towards Pear Garden! Gu Chaoyan found that something was going on. She looked at Cai Ming cautiously, ¡°Where are we going?¡± # Chapter 365: Regret 3

Chapter 365: Regret 3

The words had just been spoken, when Gu Chaoyan and Sword One turned around and left the room. Madame Gu waspletely anxious by this time. She had wanted to stop Gu Chaoyan, but she could not move. Instead, all she could do was to sit paralyzed where she was. She had thought that it was a nice opportunity for her, but what she had not expected was that she had set herself up. She was reminded of many memories, some were from the past, some in the recent years. She felt miserable. Why? Why did she always think that Gu Chaoyan would be the most useless person of all? She should not have failed to notice Lord Huai¡¯s attitudes towards her! Outside the room. Gu Chaoyan left with Sword One. She was about to take her leave when she saw Cai Ming standing outside the room in a lowered manner. She turned around and pulled out a bottle of medical pills which she passed on to Cai Ming. ¡°Take it, these are some supplementary pills! It might not help Madame Gu up, but she will feel better.¡± She thought for a while, then she took out some money. ¡°Old Master might not treat you well now, here is some money, it maye handy.¡± As she finished saying the words, she sighed and left. @@novelbin@@ Cai Ming thanked her constantly with the stuff in her hands. After she saw off Gu Chaoyan, she turned around and gave the stuff to Madame Gu. ¡°Madame Gu, Lady Chaoyan still cares about you, here are the pills and money she left for you.¡± Madame Gu had been lying in bed in a dead manner, but hearing what Cai Ming said and seeing what she had in her hands... She stayed silent. Then she sighed heavily. ¡°I have made a huge mistake!¡± She was born a lineal daughter and she had been taught to behave like one. When she grew up, she was taught to behave like a lineal daughter to defend herself. For dozens of years, she had been following her own principles and standards, and she thought that she had done well. The most sessful thing she had ever done was to make her daughter the Princess Gu, and what she cared most about was her son and the Gu Mansion. She had done too much. However, in the end, those people she had dedicated the most to deserted her, they were not even as caring as the granddaughter she never paid attention to. Unfortunately, she had made a huge mistake. She felt that if she had not followed Princess Gu¡¯s advice and got her engaged to the second Young Master, nothing like this would have happened and Gu Chaoyan would have treated her like her own grandmother and even given her a hand, but now... She had nothing left. Seeing what Cai Ming was holding in hand, Madame Gu said tiredly, ¡°Just put those things away. They wille handy one day.¡± Cai Ming had no idea what happened, but she nodded and put those things away. *** At the Qiong Pavilion. Finally, Gu Chaoyan got time to take a rest. She made a cup of tea and thought of a book she had not finished reading. So she said to Sword One. ¡°Sword One, where did you put The Saint Divine Anecdotes?¡± Sword One started to search for the book, but she failed to find it after a long while. Then she realized what happened. She looked at her own Miss. ¡°Miss, when we were in the court, Young Duke asked me if I had any books to read because he was very bored. So I gave it to him, but we left in a hurry, so I forgot to get it back. What about me visiting the court tomorrow and getting it back from him?¡± # Chapter 370: Phoenix

Chapter 370: Phoenix

So the strange heavenly phenomenon had nothing to do with her bleeding? It had to do with this... well a bird with wings yet not many feathers here in the space? Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face twitched and she had aplicated expression on her face. As far as she could tell, that bird was a phoenix, but it looked so ugly, if not seen discreetly. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes revealed what she was thinking, so the bird which was seated by the magical water flipped its wings just to express its dissatisfaction. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan approached the bird, and made a careful observation of the bird. Where did ite from? She tried to recall carefully and remembered that the bird must havee from the egg she and Zhou Huaijin had picked from the mountains earlier. So she had gotten a piece of treasure? ¡°Hey!¡± Gu Chaoyan shouted at the phoenix without feathers. The phoenix turned around, ignoring her. Gu Chaoyan shifted position and the bird turned around against her again. After a short while, Gu Chaoyan gave up and healed her wound with the magical water. When she ignored the bird, the bird approached her and gazed at her. Their eyes met. Gu Chaoyan found it quite embarrassing ¨C what was she staring at a bird for? However, the bird seemed quitemunicative with her somehow. She thought for a while and asked. ¡°You know those birds were gathered because of you?¡± The bird shook her head. No? Then... Gu Chaoyan checked her hand and saw the wound was healedpletely. Sword One must be on the way in too. She caressed the bird¡¯s head. ¡°There are fruits here, just grab them for yourself, if you are hungry. I am busy and I am taking off now.¡± Having said these words, Gu Chaoyan left the space without any more lingering. She took up a cup of tea and sipped it. Sword One came in with pastries and ced them in front of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Elder Miss, something strange happened. Those birds have left!¡± ¡°Just now?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Sword One answered. ¡°And Sword Two has headed to the mansion. Don¡¯t worry, Elder Miss, the Lord will n it well.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, her mind drifting away. If those birds flew away a moment ago, then that happened after her wound was healed. When she asked if the phoenix had something to do with those birds and it denied that, then it must have something to do with her own blood. If that was real... Gu Chaoyan found that everything seemed scarily peculiar. *** At the front yard... Lord Ling apanied Gu Ruxue to the room and left in a hurry after Gu Ruxue settled down with the maids. Then he asked his guard to fetch Gu Zhenkang. Gu Zhenkang looked quite radidant. He felt totally honored, when he heard that Lord Ling was spending some time here at the mansion. None of the concubines married to the Lord Ling would have such treatment, even the Princess Consort could not have received such treatment. It seemed that Ruxue was going to have a wonderful future. He knew he had set the right bet. The daughter of the businessman was not a match against Ruxue, not at all! He came to the lobby with a smile. ¡°Lord Ling, is there anything you need? The guest room is ready.¡± Chapter 374: The Dowery 1

Chapter 374: The Dowery 1

Gu Ruxue let out a sigh of relief. For one moment, she thought that her mother was telling this to her father. If that happened, she would have been sorry to have revealed the secret. She asked Mrs. Gu to sit down. ¡°Mom, be sure never to tell father about this matter. It is too important! We have to keep the secret and talk about this when I am officially married.¡± Mrs. Gu nodded. She understood the importance hidden under the matter. She was an experienced woman, after all. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will listen to your words. Only you and I know about this matter.¡± Mrs. Gu replied. ¡°I will speak with your father about the dowries, and we will keep this as a secret, and...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you are the Phoenix Girl, Lord Ling has to marry you. Can you take this opportunity and help your brother get a job first? Lord Ling will definitely do that favor for you.¡± Mrs. Gu said. Gu Ruxue nodded, hearing the request. Her brother woulde in handy, even when she got married. So mother was right, they had to get him a job first. And when he gathered enough forces in the future, she would probably need his help as well. Instead of thinking anything more, she nodded directly. ¡°Okay, I will talk with the Lord about this when I see him.¡± Mrs. Gu was assured. She took hold of Gu Ruxue¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Ruxue, go back and have some rest, and I will talk with your father about the dowries. We have to give you great dowries.¡± ¡°Mom, you are so kind.¡± Gu Ruxue said. Mrs. Gu patted her hand and took off. Gu Zhenkang was just talking with Chen Fu about what to do when Mrs. Gu arrived. Gu Zhenkang showed a bright smile at Mrs. Gu ¨C he was right to have married Mrs. Gu who gave birth to a daughter that gave them honor! ¡°Take a seat.¡± Gu Zhenkang pointed at a position and said, ¡°The Lord says that he is marrying Ruxue, and we are talking about what to do. Ruxue is marrying the Lord, and we have to be well dressed so as not to lose face! We have to treat the ministers in the court, oh man, we are gaining reputation!¡± Gu Zhenkang was cheerful from head to toes, and Mrs. Gu was showing great passion as well. @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Gu smiled alongside as well ¨C that was a happy thing for the Gu Mansion. She had just taken a seat and looked at Chen Fu. ¡°You can leave now, me and Old Master need to talk about something.¡± Chen Fu answered briefly and left. Gu Zhenkang was very concerned too. Seeing Mrs. Gu¡¯s serious face, he knew that she was discussing something important with him. He passed a cup of tea to her and asked, ¡°What is it, dear?¡± Mrs. Gu took a sip of tea. She was very satisfied with Gu Zhenkang. After Lord Ling fell for Ruxue, this man of hers barely visited his concubines and treated her well. ¡°Ruxue just told me that Lord is marrying her. If that is the case, we have to make a big deal on Ruxue¡¯s dowries. Any idea in mind?¡± Mrs. Gu asked. Gu Zhenkang patted his head. He almost forgot about this matter. He had been thinking about how to host the feast so that he could look good, but he forgot about the most important part... Lord mentioned that if Ruxue got pregnant first, she could be the Princess Consort! So the dowries had to look good. ¡°That is easy. Ms. Lin left lots of dowries, anyway, right?¡± # Chapter 377: The Grand Wedding Present

Chapter 377: The Grand Wedding Present

¡°If you want to marry her, she can even be your concubine!¡± Gu Zhenkang said with a ttering tone. He was trying to suck up to Lord Huai so that he would not mind what just happened. Also, he was kind of pissed as well! This b**ch Gu Chaoyan did not tell him about Lord Huai¡¯s idea earlier. She should have known about it! If she had told him earlier, he would not have mentioned dowries and nothing like this would have happened. How stupid she was! Gu Zhenkang was cursing Gu Chaoyan inwardly. Zhou Huaijin frowned and showed a terrible expression on his face. He had thought that it was not his choice to be born in the royal family, but after spending some time with Yan¡¯s father, he felt concerned for Yan to have got a father like this. This father would make his daughter be a concubine just to suck up to someone, and Yan was nothing in his eyes. He got so furious inwardly, that his fists were tightly clenched. Gu Chaoyan noticed that, so she patted his back to console him, realizing that he was angry because of what Gu Zhenkang said. Actually, he did not have to be mad. Gu Zhenkang was not her real father, and she would not get saddened because of what happened. What mattered to her most of all was Zhou Huaijin, and she did not want him to get sad for her sake. Zhou Huaijin was slightly consoled thanks to her small gesture. ¡°I like Yan and I will give her the best things I have, so be careful about what you say.¡± Zhou Huaijin said expressionlessly. Gu Zhenkang felt embarrassed, nodded and said nothing more. He knew that it was very difficult to get on well with Lord Huai, who was not as gentle as Lord Ling. That was why he was very frightened. Mrs. Gu, who was standing next to them, bit her lips so hard that it almost bled. She was so unconvinced! However, Zhou Huaijin did not care. At this time, Fu Bao came with the Lin Family. Zhou Huaijin showed a small smile ¨C at least, the Lin Family were better than Gu Zhenkang. When Yan got taken into the prison, only the Lin Family tried to help her out. ¡°Greetings, Uncle.¡± Zhou Huaijin said softly, ¡°Chaoyan once mentioned that her certificate is in your hands, so I would like you toe and be the witness as I am proposing.¡± He sounded quite polite. Lin Jiaxing was scared too, but he was calmer than Gu Zhenkang. He greeted Zhou Huaijin with his wife first before replying, ¡°Yes, that is true. It is Chaoyan¡¯s honor to have you as her husband.¡± Then he passed the certificate to the matchmaker and the engagement started. The certificates were exchanged and the engagement waspleted. Normally, it would be the husband¡¯s parents who made the decision, yet since Zhou Huaijin was not an ordinary man, he did everything himself. What was more, he was going to make a public announcement to the world about thister, and that would be in Zhou Huaijin¡¯s charge. @@novelbin@@ The process was very simple. Then Lord Huai started to carry in the wedding presents. As the wedding presents started to pour into the mansion, Gu Zhenkang¡¯s eyes widened. There were so many boxes that came in as if it would never stop. He had already witnessed the enormous amount of wedding presents when Lord Ling made the proposal, but this time... This time the presents were even more abundant. Gu Chaoyan did not think that the yard wasrge enough to hold so many wedding presents. ¡°Why did you prepare so many presents?¡± Gu Chaoyan turned to Zhou Huaijin next to her. # Chapter 380: Some Ideas

Chapter 380: Some Ideas

Gu Zhenkang said and hurried off directly. Gu Ruxue was left alone on the spot. She was angry yet she had no idea what to do except to stomp on feet. Why!? Why did the bitch manage to marry Lord Huai as the Princess Consort? Lord Huai must have been hoaxed by that bitch! ¡°Mom, look at him!¡± Gu Ruxue snapped angrily. He imed to like her most and that Gu Chaoyan was just a daughter of a businessman who could not be married out and who could not get any husband, but now she even managed to marry Lord Huai and her father started to treat her in this way! Gu Ruxue was so annoyed! Mrs. Gu had been pale in the face all this while. She had had dozens of smooth years being Gu Zhenkang¡¯s wife and he had never snapped at her, but now the b**ch dared to bad mouth her in front of Lord Huai and said that she was an evil stepmother! If not for the b**ch¡¯s words, Lord Huai would not have snapped at her! She was going to be Lord Ling¡¯s mother-inw and she must not hold such a bad reputation. So when Gu Ruxue kept makingints, Mrs. Gu turned even more displeased. However, now she was incredibly calm even as she got extremely annoyed. She stared at Gu Ruxue with a t look on her face, as she patted on the back of her hand. ¡°Ruxue, don¡¯t worry, I will think of something for you. My daughter has to get the best stuff in the world!¡± And Mrs. Lin¡¯s daughter was getting nothing! Only now did Gu Ruxue feel slightly assured. *** In the most remote corner of the yard... Gu Zhenkang almost lost his way. When Mrs. Gu said that Madame Gu should be living in the most remote yard, he agreed without thinking. So as a matter of fact, he did not remember what that yard was like, since he barely visited here. Luckily, Chen Fu was leading the way. So Gu Zhenkang found the way directly. The most remote yard was the ce that was never renovated when the Gu Mansion went through the renovation a while back. So most of the yards were deserted with no one doing the cleaning, thus being rather messy. However, Gu Zhenkang never noticed a thing on the way there. Instead, he was heading directly to the yard where Madame Gu was staying. Madame Gu was seated in the yard at the moment. Sword One had just got Madame Gu a wheelchair the day before, so that Madame Gu could breathe some fresh air out in the yard instead of lying in the room throughout the entire day. And she looked rtively radiant with the help of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s pills. It was a very peaceful yet quiet life. Hearing the hurried sound of footsteps, Madame Gu had thought that it was Sword One or Gu Chaoyan, so she looked slightly cheerful. @@novelbin@@ She was a deserted old woman, whom only Gu Chaoyan would visit. She turned around with a smile only to see Gu Zhenkang and Chen Fu, so her smiling face sank. Instead of showing much on her face she said, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She sounded cold. Yet Madame Gu was still looking forward to hearing something from him. He must have been too busy to see her earlier, and now he came because he had time. He was the son Madame Gu had been devoted to for dozens of years, so she did look forward to hearing something nice from him rather than watching him leaving her alone. Madame Gu¡¯s hands were shivering because of nervousness. Gu Zhenkang did not notice those details. What he had been thinking was how to get dowries for Ruxue. Madame Gu always had some solutions for what happened at home, so he subconsciously came to her help. ¡°Mom, please think of a solution for us. Lord Ling is marrying Ruxue, but we don¡¯t even have any dowries for her!¡± # Chapter 384: Report

Chapter 384: Report

At this time, Lord Ling walked in with his guards, only to see Gu Ruxue and Gu Chaoyan facing each other. He asked what was going on. Gu Chaoyan greeted Lord Ling and then left. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s cold behavior, Gu Ruxue showed a face of helplessness, stomped on her feet and said, ¡°Look at her, Lord!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am just asking her what she was doing outside the mansion, and she even bellowed at me and told me to piss off! We are sisters, how can she treat me like this?!¡± Gu Ruxue looked wronged as if she cared a lot about her sister. She stared at Lord Ling pitifully. @@novelbin@@ After confirming that she was the Phoenix Girl, Lord Ling started to show extra patience towards her. Seeing how she behaved, he caressed her face and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s just ignore her. My father would not like a terrible-behaving person like her, you are the well-educated one.¡± Lord Ling snapped at Gu Chaoyan. Lord Ling used to think that Gu Chaoyan was someone special, but things were different. Since she was not the Phoenix Girl, she was nothing in her eyes. That was why he never said anything good about her. Hearing what Lord Ling said, Gu Ruxue smiled and had a dancing expression on her face. She felt that she was totally loved. She knew that the Lord liked her and only had eyes for her. She asked Lord Ling to take a seat with her in the yard, poured him the tea yet still wore a very unhappy expression on her face. She even looked absent-minded when Lord Ling was speaking with her. Lord Ling found that something was wrong, so he asked gently, ¡°What is it? In a bad mood? Then let¡¯s take a walk outside the mansion.¡± Gu Ruxue shook her head. She opened her lips just to say something, but did not dare to utter a word. Lord Ling now realized that something wrong was going on, so he asked urgently, ¡°Anything bothering you? Still displeased by what happened just now? If you are still unhappy, I will talk with Lord Huai and ask Gu Chaoyan to apologize to you, how could she behave like this... she is your sister!¡± Gu Ruxue was d that Lord Ling was defending her, but what mattered was something else. Gu Chaoyan was annyong, but she had her own method to deal with this b**ch, and she did not have to bother the Lord for the trouble at all. She shook her head, bit her lips and said timidly, ¡°Lord, I was just worried about her, not giving her the me, but I am unhappy because...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because of the dowries! Sister is marrying Lord Huai and thanks to her mother who was born in a business family, she has a lot of dowries, but I am just the daughter of a minor officer, so the dowries would look a bit... thin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am just worried... that it would look bad for you, Lord, then that would upset me.¡± Lord Ling patted his head ¨C he even failed to notice this point. He took hold of Gu Ruxue¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will deal with the dowries and make you glorious. I am already feeling sorry to have arranged the wedding in such a hurry, so I will never make you feel inferior.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Lord!¡± Gu Ruxue said with a sweet smile. Lord Ling was d to see this. He smiled brightly and looked satisfied. Gu Ruxue looked up and asked boldly what she had hesitated to say. ¡°Lord, if you are marrying me in such a manner, am I only marrying you as a concubine?¡± # Chapter 388: Conspiracy 1

Chapter 388: Conspiracy 1

She knew something was going on, but she was not at all worried. Conspiracies always came along the way, no matter when it was. If that was the case, Gu Chaoyan was very willing to see what they were up to! Lianxiang was feeling lucky. She almost burst intoughter! She was leading the way. Due to what happened earlier, Lianxiang was worried that Elder Miss was not easy to deal with, but she turned out to be a dumb-headed person after all. She led the way and turned around asionally to see if they were following. She was feeling quite assured after seeing her following. This kind of behavior made Sword One notice that something strange was going on. She whispered at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Elder Miss...¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan looked up at Sword One and shook her head slightly, asking her not to say a thing ¨C she knew. Sword One let out a sigh of relief. So her Miss was aware of the strangeness after all. ¡°Go to find Sword Two.¡± Gu Chaoyan told Sword One by moving just a bit of her lips. Sword One nodded, assuring Elder Miss. The four Swords were the most skilled hidden guards at Shadow Door, and they could make themselves almost invisible in the dark corner. For example, when Elder Miss wasn¡¯t sure if any of them was around, they were, as a matter of fact, always around. The four hidden guards had different orientations. Apart from her and Sword Two, the other two were on watch every now and then. So she did not have to worry about anything. Knowing that Sword One had gotten everything ready, Gu Chaoyan said nothing more. She followed Lianxiang to the front yard through which they came to study. There was no one in the study. Lianxiang said, ¡°Elder Miss, please take a seat, Old Master and Mrs. Gu should be here very soon.¡± Lianxiang took the kettle and poured Gu Chaoyan a cup of tea. The tea was hot, and it seemed as if the tea was just made. Lianxiang kept staring at Gu Chaoyan. Lianxiang did not move her gaze until Gu Chaoyan took the cup. She looked about and said, ¡°There is no pastry here. Sword One, can youe with me to get some pastry.¡± Lianxiang was speaking when Gu Chaoyan took up the tea, ready to take a sip. She had just taken up the tea when she sensed a strange smell. Some other smell was blended with the scent of tea. Oh, that was their n. Gu Chaoyan threw a sidelong nce at Lianxiang, who was staring at her transfixed despite her intention of getting the pastry. If that was the case, Gu Chaoyan took a sip directly. Then she said to Lianxiang and Sword One calmly, ¡°Sword One, just go and help her.¡± Sword One was worried, unwilling to leave. Gu Chaoyan nodded and gave her an assuring look. Sword One answered. ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡± Lianxiang was wearing a very excited look on her face as she took off with Sword One. They had just left when Gu Chaoyan fed herself some magical water and detoxification pills. Mrs. Gu had got such low-rated pills for her. She was just thinking, when the sound of knocking arose. ¡°Who is there?¡± ¡°It is me, pretty girl.¡± A very indecent-sounding voice arose from outside. Gu Chaoyan shook her head ¨C honestly, Mrs. Gu just could not think of any other method to set her up, could she? She had used this method before in the court and now she was using it again. The door was pushed open, and a handsome-looking man with an indecent smile walked in. # Chapter 393: Remember

Chapter 393: Remember

He just could not believe that something like this happened at his mansion, right in his study! That man was a total stranger so what was he doing here? Something must have gone wrong. He knew directly what happened! Mrs. Gu was way too stupid! How could shee up with this idea? No matter how annoying Gu Chaoyan was and who her mother was, she was still marrying Lord Huai and she was supposed to bring a lot of benefits for the Gu Mansion after all! Were they trying to ruin the Gu Mansion¡¯s future? Gu Zhenkang was extremely annoyed. ¡°It should have been Gu Chaoyan who was in the study, but Ruxue ended up being here. It must be that bitch¡¯s n! Why are you still asking me this instead of caring about Ruxue?¡± Mrs. Gu was very angry, gave Gu Zhenkang a push and helped Gu Ruxue up. All the servants and maids in the yard had been killed. So Mrs. Gu had to do everything herself. She helped Gu Ruxue leave the room to get changed. As Mrs. Gu came to the door, she turned to Gu Zhenkang. ¡°What are you staring at? Go and get Chen Fu to deal with this matter well, otherwise the Gu Mansion would be ruined!¡± Gu Zhenkang let out a heavy sigh. He did want to investigate it, but it was not yet the time. So he had to ask Chen Fu to see to the rest. These maids and servants were all sold to the Gu Mansion, so the government did not care about whether they were alive or dead, but if too many people died, it would still be quite difficult to hide the truth. At least, the Gu Mansion would gain a terrible reputation. So it was very annoying to deal with the bodies. Lord Ling was furious, and he did not want to handle these problems, so he had to do it himself. Gu Zhenkang asked Chen Fu toe along. Chen Fu was looking pale and his legs were shivering. Gu Zhenkang threw a look at him. ¡°You saw what happened. The Lord had not intended to spare you, but I did, because you have been working very hard for our mansion these years. If you ever leak any of what happened today, then no one is able to save you. You have to work hard here at the Gu Mansion from now on.¡± ¡°Go and deal with those bodies.¡± Gu Zhenkang said. Then he left directly. Chen Fu nodded. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and was about to get to work. *** In the Begonia Yard. @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Gu helped Gu Ruxue to put on a set of clean clothes andbed her hair, so she looked slightly neater. Gu Ruxue was still wearing a terrible expression. After experiencing such a matter, she was still worried that Lord Ling would do something to her. ¡°Mom, I must take revenge, you have to help me!¡± Gu Ruxue screamed. ¡°I definitely will!¡± Mrs. Gu said with constion. She had thought that the n would go well, but Ruxue ended up being framed. Gu Chaoyan loved tea, so she should lie still after drinking the tea. How did she manage to leave? Could it have been Lianxiang? However, she stressed to Lianxiang that she should not leave until she saw her drinking the tea. Could it have been a coincidence, or Gu Chaoyan¡¯s own n, or Lianxiang who had done a terrible job? Mrs. Gu just could not fathom anything. She looked at Gu Ruxue. ¡°Ruxue, do you still remember how you ended up being in the study?¡± # Chapter 397: Young Duke’s Visit 2

Chapter 397: Young Duke¡¯s Visit 2

He looked very proud. He had two son-inws who were lords and two daughters yet to be engaged. Although the Young Duke was just a duke, Duke North was still an indispensable existence in the whole capital city. Duke North had done a great deal for the country and he had gained absolute poprity among civilians. If he could be his father-inw, then he would definitely have a glorious life. How could he give this kind of opportunity up? What was more, he and Duke North¡¯s Mansion had nomunication before, and when Chaoyan saved him, it was totally reasonable for him to marry someone from the Gu Family. It was time for him to pay back what he had gotten from the Gu Family. Madame Gu had turned so dumb after staying for so long in the remote yard. Why didn¡¯t she think of this point at all? Gu Zhenkang shook his head, looking disappointed. Hearing his exnation, Madame Gu shook her head. ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that, it is against etiquette!¡± Wanru was the concubine¡¯s daughter, someone yet to be an adult, she could not just show herself whenever she wanted. That was totally unruly! ¡°You must not go and get her, let¡¯s see what the Young Duke wants first!¡± Madame Gu insisted. Gu Zhenkang frowned. He was displeased. He asked Madam Gu to take over the mansion, not because he needed her to y dumb and drag him down. How could he give up such a great opportunity! ¡°Chen Fu, go and get Third Lady, Madame Gu is too old to stay clear-minded. We have to bring her here now!¡± Gu Zhenkang insisted, and then turned to Madame Gu with displeasure. ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t!¡± Madame Gu insisted, but she could not move as she sat there on the chair. Cai Ming did not dare to make any move right now. @@novelbin@@ Gu Zhenkang ignored her. He flung his sleeves and was about to leave. ¡°Cai Ming, bring Madame Gu.¡± Then he left ignoring Madame Gu. Madame Gu was totally disappointed and desperately seated on the chair, ¡°How could he do that?!¡± He ignored her and started to do something terrible! She had thought that when he asked her for help, it was because he had thought through many things. Cai Ming did not know what to do. She was a servant and she could not scold the Old Master. Even if she did make someints, Madame Gu might not be pleased either. After all, Madame Gu cared about her son so much. She sighed inwardly and consoled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madame Gu, Old Master hopes that the Gu Mansion could flourish, you are just using different methods to make it happen.¡± Madame Gu kept shaking her head, constantly. It was not about methods, it was about etiquettes. He was not possibly able to make the mansion flourish in this way! However, she did not expect that someone like Cai Ming would fathom the point. She sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Cai Ming said nothing more, nor did Madame Gu. When they came to the front yard, Gu Zhenkang and the Young Duke were drinking tea. Young Duke was surprised. ¡°What are you doing here Madame Gu, you are not in good health and you should rest.¡± ¡°I am here to see you, Young Duke. I am fine.¡± Madame Gu said with a smile. Young Duke flushed. He waved his hand and said, ¡°I am not here for anything special, just wondering... if Lady Chaoyan is in?¡± # Chapter 400: Not Like This

Chapter 400: Not Like This

Mrs. Duke North had been nagging to herself anxiously so she shivered hearing the angry shout. She looked at Zheng Chenyi in confusion, obviously unaware of what made him so pissed. Seeing his mother¡¯s look, Zheng Chenyi could not utter a word. That was what his mother was like ¨C she was dubious because she had to take care of him all these years alone. He should not me his mother for what she had done. He let out a sigh of relief, as anger disappeared, gentleness again dominated. He exined carefully, ¡°Mom, Lady Chaoyan is not someone who remembers the grudge. Why bother to think about all of these?¡± ¡°If she does care about the grudge, she would have done something immediately. When I left the court the other day, Lord Huai even sent some of his men to see me off. Can¡¯t you stop taking Lady Chaoyan as someone evil? She is a very broad-minded woman!¡± Zheng Chenyi said. He had not spent much time with Lady Chaoyan, but judging from the way she talked and behaved, as well as the book he was reading, he could tell that Lady Chaoyan was different from ordinary girls. That was why he was certain about this idea. @@novelbin@@ Lady Chaoyan would not hate the whole Duke North Mansion for what his mother had done to her. He had no idea why mother had been so certain about her grudge which had been troubling her for so long. As he was speaking, Mrs. Duke North still kept shaking her head. ¡°Chenyi, you are way too young to understand all of these.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You will never know what is happening and what other people think! You should not take everything so easy. Duke North Mansion has been in a very embarrassing position in the court, you will get framed if you stay so innocent.¡± Mrs. Duke North got very anxious as she spoke. Zheng Chenyi got slightly annoyed, but he simply could not vent the anger. He shook his head, then he left. He was very annoyed ¨C and he was very afraid that he would piss off his mother because of the fury. So all he could do was to leave now. Mrs. Duke North sighed slightly, looking troubled. Chenyi grew up at Duke North Mansion and he had to stay discreet every day in case he got framed. How could he still stay so innocent under such an environment? She had to make ns for him now, otherwise Chenyi would not make it. As she thought of this, Mrs. Duke North asked the housekeeper to walk in. The housekeeper answered. ¡°What can I do for you, Madame?¡± ¡°Go to the storage and sort out my dowries to see how much we have left. Give me the list and we should see if they are enough for Lady Chaoyan.¡± Mrs. Duke North said, looking rather worried. Duke North Mansion was still the grand, old Mansion, one of the most prestigious royal families, but now, it was empty from inside out. There was nothing left for them to give out, except for this magnificent-looking mansion. As she thought about this, Mrs. Duke North returned to her own yard with a bitter look on her face. The housekeeper turned around to carry out the mission, as he gazed upon Mrs. Duke North¡¯s back figure. *** When Gu Chaoyan returned to Saint College, it was lunchtime. The students were off the course, walking about in their departments. Gu Chaoyan would like to turn to Li Yuanxiang directly, so she started to head towards the room for herb making. Before she reached the room, she was stopped by Liu Hanxiang. ¡°Oh look at who it is. Ms. Elder Miss, what are you doing here rather than staying at home waiting to get married?¡± # Chapter 403: So What?

Chapter 403: So What?

¡°She must be pretending, how could she have any idea when Yinghan doesn¡¯t have any?¡± Huang Xuan said, looking even more disdainful. Hearing what she said, Xia Yinghan could not help but frown. She patted Huang Xuan, suggesting that she should not snap so much. No matter whether this student did find out anything, she was brought in by the Dean. And as the teachers of Saint College, they should not interrupt or sneer at anyone. She had no idea what Huang Xuan had in mind. She wasn¡¯t like this before! She needed to have a chat with herter. That was not going to look good for them. The Dean red at her too, but he did not say much at this important moment. Instead, he asked again as he stood by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked serious. She did not have any idea what was going on before, but she thought of how they ran into an enormous wild boar in the mountains the other day when they were picking the herbs. It was normal that wild boar were wandering about in the mountains, but that one was way toorge to be a normal one. The whole thing seemed rather ridiculous. The wild boar had been beaten to death, so Gu Chaoyan had not given it much thought, but as she connected the wild boar with this injured man, it might be possible that there were otherrge animals apart from the wild boar, and the huge hand-print reminded her of that. ¡°He was injured by an animal. Me and Lord ran into arge and mutated wild boar when we were picking herbs in the mountains. He must have been injured by some ape or something, where did you find him?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°By the foot of the mountain.¡± The Dean said. Gu Chaoyan took out the silver needles and started to carry out the acupuncture. It would be great if he managed to wake up, as long as he woke up, he would be able to tell everyone what he had seen, but that injury almost broke his entire chest. She was not fully certain, and just gave it a try. When Huang Xuan saw that she was about to do something to the patient, she took a few steps forward and was about to say something when the Dean stopped her and threw a fierce nce at her. Huang Xuan looked very unconvinced, but she did not dare to say anything more. When Xia Yinghan and Xue Feihan saw how Gu Chaoyan proficiently used the silver needles, they could not help but turn to her. Gu Chaoyan was good at using the needles, even better than all of the other ones. She was bolder, and she could hit the spots urately and quickly, steadily and correctly. For one moment, Xia Yinghan was dumbfounded. She had heard Huang Xuan mentioning something when she returned to the Saint College, and she did feel what she said was suspicious. However, when she saw Gu Chaoyan today, she realized that what Huang Xuan had said were just lies. @@novelbin@@ The Dean paid attention to Gu Chaoyan, not because of anything else, but because of her excellent medical skills. As her mind was drifting away, the injured man coughed out a lot of blood, looking as if he were waking up soon. Apart from the Dean, even Xia Yinghan got excited. ¡°Can he wake up?¡± The man coughed and then passed out again. Gu Chaoyan put away the silver needles. Huang Xuanughed. ¡°Yinghan, you think she can save him? You are daydreaming!¡± Gu Chaoyan took a few steps forward and came to Huang Xuan. She looked down at her, showing some fury between her eyebrows. ¡°What if I can, what are you going to do?¡± # Chapter 407: The Man Wakes Up

Chapter 407: The Man Wakes Up

¡°Heh..¡± A sound of coughing arose from the room. Gu Chaoyan brought herself back and looked to the bed. The man was coughing, but no blood came out of his mouth. @@novelbin@@ She approached the bed and checked that man out. He was regaining color in his face, totally different from the pale look he had earlier. He was coughing, but he was still not waking up. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief, but she did not feed him any more magical water. The magical water was an excellent thing, but it would not work that well, if not used properly. All they could do right now was to wait for him to wake up gradually. But so far, the situation was looking good. At that moment, the Dean hurried in hearing the motion. ¡°Is he waking up?¡± Gu Chaoyan shook her head. ¡°He is badly injured, and it will take a little longer for him to wake up again. Just hang on, he is getting better,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. The Dean went up and felt his pulse. He was regaining some vitality, so the Dean smiled, feeling gratified. He patted Gu Chaoyan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You have worked hard, I will get someone to guard him and inform you when we need anything.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. There was nothing more to be done today. So she might as well take a break. So she waved the Dean goodbye. And then she headed westwards to her own yard. On the way there, she ran into Xue Feihan who was heading somewhere. Subconsciously, she was about to greet him when she found that Xue Feihan did not spare a look at her but left directly. Gu Chaoyan got up directly. Seeing the scene, Liu Hanxiang could not help but burst intoughter. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, you must be the only person in the whole Saint College that is hated by both students and teachers. I heard that you are never spoiled at the Gu Mansion either, could that be because of your own problem?¡± Sheughed with the girls next to her, and was about to leave with them cheerfully. Gu Chaoyan squinted. The next second, she gripped Liu Hanxiang¡¯s neck. Liu Hanxiang¡¯s eyes widened as she was gripped all of a sudden. She had no idea how Gu Chaoyan made it so that she did not get a chance to dodge the attack. Her hands were dangling as she panted heavily. She felt that with a little more force, Gu Chaoyan could kill her. Under such a circumstance, what she was thinking was how she could keep herself alive. ¡°What are you doing, Gu Chaoyan?¡± Liu Hanxiang shouted. Gu Chaoyan strengthened her force, and Liu Hanxiang struggled. ¡°It is my fault, it is my fault, I should not have cursed you! It would not do you any good if I am killed.¡± Only now did Gu Chaoyan release her hand and threw a smiling look at Liu Hanxiang. Liu Hanxiang shivered. Gu Chaoyan then continued to head to her own ce. Seeing her leaving, Liu Hanxiang was so shocked that she panted heavily. She could not utter a word. Fright had dominated her eyes. As they returned to the west yard... Sword One had already sorted out the stuff. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s tired look, she passed her tea and said, ¡°Elder Miss, you are okay?¡± Gu Chaoyan shook her head. She closed her eyes and took a brief break, then she thought of Destiny Monk... She was about to say something when a crazy-sounding voice arose from outside. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, The Dean is asking for you, the man has woken up!¡± # Chapter 409: Tiredness

Chapter 409: Tiredness

The others kept nodding. Instead of saying anything more, the Dean hurried off. That man fell asleep after talking for a while. For a moment, the room turned extremely quiet. Xue Feihan stepped forward and said, ¡°Let me take good care of him, you can go and have some rest,e to take over at dawn.¡± Xue Feihan was a man, so it was quite normal for him to make this proposal. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s tired face, Xia Yinghan answered. ¡°Okay, Feihan, me and Chaoyan will take a small break.¡± Then she left with Gu Chaoyan. As they walked out of the room, Xia Yinghan asked Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Mind me having a cup of tea at your ce?¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan smiled and shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Xia Yinghan and Gu Chaoyan started to head towards the western yard. Both of them were quiet women, so it was not that bad when neither of them spoke on the way. As they came to the western yard.. Sword One was quite surprised to see Xia Yinghan. ¡°Sword One, make some tea, please.¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. ¡°Elder Miss, the tea is ready.¡± Sword One said and then greeted Xia Yinghan. The room was notrge, and looked a little shabby as they walked in. Sword One got some tea and small eats ready. Gu Chaoyan looked very happy as she saw the food. She was indeed starving. As she was speaking with Xia Yinghan, she was still smiling, ¡°Ms. Xia, you have worked hard too, let¡¯s eat something together.¡± Xia Yinghan nodded. She didn¡¯t care much about food, but for some reason, she started to feel starved too at the sight of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s cheerful look. They ate small snacks and drank some tea together. Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Nothing much, it is just... how did you manage to cure that man? Is it because you used the right acupuncture, or maybe because you have your mother¡¯s prescription?¡± Xia Yinghan asked in confusion. Gu Chaoyan was so skilled that she could bring the dead back to life! If she could work as a doctor, she would be able to save a lot of people in her life! She and Huang Xuan had different opinions. Gu Chaoyan might not have those so-called prescriptions, but even if she did, those were from her mother and should belong to her too. Gu Chaoyan smiled. ¡°You believe that too?¡± Xia Yinghan shook her head and then nodded. She did not believe that, but she had some confusion about that. ¡°My grandfather was running a medical business for the court, but when he was still the businessman, did you hear anything about prescriptions that could save the dead? If there had been, how could the Lin Family have degraded like that? If those prescriptions were so important, they would not have been used as dowries!¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Xia Yinghan realized what happened. She was being stupid! She smiled and asked nothing more about the prescription. Instead, she asked something about acupuncture. Then Gu Chaoyan¡¯s voice faded away gradually. Xia Yinghan saw her falling asleep. She regretted having bothered her today. She asked Sword One toe over and then left. Sword One felt so concerned seeing Elder Miss falling asleep. She was about to carry her to the bed, when a hand pulled away Sword One and discreetly carried the girl in Sword One¡¯s ce. # Chapter 413: Prescriptions

Chapter 413: Prescriptions

¡°The Lin Family is treating you well. Lin Zeqing would rather sacrifice his own social statuses just to keep the prescriptions, but now you are possessing all of those treasures.¡± The Empress Dowager sounded very disdainful. She could have appreciated her if this girl called Gu Chaoyan was truly skilled, but she heard from Anxi that she was depending on her ancestral prescriptions. Then this girl was totally useless. She did not think that Zhou Huaijin was going to be sessful in the future, but at least, he was one of the imperial children. Why was he marrying such a girl rather than Anxi? He was just as blind as his Queen Mother. Gu Chaoyan frowned. She had intended to make an exnation about the prescription, but seeing The Empress Dowager¡¯s disdainful look, she had no intention of exining anything. Instead, she said straightforwardly, ¡°My mother was the Lin Family¡¯s daughter, my grandfather¡¯s daughter. There is nothing wrong with him giving the family treasure to my mother who gave it to me.¡± Gu Chaoyan was still on her knees, but her eyes were bright and her tone strong. If the prescriptions were truly avable, she would have all the rights to possess them. Even her uncle did not step forward to me her for anything, so she had no idea why the outsiders felt that they could do the scolding. The ranks of the Saint Divine Land were inherited by generations. The Lin Family might not be a royal family, yet they still had stuff to pass down. Look at the other imperial doctors, didn¡¯t they also have the rights to get all the prescriptions from their own families? Then why was this a mistake in her case? It was the first time for The Empress Dowager to hear someone countering her like this. She was feeling very pissed, and the hands that held the cup turned pale, but she showed no expression on her face. @@novelbin@@ She had spent decades in the court, and she had lost the method of countering people on the surface. After feeling the anger, she showed a brief smile. Then she took a sip from the tea, which startled her maid who was about to remind her that the tea had cooled down. However, the Empress Dowager already drank the tea, so the maid gave up. The Empress Dowager was in the middle of being angry, so she did not notice such trivial matters. She put down the teacup. ¡°We all say that doctors are kind-hearted. So Lady Chaoyan, you are holding the prescriptions that can save everyone, why not share them with the public, so the imperial doctors and local physicians could read them through for better happiness. Many locals would stop suffering from diseases.¡± ¡°Lord Huai has told me about the engagement with you. You are not born in a family that can be qualified for being a Princess Consort. Yet the King doesn¡¯t stop Lord Huai since he insists on it.¡± ¡°If you can share the prescriptions, then you are doing something good. That would be an advantage for you if you want to be part of the imperial family.¡± The Empress Dowager was smiling strangely. If she was so proud of her prescription, then she could just get what was the most important thing for her. She would like to see what she was going to do without the prescription. Lord Huai thought that her skills were good, didn¡¯t he? Without the prescriptions, Lord Huai was not going to treat her well either. Anxi liked Lord Huai, but she was not going to let Anxi marry Lord Huai. Yet she was not going to let someone Anxi did not like marry Lord Huai either. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, that is a kind deed, are you doing it or not?¡± The Empress Dowager sounded intimidating. # Chapter 416: Tea

Chapter 416: Tea

Hearing what the Queen said, Gu Chaoyan got startled. She did not mention about the Empress Dowager¡¯s inquiry about the prescription, so it meant that the Queen had her own mole in Cining Pce? And the reason why the Queen was asking her was because she trusted her, and did not care that she knew about her mole at Cining Pce? She got really moved. She was moved that Zhou Huaijin defended her and that the Queen did not treat her as an outsider. Gu Chaoyan felt like crying. ¡°I did.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered, trying to conceal her utter gentleness. ¡°Oh, I was toote.¡± The Queen said in disappointment. She felt that it was a pity. Gu Chaoyan smiled. She had intended to pat her shoulder, but thinking of her social status, she had to withdraw herself. Then she said, ¡°Queen, you were notte. The Empress Dowager would always need this prescription no matter what. She would always have a way to get the prescription.¡± The Queen nodded. She was pretty aware of this matter. It was lucky that the young Chaoyan was aware of this point as well and that she could ept the truth. At this moment, the Queen felt that Chaoyan was more understanding and concernable than what Huaijin had told her. ¡°What are you going to do in the future?¡± The Queen asked worriedly. Gu Chaoyan felt what the Queen said seemed to have been so familiar to her. She had been jealous of Gu Ruxue who received her mother¡¯s love. Gu Ruxue might not have been a nice girl, but at least, she was loved by her mother. Gu Chaoyan thought that she was never going to get such love in her life, but now, Gu Chaoyan was very satisfied with what she had got right now. So she exined patiently. ¡°Queen, do you think that there is really anyone in this world that can cure the patients that can¡¯t be cured by the imperial doctors and any other doctors with a few ancestral prescriptions? And is there any doctor that can save people with prescriptions only? We are using our own abilities all along, and prescriptions are just add-on, also...¡± The Queen was listening to what Gu Chaoyan was saying, and she was very curious about what she was about to say. ¡°Also... there is no such a thing as a prescription in my hands.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled naughtily. The Queen had not fathomed what she meant, but soon she realized what happened. Sheughed loudly. ¡°You are different from what Huaijin told me!¡± The Queen said with a smile. As they were speaking, they came to the Weiyang Pce. ¡°What are you talking about? Laughing so loudly?¡± Xia Yinghan had been worried whether something wrong was going on, so she kept looking about at Weiyang Pce to see if they had returned. Hearing theirughter, she also saw the smiling faces upon the Queen and Chaoyan. Now, Xia Yinghan was utterly relieved. It seemed that Chaoyan did not get bullied on her visit to Cining Pce. She was indeed a wonderful and smart girl. The Queen patted Xia Yinghan¡¯s arms. ¡°Yinghan, let¡¯s get in and talk.¡± The three of them walked into Weiyang Pce and sat down. Susu was pouring the tea for them. Gu Chaoyan finally realized why the Queen would hurry to help her at the pce ¨C it was Xia Yinghan who had turned to her for help, worrying that something would happen to her. @@novelbin@@ She remembered what Xia Yinghan had done for her. She was grateful. When Susu poured them the tea, Gu Chaoyan subconsciously sipped it and then frowned. The tea.... # Chapter 421: All Changed

Chapter 421: All Changed

If the man was poisoned for him to be this way, then someone must have done that on purpose. Chaoyan¡¯s prescriptions should not have any problems. And it was Xue Feihan who had been taking care of the patient. Xia Yinghan looked at Xue Feihan in confusion ¨C could it be him? No, that was not possible. Seeing Xue Feihan, who walked in, Gu Chaoyan also said coldly, ¡°Mr. Feihan, you are a doctor, please remember what a doctor should do.¡± Xue Feihan still looked calm. Despite Gu Chaoyan¡¯s scolding, he still looked calm and in fullposure. It looked as if he was not the person Gu Chaoyan suspected. He nodded. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Chaoyan, there must have been some misunderstanding. Feihan is not like that.¡± Xia Yinghan exined. She did not believe that her Senior Brother would have done something like that. They grew up together, and she trusted her Senior Brother¡¯s morality. It was Huang Xuan who made the bet with Chaoyan. She knew pretty well how much Huang Xuan cared about Saint College. If this patient woke up, she was going to have to leave the Saint College, and Xia Yinghan believed that Huang Xuan was definitely going to do something about it. Senior Brother Feihan adored Huang Xuan, so even if Huang Xuan drove him away, he would obey her. So it should be Huang Xuan who drugged the man. However, she had not expected that Chaoyan would be so skillful to be able to find out that the man was poisoned and even detoxify him. Xia Yinghan shook her head. ¡°I need to talk with Huang Xuan.¡± ¡°Yinghan!¡± Xue Feihan finally got anxious and followed her out. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at their retreating figures then she continued to prepare her medicine. Now the poison was gone, but he was still recovering and needed someplimentary medicine. This time, Gu Chaoyan decided to do everything personally. Xue Feihan failed to catch up with Xia Yinghan who was running very fast. Xia Yinghan came to Huang Xuan¡¯s room. She saw Huang Xuan packing her luggage, and Huang Xuan saw her too. She looked happy, ¡°Senior Sister, are you here...¡± ¡°Huang Xuan, what are you pretending for? You are still packing? You think no one will suspect you?!¡± Xia Yinghan looked serious. She was very unhappy as she threw the me at Huang Xuan. Huang Xuan¡¯s smile disappeared. With eyes upon Xia Yinghan, she seemed as if looking at someone who she had no knowledge of. They were ssmates who came to Saint College together. They were allmon folks who managed to find a position here with their own abilities. They had no backgrounds, but their own abilities that supported them. That was why they had such a great rtionship and had so much to talk about. Among all three of them, Huang Xuan respected Xia Yinghan the most. What pleased her above all was getting epted by Xia Yinghan, but.... @@novelbin@@ What was the Senior Sister talking about all of a sudden? ¡°What am I pretending? What am I suspected for?¡± Huang Xuan looked confused and helpless at Xia Yinghan. Everything had changed. Since when did the Senior Sister change to interrogate her without any ground? She was no longer the person she respected. Huang Xuan shook her head and could not ept that. ¡°You poisoned that man, why are you still concealing the truth?¡± Xia Yinghan bellowed. There came a loud p. Xue Feihan had just pped Xia Yinghan. With her hands covering her face, Xia Yinghan looked at Xue Feihan in utter surprise. # Chapter 424: Your Ability

Chapter 424: Your Ability

Hearing what The Dean said... Gu Chaoyan stopped what she was doing, put aside the jar and asked the Dean, ¡°What does he want?¡± ¡°He asked you to pay a visit home, since your Second Sister is getting married.¡± The Dean shook his head as he spoke. ¡°Lord Ling is marrying her in the same manner as the Princess Consort, which is totally against the rule.¡± He had thought that Lord Ling was a polite, gentle man, and a very promising lord too, but it seemed that everything was different. However, he was one of the imperial children, and he could not say anything about that, so he made aint and said no more. Then he followed the scent and checked the medicine in the jar. He smiled. ¡°Chaoyan, the medicine you make seems much more fragrant than that made by others.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face twitched. She was not sure if the Dean was speaking highly of her. If that was the way he praised, he was indeed doing it in a very special way. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Dean, I need to pay a visit home tomorrow, but this patient...¡± Gu Chaoyan was worried. She was afraid that the incident would ur again, but she could not possibly bring the patient along with her. He was too seriously injured to be moved about. That was indeed a very awkward situation, so even Gu Chaoyan could note up with any better solutions. ¡°Just leave him to me,¡± the Dean said directly, ¡°Huang Xuan has joined the army and gone to Jiayu Pass, so I have no special errands to deal with in the near future. I will take care of him until he is able to get out of bed.¡± That made Chaoyan feel assured. Seeing that there was nothing more she could do, Gu Chaoyan took the jar and poured it into one bowl, ced it on the tray and was about to carry it to the patient. The Dean did not show any intention of tagging along. He kept sniffing the medicine in the jar, thought for a while and had a small taste of it. Gu Chaoyan turned around and saw that scene, shaking her head and thinking that he was indeed a very naughty elderly man. ¡°Elder Miss, here you are, the man has woken up. I was about to get you.¡± Sword One arrived, took the tray and they started to head towards the room. In the room. The man had woken up. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief ¨C it seemed that the poison was gone. ¡°Drink this bowl of medicine, you should be ready to get off the bed within one week¡¯s time.¡± Gu Chaoyan did not look at him, but spoke as she was writing the prescription. That man drank it in one attempt, not fearing the bitterness. After he finished the medicine, he turned to Gu Chaoyan. He did not really know where he was, but whenever he woke up, he could see this girl feeding him medicine, acupuncturing him and trying her best to save him! ¡°Miss, when I am cured, can I be your servant?!¡± The man said with determination. Gu Chaoyan was writing the prescription and did not look up at him until she finished thest word. Gu Chaoyan had not made a careful observation of him before, but as she took a closer look at him, she found that he was a hunter, tall and strong. He must have some knowledge of martial arts and abilities, otherwise he would not have run away from the apes. However, he might need some training, so he would not get so badly injured next time. She already got Sword Four with her, but all of them were Zhou Huaijin¡¯s personnel. She did need to start cultivating staff of her own. This man looked proper. However, it was not that easy to be her servant. ¡°Then we have to see what you are capable of,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. # Chapter 428: Help or Not

Chapter 428: Help or Not

Seeing Gu Yunhe¡¯s behavior, Gu Chaoyan was d that she had asked Sword One to leave, otherwise she would have gotten so annoyed. ¡°Tea is in the kettle, you can serve yourself.¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. ¡°My Qiong Pavilion isn¡¯t as flourishing as your yard. I have only one maid serving me so I have to do everything myself. If you are not used to my ce, please leave.¡± ¡°You...¡± Gu Yunhe was almost suffocated with anger. Seeing the kettle and the empty teacup, he gave up. And then he started to serve himself the tea. Gu Yunhe had never done such a demeaning thing in his entire life. If not for what he was about to say, he would never have dropped by. The Qiong Pavilion was so shabby that he felt very ufortable sitting here. He felt that everything was filthy. Nevertheless, the filthy ce was incredibly proper for Ms. Lin¡¯s daughter. ¡°I won¡¯t drink a thing, you don¡¯t have any good-quality tea I believe. Nor have you ever drunk any good tea in your life either.¡± Gu Yunhe said disdainfully. Gu Chaoyan said nothing. She poured herself some tea and took a sip. She ignored what Gu Yunhe said. She did not have to make any effort to talk with Gu Yunhe at all. Seeing her saying nothing in return, Gu Yunhe cursed inwardly ¨C Ms. Lin¡¯s daughter was so dumb-headed. Then he added, ¡°I am working for Lord Ling and now I am fully loaded. Soon, I will be granted an official ce. I am doing well in the capital, and the Gu Mansion is going upwards with me around.¡± Gu Chaoyan showed a cold expression, showing no interest in what he said as she continued drinking the tea. Gu Yunhe snorted. Ms. Lin was so dumb. He did not think that this kind of girl would know how to seize the opportunity. So he said straightforwardly, ¡°Now I am entrusting you with an errand, which you will have to agree to take.¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Gu Yunhe. So he was here to ask her for a favor. However, his attitude made her feel that it was she who needed a favor. ¡°It is about the dowries. Ruxue is getting married and her future husband is Lord Ling. She is going to have a wedding in the same manner as the Equal Princess Consort, which is an honor given by Lord Ling to our mansion. The Gu Mansion is a wholity, so when Ruxue and I are doing well, everyone in our mansion will do well. If neither of us are doing well, no one is going to have a happy life either.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Therefore, I hope you can understand the position you are in right now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ruxue doesn¡¯t have enough dowries, so I am giving you a good offer ¨C share half of what you have so the two sisters can have the same amount, so the two lords can be satisfied.¡± Gu Yunhe said, looking confident. He believed that even a dumb-headed person would understand what he meant and what to give up and share. ¡°...¡± ¡°I am going to the master of the Gu Mansion, and a married woman has to have support from her mother¡¯s family. None of the women without a mother¡¯s family would end up well, especially in the royal family where people are set up all the time.¡± Gu Chaoyan showed no expression as she looked at Gu Yunhe. And she said nothing in response. Gu Yunhe thought that she had not fathomed what he meant. ¡°We are not born by the same parents, but this time, if you are willing to offer Ruxue a hand, I will bear it in mind, and I will back you up too.¡± A whileter, Gu Chaoyan was still silent. Gu Yunhe stressed. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, are you willing to do that or not?¡± #@@novelbin@@ Chapter 433: Tricks

Chapter 433: Tricks

She never liked the salty-chicken. She assumed that it was the original host who liked salty-chicken when she was little, so Gu Yunxuan bore that in mind and assumed that she always liked the food. Above all, Gu Chaoyan felt that her heart was fully warmed. Even if she did not like it, she was going to eat it for Gu Yunxuan¡¯s sake. However, Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Sword One ¨C she was not going to do the mission alone. ¡°Sword One, let¡¯s eat it together, now, when it is still hot!¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Sword One with a sneaky smile. She had to pay forughing at her misfortune. Sword One showed a bitter face. She should not haveughed at her ¨C it was the Elder Miss she was talking with. They had been eating for a quarter hour before the salty-chicken was finished. After that, they were extremely stuffed. So they took a walk about in the yard, and then started to paint the sketch map of her own clinic. *** In the following two days, Gu Chaoyan stayed in her Qiong Pavilion. And soon, it was time for Gu Ruxue to get married. Early in the morning, Chen Fu came to ask Gu Chaoyan to join the family in the front yard. It was always the servants of the mansion that were busy rather than the Young Masters anddies, but on the wedding day, the Young Masters anddies had to be present. Gu Chaoyan would not have been invited in the past, and Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue might even have stopped her from showing up, but things were different now. Gu Chaoyan just got engaged, and it was important that she was present since she was marrying Lord Huai. Gu Chaoyan came to the front yard with Sword One, and Gu Zhenkang showed a ttering smile as he pointed at the best ce. ¡°Chaoyan, go and take that seat, next to your Brother.¡± Gu Chaoyan followed the direction, and saw that there was a vacant ce next to Gu Yunhe. Behind him was Gu Yunxuan as well as some children of the concubines, including Gu Caiqin. She started to walk towards that direction. Gu Yunhe threw a disdainful look at Gu Chaoyan and then said to Gu Xiuying. ¡°Xiuying,e and take a seat here.¡± Gu Xiuying was surprised, but got quite happy too. Normally, she and Gu Caiqin should have taken the corner seat, but Brother was asking her to take the best one, next to him! There would be quite a lot of noble people attending the wedding today. If someone could spot her next to Brother, and knew that she was not an ordinary child in the Gu Mansion, then she would definitely get engaged with some excellent family this year. ¡°Sure, Brother.¡± Gu Xiuying did not even ask Gu Chaoyan for permission before taking the seat next to Gu Yunhe. The seat was taken, so Gu Yunhe looked at Gu Chaoyan with a proud look. @@novelbin@@ Their father did give her the seat, but she was not going to get a proper position in the mansion when she disobeyed him. Gu Yunxuan said, ¡°Chaoyan,e to sit next to me.¡± Gu Yunhe mumbled as heughed ironically. ¡°She has no other seats other than with those children of the concubines.¡± The words had just been spoken, when a cold voice arose. ¡°Chaoyan.¡± Gu Chaoyan spotted Zhou Huaijin. # Chapter 436: The Evil Lord

Chapter 436: The Evil Lord

Gu Yunhe was surprised. He did not expect that Lord Huai would respond to this casual excuse he had juste up with. However, after being surprised, he again became joyful. So Lord Huai was willing to give him an opportunity? As long as he was showing himself off in front of Lord Huai, he was definitely going to be better than Gu Yunxuan. At that time, he was definitely going to torment Gu Yunxuan. He showed a ttering smile and nodded. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Then he gave Chen Fu a blink and asked Chen Fu to show the way. During this interval, Gu Yunhe exceeded Gu Yunxuan so he took a step closer to Zhou Huaijin. Then he showed a proud look to Gu Chaoyan. Yes, this girl was marrying Lord Huai, but he did not think that Lord Huai would listen to everything she said. People from the imperial family were only out for business. He was the Young Master of the Gu Mansion, and he was going to be the future Old Master. Besides his sister was the Equal Princess Consort of Lord Ling. So no matter what Lord Huai was doing, he had to stand by his side after all. Gu Yunxuan and Gu Chaoyan were nothing to him. Just look at what Lord Huai was doing for him right now? Gu Yunhe could not help showing a proud look on his face. Chen Fu nodded at the vacant seat and then Gu Yunhe hid his proud smile and pointed at the empty seat. ¡°Lord, take this seat.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded expressionlessly. Then he took the central seat and then turned to Gu Yunxuan and Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Take a seat too.¡± Hearing these words... @@novelbin@@ Gu Yunhe also took a step forward and was about to sit down on the vacant seat. Zhou Huaijin threw a look at him. ¡°Since you are done with your work, you can leave now. You must have a lot to do since your sister is getting married, don¡¯t you?¡± Gu Yunhe almost sat down when he heard the words. He stiffened and showed a look of disbelief. So what he did was guide the road? He could not believe that that was what Lord said, so he again tried to take the seat when Fu Bao stopped him, as he showed another direction. ¡°Please, Young Master?¡± Gu Yunhe looked embarrassed. He threw a look at Zhou Huaijin, who was ignoring him, but spoke with Gu Yunxuan instead. He was extremely furious and unconvinced. What in the hell was Gu Yunxuan doing! He was about to say something when Fu Bao stopped him. So he had to leave with Chen Fu. So he was in the same status as Chen Fu? Gu Yunhe got extremely angry, so he gave Chen Fu a few more kicks after they were a few meters away. ¡°You old servant, what are you doing?¡± If not for Chen Fu, he would not have been treated in the same way as that housekeeper! Chen Fu was not young any more, he could not stand up after being kicked. He was supporting his waist with his hands. He had no intention ofing here, it was the Young Master who had no idea where Lord Huai was supposed to sit, so he came along to help him. Why was this his fault? The Young Master was so unreasonable. Chen Fu watched the man leaving the site, as the pageboy helped Chen Fu up and reminded. ¡°Housekeeper, you have to get up and deal with the errands there.¡± Chen Fu struggled to rise. However, the moment he arose, he copsed again. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The pageboy got anxious too ¨C the Young Master had kicked him hard. # Chapter 439: Looking for Gu Chaoyan

Chapter 439: Looking for Gu Chaoyan

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions @@novelbin@@ Why didn¡¯t he realize that Gu Ruxue was so terribly-behaved before? It was the wedding day, and she should stay bashful. A proper girl would not call out to someone like this when she was still under the red drape. His Princess Consort was not like this, nor were any of his concubines. Zhou Huailing, who had been wearing a small smile, suddenly lost his smile. Xie Yan had to give him a small reminder for Zhou Huailing to show a slightly better look. Gu Zhenkang also felt that Lord Ling got a bit displeased about this, so he jabbed Gu Ruxue, suggesting that she should know better rather than piss Lord Ling off on this very special day. Jabbed, Gu Ruxue got very annoyed, thinking that someone dared to push her. So she screamed loudly, ¡°Which bitch is jabbing me?¡± Zhou Huailing¡¯s forced smile was now gone. . She could punish the servants in whichever way she wanted in the past, but today was the wedding day. How could she humiliate herself so much in front of the public? ¡°Ruxue...¡± Gu Zhenkang whispered and said in her ears, ¡°The Lord is a little unhappy.¡± Zhou Huailing frowned at the father and the daughter. Like father, like daughter. These two people had no manners. He was the Lord Ling, how could they whisper in front of him! He shook his head and said with a cold face, ¡°Let¡¯s just leave.¡± Instead of carrying the bride, he turned around and left. Xie Yan knew that Lord Ling had gotten mad. Lord Ling might look quite mild, but he was his man and he knew him well. Lord Ling was not a mild person inwardly at all. He had whispered to him many times to cool him down, but this father and daughter did not know how to behave, so they had irritated Lord Ling. That was why he did not remind Lord Ling to carry the bride. He was not going to obey him at all. However, she was the Phoenix Girl, after all. Lord Ling might get pissed, but he should not. He had to make sure everything went well, otherwise he would have to take the me. Xie Yan tugged at the matchmaker and the aunt next to Gu Ruxue. ¡°Help her, and make sure she doesn¡¯t fall.¡± Gu Ruxue felt slightly more honored when Xie Yan said these words. She was not humiliated any more. The matchmaker and the aunt helped her so that she could follow Lord Ling out of the room. Now it all looked very strange. The bridegroom was walking at the front with a cold face, whilst the bride was helped by the matchmaker and the aunt. Was Lord Ling supporting the Gu Mansion or not? It was quite confusing. Zhou Huailing started to think about the familiar figure. He started to seek out Gu Chaoyan the moment he walked out of the yard. Only by seeing her would he feel slightly more determined. However, Zhou Huailing did not see Gu Chaoyan where she had been a while ago. Zhou Huailing frowned ¨C where was she? She should be here since her sister was getting married, she should not have left so early! Zhou Huailing kept looking out for her, but could not find her at all. He ceased his steps. So did the matchmaker and the aunt as well as Gu Ruxue. ¡°Lord Ling, what are you looking for?¡± Gu Zhenkang asked. # Chapter 443: Itching for Princess Consort of Lord Ling

Chapter 443: Itching for Princess Consort of Lord Ling

Zhou Huailing ceased his steps. He frowned as he looked at Gu Ruxue ¨C didn¡¯t the Gu Mansion hire anyone to teach her manners? She was just a woman in the backyard who was unable to sleep with him because of her current health, so of course he was going to visit other people. Did she think that a Lord like him should stay in the room and keep herpany? Even the Princess Consort of Lord Ling did not dare to make this request. Zhou Huailing would have snapped at her, if not for her identity, but considering that Gu Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl, he swallowed down his displeasure. He said quietly, ¡°You can have a good sleep now, and ask the servants to help you when you need anything.¡± As he finished saying these words, he opened the door and left directly. Gu Ruxue had a veryplicated expression on her face. The Lord was not keeping herpany when she was feeling unwell! Where was he going? To the Princess Consort of Lord Ling? Or the Princess Concubine? Gu Ruxue had her fists clenched ¨C okay, Princess Consort of Lord Ling and Princess Concubine! She was going to make them disappear. Zhou Huailing had no idea what Gu Ruxue was thinking. After he left the wedding room, he suddenly felt very relieved. Zhou Huailing had so many women around him, he did not have to care if Gu Ruxue was innocent or not. He started to think, and then he thought of the Princess Consort. The Princess Consort was General Liu¡¯s daughter, serious and well-behaved. He used to have no feelings towards her. He married her only for her father¡¯s military power, but after he left Gu Ruxue¡¯s room, he somehow thought of the Princess Consort and felt that he somehow had some feelings for her. That woman might be a serious one, yet she was well-behaved and married him as an innocent woman, nobly-born as well. That was the kind of woman Zhou Huailing deserved to have. So he started to head towards the Princess Consort¡¯s yard in a happy mood. No changes had happened to the yard, with few servants. No one was around at the moment, so he walked into the room of his own ord. The maid waiting at the door looked totally surprised at the sight of Zhou Huailing. ¡°Lord!¡± Zhou Huailing nodded. Since he started to have some feelings towards the Princess Consort, he found this maid not that annoying any more. He nodded, pushed the door open and walked in. The Princess Consort was in the middle of reading a book. Hearing someone walking in, she thought that it was her maid Shao. Instead of looking up, she said, ¡°Shao, is the warm water ready?¡± Zhou Huailing did not answer her, but walked straight to her side. The Princess Consort noticed that something weird was going on, so she looked up only to see Zhou Huailing¡¯s face right in front of her. She became startled and the next second, Zhou Huailing already came to her side directly. The Princess Consort took a step backwards, keeping a distance between them. Zhou Huailing was used to her behavior, so he took hold of the book and asked in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Princess Concubine¡¯s book?¡± The Princess Consort had an ufortable look on her face. She had no intention of answering his question, but asked with a serious posture. ¡°Lord, aren¡¯t you supposed to be at the new Princess Consort¡¯s room? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t mention it.¡± Zhou Huailing got annoyed. ¡°Whatever the reason is, you are supposed to be at her ce on the wedding day.¡± The Princess Consort reminded him with a serious tone. That made Zhou Huailing even more distressed. Zhou Huailing felt quite itching for the Princess Consort who looked serious and who had a snowy-white neck. He had not liked the way she behaved, so he failed to notice how pretty she was!@@novelbin@@ He swept her into his arms, making a move to try to kiss her. The Princess Consort pushed him away subconsciously, frowning deeply. Zhou Huailing got very furious when pushed ¨C did she hate him? Whatever¡­ he went forward and pushed her down on the table, while the Princess Consort struggled hard. Chapter 447: Back to Mother’s Home

Chapter 447: Back to Mother¡¯s Home

The Princess Concubine was surprised. She was aware that the Princess Consort was nning something. She knew this woman well. She had always thought that the Princess Consort was a very traditional woman, so she never expected that she would do something beyond convention. The Princess Concubine, though surprised, smiled. ¡°Nothing.¡± The Princess Consort regained her steadiness, showing no expression on her face. ¡°Okay then.¡± The Princess Concubine answered, then started to serve herself tea. They sat and exchanged no words. On this asion, the Princess Consort did not drive her away. In the following days, it was very quiet at Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. Since Gu Ruxue was the Equal Princess Consort, she did not have to greet the Princess Consort. So Zhou Huailing asked her to stay in her own yard, otherwise he would be totally messy having to deal with what happened in his backyard. Gu Ruxue had not met Zhou Huailing after the wedding. Three dayster when she was supposed to go back to her mother¡¯s home for a banquet, Zhou Huailing finally appeared. He looked very gentle. Gu Ruxue had been anxious for three days so her heart was finally assured at the sight of Zhou Huailing. ¡°Lord, you haven¡¯t seen me for three days. I thought you had forgotten about the trip back to my mother¡¯s home.¡± Gu Ruxue said with a displeased expression. She did look quite pitiful with that pretty face of hers. Zhou Huailing said gently, ¡°I have been very busy these days, I will definitely keep youpany when I have time, so don¡¯t overthink.¡± Gu Ruxue nodded. She looked about and saw that Zhou Huailing was alone. She asked quietly, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I met the Princess Consort till now?¡± Zhou Huailing frowned. What was wrong with this girl? Didn¡¯t she know that she was married for the sake of the whole Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion? Despite the hidden anger, Zhou Huailing said nothing. He was worried about the Princess Consort and needed her family to help him. ¡°She can¡¯t get through the reality at this moment, but don¡¯t worry about her. You can meet in the future. She is conventional, but she is not that hard to hang out with.¡± Zhou Huailing answered briefly. Then they left the mansion together. It was not a very magnificent march home. Only a few guards and pageboys followed along. As the wagon came to the Gu Mansion, Gu Zhenkang let out a sigh of relief as he was waiting at the doorstep. He had been worried that Lord Ling would be dissatisfied with Ruxue and skip the whole trip back to her mother¡¯s home. If that had happened, the Gu Mansion would be totally humiliated. ¡°Greetings, Lord, and Equal Princess Consort.¡± Gu Zhenkang and Gu Yunhe greeted him politely. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhou Huailing nodded and stopped looking at them, as he led the way. Gu Yunhe had a very weird look on his face. He was okay with Lord Ling not recognizing his father and him as the family, but now he was already married¡­ Why wasn¡¯t Lord Ling calling him Elder Brother? Lord Huai called Gu Yunxuan Second Brother! In this way, he would be totally humiliated in public. Gu Yunhe found that everything was very strange. He threw a look at Gu Ruxue, trying to speak with her. Gu Ruxue, however, was very proud. She walked with her chin raised in the air, looking very much like a Princess Consort to some degree.@@novelbin@@ As they came to the front yard, the whole mansion was waiting and greeting them. Zhou Huailing instantly started to search for Gu Chaoyan. She was still dressed in a white blouse, standing among the crowd of concubine¡¯s children. Chapter 451 - Me

Chapter 451: Me

¡°Mom, it is me!¡± Gu Yunhe¡¯s voice arose. He had opened the door, but he had no idea that he had just startled Mrs. Gu, so he just walked in with a look of indifference. He did not close the door either. Mrs. Gu truly found her son annoying at that moment, but she did not snap at him since he was her son, after all. Her suspended heart was finally unloaded. ¡°Close the door, Lianxiang!¡± Mrs. Gu shouted. Lianxiang instantly closed the door. Quiet dominated the whole room. Gu Yunhe poured himself a cup of tea and saw that his mother was too anxious. He said nonchntly, ¡°Mom, what are you doing? You are the owner of the yard and they would never dare to spill out your secret if they want to keep their family alive. You are not cruel enough to threaten them!¡± He poured himself a cup of tea in satisfaction. Though the fact that he had to serve himself was very annoying. Mrs. Gu frowned. She sighed. Before she was able to figure out what she should do with Ruxue, Yunhe was here messing things up. Now he was a man with a job, and he should not be so straightforward. He would face setbacks if he kept doing this! She did not like it when Madame Gu asked him to join the army at Jiayu Pass, but she was unable to fight against Madame Gu back then. However, now this son of hers had wasted years at the army ¨C he had learned nothing from the experience. What was he going to do working in the capital?! Even if Mrs. Gu did not want to me her son for anything, she had to warn him at the moment. ¡°Yunhe, nothing is as simple as you assume.¡± ¡°You are cruel, but the cruelty only makes our men devoted. Yunhe, there are more than our men in the mansion. You are a straightforward man, but not everyone is as straightforward as you.¡± ¡°Especially when we are in a different position now. People have their eyes upon us. Also, we have offended other people before, and they may have sent moles into our ce. We are not even sure which ones are the mole.¡± Mrs. Gu reminded him. She had no idea that Yunhe would have been so simple-minded. The Gu Mansion would be done for, if he became the master! She started to me Madame Gu again. ¡°It is Madame Gu¡¯s fault. She made you waste so much time in the army! If a strategist could have taught you when you were little, everything would go much easier.¡± Mrs. Gu said. ¡°I have found you a strategist. He is a wonderful man, you have to make use of him.¡± @@novelbin@@ Hearing what Mrs. Gu said, Gu Yunhe had a look of realization. He had never thought about this before ¨C he was so careless. No wonder he never seeded in his work! His devoted men might have not been that devoted to him after all. ¡°Madame Gu was causing me trouble! I would have been hurt by her again, if she were not paralyzed now,¡± Gu Yunhe said with a fortunate tone. It was his mother who was in charge now, luckily. Now when Gu Yunhe understood the point, Mrs. Gu would not say anything more. With eyes upon Gu Yunhe, she asked in confusion. ¡°What are you doing here, rather than keeping the Lordpany in the front yard?¡± Chapter 454 - Mrs. Gus Displeasure

Chapter 454: Mrs. Gu¡¯s Displeasure

Zhou Huaijin never showed any emotion on his face when facing other people, as if he were out to kill people at any time, but seeing his brother not so happy today, he knew that he was displeased by his appearance, so he became even happier. He showed a bright smile and said cheerfully, ¡°King Father is asking for Chaoyan, so I aming to pick her up for the visit to the court.¡± Zhou Huailing showed an even worse expression on his face. King Father was asking for her? Were they getting married? Zhou Huailing clenched his fists, looking very unconvinced. He was the best man in the wholend, and Lady Chaoyan should be his. Why was she marrying his brother?! ¡°Are you leaving? Alright then, have a nice trip.¡± Zhou Huaijin showed a bright smile, adjusted his blouse and started to head towards the Gu Mansion. Zhou Huailing clenched his teeth, saying nothing more. Now that Lord Huai was at the doorstep, Gu Zhenkang was out there receiving him too. He gave a push to Gu Yunhe, suggesting that he should stabilize Lord Ling whilst he himself was out there receiving Lord Huai. He had just taken a few more steps, when Zhou Huaijin threw a look at Gu Zhenkang. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Officer Gu, I will do it myself.¡± @@novelbin@@ Then he hurried off directly. As Gu Zhenkang came to Lord Ling, Zhou Huailing was showing a very terrible expression on his face too ¨C did this old man choose to help his brother instead of himself, because he thought that he was worse than his brother? Furious though he was, he just could not utter a word at the moment. Zhou Huailing left directly with the wagon instead of sparing one more look at the Gu Family. Dust covered the sky. Gu Zhenkang coughed and waved the dust away. Then he walked in to see if Lord Huai needed anything. Zhou Huaijin was walking out with Gu Chaoyan. With no expression on his face, Zhou Huaijin said, ¡°Officer, King Father doesn¡¯t like waiting, so I am taking Chaoyan away.¡± Then he helped Gu Chaoyan up into the wagon and asked Fu Bao to leave directly. The wagon took off, causing dust that covered the sky. Gu Zhenkang waved his hands and coughed, mumbling, ¡°What is going on?¡± He did have two son-inws who were lords now, and they were both lords with backgrounds, but neither of them had the intention of staying for lunch. What a minor father-inw he was! Gu Zhenkang mumbled as Mrs. Gu nced at him. ¡°Serve you right!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gu Zhenkang was displeased. He had worked so hard these days just for the sake of the Gu Mansion! How could Mrs. Gu speak like this? Gu Zhenkang was displeased. ¡°Of course it serves you right! Lord Ling was still here and you already sucked up to Lord Huai! Lord Ling of course would get mad! If not for Ruxue Lord Ling would have snapped at you!¡± Mrs. Gu was displeased too. Ruxue had not yet stabilized her position at Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion and now her father was messing things up! She saw what Lord Ling looked like a while ago. Now Lord Ling did not snap at Gu Zhenkang, but he might push the me to Gu Ruxue! She was very annoyed. Gu Zhenkang said with back straight, ¡°So what? Lord Huai is here, and someone needs to receive him! You and Yunhe can receive Lord Ling! Lord Huai needs attention too.¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± Chapter 459 - The Changed King

Chapter 459: The Changed King

Zhou Huaijin confessed the whole story to the Queen. He knew clearly that the Queen agreed to join the court, only because she loved the King, otherwise the Queen would never have enjoyed life in the court at all. During the past few years, he was aware of how true the Queen was being to the King, but in the past decades, the King had way too many women and a world to control, so many things had changed. Yet one thing that was certain was that the Queen was still in love with the King. Whether or not he was showing the same feelings was unknown to Zhou Huaijin. He told the Queen the truth, because he hoped that the Queen would make a clearer consideration about that. She should be aware of the situation she was in. Hearing his words, the Queen did not even manage to hold her teacup, so the hot tea spilled. Seeing the scene, Aunt Nan helped the Queen to take away the teacup and looked at the Queen¡¯s hand concernedly, ¡°You are so careless, I will go and fetch the cream.¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± the Queen said. @@novelbin@@ Seeing the scene, Gu Chaoyan took out cream and passed it to Aunt Nan. ¡°Aunt Nan, use this please.¡± Aunt Nan was startled, then she thought of how excellent Lady Chaoyan was in medicine, so the cream she offered should be useful. So she took it and dabbed it on for the Queen. The cream was made with magical water, which made up the majority of it. It felt very cold upon her hands, and soon the redness on the Queen¡¯s hands was gone. The Queen, as well as Aunt Nan, was surprised. ¡°Chaoyan, your cream works so well.¡± Even when she was using the best cream in the court, the wound would still take at least two days to heal, but Chaoyan¡¯s medical cream did it within seconds. The Queen was suddenly reminded of how she told her about being excellent at medicine despite the prescriptions, and that the prescriptions were not that useful after all for any doctors. She had thought that the words made sense, but she had never experienced it. Now she finally understood that Chaoyan was truly good at medical skills, not only using the prescriptions. ¡°I made it when I was free, if you think it is great, I will pass some to you.¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. The Queen finally had a slightly better mood. She had fallen into a bad mood when she heard Huaijin¡¯s words. She had thought that the King had been standing in line with her regarding Huaijin¡¯s wedding ¨C he could marry whomever he liked. Also, a rough man like him should not have been that careful about too many things. So when she heard the story today, she could not find any excuses. Even if he was a rough man, he should not have asked Huaijin to get married so fast, going against the rules. It was Zhou Huailing¡¯s own matter if he went against etiquette, but her Huaijin was not going to betray Chaoyan. What made the King do so? That was what distracted the Queen till she upset the tea a moment ago. She sighed inwardly. The Queen said to Gu Chaoyan, ¡°It is quiet now in Cining Pce, the prescriptions you offered them have kept them busy. The imperial doctors all studied the prescriptions to see if they were fabricated, but they said that the prescriptions were truly excellent, something they can¡¯t do. That is why you are free now.¡± ¡°I have been worried that you would be affected by the revealed prescriptions, but it seems that¡­¡± Chapter 463 - Not You

Chapter 463: Not You

She looked at Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijin was frowning as well. It seemed that Father had heard the news about Destiny Monk and was looking for him the entire time, then Father must have learned about the Phoenix Girl as well. Zhou Huaijin felt quite weird inwardly. ¡°Isn¡¯t Destiny Monk supposed to be the monk at Putuo Temple, and isn¡¯t he there now too?¡± The Queen did not know the real story, so she was not surprised at all. She had met this man before, but she never asked him to do fortune-telling for her. Well¡­ Destiny Monk sounded like a wild name! Could anyone in this world truly read destiny? The Queen did not believe such a thing, so she barely took him to heart, but now hearing that the King was looking for him¡­ The Queen sighed and shook her head, assuming that the King was getting too old to stay realistic. ¡°Xunyang, don¡¯t mention such a thing in front of anyone else, or pester your Father about what he is doing, got it? I just hope that you can grow up safely and find a proper family to get married to when the time is right,¡± the Queen said with a dry voice. Xunyang said no more. She nodded as she looked at her mother. Zhou Huaijin threw a look at Gu Chaoyan. They lowered their heads and continued eating the food. Since The Queen already reminded Xunyang about this, Zhou Huaijin did not need to say anything more. After the food was finished, the day was gettingte as well. They could not stay in the court any more, so Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan waved goodbye to the Queen and left the court. *** At the Weiyang Pce. Seeing the two leaving, the Queen showed a rare smile. Aunt Nan said as she was standing next to her, ¡°You can be assured now, Queen, Lord and Lady Chaoyan are happy together.¡± The Queen nodded, she could tell that too. Only Gu Chaoyan was able to make Huaijin smile genuinely. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± the Queen said with relief. Only Princess Xunyang had no idea what was going on with the two figures that were going away. However, the two figures were not aspatible with each other as the Queen and Aunt Nan assumed. Zhou Huaijin tried to take hold of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands, but she dodged the move. Gu Chaoyan did not say a thing since they were talking with the Queen back at the Weiyang Pce, but that did not necessarily mean that she did not care what happened. She pursed her lips, then she red at Zhou Huaijin, falling into silence. Zhou Huaijin smiled and exined. ¡°Seven might be a puppy, but she is cute, even Susu and Mother say that you two look alike. I am not making it up!¡± Gu Chaoyan choked on her words. She was about to counter when reality countered her. Instead of countering, Gu Chaoyan red at him and ignored him totally. Zhou Huaijinughed as they walked to the wagon. @@novelbin@@ As Zhou Huaijin moved closer to Gu Chaoyan, he was pushed away eventually. Well¡­ Zhou Huaijin finally had to imitate the puppy¡¯s barking and said, ¡°I look like the puppy, not you, okay?¡± Gu Chaoyan finallyughed and then she looked at Zhou Huaijin in pleasure. Zhou Huaijin gave a slight pinch on her face, feeling helpless. Then Fu Bao¡¯s voice arose. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, here we are.¡± Gu Chaoyan got up and so did Zhou Huaijin, but Gu Chaoyan pushed him down. ¡°You can stay here.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. Gu Chaoyan got off the wagon, and then Gu Zhenkang suddenly appeared from nowhere. ¡°Hey, Chaoyan.¡± Chapter 467 - Ruxues Assistant

Chapter 467: Ruxue¡¯s Assistant

When Madame Gu was driven away by Gu Zhenkang, both Gu Yunhe and Mrs. Gu became less annoyed. One had already sat down and asked the maid to put away the stuff in front of him, whilst the other was drinking tea. So when the Third Concubine was asking about Ruxue¡¯s adulthood ceremony, Mrs. Gu threw a pretentiously caring look at her. ¡°Ruxue did mention this on her trip back home the other day. She is bing an adult soon. She is married to a Lord and now she is the Equal Princess Consort, so the ceremony is going to be tremendous.¡± As she was speaking, Mrs. Gu threw a look at the Third Concubine. ¡°Why do you care?¡± Ruxue was her daughter, and it should be she who was in charge of this matter, rather than the Third Concubine. Mrs. Gu threw a disdainful look at the Third Concubine. Third Concubine, on the other hand, did not show any anger as she saw the exposed look of disdain on Mrs. Gu¡¯s face. She said with a ttering tone, ¡°Ruxue needs a host, assistant and witness for her ceremony. I am just thinking that maybe Xiuying can be an assistant for Ruxue since they are sisters. They are of the same age and they are good sisters.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Third Concubine asked with a ttering tone. She did not mind if Mrs. Gu looked down at her, but Xiuying was her only daughter and what she had hoped was that Xiuying could marry someone great. Only in this way would she be able to have a better life herself and get respected at the mansion. Gu Ruxue was married to Lord Ling, so there should be many noble people who were present on that day. She was thinking that Xiuying could marry someone with a proper position, who would be willing to marry Xiuying just to get close to Lord Ling. If Mrs. Gu needed Xiuying for help, that would work too. Xiuying was going to support Ruxue no matter what. As she was thinking about this, Third Concubine asked Mrs. Gu, thinking that she would approve of the request. Mrs. Gu was a smartdy after all. Hearing what she said Mrs. Gu snorted. She threw a disdainful look at the Third Concubine. This Third Concubine was pretty good at taking opportunities. No wonder she was able to give birth to a child. Luckily, the child was a daughter, not a son, or she would need to make more efforts to deal with potential issues. Now she was trying to make use of Ruxue so her daughter could get a wonderful marriage, but Mrs. Gu was not going to approve of that. Mrs. Gu was about to say something when Gu Zhenkang added with a smile. ¡°That sounds nice. Ruxue does need people like this, and Xiuying is her sister, then maybe she can get a great suitor for the ceremony, which will be beneficial for the Gu Mansion as well. Mrs. Gu, speak with Ruxue about this.¡± Hearing what Gu Zhenkang said, Mrs. Gu was even less pleased. Could she really do that? Gu Xiuying was not at all qualified to be Ruxue¡¯s assistant. Mrs. Gu said proudly, ¡°It is not me, but if you have spoken about it earlier, then it might work. However, right now, Ruxue has mentioned that County Princess Anxi is going to be the assistant, so Xiuying is not at all qualifiedpared to County Princess Anxi right?¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Then she can be the witness, that would work too!¡± The Third Concubine became even more motivated after hearing the name of County Princess Anxi. Chapter 471 - Abilities

Chapter 471: Abilities

The sudden voice almost caused Gu Chaoyan to upset the things in her hands, but she eventually stabilised her steps. She looked about. What was talking? ¡°You dumb-headed girl!¡± The Phoenixined. He was definitely leading a terrible life ¨C why was his master so silly? He was the phoenix, and she was treating him like a rooster. The more he thought, the more annoyed he became. Gu Chaoyan looked at him with curiosity, she just could not tell that he was furious. He could talk? And the voice was nice too, sounding quite like a phoenix, but was he calling her dumb-headed? Gu Chaoyan was going to teach him a lesson. She lifted his wings and asked with a threatening tone. ¡°Who are you calling dumb?¡± ¡°You!¡± The phoenix said without feeling guilty. ¡°Why am I dumb?¡± Gu Chaoyan just could not get it ¨C no one had ever called her dumb in both of her lives, except for the Gu Family. @@novelbin@@ ¡°I am your soul, you should make a blood alliance with me!¡± The phoenix said with aining voice. Gu Chaoyan was surprised. That was interesting? Gu Chaoyan looked at her wounded hand. ¡°How are we doing this?¡± ¡°Your forehead.¡± The bird reminded her, looking helpless. Gu Chaoyan made an attempt and squeezed some drops of blood out of her forehead. The phoenix that was bearing the blood drop was bathing in a patch of red light, looking rather satisfied. Gu Chaoyan waited until he finished the bathing. A quarter hour passed, before the phoenix finally opened his eyes. The master seemed dumb, but the blood was pure and innocent, very good. That was a great master. That made the phoenix feel good. ¡°Okay, you can leave now.¡± The phoenix said. Gu Chaoyan was wearing aplicated expression on her face. Was she the master or was he? However, it was not time to talk about this ¨C she was not even bothered to talk about this with an animal. So she left with her own stuff. She had just left the space, when Sword One came running in a hurry. ¡°Elder Miss¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Gu Chaoyan took a sip of tea, and looked at Sword One, wondering what made her so anxious. ¡°The man from Saint College is here. He is asking for you. You promised to let him be with you when he is cured. He said that he has not seen you back at the school, so he came here instead.¡± Sword One reminded Elder Miss when she found her confused. Gu Chaoyan put down the teacup, then she went over something in her head. That was true¡­ The man had been seriously-injured back then and she needed to go back home as soon as possible, so she approved of his request verbally. However, this man turned out to be so devoted to her that he was even at the doorstep now. If that was the case¡­ Chaoyan said, ¡°Sword One, bring him in.¡± Sword One nodded and left. Gu Chaoyan was thinking about how to arrange this man. She already had four guards, but she needed some staff for the clinic, which was still in the nning process. If it was possible, she would hire him to watch over the house first, so that Qing coulde back to her side. Winter wasing and soon she would be holding the Adulthood Ceremony as well as the wedding. That was when Qing woulde in handy. Qing was, after all, the only person that kept herpany throughout her life and took care of her. With ideas in mind, Gu Chaoyan was feeling quite relieved. Sword One had alsoe in with that man by this point. Gu Chaoyan sized this man up. He had been lying in bed during their past meetings, but he turned out to be a tough and tall man, a typical hunter-looking guy. The man kneeled down the moment he walked in. ¡°Greetings, Elder Miss!¡± ¡°Please rise first.¡± Gu Chaoyan waved her hand. ¡°What is your speciality?¡± Chapter 474 - Bragging

Chapter 474: Bragging

Gu Chaoyan could tell that Li Yuanxiang was feeling guilty and worried¡­ She said with a smile, ¡°The assistant is Princess Xunyang, and I had intended to get you as the witness. But if you are not in a good position for that yourself¡­ then I can turn to someone else. There is still time, don¡¯t worry.¡± Princess Xunyang? That was great, thought Li Yuanxiang. Chaoyan was able to get someone else even without her being present. ¡°Continue with your medicine, that¡¯s what I am here for today.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Li Yuanxiang answered, then Gu Chaoyan left with Sword One. After Gu Chaoyan left, Li Yuanxiang felt quite distressed. She had spent the whole time indoors just to study some medicine. She wasn¡¯t a greedy person, but as long as she was able to make as good medicine as Chaoyan did, that would be great. She didn¡¯t have the intention of exceeding anyone. @@novelbin@@ Could she really not make it? Chaoyan just told her that she could not, but she still wanted to have a try ¨C maybe that could work! Determined, Li Yuanxiang devoted herself to making the medicine again. Gu Chaoyan headed towards the Gu Mansion directly after Saint College. *** Time passed by, Gu Chaoyan had been spending most of her time at the Qiong Pavilion. She felt that the country was indeed cold. She had not been so worried about coldness, but now, she was feeling extra cold. So Gu Chaoyan becameid-back, kept drinking her tea and reading her books just to kill the time. If not for Chen Fu who reminded her of Gu Ruxue¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony, she would never have noticed it. ¡°I got it, I will be there tomorrow.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered. Chen Fu sighed out of relief and was about to turn around to pass on the message, but Gu Chaoyan suddenly thought of something and asked. ¡°Are you doing well these days, Housekeeper Chen?¡± Chen Fu froze. He was very surprised, but he felt that the whole thing sounded reasonable too. With some tears in his eyes, he said, ¡°I am doing well. Lady Chaoyan, your medicine works perfectly. You and Madame are both very kind.¡± ¡°My mother?¡± Gu Chaoyan was astonished that he would mention her mother Mrs. Lin. Chen Fu wiped his tears, lowered his head and said, ¡°I have to go.¡± Then he left in a hurry as if fearing that Gu Chaoyan would have stopped him. Gu Chaoyan did not stop him either. The reason why he cared about her was because she was a doctor and that was asked out of instinct. She had not expected to hear anything about Ms. Lin. It seemed that she used to help Chen Fu as well. So Chen Fu sometimes helped her. That made sense, but Gu Chaoyan felt that something else was going on, which Gu Chaoyan could not understand at that moment. However, she was sure that she could figure it out when the time was right. ¡°Elder Miss, are you really attending Gu Ruxue¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony tomorrow?¡± Sword One asked angrily. ¡°Yeah.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered briefly. She did not have the intention of going there, but Mrs. Gu wanted her to be there. If she turned her down, Mrs. Gu would keep bothering her all the time! So she could just go there, anyway. That was what Gu Chaoyan was thinking. Sword One was not aware of this matter, so she went into the room angrily and said, ¡°Elder Miss, I will get you a very pretty dress for tomorrow.¡± Gu Chaoyanughed involuntarily. Sword One was indeed lovely. Why was a beautiful dress so important for the Adulthood Ceremony? She shook her head. ¡°It is fine, that in-color one suits me best.¡± Sword One looked helpless. She mumbled into Gu Chaoyan¡¯s ears. ¡°Elder Miss, no way! Mrs. Gu asked you to be there to show off. You have to defend yourself!¡± Chapter 475 - Princess Consort of Lord Ling?

Chapter 475: Princess Consort of Lord Ling?

Seeing Sword One¡¯s behavior, Gu Chaoyan knocked on her head. ¡°Sword One, you are getting very nagging.¡± Sword One was indeed annoyed. ¡°Elder Miss, I am just considering you!¡± Sword One said. ¡°You are getting more and more like Qing.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Sword One. ¡°Good that you don¡¯t look like each other, otherwise I would have mixed you two up!¡± Sword One pursed her lips as she took a seat beside her. How irritating! Elder Miss did not seem to care! Gu Chaoyan asked Sword One to drink some tea, but Sword One ignored her. Gu Chaoyan started to feel helpless. She had to exin. ¡°They have nothing to show off in front of me. Although Gu Ruxue has County Princess Anxi as the assistant, mine is Princess Xunyang! Why is my dress rted to showing off?¡± Sword One had been annoyed with pursed lips. She thought that Elder Miss just cared about nothing! She did not expect Gu Ruxue to bully Elder Miss. However, it seemed that Elder Miss understood the whole point! While looking at Gu Chaoyan, Sword understood that she had misunderstood Elder Miss who seemed so cold on the surface. She had thought that Elder Miss did not know a thing, but actually, she was aware of everything. Sword One instantly became very pleased. So she started to drink tea with Gu Chaoyan and filled up her cup. *** The following day, Chen Fu came to get Elder Miss early in the morning. Gu Chaoyan had been used to sleeping in, so this early rise was not that pleasing. And she looked slightly dumb-headed. Sword One helped her put on warm drapery, fearing that Elder Miss was exceptionally sensitive towards coldness. So Chen Fu led the way. The wagon was ready. Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu were taking thergest wagon whilst the slightly shabby-looking wagon was for Gu Chaoyan, Gu Xiuying and Gu Caiqin. The wagon was quite small, so the three of them made it look even smaller. Gu Chaoyan said nothing and just sat there quietly. @@novelbin@@ Gu Xiuying, however, kept ncing at her. After the Third Concubine told her about the assistant the other day, she had been looking forward to receiving her begging, but none of that hade. And she simply could not demean herself to ask her about it. So she kept waiting for it to happen. She believed that Gu Chaoyan was too dumb-headed to turn to her for help. Now when they were all trapped in a wagon, she should have been reminded of it, right? So Gu Xiuying had been waiting for her to start the conversation. Gu Chaoyan had not been fully awake, and she was feeling quite drowsy, so she was taking a rest with her eyes closed. Gu Xiuying was feeling so irritated, but she just gave no response! She also did not think Gu Chaoyan was worth her own attention anyway. As she was thinking about this, they already came to Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. Gu Xiuying was wearing a terrible expression. This girl should start the conversation on the way home, she thought. Gu Chaoyan already went off the wagon with Sword One¡¯s help. The Gu Family were heading towards Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion¡­ This time, Lord Ling did pay great attention to Gu Ruxue¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony. Lord Ling immediately spotted the white silhouette as they were waiting for the guests at the gate. He noticed that Gu Chaoyan looked very tired ¨C was she having trouble sleeping? Gu Chaoyan was indeed sleepy, but she suddenly became sober as she sensed someone¡¯s ufortable gaze upon her. She took her steps cautiously. Gu Chaoyan noticed the Princess Consort of Lord Ling next to Lord Ling as she was getting them. She was reminded of the Princess Consort of Lord Ling whom she had heard about somewhere. Chapter 476 - Gu Ruxues Adulthood Ceremony

Chapter 476: Gu Ruxue¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony

The idea went inside her head for a long while. Only now did she think of Princess Xunyang who once mentioned the Princess Consort of Lord Ling. Was Princess Xunyang getting on well with the Princess Consort of Lord Ling? Gu Chaoyan spared a look at the Princess Consort of Lord Ling. She did not look like any of the otherdies in the capital. She looked quite imposing and serious. Now she believed that Lord Ling was lucky to have married someone like the Princess Consort. She could not help but appreciate the Princess Consort a little bit more. The Princess Consort also gave Gu Chaoyan a nod. As they walked into the mansion, Gu Chaoyan saw how the mansion was decorated. She thought that thanks to Mrs. Gu¡¯s usual behavior, the scene would have been rather spectacr. Yet what was presented in front of her¡­ There were a few guests on the spot. @@novelbin@@ Apart from the seats for the Gu Family, the remaining seats were vacant. Some officials were present, yet none of them was familiar to Gu Chaoyan. She thought for a while, beforeing to the conclusion that they were here way too early. Gu Chaoyan sat and drank tea, yet no more guests arrived even when the Adulthood Ceremony started. Mrs. Gu left to run other errands. Gu Xiuying and Gu Caiqin took the front seats just to show their faces. So Gu Chaoyan was surrounded by no one. However, instead of going anywhere, she sat quietly. ¡°Elder Miss, I can tell that there are too few guests here, why is the ceremony starting now?¡± Sword One asked in confusion. Gu Chaoyan suggested that she should not chit chat at Lord Ling¡¯s mansion, so Sword One shut her mouth. However, then came a voice from behind. ¡°The invitations were sent, but no one came.¡± Gu Chaoyan took a look around¡­ It was the Princess Consort who was talking and who had taken the seat next to Gu Chaoyan. She spoke frankly. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s startled look, she continued instead ofmenting on that. ¡°In the Saint Divine Land, there is no such thing as marrying the Equal Princess Consort, but this man broke the rules. What is more, this Adulthood Ceremony is held after the wedding, and that is against the rules again. It is totally against thew of the Saint Divine Land for women that haven¡¯t be an adult to get married.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And those officials are not stupid. They would not be present even if they stand by Lord Ling¡¯s side. They don¡¯t want to leave any traces in history. He is the Lord so he doesn¡¯t care, but the officers do! That is why no one is here ¨C well, that was not the original n.¡± The Princess Consort was talking in a very modest way as if what she was saying had nothing to do with her at all. Gu Chaoyan became increasingly curious about the Princess Consort. What kind of woman was she for her to be so frank and open-minded. The Princess Consort seemed to trust Gu Chaoyan so she continued. ¡°Only the County Princess and thedy from the Huo Family would be willing to be the assistant and the witness. Normally,dies from the right family would never be here.¡± Gu Chaoyan was about to speak, when another figure took the other seat and asked curiously, ¡°I never expected that the silent and elegant Princess Consort could be so talkative. Are you talking with Lady Chaoyan because she is prettier than I am?¡± The Princess Consort frowned. What was the Princess Concubine doing here? ¡°That is possible.¡± Gu Chaoyan responded seriously. That was a proper reason to tell them on their first meeting. The Princess Concubine almost puked blood out of surprise. She was about to counter, when a loud noise of birds chirping sounded in Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. Chapter 480 - The Princess Consorts Anger

Chapter 480: The Princess Consort¡¯s Anger

The Princess Consort was living in the front yard of Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. When Lord Ling married her, no other women were found in the mansion apart from the maids. So she was living in the best yard with the most excellent structure. Even now when Zhou Huailing came to visit the Princess Consort¡¯s yard, he found that the yard was extremely well-built. He spent quite a lot of effort gathering General Liu¡¯s forces by pleasing the Princess Consort, but¡­ He became slightly distressed as he walked into the Princess Consort¡¯s yard. Ruxue was going to be the Princess Consort, so she had to live in the best yard. If the Princess Consort remained in the same yard, then he had to build an even better one for Ruxue, but he was running out of money to afford any more expenses. Therefore, if the Princess Consort could be understanding enough during the talk, he could mention this matter too. If she got angry, then he could wait. There was always going to be a way out. When Zhou Huailing made up his mind, he continued to hurry to the Princess Consort¡¯s room. Shao, who was waiting outside, looked slightly nervous at the sight of Zhou Huailing. ¡°Lord, I will speak with her first.¡± Zhou Huailing was feeling very happy today, so he was not bothered to speak with a maid. So he threw a look at her and said with displeasure. ¡°No need, I can walk by myself.¡± Then he pushed the door open and walked in. The Princess Consort was in the middle of reading a book. She found it curious that he was here in her room right now, but she showed a calm expression on her face. ¡°What is it, Lord?¡± Zhou Huailing was in a good mood, so he did not care about her coldness. Also, he was here to make the Princess Consortpromise. He showed a gentle smile, and pointed at the Princess Consort, suggesting that she should take a seat. Seeing his gesture, the Princess Consort did not move and instead sat where she was, staring at Zhou Huailing. She had no intention of approaching him. ¡°Well, it is fine if you are there, I am just here to talk with you about something,¡± Zhou Huailing said with a smile as he took a sip of the tea. The Princess Consort did not say anything. She looked at him, waiting for him to start the speech. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huailing took another sip of tea. ¡°You have seen what happened at Ruxue¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony today. The birds were gathering, and that was a conspicuous omen!¡± ¡°So?¡± The Princess Consort had no idea what he was aiming at. She did not pester Gu Ruxue even if it was against tradition that she was married to him in this way. She could just ignore her since she did not like her. She had no intention of wasting any more time caring about that. So why was she involved with any of this? With the Princess Consort¡¯s question, Zhou Huailing felt even more assured. He said with a modest tone, ¡°So I spoke with my father and mother about this, and I believe that a blessed girl like Ruxue should be my Princess Consort. She is lucky, and with her around, I can do anything easily. So I think that you will understand me, right?¡± The Princess Consort looked at Zhou Huailing, half unsure about what he was aiming at, but she seemed to have gotten the point as well. Her hands were shivering slightly. She just could not believe that what she guessed might be right. She tried hard to stabilize herself and said with a shivering tone. ¡°Please rify the point.¡± Chapter 483 - Back to the Liu Mansion

Chapter 483: Back to the Liu Mansion

Regarding what the King said, the Princess Consort was slightly satisfied. She had not expected that the King would approve of it directly, because Zhou Huailing was his son and he would defend him after all. The Princess Consort was totally aware of that. Also, the King believed that her family was one of the best choices. It was just one month, so the Princess Consort kowtowed to the King and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± The King had a veryplicated expression on his face. Hopefully she be rational in the following month. He waved his hand. ¡°Just go home now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± the Princess Consort answered and left politely, then she walked out of the Imperial Study. The Princess Consort walked steadily and elegantly like before. Shao felt concerned about Princess Consort, yet she had no idea what to say. So she asked. ¡°Princess Consort, are we heading back to the mansion first?¡± The Princess Consort nodded. As she was walking with a straight back, she suddenly thought of something and asked Shao. ¡°Shao, you haven¡¯t been back to the Liu Mansion for a long while right?¡± Shao nodded. The Princess Consort was always a very obedient woman. When women got married, they could not visit their mother¡¯s home freely. Now that the Princess Consort had married the Lord, she had to obey the rules strictly. So she barely visited home. When the Princess Consort barely visited home, the maid followed suit as well. @@novelbin@@ So¡­ ¡°Princess Consort, are we heading back to the Liu Mansion now?¡± Shao asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± the Princess Consort answered. Shao realized what happened so she said nothing more. At the Liu Mansion. The Princess Consort¡¯s sudden return made General Liu panic. He hurried here and asked at the first sight. ¡°Princess Consort, what is going on?¡± General Liu understood his daughterpletely. It was not a special day so normally, she would not be here. So something wrong must be going on since she showed up here directly. The Princess Consort felt like crying when she first spotted General Liu. It was her father who knew her best in the whole world. One nce, and he knew what was wrong with her. The Princess Consort could not help but feel like crying. General Liu knew that something had gone wrong. So he took her in, then he asked everyone else to leave. General Liu asked. ¡°What is going on?¡± The Princess Consort recounted the whole thing from beginning to the end. ¡°Father, I can be tolerant, but I am your daughter, who does he think we are!¡± the Princess Consort said seriously. General Liu had no idea that so many things had happened. How ridiculous Lord Ling was! He had not liked Lord Ling, because he felt that he was not straightforward at all, but now he found that this man was very stupid! General Liu patted the Princess Consort¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Qingqing, you are right. Just get divorced! Staying here is much better than spending time with him. I can support you!¡± General Liu said straightforwardly. The Princess Consort felt slightly assured. ¡°Go and take some rest, I will speak with your mother about it.¡± General Liu said. ¡°Okay.¡± The Princess Consort was about to return to her own room, when the housekeeper came running. ¡°General, Princess Consort, Lord Ling is here.¡± Chapter 486 - Elder Miss, a Thief

Chapter 486: Elder Miss, a Thief

Mrs. Gu was speaking to Gu Chaoyan and Gu Xiuying. Gu Chaoyan did not even frown, but Gu Xiuying next to her showed a ttering smile as she nodded constantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madame Gu, I will keep everything in order.¡± Mrs. Gu red at Gu Chaoyan. She stopped being displeased, showed a long face and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Then they went onto their own wagon. Gu Chaoyan and Gu Xiuying were receiving the same treatment at the Gu Mansion. They both were arranged to take the most shabby wagon that held them tightly together. No one had everined that it was against any tradition. After all in their heart, Gu Ruxue was the real lineal daughter who had the right to have her own wagon. Gu Chaoyan did not care at all. She went into the wagon, and then she had her eyes closed for rest in the wagon. Gu Xiuying was the same ¨C she constantly threw a look at Gu Chaoyan. Well, she expected to be the assistant of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony, but she was too proud to ask. She expected Gu Chaoyan to beg her instead. So she felt rather restless on the way. Gu Chaoyan, however, behaved as if she had forgotten about her Adulthood Ceremony, and went off the wagon directly as they arrived. She had no intention of sucking up to Gu Xiuying. Gu Xiuying stomped her feet, looking very unconvinced. She had made up her mind. Since Gu Chaoyan refused to ask her personally, she would humiliate herself once and ask her instead. She was going to do that when they went home. Gu Chaoyan was definitely not going to turn her down, once she asked. She did that just because she found Gu Chaoyan extremely stupid ¨C how could she have no idea of inviting the guests? It must be because her mother passed away too early, so no one was reminding her of anything. How pathetic. When Gu Xiuying managed to console herself, a smile hovered over her face again. She walked into the Min Mansion following Mrs. Gu. The Min Mansion was indeed a noble family in the Saint Divine Land. The family was extremely huge and pleasant. Their banquets did not normally receive many guests. For example, the Gu Mansion had no qualification of doing so in the past, but now they did. However, Mrs. Gu did not care about them. She went to meet Gu Ruxue instead. So Gu Chaoyan and Gu Xiuying had nowhere else to go, but to linger about in the garden of the Min Mansion. It was not until the servants of the Min Mansion came to them that they got their own seats. Gu Chaoyan had just taken the seats when some eyes were staring at her. Elder Miss was said to be chubby, easy to be recognized ¨C the fattest girl must be her! However, as the Elder Miss became thinner, she became prettier and more easily recognized too ¨C she had a red birthmark on the corner of her left eye. That must be the rumored Elder Miss. Therefore, the moment Gu Chaoyan took her seat, many people started to stare at her. Someone said directly, ¡°The Min Family are now getting less particr about who to invite. It is said that the Elder Miss of the Gu Family has the habit of stealing servants¡¯ stuff, so the Min Family have to watch out for what they have now, in case they lose something. The Min Family have more treasure than any of those servants she used to steal from, what are we supposed to do when something goes missing.¡± It was Madame Deng, the wife of the Officer of the Board of Rites and Ceremonies. She was a straightforwarddy who justined since she did not like sharing a table with Gu Chaoyan.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 489 - Princess Yunxi as the Witness

Chapter 489: Princess Yunxi as the Witness

The Gu Mansion were now the most poprly discussed family in the whole capital. There was no one promising arising from the Gu Mansion, the only thing they were good at was marrying off the girls ¨C the Old Master¡¯s sister was married to the King whilst now, the two daughters were all marrying Lords. Why? That was exactly what therge families in the capital would always ask. The Gu Mansion had already influenced many families¡¯ interests, and when their interests were offended, they would be pushed to the top of the topic whilst everyone else was waiting for them to fall. Gu Chaoyan exchanged a few looks with Sword One as they watched the gossiping going on. They had not shown any extra expressions. They sat down calmly and took a sip of tea. @@novelbin@@ Hopefully, the deceased original host would feel slightly gratified ¨C the bitterness she used to suffer was now returned to Mrs. Gu little by little. Gu Chaoyan was about to take one bite of the pastry, when someone came forward. ¡°I did not expect that you would be so skilled.¡± Gu Chaoyan saw the girl. ¡°Princess Yunxi?¡± She did remember Princess Yunxi, whom she met once in the court. It was when Gu Ruxue forced her to perform. Princess Yunxi seemed to have just said onement ¨C ¡°you are different from what I imagined.¡± Then they never met each other again, and she was never reminded of this girl. However, now they met again, unexpectedly. Gu Chaoyan had a sense that Princess Yunxi was not a person with any ill intention, so she smiled. ¡°What made you say so, Princess Yunxi?¡± Princess Yunxi looked at the distance and pursed her lips in that direction. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you have achieved?¡± She used to hate the Elder Miss of the Gu Family ¨C what kind of girl could be so stupid as to lead such a terrible life. However, the two meetings had changed her opinions about this Elder Miss. On the first asion, she was so good at ying the zither that those who intended to humiliate her got humiliated instead. On the second asion, she pushed those who once hurt her to the center of conversation. She was not at all stupid. She was way too excellent. She had not thought about epting Xunyang¡¯s proposal but now she was fully willing to do so. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, I heard that you are hosting the Adulthood Ceremony, I can be your witness, feel honored?¡± Princess Yunxi asked. She was willing to do so, but she was afraid of being turned down, so she made a baffling gesture. Gu Chaoyan was surprised, but she found it suitable. She had needed a witness, so if Princess Yunxi was willing to do so, she would be more than happy to do that. She nodded with a smile. ¡°I feel honored.¡± Princess Yunxi let out a sigh of relief. That was great ¨C if she dared to turn her down, she would not let the matter go. ¡°Then get someone to pick me up at the mansion!¡± Princess Yunxi said with a high-raised tone, ¡°I am off now, my mother doesn¡¯t know I am here.¡± As she finished saying these words, she hurried off before Gu Chaoyan said a thing. When Princess Yunxi was gone, Gu Xiuying suddenly started to think about different things ¨C she was no longer going to hesitate about being the assistant for Gu Chaoyan now. Princess Yunxi was going to be the witness, so if she could end up standing with Princess Yunxi, that would be of a great honor! If she could make friends with Princess Yunxi on this asion, then she would have nothing to worry about. Gu Xiuying was already starting to make a n about her smooth life that was about to start ¨C she was going to live as great a life as Gu Ruxue! As she thought it through, she decided not to wait. She shouted. ¡°Hey, Chaoyan!¡± Chapter 491 - Watch Out for The Third Lady

Chapter 491: Watch Out for The Third Lady

However, Madame Min was still seated there, so she should not mention this now. So Gu Xiuying had to tolerate the excitement inside her heart. @@novelbin@@ Nevertheless, since Madame Min was there, she was still hoping to express herself. If only Madame Min could look at her, she would stand out in the capital. It was totally right for Gu Xiuying to be at the banquet today, she thought inwardly. So she reached out and grabbed the kettle, pouring tea for Madame Min with a smile and said, ¡°Please have some tea, Madame Min!¡± Madame Min looked at Gu Xiuying. She frowned slightly. Gu Xiuying felt happy inwardly when she saw Madame Min looking at her. It seemed that her attempt turned out to be sessful. Gu Chaoyan had not expected that Gu Xiuying was so terribly-mannered. It totally embarrassed Madame Min. ¡°Sword One.¡± Gu Chaoyan called Sword One when she saw Madame Min without a maid with her. Sword One stepped forward and passed the teacup to Madame Min, saying, ¡°Sorry, Third Lady, don¡¯t steal my work.¡± Gu Xiuying threw a re at Sword One. A servant was stealing her show! However, she did not dare to utter the anger and said, ¡°I don¡¯t dare to!¡± Madame Min looked even more embarrassed. She frowned ¨C she had not expected that ady from the Gu Family was so terribly-mannered. She was in a high position in the capital with many people ttering her. She could understand the tteringpliment, but thisdy was so embarrassing. She was ady, and she should let the servant serve the tea. They were sharing the same table after all. It was not a get-together, but a banquet of the Min Family. What would the bystanders think, when they saw the scene? Madame Min, who was normally well-tempered, was now very displeased. Gu Xiuying did not notice the embarrassment, but red at Sword One instead. Sword One was feeling rather helpless. What a terribledy born of a concubine! She had never seen ady stealing work from a servant! At this moment, someone from the Min Mansion came. And Madame Min was asked to leave the table. Madame Min smiled at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Come to see me when you have time.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She got up and saw her off, then she went back to her seat. She did not say anything to Gu Xiuying. This girl might never understand where she had been wrong. She took a sip of tea and continued with her pastry. Gu Chaoyan had alreadypleted her mission when she saw Madame Min. So she decided to stay away from the banquet. Gu Xiuying, however, went up to join the crowd. Some otherdies joined them too. Some who did not have to suck up to the Min Family were seated where they were instead of moving. Madame Deng came and spoke with Chaoyan. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, you have to watch out for the Third Lady, she is setting you up!¡± Gu Chaoyan was surprised. She did not expect that Madame Deng woulde and remind her personally. Well, Madame Deng must have stopped believing that rumor. ¡°Madame Deng¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan was about to express some gratitude, when Madame Deng looked around discreetly. Chapter 495 - Passing By

Chapter 495: Passing By

The maid in the room saw the scene, stepped forward and stood in front of Third Concubine, so the water was sshed all over the maid instead. Instead of showing a look of sympathy, Gu Xiuying dashed off angrily. Third Concubine sighed and looked at the maid. ¡°You did not have to. Go and get changed.¡± As she finished saying these words, nothing more was said. She was slightly displeased. The teacup should havended upon her, so that she could examine herself. Xiuying had already had a difficult time, and she should not havee up with such ideas for her. If her ideas worked, why would she just stay as a concubine till this point? *** At the Min Mansion. Zheng Chenyi had not had the intention of going to the Min Mansion, but his strategist told him that all thedies of the Gu Family had been there. So he hurried to the Min Mansion. He still had The Saint Divine Anecdotes with him, as he kept thinking about Elder Miss of the Gu Family ¨C the book had not been returned to her, and when it was, he would not possibly have much to wonder about. Everything would be back to normal. So he was seeking an opportunity to return the book. When Young Duke arrived, everyone from the Min Mansion showed politeness. Madame Min said, ¡°We did invite your mother, but she has got sick. What a pity. Luckily you are here.¡± Zheng Chenyi was not at all thinking about the banquet. He nodded casually and looked about. The nobledies lowered their heads bashfully, but hoped that Young Duke could take a look at them at the same time. Duke North passed away ages ago, and he had only one son. It was time for Young Duke to take over the position, so thosedies were all eager to be his wife. Madame Min noticed Young Duke¡¯s behavior, but she said nothing. There were few people at his mansion whilst Mrs. Duke North was not doing well. It seemed Young Duke was old enough to worry about his marriage. So she decided to not invite him to the front yard. ¡°Young Duke, what about taking a seat here.¡± Madame Min said. Zheng Chenyi nced about. Chaoyan was not within sight. Anxiously, he asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ms. Gu here?¡± Could his strategist have made a mistake by hearing the message wrong? Madame Min hesitated and then remembered which Ms. Gu the Young Duke was talking about. She thought for a while and said, ¡°They were here, but Mrs. Gu said that they still had something to do back at home, so they went away. You are a bitte, Young Duke.¡± Zheng Chenyi looked saddened. He kept thinking about what Madame Min said, ¡°Young Duke, you are a bitte.¡± He waste¡­ He was alreadyte when meeting Chaoyan. She already had Lord Huai for herself. When he went to the Gu Family the other day wanting to return the book, the housekeeper said that she had just gone to Saint College and he was againte. Now he was here when she was gone again. Why? Why was he always a bitte? What he wanted was to meet her, just once, so he could give The Saint Divine Anecdotes back to her. Why was he always a bitte? Why? @@novelbin@@ He just did not get it! Why was he treated so terribly? Zheng Chenyi showed a terrible look on his face. That startled Madame Min. What was going on with Young Duke? ¡°Are you alright, Young Duke?¡± Madame Min asked worriedly. Chapter 500 - News Spread

Chapter 500: News Spread

Gu Yunhe looked at Chu Yu with displeasure. He hated Chu Yu above all. He was the Prime Minister¡¯s son, so what? Gu Yunhe was a man who never lied! ¡°Of course.¡± Gu Yunhe rolled his eyes. Instead of being angry, Chu Yu ignored the rolling eyes. He once heard his father mention that before. Anyone who had the Phoenix Girl would get the world. That was a secret of the Saint Divine Land barely known to anyone. The Chu Family learned about this secret, just because their ancestors were outstanding in the court. Since Gu Yunhe mentioned this, then it was proved that the whole thing was real. Also, the Chu Family had made an investigation about the birds. If that was real, then Lord Ling would be the King. So Gu Yunhe was someone he should not offend. Well, Chu Yu was not scared of this man, but he was in a family that should not establish any foes with anyone. It seemed that the Chu Family had to take his position. Chu Yu thought inwardly¡­ It was a very awkward meal. The young masters in the elegant room were distracted, and the manager of Restaurant Jixian was totally frightened, fearing that something would happen. That was a room full of young masters, one small mistake, and the manager and his staff would have to take the me. However, Gu Yunhe was in a good mood. He was very satisfied with how he was now ¨C even the Prime Minister¡¯s son was treating him nicely. For one second, he truly had no interest in returning home, but the meal woulde to an end sooner orter. As they walked out of the Restaurant Jixian, they were all hurrying back to their own mansions. Only Gu Yunhe seemed to be in a leisurely mood. Within a few hours¡¯ time, the news was spread all over the whole capital. Lord Ling, who had been busy with his own business, had no idea that Gu Yunhe had cast a bomb in the capital. He had been in a good mood these days ¨C he had married the Phoenix Girl, and his father seemed to have the intention of passing down the throne to him. Everything seemed to be going on very well. @@novelbin@@ So when Xie Yan rushed in, Lord Ling was very unhappy about that. ¡°Xie Yan, you have worked with me for a long time, and I am taking the throne, but you are so irrational now. How would you be able to work for me?¡± Lord Ling said with displeasure. Xie Yan did not care about what Lord Ling said. ¡°Lord, something is wrong!¡± Xie Yan said anxiously, ¡°Someone has leaked the information so everyone is talking about the Phoenix Girl! Everyone knows that Princess Consort is the Phoenix Girl!¡± He almost passed out. ¡°Who leaked the information?¡± Lord Ling looked at Xie Yan with suspicion. Xie Yan did not even notice that Lord Ling was looking at him with suspicion. He added. ¡°It is the Young Master of the Gu Family, namely the Princess Consort¡¯s brother!¡± Gu Yunhe? What was going on? How did he know about that? Lord Ling looked extremely annoyed ¨C he had never liked Gu Yunhe, who was reckless and ck about everything, but now¡­ He was spreading around the hugest secret! He was dragging him down! Lord Ling could not sit still any more. He was panicking more than Xie Yan! So he hurried off to the Gu Mansion for interrogation. Xie Yan followed in case something else went wrong. Although the Young Master of the Gu Family had done a terrible deed, he was the Princess Consort¡¯s brother whom Lord Ling should not establish contradiction with at the moment. Chapter 503 - What Do You Want?

Chapter 503: What Do You Want?

¡°To the Qiong Pavilion, I need to speak with Gu Chaoyan the bi*ch!¡± Gu Yunhe said angrily. He almost forgot that he had made a promise to Restaurant Jixian. Now that Lord Ling had obtained the civilians¡¯ hearts and was definitely going to take the throne. Then Ruxue was going to be the Queen. Therefore, everyone would need to obey him! Also, he was going to make efforts to do whatever he had promised, so that no one wouldugh at him in the future. Hearing the name, Mrs. Gu got extremely annoyed. If Gu Zhenkang had not known that Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl, he would have had the tendency of helping Gu Chaoyan! ¡°What do you need her for?¡± Mrs. Gu said with displeasure. ¡°She has to do something for me, just a minor thing.¡± Gu Yunhe left directly. He did not have the interest of recounting the whole story. It was just a small business thing. Mrs. Gu looked very helpless seeing him leaving. Yunhe was getting more and more reckless. If not for Lord Ling and Ruxue, he would not have a promising future. Mrs. Gu sighed. She turned around and looked at Gu Ruxue with an expression of adoration. What more would she ask for when she had a daughter like this? ¡°Ruxue, look at you, you have been worried for so long, just go and take a break. Lord says that you can stay at home for a couple of days. Just follow your heart, you can go home when you feel like it. You are the only real mistress of the mansion, and you have the authority on everything,¡± Mrs. Gu said with a smile. The old Princess Consort of Lord Ling was now gone. She needed to worry about nothing now! ¡°Mom!¡± Gu Ruxue said with a look of shyness. She was so happy. While Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue were in deep mother and daughter love with each other¡­ Gu Yunhe had already arrived at the Qiong Pavilion. Sword One was about to carry the pastries into the room when she spotted Gu Yunhe. She threw a look of disdain at him ¨C what was he always doing at Elder Miss¡¯ ce. Gu Yunhe threw a look at Sword One. He showed an indecent smile. Well, he was going to see who was going to help her, when he became the King¡¯s brother-inw in the future. He walked directly into the room after throwing a look at her. ¡°Gu Chaoyan!¡± Gu Yunhe shouted. Gu Chaoyan, who was in the inner chamber, knew that Gu Yunhe was on the way there. After she walked out of the inner chamber, she threw a look at Gu Yunhe, gesturing to Sword One who left the spot. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly as if she were speaking with a stranger. ¡°You own the Yellow Crane?¡± Gu Yunhe asked. He was still surprised that Gu Chaoyan had the ability of owning Yellow Crane ¨C wasn¡¯t this girl always so incapable? @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan nodded. She sipped her tea, not weighing his words at all. She did not like the way Gu Yunhe spoke to her. So she was holding the anger at the moment. After all, Lord Huai was behind her now. He let out a sigh and said, ¡°I heard that your Yellow Crane forbides Restaurant Jixian to sell wine? Restaurant Jixian has been prevailing in the capital for decades, they are famous for their wine. It is just business, why are you so narrow-minded as not to allow them to sell wine?¡± Restaurant Jixian? Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. Interesting. ¡°What do you want?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. Chapter 507 - Your Choice

Chapter 507: Your Choice

¡°Who has been here?¡± Zhou Huailing asked with confusion. ¡°Princess Concubine Yun?¡± Liu Qingqing red at him and said to him with a look of alert, as she held her arms. ¡°This is the Liu Mansion, not your home, how can Princess Concubine Yun be here?¡± Zhou Huailing believed that those words made sense. It was his fault for suspecting that Princess Concubine Yun was here. How could the Liu Mansion allow Princess Concubine Yun to visit them. He had been bothered by too many errands to think clearly these days. So he decided not to mention this matter any more. He found a ce and sat down. ¡°Serve the tea.¡± Zhou Huailing said arrogantly as if he were at his own mansion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Liu Qingqing looked at him with displeasure. What was this man thinking? He already said that they could divorce and she was driven out of the mansion, so why was he still here on a visit!? ¡°The King already approved that if I still want a divorce after one month, then he would say yes. You seem to be satisfied with this result too, so what are you doing here?¡± Liu Qingqing looked at him with arms across her chest. Since she was at her own home, Liu Qingqing was not dressed in elegant clothes. Instead, she was dressed in a very clean and sharp dress and was about to practice something in the yard, when this man walked in. Zhou Huailing looked at Liu Qingqing with confusion. He did not even have time toment upon her dress. When the guards of the Liu Mansion let him enter, he had thought that General Liu and Liu Qingqing had talked everything through, so that she would get back to him as a Princess Concubine, but it seemed that Liu Qingqing was still insisting on divorcing? Zhou Huailing just did not get it. Xie Yan said as he saw the scene. ¡°Lord married Princess Consort Ruxue for the mansion¡¯s sake. She is the Phoenix Girl, so Lord had no choice other than to marry her. You are already married to the Lord, and no one else would dare to marry you if you are divorced. You aren¡¯t spending your whole life here at your own mansion, are you? As far as I know, the Young Master of the Liu Mansion doesn¡¯t share the same mother as you do, so think about it, what if your father gets old?¡± @@novelbin@@ Xie Yan did not dare to talk about General Liu¡¯s death directly, so he was articting in a very gentle way. ¡°If you go back to the mansion with the Lord, Lord will guarantee your son a rank and your life will be full of wealth and you don¡¯t have to worry about anything! That sounds nice, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Xie Yan asked politely. Since Liu Qingqing¡¯s future social status was not confirmed, Xie Yan did not dare to address her by her real name. So what he did was to call her by a polite title. He was polite to Liu Qingqing, because of his respect for General Liu, but what he had said did cater to Liu Qingqing¡¯s current situation. Gu Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl, so his lord was going to the King. If the Liu Family established a grudge with his lord, then the whole family would not be able to survive. When that time came, the former Princess Consort as well as the whole Liu Family would be the center of hatred. There would be lots of gossip pushed upon them and the situation would be very bad for the whole family. That was not a proper situation, so any normal woman would tolerate the moment and choose a potentially great future. Zhou Huailing looked at Xie Yan with satisfaction. Xie Yan had been working very well these days. Then he turned to Liu Qingqing. ¡°What is your choice?¡± Chapter 511 - Qing was Home

Chapter 511: Qing was Home

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions What Sword One said did make sense. Yuanxiang was a very nice girl and she would not dwell on that. *** @@novelbin@@ When Qing came home¡­ Ten days had already passed. When Gu Chaoyan learned of her arrival time, Gu Chaoyan was greeting Qing outside the mansion personally with a coat on. Just like before when Qing was waiting for her to return every time she came home. The wagon pulled over as it came to the Gu Mansion, and Qing hopped off the wagon happily. The moment she spotted Elder Miss at the gate, Qing felt like crying. ¡°Elder Miss!¡± Gu Chaoyan reached out for Qing¡¯s wrist, sized her up from head to toes and then nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Looks nice, just a little fatter.¡± Qing stomped her feet. ¡°Elder Miss!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s go in.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly and guided Qing back to the mansion. Qing did not have much luggage apart from some dresses. So she put down the package and came to Gu Chaoyan directly. Gu Chaoyan had gotten the pastries and snacks ready for her ahead of time. She asked Qing to take the seat. Gu Chaoyan did not have many rules between maids and misses. Only when they were outside the Qiong Pavilion would they have to behave like the maid and the mistress, but back at the Qiong Pavilion, Gu Chaoyan did not care. Sword One and Qing were allowed to sit as they wanted. So Qing naturally took the seat. ¡°Is everything going well in the mansion?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. That was the private mansion Gu Chaoyan bought in the capital. The name was not yet settled and it had been vacant all along, so Gu Chaoyan called it the mansion for the time being. Qing nodded. ¡°Everything is well. Since I came home to you, Xiu Jie will take over the errands. He is very obedient. Apart from dealing with the errands at the mansion, he also learns things with Manager Song at the Yellow Crane every day. He does that every day! Manager Song doesn¡¯t need him to be there, but he is very devoted so he insists on being there. Well, we have to let him do it!¡± Qing said. She was worried and admiring Xiu Jie at the same time. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She did find the right person. Xiu Jie was indeed an excellent man. Qing nagged about what happened at the mansion to Gu Chaoyan, then she mentioned the Adulthood Ceremony. Qing had never expected that the Elder Miss¡¯ Adulthood Ceremony would be so grand. Gu Chaoyan asked Qing to take a break when they finished the conversation. *** The first snow of the Saint Divine Land fell unexpectedly. Gu Chaoyan felt that the days became so cold during the evening, and she woke up from the cold very often. She tossed around and could not fall asleep. So when the day broke, Gu Chaoyan woke up and drank a cup of hot tea and then felt slightly better. Qing screamed as she opened the door. ¡°Miss, it is snowing!¡± Gu Chaoyan went out to take a look at it as well. She had not seen snow for years. Sword One put on the coat for her. ¡°Elder Miss, the wind is blowing, let¡¯s go back to the room.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded and returned to the room. Sword One got the fire basin and Qing got the firece ready. Both of them were aware that Gu Chaoyan was afraid of the cold. In this way she felt slightly warmer. Gu Chaoyan did not turn down the basin when the snow fell. ¡°Chaoyan!¡± Zhou Huaijin walked in hurriedly. Chapter 514 - Mrs. Lin

Chapter 514: Mrs. Lin

This man was so strange. Chaoyan was a girl she liked, and she was going to marry Huaijin as the Princess Consort ¨C apart from the Queen, she was the only person remaining at the Jiang Family, so of course she had to be here. It embarrassed Madame Jiangpletely. She nodded and ignored Gu Zhenkang. Instead she came to Gu Chaoyan with a smile and took her hands. ¡°Good girl!¡± ¡°Hey, Madame Jiang!¡± Gu Chaoyan replied. ¡°I know you like books, so I have picked some books for you from the study. I am not sure what to bring to you, but the contents are a lot of fun. You can read them when you have time,¡± Madame Jiang said with a smile. Gu Chaoyan was so delighted. It was way too cold in winter, and she barely had the motivation to go out. Now she had got something to kill the time. ¡°Thank you, Madame Jiang!¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. Since Madame Jiang and Madame Min were good friends too, the three of them were talking and chatting happily. Gu Zhenkang looked quite embarrassed. As for Mrs. Gu¡­ she was even less pleased. She had intended to organize Gu Chaoyan¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony, since the Princesses were going to be present. She had intended to humiliate Chaoyan on the asion, yet¡­ That was why Mrs. Gu was so annoyed. ¡°Madame Min is going to be the host so she has no time as the organizer! Just talk with her so that I can be the organizer.¡± Mrs. Gu jabbed at Gu Zhenkang. Gu Zhenkang was confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say no just now? Madame Min had just offered to be the organizer and now you are asking me to rece her! I don¡¯t want to offend Madame Min. She is not to be offended!¡± Gu Zhenkang was slightly displeased. He was not stupid enough not to sense Madame Min¡¯s way of looking at him. He should not turn to her for nothing good. Mrs. Gu red at him. She went intending to find an opportunity to speak about this matter. Gu Zhenkang went to deal with other stuff. @@novelbin@@ *** At the Lin Mansion. Lin Jiaxing had received the invitation too. He should be at Gu Chaoyan¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony as her Uncle. He had intended to go there alone, but when Mrs. Lin heard the news, she called Lin Jiashu and got dressed. They then came to Lin Jiaxing. Mrs. Lin was very excited. ¡°It is time to leave now!¡± Lin Jiaxing frowned as he looked at Mrs. Lin. Well, he had no intention to bring them there. They had hurt Chaoyan before and they were just going to cause Chaoyan trouble at the moment. ¡°Why are you going there? I can go there alone.¡± Lin Jiaxing snapped. Mrs. Lin was not delighted by his words. When Gu Chaoyan had a bad time at the Gu Mansion a while back, they did not treat her badly. So when Gu Chaoyan was doing well now, they were not allowed to do anything at all? That was so unreasonable. However, Lin Jiaxing was a stubborn person. She understood that well after being married to him for so many years. Therefore, she did not dare to confess what she was thinking inwardly. So she argued. ¡°I am her Aunt and one of the elders in the family. Do you think that Mrs. Gu would be sincere enough to be the organizer for her? She is just a stepmother!¡± Chapter 518 - Help Jiashu

Chapter 518: Help Jiashu

Mrs. Lin looked about cautiously and made sure that no one was around or heard what she was speaking. Then she said to Chaoyan with a small voice. ¡°Chaoyan, your cousin Jiashu is not young anymore. And he has passed his twentieth birthday. I was wondering if you can help him with his marriage.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Mrs. Lin. The way she was was still the same, but Mrs. Lin had not been this modest earlier. Instead, she was talking arrogantly in front of her. ¡°Your cousin Jiashu is still young, and has just passed his twentieth birthday, and he is not ready for marriage, don¡¯t ever think about him!¡± It had been just a few months since that happened, but now everything had changed. Gu Chaoyan was not a very generous nor a narrow-minded person. She could ignore what the Lin Family had done to her for her mother¡¯s sake, but that did not mean that she had forgotten what happened back then. Mrs. Lin had once hurt her before, and Gu Chaoyan was pretty aware about that. That matter might have more or less slipped out her mind, but when she saw her face, she was reminded of that thing again. Mrs. Lin did not notice Gu Chaoyan¡¯s changing expression. What she was thinking was that since Gu Chaoyan was Ms. Lin¡¯s daughter, then she was definitely going to help the only son of the Lin Family. So before Gu Chaoyan answered her, Mrs. Lin said happily, ¡°Princess Xunyang is too high in social status, and only someone with a better background would be able to marry her. But I think Princess Yunxi is a very great match in background. She is a great suitor for Jiashu.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since Princess Yunxi is here for your Adulthood Ceremony, then I believe that you two are good friends. So help Jiashu and set them up. If Princess Yunxi falls for Jiashu, the marriage would work out easily!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything, you just need to set them up and leave them to talk with each other. Chaoyan, you are helping Jiashu right?¡± Mrs. Lin said dly. Gu Chaoyan frowned and a touch of anger hovered over her face. It was not a helping hand, it was a killing hand! It was a hand to kill her, and to kill Princess Yunxi. ¡°Aunt, you are old enough to know about etiquette, right?¡± Gu Chaoyan almost snapped at her. She might tolerate her because she was her uncle¡¯s wife, if it were for some other things, but not for this. ¡°What etiquette? It is such a simple move for you to do.¡± Mrs. Lin was displeased. She was the elderly of the family and Gu Chaoyan was one generation after her. How could she speak like this? A simple move? Gu Chaoyanughed ironically. ¡°Aunt, you know what you are asking me to do? You are leading me to set up Princess Yunxi so that she could get personally engaged with Lin Jiashu!¡± Gu Chaoyan snapped. ¡°I may be alright throughout the whole process, but Princess Yunxi is a princess and she is an unmarried girl! How would she keep her reputation?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you think Princess Yunxi is a great suitor for Lin Jiashu, then sure, go and make a proposal with gifts and if Princess Yunxi¡¯s family are okay with your proposal, then they would think about it!¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Mrs. Lin had a bad look on her face. Of course she knew about this, but the point was that the Lin Family was a business family and they would be driven out of the mansion, if they made the proposal at the lord¡¯s mansion. Only by forcing Princess Yunxi to marry him would the n work, otherwise why would she need Gu Chaoyan? ¡°So you are not helping Jiashu?¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 522 - So What?

Chapter 522: So What?

After Mrs. Gu left, Gu Chaoyan supported her forehead, looking exhausted. Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Gu¡­ Both of them were trying to use her to obtain the biggest interests. She was really tired of those people. Seeing the way Gu Chaoyan looked, Sword One was concerned. ¡°Elder Miss, let¡¯s go back to the Qiong Pavilion now. The Adulthood Ceremony has ended, and those guests outside are trying to establish friendship with the Gu Family. You don¡¯t have to worry about them.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, Sword One was right. Princess Yunxi and Princess Xunyang had the intention of remaining a little longer today, but Gu Chaoyan turned them down and asked them to go home as soon as possible. She was able to defend them, but she did not want them to get involved with those disgusting things happening at the Gu Family. She put on a coat and then left with Sword One. No one noticed their absence. Those people were not really here to attend Gu Chaoyan¡¯s Adulthood Ceremony, since her Adulthood Ceremony was not that important for them. Instead, they were here to befriend the Gu Family, which were the most popr family in the whole capital now. On the way to the Qiong Pavilion. Gu Yunxuan, who was hiding behind the tree, said, ¡°Chaoyan!¡± Gu Chaoyan looked in that direction. It was Gu Yunxuan. He was still dressed in the uniform from the Ministry of Military, and looked exhausted. He passed the salted chicken to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Just eat them, Chaoyan, you can¡¯t have eaten anything at your Adulthood Ceremony right? This is your favorite salted chicken, here you are. I have to leave now, I have lots of stuff to do at the Ministry of Military.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are now an adult and old enough to get married, so I don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Especially since your fiance is Lord Huai¡­ I need to leave now,¡± Gu Yunxuan said quickly and left. Before Gu Chaoyan realized what happened, he was already gone. Only the salted chicken in her hands gave her utter warmth. ¡°Elder Miss, Second Young Master truly cares about you.¡± Sword One said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. At the Adulthood Ceremony, the whole Gu Mansion were thinking about how to make use of her for their own interests, and only Gu Yunxuan wondered if she had eaten anything. She had never liked salted chicken, but now she did. Back at the Qiong Pavilion. Zhou Huaijin was in the room and the brazier was burning, bringing about warmth. After seeing her Miss home, Qing said, ¡°Elder Miss, I will bring the hot dishes!¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled. Two people were caring about whether she had been fed. She put the salted chicken on the table. She was about to say something when Zhou Huaijin saw the chicken and looked surprised. ¡°You¡­ like this?¡± Gu Chaoyan had no idea how to exin since the whole process was somehowplicated¡­ so she nodded. Zhou Huaijinughed. @@novelbin@@ A cold woman who seemed so far away from the worldly things turned out to be a supporter of salted chicken! How lovely. They ate the salted chicken together, and then had some other food. Gu Chaoyan felt a bit tired. Zhou Huaijin had intended to let her take a break, but Gu Chaoyan grabbed his hand and said, ¡°Princess Xunyang was my assistant at the ceremony today, and Gu Yunhe saw her and started to n something on her. It is my fault! You have to watch out for Princess Xunyang, Gu Yunhe isn¡¯t a nice man.¡± Zhou Huaijin frowned tightly. How dare the Gu Family! How dare they n something on Xunyang? He was the Phoenix Girl¡¯s Elder Brother right? So what? So what if there was a Phoenix Girl? Chapter 525 - The Refugees

Chapter 525: The Refugees

¡°Elder Miss, we found her.¡± Sword Two rushed in, panting as he spoke. It should be a delightful thing when she was found, but Sword Two still looked confused. He wondered if he should tell Gu Chaoyan the truth. Qing had just got the coat and put it on for Gu Chaoyan. It was not raining outside, but the wind was blowing wildly. Gu Chaoyan felt much warmer with a coat on. She asked confusedly as she noticed Sword Two¡¯s expression. ¡°Did you bring her here?¡± Sword Two shook his head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want toe home?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, feeling confused. Well, if she did not want toe home, then she could just take a walk outside alone to drive away her sadness. She coulde home when she felt like it. Sword Two sighed. He had no intention of spilling the truth. His Miss had been exhausted and she was scared of coldness. They, as the servants, felt very concerned for her, but it was a very serious matter, and maybe only she was able to solve the problem due to her excellent medical skills. After all, even Lady Yuanxiang was not sure what to do. As he thought it through, he recounted the story carefully. ¡°Lady Yuanxiang refuses toe home, because she has run into many refugees who are seriously sick. Lady Yuanxiang has been treating them from yesterday to today.¡± Sword Two sighed again as he said this. The Saint Divine Land was located in the north, and the winter in the north was very cold. Therefore, many poor civilians were unable to eat well or be protected from the cold in winter. So when they caught a cold, it basically meant that they would die. This was a situation happening every year, but this year, things seemed much more serious. Those refugees were totally left alone without anyone caring about them. Even he could not stand the scene. No wonder Lady Yuanxiang was never home. She had been helping those refugees all along. @@novelbin@@ ¡°What?¡± Gu Chaoyan just could not believe it. ¡°Show me the way, I need to check it out.¡± Sword Two hesitated, but then he nodded. He took Gu Chaoyan to the ce where the refugees were allocated. Those refugees were not allowed toe into the capital, since they were supposed to stay outside the city. Therefore, all they could do was to stay inside some deserted temples outside the capital as well as some old shelters. When Gu Chaoyan arrived, she saw Li Yuanxiang standing among those people. Due to the limited conditions, she could only make the medicine with arge iron pot. The medicine was made inside the room, and was fed to the sick after it was done. These people all had a cold that could have spread very easily. At the beginning only a few people got it, but soon, everyone else caught it as well. Seeing the scene, Gu Chaoyan could not help sighing. No wonder Sword Two had aplicated expression on his face just now. When Li Yuanxiang saw Gu Chaoyan, she was startled as well. ¡°Chaoyan!¡± Apart from Li Yuanxiang, everyone else looked at Gu Chaoyan with aid-back expression, showing no emotions at all. They were all feeling numb. They did not think that anyone would be able to change the situation. So they did not care who else was here. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. ¡°It won¡¯t work. Everyone will eventually have it and fail to get better.¡± Li Yuanxiang looked worried too. ¡°I have been making medicine for them since yesterday, but there are too many of them and even the medicine doesn¡¯t work.¡± Chapter 528 - Future Lord Huais Princess Consort

Chapter 528: Future Lord Huai¡¯s Princess Consort

Sword Two said directly, ¡°She is our Elder Miss, the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai.¡± What? Not only the grandpa and the strong man, everyone else in the room turned to Gu Chaoyan. She looked young, not that tall for the Saint Divine Land. She was skinny and dressed with a set of white clothes and a coat, indeed ady from a rich family. However, no one dared to consider her as the Princess Consort! However, she was! So the Princess Consort of Lord Huai was here, showing great concern about them. The refugees had no idea what they were supposed to do. Instead, they gazed at Gu Chaoyan dumbly, and could not get their mind around it. Therefore, quiet dominated the whole room, whilst everyone was staring at Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan, who had never been stared at by so many people at the same time, almost flushed. She embarrassedly gave out a light cough, then she said calmly, ¡°I have some knowledge of medicine. You have caught a cold and can be cured with medicine. So don¡¯t be distressed. The winter is both long and short, you can make it through. Spring is around the corner. I will tell the truth to Lord Huai, who will report the situation to the court personally.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, are you willing to cooperate?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked with a loud voice. Those people had been startled, but when they heard Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, they all brightened up. ¡°Yes!¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly and then nodded. She took a look outside. The wind was blowing, but they could stay there for a while. The most important thing was to identify how serious their illness was, and they needed to kill the bacteria inside the room as well. Gu Chaoyan soon came up with some ideas, then she said, ¡°Now, please leave the room first. We will burn wormwood in the room and the bacteria will be killed. Then I can feel your pulse before putting you into different rooms.¡± When they heard what Gu Chaoyan said, people panicked. Then the grandpa and the strong man stood up and said, ¡°Elder Miss, please go outside, I will bring them to you.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She was a girl and something here was not that right for her, as she had understood. So she left. @@novelbin@@ After she left the room, Gu Chaoyan asked Sword Two and his men to burn some wormwood inside the room. Then the others in the room walked out and wormwood was burned after them. Soon many people were gathered outdoors. Gu Chaoyan and Li Yuanxiang felt their pulses. The rooms were well identified. They felt the pulse, identified their level of illness and then picked a room for them. The pulse feeling work wasn¡¯t that exhausting, but they still got tired, since the work took a long time. Gu Chaoyan was afraid of the cold, so she almost copsed. Sword Two was very concerned for his Elder Miss, so he stood in the direction of the wind and shielded the wind for her. Two hours passed, and everyone¡¯s sickness was identified. They walked into their own rooms and started to drink medicine. Since Sword Two had informed her about the situation, she had bought many medicines for a cold from the clinic on the way here. Those medicines were much better than those prepared by Yuanxiang. When the iron pot was ready, Gu Chaoyan started to worry about those who had been seriously infected. Therefore¡­ Chapter 531 - Business to Lord Ling 1

Chapter 531: Business to Lord Ling 1

Zhou Huaijin frowned deeply, feeling rather displeased. His father had the tendency of leaning towards his Fourth Brother, only because of the Phoenix Girl He had already told his father just now that he could take the responsibility of dealing with the refugees, but if it were Fourth Brother¡­ Zhou Huaijin just did not believe that Zhou Huailing would get things right. So he stressed. ¡°Father, I would very much like to deal with the refugees. It is people from my mansion that are looking after them at the moment, and all I need is just some imperial doctors.¡± Seeing Zhou Huaijin insisting¡­ Zhou Huailing made up his mind to get this matter no matter what. So he stressed too. ¡°Father, I would like to deal with this matter properly.¡± Zhou Huaijin said nothing. Instead, he just looked at the King persistently. Since he was paying attention to this matter, it meant that he did care about refugees. He did not believe that the King would entrust Fourth Brother to this matter just because he said something. Zhou Huailing threw a proud look at Zhou Huaijin, then he turned to the King. The King nced about them two and then his sightnded upon Zhou Huailing, as he said seriously, ¡°Lord Ling has been running errands in the capital during the past few years, and I think he has a better knowledge of what to do. I will entrust Lord Ling to deal with the matter of refugees.¡± Zhou Huailing looked cheerful and smiled brightly. He threw a provocative matter to Zhou Huaijin and then kneeled down in front of the King. ¡°I will take it, thank you, Father!¡± Zhou Huaijin had a terrible look on his face. It was not that he wanted to stand out. It was just that Chaoyan and the others present already had an idea of how to cure them, and what mattered right now was to open the gate and let in some doctors. Also, he made the petition, but now did this errand end up being in his Fourth Brother¡¯s hands. ¡°Father!¡± Zhou Huaijin insisted. The King waved his hands. ¡°Lord Huai, I won¡¯t entrust you to do this, because you are barely avable at the morning session and you have no experience of dealing with errands. The refugee matter is very important, and I am worried that you will panic when ites to serious matters. That is why your Fourth Brother is taking it. Your Fourth Brother has already married the Phoenix Girl, who is a fortunate omen. I believe that the omen would give the refugees hope. It will be a harvest year soon. Also, Lady Chaoyan has already held her Adulthood Ceremony, so you should focus on how and when to get married. That is what matters for you now,¡± the King said. Zhou Huailing felt a bit annoyed hearing what his father said. He had not paid any attention to ¡°getting married¡±, but now he just remembered that he did not have any offspring. He did not care much about it earlier since no one was a threat to him. However, it seemed that his Eighth Brother was marrying a Princess Consort! If the Eighth Brother got a child first, then the child would be the eldest. He had been married for four years and had no children, so Zhou Huailing felt very worried. He was no longer as pleased as he was when he first got this errand. His expression sank. Zhou Huaijin answered. ¡°Yes.¡± Then he said nothing. He knew clearly that even if he insisted on this errand, his father would not offer it to him. And he had never done any official errands before, so the officers in the court would not take his side. @@novelbin@@ However, what did Father mean by mentioning the Phoenix Girl? Chapter 535 - Not Alone

Chapter 535: Not Alone

¡°Didn¡¯t you tell father in the court that your future Princess Consort is a skilled doctor? If that is the case, then let her cure those people and then they cane inside the city,¡± Zhou Huailing said calmly, showing a touch of a smile. Zhou Huaijin shook his head. Zhou Huailing stopped talking with them and said to the imperial doctors next to him. ¡°Guard at the gate, feel the pulse when you see any refugee. Those without disease cane into the city for shelter, those who do have disease, are forbidden to take a further step.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Refugees might be having a bad time, but the civilians in the city are innocent too. They should not get infected,¡± Zhou Huailing said reasonably. Zhou Huaijin wore a cold expression. His hand was already at the sword. He was ready to make an attack, but Fu Bao stopped him directly. It was not the right time for him to make an impulsive move. Before Fu Bao could make a move an elderly man among the refugees said, ¡°Lord Huai, I am the head of the vige. We are all grateful to you, please stay calm. Let¡¯s just do what he asks us to do.¡± Then he sighed deeply. The court was getting worse and worse. They were farmers that spent so much effort upon thend and even paid taxes. Now a disaster arrived and the court was deserting them. In the past, they could at least get some shelter, but now they did not care about their lives at all. Lord Huai was a very nice man, but they had noticed that the King had arranged this arrogant Lord Ling to deal with them. They should not trouble Lord Huai. Having said these words, the head of the vige told his fellow vigers to get their pulses felt. @@novelbin@@ A strong man became displeased seeing the scene. ¡°I am not going inside the city, I want to be with you and help to allocate everyone with Lord Huai!¡± Hearing these words, Zhou Huailing¡¯s expression sank. How dare he talk about the Eighth Brother in front of him? Did he even take Zhou Huailing seriously? ¡°Then you are forbidden to go inside!¡± Zhou Huailing said to one guard, ¡°Remember his face! He is never allowed to step through this gate!¡± ¡°So what! The capital is too distressing for me to be inside!¡± This young man said with determination. Zhou Huailing sneered. He was looking forward to seeing how these people starved and froze to death, when they refused toe inside the capital. Zhou Huaijin threw an extra nce at this young man who was called Xiao Jin. He said nothing more when he saw this man filled with determination. So he said to the others. ¡°Just stay and let the doctors feel your pulse. Those who are healthy can go inside and those who are sick, let¡¯s head back and get cured beforeing in again.¡± The head of the vige also tried to persuade his fellow vigers so some of them walked inside whilst the others followed in. The room outside was not enough to hold all of them, so they had topromise. Thanks to the vige head¡¯s persuasion, some people started to walk into the city after getting their pulses felt. As for the others, they returned to where they were with Zhou Huaijin. Gu Chaoyan, who was in the middle of making the medicine, looked very surprised at the sight of the returning gang ¨C didn¡¯t the King already ask about the refugees, why were they still stopped outside the gate? ¡°What is going on?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. Chapter 539 - With Me

Chapter 539: With Me

Sword One had just walked in with water to let her Miss wash up. Hearing what Gu Chaoyan asked, she got everything in ce and answered. ¡°She left before dawn broke. She said nothing, but she did not look right. Lord has gotten someone to keep track of her, making sure that no idents ur to her. As for the rest, she has to get through it herself.¡± Gu Chaoyan sighed ¨C there was nothing else she could do. She got up and Sword One dressed her quickly. They ate some simple breakfast, then Gu Chaoyan started to feel their pulse again. Some more people were allowed to go into the city today. Gu Chaoyan also had a slight cough as she was feeling their pulses. Zhou Huaijin, who had been helping with medicine serving, came running when hearing the cough. ¡°Are you alright? I think you should go back to the mansion tomorrow, it is not very warm inside the tents. You are afraid of the cold, you wouldn¡¯t make it.¡± Then he felt Gu Chaoyan¡¯s forehead, feeling slightly assured when her temperature wasn¡¯t that high. Gu Chaoyan looked at him helplessly. ¡°I am fine, I am a doctor and I know clearly if I am sick or not. I just coughed and it was apletely normal cough, not because I am sick.¡± Gu Chaoyan did not think that she was feeling terrible. ¡°You can¡¯t feel it yourself, let Yuanxiang check.¡± Zhou Huaijin was still worried. Gu Chaoyan could not say no to that, so she had to stop what she was doing and let Yuanxiang feel her pulse. Yuanxiang smiled after finishing the job. ¡°She is fine, she is not getting a cold.¡± Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief, as Gu Chaoyan threw a scolding look at him. Zhou Huaijin continued to make the medicine, and Gu Chaoyan continued to feel the pulses. A couple of hourster, she was done with the work. Thirty people werepletely cured, who were brought into the city by Sword Two. The others stayed and continued with the medicine. Zhou Huaijin also left since he had other work to do. Gu Chaoyan took a small break as she sat on her own. Xiao Jin mustered up and came to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I would like to be at your service. I have no parents, and I will work for you devotedly as long as you need me.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked up at him. ¡°Xiao Jin?¡± Gu Chaoyan did remember him. This man swore that he was not walking into the capital as long as Lord Ling was inside. Gu Chaoyan smiled. ¡°But you told me you aren¡¯t going into the capital, how can you serve me if you don¡¯t want to be in the capital?¡± Xiao Jin panicked. That was not what he had expected. What he wanted was to be at Lady Chaoyan¡¯s service! ¡°I am joking with you! You can be at my service, but I need people to use. You can help around here and we will see what we can do in the future, alright?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Sure!¡± Xiao Jin nodded. Gu Chaoyan asked him to continue with his work. Xiao Jin was a very smart person, as she had observed. He was a great man to keep around. He could be assigned to do other work even if he was not in the capital. *** In the court. Zhou Huailing took Gu Ruxue into the court. Gu Ruxue¡¯s Elder Brother said that he would like to marry the Princess. Zhou Huailing thought for a while¡­ He could marry Princess Xunyang, Zhou Huailing thought, since he was the Phoenix Girl¡¯s Elder Brother and was totally qualified. So he took Gu Ruxue into the court and decided to have a conversation with his father.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 542 - Gu Yunhes Intention 3

Chapter 542: Gu Yunhe¡¯s Intention 3

The King had been sitting in the Imperial Study, when he thought about speaking with the Queen about Xunyang. Xunyang was not young any more, she was bing an adult next year. So it was time to arrange a marriage for her. He came all the way to the Weiyang Pce. He had not been here in days. @@novelbin@@ Susu and Seven were ying about in the yard so she kneeled down in front of the King, with Seven in her arms. The King did not like dogs, so he skipped Susu. Susu looked at the King with a cheerful look. The King had not visited the Queen for ages. Although the Queen never mentioned a thing about it, Susu knew that the Queen was lonely and she had been waiting for him to visit her sometime. The Queen loved the King devotedly. *** The King ignored Susu totally, walking straight into the office. The Queen was reading and got startled when she spotted the King. She had few servants in the court, since she did not like noise, so she drove away most of the servants except for some people who were doingbor for her. So no one passed on the message for him. The King noticed the book in her hands and asked confusedly, ¡°Since when did you be interested in medicine?¡± The Queen smiled and put away the book. ¡°Chaoyan has knowledge of medicine, and I find it interesting. So I borrowed some from Yinghan to kill the time,¡± the Queen said gently. The King nodded. He did not dwell on that, just feeling curious. He no longer cared about the book. ¡°How is the refugee matter?¡± the Queen asked. The refugees are crowded up every year during the winter, and lots of people die. She had wondered why refugees were not seen this year, butter she heard that it was not solved yet. She was worried that the situation would get worse. The King frowned. He was displeased. ¡°Ling had done it well, so don¡¯t worry about this, just take care of your own business.¡± The Queen was startled. She had thought that she had heard something wrong as she looked at the King. The Saint Divine Land was an open ce, and the Queen as well as every woman could talk about court business. However, normally, women never talked about this, but the Queen always talked about the civilians with the King. The King always mentioned the refugees to her every year. She asked because she was worried today. So it was all because of Zhou Huailing who did the job? Or was he bored of her so he did not want to speak with her any more? The King noticed the Queen¡¯s expression. He noticed that she was displeased. He thought for a while and said, ¡°Queen, I am not ming you, it is just that you can take care of your own business and do not have to spend any more effort on the front court. Ling can take care of everything well, don¡¯t worry.¡± The Queen did not speak. The King said, ¡°I am here to discuss Xunyang¡¯s marriage with you.¡± Chapter 547 - The Trap 1

Chapter 547: The Trap 1

¡°Princess Jing is celebrating her birthday these days and when Ling marries the Phoenix Girl, she should be promoted as well. It is going to be a huge event. We are inviting the girls from the Gu Mansion, so Ling can bring Gu Yunhe to the court so that he can take a look at Xunyang,¡± the King said. The King had been in the throne for a long while, and he could no longer leave all the consequences alone. @@novelbin@@ The Queen and the Eighth Son disapproved of the marriage arrangement, and he knew these two people well ¨C they cared about their loved ones deeply. So if he did not try topromise and insisted that Gu Yunhe should marry the Princess, then his son might do something extreme. After all, only the Phoenix Girl had been found, not the Destiny Monk. Only the Destiny Monk would know what the Phoenix Girl was supposed to do. Before that happened, he should not do anything extreme. Although General Jiang was gone and Madame Jiang was the only Elderly person from the Jiang Family, that did not mean that they had no old supporters in the family at all. He stopped showing his emotions, but asked politely, ¡°What do you think? Xunyang is bing an adult next year and we need to have the marriage arrangement done as soon as possible. She can¡¯t possibly just live under your wings. Just let her make the decision herself.¡± Zhou Huaijin looked at the King. So his father was trying to make apromise. ¡°So if Xunyang is not willing to ept the marriage, then we can drop the whole thing?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked. ¡°Of course.¡± The King answered, as he was thinking about something else at the same time. Zhou Huaijin nodded. The King was right ¨C Xunyang had grown up and marriage was something she had to consider sooner orter. His mother respected his choice and allowed him to get engaged with Chaoyan. The same went for Xunyang. As long as Xunyang was given the opportunity to make the choice, he would not interfere with it. He was not doing this for the King¡¯s sake, but for Xunyang who could make a choice. So he nodded. ¡°If that is the case¡­ leave Xunyang to make the choice.¡± The King smiled with satisfaction. He did not like spending any more time with Zhou Huaijin, so he said, ¡°Then you can pass on the message to your mother. I have been busy these days, and I don¡¯t have time to care about this tiny matter.¡± Zhou Huaijin threw a look at him. So in the King¡¯s eyes now, it was a tiny matter that the Queen was sad and Xunyang was confronted with a choice. That was all because of the Phoenix Girl. The King did not even want to pretend that he cared any more? Zhou Huaijin turned around and left, heading towards the Weiyang Pce. After he left, the King¡¯s expression sank and he said to the eunuch next to him. ¡°Get Lord Ling to the court. I need to have a few words with him.¡± ¡°Okay.l,¡± the eunuch said and hurried off. The King waited for half an hour before his son arrived. Zhou Huailing hurried in looking anxious. He adjusted his looks and even forgot to greet his father when he asked directly, ¡°Father, what are you asking me for in such a hurry? I have just been to the refugees¡¯ ce.¡± Zhou Huailing was about to continue on about his careful work, when the King lost his patience and waved his hands. ¡°You should ask your subordinates to take care of the refugees, rather than do everything personally! You are the Lord! I am asking you to be here because I want you to bring Gu Yunhe directly into the court.¡± Chapter 551 - The Trap 5

Chapter 551: The Trap 5

Gu Yunhe nodded. He knew this point well. His mother told him about a few things the day before ¨C she told him that the reason why the Zhang family were ruined was because the Young Master of the family dared to touch the King¡¯s woman. Gu Yunhe was wild, but not stupid. The Gu Family was rising right now, but no matter how much it had been promoted, it was still much lower than that of the imperial family. If he could marry the Princess, then he could definitely behave wildly outside the court, but he should not touch anything inside the court. He needed to stay alive. Zhou Huailing felt assured as he saw this man¡¯s cautious look. The Gu Family had been clear-minded all this while. That was what he had noticed. The Gu Family might be wild in front of others, but in front of him, the whole family were behaving politely and sucking up to him openly. Zhou Huailing liked the way the family treated him. Otherwise he would not have made so many efforts to take care of the family. @@novelbin@@ It was great that the family had self-awareness. Zhou Huailing took him to court. They were taking a narrow path, when he pointed at a ce not too far away. ¡°That is Princess Xunyang¡¯s pce, located next to the Queen¡¯s Weiyang Pce, so be very careful about it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait a while here. There is a puppy in the Weiyang Pce, and Xunyang likes walking the puppy at this hour. You can go to her when you see her.¡± Gu Yunhe nodded, looking very excited. He was waiting to do some work. The two had been lingering around for almost an hour when Xunyang came with Susu. Zhou Huailing let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Here she is, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yunhe nodded. He was feeling rather nervous. Everything was moving forward so fast. Honestly, he had been a man who was turned down by a maid, and now he was going to talk with the princess and may marry her soon! That was indeed very intense! Zhou Huailing looked rxed as he started to head towards Princess Xunyang. Seeing the maning, Susu came to Princess Xunyang cautiously, ¡°Princess Xunyang, let¡¯s just go back to the court.¡± Princess Xunyang frowned too. That man was her fourth brother, but the man next to him was a stranger. Also, outer men were not supposed to be around this area, what was he doing bringing this man along with him. She suddenly realized that something was wrong. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Xunyang!¡± Zhou Huailing shouted. Princess Xunyang had to stop. She looked at Zhou Huailing. ¡°What is it, Fourth Brother?¡± ¡°Nothing really, it is just that I lost a jade as I passed by earlier, so I am here trying to find it. You have a maid here, let her look for it with me,¡± Zhou Huailing said naturally. Look for a jade? Well, lost things should be sought by the people in the court, but she only had Susu with her, how could that work out? ¡°I will go and fetch some more maids for you,¡± Princess Xunyang said calmly. ¡°It is okay, that is not very important, just search around and see if you can find it.¡± Then he looked at Susu. ¡°Go and check there.¡± Susu did not dare to do that. Everyone could tell that Lord Ling was up to something. She was not deserting the princess and leaving her alone. Xunyang threw a look at Zhou Huailing and the stranger next to him. She had a n. ¡°Susu, just do it,¡± Princess Xunyang said. Susu was unwilling to do it, but she had to obey the princess¡¯ order. Seeing Susu leaving, Zhou Huailing suddenly said, ¡°I remember that I passed by that ce, I will go and check.¡± Then he left. Gu Yunhe was therefore left alone. Chapter 555 - Mrs. Gus Big Fuss 1

Chapter 555: Mrs. Gu¡¯s Big Fuss 1

The King already gave Zhou Huailing an authority token that Gu Ruxue could use toe in and out of the court as she wanted, when Gu Ruxue became the real Princess Consort. From that day on, Gu Ruxue had total freedom of walking in and out of the imperial court. And today, she still had no difficulty walking into the court with Mrs. Gu and Gu Yunhe. Gu Ruxue knew the location of Weiyang Pce very well. She had asked Zhou Huailing to show her the location many times, because she believed that this pce was going to be hers and she should have a better look at it ahead of time. And today, her knowledge came in handy. She went to the Weiyang Pce as if it were her home. As she came to the gate of the Weiyang Pce, Gu Ruxue gave Mrs. Gu a hint and Mrs. Gu shouted loudly, ¡°Queen, I am seeking justice!¡± Gu Ruxue pretended to tug her mother, but she did not try to stop her for real. Mrs. Gu was panicking. After all, it was the Queen¡¯s pce and she had never dared to do anything wild in front of her before. However, the moment she said the words, Mrs. Gu showed no fear. It was just a Queen! Her daughter was the Phoenix Girl! Then she shouted even more loudly. She kept on shouting without stopping. Aunt Nan heard the shouting and came to the gate, only to see the three members of the Gu Family standing right there. She said seriously, ¡°What are you shouting for? This is Weiyang Pce, not your own home!¡± Mrs. Gu stopped shouting. Her shouting had brought many people to the spot, as many maids started to crane their heads and looked around. Gu Ruxue took a step forward. She put on the air of a Princess Consort and said to Aunt Nan. ¡°What do you mean, Aunt Nan? My mother is just so angry that she lost her temper! Any mother would be very angry seeing her child beaten like this! We are here seeking justice from the queen!¡± Gu Ruxue pointed at the swollen-faced Gu Yunhe. Gu Yunhe was grimacing. He was suffering from so much pain. For the visit¡¯s sake, he did not go to a doctor or take any medicine the day before, so he did not have to pretend to show the misery. Aunt Nan looked at Gu Yunhe. So this was the shameless man who tried to frame Princess Xunyang yesterday? @@novelbin@@ It was great that the Princess was good at martial arts, otherwise something horrible would have happened. Aunt Nan threw a sharp look at him. Gu Ruxue said arrogantly, ¡°Where is the queen? Get her here, I don¡¯t speak with servants!¡± ¡°You think you deserve to speak with the Queen?¡± Aunt Nan was very serious as she gazed at Gu Ruxue. Gu Ruxue got pissed off directly. ¡°I am the Princess Consort of Lord Ling, the Phoenix Girl, you said that I am not qualified to talk with the queen?¡± Gu Ruxue said disdainfully. When Gu Ruxue got very angry, the Queen came out of the Weiyang Pce, supported by Susu. She looked very pale. She was already very saddened when the King wanted Princess Xunyang to marry Gu Yunhe, and when she heard that Xunyang was set up by her Fourth Brother, she got even more annoyed and feeble. She did not sleep throughout the entire night. She had just felt a sense of sleepiness, when she heard Mrs. Gu¡¯s shouting. ¡°What is going on?¡± the Queen asked calmly. Chapter 559 - The Kings Problem

Chapter 559: The King¡¯s Problem

As far as she remembered, she had not seen Zhao Yiqiu for more than ten years. What was he doing in the court? He had not changed a bit. He was still a gentle-looking man, who held a calm expression no matter what he had run into, including now. It felt as if they had just met yesterday, rather than ten years ago. ¡°The King asked me toe to the court to give him a check up. I ran into Susu the moment I came to the court, and she told me that you are not doing well. So here I am.¡± Zhao Yiqiu said calmly. Then he took out the handkerchief, covered the Queen¡¯s wrist and felt her pulse. It did not take long. He put away the handkerchief and said calmly, ¡°You are just furious, and haven¡¯t had much rest, nothing serious. Have a good rest and don¡¯t overthink anything.¡± Then he got up and started to write down the prescription by the table next to the bed. With eyes upon him, the Queen said with slight jealousy. ¡°You are just like before, calm andposed.¡± Zhao Yiqiu paused his movements, as the ink dripped, messing up the characters. Zhao Yiqiu continued to write. Was he calm, really? No, he was not. When he heard from Susu that the Queen fainted, he became so anxious that he hurried to the Weiyang Pce, fearing that something might have happened to her. He saw her the moment he stepped into the Weiyang Pce. Seeing that she was more or less recovered, he calmed himself down and started to talk with her. He was never calm. However, Zhao Yiqiu did not counter. How he felt had nothing to do with her. He sighed inwardly. The prescription was now done. Zhao Yiqiu passed the prescription to Aunt Nan. ¡°Tell those at the imperial hospital, to make the medicine with a small fire. ¡°Okay, Mr. Zhao.¡± Aunt Nan said politely. Zhao Yiqiu got up. He had checked up on the Queen and he should not linger here for too long. ¡°I will go and check up on the King, you, have a good rest,¡± Zhao Yiqiu said politely, nodded at Zhou Huaijin and left. ¡°I am off.¡± Zhou Huaijin got up. He was seeing Zhao Yiqiu off at the gate. Zhao Yiqiu was not titled with any official rank in the Saint Divine Land, but he was a special man in thend. Even Zhou Huaijin was treating him with utter politeness. As they came to the gate of the Weiyang Pce, Zhao Yiqiu nodded at Zhou Huaijin and left. Susu just came running and said with a panting tone, seeing Zhao Yiqiu leaving. ¡°Mr. Zhao, are you leaving now? Are you done with the check-up?¡± Zhao Yiqiu nodded. Susu panted, looking helpless. Zhou Huaijin looked at the back of Zhao Yiqiu, falling into deep contemtion. *** At this time Zhao Yiqiu had alreadye to the Imperial Study. ¡°Greetings, King,¡± Zhao Yiqiu said calmly without bowing. The King frowned. He was feeling really unhappy inside. He was the King, but Zhao Yiqiu had never greeted him. @@novelbin@@ He wouldn¡¯t have ignored that before, but now he had to beg him for help, so the King had to ignore the displeasure and said with a smile. ¡°Here you are, Yiqiu.¡± Zhao Yiqiu nodded. ¡°I asked you toe to me, because I need you to check me up. I am not feeling so well today,¡± the King said, looking very distressed. Zhao Yiqiu felt his pulse. The moment he put his hands upon the pulse, he looked at the King with surprise. ¡°How could this be?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the King asked, anxiously. Chapter 563 - No Way

Chapter 563: No Way

Gu Chaoyan had not noticed Gu Yunhe when she walked in, but as Mrs. Gu mentioned it, she turned around and saw Gu Yunhe¡¯s face. His eyes were ckened, face swollen like a steamed bun, lips like two sausages! She almost burst intoughter. She had not expected that Princess Xunyang could have done such a job! Gu Yunhe had be totally unrecognizable! However, as she saw his face¡­ Gu Chaoyan suddenly ceased her urge tough. Princess Xunyang was a nobledy, but she was not an unreasonable person. She never beat people for no reason. The reason why she would beat him up was probably because Gu Yunhe had done something horrible. She remembered that Mrs. Gu once mentioned about Gu Yunhe¡¯s intention of marrying Princess Xunyang. And then she thought of Mrs. Gu¡¯s evil ns¡­ she realized that they must have tried to set up Princess Xunyang. Before Gu Chaoyan said anything Mrs. Gu said angrily, ¡°Yunhe wanted to exchange a few words with Princess Xunyang, but got beaten up. The Queen and Lord Huai threatened to kill him!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are the Princess Consort to be married to them, you should definitely speak with them. Ruxue is the Phoenix Girl and they will someday need Ruxue for help, they should not behave so extremely, we are not the ones to irritate as they want.¡± Mrs. Gu was angry, yet she did not dare to utter a thing when they were at the Weiyang Pce. So she vented her anger in front of Gu Chaoyan. Those words, once spoken, made her feel slightly better. She red at Gu Chaoyan and bellowed. ¡°What are you standing there for? Come and check up Yunhe!¡± ¡°Checking him up?¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Gu Yunhe. ¡°No way.¡± @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Gu had talked so much so she had intended to get herself a sip of tea, but before she could reach the teacup, she widened her eyes after hearing what Gu Chaoyan said, ¡°What? What did you just say?¡± She sounded as if she had just heard a joke! No way? ¡°Look at this girl, Old Master, she said no way!¡± Mrs. Gu said sarcastically. Gu Zhenkang was furious too. It would be the Gu Mansion¡¯s honor to marry the Princess. And Princess Xunyang and the girl were good friends right? However, instead of helping him out, this girl was doing nothing! Gu Zhenkang finally found an excuse to vent his anger. Instead of showing any courtesy, he struck the table. ¡°Are you treating him or not?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered directly without consideration. ¡°Not everyone is qualified to use my medicine, and Gu Yunhe is one of those who doesn¡¯t deserve it!¡± Gu Zhenkang got extremely angry. What! ¡°You cured the refugees, but not your Elder Brother!¡± Gu Zhenkang was so pissed ¨C he almost believed that he had heard it wrong. Gu Chaoyanposedly stood on the spot. She could have just drugged Gu Yunhe to death! He was dreaming of asking her to treat him! Xunyang¡­ Xunyang wasn¡¯t a girl for him to dream of and set up! Gu Zhenkang had thought that he had frightened Gu Chaoyan, yet Gu Chaoyan did not even show any reaction. That made Gu Zhenkang really irritated. ¡°Come again?!¡± ¡°No way.¡± She had no intention of treating his man at all! Gu Zhenkangughed out of anger. ¡°Sure, sure, sure, then get out of this family, you are not the daughter of the family!¡± Chapter 566 - Detoxifying

Chapter 566: Detoxifying

Zhao Yiqiu had a veryplicated look on his face. He was full of confusion as well. He could not tell how she was ¨C she had no pulse, so how could he make a diagnosis? However, he could not tell Zhou Huaijin the truth. He was a doctor with principles. He could not reveal the situation of the patients to people for no reason, even if Zhou Huaijin was her future husband. He sighed. He thought for a while and said, ¡°Judging from the way she looks, she must have gotten too tired. So she needs to take a good rest. Also, the winter is very cold, and girls like her need to stay warm, unlike us men. As for the rest¡­ she is basically fine. Lady Chaoyan said that she is a doctor and she knows her own physical condition well.¡± Hearing what Zhao Yiqiu said, Zhou Huaijin believed that Chaoyan was fine, but Zhou Huaijin knew Zhao Yiqiu well, and he sensed that there was something else. Zhao Yiqiu was a man of few words. He always said the truth after examining the patients rather than anything else, but today was different. When Zhao Yiqiu was talking about Chaoyan, he was wearing a very twisted look, and he had been talking for so long as if he were trying to console him. Zhou Huaijin stared at Zhao Yiqiu, but Zhao Yiqiu was still wearing a look ofposure, showing no expression at all. ¡°Is that true?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked suspiciously. ¡°I never tell lies.¡± Zhao Yiqiu said with determination. That made Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief. Zhao Yiqiu was indeed a man of principles. He never told lies, which was what he had been clinging to. So since he affirmed with him about this, then Chaoyao should be doing just fine. Zhou Huaijin apanied Zhao Yiqiu to the wing yard. ¡°We have few servants here in the mansion. If you need anything, juste out of the room and say so, someone would be at your service.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Yiqiu answered, then he asked Zhou Huaijin to leave. Zhou Huaijin ran directly to Chaoyan¡¯s room. @@novelbin@@ Sword One had just walked out and said with a small voice. ¡°Elder Miss has just fallen asleep!¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. He sat down by the bedside holding her hands. Gu Chaoyan had long fingers, which were very skinny since she had lost a lot of weight. Her hands smelled of medical herbs, since she had been making the medicine during the past few days. Xia Yinghan had left and only Xue Feihan was still helping her. The other students from the Saint College were not willing to show up, so Gu Chaoyan had to do many things personally. He hired some expensive doctors in the capital so the situation improved, and Chaoyan had some time to take a break. As he thought of this, Zhou Huaijin felt his heart aching deeply. He should not have let her do so much work that exhausted her. Zhou Huaijin stood by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side throughout the night. It was not until the following day that he left for some business at the Shadow Door. When Gu Chaoyan woke up, he had just left. Gu Chaoyan sat down in the yard and did some sunbathing on this winter day. So when Zhao Yiqiu came, she was taking a calm break. ¡°Are you feeling better, Lady Chaoyan?¡± Zhao Yiqiu asked. Hearing the voice, Gu Chaoyan opened her eyes, adjusted her posture and asked Zhao Yiqiu to take a seat as well. Zhao Yiqiu sat down on the stone chair next to her, keeping a distance between them. ¡°I am feeling much better, Mr. Zhao, thanks.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered politely. Zhao Yiqiu nodded and decided to leave. He had felt Gu Chaoyan¡¯s pulse and it was his obligation to inquire about her. He had just turned around, when he ceased his footsteps and asked calmly, ¡°Can you detoxify Pearl Poison?¡± Chapter 569 - Your Wound

Chapter 569: Your Wound

Gu Chaoyan said this without bending herself, as she stood there with back straight. She had just been hit five times and she was at the verge of copsing, but she looked very resolute as she had her eyes upon the Officer. The Officer was shocked. He had no idea who Elder Miss was suing when she walked into the office. He had thought that she was defending those refugees, but never her dowries! Thews of the Saint Divine Land were stated clearly. It was written that girls should have their dowries, while the husband¡¯s family should not be involved. The Elder Miss of the Gu Family had a mother who passed away when she was still little, and the Elder Miss was the only child left. So it was totally reasonable that Elder Miss should have the dowries. And that was so for all women. However,ws were one thing, but most of the time, it was the publicments that had the power in that era. There had been a few simr cases in the past¡­ Some girls did get the dowries back, but they had to bear the name of not having filial piety to their father and get disdained by her husband¡¯s family until they passed away in pity. That was what happened to ordinary people when they tried to sue their father. What about the Elder Miss? She was going to marry Lord Huai, and she was going to be an active figure in the noble families of the whole capital. She was someone who would not possibly sue her father for the dowries. Probably that was what the Old Master of the Gu Family was thinking, thus being so fearless, but¡­ The Elder Miss had hit the drums. It was a behavior ordinary girls would never have done, however, it got done by the Elder Miss instead. The Officer, who had not understood the behavior, now understood everything. He looked at Gu Chaoyan in admiration! The Government Office in the capital was different from that in the county, and the Officers of these two ces were in charge of different things. The Officer in the capital Government Office was always in charge of some small errands of the civilians, since there were officers everywhere. @@novelbin@@ However, today¡­ the Officer got totally fired up inwardly! ¡°Elder Miss, I will take your case and will review it fairly and justly, please be assured!¡± the Officer said attentively. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at him. The Officer¡¯s eyes were sparkling. That surprised her a great deal ¨C this was an ambitious Officer with a goal of life! Gu Chaoyan nodded. The Officer continued, ¡°One more thing, Elder Miss, you have to be aware that your case has to be reviewed in public, any problems with that?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered. She hade to sue Gu Zhenkang, so she had nothing to fear or to show. The case could be reviewed in public! ¡°You have just been hit, please go home to take a rest. We will review the case the day after tomorrow, and we will send staff to bring you here,¡± the Officer said. ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered. When she was about to leave the Government Office, she bowed to the Officer as a way of showing respect, even though she, as the future Princess Consort, did not have to do that. The Officer responded to the bow as well, then Gu Chaoyan left. As she went back to the wagon, Sword One said concernedly, ¡°Elder Miss, please let me check your wound!¡± Chapter 574 - Raising Fees 2

Chapter 574: Raising Fees 2

The Officer did not make the seal. Normally, people would bow to the Princess Consort, but now it was a particr time when a case was on, so the Officer did not have to stand up to greet the Princess Consort, neither did everyone involved with the case. So when Gu Ruxue walked in with an arrogant look on her face, no one moved. Gu Ruxue did not know about this. So when she walked in, she said disdainfully, ¡°I am just watching the case, you don¡¯t have to greet me. I will just take a seat here.¡± The guards exchanged a look among themselves in confusion. Normally, no one was allowed to walk into the hall when a case was going on, even the bystanders should have been arranged ahead of time. No one just walked in like this Princess Consort. Yet no one dared to stop her. The guards turned to the Officer. The Officer still nodded, asking them to bring a chair. @@novelbin@@ The guard went to fetch one chair, ¡°Please take a seat, Princess Consort.¡± Gu Ruxue threw a look at the shabby chair ¨C it was a chair for low-ss people, not for her! Gu Ruxue kicked away the chair. She snapped arrogantly, ¡°How dare you give me such a chair to sit on?¡± No special chairs were prepared ahead of time, since there was a case going on right now. The Officer frowned. He now realized one thing ¨C like father, like daughter. The former wanted to take his daughter¡¯s dowries whilst thetter had no manners ¨C how dare she throw a temper tantrum in the hall. So she was the Phoenix Girl? If that was the Phoenix Girl, then the wholend would end! However, the Officer hid his own thoughts and said seriously, ¡°Princess Consort, this is the legal hall, if you continue to make fuss, you will have to leave.¡± Gu Ruxue got even more annoyed hearing what the Officer said. She was about to shout something, when Gu Zhenkang said, ¡°Let¡¯s just finish the case first.¡± Gu Ruxue stopped herself after hearing what her father said. She asked the servant to pick the chair up and sat down. Her father was right- she did not have to make a fuss here. It was an Officer, she could just do something about him when she was done with the case. Gu Ruxue said coldly, ¡°Officer, please continue.¡± The Officer struck the seal, then he said, ¡°Thew says that a girl¡¯s dowries do not belong to the husband¡¯s family, but the girl herself. If the girl is deceased, then her daughter will inherit the dowries. You will have to return the dowries to the Elder Miss, Officer Gu.¡± ¡°As for the raising fees, that is another case, you will have to sue Elder Miss personally,¡± the Officer said ording to thews. ¡°Then I will sue her! She needs to pay me back with money!¡± Gu Zhenkang said angrily. ¡°Then you will y the drum and receive five hits before the case is processed,¡± the Officer said seriously, ¡°But if Elder Miss is willing to pay you back, then it is fine too.¡± Gu Zhenkang was about to say something, when Gu Ruxue said disdainfully, ¡°Gu Chaoyan, you are so unkind towards your father, you are suing him for the sake of the dowries, I wonder if Lord Huai would like to marry someone like you!¡± ¡°Lord Huai is here!¡± Chapter 577 - Expenses

Chapter 577: Expenses

The moment Zhou Huailing finished his words, the whole Gu Family¡¯s eyes were brightened ¨C they had been feeling so anxious for so long. Outsiders might have no idea how important Ms. Lin¡¯s dowries were for the family, but the Gu Family were pretty aware. The Gu Mansion was built upon Ms. Lin¡¯s dowries and they would have nothing to feed on, if they were taken away, let alone keeping a grand mansion in the capital. It¡¯s great that there were some ideas to solve the problems. Gu Ruxue brought herself back and came to sit down next to Zhou Huailing, as she asked curiously, ¡°What is your idea, Lord?¡± Zhou Huailing threw a look at Gu Ruxue and intended to say something, when he stopped himself. Instead, he continued with the issue of the dowries. As this was mentioned, Zhou Huailing said proudly, ¡°It is not an idea, just a matter of whether the dowries should be released from your side.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why do we have to give them back when the Officer says so? The Officer is just a nobody!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Gu Mansion is the Phoenix Girl¡¯s mother¡¯s home, my iws¡¯ home, if I stop anyone froming in to move anything, no one would dare to do anything, right?¡± Zhou Huailing said arrogantly. Unless the King approved of the move, no one in the capital could do anything about him. His Eighth Brother might have his men, but so what? Would he dare to start a fight in the capital? If he gathered his own forces to start a fight in the capital, he could get easily med for having the intention of rebellion. Zhou Huailing was quite confident about this matter. Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu finally understood what Lord Ling meant. ¡°Lord, you mean¡­ as long as we have guards at the Gu Mansion, the dowries would not be moved?¡± Mrs. Gu asked. Zhou Huailing nodded with satisfaction. Mrs. Guughed. They never had to be so worried! The Officer had sealed the case, but so what? The Gu Mansion was a powerful family under the protection of Lord Ling! Mrs. Gu nodded. So did everyone else. Only Gu Zhenkang asked suspiciously, ¡°What about the civilians? Wouldn¡¯t they think ill of us?¡± Zhou Huailing snorted. He was very displeased about what Gu Zhenkang had said. Why must Zhou Huailing please those stupidmoners? ¡°I am Lord Ling, Ruxue is the Phoenix Girl, we have strong backgrounds to shut them up! The whole world will be mine soon, why do I have to care about what those stupidmoners say?¡± Zhou Huailing said as he looked up at Gu Zhenkang and said with displeasure. ¡°Officer Gu, you haven¡¯t changed a thing. You were cowards before, but now, you are my iws, so you better stop being cowards.¡± Mrs. Gu red at Gu Zhenkang with dissatisfaction. What an annoying man! Lord had gotten everything settled, and this man still asked some stupid questions. Gu Zhenkang fell into silence. Mrs. Gu said with a smile, ¡°Just ignore him, Lord, he is too old to understand the situation, you can speak with Yunhe about important things. He is not a young man any more and he can make decisions too.¡± @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huailing nodded with satisfaction. ¡°There is something important. Since the dowries are yours, get some money for me.¡± Zhou Huailing said naturally. That made Mrs. Gu feel slightly embarrassed. Chapter 581 - Solving Problems

Chapter 581: Solving Problems

Sword One was confused. Why was this idea rted to Mr. Zhao? Mr. Zhao was an excellent man, but he was just¡­ a doctor! Could this doctor fight against thousands of soldiers? ¡°Lady Chaoyan,¡± Zhao Yiqiu said with a smile. He was one generation older than Chaoyan, but he was not putting on any airs. He was like everyone else, greeting her as Lady Chaoyan. He found a ce himself and sat down. He liked the tea Gu Chaoyan served here. He would always pour himself a cup of tea before Sword One served him. He did not like the etiquette, and the same went for Gu Chaoyan. So they behaved freely, like two old friends. ¡°You are back Mr. Zhao, want Tieguanyin or anything else this time?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked politely. Mr. Zhao shook his head. He sipped the tea and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a deep knowledge of tea, but I like the tea served at your ce, so just give me any kind you have, don¡¯t trouble yourself too much.¡± As he finished saying these words, he looked at Sword One and said politely, ¡°The pastry you gave mest time was very tasty, could you please prepare some more for me, Ms. Sword One?¡± Sword One got startled for a moment and then nodded. She was a maid who understood etiquette, as she was serving her Elder Miss. Mr. Zhao was implicitly telling her to leave the ce, since he needed to have a few words with Elder Miss. Honestly, Mr. Zhao had never eaten any pastry when he was here. She asked a minor maid to fetch the pastry, whilst she guarded the door outside. When Sword One was out of the room, Mr. Zhao asked, ¡°You remember the Pearl Poison I told you about before, Lady Chaoyan? Have you got any idea how to detoxify that?¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. Mr. Zhao did ask her about this before, and she did check up on the solution in her space. And she found the solution, but she did not go to Mr. Zhao¡­ She had thought about this before and knew who was in need of it. Mr. Zhao visited the court every single day, and there was only one person who could let him do that ¨C the King. The King was poisoned. She did not want to detoxify the King, so she stopped mentioning it, but as she returned from the Officer¡¯s ce, she believed that her solutions should work. Now was the time. The King was not a nice man, he wanted to marry Xunyang to Gu Yunhe and defaultly approved of Gu Yunhe¡¯s n upon Princess Xunyang. She did not have to save the King, but she could use it as an exchange condition. She should have gone to Mr. Zhao, but Mr. Zhao turned to her before she did anything. Well, that meant one thing ¨C the King¡¯s health was deteriorating. That made Mr. Zhao feel anxious. If that was the case¡­ she was definitely going to get her dowries back! Gu Chaoyan smiled happily. ¡°Yes, but notpletely. I can slow down the progress.¡± Mr. Zhao had been looking quite calm, but his eyes brightened as he heard these words. @@novelbin@@ How could that be? She had a solution! Had he underestimated this girl? ¡°Really, Lady Chaoyan, can you slow down the progress?¡± Mr. Zhao asked. ¡°Sure, but I am not doing this for free,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. ¡°What is the condition?¡± Chapter 583 - To Get Back the Dowries

Chapter 583: To Get Back the Dowries

The King was extremely displeased. Even when it came to Zhao Yiqiu, a letter from him would get him toe to the capital immediately, but this young girl whom he did not speak highly of, was going to negotiate with him! And he had no choice other than to obey her! This was the poison that even the best doctors in the court, including Zhao Yiqiu, could not detoxify. Only she had the solution. When Zhao Yiqiu mentioned this girl, he was reminded of how this young girl saved Young Duke from death. So he had to trust her, but¡­ Even if he was prepared for any conditions that he might hear¡­ the King still sat with a straight back. He was not going to lose his dignity as a King. He needed to be imposing in front of Gu Chaoyan. He had been a King for decades, and he looked really intimidating. Ministers in the court would have sweat at this time, fearing that anything they said or did would displease this man on the throne, but Gu Chaoyan¡­. Gu Chaoyan was not wearing any expression on her face, but said calmly as she was confronted with the King¡¯s interrogation. ¡°King, I have rules when ites to treating patients. I need to get paid. When Young Duke got cured a while ago, he gave me stuff worth one million.¡± ¡°What you need is to get detoxified, which is different from normal diseases, so I have a condition. Otherwise, a doctor doesn¡¯t normally get involved with poison, right, Mr. Zhao?¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly as if there were a rule like this. Mr. Zhao, who had been calm all this time, looked twisted. Honestly, he truly had no idea what he should say about this Lady. After a moment, he answered a small yes, against his will. @@novelbin@@ The King¡¯s expression was eased, as he heard Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s reply. It seemed that this young girl was not putting on any air in front of him. There was indeed a rule like this. After all, the King trusted Zhao Yiqiu despite his dislike towards him. Anyone in the world would lie, including his own mother, but Zhao Yiqiu would not, which the King believed firmly. ¡°If that is the case, then tell me what your condition is?¡± The King was all ears as he looked at Gu Chaoyan. He was feeling quite anxious inwardly. Gu Chaoyan was marrying Zhou Huaijin in the future, then she was probably going to help Zhou Huaijin at this point, which would make Zhou Huailing¡¯s position difficult. The King fell into the middle of contemtion. Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly, ¡°Please help me get back my dowries.¡± What? The King looked at Gu Chaoyan in surprise. For one second, he had no idea what she was talking about. Why dowries? ¡°In the past two days, Gu Zhenkang drove me out of the family and removed me from the family tree. If I am no longer a part of the Gu Family, then the dowries my mother left for me should be mine. The Officer has sealed the case and said that the dowries should be given to me, but right now, there are guards surrounding the Gu Family and I can hardly get anything back,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. The King looked at her, then he suddenly remembered the story. Chapter 588 - Gu Mansions Future

Chapter 588: Gu Mansion¡¯s Future

Zhou Huailing threw a look at her. He stared at Mrs. Gu as if he were looking at an idiot. Gu Chaoyan was marrying a Lord and she would alwayse and get her dowries, since thew was on her side. Those guards were here to defend the Gu Mansion against her, and those guards cost money too! Zhou Huailing was feeling rather annoyed. He said with a long face hearing the annoying words from Mrs. Gu. ¡°The Officer and his staff will move away the dowries, and you should not stop them.¡± What?! Mrs. Gu¡¯s eyes widened. What was going on? She had thought that with the King¡¯s help, the Officer and the annoying girl would not dare to step into the Gu Mansion any more, but now the dowries were going to be moved? Those were dowries left by Ms. Lin, and they had filled up the whole storage! They could not be moved away without any warning! ¡°Lord Ling, what is going on? You can¡¯t do that!¡± Mrs. Gu said anxiously, ¡°We will share half of what we have now, you can¡¯t let the girl take them away.¡± Gu Ruxue was not present, so Mrs. Gu had no one to turn to. So she had to tug at Gu Zhenkang and ask him for help. Gu Zhenkang said directly, ¡°Yes, we can share half of the dowries with you!¡± Zhou Huailing nced at Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu. He had thought that the Gu Family were smart enough to know what they should do, but it seemed that they were still selfish enough to want to hide half of what the Gu Family had in the storage. He wanted all of the storage, not just half! Zhou Huailing gave them the position and future honor, but they were only going to share half of the wealth with him at this moment? The King was right. Gu Chaoyan could get those things at the moment, because he was going to get all of it in the near future. Zhou Huailing, who had not been willing to help with the moving, suddenly became rather pleased. He looked at Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu from amanding view as he said arrogantly, ¡°That is the King¡¯s order. Those who are here to move the dowries will be more than the guards from the Government Office; they are also the King¡¯s imperial army. I am not able to help you, because those things are Gu Chaoyan¡¯s dowries and she has all the right to have them. You should not struggly any more, also¡­ You have to return every penny back to her, so you are making the delivery personally!¡± Zhou Huailing ordered. Then he left with his guards. He had no intention of getting involved with this mess. Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu were so anxious that Mrs. Gu wanted to stop Lord Ling again when Gu Zhenkang stopped her. Zhou Huailing had gone out of sight. @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Gu stomped her feet and red at Gu Zhenkang. ¡°What are you stopping me for? Even Lord Ling can¡¯t solve the problem, can you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Lord Ling¡¯s look? He is unhappy too! You are causing trouble for yourself! Did you hear? It is the King¡¯s order! That annoying girl must have done something again!¡± Gu Zhenkang said with determination. He was feeling very troubled too, but they had to obey the King¡¯s order, which no one, including Lord Ling dared to disobey. There was no need for them to get anxious. Mrs. Gu was very annoyed, but this cowardly Gu Zhenkang was making sense. They could not do anything right now even though they were so angry. ¡°What are we supposed to do? What will happen to the Gu Mansion?!¡± Mrs. Gu felt so anxious that she burst out into tears. Chapter 592 - Only Her

Chapter 592: Only Her

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan did not even frown hearing what the Empress Dowager said. If not for the dowries as an exchange condition, Gu Chaoyan was not at all willing to treat someone like the King. Since the Empress Dowager wanted her to take a rest, she would absolutely do that. After all, she already got her dowries back. She said calmly, ¡°Sure.¡± Then she stopped pulling out the needles from her bag. She said with a serious look on her face, ¡°I have written the prescriptions, and the imperial doctors don¡¯t need to watch me doing anything. But whoever wants to take over should remember the spots for the acupuncture. So I can wait until the imperial doctor arrives before doing the acupuncture.¡± She did not mind showing the imperial doctors anything. Nor was she worried about anything either. The Empress Dowager became unsure inwardly. She gave a light cough instead of answering her directly. She said those words just because she wanted to counter Gu Chaoyan, rather than make her leave. Also, she knew pretty well that if the imperial doctors were capable enough, this girl would not have been here, but Gu Chaoyan turned out to be totally fearless. She feared nothing and that annoyed the Empress Dowager. She had been dominating the court for so many years and this girl turned out to be the most pestering one of all. The King was wearing a terrible expression on his face too. This girl was not threatened! He could not take the risk of asking the imperial doctors to treat him. Even Zhao Yiqiu admitted that Gu Chaoyan was so good at doing the acupuncture that she could find the right spot directly, and that he himself could not exceed her. So the King did not dare to get the imperial doctor here at all. The Kingughed loudly. ¡°Mom, look at you, you must have gotten very bored for you to like teasing young girls. Go and find some young princesses for your joke, Chaoyan is not young any more, she will take your jokes seriously!¡± The Empress Dowager snorted. Even if the King was defending Gu Chaoyan, she still had no intention of letting her go. She disliked Gu Chaoyan. She truly hated this girl after hearing what Anxi said to her earlier. @@novelbin@@ This girl might be good at medicine, yet she was not at all as modest as how a young girl should be. She disliked her. She truly did. The King threw a look at the Empress Dowager and said nothing more. The Empress Dowager was used to being intimidating, and the King thought that he did not have to go deeper with it in front of Gu Chaoyan. So he stopped mentioning the Empress Dowager. Instead, he said to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Come and do your job. We can¡¯t let imperial doctors learn anything from your medical skills, right?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, but she was not unconvinced. When they were getting the prescriptions from her, they never mentioned a thing about keeping her medical skills secretive. She was confident about her own medical skills too. Those who tried to learn from her would only get an outline, not the real essences. So she had nothing to fear. Also, she was the only person who could detoxify the poison, meaning that he put his life in her hands. Gu Chaoyan truly had no idea what the King was so proud of. Just as she did before, she performed acupuncture on his arms and legs. Gu Chaoyan was fast with her job and it wasn¡¯t difficult for her. Soon, she was done. After the acupuncture was done, Gu Chaoyan brought out the prescription. ¡°This is the medicine you will have to eat these days. Keep eating ordingly for one month and we will seeter.¡± The King was a bit excited. He took the prescription and asked, ¡°Can I recoverpletely if I follow the prescription?¡± Chapter 595 - At the Weiyang Palace

Chapter 595: At the Weiyang Pce

The white-color bottle of pills was engraved with the Immortal Flower, which belonged to only one person, namely Chaoyan. So the King had the pills made by Chaoyan and was asking him if he could make them too? The Dean opened the bottle and took a sniff. He was now certain that the pills were truly made by Chaoyan. Her pills always released a great scent, which no one else was able to aplish, including the gifted Yuanxiang. No matter how she tried or tested, and however excellent the materials she was using, those kinds of pills were unable to be made. The Dean shook his head as he looked at the King with aplicated look on his face. ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± The King looked at the Dean in surprise. He was the Dean of the Saint College, someone with experience and excellent medical skills! And he was telling the King that he could not make the pills. And he was not going to try either? He was not able to do anything that was made by Gu Chaoyan? ¡°Why?¡± the King asked. ¡°No one from Saint College is capable of doing this, including my best student.¡± The Dean confessed honestly. The King looked twisted. If even the Dean could not make the pills, then no one from the Imperial Hospital would be able to make it either. He let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Okay, you can leave now, there is nothing I need to speak to you about.¡± The Dean nodded and asked nothing more. They were not supposed to understand what the King was talking about The moment the Dean left, the Medical Judge from the Imperial Hospital arrived. He looked very frightened. A few days ago, some imperial doctor irritated the King for some reason, so that doctor was removed. Nothing like this had happened for a long time in the court, so the Medical Judge was extremely frightened at this moment. @@novelbin@@ The King was very annoyed at the sight of him. This Medical Judge from the Imperial Hospital was even worse than a young girl! What was the point of keeping him? So instead of telling him anything more¡­ He cast the prescription in front of him and said, ¡°This is the prescription, get someone to make one portion and get it delivered to my Qianqing Pce every single day!¡± The Medical Judge took the prescription, a surprised look appearing on his face. He was about to ask when he met the King¡¯s look. He did not dare to ask anything more and just left with the prescription. The King snorted. *** Gu Chaoyan did not leave the court directly when she came out of the Qianqing Pce. Instead, she headed towards Weiyang Pce. Mr. Zhao told her that he was checking up on the Queen. So it seemed that the Queen was not doing well, so she was worried as well and decided to take a look at her. The moment she arrived at the Weiyang Pce, she ran into Aunt Nan who asked her toe inside. The moment she walked in, she spotted Zhao Yiqiu who was seated transfixedly outside the Pce, looking confused, ¡°Mr. Zhao?¡± Zhao Yiqiu ignored her. Aunt Nan whispered. ¡°Mr. Zhao has been staying here for a long time, please go and check up on the Queen now, Lady Chaoyan.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, thinking that something weird was going on, but she still walked into the room first. The Queen¡¯s room smelled of herbs, since the windows were tightly sealed. Gu Chaoyan frowned. ¡°Aunt Nan, I think it would be great to keep the windows open for air cirction, especially when there is no strong wind outside.¡± Then she felt the Queen¡¯s pulse. The Queen was not physically sick. She just had a terrible appearance, which was caused by her mind. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. Aunt Nan asked. ¡°How is the Queen?¡± Gu Chaoyan was about to answer her, when a thundering shout arose from outside. ¡°Zhao Yiqiu, what are you doing here at the Weiyang Pce!¡± That was from the King. Chapter 600 - Recipes Stolen!

Chapter 600: Recipes Stolen!

Gu Chaoyan looked up at Qing. Qing exined quickly. ¡°They gave us a lot of jewelry, which was missing before in the list! The dowries are notpleted!¡± Qing was really excited. In Qing¡¯s eyes, those things did not just mean the jewelry, but the blessing from Mrs. Lin. These were all what Mrs. Lin left to Elder Miss, and they should beplete. Only now did Gu Chaoyan understand the story. That was indeed what happened. Gu Zhenkang did promise toplete the list, and he aplished his promise very fast. It seemed that Gu Zhenkang did not want to pay attention to Ms. Lin and herself, after knowing that one of his daughters was the Phoenix Girl. Well¡­ She did not care about that. ¡°Qing, just get those things into the storage.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Qing nodded and then headed to do that. Gu Chaoyan decided to take a small break. She had justid down in the chair when Zhou Huaijin hurried in. He did note to Gu Chaoyan directly, but removed his coat and walked about the fire basin for a while just to get rid of the cold, beforeing to Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan was about to get up at the sight of him, but Zhou Huaijin pushed her down and said, ¡°Just stay still. I am here to see if you are doing well. I am pleased to see you here.¡± Gu Chaoyan chuckled. ¡°That makes you happy already?¡± ¡°Of course not, it would be better if you could kiss me.¡± Zhou Huaijin raised his eyebrows as he approached Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan flushedpletely. She pushed him away and said with a scolding tone, ¡°They are watching us!¡± ¡°Then we can do it when no one is watching?¡± Zhou Huaijin¡¯s eyes sparkled. He looked very expantant. Gu Chaoyan had not expected that he would tease her like this. She turned around and refused to talk with him. Zhou Huaijinughed. ¡°I am joking with you, don¡¯t take it too seriously.¡± @@novelbin@@ Only now did Gu Chaoyan feel slightly satisfied. Zhou Huaijin passed her a cup of tea and said, ¡°I have been busy receiving guests from the Fan Nation, so I have not seen you for ages. Father isn¡¯t picking on you, is he?¡± Gu Chaoyan shook her head. If she did not want to get picked on, no one would seed in picking on her. ¡°I am fine, but¡­ the King took away the Queen¡¯s authority token, and the Empress Dowager isn¡¯t a piece of cake, so I am worried.¡± Gu Chaoyan confessed. Zhou Huaijin smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my mother. As long as she thinks through the whole thing, the Empress Dowager would not be able to trouble her at all.¡± He had just received some message from his mother. His mother was telling him to handle some errands. He was now certain that the Queen had thought through everything, which was a good thing. He never believed that his father was a man with integrity, and it was great that his mother saw through things. However, his mother still refused to leave the pce. She was waiting for an answer. She hoped to know what changed the King. He understood that his mother never started anything which she could not stick to till the end. However, he knew his father well. His father never exposed his true feelings unless it was necessary. His mother would not know the truth until Destiny Monk appeared and the Phoenix Girl came in handy. Zhou Huaijin raised his hand to touch Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. The moment his hands touched her face, Xiu Jie¡¯s anxious voice arose from outside. ¡°Elder Miss, something just happened to Yellow Crane. Some people from the Fan Nation said that we made the wine from their recipes that we stole!¡± Chapter 605 - Marrying Her!

Chapter 605: Marrying Her!

The reason why Zhou Huaijin asked her about that, was because he had an idea for himself. On this continent there were four countries, each of which was upying their own space. It was a grand and peaceful time and the peace had been maintained for more than 200 ¨C 300 years. So if the Feather Mulberry Land was declining and failed to survive, then the bnce would be lost and war would start. @@novelbin@@ The Saint Divine Land and the Cloud Land were thends closest to each other, and the Feather Mulberry Land was pinched in between. So when the Feather Mulberry Land failed to have a steady economy for their survival, the two countries around it would think about swallowing it and when the Feather Mulberry Land was taken down, then it would be time for the other two countries to think about being the only rulers. When the royal families were fighting for power, it would be the civilians that suffered. Zhou Huaijin did not want something like this to happen. Prince Muyi was a nice man, and Zhou Huaijin would like to offer his help, that¡¯s why he asked. Gu Chaoyan nodded slightly. ¡°As long as they can think the whole thing through and open their arms to the market, there will always be some way.¡± ¡°We have wine at the Yellow Crane too, but we don¡¯t n to make an enormous production of it or sell it to other countries. So they still have a market open to them, as long as they can get the idea right.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. Zhou Huaijin trusted Gu Chaoyan when it came to business, and he admired Gu Chaoyan¡¯s abilities too. There were sses in the Saint Divine Land, the highest rank to the lowest one was the officers, farmers and businessmen, with businessmen being considered the ones in the lowest-ss. However, in Zhou Huaijin¡¯s eyes, he did not care about that at all. It was never an easy thing to get everything done properly, and if someone could run a business well, then that person was undeniably excellent too. ¡°Chaoyan, please tell me about that in detail,¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a serious tone. ¡°In the past, the Feather Mulberry Land considered the wine as an icon for the royal family, so the wine is only avable when offered as a tribute. So they are stuck in the position where the wine has to be in a high position, but if they want to use it as a business tool, then they should divide the wine into different sses, some for the civilians, some for high-ranking people, depending on the prices.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Zhou Huaijin understood everything now! ¡°I got it, Chaoyan, you are so smart!¡± Zhou Huaijin showed his admiration. *** At the hotel of the Saint Divine Land. Prince Muyi and the Imperial Master were both back at the hotel. The Imperial Master, who had been staying silent, said unhappily, ¡°Prince Muyi, how could you have done something like that? What should we do with our wine? What should I tell the King? Your Second Brother has been watching for the position of heir, and if you fail the mission this time, the King might have his heart lean towards your Second Brother!¡± The Second Son of the King was sneaky and the Imperial Master was scared of him. So the Imperial Master was really anxious at the moment. If the Second Son of the King got the position of the heir, then Prince Muyi would not have fought for that position and he as the Imperial Master would lose his position as the Imperial Master as well. Prince Muyi was not thinking something like that. He believed that since the recipe was not stolen, the innocent people should not be wronged. Prince Muyi was in a good mood. Instead of answering the Imperial Master, he said excitedly, ¡°Imperial Master, I am going to ask the King of the Saint Divine Land for the hand of that pretty girl!¡± Chapter 610 - Cooperation

Chapter 610: Cooperation

Prince Muyi took a few steps backwards. He just could not stand the Third Lady¡¯s enthusiasm. When he came to the Saint Divine Land two years ago and identally ran into some brothel house, the girls were almost the same as the Third Lady ¨C they never knew how to conceal their own passion! Prince Muyi did not say that directly. He just did not think that the Gu Mansion was some so-called grand family. He shook his head and said, ¡°I have other business to do, I gotta go.¡± Then he hurried off. The Imperial Master followed him directly. Gu Xiuying wanted to follow, but got stopped by the guards they brought here. Anxious and clueless, Gu Xiuying had to stomp and looked at Gu Zhenkang, ¡°What should I do, dad?¡± ¡°What should you do?? You are totally useless! I have given you so many opportunities and you fail at each one! What is the point of having you as a daughter? I will not help you next time you do this, I will help Caiqin instead!¡± Gu Zhenkang was so angry when Gu Xiuying came to ask him about what she should do. Just look at Gu Chaoyan and Ruxue, neither of them needed his help! Gu Zhenkang flung his sleeves and left directly. Gu Xiuying stomped her feet and had no idea what she should do after watching the wagon driving away. She kicked Chen Fu to vent her anger. ¡°You passed on the message toote!¡± Then she hurried away. Chen Fu felt like crying as he was lying on the floor. Prince Muyi in the wagon was very confused too. He had never fallen for a girl even at this age. Why was finding this girl so difficult! The Imperial Master consoled him. ¡°Prince, just forget about that, alright?¡± He had thought that she was at least the Elder Miss of some important minister, but it seemed that she was not! And this Gu Mansion seemed like a small family. The Prince could just marry a girl from the General Family at the Feather Mulberry Land instead. That might be better for their situation. Prince Muyi shook his head and said, ¡°No!¡± Then he said to the men outside. ¡°Go to that restaurant. Lady Chaoyan owns the restaurant so they can definitely find her. I am going to ask Lady Chaoyan personally!¡± The horseman heard the words, then he started to drive the wagon in that direction. The Imperial Master simply could not stop him! He was the Imperial Master, but the Prince spoke louder. @@novelbin@@ The horseman took them to the Yellow Crane. Prince Muyi got out of the wagon and started to head inside. The pageboy of the Yellow Crane got confused at the sight of the Prince, but Lady Chaoyan told them that there was nothing for them to fear since they were all fair people in thispetition. So the pageboys weed the Prince and led him in. Prince Muyi found an empty seat and sat down. He was about to ask about Lady Chaoyan when the pageboy asked him as if he were amon guest. ¡°What would you like to eat, Sir?¡± Prince Muyi heard the word ¡°Eat¡±, and suddenly felt starved. ¡°Then get me your branded dish.¡± Prince Muyi said and then added. ¡°I would like to meet Lady Chaoyan, could you please help me pass on the message?¡± The pageboy found the request strange, but he still nodded Soon came the hotpot. Prince Muyi found the dish strange, but he followed the pageboy¡¯s instructions and started to eat it. It was a great dish for winter, and Prince Muyi was very delighted by that. When Manager Song came, Prince Muyi asked him. ¡°Manager, could I bring this branded dish to the Feather Mulberry Land for sale?¡± Chapter 613 - Words

Chapter 613: Words

¡°I will take 20% whilst you take 70% of the profits,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Actually, if it were not Prince Muyi who was talking with her, then she would not just 20%, but 50%. However, Prince Muyi was a nice man, and Zhou Huaijin wanted to help him, so Gu Chaoyan thought about being merciful. Before Prince Muyi could say anything, the Imperial Master whispered in his ears, ¡°Prince Muyi, just say yes.¡± What he was thinking was that no matter what they agreed at the moment, no one knew what would happen in the future. Lady Chaoyan could do nothing about the Feather Mulberry Land, and if the Prince married her in the end, there was nothing like sharing profits¡­ However, the Imperial Master thought about telling the Prince not to marry her ¨C she was a girl driven out of the family, and she was a businesswoman, who could not be the real Princess Consort, but could only be married as the Princess Concubine. However, that was not something to be discussed right now. They needed to settle the agreement first. The Imperial Master was making ns inwardly. Prince Muyi did not say yes after hearing what the Imperial Master said. Instead, he was making a n of his own. No matter what his feelings for Lady Chaoyan was, cooperation was work and it should be separated from personal feelings. Therefore, he needed to think about that thoroughly. He did not have much money at his own mansion, and the money he had was after years of umtion. If everything was invested in this business, he might not be able to get profits or the cost back if he had to share 20% with her. If all the profits were shared by 2/7, then it meant that the entire 15 cities would need to spare a portion and that would be a huge cost. Prince Muyi was not very sure about the whole situation, but after a long hesitation, Prince Muyi still nodded. He had to do something. The Feather Mulberry Land was not in a good situation and his money was not really useful there. If he made good use of the money, he might achieve something greater in the future. When he made up his mind, Prince Muyi said seriously, ¡°Okay, Lady Chaoyan, that is a deal!¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She was quite satisfied by how Prince Muyi behaved today. @@novelbin@@ If he said yes directly, then she would have to think about whether this man was reliable, but it seemed that this man was. Prince Muyi was a nice man, but the Imperial Master next to him was very annoying. She thought about how to get rid of him. ¡°Manager Song, go and get the paper and pen, we will sign the contract.¡± Gu Chaoyan said to Manager Song. She was expecting that Manager Song would think about how to write the contract whilst fetching the tools. When Manager Song was off to get the contract, Gu Chaoyan looked at Prince Muyi and expressed her own principles. ¡°Prince Muyi, if you work with me, I will definitely make sure you make money. But I hate people who betray me, so I hope that nothing like this will happen during our cooperation, or I won¡¯t show any mercy.¡± Gu Chaoyan was speaking with an imposing air. Prince Muyi was a man with integrity. He nodded without much thinking, but the Imperial Master showed a very unnatural expression. When this matter was done, Prince Muyi turned bashful. He was thinking about asking her to marry him. Chapter 617 - No Pulse

Chapter 617: No Pulse

However, that ring over her faded away within a second. Zhao Yiqiu could not believe his own eyes. He subconsciously looked at Gu Chaoyan, who was still in aa, but for some reason, when he saw the red ring, he was no longer that anxious. He sat down at the table, feeling much more rxed. Sword One, however, was quite anxious. ¡°Mr. Zhao, how is our Elder Miss, what is her illness? Is she going to take the medicine, when will she wake up?¡± Zhao Yiqiu was totally calm. He looked at Sword One and said, ¡°No need, just wait here, she should wake up soon.¡± Zhao Yiqiu did not dare to make any prescription, nor did he dare to do anything. Lady Chaoyan had no pulse, so he could not feel her pulse to see what her illness was ¨C he could possibly get her killed. So the best way was to wait. When they were waiting, Zhao Yiqiu thought for a while and said, ¡°Sword One, if something like this happens to your Elder Miss again,e to me only, not to other doctors!¡± Sword One found Mr. Zhao¡¯s words strange, but she still nodded. Only now did he feel much more assured. He could make sure that he kept the secret for Lady Chaoyan, but he could not guarantee that her secret would be kept by someone else. Also¡­ judging from how Sword One and Qing behaved, Zhao Yiqiu believed that Lady Chaoyan herself had no idea what happened to her, otherwise she would have told the maids to be prepared. The three of them were waiting in the room. A whileter, Gu Chaoyan finally woke up. When she woke up and found them standing in the room, she felt rather confused. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Elder Miss, you never woke up no matter how much we called you! So I brought Mr. Zhao here,¡± Sword One said. She almost burst into tears. Gu Chaoyan was still confused. She had no idea what happened to her. She had just been asleep. Zhao Yiqiu looked at Sword One and Qing and said, ¡°Go and get some food for your Elder Miss, she must be feeling hungry right now.¡± Qing was about to say that the food was ready, when Sword One gave her a tug and they left. Mr. Zhao never gave servants orders, so when he did so, he was probably ready to speak with the Elder Miss and found an excuse for their absence. When Sword One and Qing left, Qing went to fetch the food whilst Sword One was guarding the door, making sure that no one was eavesdropping. When Zhao Yiqiu and Gu Chaoyan were left alone in the room. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan asked Mr. Zhao if he had something to say. So she asked, ¡°What would you like to say, Mr. Zhao?¡± Zhao Yiqiu nodded seriously. He looked at Gu Chaoyan and asked cautiously, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, do you know your own physical conditions?¡± Gu Chaoyan was confused. ¡°My physical conditions?¡± Zhao Yiqiu nodded. It seemed that she herself had no idea of what he meant¡­ Then, what was it with her? ¡°Lady Chaoyan, are you really Lady Chaoyan, someone from the Saint Divine Land?¡± Zhao Yiqiu asked Gu Chaoyan as he stared at her. He found that the whole thing was way too strange. It was the strangest thing that had happened to him after being a doctor for so many years. Gu Chaoyan was startled. What did he mean? Did he notice something? She was a soul from a different world, but she could not say that out loud. Gu Chaoyan smiled. ¡°Of course, why do you ask, Mr. Zhao?¡± Zhao Yiqiu let out a sigh of relief, then he said, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, you don¡¯t have any pulse¡­ only dead people have no pulses, yet you are alive¡­¡± Chapter 621 - Chapter 621

Chapter 621: Your Exnation

When Chaoyan refused to meet him, she was obviously stuck with some emotional problems. After speaking with Chaoyan, he understood that it was not because of his own mistake, but because of something else. And Zhao Yiqiu had talked with her before. The reason why Sword One asked Zhao Yiqiu to check on Chaoyan was probably because Chaoyan was physically troubled. When his hidden guards came to him, the message they passed on was that Lady Chaoyan had fallen ill, but when he saw Chaoyan a minute ago and felt her forehead, he could tell that she was not suffering from a cold, and she looked pretty normal in expression too. So what happened, honestly? What was wrong with her body? He had to ask Zhao Yiqiu about this ¨C they coulde up with a method together, if there was really something wrong with her. He hurried all the way to Zhao Yiqiu. Zhao Yiqiu was in the study. He was looking through the books, trying to find out something. When he saw Zhou Huaijin, he was slightly surprised. He had asked Zhou Huaijin to return home, and he thought that he would receive him instantly, but after a long while when Zhao Yiqiu thought that he would note any more, he still showed up. ¡°What is it?¡± Zhao Yiqiu was still calmly. He looked as if nothing had happened. ¡°What is wrong with Chaoyan?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked straightforwardly. Zhao Yiqiu put down his books. Then he stood in front of Zhou Huaijin, showing a serious look on his face. ¡°Huaijin, you have known me since little.¡± ¡°You know my rules ¨C I can¡¯t reveal the information of the patients I see. If you have any confusion, you better ask Lady Chaoyan instead.¡± Having said these words, Zhao Yiqiu continued with his search. He did not look at Zhou Huaijin any more, nor did he notice if he was still there. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin walked out of Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s room. He frowned. What was happening? *** The following day, Gu Chaoyan was no longer that distressed. She was still worried about what happened to the refugees, so she decided to take a look at them personally. Zhou Huaijin, however, was in the court. He had not been in the court for ages, but he was here today for the refugees¡¯ sake. The King still looked as if he was in a good mood. He found the country was flourishing more and more after the Phoenix Girl¡¯s identity was confirmed. Normally he would be stuck with affairs in winter with all kinds of errands, but now, it seemed that he was no longer that busy and he could still have time to drink tea and read books. That was something he had not been able to do for a long time, after he became the King. So the King was in a really good mood right now. He was about to announce the end of the morning session, when Zhou Huaijin stepped out and said, ¡°King, I need to report something.¡± The King frowned ¨C what was he up to again? ¡°What is it?¡± He sounded impatient. ¡°It is about the refugees in the capital. They normally received a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns in the previous years, but this year, what they received is none other than some water-like porridge, and they were not even given any steamed buns. The refugees will not survive the winter in this way,¡± Zhou Huaijin said angrily. The King showed no expression on his face, looking very profound. He did not answer Zhou Huaijin¡¯s question directly either. Instead, he looked at Zhou Huailing. ¡°Lord Ling, you are in charge of the refugees, you can exin that to him.¡± Chapter 624 - Xiao Jin

Chapter 624: Xiao Jin

Xie Yan had been a strategist for years. He used to work at the military, but because of several reasons, his former master, namely some General, did not like his style so he got fired. That was why he ended up working for Zhou Huailing instead. Back at the military training, he had learned a great deal, like gathering forces. Despite his position right now, Lord Huai was the King¡¯s son and had the biggest possibility of taking the throne. So he needed to gather forces too, before he was able to get the throne. And since he took responsibility for the refugees, it would be the best channel for him to gather forces among the civilians. Lord Ling was arrogant, and he was not willing to lower his own dignity to help those people. Xie Yan was aware of that point, so he stopped trying to persuade him, but¡­ The situation was that the refugees were all forces gathered by Lord Huai and Gu Chaoyan¡­ that made him have to mention something. When Xie Yan said those words, Zhou Huailing threw a very displeased look at him. ¡°Xie Yan, you are truly falling behind me. One more word, I will have to fire you. Those refugees are not at all useful, why do I need them as my forces? They are not even good at nting crops! You think they can be handy? Just dream about that! Eighth Brother and his team are so willing to do these stupid things so they can just do that! Why are you caring about that at all? You are getting so out of fashion! If I treat them well, I am wasting energy and offending the other civilians who are not refugees!¡± Then he turned away in anger. He had intended to mock the Eighth Brother here, but when he heard Xie Yan¡¯s words, he lost the mood and returned to the mansion. He was going to have a chat with the Ministry of Etiquette about the organization of the New Year. That was a more promising matter for him to do right now. Xie Yan sighed. He looked at the resettlement yard and then at Lord Ling who had hurried off. He felt a bit helpless, Lord Ling knew nothing about the forces of civilians! Those refugees, though being in trouble right now, would return to their own viges after winter. And some of them were going southwards too! Their words would be passed around, and that was how the forces of civilians were gathered! And all Lord Ling needed to do was to say a few words, but he was not willing to ept the suggestion. Well, there was nothing he could do. When he came to Lord Ling, he was very ambitious and believed that he and Lord Ling could do something together. However, Lord Ling was getting more and more dominating and stubborn since the Phoenix Girl thing appeared. He shook his head. He remembered how Lord Ling told him to leave if he offered advice one more time. He was going to think about what he could do when he left the Lord. Xie Yan followed, but Lord Ling¡¯s wagon was already gone. He did not wait for him. It seemed that Lord was really pissed this time. Xie Yan sighed and started to walk back himself. @@novelbin@@ *** Back in the resettlement room. Gu Chaoyan had gotten everything well sorted, so she decided to go out of the city. She avoided Zhou Huaijin subconsciously and when she was about to leave, she said with eyes staring forward rather than looking at Zhou Huaijin. ¡°I need to find Xiao Jin to get some business done. You must be busy too, you can get back to your own business now.¡± Then she left. Qing and Sword One threw an embarrassed look at Zhou Huaijin, and followed her. They walked all the way out of the city, but Gu Chaoyan did not turn around. Xiao Jin got so excited at the sight of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Elder Miss, you have business for me?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. Chapter 628 - Let Him In

Chapter 628: Let Him In

Gu Chaoyan had been living inside the mansion since the purchase, but she had not named the mansion, so the board on the door was always vacant. Gu Chaoyan did not mention a thing about the board, nor did the servants. They all believed that Elder Miss had her own ideas and ns. So when the Imperial Master mentioned the destination, what he said was none other than ¡°the mansion¡±. After all, he did not notice what the mansion was called on his previous visit. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mansion was located slightly far from the center, but was not that isted. It was not a long ride between the hotel and the mansion, it only took the Imperial Master one hour to arrive at the mansion. It was snowing, but the Imperial Master did not even use an umbre before he walked in directly. It was Xiu Jie who was guarding the door, since there was nothing special going on. Seeing that the Imperial Master was here, Xiu Jie did not show a good expression. He was present when Prince Muyi and Elder Miss were talking about the deals, even a rough man like Xiu Jie could tell that the Imperial Master was not a nice man. Now he was here alone¡­ he must be up to something. The Imperial Master intended to walk in directly, but Xiu Jie stopped him and said expressionlessly. ¡°Who are you?¡± The Imperial Master¡¯s eyes widened. They met with each other before, and now he was asking him who he was? Tolerating the anger, the Imperial Master decided to deal with this servantter after meeting Lady Chaoyan. The Imperial Master answered annoyedly, ¡°The Imperial Master of the Feather Mulberry Land. I want to see Lady Chaoyan.¡± Xiu Jie answered briefly. He said with an equally expressionless look on his face. ¡°Then hang on here, I will pass on the message.¡± Then he was about to shut the door directly. The Imperial Master said surprisedly, ¡°Are you asking me to wait here?¡± What a joke! He was the Imperial Master of the Feather Mulberry Land! Now he was in the Saint Divine Land where even the royal family were treating him politely. This Lady Chaoyan was just ady who had been driven out of the family, and she was not qualified enough to put on airs in front of him. Now he was asked to wait at the door! The Imperial Master could not believe what was happening. He was about to say something when the door was shut right on his face. The Imperial Master¡¯s expression froze then he burst out intoughter, feeling rather pissed. He would like to see how long this servant would stay arrogant! He was going to tell Lady Chaoyan about this manter, so that Lady Chaoyan could punish him! The Imperial Master was already nning how to punish this man in his heart. *** When Xiu Jie shut the door, he walked in to pass on the message. Hearing the news, Gu Chaoyan frowned deeply. What was he doing here? ¡°Is Prince Muyi here?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Only the Imperial Master¡­¡± Xiu Jie answered. Xiu Jie even thought that Elder Miss could turn him down. He was just the Imperial Master of the Feather Mulberry Land who took actions behind the Elder Prince¡¯s back. That could not be something good. And if Elder Miss met this man from the Feather Mulberry Land, the King might find it suspicious! That would not be nice. However, Xiu Jie did not dare to say those things in front of Elder Miss. Gu Chaoyan hesitated for a moment. Normally, she did not have to meet him, but she would like to see what the Imperial Master was going to do behind Prince Muyi¡¯s back. She was in a cooperative rtionship with Prince Muyi anyway, so she nodded. ¡°Let him in.¡± Chapter 631 - You are in Trouble

Chapter 631: You are in Trouble

Having said these words, the Imperial Master kept his head highly-raised. He was waiting to see how Gu Chaoyan was going to thank him, and he was going to take revenge on the servant as well. He already hade up with a solution to punish that man. Well, the Imperial Master did not brag about Prince Muyi. People withmon sense would know what Prince Muyi was like, and people from the Saint Divine Land would have a better idea of what he was talking about. And business people never had a great position in any country. Lady Chaoyan was thest kind of woman that people would want ¨C she was driven out of her family, and she was a businesswoman. No family in the Saint Divine Land would want to marry her, so those who wanted to marry Lady Chaoyan would either go for her money or have no rank in their family. No one would be as noble as Prince Muyi! That was the best for her, and the Imperial Master believed that it was the best they could offer. Prince Muyi was too dumb to understand that, so he had to do it personally. ¡°Me? A Concubine?¡± Gu Chaoyan sneered. ¡°You are not joking, are you?¡± The Imperial Master held his head high up in the air, but when he heard Gu Chaoyan¡¯s suspicion¡­ @@novelbin@@ He got slightly displeased ¨C so she was sneering at him, the Imperial Master? He might not be someone from the royal family, but he was still a powerful man back in the Feather Mulberry Land¡­ what he said was true! The Imperial Master said unhappily, ¡°I know that you are not good enough for Prince Muyi, but he likes you. I would not want to approve of this.¡± The Imperial Master, who had been feeling rather displeased, was trying all he could to save his own face. So he had to make some disguises of what he was saying He had just said the words, when Sword One could not tolerate it and burst out, ¡°How dare you!¡± She put the sword up to the Imperial Master¡¯s neck and red at the Imperial Master fiercely, ¡°You know what crime you havemitted?¡± Sword One did not even save any of her force. Blood already came out of the Imperial Master¡¯s neck. Sword One would have killed him directly if not for some other concerns. The Imperial Master suddenly got scared. He touched his neck with shivering hands, and when he saw the blood, his eyes almost popped out. ¡°What are you doing! I am on a visit to your country, how dare you, this minor woman without a family, touch me! I will report this to the King and he is going to punish you!¡± Hearing the words¡­ Sword One could not tolerate her anger any more. How dare this man bully Elder Miss just because she was driven out of her family? Sword One withdrew her sword and gave the Imperial Master some kicks. The Imperial Master rolled about in pain. He looked at them with a look of disbelief. ¡°How dare you!!¡± However, Sword One continued to kick him the moment he talked and Gu Chaoyan did not stop Sword One. Gu Chaoyan was driven out of the family and had no Gu Mansion as backup, but she was not a person to be bullied in any corner of the world, including the Saint Divine Land. Anyone who was bullying her was going to pay. The Imperial Master made some more threats, so Qing stepped forward and kicked him too. With hands over his head, he said, ¡°You are in trouble!¡± Gu Chaoyan asked Sword One and Qing to move away and walked forward and looked down at him, saying coldly, ¡°You are wrong, Imperial Master, it is you who are in trouble.¡± Chapter 634 - Proper Proposal

Chapter 634: Proper Proposal

Prince Muyi jerked up and came back to himself. Lady Chaoyan¡¯s maid? Then she must be passing on a message from Lady Chaoyan! He suddenly got very cheerful. He did not mind if it was about the deal or not. Lady Chaoyan was still thinking about him! @@novelbin@@ Tightly seated, Prince Muyi showed a bright smile and nodded. ¡°Ask her in, and treat her properly, don¡¯t be rude!¡± Prince Muyi stressed. He was pretty aware of those men around him. They were not from his own mansion, but were people arranged by his father. Those people had established a habit of looking down on people who were not their masters after spending so much time in the court. Prince Muyi did not want his men to leave any bad impressions on Lady Chaoyan¡¯s maid, thus being very cautious. When the servant heard these words, he nodded and changed his expression as he went out to ask the guest toe in. Sword One was a girl who did martial arts. She did not care much about those small trivilities. She could feel how others treated her Elder Miss, but when it came to herself, she did not have to be so critical, so Sword One did not notice the difference. She walked in and headed towards Prince Muyi. When Sword One walked in, Prince Muyi poured her a cup of tea and said politely, ¡°You have travelled so far toe here, please drink some tea to drive away the cold.¡± Sword One was not thirsty. She was in a hurry to pass on the message, but Prince Muyi was very polite, so she took the teacup and drank it. When she was done with tea, Sword One said seriously, ¡°Prince Muyi, there is one thing Elder Miss asked me to tell you. As for what you want to do with it, it will be up to you, and our Elder Miss doesn¡¯t care.¡± When Prince Muyi heard what Sword One said, he felt his heart throbbing. He sensed something was wrong at the sight of Sword One¡¯s serious look. Sword One said, ¡°Your Imperial Master from the Feather Mulberry Land came to our mansion and asked Elder Miss to be your concubine. I am not sure if you know about this. If you didn¡¯t ask him to do that, you have to watch out for him. The Imperial Master will set you up sooner orter, if it continues in this way, but if you asked him to do that¡­¡± Prince Muyi shook his head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Sword One nodded. Good. Prince Muyi was a great cooperation partner, and it would be such a pity if he had some dirty thoughts. ¡°Good.¡± Sword One answered. Prince Muyi just could not believe that the Imperial Master would be so bold as to ask Elder Miss to be the concubine. That was an insult! It was bullying too! He was treating her in that way because of what her family had done to her. He objected to what the Imperial Master said on the wagon and thought that he would have stopped thinking about this matter¡­ However, he even did something like this without his authorization! Muyi clenched his fists, trying his best to calm himself down. He looked up at Sword One and said sincerely. ¡°I do like your Elder Miss, but I would like to marry her in a proper way. I never thought about insulting her!¡± Chapter 635 - One Thing

Chapter 635: One Thing

Prince Muyi had not intended to express his own feelings so soon, because he was aware thatdies in the Saint Divine Land were rtively more introverted and he expected to stay longer in the Saint Divine Land, then he could get to know Lady Chaoyan better and let her see what merits he had. Yet he had not expected that the dumb Imperial Master acted on his own and went to talk with Lady Chaoyan without his authorization. Therefore, he had to confess what he was feeling. He would like this message to be passed on to Lady Chaoyan directly, telling her that he liked her and would like to marry her in a proper manner. Lady Chaoyan had no one to lean on after she was driven out of the family. He had thought about this before. If she was going to the Feather Mulberry Land with him, he was not going to betray her like his father did to his numerous concubines, whom he did not really care about. He was going to care for her. He was going to stand by Lady Chaoyan¡¯s side and defend her. That was what Prince Muyi was nning inwardly. He told Sword One about this, hoping that Sword One could pass on the message for him. In the meanwhile, he looked at Sword One sincerely and said, ¡°Miss, could you please pass on this message to Elder Miss?¡± Sword One looked at Prince Muyi with aplicated look on her face. @@novelbin@@ She had thought that the Imperial Master was trying to frame Prince Muyi for the cooperation, so he went to the mansion for that talk. Unexpectedly, Prince Muyi was into the Elder Miss for real! Well¡­ if Elder Miss had not been engaged, she could pass on the message, but her Elder Miss was already engaged, so these words were just¡­ Sword One finally decided to remind him. ¡°Prince Muyi, Elder Miss, is already engaged. Are you sure you want me to pass on the message to her?¡± Sword One looked at Prince Muyi with aplicated expression on her face. ¡°What?¡± Prince Muyi¡¯s face changed and he just could not believe or want to believe that. He widened his eyes and asked, feeling unconvinced, ¡°Lady Chaoyan¡­.is engaged?¡± Sword One nodded. Prince Muyi kept shaking his head. His eyes were red as his hands became a fist. He was trying to make himself look calm. ¡°Who is¡­ is he? Can you tell who he is? I am fine¡­ I mean, if he is a nice guy¡­ I mean, then, I will tell Lady Chaoyan¡­ who is he?¡± Prince Muyi could not talk freely. He subconsciously tried to reach the teacup so as to conceal his emotions, but out of extreme sadness, he picked it up and put it down directly. He was still a young man¡­ he was not that capable of concealing his own emotions. He had revealed his own emotions right in front of Sword One. Sword One felt concerned. This Prince was an innocent and straightforward man, and he was very truthful to the Elder Miss, it was just¡­ Sword One sighed. ¡°It is Lord Huai. Prince Muyi, don¡¯t worry, Lord Huai and Elder Miss have known each other since they were little. He is going to treat Elder Miss well.¡± Having said these words, Sword One took a few steps backwards without looking at Prince Muyi. ¡°I will be off now.¡± Prince Muyi shook his head and then nodded. He nodded in the end. His eyes were red, but tears had note up. It was such a saddening thing, but he was trying to make himself look steady and peaceful. He swallowed his saliva and said, ¡°Can you do me a favor, please?¡± Chapter 636 - Revenge

Chapter 636: Revenge

Sword One ceased her steps and nodded as she looked at this man in front of her. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Please don¡¯t pass on the message to your Elder Miss.¡± Prince Muyi said, suffocated. Sword One breathed in, she hesitated for a while, then she nodded. Prince Muyi thanked her and Sword One left. After Sword One was gone, Prince Muyi wiped his tears, trying to calm himself down. His eyes were still red, butposure had already returned to his face. He sipped the tea, got up and walked out of the room. He was heading towards the Imperial Master¡¯s room. The Imperial Master¡¯s room had the door open, because doctors wereing in and out. They bowed to Prince Muyi at the sight of him, before getting down to their own professional business. Prince Muyi did not look at them and just walked into the room. The Imperial Master¡¯s face was still swelling, but with medicine on, it looked slightly better. The doctors were putting on the cream for him, but when he felt pain, the Imperial Master would always punch at the doctors who just could do nothing with guards around. Prince Muyi looked at the Imperial Master. He had not been feeling so satisfied with the Imperial Master on their way there, but he was the man assigned by his father, so he had no choice but to keep him. He disagreed with what the Imperial Master said on the wagon the other day, and he even had the intention of sending the Imperial Master back home and making him stay away from the visit here. However, that moment of hesitation had caused such a huge mistake! The guards greeted Prince Muyi. The Imperial Master did not understand and said with teeth clenched. ¡°Prince Muyi, I am fine, just go have a break, you don¡¯t have to check up on me.¡± Prince Muyi did not reply. He looked at the doctors and said, ¡°Just leave us alone. And you don¡¯t have toe back after getting paid.¡± The doctors let out a sigh of relief. They had thought that they could earn some money after checking up on the patient, but the men from the Feather Mulberry Land were so difficult to treat. They were barbaric! It was such a great thing that they were asked to leave now. These doctors hurried off without hesitation. Only now did the Imperial Master sense that something was wrong. He had been lying on his stomach a minute ago, but turned around, asking timidly, ¡°Prince Muyi, what is going on?¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Prince Muyi looked at the Imperial Master with no expression on his face. ¡°You really have no idea what is going on? You decided on your own and insulted Lady Chaoyan! Who do you think you are that can speak with her on behalf of me? What if she doesn¡¯t like it? What consequences do you think ournd will have to face?!¡± Prince Muyi bellowed furiously. He was a mild-tempered person, but he was a man with a bottom line. Once his bottom line was touched, he would not show any politeness. The Imperial Master had his head lowered, feeling guilty. How did Prince know about this so fast? Women were always so fickle. She just said that she would drop it, but now the Prince knew about it! The Imperial Master smiled with a ttering smile. ¡°Prince Muyi, please calm down. I am just doing this for you! Our King is aging and it is time to think about the throne for us! I just thought that if you could marry Lady Chaoyan as a concubine, you might have a back-up force behind your back! But¡­¡± Chapter 640 - Threat

Chapter 640: Threat

Xue Feihan looked so certain and calm. The three friends came to the Saint College as parentless children, and the Saint College was a home for them. So Xue Feihan was very certain that when Xia Yinghan returned, she was going back to Saint College sooner orter. Since he was here today already, he was going to bring her back to the college. ¡°We have been very busy these days with both you and Huang Xuan gone. The Dean barely has time to take a break. He has to give lessons to the students at the Saint College. The Dean should havee to get you personally hearing that you are back, but he is just too busy to do so, so I came to get you myself. The New Year is around the corner, and we will not be that busy any more. The plum flowers are blooming in the backyard, let¡¯s go and see them, alright?¡± Xue Feihan exined his reason for being here, trying to tempt Xia Yinghan. Seeing the plum flowers in the backyard had always been what they liked doing since little. Xia Yinghan was the one that loved plum flowers most of all, so she loved seeing them every year and she always wanted Xue Feihan to keep herpany. Therefore, Xue Feihan believed that as long as he mentioned plum flowers, Xia Yinghan would definitely go to the Saint College with him without any objection. Although Huang Xuan was absent, Xue Feihan believed that as long as Xia Yinghan was with him for the winter, it would be a perfect time for them too. Seeing that Xue Feihan was speaking with her in a ttering way, and remembering that Xue Feihan never liked plum flowers¡­ Xia Yinghan felt that things had changed. She had no idea since when things started to change. Could it have been from the time when he asked her to return home back at the Pass? Xia Yinghan felt quite emotional facing Xue Feihan in this way, but she did not have the intention of following him home. Saint College used to be a ce full of warmth for her, but Xia Yinghan just could not remember since when, the Saint College had be something different in her heart. It seemed that it was when she was so concerned about Xue Feihan¡¯s concern about Huang Xuan. @@novelbin@@ Xia Yinghan sighed as she looked at Xue Feihan, ¡°Senior Brother, just leave, I am not going to return to the Saint College any more. The Dean already approved of my departure before I left for the Pass.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I have nothing to do with Saint College, and when I am settled, I will visit the Dean. As for the others¡­ well, just forget about it.¡± Xia Yinghan said calmly. As a matter of fact, she herself had no strong interest in plum flowers. She only did that because she wanted to spend some time with Xue Feihan, but now, she no longer liked Xue Feihan, so she had no interest in plum flowers any more either. Everything was gone. Xue Feihan¡¯s face changed. She was not going back with him? Why? ¡°No, you have to return there with me! We are all parentless children and Saint College is our home! Huang Xuan is reckless so she left, but you are not! Have you forgotten what we promised to each other before? We are staying at the Saint College for our whole life!¡± Xue Feihan¡¯s voice arose louder and louder and now he started to bellow furiously, ¡°Xia Yinghan, you have toe with me!¡± Xia Yinghan shook her head and felt even more emotional at the sight of Xue Feihan, but they were no longer children. ¡°Senior Brother, what is the point?¡± ¡°Xia Yinghan, if you refuse to return with me, you are never going to see me again!¡± Xue Feihan threatened. Chapter 645 - The Huangpu Family

Chapter 645: The Huangpu Family

When hearing these words, Gu Chaoyan stopped her move, put down the bow and gave the bow to Zhou Huaijin next to her. Was she here for Xia Yinghan? And judging from the way she was behaving¡­ was she here for revenge? Yinghan had no family, so this woman could not havee from her family. And most of her patients were princesses in the court, so they would not be here causing such trouble. Maybe it was because of Xue Feihan? The suspicionsted for just one second when Gu Chaoyan stopped. That woman already shouted loudly, ¡°How dare you think about marrying into the Huangpu Family?¡± So¡­ Gu Chaoyan understood what happened. It was because of General Huangpu! It was quite normal for a man to have many wives and concubines in this era, so she could not be some concubine. Gu Chaoyan sized up this woman running towards her from head to toes. Since Xiu Jie was in the yard and Qing was at the gate, she failed to stop this woman who rushed in, but the woman was stopped by Xiu Jie as she came to Gu Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ Xiu Jie was worried that this woman would hurt his Elder Miss. ¡°Who are you, how dare you break into my mansion?¡± Gu Chaoyan snapped, frowning. Hearing Chaoyan¡¯s words, thedy showed no fear but said arrogantly, ¡°Me? I am Madame Huangpu!¡± She was confident about what she was doing, because she knew that the woman Huangpu Sheng wanted to marry was none other than an orphan from the Saint College, who grew up at the Saint College! This woman could not possibly have any ¡°high-ss friends¡±. On her way here, she noticed that there was no board at the gate. So this could not be a proper mansion with any powers supporting them. Otherwise she would not have thought about breaking in. She snorted. Hearing that she was Madame Huangpu, Gu Chaoyan believed that something was wrong. She asked Sword One to get General Huangpu whilst Qing went to take care of Xia Yinghan so that she would note out of the room now. You could never tell what this Madame Huangpu was up to. She had to make sure that Yinghan was not hurt. ¡°What is your business breaking into my mansion?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked coldly. ¡°What is my business?¡± Madame Huangpu snorted. ¡°What business do I have? I am teaching Xia Yinghan a lesson! She is a parentless woman so how dare she seduce Huangpu Sheng and try to marry into our mansion! What qualification does she have? She is insulting our mansion! Bring her out and I will teach her a lesson.¡± ¡°I am not a person who makes fusses about anything, but Huangpu Sheng is going to marry Ms. Chang, who is from a real noble family. Xia Yinghan is a low-ss woman who is not suitable for our family!¡± Madame Huangpu said proudly. ¡°Honestly¡­ Xia Yinghan this bi*ch¡­¡± Madame Huangpu looked intimidating and was about to demean her, when Gu Chaoyan went forward¡­ She pped Madame Huangpu right in the face and looked at her coldly. ¡°I can talk with you, but I am not listening to you belittling Yinghan. One more word, you will get more than just a p on the face!¡± ¡°How dare you hit me! Do you know what Huangpu Mansion is!¡± Madame Huangpu said anxiously. Chapter 649 - Your WisH

Chapter 649: Your WisH

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan looked up at Zhou Huaijin subconsciously, confusion hovering over her face. Huangpu Sheng behaved politely in front of Zhou Huaijin. He did not look as natural as a while ago. He looked at Zhou Huaijin attentively. Zhou Huaijin sat down next to Gu Chaoyan naturally as he gave a pinch on her face. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes widened as she turned her face, flushing. She then threw a re at Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijinughed dryly. He just could not help pinching Chaoyan¡¯s innocent-looking face. Knowing that she was bashful¡­ he no longer indulged himself in that. He said seriously, ¡°The military camp you are working at belonged to the Senior General Huangpu. If your father truly wants to remove you from the Huangpu Family, then it would not be a good choice for you to remain at the military camp, but it depends on you what your choice is. If you don¡¯t mind, I can introduce you to General Liu¡¯s camp, but you won¡¯t be a general there. You might just be a minor soldier. General Liu is very strict to his soldiers, and you will only be a leader if you work well.¡± Zhou Huaijin told Huangpu Sheng the truth. Huangpu Sheng, instead of hesitating, nodded directly. ¡°I will go to General Liu¡¯s military camp!¡± @@novelbin@@ Hearing Huangpu Sheng¡¯s resolute and decisive answer, Zhou Huaijin was slightly surprised. Then he thought for a while and realized that Huangpu Sheng was a man with ideas. He patted his shoulder. ¡°If you have time, speak about it with Xia Yinghan. I will bring you to General Liu tomorrow.¡± Huangpu Sheng clenched his fist. ¡°Thank you Lord Huai. General Liu is a man that most of the soldiers admire, and if I am able to work for him, that would be my honor.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. He suggested that he should go and speak to Xia Yinghan now. Then he fell into contemtion at the sight of Huangpu Sheng¡¯s disappearing back. Well, at least Huangpu Sheng, a man born in a general¡¯s mansion, was open hearted for another general¡¯s mansion¡­ that basically meant that he was a broad-minded person. He was a man worth being friends with. Seeing Huangpu Sheng going into the distance, Zhou Huaijin got up and took hold of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Come, let¡¯s continue to practise the bow to see if you can hit the center.¡± ¡°What if I do? Any rewards for me?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked naughtily. ¡°What about a kiss?¡± Zhou Huaijin answered seriously. Gu Chaoyan red at him. This man was so rude! He was just pinching her face in front of others! How rude! She took up the bow and started to practise facing the target. She had not practised for a long while so she failed to hit the center after several attempts, but she finally did it at the sixth attempt. Gu Chaoyan smiled happily and hopped up and down on the spot. Zhou Huaijin cupped her face and kissed her on the forehead. ¡°As you wished.¡± The next second, Gu Chaoyan punched him hard. She looked at him with a look of scolding. In the end, Zhou Huaijin asked Gu Chaoyan to take a break in the room. The wind was blowing so hard outside, and she would catch a cold if she was outside for too long. Chapter 652 - The Duke Rank of the Duke North

Chapter 652: The Duke Rank of the Duke North

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan looked up at the King. The King himself might not have noticed that he sounded furious when he mentioned Zhao Yiqiu. It was a kind of fury that could not be concealed. The King was indeed angry. He himself had not expected that he had just brought a wolf home! The Queen did note to him, nor did she miss him. And even when he went to visit the Weiyang Pce and asked her about her health, the Queen did not even want to speak with him. The Queen was not like this! The King believed that the reason why the Queen was like this was because Zhao Yiqiu had told her something, but right now, he could not just give Zhao Yiqiu any trouble. He was just in the middle of anger, so he could not help but ask Chaoyan about him. ¡°Mr. Zhao has stayed in my court these days. He is in my mansion, but I don¡¯t care. I get paid,¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. The King sneered and dropped the topic of Zhao Yiqiu. The more he talked, the more he would expose himself. That was something the King was pretty aware of, so he avoided showing anything more. When talk of Zhao Yiqiu was done, none of the three people in the Qianqing Pce spoke any more. The King somehow lost his interest. He waved his hands. ¡°You can go home now, I still have petitions to read. Come to me when you have time.¡± Gu Chaoyan subconsciously looked at Prince Muyi. Didn¡¯t he have some undone business with Prince Muyi? However, that was not something Gu Chaoyan was supposed to know. So she got up, greeted him and left. Gu Chaoyan was leading the way and Prince Muyi was following behind her. The two were avoiding each other. Prince Muyi was the Prince of the Feather Mulberry Land, and Gu Chaoyan was the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai. The two of them should not have close contact in the court, thus avoiding each other. The two were walking outwards. Young Duke arrived at the Qianqing Pce. The teacups were not even cleaned up and the King was still seated where he had been. The moment he saw Young Duke, he waved his handszily and asked the Eunuch to prepare some new tea. The Eunuch had just removed the tea, when the King exined. ¡°Lady Chaoyan was here. She just left.¡± Young Duke¡¯s face changed. He subconsciously reached out for the Anecdote of Saint Divine. He had the book in his arms every day, hoping that he could return the book to her when they ran into each other. That would drive his lingering feelings away. However, every time, they just missed each other, every time! Why was this happening to him today again! So they did not have the chance of meeting each other again? Young Duke felt very sad inwardly. The King did not notice that at all. He asked Zheng Chenyi to meet him because he had some business to speak with him about. The King just did not care about his emotions. The King looked up and said sorrowfully, ¡°It is the end of the year again, and many ministers in court are urging me to get someone to take the Duke¡¯s position.. Well, the position has been vacant for too long¡­ And you are Duke North¡¯s only son and normally, you should have the rank, but you were so seriously injured a while ago and you don¡¯t seem to be able to fight on the battlefield any more, so¡­¡± Chapter 655 - The Future Mansion

Chapter 655: The Future Mansion

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions In the past, Madame Zheng would have not been that happy hearing what Mrs. Duke North said, but today, things were different. With a smile on her face, she kept observing the mansion as she said critically, ¡°Duke North¡¯s Mansion is poor, but you need to keep it clean, right? It looks so shabby and bleak, I don¡¯t want my Yunfan to suffer when he lives here.¡± She kept making criticism about what was around the mansion as if she were already the owner. Mrs. Duke North would have driven her out in the past, but hearing what Madame Zheng said, she almost fell. She looked at her with disbelief. So Zheng Yunfan was going to inherit the rank? That was impossible! However, soon Mrs. Duke North started to feel convinced. Madame Zheng had been drooling for this position for a long while, but she never dared to bring it up on the surface. However, she did today. Then Mrs. Duke North was reminded of how Chenyi unwillingly told her about the postponed announcement. Was he lying to her? Mrs. Duke North felt that she almost passed out. She held her hands against her chest and the aunt next to her supported her. Madame Zheng got startled too. She was just here trying to brag about something, but Mrs. Duke North, who was always so intimidating, just could not even stand any threats. She got so frightened that she decided to leave. She did not want to cause any trouble before Yunfan formally got granted the rank, otherwise the Zheng Family would me her for any trouble that was caused. She showed a timid smile. ¡°You should not behave like this. Even when Yunfan gets the rank, he is still part of the family, and we will still take care of you.¡± Having said these words, she left. @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Duke North looked so miserable. ¡°I must talk with Lady Chaoyan. I am going to make it up to her. It was my fault to have humiliated her!¡± Mrs. Duke North suddenly jerked up. Aunt followed and exchanged a look with the housekeeper, telling him to get Young Duke. *** At Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mansion. Gu Chaoyan was sunbathing in the yard, drinking tea in the sunlight. It was almost the end of the year, and they had a lot to do. Xiu Jie was avable today, so he came to ask her. ¡°Elder Miss, we should make some preparations for the New Year.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. That was true. She did not care much about festivals, but there were more than a dozen people in the mansion and those employees should have a good New Year. So she should pay attention to the preparations after all. ¡°Xiu Jie, you and Qing can be in charge of the preparations for the New Year. We have plenty of money, so don¡¯t be too frugal about buying stuff. Just buy what is necessary, prepare huge and precious presents for everyone, including the cleaners and chefs, for the New Year, and every employee should get 10 more yuan each month so that they will work for us devotedly. Tell them that as long as they work hard and well, they will be granted with presents,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Xiu Jie nodded and smiled. ¡°I will do that well.¡± Lady Chaoyan treated the servants well, so Xiu Jie found it a great honor to have such a Miss to serve. Xiu Jie was about to get down to business, when Qing suddenly rushed in. ¡°Elder Miss, Mrs.. Duke North is here asking to see you.¡± Chapter 658 - Any Methods

Chapter 658: Any Methods

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan shook her head directly without hesitation. It was not that she was being stingy, nor was it because the pill required a lot of material, but¡­ ¡°That is a tranquilizer which helps people to doze off. I gave it to your mother only because she was suffering so badly and she had too much in her mind. She takes it so she can be stopped from being mentally disturbed. However¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly, ¡°The pills should not be taken too often, because the side effects are too strong, so I can¡¯t give them to you. And after a nap, she will still think about those matters when she wakes up.¡± Gu Chaoyan was helpless too. She more or less understood Mrs. Duke North today. Mrs. Duke North had always been alert for more than a decade, and she was just a weak woman who had to stay alert for all sorts of conspiracies and tricks so that Zheng Chenyi could grow up so healthily. She was under huge pressure. Zheng Chenyi was the only hope in her heart. When Zheng Chenyi got injured and almost lost his life, Mrs. Duke North was totally stricken as well. So she was not nagging. She was thinking that she was the only person that had been offended after Zheng Chenyi almost died. That was why she had magnified the whole thing in her head. In this way, she failed to treat Gu Chaoyan objectively. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. She felt sad for Mrs. Duke North. If Zheng Chenyi acquired the rank after all, then everything would be fine. If he failed, Mrs. Duke North would totally copse. Zheng Chenyi was obviously aware of this point. He asked miserably, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, do you have any method to stop mother from thinking about these things?¡± Gu Chaoyan was expressionless. She was thinking about what she could do to help solve this matter. If that woman was injured and had no strength to breathe, she was confident that she could save her, but Mrs. Duke North was different¡­ It was definitely a difficult case, because what she needed to do was to sooth her mind. ¡°Not for the moment, please let me think about it.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered calmly. However, Zheng Chenyi still let out a sigh of relief. He trusted Lady Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ When he almost passed away, Lady Chaoyan saved him. So when Lady Chaoyan promised to think of a solution, she was definitely going toe up with one. When the matter was almost settled, Zheng Chenyi started to feel uneasy again. He still had the book the Anecdote of Saint Divine in his arms, and his mind was messy. He wondered whether he should return the book to Lady Chaoyan¡­ but he still had onest story to read and if he returned the book now, he would not be able to read thest story. Well¡­ He could return the book when he finished thest story. He had a lot of time and Lady Chaoyan was going to treat his mother, so it would take half a month before the book was supposed to be returned. If he had more time, he could read the whole book right from the beginning. Zheng Chenyi found that his n sounded really great. Gu Chaoyan exchanged a few words with him, but he missed them all. Gu Chaoyan added. ¡°Young Duke?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, what? Lady Chaoyan, what did you say?¡± Zheng Chenyi flushed as he asked.. Chapter 661 - The Zheng Family

Chapter 661: The Zheng Family

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan nodded. She thought for a while and decided to have a discussion with Mr. Zhao. Maybe he had a better answer. She found a seat and sat down, then she recounted the situation of Mrs. Duke North to Mr. Zhao. Mr. Zhao was silent for a long while, then he said, ¡°Unless there are drugs that can manipte people¡¯s behaviors, otherwise there is no such a thing that could control someone¡¯s mind. If her past memories are way too miserable, then we could just erase the memories in her head¡­ that might be a good idea.¡± Hearing what Mr. Zhao said, Gu Chaoyan seemed to have some inspiration. If the old memories were erased, then she would not dwell on the past memory at all. That was a great idea! ¡°Do you have any drugs for this?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked earnestly. ¡°I need some time for that.¡± Zhao Yiqiu responded. ¡°I don¡¯t normally make that drug any more, but if it is for Mrs. Duke North, then I will make it for thest time for her sake.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zhao,¡± Gu Chaoyan said sincerely. Zhao Yiqiu was not showing any emotions on his face. Fearing that Mr. Zhao would be disturbed from his work, Gu Chaoyan decided to go back to her own ce. She had just gotten up when she was reminded of one thing. She said, ¡°Mr. Zhao, please be careful around the King.¡± Zhao Yiqiu nodded. He showed no expression. Gu Chaoyan said nothing more. Mr. Zhao should have some ideas of his own. Then she returned to her own courtyard. On the way home, Gu Chaoyan ran into Manager Song. Only then did she remember what was happening. She had asked her staff at the Yellow Crane to go home early, so Manager Song must be here to deliver the booklet. ¡°Elder Miss!¡± Manager Song was in a very good mood, as he bowed to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Manager Song, it is windy outside, let¡¯s talk inside,¡± Gu Chaoyan said as she asked Manager Song to head towards the hall. There were fireces in the hall, so it was warm there. Manager Song ced the thick booklets on the table and said with a smile, ¡°Please take a look at them, Lady Chaoyan. Yellow Crane is a new restaurant, but the business is doing great. We have earned a profit of 500,000 yuan, and we will make more next year, I believe.¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan leafed through the booklets. The booklets were very thick and the documented numbers were veryplicated. Gu Chaoyan had thought about teaching them documenting the materials in figures, but since tax of the court was involved, and the simple booklets were not approved, her opinions would not be epted. So she had to drop it. She was going to distribute a simple method of calction when she had a better opportunity. Gu Chaoyan had a brief look at the booklets before dropping it. ¡°I will read themter.¡± ¡°Manager Song, when you are done with the Yellow Crane errands, move to the mansion. We have a vacant room next to Xiu Jie¡¯s, and when you are here, the time will be bustling!¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Manager Song had no family, and he would be feeling very lonely guarding Yellow Crane alone. Manager Song was startled, then he felt tears in his eyes as he nodded. *** At Duke North¡¯s Mansion. The Tribe Chief of the Zheng Family was there with Zheng Yunfan. Mrs. Duke North was still asleep, so it was Zheng Chenyi who was receiving them. Zheng Chenyi had no expression on his face. The Tribe Chief was with Zheng Yunfan, and he did not think that they were here for anything good. During the past few years, Tribe Chief must have been bought out by the Eldest Brother of the Zheng Family! Chapter 665 - What Happened?

Chapter 665: What Happened?

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions So Prince Muyi was here? What was he doing at her mansion? Gu Chaoyan found the whole thing very confusing. She just could not figure out what could have happened, but since she was in a cooperation with Prince Muyi, she nodded and said, ¡°Please ask him toe in.¡± Xiu Jie responded and retired. Gu Chaoyan looked at Sword One. ¡°That should be a good thing. It is always about cause and effect. Mrs. Duke North behaves like this, because of Duke North¡¯s passing and Zheng Chenyi. Zheng Chenyi has just passed 20 years old and it was quite normal that he did not get many ideas in the past, but that drug can not be taken all the time. It is very cruel for someone to have their mind erased.¡± Sword One nodded. She believed that her Elder Miss was right. When she was in the court and heard about how Young Duke got injured, she admired this excellent young man. And she believed that after experiencing some things, he would be even more excellent. When they were done with the conversation, Prince Muyi arrived. So they dropped their conversation. Prince Muyi still looked quite hesitant. He was not with the Imperial Master, so he was alone and he looked quite innocent. Gu Chaoyan was not a person that liked strict manners. So she asked Prince Muyi to take the seat the moment he came in. She was about to ask Prince Muyi what the matter was, but Prince Muyi started the conversation himself. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I do have a few things to share with you. I was hesitant, but today, I have decided to spill the truth.¡± Hearing these words¡­ Sword One was startled. She was surprised. She even believed that Prince Muyi was going to express his feelings to Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan was confused and nodded. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Lady Chaoyan, do you still remember that Old Master of the Gu Mansion said something bad about you?¡± Prince Muyi asked. Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°Actually, something else happened before that, but I did not tell you anything about that,¡± Prince Muyi said. He looked guilty and self-ming. ¡°You came to the court when we were having a conversation with the King. At that time, I felt that something was wrong.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked indifferent and serious too. She looked at Prince Muyi. @@novelbin@@ Something else had happened? And she was not aware of that? ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked seriously. ¡°I met you at Yellow Crane for the first time, and we had an argument over the wine, but the misunderstandings were cleared. When I returned to the hotel, I realized that I liked Lady Chaoyan, so I went to the King and asked him about marrying you.¡± When Prince Muyi said these words, he had his head lowered. He looked so embarrassed. He should have kept this as a secret of his own, but he had to exin the whole thing clearly right from the beginning. Gu Chaoyan was surprised. She had no idea about the whole story. Prince Muyi liked her? Why? But¡­ that was not the key point, and Gu Chaoyan was clear about that. So she asked. ¡°What was the King¡¯s answer?¡± Chapter 669 - Someones Miss

Chapter 669: Someone¡¯s Miss

¡°This is the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai, she is not for you to humiliate! Your family has not gotten the rank yet, and how dare you humiliate the royal family! So are you going to demean the King when you get the rank, then?¡± Fu Bao bellowed angrily. He was so angry. When he was with Zhou Huaijin, he never ran into things like this, but when the Lord was away, someone dared to humiliate Lady Chaoyan. What was wrong with them! Fu Bao was Zhou Huaijin¡¯s personal guard, so he did have an imposing air. When Madame Zheng heard his words, she turned pale. She had not expected that she had offended the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai! Noble families had stopped hanging out with Duke North¡¯s Mansion, that was why Madame Zheng was bold enough to cause the misunderstanding, seeing that Gu Chaoyan looked unfamiliar. She did not dare to offend the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai now¡­ and even when Zheng Yunfan got the rank, she would not dare to offend a woman with that background. If such a misunderstanding was kept, then the rank would be influenced. She was the Madame of the Zheng Family, but if something like this happened, the Zheng Family would me her for causing trouble. Madame Zheng turned pale and became increasingly anxious. The other people from the Zheng Family were watching Madame Zheng as if they were watching an entertainment show. Zheng Yunfan was the most likely winner for today¡¯s contest, but if Madame Zheng caused trouble, then the other members of the Zheng Family would have the chance of winning the rank. So they wished that Madame Zheng would cause some more trouble, otherwise she would be so annoying bullying people around as if she were the boss. Gu Chaoyan said nothing. She was just watching Madame Zheng in silence. Madame Zheng felt dizzy. She kneeled down directly and said, ¡°Please, Miss, I am too stupid to cause such trouble, please don¡¯t me me for that, please.¡± She said this as she kept kowtowing. Gu Chaoyan continued to watch her in silence and did not ask her to get up. Gu Chaoyan did not like the manners of kowtowing and kneeling, but today, she did not want her to get up. This woman was so terrible. When she felt that you were someone to bully, she spared no efforts in bullying you, but when she found that you were not someone to offend, she just kneeled down, begging for forgiveness. @@novelbin@@ If it had been someone else without background who was at this position today, then the miss would be deeply bullied, wouldn¡¯t she? Her son had not gotten the rank yet, so how dared she offend Mrs. Duke North and Young Duke. How terrible! Gu Chaoyan nced at her and said nothing. Instead, she turned around and focused upon the pitch. The contest seemed to have started. It was a simple contest, because it was a rank for the Zheng Family topete among themselves. What the King hoped to see was who would be able to lead the army, and as long as that winner was able to lead the army to the battlefield, the King would approve of that person for the rank whilst getting him a strategist for further deployment. All he needed was the title! So it was just a contest in martial arts. Zheng Chenyi was still waiting, whilst the other members of the Zheng Family were already in the contest. Gu Chaoyan was watching very carefully too. She would like to see how strong the Zheng Family was. Madame Zheng was still on her knees. She sneaked a look at Gu Chaoyan, hoping that this method would make her change her mind. She had been on her knees for too long yet Gu Chaoyan still refused to let her get up. So she had to continue to sit on her knees. On the other side, however, a man in a long robe pointed at Gu Chaoyan as he asked Zhou Huailing next to him.. ¡°Who is she?¡± Chapter 672 - Slap on the Face 1

Chapter 672: p on the Face 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan threw a cold look at Xuan Lin, showing no expression on her face as she asked with a freezing tone, ¡°Who are you?¡± As Xuan Lin was asked about his identity. Xuan Lin showed a proud look on his face. ¡°Who am I?¡± Xuan Lin said with an arrogant tone. ¡°I am Xuan Lin, the Prince of the North Qi Land! Aren¡¯t you waiting for me because you saw me? I am in a good mood, and I can make you happy today. Which family are you from? Now that I know you, I can marry you and bring you back to the North Qi Land if I am happy.¡± Xuan Lin heard what Zhou Huailing said about this girl a while ago. He said that the girl used to be very ugly and now she was very pretty, so she kept wandering about in the court nowadays. That basically meant that she was ambitious enough to get to know someone from the court. Xuan Lin was confident about himself at this point. @@novelbin@@ Those princes from the Saint Divine Land were with a title, but who on earth was going to take the throne in the future was still a question. Xuan Lin was different, however, he was already the heir that was going to take the throne of the North Qi Land. That was his advantage and he was confident that it would work. Gu Chaoyan frowned as she threw a look at him. Then she turned to Zhou Huailing who was standing silently next to them. She did believe that he was the prince from the North Qi Land, since Zhou Huaijin had once told her that Zhou Huailing was now in charge of receiving the princes and ambassadors of those countries this year. Zhou Huailing was really the King¡¯s good son ¨C he was using the same n as his father did on her. Gu Chaoyan sneered and looked at Xuan Lin as if she were staring at an idiot. ¡°I am sorry, but I don¡¯t know who you are, you don¡¯t have to think too highly of yourself.¡± Having said these words, she turned around and moved aside, so that she could keep a distance between herself and this maniac prince. Seeing the way she was scolding him, Xuan Lin did not get angry. Instead, heughed. ¡°Interesting. I have never seen such an interesting woman before in this country. You are ying hard to get, right? Well, I love it!¡± Xuan Lin said as he turned to Zhou Huailing and patted his shoulders as he said in a fascinated tone, ¡°Women from your country always pretend to be introverted, and this woman doesn¡¯t even bother to pretend and instead ys tricks on me. So I want her.¡± He did not think that thisdy was actually turning him down. Women were always like this ¨C they said words that were against what they actually thought. So he turned to Gu Chaoyan again. He was about to say something when Gu Chaoyan saw Zhou Huaijining to her side. He looked anxious, probably because he noticed that he had been absent for too long. Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief as he spotted Gu Chaoyan. He finally felt assured. He had just handled an emergency, but he felt quite guilty for not having kept herpany. He had promised to keep herpany. Luckily, Chaoyan was still here. Zhou Huaijin had juste to her when Gu Chaoyan greeted him happily. ¡°The contest has just ended. I was about to leave when I thought that you mighte searching for me here. Good that I made this choice, otherwise you would have not found me.¡± Having said these words, she wiped the sweat on Zhou Huaijin¡¯s forehead. Xuan Lin was about to say something¡­ Chapter 676 - Conditions 2

Chapter 676: Conditions 2

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Xuan Lin was still wearing a very proud look on his face. He was quite confident about what he could offer. After all, he became the heir Prince because of that secret. @@novelbin@@ For the North Qi Land, it was a very useful thing, the same went for the Saint Divine Land. So he was certain that the King of the Saint Divine Land would be extremely interested. He had a lot of it in his pocket and it was okay, if he offered some to save his face. Xuan Lin did not think that it would hurt. ¡°Magical Monsters¡­ are you interested in Magical Monsters?¡± Xuan Lin said with a smile. ¡°I have many for you to choose from, the ferocious ones, tall, easily-controlled ones or any other kind. I would havee with a magical monster for the tribute this year, but if you are willing to exchange a princess with me, then I can give you three magical monsters! As long as you nod at my request, I can write a letter to North Qi overnight so that the magical monsters can be delivered to us directly. You get the magical monsters, and the princess will be mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for what the magical monsters look like¡­ you cane to take a look at my mount. Take your time in considering the offer.¡± When the King heard what Xuan Lin said he had a veryplicated look on his face. He did believe that there were such a thing as magical monsters¡­ because when he took the throne a while back, he heard the old King telling him about it, but that was far too long ago, and the story he heard from the old king was quite vague. Magical Monsters were a very powerful existence. Unexpectedly¡­ What he had found was the Phoenix Girl whilst what the North Qi Land had gotten turned out to be magical monsters! No wonder the Prince of the North Qi Land was so arrogant in the Saint Divine Land. He was confident enough to do it. If magical monsters were used for any more battles, then the North Qi Land might be able to take the position as the most powerfulnd. Without much hesitation the King said, ¡°I need five. If you add two more to the three, then we have the deal.¡± Xuan Lin frowned. What a tricky King! When he offered the number of three¡­ he thought that the Saint Divine Land would ept that, but now the King wanted five! He hesitated for a moment, but then he thought of the potential power he was going to have in the future¡­ five did not sound that much any longer. So he nodded. ¡°Deal.¡± The King smiled. He had thought that the Prince would say no, but this was totally within his expectation. The Prince did not seem like a smart person. He revealed thend¡¯s top secret just to marry a princess. Honestly, that was truly because Lord Ling had stimted the Prince so the Prince thought of such a cooperation method. When they nodded at the deal, the King asked the Prince to leave. As for the mounts¡­ he was going to find another time to check them out. As they walked out of the Qianqing Pce, Xuan Lin gave Zhou Huailing a very proud smile and stopped in front of him, saying, ¡°Lord Ling, didn¡¯t you just say that I would not be able to marry a princess. Now I am going to marry a princess from your country.¡± Zhou Huailing was very surprised. He turned around, refusing to look at Xuan Lin. Xuan Lin was in the middle of feeling proud and ignored what he was thinking. He then left. When Xuan Lin left, Zhou Huailing walked into Qianqing Pce and said in dissatisfaction. ¡°Father, how can you nod at the deal! Xuan Lin is looking down at us!¡± ¡°Ling¡­¡± the King said with a look of contemtion.. Chapter 678 - Princess Jing

Chapter 678: Princess Jing

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Weiyang Pce seemed silent and bleakpared to before. Winter hade, so Susu and Seven were not ying in the courtyard any more. It did not look so bustling when the gate was tightly shut. The King walked inside and heard the sound of coughing. He was startled. She caught a cold again? It seemed that every time he was here, her health was always in a terrible condition. She had never recovered, had she? He raised his hands. He was about to knock at the door¡­ but he finally put them down. He just could not truly be concerned for the Queen after so many years of hatred. He turned around and walked away, leaving a trace of footsteps. As he came to the outside of the Weiyang Pce, the King stopped walking. Somehow he did not feel like leaving at the moment. The Empress Dowager happened to show up, and the King walked up to her. ¡°Mom, what are you doing out here in the cold winter?¡± ¡°King, I had wanted to talk with you at the Qianqing Pce, but we happened to run into each other here. What a coincidence.¡± The Empress Dowager showed a bright smile. The King was startled. This was the outer yard of the Weiyang Pce, and the path towards Qianqing Pce from Cining Pce was not located here. What was happening? The King was in the middle of thinking about this, when The Empress Dowager said happily, ¡°King, it is almost the New Year, and we have many happy affairs. Young Duke is going to take the rank, and I am thinking about getting Princess Jing promoted on this asion. You are paying important attention to Lord Ling, so it would not be good if his mother is just a minor princess. He needs to have a better business right in the future. So, if you can grant Princess Jing a better position, then we can all do some celebrating!¡± The King had not been paying attention to Princess Jing these days. He had almost forgotten about granting the title. That was what he owed Princess Jing. He owed Princess Jing more than just a title, but that was what he was capable of giving her at the moment. ¡°Mom, thank you for remembering this for me, otherwise I would have no idea how to tell Princess Jing about that,¡± the King said. Seeing the King¡¯s behavior the Empress Dowager felt slightly assured. She had not been in a hurry to do such a thing, but she just heard from her messenger that the King had just visited the Weiyang Pce so she hurried there to meet him. She was worried that the King still had lingering feelings towards the Queen, and if the King was still in the Weiyang Pce, with her present, the Queen would not be able to make any fuss. So she decided to tell the Queen about this title for Princess Jing, whether the King was present or not. It was known to everyone that the King had been tolerant in this position for decades, but the Empress Dowager could not guarantee that the King had no feelings towards that woman. She had to be very careful. She was worried when the King felt sympathetic towards the Queen, and started to feel sorry for her. She was aware of what those people in the court were thinking. So this was the best solution she could find. The Empress Dowager added. ¡°When Princess Jing gets the title, I will give her the authority token so that she can be in charge of the whole court of princesses. She is no longer young, and she has been in the court for so long, so she should have an idea of what to do. When she gets the token and bes responsible for everything, I can just give her some side guidance.¡± The token? @@novelbin@@ The King was startled. He was aware of what the token meant ¨C if the token was given to Princess Jing rather than being kept in his mother¡¯s hands¡­ Chapter 682 - The Magical Monsters

Chapter 682: The Magical Monsters

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions He nced at Zhou Huailing. Xuan Lin was a wild and arrogant man, but he became the heir of the North Qi Land and that meant that he was not stupid. Even though there were magical monsters in the North Qi Land, it was a very powerful country too, the Saint Divine Land was a country with a long history and foundation, and he should not offend them directly. Otherwise they would end up in trouble. @@novelbin@@ There was still no heir to the Saint Divine Land established. Yet each country had their rules, like the Queen¡¯s eldest son would be the heir, normally speaking. He had not thought that Lord Ling would have got the opportunity, but after meeting the King twice and witnessing how he treated Lord Ling¡­ he understood everything. Lord Ling was the King¡¯s favorite son. So if he was the King¡¯s favorite son, then he had the biggest possibility of bing the heir. And now, he was already running business for the King¡­ Xuan Lin realized that Lord Ling was not to be looked down upon. Since he understood this, Xuan Lin would naturally not cause any trouble between him and Lord Ling. ¡°If you are not in a good state, then Lord Ling can join me,¡± Xuan Lin said nonchntly. Xuan Lin did not have the intention of showing that he was in a disadvantageous status. Seeing that he was behaving in a better way, Zhou Huailing said nothing more. He nodded and said, ¡°Please, Prince of the North Qi.¡± Xuan Lin and Zhou Huailing left the Qianqing Pce together. Like the other princes from other countries, Xuan Lin was also living in the specially-prepared hotel. So the mount Xuan Lin came with was also resting there. The hotel was not far from the court. So it only took them a while to arrive at the hotel. As they came to the hotel, the best guards of the North Qi Land were all there. The mount was in a yard that was well guarded. When the guards heard the sound of arrival, they became alert. They held their swords tightly as if ready for any potential attack. Xuan Lin was very satisfied by his well-trained men. He threw Zhou Huailing a proud look and waved his hands nonchntly, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, this is Lord Ling from the Saint Divine Land. He has no guards with him, and is very safe.¡± Despite these words, those guards were still quite alert. Xuan Lin did not say anything more about them. Instead, he opened the door to the mount, and Zhou Huailing saw an enormous monster inside. That monster looked like a tiger, but not exactly a tiger. It was much bigger than a tiger and had a head resembling a lion. It resembled everything, but nothing at the same time. He was pacing back and forth in the room. Due to Xuan Lin¡¯s presence, it came to Xuan Lin obediently and then lowered its head in front of Xuan Lin. Xuan Lin touched the head and the monster looked quite happy. Zhou Huailing frowned ¨C what was this mount? It was a huge pet! As he was thinking, he also reached his hand and was about to touch the head, when the mount became wild and roared at Zhou Huailing. It opened its mouth and struck hard at Zhou Huailing¡¯s body. Zhou Huailing¡¯s eyes were widened as a huge paw came towards him.. Chapter 685 - Marriage

Chapter 685: Marriage

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Hearing that the Tribe Chief was here, Zheng Chenyi frowned. That man was indeed cheeky. He brought Zheng Yunfan here to steal the rank, and he had been so arrogant. Chenyi had thought that he was already driven out of this territory and would never dare to step into this ce ever again, but now he was here just on time. He had just gotten the rank and now the man was here. Hearing that the Tribe Chief was here, Mrs. Duke North was still worried. She could not help, but say to Zheng Chenyi. ¡°Chenyi, don¡¯t worry, you have gotten the rank and the Tribe Chief will not bully us like before. You can say something nice to the Tribe Chief when you meet, so that we can all get on well from now on.¡± Mrs. Duke North was really worried. Zheng Chenyi got the rank, but the Zheng Family was huge and as one of the members, Chenyi had to be careful. Hearing what his mother said¡­ Zheng Chenyi had a strange feeling. He would have med his mother for being a coward in the past, but now he would not. Instead, he said seriously, ¡°Mom, I have gotten the rank so I will be Duke North from today on. We don¡¯t have to do everything just to please others. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the Tribe Chief. He is a man with no justice. I have gotten plenty of evidence and I will pass them to Dali Temple. We need a new Tribe Chief! ¡°I have wanted to visit General Liu, but since the Tribe Chief is here, let¡¯s see what he wants.¡± Having said these words, he looked at the housekeeper. He asked the housekeeper to show the man in. Mrs. Duke North¡¯s face changed. ¡°For real?¡± @@novelbin@@ Zheng Chenyi nodded and patted mother¡¯s hands, telling her to feel assured. Mrs. Duke North smiled. She had just been reminded that from tomorrow on, Chenyi would be Duke North and the servants in the mansion would call her Mrs. Duke North. Finally, there was a Duke North in the mansion! That made her really happy! The Tribe Chief was there. He looked at Mrs. Duke North directly. He was very aware of the mother and the son¡¯s personalities. Zheng Chenyi was tough, but Mrs. Duke North was an easy target. She could be persuaded easily. ¡°Madame Duke North, I am here in regards to the family tree. Chenyi treated me terribly in the past, so I removed him from the family tree, but now Chenyi has inherited the rank, so his name should be added to the family tree, so¡­¡± The Tribe Chief showed an awkward smile. Mrs. Duke North looked at him. The Tribe Chief was waiting for Mrs. Duke North to be anxious and beg them instead, but¡­ she did not intend to do so. Mrs. Duke North asked. ¡°Tribe Chief, you said that Chenyi disrespected you before, what was that referred to? I know Chenyi well, he is a well-disciplined man so what did he do that you removed him from the family tree?¡± The Tribe Chief¡¯s face changed. That was quite unexpected¡­ Since when did Mrs. Duke North be so clear-minded? ¡°He drove me and Yunfan out of the mansion!¡± The Tribe Chief said, ¡°I am going to report this to Dali Temple. I believe that Chenyi will not be able to sit steadily in his rank, because he gets the rank from his family name!¡± ¡°Then do that! You know pretty well why I drove you out!¡± Zheng Chenyi said coldly and asked his guards to remove the man. A momentter, the Tribe Chief was driven out of the mansion. Mrs.. Duke North asked seriously, ¡°Chenyi, since you have inherited the rank, it is time for you to get married.¡± Chapter 687 - The Imperial Order

Chapter 687: The Imperial Order

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Xiao Jin did not show up. Xiao Jin had once made the vow that as long as Zhou Huailing was still in the capital and in charge of civil affairs, he would never step into the city. And he was keeping his own words. So when he was done with his business, he asked Sword Three to pass on the report to Gu Chaoyan. When Gu Chaoyan saw Sword Three, she was slightly surprised. Had they finished checking the 15 towns of the Feather Mulberry Land within such a short period? She had thought that they would not return until the New Year and after Spring Hunt, but she had not expected that they would return so fast. In this way, they were able to celebrate the New Year at home. ¡°I will go and visit Xiao Jin now,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°No need, Elder Miss,¡± Sword Three said with a smile. ¡°Xiao Jin said that you can probably read what he has gotten for you and if you have any more questions, you can go to him. If what he has gotten for you is enough, you don¡¯t have to travel around in winter! That is too painstaking!¡± That was exactly what Xiao Jin said, Sword Three just passed on the message. Sword Three was a calm person who barely smiled, but when Xiao Jin was mentioned, he smiled very brightly. That meant that he was very satisfied by what Xiao Jin had done. So Gu Chaoyan got quite interested as she asked. ¡°What has he gotten?¡± Sword Three took the things out. There were 15 booklets. Gu Chaoyan opened the booklets and found that it was a brief map of the town, simple but noted with important positions. The map showcased the restaurants of all sizes, government offices, important families as well as folk and customs. She turned to the other booklets. The contents were the same. Those simple yet important things were all noted. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes brightened. Xiao Jin was a very smart person, and when she told Xiao Jin about the mission, what she said was that she was going to open restaurants. And she said nothing about what exactly he should do, but he had aplished the mission so greatly! @@novelbin@@ Xiao Jin grew up in the vige and despite the small business he had run before, he was totally strange to running businesses and restaurants. If he only worked upon the locations in the towns, then he would not have aplished the mission so well, but the results were different. He had almost presented aplete and thorough image of the town in front of her. Gu Chaoyan could urately and rapidly get to know the information of these towns in the Feather Mulberry Land. She could pick any position she liked and even got to know about the towns. ¡°Xiao Jin has done a great job.¡± Gu Chaoyan said happily, ¡°Tell him that he has done it well, and he is free to go anywhere, but he must return before the Spring Hunt. Give him some money from the storage and tell him not to be too frugal. He works for me and he should be treated well.¡± Sword Three answered happily, ¡°I am on it, Elder Miss!¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. After Sword Three left, she continued to read the booklets. She could not help feeling satisfied. In the following ten days, Gu Chaoyan kept on reading the booklets. It was not until the biggest snow that fell in the Saint Divine Land. It was the day when Xuan Lin¡¯s magical monsters were transported to thend and the King and Zhou Huailing took a look at them together. After the King looked at the magical monsters, he returned to the Qianqing Pce and wrote down the imperial order of marriage. When he was done writing the imperial order, the King did not visit the Weiyang Pce, but went to Princess Xunyang¡¯s pce instead.. Chapter 692 - Real or Not?

Chapter 692: Real or Not?

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Queen frowned tightly. She sensed that something was wrong with what Honored Princess Jing said. She said that the King would spare mercy to any other women in the court, but not her, and that General Jiang was already dead so no one was helping her. How was this rted to her deceased father? She and the King were now very far apart from each other, but they used to be a couple deeply in love. What did Honored Princess Jing mean? The Queen seemed to realize that something was wrong, but then the idea went away, and she just could not catch the thought. Before the King and she grew apart, they did not seem to have any argument with each other. Everything seemed so sudden. The changes just happened. @@novelbin@@ The Queen would like to know the answer, but she always failed to find the answer. She thought that the answer was going to be given by the King, but Honored Princess Jing seemed as if she already knew everything. The Queen showed a terrible look on her face. Honored Princess Jing could not help but smile. ¡°Just don¡¯t keep on guessing, you will never get the answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can tell you the truth right now, since you are already where you are.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know why the King would never spare any mercy for you? He hates you!¡± As she spoke of that, Honored Princess Jing approached the Queen and stared at her. She was smiling. It was a very arrogant and proud smile. ¡°You were the Elder Miss of the Jiang Family who wanted to marry the King, and General Jiang threatened the King that only when he took you as the wife, the first wife, would the Jiang Family give him the support!¡± As Honored Princess Jing spoke of this, she showed a very fierce look on her face. ¡°What do you think your family is? You had the military power in your hands, but you dared to threaten a royal son!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, if not for you, me and the King who were deeply in love with each other would have to suffer for so many years. During the past decade, the King hasn¡¯t dared to treat me and Ling well, because whatever belongs to us, has been robbed away by you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But things are different now. A decadeter, my Ling married the noble Phoenix Girl, and with the Phoenix Girl around, the King would not need to fear you, and thend would bepletely controlled by the King!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, you think that you are still useful? Jiang Shuang, even if you stand here from now on, nothing will go your way.¡± When Honored Princess Jing finished saying this, she felt extremely pleased. She had been waiting for this day for too long. She had thought that she could easily rece the Queen. Unexpectedly, the King was still tolerating Jiang Shuang and keeping her as the Queen. Well, the country was the most important, and she was going to ruin Jiang Shuang totally so that she could feel pleased after suffering for so long. The Queen felt her eyes blurring up. She felt that Honored Princess Jing¡¯s face was twisted. She did not argue anything with Honored Princess Jing. Instead, she walked directly into the Qianqing Pce. The Eunuch stopped her, but the Queen did not care and pushed him away. The King inside also said, ¡°Let her in.¡± The Eunuch did not ask the imperial army to stop her. The Queen interrogated directly as she walked in.. ¡°Is Honored Princess Jing telling the truth?¡± Chapter 695 - Your Plan?

Chapter 695: Your n?

The Queen said nothing. She had lost all energy to say anything. She went back to the inner chamber of the Weiyang Pce. Aunt Nan helped her to remove the coat and asked Susu to get her a new blouse. The Queen had no energy or strength to change. Instead, she just waved her hands and said to Aunt Nan. ¡°Aunt Nan, go and get Lord Huai. I need to speak with him.¡± Aunt Nan nodded and hurried away. Aunt Nan kept ming herself for not being able to do such an important thing first a while ago. She had been confused. When Aunt Nan was gone, Susu was left alone in the room. Susu served the Queen some tea and helped her get changed into a set of new clothes. Her Queen loved to be clean and hated the smell of blood. Her Queen would not be very happy about having so much blood on her ¨C that was what Susu was thinking inwardly anyway, but the Queen did not care about this at all. She turned to Susu. ¡°Susu, when Lord Huai leaves, you go with him along with Seven. You don¡¯t need to care about any other things. Lord Huai will get you a proper ce to live in.¡± ¡°No, I am not leaving!¡± Susu protested. She feared nothing! She was not afraid of being bullied even! The Queen shook her head. It was different this time. She was not asking Susu for her advice, but telling her what to do. She should not stay in the court any more. The Queen did not argue with Susu, because she was not going to change her mind this time. *** When Zhou Huaijin hurried there, the Queen was in the middle of drinking the tea. She was in such a hurry that she did not look as if she was tasting the drink. Zhou Huaijin frowned. ¡°What happened, Mom?¡± ¡°Two things,¡± the Queen said straightforwardly. ¡°One, it is about your sister Xunyang. The King wants her to marry the Prince of the North Qi Land, and Xunyang is not going to do that. You have to make sure this doesn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Two, it is about you and Chaoyan. Be careful about what you two are doing, and don¡¯t get set up!¡¯ When she was done saying these two things the Queen felt weak. She had never expected that she had been living such a huge lie. When her father told her that Zhou Sheng was not a nice man and that she should not pick someone from the royal family and should choose someone from the noble families instead, she did not listen to him and believed that Zhou Sheng was a nice person, but¡­ He had turned out to be such a terrible-minded person. It was not she who insisted on marrying Zhou Sheng, but Zhou Sheng who kept approaching her and ttering her, asking her to marry him. That was why her father told her those words. @@novelbin@@ Unexpectedly¡­ Father gave him some warnings because he was worried about his behavior, but he believed that her father was threatening him and that the whole Jiang Family was bullying him. Why didn¡¯t he ever think about the fact that after he took the throne, her father gave him the power of the military of his own ord. Why didn¡¯t he ever think that before he took his throne, her father kept helping him, otherwise he would not have taken the throne either, but he was not at all grateful for this. Instead, he keptining and now he was taking revenge. The Queenughed ironically. ¡°Also, one most important thing. After you leave the court, go to Mr. Zhao and tell him that it has all been my fault and that we can use the n now,¡± the Queen said with an assured tone as she mentioned Mr. Zhao. ¡°What is your n, mom?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked confusedly.. Chapter 698 - To the Court

Chapter 698: To the Court

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Into the imperial court? Zhou Huaijin¡¯s face sank. He more or less guessed why his father was asking him to visit the court. However, he feared nothing. He nodded and asked Fu Bao to wait outside for a while. Instead of getting up, he frowned and asked concernedly, ¡°Mr. Zhao, will there be anyplications from the drug?¡± Zhao Yiqiu shook his head. ¡°Noplications.¡± He would never ask Jiang Shuang to take any drugs withplications. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin took the bottle from Zhao Yiqiu and decided to give the drug to Aunt Nan at the right time. It was a n that was approved by everyone. Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief. As long as his mother could get through the barriers in her heart, everything else would work out smoothly. And now what mattered most of all was Xunyang¡¯s marriage. He should also watch out for his father who might set them up secretly. As for this topic, Zhou Huaijin reminded Gu Chaoyan and Zhao Yiqiu. ¡°Mr. Zhao, please be careful when you are out these days. The King has been holding grudges against the Jiang Family for years and now the Phoenix Girl was found, he doesn¡¯t even want to pretend anymore. I believe that we are going to be confronted with a hard time ahead of us.¡± When Zhao Yiqiu heard about the Jiang Family¡­ He looked at Zhou Huaijin with surprise. Zhou Huaijin sneered. ¡°My father was a very minor Prince years back and he was ambitious yet incapable. So he courted mother so that the Jiang Family could help him, but the Jiang Family has helped a ruthless man! The ruthless man has gotten the throne and yet hates the Jiang Family. He thinks that the Jiang Family are pushing him down. ¡°He only exposed himself when the Phoenix Girl was found, but actually, he didn¡¯t have to wait until now. Grandfather has already handed over the military power and we have no influence in this aspect at all,¡± Zhou Huaijin said ironically. Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s face had changed. That was the reason? The real reason? So Zhou Sheng had been using Jiang Shuang from the beginning? He should have tried to get Jiang Shuang instead of believing that Zhou Sheng would treat her well. Zhao Yiqiu held his fists tightly and forced himself to stay calm. ¡°I got it, Huaijin. Don¡¯t worry, I will stay alert. You were asked to visit the Qianqing Pce right? Go and check it out!¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded and got up with Gu Chaoyan. Zhao Yiqiu did not walk them out, but stayed seated and thought about something. Too many things had happened today and they all needed time to take them in. So Zhou Huaijin said nothing more. Before he visited the Qianqing Pce, he apanied Gu Chaoyan to the room and pinched her face. ¡°I will be fine at the Qianqing Pce, just take a break now. Father has stopped pretending to be grateful, but nothing major will happen right now.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She was concerned about him, so she hugged him of her own ord, then he left. Zhou Huaijin went into the court in a hurry with Fu Bao, and the Eunuch was waiting behind the gate. At the sight of Zhou Huaijin, he guided him into the Qianqing Pce. It was still snowing outside. White had covered the whole court and Zhou Huaijin felt that winter this year had be much colder. As he came to the Qianqing Pce, he saw the King in the chair. For one moment, he had no idea who he was. ¡°Come and sit, Eighth,¡± the King said loudly. Chapter 700 - The Reason

Chapter 700: The Reason

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Zhou Huaijin looked about. The snow was so heavy today that no one was around in the court. No one was walking about. He asked directly, ¡°So?¡± Fu Bao was very cautious as he was talking. He lowered his voice, ¡°A couple of days ago, the Prince of the North Qi Land wrote a letter to his home country and then some people there transported things to the capital, and the Prince received them personally. I thought that it was some money or jewelry for Princess Xunyang¡¯s marriage alliance!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Marriage alliance was about the country, and even if the King wants to take revenge upon the Jiang Family, I didn¡¯t think that he would do something so harmful for himself, but I dug around in the court and got to know the truth.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I saw a well-guarded pce somewhere in the court, and there are some mutated monsters in the court. I think that those monsters are probably part of the deal.¡± When Zhou Huaijin heard what Fu Bao said, he had a veryplicated look on his face. The mutated monsters were something that should not exist in the world, so what was the King thinking raising monsters like this? That was going to be very chaotic to the world! It was more than aplicated situation. No matter what happened, Xunyang was his daughter and he was trading his daughter for such so-called monsters? How ridiculous! It was definitely ridiculous! Zhou Huaijin sped up and hurried outside the court. He was sure what Fu Bao found was real. Only this reason was strong enough to exin the marriage alliance. He could just find a terrible husband for Xunyang if it was just for his own personal revenge. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Fu Bao, go and send some people to the North Qi Land and see what is happening there. If they can transport such monsters to the Saint Divine Land, then it means that there are more things like this in that country,¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a frown. If that was what happened in the North Qi Land¡­ The whole thing would be chaotic and they should be ready for that. Zhou Huaijin left the court, but did not return to the mansion directly. Instead, they went to visit Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mansion. He had to check up on Gu Chaoyan to see if she was doing well. As they came to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s yard, they saw that her room was still bright. So he knocked at the door and went inside. Gu Chaoyan was still reading the booklets Xiao Jin offered to her. She had been spending a lot of time reading the booklets instead of focusing on other things! She put down the booklets as she saw Zhou Huaijining her way. ¡°What is it? What did the King want you for?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked her to sit down. He said calmly, ¡°He asked me to stay down and be peaceful. The King wants us to not cause any trouble. He is really like a King now.¡± Zhou Huaijin sneered, then he stopped talking about the King. Instead, he recounted what Fu Bao told him to Gu Chaoyan, then he said confusedly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how those monsters are controlled..¡± Chapter 705 - The Queen

Chapter 705 - The Queen

As Xunyang was mentioned, Zhou Huaijin''s face sank and he let out a look of sharpness. His father did not even care about his own daughter just for the sake of his own benefits, but he was the King who had the strongest power above all. So what? He was not going to let Xunyang get sent away. It was impossible for Xunyang to be sent to the North Qi Land. He was going to make sure that the imperial order was not going to work out at all! That was just one moment of emotion, but Zhou Huaijin did not give Gu Chaoyan the pressure. Instead, he said calmly, "I have already arranged it. I will get someone to take Xunyang away on New Year''s Eve after the banquet, and I will ce her at the safest ce. As for how the King will talk with the North Qi Land, it is up to him." Gu Chaoyan nodded. That was the most straightforward method at the moment. *** In the following two days¡­ It was very peaceful in the capital as snow kept falling down. It was bustling too, because that was the only imperial banquet that took ce each year. After that, the New Year''s preparation should start very soon. Then spring will be around the corner. @@novelbin@@ The Eunuch asked the imperial servants to get the King well dressed. The clothes were much grander than those in the past, and more than five people were taking care of him. The King was in a good mood too. What he was concerned about had been settled and it was a time of peace. He had always expected that the day could be much more peaceful as he was getting older. After what happened the other day, he had not seen the Queen, but¡­ as long as Jiang Shuang was still the Queen, then that would be good. As long as he was able to see Jiang Shuang on important asions, he would be pleased as well. He was already used to having Jiang Shuang next to him. He was not going to see her every day, but it was already enough if she could be seen every now and then. Seeing that he was almost dressed, the King frowned and looked outside the window. He did not see anyone from the Weiyang Pceing to the court. That was strange. Normally, the Weiyang Pce woulde to Qianqing Pce first so that they could go to the location together. So why was she not here yet? "De Fu, go and check what is happening at the Weiyang Pce. Why is the Queen not here yet? We can''t bete for the banquet," the King said with displeasure. De Fu was startled. He found the question strange so a strange expression arose on his face. No one had informed the Weiyang Pce about the banquet, because De Fu thought that the King was waiting for Honored Princess Jing to arrive. Yet he was waiting for the woman from the Weiyang Pce instead. De Fu answered and hurried to the Weiyang Pce. De Fu was thinking about what to do on the way there. He had thought that when the Phoenix Girl was found, the Weiyang Pce would copse, but the King was thinking about her all the time. De Fu showed a better attitude as he spoke to Aunt Nan about the banquet, but Aunt Nan said helplessly, "Chief De Fu, we have just arranged someone to tell them that the Queen is not doing well, and she won''t be able to attend the banquet. But now you are already here¡­" Then she passed De Fu a money packet. De Fu took it and sighed. "That is a pity." Aunt Nan answered briefly, then De Fu returned. "The Queen is not doing well, and she won''t be able to attend the banquet, what do you n to do?" Chapter 709 - Xuan Lin And Zhou Huaijin

Chapter 709 - Xuan Lin And Zhou Huaijin

The Second Lady of the Chu Family pulled her away. Gu Ruxue was so angry that she pped the Second Lady of the Chu Family, but the Second Lady of the Chu Family was not mad. Instead, she asked with a ttering tone, "You are not angry any more, are you, Princess Consort?" "I was not defending Madame Min, I was helping you," the Second Lady said. She had no way to get herself out, but she needed to tter Gu Ruxue so she added some more nice words. However, she had not expected that Madame Min, who never cared about anything, would interfere. If she did not stop them, she would have to be the scapegoat for the uing argument between Princess Consort and Madame Min. So she had to pull her away and maybe she could show that she had done Princess Consort a favor. "You helped me?" Gu Ruxue looked twisted. She was obviously angry. "Princess Consort, I am not setting you up, my father is the Prime Minister, and he has always warned us that we should never offend Madame Min," the Second Lady said and then whispered as she looked about. "Even the King has to be polite in front of her. I was worried about you so I dragged you away from Madame Min. If you want to warn Madame Min, you can have a discussion with Lord Ling. You can always take revenge, don''t worry." Only now did Gu Ruxue stop being that angry. She was so angry that she forgot about it. Lord Ling once warned her before - she could do whatever she wanted at Lord Ling''s Mansion, but she needed to stay away from Madame Min and Zhao Yiqiu. @@novelbin@@ When the Second Lady reminded her, she suddenly remembered the warning she heard before. She became a bit timid, but whatever, she was still angry, so she did not have a good expression on her face. However, thisdy seemed nice, so she added, "You are the Second Lady of the Chu Family, right? I remember you now,e to visit me at Lord Ling''s Mansion when you have time." The Second Lady smiled brightly and nodded constantly. "Sure!" Having said these words, they returned to their seats. Gu Ruxue did not mention what happened earlier, but she was still wearing a very arrogant look on her face. The other wives anddies were still sucking her up. They did not dare to irritate Madame Min, but they still dared to tter people in front of Madame Min. They knew Madame Min well, she never spoke or cared about anyone else. Gu Chaoyan poured Madame Min a cup of tea as a way of expressing her gratitude. She knew clearly that Madame Min was not doing it for her, but she still gave her a hand. Madame Min nodded briefly. *** On the other side¡­ Zhou Huaijin, Zhou Huailing and Zhou Huaiyu were sharing the same table, but none of them were speaking. They had nothing inmon with each other. The only bustling sound was from the guests who were toasting Zhou Huailing. No one came to toast Zhou Huaijin and Zhou Huaiyu. No one dared to tter anyone apart from Lord Ling. When Xuan Lin came with the cup and showed up in front of Zhou Huaijin, he did not raise the cup directly, but looked up at Xuan Lin. Xuan Lin smiled. "Lord Huai, I have heard a lot about you." Zhou Huaijin frowned slightly. This was the man the King wanted Xunyang to marry. He did not greet him happily, but he still raised the cup and drank it. When he finished the wine¡­ Xuan Lin was still there. Chapter 713 - Bottomline

Chapter 713 - Bottomline

Hearing what Zhou Huaijin asked, Xuan Lin let out a sigh of relief inwardly. He had to admit that despite being younger than Lord Ling, Lord Huai was much more difficult to deal with. Lord Ling was too stupid to hide his ambition and desire, so his characteristics were totally exposed to the public. That was why Xuan Lin never looked up at Lord Ling despite the King''s preference. He thought that Lord Ling was too stupid to bepared to himself, but he just could not see through this Lord Huai even after spending so much time here. That was why he had been very nervous when he tried to raise the deal. However, now, he was very proud inside. Even a man like Lord Huai would be interested in the magical monsters. There were numerous magical monsters in the North Qi Land, and they could easily offer dozens. Xuan Lin just could not stand Lord Ling telling him that that woman belonged to Lord Huai. He was going to get that woman to prove himself in front of Lord Ling. Xuan Lin smiled brightly. Seeing Lord Huai asking him the question he said straightforwardly. "I want Lady Chaoyan, yes, Lady Chaoyan, you¡­" Before Xuan Lin was about to say something, Zhou Huaijin gave him a punch directly to the face. Then he kept punching him. Xuan Lin had some skills in martial arts, but he was not at all a match against Zhou Huaijin. His staff had just gone out, so he had no guards protecting him. Zhou Huaijin spared no efforts, but kept beating the man in front of him. Xuan Lin got so frightened that he shouted loudly, "Help me, help me!" The staff outside were about to rush in when Zhou Huaijin lifted the man and threw him outside, breaking a big hole in the door. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin approached him step by step. He looked at Xuan Lin who was covered with blood and said coldly, "One more such word and you will get more than this, get lost!" When the order was passed on, Xuan Lin was carried out by the guards at Lord Huai''s Mansion, whether or not Xuan Lin wanted it. Xuan Lin had few guards with him, and they were not a match against those people at Lord Huai''s Mansion, so they were thrown out directly. Zhou Huaijin looked very angry. He was never an impulsive person, especially when it came to the princes and ambassadors from the other three countries, because he wanted peace to remain in the four countries so that people could have peace, but he had his bottomline. That was Gu Chaoyan. No one was allowed to humiliate and insult Gu Chaoyan. "Fu Bao, has the man you sent to North Qi Land returned yet?" Zhou Huaijin asked coldly. "Not yet." Fu Bao answered and then thought for a moment. "But they should be back in a couple of days." Zhou Huaijin nodded, then he left angrily. *** In the court. Honored Princess Jing got up early after the unhappy experience the day before. She asked the kitchen to prepare some small food and decided to visit the King at the Qianqing Pce personally. She epted the Empress Dowager''s advice and put on the red dress.. Then she held the food and went to visit the King. Chapter 714 - The Queen

Chapter 714 - The Queen

The Qianqing Pce and the Imperial Study had rules - women from the chambers were not allowed to enter. The King gave the Queen a special right - she was able to walk in directly without being stopped. And at that time, the Queen was the only person that had the right to do so. @@novelbin@@ After Lord Ling married the Phoenix Girl and the Queen became increasingly disgraced, the special right was no longer valid for the Queen, but Honored Princess Jing got the special right instead. She was allowed to walk into the Qianqing Pce and the Imperial Study directly without being given permission. Honored Princess Jing was very satisfied that she had got the special right. She walked in with the food, smiling brightly. The King was in the middle of reading the petitions. Although there were few civil affairs to deal with as the end of year approached, there were still many things to handle at the moment. He had to go through each minister''s bonus, for example. When Honored Princess Jing put down the food, the King said briefly without looking up. "Thanks." Then he continued to deal with his own affairs. Honored Princess Jing did not leave directly, but chose an empty chair to sit down and took a book to kill time. She did not return to her own pce because it was boring there. She could just spend some more time at the Qianqing Pce to make herself look even more important. After reading the book for a while¡­ She saw the King look up during the break. He saw the red dress and became subconsciously happy as he said, "Hey, Shuang." At that moment, he felt as if he had gone back to the old times. Honored Princess Jing heard that the Queen''s name was being called. She was startled for a while, then she showed a saddened expression - she had done so much, why did the King mistake her for Jiang Shuang! "King!" Honored Princess Jing said with a ming tone, "It is me!" Only now did the King notice that it was Honored Princess Jing, not Shuang. The happy look on his face was gone directly, and his expression sank. He put down the petition in his hands as he looked at Honored Princess Jing. "What is wrong with you? You have been in the court for more than a decade and you don''t even know about the most basic manners and etiquettes? "I granted you the Honored Princess title, but I don''t think that you like it. "The Honored Princess is the Honored Princess, yet you are a concubine no matter what! Here, only the Queen is allowed to wear red!" The King snapped seriously. Honored Princess Jing had a terrible look on her face. When she heard what the Empress Dowager said, she had assumed that the King had approved of her dressing in red, but the King was still defending Jiang Shuang. Saying that she should keep the red color no matter what and that Honored Princess Jing did not deserve the red either. The Honored Princess burst out intoughter out of anger. "King, what do you mean?" The King looked at Honored Princess Jing and found her to be a strange woman. She was not the kind-hearted woman she used to be, and when she got the Honored Princess title, she was no longer as close and obedient. She was totally unruly now! "What do I mean?" the King shouted. "De Fu, take Honored Princess Jing back to her court and teach her what an Honored Princess should be dressed in and what she should not!" "Okay." De Fu looked at Honored Princess Jing with aplicated look on his face. Honored Princess Jing insisted on staying for a while before being brought away. When she was brought away, the King noticed that something was wrong.. He asked the Eunuch toe in and said, "Bring Lady Chaoyan here." Chapter 717 - Persuasion

Chapter 717 - Persuasion

Seeing that Zhou Huaijin was here, Gu Chaoyan asked him to take a seat and then poured him a cup of tea, then she said calmly, "It is a good day today, so I asked Xiu Jie to check out if there is any store which will work for opening a clinic. I can start my own clinic when spring arrives, if there is any suitable ce." Gu Chaoyan had been thinking about opening a clinic for a long time, but she had been stuck with too many affairs so the n had been postponed. During the past few days, she had been quite free so she asked Xiu Jie to look for a ce first. Xiu Jie had been hired for important affairs, so he should not just be a housekeeper in the mansion. Gu Chaoyan had the intention of asking Xiu Jie to help her with the clinic, so she asked him to find a proper store just to see what he was thinking and how far he could go. Zhou Huaijin nodded. He would normally give Gu Chaoyan all the help she wanted in the past, but now Gu Chaoyan had many capable staff around her so he decided not to get too involved. He was here to have a chat with Gu Chaoyan. They had just reached the topic of New Year''s Eve when the enunches from the court arrived. It was not De Fu, but the one working at the Qianqing Pce. He came to ask Gu Chaoyan to pay a visit to the court. Zhou Huaijin had no idea why Gu Chaoyan was asked to visit the court right now and what the King had in mind. So he got up and decided to follow her, as he felt quite unassured. The Eunuch looked at Zhou Huaijin and said politely. "Lord Huai, the King is asking Lady Chaoyan to join him alone." Zhou Huaijin had a terrible look on his face. What was going on? Gu Chaoyan patted the back of his hand, telling him that everything would be fine. Only then did Zhou Huaijin manage to calm down. "Please lead the way," Gu Chaoyan said calmly and followed the eunuch. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin fell into contemtion at the sight of their retreating figures. Gu Chaoyan was not worried. She did not think that the King would do anything to her. Well¡­ the King still needed her to heal his disease, so he could do nothing and dared not do anything when he had to depend on her. Gu Chaoyan went peacefully into the court and politely greeted the King as she came to him. Instead of letting her stay bent, the King asked her to get up directly. "You are a skillful doctor, aren''t you?" The King asked with a seemingly indifferent tone. "Yes." Gu Chaoyan answered. Well, she was a capable person so she was able to help the King detoxify. The King nodded. With his gaze upon Gu Chaoyan he found her a little bit morefortable to look at than before. He put down the petitions and said with aplicated tone, "I asked you toe to the court, because I want you to check up on the Queen. "For some reason, she has not recovered since the cold she caughtst time. I thought that she would get better after a few days, but now the situation is getting worse. She did not even attend the imperial banquet yesterday! Which is something she has never done before. She has always been a healthy person who merely gets sick. She even joined me at the banquet despite any sickness. The imperial doctors in the court are all stupid and they can''t even cure a cold! "The Queen is Lord Huai''s mother so I believe that you should check up on her. "Also, one more thing," the King said, sounding quite hesitant. Chapter 718 - Honored Princess Jing is Here

Chapter 718: Honored Princess Jing is Here

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan was slightly surprised. As far as she knew, the King had always hated the Jiang Family and held a grudge against the Queen and had always been making use of the Queen. Why did he suddenly feel concerned about the Queen? The Queen was so seriously sick because of what he had done, so he should have been happy about that. Why was he suddenly so concerned about her? Gu Chaoyan just could not understand. She did not even have time to ask the King what he wanted her to do, because the King said as if he were mumbling to himself, ¡°You are also a woman, and the future Princess Consort, someone the Queen trusts. ¡°You should visit the Weiyang Pce and check up on her, then you should also have a heart-to-heart conversation with her. ¡°Tell her to think some things through rather than being so narrow-minded. She should take Lord Huai into consideration. We should all live in peace. ¡°I have been holding the grudge against her because of General Jiang, and she is also someone from the Jiang Family so she should suffer for them too, but I have released my dissatisfaction, so I will drop the past grudge. I don¡¯t care any more, and she should not either. ¡°I am the King, and she is the Queen, and our child is Lord Huai. That is something that should not be changed. Only when she thinks it through will she be able to be the real Queen and will Lord Huai have a better future. ¡°As for Xunyang, it is my fault, but Xunyang has to make some sacrifices for the country. She is the princess!¡± When the King was done with his speech he felt slightly relieved and let out a sigh of relief. He was feeling so terrible inwardly. He was feeling terrible because of this matter. After the banquet he went to the Weiyang Pce believing that he was helping Jiang Shuang out, but instead of taking the favor, Jiang Shuang was still holding the grudge inside her heart. Being sick was just an excuse, which was totally known to him. When Jiang Shuang got sick in the past, she still attended the banquet! He just could not speak with Jiang Shuang about this, and the Empress Dowager as well as Honored Princess Jing could not do it either. He believed that Chaoyan was the most suitable person. She would listen to the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai! That was why he asked her to see him here in the court. The King felt slightly better after speaking with her about this. He looked at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You should be aware of honor and shame as the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai. Only when the Queen does well, will all of you do well.¡± ¡°Alright, go to Weiyang Pce, and I will ask the eunuch of the Qianqing Pce to keep youpany,¡± the King said, feeling much more rxed. Gu Chaoyan nodded. Then he said a few words to the eunuch and allowed them to leave. The King let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s retreating figure. Hopefully days like this would pass soon. He did not care what happened to the Jiang Family, but he expected everything to return to normal. He would not adore Jiang Shuang as he did before, but he would still regard her as the Queen, which would be the best result. @@novelbin@@ *** Gu Chaoyan hade to the Weiyang Pce led by the eunuch. The eunuch did not enter, as the rules required, while Gu Chaoyan went into the inner chamber. The Queen smiled at the sight of Gu Chaoyan, looking very pleased. ¡°Queen,¡± Gu Chaoyan sat down by the bedside. She was about to say something, when a voice arose outside. ¡°Honored Princess Jing is here!¡± Chapter 722 - Out Of The Court

Chapter 722 - Out Of The Court

The Queen smiled at Gu Chaoyan and waved her hands. She was telling Gu Chaoyan not to worry about it. "Zhou Sheng made use of me and my father to get the throne, and now it turns out that he out hated my father and snapped at him too. He is no one to me now. Since I don''t care or like this person any more, I will not be saddened by what he does or what he says. I don''t have to make any effort to argue with him either," the Queen said with a smile. "It is a great thing for me to move out of the court and live in the town. It would be better for our n, but what I worry about most of all is Xunyang and you two. Everything else will not matter." Gu Chaoyan looked at the Queen. She understood that she had decided not to feel attached to the rtionship. That was good. The Queen was still young and she could go anywhere she wanted in this world! Having said this, the Queen asked Gu Chaoyan to leave. "You can leave now, and we have all the time we need to talk with each other in the town." Gu Chaoyan nodded, took hold of the Queen''s hands and said, "Take care." The Queen nodded again. She had no energy to see her off, so she asked Aunt Nan to walk Gu Chaoyan out. Aunt Nan and Gu Chaoyan had not met many times, but she liked Gu Chaoyan. She treated her like her own friend. She got her hand-firece and umbre as she walked her out. It was a cold winter''s day, and Aunt Nan was worried that Lady Chaoyan would not be able to stand the cold. When Gu Chaoyan got the hand-firece, she felt her heart fill with warmth. She passed a bottle of pills for Aunt Nan. "Aunt Nan, this is for you, you have been taking care of the Queen and if you take a few of the pills, you will feel much better." Aunt Nan was startled. Then she felt a little embarrassed. She was just a maid and she did not have to eat this. She was about to turn her down, when Gu Chaoyan stuffed the bottle into her hands directly. Then she left. It was still snowing a little on her way out. Gu Chaoyan watched the snow-covered court as well as the falling snowkes. The court was a cage where people got eaten up. Something she was really aware of by this point. @@novelbin@@ One man could be pretentious for more than two decades for his own sake. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. Power was a wonderful thing. It could dominate too many people''s destiny. Gu Chaoyan had always wanted to stay away from this ce where power prevailed, but now she was aware that she just could not get rid of this ce. Or maybe, the only way to make herself truly free was to make herself the dominator. Gu Chaoyan was just thinking about this when a mild voice sounded. "What are you thinking? You are so distracted. Gu Chaoyan got startled, then she saw the smiling face of Zhou Huaijin, who took her umbre and held it for her, as the two of them started to walk out of the court. Zhou Huaijin was already aware of what happened to the Queen. Maybe in everyone''s eyes, it was a very saddening thing, but no one knew the truth. For Zhou Huaijin and the Queen, it was a cheerful thing. Moving out of the court meant moving out of the cage. That was indeed a great matter. The couple walked through the court''s alleyways and came to the gate under one umbre. Then they headed towards the mansion. *** The Queen moved out of the court after three days. It was snowing heavily then, but the Empress Dowager did not seem to have the patience to wait until two dayster, when it would not snow this much. That troubled the King a great deal. Chapter 725 - My Decision!

Chapter 725 - My Decision!

When The Empress Dowager finished speaking, the King found that her words made sense. He had been spoiling Lord Huai since he was little, and he could understand that he might lose his temper somehow. And now Xunyang being missing was just a tiny matter known to a few people and it could be retrieved. As long as he could bring her back, he could drop this and pretend nothing had ever happened. The King looked at Zhou Huaijin seriously. He was waiting for him to make the confession. Zhou Huaijin, however, still had no expression on his face, despite what the Empress Dowager said. "You think I did it, father?" Zhou Huaijin smiled ironically. "I am a spoiled Lord, but I am not a stupid person. Xunyang is my sister, but why should I stop her from marrying the prince of the North Qi Land or steal her away?" "¡­" "Well, the court is always well-guarded, and even when I tried to visit my mother, I could only visit her in the court based on the rules. It is utterly impossible for me to take away a princess!" "¡­" "Then why should I stop Xunyang from marrying the Prince of the North Qi Land? The Prince of the North Qi Land is a huge difference from the Young Master of the Gu Family. What does the Young Master of the Gu Family have? He might be flourishing right now, but he is just a minor minister. Xuan Lin, on the other hand, is the Prince, and he is going to take the throne of the North Qi Land! I would be protected with guarantee if my own sister is able to marry someone like that! Why should I stop Xunyang from marrying him? That was a great deal for me!" "¡­" "I also want to find Xunyang right now, why would you suspect that it is my n?" Zhou Huaijin looked very confused. Hearing what Zhou Huaijin said, the King felt totally shocked. No one had ever thought about this level. For Zhou Huaijin, it was indeed a great deal, and he did not have to turn it down. The King''s expression became even more serious. He had found that he had taken everything too simply. He had made a huge mistake. If Zhou Huaijin had not done that, then the person who did not want Zhou Huaijin to get the deal would be the biggest suspect. Who could that be? The King fell into contemtion. @@novelbin@@ The Empress Dowager had noticed the changing situation. She found that things were turning in a very weird direction. She had never expected that Zhou Huaijin had be so thoughtful and good at argument. She took a look at Zhou Huaijin and then at Gu Chaoyan. The Empress Dowager had a terrible look on her face. She had allowed the King to approve of the marriage, because she wanted Zhou Huaijin to marry some notorious woman so that Zhou Huailing could be in an advantageous situation, but what she had not expected¡­ Was that this woman was sinister and tricky. She had even made Zhou Huaijin even more tricky. If the King kept thinking alongside what he had analyzed, things would turn ugly. The Empress Dowager interrupted him directly. "King, you have to look into this matter. The Queen has always objected to Xunyang getting married to someone faraway." The King looked at his own mother. He found that his mother was getting too old to think clearly. How could she suspect the Queen and Lord Huai under such circumstances? The King, who had been very furious, snapped seriously as he looked at the Empress Dowager. "Mother, just take care of what happens back in the harem. Xunyang''s absence is something I need to deal with, you can just drop it. I have my own ideas." The Empress Dowager was startled. Chapter 729 - Nothing Serious

Chapter 729 - Nothing Serious

Xuan Lin looked at the portrait. The young girl looked pretty and shining. There was a touch of herotic air between her eyebrows, totally different from the King in front of him. The King was handsome too, but he was like Lord Ling, who only had the look, not the air and the temperantment. Princess Xunyang, however, looked very clever. It was a different kind of beauty from that of Lady Chaoyan. Lady Chaoyan was a very cold-looking beauty, and she had a strong air of herself. Princess Xunyang, on the other hand, was not only clever-looking, but also herotic. It seemed that he had thought too much back at the hotel. He had thought that Princess Xunyang was granted to him so easily because she was not good looking or intelligent enough, but it seemed that he had gotten a piece of treasure for himself. He had not thought about giving her any title, but it seemed that he was going to make her at least a concubine. Xuan Lin was very satisfied. He looked at the King and smiled. "Princess Xunyang is very beautiful, I am very satisfied too. I am just curious, who is her mother?" "The Queen." The King said, sounding muffled. Xuan Lin was startled. He just could not understand. It seemed that the King of the Saint Divine Land was also a very cold-hearted person. He was giving out his daughter for five magical monsters. However, that was not something Xuan Lin should consider. Since he already got what he wanted, he did not stay any longer. He did not even think that he had gotten a good princess, whom he liked. He took the portrait and left. "I will be off now. Can I keep the portrait?" The King truly was not in a good mood to argue about this. He waved his hands at Xuan Lin''s request. "Just bring it away, the painter can just do a new one for Xunyang around this time of the year." Xuan Lin epted the portrait happily and left directly. The King frowned. He was still worried about what happened to the Queen. "De Fu." De Fu nodded. The King was about to say something when the Empress Dowager arrived. The King was not very happy at the sight of the Empress Dowager. "What are you doing here, mother?" The Empress Dowager looked at the King. She knew that he must have heard some news from the town. The King was very concerned about what happened in the town, and he even arranged his own men to watch the situation. The Empress Dowager heard the news too from a hurried messenger. She was worried that the King would run to the town because he was worried about what happened there. So she said, "I am here to tell you about what happened in the town. The staff there said that she is not feeling well, and I have gotten five imperial doctors to check up on her." "It seems that she has not been in good health these days, and the doctors say that it is generated from the cold. The imperial doctors should be able to handle it. There are many things for you to worry about these days around the New Year, and I don''t think that it will be a problem," the Empress Dowager said with a serious look on her face. Hearing these words, the King felt slightly assured. He looked at the Empress Dowager and confirmed. "So you are sure it is not a big deal?" The Empress Dowager nodded too. "Nope. Let''s wait and see what the imperial doctors say when they get back, and then I will tell you what happens." The Empress Dowager made a promise. That convinced the King. De Fu showed an expression of helplessness. He opened his mouth.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 733 - Control

Chapter 733 - Control

Gu Chaoyan was in the middle of eating a pastry and had just taken a bite of it, when she heard what Zhou Huaijin said. She found it peculiar, so she looked at Zhou Huaijin in confusion. "What is it?" Zhou Huaijin gave her another pinch on the face at the sight of her lovely expression. He said, "Before the New Year, the Prince of North Qi seemed to hear some message from somewhere, so he went into the court and asked to meet Xunyang. Xunyang was not in the court back then, so the King gave him a portrait. "The prince saw Xunyang''s appearance, but a long time had passed and the imperial army as well as the men arranged by the King had not yet found Xunyang. The Spring Hunt was around the corner and after that, the prince was going home. "If the portrait had not been given, then they could simply get someone else to rece her, but since the prince knew how the Princess looks, such a method will no longer work. The King is very anxious, but he has stopped suspecting us. He is turning his suspicion to someone else." Zhou Huaijin had a very strange expression on his face as he was telling the story. When the King made Xunyang the bargaining chip Zhou Huaijin felt very annoyed. So this result served him right, and Zhou Huaijin took it as a joke. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. That was right. He got himself confused. The King would not have any idea of what to do at the moment. "Why are you smiling?" Zhou Huaijin asked with a ming tone. Then the two of them started tough together. *** Winter was gone and spring had arrived again. Soon everything recovered as the snow melted, and the trees started to bud. @@novelbin@@ Before the Spring Hunt took ce¡­ A patch of green covered the yard of the mansion. Sunshine shone down every day and made people feel very warm. At this moment, Zhou Huailing transported one magical monster from the court. It was just a mount. Zhou Huailing had intended to give it to Gu Ruxue. In this way, she could shine greatly in the Spring Hunt. Gu Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl, and the more popr she became, the more popr he would be. When the magical monster arrived at Lord Ling''s Mansion¡­ Zhou Huailing asked Gu Ruxue to take a look at it. Gu Ruxue saw the monster in the stable. It wasrge and white, just like a lion. It wasn''t ugly with the white fur, but it was bigger than she had expected. She thought that it would be something flexible like a pony. Zhou Huailing did not think that it was bad. He said excitedly, "This is what I asked Xuan Lin to pick for you. Most of the magical monsters are ferocious-looking and ugly, but this one is very beautiful. It has white fur, which suits you best. "You don''t have to worry about a thing with it around you. It will hunt for you and all you need to do is to get the prey," Zhou Huailing said with a smile. He was very happy, and was very confident that Gu Ruxue would shine on the hunting pitch. Hearing what Zhou Huailing said, Gu Ruxue stopped thinking about the drawbacks. "Will it listen to me?" Gu Ruxue asked. The magical monster was already staring at her fiercely. It did not look docile. Zhou Huailing took something from his sleeves. It was a ck bottle. He showed a very mysterious smile on his face. Chapter 737 - What Was Wrong?

Chapter 737 - What Was Wrong?

Gu Ruxue nodded seriously. She took a look at the phoenix and said proudly, "Of course it is mine. You did note to my Adulthood Ceremony, did you? So you did not get to see the scene when hundreds of birds were flying around. "The phoenix is the head of hundreds of birds, so since those birds flew for me, the phoenix is definitely here for me," Gu Ruxue said confidently. The Second Lady of the Chu Family was both surprised and startled. She was aware why she was not present at Princess Consort''s Adulthood Ceremony. The Chu Family did not like this Princess Consort, so none of them attended the ceremony, but¡­ The Chu Family was wrong! Princess Consort was such a wonderful existence and the Chu Family would not be able to suck up to her! She was a person with a long vision. She grabbed the opportunity at the banquet. The Second Lady of the Chu Family was very pleased. She smiled. "Princess Consort, can I touch the phoenix when itnds here?" Gu Ruxue looked at the girl. She did not think that this girl was good enough to touch the phoenix, but this girl was working very devotedly for her at the moment. So she nodded arrogantly, "Okay." When the Second Lady of the Chu Family got approval, the otherdies went up and gathered around too. Although they hoped that the phoenix was here to find them, Gu Ruxue had the biggest opportunity of being the master, so they would not give up the chance. Gu Chaoyan looked at ady who stood still. She was the Elder Miss of the Chu Family. She asked curiously, "Why aren''t you up there?" Thedy snorted andughed ironically, so Gu Chaoyan did not ask anything more. She believed that the phoenix already had enough fun, so she turned to the phoenix, telling it toe down. The phoenix was a very spoiled bird, but it was obedient, after all. So itnded. @@novelbin@@ It came to Gu Chaoyan and flew above Gu Chaoyan''s head. On the other side, thosedies were still ttering Gu Ruxue. One of thedies noticed that the phoenix was in front of Gu Chaoyan, so she burst out in surprise. "That is Gu Chaoyan''s phoenix!" What? Only then did Gu Ruxue notice that the phoenix was flying in front of Gu Chaoyan. Her face changed. That was impossible! How could that be possible! The Second Lady of the Chu Family and the otherdies looked at Gu Ruxue in confusion. Didn''t Princess Consort say that it was hers? What was the phoenix doing in front of Gu Chaoyan? "Gu Chaoyan!" Gu Ruxue snapped. Gu Chaoyan was not moved, but said briefly, "Princess Consort, didn''t you ask to see my mount, here it is. However, it is a bird, so if I use it today, it would be totally unfair for you guys." What! Her mount? That was impossible! She was the Phoenix Girl, and she made hundreds of birds fly at her Adulthood Ceremony, not Gu Chaoyan! "Give the phoenix back to me!" Gu Ruxue shouted loudly. Gu Chaoyanughed. "Yours?" Gu Chaoyan said curiously, "The phoenix is not trapped, if you think the phoenix is yours, then ask it to join you, why ask me to give it back to you?" Gu Ruxue turned to the phoenix, but the phoenix did not give her any response. Gu Ruxue thought for a while and asked her servant to get her a dagger. The King was watching from not to far. He also noticed that something was wrong. Things were different from how he imagined. He turned to Zhou Huailing and asked seriously, "What is going on?" Chapter 739 - Just Lucky

Chapter 739 - Just Lucky

Zhou Huailing was also confused. How could he have expected that the phoenix wasn''t Ruxue''s, but Gu Chaoyan''s. He had a terrible expression on his face, but Zhou Huailing simply could not tell the truth in front of the King. He needed to defend Gu Ruxue. @@novelbin@@ After thinking for a while he said, "Who knows where Gu Chaoyan got such a thing. She is trying to show off at the Spring Hunt. I believe that she just couldn''t stand it when she saw hundreds of birds flying above Ruxue''s head at her Adulthood Ceremony. That is why she got such a thing today to try to exceed her. "Gu Chaoyan is the future Princess Consort of Lord Huai rather than the unknown Elder Miss of the Gu Family. So it is much easier for her to get something special to show off. "Father, don''t be baffled about this. After the Spring Hunt, I will look into this," Zhou Huailing said confidently. When the King heard what he said he nodded seriously. That seemed to make sense. If Zhou Huaijin had helped her during the process, it would make everything easy. He could drop this matter at the moment forter investigation. He turned to De Fu and said with a small voice, "Go and don''t let the news spread before the conclusion is drawn." De Fu nodded and went to carry out the order. The King asked the eunuch next to him to get Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huailing was extremely annoyed. He was ming Gu Ruxue within his heart. When he was among thedies, he also heard Gu Chaoyan saying that she had not intended to bring the phoenix out if not for Gu Ruxue who insisted on having apetition. Back at the mansion, Gu Ruxue also mentioned about bringing down Gu Chaoyan. She was already the Phoenix Girl, why did she bother to do such a thing? Zhou Huailing was extremely annoyed as he thought of what happened. If she had not been this wild, nothing like this would have happened today, and the whole thing would not have been so difficult to deal with. The King might not ept the words at the moment, but maybe he would someday. Zhou Huailing was wearing a displeased expression on his face. He was nning to scold Gu Ruxue when he returned and make her understand the current situation. Damn Gu Ruxue. She did not focus on the affairs within the mansion and kept on bringing trouble on such important asions. As Zhou Huailing was thinking about this, Zhou Huaijin came to the King''s side as well. He was still wearing a cold expression on his face as he stood before the King. "What do you need, father?" The King nodded and asked, "What was going on just now? What happened to the phoenix?" Zhou Huaijin had suspected that the King must be curious about this. He replied quietly. "Nothing big, it is just that Chaoyan once cured the phoenix so it became close to her. It obeys Chaoyan''s order obediently. It seems that Sister-inw forced Chaoyan to bring the phoenix out so Chaoyan had to do so. It is not a big deal anyway, the phoenix is just a bird, rare yet it was saved by her before." Zhou Huaijin recounted the whole thingposedly, but the King and Zhou Huailing had a terrible look on their faces. The King waved his hands. "Alright then, you can leave now, the Spring Hunt starts very soon." Zhou Huaijin nodded, then he headed towards the pitch. Xuan Lin came rushing to him at that moment. "Lord Huai, can Lady Chaoyan make the phoenix obey her order?!" Chapter 742 - The First Place

Chapter 742 - The First ce

When hearing the strange sound, Zhou Huaijin quickly shielded Gu Chaoyan, raised the bows and arrows as he shot into the direction of sound. In the meanwhile, both Gu Chaoyan and Sword One shot arrows as well. The arrows hit therge ck silhouette, yet it gave no response. That ck silhouette was still moving towards them at a high speed. @@novelbin@@ "No¡­" Zhou Huaijin let out a surprised cry. They finally got to see what that big thing was by this point. Unlike any other possible wild animal in the forest, it was a very enormous ck serpent, thergest Zhou Huaijin had ever seen in his life! If it opened the mouth, it could gulf down the three of them together. And now¡­ It did not seem to pay any attention towards the attacking arrows, and it wasing towards their way with its mouth widely opened. Zhou Huaijin instantly shielded Gu Chaoyan. "Back off, you two." Having said this, he hopped up and started to stab the serpent with the sword, but the secret was toorge for Zhou Huaijin to stab. The snake continued to move forward as if it felt nothing. Gu Chaoyan turned around and saw what was going on. She sensed that something was wrong. This ck enormous serpent was different from normal ones. It was full of vitality and had a strong ability to recover. It kept draining Zhou Huaijin''s energy. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while as she took out the medical bottle, which contained an extremely poisonous drug, which Gu Chaoyan made a couple of days ago. Now it had finallye into use. She could not reach it, so she turned to Sword One. "Sword One, lift me up to its eyes!" When Sword One heard this, she did not hesitate for a second. She jumped up with Gu Chaoyan. It was a very urgent situation where no mistakes were allowed. Lord Huai was very good at martial arts, but he was not strong enough to deal with the serpent. Sword One decided to trust Elder Miss, because she always believed that Elder Miss was a woman that tended to create miracles. So she subconsciously decided to obey the order. When Gu Chaoyan was lifted, she took out the bottle and sprinkled the drug upon the ck serpent''s eyes. When the snake was poisoned, itsrge body started moving crazily. Since it could not see anything, all it could do was bump around randomly. Zhou Huaijin took the opportunity, stabbing right into the serpent''s stomach, and dug out the galldder. Only then did the white serpent gradually stop moving. Sword One ced Gu Chaoyan back on the horse. Both of them were panting, but they exchanged a look and smiled. Zhou Huaijin had tied up the ck serpent with something. When the serpent was tied, he held a rope in hand and waved at Gu Chaoyan. "We can go back now, it is a huge harvest for us!" Zhou Huaijin did not me Sword One for lifting Chaoyan, because he just noticed that the two girls were smiling at each other, so he did not want to ruin the happy mood. "With this serpent around, I am definitely going to win the contest." Zhou Huaijin said with a smile, "It is a great job by the three of us!" Sword One and Gu Chaoyan were both smiling. *** In the pitch of the Spring Hunt¡­ Zhou Huailing had already returned, and the rest of the participants arrived one after another too. Zhou Huailing had killed two tigers in the deep mountains. With these two tigers as prey, he believed that he was going to be the winner, thus leaving the field directly. Chapter 745 - Lord Huai Won

Chapter 745 - Lord Huai Won

The King nodded slightly. Because of the Queen, the King had not been holding a grudge towards Zhou Huaijin like before any more. He was, after all, his own son and he should not live a bad life no matter what, but he also expected that he could only be treated like a normal imperial lord. Lord Huai had been spoiled since little, and he had not been very rational when it came to a lot of things. He was not a very skilled person, and he won the Spring Hunt every year by depending on others. However, it was already excellent of him to get a wild boar for the Spring Hunt this year. A wild boar was also a ferocious thing after all, though it was not as ferocious as a tiger. Gu Yunhe had been smirking next to them. Then people who carried the thing started to emerge from the woods. Zhou Huailing and Gu Yunhe took a step forward and came to the middle section of the pitch. As the crowd started to get closer¡­ Zhou Huailing''s expression started to get more and moreplicated. The crowd did not seem to be carrying a wild boar. Zhou Huailing had even thought that he had not seen it clearly, so he patted Gu Yunhe and asked, "What are they carrying? Is it a wild boar?" Gu Yunhe got dumbfounded too. No, it did not seem like it. That was not what a wild boar was like. That animal seemed really long. Gu Yunhe shook his head slightly. "It doesn''t look like it." At this moment, the other people on site also saw what was being carried. General Liu became extremely excited, as he ran forward and pointed at the thing that was carried to the site. "That is¡­ that is an enormous serpent!" What? Zhou Huailing just could not believe what he had heard. He took a few steps forward, trying to catch a clear glimpse of what was there. When he heard what General Liu said, he seemed to believe that it was something like that, but how could that thing be so big? The serpent was carried all the way to the pitch. Zhou Huailing was so dumbfounded that his expression became twisted. He had beenughing and saying that it was a wild boar, but what was ced in front of him was an enormous serpent that had not been seen in hundreds of years. It made him feel so terrible. Especially when the ck enormous serpent was ced next to the two tigers, the two tigers looked so small, not at all as powerful-looking as they had been a while ago. Although Min Qing and Chu Yu were only there to help carry the thing. They could not help but show an expression of pride on their faces. General Liu asked excitedly, "Lord Huai, what is this?" "That is an enormous serpent Chaoyan and I ran into when we went deep into the woods. The serpent wasrge and thick, and it moved quite quickly as well. We could have escaped from it, but the serpent had apparently be possessed, and it would one day be harmful for the locals, so I decided to kill it," Zhou Huaijin said rxedly as if it were a tiny thing. General Liu looked at him in admiration. "Excellent!" Zhou Huaijin smiled. As he came to Zhou Huailing he asked with a slight smile on his face. "What do you think, Fourth Brother, do you think you won the contest or I did?" Zhou Huailing had a terrible look on his face. However, before he was able to say anything, General Liu said loudly and firmly, "Lord Huai won the contest!" Zhou Huailing had a worse look on his face by this point. He red at Gu Yunhe and snapped. "What nonsense did you talk about just now! Did you see the wild boar Eighth Brother got for you to be so sure about it?" @@novelbin@@ Gu Yunhe did not dare to counter him. Instead, he was standing silently next to them. Zhou Huaijin showed a small smile and walked towards the King with a box in hands. The King was looking very pale too. The moment he saw the serpent, he got frightened too. "Go back to the court! That is all for the Spring Hunt!" "Father!" Zhou Huaijin called out. Chapter 748 - Getting the Queen Back

Chapter 748: Getting the Queen Back

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions In the court. The King did not feel assured, until he hurried back to the court. He asked De Fu to serve him a kettle of tea to cool him down. He was sweating all over his head as he was seated in Qianqing Pce. What the King had seen was just a dead giant ck serpent, but the King felt as if he had witnessed a living one. Before the old King passed, he told him something about what happened to the imperial family in history apart from the tales of the Destiny Monk and the Phoenix Girl. Story went on the continent in the past... Other beings existed apart from the four standing countries. Those beings were powerful things that had been sealed inside the restricted area. The King didn¡¯t say everything very clearly, but when the King saw the ck giant serpent, he thought of what the King said. And that snake was so weirdly big. So the animal should be rted to what happened in ancient times. ¡°De Fu, go and bring the Prime Minister here,¡± the King said. De Fu went off directly. @@novelbin@@ As the King sent the order to bring the Prime Minister here... He had been thinking about the Queen the entire time. The Queen moved from the court before the New Year and went to the town for disease treatment. It was a town where the imperial family used to stay to spend the summer. The town had a very beautiful surrounding and it was most beautiful in spring. However, the town was located deep in the mountains, thus providing a cool space for summer. When the King thought of the giant serpent, he involuntarily thought of the Queen. There were too many unknown things deep in the mountains and she might not be safe staying there, so she needed toe back to the court. As the King thought of this, he asked De Fu to bring the Empress Dowager here. The Empress Dowager had been in charge of everything in the town, so he needed to have a discussion with her regarding getting the Queen back. Cining Pce was not located too far away, so the Empress Dowager arrived very soon after De Fu went to fetch her. She had been holding a terrible look on her face, after hearing that the King had the intention of bringing the Queen back. The reason why she sent the Queen away was because she wanted to make her stay out of the King¡¯s sight, so that as time went by, he would gradually forget about her. After the celebration of Chinese New Year, the Empress Dowager had assumed that the Queen had been forgotten, and she even thought about getting new concubines for the King after the Spring Hunt. Honored Princess Jing was a nice one, but she wasn¡¯t that young any more. Remaining in the court were only senior princesses. So she nned to get some young and vital ones for the King in case he thought of the Queen, but now... the Spring Hunt had just taken ce and the King just could not wait to bring the Queen back. That really annoyed the Empress Dowager. She hurried to the Qianqing Pce. The King said directly at the sight of the Empress Dowager, ¡°Mother, could you please arrange it so that the Queen returns as soon as possible. When I was out during the Spring Hunt, Eighth Son killed a reallyrge serpent, it was a veryrge one living in the mountain! I am thinking that the Queen might not be safe staying in the town located at the foot of the mountain, something terrible might appear! The Queen has not been well, and things might get worse if she gets frightened.¡± When the Empress Dowager heard that, she did not answer him directly. Instead, she sat down first, then she took a sip of tea. She thought for a while then she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is the right time to bring her back right now. The Queen had been doing better in the past, but thesest two days, she is getting worse. I don¡¯t think that she will be able to make it through. If you are still worried, we can send her more imperial guards for protection.¡± ¡°Then I can go and visit her in the town personally!¡± the King said. Chapter 752 - A Favor

Chapter 752: A Favor

Although he imed that he was discussing something with her, Gu Zhenkang looked so arrogant that he seemed to be sure that Gu Chaoyan would say yes to everything he requested. He started to drink the tea Qing served him. Gu Chaoyan was still veryposed. Gu Zhenkang was not a person with a heart and love, and he came to her because what he wanted to discuss with her was something only Gu Chaoyan was able to achieve. Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Zhenkang, who was still drinking the tea, heard Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words. He seemed quite calm. He then said, ¡°I was not present at Spring Hunt yesterday, but I heard a story. On the pitch of Spring Hunt, you guided out a phoenix with a flute, but you are a minor person, so even if you have a phoenix with you, it wouldn¡¯t work. So I am here today to ask you to teach your sister Ruxue how to do that? ¡°It would be totally beneficial for Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion, the Gu Mansion as well as yourself. I have driven you out of the family, but you are still my daughter, so I am here asking you for a favor, which you have to agree to.¡± Gu Zhenkang stressed with an intimidating tone. Gu Chaoyan sneered. No wonder Gu Zhenkang came to her so early in the morning. He was asking for a favor like this! The reason why Gu Zhenkang was not present at the pitch the day before was because he was not qualified enough to be present. Therefore, he had no idea what really happened the day before. So he was here now because Gu Ruxue asked him to. Unfortunately, Gu Ruxue thought too highly of Gu Zhenkang and Gu Zhenkang thought too highly of himself. Did he believe that just because he had fathered a child, that person should obey him no matter what? Well, Gu Zhenkang¡¯s daughter would obey him, but his daughter was already dead in theke of Duke Changning¡¯s Mansion. Gu Chaoyan right now would not do this favor for him. She was already out of his mansion! Gu Zhenkang, obviously, did not understand this point. @@novelbin@@ ¡°So you asked me to teach Gu Ruxue how to call a phoenix, so that Gu Ruxue can use this method to call a phoenix herself?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked expressionlessly. Gu Zhenkang nodded seriously. He had not seen what a phoenix looked like, and had no idea what on earth had happened, but after hearing what Ruxue and Lord Ling said about this and how important it was to have this thing done sessfully, he believed that he should get the mission done properly. Hearing what Gu Chaoyan asked him, Gu Zhenkang was afraid that she would say no so he added. ¡°I am asking you for a favor and I will not forget about this. As long as you are willing to do this favor for us, I will think about letting you back in the Gu Family, or maybe paying you some money. In the meanwhile, I, as well as the Gu¡¯s Mansion, will remember this favor.¡± Gu Zhenkang looked at Gu Chaoyan. She was lucky enough to have Lord Huai who was willing to marry her, but just because she was going to marry Lord Huai did not mean that she would have any big achievements in the future and she would need to live with the help of Ruxue. Gu Zhenkang believed that Gu Chaoyan would be willing to do something for this special favor.. Chapter 757 - Not Deserving

Chapter 757: Not Deserving

He looked deep into Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijin did not seem to have the intention of being persuaded. He was leaving the decision-making right to Chaoyan. Normally, Zhou Huailing would get angry, but he pressed down the fury. He was aware that even if he became angry, Zhou Huaijin would not say yes, and he might possibly spread the bad news. Zhou Huailing had been prepared for that. He had been tolerating a lot of things over the years, and he was able to do that now too. Although he was not exactly angry, Zhou Huailing still did not have a good expression on his face. It took him a long time before pressing down his anger. He changed his expression and became much calmer. He patted Gu Ruxue, telling her not to get anxious. @@novelbin@@ Then he said politely, ¡°Since Lady Chaoyan likes that phoenix too, what about doing this ¨C I heard that Lady Chaoyan called out the phoenix with a flute back on the pitch, how about you teach Ruxue how to call the phoenix. Ruxue loves that phoenix, so I am here asking you for that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, Ruxue is going to be your sister-inw soon, and you have been sisters, so you have a deep affectionpared to others, so I can still help you with anything.¡± Zhou Huailing tried to persuade her. Gu Chaoyan had obviously felt how the phoenix had affected her reputation, so she was not willing to bring out the bird right now. Zhou Huailing understood her point totally, but if both of them shared the phoenix, then Ruxue would be even more convincing with the bird in her hands. When that time came, he would have the method to turn the situation around. That was why he came up with such a method. Zhou Huaijin frowned. He was about to turn them down directly, but Gu Chaoyan took hold of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s hands and shook her head slightly. Then she said to Zhou Huailing. ¡°That sounds okay, but I can¡¯t guarantee that the phoenix would listen to you after hearing the music.¡± Zhou Huailing¡¯s eyes were already shining when he heard what Gu Chaoyan said. Well¡­ if Gu Chaoyan¡¯s flute worked, then Ruxue¡¯s flute would work too. That phoenix would definitely obey the sound of the flute. Zhou Huailing said with a smile, ¡°That is okay, you can just teach her how to y the music, and it would depend on Ruxue whether she is able to call the phoenix!¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She looked at Zhou Huailing and Gu Chaoyan and said straightforwardly, ¡°If that is the case, I don¡¯t need any conditions you offered just now, give me money then, 1 million will do, When the check is delivered here, I will give you the music.¡± Zhou Huailing was startled. He had not expected that Gu Chaoyan would ask for money, but¡­ One million was okay for Lord Ling. As long as the phoenix could be theirs, money was nothing. ¡°Okay, I will get the money delivered to you tomorrow, Lady Chaoyan, just get the music ready.¡± Zhou Huailing had a proud smile on his face. When the deal was done, Zhou Huailing and Gu Ruxue left directly. They did not seem to have any intention of staying one more minute at the mansion. Zhou Huaijin asked seriously, ¡°Chaoyan, we don¡¯t need one million, why give them the music? They don¡¯t deserve to have the phoenix.¡± Haha. Gu Chaoyan could not helpughing.. Chapter 760 - How Did You Know?

Chapter 760: How Did You Know?

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions They had been anxious when they arrived here, since they had no idea who was behind the clinic. That was why they formed a gang so that they coulde together as one. In this way, they could feel slightly more assured. However, they had not expected that the doctor of the clinic was a young girl! These people instantly showed a disdainful look on their faces. Well, even though men and women were all allowed to learn medical skills in the Saint Divine Land, there were just few women doctors who were skilled enough in the capital, and those two who were excellent were already working the court. This girl, who looked young and immature, dared to brag so openly! There was only one exnation for that- she wasmiting fraud! Gu Chaoyan nced at those so-called doctors. She sneered. ¡°Fraud? Who have I scammed? You?¡± ¡°You can sue me at the government, but I have done nothing wrong,¡± Gu Chaoyan said confidently. These people were all doctors, but she was very aware of what those doctors wanted. They were willing to cure small diseases just to earn some money, but they never epted any seriously-sick people from ordinary families, in case they failed to cure them and ended up ruining their own reputation. Therefore, they started to get very annoyed and worried, when a clinic that only epted dying people was opened in the capital. They normally did not ept any dying people, but she did. So that was basically a huge humiliation for those so-called doctors! That was why they could not stand her Xinlin Clinic. However, even though they could not stand the clinic, it was still going to open to the world. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s confident words still made those people feel disdainful. Doctor Wang, the leading doctor from the jishi clinic, was not young any more. He had been a visiting doctor at the Jishi clinic for a long while, and the Jishi clinic had been a very prevailing clinic in the capital. So the other doctors were very willing to hear what he had to say. At this moment, Doctor Wang looked at Gu Chaoyan disdainfully, ¡°Not miting fraud? You are not now, true, that is only because there is nobody dying here! Little girl, do you know that you are trulymiting fraud, if some dying man is here and you fail to cure him? ¡°You are too young to makea fuss out of this, you better think about marrying someone rather than being a con-artist!¡± Doctor Wang was very confident. And he believed that he had already seen through hovw this young girl was going to act as a con-artist! The payment was 10,0oo, which would not attract anyone from an ordinary family. And those who were able to pay 10,000 yuan would never choose an unknown cinic. So she was just making use of the so-called ¡°dying man¡± to open up a business. And what she was going to make profits from was the medical pills! One thousand yuan for one bottle, so ten bottles would cost 10,000! Doctor Wang was sure that some rich people would be willing to pay for the medical pills that cost ?,000 yuan! However, that was not the issue! The issue was that they should have earned the money rather than this young girl! Well. Doctor Wang had already set upa n ¨C when they drove away those at the clinic, he could sell the medical pills himself! Therefore, he had to get the clinic shut down now! @@novelbin@@ Doctor Wang looked very determined, but Gu Chaoyan was not afraid of these people. ¡°How do you know I am unable to cure dying people?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. Doctor Wang frowned and threw a very profound look at Gu Chaoyan.. Chapter 763 - Look

Chapter 763: Look

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan looked at Sword One and showed a serious look on her face too. There was still a long way to go before they could arrive home, so she pointed at the wagon and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take the wagon.¡± Sword One nodded. They then got onto the wagon. Gu Chaoyan was still wearing a very serious look as they were seated in the wagon. What happened at the Spring Hunt was that she attracted the phoenix with her flute and the phoenix stood by her side. However, all those who were present were from the imperial family or ministers in the court, and the King also passed on the order that what happened was never to be revealed. Unexpectedly, everyone in the capital already heard of the news. Honestly... Someone must have revealed the news on purpose. No one from Lord Ling¡¯s side would have done that, because they wished that no one would hear of this. The same went for the King. However, neither she nor Zhou Huaijin had done anything either. Although she expected to bnce the news about Phoenix Girl with the phoenix, she had no intention of making use of the civilians. So who had revealed the story? @@novelbin@@ ¡®That was a very important question. Gu Chaoyan massaged her temple, and felt her head ache. ¡®There were too many unanswered questions. Seeing how Elder Miss behaved, Sword One came to give her a massage. ¡°Elder Miss, don¡¯t worry, we from Shadow Door will definitely be able to find a solution.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded slightly and took a nap. The story of the phoenix went about, and finally, it reached Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. Zhou Huailing had a terrible look on his face. However, it was good that he already got the music. Zhou Huailing asked his man to bring Gu Ruxue to him. ¡°This is the music bought from Gu Chaoyan, so Ruxue, hurry up and master it! Nowadays people always talk about how the phoenix lingered by her side, and she is going to steal your show! You have to master the music as soon as possible, so that you can bring the phoenix to your side and make the whole thing pass!¡± Zhou Huailing stressed. Gu Ruxue pressed the flute with force. She was so angry that her face was twisted. Damn Gu Chaoyan, that horrible bi*ch! She called herself the lineal daughter since childhood and now she was bringing endless trouble for her! She was going to teach her a lesson! She took the music, then she read through the paper. ¡°Twill leam it right now,¡± Gu Ruxue said. Zhou Huailing nodded, but he was still not very happy despite what Gu Ruxue said. He would be very troubled, until Gu Ruxue was able to bring the phoenix to her side for real. At this moment, Xuan Lin arrived. Zhou Huailing asked Gu Ruxue to learn the music by herself. He needed to visit Xuan Lin. ¡®The moment he met Xuan Lin, Zhou Huailing said straightforwardly, ¡°Prince of North Qi, I asked you to join me because I would like to ask if you can sell the magical monsters to me privately. I can try my best to satisfy your conditions.¡± Those magical monsters were wonderful things. He believed that he could form an army out of it. ¡°No.¡± Xuan Lin answered with a brief smile. He could not sell the magical monsters just to let him deal with them. Xuan Lin was not stupid. He might be a bit impulsive every now and then, yet it was never over the top. Zhou Huailing¡¯s expression sank. He was about to narrate his conditions for the deal, when a sound of noise arose from outside. His pageboy was crying outside.. ¡°Lord,e out and see!¡± Chapter 767 - Dying Men

Chapter 767: Dying Men

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Although Lord Ling bought the music, the music was in Gu Ruxue¡¯s hands and she took it as her own. Also, this music had called out the phoenix and so was a very precious thing. Hearing that the music was going to be used for something else, Gu Ruxue subconsciously had no intention of offering it and became rmed. She was in possession of the music, and Zhou Huailing had predicted that would happen, so he tried to sound very seductive. ¡°I have reached a deal with Prince of the North Qi, and he is offering us ten magical monsters for this muc.¡± ¡°Ruxue, it is a great piece of music that calls out the phoenix, but did you even notice that Gu Chaoyan called the phoenix out first, and you second, so a phoenix is not a rare thing anymore, and it won¡¯t be very useful. In this case, why not just use it to get ten magical monsters instead.¡± ¡°Ten magical monsters can be as powerful as a military troop¡± ¡°Now the General of Jiayu Pass has already taken my side, but Jiayu Pass is too far away and right now in the capital, Duke North has not taken my side and General Liu may not want to take my side either. If I am going to take the throne in the future, I will have to have an army of my own. Ten magical @@novelbin@@ monsters are the fastest and the surest method.¡± Doctor Wang was leading the way and came to Xinlin Clinic with several people. This girl from Xinlin Clinic imed that she could save dying people. So when he ran into a case at his own clinic today, he took that patient to Xinlin Clinic for her to check out. As the bustling crowd gathered around, Xiu Jie looked at them. He saw a man covered in blood lying on the stretcher. That man resembled his case, and was even worse, it seemed. The man was covered with wounds, which were all rotten flesh. He was at the edge of dying. Doctor Wang said arrogantly, ¡°Where is your visiting doctor? Isn¡¯t she only healing dying people? Here is one!¡± The family of the patient saw that it was the Xinlin Clinic and rejected it directly. ¡°Doctor Wang, we are just an ordinary family, we can¡¯t afford the payment!¡± That man shouted and wanted to leave. Doctor Wang was worried that the family would leave, so he said, ¡°Please let the doctor try, if she seeds, I can pay the fee, if not, then it is not me to me.¡± The family member nodded and looked at Xiu Jie. ¡°Please, heal my brother.¡± Xiu Jie looked at the man covered in blood. ¡°I will bring my Elder Miss here..¡± Chapter 770 - Impossible!

Chapter 770: Impossible!

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions She did not panic, nor did she start to do anything. Instead, she felt the man¡¯s pulse first. Apart from the terrible external wound, he was badly injured internally as well. However, Xiu Jie fed him some pills at an early stage, so his internal wounds were healing gradually. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and fed him nothing more. Instead, she took out a cup of magical water and fed him with it. The magical water worked really well. His life was stabilized after he finished the first cup, and step by step, his inner wounds started healing. ¡®When everything was settled, she started to observe the external wounds on the man. ¡®The wounds were not hurt by a knife or a sharp de, but by some animals¡¯ paws, just like the wounds Xiu Jie got before. However, they turned out to be slightly different. So they were different animals. And obviously this man was injured much worse than Xiu Jie. Xiu Jie was hurt when he was struggling and escaping. This man was different. He seemed to have been totally helpless and got hurt by that animal little by little. That thing had no intention of eating him or killing him. It had been trying to torment him. What on earth was it that was so cruel and understood human behaviour? Gu Chaoyan had been frowning all this time. She remembered when she and Zhou Huaijin had run into a wild boar, and then Xiu Jie who was injured by an ape as well as the giant serpent and now the man in front of them who was injured to such a degree. Gu Chaoyan was pretty aware that even if the King had done nothing yet, the Saint Divine Land was already in chaos. It had happened to just a few people right now, but simr cases would ur more and more frequently. ¡®They would not be able to control the situation, when the cases grew too many. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression sank and she sighed. It was not yet time to think about any of this. She had to pay attention to this injured man first. @@novelbin@@ Xiu Jie had already gotten the clean water ready. Gu Chaoyan wiped off the blood traces on his body first. Then she put the magical water as well as herbs onto the wounds that were so open that bones could be seen. He was injured on many spots, most of which were on his arms and legs. That thing was obviously very cruel. It tormented the man until his bones were exposed, yet did not kill him directly, and instead kept hurting him in the least fatal areas. That was indeed a kind of cruel torment! Gu Chaoyan was still frowning as she was dealing with the wounds. ¡°Xiu Jie,e inside.¡± Gu Chaoyan sounded calm whilst washing her hands off inside the other basin. ¡®When Xiu Jie walked in, Gu Chaoyan was in the middle of washing hands. She looked up at Xiu Jie. ¡°Just clean these up, that man is out of danger, but he needs to spend some more time at the clinic.¡± ¡®When Xiu Jie heard the order, he carried out the stuff. The whole inner chamber was filled with the smell of blood, since the blood was in the water and on the used clothes. ¡®When Xiu Jie was done cleaning, the smell of blood got slightly better. When everything was sorted out, Gu Chaoyan went out of the inner chamber with Xiu Jie. ¡®The moment Gu Chaoyan came out, she looked at Wang Tianren and said coldly, ¡°He is fine now, Doctor Wang, time to pay the 10,000 yuan.¡± Wang Tianren, who had been wearing a look of pride, was about to snap at Gu Chaoyan at the sight of her, but when he heard what she said Wang Tianren shouted in disbelief.. ¡°That is impossible!¡± Chapter 774 - No Phoenix 1

Chapter 774: No Phoenix 1

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions The phoenix appeared because of the music, which Princess Consort had already mastered when she was unmarried. So Gu Chaoyan eavesdropped on the music and mastered it herself. That was why she was showing it off at the pitch. Gu Chaoyan had always had a bad reputation, so the Second Lady of the Chu Family did not think that it was surprising when she heard the story. ¡®When she thought it through, she looked at Gu Ruxue, wondering whether the Princess Consort was indicating something to her when she talked about this story. So she stood up angrily. ¡°How dare she! Gu Chaoyan is way over the top! She stole the music and took it as her own, and now she takes the achievement so that everyone says that she is the good omen! She is scamming the civilians, I am going to reveal the truth!¡± The Second Lady of the Chu Family got increasingly excited as she talked about this. She had already foreseen how much the Princess Consort would like her if she did it well. She was wearing a very determined expression on her face. Gu Ruxue got startled and said timidly, ¡°Second Lady of the Chu Family, I understand that you are a just person, but Gu Chaoyan used to be my sister and we should not push her into aer. You don¡¯t have to take what I have said too seriously, okay?¡± Gu Ruxue said it as an exnation, indicating that the Second Lady of the Chu Family should not take that too seriously. She told the lies because she was unconvinced, but she had no other intention or n to follow. She bought the music with money, so they were not on the side of justice! ¡®What Gu Ruxue wanted was that people should have a bad impression of Gu Chaoyan, and that was all she needed. When thosedies heard the story, their families would get to know the story too. Gu Ruxue aimed at telling those noble families that she was the real owner of the phoenix. As for the civilians, she did not care what they were thinking. Hearing what Gu Ruxue said, the Second Lady of the Chu Family decided not to say anything more. She was probably going to do something in private, not in public. Seeing that the Second Lady of the Chu Family decided to give up, Gu Ruxue felt assured as well. @@novelbin@@ She looked at the otherdies and saw their expressions change, then she felt slightly assured. It seemed that what she had said worked. She sat down, then she smiled and said, ¡°Please, feel free to drink tea and eat the pastries, I will be ying the flute here. You can listen to the music and watch the phoenix. It is going to stay for a long while this time.¡± Gu Ruxue nned to y the music for a little bit longer. She took up the jade flute. The otherdies were watching attentively. Gu Ruxue asked them to drink tea and eat the pastries, but they were not at the same social status as Gu Ruxue, so they did not dare to do anything. Gu Ruxue nodded in satisfaction, then she started to y the flute. Gu Ruxue had been trained to y the zither, chess, to write calligraphy and paintings since childhood, so she was okay at ying the flute. After a long while after she started¡­ Gu Ruxue had been waiting patiently for the phoenix to arrive, but half of the music had gone by, and yet the phoenix was not there. Gu Ruxue frowned and got a little distracted. She almost went off track. She tried to stabilize herself and continued to look into the sky, but the phoenix was nowhere to be seen. The otherdies were all confused too. ¡®The other day at the Spring Hunt, they remembered that the phoenix arrived shortly after Gu Chaoyan yed the flute¡­ Chapter 778 - Dumbfounded

Chapter 778: Dumbfounded

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Ruxue agreed directly. She had tried numerous times at Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion, but the phoenix just did not show up. Maybe that was because the phoenix was really in a bad mood. 1 She just did not believe that the phoenix woulde out here at Gu Chaoyan¡¯s ce instead of at Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. If the phoenix did note out, she could get the money back. Also, she was already able to y the song, so she could always call the phoenix if she wanted. That sounded like a very reasonable thing, so Gu Ruxue said yes directly. Zhou Huailing did not stop her. He was in desperate need of money at this time and it would be great if the money could be regained. Since she decided to make another attempt, Gu Ruxue rushed out to the yard. Gu Chaoyan followed her. She took out the jade flute, then she started to y the song. A short whileter, the phoenix came out and it soared happily above the mansion, making a cheerful sound. Gu Ruxue was petrified. What was going on?! It did not work back at Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion, but now it was working perfectly. Gu Chaoyan crossed her arms and looked at Gu Ruxue calmly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it there? Is Lord Ling¡¯s mansion so poor that you want to take back what has been paid?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked and sound very disdainful. Gu Ruxue did not care about the money. What she cared about was that the phoenix was there! Since the phoenix was called, she could get her face back! She did not care about anything else. However, Zhou Huailing felt very ufortable hearing what Gu Chaoyan had said. He frowned as he said, ¡°Ruxue could not call the phoenix, so we came to seek justice, but now the phoenix is here, so we won¡¯t need the money back.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. Instead of talking with them any more, she said, ¡°You can leave now.¡± Then she left directly. Zhou Huailing was very dissatisfied about how Gu Chaoyan treated him. He was in a different position right now. He was the most favored son of the King and the ministers of the court were all sucking up to him. He was the heir to be named in the future, but Gu Chaoyan was still treating him as nobody. She even looked very disdainful at him. ¡®That made Zhou Huailing very unhappy. @@novelbin@@ He had a n. When he took the throne and became the King, he was going to make Gu Chaoyan bend down to him! Zhou Huailing thought angrily inside his heart. Gu Ruxue did not notice any of this. She tugged at Zhou Huailing. ¡°Let¡¯s leave, Lord.¡± Zhou Huailing followed without saying anything more. ee Gu Chaoyan was now back in her own yard. ¡®As she came to the yard, Sword One asked bravely. ¡°Elder Miss, everything goes well with the phoenix, right? We should not let Gu Ruxue take it as her own!¡± She was worried that the phoenix would no longer be this obedient, or maybe Gu Ruxue would catch the phoenix and keep it in a cage someday. That would be very troublesome. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. She did not have to worry about the phoenix at all. It was smart and capable. Gu Ruxue was not in a position to control the phoenix. The phoenix was just toying with Gu Ruxue. ¡°Sword One, don¡¯t worry.¡± Gu Chaoyan had no idea how to exin, so she just told Sword One this. Hearing the answer, Sword One felt slightly assured. ¡°Xiu Jie is back?¡± Sword One said in surprise, as she saw the figure not faraway. Chapter 780 - Old but Silly 1

Chapter 780: Old but Silly 1

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions He was unconvinced and did not understand it either ¨C why was she turning them down? They were prestigious doctors! They were doctors who had a high reputation in the capital, though not as socially high as the imperial doctors. Many old masters and madams of noble families would treat them nicely, since they were going to treat them in the future. Imperial doctors might be more capable, but they were for the imperial families, not for the nobles outside the court. @@novelbin@@ This young girl did not seem to have any other skills other than healing a dying person. They knew that this young girl probably inherited the skills from her family. So they were here to be her disciple and they lowered their own social status for her sake! And yet she turned them down like this? That would not do! ¡®When someone tried to grab Gu Chaoyan, Sword One stopped him with her sword, making him stagger backwards. Sword One said fiercely, ¡°How dare you touch Elder Miss!¡± ¡®That man showed a very displeased expression on his face. A slightly older-looking man took a step forward and said as if he were the one holding justice. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be mad. I am Qian Shao from Liuwei Hall, and this is Li Qing, the visiting doctor at Liuwei Hall. He is from a medical family, so he has be a very excellent doctor at this young age. We are here to pay respect and you should not turn us down. Li Qing is a very impulsive person, but he just needs a reasonable exnation!¡± Gu Chaoyan squinted as she heard what Qian Shao said. This man, who sounded as if he were on the side of justice, was scolding her for this man called Li Qing just because he was slightly older than the others. Gu Chaoyan was smart enough to tell the tone. Actually¡­ these so-called doctors were trying to bully her. They thought that they were capable doctors with some contacts in the capital, so they believed that they were better than others. That would make sense. She was a young girl with only a few helpers, and Xinlin Clinic did not receive any other families either, so they believed that she had no one supporting her. That was why they were here trying to steal her medical skills in the name of bing her disciples. Medical skills were what created a doctor, and she was confident enough to know that those people would not share anything they held after learning the medical skills from her, because they needed their inherited medical skills to have a spot in the capital. However, they had never considered how she was able to find her own spot if she passed on the medical skills to those people? Well, they would never think about it at all. Otherwise they would not have been so wild. Other people might do them the favor, or probablye to apromise, which would cause them to end up having nothing left, but¡­ Gu Chaoyan was not an ordinary person. No one was able to bully her, and she did not allow herself to get belittled either. ¡°He may be young and impulsive. but Doctor Qian, you are an elder, so why are you equally silly?¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly as she looked at Qian Shao. Hearing what Gu Chaoyan said, Qian Shao said angrily with a look of disbelief. ¡°What are you talking about, silly girl!¡± ¡°Tam saying that you are old, but dumb.¡± Gu Chaoyan repeated the words one by one, countering this doctor called Qian Shao instead of Li Qing.. 1 Chapter 781 - Old but Silly 2

Chapter 781: Old but Silly 2

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions Qian Shao said that Li Qing was young and impulsive. Yes, he was indeed young and impulsive. He was terribly-behaved, but not bad, probably just a little silly. However, Qian Shao was a terrible person. Wang Tianren was a brainless person, but Qian Shao was a man with a terrible heart. ¡°You said that you are here to be my disciples sincerely, so you are forcing me to ept you and then teach you? Why must I give you any reasons to turn you down?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Qian Shao coldly, ¡°If you want to be my disciples, I will have to show the intention as well. Just because you are a bigger gang I have to ept you? What position do you have, for you to ask me to give you a reason?¡± ¡°Tam not epting you, for no reason!¡± ¡°Tam running Xinlin Clinic, and you are asking me to share my medical skills with you? How important do you think you are?¡± ¡°Well, if you really want me to give you a reason, I can definitely teach you, if you share your own medical skills with everyone present. When I am the master of your medical skills, I can teach you all,¡± Gu Chaoyan said without showing any politeness. As she finished saying these words, she looked at Qian Shao. ¡°What do you think?¡± That man had a terrible look on his face. He really had no idea what to say despite the anger inside his heart. He had thought that a young girl like her, who had no family around, must be an orphan without anyone supporting her. However, she tuned out to be such a piece of trouble! He was the best at acupuncture, so Liuwei Hall, which was run by him, was an excellent clinic in the capital, and no other clinics were a match against him. If he shared the medical skills with everyone present, then how would his clinic continue to stay open. Well¡­ he could trade his medical skills in acupuncture with the medical skills from the Xinlin Clinic as an exchange, but he could not possibly share it with everyone else. It was a terrible condition! Qian Shao knew that it was not a good deal. The other doctors were all looking at him in silence. Yet they all agreed with this suggestion. However, no one stepped forward to make the proposal, because Liuwei Hall was still the leading clinic. Li Qing, who hade back to himself, said to Qian Shao, ¡°Uncle Qian, didn¡¯t you say that you want very much to master the medical skills of this female doctor at Xinlin Clinic? She only needs to make an exchange deal, you can just say yes.¡± Li Qing said this straightforwardly. He added after thinking for a while. ¡°If this female doctor wants my medical skills, I can share them too.¡± The female doctor was right. Why would she teach them anything, when she was not their friends or family? Making a deal sounded like a fair n. It had to be a great medical skill if some dying man was brought back to life. It would be worthwhile if they could make a deal. Li Qing looked at Qian Shao dumbly. Qian Shao almost wanted to p himself. He had thought that Li Qing was brainless enough to boost him in stealing the medical skills from Xinlin Clinic, but this Li Qing man was boosting him in an opposite way! Gu Chaoyan looked at them with interest. @@novelbin@@ Well¡­ Those doctors were all thinking about their own n. Those who did not speak were nning to get medical skills from the two doctors to make a fortune. And Li Qing Chapter 784 - Not Leaving

Chapter 784: Not Leaving

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan tured around subconsciously and looked at him strangely, wondering what else he had just thought of. She looked at him in silence, waiting for him to say something. Being looked at by Gu Chaoyan in this way, this man suddenly lost the courage to say what he was about to say. He felt a little shy and introverted. He almost believed that what he was about to say would be over the top. However, he still wanted to give it a try. ¡°Twas just thinking that Elder Miss, you are my savior who has saved my life. I hope that I can stay here and work for you when I recover. I don¡¯t need to get paid, I just need a ce to live and food to eat,¡± the man said. Gu Chaoyan was startled. Before she could answer him, the man exined, fearing that she would say no and think that he had thrown himself at the clinic. ¡°I mean, I mean¡­ if 1 am fully recovered, I can stay and work for you, if 1am disabled¡­ I will leave.¡± He looked at Gu Chaoyan sincerely. Hearing what he said, Gu Chaoyang suddenly thought of how his brother said that he could go home if he made a full recovery and that he could just leave if he was disabled. That was why Gu Chaoyan did not see any of his family these past two days. So¡­ did he hear the words at that time? That was possible. Some people might still have awareness even when they were badly injured. He could stay and work for her. That sounded okay. ¡°You can talk with your family first, and I will only keep you if you are an ethical person. We can talk about this when you recover, but for now, you need to rest.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly, ¡°And, what is your name?¡± ¡°Wang Dao¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, then she left. There was an empty room in the backyard kept for special purposes at Xinlin Clinic. Now it came into use. The pageboy hired at the clinic was a very hard-working person. Even if there was no one living in the room, he would always keep it clean. So Gu Chaoyan moved in without any trouble. That made Gu Chaoyan believe that the pageboy was a very nice person. After a while, she would give him the raise. After she washed up, Gu Chaoyanid down in bed. She kept thinking about what Wang Dao told her ¨C what could that thing be? Many animals had sharp jaws, but not as sharp as des! Gu Chaoyan fell asleep directly as she thought about this, and when she woke up, it was already the following day. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan did not sleep in since she spent the night at Xinlin Clinic. She had a terrible sleep and woke up early. Gu Chaoyanbed her hair briefly and walked out of the room. She asked the pageboy if Wang Dao had woken up. Knowing that he had woken up, she went to the kitchen and started to make the medicine. ¡®The magical water was a good thing, but it could not be used all the time. He needed some other supplementary medical materials for his internal injuries, Gu Chaoyan thought that she would need someone with medical knowledge to work at Xinlin Clinic. That person only needed to be able to make supplementary medicine. He did not have to be urate on fire control, since Gu Chaoyan used rtively strong fire for the medicine making. ¡®When she was done with the medical soup, she asked Qing to serve it to the patient. She, on the other hand, decided to have some breakfast. She had just gotten up when Xiu Jie entered. He showed a very helpless expression on his face. ¡°Elder Miss, that Li Qing from the day before is here again. He is asking for you and doesn¡¯t want to leave Chapter 786 - What Was That

Chapter 786: What Was That

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions However, Gu Chaoyan was not there to get disciples. That was because she was not a suitable teacher, and also, most of her medical skills were excellent because of the magical water. Magical water was a very special thing, and it was not something to be promoted. Therefore, she was going to have to disappoint Li Qing. If everyone was able to master her medical skills, she would not need to open a clinic. What she needed to do was to open a ssroom to pass on medical skills. Gu Chaoyan slightly shook her head and said to Li Qing, ¡°I am not married yet, and I don¡¯t need such a grownup son.¡± As she finished speaking she got up, then she headed towards her backyard. She took a few steps, before she turned around and looked at Li Qing who was still confused. ¡°I don¡¯t take disciples, but if you have any questions, you are free toe to Xinlin Clinic and ask me about that.¡± Then she left for real. Only now did Li Qing understand what happened. Disappointed as he was, he found the whole thing reasonable. Thisdy doctor had already agreed to help him solve any problems he had, and that was enough for him. Li Qing bowed to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s retreating figure. Xiu Jie was still in the lobby, so Li Qing left after saying a few polite words. @@novelbin@@ ee Gu Chaoyan went back to the backyard and started to eat breakfast. Sword One prepared the breakfast, small yet very nourishing. Gu Chaoyan was very full after eating some of it. Then she said to Sword One. ¡°Sword One, I think Xiao Jin ising back very soon, you can ask Sword Three to tell him that we have some other jobs for him. And tell him to find some orphans who can work for me. I think Xiao Jin understands what kind of orphans I would like to keep.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Sword One answered. Gu Chaoyan nodded. There were too few people at Xinlin Clinic, and she had few employees she could use these days. She needed to train some as soon as possible. Time and tide waited for no man. ¡®When she was done with these small errands, Gu Chaoyan thought of what Wang Dao said about getting injured. She thought about visiting the ce where Wang Dao was injured with Sword One today. Sword One hesitated. ¡°Elder Miss, Wang Dao has had a terrible experience, you¡­¡± ¡°Get Sword Two toe with us, everything will be fine,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with determination. ¡°Yes.¡±Sword One replied. She felt that the whole thing sounded very dangerous. Subconsciously she had not expected that Elder Miss would take the risk, but Sword One understood that Elder Miss was a unique woman. She was not someone trapped inside the deep chamber. She was smart and capable and she had her own ideas and beliefs. Sword One was the servant, and should respect her order. Nevertheless, Sword One decided to protect her with all she had. When Sword Two arrived, the three of them were ready to head to the ce where Wang Dao got injured. Wang Dao¡¯s home was located at the foot of a mountain that was located near the outskirts of the capital. Gu Chaoyan went there directly, as she remembered his description. They spent some time on the road, but Sword One and Sword Two were both capable people in martial arts¡­ So they soon arrived at the mountains. It was a very ordinary mountain. No one would expect that monsters would appear in such a mountain, if not for what happened to Wang Dao. ¡°Elder Miss, look there!¡± Sword One eximed.. Chapter 789 - The Marriage

Chapter 789: The Marriage

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°However, our medical skills are passed down throughout generations, only to boys not to girls, nor to any outsiders. That is a rule set by our ancestors, and it has been going on for hundreds of years. We have been following the rules all the time.¡± When Qian Shao mentioned the rule, he showed a look of respect before he continued. ¡°Well, for you Lady Chaoyan, we can make an exception. We can pass it on to girls, but we still can¡¯t pass it on to outsiders.¡± Qian Shao said this then showed a smile. He still looked quite proud at this point. The two people, who were also from the Qian Family, nodded in agreement. Qian Shao continued. ¡°Therefore, I have juste up with a perfect solution.¡± ¡°Qian Zhong is my nephew, and he is a very excellent man in the younger generations. You two can get engaged, and after that, we will pass on our medical skills to you. When you master the skills, you two can get married officially.¡± ¡°Officer Qian can be the guarantor,¡± Qian Shao said proudly. He had been discussing the marriage with his family the day before when Officer Qian mentioned that he could be the guarantor. Therefore, Qian Shao believed that the whole thing would work out perfectly, since Officer Qian offered help. The Qian Family possessed the highest social status in the whole capital among the medical families. It would not have been possible for them to marry a girl without any parents, one who was working hard outside, even though the girl might be a capable doctor. They would never have asked their own son to marry someone like that. Qian Zhong was the son of the third concubine, and the third concubine had not been delighted, but after Qian Shao¡¯s endless talk and offered profits, the third concubine finally agreed. However, even if they said yes, the third concubine had an even higher standard ¨C they would only get married when the medical skills were sessfully passed on. @@novelbin@@ Qian Shao had thought that it would not sound like a good deal, but when he thought of how Officer Qian could stand by their side, he did not think that it was a bad deal for someone like her. That was the best family she could get! Having said this, Qian Shao looked at Gu Chaoyan, waiting for her to reply. He was so confident that he failed to notice how annoyed Sword One and Sword Two had be. He was waiting for Gu Chaoyan to nod with a broad smile on his face. ¡®When Gu Chaoyan heard Qian Shao¡¯s speech... Sheughed. Sheughed very, very hard. Qian Shao was such a tricky man who had made a full n for him and his family. Ordinary girls would have fallen into the trap set up by the Qian Family. However, Gu Chaoyan was different. When confronted with such a man, Gu Chaoyan was no longer as ill-tempered as before. Instead, she threw a look at Qian Shao with interest. Then she looked at the officer from Dali Temple. She said calmly, ¡°As far as I remember, officers from Dali Temple are allowed to wear uniforms if they are out for business, but the rules from the court say that officers are not allowed to wear the uniforms if they are not out for business. Now you are here at my Xinlin Clinic for private matters, so it seems that Officer Qian has breached the rules. I wonder if the head of Dali Temple has any knowledge about that. I suggest that Officer Qian should get changed right now instead of standing here.¡± Officer Qian looked at Gu Chaoyan with aplicated look. Qian Shao ignored what Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.. What matters is what you think of my proposal, Lady Chaoyan?¡±4 Chapter 793 - The Qian Family in Chaos

Chapter 793: The Qian Family in Chaos

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions He had be totally dizzy because of what had just happened. When he heard ¡°to pay for whatever he had done¡­¡± He suddenly remembered what urred at the very beginning. It seemed that this young girl had once mentioned that official uniforms were only allowed to be worn when the officers were on business, not for private affairs. She even asked her pageboy to deal with something. He had not taken it to heart. He had thought that she was nothing but a young girl who operated a clinic and who, ording to Qian Shao, had no parents. He did not think that anyone like this would be of any importance. If not for her striking medical skills, he would not even be bothered to pay a visit here. She cured dying people. She really did! @@novelbin@@ It was a very useful skill for him. What if she could help the Qian Family with her medical skills? He might even get promoted! At that time, he had been thinking about all of this. He had never expected that this girl could be someone with a noble background. Now. He thought of the consequences he might be faced with, and felt like copsing. Lord Huai might not be in a very influential positionpared to Lord Ling, but he was still one of the imperial children. If they went deeper into what happened, what they were involved with could get the whole family killed. Officer Qian copsed right in front of Gu Chaoyan, who did not even look at him. Instead she tumed around and left instantly. Officer Qian was about to say something, when Sword One blocked him and said, ¡°Get out of here now, or we will sue you, not for suppressing civilians, but for humiliating the imperial family!¡± ¡°Twill get out of here now!¡± Officer Qian was so startled that he staggered and rushed off. However, Qian Zhong and Qian Shao were still standing there transfixed, so Officer Qian pped them respectively and said, ¡°Get out of here now!¡± The two finally moved and staggered away. The three of them fled all the way to the Qian Mansion. The moment they arrived at the Qian Mansion, Qian Shao¡¯s wife came out. She looked cheerful. ¡°How did it go? How was the deal? Oh well, I know you must have done a good job, Qian Zhong, you¡­¡± Before she was able to finish speaking, Officer Qian passed by Qian Shao and red at her, shouting, ¡°Shut up, you bitch!¡± Hearing his words, she looked extremely shocked. She turned to Qian Shao. She was the leading madame of the Qian Mansion so she was very humiliated after being scolded in this way! However, Qian Shao did not look at her. The Qian Family had run into such big trouble and they did not even have time to console her emotions. When they went back to the hall of the Qian Mansion, Officer Qian pped Qian Shao several times. Qian Shao¡¯s wife, who saw the scene, was startled. She stopped him directly, ¡°Officer Qian, what is going on? How can you treat Qian Shao in this way? He is the master of the family!¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Officer Qian got so furious, ¡°It is merciful of me to p him. He caused me to lose my career! How do you n to pay for that?¡± Officer Qian came to Qian Shao. ¡°What did you say when you were here? You said that she was a girl without parents. Did you even look into her background? Did you check which family she is from? Now I have lost my career, and the Qian Family will never have any standing in the city!¡± Madame Qian showed up when she heard the noise. ¡®When she saw Officer Qian¡¯s exaggerated behaviors, she asked, ¡°What is going on? Why did you humiliate Shao for a tiny matter!¡± Chapter 797 - No Way Back

Chapter 797: No Way Back

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Eighth Brother is getting marriedte, and the wedding hasn¡¯t taken ce despite the engagement. He picked his Princess Consort himself, and he likes her deeply. At the moment, he could not take in any other women, which is totally understandable. I have been there before, and I can understand the meaning.¡± Zhou Huailing helped Zhou Huaijin to exin. Having said these words, he continued. ¡°But the young maids have been selected for both me and other brothers, so it is not proper if the Eighth Brother gets no one. Since he doesn¡¯t want to marry any of them, those girls from poor families can be selected to be his maids, which is proper for him and for them. What do you think, father?¡± Zhou Huailing asked with a polite tone. He would not be bothered to help Zhou Huai if it were for other things. He had been wishing that father would hate him for what he did, but he had stepped forward this time. He had been married for years, but none of his wives or concubines had ever gotten pregnant, which made him both anxious and worried. Eighth Brother was yet to get married, since the Queen was seriously-ill and he could not possibly hold the wedding when the Queen was so sick. It was great if he did not want any of the women. If the father forced him to ept them and he fathered a child with one or two of them, then his own children would not have a proper position. Therefore, he was going to stop this possibility from happening. He would rather help Eighth Brother so that he himself could Father a child first, then he would not be bothered to care about what was going on with him. Actually, he would not even ask him to take the two maids, but he did understand that the King was using the two maids to watch over the Eighth Brother, and that was something his father had to do. Despite the displeasure, the King still listened to Zhou Huailing¡¯s advice. It was very reasonable advice, which he could approve of, but he just did not feel veryfortable about this. All the ministers and civilians would ept whatever he granted them with gratitude and glee, but Zhou Huaijin turned him down! Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion was able to afford those maids after all. He gave him the best mansion! @@novelbin@@ The King got quite angry, but as he thought of the Queen who was still seriously ill, he calmed down. ¡°Okay, just do as he says, you can bring the two maids back to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, and that is something you can¡¯t turn down. You have to ept them.¡± The King was still very displeased. He was acting really tough as if only in this way would he be able to regain his own dignity. Zhou Huailing threw a look at Zhou Huaijin. He patted his shoulders. ¡°Father is being kind, take them, Eighth Brother, and don¡¯t turn him down. You are a rare, pure-hearted man, and Miss. Gu is a lucky woman.¡± Zhou Huaijin still hesitated. He did not like to be served by maids, so his servants were all pageboys, not maids. Those maids granted by father were different from ordinary maids, after all. They might not be granted the title of concubines, but since they were given by the King, they were more or less the same as concubines. He was worried Chapter 801 - Lord Huai’s Marriage

Chapter 801: Lord Huai¡¯s Marriage

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions Thinking that he had no other business to deal with, the King thought about visiting the town. Well He had nned to make her think it through personally. She had spent so many years in the court, and she was no longer that young, inexperienced girl. She would understand his point, but after such a long time Jiang Shuang still had not thought it through. She had even fallen ill because of what he had said. It would not work if the situation continued in this way. He believed that he should speak with her personally. At least in this way, she could feel better. That was why he nned to visit the town.1 De Fu got frightened and turned pale. He had not expected that the King would want to visit the town. As long as the King visited the town, he would definitely get to know what the Queen was like. Well¡­ De Fu had no idea what to do at this moment. He wiped the sweat on his forehead with his sleeves. He forced a smile and made no move. The King frowned as he looked at him. ¡°What is going on, De Fu?¡± De Fu would always react to his order in the past, and get down to business, but right now, De Fu looked as if he had heard nothing and his mind was drifting about. If it were for other servants, he would have punished them, but he was slightly patient with De Fu. De Fu had been serving him since he was little, and he had been very loyal and devoted. Although he was not perfect, he was totally devoted to him, and he did not even obey the Empress Dowager¡¯s order, so the Empress Dowager kept saying that De Fu wasn¡¯t a good servant. Well, the worse De Fu sounded in the Empress Dowager¡¯s eyes, the more satisfied he was with him. De Fu nodded with a forced smile. ¡°Okay¡­ I will¡­¡± The words had just been spoken when the Empress Dowager hurried in, She had known about De Fu visiting the town the day before. So she was there for a reason. Although her men had told De Fu about many things, she was still worried that De Fu would spill the truth out of nervousness. That was why she was there. She looked at the two of them. She noticed that De Fu was panicking whilst the King was still wearing a in expression on his face. Then she understood that De Fu had not said a thing. She let out a sigh of relief and felt assured. ¡°Mother, what are you doing here?¡± the King asked. He sensed that his mother kepting in and out of the Qianging Pce ¨C his mother used to care so little about what was happening in Qianging Pce in the past. The King was a nice child, but he still felt quite displeased about her appearance. The Empress Dowager did not notice but said, ¡°I am here to talk about Lord Huai¡¯s wedding with you. Normally, it should be his mother or the Ministry of Rites that takes care of the process, but his mother is in the town, so I have to be involved with it. They said that the wedding will take ce in spring, so now it is time for the wedding right? How about I take care of it, so that the Queen can just return when she feels better,¡± the Empress Dowager said. ¡®When Lord Huai¡¯s wedding was mentioned, the King stopped thinking about anything else. He felt that the Empress Dowager had made a great arrangement. @@novelbin@@ The Queen wasn¡¯t doing well, so the Empress Dowager could take care of everything instead. ¡°Then I can go and get the Queen these days. She doesn¡¯t have to take care of Lord Huai¡¯s wedding, all she needs is to rest in the court instead,¡± the King said. The Empress Dowager¡¯s face changed. Chapter 804 - Rules

Chapter 804 Rules

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Wait!¡± Mrs. Gu stopped Gu Chaoyan, seeing that she was rising. She was here for some serious business. And what she had been doing right now was just to set up her influence. She was not leaving before she got to the real business. Lord Ling and Ruxue had entrusted her with such an important mission and she was not going to mess it up, as Mrs. Gu thought inwardly. So instead of thinking about what happened, she decided to get down to business. She did not have many people with her today when she was out, only the coachman and maids. Her maids were not people with martial arts, so they would not be a match against Gu Chaoyan¡¯s maid. She was pretty aware of this point, so she decided to handle the business for the moment. Gu Chaoyan stopped her steps and looked at Mrs. Gu with interest. They were in a clinic, so she must be here for some treatment. She was willing to stop walking in front of Mrs. Gu, only because she was curious what made Mrs. Gue all the way here. However, Mrs. Gu was still wearing an arrogant look on her face when it came to business. She had a lot of money with her, so Gu Chaoyan should help her since she had so much money. @@novelbin@@ m here today to talk about a business deal with you. You charge 10,000 yuan for your payment right? I will pay you ten times more for one prescription from you,¡± Mrs. Gu said. Gu Chaoyan sneered. Ten times the payment for her treatment. What disease was worth so much money? ¡°Who should I treat? What is the issue?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about who you are treating, and it is not a big issue, except that the prescription should help with childbirth,¡± Mrs. Gu said calmly. She thought that if this woman could cure dying people, then she would definitely say yes to a prescription for childbirth, especially when she paid ten times the original payment. Therefore, Mrs. Gu was wearing a very rxed expression on her face. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face twitched. Although Mrs. Gu did not reveal who the patient was, anyone could tell that she was here for that person. However, unfortunately... ¡°I think that Madame Gu might not have any idea of the rules of my Xinlin Clinic right? I only cure dying people, so if you want a prescription for childbirth, then you can go somewhere else, not to me,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Hearing these words, Mrs. Gu changed her expression. She was threatening her? ¡°200,000 yuan!¡± Mrs. Gu added the bid. She was trying to charge more money right? Okay, she could offer more money! Gu Chaoyan looked at Mrs. Gu calmly. ¡°You can¡¯t understand me right? I only cure dying people, and the payment is 10,000.¡± ¡°Sword One, see her off,¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. Hearing these words, Mrs. Gu was displeased. She shouted. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, what do you mean? You are a doctor, you should treat everyone equally! What do you mean by turning us down!¡± Since Mrs. Gu shouted loudly, the passers-by subconsciously stopped and started to take a look inside. Gu Chaoyan shrugged and felt that did not matter, but she still reminded her. ¡°The rule is the rule, and if you follow the rule, you will be treated equally, also...¡±. Chapter 807 - Shivering

Chapter 807 Shivering

Trantor: Henyee TrantionsEditor: Henyee Trantions ¡°When we were talking about the discussion with Prince Muyi, the Imperial Master was present too. He had been sent back to the Feather Mulberry Land ages ago and maybe he had passed on a terrible and untrue petition to the King who believed him. So he suspects that Prince Muyi did something improper,¡± Gu Chaoyan said seriously. Prince Muyi was a very gentle and nice person. He could have dealt with the Imperial Master personally before, but he sent him back instead. However, because of this, the Imperial Master talked ill of the Prince and convinced the King. ¡°I want to visit the Feather Mulberry Land,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°Aha?¡± Zhou Huaijin was surprised. Gu Chaoyan took hold of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s hands and exined. ¡°It is not my business what happens between the King and Prince Muyi, but the Imperial Master has stolen what Yellow Crane has and has started making money in his country! That is something I can¡¯t stand, so I have to deal with the matter personally.¡± Zhou Huaijin had read through Prince Muyi¡¯s letter too, and he was very angry after he finished reading the letter. The Imperial Master had done so many terrible things ¨C did they think that they would not dare to step into the Feather Mulberry Land, just because they were far away? ¡°I will go there with you,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. He was taking Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side. Gu Chaoyan nodded. They needed to make some preparations for the visit there, but Gu Chaoyan looked very serious. Zhou Huaijin pinched her face and asked. ¡°So Mrs. Gu made a fuss here today?¡± ¡°Yes. She wanted to get a prescription for childbirth,¡± Gu Chaoyan said helplessly. Zhou Huaijin started to think through the whole thing and soon realized what happened. ¡°Mrs. Gu is too old to have children, so I think that she was asking for the prescription for Gu Ruxue,¡± Zhou Huaijin said calmly. ¡°My Fourth Brother has married many times, but he has not fathered any children during these years. Father has granted Elder Brother and Zhou Huaiyu young maids, so he must be in a hurry just to give birth to the Eldest grandson!¡± After he finished speaking, Zhou Huaijin suddenly realized that Chaoyan was a young maid herself. He should not have talked about this with her. He stretched out his hands and covered her ears. ¡°You don¡¯t have to listen to anything like this any more. Why did she ask you, a young, unmarried maid, for a prescription for childbirth?¡± Zhou Huaijin was displeased. Gu Chaoyan shrugged, feeling both helpless and funny. ¡°Elder Miss, the food is ready.¡± Sword One reminded them with a small whisper. Only now did Gu Chaoyan remember that they should eat something first. wk At Qianqing Pce De Fu was preparing the meal for the King. The King had cut down many dishes, but the table was still filled with various dishes. @@novelbin@@ De Fu was instructing the maids to ce them well. He was busy with the arrangement too. However, De Fu identally knocked over one dish, so he turned pale instantly, kneeling down. ¡°Sorry!¡± The King looked at De Fu in confusion. De Fu had been his servant for a very long time, but he noticed him behaving very weirdly these days. He had been shivering about a lot of things, and this tiny matter had startled him deeply. ¡°De Fu, what is going on?! Did you make any mistakes?!¡± The King interrogated him seriously.. Chapter 811 - The King Lost His Mind

Chapter 811: The King Lost His Mind

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

He had not understood why the whole thing ended up being terrible, yet the moment he saw the Empress Dowager, one clear idea suddenly hit him. It had been the Empress Dowager. It had always been his mother. He was the King, and he should be informed about what happened in and out of the court. He should be in charge of everything and the Empress Dowager had no right to conceal anything from him. If it had not been the Empress Dowager who was involved with the whole matter, he would have had a better idea of what was going on. And he would have had a better way to make the arrangements. The King squinted and bellowed with teeth clenched. ¡°Mother, are you aware that I am the King, and you are not in the position to make decisions for me! Why are you concealing everything from me?¡± The King had be furious, but that was something the Empress Dowager had expected. It was her own son, and she was very aware of what he was like. After the King threw his temper, the Empress Dowager said, ¡°I am doing this for you, and trying to make you realize that the whole country is more important than just one woman. You should not visit the town at the moment. All the princes and ambassadors have returned home, and you have other affairs to deal with. You must not waste your time in the town.¡± The Empress Dowager kept stopping the King. The King sneered and looked at the Empress Dowager. His face was filled with displeasure. She was the Empress Dowager and his mother, true, but he was in charge of the country, and just because he respected his mother did not necessarily mean that his mother could take control of him. He was going to deal with her when he returned from the town, but what mattered the most was to visit the Queen, so the King had no interest in talking with his mother at the moment. De Fu had just arrived. ¡°Everything is ready, King.¡± The moment De Fu walked in, he met the ferocious look from the Empress Dowager. De Fu dodged the look from her and did not regret what he had done. De Fu even felt sorry for not telling the truth earlier. Therefore, he said nothing to the Empress Dowager. He was the King¡¯s servant, not hers. The King ignored the Empress Dowager directly He looked at De Fu and said, ¡°Since everything is ready, let¡¯s leave.¡± Having said this, he and De Fu went out of the pce, Seeing this scene, the Empress Dowager intended to stop him, but the Kings guards stopped her, forbidding her from approaching. The Empress Dowager sighed heavily and could not do anything about it. @@novelbin@@ She looked at Auntie next to her and said, The King must have lost his mind. Let¡¯s visit Honored Princess Jing and see what she can do.¡± The King was a soft-hearted person, and now he knew about the Queen¡¯s sickness. If he passed on the heir to someone else when he saw the Queen in the town, then the n would be ruined. Although Ling was prevailing at the moment, he would always be considered as someone who stole the throne. She was not going to allow the child of her bloodline to suffer from misunderstandings and misery. She would not allow her son and Ling to suffer from anything at all. So the Empress Dowager and Auntie hurried to Honored Princess Jing together. Honored Princess Jing was in the middle of making preparations for Lord Huai¡¯s wedding. Since she was in charge of the wedding for the Queen¡¯s son, Honored Princess Jing decided to make a n so that he would never exceed her own son¡¯s wedding no matter what. The Empress Dowager rushed in and said, ¡°Just drop it, something big has happened, get ready and go to the town with me.¡±. Chapter 814 - Not for Me!

Chapter 814 Not for Me!

He disliked Jiang Shuang in the past¡­ He believed that he liked someone simr to Honored Princess Jing who listened to him and thought about him in every aspect, but Jiang Shuang was different. She was bigger than other girls, and she looked quite strong just like everyone else from her family. She practiced martial arts too! The King understood that she would never be his type. He said that she was good-looking just to tter her, but now the King could not understand himself either. He felt that he should like Jiang Shuang. Especially now that he saw the way Jiang Shuang looked, he was pretty aware that he had no intention of letting Jiang Shuang leave him. Right now, he suddenly felt that Jiang Shuang was an extremely beautiful woman. She was an intimidating person who asked him to do a lot of things, but he felt that it was a good thing ¨C when everyone else obeyed him, only Jiang Shuang would give him suggestions. In the past few months when she was absent from the court, the King felt that the court seemed quite wrong. He gripped the Queen¡¯s hands and looked at Zhao Yiqiu, asking sincerely, ¡°Mr. Zhao, how is the Queen? Can she be cured? How much longer will the treatment take?¡± Zhao Yiqiu looked at him. He was not moved by the sincere words spoken by the King. The King had once hurt her so deeply and now he was trying to get her back, when he understood that she was leaving him. That would not work out at all! Zhao Yiqiu said calmly, ¡°She is too sick to be cured. All I can do is to reduce the pain she suffers in herst days.¡± IIII ¡°Since you are here, I can be frank with you. Be prepared for her funeral so that she can be buried in a morous way. It is too bleak here in the town and I don¡¯t want her to leave alone. She used to be the most beloved daughter in the Jiang Family! She should not have ended up like this,¡± Zhao Yiqiu said calmly, showing no expression. He was talking in a way as if he had been aware of the whole thing for a long time. Aunt Nan did not react vividly when she heard his words. The others looked rxed too. It seemed as if everyone except for him, had been informed about this. @@novelbin@@ Why so? Jiang Shuang was leaving? She was going to leave this world? It was impossible? ¡°Why didn¡¯t the treatment start earlier? Haven¡¯t you always believed that you are the best doctor?¡± the King asked furiously as he took hold of Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s cor, speaking between teeth clenched. He was so angry that he had no idea how to vent his anger. So Zhao Yiqiu was the only person he could hold on to! ¡°It is toote. She spent too long here in the town alone, and now she is too sick to live. She can¡¯t make it through. Even if I am a capable doctor, I am still toote to cure her,¡± Zhao Yiqiu said as he looked at the King. ¡°You should not me me, but yourself, Zhou Sheng.¡± IL11 ¡°Jiang Shuang married you, but you treated her terribly! You are ming me now when she is seriously ill, but what am I? Why should I be responsible for her?¡± Zhao Yiqiu said as he looked at Zhou Sheng. The King stiffened. True¡­ He did not even visit her! It was all his fault. How could this have happened? No¡­ It was not him! It was not because of him! He was not in charge of the women in the court! ¡°It was the Empress Dowager¡¯s fault, not mine!¡± the King said excitedly. All of a sudden, he thought of everything that had happened. He med the Empress Dowager for not informing him about many things. Chapter 819 - Thinking for Me

Chapter 819 Thinking for Me

Zhou Huaijin was startled for a moment, before he realized what she was talking about. His father had intended to make him the heir whilst being impulsive, but he was reminded of Zhou Huailing when Honored Princess Jing showed up. That was why he didn¡¯t mention that again. That was even more hurtful than never mentioning that before. They were both his children, but Zhou Huaijin did not really care about that. Well¡­ He had always been aware of the fact that his father never liked him for real, otherwise he would not have built a mansion for him when he was still little. His father imed to have adored him deeply, but he always found himself in some unexpected trouble. He had been through too much since little so he had lost the so-called affection for the King. Therefore, he was not affected no matter what the King said or what decision he made. He was not sad at all. However, Chaoyan did not know about that. She was still worried that he would be sad. Zhou Huaijin pinched her nose and said, ¡°No, I am not sad.¡± He took hold of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hand and they continued to walk. ¡°I know pretty well that my father wants the Fourth Brother to be the heir.¡± As he spoke about this, Zhou Huaijin said carefully, ¡°If I kept holding out expectations for my father, Shadow Door would never have existed. What is the point of being the heir? My Shadow Door is a much greater existence than the heir! I can do anything I want through Shadow Door. I should fight for what I want, not just wait for it toe.¡± Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief as she looked at Zhou Huaijin and smiled. They continued to walk and exchanged a few other thoughts, before returning to their own rooms. They were in a hurry when they came here, but Fu Bao and Sword One had prepared theundry since they needed to stay in the town. *** When the Queen woke up, it was already evening time. The King had asked his men to guard the Queen outside the room. He needed to keep Zhao Yiqiu under supervision as he was next to the Queen, and he needed to know about the Queen¡¯s news the moment she woke up. He was not assured about the staff arranged by the Empress Dowager. The Queen had just woken up when the King hurried in and Zhao Yiqiu came as well. It was time for her to drink medicine and eat dinner. @@novelbin@@ Zhao Yiqiu personally had the medical meals prepared. When the King walked in, the Queen was just about to eat some dinner. She had been able to sit up on her own a couple of days ago, but these past two days, she felt too weak to get up at all. Aunt Nan asked her to stay in bed whilst feeding her. Aunt Nan bowed to the King when she saw him. The Queen was about to get up and greet him too, but the King stopped her instantly. ¡°You are too sick to greet me, just stay there.¡± The Queen nodded again, then she continued to eat the food. The King felt very ufortable when he saw her behaving so calmly. He had been thinking that he could see some delight from her eyes when he came to visit her, but she was showing none. It seemed as if he was nothing other than an ordinary visitor. Despite the displeasure, the King said nothing seeing how the Queen was doing. He took the seat next to her then sighed. ¡°I know you hold a grudge towards me, but I made the decision because I felt very annoyed. You should have understood my feelings!¡± Chapter 823 - Why Not

Chapter 823 Why Not

The moment the King finished speaking, everyone in the room focused on the King, especially Aunt Nan who did not make a move even after she heard the order. The King had the right to make everyone obey him, and Aunt Nan would follow the order regarding other things, but not this one. The Queen had shown her displeasure at seeing the King a while ago, and the Queen did not want the King to feed her the medical meal, let alone allow him to stay overnight. The Queen had not been in a good state and she was not feeling well. If the order was obeyed, the Queen would not be able to fall asleep again tonight. Therefore Aunt Nan was not happy to obey the order, but the King was, after all, the King. She could not just counter him. So she stayed silent without doing anything. Hearing these words, Gu Chaoyan said directly, ¡°King, I am afraid that won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°The Queen has not been in a good state and she has not had a peaceful sleep at night. Aunt Nan has been taking care of the Queen during the past period, and she knows pretty well what will happen and what to do when something like that happens. How would you be able to handle the emergency, if something unexpected happens?¡± ¡°Also, the Queen is suffering from a cold, originally speaking. A cold is a very contagious disease. We have the silvery wormwood inside the room, yet people still get infected. We can¡¯t stay in the room for too long, and you are the King who has to watch over the world so you should not make such impulsive decisions.¡± Gu Chaoyan was not putting the point straightforwardly, but she was telling the King that it was not proper to spend the night here. The King would have countered her words at the beginning, but when he heard the second part of her words the King started to think... A cold could be either big or small. Although most people could get better after they took the medicine, there were idents too, where people passed away when they were not cured. So normally, when princesses got cold and did not spend the night with the King, they just did not want to infect the King who should stay healthy for the court. And yet he hade to the town to visit Jiang Shuang and took care of her... so he had already done a lot as a King and had gone beyond necessity. So he was very satisfied with himself. In that case, he did not have to stay here. After some consideration, the King nodded. ¡°Chaoyan is right. If that is the case, then Aunt Nan, take good care of the Queen and I will take a break somewhere else. I wille and see you tomorrow.¡± Having said this, the King took a look at the Queen. The Queen did not look at him nor was she bothered to talk with him. However, the King did not get angry, but said with a small voice. ¡°Take care, and I will visit you tomorrow. I will stay in the town these days and keep youpany. Do get well.¡± The King sounded as if he were giving an order. Finally, the problem was solved. When everyone else left, Aunt Nan remained in the room and took care of the Queen alone. *** @@novelbin@@ On the other side, the Empress Dowager heard the message from her spy. The Empress Dowager asked as she looked at Honored Princess Jing. ¡°Why did Gu Chaoyan stop the King from spending the night in Jiang Shuang¡¯s room?¡± Chapter 826 - Meal Together

Chapter 826 Meal Together

Honored Princess Jing was smiling since her issue seemed to be solved. However, the Empress Dowager frowned and showed some dissatisfaction. The King was her own son, and she could set up her son in any way she wanted, because she was doing it for the King¡¯s sake, but the n was still based on some ill intention, so Honored Princess Jing¡¯s smiling attitude made her feel ufortable. So she no longer showed a good expression to her. Instead, she said with a sunken expression. ¡°I told you not to get involved, just take care of your own part. It is gettingte, so go and take a break, we are going back to the court tomorrow.¡± Honored Princess Jing¡¯s smile froze. She had no idea what irritated her Aunt suddenly, so she greeted her and left quietly. Seeing her retreating figure, the Empress Dowager picked up her teacup and drank some tea. @@novelbin@@ Aunt Gui next to her said seeing how the Empress Dowager looked, ¡°Don¡¯t get mad, Honored Princess Jing has been in the court for more than two decades, and you know her well. Only Honored Princess Jing remained after the selection of new girls years back, just because she is honest and rtively slow in the head. She forgot to think thoroughly as she was next to you, but she would not have any ill intentions, otherwise she would not have shown it directly.¡± Aunt Gui barely spoke in front of the Empress Dowager before, but the reason why she would console the Empress Dowager was because the Empress Dowager was too old to get irritated easily. The position of heir for Lord Ling was not yet confirmed and the Empress Dowager was burdened with too many things, so Aunt Gui hoped that she would be less burdened. The Empress Dowager sighed. ¡°I am not really angry at her, just feeling a bit annoyed. Nothing serious. You are right, Aunt Gui, otherwise I would not have helped her all this time,¡± the Empress Dowager said and gave Aunt Gui an reassuring look. Aunt Gui nodded, then she helped the Empress Dowager with washing-up. That day passed by in this way, and everyone felt quite exhausted. The following day it was a very warm and sunny Spring day. The Queen woke up early and Aunt Nan helped her to eat breakfast in the yard. Aunt Nan was very concerned about the Queen, who had to suffer so much just to get out of the cage-like court. She would try her best to take good care of her. Zhao Yigiu was an early bird too. He went to prepare the medicine the moment he woke up. So when the breakfast was ready, Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s medicine was ready too. He came with the medicine personally and ced it on the table, saying gently to the Queen. ¡°Have some breakfast first, the medicine can wait.¡± The Queen nodded and said nothing, but she and Zhao Yiqiu cooperated well. The Queen was in the worst stage, so she had no energy to talk, but her messages were passed along, even though she could not talk. Because of her social status, Zhao Yiqiu was not allowed to eat breakfast with the Queen, but Zhao Yiqiu was sitting not far from the table and watching her. The moment the King arrived and saw the Queen eating breakfast alone, he smiled. He felt as if they were back in the past when they enjoyed themselves at the Weiyang Pce. ¡°Get me a pair of chopsticks and bowls,¡± the King said. Chapter 830 - Back to the Court

Chapter 830 Back to the Court

In the past, whenever he made impulsive decisions, his mother would get angry and snap at him. Normally, she would have insisted that he should return to the court at the moment. He had been prepared to go through a long argument with his mother, but... He had not expected that when he put forward the arrangement, his mother agreed with him directly. He had been on the throne for more than two decades. Apart from being too sick to visit the court, he had never been absent. Every day, he would be reading the petitions and he subconsciously believed that he could not be reced by anyone else. However, his mother believed that he could be reced. The King had aplicated look on his face and suddenly felt a bit unassured. He started to feel a little confused as well. His children had all grown up and the time was like never before. His mother had more than one child ¨C she had many grandchildren too. ¡°What is wrong?¡± the Empress Dowager asked, seeing that the King did not seem to be in the right state. The King insisted on staying and the Empress Dowager did not argue about that, but now, it seemed that the King was not in the right mood. The King shook his head and said calmly, ¡°Nothing. The Queen is not well so I have been distracted.¡± The Empress Dowager nodded too. That was understandable. He could be left to be worried for a few days. The more he was worried at the moment, the more he would hate herter, the Empress Dowager thought and persuaded herself not to get angry. Honored Princess Jing was no longer in the mood to listen to any of their conversation. What dominated her mind was how her son was going to supervise the country ¨C which basically meant that the King was going to make Ling the heir. Soon when Ling got the position of the heir, she was going to be the Queen as well. Nothing else mattered,pared to this, so she did not care about or feel jealous of the Queen at the moment. ¡°The Queen is not doing well and the doctors can take care of her. You should watch out for yourself, whilst you remain here.¡± The Empress Dowager stressed, then she left with Honored Princess Jing. The King did not see them off, but went to Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s instead. The Empress Dowager was still wearing a serious expression as she got into the wagon with Honored Princess Jing. She had many things to worry about at the moment. After the King confessed his feelings to Jiang Shuang, the King was slightly out of control. He started to suspect everyone and everything around him, and now he even started to suspect her. That did not seem like a good thing at all. ¡°Honored Princess Jing, when you inform Lord Ling about this, tell him to keep calm and follow the King¡¯s orders.¡± The Empress Dowager stressed. Honored Princess Jing was confused for a moment, then she realized what she meant. Honored Princess Jing, who always lost herself in front of the Empress Dowager, was extremely cautious at the moment. ¡°I got it.¡± Then the Empress Dowager was assured and closed her eyes for a nap. * * @@novelbin@@ * The King did not visit the Queen, but turned to Zhao Yiqiu instead. He said straightforwardly at the sight of Zhao Yiqiu. ¡°Can you be honest with me? Are you able to let Jiang Shuang return to the court with me?¡± Chapter 834 - Lord Ling is Here

Chapter 834 Lord Ling is Here

Jiang Shuang was his Queen, and he should be by her side whatever happened. Zhao Yiqiu was just a doctor, so why was he ordering him here? The King was not convinced. He refused to leave and instead sat where he had been. Zhao Yiqiu looked at the King coldly. A touch of lethal feelings shed across his look. He and Zhou Sheng as well as Jiang Shuang were very good friends, and he respected Zhou Sheng for old time¡¯s sake, but Zhou Sheng kept causing Jiang Shuang trouble because of his selfishness. He just could not stand it any more. Zhao Yiqiu took a step forward to the King, but Gu Chaoyan walked up and patted Zhao Yiqiu¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Mr. Zhao, check on the Queen first.¡± As she finished speaking, she said to the King coldly, ¡°King, the Queen is not in a good condition these days, and she only feels better since Mr. Zhao takes good care of her. If you keep doing this, you will cause her a lot of trouble.¡± The King felt that he had been sshed with a basin of cold water. He caused trouble for Jiang Shuang? He turned around and looked at Jiang Shuang, who was still coughing, and the room that used to be filled with the scent of medical herbs. Jiang Shuang lookedpletely pale, and her hair was unkempt because of the struggle in his arms. @@novelbin@@ He... he felt that he was the King and Jiang Shuang was the Queen, so he should be here. ¡°Just get out, King.¡± Gu Chaoyan repeated. Aunt Nan and the King had been alone in the room. So the Queen suddenly felt unwell because of the changed emotions, and anger was dominating her. That must have been because of the King. If he remained, the Queen would get worse. That was why Gu Chaoyan repeated her words. The King got up, feeling quite concerned. He said to the Queen. ¡°I will be guarding outside.¡± When the King left the room, Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief and went out too. Zhao Yiqiu was taking care of the Queen, so there was little she could do. She felt that it would be better for her to watch the King outside instead. The waiting time was extremely long. And there were sounds of coughing that came outside every now and then. The King kept pacing back and forth with a concerned look on his face. Gu Chaoyan was sitting next to him quietly. She believed that a capable doctor like Mr. Zhao would make everything right. No one had expected or nned that the King woulde to the town and take care of the Queen, but he was the King after all, and since the Queen still kept her title, the King could not be forced. However, it would be bad if he was selfish enough to cause the Queen trouble. Gu Chaoyan felt that she should do something so that he would be willing to leave the town. Gu Chaoyan was deep in contemtion when the King said, ¡°She will be fine, won¡¯t she?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at him coldly. ¡°Anything can happen.¡± The King¡¯s face froze. He had veryplicated emotions between his eyes. It was not until the eunuch came to him that he looked at him, who reminded him. ¡°King, Lord Ling is here.¡± Chapter 835 - What Other Business?

Chapter 835 What Other Business?

The King frowned. He suddenly thought of how he asked his Fourth Son to join him here, when Honored Princess Jing and the Empress Dowager were leaving a couple of days ago. He looked at the tightly-closed room and then at the eunuch and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s leave, I have some business to share with Lord Ling.¡± As he finished speaking, he looked at Gu Chaoyan and said, ¡°You should keep me informed the moment the Queen gets better.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded and responded and only then did the King feel slightly better. He nned to deal with this issue while Zhao Yiqiu was still treating the Queen. There was one hall prepared for the guests in the town and Zhou Huailing was waiting there. He, by the order of his mother, greeted the King politely when he saw the Kinging to him. He looked concerned and worried. ¡°Are you used to living here in the town? I heard that the Queen is suffering from a cold, and that you can get infected easily. You have to take good care of yourself, when you are taking care of the Queen. Your health is the most important thing.¡± Hearing what Zhou Huailing said, the King felt much better. Although Zhou Huailing was showing care to him, not to the Queen, he still found it alright since Ling was paying respect to him. SSU It would be good if he could behave and think in this way. Then he would be totally assured to have him supervising the country. The King was no longer in a serious mood as he felt better. He also looked much more rxed. He said as he looked at Zhou Huailing. ¡°The Queen is the firstdy of the country and she has been by my side for so long, and has taken good care of the women in the court. I am going to stay here by her side since she is sick. Therefore you will be in charge of national affairs these days. I have already entrusted you to conduct many errands and I believe that you are able to handle it well.¡± III @@novelbin@@ ¡°You can make decisions of your own when ites to small errands.¡± ¡°However, when ites to something important, which you can¡¯t make a decision about, send someone to me, or you cane to me personally to pass on the message.¡± 1111 ¡°Don¡¯t feel too stressed while you are supervising the country, you need to learn little by little,¡± the King said confidently. Zhou Huailing was listening to the King carefully as he was standing next to him. When he was done Zhou Huailing said politely, ¡°Father, when I conducted tasks in the past, you gave me the order and I followed, and I was also assisted by many ministers. Supervising the country will be different. I am worried that I won¡¯t be able to do it well. Well, what about me just reading some petitions these days, instead of being present in the court? I cane to the town every day when I am done with the petitions, so that you can read through them too?¡± Hearing what Zhou Huailing said, the King smiled. His son was showing respect to his father, and that made him feel assured. Moreover, Ling dide up with a good idea. If that was the case... ¡°Okay, that sounds good. The Queen has be ill suddenly, and I don¡¯t have much time to speak with you. You can return home now,¡± the King said and got up. ne Zhou Huailing¡¯s face sank, but The King did not notice any of this. The King took a few steps and then turned around as if he thought of something suddenly. Zhou Huailing regained his expression of modesty. ¡°Father, what else would you like to say to me?¡± Chapter 840 - The Assassination Chapter 840 The Assassination That man came to assassinate Lord Ling, fearing that the person who was from their family would not be able to take the throne, right? The King was so furious, but soon he felt that he was lucky enough at this point. When he first arrived in the town and saw the pale-looking Jiang Shuang, he could not help feeling sorry for her. He almost passed on the position of heir to his eighth son, just because she was sick. Luckily, the Empress Dowager and Honored Princess Jing arrived right on time to stop him. Otherwise, the consequences would be beyond repair! Those old soldiers from the Jiang Family were watching in the darkness. They were waiting for someone from the Jiang Family to take the throne so that the Jiang Family could continue to flourish, and General Jiang Shang was still on top of him! However, the heir would never be his eighth son. It would never happen. The King thought with determination inside his heart. He even suspected that the Queen was pretending to be so sick just to soften his heart. Zhao Yiqiu was part of her n, and he was not telling the truth. Otherwise... the whole thing seemed so coincidental. Jiang Shuang became sick, which he heard of and then he visited the town. At this point, the old troup from the Jiang Family appeared and tried to kill Lord Ling. Maybe the whole thing was within the Jiang Family¡¯s n. The more the King thought about this, the more nervous he became. The Jiang Family was such a scary existence! His mother was right ¨C he was the King and he should not feel sympathetic to anyone, because his kindness was a very easy thing to make use of. Six hours passed before they arrived at the court. The King went to visit Lord Ling at the imperial hospital. The ce where Lord Ling was attacked was not far from the court, but it was quite far from Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion. Therefore, they came to the imperial hospital where many imperial doctors were avable to conduct the treatment. ¡°Ling, where is he?¡± The King asked as he walked into the imperial hospital. ¡°Lord Ling is in the inner chamber. He has been so badly injured this time! The assassin aimed to kill Lord Ling! Luckily, it hit on the side, otherwise Lord Ling might have suffered from more serious problems!¡± the doctor of the imperial hospital said with a twisted expression. The King found the situation so irritating. Lord Ling was his ideal candidate, so he shouldn¡¯t suffer from anything! Nothing should ever happen to him! He hurried into the inner chamber and looked at the man lying there. Lord Ling was wrapped with white bandage, and the King sensed the strong scent of blood in the inner chamber. He was very sensitive to the scent of blood, since he already smelled that back in the town. @@novelbin@@ Lord Ling was fast asleep. His pageboy had intended to wake up Lord Ling because of the King¡¯s arrival, but he was stopped. The King was just here to check on the situation. All he needed to do was to see how badly he was injured. However, now he understood that Lord Ling had been stabbed seriously and the old soldiers from the Guandong Troup must have aimed to kill him. The King turned around and De Fu hurried in. He passed on the message to the King. ¡°Most of the attackers were killed right on the spot, and the remaining ones are to be examined. After serious punishments were conducted, someone reported that they were just one small branch from the Guandong Troup, and that the old soldiers from the Guandong Troup are still hidden somewhere.¡± The King nodded and got the general point. He was thinking as he continued to walk forward. De Fu asked. ¡°King, are you going to return to the town?¡± Chapter 843 - The Heir

Chapter 843 The Heir

¡°I will go and visit Honored Princess Jingter,¡± the King said. He made the promise directly due to the guilt he felt. He was going to make it up to Honored Princess Jing. The Empress Dowager nodded with a very satisfied look on her face. To get the King to stay by Honored Princess Jing¡¯s side was better than him staying next to Jiang Shuang Having said this, the King felt quite distracted. He kept thinking about what the Empress Dowager said before. Actually, on his way back to the court, he more or less had some conjectures ¨C but what he had suspected differed from reality. It couldn¡¯t be confirmed that some of what he had suspected existed for real. Therefore, he just could not ept the truth at the moment, especially when everything seemed to be part of the conspiracy. In his heart, he had never liked anyone from the Jiang Family ¨C Jiang Shang looked down at him and wanted to control him, so that he could be a puppet King. However, Jiang Shuang was in love with him all this time. He was just making use of Jiang Shuang, but he just could not ept the truth that Jiang Shuang was making use of him too. He felt that he was just a joke ¨C why bother to show care to Jiang Shuang? It was ridiculous! No one from the Jiang Family was a good person, including Jiang Shuang! She made herself sick just to make him feel concerned about her! The Empress Dowager felt quite assured seeing that the King was in a kind of ironic misery. The Jiang Family would never surpass the Yao Family! ¡°You are the King, so you should stop thinking about this. She is just a woman, all you need to see is the whole country.¡± The Empress Dowager added. That made the King get slightly more sober. His mother was right. She was just one of his wives, and he did not have to dwell upon her. He was the King and he was the head of the country. What he needed was to observe the whole country and expand his territory. He should drop those minor things. Well¡­ @@novelbin@@ Since the Jiang Family was nning so hard just to steal his country from his hands, he was going to make sure that none of the Jiang Family¡¯s wishes were going to be realized. And, he was going to make the Jiang Family fall into despair. The King gave a light cough, picked up his tea and drank it. He thought for a while before saying to the Empress Dowager. ¡°Lord Ling is a very capable person. He has his own opinions and he can think thoroughly. He is the most outstanding son of mine. Now he has the Phoenix Girl as the wife, so I think that we should pick an heir now, since all of them have grown up.¡± ¡°What do you think about Lord Ling?¡± the King asked the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had no right in appointing the heir, the King just wanted to show his respect to the Empress Dowager when he asked her about that. However, obviously, he was the right candidate in the Empress Dowager¡¯s heart as well. So she did not counter the King. Instead of answering directly, she thought for a while and said, ¡°The Eldest Prince has been stationed in the boundary, and you dispatched him there because you expected that he could make some achievements, but it seems that he has done nothing in the past few years, so he must be very incapable. As for the Sixth Son¡­¡± Chapter 847 - The Chu Family

Chapter 847 The Chu Family

Gu Chaoyan was surprised. Destiny Monk? He was the person who told Zhou Huailing about the Phoenix Girl¡¯s existence back at Putuo Temple? But he disappeared after he passed on the message! No one had any idea where he was, but what he had predicted might have turned out to be true. The King had been seeking for him, and so did Zhou Huaijin¡¯s Shadow Door. Only when he was found would the truth be revealed ¨C how was the Phoenix Girl rted to anything, and would the Saint Divine Land flourish because of the Phoenix Girl, after all? wa Gu Chaoyan had not had strong belief in any of this, but judging from the experience she was going through right now, Destiny Monk might have had some idea of Destiny, which surprised her a great deal. So Gu Chaoyan wondered if anything was going to happen, since Destiny Monk had been gone for so long yet returned all of a sudden to the Saint Divine Land right now. ¡°People from Shadow Door have seen him, yet failed to follow him. We lost track of him instantly,¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a frown. Gu Chaoyan patted the back of his hands. Regarding the Destiny Monk, Gu Chaoyan did not think that it was necessary to find him. If even people from Shadow Door failed to catch him, it meant that he was capable enough not to be seen. Therefore, he could appear whenever and wherever he wanted. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while. ¡°Now that we know that he has appeared, we should be ready for that.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. She was right. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s just go in, we should keep the old soldier thing from mother.¡± Zhou Huaijin reminded them as he got up. @@novelbin@@ Zhao Yiqiu and Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. *** At the imperial study. Chu Tian came to the court when the King asked for him. The King was not at Qianqing Pce, but at the Imperial Study instead, which was quite unexpected even for Chu Tian. So many major things had happened during the past period. Seeing Chu Tian here, the King waved his hand and asked him not to greet him any more. Instead, he asked him toe to his side. He had given the whole picture a thought back in the Imperial Study, but he could not think of any proper position for Gu Ruxue¡¯s father, so he felt quite distressed. ¡°I asked for you today, because I have some words to exchange with you, you can skip the bowing. I have decided to transfer Gu Zhenkang from Taipu Temple to somewhere else, but I just looked over the list of positions, and I simply have found no proper position for him. You know these things well, so I would like you to have a look at the list for me? Which position should I give to him?¡± The King said with a look of misery. Normally, the official positions of the court were fixed, and no major changes had happened during the past few years. It was going to be very difficult to suddenly get someone into a new position. Chu Tian was surprised. So the King was going to attach great importance to the Gu Family now? The daughter of the Gu Family was Lord Ling¡¯s Princess Consort¡­ So what the King meant was¡­. Chu Tian started to sweat¡­ Apart from the unsuitable positions¡­ Neither Gu Zhenkang nor Gu Yunhe were people with anypetences, and they were going to ruin any position they were ced in, but the King already made up his mind, so he had to make it happen. Chu Tian wiped away the sweat on his forehead. It was such a difficult issue for him. The Chu Family had not taken a side yet at the moment, also¡­ Chapter 851 - Why! Chapter 851 Why! Hearing that the Old Master asked her the question, she stopped crying directly and became motivated. The Old Master never had a hand in the affairs in the mansion; Mrs. Chu was always in charge of the family affairs. Women tended to have their own n, and she could understand the point, especially when it came to Yerong and Xiwen¡¯s marriages. Mrs. Chu would definitely not allow Yerong to marry someone better, but she would like to see about that. Otherwise she and Yerong would never have a better life, and as long as she managed to set up a good marriage for Yerong, they would definitely manage to live better. Also, Yerong¡¯s marriage was going to be very practical for the Chu Family. She believed... She believed that after the Old Master knew the truth, Yerong was not only going to get married smoothly, but also have back up from the whole mansion. The Second Concubine said proudly, ¡°Gu Yunhe, the Young Master of the Gu Family. Princess Consort of Lord Ling guarantees that it will happen, and Yerong will be the main wife! The Gu Family is a very popr family right now in the capital, and it is Yerong¡¯s honor that she can marry the Young Master of the Gu Family!¡± Young Master of the Gu Family?! Chu Tian¡¯s face turned sour and he took the teacup and threw it directly at the Second Concubine. ¡°Fool, you fool!¡± He knew that his wife might be strict, yet she was ady from a noble family, just and reasonable. She would never stop any concubine¡¯s daughter from getting married for no reason! This foolish woman even said that Mrs. Chu did not want Yerong¡¯s marriage to exceed that of Xiwen¡¯s! Foolish woman! Foolish and innocent! The Second Concubine was dumbfounded when she was med and had a tea cup thrown at her. She had not yet asked why, when the Second Lady of the Chu Family, who was waiting outside the mansion, rushed in and said with an unconvinced tone, ¡°Father, how can you call mother a fool?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the Gu Mansion is a very popr family in the capital? Everyone is ttering them. They are the Princess Consort of Lord Ling¡¯s family, the Phoenix Girl¡¯s family! I tried my best to make the Princess Consort pay attention to me and promise me the marriage! Also, if Lord Ling¡¯s Mansion and Gu Mansion don¡¯t like us, we will have a bad time in the capital! I can help you two get connected! You should thank me!¡± the Second Lady of the Chu Family said excitedly. Father called mother a fool, but she believed that her father was a fool! He became the Prime Minister because of what the ancestors had done for him, yet he was never able to think and understand where he was now. The Chu Family had the highest rank in the officers as the Prime Minister, but he was still an officer. Lord Ling was different. He was from the imperial family and was a promising heir to take the throne. He married the Phoenix Girl, and yet her father could not understand such a simple thing! Hearing her words, Chu Tian got so angry that he wanted to toss his teacup yet he had nothing in his hands so he struck the table angrily. ¡°Fools, you two fools! Why are you part of our family! Mrs. Chu did not allow you to attend any banquets, and I should have agreed with her! How foolish you are!¡± Chu Yu passed Chu Tian a cup of tea, asking him to calm down. Chu Tian drank some tea and came back to himself. At this time, Mrs. Chu came and Chu Tian felt less miserable. ¡°Mrs. Chu, deal with these two foolish people!¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Why?!¡± The Second Lady of the Chu Family shouted, ¡°Why this woman!¡± Chapter 854 - Situation

Chapter 854 Situation

¡°Although the Chu Family are top officers in the court, we have to be very careful about whatever we do and say in the court. If Yerong marries the Young Master of the Gu Family, she only marries them because of her family background. They don¡¯t marry her for who she is, and what they want is that we should take their side.¡± Chu Tian sighed and shook his head. ¡°Your Elder Sister has a clear head, and she knows the rules, but they don¡¯t understand anything.¡± ¡°We have rules for ourselves. We are only loyal to the King.¡± II 11 ¡°That is because the situation is changing all the time, and you can¡¯t predict who is going to take the throne in the end. If we make a false bet, it will ruin our whole family.¡± ¡°The King right now was the least likely prince to take the throne at that time, and no one noticed his existence, but look at what happened now. Who could have foreseen the present situation years back?¡± IIII ¡°Your grandpa did not take a side, that is how our family continued to flourish,¡± Chu Tian said emotionally. His father was the person that he admired above all, but he passed away ages ago. Otherwise he could have had a discussion with his father about what happened today, and he would not have to be so annoyed. Chu Tian sighed. ¡°Currently, we should not take a side, but we should not offend Lord Ling and the Gu Family either. I called you here today just to make sure that you understand this point. Watch out for your manners with them from today on.¡± Chu Tian stressed. Chu Yu was born by Mrs. Chu, so he was the Eldest Son in the family. He had considered him as the heir of the Chu Family, so he had spent a lot of effort and time on this boy, so he should not make any mistakes. Chu Yu stood up and answered politely. ¡°Yes, father.¡± Chu Tian nodded. He was confident about Chu Yu. It was already enough for him to understand the point. He got up in exhaustion, and each of them went back to their own business. That was the only thing Chu Tian said to Chu Yu. Chu Yu walked out of the hall, looking quite serious and stressed too. He should not take a side, and even if he did, he didn¡¯t think that Lord Ling would think of him as someone important. Gu Yunhe hated him for some reason, so no matter what he did or said to him, Gu Yunhe was always extremely hostile. Because of that, Lord Ling ignored him too. It seemed that Lord Ling did not like the whole Chu Family. Therefore, even if they decided to take Lord Ling¡¯s side, their family would not benefit from anything, even if Lord Ling took the threr. Father believed that it was safe not to take a side, but Chu Yu did not think that the situation was that easy. He felt that the current situation made it difficult for the Chu Family to have a good result, unless Lord Huai¡­ Unless Lord Huai took the throne, then he would be a fair King. He had not liked Lord Huai before. He thought that Lord Huai did not have any knowledge, and was arrogant and unreasonable, but after the Spring Hunt, he changed his mind. He almost felt that Lord Huai was hiding his true abilities. @@novelbin@@ He gave it a deeper thought about what happened too. If Lord Huai was really a spoiled, naive kid, then he would have been totally ruined when his grandfather passed away and he moved out of the court. He preferred Lord Huai, of course, but Lord Huai had no one supporting him, and there was a small possibility that he would take the throne. That made Chu Yu feel confused. He was wondering whether he should have a meeting with Lord Huai too. Chapter 858 - Funeral

Chapter 858 Funeral

¡°Just prepare for the funeral,¡± Zhao Yiqiu said with no expression on his face. The King gazed at Zhao Yiqiu. He looked devastated and furious. He shouted at Zhao Yiqiu. ¡°Jiang Shuang is gone, so why are you not shedding tears, why are you still so calm?¡± What was wrong with Zhao Yiqiu? He never showed any emotion whenever he ran into anything. He was never sad, but he, as the King, was trapped within these emotions. Zhao Yiqiu liked Jiang Shuang too, didn¡¯t he? Why was he not shedding tears? Zhao Yiqiu looked at the King expressionlessly, ¡°Jiang Shuang is your Queen, why should I shed tears over her death? I am just a doctor and I have seen the world. Why should I be sad about anything?¡± The King looked at Zhao Yiqiu andughed ironically. He leaned over the Queen and shouted desperately, ¡°Jiang Shuang, just get up now, get up and frame me, set me up! The old soldiers from the Jiang Family are still active, how can you be gone? I have made use of you before, why did you never take revenge? You always take revenge, don¡¯t you?¡± The King kept repeating those words until he became exhausted too. He stood up in sadness and said, ¡°I am taking her back to the court.¡± ¡°The Queen has already passed away. She hated to travel when she was alive, why do you have to make her travel when she is dead?¡± Gu Chaoyan added. The King was startled for a long while. For some reason, he subconsciously hoped that she could return to the court, where they spent more than twenty years together. It seemed that the court was where they truly belonged. The town was not. They had no memories in the town, nor was there any rose garden that was builtter. The King looked confused. He was drifting away. Having said these words¡­ he mumbled. ¡°Then¡­ then I will go back to the court and bring the roses here. Jiang Shuang loved them. I wonder if the roses will bloom this year. And the funeral¡­ yes we need to n the funeral. Those from the Ministry of Rites are still in the Imperial Study, I need to have a discussion with them, yes, a discussion with them¡­¡± Having said this, the King did not move, he just stood there transfixed. He was motionless for a very long time. Only now did he suddenly think of something. ¡°Where is De Fu?¡± ¡°King.¡± De Fu shedded his tears and answered in grief. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± He had been working for the King for approximately 30 years. When he first started to work for him, the King was still a prince, and at that time, he already had a n for his future. He always had solutions for emergencies. The King had never lost himself. At least not for real, but this time¡­ the King had. He was totally distracted by what happened to the Queen. The King did care about the Queen. ¡°De Fu, what did I just say?¡± The King asked. ¡°You said that you are going back to the court, to the rose garden and to meet the ministers from the Ministry of Rites.¡± De Fu repeated in tears. The King nodded. Well¡­ That must be it! That was what he was thinking! @@novelbin@@ He had to go back to the court. The King hurried away and De Fu followed, wiping away the tears. Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin exchanged a look between themselves in contemtion. The King must be experiencing the mostplicated love in the whole world. On the bed not faraway, the Queen had one tear dropping along her cheeks. ¡°What is happening?¡± Gu Chaoyan was surprised. Chapter 862 - 2 Portrait

Chapter 862 Portrait

¡°I have changed my mind.¡± ¡°It is the first endowment ceremony for the heir, and it is extremely important. So we can¡¯t possibly demean the heir.¡± ¡°So, keep a low-profile for the Queen¡¯s funeral. Make sure theplete process is done, especially the worship. She is going to be carried into the imperial graveyard. You from the Ministry of Rites should be in charge of that, and don¡¯t bother anyone from the ministry, just remember to keep it low-profile!¡± 11 ¡° ¡°The Queen passed away because of long-time sickness. We can¡¯t announce to the public the exact information. Just say that she passed away because of sickness.¡± ¡°And keep the ceremony bustling. It is a peaceful world, so we need to add more happy things. An endowment ceremony is a happy thing,¡± the King said as he looked at those officers. The officers exchanged a look between themselves in surprise. It was so difficult to guess what the King was going to do next. It was good that they had said nothing before, otherwise there would be unexpected consequences yet toe. The King had, one moment ago, intended to pay more attention to the Queen¡¯s funeral, but now they understood that the simplified funeral of the Queen showed one thing clearly ¨C the King wanted the heir to take the throne. The officers kowtowed politely in front of the King and the Empress Dowager, ¡°We understand.¡± The King nodded and waved his hands, telling them to get down to their own business. The officers from the Ministry of Rites retired politely. The Empress Dowager was very satisfied by the King¡¯s arrangement, so she got up and said, ¡°I am sorry, King, but I need to return to Cining Pce now.¡± ¡°Also, Lord Huai¡¯s wedding has to be postponed, I am afraid. As for exactly when¡­ just wait until all of these incidents have passed, and then we will know.¡± The Empress Dowager reminded him. The King nodded. Lord Huai was already engaged, so it did not matter when the wedding was held. His mother, after all, just passed away. Then the Empress Dowager left. The King was left alone in the imperial study, feeling distracted. He had been too busy to think about what he should do a while ago, but when all the orders were passed on and he became free to think, he suddenly felt that his heart had been emptied. It was not supposed to be like this! None of this should have happened! The King sat in the chair, looking distressed. ¡°De Fu, there is one portrait of the Queen painted by the painters before, bring it to me, please, I would like to take a look at it,¡± the King said. De Fu nodded and left. The King was suddenly reminded of the portrait. The painter would always paint one portrait for the princesses each year, and the painter especially liked painting the Queen, but after the second year, the Queen did not seem to be that interested in being painted. She disliked being seated there for too long. Though no one paid attention before, there were still some portraits remaining. De Fu took the portraits for the King in a @@novelbin@@ hurry. The King was reminded of Jiang Shuang from years back, and soon fell asleep. In the dream, Jiang Shuang no longer had the touch of toughness of those from the Jiang Family. Chapter 865 - The New Queen 2 Chapter 865 The New Queen 2 Honored Princess Jing smiled hearing that the Empress Dowager would help her, and she felt much more assured. Hearing that something else was about to be said, she listened carefully in glee. The Empress Dowager nodded. CO Honored Princess Jing was an obedient person, and since that was her merit, she could not possibly make her be an intimidating woman. She could make requests to other people from the Yao Family, and expected that women from her family would have a strong personality and fear nothing. @@novelbin@@ ¡°The heir has got the Princess Consort, who is also the Phoenix Girl. She is a very suitable match, but they have not yet started their own family after being married for so long, so that would not work. Although it would be best if the Phoenix Girl could give birth to a baby of happiness... yet...¡± II 11 ¡°The heir needs to have more than one child from the Princess Consort, right?¡± many children as possible!¡± ¡°What I mean is that the heir should have a Princess Concubine as well, who can help with the administration of the mansion. The heir¡¯s Princess Consort doesn¡¯t seem to be very capable of being in charge of the family affairs. So we can pick one youngdy from our family, who can help to deal with the family affairs and share the children¡¯s raising with the Princess Consort.¡± The Empress Dowager looked at Honored Princess Jing as she said these words. Hearing this... Honored Princess Jing suddenly wore a brightened expression on her face. The Empress Dowager was, after all, Tthe Empress Dowager. She had a bigger n than she did. While she was thinking about her own position, the Empress Dowager already started to n for Ling¡¯s future. She felt lucky to have someone like the Empress Dowager backing her up. Gu Ruxue and Huailing had been married for more than half a year, and yet they had not had any news of pregnancy. If the Princess Consort could not give birth to any babies, they should find someone else who could. As for which of the children would be helped to take the throne in the future... that would be something to be discussedter. Honored Princess Jing looked at the Empress Dowager with a look of gratitude. ¡°Aunt, you are right. I haven¡¯t thought about this point. There are many young unmarried girls from the Yao Family and they should be invited toe to the court, so that you can have a look at them. I don¡¯t have a good judgment for picking the right person.¡± The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction. Honored Princess Jing finally thought it through. ¡°I will deal with the establishment of the new Queen, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Just wait for my news. You can go home now, if you have nothing else to say,¡± the Empress Dowager said. She was not a young person who liked chatting with people all the time. Especially when it came to Honored Princess Jing who was slightly dumb. She would rather avoid meeting her. She finished speaking and drove Honored Princess Jing away. Honored Princess Jing did not want to dwell there either. She greeted the Empress Dowager before leaving and said politely, ¡°Thanks, Aunt.¡± Then she left. The Empress Dowager massaged her temples, feeling quite exhausted. The aunt next to her reminded her with a small voice. ¡°What about taking a break in the inner chamber, so that I can massage you.¡± The Empress Dowager shook her head and waved her hands. ¡°I am doomed to work for all of those people. I have to do everything myself.¡± ¡°That means that Honored Princess Jing and the King all respect you,¡± the Aunt next to her said. The Empress Dowager smiled. That made her satisfied. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Qianqing Pce and take a look at the King.¡± Chapter 868 - Zhou Huailing’s Inquiry Chapter 868 Zhou Huailing¡¯s Inquiry @@novelbin@@ ¡°It is just that the King has never spent the night at my ce during the past month, and I truly have no idea what else I can do,¡± Honored Princess Jing said with a look of concern. Honored Princess Jing was a person who took interests as the priority. Since she could not get the title as the New Queen, it would not work if she continued to make a fuss and throw her temper either. She would not do anything like that either, fearing that the Empress Dowager and the King would think that she was being unreasonable. Therefore, she decided not to waste any more time upon that. Honored Princess Jing was nning to get the King to spend the night at her ce, and as long as the King loved spending the night at her ce, everything else would work out smoothly, and their affection would return gradually. By that time, she would get the title as the Queen before the end of the year. The Empress Dowager threw a look at Honored Princess Jing. She was very aware of what Honored Princess Jing was thinking inwardly, but she was not going to stop her from making this n anyway. It was not a very good thing if the King never visited the princesses. So she decided to do Honored Princess Jing a favor anyway. She said, ¡°The Ministry of Rites has started to arrange new girls for the King and I will talk to him about that. You have not obtained the title as the New Queen, but you are holding the authority token, so you are someone who is working with devotion. Although you are not the Queen by title, you are almost like her.¡± II 11 ¡°You are not only going to get visited by the King when he is supposed to visit the Queen, but will also receive his visits on your own scheduled dates.¡± The Empress Dowager added. Only now did Honored Princess Jing say with satisfaction, ¡°Thank you, Aunt.¡± The Empress Dowager nodded too, then she added some more words to Honored Princess Jing and asked her to leave. Honored Princess Jing¡¯s face sank the moment she walked out of Cining Pce. She looked rather displeased. She had thought that the Empress Dowager was helping her and taking her as the consideration, but it seemed that the Empress Dowager did not attach any importance to her request at all. She had been happy for nothing. Luckily, she did not celebrate her victory in her pce, or spill the story, otherwise she would have been pped right on her own face. Getting the title and not getting the title of the Queen was totally different. The Empress Dowager was dealing with her as if she were an idiot! Honored Princess Jing looked really furious. She was still looking rather displeased the moment she returned to her own pce, but she was no longer that pissed the moment she saw the heir. ¡°Huailing, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I am not cured yet, so I am here to visit an imperial doctor by way of seeing you. Father has given me the authority token for free ess, so I can visit you as often as possible now, in case you have other rules for your future pce,¡± Zhou Huailing said with a ttering look on his face. He knew how to talk properly, and he decided to make the words sound nice so everyone would be happy. Honored Princess Jing smiled brightly after she heard his words. She had been demeaned many times throughout her life, but she was most gratified by this filial and capable son of hers. ¡°Oh yes, I heard that the Empress Dowager helped to get the title of Queen for you, how did it go?¡± Zhou Huailing asked. He visited his mother mainly for this matter. Chapter 871 Chapter 871: How? ¡°However, I don¡¯t care about bloodline, nor do I care if your future heir is from the Yao Family. I only care about you, as long as you are well, and as long as the future heir has your bloodline,¡± Honored Princess Jing said. Huailing was her only child. She did not care about her future grandson, but her present son. Zhou Huailing felt extremely moved. Although his mother wasn¡¯t born well, she only cared about him. If his mother had not told him about any of these, he would have been stuck in the lies. He had not expected that the Empress Dowager had such a n when she suggested selecting a Princess Concubine for him. He felt both shocked and angry. He took hold of Honored Princess Jing¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry, I will serve you well. If you want to be the Queen, but the Empress Dowager doesn¡¯t want to help you, I can help you. Let me speak with my father!¡± Honored Princess Jing nodded with a small smile. Huailing was already the heir, so his words counted. When he suggested that personally, Honored Princess Jing was fully confident that she did not have to wait until the end of the year. @@novelbin@@ As for the Empress Dowager... well, just leave it. It was her luck that her son was helping her, and the n would work perfectly! Honored Princess Jing smiled in delight. It was best that her son respected and helped her. Zhou Huailing said a few more words to Honored Princess Jing in the court before leaving. He had thought that he was going to be greeted with good news, but instead of hearing anything pleasant, he heard some evil ns. Zhou Huailing returned to his own mansion with a sunken expression. The mansion remained the same, except that the que had been changed into the Heir¡¯s Mansion. Normally, an heir should be given a new mansion after the ceremony, but due to theck of preparations, no new mansion had been built. They had to wait. There were too many small things going on nowadays, so the waiting would take even longer. Zhou Huailing did not stress about this thing any more, since he wasn¡¯t in need to move into a new mansion. He had just walked into the mansion when Zhou Huailing saw Gu Ruxue waiting for him in the yard. She asked. ¡°How did it go?¡± Zhou Huailing shook his head in distress. Gu Ruxue was surprised. That had sounded like a very reasonable request, so why did it not work out? Honored Princess Jing was the heir¡¯s mother, and she, the Phoenix Girl, had married the heir too. Honored Princess Jing should be granted the title of Queen, and bring auspiciousness to the people. That sounded like a great thing! Zhou Huailing nced about the yard and felt that it wasn¡¯t a safe ce for conversations, so he said discreetly, ¡°Let¡¯s go into the room. I need to speak with you about something.¡± Gu Ruxue¡¯s face sank and she followed him into the room. Zhou Huailing looked at Gu Ruxue. It was quite lucky of him to have married Gu Ruxue, because he met Destiny Monk first and got to know about the existence of the Phoenix Girl. That was why he found Ruxue and married her when she was still nobody. However, they had no children at the moment, so everything could be changed at any time. Apart from winning the ministers¡¯ support, he had to win Ruxue¡¯s heartpletely so that she would not turn to someone else for her own interest. ¡°Ruxue...¡± Chapter 874 - Right Now

Chapter 874: Right Now

The King had just rxed when he heard what Zhou Huailing said. He frowned and gathered himself up, asking. ¡°Yes?¡± He massaged his temple. He was so tired. Why was everythinging to him these days? Why must he be in charge of everything? Zhou Huailing said straightforwardly despite the tired look on his face. ¡°Father, mom has been in the court for so many years and she has never made any mistakes. She used to be a good assistant to the Queen, and now she is administering everything alone. Everything is going well, and she has never made any serious mistakes either. Mom was born in a good family, she is a nobledy! Now the Yao Family is a verysting family, so why don¡¯t you want to give her the title of Queen?¡± Zhou Huailing was interrogating him. He was actually quite pissed. He was angry about him not taking him into consideration, but mourning over a dead woman. The King looked at Zhou Huailing. He was quite displeased. The Empress Dowager had already asked about this the day before, and he had already turned her down. Why must Huailing ask about this again? He should be old enough to understand the whole thing well! Why was he pushing him to crown his mother? He had given him what he needed, and he already hosted a very grand ceremony for him whilst the Queen¡¯s funeral passed by in silence. He believed that he had already shown a preference for Huailing, but this son of his¡­ He was not even considering him! ¡°Huailing!¡± The King said angrily, ¡°You are my son and the heir, and I treat you best, why are you not considering me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Queen has been gone for just one month, and now you are asking me to crown your mother directly. That is making the whole world call me ruthless!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Updates by . ¡°Even ordinary people would wait longer than one month before remarrying¡­ I am the King, so I should not be worse than the ordinary people!¡± The King snapped and then soon bellowed angrily. Zhou Huailing was feeling a little ufortable. His father was right, but¡­ ¡°Father, that is not what I meant! I am just feeling concerned for mother, and you too, so I said things like this.¡± Zhou Huailing instantly soften his tone. ¡°And I have been treated badly these years just because I was not born by the Queen. That is why I am anxious and not taking you into consideration. Sorry.¡± The King, who had been angry, finally saw how Zhou Huailing admitted his mistake. He softened his tone too. Huailing was a young and inconsiderate person. He never thought through everything carefully, but he was obedient enough to respect him, which was good. He softened his tone too. ¡°Your mother is almost as powerful as a Queen except for the title. We need to wait until the right time. Don¡¯t get anxious for the position.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Huailing answered. The King nodded and waved his hands, telling him to leave. *** Zhou Huaijin, on the other hand, was on the way to Xinlin Mansion. @@novelbin@@ His father approved of his proposal without giving much consideration, which made him feel weird. His father had expressed clearly what he was thinking¡­ Chapter 878 Chapter 878: Unauspicious ¡°He did not want to create an image of being ruthless to the world. He asked you to wait for a bit longer, then the whole thing woulde in its natural course,¡± Zhou Huailing said, embarrassed. Honored Princess Jing was sad, but she also noticed the strange look on Zhou Huailing¡¯s face. The title of the Queen was important, but not as important as Huailing. He was ming himself for the failure, and Honored Princess Jing was worried that he would be too worried about what he had failed to do. Her son had never been entirely confident, because of her position in the court. Honored Princess Jing said with a smile, ¡°It is fine, that is not very important right now. I have been a Princess Jing for 22 years, and an Honored Princess for one year. I am not in a hurry. What your father has said makes sense. Huailing, you should pay more attention to the major thing, not such trivialities.¡± Hearing her words, Zhou Huailing let out a sigh of relief, as he looked at Honored Princess Jing. ¡°I got it, mother.¡± Honored Princess Jing nodded and let out a sigh of relief. Huailing was her only supporter right now. She did not want her son to hold a grudge against her. The title of the Queen was not that important. If Huailing made it to the throne, she was going to be the only Empress Dowager,¡± which was far better than just a small Queen. Zhou Huailing walked out after he was done passing on the message. He was the heir, so he should not keep visiting his own mother. That would make him look bad for outsiders. Honored Princess Jing¡¯s expression sank when Zhou Huailing was gone. She was not at all pleased. She had been with the King for more than 20 years, and yet the King never cared about their long rtionship. He even refused to offer her the position of Queen because of Jiang Shuang! She felt quite annoyed. Maybe the King did have some affection towards her when they were both young, but years had passed, and their affection was gone. Interests came before everything else. ¡°Honored Princess...¡± the auntie next to her said with worry. ¡°It is fine, don¡¯t ever mention the position of the Queen again.¡± Honored Princess Jing stressed with a cold expression on her face. *** At the Qianqing Pce. The Empress Dowager came after Zhou Huailing was gone. The King looked at his own mother with annoyance and said unhappily instead of getting up. ¡°Mother, what is it?¡± The Empress Dowager looked at the King. She did not care about how he reacted to her arrival. The King was not a young man any more, but he was still kind of childish, especially when it came to something he disliked. She could tolerate that as his mother. She had just heard how the heir came to mention about getting his mother the Queen title. The heir was just like his mother, dumb and slow, a kind-hearted one of course, but it could still annoy the King. So she was not going to mention this matter any more. The Empress Dowager said, ¡°King, it is already March, and the summer is around the corner. We normally arrange some princesses to spend the summer away from the pce. We have recruited some new girls, and we have to set up a meeting like this. Do you have any ns for the summer holiday? Or should we build a new one?¡± Summer holiday? That sounded like a faraway thing. The arrangement would normally start ten days before, but this year, it was a couple of months earlier. ¡°We have the town, don¡¯t we? Summer holiday is such a small thing that we don¡¯t have to make a fuss about it.¡± The King said impatiently. ¡°But the Queen died there. That doesn¡¯t sound very auspicious.¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 881 Chapter 881: Letter from North Qi The most important thing for the heir was to reach a coboration with the prince from North Qi. They hade to a deal with the Prince that Zhou Huailing could exchange ten magical monsters with him by giving him the song that summoned the phoenix, but the song was given, and yet the magical monsters had not yet arrived. They urged with a letter, but the Prince said that the song did not bring him a phoenix, so he was not going to give them any magical monsters. It was a terrible deal for the North Qi. Because of the broken deal, Zhou Huailing had been very distressed these days. That was ten magical monsters! It could be as powerful as one troup! He must not give it up. Therefore, he had been negotiating this matter these days. The letter that arrived was after Zhou Huailing sent a warning. It was thest letter they would receive from the Prince regarding this deal. Xie Yan passed the letter to Zhou Huailing while he was still panting. Zhou Huailing took the letter and ripped it open, then he started to read the content. He had been full of expectations, but his face sank directly. He threw the letter on the table and struck it, bellowing furiously, ¡°How dare he!¡± Hearing this deafening sound, Xie Yan shivered. @@novelbin@@ Judging from the heir¡¯s look, he was aware that the deal was totally broken. He had not had a good feeling when the Prince broke the deal for the first time. It did not seem like a very easy mission toplete. They reached the deal with Prince privately, so it should not be revealed. Nor should it be mentioned to the King. Therefore, even if the heir was from a powerful country like the Saint Divine Land, they could not possibly do anything to the Prince from the North Qi Land alone. That was why they had to bear the loss alone. If the deal for the ten magical monsters was known to the King and the ministers in the court, then the heir might be suspected to have the intention for treason, and then the heir might lose his position. That would be a terrible thing. However, he just could not stand it that the deal was broken in this way. That was the most tricky thing right now. Xie Yan craned his neck at the heir who was furious. It was a tricky issue and he had no idea what the heir was thinking. He did not dare to say anything either. The heir had changed a lot, so he, as the strategist, did not dare to make any proposals. The heir had his own proposals and ideas, so all he could do was assist him. Xie Yan had no energy to continue to be the strategist. What he wished for right now was to stay by the heir¡¯s side and finish what he had promised the heir. When all of this was done, there would be nothing more he could do, yet he would not feel so guilty for not having helped the heir. That was what Xie Yan was thinking at the moment. He looked at Zhou Huailing with a steady face, waiting for his orders and arrangement. Zhou Huailing calmed himself down after venting his anger. He sat down and said with a frown. ¡°Xie Yan, we can¡¯t drop it, we have to continue, look...¡± Chapter 886 - Where

Chapter 886: Where

For some reason, she started to feel very dizzy as she went on the boat. It wasn¡¯t a very strong feeling, but Gu Chaoyan felt the dizziness directly, since she was a very sensitive person. She frowned subconsciously and started to check her own physical condition, but she found that she waspletely fine. Gu Chaoyan shook her head and thought that it was probably because she had not yet adapted to how it felt on the boat. She would feel much betterter. Zhou Huaijin was leading the way when he felt that Gu Chaoyan had slowed down. He turned around and found that Chaoyan was not doing well. So he asked worriedly, ¡°What?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked up at him and shook her head slightly. ¡°I am fine, the boat is unsteady, I¡¯m just not used to that yet.¡± Zhou Huaijin thought for a while and took a few steps to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side, taking her hands and starting to walk inside. They were not married yet, so Zhou Huaijin was trying not to get too close to Gu Chaoyan in front of others, fearing that it would give Gu Chaoyan a bad reputation. He thought that Sword One could take good care of her, but now he was not very assured. He did not care about the ¡°reputation¡± any more, and started to look after Gu Chaoyan instead. As Gu Chaoyan took hold of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s strong hands, she suddenly felt much better. Zhou Huaiyu, who had helped to get things ready, took a look at them and got down to do his own business. Zhou Huaijin¡¯s men from Shadow Door had gotten the boat ready. The things in the boat were enough for them to spend a few days. However, a slight dy happened, when some more food was carried to the boat. So they did not leave until two hourster. Zhou Huaiyu joined them at this time. He had been busy with work a while ago, and now he became increasingly lightened up. He came with the teacup and drank some, as he said happily, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that we could leave so fast, you are efficient!¡± Zhou Huaiyu was also quite efficient, and everyone was used to hanging out with him. Now they were looking at him and listening to his words. Zhou Huaijin nodded. He did notugh much, and barely talked. He often only looked cheerful in front of Chaoyan, but Zhou Huaiyu did not mind this. He looked at him with a look of interest. ¡°Eighth Brother, where did you get this boat? I did not get such a boat when I tried to travel down South on water before.¡± Zhou Huaijin threw a calm look at Zhou Huaiyu. He sipped the tea and said a few words. ¡°I bought it with money.¡± Zhou Huaiyu¡¯s face twitched. Of course it was bought with money. How much was spent anyway? It was totally beyond expectation, but these two men, one of whom was talkative, the other silent, kept the conversation on for a long time somehow. Gu Chaoyan was sitting next to them in silence. She did not feel like talking, and she noticed that she wasn¡¯t feeling very well after shended on the boat. After she sat there for a while she said, ¡°I will go and have a nap.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°I will apany you there,¡± Zhou Huaijin got up and said, Zhou Huaiyu looked at the couple, then he sighed. He turned to Wuhen next to him. ¡°I remember that father granted me a Princess Consort?¡± Chapter 890 - Pirates

Chapter 890: Pirates

¡°It is just a check-up on her pulse! He is just a doctor who is examining her for sickness¡­¡± Zhou Huaiyu was very annoyed. He just got so annoyed for no reason ¨C he thought that Gu Chaoyan, who was already so sick, should not be so critical about other small things. That was why he did not like spending time with thosedies from noble families. He found them very annoying. He met this woman back at Saint College a while ago, and he found her to be a very smart girl. He even paid special attention to her as well, but after he gave her the money, he had never met her again until now, and she was different from how he remembered. Could it be because of the engagement? Zhou Huaiyu was very annoyed. Wuhen looked at him with a look of surprise. His Lord had been traveling about these years and he had met many different kinds of people and achieved quite a lot of sessful business, but it was the first time for him to get so emotional. She was Lord Huai¡¯s Princess Consort! Wuhen did not think that it was a good sign, so he said, ¡°Lord, just leave them alone. Lord Huai is taking care of everything, so you don¡¯t have to worry about this. Lord Huai knows what to do.¡± Wuhen did it to remind him. It was a very obvious thing, but it made Zhou Huaiyu feel even more annoyed. Instead of sharing any more thoughts with Wuhen, he said directly, ¡°Tell the kitchen and the boatman about what to do next.¡± @@novelbin@@ Then he left timidly. Wuhen threw a worried look at him, but still turned to the kitchen. *** After puking, Gu Chaoyan felt slightly better, but Zhou Huaijin was still frowning as he looked at her with deep concern. ¡°Sword One, can you check if the food in the kitchen is ready.¡± Zhou Huaijin stressed without patience. Sword One nodded. She was about to leave, but at that moment, a bump hit the boat, and Zhou Huaijin took hold of Gu Chaoyan directly. They wondered what was going on. Sword One ran out to check what was happening. The boat should be in a good condition. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary boat, but a big one for Shadow Door to transport stuff. So what was going on? Sword One came back after a short while, sounding a little anxious. ¡°Lord, it is the pirates. They have blocked our way. They seem very prepared. They must be feeding on robbing people and stuff from the passing boats. Lord Yu is negotiating with them outside, but the pirates are normally in groups, so the number outside can not be all of them. We are still talking.¡± Zhou Huaijin frowned. pirates? Zhou Huaijin would not be too angry about running into people like this normally, but now Chaoyan was not feeling well and they needed to get on the bank as soon as possible. They had no time to waste. So Zhou Huaijin looked really furious. The pirates normally robbed ordinary businessmen¡¯s boats, and those businessmen, who did not dare to do anything, had to pay. They liked bullying, and they were getting rather wild nowadays. Zhou Huaijin was definitely going to teach them a lesson. ¡°Sword One, guard your Miss, I will check it out,¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a cold expression on his face. He whispered some constion words to Gu Chaoyan and then left. Seeing Zhou Huaijin appear, Zhou Huaiyu said, ¡°Nothing serious, those pirates just want some treasure.¡± Chapter 892 - The Light Sound of Footsteps

Chapter 892: The Light Sound of Footsteps

He was a man with justice and believed that he was a lord who could do something for the civilians, but he should have considered the consequences! They were on the water and not everything could be solved so easily. The court would have dealt with those pirates ages ago, if they were so easy to finish. It was not the capital! @@novelbin@@ There used to be some missions set up to finish the pirates, but they were too familiar with the water to be caught easily. The water was wide and bounderless, and they werepletely out of control. Also, they were not in an advantageous status right now. There were some women on the boat too! Wuhen looked at Zhou Huaiyu and showed a look ofint. He and Lord Yu had never run into any hot issues after spending so many years outside, but now they ran into trouble directly on the first day of the trip with Lord Huai. Zhou Huaiyu said, ¡°Eighth Brother, let¡¯s just have a nice talk.¡± Zhou Huaijin did not take his brother¡¯s words into consideration. Instead, he said to those who looked influential opposite them. ¡°Are you retreating or not?¡± Those people on the boat opposite themughed. ¡°Retreating?¡± Jin, the head, said to his men next to him. ¡°We have lived more than ten years on the water, and no one has ever asked us to retreat. How interesting, which family are you from? You must be out on a trip for the first time, right? You know nothing, so we¡¯ll give you onest chance ¨C are you giving us the money or not?¡± Zhou Huaiyu was about to say yes, when Zhou Huaijin stopped him. Wuhenined. ¡°Lord Huai, don¡¯t get us killed!¡± Zhou Huaijin red at Wuhen. He did not care about them. He reached out his hands and gave the order. When the order was given, Fu Bao, Mo Bing and Feng Yue all flew directly to the other boat and all of them had swords with them. Apart from these three people, four hidden guards in ck all flew out of the boat as well and came to the other boat at the highest speed. The men on the other boat were all suddenly attacked. They were panicking, but they started to fight with them, and tried to jump on Zhou Huaijin¡¯s boat. They nned to get upon Zhou Huaijin¡¯s boat just to take some hostages. Those pirates had been used to all kinds of threats. Those hidden guards were capable, but that did not necessarily mean that their leaders were so capable. They only needed to capture the leader, so they had nothing to fear. Some pirates were capable too. Some tried to fly to their boat, but Mo Bing struck them all back. Zhou Huaijin did not even move a finger. Suddenly, a fierce fight arose. However, Zhou Huaijin and Zhou Huaiyu were all in good positions. Zhou Huaiyu was already scared. He did not know that there were men in ck hidden in the boat. Wuhen flushed. He thought that Lord Huai was just being spoiled, but it seemed that he was prepared. He could not help getting embarrassed. pirates were capable and there were many of them. So the fight was still not bnced since Zhou Huaijin had stressed that they should not kill anyone on the trip. Gu Chaoyan, who was in the room, also heard the noise of fighting outside, but she had not considered it as something important. However, suddenly, the sound of light footsteps arose. Chapter 896 - Fear?

Chapter 896: Fear?

Zhou Huaiyu had been traveling around all these years on his own, and he had befriended many people whom he would like to make his own, Wuhen for example, but even he was unable to cultivate such capable people like the ones who obeyed his Eighth Brother without hesitation. The fight hadsted for a long time, but Zhou Huaiyu had made some observations ¨C His Eighth Brother¡¯s men had gotten almost no injuries when facing such strong enemies. His men only received a few scratches. His Eighth Brother grew up in the capital and their father watched over them constantly, so how did he manage to gather those forces? Zhou Huaiyu was very surprised, but Zhou Huaijin looked calm. He asked Mo Bing and Fu Bao to clean away the blood stain on the boat first, then he suggested that they should head inside. ¡°I had my own mansion when I was still little. We had to get some guards since we were not living in the court. Also, I have been involved with many businesses over the years, and I have be the target of many potential enemies. So I had to keep some well-trained guards with me. Don¡¯t be surprised, brother, many of those guards were gifts from father. It is just that I paid them well, so they decided to train themselves properly somewhere, thus bing such excellent fighters,¡± Zhou Huaijin said half-truthfully. Zhou Huaijin could show his own abilities in front of Zhou Huaiyu, because he trusted him, but it was not the correct time to show his real ability, so he had to just reveal just part of it. Also, he did not trust his brother¡¯s man next to him. He was not sure if this man was trustworthy. That was why he hid much of the truth. When Zhou Huaiyu heard the story, he thought that most things seemed to make sense, but not everything. Nevertheless, he admired his Eighth Brother, who was so excellent living in the care of the King. He was going to change his opinion towards his Eighth Brother. He agreed to help his Eighth Brother, because his mother, namely the Queen, had helped him before. So he decided to do whatever he could to help this brother of his. He spent little time in the capital and with his Eighth Brother. So he always believed that his Eighth Brother was a yboy who was extremely spoiled. That was why he decided to take him out for a trip, since if he was away from the capital, he could at least be safe. However, now¡­ Zhou Huaiyu felt that he should re-evaluate this brother of his. Zhou Huaiyu was so shocked that he became absent-minded, but Wuhen was not. He subconsciously felt irritated by Lord Huai, so he added. ¡°Lord Huai, you just said that you were going to punish the pirates, so why didn¡¯t you have them killed? They can heal when they are let go this way and they will continue to make trouble on the water. Are you scared of them?¡± ¡°¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°We are going to get through smoothly, but what about the businessmening after us? Maybe the pirates will not only steal treasure, but also hurt people, because of us!¡± Chapter 900 - Killing Them All

Chapter 900: Killing Them All

The Beihai Gang had been active on water for around a decade. They had been robbing the passing boats of their money, and those who paid them included some noble families as well as small business boats, who would always politely give them the money. There had never been anyone who refused to pay them. The Beihai Gang were always ethical. They took what they needed, and did not take what they should not. They did not steal women, nor did they kill. Therefore everyone was very polite towards them. However, today¡­ They were charging the passers-by money too, but those people countered and injured the Beihai Gang. They just could not stand this bullying. If they did, how would the Beihai Gang live from this moment on? They would be aughing stock! The man who was speaking had a bad temper. Everyone else in the Gang tolerated the anger, but he just could not stand it. He snapped angrily, believing that he needed to get revenge! When Jin heard what his men told him, he felt rather annoyed as well ¨C how could those people hurt the Beihai Gang like this! Did those people truly believe that the Beihai Gang was a joke? Also, he was the one that led the gang today, yet not only did they not get any money, but their brothers also got hurt so seriously. Jin had to vent the anger. Otherwise, they would not believe that he was capable enough to lead his gang any more ¨C no one would dare to take the risk with him. They lost their lives and failed to get money at the same time. Jin was so furious, but too many of his men were injured. He needed to gather forces to take revenge. He said as he pressed down his anger. ¡°We have to take revenge! We should not allow ourselves to be bullied like this, but our brothers are all injured, and we need to get them settled first before any more actions are taken. We take money because we need to guarantee that our brothers have a better life. However, now our brothers have been injured and we need to take their situation into consideration.¡± Jin was very furious, but he had a calm mind. He understood that he had already lost his position, but he needed to calm his brothers down. Those injured brothers were extremely moved after hearing what Jin said. They had nothing to counter him as the head of the gang, therefore Jin led his gang back to the camp. The moment they entered the room¡­ The whole gang were shocked at the sight of the numerous injured brothers. They came to help those injured people and burst into riot. The Head came hurrying. He just could not believe what happened at the sight of the scene, and he suddenly felt quite irritated. ¡°What is going on? What happened?¡± the Head asked. Jin looked very distressed and anxious. It was his fault that his brothers ran into this incident. He felt that he had been totally humiliated, but he said gloomily, ¡°We ran into some hardcore people, someone from the capital. He must be a young master from some noble family, who has many hidden guards that hit us!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are pirates, but we have our own rules. We don¡¯t kill, but they don¡¯t understand that. They killed some of our brothers!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If that is the case¡­ we will have them all killed too!¡± ¡°No!¡± One determined voice arose from not far away.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 904 - Your Solution

Chapter 904: Your Solution

Wuhen still looked as if he did not trust Lord Huai. He was a lord who had never been out of court since little, so he simply had no idea how much difficulty they had to face outside of the flourishing city where they could get whatever they wanted with money. Sometimes in society, money was a burden. It could bring you trouble, when your enemies desired much of the money. He had been to Tongzhou many times, and it was a ce filled with mountains. Those who traveled onnd would not choose to take this path, and those who traveled on water would avoid anchoring here. Therefore, it was a city of poverty, a ce where there was nothing avable. Also, well-dressed people like them might even get robbed. Wuhen was pretty aware of what was going to happen in this ce. That was why he opposeding to Tongzhou, but Lord Huai did not listen to him, and there was nothing he could do. Wuhen would not be able to help Lord Huai, when they ran into trouble. After all, only Lord Yu saved his life before. He was attached to anyone only out of gratitude. Zhou Huaijin nodded at him. He showed no change on his face. Obviously, he had been aware of the potential problems. @@novelbin@@ The boat approached the bank gradually. Seeing that the boat was almost at the bank, Zhou Huaijin went to the room to inform Gu Chaoyan. They had a lot of luggage, but Qing and Sword One had already finished packing. Now they were able to leave the boat at any moment. As for the other things on the boat, Mo Bing and Fu Bao were going to deal with the rest. Zhou Huaijin came to Gu Chaoyan and carried her up. ¡°Let¡¯s leave, we can get off the boat now.¡± Gu Chaoyan subconsciously struggled. Was he going to carry her out of the boat? There were so many people watching them, and that would make her flush. ¡°Please, put me down. I may not feel so well here on the boat, but I can walk!¡± Gu Chaoyan said gently, giving Zhou Huaijin a push as she told him that he could put her down. Well, Zhou Huaijin would have obeyed her in the past, when she protested, but this time, Zhou Huaijin did not let go. He looked at Gu Chaoyan briefly. ¡°I will carry you down, and no one will date to watch us. We are in Tongzhou, where we are not recognized.¡± He was very happy that their reputation would not have to be taken into consideration in this ce. He could tell that Chaoyan was not used to living on the boat, and she would not feel well walking on her own. She had been lying in bed for the past couple of days and even now, she was looking pale. He felt extremely concerned about her. Chaoyan was different from the other women. She was an independent person, and had her own ideas and ns. She was not going to live a carefree life surrounded by treasure, but he was going to treat her well, as long as he could. With these thoughts in mind, Zhou Huaijin carried her off the boat. Without any manner to protest, Gu Chaoyan had no choice, but to bury her head inside his chest. At least in this way, she could look less flushed. Zhou Huaiyu spotted Zhou Huaijin as he carried her out of the boat. He had a touch ofplication on his face, and was startled for a moment. He was worried about what they would do after they left the boat. He threw a look at Zhou Huaijin, who had no expression on his face, but looked very gentle. He was wondering if Zhou Huaijin had truly arranged everything well. ¡°I will go and find a wagon,¡± Zhou Huaiyu suggested. Wuhen snorted when he heard the proposal. Chapter 909 - Face Changed

Chapter 909: Face Changed

When he was asked about what happened after he came back to his homnd, Prince Muyi¡¯s expression sank. He was no longer as happy looking, and showed a very serious expression. He frowned as if he were contemting over something. He had thought that his father would greet him cheerfully as before, but none of what happened was what he had expected. The moment his wagon arrived at the capital, the imperial army caught him. He was taken to his father¡¯ side, where he was interrogated. His father had the suspicion that he was going to steal the throne, which was a huge sin for a Prince that had just turned 20. He was not capable of bearing such sin. Judging from what his father said to him, Prince Muyi was pretty aware that the Imperial Master must have made up some stories. He had no idea how his father got brainwashed by that man, so much that he trusted him so deeply. His father still doubted him, even after he tried to defend himself. Also, this Imperial Master stole Lady Chaoyan¡¯s idea about opening the restaurants and built the Hot-Pot restaurants ahead of them. Also, the Imperial Master decided to hand all the ie to the country, which made his father trust him even more. Also, his father had fortified the guard over him, and he was unable to do something to the Imperial Master, nor was he able to make his father trust him again. It took him a lot of effort to run away from where he was grounded, and he could not spend too long away from the ce where he was grounded. Prince Muyi said to Gu Chaoyan seriously, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, it is not that easy to deal with the Imperial Master right now. The Imperial Master ran the business personally before, but now he has contributed the ie to the country, so my father is definitely going to interfere with it. If he does interfere, we will have difficulty in punishing the Imperial Master after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can not really do anything right now, nor am I able to help you. You talked about working with me, but things have gone so terribly. It is my fault that I did not see through the Imperial Master in the past.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Most of my money in the mansion has been handed over to the country, except for some that I have hidden. I will try to get that amount and give it to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That is a way ofpensating you,¡± Prince Muyi said, looking really bitter. The Imperial Master had the intention of helping him so that he could take the throne, since then the Imperial Master would be able to be in the high position. That was why he kept helping him so that he would have a smooth time in the Feather Mulberry Land, but now¡­ The Imperial Master had changed his target, and his father adored his brother above all. So that made everything difficult for him. No wonder the Imperial Master promised to be able to help him no matter what. However, even if that was the case, he did not regret what he had done. Gu Chaoyan waved her hands. ¡°Coboration rarely goes smoothly. You don¡¯t have to take the responsibility yourself. I am at the Feather Mulberry Land, so I decided toe up with some ways to solve the problem. We are not giving up yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if the King is going to interfere with us, we can still find a solution,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. She was very confident in herself. @@novelbin@@ As they were speaking, Yinfeng rushed in and exchanged a few words with Prince Muyi, whose face changed. Chapter 913 - Killing Two Birds with One Stone

Chapter 913: Killing Two Birds with One Stone

She said calmly, ¡°That is what life is ¨C you have to lose something to get something back. Since what we n is to take revenge on the Imperial Master, then we will need to pay something from our side. We may not be able to earn arge amount of money with this matter, but isn¡¯t it a fun thing, after all? We are going to make that arrogant man trip over.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Imperial Master believes that we are not able to do anything while we are in the Feather Mulberry Land, so he does whatever he wants, but he is wrong.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled. Zhou Huaiyu and Wuhen, can¡¯t help but cross their arms ¨C this Lady Chaoyan was way too evil inside her heart, she could irritate anyone who punished her in a very implicit way. They felt the hair on the back of their neck rising. Gu Chaoyan continued without caring about the look of fear on their faces. ¡°Also, we have earned a great deal of profits from the branded dishes served at Yellow Crane, and the profits are gained from the liquor we sell. So even if we don¡¯t earn much money with food, we can still sell liquor.¡± And when the Imperial Master loses his business at the restaurants, the national storage would start to get empty. The King would be very unused to not receiving so much money every day, since he had already developed the habit of receiving so much ie. What would he do then? He could be persuaded into selling liquor! They could ask the King to allow them to sell the liquor at their restaurant, and the King would be able to get the ie earned from the liquor. In this way, he would be very motivated. Maybe¡­ at that time, Prince Muyi and the Imperial Master would have a different position in the King¡¯s heart. ¡°The imperial family of the Feather Mulberry Land are selling the wine, and since the King told Prince Muyi to sell the wine in the Saint Divine Land, then it basically means that the King is no longer as persistent with the wine like he was in the past. He no longer thinks that only the imperial family should be allowed to drink it. Since that is the case, things will be much easier.¡± Gu Chaoyan reminded them. @@novelbin@@ She had given a very clear exnation of what was happening, and everyone present understood what she meant. Yinfeng got startled. This Lady Chaoyan was extremely smart. It only took her such a short while to sort out the whole incident ande up with such a perfect n. Well¡­ No wonder Prince Muyi stressed that he should take good care of Lady Chaoyan. At the beginning, he did not understand why Prince Muyi would want to put focus upon this woman, when everyone else looked so outstanding, but now he understood clearly that it was because this woman was way too smart to be ordinary. And she had her own ideas and ns. If her method was conducted, then the Imperial Master would soon fall. He knew the King well ¨C he only believed someone devoted when that person brought him profits. If that person failed to bring him any more profits, the King would think less of that man. So if Prince Muyi took this opportunity and became that devoted man, he would definitely regain his old position. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I will do that now!¡± Yinfeng said. He had tried to press down his excitement at this moment, but he just could not help uttering a cheerful sound. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She was in a good mood. Wuhen sized up Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 915 - Already?

Chapter 915: Already?

¡°We should beat the enemy suddenly! If the Imperial Master already knows that I am behind the whole thing, it would be less fun! We can make him believe that it is just someone who wants to make some money that started the whole thing. In this way, he will not take it seriously. By that time, I can appear and I would very much like to see what expression the Imperial Master has on his face then. He thinks that everyone is scared of him here in the Feather Mulberry Land,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. Her smile was faint and cold, not fierce at all, but it made Zhou Huaiyu hug himself. ¡°That is so evil! Brother, aren¡¯t you afraid of her?¡± Zhou Huaiyu turned to Zhou Huaijin with a look of pity. He suddenly felt that if he married someone who only wanted to be the master of the women in the mansion, it was a good choice. At least, she would stay indoors throughout her life. And she would note up with such an evil idea. Zhou Huaijin had no expression on his face. He did not understand what he should be afraid of. Instead, he took hold of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands and said, ¡°She is good, really good and I like her no matter how she is.¡± Zhou Huaiyu shook his goosebump off him. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here any more. I need to get back to my own room.¡± Then he went out and Wuhen followed. Zhou Huaijin looked at Zhou Huaiyu in confusion, wondering where he had done wrong. Gu Chaoyan withdrew her hands, red at him and went to take a break with Sword One. Fu Bao was chuckling next to them. @@novelbin@@ In the Saint Divine Land, people had manners ¨C girls were introverted, men behaved like a gentleman, even the most devoted couple would not have expressed their love so openly, but here in the Feather Mulberry Land, people were more straightforward. Yet even then they proposed at the door rather than express their affection in front of the girls directly. However, Fu Bao believed that being straightforward was good. One should not prevent themself from expressing their affection, if the feeling was so strong. When they got everything settled, it was gettingte too. So they went back to their own room to sleep. *** When they woke up, it was already the following day. The climate in the Feather Mulberry Land was very good, and the season was just right. Their yard was huge, so the breakfast was delivered to each one¡¯s room rather than shared together. However, after breakfast, Gu Chaoyan dly proposed to walk around in the Feather Mulberry Land. They were all happy to hear the idea, so they went out together. After they went out of the alleyway with the wagon, they got out of it and started to walk along the street. In front of them was the capital of the Feather Mulberry Land. Gu Chaoyan suddenly got emotional. No wonder Prince Muyi would try to sell some of their wine to other countries ¨C the capital of the Feather Mulberry Land was not really flourishing. In Gu Chaoyan¡¯s opinion, the capital looked as flourishing as Bingzhou in the Saint Divine Land, but Bingzhou was not part of the Saint Divine Land, strictly speaking. They spent some time in the capital and soon, she obtained enough knowledge of the ce, thanks to what Xiao Jin had offered to her. They had nned to have lunch somewhere, but gave up the idea after some contemtion. So they returned to their own yard. Gu Chaoyan was sure that the restaurant operated by the Imperial Master could only bring in ie in the capital, whilst her method could bring in money in all 15 towns of the country. They had just gotten back to the yard when Gu Chaoyan saw Yinfeng. She was slightly surprised. ¡°All settled?¡± Chapter 918 Chapter 918: Yes@@novelbin@@ When Fortune Restaurant was mentioned, the guests at the Luo¡¯s were all suddenly attracted. After all, the branded dish of Fortune Restaurant was a heatedly discussed topic in the capital. Themon civilians could not afford to eat there, so they had been talking about that all the time. The branded dish served at that restaurant was more like an everyday thing for noble people. So they barely showed it off. However, since they did not show it off, themon civilians had an even higher expectation towards the branded dish there. Everyone would like to have a taste of the branded dish that noble people ate, which was only talked about among themselves. And people just could not help but mention Fortune Restaurant, since the Luo¡¯s was situated next to it. When Fortune Restaurant was mentioned, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn. Zhou Huaiyu was standing at the counter. He almost spilled out the water he was about to drink. Gu Chaoyan had predicted that it would happen! She could be a fortune-teller! When they were discussing the n, he was thinking about hiring some actors to lead out this topic, but Gu Chaoyan, as far as he remembered, waved her hands and said with a look of determination. ¡°No need, someone is definitely going to mention it tomorrow. When thates, all you need to do is to tell them how they are able to eat the same thing here, that is all.¡± He had thought that if no one mentioned the topic today, he would get some actors to lead this out and then¡­ He was going tough at Gu Chaoyan for her prediction, but¡­ She had predicted it correctly! Well, he would have no chance tough at her any more. At this moment, the guests already heated up the topic. The man who was talking was in the middle of describing the taste whilst saying timidly, ¡°But we are just ordinary people, who will not be able to have a taste of the expensive dish even after months of umtion. We even get disdained by the waiters there too.¡± At this moment, Zhou Huaiyu took the chance and joined them. He looked at aplicated yet confused expression and asked, ¡°The dish you talk about¡­ isn¡¯t it about a pot with spicy soup and you can cook your own meat pieces and vegetables inside?¡± The man who talked about the branded dish did not find the description matching the exquisiteness of the branded dish, but after he thought about it for a while¡­ He felt that this manager was right. That was how the branded dish was served there, it seemed. So he nodded. Zhou Huaiyu said with a smile, ¡°I have never eaten anything like that before, but as far as I can tell, it is extremely easy to eat things like that. We here at Luo¡¯s don¡¯t even put it as a branded dish. It is just a pot with boiling spicy soup and we have our food already prepared in the kitchen, so you can cook them yourselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you want to eat it, we can prepare one for you. It is very simple, we will ask the kitchen to prepare some dishes and a pot with boiling soup, then apart from today, we will charge you at a normal price.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Apart from spicy soup, we can make spicy mutton soup, spicy beef soup, pork rib bone soup, all are suitable for vegetables and meat. It is free today! If you like them today, you cane and pay us for the meat dish, it¡¯s not that expensive, is it?¡± Zhou Huaiyu said with a smile, looking very friendly. When the guests heard the description, they found that it seemed to be right. It was the same as Fortune Restaurant, and cheaper. They had to have a try! ¡°Then we will take one portion!¡± Chapter 921 Chapter 921: The Boastful Zhou Huaiyu@@novelbin@@ When the guests at the Luo¡¯s heard what Changgui said, they all turned in his direction. Most of the guests did not know who Changgui was, because most of the guests could not afford to eat at Fortune Restaurant, but some of them recognized him. No one spoke at the moment. They were all waiting to see what would happen next. Zhou Huaiyu came out when he heard the sound of an argument. He saw the waiters from Fortune Restaurant, but asked with a smile. ¡°Are you eating here? We have no seats avable now. What about waiting for a while or you can change to another ce.¡± Changgui nced at the hall. The seats were indeed all taken, but they were not here for food. ¡°Are you the manager?¡± Changgui asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Huaiyu replied. ¡°We are from Fortune Restaurant, you must have heard about it, it is thergest restaurant not far from here. Our manager is the Imperial Master. He is asking you to leave, because you are casting bad influence over our restaurant! The Imperial Master is an easygoing person. You are not allowed to open a restaurant here in the capital, but you are allowed to open it somewhere else. Move out of this ce, then we will leave you alone,¡± Changgui said with an intimidating tone. He included his own ideas inside too. None of them wanted this restaurant to stay. Hearing what Changgui said, Zhou Huaiyu did not get scared. Instead, heughed. ¡°The Imperial Master? Just because he is the Imperial Master doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that he can do whatever he wants. There is now written in the Feather Mulberry Land that no restaurants are allowed to be opened close to the Imperial Master¡¯s restaurant. We are civilians and we can open restaurants too. So our restaurant is not breaching thew, nor are we causing any trouble to the public order. Why should we shut down?¡± Zhou Huaiyu asked confusedly, as if he had heard no words from the people in front of him. Changgui frowned and his face changed. He had had some expectations before he set foot here. The Imperial Master owned Fortune Restaurant, and even though the Imperial Master was not part of the imperial family, he was still the leader of the ministers. Everyone had to pay respect to the Imperial Master here in the Feather Mulberry Land! Even those officers and ministers showed respect, but this manager of the Luo¡¯s wasn¡¯t scared of the Imperial Master at all. And he did not seem to care either. Changgui was startled for a very long time, but now he was reminded of what the Imperial Master said to him. Instead of changing his attitudes, he said, ¡°I believe that you don¡¯t know much about Fortune Restaurant. Fortune Restaurant is run by the Imperial Master, but the ie has all been given to the national storage. So the King reads the billing note of Fortune Restaurant as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are not shutting your restaurant down, you just can¡¯t do it in the capital.¡± Changgui added. Zhou Huaiyu snorted. ¡°The King reads your billing notes, because your manager contributes to the national storage with your ie. That is why the King reads them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are paying tax too, but we can¡¯t give the ie to the national storage, because we are civilians that need the ie to support our families.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°These two are unrted. Why should we shut down?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even the King would find this makes no sense,¡± Zhou Huaiyu said confidently. Chapter 925 Chapter 925: No Arrival Those three ministers were all working at the imperial court, yet they were still inferior to the Imperial Master. So when the Imperial Master invited them toe and have dinner at his restaurant, they should definitely ept the invitation. It was just a dinner, and they shouldn¡¯t have a reason to turn him down. If the three of them were present, then the other ministers and officers in the court would be present too. And if those noble people showed up at the restaurant, the rich people from the capital woulde and join them as well. In this way, he could at least guarantee that Fortune Restaurant would earn enough money within half a month. During this period, he would go and investigate the manager of the Luo¡¯s. He was going to see whether the manager had received authorization from the King or more importantly, from a prince. Then he would think about a proper solution. That should be the best arrangement so far. When the Imperial Master sorted out the whole thing, Changyi let out a sigh of relief. The Imperial Master was not a businessman, and he had never had any ideas regarding how to run a restaurant, but he had contacts. So when the restaurant was in trouble, he was able to make use of his contacts to gain some conveniences. Also, the Imperial Master was a man with strategies, and he knew what he should do. Therefore, he did not think that he had found the wrong leader. He believed that he would be able to have a wonderful career by following the Imperial Master. So confidence returned to his face, as he replied firmly. ¡°Okay, I will do that now!¡± The Imperial Master nodded in satisfaction and waved him away. When Changyi left, he got his own men to investigate the whole thing. Whilst he was taking a break in the elegant room, thinking about how to find out the King¡¯s ideas the following day. Everything seemed to be going forward. Only now did the Imperial Master feel slightly happier. It was never a good feeling to get ridden over by someone else. The Imperial Master had not had a good time in the Saint Divine Land, and after a few smooth months in the Feather Mulberry Land, the Imperial Master again ran into such trouble. He took a break after having his eyes closed for a while. Four hourster, Changyi returned, but the confidence on his face was gone. Instead, he looked extremely gloomy as he came to the Imperial Master. The Imperial Master nced at him and found that something was wrong. He should not have such a look on his face, if everything had gone smoothly. ¡°What happened?¡± The Imperial Master asked seriously, almost scolding him. ¡°Mr. Imperial Master, the three officers all turned down your offer. They would havee to Fortune Restaurant, even if they had to pay, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°But they said that they are eating the same thing as those ordinarymoners, who are not paying the same as they are. They are people with nobility, and they have to pay so much for just one meal at Fortune Restaurant whilst eating the same thing as themoners! The thing is, they don¡¯t care about the ss differences, it is just that they look so stupid when they have to pay so much money for something that is worth so little. They can¡¯te to Fortune Restaurant for food, but they can give you the money, if you want it.¡± Chapter 928 - A Couple

Chapter 928: A Couple

¡°So they have amon enemy,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. Well¡­ That was what she discovered after she came to the Feather Mulberry Land. So her n of making use of the conflict and introducing the Luo¡¯s into the Feather Mulberry Land had led to a very satisfactory result. As she was speaking, Gu Chaoyan could not help but add one more thing. ¡°Actually, if the Imperial Master had a better knowledge of himself, he would not have ended up in such a state. We spoke with him back in the Saint Divine Land, and he is a very self-conceited person who never reflects on himself or takes anyone seriously. Someone like him must have established very many enemies everywhere. People might tolerate when they have no chance to bring him down, so he mistakenly believes that he has be the leader of all the ministers, but when his enemies find the opportunity of bringing him down, they will do so directly.¡± Having said this, Gu Chaoyan took another sip of tea. She felt very thirsty after talking so much. When Zhou Huaiyu heard what she had said, he felt so strongly stricken that he just could not bring himself back. He was extremely startled. He had aplete understanding towards women, except when it came to Gu Chaoyan. He had always assumed that women only needed to guard whatever they had in the mansion and know how to bring down their femalepetitors, but Gu Chaoyan was a very discreet woman, who had seen through people and the imperialpetition in the Feather Mulberry Land. Or in other words, whatever she was doing had been well-nned, because when she made the n, she was making it based on people¡¯s nature. That was so amazing. She could even be the King. He looked at Gu Chaoyan and then at Zhou Huaijin. ¡°You are born to be a couple, both of you are so full of ns.¡± They should never offend this couple. He thought that the Imperial Master could have lived happily for a few more years, but he had offended Gu Chaoyan because of his own ignorance, so that he ended up in such a hobble. Well¡­ He did not think that the Imperial Master had understood what caused all of his trouble at this point. How pathetic! Zhou Huaiyu, at this moment, did not dare to make anyments upon what Gu Chaoyan said ¨C what if she held a grudge against him? He might even lose his own life! Zhou Huaiyu shook his head involuntarily. He asked seriously, ¡°What are we supposed to do next?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to do anything.The Luo¡¯s can stay open, and as for the Imperial Master¡­ he wille to us himself,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. ¡°He is suspecting that we have someone behind our back, and he must be looking into that right now. In a couple of days, he will find out who is our supporter, and then, he wille to us personally.¡± Zhou Huaiyu smiled. The Imperial Master could not have known that he was being watched, not physically, but mentally by someone else. Gu Chaoyan was indeed a very amazing woman. Yinfeng, who was standing next to them, could not help turning to Lady Chaoyan. He felt really assured inside his heart. He had been so worried during the past few months, but now, he was feeling better ¨C Lady Chaoyan was here, and she was making him feel safe. @@novelbin@@ He did not think that Prince Muyi had gained much from the Saint Divine Land, every year he went there to pay attributes, but this year¡­ He felt that the biggest harvest Prince Muyi had gained was to have befriended Lady Chaoyan, and showed his sincere intention of cooperating with her, so that Lady Chaoyan was willing to help him at this moment. Suddenly, Yinfeng was reminded of something. When Prince Muyi was in the Saint Divine Land before the New Year, the King told them to visit the Gu Mansion. There, the Old Master of the Gu Mansion had some words with Prince Muyi. Chapter 931 - What Are You Doing here?

Chapter 931: What Are You Doing here?

The Imperial Master showed a slightly shocked look on his face. He had thought that this man must be an ordinary businessman who had tried the branded dish at Fortune Restaurant and studied a simpler version at a lower price, but now it seemed different. This man had been to the capital of the Saint Divine Land, and he ate at Yellow Crane and got authorization from the manager of the Yellow Crane¡­ His face changed and he started to think about the whole thing once again. He was not having an easy time in the capital, and he should not leave some ¡°criminal traces¡± here. So he was going to say that he learned this from somewhere as well, ¡°¡± but the source he intended to use had been used by this man in front of him. However, he decided not to give in, and was about to exceed him instead. The Imperial Masterughed coldly staring at Zhou Huaiyu. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if you have been to Yellow Crane, you can¡¯t possibly have gained the authorization from the manager of Yellow Crane.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I visited the Saint Divine Land before the New Year, and at that time, the manager of Yellow Crane befriended me, and he authorized me to sell their branded dish here in the Feather Mulberry Land. Also, the manager of Yellow Crane authorized only me to sell the branded dish, and he even made a promise not to give the authorization to anyone else.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, who gave you the authorization anyway?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are too young to tell a lie in front of me,¡± the Imperial Master said confidently. He dared to make up the story, because being far away here in the Feather Mulberry Land, there would be no one from Yellow Crane who coulde and confirm what he had said. All he needed to do was to make himself look like the reasonable side. It did not matter whether this man in front of him was telling the truth or not. This man was none other than a businessman, and even if he was telling the truth, he was not in the advantageous position at this moment. ¡°Someone, get him now!¡± The Imperial Master snapped furiously. Wuhen pulled out his sword and shielded Zhou Huaiyu. At that moment, Gu Chaoyan, who heard the shouted order, walked out too. ¡°Mr. Imperial Master, why do I have no idea that you have gained authorization from Yellow Crane?¡± The Imperial Master found the voice very familiar. When he saw Gu Chaoyan he was startled! Gu Chaoyan! What was she doing here? Shouldn¡¯t she be in the Saint Divine Land ? It was impossible! There were many rules and manners in the Saint Divine Land, and Gu Chaoyan as a woman engaged to an imperial lord, should not be allowed to travel this far. What was she doing here in the Feather Mulberry Land? And what was she doing here at the Luo¡¯s? The Imperial Master felt as if his head was getting messy and stopped working. This was totally beyond his expectation. He had never imagined that Gu Chaoyan would be here. What was he going to do now that she was here? How should he deal with the situation? Fortune Restaurant was his life, and he could not let it be ruined! The Imperial Master¡¯s eyes were rolling as he thought fast and quickly. He said with a small voice, ¡°Lady Gu, I can share half of the profits from Fortune Restaurant!¡± That was the best solution he could think of at the moment. Gu Chaoyan threw him a calm look. ¡°Imperial Master. I don¡¯t think you understand what is going on here. I don¡¯t care what happens in the Feather Mulberry Land, but¡­¡± Chapter 933 - You Evil Woman

Chapter 933: You Evil Woman

Changyi had a very straightforward thought pattern, it was simple too. Thisdy was from the Saint Divine Land and she owned a veryrge restaurant. So she must have a lot of money as well. All the Imperial Master did was use her branded dish, and as someone living far from the Saint Divine Land, she and her own restaurant should not be harmed because of Fortune Restaurant, so thisdy should not insist on getting Fortune Restaurant into trouble! If her purpose was to earn money, Fortune Restaurant could just pay her. She did not have to be so persistent about this at all. Hearing what Changyi said, the Imperial Master nodded in satisfaction. He barely thought highly of those employees at Fortune Restaurant, and he found them annoying, but Changyi, who the Imperial Master had beaten and scolded numerous times, turned out to be very helpful. That was good. He was right. Gu Chaoyan was a businesswoman, and what she needed was just some money. She was driven out of her family and was marrying an imperial lord, so she needed to have dowries of her own. That was why she needed to earn money for herself. He could just pay her with whatever he had. It was very easy. Changyi was someone with a brain. Zhou Huaiyu, on the other hand, was surprised ¨C how could someone try so hard to sound reasonable in front of Lady Chaoyan, when they had already spoken clearly. He looked somehow irritated and was about to go up to Changyi, when Gu Chaoyan stopped him, seeing his intended move and told him not to take any action right now. Gu Chaoyan looked at Changyi. ¡°Why should I sell the branded dish to you, anyway?¡± ¡°¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°I am not selling the dish, nor do I need your money, what do you n to do to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is your court¡¯s problem, thay civilians of the Feather Mulberry Land are having a hard time. I am just a minor woman, so why should I take responsibility for your trouble?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are poor, yes, but can¡¯t you be a little bit more dignified?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are right, it is just one branded dish. So why didn¡¯t the Imperial Mastere and ask me for authorization, when he was in the Saint Divine Land?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most fundamental respect someone should show to others.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Imperial Master did not ask me. Instead, he took away my chef from Yellow Crane directly and started a business here in the Feather Mulberry Land instead. If everyone has this kind of idea¡­ what about us bringing some talents from your country instead?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You have no morality, so why do you call me evil?¡± Gu Chaoyan thought that someone was defending the Imperial Master for real, but that was not true. This man was full of dignity and sounded rather just, whilst the truth was that he was very selfish. He was not worrying about the Imperial Master, nor was he worried about the civilians in the Feather Mulberry Land or the civilians at Fortune Restaurant. He was worrying about himself. He was saying all of this, just for himself. For his own future. The Imperial Master was the one behind Fortune Restaurant, so he thought that he had found the rope to climb higher until he reached the top, but now the rope was broken, which made him panic. He looked as if he was dignified and thinking for the sake of others, but in fact, he was trying to threaten her. However, Gu Chaoyan wasn¡¯t someone ordinary. Those words did not frighten her at all. She waved her hands, telling the guards to take this man away. Panicking, Changyi shouted at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You evil woman!¡± Chapter 936 - Calling You to the Court

Chapter 936: Calling You to the Court

¡°We are leaving sooner orter, and apart from the chefs here at the Luo¡¯s, the others are hired by us, and they are leaving with us. I think that we can shut down the Luo¡¯s directly, because we have already achieved our purpose,¡± Zhou Huaiyu said with a reasonable tone. He said all of this, because he was the manager of the Luo¡¯s, but he was not going to be the manager forever. So he believed that it should be the best method to deal with the situation right now. Gu Chaoyan looked at Zhou Huaiyu with a seemingly smiling face. She thought that the reason why he was never a sessful businessman, after establishing so many casinos all these years, was probably because of his ideas. He was not a man to be restrained, so in the end, he was never going to let anyone take anything away from him. However, Gu Chaoyan was different. She saw value in this, so she decided to maximize the value of this thing. ¡°We are not shutting it down,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. ¡°The Luo¡¯s are making profits, and we are going to establish one of the Luo¡¯s in every 15 towns of the Feather Mulberry Land. We charge so little, so the civilians should be able to afford the food. I believe that the Luo¡¯s are going to be really busy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have promised to cooperate with Prince Muyi, but the situation has be different. The restaurant may be small, but it is still a business for cooperation. Also, Prince Muyi needs the restaurant to get his image overturned.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are coboration partners and friends, so we should help each other,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Well¡­ She had another purpose in helping Prince Muyi at the moment. Back in the capital, he told her that he was going to steal the throne in the future. If that was the case, then they should help someone like Prince Muyi, in case they need his help in the future too. Gu Chaoyan never considered herself someone innocent and kind. So she was doing a lot of things with a purpose, yet she was not going to hurt anyone. This time, she was going to help Prince Muyi, but she was not expecting that Prince Muyi had to help her afterwards. Well, that depended on what Prince Muyi wanted. That was what Gu Chaoyan was thinking. Zhou Huaiyu was in the middle of admiring Gu Chaoyan¡¯s n, when Yinfeng arrived, He came to Gu Chaoyan with great courtesy. He already got to know what happened to the Imperial Master, and was feeling very excited, but he was also very grateful for Lady Chaoyan. However, what mattered above all was to finish his task, so he would get everything done properly. Prince Muyi was in the right position to move around, so there were many things that needed to be done by him. He had to make sure that everything was properly-done, so that Lady Chaoyan would not be too concerned. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, the King is calling for you, but I have gotten the message ahead of time. Soon the Eunuch will arrive, please get ready,¡± Yinfeng said. He said this to Lady Chaoyan so that she would not be worried. The King was a very suspicious man ¨C look at how he treated Prince Muyi. He was even worried that the King would set up Lady Chaoyan because of what she did. Yinfeng thought for a while and said carefully, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I still have some hidden guards granted by the Prince. If anything happens in court, we will try our best to keep you safe!¡± Chapter 940 - For Real?

Chapter 940: For Real?

Before Gu Chaoyan said those words, the King had not expected that Gu Chaoyan would contribute to the national storage like the Imperial Master. After all, Gu Chaoyan did not need his shelter like the Imperial Master. However, before he received the ultimate answer, he had thought that he might be reputable enough to make her change her mind. Therefore, he felt slightly greedy inside his heart. However, when Gu Chaoyan put forward her intention straightforwardly, the King felt slightly displeased. Despite his displeasure, he was not going to say anything straightforwardly. After all, she was the owner of the Luo¡¯s, and there had never been any rules among the four countries that civilians should not start a business transnationally. Actually, the trading between the four countries had been very frequent. It would be totally reasonable, if she intended to keep the Luo¡¯s, but if she intended to close it, it would be a huge loss for him. The Imperial Master was not a very down-to-earth person, but he was the person that benefited from his business. The Imperial Master¡¯s ie was all attributed to the national storage. However, right now, the Imperial Master was taken back to the prison of the Ministry of Personnel instead of gaining any profits. The King was feeling really stifled inside. ¡°However¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan added as if looking very confused. The King¡¯s eyes brightened up as he looked at Gu Chaoyan. He wondered what other n she might have in her mind. ¡°However, I would still love to contribute half of the profits of the Luo¡¯s to the national storage of the Feather Mulberry Land. Well, I am not doing this for any personal reason, but for the sake of Prince Muyi. I am doing this for the civilians of the Feather Mulberry Land,¡± Gu Chaoyan said, sounding hesitant. The King looked really confused and surprised. Muyi? ¡°How is it rted to Muyi?¡± The King asked curiously. ¡°That is a long story. Back in the Saint Divine Land, when Prince Muyi and the Imperial Master visited us, they came to my Yellow Crane in the Saint Divine Land. Yellow Crane is the most famous and biggest restaurant in the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Imperial Master of yours is an ambitious man. He had some n of his own for Yellow Crane, but it wasn¡¯t easy for him to do anything about it, and the Imperial Master has offended many people from the imperial family of the Saint Divine Land.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My restaurant became the biggest restaurant in the capital, thanks to theplicated connections behind it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Prince Muyi was worried that the Imperial Master would have made the diplomatic rtionship between the two countries worse, so he decided to send the Imperial Master back home. However, the Imperial Master developed a grudge against me, so he took out a dagger and wanted to have me killed when no one was around. Luckily, Prince Muyi acted fast and saved me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If not for Prince Muyi, I might have been harmed badly. So I owed Prince Muyi a favor.¡± The King¡¯s face went through many changes during the process. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, are you sure?¡± the King asked. ¡°Of course, Lord Huai and Lord Yu, as well as the lineal daughter of General Liu know all about this. None of what I said was false.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered seriously. Well none of what she told was actually true, but Gu Chaoyan stressed those people, because she wanted to make the King understand the importance of the incident. @@novelbin@@ The King looked dumbfounded. That was not what the Imperial Master said when he met him earlier. If what Lady Chaoyan said was true¡­ Chapter 944 - Alright?

Chapter 944: Alright?

¡°Starting from tomorrow on, you can move back to your own mansion, and you can have a selection of your guards, who you like to keep. The guards I offered you aren¡¯t fitting, so they can remain in the court. You can go and keep your motherpany today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, there are a few things I would like you to do at the moment,¡± the King said with a kind tone. Muyi looked very curious. He acted as if he had no idea what happened, or understood what was happeningter, but one thing he could be sure of ¨C he was no longer grounded. ¡°Is that true, father?¡± Muyi asked. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you father, I have noints about it!¡± Muyi said sharply. The King nodded with satisfaction. It was good. He should not have anyints either. The whole country was the King¡¯s, so no one should have anyints against whatever decision he had made! It was good that Muyi understood the situation well. So he could be fully assured to pass on the business to him. @@novelbin@@ As for what happened before¡­ he could just ignore that. Muyi did not have to know the details, which should be good for him. ¡°Lady Chaoyan runs a restaurant called the Luo¡¯s, but she is going back to the Saint Divine Land soon, so she won¡¯t be able to operate the restaurant personally. You can take it over. Lady Chaoyan told me that you had reached a deal to coborate in the past, and I trust that you will be able to do this business well. You can just tell me, if you need to hire someone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will promote your mother¡¯s position too, and she will be a Princess Consort. If you do this business well, I will make your mother the head of the four Princess Consorts.¡± The King made a promise. Muyi looked at the King with gratitude, and kneeled down directly, ¡°Thank you so much, father!¡± The King waved his hands. He was very satisfied by his arrangement and how Muyi reacted. The whole thing went smoothly. All he needed to do was to make some arrangements, which should not be a big deal. When he was done with Muyi, he looked at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°What do you think of the arrangement, Lady Chaoyan? Muyi will be in charge of the whole business.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded and said with a smile, ¡°I am very happy that Prince Muyi can take over.¡± The King smiled brightly. He had been so troubled by how the situation was developing and he even got annoyed by Lady Chaoyan. Unexpectedly, he received such a great result today which made him feel extremely satisfied. d, he asked politely, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, are you having an inconvenient time outside? I can get you into a hostel, which should be more useful for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I am leaving soon, so we can save the trouble,¡± Gu Chaoyan said, replying to him with some polite words. Soon Gu Chaoyan left the court. The King asked Muyi to walk Gu Chaoyan out of the court, but on the way out to the court, Muyi and Gu Chaoyan exchanged no words, and all Muyi did was to see her off at the gate. As they came out of the court¡­ Muyi spotted Yinfeng who was disguised and waiting not too far away. He nodded at Yinfeng and then said a few words of care to Gu Chaoyan before walking back into the court. When Gu Chaoyan left the court, Yinfeng asked with a small voice as they were in the wagon, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, is Prince going to be fine?¡± Chapter 947 - For You

Chapter 947: For You

Then she ced her hands over Zhou Huaijin¡¯s and caressed the back of his hands, consoling. That made Zhou Huaijin feel much more assured. She was right in front of him. All was well. Zhou Huaiyu looked at the couple, and subconsciously, felt somewhat displeased, but it was just a stifling feeling stirring inside himself. Instead of saying something, he drank two cups of tea, despite the fact that he was not thirsty at all. It was very quiet in the room for a while. Gu Chaoyan did not like talking much. Most of the time, she sat there quietly. Zhou Huaijin was a very cold person as well, and he was mostly quiet too, in line with Gu Chaoyan. Zhou Huaiyu, however, was a very happy man, who was in a bad mood at this moment. He just did not feel like being in a good mood, nor was he interested in saying anything more, but he did not understand what made him feel so gloomy. Fortunately at that moment, Yinfeng¡¯s voice arose from outside. Yinfeng was a very obedient person who, despite the rxing circumstance, still greeted them outside without guards at the door. He asked them for permission first before walking in. And when he saw Gu Chaoyan, he still bowed to her even though she was a woman who did not care about those traditional manners. Gu Chaoyan used to tell him that he did not have to bow to her, but she said no more, when she saw Yinfeng doing it out of habit. She nodded. ¡°Come in, Yinfeng.¡± Yinfeng walked in and greeted both Zhou Huaijin and Zhou Huaiyu, then said to Gu Chaoyan, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I have already arranged the staff who are going to work at the Luo¡¯s starting from tomorrow on, just as you told me to.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. In the past, Gu Chaoyan would be very surprised by how fast Yinfeng reacted and got everything arranged, but after spending some time together, she found that it was Yinfeng¡¯s style ¨C he was always good at doing what he was asked to, and he always did it perfectly. So by this point, Gu Chaoyan was no longer surprised. Yinfeng was a capable man, anyway. ¡°The staff I have brought with me should stay and work for you. He can be returned to me after the Luo¡¯s is opened ording to the n. He is a very experienced person from Yellow Crane, so you can turn to him for anything if you aren¡¯t sure about what to do at the Luo¡¯s. He is able to fix almost everything.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lady Chaoyan!¡± Yinfeng said with a firm voice. That almost startled Gu Chaoyan. When she finished talking with Yinfeng, she realized that she had aplished her mission here in the Feather Mulberry Land. From this moment on, she was not going to meet Muyi and Yinfeng any more. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while. She cherished this talent, and she paid extra attention to him. So she took out a few medical bottles and ced them on the table. ¡°Yinfeng, take those pills. They are not specific to any disease, but no matter what injuries you have, those pills should work. You can take it in an emergency, and if you have time, you can boil it with medical soup. The pills melt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°These pills are all for you since you will have to deal with a lot of things being next to Prince. Keep them, so that you can feel assured,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Yinfeng was startled. @@novelbin@@ So¡­ those pills were for him? He looked at Lady Chaoyan. Chapter 949 - Long-Term

Chapter 949: Long-Term

¡°Also, I heard that the Sheng Town in the Feather Mulberry Land is full of fun. There is ake there, very auspicious, if you pick up a brick by theke and make a prayer in the temple, the wishes you make wille true.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Lian Town too, is full of bizarre people and things, someone smashes rocks with his chest for example, some people spit fire, everything is so interesting for us to see.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You and the Eighth Brother are engaged, but you can¡¯t hold the wedding this year. You two can take this opportunity and travel about, as apensation for your loss!¡± Zhou Huaiyu subconsciously spilled out what he believed was fun to them. However, none of these had been interesting to him in the past, except for right now, when he could just constantly spiel. When he was done with mentioning all of these, he suddenly started to despise himself. He hated what he had said, because it all seemed like lies. He even felt that he was making up stories for a child. He remembered that the Queen was once so nice to him, when he was still a little boy too. When he thought of the Queen and looked at Zhou Huaijin, his face sank. Gu Chaoyan took a sip of the tea. She heard what Zhou Huaiyu said and was very interested to visit these ces as well, but she and Huaijin should not be away from the capital for too long. Huaijin had his n for stealing the throne, and they needed to make a full arrangement about this. Things kept changing in the capital, and she did not want to be away from the city for too long so that they could keep control of the situation there. Therefore, they had to return to the capital. And Zhou Huaiyu, who had already spent so much time with them, was already so helpful. She would not possibly force him to return to the capital with them, since he liked traveling about. So if he had such interest in traveling, it would be much easier for her to say the following words. Gu Chaoyan said kindly, ¡°Me and Huaijin have to return to the capital these days, but if you would like to have a tour in the Feather Mulberry Land, you can just stay. Don¡¯t feel stressed about leaving us, we can cope with all the questions if we arrive alone back in the capital.¡± Hearing her words, Zhou Huaiyu released a thin and timidugh. A look ofplication hovered over his face. After a long while, he nodded. ¡°Okay, then Wuhen and I will have a tour around the Feather Mulberry Land, you can return with Huaijin, just¡­ be careful!¡± They had to part the ways sooner orter, and an early parting would make the whole thing easier. @@novelbin@@ That was what Zhou Huaiyu was thinking inside his heart. Huaijin was his brother, whose mother had helped him to grow up well. So throughout his whole life, he was going to take Huaijin¡¯s side rather than do anything to hurt him. Zhou Huaiyu would not have been so ethical, if it had been someone else. Zhou Huaijin, who was standing next to him, said nothing, but noticed everything. He did not give it much thought, but believed that his brother was eager to have family around him since he had always grown up alone. However, the situation was chaotic at the moment, and everything was popping up and down in the capital, so they just could not be away from the capital for too long. He patted Zhou Huaiyu¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Brother, we still have a long life ahead of us. I am sure that there will be a time when we are all gathered happily in the capital, without any other worries haunting us.¡± Zhou Huaiyu was totally dumbfounded as he stared directly at Zhou Huaijin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Brother, you¡­¡± Chapter 952 - Take Xie Yan Away

Chapter 952: Take Xie Yan Away

Mo Bing, who was still wearing a poker face, looked at Gu Chaoyan and did not stop her. It was a man she knew. Zhou Huaijin also joined them at this point. He was slightly surprised, seeing that it was Xie Yan in front of them. @@novelbin@@ Xie Yan was Zhou Huailing¡¯s strategist. It was publicly known to everyone in the capital. He was the man that followed Zhou Huailing around and helped hime up with solutions to different things. What was he doing here on the path of Bingzhou and why was he so badly injured as to stop a wagon. What had happened!? Xie Yan had not expected that it was Gu Chaoyan and Lord Huai he was running into. He was in a very crucial situation right now and he had no other way out ¨C he needed someone to save his life. In the meanwhile, he was also quite d that it was Gu Chaoyan and Lord Huai he ran into, since they were the Heir¡¯s enemy and they were definitely not going to sell him out, even if they might not save his life, but Xie Yan still tried and said anxiously, ¡°Help me, please!¡± Gu Chaoyan thought for a while about this man. She had to know what happened, even if she did not have the intention to save him. So under such an emergency, she could only just take him away first. Gu Chaoyan turned to Zhou Huaijin, who nodded. Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly, ¡°Take him, and clean the blood traces.¡± Mo Bing nodded and threw a look at this man. He was a smart person, who was not caught by his enemies despite being so badly injured. He had the brain to have dealt with the blood traces, although he was so badly injured. He wiped his blood on his body and did not allow it to flow too much. He even tied some pieces of clothing around his feet so no footprints would remain. So it wasn¡¯t that difficult for Mo Bing to clean up the blood traces, anyway. When Xie Yan was taken into the wagon, they continued to head towards Bingzhou. Ignoring the wound on his body, Xie Yan lifted the drapery and looked out, fully aware that the wagon was heading towards Bingzhou, which he agreed to. It was the most dangerous yet safest ce for him, since the Heir¡¯s men should not expect that he was running back to Bingzhou, after trying to run away from it. He had gotten his life saved, and as for others, he needed toe up with another n. Well¡­ He had not expected that the Heir not only failed to keep his promise, but also tried to have him killed. He had been working for the Heir devotedly throughout his whole life, so why must the Heir have him tormented? He was not supposed to die now. Because of Xie Yan¡¯s appearance, Gu Chaoyan could not continue to head back to the capital. Instead, they decided to spend the night at the hotel in the outskirts of Bingzhou first. Xie Yan was badly injured, but Mo Bing had treated the wounds for him. Most of the wounds were on his body, so when his clothes were changed, he looked as if he had never been injured. They moved in, after they got the hostels arranged. Zhou Huaijin asked the hidden guards of Shadow Door to put on some medicine for Xie Yan. He looked covered in blood, but most of the wounds were just on the surface, which required only some light medicine. Gu Chaoyan did not suggest helping him, nor did she offer any pills for this man. Gu Chaoyan was a doctor, but she did not treat every patient that came into her sight. Xie Yan had done many terrible things with Zhou Huailing, and it was unknown what happened to him. Also, she did not even need to do anything about this man, since his wounds were not serious at all. When his wounds were properly dealt with, Gu Chaoyan went to see Xie Yan. Instead of starting any chitchat, she asked directly, ¡°What is going on?¡± Chapter 955 - Extraordinary Man

Chapter 955: Extraordinary Man

¡°Do you regret leaving the Heir and ending up being where you are? You have no power, nor position, and you are being hunted down and on the run for your life. If you had not left, you would share the flourishing future with the Heir, who is going to take the throne. If he makes it, you would have a great future!¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly, though the whole story should be more inspiring. @@novelbin@@ Xie Yan snorted when he heard what Gu Chaoyan said. He was no longer the Heir¡¯s strategist for one thing, and for another, it was the Heir who broke the promise with him. So Xie Yan had been feeling really annoyed. Since the topic was mentioned, he snapped without sparing any thoughts. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am just a strategist, but I have my own ambitions and opinions, and I see further than most of the officers and ministers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have been learning to be a strategist since I understood the world.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I had seen through everything, when I was serving the Heir. I also wanted to help someone to take the throne, which is what a strategist dreams about. So why did I drop out?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Because the Heir won¡¯t be able to take the throne.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yes, he is the Heir and his mother is adored by the King and he has married the Phoenix Girl, but I still don¡¯t think that he will be the one.¡± The Phoenix Girl? She was such a stupid woman who could not even take care of the mansion. She was dumb enough to buy the music to summon the phoenix and slept with other men before marrying Lord Ling¡­ she was capable of nothing, and he could see no good points in her. And yet she imed that she was the Phoenix Girl! Either they were wrong about finding the Phoenix Girl, or the whole thing about Phoenix Girl was just a joke! Xie Yan snapped. A Pheonix Girl should be smart and graceful. However, the Heir, who did not make efforts himself and turned to the Phoenix Girl for help through marriage, even divorced his original wife! Could such a man be the King? If he did make it to the throne, then he would think that the whole country was a joke. And even if he was going to be the Heir, he, as the strategist, was not going to help him to achieve it. He did not think that it was a way for the strategist to be respected. That was what Xie Yan was thinking, but he was not going to say it. Well¡­ The Heir was not a fair man, yet he as the strategist should not bad mouth the Heir behind his back. He was going to stick to his own red lines and principles. Hearing what Xie Yan said, Gu Chaoyan believed that he was a person with a clear head and special judgment. He was not an ordinary man. ¡°Just be assured. Since we promised to keep you safe for two months, we will stick to what we have said. You don¡¯t have to be so worried, but try to recover as fast as you can. We will have everything else arranged.¡± Gu Chaoyan stressed that she was going to keep him safe for two more months, she was being truthful rather than putting forward a leverage like before. Xie Yan let out a sigh of relief. Good that she did not renege on that. Two months should be enough for him to have his future well-nned. Xie Yan said, despite the fact that he was receiving leverage. ¡°Thanks.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded and walked out of the room. The moment she was out, Zhou Huaijin asked, ¡± How did it go, what do you think?¡± Chapter 959 - Displeased

Chapter 959: Displeased

That was an easy yet difficult thing. Lord Huai was allowed to return to the capital, because he was the Lord, but the Heir did not like it that Lord Huai returned at this moment. One of the reasons why the Heir did not like it was because he had not yet gotten everything arranged and found a firm spot for himself, and Lord Huai¡¯s return was definitely going to hurt his n. In the court, many important ministers conventionally assumed that Lord Huai, who was born from the Queen, should be the rightful heir for the throne. If Lord Huai was absent from the capital for long, then they could just reveal to the conventional ministers that Lord Huai had no intention of taking the throne, so they could change their mind. However, since he was back in the capital, the Heir¡¯s message to them would not work. That was why he got very anxious. However, he believed that as the Heir he was already granted the position so he did not have to be anxious about anything. They could just wait. ¡°My suggestion is that you can go into the court and pass on the message to the King to see what he thinks. You are the Heir and your Princess Consort is the Phoenix Girl, so you don¡¯t have to be too nervous about it. Many people are going towards your side. That is the trend. Hearing his words, Zhou Huailing did not feel as annoyed and felt slightly morefortable. Junyi was right. He was the one with his destiny written in the stars. Xie Yan had not been aware of this, and did not believe that he could make it. He always thought that he would fail, but Junyi was different. Junyi had a long-term vision and could tell the situation clearly. He had just made an excellent suggestion, so he should visit the court first. ¡°Okay then, I will visit the court now, and you can take a break ¡± Zhou Huailing said as he patted his shoulders. ¡°It is okay, I can just wait for you to return.¡± Junyi said politely. Zhou Huailing said nothing more. He was just being polite when he asked him to leave. He had expected Junyi to wait for him anyway. It was good that he had the same intention. He was very satisfied with Junyi as his strategist. @@novelbin@@ Then he hurried away. Zhou Huailing headed directly to Qianqing Pce, as the evening approached. The King spent most of his time at Qianqing Pce, despite the new girls the Ministry of Rites had picked for him. Zhou Huailing liked this idea that he did not visit the new girls ¨C his father was too old to have any energy for women, and that was good. Zhou Huailing could avoid receiving anotherpetitive brother, who would be a trouble for him and his mother. As long as his mother could get what she needed, then Zhou Huailing would be happy about it. *** The King was reading and drinking tea. De Fu brought those books from Weiyang Pce, which belonged to the Queen. The King asked curiously at the sight of Zhou Huailing, ¡°What are you doing here sote at night?¡± ¡°Father, the Eighth Brother has juste back to the capital. He passed the gate today and was seen by my man there, so I came to inform you about this, on my way to deliver the pastries for my mother,¡± Zhou Huailing said gently. Lord Huai was back? The King was startled. Despite his surprise, he still said to Zhou Huailing. ¡°It is considerate of you. You are very nice to your mother, who gets to eat the pastry you prepare so often. The chef has been busy with my kitchen, but luckily, you have chefs from the South who make good pastry,¡± the King said, praising him. Then he was reminded of his eighth son. He suddenly felt disappointed. When it came to the treatment of his father¡­. Chapter 961 - Interests Matter

Chapter 961: Interests Matter

¡°How is it, Heir?¡± Junyi asked concernedly, when he saw Zhou Huailing. Zhou Huailing was in a good mood, so when he came into the study, he sat down and drank some tea. As a matter of fact, when he was in the court, he was already sure what his father meant, but he still came to Junyi¡¯s side, intending to tell him what he had heard. In this way, he could hear from Junyi regarding whether what he had understood was urate. On the other hand, he should also tell Junyi about Destiny Monk to see if he had some other ideas that could help him. He had too few people to trust and hire right now. Gu Zhenkang, who was working at the Ministry of Personnel, did not seem to be of any help. He was not capable enough at all, so he did not want to rely on his father-inw. As for Gu Yunhe¡­ he was even worse. He messed up everything he entrusted him with. He had also hired some strategists before, but none of them were even up to the standard of Xie Yan! So right now, only a few people, including Junyi, were able to offer help. That was why he decided to tell him about Destiny Monk. He sipped the tea and said, ¡°Father told me that as an Heir, I will get whatever I need, and I don¡¯t have to pay attention to Lord Huai.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, the Destiny Monk was seen in Lingzhou, though I don¡¯t think that you know who the Destiny Monk¡­¡± ¡°I do.¡± Junyi replied. Zhou Huailing was surprised. He had thought about exining to Junyi about the Destiny Monk, yet unexpectedly, he knew who that man was! ¡°Destiny Monk, as his name says, is the only person who knows about destiny in this world,¡± Junyi said with a serious look on his face. ¡°He knows what lies beyond the four countries, and he knows how to get help from Heaven.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My master told me about this, but few people have a clear knowledge of it, and even fewer know what is really going on. Not everything is real in this world, but Destiny Monk will tell us the correct and true answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Heir, I believe that you should organize your own team to conduct a search for the Destiny Monk, before the King does,¡± Junyi said seriously. Zhou Huailing suddenly felt as if he had just had an incredible idea. No one had reminded him about this in the past, so he kept waiting for the King to find the Destiny Monk for him. He had never expected that if he found the man first and understood what was going on, then he could make an even better n for himself. @@novelbin@@ No one had any idea of what the Destiny Monk knew about the Heavenly Dao. No one had any idea of what was happening in the future, for everything could be changed. ¡°Junyi, you are totally right. We have to find the Destiny Monk before the King does. Interests and himself are what father cares about, rather than me. I may be his most important son, yet I am not as important as him!¡± Zhou Huailing said emotionally. After all, his father seemed to be very attached to the Queen and his Eighth Brother, and he might not be an exception, after all. ¡°Junyi, I have an idea¡­¡± Chapter 966 Chapter 966: Not a Simple Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion The reason why Zhou Huaijin informed Gu Chaoyan about it, was because he would like to recount to her the whole thing clearly, so that she could have a clear understanding of what was going on, rather than being toldter from somewhere else. However, he had not expected that Chaoyan would feel so concerned about him! He caressed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s head and said, ¡°I am fine.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What matters to me is the Queen and Xunyang, as for my father... I have been aware since I was a little boy of what he is up to, so I am not sad about those things.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am just telling you what has happened, so please don¡¯t be sad,¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a soft voice. Despite what he had assured her, Gu Chaoyan still felt a bit concerned for him. The King was his father, but he even sacrificed him for what he desired. Even though Lord Huai did not care, that was not what a father should do! Gu Chaoyan felt really annoyed. Seeing the scene, Zhou Huaijin said with a smile, ¡°Actually, it is a good thing if my Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion is made into the Heir¡¯s Mansion. There is an underground passage inside Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, which was built when I was little. Me and the people from Shadow Door have be so strong that the passage isn¡¯t handy any more, but now, the passage should be helpful! So it will be totally within our control, when the Heir¡¯s Mansion is built inside Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion!¡± ... Only then did Gu Chaoyan feel slightly more assured, but she was still feeling very concerned about him, though he did not care much about what he was faced with. ¡°What do you n to do with your own mansion?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion is now being built into the Heir¡¯s Mansion, so my own mansion should be on its way to me. But I am not sure about their final decision. Those from the Ministry are just trying to suck up to the Heir so they will not care about where I live.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have so many servants at the mansion, so through this opportunity, I am able to clean away those unnecessary existences, and there will be even fewer people remaining attached to us. Don¡¯t worry, everything is within my control,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. ... Gu Chaoyan nodded. Those unnecessary existences, to be more specifically, were spies from the King and Honored Princess Jing, as well as the Empress Dowager. It should be a good thing, when those groups were cleared away. Otherwise no one dared to do anything or say anything inside the mansion. As they were talking, Mo Bing came and whispered something into Zhou Huaijin¡¯s ears. Zhou Huaijin waved goodbye to Gu Chaoyan and left in a hurry. Gu Chaoyan, on the other hand, was drinking tea in her own yard. After a few sips, she was suddenly reminded of something. Xie Yan was a man with a brain, and judging from what he had said and done in the past, he seemed to be a man with a long vision. So she wondered what Xie Yan was thinking now that the King made such a decision. Xie Yan was under her support right now, so Gu Chaoyan was going to make good use of this man for the two months that he stayed here. That would make his full stay here useful. As she was thinking about it, she asked Sword One to bring the man over. Soon Sword One came with Xie Yan, who seemed rather unwilling. Well... He had to be present, since he was living in Xinlin Mansion. Seeing the way he looked, Gu Chaoyan ignored his helpless look and asked him to take a seat. She asked interestedly, ¡°Well, let me tell you one thing...¡± Chapter 969 - Shadow Door

Chapter 969: Shadow Door

She was trying to persuade him to work for her? As Xie Yan suddenly thought of this possibility, he suddenly felt that his headache was gone, and his thoughts were getting clearer! He was no longer Mr. Heir¡¯s strategist¡­ And Lady Chaoyan was very satisfied by his abilities and actions, so she was trying to keep him, thus getting him to have conversations like this. Soon¡­ Lady Chaoyan would put forward the idea of hiring him. Xie Yan was confident enough that he was would be very useful for her, since he knew a lot about the Heir. If he could work for her, then he was basically killing two birds with one stone¡­ Xie Yan could not help but shake his head. That was what Lady Chaoyan was thinking, but¡­ He had no intention of getting involved with those conflicts any more. He would have said yes earlier, but not at this moment. He was not going to work as a strategist any more, especially one in the official field. He had the n to travel about and maybe one day, he could be a strategist for some major businessman. That would be enough for him. As Xie Yan thought about his own n¡­ He also started to map out how he was going to turn down Lady Chaoyan¡¯s potential offer. That was what Xie Yan had been thinking, inwardly, but Gu Chaoyan, who was drinking the tea out in the yard, had not expected that her random chitchat with Xie Yan would have caused so many extra thoughts inside his head. And those thoughts were pestering the man. She was about to ask Sword One to fetch her a book to read, when Zhou Huaijin came in a hurry. He went away all of a sudden and returned at a fast speed too. ¡°You remember the person who got injured in the mountains, the one you cured at Xinlin Clinic? We found no traces on the mountains where he was attacked, so I asked some people from Shadow Door to stay there for a bit longer to see if anything strange popped up. And the answer is finally out.¡± Zhou Huaijin looked very surprised and happy ¨C it had been a long while since Shadow Door reacted, and he had almost given up, but the news came today, finally! He had been to the site and he believed that it was going to be apletely new discovery. Gu Chaoyan was surprised too. They had found the man who had injured Shen Tai! ¡°Where is he?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°They are very dangerous, so I asked Mo Bing to trap them in Shadow Door, instead of transporting them somewhere else. Also, we have to keep them away from my father.¡± Zhou Huaijin exined. ¡°I will take you to the Shadow Door.¡± He nced about and did not think that they needed to do anything more. ¡°Sword One,e with us.¡± Sword One nodded seriously. Then Zhou Huaijin left with the two girls. It was just a branch of Shadow Door, and the real Shadow Door was hidden somewhere very far away. It had always been the branch that was in charge of daily errands. The branch was located in a rtively quiet ce in the city center, rather than a particrly hidden corner. As they came to the neighboring ce¡­ They got out of the wagon and then Zhou Huaijin led the way. Mo Bing and Feng Yue were guarding the door. They were also the hidden guards who followed Zhou Huaijin to the Feather Mulberry Land. However, Feng Yue looked very surprised, at the sight of Gu Chaoyan.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 971 - Over the Line

Chapter 971: Over the Line

¡°You have crossed the line and forgotten who you really are.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I remember that when I got engaged with Chaoyan, I told you at Shadow Door that Chaoyan has full ess to Shadow Door unconditionally. I can see that you have forgotten everything I have said. She can¡¯t be allowed to enter the Shadow Door? Then what is the point of keeping Shadow Door?¡± Zhou Huaijin looked expressionless, while scolding her. Feng Yue just could not believe what she heard. Her pupils broadened, as she looked at Zhou Huaijin in astonishment. What was the point of keeping Shadow Door? Feng Yue kept thinking about this sentence. What was the point? So if Gu Chaoyan did not have ess to Shadow Door, then there was no point in keeping it? What did Lord Huai think of those who were working here? Feng Yue just could not ept what she heard. She could not believe that Lord Huai would think in this way! She had always thought that Lord Huai and they belonged to the same team, but inside Lord Huai¡¯s heart, the Shadow Door was not as important as Gu Chaoyan? Then what were they, after all? Feng Yue turned pale, and looked terrified as if she had been seriously stricken. Zhou Huaijin was very displeased by what Feng Yue said and did ¨C but Feng Yue was just one of the many hidden guards he trained at Shadow Door, and he would not make an effort to study how terrible she looked. Instead, he just said coldly, ¡°Go and get your punishment at Shadow Door, and your titles are removed for the moment. If you make another mistake next time, I will have to fire you.¡± Having said this, he turned around without showing any emotions. Then he started to head towards Gu Chaoyan. He had not nned to take Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands, but at this moment, he did. How Feng Yue reacted might have hurt Chaoyan in some way, and Zhou Huaijin would have fired Feng Yue, if not for the achievements she had done for Shadow Door. He was about to walk inside with Gu Chaoyan¡­ Mo Bing subconsciously was about to stop them before he just left it. @@novelbin@@ Mo Bing and Feng Yue spent most of their time together. They mostly thought the same¡­ That was why he subconsciously tried to stop Gu Chaoyan. Yet he knew clearly that Lord Huai was the head of Shadow Door and should have the say about everything. It was their own issue if they had a problem against Lord Huai¡¯s decision, but they should never exceed him. Mo Bing watched Lord Huai and Gu Chaoyan leaving as he threw a look at Feng Yue, who had a terrible look on her face as if something horrible had happened. He thought for a while, then he asked the other hidden guards to watch the gate¡­ Then he went to Feng Yue who had be horribly pale. ¡°What is it?¡± Mo Bing asked, without showing any changes on his face. ¡°What is Lord Huai doing? He is leaving us for the sake of one woman! He says that there is no point in keeping Shadow Door if Gu Chaoyan can not have ess to it! What is he thinking?¡± Feng Yue smiled ironically, looking very disappointed. Mo Bing frowned. ¡°Feng Yue, you have made a mistake, not Lord Huai.¡± Mo Bing reminded her. Feng Yue looked even more surprised. She kept shaking her head. ¡°My mistake? What mistake have I made?¡± Chapter 974 - Firm Shadow Door

Chapter 974: Firm Shadow Door

He needed toe up with a way to solve this issue. Chaoyan should not be scared of those from Shadow Door, and those from Shadow Door should be truly devoted to Chaoyan as well. For one moment, he felt like he was falling into a dilemma. However, Gu Chaoyan had not expected that Zhou Huaijin had misunderstood her. For one moment, she had no idea how to express herself. So she just nodded and said with a smile, ¡°It is fine.¡± Only now did Zhou Huaijin feel slightly more assured. After they went through a few alleyways, they came to a ce that looked like a prison, which did not seem as gloomy as that at Dali Temple. Instead, it was a renovated yard that looked really solid from outside. Seeing the confusion in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes, Zhou Huaijin exined as he stood next to her. ¡°This prison was designed by someone very skillful. We don¡¯t need such a prison at Shadow Door, but I didn¡¯t want to kill his idea. When I was building the branch here, I spared an extra ce for him to make a prison, which has never been used, until now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lucky for me, I never turned down that idea. The prison made by him is really solid, even for those monsters.¡± Zhou Huaijin said, sounding as if he admired that man deeply. Gu Chaoyan nodded too. That man did seem to have a very good and well-nned idea. If such prisons could be used at Dali Temple or the Ministry of Personnel, or even in some mansions, it would be great, but¡­ currently, it was not very ideal for the court to build a prison like this. Therefore, the idea had to be dropped. They were there to see the monsters inside. They exchanged a few words outside, before walking in together. It was not dark inside the prison. It was actually bright enough to see what was kept. Two hidden guards were leading the way, so the couple walked into the core from outside. Gu Chaoyan saw what they were when she was still far away. She was totally surprised. She frowned deeply. She could ept those mutated wild boars, apes and ck serpents, but this thing she was seeing right now was more than human beings. Well¡­ @@novelbin@@ It was so strange¡­ It was a thing that had a silhouette of a human, or it was human that was changed into such a state. They were covered by the hardest metal. No ordinary beings were able to counter such a thing. They could not be injured. Nor did they have any inner organs. They could never be killed. Also, as these things were lying there one after another¡­ They showed no movement and breathed no air. Gu Chaoyan still felt hair standing up on her neck, totally shocked. ¡°Have they been like this since they were brought back?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Yes, they have been like this since they were brought back, lying like this, but one thing that can be sure is that they were the things that hurt people in the mountains.¡± Zhou Huaijin said. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She took a few steps forward and looked at the chained door. She thought for a while and said, ¡°Open the door. I need to have a look at it.¡± The hidden guards did not dare to open the door, since those were very dangerous beings. Although they were not moving right now, they could not be sure that something unexpected wouldn¡¯t happen. So the hidden guards looked at Zhou Huaijin. Chapter 978 - Brothers

Chapter 978: Brothers

As they walked into the clinic, Xiu Jie, who was inside spotted Gu Chaoyan, almost letting out a sigh of relief as if he had seen his savior. ¡°Here you are, Elder Miss.¡± After greeting Gu Chaoyan, Xiu Jie bowed to Zhou Huaijin politely and said, ¡°Master.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded and threw an interested look at Xiu Jie. @@novelbin@@ Carefulness was Xiu Jie¡¯s biggest merit, which was noticed by Zhou Huaijin a long while ago. They often greeted him as Lord but today, he greeted him as Master¡­ then it meant that his real identity as Lord should not be exposed. His calmness was stirred, as he heard the greeting, wondering what was going on inside. After all, Xiu Jie was addressing him differently. ¡°What is it going on?¡± Zhou Huaijin threw a look at the room, asking. Zhou Huaijin had just burst out the question, when a man rushed out and kneeled down in front of Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, please keep me as aborer here at Xinlin Clinic, okay? I only need food and I can do anything!¡± Shen Tai shouted excitedly. Inside the room, however, Shen Tai¡¯s brother struck hard on Shen Tai, anxious as he heard what he said. ¡°What are you talking about? What do you mean working here for free? What about our family? We have so muchnd at home, so how can we survive if you don¡¯t return and work?¡± They had just heard the news from their fellow vigers. Their fellow vigers were out in the city buying stuff, when they saw Shen Tai looking totally healthy in the clinic. That was why they decided to get him back. They had thought that Shen Tai would return home of his own ord, when he was recovered, but if Shen Tai lost any limbs and could not make it home, they could just desert him and let him die in the clinic alone. They were farmers who were not able to afford to support a useless being. That was why they never thought of Shen Tai. However, Shen Tai turned out to bepletely healthy, so they should not let Shen Tai spend his days at the clinic. He should go home and continue to do the farming. Shen Tai was able to cover half of thebor work! So what was he talking about now? He wanted to work at the clinic, for free? That was a total loss for the family! He was offering the clinic a freeborer, not a paid one! He must go home to do the farming work, if he was not paid enough. ¡°Brother, the doctors here saved my life, and they have helped me be reborn! I have to pay them back!¡± Shen Tai insisted. ¡°As for the family¡­ brother, you are married, but I am not! You asked father to give all thend to you because you are married, but I got nothing! Even if that is the case, I have worked devotedly on the farm for more than a decade! I don¡¯t owe the family anything. I just want to repay my saviors, and you should not stop me, just leave me alone! When I was in aa, I heard what you said! You said that if I couldn¡¯t recover, you weren¡¯t picking me up here. So now, please, just assume that I haven¡¯t recovered!¡± Shen Tai said. Shen Tai¡¯s brother was startled. So he had heard those words? He felt quite guilty, but thinking of what Shen Tai could do for the family he still did not want to give up. He insisted too. ¡°I am your brother, just like your father, you should obey me!¡± Chapter 980 - Contract

Chapter 980: Contract

They remembered that the son from his neighbor Mr. Li was working at a restaurant and received 8 liang a year. Together with some other bonuses, he was able to get 10 liang a year¡­ and that was already enough for Mr. Li to brag about in the vige. However, the son of the vige chief was working as a pageboy for a wealthy family, and that boy was paid around 1 liang a month, thus 12 liang a year. Together with some other bonuses, that boy was able to get around 15 liang a year¡­ Shen Tai¡¯s sister-inw kept thinking about how much she should say. She was hoping to get as much money as possible a year. They had a lot ofnd at home, but few people were capable of working. A good harvest would need a lot of effort, and since their son was going to school soon, they needed money. She was thinking about getting 15 liang¡­ in this way, that would be a huge ie for her, but if she said that she needed 15 liang, and the manager wasn¡¯t willing to pay that much, then the deal would be off. Faced with the two choices of getting money and Shen Tai¡¯s returning home to do thebor, she believed that the former should be a better choice. Shen Tai¡¯s efforts on the farnd would not help to earn much money within a year anyway. Shen Tai¡¯s sister-inw was hesitating and it took her a while before she said, ¡°13 liang a year.¡± Having said this, she timidly nced at Gu Chaoyan, fearing that she would not agree with it. Shen Tai¡¯s sister-inw already thought about a better deal, namely 10 liang a year, if Gu Chaoyan shook her head. However, in case Gu Chaoyan epts the request, it would be a great deal. Before Gu Chaoyan could say anything, Shen Tai sprang up and said anxiously, ¡°That won¡¯t work! She saved my life, and didn¡¯t charge anything from me, how can I get paid for my work!¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Shen Tai. He did look very sincere. Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°So your n is to stay at the clinic and work out of gratitude?¡± Shen Tai nodded seriously. ¡°In that case, stop talking now. Let me deal with it,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Then she took out a note from her pocket. It was worth 1,000 liang. Then she said calmly, ¡°In this case, then Shen Tai should sign a life-time contract, and here is 1,000 liang as the payment. It should be enough to cover the rest of his parents¡¯ life, isn¡¯t it? What do you think?¡± Shen Tai¡¯s sister-inw had her eyes widened as she saw the money. She had not seen so much money even to this age. It was 1,000 liang, enough to buy a small house in the outskirts of the town! She had thought that 13 liang was already too much, but Shen Tai was far more valuable than she expected ¨C that was 1,000 liang! Shen Tai¡¯s sister-inw had no hesitation and nodded directly, ¡°That is definitely enough!¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She threw a look at Xiu Jie. ¡°Xiu Jie, go and have a contract prepared and let Shen Tai¡¯s brother and his wife sign it. Then we will settle it.¡± Xiu Jie answered and went to do what was needed. He was d as well. @@novelbin@@ Actually, for Elder Miss, the money did not matter. What mattered was that Elder Miss had seen value in Shen Tai, which was enough for this lucky dude. Shen Tai got anxious, seeing what was going on. That wouldn¡¯t work! He came straightforward and said, ¡°Elder Miss, that won¡¯t work! You saved my life, so I should work for you without asking for anything in return!¡± Chapter 983 - Things

Chapter 983: Things

That was something he justpletely ignored. If not for Lady Chaoyan¡¯s reminder, he would not have thought about it himself. He suddenly remembered something really important. He stretched out his hand and felt the position of the heart on these metal people ¨C they were cold. He got surprised. ¡°Something is wrong with them. I remember that when I was attacked, I identally connected with them on this spot, and it was hot back then,¡± Shen Tai said in disbelief. Having said this, he felt over other ces. Then he realized that the thing waspletely cold, rather than hot. Gu Chaoyan felt them over too. It was true about what Shen Tai said. That thing was cold, and Shen Tai should have been right. So her question of whether these metal people could think and how they were thinking, and whether they were alive, could seem to be exined right here. @@novelbin@@ Their hearts were cold, so were their bodies from head to feet. And they were not moving at all, and could it be because they were already dead. If that was the case¡­. Gu Chaoyan had an even bolder idea. She looked at Zhou Huaijin and started to feel unassured. But she still asked. ¡°Can you dismember these things and show me what is inside?¡± Hearing her words, Zhou Huaijin was not scared. Instead, he thought about the proposal carefully. He looked at those things that were so horrible and covered with metal¡­ it should work for them to find out what was inside. Zhou Huaijin also agreed with this proposal. They did not look alive, so it was not that they were tormenting some creatures. After all, they were the things that hurt Shen Tai. He nodded seriously. ¡°That is what we have to do now.¡± Having said these words, he looked at the hidden guards in the room and said with a smile. ¡°Get Lin Yu here, tell him that I need him to do something important.¡± The hidden guard nodded and left. ¡°Let¡¯s wait here,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She was still thinking about what was in front of her. This metal thing could attack people quickly, but they did not kill Shen Tai directly, only injuring him systematically. This was a horrible thing, if they could do that without a human¡¯s mind. Gu Chaoyan suddenly felt a bit scared. Lin Yu hurried in. Like other hidden guards, he was dressed in the ck blouse of Shadow Door, wearing no expression. However, he was very surprised at the sight of Gu Chaoyan, yet that surprisested for just one moment. Then he greeted Zhou Huaijin with a look of calmness. ¡°Mr. Head.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded. He pointed at the ce not far away. ¡°Come up with a way to dismember that thing, so that we can see what is inside.¡± Lin Yu looked at it and got startled. He had no idea of the existence of this thing, but when he saw it, he was surprised. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°No idea, that is what you are supposed to find out,¡± Zhou Huaijin said calmly. Chapter 986 - New Discovery

Chapter 986: New Discovery

She said quietly. ¡°You should never mention being here, not to anybody, even Xiu Jie, got it?¡± @@novelbin@@ Shen Tai nodded and looked very sincere. ¡°I got it.¡± Shen Tai was going to do whatever the Elder Miss told him to. The Elder Miss had saved his life, so he was going to do anything for her throughout his entire lifetime. And, the Elder Miss was nice enough to give his parents 1,000 liang, which should be enough for his parents to spend for the rest of their life. He was going to obey the Elder Miss¡¯ order from this moment on. He wasn¡¯t a smart person, but he knew how to follow orders. Gu Chaoyan smiled and nodded. Shen Tai was a fast learner. He had already picked up the way Xiu Jie greeted her. He wasn¡¯t difficult to teach. Also¡­ Gu Chaoyan was even more satisfied by his sharp sense and memorizing abilities. Normally, people would lose all thought while they were attacked, but Shen Tai, on the other hand, made a careful observation of the things that hurt him, and remembered the special features of those things after such a long time. It was a really good point to praise. He wasn¡¯t from a very good background, being a farmer¡¯s son, but she was going to ask Sword Four to teach him something, so that he could be well-trained for something else. That was what Gu Chaoyan was thinking, but¡­ Shen Tai wasn¡¯t told what she was thinking straightforwardly. Shen Tai was blind-folded again, before Zhou Huaijin took them out of Shadow Door. When they came out of the Shadow Door, they still took a few more twists before heading the right way, so that his memories could be confused. Gu Chaoyan believed that it was a great idea that the coachman of Shadow Door did this. It was always a good thing to be cautious with everyone. Shen Tai might be in a low-ss right now, but some excellent people knew how to hide their identities, so they were just doing this as practice. Shadow Door was doing the right thing. When they reached Xinlin Clinic, Gu Chaoyan asked Shen Tai to go back to his own room, whilst they returned to Xinlin Mansion. The moment Shen Tai returned to the clinic, Xiu Jie told him that he had settled his family affair for him. That made Shen Tai very d. Xiu Jie did not ask Shen Tai where he had been, but returned to his own business like usual. *** At that moment, Gu Chaoyan was in her own room. She was observing the two things inside her hands. Weapons in the Saint Divine Land were built from bronze dug out from mines. However, the metal here was not gold, yet it was really solid. Therefore, it was a very solid metal that was used to build metal people who could think. She wondered how the man who built the metal beings got hold of the material. As far as Zhou Huaijin was concerned, no one had ever dug out a mine that had this metal, either in the Saint Divine Land or the other three countries. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. When Sword One and Qing were absent, she went into the space, trying to ask the phoenix if it knew where the metal mighte from. There were all kinds of herbs nted in the space, thriving more lively like ever. Gu Chaoyan would pick some leaves to make medical pills whenever she had time, but the herbs were always endless. Also, Gu Chaoyan found something new too¡­ Chapter 989 - Mr. Head’s Order

Chapter 989: Mr. Head¡¯s Order

Gu Chaoyan did not ask Feng Yue toe to the mansion, because it was Gu Chaoyan¡¯s repayment to Feng Yue. She was not a very narrow-minded person who cared about mistakes that were already punished for, yet she was still a somewhat stingy person. Feng Yue did not want her to visit Shadow Door, then she would not want her to step into Xinlin Mansion either. Gu Chaoyan would rather walk for a few more steps than let Feng Yuee inside. Sword One was already very happy that Elder Miss was willing to meet Feng Yue. She didn¡¯t care if the meeting took ce inside or outside the mansion. Feng Yue was waiting outside the mansion for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s reply. When Gu Chaoyan walked out, she was still standing there without showing any expression. Gu Chaoyan took a few steps forward and carefully sized up Feng Yue. She looked pale and gave out a slight smell of blood. Gu Chaoyan instantly knew that she must have received punishment somewhere else. Shadow Door had strict rules and gave out heavy punishments. Feng Yue must have been seriously punished for her to look so pale, otherwise a hidden guard should not have looked so weak even when she or he was seriously injured. Seeing Gu Chaoyaning towards her, Feng Yue looked up at Sword One and said with a hoarse voice. ¡°I have a few words to exchange with Lady Chaoyan, please leave, Sword One.¡± Sword One hesitated. She was the Elder Miss¡¯ maid so she should not leave her side outside the mansion ¨C that would make her look unprofessional. Sword One did not obey Feng Yue, but stood there motionlessly. Feng Yue was the senior sister to Sword One at Shadow Door, and she usually gave the orders, but now, she was the Elder Miss¡¯ maid and only obeyed her orders. Feng Yue frowned, seeing that Sword One did not even want to obey her order. Gu Chaoyan said indifferently when she saw Feng Yue showing a terrible look on her face, ¡°Sword One, just leave us alone.¡± Sword One was still hesitating, but she bit her lips and walked into the mansion obediently. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. Feng Yue was a very arrogant person. She had not noticed that on the way to the Feather Mulberry Land, but one visit to Shadow Door exposed her personalitypletely. Gu Chaoyan did not think that she was here to pass on any good message to her. When Sword One was gone, Gu Chaoyan asked indifferently, ¡°What are you calling me for?¡± Despite her displeasure, Feng Yue was going to say something important. She had been punished these two days at Shadow Door, but the punishments were done in a very serious way, unlike in the past, when the Elder Men at Shadow Door only let her go through a little suffering. This time the Elder Men did punish her. Feng Yue could tell that! But why? @@novelbin@@ The Elder Men watched them grow up and they never gave her serious punishment, but this time, it was different ¨C it must have been because of what the Head told them! Feng Yue had not intended toe to this stage, but she had to. The Head had changed. Just because there was a woman like this in front of him! Chapter 991 - Not Qualified

Chapter 991: Not Qualified

¡°So what?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am the one that makes the decision.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or¡­ why do you want me to leave Huaijin?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it is because of some parental words, you and Huaijin are just master and servant and you are not qualified enough to speak for his parents.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it is about a legal wife¡­ sorry, I am the legal wife, you are just a servant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it is because you are better than me? Maybe you are offering me money? You don¡¯t have that much money to give me. Maybe you can give me power? You aren¡¯t even in a position higher than me. Maybe you can give me a better man? Well, it seems that no one else is better than Huaijin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, from what position are you giving me the order?¡± Gu Chaoyan blinked her eyes, looking at Feng Yue with an innocent look. Gu Chaoyan came to meet Feng Yue, only because she appreciated her devotion of taking care of her on the way to the Feather Mulberry Land. However, this woman was speaking so boldly in front of her about these things. Gu Chaoyan just did not understand what position she was in to do this on behalf of Zhou Huaijin. Feng Yue sneered and countered. ¡°In what position?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then let me tell you about it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was already with Shadow Door when it was newly established. The Head and I have gone through a lot these years! Shadow Door has been developed into such a huge ce from a minor one, and the Head has be a man who fears nothing from someone who could not even sleep at night. That is because we are strong enough to keep the Head safe!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That is why I am qualified. I have witnessed how difficult it was when it started and how strong it has be. So I am not going to allow the Head to go back to the old life he used to have. And you are the thing that is going to bring him back to that life. So I have to stop you!¡± Feng Yue looked very determined and excited, as she spoke in a fair way. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. Feng Yue was truly concerned about Huaijin and very devoted to Shadow Door, but she had been thinking about the whole thing in the wrong way. She had also be extremely crazy as well. What a pity that she had spent so much time at Shadow Door. Gu Chaoyan added. ¡°My maid Qing grew up with me and during those years when I was set up, me and Qing had been so cautious all the time. After all of this, I have grown stronger, and no one is able to hurt me any more. Things have changed, but I am still the Elder Miss, and Qing is still my maid. All Qing has been thinking about is whether I have eaten well or slept well. Qing never says that the Lord isn¡¯t a match for me or asks me to leave him, because Qing knows her ce, and that she is not the person that can make decisions for my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hopefully, you understand your ce!¡± Feng Yue listened to the words for a long time. She understood what she meant. Gu Chaoyan was saying that she was just a maid who did not deserve to get involved with her Master¡¯s business, but Shadow Door was not like the mansions and courts. There was no such corrupting rules going on! She was just doing this for the Head! ¡°Gu Chaoyan, you are not in charge of me. I am not your maid!¡± Feng Yue said disdainfully. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan raised her eyebrows. ¡°Oh really?¡¯ Gu Chaoyan just thought of the authority token Huaijin had given her earlier. Chapter 993 - My Fault!

Chapter 993: My Fault!

At this moment, Zhou Huaijin suddenly appeared, took hold of Gu Chaoyan and grabbed the hidden weapons. In the meanwhile, he cast the hidden weapons back towards Feng Yue. When Feng Yue saw the Head appearing, she had been afraid that the hidden weapons would hurt him. She did not think that the Head should have shielded the woman. She regretted not having done it before the Head appeared. It seemed that she would fail today, and it would not be as easy to attack Gu Chaoyan again in the future, since she would be more cautious. Feng Yue had just been thinking this, when she felt the hidden weapons hit her chest. She could not help but widen her eyes. She looked at her wound and saw that it was a hidden weapon that she had just thrown. That was impossible! She understood that she would be punished for what she had done, but that was just some punishment from Shadow Door. She had not expected that the Head would hurt her without a moment of hesitation? The Head hurt her! Feng Yue had been devoted to the Head since she was little, and had always seeded in every mission. She had been doing all of this for the Head¡¯s sake! However, the Head hurt her for that woman, and that woman was not even wounded! @@novelbin@@ Feng Yue could not even feel the pain. Her eyes were full of disbelief. Zhou Huaijin did not even take an extra look at her, but turned a worried gaze at Gu Chaoyan who had been in his arms. He sized her up and made sure that she was fine after the fight with Feng Yue. After seeing her he felt assured and let out a sigh of relief. God knew how worried he had been when he saw Feng Yue throwing the hidden weapon at her. If anything happened to her, even Feng Yue¡¯s life would not be worth the payment. It was good that she was fine. Zhou Huaijin swept Gu Chaoyan into his arms once again, still feeling rather disturbed. His fury could be seen on his face. He had so many people protecting Chaoyan, but she still got attacked by Feng Yue! What was everyone else doing right now? ¡°Just get out here now!¡± Zhou Huaijin shouted, extremely furiously. He had never been this angry before. It was Sword One who heard his voice from inside. When she heard the shouting, she suddenly felt that something was wrong. It seemed as if something had happened. She went out quickly and saw the wounded Feng Yue as well as Lord Huai holding Elder Miss. It was a very serious scene which Sword One could not have possibly imagined. She had no idea what had happened, but all Sword One could be sure of was that Feng Yue must have injured Elder Miss, otherwise Lord Huai would not have hurt Feng Yue personally. Lord Huai trained everyone from Shadow Door, and it had always been the Elder Men who passed on the punishment to those who made mistakes. the Head never did that himself. Now¡­ the Head hurt Feng Yue personally. So there was only one possibility ¨C Feng Yue had crossed the line. The Head had a very narrow red line, within which, Elder Miss was. Sword One was shivering. She just could not imagine what would have happened to Elder Miss, if Lord Huai had not appeared. Sword One kneeled down in front of Gu Chaoyan and said, ¡°Elder Miss, it is my fault!¡± Chapter 995 - Problem

Chapter 995: Problem

When Mo Bing heard this, his heart sank. He kept sweating. He had thought that if he came hurrying here and begged the Head, he would spare Feng Yue because she had worked so hard for him, or at least he would deal with her in a more proper way. After all, she was one of the earliest hidden guards at Shadow Door. However, the Head had be very resolute this time. Instead of responding to him, he called Fu Bao. Obviously, the Head was going to give her the most serious punishment this time and he was not going to forego it. He threw a pitiful look at Feng Yue. He had been working at Shadow Door for years and knew clearly how difficult it was for a man to be a hidden guard at Shadow Door, let alone a woman who wanted to stand out. He had never expected that Feng Yue would be so seriously punished, just because she had made a single mistake, despite how much devotion she had in the past. Then he looked at the girl in the Head¡¯s arms. She was well, and nothing had happened to her. Why couldn¡¯t the Head spare Feng Yue? She could make it upter! ¡°Fu Bao, take Feng Yue back to the Shadow Door. Don¡¯t inform the Elder Men, do it yourself. You know what you have to do?¡± Zhou Huaijin said expressionlessly. He showed no emotion on his face, as if he were just speaking with a traitor. Fu Bao also thought that it was a pity that she was punished, but it was her fault! She was just a hidden guard and she was not qualified to do anything like this or to receive forgiveness from the Head. The Head saved their lives, so they should listen to the Head and obey him! Fu Bao sighed and came to Feng Yue. ¡°Senior Sister, that is thest time I will call you like this. Let¡¯s go back to the Shadow Door.¡± Feng Yue refused to move. She was still mumbling¡­ It was impossible! The Head could not have treated her like this because of that woman! Fu Bao had no choice, but to pull Feng Yue from the floor and to bring her back to Shadow Door. At first, he had no idea why Feng Yue did all of this, but after hearing Feng Yue¡¯s mumbling whisper, he realized that Feng Yue had developed some personal feelings towards the Head. She liked the Head, so she was causing trouble for Lady Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ Also, she even came to Lady Chaoyan, pretending that she was doing this for Shadow Door. At first, Fu Bao had felt sorry for his Senior Sister, but when he thought of this, the feelings were all gone. She did not have to do any of this¡­ If she had those feelings, she could say it directly. Why must she do any of this to get herself punished? Mo Bing was about to stop Fu Bao, but he eventually stopped. Fu Bao took her away without showing any courtesy. Mo Bing was still standing on the same spot. Zhou Huaijin threw a calm look at Mo Bing. ¡°You can follow up and get punished by the Elder Men.¡± Having said this, he went inside with Gu Chaoyan in his arms. Gu Chaoyan had just taken a few steps and paused. She saw Sword One on her knees and took a few steps forward, intending to help Sword One up when Zhou Huaijin stopped her, bringing her back to the mansion directly. When they were inside, Zhou Huaijin said, ¡°Chaoyan, you should not be so soft-hearted. Sword One is supposed to defend you by your side.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is her fault today, just leave her there!¡± Zhou Huaijin had just said those words when Fu Bao suddenly hurried in. ¡°Something has happened, Lord!¡± Chapter 998 - Helplessness

Chapter 998: Helplessness

Hearing Sword One¡¯s description of Xiu Jie¡¯s anxious face, Gu Chaoyan more or less knew that something major had happened. It was gettingte now, and Xiu Jie, this discreet and careful man, would be very aware of what to do and what not to do. Therefore, for something unimportant, Xiu Jie would not have bothered her at this hour. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and gave up the thought of taking a bath. She nodded at Sword One. ¡°If Xiu Jie needs us, let¡¯s go and see what he wants.¡± Sword One followed Gu Chaoyan as they walked out. It was gettingte, and Xiu Jie was passing on an important message, but he stayed outside the room rather than walk in. It was not a rule set by Gu Chaoyan, but Xiu Jie decided to do that himself. That was why Gu Chaoyan appreciated Xiu Jie. A rough man like Xiu Jie, as a matter of fact, was very careful when it came to small things. @@novelbin@@ They arrived at the yard¡­ Xiu Jie rxed a bit at the sight of Gu Chaoyan, as if he had found the savior. He took a few steps and said, ¡°Elder Miss, something has just happened.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A while ago, some vigers who were badly injured were taken to Xinlin Clinic. When they heard that we cured dying men, they were taken here, but they could not simply pay the fees at this point.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I fed them pills.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you going to check on them yourself?¡± Xiu Jie asked. It waste, and those patients were not able to pay within a short time. Although there were rules at Xinlin Clinic, Xiu Jie was aware that Elder Miss would not leave the dying alone. That was why he came to ask her for a suggestion. When Gu Chaoyan heard that Xiu Jie already fed them the pills, she let out a sigh of relief. Those pills were powerful, and even for those who were badly injured, those pills could help to extend their lifespan. They would not pass away before she was able to make it. However, Gu Chaoyan was still very worried. She dropped everything else. ¡°Sword One, go and call Qing here. Sword Two, go and inform the Lord about this. Xiu Jie, we can talk as we walk. Don¡¯t be dyed.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked very serious. After she gave the orders, she and Xiu Jie hurried away. At this point, Xiu Jie felt that the load inside his heart finally released. Elder Miss had decided to get involved, so the vigers would be saved. Every one of them was very badly injured. Gu Chaoyan asked as she was in a hurry, ¡°Who hurt them? Is anyone from the Governmental Office taking care of this?¡± As this question was asked, Xiu Jie sighed. ¡°Some lightly-injured vigers said that some monsters came down from the mountains and hacked at the vigers, who could not counter them at all. Many had already passed away on the spot. Many vigers drove away the monsters, yet too many had already died and those who were injured and almost died were carried here by the vigers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for the Governmental Office¡­¡± Xiu Jie showed a look of helplessness. Chapter 1002 - You Foxy Lady!

Chapter 1002: You Foxy Lady!

Gu Chaoyan looked a little tired. When hearing the question, she gathered up her enegry and said, ¡°They are fine, basically out of the worst danger. But they have been very badly injured so they need to stay here for therapy. For a while I believe.¡± Hearing her words, everyone let out a sigh of relief. As long as they were out of danger, nothing else mattered. Gu Chaoyan looked very serious. She had always been very worried. She was not thinking about those injured people, whom she was sure she would be able to cure the moment she saw them. She had been thinking about the things that hurt them. Those injured people had already been rescued, but as long as those things were still there, other people would get injured and things would get worse. That would not work at all. ¡°What were the things that hurt you, did you see them?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. As this question was raised they fell into careful contemtion. Then they recounted as if they were searching for memories. ¡°They look like human beings, ironmen even, they could not be beaten, nor did they get injured. But they could beat us, and we all got injured. They were so horrible! They came to our vige before, but we never knew that they could hurt us! Many people died and only then did we be cautious about it. So we gathered together and expected tobine forces.¡± Gu Chaoyan frowned even more deeply. Judging from their description, she was more certain that those who hurt them were the metal people she saw back at Shadow Door the other day. When she was treating those patients, she could tell that their wounds resembled that of Shen Tai¡¯s. And it seemed that her guess had been right. As Gu Chaoyan was thinking about these questions, someone added. ¡°But Shanhu found out that these monsters could not reach heights. So as long as we went onto the roofs, we would be safe. Many people were saved because of what Shanhu discovered. Those from the government offices never showed up, so we dodged the attack in this way. However, Shanhu was busy protecting others, so he got badly injured.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes brightened. If that was the case, then at least the other people managed to escape the attack, otherwise¡­ @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan just could not imagine the situation. After all, even those imperial armies were humans, not ironmen. After finding out the general situation, Gu Chaoyan asked Xiu Jie to take them to have a rest in the backyard of Xinlin Clinic. They could not just sit there the whole night. Gu Chaoyan also went to her own room to rest. It was already gettingte, so she could not go anywhere else. They were just heading towards the backyard when they heard Qu Hua screaming loudly. Xiu Jie threw an embarrassed look at Gu Chaoyan ¨C he had been busy with a lot of things just now, but Qu Hua only caused trouble like a bi*ch. She could have been released after Elder Miss cured the badly-injured patients, but as he was listening to the viger¡¯s the story, Xiu Jie was so obsessed with the story that he forgot about Qu Hua. When Gu Chaoyan heard the voice, she said, ¡°Just release her. The man is out of danger, so she should not cause any trouble now.¡± Xiu Jie nodded and obeyed her order. Qu Hua had just walked out when she snapped furiously at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You foxydy, you are trying to seduce my Brother Shanhu!¡± Chapter 1006 - Prime Minister Chu

Chapter 1006: Prime Minister Chu

It was a county situated next to the capital and so many people were attacked, died or were injured. It should be a big event. If Zhou Huaijin could make a petition to the court the next morning, there should be an army dispatched to kill those things. Gu Chaoyan believed that Zhou Huaijin would be able to get the approval for this. He never did things that were out of his control. Since he mentioned this, he must already be quite certain about it. Zhou Huaijin nodded at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You remember that Lin Yu took away some of those things for investigation? Lin Yu has found out that those so-called metal people are not totally invulernable. They have weaknesses too. Lin Yu needs to do some other work right now, but he will be okay these two days. If we can have all of these things killed, the civilians should have a better life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Shadow Door could have stepped forward to do this, but Shadow Door is just an organization in the society, so it might receive an attack from the court. So I believe that I can give the petition to the court, so that they can do it in the court¡¯s name,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. Gu Chaoyan had not gotten nervous until she heard what he saidter. She frowned. If the King really attacked Shadow Door, that was because the King thought that the Shadow Door was a threat to the court, rather than a force which removed the things that hurt the civilians. Gu Chaoyan more or less understood what the King was like. She could not help but sigh. Seeing how she reacted, Zhou Huaijin pinched her face and smiled. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be so sad, you have worked hard today, just take a break now. You can ask Sword One and the others to do the work for you, if things aren¡¯t that important.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She really felt a bit tired. She had not expected that something like this would happen. She just hoped that this could be solved as soon as possible, so that more civilians would not be hurt. It was a peaceful time, but things like this had happened. Zhou Huaijin stood by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side until she fell asleep. Then he leaned against the chair and left for the court, when dawn broke. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin was a lord, so he did not have to be at the morning session every day, but he did attend the morning session, when he had things to report. ...... Like today. Normally, he should be away from the court since the Queen was gone and the Heir was endowed, but Zhou Huaijin did not care about those things. Chu Tian was a bit surprised when he saw Zhou Huaijining to the morning session. He was very astonished that Lord Huai was here too. Chu Yu had juste to him and told him something good about Lord Huai. Chu Tian believed that Chu Yu was young and could not understand things, but he knew his son well ¨C his son never said things out loud unless he was certain about it. He said that Lord Huai looked as if he knew nothing, but maybe he was the turning point. He had not made the decision right now, but he would like to get closer to Lord Huai to see if Chu Yu was right. ¡°Greetings, Lord Huai.¡± Chu Tian stopped Zhou Huaijin. ¡°Greetings, Prime Minister,¡± Zhou Huaijin said calmly. Chapter 1009 - Displeasure

Chapter 1009: Displeasure

However, the Heir was right. What happened at Li County was huge, different from anything that happened before. He believed that it had something to do with the changes of the heavenly situation, and feared that it had something to do with Destiny Monk¡¯s constant appearance in the Saint Divine Land. Unfortunately, they failed to find Destiny Monk, and could not understand the real essence behind all of these. Destiny Monk and the heavenly secret were known to the Heir, but not his Eighth Son. Normally, he should give the permission to the Heir to deal with Li County. Also¡­ His Eighth Son was not in a position to deal with any errands for the court. Any of his sons could take over the throne in the future, except his eighth son. His eighth son had been humiliated to spare his Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, and he couldpensate him from any other way except to entrust him with court errands. That was a clear thing in the King¡¯s mind. He threw a cold look at the two sons and said, ¡°The Heir is right. What has happened at Li County is very serious, and for a country like the Saint Divine Land, peace has been prevailing for decades. This is something unusual that has happened for the first time, so we must take it seriously. The Heir is experienced with court errands, so he should take over the errand at Li County.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Heir is young too, and he may not be that experienced. Anyway, Prime Minister Chu, please keep himpany in Li County, so that I can be assured.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lord Huai, don¡¯t be sad. If there is anything else that suits you in the future, I will entrust you to them. It is nice of you to care about the civilians.¡± When the King made the decision, he consoled Zhou Huaijin for the Queen¡¯s sake, so that he would not be too embarrassed in front of the whole court. ...... Zhou Huaijin was feeling very unconvinced, but he knew clearly that no matter how unconvinced he was, and how much he was going to try to get it himself, there was no possibility that the decision would be changed. It is good that the Prime Minister was assigned to keep the Heirpany in Li County, since it made him feel less worried. Instead of showing any more expression, he replied with courtesy. ¡°Okay, father.¡± The King nodded with satisfaction. It was good that Lord Huai had be more obedient. That made him feel assured. Upon hearing the decision, Zhou Huailing threw a provocative look at Zhou Huaijin, looking very proud. He did not care that he was in front of all the ministers and officers. He was the Heir, the most popr man in his father¡¯s eyes. He could do anything he wanted. However, the King frowned slightly. Seeing how Zhou Huailing looked, he subconsciously felt really displeased. It was true that these two sons of his had a difference in titles, yet both of them were the King¡¯s sons. The Heir was way too unruly behaving like this. The King¡¯s expression sank as he threw a cold phrase. He felt annoyed. ¡°That is all for the session!¡± ¡°Long live the King!¡± The King flung his sleeves and left. When he was gone, the ministers left one after another. Chu Tian looked at Zhou Huaijin. He was a bit surprised that Lord Huai had made the proposal. He should have predicted that he was not going to be given the errand, but he showed no expression, when he was truly turned down. He found Lord Huai a bit difficult to see through. ¡°Prime Minister Chu!¡± Zhou Huailing called Chu Tian, who was staring at Zhou Huaijin.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1013 - Your Meaning?

Chapter 1013: Your Meaning?

De Fu had been very confused, not knowing what he should say to the King. Standing by his side, De Fu did think that the King had spoiled the Heir way too much, and he even gave the Heir real power, which was a taboo. @@novelbin@@ Look at the previous King for example. When he was in his flourishing years, he would not have done anything like that. Even when the Heir was established, the Heir should never be overly trusted or own too much. The throne was something everyone dreamt about having, othewise there would never have been anything like killing someone for the throne in the past. That was how the King established himself as well. However, the King had forgotten this experience. Nevertheless, De Fu was just a servant who had no rights toment about the imperial family. So he felt very conflicted when he was asked. His heart was dangling back and forth. When the King mentioned that he hade up with a solution, De Fu let out a sigh of relief, asking. ¡°What is your opinion?¡± Well, De Fu was not actually too curious about what the King was thinking. However, he was someone who understood the King after spending so many years with him ¨C the King was a very lonely man, and he could not share his thoughts with anyone else. Sometimes he just spoke to himself about some things, and De Fu would just be someone who gavepliments. The King was in a good mood, probably because he had juste up with a solution. Hearing what De Fu was asking him, he didn¡¯t conceal his real ideas and sighed. ¡°Well, it is my fault. I did pick the Heir while I was still very young, and I feel sorry for his mother as well, but I was too happy to think about the consequences, after I waited for more than twenty years.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now I have given the Heir the best I can offer, but that has made him more arrogant. As time goes by, he will just forget about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have also seen through those people in the court. Most of the ministers already epted the Heir as the future King and none dare to counter him because they respect me, but that won¡¯t work.¡± ...... ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have been in the throne for more than twenty years. I am not a very good King, but the Saint Divine Land has still developed into a flourishingnd. So I know how to deal with the court anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Normally, there should be a bnce in the court. Prime Minister Chu maintains the literal ministers whilst General Liu keeps the martial soldiers. As for the noble families, the Yao Family as well as the Min Family are on both ends. As for the Duke North Mansion, the old Duke North is now gone, and the current one is too young to hold up the whole family. The reason why the court is bnced is because we are supervising each other andpeting with each other, in this way, they understand who they are and what they should do.¡± After hearing the King¡¯s speech, De Fu seemed to have gotten a better understanding about what was going on. ¡°So you mean¡­?¡± Chapter 1017 - Junyi’s Helplessness

Chapter 1017: Junyi¡¯s Helplessness

Shanhu suddenly brought himself back. He shook his head and smiled timidly, ¡°I am fine. I have just woken up and am not feeling so well. Let¡¯s just take a break.¡± Hearing his words, Shen Tai took back Shanhu¡¯s bowl and said bashfully, ¡°I am sorry that I have been speaking with you all this time, not letting you rest. If anything happens to you, Elder Miss is going to me me.¡± Then he took away the bowl and left. Shanhu was dumbfounded. However, Shen Tai and Gu Chaoyan did not take any of his reactions to heart. Gu Chaoyan was in the middle of thinking about what she should do about Li County. *** At the Heir¡¯s mansion. The King had already made a n to let the Heir and Prime Minister Chu visit Li County, and the Heir was leaving first, since Prime Minister Chu had not yet been done with many things in the court. Zhou Huailing was definitely going to bring Junyi with him on his trip to Li County. After all, Zhou Huailing had no specific ns about how to solve the problem, whilst Junyi had a lot going on in his mind. For him, the trip to Li County was a test, and if he could do it well, he was not only going to prove himself capable in front of Prime Minister Chu, but would also stand out in front of the ministers, and even the civilians. When they were done packing, they started to leave. Li County was not very far from the capital, and they did not have much to bring with them. So they finished packing very quickly. @@novelbin@@ Junyi looked at the things the servants were packing. He came to Zhou Huailing and asked in surprise. ¡°Heir, are you bringing the Princess Consort to Li County this time?¡± ...... Zhou Huailing got startled and asked, ¡°Father assigned me to do the work, why should I bring a woman along with me?¡± Junyi felt helpless. He had spent so much time with the Heir and realized that the Heir never thought about things. He could not even understand why he should take the Princess Consort with him. However¡­ however, despite his helplessness, the Heir was still his boss. Although he was not smart, he was born lucky, so was the Princess Consort. He exined patiently, ¡°Heir, we don¡¯t have to bring the Princess Consort with us, if she was just an ordinary woman you might be considered as someone who is obsessed with women. However, she is the Phoenix Girl, so you should have her with you. If you finish the task well, then the Phoenix Girl would acquire the support of the civilians too. Civilians are not smart people, and they easily believe those things.¡± Hearing what Junyi said, Zhou Huailing nodded. He had not thought about this. Xie Yan had told him not to bring any women with him, so he never thought about bringing her with him. However, he got angry as he thought about Xie Yan, who was so stupid, and who was always setting him up. ¡°Junyi, let¡¯s go to the Princess Consort and tell her about this,¡± Zhou Huailing said with a look of justice. Junyi hesitated, but he still nodded and followed. *** Gu Ruxue was just drinking tea and eating lychees, and receiving a massage from some servant. She looked very rxed. Hearing what Zhou Huailing said, she became annoyed. ¡°I am noting!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Junyi asked confusedly. ¡°So many people are dead and injured in Li County, why should I, the Princess Consort, be there? Am I asking for death?¡± Gu Ruxue said with a look of fury. Junyi had a veryplicated look on his face. Chapter 1021 - Too High of Himself

Chapter 1021: Too High of Himself

¡°You are smart and you are doing everything for my sake, which I am very aware of, but you are just a strategist. If we spend too much time with the civilians, then they will think that we attach great importance to them. However, we are in the upper ss, and we are the decision makers. All I need to do is to solve the issue to make them grateful to us. Why should we spend any time with thosemoners? I need their support, but they are not powerful enough. They don¡¯t deserve to support me!¡± Zhou Huailing said with a rxed look on his face. He trusted Junyi¡¯spetence, but Junyi had not taken every detail into consideration. He was not making a n from his point of view. That was probably because he was just a strategist who was close to the civilians. Junyi was not to be med. All he needed to do was to make ns, and not everything could be perfect. Having said this, he patted Junyi¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You have worked hard, and we had a long day. Let¡¯s just take a break at the office and we can discuss specifically what we can do when we are all rested.¡± Junyi showed a very helpless look on his face. He had thought that everything would go well at Li County, but what the Heir and the Princess Consort had done was beyond his anticipation. He might not be able to talk the Heir into doing anything else, otherwise he would have to take the meter, but it was not right for everyone to wait at the office and do nothing. Junyi thought for a while and said, ¡°Heir, you and the Princess Consort can take a break at the Government Office since you are not suited to go to Li Vige, but I should go there on your behalf, not to see those civilians, but to check what is going on there, so that we cane up with some better solutions.¡± When Zhou Huailing heard Junyi¡¯s ideas, he also believed that he was right. They had to know about what happened to Li Vige, and it was not like he would go there personally. Someone had to be there, and Junyi was the right candidate. However, Junyi had to be safe, since if something happened to him, he would lose a strategist. He thought carefully and answered. ¡°Junyi, if you insist on going there, take ten men with you. Just remember, keep yourself alive and everything else can be talked aboutter, got it?¡± Junyi nodded. Zhou Huailing picked the ten most ferocious and strong men he had brought with him and gave them to Junyi. ...... He and Gu Ruxue went into the Government Office together, and the Officer had made a good arrangement for him, which made him and Gu Ruxue, who was showing a bright smile on her face, very happy. Junyi, together with the men, headed towards Li Vige. It was a little painstaking to arrive at Li Vige, so after a long bumpy ride, they arrived at the destination. The Heir did not want to care about those vigers. What he wanted was to solve the problem so that the vigers would understand his might. However, Junyi did not think that was the right method. The King was the decision maker, so he, as the Heir, should demean himself and care about the civilians. However, the Heir did not understand this point and spoke highly of himself. So he had to take some actions topensate. When they arrived at Li Vige, Junyi consoled the vigers in the name of the Heir. Later, he decided to take a look at the mountains. @@novelbin@@ At this moment a piece of news arrived. Chapter 1024 - More Words

Chapter 1024: More Words

In the meanwhile, he looked really astonished, as he threw a surveying look at Junyi. Junyi wasn¡¯t particrly young, but inparison to Chu Tian, he was still considered young. Chu Tian was very surprised and shocked, knowing that such a young man coulde up with such a simple and yet effective n within such a short while. Therefore, at this moment, he appreciated Junyi a lot. Chu Tian rarely appreciated people, so it was rare for Junyi to be one of them. Chu Tian looked at Junyi and showed a look of pitifulness. ¡°You are smart, and talented, unfortunately, you are just the Heir¡¯s Officer.¡± Junyi was startled. He could not fathom what Chu Tian meant. It was true that he was the Heir¡¯s Officer, which was not a high position, but he was a strategist, and was trusted by the Heir. The Heir did not have any teacher, so he should be the one that took over the position as the imperial strategist when the Heir took the throne in the future. Why was Prime Minister Chu saying that it was an unfortunate thing? Could it have been because he did not think highly of the Heir? Well, if that was the case, Junyi would not mind. Instead, he continued. ¡°Prime Minister Chu, I feel very happy to be appreciated by you, but I am still happy that I am working for the Heir as his Officer, since it is worth the while. I think that the Heir is someone I can devote myself to, he is a man with justice who cherishes talents, and he treats me as his own. I am talented, yes, and I am working for the Heir, but he is the one that I think is the most worthwhile to serve.¡± Junyi tried toe up with all he could to praise the Heir subtly. He was not only expressing how loyal he was, but also told Prime Minister Chu that he could take the Heir¡¯s side. That the Heir was worth their support. Hearing what he had said, Chu Tian could not help his expression sinking. He was a talented person, but a man needed to know which side he should take, despite his talent. ...... He was way too short-sighted. He could not see things far into the future. A man like this, despite his talent, was not going to reach any sess in his life. Chu Tian shook his head and felt a bit disappointed. The excitement he had just felt was now fading away. He held his hands behind his back, and regained his serious tone, saying as he walked. ¡°It is good that a strategist works devotedly for his master.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your suggestion is good, and that is something we can possibly do at the moment. We will do as you have suggested. My men and the Heir¡¯s men should be able to finish the task, together with the officers from Li County. It should take no more than a couple of days. So yes, we will take your solution.¡± Junyi looked very disappointed. @@novelbin@@ Prime Minister Chu was going to adopt his solution, which was confirmed by him the moment he showed the look of appreciation. So he had never worried about this. However, what he cared about the most was whether Prime Minister Chu was going to take the Heir¡¯s side. It seemed that Prime Minister Chu had avoided going deeper into this topic and had decided not to continue with this conversation. Junyi sighed. He felt very disappointed about what happened. ¡°Come to my side. I have a few words to share with you.¡± Prime Minister Chu said, without noticing Junyi¡¯s absent-minded look. Chapter 1025 - Meaning

Chapter 1025: Meaning

Hearing what Prime Minister Chu said, Junyi brightened ¨C was he going to talk with him about the Heir? Junyi replied politely, ¡°Please, Prime Minister Chu.¡± They had just gotten back to the Li Vige, where they were resting. Chu Tian had already gotten a simple ce for them to spend the night. Chu Tian pointed at the chair, telling Junyi to take a seat. Junyi had been hesitating ¨C he had wanted to show respect, but since he was working on behalf of the Heir it wasn¡¯t proper for him to stand while he was speaking. So he sat down. Despite being seated, he held his back straight, showing courtesy. Chu Tian wasn¡¯t being that serious. ¡°We are going to follow your suggestion in establishing the defense. It should be done within a couple of days, but we can¡¯t use this defense as a long-term solution, and it should not be the only thing we do. For example, we need to have those things killed, Officer, do you have any ideas about this?¡± Chu Tian asked. Hearing what Chu Tian said, Junyi felt rather disappointed. He had thought that Prime Minister Chu would be d to mention something about the Heir, but Prime Minister Chu had no intention of mentioning anything like this. He had be fully devoted to this task of his. Junyi felt very disappointed, but he could not just dwell on this matter at this moment. He let out a sigh and moved his thoughts to this task as well. He could just do this work well, and would just take some time before promoting his master to Chu Tian. ...... Junyi thought for a while and said, ¡°We can¡¯t fight them face to face, even the imperial army would not be able to conquer that thing bare-handed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since those monsters are in the mountains, we can just deal with them as hunters do.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, those things are very ferocious, and the way hunters work would not help. So we need to refine the method.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There are only a few methods which hunters could use to confront monsters. Traps ands will not work, so we need to dig pits, endless pits, and set up traps, then we need to get someone who is good at martial arts. They should go and lead those things into the traps. The most difficult part is not establishing traps, but finding people who are good at tricking the monsters.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We have many guards with the Heir, but they are just ordinary guards who aren¡¯t capable enough to do this matter, so please, Prime Minister, you might have to work on this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, the most difficult part is how to extinguish those monsters, who can¡¯t be killed with just one stab. However, I haven¡¯te up with a solution for this, let¡¯s just have a discussion with the Heir to see if we cane up with some better solutions,¡± Junyi said. Chu Tian was very pleased by what Junyi had suggested. He patted Junyi¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Good, very good. You are the brain! We will do as you suggest,¡± Chu Tian said with a freeugh. Junyi looked up at the sky. It was getting veryte. ¡°Prime Minister Chu, what about visiting the Governmental Office of Li County with me?¡± Chu Tian threw a deep look at Junyi. Chapter 1029 - Your Plan

Chapter 1029: Your n

¡°Junyi, do you think that I have done anything wrong to make my father unconvinced? I am always polite to him. I greet him every morning and I am always capable and finish all the tasks he has assigned me!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My father doesn¡¯t want my mother to take the position as the Queen, and I have not said anything against that. I am concerned for him all the time!¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am so obedient, and I even ept the new girls he has given to me. I feed them and support them without anyints.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What more does he want from me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have just found a solid position in the capital, but now he is hurting me by making use of my being away from the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Eldest Prince is, after all, the eldest son! I just don¡¯t feel like the rightful Crown Prince when he is there.¡± Zhou Huailing got extremely furious andined to Junyi constantly. Ruxue just did not understand what he meant, which annoyed him even more, but Junyi would get his point. Junyi was aware of more than what he was angry about. He could evene up with an idea for the situation he was in. ...... Zhou Huailing looked at Junyi sincerely. ¡°Junyi, just tell me what I should do? Should I go back to the capital now? If I don¡¯t return now, the Eldest Prince might already do something by the time I fet there!¡± Junyi stopped Zhou Huailing. He was also shocked and his head turned blurry too, but he was still more clear-minded than the Crown Prince. He understood that he should not act imprudently. The King asked the Min Family to bring the Eldest Prince back because the King had his own ideas and opinions. If the Crown Prince did anything imprudent, the King might have a worse impression of him. It was very important that he stay calm now. However, what was the King thinking anyway? Why would he suddenly bring the Eldest Prince home? He started to think fast. It was a peaceful time in the Saint Divine Land, and the King was in full control of the court, but the King was not clear minded. The King had been quite distracted and confused these years, judging from several things he had ordered to do. Like the way he dealt with the Queen¡­ and the way he dealt with his sons. It was a normal thing, if he just brought the Eldest Prince back. The King was trying to find a bnced force to keep the Crown Prince in control. He wanted to remain seated in the throne, and nothing more. The most important thing right now was what the Crown Prince should do. Junyi massaged his temples, feeling a headache starting. He said, ¡°Crown Prince, don¡¯t get anxious about it.¡± When he finished speaking, Junyi nced around. He showed a cautious look and saw the maids next to the Crown Prince Consort. He said calmly, ¡°Go prepare some breakfast and close the door.¡± The maids nodded and left with tCrown Prince heads lowered. When the door was closed, Zhou Huailing asked seriously, ¡°Junyi, what is your n?¡± ¡°We do nothing.¡± Junyi said calmly. Zhou Huailing was startled. ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 1034 - Surprised

Chapter 1034: Surprised

Zhou Huailing howled. He did not want to stay here. He pointed at the monster in the pit and said, ¡°Just kill it, kill it so that it won¡¯t kill anyone else!¡± Zhou Huailing was extremely frightened at this moment, obviously. He had been frightened, but then he felt lucky before being frightened again. Now his head started to get muddled. His heart stiffened. Junyi was obviously frightened as well. He had never seen this thing in real life before, and he had never expected how horrible it would be and what methods he could do to deal with it. However, just a moment ago, he witnessed the danger¡­ He was a strategist, after all, so of course he was going to be frightened. Because of the fright, he reacted after a while. ¡°Crown Prince, let¡¯s go back to the office first. It is too dangerous here. You have to stay safe.¡± Then he stopped the guards and decided to head back. That was right¡­ Junyi did hope that the Crown Prince could do the work at Li Vige personally, so that the civilians would know how devoted the Crown Prince was and Prime Minister Chu could see how sincere the Crown Prince was. However, that was only going to happen when the Crown Prince was still alive. He was going to get killed, if it continued like this. If the Crown Prince was dead, there was no use in getting the civilians¡¯ trust and Prime Minister Chu¡¯s help! ...... None of this would matter. Their lives mattered above all. Junyi got everything ready at the fastest speed and then left with Zhou Huailing. Prime Minister Chu could not help shaking his head, seeing them dashing off. They were just too cowardly! They were afraid of death! However, it was totally understandable under that circumstance. It was good that they were gone. Prime Minister Chu was going to see how to control this monster. Also, since one of the monsters was trapped here, the other monsters woulde to attack, he believed. He was going to get everything ready so that they could catch them all. He was not going to allow the monster to injure the civilians. Prime Minister Chu thought emotionally. Then he told his men to inform the vigers to stay alert and note out. As for the vigers¡­ They were the first injured group, and though they were safe at the moment, they were still baits for the court. In order to avoid letting them get hurt, the court decided to let the civilians stay here instead of leaving. They were supposed to attract those things. Prime Minister Chu found it cruel to treat civilians like this, but there was nothing he could do. That was what they had to do just to deal with this matter. He was an officer, and he would do whatever he could to help civilians, but there was still a lot he could not do. Prime Minister Chu sighed and started to get down to his own business. @@novelbin@@ *** Zhou Huailing and Junyi¡¯s wagon had arrived at the office of Li County. ¡°Crown Prince, this is the office.¡± Junyi reminded him. He had just said this, but there was no sounding from the wagon. Junyi reminded him again, but there was still no move inside. Junyi was very worried that some ident had happened on the way. Chapter 1037 - Qu Hua Again?

Chapter 1037: Qu Hua Again?

He had been feeling really annoyed by the Crown Prince not visiting him in the court and thought that he just hurried back to the capital without finishing his task at the county. He had not had a good sleep throughout the whole night because he was so unhappy. However, he was very pleased by this good news. ording to the description, he could tell that the thing that hurt people was not something ordinary. The King even suspected that it was rted to Destiny Monk and the Phoenix Girl. So he just wanted to know what exactly had happened. So it was good that the news hade. He would very much like to see what on earth the thing was, since Destiny Monk might show up because of that. @@novelbin@@ Well, that was what the King thought. The Eunuch continued. ¡°However, the Crown Prince was attacked yesterday. He was not injured, but it was a terrible situation back then. The Crown Prince must have gotten frightened so the whole team came back to the capital yesterday.¡± ¡°What? The Crown Prince was attacked!¡± The King was a bit surprised. All he knew was that the Crown Prince returned to the capital, but he didn¡¯t know what happened at Li County. So he returned because of the attack! The Crown Prince did not want to tell him about this! What could he do about this? The King was not in the mood to think about the monster, but said, ¡°How is the Crown Prince now? I will get someone to visit the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion and let Prime Minister Chu return with the body of the monster!¡± ¡°Yes¡± ...... ¡°Lady Chaoyan is a very good doctor, so inform Lord Huai about this so that Lady Chaoyan could go and check up on the Crown Prince!¡± The King ordered when he thought of how he recovered after taking the prescription by Gu Chaoyan. The Eunuch responded with a small yes when he heard the order. However, the other ministers were wearing very terrible expressions on their faces. They believed that the King was getting worse and worse mannered. Elder Miss was Lord Huai¡¯s fiance, so how could he give the order in the pce! He could have done that privately! However, the King dismissed the morning session without caring about how the ministers felt¡­ The moment the King was gone General Liu snorted and shook his head. He left directly too. Gu Chaoyan, who was called out in the pce, was currently at Xinlin Clinic. All seven of the most seriously-injured people woke up, and were doing well. Some could even walk in the yard. Shanhu, in particr, recovered best. After Gu Chaoyan gave them the acupuncture, she went to drink tea in the yard without being worried at all. Zhou Huaijin hurred in. ¡°Prime Minister Chu has a living one at Li County!¡± Zhou Huaijin said the moment he sat down. Although he found calling those things alive strange, that was the best word he coulde up with. Those things were so difficult to grasp. Gu Chaoyan was a bit surprised, and her eyes were sparkling. She was very interested in studying that thing so she intended to go to Li County directly. She was about to reveal her n when it became noisy again outside. A woman¡¯s scream arose. Was that Qu Hua? Chapter 1041 - Overthinking

Chapter 1041: Overthinking

Judging from the way thedy looked and was dressed, she could not be from some ordinary family. Nodies at Li Vige, or even at Li County, were equally beautiful. She must havee from some family in the capital. He then looked at the maid next to thedy as well as the good-quality wagon that brought Shanhu here. She must be from some rich family. It seemed that Shanhu had built up a good marital destiny after getting treatment in the capital. That was very excellent. The Vige Chief would have asked Shanhu to split up with thisdy, because in the Saint Divine Land, they cared about equal family statuses, and unequal family statuses always led to a bad result. Shanhu would have ruined the girl¡¯s life, but¡­ After the catastrophe that happened at Li Vige, the Vige Chief could tell that Shanhu and the others were different. Shanhu was clever and capable, and he helped the whole vige to escape the attack. He deserved to have ady like this. Also, even if their rtionship did note to a proper end, it was still Shanhu¡¯s destiny to run into someone like this. Shanhu was going to be very different in the future. That was definitely great! @@novelbin@@ The Vige Chief said politely, ¡°Miss, just walk in please, Shanhu cares about his grandma so he has ignored you. Please take a seat here, and I will ask some aunts from the neighbors to receive you.¡± Having said this, the Vige Chief left with Qu Hua and asked Qu Hua to do something for him. Gu Chaoyan was confused. She just did not understand what the Vige Chief wanted, but now that they were gone, there was nothing she could do to stop them. So all she could do was to head back to the room. However, what she did not know was that the Vige Chief had alreadye up with many ideas during this pause. Shanhu¡¯s home was very rundown, yet clean. Shanhu¡¯s grandma was a very neat person. Gu Chaoyan took Sword One into the room and a smell of medicine permeated across the room. It seemed that Prime Minister Chu¡¯s doctor must have diagnosed her and given her some medicine. ...... However, Gu Chaoyan did not think that those medicines worked. Gu Chaoyan did not think that they should trap the patient and ask her to stay in bed the whole day. So she asked Sword One to open the door. Gu Chaoyan walked inside. She saw an elderly-looking woman in bed. The woman saw Gu Chaoyan as well and was very surprised to see her. Then she looked at Shanhu. Shanhu exined. ¡°Grandma, this is Lady Chaoyan. She is a very skilled doctor. I brought her to you so that she can give you a check up. She is worried about you.¡± Having said this, he spared a seat for her and said gratefully, ¡°Please, Lady Chaoyan.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She wasn¡¯t a very talkative person. She was only there to check the patient. She felt the olddy¡¯s pulse. Grandma was sizing up Gu Chaoyan while she was giving her a check up. She liked thisdy. She was very well-mannered and did not even look down at her as ady from a noble family. She must be a kind-hearted person as well. She even followed Shanhu to this poor vige. Shanhu was a good boy so he needed someone who could match up to him. Well, she knew that Qu Hua was interested¡­ and she knew that Qu Hua was a good girl too, yet¡­ Chapter 1045 - Slap on Face 3

Chapter 1045: p on Face 3

¡°That is because Lady Chaoyan is engaged to Lord Huai, and she is going to be the future Princess Consort! She is from the imperial family, and Prime Minister Chu is the top officer. Lady Chaoyan often interacts with the Elder Miss of the Chu Family, so they have a good rtionship with each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And Prime Minister Chu is older than Lady Chaoyan, so of course she has to meet him when she is here,¡± Qu Hua said proudly. Those poor-minded people kept mocking her, but she had been to the capital numerous times and knew more than they did! Well¡­ She was certain that Lady Chaoyan and Lord Huai were engaged, as for the other things, she wasn¡¯t sure. Yet she told the story just to mock the other people. Well, nobledies always hung out with each other, and she was not going to ask whether Lady Chaoyan had a good rtionship with the Elder Miss of the Chu Family. Qu Hua knew how to y a trick at the moment. She was smiling brightly. Shanhu¡¯s grandma, who had looked so radiant, stiffened when she heard the story. What was going on? How could she be the future Princess Consort? So why was she here giving her a check up? The other aunts, who heard the story, felt very embarrassed for Shanhu¡¯s grandma. They would haveughed at Shanhu¡¯s grandma in the past, but the Vige Chief told them that Shanhu had established some rtionship with the court, so they were a little worried about that. Therefore they stayed silent rather thanugh. It took Shanhu¡¯s grandma a long while before she was able to understand what was going on. She had to find a way to get out of this. She forced herself to say, ¡°In that case, the future Princess Consort apanied Shanhu here personally because Shanhu is appreciated by the capable people in the capital. He is being treated well by a lord, so he is going to have a promising future where he can marry any girl he wants in the capital.¡± The other aunts were enlightened when they heard what Shanhu¡¯s grandma said. They added. ¡°That makes sense!¡± ...... ¡°If he can work for Lord Huai, he will have a promising future and he can marry any kind of girl he wants.¡± One of the aunts added. Shanhu¡¯s grandma showed a proud look on her face again. That really made sense. Qu Huaughed even more loudly. ¡°You are all so innocent!¡± Qu Hua said with augh. ¡°Why do you think Lady Chaoyan is here? That is because the Vige Chief gave Shanhu and the other injured men to Lady Chaoyan¡¯s Xinlin Clinic, and Shanhu, as well as the other men were receiving treatment there! It cost 10,000 liang, and Shanhu¡¯s yet to recover, so she is here to make sure that he is doing well, so that Lord Huai¡¯s reputation will not be tarnished.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, if anyone else came here, Lady Chaoyan would also keep that personpany!¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, look at how she behaved here. She did not spend time drinking tea here, but went to Prime Minister Chu directly. She must be trying to set up a good rtionship with Prime Minister Chu because of Lord Huai!¡± Qu Hua almost burst intoughter. ¡°Honestly, you are only limited to speaking of what is happening at Li Vige, but do you think that things are so easy and simple in the capital?¡± Qu Hua was not mocking, but saying straightforwardly. It was very quiet in the room. It was very embarrassing.l, so the aunts left with some excuses. Shanhu¡¯s grandma drove Qu Hua out too. When Shanhu walked in, he spotted the terrible look on his grandma¡¯s face. ¡°What is going on?¡± Chapter 1048 - Going Home

Chapter 1048: Going Home

When Chu Tian asked this question, he was also looking forward and hoping to hear what Gu Chaoyan had in mind, although he was still giving Gu Chaoyan a surveying look. He had been studying this monster during the past few days, and he found that this monster was indeed dangerous. They were made of metal, whilst they were just ordinary humans. They were not a match against the monsters. The most important thing was to press them down and study them. What he had been discussing with Elder Miss at the moment was something that troubled him. He had not yet taken a break and had been thinking about how to solve the problem all day long, but none of them hade up with a solution. They could not go on like this. Chu Tian felt as if he had grasped thest hope, when he heard that Elder Miss Gu had a solution. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at the metal beings and said calmly, ¡°You managed to trap it because it is in a pit of its size, so that it can¡¯t move around and is unable to jump out of it as well. The monster¡¯s best weapon is to have metal around it, but that is also its shoring.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since it isn¡¯t flexible, then get a cage that is equally big as this one and put it inside, cover the lid and the effect would be the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Like a wooden bucket, but it might not be solid enough. What about getting the ironsmith to make one? It might take some time, but we can wait,¡± Gu Chaoyan said carefully. Gu Chaoyao¡¯s words brightened Chu Tian¡¯s eyes. He went through the whole method inside his head. He gradually dropped the serious look on his face and then he smiled brightly as the n became clear. ¡°Great idea!¡± ...... ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Really great idea!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You have just brightened my day!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is such a simple theory and yet it took us days and we still hadn¡¯t thought about it,¡± Chu Tian said emotionally. He sighed thinking that he was too old to think of new ideas. However, there were many young people who had ideas of their own. They were not going to dy the n. Chu Tian summoned his guards and whispered to them so that they could set about business. There were not any ironsmiths around Li Vige, so they needed to head to the capital to find someone who was specialized in making weapons. However, Chu Tian did not think that talents were only in the capital. He had faith in ordinary people in small towns too. So he arranged a few people to ask around, so that they could get a proper answer. Chu Tian, who had been the Prime Minister for years, believed that it was a good method. Chu Tian felt as if his load had been removed. He showed a look of rxation, then he asked Gu Chaoyan to take a seat. There were not many things avable at Li Vige, and the tents were temperorary as well, so let alone tea, they only had some boiled water to serve. Chu Tian poured a cup of tea for Gu Chaoyan. Then he asked, ¡°Elder Miss, when do you n to return to the capital?¡± Chapter 1052 - No

Chapter 1052: No

??

Sword One¡¯s face turned pale. At this moment, her mind became messy and she had no idea what to do. She was a hidden guard from Shadow Door, and she should not have any emotions, but Sword One, who had been good at being removed from emotions, failed at this moment. She panicked when she saw that Elder Miss was gone. She could not even think rationally. Prime Minister Chu was very frightened too. Everyone was celebrating at this moment, because the metal beings were all under their control. Despite the casualties, they had achieved victory anyway. However, Elder Miss was gone at this moment. Prime Minister Chu became very anxious as well, but he was more rational. He observed the spot and saw that there was no trace of fighting or blood. He felt slightly more assured, after noticing this point. ¡°Sword One, don¡¯t worry, it may not be as terrible as you imagine. Look at this spot, Elder Miss might not have been injured.¡± Prime Minister Chu said as he turned to his men. ¡°All of you, go to look for her in four different directions!¡± At this moment, Sword One became slightly more rational. She understood that she needed to find the girl first. She put away her sword and was about to seek for her when Gu Chaoyan returned. Sword One just could not believe it. She hurried to her and stared at Gu Chaoyan, before bursting into sobs. ¡°Elder Miss, is that really you? Are you alright?¡± @@novelbin@@ ... ¡°I am fine.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered, but she still looked exhausted. She threw the man to Sword One. ¡°Seize him!¡± She panted. Just as she had predicted, this man, who controlled the metal beings, was here too. She was hiding in a dark corner and found this man. She tried to catch him, but he was cautious as well. Before Gu Chaoyan was able to touch him, he almost ran away. However, Gu Chaoyan was not going to let this man go. She turned around to pursue him. It took her some effort to get hold of this man. It was more painstaking than she believed, but Gu Chaoyan did not dare to take any break, worrying that Sword One would get anxious that she was gone. So she came back hurriedly. Now she was running out of energy, so she found a spot to sit down. However, Sword One and Prime Minister Chu were very confused, the former of whom asked. ¡°Elder Miss, who is this man?¡± ¡°The mastermind, of course,¡± Gu Chaoyan said helplessly. Prime Minister Chu got frightened. Gu Chaoyan exined. ¡°I noticed this sneaky man. He doesn¡¯t look like a guard or the viger, so I went up to check him out, but he felt so guilty that he wanted to run away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, he ended up in my hands.¡± That man showed an even worse look on his face. He was not sneaking around. This woman had nned to catch him! However, he could not speak at this moment. ¡°Someone, have him caged. He will be transported back to the capital tomorrow with those things!¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t work, Prime Minister Chu,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Chapter 1056 - What?

Chapter 1056: What?

When Gu Chaoyan was done arranging things, she asked Sword One to pass on her words and the pills to Shanhu. Sword One nodded. She believed that it was a good idea. There were many things that Elder Miss needed to do so she could not just stay at Li Vige for Shanhu¡¯s sake. She had also noticed that Shanhu was recovering well, and if everything went well, he would recover with the medicine Shen Tai brought to him. Actually, Li Vige and Xinlin Clinic were both good ces for him to recover, except that Xinlin Clinic had a better environment and emergencies could be handled properly. However, there were no good solutions, except for this one. Sword One went to Shanhu¡¯s home with the bottle in her hands. Shanhu had been standing in his original position, and had no idea what was going on at the wagon. He had no idea what Gu Chaoyan said to Sword One. Therefore, he was looking forward to receiving the reply. He was thinking that if Lady Chaoyan was not here for Prime Minister Chu, but for his wound, then he should not dy Lady Chaoyan¡¯s trip back home. He could wait for one more day and return to the capital and stay at Xinlin Clinic the following day. Shanhu started to get increasingly nervous as Sword One approached him. His fists were clenched, his head was lowered and he did not dare to look up. Sword One also noticed the strange behavior. He was not like before, when he was open and straightforward. He looked as if he were hiding something. @@novelbin@@ ... Sword One shook her head slightly, thinking that maybe he was behaving in this way because he was feeling guilty. So she did not linger on his strange behavior. She approached him, but before she was able to take out the medical bottle, Shanhu asked anxiously, ¡°Ms. Sword One, what did your Elder Miss say?¡± Shanhu sounded nervous. By this moment, Sword One felt that Shanhu must be feeling really guilty. So she smiled brieftly and said, ¡°Nothing much, here is the bottle she gave me to give to you. She says that if your grandma is not feeling well, you can put a pill in the medicine for her to drink, then she should be fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Elder Miss knows that you are a nice boy, so she will allow you to stay here for a couple of days. As for your wound, she is going to arrange for Shen Tai to check up on you in a couple of days.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it is alright!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty for Elder Miss. She is in charge of treating you, but when she is done with her treatment, you will have to recover on your own.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We need to head back to the capital as soon as possible, so I am off,¡± Sword One said with a caring tone, worrying that Shanhu would feel too pressured. Then Sword One left directly. Shanhu did not feel happy about what Sword One said. Instead, he looked very disappointed. He had thought hope against hope that Qu Hua was wrong about this. He had hoped that Lady Chaoyan was here because she was worried about his wound. However¡­ Now everything was clear. She was not here for his wound. He had thought too highly of himself. Shanhu turned pale. At this moment, Shanhu¡¯s grandma walked out and asked confusedly, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I am worried about you, so I decided to stay and take care of you for a couple of days.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Shanhu¡¯s grandma¡¯s face changedpletely. Chapter 1059 - The King’s Plan 1

Chapter 1059: The King¡¯s n 1

He had been very furious a while ago. When Prime Minister Chu passed on the message that a living one was caught, he ordered Prime Minister Chu to transport that thing back first so that he could see what on earth it was. He wondered what the monster was that could kill so many people, but Prime Minister Chu never gave a response. However, now he was told that the mastermind had been caught and sent to jail, so the King felt slightly better and satisfied with Prime Minister Chu. He had been very jealous about the magical monsters given by the Prince of North Qi. So¡­ If he could get those ferocious things for himself, then he would be able to exceed those magical monsters from the North Qi. He got very excited when he thought of this. So he hurried back to the jail. Chu Tian had not slept for one day, yet he was waiting for the King to see him. He looked exhausted and still had some blood on him. The King was no longer that angry when he saw Chu Tian greeting him, so he waved his hands and said, ¡°It is fine, just skip the formalities. Prime Minister Chu, you have worked hard.¡± Only at this moment did Chu Tian skip the greeting and follow him. ¡°So that is the controller?¡± The King looked at the man who was tied up. He was confused. @@novelbin@@ Well¡­ ...... The man looked very skinny and was like someone who could only read. However, this man came up with the solid metal monsters that killed so many people at Li Vige? The King didn¡¯t believe that this man could have done any of that. ¡°It is him.¡± Chu Tian nodded with determination. He had not witnessed the attack personally, and had been confused at the beginning as well, but during the past few hours as Chu Tian guarded his transport back to the capital, he was determined that the man must have been the controller. The man looked very quiet, but he was a very sinister man. So it was normal that a man like this was able to make things like that. ¡°What about the things he made?¡± The King looked around the jail and saw that he was alone. So the King was very confused. ¡°King, the metal things he has made are very ferocious and they are too solid to attack. It takes a lot of effort to transport them to the capital, so we have to wait a while. My deputy general is transporting those things back tomorrow, but this man had to be brought here right away. I transport him back overnight because I don¡¯t want to give him any chance to run away.¡± Chu Tian exined. The King nodded. He was very happy with Chu Tian¡¯s arrangements. They had to catch the head first, since when the head was caught, the battle was basically won. This man was now in jail so he was in control. The King was very happy about the current result, but¡­ Since the head was caught¡­ The King hade up with another n. He looked at Chu Tian, then he said brieftly, ¡°Prime Minister Chu, I need you to go back to Li Vige for something else.¡± Chapter 1061 - The Elder Prince’s Return 1

Chapter 1061: The Elder Prince¡¯s Return 1

The Elder Prince had been residing at the border for years and had not yet been given the title of lord, or a mansion. The Elder Prince would normally spend the New Year in the capital at the reception of the letter. At that time, the Elder Prince would reside in the pce for young princes. Currently, only the Elder Prince lived there. So when the Min Family brought the Elder Prince back to the capital this time, things were different. The Elder Prince should not be living in the princes¡¯ ce at this age, but he did not have a mansion either. So all Min Qing could do was to take the Elder Prince to the court so that they could meet the King first before finding out where to go. Min Qing¡¯s mission was to bring the man back, so the mission wasplete when the prince was back. *** Outside Qianqing Pce. Min Qing greeted the Elder Prince politely and said, ¡°Elder Prince, please wait here a little while, I will go announce your arrival to the King.¡± The Elder Prince nodded and smiled politely. He was the Elder Prince, true, but in the capital, he was probably in an even worse position than Min Qing¡¯s family. He could do nothing as a prince who was not allowed to stay in the capital. The Elder Prince was very aware of this point, so he had been treating Min Qing politely on the way here. He did not throw any temper tantrums. Besides, Min Qing was very polite. He stuck to the rules and that made the Elder Prince want to throw his temper even less. He believed that his father must have some arrangements to bring him back to the court through Min Qing, and he was sure that his days toe would be better than his old days at the border. However, the Elder Prince did not dare to offend Min Qing. He had no support in the capital. He was alone. The Elder Prince felt a bit sad. Seeing Min Qing returning to Qianqing Pce, he had his teeth clenched and eyes filled with hope. It was in May¡­ so it was still half a year before the New Year arrived. @@novelbin@@ Father didn¡¯t summon him back to the court because of the banquet. On the way home, he had been thinking a lot. He was sure that this was a great opportunity for him to gain back his position. He was not ambitious enough to take the throne, but he did not want to return to the border. It was not a ce for people to live. As long as¡­ As long as his father treated him as his son like he did to his other brothers, and as long as his father could give him a title and a mansion so that he could live a normal life, he would be very satisfied. The Elder Prince held his fists tightly and he felt sweat dripping along his forehead. He was really nervous. Indeed¡­ Min Qing was already at Qianqing Pce. He greeted the King politely. The King asked subconsciously at the sight of him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Min Qing almost stiffened hearing the words. Then he showed a look of surprise. The King personally told the Min Family to bring the Elder Prince back. Wasn¡¯t the King thinking about this at all? The Prince was already here. Min Qing reminded him with a serious look on his face. ¡°I took the mission to bring the Elder Prince back home, and now he is waiting outside Qianqing Pce.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°King, have you not arranged aodation for the Elder Prince or his future path?¡± Min Qing had noticed how the King treated the Elder Prince, so he defended the Elder Prince to some degree. ¡°Oh, the Elder Prince¡­¡± Chapter 1064 - From Li Village

Chapter 1064: Chapter1063: From Li Vige

As Zhou Huailing turned around and walked towards the court, he released his fists once again. He looked really disappointed. Inside the gate there was a magnificent pce of the Saint Divine Land. And outside the gate, people wereughing and crying. They all said that the imperial family was better than any other family in the world, but they had no idea what the real imperial family was like. The Elder Prince headed towards the Min Family with Min Qing, leaving the court. On the other hand, Zhou Huailing walked into Qianqing Pce with a smile on his face. The King was just reading the petitions when he heard the sound of footsteps. Only the Crown Prince and the Empress Dowager did not have to inform him of tCrown Prince arrivals. However, the King had asked the Empress Dowager to remain at her own Cining Pce so only the Crown Prince had ess to his ce. He looked up and saw that it was the Crown Prince. ¡°How are you these days? It has been ages since what happened at Li Vige, and Prime Minister Chu has achieved great things, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything now,¡± the King asked when he saw the Crown Prince. He was well aware that the Crown Prince had suffered a little at Li Vige, but it happened a long time ago, so he should have recovered. The Crown Prince should not be too timid, since the Saint Divine Land was established through wars. Zhou Huailing hade to the King after hearing what Junyi suggested. ¡°Father, I am already better. I am here to check on Elder brother after hearing that he is home.¡± When the elder prince was mentioned the King thought and asked Zhou Huailing. ¡°The Elder Prince has been residing at the border for more than a decade, and it is not really reasonable to let him stay there still. I asked someone from the Min Family to bring the Elder Prince home, but Crown Prince, what do you think we should do about him.¡± ...... A sinister look shed across Zhou Huailing¡¯s eyes. Yet he instantly put on a very affable look. Junyi had reminded him that the King would ask him about this. And he did. Zhou Huailing answered ording to Junyi¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Since brother hase back to the capital, he should be granted the title of a lord and a mansion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But you are the one that makes the decision, father.¡± The King nodded with satisfaction. He was very satisfied by how the Crown Prince reacted at this point. True, the Elder prince should be granted a title and a mansion, but how that endowment should happen was a problem. He needed to discuss with the Ministry of Rites first, before making a decision. He was the Elder Prince, after all. He was different from the other princes. ¡°So, we should have a discussion with the Ministry of Rites before the decision is made. If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, you can just go back,¡± the King said. . Zhou Huailing had a veryplicated look on his face. He thought that his father would have other things to discuss with him, but his father did not even want to mention a thing about Li Vige. Zhou Huailing forced a smile and answered briefly, before leaving. The King got up from his chair and headed towards the jail. @@novelbin@@ *** At Xinlin Mansion. Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan were just talking about what happened to the Elder Prince, when Xiu Jie came with a message. ¡°Elder Miss, the Vige Chief of Li Vige is here at the clinic with his staff. He wants to have a talk with you, can you go and check on them at the clinic?¡± What were the people from Li Vige doing at the clinic, when what happened at Li Vige was settled? Gu Chaoyan wondered what was happening. Chapter 1067 - One More Thing

Chapter 1067: One More Thing

She had actually forgotten about the payment. She opened the Xinlin Clinic and charged so high, not to make money for herself. She did it because first of all, she wanted to show the whole capital, and even other ces that Xinlin Clinic only cured dying people and secondly, she really expected to cure dying people. There were many famous clinics in the capital. So it was very difficult to let a newly-opened clinic earn trust and to gain fame. It took time. That was why Gu Chaoyan did it through this method. She did not care about the high payment, but she cared about those who came to get cured. Just as the Vige Chief said. It had been a difficult time for Li Vige, and the court did not seem to care about them either. So under such a difficult situation, they should not be charged with payment. However, that was the rule so it should not be ignored. Then what should she do to make it reasonable? Gu Chaoyan started to think. While she was silent, the people from Li Vige were staring at her, feeling rather anxious. That was 70,000 liang, and any decision made by Gu Chaoyan was going to change their destinies in the future. They were really nervous. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and soon came up with a look of rxation. She sipped the tea and showed a brief smile, as she nced at those people from Li Vige and asked calmly, ¡°You are living on nting and fishing right?¡± That was what Gu Chaoyan noticed at Li Vige. Apart from thend, they had a river, which wasrge and good for fishing. The people from Li Vige nodded. PLease reading on Myb oxn o ve l. The Vige Chief nodded too. He wondered what Lady Chaoyan was asking about their means of living when they were talking about payment? When Gu Chaoyan heard the sounds of confirmation she nodded. ¡°In this way, you don¡¯t have to pay me back with money. But you can supply us with vegetables and fish for five years. After five years, the debt is paid. What do you think?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at the people from Li Vige calmly. Everyone showed a look of surprise, including the Vige Chief. Well¡­ That was just¡­ so easy! Five years of food supply was worth far less than 70,000 liang, even 100 years was not enough. Lady Chaoyan was taking care of them! Moved, the Vige Chief just had no idea what to say. With tears in his eyes, he looked at Gu Chaoyan with excitement, so moved that he had no idea what to say. The Vige Chief took a few steps forward and suddenly kneeled down. Gu Chaoyan got startled and took a step sideways. Xiu Jie helped the man up. Flushing, Gu Chaoyan said calmly, ¡°That is the deal, Xiu Jie can speak with you about the details.¡± @@novelbin@@ She was about to leave when Shanhu¡¯s grandma shouted after she saw the scene. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, please, I have one more thing to discuss with you.¡± Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071: Evilness Gu Chaoyan was still busy with her own business, so she had not spoken with Zhou Huaijin for the entire afternoon. However, Zhou Huaijin was not angry. He had a bright smile and thought that Chaoyan in this mood was very lovely too. He came to Gu Chaoyan, and swept her into his arms. He lowered his head and asked, ¡°Are you still mad at me? It is my fault, but please don¡¯t be angry. It makes you age!¡± Then he pinched Gu Chaoyan¡¯s nose. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan shot a re at him, but didn¡¯t stop him. She was not mad. She was more bashful. She used to be an assassin in her previous life, so she should not get emotionally attached to anyone. She had not felt attached to anyone either. It was not until now that she felt that she had fallen for Zhou Huaijin. However, she was always very bashful when they went close. The bashful feelings made everything awkward. That was why they were like this now. Luckily, Huaijin still forgave her. Gu Chaoyan felt a bit moved. She looked up at Zhou Huaijin with a pair of wide eyes. She blinked and said, ¡°We are not yet married. Please don¡¯t act this frivolously any more.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded seriously while looking contemtive, then he asked. ¡°Then when can we get married?¡± Gu Chaoyan red at him and felt very helpless. What was he thinking? She was not speaking about getting married. What was he thinking all this time? Gu Chaoyan felt very helpless. She removed herself out of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s arms and sat down on the chair, saying seriously, ¡°ording to the martial rules of the Saint Divine Land, the two families should have picked a good day for the wedding after the engagement is settled, but we are in a special situation right now. Our mother is not really deceased, but she is, in both the court and the civilians¡¯ eyes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So ording to the rules, you should stay unmarried for two years before you are allowed to get married.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But two years are just the rules, and people normally stay unmarried for three years, to show their resolution and filial piety.¡± Gu Chaoyan finished speaking in a serious tone, then she looked at Zhou Huaijin with a pair of wide eyes. Zhou Huaijin agreed. That was a rule in the Saint Divine Land, and he was very aware of that, but... As he looked at how Chaoyan reacted when speaking to him, he felt that Chaoyan was being really evil when she was saying those things to him. What an unruly girl! She was his future Princess Consort, yet she was a very evil girl, worse than he was. What was he supposed to do about her? Zhou Huaijin was feeling both annoyed and sweet. He took the seat next to Gu Chaoyan and looked at her with a very pitiful expression. Gu Chaoyan was not moved by him, but took a sip of the tea, and looked outside, saying, ¡°It is gettingte, I am going to take a bath, please just go back to your room and sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zhou Huaijin looked even more wronged, then he snuck away. Seeing his retreating figure, Gu Chaoyan smiled and continued to drink the tea. *** At the Qianqing Pce. The King was seated on his chair. Facing him were the Heads from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Architecture. Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074: Too Serious Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions In other mansions, either the King would grant them many servants, or the Ministry of Rites would offer some more. There were never so few servants at a mansion. @@novelbin@@ However, such a thing happened to Lord Yan¡¯s Mansion, since the Ministry of Rites did not dare to add too manyborers. The King did not pay attention to the Elder Prince, and the Crown Prince was giving them pressure too. So the Ministry of Rites decided to offend the Elder Prince, who had no rights or power, instead. The Ministry of Rites believed that the Elder Prince could do nothing to them, and even if the Elder Prince made a fuss, they would prove that their actions were legal and sticking to the rules. Zhou Huaijin felt very annoyed by this undisciplined mansion. His brother had done nothing wrong. Why was he treated like this? ¡°Brother, are you really satisfied with your mansion?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked, as he was frowning. The tea tasted really terrible. Lord Yan looked very gloomy, but soon he showed a strange smile and said, ¡°Yes I am.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I should be satisfied, shouldn¡¯t I? It is much better than how I live at the border.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have been granted a title and I have a mansion of my own. I should have a very good life in the future.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have already got someone to bring your sister-inw back here. She is pregnant with a baby and it is not right for her to stay at the border. Now that we have our mansion everything should be fine. We should be able to live a peaceful life.¡± Zhou Huaiyan was imagining what his future life would be like. And he even wore a small smile. He had nothing else to appeal to. He just hoped that he would be able to spend the rest of his life in peace. Pregnant? Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan exchanged a look. For the Elder Prince, it was good news, but for the others, it wasn¡¯t. The Crown Prince had not gotten any sons yet and yet the Elder Prince was going to be a father... That child was put into extreme danger. Zhou Huaijin hadn¡¯t had the intention of getting involved with this matter, but when a child was involved, Zhou Huaijin could not help but say, ¡°Brother, if you can listen to what I say, just don¡¯t bring sister-inw here for the time being. If the child can stay at the border, he might grow healthily, but this is the capital, you know.¡± Zhou Huaiyan was startled for a moment and then he smiled. His Eighth Brother grew up in the capital and he had been under the protection of the Queen. When he moved out of the princes¡¯ nursery, he was granted with the best mansion, which was in the charge of the Jiang Family. He lived in his own mansion and he had the King¡¯s shield too, even the Queen and the Jiang Family were protecting him. He had been living a very luxurious life throughout his whole life. He just had no idea what life was like at the border. It was not a ce for a human being to stay. If he was alone, it would be okay, but his wife Zhen was a girl, ady from a noble family and she was pregnant too. He just could not let her stay at the border and suffer. His Eighth Brother did not understand what was going on. He was not going to take his Eighth Brother¡¯s advice. Zhou Huaiyan was very aware of this point. However, he knew that his Eighth Brother was showing him care, so he was not going to turn him down directly. Zhou Huaiyan said, ¡°Eighth Brother, you are being too serious.¡± Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077: The King¡¯s Idea The existence of the Phoenix Girl was something the previous King told him about with hisst breath. It had been the imperial family¡¯s secret, something which was only known to the imperial family. It was actually a secret open only for the kings of different generations, but this secret had been on hold for too long, and what the King had told him was too limited for him to dig deeper. All he knew was that the Phoenix Girl existed, and that there were other more ferocious beings living on the continent. @@novelbin@@ However, it was not clear when the Phoenix Girl would arrive. In the past generations of kings, the King had always believed that he was lucky enough to know who the Phoenix Girl was, when he was on the throne. Normally the King should marry the Phoenix Girl when she first reaches marrying age, but when the Phoenix Girl was found, she had already be Lord Ling¡¯s Princess Consort. So he had to drop this idea. Luckily, Ling was the prince he liked the most, so it was okay. However, he still wanted to control the whole situation, despite all the difficulties. Therefore, he asked De Fu to arrange for people to bring Destiny Monk to the court, when he heard that Destiny Monk was back at the temple. He was waiting for the reply from Destiny Monk, and he was feeling very nervous. He wondered what more he was going to find out and what his future would be like. The King frowned slightly, as his fingers tapped on the table. At the moment, the world had been divided into four sections. The North Qi Land, the Feather Mulberry Land, the Cloud Land and the Saint Divine Land. Among them, the Saint Divine Land was the most powerful with thergest number of towns and the strongest army. However, magical monsters were avable in the North Qi Land. The Cloud Land and the Feather Mulberry Land were weaker, but if theybined forces, they would be difficult to deal with as well. However, he had already conquered Mu Yihan in the jail. He was the person that invented the metal beings which were the strongest beings. He had made sure that the jail was enabled for Mu Yihan to invent more such things, which would be stronger than the whole army. The King felt much more assured when he thought of this. Mu Yihan had just be his man, and Destiny Monk was back too. If he learned how the Phoenix Girl should work from Destiny Monk... He thought that he would be able to take control of all the other mysterious forces and swallow the other three countries. In this way, he might be the King of the whole world, rather than just the King of the Saint Divine Land. As he thought of this, the King felt really excited. He had his fists clenched, as if he had witnessed the magnificent future. However, these were all that he should gain. The King thought this, as he released his hands, sighed and looked calm and peaceful. He sipped some tea... De Fu had just returned... The King looked at De Fu and asked, ¡°How did it go? Where is Destiny Monk?¡± Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080: Dissatisfied Father asked him to personally invite Destiny Monk, but his Princess Consort was the Phoenix Girl, so Zhou Huailing would like to learn the news from Destiny Monk directly first. However, he could not fight against his father. Zhou Huailing was very confused about what he should do. So he decided to ask Junyi directly. Junyi had not worked for the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion for long, but Zhou Huailing could tell that he was very intelligent. He already established hiswork of messengers, who were all over the capital. Those people provided them with thetest news. Zhou Huailing followed Junyi¡¯s advice, which often turned out to be right. Under such circumstances... Zhou Huailing decided to ask Junyi for advice. Junyi would normally wait for him at the study after he returned from a call from the court. Zhou Huailing ran into the study and found Junyi waiting for him there, drinking tea. Zhou Huailing did not show any politeness. He shared the information he learned from the court and asked, ¡°Junyi, what do you think I should do?¡± ¡°Crown Prince, just follow the King¡¯s order,¡± Junyi said, looking rxed. Zhou Huailing was a bit confused. He asked anxiously, ¡°I just want to discuss with you what we should do since we already have the Phoenix Girl and Destiny Monk. We should get on with our n.¡± Junyi shook his head. ¡°Crown Prince, we should not rush into anything. The King trusts you so what we should do is to follow the King¡¯s order. The Princess Consort is the Phoenix Girl, which has already been confirmed, so we don¡¯t have to rush into anything.¡± Junyi said, ¡°The most important thing is to get the Princess Consort pregnant. We can wait for the others, and see who canughst.¡± Junyi looked confident. The Crown Prince was very excited, and so was he. In his heart, he expected the Crown Prince to take the throne as soon as possible, but it was not yet time. Zhou Huailing sighed. He understood what Junyi meant. The most important thing was what Junyi said ¨C to have a child. He thought for a while, then he seemed to remember that Gu Ruxue was asking for him. He went to check what was going on. He patted Junyi¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take a rest, and we will go to the temple tomorrow.¡± As he finished speaking, he was about to leave... When he heard a scream arising from outside. It was Gu Ruxue... Before Zhou Huailing could check what was going on, Gu Ruxue was already in the study. She saw Junyi inside the study. Her expression sank and she pointed at Junyi. ¡°This servant is here again?¡± Then she turned to Zhou Huailing. ¡°You keep me waiting because of this servant?¡± Gu Ruxue sounded so sharp and her face had been twisted. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huailing looked at Gu Ruxue helplessly. If not for her identity as the Phoenix Girl, Gu Ruxue would never have the qualification to stay at the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. 1 They had been married for months. Chapter 1084 - Serving

Chapter 1084: Serving

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

¡°Are you going to serve me well tonight?¡± Zhou Huailing stared into Gu Ruxue¡¯s face. Before Gu Ruxue got married, she was considered the most beautifuldy in the whole capital. Although all the noble families understood that she was not a match for the title, because thedies of the noble families were not in apetition for that title. No one would dare to give a title like this to any nobledy. However, Gu Ruxue¡¯s family, namely the Gu Family, was not a big family, so she was just there to be teased. Well, despite the fact that she was being mocked, Ruxue was very beautiful. She looked really sexy. Men liked this type. Zhou Huailing was full of desire and lust at the moment, and he felt that Gu Ruxue was very beautiful. So he fell out of the mood to speak anymore. He picked her up and walked into the inner chamber. @@novelbin@@ Gu Ruxue got a bit shy, but she did not push him away. The maids in the room went out of the room and started to prepare things. The Crown Prince Consort and the Crown Prince spent a lot of time together in the inner chamber, but the maids were too experienced to panic in this case. In the room¡­ There was a very harmonious scene in the room. Liu Qingqing was too serious and elegant for Zhou Huailing, but Gu Ruxue was just sexy enough for him. ...... Gu Ruxue was dressed in a pink dress, her skin pale, fitting the dress well. Zhou Huailing had the itch to do something to Gu Ruxue, when he put her down. Gu Ruxue was showing her snow white neck, so he ripped off her dress, leaving only her underwear. ¡°Ruxue, you are very beautiful.¡± Zhou Huailing said, as he then ripped away her underwear. Gu Ruxue moaned. Then sound arose from the room. However, the sound did notst long. Then water was required. Maids hurried in and served them well. It was a very troublesome night, but soon the couple fell asleep. The following day Gu Ruxue was smiling happily. When Zhou Huailing got up, Gu Ruxue was already well-dressed. She was getting dressed properly. They were going to the temple today, but as the Crown Prince Consort, Gu Ruxue was going to make sure she looked beautiful no matter where she went. Zhou Huailing asked the other maids to dress him too. Usually, it should be the Crown Prince Consort who helped him dress, but Gu Ruxue did not seem to know that she should do so, nor was she good at doing it either. So Zhou Huailing dropped the topic. For Zhou Huailing, all he needed was that Gu Ruxue should remain the Phoenix Girl, and that would be all. He did not expect that she could do anything else like a Crown Prince Consort is supposed to. When they were dressed they left the mansion. They were going to meet Destiny Monk, so they could not bete. Junyi was already waiting for them outside in the yard. He greeted them politely upon seeing them walking out. However, when he looked up and saw Gu Ruxue and the way she was dressed, he had a veryplicated look on his face. Chapter 1088 - A Familiar Silhouette

Chapter 1088: A Familiar Silhouette

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

He went up to gag Gu Ruxue¡¯s mouth. Gu Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl, if she was not, he would have pped her directly. She was just talking as if she feared nothing. Destiny Monk was not just a monk. They had all witnessed what they had been through so Destiny Monk was just like a deity. He was not just a monk! They had already disturbed Destiny Monk, and if they kept speaking bad about him, something bad would happen to them sooner orter. Zhou Huailing could not possibly allow Gu Ruxue to ruin him just because she was ignorant. Gu Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl, but Zhou Huailing still felt really annoyed. He lectured with a low voice, ¡°Ruxue, he is the Destiny Monk, so you must not say anything bad! Otherwise you will never keep mepany out in the future!¡± Zhou Huailing looked really furious. Gu Ruxue cringed her neck and said nothing more. She did not dare to say anything bad about the Monk either. However, she felt extremely annoyed when teased. She was the Phoenix Girl so she should not be mocked or teased. That was why she made thoseints. Well, she was not going to lecture him any more. She felt very guilty as well, so she said nothing more. She nodded in silence. @@novelbin@@ Only then did Zhou Huailing feel slightly better. He said nothing more about Gu Ruxue. ...... Destiny Monk could know destiny and Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl! Anyone who could get the Phoenix Girl would get the whole world. However, they had not yet had children. Zhou Huailing was feeling very uncertain inside his heart. He just could not behave over the top, because when the secret became known to the public, someone mighte to steal Ruxue from him. Now the incident was over. Zhou Huailing thought for a while and said, ¡°Junyi, just go and arrange for someone to wait here until Destiny Monk finishes his meditation. I have to know instantly when hees out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ruxue, I need to report the situation back to father, so you should go back to the Crown Prince Mansion first. Don¡¯t idle around alright? Just stay at the Mansion and do nothing, understand?¡± Zhou Huailing stressed. Gu Ruxue nodded. She was not following the court at all. She was very annoyed too, so she did not want to visit the court. The Crown Prince was going to meet the King and she could only stay behind the court where she had to meet Honored Princess Jing and the Empress Dowager. She kept talking about letting Ruxue get pregnant, whilst the Empress Dowager did not seem to like her at all. So she did not want to go into the court. She was going back to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion¡­ However, on the way there, Gu Ruxue thought for a while and said, ¡°Go to the Gu Mansion first.¡± No one dared to counter her order, so the wagon went directly to the Gu Mansion. Gu Ruxue was the Crown Prince Consort, so the whole Gu Mansion treated her respectfully. Gu Ruxue was already used to that. She turned around and decided to speak with her mother at Pear Garden. Suddenly¡­ she saw a very familiar silhouette. Chapter 1091 - Bad Luck!

Chapter 1091: Bad Luck!

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It was Changmei, the Chief Maid serving Mrs. Gu. It had been Lianxiang who served Mrs. Gu in the past, but after Lianxiang passed away, Chang Mei was promoted to be the Chief Maid. Changmei was almost equally capable as Lianxiang, and Mrs. Gu trusted her deeply. She entrusted everything to Changmei. Hearing that Changmei¡¯s voice was rising and the tone seemed rather anxious, Mrs. Gu¡¯s expression sank as if something really bad had happened. She never liked it if her maid panicked when something happened, so those who served her often knew the rules. So what was Changmei panicking like this for? Mrs. Gu was rmed as she looked at Gu Ruxue, asking, ¡°What is happening? Come inside and spill.¡± Changmei hurried in. She greeted Gu Ruxue still, although she was very anxious. Gu Ruxue was very satisfied, so she did not pester Changmei yet and said, ¡°Just get up and spill!¡± Mrs. Gu¡¯s expression was low. Changmei said quickly, ¡°Madame, something is wrong at the remote yard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Madame Gu just passed away.¡± Changmei looked very anxious and frightened. She just found out this news and she had no idea what to do. And she felt very guilty as well. ...... She had witnessed the remaining days of Madam Gu at the Gu Mansion. After Madame Gu got a stroke, she was removed to the remote yard, ignored by Old Master and disliked by Mrs. Gu. Madame Gu was suffering terribly and she was not fed well. She did not even get food served to her every day either. Those servants of the Gu Mansion only turned to those who gave them something good. Since Madame Gu was disliked by the leaders of the mansion and she was suffering from a stroke, those servants understood that she had no way out, so they decided to give her up. People from Pear Garden knew about this, but they not only failed to stop the servants from treating Madam Gu like this, but also asking the servants to give Madam Gu trouble. No one said anything against that, because nothing really happened. However, now Madame Gu suddenly passed away. @@novelbin@@ She was just suffering from a stroke so she should not have passed away so fast. Changmei was panicking because she subconsciously believed that Madame Gu¡¯s death was rted to Mrs. Gu and she was here to see what Mrs. Gu was going to do about it. Changmei was really worried, but Mrs. Gu did not even blink upon hearing the news. She showed a calm look on her face as if she had just heard some trivial matter. ¡°You panicked like this because of such a small thing?¡± Mrs. Gu¡¯s expression sank as she looked at Changmei unhappily, ¡°I told you many times not to get anxious but stay calm when you work for me. How could you panic like this when you run into such a small thing? What more can you do in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is Madame Gu who has just passed away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She is old and sick, and it has been her luck that she can live for so long.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But it is such bad luck she has brought to us by dying at this moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Chapter 1093 - What to Say

Chapter 1093: What to Say

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After Ruxue recounted the whole n, Mrs. Gu had a clear idea of what they were going to do. She was right. The Crown Prince and the King were in an honorable position at the moment, but they could be changed anytime. It was never certain who would take the positions, but Ruxue was different. Ruxue was the Phoenix Girl! She was totally irreceable. As long as Ruxue was with the Gu Family, they needed to fear nothing. They only needed to walk with their heads raised high. If that was the case¡­ Mrs. Gu found Gu Chaoyan the biggest threat. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mother passed away ages ago, and Mrs. Gu could do nothing about her, but Gu Chaoyan was still alive, so she was going to take revenge on her instead. A look of fierceness shed across her eyes. Gu Ruxueughed when she heard what Mrs. Gu said. She looked at her mother and said with a look of rxation. ¡°Mom, I am the Crown Prince Consort and the Phoenix Girl, I can do whatever I want to her.¡± @@novelbin@@ Hearing this Mrs. Gu smiled. That was true. It was she who had been too worried. ...... The mother and the daughter exchanged a look between themselves and smiled in mutual agreement. Mrs. Gu saw that it was gettingte, so she said, ¡°Ruxue, just go back to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion before it gets toote. I would like you to stay for the night here, but you have been married for so long and you need to have a child for the Imperial family!¡± Gu Ruxue was Mrs. Gu¡¯s daughter and inside her heart, she was always thinking for her sake. That was right. Gu Ruxue showed a look of helplessness. ¡°Mom, did you get any prescription from doctors about how to get pregnant?¡± Gu Ruxue asked. Mrs. Gu shook her head. None of the famous clinics in the capital offered any methods. And one of them even mentioned the clinic opened by Gu Chaoyan, to which she paid a visit, yet Gu Chaoyan the b*tch did not offer anything. Nevertheless¡­ It seemed that she needed to get a prescription no matter what! It would take them some time. She just could not worry Ruxue. She said, ¡°I will do that since I already made the promise. Don¡¯t worry, I will get Changmei to deliver the prescription to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion as soon as I get one.¡± Gu Ruxue gasped and dropped what she was about to say. She was not that worried since her mother was entrusted with some work. Her mom was doing all she could for her sake. So she nodded and decided to head back to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. She had just taken one step and Mrs. Gu decided to walk her out too¡­ when Gu Zhenkang hurried to catch up with them. Gu Ruxue and Mrs. Gu had to stop. They wondered what Gu Zhenkang needed. Gu Zhenkang was here to ask about his mother¡¯s funeral. He had been saddened about his mother¡¯s death, and when he asked Chen Fu what they should do about it, Chen Fu said that Mrs. Gu already made the arrangements. He heard the arrangements and felt that it was not proper. So he asked. ¡°Mrs. Gu, don¡¯t you think that it is a little bit too shabby for my mother¡¯s funeral? She was my mother and helped a lot with the Gu Mansion for years. How can I tell others what we did for her?¡± Although Gu Zhenkang did not care about his mother when she was still alive, when she was gone, Gu Zhenkang started to feel a bit guilty¡­ Hearing his words Mrs. Gu red at Gu Zhenkang. ¡°Who are you going to tell about this?¡± Chapter 1096 - Young Belief

Chapter 1096: Young Belief

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¡°Therefore, I am thinking that we should either make the Yellow Crane disappear or turn the Yellow Crane into our own.¡± Gu Yunhe said reasonably, ¡°Also, the store where the Yellow Crane stands used to be under the charge of Gu Mansion, and Lord Huai suppressed that. That was why we gave it up, but things are different now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My sister is the Crown Prince Consort, and the Phoenix Girl, and our mansion is one of the biggest mansions in the capital. With the Crown Prince helping us, we can gain back whatever we want easily. So we should get back what we want.¡± ¡°¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°However, Lord Huai is involved with the Yellow Crane, so if I want to get it back alone, it would be difficult. That is why I am thinking about having a talk with sister to see if she can ask The Crown Prince to help us with it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is just a restaurant, but when I have it, I can be the honored chief and the ie can be given to the Crown Prince for the army,¡± Gu Yunhe said with a look of indifference. He did not really care about money and where the ie would go. What he cared about was how he would look on the surface. Gu Mansion did not need any money and he could just make some gestures for many people toe and deliver treasure to him. Also, he could earn a lot from his work tasks, so a restaurant was not useful for him. What he was displeased about was that few people visited Restaurant Jixian right now and not everyone was interested in Restaurant Jixian any more. He had always had a dream about being at Restaurant Jixian. When Gu Mansion was just a small mansion in the capital, the money, which was enough for him to have a meal at Restaurant Jixian, could not take him into the elegant room. Only nobledies and young masters of the capital would be allowed to eat in the elegant rooms, which were only open for you when you were in high position. When you became powerful, the waiters at Restaurant Jixian would treat you well, whilst the other guests could only look up at you as you entered that elegant room. And that was what Gu Yunhe was doing right now. ...... Gu Mansion was almost as respected as the other noble families, and he was admired wherever he went, and even the Elder Princess treated him politely. He understood that he had already be what he had been dreaming about when he was little, but Restaurant Jixian had changed. He just could not ept the truth. What he needed to do was to return Restaurant Jixian to what it had been like before. He had made some efforts, and he even asked Restaurant Jixian to sell liquor, since he imed to be their supporter, but Restaurant Jixian was never like it was before. Few people visit there now. The difference between how Restaurant Jixian looked in the past and how it was now that he and the young masters were drinking at Restaurant Jixian made him feel really ufortable. He believed that with his sister¡¯s help, it would not be very difficult for him to deal with the Yellow Crane. That was why he needed to do something about it! He was going to return Restaurant Jixian to how it was in the past. Gu Yunhe looked very resolute. Mrs. Gu did not think that a restaurant would matter that much, but she did not want to stop Yunhe from doing what he wanted. ¡°That may work, however¡­¡± Chapter 1099 - Slap on Face

Chapter 1099: p on Face

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

¡°He can tell how Madam Gu treated him, and if he said that she treated him badly, then she did!¡± Madame Gu said directly, ¡°You should understand what is important and what is not. Madame Gu is dead, and the funeral has been arranged, you should not mention anything so unlucky. What matters is the ones that are alive, and Yunhe is going to help the Gu Mansion to flourish!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t linger upon those small things. You are now working at the Ministry of Personnel, how could you be even more narrow-minded than in the past?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are flourishing right now, and we need to have full consideration about what is going on. It is just Madam Gu¡¯s funeral, soyou don¡¯t need to do anything about it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or do you want Gu Mansion to go downhill instead?¡± Mrs. Gu snapped. Gu Zhenkang nodded. He did not want to linger on this matter, but Madam Gu was his mother, and he did not think that she had an easy life. Now she was gone and her funeral had to be reduced. He was thinking that Yunhe, as the elder grandson, should at least say goodbye to her. @@novelbin@@ However, Yunhe had a different attitude than he had expected. It made him feel very ufortable. Mrs. Gu was right. He had always dreamt about not gettingughed at for marrying a businesswoman back in his old position. And he was going to make Gu Mansion the biggest mansion in the whole capital. They were all heading towards this direction and they were soon going to be the biggest mansion. His old colleagues would treat him nicely rather thanugh at him. Although he had gotten everything he wanted, he was still feeling really ufortable inside his heart. In the past, he had the say about everything, and Madam Gu, who was intimidating, did everything she could for his sake. He was like the Old Master of the mansion. ...... Yet at the moment¡­ Yunhe was working for the Crown Prince and had some power, and he did not obey his words. Ruxue was the Crown Prince Consort and refused to listen to his words as well. Even Mrs. Gu, who used to respect him, refused to stand by his side. The whole Gu Mansion seemed to be out of his control. In the past¡­. When Ms. Lin was still alive, and even when her father was working for the Imperial family, he never treated him like this. So Gu Zhenkang felt really ufortable. Mrs. Gu did not lecture him any more, seeing that he was her husband. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just drop it!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yunhe doesn¡¯t feel happy so he countered you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What matters the most is Gu Mansion. Lin Jiaxing looked down at you right? He did not think that you deserved his sister. And Gu Chaoyan even said that you have chosen the wrong daughter and that she was going to be someone extraordinary.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You will see how they react, when you be the King¡¯s father-inw!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for Madame Gu, Chen Fu is already taking care of it, so just drop it. Yunhe is going to be in charge of the mansion in the future, so you should not irritate him!¡± Gu Zhenkang said nothing more after he heard her words, so Gu Yunhe felt slightly more satisfied. ¡ª At Xinlin Mansion. Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102: Xie Yan¡¯s Meeting with Gu Chaoyan Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Also... Also the agreement he reached with Gu Chaoyan about the duration of his stay was expiring. Xie Yan knew clearly that Gu Chaoyan admired him from the bottom of her heart, and that she could not conceal her admiration towards him. Also, she kept urging him to meet her. Lord Huai was just a Lord, but the throne was not yet taken. Everyone might be the candidate. He had never seen any imperial children who didn¡¯t dream about the throne. He could tell that Gu Chaoyan was ambitious, since she cared so much about what was going on. So he believed that Lord Huai should have the same ideas as well. !! They needed a strategist. So he believed that he would be interesting for them, otherwise, why would they keep protecting him for a month? And he had no work to do during this month, so it must be costly for the couple. So they must be trying to make him stay. Xie Yan thought this inwardly. He was very confident about his talent. However, the moment he decided to leave the Crown Prince, he already did not want to get involved with thepetition for the throne. So it was not proper for him to remain by Lord Huai¡¯s side. However, Gu Chaoyan was a very interesting person who respected everyone around her. Xie Yan had no idea what choice he should make. *** And Sword One wore a veryplicated look on her face. It was just a chit chat Elder Miss asked for, what took Mr. Xie for so long? @@novelbin@@ Sword One reminded him. ¡°Mr. Xie, are you going or not?¡± Xie Yan withdrew his emotions and answered. ¡°Of course, yes.¡± Sword One looked even more confused. What took him so long to make the decision? Elder Miss was not a beast! Sword One dropped the confusion and took Xie Yan to the yard in which Gu Chaoyan was staying. Xie Yan could see Gu Chaoyan and Lord Huai drinking tea there, so he could not help feeling very nervous. Just as he had expected, Gu Chaoyan and Lord Huai must have admired his talent, so they were trying to get close to him and make him stay. Well... It was something Xie Yan was very confused about. He had no idea what choice he should make. Xie Yan sighed and went to join them. Gu Chaoyan showed a brief smile. ¡°Mr. Xie, just take a seat, please.¡± Then she asked Qing to serve the tea. Qing was very fast as well. The moment Xie Yan sat down, the tea was already served and it was still hot. The tea served at Xinlin Mansion was very tasty, and Gu Chaoyan got the best for herself. So the smell lingered. Instead of taking the teacup, Xie Yan asked cautiously, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, what do you need me for?¡± Gu Chaoyan chuckled. ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to share a very interesting thing that has happened in the capital these days.¡± Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105: Confusion Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions While Zhou Huaijin was talking, Gu Chaoyan had picked up her teacup and drank some tea. The tea tasted good, totally fitting for the weather. It was very important what kind of tea should be eaten in what kind of season. Gu Chaoyan was still thinking about this when she heard what Zhou Huaijin asked. She looked confused as she looked at Zhou Huaijin. Her n? What n? They already came to the agreement with Xie Yan, who would tell them the truth about why he was being hunted by Zhou Huailing whilst they kept him safe for a month to prevent him being found by Zhou Huailing¡¯s men. The agreement was reached ages ago and they were following the rules. Xie Yan could do whatever he wanted after one month¡¯s time, and it depended on himself what n he was going to take, rather than what n she was making. !! Gu Chaoyan could not understand the question. She sipped her tea and turned a confused look at Zhou Huaijin, wondering what he meant. Zhou Huaijin could not help but chuckle at the sight of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s confused look. Xie Yan had been implicitly asking Chaoyan if she could keep him, and he expected Chaoyan to answer his question. Yet Chaoyan did not. And also, Xie Yan had apparently turned very disappointed. However, he said nothing. That was because he wondered if Chaoyan had other ns. Chaoyan was a girl with ns, and she never told anyone what she was really thinking. That was why he asked such a question. However, seeing the way Chaoyan reacted, Zhou Huaijin realized what Chaoyan had been thinking about ¨C she never thought about keeping Xie Yan, thus not answering Xie Yan¡¯s words. She did not avoid the question. She just did not think about it. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijinughed and found Chaoyan lovely. She was, actually, an incredibly smart girl. She could be extremely considerate about everything, and made perfect ns, but she could be innocent and lovely sometimes, like right now. She was also quite slow when it came to emotions. She could never sense anyone who was interested in her He liked her in this way, but he started to feel sorry for Xie Yan as well. Inside Xie Yan¡¯s heart, Chaoyan was incredibly tricky and he would assume that Chaoyan had her own ideas and n. However, what he did not understand was that Chaoyan was just a girl who had just passed her adulthood, and she could be very innocent as well. Therefore, Xie Yan failed in his n and got tripped by his arrogance. As he thought about how Chaoyan did matters and the staff she had recruited, all of them begged to stay rather than were asked, except for Prince Muyi¡¯s bodyguard, who she intended to recruit yet gave up because of Prince Muyi. And Xie Yan was obviously not capable enough for Chaoyan to hire. Therefore... Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108: n Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions He was here to discuss Yellow Crane, and it was the first time he tried to speak with Ruxue about this. When mom¡¯s servant came to ask for enquiries to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion the day before, Ruxue nodded with a yes, so he was here. What was going on? Gu Ruxue said impatiently, ¡°I told you that if you want to get married, you have to choose the Second Lady of the Chu Family. She may be a concubine¡¯s daughter, and not as noble as County Princess Anxi.¡± ¡°...¡± !! ¡°Yet County Princess Anxi and Elder Princess are just wearing empty titles, and have no realistic powers. They only live under the Empress Dowager¡¯s name. Look at County Princess Anxi, she is not in a good rtionship with Gu Chaoyan, but County Princess Anxi did not dare to do anything about it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Second Lady of the Chu Family may be a concubine¡¯s daughter, yet if you can marry her, the Crown Prince would receive the Chu Family¡¯s support.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When the Crown Prince reaches his goal, you would be an Imperial family member, and if you don¡¯t think that Second Lady of the Chu Family is good enough, you can marry someone else again instead.¡± Hearing what Gu Ruxue said, Gu Yunhe looked helpless. ¡°Ruxue, what are you talking about, I want Yellow Crane, which has nothing to do with County Princess Anxi. I just like Restaurant Jixian. If you don¡¯t want me to get involved with County Princess Anxi, and Elder Princess, then help me to get Restaurant Jixian as well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will of course listen to your advice about who I am going to marry.¡± ¡°...¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°I just feel that Yellow Crane is too annoying and I don¡¯t want Lord Huai to make so much money in the capital, so I would like to have it for myself. Yellow Crane might be mine on the surface, but the ie will all be the Crown Prince¡¯s, for his army!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I spent too much time at Pass, and I am unable to do anything in the capital. So if I can do this for the Crown Prince, then I will,¡± Gu Yunhe said seriously. He sounded really devoted. Hearing his words Gu Ruxue let out a sigh of relief. That was what he meant... She had thought that her brother had be so obsessed with the girl that he decided to drop the Second Lady of the Chu Family. Then her n would not be achieved. If that was the case... everything would get much easier. They had thought about taking over Yellow Crane, yet they did not have enough power back then. However, now they did, and her brother mentioned that, so things would be much easier. ¡°I get it now. I will tell the Crown Prince about this, and he will arrange someone to help you!¡± Gu Ruxue promised with a look of relief. Then she remembered. ¡°But before the Crown Prince makes the arrangement, you can just drop it. You can go to the Second Lady of the Chu Family, who is very happy to marry you. However, Prime Minister Chu is too stupid to understand the importance of marrying Second Lady of the Chu Family to you. If you don¡¯t think that n works, then you can just get the Second Lady of the Chu Family pregnant, and then she will have to marry you.¡± Gu Yunhe understood what the n was. He smiled. ¡°Then I will get down to do that!¡± Gu Ruxue nodded. Gu Yunhe went to speak with the Second Lady of the Chu Family, while she went into the study. She did not even let anyone pass on the message but went in directly. Zhou Huailing and Junyi were just talking about business when Gu Ruxue went in without warning. Zhou Huailing¡¯s expression sank the moment he saw that. Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110: To Get Yellow Crane 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions That was what the Crown Prince was like. And that was how he should behave. Gu Ruxue used to be the most beautiful girl in the whole capital, and she had all kinds of artistic skills. So it was very reasonable that the Crown Prince adored her. Gu Ruxue felt so happy, and believed that the life she was living right now was what she had been dreaming about since childhood. She had always looked beautiful and was favored at Gu Mansion, and she was even more adored than the lineal daughter. She even married the man who was going to be the King when she just stepped into adulthood. Soon she was going to be the Queen and the most respected woman in the world. And her child would be the next King, and the Crown Prince would continue to spoil her like this. More importantly, she was the Phoenix Girl! She was the happiest woman in the whole world. Smiling Gu Ruxue said, ¡°I did have something I would like to discuss with you.¡± !! ¡°...¡± ¡°Brother has juste to the mansion because he wants to take over Yellow Crane.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think that as the Crown Prince, you can help my brother to take over Yellow Crane without any difficulty, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Brother also said that he will just take the name, yet the profits will all be yours to boost your army!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Crown Prince, what do you think?¡± Gu Ruxue really believed that it would be very easy for him to do. He could even order them to offer Yellow Crane, look at what happened to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion! That was why she put it forward so easily. Zhou Huailing, who had been displeased a while ago because Gu Ruxue came to disturb him for such a small matter, was satisfied by how Ruxue spoke. It was a very easy thing for him right now, and the Gu Family knew what he could do. They also knew that they should support him rather than take the profits personally. So the restaurant was good for him. In this case, he was going to say yes to this request. It would just take some time and energy. Well, that was too true. He did not think that his Eighth Brother had any idea of what situation he was in right now. He better keep a low-profile so he should drop Yellow Crane. He did not need that much money as a minor Lord. So he was going to take over the restaurant. ¡°Okay, I will spare some time to help your brother. Your brother is now hanging out with Young Masters of the noble families, which is good for us. Yellow Crane should be a good ce for them to have fun,¡± Zhou Huailing said, looking supportive. Then he turned to Junyi and said indifferently, ¡°Junyi, how do you think we should deal with this matter?¡± It might be an easy thing for him right now, but he was still the Crown Prince, and he needed to obtain civilians¡¯ support rather than do anything impulsive. It would be best if they could deal with everything in a proper way. Junyi showed a very bad look on his face.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1115 - Yellow Crane for the Crown Prince 1

Chapter 1115: Yellow Crane for the Crown Prince 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Zhou Huailing sat there and looked down at Zhou Huaijin from amanding point of view. He did not show any respect. Instead of getting up, he sipped his tea and spoke indifferently, as if he were the lord for the mansion rather than Zhou Huaijin. He didn¡¯t even put forward a hint of negotiation. Instead, he just demanded that Zhou Hauijin give Yellow Crane to him, just because Yunhe liked it. Zhou Huailing did this because of one reason ¨C in his opinion, it was just a restaurant, and his Eighth Brother must be a wise enough person who understood what was going on right now. If he were not wise enough, he would not have agreed to give Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion to him. Since his Eighth Brother had knowledge of what was going on and gave Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion to him, the Crown Prince was sure that as long as he made the proposal, his Eighth Brother would definitely say yes to giving the restaurant to him as well. After all, it was a proposal made by the Crown Prince and it would be stupid for his Eighth Brother to say no. Having said this, Zhou Huailing sipped the tea and nced about the hall of Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion. He wondered what the previous Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion looked like right now and he was waiting for Zhou Huaijin to give him an answer. He thought that it was just an easy request, and he could just make some promises to his Eighth Brother as an exchange. As long as he could get Yellow Crane, he could just do anything he wanted about the promises he made. Zhou Huailing sipped some more tea and looked at Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijin had no expression on his face from the moment he saw Zhou Huailing walk in arrogantly, sit down and tell him to give Yellow Crane to him. He did not even show any extra emotions. Instead, he chose a vacant seat to sit down, then he also picked up a teacup and drank. He did not say anything and did not answer Zhou Huailing. Zhou Huailing frowned seeing how he reacted. He was a little annoyed. He was being polite by asking Eighth Brother for the Yellow Crane! It was just a small restaurant. If he agreed to give him the restaurant, then he could help himter when he took the throne. Why couldn¡¯t Eighth Brother understand this? And why did he not even want to answer him!? Well¡­ Eighth Brother was still in charge of Yellow Crane, so it would be better if he could deal with the issue properly. Zhou Huailing tried not to show his impatience. He added. ¡°Eighth Brother, it is just a restaurant. I need it, but you don¡¯t want to give it to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about the restaurant, because it doesn¡¯t earn much money, we don¡¯t need the profits. I can just ask our father for money if I really need money! Ournd is very rich, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is just that the Crown Prince Consort¡¯s brother likes it, and she is trying to help him, and I am trying to make her happy.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Eighth Brother, we can only live well when we are taken care of by our father and have power. There is no need to stick to a restaurant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Give me the restaurant, and I will treat you well too.¡± Chapter 1119 - Xie Yan’s Departure 1

Chapter 1119: Xie Yan¡¯s Departure 1

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Even he found that it was beyond expectation. At first, he did not like it when the Crown Prince decided to work on Yellow Crane, because he did not think that the Crown Prince should waste time on such a minor thing. He had seen through the Gu Family. The Gu Family could not possibly boost the Crown Prince. Gu Zhenkang was a useless father-inw. When the King assigned him to work at the Ministry of Personnel, he still worked in the same manner as he did at Taipu temple. He could not even get involved with the most simple thing! He spent the whole day drinking tea. @@novelbin@@ Gu Yunhe, on the other hand, had no ambitions other than to y around all the time. Well, he could y around if he wanted to, and Junyi did not care, as long as he did not cause trouble in the capital. However, he even got the Crown Prince involved with this fun! That was what displeased Junyi a great deal. However, the Crown Prince still promised to help them, so he could not possibly go deeper with this matter, so he allowed the Crown Prince to do whatever he wanted to. He did not even want to think of a strategy for him to use, since he believed that it was an easy thing to do. However, the Crown Prince could not even settle it himself! Junyi thought about it carefully. And he understood what was going on ¨C the reason why Lord Huai gave away his old mansion was not because he had understood the situation he was in and what he should do. That was not the case. Lord Huai was born by the Queen, and in the past dozens of years, the King favored Lord Huai on the surface, so he could get anything he wanted in the capital. Therefore it was probably a little difficult for him to ept that he was no longer favored and that the position of Crown Prince belonged to someone else. He agreed to give the mansion, probably not because of the Crown Prince, but because the King asked for it. Lord Huai would behave well in front of the King, yet it did not necessarily mean that he would behave well in front of the Crown Prince. There was a huge difference between these two things. ¡°Junyi, just tell me what we should do about this?¡± Zhou Huailing had almost finished venting his anger when he smashed everything he couldy his hands on. So he had started to think about serious business. Junyi almost thought through the whole thing carefully a while ago, so he looked rxed when Zhou Huailing asked that. ¡°Crown Prince, that is because Lord Huai doesn¡¯t want to bow to you. He is still dreaming! He believes that he has a chance!¡± Junyi said calmly. ¡°If he is still dreaming, we can make sure that he loses his dream.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lord Huai is going to be present at Madame Min¡¯s banquet, and at that time, we can make him bow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He is just a lord, and there are many ways for us to make him to realize his position.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Yellow Crane, it just needs a couple of more days for you to get it,¡± Junyi said. Zhou Huailing felt very motivated after hearing what he said. He became clear-minded again. He liked Junyi for this. He could see through everything and say everything carefully. He made him feel less burdened. *** At Xinlin Mansion. There were still a few days left before the one-month contract finished, but Xie Yan had already lost his patience, and decided to have a chat with Gu Chaoyan about his leaving. Chapter 1122 - Xie Yan’s Departure 4

Chapter 1122: Xie Yan¡¯s Departure 4

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Xie Yan looked timid. He had been learning how to be a strategist since childhood, with his teacher. And it had been decades since he became a strategist. He used to work for some businessmen, and some young masters of noble families in the south, and he was even hired by the Crown Princeter. He had always got what he wanted throughout his life. However, he had never expected that he would be tripped over by a young girl, who was even more patient and strategic than he was. If that was the case, he decided to go along with her to the end. Xie Yan calmed himself down and nodded. ¡°Of course I am satisfied by your arrangement, as long as you can help me with it, Lady Chaoyan.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled, hearing this. She did not have many men working for her, so there would be some difficulties for her to protect Xie Yan, but Shadow Door could definitely guarantee that Xie Yan left safely and went wherever he wanted to go. Gu Chaoyan smiled confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Xie.¡± Then she poured Xie Yan a new cup of tea and said, ¡°Please, have some tea, Mr. Xie.¡± Xie Yan was still feeling rather annoyed inside at this moment. He was such an excellent strategist and she could just let him stay if she had the intention, so what was she doing dragging the request? He was very displeased and unsatisfied. He did not want to drink her tea either. He snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink it any more, I am going to read now.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered with a small hint of disappointment. She found this man strange. How on earth did he get on well with an ill-tempered person like Zhou Huailing? It was very strange! Gu Chaoyan shook her head in confusion. She did not get up, but said to Sword One. ¡°Sword One, please walk Mr. Xie out.¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan treated Xie Yan with respect since he was a guest at Xinlin Mansion. Every time Xie Yan left, she would either ask Sword One or Xiu Jie to walk him to the door, depending on which of them was around. Sword One nodded and left. Xie Yan was very furious and turned around, trying to see who was behind him. It was Sword One, as he saw, who was serving Gu Chaoyan. After a while he asked, ¡°You are working for Elder Miss, right? How many people are working for Elder Miss?¡± Sword One smiled. She asked, ¡°What kind of people do you mean, Mr. Xie?¡± ¡°Those who work for your Elder Miss!¡± Xie Yan said straightforwardly. Sword One thought for a while, then she said seriously, ¡°Mr. Xie, I am sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you the truth. You are not working for our Elder Miss, and I can¡¯t sell out my Elder Miss!¡± Xie Yan¡¯s face stiffened. He was really furious! Gu Chaoyan was a tricky woman, so was her maid! She was telling him that he was not employed by the Elder Miss so she could not reveal anything! Alright then! ¡°Got it!¡± Xie Yan said ufortably. Sword One smiled. Although Elder Miss was not aware of what Mr. Xie intended to do, yet Sword One understood. Sword One could not help reminding Mr. Xie. ¡°Mr. Xie, I can¡¯t tell you who is working for Elder Miss, but I can share something else with you.¡± Chapter 1126 - Tricks

Chapter 1126: Tricks

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As Xie Yan was speaking¡­ Sword Two nodded without hesitation. Since Elder Miss chose this passage to be the route to take for Xie Yan, then he could definitely reveal this passage, anyway there was no way to deny it. Actually, it was Shadow Door¡¯s work. Shadow Door had started to dig such passages two years earlier, but ording to the n, there was just one passage that led to the court from Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion. However, after Elder Miss learned about this, she gave them a very concrete and specific map, from which they could dig underground passages. The n Elder Miss made for digging the passage turned the whole capital into an underground court! Also¡­ Although all the passages were essible underground, not everyone was able to get out of it. @@novelbin@@ That was why Elder Miss was not worried about letting Xie Yan use the passage. He could lead Xie Yan out of the capital, but Xie Yan could not find his own way. It was amazing! There were two ways for the passages, and both of them were crossed. Few people knew about how to follow the right route, even those at Shadow Door. Even he only knew how to get out of the capital. So he nodded proudly when Mr. Xie asked whether it was Elder Miss¡¯ idea. Also, what Mr. What Xie had seen was just a tip of the iceberg. If he saw the real, dramatic passage, he would be more than shocked. Sword Two walked forward, smiling. During the process, Sword Two made a few more twists and turns and twists before Xie Yan was led out of the capital. When they came out of the end, they saw a small hill outside the capital. It was a very isted ce, with no one else, not even a wild rooster could be seen. Sword Two looked around and found that it was very safe. Then he asked Xie Yan. ¡°Mr. Xie, where do you n to go? I can take you to your destination before I leave.¡± That confused Xie Yan, actually. He had never thought about where he was going. He had always thought that Gu Chaoyan was ying tricks with him and wanted to make him stay. He had always been thinking about this, even when he was in the passage a while ago. She had exposed the truth of the underground passages to him, so she had to be regarding him as her own. After he walked out of the passage, he had expected Sword Two to speak for her. However, he started to ask him where he was going. He had no parents, and he had learnt to be a strategist since he was young, but his teacher would not ept him, once he left the school. He always used to work as a strategist in someone else¡¯s mansion, so he was always fed and lived well, butter, he lived by himself with only a shabby room, and now the room was gone since he spent so much time with the Crown Prince. Where would he go? Where could he go? Xie Yan was confused. Gu Chaoyan must be thinking about letting him suffer first before returning to her? Xie Yan snorted. He would very much like to see what that girl was up to. He decided to return first. When he reached the destination, he would like to see if she was going to ask him about it. Chapter 1129 - Striking

Chapter 1129: Striking

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When Sword Two returned, Gu Chaoyan had just finished dinner. Gu Chaoyan had not expected Sword Two to return on the same day, so she was a bit surprised to see him. ¡°He is there already?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Yes, Elder Miss, Mr. Xie proposed to stay at Dazhou, so I already put him in an old yard that Shadow Door used to use. Mr. Xie can either stay there or leave for somewhere else.¡± Sword Two answered ordingly. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She had promised to keep him safe for one month when she wanted to know why he broke off with Zhou Huailing and got hunted down. One month passed, and he was safe. So how he was going to spend his remaining days depended on him. Gu Chaoyan believed that he was going to make it through given his own intelligence. She was not going to be involved with his business any more. ¡°I got it.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered briefly and decided to go to bed. Because of the cold wind that blew by during the night, she had caught a little cold. It was not serious, yet it exhausted her. Gu Chaoyan was not feeling as strong as before. So she decided to go to bed after hearing the news. It was Madame Min¡¯s birthday banquet the next day, and that would require her to stay clear minded. Seeing the result, Sword One could not help but feel sorry for Mr. Xie. She sighed¡­ Mr. Xie did not think it through so he and Elder Miss could not work together, after all. Having sighed, Sword One started to make the bed for Gu Chaoyan, whilst Qing helped her get changed. The following day¡­ Sword One woke Gu Chaoyan up early in the morning since they had a banquet to attend. Zhou Huaijin prepared the dress for the banquet for her, and it was delivered to the mansion the day before yesterday. The dress was very fitting. It was a red dress, not a very dull, elegant red, but a kind of brightness that could attract everyone¡¯s attention. The dress was light with no weighty ornaments. It was very suitable for Gu Chaoyan, who was a young maid, and it made her look like a maid suffused in happiness. Both Sword One and Qing were satisfied with the dress. The size and the appearance of the dress fit Elder Miss well, and it was the brightest-colored dress among all the in-colored clothes that Elder Miss had. They believed that the dress was amazing. Also, Elder Miss had fair skin, which went well with red. However, Gu Chaoyan did not think that it was perfect. She believed that something was missing. Then she realized what the w was ¨C the red mark on her face kept her one step away from perfection. She stared at the mirror for a while, then Sword One said, ¡°Elder Miss, you are still very beautiful, even with the red mark on your face.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She did not care much about her appearance, but she wanted to look very pretty, since she had set her mind to getting beautifully dressed. She painted a small plum-flower on her red mark with the makeup brushes. She was very satisfied by what she had painted. Then she smiled. Sword One and Qing were astonished seeing their Elder Miss dressed like this. She looked gorgeous! ¡°Elder Miss, you must be the most beautifuldy at the Min Mansion. You exceed Gu Ruxue in every way!¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1133 - The Birthday Banquet at the Min Family 4

Chapter 1133: The Birthday Banquet at the Min Family 4

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The Second Lady of the Chu Family had established a friendship with Gu Ruxue who helped her at the banquet, and Gu Yunhe was going to marry her as well, so the Second Lady of the Chu Family already regarded them as one family. She kept ttering Gu Ruxue. She did not think that her own family was reliable at all, so she put her hope in Gu Ruxue and the Gu Family¡¯s hands. Since she had been working with Gu Ruxue, she naturally knew what Gu Ruxue liked or wanted. For example, she knew that Gu Ruxue hated Gu Chaoyan the most. The Second Lady of the Chu Family knew well that they were going to humiliate Gu Chaoyan at this banquet. She also disliked Gu Chaoyan, but she was not brave enough to look straight into Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes. So she just gave a reminder. Hearing that Gu Chaoyan wasing, Gu Ruxue smiled with a confident look on her face. It was good that she was here. Gu Ruxue was going to see how Gu Chaoyan was going to humiliate herself! Gu Chaoyan had no Gu Family to protect her, Lord Huai was the only supporter of hers. However, currently Lord Huai was not having a good time either. He even had to give his mansion to the Crown Prince, what more could he do? Gu Ruxue thought and smiled proudly. First Ms. Min received Lord Huai and Gu Chaoyan. Like before, Lord Huai was dressed in a purple-colored, golden lined robe, looking cold and serious. He nodded at Old Master and then went into the front hall with him. First Ms. Min came to Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan greeted First Ms. Min. She was engaged with Lord Huai, but they were not yet formally married, so she was not yet a real Princess Consort. She was just the Elder Miss, so she needed to greet First Ms. Min, who had a higher position. Gu Chaoyan behaved very well, then she gave a brief and respectful smile as a junior member of the family. First Ms. Min felt that Gu Chaoyan was very well-behaved. She did not know much about Elder Miss Gu, because the Min Family was very far from the imperial family and the power, and First Ms. Min barely spoke with people in the capital, but she heard that Lord Huai¡¯s fiance had a very strange personality because her mother passed away when she was still little, and she was also very ugly. However, when she met her in person today¡­ First Ms. Min did not think that it was the case. Also¡­ She was much better than the Crown Prince Consort! Elder Miss Gu behaved elegantly and well, she was also quite innocent-looking yet she had a touch of coldness. First Ms. Min had met numerous people¡­ She was a rare being! First Ms. Min smiled brightly and took Gu Chaoyan to the back yard where thedies were seated. Gu Chaoyan had just arrived with First Ms. Min when all the talkingdies all fell into silence. Even the Second Lady of the Chu Family was astonished. ¡°That is¡­ Gu Chaoyan?¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1137 - Striking3

Chapter 1137: Striking3

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Gu Ruxue looked extremely confident. Well¡­ That was because she was the Crown Prince Consort and the Phoenix Girl, so she believed that anyone with a brain would know what they ought to do, especially when she of her own ord asked them to join her. She was surrounded by madams anddies, and many of the wives of the ministers were ttering her. She once asked Mrs. Min to join in on a banquet in the court before, but Mrs. Min did not really answer her request. Nevertheless, she did not care about what happened in the past, and she was even willing to showcase her generosity once again. That was because she knew well that she could offend anyone, but not Mrs. Min, because if Mrs. Min was offended, there was no other way for her to spin the tale. So Gu Ruxue decided to drop it. As long as Mrs. Min could please her this time, she could ignore what happened before. However, she also understood that Mrs. Min was quite unique in personality, so she was worried that if she did not say something, Mrs. Min would not have thought about joining her. So she spoke straightforwardly. Therefore, Mrs. Min would definitely have to join her. That was right¡­ She should not offend Mrs. Min, but Mrs. Min should understand that if she ever offended the Crown Prince Consort and the Phoenix Girl, something bad would happen to her. Therefore, Gu Ruxue believed that Mrs. Min would do as she said. She had just finished speaking, when she asked Ming to prepare the tea. Ming started to pour the tea whileGu Ruxue waited, looking really confident. Mrs. Min threw a calm look at Gu Ruxue, nodded but did not go to her. Instead, she went to Gu Chaoyan and sat down next to her. Everyone was looking at Mrs. Min and Gu Chaoyan, including Gu Ruxue. Mrs. Min was a very influential woman in the capital. And the exact reason why the Min Family was still the most influential noble family in the capital was because Mrs. Min was there, showing her power. Mrs. Min chose to speak with Gu Chaoyan instead of the Crown Prince Consort which was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. Lord Huai was not as influential as before, so who would ever try to get closer to Lord Huai? Seeing how Mrs. Min reacted¡­ the otherdies and madams all went quiet. They did not dare to say anything when all those powerful people were around, in case they caused trouble in the court. *** Gu Ruxue¡¯s fingernail broke because of the force she used. She looked extremely annoyed. She had intended to humiliate Gu Chaoyan at the birthday banquet, so that she could understand what position she and Lord Huai were in, and so that she would offer Yellow Crane of her own ord, but it turned out that she was the one that was humiliated all day. Gu Ruxue could not stand it anymore, so she smashed the teacup to the ground. With a loud crash, the teacup was smashed. It became very quiet in both the front and back halls. @@novelbin@@ Seeing this, the Second Lady of the Chu Family quickly said, ¡°The Crown Prince Consort is just careless!¡± Gu Ruxue frowned and red at the Second Lady of the Chu Family, then pped her right in the face. Chapter 1141 - Useless Woman 4

Chapter 1141: Useless Woman 4

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Junyi was very satisfied by how he arranged everything. Having said this¡­ he threw another disdainful look at Gu Chaoyan, smiling proudly. It was so clear which one of them was useless after all. This stupid woman was so proud to think that she was skilled enough to do what was beyond her abilities. She was like the Crown Prince Consort, who was stupid but always wanted to get involved. Junyi was thinking this inwardly. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at him as she said calmly, ¡°Madame Min is an elderly woman, who has eaten something beyond what she is able to bear, so she is suffering from a stroke. She needs to get treated immediately. The imperial doctors will be toote for her.¡± The Min Family, who had been feeling a bit more rxed, panicked a little after hearing what Gu Chaoyan said. Junyi threw a look at her. ¡°Don¡¯t just make exaggerated speeches. Do you think you can treat her, rather than the imperial doctors?¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Just let Chaoyan have a try.¡± A calm voice arose. It was Mrs. Min. When Mrs. Min said that the weight was different. Old Master and First Ms. Min exchanged a look, hesitated, but still nodded. Gu Chaoyan took out her silver needles and went forward. Mrs. Min spoke to Old Master calmly, ¡°I have also sent someone to bring Elderly Liao here, but it will take some time. He should be here very soon.¡± Hearing that Elderly Liao would soon be there, they all felt slightly assured. As long as Elderly Liao was here, everything would be solved. This young girl could perform a simple checkup on her at the moment, since they did hear about Elder Miss¡¯ medical skills and her story of treating Duke North. So they did have some trust in her medical skills, it was just that they were not very assured by her young age and experience. Gu Chaoyan, who was totally focused, approached Madame Min, took out her needles, picked up Madame Min¡¯s hands and stung her fingertips, bringing out a drop of ck blood. The Min Family was very surprised by the sight of ck blood. She did the same for the toes. Then Gu Chaoyan started some acupuncture. Later, Gu Chaoyan put away her silver needles, but Madame Min was still in aa. Madame Min did not wake up after Gu Chaoyan¡¯s treatment, which made Zhou Huailing and Junyi rxed. They were quite happy about it, because they did not want Gu Chaoyan to cure Madame Min, so that their doctors would have no room to show their skills. Seeing the scene, Junyi said straightforwardly, ¡°Why is Madame Min not awake?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are not skilled enough and yet you are using Madame Min as your experimental tool! You will never be able to take responsibility, if the imperial doctor says that you have done a bad job!¡± When Junyi said this, both Old Master and First Ms. Min panicked a little. For one moment, they had no idea what to do. ¡°Elder Miss, what is going on? Why is she still in aa?¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Madame Min. Patients who received acupuncture would need some time to wake up, even though the doctor was skillful! No one woke up directly after acupuncture. ¡°She will be awake in a while,¡± Gu Chaoyan answered calmly. ¡°What do you mean a while? What if she stays in aa?¡± Junyi asked further. Chapter 1144 - Slap on Face 2

Chapter 1144: p on Face 2

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Lord Huai was from the imperial family and the Crown Prince was settled to be someone else, yet you could never be certain about the throne game in the imperial family, especially when it came to Lord Huai who was born by the Queen. The Min Family owed her a favor, which they were going to return in the future, but what mattered the most was how they were going to return the favor. While Madame Min was still ina, Old Master was too worried about Madame Min to think about this issue. However, now that Madame Min was recovering, they had to think about this practical issue. The Min Family was not an ordinary family, and everything had to be well-considered since the Old Master did not want to make any mistakes. For one moment, he looked serious and embarrassed. The Old Master looked cautious as he nced at Gu Chaoyan, asking, ¡°I heard that your Xinlin Clinic is different from the other clinics, and I wonder what payment you would like to receive in return, since you manage to treat Madame Min well.¡± The Old Master was asking the question in public. His intentions were very clear. The Min Family owed Elder Miss Gu big, and she had her own request. @@novelbin@@ The Min Family was going to return the favor in public! That was why he asked her right there. No matter what favor she asked in return, the Min Family would try their best to return that favor, so that everyone would know that the Min Family was not doing anything in secret. The Old Master did not want to confront a young girl like this, but the Min Family was not an ordinary family, and the only thing they could do was to stay cautious. Hearing what the Old Master said, Gu Chaoyan more or less understood what the Min Family was thinking. They were trying to defend themselves. She offered the help because of Mrs. Min, not because she intended to get something from the Min Family. Therefore, she had nothing to ask in return. However, the Old Master seemed to stay cautious against her. So if she did not ask for anything right now, he would not feel assured. Therefore, she decided to satisfy the Min Family, and hoped that there would not be any grudge between them. Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°Xinlin Clinic does have rules, and I did not spend much effort in treating Madame Min.¡± The Old Master frowned. So she did not want to ask for a favor? ¡°1000 liang for one bottle, and I have given you two, so I am going to charge 2000 liang for the treatment. That is the fair price offered at Xinlin Clinic, so don¡¯t think that it is overpriced.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. She had just finished speaking when the Old Master looked really surprised. First Ms. Min could not help turning to Gu Chaoyan, even though she had been taking care of Madame Min. She had been married to the Min Mansion for decades, and she had encountered numerous difficult cases and people. She had not expected that it would be solved so easily. At least the Min Family would need to sacrifice something. However¡­ all Elder Miss Gu asked for was 2000 liang¡­ 2000 liang might be a lot for ordinary families, but it was nothing for the Min Mansion. ¡°Only 2000 liang?¡± The Old Master asked in disbelief. Chapter 1145 - Slap on Face 3

Chapter 1145: p on Face 3

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¡°There isn¡¯t much medicine in one bottle, but it works well. I used many precious medical herbs to make it, so 2000 liang isn¡¯t that much.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered seriously, refusing to say anything more. Old Master¡¯s face twisted. What he meant was that the payment might be too little whilst she worried that 2000 liang was too much. For the Min Mansion, this amount of money was nothing. It would make everything easier, if what she wanted was the payment only. She cured Madame Min, and the Min Mansion paid her ordingly. That was all. The Old Master was in a good mood. He smiled and asked the housekeeper to fetch the money. They gave her the payment today and the next day, they could offer her an extra present. Then the whole deal would be settled. For one moment, the Min Family felt really happy. Zhou Huailing was in a good mood too. Mrs. Min showed no expression. Elderly Liao threw a pitiful look at the Min Family. Elderly Liao and Mrs. Min were good friends, despite their age gap. He only came to carry out the treatment because he respected Mrs. Min. In the past, he did not understand why Mrs. Min would move out, when her husband passed away rather than move into the Min Family. Mrs. Min¡¯s husband left ages ago and they had no offspring. Therefore, she was living alone in a mansion outside the family. Elderly Liao felt concerned about her, so he asked her to move into the Min Family instead, after all, the Min Family was a century-old noble family with a firm ground in the capital, and the Min Family respected her as well. Therefore, if she could stay in the mansion, she would be sheltered. However, Mrs. Min refused to answer him every time the question was raised. She did not want to move back to the mansion. That had always confused him, but today he suddenly realized why. The Min Family was indeed a noble family with a long history, but the Min Mansion had be different from before. Those who were inside the mansion were not like those in the past, and the Min Family had lost their essences. That was what he concluded just now. The Min Family was even trying to stay cautious and defensive against a youngdy who just saved Madame Min, whilst the youngdy herself never had such an idea. The Min Family was no longer as wise as before. Mrs. Min was not an ordinary woman, and she did not like to get involved with those kinds of people. @@novelbin@@ Now he understood everything. Mrs. Min could just live by herself. She should not return to the Min Family. She just could not ept the way the Min Family treated people. The only person who was a match for Mrs. Min must have been the young, handsome man who passed away earlier. Mrs. Min was still young back then, otherwise they were a wonderful couple! Elderly Liao felt gratified inside his heart, got up and said farewell. ¡°Since Madame Min is okay, I am leaving now. My grandchild loves to stay with me, and he would be very sad if I am away for too long.¡± Hearing this, the Min Family did not force Elderly Liao to stay. They expressed some words of thanks before Mrs. Min saw him off at the door. Elderly Liao thus received the full respect. The housekeeper of the Min Family got the money, gave it to Gu Chaoyan, who nodded and was about to leave with Zhou Huaijin, without saying anything more. As she passed by Junyi, she threw a calm look at him. ¡°So¡­ Do you think I am useful, or are you?¡± Chapter 1149 - Arrogance 1

Chapter 1149: Arrogance 1

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Madame Min knew Mrs. Min well. She would have no reaction or opinions towards anything if she had no ideas about it, but when Mrs. Min showed a reaction, she might have some different opinions. Madame Min was the oldest person in the Min Family, and the person with thergest power of discourse, but Mrs. Min was a very special being. The reason why the Min Family was still prevailing was probably because Mrs. Min remained here. So even Madame Min treated Mrs. Min with importance, and naturally cared about her opinions. So when she was still in the Min Family, she was treated politely. Therefore, Madame Min asked Mrs. Min after hearing her chuckle. Well¡­ Madame Min did not think that there was anything wrong with her ideas. She thought that Gu Chaoyan received respect, because she helped the Min Family. Anyone who could hang out with the Min Family should feel honored. Gu Chaoyan was not yet married formally, and yet she was out of the Gu Mansion, and engaged to Lord Huai who wasn¡¯t having a good time. So it was her honor to be able to hang out with the Min Family. She got motivated to make this decision, because she had not been feeling well until Gu Chaoyan gave her the acupuncture. Although she was not speaking highly of Gu Chaoyan just for this, she was still thinking about letting Gu Chaoyan treat her when she had time. It was the girl¡¯s honor to hang out with the Min Family. Mrs. Min must just be thinking about whether or not the Min Family should hang out with her. The Min Family should never get involved with the imperial family. That was a certain thing. So nothing had to be worried about. It was already the girl¡¯s honor to have been a friend with the family. Madame Min looked at Mrs. Min calmly. Mrs. Min nodded. ¡°You have the willingness to hang out with Lady Chaoyan, but it seems that she has no intention of hanging out with us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Min Family has shown such a clear attitude towards her, and Lady Chaoyan is smart enough to understand what you mean. That is why she only asked for money, and she has put down her opinion too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is toote for you to hang out with Lady Chaoyan,¡± Mrs. Min said straightforwardly. She did not spend much time with Gu Chaoyan, but she knew what Gu Chaoyan was like. She appreciated her understanding. She was not holding contempt to the Min Family. She was, after all, Mrs. Min. If the Min Family truly wanted to hang out with Chaoyan, then she would find that a good thing, but now¡­ she felt differently. Madame Min was not in the right position to hear that. First Ms. Min wasn¡¯t pleased either. Lady Chaoyan was just an isteddy, and was Mrs. Min looking down at the Min Family when she said things like this? First Ms. Min was in charge of the Min Mansion¡­ so she was not very pleased hearing her sister-inw saying things like this. First Ms. Min said involuntarily, ¡°That is not true. I think that she wants to hang out with the Min Family by sucking up to us. That is why she asked for the money. She just did not want to offend the Min Family by turning down our offer.¡±@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1153 - Arrogance 5

Chapter 1153: Arrogance 5

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Madame Min was still alive, and she did not have to be worried, because Madame Min was someone who stuck to the rules. Her son was definitely going to inherit the family affairs. So she was very assured while Madame Min was alive. First Ms. Min was different from the madames from other mansions. She never hoped that Madame Min would pass away as soon as possible so that she could take over the mansionpletely. What she knew was that when Madame Min passed away, she would not be able to suppress the issues. While Madame Min was around, everything would be well. She had no idea what her whole life would be like afterwards. @@novelbin@@ That was what she was worried about the most when Madame Min got sick the day before. She could not do anything about the concubines, so all First Ms. Min could do right now was to stay young. As long as she was the best-looking, the Old Master would not visit the concubines and he would not have any love for them. As long as the Old Master loved her, and Min Qing inherited the mansion everything would go well. First Ms. Min sighed. She was living a very tiring life at the Min Family for the past few years, but she had to go on, and would get slightly better, when Min Qing inherited the business. First Ms. Min stopped thinking, massaging her temples as she felt slightly better. She said to Yinxing. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hall. We should tell Madame Min about inviting Elder Miss.¡± Yinxing answered with a nod and started tob First Ms. Min¡¯s hair. After she was done dressing, they both headed towards the hall. Madame Min was in a good mood. She got up early in the morning, and stayed in the hall. She said with a surprised smile as she saw First Ms. Min¡¯s face. ¡°You look very radidant today!¡± She had just received the skin cream from her the day before, and it seemed that Ms. Zheng loved it, so she got one more. Madame Min had never expected that the cream would work so well, but today, she not only got better after eating what Elder Miss had given to her, but when she used the cream, Madame Min found herself getting even more motivated. And as she saw Ms. Zheng, she found that it did work much better. Madame Min was pleased beyond words. Seeing the scene, First Ms. Min said with a smile, ¡°Madame Min, the cream really works excellently. I have sent an invitation to Xinlin Mansion and asked Elder Miss Gu to have a visit at our ce.¡± Hearing her words, Madame Min nodded with a smile. She knew clearly that Elder Miss Gu was someone who knew what position she was in, and what she could do. If they could spend more time together, she would possibly offer them more cream and pills. Well, they should spend more time together so Ms. Zheng was right in giving her the invitation. After First Ms. Min sat down she asked cautiously, ¡°I am thinking that we should still pay Elder Miss for the pills and cream, we can¡¯t owe her anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are a veryrge family with a long history and many people want to stay close to us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since Elder Miss Gu knows what she should and shouldn¡¯t do, I don¡¯t think that she is someone with a simple mind. And if everything that has happened was not a coincidence, then she is also a very calctive person.¡± Chapter 1156 - Suggestion 2

Chapter 1156: Suggestion 2

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Jinxing had worked for First Ms. Min for over a decade, and she was the Head Maid, who served by First Ms. Min¡¯s side. Jinxing was always with her except for some special banquets and meetings, so almost every noble person in the capital knew who Jinxing was. It was always she who passed on the message when First Ms. Min needed to tell someone else something, and everyone at the mansion treated her nicely. No one dared to counter her. So Jinxing was used to being treated like this, and she had her own methods of dealing with different issues. For example, Jinxing believed that Elder Miss Gu was easy to deal with, so she decided to save some time and finish the task as fast as possible, so that she could tell her master what she had done. The reason why First Ms. Min wanted to meet Elder Miss was because she liked the cream. And she asked her to go there because she wanted to get more cream from her, but that was not something she was going to say personally, so she needed to make the suggestions for her sake. She believed that Xinlin Mansion and Elder Miss Gu knew what they should do after hearing the suggestion. She also saved a lot of time too. Having said this, Jinxing waited to bring Elder Miss Gu back to the Min Mansion. Sword One was not very pleased. The Min Family was so arrogant. It was an insult for Elder Miss. It looked as if the Min Mansion was doing Elder Miss an honor. Sword One passed on the message with a sunken expression. Gu Chaoyan was in the middle of reading something when she saw Sword One arriving with a bad expression on her face. She looked up and asked, ¡°What does the Min Family want?¡± ¡°First Ms. Min is asking you to visit the Min Mansion, and she says that she loves the cream you gave her. I am thinking that she wants to get the cream from you!¡± Sword One snorted, feeling really displeased. Gu Chaoyan was slightly surprised. The cream was what she gave to Madame Min. Gu Chaoyan gave the thing to Madame Min because she did not think that jewelry would move them, and cream would work better. Gu Chaoyan truly had no idea what else she could offer to them. Gu Chaoyan did not think that Madame Min would use it, and she did not expect that she would open the birthday present on the very day. However, she was asked to give them some more cream. She knew that the cream worked well. It helped to lift the color, and that was why First Ms. Min urgently needed it. @@novelbin@@ She had as many bottles of cream as she needed and she could give them away as presents, but¡­ If not for what happened the day before, she would have given it to the Min Family for the sake of Mrs. Min. However, what happened the day before already irritated Gu Chaoyan. The Min Family was so calctive even though she had done so much for them. That was why Gu Chaoyan did not want to hang out with the Min Family. She was not going to visit the mansion, but she could offer the cream. ¡°Sword One, just return the message saying that I am not in a good condition to leave the mansion today, but if First Ms. Min loves my cream, she can buy it from me with money, 2,000 liang for one bottle.¡± Chapter 1161 - Unconvinced 1

Chapter 1161: Unconvinced 1

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¡°But I didn¡¯t have an urate time. You arrived here two hourster, so I bought some things on the way, and happened to run into you,¡± Xiao Jin said with a smile. Xiao Jin was totally frank in front of Gu Chaoyan. No matter what she wanted to know, Xiao Jin would always answer her, though the answer could be quite straightforward. Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Xiao Jin who was riding a horse. Her face twitched. So what he meant was that she liked to sleep in, and she did sleep in longer than he had imagined? That was not something Gu Chaoyan could not counter. She pursed her lips. Actually, Xiao Jin was right. She was dyed because of the Min Family. If not for the visitor from the Min Family, she would have arrived around lunchtime. That was Xiao Jin¡¯s merit. Because of his careful observation, and the way he thought and believed, he could make it to where he was now. So she was extremely happy that she had entrusted Xiao Jin with missions. It had been a couple of months since she met Xiao Jin for the first time. Xiao Jin had changed a great deal, and he looked more open. Gu Chaoyan was very happy to see one of her employees bing so much better. Xiao Jin took them to a rtively quiet alleyway. There was arge yard in the alleyway. Xiao Jin bought the yard directly, by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s order. Gu Chaoyan had never seen this one before, but she was very satisfied by the yard. Xiao Jin was always good at what he needed to do. As they came to the gate of the yard Xiao Jin offered his hand to help Gu Chaoyan, but she hopped off the wagon directly. Xiao Jin smiled. He almost forgot that his Elder Miss was different from ordinary girls. She was not that weak. He smiled as he led Gu Chaoyan into the yard. He said as he walked. ¡°They should have already eaten lunch so they are receiving training on the yground.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Both men and women will receive martial arts, and they need to be well-trained so as to run a business.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for the others, they could be trained for what fits them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sword Three says that within one year¡¯s time, they should be useful,¡± Xiao Jin said as he pointed forward. Gu Chaoyan watched those people who were being trained on the yground. There was an equal number of women and men, some old and some young. Gu Chaoyan bought those children who were poor and were sold as ves, or got them directly from the orphanges. Xiao Jin had done a great job ¨C he was a man but he chose women to join them too. There were both men and women here. Gu Chaoyan did not care about genders. She only needed suitable people. When she came to the yground Xiao Jin smiled brightly. @@novelbin@@ He pped his hands, and told them to look at him. When all the children were looking at him, Xiao Jin said with a firm voice, ¡°This is your future master. Greet your master!¡± Those children greeted her. They were not kneeling down, but greeted with fists. That was what Gu Chaoyan wanted to see. However, several of them did not want to greet her. A slightly older man said to Xiao Jin with an unconvinced tone, ¡°Brother Xiao, why is our master a woman?¡± Chapter 1163 - Unconvinced 3

Chapter 1163: Unconvinced 3

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

¡°Do you think that you have any right to be unconvinced? What rights do you have?¡± Xiao Jin raised his voice. He pointed at the door. ¡°You are not convinced, right? Then muster up your courage and leave!¡± Shang Ling¡¯s face changed, so did the others. They did not want to leave. In the past, they were only qualified enough to work as servants and pageboys at the mansions, and they never had the chance to live a life like this, where they had the chance to achieve their ambitions. They would like to stay here, but they just did not think that a female master would allow them any chance to disy themselves. Shang Ling and several others did not leave, but they had a very strange look on their faces. Gu Chaoyan looked at them. She did not me them. They were from all walks of life, and they had different ideas inside their heads. She could understand what they meant. They were unconvinced by her? Then she could convince them. Gu Chaoyan took a step forward. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Shang Ling?¡± ¡°Shang Ling¡­ okay, then how would you be convinced? Maybe you can surpass me in martial arts?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, looking at him. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to beat me.¡± ¡°What if I am able to?¡± ¡°If you are able to, then I will be convinced. But what if you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to be your master, but I can give you a better chancepared to what you have now,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Shang Ling¡¯s eyes sparkled. What he needed was one chance to showcase his abilities. He believed that he could make it. He had been studying martial arts since he was little, and few people could beat him, let alone this woman in front of him. He knew that what this woman had was nothing more than money, which helped her to support the whole gang. @@novelbin@@ She was too innocent for him. Shang Ling nodded. ¡°Okay!¡± Gu Chaoyan asked as she nced about the yground. ¡°Do you need a weapon?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± Gu Chaoyan showed the posture. She used to be a gun user, so she was not very ustomed to the weapons here, but Gu Chaoyan could allow Shang Ling to use whichever weapons he wanted. Shang Ling¡¯s eyes sparkled. He needed that opportunity so he would not care about this woman in front of him. He started with his fists. Gu Chaoyan dodged him easily. For Gu Chaoyan, it was a very straightforward and easy thing. She could tell which direction he wanted to punch, so she dodged ahead of time. Shang Ling could not even touch her. After a few attempts Shang Ling, who had been confident, found that things were not as easy as he had imagined. He showed an even more ferocious look on his face. Gu Chaoyan brought him down after a few moves. Shang Ling fell onto the ground, and many people cheered for Gu Chaoyan. Shang Ling just could not believe it. ¡°That is just luck, pure luck! Try it again!¡± Shang Ling got up and said, unconvinced. Gu Chaoyan left directly. That was a basic principle he should stick to ¨C to admit your failure. Gu Chaoyan could not stand someone like him, who could not take his own consequences. Seeing the scene, Xiao Jin stopped Shang Ling. ¡°You are over the top!¡± Shang Ling looked very anxious. He could not believe this result. That had to be pure luck! It was a very important chance for him! ¡°Impossible!¡± Shang Ling insisted. Chapter 1167 - Capital 3

Chapter 1167: Capital 3

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

She looked at Lord Yan, whose eyes were filled with hope. He believed that his child could be rescued. Gu Chaoyan held her breath and looked at the woman lying in bed, then she looked at the imperial doctor. She said with a small voice, a little cold even. ¡°Doctor, can this child be saved?¡± ¡°It should work, but the Princess Consort has to work on it,¡± the imperial doctor said calmly. Gu Chaoyan had a very serious look on her face. She threw a very calm look at the imperial doctor. He was ridiculous! How could he tell such lies at Lord Yan¡¯s Mansion! He was the imperial doctor who should have gotten his certificate from the Imperial Hospital. He might not be the best, but he could tell what was going on right here. So he must have done it on purpose! He must be working for Zhou Huailing! Unexpectedly¡­ Zhou Huailing had started to do such a ridiculous thing right in front of everyone! Lord Yan¡¯s eyes were sparkling when he heard that all he needed to do was to let his wife work on it. Gu Chaoyan took a step forward and pushed away the imperial doctor. As he staggered backwards and almost tripped over Gu Chaoyan went to take the child in her arms. Lord Yan had a very joyful look on his face seeing the child. He was about to take the child in his arms, and said, ¡°He is out now?¡± Gu Chaoyan had a very saddened look on her face, seeing Lord Yan reaching out for the child. She sounded quite stifled. ¡°Lord Yan, there is no need to hold him. He is gone, and the midwife should take it over from here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lord Yan asked. It was very quiet in the room. There was no sound, not even the child¡¯s cry. The child was very quiet. Gu Chaoyan gave the child to the midwife, took out the silver needle and stopped the Princess Consort¡¯s bleeding. Then she fed her a pill to keep her alive. Gu Chaoyan did not allow the imperial doctor to get involved again. Instead, she called Li Qing to her side and let the midwife and him deal with what was going on in the room. She nced at Lord Yan before she left the room. The Princess Consort had no expression on her face when she heard that the child was gone. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan left, after the nce. Lord Yan was pressed down by his guards, while the midwife was dealing with the child, and Li Qing was taking care of the Princess Consort. It was all settled. The dawn had just broken yet Gu Chaoyan felt both physically and mentally exhausted. She felt sorry for Lord Yan, who grew up at the border and had lost all of his ambition. What he expected was to live a good life and start a family of his own, but¡­ He could not even realize such a simple wish. Zhou Huaijin whispered to her as he was walking by her side. ¡°It is my fault. I should have gotten some more hidden guards ready. I thought that the hidden guards were well-trained enough to keep their eyes out for Princess Consort, but something else happened on the way here. It is my fault that I did not get everything to go well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Elder Brother will be able to ept the news within a short while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am not sure if my father is trying to have him killed or to protect him when he asked him to return to the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If he were still at the border he would not have suffered this much.¡± ¡°It is not your fault. Your hidden guards would not even figure this out,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with distress. ¡°What? Chaoyan, what have you noticed?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked. Chapter 1170 - Honored Guest 2

Chapter 1170: Honored Guest 2

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Hearing the word Honored Guest, Sword One looked alert. Elder Miss told the Min Mansion that she could not leave home because she was sick, but she was not in Xinlin Mansion, so Sword One was worried that a slight slip of secret would have sold out Elder Miss. The situation in the capital was getting more serious, and the King as well as the Crown Prince were all working on their own ns. ¡°It is Mrs. Min,¡± Xiu Jie said. Sword One let out a sigh of relief, but Gu Chaoyan was quite surprised. She had not expected that Mrs. Min would be here. She wondered what she needed, but she would still treat Mrs. Min well. Mrs. Min was probably the only person who really took her side among those noble people. She did not spend much time with Mrs. Min, but after three encounters, she could tell that Mrs. Min was taking care of her. Gu Chaoyan hurried to where she was seated. Mrs. Min was reading and drinking tea in the room, looking at leisure. Hearing the sound of footsteps, Mrs. Min did not turn around and said straightforwardly. ¡°Your housekeeper told me that you are at Lord Yan¡¯s Mansion and won¡¯t return too soon. So I made up my mind to stay here for a bit instead of leaving. Lady Chaoyan, you don¡¯t mind, right?¡± ¡°Of course not. You can even stay at Xinlin Mansion for several nights, if you want to,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile, then she poured tea for Mrs. Min. @@novelbin@@ Mrs. Min put down the book, sipped the tea and said with a smile, ¡°There are many interesting books here, different from those boring ones read by otherdies.¡± Seeing that Mrs. Min had interest in her books, Gu Chaoyan fetched?The Saint Divine Anecdotes?for Mrs. Min. That was her favorite. Gu Chaoyan was looking for it as she said, ¡°Most of the books were given by Madame Jiang, who said that General Jiang read it when he was alive. She had many delivered to my ce after seeing that I love reading them. And they are interesting.¡± However, Gu Chaoyan failed to find the book. She frowned. Where was the book? She was sure that she had brought the book out of the old mansion, but the book was gone. She always tried to find it, but it was nowhere to be found. Mrs. Min was very confused upon seeing her looking around. ¡°What are you searching for?¡± ¡°A book called?The Saint Divine Anecdotes, I brought it out of the mansion so where is it?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked confusedly. ¡°Mrs. Min, could youe and help me search? You have better sight.¡± Mrs. Min was surprised to hear what Gu Chaoyan said, because no one had ever asked her to do anything before. However, Mrs. Min liked it. She got up and started to help her with the search over the shelf in front of her. She nced about carefully, but did not find the book. Gu Chaoyan gave up too. ¡°I didn¡¯t find it.¡± Both of them gave up and returned to their seats for tea. It was a very tiring matter to search for books. Gu Chaoyan drank some tea and asked, ¡°Mrs. Min, are you here to ask me about something?¡± Chapter 1174 - Proud 1

Chapter 1174: Proud 1

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Having said this, Gu Yunhe looked extremely proud. Chu Tian did not want to marry his daughter away, but Gu Yunhe would get whatever he wanted. By this point, Gu Yunhe believed that only a stubborn-headed person like Chu Tian had no idea what position he was in ¨C there were many women who wanted to marry him, including Chu Tian¡¯s daughter! If not for Ruxue and the Crown Prince who wanted him to marry thisdy, Gu Yunhe would have chosen someone else. Now Chu Tian was looking down at him, so he decided to teach him a lesson. Gu Yunhe felt very lucky to have heard what Ruxue said ¨C he got the Second Lady of the Chu Family pregnant first so that he could p Chu Tian¡¯s face. He looked at Chu Tian, who seemed to have a very twisted look on his face, and felt really happy about it. Chu Tian looked down at the Gu Family, and felt that they did not have any manners, but he was going to make him see that the Chu Family did not have any manners either. After all, thedy of the Chu Family, who proposed to sleep with the young master from the Gu Family, was not like any otherdies in the capital. The Second Lady of the Chu Family was the onlydy who was willing to do so¡­ And she had no choice since she was pregnant now, so she had to marry Gu Yunhe. Honestly¡­ Gu Yunhe was not very interested in taking her as a wife because she was too open. She could be granted the title of a concubine, but Ruxue and the Crown Prince wanted Chu Tian to take their side, so he had to lower his own position. However, Chu Tian looked at him as if the Gu Family were in the disadvantageous position. Gu Yunhe lost his patience, when he was done speaking, so he said straightforwardly and in an indifferent tone, ¡°Prime Minister Chu, you have to understand that we from the Gu Family are not very interested in marrying your daughter, but we have no choice. We are responsible people, so we are here to talk about marriage.¡± ¡°¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°An unmarrieddy seduced a man and got pregnant. She should feel lucky to have met me and been your daughter, otherwise, we are not here to make a proposal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My father did not want to point this out because we wanted to save your reputation, but Prime Minister Chu, you did not want to keep your own reputation, so we have to say it clearly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for the Second Lady of the Chu Family, she is a concubine¡¯s daughter, so even though we want to marry her as the wife, the wedding will not be extravagant. It will be a simple wedding. I am here to inform you, not to discuss with you,¡± Gu Yunhe said indifferently, not caring about what Prime Minister Chu was thinking. Hearing what Gu Yunhe said, Gu Zhenkang pushed him with his elbow, reminding him not to make vulgar speeches. They had alreadye to an agreement before they came here. Even though the marriage was almost settled, Prime Minister Chu was still the Prime Minister, whom they needed to take their side, so his reputation needed to be spared. However, Yunhe suddenly changed his mind. Chapter 1178 - Whole Story 1

Chapter 1178: Whole Story 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

The housekeeper nodded, looking worried. He had been working for the Chu Family for decades. His family had been working for the Chu Family as well, so he had grown up with the Chu Family. Despite his position as the housekeeper, he still regarded the Chu Family as his own. The Chu Family was a noble family in the capital, and nothing major had happened during the past few years. What happened to the Second Lady was the first incident that happened to the family during the past few decades, and yet a housekeeper like him felt soplicated inside. He had never expected that a fair, just man like Prime Minister Chu would have had a daughter like that! Before the Gu Family appeared, no one from the mansion heard anything about this. The housekeeper sighed and hurried to pass on the message to First Mrs. Chu. First, Mrs. Chu was still reading the billing ounts in her own yard. It was already May and soon June was arriving, and hot days wereing. The servants, which were as many as more than hundreds, already started to get changed into summer clothes so First Mrs. Chu was busy sorting through the delivery process. Therefore, First Mrs. Chu was too busy to be aware of what happened in the front yard. When the housekeeper arrived, First Mrs. Chu was slightly surprised to see him. With a brush-pen in her hand, she continued writing as she asked politely, ¡°Third Uncle, what brings you here?¡± The housekeeper was from the Yu family, and his family had been working for the Chu Family throughout generations. There were three sons who were in the same generation as the housekeeper, and he was ranked as the third, so he was addressed as Mr. Third when he was younger, but now that he was serving Prime Minister Chu and First Mrs. Chu, he was addressed as Third Uncle out of respect. Hearing how First Mrs. Chu addressed him, the housekeeper felt as if he had been considered as part of the family. The housekeeper was very worried about the family and First Mrs. Chu. He greeted her, then he said worriedly, ¡°Madame Chu, it is about the Second Lady, the Prime Minister is asking for you to meet him.¡± First Mrs. Chu, who had been busy writing, stiffened when she heard the message. A drop of ink fell from the brush-pen onto the white rice paper, but First Mrs. Chu ignored the imperfection and put away the brush-pen. She nced at the housekeeper. ¡°What happened to the Second Lady?¡± @@novelbin@@ First Mrs. Chu did not know what happened, but judging from the way the housekeeper talked, she could tell that what happened might not be good. Normally, she was not disturbed unless something serious really happened. First Mrs. Chu could not stand it any more. She stood up quickly, passed on some orders to her maid and hurried towards the front yard. The housekeeper kept herpany. He started speaking and recounted the whole story, ¡°Madame Chu, it is about the Second Lady. The Gu Family came to make a marital proposal, saying that the Second Lady is already pregnant with the Young Master¡¯s child and they wanted the Prime Minister to marry her to him. But the Prime Minister turned him down and asked me to bring you there.¡± Chapter 1181 - Whole Story 4

Chapter 1181: Whole Story 4

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Hearing what the maid said, the Second Lady of the Chu Family smiled. First, Mrs. Chu had never had such an expression, because everything had been within her control so she had always looked calm. However, things were different. She had nned her own marriage and was going to marry the Young Master Gu from the most well-received Gu Mansion in the capital. So since First Mrs. Chu was unable to stop her, she could not be feeling happy. This was the day Chu Yeying had been waiting for all this time. Though she had not expected that the day would arrive so soon. @@novelbin@@ ¡°I don¡¯t mind seeing her face even more twisted!¡± Chu Yeying smiled confidently. When the marriage was settled, she would be the First Ms. Gu of the Gu Family, which was the Crown Prince Consort¡¯s home, namely the Phoenix Girl¡¯s home. It exceeded the Chu Family in every aspect. And she was going to make sure that First Mrs. Chu and Chu Xiwen would never have a peaceful time in their lives ever again. Well¡­ No wonder First Mrs. Chu stopped herst time she mentioned this. No wonder First Mrs. Chu was wearing a terrible expression on her face now. Feeling excited, Chu Yeying could hear the sound of footsteps approaching. She could not help getting nervous. Maybe it was because she was getting closer to what she desired so she felt really nervous. The door was opened and Chu Tian and First Mrs. Chu walked in. Chu Tian looked at Second Concubine and Chu Yeying, who seemed not at all nervous. Instead she was smiling, which made Chu Tian frown deeply. When the mother and the daughter greeted them, Chu Tian asked straightforwardly as he turned to Chu Yeying. ¡°Old Master and Mrs. Gu from the Gu Family came to make a martial proposal with Young Master Gu, saying that you are pregnant with his child. Is this true?¡± Chu Tian sounded very strict, and his expression was even worse. Hearing the question, Chu Yeying felt unusually calm. She nodded. ¡°It is true, father. Me and Young Master Gu love each other, so please approve our marriage. Anyway, the Gu Family and our family are a good match!¡± Hearing what Chu Yeying said, Chu Tian clenched his fists and veins popped out. If not for First Mrs. Chu, who was consoling him, Chu Tian would have hit his daughter directly. He was trying his best to calm down. Although what Young Master Gu said might have been true, he was still expecting to hear a confirming answer from Chu Yeying. When Chu Tian heard the answer, he realized that everything was true. So he had nothing else to say. First Mrs. Chu, who was the mistress of the family, needed to hear the confirmation. She asked as she looked at Chu Yeying. ¡°When did this happen? As far as I remember, you were grounded for three months, so how did you sneak out of the mansion and sleep with Young Master Gu?¡± First Mrs. Chu asked because she needed to hear the whole story. Hearing First Mrs. Chu asking this question, Chu Yeying showed a proud look on her face. Did First Mrs. Chu believe that she could be grounded for real just because she said so? She was not that easily punished. So she answered First Mrs. Chu directly. Chapter 1185 - Self-Blame

Chapter 1185: Self-me

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Chu Yeying was very confident and sure that her life would definitely be betterpared to how it was in the Chu Family. She was going to bring her mother with her, because she was the only person that she trusted and that would help her. So she turned to Second Concubine without hesitation. However, when Second Concubine heard Chu Yeying¡¯s words, she was startled for a moment. She had been living at the mansion for more than two decades, and she had spent those 20 years at Chu¡¯s mansion. She had never expected that she would one day leave in this way. She looked at Prime Minister Chu¡­ Before she married him, she was the concubine of the Jin Mansion¡¯sdy, which was a small household. It was already lucky for her to be able to be the Chu Family¡¯s concubine. She was not as capable as First Mrs. Chu during the past few years, even her daughter was not treated as well as the Elder Miss. That was something she was not happy about. She did try to make Prime Minister Chu pay attention to her, but no matter what she did, Prime Minister Chu would never express any preference. Prime Minister Chu would never allow any other women to ride over First Mrs. Chu, so she would never be allowed to embarrass First Mrs. Chu in the mansion. She had thought about it ¨C unless she worked hard she would never live as well as First Mrs. Chu and her daughter would never have as good a life as the Elder Miss. If she did not leave with Yeying and remained at the mansion, she would be confronted with an even more difficult life. Second Concubine would even propose to live at the temple voluntarily, but what if they left now? Yeying was pregnant with the elder grandson of the Gu Mansion, and Yeying was going to be Young Master Gu¡¯s family, and the Crown Prince Consort would even address her as ¡°sister-inw¡±. If she was with her, she might not have a very promising future, but her life would be betterpared to the life here at the mansion. After thinking about this, Second Concubine left with Chu Yeying without hesitation. They did not even want to take anything from the room. Chu Yeying had seen many good things in the Crown Prince Consort¡¯s ce, so she did not need anything from the Chu¡¯s Mansion any more. @@novelbin@@ So the two hurried away with their maid. Chu Tian closed his eyes upon seeing their retreating figures. He took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. He had never expected that the Chu Family, which had been admired by the families in the capital, though not as equally respected as the Yao Family or the Min Family, and which always stuck to their rules, would run into something like this. The Chu Family, despite their weird-personalitydies and young masters, never broke the rules. Yet for the first time in 100 years, something like this happened. Chu Tian looked extremely disappointed. After a long while, Chu Tian opened his eyes, looking tired. First Mrs. Chu med herself. ¡°Prime Minister, it is my fault too. I have paid too little attention to what happens in the yard, and I thought that if I grounded Yeying, she would think it through, but Second Concubine and Yeying thought differently.¡± Chu Tian looked at First Mrs. Chu. Chapter 1189 - Shameless 1

Chapter 1189: Shameless 1

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Junyi frowned. Seeing that the Crown Prince was not speaking, he gave Zhou Huailing a tug and suggested that Zhou Huailing should watch out for this. Seeing that Gu Ruxue had fallen silent, Zhou Huailing understood that she more or less had taken in the suggestion. So he dropped it. These were just small things, they were not important. The most he could feel was that he was not veryfortable, and he could tolerate that. When he took the throne, he could just drive away all of these ufortable things as he wanted. Zhou Huailing looked at Gu Ruxue, and asked gently, ¡°Ruxue, what are you doing here?¡± Only then did Gu Ruxue remember that she was here to talk about important issues, but she had wasted so much time in discussing how she should walk in. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Second Lady of the Chu Family is at the mansion,¡± Gu Ruxue said, sounding very dissatisfied. @@novelbin@@ ¡°She is at the mansion? Did the Chu Family change their minds?¡± Gu Yunhe asked. He found it very possible. Honestly, the Chu Family should realize how much they were losing if they disapproved of the marriage. On the other hand, if they approved everything would be good. It was very possible that Chu Tian would understand this. Gu Ruxue shook her head. She had thought so too, but the situation was different. Gu Ruxue said helplessly, ¡°That dumb woman broke away from the Chu Family, and came to the mansion, saying that she will marry you without the Chu Family¡¯s prevention, and that the marriage should work out easily. I have not given her a final answer because she has a child in her belly and you should know what to do.¡± What? Gu Yunhe¡¯s face twisted when he heard the news. This woman must have gone mad! He wanted to marry her, only because she was the Second Lady of the Chu Family, and they were on the same level. However, now that she broke away from the Chu Family she was nothing and yet she was still trying to marry him? She did not deserve him! He was the Young Master of the top mansion in the capital, and he could marry anyone he wanted. Why would he marry a shameless woman! ¡°Of course not! I will take her to the mansion and make her a concubine for the sake of the child! If not for the child, I would not have allowed her to be part of my mansion! She has gotten pregnant before she is married, so who knows whether she is fooling around!¡± Gu Yunhe said disdainfully, looking disgusted. Gu Ruxue agreed. She could allow the child of the Gu Family to be kept. Zhou Huailing objected when he heard this. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That is just a child and it can be aborted. You should not keep the child, or the woman!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are losing sight of the bigger interest because of the tiny one in front of your eyes!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since the Second Lady of the Chu Family has broken up with the Chu Family, she should not be kept, nor should the child.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yunhe, you are going to marry a suitable nobledy in the capital. You should marry someone who is beneficial for the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. if you ept the Second Lady of the Chu Family and the child, the noble families will not marry their lineal daughter to you,¡± Zhou Huailing said. Gu Yunhe¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Crown Prince, you mean¡­ you mean I can marry some other nobledy? Who is it?¡± Chapter 1192 - Letter from the Court 1

Chapter 1192: Letter from the Court 1

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¡°Second Lady, I am afraid that you are not allowed to walk into the mansion from this moment on because you are no longer the Second Lady of the Chu Family.¡± The housekeeper had a serious look on his face, as he spoke to Chu Yeying. The Housekeeper found it very pitiful. After all, he watched the Second Lady growing up, yet what she had done had harmed the Chu Family, so he could not feel sorry for her. Chu Yeying¡¯s face changed. It became really pale. Her name had been crossed out? What was going on?! How did she end up being like this!? Chu Yeying felt dizzy. Second Concubine was very anxious too. They should have realized that the Gu Mansion was beyond their reach before they deserted the Chu Family, which was, after all, a big family in the capital and which could give them a good life. ¡°Yeying, what should we do?¡± Second Concubine asked anxiously. Chu Yeying red at Second Concubine, gave her a push and left. Second Concubine fell onto the ground, and when she got up, Chu Yeying was already gone. Second Concubine had no choice but to sit at the gate, crying. @@novelbin@@ *** When Zhou Huaijin told Gu Chaoyan what happened to the Chu Family it was one day after the incident. Zhou Huaijin recounted the whole story vividly. Gu Chaoyan looked at him in surprise. She had not expected that the Chu Family had experienced such a dramatic thing. She had met the Second Lady of the Chu Family at the banquet, where she defended Gu Ruxue and worked for her. However, she ended up suffering so much. However, there was no need to feel sorry for her. Even the robbers in the mountains would run away with their mother, yet Chu Yeying abandoned her mother. She had no love inside her so there was no need to feel sorry for her. She deserved what she was going through. ¡°The Chu Family has to suffer for a while. There will be a lot of gossip, and I hope Xiwen is not affected,¡± Gu Chaoyan said in distress. ¡°There should be some effect, but gossip is betterpared to what Prime Minister Chu would have to face if he had chosen the Crown Prince.¡± Zhou Huaijin said, ¡°Luckily, Prime Minister Chu is a very persistent man and refused to continue with the marriage even under such pressure.¡± The Chu Family would be totally ruined if he had approved of the marriage. They were just chatting when Sword One returned. ¡°Elder Miss, Mrs. Min¡¯s mansion has sent you an invitation and asked you to visit her at the Min Mansion.¡± ¡°The Min Mansion?¡± ¡°Mrs. Min¡¯s mansion, not Madame Min¡¯s mansion.¡± Sword One smiled. ¡°Oh that is good, I will be there,¡± Gu Chaoyan said cheerfully. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Mrs. Min in ages, let¡¯s go there together,¡± Zhou Huaijin said with a smile. He was going to have very little time to visit people when he started to help Prime Minister Chuter, so Zhou Huaijin decided to spend more time with Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan was about to nod when Fu Bao hurried in with a serious look on his face, as if he had just gotten news. ¡°My lord, a message has been sent from the court, asking you to go into the court. Something major has happened.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have asked the hidden guards to check and it seems that all the officiers¡¯ mansions have been informed. Something must have happened!¡± Chapter 1197 - Serious 1

Chapter 1197: Serious 1

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¡°The situation is not like before! You are not living as freely as you used to. The capital is beautiful and bright, but the light shines on the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. Why can¡¯t you understand that?¡± Zhou Huailing said arrogantly. Zhou Huailing could have hidden his arrogance in the past, but now, he had seen through the situation and was extremely confident. His father had affection towards the Queen, but his affection only worked on the Queen. If the Queen was still alive, his Eighth Brother might have gotten some chance to turn the table, but with the Queen deceased, his Eighth Brother would have no chance at all. Zhou Huailing had seen through it¡­ In his father¡¯s study, the books read by the Queen were still on the shelf, and the Queen¡¯s profile was on the wall too. Even though the Queen was deceased, his father still did not want to give the Queen¡¯s title to his mother. He had seen it all, but in his eyes, his father had no love towards his Eighth Brother, otherwise he would not have treated him like this. So there was nothing he needed to fear. He could just say whatever he wanted in front of his Eighth Brother. Zhou Huailing mocked. ¡°Eighth Brother, what is the point of being like this? You could have given Yellow Crane to Yunhe, so that you wouldn¡¯t be so humiliated now, and you would have received the mission. You are just too stupid not to share Yellow Crane, so I can do nothing for you!¡± Zhou Huailing looked at Zhou Huaijin in a mocking way, sounding extremely arrogant. Zhou Huaijin threw a cold nce at Zhou Huailing. He was not moved by his brother¡¯s arrogance. Instead, he just asked expressionlessly, ¡°Anything you want to say? If not, I am leaving.¡± Zhou Huailing sneered. Zhou Huaijin started to walk away. Seeing Zhou Huaijin¡¯s retreating figure, Zhou Huailing snorted ¨C this man knew how to put on a show, so he was going to see how much further he could go. Having sneered at his brother, Zhou Huailing headed directly to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. He was in a good mood, especially since he had vented his anger at his Eighth Brother. Back at the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion, Zhou Huailing hurried to the study. Junyi was in the middle of reading some books. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he went to Zhou Huailing¡¯s study directly. Seeing the smile on the Crown Prince¡¯s face, he more or less understood that something good might have happened. He asked with a smile, ¡°Crown Prince, did anything good happen?¡± Zhou Huailing nodded. He was very satisfied by how easily Junyi understood him. He picked up his mug and sipped some tea. He pointed at Junyi and nodded with satisfaction. ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I just vented anger at the Eighth Brother. You should have seen the look on his face! It was hrious,¡± Zhou Huailing said. Having said this, he added without continuing with the topic. ¡°Anyway, North Qi has invaded Jiayu Pass and I have been given the mission to head to Jiayu Pass with General Liu. Junyi, you should get ready too, we are going tomorrow. Eighth Brother could not beat me in getting the mission.¡± Junyi¡¯s face sank when he heard that they were heading to Jiayu Pass. He looked serious.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1200 - irst Ms. Min’s Displeasure 1

Chapter 1200: First Ms. Min¡¯s Displeasure 1

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First Ms. Min was here? @@novelbin@@ All three people, namely Zhou Huaijin, Gu Chaoyan and Mrs. Min looked confused, especially Mrs. Min, who had barely had any visitors. For one thing, she had a special social position and for another, she was a widow who had no visitors. The Min Family would nevere to her ce for anything either. She married Min Yu and was the daughter-inw of the Min Family, but Min Yu adored her deeply so he did not take her to the Min Mansion. They had a mansion of their own. The Min Family disapproved of that, but because of her special social background, the Min Family had to approve the move-out, but they never approved of the existence of this mansion, thus never visited her here. What was First Ms. Min doing here? They wondered. Nothing was happening at the Min Mansion or in the capital these days so Mrs. Min was very confused. Nevertheless, she got up and decided to greet the guest personally. Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan were about to visit Putuo Temple so they decided to head out with Mrs. Min. They had just reached halfway when they ran into First Ms. Min. Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan as well as First Ms. Min exchanged greetings, and Gu Chaoyan nodded at Mrs. Min, ready to leave. She had just turned around when First Ms. Min stopped her and said with a serious look. ¡°Elder Miss, where are you going? You leave at the sight of me? Juste in and take a seat with us.¡± Normally, she would not visit Mrs. Min here at the mansion. Madame Min stressed in the past that they should not visit Mrs. Min unless it was for emergencies. After all, the Min Family had never approved of this mansion and only the old mansion of the Min Family should be considered as the real Min Mansion. That was why she was barely here, but she got a bit annoyed today so she rushed here. When the Min Mansion sent the invitation to Elder Miss Gu at Xinlin Mansion, Elder Miss declined the invitation because she was not feeling well, but she had always been healthy so how could she just get sick the following day? Well, the reason was very easily interpreted, but First Ms. Min did not think further about that rejection. However, she heard that Elder Miss Gu was at Zhuxun¡¯s mansion, so she could not stand it any more. She felt extremely irritated. That was why she rushed to this ce from home. She just wanted to see if what she heard was true. Sure enough¡­ she saw Elder Miss Gu and Lord Huai here at this ce. That made First Ms. Min feel even worse. Why did she only answer to Zhuxun¡¯s invitation, not hers? With her eyes upon Gu Chaoyan, First Ms. Min said with a serious look on her face as well as a displeased tone, saying, ¡°Elder Miss Gu, what brings you here today? You turned down my invitation a few days ago.¡± Chapter 1204 - Mrs. Min’s Plan 1

Chapter 1204: Mrs. Min¡¯s n 1

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Well¡­ She had no choice but to leave the capital. When she and Min Yu got married, Min Yu had already removed his name from the family tree and established his own household. So she and Min Yu were on their own, and neither of them belonged to the old mansion of the Min Family. Therefore, she spent these years at her own mansion, and the Min Family had no opinions against that. However, only Madame Min and her husband knew about it. It was unknown to the outsiders. The reason why Min Yu did that was because he was trying to help her get rid of the suffering that mighte in the future. The Min Family passed on the seats generation after generation, and Min Yu, who ranked the second, might not have the chance to get their children to inherit the Min Family since Min Qing came first, so she would not be in an equal position as First Ms. Min. That was why Min Yu made some efforts to do this. Madame Min and her husband approved of this proposal, on one condition. The condition was that she was always going to help the Min Family no matter what happened. That was why even though Min Yu was deceased for so many years, she still remained at the capital ¨C the Min Family needed her still. However as Min Qing grew older and some changes were happening to the Min Family¡­ For example, Madame Min and her husband had changed a lot. Although Madame Min was still making the decision at the mansion, she tended to listen to First Ms. Min more, and went further and further away from the principles of the Min Family. And when the Crown Prince offered the invitation, and the Yao Family gave them some favors, the Min Family started to change even more. They imed to not get involved with the war between princes, but in Mrs. Min¡¯s eyes, they seemed to be shakeable about this. She did not think that her being in the capital or in the Min Family would be of any use. That was something Mrs. Min was pretty aware of. @@novelbin@@ She would not be in danger in the court. She was always respected but never liked. It was the same with the Min Family. She was both respected and isted. Madame Min kept trying to keep her, but Madame Min never wished that she could stay at the Min Family for real. The Min Family would be chaotic if she did choose to move in since First Ms. Min ranked over her. Madame Min let her stay for special days, so that the outsiders would know that she was still part of the Min Family. Madame Min called her Zhuxun, but First Ms. Min refused to do so. That was the difference between family members and outsiders. Judging from what happened, First Ms. Min had apparently gotten even more hostile against her. Under such a circumstance, she did not think that it was necessary for her to stay in the capital and in the Min Family. It was time for her to leave. Min Yu was right ¨C he said to her that they would never get on well with each other in the Min Family. That was why Min Yu tried his best to get them out of the Min Family. Min Yu, the handsome and flourishing young man, was the only person who knew her well and cared about her. Mrs. Min sighed and looked into the distance, then she nodded as she looked at Madame Min. ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is gettingte. I need to leave now.¡± Chapter 1209 - Zhuxun’s Words

Chapter 1209: Zhuxun¡¯s Words

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¡°We are wrong. The North Qi invade, and what we need to do is not toe to Destiny Monk. I remember one thing you once said ¨C you don¡¯t believe in the so-called destiny of heaven, you believe in yourself, and it is we who can make decisions about our destiny!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The North Qi Land invades because they are impulsive. What we need to do is to write letters to Prince Muyi and have a discussion with Cloud Land. If the threendsbined forces, what would those magical monsters do anyway?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The most important thing about the world is peace. The North Qi Land has breached the deal, so they have to pay. The cost is thebination of our threends.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Destiny Monk does have some knowledge about what happens, but his knowledge is limited, totally not living up to his name,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a serious expression. Zhou Huaijin nodded. He totally agreed with what she said. He touched her head and then caressed her face. ¡°I got it! We were just too anxious about the civilians at the border to calm ourselves down. We will have time, so we¡¯ll take it slow.¡± Only then did Gu Chaoyan feel slightly calmer. The two of them headed towards Xinlin Mansion together. *** The following day, the Crown Prince as well as General Liu led the army and headed towards Jiayu Pass. It was drizzling, but the drizzle in May did not matter much. The road would get dry, as they marched on. General Liu had his own troops ¨C three camps with around 50,000 people. Half of the Saint Divine Land¡¯s military forces were gone once those troops were taken. Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin were standing on the top of the gate and watching the scene. They wondered what the future would bring about when they were gone. Another battle started at Jiayu Pass the night before. More than 2,000 soldiers of the Saint Divine Land died in the war, whilst no one was hurt in the North Qi Land¡¯s army. They were not in the same standard of military forces. The North Qi Land depended on their magical monsters, while the Saint Divine Land kept losing their men. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan took a look at the gate and saw that the King did note to see those soldiers off. He did not even show up the whole day. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave.¡± Zhou Huaijin reminded her. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered, as the couple walked off the gate. *** At the Min Mansion. The Old Master of the Min Family as well as Min Qing was seeing the Crown Prince and General Liu off at the gate. Only Madame Min and First Ms. Min were waiting for them at the hall. Peace had dominated the Saint Divine Land for too long, almost decades, so even Madame Min felt a bit emotional. They had not expected that the Saint Divine Land would be threatened from both inside and outside. They wondered what would happen in the future. However, as long as the Min Mansion was not involved, then it would be fine. After all, the Min Mansion had been a noble family for hundreds of years. Madame Min sighed. ¡°Get the kitchen ready for dinner, and you don¡¯t need to move. We will be waiting for Min Qing to return,¡± Madame Min said. That was a conventional rule. Women from mansions were supposed to wait for the men, who saw the army off, to have the meal together, which was an auspicious sign. Having said this Madame Min saw the housekeeper rushing in. ¡°Madame Min, the housekeeper of Mrs. Min¡¯s mansion is here. He says that he has some words to pass on to you.¡± ¡°Zhuxun¡¯s words?¡± Madame Min suddenly felt rmed. Chapter 1213 - To Get Elder Miss 1

Chapter 1213: To Get Elder Miss 1

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Just because she had a special family background? However, her family was far away, so what was the point of taking them into consideration? Madame Min was too old to think everything through. Min Liang felt very helpless. Min Qing was frowning, looking really worried. He looked at his father. ¡°Mrs. Min never cares about the Min Family¡¯s affairs, but on important asions, she always appears at the mansion. That is what she has been doing for us. They all respect Mrs. Min.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If she is gone, we are still the Min Family, a noble family with a long history, but not everyone would respect us like before, and we are not as strong as usual.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We need to catch up with her!¡± Min Qing said. Min Liang¡¯s expression twisted. First Ms. Min, who had been silent for a while, suddenly felt very unconvinced. Min Qing was her son, and he never mentioned Zhuxun before, but she did not expect that he would speak so highly of Zhuxun. Well¡­ @@novelbin@@ First Ms. Min was very displeased. ¡°Qing, you are too young to understand what is going on. Zhuxun has a father who has a special background, but her father never visits her. You think everyone in the captial is so stupid as to worry about her father? She is a married person. The reason why she is respected is because she is the daughter-inw of the Min Family!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have many children in our family, and we need some support, but Qing, you are a grown-up and you are an excellent person, so we don¡¯t need anyone to help us. Just let Zhuxun go, and she can return when she wants to,¡± First Ms. Min said. Min Qing shook his head. That was not what was going on. His mother still did not understand what was going on in the capital. Mrs. Min was the most important supporter in the Min Family! Min Qing did not want to spend time talking about this. He shook his head and said, ¡°I will get someone to catch up with her; she should not be too far away.¡± Having said that, he left in a hurry. First Ms. Min could not stop him. She looked very displeased. She had thought that Madame Min was the only stubborn one, but she had not expected that Qing thought the same ¨C why was Zhuxun so important anyway? What about her? She was the master of the Min Mansion, who had been so devoted to the Min Mansion! However, she was nothingpared to an idling woman like Zhuxun? First Ms. Min sneered ironically. Qing must have been affected by Madame Min for too long not to think otherwise. She was going to teach him new things! When Madame Min coughed First Ms. Min decided not to think about this any more. However, Min Liang let out a cry. ¡°Mother, are you alright?¡± Blood covered Madame Min¡¯s handkerchief. Min Liang was startled. He said to the housekeeper, ¡°Go and fetch Elder Miss Gu. She is a great doctor!¡± Chapter 1217 - Self-Indulging 3

Chapter 1217: Self-Indulging 3

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That was the first time that he was turned down, so he had no idea what to do, and how he should tell Old Master and Madame about it. He had always assumed that it was an easy thing to get Elder Miss Gu toe, because it was the Old Master who sent the invitation and she had no reason to turn down the offer, especially when it was for Madame¡¯s health. How could it be? The housekeeper wore a veryplicated look on his face, and after a long while, he started to think about what to do. Madame Min coughed because she was very anxious. She was old and had suffered from an illness a while ago, but she should not have had a sudden rpse again. Elder Miss Gu drove him out, so the Min Mansion and Elder Miss Gu should have contradictions with each other, but Madame Min¡¯s health mattered the most at the moment. He needed to buy pills from Xinlin Clinic first. Only then did the housekeeper¡¯s mind be clearer. He said to the coachman. ¡°We¡¯ll go to Xinlin Clinic first, before heading to Jishi Clinic.¡± The wagon left in a hurry. The housekeeper bought some bottles at Xinlin Clinic and hired the visiting doctor at Jishi Clinic before heading back to the Min Mansion. *** At the Min Mansion. Madame Min had just coughed blood, but after some rest she came back to herself. She looked pale and weak, but she was not in a critical condition. Zhuxi was taking care of her, and Min Liang as well as First Ms. Min was waiting for Elder Miss Gu to arrive. Both of them were thinking something different. @@novelbin@@ Min Liang thought of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s medical skills when Madame Min fell ill suddenly. He was afraid that after some years, he would be like Madame Min and would need a doctor like Gu Chaoyan to check up on him. He had not thought about this before, but he considered that during the past two days. On the other hand, First Ms. Min was drooling for the cream, so she did not object to the Min Mansion¡¯s proposal to get involved with Elder Miss Gu, as long as she did not drag the Min Mansion down. Both of them were waiting patiently. The housekeeper arrived, but it was Doctor Wang from Jishi Tang, not Gu Chaoyan, who was with him. First Ms. Min and Min Liang were both slightly shocked. They were friends with Doctor Wang, after all the clinic he was in was of great importance. They would have hired Doctor Wang in the past, because he was a very good doctor too, but when Madame Min fell ill the other day, Doctor Wang had not been as capable as Elder Miss Gu. The Min Family would definitely turn to someone better if they had a better choice. Min Liang got up and asked the housekeeper. ¡°What is going on?¡± The housekeeper had a veryplicated look because Doctor Wang was here and he was not supposed to hear everything. Min Liang looked at Doctor Wang and said, ¡°Madame Min has just coughed blood. Currently she is slightly better, but please give her a check up.¡± Having said this, he went into another room with the housekeeper. First Ms. Min thought for a while and asked Zhuxi to take good care of Madame Min, before catching up to them. She could understand why Elder Miss turned down her invitation, but¡­ why was she still not here when the Old Master dispatched the housekeeper to get her? Chapter 1220 - lder Miss Gu’s Intention 3

Chapter 1220: Elder Miss Gu¡¯s Intention 3

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Min Liang nodded. The housekeeper finished what he said, and already knew what he needed to know. He would have checked on Doctor Wang¡¯s situation, but Min Qing had returned so he went there to meet him instead. @@novelbin@@ Min Liang led the way with a cold look on his face while the housekeeper followed behind with a veryplicated expression. He found it pitiful, after all, he had understood how excellent Elder Miss Gu was. Min Qing went straight into the hall, and Madame Min followed him. Before he was able to say anything, Madame Min asked anxiously, ¡°Qing, did you catch up with Zhuxun?¡± Min Qing had a very bad expression. He sat down and drank some tea. He was very thirsty after he went out, so he drank some tea and shook his head. ¡°No, the gatekeepers said that Mrs. Min left town before dawn, and they couldn¡¯t see which path Mrs. Min took. It is very difficult to find her, but I have arranged for some people to seek her.¡± Min Qing looked pitiful and anxious too. He really had no idea what the future would be. ¡°We can¡¯t just spread the news about the search because her leaving should be concealed rather than revealed to the others. If the whole capital knows about this, our family will be in trouble!¡± Min Qing said anxiously. Madame Min had just gotten checked up by Doctor Wang, but she did not care about the result. She was just wondering what she should do about the Min Mansion. Min Liang walked in and saw these two. He said angrily, ¡°Look at you, you cowards! Zhuxun is nobody so she can leave if she wants to! We are a noble family with a long history, not because there is a woman like that! Be strong!¡± Min Qing did not dare to counter his father. Madame Min did not want to mention it either. She was confident that she could bring her back. Madame Min skipped the topic. She looked up at Min Liang and asked, ¡°What happened to Elder Miss Gu?¡± ¡°Mother, just drop it. We just need a doctor and we can find one whenever we want it. Look at Doctor Wang, he is very skillful too, we can even get an imperial doctor from the court if you want it,¡± Min Liang said indifferently, without caring about that. Madame Min sighed and started to me herself. For some reason, something went wrong causing the Min Family to go into a mess. Zhuxun¡¯s disappearance was already very disturbing and now Elder Miss Gu now refused to ept their invitation ¨C what should they do? Only Zhuxun was able to get Elderly Liao as well. Madame Min shook her head tiredly. Min Liang did not care. He got up and asked Doctor Wang, ¡°Doctor Wang, what is wrong with Madame Min? What medicine should she take?¡± Doctor Wang wiped his forehead, looking nervous and unsure. It took a long while before he said something. Chapter 1223 - My Order

Chapter 1223: My Order

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Gu Chaoyan looked at Mrs. Gu, whose face was twisted, and said calmly without showing much emotion. She said word by word. ¡°The King sent the invitation to me for the celebration of the victory at Jiayu Pass, which is a big thing for the Saint Divine Land. Why is it a shame for me to be here? Mrs. Gu, are you having a problem with the King¡¯s decision?¡± Mrs. Gu held her tongue. She did not dare to babble around when the King was mentioned and since they were in the court. The Gu Family was already in a high position, but she did not dare to makements about the King. She could not cause trouble for the Crown Prince, otherwise the Gu Family would be ruined. Mrs. Gu had no idea what to do so she was speechless, but Gu Zhenkang looked at Gu Chaoyan disdainfully and said to Mrs. Gu, ¡°What is the point of talking with a person like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She was born to a businesswoman, and she has been removed by the Gu Family. The Gu Family is already so important in the capital so you don¡¯t have to care about everyone,¡± Gu Zhenkang said disdainfully. Having said that, he left with Mrs. Gu without even looking at Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan showed no expression on her face either. @@novelbin@@ After they were a distance away¡­ Gu Chaoyan started to walk towards the corridor. Gu Chaoyan did not care about any of these, but Sword One showed a lot of concern. ¡°Elder Miss, they are just so rude! How can they talk to you like that, you know¡­¡± ¡°Alright, Sword One.¡± Gu Chaoyan stopped Sword Onepletely. They were in the court so Sword One should not say something bad. Anyway, she did not want to talk about the Gu Family. Gu Chaoyan said, ¡°Time will tell. They can be proud if they want to, but that won¡¯tst long.¡± Sword One stayed silent, then they headed towards the banquet together. They had just walked in when Gu Chaoyan saw First Ms. Min. Gu Chaoyan dodged First Ms. Min and took a corner seat. She did not like this kind of banquet. If not for Huaijin, who was not in the capital, she would not have been here. It was a celebratory banquet, so if they were not here, someone would talk. Gu Chaoyan took a corner seat in silence. The Gu Family was seated as well. Gu Yunhe went to Gu Ruxue and asked. ¡°Crown Prince Consort, I need you to grant me a woman,¡± Gu Yunhe smiled. ¡°Who is that?¡± Gu Ruxue asked. ¡°Gu Chaoyan¡¯s maid! I already wanted to have her before, but we feared Lord Huai in the past. Now Lord Huai is nothing! Crown Prince Consort, please grant her to me,¡± Gu Yunhe said indifferently. That was something he had wanted to get all this time. He had wanted to have her before and now she was too insignificant for him, yet he still wanted to have her. If not for the meeting, he would have forgotten about this woman. So now that he was reminded of it, he decided to take her back. Gu Ruxue nced at her and thought of this. She nodded and then walked towards Gu Chaoyan. She had not been confident enough to do so previously¡­ but now¡­ she was extremely confident. Gu Chaoyan was in the middle of drinking tea when Gu Ruxue came to take a seat and Gu Yunhe took the other one. Gu Ruxue said nothing except one thing ¨C ¡°Gu Chaoyan, give your maid to me and I will repay you with 100. Chapter 1228 - Honored Princess Jing’s Request

Chapter 1228: Honored Princess Jing¡¯s Request

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

It was the court, not the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion, and Gu Ruxue was worried that someone would eavesdrop. So she spent a long while whispering to Gu Yunhe about her arrangement. Gu Yunhe listened and gradually showed a smile. His angry expression disappeared, and was reced by a smile. Having said that, Gu Ruxue sipped her tea and smiled. Gu Yunhe nodded. ¡°We will do as you said, and we will aplish it.¡± After all¡­ that was how he did that with Chu Yeying. That Elder Miss of the Chu Family seemed so elegant, but she must be the same as the other one. She was just a woman who considered herself the lineal daughter and who was of great importance. Gu Yunhe snorted and started to n inwardly. When Gu Yunhe and Gu Ruxue reached an agreement, they fell silent. *** @@novelbin@@ Chu Xiwen and Gu Chaoyan were heading towards the Chu Family, but neither of them said anything. They coulde to a mutual agreement defaultly. Chu Xiwen did not spend much time with Gu Chaoyan, once at the Spring Hunt, and the other time at the banquet. Neither of them talked much with the other, but they admired each other quietly. That was why they came to a mutual agreement. Chu Xiwen had been thinking about many things, though she did not say a word. She would not have known what happened, if she had note to Chaoyan a while ago. When the Gu Family made a proposal to the Chu Family that they wanted to marry Chu Yeying, the Chu Family did not approve, butter, they learned that Chu Yeying was already pregnant with Gu Yunhe¡¯s child, so the Chu Family knew clearly that it had been a trap set up by the Gu Family. The Chu Family drove her out of the family since Yeying ignored the rules. Her father¡¯s n was that since Yeying ignored the Chu Family¡¯s manners and could not stay there, she was after all, pregnant with a child, she could just leave the Chu Family and marry to the Gu Family if she wanted to. In this way, her wish could be realized. However¡­ The Gu Family was so cruel as not to keep Yeying or her child. So now the Chu Family and the Gu Family were definitely enemies. Chu Xiwen had thought that since the two families were enemies, they would hate each other, yet what the Gu Family did today really made her realize what ¡°being shameless¡± meant. After treating Yeying in this way¡­ they started to n on her. Did they really think that the Chu Family was weak? Did they really think that thedies of the Chu Family could be humiliated and bullied? The Crown Prince Consort and the Gu Family were just too arrogant! Just listen to what the Crown Prince Consort said ¨C she should view the flower show with Young Master Gu? That was such a stupid arrangment, and was totally against the rules! The Saint Divine Land was an opennd, but it was not like that. Chu Xiwen held an elegant look on her face, but she was furious inside. It was not until she and Gu Chaoyan came to the table where the Chu Family were supposed to be seated, that Chu Xiwen tried to calm herself down and smiled at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Let¡¯s just sit here.¡± The words had just been spoken and the twodies had just taken a seat with the servants serving them tea when a chief maid came to Chu Xiwen, who was about to speak, saying, ¡°Elder Miss of the Chu Family, Honored Princess Jing is asking for you.¡± Chapter 1230 - Chaos in Court 2

Chapter 1230: Chaos in Court 2

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Gu Chaoyan looked in the direction. That was the first time in decades for the Saint Divine Land to win a battle, so almost all the important officers as well as their family members were at the banquet. There were many people gathered here. The sudden chaos and screams made everyone panic. Everyone was just running about and the servants were not able to stop them. The imperial army was yet to arrive, so Gu Chaoyan suddenly realized that something must have happened in the court. She took hold of First Mrs. Chu and reminded her. ¡°First Mrs. Chu, something must have happened in the court, don¡¯t worry about Elder Miss, Lord Huai¡¯s men are watching over her, just don¡¯t wander about.¡± Gu Chaoyan nced about and saw that she only had Sword One, who had not yet arrived. For the first time, she had no idea how to arrange First Mrs. Chu. She started to panic all of a sudden. As she saw a safe spot, Sword One returned so Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. She said to Sword One, ¡°Sword One, take good care of thedies of the Chu Family. I will go and see what is going on there.¡± Sword One was not very happy to do that. ¡°Elder Miss¡­¡± She hurried to this ce instead of hiding her martial arts skills, because she was worried that Elder Miss would be in danger, but Elder Miss was asking her to take care of the Chu Family! Who would be helping Elder Miss, when Sword Two was already at the Elder Miss of the Chu Family¡¯s side. Sword Three and Sword Four were doing other business so Sword One could not feel assured to leave her alone here. Gu Chaoyan threw a serious look at Sword One, who helplessly nodded and took away First Mrs. Chu. She knew her Elder Miss well. She would not allow her arrangement to be doubted. It would be best to finish her task first beforeing to assist Elder Miss. Before First Mrs. Chu had any idea of what was going on, Sword One had already taken her and the other members of the Chu Family away. Seeing that the Chu Family was settled¡­ Gu Chaoyan headed towards where the scream came from. As everyone was running outwards, she was heading inwards. It was not the yard, but the King¡¯s pce. Many injured people were running about with blood everywhere on the ground. There was blood on the flowers on both sides as well. The injured people looked mentally-disturbed and Gu Chaoyan just could not stop them. Finally, Gu Chaoyan stopped one slightly-injured guard and asked, ¡°What is going on!¡± That man was so startled. ¡°Inside, inside! Just run!¡± Then he dashed off¡­ @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan did not understand what was going on. The only reason why someone would get so frightened that he could not describe a thing was because what that person ran into was totally beyond imagination. Gu Chaoyan suddenly realized what was going on here. The King was too bold! Too bold! How dare he? He was mental! Gu Chaoyan rushed onwards whilst the others were running outwards. As she passed Qianqing Pce and saw the mess, Gu Chaoyan continued to head towards where the blood was from. Chapter 1233 - Chaos in Court 5

Chapter 1233: Chaos in Court 5

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Gu Chaoyan and Prime Minister Chu headed towards the wing-pce. As they came to the gate, Gu Chaoyan smelled the light scent of medicine, and saw many imperial doctors there. They were all there checking up on the King. Gu Chaoyan looked through the imperial doctors and saw the King lying in bed. The King looked as if he had been thoroughly frightened, and injured. He must have been hurt by the metal humans as well, but since he was the King and was defended by the imperial army, he wasn¡¯t badly injured at all. Prime Minister Chu walked towards the King. The King got very excited at the sight of Prime Minister Chu. ¡°Prime Minister Chu, what is going on outside? Have you dealt with it? If I am not safe here, just get me out of here!¡± His mind was totally in a mess. He had tried to turn the metal humans into his own troops, and nned to arrange a few to support the troops at Jiayu Pass. He even intended to make use of these things to take over a town in North Qi. However, these things did not obey his order. They had hurt so many imperial soldiers and him too! The King was furious, but also afraid. He had witnessed how insignificant his troops were in front of those things. They were either badly injured or killed. Prime Minister Chu held a very calm look on his face and said, ¡°All is fine, they are under control. The imperial army is mostly injured or dead, and things are being dealt with right now. You need to pass on the order to the imperial hospital.¡± Actually¡­ Prime Minister Chu was very disappointed. What happened at Li County was already a lesson the King should have learned, but the King had done such an unexpected thing causing the guards to die, just like how they fought at Jiayu Pass. However, they died in the court. How could such a thing happen? Prime Minister Chu felt very distressed and confused. Hearing that all was well, the King felt slightly more motivated. He was reminded of Mu Yihan, who caused it all. He asked with a cold look on his face. ¡°Where is Mu Yihan? Bring him here!¡± ¡°He was already gone when I arrived.¡± Prime Minister Chu answered obediently. He was gone? The King¡¯s expression twisted. Mu Yihan! He had reached a deal with Mu Yihan regarding the coboration, and Mu Yihan betrayed him! How dare he!? The King¡¯s expression sank and he said seriously, ¡°Since everything is arranged well, Prime Minister Chu, you can leave it alone. The most important thing is to find Mu Yihan!¡± Chu Tian was startled for a second, but nodded. Only then did the King feel slightly more assured. Hearing the arrangement, Gu Chaoyan could not help but shake her head, as she started to walk outside the pce. The King was settled here, but she had no idea what was going on outside. She did not have many friends, and Madame Bai from the Bai Family was not here whilst the Chu Family had been arranged well by Sword One. They should be fine too. @@novelbin@@ However, she wondered what was going on with Chu Xiwen. Gu Chaoyan walked out of the wing-pce and came to Sword One. Gu Chaoyan asked tiredly, ¡°Where is Elder Miss of the Chu Family? Is she doing well?¡± Sword One had a veryplicated look on her face. ¡°Elder Miss of the Chu Family is¡­ well, Elder Miss¡­¡± Chapter 1234 - About Elder Miss of the Chu Family 1

Chapter 1234: About Elder Miss of the Chu Family 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Gu Chaoyan had not been very worried about the Elder Miss of the Chu Family, since Sword Two guarded her. She trusted Sword Two and she believed that Sword Two would be able to help Elder Miss of the Chu Family out of trouble. So she asked Sword One with a tired look on her face. Hearing Sword One, Gu Chaoyan no longer felt tired. She came to herself and looked at Sword One with eyes wide, wondering what on earth had happened. Sword One did not know what to say. She wasn¡¯t very sure if she should spill the truth. The Elder Miss of the Chu Family was doing well¡­ However¡­ What happened to her was too filthy for Sword One to tell her Elder Miss directly. Sword One¡¯s expression looked twisted and hesitant. Gu Chaoyan frowned deeply. She disliked it when thoughts were not talked through. She asked straightforwardly, ¡°What is going on? What happened to Xiwen?¡± Xiwen came to fetch her when she ran into the two people from the Gu Family¡­ And when Xiwen was taken away by Honored Princess Jing¡¯s people, she promised to First Mrs. Chu that she had her own men protecting Xiwen. Therefore, if something happened to Xiwen, she was totally responsible for that. It was her who failed toplete the mission. Therefore, Gu Chaoyan looked really anxious. Seeing Elder Miss¡¯ expression, Sword One realized that Elder Miss must have thought that something really bad had happened. She added. ¡°Elder Miss of the Chu Family is fine, Elder Miss, and Honored Princess Jing¡¯s n failed too, it is just¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is just that Sword Two was a bitte to protect Elder Miss of the Chu Family, so Elder Miss of the Chu Family ended up drinking the tea served by Honored Princess Jing. I had wanted to fetch an imperial doctor for her, but something happened in the court, so I hurried here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Elder Miss, don¡¯t worry, I am going to ask First Mrs. Chu to fetch a doctor for the Elder Miss of the Chu Family.¡± Sword One recounted the whole situation and looked at Gu Chaoyan. She just hoped that Elder Miss would not get involved with this.¡± Some filthy drug had been put into Elder Miss of the Chu Family¡¯s tea. Her Elder Miss was just a young girl, who had not been married or slept with any men. Sword One hoped that Elder Miss would stay away from such drugs. So she hoped that Elder Miss could stay away from this. Hearing Sword One¡¯s words, Gu Chaoyan felt much better. Her heart almost skipped a beat. She thought that Honored Princess Jing had managed to set up Xiwen under Sword Two¡¯s guard. In that case, she would have hurt Xiwen deeply. It was good that Xiwen was well. As for her health¡­ She almost understood what Sword One was talking about. ¡°Take me there. I am a doctor, why ask for someone else?¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Sword One had wanted to stop her, but she dropped it. She knew pretty well what her Elder Miss was like. So she guided Gu Chaoyan to the pce where the Elder Miss of the Chu Family was settled. Chapter 1236 - About Elder Miss of the Chu Family 3

Chapter 1236: About Elder Miss of the Chu Family 3

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Her clothes were messy, and her face was abnormally red, but despite all of these, she was trying her best to fight against the after-effects of the drugs. Princess Virtue took hold of her hands tightly. That was the only thing she could do. A maid served her cold tea, trying to make Chu Xiwen feel better. Her eyes were already blurred so she could not see Gu Chaoyan clearly. Gu Chaoyan frowned, feeling very sorry for her. She took out her silver needles and performed acupuncture on her. Honored Princess Jing was so cruel. She could not just drop it when she wanted something. She must have made up her mind to reach the goal, so she put a lot of drugs in the tea. It was such a harmful thing for a person. Whether or not Xiwen could hold onto her sanity this way, she would still be physically harmed by the drug. Honored Princess Jing wanted to force the Chu Family to take the Crown Prince¡¯s side, but why must she do this to a young girl. Gu Chaoyan frowned furiously. She was so angry at Honored Princess Jing and the Gu Family. She had an idea- She was going to make them pay! She was going to make them understand what consequences they were going to face! Gu Chaoyan was so concentrated on the acupuncture that she was sweating. One hourter, she put away her silver needles and sighed. ¡°She is fine now.¡± Inside the room, everyone let out a sigh of relief. The Elder Miss of the Chu Family looked to be in such a terrible condition, and no one was feeling assured. Chu Xiwen was sweating as well. She had been holding onto the misery for too long. She was still in a mess although she was brought back to normal now. She looked very tired. Feeling better, she turned to Gu Chaoyan and rxed. @@novelbin@@ After a long while, Chu Xiwen finally became a bit sober. When she was fully awake, she looked at Chaoyan. ¡°Thank you, Chaoyan, and Princess Virtue!¡± After expressing her gratitude, Chu Xiwen looked furious as she was lying there. She was indeed furious. She had been aware that the Gu Family and Honored Princess Jing were up to no good, and that they were nning something together, but what she had not expected was that right in the court, in broad daylight, she was confronted with such a horrible thing and that Honored Princess Jing would be so shameless as to conduct something so horrible to the daughter of an important minister of the court. She knew about a lot of tricks in the court, but how could an Honored Princess, who was in charge of the back court, do something like this! Chu Xiwen kept shaking her head. She found it totally hopeless. Seeing Chu Xiwen¡¯s expression, Gu Chaoyan took hold of her hands and said with a small voice, ¡°Xiwen, just have some rest and don¡¯t think about too many things. We will talk when you wake up. Also, Prime Minister Chu has his own arrangements as well, so don¡¯t be too anxious and worried.¡± Chu Xiwen nodded and felt so grateful. If not for Chaoyan¡¯s men, she would have fallen into the trap, so she felt extremely scared right now. Chu Xiwen closed her eyes exhaustedly. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from outside Biquan Pce. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!?? Chapter 1237 - About Elder Miss of the Chu Family 4

Chapter 1237: About Elder Miss of the Chu Family 4

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Gu Chaoyan got up directly and decided to check out what was going on. That Xiwen was at Biquan Pce should not be known to anyone else, otherwise Princess Virtue would have a hard time in the court. Honored Princess Jing was cruel enough to do something against Princess Virtue. Princess Virtue patted Gu Chaoyan¡¯s shoulders, telling her not to be anxious. The maid outside Biquan Pce said with a small voice, ¡°Prime Minister Chu is here.¡± ¡°Let him in directly!¡± Princess Virtue said directly, without much consideration. Then the maid left to pass on the message. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. She had worried that either Honored Princess Jing¡¯s or the King¡¯s men were here, but she thought for a while and realized that she was overly worried. It was chaotic in the court, so the King did not have any time to care about this. Honored Princess Jing was calctive, but she did not have time for Xiwen either. That was good. Due to Princess Virtue¡¯s order, Prime Minister Chu came in with First Mrs. Chu. The moment First Mrs. Chu came in, she rushed to Chu Xiwen without greeting Princess Virtue. She said straightforwardly, ¡°Xiwen!¡± Prime Minister Chu was a man so he was worried yet feeling a bit restrained. Seeing that she was doing well, he did not approach her. He greeted Princess Virtue. ¡°Thank you so much Princess Virtue for helping Xiwen today! If you ever need my help in the future, I will do anything I can!¡± Prime Minister Chu¡¯s promise showed that he paid great attention to Chu Xiwen. He would do whatever he could, because obviously, due to gratitude, Prime Minister Chu did not care about his rules any more. ¡°It is fine. I just helped her along the way. I am also a woman, and before I came to the court, I was also an innocent maid. I know clearly how important a girl¡¯s reputation is for her. And it was such an urgent situation, so of course I would offer help. Don¡¯t be too grateful to me, I offered help because I wanted to, not because I wanted anything else.¡± Princess Virtue was saying with such sincere emotion as she looked up, seeming to have thought of something. Hearing what Princess Virtue said, Prime Minister Chu did not counter her. He was definitely going to remember this favor and repay itter. ¡°Princess Virtue, you have to watch out for your staff at Biquan Pce. You helped Xiwen and no one will dig into it, but you never know about the future. We are in a very awkward situation right now in the capital so it is not a good thing that you helped us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The King is holding all the affairs in his hands, and he doesn¡¯t want me to get involved. He doesn¡¯t trust me, so I am not sure what will happen in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But no matter what, Princess Virtue, please be cautious,¡± Chu Tian said. Princess Virtue nodded. She had stayed in the back yard for so many years so she was aware of many things. She trusted the people working for her at Biquan Pce. Prime Minister Chu made the arrangement so Chu Xiwen and First Mrs. Chu left in a hurry. Gu Chaoyan had intended to exchange a few words with Princess Virtue, but Sword One came to pass on a message, saying that the King was looking for her. Gu Chaoyan had no choice but to leave Biquan Pce directly. @@novelbin@@ Chapter 1238 - Summoning 1

Chapter 1238: Summoning 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

The King was looking for her everywhere because he needed her medical skills. The imperial doctors in the court were skilled, but not as capable as she was. She detoxified the King before, and he lived on her drugs. That was why she was never threatened in the capital ¨C the King was more or less guarding her. The imperial doctors failed to study the pills she produced, nor were they able to make better ones. So the King needed her. Otherwise, Gu Ruxue and Mrs. Gu would be cruel enough to cause her a lot of trouble in the capital, her father Gu Zhenkang hated her too. Thanks to her medical skills, she was under protection. Gu Chaoyan was actually d to check up on the King, who trusted her medical skills. It was a good deal that she could live a peaceful life with her knowledge of medicine. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. She and Sword One, when walking out of Biquan Pce, even took a roundabout route before heading towards the back garden, where the banquet was originally held. If she started from there, she would run into the King¡¯s men easily. Although the metal humans had been dealt with, it was still chaotic in the court. Everyone was in a mess and no one was handling the situation. As Gu Chaoyan walked along the way, she could still see some maids and servants who ran about anxiously. The further she walked into the back garden, the more family members of the officers she could see. They were still panicking. Gu Chaoyan could not help but shake her head. Outside the court, it seemed that no one was able to get closer to this ce, but as a matter of fact, the court had been eroded from inside. Maybe it started to happen after the Queen passed away, or maybe even earlier. @@novelbin@@ The King drove away Prime Minister Chu, who he did not trust or want to use. Zhou Huailing was not in the court, and Honored Princess Jing was in the middle of making arrangements, but Honored Princess Jing was incapable of arranging everything well. Gu Chaoyan looked about and felt emotional. The servants at Qianqing Pce found her, and let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Elder Miss, please, the King needs you at Qianqing Pce, pleasee with me.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at this familiar face, nodded and followed him. The servant was so anxious that he walked faster than normal. Gu Chaoyan followed him calmly and would like to take a look at what Qianqing Pce looked like now. The moment she walked into Qianqing Pce, she saw Gu Ruxue. She walked past her as she headed straight into Qianqing Pce. Gu Ruxue stopped her. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, what are you doing here? This is Qianqing Pce! Are you too timid to stay outside?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Someone,e and drive her out. She is not supposed to be here! She is Lord Huai¡¯s wife and yet she is now wandering about at Qianqing Pce!¡± Gu Chaoyan threw a very calm look at Gu Ruxue. Chapter 1241 - Judgment Towards Gu Chaoyan

Chapter 1241: Judgment Towards Gu Chaoyan

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Hearing that, the King was startled first, before realizing that Gu Chaoyan was that kind of woman. She always put forward conditions for her treatment. De Fu, who had been ready to serve her tea, shivered, almost spilling the water inside. @@novelbin@@ Elder Miss was the only person who would charge money from the King. No wonder Officer Gu never spoke highly of Elder Miss, instead showing extreme dislike towards her. He would have not liked it either. It was such a good opportunity to suck up to the King by healing him, because she was definitely going to get an equal payment as an award. Why must she say such an annoying thing? De Fu shook his head slightly, looking annoyed by Gu Chaoyan. Nevertheless, he still had the tea prepared. He continued to serve her tea and spoke. ¡°Elder Miss, you don¡¯t need to be worried about payment. Imperial doctors who heal the King always get payment afterwards. You will definitely get rewarded too, if you heal the King.¡± The King looked at DeFu, telling him not to say anything more. Since she asked for that, she could get what she needed. Elder Miss Gu was a very skillful doctor, but she was only a little smart at this point. She wanted to get the payment for her skills and she was in a hurry to do so. Well¡­ That had something to do with her birthce. The Gu Mansion used to be a small ce, and her birth mother was born to a business family, and never taught her well or told her to open the horizon for something bigger. This kind of woman was annoying, but not troublesome. She could get what she wanted. ¡°How much do you want?¡± The King asked patiently. ¡°50,000 liang.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered briefly. ¡°When you heal me, I will ask De Fu to pay you this much.¡± The King said without much hesitation. 50,000 liang was nothing for the court. He also understood why she needed this much money. Lord Huai had moved to a new mansion¡­ The Ministry of Rites could not have offered Lord Huai anything good, due to the situation he was in. Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion must be in a very shabby status right now, let alone her own mansion. Fifty thousand liang was plenty for them to live a rtively peaceful period of time. She would want the money because she needed it. Fine, she could have all she wanted. ¡°Can you start now?¡± The King asked expressionlessly. Gu Chaoyan nodded and went to feel his pulse. The King, honestly speaking, was quite lucky. When so many of his guards died, he was not hurt except for some surface scratches. However, Gu Chaoyan would not say that honestly. She still went on to write a prescription. Those were all medical herbs, bitter and difficult to drink. And they would not work well or badly for the King. Having written that, Gu Chaoyan brought out the cream and said, ¡°You can use this for your wounds.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The King felt both assured and d. With his eyes upon Gu Chaoyan he said, ¡°Thanks to you, the chaos in the court was appeased.¡± Chapter 1245 - Out of Practice

Chapter 1245: Out of Practice

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Gu Ruxue was smiling and wondering what she could do with what she had now ¨C she was gaining a lot of reputation among the civilians and officers, which was such a surprise for her! However, hearing that the King had something to ask her, she got startled and looked at the King. ¡°Did you feel anything strange before and after the banquet?¡± The King asked. When a nation was in trouble, the Phoenix Girl should at least have the ability to sense something. Although she might not learn of the destiny, at least she should have some sense. The Destiny Monk did not mention it and it was not known to anyone else, but he knew it well. He was the King of the Saint Divine Land¡­ And the Kings of different generations of the Saint Divine Land knew quite a lot about the Saint Divine Land. Some stories were passed on over different generations. And the one that could hear the story should be the real heir to the throne. The Crown Prince had no idea about this, because he was not yet to be the King so he should not be told. Hearing that¡­ Gu Ruxue felt quite nervous. She did not sense a thing! She did not even have any idea of what happened in the court after all. However, she did not dare to answer a no directly right now. @@novelbin@@ Instead, she thought for a while hesitantly and then said, ¡°Yes¡­ I had been feeling quite ufortable starting from yesterday on. I thought that it was just because I wasn¡¯t feeling well, so I did not put many thoughts in it, but then something horrible happened today. Had I known about this, I would have reminded you.¡± Gu Ruxue showed a self-ming look on her as she spoke. The King looked at her and felt slightly better. It was good that she had the premonitions. What happened today was already over, but as long as she watched for the situation in the future, it would be much better. ¡°It is fine, not a big deal. You should tell me if you don¡¯t feel well in the future,¡± the King said indifferently. ¡°I have just sent someone to get Destiny Monk. I wonder if he is out of seclusion now. Such a huge thing happened in the court, so he should be out here. You can stay in the court these days. I can¡¯t award you any pce, but you can go to the Honored Princess Jing to let her arrange something for you.¡± The King stressed. Gu Ruxue let out a sigh of relief and nodded, getting ready to find Honored Princess Jing. Apart from staying in the court, Gu Ruxue was going to check if Chu Xiwen had been dealt with by her Elder Brother. That was really important. She intended to gather the Chu Family¡¯s forces, and hated Chu Xiwen. If Chu Xiwen was sessfully framed, she would be at her mercy from now on! Gu Ruxue was about to leave when De Fu came with a look of cheer. ¡°Destiny Monk is out!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The King was very surprised. Destiny Monk had been in seclusion for a long time, which he felt quite anxious about. Finally, he came out. And¡­ Since he was out, it basically meant that the Phoenix Girl was going to be put into use? The King looked very greedy as he started to think about how to deal with the Phoenix Girl. ¡°Bring Destiny Monk here to the Qianqing Pce!¡± Chapter 1246 - Out of Practice 2

Chapter 1246: Out of Practice 2

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

It was very important to get Destiny Monk here, so De Fu could not dy at all, so he hurried off. As for what happened between him and Gu Chaoyan in the court, it was not mentioned, becausepared to Destiny Monk¡¯s arrival, what mattered more was very clear for De Fu. He understood well what he should and should not do. Destiny Monk was at Yanxing Pce, and without any order from the King, people would stay there and wait. That was what the rules were like in the court, even if that person was Destiny Monk. The King had never thought that Destiny Monk woulde to the court of his own ord, so he did not tell his staff how to receive him. Therefore, it was quite chaotic in the court. De Fu went to Yanxing Pce with utter courtesy. *** @@novelbin@@ In Qianqing Pce, the King and Gu Ruxue were both very quiet. Both of them were nning something. The King was more excited, because he had not expected that he would be able to bring Destiny Monk out of his seclusion. It was something that had been pestering him all this while. It was the correct thing for him to send the Crown Prince to Jiayu Pass whilst keeping the Crown Prince Consort here. He wondered what Destiny Monk would have for him. When everything was sorted out clearly, he was going to send a letter to the Crown Prince and let him return as soon as possible. The King was thinking about a lot of things. Gu Ruxue was the most excited because she had always been wearing the title of being the Phoenix Girl, but she had not proven to herself that she was one, despite the recognition from most people in the capital. Now that Destiny Monk was out of practice was the best time for her to prove herself. Gu Ruxue clenched her hands tightly, her knuckles turning pale because of the force. She had no feelings for pain. She was just feeling really nervous. Some movement happened outside Qianqing Pce. Both of them were looking outside with full concentration. De Fu showed Destiny Monk to the court. Destiny Monk was about to greet the King and the Crown Prince Consort when the King waved his hands, and turned it down. He said politely, ¡°No need, Destiny Monk, please take a seat!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am the King, but I can¡¯t ept your greetings!¡± The King said, sounding a bit anxious. The King owned the wholend, but the Destiny Monk could learn the heaven¡¯s destiny, so he should not be offended. The King was pretty aware of that. Seeing how the King reacted, Destiny Monk smiled. He was quite satisfied about that. Normally, it was not yet the time for him toe out of practice, but he was out because he had predicted something and had toe out. He felt even worse when he learned of what happened in the court. After receiving Destiny Monk, the King looked at him and asked straightforwardly. ¡°Destiny Monk, are you out because of the Phoenix Girl? Can the secret of the Phoenix Girl be revealed right now? Is it time to follow the heaven¡¯s destiny?¡± Chapter 1251 - Insisting 4

Chapter 1251: Insisting 4

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

De Fu smiled as if nothing happened the day before. He said, ¡°Elder Miss. The King is summoning you to the court, so we should not be dyed. I was wondering if you woulde with me to the court.¡± Gu Chaoyan nced at De Fu. Enunches in the court often talked ording to whom they met, and most of the time, they worked for their masters. Therefore, even though she did not like De Fu, she would not humiliate him considering the position he was in. She smiled briefly and nodded. ¡°Please, take me there.¡± De Fu smiled and led the way. He would not have put any thoughts on Elder Miss Gu in the past, but after what happened today, he became very cautious. He wondered what Elder Miss Gu woulde up with. He lost the game today and held a grudge against her. De Fu regretted it a little bit too. He felt that he had acted a bit too impulsively today to drop the grudge. Compared to the ideas inside De Fu¡¯s mind, Gu Chaoyan was in a very calm state. They finally came to the court. Instead of making dys, De Fu took her to Qianqing Pce directly. Gu Chaoyan came into Qianqing Pce and saw Destiny Monk. After meeting him at the temple the other day, Gu Chaoyan did not really believe that he was so capable. Compared to the King and Gu Ruxue, Gu Chaoyan did not seem to admire him so deeply. She greeted the King and Gu Ruxue. The King did not have time or energy to humiliate her. He just said impatiently, ¡°Just get up.¡± He did not offer Gu Chaoyan a seat. He just let her stand where she was. The King did not like Gu Chaoyan at all, so he did not treat her in a friendly manner. Gu Chaoyan did not care either. She just stood there coldly. Destiny Monk felt quite assured when he saw Gu Chaoyan. ¡°I have predicted that there will be a huge disaster in the Saint Divine Land soon. Lady Chaoyan, please, what is your opinion?¡± Destiny Monk asked. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan frowned slightly. Although she did not think that Destiny Monk was as capable as his name sounded, what he had predicted could be true to some degree. A disaster in the Saint Divine Land? What would the disaster be? ¡°Lady Chaoyan, what do you think?¡± Destiny Monk asked. ¡°What do I think? I can¡¯t predict destiny.¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly, ¡°If there is going to be a disaster, it has to be rted to the war going on right now. The North Qi Land is invading us and our military power is stronger than that of the North Qi Land, but wars lead to many other things. It is just a matter of time before the other two countries join the war.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There will be some forecasts before the so-called disaster happens.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am just an ordinary woman so it is useless toe to me!¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Destiny Monk¡¯s face twisted. An ordinary woman? Destiny Monk really could not believe that Gu Chaoyan was an ordinary woman. How could an ordinary woman break through his array formation so easily? Destiny Monk shook his head and did not believe her words. Suddenly, silence dominated Qianqing Pce, but Gu Ruxue struck the table and shouted. ¡°You witch, victory news arrived from Jiayu Pass, and you are saying that nothing good is happening at Jiayu Pass. What are you implying?!¡± Chapter 1256 - The Chu Family’s Plan 1

Chapter 1256: The Chu Family¡¯s n 1

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She saw the mess and depression after the whole chaos happening in the court, but in her eyes, she saw her future. Destiny Monk came out of practice so when the disaster he predicted ured, the Phoenix Girl should step up ande into use. When that happened, she was going to be an existence that exceeded everyone except for the King. She seemed to have witnessed the scene, where everyone was kneeling down at her and worshiping her. At that time, she was going to stomp Gu Chaoyan beneath her feet and make her understand what consequences she had to bear for countering her. Gu Ruxue smiled brightly. She stopped looking and headed towards the pce that she was supposed to rest in. *** At Huarong Pce. After Gu Ruxue and Mrs. Gu left¡­ Honored Princess Jing hurriedly wrote a letter and had it delivered to Jiayu Pass. She did not know what the King had arranged, but since Destiny Monk was out of seclusion the Crown Prince had to return as soon as possible. Anything could happen and the Crown Prince should not miss a thing. Honored Princess Jing looked really anxious. *** At the Chu¡¯s Mansion. The Chu Family rushed back to the mansion in a very messy way. The Chu Family had never experienced such a mess before. Seated on the chair, Chu Tian looked outside with distraction. He was watching the whole family and every nt out of it. Three months ago, Chu Tian still insisted on his thoughts and the rules of the Chu Family ¨C it was a rule they needed to stick to since the time of their ancestors. In the capital, they only worked for the King, and no matter which son took over the throne, all the Chu Family needed to do was to stay out of the game and focus on themselves. However¡­ the reality and truth were all shown in front of him. While the Chu Family wanted to stay away from the game and work for the King only, there were many people who tried to force them! The Crown Prince had been trying to set them up and force them to take his side. Just look at what they did to Chu Yeying and Chu Xiwen¡­ they were not even respecting the Chu Family and were trying to force them to bend down. Well¡­ The Chu Family no longer had the choice to stay neutral. If they remained neutral, the Chu Family would be pushed into fire. Both of the daughters of the Chu Family had been set up and soon the Young Master of the Chu Family would be framed as well, until he became thest one. The Crown Prince was not yet the King so what more would he do if he really became the King? What would happen to the civilians? It was time. It was time for the Chu Family to take a side. Chu Tian let out a sigh of relief. He was feeling very emotional. The ancestor of the Chu Family was a very straightforward and honest person, thus there was a rule like this, but now¡­ @@novelbin@@ Things were different. Being straightforward and honest caused them trouble. ¡°Father.¡± Chu Yu hurried in. Chu Yu checked on Chu Xiwen at the back yard after he left the court, and came to the hall after he had made sure that she was doing well. He ran into his father who was sighing. Chu Tian looked at Chu Yu who was already tall. He nodded. ¡°Yu, you are here. I am going to talk about the future of the Chu Family with you. The capital is no longer in peace and we can¡¯t just stay neutral any more.¡± Chapter 1258 - Elder Miss’ Problem 1

Chapter 1258: Elder Miss¡¯ Problem 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Gu Chaoyan still had no response. Sword One panicked. It made her realize that something simr happened to Elder Miss before, and she had not woken up for a long time, and no one had any idea of what happened. However, that never happened after Mr. Zhao checked on her, so it was not something that people paid attention to in the past. They believed that Elder Miss would never run into a situation like this again. Why so suddenly? Why did Elder Miss suddenly not wake up? Sword One felt Gu Chaoyan¡¯s forehead, and noticed that it was heated. It was beyond amon cold, but Elder Miss looked very healthy, and her cheeks did not turn red. However, that was not what her body felt like. Sword One felt her head buzzing, and felt like exploding. ¡°Qing! Qing!¡± Sword One called. Only Sword One and Qing were serving Gu Chaoyan. She did not tell them what they should do specifically, but after spending a long time together, Qing and Sword One already found their own tasks. Qing was more cautious so she was in charge of urging the kitchen to make breakfast, whilst Sword One took care of getting Gu Chaoyan dressed. So when Sword One called her, Qing thought that something big happened. She rushed out and asked. ¡°What is wrong?¡± @@novelbin@@ Qing took a look at Elder Miss as she asked. Elder Miss was like usual, but Sword One¡¯s voice did not wake up Elder Miss? Qing suddenly realized something. She bent down to feel Elder Miss¡¯ face. ¡°I will fetch a doctor now!¡± Qing said anxiously and was about to leave. Sword One suddenly took hold of Qing. She was panicking since she saw her Elder Miss in this state. That was why she went to Qing. She had been very anxious, but now her mind was clearer. She could not fetch a doctor. She suddenly remembered that Mr. Zhao told her never to fetch a doctor if her Elder Miss ran into any problems in the future, and that they should go to fetch Mr. Zhao. However, Mr. Zhao was down in the South and could note directly nor should any other doctors be called. She needed to find Lord Huai first! Yes, Lord Huai first! ¡°Qing, listen to me, go to Young Master Chu. Tell him that Elder Miss is not feeling well, and that she can¡¯t receive him today. When Elder Miss gets better, she will visit them at the mansion. She will also check on the Elder Miss of the Chu Family as well. Please, let him leave. I will deal with Elder Miss here.¡± Sword One tried to force herself to calm down, as she said to Qing. Qing looked at Elder Miss in bed. She could tell that Elder Miss seemed to have turned paler than before. Elder Miss was slender as sheid in bed. She felt really worried. She felt really stifled. She could not help feeling anxious. She felt that this time, things seemed much worse than before. She looked up at Sword One, nodded and left. When Qing left, Sword One went to fetch Sword Two. ¡°Go fetch Lord Huai. Elder Miss has a problem, hurry up!¡± Chapter 1262 - Zhou Huaijin’s Return

Chapter 1262: Zhou Huaijin¡¯s Return

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If she could punish her at the banquet this time, it would be really wonderful. @@novelbin@@ She had not expected that the Chu Family would choose to stand opposite to the Yao Family under such a situation. Standing against the Yao Family was the same as standing against the Crown Prince. Ms. Yao already started to make her own n as she hurried back into the court. After Lord Ling became the Crown Prince, it became much easier for the Yao Family to enter the court. They did not need any authority token, nor did they need a messenger to pass on their arrival. That saved them a lot of time. However, the Yao Family knew how to restrict themselves. The King was still on the throne, so no matter how much special honor they received, they would not just enter the court constantly to annoy the King. However, Ms. Yao did not care any more. She hurried directly to Huarong Pce. There were many things for Honored Princess Jing to deal with right now, like the affairs with the Crown Prince, the Chu Family and all. So she had just gotten all the affairs for the Crown Prince and her aunties to deal with in the court, and she was feeling really free right now, as she drank tea in Ronghua Pce. Seeing Ms. Yaoing in, she looked quite calm. It was about the Chu Family. ¡°How did it go?¡± Honored Princess Jing asked calmly. She could almost predict what the answer was. ¡°Honored Princess Jing, the Chu Family turned down our banquet.¡± Ms. Yao said as she nced at Honored Princess Jing, looking scared. The Yao Family had messed up the whole thing. If Honored Princess Jing was not in a good mood she would probably get med. Ms. Yao was quite scared. She did not dare to stand straight right in front of Honored Princess Jing. Honored Princess Jing¡¯s face changed, but that onlysted for a moment. ¡°The Chu Family are taking the opposite side of ours.¡± Honored Princess Jing rubbed the teacup she had with her fingernails. A squeaking sound arose. ¡°Since the Chu Family is countering us, we should not waste our time with the Chu Family. The Chu Family have been flourishing in the capital, and it is time for them to fall.¡± Honored Princess Jin looked at Ms. Yao. ¡°I got it, and you can go home now.¡± Ms. Yao nodded and let out a sigh of relief. Cold sweat arose from her body as she walked out of Huarong Pce. After she walked out of Huarong Pce, Ms. Yao smiled and believed that the Chu Family would fall soon. That was good. Sheughed. *** At Xinlin Mansion. When Zhou Huaijin learned of the news from Sword Two, he dropped whatever he was doing and hurried back. He asked his hidden guard to fetch Mr. Zhao in the south. He rushed to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s home directly. Sword One and Qing were guarding Gu Chaoyan, but they made space for Zhou Huaijin when they saw himing back. Zhou Huaijin said quietly, ¡°Chaoyan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Chaoyan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Chaoyan.¡± He bent down and kissed quietly on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s forehead. He could feel the heat on her forehead. He was panicking, but he could not show it. Everyone from Xinlin Mansion was putting their hopes on him. Xinlin Mansion would panic more if he did. He could not bring a doctor here. Chaoyan had no pulse, so any other doctor would put her in danger. Chapter 1263 - How

Chapter 1263: How

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The Saint Divine Land was an opennd, but it was also a superstitious ce, otherwise the appearance of the Phoenix Girl would not have made the King worship her so heavily, so that a concubine¡¯s daughter born in the unknown Gu Family could be the radiant Crown Prince Consort, who was respected by the King. A person¡¯s pulse was connected to life, and everyone should have it. If Chaoyan did not, and the news was spread, the Saint Divine Land would not ept Chaoyan any more. He had to protect Chaoyan, but he still hoped that Chaoyan could live in the sunlight rather than in rumor. However, if a doctor was not asked to check on her, Chaoyan¡¯s health condition would not be known to anyone. Her health was the most important of all. So it was a huge dilemma. Zhou Huaijin was quite bothered. He held Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands tightly. Her hands were skinny and small in his, and Zhou Huaijin felt really suffocated in his heart. He was frowning. After a long while, Zhou Huaijin sat up and said with a serious look. ¡°Fu Bao, go to Bingzhou and get Li Qing from Xinlin Gate toe here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Bao left in a hurry after hearing the order. Mr. Zhao was in the South and he had been there for a while. It was unknown where he was exactly. Even for people from Shadow Door, it would still take a while before he was found. Also, the two ces were far apart, and it would take a while before Mr. Zhao got here. Mr. Zhao could not be relied upon totally. They had be too anxious to remember Li Qing. Li Qing had been an excellent doctor as he was in the capital. If not for the conspiracy he had discovered among the imperial children, he would not have ended up being at Bingzhou and living under Xinlin Gate¡¯s protection. Xinlin Gate kept him sheltered and he hade in handy. Chaoyan decided to keep him because she trusted him. Otherwise she would not have revealed Xinlin Gate to him. Since Chaoyan trusted him, Zhou Huaijin could turn to him for the time being. Li Qing could be asked to check up on her. Zhou Huaijin felt slightly better after Fu Bao was arranged to fetch Li Qing from Bingzhou. He stretched out his hands to sweep the hair on her face away. He could feel that Chaoyan was burning terribly. He frowned deeply and said quietly, ¡°Bring some clear water.¡± Qing hurried off to do that. Zhou Huaijin had been standing by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s bedside, holding her hands. That was the third time. When Chaoyan was in aa for the first time, she woke up soon and he was relieved. The second time this happened, Mr. Zhao was around, but this time, he was very worried. @@novelbin@@ Even Mr. Zhao had no idea what had happened to Chaoyan. He was truly worried. Qing came with clear water, and he carefully put the cool handkerchief on her forehead. Feeling the cool handkerchief, Gu Chaoyan looked slightly relieved. Chapter 1267 - Arrangement for Shadow Door 1

Chapter 1267: Arrangement for Shadow Door 1

Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions

Zhou Huaijin looked up at Gu Chaoyan who was lying in bed, worrying. She looked better, and her face had be redder. She was no longer frowning and she was moving about as she slept. He started to believe what Li Qing said ¨C she would wake up the next day. He felt quite assured since Sword One and Qing were looking after her, so he nodded. ¡°I will be next door,e to me if anything happens.¡± ¡°Yes¡± Zhou Huaijin left the room and went to meet the people from Shadow Door. Shadow Door had be the biggest department in the whole country. Apart from the hidden guards all over thend, Shadow Door also ran their own business. Although most of the staff working for Shadow Door were hidden guards, they were clearly divided into departments. Shadow Door had its own messengers all over the ce, and Yiyan Hall was in charge of all of these. Yisha Hall was in charge of catching wanted people, while Yishang Hall was in charge of Shadow Door¡¯s own business. Also, there were other departments in the halls. The men Zhou Huaijin arranged for Jiayu Pass were from Yihang Hall, who were well trained and had experience in fighting on the battlefield. Well¡­ The people from Yihang Hall were better trained than the soldiers at the military camps, because apart from being capable of fighting on the battlefield, they were also good at flying about and secret assassination. Zhou Huaijin was not very certain about Zhou Huailing¡¯s trip to Jiayu Pass, thus having a lot of people tagging along. It was the hidden guards from Yihang Hall who were here. Something must have happened at Jiayu Pass. Zhou Huaijin more or less guessed what had happened. He looked calm as he more or less understood what was going on generally. ¡°Spill.¡± Zhou Huaijin looked at the hidden guards from Yihang Hall, as he took a seat. ¡°Head, the victory the army obtained at Jiayu Pass was due to the purposeful retreat of the North Qi Land, so that the army would be less wary. The army from the North Qi Land started to invade all of a sudden the night before and Jiayu Pass has already been lost. The army of the Saint Divine Land has retreated to Feng County behind Jiayu Pass, and Feng County is already in danger.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°General Liu has been extremely badly injured and he has not woken up until dawn. The Crown Prince has already arranged someone to bring General Liu back to the capital and they are on the way here now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The civilians at Jiayu Pass will suffer. General Liu is gone and Feng County is going to be lost to the enemy too. We wondered if we should help since we are there.¡± @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin tapped the table. General Liu was the head. Zhou Huailing was fine, so why did General Liu get injured and sent back to the capital? It seemed that¡­ Zhou Huailing was indeed ambitious. Jiayu Pass was lost, probably because he gave up on it. He was trying to swallow General Liu¡¯s army. Zhou Huaijin shook his head. How stupid he was. He was only thinking about how to start an internal fight rather than tobat against the enemy. The Saint Divine Land was going to suffer soon. Everyone from Yihang Hall was very skilled. He had intended to get the people from Yihang Hall to assist the army at the Saint Divine Land, so that Jiayu Pass could be maintained, but right now, he had another idea. Chapter 1271 - The Min Family’s Lady 1 Chapter 1271: The Min Family¡¯s Lady 1 Since they talked to this degree, when the King asked about this, Gu Yunhe felt much more confident. He understood that the Crown Prince Consort was more than just the wife of the Crown Prince. She was also the Phoenix Girl, who was going to be of great help in the future. Gu Yunhe was her brother, and all he needed was a good martial connection. The King should have all the reasons to agree. Gu Yunhe said as he felt more confident, ¡°I would like to have ady from the Min Family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Back at the banquet a couple of days ago, I ran into thedy from the Min Family. She is very good and my parents are quite satisfied with her. The Crown Prince Consort believes that she is suitable too. So I am here asking for your help.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We used to be an unknown mansion, so if we go to make the proposal, we are not quite sure they will agree.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So my parents asked me to beg for the imperial order.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I want to get married because I like her, and more importantly, my sister is the Crown Prince Consort, so my marriage should be well arranged so that the Crown Prince Consort won¡¯t be humiliated. Otherwise, our mansion might even slow down the Crown Prince Consort¡¯s step.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Yunhe asked politely. Before the Crown Prince left for the Pass, he had some strategists he personally liked at the mansion. He was here asking for the imperial order for marriage and he even asked the strategist how he ought to behave in front of the King. That was why Gu Yunhe could say everything so straightforwardly and inly. He waited for his answer with head lowered, as he spoke politely. He was quite anxious. It was the Min Family that he asked for. The Min Family was the head of the noble family in the capital and the King respected them. So Gu Yunhe was not very sure about it. Hearing that, the King did not look at Gu Yunhe. He thought about this as he frowned. The Min Family¡­ Gu Yunhe was not wrong about what he said. In the past, the Gu Family would not be able to be rted to any noble family in the capital, and the family was not capable enough either. However, the Crown Prince Consort was born in the Gu Family, and the Crown Prince should have his reputation properly built up, as well as the face of the Phoenix Girl. That was why the Gu Mansion should be lifted. He was right about marrying thedy from the Min Family. So it was a very reasonable request. However¡­ It was the Min Family he was talking about. In the past he did not dare to touch the Min Family, because Mrs. Min was always with the Min Family even though she did not live there. He did not dare to touch Mrs. Min when she was around, but¡­ His messenger told him that Mrs. Min left the capital and did not even say a thing to the Min Family and Madame Min. Therefore¡­ the situation was obvious. Mrs. Min was gone and she did not want to protect the Min Family any more. Under that circumstance, he had thought about establishing a martial connection with the Min Family. Chapter 1275 - Waking Up Chapter 1275: Waking Up Zhou Huaijin had slightly let out a sigh of relief, after Li Qing added ice into the room to make Chaoyan feel and look better. He looked at her and suspected that she would wake up soon, but after sitting there for almost three or four hours, Chaoyan was still asleep and had no trace of waking up. She was not moving either. She looked even worse. He became even more worried. Every now and then he felt Chaoyan¡¯s forehead, fearing that Chaoyan would feel cold due to the low temperature. Zhou Huaijin felt so intense, and was not feeling well either. Sword One looked outside. It was getting dark and the room was still very cool in June. Lord Huai had been guarding the Elder Miss all this while, without wearing more clothes or eating any food. Hours had passed, and Lord Huai had not taken any breaks. She feared that Lord Huai would copse. She thought for a while and remembered. ¡°Lord Huai, eat something and take a break, me and Qing can stay here.¡± They had no idea when Elder Miss would wake up, and if Lord Huai copsed, things would be even worse. Lord Huai and Elder Miss were those that were guarding Xinlin Mansion, so nothing could happen to them. Hearing Sword One¡¯s reminder, Zhou Huaijin did not even look up. He just sat there, staring at Gu Chaoyan and saying hoarsely, ¡°No thanks.¡± Having said that, he refused to leave. Sword One did not know what else to say, after she gave the reminder. She asked Fu Bao to have some food prepared. Lord Huai did not want to leave Elder Miss, but he should eat something. It was extremely quiet inside the room. Everyone was watching and thinking about Gu Chaoyan. Fu Bao soon had some small food prepared, but Zhou Huaijin turned it down without even looking up. He was not in a mood to eat anything, while Chaoyan was still in aa. He had no other thoughts except for one thing ¨C as long as Chaoyan woke up, everything else would not matter. Zhou Huaijin¡¯s eyes became dull. They stood by her side all the way until the second part of the night. Gu Chaoyan started to frown and started to move. Zhou Huaijin was so cheerful. He took hold of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands and asked gently, ¡°Chaoyan, what is wrong, are you not feeling well somewhere?¡± Gu Chaoyan was still dizzy and was frowning as she cringed. ¡°Qing, I will be cold.¡± @@novelbin@@ Hearing that, Zhou Huaijin got motivated, took her in his arms so that he could give her more warmth, then he said, ¡°Qing, go and get some thick nkets, Sword One, Fu Bao, move the ice out of the room and ask Li Qing to bring the ginger soup.¡± He held Gu Chaoyan in his arms tightly. Everyone was doing their job orderly in the room. Elder Miss talked and was waking up. That was such good news. Chapter 1278 - Chaos Outside Chapter 1278: Chaos Outside Chaoyan was always a very independent person and she seemed to treat everything withposure, but now¡­ Chaoyan suddenly seemed to have be weak. A long while ago when he carried Chaoyan from the government office after she received the punishment, she was injured but she was firm in heart. Yet this time, she looked as if she had be weak because she was worried about something. Zhou Huaijin suddenly felt as if his heart had been restrained by something, which hurt him deeply. He held her tightly in his arms. She was so small when she was in his arms. As her face rubbed against his chest, she was just an innocent, young, little girl. Li Qing looked really worried. He knew pretty well that when a patient just woke up but did not know about how they could be saved, they tended to be fragile and afraid. However, he firmly believed that nothing was too difficult in this world. He believed that as long as he worked hard, he would surely find a way to detoxify her. Li Qing looked resolute and consoled. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, it is fine, we will definitely find a solution.¡± Hearing that, Sword One threw a speechless look at Li Qing, covered his mouth and dragged him out of the room. In the meanwhile, Fu Bao and Qing left too, so Lord Huai and Elder Miss could be left alone in the room. Sword One was still looking at Li Qing speechlessly. Honestly¡­ This was the first time she ran into someone so single-minded. What else did he know apart from medical skills and examinations? He could not say anything. He was even worse at it than the hitmen working at Shadow Door. Sword One looked very angry, but Li Qing still insisted with a look of confusion. ¡°The poison can be solved, as long as we work hard, we will find a way.¡± Sword One was totally speechless. She really wanted to see what was inside Li Qing¡¯s head. Sword One left directly. Li Qing believed that it was Sword One who did not trust him, so he followed her. ¡°Ms. Sword One, are you saying that I can¡¯t find the solution? I am not as good as Lady Chaoyan, but my family have been devoted to medicine for a long while, so¡­¡± Sword One felt terrible inside. *** In the room. Zhou Huaijin was still holding Gu Chaoyan tightly, caressing her head and saying with a warm voice. ¡°It is going to be okay, Chaoyan. It is going to be okay!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Phoenix Girl and magical monsters exist in this world, and your problem is not that serious. We will figure out something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will stay by your side and guard you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Zhao and mother are in the South and Shadow Door can¡¯t find them right now, but soon they will. When Mr. Zhao is found, he can help you figure out what you should do. Also, Li Qing is right, maybe you are poisoned, but there should be some solution. We will find it!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered like a child. She suddenly felt quite distressed. She was worried because things were falling out of control, but what should she be afraid of? There was nothing she should be afraid of. Soon Gu Chaoyan regained her spirit and said, ¡°It will be daytime soon, let¡¯s both take a break.¡± Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief. He covered her with a nket. ¡°You can sleep first. I will take the break when you are asleep.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. The whole night passed by very fast after Gu Chaoyan woke up. The following day¡­ Gu Chaoyan had just woken up when Sword One spoke with aplicated look on her face.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1282 - Chapter 1282: Chaos at the Liu Family 2 Chapter 1282: Chaos at the Liu Family 2 The concubine of the Liu Family copsed onto the ground, looking extremely angry. She red at Sword One. ??How dare you!?? Sword One showed no fear. She stared straight at the concubine and said, ??How dare you have someone push my Elder Miss! That is your payment! We are treating you politely for the sake of the Elder Miss of the Liu Family. If you ran into us in daily life, you would end up suffering even more!?? Having said that, Sword One snorted and left. The concubine looked as if she had heard some joke. She looked at them and said, ??Look at those people! The Liu Family will end up being ruined at Liu Qingqing??s hands!?? ??If not for Jing, I would not do anything like this! Jing is the only son of the Liu Family!?? The concubine cried loudly in the yard. Gu Chaoyan had alreadye into the room. She ignored the cries outside. She spotted General Liu who was lying in bed. The room was quite warm due to the fire basin, but General Liu was totally covered with wounds, and his clothes, which were worn in the battlefields, were not yet changed. Next to General Liu was a minor soldier as well as a doctor. The doctor tried to stop the bleeding on the way, but did nothing else. Gu Chaoyan suddenly felt quite shocked. General Liu was the head and would not appear until thest moment, otherwise the head was never injured. However, when she looked at General Liu, she found him more than injured. He was almost killed! Gu Chaoyan did not think that he got injured from the battlefield. She suddenly thought of Xie Yan who they ran into on the official path in Bingzhou. Xie Yan was covered with the same wounds. Those wounds did not kill them, but they made people feel miserable and drove them to bleed to death. @@novelbin@@ It was so simr and was exactly what Zhou Huailing had done! ??This is Lady Chaoyan, the doctor from Xinlin Clinic.?? Liu Qingqing made a brief introduction. The soldier nodded politely. As Gu Chaoyan was checking on General Liu, he was talking with a small voice. ??General Liu got injured when he was out checking how the battle went. I was the first one that found him injured. So I decided to send him to the clinic in Feng County, but the Crown Prince said that Feng County was too small to have good doctors, so he arranged for someone to send General Liu back to the capital, whilst the other fellows are asking for the imperial doctors and seeking for doctors in other clinics. However, no one has arrived! Thank you so much for being here, Lady Chaoyan!?? ??" ??We only have one random doctor, who came with us from the official path at Feng County. All he could do was to stop the bleeding.?? "?? ??That was what happened to General Liu, thank you so much, Lady Chaoyan!?? the soldier said politely. Gu Chaoyan nodded. That was exactly what she had seen right here. No wonder Liu Qingqing woulde to ask for help. Zhou Huailing was trying to stop everyone from seeing General Liu, which must be an idea thought of by the annoying strategist working for him. However, she believed that everything would be fine. ??General Liu has no breath!?? The doctor shouted. ??Father!?? Chapter 1286 - 1286 Hidden Difficulty 1286 Hidden Difficulty @@novelbin@@ She had never thought about epting a disciple. She asked Xiao Jin to be in charge of Xinlin Gate, which was a ce to train capable people from different walks of life, but learning medical skills at Xinlin Gate and being her disciple were just two different things. If she was going to ept a disciple, that person would be her assistant, working around her. And she did need someone like that. Li Qing was a great candidate, but he was a skillful doctor who specializes in his own field. If he was just working with her as an assistant, it would be degrading for him. This doctor was just right for that. He was not good at medical skills, but he had the gift. It was a good choice to take him along. And he was resolute as well. She had tested him by ignoring him, and yet he still insisted on being her disciple. If that was the case¡­ she could ept him as a disciple. Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Yu Feng.¡± The doctor answered. Hearing the name, Gu Chaoyan started to pay attention to him. The doctor looked clean and handsome, young and fitting his name well. ¡°Get up,e with me,¡± Gu Chaoyan said and started to walk outside. Yu Feng looked so excited. She agreed? He had not expected that! Back at Feng County, he also did not think that General Liu would have been injured so seriously. That was why he came with him to the capital where he had such an experience. Although Gu Chaoyan had turned around and left, Yu Feng still kowtowed to Gu Chaoyan three times before getting up. He felt that his legs had be numb, and he almost tripped over himself. He followed Gu Chaoyan happily. The snow did not seem to stop. When Gu Chaoyan left the Liu Mansion, the snowkes were still falling. Sword One held up the umbre for her, in case the snow fell on her. The servants from the Liu Mansion were all seeing her off politely. The wagon moved forward quite slowly in the snow, and Gu Chaoyan let it be. She had the handheld fire-ce in her hands, and took a nap in the wagon. Within one year¡¯s time, Gu Chaoyan witnessed how the Saint Divine Land deteriorated. If it continued like this, Gu Chaoyan was worried that the Saint Divine Land would be engulfed by the other countries. She sighed. It was the civilians that had to suffer. *** At the Qianqing Pce. The King was extremely anxious as he looked at what was happening outside. Snow in June! That was something that had never happened for hundreds of years, but it happened now, while he was in the throne. Something was going on! What was going on? He panicked. ¡°De Fu, get me a pnquin!¡± The King shouted as he walked outside. He had arranged for many people to visit Destiny Monk, trying to ask him what on earth was going on, but everyone returned fruitless. They could not even approach Destiny Monk¡¯s room. He could not stand it any more. He decided to go there personally to call Destiny Monk out of the room. Chapter 1290 - 1290 The Crown Prince’s Return 1290 The Crown Prince¡¯s Return The King was in the middle of contemting when he suddenly heard this. He frowned and said to De Fu impatiently, ¡°What is it now?¡± De Fu panicked, but he might have said it too early. He should have waited a bit longer. His King was getting more and more irritable. He was not able to grasp what he was thinking, though he had been working next to him for so many years. ¡°The Crown Prince hase into the court. He has just returned from the border and hase to you directly. He is a little injured, so I didn¡¯t want to dy it.¡± De Fu exined. So the Crown Prince was here. The King showed a more gentle expression. So the Crown Prince was here, meaning that he did not get injured due to the loss of Feng County. He was the King, and he did not n to step down now, but he was also a father, who needed to have a very satisfying son. Zhou Huailing was the one. Honored Princess Jing was from the Yao Family, who had given him a great deal. And the Yao Family had been keeping a low-profile in the capital after he took the throne, and they had no offspring working in the court. He liked Honored Princess Jing when he was younger, and Huailing treated him well. Compared to the other sons, Huailing was the real one in his heart. He did not wish for something to happen to Huailing. ¡°Bring him in,¡± the King said. De Fu passed on the message and realized that his decision was right. Soon Zhou Huailing came into Qianqing Pce. He kneeled down directly. ¡°Father, it was my fault that we lost Feng County!¡± The King saw the wound on him as well as the blood traces. He said directly, ¡°Get up now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is not your fault. You are not good at leading troops, and Feng County is not a very easily defended ce. It was General Liu¡¯s fault that we lost Jiayu Pass.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°De Fu, go and get the imperial doctor to check up on the Crown Prince,¡± the King said with a broken heart. Zhou Huailing looked at his own wounds. ¡°These are just small, I am fine. I just want to go back to my mansion to visit the Crown Prince Consort. I haven¡¯t seen her in ages and I miss her a great deal.¡± The King did not think that was a proper decision, but seeing that he was already treated, he nodded. ¡°She is living at your mother¡¯s ce, just go and visit her. You cane to court tomorrow. I have something to share with you.¡± Zhou Huailing nodded, he then retired. He went directly to pick up his woman. He had intended to grab General Liu¡¯s forces directly and then conquer those from the North Qi so as to obtain some magical monsters, but things went badly. General Liu¡¯s forces had been lost by him and he could do nothing about the magical monsters. So he had no choice but to return to the capital. In the meanwhile¡­ Gu Ruxue became even more important for him. If he could not get any external forces, Gu Ruxue, who was the Phoenix Girl, would be the best tool for him to get the throne. He had thought it through on the way home. What he needed to do was to attach Ruxue to him, so that she had no other choice. They had been married for half a year, but they had not yet had a child. What mattered the most was that they needed to have a child.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1293 - 1293 Unfairness 2 1293 Unfairness 2 ¡°And normally, we would talk for more than two hours. Ling trusts and relies on me too. It has always been like this! However, now that he is more than 20 years old, he has be someone who only adores women, not me! The Crown Prince Consort is not that elegant anyway.¡± Honored Princess Jing stood there, looking very annoyed. She truly did not like Gu Ruxue. Honored Princess Jing felt very unconvinced and displeased with the Phoenix Girl. She did not have a smooth time after bing the Princess, and the only motivation she had was her son. So she was not very used to her son being away. The Honored Princess showed no emotions, but that was because she was truly annoyed. Auntie Hua who was next to her felt her heart skipping a bit. She was very worried that Honored Princess Jing would not understand this. So she said, ¡°Please, Honored Princess Jing, don¡¯t think in this way. The Crown Prince has always treated you nicely.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How can he change just because of one woman?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Crown Prince is a man who likes women, but he knows whates first. The Crown Prince Consort is the Phoenix Girl, so she should be of some use. That is why the Crown Prince should pay more attention to her!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We have spent so many years in the court, so please understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are of course more important to him, but it is a crucial time right now, and he needs to pay some attention to her as well,¡± Auntie Hua said. Auntie Hua had served Honored Princess Jing since she was little, and she had not married anyone because she was devoted to Honored Princess Jing! In Honored Princess Jing¡¯s heart, she was someone of great importance, so when she said something, Honored Princess Jing believed her. Honored Princess Jing smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie, I am just saying something emotional. We should focus on the general situation. I really hope that Long will take the throne!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have started to feel quite distracted after spending so much time in the court. Please, do remind me when you are around.¡± Honored Princess Jing smiled. Only now did Auntie Hua feel more assured. She was worried that Honored Princess Jing would lose her confidence after so many years. That would be a huge loss, so it was great that she was fine. Great¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will be right next to you,¡± Auntie Hua said as she poured Honored Princess Jing the tea. Honored Princess Jing nodded. *** Outside Ronghua Pce. Zhou Huailing was holding the umbre for Gu Ruxue and did not want any snowkes to fall upon her. They walked together all the way to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. Zhou Huailing carefully looked after her, though he had been quite distracted. He helped Gu Ruxue out of the wagon and they headed towards the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. They had just reached the gate when a woman rushed to him. ¡°The Crown Prince, you are the Crown Prince right? I have something to say to you!¡± Zhou Huailing was really startled after hearing the scream. Where did the womane from? What was she doing here? It was just a total mess for him. Zhou Huailing¡¯s expression sank as he turned around. Chapter 1297 - 1297 Only You! 2 1297 Only You! 2 Zhou Huailing was anxious, not because of desire. He was a very cold and rational person and his desire only turned strong when he was facing something he really wanted. He was not that interested in women. The reason why he was so anxious was because he wanted to have a child with the Phoenix Girl. Only when a child was born by the Phoenix Girl would he feel assured. Gu Ruxue looked very bashful. She had been separated from the Crown Prince for more than half a month, and she spent the night alone, finding it difficult to fall asleep. The Crown Prince only slept with her, and he always spent the whole night at her ce. The Crown Prince was young enough to have plenty of energy even after a busy day, so she was used to having fun with the Crown Prince. So she had been longing for him during the past 15 days. Her face had turned red, but she let the Crown Prince untie her clothes. From the outer shirt to the underwear, and then to the only remaining apron, taking off all these obstacles, a wonderful body was presented in front of his eyes. Gu Ruxue was beautiful, there was no doubt. She had just be an adult so her body and skin were excellent. It was very hot in the room at the moment, so her skin was slightly ruddy. Seeing her below him, Zhou Huailing felt quite attracted to this beautiful woman even though he only cared about having a child as soon as possible. Compared to other men, he had rtively fewer women with him. He could not touch thedies from the Yao Family, and Ruxue had been watching out for other women. And at the border, he kept himself away from women as well, so he was very motivated at the moment. He bent down and started to move roughly. It was still snowing outside, so people inside the room brought coals and tried not to interrupt them. Sound constantly arose from the room, but they just pretended as if they heard nothing. *** Junyi already settled the concubine from the Liu Family, and then he wanted to talk about these urgent matters. He had no time to take a break, so while the Crown Prince was busy in the bedroom, he headed directly to the study and waited for him. @@novelbin@@ Snow in June in the Saint Divine Land! Junyi was feeling really d to see the snow, which drove the others crazy. He had given himself a goal that within three years, he was going to help the Crown Prince take the throne. He wanted nothing but the title of the King¡¯s strategist. Then he would be a hermit and go to his master, telling him that he was better than his Senior Brother Xie Yan, showing him that he was indeed a capable disciple. His Senior Brother was just a deserter. Junyi snorted and felt very unsatisfied by Xie Yan. He had never believed that Xie Yan was better than him, but his master still preferred him. He was going to prove to them! Junyi had his teeth clenched. It would take less than 3 years before the Crown Prince took the throne! Junyi smiled happily. *** In the room. When they were done, silence dominated again. Gu Ruxue had fallen asleep, but she was smiling. She was obviously really happy. Zhou Huailing felt tired, but he did not go to bed, but got out of it. Chapter 1301 - 1301 Not Sure about the Crown Prince Consort 1301 Not Sure about the Crown Prince Consort ¡°What?¡± Zhou Huailing asked Gu Ruxue in confusion, wondering what she meant. As far as he remembered, his women should respect him no matter what and he could do whatever he wanted with her, especially since he was working hard to father some imperial children. He believed that Gu Ruxue should obey himpletely. So he wondered what Gu Ruxue showed this expression for! Gu Ruxue was both shy and surprised. They had already slept together and she was still quite tired, yet the Crown Prince wanted to sleep with her again? She felt very anxious, but thinking of how Liu Qingqing gave birth to a child whilst she had not, Gu Ruxue felt really ufortable and desired to give birth to a lineal child for the Crown Prince no matter what. She clenched her teeth and shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡± Zhou Huailing answered briefly and continued his movements. The situation was quite urgent so he did not want to waste any more time. While the door to enchantment was yet to appear and Ruxue was free, he was going to focus on fathering children. When Ruxue was pregnant, his job would be done. Zhou Huailing was thinking that while he removed Gu Ruxue¡¯s clothes. The servants were all wondering what was happening, but they did not ask and only lowered their heads, continuing with what they had been doing. The room did not be quiet until theter part of the night. *** The snow had been flying throughout the whole night. As dawn broke, Zhou Huailing got up and went for the morning session. It was not a very peaceful time, so he as the Crown Prince should never bete for the morning session. When he got up, Gu Ruxue had no reaction. She was fast asleep. Normally, Gu Ruxue would wake up and dress him. He thought for a while and felt that he must have tired her out, but considering that what they needed the most now was a child, he dropped the rules and let the maid help him dress. When he was dressed¡­ Zhou Huailing was about to go for the morning session. @@novelbin@@ As he came to the door and saw the snowkes he turned to the servants in the room, saying, ¡°The snow is very heavy and the Crown Prince Consort is too weak to go outside. Just let her stay in. I wille to her when I return, she doesn¡¯t need to be worried.¡± Having said this he took a few steps forward. However, he was still not assured about what he had decided. He thought for a while. It was a very important day and they had no children, and Gu Ruxue even slept with someone else before she married him, so he felt quite unassured that no one was able to keep her indoors. If that was the case¡­ Zhou Huailing nced at the room and pointed at one guard. ¡°Go and lock the door, get the things delivered to the Crown Prince Consort, but don¡¯t let her out if she has nothing important to do.¡± Then he continued to move. Junyi was waiting for him not too far away. He was checking the area around them. He agreed with the Crown Prince¡¯s decision. The Crown Prince Consort was not an elegant person so it was safer to lock her inside. Chapter 1305 - 1305 Important Affairs 1305 Important Affairs Having said that, he sat down directly next to her and had the tea served as he looked at Gu Ruxue calmly, waiting for her answer. @@novelbin@@ Gu Ruxue was not a good-tempered person, but that was totally fine. She could smash things to vent her anger if she wanted to, and she could hit the servants if she wanted to. Everything could go as she wanted. So Zhou Huailing did not believe that it was of any importance. He just sat there inposure. Gu Ruxue looked very curious. ¡°You!¡± ¡°What is wrong with me?¡± Zhou Huailing asked, confused. ¡°Crown Prince, why did you lock me in the room? These servants are all bullying me for your sake!¡± Gu Ruxue said with a very bad look on her face. She had always been wild at the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion, and the Crown Prince had left many things for her to be in charge of, so she felt very ufortable after being grounded all of a sudden. ¡°Crown Prince, what wrong have I done? Why did you ground me? I am not going about causing trouble, I just want to visit my own home!¡± Gu Ruxue said with tears in her eyes. She was the Phoenix Girl yet she was grounded! Zhou Huailing had already guessed that she was throwing her temper for that reason. He already thought of what he ought to do and say. He was not releasing her, but he had to keep her happy as well. Zhou Huailing took hold of Gu Ruxue¡¯s hands and looked at her, saying gently, ¡°Ruxue, I am just doing this for your own sake. It is snowing in June and the weather is terrible. I am worried that something will happen to you, and the cold will make you less healthy. We need a son, so you should not get sick.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you want to visit home, we can get someone from the Gu Family to visit you here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will bring your mother here. If you feel bored, you can speak with your mother. And your mother can even live with you here at the mansion. She is quite familiar with this ce anyway, right?¡± Only then did Gu Ruxue look slightly better. She had thought that she was being grounded because she had done something wrong, but it seemed that it was just because the Crown Prince cared about her. However, she was still not feeling good about what happened. She could not me the Crown Prince, so she looked at the servants and said with displeasure, ¡°These servants are not treating me well. I am unhappy.¡± Zhou Huailing did not even look at the servants who were too minor for her. He said casually, ¡°They made you unhappy? Have them killed!¡± ¡°Satisfied?¡± Zhou Huailing asked. Gu Ruxue smiled. Seeing that she was smiling, Zhou Huailing got down to his own business. He picked Gu Ruxue up and said, ¡°Since you are satisfied now, we will continue with our real business.¡± Chapter 1306 - 1306 After-Fear 1306 After-Fear Gu Ruxue was startled, wondering what the Crown Prince meant by their real business. She was about to ask him, but Zhou Huailing had already reached her inner chamber, picked her up and threw her onto the bed. Then he started to remove his own clothes. All the servants had been dragged out for death so no one was inside to serve Zhou Huailing. Being in a hurry, Zhou Huailing had to do everything himself at the moment. Gu Ruxue finally understood what he meant, but¡­ Gu Ruxue got up directly from the bed. She staggered and said, ¡°The Crown Prince, it is still daytime, and we already did itst night. I am very tired right now¡­¡± Gu Ruxue was definitely very lustful, but she did not want to do it all the time. The Crown Prince spent almost all of his time sleeping with her so she could not stand it any more. She had already been aching very badly the night before, and she asked the Crown Prince to stop, but the Crown Prince ignored her cry for help and did not let her go until she was both tired and painful and passed out in the end. She was still hurting in the morning, and she only felt slightly better by this time after lecturing a few maids, but the Crown Prince was onto her again. Gu Ruxue no longer felt shy as she did at the beginning. She was panicking and scared, and she was not up to this game any more. Zhou Huailing did not care. All he cared about was that he had a deadline to catch. He gripped her and pushed her to the bed, and threw himself on her directly. Gu Ruxue looked very frightened. ¡°Please don¡¯t, Crown Prince!¡± Zhou Huailing ignored her and continued with his movements. He had no other thoughts. He just wanted to conceive a child whenever he had time for that. His mission would bepleted when a child was born. Gu Ruxue cried out, but the people outside ignored the cry. The Crown Prince was the decision maker inside so they had to ignore him. Gu Ruxue had no maids with her, anyway the Crown Prince dominated them as well. Two hourster¡­ @@novelbin@@ Gu Ruxue had already passed out. Zhou Huailing believed that it was enough for the moment, so he got up and arranged another group of people who helped him get dressed. No one took care of Gu Ruxue who was in bed. ¡°Take good care of the Crown Prince Consort!¡± Zhou Huailing gave an order and left. Everyone in the room became quite scared. They knew what had just happened, and they did not dare to do anything, fearing that if they became a little slow-handed, they would end up being the same. They were waiting by the bedside, waiting for the Crown Prince Consort to wake up and work hard. Afternoon came. Mrs. Gu was already at the mansion, but Gu Ruxue was still asleep. Mrs. Gu did not dwell upon that. She would just remain in the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion while her daughter was still asleep. It was not a bad thing for the Gu Family if she just stayed at the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. Evening came. Gu Ruxue finally woke up. She did not even have time to punish the servants, but ordered them to serve her some small snacks. After snacks, she felt slightly better. Hearing that Mrs. Gu was here, she decided to visit her, but at that moment, Zhou Huailing walked in. Gu Ruxue instantly felt frightened. Chapter 1311 - 1311 Biggest Issue 1311 Biggest Issue Zhou Huaijin started to head towards the border. Due to the constant losses, the 50,000 soldiers arranged by the Saint Divine Land were reduced to 20,000. Zhou Huaijin was not going there alone. After thinking for a while, the King made the decision the night before, ordering 10,000 people to follow Lord Huai to Xinzhou. Lord Huai¡¯s mission was to keep Xinzhou so that the enemies would not go further into the Saint Divine Land. It was a very small number of soldiers for the Saint Divine Land, but no one countered that order by the King. It was still snowing a little on the day when Zhou Huaijin left. He was riding on a ck horse, well-armed and looking strong. Next to him was Gu Chaoyan who was riding a date-color pony. Gu Chaoyan was dressed as before, nor was she hidden. Zhou Huaijin chose to take Gu Chaoyan to the border openly. Well¡­ Zhou Huaijin believed that Gu Chaoyan was qualified enough to go shoulder to shoulder with him! Neither of them had any expression, but those who were watching felt quite amused. Despite the King¡¯s presence, Zhou Huailing stillughed. ¡°Eighth Brother is so childish. I thought that he was just ambitious to take the mission, but it seems that he is still taking his unmarried Princess Consort! He is just like a child who can not live without his mother. He has been so spoiled.¡± The officers and ministers allughed after hearing what Zhou Huailing said. They understood that men should never take women with them when they were working outside. Women, in their eyes, were just things for them to have fun with after victory. Lord Huai was the first one that did so. He just could not live without his mother! He should watch out not to get captured at Xinzhou! The officers were all looking quite disdainful, but Zhou Huailing added. ¡°Eighth Brother is still young and it is the first time for him to do a mission. He will grow, so don¡¯t be too strict with him.¡± What he said amused the officers more. The King shook his head. He was very displeased by this son of his. Hopefully, he will grow up. The King left directly. When the King was gone, those officersughed even more loudly. @@novelbin@@ It was such a rare opportunity to tell a joke about a lord. The gang was dismissed after the joke. Zhou Huailing was in a good mood. He hadughed all the way back to his mansion. *** Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan were both out of the capital. The road to the border was very far, and it was still snowing inside the capital. The situation was very serious, so Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan both looked serious. The King only gave them 10,000 soldiers and the snow would reduce a lot of support by the time they reached Xinzhou. That was what pestered Zhou Huaijin most. Chapter 1314 At Xinzhou Fu Bao did the count. He could not help but smile. He came to them and said, "Lady Chaoyan, you said that we would have 20 people cut off, but we, who have been through a blizzard, have no one cut off, only five who have suffered a little from a cold, but they just need to rest ande to the battlefield in a couple of days." "¡­" "That is just a miracle! And we have arrived ahead of our n!" Fu Bao said. Honestly, people from Shadow Door were well-selected and they were well trained too, but they were not all necessarily going to make it, let alone the ordinary soldiers. It was a miracle! Fu Bao respected and admired two people in his life, namely the Head and Lady Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan nodded calmly. That was better than she had predicted. It was indeed a miracle. Also, she could notice that everyone was fully motivated. A war required, above all, motivated soldiers. When they were motivated, she would feel more assured. After they passed the border of Xinzhou, they would soone into the town. They headed directly onwards. Far in the distance, Gu Chaoyan seemed to have seen a familiar figure heading towards them. It would probably be some minor figure who came to greet them. As the figure approached them¡­ Gu Chaoyan became totally assured after she saw that it was General Huangpu! They had met back in the capital, when General Huangpu and Yinghan got married and came to the border. She had forgotten about this, but they ran into each other here at Xinzhou! Gu Chaoyan felt rather confident if General Huangpu was the chief for the troops here. If they worked together, they would definitely guard Xinzhou well. Gu Chaoyan smiled brightly. General Huangpu came off the horse and greeted. "Greetings, Lord Huai!" "No need for formalities, just get up, General Huangpu!" Zhou Huaijin said straightforwardly. If he was not sitting on the horse''s back, he would definitely help him up. Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief when he saw that General Huangpu was the chief for Xinzhou.@@novelbin@@ He had met him before and understood him. When General Huangpu met them, he headed shoulder to shoulder with Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan. "How is the situation in Xinzhou?" Zhou Huaijin asked. He had already learned from the hidden guards from Shadow Door regarding how Xinzhou was doing now. The reason why he asked right now was because he would like to hear what General Huangpu thought of Xinzhou and how he had nned things. With this in mind, he coulde up with a solution. "People from North Qi attacked us suddenly the night before, but we were alert enough to avoid big losses. We have managed to maintain Xinzhou, yet we lost 3,000 people which is not a very optimistic thing." "¡­" "I am afraid that they will continue to attack us, and they should be fully-armed." "¡­" "We are humans, so we need to pay a lot to counter those monsters, also¡­" Chapter 1319 - 1319 Situation 1319 Situation ¡°After he wakes up, he can continue to eat the medicinal soup Yinghan makes. As for his wounds, Yinghan¡¯s cream works as well. No more acupuncture is needed, but he has been seriously injured again, so when he wakes up, he needs to return to the capital for rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That is all I needed to say. I am off now,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. She had already put away the needle bag properly, so she got up and left with Sword One. The guard thanked Gu Chaoyan with a serious greeting from behind her. The guard did not get up until Gu Chaoyan was gone for a long while. Lady Chaoyan was someone they needed to thank after all, since she treated Duke North twice, but Duke North was thinking about something else¡­ @@novelbin@@ No one had known about this until today. The guard hoped that Duke North would forget about this and not allow this unlikeliness to bother him constantly. As he thought about this, he let out a sigh of relief and returned to the side of Duke North who was still ina. *** Gu Chaoyan headed directly back to General Huangpu¡¯s tent after she left Duke North¡¯s. On the way there, she received some looks, which she ignored. Few women were seen in the military camp, so it was totally understandable when there were curious looks. Gu Chaoyan never cared about those looks. They had just walked for a while when Gu Chaoyan heard the sound of arguing. The sound was getting louder and louder as she approached the source. She had been a hitman in her previous life, so she was very sensitive towards the sound. As the sound grew louder as if a fight had broken out, Gu Chaoyan just could not understand what was going on inside this quiet military camp. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and headed towards the source of the sound. Many people were all already gathered at the pitch. It was a temporary pitch, so it was quite empty. They were settled here for the time being, so the pitch was segmented. Yu Feng and Li Qing were checking on the patients, and Gu Chaoyan only had Sword One with her, so one of General Huangpu¡¯s men was guiding them, in case they failed to find their way. He went forward and checked it out, then returned. ¡°What is going on?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, two groups of people are in a fight, arguing with each other. I¡¯m not sure what is going on. General Huangpu will soon be here to deal with it, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± the soldier said. Gu Chaoyan nodded, but General Huangpu was not yet here, and Gu Chaoyan could not simply ignore it. She thought for a while before she went forward. Gu Chaoyan looked cold and intimidating, and with General Huangpu¡¯s soldier next to her, everyone made a path for her. The two groups in the fight stopped their moves too, but they were tugging at each other, refusing to let go. Gu Chaoyan remembered one of the groups. They were from the capital. What were they arguing for here at Xinzhou? ¡°What is going on?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. Chapter 1324 - 1324 Invasion Again 2 1324 Invasion Again 2 ¡°We only have 10,000 soldiers with us from the capital and we only have 30,000 here at Xinzhou, thousands of whom are injured. General Huangpu said that the battle a while ago caused a casualty of 5,000 people, and if we continue to go forward like that today, we will lose a lot more. So we can use some tricks with sneak attacks today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We may have some unexpected results.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You remember the metal human that Mu Yihan invented? They are imed to be invincible against everything, but they still have a weakness. And we brought them down with some tricks.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Those magical monsters are huge and they can fight very fiercely against people, but they have weaknesses too. They are very heavy and clumsy!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We can use some tricks to deal with them,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. She said that she was trying, but she had looked about carefully, and believed that her trick could definitely work. Unless there was something else that popped up suddenly. Hearing what Gu Chaoyan said, Zhou Huaijin pinched her nose. ¡°You are really tricky, you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°The North Qi is meeting their star of misfortune now!¡± Zhou Huaijin chuckled. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly, but said nothing else. By this point, Fu Bao and his men carried buckets of soybeans up to the gate. Xinzhou was a rtively rich town with many things, and the civilians were participating in the work together. So they gave the soybeans out the moment they were asked to do so. The civilians at Xinzhou understood that those things would fall into the enemies¡¯ hands, if Xinzhou was captured, so they were not at all stingy to offer their soybeans. Gu Chaoyan was very satisfied when she looked at the soybeans. Those were more than enough. Gu Chaoyan looked at Fu Bao and whispered. ¡°Make sure General Huangpu and his men keep the gate closed. They should not move without my order.¡± Having said this, Gu Chaoyan looked at one of the soldiers at the gate, took his bow and held it in her hands. The others were all holding one bucket of soybeans in their arms. ¡°Just pour when I tell you to.¡± Gu Chaoyan stressed. They all nodded. Then Gu Chaoyan whispered to Fu Bao and a few hidden guards. Then silence dominated the gate. The North Qi troops went forward with the magical monsters without even any orders from the general. Gu Chaoyan saw the magical monstersing towards the gate, Gu Chaoyan said with a small voice, ¡°Now!¡± Arrows flew forward. ¡°Pour!¡± Gu Chaoyan shouted. People at the gate were pouring the soybeans from above. Arrows continued and each one hit right in the magical monsters¡¯ eyes. Most of the magical monsters were injured in the eyes so they started to roar as they tried to lunge at the gate. However, they ran into the soybeans and they kept tripping and falling. Chapter 1328 - 1328 Ideas 2 1328 Ideas 2 The words had just been spoken when everyone turned to her. They had been deeply bothered and had no idea what to do, but Gu Chaoyan came up with an idea within such a short time. When Gu Chaoyan said that she had an idea, they all felt hope rising from inside their hearts. It had been Gu Chaoyan who brought victory to them today. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, what idea have youe up with?¡± Wu Leng asked. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Array formation!¡± Gu Chaoyan said confidently and resolutely, ¡°They have magical monsters, but we have array formations!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just because they are big in size, they can win everything!¡± Gu Chaoyan felt extremely motivated as well. She was suddenly reminded of the array formation as well as Destiny Monk. Destiny Monk could use array formation to stop anyone from disturbing him, then why not using the array formation for the battlefield. With the array formation, the soldiers and magical monsters would never be able to get close to the gate of Xinzhou! They could win without starting a war! They would never be afraid of the invasion again! And also, with the array formationing into use, they could think about how to obtain Feng County, Ning County and Jiayu Pass! Gu Chaoyan smiled happily. She was really happy about what she had thought of, but they all looked at her in confusion. Gu Chaoyan knew how to make array formation, but the rest did not. So they were very confused at the moment. What was an array formation? What should they do? They simply had no idea! ¡°Lady Chaoyan, what is an array formation?¡± Wu Leng had no knowledge of it, but he was still asking Gu Chaoyan out of respect and admiration. In his heart, Gu Chaoyan was an excellent person, and despite hisck of knowledge, he still believed that Gu Chaoyan had a reason for saying such a thing. Gu Chaoyan smiled. That was true! She had forgotten that few people had seen the array formation, especially those soldiers at the border. It was quite normal that they had some worries. She had not yet tried to make it before, but she was going to show them at the moment. ¡°Want to have a try?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked briefly. ¡°Yes!¡± Wu Ling said straightforwardly. He was definitely going to try that even though it meant danger. He wanted to make it work! Gu Chaoyan nodded. She checked the time. ¡°Let¡¯s eat some food first, and after that, I will make an array somewhere and you cane and try when you are done eating,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Wu Leng had be quite anxious. He was not hungry. He just wanted to see what it was, but he had to obey Lady Chaoyan¡¯s order. Lady Chaoyan looked so skinny and she probably had not tasted any bitterness living in the capital. She was already very tired and could not starve. Wu Leng nodded and waited. Gu Chaoyan got up and walked out of the tent. Food was quite simple at Xinzhou, so she took a few bites and went to make the array. Sword One was standing by her side so no one disturbed her when she was making the array. Soon it was formed. The array formation was at the entrance-level, simple and easy. Seated on the chair, Gu Chaoyan looked at Sword One. ¡°Go and get them.¡± Wu Leng and Huangpu as well as the others all came quite fast. ¡°Left General Wu,e to my side,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. Chapter 1331 - 1331 Duke North 2 1331 Duke North 2 Gu Chaoyan remembered this guard. He worked for Duke North. Duke North had woken up, then? He should have woken up by this point, but¡­ He was asking for her? Privately speaking¡­ Gu Chaoyan did not have the intention of meeting Duke North. Gu Chaoyan had always regarded Duke North as her friend. However, because of the existence of the book Gu Chaoyan had the intention of dodging the meeting to avoid potential rumors. !! Otherwise she would always feel strange when facing Duke North, as this thing is going on in her mind. Duke North was not single and he had been married to Mrs. Duke North for a while. The story went that Madame Duke North kept talking about having a grandson, and she was engaged too, so if Duke North was thinking of her in this way, she might be a bit embarrassed to see him personally. @@novelbin@@ Therefore, Gu Chaoyan was hesitant about the meeting. Also, if Duke North had woken up, he must be doing okay. He should recover gradually by taking Yinghan¡¯s medicine, so there was no need for her to visit him again. Gu Chaoyan contemted for a long while. Zhou Huaijin was striding towards Gu Chaoyan from beside General Huangpu at this moment. Zhou Huaijin was wearing a white long gown with a ck fox fur cloak outside. He had a serious and handsome expression on his face. He had a very exquisite face, so he looked really intimidating. When the guard working for Duke North saw Zhou Huaijin approaching, his eyes were full of guilt. Duke North was not lucky to have fallen for the girl who was already engaged to an outstanding being. So all Duke North could do was to hide his feelings. Duke North still had some lingering feelings for Gu Chaoyan, so he tried to help as much as he could. He was still holding his neck stiff as he waited for Lady Chaoyan¡¯s reply. ¡°Duke North is awake, just go and visit him to see if he is well enough. You are his doctor, so you need to check on him so that people can be assured,¡± Zhou Huaijin said gently. ¡°We are done with the n, and we can talk about what happens next.¡± Gu Chaoyan hesitated for a while, then she nodded. She looked at the guard and said calmly, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go and check on him. Please show me the way.¡± The guard let out arge sigh of relief, but he did not show that in front of her. Instead, he started to lead the way a bit cheerfully. Duke North was a Duke, and he was a chief, so he was not far from General Huangpu¡¯s tent, so they soon arrived. Zhou Huaijin still had a few things to entrust to the hidden guards, so Gu Chaoyan went in alone. As soon as she entered, she saw Duke North lying on the bed. It was the same as when he was at the imperial hospital in the court. He was seriously injured and couldn¡¯t get up. He could only lie there. The difference was that here the conditions were not as good as those back there, and the tent was very shabby, and General Huangpu had been offering the basin with coals to him. Gu Chaoyan felt Duke North¡¯s pulse the moment she walked in. She wanted to check how he was doing. As she had expected, he was recovering well except for the external wounds that needed time to heal. Duke North was also looking at Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 1334 Duke North 5 Duke North looked quite embarrassed. He had been feeling a bit disappointed but he still had hope in his eyes. However, when he saw Zhou Huaijin, his hope was gone instantly and he turned pale. He could not help but clench his fists, looking really furious. His guard was a bit worried as he looked at him. He was fully alert, fearing that Duke North would do something that he shouldn''t. Zhou Huaijin also noticed Duke North who was lying in bed, when he finished talking to Gu Chaoyan. He tugged at Gu Chaoyan''s hands, whilst looking at Duke North. Zhou Huaijin had seen through Duke North''s mind ages ago, but Duke North was a person who knew how to control and restrain himself. Therefore, he could hide the real feelings he had inside the heart. He had gotten married and his wife was a good choice, picked by his mother. And he should be ready to give birth to children soon. He had thought that when Duke North got married, he would forget about what was in his mind.@@novelbin@@ Unexpectedly, Duke North became even more loaded with his past feelings. He even looked threatening at the moment. Zhou Huaijin was a very generous, but possessive person. He could ignore some things, but not those that mattered to him. For example, he was never going to allow Chaoyan to be stolen away by anyone else as long as he was present. He had given Duke North the chance, but right now, Zhou Huaijin could not help feeling very serious. He said to Duke North, "Duke North, if you are well now, just take a break. Apart from Doctor Yinghan, Chaoyan has brought Li Qing and Yu Feng with her, so you can turn to them for help as well, if you need anything." "¡­" "We have stopped the enemies at the moment, but we can''t rx yet. We need to have morebat against them in the future. Chaoyan is different from the other women, and she may not have time to check up on you with a medical kit as often as before." "¡­" "Take care Duke North," Zhou Huaijin said. Having said that, he walked up to Gu Chaoyan and took her hands. "The day is gettingte and the snow has stopped, I will apany you to check on the array." Gu Chaoyan nodded. It was the best time to form the array, so she needed to take this opportunity. Duke North was well and as Zhou Huaijin said, Yinghan, Li Qing and Yu Feng were enough to take care of him. She walked out of the tent with Zhou Huaijin, looking serious. ? They had just left when Duke North copsed in bed. He was no longer as strong as he was a while ago. Sword One nced at Duke North, who did not seem to have the intention of returning the book. She sighed and left. Duke North looked at the ceiling of the tent with a pair of tired eyes as if he had not noticed what was going on around him. He once believed that Lady Chaoyan was different from the other women, thus feeling so different towards her. He just thought that she was quite different, so he had the intention of speaking with her about the book so that his feelings could be settled. Chapter 1337 - 1337 Less than a Woman 2 1337 Less than a Woman 2 He had been humiliated by her too! Xuan Lin had never forgotten about that. Xuan Lin never liked the women from the Saint Divine Land, each of whom was very hypocritical. They kept talking about manners, but none of them stuck to that. However, that woman was not the best looking one, yet she possessed the best temperament. She was arrogant and special, but unfortunately, she was already engaged. He had nned to invade all the way into the capital and take over the Saint Divine Land so that he could take whatever he wanted before, but he had not expected that he would run into her at Xinzhou! And they were meeting under such circumstances! @@novelbin@@ She was the only woman in the Saint Divine Land who could do this work, so it was not very surprising that she appeared at Xinzhou. She was indeed different from the others. In this case, he really wanted to have her more than anything else. He was not going to wait until he took over the Saint Divine Land. Tomorrow, he would take over Xinzhou and her as well. That would add more fun to his expedition. Xuan Lin nodded and felt quite satisfied. He loved special things. He looked at his men. All of them were just like pieces of trash. ¡°Tomorrow, we will march into Xinzhou after careful nning. I will be the leader and I want to get everything!¡± Xuan Lin looked very confident and spoke resolutely. The reason why they failed today was because they had tested the ability of the Saint Divine Land and believed that they were not capable, thus being casual in marching forward, but if the North Qi Land could work on that, the Saint Divine Land would lose all of its chiefs and forces. All of the soldiers were startled after hearing what Xuan Lin said. The Prince was going to lead the army personally? That would not work! What if some ident happened, who would answer the consequences? The Prince was only a prince, but everyone from the North Qi Land understood that the reason why the expedition went on smoothly was because the Prince had worked on it. He was not yet the King, but he was better. Only by following the Prince would they be able to reach the highest power and get the strongest position. Therefore¡­ the Prince had to be safe. ¡°No, don¡¯t, Prince!¡± the Left General said urgently. ¡°No, please.¡± The Right General added. Xuan Lin sneered. They were just worried that if something happened to him, they would all be affected and not be able to get any profits. He was well aware of what they were thinking. ¡°So you think you are going to do it? You want a woman to defeat us again?¡± Xuan Lin nced at them disdainfully. Those people could do nothing but try to persuade him and even tried to get him out of the leading position. Having heard what Xuan Lin said¡­ no one dared to speak. They could not guarantee that they would win the battle. Well¡­ That woman was different from the other chiefs from the Saint Divine Land. She had many tricks, and they were not sure what other tricks they might run into. If they lost again, they would be in big trouble, and may even get killed when the Prince got angry. No one dared to say anything at the moment. Chapter 1340 Battle 2 With that order given, all the soldiers started to shoot their arrows towards their enemies, without any hesitation. They looked furious, resolute and disgusted. Lady Chaoyan was a very important person for them, for one thing, for another, the enemies had hurt their homnd and had be their worst enemies. They were going to take revenge for all the bad things they had done. They were going to make them see the price they had to pay for what they had done! As the arrows approached the troops of the North Qi Land, the soldiers were all shocked. They had been used to victories during the past few months, and they had offered to give the Saint Divine Land a path of life. However, the Saint Divine Land was attacking them directly. The soldiers from the North Qi were very annoyed. They even intended to attack the town the moment the arrows came down to them, but the Prince had not yet given the order so they did nothing other than to hold up their shield. Watching the arrows that came down at him, Xuan Lin smiled as he gazed at the top of the gate. Lord Huai from the Saint Divine Land was so impulsive. He seemed so naive for being someone born from the imperial family. However, Xuan Lin was not going to give them a path to life any more. He was going to take down the town as well as Gu Chaoyan. He was going to rob her from the Saint Divine Land. He did not like kidnapping. That was what he stuck with. That was why he decided to spare some time to talk with the Saint Divine Land about a deal. Unexpectedly, his well-prepared condition did not receive any agreement.@@novelbin@@ Anyway¡­ in this case, Xuan Lin was going to break his custom for that woman. He was going to take her to his side. She was smart enough to help the Saint Divine Land win a battle, so she was worth being stolen. Xuan Lin looked extremely arrogant. He did not care about the arrows but said calmly, "What are you staring at? You are here today and you are going to take down everything and everyone in Xinzhou!" "¡­" "Everyone up!" Xuan Lin said calmly. The soldiers got so excited as they heard the order. They looked at the gate of Xinzhou and shouted. "March on, take down Xinzhou!" Instantly, all the soldiers around Xuan Lin as well as the magical monsters headed towards the gate of Xinzhou. Xuan Lin was standing and waiting quietly for the gate to be opened, then he could walk in. He was very prepared, and was sure that it would take less than a quarter of an hour before Xinzhou was his. Xuan Lin took this chance and said indifferently to his Left General. "I am going to get that woman at the top of the gate, so bring her to me by any means, but don''t get killed." Left General nodded and was about to lunge forward. Suddenly¡­ the sound of groaning arose. Things became very strange, different from what they had expected. "What is going on?" Seeing the scene in front of him, Xuan Lin asked anxiously. Chapter 1344 Duke Norths Request "Ning County and Feng County, as well as the civilians of Jiayu Pass are still in trouble. No matter whether the battle this time is won or not, the civilians of the Saint Divine Land will not have a peaceful day at all." "¡­" "We are already able to keep the town, so what we need to do next is to get our towns back!" "¡­" "Please, Generals, what do you think? I will definitely help you if I can do anything," Gu Chaoyan said with a resolute look on her face. "Okay!" Wu Leng struck the table and said excitedly. Actually¡­ He was thinking the same. The North Qi Land lost the battle today and the prince got very annoyed so he would definitely vent his anger on the civilians. They must regain the towns of the Saint Divine Land. Lady Chaoyan was right¡­ They subconsciously relied on Lady Chaoyan and expected that she could help them, but they were the generals who knew how to fight a war, so they should be the ones that worked out a n to retake the town. They needed to think about the n carefully. Wu Leng looked at General Huangpu and then at Lord Huai. "Currently we have kept Xinzhou and the North Qi lost the battle." General Huangpu said, "The capital should give us orders about whether we are to keep the town or reim the lost towns. If thetter is the order, we need to get more soldiers from the King," General Huangpu said with a frown. He had been working at the border so he was more experienced about the process. Therefore, he was able to think through everything before starting the battles. In his opinion, what mattered the most was to keep the civilians at Xinzhou safe, and Ning County, Feng County and Jiayu Pass cameter. "Okay." Zhou Huaijin answered briefly. The discussion ended at that moment. Wu Leng opened his mouth and was about to say something when he stopped. He was just a Left General so he needed to obey orders from the chief.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan went back to her tent and Wu Leng did not dare to disturb her, so he went back to the top of the gate. Zhou Huaijin still had some affairs to deal with so he asked Sword One to apany Gu Chaoyan back to the tent. As soon as they went back to the tent, Gu Chaoyan saw Duke North''s guard waiting for her outside the door, looking embarrassed yet urgent. Gu Chaoyan had a good impression of the guard, so she called him directly into the tent. She sat down and asked. "What is it?" The guard was startled for a moment then he said, "Lady Chaoyan, could you please check out Duke North? He has not been feeling well and Doctor Yinghan has no idea what to do. I thought that you could go see him and then I will feel more assured. I am leaving for the capital with Duke North in a couple of days, so I hope that everything will be ok." Gu Chaoyan frowned. She threw a calm look at the guards. "You can leave." Gu Chaoyan''s face turned cold. She had no intention of following him there. The guard looked at Gu Chaoyan and sighed, thanked her and took his leave. Sword One walked him out. On the way back, Sword One asked confusedly, "Elder Miss, are you going to check on him? What if something really bad is going on?" "No, there won''t be anything bad." "Why?" Chapter 1347 Shocked The King, who had been thinking about picking someone from either the Yao Family or the Min Family, suddenly heard what the Crown Prince said. The King was quite shocked. He looked at the Crown Prince, confirming that it was exactly what the Crown Prince meant. He looked quite worried. It was true that Xinzhou was defended and that the Saint Divine Land was taking the lead, and that the casualty for the North Qi Land was big, but the North Qi had magical monsters, and wars were never predictable, so no one knew what would happen afterwards. Among his sons, the Crown Prince was the only son he liked and acknowledged. So the King did not want him to take the risk at the border, despite the fact that he proposed the idea personally. The King felt even more bothered by this point. Zhou Huailing looked at his father, feeling a bit annoyed. His father was still defensive against him. His father still wanted to keep the throne, thus pushing him down in every aspect. The reason why his father was bothered by this proposal was because he did not want him to steal the show. He frowned. "Crown Prince, the border is not a stable ce, and no one knows what is going to happen next. Are you sure you want to go to Xinzhou?" The King asked for confirmation, looking really serious. "I am not afraid, father," Zhou Huailing said resolutely. The King sighed and nodded, then he asked De Fu to continue with the imperial order. "Go and visit your mother and the Empress Dowager before you leave." The King stressed.@@novelbin@@ ? Zhou Huailing frowned and nodded. He felt quite unconvinced inwardly. His father approved of his proposal, but he still tried to get his mother and the Empress Dowager to talk him out of the intention. Nevertheless, he had made up his mind to go to the border. He needed the support of the civilians and that was the easiest way to get their support. He could not just wait for these days to pass. He needed to spare no efforts to hasten the day when he took the throne. The imperial army had taken away the messenger and De Fu had already written the two imperial orders. Subsequently, Zhou Huailing walked out of Qianqing Pce. When he walked out of Qianqing Pce, Zhou Huailing did not go to visit Honored Princess Jing or the Empress Dowager, but hurried out of the court. He did not have time to waste on these small affairs. He hurried out of the court and saw Junyi waiting for him by the wagon. He said straightforwardly, "Get onto the wagon, I have a few things to discuss with you, now." Then he went into the wagon directly. Hearing the tone in which Zhou Huailing spoke those words as well as his behavior, Junyi understood that something was wrong. He looked very serious as he followed into the wagon. The wagon headed towards the mansion at a very high speed. It was very quiet inside the mansion, because the women were all in the back yard and Zhou Huailing as well as his trusted men were active in the front yard. The moment they got off the wagon, they headed directly to the study. "Junyi, I am heading back to Xinzhou, so you should get prepared so that we can leave directly." Zhou Huailing said, "Also, one more thing. Eighth Brother won the battle in Xinzhou and he managed to defend the town. Our n failed." Junyi looked extremely shocked. So¡­ Chapter 1350 Calming Down He nced at those seated in the chief''s tent, who looked delighted. They won the battle against the invasion of the North Qi, and managed to defend Xinzhou. As they were waiting for the imperial order from the King, the enemies had done nothing more towards them, whilst they were getting prepared to reim Ning County. They were at the edge of heading off as soon as the order arrived. They were very confident that Lady Chaoyan and Lord Huai would definitely reim Ning County with them. General Huangpu was smiling, so was Wu Leng. However, Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin had a very calm expression and no one could tell what they were thinking. "Just read the imperial order." Wu Leng told the soldier with the order. He was a very urgent person and he did not like to wait. He always said what he wanted to say, and did not want to hide anything. He could not wait to hear the order, so what was the man doing, looking so hesitant.@@novelbin@@ The soldier nodded. He opened the bamboo roll and took out the golden imperial order. He started to read ordingly, "The imperial order passes on the message from the King - Xinzhou has been defended, which is a lucky thing for the Saint Divine Land. All here will be awarded with bonuses. Also, Lord Huai has finished his mission, so he and Gu Chaoyan should return to the capital as soon as possible. That''s all." When the imperial order was read¡­ General Huangpu and Wu Leng as well as many other soldiers had their expressions change. How could that be? Lady Chaoyan and Lord Huai were summoned back to the capital? Then what were they going to do with Ning County? They had been waiting for so many days for the imperial order to arrive so that they could attack Ning County as soon as possible. What were they going to do with the order? The messenger was confused too, but he still added. "General Huangpu and the other soldiers, you can wait for the imperial order instating the new chiefter." Having said that, he passed on the imperial order to General Huangpu, who did not want to take it. It was such a stupid order! Lord Huai helped to defend the town and won two battles, and they won because of Lord Huai and Lady Chaoyan¡­ now the King was summoning Lord Huai and Lady Chaoyan home? What should they do about Xinzhou, and what should they do about the soldiers? General Huangpu was furious, but he did not dare to counter the King''s order, he just did not want to ept it. The messenger said helplessly, "Please, General Huangpu, ept the order, we have to act ording to the King. If you don''t take it, you will be branded a criminal, it''s not worth it, right?" Then he held the imperial order back to General Huangpu. Wu Leng could not stand it any more. He burst out and cursed. "God damn the imperial order!" "¡­" "What does the King mean? Is he trying to give Xinzhou back to the enemies?" "¡­" "Horrible King!" Wu Leng was so furious that even the messenger could not stop him. He kept cursing. Gu Chaoyan got up and said with a serious look, "Deputy General Wu, calm down, keep your words concealed. This is the border under the charge of the King, so don''t bring yourself any harm because of your words, you need to lead the army to the battlefield, remember?" Chapter 1353 - 1353 Woman at Camp 1 1353 Woman at Camp 1 She had her head raised and nced at the soldiers from Xinzhou. Those soldiers found the whole thing very strange. They were soldiers at the border and they had never run into such a scene. General Huangpu and Wu Leng looked really annoyed. This was the border, and the military camp! It was not the capital, not some mansion of some noble family. What was the Crown Prince Consort dressed like this for? Was she here to attend some banquet? She and Lady Chaoyan were totally different. When Lady Chaoyan came here, she was not in a wagon. Lady Chaoyan was a skinny woman, but she rode a horse like everyone else. She was very inly dressed as well. Was the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince Consort really here for the war? General Huangpu and Wu Leng did not think so. However¡­ the Crown Prince Consort and the Crown Prince did not notice anything wrong about the soldiers¡¯ expression. They could not help feeling really arrogant. @@novelbin@@ Eighth Brother was lucky, yes, but he, Zhou Huailing, could do anything he wanted and get anything he needed. As he thought about this, the Crown Prince walked faster. Zhou Huaijin came to Zhou Huailing with Huangpu and Wu Leng as well. They paused and greeted them. Zhou Huailing nced at them, but did not let them get up from their greetings. Instead, he approached Zhou Huaijin indifferently and said to him calmly, ¡°Eighth Brother, you have behaved well since you came to Xinzhou, thanks to the officer of the Ministry of Architecture, who rmended you toe, together with your father, very good, very good! ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It has not been easy to defend towns since the North Qi invaded, and we have lost many towns, but you managed to keep Xinzhou, that seems good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But you are not capable enough, and you never did any tasks in the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Our next goal is to get Ning County back since Xinzhou has been defended, and father didn¡¯t think that you are capable enough to take Ning County back, thus dispatching me here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be worried about anything.¡± Zhou Huailing looked very confident as he spoke to Zhou Huaijin. Then he looked at Zhou Huaijin. ¡°You are right.¡± Zhou Huaijin answered coldly. Hearing Zhou Huaijin¡¯s words, Zhou Huailing smiled proudly, nodding. Then he said, ¡°You can get up now.¡± Zhou Huaijin and General Huangpu, as well as Wu Leng and some other soldiers all got up. General Huangpu and Wu Leng were incredibly angry. The Crown Prince was trying to use his power to threaten them! Those soldiers hated to be stuck with any conspiracy when they were at the military camp. The Crown Prince was with them at Jiayu Pass before, and no such conspiracies were seen. The Crown Prince must be here to threaten Lord Huai. General Huangpu and Wu Leng felt very worried. Well¡­ The Saint Divine Land had just won a battle. Those in high positions did not continue to attack, but started to have infights. Infights always led to terrible results. They did not want this to happen to the Saint Divine Land. The Crown Prince was too focused upon fighting with Lord Huai. They were just about to leave when Gu Ruxue said unhappily, ¡°Gu Chaoyan, what are you doing here at the military camp, you are just a woman!?¡± Chapter 1356 Trip Back Huangpu and Wu Leng as well as a few soldiers felt really d, as Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly as well. She looked at Zhou Huaijin, but said nothing, like everyone else. Zhou Huailing, on the other hand, felt really horrible. When he came to Xinzhou, he had already thought about it on the way. He wanted to give Eighth Brother and the others a blow and let them understand the stakes, but unexpectedly, just after arriving in Xinzhou, the Eighth Brother gave him a blow instead. Eighth Brother had be proud. He had just won one battle and he was already treating him like this. Luckily, he was already in Xinzhou and was going to be the Chief. He was going to do something to counter him. Zhou Huailing nced at Junyi and told him to think about what to do to punish that arrogant man. When everything was settled, Zhou Huailing felt slightly assured. They had juste to the outside of the chief''s tent, and Zhou Huaijin gave the authority token to Zhou Huailing, then he said straightforwardly, "Crown Prince, since you are already in Xinzhou and have received the authority token, I am done with what I ought to do. Before the day bes dark again, we will start to hurry back to the capitol. Father told me that there are a lot of things to tell me, so I can''t be slow. Having said that, he was about to leave with Gu Chaoyan. Zhou Huailing looked very astonished. He was just thinking about how to take the opportunity to make his Eighth Brother pay for what he just did, when his Eighth Brother said that he was leaving.@@novelbin@@ His n was failing! Junyi greeted Zhou Huaijin. "Take care." Hearing that, Zhou Huailing interrupted what he was about to say and replied, "Okay." Zhou Huaijin left with Gu Chaoyan. Huangpu saw that and said, "Crown Prince, we will see Lord Huai off." Zhou Huailing''s expression got even more twisted. Junyi reminded him of something so he forced himself to nod at it. Huangpu and Wu Leng as well as a few soldiers left. Only Zhou Huailing, Junyi, Gu Ruxue and the Right General were still inside the tent, and everything had gone quiet. Zhou Huailing was really angry. He was the Crown Prince, and he came to Xinzhou to be the chief, but everyone else was caring about his Eighth Brother? What did that mean? Junyi looked at the Right General, asking, "Right General, could you go and arrange people outside." The Right General hesitated before walking out. When they were left alone, Junyi reminded the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, don''t get mad at these people. They were just very straightforward, and they are not as smart as the officers in the capital. Otherwise they would not have lost the border. They think that Lord Huai has once been their chief, so they should pay him respect, that is all. When Lord Huai is gone, nothing like this will happen again." "¡­" "What is the point of them seeing Lord Huai off? If you don''t allow Lord Huai to leave the capital, the soldiers from Xinzhou will never see him again. What are you so angry about?" "¡­" "We are here to work in the military and to earn the hearts of the civilians. You don''t need to worry about them." Hearing this, Junyi made Zhou Huailing feel slightly better. He nodded and sat down. Zhou Huaijin and his men were about to leave when Duke North''s guards stopped them¡­ Chapter 1358 - 1358 Happening 1 1358 Happening 1 The guard was very anxious, because Duke North seemed very different from what he had been like two days ago. In the previous two days, Duke North told him to fetch Lady Chaoyan, but he looked well, the same as before except for the gloomy look on his face. The guard believed that it was because of Lady Chaoyan, whom Duke North wanted to meet. However, he dropped that idea when Lady Chaoyan refused to check on him. It was not until today that he realized that his Duke was doing very badly. He had a terrible look on his face. Duke North had already woken up and was recovering very well. His wounds healed too. He believed that everything would be fine, and that he would arrive in the capital safely. However, it seemed that the Duke was doing really badly at the moment. His mind was also in a mess. He couldn¡¯t think about anything, so he came directly to Lady Chaoyan. Although Li Qing was in charge of applying and changing the medicine for the Duke during this period, the Duke¡¯s health was not very good. Li Qing didn¡¯t even notice that the guard subconsciously didn¡¯t trust his medical skills, and only believed in Gu Chaoyan, only believing that Gu Chaoyan would being with him. Hearing that, Gu Chaoyan slowed down and let the followers go up first. Duke North was doing very badly? She was very confused. Li Qing and Yu Feng joined her in the medical team when heading back home, and Li Qing checked up on Duke North every day and prepared medicine for him too, checking how Duke North was doing. Li Qing did not find anything wrong with him. He was just recovering. So what made Duke North fall ill all of a sudden? Gu Chaoyan did not believe it, because she trusted her own judgment, but the guard looked very anxious and nervous. He was not faking it. After a moment of consideration¡­ Gu Chaoyan nodded. She decided to see what Duke North was doing. She nced at Zhou Huaijin, whispering. ¡°Duke North is not doing well, what about taking a break before continuing. We can hurry to find a hostel.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded and told them what to do. Doctors cared about their patients like parents cared about their children. Chaoyan was a doctor so when she encountered such a problem, she would not ignore it. He could understand Chaoyanpletely. They needed to make way for the most important thing. So he asked the team to stop. Gu Chaoyan rode to Duke North¡¯s ce. He was sitting inside a medium size wagon, and she could smell the faint scent of medicine before she went into the wagon. Gu Chaoyan lifted the drapery. Duke North looked up at Gu Chaoyan, pale but cheerful. She was here! Without saying a word, Gu Chaoyan started to feel his pulse. Then she took a look at Duke North, and felt her heart be assured. However, she could not help frowning. @@novelbin@@ She took out a medical bottle then she passed it to the guard outside. ¡°We are not in a good situation. You are suffering from a cold in a very serious way, but we can¡¯t stop here. We can¡¯t make medicine, but please take this pill first, and we will make the medicine when we arrive at the hotel.¡± Having said this¡­ Chapter 1362 Closeness Her ck hair was naturally scattered on the bed, as soft as willows. Her face was slightly rosy, and her eyes were half-closed. She did not dare to look directly at him, as her slender and boneless hands grabbed the corner of his clothes, trembling slightly. Her body softened a little under hisfort. Because she raised her head slightly, revealing her smooth, delicate and white neck, and the beautiful corbone, Zhou Huaijin moved his eyes slowly down her body and then buried his head in her neck, rubbing it lightly. He wished that he could stay longer. After a while of closeness, Zhou Huaijin looked up and said to Chaoyan gently, "You have had a hard time traveling from Liuzhou. Sword One has gotten the hot water ready, so you should take a bath and rx. We are getting up before dawn breaks tomorrow, so you should not be too tired when we reach the capital. I have gotten the hidden guards to find a wagon which you can ride tomorrow, don''t get too exhausted." "¡­" "Chaoyan, I really love you," Zhou Huaijin said with earnest feelings, before he kissed her on the eyes and got up. Then he helped Chaoyan to fix her messy clothes and hair.@@novelbin@@ He had been trying his best to control himself, but what he had done to her a while ago made her look a bit messy. Chaoyan was a very shy person and her shyness might be gone when they were alone, but an outsider would make her flush even more. Soon Sword One woulde in to help her, and Sword One would make her face even redder, if she continued to look so disheveled. Zhou Huaijin sat straight and said, "Sword One,e in and help your Miss bathe and get changed." Hearing that, Sword One walked in. Zhou Huaijin said when Sword One walked in, "I will let Fu Bao have dinner delivered to the room, so she doesn''t have to move around outside the warm room. "Okay," Sword One said politely. Zhou Huaijin walked outside. Inside the room, Sword One smiled. She was aware of what happened between Lord Huai and Elder Miss just now. She noticed it immediately. Lord Huai and Elder Miss had been living together for a long time, and they were so close which was a good thing. She and Fu Bao loved to see this. Sword One was smiling as she looked at her Elder Miss. "Elder Miss, let''s go and take a bath." Gu Chaoyan was sitting on the bed, her ears still very rosy. Although Huaijin had already tidied up the mess left by the two of them just now, for some reason Gu Chaoyan was still a little shy. She always felt that Sword One seemed to be fully aware of what happened. Thinking of what happened just now, Gu Chaoyan flushed even more. It made her feel so bashful. She forgot to push him away. Soon Gu Chaoyan felt a bit regretful. Seeing Elder Miss'' look, Sword One got even more cheerful. Elder Miss had a very cold personality, and she had full control of many things, thus beingposed all the time. However, now Elder Miss seemed to have lost control of her own emotions, thus showing so many expressions. "Elder Miss!" Sword One said with augh. Chapter 1367 - 1367 Poisoned 1367 Poisoned s Hearing that, Zhou Huaijin could not help but frown. Fu Bao must be talking about Duke North Mansion. Zhou Huaijin had a very pale look, as he asked with a cold tone. ¡°What happened at Duke North Mansion now?¡± He had been taking care of Duke North all this time, because of what he had experienced with his father, but Duke North must have been doing everything on purpose. That really annoyed him. Gu Chaoyan looked very calm. She waited for Fu Bao¡¯s answer inposure. ¡°Duke North is failing again. He has just passed out, and there is nothing Li Qing can do. That¡¯s why I am here to fetch you. Li Qing says that only you can help him, so I came as quickly as I could,¡± Fu Bao said. !! He could not do anything else about what happened after receiving his orders. Hearing Fu Bao¡¯s words, Gu Chaoyan could not help but frown. What on earth happened? She had felt Duke North¡¯s pulse. He had a serious cold, but got better after taking a pill. When Li Qing checked on Duke North, he came to tell her how he was, saying that he was doing well. He was expected to recover after a while. She felt less worried by that time. Now he was passing out? What on earth had happened? Gu Chaoyan looked at Zhou Huaijin, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s just go and take a look.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded without any expression. He hurried off with Gu Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ The two mansions were not located very far apart, so Fu Bao drove the wagon directly to Duke North Mansion. The housekeeper of the mansion was still waiting outside. He showed Gu Chaoyan in directly. They had just arrived outside the yard, when the madame of Duke North Mansion gripped Gu Chaoyan, saying with tears in her eyes, ¡°Please, Lady Chaoyan, you have to save my son. I told him not to go to the border, it was so dangerous out there, Yi has no children, and now something terrible has happened to him! What should I do?¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Madame Duke, as she was reminded of what happened. She said, ¡°I will try my best.¡± Then she hurried into the room. In the room, Mrs. Duke North was serving her husband by the bedside. Seeing Gu Chaoyaning in, she spared the ce for her. Gu Chaoyan looked at Duke North, who looked pale and green. It must be more than a cold. No wonder Li Qing would be so confused about what to do. Next to them, Li Qing was very confused. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, what happened? Everything was fine on the way home, what caused this so suddenly?¡± ¡°He is poisoned,¡± Gu Chaoyan said as she sat down by the bedside, trying to feel his pulse. She ced her hand upon Duke North¡¯s pulse, and could feel the messy pulse. He seemed to have been poisoned. After checking it, Gu Chaoyan withdrew her hand. However, the moment she withdrew her hand, Duke North gripped her hand tightly. Chapter 1372 Analyses ording to Lady Chaoyan, Duke North was poisoned because he fed himself the drug? That was why he had the antidote with him? Then what made him do that? Because he failed the battle, or because he had inherited his father''s rank? Was it because his father used to be so ferocious and capable, and he failed to live up to his father''s reputation, so he wanted to receive less humiliation? That was the only exnation he coulde up with. However, as he thought about this, he still did not understand. After all, General Liu lost a battle, so did the Crown Prince. He should have no problem losing just one battle, so what was the point of putting on a show? Duke North should not be like this¡­ Gu Chaoyan took a sip of the tea. She felt better after she was back at Xinlin Mansion. She was in a better mood as she drank the tea of her preference, so she exined to Li Qing. "Duke North was in aa at the border and I cured him so he woke up. I am totally aware of what is going on with his physical condition." "¡­" "Duke North''s guard Lin Qin told me that he was not doing well, yet I did not check on Duke North at that time, and he was still fine." "¡­" "Then before we decided to head back, Duke North was still very well when he was taken into the wagon. He should not have had any problem at that time." "¡­" "A sudden cold? That is extremely unreasonable, because the cold suddenly went away." "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "Duke North was still fine when we parted ways in the capital, but he suddenly got poisoned when they went back to the mansion." "¡­" "It was such a short period for anyone else to drug him. He must have done it himself," Gu Chaoyan said resolutely. Well¡­ She was sure about this, not because she had done the analyses. She was a doctor and she could not just believe that a patient drugged himself with such ame reason. However, when Duke North suddenly gripped her hand at Duke North Mansion¡­ She was shocked not because she was startled. She was a very skilled assassin in her previous life and she would not have such a reaction because of this sudden attack. She was startled, because she could sense the scent of possion from Duke North''s fingers, which was spreading through the air. Not everyone could sense the smell, but she was different. She drank magical water every day so she had a more sensitive and sharper sense of hearing and smell than others. That was why she could feel that. That was why she left directly. Madame Duke North was right. She was a doctor and she should save the dying, but¡­ If that dying man hurt himself¡­ she would give up treating him. Gu Chaoyan said briefly, "I smelt the scent of poison in his fingers. He has the drugs, so he should have the antidote. Don''t worry, Li Qing." Li Qing was very shocked. Gu Chaoyan was about to say something when Fu Bao came in from outside, looking nervous. "Lord Huai, Lady Chaoyan, Eunuch De Fu is here." Chapter 1375 - 1375 Satisfied? 1375 Satisfied? The King had a veryplicated look on his face. He seemed to be deeply observing the two people in front of him. He did not think that Lord Huai would be able to defend Xinzhou when he first dispatched him there, but the result turned out to be different from what he had expected. Neither the ferocious General Liu nor the well-performing Crown Prince had been able to defend the towns of the Saint Divine Land, but Lord Huai did. He knew that Lord Huai had made a big contribution to that victory, but¡­ what a pity. Unfortunately¡­. Lord Huai was born to the Jiang Family, and he would not give him any opportunities. If it had been either Lord Yu or Lord Yan who had made this contribution, he would have been willing to offer arge bonus, but Lord Huai was different. The King felt very conflicted. @@novelbin@@ He was thest person that should be given any rewards. ¡°Almost half of the participants hade to tell me about their arrival, and Duke North had sent his men to inform me about his injury, but what about you? You did note to us until this time, until I told you to!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Eighth Son, do you still regard me as your father!¡± The King interrogated angrily, as he struck the table. The brush pen fell onto the floor, so De Fu picked it up and put it away. Zhou Huaijin still had a very calm expression on his face. He repliedposedly. ¡°It is my fault, sorry, father!¡± Having heard that¡­ and gotten nothing in return¡­ the King got even angrier. However, the King still tried to press down his anger. Being angry was not what mattered right now ¨C they needed to focus on something else which was more important. The King was silent for a long time. He continued. ¡°You did well at Xinzhou, but you are still young and forgot about the basic manners to me. You should have been rewarded, but now I am taking all of it back as your punishment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And you should stay in your mansion to reflect on yourself, and you don¡¯t have to be at the morning sessions any more.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You did well at Xinzhou, but the soldiers there did better so they managed to defend Xinzhou. They n to reim our lost towns, but you aren¡¯t skilled enough to do so, thus the Crown Prince has been dispatched there. He is helping you so when he returns with victory, you should go and thank him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You did well at the border, and you can have a good rest now. I will inform you if you are needed either in the court or in the pce.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with this arrangement?¡± the King asked as he looked at Zhou Huaijin without expression. Zhou Huaijin had no expression on his face either. Then he nodded. He epted the arrangement. Only now did the King feel slightly satisfied. His Eighth Son was very dull and spoiled, and he was not as ttering as the Crown Prince, but his biggest merit was that he was very obedient and epted everything he arranged for him. That was why he was willing to keep his Eighth Son for Jiang Shuang¡¯s sake. When this arrangement was settled, the King looked more rxed, but added one more thing before the couple left. ¡°Eighth Son, you can take a good rest at your mansion, but Lady Chaoyan, you should get ready and head back to Xinzhou again.¡± Chapter 1377 Out Of Court Hearing that¡­ Zhou Huaijin held his fists tightly and his expression sank. Chaoyan was a skilled doctor, so she was ordered to go to Xinzhou, and he was not allowed to tag along? He understood clearly what caused all of this. The imperial order took him and Chaoyan back home, but this new order appeared because Zhou Huailing must have written a letter. He was very angry at not having established his own figure at Xinzhou. That was why he decided to do something else on the sly. Chaoyan was made to go to the border, not for her medical skills, but to torment her. Zhou Huaijin was not going to let this happen to her. He still did not want to make apromise. He did not want Chaoyan to suffer alone in Xinzhou. If that was the case¡­ then¡­ he was going to confront his father. He was the King whom he could not confront, but if he lost the throne, everything would be gone, right? Zhou Huaijin let out a sigh of relief, looking very resolute. Chaoyan was his soft spot. Gu Chaoyan seemed to have sensed his emotion. She patted his hands, telling him not to get anxious, then she took a step forward, saying with a smile. "I am willing to go to Xinzhou." "¡­" "And please, don''t me Lord Huai for anything. Lord Huai is just worried about me because we are engaged." "¡­" The King looked at Gu Chaoyan and then at Zhou Huaijin. He was still displeased, but not as displeased as before. He moved his lips, saying nothing but nodding. "I will arrange some people to apany you there, you can go back to your mansion now." Having said that, he started to read his unfinished book instead of looking at them. Zhou Huaijin still had a very bad look on his face, but Gu Chaoyan dragged him away, and he went. Outside Qianqing Pce¡­ Zhou Huaijin still looked determined. "Chaoyan, I will not allow you to go to Xinzhou alone." Gu Chaoyan nodded. She nced about and saw no one in sight, but people always eavesdropped at the pce, so she needed to be cautious.@@novelbin@@ "Let''s talk outside of court," Gu Chaoyan said and walked away with Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijin looked very serious. He did not rx about what had just happened. They walked out of the long corridor and arrived at the gate, passed the gate and went into the wagon. Everything was well sorted in the wagon, so it was quite warm inside. Zhou Huaijin asked the coachman to ride slower as they headed back to Xinlin Mansion. He looked at Gu Chaoyan and said seriously, "I will not let you be tormented alone at Xinzhou!" Chaoyan epted the offer, but he knew that Chaoyan was just worried about the soldiers at the border, and thought that she could take this opportunity and go there too. The Crown Prince Consort and the Crown Prince were not able to give Chaoyan a hard time, but she was not able to defend against everything. He did not want Chaoyan to take any risk at Xinzhou. Haha. Gu Chaoyan smiled. She couldn''t help pinching Zhou Huaijin''s face. She tried to feel his cheeks and pinched them. Zhou Huaijin was startled. Well¡­ Chapter 1378 - 1378 Warmth 1378 Warmth No one had pinched his face since he started to understand the world. He was quite startled. Gu Chaoyan did not think that it was a special move. She put down her hands and held her hand warmer, exining, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I said yes to the order, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I am going. The King will not let me go there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± !! ¡°I just identally spilled some powder at Qianqing Pce.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems that only I have the solution.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So it seems very necessary for me to stay in the capital.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled, eyes sparkling. Zhou Huailing and Gu Ruxue could use small tricks. So could she. It was a very small thing. She knew that Huaijin would react like this because he cared about her. Gu Chaoyan felt warmth filling up her heart. She was about to express her gratitude, when suddenly, she was swept into his arms. Startled, Gu Chaoyan panicked. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhou Huaijin smiled briefly, not wanting to let her go as he held her tightly. He stared at her face, saying with a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°It seems that someone just pinched my face, and I want revenge.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How should I take revenge?¡± As he said that, he sized up Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face, and his eyes turned more and more earnest. He did not want to waste a moment looking at her. Gu Chaoyan subconsciously wanted to get up but got pressed down by Zhou Huaijin. ¡°Just let me go,¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a small voice, seeing that she would not be released. Zhou Huaijin did not have the intention of releasing her. Gu Chaoyan flushed. After a long while, she said, ¡°let me go, we are outside!¡± ¡°Then we can do this when we are at home?¡± Zhou Huaijin smiled as he caressed her waist. ¡°That is not what I mean.¡± Gu Chaoyan protested and gripped his moving hands. Zhou Huaijin did not continue with his touching, but he did not intend to release her either. He bent down and took a small bite on her neck, releasing her and saying with a hoarse voice. ¡°That is my revenge.¡± Having said this¡­ he looked at her lips. His fingers rubbed lightly across her pink lips, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s body trembled slightly, Zhou Huaijin stroked her back, leaned down, and directly took a bite of her lips. Zhou Huaijin didn¡¯t just let go, but bit it lightly with some lingering feelings, unwilling to let go. After a while, Zhou Huaijin got up, his face no longer had the dark and calm expression as it did earlier, but he restrained himself. After a long while, he spoke. ¡°That is the punishment for you worrying me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No more than this okay?¡± He sounded very pampering as he was ¡®scolding her¡¯. Gu Chaoyan did not answer. She was flushed as she leaned in Zhou Huaijin¡¯s arms. She was breathing quickly, not yet recovered from his warm caress. Zhou Huaijin lowered his gaze. Chapter 1380 Elder Miss Health Zhou Huaijin was also looking at Gu Chaoyan. He was more worried than confused. Chaoyan was always a very calm and cold person, and she had been a little impulsive a while ago, whilst he had no idea what caused that. He looked at her, looking for the cause. Gu Chaoyan caught Zhou Huaijin''s eyes and flushed. Instead of looking at him, she said with a serious tone. "I am back at my room now, you should leave."@@novelbin@@ "¡­" "I am going to take a bath and get changed." She got up first and started to head to the bathroom, trying to drive away Zhou Huaijin. Zhou Huaijin was confused, but he got up as well. "Qing, do remember to have food prepared. We had a long day and then we went into the court and ate no dinner. You should eat first before sleeping," Zhou Huaijin said to Qing, fearing that they would not be able to stop Chaoyan from being impulsive. Qing nodded constantly, but Gu Chaoyan refused to look at Zhou Huaijin. "I am leaving," Zhou Huaijin said with a pampering tone, as he turned around and left. Gu Chaoyan turned around and flushed. She was in a veryplicated mood. She had acted like that outside because Huaijin suddenly swept her into his arms, and she could not resist the heat inside her heart. She liked Huaijin deeply, but she did not like how her body dominated her, thus treating him in that way. However, she had no idea how to exin to him, and the moment she wanted to say something, she would think of her true feelings and subconsciously try to drive him away. Now that he was gone, Gu Chaoyan started to feel a bit worried. He had not made any mistakes, but she treated him in that way just because of her strange feelings. Gu Chaoyan felt quite worried. She was startled and suddenly thought of something, turning to Qing. "Qing, go and see what they have in the kitchen, prepare a small portion for Lord Huai." Having said this¡­ Gu Chaoyan thought for a while and liked her idea, nodding. "Yes, that should be a good idea." Qingughed. She had thought that Lord Huai and Elder Miss had had a fight after the visit to the court, for her to behave like that, but it seemed that she did not need to be worried. Qing chuckled and said, "Elder Miss, I understand. I will send the food to Lord Huai personally and tell him that it was your order." Having said that, she left with a smile. Gu Chaoyan did not think that was a good idea, but before she could catch Qing, she was already gone. She sighed and dropped the idea. Sword One chuckled behind Gu Chaoyan''s back as they went into the bathroom. Elder Miss liked silence and never had many people serving her. So it was always she and Qing who divided the work between themselves. They had the warm water prepared a while ago, ever since Elder Miss came to Xinzhou. They had thought that Elder Miss would want to take a bath. Sword One helped her to remove her clothes, as Gu Chaoyan walked into the bathroom. "Elder Miss, did you feel hot today, your underwear is wet!" Sword One eximed in surprise. It was quite cold nowadays, so what made Elder Miss sweat? She had always been afraid of the cold. Chapter 1385 The King 4 Hearing that Gu Chaoyan had something to add, De Fu could not help feeling nervous again. Gu Chaoyan was never predictable. No one knew what she was going to do next. De Fu was very worried that she was not going to let him go like this, and that she would drag him down. He looked very afraid. The King looked at her, wondering if there was anything else wrong with his rash. "But¡­ before I am able to make you the cream, I would like to meet Destiny Monk. Since the rash is rted to the strangeness of the weather, I have to confirm with Destiny Monk before making the medical cream," Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Hearing that¡­ The King hesitated when she made the proposal. Destiny Monk was a very important existence, and Gu Chaoyan was engaged with his Eighth Son, a future Princess Consort, so meeting with Destiny Monk might be very important.@@novelbin@@ He wondered if she had any other purposes. After a long while, the King said, "You can meet Destiny Monk, but not now, tomorrow, okay? You bring your herb and medical kit to the court and I will set up the meeting, does that sound okay?" Gu Chaoyan nodded. She knew pretty well what the King was nning. They all let out a sigh of relief. The King no longer felt so worried after seeing that the problem was curable. De Fu felt so lucky that he dodged an usation here. If the King med him for getting the rash, he would be punished. Gu Chaoyan had very little chance to meet Destiny Monk face to face, since the King kept Destiny Monk inside the court. So she was going to take the opportunity to meet him. Everything was still within how Gu Chaoyan nned it. When the King had the arrangement made, he ordered De Fu to walk Gu Chaoyan out of Qianqing Pce. Silent though he was, De Fu was also feeling very grateful. After all, Gu Chaoyan would not have let him go like this, because of what he did to her a while ago, but now she did. "Here is where I can see you off, Lady Chaoyan. It is snowing heavily outside, so do be careful. Just have everything the King requires ready when youe to the court tomorrow. The court is not going to be very considerate." Before Gu Chaoyan left, De Fu cautioned her. "Thanks, Eunuch De Fu!" Gu Chaoyan answered and left with Sword One. On the way out¡­ Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. She could not help but feel some warmth. That De Fu gave her warning was totally unexpected, and the reason why De Fu did that was because she did not embarrassed him in the court, after all. De Fu was neither a bad nor a good guy. He was devoted. It was an unexpected fruit she obtained today. The two walked out of the court and went into the wagon. The wagon headed towards Xinlin Mansion, but Gu Chaoyan was not at all sleepy as she sat inside. Seeing that, Sword One could not help but ask. "Elder Miss, did you never worry that the King would suspect you for causing him the rash? It was just the right timing!" Chapter 1389 How Did She!! She was not a stupid person. Instead, she was smart, and a little tricky, otherwise he would not have been set up by her the day before. And a chief eunuch like him owed her a favor¡­ so he was going to see when he was able to pay back the favor. De Fu sighed inwardly. He had done what he could, so he was not going to do anything else about it. De Fu lowered his head and led the way. Gu Chaoyan and Sword One followed him, walking towards the wagon that would take them to the court. Sword One had one bag of clothes with her, and Gu Chaoyan only had a medical kit. They headed into the court. The wagon took them all the way to the court, steadily. Destiny Monk was living in thest pce, which was closest to Qianqing Pce ording to the King. Although Destiny Monk was a guest of the King, he was still surrounded by the imperial army, which made it impossible for him to leave the pce. That was where De Fu dropped Gu Chaoyan. De Fu said, "The King asked me to bring you here directly, but Destiny Monk has many rules, and he won''t see you if he doesn''t want to. You have toe up with ideas of how to make him see you. I will be waiting for you outside." Having said that, De Fu turned around. There was nothing he could do to help her at the moment. He owed her a favor, but he could only do something that would not cause too much fuss, not anything else. Gu Chaoyan suddenly remembered what she had been through. This Destiny Monk was still as tricky as he had been at Temple. No wonder the King tried to keep him as well. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. She did not care about the trick. Destiny Monk''s array formation might be difficult for others, but for her, it was totally useless. She could make a simr one as well!@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan walked directly into the room where Destiny Monk was living. De Fu was watching her as well. On one hand, the King stressed that he should watch Gu Chaoyan and see what she was going to do. On the other hand, De Fu was also very curious about what Gu Chaoyan was going to do with Destiny Monk. He could tell that Gu Chaoyan was a very smart person, who could do something no one else dared to do and achieve something no one else dared to achieve. So he was full of hope at the moment. Gu Chaoyan did not n to conceal anything. Watched by so many people, she walked forward without any barriers. She reached the door and knocked at the door. "Destiny Monk, can I see you?" Destiny Monk was startled inside the room. So was De Fu who was outside. He had thought that Gu Chaoyan mighte up with a way, but he had never expected that Gu Chaoyan would do it so easily and fast. Without any more thoughts¡­ he asked the imperial army to watch Chaoyan whilst he hurried to Qianqing Pce. Chapter 1391 What! What?! The King was extremely surprised. He felt that it was beyond belief. The reason why he ordered De Fu to take Gu Chaoyan directly to Destiny Monk was because he wanted to cause trouble for her, because she was very annoying, and he had tried to give her trouble numerous times, but failed each time. This time¡­ She not only dodged trouble, but even broke through Destiny Monk''s array formation. That was something even the Phoenix Girl could not break through! How did Gu Chaoyan do it? Wasn''t she only a skillful doctor? "I am going to see that for myself!" the King said, putting down the book and getting up. De Fu would not lie, especially in front of him, but it was such a shocking thing, that he had to see it for himself before truly believing it. He headed directly to the pce in which Destiny Monk was living without fetching anything. It was still snowing, and De Fu was worried about the King getting cold. So he asked the eunuch to fetch his cloak and hand warmer. This kind of weather was worse than it was in winter, so people might get a cold if they were not taking good care of themselves. Many civilians outside the court got a cold, including some princesses, Honored Princess Jing too, was sick. They were all staying indoors. The King and those princesses were different. He should not be sick, because he was on the throne of the country. De Fu was shivering because he was worried. The King did not have the patience to get ready. He just went away directly so De Fu had to hurry up with the cloak and hand warmer.@@novelbin@@ As they came to the yard of Destiny Monk. They only saw the imperial army, not Gu Chaoyan. The King felt that it was because she had walked into Destiny Monk''s room, but he still asked the head of the imperial army and said, "Where is Gu Chaoyan?" The head got startled hearing his tone, wondering if it was a good or a bad sign. He said honestly, "My King, Gu Chaoyan is already inside Destiny Monk''s room, and they might be in the middle of a conversation right now." Hearing that answer, the King felt aplication in his heart. He nced at the room and decided to walk there. He was the King so he should make it inside too, like Gu Chaoyan did. He was very confident, so he kept walking forward. De Fu could not stop him, so he had no choice but to wait anxiously. The King got totally confused inside the array formation. He was not heading towards the room at all. He was lost in the array formation. De Fu called out to the King. Only then did the King realize that he was walking, but never reached the room, which was only a short distance ahead. The King sweated. He was shocked by the array formation, and found the whole thing strange. He was the King and he failed to break it, but Gu Chaoyan could make it inside. De Fu swept away the snow on the King''s body, and put his cloak on for him. "It is very cold here." The King was very anxious. He shouted loudly at the room. "Destiny Monk!" Chapter 1392 Silence That was really rude! He was the King, but he was forced to stand in the wind outside, whilst Gu Chaoyan, a civilian, was speaking with Destiny Monk inside the room. What should he think about this? What would others think about this? The King already sounded really furious, but there was no sounding from the room. *** In the room. Destiny Monk and Gu Chaoyan were looking at each other. Destiny Monk was now feeling very messy. Snow in June should be a good thing, because that meant that the Phoenix Girl wasing, but after such a long while, the door to enchantment had still not opened. Before the door to enchantment opened, the Phoenix Girl would not be born and the thing behind the door would not be found. And there was an invasion of the North Qi. It was terrible news. He had array formation, so no matter what happened outside, he could stay inside the room for some quiet. He had been in silence for a long while, before Gu Chaoyan came in. She walked in without informing him first, and he could not possibly drive her away. Destiny Monk felt anxious! Gu Chaoyan looked quite leisurely. She made a careful observation of what was inside Destiny Monk''s room - he sessfully put on a show like a Destiny Monk, but in her opinion, he was not at all like one. In the room, he ate, drank and lived a very peaceful life. No wonder he did not want toe out of the room. The King''s furious voice arose outside. Hearing that, Gu Chaoyan looked at Destiny Monk and raised her eyebrows. "The King is outside, are you going to invite him in?" Destiny Monk moved his gaze away. He sat in aid-back position, picked up his teacup, drank tea and said, "Not yet." "¡­" "The King is on the throne and people respect him, but I don''t have to."@@novelbin@@ "¡­" "People are very curious about Heaven''s Destiny, so is the King." "¡­" "And I want him to hold a heart of respect, otherwise I will be useless." Destiny Monk told Gu Chaoyan what he was thinking. Gu Chaoyan was the only person who broke through his array formation, so even if he was very unhappy about this, he still had no way out but to tell her the truth. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly, ignoring the King. She asked straightforwardly. "When will the door to enchantment be opened?" "¡­" "Can what lies behind the door to enchantment be useful for us to conquer the magical monsters of the North Qi?" "¡­" "You are now respected by everyone, you need to be responsible for what you said." "¡­" "The border is in a bad position, and though we can keep the worst dyed, we can''t just keep dying. The North Qi Land is more powerful than the other threends, and if the Saint Divine Land can''t do anything about that, it will invade the other two countries, which definitely will not be able to defend themselves like the Saint Divine Land does." "¡­" "Destiny Monk, are you still able to remain silent?" Gu Chaoyan asked Destiny Monk with a serious look. She was here for that reason. Destiny Monk''s smiling face turned serious as well. He looked at Gu Chaoyan and thought about her words. Chapter 1396 Confrontation "It is your good, dear son who doesn''t want me to stay in his room! He doesn''t like me!" Ms. Zhao was so furious that she shouted at Madame Duke North. She admitted that her family was not up to the same level as Duke North Mansion, but she had a better choice as well! Duke North did have the rank, but he almost lost his life a while ago. Though he was cured, every noble family understood that Duke North was not healthy. Also, Duke North Mansion had no foundation, all they had was the title. Madame Duke North spoke many nice things to her, and told her mother that she would be treated well at Duke North Mansion. That was why the Zhao Family decided to have a marital rtionship with Duke North Mansion, but what happened after she came to the mansion? Duke North treated her very politely, and if that was his personality, she would be okay with it, but it was not because he had a personality like this - it was because Duke North loved someone else and did not like her at all. However, she was a married woman and could not possibly go home because of this, right? So she had to admit defeat and had to pretend that she was not aware of this. She had already demeaned herself to this degree, but Duke North did not ept her kindness. He treated her as if she were some disgusting thing and ordered the guard to drive her out. He told her that he did not need her care. Okay, fine, she could get over it, but what about her mother-inw? What was she talking about here?@@novelbin@@ She was looking down on her family and her? She could tolerate the humiliation a few times, but when she was calling her family names, she could not stand it any more! Her family had never done anything bad! "Impossible!" Madame Duke North denied. "I know my son well! He is gentle, kind, and responsible. You are his wife so he won''t drive you away! Stop causing misunderstandings and ming Chenyi for it." Madame Duke North sounded very resolute. She just could not believe it. She raised her son and took care of him, and she knew him very well! On the other hand, Ms. Zhao was an outsider so she might be up to something. Ms. Zhao must have lost the intention of taking care of Chenyi because he was not doing well. She was not going to forget that. Madame Duke North looked very annoyed. Things had never been easy at Duke North Mansion, because people kept bullying them since she was alone. Chenyi was injured and she was alone in supporting the whole family, so if Ms. Zhao took advantage to cause trouble, she was not going to retreat. This was Duke North Mansion. It was not going to be looked down on by anyone. Ms. Zhao felt her anger increasing as well. She had been promised everything good before she was married, and she had thought that her mother-inw was a very kind person, but in fact, she was a very suspicious and annoying person. She had nothing to fear so she said straightforwardly, "You can confront your son about this." Chapter 1400 Bring Ms. Zhao In When they met for the first time, she already disliked Gu Chaoyan, and believed that she was not from a good family. She believed that Gu Chaoyan was a very cold and calctive person. Chenyi was in a serious condition, and yet she came to check up on Chenyi alone. She must have been out for some purpose. No normal girl would do things like that and she was not even married. Unmarried girls always stayed in the mansion, rather than going out to suck up to people. She did not dig into that matter, because Gu Chaoyan was already engaged to Lord Huai. Even to the present time¡­ she had not suspected her of anything, but¡­ Things were different now. Lord Huai might be the King''s son, and he was definitely in a higher rankpared to Chenyi, but everyone knew what situation Lord Huai was in - the King never liked Lord Huai, nor did the Crown Prince. Now the Queen had died and Lord Huai needed to stay unmarried for two years. So her marriage with him might be a huge problem. What would happen to Lord Huai after two years, and whether or not he was still going to marry her, was something she needed to consider. Lord Huai could just leave her whenever he wanted to, because Gu Chaoyan had no maternal family that could support her, and she could be bullied by anyone, not to mention Lord Huai. Also, too many things could happen within two years'' time. Chenyi had not been in touch with her, so she came to instigate him and tried to make Chenyi marry her! If Chenyi would marry her, then she could be married within this year! No wonder Chenyi never wanted Ms. Zhao to get close to him and tried to drive Ms. Zhao away - he had other ns! Madame Duke North suddenly realized what was happening and started to hate Gu Chaoyan even more. She should not have sucked up to her when she was here a while ago. This woman was calcting against Duke North Mansion! And she had made Chenyi give up his own wife and curse his own mother! Chenyi would be doomed if the situation went on like this! That foxy woman!@@novelbin@@ Damn! She must not stand still. She must go and talk with Gu Chaoyan. Madame Duke North''s head became conflicted, but she knew one thing clearly - she was going to take revenge on Gu Chaoyan! She stomped her feet and said loudly, "I am going to talk with Gu Chaoyan!" Hearing that, Zheng Chenyi red at her. "Lin Qin, stop her!" Zheng Chenyi said with a low voice, sounding disgusted and annoyed. "Madame Duke North has be confused in the head again. For her safety, she should not be allowed to leave her own yard. There are many things happening in the capital, and the weather is bad. Madame should stay indoors instead. Do as I say." Without any emotions, he finished speaking. He had not wanted to do anything so cruel like this, but she was trying to cause Chaoyan trouble, and he was not going to allow that to happen again. Duke North was the head of Duke North Mansion, and he had the say in everything. Having said that, he sorted his own nket and decided not to look at his mother. Instead, he held the Anecdote of Saint Divine in hands carefully, and whispered. "Bring Ms. Zhao inside." Chapter 1403 In Court Hearing that, the coachman thought that Duke North fell ill again so they headed directly to Xinlin Mansion. Ms. Zhao''s maid was worried. "Are we going to find Gu Chaoyan? What about the Duke¡­?" "Just do it," Ms. Zhao said resolutely. The maid said nothing more. It was still snowing outside, and the road wasn''t easy to walk on. The coachman was already fast enough, and he could not go faster, but Xinlin Mansion was luckily not very close to Duke North Mansion. The reason why Xiu Jie found this ce was because it was very quiet there, and it was located in the center of the capital, a very rare location. Apart from the size, Xinlin Mansion was already better than many other mansions. When they reached Xinlin Mansion, the maid knocked at the door and the person inside opened it. It was Xiu Jie. He did not recognize this person so he was startled. "Lady, who are you looking for?" "Gu Chaoyan," Ms. Zhao said straightforwardly. "Elder Miss is in the court and I''m not sure when she will be able to return. If you need her, you will have to return in a couple of days. Is there anything important? I can pass on the message. I will tell Lord Huai so that he can pass on the message for you too," Xiu Jie said politely. Thisdy did not look very friendly, but Xiu Jie was very sensitive and gentle. That was why he made such a suggestion. In the court? Not avable until a few dayster?@@novelbin@@ Ms. Zhao seemed to understand something, but not everything. Nevertheless, she understood that she was not in a position to get involved with something rted to the court. She thought for a while. "I will be back in a couple of days." Xiu Jie greeted her and closed the gate. *** Gu Chaoyan was in the court, lying in bed under the broad daylight. She had not continued with her medicine making. Sword One covered her up with a nket. "Not feeling cold, right?" Gu Chaoyan blinked at her and said happily, "Sword One, I don''t feel cold, but I need to pretend to feel cold. When someone from Qianqing Pcees, just tell them that it is too cold here for me to continue with making the medicine, so I am taking a nap." Sword One understood what she meant. When her Miss told her that she was not feeling well, she felt very worried, so she brought her into the room which was totally done out of purpose. Why on purpose? Well, she knew that well. Those from the imperial hospital must have done it on purpose too - they had no braziers and they were fed cold food. Those imperial doctors did not dare to do this to her Elder Miss, so¡­ the King must have ordered it. No wonder De Fu kept reminding them about the danger. Sword One suddenly realized what she should do. She was about to fetch some hot things when she ran into De Fu, who asked anxiously, "Is your Elder Miss done with the medicine? The King''s cream doesn''t work that well, and if the medicine is done, I will pass it on to him." Chapter 1406 Incident The King was no longer angry. He looked at the messenger soldier, who was working at Destiny Monk''s yard ording to this order. He must know what was going on with Destiny Monk. There were either good or bad things happening at Destiny Monk. So what is going on now? The King suddenly felt his head bing messy, and he said with a trembling voice, "What happened to him?" "My King, I am not sure. Destiny Monk asked me to inform you about this, but he did not say what was going on." The soldier looked very calm as he gave this message. He had no idea what was going on between the King and Destiny Monk, all they needed to do was to protect Destiny Monk and obey the rules, that was all. That was why they were not as excited as the King. The King asked nothing else. He stood up, and despite the pain on his face, flung his sleeves and hurried out of Qianqing Pce. De Fu hurried after him. It was suddenly very snowy outside, with a blizzard rushing by. Before they came out of Qianqing Pce, they felt a cold wind attacking their faces with a chill. De Fu had just returned from the imperial hospital, on his way back, it was still snowing a little, but such a short time passed, yet the day changed and the wind was blowing coldly. ? The eunuch took the things for defending against the cold and hurried to follow the King''s footsteps. The King was focusing on Destiny Monk, not on the bad weather, but they soon arrived. They hurried all the way to Destiny Monk''s room and De Fu reminded him. "Be aware of the array formation!" However, the King was already inside the array formation, but he was not wandering about. The array formation seemed to have disappeared, so the King could pass by the array formation into the room. By that time, the King was already inside the room. De Fu was not motionless any more. He followed. Something really happened - the array formation was gone and the day was getting worse. De Fu felt very worried. "What happened? Monk?" The King asked as he walked in. Destiny Monk did not turn back at him, or greeted him. Instead, he looked at the window as the chill blew in. The room was filled with coldness. He pointed outside the window with his aged hands, saying, "Look!" The King walked up fast and looked in the direction Destiny Monk pointed at. It was snowing outside and it was not different.@@novelbin@@ The King was confused. "What is it?" "Look at the ce for the imperial tombs." Destiny Monk sounded distracted and excited. The King looked into the direction of the imperial tombs. He saw what was there¡­ The King opened his mouth and looked surprised. "That is¡­" Chapter 1409 - 1409 Gu Ruxue’s Fury 1409 Gu Ruxue¡¯s Fury ¡°But since these are about to happen, we can only follow nature instead of stopping it. We won¡¯t make the whole thing better by stopping it,¡± Gu Chaoyan said seriously as she looked at Destiny Monk. The North Qi Land¡¯s aggression had already caused the other three countries trouble, so she was very certain that the door to enchantment should be opened. @@novelbin@@ Destiny Monk came to her at this moment, because, ording to his actions and expression, he was not very sure about the door to enchantment. That was why she said that directly. Destiny Monk nodded. He more or less understood what Gu Chaoyan meant. He stood up directly. ¡°Hang on.¡± Gu Chaoyan stopped him, and gave him a small white bottle, saying, ¡°This is the cream required for the King¡¯s rash for the moment. I am going to make some more ordingly.¡± Destiny Monk took the bottle. He was here for this, but he totally forgot about that. Destiny Monk returned when the bottle was in his hands. Gu Chaoyan sighed slightly. *** At Xinzhou. Gu Ruxue was seated in the room, as her maid was massaging her shoulders. It was very warm inside the room, and all the brazier were in her room, and there was abundant pastries on the table, but Gu Ruxue still looked really annoyed despite this abundant treatment. The Crown Prince confidently imed that he was going to reim a town and put the fruits of the victory upon her, but when they tried to attack Ning County, the Saint Divine Land lost many soldiers, and she as the Phoenix Girl was humiliated! She even heard some gossip saying that she was worse than Gu Chaoyan! She had those people killed, but she was still really annoyed. She could tolerate many things, but she could not tolerate that someone preferred Gu Chaoyan to her. She was very annoyed at the moment. The Crown Prince suggested that he could bring Gu Chaoyan here and put her at her disposal and that had made her feel rather happy, but days passed¡­ and yet she was still not here. That irritated her to a maximum degree. The more she thought about this, the less cozy she felt. She pped the maid on the face, saying, ¡°What force are you using?¡± Being pped on the face, the maid almost burst into tears. ¡°I am not¡­¡± Gu Ruxue frowned and pped her again. ¡°Did I mistakenly use you?¡± ¡°No, no, please, Crown Prince Consort, I am sorry.¡± The maid kneeled down directly. She countered her because she acted impulsively when she got misjudged. She was not supposed to serve the Crown Prince Consort, and the reason why she was here was because of the arrangement, but after serving her for a while, she realized that the Crown Prince Consort was not a reasonable person. She would always punish the servants when she was in a bad mood by scolding or hitting them. She did not use force, but the Crown Prince Consort imed that she did, and she could not possibly counter her. Furious, Gu Ruxue gave her a kick ¨C how dare she counter her? Who did she think she was? Zhou Huailing had just hurried in and saw Gu Ruxue kicking the maid. He pulled Gu Ruxue away. Chapter 1413 Over The Imperial Authority? Gu Yunhe, who had not wanted to talk, could not stand Gu Chaoyan''s arrogance. So he stepped forward and talked. He had always wanted to take hold of Yellow Crane, but he failed to get it, which made him hate Gu Chaoyan even more. Also, he hated to see someone like Gu Chaoyan, who had no background other than a deceased businesswoman as a mother, acting so arrogantly because of this engagement to a lord. And she got this engagement when she was still with Gu Mansion! How stupid she was! ? Lord Huai was a man, like himself. He knew clearly what Lord Huai must be thinking. That was why he turned to Lord Huai with confidence. Everyone could see what the Gu Family was like, and how it would be in the future. Every officer and minister spoke to him respectfully. They knew what the Gu Family would be like in the future. The Gu Family and Lord Huai were enemies, so Lord Huai had no choice but stand by Gu Chaoyan''s side, but¡­ Gu Yunhe was giving Lord Huai a chance to take. If Lord Huai took this chance to suck up to him, Gu Yunhe was going to give him a rtively peaceful time in the future. Gu Yunhe knew clearly what choice Lord Huai, who was born in an imperial family, would make when he was faced with a great opportunity and a woman that did not have to exist. He was going to see how humiliated this confident-looking Gu Chaoyan would be, when Lord Huai expressed his attitude. He was going to make her so angry in front of all the officers and ministers. His sister would be so proud of him for doing so. Gu Yunhe turned to Zhou Huaijin and raised his eyebrows. "Lord Huai, watch your words. It is a special time in the Saint Divine Land, and one word could lead to something important. You know that well." Having said that, he looked confident and rxed as he waited for Zhou Huaijin to reply. Zhou Huaijin was born tall, and he was extremely tall among men. Among these lords, only Lord Huai resembled the Jiang family, whilst the other lords were more gentle like the King. Although Gu Yunhe was not born bad, he was still a weak man. Now in front of Zhou Huaijin, who looked much taller, he had a less intimidating air. Standing next to Gu Chaoyan, Zhou Huaijin was safeguarding her as he looked at Gu Yunhe, saying indifferently, "Chaoyan is engaged to me, and she has all the rights to stand next to me on the imperial tombs." "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "Young Master Gu, the Gu Family is very popr right now, but¡­" Zhou Huaijin nced at those people indifferently and said coldly, "The imperial family is still different from the ministers. The Gu Family is the Crown Prince Consort''s family, but that is all." "¡­" "Or, are you saying that the Gu Family wants to override the imperial family? In that case, I am happy to inform my father about your idea," Zhou Huaijin said indifferently, without considering Gu Yunhe''s face. He looked at him as if he were just a tiny ant. "You!" Gu Yunhe pointed at Zhou Huaijin. Chapter 1417 - 1417 Opening of the Door to Enchantment 3 1417 Opening of the Door to Enchantment 3 ¡°Her hands were wounded, blood attracted the hundreds of birds. And the same thing happened at the Adulthood Ceremony as well.¡± Junyi analyzed calmly. ¡°So her hands might not be enough. Blood might be the key.¡± He was panicking too when he saw the result a while ago, but it did notst long before he calmed himself down. He had always been a very calm man. He believed that the Crown Prince Consort was the Phoenix Girl for some reason. The traces he had witnessed were one of the keys that made him feel certain about her identity. Hebined all the traces together and thought about this ¨C it must be the blood that yed the key role. Zhou Huailing seemed to think of something too. He nodded. ¡°Yeah, Junyi is right. I witnessed hundreds of birds for the first time when Ruxue cut her finger! I believe that blood should y a key role too!¡± He was very satisfied by what Junyi said. No one had thought about this when they panicked. Junyi was the only person who thought of the solution. When everything was settled, he was definitely going to award Junyi well. Zhou Huailing told the guard to fetch a dagger. The guard passed on the dagger, with which Zhou Huailing cut directly at Gu Ruxue¡¯s hands without blink. He pressed more blood out of her finger, so that the blood could drop on the magical ball. He released Gu Ruxue¡¯s hands when bloodnded on the magical ball. He watched the door to enchantment tightly and waited for it to open. Gu Ruxue could not sense the pain at the moment either. She was watching for the door to enchantment to open as well. That was the only thing she wished for. @@novelbin@@ Everything would be great once the door was opened. Gu Ruxue became extremely nervous after a few failed attempts. She was really worried that she was not the one. She was very worried that she would lose everything. She was the Crown Prince Consort, and the Crown Prince loved her deeply. She could be the Queen in the future, but she wanted to be both the Phoenix Girl and the Queen. That was two different glories! The Phoenix Girl was the only, special being. She wanted to be this one, only this one! Gu Ruxue was breathing heavily. Another quarter passed, yet the door to enchantment was still closed. Junyi¡¯s look turned from confident to surprised. What? The door was still closed?! What was going on? Before the others asked a thing, Junyi cut in. ¡°Destiny Monk, what is going on? Why is the door to enchantment closed? Doesn¡¯t the Phoenix Girl work?¡± Junyi was asking what everyone else was thinking. So¡­ The King did not care about who Junyi was when he asked that question without waiting for him. He waited for Destiny Monk to give the answer. Destiny Monk had already seen the failed attempts, so he was very calm inside. Gu Ruxue was considered the Phoenix Girl due to the past traces, but things could turn out to be different. She could not open the door to enchantment, because¡­ She was not the Phoenix Girl. Destiny Monk said, ¡°If I remember it well¡­¡± Chapter 1421 Third Lady 1 In his opinion, the Phoenix Girl was always in the Gu Family, so it did not matter which one it was, as long as it was his daughter. So all he needed was to keep the Gu Family''s position and status. Also, he hoped that the Phoenix Girl could open the door to enchantment as soon as possible, so everything would be settled. Otherwise he would always feel unsure, and if any mistakes happened, he would be so embarrassed, together with the Gu Family. Therefore, he was trying his best to suck up to the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince liked anyone from his family, he could take her, including Xiuying. Anyway, the Gu Family had to stay the same as before. Gu Zhenkang was anxious too. He guided Zhou Huailing directly to the Third Concubine''s home instead of informing them of anything. Third Concubine was very confused when they arrived at the yard. She had not seen her Old Master for ages, so what was going on here? The Third Concubine had not yet responded, when she saw the Crown Prince approaching her. Third Concubine was just on her way to fetch some food for Xiuying and could not believe what was happening in front of her. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make sure that she was not making a mistake. Seeing that she was not delusional, she turned to the maid behind her. "Is the Old Master here?" "Yeah, it is him!" The maid sounded excited, as she answered her. They had not had a good time during the past period, neither the master nor the servants. Now the Old Master was here and they expected the situation might change. If the master lived a better life, the maids would definitely live better as well. When it was confirmed, Third Concubine could not conceal her happiness, but kneeled down and said, "Greetings, Old Master, and Long live the Crown Prince!" "Just get up now." Zhou Huailing sounded gentle. He would normally never dain to speak with any concubine from the back yard. He found them so filthy that his eyes might be ruined, but today was different. He knew that this concubine''s daughter might be the Phoenix Girl, who would be useful for him, so he should not look down on people like them, in case anything happened unexpectedly. That was why he behaved so gently. Gu Zhenkang wasn''t a very smart person, but he more or less understood how to behave ording to the leaders'' facial expressions. So he did not show much emotion either. Without saying a word, he approached Third Concubine and helped her up. He stressed. "It is very cold these days. Why are you not at home, but out here? You might get sick from getting cold." Third Concubine was dumbfounded. Clearly she had no idea what was going on. She spent decades at the Gu Mansion and it was the first time for the Old Master to treat her so nicely. What happened all of a sudden? Third Concubine was dumbfounded. "I will be careful." Third Concubine answered quietly, but honestly, it was not at all warm inside her home. "Where is Xiuying?"@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1425 Care 2 Feeling delighted, she smiled. She was really d to be so carefully looked after by the Crown Prince. It seemed as if something changed suddenly overnight. She had been a bitter girl living a bitter life the day before, but today, she had a nice, gentle Crown Prince who was waiting for her outside the room. Gu Xiuying pinched herself, and found that everything was real. She smiled even more brightly as she approached the Crown Prince. Third Concubine followed behind. She called out to her as she was worried about something. "Xiuying!" She wanted to stress something to her daughter, because Xiuying always shared her ideas with her before she started doing something. Xiuying had not shared any ideas with her today, so she was worried and wanted to tell her something. However, Gu Xiuying turned around at Third Concubine impatiently. This woman was not helping her, and instead kept giving her trouble. Gu Xiuying was very annoyed.@@novelbin@@ She turned around, pretending as if she did not hear Third Concubine''s calling. ? She put on a smiling face as she headed towards the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, thank you foring!" "Third Lady, it is fine!" Zhou Huailing smiled and took Gu Xiuying out. Zhou Huailing was still showing great care as they were getting on the wagon. He personally helped Gu Xiuying up to the wagon. Gu Mansion had a wagon prepared for Gu Xiuying, but Junyi removed it, and let Gu Xiuying take the Crown Prince''s instead. It was big enough for two. Before Gu Xiuying was confirmed as the Phoenix Girl, the Crown Prince could not express his intention of marrying Gu Xiuying, but the wagon with two people inside was demonstrating to the world that the Third Lady was exactly whom he wanted. With that as the prerequisite, no other noble families in the capital would want to have a hand in it. Well¡­ Gu Xiuying did not understand any of this. She was just really happy at the moment. The wagon was heading directly to the imperial tombs. The officers and ministers were already there, waiting for the Crown Prince and the Third Lady of Gu Family toe. As they came to the imperial tombs¡­ Zhou Huailing got out of the wagon, reached for Gu Xiuying and helped her to get off. Then Gu Xiuying walked towards the door to enchantment shoulder to shoulder with him, passing the officers and ministers. Gu Xiuying was feeling really excited. She was waiting for the greatest moment to arrive. Zhou Huailing kept herpany at the door to enchantment. The King and Destiny Monk were already waiting at the door to enchantment. Gu Xiuying tried to greet them, but the King waved it off. "Third Lady of the Gu Family, no need to greet me, you can greet me anytime you want in the future," the King said. "Okay, My King." Gu Xiuying''s voice shivered with excitement. Zhou Huailing had no patience. He turned to Destiny Monk, who nodded and said that they could open the door to enchantment. Zhou Huailing pulled Gu Xiuying to the lotus pool in front of the door to enchantment. The magical ball was still there. He looked at Gu Xiuying, and suddenly had a serious look on his face. This was the moment for him to find out the result. And he wished that the door to enchantment could be opened as soon as possible. "Third Lady, put your hands on the magical ball, and if you are the Phoenix Girl¡­" Chapter 1429 Not Third Lady 3 Gu Xiuying shouted as she followed up,ing to Zhou Huailing''s side. Zhou Huailing had totally forgotten about Gu Xiuying, but he was reminded of her again when she came to pester him. She wanted to leave with him? How ridiculous! Who did she think she was? And she had even humiliated him in front of the public. She did not deserve a look from him at all! The more he thought about this, the more furious Zhou Huailing became. He became disgusted by Gu Xiuying and out of total fury, he kicked Gu Xiuying directly on her chest, shouting, "Get off me!" Having said that, they hurried away.q Gu Xiuying was totally shocked when she was kicked. She felt both hurt and confused. She had no idea why this was happening to her. She wiped the blood from the corner of her lip. She was about to ask Zhou Huailing when he was already gone. The wagon darted towards the Crown Prince''s Mansion, causing water to stter all over. Zhou Huailing angrily went into the mansion without putting on a cloak. It was still snowing outside, but no one dared to offer him an umbre either. Junyi hastened behind him. Even he was no longer as calm as before. He was feeling quite disturbed. He had already made a very thorough n. He had expected that everything would go smoothly. He had not predicted that such a thing would happen at this point. His n had been disturbed and his thoughts were gone. He needed to make a new n. He was again postponed in the dream of bing a King''s strategist. He was not less angry than anyone else around. In the study. Zhou Huailing swept away all the books on the table, smashed everything inside. The noise did not quiet down until a long whileter. It was a total mess inside the room. Junyi did not pick up the books one by one like before. He walked over those books directly. The Crown Prince was really angry at the moment. He could not calm himself down, but he was working for the Crown Prince, so he needed to calm himself down. Junyi approached him and said orderly, "Crown Prince, there is no need to irritate yourself like this. Nothing is settled yet, is it?" "¡­" "Gu Chaoyan might be the Phoenix Girl, so what?" "¡­" "Lord Huai and Gu Chaoyan are not married. They have not shared a bedroom and they have no child of their own." "¡­" "None of these has happened, right?" "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "In that case, there will always be the possibility that something will change." "¡­" "The King is still by your side. If she can open the door to enchantment tomorrow, you can think of some ways to make Gu Chaoyan marry you, especially if Lord Huai is gone." This was the Crown Prince''s mansion, and they were in the Crown Prince''s study. There was no need to worry about eavesdropping, so Junyi said whatever that was in his mind. Even if they had shared a bedroom, they had not had a child yet, so everything could be turned around. Couldn''t they? "Crown Prince, we have run into idents nowadays, but what we need to do is to make some efforts. We still have ways out." "¡­" "Nothing is easy on the way to the throne. Otherwise anyone could acquire the world as long as they want it." Chapter 1434 Back, Please Xiu Jie had some more snow on his shoulders as he headed back to the gate. He opened the gate without dusting away the snowkes.@@novelbin@@ Seeing the gate was opened again, Gu Zhenkang understood that the message had been passed through, and that he could walk in to talk the deal with Gu Chaoyan. So he could not wait to walk in. He had not been very happy to wait in this terrible weather. He had hoped to warm himself inside. Seeing that he was about to walk in, Xiu Jie stopped him with his sizeable body. Honestly... Officer Gu was more thick-cheeked and arrogant than he had imagined. Xiu Jie rolled his eyes, almost. With his chin up, he said coldly, "Please leave, Officer Gu. Elder Miss isn''t seeing you." Gu Zhenkang had wanted to scold Xiu Jie for stopping him, when he heard his words. He was startled. He looked at Xiu Jie in disbelief. What was he talking about? Gu Chaoyan was not seeing him? He had already agreed to write her name back in the family tree and treat her as the Elder Miss, which was treated much better than Ruxue and Xiuying, but she still turned him down? Gu Zhenkangughed and asked, "That is exactly what your Elder Miss said?" "..." "She is too young to understand the advantages and disadvantages in this matter. Is she thinking that she is the Pheonix Girl already? Even if she is, so what? She doesn''t have a father and her mother was a businesswoman. Tell her not to be stupid again and assume that she could survive without a family''s help." "..." "Or does she think that she can rely on Lord Huai? She is so short-sighted. She is just a woman born by a businesswoman!" "..." "Tell your Elder Miss what I just said. I can forgive her for driving me out, but make sure she thinks this through. I not only have the Gu Family, but also the support of the Crown Prince. Just let your Elder Miss consider the merits and profits within," Gu Zhenkang said with his head held high. Xiu Jie had no expression as he stood there. ? Elder Miss already gave an order and as a servant, all he needed to do was to obey. He did not care about any other persuasions. He gave a light cough. "I am shutting the gate now, Officer Gu." Gu Zhenkang had thought that what he said would make Xiu Jie change his mind, but what Xiu Jie said made him feel offended. He showed a ferocious look on his face. "Let''s just wait and see." Then he left directly. Stupid servant. Those low-taste servants really thought that they could offend him? When Gu Chaoyan understood what she really needed, she would definitely punish those servants and take his side! By that time, he was going to see if this servant would dare to act so arrogantly in front of him! He got onto the wagon with a furious look on his face. The gate of Xinlin Mansion was shut up directly. *** At the Gu Mansion. Chapter 1439 The Door To Enchantment 2 ? Gu Chaoyan put her hands gently on the jade sword and picked it up without much effort. She gave it a look in her own hands. Zhou Huailing''s eyes widened. He did not expect that Gu Chaoyan could so easily pick up the sword which he was unable to lift. As he realized this, he was more certain that Gu Chaoyan was the Phoenix Girl! He then looked at the King. The King had a veryplicated look on his face. It was the worst result he could have expected. Gu Chaoyan was the Phoenix Girl! That made everything soplicated. He needed to get rid of his Eighth Son. That was something he could do, since Jiang Shuang was gone and he was her only child at the moment. The King let out a deep breath. His mind was in a mess. Everyone below was making their own ns, trying to figure out how to maximize their own interests. Gu Chaoyan, however, was focusing on the sword. She wondered what she could do with the jade sword. She went to Destiny Monk. With a pair of clear eyes, Gu Chaoyan asked. "Destiny Monk, what can the sword do? And what should we do, now that the door to enchantment is opened?" Destiny Monk had been so happy to see the door to enchantment opened, yet when he heard Gu Chaoyan''s questions, he was startled. He looked confused. What should they do after the door to enchantment is opened? He had no idea.@@novelbin@@ When his master told him about this mission, he was asked to find the Phoenix Girl who could open the door to enchantment. And nothing more. He had been firmly looking for the Phoenix Girl and the door to enchantment. He had never thought about what else they should do after the door to enchantment was opened. What more could he do? Destiny Monk felt at a loss. He showed his confusion. He looked at Gu Chaoyan and said with a trembling voice, "I have no idea¡­" Before he finished speaking¡­ Gu Chaoyan cut in. "We can talk about this tomorrow." She interrupted Destiny Monk, because Gu Chaoyan had already understood what Destiny Monk was about to say. She might not be affected once the truth was told, but Destiny Monk would be. She would allow Destiny Monk to keep the role as the respected Monk, rather than reveal his confusion. Destiny Monk nodded at Gu Chaoyan with gratitude. The door to enchantment was opened, so the imperial tombs were no longer useful. It was time for them to get out of the tombs. The King had not made any other arrangements for them. So Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin decided to leave the tombs together and leave the rest for the future. Seeing the scene¡­ Gu Zhenkang stepped forward and smiled. "Now that the door to enchantment is opened Chaoyan, you have been through a lot. What abouting home with me, your father, and leaving the rest for tomorrow?" He spoke as he approached her. He wanted to take her home in front of everyone so that they could know that their rtionship was still close. He had told Gu Chaoyan his intention yesterday, and a night passed, so Gu Chaoyan should have thought the proposal through. Chapter 1442 - 1442 Gu Ruxue’s Result 1 1442 Gu Ruxue¡¯s Result 1 The King did not even give Zhou Huaijin the chance toe up with any excuse. He did not even conceal his intention in front of Zhou Huaijin. He did not care about what Zhou Huaijin thought, since no matter what he said, Zhou Huaijin had to obey his order. After all, Zhou Huaijin had nothing. Zhou Huaijin had no expression, just like before. He turned to Gu Chaoyan. The King would not be able to do anything to him. He was capable enough to bring him down. If Chaoyan did not want to obey the King¡¯s order, he would not allow her to be forced to stay. Gu Chaoyan nodded slightly, telling Zhou Huaijin that he did not need to be worried. !! The Saint Divine Land was already rotten from the root, but Gu Chaoyan would not expose this to the public. She needed to keep fights from happening if the border was to be protected against external enemies. Anyway, she was the Phoenix Girl. The King and Zhou Huailing would not be able to do anything to her. She was very curious what they were up to. With Gu Chaoyan¡¯s approval, Zhou Huaijin answered briefly. ¡°Okay.¡± Then he turned around and left the imperial tombs with the rest of the attendees. Seeing Zhou Huaijin turning around, the King let out a sigh of relief. It was good that this son was willing to cooperate. He did not like this son, but he could spare his life for Jiang Shuang¡¯s sake. However, if he refused to obey his rules, he would have to have him killed. So it was good that he obeyed him after all. Gu Chaoyan was standing at the door to enchantment and looking at the mass below them, together with the King. They were leaving the tombs. So were the Gu Family. Gu Zhenkang failed to bring Gu Chaoyan back, but the King had her in the court, which was the same result. He had been worried about how it should proceed, but seeing the Crown Prince¡¯s look, he stopped worrying. He decided to go back home first and see what they would doter. Gu Zhenkang was in a rtively good mood. Mrs. Gu, however, was thinking differently. Gu Chaoyan the bi*ch was the Phoenix Girl, not her daughter Ruxue! How could that have happened? That was impossible! Mrs. Gu had just about left when she fainted. The maid next to her supported her on the back. ¡°Mrs. Gu, are you alright?¡± Gu Zhenkang had just walked a few meters away when he heard the noise. He frowned and turned around, seeing Mrs. Gu¡¯s behavior and got really annoyed. They were at the tombs, and she was passing out in front of everyone? Mrs. Gu was still mumbling, as she mumbled agitatedly, ¡°Ruxue has to be the Phoenix Girl. Birds were all flying for her on her Adulthood Ceremony day!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Gu Zhenkang shouted impatiently. @@novelbin@@ The Phoenix Girl had already opened the door to enchantment, so saying this would not work. They might even hurt the Gu Family¡¯s reputation. He needed to tell Mrs. Gu to watch out. She was born to a small officer¡¯s family, after all. She knew nothing! Gu Zhenkang threw a nce at the maids, telling them to drag her away. The maid had to obey. Zhou Huailing approached them. Mrs. Gu became motivated seeing him drawing near. ¡°Crown Prince, you also believe that Ruxue is the Phoenix Girl, right? You saw what happened on her Adulthood Ceremony day, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 1446 Opening 2 Mrs. Gu was wearing a twisted look on her face, as if she had be old overnight. Mrs. Gu passed out at the tombs, but Gu Zhenkang did not care about her. She had to support herself, no matter how miserable she felt. Gu Chaoyan was the Phoenix Girl. So the ruthless Gu Zhenkang was busy sucking up to her instead. What should she and Ruxue as well as Yunhe do in the future? She was very bothered and was trying toe up with ns while seated in the room. She had not expected that such a thing would happen, thus not having a backup ce. What she had stolen from Ms. Lin was all spent on Gu Mansion rather than on herself. She was very worried about being driven out of the mansion, and about what Ruxue and Yunhe should do, since they were still young and lively. Mrs. Gu was just wondering what to do when Gu Ruxue rushed in, asking her this question. Mrs. Gu did not believe the result. And she could not figure out why, but¡­ it was a fact. She witnessed it at the imperial tombs. Mrs. Gu had no choice but to say miserably. "It is Gu Chaoyan the bi*ch who opened the door to enchantment. But Ruxue, don''t worry. You are the Crown Prince Consort so you won''t have a bad future, even if you aren''t the Phoenix Girl." "That bi*ch!" Gu Ruxue shouted with teeth clenched. She knew that even if she was not the Phoenix Girl. She was still the Crown Prince Consort, who would be the Queen in the future, but she did not want that bi*ch to take the title as the Phoenix Girl! And that didn''t make any sense. "My finger was hurt and I bled. Hundreds of birds flew over my head. And that scene appeared again at my Adulthood Ceremony. So mom, why did that bi*ch open the door to enchantment? That is ridiculous!" Gu Ruxue could not believe the truth. She repeatedly stressed what she could not understand. Mrs. Gu could not figure it out either. There must have been some conspiracy. "Ruxue, maybe Gu Chaoyan didn''t cause all of these, but she did open the door to enchantment in front of everyone. So we need to calm down and figure out everything, until the truth is revealed." Mrs. Gu consoled her. She had just finished speaking, when Gu Zhenkang walked in and said, "Anyway, you should watch out. The two sisters should not fight against each other. Ruxue is the Crown Prince Consort, the future Queen whilst Gu Chaoyan is the Phoenix Girl. Those are two good things for us. You are the madame of the Gu Family so you should try toe up with a solution of how to raise the Gu Family''s status in the capital, rather than turn the sisters against each other, like this." "¡­" "I know you always hated Ms. Lin, but you killed her already. Gu Chaoyan has not lived well at the Gu Mansion. You should be done with your grudge against her." "¡­" "I am on your side, but Gu Chaoyan is the Phoenix Girl, so we should drop our grudge." "¡­" "Let the two sisters cooperate, so that we can win together." Gu Zhenkang was telling them the principles. He had thought about this for a long while before making a decision. ***@@novelbin@@ On the rooftop. Hearing what Gu Zhenkang said, Sword Three and Sword Four exchanged a look between themselves, looking troubled. They had heard the history of the Gu Mansion. Chapter 1449 - 1449 With Space 1449 With Space Among all the fournds, the Cloud Land and the Feather Mulberry Land were weakest. The Cloud Land was already weaker than the North Qi Land before the magical monsters existed. If not for the peace deal made among the fournds, with the Saint Divine Land being the most powerful, the North Qi Land would definitely be able to swallow down the Cloud Land. And the Saint Divine Land was not even strong enough, and had no energy to care about the Cloud Land. If the North Qi Land really started the invasion, Cloud Land would fall soon. Gu Chaoyan was not from Cloud Land, but she did not want to see civilians dying or suffering because of wars. That was why she came hurriedly to Destiny Monk, wondering what she as the Phoenix Girl could do for the continent. !! Destiny Monk was drinking tea constantly, looking somewhat annoyed. ¡°When the master passed this mission to me, he did not mention what we should do after the door to enchantment is opened and the Phoenix Girl is born. So I really have no idea,¡± Destiny Monk said, annoyedly. He was very young back then. So when he was entrusted with the mission, he got so excited that he only had in mind the door to enchantment and the Phoenix Girl, rather than ns for the future. His master did not even mention what he should do and what he could do after the Phoenix Girl was found. For a long time, he did not even think that he would be able to make it. He even started to select new disciples to pass on the knowledge and practice. However, the door to enchantment was opened and the Phoenix Girl was born, he seemed to have be someonepletely useless. Destiny Monk had a miserable look as he frowned, saying, ¡°I always believed that the jade sword isn¡¯t the only thing after the door to enchantment is opened. Something is missing. The Phoenix Girl should pass on things, so she should have more than a jade sword, but I am not sure what else she could have.¡± He was in a mess. He always felt that there was something else that he could not see or touch. Destiny Monk became even more unsure. @@novelbin@@ However, Gu Chaoyan¡­ seemed to have thought of something. The Phoenix Girl should have more than just the sword jade. She did seem to have gotten something more when she came to this era. She had a space in her mind! So¡­ She got it because she was the Phoenix Girl? Could she find something else in the space? If that was the case¡­ everything would make sense. The distressed Gu Chaoyan suddenly got excited. She stood up and said, ¡°Monk, I seem to have thought of something. I am off now.¡± Having said this¡­ she walked away. Destiny Monk¡¯s miserable look had just been lifted up when Gu Chaoyan was gone. What else could there be? He wasn¡¯t sure, but if the Phoenix Girl could think of something, it was a good sign. A good sign! *** Gu Chaoyan walked out of Ruoshan Pce and hurried back to her pce. She did not even take a cloak or the hand firece with her as she hurried back. A few snowkes settled on her head, looking really beautiful. Sword One was about to brush off the snowkes on her, but Gu Chaoyan already walked into the room, saying to Sword One outside. ¡°Guard the door. No one is allowed toe inside unless on my order.¡± Chapter 1453 The Missing Golden Roll 2 It was a long silence. Huang Fu looked a little distracted too. That man¡­ He had no idea how to tell her about that man. Five hundred years was long, wasn''t it? Why was it just a moment for her? Nothing was missing, even if he tried to remove it. It was very misty outside. She was still in the snow, looking beautiful and loving just one cup of tea, but that man did not give up. Otherwise why would he spare no efforts to steal away the golden roll? That was destined. Even if 500 years had passed. What she told him about the chaos in the four countries was just a minor thing, but that was a good thing too. Huang Fu reached out his hand. He put his hand on her head, caressing it. "Don''t worry. I will help you." "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "Just leave here. That man will not appear so soon." Gu Chaoyan was startled and then realized something. She moved away from Huang Fu, looking at him cautiously. They should stay away from each other, but for some reason, Gu Chaoyan felt that she was not so alert towards Huang Fu. She seemed to have sensed some familiarity, so she could not turn him down. Only when she was totally awake would she think of turning him down. ? Gu Chaoyan was confused. Huang Fu did not care about this. He turned around and decided to leave. Gu Chaoyan grabbed him, but she missed his arm and only grabbed the red robe. The robe gave her a good feeling. Gu Chaoyan let it go. Gu Chaoyan got embarrassed after a moment. She said, "Then what is it with Gu Ruxue?" Huang Fu was confused. What was it with Gu Ruxue? Why was she mentioned in front of him? "Hundreds of birds flew over her at her Adulthood Ceremony, and when she was injured, it was like that too." Gu Chaoyan asked confusedly. Huang Fuughed. Five hundred years have passed¡­ This clever woman was bing so dumb. Had her head died below the life tree too? "She is not involved. She doesn''t deserve any of these." Huang Fu said disdainfully. "It was just a coincidence. I came out of my shell on that day, and you happened to be at Lord Ling''s mansion too, did you? You were injured as well, weren''t you?" Gu Chaoyan thought about this carefully. The timing was right. Everything was just coincidental, but the coincidences caused Gu Ruxue to make such a fuss. Huang Fu was about to say something¡­ when he suddenly sensed something as he had his hands on Gu Chaoyan''s shoulders, reminding her. "Get out of here now. Someone is asking for you." Gu Chaoyan sent herself out of the space. The sound of knocking on her door arose. She calmed herself down, asking, "What is it?" "Elder Miss, Officer Gu is here. The King has also asked De Fu to bring you to Qianqing Pce to discuss something." Sword One answered honestly. She felt calmer when she heard Elder Miss'' response. She thought that Elder Miss was not well when she did not hear anything from her a while ago. Chapter 1456 - 1456 Back to Gu Mansion 3 1456 Back to Gu Mansion Seeing her indifferent look, Gu Zhenkang and the King had thought that it was not going to be easy to convince her to move back. They were just nning another speech, which they decided to deliver after Gu Chaoyan said anything¡­ so when they heard her saying yes, they were startled for a long while. They looked really happy. ¡°Any condition. Anything will work!¡± the King said excitedly. As long as she was willing to move back to her old home¡­ everything else would not matter. Even if it meant a lot of money. He could say yes at the moment. Gu Zhenkang nodded next to them. Nothing else mattered more than her willingness to move back. Gu Chaoyan sipped the tea, thought for a while about the condition. ¡°The yard you arranged for me has a terrible name. I don¡¯t want to get misfortune whilst living there.¡± ¡°Where do you want to live? I will make that happen directly.¡± Gu Zhenkang let out a sigh of relief. Amodation was a small thing. She could live anywhere she wanted at Gu Mansion, including his own ce. Gu Chaoyan tapped the table, trying to force an idea out, and then said. ¡°Begonia Yard will do. And I hate those flowers, too shining. Rece them with peonies, which I like.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Nothing else. And the maids you arrange, they can live with me at Begonia Yard, the original maids should be reced.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When can you have that sorted out? I don¡¯t like the atmosphere here in the court,¡± Gu Chaoyan said indifferently. Gu Zhenkang hesitated. Begonia Yard was where Ruxue lived. If she was asked to move, he was not sure if she would agree, but¡­ There was no other solution but to make Ruxue step away. Gu Chaoyan was the Phoenix Girl, and Gu Ruxue might need her help in the future too. Anyway, it was just a small yard. Ruxue would be the Queen, who would live at Weiyang Pce, so she did not have to care about Begonia Yard. Gu Zhenkang thought that was reasonable, so he said directly, ¡°Okay, okay. Begonia Yard will do. I will have Begonia Yard cleaned and the flowers removed. I will pick you up from here tomorrow. What do you think?¡± Gu Zhenkang made the arrangement. For one thing, he needed time for cleaning. For another, he needed to speak with Ruxue first so that she could ept it first. Hearing his arrangement¡­ Gu Chaoyan frowned. Tomorrow? Gu Zhenkang had some ns, didn¡¯t he? Gu Zhenkang could marry Ms. Lin for her money, and he could even bow to her for her identity as the Phoenix Girl, but for some reason, he did care about Gu Ruxue. No wonder he would set up Ms. Lin for Mrs. Gu and her children. Gu Chaoyan sneered. ¡°Why tomorrow? Today will do. It is notte today. You can have the yards cleaned while I am there, and I can even make sure that the decoration is done ording to my taste, saving a lot of trouble tomorrow,¡± Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly. ¡°Today will do. De Fu can walk you out and supervise the cleaning for me,¡± the King said directly, without knowing what Gu Zhenkang was thinking. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Well¡­¡± Gu Zhenkang started to sweat. Chapter 1459 - 1459 Dark Plans 3 1459 Dark ns The newly-built storage house existed, because the King did not want the original storage house to be located too far from where he lived. When he took the throne, he confiscated many good things in his favor from other lords¡¯ mansions. Therefore, many more treasures had been added to the storage house, which was expanded ten years ago so it became how it is now. De Fu was in charge of the storage house, apanied by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. That was because the King trusted DeFu more than he trusted the Ministry of Internal Affairs. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, we have arrived at the storage house.¡± De Fu reminded her. !! ¡°Take me in then,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly, observing the ce. De Fu nodded. He had a very serious expression as well. The King was on the throne, but he was disgraced when he was just a lord. He had suffered so much so he really cared about the treasures inside the storage house, mostly because of the miserable time he had when he was younger. The King would lose many things now that Lady Chaoyan paid a visit here, but what else could they do about it? This tricky Elder Miss was the Phoenix Girl, after all. De Fu just hoped that Lady Chaoyan could take as few things as possible so that the King could feel better. ¡°Why is the storage house always so bright?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, as she walked in. De Fu led the way and answered, when he heard her question. ¡°That is because the King got some Night Pearls in his youth. The biggest one is at his Qianqing Pce, and the small ones are in the storage house, so it is always lit up.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded understandingly, seeking for the ce where the Night Pearls were ced. She spotted a nice one, then she grabbed it and ced it into Sword One¡¯s hands. ¡°Night Pearls are nice. If one can be put in the room of Begonia Yard, that would be great. I am the Phoenix Girl, after all. So I will take one.¡± De Fu was leading the way, but he almost tripped himself after hearing that. He gave a thorough exnation to Lady Chaoyan, but never thought that Lady Chaoyan would take one away. However, he could not take the one out of her hands, right? So he twitched his face, and said, ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The King loved Night Pearls. Now one was gone, and De Fu could not possibly let her walk about in the storage house randomly. She was led to another direction, as De Fu exined. ¡°Lady Chaoyan,e this way, these are all tributes.¡± Gu Chaoyan followed him. She had already taken the Night Pearl, and she did not n to walk about to make a big scene or to embarrasse De Fu. @@novelbin@@ She looked through the tributes and did not hesitate to take those things. She always took the best ones. She had taken almost half of the tributes after a while. ¡°Just these for the moment. Begonia Yard is a nice yard, but it¡¯s not as big as the one in the court. I can¡¯t have too many inside, so this is the small portion I can take, though the King wants to endow me more.¡± De Fu¡¯s face twitched after hearing that. Just a small portion. The King would get really distressed upon seeing what he had lost. It was the King¡¯s misfortune to have met Lady Chaoyan who was the Phoenix Girl. De Fu had a few mene to carry the items away. He brought Gu Chaoyan out of the storage house, not daring to make it slow. Gu Chaoyan walked leisurely in the court. She was in a good mood. ¡°Chief De Fu, the King assigned you to keep mepany back at the Gu Mansion to settle down, but, Chief De Fu¡­¡± Chapter 1463 Over Affection 3 Gu Ruxue nodded. Her Elder Brother had not had a good time these days, so if he was told about this, he would not need to be so distressed. Mrs. Gu said that and left to fetch her son. At this moment, several eunuchs came and were doing something in the yard. So Mrs. Gu ceased her steps and decided to wait. Gu Ruxue was already waiting for them to greet her. However, the eunuchs ignored them and came to the flowers and dug them up. Gu Ruxue was surprised, with eyes widely open. What were they doing? She liked begonias and her father not only nted the flowers at Begonia Yard, but all across the whole mansion. However, the flowers were removed when she became allergic towards flowers. Yet her father loved her deeply, and there were still a few bunches left in the yard. They were not blooming across the whole yard, but she could still see them from a distance. So why were the flowers removed now? She never ordered that to happen. "What is going on?" Gu Ruxue screamed, stepping forward and kicking the eunuchs. "How dare you low-ss servants touch the flowers?" The eunuchs clenched their teeth. Those were all working for Chief De Fu, even though they were low in rank, they were still respected by people in the court. So they had not been through much bitterness, and they were rarely treated in such a rude way. "That is the order from the court. We are just following the order," one experienced eunuch said. "An order from the court? I am still here and I need to approve of the order before you do anything!" Gu Ruxue was furious. She did not care about anything those people said. She had just finished speaking when De Fu hurried forward and saw how his inferiors got kicked. He threw a very displeased look at the Crown Prince Consort. They were servants, but they were just following orders. It was not a good thing for them to be beaten for no reason. Even in the court, the noble masters and mistresses never did things like this. "Crown Prince Consort, you are wild beyond what you can imagine. It is the King''s order, yet you are disapproving of it? Do you think that you are in charge, or is the King?" De Fu almost shouted angrily. De Fu wasn''t a nice person, but he remembered gratitude and he defended his master, and his team too. The Crown Prince Consort ignored the King and bullied his team, making him really angry. Hearing that, Gu Ruxue calmed herself down, and said with much less fury. "Eunuch De Fu, I punished the servants for a reason. They were just causing a mess here. This is my yard, and I like those flowers. They were just moving the flowers about without my permission. That was why I kicked them. The King can''t just get involved with my own yard, can he?" Gu Ruxue sounded reasonable. The King was on the throne right now, but she was the Crown Prince Consort whose husband was going to take the throne in the future. So there was nothing for her to be worried about.@@novelbin@@ De Fu sneered. Her yard? "Crown Prince Consort, this yard is no longer yours. Back in the court, Officer Gu had given the yard to Lady Chaoyan. Lady Chaoyan hates begonias, so she is going to have them moved. Lady Chaoyan can''t be pleased here, can she?" Chapter 1466 Lady Chaoyans Begonia Yard 3 Ruxue was right. Begonia Yard was her birthday present, and she had been living there for dozens of years. So it was very normal that she had some feelings towards it. There were many yards in the Gu Mansion, which could be renovated to her taste, if she could just bear the undergraded ones in the following few days, but it was very rude of her to want to live in Begonia Yard! Also, Gu Chaoyan used to give everything for Gu Ruxue, and Gu Mansion was treating her nicely enough, so she could just pick whichever other one she wanted. Gu Zhenkang threw a look at Gu Chaoyan. Seeing that she had not responded for a long while, he said, "What do you think? You are the Elder Sister of the family, and your sister has been living in Begonia Yard for so many years and loves this ce. So can you pick any other yard rather than just focusing on this?" Gu Zhenkang believed that it was a reasonable proposal, thus saying this. Hearing that, De Fu believed that Gu Zhenkang was just a stupid man, but he could not possibly say anything. Gu Chaoyan had been listening to their argument in silence, but since it was her turn to be asked about this, she decided not to ignore them. She thought for a while carefully. Seeing her thoughtful expression, De Fu was worried that she would really back off. After a long while, Gu Chaoyan looked at De Fu and said, "Since the Gu Mansion doesn''t like me at all¡­ Chief De Fu, please ask the imperial soldiers to carry those stuff to Xinlin Mansion or into the court. I can move back to either of these ces, whichever ce you think suits me best." "¡­" "I will pay them for doing this extra work. Those who are responsible for carrying the stuff can pick one piece they want from my stuff as a gift," Gu Chaoyan said calmly, smiling. Then she nced at them and said politely, "Thanks for your efforts." Hearing the Phoenix Girl''s polite tone, the soldiers responded with a smile too. "Phoenix Girl, this is what we should do. We will do it now." Then they started to get ready to follow her order. Gu Zhenkang''s eyes widened. He was just asking her for her opinion. If she really moved out, what should he do with the Gu Family in the future? He would seem to be on the opposite side against the Phoenix Girl! Then the other officers from the capital would sneak in to take his ce! That would not work! The Gu Mansion without the Phoenix Girl would fall down the ranks! That would not work at all! Gu Zhenkang regretted it immediately. He had not expected that Gu Chaoyan would put them in such a difficult situation. He stepped forward and said, "Please don''t. This Begonia Yard will be yours, as I have promised. I was just trying to have a discussion with you! I am more than willing to offer you this." Having finished speaking, Gu Zhenkang added directly. "Quick, move away those stuff in Begonia Yard before it gets toote." Then he turned to Chen Fu. "Go and fetch the guards from the Gu Mansion to offer some help! Don''t let the Phoenix Girl wait for too long." Then he nced at Mrs. Gu and Gu Ruxue, telling Chen Fu to take them away as well, in case they caused any more trouble. Gu Zhenkang finished the arrangements within a very short time, but apart from Chen Fu who obeyed his order, the imperial soldiers did nothing. They were all looking at Gu Chaoyan, waiting for her to give an order.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1469 Grudge Gu Zhenkang''s face became increasingly twisted as he sorted out Begonia Yard without saying another word. Gu Chaoyan went into the room to take a break, whilst Sword One led the servants and helpers to get their award. Gu Chaoyan was very generous. To those that picked small pieces, they were offered another piece. So suddenly, there was a great air at Begonia Yard. Those servants were very d to meet a generous mistress, which was good luck for them and made them happy. When Sword One was done with that, she went to prepare the hot water for Elder Miss to take a bath. Gu Chaoyan asked Qing to run some small errands at Xinlin Mansion, so Qing was gone. Only Sword One was taking care of Gu Chaoyan, so she was quite busy. When Qing came in a few days, she would be less busy. Sword One helped Gu Chaoyan to remove her dress as Gu Chaoyan said happily, "Just leave the chores for those from the court so that you can take care of me. You don''t have to do everything personally, that will tire you out." "Elder Miss, I am worried about you¡­" Sword One said worriedly. "Nothing to worry about. I am the Phoenix Girl, so the King dare not do anything. These servants are working for him, so you don''t need to worry about anything. We can make full use of them." Gu Chaoyan said, "We are in a better position right now, so we don''t need to be as wary as before." Having said that, Gu Chaoyan walked towards the wooden bucket. The water was at a mild temperature. Sword One had be used to working for her so she knew about her hobbies and habits, so she rarely made any mistakes. Gu Chaoyan closed her eyes and took a break in the warm water. Sword One was rubbing her back. Gu Chaoyan''s skin had be very fair, and it reflected with some redness in the warm water. It was much better than the skin she had in her previous life, thanks to the magical water, which beautifies people. When she was done taking a bath, Gu Chaoyan went to bed. She fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow.@@novelbin@@ She had ordered that the servants from the court should serve her overnight, but Sword One still wanted to be on watch personally. Elder Miss did not sleep deeply, but she did not expect anything bad to happen. It was already very bright outside when she woke up the following day. Gu Chaoyan slept well and had regained her energy. She was sitting on the chair for makeup. The servants who dressed her andbed her hair were from the court. They behaved very timidly in front of the Phoenix Girl, worrying that they would make some mistake that might irritate her. If the Phoenix Girl was irritated, she might even order a death penalty on them. Chen Fu''s voice arose. "Elder Miss, I am here to inform you of what the Old Master says. He is asking you to have breakfast with them in the front yard. They are already there." "Okay." Gu Chaoyan answered coldly. The maids said, "We will hurry up." "No need. Take it slow, as slow as possible," Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly. The maids did not understand what she meant, but they still did what they were told. Gu Chaoyan was not in a hurry. She sat there quietly for the maids to dress her. The maids, who were worried, gradually rxed upon seeing that she was sitting quietly. At the front yard¡­ Gu Zhenkang had thought that she would show up after the message, but the breakfast had been reheated twice, and she was still not there. He urged Chen Fu to pass on the message again. Gu Ruxue was already furious. She mmed her chopsticks onto the table. Chapter 1472 Seeing Through "Gu Mansion is already one of the top mansions in the capital, but it is not as deeply rooted as other noble families. The food prepared by the kitchen ordered by Officer Gu is really well made. They are almost as good as those served by our family." "¡­" "The imperial kitchen in the court serves better food, but it doesn''t exist here at the Gu Mansion. So these are all that Officer Gu could do for you." "¡­" "So, please, care about Officer Gu. He is treating you with kindness, but he is not capable enough to do more than that. So you have to understand him," Min Qing said with a reasonable tone. He was born in a noble family like the Min Family, and he did respect the Phoenix Girl, but he did not suck up to her like the others. So he was putting forward what he believed was reasonable. He did not think Officer Gu was right in any way, thus saying so. Hearing what Min Qing said¡­ Gu Zhenkang nodded in agreement. True. He already made the kitchen prepare the best food, which was eaten by them in daily life, but never in this way. Min Qing''s speech made it worse. Gu Chaoyan seemed really unreasonable at the moment. Gu Chaoyan said nothing more as she sat there coldly. She had said nothing more than the first thing she said. It had been Min Qing and Gu Zhenkang who had constantly spoken. Sword One could not stand it any more. They kept saying that Elder Miss was being unreasonable as if they never made any mistake. Elder Miss was trying to set up the Gu Family, but she would never do anything over the top. Elder Miss had never demeaned the food in front of her. These people were just calling Elder Miss based on their own estimation. Sword One said to the Young Master from the Min Family. "You are right, Young Master Min, these dishes are exquisite and well made, various in categories, handy to pick, but Young Master Min, none of these caters to Elder Miss'' taste." "¡­" "Elder Miss grew up at Qiong Pavilion alone, and she has never been fed with this expensive food. So she is not used to those luxurious dishes. And she only eats one bowl of in porridge and some simple pastries, and that is what Elder Miss has always wanted. She never mentioned that she needed this expensive stuff." "¡­" "Even if Elder Miss was not the Phoenix Girl, or just an ordinarydy at the mansion, couldn''t she just be given something she liked to eat?" "¡­" "What do you mean by saying those words, Young Master Min?" Sword One interrogated, without retreating. Min Qing looked really embarrassed. He looked at Gu Zhenkang and the rest of the Gu Family. They were very embarrassed as well. Well¡­ Gu Chaoyan never said anything bad about the food. They just assumed that Gu Chaoyan started to get critical, and thought that the mansion was not as good as the court, where she lived before. Well¡­ It was good that it was Min Qing who said those things. Gu Zhenkang let out a sigh of relief and smiled friendly, "Then the kitchen can prepare those for her."@@novelbin@@ The issue of the food was solved, but Min Qing was very embarrassed. Gu Chaoyan, who had a cold expression, turned to Min Qing. Chapter 1475 - 1475 The Lin Family 2 1475 The Lin Family ¡°Really?¡± Ms. Lin looked very surprised, and blurted out. She had found it a pity that the jewelry, which should belong to the Lin Family, was now at Gu Chaoyan¡¯s ce. She had not expected that those things could be regained. She did not dare to ask Gu Chaoyan about this either. However, things were different, when she offered to give them back. She was definitely going to take them. Lin Jiaxing frowned as he looked at his wife. He turned to Gu Chaoyan. ¡°I gave them to your mother at that time, so that should be yours. Those should have belonged to your mother.¡± ¡°Just take them back, Uncle. I have gotten her dowries, and Lord Huai has given me a lot as well. I am the Phoenix Girl, and I can get everything I want. You can just take them back. They belong to the Lin Family,¡± Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly. Ms. Lin might be very calctive, but she believed that her uncle was a nice man. Her grandfather and her uncle treated her mother very well. And even though her mother got marriedter, her uncle was still willing to give those things to her, because he adored her. Despite the fact that it wasn¡¯t a very effective method, still, he did it out of kindness. Because of that¡­ she was not going to get very close to the Lin Family in her life, but she was going to take good care of the Lin Family. Hearing what Gu Chaoyan said, Lin Jiaxing really had no idea what to say. He was very moved. The Lin Family once hurt Chaoyan, but she did not hold a grudge against them, and still treated them so well. @@novelbin@@ Ms. Lin also let out a sigh of relief. It was good that Gu Chaoyan did not want to take revenge on them, but she felt very regretful. No one had known that Gu Chaoyan would be the Phoenix Girl. If she had known about this before, she would not have offended Gu Chaoyan, or even tried to hook her up with her son, before Lord Huai and she got engaged. That really brought a lot of regrets to her, but there was no need to feel regretful. She was not cutting the rtionship with her no matter what. As long as she still epted them as uncle and aunt, everything else would be on an easy track. Maybe¡­ the Lin Family could be a noble family too. That thought made her feel really excited. Ms. Lin rubbed her hands, and said kindly. ¡°Chaoyan, if you like the jewelry, you can keep them, but if you don¡¯t need them, me and your uncle will bring them back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And those are not very important right now, it¡¯s just a small piece of cake, but your brother Jiashu is old enough to get engaged. If you have time, can you help him find a good suitor?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When Jiashu is engaged, me and your uncle will feel very happy,¡± Ms. Lin said with a smile. ¡°Mother!¡± Lin Jiashu could not help but cry out loudly. He had not expected that his mother would suddenly mention this matter in the conversation. He had said many times that his mother should not get involved with his marriage, he would settle it himself. His mother even promised to leave him alone, but now she was saying somethingpletely different from what she had promised before. He was going to get married to someone, which did not need to be picked by Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan had not expected this either. She did not mind if the Lin Family used her name to find a suitor, but she was not going to help them with it personally. She did have some good, nicedy friends, like the Elder Miss of the Chu Family, but¡­ Chapter 1478 - 1478 Ms. Lin’s Criticism 2 1478 Ms. Lin¡¯s Criticism ¡°No way!¡± Mrs. Gu denied that directly. ¡°The Lin Family, the business family, are eating at our ce? That is so humiliating? What do they think our mansion is?¡± Mrs. Gu felt very disgusted when she heard about the Lin Family. She would have driven the Lin Family out in the past, so she believed that it was already very nice of them to let the Lin Familye in. And yet they wanted to stay for lunch? That was impossible. Hearing the response, Chen Fu decided to pass on the message to Gu Chaoyan. !! After taking a few steps, he was dragged back by Gu Zhenkang. ¡°Don¡¯t go there. Mrs. Gu is confused, and you are all following her orders?¡± Gu Zhenkang threw a look at Mrs. Gu. She was right. The Lin Family did not have the right to stay here for lunch, but Gu Chaoyan must have arranged this, and if they objected, Gu Chaoyan might make a scene. If she left with the Lin Family, it would be very bad for the Gu Mansion if they were considered to have treated the Lin Family badly. Also¡­ @@novelbin@@ They could just stay low-profile to finish the lunch with the Lin Family and see them off. Anyway, this thing should not be revealed to outsiders, so if no one knew about this, there would be nothing bad happening to the Gu Family anyway. ¡°Just tolerate it,¡± Gu Zhenkang said to Mrs. Gu. Mrs. Gu was so angry but there was nothing she could do. So she had to bear it for the moment. The servants were busy preparing for lunch and did not dare to getzy. Elder Miss had made a scene at breakfast, so if anything happened again at lunch, Elder Miss might make another scene, which was beyond what they, the servants, could bear. They had been servants long enough to understand what was going on. Elder Miss might cause a scene, but she never caused trouble to the servants, only with Mrs. Gu and Second Lady, who would always vent their anger on the servants. Therefore¡­ they were more willing to serve Elder Miss. The servants, with this idea in mind, continued to work quietly. It was time for lunch¡­ The table was filled with expensive dishes that were quite generous. The Lin Family came with Gu Chaoyan to the front yard and Gu Zhenkang, together with Gu Yunhe and Gu Ruxue came to greet them, with a smile. ¡°Old Master, you have not been here for a long time. The food is ready, let¡¯s take our seats.¡± Gu Zhenkang forced a smile on his face, but he was very unwilling inside his heart. Lin Jiaxing nodded, but refused to answer him verbally. Ms. Lin nced about the surroundings and said calmly, ¡°Honestly, because you did not like us before. We were always driven out, weren¡¯t we? But Chaoyan is the Phoenix Girl and she is living at the Gu Family. So we are her mother¡¯s family ande to see her, because she is living here. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be willing to see us for an even longer time.¡± Ms. Lin said it straightforwardly, causing Gu Zhenkang¡¯s face to sink, but he forced an embarrassed smile. ¡°That is not possible. It must be the servants who had done the wrong thing to push you out,¡± Gu Zhenkang said quietly, and forced himself to be friendly enough to bring them over to their seats. Gu Zhenkang let out a sigh of relief. The moment Ms. Lin sat down, she frowned and screamed. ¡°This is the food you serve us here?¡± Chapter 1483 Letter "If that works out well, I am going to help her with my heart full of gratitude!" Ms. Lin said resolutely. She was not a woman with a bad intention. The reason why she treated Gu Chaoyan like that before was because she was worried about her son. She was helping Chaoyan because nothing else was bothering her son. She would not mind taking Gu Chaoyan''s side as long as it was not a decision to be made between her son and Chaoyan, but if there was an asion like this, she would always take Jiashu''s side no matter whether it was the Phoenix Girl she was faced with. She had no other ideas or ns right now. She just hoped that Jiashu could give up his affection towards Chaoyan and find a suitable girl to get married to and have a promising future. That would be all. The reason why she kept mentioning this today was because she wants Jiashu to ept the reality. Hearing those words, Lin Jiashu''s expression sank. He had no intention of saying anything more which made Ms. Lin nervous. She added. "Jiashu, we can all see today that Chaoyan is a girl, but she has ideas of her own and she is very stubborn. You don''t need to worry about her that much." "¡­" "See the fox-fur coat that she is wearing? Lord Huai''s men managed to hunt the King of the Fox before, and that is a coat made of its fur. The Queen had one, and the other is now on her. Everyone knows about this. So Lord Huai treats her well. And you know what Lord Huai could do for her back at the governmental office before, right? You saw the whole thing, too." "¡­" "Also, she is the Phoenix Girl, so there is no need to worry about her. Mrs. Gu doesn''t like her, but I can help her with that. You don''t need to worry about anything, any more. You should just think about your marriage and your future." Ms. Lin babbled for a long while because she did not want Lin Jiashu to get worried. She had to say those things to him. Lin Jiashu was smiling bitterly after hearing her words. Lin Jiaxing added with a small voice. "Okay, that is all. Jiashu is a grown man and he knows what to do."@@novelbin@@ Only then did Ms. Lin stop. *** At the Gu Mansion. Gu Chaoyan did not return to the mansion until the Lin Family''s wagon was far away. It was no longer snowing in the Saint Divine Land, and the snow on the ground was melting too, but it was still quite cold. Gu Chaoyan was more sensitive to cold than others, so she still had a hand firece in her hands. She barely talked, unless she needed to say something. p¨¤§ád¨¢-¨¾?¦Í¨º¦É.§ã¨®§® Sword One, however, felt like talking. She said, "Elder Miss, if you have dropped the grudge against your aunt, or the Lin Family, I think that you can spend more time with them when you have the chance." "¡­" "In around one year, you are getting married, and you can''t get married from here. So I believe that the Lin Family is definitely better than the Gu Family, you know. It would always be better if a family can see you off on your wedding day." Sword One babbled. Gu Chaoyan was so surprised as her eyes widened. Sheughed. "Sword One, since when did you be so good at babbling? You are not like a hidden guard any more." Sword One stomped her feet and said helplessly, "Please, Elder Miss!" Before Gu Chaoyan was able to answer, the maid in the court said, "Elder Miss, there is a letter for you." "A letter? From where?" Chapter 1486 - 1486 Meeting 1486 Meeting ¡°A new yard?¡± Gu Zhenkang looked very unconvinced, as he looked at Gu Chaoyan. He thought that he had misheard what she said. He frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you only wanted to live in Begonia Yard. We moved away everything in the yard, and everything here has been reced with things you like, but you have only been here for a few days, and now you want a new one?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is it the servants who aren¡¯t serving you well, or anything about Begonia Yard you don¡¯t like? We can get Chen Fu to fix everything,¡± Gu Zhenkang said, looking really unwilling. Many troubles had been caused when she wanted to move into Begonia Yard. Ruxue¡¯s stuff had been taken away by her too. If there was another move, something else might ur again. Gu Zhenkang looked really agitated. Gu Chaoyan was stillposed, as if she was just saying things that did not matter to her at all. She sipped some tea, but did not get anyone to serve Gu Zhenkang tea. @@novelbin@@ Gu Zhenkang had been standing in front of Gu Chaoyan since he came to pass on the message. He was in a hurry to respond to the Crown Prince as soon as possible. Gu Chaoyan sipped the tea and said quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t like living here, the yard is probably too shabby, or something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to arrange it for me, it is okay. I can move somewhere else, so that I don¡¯t have to cause you trouble here at the Gu Mansion.¡± Gu Chaoyan said indifferently, ¡°Qing has been in charge of Xinlin Mansion and I don¡¯t have to do much if I want to move back. Or I can ask the King to arrange a ce for me in the court. Lord Huai can be of some help as well.¡± Gu Zhenkang could tell that she was not saying these as a joke. She had been nning to do this. He was startled. He stopped her and said, ¡°No, no, it is fine here at Gu Mansion. No need to move away. Which yard do you want? Name it, so that Chen Fu can arrange the rest. It is not a big deal, Gu Mansion is huge enough for you to do whatever you want.¡± Gu Zhenkang consoled her. The Crown Prince was waiting in the hall and the King was watching him. So if she was gone, the Gu Mansion would be nothing. A yard would not matter at all,pared to all of these. What was more¡­ It would be best for her to move from here. Ruxue had never been happy about moving away from Begonia Yard. If Gu Chaoyan was gone, Ruxue could move back as well. That was a good thing. Having thought about this, Gu Zhenkang nodded. Gu Chaoyan felt slightly satisfied seeing his nod, but that was how she nned it. She believed that Gu Zhenkang would definitely approve of getting her a new yard. When this was settled, Gu Zhenkang added quickly. ¡°So can you meet the Crown Prince now? He hase to us prepared. Don¡¯t let him wait.¡± Gu Chaoyan looked at Gu Zhenkang. She nodded quietly. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s meet him and see what he wants from me on this visit.¡± Chapter 1489 Your Rights? 1 Before Gu Chaoyan was confirmed as the Phoenix Girl, Gu Ruxue would definitely have humiliated Gu Chaoyan with the word "bi*ch", but Gu Chaoyan was the Phoenix Girl right now, so no matter how much of a grudge she held against Gu Chaoyan, she could not just throw her temper as before. Yet she had grown up as a very loved girl in the Gu Mansion and had been married to the Crown Prince, so she was really arrogant. So Gu Ruxue still shouted at Gu Chaoyan, trying to defend herself. After all, the Crown Prince was hers!@@novelbin@@ The Crown Prince adored her, so he would definitely take her side, so there was nothing she needed to fear. Gu Ruxue''s face was twisted, and she looked sharply at Gu Chaoyan, as if she was facing thedies from the Yao Family. She thought that Gu Chaoyan was trying to steal her husband from her. Gu Chaoyan was still acting coldly, which was a huge contrast between Gu Ruxue. She said quietly, "The Crown Prince invited me to be here, and I need to know what is going on in the court. I can''t just stay here without receiving any news, right?" Gu Chaoyan did not try to hide her honorable identity as the Phoenix Girl. She even looked proud. When she said that, Gu Chaoyan nced at Gu Ruxue and Zhou Huailing, saying, "Since there is nothing important, then the Crown Prince can have a good reunion with the Crown Prince Consort, okay? I will be off." Having said this, she stood up and headed out, without even ncing at Zhou Huailing and Gu Ruxue as well as the others. Zhou Huailing panicked upon seeing Gu Chaoyan taking the leave. His face twisted. He did not interfere with the argument. Well¡­ He grew up in such an environment and when he was the Crown Prince, women fought for him. He had been used to that. He just wanted to see how these two women were going to fight over him. However, Gu Chaoyan stood up and left directly. Didn''t she understand what he just said to her? If she did, she should not have allowed Gu Ruxue to take the advantage, since it would be very bad for her because Gu Ruxue was still the Crown Prince Consort. Zhou Huailing was very dissatisfied, so he looked at Gu Ruxue with dissatisfaction. His expression sank as he red at her. "Do you know what sin you havemitted?" Gu Ruxue was startled upon hearing that interrogation. Her happy expression disappeared and she had not yet thrown herself at the Crown Prince. "What sin did Imit? Crown Prince?" "¡­" "Crown Prince, I have had a very bad time here at the Gu Mansion. Gu Chaoyan has just stolen my Begonia Yard. When are you taking me back to the Crown Prince''s Mansion? I don''t want to live here any more." Gu Ruxue looked extremely wronged, as if she had not heard what Zhou Huailing said. She did not think that it was a big deal. She had always thrown herself at the Crown Prince when she was in a bad mood. The Crown Prince just loved her more than her father did. So she was not at all worried. Zhou Huailing squinted as he looked at Gu Ruxue. "Back to the Crown Prince''s Mansion?" "¡­" "Gu Ruxue, why do you think you can still go back to the Crown Prince''s Mansion?" Chapter 1491 - 1491 Pear Yard 1 1491 Pear Yard Chen Fu was still bowing to her. She had almost forgotten when Chen Fu became like this in front of her. Actually, she could tell that Chen Fu was not having a good time these days. Rather, after Madam Gu passed away, Chen Fu had lost the position of being the housekeeper. Both Gu Ruxue and Gu Zhenkang hit him and he was not considered someone important. Sword Three did look into Chen Fu¡¯s background. He did not have a contract with the Gu Mansion, so it meant that he could leave the Gu Mansion whenever he wanted. So what on earth made him stay? She could not see through Chen Fu, so she asked Sword Three to continue to look into him. !! Gu Chaoyan was not looking at him sharply. Instead, she was just sizing Chen Fu up casually, without saying much. However, Chen Fu got anxious. He asked. ¡°Elder Miss, have you made up your mind which yard to take? So that I can ask the staff to work on it.¡± Gu Chaoyan stopped looking, sipped her tea and said with reluctance. ¡°Pear Yard.¡± Pear Yard? Chen Fu looked quite surprised, but soon he regained hisposure. Begonia Yard was one of the good yards in the Gu Mansion, but not the best. Madame Gu was in the highest position when Gu Mansion was built, so everyone, including the Old Master, respected her. And Madame Gu should be granted with the best yard ording to the Saint Divine Land¡¯s rules. So Pear Yard came into being with a lot of effort. It was not until a long whileter, when Madam Gu had the stroke that the Pear Yard became empty for a long while before Mrs. Gu took it over. So¡­ It was very reasonable that Elder Miss asked for the yard. However¡­ he was not sure whether Old Master and Mrs. Gu would agree to it. Any other yards could be arranged by Chen Fu differently, but Pear Yard was another issue. ¡°Elder Miss.¡± ¡°What?¡± Seeing that Chen Fu did not agree directly, Gu Chaoyan sank into her voice. ¡°I may need to talk with the Old Master about this.¡± Chen Fu said quietly, ¡°Mrs. Gu is living there, so I can¡¯t make the decision myself.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gu Chaoyan said expressionlessly, ¡°But you think it is reasonable that I ask to live there?¡± Chen Fu was wearing a veryplicated look on his face. A long whileter, he lowered his head and said, ¡°I will ask the Old Master about this.¡± Then he left with his body half bent. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan did not stop him. She just sighed quietly. Sword One continued to serve Gu Chaoyan tea. A whileter, Gu Zhenkang rushed in and asked agitatedly, ¡°You want Pear Yard?¡± Gu Chaoyan answered with a nod without hesitation. ¡°Yeah.¡± Gu Zhenkang looked very embarrassed. He knew that Gu Chaoyan was up to something. He had not thought about this before, because he thought that she was asking for other yards or Qiong Pavilion or anything else, but she was aiming at Pear Yard! However, she was the junior member of the family! Chapter 1494 - 1494 Bullying 2 1494 Bullying Mrs. Gu looked really angry. When Gu Chaoyan insisted on getting Begonia Yard, she should not havepromised. Now she was no longer satisfied by Begonia Yard, and was aiming at Pear Yard! Pear Yard symbolized the position of that person inside. Madame Gu lived here before, and now she did, because she was in charge of the Gu Mansion. So¡­ Why did Gu Chaoyan want to get Pear Yard now? If she moved out, where should Mrs. Gu move to? That was bullying, totally bullying! She was so devoted to the Gu Mansion throughout her life and yet this was how her life was going to end? ¡°Old Master! You have to help me!¡± Mrs. Gu said to Gu Zhenkang. Gu Zhenkang was trapped as well. It did not sound very reasonable for Gu Chaoyan to live at Pear Yard, but there was nothing else she could do. The most important thing was to keep Gu Chaoyan at Gu Mansion! She did not even want to write herself back on the family tree, so that she would take Gu Mansion¡¯s side was not yet certain, so she had to be pampered at the moment. Gu Zhenkang was about to say something, when Gu Chaoyan approached Mrs. Gu and said coldly, with a serious look on her face. ¡°The lineal line is the most precious ording to the Saint Divine Land¡¯s rules. My birth mother has passed away and I am the only lineal daughter of the mansion. Since I am the lineal daughter, I should be of the most precious. Madame Gu lived here before, and now that she is gone, I am the most precious and should enjoy the highest rank in the family. Of course I should be here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mrs. Gu, why do you think you are being wronged?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°People call you Mrs. Gu, but I also stressed that I never served you tea at the ceremony. Without the lineal children¡¯s tea serving, the rules don¡¯t apply, so you are not the Madame of the Gu Mansion. You are just a concubine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No concubines would have the right to live in the yard where Madame Gu lived before.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Madame Gu is gone, and the rules of the Gu Mansion are in a mess. You have taken the yard for so long and you should be punished, but now you are feeling that you are being bullied? How unreasonable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You think I am a bully? Fine, then get all the madames in the capital and see if what you did is over the top, or whether I am bullying you?¡± Gu Chaoyan stared down at Mrs. Gu, without caring about anything else. Mrs. Gu¡¯s face twisted, as she stared at Gu Chaoyan. @@novelbin@@ Things were different, but now¡­ Those people in the capital did not like her and many wanted to suck up to the Phoenix Girl. If they were invited here, she would only get herself in more trouble. She had never expected this before. She had not foreseen that she would be pushed aside like this. Old Master could have forced the young Gu Chaoyan to serve her tea when Ms. Lin passed away, but she skipped this step, because she felt disgusted by Gu Chaoyan and did not want her to serve her tea. In the past¡­ she had thought that Ms. Lin¡¯s daughter would be tormented to death by her, but she had not foreseen that this would back-fire at her right now. Chapter 1499 Evidence 1 Ever since Gu Chaoyan learned about what happened at the Gu Mansion from Sword Three and Sword Four, and that Gu Chaoyan''s birth mother was killed by Mrs. Gu and Gu Zhenkang, she made up her mind to return to Gu Mansion directly. In the meanwhile, she arranged Sword Three to look into Mrs. Gu''s history. She had decided to ignore the Gu Family before she learned the truth. And she did not want to have anything to do with the Gu Family any more. Well¡­ If she was going to take revenge right now, she would not let Mrs. Gu slip away so easily. Sword Three was here, meaning that he had obtained plenty of information. Hidden guards from Shadow Door never failed at anything, especially the most excellent ones like Sword Three. He must be here with a lot of information, and Gu Chaoyan believed that she was going to receive a lot of surprise.@@novelbin@@ She looked up at Sword Three. Sword Three was trained not to have any expression, but he was showing respect. He presented everything he found in front of Gu Chaoyan, then he said, "Elder Miss, this is the booklets of bills, showing the secret business Mrs. Gu has been running outside home all these years." "¡­" "These are all the locations of stores Mrs. Gu hires people to run. The earliest one dates back to 14 years ago. So far there are a dozen stores, and she had almost 30 stores at the pinnacle, but something happened to the Zhang Family before, and the business failed. Some were closed. Mrs. Gu runs this business secretly, not as part of Gu Mansion''s affairs. Gu Zhenkang might not even know about this." "¡­" "And these are what Mrs. Gu has been sneaking out of the mansion these days. All the jewelry and ornaments are in the pawn ce. The money is saved at the bank." "¡­" "I think you can make use of what I have found, so I brought all of these to you. As for Ms. Lin''s information, Sword Four is still looking into that. We are going to bring justice for you, Elder Miss. Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu should pay for what they have done," Sword Three said emotionally, in fury. Gu Chaoyan nodded with a smile.please visit Sword Three was always a calm person, but he said these in front of her today to make her feel better. These things were going to make Mrs. Gu''s life miserable, but they were not clues about Mrs. Gu''s murder n back then. He was just feeling really worried about her, thus saying what he did. "Take it slow. We are definitely going to find some clues. These are enough to teach Mrs. Gu a lesson first." Gu Chaoyan put away the things and looked at Sword Three, suggesting that he could retire at the moment. Sword Three left quietly. He still stayed away from the maids from the court. "Sword One,e with me to the hall," Gu Chaoyan said. "Okay, Elder Miss." Gu Chaoyan did not want to wait for one more second. She was going to conduct an interrogation directly. Chen Fu had already informed Gu Zhenkang toe to the hall. Gu Chaoyan was seated expressionlessly in the hall. Gu Zhenkang came with a smile. He had just returned to his ce when Chen Fu came to inform him that Elder Miss needed him. He believed that it was because Elder Miss wanted to help him with Ruxue''s problem. It was good that she had thought it through and was willing to offer help. Chapter 1503 Mrs. Gus Result 1 "The Lin Family are doing business because they are rich, so Ms. Lin married you and became your wife. She could get so much fortune because of the Lin Family, didn''t she?" "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "I could do it too!" "¡­" "Ms. Lin needed her father''s help, but I didn''t. I can earn money by running my own business. I am not worse than Ms. Lin!" "¡­" "I could also take out those boxes of things Ms. Lin had here!" Mrs. Gu said excitedly. Her father was just a small officer, but it was an official family anyway, whereas Ms. Lin was just a businesswoman. The Lin Family had a lot of money, and her family did not have any, yet she could make it herself! She was not worse than Ms. Lin at all! She was never going to be worse than Ms. Lin. Having said this, Mrs. Gu held her head up in the air, looking very proud and undefeatable as she turned to Gu Zhenkang. Was it her fault? No! She was only doing this because she wanted to be better than Ms. Lin, so the Old Master would not regret choosing her over Ms. Lin. Gu Zhenkang was listening to Mrs. Gu''s speech. He had a veryplicated look on his face. He seemed really disappointed and felt reallyplicated in his heart. What on earth was Mrs. Gu doing all these years? She opened those stories just because she wanted to prove herself to be better than Ms. Lin? Was she stupid or something?! She was born in an official''s family and her father''s position, though not very high in rank, still exceeded that of business people! He did not like Ms. Lin because she was born in a business family, so he gave the best to Mrs. Gu, who in the end, was running a business just to prove that she was better than Ms. Lin! That was such a ridiculous joke! Gu Zhenkang let go of Ms. Lin for such a woman? Gu Zhenkang sized up Mrs. Gu with an ironic smile. "You are worse than Ms. Lin, honestly. You are so stupid. I should not have married you and should have instead lived a peaceful life with Ms. Lin!" "What do you mean?" Mrs. Gu''s eyes went round, as she looked at Gu Zhenkang in disbelief. Had she heard something wrong? Gu Zhenkang said that she was worse than Ms. Lin? She was worse than that business woman?! Gu Zhenkang threw a cold look at her. He did not even want to speak to her anymore. He said coldly, "Mrs. Gu, you are the madame of the Gu Family, but you are not behaving like it. You secretly do business outside the mansion and you are now transferring the properties of the Gu Family. You are a very horrible woman and you have no right to remain as the madame of the Gu Family. You should be at the disposal of the governmental office, but for the sake of Yunhe and Ruxue, I decided to keep the matter within our mansion. You are not to get involved with anything happening in the Gu Family any more. Your keys to the storage room should be left to Chen Fu now. And when the current errands are done, we will assign a new administrator for the mansion." As he was speaking¡­ Gu Zhenkang looked at Chen Fu. "Do your job well, and you will be rewarded." "Okay." Chen Fu answered politely. Gu Zhenkang felt better after making the arrangement. Mrs. Gu could not believe what was happening¡­ Chapter 1506 - 1506 Letter 2 1506 Letter The war situation as well as how the other two countries were doing. The other two countries were prepared for the North Qi Land¡¯s invasion, but they still were attacked seriously. They lost many towns and people, but Zhou Huaijin and his men from the Shadow Door went up to offer help, so they were holding up against each other. In the meanwhile, the two countries¡¯ defensive abilities were raised with the Shadow Door¡¯s help. Doing that, the Shadow Door earned respect from everyone from the Feather Mulberry Land and the Cloud Land as well as the Saint Divine Land. The Shadow Door had always been an organization without the country¡¯s restrictions. They always kept a low-profile in the past, staying away from the court, but things are different now. The Shadow Door had gained its mysterious and powerful name among people. After what was happening was presented, Zhou Huaijin left a note ¨C please wait for me to return, at the end of the letter. Gu Chaoyan finished the letter with a smile. She was not at all worried about Zhou Huaijin at this point. The Phoenix Girl seemed very capable in everything, but Gu Chaoyan still believed that what people did could change the destiny of heaven. Zhou Huaijin was the man that could change the destiny of heaven. When the North Qi¡¯s invasion started¡­ The King and everyone else put their hope in the so-called Phoenix Girl. Only Zhou Huaijin strengthened the Shadow Door and yed it to a greater extent, rather than rely only on the so-called Phoenix Girl, who was of no help at the moment. Gu Chaoyan put the letter back into the envelope carefully, as she said quietly, ¡°Sword One!¡± ¡°Elder Miss.¡± Sword One came to ept the order. ¡°Go and pick the Immortal Flower from the Qiong Pavilion!¡± Gu Chaoyan said with a smile. ¡°Okay!¡± Sword One turned around to do that. The Immortal Flower was only seen at the Qiong Pavilion, it was nted by Ms. Lin and grew at the Qiong Pavilion all this while. When Sword One got the flower, Gu Chaoyan put the fresh flower into the letter and gave it to Sword One. ¡°Give it to Sword Three. He knows where to have it delivered.¡± Sword One nodded. @@novelbin@@ She was a little confused. Elder Miss would always stuff something into the letter as a reply. It seemed that only Lord Huai understood what that meant. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. She trusted Zhou Huaijin about the war and the Shadow Door. Zhou Huaijin could do that well too. So she told him what she was dealing with after receiving Zhou Huaijin¡¯s news. The Immortal Flower only grew in Qiong Pavilion, so when he returned, he would know where to find her. And what she put in her previous letter was telling him that she missed him and that he shoulde back soon. Gu Chaoyan inhaled, stood up from the table and approached the window, looking outside. After the door to enchantment was opened, everything was flourishing. There was no more snow, and green leaves were growing on the twigs. The day was getting warmer too. In a few days, the hand-firece would not need to be used any more. And she was, step by step, taking revenge for Ms. Lin and the old Gu Chaoyan. When the evidence was all collected, she was going to take the Gu Family all the way into the governmental office. After that¡­ She was going to look for the lost Golden Scrolls. What the Golden Scrolls contained was the real secret of the door to enchantment. Chapter 1511 Understanding 1 Ever since Gu Chaoyan came back to the Gu Family, what they had been nning was to get the martial connection with the Phoenix Girl, so that the Min Family could be more deeply-rooted in the capital. They had wanted Gu Chaoyan to be involved with the wedding, but¡­ They forgot about one thing - Gu Chaoyan was just an unmarried girl, and ording to the rules of the Saint Divine Land, unmarried girls should not be involved with the weddings. Gu Chaoyan''s birth mother passed away when she was little, and no one helped her with any marital arrangement. So this made her feel very annoyed. Moreover, they made such a stupid request. Madame Min regretted it deeply. They were too anxious. Gu Chaoyan was living at the Gu Mansion so they should have taken it slow. The Min Family felt extremely stricken when they received Gu Chaoyan''s reaction, but Gu Zhenkang did not care about Gu Chaoyan''s reaction. He was used to her temper. All they needed to do was to bear it. Gu Zhenkang was more anxious about Gu Yunhe''s wedding. It was the Gu Family''s benefit if they could have some martial connection with the Min Family. It was something he had never dared to dream about when he was young. Even though he was not going to be the groom, he was still very happy. So they needed to fix it properly. Gu Zhenkang looked at Madame Min. "Madame Min, since Chaoyan can''t pick the date, we can find a matchmaker to find a suitable date. The Phoenix Girl can be present at the wedding. That will bring the same auspiciousness." Madame Min looked at Gu Zhenkang. She was not in a mood to pick any date. "If the Phoenix Girl can''t pick a date for us, then we need to select the person who can. We are not marrying off ourdy casually. We need to find a suitable person to pick the date first." Madame Min said casually, "We wille and make our apology to Elder Miss sometime in the future. We will be off now. You cane to us directly if you need to talk about anything." Having said that, the Min Family left. Gu Zhenkang found the answer a little casual, but it did not seem to have any problem. The Min Family was very cautious about marrying theirdy away. The Min Family had not had a wedding for ten years so it was normal that they were cautious. "I will walk you out," Gu Zhenkang said with a ttering tone. Madame Min nodded and left in silence. They got into the wagon and headed off directly. *** Back at the Min Mansion. Old Master asked confusedly, "Mother, what is wrong? Why not set a date? Even if Pheonix Girl can''t pick the date, she is still thedy of the Gu Family. If we establish the marriage alliance as soon as possible, we can eventually get involved with the Phoenix Girl, and our family should be safe for another 100 years." Madame Min sighed heavily. She looked at her own son.@@novelbin@@ Men were not in office for generations and her son was lessplicatedpared to those in the office. He had not sensed anything wrong on this trip. She said firmly, "Haven''t you understood yet?" Chapter 1515 Lord Huais Return Gu Chaoyan threw a very helpless look at Sword One, who was worried. Sometimes, if you really cared about someone, you would be worried about them all the time, and wonder if they were sad because of what they had experienced. Although she told Sword One many times that she did not care how the Gu Family was treating her, Sword One would still be worried about her being sad about what the Gu Family did to her. Gu Chaoyan felt very touched by this, but she also wanted to tell Sword One not to be so worried. She was about to exin, when a firm voice arose from outside. "Why am I being mentioned?" Huaijin? Gu Chaoyan looked towards the door in surprise. There was a man in white standing at the door, looking at Gu Chaoyan with deep eyes. Zhou Huaijin was considered an exceptionally tall man in the Saint Divine Land. He usually wore the purple robe of Lord Huai''s rank. He was unparalleled, but he was less approachable. Wearing a refreshing white robe today made him look full of warmth. Gu Chaoyan asked as she stopped looking at him. "What are you doing here?" Zhou Huaijin looked a little confused. "You aren''t happy that I am back?" Hearing that¡­ Gu Chaoyan felt that she was misunderstood. She flushed. "I got the letter yesterday and you talked about the Cloud Land. I thought you would still be stuck in the wars there, so I am just surprised," Gu Chaoyan exined sincerely.@@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin looked a little helpless but amused. Other girls would have thrown themselves into his arms, but Chaoyan was different. She was seriously exining her reaction to him. Well, no matter how she treated him, he would never be angry. Because she was Gu Chaoyan. Zhou Huaijin approached her and went closer to her, so that he could see her shivering eyshes. He said with a hoarse voice, "I understand." Sword One lowered her head and went out in silence. Gu Chaoyan''s face was already flushed, and she leaned slightly to the side, as her mind was a little confused and at a loss. After holding back for a long time, she finally choked out a sentence: "Is there anything wrong with the border?" Zhou Huaijin''s gaze was still on her face, with one hand gently stroking her ck hair, he said with a slightly hoarse voice, "The North Qi has already retreated, and the border gate is safe for the time being. I left the Shadow Door people there. There is no need for me to do it personally. However, The North Qi should have some other tricks. We need to be cautious." Gu Chaoyan was silent after hearing that. She knew Zhou Huaijin''s style. He was here because everything was settled. She just tried toe up with something to say. She was very helpless because of his actions. She was not dodging Huaijin, but she was still not used to it. Gu Chaoyan was speechless after her question was answered. She had no idea whatments to make on that. She leaned aside and did not dare to look straight into his eyes. Zhou Huaijin suddenly thought of something, when he looked at this girl panicking. Chapter 1520 Low-Class Servant 1 Gu Zhenkang had a very bad look on his face. He had wanted to have a good discussion with the Crown Prince. He did not think that Ruxue would be happy about it. He could not leave it like that. Zhou Huailing was very angry upon seeing that Gu Zhenkang was not willing to ept it. Did this man think that the Crown Prince was not good enough to marry the Phoenix Girl so he wanted to offer some instruction? "I am not negotiating with you. I am just informing you. If you can be of some help, I can promise you some honors and awards. If not, you can just think what you were like without me." Zhou Huailing snapped coldly. Gu Zhenkang shut his mouth.@@novelbin@@ He knew what the Crown Prince was like. Anyone who irritated him would suffer badly. He had to ept it, even though he did not like it. He needed to figure out how to tell Ruxue. If she moved in with the Crown Prince''s Mansion together with Gu Chaoyan, he might need to tell Gu Chaoyan to take care of her sister. Ruxue was suffering badly, and she needed to be taken care of. The best situation was that Ruxue could keep her position as the Crown Prince Consort. They were sisters, weren''t they? They could share. Gu Zhenkang was just thinking about that when they reached Pear Yard. Before Gu Zhenkang could go in, Zhou Huailing had already stepped into Pear Yard and headed directly to Gu Chaoyan''s room. He had just reached the gate when Sword One stopped him. Her Elder Miss had answered to him that she was not well enough to meet the Crown Prince, but he was so thick-skinned that he came to Pear Yard directly and despite the rules of etiquette, he was heading towards Elder Miss'' room directly! Lord Huai and Elder Miss were both in the room right now, so without Elder Miss'' order, she could not let him in. The same went for the King, let alone the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, I haven''t passed on the message. You can''t go in," Sword One said stiffly. "How dare you stop me, you low-ss servant!" Zhou Huailing was furious. He would have had a nice talk with this servant if she had put it in a nicer way, but this servant really irritated him. Every servant in the court feared him, but this servant did not respect him at all. That really irritated him. Sword One did not have the intention of moving even after hearing the shout. Zhou Huailing sneered and was about to kick Sword One. "You low-ss servant!". However, he staggered forward instead, looking messy. The kick should havended on Sword One, like it used tond on other ordinary servants, but Sword One moved away. So when Zhou Huailing''s kick was about tond on her, she dodged, and Zhou Huailing was not prepared for that, so he looked really messy. When he was helped up by the guards, Zhou Huailing got so annoyed as he shouted. "Grab that servant and beat her to death!" Hearing that, the guards went up to surround her. They needed to follow his orders, otherwise the Crown Prince would torment them. "Who is to be beaten to death?" Gu Chaoyan''s voice arose. Chapter 1524 - 1524 Shadow Door 1 1524 Shadow Door Junyi did not continue. The Phoenix Girl was a girl, but after spending some time with her, Junyi believed that she would not be stupid enough to not understand what was going on. What was more, Lord Huai and the Gu Family should be kept out of the secret, since it was rted to the country. The Shadow Door? @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan looked contemtive, smiling. The King wanted to get the Shadow Door to work for him? How interesting! They had not realized who the head of the Shadow Door was, had they? She had not intended to think about this, but since the Shadow Door was involved, she would like to know what they wanted. She nodded. ¡°Since it is rted to the country, we should not be dyed. I am not feeling well, but I am strong enough to go into the court.¡± Gu Chaoyan had made up her mind to visit the court. Junyi let out a sigh of relief. Zhou Huailing smiled proudly too. He turned around and decided to apany Gu Chaoyan into the court. Gu Zhenkang escorted them out of the mansion. When they came to the gate, Zhou Huailing asked Gu Chaoyan to go into the wagon to head towards the court, whilst Zhou Huaijin was riding the horse next to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s wagon. Zhou Huailing¡¯s face sank. He said with displeasure, ¡°We are heading into the court to have some serious discussions with father. What are you doing here?¡± Zhou Huailing looked disdainfully at him, and sneered. ¡°You think you can be of help to get the Shadow Door to work for us?¡± Zhou Huailing looked imposing. Zhou Huaijin did not care. He shrugged indifferently. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to.¡± ¡°Then stay in your mansion, don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± Zhou Huailing knew that Zhou Huaijin would be of no help. So he said that. Sword One and Fu Bao as well as the others were all looking at Zhou Huailing with a sneer. Gu Chaoyan blinked at Zhou Huaijin happily, while she was in the wagon. She knew who the head of the Shadow Door was and she was amused upon hearing what Zhou Huailing said. Zhou Huaijin smiled brightly at seeing her happy smile. Gu Chaoyan mouthed. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Zhou Huaijin nodded obediently, turning to Zhou Huailing. ¡°Then I will go back to my own mansion.¡± Then he left with Fu Bao. Zhou Huailing felt very good. He ordered that the servants should take good care of Lady Chaoyan before he went into his own wagon. The whole team headed towards the court. The imperial banners were opening the way for them. They were taken directly into the court and as they reached the ce before the hall, they got out of the wagon and walked there. It was a long path before they reached the gate. The snow had stopped and spring was showing. Gu Chaoyan had no expression on her face as she walked. Zhou Huailing constantly turned around to look at Gu Chaoyan. Zhou Huailing always preferred her over Ruxue. She was beautiful and had a graceful air. More importantly, Gu Chaoyan was a pure jade,pared to Gu Ruxue, but¡­ He felt that there was one thing that had not been solved. Chapter 1529 - 1529 Forces 2 1529 Forces The King would just call her Lady Chaoyan if everything was fine. And he would always keep his distance from her. After all, Gu Chaoyan was thest person he expected to be the Phoenix Girl. However, now the King still called her the Phoenix Girl in a serious tone. Because he was very nervous about what Destiny Monk said. He had no idea what to do. @@novelbin@@ The door to enchantment was opened¡­ And there were forces outside the fournds that still existed. That was something the King had never expected. Otherwise he would have believed that with the Phoenix Girl in the Saint Divine Land, he would be the King of the whole world. Destiny Monk had just left Qianqing Pce before Gu Chaoyan came, and that was what he told the King. Gu Chaoyan was nervous too, but she was not as confused as the King. Long before that¡­ Huang Fu already told her what Golden Roll was and how the world outside the door to enchantment was like. There would be one day when things came, but it was faster than Gu Chaoyan expected. They had not found the Golden Roll. ¡°When did Destiny Monk say that they would arrive?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked seriously. ¡°Not sure.¡± The King answered. Gu Chaoyan nodded, not too surprised. She had spent some time with Destiny Monk, and she knew what he was capable of. He could do some things, but he did not really know the future. ¡°Then we can talk when it arrives,¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. She did not think that there was any more reason to stay in the court. She got up and said, ¡°If there is nothing else, I will go back to the Gu Mansion.¡± The King stopped as he saw Gu Chaoyan leaving, ¡°You can just stay in the court since that is more convenient.¡± Judging from how the Crown Prince reacted, he knew clearly that Gu Mansion could be of no help even if the Phoenix Girl stayed at the Gu Mansion. If that was the case¡­ she could stay in the court, under his control. It would be much easier for him to do other things. And Gu Mansion¡­ Well, they should start to think if they could be of any help. They had not achieved anything after being given so many opportunities. Gu Chaoyan did not even think before turning him down. ¡°I will go back to the Gu Mansion. You said that I should stay at the Gu Mansion. I don¡¯t think that the court is a better ce for me. People might think that Gu Mansion has done something wrong.¡± ¡°Then the Crown Prince will apany you home.¡± The King added, telling the Crown Prince to escort her. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Huailing answered. Gu Chaoyan frowned. The King and Zhou Huailing had all of their ns right in the open. Gu Chaoyan could see through thempletely. She felt disgusted by them. ¡°The Shadow Door is very difficult to get in touch with. Crown Prince, you better give the order as soon as possible,¡± Gu Chaoyan said quietly. Then she turned around and walked out of Qianqing Pce. The King¡¯s expression sank, feeling very displeased by how Gu Chaoyan behaved towards him. She might be the Phoenix Girl, but he was the King! ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She is just a woman,¡± yhe King said with displeasure. Then he turned to De Fu. ¡°Make sure Lord Huai stays away from the Phoenix Girl, and¡­¡± Chapter 1533 - 1533 Not the Phoenix Girl 1 1533 Not the Phoenix Girl Fu Bao had been working for Lord Huai for a long while, and he knew him well. He looked cold, but he was a person with emotions and a sense of justice. The King had four sons and one daughter, which was a small numberpared to the King in the past. Lord Huai¡¯s sister Princess Xunyang was drifting outside, and his mother had to pretend to be dead just to protect herself. As for himself, Lord Huai had to watch out so that he would not be framed by his own father. The King was so cruel as to treat his own sons differently. Fu Bao wondered if Lord Huai had hurt feelings or was just pretending. He would not have epted it if his father had treated him in this way. Following behind him, Fu Bao said nothing after all. He knew his Lord Huai too well to say anything right now. The wagon was heading into the court. The wagon from the Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion was asked to pull over at the gate. Then the passengers were asked to leave and take the court wagon. That was a rule every lord needed to obey apart from the Crown Prince. Some lords were not even in as good of a position as the other ministers and officers in the court. They had to be very careful. They got out of the wagon. And it took them a while before they reached Qianqing Pce. Qianqing Pce was shining in the sun. It was a very bright day. Zhou Huaijin suddenly did not seem used to the fine weather, after being in the snow for so long. He narrowed his eyes and walked in. He greeted politely. ¡°Greetings, father.¡± Zhou Huaijin was half bent on his knees. Seated in a chair, the King stared at Zhou Huaijin below him, deeply and profoundly. He did not let him get up directly. He was silent and left him on his knees for a long time. @@novelbin@@ One cup of teater¡­ the King said as if he had remembered this son of his. ¡°You can get up now.¡± Zhou Huaijin did as he was told, showing no expression and standing on the same spot. The King seemed to be in a very good mood. He was the King that everyone had to bend down to, including the son of the Jiang Family. He could make him stand in the same position as long as he wanted. That was something that no one could change. He owned the world. He could do whatever he wanted with it. Thinking of that, he suddenly felt much more joyful. He did not allow him to sit. He sipped his tea and said, ¡°Your mother has been deceased for a long while. And ording to the rules of the Saint Divine Land, you will be past the time for her condolence in half a year. Your mother has a very high standard, but you never have any woman taking care of you. Your mother is gone and you are old enough to find a woman who can take care of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You are engaged with the Phoenix Girl, but the Phoenix Girl is too involved with themoners. She can¡¯t just stand behind your back likedies from the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So she is not right for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, you are just engaged, so we can always talk about this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Before the New Year arrives, we can have everything arranged so that you can have your wedding when New Yeares.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There are still some unmarrieddies in the capital, the Wang Family, the Min Family, the Chu Family and the Liu Family. You can pick anyone you like and tell me straightforwardly. If you don¡¯t have anyone, I can pick one for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When you are engaged, you will get a bigger and newer mansion, and you want a task to run too, right?¡± Chapter 1537 The Crown Prince Consorts Divorce 1 "Lord Huai, what happened?" Fu Bao asked with a small voice. Fu Bao would not have been this careful in the past, but today was different. He sensed that many more people were around them. He could solve them all if he wanted to, but he wondered what was going on. So he had to let them stay there. Those were just hidden guards from the court anyway. The King was very suspicious, so even if he had a lot of power in his hands, he kept increasing the number of the imperial army. He was not assured, so he had many hidden guards trained for himself. The Shadow Door had already known about this a long time ago. The King did spend a lot of effort in training hidden guards, and he had a lot of them, but those hidden guards were nothingpared to those of the Shadow Door. There were a few hidden guards at Lord Huai''s Mansion, but he did not care. Yet suddenly, he felt that hidden guards were increasing around him.@@novelbin@@ Obviously the King started to be cautious towards Lord Huai¡­ Then¡­ something must have happened in the court. "Nothing serious. He is going to remove me," Zhou Huaijin said calmly. "This should have happened on the day when the Queen was gone, but it waited until now." "¡­" "Don''t make a move at the moment. Just wait and see what is going to happen." "¡­" "A few hidden guards and military soldiers? He really looks down at me." Having said this, Zhou Huaijin sighed. "I wouldn''t be able to live to this age if I couldn''t deal with them. I would have died ages ago." Zhou Huaijin snorted and walked out of the court, back to his Mansion, while followed by some annoying tails. ¡­ In the meanwhile¡­ The Gu Mansion. De Fu came to pass on the imperial order. The whole mansion was nervous and Gu Zhenkang had not expected this to happen. What was the imperial order about? He would always anticipate an imperial order in the past, but too many things had happened these days, so he wondered what was in store. De Fu nced at the whole family. Everyone was here except for Gu Chaoyan. De Fu did not dare to summon her here either. The imperial order was for Gu Ruxue, but the King needed Gu Chaoyan to know about this. However, after a moment of hesitation De Fu dropped the thought. He opened the imperial order. "ording to the imperial order, The Crown Prince Consort sleeps with other men and goes against the rules. She should have been executed to death, but as a family member of the Phoenix Girl, her life can be spared, but her title will be lost forever. Now she is a civilian," De Fu said calmly. Having said that, he looked at Gu Ruxue who was not very far away. "ept the order now." Gu Ruxue''s eyes widened when she heard that. She looked at DeFu in disbelief. So she was no longer the Crown Prince Consort? That was impossible! "I want to meet the Crown Prince! He won''t approve of that!" Gu Ruxue shouted, struggling. De Fu looked at her. Chapter 1541 - 1541 Only the Crown Prince 2 1541 Only the Crown Prince ¡°Chief De Fu stressed that you should be informed about this after he read the imperial order.¡± Gu Zhenkang continued, seeing that she had no reaction to what he said. ¡°He told me because that was what the King meant. It seems that the King also expects you to marry the Crown Prince so that you can be the Queenter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Zhenkang asked Gu Chaoyan, staring at her. Gu Chaoyan sipped her tea indifferently. She had foreseen that Zhou Huailing would divorce Gu Ruxue. Zhou Huailing had no heart, he only focused on interest. He could bend down to anyone who was good to him, but deserted whatever was useless. He treated Liu Qingqing like this in the past and he was treating Gu Ruxue like this too. Things like that never stopped. When Gu Ruxue failed to open the door to enchantment, her future was already doomed. It was just a matter of time before such a day arrived. That was what Gu Ruxue deserved to have due to her past sins. Gu Chaoyan looked up at Gu Zhenkang. Gu Zhenkang was not showing any concern to Gu Ruxue. He just hoped that she could ept the martial proposal as soon as possible. Zhou Huailing and Gu Zhenkang were the same kind of people. They had no heart. He was a little worried about Gu Ruxue in the past, because she had been a little valuable. Now, she was totally useless like a piece of trash. @@novelbin@@ What a ridiculous group of people! Gu Chaoyan looked very cold. ¡°Why is that rted to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am engaged to Lord Huai. After the condolence period is over, we will hold the wedding.¡± Hearing what she said, Gu Zhenkang felt very annoyed. That was what he disliked about Gu Chaoyan. She was very stupid, and did not know which one to pick and which one to desert. She could have had a good life in the past, if she married Lord Huai, but things were different. She was the Phoenix Girl, and Lord Huai had nothing. What was the point of marrying him? She needed to marry the Crown Prince so that she could be the Queen in the future. Ruxue was divorced, and Gu Chaoyan was their only hope. If she married the Crown Prince, the Gu Mansion could be considered as a rtive to the imperial family, but if she married Lord Huai, the Gu Family would have no benefits at all. ¡°Marrying Lord Huai? He has nothing. He is not even working for the government and only has a title. What is the point of marrying him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Crown Prince is noble and capable. Only by marrying the Crown Prince will you have a bright future,¡± Gu Zhenkang said. Gu Yunhe thought for a while. He spoke after being silent for such a long time. ¡°Chaoyan, you don¡¯t have to feel pressed. Gu Ruxue was divorced because she slept with someone else. And you will not marry the Crown Prince, just because she has been divorced. No one would say anything bad about you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Me and father will take your side as well. Don¡¯t worry. As long as you say yes, we will deal with the rest.¡± Chapter 1545 Old Problems 3 Gu Yunhe and Gu Zhenkang stiffened. They had thought that Gu Chaoyan dropped it because she started to treat them as family, and felt that she best not to be too hard on them. Unexpectedly¡­ she wanted to know how her mother died. Gu Zhenkang knew very well how Ms. Lin died, and Gu Yunhe learned about the n from his mother yearster.@@novelbin@@ However¡­ How Ms. Lin died was only known to his family. Did Gu Chaoyan know something for her to ask that suddenly. Gu Yunhe''s eyes rolled constantly. For one moment, he had no idea what Gu Chaoyan was thinking. He stayed silent. If history was unearthed, everyone would have a bad time. He was going to marry ady from the Min Family, and he did not want to ruin his own future. Gu Zhenkang stiffened deeply. Ms. Lin had been dead for so long. He had not expected that Gu Chaoyan would look into that. Those who were involved with the murder were all gone, so normally, she should not have sensed a thing. Gu Zhenkang was feeling very guilty, but he was confident that no information would be found after such a long time. When this thought went through his mind¡­ Gu Zhenkang gave a cough and said, "Your mother was hurt when she gave birth to you, and she became depressed so she passed away." "¡­" "Your mother was too eager and liked splitting hairs." "¡­" "Gu Mansion was not a big household in the past, but we were literits. And our ancestors had been working for the government. So I had to marry many women, and your mother wanted to be the only one. That would not be possible." "¡­" "She just did not understand such a thing." "¡­" "She is gone, so you should not linger on that thing to make trouble for yourself." Saying this, Gu Zhenkang wanted this to pass as soon as possible, rather than let Gu Chaoyan think about Ms. Lin''s matter all this time. He said straightforwardly, "It is gettingte, and many things are happening today. You are displeased, so you don''t need to care about this. I will make everything right for you!" Then he turned to the crowd and wanted Chen Fu to deal with the rest, but Chen Fu was gone. He lectured Chen Fu inwardly and decided to teach him a lessonter. With Chen Fu gone, he decided to get some guards to make things right here. Seeing that he was panicking and trying to cover what he did, Gu Chaoyan sneered. "No need to hurry." "¡­" "Maybe there was something else that happened to my mother, like she was murdered? Dali Temple will help to find out," Gu Chaoyan said calmly and looked forward. Many people from Dali Temple came and the Officer there rushed in as well. Gu Zhenkang was totally dumbfounded. When did those peoplee? He had no idea about that! Did Gu Chaoyan learn something, since people from Dali Temple were assigned to look into this matter. Gu Zhenkang copsed and had no idea what to do. "Where is Chen Fu?" Gu Zhenkang bellowed. Chen Fu walked out from the mass of people. Chapter 1548 - 1548 Old Problems 6 1548 Old Problems He tried his best to get rid of the trouble, in case he was taken away too. He had seen through everything now. His father had dreamt about getting close to Gu Chaoyan, but he had not expected that Gu Chaoyan never treated them as family. She was trying her best to get them killed. She had already told him what he did to her in the past. If he was taken to Dali Temple right now, Dali Temple would definitely make him take the me! He does not care about anything now. He did not care if others were dead or alive, as long as he was left out of it. He could even go to the Min Family for help, since he was engaged with ady from the Min Family who should help him. He did not care about the position or fortune any more. He wanted to live on. !! ¡°I was too little to know anything about Ms. Lin¡¯s death!¡± Gu Yunhe shouted loudly as he pointed at Gu Zhenkang. ¡°He must have killed her! He never thought that a businesswoman was a good match for a literati like him! He was still nagging about Ms. Lin¡¯s family when she died. He must have killed her!¡± Gu Zhenkang turns to look at his own son in disbelief. Yunhe was the eldest son of the family, born by Mrs. Gu. He treated Gu Yunhe as his heir who could take over the mansion. He would always give Yunhe the best he could obtain. He was even helping him a while ago. Gu Chaoyan hated him, but he had never thought about giving up Gu Yunhe, but now¡­ Something happened before it was confirmed, and he was dropping him as a father, iming that he was the murderer! Good¡­ Gu Zhenkang had raised a son in vain! ¡°Gu Yunhe, how dare you treat me like this! I raised you in vain! You are betraying your father! You are less than Yunxuan! I should not have nned everything for your sake and driven out Yunxuan!¡± Gu Zhenkang almost had his eyes pop out. He tried to struggle out of the people from Dali Temple¡¯s grip, but he could not. So he shouted. ¡°Someone, go and fetch Yunxuan from the Ministry of Architecture! He should be in charge of the Gu Mansion!¡± @@novelbin@@ Gu Zhenkang shouted about Gu Yunxuan as if he had found hisst savior. Yunxuan was straightforward, but he was a very ethical man who would not give him up as his father. Gu Chaoyan had no intention of speaking with this father and son, but when Gu Zhenkang mentioned Gu Yunxuan, Gu Chaoyan approached him and said, ¡°You dare to find Yunxuan?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know very well what life he has been through living here. You drove him out directly! He is doing well at the Ministry of Architecture, leave him alone. You don¡¯t deserve to be his father!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You said that you raised Gu Yunhe in vain. Of course you did. Madam Gu raised you in vain! You know pretty well how Madam Gu died right? Gu Yunhe is the same as you!¡± ¡°What do you mean?!¡± Gu Zhenkang red at Gu Chaoyan, refusing to admit her usation. What did she want? Gu Chaoyan sneered. Chapter 1552 Infighting 1 "She said that she wanted to let her know what was going on so she could die in pain." "¡­" "She served Ms. Lin poisoned tea on the very same day she came to the mansion. And she kept serving Ms. Lin the poisoned tea, iming that she was very nice to her. She said that it was her father who bought it for her. She said that the drugs would only work when Ms. Lin became angry." "¡­" "So Ms. Lin passed away when she had drunk drugged tea every day for a year." "¡­" "Mrs. Gu''s father bought the drug and Mrs. Gu put it inside. I have nothing to do with it. You should catch Mrs. Gu the bi*ch, not me. I am innocent!" Gu Zhenkang shouted. He looked extremely frightened. He was worried that he would die because of this. He did not care if his mansion could be the top mansion in the capital, or if he could be a real noble man. He just wanted to live. He hated Ms. Lin. He did not think that she deserved him, but he never wanted her to die. It was Mrs. Gu who was too jealous to allow her to live. He had nothing to do with it. Even the leader of Dali Temple felt the hair standing on his neck when hearing that. Dali Temple was not subordinated to the Ministry of Personnel, and they barely epted this kind of case from mansions. Many madames from other mansions tried to get a position for their children, but none was as evil as Mrs. Gu who killed the wife and forced her to die in pain. No case throughout history had something like this happening.@@novelbin@@ The leader frowned. Gu Zhenkang thought that they did not believe him. So he continued. "There are more things than that!" The leader looked at Gu Zhenkang. Gu Zhenkang continued. "Gu Chaoyan too! The Phoenix Girl! Mrs. Gu wanted her to die too. Because of her, Gu Ruxue can not be the lineal daughter!" "¡­" "But Mrs. Gu did not want her to die so fast. She is Ms. Lin''s daughter and she hates her too!" "¡­" "So she has been drugging her since she was little, so she became chubby and ugly." "¡­" "She even awarded those servants who would call Gu Chaoyan hideous. That was why all the servants were bullying her!" "¡­" "She hated Ms. Lin, so she did things like this. I am telling the truth!" "¡­" "I have nothing to do with this." Gu Zhenkang stressed. The leader of Dali Temple turned pale. He had known something about what happened to Elder Miss in the past. Everyone called her the most hideous woman in the Saint Divine Land. She would also get attacked when she was out, but this was what made her so. The civilians outside the hall all booed and started to curse Gu Zhenkang and Mrs. Gu. How could they have treated the Phoenix Girl like this in the past? Noise arose suddenly in the Mingjing Hall. The leader struck hard on the table. Chapter 1556 With You Madame Gu thought about letting Gu Zhenkang marry the daughter of the Lin Family, which used to be an imperial business family. The Lin Family and the Gu Family never had any connections. So the Gu Family must have made a huge n so that Gu Zhenkang could get to know Ms. Lin and make her marry him withoutints. The Gu Family was indeed a literati family, but Ms. Lin was not the best choice to be his wife. Nevertheless, Ms. Lin insisted on marrying this man, even though Lin Zeqing tried to stop it. After Ms. Lin married into this family, the renovation of the Gu Mansion started. The Lin Family had paid for all the renovation, since the Gu Family were so poor at that time. That was how the Gu Mansion became what it was like now. Therefore, the Gu Mansion should have been Ms. Lin''s mansion, except for the name. Ms. Lin would never have foreseen that after the Gu Mansion was renovated, she did not even have a ce of her own. She was forced to move into a side Qiong Pavilion, where she nted the flowers and lived alone. The Qiong Pavilion was not at all renovated. How ironic was that? The wagon pulled over as they reached the Gu Mansion. The guards looked at Gu Chaoyan worriedly. Their Old Master and Mrs. Gu were taken away by Dali Temple, and they were noting back. So what would their life be, where would they head? They had thought about this before. Elder Miss should be in charge of the Gu Mansion in the future, so it should be a good thing for them. Those who had served Elder Miss before were all happy. Elder Miss looked cold, but she never punished any of the servants. She even gave them arge amount of bonus. And they could see that those maids who served her were very well dressed. Elder Miss must have given them the garments directly. Elder Miss treated the servants well. She was not like Mrs. Gu and the Second Lady who kept cursing and hitting them. If they could live a steady life, they would be very d and satisfied already. They looked forward to having a bright future, even though they were worried. Gu Chaoyan said nothing but headed into the mansion. Gu Yunhe and Gu Ruxue were looking at Gu Chaoyan in rm. They had learned what happened. "You can pack your things, and get out of here. I promised your mother not to take revenge on you, but I am not letting you stay here either," Gu Chaoyan said coldly, looking at them.@@novelbin@@ "Why? This is Gu Mansion, and our ancestral home. You can''t drive us out. We are the Gu Family!" Gu Ruxue screamed, bellowing angrily. They were not afraid of the so-called Phoenix Girl. Their parents were sentenced to death because of Gu Chaoyan. If they left, they would have nothing. They were going to keep Gu Mansion, and never give it to Gu Chaoyan the bi*ch! Haha. Gu Chaoyan chuckled. "Ancestral home? The Lin Family paid for the renovation, what rights do you have to call it your ancestral home?" Gu Chaoyan said ironically. The servants were all standing next to them, in fright. They had nothing to do with the fight, but¡­ They hoped that Elder Miss could get what she wanted. Elder Miss was the Phoenix Girl, and she should be able to get what she wanted. Gu Chaoyan said, "Okay, if you want the ancestral hall, you can keep it. Someone,e and carry away everything from the Lin Family!" The servants all got anxious. They kneeled down. "Elder Miss, we want to serve you!" Chapter 1560 - 1560 Gu Yunhe and the Min Family 2 1560 Gu Yunhe and the Min Family So no matter what their rtionship was with the Phoenix Girl, or whether they had some estrangement from the past, the outsiders would always feel that they were in the same family. And they could always try to mend the rtionship with the Phoenix Girlter. So the Min Family was worried, but not too worried. However¡­ the Phoenix Girl and the Gu Family were not a family. They were worst enemies! Old Master did nothing to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mother even though he hated her very much. She was just a woman in the backyard and she had no right to confront the Old Master of a family, Besides, he fathered her, so she as the daughter should forgive him no matter what. !! However, what she did was to bring both of them to Dali Temple and had them sentenced to death in three days! She just could not wait to do it. @@novelbin@@ Therefore, even if Gu Yunhe would inherit the Gu Mansion, and be the master, the Gu Mansion was totally useless now. The Gu Family was dismissed and they had lost their family reputation. Even Gu Yunhe was going to live under the civilians¡¯ eyes. The Phoenix Girl did not have him caught, but the civilians were weighing his value from their own perspectives. They would constantly mention how he and his parents killed Ms. Lin. So even though Gu Yunhe was alive, he was basically dead, as long as the Phoenix Girl was around. The Min Family was not going to have any rtionship with him, and they were definitely not going to marry thedy of the family to him any more. He was a rotten thing now. He should not make the Min Family rotten as well, otherwise the Min Family would be doomed. Ling was so unlucky to have gotten an imperial order to marry someone like that. She would not have any other suitors, and she would have to depend on the Min Family for the rest of her life. She could not possibly marry anyone else. After a long sigh¡­ ¡°Just make him go away. The Min Family will not be involved with any of the Gu Family¡¯s affairs. And I will break off their engagement personally with the King. We can give him 10,000 liang, which is thest we can do to help him!¡± Old Master Min waved his hands, telling the servants to drive him away as soon as possible. That was what the servants had suspected. Hearing that, they turned around, trying to drive the man away. ¡°Wait!¡± Min Qing¡¯s voice was heard. The servants stopped, as they looked at the Young Master. Old Master Min looked at his son, wondering what he wanted to say. ¡°Let him in.¡± Min Qing said resolutely. Surprised, the servants turned to their Old Master for approval. Old Master Min red at him. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Min Qing, are you countering me? What do you want Gu Yunhe here for? The Gu Family is having trouble! if we let Gu Yunhe in, the whole capital will know that we are rted to Gu Yunhe! We can¡¯t afford to take that responsibility!¡± Old Master said excitedly. He wondered what happened to Min Qing these days. He seemed to be so smart before, but he was bing very stupid. It was good that he was just in the mansion instead of going anywhere else. If Min Qing let him in, the Min Family would be doomed. ¡°Father, since when did you be so stingy? Gu Yunhe and Ling are engaged, and he is rted to us anyway. Now he is in trouble, we should help him!¡± Chapter 1563 Proposal 1 At that time, he thought that she had been ruined in the head so she had spoken such innocent words. He had thought that she was a shameless person, but¡­ just one yearter¡­ From spring to winter, and now spring again¡­ He was proved wrong. Just as she had told him. She was an extraordinary person. She was the Phoenix Girl and she would marry someone with an extraordinary background. The Crown Prince was proposing to her all the time, wasn''t he? So she was the Phoenix Girl, the Crown Prince Consort and soon, she would be the Queen. He was wrong. Gu Zhenkang realized that he was wrong. He had made the bet on the wrong person. If he had chosen Ms. Lin over Mrs. Gu back then. If he had not chosen the beautiful Ruxue but his lineal daughter Gu Chaoyan¡­ He would not have been like this now. He would be shining in glory. Gu Zhenkang burst into tears as he thought about all of this. His dead-looking eyes brightened all of a sudden. He struggled against his chain and kneeled down in front of Gu Chaoyan, shouting loudly, "Gu Chaoyan, I am sorry! I should not have treated you and your mother like that. If I am dead, you will have no family left in the world, you¡­" Gu Chaoyan was frowning, but ignored him. The executor beheaded him directly when it was time. Before he could finish his words, his head was already rolling over the ground. Gu Chaoyan stopped looking at him, but turned around and headed back.@@novelbin@@ Now it was really done. As Gu Chaoyan passed by, the civilians and soldiers all made the way for her. The wagon was heading forward slowly. Gu Chaoyan ate a cake. She smiled suddenly. "Let''s go home." "Okay." Sword One answered. Sword One understood that Elder Miss had finally had something loaded off her head. Gu Chaoyan suddenly thought of something as the wagon went on for a while. "When we are back, make arrangements so that we can nt some immortal flowers at Xinlin Mansion. They should bloom next April or May. And we will see them at Xinlin Mansion!" "Okay!" Sword One nodded and replied. Gu Chaoyan felt assured. When they reached Xinlin Mansion, Sword One frowned as she got out of the wagon. She helped Gu Chaoyan off the wagon and then, Gu Chaoyan frowned too. "What are you doing here?" "Lady Chaoyan, I am here to see you. Many things happened today, and an unexpected thing happened at Gu Mansion as well. I did not know that you suffered so much at the mansion. Now the bad guys were punished and it feels great." "¡­" "Your mother passed away when you were little. Your father is now gone. Gu Yunhe and Gu Ruxue are dominating the Gu Mansion. I think you will have to live alone at Xinlin Mansion." "¡­" "But Xinlin Mansion was not constructed by the Ministry of Architecture. It is too shabby and you do not have enough servants." "¡­" "I have no Crown Prince Consort and I have no children. I am single." "¡­" "So I think that it is the best time for you to marry me now. So that you will have a family from today on. I will take good care of you and will not allow you to get bullied or make you sad." "¡­" "Lady Chaoyan, you can treat me as your own. Don''t be embarrassed any more. I will embrace all of your drawbacks." Chapter 1565 Piaomiao Pavilion 1 He was the Crown Prince, and he could ask anything. This servant did not want to tell him, who did he think he was? Also, Lady Chaoyan was with them too. He was humiliating him. What would Lady Chaoyan think of him? The more he thought about this, the more angry Zhou Huailing became. He was about to kick De Fu, even though he was serving the King. Gu Chaoyan took a step forward when he was about to kick, so she shielded De Fu. "We will know shortly." Then she walked forward with her head up, and De Fu followed next to her.@@novelbin@@ Zhou Huailing had to give up his kick and walked forward angrily. De Fu threw a grateful look at Gu Chaoyan. If not for her, he would have copsed. The Crown Prince liked to kick servants when he was angry, but if he was stopped right on time, he would not insist on giving the servants any punishments. The Crown Prince was getting more and more irritable. De Fu had to sign emotionally. He watched him grow up, but he did not like it when this young man kicked him. Ronghua Pce was right in front of them. The King was already inside the Ronghua Pce. He seemed to be in a good mood. He was even more happy upon seeing Zhou Huailing and Gu Chaoyan here. "Here you are." "¡­" "I summoned you suddenly because it happened unexpectedly." "Father, what is it? Why are we here at Ronghua Pce? Ronghua Pce is a ce to receive foreign ambassadors, but the other two countries can''t have energy to send anyone here, right? I have not heard anything either. Why here?" Zhou Huailing asked constantly. He was very angry, so he kept asking. He was the Crown Prince and his father promised him the throne. How could he have been kept from anything happening in the court? How could he find out the information at the same time as Gu Chaoyan? "Not foreign ambassador!" "¡­" "It is the Elder Miss from Piaomiao Pavilion! It happened very fast. I did not meet her until today. So I instantly summoned you here." The King exined. Only today? That was good, thought Zhou Huailing. He had thought that his father was concealing something from him, since he was busy with something else. It was good, if that was the case. "Piaomiao Pavilion?" Gu Chaoyan asked confusedly. "Yes, after the door to enchantment was opened, those beings outside the door to enchantment came to the Saint Divine Land. The same goes for the Piaomiao Pavilion. You should be careful about Piaomiao Pavilion. It can be as powerful as the Cloud Land!" "¡­" "They are here because the Elder Miss from Piaomiao Pavilion wants to meet the Phoenix Girl as soon as possible. So I summoned you both." Gu Chaoyan''s face sank. ording to what Huang Fu said, there were beings outside the door, but they arrived a little too fast. "She is just the Elder Miss of Piaomiao Pavilion. Why were we summoned? So the Phoenix Girl is here to see her?" Zhou Huailing asked with dissatisfaction. The Phoenix Girl was very special. The Phoenix Girl should be asked first before she came. The Phoenix Girl could not juste unprepared. Who did that Elder Miss think she was? The King''s mouth moved. He wanted to see if he should say something. Chapter 1569 Fanghua Pill 1 When she said that¡­ she raised her hands, and wiped her face. She still had some water on her face. She was really angry about it. No one dared to pour water on her face, not even her father! She was going to remember this. Gu Chaoyan was very calm. She said calmly as the servants were putting away the mess. "Teasing?" "¡­" "If I understand it properly, teasing means that the two sides should be on the same page. Elder Miss, you had a sword and I had nothing. If that is called teasing, then I don''t really know what your rules with teasing are." "¡­" "Or, is it because Piaomiao Pavilion doesn''t have any talents, so they have to take advantage of people?" Gu Chaoyan looked up at Elder Miss from Piaomiao Pavilion, disdainfully as well. "You!" Elder Miss from Piaomiao Pavilion was so angry but she could not say anything back. She had never intended to tease her. She had thought that the Phoenix Girl would not be able to dodge her sword, so she could give her a warning, but she failed to do anything to her. She was just venting her anger, but this girl talked back and poked her right in the heart. The Phoenix Girl was so narrow-minded. Before she came to the Saint Divine Land, she had asked people from Piaomiao Pavilion to look into this Pheonix Girl. What she heard was that the Phoenix Girl was ugly and disliked by her father. That was why she was here to see what this Pheonix Girl was really like. She had been very confident on the way here, but¡­ What she had seen and what she had heard waspletely different. She might not be as pretty, but she was not ugly. And she was notpletely untalented either. She dodged her attack! Damn, Zhang Hao! What information did he get?@@novelbin@@ He was never ck in doing small things for the Pavilion, but he made such a huge mistake in this important errand. Seeing the tension between the two¡­ the King said openly, "No one is hurt, so it''s nothing serious. You were just ying around. The servants have sorted away the mess, so let''s just forget about it." He was shocked by how they could control people with a written charm, after what he witnessed between them and the imperial army. He needed to bring Piaomiao Pavilion to his side. And if that was the purpose, he needed to be inclusive. He could get away with this since no one was hurt. When the King said that, the anger on the two sides seemed to rx, but¡­ Piaomiao Pavilion should not be belittled. An Elderly Man from Piaomiao Pavilion came forward and smiled. "Sorry for our Elder Miss'' behavior in this game." He took out a bottle. "This is the Fanghua Pill we have. In addition to strengthening the muscles and bones and nourishing qi and blood, long-term consumption of Fanghua Pill can also prolong life. I have reached 110 years old because of this. I am strong because of this pill. Here you are, Phoenix Girl, it is apensating gift to you." Chapter 1572 Golden Rolls 1 "Golden Rolls. We are here because we want the Golden Rolls," Zhao Dier said calmly. "The Phoenix Girl was the only one who could open the door to enchantment, and there would be a Golden Rolls hidden in there. The Rolls show the reason why the door to enchantment was closed. So we would like to see what is written there." Zhao Dier was trying hard to conceal her emotion and uncertainty, as she was saying this. She took a look at Gu Chaoyan when she was done with the speech. They were here for the Golden Rolls, just as Gu Chaoyan had guessed, but she did not think that the Golden Rolls only contained the reason why the door to enchantment was closed. Otherwise Zhao Dier would not havee to the Saint Divine Land personally and showed such a hostile attitude towards her. Golden Rolls would not have been stolen away if it only contained the reason. So¡­ the Golden Rolls were very important. Zhao Dier was trying to make it sound not important. Only when it sounded unimportant, would they offer it so easily.@@novelbin@@ Well¡­ Gu Chaoyan could understand what they were up to. When Zhao Dier was done¡­ Elderly Man Qianji stepped forward behind her and said kindly, "But we won''t read the content for free. As long as our Elder Miss finishes reading it, we have things to make a deal with you too." "¡­" "Our Pavilion has been in existence longer than the Saint Divine Land. And everyone from our Pavilion is a practised disciple, who is very good at alchemy, pill-brewing and magic tools. They are all excellent." "¡­" "If we can read what is in the Golden Rolls, we will offer five upper-ss pills, three upper-ss magic tools and three middle-grade magic tools. And we will give you some middle-grade pills from us as a gift." "¡­" "Those things can''t just be obtained from the market. Some might not even be traded with money or goods." "¡­" "I just remember that the humans in the Saint Divine Land never practice, but even if you are not practicing, that stuff would be very practical for you!" Qinji smiled arrogantly. Piaomiao Pavilion had just onepetitor, namely the Cangyan Door. And what they produced from Piaomiao Pavilion was never easy to buy. He was sure that people like them would want to get what they offered. After all, they had no knowledge of it, and they never knew that the Golden Rolls were far better than that stuff. Elderly Man Qianji was very confident about this. Hearing that, the King felt so itchy to make a decision. He did not know much of it, but seeing what his imperial army and the charm he saw right now, he could more or less understand how excellent those things were. He even believed that the North Qi Land had gotten magical monsters in this way. That was why the North Qi Land suddenly became so powerful against the rest of the three countries. He really wanted that stuff, but he had no Golden Rolls. He had not seen any Golden Rolls when the door to enchantment was opened. Also¡­ he was going to think about the deal as well. He had not seen or read anything from the Golden Rolls either. He was excited and anxious. He had no idea what to do. He turned to Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 1575 Dementia Pill 1 A reason? Zhao Dier could not understand what that might be. The Saint Divine Land was a country, but nobody there could cultivate. Piaomiao Pavilion could destroy the whole country if they wanted to. Why did they need their Fanghua Pill to make a deal with the King? How ridiculous! Qianji said calmly, "He wants the Fanghua Pill, but we don''t necessarily have to give it to him. He can''t tell the difference. We can give him a Dementia Pill, that works as well." "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "We can take down the Saint Divine Land easily, but why must we waste our forces for and like this?" "¡­" "We can control a King and then we can control thend. The Phoenix Girl is not strong enough on her own. The King gives her orders and she has to obey him. So we can use the King to control her." Qianji smiled as if he were very confident about what he was nning. Zhao Dier understood what Qianji said and was relieved. One bottle of pills would do. They did not even need to use any forces from the Pavilion. Elder Qianji was indeed very good. They could cause fights between themselves, rather than using force. No wonder her father stressed that Elder Qianji would need to tag along. He was indeed very experienced. She was sure that with Elder Qianji''s help, they would make it. When they got what was in the Golden Rolls and went home, the other Elders from Piaomiao Pavilion would treat her differently, then she would be able to obtain the throne of Piaomiao Pavilion. Zhao Dier became increasingly confident. "Good, Elder Qianji, thanks for your efforts." Even an arrogant woman like Zhao Dier would say something modest at this moment. Qianji nodded and greeted Zhao Dier. Then he took out a bottle of pills and passed it to his guard. "Give this to the King, and tell him that he should take one pill every fifth day, no more than that." "Yes" Dementia Pill was just a low-ss pill at Pavilion, a very bad one too, but it was useful too. If it did not work as a low-ss pill, it would be totally useless. However, the pills did not work on anyone who cultivated. Unless it was someone who didn''t have a lot of experience with cultivation, but Dementia Pill still might not work on them. Nevertheless, they had it with them because no one cultivated in the Saint Divine Land, so it became extremely useful this time, which was great. Anyone who had cultivated before would need one pill a day for it to work, but the King was too old to take even one pill every fifth day. However, they had little time left, so that was the best n. Otherwise, their n would be dyed. When the pill was settled, Qianji smiled calmly, "Have a good rest, Elder Miss!" ¡ª At Ronghua Pce. Zhou Huailing could finally move. And he became really excited, as if he had been reborn. He had heard everything, but nothing apart from his eyes could move. He was very afraid that he would spend the rest of his life here at Ronghua Pce. Chapter 1579 - 1579 The Cangyan Door 1579 The Cangyan Door Thank you readers! ¡°People from the Cangyan Door are here.¡± Qianji said with a distressed tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect them to get here so fast.¡± He had thought about adding more Dementia Pill to the King, but it seemed that he did not have to. The Cangyan Door was here faster than they had expected. So they needed to hurry up. He felt that he was too slow at the moment. ¡°Anyway they like it. The Cangyan Door is so small they have never managed to take advantage of us, so they should not be able to take hold of the Golden Rolls,¡± Zhao Dier said confidently. @@novelbin@@ She felt confident. She was even expectant. The Cangyan Door was here, then the other schools would be here too. Then He should be here as well He wanted the Golden Rolls, so he should be here soon. Zhao Dier nodded at herself. ¡°Elder, go and have a rest. The Cangyan Door is very good at ying tricks, so you should watch out for them this time,¡± Zhao Dier said indifferently. ¡°Okay, Elder Miss.¡± Qianji answered. *** The King did not see people from the Cangyan Door until four hourster. With people from Piaomiao Pavilioning before them, the Cangyan Door was epted when the invitation was sent. *** At Xinlin Mansion. Inside Gu Chaoyan¡¯s room. Sword Three was telling Gu Chaoyan about the arrival of the Cangyan Door. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered briefly. Just as she had predicted, there would be more such schoolsing to thend. And they were all here for the Golden Rolls. eaglesnov1,o For example, Piaomiao Pavilion did not have a good purpose. The capital would be in a mess. What on earth was inside the Golden Rolls that everyone was here for? And who might be the most likely to be able to get hold of it? Gu Chaoyan was distracted as she thought about these questions. The next moment Huang Fu dressed in a red blouse appeared, startling Gu Chaoyan. Huang Fu? Wasn¡¯t he in the space? What was he doing here? Why did he appear so suddenly? What did he want? Huang Fu was seated in front of her, but did not approach her like before. This woman was so dumb! As a Phoenix he coulde out of the space whenever he wanted to, so he coulde out anytime he wanted as a man as well. What was so surprising about it? Well He was not out often because he hoped that this woman would think of him every now and then ande to visit him sometimes, but now The woman was made of rock. She never thought of him whenever she ran into any issues, nor did she want to visit him for any reason! He had thought that she would ask him when people from Piaomiao Pavilion arrived, but she would rather try hard to think about it herself than turn to him. This woman is getting really annoying nowadays. She was worse than she had been a hundred years ago. She had been an annoying woman back then, but she never dodged him! ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Gu Chaoyan calmed herself down before asking quietly. Huang Fu looked furious, and he almost broke out of the fury that pushed down on his head. Pressing down his anger, he told himself that she was annoying like this because she had no memories of the past. Chapter 1582 Apology 1 They? Together? What was going on? Gu Chaoyan was frowning. She really had no interest in talking with them. She was about to let Sword Two turn them down when some noise arose. Gu Chaoyan looked up and saw Zhao Dier pushing the guards who stopped her. She just broke in. She looked really displeased. "Honestly, Phoenix Girl, what is going on here? I am here to see you and yet your guards stop me! They should be taught a good lesson!" she said arrogantly, and came walking to her. Zhou Huailing was even more arrogant. He raised his legs and wanted to kick the guards at Xinlin Mansion. Gu Chaoyan flung out something in her hands causing Zhou Huailing to stagger backwards before he could do anything. He almost fell. It was good that his men helped him, otherwise he would have fallen. Zhou Huailing was humiliated and was so angry that he wanted to me the servants. Gu Chaoyan nced at the guards and asked, "Are any of you injured?" Those guards were feeling quite ufortable, but they did not dare to say anything. They were servants, and they were facing the Crown Prince. So they had to bear with the difort. e¦Áglesn?¦Íel Therefore¡­ they had no idea what they should do to answer Elder Miss'' question. Xiu Jie was in the front. He said straightforwardly, "Elder Miss, the guard in front was pushed and hurt!" Gu Chaoyan frowned. She red at Zhao Dier and Zhou Huailing. "They are working for me and obey my rules. We have rules here, so anyone whoes here should obey the rules. They have done nothing wrong, so whoever pushed him, apologize!" Gu Chaoyan was not speaking in a very loud voice, but her voice was sharp. People could not help but feel a little startled. Zhao Dier was dumbfounded. She wondered if this Phoenix Girl was dumb, since she was doing all of this for a servant? "Elder Miss, I saw it. It was this man!" Xiu Jie pointed at someone next to Zhou Huailing. Zhao Dier was very confident about herself, so she did not take any guards with her except for one. Zhou Huailing took many guards just to make him look more important. So when Zhou Huailing''s men were making trouble, Zhao Dier and her guard did not move a finger.@@novelbin@@ So it was not her guard who did it. "You, apologize to my guard." Gu Chaoyan red at the man that Xiu Jie pointed out. That man was dodging but soon, he stepped out instead. "Why? He was a servant who tried to stop the Crown Prince, that is what he deserves!" Why? Gu Chaoyan took out a hidden weapon and flung it. Before that man could see it clearly, he got injured in the shoulder. Soon, he began to bleed. Zhou Huailing was shocked. He turned around and saw that the guard was injured. "Why? It is because you hurt my man. Either you apologize, or you will be wounded as well," Gu Chaoyan said in an imposing tone, took out medical cream and tossed it to Xiu Jie. "Go and put it on for him." Chapter 1587 - 1587 Huaishi Market 4 1587 Huaishi Market Zhou Huailing shouted very loudly as he lectured Gu Chaoyan, just to make sure Zhao Dier could hear him. Thank you readers! He did this to suck up to Zhao Dier and to make sure that Gu Chaoyan should know that he had other choices apart from her even though he kept sucking up to her before. Zhao Dier made her not that unique, so she should be cautious. Zhou Huailing was observing Gu Chaoyan just to catch some emotion from her, so he could move on, but after a long while¡­ He failed to find anything. Gu Chaoyan seemed to be cold and expressionless. He could not read through her. Zhou Huailing felt a bit unsure. Gu Chaoyan was too difficult to read. As he was wondering about what was going on, Gu Chaoyan said quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you are trying to suck up to Lady Dier. I am here to buy things. The Fanghua Pill belongs to me and I can use it to make a deal. Why would I care about anything else?¡± Having said that, she continued and ignored Zhou Huailing. Gu Chaoyan wasn¡¯t a very talkative person. She did not care what Zhou Huailing might think, but she was going to rify things with him. @@novelbin@@ Hearing her rification¡­ Zhou Huailing suddenly became happy. See? That was what a woman was like. She did care, even though she looked calm on the surface. Otherwise why did she try to rify? Junyi was right. Women should not be spoiled, or they would think that you were only theirs and would start to act arrogantly. Zhou Huailing followed behind arrogantly. He thought for a while¡­ and then he caught up with Zhao Dier, trying to show her care and asking if she needed anything, telling her that if she did need anything, she could definitely have it. Zhao Dier was not stupid enough to not realize what was going on. Especially when she thought of what she had seen after she came to the Saint Divine Land. The Crown Prince at the Saint Divine Land was very noble, but in front of Zhao Dier, he was nothing. She would never get involved with the Crown Prince! However, since he was sucking up to her, she was not going to kick him away. She would very much like to see how he demeaned himself and belittled the Phoenix Girl. Zhou Huailing asked his men to make some exchanges, feeling d that Zhao Dier was bothering with him. After some moves, Zhao Dier decided to look at Gu Chaoyan to see what she would do about it. Maybe, as she hoped, she would be angry. She turned around, but failed to see Gu Chaoyan. She was just confused¡­ when Gu Chaoyan¡¯s cold voice arose. She followed the directions and found Gu Chaoyan speaking in front of a store. Chapter 1591 Drug 4 Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. That was the exact reaction she had expected her to have. This Elder Miss from Piaomiao Pavilion was too arrogant and that would be her barrier. She might be very capable and talented in Piaomiao Pavilion or where she cultivated, but she was blindfolded by this fact. She was not the best in the whole world. There were many more people who were skillful with what they specialized in, but did not reveal that to the market. For example¡­ the owner at the drug''s store. The drug would not kill her, but she would have to suffer. Gu Chaoyan got into their wagon with Sword One, heading back to her ce to prepare the pills. Zhou Huailing and Zhao Dier were still there. They were supposed to head back to the court. Zhou Huailing had been startled, but hearing that it was just a minor issue, he was not worried. He said happily, "Lady Dier, if it is just a minor issue, let''s go back to the court to get the antidote. I will take revenge on Huaishi for your sake. You don''t need to be worried about it." Zhou Huailing tried to pamper her gently, but that irritated Zhao Dier even more. "Just get away from me." She pushed him away and left arrogantly. Zhou Huailing looked unhappy. Zhao Dier did not even save him any face in public. Zhou Huailing grumbled unhappily. Zhao Dier did not speak with him, but hurried into the court to find her fellows from Piaomiao Pavilion. Zhou Huailing went back to his own mansion. He let his temper out when he was at the mansion. He threw himself into the study, impatiently. "Zhao Dier is just too self-centered in front of me!" Zhou Huailing felt very annoyed about this. He was the Crown Prince, and even if he lowered himself, what he needed was for her to be moved and like him, but she was snapping back at him all this while. What was going on? However, Junyi thought something different. "The Crown Prince, that is good. Lady Dier is starting to treat you differently. She did not even speak with you at the beginning, but now she is throwing her temper at you. So you can continue to pamper her until she is used to your care. At that time, our purpose will be reached. As for the humiliation you got today¡­ we will take revenge one day. We have to tolerate temporary humiliation," Junyi said quietly. "¡­" "I feel that you have harvested a lot on this trip." "¡­" "The Phoenix Girl is getting jealous, and Lady Dier treats you as her own." "¡­" "Soon, your wish will be reached." "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "When Lady Dier gets detoxified, I feel that you can ask Lady Chaoyan about getting engaged to you and then you can ask Lady Chaoyan if she can offer you some charms¡­ if she nods, then the answer will finally be revealed." Junyi started to make arrangements. Zhou Huailing nodded. Hearing what Junyi said, he felt that it should be like this. Good. There was no need to be displeased about anything like this. *** In the court. Zhao Dier went to Elder Qianji the moment she went back to the court. She asked unhappily, "Elder Qianji, can you detoxify me?" Chapter 1594 - 1594 It is Her 3 1594 It is Her Elder Qianji had intended to take her back. Hearing Zhao Dier¡¯s order, he nodded naturally. Thank you readers! Lingyun was definitely the best drug-maker and he could tell after seeing the ck spot on Zhao Dier¡¯s neck that Lingyun¡¯s skills had been improved. She was good at drugging people without showing it, and it worked perfectly well on cultivators like Zhao Dier. He was going to bring her back. She was going to be very useful for him and Piaomiao Pavilion. It was good that Zhao Dier was drugged. They found Lingyun whom they had been looking for in the past few years. Elder Qianji returned to his own room and was about to prepare the news for Wuxing. He started to ready the pills she might need. *** The following day, Gu Chaoyan went to Huaishi with the pills she had prepared the day before. In fact, after she saw how Zhao Dier got drugged, she realized that she had underestimated this woman¡¯s skills. So she not only had pills ready, but also read a few books on drugs from the study in the space. After reading, she eventually realized that this woman was indeed skillful. That was why she got herself so badly drugged. What a strange woman! She was good at making drugs, but she wasn¡¯t good at making antidotes. Gu Chaoyan was a person that could do so well in medical skills. Gu Chaoyan felt that she was going to harvest more than some great drugs on her visit to Huaishi. Therefore, she was in a good mood on her way to Huaishi. Gu Chaoyan could go into Huaishi easily without the ribbon. She came to the store easily. Sure enough, the woman was waiting for her at the store. Also¡­ Gu Chaoyan could tell by the first nce that her toxic elements had be worse, and she could even see some worms crawling on her face. ¡°Here with the upper-grade pills?¡± The woman sounded urgent. She was in desperate need of some pills. True. Not many people would trade drugs with upper-grade pills here at Huaishi. Gu Chaoyan passed the pills to her. ¡°Please have a look at it and see if you like it.¡± She did not know how to rank pills, but she was confident to say that those pills were definitely better than Fanghua Pill. Also¡­ she made the pills with magical water. She added more magical water in the original for her sake. She took the pills and took a long sniff after removing the lid. Then she turned a surprised look at Gu Chaoyan. She felt fresh after just taking a sniff at the pills, which were better than the upper-grade pills she had gotten from Piaomiao Pavilion. Well¡­ Those pills from Piaomiao Pavilion were nothingpared to these. Did she make the pills herself, or did it belong to some school? Which school was she working for? Confused, she took one pill greedily. @@novelbin@@ Those pills were worth any kinds of drugs! Then her eyes widened. Chapter 1598 Detoxifying 2 Who was Gu Chaoyan anyway? She was just a stranger she had met just two times. The first time they met, she desired drugs. The second time they met, she was making a deal with her. Even now, Lingyun believed that they were just business partners. Yet this woman who was making a deal with her could rationally tell her that she was not contagious and decided to keep her at the mansion for easier ess to detoxifying treatment. What about Wuxing years back? When he needed her drugs, he treated her nicely and she believed that Wuxing was really falling for her, but¡­. When she identally got poisoned, and could not figure out the solution, Wuxing moved her out as if she were a piece of trash. Then he even said that she was hideous and he did not want to take a look at her. She suddenly sneered. She was sneering at herself for being a fool before. Wuxing? He was even worse than the strangers who shared the ce of her store, let alone Lady Chaoyan. Well¡­ She agreed toe with Gu Chaoyan back at Huaishi because she wanted to take revenge, but right now, she suddenly believed that her choice was right. She was a person with a heart and flesh. She was a woman with warmth. Lingyun thanked her and followed in. On the way into Xinlin Mansion, she only ran into a few servants, who seemed a bit scared seeing Lingyun, but they still greeted Lingyun politely. Lingyun did not mind. It was already quite good of ordinary people to treat her in this way. Well, that was because they had such a great mistress. Only a mistress like Lady Chaoyan would be able to train such down-to-earth servants. Lingyun''s yard was located in the south. For one thing, there was sunshine there, and the herbs were kept there, so they had easier ess to herbs. For another, the yards here werefortable, better for Lingyun to go through the therapy. It was a great ce for her. Servants had been taking care of the yards asionally, so even if they were empty, she could still move in directly. Back in the room. Gu Chaoyan revealed the veil covering her face. Lingyun had been wearing the veil so Gu Chaoyan had not taken a closer look at her. She had discovered that there were already worms on Lingyun''s face.@@novelbin@@ So she very much wanted to get rid of the worms right now and start the detoxifying treatment tomorrow. If she was observant enough, those worms were under control because they were still small. She knew pretty well what a woman would feel when she was disfigured. She knew that pretty well. She was going to make sure that the worst case could be dodged. Lingyun was hesitant. She did not want to unveil herself. She knew pretty well what she looked like. She did not want to frighten anyone. She had not thought about returning to her old appearance. She would just be d when the poison was gone. She wanted to take revenge. "You need to remove the veil, or I can''t treat you." Gu Chaoyan stressed. "You have to face it, if you are going to be detoxified." Only then did Lingyun remove the veil. Gu Chaoyan started to observe her face carefully. Lingyun felt a bit lost. Chapter 1602 Not Found 2 She did not know that Zhao Dier was part of Piaomiao Pavilion. So what was she running away for?@@novelbin@@ Elder Qianji was furious. Nothing was working out. He failed to see the Golden Rolls. And he even lost Lingyun! Wuxing would soon be here, but that woman was not found. What was going on here!? He had never had such difficulty in making things happen. "Go and find her! And go out of Huaishi to seek for her. Try to search in the hostels and see if we can find her," Elder Qianji said seriously. There was one reason why Lingyun was not around - her poison exploded and she was under therapy, so she could not go out, but they had no time to wait for Lingyun. Hearing Elder Qianji''s order, Zhao Dier went crazy. She almost copsed! She had eaten so many upper-grade pills, but they did not work on the wound on her neck. She has not changed at all. At first¡­ she trusted Elder Qianji would be able to get the antidote soon, but even now, they could not find a way out. And today¡­ they still could not find that woman! "Elder Qianji, can you do anything or not? Didn''t you say that it is very easy to get the antidote?" Zhao Dier red at Elder Qianji, ming him for everything. If not for his promise, she would not have trusted him so deeply and missed her own n. What should they do now? Elder Qianji was annoyed. He felt even more annoyed at seeing this unreasonable Elder Miss! He had not wanted the whole thing to be like this either. Also, he did not drug her, nor was it because his men irritated Lingyun that she got drugged. He was so angry having to take the me. As they were arguing, Zhou Huailing came in. Hearing what Zhao Dier said Zhou Huailing rolled his eyes and suggested. "Lady Dier, what about asking Phoenix Girl to take a look at you? For one thing, she is a Phoenix Girl, and for another, she is really capable. Many dying people have been brought back to life by her. You have been poisoned so she should have a way out." Hearing that the Phoenix Girl was mentioned, Zhao Dier felt even more annoyed. The Phoenix Girl was also present at Huaishi, but they did not ask her for help until today. It made her feel so humiliated. "No!" Zhao Dier turned it down without hesitation. "Bring the Phoenix Girl here." Elder Qianji answered after Zhao Dier turned down the suggestion. The Head of Piaomiao Pavilion had told him to take good care of Elder Miss, but Lingyun could not be found so the antidote could not be found either. The Phoenix Girl might help, so she should be called to do some work. Elder Miss was again throwing temper. He did not care if they were at Piaomiao Pavilion, but they were outside the territory, so he was going to watch her steps. If Elder Miss was hurt when she got back, he could be humiliated as well. "Elder Miss is young and has a wild temper. She is just throwing a tantrum. Don''t listen to her, Crown Prince, get the Phoenix Girl toe check her out. The most important thing is to get the Elder Miss detoxified. Nothing else matters," Elder Qianji said. Zhou Huailing believed so as well. Lady Dier did not say anything to counter Elder Qianji. So he sent his men to fetch Gu Chaoyan as soon as possible. ¡ª At Xinlin Mansion. Chapter 1605 Benefits 3 If those were used to cure Zhao Dier, it would be such a waste, but¡­ If they were not used for Zhao Dier, she would continue to be annoying. He could handle that, but if Wuxing was here, her continuous bad temper would make things worse. If she could be treated right now, a few things could be used. Elder Qianji thought for a while. He said with a serious look on his face. "Upper-grade pills and middle-grade weapons, you can only choose one of the two, nothing more." Gu Chaoyan threw a look at Elder Qianji. She understood what he wanted. There was no way to bargain any more. In that case, she did not want to say anything else. She would definitely choose middle-grade weaponspared to the pills. She almost knew what pills from Piaomiao Pavilion were like after seeing the Fanghua Pill. "Middle-grade weapons," Gu Chaoyan said sharply. Eldee Qianji was about to fetch the weapons for her when he had one idea - it should not be like this. She did not seem to want to give them the Golden Rolls, because the condition was not tempting enough. If he could offer her something good from Piaomiao Pavilion, then she would know what Piaomiao Pavilion had and would give the Golden Rolls in exchange for better things. When she decided to use that as the exchange condition, it basically meant that she liked those things. "Get all the middle-grade weapons out for the Phoenix Girl to pick from," Elder Qianji said. "Elder Qianji!" Zhao Dier wasn''t very happy about this decision. Elder Qianji stopped her, telling her not to talk. He did not want her to ruin the n again. Zhao Dier had to purse her lips in displeasure. When the magical weapons were all presented in front of Gu Chaoyan, everything seemed very peculiar. The charms were inside as well. So Gu Chaoyan nced about and picked the charms. She felt that Xiu Jie should like this and this one could be used on any asion. Honestly¡­ she was very disappointed by those weapons. They were not as powerful as she had expected. After sating her curiosity, she took the things and brought out a pill, passing it to Zhao Dier. "Eat this, and you will recover tomorrow." Zhao Dier threw it directly into her mouth. Elder Qianji did not care about this. He asked curiously, "Are you interested in the weapons? These are just middle-grade weapons. We still have upper-grade weapons, which are definitely better." "¡­" "If you are willing to give the Golden Rolls to us, we can give you three upper-grade weapons and all of these middle-grade weapons!" Elder Qianji said with a tempting tone. Gu Chaoyan smiled. Elder Qianji was indeed experienced.@@novelbin@@ He was definitely trying to tempt her. What a pity. She was indeed a little tempted by his condition, but¡­ she did not have the Golden Rolls either. So it did not matter if she was tempted or not. Gu Chaoyan shook her head, turning him down. "That is not going to work!" Having said that, Gu Chaoyan left. Elder Qianji looked a little annoyed. This Phoenix Girl was too difficult to deal with. "The Golden Rolls¡­ we can just rob her of it, why beg her all this time?" Zhao Dier said impatiently. Elder Qianji red at Zhao Dier. He said seriously, "When the door to enchantment was opened, not only us, but the monster race, witch race could all go about, only the Phoenix Girl is able to keep them away. If we be an enemy of Phoenix Girl because of the Golden Rolls, then it would be us who loses everything!" Chapter 1609 Lingyun 1 Banquet? Why another banquet? "What is the asion?" Gu Chaoyan asked Sword One. "The eunuch said that there are guests from Piaomiao Pavilion, the Cangyan Door and the head of Snow Territory is here as well. The Saint Divine Land is hosting the banquet to greet them. You are the Phoenix Girl so you have to be present." Sword One repeated the order. However, the excuse was just on the surface. Sword One knew pretty well that Elder Miss was present not because she was the Phoenix Girl, but because everyone was there for her sake. Gu Chaoyan nodded and understood what was going on.@@novelbin@@ The King was hosting the banquet and she would be present as requested. "Elder Miss, should I get your banquet dress ready?" Sword One asked. Qing had been in charge of the Xinlin Clinic and the mansion, so Sword One was in charge of Gu Chaoyan now. Though Sword One was from the Shadow Door, after spending time with Qing, she learned a lot from her and believed that Elder Miss should be well-dressed so as to stand out. Gu Chaoyan frowned slightly. She was quite bothered by this. In the past, Qing focused a lot on dresses, and she kept nagging about this. Now it was Sword One who nagged. She shook her head slightly. "No need, daily dresses should be enough." She was not focused on this point. She was slightly worried. All of the schools were at the Saint Divine Land for one purpose - the Golden Rolls! She would need to announce the truth. She was going to tell them what was happening with the Golden Rolls. However, should she tell the truth! That was a choice Gu Chaoyan could not make right now, so she was feeling a little confused. Lingyun was also contemting. A long whileter, Lingyun followed her heart and asked. "Elder Miss, can I keep youpany on the banquet day?" Lingyun''s words brought her back. She looked at Lingyun quietly. She was about to say something when Lingyun suddenly said with hesitation. "Forget it." Wuxing was from Piaomiao Pavilion, and he, as the Senior Brother, would definitely keep Zhao Dierpany since she was here personally. Therefore, she knew that if she wanted to get close to people from Piaomiao Pavilion, then she only needed to keep Elder Misspany to the court, where she would meet Wuxing directly. And that was where her misfortune started - from Wuxing. She wanted to take revenge, so she needed to interrogate Wuxing. That was why she wanted to keep Elder Misspany, but that was just a momentary impulse. She soon stopped being reckless. Elder Miss was a kind person and treated her nicely, so she should not bring her own trouble to Elder Miss, so she was troubled. Lingyun believed that she should depend on herself to make it happen. "You can," Gu Chaoyan said warmly. Chapter 1613 Court Banquet 2 De Fu''s announcement had just quieted down¡­ It was very quiet at Ronghua Pce, with no one saying a word. People from Piaomiao Pavilion seemed to have dropped the intention of trying to suck up to Gu Chaoyan and they stopped thinking about what happened before. They were all smiling and drinking tea as if they were so innocent. Gu Chaoyan also started to be cautious. She was also sizing up people from Piaomiao Pavilion while they were sizing up Lingyun. She had met Zhao Dier and Elder Qianji, but this man next to them was a stranger to her. Nevertheless, she was almost certain that he must be Wuxing. He must have been summoned here because Elder Qianji told him about Lingyun''s existence. Why was she certain that Elder Qianji knew Lingyun - well, their facial expression exposed everything. It was going to be a very exciting show. Gu Chaoyan was thinking inwardly. The people from the Cangyan Door walked in. They greeted the King politely who returned with a slight expression. Then they greeted the Phoenix Girl kindly. "I am Mu Ning, the Young Head of the Cangyan Door, greetings, Phoenix Girl." Mu Ning greeted her politely before saying, "It should have been my father who is here to see you, but my father is too old to travel, so I have been sent." Gu Chaoyan looked at Mu Ning. The Cangyan Door, as Huang Fu mentioned, is almost as capable as Piaomiao Pavilion, but people from the Cangyan Door seemed patient, and more polite too. They had arrived at the Saint Divine Land a few days ago, but she had not been summoned to see them in the court. People from the Cangyan Door did not insist on meeting her either, and they seemed quite sincere at the moment. They were definitely better-behaved than the arrogant people from Piaomiao Pavilion. "You are wee, Young Head Mu Ning," Gu Chaoyan replied with a smile. Not far away from the gate, Zhao Dier gritted her teeth and burst. "Hypocritical!" Mu Ning ignored her, but continued to take a seat. The atmosphere at Ronghua Pce was bing very subtle after people from the Cangyan Door arrived. The two sides seemed to calcte in trying to bring each other down. Gu Chaoyan ignored them. She just continued to drink her tea whilst watching the show of the two sides. Some time passed, and the King said nothing. Soon De Fu''s voice arose. "The Head of the Snow Territory is here!" The King moved a little.@@novelbin@@ The Head of the Snow Territory? Gu Chaoyan was very curious. Snow Territory¡­ Huang Fu did mention it before, but that was the only thing he talked about - Snow Territory, the two characters, that was all. So who on earth was the Head of the Snow Territory? Gu Chaoyan turned in that direction. In came a slender silhouette dressed in white. He only had jade ornaments around his waist and he had sharp and clear facial features. He walked forward quietly, looking noble and elegant. Well¡­ Gu Chaoyan admitted that he must be the best-looking and most noble man she had ever seen apart from Zhou Huaijin. When he walked in, he did not even take a look at the King, but came to Gu Chaoyan directly. He did not waver as he looked right into her eyes. He came to Gu Chaoyan and looked down at her from a high point, saying coldly and quietly, "It has been a long time, Feng Le." Chapter 1614 Feng Le It has been a long time, Feng Le? Who was Feng Le? @@novelbin@@ Had they met each other before? Everyone was looking at the two people dressed in white, with one standing up, the other sitting. Both of them were giving out very cold air, as if they were two distantly-separated people, but looking at each other closely. Ouyang Mingjing was looking at Gu Chaoyan transfixedly, and Gu Chaoyan did not show anything. She moved her fingers, picked up her teacup and sipped the tea, saying quietly, "You are wrong. I am Gu Chaoyan." Ouyang Mingjing withdrew his long fingers that were in front of Gu Chaoyan. He chuckled. She could not recognize him any more. Not surprising, but that did not matter. They were going to know each other from this moment on, weren''t they? She was Feng Le! Ouyang Mingjing said nothing more. Nor did he deny that he had been wrong. He returned to his own seat after withdrawing his hands. Manners were quite important at the Saint Divine Land. Those schools with cultivation were wild but they still stuck to manners. For example¡­ Piaomiao Pavilion were aware that they should take the secondary seat, opposite the Cangyan Door. The top seats were for Gu Chaoyan and the Head of the Snow Territory. Therefore¡­ Gu Chaoyan could not help but look at the man from the Snow Territory. Even Piaomiao Pavilion was modest in front of the Snow Territory. It must mean that they were much more capablepared to Piaomiao Pavilion. Gu Chaoyan wasn''t surprised to see the Head of the Snow Territory here, but what surprised her was that he was calling her Feng Le, and saying that they had not seen each other for a long time. She had heard Huang Fu calling her Feng Le before. She would have ignored the coincidence if only Huang Fu called her this, but Ouyang Mingjing did it too. There was only one possible solution. She had been called Feng Le before. What was going on here? Huang Fu did not want to tell her why she was called Feng Le, but what about this Head of the Snow Territory? Did he know anything? Gu Chaoyan looked at this man thoughtfully, trying to see through him, but she failed. He was aplete stranger to her. The Head of the Snow Territory did not look at Gu Chaoyan after the conversation. Nothing around him seemed to bother him. The banquet started¡­ The King was not quite talkative nor was he trying to suck up to people from other schools. He kept drinking after making the official speech. People from Piaomiao Pavilion seemed to be in charge. People from the Cangyan Door seemed to have some chit-chat with Gu Chaoyan and the Head of the Snow Territory, but stayed mostly quiet. On the other hand, the Head of the Snow Territory seemed to be very indifferent. Gu Chaoyan was stuck with some thoughts so she became even less talkative. She turned to her own tea after speaking a few words with the Cangyan Door. It was a very strange banquet. Gu Chaoyan sipped some tea and turned to the King. She did not care about the other schools, but the King seemed quite strange. Chapter 1618 - 1618 Analyses 1618 Analyses Zhao Dier¡¯s mind started to drift away. Elder Qianji was so angry, but was toozy to speak with her. The people from the Cangyan Door were dismissed as well. On the way home, an Elder from the Cangyan Door asked. ¡°Young Head, what should we do now that the Head of the Snow Territory is not here for the Golden Rolls?¡± Mu Ning smiled briefly. @@novelbin@@ He seemed as if he had seen through everything. ¡°He is not only here for the Golden Rolls. He is greedy. He wants both the Golden Rolls and the Phoenix Girl,¡± Mu Ning said quietly, ¡°We are not able to bring down the Snow Territory, but we are not working with Piaomiao Pavilion. We know how shameless people from Piaomiao Pavilion are. We know them pretty well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, Piaomiao Pavilion is now in a very disadvantageous position.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°During these years, Piaomiao Pavilion has been powerful, but they think too highly of themselves. They arranged for their Elder Miss to meet the Phoenix Girl. She is a very jealous person, and we have heard that she has offended the Phoenix Girl many times. The Phoenix Girl hates Piaomiao Pavilion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So we should keep a lower profile and watch quietly.¡± Mu Ning said quietly, ¡°I can tell that the Elder Miss from Piaomiao Pavilion seems to have fallen for the Head of the Snow Territory. Everyone could tell from her dreamy expression.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You remember how the Head of the Snow Territory greeted the Phoenix Girl when they first met?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Piaomiao Pavilion will soon have a fight with the Head of the Snow Territory, and all we need to do is to stay away from the fight.¡± Mu Ning walked and his voice and figure were drifting away. *** At that moment¡­ Gu Chaoyan and Sword One as well as Lingyun had just arrived at the gate of the court. A very firm voice arose. ¡°Lingyun, can I speak with you?¡± It was Wuxing who talked. He spoke when not many people were around. He looked very confident. He was sure that Lingyun would respond to him if he called out to her. After all, Lingyun did not want him to be sad and distressed. She had been like that for years. He knew her well, and he knew what he should do about her. Lingyun stopped. All three women stopped. Gu Chaoyan said to her with a small voice, ¡°Go. We will be waiting for you in the wagon outside.¡± Having said this, she waited until Lingyun approached Wuxing. When Lingyun¡¯s footsteps were heard, Gu Chaoyan walked out of the gate with Sword One. Wuxing was watching all along. The Phoenix Girl did not stop Lingyun when he asked her out. And Lingyun did not even need to bow to the Phoenix Girl. He also noticed that Lingyun did not even need to take care of the Phoenix Girl back at the court. That just meant one thing ¨C Lingyun had a very high position in front of Phoenix Girl. That would be great! The Phoenix Girl would say yes to everything Lingyun said. Honestly¡­ the Phoenix Girl was not born in a noble family and was a very narrow-minded person. So she would probably regard Lingyun as everything. In that case¡­ he would be able to control the Phoenix Girl. Thinking about this, Wuxing saw Lingyun approaching him. Wuxing was staring at her dumbly. Back in the court, he did not give Lingyun a careful look, since they were slightly far apart and he was thinking about some things. Chapter 1621 - 1621 Helping 3 1621 Helping 3 When he realized what a mistake he had made, and tried to get Lingyun back, she was already gone. He truly had no other countermeasures. He regretted it terribly as well. He should not have been so impulsive as to drive her out directly. Sure enough¡­ Lingyun did not like it. That was why she could remember it to the present day. However¡­ Since that was what made Lingyun unhappy, then things were easier than he had expected. She was angry about that, meaning that she cared about that problem. And the reason why she kept saying this in front of him was because she wanted to get justice from him. Wuxing let out a sigh of relief, after making a short analysis. He took a step forward and came closer to Lingyun. With his head slightly lowered, he exined to Lingyun carefully, ¡°Lingyun, you misunderstood me! I had never wanted to drive you out years back. I made you move for your sake. You were poisoned, and the poison was hurting you. There were many peopleing back and forth in the mansion, and I was worried that you would be affected. So I decided to give you a new environment to make you feel more rxed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When I helped you move out, I had been sorting out everything in the mansion. I was even building a new house for you. I even asked for a nice day so I could get everything ready for our wedding.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°On the day when I found out about our auspicious wedding day, I came to the hostel but did not see you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I waited in the hostel for three days, hoping that you would see me as soon as you returned, but you did note back at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then I even arranged for my men to search for you, but still could not find you anywhere.¡± Wuxing said as he started to sob. He seemed so sad as if he were back to the time when he was grieving. Lingyun looked at him in surprise. In fact, what he said did move her a little. And even a while ago, she felt a little bit drawn by his speech, but¡­ when he said that he waited in the hostel for three days¡­ She instantly realized what was happening here. He was lying. It was a very thorough lie. What he did not know was that after she left the hostel, she did not leave the ce. She would go to see the hostel every day just to see if anything would ask for her there. @@novelbin@@ Half a year passed, there had never been a time when he was waiting for her three days in a row¡­ Sure enough¡­ everything was a lie. Lingyun sneered. ¡°Are you sure about what you said?¡± She must have been stupid to have almost gotten convinced by his speech. Lingyun shook her head. ¡°Everything is over, Wuxing.¡± Then she left¡­ When Wuxing finished his speech, he thought that Lingyun would truly believe his words and feel moved, but she was still leaving him. That made him panic. He was about to reply to Lingyun, but she was gone. Wuxing stomped his feet and looked at Lingyun furiously. Why was she not moved after his speech? So troublesome! It was already a great honor for a man like him to want to marry her! What rights did she have to go against him? *** ¡°How did it go?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked Lingyun, who just climbed into the wagon. Chapter 1626 - 1626 Variety Show 1626 Variety Show The Saint Divine Land was the most powerfulnd among the four countries. That was why the Saint Divine Land was open and flourishing all this while. There were all kinds of stands on the streets of the capital. Variety shows would happen every now and then. Qing did not seem too interested in such shows. @@novelbin@@ They passed by such shows before, but she was not interested in them. She only went for the food. What suddenly made her so interested in variety shows? She seemed to be very well-dressed as well. Could the variety shows in the capital turn out to be something different? Gu Chaoyan was very confused. Sword One understood what her Elder Miss was thinking. She exined. ¡°Elder Miss, there is a new variety show ss in the capital. They seem to havee from the South. They don¡¯t reside here, they are just staying here for a few days. They are going somewhere else. They have been staying in the capital for just two days, and they will soon be leaving. That is why Qing wants to see the show now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The servants from the kitchen saw the show and told Qing about it. The ss is very skillful. They put on shows that we have never seen before!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Qing likes to be in bustling ces. She wanted me to keep herpany. I was thinking that you have not been out for a while, so I was wondering if you want to join us,¡± Sword One exined with a smile. That was how they always hung out with Gu Chaoyan at Xinlin Mansion. They might be the Miss and the Maid, but they were more like sisters. Gu Chaoyan thought for a while, then she nodded. Qing had had a bitter life with her before they moved out. Now things were much better for them, but Qing never had time to do things she liked, since she was always busy with affairs at Xinlin Mansion. She was a very young girl and would have an interest in seeing lively shows. That was very normal. So she could keep herpany. ¡°Get Lingyun too. She has been in the capital for a long time, and yet she has not traveled in the city. And if the maids from the court are free, take them as well. We can all go to see the show,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Sword One smiled and went out. The maids from the court were given by the King. Gu Chaoyan epted them since she could not turn them down. She barely spoke with them personally. Sword One was in charge of the girls. However, Gu Chaoyan still offered them equally good treatment even though their names were not known to her. They had been working the court and then the mansion, and they barely went out, so she decided to take them out of the mansion for fun. People like them might not have such a chance in the future. One hourter¡­ the arrangements were done and they went out in a wagon. Qing was very happy. So were the servants. They developed deeper affection and gratitude towards Gu Chaoyan. They were most jealous of Qing and Sword One, who had such an Elder Miss to serve. They were just so lucky. The wagon went onwards slowly. However, it did not move as it reached the market. ¡°What is it, Mr. Coachman?¡± Chapter 1630 - 1630 Lingyun’s Reaction 4 1630 Lingyun¡¯s Reaction 4 That was why he was fearless. He was going to let others know about their rtionship without trying to conceal it. She could see through his purpose directly. ¡°Then you can talk,¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly, took a step aside and kept a distance from Wuxing. She showed no interest in speaking with him. Wuxing felt very helpless. He had not expected that it would be so difficult to speak with the Phoenix Girl. So he had to put his hope on Lingyun. He ttered and looked at Lingyun in a pretentious tone, ¡°Will you talk with me, Lingyun?¡± Lingyun nced at him coldly, ¡°Take care.¡± Having said this, she was about to leave. Wuxing panicked. He grabbed her. ¡°What on earth is going on? You can tell me what you are angry at me for!¡± He already showed his rtionship with Lingyun in front of Phoenix Girl, who should know that he and Lingyun had a special rtionship. He was also betting that Lingyun was concerned about him. She would not humiliate him even if she was angry. However¡­ Lingyun was beyond his control now. She was not thinking about him at all. He did not want this to happen. He wanted his n to work out properly. Lingyun flung his hands away, then she nced at him, then at the maid next to him. ¡°I am not happy. I was poisoned because she set me up, so I am not happy seeing my enemy, got it?¡± Lingyun said straightforwardly. Wuxing was shocked. He turned to the maid Lingyun pointed at. How could that be possible? How could she know about it? He always believed that she had no idea. No wonder she never wanted to speak with him, no matter what he did. That was the case. ¡°She poisoned you at the mansion?¡± Wuxing asked seriously. Then he turned lethal. ¡°I will not keep an evil woman like this!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like her. I will have her killed, as long as you are happy!¡± Without a moment of hesitation, Wuxing grabbed a hidden weapon and tossed it directly at the maid, urately hitting the maid¡¯s throat. The maid¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She fell backwards. The civilians passing by were all shocked too. They screamed and rushed away. Lingyun was shocked too. To her knowledge, this maid should be important to him, otherwise she would not have set her up before. She had been thinking about killing her as long as she was detoxified all these years, but she had not expected that the revenge would be taken so quickly, after she said a few words. Gu Chaoyan clearly had not expected this. She told Sword One to carry away the body and told Lingyun to leave the scene first. Lingyun was still quite distracted, but she was soon taken away. Within a short moment, only Wuxing and a few of his guards remained, together with some blood traces on the floor. The other maids were shocked too. They had not expected that their master would kill one of them so easily. Wuxing wiped his hands with his handkerchief. He moved forward with a deep look on his face, saying displeased, ¡°Too many people are here. Pave the way and get rid of everyone in the way.¡± @@novelbin@@ The maids and the guards followed the order. *** At Xinlin Mansion. Gu Chaoyan fed the maid a lot of magical water. She could not swallow any pills due to the weapon on her throat. The magical water could keep her alive for a short while. Chapter 1634 - 1634 Open and Fair 2 1634 Open and Fair 2 Gu Chaoyan spoke in a calm voice, but she sounded quite imposing to the imperial army. The chief could not help but wipe the sweat from his forehead. The King gave the order, but the Phoenix Girl gave another one. What should he do? ¡°Phoenix Girl, please, the King ordered that Lord Huai is to be grounded in the mansion. I am doing this based on the imperial order. Don¡¯t make me make a choice, please. I can¡¯t do anything about it,¡± the chief said, looking very pitiful. He hoped that the Phoenix Girl would not give them a hard time. They were the group that could never speak with the Phoenix Girl, but¡­ she was the Phoenix Girl and her news spread around. It was said that the Phoenix Girl had a weird temper, but she treated servants very nicely. Those servants who worked at the Gu Mansion, and those who served her but came from the court and those who were by her side shared almost the same privileges as their Miss. So if he told her what was going on, she should not give him a hard time. Gu Chaoyan nced at him. She said reasonably, ¡°The King did ground Lord Huai, and didn¡¯t want him to leave Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion, but the King has never forbidden me to walk into Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion. I am not disobeying the King¡¯s order, and I am not asking Lord Huai to leave the mansion.¡± Hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, the chief was startled. The Phoenix Girl was absolutely right. He got the order to watch over Lord Huai, and that Lord Huai was not allowed to walk out of the mansion, but there was no order saying that there should not be any guests. So it was a very reasonable request. However, he was working for the court and he knew that the King wanted Lord Huai to die in the mansion alone. Before¡­ no one would dare go into the mansion without permission, so no one had predicted that the Phoenix Girl woulde. He was not in the position to stop her, so he stepped aside and told his men to pass on the message to the court. Gu Chaoyan went directly into Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion with a straight back, under the imperial army¡¯s watch. Sword One was chuckling after seeing how embarrassed the imperial army was. Uncle Zhou came forward the moment she walked in. He nced about and looked outside. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, they did not give you a hard time, did they? You might get into trouble now that you havee here. Lady Chaoyan, just go back.¡± Uncle Zhou made the speech, but he was very moved. @@novelbin@@ Everyone dodged Lord Huai when he was in trouble, but Lady Chaoyan was here. What more could he say about thisdy. Gu Chaoyan smiled. ¡°Uncle Zhou, it is fine. The King never said that we aren¡¯t allowed toe to the mansion, did he? Where is Lord Huai? I would like to speak with him.¡± ¡°Reading in the Warm Pavilion, let me take you there,¡± Uncle Zhou said, worried. Chapter 1638 - 1638 In Court 2 1638 In Court 2 She knew pretty well that the chief must have been punished because of her entering the mansion. She did not need to think deeply about that. The chief stopped her because that was his order, and he let her go because the order did not tell him that she should be stopped. He had not made any mistake. He was just following his orders. She had underestimated the King¡¯s cruelty. He did not even forgive those who worked for him! He should not have punished everyone he disliked. She whispered to Sword One and then, she got into the wagon. Sword One could not ride in the same wagon as her when the wagon was from the court. So she had no choice but to walk outside. Gu Chaoyan fell into contemtion inside the wagon. When the wagon entered the court, the servants asked her, discreetly, to get off the wagon. Gu Chaoyan was never a very critical person, but that was usually what servants from the court did, so she let them do it. She got off the wagon and was led to Qianqing Pce by the servants. Honestly¡­ the King barely used Qianqing Pce after Piaomiao Pavilion and the Cangyan Door arrived. He only received guests at Ronghua Pce. This time¡­ the King must be nning to meet her alone, since the meeting was taking ce at Qianqing Pce. He must want to ask her about her visit at Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion. Gu Chaoyan had already sorted things through on the way to meet him, so she knew what to do. Sword One could not follow her in, ording to the rules, so Gu Chaoyan walked in Qianqing Pce alone. Seated on his chair, the King was being served by De Fu. The King was not reading, but sat there transfixed, which was very surprising. After the Queen left, the King read the petitions or the books the Queen left for him. Gu Chaoyan did not think that was because he missed the Queen. He must be feeling very guilty, but he was not reading now. Seeing Gu Chaoyan entering the pce, the King stopped staring and turned to Gu Chaoyan, looking unfazed. ¡°You went to Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion?¡± the King asked, sounding distressed. ¡°Yes¡± ¡°You know Lord Huai is grounded?¡± ¡°Yeah, so I went in rather than letting hime out.¡± Gu Chaoyan spoke reasonably. The King was silent for a while. True. She always had her argument. He did miss this point when giving the order. When he grounded someone, Honored Princess Jing for example, they would not receive anyone, nor did her son go to visit her to make her situation embarrassing. Because they knew that she was grounded because she made a mistake. Gu Chaoyan was disgusting. She always ignored his authority. Okay, then, he was going to make her argument die. ¡°De Fu, give the imperial order that no one is allowed to walk into Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion from today on!¡± the King said, distressingly. The imperial order was made purposefully for Gu Chaoyan, because of what she did today. @@novelbin@@ De Fu was surprised, but he did not think about it. So he went to give the imperial order. ¡°You are not allowed to walk into Lord Huai¡¯s Mansion again, now that the imperial order has been given.¡± The King said, ¡°You are the Phoenix Girl, and I did not put it clearly in the past, because I hoped that you would figure it out yourself, but it seems that you can¡¯t. So I am going to tell you clearly right now.¡± Chapter 1642 Marriage 1 Piaomiao Pavilion and the Cangyan Door were all here for the Golden Rolls. The Head of the Snow Territory never mentioned the Golden Rolls. He was always very mysterious, but he had to be here for another reason. Soon he would know about it, so he was very excited. Ouyang Mingjing smiled and said straightforwardly, "It is about my marriage." "¡­" "King, you may not know that the heir of the Snow Territory and the Phoenix Girl have been engaged since ancient times. Now the Phoenix Girl is here, and I am here to take the Phoenix Girl back to the Snow Territory." "¡­" "We are here to offer the betrothal gifts to marry the Phoenix Girl." "¡­" "The betrothal gifts are on the way, and soon they will arrive," Ouyang Mingjing said and smiled brightly. The King could no longerugh after hearing what Ouyang Mingjing said. The Phoenix Girl was not going to move to the Snow Territory! That would not give them any benefits. He was very conflicted. He almost forgot why he did not want the Phoenix Girl to go to the Snow Territory. "That is impossible!" The King turned him down even with an aching head. The King''s denial did not change Ouyang Mingjing''s emotion. He was still wearing a smile, saying quietly, "I am just telling you, not asking you for your opinion." "¡­" "The Phoenix Girl and Snow Territory''s engagement has been since ancient times, and you can''t interfere with it." "¡­" "I am just telling you about it out of politeness." When he finished speaking¡­ he got up¡­ adjusted his clothes and left directly. The King was seated on his chair. He turned red from anger, then he supported his head tiredly.@@novelbin@@ De Fu saw that and asked the eunuch to take the King back to the bed for rest. The King was getting older. He was not as strong as before. He always dozed off like this. It was good that no one was around, so it should not affect anything. *** "Wuxing, what do you think?" Elder Qianji asked Wuxing who was next to them. "That should not happen!" Zhao Dier screamed before he answered. She was very dissatisfied by this matter. The Head of the Snow Territory wanted to marry Gu Chaoyan? That was not going to happen! Impossible! She already wrote the letter to her father and she was going to marry the Head of the Snow Territory. Elder Qianji did not interrupt Zhao Dier. Having said that, Zhao Dier was already rolling her eyes, wondering what she should do. Soon, she had an idea. "I have got an idea! Leave it to me," Zhao Dier said, and rushed out. Wuxing was about to grab Zhao Dier¡­ Zhao Dier was always very impulsive and she might do something bad and affect the whole situation, but Elder Qianji waved him off. "Zhao Dier might have a better idea than us. Women will always know how to set up women, just let her do whatever she wants, we can just offer some support, that is all," Elder Qianji said firmly. "¡­" "But Wuxing, what do you think? The Phoenix Girl doesn''t seem to have an interest in giving us the Golden Rolls!" Chapter 1647 - 1647 Marriage Alliance 2 1647 Marriage Alliance 2 Ouyang Mingjing got out of the wagon and observed the board on Xinlin Mansion¡¯s gate, thinking and saying quietly, ¡°This is her mansion?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She seems to have written the characters on the board.¡± Her calligraphy was wild and cold, attracting people to get close to her, but stopping them because of her cold personality. ¡°Go and knock on the door,¡± Ouyang Mingjing said to his guard. The guard did as told. Qing opened the door, and was about to ask who it was, when she saw Ouyang Mingjing behind the guard. The guard asked wildly, ¡°Is the Phoenix Girl here?¡± Qing brought herself back, when asked. ¡°Who are you, what are you asking for Elder Miss for?¡± Qing asked. ¡°Tell your Elder Miss that it is the Head of the Snow Territory who wants to tell her something important.¡± Ouyang Mingjing walked past the guard before answering. He lost his patience when the door was opened. He wanted to put everything clearly in case the Phoenix Girl went out to do something stupid. How could the Phoenix Girl demean herself for the sake of a man? Qing did as told. Gu Chaoyan allowed them entrance without hesitation. She would very much like to see what he wanted. Ouyang Mingjing walked into the mansion after the message was passed on. He walked very slowly as he sized up the nts in Xinlin Mansion. He had known that he would be the head of the Snow Territory when he started to understand the world, and that his wife would be the Phoenix Girl. His marriage alliance with the Phoenix Girl was an old tale. Every Phoenix Girl married the Head of the Snow Territory. It meant that it did not matter who she was. It was all because of the marriage alliance. He happened to be the Head of the Snow Territory whilst she was the Phoenix Girl. However, he still had one small hope. He wanted the whole Snow Territory to know that the Phoenix Girl was the best being in the world, just like the lotus flower growing in their ce. Ouyang Mingjing stiffened. He had not yet taken a seat, so¡­ he sat down quietly in the face of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s inquiry. He arranged his clothes and picked up the teacup and sipped from it. Then he said seriously, ¡°I need to tell you one thing very clearly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I went to the King yesterday for this as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I traveled all the way here for this thing as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Me and you have a marriage alliance,¡± Ouyang Mingjing said seriously. Haha. Gu Chaoyan almost choked on the tea because of what he said. Their marriage alliance? So he went to the King and asked about this after they ran into each other. So it was still rted to her¡­? She had no parents, no matchmaker who connected them and she did not like him, so why did they have a marriage alliance?@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1651 Monsters 1 The people from the clinics were all shocked upon hearing her order. The monsters had hurt many people and they were very badly injured too. The clinics could not promise to cure them, and if the patients died at their ces, the names would be ruined. "Listen to the Phoenix Girl!" Some anxious civilians shouted. The people from the clinics had to transfer everyone out. Gu Chaoyan started to prepare the medicine and cream. 20 people were transferred to her ce. Gu Chaoyan put on the medicine and fed them pills based on their wounds. A few hours passed, and those people were stabilized. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. "Change their cream and feed them soup ording to my arrangement, the wounded should be fine soon," Gu Chaoyan said seriously. At this point, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Gu Chaoyan turned to a few who were slightly injured, asking, "Where did you get injured by the monsters? What did they look like?" The variety show ss was already closed down by the Shadow Door, so they should not have been the sources. If not, where did theye from? It seemed that the situation was worse than they had expected. Monsters appeared everywhere in the country and soon, the situation would be worse.@@novelbin@@ "On the street not far from here, it was not on the avenue, but many people were there. They were tricky and they rushed away where they came from. We did not see them carefully, but Phoenix Girl, I am sure they are monsters, because they are ugly and they don''t walk on their feet like us." The wounded man got very excited as he spoke. It was good that he was very far away, so he was just slightly injured. One step closer and he would have lost his life. So scary! However, the monsters were not caught and now they were out there hurting people. Since he was wounded, he would stay at home and note out, otherwise he might lose his life. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She more or less understood what was going on here. Those civilians were ordinary people, and they were not like those from Piaomiao Pavilion, who were cultivators and able to defend themselves against ordinary monsters. That was why they were so easily wounded. What should they do when monsters are everywhere? Gu Chaoyan felt a little bothered in the clinic. She looked outside. Gu Chaoyan frowned and noticed that something was weird. She nced outside the clinic. People who were injured by monsters were all located here, and she had been informed about this hours ago¡­ why didn''t anyone from the courte to ask about this? Gu Chaoyan was confused¡­ So was Wuxing who was in the court. He asked Elder Qianji, heart twisting. "Will that really work? Monsters are everywhere, and the capital will be gone." Elder Qianji said casually, "Those useless people have no cultivation and they are alive today, but they may get killed by monsters sooner orter, so, why not just¡­" Chapter 1656 Elder Qianjis Plan 4 Gu Chaoyan was about to pass by him, but Elder Qianji stopped her. He looked as if he had known what would happen. He said to Gu Chaoyan, confidently, "Phoenix Girl, what is your n?" "¡­" "Make a deal with me, so that you won''t be bothered. Now you can only work with us, or you will lose a great deal," Elder Qianji said confidently. The King would definitely not agree with her, and she would not get any support. In the end, she would be put in a dilemma. He was willing to make the deal with her, and he was like a saving straw. He did not think that the Phoenix Girl would turn him down.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan sized him up carefully. It seemed that he knew clearly what might happen, and he was sure that she would say yes to his request. It seemed that he had predicted what the King would say to her¡­ Why? However¡­ Well¡­ he was not going to get what he wanted. Because he kept wanting her to bring out the Golden Rolls, she was sure that she was not going to say a word about the Golden Rolls to people from Piaomiao Pavilion. The Golden Rolls were missing, but few people knew that. She had hesitated whether she should talk to those schools about the Golden Rolls. However¡­ it seemed that she was not going to do things like this. Gu Chaoyan looked at Elder Qianji, shaking her head. "Elder Qianji, please go back to your court and have a rest. Stop wasting time here with me. I am not going to make a deal with you." "¡­" "Please," Gu Chaoyan said coldly. Elder Qianji had almost burst out that they were going to have a deal, when he heard Gu Chaoyan''s words. He was in total disbelief. She was not willing to do so even at this point? That was impossible! When Elder Qianji was about to confirm, Gu Chaoyan was already gone. Elder Qianji was surprised. She was too young, after all. She had no idea what was good for her. He was going to see how much longer she could hold. Nothing would change with the King, and the Cangyan Door had reached a deal with Piaomiao Pavilion about reading the Golden Rolls together rather than contacting the Phoenix Girl separately. He did not need to worry about the Snow Territory, because what he wanted was to marry the Phoenix Girl, and she could be taken away when she was at her lowest. The situation was settled, and it was clear how things were going to go. She would have no way out. It would just take a few more days before she changed her mind. Elder Qianji flung his sleeves and wondered how much longer she was going to hold on. He returned to the court, displeased. *** Gu Chaoyan went onto the wagon and was about to head back to Xinlin Mansion, when a voice arose behind her back. "Feng Le!" Him again! Gu Chaoyan knew who it was when she heard the voice. Only two people called her Feng Le, and one of them was outside the court. Gu Chaoyan did not want to have anything to do with him since what happenedst time. "Feng Le, hey!" Ouyang Mingjing shouted again, as he approached Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 1661 - 1661 Acacia beans’ Connection 2 1661 Acacia beans¡¯ Connection 2 He had been suspecting how Acacia beans would work, but when he heard this voice, he eventually understood what Elder Man said. Acacia beans connected two people so they were always connected with each other, but the girl was not Pheonix Girl, it was the maid! Ouyang Mingjing moved his eyes from the Phoenix Girl to her. Dressed in a green blouse made of excellent material, she did not look like a servant. The blouse was very simple, and she looked pretty too, but very ordinarypared to the Phoenix Girl. Nevertheless, he got excited for this ordinary-looking maid, and his heart could not stop beating, as if he wanted to always look at her. How could that be possible? What was going on?! He put the Acacia beans in the pastry personally, and the Phoenix Girl should have eaten the pastry. It should have been the Phoenix Girl who was connected to him, not this maid! It had to be the Phoenix Girl, not anyone else, didn¡¯t it? Ouyang Mingjing looked extremely confused. When Qing saw Ouyang Mingjing, she could not help but think about him. They had just met a few times. When they first met with each other, Qing had developed her admiration towards this handsome man, but Qing knew exactly what position she was in. She had never imagined the position of this man. She admired him in her heart, but whenever she thought about this, she felt quite d. However, things were bing very serious. She seemed to be unable to control her affection. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Just eat here. Have you eaten breakfast, Head? Should we eat together?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked politely. Ouyang Mingjing was here very early, so she had not eaten breakfast. She was not starving, but the girls would not allow her to starve, so Gu Chaoyan epted the offer. After asking that, Gu Chaoyan did not hear Ouyang Mingjing¡¯s response, so she looked up and saw Ouyang Mingjing. She found that there was something wrong with him, then she turned to Qing and frowned. What? She realized what was going on here, though she was not very sensitive towards affection. Gu Chaoyan sounded a bit angry, and asked with a heavy tone, ¡°Head, are you eating breakfast with us?¡± Having said that, she turned to Qing. ¡°Qing, what are you staring at, go and bring breakfast.¡± Gu Chaoyan sounded quite strict. Soon she realized something and added, ¡°Qing, you can go and read the booklets, Sword One will have breakfast prepared instead.¡± Qing came back to herself after she made the arrangement, and left. Chapter 1665 Opinion 3 "Head, that is not what I meant¡­ the door to enchantment has opened and the world is bing chaotic. We from the top-ss schools need to protect ourselves, and we just need you to spare your efforts. Piaomiao Pavilion is small in front of you, but we have many schools here, and if the Golden Rolls is hidden, the Snow Territory will be in a bad position as well!" "¡­" "What do you think, Head?" Elder Qianji sounded threatening. He did not want to be concerned about this any more. They feared the Snow Territory, but the Snow Territory went against them, which was naturally not good. They could retreat, but not all the time. They had their own missions too. "The Snow Territory has never had anything to do with your Piaomiao Pavilion. We are in the Saint Divine Land together, and you can do your own work, but I will do mine. We are not working with you. We are not disturbing each other. If we are, you can do whatever you want with it, but I am not going to change anything just for your sake!" "¡­" "Elder Qianji, I don''t want to see you any longer," Ouyang Mingjing said impatiently. Elder Qianji looked at Ouyang Mingjing in disbelief. He had not expected that Ouyang Mingjing would not consider him! They were showing that they were going to be Piaomiao Pavilion''s enemy. Well, well, well. Piaomiao Pavilion had thought about respecting the Snow Territory, but it seemed that the Snow Territory was not respecting them at all. In that case¡­ Okay! Elder Qianji left angrily. Ouyang Mingjing did not care about this. Seeing him leaving, he got up and left as well. *** Elder Qianji smashed away the tea on the table. He said furiously, "The Snow Territory doesn''t show us any respect. They insist on being part of it, so we will not share anything good with the Snow Territory." "¡­" "Our n is ruined, just because of them!" "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "Wuxing, go and find Lingyun at Xinlin Mansion. We must get her to help us. She loves you deeply and she will do whatever she can to help you! How can she be so useless after such a long while?" Elder Qianji was so irritated that he interrogated Wuxing when he thought of Lingyun. Elder Qianji was furious, but so was Wuxing. Lingyun loved him deeply, and would do anything for him. He also implied to Lingyun that she should help him, especially by speaking to the Phoenix Girl, but after such a long while, he had not heard anything from Lingyun, as if he had evaporated. Lingyun would normally report to him about what was going on, even if their project was dyed, so that he would know what was going on. He felt very ufortable now that Lingyun stoppeding to him and sticking with him. After being interrogated by Elder Qianji, he felt even worse. "Okay. I will go to Xinlin Mansion and speak with her. Lingyun is less reliable right now. I even promised to her that we will get married. I will tell her that if she fails to do such a minor thing, we will not talk about marriage until she is done." Chapter 1669 The Golden Rolls 1 De Fu shared some small talk with Gu Chaoyan on the way there. Their topics were casual, as if they were just chatting. The Phoenix Girl was still someone who respected a Chief like De Fu, after all. However, through the topics, he was passing on what was going on in the court to Gu Chaoyan. That was something a smart person would do. De Fu was an eunuch, but he was someone with his own principles and redlines. No matter what happened to the King, he would still show utter devotion. However, Gu Chaoyan did him a favor before, so he was protecting her with his own methods. When De Fu told her about the arrival of the ministers and officers, it meant one thing - the King was summoning her for a different purpose this time. This time¡­ All the ministers were present. So it was not about having a private conversation. No matter what promise the King made to her before¡­ he did this for one reason. Gu Chaoyan''s face sank. De Fu led the way and as he was reminding Gu Chaoyan about the road ahead, he quietly sized up her expression. Through how she looked, he tried to guess if Gu Chaoyan understood what he meant.@@novelbin@@ De Fu was assured upon seeing that she did. So he continued without saying anything more. These days¡­ something seemed to be wrong with the King. De Fu could not understand what was going on. The King was also quite cautious towards him, which had never happened before. The King always trusted him in the past. De Fu did not feel that it was a good omen. In the court, there were no ministers like Prime Minister Chu and General Liu, who were devoted to the King and for the country, so De Fu could not even say a thing to any minister, except for the Phoenix Girl, whom he trusted rtively more. Hopefully, what he had told the Phoenix Girl could make her realize that she had to offer him some help. De Fu was very concerned. He was not young any more, but he aged very fast these days, now that so many things happened in the court and with the King. After they got into the wagon leading to the court, the wagon headed directly into the pce. Hearing the sound of horse hoofs, Gu Chaoyan started to think. It seemed the King was resolute enough to force her to offer the Golden Rolls, taking the people from the Pavilion''s side. She had no idea when the world would turn chaotic, but soon, there would be chaos in the capital. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. Soon they came to the gate. As Gu Chaoyan got out of the wagon, she noticed a few ministers heading in the same direction as she did. They greeted her politely, without approaching her. Gu Chaoyan also wanted to stay away from the ministers, with whom she did not want to socialize. "Come this way." De Fu reminded her cautiously. Gu Chaoyan saw that they were heading to the main pce. Sure enough¡­ that was exactly what she had expected. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly and walked towards the main pce. When she reached the pce the Ministers and officers were all present. De Fu called. "The Phoenix Girl has arrived!" Then he politely led Gu Chaoyan into the pce. "Greetings, Phoenix Girl!" The Ministers and officers all greeted Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan stood quietly among them. Chapter 1672 The Golden Rolls 4 The King looked at Gu Chaoyan quietly, waiting for what she was going to say next. Seeing that the King was not responding to her, Gu Chaoyan continued. "Shadow Door is already guarding the civilians in the capital, whether or not you are going to send out any forces from the court." Having said that, Gu Chaoyan turned around and left. The Shadow Door? The Shadow Door was there! The news broke out in the court, triggering everyone to talk about it. The King staggered unsteadily, but when De Fu was about to help him, the King put his hands on the table, supporting himself withplete focus. He coughed constantly, with blood spilling from his mouth. The King wiped it away with a handkerchief, and when he saw the blood, his eyes widened. De Fu also realized that something wasn''t right. He went up to hold the King under his arms, asking, "My King, should you dismiss the session?" The King nodded, urgently said something, got up and left. The King was in bad health, but the ministers and officers should not know about it, especially under such an asion like today. The Shadow Door had emerged from the darkness into broad daylight. They were involving themselves with what was happening in the capital. Nothing would matter when the Shadow Door was just a small ce, but things were different today. The Shadow Door was an organization that the court was very afraid of. If they got involved with capital affairs, the court would be emptied out from inside. He had made a mistake. He had really made a mistake. He should not have left the monsters alone and threatened Gu Chaoyan. The threat failed, and all that came after seemed to be a great loss. The King panicked. "Bring Elder Qianji Elderly Man from Piaomiao Pavilion here. I need to speak with him!" the King said to De Fu. De Fu was skeptical, but he did as he was told. The King panted uneasily. Elder Qianji came in straight from the main hall. He seemed really unhappy. He sat down with a dark face. "Elder, what should we do now? My throne is being threatened!" the King said, sounding very regretful! "You can''t even deal with a young girl! Your throne is obviously going to be threatened, sooner orter!" Elder Qianji said unhappily, "We havee to where we are today. We must force her to give us the Golden Rolls! You must not hide behind the curtains!" The King felt anxious. "Let''s drop the Golden Rolls for the moment!" "Then we are done with the pills as well." Elder Qianji said quietly. "No way!" The King shouted excitedly. He hade to where he was, and was soon going to be immortal. He could not stop taking the pills that could make him live forever. "I will think about the Golden Rolls, but you have to help me. Shadow Door¡­ it is the biggest threat!" The Shadow Door? What kind of school was it so he was so afraid of it. "I will help you with Shadow Door, but we must get the Golden Rolls within five days, or we are done!" Elder Qianji said, also giving the King pressure. The King''s head was buzzing, but he was sure about his goal of bing immortal. He was going to work on it. Gu Chaoyan cared about Lord Huai, did she? Then they would make a deal with her using Lord Huai!@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1676 Possible Head 1 "I don''t think that Lord Huai''s life will not be enough for you!" the King said fiercely, as he said viciously. He could have Lord Huai killed if it was necessary. De Fu, who had been kowtowing, stopped when he heard what the King said. With his eyes on the King, he said, "No, my King, that is not possible!" "¡­" "Lord Huai is your son!" The King had always had a grudge inside his heart, and that had made him treat his sons differently.@@novelbin@@ Nevertheless, the King, no matter how angry he was, would always give them a safe ce and keep them alive. He hated the Jiang Family, but the most he did was to ignore Lord Huai so that he had no power and let him stay in the capital, but now¡­ The King was going to have Lord Huai killed? What would others say about the King and what would the King''s reputation be if he did that? Even the most brutal King in the world never killed his own son! That was so cold-hearted of him! Since when did the King be like this? De Fu was extremely confused. He was the King''s servant. Even if no one else gave him a reminder, he should, at any cost. Sure enough¡­ the moment he said that, De Fu got a heavy kick. "You damn servant, how dare you have a hand in my order. You are just a low-ss servant. Just because you grew up with me, can you teach me what to do?" "¡­" "Someone, take this servant to the dungeon. Set him as an example, so that no one will dare to override me without knowing what position they are in!" De Fu looked at the King in disbelief. He was not the King. The King never did things like this. No, this was not him. After a moment, De Fu was escorted away. It was quiet again in Qianqing Pce, but the other servants started to panic after seeing this, fearing that they would get killed as well. Working at Qianqing Pce used to be a great honor, but recently, they were all crying out bitterly from working here. They started to get jealous of those who worked at the side pce, tired from the workload but safe. The King did not care. He waited for Lord Huai to be brought to the pce. Elder Qianji just walked in. The King looked pleased. Elder Qianji promised to help him look into the Shadow Door, which was involved with many things in the capital. He was going to look into its background and hopefully get them to work for him. Otherwise he would just have the Shadow Door removed. "Elder Qianji, have you brought us some good news?" the King asked. "I think it is good news, but not sure if it is good for you," Elder Qianji said. The King was confused. What did that mean? Why not for him? "What is it?" "The guard from Piaomiao Pavilion has found that the Head of Shadow Door most likely is Lord Huai of the Saint Divine Land, who, as far as I know, is your son!" Chapter 1681 Qings Weird Reaction 2 "Qing was distant from me just now. Maybe she believes that I am her Miss after all, but when you talked with her like that, you were not interrogating her." "¡­" "Has there been anything strange about Qing these days?" Gu Chaoyan asked Xiu Jie. Xiu Jie nodded without hesitation, and told Gu Chaoyan about how Qing behaved these days. Gu Chaoyan let out a sigh of relief. She just felt that it was a pity. Xiu Jie was a very down-to-earth man, whilst Qing was a gentle and kind girl. Xiu Jie treated Qing very well, and she was thinking about setting them up after everything was settled, but Qing was distracted, and she wondered if she was going to miss Xiu Jie. She really did not want Qing to walk the wrong way. "Sword One, let Sword Two follow Qing these days and see where she will be going," Gu Chaoyan said. "Okay, Elder Miss," Sword One said, sounding serious. Then¡­ Sword One asked further. "Elder Miss, what do you n to do next?" "If she really likes him, I will respect her and ask him what he thinks about Qing. If he can give Qing a good future, then we can follow Qing''s intention. If his answer isn''t satisfying, I will keep Qing. If that is not what she is thinking, we will see what happens. I am going to safeguard Qing no matter what," Gu Chaoyan said with resolution. Sword One felt assured. Xiu Jie had no idea what they were referring to, but he more or less understood what Elder Miss meant. So he was assured as well.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan did want to tell Xiu Jie the truth, but it was not yet the right time, since the truth was not yet found out. She told Xiu Jie a few more things, before returning to her own room. Qing''s behavior made her feel quite worried about her staying at Xinlin Clinic alone. *** The following day¡­ In the court. The King''s eyes were bloodshot, and he had a terrible look on his face as if he had not slept for the whole night. However, he had not been to the morning session, as he was waiting for the guards to bring news. Seeing the guard arrive, he asked nervously, "Where is he?" The guard answered anxiously, "No¡­" He was so frightened. The King was ill-tempered and he ordered the death sentence casually, without any judgment on whether or not the order was right. The people who came to Qianqing Pce felt that they were lingering at the edge of death. Especially when the news was bad. However, the King did not get anxious after hearing the answer. He quieted down. There was only one thing for sure now that the man was atrge - he ran away by himself, with a premade n, or he was rescued by someone. Who would have rescued him? Prime Minister Chu and General Liu were definitely not the right choices. The Jiang Family''s old soldiers might have done that. Seeing Lord Huai grounded, they could not stand it any more and came to rescue him. The Jiang Family imed to be full of justice and ethics, but in fact, they were doing things behind his back. He was going to use some methods to get that man out. He was going to use the Jiang Family to lure him out. Would he use old soldiers of the Jiang Family? "Go and bring Madame Jiang here, as well as the people on the list." The King tossed a booklet to the guard. Chapter 1685 End Of The Throne 1 Why? That was because Lord Huai whom he wanted to kill was the Head of the Shadow Door. That was why people from the Shadow Door were here. Gu Chaoyan knew that clearly, but she had no intention of telling the King this. "Catch those people from Shadow Door!" The King shouted. The Deputy General from the imperial army hurried in. "My King, please, let me escort you back to Qianqing Pce!" They also wanted to catch those hidden guards, but soon, they realized that the imperial soldiers were not good enough to fight against the people in ck. They were all well-trained and highly-skilled. They were not only not wounded, but they were also able to save the prisoners. It was already lucky for the King not to be wounded. The King felt quite frightened as well, but he nodded after hearing the Deputy General''s order, and hurried back to Qianqing Pce. Gu Chaoyan followed behind him, leisurely. The Shadow Door would surely save them all, so there was nothing to worry about. As they left the gate, the King slowed down. "Go and arrange as many guards for me as possible. The assassins are now in the court, and we are not safe!" Having said this¡­ he shivered in fright. Gu Chaoyan said, "I am the King! You are the Phoenix Girl! We have assassins in the court, so you should guard me, that is your responsibility!" "I don''t think that is my responsibility. Not to mention that you have been threatening me all the time. Why should I guard you?" Gu Chaoyan interrogated, without listening to the King''s orders. "Gu Chaoyan!" The King shouted furiously. "If you didn''t try to kill the innocent, the assassins would never havee. It is your fault. Lord Huai escaped, but he has never made any mistakes. You grounded him because he is engaged to me!" Gu Chaoyan sneered as she looked at the King. "Just think about it yourself, King. I already gave you a chance." Having said that, Gu Chaoyan turned around and left. The King was totally unsaveable. She had juste to persuade the King to release those innocent people, but it was thest chance she would give him. The King looked at her with bulging eyes, and was about to get people to stop her, when people from Piaomiao Pavilion passed by. The King suddenly thought of something. "Elder Qianji!" Elder Qianji looked at the King, saying, "I have other affairs to deal with and I need to get back to the court first. We can talk about other things after this." He had truly lost his patience to speak with the King, so he left with Wuxing. The King cursed behind his back, hurrying back to Qianqing Pce. "Elder, what is going on? Why didn''t you speak with the King?" Wuxing asked confusedly as they left him. Elder Qianji sneered. He had no interest in spending any time on things that were useless.@@novelbin@@ They had picked the wrong target to waste so much energy on. Elder Qianji looked at Wuxing. "Do you believe that the King will lose his throne soon? Why must I spend effort on him?" "Why?" Chapter 1688 Begging 2 Qing looked at Gu Chaoyan with a look of guilt. She wanted to say something, but she could not utter a word. She was somehow feeling more anticipation than guilt. Her parents were born in the Lin Family, and the Lin Family had treated her parents well. That was why she could serve Madame Lin at a young age and then the Elder Miss. That was an honor few servants were able to have. Because of what the Lin Family did for her, Qing took care of her Elder Miss so well. On the other hand, her contract was in the charge of Elder Miss, and she could only serve Elder Miss throughout her life. Elder Miss was a nicedy and did not treat her as a maid, but as her sister. She even gave her freedom. Because of that, she should never betray Elder Miss, but¡­ but she could not control herself. Even though she had been telling herself what she should do, she could not control herself physically. She had to betray Elder Miss in this life of hers. In her next life, she was going to serve Elder Miss again. Qing looked at Gu Chaoyan bitterly. "Elder Miss, I¡­ I am sorry!"@@novelbin@@ Having said that, Qing kept kowtowing until she had blood on her forehead, but she did not seem to notice it. It seemed as if only in this way, could she feel better. Next to her was Sword One. She wanted to help her up, but she could not do a thing, except take a step aside and look away. This was something happening between Qing and Elder Miss. Something only they could solve together. After that, there should be a settlement. Gu Chaoyan went forward and ced apassionate hand on Qing''s forehead. Qing stopped herself, and saw blood on Gu Chaoyan''s hands. It was wet and sticky, but she did not care. Gu Chaoyan took out her handkerchief and dabbed Qing''s forehead. Then she took out cream from her sleeves and put it on for her, saying gently. "Qing, don''t be sorry. You have done so much for me at the Gu Mansion. If you like him, go with him then. I have Sword One and others, all I want for you is that you can get what you want." As Gu Chaoyan spoke, she put the cream on for Qing and adjusted her clothes, taking a deep breath. "Get ready, I will take you into the court and we will talk to him." Having said this, Gu Chaoyan thought of how Sword Two told her that she tried to get into the court with her name but failed. She said eventually, "If you can''t think of anything in the future or fail, tell me. I will help you no matter what. Don''t stay alone and work so hard, got it?" Qing nodded with tears in her eyes. She understood. She understood what her Elder Miss was saying. Only Elder Miss treated her this well in her life. Elder Miss was not a talkative person, but she still told her so much, as if she were a mother marrying her daughter off. It was her fault. She should not have fallen for that man. "Let''s go." Gu Chaoyan urged as she saw Qing''s changing expression. Chapter 1691 Arrangement 1 Qing was still dressed in a green blouse with concise patterns. She was a maid at first nce, but the clothing materials were top-notch. Only misses and masters would be able to dress in clothes made of such exquisite materials. Ouyang Mingjing had thought that maybe she only had a couple of well-made clothes, but after a few times, he realized that the maids serving Gu Chaoyan were always given the best things. Even now, she came to the court personally with the maid and spoke with him about a minor maid. Therefore, in Gu Chaoyan''s heart, this maid was of great importance. Because of that, he was not going to deal with this maid as he wished. She was crying, and looking at him with a begging look on her face. If not for the guards, who were holding her up, she would have kneeled down and begged him to let her stay. He was right. Even the maids who served him were better than she was. Women like this could not stay by his side. She was useless and might even slow him down. Even in his heart, his feelings for her were affected by acacia beans and felt sorry for her, yet he was able to keep control of that emotion, since he knew what he should do and what he should not. "Just drop your dream, and don''t cause me any more trouble. The Snow Territory is very big, but you can''t be part of it. I would have killed you if you were not Feng Le''s maid. You must have done this to me because you know that I can''t offend Feng Le. How tricky and selfish of you," Ouyang Mingjing said as he looked at her calmly "Just go home. If you do this again I will kill you directly." Having said this, he sent an indifferent look at Qing as if he were staring at an ant. He dusted off his hands, and adjusted his clothes, as if this private conversation had stained his dress. Qing was in tears. All she could see was Ouyang Mingjing''s retreating figure, and the moonlight white clothes that contrasted against his endless coldness. She really had no idea what was going on. Why couldn''t she control her own emotions? She truly had no other requirements, except that she wanted to serve the Head no matter what. She had not hoped that the Head would treat her like a Queen, she just hoped to see him often. She had thought about this on her trip here. Even being a maid, a cleaner in the lowest ss would do, as long as she could see him often, but was that still too much? Why¡­ Just because she was a maid? She could not control the origin of her birth. She did not have many requirements, not many at all, so why¡­? Qing looked extremely disappointed and desperate. Ouyang Mingjing showed a faint smile, as if what happened just now had nothing to do with him. "Feng Le, I have already told your maid what I think. She should understand what I mean, but she seems to be in an unsteady mood, so she should not serve you these days. Let her take some rest."@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1696 Plan 1 Hearing that, Gu Chaoyan stared up at him. She could see through the mask that he was looking very resolute, as if he were moving forward like a warrior. Huaijin had told her the detailed n before, but the right time to attack never came until right now, while the King was leaving the civilians of the Saint Divine Land at bay just for his own private desires. Monsters attacked the country, but he threatened her with the civilians, sacrificing them directly. Therefore, now was the best time to conduct the n. Huaijin was being totally reasonable. The Shadow Door would keep the civilians safe. Well¡­ strictly speaking¡­ it was not Huaijin who urgently wanted to conduct the n. He was forced to do so. Gu Chaoyan nodded and agreed. Zhou Huaijin smiled and showed her around, saying, "The court doesn''t care if the monsters'' invasion hurts the civilians, and the guards at the gate ignore everything. They are in the most advantageous ce. If they don''t do anything, our hidden guards will get injured for nothing. If we can get the best position, we will have a better result than today." "¡­" "After I bring down the capital, I will follow the n we have made by setting up traps in the towns. Monsters will be stopped outside the gate because of those traps, even if they try hard to get in." "¡­" "When the civilians are safe, we will solve the issue of food. Many people are injured at the feet of the mountains, and they are moving into the capital. Without farmers, we will run out of food very soon, so we need to solve the problem immediately." "¡­" "The good news is that the old King of the Cloud Land has passed away and the Crown Prince has just taken the throne, so the condition in the country is getting much better. Monsters have not yet reached Cloud Land, so we can make a deal with the Cloud Land and solve the problems for the moment."@@novelbin@@ "¡­" "People in the capital are badly injured, and the civilians have lost all hope. I hope the situation can get better. The court should stand for the civilians. If it is gone, what will the civilians do?" Zhou Huaijin sighed emotionally. Gu Chaoyan nodded. These were all necessary things. The court was not helping the people. It was dragging them into the mud and giving them endless misery. The King must not be thinking about this right now. However, thankfully the Shadow Door, who helped to deal with the situation is there, otherwise, the Saint Divine Land would be emptied out very soon. A couple of people passed by the staircases, and a few hidden guards passed by. They greeted their leader before going back to work. It was very empty where they stood, with no one around. There would not be any eavesdropping, so Zhou Huaijin continued. "When I take the throne, my n is to gather all the young people from the Saint Divine Land to cultivate. Those who can''t cultivate should study martial arts with the Shadow Door. Only in this way, will we be able to gather forces and defend ourselves against the monsters and witches now that the door to enchantment has opened." "¡­" "Those who are unable to do either of these should be arranged to work on other stuff. We should establish apletely safe territory, which the witches and monsters can''t touch." Chapter 1700 - 1700 Discussion 1 1700 Discussion 1 The King had been prepared to make a good deal with the Shadow Door, and he even spent the whole night thinking about it. Now that the Shadow Door¡¯s people were here, they were supposed to make a deal with him. He had thought about offering them so much, but he had not expected that people from the Shadow Door would not follow his n. They kept causing him stress and disobeying his rules. The Head, as well as his men, were so arrogant in front of him. Of course he was furious. This man was wearing the mask, so clearly they did not give the King any respect. He was going to rip the mask off to see who on earth this Head was. The King was very straightforward, and he put a lot of force into it. He had touched the mask and was about to pull it off. However, the moment he was about to rip it off, Zhou Huaijin turned around and moved away from the King. The King was surprised as he looked at his hand. He already touched the mask, and was about to rip it offpletely. How could that happen? The King was furious! ¡°Someonee here!¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Someonee here!¡± The Right General of the Shadow Door shouted the moment the King shouted too. He turned to the King expressionlessly. ¡°King, if the Head gets hurt today, we will invade your pce right now. You don¡¯t want that to happen, do you?¡± The King gritted his teeth. He was burning inside. He was being threatened?! The Shadow Door did have many people with them, and he was not able to deal with them alone. He would have removed the existence of the Shadow Door, but the Golden Rolls and his immortal pills were the most important and he could not spare any effort to deal with the Shadow Door. He could tolerate everything as the King. The King told the imperial soldiers to leave for now. He said earnestly, ¡°In this case, we can talk in peace. What on earth do you want? You want a ce in the court? Precious treasure, or something? We can talk about this. Or do you want a ce like my sons? I can also offer it to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put on the show when you are already in the court. Say whatever is on your mind. I don¡¯t have time or energy to waste with you.¡± Zhou Huaijin in a silver mask threw the King a nce. Sure enough¡­ he never gave a thought about the monsters. In his eyes, the civilians were the only bargaining chips he held against the Phoenix Girl. He gave him a chance, but that was totally unnecessary. Zhou Huaijin turned around and walked straight out of Qianqing Pce. His men left with him. The King looked on confused. He had lowered his status and revealed his own purpose, but he was not considered at all. The King returned to his chair, his expression low and radiated a very frightening attitude. The King did not stop them, so the imperial soldiers did not move and let them go. Chapter 1703 - 1703 Attack at the Court 2 1703 Attack at the Court 2 Shadow Door had been nning to capture the King first, so that none of the innocent people would get killed due to the fight. Therefore, apart from the hidden guards that came through the gate, the others went into the court through the tunnel Shadow Door dug before. They blocked the gates, and then came to get the King. However, the King was not in Qianqing Pce? That was impossible¡­ hidden guards were everywhere in the court, and they blocked the four gates as well. He would have nowhere to go. Zhou Huaijin calmed himself down. Not in Qianqing Pce¡­ so where was he? @@novelbin@@ ¡°Get people to search around the court. He should be in the court somewhere. Maybe he is with the people from Piaomiao Pavilion!¡± Zhou Huaijin said. The hidden guards were about to get down to work¡­ When a familiar voice arose. ¡°No need. Go to Weiyang Pce, he should be there.¡± Zhou Huaijin turned around and saw the messy figure of De Fu. He had been thrown into prison a while ago, and ording to the King¡¯s punishment, he should have been killed, but Chaoyan had been taking care of him, so apart from some scratches, he was not badly injured. She also arranged some hidden guards to release him when the Shadow Door attacked the court. De Fu was in a very awkward position, so the Shadow Door decided to spare his life after the promise with Chaoyan. So he was released to go wherever he wanted. Unexpectedly¡­ he came to Qianqing Pce where the King should be residing, after all. Zhou Huaijin had never liked De Fu, because he felt that he was the King¡¯s servant who conducted all of his bad orders, but he had a chat with Chaoyan before about this man. Chaoyan said that De Fu was a very rare man who stuck to his principles. He became what he was supposed to be. He was a loyal man, who was devoted to the King. Therefore, he was more tolerant towards De Fu. Well¡­ Just as Chaoyan said, he was indeed a very devoted man. Even though the King had treated him like this, he could not forget him at this moment. He knew the King best. He chose to tell them where he was, because he knew that was the best choice he could make. Zhou Huaijin threw a look at him, nodding. He took the men to Weiyang Pce. He did not suspect that De Fu would be lying to him. On the way to Weiyang Pce, Zhou Huaijin could still see servants running about in the chaos, and the fight between the Shadow Door and the imperial army, but in his eyes, he saw chaos. The King might have some feelings for the Queen, but he was too selfish to control his own desire. He had not expected that the King would choose to go to the Queen¡¯s Weiyang Pce. That was the ce he did not want blood to stain. Zhou Huaijin moves forward quietly. He came to Weiyang Pce which he was so familiar with. Weiyang Pce was looking bleak. After the Queen left, there were no servants who were sorting or cleaning here, yet the inner chambers looked as if they had been sorted out every now and then. The servants outside Weiyang Pce were standing quietly. When they saw those hidden guards, they stared out of fear and were about to go inside when the hidden guards stopped them. Zhou Huaijin stood at the gate. Chapter 1706 The End Of The King 1 The King, who had been shouting frantically like a madman, suddenly stopped. The next moment¡­ His pupils widened in disbelief, and he gasped in fright as he looked ahead. As Gu Chaoyan looked around, she could sense the blood in the Weiyang Pce Blood dripped from the corner of the King''s mouth and stained his robe, but the members of the Shadow Door did not move, as Zhou Huaijin had not given the order. The King couldn''t believe that he would lose both his throne and his life in one fell swoop. He tried to grip the hand holding the dagger, but he was too weak.Struggling to see who was taking his life, he blinked away the blur and recognized the face of his attacker. The King''s widened eyes locked onto the figure before him. "It''s you!" he eximed. He waspletely shocked and unable to believe what had happened. The figure was his eldest son, Zhou Huaiyan, born to a low-ss maid and therefore deemed unworthy of the imperial family. The King never considered him as part of the royal family and thought he didn''t deserve to be his son. Nevertheless, Zhou''s mother spared his life, an act of mercy that the King believed was enough. He did not treat any of his sons badly and even felt he was kinder to Zhou than to the others. But now, it was Zhou who had taken his life. The King couldn''t fathom how this could have happened. Zhou, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief seeing his father''s reaction. He felt like he had taken his revenge. He was the King''s son, but he had lived a bitter and miserable life because of the man standing before him who he called his father. " "¡­" He had thought that if he were just amoner''s son, he would have lived a better life. He did not even need to see how the servants behaved or to endure terrible food. He did not have to worry that he would be poisoned by one sip of tea or marry a spy who would be killed when she was deemed useless. His life had been ruined by this father of his. So before he died, he was going to take revenge that he had been holding for dozens of years. Looking at the King, Zhou Huaiyan suddenly got excited and startedughing. "You''re finally dying. You are an evil person, and now you are dying. No one is going to torment me anymore!" Zhou Huaiyan stopped and looked at the King in disbelief. "And you should have died long before!" "¡­" "But for me sneaking into the court through the chaos, a kind man like Eighth Brother would not have killed you. I am d I am here. I can be the viin here!" Zhou Huaiyan held a grudge towards the King. "You shouldn''t¡­" The King wanted to defend himself. Zhou Huaiyan''s face changed. "Shut up, shut up now! You have no right to say anything, never!"@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1708 The End Of The King 3 The King''s eyes were wide, and his mouth was slightly open as if he had something important to say. Zhou Huaijin withdrew his hand, it was covered in blood, panting heavily.@@novelbin@@ However, Zhou Huaijin''s actions were triggered by the King''s mention of the Queen. He would not have acted this way if the King had not brought her up. The King''s ignorance and forgetfulness regarding his mistreatment of the Queen rendered him unfit to speak about her in any capacity. The mere mention had clearly irritated Zhou Huaijin. Throughout his life, his mother Chaoyan and Xunyang had been his weaknesses, and anyone who touched upon them would pay the price. But¡­ Zhou Huaijin panted slightly, fist clenched. Despite this¡­ Gu Chaoyan stepped forward and took his hand. Just as she was about to speak, De Fu approached and turned his attention to the King lying on the floor, then to Zhou Huaijin. With a reassuring smile, he spoke up. "Lord Huai, please don''t feel guilty or dwell on this." " "¡­" "He deserved this stab from you." " "¡­" "The Queen is your mother and even if she is still alive, it doesn''t remove what the King did to her. Also¡­" "¡­." "General Jiang did not die of natural causes, but was in fact murdered by the King." "¡­." "The King harbored a deep hatred for General Jiang and was responsible for his death. However, he still had some attachment to the Queen, which is why he spared Madame Jiang and you. Nevertheless, this was an enormous wrongdoing." "¡­" "Only a handful of individuals were privy to this information. The King, yourself, and those who were directly involved have all passed away, leaving the truth buried with them." "¡­." "I have been in the King''s service since I was young, and now, after many years, the King has grown old and gray. Despite my unwavering loyalty to him, I must reveal the truth about what happened to General Jiang." "¡­." "With the secret finally revealed, I have nothing left to hide." De Fu''s smile was bittersweet as he picked up the dagger that had been lodged in the King''s chest. Without hesitation, he used it to slit his own throat. Then he copsed. Gu Chaoyan''s hand halted in mid-air, frozen in ce. Despite her intention to act, she had not been able to do anything. She let out a sigh. De Fu had never changed. De Fu had been loyal to the King until the moment he revealed the truth about General Jiang''s death. In an act of ultimate sacrifice, he paid for this betrayal with his own life. Or¡­ He had already nned to die with the King from the beginning. But just as what he said at the beginning, Huaijin should not feel any guilt. Gu Chaoyan gripped Zhou Huaijin''s hands. "Are you alright?" "Yes, but I suspected as much," Zhou Huaijin said as he reached out to touch Gu Chaoyan''s head. "I had even asked the Shadow Door to investigate it before, but my mother''s influence prevented me from pursuing it further. De Fu''s words simply confirmed my suspicions." "¡­." "My grandfather has been gone for years," Zhou Huaijin said. "It''s time for me to focus on the present and cherish those who are with me now, rather than dwelling on the past." Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan conversed calmly with one another, but their peace was interrupted by a sudden burst of excitedughter from Lord Yan. "He''s dead, he''s really dead! Finally!" Lord Yan eximed, feeling the King''s breath leave his body. Zhou Huaijin turned his attention to the Eldest Prince. Chapter 1709 All Settled 1 The Eldest Prince had spent much of his childhood living on the outskirts of the kingdom, only returning to the capital at the King''s summons when he was nearly thirty years old. It was then that he was given a Princess Consort. Zhou Huaijin had little opportunity to interact with the Eldest Prince when he was younger, and as a result, knew very little about him. However, after his return to the capital, Zhou Huaijin had spent some time in hispany. Zhou Huaijin''s impression of the Eldest Prince was that he was like a walking corpse, devoid of any real emotions. He always seemed weak and frightened, as if constantly worried about being killed or executed. Zhou Huaijin had witnessed the Eldest Prince''s joy at the birth of his first child, but it paled inparison to the sheer tion he disyed now. Today was likely the first time in his life that the Eldest Prince had allowed himself to express his emotions so freely. Zhou Huaijin was taken aback by the Eldest Prince''s sudden outburst of emotion. He felt a certain kinship with the Eldest Prince, despite their differences. To his surprise, the Eldest Prince seemed to be the most excited about the rebels'' victory. However, his excitement was short-lived, as he quickly regained hisposure and turned to face Zhou Huaijin. "Eighth Brother, I have killed the King. You can execute me now. I have nothing left to live for," he said in a t tone. The Eldest Prince was very excited when he asked for the request. Zhou Huaijin reached out to the Elder Prince, saying, "Elder Brother, go back to your mansion and have a good rest. Come to the pce for morning sessions!" " "¡­" "That is all for tonight." "¡­." "I am not going to execute you because of this." Zhou Huaiyan was very surprised, but not beyond his utter expectation. It seemed that only Eighth Brother ever cared about him after he moved back to the capital. In this case, he would save his life for the Eighth Brother, so he would give that back to him whenever he needed it, without hesitation. Zhou Huaijin nodded and told the Eldest Prince to leave. Zhou Huaiyan had just left Weiyang Pce, and Zhou Huaijin turned to Gu Chaoyan, taking her hands and saying, "Let''s head to the pce gate and ask the imperial army toy down their weapons. From now on, the Saint Divine Land will be under our control. I vow to do everything in my power to protect the people and give them a peaceful life, despite the chaos that surrounds us."@@novelbin@@ " "¡­" "Chaoyan, would you like to join me?" "¡­." "Together?" Zhou Huaijin asked resolutely. "Yes." Gu Chaoyan took his hands and they walked forward. Due to the intervention of the Shadow Door, the court had been restored to a semnce of order. Most of the officials had resumed their positions and were busy with their duties. However, as they approached the gate, they could still hear the sound of weapons being brandished. Gu Chaoyan wrinkled her nose as she caught the scent of blood in the air. Zhou Huaijin stopped at a ce not very far away. He had one silver mask in one hand and the other holding Gu Chaoyan''s hands. Behind them were hidden guards from the Shadow Door. He said with his resolute voice, "The King is dead. If you drop the weapons now, all will be back to normal instantly. If not, you will die at the gate forever." Zhou Huaijin''s voice quieted down the fight. The imperial army looked at Zhou Huaijin. Behind Zhou Huaijin were numerous hidden guards from the Shadow Door. And he had the silver mask in his hands. Chapter 1713 Out Of Court 2 The King had recently settled people from Piaomiao Pavilion, the Cangyan Door, and Snow Territory in the court of the Saint Divine Land. The court had made special arrangements to relocate them, even moving some princesses living in the south to other pces to amodate them. The old King was no longer in power, and without any princesses present, it was against the customary etiquette and regtions of the Saint Divine Land for the people from Piaomiao Pavilion, the Cangyan Door and Snow Territory to continue residing in the court. Even during the New Year, when the princes and ambassadors of other countries were allowed to stay at the hostel, it was expected that they would depart after the festivities had ended. They were not permitted to stay in the court and spy on the highest authorities of the Saint Divine Land. Taking charge of the court after the King''s disappearance, Zhou Huaijin understood the importance of havingws and regtions in a country. With half of the court upied by the three schools, he knew that it was not conducive to the growth and prosperity of the Saint Divine Land. As such, he made the decision to have them relocated outside of the court during his reorganization efforts. The Saint Divine Land could not flourish without proper regtions and adherence to itsws and rules. Well¡­ Although Zhou Huaijin never discussed this with Gu Chaoyan before about this¡­ Yet when Gu Chaoyan heard that, she totally agreed. The Cangyan Door and Piaomiao Pavilion were of the same people, who did not have any intention of befriending the Saint Divine Land. What they needed was Golden Rolls. And Gu Chaoyan was not going to offer Golden Rolls to them at all. Instead of letting them stay and making ns, she decided to cut it off with them directly.@@novelbin@@ That was the best time to deal with them at the moment. As for Snow Territory¡­ Although Snow Territory provided some help in dealing with the monsters, Gu Chaoyan was not convinced that their assistance was entirely selfless. Nevertheless, Snow Territory held a different statuspared to Piaomiao Pavilion and the Cangyan Door, and they may be useful allies in the future. However, this did not justify allowing them to stay in the court. Hostels were a more suitable option. Gu Chaoyan sorted through the whole thing and totally believed that Zhou Huaijin was right in making the arrangement. When both of them agreed with it, Fu Bao led his men to conduct the mission. After Fu Bao left, Zhou Huaijin said gently to Gu Chaoyan, "take some time to rest. You must be exhausted after staying up all night. Xunyang''s pce is always kept clean, and you can stay there for now. Once everything is settled, we will find you a more suitable ce to stay," s He said, gently caressing Gu Chaoyan''s segmented hair, feeling deeply concerned for her. ¡¤?¦Èm As Phoenix Girl, he wasn''t sure if it was a good or bad thing for her to be involved in all of this. Gu Chaoyan smiled briefly. "It is okay. I am fine. Let''s wait a little longer and sleep. Something might being for us to deal with." " "¡­" "People from Piaomiao Pavilion are indeed quite arrogant and difficult to deal with. The King used to cater to them. However, we cannot let them continue to cause trouble in the court." "¡­" "I will wait and deal it with yoter." As Gu Chaoyan was speaking of that, Fu Bao and his men came to the pce where Piaomiao Pavilion people lived. Chapter 1717 - 1717 Chaoyan! 1717 Chaoyan! ¡°So they left voluntarily, making themselves look good.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We should stay most rmed towards the Cangyan Door about Golden Rolls.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As for Snow Territory¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Snow Territory is very strange. But Snow Territory is more capable than Piaomiao Pavilion and the Cangyan Door, since both of the schools are trying to avoid meeting Snow Territory.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Snow Territory has no interest in Golden Rolls¡­.¡± Gu Chaoyan said and felt messy in head. She just could not see through the Head of Snow Territory. Zhou Huaijin noticed her frown, and without hesitation, he enveloped her in his arms, soothingly stroking her furrowed brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m by your side, and no matter what they want or how they behave, they will never harm you.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s smile brightened as she nodded in agreement. Disregarding the persistent hidden guard who was attempting to get his attention, Zhou Huaijin chose to remain with Gu Chaoyan at Xunyang¡¯s Pce. Located in close proximity to the Weiyang Pce, where many events unfolded the previous night, the following day appeared deceptively calm and unchanged. The serene ambiance of Xunyang¡¯s Pce was enhanced by its lush garden, where Seven, the fox spirit, yfully scampered about amidst the verdant foliage. The staff at the pce was sparse, as they had previously served Princess Xunyang. With her departure, they remained in their positions, diligently maintaining the cleanliness and order of XunYang¡¯s Pce. Zhou Huaijin guided Gu Chaoyan into the inner chamber, where he assisted her in removing her coat and settling her beneath the warm covers. Tenderly, he suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a short nap? Afterward, we can enjoy a meal together.¡± With a tender gaze, Zhou Huaijin approached Gu Chaoyan, his eyes filled with affection as he observed her slender face. His actions and ns had fallen into ce just as he had intended. In the court, discussions revolved around the forting crowning ceremony. Yet, amidst the grandeur and political affairs, Zhou Huaijin¡¯s thoughts were consumed by another significant event¡ªtheir wedding. In the past, he had made a promise to Gu Chaoyan¡ªa pledge that once he ascended the throne and established his authority unchallenged within the Saint Divine Land, they would wed, with Chaoyan bing his sole queen. And now, the time had arrived. Overwhelmed by his emotions, Zhou Huaijin couldn¡¯t contain his excitement, causing his body to tremble slightly as he tenderly caressed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s forehead. ¡°The Ministry of Rites is constructing Shixing Pce. Why don¡¯t we let Prime Minister Chu handle the arrangements for our wedding?¡± Zhou Huaijin suggested, his voice filled with anticipation. Though Zhou Huaijin had maintained aposed demeanor in front of the king, ministers, officers, and even Piaomiao Pavilion, he couldn¡¯t help but tremble in front of Gu Chaoyan. His emotions were overwhelming, making it difficult to remain calm. Chaoyan¡¯s response was an immediate and unwavering ¡°Okay,¡± without a trace of hesitation. Hearing her agreement, Zhou Huaijin felt a surge of emotions welling up within him, bringing him to the verge of tears¡ªa sensation he had never experienced before. He had never felt such intense excitement in his entire life. ¡°Unfortunately, my mother and Xunyang won¡¯t be able to attend our wedding. However, that¡¯s alright. If we have the opportunity in the future, we can have another wedding just for the two of us,¡± Gu Chaoyan reassured him, her words filled with warmth and understanding. @@novelbin@@ ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Chaoyan.¡± ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Chaoyan.¡± Zhou Huaijin mumbled, as he buried his head into her armpit. Chapter 1720 Young Heads Idea "I appreciate your assistance in this matter, and I initially believed that your support and interaction with Phoenix Girl would grant you a special privilege or exception. However, it seems that the oue has turned out to be no different for you than it is for the rest of us." " "¡­" "As we all gather here, it promises to be an engaging experience for everyone," Qianji said, offering a smile to Ouyang Mingjing. Ouyang Mingjing reciprocated with a gentle smile. "Huh." Despite Qianji''s previous warning, Ouyang Mingjing seemed indifferent to the involvement of Snow Territory with monsters orchestrated by Piaomiao Pavilion. This disregard greatly annoyed Qianji. "What an intriguing individual." With no desire to engage with Piaomiao Pavilion, Ouyang Mingjing showed no interest in spending his time with them. He offered Qianji a brief smile and continued on his way. His actions conveyed a sense of indifference, as if Qianji held no significance to him. Qianji''s smile faded, his face growing tense, as Ouyang Mingjing turned away and departed. Qianji forced a smile, which only made his appearance more strained and unconvincing. Witnessing this exchange, members of the Cangyan Door sneered before departing as well, leaving Qianji and Wuxing alone. Qianji ceased his forced smile. He continued walking forward, determination etched on his face. Wuxing remained steadfastly behind him. "Lord Huai as the new King, serving the people? What aughable notion, especially when ites to defending against monsters. We''ll just sit back and wait for them to fail miserably at everything. Once they''ve stumbled, we can step forward and entice them to train with us. I''m certain it will be a mutually beneficial arrangement with Golden Rolls!" " "¡­" "But Lingyun should be of better help!" "¡­."I think you should take a look at "Go back and write a letter to Piaomiao Pavilion, informing Mr. Head of the current situation and letting him know that our return journey might be slightly dyed. There''s nothing to worry about." "Understood," Wuxing replied. "As for those mountain monsters, they''re nothing but low-ss creatures, easily dealt with. See if you cane up with some middle-ss monsters to introduce instead," Qianji continued. Wuxing pondered for a moment, realizing that it wouldn''t be as simple as Qianji suggested. The door to enchantment swung open, revealing a multitude of extraordinary creatures lurking about. Lingyun possessed a plethora of drugs, which he could employ for bartering. "Understood," Wuxing acknowledged. Qianji instructed him to return to the hostel. With no other options avable, they werepelled to remain in the hostel. There seemed to be no escape, not even for Snow Territory. As they made their way back, themotion at the Cangyan Door had just subsided. Observing the vegetation within the hostel, the Young Head of the Cangyan Door expressed with deep sentiment, "Obtaining Golden Rolls may prove considerably more challenging now. We should never have colluded with Piaomiao Pavilion to coerce Phoenix Girl into providing the Golden Rolls!" "¡­" "We should have our own n." "Young Head, have you got your own ideas?"@@novelbin@@ "Yes" The Elder Man from the Cangyan Door walked up and closed the door and window cautiously. Chapter 1724 Threat Again 2 He would not want this to happen with opposite effects. As he noticed that, he tried to console her by saying with a softer tone. "Lingyun, I apologize for my impatience. It''s my fault for being so anxious. I know you''ve been gone for three years, and I''ve been worried that you might leave me. That''s why I''ve been pushing so hard to gain trust from the Head and to expedite our marriage. I want nothing more than to start a family together with you as soon as possible." "¡­" "When we get married, I promise things will be different. I''ll prioritize our time together and turn down some tasks from the Head. You''ve always wished for me to have more free time, and I''m determined to make that happen. And with Golden Rolls, everything will be possible," Wuxing''s gaze filled with adoration as he spoke. His words carried a genuine and sincere tone. Lingyun, in her calm andposed demeanor, listened attentively to Wuxing''s speech. She would have cheered for this and even got herself ready to do whatever it took for their future together. He had not been this sincere when he needed something of her before. But¡­ Hearing him saying this¡­ Lingyun had no stir in heart. Lingyun''s heart was filled with skepticism as she pondered Wuxing''s words. She couldn''t bring herself to trust his contradictory statements. Deep down, she understood that he was a man driven by his own ambitions, and his true intention might not be solely focused on their happiness as a couple. It appeared that his primary goal was to prevent Liuxing from surpassing him, and he seemed willing to go to great lengths, even causing harm, to achieve this objective. Lingyun was sneering inside his heart. "I got it. I will try my best. I am new to Phoenix Girl, and I can''t just do anything like this in public. Just wait a little longer." Lingyun said, expressionlessly. But hearing this, Wuxing felt as if he had got a promise. His eyes were sparkling. "Are you sure?" Wuxing asked. "Yeah."I think you should take a look at Lingyun looked at him, answering. He was really aware of she had always been like, so even if he heard a cold and casual answer, he still believed that it was true. Very good. That was indeed good. In this case¡­ She believed that she was going to watch his heart broken and falling into utter misery. Lingyun looked at Wuxing in satisfaction. But Wuxing was too ted to notice any of this. He and Lingyun had reached an agreement, but he still remembered Qianji''s words. He had to find a way to bring Lingyun to Qianji. Despite their extensive conversations, Wuxing couldn''t reveal everything to Lingyun. Therefore, he relied on Qianji to handle the task.@@novelbin@@ With this in mind, Wuxing suggested, "Qianji, the Elderly Man, wishes to meet you. I''ll discreetly escort you to him, and you can return afterward." "¡­" "Don''t worry, Qianji, the Elderly Man, is a trustworthy individual. Despite his imposing demeanor, he has no intention of causing you harm. He simply wishes to ask you a few questions, that''s all." "¡­." "Follow me closely, and we''ll avoid the concealed guards," Wuxing whispered, gesturing towards the path he had taken to arrive. Lingyun nodded, acknowledging the invitation. She was curious about what Qianji, the Elderly Man, had to say to her. Piaomiao Pavilion had been cunning all along, and without the protection of the Golden Rolls, they were capable of many devious deeds. Lingyun was determined not to let them harm Elder Miss. Wuxing led her out of the courtyard, ensuring their swift departure. Chapter 1726 Threat Again 4 "After careful contemtion, I havee to the realization that I am unworthy of Wuxing. My perceived inadequacy and the belief that I would only hinder his progress once we are married have led me to reconsider our union. It would be more appropriate for Wuxing to seek a partner who trulyplements him, someone whom you, Qianji Elderly Man, believe would be a suitable match. I have full confidence in your ability to arrange such a connection for him. In fact, if you undertake this task, I am prepared to step aside willingly". Lingyun spoke with remarkable candor, devoid of any lingering emotions. Her resolute tone conveyed a sense of unwavering determination. Anticipating Lingyun''s reaction, Qianji had prepared a string of words to unsettle her, hoping to instigate a sense of urgency and prompt her to take action swiftly. But¡­ To his dismay, Qianji realized that his attempt at intimidation had backfired, causing Lingyun to contemte quitting altogether. Had he made a grave mistake? No, he couldn''t have! Lingyun possessed a spirited nature and a profound desire to reunite with Wuxing, which had persisted for years. She was willing to heed Wuxing''s guidance unconditionally. How could she abandon her aspirations after spending just a few days with Phoenix Girl? Qianji felt a surge of panic. He feared that his actions might jeopardize the entire situation, observing the unfolding events before him. He knew he couldn''t afford to employ harsh words. Approaching Lingyun, he looked at her intently and softened his tone. "I never meant to imply that you should give up on marrying Wuxing. On the contrary, if you assist us in obtaining Phoenix Girl''s Golden Rolls, you would contribute greatly to our cause. Once aplished, you will have proven yourself worthy of marrying him. In fact, you would be the most deserving individual to be his life partner. Your wedding will be a magnificent and grand affair, befitting of your exceptional journey together!" "¡­" "There is little you need to do. Simply engage in a conversation with Phoenix Girl regarding Piaomiao Pavilion and speak favorably of our organization. Afterwards, Wuxing will guide you on what to say to effectively influence Phoenix Girl''s thoughts," Qianji exined, emphasizing the simplicity of the task. "¡­."I think you should take a look at "It''s quite straightforward, isn''t it? If you perform well, marrying Wuxing bes a viable possibility. Sounds appealing, doesn''t it?" Qianji tempted Lingyun with a persuasive tone. "What if Phoenix Girl doesn''t appreciate me expressing these sentiments?" Lingyun countered, expressing her concerns. "No, she won''t. And even if she does, it''s inconsequential. Phoenix Girl may choose to distance herself, but rest assured, Piaomiao Pavilion will offer you protection," Qianji responded impatiently, determined to convince Lingyun of her importance. If she couldn''t be utilized for this purpose, she would be deemed entirely useless. "I need some time to consider," Lingyun replied, her uncertainty evident. Qianji massaged his temples, feeling a sharp headacheing on. Lingyun seemed to be spiraling out of control, deviating from their intended n. After making a promise to Wuxing, Lingyun felt a sense of urgency to fulfill hermitment. Impatiently, Wuxing approached Qianji and Lingyun, inquiring, "What''s going on?" Lingyun, sounding distressed and appearing deeply troubled, responded, "It''s nothing. I need to go home now. I''ve been away for too long." Wuxing found her sudden distress puzzling. ncing at Qianji, he received a subtle gesture indicating that he should apany Lingyun home first. Wuxing escorted Lingyun all the way back to Xunyang''s Pce, but she didn''t even nce at him or engage in any conversation, seemingly devoid of any lingering emotions. Wuxing found her behavior exceedingly peculiar. Thus, after returning to the hostel, he sought out Qianji directly, seeking rification on the situation.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1731 Crowning Ceremony 3 He acknowledged meeting a remarkably beautiful version of Gu Chaoyan and entertained the idea of taking her as a concubine rather than his legal wife. As the prince of Duke Changning''s Mansion, he believed his wife should not be a woman of that caliber. Observing the dissatisfaction on his face, Madame Duke Changning ceased her nagging. It was all in the past, and there was no point in dwelling on it. Instead, she focused on devising a n for Jiming''s future. However, she couldn''t help but feel a twinge of regret. Marrying that girl would have undoubtedly been a more favorable ouepared to the current situation they were facing. Madame Duke Changning advised him to take a break while she sought a conversation with Duke Changning ¡ª In the 23rd year of August, Lord Huai ascended the throne as the new King, while Gu Chaoyan was crowned as the new Queen. This coronation ceremony was unlike any previous ones. Zhou Huaijin believed that as the King, he should be closer to the people, as they were the ones he served. Therefore, before the formal ceremony, he and the new Queen took to the streets, allowing the people to see them up close and dispel any fears or concerns about their reign. On this momentous day¡­ The capital''s streets were teeming with people, all eager to catch a glimpse of the new King and Queen, hoping to imbibe some of their auspiciousness for a brighter future. The Housekeeper of Duke Changning''s Mansion had made all the necessary preparations. He escorted Duke Changning, Madame Duke Changning, and Young Master out, reminding them not to miss the propitious moment. They departed early, securing a favorable vantage point from which to observe the King and Queen clearly. The citizens, joyous about the coronation ceremony, flooded the sides of the avenue, creating a crowded atmosphere where movement was difficult due to the sheer volume of people. Among them, the family of Duke Changning were found. Lu Jiming felt immense displeasure being surrounded by those he considered low-ss individuals. However, he knew there was no alternative but to endure the situation. With a furrowed brow, he impatiently waited. His curiosity piqued¡ªjust who was this new Queen? He dismissed the notion that it could be the unattractive woman he had encountered before. Lu Jiming was certain that Gu Ruxue would be the one to im the title of Queen. His intuition about people was rarely wrong.@@novelbin@@ Though he had only gleaned bits and pieces of information from outside the mansion, he had caught wind of the news that Gu Ruxue had married Lord Ling, whoter ascended as the Crown Prince.I think you should take a look at Therefore, it made perfect sense for the new King to be the Crown Prince, and his wife, the Queen, to be Gu Ruxue. It seemed like a natural progression. The servant''s earlier assertion about her being Gu Chaoyan had been entirely incorrect. Duke Changning''s Mansion underwent notable changes, distinct from its previous state. Laughter filled the air, apanied by mocking remarks from the servants. Lu Jiming was well aware of the disdain directed towards them. Many individuals seemed unwilling to engage in any work and instead took pleasure in ridiculing their predicament. However, he had not anticipated such open and brazenughter from the onlookers. Amidst the crowd''smotion, Lu Jiming contemted these circumstances, feeling constricted in the throng. Madame Duke Changning and Duke Changning shared amon purpose¡ªthey scanned the surroundings, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new King. The housekeeper, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with excitement. This was his first opportunity to witness the imminent crowning of the new King and Queen. Such an auspicious asion was a rare urrence, particrly when the new Queen was the highly esteemed Phoenix Girl, a remarkable figure who appeared once in a blue moon. Suddenly¡­ The crowd grew increasingly animated, jostling and pressing against one another. They were approaching. Enthused, the housekeeper couldn''t contain himself and repeatedly eximed, "They areing, they areing!" Lu Jiming, too, craned his neck and peered around, longing for a closer glimpse of the new King and Queen''s visage. Chapter 1735 Secret Plan 3 "Are you waiting to be killed here in the capital?!" Duke Changning gritted his teeth as he confronted Lu Jiming. "Gu Chaoyan is the Queen now, and we''ve already caused trouble. If she learns about our past grudge from the people, she could have us all executed!" "¡­." "I don''t see any chance of promotion for me in my current position. What''s the point of staying here if I can''t secure a higher rank? The best course of action is for us to leave the capital, start a business, get married, and have children," Duke Changning said, ring at him. Lu Jiming shook his head. He couldn''t ept that. He had been the one engaged to Gu Chaoyan, and he had been so close to attaining that throne. Now he was being told to leave the capital, find an ordinary woman, and be a businessman? The disparity was too great for him to bear. He wouldn''t leave. If he left, he would have nothing. Lu Jiming shook his head firmly. "I''m not going anywhere. You can leave if you want to!" "¡­" "Gu Chaoyan still loves me. I believe she hasn''t forgotten everything. She''s been engaged to Lord Huai for a while, and she hasn''t treated us poorly. So she must still have feelings for me, right? I need to find a chance to meet her!" Lu Jiming said, sounding hopeful. Duke Changning looked at him with disbelief. "Stop indulging in fantasies!" "What do you mean? Jiming is right! He''s not fantasizing!" Madame Duke Changning stepped forward. "Jiming is right. We can''t leave the capital. We''ll have nothing if we do. Let''s give it a try, maybe there''s still hope!" Duke Changning shook his head, thinking his wife and son had lost their minds. The housekeeper didn''t even bother trying to persuade them. Suddenly, amotion erupted in Duke Changning''s Mansion. Mother and son began discussing a n. Meanwhile, the coronation ceremony continued with the parade. The new King and Queen were greeting the people on the streets. Among the crowd¡­I think you should take a look at Gu Yunhe and Gu Ruxue were also eagerly watching, craning their necks to get a better view. Gu Yunhe saw Gu Chaoyan, and his heart sank. He let out a sigh, filled with mixed emotions, and turned to Gu Ruxue. "It''s her, it''s really her!" " "¡­" "We were all mistaken, all of us." " ¡­" "She said she would marry an exceptional man, and she was right. The King is truly exceptional, far beyond our reach." Gu Yunhe whispered to Gu Ruxue. Everything was clear now. That was the truth. He was convinced. "I should never have mistreated Gu Chaoyan. If I had treated her as my sister, I could have been her imperial brother, with a respected position!"@@novelbin@@ " ¡­" "How could I have been so misguided and foolish?!" " ¡­" "Everything is ruined now!" "¡­." "Mom and dad are dead. We have no way to stand out again. We have no future!" Gu Yunhe thought of the glorious days he used to have, which were now all memories. They had made a mistake. It had been their own fault. "Elder Brother, what are you talking about? She is just a Queen, so what?" Gu Ruxue said, displeased. "Can you be the Queen then?" Gu Yunhe shouted furiously. Chapter 1737 - 1737 The Truth 1 1737 The Truth 1 The Crown Prince had been confined to the mansion by the order of the previous King. As a result, he was unaware of the events unfolding outside. The mansion was surrounded by the imperial army, leaving the Crown Prince with no means of escape. Thus, he remained clueless about the situation. Furthermore¡­ Lord Huai¡¯s forces had taken control of the court, closely monitoring the Crown Prince¡¯s mansion from within and outside. This strict surveince made it impossible for the Crown Prince to leave his confinement. Despite being grounded in the mansion, they managed to gather some information about the ongoing events. However, they remained indifferent to the situation, merely wasting their days within the mansion. The Crown Prince,cking real authority since his coronation, had dedicated most of his efforts to finding a suitable marriage partner. Consequently, he found himself powerless to overturn the current circumstances. This powerlessness prevented him from rebelling even while being confined. The guard, ustomed to his role as a loyal protector, responded truthfully to the Crown Prince¡¯s inquiries. He understood the importance of providing urate information, even if it might not be what the Crown Prince wanted to hear. After the Crown Prince posed his questions¡­ The guard paused for a moment, carefully choosing his words before responding. ¡°The new King, Lord Huai, is holding the crowning ceremony. He is actively engaging with the people, taking a stroll along the avenue, which has generated much excitement.¡± Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince¡¯s frustration reached its peak. His voice trembled as he shouted with clenched teeth, expressing his disbelief and resistance. He refused to ept the reality unfolding before him. The idea of a crowning ceremony taking ce without his involvement deeply unsettled him. In his mind, he believed that he, as the Crown Prince, was the rightful sessor to the throne. He could not fathom someone else assuming the position that he believed belonged to him alone. ¡°The new King is Lord Huai, and the new Queen is the Elder Miss of the Gu Family, namely the Phoenix Girl! Now they have been crowned and thend¡¯s name has been changed to Jin.¡± The guard continued ording to the truth. ¡°My Eighth Brother? That is impossible! He is just a useless, idling man, a spoiled Lord! What can he do as the King! No one will ept him! Father must have been drugged to have given him the throne! He is from the Jiang Family too!¡± Zhou Huailing continued to shout, and because of anger, his eyes were bulging, full of blood shots, looking quite intimidating. @@novelbin@@ ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am the Crown Prince. I am the future King!¡± ¡°The situation has evolved, the Crowned Prince, Lord Huai sessfully took control of the pce, and with the support of influential figures, including Prime Minister Chu and General Liu, he has solidified his position as the King. The people have embraced him, and the crowning ceremony was conducted with widespread eptance.¡± he feltpelled to address the reality He did not even know who the King was. What kind of things people with such abilities were able to achieve anyway? I am the Crown Prince. I am the rightful heir to the throne!¡± Zhou Huailing stressed. The guard sighed. Chapter 1741 - 1741 Wedding Night 1 1741 Wedding Night 1 After preparing themselves, Zhou Huaijin instructed the servants, including Sword One, to leave him and Gu Chaoyan alone in the pce. Sword One positioned herself at the door, keeping a vignt watch over the entrance. Having stayed by Elder Miss¡¯s side overnight, Sword One had observed her tendency to lift the nket in her sleep, exposing herself to the cold. Sword One didn¡¯t want Elder Miss to fall ill or be ufortable, so she remained on high alert even now, refusing to rest. Seeing Sword One¡¯s unwavering concern, Fu Bao descended from the roof and approached her with a sense of helplessness. ¡°Sword One, why are you so worried? Our Head is inside with Elder Miss. Don¡¯t you think he can take good care of her? He loves her deeply and will ensure her well-being.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s their long-awaited wedding night, and our Head has been eagerly anticipating this moment. You don¡¯t have to worry about Elder Miss. It¡¯s still early, so why not take a break? I¡¯ll wake you up when the timees,¡± Fu Bao suggested, understanding the significance of the night when both their Heads could finally be together and have some private time. He knew that his Head would take excellent care of Elder Miss, perhaps even better than Sword One did. Yet, Sword One¡¯s worry and dedication were admirable. Sword One acknowledged Fu Bao¡¯s words. She understood that Mr. Head would take exceptional care of Elder Miss, surpassing her own efforts. However, she wasn¡¯t ready to let go of her watchfulness just yet. ¡°I¡¯ll remain on guard here, in case Elder Miss needs my assistance. This is her first time experiencing such a moment, and I want to ensure she receives the best care,¡± Sword One said, Fu Bao had to let her do this. Sword One had been working for Elder Miss for just one year, and she was even more nervous than Mr. Head. Elder Miss was such a capable woman. Fu Bao thought inwardly. Sword One thought of Elder Miss as she thought of Qing as she saw the moonlight. If only Qing was not that possessed. She would be guarding Elder Miss with Qing together, which was what Elder Miss always looked forward to seeing, wasn¡¯t it? Inside the pce. @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan was sitting by the bedside nervously. They had just finished their wedding toast, and Gu Chaoyan, who was not so tolerant with alcohol, was flushing. They had some time alone before, but Gu Chaoyan had never been this ufortable. It must have been because of this special day, which made her so intense. Zhou Huaijin removed the red robe and approached her, captivated by the sight before him. Her raven hair cascaded down naturally, untouched by ab, framing her face. Without any makeup, her flushed cheeks stood out against her pale skin, illuminated by the gentle flickering candlelight. Nervousness emanated from her as she sat in an uncertain position, hershes flickering delicately. Despite her usual cold demeanor, she appeared even more endearing in this moment. Zhou Huaijin pursed his lips. Chapter 1745 - 1745 Zhou Huailing’s Meeting with Liu Qingqing 1 1745 Zhou Huailing¡¯s Meeting with Liu Qingqing 1 Amidst the busy affairs of the Liu Family, Liu Qingqing, as the Elder Miss, had been tirelessly managing various matters both within and outside the family. She was responsible for overseeing affairs in the military camp and ensuring everything was running smoothly. Additionally, her young son, Qiqi, required her constant attention, making it difficult for her to be away from him for too long. With her te full, it became challenging for her to keep track of every single urrence around her. As for Zhou Huailing¡­ He hadn¡¯t yet made a move to exact his revenge on her when he unexpectedly showed up at her doorstep. Now, he wanted to see her? Well, well, well! Fine then. The Liu Family was powerless against him. In the past, he had dispatched numerous assassins to kill Qiqi, her son. Liu Qingqing had no choice but to protect him, even though she harbored a burning desire for revenge against Zhou Huailing. It was only thanks to the covert assistance of hidden guards from the Shadow Door that Qiqi had survived multiple attempts on his life. However, even with their help, Qiqi had still sustained injuries. After all, even a monster wouldn¡¯t harm its own offspring. But he, driven by his own selfish motives, had gone as far as attempting to kill his own son! The time for Liu Qingqing to exact her revenge had finally arrived. Qiqi deserved better than a father who sought to end his life. Liu Qingqing suppressed her lethal aura, speaking calmly to the guard, ¡°I understand the situation. Return and inform him that I will join him shortly.¡± The guard, believing he had sessfully facilitated a reconciliation, interpreted Liu Qingqing¡¯sposed demeanor as a sign of her either calming herself down or preparing for their meeting. In his perception, women were always forgiving and willing to ept men who showed a genuine desire to change. Their ultimate goal was to live a peaceful life, a mutually beneficial oue for both parties involved. As for a guard like him, such a resolution would guarantee a stable and tranquil career. With a respectful bow, the guard retreated, making haste back to the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion. He ryed the message to Zhou Huailing. ¡°The Crown Prince, Elder Miss Liu, has agreed toe,¡± the guard reported. Despite the change in regime, Zhou Huailing still retained his title as the Crown Prince from the previous King¡¯s reign. The servants continued to address him ordingly, as the new King had not yet stripped him of his title. Upon hearing the news of Liu Qingqing¡¯s agreement, Zhou Huailing couldn¡¯t help but smile, his heart filled with joy. It seemed that their reunion was imminent, and he would soon achieve his desired oue. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Do you think I can win her back?¡± Zhou Huailing inquired, seeking reassurance from the guard. ¡°Of course you can. When I delivered the message, I observed that despite Liu Qingqing¡¯s initial reservation, she disyed visible emotions. When a woman shows emotions in response to something, it signifies that she still cares. And if she cares, it means that she is capable of forgiving you. All you need to do is approach her with a sincere and positive attitude, Crown Prince, and she will willingly return to your embrace,¡± the guard analyzed. Upon hearing this analysis, Zhou Huailing felt a renewed sense of confidence. The situation appeared entirely manageable, and he believed that he could indeed win Liu Qingqing back. He was Liu Qingqing¡¯s first man and they lived three years together. They even had a son together! Liu Qingqing would not forget him with these strings on her. He would just try to keep a low-profile after he moved into the Liu Mansion. General Liu had the military authorities, and his Eighth Brother trusted General Liu. So maybe, he even had the chance to overturn the situation. Zhou Huailing smiled, waiting for Liu Qingqing toe. Chapter 1749 Solution 1 On the wedding night, Lingyun administered a pill to Gu Chaoyan, causing her to fall into a deep sleep without much suffering. Just as Lingyun had assured, Gu Chaoyan woke up the next day, but she was not the same as before. She appeared unwell and spent most of her time sleeping. Zhou Huaijin had been diligently caring for Gu Chaoyan throughout this period. Meanwhile, Lingyun retreated to her own room to study and search for a solution to Gu Chaoyan''s condition. As Lingyun entered the room, Zhou Huaijin''s face lit up with anticipation, believing that Lingyun must have found a solution. However, despite Zhou Huaijin''s hopeful gaze, Lingyun couldn''t help but feel disappointed in herself. Nevertheless, she proceeded ording to the n and said, "No, I have thoroughly studied the issue in my room. The Elder Miss might have been drugged, or perhaps not. However, her condition goes beyond my expertise." "¡­" "But," Lingyun continued, her voice filled with a sudden realization, "the Elder Miss is a Phoenix Girl, and ordinary drugs should not have affected her unless¡­'''' Lingyun paused, as if struck by a memory. "Could it be that the poison has been with her since she was young, even before she became a Phoenix Girl? Or perhaps she acquired it upon bing a Phoenix Girl? This is no simple matter." However¡­ All of these were mere conjectures and not confirmed truths. Lingyun gently shook her head. "If we truly wish to understand what is happening with the Elder Miss, we would likely require the assistance of a trusted and highly skilled practitioner. Ordinary doctors and imperial physicians would be of no help in this matter." Zhou Huaijin remained silent, absorbing Lingyun''s words. "The realm of cultivation is highly intricate and far from simple," Lingyun continued. "For instance, Piaomiao Pavilion possesses knowledge and techniques that I have barely touched upon." Piaomiao Pavilion was an esteemed institution, but its practitioners refrained from employing their skills due to their fear of the Phoenix Girl. Zhou Huaijin felt a deep sense of disappointment and suddenly became distressed. Lingyun had spoken of studying the issue, raising his hopes that she might have a solution. However, she was now confirming that she had no solution at hand. In this circumstance, he felt utterly helpless in aiding Gu Chaoyan''s health. But¡­ They had just entered into the sacred bond of marriage! He would never allow anything to harm Gu Chaoyan. Zhou Huaijin''splexion turned ashen, and a deep sense of anguish washed over him. He cared deeply for his wife and couldn''t bear to see her suffer. Lingyun immediately regretted revealing the truth. She should have offered him some semnce of hope instead. She opened her mouth, intending to provide words offort.@@novelbin@@ However, Gu Chaoyan suddenly smiled. "Alright, you two. Don''t be so pessimistic. I may be poisoned, but it''s not something insurmountable. Firstly, I am a doctor myself, and I can explore possible solutions. Secondly, it''s not a life-threatening poison; it only causes asional difort. I can manage." "Chaoyan!" Zhou Huaijin called out, looking grave. Chapter 1753 - 1753 The Cangyan Door’s Plan 1 1753 The Cangyan Door¡¯s n 1 Since the people of Snow Territory only recognized Phoenix Girl as the rightful wife of Mr. Head, her presence could potentially unify the divided Snow Territory. This realization led Ouyang Mingjing to consider the possibility of striking a deal with Phoenix Girl to align their individual goals. Lost in his thoughts, Ouyang Mingjing¡¯s attention began to waver, his mind drifting away from the immediate matters at hand. ¡ª At Fengxian Pce, Liu Qingqing had been keeping Gu Chaoyanpany while Zhou Huaijin secluded himself in the imperial study. He was determined to find a solution to the ongoing matter. As the construction of Shiling Pce progressed in the Saint Divine Land, the Shadow Door had employed a skilled individual to oversee its operations. However, this person¡¯s abilities were not sufficient to handle the situation with Gu Chaoyan. Zhou Huaijin realized that they needed someone with even greater expertise to deal with the challenges they faced. Turning to Fu Bao, he gave clear instructions, ¡°Fu Bao, take care of it.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Head,¡± Fu Bao responded and left. As Zhou Huaijin contemted his next move, he received word that representatives from the Cangyan Door had arrived. Normally, he would have declined to meet with them, but today he saw it as an opportunity to have a conversation. The Cangyan Door members had maintained a rtively low profile since their arrival, distinguishing themselves from the more unruly Piaomiao Pavilion and the tightly controlled Snow Territory. ¡°Wee, Mu Ning,¡± Zhou Huaijin greeted them with equal politeness. ¡°What do you want, when youe to see me?¡± Zhou Huaijin asked quietly. Mu Ning smiled. He started carefully, ¡°I heard about your building Shiling Pce on my way out today. So are you trying to train people to stop monsters from invading the country?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are not a particrly influential school, but we are highly experienced and respected. The Saint Divine Land has weed us warmly, and if you need assistance, we are willing to offer our help. What you are constructing holds great significance for us, and we can provide a selection of disciples to ensure the most suitable individuals for the practice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In addition, if you desire, we can also provide assistance with the practice,¡± Mu Ning stated courteously. Zhou Huaijin found it rather surprising to be discussing this matter with them. However¡­ @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin soon realized that this situation was quite normal. The Cangyan Door appeared to maintain a low profile inparison to the Piaomiao Pavilion. Nevertheless, both schools coexisted within the Saint Divine Land, implying that the Piaomiao Pavilion couldn¡¯t take any action against them either. While they all coveted the Golden Rolls, the Cangyan Door chose not to step forward, as they preferred to remain behind the scenes. It appeared to be an opportune moment for them to bring up this proposition. They had their own motives. ¡°That is most gracious of you, Young Head. Please, inform me of the terms,¡± Zhou Huaijin inquired directly. ¡°It¡¯s not so much a condition. Your Queen is the Phoenix Girl, and our intention is to show our admiration for both you and her. Although the Phoenix Girl has chosen not to offer the Golden Rolls, which is beyond our influence, we do have something else to offer¡­¡± Chapter 1757 - 1757 Junyi’s Visit 2 1757 Junyi¡¯s Visit 2 The strategist who served the previous Crown Prince? Zhou Huaijin didn¡¯t have a strong impression of him, but she certainly did. They had crossed paths before in Bingzhou. She had to admit that the man was exceptionally intelligent, as he had devised a solution to save Prime Minister Chu from a dangerous situation. However¡­ He was incredibly arrogant, carrying grudges within his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen to align himself with Zhou Huailing, despite his own remarkable talents. When Zhou Huailing ascended to the position of Lord Ling and gained the respect of the officers as the Crown Prince, it wasrgely due to this strategist¡¯s ideas. Moreover, it seemed that this strategist held a disdain for women. That exined why he had consistently humiliated her. Now that the previous Crown Prince was no more, it appeared that the strategist had not been by his side during his demise. Unexpectedly¡­ He was here in the court, alone. She was quite curious to see why he hade alone to the court. While Gu Chaoyan was lost in her thoughts, Sword One helped her change into a casual blouse. She decided to go and meet him, saying, ¡°Shall we go and see him?¡± Zhou Huaijin initially intended to decline the strategist¡¯s request. He had no interest in wasting time on someone like him. He would rather have breakfast with Chaoyan. However, since Chaoyan expressed curiosity in meeting him, he agreed to the meeting. Zhou Huaijin granted the strategist entry into the court. Gu Chaoyan, despite being the Queen, chose to dress in her usual simple attire without any borate ornaments or vibrant colors. Zhou Huaijin respected her preference. Chaoyan disliked theplexities and intricacies of extravagant dresses. On the day of her coronation, she had frowned upon the opulent attire. He wouldn¡¯t force her to wear what she didn¡¯t like. After the summons, it took quite some time for Junyi to finally arrive at Fengxian Pce. He was merely a strategist who had served the previous Crown Prince, holding a rtively low rank within the hierarchy. In the Saint Divine Land, strategists were not highly regarded and were often considered to be on par with businessmen in terms of social status. As per the protocol, strategists had to wait outside the pce when summoned or requested to meet with high-ranking individuals. Thus, it took a considerable amount of time for Junyi to reach the throne room. Junyi disyed great respect and greeted the King and Queen in a polite manner. Rather than immediately asking him to rise, Zhou Huaijin carefully observed him. While strategists may not hold a prestigious position, they were still expected to adhere to certain principles and decorum. Unlike businessmen who were primarily driven by profit, strategists operated by their own set of rules. For instance, Xie Yan, who had sought their assistance, had evene to pay his respects to them in the capital during the coronation ceremony. Despite this, Xie Yan had declined their offer to work as a strategist. Well¡­ Xie Yan worked for Zhou Huailing, and he could not possibly turn to serve other people from the imperial family. Because of this, Xie Yan had be their friend. @@novelbin@@ They and Xie Yan met by ident. And Junyi was here for some other purpose, obviously. That was why Zhou Huaijin did not respect him as much. Though he might be working so hard and achieve greatly when serving Zhou Huailing. ¡°Mr. Strategist for the previous Crown Prince. What are you asking to see me for?¡± Zhou Huailing asked. Chapter 1761 - 1761 Meeting with Xie Yan 1761 Meeting with Xie Yan Xie Yan knew clearly why Junyi was here. He knew Junyi well, not because they were close friends, but because Junyi did not know how to conceal his personality and ambition. All these years, what he had been doing was to prove himself in front of their master, trying to convince himself that his master was wrong about him, and that he could overturn his words. In order to reach the goals, he had spared no efforts. With the demise of the previous Crown Prince, his practical authority would have dwindled even if he had managed to survive. The Jin King, on the other hand, held an undeniable advantage in the current situation. For Junyi, the Crown Prince¡¯s death brought a sense of relief, as he could now turn his attention towards expressing his ambitions to the King. In most cases, an ordinary king would have eagerly epted someone as skilled and capable as Junyi. It was unfortunate that the Jin King harbored a dislike for individuals of Junyi¡¯s nature. Xie Yan keenly observed Junyi¡¯s crumbling state, as if he were on the verge of copse. Junyi¡¯s subconscious interrogation echoed in the air, ¡°Why you?¡± Why did he run into them when he was hunted? Why did he be friends with the King just after a few teas. Why did he get so lucky so he came to where he was today? Whilst on the other hand, Junyi believed that he had done so much and during the past few months, and he had not even taken a day off from his work. But he failed in the end. It was unfair. Totally unfair! He failed to be the strategist for the King, not because he was not talented. It was because he was unlucky! It must have been the best exnation! But why? Why must he be treated like this? ¡°Why me?¡± Xie Yan countered. Xie Yan looked at Junyi with a mixture of sympathy and firmness. He understood that Junyi was feeling defeated and overwhelmed by the turn of events. Despite their differences, they were still connected through their shared lineage under the same master. @@novelbin@@ ¡°I can tell you why!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am not as talented as you. But I am an ethical strategist. I have always been remembering what our master told me when I first went into his school. He said that we are strategists, but we have our own rules. We need to have talents, but more importantly, we need to stick to our rules and loyalty. We need to have our principles.¡± ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just look at what you have been doing and how you treated the previous Crown Prince. Do you still remember your own rules and principles? Do you think, under such a circumstance, the King still wants to hire you?¡± ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am not working for the King, so he admires me. I never betray anyone.¡± Xie Yan said in a serious tone. Junyi¡¯s smiled stiffened. Then he walked past Xie Yan. He rushed out of the court. When he had no idea where to go, a very familiar voice stopped him. ¡°Officer Junyi?¡± ¡°It is you!¡± Junyi stared up. Chapter 1766 You 3 Were members of Piaomiao Pavilion present? So Duke North and Piaomiao Pavilion were coborating? Was he expected to join forces with both Duke North and Piaomiao Pavilion? Piaomiao Pavilion was renowned for its exceptional prowess, capable of captivating people with a single charm. Junyi had previously heard that every member of Piaomiao Pavilion practiced martial arts, and even the lowest-ranked disciples could take down ten imperial army soldiers. They were also skilled in utilizing various magical pills and weapons.@@novelbin@@ In the court, they appeared to have a strained rtionship with the Jin King, who had driven them to live in hostels. This animosity likely exined why they didn''t get along. Suddenly, everything started to fall into ce. Junyi, who had contemted quitting, halted his thoughts and felt a surge of motivation. Observing Junyi''s reaction, Gu Ruxue smiled. Everything was proceeding ording to Duke North''s n. Gu Ruxue led Junyi all the way to the main hall of Duke North Mansion. The mansion had changed since Junyi''sst visit. Itcked the bustling atmosphere it once had and appeared rather vacant. Hidden in the corners were a few guards, Duke North''s trusted subordinates. Though the mansion seemed empty, the presence of Duke North could still be felt through his silhouette. In the lobby, Duke North sat in the central chair, his appearance capturing Junyi''s careful attention. Duke North appeared gaunt, hisplexion pale and sallow, as if he were clinging to hisst breath. There was ack of vitality that contrasted sharply with the demeanor of an ordinary person. Amidst the seemingly vacant Duke North Mansion, Junyi couldn''t help but feel a shiver run down his spine.I think you should take a look at He nced around, unable to spot anyone from Piaomiao Pavilion. Was he deceived? "No need to search further. The elders from Piaomiao Pavilion retreated when they didn''t see you. They have a gift for you," Zheng Chenyi exined, instructing his men to present it to Junyi. Junyi recognized the charm¡ªa powerful item that had rendered the previous Crown Prince immobile. Piaomiao Pavilion had imed it was nothing to them. So, Piaomiao Pavilion was indeed involved in this n. "Join forces with us and bring down the Jin King. Piaomiao Pavilion can offer you something far greater if you agree. Once we seed, you will gain extraordinary rewards beyond your imagination. However, if your interest lies in the Saint Divine Land, you may serve your puppet King. What you choose to do is of no concern to us. What I desire is Phoenix Girl, and what Piaomiao Pavilion desires are Phoenix Girl''s Golden Rolls," Zheng Chenyi dered. "¡­" "What do you think?" Zheng Chenyi rified their intentions, then turned to Gu Ruxue and continued, "She desires to be the Queen and indulge in a luxurious life with Gu Yunhe." Junyi''s gaze shifted from the charm to Zheng Chenyi and Gu Ruxue, and he responded, "Okay." ¡ª Back in the court. Xie Yan remained in ce even after Junyi had departed. He patiently awaited the messenger to ry the information. "He didn''t go anywhere else; he joined forces with Gu Ruxue," the messenger reported. Chapter 1769 Lingyuns Confession 2 1769 Lingyun''s Confession 2 Wuxing was in shock hearing Lingyun finishing her speech. @@novelbin@@ He struck his own face, subconsciously thinking that he was dreaming and that none of this was real. Lingyun loved him so much. How could she say things like this? How could she do such a thing to hurt him? Impossible. But no matter how much Wuxing hit himself, he was still confronted with nothing but truth. That was impossible! "Is that real?" Wuxing asked, confused. "Yes." Lingyun answered. "I am here to tell you that I don''t want to waste time on you, not even wanting to make you pay back! I have a lot to do and I don''t want to spend any effort on you!" Having said that¡­ Lingyun turned around and was about to leave the hostel. It was real. Everything was real¡­ No wonder she came to the hostel in such an open manner. Wuxing got so furious that he walked forward to grip her. Wuxing wasn''t prepared for this. He knew clearly that if Lingyun left now. She would be gone for good. She would never look back ever again. Just as she said, she did not even think about wasting time on him! When someone lost both love and hatred towards another, it meant that he or she was gone for real. But he was not going to allow this to happen. He was not going to let Lingyun go like this. She could lie to him and do all of these. But she must not leave. She had been by his side for so many years and he was used to having her around. Even if he was not going to make use of her, he must keep her by his side, or his life would have no meaning at all. "You must stay." "¡­" "I don''t care what you do or say. We are even now. I hurt you and you hurt me. Let the bygones be bygones, and we can just drop it." " "¡­" "But you have to marry me. Lingyun, you have to!" " "¡­" "I don''t need anything else from you. You can marry me, and that is enough. Just like how we did it when we were little, a life like that, okay?" Wuxing said and sounded begging. Lingyun stared at him. At this moment, all of what he said was real. He did have some feelings towards her, apart from making use of her. But¡­ All was toote. Part of her was already ded on the night when he got his maid to make her suffer. She had lived like a ghost for three years. She was dead. So was her heart. She did not feel anything when she thought about this. Lingyun pulled out of his hands, eyes on Wuxing and stepping away from him. "Marrying me? Who do you think you are?" "¡­" "You are not worthy of me." Lingyun said, quietly. Wuxing was about to take another grip when Sword Two stepped forward. "Ms. Lingyun works for Phoenix Girl. Be aware what you do and say!" Wuxing had to let go. Lingyun left, without turning back. Wuxing showed a look of misery. He had never expected that there would be one day when Lingyun left him. When she left him on the day when she was drugged, he knew that one day, she would return and join him when she found a way out. But now, she was leaving for real. After Lingyun left¡­ Qianji walked up and came to Wuxing''s side. Chapter 1773 Duke North 1 "No," Zhou Huaijin disagreed directly. Chaoyan was not feeling well, and she might get sick anytime. If she went to deal with this for him, it would only make him worried. "Duke North¡­ well, I used to consider him a good friend, and he was deeply devoted to the people at the border. But his personality has changed due to the injury. There seems to be a connection between these things, and I don''t believe he is the same as before." "¡­" "But this is a great opportunity for me to meet him and sort things out, considering what he did for the country in the past." "¡­" "I am so bored here in the court. It would be better if I took a walk outside," Gu Chaoyan presented a solid argument. Upon hearing this, Zhou Huaijin did not stop her. However¡­ She could not just go to Duke North Mansion alone. "Bring Sword Four and all, Lingyun too. I will give you 20 hidden guards. Anything happens, they will all appear." Zhou Huaijin arranged directly. "No problem!" Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly. She looked out of the window at the sky. "I will go outter. It is still very early now."@@novelbin@@ "I will get the wagon prepared." Zhou Huaijin got up, already getting very worried. Gu Chaoyan went out of the court with them altogether. Outside the court. Duke North Mansion also received the order that told them the Queen''s arrival.I think you should take a look at Zheng Chenyi smiled briefly upon receiving the order, as it was exactly what he had expected. Whenever the affair involved Duke North, she would alwayse to Duke North''s Mansion. Many people considered her cold, but Zheng Chenyi knew she was someone with a heart. Having done so much for her in the past, Zheng Chenyi knew he upied a small spot in her heart. That small spot was enough for him. And now, he was determined to make her stay with him using whatever means necessary. He didn''t care where her heart wandered; he only desired her presence by his side. "Prepare everything. She''sing, and I want her to love my ce," Zheng Chenyi said with a dark tone. "Yes," the servants acknowledged and went downstairs to attend to their duties. Seated in the lobby, Zheng Chenyi personally arranged an array of pastries, eagerly awaiting the girl''s arrival. One hourter¡­ Gu Chaoyan''s carriage came to a halt at the gate of Duke North Mansion. To her surprise, Duke North himself did note out to greet her. Instead, a servant approached with a smile. "Wee, the Queen. Duke North sends his regards and says that as old friends, you needn''t worry about formalities. You are here as an esteemed guest. Please make yourself at home." Gu Chaoyan''s brows furrowed slightly, but she nodded and proceeded to enter the mansion. She had visited Duke North Mansion a few times before. It was a grand estate bestowed upon Duke North in recognition of his achievements on the battlefield. Over the years, the mansion had grown even more splendid. Past Duke North''s wife had poured all her resources into its construction, and her dedication was evident in its magnificent appearance. But¡­ When she walked into Duke North Mansion on this visit, she felt that something was wrong. The air was different. It was no longer lively. "Where is Mr.Duke?" Chapter 1775 Duke North 3 1775 Duke North 3 "Have some tea. It''s a fine blend. During these peaceful times, I find sce in seeking out the best tea. I believe you will enjoy it. And there are pastries in the hall as well. We seldom have guests, so it tends to be rather cold. You are among the few who have graced us with your presence. I dare not treat you poorly, for fear that you may no longer wish to be here," Zheng Chenyi spoke calmly, keeping his hand concealed. Gu Chaoyan cast a nce towards the hall, where a variety of pastriesy. Indeed, there was an array of choices. She then shifted her gaze to Zheng Chenyi, noting the subtle changes in him. Finding an empty spot, Gu Chaoyan took a seat. She began sipping the tea and picked up a pastry to nibble on, albeit without the same rxed demeanor she exhibited at Xinlin Mansion and Fengxian Pce. After finishing the pastry, she remarked, "You don''t appear to be well." "I am aware of that. Don''t worry," Zheng Chenyi responded calmly. "Why have youe here?" Gu Chaoyan hesitated momentarily before nodding in acknowledgment. She was about to speak¡­ However, Zheng Chenyi interrupted her, rising from his seat. "Let''s take a stroll and talk." Gu Chaoyan also stood, agreeing to his suggestion. Though she was familiar with Duke North Mansion, she had never truly explored its premises. The garden of Duke North Mansion mirrored the tranquil atmosphere of the main entrance, devoid of liveliness. Nheless, thendscaping was exquisitely arranged. Duke North Mansioncked the presence of flowers, with only an abundance of green nts scattered throughout. There was a distinct absence of vibrant blooms. Jiang Mansion had been simr in the past, devoid of flowers. However, itpensated with numerous green bamboo nts and a staff that exuded warmth, creating a tranquil and pleasant atmosphere. @@novelbin@@ "After my mother''s passing, we have sold off many of the servants, resulting in a quieter and more serene environment. You appreciate tranquility, don''t you? But do you find Duke North Mansion to your liking?" Zheng Chenyi inquired as they walked side by side. Gu Chaoyan felt the situation bing increasinglyplex. Why was he asking such questions? "As long as both you and your wife are content with it, that would suffice," Gu Chaoyan responded calmly. She continued, "The Saint Divine Land has been stabilized now. Duke North, you possess an authority token for the military. However, considering your infrequent attendance at the morning sessions, the token holds little practical power. It remains uncertain how we should handle the authority token." "¡­" "The King is pondering whether you wish to return to the court. If you do, you can retain the token, as it rightfully belongs to Duke North. However, if you prefer to distance yourself from political affairs, the token could be passed on to someone else," she exined. "¡­." "What are your thoughts on this matter?" Gu Chaoyan inquired earnestly. Zheng Chenyi suddenly felt a pang in his heart. It appeared that she was solely interested in discussing anything rted to Zhou Huaijin. She seemed indifferent to his question. "What do you expect me to do then?" Zheng Chenyi asked, his gaze fixed on her. Gu Chaoyan unconsciously furrowed her brows. "You don''t need to provide me with an immediate answer. Take the time to discuss it with your wife or your strategist. You can give us your response by tomorrow morning." "You no longer wish to assist me?" Zheng Chenyi questioned, his displeasure evident. She had previously given him countless instructions and guidance, both to his mother and during his trip to the border. Chapter 1779 The Lin Familys Visit 2 "Understood," Sword One promptly replied. The Lin Family, Gu Chaoyan''s own household, may not have been particrly pleasant, but the Old Master of the Lin Family still sided with her.@@novelbin@@ As the Queen, it was Gu Chaoyan''s duty to meet with the Lin Family and make appropriate arrangements. Meanwhile, back at Fengxian Pce, Sword One conveyed the message about summoning the Lin Family to the court. Gu Chaoyan took a moment to rest in the court, feeling quite fatigued after her visit to Duke North Mansion. Although the tea from the mansion was fragrant and of excellent quality, Gu Chaoyan hadn''t been able to fully savor it. However, she felt revitalized after taking a sip of tea in Fengxian Pce. ¡ª At the Lin Mansion. The court officials were efficient, especially when it came to tasks rted to Fengxian Pce. They worked with even greater diligence. Two hourster, the imperial decree and the carriage arrived at the Lin Mansion simultaneously. The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree awaited the Lin Family''s arrival afterpleting his task. The three members of the Lin Family, particrly Mrs. Lin, were filled with surprise and joy. "We''re going to the court! We''re going to the court! She will make arrangements for us! Ah, I never imagined that we would be rtives of the imperial family! And soon, we will also be a noble family!" "¡­" "When the coronation ceremony took ce, we were escorted to attend, but we were not mentioned. I thought she had forgotten everything we did to her, using us only when convenient and abandoning us when she was finished. But she''s not like that, is she?" "¡­" "I have never set foot in the court before in my entire life, and now we''re going as rtives of the imperial family! It''s truly astounding!" Mrs. Lin cheered, feeling as if a life of luxury awaited her in the near future. Despite the hardships they had endured, it all seemed worthwhile now. Marrying into the Lin Family was the right choice after all! Now they were reaping the rewards.I think you should take a look at Lin Jiashu and Lin Jiaxing were rtively more reserved. They didn''t share the same level of excitement as Mrs. Lin. Chaoyan was not only the Queen but also the Phoenix Girl. In truth, if she hadn''t nned to bestow a significant reward upon the Lin Family, they wouldn''t be safe. While Mrs. Lin may not have noticed, Lin Jiashu and Lin Jiaxing did. The Lin Mansion had been provided with numerous guards and hidden protectors. They must have been arranged by Chaoyan, ensuring their safety. Chaoyan''s actions were likely driven by her desire to honor her mother''s memory. However, she had already done enough. She had considered the Lin Family''s well-being thoroughly. If she were to overlook the smaller favors and instead bestow significant rewards, the Lin Family would undoubtedly face a challenging future. The Lin Family had been a business-oriented family for generations,cking the firm foundation and influence of the originally noble families. It was unexpected for them to thrive so remarkably. But this was sufficient. Just like the Jiang Family, who withdrew from the political sphere, they would benefit from maintaining a low profile. Mrs. Lin grew frustrated, observing the two men''sck of enthusiasm or ns for the Lin Family. "What are you two staring at?" "¡­" "This is a rare opportunity, and we should consider how to leverage it for the benefit of our family!" Chapter 1782 - 1782 The Lin Family’s Visit 5 1782 The Lin Family¡¯s Visit 5 The atmosphere inside Fengxian Pce was resplendent and dazzling with gold, exuding an aura of utmost luxury. It gave off a sense of refined cultivation and exquisite beauty. One could only find such an exquisitely designed garden within the walls of an imperial pce¡­ If only they could spend the rest of their lives here¡­ Mrs. Lin let out a regretful sigh, knowing that she might never have the opportunity to reside in such a ce. Polite servants could be seen everywhere, warmly greeting her. It was an incredible feeling. Mrs. Lin found herself unwilling to leave this ce. ¡°Wee to Fengxian Pce,¡± the eunuch said in a hoarse voice. Mrs. Lin reluctantly tore her gaze away from the magnificent surroundings and entered Fengxian Pce quietly. Fengxian Pce was situated in the most prestigious location within the pce, adorned with the finest decorations, reflecting unparalleled elegance. There was an important piece of news awaiting her there. Both the King and the Queen resided in Fengxian Pce. Mrs. Lin couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. It was truly remarkable how everything had unfolded. When she first encountered Gu Chaoyan, the girl was sun-kissed and plump, and Mrs. Lin had no interest in associating with her, especially since her birth mother had already imed half of the Lin Family¡¯s assets. But then Gu Chaoyan saved Jiashu¡¯s life. She became engaged to Lord Huai. She was hailed as the Phoenix Girl. And now¡­ she was the revered Queen! Mrs. Lin couldn¡¯t help but think that Gu Chaoyan was the most extraordinary woman she had ever encountered. With a sigh, Mrs. Lin acknowledged that they had arrived at Fengxian Pce. This was the first time Gu Chaoyan wore the Queen¡¯s robe as she took her seat in Fengxian Pce. The three members of the Lin Family respectfully greeted her. ¡°Please,¡± Gu Chaoyan said straightforwardly upon seeing their greetings. @@novelbin@@ ¡°We¡¯ve just received some new garments and jewelry in the pce storeroom, Aunt and cousin. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something you like. Sword One, apany them to choose whatever they desire. Uncle, I would like to have a word with you,¡± Gu Chaoyan said candidly. She still addressed them in a familial manner. She still chose to address Mrs. Lin as Aunt and Lin Jiashu as cousin, out of respect for her own mother and Lin Jiaxing. Mrs. Lin appeared disappointed and left, searching for an excuse to procure something nice for Jiashu. However, they were now asked to leave the area. What could be going on? Perhaps she was not meant to be involved in the Queen¡¯s affairs. Despite her disappointment, Mrs. Lin had no choice but to depart. Lin Jiaxing remained alone with Gu Chaoyan and Lingyun in Fengxian Pce. Observing the situation, Lin Jiaxing asked earnestly, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Are you facing any difficulties? Share it with me, and I¡¯ll do my best to help. I may just be a businessman with limited influence, but I¡¯ll give it my all!¡± Gu Chaoyan felt her heart warm at Lin Jiaxing¡¯s words. In this world, where she had no family of her own, Lin Jiaxing, her uncle, disyed genuine affection and concern for her. Her uncle had misunderstood her due to her refined demeanor, but his love for her was evident. Gu Chaoyan smiled and said, ¡°It is fine. I am just trying to ask you about something that happened in the past.¡± ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did the Lin Family have any enemies with anyone, like did mother have anyone who disliked her? Or, did the Lin Family get in touch with any powerful people?¡± Lin Jiaxing started to think carefully in head. Maybe¡­ The Lin Family used to be an imperial business family, rich for some time. His father had a great personality. So as for enemies¡­ Lin Jiaxing thought for a while¡­ Then he turned to Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 1787 - 1787 Change 3 1787 Change 3 ¡°Just a slight chill, an old problem. You¡¯re already aware of it. Nothing to worry about,¡± Gu Chaoyan calmly reassured him. The warmth from the lit coal basins provided her with somefort, easing her difort. However, Zhou Huaijin couldn¡¯t shake off his unease upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words. Yes, she had experienced simr issues in the past, but it hadn¡¯t been as severe as it was now. He had already exerted considerable effort in searching for Mr. Zhao and other potential talents, but there had been no progress. No one seemed to know where Mr. Zhao had taken his mother. They had previously discussed living in the southern region and having Mr. Zhao regrly report their situation to the capital. However, to this day, they hadn¡¯t received any reports, nor had they been able to locate them in the southern area. Had they changed their location? Or had they purposely secluded themselves from the world? Zhou Huaijin¡¯s anxiety grew more intense. ¡°I feel extremely cold. Please lie down with me,¡± Gu Chaoyan requested, gently massaging his temples and urging him not to be overly anxious. ¡ª At the hostel, Ouyang Mingjing received the news about the situation at Fengxian Pce shortly after themotion had begun. ¡°What? The Queen was fine yesterday, and now she¡¯s feeling extremely cold?¡± Ouyang Mingjing furrowed his brow, his expression concerned. ¡°Yes, City Lord. She was in good health the day before, but now they¡¯re delivering coal basins and nkets to Fengxian Pce,¡± the guard from Snow Territory replied. Ouyang Mingjing¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who is responsible for this?¡± Ouyang Mingjing inquired, displeased. @@novelbin@@ He would rather exercise patience than resort to methods that could potentially trigger the poison within her body. It was far too risky. Dealing with the poison was no easy task. ¡°Not us, but she did visit Duke North Mansion yesterday, so¡­¡± Longqing suggested. ¡°Go and investigate that matter!¡± Ouyang Mingjing, who had previously been calm andposed, suddenly disyed a different countenance. He was infuriated by this turn of events. Longqing nodded. Ouyang Mingjing stood up. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the court.¡± Even the Elder Men didn¡¯t attempt to stop him. He entered the court alone. Although nobody from Snow Territory was responsible for the current situation, the Elder Men secretly rejoiced at this unexpected turn of events. It was a stroke of luck. They were preparing to return to Snow Territory soon, as there was currently no leader in ce, and the situation there had spiraled out of control. If City Lord could return promptly, it would undoubtedly help improve the situation. Ouyang Mingjing proceeded into the court alone, requesting a meeting. News of his arrival reached Fengxian Pce as well. ¡°What is he doing here? I don¡¯t have time to see him. I¡¯ll see him when I have the opportunity,¡± Zhou Huaijin snapped, disying his displeasure. He truly disliked the man, and hearing this news only added to his irritation. ¡°Mr. Head, it concerns the Queen¡¯s poison,¡± Fu Bao reminded him. He was present at the moment, seeking permission for a particr matter. ¡°He knows about the poison?¡± Zhou Huaijin¡¯s expression grew serious. He did believe that Ouyang Mingjing had knowledge of the poison. In fact, Zhou Huaijin couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Ouyang Mingjing had deliberately appeared on their wedding night precisely because of his awareness of the poison. Although he had a strong aversion to the man, for the sake of Gu Chaoyan, he couldn¡¯t simply dismiss him. ¡°Let hime in,¡± Zhou Huaijin reluctantly instructed, his displeasure evident. Chapter 1790 - 1790 Collaboration 1 1790 Coboration 1 ¡°Fire Lotus is an incredibly precious entity, and I cannot simply part with it without receiving something in return,¡± Ouyang Mingjing stated solemnly. He was well aware of what he desired in exchange. Gu Chaoyan understood his intentions clearly. She immediately rejected the proposition. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I am the Queen of the Saint Divine Land, Huaijin¡¯s wife. Our union is set, and nothing can alter that.¡± She would rather face death thanpromise her position for the sake of the Fire Lotus. Gu Chaoyan expressed her resolute stance, unwilling to entertain any further discussion on the matter. Her words came forth spontaneously, without consideration. She dered that she would rather die than be someone else¡¯s wife. In that moment, Ouyang Mingjing felt a wave of sadness and grief engulf him. Half of his heart had already been seized by Acacia beans, and he was no longer as fixated on Phoenix Girl. However, the idea of marrying Phoenix Girl had be deeply ingrained in his heart, and Gu Chaoyan had be like a snow lotus within Snow Territory, taking root within his heart. Although his devotion towards her had waned, the pain he felt upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words still gnawed at his heart. It was a kind of anguish that couldn¡¯t be assuaged by any form of training or medicine. It pierced his heart like a tiny de. Gu Chaoyan remained resolute in her decision. However, Zhou Huaijin found himself wavering. It seemed to be the only viable solution to save Chaoyan in the present circumstances. He deeply desired for Chaoyan to be his alone, but above all, he wished for her to live a pain-free life. If she could survive, he could protect her in secret. That would be sufficient. ¡°Chaoyan, you must live. Don¡¯t concern yourself with my feelings,¡± Zhou Huaijin urged. ¡°Impossible,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied firmly, her gaze locked with Zhou Huaijin¡¯s. She prevented him from continuing. He had treated her too well for her to betray him simply to pursue a life of her own. She had her own principles to uphold. Ouyang Mingjing observed the couple, one willing to make sacrifices while the other vehemently opposed. Yet, they were acting for each other¡¯s sake. @@novelbin@@ He smiled wryly¡­ ¡°But I haven¡¯t finished yet. Don¡¯t be so hasty. Snow Territory needs Phoenix Girl because some elder figures within Snow Territory are on the verge of rebellion, inciting the popce to overthrow me. Ick the power to counter them alone,¡± Ouyang Mingjing exined. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I require Phoenix Girl¡¯s assistance. Once she appears, the civilians will rally to my side. All I ask is for Phoenix Girl to support me temporarily,¡± he continued. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can apany me to Snow Territory to retrieve the Fire Lotus and stage a performance together. Once I have achieved my goal, our act wille to an end,¡± Ouyang Mingjing proposed, his gaze fixed on Gu Chaoyan. He was well aware that if he insisted on marrying Phoenix Girl, he would still be unable to take her away under the current circumstances. However, by framing the marriage as a mere performance, he could create an opportunity to bring her along. Chapter 1792 - 1792 Interrogation to Duke North 1 1792 Interrogation to Duke North 1 So, if Ouyang Mingjing had intentions of rebellion, this was the perfect opportunity for him. Moreover, his presence was desperately sought after by the various schools nowadays. With a confident gaze, Zheng Chenyi nced at Gu Ruxue, ready to assert that choosing him had been the right decision. Now, even the Head of Snow Territory was personally at his doorstep. Gu Ruxue was genuinely surprised. While she had ced some hope in Zheng Chenyi, she had also lost a significant amount of confidence she had when she believed she would marry the Crown Prince. After all, Zheng Chenyi was merely a Duke. Nevertheless, she decided to take the risk; it was always better to take action than do nothing. But now¡­ The situation had changed. She even began to believe that their shared goal woulde to fruition. @@novelbin@@ Zheng Chenyi was being sought not only by Piaomiao Pavilion but also by Snow Territory. Gu Ruxue was well aware that Snow Territory wielded far more power than Piaomiao Pavilion, as their conversations had asionally revealed. She showered Zheng Chenyi with ttery and smiled. ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Duke. You are now one step closer to attaining what you desire!¡± Zheng Chenyi¡¯s previously somber face was now adorned with a smile. ¡°Hahahaha, you know how to tter people. Don¡¯t worry, once I achieve what I want, you will receive your share as well!¡± Gu Ruxue¡¯s smile gleamed brightly, as if she could already envision herself as the future queen. ¡°Go and bring him in. I¡¯m eager to have a pleasant conversation with him!¡± Zheng Chenyi proimed proudly. The City Lord himself hade to their doorstep, sparing Zheng Chenyi the need to personally greet him. All he had to do was wait here until Ouyang Mingjing arrived. Maintaining aposed demeanor was crucial. After all, the man wasing to him personally! Growing up in Duke North Mansion, Zheng Chenyi had gained insight into worldly affairs. He understood that sometimes, maintaining a calmposure withoutpromising one¡¯s own status was essential. Only when you respected yourself would others respect you. Dressed in a moonlight-white blouse, Ouyang Mingjing entered expressionlessly, apanied by the housekeeper. Zheng Chenyi put on a hospitable expression. ¡°Wee, City Lord of Snow Territory. What brings you here?¡± Simultaneously, he gestured for his servants to pour the tea. It was imperative for him to maintain an air of arrogance, yet he also needed to show respect to the City Lord of Snow Territory. After all, he required the assistance of Snow Territory. Ouyang Mingjing disregarded the pleasantries and focused on suppressing his anger as he addressed Zheng Chenyi. ¡°Phoenix Girl paid a visit to your mansion yesterday, didn¡¯t she?¡± Zheng Chenyi was taken aback momentarily, but swiftlyposed himself. So, Ouyang Mingjing hade to Duke North Mansion to inquire about Phoenix Girl¡¯s visit? That made sense. After all, it was his own aplishment, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Yes,¡± Zheng Chenyi replied directly. ¡°And what did you do under the influence of Piaomiao Pavilion? You drugged Phoenix Girl! She ced her trust in you and never doubted you. But you betrayed her,¡± Ouyang Mingjing interrogated sternly Chapter 1796 - 1796 Revealing News 2 1796 Revealing News 2 Initially, he believed that the Older Men were excessively cruel in their decision. However, it became apparent that the Elder Men were correct and possessed foresight. If they had acted earlier, the City Lord would never have considered bringing her along, especially since everything was going so well at the moment. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on this too much; obey my order. I know how to maintain control. I won¡¯t jeopardize the overall n due to selfish desires. If anything goes wrong, I will be the first to end it,¡± Ouyang Mingjing looked directly at Longqing, speaking straightforwardly. As the City Lord of the Snow Territory, Ouyang Mingjing considered not only the people within the Snow Territory but also those who supported him. He was fully aware of all the rules and practices. Upon receiving the City Lord¡¯s assurance, Longqing departed immediately. Just as Longqing left, Ouyang Mingjing sat down and closed his eyes, finally feeling a sense of calmness in his heart. @@novelbin@@ He couldn¡¯tprehend why he kept thinking about her all the time. He should have exercised more caution to avoid causing unnecessary trouble. Regret filled Ouyang Mingjing momentarily, but he quickly dismissed it. What was done was done, and there was no need to dwell on it. Instead, he preferred to focus on devising better arrangements. Ouyang Mingjing rested for a while, and soon enough, Longqing returned. Upon hearing the footsteps, Ouyang Mingjing opened his eyes and asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°City Lord, we have already spread the news and assigned one of our men to assist her discreetly. She will surely blend in with the crowd,¡± Longqing informed Ouyang Mingjing in great detail. Afterward¡­ Longqing remained somewhat unconvinced. He didn¡¯t like the City Lord¡¯s attachment to her. He truly cared. Longqing reminded him, ¡°City Lord, if you¡¯re not convinced and want her to stay nearby, it¡¯s easily achievable. I can keep an eye on her. However, City Lord, please remember that Snow Territory and Phoenix Girl are of utmost importance. Don¡¯t jeopardize everything for someone who is unnecessary.¡± ¡°Longqing, I know what needs to be done and what holds greater significance. If she can quietly stay nearby, I won¡¯t delve deeper into it. But if she bes a disruptive influence, I will show no mercy. Do you understand?¡± Ouyang Mingjing asserted. Upon hearing the City Lord¡¯s detailed exnation, Longqing started to feel more reassured. He nodded and said, ¡°I understand.¡± Ouyang Mingjing instructed him to leave the room. Outside the hostel, there wasmotion and chaos as preparations were being made to return to Snow Territory. ¡ª In another courtyard of the hostel¡­ Duke North and Gu Ruxue hurriedly entered. Duke North had personally requested Piaomiao Pavilion¡¯s presence, but it appeared that Piaomiao Pavilion had refused. Chapter 1801 - 1801 Together 1 1801 Together 1 However¡­ After their return from Snow Territory, once the poison was detoxified, they would still have ample time to talk and spend quality time together. They could look forward to a peaceful life ahead. Huaijin was now the King, burdened with the responsibilities of taking care of his people. It was only natural that he had to devote his attention to their welfare. Gu Chaoyan took a sip of tea, feeling a sense of irritation dissipate. Setting down the teacup, she noticed a familiar yellow figure approaching. @@novelbin@@ It was Zhou Huaijin, wearing a smile. Tomorrow was her departure day, and he hade to bid her farewell. Gu Chaoyan was about to speak when Zhou Huaijin took a seat and said, ¡°Prime Minister Chu is overseeing matters at Shiling Pce, and General Liu will handle other affairs. Elder Miss of the Chu Family and Ms. Yun are also offering their assistance. Lord Yan will take charge of the court, with Lord Yu¡¯s support.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have arranged for two-thirds of the Shadow Door personnel to stay behind, while the remaining one-third will apany us to Snow Territory.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everything has been settled. Let¡¯s take a well-deserved rest and depart tomorrow,¡± Zhou Huaijin concluded with directness. Gu Chaoyan was taken aback, feeling a surge of surprise. So, he had been absent these days because he was busy handling court affairs in order to join her on the trip to Snow Territory? Tears welled up in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes. Who else in this world would be so considerate and kind to her? Despite his arrangements, Gu Chaoyan still felt a sense of unease. She spoke up, ¡°You have to stay and govern the country. You don¡¯t need to worry too much about me during the journey to Snow Territory. Having hidden guards should be sufficient.¡± Before Gu Chaoyan could finish her words, Zhou Huaijin gently ced a finger on her lips, urging her to stop. ¡°The throne is important, but to me, you are more important. Doing everything I can for you is what I want in life. I only desire to have you by my side,¡± Zhou Huaijin expressed to Gu Chaoyan. For him, if anything were to happen to her, all the efforts put into running a prosperous country would lose their meaning. Zhou Huaijin was not going to entertain any counterarguments on this matter. The next day, the people from Snow Territory gathered outside the capital, and Zhou Huaijin joined them, apanied by one-third of the hidden guards, along with Gu Chaoyan. But in front of the guards from Snow Territory, these people seemed insignificant, like ants. Ouyang Mingjing didn¡¯t mind or pay much attention. After all, it was the King¡¯s prerogative to do as he pleased with his own people. Ouyang Mingjing nced at them and signaled to Longqing, ¡°Inform them that it¡¯s gettingte and we should depart immediately. We can¡¯t afford to dy any longer.¡± Longqing nodded and went to ry the order. The curtains of the carriage were drawn back, and Ouyang Mingjing continued to observe. He thought that Phoenix Girl was trying to acknowledge his presence. Behind the curtains¡­ Zhou Huaijin nodded in acknowledgment towards Ouyang Mingjing as a form of greeting. Chapter 1806 - 1806 Into Snow Territory 1 1806 Into Snow Territory 1 She resembled Qing, with her delicate features and graceful demeanor. However, Qing should not have been present at that moment; she was supposed to be at the temple. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t understand how she could have missed Qing, who had faithfully served her for so many years. But¡­ Just as Gu Chaoyan was about to investigate further, Ouyang Mingjing approached her, concern evident in his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. Gu Chaoyan shifted her gaze towards the girls from Snow Territory, who bore a striking resemnce to each other. None of them was Qing. Perhaps her vision had deceived her, and it was all a blurry illusion. Putting aside her thoughts, Gu Chaoyan turned to Ouyang Mingjing and spoke calmly, ¡°There seems to be a lingering dispute between the Saint Divine Land and Piaomiao Pavilion, but we have resolved it amicably. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Ouyang Mingjing showed a gentle smile intact as he nodded. ¡°No need to apologize. Let¡¯s continue.¡± Gu Chaoyan acknowledged his understanding with a nod, grateful for his reassurance. Back in the wagon, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t shake off her confusion. She turned to Sword One and asked, ¡°Sword One, did you notice a girl among the ones from Snow Territory who resembled Qing?¡± ¡°Elder Miss, no, I didn¡¯t see anyone like that. Could it be that you¡¯re feeling unsettled because we¡¯re leaving?¡± Sword One inquired. Gu Chaoyan nced at Zhou Huaijin, who shook his head in agreement. He hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual either. Relieved by their responses, Gu Chaoyan concluded that she must have been mistaken. Qing had made arrangements to stay at the temple after recent events, and Sword One had ensured her safety. There should be no reason for her to be anywhere else but the temple. Gu Chaoyan realized that her own anxiety had caused her to overthink the situation, likely due to the shock of Duke North¡¯s unexpected demise, which she was still struggling toe to terms with. Deciding to put the matter aside, Gu Chaoyan returned to her wagon, pushing the thoughts from her mind. They had a journey ahead of them, and dwelling on uncertain sightings wouldn¡¯t be productive. And so, they continued on their way. As they traveled, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but notice the stark contrast between the people from Snow Territory and their own group. It seemed as though the Snow Territory individuals possessed an otherworldly power, allowing the wagon to move swiftly yet steadily. Typically, the journey from the capital to the border would take five days, even with the fastest horses. However, the group managed to depart from the Saint Divine Land¡¯s boundaries in just two days. It was an astonishing feat. Even the concealed guards from Shadow Door felt a sense of awe, realizing that their own well-honed skills would pale inparison. The abilities of the Snow Territory group were truly exceptional. They had just been pondering over their recent observations when they arrived at an exceedingly peculiar location. In this moment¡­ Longqing halted and turned to address Ouyang Mingjing. ¡°City Lord, we are now at the very border of Snow Territory. We should be cautious and prevent these outsiders from discovering the entrance.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should consider devising a solution¡­¡± Longqing hesitated as he voiced his concerns. @@novelbin@@ Ouyang Mingjing regarded Longqing with aposed expression. It was evident that he remained unruffled by the situation. He replied softly, ¡°The border of Snow Territory is not aplete enigma to everyone.¡± Chapter 1809 - 1809 Into Snow Territory 4 1809 Into Snow Territory 4 Gu Chaoyan¡¯s request for a break and the need for food would consume a significant amount of time. Moreover, they were currently at the entrance to Snow Territory, which was not an ideal ce to linger. However, Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin¡¯s actions did raise some concerns for him. Observing Gu Chaoyan bundled up in thick clothing and nkets, with only her eyes exposed, while her maid prepared the coal basins, he pondered for a moment and realized that perhaps he had overthought the situation. He nodded. ¡°Very well, we will take a break here.¡± He then informed his troops of the decision to pause and rest. Gu Chaoyan nced outside the wagon, her gaze falling upon the mountains beyond the realm. This location was ideal for the hidden guards of Shadow Door to leave their marks. Looking at Zhou Huaijin, she instructed, ¡°Summon Fu Bao. I have a few words to share with them.¡± Zhou Huaijin ryed the order in a hushed voice. @@novelbin@@ Soon, Fu Bao arrived. Gu Chaoyan inquired, without adding anything, ¡°Does anyone remember the entrance?¡± A troubled expression appeared on Fu Bao¡¯s face. Shadow Door had always been an unbeatable force across the four countries. Nothing could easily trouble them, and even if challenges arose, they swiftly devised solutions. But¡­ They had discussed this matter before and never arrived at a satisfactory solution. Fu Bao shook his head. However, now that the troops were taking a break, they had more time to contemte the issue. But Gu Chaoyan anticipated that they hadn¡¯t made any progress. It was the first time Shadow Door had encountered such a problem and remained unable to find a solution even after an extended period of time. Snow Territory was an enigmatic and unfamiliar ce for them. The techniques and methods they employed outside the snowy region were ineffective here. ¡°Summon Lingyun,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed, wrapping the nkets tighter around herself as she spoke. She still felt an intense chill. Fu Baoplied with the order. Just as the tea was ready, Fu Bao approached her. Lingyun had used the snow water from Snow Territory, enhancing the vor of the tea. Fu Bao¡¯s eyes brightened upon hearing the suggestion. He had spent hours discussing potential methods with the hidden guards, hoping to find one that would be effective in Snow Territory. However, none of the approaches they had used previously seemed to work in this unfamiliarnd. Chapter 1814 - 1814 Into Snow Territory 9 1814 Into Snow Territory 9 Fu Bao¡¯s face contorted into a bitter expression. The Shadow Door had always possessed limitless capabilities, and he had never imagined encountering such confusion. Arriving in the realm of Snow Territory, Fu Bao realized that he had stumbled upon a formidable challenge, leaving him utterly perplexed and without any solutions. Elder Miss, ever resourceful, continued to contemte possible remedies as they trudged through the snow. However, Fu Bao found himself devoid of any ideas or strategies to ovee their predicament. After pondering for a moment, Fu Bao helplessly shook his head and addressed Elder Miss, ¡°We are at a loss, Elder Miss. Weck both ideas and methods.¡± Gu Chaoyan had anticipated this oue, which left her equally bewildered. The unexpected nature of Snow Territory had caught them off guard. ¡°Let¡¯s stick to our original n while also brainstorming alternative approaches,¡± Gu Chaoyan suggested. ¡°Despite the challenging environment here, try your best to memorize our point of origin. If you can¡¯t recall it exactly, at least make an effort!¡± Motivated by Elder Miss¡¯ words, Fu Bao nodded fervently. He checked the time and realized they couldn¡¯t linger for too long, as it might raise suspicions from Ouyang Mingjing. He needed to exercise extreme caution. Coughing and hunching her shoulders, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t conceal her difort caused by the biting cold. Though she made an effort to shield herself from it, she couldn¡¯t fully ward off the frigid temperature, which left her feeling quite uneasy. Zhou Huaijin was deeply concerned about her well-being. Tenderly, he held her in his arms and carefully entered the wagon, ensuring herfort. Chaoyan¡¯s nurturing nature extended not only to the matters concerning the Shadow Door but also to the people and things around her. Zhou Huaijin understood this and often allowed her to involve herself, knowing that she would feel worse if left out. However, this situation was different. She was clearly experiencing great difort, and it was important for her to conserve her energy rather than focusing solely on the affairs of the Shadow Door. Zhou Huaijin was known for treating his subordinates with fairness and generosity. As long as they put in their best effort, he ensured they received the best possible treatment, maintaining an open-minded approach. However, there was one fundamental reason behind his establishment of the Shadow Door. He had created it with the intention of acquiring enough power and abilities to protect not only himself and his men but also those he deeply cared for. The members of the Shadow Door were granted the best treatment because they dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to its cause. The current mission at hand emphasized the safety of Chaoyan in Snow Territory and their collective departure from it. While meticulous nning was necessary for their whereabouts, the foremost priority remained Chaoyan¡¯s well-being and security. @@novelbin@@ Zhou Huaijin made it clear that he would not tolerate any hidden guards causing her any distress, particrly when she was already unwell. Such actions were simply uneptable. Zhou Huaijin briefly conversed with the hidden guards before entering the wagon to attend to Gu Chaoyan. Soon, Lingyun arrived, carefully carrying a tray with a cup of steaming tea. cing it down, she proceeded to assess Gu Chaoyan¡¯s condition, stepping into the role of a makeshift medic due to her familiarity with drug-making. ¡°How is it?¡± Chapter 1818 - 1818 Into Snow Territory 13 1818 Into Snow Territory 13 After spending two days observing the man, Ouyang Mingjing noticed that his hidden guards were organized andpetent, despite some underlying anxiety. This sparked a sense of concern within him. It was evident that this man possessed great potential. Just as Longqing had emphasized, keeping him around would undoubtedly pose a threat to Snow Territory. However, the timing was not yet ideal. ¡°Inform the Elders to arrange for our men to ambush in two days,¡± Ouyang Mingjingmanded. Longqing had been worried that the honorable City Lord might not approve of the ambush, so he had prepared to carry it out discreetly, knowing it couldplicate matters. Yet, with the City Lord¡¯s order, Longqing felt a sense of relief. With the order in ce, the n would proceed smoothly. The following days remained unusually quiet. Silence enveloped them. The hidden guards from Shadow Door had grown ustomed to the harsh coldness of their surroundings. Every day felt repetitive, consisting of constant movement and detours. However, today¡­ A snow mountain unexpectedly copsed. Although such urrences were not entirely umon for the troops who had grown ustomed to them, they still experienced a tinge of heartache. They knew that City Lord would help them navigate around the obstacle, so their worries were somewhat alleviated, yet they couldn¡¯t shake the bittersweet feeling of having to take another detour. @@novelbin@@ The people of Snow Territory oftenmented the additional hours spent on these detours. As they were preparing to address the copsed snow mountain, a sudden group of troops appeared, catching Ouyang Mingjing off guard. The situation quickly descended into chaos, with snow and mountains blending together in a tumultuous scene. The sound ofbat erupted, alerting Gu Chaoyan to the unfolding disturbance outside. She lifted the drapery to peer out and confirmed the disarray. Before Gu Chaoyan could fullyprehend the situation, several individuals rushed towards the wagon, only to be intercepted by the hidden guards stationed outside. Sword One and Lingyun remained by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side, instructed to ensure her safety. However, the hidden guards outside the wagon soon found themselves overwhelmed. In the midst of the chaos, a figure in white dashed into the wagon. Zhou Huaijin stepped forward, attempting to stop the intruder, but he too became trapped by the assants outside. Taking notice of the chaos unfolding, Longqing swiftly guided the wagon to a different location. Zhou Huaijin desperately sought to retrieve Gu Chaoyan, but he found himself ensnared. Amidst the ongoing skirmish, another smaller snow mountain copsed, burying Zhou Huaijin and a few of his men, including Fu Bao. The battle raged on for another two hours before finally subsiding. Satisfied with the sess of their n, Ouyang Mingjing led his guards, along with the remaining hidden guards from Shadow Door, towards Gu Chaoyan¡¯s wagon. Ouyang Mingjing had no regrets about the arrangement he had orchestrated. To ensure the n appeared wless, he had executed the ambush without mercy, sparing no consideration for the enemies. Even in such chaotic circumstances, he had managed to safeguard half of the hidden guards and ensure the safety of the girls in their ranks. Ouyang Mingjing realized that he had underestimated their resilience and capabilities. If Zhou Huaijin had been allowed to enter the towns, it would have unleashed a whirlwind of chaos and turmoil. Longqing and his men were waiting for them with the wagon, prepared for their arrival. Inside the wagon, Gu Chaoyan anxiously lifted the curtain, eagerly listening for any signs of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s voice. But to her disappointment, she failed to catch a glimpse of him. ¡°Where did he go?¡± Chapter 1820 - 1820 Separation 2 1820 Separation 2 Hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s orders, the hidden guards dispersed in different directions, diligently carrying out their search. Ouyang Mingjing observed their movements from a distance, his expression somber and contemtive. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that Gu Chaoyan would make such a decision, defying his warnings and venturing out on her own. His heart felt heavy with a mix of concern and frustration. Longqing asked ¡°City Lord, what should we do now?¡± Ouyang Mingjing¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Gu Chaoyan as he replied icily, ¡°Follow her closely and ensure she doesn¡¯t put herself in further danger.¡± Longqing nodded, quickly organizing the Snow Territory guards to assist in the search. However, deep down, Ouyang Mingjing knew that Gu Chaoyan¡¯s chances of sess were slim. Snow Territory was a treacherous and intricatend, unfamiliar to them, and simply searching blindly would yield little results. Moreover, he knew that those people had already taken Zhou Huaijin away, leaving little hope for Gu Chaoyan to find him by herself. With a resigned sigh, Ouyang Mingjing shook his head slightly and trailed behind Gu Chaoyan, silently observing her desperate cries for Zhou Huaijin. In his heart, the desire to possess Gu Chaoyan grew stronger, regardless of their current rtionship. @@novelbin@@ From his earliest years, Ouyang Mingjing had known his fate as the City Lord, with Gu Chaoyan destined to be his wife. And now¡­ Ouyang Mingjing felt his anger rise within him. How could she be so stubborn? She was his future wife, yet she continued to search for another man right in front of the Snow Territory guards. Gu Chaoyan had invested eight long hours into the search, tirelessly shouting Zhou Huaijin¡¯s name. Her pale face had grown even more haggard due to the harsh cold, and it was evident that she couldn¡¯t sustain this frantic pursuit much longer. Approaching her, Ouyang Mingjing firmly spoke, ¡°You cannot continue like this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Firstly,¡± Ouyang Mingjing continued, ¡°your physical endurance is reaching its limit. You will copse before you have a chance to find him.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Secondly,¡± Ouyang Mingjing pressed on, ¡°you are unfamiliar with thisnd. You couldn¡¯t even locate the site of the ambush, let alone find him in this vast wilderness. Despite the hours we¡¯ve been searching, we are still close to where we started.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Listen to my n,¡± Ouyang Mingjing implored. ¡°Return to the wagon and take a break. We will continue our journey towards the town, and my men will intensify the search. I will even mobilize my own soldiers once we reach the town.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s head shook. She couldn¡¯t ept it. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of giving up. She had to find him, no matter the cost. He and Fu Bao might have gotten injured during the fight. Even if they were not injured, they had nothing to keep themselves away from cold, and they had no food. They would not make it in such a weather. She did not want to wait. She had nothing to linger on in this life, and Huaijin was her only motivation. But if something happened to Huaijin¡­ There was no point in living on, let alone getting herself detoxifed. She shook her head and continued to look. Longqing, who was working for City Lord, could not stand it but stepped forward. ¡°Phoenix Girl, our soldiers would have more efficiency in finding them than you alone. Besides, you are not strong enough to do so.¡± Longqing had turned really angry at this moment. Sword One and Lingyun also noticed that Elder Miss was not looking good either. Sword One said, ¡°Elder Miss, please, let¡¯s take a break first.¡± Chapter 1821 Separation 3 ? Gu Chaoyan hesitated for a moment, her mind filled with uncertainty. After a lengthy pause, she carefully weighed her options and eventually nodded in agreement. Her anxiety had been overwhelming, but strangely enough, she hadn''t even noticed the biting cold that surrounded her. It was only when she finally came to a stop that she became aware of a searing, indescribable pain coursing through her body. Ouyang Mingjing''s words echoed in her mind, and she couldn''t deny the truth they held. She had lost herposure, and simply returning to their previous location would not suffice. This called for a different approach. She needed to find a solution.@@novelbin@@ With a renewed determination, Gu Chaoyan nodded once more and prepared to enter the wagon. However, before she could step inside, she voiced her idea to the others. "It''s growing colder by the minute. Sword One, please retrieve my red clothes and tear them into strips. Hang them on the wagon¡ªthey''ll stand out against the snow. If we''re not too far away, someone might spot us!" As she spoke these words, Gu Chaoyan felt a glimmer of assurance within her. Sword One promptly took charge of the task and set out to carry it out. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan finally made her way into the wagon, where she was greeted by aforting warmth. The interior offered respite, and she felt her tension ease considerably. Lingyun, who was attending to her inside, offered words of sce. "Elder Miss, I understand your worries, but please try not to overwhelm yourself. Our leader is resilient and won''t sumb easily." Gu Chaoyan simply nodded, too fatigued to muster a response. Exhaustion weighed heavily upon her, and she pressed a hand to her forehead, desperately seeking a solution. As time passed, darkness descended, interrupting their brief respite. Lost in her deep contemtion, Gu Chaoyan failed to notice the passage of time. Eventually, she lifted the curtain and was met with the shroud of darkness outside. Startled, she hurriedly stepped out of the wagon and called out to Sword One, her voice filled with urgency. "Sword One, start a fire. They may not see the redness, but they can spot the flickering mes!" Sword One acknowledged her instructions and descended to arrange everything ordingly. Ouyang Mingjing, nearby and growing increasingly irritated by her exhaustion, turned to Longqing and issued a sternmand. "Tomorrow, lead the way and assist her in leaving this ce. No more searching, understood?" Upon hearing this, Longqing nodded in agreement, fullyprehending the gravity of the situation. He fervently wished for Phoenix Girl to return to town swiftly. The City Lord had weighed the circumstances and realized the paramount importance of Snow Territory''s affairs over all else. "Understood," Longqing replied resolutely. Longqing proceeded to descend and make the necessary arrangements as instructed. Ouyang Mingjing had intended to approach Phoenix Girl and address the situation, but upon seeing her current state, he decided against it. He didn''t want to get too close to her in this condition, so he chose to leave instead. However, as he turned to depart, a familiar figure caught his eye. It was her! What was she doing here? He had already explicitly warned her against such reckless actions. Why couldn''t she understand and ept his words? Truly, she was as stubborn as ever! Ouyang Mingjing quickly pulled her aside, finding an empty corner where they could speak privately. ring at her, he spoke with a firm tone, "Didn''t you hear what I said? No more of these foolish endeavors! If you continue, you''ll face the consequences!" Chapter 1826 - 1826 Change 3 1826 Change 3 Elder Miss was in no condition to address any of these issues. While the hidden guards and maids were important, Elder Miss held the utmost significance. If anything were to happen to her, all their current efforts would be rendered meaningless. The hidden guard overheard the conversation from inside and was filled with guilt and regret. He realized that he had made a mistake by asking them for help. He should have respected Ms. Lingyun¡¯s decision to spare Elder Miss from further troubles. Elder Miss was known for her kind-hearted nature, and it was likely that she would want to assist them. However, he feared that by burdening her with their problems, he would only worsen her already precarious condition. Gu Chaoyan gently shook her head. The presence of Sword One would not make a difference. The guards from Snow Territory were bullying them precisely because theycked fear. They held the upper hand, and Sword One¡¯s presence alone would not change the situation. She knew that she had to confront this challenge alone, personally. Only when she stepped forward and took action could their circumstances be altered. With great effort, Gu Chaoyan struggled to stand up. As she emerged from the wagon, Sword One draped a cloak over her shoulders. ¡°I will attend to the injured hidden guards.¡± Witnessing Elder Miss¡¯s pale countenance, the hidden guard was consumed by guilt. They were aware that Elder Miss hade seeking a solution for the poison within her heart. Yet, the hidden guard felt a deep sense of remorse for havingpelled her to tend to their needs while she herself was unwell. Filled with regret, he yearned to guide her back to the safety of the wagon. ¡°Lead the way, don¡¯t waste any time,¡± Lingyun reminded the hidden guard. The revtion had already reached Elder Miss, and there was no way to retract that knowledge. Rather than deliberating over whether it was appropriate for Elder Miss to concern herself with these matters, it was best to expedite the process by bringing her there so she could fulfill her duties swiftly. The hidden guard felt relieved by Lingyun¡¯s reminder. He took the lead and began guiding them. A few guards from Snow Territory intercepted them upon seeing Elder Miss stepping out of the wagon. Gu Chaoyan cast a sharp nce their way, causing some guards to avert their gaze, not daring to meet her eyes again. They were observing her, but she was the Phoenix Girl, and they did not dare to meddle too much in her affairs. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, Phoenix Girl?¡± the Snow Territory guard inquired. ¡°Should I report my every move to you? Who do you think you are?¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted angrily, particrly after learning about their mistreatment of the hidden guards. The Snow Territory guard¡¯s face twitched in displeasure but he said nothing further, choosing to quietly trail behind her. Gu Chaoyan proceeded towards the location where the hidden guards were stationed. Having rarely disembarked from the wagon, she now grasped the gravity of the situation. The once-vigorous hidden guards, who exuded energy upon their first encounter, now bore the marks of weariness, exhibiting signs of injury and experiencing the biting cold. And those gravely injured individuals bore visible redness on their faces, a clear sign of distress. Some were battling the chill, while others grappled with severe wounds. @@novelbin@@ Without a doubt, many would not havested another day. If not for her arrival, they would have sumbed to their injuries. Gu Chaoyan retrieved her needles. Chapter 1830 Protection 3 Ouyang Mingjing''s frustration grew as these individuals became a hindrance to their ns. Snow Territory had plenty of women avable, so why couldn''t they wait before taking action against the girls from the Saint Divine Land? He looked at Gu Chaoyan with a serious expression and stated, "I will give you a resolution." Then he shifted his attention to Longqing. Finally, he turned to the guards who had recently made a mistake. These guards were all familiar faces and highly capable individuals working under Longqing. However, their behavior had crossed the line. "All of you are dismissed, and you will receive 20shes," Ouyang Mingjing dered. Longqing appeared taken aback by the decision. These guards were exceptionally skilled and valuable assets. Firing them seemed excessive. "City Lord, they are outstanding employees. You can punish them, but please reconsider firing them," Longqing interjected, expressing his dissatisfaction. After a moment of contemtion, he reluctantly proposed, "Alternatively, they can marry these women. Would that be a suitable resolution?" Upon hearing the guards'' objection, a wave of unwillingness swept through them. These guards were popr and ambitious individuals under Longqing''smand, and they aspired to have their pick of excellent partners. Marrying low-ss women from the Saint Divine Land was not part of their ns. These women were meant for pleasure, not for marriage. They desired pure-blooded women as their wives, not these maids. The maids and hidden guards from the Saint Divine Land were filled with fury and indignation at this humiliating proposition.@@novelbin@@ And in response to their words¡­ Gu Chaoyan took immediate action. Swiftly, she seized Sword One''s sword andunched herself at the guards. In a matter of seconds, she severed their hands, leaving them screaming in pain. Not stopping there, she continued her assault, severing their arms one by one. Her movements were lightning-fast, a testament to her assassin training from her previous life. Before Ouyang Mingjing and Longqing couldprehend what had transpired, Gu Chaoyan tossed the bloodstained sword to the ground, addressing Sword One, "The sword is tainted now. Dispose of it. I will provide you with a sharper one once we return to the Saint Divine Land." Facing the others, Gu Chaoyan shifted her gaze towards Ouyang Mingjing and Longqing, her voice firm and decisive. "Since it took you both so long toe up with a solution, allow me to make a decision on your behalf." "¡­.." "These individuals have not only insulted the maids from the Saint Divine Land but also physically harmed them. Therefore, the punishment is simple: sever their hands. Whether or not they are fired is inconsequential to me." "¡­." "In this way, they will never insult girls from our country" she continued, her voice chillingly calm, without even blinking at the sight of blood."This incident is closed." However, a thought struck her, causing her to add with a touch of scorn, "As for the notion of marrying them, I''m sorry to inform you that your guards are unworthy of such honorable women." Chapter 1834 - 1834 Qing’s Ending 2 1834 Qing¡¯s Ending 2 After resolving the issues in Snow Territory following the ambush, the Elder Men had arrived, ready to return with Phoenix Girl in triumphant glory. Ouyang Mingjing felt considerably better now that he understood the situation. However, in that moment, his gaze fell upon Qing¡¯s face. @@novelbin@@ A proud smile formed on his lips. He was on the verge of attaining everything he desired. Deciding not to keep Qing hidden any longer, he spoke gently to her, ¡°I still have a few matters to attend to. You may leave for now, and I will join youter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Remember what I told you about being by my side?¡± Qing didn¡¯t answer verbally but nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Very well. Keep it in mind. It will happen soon.¡± Ouyang Mingjing smiled, his expression filled with a sense of aplishment. Blushing, Qing¡¯s face turned as red as a beet, the color spreading from her cheeks to the roots of her ears. She couldn¡¯t help but feel bashful; her entire face disyed her embarrassment. He hadn¡¯t spoken those words lightly. It was something he truly intended. Just as Qing¡¯s heart raced, as if it were about to leap out of her throat, Ouyang Mingjing instructed her to depart. Qing had just been escorted away when the Elder Men and Longqing entered. They had encountered Qing along the way. The Elder Man appeared deeply displeased. He halted his intended words and instead retorted, ¡°City Lord, do you recall the promise you made to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You spared this woman¡¯s life because you didn¡¯t want to kill her. You also promised me that you would avoid getting involved with her.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why is she here with you?¡± The Elder Man snapped. Having witnessed the City Lord¡¯s growth, the Elder Man had seen him act with thoughtfulness and seldom make mistakes. However, this time, he felt immense disappointment. Ouyang Mingjing had forgotten his promise and disregarded not only his own reputation but also the safety of Snow Territory. He should never have kept this woman by his side. Confronted with the Elder Man¡¯s interrogation, Ouyang Mingjing maintained aposed demeanor. He responded, ¡°Did you hear what Longqing just told you?¡± ¡°Look at what she has done! Our guards provoked her maids, and she retaliated by severing their arms, paying no heed to my reputation. The Saint Divine Land and Snow Territory are distinct. She wants a clear separation between us,¡± Ouyang Mingjingined. ¡°Moreover, she shows me no respect. Why should I bother liking her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Women should embody gentleness and kindness, unlike her with her lethal and rude nature!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Qing is the ideal choice! She likes me and me alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for her¡­¡± Ouyang Mingjing shook his head slightly. Evidently, there were numerous aspects of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s behavior that displeased him. The Elder Man sneered at this childish reasoning. The City Lord appeared to be influenced by Acacia beans or intimidated by Phoenix Girl¡¯s assertiveness. Neither should hold any sway. ¡°Women should indeed possess gentleness and kindness,¡± the Elder Man smiled. ¡°But those women are meant for ordinary men, not for you, City Lord. You are destined to stand apart from other men.¡± Chapter 1838 - 1838 Freeing 1838 Freeing ¡°I will handle her funeral, and there is no need for you to concern yourself with it,¡± Ouyang Mingjing remarked to Gu Chaoyan, paying no heed to the approaching hidden guards. Gu Chaoyan seethed with fury but managed to maintain herposure, instructing the hidden guards to remainposed. Most of those hidden guards had suffered severe injuries during the ambush and were still recovering. Half of them had yet to fully regain their strength. Their resentment towards Snow Territory had grown due to what had happened to Qing, and Gu Chaoyan was determined to seek revenge for her. However¡­ She couldn¡¯t afford to panic at this moment. She wouldn¡¯t allow the hidden guards to sacrifice their lives for a fleeting grudge. They were no match for the guards from Snow Territory, and Ouyang Mingjing had already revealed his sinister side, indicating that he wouldn¡¯t show mercy against any attack. There was still time. Huaijin was still missing, and they couldn¡¯t sever all tiespletely. They needed to bide their time and gather their forces. Gu Chaoyan seethed with anger, but she kept herselfposed. Because she needed to maintain the calmness of her men. Elder Man observed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s retreating form and nced at Ouyang Mingjing. It seemed like a prudent approach to handle the current situation. Phoenix Girl cherished her servants, and the loss of her beloved maid at the hands of Snow Territory¡¯s people would undoubtedly leave her deeply dissatisfied. However, attempting to appease her now wouldn¡¯t serve any purpose. They had to wait a little longer for the situation to calm down before making amends. Nevertheless¡­ It had been an excessively ruthless act. Elder Man contemted for a moment and decided to intervene. As the guards from Snow Territory escorted Gu Chaoyan toward the wagon, Elder Man approached them. He instructed the guards not to allow Gu Chaoyan to enter the wagon directly. Then he spoke, ¡°Phoenix Girl, I understand your anger and empathize with your feelings.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The City Lord¡¯s actions have been ruthless, but he had his reasons.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Acacia beans originated from our Snow Territory, but they are part of a tradition passed down through generations. One bean for the City Lord, and one for the Phoenix Girl, to solidify their bond. The City Lord acted out of duty, and he did not anticipate such an unfortunate turn of events.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But due to the unforeseen circumstances, the City Lord decided to fulfill the girl¡¯s desires. However, she asked for too much and caused us trouble, necessitating her removal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The City Lord¡¯s actions were in the best interest of the people from Snow Territory!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We will providepensation to her and her family. They will receive all the mary support we can offer.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It all began with a single mistake, and the City Lord waspelled to take these measures,¡± Elder Man exined, sounding relieved. Upon hearing this¡­ Gu Chaoyan scoffed. The n with the Acacia beans had been orchestrated by them, and if there truly was a rule passed down through generations, why had they carried it out behind their backs? She couldn¡¯t ascertain if Qing had asked for too much, which she highly doubted based on her understanding of Qing. But even if she had¡­ Chapter 1842 Chaoter 357: Conditions 3 This left Huang Fu perplexed. With a trembling heart, Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. He turned around and made his way to the study, searching for books that pertained to the enlightenment of cultivation. The Phoenix Girl was an exception among others. Typically, the Phoenix Girl would be unable to cultivate in this realm. However, the Phoenix Girl possessed exceptional magical power within her, albeit suppressed due to the cold poison coursing through her body. Huang Fu found the book and handed it to Gu Chaoyan. "Read this first, and refrain from cultivating for now. Once you reach Snow Territory, acquire the Fire Lotus flower to detoxify yourself. Then, you canmence your cultivation." "¡­." "Ick sufficient magical power to venture outside. I will distribute the items in two hours." A sigh of relief escaped Gu Chaoyan''s lips. She caressed the book, attempting to open it. Lingyun''s provisions should sustain them for a brief respite. In two hours, Huang Fu would deliver the items, allowing them to recover within a day. Gu Chaoyan nced at the book in her hands and pondered the Fire Lotus flower he had mentioned. She instinctively looked at Huang Fu and inquired, "Are you familiar with Snow Territory?" "I am somewhat acquainted," Huang Fu honestly replied. "In that case, do you know about the longstanding engagement between the City Lord of Snow Territory and the Phoenix Girl? And what about Acacia beans?" Gu Chaoyan asked. There were numerous aspects of the world that eluded her understanding, filling her with curiosity. Yet, these things seemed to have endured for countless generations. And she needed to know the exnation. Huang Fu sneered, "Yes." "¡­" "The so-called marriage alliance does exist." "What?" Gu Chaoyan found the entire concept incredulous. It made no sense to her. "A long time ago, there was a City Lord in Snow Territory who married the Phoenix Girl. After their marriage, Snow Territory gained significant advantages by being united with the Phoenix Girl. They were unwilling to let her go. Hence, they coerced the Phoenix Girl, who had wedded the City Lord of Snow Territory, into agreeing to such an alliance. As for the so-called Acacia beans, it was merely a maniptive tactic employed by them. They used Acacia beans to bind the Phoenix Girl." "¡­" "There is indeed a marriage alliance, but it is a decision imposed unterally by individuals from Snow Territory. It is the logic of bandits!" "¡­" "They are unworthy of the Phoenix Girl!"@@novelbin@@ "¡­." "She merely happened to ensnare the affections of the former City Lord." Upon hearing Huang Fu''s words, Gu Chaoyan brought herself back to reality. That exnation made sense. "Why is the Fire Lotus only found in Snow Territory?" Gu Chaoyan remained perplexed. "Why?" Huang Fu sneered. "That''s because Snow Territory has monopolized it through their deceptive means," Huang Fu replied with disdain. He was deeply displeased and held a grudge against Snow Territory. He regretted not defending her more effectively in the past. Otherwise, those despicable individuals wouldn''t have exploited her and forced her to embark on this journey to Snow Territory. She had endured so much suffering and couldn''t even protect her maid. Gu Chaoyan finally grasped the situation. Outside, the snow was falling heavily. Huang Fu had previously informed her that they were nearing the main city of Snow Territory. In the main city of Snow Territory, heavy snowfall persisted year-round. Over the past few days, Huang Fu had been delivering the necessary items to her at fixed intervals. Although he appeared reluctant, he returned looking visibly pale. "Young Miss, look ahead!" Chapter 1845 - 1845 To Snow Territory 3 1845 To Snow Territory 3 The unrest within Snow Territory, and the sessful rise of those Elder Men seeking promotion, stemmed from the fact that Snow Territory was no longer the peaceful haven it once was. However, over the past couple of years, their adversaries had grown stronger and more formidable. Several months ago, many of their guards and civilians suffered injuries in a skirmish. Fear began to seep into the hearts of Snow Territory¡¯s inhabitants. @@novelbin@@ Arge-scale battle loomed on the horizon, threatening to engulf Snow Territory. Snow Territory¡¯s strengthy in their familiarity with the terrain and their mastery of its unique magical energies. Yet, if an adversary were to possess simr knowledge of Snow Territory, they would find themselves at a severe disadvantage. Snow Territory and Huayin had been ancient enemies, and the desire for revenge burned fiercely within the hearts of Snow Territory¡¯s inhabitants. They were well aware that Snow Territory alone was no match against Huayin, and thus they relied on the presence of the Pheonix Girl for their defense. The Pheonix Girl was theirst line of defense, the key to their survival. This was precisely why Ouyang Mingjing had gone through great lengths to bring the Pheonix Girl to Snow Territory and insisted on her stay. As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Ouyang Mingjing grew increasingly agitated. In frustration, he abruptly turned and left. But before departing, he made sure to instruct the maids and guards to remain vignt in their watch over the Pheonix Girl. Elder Man, who had been closely following the situation, couldn¡¯t help but voice his confusion. ¡°City Lord, are you truly nning to give her the Fire Lotus flower?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s prioritize the marriage and postpone the gift of the Fire Lotus flower. Even if she suffers a little longer without the antidote, it¡¯s fine. We shouldn¡¯t give her the Fire Lotus Flower right away, as it would put us at a disadvantage. After all, she is not truly invested in Snow Territory,¡± Ouyang Mingjing exined, his expression serious and logical. He had observed how the Huayin Faction was plotting against the Pheonix Girl. Elder Man felt somewhat relieved upon hearing Ouyang Mingjing¡¯s reasoning. He had worried that the City Lord might prioritize righteousness over the well-being of Snow Territory¡¯s civilians. However, based on what the City Lord had just said¡­ Elder Man decided on a more cautious approach. He suggested, ¡°In my opinion, we can give the Fire Lotus flower to the Pheonix Girl when she bes pregnant. That way, she will have to stay in Snow Territory.¡± Ouyang Mingjing nodded in agreement, acknowledging Elder Man¡¯s suggestion. But he didn¡¯t borate further. He had his own pride, and that pride didn¡¯t allow him to keep his wife in such a manner. However, he had no choice but to do so. ¡ª In the pce, Gu Chaoyan dismissed the servants and intended to explore the space. But before she could proceed, Huang Fu abruptly emerged from the space. Chapter 1849 Proof That You Are The Pheonix Girl 1 ? Having uttered those words, Ouyang Mingjing turned around to leave, only to hearplete silence behind him. He pivoted back, only to find Gu Chaoyan still seated there, unmoving. She showed no inclination to get up or retrieve the Golden Rolls. He stared at her. In that moment, he recalled her reluctance to present the Golden Rolls to Piaomiao Pavilion and the Cangyan Door in the past, despite the heartfelt offerings bestowed upon her by Piaomiao Pavilion. Contemting this, Ouyang Mingjing exined earnestly, "I''m requesting the Golden Rolls from you because you''re different from the people of Piaomiao Pavilion. We, the people of Snow Territory, don''t need to see what''s inside the Golden Rolls. We merely want to glimpse the Golden Rolls to confirm your identity as the Phoenix Girl."@@novelbin@@ "¡­." "So you needn''t worry about anything." Upon hearing his words¡­ Ouyang Mingjing realized that he and the others cared little about the Golden Rolls. What they truly sought was the Phoenix Girl. It must have been Elder Man''s suggestion that prompted her to present it. Elder Man still harbored doubts, scrutinizing him with a spective gaze. Clearly, he remained skeptical of Ouyang Mingjing. She desired to coborate with him. To aplish that, she had to demonstrate her true identity as the Phoenix Girl. If she were merely an impostor rather than the authentic Phoenix Girl, Elder Man wouldn''t have regarded her with such scrutiny. Therefore, she needed to prove herself as the Phoenix Girl and express her reluctance to work with Ouyang Mingjing. Contemting these considerations, Gu Chaoyan finally stirred. She spoke calmly, "The Golden Rolls is not in my possession." "What?" Ouyang Mingjing''s surprise was evident. Gu Chaoyan had never offered the Golden Rolls before, not because she considered it her talisman, but because it wasn''t in her possession? The Golden Rolls belonged to the Phoenix Girl, so if she didn''t have it¡­ Observing the change in Ouyang Mingjing''s expression, Gu Chaoyan continued, "The Golden Rolls is of utmost importance, so I had Huaijin keep it with him during our journey here. Huaijin is a skilled martial artist, capable of safeguarding the Golden Rolls. Therefore, we cannot present it now unless we locate Huaijin." Ouyang Mingjing''s countenance altered. Panic, displeasure, and uncertainty intermingled on his face. He had always projected an air ofposure. As the leader of Snow Territory, he exuded confidence and never disyed fear in the presence of the people from Piaomiao Pavilion. Yet, within Snow Territory itself, he appeared increasingly unstable. He perpetually seemed as though facing a formidable adversary, and anxiety easily gripped him. If Gu Chaoyan''s assessment was correct, the Elder Men had been subduing him all along, causing him to instinctively react in this manner. Ouyang Mingjing spun around and addressed the guards, "Organize arger team and search for the King!" "¡­." "I want him captured, dead or alive!" Ouyang Mingjing gritted his teeth as he dered. He had believed it to be an impossible feat for them to leave Snow Territory, a vastnd perpetually covered in snow. Chapter 1851 Proof that You Are the Pheonix Girl 3

Chapter 1851 Proof that You Are the Pheonix Girl 3

"Please conduct yourself appropriately," Gu Chaoyan remarked coldly, her expression one of disdain. Ouyang Mingjing, who had been in high spirits, suddenly felt as if he had been doused in icy water. Over the past few days, he had arranged for numerous maids to attend to her and provided her with luxuries. He had believed that they were getting along well, but now he found himself having to caution her to be careful. Perhaps¡­ The Elder Men were right. His priority should be impregnating her. He wasn''t taking risks for his own sake. Ouyang Mingjing, apanied by Gu Chaoyan and Longqing, approached the Elder Men. Ouyang Mingjing gestured towards the white jade sword in Gu Chaoyan''s hands and spoke, "The white jade sword can only be wielded by the Phoenix Girl to vanquish demons and Fey. Can''t this sword serve as proof of her identity?" The Elder Men did indeed notice the white jade sword in Gu Chaoyan''s possession. Well¡­ It did belong to the Phoenix Girl. However¡­ The white jade sword was merely a weapon associated with the Phoenix Girl, distinct from the significance of Golden Rolls. @@novelbin@@ Golden Rolls held the fate of thousands of lives. And Golden Rolls was the sole evidence of the Phoenix Girl''s identity. Golden Rolls was the only thing the world acknowledged. ording to the Golden Rolls¡­ Elder Man didn''t dwell on that point, but he was nearly certain that she was indeed the true Phoenix Girl, not someone Ouyang Mingjing had casually and indifferently brought back to deceive the people. If she was genuine, then things would be veryplicated. The Elder Men didn''t wish to be enemies of the Phoenix Girl. Hence, they were attempting to prevent the Phoenix Girl from marrying the City Lord. Elder Man shook his head quietly. "No." "¡­" "The white jade sword is unique, but that alone doesn''t prove that she is the Phoenix Girl." "¡­" "Phoenix Girl, please present the Golden Rolls." "Why? Why should I prove anything to you?" Gu Chaoyan interrogated sharply. That statement startled the Elder Men. However¡­ They remained calm. "We want to see the Golden Rolls, not take the Phoenix Girl''s belongings. What we want to see is the Golden Rolls. Mydy, you may not be aware, but Snow Territory is no longer as independent as it was a century ago. Enemies are encroaching upon Snow Territory, and conflicts arise frequently. While Snow Territory can defend itself, it is on the verge of copse. The Phoenix Girl can aid us. Without the Golden Rolls, you cannot be the Phoenix Girl. You cannot be the wife of the City Lord of Snow Territory, as it won''t be beneficial for us at all," Elder Man exined. Elder Man kindly revealed Ouyang Mingjing''s true intentions to her. Upon hearing his words, Gu Chaoyan began to develop a liking for Elder Man. She added, "If enemiese to Snow Territory, then Snow Territory should be capable of defending itself. What''s the point of cing all the hope on a single Phoenix Girl? In that case, what happens when the Phoenix Girl is no longer present? Won''t future generations of Snow Territory face the same predicament?" Elder Man gazed deeply at Gu Chaoyan. As for Ouyang Mingjing¡­ Chapter 1857 Ouyang Mingjing’s Madness 1

Chapter 1857 Ouyang Mingjing''s Madness 1

He appeared pale, his hair disheveled, and he exuded an air of disarray. Fatigue weighed heavily on him, evident from his sunken eyes. However¡­ None of these physical signspared to the anger etched across his face. It was a rage that seeped deep into his core. His gaze bore into Gu Chaoyan. "Do you have any idea what kind of assault Snow Territory has endured and the extent of the injuries suffered by our civilians?!" "¡­" "Snow Territory has enjoyed a peaceful existence for generations, and its inhabitants are ustomed to a life devoid of turmoil, shielded and protected." "¡­" "But now? The Huayin School and other factions relentlessly attack us, showing no mercy until we are obliterated." "¡­" "One-third of our guards lie dead, and panic engulfs the civilians. Countless skilled practitioners and maids have joined the battle, striving to defend a fragment of Snow Territory." "¡­" "Yet, Longqing brought you here, and you remain inert." "¡­" What was happening? Ouyang Mingjing seethed with fury. He had never experienced such a humiliating defeat within Snow Territory. The only reason they could breathe a sigh of relief was due to Huayin''s forces retreating. Without that retreat, their relief would have been nonexistent. And this Pheonix Girl¡­ The people of Snow Territory held them in high regard, treating them with utmost respect. She was meant to be the City Lord''s wife, yet she remained inactive. Throughout history, the Pheonix Girl had been the guardian ensuring the safety of Snow Territory''s civilians. True, she was currently afflicted with a moderate poison, limiting her capabilities on the battlefield. But¡­ @@novelbin@@ She could still offer sce to the city''s inhabitants! Had she providedfort, the civilians would not have doubted him or ced me on him. With the presence of the Pheonix Girl, the favor of the people began shifting towards Elderly Man Gao Xiu and the others. In that case, the Pheonix Girl would be utterly useless. He had invested so much energy and time into her, and this was the oue? He refused to ept it! Gu Chaoyan regarded him calmly. The fact that Ouyang Mingjing was in such a state did not surprise her in the least. Having assumed the throne at a young age and faced the formidable Elder Men of Snow Territory, Ouyang Mingjing had always harbored a deep fear of them. No matter howposed and experienced he appeared before the people of Piaomiao Pavilion, his emotions easily spiraled out of control when confronted with these Elder Men who posed a threat to his position as the City Lord. Whatever had urred the previous day must have undermined his standing as the City Lord, triggering his outburst. However¡­ None of those concerns should burden her. "Snow Territory and Huayin School are adversaries, and their target is you. I have no involvement in that." "¡­" "As for consoling the civilians of Snow Territory, what does that have to do with me? I am merely the Queen of the Saint Divine Land, and the affairs of Snow Territory are not my concern." "¡­" "Ouyang Mingjing, even if we have a partnership, the only thing we agreed upon was for me to return to Snow Territory with you so that your people could witness your reunion with the Pheonix Girl. I never made any promises regarding a wedding or any other obligations to your people." "¡­" "I have always adhered to our agreement without viting any stiptions." "¡­" "But look at yourself! You forced a false marriage upon me and assigned someone to guard me, even at the cost of Qing''s life¡­" Chapter 1861 Ouyang Mingjing’s Madness 1

Chapter 1861 Ouyang Mingjing''s Madness 1

At this moment, Gao Xiu walked in. Gu Chaoyan did not arrange this, but she had just passed on the message to Gao Xiu. She did not have as high-level magical power as Gao Xiu, but she could even fabricate a clone of herself with magical power. However¡­ She had read one method in the book about a method, which was a kind of Dementia Spell that could raise small paper cranes, which could pass on her consciousness. She had thought that it was fun to raise it, and at that moment, it really came handy. Since Ouyang Mingjing was sorted through, Gu Chaoyan did not mind taking revenge on the others for her own sake. She believed that Elder Man next to Ouyang Mingjing must have been involved with the incident. Otherwise he would not have known about it and made use of it from her. Gao Xiu was a very nice person, and he would be very willing to do that. So¡­ That was why the conversation happened to be heard by those who should hear. When those people arrived¡­ Elder Man was totally shocked. It was very likely that Gao Xiu was going to make full use of what happened, so she could bring down City Lord totally. By that hour¡­ He would lose his position in Snow Territory. He was as skillful as Gao Xiu, except that he was not as skillful as Gao Xiu in uniting other people together. If what happened today overturned them, then he would not be the same as before. He finally got anxious. He came to Gu Chaoyan and interrgoated with a small voice. "Do you know what will happen?" "¡­." "If you insist on being like this, we won''t be able to give you the Fire Lotus flower." Elder Man tried to threaten her with the Fire Lotus. After all, she travelled all the way to Snow Territory just to get the Fire Lotus that could detoxify her. If she could not get the Fire Lotus flower, she would not be able to live on. So what mattered above all was that she needed to get herself cleared out of the venom. Elder Man felt that he had got something to bargain with Gu Chaoyan, so he showed a proud smile. Ouyang Mingjing was in a state so he could save him. As long as he was still the City Lord, everything could be saved after all. As long as the Pheonix Girl dropped it, all would be fine. She had already asked her men to cripple him, what more could she do? That was already enough, definitely. If she could not detoxify him, all would be over. Elder Man thought that he had grasped her weakness. However¡­ At this moment, Gao Xiu said with a smile, "You are threatening Pheonix Girl with Fire Lotus flowers?" "¡­." "Unfortunately, I happen to have one Fire Lotus flower here." "¡­." "Pheonix Girl, this is for you." Gao Xiu smiled and asked someone to bring the stuff up. It was a white box with cold airing out of it. The man next to Gao Xiu opened the box, and inside was a Fire Lotus flower preserved in ice. The Fire Lotus flower was blooming under the nourishment of it. "That is the Fire Lotus flower?" Gu Chaoyan eximed. "How did you hear what I said?" Elder Man was surprised. He had not only lowered his voice, but also sealed their space with his magical air, so no one could hear what he was saying. @@novelbin@@ How could Gao Xiu hear him? What was going on? Could it be that his cultivation had exceeded his? And that would mean he was at a higher level! As he thought about this, he started to test Gao Xiu''s cultivation with his consciousness. Chapter 1865 Result 3 ? "What were you searching for?" Zhou Huaijin asked in a gentle tone. As the two of them stood side by side, the others quietly withdrew. Gu Chaoyan struggled to find the right words to exin about the space and Huang Fu. She felt it would be best to wait until Huang Fu was present to disclose everything. She shook her head slightly. "Nothing." It was the first time she had been so close to Zhou Huaijin. Perhaps it was due to the periodic provisions Huang Fu had been providing them, allowing them to recover quickly. They didn''t appear tired at all, despite the recent chaos they had endured. It brought her a sense of relief. "Have they been faring well recently? How are their injuries? Have they healed?" Gu Chaoyan asked Dao Seeking with genuine concern. "They have all recovered, and everything is fine. We find food and herbs waiting for us in a designated spot every day. Did you arrange for someone to leave them there?" Zhou Huaijin inquired with a hint of confusion. Contrasting the initial clumsiness when they left provisions for them, the subsequent supplies were neatly ced in open areas. Gu Chaoyan grew perplexed as well. Had they not encountered Huang Fu? She had asked Huang Fu to deliver those items, so they had never crossed paths before? If that were the case, it would be even more challenging for her to exin. She briefly replied, "I have acquired a Master during these days. He possesses advanced skills but moves like a ghost. He is the one who provided those items to me. You can meet him when the opportunity arises." Zhou Huaijin had no idea of the events that had unfolded in the past two days. He nodded in response. She embraced him tightly but refrained from any further action. Feeling his breath, Gu Chaoyan''s mind wandered to Huang Fu''s words. Despite the cold poison being detoxified, she still had traces of the Happiness Drug within her body, triggering faint memories of its effects. For some inexplicable reason, she suddenly felt extremely bashful in Zhou Huaijin''s presence. Overwhelmed by her embarrassment, she gently pushed him away. Confused, Zhou Huaijin looked down at Gu Chaoyan, seeking an exnation. They had grown ustomed to their close proximity, so why was she pushing him away now? Perplexed, he awaited an answer. Panicking, Gu Chaoyan averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing. She looked elsewhere and murmured, "It''s nothing, really. I just remembered something. Elder Gao Xiu mentioned needing my assistance." "¡­" "I''ll go and see what he needs. Thanks to him, the Fire Lotus Flower incident has been somewhat resolved. Please support him as much as you can. You''ve just arrived, so take the time to get settled." Gu Chaoyan quickly made arrangements. And with that, she departed. Zhou Huaijin remained bewildered as Gu Chaoyan left the room. She simply wanted to step outside and clear her head of the swirling thoughts. Unbeknownst to her, as soon as she opened the door, Gao Xiu entered. Sensing his gaze upon her, Gu Chaoyan approached him and inquired, "Elder Gao Xiu, what do you need from me?"@@novelbin@@ "Pheonix Girl, I have a few matters to discuss with you," Gao Xiu replied. Chapter 1869 Detoxifying 3

Chapter 1869 Detoxifying 3

However¡­ Huang Fu remained on guard nearby. After six hours had passed, he gently carried Gu Chaoyan back to the room, ced her on the bed, and then returned to the space. Just as Huang Fu departed, Zhou Huaijin entered the room. During these days, she had required extended periods of rest after consuming the medicine. He would stay by her side and only leave once she woke up. This time was no exception. Noticing her awakening, Zhou Huaijin rose from his seat, prepared to depart. Gu Chaoyan grasped his clothing and looked at him with wide-opened eyes. "Where are you going?" Zhou Huaijin felt both surprised and relieved. "I''m going to get you some tea. Are you thirsty?" He had no intention of disclosing his initial n to leave. Even if he had contemted doing so, he wouldn''t reveal it, so as not to ce her in an awkward position. Gu Chaoyan smiled and nodded. She felt revitalized. Havingpleted the detoxification process, she had nothing to worry about. In fact, she even sensed a lightness within herself, as if a vast amount of magical power resided within her. Gu Chaoyan sipped the tea. Speaking to Zhou Huaijin calmly as before, she said, "Now that I''m detoxified, we should depart Snow Territory." "¡­." @@novelbin@@ "It''s quite frigid here in Snow Territory, and even within Snow Territory, conditions are more favorable. Those hidden guardsck magical power and are unustomed to this environment. The sooner we return home, the better." "¡­" "They''ve put in a lot of effort these past few days." Zhou Huaijin was taken aback. He suddenly realized how caring and gentle she always was. Despite undergoing intermittent detoxification over the past few days, she was still observant of the hidden guards. While the hidden guards struggled with the snow in Snow Territory, it wasn''t excessively difficult. Elder Gao Xiu had made ample preparations, providing them with numerous Dharma artifacts and enchanted armaments. However¡­ It was time for them to depart. The door to the enchanted realm was open, and the outside world was undergoing rapid changes. Being in Snow Territory, Zhou Huaijin had limited ess to information. However, Elderly Man Gao Xiu had shared a few things with him in recent days. The schools were currently in turmoil, and without the assistance of the Phoenix Girl, the situation had worsened even further. Many witches had already ventured out. "We will depart for Snow Territory tomorrow." "¡­" "When we leave Snow Territory, instead of returning to the Saint Divine Land, we will head to Haitian." "Haitian Market? Zhao Dier mentioned that ce before, saying it''s thergest market for Dharma artifacts, enchanted armaments, and pills. Many valuable items can be found there, surpassing what the proficiency market offers. Do we need to make some transactions there?" Gu Chaoyan asked, feeling perplexed. Zhou Huaijin nodded. "Elder Gao Xiu mentioned that the situation outside is chaotic. While the schools can protect themselves, the civilians of the Saint Divine Land may face difficulties. We need to take additional measures. I want to see it for myself." "What about the court?" "Lord Yu is in charge of the court. He is responsible for governing as the king and the monarch. Although he has been absent from the capital in recent years, he is highly skilled. He can handle the court affairspetently." Chapter 1871 Haitian Market 2 ? Huang Fu appeared somewhat perplexed. Gu Chaoyan spoke directly, "I have followed the instructions in the book you gave me, and I havepleted it. I feel great about it, Master. Do you happen to have more advanced books? I would like to dedicate some time to further cultivation." "¡­" "Now that the door to enchantment is open and the world is in chaos, I need to be highly skilled in order to protect the people I care about." Hearing her words, Huang Fu found it hard to believe. He used his consciousness to assess her magical power and discovered that she had already reached the beginner level. However¡­ The books he had prepared were meant for her to cultivate over the course of a month. Ordinary individuals with Spiritual Roots would require around six months to cultivate and break through to the beginner level. Even those with exceptional talent would need at least three months. But the Phoenix Girl was different. She possessed greater talent than anyone he knew, and based on Huang Fu''s understanding of Feng Le, it was possible for her to achieve a breakthrough within a month. Yet, what he hadn''t anticipated¡­@@novelbin@@ She had aplished it in just one day? Huang Fu was astounded. Feng Le had be even more formidable. What kind of being was she? Huang Fu remained stunned for a moment before advising, "You have only just reached the initial stage. Don''t worry, take a few days'' rest; pushing too quickly could have adverse effects." "¡­" "I will find a middle-grade cultivation method that suits you," Huang Fu responded. "¡­" "With your beginner-level magical power and the white jade sword, you should be able to keep them safe as long as you don''t encounter any monsters, Fey, or demonic spirits. And even if something like that were to happen, I am here," Huang Fu reassured Gu Chaoyan. Finally, Gu Chaoyan managed to calm herself down. Huang Fu was correct about not rushing for sess, as it could have adverse consequences. "Thank you, Master," Gu Chaoyan expressed her gratitude with a respectful gesture. However¡­ Now that the problem was resolved, Gu Chaoyan didn''t immediately depart as she had done previously. There was one more matter she wished to discuss with Huang Fu. "Can Huaijin cultivate?" Gu Chaoyan inquired. Although Huaijin possessed great martial arts skills, intelligence, and the protection of the Shadow Door, after meeting Gao Xiu, Gu Chaoyan trulyprehended his immense power. If he could cultivate, she believed he would be even stronger. "No," Huang Fu replied without hesitation. Gu Chaoyan was puzzled. Why couldn''t he cultivate? "He cannot cultivate in the same manner as you do. If he attempts to do so, it will have negative consequences," Huang Fu exined. "If he desires to be strong and stand by your side, he must forge his own path." "¡­" "Some individuals are destined to endure more hardships in life, such as Zhou Huaijin," Huang Fu remarked. He appeared deeply serious, with a hint of personal resonance in his eyes. Before Gu Chaoyan could inquire further, amotion erupted outside the space. "It''s best for you to leave now," Huang Fu suggested. Gu Chaoyan nodded and hurriedly exited the space, asking, "What''s happening?" Chapter 1873 Auction 1

Chapter 1873 Auction 1

However¡­ Haitian was an unfamiliar ce to them. Therefore, it was crucial for them to familiarize themselves with the market. Lingyun had mentioned the presence of a small market outside of Haitian, so Gu Chaoyan decided to explore it first. She intended to showcase her pills and gauge their reception among the people there. Their response would indicate whether the pills were sought-after in Haitian. @@novelbin@@ With a confident demeanor, Gu Chaoyan found herself in a positive mood as she contemted the small market. Meanwhile, Zhou Huaijin and the others busied themselves with arranging suitable amodations for theirrge group. As the door to enchantment had opened, the world was on the verge of chaos, resulting in a surge of people flocking to Haitian. The avable hostels outside were quickly filling up. Settling down a sizable group would require considerable effort. During this time, Gu Chaoyan retreated to the space to focus on pill-making. Her intention was not to create high-level pills but rather ones slightly more potent than Piaomiao Pavilion''s Fanghua Pill. Within the space, she had medicinal fields and ess to holy water. Huang Fu had procured an alchemy furnace from an unknown source, which she now utilized. Refining pills had be second nature to Gu Chaoyan, and she had already gained substantial experience in the process. Gu Chaoyan had a remarkably high sess rate in producing pills. Out of every 10 pills, only a few would turn out to be defective. For instance, out of the 20 pills she had just made, only one was broken. Such a low rate of faulty pills wasmendable. With the pills in hand, Gu Chaoyan exited the space and found that their group had already settled down. They had secured amodations in a rtively secluded hostel, which, like the hostels outside Haitian, did not ept money as payment. Instead, they required practical Dharma artifacts, enchanted armaments, or pills. Zhou Huaijin presented the Dharma artifacts and enchanted armaments given to them by Gao Xiu, allowing them to smoothly move into the establishment. Although these enchanted armaments may not have been suitable for entering the Haitian Market, outside of it, they were highly sought-after items that many people couldn''t obtain. Just as Gu Chaoyan entered her room, Lingyun hurriedly arrived with some news. "Elder Miss, there will be an auction tomorrow at noon. However, I heard that only two magical weapons and enchanted armaments are allowed to enter Haitian Market. Since there will be fiercepetition for those two spots, our chances of winning the intermediate bid might be reduced." Lingyun herself was puzzled by this information. Having been to Haitian before, she knew that obtaining Dharma artifacts, enchanted armaments, and pills was rtively easy. In the small market she had visited, they would bid for a magical weapon or enchanted armament and then proceed into Haitian. There were always unsold magical weapons and enchanted armaments that couldn''t find buyers in the small market. Chapter 1876 Auction 4

Chapter 1876 Auction 4

Due to the fact that it was thest magical weapon enchanted armament, those who wanted to win the auction started to shout out the bargaining chip in their hands like crazy. There were many people who had been waiting outside the Haitian Market for a long time, but they had never managed to get any magical weapon or enchanted armaments that could be used to get into the market. And they knew pretty well that there were fewer and fewer magical weapon being auctioned, and the next auction would take longer and longer. No one knew when there would be a next one. Therefore, everyone was fighting for thest magical weapon, the enchanted armament. Lingyun looked nervous too. She wondered if they would be able to get thest magical weapon,and enchanted armament. So they squeezed themselves in. Magical weapon had just been brought out¡­ Then the shouting got even louder. Gu Chaoyan was not in a hurry. She had been observing what they had. After listening for a while¡­ She more or less understood what was going on. Those who wanted to put up the auction only had low-level pills and low-level magical weapon and enchanted armament, but they had arge number of them. Hearing what they shouted, the auctioneer looked very disappointed. None of the things they had in their hands was what he wanted. That was why the situation had be so embarrassing. They were in a deadlock. Then a young man''s voice arose from the crowd. "I have three Invisibility Pills here." Invisibility Pill? @@novelbin@@ Hearing what he said, everyone quieted down. Invisibility Pill was a middle-grade pill. Those who came to this small market to auction things normally did not have such intermediate-level pills. If they did, they could just go there with the pills. There were very few pills like Invisibility Pill, and normally, he could just walk into Haitian Market with the pills. What was he doing here? In the meanwhile¡­ Gu Chaoyan was sizing him up too. Invisibility Pill? It was also recorded in the book about pills in her space. However, this kind of pill was very difficult to make and the sess rate was very low. She had thought about refining it herself, but she did not have the energy or the need to do so at the moment. If this man had the Invisibility Pill, then the probability of her winning the bid would be very low. There was always someone better out there. When the auctioneer heard about the Invisibility Pill, he was not as surprised as the others. Instead, he asked, "How long will itst?" "Less than a quarter." When the young man answered the question, he sounded much weaker. He was very talented in making pills. But¡­ It was very difficult to make the Invisibility Pill, just like what he was doing right now. He had spent so many herbs and energy upon making the pill, but that was all he had achieved. If the pill couldst for two hours, he would have been able to enter Haitian Market directly, rather thane to this ce to think of a solution. That was humiliating for him. Hearing the answer, the auctioneer could not help but frown. Apparently, he was disappointed too. However¡­ His pills were the only things he needed among all the people here. The enchanted armament and magical weapon should be the only thing he could get. The auctioneer felt that it was a pity, but that was all they could do. Seeing the scene, the young man got slightly pleased. And the auctioneer was about to make a decision¡­ Gu Chaoyan''s cold voice arose. "I have one bottle of pills here too." Chapter 1880 Pills for Golden Knives 1

Chapter 1880 Pills for Golden Knives 1

"The smaller auction houses in Haitian are usually used for bartering, simr to the ones outside. However, Haitian Auction House has its own rules. They only ept payment in Haitian''s Golden Daggers, which are also used in these smaller auction houses," Lingyun exined, providing Gu Chaoyan with aprehensive understanding of the auction house system in Haitian. Gu Chaoyan nodded, feeling more at ease with the information provided by Lingyun. She now had a clearer picture of what to expect in Haitian Market and where to find the auction house. As they walked, curiosity got the better of Gu Chaoyan, and she asked, "Lingyun, have you been here many times before?" @@novelbin@@ Lingyun pondered for a moment before responding with a bitter smile. "Just once." It had been many years ago when Wuxing needed her assistance in refining some peculiar medicines. During that time, he had brought her to Haitian once and shared information about the market so that she could procure better pills and magical weapons. In the initial stages, Wuxing had relied on the pills obtained from Haitian Market to advance his cultivation. At that time, she had thought that she would frequently visit this ce with Wuxing, so she made an effort to remember important details, including the locations. She didn''t want to waste his time searching within a radius in Haitian, and she hoped to be of assistance to him. However, things had taken a different turn. She had spent the rest of her days confined to the drug-refining room. Every time Wuxing left with the medicine, he would assure her that he didn''t have much time and promised to bring her along next time. But time passed, and he never fulfilled that promise. Lingyun didn''t have much time herself, and she had been using that as an excuse for years. Yet, he never took her along, and she didn''t push the matter further. She had yearned for the opportunity, but she had never anticipated it would actually happen. Unexpectedly, Lingyun found herself still by Gu Chaoyan''s side after all this time. The bitterness within her grew as she dwelled on her past gullibility. Wuxing had continuously relied on the pills Lingyun provided, and with his cultivation soaring higher, he had distanced himself further from her. He no longer needed her presence. She regretted pushing him away to such a remote ce with her selflessness. Gu Chaoyan noticed Lingyun''s mncholic expression, sensing that she had drifted into memories from the past. Uncertain about how to console her, Gu Chaoyan remained silent. However, Sword One understood the situation and spoke up with a warm smile. "Lingyun, you can spend more time with us when you''re with Elder Miss. Perhaps we can find some valuable items within the 500-meter range in Haitian. Elder Miss is always so generous, and if we need anything, she will definitely make sure we have it." Lingyun''s smile returned as she acknowledged Sword One''s words. It was true. Gu Chaoyan had always been generous to them, leaving no one behind when they entered Haitian. Before entering the Haitian Market with Gu Chaoyan, Lingyun had already obtained a small trinket. She could foresee a promising future with Gu Chaoyan by her side. Her sadness dissipated, and they continued on to find a hostel. Lingyun then reminded Gu Chaoyan, "Elder Miss, should we acquire some golden knives first?" Chapter 1885 Meeting Zhao Dier 2

Chapter 1885 Meeting Zhao Dier 2

Zhao Dier had initially nned to confront Gu Chaoyan and herpanions, seeking to assert her dominance. However, feeling humiliated, she decided to seek assistance from Wuxing. To her surprise, Wuxing was ingratiating himself with Gu Chaoyan''s group, even offering to guide them around using the reputation of Piaomiao Pavilion. Inparison, Zhao Dier felt insignificant. This turn of events enraged Zhao Dier, pushing her to seek further help. @@novelbin@@ For years, Piaomiao Pavilion and Haitian Auction House had maintained a cooperative rtionship. It wouldn''t be a big issue to drive away individuals without any magical weapons or pills, right? If that happened, Zhao Dier was determined to provide all her pills to the Haitian Auction House. As soon as Zhao Dier called out for assistance, the auction house guards appeared. "Elder Miss Zhao, what''s the matter?" The guards recognized Zhao Dier as a familiar face and addressed her by name. Moreover, being from Piaomiao Pavilion, they held her in high regard. "I''ve brought a significant quantity of pills for the auction today. If you drive them away, it will ruin my appetite. They cane in anytime they want, but as long as I''m here, they are not allowed entry!" Zhao Dier stubbornly asserted. She added, "Piaomiao Pavilion has recently introduced some new pills, and if they''re driven out, all the pills will be exclusively offered at the Haitian Auction House." Zhao Dier made an enticing offer. Piaomiao Pavilion indeed produced excellent pills, which were in demand these days. If the neers were driven out temporarily, they would be seen as entirely different from Zhao Dier. The guard pondered for a moment before responding, "Can you leave for now? Return to the auction house in a few hours. We''llpensate you with a low-level magical weapon in exchange for the pillst." Obtaining a Dharma artifact and enchanted armament within a few hours was already a great deal, the guard believed. "No." Gu Chaoyan outright rejected the offer. "We have the time right now." The guard found himself in a quandary. It wouldn''t be appropriate to drive them away directly. Observing the guard''s hesitation, Zhao Dier became furious and shouted, "Get her out! If you don''t remove her, I''m leaving!" The guards found themselves in a difficult situation. After pondering for a moment, the guard spoke, "Please leave. If you require them, you cane to the Haitian Auction House to obtain some low-level magical weapons and pills. If not, then forget about it." Gu Chaoyan hadn''t anticipated encountering such a situation. Fortunately, she had made some preparations the day before; otherwise, today would have been quite humiliating. Gu Chaoyan searched her belongings, retrieved an authority token, and ced it in front of the guard. "Didn''t you mention that the authority token grants free ess to the auction house? What''s the point of driving her out?" "A golden¡­ card?" The guard was dumbfounded. Haitian Auction House was vast, and very few people possessed a gold token. Even Zhao Dier, a member of Piaomiao Pavilion, did not have one. Yet, he had never seen Gu Chaoyan before. If her im was true, driving her away could lead to trouble. "Is this genuine? Who gave it to you?" the guard asked. "How did you obtain this? It can''t be fake, can it?" Zhao Dier questioned bluntly. "It''s real," a voice interjected. Chapter 1888 Slap on Face 3

Chapter 1888 p on Face 3

Her face turned green with anger. Was Duan Feng going to apany Gu Chaoyan on a tour of the auction house? She had never been treated with such disregard before. Piaomiao Pavilion had always provided the best pills, and their cooperation with Haitian Auction House had been for the benefit of the market. Yet they were treating her worse than Gu Chaoyan? Zhao Dier felt a sense of injustice. She had already lost the wager. She didn''t possess an authority token, but Gu Chaoyan did! She had to obtain one as well! With these thoughts in mind, Zhao Dier spoke bluntly, "So, you really have no interest in the pills from our Piaomiao Pavilion? My father personally crafted the new pills, and he intends to present them to the Haitian Market. If you have no desire for them, then I shall take my leave." Duan Feng did not decline Zhao Dier''s offer. The pills from Piaomiao Pavilion held significant importance for Haitian Auction House. However, Piaomiao Pavilion often exhibited arrogance and neglected their own responsibilities. That was why he had purposely acted in that manner. "New pills? Very well, Elder Miss and I will examine your new offerings," Duan Feng responded. Upon hearing Duan Feng''s words, Zhao Dier felt a surge of pride. The new pills from Piaomiao Pavilion would undoubtedly be part of the Haitian Market. Thus, she spoke candidly, "Since she possesses the authority token, I won''t give her a hard time. However, even if she possesses the token, I don''t see anyone else bringing pills here on a monthly basis. That doesn''t seem quite appropriate, does it?" What Zhao Dier presently desired was to acquire a gold medal. Observing her reaction, Duan Feng maintained a calm smile. "Elder Miss, you might not be aware, but there is a specific requirement for obtaining this special golden token." "¡­?" "Only high-level pills can be offered to us at Haitian Auction House. And not just any high-level pills, but those of a certain caliber. Ordinary high-level pills that merely enhance magical power would not suffice," Duan Feng exined directly. In truth, Piaomiao Pavilion was already qualified to receive the authority token. However, Duan Feng had deliberately withheld it from them. The reason was simple. People from Piaomiao Pavilion often overstepped their boundaries, and granting them too much favor would upset the delicate bnce. Now Zhao Dier was demanding it¡­ He could ept the payment. But he needed to provoke Piaomiao Pavilion into producing higher-level pills. Zhao Dier was taken aback. So it meant that Gu Chaoyan had offered some rare high-level pills. But she had none! "I have some with me today. Take a look!" Zhao Dier eximed unhappily. She had always been ustomed to smooth sailing, but everything seemed to go wrong after encountering Gu Chaoyan. It was infuriating! She had to surpass her! Duan Feng calmly nodded and apanied Zhao Dier to the designated area. The masked man trailed behind. Finding him irritating, Zhao Dier impatiently remarked, "Step aside and don''t obstruct my path." Anxious to position herself next to Duan Feng, she intended to showcase her status by walking side by side with him during the inspection of the pills. Duan Feng was momentarily startled as the masked man was dismissed. He was about to say something in response¡­@@novelbin@@ Chapter 1892 Slap On Face 7 ? If Zhao Dier could sessfully gain the iron''s recognition as her master, it would serve as an exnation when she returned home. Additionally, it would allow her to surpass Gu Chaoyan and elevate the standing of Piaomiao Pavilion. Her father had always advocated for such opportunities. During these turbulent times, it was unsettling news for smaller sects. They might struggle to protect their own sects, but for Piaomiao Pavilion, it presented an opportunity. They could seize this chance to strengthen themselves and potentially unite these sects in the future. Therefore, Zhao Dier began devising a n for herself. She aimed to leave a favorable impression on those around her, solidifying her path towards bing the Head of the Pavilion. Feeling motivated by her thoughts, Zhao Dier addressed Wuxing, "Wuxing, you''re right. That''s what I''ll do. You''re a senior brother, and you''re capable as well. Just follow my lead. If I can attain my desired position in the future, you will surely rise to a higher position rather than being suppressed by the Elders." In the past, Wuxing would have been ted by such words. After all, he had once crafted a n for Zhao Dier, but she had never approved of it. But now¡­ For some reason, he felt hesitant. It wasn''t that he doubted Zhao Dier''s capabilities; she had always been intelligent, as long as she didn''t be irrational. He knew that Zhao Dier and himself were not on good terms. If he were to stay by her side, it would undoubtedly create difficulties with Lingyun. "Elder Miss, let''s discuss this further when we return home," Wuxing suggested. Zhao Dier nodded, not expecting Wuxing to decline. Instead, he confidently stepped forward. Zhao Dier took it upon herself to approach the situation directly, while Gu Chaoyan instructed Sword One to follow up. Zhao Dier arrived at the scene and immediately noticed Sword One. Her expression turned sour as she red at Gu Chaoyan. "Gu Chaoyan, are you mocking me? You deliberately arranged for your servant to provoke me, didn''t you?" And now she waspeting with a mere servant for a piece of ck iron? She couldn''t believe she had stooped so low. Gu Chaoyan frowned, feeling exasperated. She detested encountering Zhao Dier, who always seemed to create unnecessary drama and only cared about who she waspeting with. It was a waste of her time. "Sword One likes the iron, and it''s for her. She should be the master. Can''t you just focus on your own affairs instead of constantly making assumptions?" Gu Chaoyan replied impatiently, not wanting to engage further with Zhao Dier. Hearing Gu Chaoyan''s words, Zhao Dier became even more infuriated. What did she mean by that? Was she insinuating that Zhao Dier was always trying topete with her? Who did she think she was?@@novelbin@@ Zhao Dier was about to demand an exnation from Gu Chaoyan when the auctioneer intervened, clearly tired of the lengthy dispute. He reminded Zhao Dier directly, "Elder Miss, do you still wish to acquire the ck iron? If not, you can have this girl make the ck iron recognize you as its master." "Yes!" Zhao Dier refused to give up. Without hesitation, she approached and attempted to take hold of the iron. However, as soon as the iron came into contact with her hand, it swiftly twisted and deformed. Zhao Dier was caught off guard by the iron''s unexpected resistance. Annoyed, she exerted her magical power to forcibly bring the iron to her side. The ck iron reacted as it came into contact with her magical power. Chapter 1895 Slap On Face 10 ? Then she could do whatever she pleased. If she wanted the Heavenly Dew Pills, she could produce them inrge quantities herself. There was no need for her to spend 2.8 million on them. As Zhao Dier''s bid was raised, the room fell into a hushed silence. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see if Gu Chaoyan would continue with her bidding. How much would the price for the Heavenly Dew Pills escte? It had already reached a staggering 2 million, and now it stood at 2.8 million. Spectators were eagerly anticipating the unfolding drama, as there were always individuals who were both foolish and wealthy. Zhao Dier, too, eagerly awaited Gu Chaoyan''s response. Even at 2.8 million, she was ready to outbid her without hesitation. Piaomiao Pavilion was confident in their ability to do so, but Gu Chaoyan was not. What if she married the King of the Saint Divine Land? In the Saint Divine Land, where nobody cultivated, nothing held true value. Gu Chaoyancked confidence. Without saying a word, Gu Chaoyan let the auctioneer make the final call. "The Heavenly Dew Pills, sold for 2.8 million Golden Sabers to Lady Dier." Silence filled the room. "The next item is the Meteor Hammer. It possesses great power, but its weight is a disadvantage." While the auctioneer continued speaking¡­ Zhao Dier wore a smug smile on her face. "Why don''t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? She''s no match for me! If the auctioneer hadn''t intervened, the ck iron would have been mine!" Zhao Dier''s pride swelled within her. Despite facing obstacles throughout the day, she had just sessfully secured the bid for the Heavenly Dew Pills. Certainly, Zhao Dier was filled with happiness and pride. However¡­@@novelbin@@ Wuxing couldn''t help but sigh, feeling a sense of exasperation. As a member of Piaomiao Pavilion, he couldn''t help but notice theck of strategic thinking from Lady Dier. Did she truly believe that she had won thepetition? "Elder Miss, Piaomiao Pavilion is capable of producing Heavenly Dew Pills on our own. We don''t need to spend 2.8 million golden sabers to obtain them. Even if we did, 1.8 million golden sabers would already be considered a high price for Heavenly Dew Pills. By spending a total of 2.8 million golden sabers, you''ve essentially gifted Haitian Auction House a generous sum," Wuxing exined with a hint of disappointment. "¡­." "If you wish topete, you should do so within a reasonable range. Winning for the sake of winning serves no purpose," Wuxing reminded her. Elder Miss would undoubtedlyin to Mr. Head, and as the one responsible for apanying her, Wuxing would also face Mr. Head''s scolding. It was not a worthwhile oue. Hearing Wuxing''s words, a few people around them began to chatter. "Let''s forget about acquiring anything today. We can target someone who is both foolish and wealthy when Elder Miss is not around. We should distance ourselves from her. Spending 2.8 million for a single Heavenly Dew Pill, how foolish of her to disrupt the auction''s rules. Piaomiao Pavilion is bing increasingly arrogant." Such was the conversation circting among them. Zhao Dier''s expression darkened. She had been so fixated on obtaining the item that she hadn''t considered the consequences. She hadn''t anticipated being scolded in such a manner. Zhao Dier''s face grew solemn. She was certain that Gu Chaoyan had intentionally orchestrated this. Gu Chaoyan sought revenge against her. Chapter 1898 Slap On Face 13 ? 15 million was slightly less than he had expected. He had intended to offer 20 million, but he wanted to get it as little as possible. Wuxing let out a sigh of relief. That made him feel much more assured. It was a perfected day, and he had done what he needed to do. They did not need to take any more risks. Then two more pills, corresponding to 10 million and 12 million, were bought by different people. Three Flying Pills made a total of 37 million. Zhao Dier looked at Gu Chaoyan with a look offort. She followed up and stopped when it came to the few million. She just could not offer that much money. Zhao Dier was in a good mood as she thought about this. Then she looked at Gu Chaoyan. She was indeed not in a good mood. She looked very serious. What was she thinking? Maybe she was annoyed that she could not get the Flying Pill, or anything else. That was very normal, wasn''t it? Well¡­ Zhao Dier had no idea what Gu Chaoyan was thinking. At this moment, Gu Chaoyan did feel a bit regretful, but also a bit serious. It was because of the Flying Pill. She truly felt that it was a loss to give the pill to Haitian.@@novelbin@@ She gave them a total of five pills, one of which cost 2 million, and she only got 10 million in total. But those three pills already cost 37 million. Five pills would cost at least 60 million. If the Flying Pill was already so valuable, then her other pills were definitely going to be even more valuable. It would not be a good deal to give Haitian the market ording to the method. She had to find a way to work with Haitian. As Gu Chaoyan was thinking about this, it was time for the auction. Few people were interested in furnaces. Most of the people here were not alchemists. What they needed were pills and magical weapons, enchanted armament, not pill furnaces. Alchemists were rare, because only some schools were able to afford them. Some small schools already had one or two alchemists, whilst somerge schools, like Piaomiao Pavilion, only had a few. However¡­ They had excellent pill furnaces, so they did not necessarilye to the auction house. But there were still some bids made. They were all hoping that no one would want it, so they could buy it at a cheaper price and then think of a way to make a deal. "600,000." "800,000!" Lingyun shouted. "1 million!" Zhao Dier shouted. Piaomiao Pavilion could use a pill furnace. This pill furnace was not a very good one, but it could be used as a tool. "1.2 million!" Lingyun continued. "1.5 million." "1.7 million." "2 million." "2.1million" Lingyun shouted. When it came to 2 million, she added a little less, just to pass on the message. If someone added more, she might give it up. So no one was interested in raising the price. Zhao Dier was about to shout, when Wuxing stopped her and reminded her. "We Piaomiao Pavilion don''tck furnaces, and we don''t need them either. If you bid for them, I am afraid¡­" Chapter 1902 Cooperation 3

Chapter 1902 Cooperation 3

Duan Feng found himself pleasantly surprised when his master directly approved of the proposal without requiring further discussion. This decision went against the usual practice of adhering strictly to established rules. However, given the current chaotic state of the world, his master recognized the need for change and acknowledged that Haitian Auction House would inevitably attract more attention in the future. "We cannot expect things to remain the same. The world is in turmoil, and Haitian will not be exempt from the disturbances. We must adapt and be prepared for what lies ahead. The girl''s pills offer something intriguing and can provide us with more leverage within Haitian. Her conditions are fair, and in light of that, we can make some concessions and ept the deal," the masked man exined. Duan Feng nodded, understanding the reasoning behind his master''s decision. Indeed, it was one of the reasons why he had also agreed to the proposal. Today marked a turning point. In the presence of Elder Miss Zhao, who remained oblivious to Lady Chaoyan''s true identity, there was an air of disdain. However, Lady Chaoyan was different. Their encounter had been coincidental, and despite her cold demeanor, she had still cautioned him to be cautious. Perhaps it was due to these circumstances that he felt inclined to spend more time with her. Cooperation presented a tremendous opportunity, didn''t it? "Alright, you may depart now," the masked man said wearily. Duan Feng nodded in acknowledgment before leaving with a smile. Upon seeing Gu Chaoyan, he disyed a radiant smile and dered, "Lady. Gu, we have reached an agreement. Let us work together in this manner." "¡­." "How many face-changing pills do you have?" Duan Feng inquired curiously. "I have six here, two of which are reserved for your Haitian Auction House, while the remaining four can be put up for auction," Gu Chaoyan replied. She was not one to be stingy; in fact, she was quite generous. Given the right circumstances, they could work together harmoniously. Duan Feng''s curiosity got the better of him as he couldn''t resist asking, "May I try one?" Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. @@novelbin@@ Duan Feng called one of the guards over and nced around the room. Since they hadn''t encountered any monsters and couldn''t easily transform them into such beings, they decided to use an object they had at hand. Pointing to the table in the room, Duan Feng proposed, "How about this table?" "Of course," Gu Chaoyan confidently affirmed. "Just observe the table as the guard consumes the pill." The guard swallowed the pill without hesitation. In an instant, his appearance underwent a remarkable transformation, perfectly resembling the table. Duan Feng tapped the table, confirming that it indeed produced the sound of wood. His astonishment left his mouth slightly agape. The sheer magic of it all was beyond belief! He was certain that a pill with such incredible capabilities would fetch an exorbitant price. No wonder Lady Chaoyan proposed this partnership. Duan Feng grew increasingly excited about their coboration. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan remainedposed. She was already aware of the pills'' extraordinary properties. As it was gettingte, they concluded their deal and prepared to return to the hostel. Chapter 1905 Cooperation 6

Chapter 1905 Cooperation 6

It would be some time before Gu Chaoyan could visit the stone gambling store, so she decided to refine a batch of pills first and assess the situation. "I''ll take the ordinary Spirit Stones. Please sell me some," Gu Chaoyan requested as she presented the golden knives. Grandpa promptly gathered the Spirit Stones, and with 1,000 golden knives, she acquired a substantial quantity. Hastening back with the Spirit Stones, Gu Chaoyan had two objectives in mind. Firstly, she wanted to check if Huang Fu had read her message, and secondly, time was of the essence. She needed to craft the Invisibility Pills as quickly as possible. Lately, she had been contemting other ideas as well. Refining the pills on her own would be time-consuming and slow her down. If Lingyun could join her in the pill-making process, their efficiency would increase. However, Lingyun specialized in refining drugs, and Gu Chaoyan wondered if she would be willing to learn how to create pills. She resolved to find the right opportunity to discuss it with her. Returning to the spatial realm, Gu Chaoyan headed to the study and found that her note remained untouched. Huang Fu was nowhere to be found. Worry began to weigh on Gu Chaoyan''s mind. Letting out a sigh, she proceeded with pill refinement. Since it was her first time crafting the Invisibility Pills, she wasn''t overly familiar with the process. Furthermore, she needed to maintain a high level of concentration to ensure nothing went awry. It took her ten hours toplete one batch of Invisibility Pills. After ten hours, the pills were finally ready, but the sess rate remained at a fifty-fifty ratio. She was already immensely satisfied with the fact that such a high-grade pill had a 50% sess rate. Gu Chaoyan carefully stowed away the pills and decided to take a much-needed break. It was already bright outside, indicating that she had been awake the entire night. As soon as shey down, exhaustion consumed her, and she fell into a deep slumber. Upon the return of Zhou Huaijin and the others, Gu Chaoyan stirred from her sleep, but she still felt disoriented and dizzy. She had initially nned to enter the space and check if Huang Fu was present. However, before she could do so, Sword One had already rapped on the door, and Gu Chaoyan granted them entry. As soon as she stepped inside, Sword One eagerly eximed, "Elder Miss, guess what we''ve obtained? Fu Bao managed to acquire a Dharma artifact¡ªa nine-segment whip that suits him perfectly. He used to practice with a simr one." Gu Chaoyan nodded absentmindedly, her mind elsewhere. Nevertheless, a small smile involuntarily appeared on her face. Sword One sensed that something was amiss with her Elder Miss. "Elder Miss, what''s the matter? Haven''t you rested well?" Gu Chaoyan shook her head slightly. While she hadn''t enjoyed a good rest, her concerns were primarily focused on Huang Fu''s whereabouts. This preupation had caused her to be distracted. @@novelbin@@ Observing her, Zhou Huaijin quietly inquired, "What''s wrong?" Knowing Gu Chaoyan well, he understood that her distraction couldn''t solely be attributed to ack of rest. Something must have happened. What could have urred to her when she was alone at 500 meters? Though Zhou Huaijin remained unaware of the specifics, he regretted leaving her alone at that distance. Gu Chaoyan found the entire situation vexing, yet she had no one to confide in. After contemting for a moment, she nodded. Zhou Huaijin instructed the others to leave the room. Once they were alone, he asked, his voice low, "What happened?" "I told you before that my Master has been missing for the past two days, and I have no idea where he is. This wouldn''t have happened previously, especially while I''m upied with making pills these days and at the Haitian Market." Chapter 1910 The Reason 2

Chapter 1910 The Reason 2

"That was beyond his expectation. He had not expected that Duan Feng would turn down the coboration with Piaomiao Pavilion. Piaomiao Pavilion was one of the biggest schools among all the schools, and they were the best at making pills. It was a very chaotic time, and it was very suitable to work with them. Even if Haitian Auction House wanted to make a deal, they should at least leave some space for negotiation. They would not turn that down directly. "What is going on?" The Head of Piaomiao Pavilion asked, turning to Zhao Dier as he was asking Wuxing. Zhao Dier was there too, and Zhao Dier was her daughter, so she would not have any selfishness. That was what he was sure about. Wuxing had alreadye up with a n on the way there. So he said confidently, "After the discussion with Duan Feng, Elder Miss and I did not leave Haitian Auction House directly. Instead, we observed the auction house and saw how Haitian Auction House was doing. Then we realized that Haitian Auction House did not turn us down because they did not want to cooperate with us Piaomiao Pavilion." "Why?" Zhao Wuhuai, the Head of Piaomiao Pavilion, could not help but ask curiously. Those people from Haitian liked to be mysterious, and they were indeed capable. Zhao Wuhuai had no idea what those people were thinking. He was very curious that Wuxing had some inside information. Piaomiao Pavilion had to reach the cooperation with Haitian, and he could even do anything unscrupulous for that. Seeing how Zhao Wuhuai reacted, Wuxing understood what he was like at the moment. He also knew that what he had done was very practical. He said calmly, "There are some high-level pills at Haitian Auction House these days. The pills are very special, and they are not made by us Piaomiao Pavilion." "¡­." "Compared to the pills from Piaomiao Pavilion, the pills are more flexible." "¡­." "I''m afraid Haitian Auction House is currently coborating with other alchemists, which is why they are dissatisfied with Piaomiao Pavilion''s pills," Wuxing said earnestly. Oh? A pill better than Piaomiao Pavilion''s? Who could it be? And what kind of pill was it? The best alchemists were all at Piaomiao Pavilion, and no one surpassed them. "What kind of pill is it?" Zhao Wuhuai asked, a tinge of displeasure in his voice. Wuxing retrieved a small bottle from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Wuhuai. "Elder Miss and I acquired this at the auction house. It''s called the Flying Pill. When ingested, it grants the user the magical power of a Great Warrior for two hours, enabling Sword Kinesis Flight." "¡­." "Piaomiao Pavilion''s pills are remarkable for enhancing magical power, but they require time and practice. However, the Flying Pill is different. Anyone who takes it will gain the ability to escape death, regardless of future circumstances. It is much more poprpared to our offerings." @@novelbin@@ "¡­." "Furthermore, from what I''ve gathered, the Flying Pill existed in the early years too. But after certain events, many alchemists perished, leading to the gradual disappearance of such pills." Chapter 1915 Inquiry 1 ? Duan Feng disyed a mild surprise, though it was not too significant. He smiled and nodded in agreement. "That is indeed the case." "¡­" "Many individuals associated with Haitian havee here for the authority token, and the news has been circted. The auction for the authority token is about tomence, and the pills won''t be as effective. So, let''s set them aside until after the auction." As Duan Feng updated Gu Chaoyan on the situation, he changed the subject. Curiosity gleaming in his eyes, he looked at Gu Chaoyan and inquired, "Lady Chaoyan, have you developed any new pills?" While she had indeed refined more Invisibility Pills, she had no intention of revealing them at present. For one, the Face-Changing Pill had yet to be auctioned, so there was no need to rush. They could wait until the appropriate time to unveil it.@@novelbin@@ Additionally, Gu Chaoyan believed there was no need to hold back any information from Duan Feng. He was an easygoing and shrewd businessman who carefully weighed the pros and cons. Thus, Gu Chaoyan decided against mentioning the pills. Instead, she replied, "Not yet. We are here to discuss the matter of the authority token with you." "Oh?" Duan Feng expressed genuine surprise. Were they also interested in the authority token? Duan Feng was a perceptive individual and could discern people''s intentions easily. This included Lady Chaoyan and her entourage. He had investigated them and found no traces of magical power. They were all humans without cultivation, and their expertisey in alchemy and martial arts. Duan Feng couldn''t help but express his concern. "Lady Chaoyan, the authority token can only be utilized by those who have reached a certain level of cultivation. Without sufficient magical power, it could lead to disintegration. Are you truly nning to use the authority token?" Gu Chaoyan was well aware of this fact. However¡­ Huang Fu insisted on obtaining the authority token. Therefore, she had no choice but to proceed. Gu Chaoyan nodded resolutely. "Yes, we do." Duan Feng couldn''tprehend their need for the authority token. Yet¡­ It was not his concern. He continued, "Since Lady Chaoyan has made up her mind, I can share some undisclosed information." "¡­" "There are a total of five authority tokens, and we will be keeping one for ourselves. The remaining four will be auctioned off in two separate batches. Two tokens will be auctioned soon, while the other two will be offered at ater time when deemed appropriate." "¡­" "The authority token holds a unique and irreceable status. As a result, there will be numerous contenders vying for it, including yourself. There are a total of eight individuals possessing authority tokens from our Haitian Auction House, and the other seven are highly capable as well. If you wish to participate in the bidding, you will have to contend with them, which might prove quite challenging. Lady Chaoyan, please prepare yourself ordingly." "¡­" "As for the remaining matters, we can discuss them following the auction. The auction house operates under specific rules, and that is what Duan Feng can facilitate," Duan Feng conveyed sincerely. Gu Chaoyan nodded in understanding. Sheprehended the implications behind Duan Feng''s words. Chapter 1919 Change 1

Chapter 1919 Change 1

Upon closer inspection, Zhao Wuhuai realized that Gu Chaoyan was holding the authority token. It was customary for Haitian Auction House to provide an authority token when an item was acquired. Normally, the authority token wasn''t considered rare, as many people obtained it through daily bidding. @@novelbin@@ However, those who possessed the authority token were now taken aback. The reason being that the only item being auctioned by Haitian Auction House today was the authority token itself. If Gu Chaoyan had acquired it, it essentially meant that she had secured one of the authority tokens. There were only two tokens in total, and even Piaomiao Pavilion had failed to obtain one. Yet, she managed to secure it. This revtion shattered the perception that Gu Chaoyan was useless, as Elder Man and Zhao Dier had imed. Moreover, Piaomiao Pavilion had a pressing need for authority tokens. Furthermore¡­ Recalling the previous knowledge he had gained, Zhao Wuhuai remembered that the two authority tokens were taken by individuals already present inside. As Gu Chaoyan possessed one, it implied that she was among those insiders. Having been in the Saint Divine Land before, Gu Chaoyan had heard about Haitian Market from Zhao Dier. It appeared that this was her first time visiting. As Zhao Wuhuai connected the dots, he began toprehend how Gu Chaoyan could have risen to prominence in this situation. It dawned on him that the appearance of new pills at Haitian Auction House, along with Gu Chaoyan obtaining the special authority token, were likely interconnected. No wonder Qianji had repeatedly emphasized that the Phoenix Girl wasn''t interested in Dharma artifacts, enchanted arms, or pills. This must be the reason why. Such realization brought displeasure to Zhao Wuhuai. He was dissatisfied with Qianji and his subordinates for not fulfilling their duties effectively. He was equally disappointed in his own daughter, Zhao Dier, for failing to deliver satisfactory results. If the Phoenix Girl had an association with Haitian Auction House, it meant that Piaomiao Pavilion would have no way to intervene. This realization further fueled Zhao Wuhuai''s dissatisfaction. As he contemted the situation, an affable smile adorned Zhao Wuhuai''s face, and he approached Gu Chaoyan. He addressed her, "You must be the Phoenix Girl. May I have a word with you?" Zhao Wuhuai had already devised a new n. His intention was not to seek justice for Zhao Dier anymore, but rather to establish a mutually beneficial cooperative rtionship with the Phoenix Girl. Observing her father''s unexpected change in behavior, Zhao Dier couldn''tprehend what was happening. He had promised to help her seek retribution, yet here he was, treating her with such politeness in front of Gu Chaoyan. This wasn''t what she had anticipated! Frustrated and seething with anger, Zhao Dier stomped her feet and, with clenched teeth, called out to her father, "Father!" Zhao Wuhuai shot her a stern re, silently warning her not to say another word and risk jeopardizing their n. Although seething with anger, Zhao Dier found herself at a loss about what to do. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan had no interest in involving herself with Piaomiao Pavilion. She had no knowledge of their intentions, and she had no desire to engage with them either. The people from Piaomiao Pavilion had exhibited an excessive amount of arrogance and ignorance during their interactions, leaving a sour taste in her mouth. Regardless of their leader''s disposition, she had no inclination to form any sort of connection with them. "Apologies, but we have other matters to attend to, and our time is limited. Please state your requirements directly," Gu Chaoyan calmly stated. Chapter 1922 Change 4

Chapter 1922 Change 4

"The authority token has already been auctioned off, and the Head is scheduled to meet with the buyers personally and exchange a few words. Please wait here, or return when you have the time," the guard said nonchntly. Zhao Wuhuai''s expression darkened. He red at the guard, expressing his dissatisfaction. "What do you mean?" "¡­." "The Head is currently unavable. Pleasee back when you have the opportunity," the guard reiterated. Zhao Wuhuai was about to take action when Wuxing intervened. "Mr. Head, please remain calm." Only then did Zhao Wuhuai regain hisposure. Haitian Auction House had numerous regtions. For instance, the use of magical powers was strictly prohibited within the premises. If someone were to cause harm using magic, they would be permanently banned from entering the auction house. Everyone was treated equally. There were past examples where individuals had faced such consequences, and none of them were allowed to set foot in the market again. If he were to act impulsively today, he would be disregarding the rules. That would result in significant losses. Zhao Wuhuai snorted and cast a cold gaze at the guard. He brushed off his sleeves and dered, "Let''s depart now." With that, he left alongside Zhao Dier and Wuxing. The members of Piaomiao Pavilion consistently encountered obstacles at Haitian Auction House. @@novelbin@@ He could do as he pleased outside the mansion. However, he had encountered numerous setbacks in recent days. Zhao Wuhuai was very displeased. However¡­. On the other side, Gu Chaoyan and Duan Feng were having a great talk. Gu Chaoyan exchanged the authority token with pills. Namely, the face-changing pill and the invisibility pill¡­ Duan Feng smiled even more brightly at the sight of the Invisibility Pill. He knew that her pills would not disappoint anyone. With these pills, Haitian Auction House would be able to survive for a long while. They were in the middle of a cheerful conversation. The masked man got off the wagon. Gu Chaoyan had some impression of this man. They had met twice before. She wondered who he was. But as he came to Gu Chaoyan, he took out a medical bottle and passed it to Gu Chaoyan, saying with a hoarse voice. "You need to have a certain level of practice before you can use the authority token. If you don''t, you will turn into dust on the way there. You should know this well." "¡­." "Heart-protecting Pill, that is the only one. Even if you don''t have any magical power or practice, the pill can guarantee that you won''t turn into dust. But there is only one pill avable, just take it, it mighte in handy in the future." The man in mask said. Then he turned around and decided to go back to the upper floor. Duan Feng was slightly surprised. He had not expected that his master would give the pills to her. The heart-protecting pills were very precious. Gu Chaoyan was surprised too. She had no idea how to express her gratitude. She thought for a while. That man''s voice was hoarse. She could not see his face through the mask, but she knew clearly that he was injured. "Hang on." Gu Chaoyan said. "Huh?" The man in mask looked at her in confusion, wondering why she stopped him. "As a way of gratitude, I can cure your throat." Gu Chaoyan promised. The man in the mask stopped and looked at Gu Chaoyan. But he was wearing the mask, so no one could see his expression. "The wound has been here for more than a decade." Chapter 1923 Change 5 He didn''t outright reject Gu Chaoyan, fearing that she might feel ufortable if he did so directly. Additionally, he wanted to leave himself some room to maneuver. Gu Chaoyan was preupied with his wound. Duan Feng was extremely surprised. His master never enjoyed socializing, let alone speaking kindly to others. Not only did he give her the heart-protecting pill, but he also responded to her with such gentleness. Was it because Lady Chaoyan''s pills could bring substantial benefits to the auction house? That was the only reason his master acted that way. However, Duan Feng somehow sensed there was more to it. But why? That was something Duan Feng simply couldn''tprehend. "It''s alright, I should be able to heal you. I can''t guarantee aplete recovery, but at least you''ll be better than you are now," Gu Chaoyan answered confidently. Duan Feng smiled. Lady Chaoyan didn''t understand her master well. She was too naive. Even if she imed she could cure him, her master wouldn''t allow it. His master had been injured for over a decade, not only on the throat but also on the face. The wounds had merged together. In the past few years, he had opportunities to treat her, but his master never had any intention of doing so. He didn''t even appreciate discussions about it, let alone interacting with people. Even if she had the ability to cure him, his master would never approve. Duan Feng worried about refusing his master''s decision. After pondering for a moment, he nced at his master, wondering if he should respond on his behalf.@@novelbin@@ Before he could turn around, the masked man replied, "Alright." Duan Feng was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. So, she actually agreed? What was happening? What was going on here? Why did his master say yes? Did he mishear? Duan Feng rubbed his ears to make sure he hadn''t misheard. Gu Chaoyan was clueless about the situation, so she decided to feel his pulse.I think you should take a look at As she was about to check his pulse, Duan Feng instinctively wanted to stop her, but the masked man instructed him not to. She felt his pulse and discovered that there was nothing wrong with his voice. Why hadn''t she been cured at Haitian Auction House? His voice was clouded with doubt. The pills had caused her throat to ache, and instead of healing her, they inflicted harm. But drinking water was different. If she prepared some magical water and he drank it, his throat would improve. It wasn''t a big deal. "I''ll bring you some water infused with herbs, and you''ll feel better after drinking it," Gu Chaoyan said. The masked man appeared slightly surprised. Was that all? He felt as though he was being led and losing control. He believed that by agreeing to her, he would have more opportunities to be with her. The sensation of her fingertip on his pulse had enveloped him in warmth. Was it all over now? "That simple?" the masked man asked Dao Seeking. "Yes," Gu Chaoyan replied. "Your throat has been damaged by the smoke, but it''s nothing serious, just a minor adjustment." Gu Chaoyan''s words led the masked man and Duan Feng to ponder for a distance of 500 meters. Was it truly that simple? Why hadn''t they ever considered this before? Was it because they had been exposed to a world of magical power, leading them to believe that everything wasplex, causing them to forget that some things could be easily cured? The reason why he hadn''t been healed in all these years was because¡­ Chapter 1927 Wuxing’s Idea 1

Chapter 1927 Wuxing''s Idea 1

They were back again! Always lurking around! Gu Chaoyan frowned, feeling thoroughly displeased. She had no desire to encounter anyone from Piaomiao Pavilion. From the Saint Divine Land to the Haitian Market, she had dealt with enough from Zhao Dier. She could have put an end to any interference from Zhao Wuhuai. @@novelbin@@ Yet here was the Head of Piaomiao Pavilion, more cunning than Zhao Dier. Upon learning about the pills and authority tokens, he instantly changed his tune, wanting to directly coborate with her. Gu Chaoyan knew all too well what the people from Piaomiao Pavilion were like. She could see through their facade and knew it was impossible to work with them. They seemed oblivious to how others perceived them. Always boasting and bragging. Shaking her head, Gu Chaoyan decided to walk past them and into the room. Her failed pill had put her in a foul mood. All she could think about was refining another pill to see if she could seed. Just as she was about to leave, Zhao Wuhuai stood up and blocked her path. "Phoenix Girl, please wait. I need to speak with you." Zhao Wuhuai was acting remarkably polite, even attempting to tter her. This only served to increase Zhao Dier''s displeasure. She restrained her anger, but there was little she could do. She had nned to seek justice from her father during this trip to Haitian. She had even mentally prepared herself for it. But everything had suddenly taken an unexpected turn. She had already been humiliated in front of Gu Chaoyan, and now her father was currying favor with her in front of others. She felt utterly embarrassed and didn''t know where to hide her face. Yet, even before she had approached Phoenix Girl, her father had repeatedly warned her not to act recklessly in front of her. Piaomiao Pavilion needed her. Flying Pill? She actually refined it? Zhao Dier couldn''t bring herself to believe that Gu Chaoyan was capable of such a feat. How could someone without any magical power possess such skill? Bah! Well, she would wait and see. She wouldn''t go against her father''s wishes. She would wait until the truth was exposed. Zhao Dier remained silent. "If you''re going to talk to me about cooperating with Piaomiao Pavilion, spare your words. It''s impossible," Gu Chaoyan said icily. "Don''t waste your efforts." "¡­." "I cannot work with Piaomiao Pavilion. When you asked for Golden Rolls, your senior members already informed me of what you could offer. I''m sorry, but your offer doesn''t move me. And you can''t provide what I truly desire, so please refrain from disturbing us any further." Without giving Zhao Wuhuai a chance to respond, Gu Chaoyan shut down any possibility. She instructed them to head upstairs instead of wasting time with Zhao Wuhuai and the others. Zhao Wuhuai was about to say something, but his words got caught in his throat. Gu Chaoyan''s straightforwardness left him at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Zhao Dier appeared quiteposed. She knew that Gu Chaoyan was shameless. Instead of trying to tter her, she would demonstrate Piaomiao Pavilion''s capabilities. "Lingyun!" Faced with the impasse, Wuxing called out to Lingyun. Chapter 1931 New Pill 2 Chapter 1931 New Pill 2 Gu Chaoyan found herself in a situation where she needed to cultivate further, as she had reached a significant bottleneck. However, direct cultivation progress was challenging to achieve in a ce like the Haitian Market, so she relied on the power of pills to aid her advancement. Nevertheless, the process of refining the specific pill she desired proved to be incredibly difficult. It was the first time she encountered such aplete failure in her refining attempts. Determined to ovee this challenge, she began the process of making the pills once again. Meanwhile, Huang Fu sat in the study, contemting the authority token in a daze. Surprisingly, he had obtained the teleportation authority token much sooner than he had anticipated. With this token, Gu Chaoyan would soon reach her desired destination, and he would be able to leave the space and pursue his own objectives. These days, Huang Fu had grown ustomed to the peaceful life within the space and had even started to enjoy it. However, he knew deep down that it was not a long-term solution. Lost in his thoughts, Huang Fu was startled when the authority token slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground, producing a faint sound. He quickly picked it up and walked over to Gu Chaoyan''s side. To his surprise, Gu Chaoyan held a single elixir in her hands, radiating with happiness. "I did it! I managed to produce one elixir. It may be just one, but it''s a promising start!" Observing the elixir in her hands, Huang Fu''s mind wandered for a moment. He nodded and said, "Well done on your achievement. Take some time to rest now." "¡­" "The situation in the Haitian market may not be very peaceful these days. It''s best for you to stay calm and take a break," Huang Fu advised, his wordsced with concern. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "You have the authority token in your possession." Confused by his cryptic statement, Gu Chaoyan couldn''t help but inquire, "What happened? What are you trying to say?" She sensed that there was something Huang Fu wanted to express but held back. It must be rted to the recent turmoil, and his sudden disappearance made her even more reluctant to let him go without rifying matters. Thus, she asked him directly. Huang Fu recognized Gu Chaoyan''s sharp intellect, knowing she was quick to pick up on his emotions or hidden meanings. He almost reached out to touch her head out of habit but then realized he couldn''t do that at the moment. Withdrawing his hand, he smiled at Gu Chaoyan and said, "It''s nothing, I just have a sense of uneasetely. Something is on the horizon, and I wanted to give you a heads-up, so be prepared." "¡­." "You have to rely on yourself. I won''t be able to assist you with everything," Huang Fu continued, his tone tinged with a hint of regret. "That''s why I hesitated earlier. Don''t dwell too much on it."@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan nodded. But Huang Fu did not want to say anything more. She had no choice but to leave, feeling confused. When she was out, she wrote down the prescription and took a break. The following morning¡­ Gu Chaoyan started to teach Lingyun how to make pills. She had no use for the furnace, but now she could use it as the furnace for alchemy. Gu Chaoyan already had everything she needed ready, and she only needed to teach her how to control the fire. Lingyun seemed to be very good at alchemy, so she understood everything almost instantly, and the whole process went smoothly. After giving Lingyun the instructions, it was time for her to meet Duan Feng. Chapter 1934 Change 2 Chapter 1934 Change 2 Upon hearing Duan Feng''s furious outburst, Gu Chaoyan turned her gaze towards the outside, witnessing a scene that left her utterly shocked. It seemed as though a massive barrier had suddenly enveloped the Haitian Market, its presence clearly visible in the sky. "At the moment the barrier appeared, there was chaos in the market. People tried to escape, but they couldn''t get out, even those with formidable cultivation," the guard reported. They had hastily gathered information and were about to deliver their report when they were apprehended by the hall master, who sought answers. Gu Chaoyan''s suspicions had been confirmed. They were being trapped within this ce. "Let''s go and investigate," Duan Feng urged anxiously. Gu Chaoyan exchanged nces with Zhou Huaijin and Sword One. The three of them nodded in agreement and followed Duan Feng. The barrier''s endpoint was at the entrance of the market. People outside desperately attempted to enter, only to be forcefully repelled by its power. Duan Feng took the lead, charging towards the barrier, but he too was swiftly repulsed by the immense spiritual energy. Dusting himself off, Duan Feng wore a helpless smile. "Something must have happened. The Witches must be involved. The monsters possess great strength butck intelligence. Only the Witches possess the ability to orchestrate such a scheme." "¡­." "Those who cultivate possess spiritual power, and even the elders of numerous sects are present within the market. The sects will be left without leaders, and those with advanced spiritual power are all trapped here. Those outside the barrier will likely face grave danger. The witches have never shown mercy. Their aim has always been to annihte the human race, allowing the witches to be the rulers of the entire continent," Duan Feng exined solemnly. Zhou Huaijin''s anxiety was evident as he questioned, "Do you have any ideas?" The civilians in the Saint Divine Land possessed no cultivation abilities. If the witches were to attack them, none would survive. They were trapped within the market, with no one to defend the civilians outside. Those innocent people would undoubtedly suffer. "The Heaven-ying Sword has the power to sever the barrier, allowing those inside to escape," Duan Feng responded. Having existed for ages, Haitian Market harbored countless secrets known to the market''s masters and their assistants. Duan Feng was well-informed.@@novelbin@@ "However, the Heaven-ying Sword is not here. To obtain it, we would have to go to the Yuehua Continent, where the true cultivator families reside. They surpass the Piaomiao Pavilion by far. Only there can we find the Heaven-ying Sword. But time is against us, and we possess limited authority tokens," he continued. "¡­." "Besides Mr. Head An Mingxi''s authority token, there are two more within the Haitian Market, allowing only a limited number of individuals to travel to the Yuehua Continent," Duan Feng exined in a hushed tone. "¡­." "We need to find someone quickly," Duan Feng emphasized once more. As Zhou Huaijincked spiritual power, he was unable to journey to the Yuehua Continent. Additionally, as Gu Chaoyan''s protector, Duan Feng couldn''t abandon his master in such dire circumstances. They had to enlist the help of someone else from the Haitian Market to join them on this mission. Upon hearing Duan Feng''s words, Gu Chaoyan turned to Zhou Huaijin, a questioning look in her eyes. With only one authority token in her possession, what about Zhou Huaijin? "I will remain here and await your return," Zhou Huaijin dered. Chapter 1937 Truth 1 Chapter 1937 Truth 1 It was Zhao Dier. Why would Zhao Dier be transported here? Could it be that she also had an authority token? Zhao Dier''s spirits lifted as she witnessed the surprise and disbelief on Gu Chaoyan''s face. Normally, Gu Chaoyan exuded an air of coldness and superiority, rarely showing such astonishment. It was a rare sight that brought Zhao Dier immense satisfaction. This sense of delight washed over Zhao Dier. "Did you not expect it to be me? Do you believe that your possession of a teleportation authority token is unique to your group? You underestimate the resources of our Piaomiao Pavilion," Zhao Dier dered, her tone brimming with smugness. True enough, the Piaomiao Pavilion did possess a teleportation authority token, but there was only one. It was the sole token preserved by the Piaomiao Pavilion. Otherwise, Zhao Dier would not have been the only one transported to the Yuehua Continent. Initially, her father had hoped to acquire another token through an auction. However, their ns failed, forcing them to abandon the endeavor. Haitian''s market remained encased in a barrier, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. Logically speaking, the members of the Piaomiao Pavilion simply needed to remain patient and await a solution from those trapped within Haitian''s market. But¡­ Her father had just received the news. It was said that the Yuehua Continent not only had the Heaven-ying Sword, but also¡­ Zhao Dier looked as if she were sure to win. Upon witnessing Zhao Dier''s proactive stance, Gu Chaoyan had already reached a firm decision. In truth, it was not umon for the Piaomiao Pavilion to possess an authority token. Being an established cultivation sect, it was only natural for them to have preserved the token from earlier times. So, even if Zhao Dier had arrived with or without the authority token, it held no significance to Gu Chaoyan. It was irrelevant to her. Initially, Gu Chaoyan had been slightly perplexed, which led to her current response. Since Zhao Dier took the initiative to inquire, Gu Chaoyan had no further questions. Ignoring Zhao Dier''s presence, Gu Chaoyan turned to Li Mu and said, "Let''s observe the situation here before making any decisions." Zhao Dier felt a surge of displeasure as Gu Chaoyan disregarded her. Why was she being ignored? Zhao Dier''s frustration boiled over as she was disregarded. In a fit of anger, she eximed, "Gu Chaoyan, it would be best for you to return through the portal. Don''t embarrass yourself. You won''t get the sword." "¡­.". "The Heaven-ying Sword is under the control of the Xuantian Sect. They have clearly stated that it will be apetition. Only the victor will be deemed worthy of possessing it. And you? You don''t even possess spiritual power. How do you expect to win? You''d be better off returning and focusing on refining pills. It''s only at the auction house where you might have some value," Zhao Dier mockingly expressed. While she wasn''tpletely certain of her own chances in the Yuehua Continent, Zhao Dier held a respectable cultivation level. Her odds of sess were highpared to Gu Chaoyan, who had no chance of winning. That''s why she spoke candidly when Gu Chaoyan ignored her. Apetition? It was merely the Heaven-ying Sword. Haitian Market would naturally devise a solution for it. Why were Zhao Dier and the Wuhui Gate people involved? "I don''t believe you," Gu Chaoyan refuted, disying her disbelief in Zhao Dier''s words. She continued, "Are you allpeting solely for the Heaven-ying Sword?" Zhao Dier emitted a cold snort in response. Initially, Zhao Dier had no intention of speaking up. Her n was to intimidate Gu Chaoyan, driving her away, and then return to the market, allowing others to enlighten her about the truth. However, seeing Gu Chaoyan''s disbelief, Zhao Dier''s resolve hardened.@@novelbin@@ If she didn''t believe it, so be it. Zhao Dier would take pleasure in witnessing firsthand the destion on Gu Chaoyan''s face after hearing the truth. Chapter 1940 Yuehua Continent 1 Chapter 1940 Yuehua Continent 1 Indeed, she felt an extraordinary sense of tranquility. It was the kind of serenity permeated with spiritual energy in every corner. Moreover, the Yuehua Continent boasted numerous mountains, each shrouded in mystery. No one knew what kinds of creatures dwelled within their depths. Previously, Duan Feng had mentioned that the people of the Yuehua Continent gained their power by engaging in scheduled battles against the demons that inhabited these mountains. It was through these encounters that theypleted their cultivation. Unlike the rtively mundane creatures encountered in Piaomiao Pavilion, the demons they confronted were predominantly high-level monsters. In that moment, Gu Chaoyan''s curiosity was piqued as she peered down at the mountain range. Without wasting any further time, she swiftly made her way towards the Xuantian Sect. While in mid-air on their Sword Kinesis Flight, she carefully observed the activities of the people below to discern the route leading to the Xuantian Sect. Li Mu silently trailed behind Gu Chaoyan, remaining ever watchful. Before long¡­ They reached the vicinity of the Xuantian Sect. Gu Chaoyannded with Li Mu at a secluded location. While other areas seemed devoid of any activity, this ce differed significantly. People scurried about in a hurry. Gu Chaoyan''s first stop was an inn. Upon reaching the inn, Gu Chaoyan wasted no time and directly inquired, "Shopkeeper, is the Xuantian Sect located far from here?" The shopkeeper smiled and gestured towards a spot outside the door. "Do you see that? That''s the Xuantian Sect." "¡­." "Recently, the Xuantian Sect announced their intention to present the Golden Rolls. As a result, people from all over are rushing here to participate in thepetition. The nearby inns have been thriving ever since. It''s been years since we''ve seen such liveliness." The shopkeeper''s cheerful demeanor indicated that the bustling atmosphere had brought a significant boost to the inn''s profitability. Li Mu couldn''t contain his delight. He was justified in following Lady Chaoyan. Yuehua Maind differed greatly from the Haitian Market. In the Yuehua Continent, inns and markets conducted transactions using Spirit Stones. While the Haitian Market also dealt with Spirit Stones, their primary currency consisted of golden knives. Spirit Stones were utilized for absorbing spiritual energy to aid cultivation, while the golden knives were mostly employed as ceremonial tools. "That''s the distinction." Luckily, Gu Chaoyan had stored some ordinary Spirit Stones in her spatial storage. It was sufficient to cover the room fees for the time being. She nned to find a way to acquire more Spirit Stonester. They sessfully secured two standard guest rooms. Gu Chaoyan instructed Li Mu, "Rest for now. During this period, I''ll remain in my room. Please refrain from entering or disturbing me. If you feel bored, you can explore the area on your own. I''ll contact you when the timing is right." Li Mu respectfully nodded in agreement. Gu Chaoyan entered her designated room. She hadplete faith in Li Mu''s capabilities. Rules were of utmost importance in the Haitian Market, and as a member, Li Mu would undoubtedly adhere to them. Hence, she had no concerns on that front. Upon entering her room, Gu Chaoyan hastily essed the interspace. The events of the day had transpired unexpectedly. She had suddenly found herself in the Yuehua Continent and discovered the whereabouts of the Golden Rolls. Therefore, she had some inquiries for Huang Fu, eager to hear his thoughts. As she stepped into the interspace, Gu Chaoyan anticipated a search for Huang Fu that might take some time.@@novelbin@@ However, to her astonishment, Huang Fu was already awaiting her. "Here you are," Huang Fu greeted casually. "Just as you predicted, something indeed urred." Chapter 1945 Stone Gambling 3 Chapter 1945 Stone Gambling 3 Mu Weiran disapproved of Gu Chaoyan''s reaction and attitude, but she managed to maintain herposure. As the daughter of the Wuji Sect''s leader, she was ustomed to being respected wherever she went in the Yuehua Continent. This was the first time she had been disregarded by someone like Gu Chaoyan. It was no wonder that Zhao Dier held such animosity towards Gu Chaoyan. Shecked the decorum expected of the Elder Miss of the prestigious Piaomiao Pavilion. However, this was a crucial moment, and Mu Weiran needed allies. There was no need for her true disposition to be revealed at this point. Mu Weiran maintained her gentle demeanor. She then spoke, "You have a remarkable eye for identifying stones." "¡­." "I appreciate that about you." "¡­." "Even without any spiritual power, the Wuji Sect is willing to extend an offer of coboration to you." "¡­." "In return for your service to the Wuji Sect, we can provide you with the benefits you desire." "¡­." "The Wuji Sect only epts the top fifty disciples each year, but we can make an exception in your case," Mu Weiran proposed, adopting a more diplomatic tone. The conditions offered by Mu Weiran were already generous and considerate. Gu Chaoyan furrowed her brows. It was no wonder that this person had initially disyed such arrogance and disdain, only toter approach her with a more humble demeanor. It seemed that he had taken an interest in her skill for stone gambling. What a shame. The Wuji Sect? It wasn''t exactly her cup of tea. She gently shook her head. "I appreciate your kindness, Lady Mu Weiran, but it''s unnecessary. Gu Chaoyan doesn''t belong under anyone''s control." "¡­." "I have some stones to examine, so I''ll be taking my leave," Gu Chaoyan said politely. Given that Mu Weiran had always maintained a polite attitude, Gu Chaoyan reciprocated it naturally. Mu Weiran furrowed her brows. She hadn''t anticipated such a strong refusal despite her efforts to persuade. She couldn''t quite understand what was going on with this person Mu Weiran, being the daughter of the Wuji Sect''s leader, couldn''t beg Gu Chaoyan any further, even though she was magnanimous. She had already made her position clear. Sometimes, ying hard to get was a strategic move. Maintaining her politeness, Mu Weiran apologized, "I apologize for the intrusion," and made way for Gu Chaoyan to walk ahead. Such gestures were part of her etiquette as the Elder Miss of the Wuji Sect. It also showcased her generosity. She had upheld this demeanor for years, even in front of Gu Chaoyan. On the side, Zhao Dier couldn''t help but mutter, "Weiran, what are you trying to achieve? Who does she think she is? Why should you give in to her?" "It''s alright," Mu Weiran responded calmly. However, She followed Gu Chaoyan into the same room. This particr location was renowned for its high-level Spirit Stone drops, precisely the reason Mu Weiran had desired to visit. In the midst of the ongoing frenzy for the Golden Rolls, no one had the luxury of leisurely utilizing mid-level Spirit Stones to enhance their cultivation. The quickest route was to employ the highest-grade Spirit Stones.@@novelbin@@ That understanding was shared by Gu Chaoyan and Mu Weiran, which led them to upy the same room. Nevertheless, even though they were sharing the space, each of them selected their own rooms. Zhao Dier stood beside Mu Weiran, sporting a ttering expression. "Weiran, could you help me choose some stones as well? Your expertise in stone selection surpasses mine, and I find myself at a loss." Mu Weiran nodded. With that, she immersed herself in the task of examining the stones. These stones had never been opened before, rendering them impervious to energy sensing. Chapter 1948 Targeted 1 Chapter 1948 Targeted 1 Greed consumed her gaze. If she managed to acquire that stone for herself, she couldn''t even fathom the possibilities it held for her breakthrough. She had caught a glimpse of the stone earlier, but due to its size, she had given up on it. Never had she imagined that such a sizable tea crystal would be hidden within! She had to obtain that Spirit Stone. She had to use it to make her breakthrough. Observing Gu Chaoyan im it as her own, Mu Weiran approached her. "Lady Chaoyan, can we discuss the possibility of selling that tea crystal to me?" "¡­." "This tea crystal holds immense significance to me. What do you desire? Name your price. As long as it lies within my capabilities as Mu Weiran, I promise I can fulfill it," Mu Weiran pleaded, her gaze still fixed upon the tea crystal.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan gently shook her head. She had no intention of antagonizing anyone, but she desired the tea crystal for herself. It was because she yearned to make a breakthrough and reim the Golden Rolls rightfully belonging to her. Mu Weiran could sense that Gu Chaoyan harbored no fondness for her. Nheless, since Gu Chaoyan had conducted herself in an exemry manner from start to finish, she remained polite. "I apologize, Elder Miss Mu, but I have a personal need for the tea crystals, so I cannot sell them to you," Gu Chaoyan responded as she stored the tea crystals in her own space. She intended to return and devote herself to cultivation and achieving a breakthrough. Mu Weiran felt a strong reluctance to ept such a rejection. However, there was nothing she could do within the confines of the stone gambling establishment. She was now onlycking a tea crystal. If she could acquire one, her cultivation would undoubtedly reach new heights. "Is there truly no room for negotiation?" Mu Weiran inquired. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. Then, she directed her gaze towards the individual responsible for opening the stone. "The stone has been opened, and you have inadvertently damaged the spiritual energy of this Green Pir Stone. How can we resolve this?" The stone opener also appeared troubled. Being a seasoned professional, he rarely made mistakes. The slight emotional surge he experienced while opening the stone had led to this unfortunate urrence. He admitted his mistake. "As you wish," the stone opener acknowledged. Gu Chaoyan nodded, content with his response. This individual indeed possessed a fondness for these stones, but having spent considerable time in a ce like the stone gambling establishment, he had likely gained some power. Her loss wasn''t significant. In the future, she might need to return to this ce for stone openings. There was no need to create enmity with him. Since he had taken responsibility for his actions, she decided not to pursue the matter further. "Just be more careful in the future. It''s a shame to damage the Spirit Stones," Gu Chaoyan remarked. After putting away all the Spirit Stones, he did not intend to pursue the matter. Mu Weiran had been trying to change Gu Chaoyan''s mind, but Gu Chaoyan had no intention of doing so. She left in a hurry. "Let''s not go back to the inn. Let''s find a mountain to cultivate." Gu Chaoyan whispered to Li Mu and then gave him the Flying Pill. Then, she used Sword Kinesis Flight and left. Mu Weiran''spanions trailed behind them, unable to keep up as they watched Gu Chaoyan soar away using Sword Kinesis Flight. They had to return empty-handed since their cultivation levels were not advanced enough to employ such a technique. With Gu Chaoyan''s departure, a sense of relief washed over her, prompting her to seek out a suitable location for cultivation. Eventually, she halted near a range of mountains, where she ventured in search of a suitable cave. As she walked, she muttered to herself, "I was too hasty today and didn''t handle things properly." "¡­." "I''ve be a target." Chapter 1949 Targeted 2 Chapter 1949 Targeted 2 "Let''s cultivate here for the next few days," Gu Chaoyan stated. She then retrieved some high-quality Spirit Stones from her storage space and handed them to Li Mu. "These are for you, and the rest are for me. You can go over there to cultivate, and I will stay here. If you manage to make a breakthrough before me, please wait." Li Mu hesitated, refusing to ept the Spirit Stones. He appeared slightly fearful. These Spirit Stones were all of exceptional quality. How could he possibly take them? They belonged to Lady Chaoyan. Observing his reluctance, Gu Chaoyan directly handed the Spirit Stones to him. "You have a task to fulfill, and your strength is not yet sufficient. Go and cultivate." With those words, she departed. Li Mu held the Spirit Stones, feeling both grateful and uncertain. He didn''t know how to express his gratitude. Eventually, he proceeded to the location indicated by Gu Chaoyan, Spirit Stones in hand. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan had little time to ponder over other matters. She entered her personal interspace tomence her cultivation. Not finding Huang Fu present, she assumed he had yet to return. Thus, she began her cultivation in solitude. The spiritual power emanating from the tea crystal was undeniably potent. From the moment she started absorbing it, she experienced afortable state of breakthrough. She persisted, her determination unwavering. Although Gu Chaoyan remained uncertain about her current cultivation stage, she could sense her growing strength with each passing moment. Gu Chaoyan felt refreshed after absorbing all the tea crystals. By this time, it was already three days and three nightster. Then, she continued to absorb the spiritual energy of these small Spirit Stones. The little Spirit Stones were absorbed very quickly. Huang Fu walked up to her and pped. "Congrattions." "Master, what stage have I reached?" Gu Chaoyan asked excitedly. Huang Fu was silent for a while. Her physique waspletely different from other people who cultivated. The others cultivated slowly. After her cultivation breakthrough, she would obtain abilities that others did not have at all. For example, he could directly sense that there were Spirit Stones in a massive ground.@@novelbin@@ How should he answer her when she asked this question? "You''re already good enough to win the Golden Rolls," Huang Fu replied. "Really?" "It''s true. Go back now and thepetition is approaching," Huang Fu said. Gu Chaoyan nodded, her concern lingering over the fact that they were not currently at the inn, fearing they might miss thepetition. Urgently, she exited the interspace and sought out Li Mu. In Li Mu''s hand, there was something peculiar. "Have you made a breakthrough?" Gu Chaoyan inquired. "I achieved a breakthrough yesterday. Thank you, Lady Chaoyan," Li Mu replied, presenting something to Gu Chaoyan. "It''s the tongue of a mid-rank snake monster. Please take it, Lady Chaoyan. It will aid you in assimting its cultivation." Li Mu appeared awkward and uncertain, unsure of how to convey his gratitude. Hence, he found this offering. Observing the bloody tongue, Gu Chaoyan experienced a mild sense of trepidation. Compared to the Spirit Stones, she had a stronger inclination towards those. Nevertheless, Li Mu''s sincerity shone through, preventing her from refusing. After contemting for a moment, she epted it. "Thank you, Li Mu." "Keep it here and consume it when you make your next breakthrough," Gu Chaoyan instructed, stowing it in her interspace. Li Mu beamed foolishly. The two of them prepared to depart from the mountain. Gu Chaoyan had already given Li Mu the Flying Heavens Pill, but she intended to test her own aptitude for Sword Kinesis Flight. She might stumble initially. However, she swiftly found her rhythm. Li Mu''s eyes widened in astonishment. "Lady Chaoyan!" Chapter 1951 Zhao Diers Plan 2 1951 Zhao Dier''s n 2 Mu Yan nced at Zhao Dier and nodded slightly. He did not have the intention of speaking with her. After all, the Wuji Sect only needed to express their goodwill at the right time for a vassal like the Piaomiao Pavilion to exist. There was no need to give face at all times. Especially when his seniority with Zhao Di''er was not even equal. After Mu Yan stopped at Zhao Dier''s ce for a moment, his gazended on Mu Weiran seriously. Mu Weiran, Mu Yan''s eldest daughter, was also the most outstanding daughter in cultivation and other aspects. Many matters in the sect were handed over to her to handle. The Xuantian Sect''spetition this time was also arranged for her to obtain the Golden Rolls. Mu Yan was still not that anxious when facing Mu Weiran. However¡­. Even if he didn''t have to worry, he still had to exert pressure on her where necessary. He took a seat and wore a serious expression as he inquired, "Tell me, are you confident in the uingpetition at the Xuantian Sect?" Mu Weiran''s demeanor shifted, but he made an effort to control his facial expression and replied with assurance, "I am confident." "Weiran possesses exceptional cultivation and remarkable talent. I, Di''er, feel ashamed of my own shorings. Weiran will undoubtedly emerge victorious in the Xuantian Sect''spetition. And by Weiran''s side, I, Di''er, will provide assistance. Sect Master, rest assured," Zhao Dier dered, emphasizing her loyalty to the Wuji Sect. Her n was straightforward. @@novelbin@@ She needed to establish a positive image first. If she managed to obtain the Golden Rolls, she could return to her father and im the credit. If she failed to acquire the Golden Rolls, she would ingratiate herself with Weiran. At the very least, she would be able to observe and participate. In either scenario, the Piaomiao Pavilion would not be at a loss. Zhao Dier took pleasure in offering some ttery. Mu Yan nodded approvingly. "Excellent. Our Wuji Sect and the Piaomiao Pavilion have long been acquainted. I am grateful for the attitude disyed by Brother Huai''s daughter. Once we secure the Golden Rolls, ry my regards to your father." "Yes." Zhao Dier''s face was filled with joy. Mu Weiran paid little attention to the conversation taking ce. Despite her im of confidence, it was evident that she harbored deep concerns and an intense desire to obtain those Spirit Stones. Other matters failed to capture her interest. Lost in thoughts about the Spirit Stones and her breakthrough, Mu Weiran turned and returned to the stone gambling hall, hoping to acquire Spirit Stones of a simr caliber. However, after wasting a day, she was left dissatisfied and had no choice but to resume her cultivation. When she awoke again, it was the day of thepetition. For someone like Mu Weiran, the events of the first day were utterly uninteresting. They merely involved eliminating a group of ignorant participants whocked discernment. What truly interested her was observing Gu Chaoyan. Mu Weiran wished to ascertain if Gu Chaoyan had utilized that particr spirit stone and, if so, to gauge her current level of cultivation. Meanwhile, she also kept an eye out for other formidablepetitors. Wandering aimlessly through the Xuantian Sect, Mu Weiran was apanied by the obedient Zhao Dier. During this time, numerous individuals greeted Mu Weiran, and she responded with kindness, treating them as if they were long-time friends, even though many couldn''t recall who they were. Her amiable nature made Mu Weiran a well-liked Elder Miss of a sect within the Yuehua Continent. As she continued her walk, Mu Weiran spotted a familiar figure and hastened towards them. Chapter 1955 The Contest 4 1955 The Contest 4 At the start, he cast a cold gaze towards Gu Chaoyan, who shielded herself with the white jade sword. Gu Chaoyan had experienced rtive ease throughout the contest, but it was clear that Mu Weiran posed a formidable challenge. Mu Weiran was nearly on par with a Great Warrior, and Gu Chaoyan had no clear understanding of her current strength. A beam of light descended, catching Gu Chaoyan off guard. She took a hit, injuring her arm. Seeing the blood, Mu Weiran''s excitement grew. She was determined to defeat Gu Chaoyan. Mu Weiran exerted her full magical power, pressing down on Gu Chaoyan and forcing her to the ground. Gu Chaoyan struggled to resist the overwhelming force, but it continued to bear down on her. If Gu Chaoyan hadn''t resisted, she might have suffered further injuries. With intense concentration, Gu Chaoyan mustered all her strength andunched a powerful counterattack. A beam of white light burst forth. Mu Weiran toppled to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She hadn''t expected Gu Chaoyan to withstand her assault. That was why she hadn''t ceased in time. Mu Weiran, the one who had lost. Lost the Golden Rolls? Mu Weiran clenched his fists tightly,pletely stunned. Gu Chaoyan, too, felt weak after expending her magical power. They had barely surpassed Mu Weiran and emerged victorious. Internally, Gu Chaoyan trembled. Nevertheless¡­ She gathered her strength, forcing herself to stand and approached them with the air of a triumphant winner. Instead of going towards Mu Weiran, she halted in front of Zhao Dier and spoke icily, "If I recall correctly, Lady Dier, you mentioned that if I, Gu Chaoyan, were to win, you would serve me as my attendant." Zhao Dier hadn''t anticipated that Gu Chaoyan would bring this up in this moment. She felt both embarrassed and enraged, about to retort¡­ But Gu Chaoyan continued, "However, I have no need for someone like you. Find someone else." With those words spoken, Gu Chaoyan calmly proceeded towards the Xuantian Sect. Zhao Dier was beyond irritating. Gu Chaoyan wouldn''t let this opportunity to put her in her ce slip away. As for Mu Weiran¡­ Victory or defeat was a trivial matter. She had no intention of concerning herself with Mu Weiran. "If I emerge victorious, what about the Golden Rolls and the Heaven ying Sword?" Gu Chaoyan inquired. The Head of the Xuantian Faction wore a smile. He found Gu Chaoyan to be an intriguing individual. She had already secured the victory. In addition to the Golden Rolls, she had also expressed her interest in the Heaven ying Sword. Everyone present was fixated on the Golden Rolls alone. The Head of the Xuantian Sect instructed someone to bring the box to him. He then opened the box in full view of everyone. Revealing the Golden Rolls to the assembled crowd, he stated, "As promised by my Xuantian Sect, the winner shall receive the Golden Rolls and the Heaven ying Sword. Today, we fulfill ourmitment and present the Golden Rolls and the Heaven ying Sword." "¡­." "However, there is one matter I must rify." "¡­" "We possess only a single piece of the Golden Rolls, and we remain unaware of the whereabouts of the remaining fragments. Moreover, we have no intention of involving ourselves in any of these matters. Henceforth, we shall close the sect." "A fragment?" Gu Chaoyan gazed at the box in utter disbelief. @@novelbin@@ Chapter 1959 - 1959: Situation Outside 1 Chapter 1959 - 1959: Situation Outside 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions When they came to the Haitian Market, they also noticed a small market outside the Haitian Market. The market was veryprehensive, with hostels, restaurants, and small auctions around. There were all kinds of things, and there were endless streams of people. But as they walked out.. What they saw was a dpidated market. The original hostels and restaurants were all ruined, and traces of a big war were everywhere. ¡°What is going on?¡± Gu Chaoyan was confused. They had no idea what was going on outside after they walked out of Haitian. They had no idea if it was because those people were killing each other or because monsters or witches had invaded them.
There was no one around, except for some people at the market. Gu Chaoyan observed everything carefully. There was something shining in front of her. She walked closer and saw an interspatial ring, which seemed to have been identally scattered during a fight. Gu Chaoyan checked the things in the interspatial ring that were quite long. There were only some golden knives and Spirit Stones, nothing special. Gu Chaoyan put away the ring first. They continued to head towards the hostel where the hidden guards were staying. The hostel was still there, but it had been badly damaged during the intermediate fight. There was no one inside. She showed a look of worry. ¡°Where had they gone?¡± When Gu Chaoyan asked the question, she had not thought that they might have run into an ident. What she had been thinking was that they should stay away from each other.@@novelbin@@ Because¡­ She trusted those hidden guards for their abilities. Zhou Huaijin was also observing the ce. When Gu Chaoyan asked the question, Zhou Huaijin said, ¡°They should be not faraway from here. The hostel is right here, and we areing back to find them. So they won¡¯t be faraway. In the meanwhile, they won¡¯t leave either, because they are not sure if we are safe inside. ¡°Let¡¯s explore the area.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan responded, as they started to look about. The hidden guards from the Shadow Door were renowned for their expertise in concealment and stealth. They excelled at remaining hidden even in in sight. During their search, they received a signal from Fu Bao, prompting a group of ck-d figures to approach them. It was the hidden guards who had been assigned to protect them. ¡°Mr. Head, Lady Chaoyan!¡± the hidden guards greeted them respectfully. Observing that the guards were unharmed, Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan felt a measure of relief. Without the ability to wield magic themselves, they had been concerned about their vulnerability in the midst of the recent conflicts. Zhou Huaijin inquired with a calm demeanor, ¡°What has transpired?¡± The leader of the hidden guards stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the deste scene. ¡°Mr. Head, shortly after you entered the market, a barrier unexpectedly materialized, isting us from the outside. Chaos ensued, with people turning on each other in a frenzied attempt to seize each other¡¯s interspatial rings and escape. They imed that chaos was imminent.¡± ¡°Monsters emerged, cunning and elusive. They possessed pills that allowed them to assume human form. Many lives were lost.¡± ¡°The monsters have since vanished.¡± ¡°Knowing our inferiority against these monsters, we chose to conceal ourselves for our safety..¡± Chapter 1961 - 1961: Rescue 1 Chapter 1961: Rescue 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After searching the area, she made her way to a lofty cave. Gu Chaoyan had a strong hunch that this cave served as their den. These creatures had been causing havoc for quite some time, but ever since their encounter with her earlier, they needed to be dealt with. For now, she didn¡¯t rush to attack. It was better to assess the situation and determine how many of these creatures there were beforeunching her offensive. After a while, she noticed the return of two more of these creatures. Since there was no one else present, they dropped their disguise and revealed their true forms, which resembled white monkeys. Gu Chaoyan was intrigued. Did they consume some kind of transformative pill to assume human shape and harm people? Or did they possess the ability naturally? However, from what she had just witnessed, it seemed their pill¡¯s effects had worn off or their spiritual energy was insufficient to sustain their human appearances. She had to admit, these creatures were quite cunning. As she prepared to take action, she sensed some movement not far away. What was going on? Instead of acting impulsively, Gu Chaoyan decided to maintain her position and observe. After the disturbance settled, a figure emerged. To her surprise, it was a familiar figure. Huaijin? Why had he followed her all the way here? This was the most bewildering part for Gu Chaoyan. Huaijincked any spiritual power, yet he had managed to single-handedly capture these white monkeys. Inside the cave, there were indeed four white monkeys. Gu Chaoyan was concerned that if these creatures became aware of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s presence, it might lead to unwanted consequences. To address her worries, she decided to visit Zhou Huaijin. Their eyes met, but no words were exchanged. Zhou Huaijin gently kissed her forehead and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve investigated, and there are no additional white monkeys. The cave within a 500-meter radius can only amodate four of them. They aren¡¯t highly advanced, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have revealed themselves earlier. Due to theirck of strength, they live in groups. The four that returned earlier should be the entirety of the white monkeys here.¡± Gu Chaoyan fell silent. ¡°So, now we can take action,¡± Zhou Huaijin said. However, Gu Chaoyan felt concerned. Zhou Huaijin had no spiritual power, and there was a risk of him getting injured if he entered the cave. @@novelbin@@ She stopped him. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Zhou Huaijin gently shook his head. ¡°No need.¡± He then took out an item and smiled. ¡°They¡¯re inside the cave, which isn¡¯t veryrge. I¡¯ll use this.¡± Curiosity sparked in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, surprised. ¡°It¡¯s something explosive. I¡¯ll throw it in, and it will either kill or injure them. Then we can finish the job,¡± Zhou Huaijin exined with a smile. A twitch of amusement appeared on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. She found it intriguing. In the realm of cultivation, intelligence held significant importance. Zhou Huaijin tossed all the items he had acquired from the Haitian Market into the deep cave. And then.. There was a loud bang. As the explosion reverberated, Gu Chaoyan witnessed the scattered limbs of the white monkeys, leaving no doubt in her mind that they had met their demise. There was no need for further action. A smile crept onto her face once again. Once the smoke cleared, They were on the verge of entering the cave. Their primary objective was to verify the monkeys¡¯ demise and also to explore the cave for any other significant findings. The moment Gu Chaoyan stepped inside, she couldn¡¯t help but exim.. Chapter 1963 - 1963: Rescue 3 Chapter 1963: Rescue 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°Where did youe from?¡± The prevailing chaos possibly involves those countries in the Saint Divine Landcking spiritual power. ¡°Everywhere is in chaos. The witches have emerged, and it is rumored that they have erected a barrier in the Haitian Market. It¡¯s difficult to exin this turmoil. After all, we have no idea about the witches¡¯ intentions.¡± These individuals appeared visibly despondent. Although they had cultivation abilities, their spiritual aptitude was exceedingly low. The cultivation sects showed no interest in them, so they were left to fend for themselves. Consequently, they felt mncholic, as they had no knowledge of what they might encounter. Just like the current situation, they had already encountered something unfavorable. As previously mentioned¡­ They inquired curiously, ¡°And what about you? Where do you intend to go?¡± ¡°To the Saint Divine Land,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied directly. ¡°The Saint Divine Land? Humans without cultivation suffer the most when the gates are opened. The witches can act without restraint. The Phoenix Girl used to establish the Enchantment Door to protect them, but now¡­¡± they said unhappily. Gu Chaoyan appeared solemn. Zhou Huaijin pondered for a moment before asking Dao Seeking, ¡°What is the current situation? The Saint Divine Land has established the Shiling Pce to enable every cultivator to protect thend.¡± Upon hearing this, the person shook their head. ¡°It won¡¯t work. ¡± ¡°What does it matter if the human beings in the Saint Divine Land possess some spiritual roots? Regardless of their efforts, they remain mere low-level cultivators, insignificant when faced with powerful individuals. Their destiny is to be unable to cultivate, otherwise the Phoenix Girl wouldn¡¯t have erected the barrier in the first ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we few share the same fate? No matter how hard we strive, our cultivation levels remain extremely low, subject to ridicule. All we can do is venture out and seek lesser demons in an attempt to improve our cultivation.¡± At this point, their expressions turned bitter as well. They, too, belonged to this category. They endured great suffering. Or rather, they were even more wretched than the human beings in the Saint Divine Land who knew nothing of cultivation. Their family lineage boasted a long tradition of cultivation, but their ncked the necessary spiritual roots. It was precisely because of this that they were looked down upon. ¡°Why don¡¯t you apany us and explore the mountains? Perhaps we can find some lesser demons to help enhance your cultivation. In this chaotic world, try to survive if you can.¡± ¡°We must return to our n, but you don¡¯t have to. If you¡¯re smart, you won¡¯t perish in this turmoil,¡± the individual suggested. Zhou Huaijin shook his head. ¡°I am the King of the Saint Divine Land; I will not abandon them.¡± These individuals were taken aback. Clearly, they hadn¡¯t anticipated their true identities. If that were the case, he could no longer conceal himself. They belonged to family ns that couldn¡¯t be hidden, no matter how much they were looked down upon. Moreover, he was an emperor, and an emperor had his own mission. However¡­ Given the current circumstances, even if he were to return, he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect such a vast number of people. However¡­ Well, there was one solution. ¡°You are the king of the Saint Divine Land, and you wish to safeguard all its people? Allowing them to cultivate is not an insignificant matter. I have an idea. Do you think it¡¯s feasible?¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhou Huaijin regarded them with seriousness. @@novelbin@@ ¡°A barrier. Establish a protective barrier around the Saint Divine Land, preventing witches and demons from entering.. However¡­¡± Chapter 1965 - 1965: Helping Them Cultivate 2 Chapter 1965 - 1965: Helping Them Cultivate 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions As Gu Chaoyan pondered a solution, she caught a voice in the air, assuming it was Huang Fu emerging from the interspace. Subconsciously, she nced around, expecting to see Huang Fu¡¯s presence. Curious if Zhou Huaijin had also noticed the sound or spotted someone, Gu Chaoyan realized Huang Fu was nowhere to be found. Huang Fu¡¯s voice echoed, ¡°I was speaking from within the spatial realm; I haven¡¯t emerged.¡± ¡°Assist them in their cultivation. Before the Bai n¡¯spetition, the four of them will undoubtedly have an opportunity to participate. It they emerge victorious, we won¡¯t need to rely on the Bai n¡¯s barrier. We can create another one ourselves.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be urate to deem them entirely useless. They possess qualities akin to yours, special spiritual roots. Due to the uniqueness of their spiritual roots, they cannot be assessed through ordinary Spirit Testing tforms. Simultaneously, they are unable to cultivate using conventional methods, which has resulted in their current situation.¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°Once you grasp the appropriate cultivation method, their progress will swiftly advance to the Great Warrior realm. At that point, seizing the position of Tribe Chief will be exceedingly simple for them.¡± ¡°As for the cultivation method, I will teach it to you first, and then you can instruct them,¡± Huang Fu stated. Gu Chaoyan grasped the gist of the situation. She gazed up at the four individuals. ¡°Are you searching for something?¡± Zhou Huaijin whispered beside her. Chaoyan had acted peculiarly, scanning the surroundings as if searching for someone, but Zhou Huaijin hadn¡¯t heard a thing. Gu Chaoyan subtly shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was simply lost in thought for a moment. With that said¡­ She met their eyes, her expression grave. She spoke earnestly, ¡°So, you intend to repay me for saving you earlier, correct?¡± The man nodded in agreement. ¡°In that case, I need you to guide us to the Bai n. We must obtain the barrier. Since we are not members of the Bai n and cannot acquire it ourselves, you will have topete to secure the barrier.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take the barrier away, but I will need a few days to study it.¡± ¡°Us? I¡¯m afraid the four of us are incapable of such a task. How could we seed with our limited cultivation? We might stumble the moment we step into thepetition, let alone contend for the position of Tribe Chief.¡± Hong Fang, the leader among the four, responded to these concerns. Even if they were willing to assist, they didn¡¯t want to indulge in fantasies. If it truly proved impossible, the four of them could serve Gu Chaoyan and assist with various tasks. Gu Chaoyan slightly shook her head. ¡°Do not underestimate yourselves. While you may not be strong enough, I am qualified to teach you cultivation. Are you willing to learn?¡± The four exchanged nces. She would teach them how to cultivate? Not only had she saved their lives, but she was also willing to help them grow anew! Naturally, they were willing. However, apprehension flickered in their eyes, worried they might disappoint her. Consequently, they appeared hesitant. They felt utterly inadequate. ¡°If your intention is solely to repay my kindness, then don¡¯t dwell on anything else and simply follow my instructions,¡± Gu Chaoyan remarked, discerning their thoughts and issuing a directive. The four of them nodded without hesitation. Their desire to show gratitude was undeniable, but their concerns still lingered. However, since their benefactor had made her stance clear, they felt obliged to convey theirmitment. ¡°Okay..¡± Chapter 1967 - 1967: Helping Them Cultivate 4 Chapter 1967 - 1967: Helping Them Cultivate 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After consuming the peach wine, a soothing sensation permeated their bodies. It felt as if they had beenpletely cleansed, leaving them feeling significantly lighter. The peach wine proved to be exceptionally beneficial for them. From a young age, they had tested weak spiritual roots on the n¡¯s Spirit Testing tform, which predetermined theirck of potential in cultivation. Consequently, they were unable to acquire high-quality resources such as Spirit Stones or other medicinal pills to aid their cultivation. They could only resort to picking up discarded items and relying on the cultivation of insignificant creatures they found in the mountains.
The best treasures they had obtained thus far were from those small monsters, but acquiring them often resulted in severe injuries. If not for Chaoyan, they would never have had the opportunity to enjoy such exquisite peach wine in their lifetime. The four of them were overwhelmed by an incredible sense offort. They yearned to sit down andmence their cultivation immediately. Just as they entertained these thoughts, Gu Chaoyan identified a suitable location. It was at the mountaintop, elevated enough to afford a panoramic view of the surroundings. Furthermore, it was secluded, minimizing disturbances¡ªa perfect spot for cultivation. ¡°After drinking the peach wine, begin your meditation and cultivation. However, don¡¯t employ your previous methods. Follow me for a new approach,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed after making the necessary arrangements. The cultivation method was shared by Huang Fu earlier. While the four of them delved into their cultivation, Gu Chaoyan intended to cultivate alongside Sword One and Lingyun. Their cultivation methods differed slightly from those of the other four, but were rtively straightforward. In addition to the peach wine, Gu Chaoyan also presented Sword One and Lingyun with the snake galldder she had received from Li Mu. The two girls gazed at the snake galldder with mixed emotions. Nheless, they did not refuse and epted it for cultivation. While the six of them were engrossed in their cultivation, Gu Chaoyan took the opportunity to continue advancing her own practice. Despite having achieved a breakthrough, she understood that her cultivation was still insufficient in the vast world she found herself in. At the mountaintop, enveloped by a gentle spiritual qi, the seven of them closed their eyes and entered a deep state of meditation. After two days and two nights had passed, Gu Chaoyan experienced yet another breakthrough. This time, she sensed an even greater surge of power coursing through her veins. Simultaneously, she withdrew her spiritual power and decided to wait for the others to awaken. Attaining the martial qi level was a rtively straightforward process, and after two days and two nights of cultivation, it was about time for them to make their breakthroughs. While Gu Chaoyan contemted these matters, Wu Zimo awoke. Immediately upon regaining consciousness, he assessed his own cultivation level and was utterly stunned to discover that he had sessfully broken through to the martial energy level. Had he effortlessly reached the martial energy level just like that? Previously, Wu Zimo had struggled for several years without achieving a breakthrough. And now, he had made the breakthrough? ¡°Miss Chaoyan, how long has it been?¡± Wu Zimo inquired. ¡°Two days and two nights,¡± replied Gu Chaoyan, seated on the side with her white garments billowing in the wind. Her voice, usually icy, seemed somewhat warmer when speaking with her ownpanions. Wu Zimo stood there, utterly dumbfounded. Two days and two nights? In other words, he had reached the martial energy level in just that span of time? It was truly beyondprehension.@@novelbin@@ Shortly after, Fu Huarong, Wu Ziming, and Hong Fang also awakened from their meditation. As the trio regained consciousness, they instinctively checked their own cultivation levels.. Chapter 1969 - 1969: Helping Them Cultivate 6 Chapter 1969 - 1969: Helping Them Cultivate 6 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Sword One and Lingyun still hadn¡¯t awakened, so Gu Chaoyan contemted her options. She decided to utilize the time to create elixirs within her interspace. Since going to the Bai n wasn¡¯t part of her original n, the number of pills she had brought was insufficient. By maximizing her cultivation time, she could produce more elixirs, which would prove beneficial for their future cultivation. Gu Chaoyan realized that she could dedicate herself entirely to pill-making without any distractions. Over the course of three days and three nights, her interspace became filled to the brim with an array of elixirs. Content with her progress, she emerged from the interspace feeling rxed. It was about time for them to experience their breakthroughs. Ever since her own breakthrough, Gu Chaoyan had been in a state of optimal condition. Even if she didn¡¯t rest throughout the night, she wouldn¡¯t feel excessively tired. Standing at the peak of the mountain, she felt invigorated. After a brief respite, Wu Zimo¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Master.¡±@@novelbin@@
This time, he seemed moreposed. Despite having already broken through, he wasn¡¯t as exuberant as before. He contained his joy within, his eyes gleaming with excitement and his voice betraying his unbridled happiness. Maintaining a calm demeanor, Gu Chaoyan turned to face Wu Zimo. He appeared revitalized, as if he had transformed into a true warrior. Wu Zimo always seemed to achieve breakthroughs slightly ahead of the others. It was a favorable oue. Of course, Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t assume he would emerge as the ultimate victor. Anything could happen. Before long, the remaining three also awakened. All four of them had sessfully advanced to the level of martial artists. However, after enduring five days and five nights, these four individuals exhibited entirely transformed dispositionspared to their previous selves. Compared to their previous despondent and uncertain selves, their newfound confidence now radiated with a touch of mboyance. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but feel satisfied with their transformation. Since they had already achieved the status of martial artists, there was no rush to push for further breakthroughs. Sometimes, when things reached an extreme, the opposite result could ur. ¡°Take some rest. We¡¯ll head to the Bai n once Sword One and Lingyun wake up,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed. Two individuals were assigned to keep watch, while the remaining two decided to explore their surroundings. Sword One and Lingyun had been in a state of deep slumber for five days and five nights. No one knew whether this was a positive or negative sign. Either they had broken through multiple levels or their cultivation had encountered a setback. The difference between these two oues was like night and day. Gu Chaoyan had been vigntly monitoring their condition. Their awakening was dyed longer than Gu Chaoyan had anticipated, causing her some concern. Just as she was about to inquire about their well-being from Huang Fu, Sword One and Lingyun finally opened their eyes. They appeared weary and fatigued, in stark contrast to the refreshed state of the other four. Gu Chaoyan approached them and examined their spiritual power. An immediate sense of relief washed over her. This was because they had indeed made a breakthrough, directly advancing to the rank of Martial Warriors. Warriors were of a higher level than the other four, which exined their prolonged period of unconsciousness. Gu Chaoyan hesitated momentarily. Just then, Wu Ziminz and Honz Fanz returned from their errand, carrying water and fruits. Despite their advanced cultivation, they still required sustenance in the form of food and water. It had been a while since theyst indulged in these earthly delights. Water and fruits provided a suitable source of nourishment, and they approached the provisions with caution, well aware of the importance of maintaining bnce in their consumption. After quenching their thirst and satisfying their hunger with the refreshing water and sulent fruits, they decided it was time to make their way to the Bai n.. Chapter 1973 - 1973: Trash’s Counterattack 3 Chapter 1973 - 1973: Trash¡¯s Counterattack 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Upon hearing the provocation, even the typicallyposed Hong Fang couldn¡¯t suppress his anger. He took a few steps forward, ready to retaliate physically. However, Gu Chaoyan intervened, urging him not to act impulsively. She reminded him that there was no need to disy their cultivation prowess in this momentary quarrel. They should save their energy for thepetition, where they would have ample opportunities to humiliate their opponents. Following Gu Chaoyan¡¯s advice, Hong Fang restrained himself from attacking. Nevertheless¡­ They couldn¡¯t simply let the mockery slide. ¡°Si Kangning, mind your words. It seems like only your Si Familycks manners. When you encounter guests visiting the Bai n, all you know how to do is nder them. If outsiders hear this, they might think that everyone in our Bai n is like you, Si Kangning. Who knows how the reputation of the Bai n will be tarnished because of your actions?¡± Hong Fang addressed Si
Kangning directly. ¡°In addition, the four of us returned to participate in thepetition. If the Bai family is deemed qualified topete, so are we,¡± Hong Fang asserted. Si Kangning¡¯s face contorted with anger upon hearing their words. The Bai n was a rtively small n, and over the years, people gradually arrived seeking exchange for various items like pills, magical weapons¡ªpossessions that the Bai n themselves couldn¡¯t acquire easily. Many members of the Bai n had benefited from these external interactions. Initially, Si Kangning had only intended to tease the four ¡°good-for-nothings.¡± He hadn¡¯t anticipated the turn of events or his own words. Furthermore, since the three women were not Bai n members, he was unaware of their backgrounds. The world of cultivation was filled with intricate dynamics. Si Kangning dared not offend those outside his n. He could only shoot Hong Fang an exasperated re. ¡°You think the four of you canpete? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be knocked out in the first round. You don¡¯t even know your own limits. Where do you find the audacity topete?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll settle it on thepetition stage,¡± Si Kangning dered. ¡°We¡¯ll settle it on thepetition stage,¡± Hong Fang responded firmly, refusing to show any signs of weakness. Si Kangning snorted derisively. He looked at Hong Fang and the others with disdain. ¡®Just them.¡¯@@novelbin@@ Were they even worth his attention? However, Si Kangning chose not to say anything further. He had left a mark with his earlier remarks. Besides, if the other party insisted on pursuing the matter, it wouldn¡¯t bode well for him. For now, he would let it go and consider the situationter. Si Kangning departed, followed by hispanions. Hong Fang watched them leave, his satisfaction fleeting. The four of them were ustomed to such mockery, and they would usually retaliate. In the past, it was their only means of self-preservation. And now, it remained the same. However¡­ Now, they had the qualification to face them on thepetition stage, and perhaps, even emerge victorious. Hong Fang cheered silently in his heart. As they continued on their way, Hong Fang turned to Gu Chaoyan with an apologetic tone. ¡°Master, I apologize for my impulsiveness earlier. I shouldn¡¯t have provoked him.¡± Gu Chaoyan responded reassuringly, ¡°You disyed a bnce between humility and assertiveness. You advocated for maintaining a low profile, but you also stood up against bullying. You handled it well.¡± Her words aligned perfectly with her usual approach to situations. Hong Fang felt a sense of relief wash over him. The Wu family¡¯s residence was just ahead, not far from where they stood.. Chapter 1977 - 1977: Wu Family’s Dispute 4 Chapter 1977 - 1977: Wu Family¡¯s Dispute 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions They would all have a hard time. Having given birth to two useless sons had already made his life difficult at home. He was subjected to mockery from his brothers every few days, but he couldn¡¯t retort. He had endured enough. But now, Zimo and Ziming were engaging in such foolish behavior. It made his life unbearable. ¡°Father, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here. You probably don¡¯t know yet, but the family head actually suggested that we stay in the woodshed. They won¡¯t even allow us to stay in the south room. If we can¡¯t stay in the Wu family,e with us,¡± Wu Zimo said. The head of the Wu family pped Wu Zimo¡¯s face. ¡°Fool!¡±
¡°What kind of foolish mistake are you making? If it¡¯s the woodshed, so be it. I¡¯ll let you stay there. Why are you being so choosy?¡± Wu Tian scolded. ¡°The Wu family has already shown a great deal of tolerance towards you two, but you¡¯re being picky.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave, then we¡¯ll leave on our own,¡± Wu Zimo stated with determination. He hadn¡¯t made a rash decision or acted impulsively. At least, he hadn¡¯t entertained such thoughts until the suggestion of staying in the woodshed, but the Wu family had crossed the line.@@novelbin@@ He had also given it careful consideration. Once they took their father out of the Wu family, they would figure out how to make a living. They would settle down and diligently cultivate. Regardless of whether the two brothers seeded in thepetition for the Tribe Chief position, their future cultivation would be enough to protect themselves. Perhaps they would follow their Master and work hard for him, or they would find a way to support their father. He didn¡¯t expect his father to react this way. In the past, they had held high expectations for the Wu family and their father. In their eyes, they were no different from anyone else. They were useless. It was better to live than to die. If their father wanted to stay, so be it. But the brothers had their pride. ¡°If you want to leave, then leave. Just don¡¯t make a fool of yourself in the Wu family and drag me down,¡± Wu Tian snapped irritably. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father,¡± Wu Zimo reassured. Then, he turned around and prepared to leave with Wu Ziming. The head of the Wu family didn¡¯t attempt to stop them. He simply stated with righteousness, ¡°Everyone heard it. The brothers want to leave, so the Wu family will follow suit. Our family values those who can support each other, not self-centered individuals like them.¡¯ Wu Zimo¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, but he chose not to argue any further. He clenched his teeth and fought back the urge to cry. He had returned with hope and happiness, only to face this oue. ¡°Master, I apologize. We can¡¯t offer you a ce to stay. I will think of a solution and find another way,¡± Wu Zimo managed to say amidst his sobs, mustering every ounce of strength. Wu Ziming, being younger and not as resilient as Zimo, wept uncontrobly. Only then did Hong Fang and Fu Huarong speak up, ¡°The most important thing is that you both are safe. We will figure out a different n for our Master.¡± Gu Chaoyan remained silent regarding the conflict between Wu Zimo, Wu Ziming, and the Wu family. To her, whether it was the Wu family or the Wu brothers, she had limited knowledge of their past. It was their choice to make, and she respected that. Now that they had made their decision, as their Master, it was her responsibility to support them.. Chapter 1982 - 1982: Important People 2 Chapter 1982 - 1982: Important People 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions So what if they encountered a Noble Lady? Now that the Noble Lady was within the Bai n, or even within the Bai family itself, and she possibly possessed something valuable, what of it? Bai Ruiguang believed that he could contend for it. However¡­ He refrained from expressing this aloud.
The head of the Bai family was fair. If he voiced his intentions, his other two brothers would likely have to share the spoils. But if he remained silent, all the benefits would be his alone. Bai Ruiguang nodded. ¡°His cultivation level may not be impressive, but his luck seems to be quite good.¡±@@novelbin@@ The head of the Bai family agreed with a nod. After dividing the acquired items, he distributed them to the three brothers. ¡°The three of you possess formidable cultivation levels. I have given you equal shares. The oue of thepetition will depend on your abilities,¡± the head of the Bai family remarked. The three brothers collected their belongings and departed, each lost in their own thoughts. Following the suddenmotion, silence settled upon the Bai family. This incident could be regarded as an unexpected gain for the Bai family. News of this development quickly reached the Wu family. The Bai family had their reasons for epting the Wu Brothers. After inquiring around, they discovered that Gu Chaoyan had concealed nothing. Upon learning this, the expression of the Wu family¡¯s head turned unpleasant. Had they known that Wu Zimo and Wu Ziming were under the patronage of such influential figures and possessed valuable assets, the Wu family would have readily handed over the courtyard. The Wu family possessed numerous courtyards, and even if they couldn¡¯t offer one, Teng Kai would have had alternatives. Why was it entrusted to the Bai family? Initially, Zidao¡¯s cultivation level was on par with the boys from the Bai family. However, now that they had obtained such a valuable opportunity, it was likely that they would soon surpass Zidao. How could this situation be advantageous for the Wu family? The future of the Wu family relied heavily on Zidao¡¯s performance in thepetition. Feeling disheartened, the Wu family¡¯s head called Madam Wu over. When he saw her, his anger intensified. He berated, ¡°What exactly were you thinking?¡± ¡°Zimo and Ziming brought someone with them. Why didn¡¯t you inquire about the situation before chasing them away?¡± ¡°Now, the Bai family has reaped substantial benefits. If we had fought for it from the beginning, wouldn¡¯t those Spirit Stones, pills, and magical weapons belong to our Wu family? And wouldn¡¯t Zidao be the one we utilized?¡± ¡°I entrusted you with a task, but it seems nothing has been aplished.¡± The Wu family¡¯s head seethed with anger. ¡°Summon Wu Tian here.¡± Although he was the head of the Wu family, he was not the biological father of Wu Zimo and Wu Ziming. They were Wu Tian¡¯s sons. If there were any matters to be discussed, it would be more fitting for Wu Tian to address them. Wu Tian arrived promptly. Upon his arrival, he quickly replied, ¡°Master, Zimo and Ziming¡¯s decisions are their own, and they have nothing to do with me. I have no intentions of leaving the Wu family either. Regardless of what may befall them in the future, please rest assured, Master.¡± Wu Tian wanted to ensure that he would not be implicated in this matter, hence his swift rification. The Wu family¡¯s head seethed with fury upon seeing him. ¡°Bring Zimo and Ziming here and convey to them that I drove them away out of disappointment, not because I truly meant it. Tell them to return home¡ªwe are still a family!¡± the headmanded. Wu Tian was taken aback. Callingl them back? What was happening? Hadn¡¯t they just cast them out earlier today? They possessed no cultivation and were deemed useless to the Wu family. So why were they suddenly being summoned back? Wu Tian nodded and departed. As he left, a sudden realization struck him.. Chapter 1985 - 1985: Experience 2 Chapter 1985 - 1985: Experience 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions They would eventually have to depart from the n, and their future lives would not be within its walls? Did their Master mean that she had no intention of taking them along? Wu Zimo had never discussed with his Master what would happen after thepetition, and she had never mentioned it either. However, in his heart, his Master had saved their lives and taught them the ways of cultivation. In his mind, they would unquestionably follow her in the future. Thepetition was just a small mission, and they had the potential to achieve even greater things. But¡­ He never expected that his Master did not n on bringing them along.
Simr to Sword One and Lingyun.@@novelbin@@ The tion he felt after his breakthrough suddenly waned, leaving a sense of calm in its wake. For a moment, he was unsure whether he shoulde out. ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing out?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked directly. With her current level of cultivation, she could already sense their auras. The four of them had been cultivating together. Although she didn¡¯t know who had achieved the breakthrough first, she could sense that someone had awakened. Coincidentally, she had refrained from entering and was waiting outside. But after a while, no one emerged. Curious about the dy, Gu Chaoyan asked directly, unaware of the reasons behind it. Wu Zimo felt a sense of embarrassment. Initially, he had hesitated toe out because he didn¡¯t know how to face his Master. The recent events still lingered in his heart, unresolved. However, he mustered up his courage and emerged hesitantly. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°What? Have you made a breakthrough?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. It happened much earlier than she had anticipated, and she hadn¡¯t expected Wu Zimo to be the first one to break through again. He seemed to have been consistently the fastest among the four of them in achieving breakthroughs. Previously, it had only been a little bit longer, but this time, the gap was even more pronounced. The one who would likely prevail in the future was most likely him. Wu Zimo nodded, standing not far away from Gu Chaoyan. He remained silent. Gu Chaoyan assumed that he had not yet fully adjusted his emotions due to what happened with his father at the Wu family, so she decided not to disturb him further. ¡°Then rest for a while. Once the others awaken, I¡¯ll take all of you to the mountain.¡± ¡°Also, someone from the Bai family came to inform me that your father came looking for you. What do you want to do about it?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. His father? What was he doing here? Before, Wu Zimo wanted his father to leave with them. He was unwilling to let his father¡¯s presence burden their lives outside the Wu family. Since their childhood, their father had never shown much concern for them. Instead, he had always been worried that they would cause trouble for him. When they left earlier, it seemed like their rtionship had been severed. So why was he seeking them out again? Did he somehow find out about the good fortune their Master possessed? Wu Zimo knew his father¡¯s personality all too well. ¡°Ignore him,¡± Wu Zimo said coldly. Then, he lowered his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll guard them and cultivate here. Master, go and rest.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. She made a conscious decision not to interfere in their family matters. With that in mind, she entered the house to rest. She couldn¡¯t predict what they would encounter once they entered the mountain, so she wanted to prepare some additional pills as a precautionary measure. Furthermore, considering Wu Zimo¡¯s unsettled state, she believed it was best not to disturb him at the moment. Even by the next morning, the other three still hadn¡¯t achieved a breakthrough. It seemed that they were considerablygging behind Wu Zimo. The following morning¡­ Wu Zimo remained on guard. But early in the morning, he noticed Si Kangning approaching with a group of people. ¡°Si Kangning, what do you want?¡± Wu Zimo asked warily.. Chapter 1987 - 1987: Experience 4 Chapter 1987 - 1987: Experience 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions He had initially expected Master to agree, but he was taken aback when she didn¡¯t even consider it. Did that mean the four of them held a special ce in her heart? At least, they couldn¡¯t be easily reced by anyone else. Wu Zimo couldn¡¯t contain his joy. However, in front of the Si family, he maintained a serious expression. ¡°Uncle Si, Si Kangning, Master is unwilling. Please return. Master values peace and solitude. It¡¯s best not to disturb her here.¡± The elder of the Si family exchanged a nce with Si Kangning.
Si Kangning was at a loss for what to do. He cleared his throat. ¡°Apologies for the interruption, Miss.¡± With that, he led Si Kangning out. They hadn¡¯t expected to leave empty-handed. ¡°I truly can¡¯tprehend what she sees in those worthless individuals to be her disciples. They don¡¯t even possess spiritual roots. How can they be of any use to her? Will they remain worthless for the rest of their lives? If she were to take me in, the oue would be entirely different. Regardless of whether she bes the Tribe Chief or not, I, Si Kangning, can offer her far more benefits than those four,¡± Si Kangning grumbled with a hint of bitterness in his tone. He disyed a stark contrast to his behavior in front of Gu Chaoyan moments ago. The elder of the Si family couldn¡¯t understand it either. ¡°It¡¯s puzzling.¡± ¡°Those four even had the audacity to participate in thepetition. What good would that do for them?¡± Si Kangning continued his rant. The elder of the Si family shook his head slightly. ¡°After I defeat them in thepetition, she will realize how to choose wisely, ¡± Si Kangning said through gritted teeth. The two of them headed back to the Si residence. In the courtyard. Just as the Si family departed, Gu Chaoyan sensed that the remaining three disciples had also awakened. The trio emerged from their rooms with joy upon waking up. Gu Chaoyan awaited them in the yard. ¡°Master, we¡¯ve broken through!¡± they eximed excitedly. After uttering those words, their gazes shifted to Wu Zimo, who had achieved the breakthrough earlier. He stood alongside Gu Chaoyan, and they were genuinely happy for him. Regardless of who emerged victorious in thepetition, as long as one of the four could stand as a barrier for Master, their initial aspiration would be fulfilled. Hence, it was a cause for celebration whenever anyone¡¯s cultivation level soared. They were pleased that Zimo had consistently remained ahead of them. Gu Chaoyan nodded. The progress of the four disciples exceeded her expectations.@@novelbin@@ With their breakthroughs in ce, it was time for them to prepare for their venture into the mountains. During their stay in the Bai n over the past few days, various disturbances had urred, hindering their cultivation. It would be best to enter the mountains early and return for thepetition. This way, they could avoid such interruptions. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve made your breakthroughs, make your preparations. Tomorrow morning, we will venture into the mountains. What awaits us there is uncertain, so be ready,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± the four of them replied in unison. After giving them instructions, Gu Chaoyan nced at Sword One and Lingyun. ¡°The same goes for the two of you.¡± It was a crucial phase in their cultivation journey, one that required both diligence and determination. Sword One and Lingyun nodded in agreement. Gu Chaoyan instructed them to make the necessary preparations. The following morning, after a brief rest, Gu Chaoyan led them into the mountains. However, as they departed, Bai Ruiguang arrived with someone in tow.. Chapter 1991 - 1991: Bai Ruiguang’s Thoughts 2 Chapter 1991 - 1991: Bai Ruiguang¡¯s Thoughts 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Bai Ruiguang forcefully pushed Hong Fang away, his expression filled with disbelief. ¡°What right does he have?¡± he wondered. After pushing Hong Fang aside, Bai Ruiguang barged in, shouting, ¡°Miss, I still have something important to tell you!¡± Hong Fang, Wu Zimo, Wu Ziming, and Fu Huarong hurriedly moved to stop him, fearing that Bai Ruiguang would disturb their Master. ¡°Bai Ruiguang, what do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Wu Zimo questioned, confronting him directly.
¡°I have something to say to her,¡± Bai Ruiguang replied indignantly, attempting to continue his intrusion. The four of them persisted in their efforts to halt him. Wu Zimo began channeling his spiritual energy, ready to forcefully remove Bai Ruiguang from the premises. Just then, Gu Chaoyan appeared, exchanging a nce with Wu Zimo, silently urging him not to resort to violence. He withdrew his spiritual power, refraining from further aggression. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Chaoyan frowned, her expression no longer ordinary. Bai Ruiguang had crossed a line, disying aplete disregard for boundaries. He seemed oblivious to what was appropriate or inappropriate. Gu Chaoyan felt nothing but disgust for such an individual. ¡°Miss, my earlier invitation was to have you visit the Bai family and see for yourself. I admire you, but I wouldn¡¯t dare to be impolite. Therefore, I wanted to extend this invitation to you, so you can witness the environment of the Bai family. Since you¡¯re unwilling toe, I have no choice but to express my intentions verbally,¡± Bai Ruiguang exined anxiously. Hong Fang and the others exchanged puzzled nces. so¡­ This Bai Ruiguang wanted to be their master¡¯s husband! Hong Fang and the other three stood in front of him, afraid that Bai Ruiguang would do something. ¡°They already have a master¡¯s husband.¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. ¡°What?¡± Bai Ruiguang looked at them in disbelief. Other than the four trash, there were only her two maids and no one else. What was going on here anyway? The four of them nodded. They had seen him before. At that time, the four of them had not yet be disciples. When they were being pursued by a white monkey in the mountains, it was their Master and her husband who came to their rescue. Master¡¯s husband was even more handsome than Bai Ruguang, and he exuded a calm andposed aura, never disying a smile Beside Master¡¯s husband stood numerous men dressed in ck, indicating their significant influence and power.@@novelbin@@ They were truly a well-matched couple, unlike Bai Ruiguang. ¡°Bai Ruiguang, don¡¯t even entertain the thought. You are not worthy of being our Master¡¯s husband. Our Master¡¯s husband possesses immense power and strength. Only he is deserving of her,¡± Fu Huarong, usually a man of few words, couldn¡¯t help but speak out against Bai Ruiguang. Bai Ruiguang¡¯s intentions were far too obvious, and they wouldn¡¯t allow him to seed. ¡°Huarong is right,¡± Wu Zimo chimed in. After all, Master¡¯s husband had also saved their lives. How could they let Bai Ruiguang entertain the idea of marrying their Master? ¡°You four pieces of trash! How dare you im that I, Bai Ruiguang, am unworthy?¡± Bai Ruiguang eximed angrily, showing no regard for their opinions. Gu Chaoyan unleashed her spiritual power. Though Bai Ruiguang managed to dodge the attack, he appeared disheveled with his hair in disarray. ¡°You!¡± Bai Ruiguang red at Gu Chaoyan, seething with anger. How could she treat him in such a manner? ¡°They are Gu Chaoyan¡¯s disciples. Regardless of their actions, outsiders have no right to deem them useless..¡± Chapter 1996 Official Competition 5 Chapter 1996 Official Competition 5 Some things were straightforward. All he needed was time. When the time came, everything would naturally fall into ce. At that point, the four of them would lead a good life. Trying to please them? How absurd! Bai Ruiguang thought to himself, stifling a chuckle. However, he maintained a neutral expression on his face. He simply replied, "I understand." The head of the Bai family nodded, satisfied with his response. He didn''t dwell on the matter too much. After all, it was apetition day. Ruiguang waspetitive by nature, so it was normal for him to appear serious. It was good that he possessed discipline and rationality. Following that, Bai Ruiguang proceeded to join thepetition. Well¡­ In the preliminary rounds like these, it was rtively easy for someone of Bai Ruiguang''s caliber to secure victories. On the other hand, anyone unfortunate enough to be matched against him would feel quite unlucky. While they might not emerge victorious in the end, it would still be beneficial for their family if they could win more rounds. As thepetition progressed, some participants emerged victorious while others suffered defeat. A total of 20 individuals were selected as winners. Among these twenty, Hong Fang, Wu Zimo, and Fu Huarong imed four spots. This oue was beyond the expectations of many. However, the unexpected had indeed urred. As they made their way out¡­ Passing by the crowd, the people''s attitude towards them had noticeably changed. They either ignored their presence or regarded them with mocking nces. Many individuals approached them with obsequious greetings, shamelessly trying to establish a connection and iming past acquaintanceship. The four of them responded politely but kept a respectful distance throughout. Gu Chaoyan, observing their behavior, felt satisfied with their current stance. She remained silent and walked alongside them, her cold expression deterring anyone from approaching her. By this time¡­ Wu Tian approached with a group of Wu family elders, wearing a proud expression on his face. "Zimo, Ziming, well done!" "¡­" "I never expected both of you to have already achieved the level of a martial artist. Why didn''t you mention it earlier?" "¡­" "A few days ago, I tried to visit you, but the Bai family refused to let me see you. So I returned." "¡­." "After seeing you today, Father had a good conversation with both of you," Wu Tian stated. "¡­"@@novelbin@@ "In the past, the head of the Wu family treated you strictly, hoping that you would be sensible. But now, the Wu family wants you to return home. I am getting old, so when youe back to the Wu family, you can take care of him," he continued, wearing a smile. It seemed as if he held no grudges against their previous expulsion, and the severity of his words about not being a burden had vanished in a short period. "¡­." Wu Tian introduced the Wu family elder, saying, "This is your Uncle Wu. He came with me to bring you back." The elder of the Wu family spoke kindly, "It''s wonderful to see you both achieve the rank of martial artist. In the future, you can contribute to the Wu family. There are still morepetitions ahead, and it would be beneficial for you to return early." As he spoke, he discreetly assessed Gu Chaoyan, seemingly attempting to discern her cultivation level. Indeed, the Wu family''s attention was also directed at her. "That''s impossible," Wu Zimo firmly replied. "We cannot go back. Since we were driven out, our lives have no connection with the Wu family anymore. That is what the head of the family said." "¡­" "There''s anotherpetition tomorrow. We will be returning for now." Chapter 2001 Official Competition 10 Chapter 2001 Official Competition 10 Wu Zimo calmly gazed at Wu Zidao, observing his demeanor with aposed expression. Wu Zidao, renowned for his extraordinary power, had always exhibited exceptional cultivation speed, surpassing even those from the prestigious Bai family. Consequently, it came as no surprise that he possessed such unwavering confidence, boldly voicing his anticipated victory even before thepetitionmenced. However, the present circumstances presented a different picture. Before him stood Wu Zidao, consumed by an excessive arrogance that caused him to overestimate his own abilities. What made him believe that triumph was assured? "Wu Zidao, thepetition is yet to begin. How can you im to know the oue?" Wu Zimo uttered with solemnity, his voice carrying an air of gravity. "Heh~" Wu Zidao chuckled, regarding Wu Zimo with a derisive expression, as though he were a mere child babbling nonsense. Fully confident in his abilities, he intended to let the results speak for themselves. Wu Zidao nonchntly unleashed his spiritual energy, adopting a rxed demeanor. He nned to effortlessly defeat his opponent in the uingpetition, minimizing the expenditure of his spiritual and physical resources. Without hesitation, Wu Zimo also released his own spiritual energy, closing in on Wu Zidao. This unexpected response caught Wu Zidao off guard, prompting him to intensify his use of spiritual energy. He grew more serious, increasing the amount he channeled into the confrontation. Nevertheless, unwilling to be at a disadvantage, Wu Zimo persisted in approaching Wu Zidao, continuously harnessing his spiritual energy. Gradually, Wu Zidao''s initialposure began to wane. He felt a mounting pressure as Wu Zimo''s cultivation prowess revealed itself. Could it be that Wu Zimo''s cultivation had reached such an astonishing level? Wu Zidao found himself taken aback, his gaze shifting tentatively towards Wu Zimo. Unbeknownst to him, while he was momentarily distracted, Wu Zimo continued to gain the upper hand in their encounter. Beads of sweat began to form on Wu Zidao''s forehead, a visible sign of his growing unease. His facial muscles twitched involuntarily, and he could no longer afford to let his guard down. The members of the Wu family watched the unfolding events from below, their expressions reflecting a mixture of surprise and concern. As members of the same family, they did not wish to witness such a confrontational situation between Wu Zidao and Wu Zimo. This turn of events was entirely unexpected. Within the family, there had to be a clear winner and loser in thepetition. At this moment, Wu Zidao could only attribute his predicament to a stroke of ill luck. "Why does Zimo always seem to have the upper hand? Didn''t Zidao break through just yesterday?" Wu Tian asked, his confusion evident. "Keep quiet! Zidao is merely showing some courtesy to Zimo. Don''t go overboard," scolded the head of the Wu family, reprimanding Wu Tian harshly. The patriarch of the Wu family was naturally pleased to see Wu Zimo disy formidable martial cultivation abilities. After all, it meant that the family had gained another capable individual who could lend support to Zidao in the future. However¡­ He had no intention of allowing Wu Zimo to surpass Wu Zidao. Zidao was his biological son, and his cultivation level had always been exceptionally high, a source of great pride for him. And yet, today¡­ What was happening with Zidao? Why was he showing deference? Thepetition was far from over. Dealing with Bai Ruiguang would not be an easy task. Instead of extending courtesies to Wu Zimo at this juncture, it would be wiser for Zidao to conserve his energy and secure victory in thepetition first. The head of the Wu family had been observing the unfolding situation for quite some time, and his patience was wearing thin. With a nce, he conveyed to Wu Zidao that he should bring the encounter to a swift conclusion. Wu Zidao caught the meaning behind the head of the Wu family''s eyes and understood that he shouldn''t linger any longer. However¡­ He had underestimated Wu Zimo''s cultivation.@@novelbin@@ Defeating him directly had be a slightly challenging task. Wu Zidao pondered on how to approach the situation, seeking a way to ovee this unexpected obstacle. Witnessing the futility of his earlier gesture, the head of the Wu family shifted his gaze towards Wu Tian. Initially, he had intended for Wu Tian to intervene, but upon reconsideration, he refrained from giving themand. Raising his voice to address the arena, he dered, "Zidao, it''s time to show some respect to your brother. That''s enough. Don''t waste your energy any further." Chapter 2004 Tribe Chief 1 Chapter 2004 Tribe Chief 1 The elders of the Wu family had lived for so long, so how could they not know what was important? They could determine what was more important and unimportant in a moment. The family head was family head.@@novelbin@@ However, the head could be changed as well. Wu Zidao''s cultivation was indeed extremely high, but so what? No matter how high his cultivation was, he could notpare to Wu Zimo, not to mention that Wu Zimo was the Tribe Chief now. With Wu Zimo, be it the family head or Wu Zidao, they were nothing. It was no wonder that they had to kick someone to the curb when they''ve outlived their usefulness. Since it was the family head''s fault back then, he had to bear it himself. The head of the Wu family was so angry that he was about to vomit blood. He had been the head of the family for so long, so everyone was respectful to him. Now that Wu Zimo had just obtained the position of Tribe Chief, he treated him like this. However, so many elders of the Wu family hade forward. He had to do this no matter what. Also¡­ The Wu family indeed could not let the new Tribe Chief leave the Wu family. Zidao could not take it anymore. Even if he didn''t like it, Wu Zimo would still hold him back. After weighing the pros and cons, the Wu family''s master nodded. However, he could not rush over now. "Back then, I only reprimanded him because I felt that Zimocked consideration for the Wu family, and I was somewhat disappointed in him. He is a member of our Wu family, and I cannot simply cast him aside. Now that he has be the new Tribe Chief, he will undoubtedly require the support of our Wu family. How can he continue residing in the Bai family''s courtyard? He must be brought back to our family, and in a grand manner. Tomorrow, when I officially retrieve him, it must be done with due ceremony," dered the head of the Wu family. Nevertheless, despite his words, The head of the Wu family didn''t appear entirely at ease either. Deep down, he harbored reluctance. However, as the Tribe Chief, it was his duty to carry out such actions. Otherwise, he might jeopardize his position as the head of the family. His statement seemed to satisfy the others, and they didn''t pose any further challenges, patiently waiting for him to retrieve Zimo. The new Tribe Chief had emerged. It was Wu Zimo. Although the formal weing ceremony for the Tribe Chief would take some time, At this moment, the Bai n''s Elders needed to hand over the items associated with the Tribe Chief to the new leader. Before joining them, Wu Zimo nced downwards and spotted his Master and his brothers in the crowd. It brought him a sense of relief. He nodded at them and proceeded to follow the Elder to receive the belongings of the Tribe Chief. After the official conclusion of thepetition, the participants dispersed. Gu Chaoyan, along with Hong Fang and others, remained behind, patiently waiting. Wu Zimo apanied the elders to the Tribe Chief''s residence. A couple of servants were tidying up and cleaning the abode, preparing it for the arrival of the new Tribe Chief. Due to the Bai n''s absence from the Tribe Chief position in recent years, the currentpetition had be necessary. The previous Tribe Chief happened to be the former leader of the Bai family. Several years ago, as he approached a breakthrough in his cultivation, he secluded himself, leaving the position of Tribe Chief vacant. Had it not been for the activation of the barrier, there would have been no need for apetition to select a new Tribe Chief. "Our ancestors did not leave behind many belongings. Prior to Patriarch Bai''s seclusion, he left these items here. The barrier serves as a lifeline for our Bai n during critical moments. As for the rest, they are Dharma artifacts and enchanted armaments passed down to sessive Tribe Chiefs," the Bai n Elder exined in an ancient tone. With his words spoken¡­ He then presented the two boxes to Wu Zimo. Chapter 2008 Wu Familys Regret 2 Chapter 2008 Wu Family''s Regret 2 They only had two courtyards in total. Wu Zimo and the others resided in one of the courtyards, and it was only natural for his Master to live there as well. Wu Zidao,pared to Wu Zimo, was particrly intrigued by the Master. The fact that his Master could transform someone seemingly insignificant into a Martial Master spoke volumes about their immense power. With such a formidable Master, what was there to worry about? Wu Zidao nced around, hoping to catch sight of his Master. He wondered if he could seize an opportunity for himself. Even if the position of Tribe Chief was no longer avable, he still wanted to continue improving his cultivation. Wu Zimo furrowed his brows, displeased with Wu Zidao''s intense gaze. With a stern expression, he reminded him, "This way." Only then did Wu Zidao retract his gaze and take a seat in the house. The head of the Wu family, maintaining his authority as the family''s patriarch, spoke, "You are now the Tribe Chief." "¡­" "As the future patriarch of the Bai family, you will have numerous responsibilities. You will undoubtedly require the assistance of the Wu family. Though there has been a misunderstanding between our families in the past, I believe that time has allowed you to reconsider." "¡­" "When you return to the Wu family, you will have full authority over everything within our family''s reach. Zidao has made considerable progress in his cultivation. In the future, let him apany and assist you. As for the others in the Wu family, they will be at your disposal when you have arrangements." "¡­" "As the Tribe Chief, you must not act stubbornly anymore. You need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of your choices." "¡­." "Zimo, do you understand?" The head of the Wu family maintained his aura and said. There was naturally a reason why he could still have such an aura until now. At the same time, he knew the reason. Even if he had already taken the position of the family head, the Wu family had value that he could use. A normal smart person would obviously ept such a situation. What was the use of being so clear? It would not do him much good. The Wu family''s head relied on this matter. Wu Zimo looked at the Wu family calmly. Their purpose ining here was simr to what he had guessed. However¡­. The Wu family was still so self-righteous, which puzzled him. Wu Zidao was working for him? The Wu family was his servant? Of course, he believed in these things. However, he didn''t believe in Wu Zidao and him. If he let them be by his side, who knew when they would scheme against him? He shook his head. He rejected him directly. "No need."@@novelbin@@ "¡­." "Since I cut ties with the Wu family back then, I''ll cut ties with them." "¡­." "As for me, with Elder Brother Hongfang''s help, I don''t need anyone else." "¡­." "If there''s nothing else, please go back and don''t disturb me anymore. In the future, I don''t want the Wu family to pester me anymore. Otherwise, I, Wu Zimo, won''t have the reason to be polite today." "¡­." "I still have something to do here, so I won''t keep you. Please," Wu Zimo said coldly. The Wu family''s master was first surprised, then angry. He rejected her without giving her any face? He looked at Wu Tian and gestured for him toe forward and talk about this. Wu Tian had always been quiet. He smiled foolishly and came out to say, "Zimo~" Chapter 2009 Wu Familys Regret 3 Chapter 2009 Wu Family''s Regret 3 Wu Zimo frowned. "Please." Wu Tian felt a pang of embarrassment. After all, Wu Zimo was his son. It was one thing for him to disregard the family head''s authority earlier, but why was hepletely disregarding him now? How could he act so arrogant within the Wu family? For the past two days, he had done whatever he pleased, showing no respect. "Zimo!" Wu Tian''s voice boomed. "Please," Wu Zimo stiffly replied, refusing to look at him. His so-called father had never truly considered his well-being. Up until now, all Wu Tian cared about was his own standing within the Wu family. He didn''t want to be entangled in any way. Wu Tian''s face twitched. He didn''t know what to do either. Wu Zimo paid no attention to him whatsoever. Since he was young, Wu Zimo had always been the most stubborn and difficult to reason with. If it were Ziming, Wu Tian still had some confidence in persuading him, but Wu Zimo was an uncertainty. "Zimo, the matter within the Wu family was decided by the family head himself back then. The rest of us are innocent. You¡­" One of the elders from the Wu family stepped forward, attempting to reason with Wu Zimo. "Please." Before the elder could finish speaking, Wu Zimo wore a dismissive expression, signaling that there was no need for further exnation. In the past¡­ Even if they were unaware of the truth at the time, they had done nothing. But at the same time, they genuinely didn''t take any action. Didn''t they tacitly agree when their brothers were driven out of the house? Now, only the brothers possessed cultivation. What if the brothers had nothing at all? What fate awaited them within the Bai n? Had these people ever given it any thought?@@novelbin@@ But they did not. Therefore, they had no right to salvage the situation here. The Wu family refused to leave. In any case, if this matter was not settled, they would not move. Wu Zimo''s face darkened as he sent out his spiritual energy, sending the Wu family''s head flying. The expressions of the Wu family members wereplicated. Wu Zidao shouted, "Wu Zimo, what are you doing? He''s an elder." "Do you think you can shamelessly stay in someone else''s house just because you''re an elder?" Wu Zimo retorted bluntly. Wu Zidao''s expression was ugly. The others left tactfully. If they didn''t leave, they would be the ones beaten outter. Who knew what sin the Wu family hadmitted? He had been reduced to such a state by the family head. It was such a good thing, but it ended up like this. Sigh¡­ After Wu Zimo cleaned up the Wu family, he looked at Hong Fang. "Let''s go." The two of them went to the n. Many things had happened in the Bai n in the past two days. Everyone in the Bai n knew that the Wu n''s Patriarch had pestered the Tribe Chief and was thrown out of the door. Everyone also understood in an unspoken mutual understanding that the Tribe Chief and the Wu n were really going to break up. Another thing was that the session ceremony for the Tribe Chief had beenpleted. Well¡­ It was the most worrying thing. It was the Tribe Chief''s Master who left with Fu Huarong and the Tribe Chief''s younger brother, Wu Ziming. The people from the Bai n did not know where they had gone. However, it was definitely something more powerful than the Bai n. The Bai n''s barrier array was used on the day of the session ceremony. The entire Bai n was in the blue barrier, so everyone in the Bai n felt much more at ease. Gu Chaoyan was on the way back to the Saint Divine Land with Sword One, Lingyun, Wu Ziming and Fu Huarong. She had made a breakthrough against night. The current Sword Kinesis Flight could already carry the four of them. It only took them four hours to get to the Saint Divine Land. She went straight to the pce. After settling them down, Gu Chaoyan went to Fengxian Pce. Chapter 2011 Back to the Saint Divine Land 2 Chapter 2011 Back to the Saint Divine Land 2 "I am here," Gu Chaoyan eximed with a heightened sense of excitement, catching Zhou Huaijin off guard. Her words sent a surge of intense emotions coursing through him, driving him to the brink of madness. Even a certain part of his body responded with an undeniable firmness. His eyes grew slightly reddened as he passionately kissed her, lost in the fervor of the moment. ¡­ The following day at noon, Gu Chaoyan awoke to a feeling of utter exhaustion, as if her body had been pushed to its limits. Sensing her weariness, Zhou Huaijin made arrangements for someone to assist her with bathing and changing clothes. Recognizing her need for rest, Gu Chaoyan allowed Sword One and Lingyun to attend to her. Once she had freshened up, a sumptuous meal awaited her in the pce. Despite her current level of cultivation, Gu Chaoyan no longer relied on regr meals to sustain herself; her nourishment primarily came from Spirit Stones. However, when she was with Zhou Huaijin, she preferred to maintain her usual habits and routines. Their post-dinner activities included sipping tea and indulging in pastries. Wu Ziming and Fu Huarong, who had previously encountered a different side of their Master in the Bai n, were taken aback by the stark contrast in her demeanor. Well¡­ Now, Master seemed to suddenly have flesh and blood. She was no longer like when she was in the Bai n, making people feel that she was always far away. The two of them also drank tea and ate pastries. "Mr. Master''s husband, is there anything we can do to help?" The two of them asked after drinking and eating. Zhou Huaijin was startled. Then, he looked like he wanted tough, but he shouldn''t. Master''s husband? It was him? It was a little strange. However¡­. A momentter, Zhou Huaijin got down to business. "I don''t need your help. Your priority is to protect your Master." Zhou Huaijin replied. In the meanwhile¡­ He said to Gu Chaoyan as well. "I have heard some other news these days, from my mother and Mr. Zhao. They said that there are fragments of the Golden Rolls, but it is difficult to get them. When the barrier is ready, we can go there together and get the fragments of the Golden Rolls." Zhou Huaijin said. A Golden Rolls fragment? Gu Chaoyan showed a look of joy. Unexpectedly¡­ Now, there was actually news of the Golden Rolls fragment. This was the most important news for her at the moment. "Is it true? Where is it?" Gu Chaoyan asked happily. "In the Shenyou Continent." Zhou Huaijin said seriously. Shenyou Continent? Zhou Huaijin nodded. Ever since the gate was opened, Gu Chaoyan realized that apart from the Saint Divine Land, there were many other continents in this world. For example, there were naturally other continents in the very small Yuehua Continent. Duan Feng had introduced the Yuehua Continent to her before, so she knew what it looked like. As for the Shenyou Continent, it was apletely unfamiliar existence to her. "Also¡­" "Why are Mother and Mr. Zhao there?" Gu Chaoyan asked Dao Seeking in surprise. They had gone to the South, so why were they at Shenyou Continent now? "It is aplicated thing, and I don''t know much about it yet. Let''s go and find mother first." Zhou Huaijin said. Gu Chaoyan nodded and agreed. She took out the barrier. She set up a barrier for the Saint Divine Land. As for the other three countries. @@novelbin@@ It was the barrier that Gu Chaoyan had set up with Sword Kinesis Flight. When she got everything prepred¡­. They started to head to the Shenyou Continent. Chapter 2014 Shenyou Continent 3 Chapter 2014 Shenyou Continent 3 Zhou Huaijin wore a bewildered expression, clearly taken aback by the puzzling connection between their Yan family in the Shenyou Continent and the current situation. "Let''s discuss this once we''re inside," Zhao Yiqiu advised cautiously. "Alright," Zhou Huaijin replied, following her as they entered the Yan Manor. The Yan family was undeniably a prominent and expansive n, evident from the grandeur of the Yan Manor itself. The passing servants, however, seemed indifferent towards their presence. They nced at them asionally but did not pay much attention, rushing past with their tasks at hand. The only person in the Yan Manor who showed them respect was the housekeeper assigned to escort them.@@novelbin@@ They were directed to a courtyard named Shuanghua Courtyard, radiating an air of opulence. However¡­ The number of servants within the courtyard was surprisingly scarce, with only a few individuals bustling about. Gu Chaoyan instructed Wu Ziming and the others to wait outside while she and Zhou Huaijin proceeded into the room. It was clear that the situation required a detailed exnation. Theplexity of the situation left them unsure of where to begin. "I am Yan Shuang, the Eldest Miss of the Yan Family on the Shenyou Continent. One day, I found myself unexpectedly pregnant and gave birth to Huaijin," Yan Shuang began to exin. Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin were left utterly dumbfounded, their jaws dropping in disbelief. How could this be? Huaijin was not the King''s child? ''Suddenly pregnant?'' Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin looked at Zhao Yiqiu subconsciously. Yan Shuang shook her head. "It''s not him." "¡­." "Speaking of which, I haven''t gotten an answer to this matter yet. I''m a woman who hasn''t left the pavilion to begin with. How did I suddenly get pregnant and give birth to a child?" "¡­." "Although the Shenyou Continent respects cultivation, the Shenyou Continent also values rules." "¡­." "Although nothing will happen to me if I''m pregnant without leaving the pavilion, I''ll still bring shame to the residence. The Yan family and my parents can''t bear this." "¡­." "After Yiqiu finds out and marries me, there will be an exnation for this child''s background." "¡­." "However, on the day Huaijin was born, his body was enveloped by a ck demonic aura." "¡­." "Most importantly, I found out that Huaijin doesn''t have spiritual roots." "¡­." "When the two arebined, Yiqiu and I are also very afraid that something will happen to Huaijin." "¡­." "So she took Huaijin to the State of Saint Divine Land, where there was no spiritual energy, and made a deal with the King. You know what happened after that." "¡­." "So, we are all from the Shenyou Continent, and I am the Elder Miss of the Yan Family." "¡­." "When we first arrived in Jiangnan, Father called us back, so we returned to the Shenyou Continent. It was only now that we received the news of the Golden Rolls that Father asked us to send you the news." "¡­." "Right now, the Yan n''s situation isn''t too good." "¡­." "The eldest grandson of the Yan family, Yan Wuji, was severely injured a few days ago." "¡­." "As for the Golden Rolls fragments of the Star Moon Pavilion, they were also taken out during this period of time. They said that only the winner of thepetition could obtain them." "¡­." "The existence of the Golden Rolls is very important. Be it the Shenyou Dynasty or the other prefectures, they are all fighting for it. Whether our Yan family can obtain the Golden Rolls fragment is also very important!" "Why? How do Golden Rolls work?" Gu Chaoyan asked. Chapter 2016 Use of the Gold Scroll 2 Chapter 2016 Use of the Gold Scroll 2 "We are unable to participate in the Star Moon Pavilionpetition at the moment, so we may need your assistance in this matter. Although the Golden Rolls fragment from the Star Moon Pavilion is just one piece, whenbined with the other three fragments, it serves as a guiding scroll to the Supreme Sect," Yan Shuang exined. In that instant, Gu Chaoyanprehended the full story. The Golden Rolls served as the guide scroll to the esteemed Supreme Sect. Inparison, the cultivators of the Shenyou Continent, including the Shenyou Dynasty, were considered subordinate entities. This exined why the people of the Shenyou Dynasty were fervently pursuing as many Golden Rolls fragments as possible, enabling them to arrange for more individuals to enter the Supreme Sect. The descendants who gained entry into the Supreme Sect provided crucial support to these cultivating family ns. For a hundred years, the Yan family had been without a suitable candidate. Without one, the Yan family would eventually crumble when the Patriarch''s strength waned. This urgency drove Yan Shuang''s mother to seek their assistance. However¡­ Gu Chaoyan had only recently reached the second level of the Great Martial Master Realm. Obtaining the Golden Rolls fragment in the Shenyou Continent would likely prove challenging. Moreover, her cultivation progress had slowed down considerably, bordering on stagnation. She found herself engulfed in a state of confusion. Yet, amidst her confusion, there was one pressing question that upied her thoughts. "When the barrier was opened, representatives from the Piaomiao Pavilion and the Cangyan Door arrived, insisting that the Phoenix Girl possessed the Golden Rolls. However, upon opening the barrier, there was only a white jade sword and no sign of the Golden Rolls. What could be the reason behind this?" Gu Chaoyan couldn''t help but inquire further. If her mother knew, she would know a thing or two. If her mother did not, it would be fine. "The continent where the Saint Divine Land is located is also called the Four-Faced Continent. There are four countries in the Four-Faced Continent, and the people of those four countries are all human beings without spiritual roots. They can''t even cultivate, so it''s difficult for them to protect themselves. However, the Four-Faced Continent is protected by the Pheonix Girl, so all the generations of the Pheonix Girl will have Golden Rolls and their own weapons. Those sects like the Piaomiao Pavilion existed because their ancestors hid in the Four-Faced Continent before the door to enchantment closed." "¡­." "Most of the people from those sects have fake spiritual roots. The better ones only have true spiritual roots. If such people were on other continents, they would definitely be the lowest existence. Back then, the ancestors of those sects had evil thoughts and mixed in with the humans without spiritual roots. Then, they would be considered rare." "¡­." "It''s just that they didn''t expect that there would be a spirit formation inside the spirit formation that isted them from the four countries." "¡­." "However, they''re cultivators, so they naturally know about the existence of the Golden Rolls. It''s just that they don''t know much." "¡­." "The Four Phases Continent is currently quite safe. Itcks spiritual energy, deterring cultivators and even witches from venturing there. Your barrier is sufficient for protection. Once you reach the Martial Emperor level in the future, you can naturally close the enchantment door once again," Yan Shuang exined. "Once the enchantment door is closed, your role as the Phoenix Girl will be fulfilled."@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan looked up at Zhou Huaijin. Hearing what her mother said, Gu Chaoyan felt that¡­ In the past, they were so insignificant. Right now, she was only at the Second Heaven of the Great Martial Master Realm. She was too far away from the Martial Emperor Realm. Also.. Chapter 2018 Spiritual Root Damaged 1 Chapter 2018 Spiritual Root Damaged 1 How could he not feel pressured? The Yan family was already in a dangerous situation, yet they had encountered such a situation. As Gu Chaoyan sized up Yan Lin and the mean-looking woman, she understood why the woman was so extreme. In the Saint Divine Land, as long as she was still alive, she could save her. However, that was only for ordinary people without spiritual roots. Like these people who cultivated. She was not in a hurry to do that. At this moment, she wanted to go into the space and rummage through the medical skills in the space or ask Huang Fu to see if there was an answer. There was a moment of silence. Suddenly, there was amotion outside. It was the Apothecary. Yan Lin and the woman''s eyes lit up with anticipation. They could not publicize Yan Wuji''s injury because if they did, the Yan family would fall into a desperate situation before the Supreme Sect''s assessment. As for this Apothecary¡­ It was clearly the Apothecary they trusted. That was why she dared to let him take a look. Soon¡­ The Apothecary came in. When the Apothecary saw Yan Wuji''s appearance, he was also surprised.@@novelbin@@ After the surprise, aplicated expression shed across his eyes. After theplicated expression, there was a moment of joy. But Gu Chaoyan had been sized up this Apothecary the whole time. The loss of Yan Wuji''s spiritual root might affect his future cultivation. Now that she was already in the Yan family, she naturally had to consider the Yan family''s matters. That was why she sized up this Apothecary. She was a little worried. After examining Limitless, the Apothecary''s expression turned grave. "Young Master Yan''s other injuries can be treated with the medicines I''ve prescribed. Regrly administering Essence Augmenting Pills should suffice. However, the damage to his spiritual root is a different matter. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do. It seems my cultivation will be crippled." "¡­." "A cultivator''s foundation lies within their spiritual roots. If the spiritual roots are damaged, it will shatter their cultivation. No matter who intervenes, it will be futile. Your life has been saved, but cultivating in the future should no longer be a consideration," the Apothecary stated, his tone carrying a heavy weight of finality. "¡­." After the Apothecary finished speaking calmly, he went to prescribe his prescription. Suddenly. A loud wail sounded. It was that woman. Initially, everyone was tense because the Apothecary had yet to arrive, so there was still some hope in their hearts. However, now that the Apothecary had said so, almost all their hopes were cut off, so how could they still hold on? Yan Lin kept wiping his tears. After Apothecary gave them the prescription, he nned to leave. The Yan family was in grief and did not care about this matter. Gu Chaoyan took a step forward, blocking the Apothecary''s path. "Apothecary, with Wuji''s severe injuries, shouldn''t you stay here to ensure his recovery?" "I have other matters to attend to. Besides, as long as Young Master Yan takes the medicine on time, his injuries will heal. There is no need for me to stay," the Apothecary impatiently replied, prepared to leave. Gu Chaoyan stood her ground and didn''t budge. Given Yan Wuji''s current condition, the Yan family imposed strict restrictions, prohibiting anyone from freely moving about. However, if the Apothecary were to leave and disclose any information, their efforts would be in vain. Observing the peculiar expression on the Apothecary''s face earlier, Gu Chaoyan felt the need to exercise caution. "Who do you think you are? How dare you stop me? I, too, am an Apothecary employed by the Yan Family. It has been decades, yet this is the first time someone has dared to impede me," the Apothecary retorted with clear displeasure. Upon noticing Gu Chaoyan''s unfamiliar face, his arrogance grew even more apparent. As the two engaged in a heated argument, Chapter 2020 Spiritual Root Damaged 3 Chapter 2020 Spiritual Root Damaged 3 It was Gu Chaoyan''s turn to freeze. This was a huge blow to the Yan family. To her, it felt like a difficult task was right in front of her. After all this time, it was that simple? Just the spring water and some grass in her space would do? What? Alright¡­ Gu Chaoyan was about to ask her about cultivation when Huang Fu said, "Go ahead, he is leaving." So Gu Chaoyan went to get some Holy Spirit Water and some herbs. After wiping her face, she put on her clothes. She went out again. She realized that the Yan family was a little noisy. The servants, who were originally calm, were all in a hurry. "What is it?" Gu Chaoyan asked. "Something seems to have happened." Sword One whispered. Gu Chaoyan left in a hurry. On the way, she met Yan Shuang. She had a bad expression on her face. "Something happened." "¡­." "The news that the Limitless Spirit Root is no longer useful has spread. Now that the Shenyou Dynasty has sent people over, they want to test if it''s true." "¡­." "If the news gets out, I''m afraid our Yan n will be doomed. Not to mention those already hostile ns, even those ns that don''t have any grudges will probably target the Yan n." "¡­." "Even if the Yan n hasn''t produced anyone in a hundred years, their foundation is still there. Many people are eyeing them covetously and want to snatch them away." Yan Shuang also had apletely panicked expression. Did the people of the Shenyou Dynasty want to see the spiritual root? Gu Chaoyan clenched the water in her hands. "Mom, take me to see Elder Brother Wuji. He might have a solution, but it will take some time, so let him stall for time." Gu Chaoyan said. "For real?" "Yes" It did not take long for Yan Shuang to believe what Gu Chaoyan said. After all, Gu Chaoyan always seemed to have a way to get out of danger. Wuji waspletely helpless. If she said that she could, there was no harm in giving it a try. Yan Shuang immediately brought her there. Yan Wuji, Yan Lin, and Yan Lin''s wife were there. The two of them were overwrought. "What are you doing here?" Yan Lin''s wife berated. "Chaoyan said that she has a way to give it a try." Yan Shuang said. "The people from Shenyou Dynasty are here. Elder Brother, go and drag them away. Let Chaoyan try." "No! I don''t trust her!" Yan Lin''s wife refused directly. "The Apothecary said that his spiritual root is beyond saving. Can you believe it? It is already the worst case scenario, so why don''t you give it a try?" Gu Chaoyan said sternly. She no longer had the patience to reason with him. Yan Lin''s wife instantly wilted. "Elder Brother, Elder Sister-inw, hurry up and drag her away! Do you really want our Yan family to fall into a desperate situation?" Yan Shuang shouted. Yan Lin nodded. He brought his wife along. If there were no idents, the news of the Yan family was spread by that Apothecary. Chaoyan had stopped them before because they trusted her too much. If even an Apothecary could be trusted, why couldn''t his own people be trusted for once? After they left¡­ Gu Chaoyan took out the flower and fed it to him. When he woke up, she would nourish him with the Holy Spirit Water.@@novelbin@@ Yan Wujihad just eaten it, when he woke up. "It''s the royal family. It''s the royal family who wants to kill me!" Yan Wuji shouted when he woke up. Gu Chaoyan covered his mouth. "Don''t say anything. Your spiritual root is damaged. Drink this to nourish your spiritual root, then." Chapter 2022 Slapping on Face 2 Chapter 2022 pping on Face 2 How could this possibly be? Who was this enigmatic woman? The fact that she possessed something capable of repairing spiritual roots was simply astonishing. In his current state, Yan Wuji felt that within 15 minutes, his wounds and spiritual roots would bepletely restored. He could sense the rekindling of his cultivation ability. However¡­ Cultivating with a healthy spiritual root was not a difficult task. Yan Wuji''s anger dissipated, reced by a profound sense of gratitude. He was about to rise and kneel before Gu Chaoyan to express his appreciation. But it seemed as though Gu Chaoyan had anticipated his intentions. With her slender fingers, she gently pressed him back down. "Stay still. Let your spiritual root fully recover first." "¡­." "The news of your damaged spiritual root has already spread, and the people from the Shenyou Dynasty are inquiring about it. They likely want to verify its authenticity. If they confirm it, the Yan Family will be stripped of everything. We need to restore your spiritual root and drive them away before that happens," Gu Chaoyan exined to Yan Wuji, aware that he had just regained consciousness and was unaware of recent events. Yan Wuji''s expression betrayed his anger, but he refrained from taking any action. Gu Chaoyan admired his self-restraint. This man possessed remarkable temperament. With a higher level of spiritual roots, he would undoubtedly achieve great heights in his cultivation journey. But for now, he possessed only a Heavenly Spiritual Root. Huang Fu had once mentioned that no matter how exceptional one''s understanding, there were limits toprehension. However, Gu Chaoyan kept her thoughts to herself. It was merely her own observation, one that didn''t require voicing aloud. "I have seen the man who inflicted this upon me. He bears the symbol of the royal family on his sleeves, confirming his affiliation. The audacity of the dynasty''s members toe here in haste, seeking confirmation, truly disys their shamelessness. Once I have fully recovered, I will dedicate myself to cultivation and exact revenge for the injustice done to me!" Yan Wuji dered with unwavering determination.@@novelbin@@ Members of the royal family. Why had they harmed Yan Wuji? And there were many others within the Yan Family who had suffered injuries at the hands of that same family. Gu Chaoyan felt a deep sense of confusion and a desire to seek answers. She was about to speak up¡­ But suddenly, a loudmotion echoed from outside, apanied by the sound of approaching footsteps. Momentster, a man dressed in borate brocade burst into the room, followed closely by members of the Yan Family. Despair etched across their faces. Previously, there had been a glimmer of hope that they could dy the pce officials, but their efforts had proven futile. Now that the official had arrived, they would undoubtedly discover Yan Wuji''s damaged spiritual root, spelling doom for the Yan Family. Despite the ancestors having dispatched a messenger, Gu Chaoyan was still in seclusion, unaware of the dire situation. What would be of the Yan Family, left to fend for themselves? The haughty deacon entered, pointing directly at Yan Wuji. "I have heard of your damaged spiritual root, and the pce has sent me to verify its veracity. If it is indeed true, rest assured, the pce will seek justice on your behalf." Seek justice? Hah¡­ Those who had inflicted harm upon Yan Wuji hailed from the royal family; justice was not something to be expected. "Officer, my son¡­" Yan Lin attempted to interject. The deacon forcefully pushed him aside. "Get out of here!" "Yan Wuji, reveal the state of your spiritual roots!" Chapter 2025 - 2025 Legacy 1 Chapter 2025 - 2025 Legacy 1 Madame Yan, concerned about Yan Shuang, decided to have a private conversation with her. Yan Shuang was taken aback butposed herself with a smile and took a seat. With the deacon of the Shenyou Dynasty gone, they saw an opportunity to address their challenges. The Yan Family couldn¡¯t forget the previous attack by the imperial family, and they feared it might happen again, especially to Yan Wuji. Complicating matters, the Old Ancestor of the Yan Family remained in seclusion, leaving them to rely solely on themselves. Their future prospects were uncertain, and acquiring the Golden Rolls posed the biggest obstacle for the Yan Family. Yan Lin, the Family Head,cked assertiveness and direction, relying heavily on Madame Yan¡¯s guidance.@@novelbin@@ Following his mother¡¯s remarks, Yan Wuji spoke up, ¡°Mother, although my spiritual root has been repaired, the damage it sustained has significantly reduced my cultivation. I fear I won¡¯t be able to secure the Golden Rolls. It seems unlikely that our Yan Family will have the opportunity to rejoin the Supreme Sect this year.¡± Yan Wuji hadn¡¯t considered Zhou Huaijin¡¯s potential contribution. Unaware of Zhou Huaijin¡¯s connection to the Yan Family, Yan Wuji failed to recognize his unique situation ofcking spiritual roots. Madame Yan let out a sigh, fully aware that their inability to join the Supreme Sect posed the greatest challenge for the Yan Family. For Yan Wuji, the restoration of his spiritual root alone was already a significant blessing. The events that unfolded seemed to be driven by fate alone. The Yan Family found themselves in an exceedingly precarious situation. Since Wuji couldn¡¯t obtain the Golden Rolls, he decided to participate in the examination held by the Supreme Sect. However, this choice only served to further endanger the Yan Family. Silence enveloped everyone from the Yan Family as they grappled with the inability to improve their circumstances. Amidst the silence, Gu Chaoyan broke the ice. ¡°What¡¯s the current situation within the Shenyou Dynasty? Who are the contenders vying for the Golden Rolls, and what are their levels of cultivation?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words had a subconscious effect on the Yan Family, gradually fostering trust in her. Given her ability to repair Spiritual Roots, she appeared capable of performing other remarkable feats as well. Madame Yan responded, providing insight into the situation. ¡°Within the Shenyou Dynasty, members of the imperial family are striving to consolidate the power of their lineage. The young princes from the imperial family possess remarkable talent. Even the Second Prince has reached the Third Heaven of the Martial King Realm, not to mention the Elder Prince, who has attained the pinnacle of the Martial King Realm.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°As for the other aristocratic families, Zhuo Yuanbai from the Zhuo Family and the Third Prince from the imperial family both stand at the Sixth Level of the King Warrior Realm. Zhuo Yuanming from the Zhuo Family holds aparable position to Wuji, excelling as a top-tier Great Martial Master. However, the Zhuo Family is slightly weaker than the Yan Family.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Wu Lehe from the Wu Family also stands at the pinnacle of the Great Martial Master level, much like Wuji.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As for the remaining family ns, their strength falls below that of Wuji. They are not worth mentioning.¡± Upon hearing Madame Yan¡¯s ount, Gu Chaoyan inquired further. ¡°Is the Wu Family as formidable as the Yan Family?¡± Madame Yan was taken aback by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s question, expressing her surprise. Chapter 2030 Dragon Vein Inheritance 3 Chapter 2030 Dragon Vein Inheritance 3 Had it not been for Huang Fu''s presence in the space, Gu Chaoyan wouldn''t have been able to contain her frustration. She was tempted to strike out at him. They had hurriedly arrived at the dragon vein without bringing any food, hoping to seize an advantage. Yet, it seemed that the timing was not yet right. Observing Gu Chaoyan''s annoyance, Huang Fu spoke calmly, "I am doing this for your own benefit." "¡­" "As a top-tier Great Martial Master, you are capable on your own. However, you are alone in this endeavor. The princes from the Shenyou Dynasty have their brothers and numerous guards apanying them. The same goes for the other aristocratic families; they have their own supporters." "¡­." "If you were to arrivete, you would be marginalized along the way." "¡­." "But things are different here."@@novelbin@@ "¡­." "While the protective array formation around the dragon vein has disappeared, there are still array formations at the entrance and within the dragon vein. No one can utilize spiritual energy here, so you don''t need to worry about your safety. Everyone must rely solely on their own abilities to obtain the inheritance." "¡­." "If luck is on your side, it will be yours," Huang Fu casually stated. Gu Chaoyan also felt a surge of irritation. However, Huang Fu''s words held truth. No matter how angry she was, she had to remain silent. Cultivators didn''t require much food, but after a prolonged period, sustenance became necessary. Over the past few days, Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin mainly relied on wild fruits or fish caught by the riverside, enjoying grilled fish as their meal. Gradually, a surge of spiritual energy converged upon the dragon vein. It was an indication that others had also sensed its presence and were making their way towards the location. Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin chose to remain inside, apprehensive of encountering troublesome individuals. Since spiritual energy couldn''t be utilized at the entrance of the dragon vein, there was no immediate danger. As expected¡­ Soon enough¡­ Numerous individuals reached the entrance of the dragon vein, feeling a sense of pride for being the first to arrive. However, their expressions soured when they noticed Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin already present inside. Frowning, they wondered if someone had beaten them to the treasure. Acting swiftly, they attempted to expel Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin by using their spiritual energy, determined to enter the dragon vein ahead of them. However¡­ Zhou Huaijin didn''t retaliate with his own spiritual energy. "What''s happening? Is there an array formation?" one of the men eximed in surprise, finally understanding why Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin were present. Realizing that his own spiritual energy was useless, he refrained from taking any action. Instead, he led his group towards the entrance. To his dismay, he discovered that they were unable to proceed any further. "Tell me, what is the meaning of this?" Yuan Xiangchen demanded of Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin, adopting a condescending tone as if speaking to a servant. Gu Chaoyan and Zhou Huaijin paid no heed to him, choosing to ignore his presence. This infuriated Yan Xiangchen. He had already offered them a way out of kindness, yet they disregarded him. No one in the Shenyou Continent would dare treat him in such a manner. "Can''t you hear me?" Yan Xiangchen repeated angrily. "You are here alone. Can''t youprehend the situation?" Gu Chaoyan responded bluntly. "You¡­" Yan Xiangchen nced at his guards andmanded, "Kill these two individuals. Do not let them live!" The guard prepared to advance upon hearing the order. However, before they could make a move, an aged voice resonated from within the dragon vein. "Those who engage in battle within the dragon vein are deemed unworthy to receive the inheritance." Chapter 2034 Test 1 Chapter 2034 Test 1 Gu Chaoyan, originally driven by the prospect of acquiring wealth, grew pale and lost her appetite when the gates of the dragon''s vein opened. She couldn''t muster any enthusiasm for indulging in snacks. However, the others were brimming with excitement, eagerly rushing into the newly opened passage. Yan Zhengchu, too, abandoned any thoughts of snacking and proceeded directly inside. Upon entering, they were greeted by an environment vastly different from the outside. It was akin to stepping into a grand pce banquet, with opulence exuding from every corner. Numerous small tables adorned with delectable dishes awaited them. The aroma of the food tantalized their senses, and each table bore an identical feast, clearly prepared for their arrival. Having endured hunger for an extended period, their eyes widened with delight at the sight of such abundance. Without dy, theymenced their feast, savoring every morsel. Zhuo Yuanming from the Zhuo Family, in particr, who was rather corpulent and had refrained from venturing out, had been famished for days. He couldn''t resist any longer, eximing with a mouthful of food, "This is incredibly delicious! It seems as though it was arranged to celebrate our entry into the Dragon''s Vein." "¡­" "In fact, it''s the dragon''s vein we''re talking about. Even the spaces where the dragon n would feast exude such luxury." In high spirits and satiated, Zhuo Yuanming continued to chatter happily. The others, focused on enjoying their meal, contemted the need to work harder once their hunger was satisfied and refrained from further conversation. However¡­ There were a few individuals who abstained from eating altogether. For example, Gu Chaoyan. She was not hungry at all, and even if she was, she would not eat anything here.@@novelbin@@ The dragon vein was formed after the dragon died, and there was no one living here all these years. If there was no one living here, where did the fresh foode from? That was definitely not normal. Of course they would not want to eat them. Apart from her, the people from Supreme Sect and Grand Unity Sect did not eat any either. They could stay away from food for a few days, and they were from the sect, so they would not touch them. Yan Zhengchu and another member of the royal family had no food to eat either. And the one who did not touch the chopsticks in the corner was the Young Master of the Wu Family and Zhuo Yuanming''s brother, Zhuo Yuanbai. Zhuo Yuanbai gave Zhuo Yuanming a few reminders, but he did not want to listen, so he dropped the idea. And the other princess of the royal family was eating too. She was not wolfing down the food, but she looked very hungry. Gu Chaoyan waited patiently here. Yan Zhengchu was not in a good mood. He did not dare to eat the food here. If the door of the dragon vein could be openedter, he could eat some pastries to fill his stomach. But now, he could not eat either side. She had to bear with it. When those who ate were enjoying the food, and those who did not eat were suffering. Suddenly¡­ An oldugh came from the dragon vein. Then¡­ Those who were eating were all transported out of the dragon vein in the next second, leaving only a few who did not eat. Those who stayed inside knew very well that those people would never have the chance to get the inheritance. The moment they stepped out of the ce, the test of the dragon vein had already begun. "But after a few days of starvation, he has lost his brain and patience. Such a person has no right to get the inheritance of the Dragon Tribe!" Chapter 2039 - 2039 Inheritance 2 Chapter 2039 - 2039 Inheritance 2 Its child was also a dragon, a small one. ording to what it said, the Dragon n should not have fallen for too long. Its children were still young, so it was not assured to pass them on to the inheritor. That was because the more they got, the more responsibility they would have to bear. That startled Gu Chaoyan. She was not sure if she could protect this little dragon. After thinking for a while, Gu Chaoyan nodded seriously.
The Dragon Tribe was very satisfied. Honestly¡­ Besides their limited cultivation level, all of the chosen sessors were exceptionally suitable, the voice acknowledged. If someone with malicious intent were to acquire his child, they would not hesitate, solely driven by their desire to possess it. ¡°In this manner, I shall bestow upon you my inheritance and belongings, and then I will have it sign a contract with you,¡± the elderly voice exined. ¡°Although your current cultivation may not suffice to adequately protect it, once you obtain my inheritance, this concern will no longer trouble you.¡± Meanwhile, as they conversed¡­@@novelbin@@ An immense surge of energy surged into Gu Chaoyan¡¯s body. She felt herself on the verge of arrogance, but just as the difort peaked, the sensation abruptly dissipated. At that very moment¡­ She perceived an immense amount of spiritual energy coursing within her, continuously breaking through its limits. Martial King, Third Heaven of the Martial King Realm, Sixth Heaven of the Martial King Realm, Top-level Martial King Realm, Third Heaven of the Martial Emperor Realm, Martial Saint Realm! In an instant, she ascended to the rank of Martial Saint! Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t contain her tion. The elderly voice also expressed surprise. ¡°I never expected you to be a prodigious cultivator. By assimting my inheritance power into your spiritual energy, you swiftly reached the level of a Martial Saint.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The spiritual energy in the Shenyou Continent is incredibly scarce. Here, those who attain the Martial Saint rank are likely on par with the Elders of the Supreme Sect.¡± The elderly voice no longer carried its former strength, but it brimmed with more delight than before. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Very well, I shall bestow it upon you now, and both of you must swear a blood alliance,¡± the aged voice instructed. Gu Chaoyan was on the verge of inquiring about the dragon¡¯s whereabouts. Suddenly, a diminutive dragon-like figure materialized before them. This creature possessed dragon horns atop its head, a dragon tail, yet its face resembled that of a human. Huh¡­ That was the little dragon? As Gu Chaoyan pondered, she felt a sharp pain in her hand. Her blood dripped directly onto the dragon¡¯s forehead, prompting a nod from the creature. It signified the blood oath. However, to be precise, only young dragons bore such a mark on their foreheads, whereas she did not. It appeared more like a sign that the spirit pet had acknowledged its master. Just as Gu Chaoyan was about to inquire further¡­ The elderly voice faded away. ¡°Take good care of it.¡± Then, silence enveloped them. ¡°Father!¡± the young dragon cried out. Gu Chaoyan fell into silence as well. This dragon had long since passed away, yet its residual energy lingered, allowing its presence to persist even after its departure. But now¡­ The spirit energy had dissipated, along with its breath. For this young dragon, the loss of its father was now a harsh reality. Gu Chaoyan felt a profound sadness as well. They were in mourning. ¡°Hand it over to me,¡± the voice of the little dragon spoke up at that moment. Chapter 2044 Gold, Silver and Jewels 2 Chapter 2044 Gold, Silver and Jewels 2 But it did not want that at all. Apparently, it was still talking about gold, silver and jewelry. Gu Chaoyan suddenly felt that she could see through the dragon''s heart. This guy¡­ It did not really ept the fact that its father was gone. Or maybe, some things were just a memory of her father. For example¡­ At such a young age, it kept saying that it looked like its father. It was always asking her for the gold, silver and jewelry left by his father, but it did not really n to take them back. Maybe¡­ In this way, it would always feel that its father was still alive. Gold, silver and jewelry were all that it cared about. When it was very young, its father''s spiritual power kept itpany. But now¡­ They ran out of spiritual energy. The gold, silver and jewels were still there. It¡­ Gu Chaoyan put away her spiritual roots. She looked at the Dragonman seriously. "Since you have given them to me, they are mine!" The Dragonman threw a disdainful look at her. "You humans are so greedy." Once Gu Chaoyan grasped the Dragonman''s perspective, she no longer paid much attention to his remarks. Instead, she continued discussing the valuable possessions. "Indeed, your intermediate Spiritual Roots may be considered subpar. However, now that you have acquired my father''s inheritance, you needn''t worry excessively about the future. In reality, cultivation does not solely rely on one''s Spiritual Roots. The martial arts civilization in which you reside is simplycking in advancement, resorting to Spiritual Roots as a means to gauge one''s strength," the Dragonman sneered with disdain. "¡­." "Moreover, your physique is unique. With the knowledge of how to nourish your spiritual roots, you can also nurture and purify your current state. This will undoubtedly facilitate smoother cultivation in the future, allowing you toprehend certain aspects with greater ease," the Dragonman added. Gu Chaoyan smiled at it. This little dragon man was so soft-hearted. Besides offering her sce, the Dragonman even imed that it could nourish her spiritual roots. "Don''t give me that look. It''s pointless. I''m only asking for the return of the jewelry," the Dragonman insisted.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan maintained her smile, disregarding its request. The Star Moon Pavilionpetition was swiftly approaching. Apanied by the Dragonman, Gu Chaoyan headed there. However, she left the Dragonman at home to prevent it from overthinking, as it seemed to have a penchant for mischief. When the Dragonman transformed into a small dragon, it was hardly noticeable, blending in seamlessly. Representing the Yan Family, Gu Chaoyan attracted the attention of others. She observed her surroundings meticulously. Among those who journeyed to the dragon vein, individuals from the Supreme Sect and the Grand Unity Sect were conspicuously absent. Gu Chaoyan could sense what level they were at. They were all inferior to her. The Golden Rolls was hers without a doubt. However¡­ Gu Chaoyan had no intention of revealing her Martial Saint cultivation during thepetition. After all, Martial Saints were a rare existence in the Shenyou Continent. If she were too conspicuous, it would only invite trouble for the Yan Family. Her goal was to limit her cultivation disy to the Second Heaven of the Martial Monarch Realm, ensuring that she outperformed the Elder Prince. "It''s you." A voice filled with disdain reached Gu Chaoyan''s ears. She turned to see Zhuo Yuanming. Back at the Dragon Vein, he had been eliminated during the consumption process. Chapter 2047 Star Moon Pavilion Competition 2 Chapter 2047 Star Moon Pavilion Competition 2 "What? Are you too scared to face me? ying dumb won''t save you. Let me make it clear, if you don''t step on that stage today, not only will you lose, but you''ll also have to kneel down and call me grandpa," warned Zhuo Yuanming, noticing Gu Chaoyan''sck of movement. Gu Chaoyan simply rolled her eyes in response. Without hesitation, she dered, "Who said I didn''t want to step on that stage?" And with those words¡­ She gracefully ascended the stage, taking flight. "Let me give it a try," Gu Chaoyan stated coldly. "It''s you," Yan Zhengchu eximed, a hint of recognition in his eyes. "In that case, go ahead and give it a shot." Yan Zhengchu vividly remembered the woman from the previous gathering at the dragon vein. Among the crowd, she stood out as the one who had snacks in her possession, making her quite memorable. He hade close to purchasing snacks for her during that encounter. However¡­ The journey to the dragon vein turned out to be an odd experience. The dragon vein had initially appeared to test them, and they had sessfully passed the test. Yet, inexplicably, the dragon vein reneged on its promise and teleported them back abruptly. He was aware that everyone else had been transported back as well, with none of them obtaining the dragon vein''s inheritance. Later on, he sent people to the dragon vein, and the entrance could not be entered any more. But he arranged for his men to stand guard there. But he was very surprised. This girl was representing the Yan Family. Yan Zhengchu briefly pondered these thoughts but didn''t dwell on them for long. He was pressed for time, having numerous other tasks to attend to after obtaining the fragment of the Golden Rolls. "Make your move," Yan Zhengchu calmly instructed as he channeled his spiritual energy toward Gu Chaoyan. Instead of directly engaging with his energy, Gu Chaoyan swiftly evaded his attacks with her agile footwork. Since her breakthrough, she had be lighter and faster. Before Yan Zhengchu could fully perceive her movements, she had deftly dodged his strikes. Although Gu Chaoyan was deliberately suppressing her cultivation to the level of a Martial Sage, there remained a considerable gap between a Martial Sage and a Third Heaven Martial King. Gu Chaoyan continued to evade Yan Zhengchu''s attacks, drawingments from spectators who considered her luck to be the reason behind her sessful dodges. Individuals like Zhuo Yuanming repeatedly urged her not to flee. After a few dodges, Gu Chaoyan abruptly changed her strategy. Instead of evading, sheunched a direct attack, utilizing her spiritual power. Caught off guard, Yan Zhengchu failed to dodge in time. Overwhelmed by her spiritual prowess, he was knocked backward. However, Gu Chaoyan restrained her strength, ensuring Yan Zhengchu didn''t suffer too much embarrassment. He managed to stay on his feet after leaving the arena. @@novelbin@@ The Yan Family''s honor had been reimed, but Gu Chaoyan understood that it wasn''t the right time for the Yan Family to bask in the limelight. Gu Chaoyan emerged victorious, and Yan Zhengchu was forced to leave the stage. Onlookers disyed a variety of expressions as they witnessed the oue. The servants of the Yan Family, initially resigned to their impending loss, couldn''t bear to watch. However, as they peeked through their fingers, they turned pale with astonishment. They had already mentally prepared themselves to witness the Yan Family being ridiculed, but Gu Chaoyan''s victory left them rubbing their eyes in disbelief, doubting if it was all a hallucination. Then, they erupted into exuberant celebration, their voices echoing, "The Yan Family has triumphed! The Yan Family has triumphed!" Zhuo Yuanming''s face turned an ashen shade as he struggled toprehend Gu Chaoyan''s unexpected victory. A few of Zhuo Yuanming''s friends, who had always harbored trepidation towards the Zhuo Family''s influence, found themselves at a loss. Uncertain of how to respond, they hesitated in their actions. However, there were others who harbored no fear or intimidation in the face of the Zhuo Family. Chapter 2051 Deal 1 Chapter 2051 Deal 1 However, he was visibly displeased, his face disying a range of emotions. Gu Chaoyan remained unfazed by his reaction. In her opinion, Yan Zhengchu was nothing more than a novice who deserved to be utterly defeated. He was unsuitable for coboration or peaceful coexistence. Yan Zhengchu promptly departed. "He doesn''t darey a finger on the Yan Family, at least for now," Gu Chaoyan remarked. "¡­.." "Nevertheless, we must exercise caution when dealing with individuals like him," she continued. "We understand. Let''s not dwell on his potential threat to the Yan Family. Sooner orter, the Yan Family will exact revenge on Wuji''s behalf. When that timees, it won''t be him targeting the Yan Family, but us," Madame Yan stated through gritted teeth. It was because of Chaoyan''s actions that Wuji had been saved from ruin and he had appeared at their doorstep. Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. Madame Yan''s words hinted at her own strategy. It seemed that the Second Prince would pay the price for his wicked deeds. Once the Yan Family''s issues were resolved, Gu Chaoyan no longer concerned herself with anything else. However, she now harbored deep concerns about obtaining the Golden Rolls. @@novelbin@@ Seizing the opportunity provided by the good weather, she contemted for a moment before departing with Sword One and the others. Her first destination was the Star Moon Pavilion. Yan Tianren held the Star Moon Pavilion in high regard, which indicated its exceptionalpetence. Surely, a visit to the Star Moon Pavilion would yield a solution to her predicament. Located in Haitian, the Star Moon Pavilion resembled a bustling marketce. The Star Moon Pavilion boasted a diverse range of merchandise, offering something for everyone. Additionally, there was a possibility of finding rare items at the Star Moon Pavilion. While it was not a guarantee, if one desired something, the Star Moon Pavilion might have a solution, although not withplete certainty. Hence, the Star Moon Pavilion provided the swiftest means of acquisition. However¡­ It should be noted that the fees and Spirit Stones charged by the Star Moon Pavilion were considerably high. Upon reaching the Star Moon Pavilion, Gu Chaoyan instructed Sword One and the others to choose their desired items. Directly addressing the crowd, she inquired, "Where can I find your manager? I require the assistance of the Star Moon Pavilion to acquire something." Dealing with items that were not avable at the Star Moon Pavilion proved to be quiteplicated. The Star Moon Pavilion staff promptly sought out their manager. Within the Star Moon Pavilion, the hierarchy functioned as follows: aside from the individuals responsible for selling magical artifacts, pills, Spirit Stones, weapons, and talismans, there existed a manager who held a higher rank. Unlike other stores with just one manager, the Star Moon Pavilion boasted a team of five managers. Apart from their cultivation prowess, these five managers had extensive connections, enabling them to handle esteemed guests like Gu Chaoyan. Whoever sessfully secured an order would im it. Naturally, obtaining such items was challenging, so the five managers would vie for the opportunity to fulfill the request. Consequently, the manager of the Star Moon Pavilion experienced significant pressure. After the announcement, the manager emerged, greeting Gu Chaoyan with a smile akin to someone who had just stumbled upon a pot of gold. "Just tell me what you want. There is nothing I can''t get from the Star Moon Pavilion." The manager was very confident. He was confident because he was very good at business. When someone wanted superior-grade magical weapon, he got them these without hesitation. Gu Chaoyan answered calmly, "What about Golden Rolls?" Chapter 2054 To Supreme Sect 2 Chapter 2054 To Supreme Sect 2 Surprisingly, among the participants, Yan Zhengchu was present. Yan Zhengchu, being a prince of the royal family, shared the same ambition as his fellow princes¡ªto ascend to the throne of the Shenyou Dynasty. As such, they held the Golden Rolls and, upon reaching the required cultivation level, they wouldn''t confine themselves to a sect like the Supreme Sect. Usually, they would send trusted aides in their ce. Both sides were aware of each other''s trusted aides, which served as their bargaining chips. However, this year¡­ Yan Zhengchu personally requested Gu Chaoyan to participate in the examination at the Supreme Sect. What was his motive? "Could it be because he is the weakest among the princes and the Elder Prince has made a breakthrough?" Yan Wuji spected. "He is the most cunning among the princes. He must have a n. You need to be cautious of him," Yan Lin warned, expressing sudden concern. "In the Supreme Sect, even if he is a prince, he cannot harm us, especially considering that Chaoyan is more powerful than him," Yan Wuji reassured. Yan Lin pondered for a moment and agreed. The Supreme Sect was a sect governed by rules, and they prohibited harm among its members. Thus, he felt at ease. Upon learning of Yan Zhengchu''s intention to go to the Supreme Sect, Gu Chaoyan and Yan Wuji decided to leave early, in order to avoid encountering him. Gu Chaoyan didn''t want to waste her energy on dealing with this prince. As expected, not long after their departure, Yan Zhengchu arrived at the Yan Family, intending to leave with them. Yan Lin yed the role of a fortune teller, instructing them to leave first. Yan Zhengchu couldn''t help but feel a sense of regret. Nevertheless, he didn''t dy his journey and hurried towards the Supreme Sect. "Chaoyan is quite adept at making predictions," Yan Linmented, finding it amusing. As for the Prophet, after riding out alongside Yan Wuji, he decided to utilize Sword Kinesis Flight to swiftly make his way to the Supreme Sect. Yan Wuji was pleased to hear that. Since there would be internal conflicts along the way, it made sense to wait at the Supreme Sect. They arrived ahead of the others, but it wasn''t yet time for the examination. They had to wait. During this waiting period, they didn''t remain idle. Each of them engaged in cultivation and meditation. A dayter, the remaining participants began to arrive one by one. Yan Zhengchu approached Gu Chaoyan and Yan Wuji directly. "When did you arrive, and how did you manage to get here so quickly?" "Not long ago," Yan Wuji replied. "I see. It''s wise of you to arrive early," Yan Zhengchu remarked. Neither Yan Wuji nor Gu Chaoyan offered any response. Zhuo Yuanbai snorted at the sight of Gu Chaoyan and walked away, still harboring resentment due to the incident involving Zhuo Yuanming. Wu Yuehe approached them and greeted them politely. There were only a few familiar faces among the participants. The rest were either from other continents or independent cultivators. @@novelbin@@ Wu Yuehe wasn''t foolish. He understood the value of cultivating rtionships with those he knew, as they could support each other in the future. The Wu Family had always maintained a low profile. They didn''t provoke anyone nor seek closeness with others. Wu Yuehe shared the same mindset. Gu Chaoyan had a favorable impression of Wu Yuehe. He was the only one satisfied with their encounter at the dragon vein, selecting a Dharma artifact and leaving with the enchanted armament. It had been a mutually beneficial transaction. Gu Chaoyan observed the others around her. At that moment, the doors of the Supreme Sect opened. They were about to enter the area of the sect to participate in the examination for outer sect disciples. Chapter 2059 Test 5 Chapter 2059 Test 5 She was going to dodge the punch. However¡­. Gu Chaoyan was still quite worried about Yan Wuji. So she told him a footwork and he should be able to dodge the punch. Yan Wuji was overjoyed. He had been a little worried about the examination at the Fist Sect, but now he did not have to worry. The disciples went up one by one. While the majority of candidates hesitated to step down, a few decided to do so. Gu Chaoyan and Yan Wuji swiftly evaded the attack, adhering to the rules of the examination. While this caused some dissatisfaction among others, it was an epted practice. On the contrary, Zhuo Yuanbai directly absorbed the blow, merely taking a few steps back. His performance was undeniably impressive. "Excellent, this young man is truly remarkable. If things go smoothly, the Fist Sect will directly recruit him. Don''t try to snatch him away," expressed the inner sect Elder of the Fist Sect with satisfaction. The other Elders remained silent but added, "I won''tpete with you." Furthermore, they had no intention of doing so. The Elder of the Fist Sect favored individuals of this nature, while the Elders from other sects preferred disciples who possessed greater cunning and astuteness. Inparison, they valued intelligence over straightforwardness. For instance, the Elder of the Beast-controlling Sect took a liking to Gu Chaoyan, who disyed exceptional proficiency in animal maniption. She had the ability to effectively handle various types of creatures. @@novelbin@@ However¡­ The Elder of the Beast-controlling Sect maintained aposed demeanor. They could not just tell them who they wanted before the examination was over. They had to wait until the examination was over. Thepetition of the Fist Faction was over. Next was the examination of the Sword n. The examination of the Sword n was held on the sword wall at the entrance of the n. The sword wall was full of mechanisms, which were controlled by the Sword n. And what they needed to do was to block all the sword rain and go up to the sword wall, so they could pass the examination. For new disciples, the standard of the sword wall was not very high. It started with 9th swords, then 99th swords, and then 999th swords. Almost all disciples with good swordsmanship could make it. Zhuo Yuanbai was in the limelight at the Fist Sect and he was in a good mood. So he was the first one to join them. His swordsmanship was a little weaker, and by the time he reached the 99th sword, his arm was injured. But he barely made it to the sword wall, and his face sank. He was obviously displeased. After that was Yan Wuji, and after that was Yan Zhengchu¡­ Gradually, these people passed the examination. But there were still two people who failed the examination of the Sword n. Gu Chaoyan was thest one to go up. Everyone was looking at Gu Chaoyan. She held her breath and started to climb up the wall. She dodged the rain of swords easily. These disciples already had a rough ranking for the three examinations. And there were three more tests to go. They decided to take a break and wait until the following day. Today would serve as a rest day. The remaining three rounds of examinations were scheduled for the Medicine Sect, the Beastmaster Sect, and the Weapon Refining Sect, respectively. Many candidates held little hope for the examination conducted by the Medicine Sect and the Weapon Refining Sect. Their primary focus was on sessfully passing the examination of the Beastmaster Sect. The Medicine Sect and the Weapon Refining Sect held unique positions within the Supreme Sect. Members of the Medicine Sect specialized in alchemy, while those of the Weapon Refining Sect excelled in crafting magical weapons. Alchemists were highly sought after throughout the continent, while refiners garnered attention primarily when they were capable of producing high-level magical weapons. Ordinary cultivators rarely had the opportunity to interact with practitioners from either sect. Chapter 2062 Test 8 2062 Test 8 "Not as good as yours?" Zhuo Yuanbai sneered with a smug expression on his face. He held utmost confidence in his swordsmithing abilities, believing that his forged sword would undoubtedly surpass any made of ck iron. However¡­ Since Gu Chaoyan had expressed her willingness topete, he saw an opportunity to y a little trick on her. He decided not to reveal the truth about his sword''s quality just yet. "Listen well, Gu Chaoyan," Zhuo Yuanbai dered, his voiceced with arrogance. "If the sword I, Zhuo Yuanbai, forge turns out to be inferior to yours, then I shall offer myself at your disposal for ten days. But if the sword you forge cannot match the superiority of mine, you shall serve me for ten days instead!" He was determined to make her suffer and reim the dignity that the Zhuo Family had lost. That was such a condition. Gu Chaoyan did not like it. He coud be working for her for 10 days, what was he capable of anyway? But maybe Yan Wuji would need him? Since it was just apetition, and they could just ept it. Gu Chaoyan nodded with disdain. "Sure." The outer sect Elder of the foundry sect initially intended to intervene and halt thepetition between the two disciples, but his efforts were thwarted by an inner sect Elder. "They are the only two who have shown remarkable skill in this year''s outer sect examination. Since they wish topete and determine who can forge the sharpest sword, and considering they currently have no other pressing responsibilities, why not allow them this opportunity? We can observe from the sidelines," the inner sect Elder suggested calmly. He was genuinely curious and eager to witness the oue of their contest. Undoubtedly, the inner sect Elder had his own motives behind supporting thepetition. He had no interest in ordinary swords made of ck gold and ck iron since they were already known to be strong. But¡­. He had noticed that when they were forging. When this disciple was forging the sword, he added a lot of crystal powder. He had never seen anyone forging a sword like this. Maybe it was just a showy move, but it might work. He was going to have a try today. If it worked, the Weapon Refining Sect could use this method to forge higher-level weapons. Thinking of this, the inner sect Elder got slightly excited. Also¡­ He had already thought about this. If this metal sword could win and this disciple could forge a sword that satisfied him, he could take her in as his inner sect disciple. The inner sect Elder thought inwardly. They had just finished the discussion. The two of them were alreadypeting. Since they were justpeting to see who could forge a stronger sword, it was very simple. The two of them would each channel their own spiritual energy and then cut each other. The result could be seen from the degree of damage on the sword. The others were all watching the show. When Gu Chaoyan used her spiritual energy, Zhuo Yuanbai did not hesitate at all. The two swords shed in a sh. Ding! There was the sound of a sword falling to the ground. She followed the sound and saw that it was not a sword that had fallen to the ground, but a half-body sword that had been broken and fallen to the ground. And at this moment¡­ @@novelbin@@ Zhuo Yuanbai could not believe that he only had half of the sword left. He added ck gold meteorite for the sword, and it was broken just like that? Like that? He turned to Gu Chaoyan''s hands. She did not even have a scratch on the sword made of ck iron. It was in perfect condition. What was it going on? Some people were whispering among themselves. Apparently, someone already wanted to buy the sword in Gu Chaoyan''s hands. The Elder of the Weapon Refining Sect was also surprised to see the metal sword. He had guessed it right! Chapter 2065 Test 11 2065 Test 11 Dealing with Zhuo Yuanbai was not a difficult task for Gu Chaoyan, but having him constantly hovering around her like an annoying fly, asionally biting at her nerves, was something she detested. Though his actions did not physically hurt her, the constant annoyance left her feeling disgusted. As they found themselves in the same team, Gu Chaoyan''s expression soured upon seeing Zhuo Yuanbai. She didn''t bother hiding her disdain for him. Zhuo Yuanbai''s presence was driven by a desire for revenge, stemming from what had befallen Zhuo Yuanming. However, Gu Chaoyan firmly believed that Zhuo Yuanming''s fate was a consequence of his own actions, and he would eventually face the consequences he deserved. When there was sound, there would be fruit. Zhuo Yuanbai was just taking revenge indiscriminately. Gu Chaoyan did not like Zhuo Yuanbai. Yan Zhengchu came to her with a smile. "Miss Chaoyan, we are in the same team, please." Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes at him. She did not like Zhuo Yuanbai, nor did she like Yan Zhengchu. Yan Zhengchu was the reason why Yan Wuji''s spiritual roots were damaged. Although she did not do anything now, but there was still a long way to go. When Yan Wuji was ready, she was going to take revenge on him. Yan Wuji''s revenge was different from Zhuo Yuanbai''s. Yan Wuji took revenge because Yan Zhengchu hurt him first. "Okay." Gu Chaoyan answered coldly and nodded. @@novelbin@@ "Second Prince." Zhuo Yuanbai greeted Yan Zhengchu respectfully. "Okay." Yan Zhengchu answered him coldly. In addition to Yan Zhengchu, Zhuo Yuanbai, and Gu Chaoyan, there was another member named Yan Wuji in the team. Alongside them stood Chang Yuanqing, a stranger from the Shenyou Continent. As an itinerant cultivator, Chang Yuanqing possessed formidable strength at the 6th level of the Martial King Realm. Despite the tension and conflicts brewing among the others, he remained aposed and peaceful presence. Observing the various conflicts unfolding within the Weapon Refining Sect, Chang Yuanqing couldn''t help but wonder if this mixture of strife and camaraderie was a good or bad thing. On one hand, the group acknowledged the capabilities of both Gu Chaoyan and Zhuo Yuanbai, which was encouraging. On the other hand, their personal conflict could potentially have a significant impact on the challenge. Chang Yuanqing knew that sessful teamwork hinged on the team''s unity, and conflicts could undermine their chances of working cohesively. He worried that such disputes might hinder their performance. With a conflicted expression, Chang Yuanqing decided to take matters into his own hands and address the situation. He didn''t want any unfortunate incidents to ur during the examination. Thus, he directly reminded them, "The examination is of utmost importance right now. If you have any conflicts, please save it for thepetition stage after the examination. While the Supreme Sect forbids disciples from fighting each other, once you''re on the stage, there are no such restrictions." His intention was to keep their focus on the examination and set aside their differences until after the critical test. He knew about this because someone from his family was at Supreme Sect too. "Okay." Gu Chaoyan nodded at Chang Yuanqing, showing that she agreed with what he said. Zhuo Yuanbai said nothing but walked away. "Alright, we will teleport you into the mountains now." The Outer Elder of the Beastmaster Sect said. They were teleported away as soon as they were ready. Soon¡­ They appeared in the mountains. Gu Chaoyan looked around. Chapter 2067 Danger 2 2067 Danger 2 As the scream echoed through the mountains, Zhuo Yuanbai''s face turned pale, and he instinctively took a few steps back, urging Gu Chaoyan to stand in front of him as if seeking protection. The terrified cries belonged to the disciples who hade for the examination. Recalling the miserable sounds he had heard earlier, Zhuo Yuanbai couldn''t shake the feeling that something genuinely dangerous was happening. Realizing the severity of the situation, Gu Chaoyan urgently suggested, "Just pinch the information elixir! We need to know what''s going on." However, Zhuo Yuanbai snapped back, "We can''t do that! Pinching the Information Pill means giving up the examination. If we forfeit the Beastmaster Sect''s examination, we won''t smoothly enter the outer sect of the Supreme Sect." "¡­." "Why didn''t you pinch it?" Zhuo Yuanbai asked sharply. Hearing Zhuo Yuanbai''s reminder, Chang Yuanqing broke out in a cold sweat. She was going to do that, definitely. Yan Wuji trusted Gu Chaoyan, so he did not hesitate. Gu Chaoyan had not expected that this man was still thinking about the examination. Well¡­ He wasn''t doing anything wrong, either. Gu Chaoyan spoke not because she wanted to immediately inform the Elder of the Supreme Sect about the situation, but rather, she wanted to signal that something was amiss. She decided to hold off on directly reporting the incident and nned to wait until they reached the location of the ident. But someone was thinking her suggestion in a twisted way. Anyway¡­ Seeing that Yan Wuji was done, Gu Chaoyan felt assured. As they continued walking towards the scene of the ident, Yan Zhengchu hesitated to use the information elixir since Yan Wuji had already acted on it. He decided to hold onto it for a more opportune moment. The eerie sounds grew louder, indicating their proximity to the source of the disturbance. Gu Chaoyan hastened her pace, anxious to reach the location. When they finally arrived, Gu Chaoyan was taken aback by the shocking sight before her. Not far from the gate was a treacherous swamp, in which a massive demon crocodile had captured some of the disciples who had been partaking in the examination. The horrifying sight showed that the demon crocodile still held the lower halves of their bodies in its menacing jaws. The clothes they wore confirmed their identities, making it clear that these unfortunate individuals were indeed the fellow participants. Although others had also arrived at the scene, they hesitated to approach too closely, struck with fear and caution. Gu Chaoyan crushed the information pill in her hands. This demon crocodile was already a high-level demonic beast. It was at least a top-level Martial Saint, and Gu Chaoyan was just a first-level Martial Saint. It was impossible for her to kill this demon crocodile, alone. There was a huge difference between the first level of the Martial Saint Realm and the top level of the Martial Saint Realm! And after eating a few people, it seemed that this beast was going to make a huge breakthrough. At this moment¡­ @@novelbin@@ Zhuo Yuanbai and the others were here too. He saw the demon crocodile and got so frightened. "Run, this is already a mid-level and top-level demonic beast. We can''t do anything about it." Hearing that, Chang Yuanqing ran away. As for the others, some of them ran, but they were not as fast as the demon crocodile. Gu Chaoyan saw a few people caught up by demon crocodile, so she rushed forward with the white jade sword. She stabbed the demon crocodile with the sword. Sensing the pain, demon crocodile stopped and came to Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan dodged. Those who were rescued ran away, fearing that they would be caught again. However¡­. Those who ran away soon noticed one thing. They could not run out, because they were blocked by a barrier. So they could only move about in this area. And this barrier¡­ Chapter 2070 - 2070: Danger 5 Chapter 2070: Danger 5 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The inner sect Elder of the Supreme Sect descended and skillfully peeled off the inner cores of the demon crocodile. Demonic beasts possessed inner pellets within their bodies, akin to the spiritual roots cultivated by humans. These inner cores served as the foundation of their cultivation. However, demonic beasts differed from humans in this regard. When humans faced death, they seldom destroyed their spiritual roots, except for some exceptional cases. On the other hand, when demon beasts met their demise, they would directly shatter their inner core unless circumstances prevented them from doing so in time. In the case of this demon crocodile, it appeared that it had died unexpectedly, or it had not anticipated its own demise. Consequently, its Inner Elixir remained intact, surprising those who witnessed the scene. Demonic beast¡¯s inner core was a very good thing. That was a very high price in the bounty pavilion. It was not easy for these disciples to kill the demon crocodile, so he still got the inner core. Honestly¡­ The Elders were all very surprised. They had never expected these disciples to sessfully defeat the top-notch demon crocodile. Their initial hope was that the disciples would simply manage to survive until the elders arrived. This time, during the Supreme Sect¡¯s examination, an unexpected incident urred in the area designated for the test. Upon seeing the distress signal, the disciples encountered various obstacles on their way. It was a first for the Supreme Sect to encounter such a peculiar situation during an examination, leading them to believe that something unusual was happening. After the inner sect Elder retrieved the inner core, a sense of foreboding crept in, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It marked the beginning of a series of unforeseen events that the Supreme Sect was about to face. Back at Supreme Sect. After counting the names of the disciples who had participated in the examination, it became evident that five individuals, some of whom were injured, had not returned. Tragically, these five disciples had been swallowed by the demon crocodile. What made matters even moreplicated was the fact that these five individuals were not disciples of the Supreme Sect. Nevertheless, the situation had urred within the vicinity of the Supreme Sect, making it their responsibility to address the matter. The names had to be taken into ount, and the Supreme Sect had the responsibility to console the grieving families and provide appropriatepensation. The Supreme Sect found itself grappling with an unprecedented situation, leading to a sense of chaos. They now had to handle the aftermath of the five deceased disciples while also considering how to proceed with the ongoing examination. Due to the appearance of the demon crocodile, it became impractical to continue the beast-taming examination under the current circumstances. However¡­. The demon crocodile provided valuable insights into the overall situation of the disciples. Atter tne was eradicated, It Decame evident tnat tne girl named Gu Chaoyan had been the one to sessfully kill it. Moreover, she disyed remarkable leadership by being the first to rescue the trapped disciples. Recognizing the presence of a barrier that prevented escape, Gu Chaoyan swiftly gathered the other disciples to face the demon crocodile as a united front. Her capabilities,bined with her admirable personality, aligned perfectly with the qualities sought in disciples of the Supreme Sect. As for those who initially attempted to flee, their response was entirely normal given their lower cultivation levels. Encountering such a formidable beast had naturally instilled fear in them, leading them to prioritize self-preservation. However, when Gu Chaoyan invited them to join her in confronting the demon crocodile, they bravely rallied by her side, arming themselves with swords and proving their mettle in the process, which was enough. However¡­. Obviously¡­ Apart from these people. When it came to dealing with demon crocodile. @@novelbin@@ There were a few who did not offer any help but looked on coldly. They were even thinking about the disciples who were in danger ahead. That was not a good quality of one person! Chapter 2074 - 2074: Continuation 3 Chapter 2074: Continuation 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Have you heard? It seems the Supreme Sect has made an unprecedented decision to recruit a batch of inner sect disciples in advance this year, and we are among the candidates they can choose from,¡± whispered someone, discussing the uing spirit tform test. Interestingly, most of the disciples who were aware of this development had close ties to their own families within the Supreme Sect. Through these connections, they had received some general news about the situation. It was clear that those who had outstanding results and possessed good spiritual roots would be granted the opportunity to enter the inner sect for further studies. This news was met with excitement and joy by the disciples, as it presented an excellent opportunity. The advantage of being chosen in advance was that they wouldn¡¯t have to wait for the regr examination scheduled three monthster. Moreover, they might even have the privilege of bing disciples under the guidance of an Elder, Hearing the news, many people were very excited, thinking that they would be able to get the news. Even Gu Chaoyan was not surprised ¨C she was very excited. She needed to be an inner disciple as soon as possible! There was no need to take the examination. It was best to enter now! But¡­ She only had real spiritual roots at the moment, and she had several spiritual roots of different attributes, which were very messy. They were not good spiritual roots. Gu Chaoyan was quite worried about this. They arrived at the testing tform. Some inner sect Elders were in charge of the test. They only needed to reveal their spiritual roots, and the elders who were interested would ept them as inner sect disciples. Those who did not would be epted as outer sect disciples. Zhuo Yuanbai was very confident about revealing the spiritual roots. His spiritual root was a rare mutated heavenly spiritual root. The term ¡°mutated heavenly spiritual root¡± referred to a singr spiritual root that had undergone a special transformation. In his case, he possessed the extraordinary Lightning Spiritual Root within this unique spiritual core in the Sublime Country. Upon ascending to the Spirit tform, he proudly unveiled his Spiritual Roots, which turned out to be the coveted mutated Thunder Spiritual Roots. The Elders were taken aback by this unexpected revtion. They had not anticipated that one of their disciples would possess such rare and powerful Thunder Spiritual Roots. This person¡­. Was known to them all. On the day of the Beastmaster Sect¡¯s examination, what they saw through the Heavenstone Mirror was that he was selfish and had a dark heart. This man¡­.. The Elders had already decided that. Even if he entered the Supreme Sect, he would only be an outer sect disciple, not an inner sect disciple. Therefore¡­ They were surprised but also felt that it was a pity. Zhuo Yuanbai was a little worried seeing the Elders¡¯ expressions. On the other side. The inner Elder of the Fist Faction could not stand that any more. @@novelbin@@ This disciple was very suitable for the Fist Sect, just from the previous examination. He did not want this disciple after the ident at the Beastmaster Sect. That was his original n. But¡­ But things were different now. He had a mutated Thunder Spiritual Roots, which was most suitable for the Fist Faction. If he were to be epted into the inner sect of the Fist Sect, it would infuse much-needed vitality and new talent into the sect, reinvigorating it. However¡­ The inner Elder of the Fist Sect could no longer tolerate the situation. He spoke bluntly, ¡°We must have him in the Fist Sect.¡± ¡°Elder Lin!¡± The inner sect Elder of the Weapon Refining Sect was taken aback, finding it hard to believe. He reminded her, ¡°Remember our agreement.¡± ¡°That is not our concern. The inner sect of the Fist Faction must have this individual!¡± The inner sect Elder asserted firmly. Since he had made the n, he was not going to listen to anyone¡¯s advice. The Elder of the Weapon Refining Sect was very displeased with the Elder of the Fist Sect. There was something wrong with this disciple. Something would happen when she joined the inner sect of the sect. Sure enough¡­ Zhuo Yuanbai nced at the Elder of the Weapon Refining Sect.. Chapter 2078 - 2078: Three Missions 1 Chapter 2078: Three Missions 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Bounty Pavilion stood prominently at the center of the major sects, adjacent to the Armament Pavilion, where disciples could freely purchase and exchange weapons. The ce was bustling with a constant flow of people. Some were eager to take on missions, while others came to report thepletion of their assigned tasks. Despite not being categorized as a super sect, the Supreme Sect had a long-standing history and a robust infrastructure, making it highlyprehensive in its offerings. Spirit Stones served as the primary currency within the Supreme Sect, owing to their ability to store and contain spiritual energy. Well¡­ In addition to Spirit Stones, certain disciples held a preference for golden knives, despite them not being inmon cirction. @@novelbin@@ The sect also had a variety of pills avable for exchange. While pills were more sought after than Spirit Stones and golden knives, disciples seldom disyed their pills casually, reserving them for specific situations or special circumstances. As a result, sightings of pills were rtively rare. Within the Bounty Pavilion,pleting missions provided the opportunity to acquire additional rewards, such as extra Spirit Stones, golden knives, or pills. Various missions offered distinct sets of rewards, enticing disciples with different preferences and needs. As some disciples spent an extended period within the sect, the fixed share provided by the sect alone became insufficient to meet their requirements. Consequently, they sought to supplement their resources by taking on missions that offered valuable rewards. Therefore, there were many peopleing and going at the Bounty Pavilion. When Gu Chaoyan went into the Bounty Pavilion, she attracted a lot of attention. They had heard about this a long time ago, because the whole thing was going on. ¡°That is her?¡± Someone whispered. ¡°She is right. I heard that she turned down Elder Lin¡¯s offer to ept her into the Weapon. Refining Sect and went to the Beastmaster Sect on her own ord. She even epted three missions from the Elder of the Beastmaster Sect, thinking that she would be able toplete them.¡± Someone else said disdainfully, apparently displeased by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s arrogant personality. If she had a good Spiritual Root, she would have the confidence to do so. He could ept that. But a True Spiritual Root was so bold as to look down at everyone else. He would not like it. Continuing his criticism, the man added, ¡°She believes that as a newly-recruited disciple, she can easilyplete the missions. However, when we epted our first mission, we had to do it with the help of Senior Brothers from the inner sect, and the rewards were only meager. As we gained more experience, we could handle simpler missions alone or continue to follow the Senior Brothers for more challenging tasks.¡± ¡°She is just dreaming that she couldplete three missions.¡± Also, he did not think that his Senior Brother would bring her along. No one would want to bring her along. He said. The others all looked as if they were watching a show. They even sniggered from time to time. The people at the Bounty Pavilion were also talking about Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan could hear everything clearly. However¡­. She did not care about this. They could talk if they wanted to. She had no time to argue with these people. She was focused on the missions. Honestly¡­ The missions avable at the Bounty Pavilion were undoubtedly challenging, particrly for Gu Chaoyan at her current stage of cultivation. The simpler tasks, like capturing the Paragon and Martial King demonic beasts at Peni Mountain, offered tempting rewards of 2,000 Spirit Stones and 10 bottles of pills. Other missions involved hunting down evil individuals from the Shenyou Continent. Although apprehending the culprits was rtively straightforward, locating them presented a formidable difficulty.. Chapter 2081 - 2081: Three Missions 4 Chapter 2081: Three Missions 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions She had made her decision. Gu Chaoyan took the time to prepare additional poisons, explosives, and suitable clothing, getting herself ready for the journey ahead. However, just before departing, she remembered the dragon in her arms. Taking it out gently, she spoke seriously, ¡°I¡¯m heading to the volcano toplete the mission. I¡¯ll be facing a mutated beast, and the environment might get quite hot. So, be prepared.¡± ¡°I am not going! Return my gold, silver, and jewelry to me. If you want to die, go and die yourself, don¡¯t drag me down!¡± The Dragonman retorted angrily. Gu Chaoyan looked helpless. She knew that¡­ That must have been the result. ¡°Your father entrusted you to me, so you have to follow me. You have no choice but to follow me wherever I am!¡± Gu Chaoyan called out to her when she saw the little ghost. Having said this¡­ She stuffed it into her arms. She did not want to say anything more to it. The little dragon was so angry in her arms. It did not struggle but continued to lie in her arms obediently. It was very angry just now. She packed her stuff and decided to go out, so he stayed in peace, because he believed that she would definitely take it with her. But¡­ It was very saddened when it was suddenly dragged out. It thought that she was going to keep it. But not keeping it to the end. But the Dragonman couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional despite its initial outburst. It believed Gu Chaoyan shouldn¡¯t have mentioned this mission to it in the first ce. After all, its father had entrusted it to her care, and she should always consider its well-being. After uttering those strong words, Gu Chaoyan started to worry that she had been too harsh. Seeking to rify her intentions, she exined, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to abandon you at the Supreme Sect. Facing the mutated beast is a dangerous task, but I possess the power of inheritance, giving me the confidence to deal with it. The volcano might be hot, but with the qilin vest, you will be protected from the harsh environment while in my arms.¡± ¡°I am asking you because I think that we are equals, and I need to talk about this with you.¡± ¡°But not with you. Sorry, no.¡± Gu Chaoyan said gently. The Dragonman in her arms felt a bit ufortable. But it felt better too. It said listlessly, ¡°I got it.¡± Gu Chaoyan chuckled. Then she took the Dragonman to the Bounty Pavilion. She already had a n, so she did not want to waste any more time. She went directly to the mutated beast mission. ¡°I want to ept this mission.¡± The person in charge of the mission was startled. Then he smiled. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Take this.¡± The person in charge of the mission gave her the authority token. They were in charge of the mission, not dissuading them. Gu Chaoyan took the authority token and the map and decided to head there directly. Many people sighed seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s choice. How dare she ept this mission? It seemed unlikely that she would be able toplete the mission whenpared to the Senior Brother from the inner sect of the Beastmaster Sect, who had a team of 10 skilled individuals ready to take on the challenge. The odds were stacked against her. @@novelbin@@ Everyone could see that she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, while the Senior Brothers would surely seed. However¡­ It might be for the best if she couldn¡¯t make it. She should focus on taking the examination and bing an inner sect disciple. It was unreasonable to think she could reach the top in one leap, showing such arrogance. As Gu Chaoyan stood outside the Bounty Pavilion, a kind-hearted Senior Brother approached her and spoke gently, ¡°Senior Brother, are you nning to ept this mission? I advise you to reconsider and give it up..¡± Chapter 2084 - 2084: Mutated Beast 3 Chapter 2084: Mutated Beast 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions It was remarkably peaceful, and there were no other beasts around. She had not encountered the other disciples during her walk. However, it was understandable since they had left early, not expecting to run into each other. However¡­. After an hour of walking, Gu Chaoyan discovered that the cave was surprisingly vast. It was so expansive that it had several diverging paths. Each path carried the lingering aura of people passing through them. Gu Chaoyan guessed that they must have noticed that there were many paths here, so they split up. But Gu Chaoyan did not have many people with her, so they could not leave separately. She followed the path the paper crane took. Soon¡­ She could smell blood not far away from the Dao Seeking. There were bloodstains on the ground, as well as the bodies of bats. What? Gu Chaoyan quickened her pace and pressed on. @@novelbin@@ While walking inside, she was suddenly confronted by numerous ck objects flying toward her. Gu Chaoyan promptly retrieved torches from her storage space, and upon seeing the torches, the ck objects promptly dispersed, showing no intention of approaching her. The torches had been prenned and carried for such situations. She had anticipated encountering many other smaller beasts deep within the cave. Her foresight proved useful, and Gu Chaoyan was pleased with her preparations. Before facing the mutated beasts, she refrained from using her spiritual energy unless absolutely necessary. She continued to walk smoothly. As she progressed, she noticed some small bloodstains along the way. If her assumptions were correct, one of the demon beasts must have sustained an injury. In this environment, bleeding was a grave taboo. These small demon beasts were bloodthirsty creatures that roamed in darkness year-round, and they would likely be drawn towards the scent of blood. And the paper crane did not encounter any danger here. It had no human scent, and the bats did not harm it. Gu Chaoyan continued walking forward, apanied by the others. Finally, they arrived at a brightly illuminated area where the bats did not follow them. However, Gu Chaoyan was not convinced that this ce was safe. Because¡­ It was at this very spot that the paper crane lost all of its godly power. Gu Chaoyan carefully observed the surroundings. The ce seemed eerily quiet, devoid of any sound or movement. Yet, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was watching her, even though there was no visible living thing nearby. At most, there were two stone pirs standing in the area. Gu Chaoyan scrutinized the stone pirs closely. They appeared to be ordinary stone pirs. Thinking of leaving, Gu Chaoyan suddenly had a hunch and decided to use her spiritual energy to strike one of the stone pirs directly. Surprisingly, the stone pir shattered upon impact, revealing a pool of blood within. What? What the hell? She felt an odd sensation about the stone pir, prompting her to investigate further. Why was the pir bleeding? Just as she was contemting this strange urrence, a fiery red monster charged towards her aggressively. To her surprise, the beast seemed to have originated from a rock. It suddenly dawned on Gu Chaoyan what was happening. There were likely two mutated beasts in this area. They must have killed the people who came to hunt them and used some kind of pills to disguise themselves. Gu Chaoyan also possessed such pills, and it appeared they had disguised themselves as the surrounding objects. With this realization, Gu Chaoyan braced herself as the fiery red monster lunged at her with intense heat as well.. Chapter 2089 - 2089: Meeting the Grand Unity Sect 3 Chapter 2089: Meeting the Grand Unity Sect 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions She felt a bit embarrassed. She did kill them, but they had helped her before, though it was just a small favor. Also, there was a saying in the martial world that required sharing half of the profits with everyone. Share half? That was not possible. Gu Chaoyan did not want to part with it because the things inside were so useful. But if she did not offer any, it would seem that she was too greedy, just like the dragonman. Therefore, Gu Chaoyan smiled at them and then pretended to be magnanimous, saying, ¡°There are not many things inside, so I will take the rest. There are a few bottles of pills, and you happen to be injured, so you can use them directly.¡± She then gave the pills to them. She was going to drive them away. Gu Chaoyan did not need pills. She could make her own pills, and she could make whatever she wanted. Fu Xinde and Di Hongyun turned to Gu Chaoyan and could not help butugh. Apart from being arrogant and conceited, this junior sister of hers was also greedy. Although these two things did not seem to be good, which contradicted their belief. But¡­ @@novelbin@@ They found Gu Chaoyan very adorable. There was no longer any disgust or dislike like before. ¡°Okay, I will take some pills, and you can keep the rest. We have many things in the inner sect, ¡± Fu Xinde smiled, epting the pills graciously. Di Hongyun had the same idea, but he was too embarrassed to say a thing. After all, he had been so mean before. Gu Chaoyan found it amusing, and herughter filled the air. Then she proceeded to bandage their wounds with care, making sure they were well-treated. After taking care of the corpses of the two disciples from the Grand Unity Sect, they were about to leave. Fu Xinde and Di Hongyun knew well that there were no mutated beasts in this area, so they decided to explore somewhere else. Grateful for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s help, and wanting to take credit for hunting the mutated beasts, they thought it best to bring her along. Gu Chaoyan was already their savior, and they were happy to have her join their quest. ¡°Where are you going, Senior Brothers?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked with curiosity in her eyes. ¡°Continue to find the mutated beasts. Junior Sister, don¡¯t worry, we will take you with us, and we will give you the credit too,¡± Di Hongyun said as if he were the Elder Brother. ¡°A mutated beast¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan was about to say that she had already killed it. Di Hongyun did not give her a chance to speak. He said directly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no matter how strong the mutated beasts are, we have many people, and we will definitely be able to catch them. When the mission ispleted, it will be your turn.¡± ¡°Mutated beasts¡­¡± ¡°We are already well-prepared when we are out. We will definitely be able to hunt mutated demon beasts, so we can allplete the mission.¡± ¡°The mutated beast¡­¡¯ ¡°Junior Sister, just follow us. We have not seen the mutated beast, nor have we received any signals from others, which means that we have not found it yet. Let¡¯s keep looking.¡± ¡°The mutated beast¡­¡± ¡°Senior Brother Zhengyang!¡± Di Hongyun shouted excitedly when he saw Lv Zhengyang and the others. The others were all here. The paths in the cave led to the same ce, which was where they were now. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± Chapter 2091 - 2091: Dragged By Elder Lin 1 Chapter 2091 - 2091: Dragged By Elder Lin 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions He had assumed that she might be embarrassed to coborate with them, and thus, he tried to console her. However¡­ To their surprise, this junior sister of theirs proved to be even more formidable than they had anticipated. She fearlessly took on the mutated beast and vanquished it with ease. He was very happy to have seen this. He was very d even if he failed the mission. In this way, he could meet her junior sister in the inner sect. Fu Xinde always had a smile on his face. Lv Zhengyang was shocked too. He had prepared a team of 10 people, but this junior sister of his was killed alone. That was so embarrassing. They had not found it for a long while. Gu Chaoyan had lingering fears too. She knew very well that she was able to catch it because of luck. Having learned about the existence of face-changing pills, she feltpelled to delve deeper into their secrets. The mission of the mutated beast hade to a decisive end. The group fell silent, refraining from further discussion on the matter. Upon returning to the Supreme Sect, a noticeable shift had urred ¨C no longer did anyone harbor any animosity towards Gu Chaoyan. With newfound protection and potential assistance in the future, they were now more open to epting her. They resolved not to reject her. Fortunately, the journey back to the Supreme Sect was uneventful, and they encountered no further trouble along the way. Fu Xinde and Di Hongyun sustained injuries during the encounter and required time to recuperate. As a result, the rest of the group decided to return to their respective sects. During the journey back, Gu Chaoyan seized an opportune moment to have a private conversation with Fu Xinde and Di Hongyun. She emphasized the importance of keeping today¡¯s events confidential, as they were intertwined with the interests of both sects. Revealing anything could potentially endanger all three of them. If they deemed it necessary to consult with Lv Zhengyang, they should do so discreetly and avoid sharing this information with anyone else. The fewer people knew about this, the better. After the discussion between Fu Xinde and Di Hongyun. They had no intention of saying anything more. They could just bury this in their hearts and pretend that nothing had happened. When Gu Chaoyan returned to Supreme Sect, she went to deliver the mission. The mission was a mutated demonic beast. Gu Chaoyan only handed over the mutated beast¡¯s body, whilst the stone pir was kept in the space. The Bounty Pavilion were all shocked by how Gu Chaoyanpleted the mission. Who would have expected this to happen? It was she whopleted the mission. Soon, the Bounty Pavilion was in an uproar. And Gu Chaoyan left with the rewards. She was in a hurry to go home, because she needed to put to good use the things they had plundered. However¡­. As they continued on their journey, Gu Chaoyan was suddenly halted by a familiar face¡ªElder Lin from the Equipment Refining Sect. Elder Lin greeted her with a smile. ¡°Chaoyan, the Weapon Refining Sect is currently working on a high-level weapon. Your insights would be invaluable. Come and give us some advice.¡± Gu Chaoyan felt somewhat helpless. Elder Lin had a habit of putting her in such situations. ¡°I¡¯m not well-versed in crafting high-level weapons, Elder. I suggest seeking guidance from the Senior Brother of the Weapon Refining Sect. Besides, I¡¯m swamped with three missions¡ªalready upied with one and two more to go. Time is scarce, and I can¡¯t afford to take on this additional task. Elder Lin, I implore you to do me this favor,¡± Gu Chaoyan pleaded, hoping for some leniency.@@novelbin@@ Despite Gu Chaoyan¡¯s attempts to be excused, Elder Lin was persistent and wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook so easily. As they were not official members of the Weapon Refining Sect, Elder Lin insisted that they still had an obligation to contribute and participate in whatever way they could. ¡°You¡¯vepleted one mission, and this won¡¯t consume much of your time. We only need you to offer your insights, and you don¡¯t have to physically refine anything, ¡± Elder Lin asserted confidently. Feeling resigned, Gu Chaoyan found herself unable to dissuade him any further. ¡°Just taking a look, that would be enough..¡± Chapter 2094 - 2094: Dragged By Elder Lin 4 Chapter 2094: Dragged By Elder Lin 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions They encountered a surprising sight¡ªa Senior Brother who defied the typical arrogance often associated with seniority. His warm smile greeted them as he kindly inquired, ¡°Senior Brother, can you do Junior Sister a favor?¡± Though he sensed that Gu Chaoyan might be up to some mischief, he found himself eager to assist her nevertheless. During an earlier asion, he had observed her expertly forge a sword using an unconventional method that proved remarkably effective. Attempting to replicate her technique, he diligently ground crystals into powder and attempted to sprinkle them over ck iron, just as she had done. However, despite following the same steps, he couldn¡¯t achieve the desired oue. Puzzled and seeking answers, he approached an Elder for guidance, only to receive an admission of ignorance. The Elder did promise to inquire with Gu Chaoyan in the future if an opportunity arose. With the intention of seeking an opportunity to inquire about the technique, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that his junior sister would approach him directly for help¡ª an unexpected and ideal solution. Participating in the process would grant them a true understanding of its profoundness. Shen Heyu rushed over joyfully, asking, ¡°What do you need me to do, Junior Sister?¡± Gu Chaoyan was pleasantly surprised by his enthusiasm. Given the general attitude of the Faculty of Refining¡¯s disciples towards her, she hadn¡¯t expected such warmth from him. Regardless, she brushed aside these minor concerns and focused on the task at handpleting the forging swiftly to wrap up the project. She instructed, ¡°Senior Brother, please help me change the water regrly, ensuring it remains ice-cold.¡± Although Shen Heyu found his Junior Sister¡¯s request somewhat puzzling, he readily agreed and paid close attention to her forging technique and the water exchange process. The process of forging proficiency ck iron involved a particr technique that required skillful control¡ªgradually transitioning from light to heavy proficiency, with the weight determined by the proficiency¡¯s unique attributes. Gu Chaoyan was well-versed in this forging method, but it demanded substantial energy and time to craft the proficiency iron. After hours of tireless hammering, the de finally began to take shape, looking impressive. Even though Gu Chaoyan was confident in her skills, before plunging the sword into the ice-cold water, it still appeared unsightly,cking both color and appeal. Shen Heyu couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of emotions at this sight. However, as Gu Chaoyan retrieved the sword from the icy bath, a remarkable transformation became evident. The de emitted a chilling aura and possessed an unprecedented sharpness. Witnessing this astonishing change, Shen Heyu and others present were left utterly stunned. None of them had anticipated such a profound alteration. Meanwhile, those who had not witnessed the process of transformation spected that the sword had undergone some mysterious change, unaware of the true intricacies involved. ¡°Junior Sister, this is truly magical! How does the forging of ck iron work? I¡¯ve been closely observing your technique, but I couldn¡¯t grasp the secret behind it. Initially, I thought it was about alternating one light and one heavy strike, then three light and two heavy strikes. But as it progressed, I found myselfpletely bewildered,¡± Shen Heyu expressed his confusion. Gu Chaoyan felt so annoyed. It seemed that she needed to teach her Senior Brothers after she finished forzinz the sword. That would take up so much of her time. And she was not going to offend them! @@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan felt so annoyed. ¡°There is no standard forging method for turbid proficiency ck iron..¡± Chapter 2097 - 2097: Cultivate 2 Chapter 2097: Cultivate 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan opened the item and discovered it was securely sealed. Upon closer inspection, she recognized it as a trace of godly power, simr to what Elder Lin had left in the sword. However, this trace of godly power surpassed even Elder Lin¡¯s cultivation in terms of strength. Elder Lin, a Paragon Warrior, held the esteemed position of an Elder in the Supreme Sect¡¯s Weapon Refining Sect. Hence, the individual who left this divine power must have been an Elder from the Grand Unity Sect. It dawned on her that the two disciples they killed were likely followers of that Grand Unity Sect¡¯s Elder. Otherwise, why would they possess such a life-saving artifact that they had not used before their demise? One of the disciples may have underestimated Gu Chaoyan¡¯s cultivation, while the other possibly fell victim to her attacks. Knowing the value of this artifact, Gu Chaoyan felt relieved. If they had used it against her, she might not have had the confidence to withstand its power. Without hesitation, she ced the item in her spatial storage, believing it could prove useful in the future. Next, she stored away the talismans the disciples had in their possession. As Gu Chaoyan utilized the elixirs and crystals to enhance her cultivation, she found herself progressing rapidly due to the inherited power. Her goal was to reach the level of Martial Immortal before embarking on her second mission. She felt an overwhelming desire toplete the mission as swiftly as possible, but she also understood the importance of not neglecting her cultivation. Especially after witnessing the potency of the divine power left behind. The Elder from the Grand Unity Sect was at the level of a Paragon Martial Saint, a realm far beyond her current status as a Martial Saint. The disparity in their cultivation levels was significant. Even upon bing a Martial Immortal, she would still need to break through further. Only then could she reach the next realm, the Paragon Realm. The tasks ahead were formidable. Obtaining the One Origin Grass was bringing them closer to their objective. On the other hand, seeking vengeance against the woman and acquiring her spiritual root to save Huaijin¡¯s life would demand considerable time and effort. But¡­ She needed to hurry up. @@novelbin@@ She had to. She did not want Huaijin to lie alone on Longmai Mountain. He was alone there, and he had been waiting to go home with her. Tears welled up in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes, as she started to miss him. In the past.. He had always been their reliable support, despitecking a cultivation base; he seemed capable of solving any problem that arose. But now, she found herself having to face challenges alone, and it felt as though she had returned to her previous life¡ªa life filled with fear and uncertainty. As she contemted the tasks ahead, a wave of tears streamed down Gu Chaoyan¡¯s cheeks. However, she quicklyposed herself, wiping away the tears, and resolutely continued to meditate and cultivate. The absorption of the 5,000 Spirit Stones earlier had prepared her for a smooth cultivation session. In the following five days and nights, she was undisturbed, dedicating herself entirely to her practice. When Gu Chaoyan eventually opened her eyes, she realized she didn¡¯t feel tired at all. On the contrary, she felt rejuvenated and light. This was precisely the oue she had anticipated and hoped for. She had reached the level of Martial Immortal by the time she finished the absorption. The breakthrough was slower this time, but she was already satisfied. They had nned to take a day off. But there was no need for that. She decided to take on the second mission directly.. Chapter 2099 - 2099: Mission 2 Chapter 2099: Mission 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Sheprehended the situation unfolding before her. She paid no attention to Di Hongyun¡¯s attempt at ttery. Curiously, she inquired, ¡°Where can I find Senior Brother Zhengyang and Senior Brother Xinde?¡± Di Hongyun had been full of enthusiasm, but upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, his spirits dampened. He gestured towards a specific direction and said, ¡°They are over there.¡± Though Di Hongyun felt a tinge of bitterness, he chose to ept the situation. A small smile yed on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s lips. Di Hongyun was known for his cheerful demeanor, especially when around his family. However, in thepany of people he didn¡¯t approve of, he reverted to his former annoying self. Yet, he treated her as if she were one of his own. Moreover, due to the incident involving the disciples of the Grand Unity Sect, he harbored a sense of gratitude towards her. Despite struggling to find the right way to express it, his actions now spoke volumes about his feelings. However¡­ Gu Chaoyan was well aware of Di Hongyun¡¯s personality, so she chose to overlook his behavior. In her mind, Di Hongyun and the others were genuinely good people. Yet, Gu Chaoyan hadn¡¯t yet contemted how she would spend her time with them. For her, this mission was merely an obligation she had to fulfill. Expressionless, she made her way towards Fu Xinde. Both Fu Xinde and Lv Zhengyang greeted her with smiles. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Junior Sister, we¡¯re delighted that you¡¯ve agreed to join us on this mission. Hongyun mentioned that only he could persuade you, and he was right,¡± Lv Zhengyang remarked, while Fu Xinde simply smiled. Lv Zhengyang willingly let go of his initial n to search for the Green Sun Grass alongside his junior sister. He had observed her exceptional abilities in dealing with mutated beasts and was confident in her capabilities. This team felt more dependablepared to his previous ones. ¡°He managed to convince me. Now, could you brief me on the mission details?¡± Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t waste much time on trivial matters, proceeding to inquire directly about the mission at hand. Lv Zhengyang handed over the authority token and scroll to Gu Chaoyan. Carefully, Gu Chaoyan examined the Green Sun Grass and studied the map provided. Soon enough, she grasped the situation. The Green Sun Grass was situated on a cliff, and it belonged to a Paragon and Martial Immortal demonic beast. This special herb served as the beast¡¯s primary food source. Unfortunately, a few days ago, the demonic beast experienced Qi Deviation, causing a cultivation reversal that led to its demise. Over time, the Green Sun Grass continued to grow, and now there were approximately two mu of it avable. Apart from its cliff-top location, another reason for its significance was that various sects had be drawn to it. Supreme Sect was just one of those interested parties. In addition to Lv Zhengyang¡¯s team, two other teams had epted the mission. However, these two teams had set out the day before upon receiving the authority tokens. Worried about potential dys and encounteringpetitors from other sects, they seemed to have lost their advantage, leading to their failure. It was evident why Di Hongyun took the credit in the end. ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated, acknowledging that the mission might not be straightforward. However, she knew they needed to reach their destination as swiftly as possible. ¡°Okay,¡± Lv Zhengyang agreed. With their course of action determined, they set out on their journey.. Chapter 2104 - 2104: Mission 7 Chapter 2104 - 2104: Mission 7 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Even if she could get rid of the soil and enter her space to water it with the Holy Spirit Water, it would grow better than here. Therefore¡­ They had to get the Green Sun Grass. Gu Chaoyan made a n inwardly. ¡°Junior Sister, what should we do?¡± Di Hongyun asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. Di Hongyun, filled with excitement, found himself at a loss for words. He had assumed his junior sister had a brilliant n to handle the mutated beasts, but her casual statement dashed his hopes. Although he had thought of a substantial strategy, it appeared that none existed, and her nonchnt response was disheartening. Fu Xinde chuckled at the situation. Despite her serious and haughty demeanor, the Junior Sister had a peculiar charm that made their team more intriguing ever since she joined. Somehow, she always managed to leave Di Hongyun feeling helpless. ¡°There are six disciples from the Extreme Celestial Sect guarding the Green Sun
Grass ¨C three of them are Martial Emperors, and the remaining three are Martial Saints. They are on par with our level of cultivation. It appears that the woman believes the Grand Unity Sect is too perilous to approach, which is why no disciples with higher cultivation levels are stationed here,¡± Gu Chaoyan analyzed. Her analysis silenced Di Hongyun, who was on the verge ofining, prompting him to listen attentively. ¡°But there are four of us and six of them. If we can¡¯t eliminate them instantly, they will quickly signal the Grand Unity Sect, putting us in grave danger,¡± Gu Chaoyan warned. Di Hongyun, who had initially been enthusiastic, suddenly felt drained. Despite their fatigue, they managed to take care of all six of them in an instant. It seemed impossible! Gu Chaoyan still possessed one stream of superpower in her space, which belonged to the Elder of the Grand Unity Sect. If all went smoothly, that particr superpower should be sufficient for their n. How could she bring the adversaries together? Gu Chaoyan nced at Di Hongyun. So if¡­ Upon seeing her expression, Di Hongyun¡¯s smile froze. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. My cultivation isn¡¯t strong enough to handle anything like that.¡± ¡°Then, we should avoid provoking them,¡± Gu Chaoyan concluded. Di Hongyun¡¯s face disyed mixed emotions. From the outset, he had warned that they couldn¡¯t afford to offend these individuals, but his Junior Sister hadn¡¯t believed him. She was determined to obtain the Green Sun Grass and even imed to have a way to do it. Now, she echoed the very words he had spoken long ago! He felt that¡­ His junior sister was just teasing him! ¡°Junior Sister, are you mocking me?¡± Di Hongyun asked directly. ¡°Let¡¯s steal them directly!¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°Where?¡± Di Hongyun inquired, turning to Dao Seeking for guidance. Gu Chaoyan directed her finger towards the lower half of the cliff, where numerous small cliffs adorned with Green Sun Grass could be seen. However, some of the Green Sun Grass seemed to be missing, and both their team and the disciples from the Grand Unity Sect had overlooked the fact that there were more down there. ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Di Hongyun agreed. With that settled¡­ Di Hongyun spoke softly, ¡°Let¡¯s head to the half cliff together, and they can take the other half.¡¯@@novelbin@@ ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Chaoyan acknowledged and departed. Di Hongyun suggested that they go to the opposite side. Once they reached the cliff where Gu Chaoyan stood, Di Hongyun whispered, ¡°Junior Sister, let¡¯s secretly collect some Green Sun Grass and store it in our space. But don¡¯t let anyone else know about it.¡± Gu Chaoyan nced at him and suddenly grasped his intentions.. Chapter 2107 - 2107: Too Cold 2 Chapter 2107 - 2107: Too Cold 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°Junior Sister, are you going or not? If not, I will keep pestering you here.¡± Di Hongyun followed her into the room. Ignoring him, Gu Chaoyan continued to absorb the Spirit Stones and decided to cultivate. Di Hongyun made a fuss and refused to leave. But there was nothing they could do about Gu Chaoyan.@@novelbin@@ In the end, Di Hongyun threw a look at Gu Chaoyan, feeling really disappointed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. Di Hongyun was startled. He had thought that she would not want to go there. Unexpectedly, his junior sister was willing to join them.
Junior Sister was not the kind of person she thought she was. Di Hongyun smiled happily. ¡°Junior Sister, let¡¯s go and find them along the way. I know you are a kind person, and you won¡¯t leave us to die.¡± Then, his smile turned into a dumbfounded expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know what sins I havemitted to have met someone like you. Don¡¯te to me again, we will pretend that we never met,¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Di Hongyun was startled. Nevertheless, she continued to smile. His junior sister was stubborn but soft-hearted. She was not going to pretend that she did not know him. At that moment, he decided he would have to be shameless. Di Hongyun made up his mind. They continued to walk happily. The four of them went on their way again. Fu Xinde found an opportunity to stand next to Gu Chaoyan and asked curiously, ¡°What are you doing here all of a sudden? I thought that you were noting.¡± Fu Xinde understood her personality. She did not lie about her intention. But what surprised her was that she allowed Hongyun to do whatever he wanted. ¡°He is very innocent and trusts me. I want to protect his innocence,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly, ¡°I am not a kind person.¡± She was not kind. That was the case in her previous life. It was the same after what happened to Huaijin. Fu Xinde was still smiling as usual. He chuckled at Gu Chaoyan and ignored what she said. He was emphasizing himself as if he were tolerating a child¡¯s nonsense. Fu Xinde did not say anything more, and Gu Chaoyan had no intention of saying anything more. Fu Xinde and Di Hongyun were totally different people. One never gave up, and the other always knew when to stop. Gu Chaoyan liked spending time with people like Fu Xinde. After stopping the conversation, Gu Chaoyan started to look for them wholeheartedly. To Longdi Mountain, from Supreme Sect to Longdi Mountain, it was the shortest path. They just needed to follow this path. The four of them were separated as well. They went in different directions to find more. Apart from finding them herself, Gu Chaoyan also released some paper cranes. Soon, the paper crane went out, and there was news. Gu Chaoyan led them forward. Only now did they see that most of the disciples of the Supreme Sect were injured, and they were being chased by people from other sects. ¡°It is Moon Sect!¡± Di Hongyun said angrily, ¡°They are bullying us with numbers! We have no grudge with them!¡± Having said the words, he went down. They decided to seek justice for the disciples of the Supreme Sect. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± The disciples of Supreme Sect looked at Di Hongyun as if they had seen their savior.. Chapter 2110 - 2110: Disciple Missing 3 Chapter 2110: Disciple Missing 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Since Gu Chaoyan had been personally approached about the matter, she found herself bing involved with the Moon Sect. However, a minor annoyance bothered her deeply; the inner sect disciples referred to her as ¡°Senior Sister,¡± which left her feeling rather embarrassed. Nevertheless, that wasn¡¯t the main issue at hand. As Gu Chaoyan observed the few individuals from the Moon Sect, she addressed them calmly, ¡°My disciples don¡¯t engage in reckless troublemaking. Whenever they act, there¡¯s a valid reason behind it. You¡¯ve already heard why my disciples confronted you. It was because your disciples were involved in some wrongdoing. Now, I demand an exnation for your disciples¡¯ actions of bullying ours.¡± Despite the situation, Gu Chaoyan maintained a friendly demeanor. She understood the importance of avoiding unnecessary conflicts between sects. The Supreme Sect and the Grand Unity Sect already had their share of grievances, and she saw no reason to escte tensions further by adding another enemy in the form of the Moon Sect. However, there were certain matters that required careful consideration and calction. The leader of the Moon Sect¡¯s disciples responded arrogantly, ¡°Bullying your sect¡¯s disciples? It was your disciple who approached us first. This matter has nothing to do with us!¡± This statement incensed Yi Lu, who couldn¡¯t bear the false usations any longer. Fueled by anger, she retorted, ¡°You¡¯re spewing nonsense! Your disciple instigated the conflict! It¡¯s your responsibility!¡± Her eyes zed with emotion as she defended herself and her sect. She had no interest in engaging in shameless behavior; all she wanted was to focus on her cultivation. ¡°You were the one who approached us, ¡± the man leading the group retorted, a lecherous grin on his face. Seeing Yi Qing remain silent, he grew even more arrogant and continued, ¡°You came running here because you saw that we are inner sect disciples of the Mystic Moon Sect¡­ Before he could finish his sentence, his face contorted as Yi Qing¡¯s fist connected with it, causing him to scream in pain, unable to utter another word. ¡°You struck me!¡± the Moon Sect man eximed, his face swollen and angered. @@novelbin@@ His fellow sect members were ready to step in, but the disciples from the Wushang Sect were not about to stand idly by, and both sides seemed ready to engage in a fight. Dismissing the situation calmly, Gu Chaoyan asserted, ¡°ndering a disciple of my sect warrants only a light punishment.¡± As she gazed at the man¡¯s distorted face, disdain flickered in her eyes. ¡°A female disciple from my sect would never be interested in someone from your sect. Do youck mirrors or are you simply blind? Take a good look at your pig-headed faces! Even the most ordinary women in my Supreme Sect wouldn¡¯t find you appealing, let alone Yi Qing. Senior Brother Xinde, Senior Brother Zhengyang, Senior Brother Hongyun, and all these Senior Brothers here are handsome men unlike you. Just look at your troll-like appearance!¡± ¡°Hahahaha,¡± Di Hongyun burst intoughter upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words. ¡°She¡¯s right. You can fabricate all the lies you want, but just take a look at yourselves! No female disciple would ever be attracted to you!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a mirror to know that I¡¯m far better-looking than you,¡± Di Hongyun retorted smugly. ¡°Junior Sister Yi Lu would never waste her thoughts on fools like you. You Xuan Yue Sect members must be living in a delusional world.¡± Before the leader could respond, Gu Chaoyan delivered another resounding p to his face.. Chapter 2112 - 2112: Anyone Else? Chapter 2112 - 2112: Anyone Else? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°We don¡¯t know if it is a blessing or a curse.¡± ¡°Moon Sect has never held any grudge against us. However, after what unfolded today, it seems that conflicts with them might arise. I can¡¯t help but wonder if there are potential hidden dangers that lie ahead,¡± Lv Zhengyang cautiously voiced his concerns. Clearly, she was still greatly displeased by the events of the day. Undoubtedly, maintaining harmony between sects was of utmost importance. The disciples, who were previously in high spirits, now woreplex expressions on their faces. Especially Yi Green, who had been so ted, now found himself deeply annoyed and ming himself. Gu Chaoyan furrowed her brows thoughtfully. Unable to contain herself, she interjected, ¡°Senior Brother Zhengyang, I respectfully disagree. What transpired today was undeniably Moon Sect¡¯s fault. They instigated the conflict by bullying our female disciples first. Our Supreme Sect merely sought justice for ourselves. In fact, our Supreme Sect is the victim in this situation. How can we possibly see ourselves as in the wrong when we stood up for what was right? If Senior Brother Zhengyang insists otherwise, what assurance do we have that they won¡¯t continue to bully our female disciples in the future, leaving us no choice but to defend ourselves again?¡± ¡°Even if they choose not to take a stand and allow the female disciples of Supreme Sect to be casually and indifferently bullied, over time, this may lead other sects to perceive our female disciples as easy targets. If such behavior goes unchecked, it sets a precedent where both our female disciples and Supreme Sect itself could be subject to further mistreatment.¡± ¡°Supreme Sect is not a super sect, but they are not easily bullied.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be afraid of trouble, nor should we let others me us for everything, ¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted firmly, disying her disapproval of Lv Zhengyang¡¯s stance. The implications of his words today were concerning. He seemed to be deflecting all potential conflicts between Moon Sect and Supreme Sect onto these disciples, even targeting Yi Qing. Yi Lu had been the one who suffered from the bullying, and Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t fathom the immense pressure Yi Qing might face if burdened with such responsibility. As a woman, Gu Chaoyan felt a strong determination to support Yi Lu. The rest of the disciples of Supreme Sect readily agreed with Gu Chaoyan¡¯s statement, finding it logical and just. Why did Senior Brother Zhengyang make it seem like they were in the wrong? Senior Sister was indeed speaking the truth. Lv Zhengyang¡¯s expression darkened as he found himself being refuted once again. As the first disciple to join the sect, Lv Zhengyang held considerable influence, and most people tended to listen to him.@@novelbin@@ However, his mood soured when he faced opposition. The rest of the disciples, on the other hand, aligned with Gu Chaoyan¡¯s perspective and grew increasingly displeased with him, leaving him unsure of how to respond. ¡°You are right, Junior Sister,¡± Di Hongyun concurred. ¡°Indeed, Zhengyang has the sect¡¯s best interests in mind. Junior Sister is correct. We are all part of the same sect, so there¡¯s no need for further arguments. Now that we¡¯ve located him, let¡¯s return to the sect and report the mission. Are the two teams on the mission present here? It¡¯s essential to ensure their safety. Since we have already found the Green Sun Grass, let¡¯s head back,¡± Fu Xinde suggested. They exchanged a look between themselves Two teams? There were no two teams. ¡°We are just one team, and we are going toplete the mission of the Green Sun Grass together. The other team is not with us.¡± The leader of the team said. ¡°What? You are from the same team?¡± Di Hongyun asked in shock.. Chapter 2114 - 2114: What Is This? Chapter 2114 - 2114: What Is This? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions@@novelbin@@ That was possible. It was not just possible. And the scene in front of them was even more frightening. ¡°What in the world is this abomination?¡± Di Hongyun¡¯s voice trembled, and his legs shook uncontrobly. ¡°Let¡¯s retreat to the sect immediately. This is far too perilous. I won¡¯t risk being devoured by such a monstrous creature.¡± These were not mere demonic beasts. They were something far more repulsive and horrifying than anything they had encountered before. It was beyond being just a thing! This was a grotesque figure, a walking mass of human flesh devoid of human skin, covered in blood, and presenting a horrifying sight. What on earth could this thing be? It was horrifying enough to see blood dripping from its body asionally, but witnessing it feast on a disciple of the Grand Unity Sect, consuming them piece by piece, was a nightmarish sight. The way they ate was so disgusting, even more disgusting than demonic beasts. At the very least, the demonic beasts were all eaten up. How many bites did he have to eat? Di Hongyun was so disgusted. He did not want to be eaten up like this. It would be better if she started from the beginning, but if she started from the feet and watched herself being eaten, that would be so painful. He could not be caught. ¡°I am leaving. I don¡¯t want to be eaten.¡± Di Hongyun said. ¡°They have been eaten.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Di Hongyun inquired, only to spot the distinctive attire of the Supreme Sect¡¯s disciples in the corner. This monster was unnervingly selective; it would strip the clothes off its victims before devouring them. Di Hongyun¡¯s fear escted even further. No wonder the missing disciples couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. ¡°We must leave!¡± Di Hongyun eximed, his survival instincts kicking in. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted firmly. She knew she had to confront this creature; otherwise, it would wreak havoc on the Shenyou Continent. With so many lives at stake, she couldn¡¯t simply abandon them to their fate. Having said this, Gu Chaoyan suddenly thought of something. They were not a match for this monster. They were lucky that they were not discovered here, but if they were, they would be in trouble. Therefore¡­ They found themselves caught in a dilemma ¨C they couldn¡¯t leave, yet they had to find a way to leave. ¡°Listen,¡± Gu Chaoyan suggested, ¡°You should return to the sect and inform the Elders about this situation. I¡¯ll stay here and track the creature. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll send out a distress signal, and the Elders cane to my aid.¡± ¡°No, Junior Sister, it¡¯s far too perilous for you to be alone here,¡± Di Hongyun objected, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll stay by your side and face this danger together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Gu Chaoyan said disdainfully. He was too timid. Those who were timid and scared would only cause trouble if they stayed here. She could have run away if she ran into any trouble. But she had no idea what to do with this burden. ¡°I will stay here. Hongyun, you go back to the sect with Zhengyang.¡± Fu Xinde volunteered. Gu Chaoyan was about to say something. Fu Xinde waved his hands, indicating that they could not leave Junior Sister here alone. So Gu Chaoyan did not turn them down. Di Hongyun and Lv Zhengyang went home. The two of them continued to stay here. Gu Chaoyan withdrew her look and stopped watching the monster eating people. That was a veryplicated scene. But for the sound, she would have puked already. That was so disgusting. Fu Xinde chuckled seeing her like this. Gu Chaoyan looked up. She looked at Fu Xinde as if he were a monster.. Chapter 2116 - 2116: Undead Race 1 Chapter 2116: Undead Race 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions He was still able to smile when faced with such a situation. What was in front of them? It was just a humanoid thing, and it was eating people. And they could run into danger at any moment, and Gu Chaoyan was sure that they were not a match for that monster. Under such circumstances. How could he smile like this? She wondered what he was thinking. Senior Brother Xinde was a very normal person. Why was he behaving so strangely? Gu Chaoyan felt her scalp turning numb. She felt that she was in the middle of two monsters. So she decided not to read either of them. Fu Xinde smiled even more happily. That was all. Despite appearing fearless, this junior sister of hers was actually deeply disgusted. Her bold demeanor didn¡¯t fool him, and he could see through her facade. With knowing looks exchanged, the two of them remained in silence. Di Hongyun and the others would need some time to return to the sect. Fortunately, the monster that had devoured the disciples from Grand Unity Sect had retreated into the cave and hadn¡¯t emerged since. This brought a sense of relief to Gu Chaoyan. If it was moving about, Gu Chaoyan had no idea what to do. They waited here for one whole day before the Elder of the Supreme Sect came. Two elders from Supreme Sect were here. One was Elder Lin from the Weapon Refining Sect, whom Gu Chaoyan was familiar with, and the other was Elder Qing from the Beastmaster Sect. Typically, the Beastmaster Sect would handle matters like this, which exined why Elder Lin was present. However, Elder Lin was known for his role in the Weapon Refining Sect, so Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t fathom why he hade here. However¡­. They were hiding behind the stones, just like Gu Chaoyan and Fu Xinde. However¡­. They did not need Gu Chaoyan¡¯s elixirs to conceal their spiritual energy and breath. With their cultivation, she could conceal their spiritual power and breath. But¡­ It was so strange that the Elders of the sect were all gathered here. Elder Lin did not think so, but Elder Qing looked very embarrassed. ¡°Chaoyan, we failed to forge the swords ording to your method. I don¡¯t know why.¡± Elder Lin asked as he settled down. Gu Chaoyan felt embarrassed and helpless ¨C this Elder Lin¡­ What was going on? He was still holding the sword of the Weapon Refining Sect when he was going to face the monster. Couldn¡¯t he just think about the real thing? Sure enough¡­ Before Gu Chaoyan answered, Elder Qing red at him. Elder Lin fell silent. However¡­. @@novelbin@@ He decided to take Gu Chaoyan back to the Weapon Refining Sect. It was the same anyway. It was fine if she did not answer. With that in mind, Elder Lin fell silent. As they were talking, the monster came out and ate the Green Sun Grass outside. They had been watching the monster eating grass, and he did not return until one hourter. They could finally let out a sigh of relief. Elder Qing sighed deeply. ¡°They are from the Undead Race.¡± Elder Qing said seriously. Gu Chaoyan looked at the Elder in confusion. ording to what she knew, Only the witches, humans, and demons existed. There was still the Undead Race. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°The Undead Race?¡± ¡°Yes, the Undead Race. In the beginning, they were skinned by the witches and thrown into the Corpse Mound. But for some reason, they absorbed something and came back to life.. Chapter 2117 - 2117: Entering the Beastmaster Sect Chapter 2117: Entering the Beastmaster Sect Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan had not expected this to be such good news. It was indeed very encouraging. As per her initial n, she would have needed to spend at least half a month cultivating before taking on missions. However, by going directly to the Beastmaster Sect, she could save a significant amount of time. A smile spread across Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face as she responded, ¡°I will do that now.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°Also, pack your things. The inner sect disciples of the Beastmaster Sect have a small yard for them to live in,¡± the Senior Brother of the Beastmaster Sect advised. Gu Chaoyan was not surprised by the suggestion. She cradled the Dragonman in her arms and kept all her other belongings in her spatial storage. It was her habit to keep them safe inside the storage, rather than leaving them outside. So they could leave directly. The disciples of the Beast-controlling Sect were surprised, but they refrained from asking anything and decided to apany Gu Chaoyan on her journey. As they were on their way, they unexpectedly ran into Elder Lin. Gu Chaoyan had initially nned to visit the Beastmaster Sect, but due to her current busy schedule, she abandoned the idea and disyed a hint of disappointment. Their destination was the Beastmaster Sect, where they encountered Elder Qing. Gu Chaoyan greeted Elder Qing warmly, and the elder expressed great satisfaction with her. Ever since she had discovered the Undead Race, Gu Chaoyan had been excelling remarkably, even surpassing some of the senior disciples of the Beastmaster Sect. The only regret was that her Spiritual Roots were too poor. Elder Qing even wanted to take her in as a disciple directly. He recognized her potential and was impressed by her abilities. She might be smarter than disciples with better spiritual roots, or even better than some of them. However, as she progressed in her cultivation, she would likely face the limitation of insufficient spiritual roots, causing her progress to stagnate. It highlighted the pros and cons of having different types of spiritual roots. Despite feeling a bit regretful about this, Elder Qing decided not to dwell on it and refrained from saying anything further. With a smile, heplimented her, ¡°You havepleted your mission excellently. Originally, you were supposed to undertake three missions, but you found out about the Undead Race, which is a meritorious service, so you are exempted from your third mission. Cultivate well in the Beastmaster Sect.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. That was what she was going to do. Elder Qing hesitated for a moment, but eventually decided against speaking up. He instructed her to leave first. Following Elder Qing¡¯s advice, Gu Chaoyan bid farewell to the Beastmaster Sect and returned to her own ce. As an inner sect disciple, she experienced a significant upgrade in treatmentpared to the outer sect disciples. While the outer sect disciples shared one room among three or four people, the inner sect disciples were granted their own separate houses with dedicated attendants serving them in the yard. They were either serving them, cleaning up the house, or apanying them to cultivate. There was one in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s room. She did not have many requirements for serving. He just needed to do what he was supposed to do. She said, ¡°Don¡¯te and disturb us.¡± Gu Chaoyan went into the room and started to cultivate. She took out the remaining Spirit Stones and started to cultivate. She started to cultivate. Half a month passed. Things went well. Just as she had expected, he reached the level of Martial God and was now at the first level of the Martial God Realm. However¡­. Gu Chaoyan was content with her new living arrangements. After spending some time in her room, she decided to step out for some fresh air. As she stepped into the yard, she noticed the diligent servants who were busy cleaning the area. One particr servant caught her attention, and she was pleased with his performance. Earlier, she had instructed him not to disturb her, and he was following her request while diligently attending to his own tasks. Feeling appreciative of the harmony they shared, Gu Chaoyan made up her mind to visit the Trading Pavilion and explore potential items of interest. However, just as she was about to leave, she noticed something unusual about the servant. His face was covered in wounds. Surprised and concerned, she approached him to get a closer look, wondering what had happened to the servant.. Chapter 2119 - 2119: Reason 2 Chapter 2119: Reason 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions A maid arrived with a bundle of clothes and courteously greeted Gu Chaoyan first. She spoke with urgency, ¡°Lady, you¡¯ve just joined the inner sect, and if you end up in a conflict with the disciples of the Medicine Sect because of us, it won¡¯t bode well for you. Besides¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, revealing a tinge of sadness. ¡°We are mere servants. In this sect, the disciples who practice cultivation hold the highest status. Moreover, those from the Medicine Sect have a significant advantage. If they encounter any issues with us, reason might not prevail. The sect will likely side with them. As servants, the chances for advancement are extremely rare. We are considered insignificant within the sect.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sacrifice your future for us,¡± An Ge interjected, trying to persuade her. She and Feihuai had devoted years to serving the sect. Though encounters like this were infrequent, they still urred from time to time. They had learned to endure it, understanding that even if some disciples chose to vent their frustration on them, they wouldn¡¯t be subjected to continuous mistreatment. They could sense it. The girl was determined to seek justice on their behalf, and that was precisely why An Ge and Feihuai didn¡¯t want to burden her with these matters. An Ge and Feihuai exchanged a knowing nce, understanding each other¡¯s thoughts. They had a brief exchange of words. Gu Chaoyan could almost grasp their intended message. The Supreme Sect prioritized cultivation, simr to how dynasties and family ns operated, with clear divisions among different sses. For instance, there existed a substantial disparity between inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples, and their levels of cultivation varied as well. Having never interacted with maids from the Supreme Sect before, Gu Chaoyancked knowledge of their situation. However, the current circumstances enlightened her, providing a better understanding of the situation at hand. They held no significant position within the sect. Unfortunately, they often fell victim to the mistreatment from some of the sect¡¯s disciples. However, this situation shed with Gu Chaoyan¡¯s principles. Regardless of their status as maids or servants, they were under her care, and she could not stand by while they suffered from bullying. Her frustration grew, and she directed her anger towards those who dared to mistreat her people. ¡°What is the purpose of cultivation? It is to protect the people and things you hold dear. If I can¡¯t even shield you from such injustice, then what good is my cultivation?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s voice turned icy, ¡°Just let me know who the culprits are, and I will handle the matter. No one should dare to bully you under my watch!¡± ¡°Girl, please reconsider,¡± An Ge pleaded, concerned that Gu Chaoyan might act impulsively. Feeling helpless, Gu Chaoyan understood the maid¡¯s worries, yet she was far from thoughtless. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just let me know who they are. I have my ways to handle this,¡± Gu Chaoyan assured earnestly. An Ge and Feihuai were at a loss, unsure of what to do. What did she mean by that? After all, Gu Chaoyan had only recently joined the sect, and they couldn¡¯t fathom what she could do in this situation. ¡°It¡¯s Wu Yuze and Fei Zizhen from the Medicine Sect. They are seasoned disciples in the Medicine Sect and have a reputation for being overbearing. If you wish to avoid any confrontation, it might be best not to provoke them, ¡± Feihuai chimed in. Gu Chaoyan nodded slightly. ¡°I am going out for a while.¡± Gu Chaoyan said to them and left..@@novelbin@@ Chapter 2123 - 2123: Reason 6 Chapter 2123 - 2123: Reason 6 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan nodded and ceased arguing with them. Instead, she set out to dig up half of her Green Sun Grass. The disciples of the Medicine Sect observed her with concern, fearing that taking some of the Green Sun Grass away might harm the nt. However, Gu Chaoyan paid little attention to their worries. She was not overly concerned about the nts¡¯ well-being. She believed that if the Green Sun Grass was nted properly in the future, there would be a way for it to reproduce. She knew that even if she took half of it now, the nts would likely recover eventually. Once she had dug up half of her Green Sun Grass, she began searching for a suitable location to grow it. The Medicine Sect¡¯s medicinal field was indeed an excellent ce for cultivation, boasting a wide array of different herbs. Gu Chaoyan realized that with ess to such a diverse collection, she could refine numerous potent pills. However¡­. Her space herb field was not bad either. It was going to be as good as this field in the future. Honestly¡­ Even in the cultivation sect. ording to what she knew, disciples of the sects could only obtain spaces through interspatial rings. However, the function of these rings was rather simple, typically limited to storing items. But what Gu Chaoyan had just encountered was unlike anything she had heard of before¡ªa space with a medicinal field, a spiritual spring, and a library. As of now, Gu Chaoyan hadn¡¯t received a satisfactory exnation for the existence of her space. She could only hope that a better exnation woulde in the future. Lost in thought, Gu Chaoyan eventually found an ideal spot to nt the Green Sun Grass. The location was at the border of the herb field, where the nature essence was rtively thin, and the soil seemed dry, though not in the best condition. However, Gu Chaoyan remained confident as she watered the seeds with the Holy Spirit Water, believing that this should ensure sessful growth. Despite the skepticism from the disciples of the Medicine Sect about her nting methods, Gu Chaoyan paid no heed to their opinions. She went ahead and nted the Green Sun Grass, taking care to water it with the Holy Spirit Water. With the nting done, all that was left was to wait for the Green Sun Grass to grow. Gu Chaoyan was convinced that the seeds would flourish even in what appeared to be a less favorable environment. Yet, she didn¡¯t depart from the location after nting. Instead, she decided to utilize her time productively and began practicing her palm and fist techniques near the newly nted Green Sun Grass. During her time with the Moon Sect, Gu Chaoyan had learned about the numerous benefits of the palm technique, so she felt the need to practice it further. The disapproval from the Medicine Sect¡¯s disciples did not deter her. After diligently practicing the palm and fist techniques, Gu Chaoyan closed her eyes and rested for the night. The next day, as everyone looked at the Green Sun Grass, they were astonished to see signs of vitality. The previously nted buds had already started to sprout green shoots. Green Sun Grass was alive. Gu Chaoyan was very sure about that. The disciples of the Medicine Sect were all frowning. They tried a new method, but it was still useless. The Green Sun Grass had been getting worse. Someone suggested that they should visit Gu Chaoyan. Fu Xinde was very curious too, so he nodded and came to them. Seeing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s Green Sun Grass, the disciples were all shocked. ¡°Is it alive?¡± ¡°It works!¡± ¡°Of course. I told you that yesterday. Where is your Green Sun Grass?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked leisurely..@@novelbin@@ Chapter 2127 - 2127: Green Sun Grass 4 Chapter 2127 - 2127: Green Sun Grass 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The disciples from the Medicine Sect who had been tasked with guarding the field were filled with distress and despair. A few days ago, they held onto hope, but now it was all but gone. No matter how hard they tried, the Green Sun Grass continued to wither, and its roots gradually began to rot, leaving no traces of vitality. Just as they were about to seek guidance from the Elders, the Elders of the Medicine Sect arrived at the scene. Upon witnessing the dead Green Sun Grass, their faces turned pale with shock. The value of the Green Sun Grass was immeasurable, and the loss of so many high-grade medicinal pills was an infuriating prospect. The Medicine Sect was at a loss for how to exin this dire situation. Elder White-bearded gently stroked his beard and suggested, ¡°Half of the Green Sun Grass was nted by a disciple of the Beastmaster Sect. Let¡¯s go and inspect the oue.¡± In agreement, the other Elders decided to apany him, and the rest of the Medicine Sect disciples followed suit, their curiosity piqued. They had wanted to visit the field earlier, but Nie Hexun had prevented them from doing so. Eager to see the results, they made their way to the field. When they arrived, they found Gu Chaoyan calmly sipping tea next to the Green Sun Grass. The tea set, tables, and chairs were shabby, courtesy of Di Hongyun, but she had endured it all, except for the tea itself, which she couldn¡¯t stand any longer. Upon seeing the Elders of the Medicine Sect, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face lit up with happiness. She proudly dered, ¡°Here they are! Look at your Green Sun Grass, not a single one is broken. Now that my mission is aplished, can we return to the Beastmaster Sect?¡± Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t contain her eagerness to leave and head back to her home sect. The Elders of the Medicine Sect, although aware of her impatience, couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the sight of the Green Sun Grass. It was thriving remarkably well. One nt was slightly smaller, but with the current progress, it would undoubtedly grow lush and healthy. The previously yellowed leaves had vanished, reced with vibrant green foliage. ¡°Alright, alright! I won¡¯t hold you up any longer. The Green Sun Grass is indeed thriving,¡± Elder White-bearded acknowledged, appreciating Gu Chaoyan¡¯s aplishment. ¡°Of course. As long as it stays here and continues to grow well, can I go back to the Beastmaster Sect?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°I never expected that it was a disciple from the Beast-controlling Sect who brought the Green Sun Grass back to life. I didn¡¯t nt so many for you without any cost,¡± the Elder of the Beast-controlling Sect remarked, acknowledging Gu Chaoyan¡¯s aplishment. ¡°Alright, can I return to the Beastmaster Sect now, Dao Seeking?¡± Gu Chaoyan sought permission from the Elder of the Medicine Sect. ¡°Is there anything the Medicine Sect needs to keep in mind for the future?¡± she inquired further. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You cane and pick the Green Sun Grass directly when needed. Remember not to uproot them; simply pick the mature herbs, so they can continue growing. Ideally, wait until the seeds on the Green Sun Grass have grown, and then the seeds on the heads can be nted in the fields nearby. The herbs you pick can be utilized for pill-making,¡± Gu Chaoyan advised cautiously. ¡°So, can I return to the Beastmaster Sect now?¡±@@novelbin@@ The Elder of the Medicine Sect was taken aback by her instructions, surprised and intrigued by the potential prospect. ording to Gu Chaoyan, if her method was followed, the Green Sun Grass poption would multiply, making the Medicine Sect significantly more potent. ¡°Is that true? Are there any specific guidelines we should follow?¡± the Elder of the Medicine Sect inquired, eager to learn more.. Chapter 2131 - 2131: Qualification Competition in the Mystic Realm 2 Chapter 2131: Qualification Competition in the Mystic Realm 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ording to the original n, there shouldn¡¯t have been any interruption. However, upon reaching the Ninth Heaven of Martial God, her attempts at another breakthrough were thwarted by an insurmountable barrier. This obstruction prevented her from attaining the status of a Paragon Warrior. Despite her attempts to forcefully push her consciousness through, inexplicably, she found herself repeatedly repelled. The pain in her head was bing increasingly intense, yet the barrier remained steadfast, impeding her progress. Only when all other options were exhausted did she emerge from this struggle. Undeterred, she made sessive efforts, but the oue remained unchanged¡ªno response. Faced with a sense of helplessness, Gu Chaoyan found herselfpelled to abandon her endeavor just as thepetition was approaching. Had she managed to ascend to the ranks of a Paragon Warrior, her mastery of fist techniques and footwork would have undoubtedly secured her a ce among the top five participants in the uing Beastmaster Sect¡¯spetition, thereby granting her qualification to enter the coveted level-five mystic realm. And now¡­ Uncertainty clouded Gu Chaoyan¡¯s confidence. Di Hongyun¡¯s query didn¡¯t elicit a confident response from her. Nevertheless¡­ Nheless¡­ The blood of the Dragon Race coursed through her veins, and while theplete fusion of this lineage with her own spiritual power remained iplete, she held firm to the belief that skillful utilization of this inheritance could yield results. @@novelbin@@ This time, she entrusted herself. As her gaze met Di Hongyun¡¯s, Gu Chaoyan opted for a response that sidestepped a direct answer. Her words echoed, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed to the arena and observe.¡± Di Hongyun¡¯s interest waned suddenly. His aspiration to ess the level-five mystic realm was tethered to her desire to do so. Based on her junior sister¡¯s remarks, her own confidence was wavering, leaving her uncertain about her capabilities. Had she possessed unwavering self-assurance, she would unquestionably have consented. Di Hongyun¡¯s demeanor took on a tinge of mncholy in an instant. However, Gu Chaoyan, leading the way ahead, remained oblivious to the shift in mood. Her thoughts weighed heavily on her mind. They soon reached the arena¡¯s precincts. A contingent of disciples was already locked inpetition. Naturally, these participants from the Beastmaster Sect weren¡¯t the cream of the crop; those with middling cultivation seized the chance to engage in the contest. Their intentions were straightforward. For some, it was an opportunity to gauge their progress and obtain insights into the Beastmaster Sect¡¯s dynamics. Others aimed to catch the eye of the sect¡¯s elders. Certain individuals might never find themselves at the forefront under usual circumstances, but the Beastmaster Sect¡¯spetition provided a shot. While the efficacy of this contest might remain uncertain, its potential impact wouldn¡¯t materialize without an attempt. The members of the Beastmaster Sect weren¡¯t devoid of emotional intelligence. They all anticipated the truepetition¡¯smencement. Securing a discreet corner, Gu Chaoyan and Di Hongyun settled themselves. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s sole objective centered on entering the mystic realm to acquire the One Origin Grass. Consequently, the question of whether to disy her abilities didn¡¯t warrant her contemtion. As Di Hongyun took his seat, he couldn¡¯t resist venturing, ¡°Junior Sister, allow me to make an introduction.Direct your gaze towards the towering figure seated yonder. Behold Shao Simiao, the preeminent entity within our esteemed Beastmaster Sect. His destiny is undoubtedly intertwined with the mystic realm¡¯s threshold.¡± Lowering his tone conspiratorially, Di Hongyun revealed, ¡°He afforded me the opportunity.¡± Following this disclosure, Di Hongyun¡¯s voice regained its regr volume.. ¡°Senior Brother Shao stands proudly as an unparalleled Paragon Warrior!¡± Chapter 2135 - 2135: Qualification Competition in the Mystic Realm 6 Chapter 2135 - 2135: Qualification Competition in the Mystic Realm 6 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Lv Zhengyang could sense Ju Haocang¡¯s disdainful gaze directed down at him. He wasn¡¯t oblivious to this fact ¨C he possessed enough intelligence to discern the condescension in Ju Haocang¡¯s demeanor. Typically, many individuals would engage in idle chatter regarding Lv Zhengyang¡¯s fifth-ranking position. However, Ju Haocang seemed utterly indifferent to his existence, opting instead to subject him to direct humiliation. Lv Zhengyang¡¯s fists clenched involuntarily, causing the veins on his face to protrude visibly. His determination surged as he contemted the rewards that awaited him within the mystic realm. The uing year held the promise of him surpassing Ju Haocang and finally shedding the burden of fifth ce. At that juncture, he vowed to impart a valuable lesson to Ju Haocang. This unspoken intention colored his thoughts with a sinister intensity. However¡­ His presence went entirely unnoticed, an inconspicuous entity in the crowd¡¯s gaze. The attention of all had converged upon the stage. Ordinarily, any other disciple might be seen as recklessly daring fate by challenging Ju Haocang. Yet, it was Gu Chaoyan who had taken up this audacious task. Gu Chaoyan, a recent initiate of the esteemed Beast-controlling Sect, had already etched her name in the annals of fame with her illustrious achievements. Her triumph over a mutated beast and her acquisition of the Green Sun Grass had set her apart. Feats of such magnitude were well beyond the capabilities of most disciples. Consequently, when Gu Chaoyan extended her challenge to Ju Haocang, curiosity swelled among the observers. The likelihood of her emerging victorious was meager at best, but the spectators were eager to witness the extent of her capabilities ¨C after all, she was the lone conqueror of the formidable mutated beast. Unperturbed by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s provocation, Ju Haocang greeted her challenge with an amiable smile, ¡°If it¡¯s a challenge you seek, I¡¯m more than willing to oblige.¡± Strangely, his mood seemed uplifted, a sentiment undoubtedly influenced by Lv Zhengyang¡¯s predicament. How could he possibly be in a sour disposition with Lv Zhengyang being the one subjected to condescension? In a curious twist, this junior sister perceived him as highly capable and thus embarked on a challenge against him. This brought an undeniable sense of tion to Ju Haocang. Meanwhile, Lv Zhengvang¡¯s countenance darkened, overshadowed by an air of discontent. Gu Chaoyan, perceptive as she was, had prated through these underlying dynamics.@@novelbin@@ Yet, she bore no responsibility for thisprehension; her thoughts didn¡¯t delve too deeply into the matter. Ultimately, thepetition would speak for itself, irrespective of these subtleties. After keen observation, she determined Ju Haocang to be her most feasible breakthrough. Thus, she resolved to engage in a contest with him. As for Lv Zhengyang, while he held the lowest cultivation level among the quintet, his well-rounded abilities made him an unlikely source of valuable gains. Such was Gu Chaoyan¡¯s discerning choice. Unbeknownst to the two men, they found themselves inadvertently swayed by her determination. In her pursuit of the One Origin Grass at Supreme Sect, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s prioritiesy squarely on the goal at hand, leaving her little bandwidth to attend to the emotions of others. Her focus remained singrly on the impendingpetition. ¡°Allow me the privilege of your insights, Senior Brother Ju,¡± she ventured with an affable smile, exuding an air of ease. ¡°Rest assured, Senior Brother Ju, I¡¯m resolute about entering the mystic realm, putting forth my utmost effort.¡± Ju Haocang, disying confidence, proffered, ¡°Regardless of your disposition, I have no intention of treating you unfairly. How about I restrict myself to just three moves?¡± ¡°If Senior Brother Ju is amenable, I ept the proposition willingly.¡± ¡°Very well, you shall have three moves at your disposal, while I shall abstain from retaliating,¡± Ju Haocang proimed with self-assuredness. To him, these dynamics were of little consequence. Given the evident mismatch between their skills, he bore no qualms about offering his support. Gu Chaoyan reciprocated with a smile. With Senior Brother Ju¡¯s support, her path to victory seemed considerably smoother. Meanwhile¡­ Lv Zhengyang harbored ns of settling the score by that very hour.. Chapter 2138 - 2138: Rejection Chapter 2138 - 2138: Rejection Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Alright,¡± Gu Chaoyan reluctantly replied, wearing a visibly displeased expression. The idea of visiting the Elder held no appeal to her whatsoever. Di Hongyun nced at Gu Chaoyan, a sense of puzzlement arising within him. He found his Junior Sister¡¯s behavior quite odd. Most people would have been ted to be summoned by the Elder. Their excitement would likely be palpable, unlike Gu Chaoyan¡¯sck thereof. ¡°I¡¯m curious about the Elder¡¯s intentions,¡± Di Hongyun mused aloud, his own curiosity piqued. He was struggling to fathom the reason behind this summons. Historically, encounters with the Elder were a rare urrence for him, happening perhaps once a year at most. Yet now, it seemed like hardly any time had passed before he was being beckoned on multiple asions. To an outsider, it might appear as though he had gained newfound prominence as a respected disciple. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s anything positive,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated with a tinge of emotion. She couldn¡¯t help but recall Elder Lin from the Weapon Refining Faction. Elder Lin had, on countless asions, issued orders that left Gu Chaoyan harboring resentment. ¡°Junior Sister, is it appropriate to speak of the Elders in such a manner? We owe our allegiance to the sect and should act in its best interest,¡± Lv Zhengyang interjected sternly. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s outspokenness had prompted him to remind her of her responsibilities. ¡°Understood,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded, her words dragged out. She had momentarily forgotten Lv Zhengyang¡¯s presence, earning herself a reprimand. The trio exchanged a few more words as they proceeded to the Elderly Men¡¯s territory. This time around¡­ Representatives from all six sects¡¯ Elders had convened. Beside them, a congregation of disciples had also gathered. They arrivedter than expected, causing both Elders and disciples to appear as if they were waiting for their presence. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Elder Lin of the Equipment Refining Sect was the first to speak. Gone was his mischievous demeanor, reced by a solemn expression that exuded seriousness. ¡°The three of you are the only ones who havee face-to-face with the Undead Race and have had direct encounters with them. As a result, you possess insights into the nature of the Undead Race,¡± Elder Lin addressed them with a gravity thatmanded attention. Upon hearing Elder Lin¡¯s words, Gu Chaoyan was on the verge of eximing in astonishment. What could Elder Lin possibly mean? It slowly dawned on them¡ªthe enigmatic nature of the Undead Race was bing clearer. ¡°Lately, a considerable number of sect disciples dispatched on missions haven¡¯t returned. Given the timeframe, the circumstances are decidedly peculiar. The Elders suspect that the Undead Race might be the cause. Their resurrection necessitates a replenishment of spiritual energy, and it appears that the sect¡¯s disciples are prime candidates for this energy extraction due to their potency and expediency. It seems the Undead Race is willing to antagonize humanity in their pursuit of spiritual sustenance.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the majority of these missing disciples met their demise in the proximity of Xuhai City.¡± ¡°The sect has pinpointed a suitable group to undertake this task. The assignment entails journeying to Xuhai City to locate the absent disciples.¡± ¡°And you three are to apany them.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°I decline,¡± Gu Chaoyan forthrightly rejected the proposal when sheprehended the mission¡¯s nature. Elder Lin had already set the n in motion, yet he hadn¡¯t anticipated such a direct refusal. Initial surprise swept across his features. Then his gaze settled on Gu Chaoyan. His brows furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion crossing his expression. ¡°Why?¡± inquired Elder Lin. ¡°Within the Supreme Sect, I don¡¯t hold significant power. Our understanding of the Undead Race is still far fromprehensive¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be any different if someone else were sent in my ce. Moreover, the imminent opening of the mystic realm presents an opportunity for cultivation that I¡¯m keen on seizing. This way, I could potentially gain what I seek within the mystic realm,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated candidly.. Chapter 2141 - 2141: To Xuhai City 2 Chapter 2141 - 2141: To Xuhai City 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Junior Sister!¡± Di Hongyun¡¯s voice boomed, echoing as he rushed over. ¡°Junior Sister, wait for me!¡± Gu Chaoyan nced at Di Hongyun, her expression one of surprise. She had assumed that after their interaction yesterday, Di Hongyun would retreat to his own social circle and keep his distance from her. To her bewilderment, the morning greeted her as if nothing had transpired between them. Gu Chaoyan was left in the dark, unsure about the sudden change. She nodded in acknowledgment and adjusted her pace, walking alongside Di Hongyun. Di Hongyun¡¯s voice carried an enthusiastic tone that seemed incongruent with the mission he was currently on. His demeanor exuded enjoyment, and he spoke with a grin, ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about the oue of my request yesterday. You know, Junior Sister, whenever you have the time, I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you could help me acquire a decent sword. Mine pales inparison to yours, a mere shadow of its brilliance.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied. Di Hongyun was taken aback by her prompt agreement. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that his junior sister would invest so much time and effort into crafting a sword for him. It was as though she had been eagerly waiting for his request.@@novelbin@@ This peculiar behavior from his junior sister left him bbergasted. She defied his previous assumptions. He had initially categorized her as aloof, yet she was now willingly offering to forge a sword for him. His perception of Junior Sister was undergoing aplete shift, and it was confusing him to no end. In the midst of this confusion, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s feelings were equally mixed when it came to Di Hongyun. Strangely, he bore a resemnce to her own younger self from a past life. However, her past life had led her into encounters with unsavory characters, ultimately shaping her into a cold-blooded and unfeeling individual. Then, along came Di Hongyun, unexpectedly crossing paths with her. A subtle shake of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s head followed. They arrived at their designated meeting point ¨C the Bounty Pavilion. This location served as the congregation spot for disciples embarking on missions, rendering it the most fitting choice. The mission¡¯s leader hailed from the Fist Sect. Sharing a cultivation level identical to that of Shao Simiao, a ninth level Paragon Warrior, the leader¡¯s prowess was more than adequate for the task. Those led by this aplished disciple were also of satisfactory cultivation levels. In addition, a select few Paragon Warrior level disciples were present. Beyond this, the cream of the crop among disciples had also assembled. Such a formidable lineup was a rarity for standard missions, signifying the paramount importance attached by the sect. Given the multitude of disciples who had gone missing, coupled with the precarious situations some had faced on Longdi Mountain, it was imperative for the Supreme Sect to exercise vignce and caution. Regarding Gu Chaoyan and Di Hongyun, the leading Fist Faction disciple didn¡¯t hold them in high regard. Instead, he directed his courteous attention towards Lv Zhengyang. In his assessment, the duo appeared ill-equipped for participation in the mission. Having encountered the Undead Race before, the leading disciple perceived them as unremarkable figures, not warranting special attention. Furthermore, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s derations in front of the Elders had sown seeds of uncertainty about her in the minds of many. In addition¡­ Di Hongyun wore a clear expression of displeasure. Gu Chaoyan remained unfazed by his reaction. She stood at the periphery in tranquil anticipation. Di Hongyun indulged in a brief outburst beforepsing into silence. With theplete assembly of participants, The entourage finally set forth toward Xuhai City. Xuhai Cityy at a considerable distance from the Supreme Sect. Deste and uninhabited for a century, the city bore an air of abandonment since itsst upancy.. Chapter 2146 - 2146: Undead Race 2 Chapter 2146 - 2146: Undead Race 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions How dare this foolish human raise his voice at him! Had he not just awakened and his cultivation been insufficiently advanced, he would not have felt threatened by these imbecilic humans. First, he faced threats from those nonsensical humans, and now he found himself confronted by these same witless humans. The most infuriating aspect was her baseless suspicion. As the hall master of the Zombie Tribe, how could he possibly deceive? ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you who orchestrated this, then who else could it have been? Weren¡¯t you the one responsible for that illusion just now? Thankfully, my Junior Sister disyed courage and thwarted your scheme. Had she not intervened, we might have fallen prey to your deceit!¡± Di Hongyun eximed furiously. As this misunderstanding persisted among the Undead Race¡­ The man without skin disyed eyes as wide as copper bells. ¡°You have falsely used me; I¡¯ll pummel you to your demise!¡± With determination, he lunged at Di Hongyun. Di Hongyun stepped back. With his Junior Sister by his side, he held no fear that this entity could harm him. His foremost concern was the potential transfer of those substances onto him. This wasn¡¯t a sect, and he couldn¡¯t simply change his clothes. As Di Hongyun retreated, the Undead Race advanced without hesitation. Thus, the two embarked on a pursuit through this deste terrain. Gu Chaoyan was left speechless. What on earth was unfolding? Di Hongyun and the Undead Race were now engaged in a wild chase? ¡°Cease this at once!¡± Gu Chaoyanmanded icily. The couple came to an abrupt halt, almost involuntarily. Their gazes shifted towards Gu Chaoyan. Di Hongyun exchanged a nce with her and responded with an exaggerated eye roll. Meanwhile, the Undead Race¡¯s gaze met hers, and a frigid de rested against their neck. ¡°I possess no rights!¡± The Undead Race¡¯s inner voice screamed out. No foolish human would have dared to address him in such a manner thousands of years ago.@@novelbin@@ Yet, having just awakened, he found himself perpetually menaced by this foolish human woman. A soft chuckle escaped Di Hongyun. Junior Sister was unwaveringly on his side. Gu Chaoyan held her gaze steady upon the Undead Race. Despite the Undead Race¡¯s assertion of innocence regarding the Supreme Sect¡¯s disciples, the current priority was locating said disciples. The Undead Race might be nothing more than a feeble, insignificant faction. Their ultimate destination remained the actual Xuhai City. ¡°Take us to Xuhai City,¡± Gu Chaoyan demanded. ¡°I refuse,¡± the Undead Race responded with evident resistance. The mention of Xuhai City seemed to evoke a vehement aversion, as though they had encountered something profoundly dreadful. This revtion startled Gu Chaoyan. Xuhai City fell within the Undead Race¡¯s dominion, and hispliance with her was predicated on his insufficient individual might. With the support of his fellow Undead Race members, a return to his own territory should not have been a matter of trepidation. ¡°You resist? Regardless of your wishes, you will apany us. You remain Junior Sister¡¯s captive and are obliged to heed her directives. You possess no alternative!¡± Di Hongyun¡¯s voice thundered. ¡°Enough!¡± The Undead Race retorted, their voice a mixture of fury and frustration. ¡°I won¡¯t keep quiet,¡± Di Hongyun dismissed with ack of formality. ¡°Please, just be silent!¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s patience wore thin as the escting volume of their voices grated on her nerves. Their mor seemed ceaseless, an unending back- and -forth. Upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words¡­ Chapter 2150 - 2150: Backbone Chapter 2150 - 2150: Backbone Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Elder of the Beastmaster Sect once imparted that beyond their immortality, the Undead Race possessed remarkable intelligence as well. Despite perpetually feigning simplicity, they harbored aplexity belied by their facade. They had likely fallen victim to deception along their journey. Their vehement opposition to the group¡¯s venture toward Xuhai City was a clear indicator of their insight into the travelers¡¯ intentions. Curiously, this only intensified the group¡¯s resolve to reach their destination. In a recent encounter¡­ Had their pace been any slower, they would have found themselves ensnared within Xuhai City¡¯s confines, ensnared by the Undead Race. Given their current levels of cultivation, leaving the city would prove nigh impossible. And yet, amidst this crisis, an unexpected decision emerged. Observing disciples from other sects congregated in a distant corner, an unsettling feeling gripped her. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s gaze bore into the Undead Race. An embarrassed smile yed across the features of the Undead Race. It was as though Gu Chaoyan had deciphered the scheme, leaving the Undead Race exposed and disconcerted. ¡°They¡¯ve set us up!¡± jubnt exmations erupted among the Undead Race disciples, poised to assault their now fleeing counterparts. In a spontaneous act, the Undead Race fled, met with no intervention from Gu Chaoyan. Pausing briefly, she eventually embarked on pursuit. With an additional directive, she uttered, ¡°Press onward to the Supreme Sect without halting. I shall rejoin you.¡± Having issued hermand, Gu Chaoyan surged after the fleeing Undead Race.@@novelbin@@ A prolonged chase unfolded. Only after a substantial distance had been covered did Gu Chaoyan finally close in on the Undead Race. The countenance of the Undead Race bore a palpable dismay, an emotion unanticipated due to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s sessful pursuit. With a sense ofmiseration, a pitiable smile graced their features. ¡°I forewarned you of the peril that shrouds Xuhai City, where your disciples might have met their demise. Yet, resolute you remained in your quest, absolving me of responsibility.¡± A palpable detachment cloaked the Undead Race. Indeed, the sentiment they conveyed. However¡­ Irrespective of the facade, escape eluded the Undead Race¡¯s grasp. Swiftly, Gu Chaoyan brandished the white jade sword, an action that caught the Undead Race off guard. At the instant their mouth parted, Gu Chaoyan deftly introduced a pill into it. Although the Undead Race struggled to expel the pill, their efforts proved futile. ¡°What have you subjected me to?¡± A surge of fury engulfed the Undead Race. ¡°Pernicious pills. While death may evade the Undead Race, these shall evoke yearnings for its embrace,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded, a smirk curving her lips. ¡°Each takes effect bi-monthly. An antidote is yours, on the condition you ede.¡± Her sinister grin now adorned her features. ¡°How about entering my service?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s inquiry wasden with implications. ¡°Unfeasible. We bend to no master,¡± the Undead Race asserted, reiming their characteristic demeanor. ¡°Then, a coboration?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s proposition lowered a notch, a sigh underscoring her words. Intricacies seemed to permeate every facet of her existence ofte. Monsters of demonic ilk readily sumbed to servitude. Yet, her own experiences contradicted this notion. The Dragonman encounter exemplified this incongruity; beseeching for gold, silver, and gems, theirpliance eluded her. Even now, the Undead Race resisted allegiance despite their precarious situation. Internal vexation burgeoned within Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Never shall I yield under duress,¡± the Undead Race proimed with an air of pride.. Chapter 2153 - 2153: Inquiry 2 Chapter 2153: Inquiry 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Given the deliberate nature of the act, our best course of action is to depart promptly. Moreover, the discovery of the Supreme Sect disciples signifies the fulfillment of our mission. In light of these circumstances, it is prudent to expedite our departure.¡± ¡°I had not anticipated my premonition bing a reality. This act was deliberate,¡± Gu Chaoyan spoke earnestly. ¡°Yet, there is a puzzling aspect. While en route here, we encountered the Moon Sect disciples who entered an illusion, and we once again came across their distinctive attire. Strangely, we encountered no further trace of the Moon Sect disciples. Could they have met their demise? If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s possible that numerous disciples from various sects suffered a simr fate in Xuhai City.¡± So voiced Gu Chaoyan. The Supreme Sect had already taken this scenario into ount. Apart from the less intelligent demonic beasts, the witches, humans, demonic beast races, and the Undead Race coexisted without causing strife among themselves. The Grand Unity Sect had previously encountered issues with the Undead Race. At most, the Undead Race posed sporadic problems for the Grand Unity Sect. The humans desired no conflict with the Undead Race. Despite the Supreme Sect having incurred the wrath of the Undead Race, they were still reluctant to engage further. As for the recent events in Xuhai City, the Supreme Sect intended to monitor closely. Yet, engaging the Undead Race alone was not the Supreme Sect¡¯s intention. Hence¡­ Coboration among several sects became necessary. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s remarks concerning the Moon Sect and other sects provided the Supreme Sect with potential avenues to explore. If the disciples of all the sects are in jeopardy, then it stands to reason that the consideration should extend to all the sects, correct? ¡°The sect¡¯s leadership is already addressing this matter. Apetition among the sects is imminent. Following thepetition, discussions willmence regarding the approach to be taken against the Undead Race,¡± Elder Lin stated candidly. Gu Chaoyan offered a nod in acknowledgment. No further words were exchanged. A sect disciple possessed no standing to voice opinions on sect affairs. Despite the mishaps that had befallen these disciples, they had all been safely retrieved. By all ounts, the mission should be deemed aplished. Gu Chaoyan could return, engage in cultivation, and await the opening of the mystic realm. @@novelbin@@ Feeling a sense of relief, Gu Chaoyan sighed inwardly and remained silent. ¡°Chaoyan, your familiarity with the Undead Race makes you an ideal candidate for thispetition. Your insights on the Undead Race could prove invaluable, ¡± Elder Lin pointed out. A faint spasm coursed through Gu Chaoyan¡¯s features. Her countenance betrayed a fleeting expression of resignation. ¡°My knowledge about the Undead Race is rather limited.¡± ¡°Chaoyan, you have the capability,¡± Elder Lin affirmed resolutely, ¡°That¡¯s the arrangement.¡± Gu Chaoyan managed a somewhat sardonic smile. Why did such situations always entangle neers like her? What relevance did it hold for her? Speechless, Gu Chaoyan grappled with her emotions. Unaware of any karmic debt from a past life, she found herself facing vexations in her current one, often involving Elder Lin. ¡°I havemitments in the mystic realm, and I fear I won¡¯t be able to contribute significantly to matters concerning the Undead Race,¡± Gu Chaoyan politely declined. Speaking of the mystic realm¡­ Elder Lin¡¯s face changed. ¡°Come with me, I will speak with you personally.¡± Elder Lin said and walked into the inner room. Gu Chaoyan felt a little embarrassed. Did something happen in the mystic realm? ¡°Elder Lin.¡± ¡°I have one thing to tell you in advance..¡± Chapter 2155 - 2155: Information 2 Chapter 2155: Information 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions This Undead Race individual evidently held the position of Hall Master within the Undead Race hierarchy, having already attained this distinguished rank. From a logical standpoint, one would expect him to possess a broader perspective, recognizing that arger Undead poption would inherently serve him more advantageously, enhancing his own capabilities. But what could possibly motivate him to harbor a desire for the demise of the Undead Race? Grasping the unfolding situation, Gu Chaoyan resolved to unearth the truth right then and there. She fixed her gaze upon the representatives of the Undead Race, her curiosity evident. ¡°Is it urate to say that the Undead Race is internally divided into distinct factions? Could it be that the Undead Race present in Xuhai City aren¡¯t aligned with your particr faction? Are you therefore seeking to eliminate them in order to secure your own resources?¡± inquired Gu Chaoyan. This was the inquiry she posed. However, Gu Chaoyan found herself at odds with this exnation. Consider, for instance, the human race. Even disciples hailing from different sects, striving to advance their cultivation, oftenmenced their journey by acquiring medicinal pills. And if they did engage inbat, it would typically involve shes with demon beasts to bolster their own cultivation. The notion of annihting an entire human city to ess their resources was scarcely entertained. To be clear, her stance wasn¡¯t an outright refusal to partake in such actions, but rather an acknowledgment that such actions wouldn¡¯t be her first resort. Remarkably, the attitude of the Undead Race appeared less haughty than previously observed. Upon processing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s discourse¡­ He mulled over her words momentarily before offering an affirming nod. ¡°In essence, your perspective holds true. That indeed encapstes my rationale.¡± ¡°The faction of the Undead Race inhabiting Xuhai City maintains no allegiance to the ancestral Undead Race. Their existence, whether living or extinguished, bears no consequence to me.¡± ¡°The Undead Race traces its origins back to a former human lineage. Persecuted and subjected to gruesome practices, they were transformed into the Undead Race, marked by their skinless state. This is the genesis of the Undead Race ¨C an evolution that renders us unable to prevent anyone from joining our ranks. Nevertheless, there exist certain members within the Undead Race whom we might not sanction,¡± proimed the Undead Race in a tone brimming with arrogance, unmistakably condescending towards their counterparts in Xuhai City. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s countenance revealed a sense of helplessness. Evidently, the Undead Race had demarcated itself into distinct echelons of nobility and inferiority. He seemingly held the Undead Race in Xuhai City in low regard. Despite the nearly indistinguishable appearances aside from their stature, he found himself unable to discern those of the ancient Undead Race from the rest. A wave of curiosity washed over Gu Chaoyan. How was he able to discern such disparities? The curiosity lingered within Gu Chaoyan¡¯s thoughts. The Undead Race appended, ¡°Grand Unity Sect.¡± These words instantaneously seized Gu Chaoyan¡¯s undivided attention, locking onto the Grand Unity Sect with intense focus. ¡°The Undead Race is resolute in exacting vengeance upon the Extreme Celestial Sect. However, this falls under the purview of the ancestral Undead Race. I must strengthen myself before seeking out the remaining factions of the ancient Undead Races. Given your enmity with the Grand Unity Sect, it would be prudent for us to coborate.¡± At this juncture¡­ The Undead Race turned towards Gu Chaoyan, his eyes oozing blood, and dered, ¡°I am known as Zuo Hanyin.¡± Gu Chaoyan found herself momentarily taken aback. It was only at this moment that sheprehended the Undead Race¡¯s eptance of her, following the futility of both earlier threats and pledges. ¡°As this constitutes a coboration, mutual trust is imperative,¡± intoned Zuo Hanyin with a grave demeanor. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Absolutely,¡± affirmed Gu Chaoyan. Betrayal was anathema to the Undead Race, given their history of enduring deception and maniption. In the past, during their transformation into the Undead Race, treachery had orchestrated their descent into this state against their will.. Chapter 2157 - 2157: Information 4 Chapter 2157: Information 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions While distributing the skins, I arrivedte and ended up dealing with this woman. Otherwise, you might wonder why I¡¯m not using one. The reason is that it doesn¡¯t align with my gender,¡± Zuo Han¡¯s frustration was evident as he spoke about the skins. He wasn¡¯t pleased with them, but declining wasn¡¯t an option he was willing to consider. Upon hearing this, Gu Chaoyan burst intoughter. Did this imply that he had arrivedst and missed out on the better ones? But was that really the case? His expression suggested otherwise. Certainly, there seemed to be more to the situation than met the eye. Gu Chaoyan¡¯sughter subsided into a chuckle. ¡°Why are you finding this amusing? If it weren¡¯t for my principles and the traditions of the Undead Race, I would have already secured a more suitable skin for myself!¡± Zuo Hanyin eximed with excitement, as if he truly had the capability to do so. Speaking of which¡­ Gu Chaoyan¡¯sughter tapered off. It made sense now¡­ No wonder he had mentioned that the Undead Race in Xuhai City differed from the ancient Undead Race, indicating a division. The actions of the Undead Race in Xuhai City had caused harm to numerous disciples of the sect. Hence, his disapproval was justified. ¡°That¡¯s not a significant concern. We¡¯re simply making do for now, and when the opportunity arises, we can switch if we find something more suitable. After all, there are unsavory individuals within the human race as well. And possessing their appearance shouldn¡¯t vite the principles of the Undead Race, right?¡± Gu Chaoyan remarked. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Zuo Hanyin responded with a gleam in his eyes. A chance for a new appearance? For him? That was certainly appealing! ¡°What¡¯s my course of action now?¡± Zuo Han inquired as he contemted his current identity. ¡°Just remain here. Once I¡¯m ready to depart, I¡¯ll signal you. Follow my lead, and when the right moment arrives, I¡¯ll take you with me,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined. ¡°I agree,¡± stated that man of the Undead Race. Gu Chaoyan nced towards the Supreme Sect¡¯s barrier before returning to the sect itself. @@novelbin@@ Another batch of Green Sun Grass had sprouted within the designated space. Her urgency was driven by the desire to concoct pills swiftly, facilitating her breakthrough to the Paragon Realm. Furthermore¡­ An impending contest loomed between the dominant sects. Before long, Gu Chaoyanprehended the nature of the impendingpetition. A custom established over a century ago, when inter-sect rtions were notably more harmonious than the current climate. The passage of time had intensified the tension between these major sects. Yet, this age-oldpetition persisted, steadfast even now. It had transformed into a focal point for these sects. Primarily, it offered a tform for showcasing their disciples. Secondly, the rewards proffered by the sects were exceedingly enticing, luring everyone¡¯s aspirations. Within thispetition, a cardinal rule prevailed. Only disciples boasting Paragon Warrior cultivation were eligible participants. Individuals with higher cultivation levels refrained from involvement. And those with lower cultivation levels weren¡¯t inclined to undertake such a futile endeavor. These cultivation criteria were non -negotiable. As a result, the sect needed to strategize their selections. From among the disciples holding the status of Paragon Warrior¡­ To the best of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s knowledge, the two representatives from the Supreme Sect included Lv Zhengyang and a disciple hailing from the Fist Sect. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s presence, however, was on behalf of the Undead Race. The impendingpetition held no relevance for her. As such, Gu Chaoyan remained unfazed and devoid of stress.. Chapter 2159 - 2159: Almost Breakthrough 1 Chapter 2159: Almost Breakthrough 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°We came across you at a crucial juncture in your breakthrough. Concerned that your concentration might be disrupted, we decided to provide protection,¡± Elder Lin exined their presence. He expressed his concern, adding, ¡°You¡¯re still quite young, and there¡¯s no rush to force a breakthrough. Many disciples of the Supreme Sect have attempted countless times to unravel the secrets of this process. Moreover, your cultivation level surpasses that of many disciples, so patience is key.¡± Having shared these words, Elder Lin began to feel somewhat reassured. In reality, he also grappled with a tinge of guilt. Leaving aside everything else, no member of the Supreme Sect had managed to attain the Paragon Realm with a True Spiritual Root before. While the elders were present, they monitored the progress, intertwining their discussions with Guardians. As anticipated, the oue aligned with their expectations. Although Elder Lin often appeared irritating, he held genuine fondness for his disciple. Whenever possible, he wished for her to attempt the breakthrough. This motivation drove him to persistently encourage her, aiming to shield her from discouragement and the challenges associated with such a transformation. Yet, his support was bound by limitations. Gu Chaoyan acknowledged with a nod. ¡°I appreciate your guidance, Elder. Iprehend.¡± She discerned Elder Lin¡¯s benevolence. Her anxiety over not achieving Paragon status remainedtent. However, that didn¡¯t pose a significant concern. In addition to deciphering the phoenix fire technique on this day¡ªan aplishment most individuals wouldn¡¯t manage throughout their entire lifetime¡ªshe recognized its substantial value. Such progress warranted celebration. Furthermore, if her inability to attain Paragon status stemmed from her spiritual roots, she found sce in this prospect. Her spiritual roots had consistently nurtured her, and she firmly believed that with the passage of time, they would refine and be increasingly pristine. In due course, she anticipated achieving the breakthrough she sought. Even though she yearned for swift progress, Gu Chaoyan maintained a clear understanding of her circumstances. Thus, her confidence remained unshaken, irrespective of whether she heeded the advice or not. Observing her resilient disposition, Elder Lin¡¯s assurance grew. ¡°We depart for Wuyuan Ind tomorrow. Make the necessary preparations to journey with us.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied respectfully. Elder Lin¡¯s genuine concern seemed to have heightened her regard for him. Subsequently, Elder Lin and hispanions vacated Gu Chaoyan¡¯s quarters. The elders couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of regret. Gu Chaoyan emanated remarkableposure. Recalling her recent adeptness in employing the phoenix fire technique within her consciousness, she now aimed to ascertain its mastery in practice. Concentrating intently, Gu Chaoyan extended her hands, summoning a sphere of phoenix mes. ¡°A triumph!¡± Gu Chaoyan exhaled joyfully. ¡°You¡­¡± The Dragonman that had been dozing in her arms for the past few days suddenly leapt to attention. Witnessing her maniption of phoenix fire, astonishment enveloped him. ¡°You¡­¡± It had perpetually held the perception that the individual who bestowed it upon its father was excessively feeble, and that its father had disyed undue nonchnce. However, at this moment.. A realization appeared to dawn upon it¡ªthat its father was indeed the source of this boon. @@novelbin@@ For a brief interlude, the Dragonman¡¯s countenance bore an enigmatic expression, only to revert back to the vexing demeanor he had frequently donned before. ¡°I¡¯m bbergasted by yourpetence.. You look like a dumb person!¡± Chapter 2162 - 2162: Disciple Missing 1 Chapter 2162 - 2162: Disciple Missing 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions It was her! That woman¡­ Though she had only encountered this man a few times, his memory remained vivid in her mind. Huaijin had seemingly lost all vitality under her watchful gaze, confined to a restless slumber within the Longmai Mountain¡¯s embrace. One day, she vowed, revenge would be hers! Gu Chaoyan clenched her fists, her gaze filled with loathing. ¡°Junior Sister, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Di Hongyun inquired, sensing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s unusual demeanor. Members of the Grand Unity Sect surrounded them. The uingpetition loomed, attracting major sects from all corners. Among them were the Moon Sect and several others. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied, concealing her emotions. Di Hongyun remained puzzled. ¡°Are you sure? You seemed quite perturbed, as though you encountered someone you disliked.¡± Gu Chaoyan ceased her scanning of the surroundings, and Di Hongyun followed suit. Despite their encounter, it appeared that the Grand Unity Sect had no intention of acknowledging the presence of the Wushang Sect¡¯s representatives. They strode ahead, leading the way on their own. They needed to pick up the pace. Soon, they disappeared from sight. ¡°Are those individuals from the Moon Sect?¡± Gu Chaoyan pointed in a certain direction and queried. ¡°Yes.¡± Those two individuals bore an uncanny resemnce to faces she¡¯d encountered in Xuhai City. It seemed they had entered the illusion as well. A growing sense of concern gnawed at Gu Chaoyan, fearing for their safety. However, much to her surprise, they crossed paths with them once more. Did that mean they had sessfully escaped the illusion? The confusion in her mind mirrored on her face, prompting Di Hongyun to inquire, ¡°Junior Sister, what¡¯s troubling you?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Yuan Jia, do you recognize those two individuals?¡± Gu Chaoyan queried. ¡°I believe I do, but I can¡¯t be certain. Are they the same ones from Xuhai City? They do bear a striking resemnce,¡± Yuan Jia admitted,cking a definitive recollection. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s perplexity subsided. It didn¡¯t matter; what mattered was that they seemed to have found their way out as well. Upon the Supreme Sect¡¯s arrival at Wuyuan Ind, they were allocated a resting period. The Moon Sect¡¯s members were assigned this privilege, as they had emerged victorious in the previous round.@@novelbin@@ Typically, two individuals would share a room during the break, while the other ordinary disciples might have three or four per room. Being the sole female disciple of the Supreme Sect, Gu Chaoyan was granted the luxury of her own sleeping quarters. By this point, Gu Chaoyan felt content with her situation. They rested, knowing that in two days¡¯ time, thepetition wouldmence. Wuyuan Ind was permeated with the mystical essence of spring water, yet the aura here appeared somonce that Gu Chaoyan suspected the true magicy solely within the spring water. Consequently, she harbored no desire to engage in cultivation, opting instead for a rare respite. For practitioners, days of undisturbed sleep were a rare luxury. However, the need for slumber wasn¡¯t pressing. Gu Chaoyan enjoyed a peaceful night¡¯s rest, only to be stirred awake by distantmotion. Just as she prepared to investigate, Di Hongyun¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Junior Sister!¡± Gu Chaoyan opened her door, inquiring, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Follow me. A fellow disciple from the Supreme Sect has inexplicably disappeared,¡± Di Hongyun exined, his expression fraught with worry. A disciple missing on Wuyuan Ind? Chapter 2166 - 2166: Disciple Missing 5 Chapter 2166: Disciple Missing 5 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The two of them spoke in perfect unison, a rare urrence. However, it was evident they had reservations about apanying each other. Gu Chaoyan cast a scrutinizing nce at the pair, deeming them both unreliable. ¡°If you¡¯re noting, I¡¯ll handle it myself,¡± she dered, her patience waning in their presence. These two individuals clearly had a strained rtionship, and Gu Chaoyan had been apprehensive that their discord might causeplications for her. ¡°We¡¯ll go,¡± they responded in tandem, their voices finally aligning in agreement. Numerous disciples had inexplicably gone missing, and venturing alone to investigate posed a significant risk. Hence, they reluctantly decided to tag along, even if it meant enduring each other¡¯spany. Observing theirpliance, Gu Chaoyan remained seated, intent on strategizing with them. They needed a well-thought-out n before they drew any attention. ¡°Junior Sister, how did you anticipate that this man would strike again tonight?¡± Di Hongyun inquired with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s a calcted guess. The audacity he disyed in perpetrating such acts within the vicinity of numerous schools suggests he¡¯s confident he won¡¯t be apprehended. His arrogance leads me to believe that, given our failure earlier, he¡¯s likely to make another attempt. He either has a specific motive or seeks to test his own abilities. Of course, there¡¯s a chance he won¡¯t show up, but I consider the probability to be higher,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined thoughtfully. As she spoke, she retrieved a bottle of pills from her belongings. The Head of the Undead Race¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing the pills. However, these pills held no allure for him; the Undead Race required no such aids to regain their vitality. However, following their meal¡­ He suddenly began to feel the effects of the pills. At this moment, the pills she had given him promised a return to his former abilities. As his gazended on the pills, he couldn¡¯t help but fixate on them. ¡°Eat one, and it will conceal your aura,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed. The joy that had initially graced the Head of the Undead Race¡¯s face faded. It turned out to be a pill solely designed to mask one¡¯s presence, a feature entirely useless to him. Recognizing the pills¡¯ utility, the Head of the Undead Race couldn¡¯t help but feel despondent. After Gu Chaoyan finished hers, she casually tossed a bottle to him. ¡°Take it.¡± Instantly reinvigorated, he eagerly opened the bottle, finding the same pills as before, and a radiant smile returned to his face. She had epted the pills without hesitation, allowing her to utilize them to conceal her aura. ¡°Junior Sister, why didn¡¯t you give me any pills?¡± Di Hongyun expressed his displeasure. This rugged-looking woman had all the pills while he was left empty-handed. It hardly seemed fair. ¡°That¡¯s simple. If you behave well this time, I¡¯ll give you one,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied matter-of-factly. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Fine,¡± Di Hongyun conceded, still disgruntled. The Head of the Undead Race couldn¡¯t hide his delight. He cast a triumphant nce at Di Hongyun. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move. You need to behave too. Misbehave, and you won¡¯t have any opportunities in the future,¡± Gu Chaoyan warned, determined not to give him any room to create problems. ¡°Okay,¡± the Head of the Undead Race responded, his enthusiasm dampened. Finally, the three of them found a suitable hiding spot. If the mysterious individualunched another attack, it would likely fall to the ordinary disciples to deal with him. What they needed to do was to stay by the ordinary disciples¡¯ side. The three of them squatted for a long while, but nothing happened. ¡°Junior Sister, we are all very cautious, and that man is noting.¡± Di Hongyun said with a small voice.. Chapter 2169 - 2169: Truth 2 Chapter 2169 - 2169: Truth 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan spoke candidly in front of Di Hongyun, regretting his impulsive actions. He had acted recklessly, and had it not been for the intervention of the Head of the Undead Race, they would have been in grave danger. While it was true that Di Hongyun bore some responsibility, he remained oblivious to the gravity of his mistake, which was deeply unsettling. Di Hongyun was a constant presence by Gu Chaoyan¡¯s side. If he didn¡¯t wish to continue thispanionship in the future, he could always return to his former life. His loyalty was unwavering, and there would always be those who would stand up for him. However¡­ If he intended to journey alongside her in the future, things could not stay the same. Beyond the inconvenience he caused her, what concerned Gu Chaoyan the most was the potential peril he might face. If Gu Chaoyan were to take responsibility for him, she needed to be absolutely clear with him. ¡°Do you still wish to remain at my side in the days toe, or would you prefer to stay with Senior Brother Lv Zhengyang and the others? If you find it disagreeable, you are wee to remain by Senior Brother Lv Zhengyang¡¯s side. If you aremitted to staying with me, you mustprehend the circumstances we face. It may be harsh, but it¡¯s the reality. At times, you must make a choice,¡± Gu Chaoyan told him firmly. Di Hongyun differed from the Head of the Undead Race. The Head of the Undead Race had acquired wisdom through numerous experiences, but Di Hongyun had been sheltered by his Senior Brothers and the Supreme Sect, leaving him somewhat naive about the true nature of their predicament. In truth, Gu Chaoyan herself was often perplexed. There were moments when she questioned whether having Di Hongyun by her side was a mistake. Today, she intended to give him the autonomy to make that choice for himself. Upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, Di Hongyun appeared shocked and then concerned. He responded, ¡°Junior Sister, I wish to remain with you.¡± When it came to following his Junior Sister, Di Hongyun¡¯s emotions were a tangled web. Initially, he had been eager to do so, motivated by a profound debt of gratitude. His Junior Sister had once rescued him from members of the Grand Unity Door, and he believed that following her was his way of repaying that kindness. His intention was to be of assistance to her. However, as time passed, Di Hongyun came to realize that his Junior Sister didn¡¯t actually require his help. She consistently looked after him and seemed entirely self-sufficient. Yet, despite this, he still harbored a strong desire to remain at her side. The reasons behind this perplexed him. Upon careful reflection, he surmised that it was because he felt a sense of authenticity when he was with his Junior Sister. Not only did he feel that she was genuine, but he also felt more true to himself. For instance, in moments like this one, where he had made a mistake, Junior Sister would likely be angry, reprimand him, and perhaps even suggest that he shouldn¡¯t apany her. However, when she was with Senior Brother Zhengyang, such scenarios rarely urred. She had never held him ountable for his errors.@@novelbin@@ Or perhaps, having Junior Sister around imbued many aspects of life with meaning. In any case, he realized he needed time to process certain things, such as Junior Sister¡¯s asional aloofness and her choices. Nevertheless, he remained resolute in his determination to work for her. ¡°I want to stay with you. Regarding what transpired today, I will reflect on my actions,¡± Di Hongyun dered firmly. Gu Chaoyan nodded in response.. Chapter 2171 - 2171: Wuyuan Island Contest 2 Chapter 2171 - 2171: Wuyuan Ind Contest 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan had encountered numerous individuals from the Supreme Sect, including those affiliated with the Grand Unity Sect. Their arrogance was palpable as they refused to meet her gaze. In contrast, the representatives of other sects, nearly as formidable as the Supreme Sect, maintained an air of politeness. However, the Moon Sect members stood out for their unwarranted arrogance, as if they considered themselves superior. Elder Men pondered the transformation of the Moon Sect, which seemed to be slowly aligning with the Grand Unity Sect. Gu Chaoyan, on the other hand, had long held this perception of the Moon Sect. Observing the Mystic Moon Sect¡¯s disciples chasing those of the Supreme Sect, it became evident that the Moon Sect no longer held the Supreme Sect in high regard. It appeared as though there was a ndestine alliance forming between the Moon Sect and the Grand Unity Sect, possibly fueled by certain promises made by thetter. Perhaps the involvement of two disciples yed a role in this dynamic, and the Moon Sect might have been privy to this information,plicating any potential arrangements. Elder Men let out a sigh of emotion, while Gu Chaoyan delved into deep contemtion. ¡°Although thispetition doesn¡¯t directly concern you, it¡¯s beneficial to watch. Participants usually reach the level of Paragon Warriors, having recently broken through. Observing them might provide insights to help you in your own breakthrough,¡± Elder Lin chimed in. Grateful, Gu Chaoyan gave Elder Lin a nod, but it was clear that Elder Lin was still preupied with her thoughts. ¡°I understand,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied, fully aware of Elder Lin¡¯s dedication, and she had no intention of disappointing him. Elder Lin remained silent, but his silence conveyed everything. ¡°It¡¯s not a significant issue. Disciples from the major sects usually possess strong Spiritual Roots, which facilitates reaching their desired levels. However, breaking through to the level of True Spiritual Root is a different challenge altogether. Let¡¯s not dwell on it and maintain ourposure to avoid any frustration,¡± one Elder from the Fist Sect bluntly remarked. He harbored no fondness for Gu Chaoyan, making no effort to conceal his feelings. Unperturbed by Elder Lin¡¯s words, he offered no pleasantries. After all, Gu Chaoyan, with her True Spiritual Root, was merely a Martial God. Why should she garner such high regard?@@novelbin@@ ¡°I understand,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded tersely, eager to move past this discussion. She agreed to prevent any unnecessary conflict between Elder Lin and the Fist Sect Elder; there was no need for discord. Elder Lin cast a displeased nce at the Fist Sect Elder but opted to remain silent. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s agreement brought an end to the matter, and the Beastmaster Sect Elder refrained from adding anything further; it would have been inappropriate. Changing the topic, Elder Man inquired, ¡°Where is Yuan Jia?¡± Upon mentioning Yuan Jia, Elder Man of the Fist Sect visibly brightened. ¡°Yuan Jia should arrive shortly. I¡¯ll instruct the Fist Sect disciples to watch over him. Once he breaks through, he can join us directly.¡± ¡°Surprisingly, Yuan Jia is on the verge of another breakthrough in such a short time. He currently stands at the Sixth Heaven of the Martial Artist Realm, and if he manages to reach the Seventh Heaven directly, his chances in today¡¯spetition might significantly improve..¡± Chapter 2175 - 2175: As You Wish 1 Chapter 2175: As You Wish 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The reason why members of the Moon Sect sought to provoke her, leading to her impulsive response, stemmed from their perception that this female disciple of the Supreme Sect was merely a Martial God. However, the question lingered: where had she acquired her martial prowess? Her speed was so astonishing that no one couldy a hand on her. @@novelbin@@ If this situation persisted, the Moon Sect disciples risked losing their magical power and sumbing to frustration. Should she seize the opportunity, victory might be within her grasp. It wasn¡¯t a matter of the Moon Sect¡¯s inability to tolerate defeat; rather, it was the prospect of losing to this Martial God-affiliated female disciple that they couldn¡¯t bear. If word of such an oue spread¡­ Furthermore, post-contest rewards held significant importance for the Supreme Sect. Moon Sect was determined not to make any blunders in this regard. Hence¡­ They ridiculed the Supreme Sect¡¯s female disciple, believing that her haste would inevitably lead to her downfall at the hands of the Moon Sect disciples. This assessment was shared by both sides. Upon hearing these remarks, the disciples from the Supreme Sect remained unconvinced, particrly Di Hongyun. He stepped forward vehemently when he heard that Gu Chaoyan¡¯s sole tactic was evasion. He asserted, ¡°Are you afraid that our Junior Sister will emerge victorious? In this contest, she is free to employ any tactics she deems fit. She¡¯s not beholden to yourmands. Junior Sister is merely a Martial God, and her ability to dodge numerous attacks from a Paragon Warrior is already a remarkable feat.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you dodging? In the future, when you encounter opponents far more advanced than yourself, will you foolishly invite their strikes? How unwise that would be!¡± Di Hongyun retorted fiercely at the Moon Sect representatives. Hearing his words, the members of the Supreme Sect tried to stifle theirughter, while the Moon Sect disciples wore expressions of dismay. They had never anticipated encountering someone who would speak about them in such a manner. For a moment, they were utterly perplexed, unsure of what was transpiring. After a lengthy pause¡­ Only then did they recollect that they had refrained from devising any strategies; after all, they hailed from the Moon Sect, and strategic thinking was not their forte. Before they could fully grasp the situation, Di Hongyun and the disciples from the Supreme Sect were already heaping praise upon their Junior Sister, who was, after all, just a Martial God. The members of the Moon Sect couldn¡¯t help but roll their eyes. They hadn¡¯t actually won the contest, yet they were celebrating as if they had secured victory. Their audacity knew no bounds! They sighed briefly, then resumed watching the contest unfold. On the stage, the twobatants continued to evade each other¡¯s attacks. The aggressor was growing impatient, while the dodging individual remainedposed. Mi Xinghe, a disciple of the Moon Sect, finally lost his patience and inquired with a deep voice, ¡°How much longer do you intend to evade me?¡± ¡°I have no need to evade,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied with an innocent smile. ¡°As you wish.¡± With those words, Gu Chaoyan unleashed her power and struck at Mi Xinghe so swiftly that he almost couldn¡¯t react in time. Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t halt there; instead, she took the initiative andunched herself at him. Mi Xinghe didn¡¯t even have a moment to defend against the assault. His expression darkened. Observing the spectacle, Di Hongyun addressed the Moon Sect disciples, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t you im that Junior Sister wasn¡¯t taking any action?¡± Chapter 2177 - 2177: No Peace 1 Chapter 2177: No Peace 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I believe all of these incidents must be connected to our sect. You are the organizer this year, but your actions have been deeply problematic. We require an exnation,¡± Elder Lin interrogated Elder Man from their sect. Elder Man was also clearly flustered,pletely unaware of the unfolding situation. Mi Xinghe was a disciple who had been closely monitored by the Elder Men within the Moon Sect due to his exceptional cultivation talent. In a remarkably short span of time, he had advanced from a Martial Immortal to a Paragon Warrior. The Mystic Moon Sect had been jubnt and had chosen him as their representative for this year¡¯s contest. However¡­ Little did anyone know that he had already achieved the status of a top-tier Paragon Warrior! Had they been aware of this fact, they wouldn¡¯t have enlisted him for thepetition. Instead, they could have assigned a new disciple to Elder Man. But¡­ Mi Xinghe was already an exceptional Paragon Warrior, and the speed of his cultivation seemed inexplicable. The members of the Moon Sect were left utterly dumbfounded. As for Mi Xinghe¡­ His expression had taken a dark turn. He regarded the female disciple from the Wushang Sect and began to suspect that she had set him up, leading him into this predicament. Gradually, he came to the realization that he had been exposed. If the other sects continued to probe this matter, he would be held responsible for the events on Wuyuan Ind. The Moon Sect was still keen on retaining Mi Xinghe. After all, his talent was simply extraordinary. Elder Man from the Moon Sect stepped forward and dered, ¡°There must be a misunderstanding here. Xinghe has always been an honorable disciple of the Moon Sect. It¡¯s possible that your female disciples provoked him, leading to this sudden breakthrough.¡¯ Elders from other sects scoffed in disbelief. Only a gullible person would buy into such a tale. @@novelbin@@ Moon Sect¡¯s actions had genuinely infuriated those present, and there was no chance of tranquility prevailing today. However, the notion that Moon Sect intended to retain this disciple was nothing short of a fantasy! As Mi Xinghe observed the unfolding situation, he became increasingly convinced that Moon Sect would not be able to keep him. Their members appeared utterly inept,cking any discernment. Amidst themotion, while everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Elder Man from Moon Sect, Mi Xinghe seized the opportunity to make his escape. ¡°Elder Lin, he¡¯s making a run for it!¡± Gu Chaoyan quickly realized the situation and alerted Elder Lin. ¡°You think you can just flee?¡± Elder Lin gave chase. Mi Xinghe¡¯s flight confirmed suspicions. Elder Man¡¯splexion turned ashen. What¡­ ¡°Moon Sect, what more is there to exin? You defended your disciple, but he has fled. If he were innocent, he wouldn¡¯t have fled in the first ce. Clearly, he felt guilty and couldn¡¯t shoulder the responsibility!¡± ¡°Provide an ount of the events on Wuyuan Ind, Moon Sect. Someone noticed irregrities this year, and I¡¯m left wondering if your Moon Sect won through simrly underhanded means in previous years.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve taken advantage of our trust for far too long! Moon Sect, we demand an exnation!¡± The leaders of the various major sects pressed Moon Sect for answers. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan decided to stay on the sidelines. She stood beside Di Hongyun, contemting the day¡¯s events. However, it seemed that someone had fixed their gaze on her. Gu Chaoyan instinctively turned her head and noticed the woman from the Grand Unity Sect. Her expression remained impassive.. Chapter 2180 - 2180: Energy Deviation 1 Chapter 2180 - 2180: Energy Deviation 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Mi Xinghe was the sole recipient of the punishment, leading to the assumption that her skills were far frommendable, right? She evidently had a considerable distance to cover on her journey of improvement. ¡°Frankly, I believe Mi Xinghe¡¯s actions were rather foolish. Instead of storing the powder within her spatial storage, she carried it on her person. That decision appears quitecking in foresight, which perhaps exins her current predicament,¡± remarked the Head of the Undead Race. Di Hongyun, bristling with displeasure, addressed the Hall Chief of the Undead Race, ¡°You are a woman, and you remain a mere novice within the Supreme Sect. Your words are unbing!¡± The Head of the Undead Race responded with a dismissive eye-roll, utterly unimpressed by Di Hongyun¡¯s outburst. He had seldom encountered a more vexing individual. Sensing an impending argument between the two, Gu Chaoyan intervened calmly, ¡°Actually, the powder is still within her spatial storage.¡± The Head of the Undead Race expressed bewilderment, ¡°Then why did it be visible to everyone? Is her interspatial ring malfunctioning?¡± Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes at his apparentck of insight. ¡°Where do you think she ced it?¡± she asked, her toneden with sarcasm. Only then did the Head of the Undead Race grasp the situation. Gu Chaoyan had set him up, though it wasn¡¯t much of a setup, as he did possess the incriminating item. Thankful for his cooperation with Gu Chaoyan, he silently acknowledged that without her, he would have faced utter ruin. ¡°Junior Sister, your cunning is truly admirable! Amidst all the chaos, Mi Xinghe did indeed have the powder, but it was not rightfully hers! Hahahaha!¡± Di Hongyun dered proudly. Di Hongyun disyed such arrogance as if he were personally responsible for the situation. The Head of the Undead Race responded by rolling his eyes at him, treating his pride as the folly it appeared to be. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Di Hongyun found so boast-worthy. As the three of them engaged in their heated discussion, Elder Lin abruptly entered the scene with evident distress. He anxiously addressed Gu Chaoyan, ¡°Gu Chaoyan, something is amiss!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Has something else happened?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired, concerned. ¡°Yuan Jia has encountered a problem during his breakthrough. He seems to have fallen into Energy Deviation,¡± Elder Lin exined with a worried expression. Yuan Jia¡¯s breakthrough had been an unusually prolonged process, making this development even more baffling. Unexpectedly, he now grappled with Energy Deviation. However, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Elder Lin was here. The Supreme Sect had plenty of elder figures who should know how to handle such situations. Why seek out a disciple who hadn¡¯t yet attained the Paragon Realm? Aplex expression crossed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. She cared deeply for Senior Brother Yuan Jia, but her abilities weren¡¯t sufficient to address this crisis. ¡°Elder Lin, I am but a Martial God, not a Paragon,¡± Gu Chaoyan pointed out. Only then did Elder Lin realize the situation. That was indeed the case. For some reason, he had instinctively turned to her. Nevertheless, he pressed on, determined to ensure her safety. ¡°Come with me, for your own protection,¡± he insisted seriously. Gu Chaoyan furrowed her brow, puzzled by the situation. Why was Elder Lin acting this way? Regardless of the potential consequences, Elder Lin disregarded them and escorted her away. Yuan Jia remained in a meditative state, appearing utterly miserable. Even the elder members of the Fist Faction couldn¡¯t rouse him.@@novelbin@@ ¡°If this continues, Yuan Jia will be irreparably damaged. He¡¯ll be as witless as a fool,¡± Elder Lin whispered to Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t bear to see that fate befall her Senior Brother.. Chapter 2183 - 2183: Spring Water on Wuyuan Island 1 Chapter 2183 - 2183: Spring Water on Wuyuan Ind 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan paid little attention to the two individuals and quietly followed them to the spring. The spring on Wuyuan Ind was renowned for its almost mystical qualities, yet she had neverid eyes on it before. Remarkably, a twist of fate had granted her exclusive ess to its waters. Now, she was determined to study it meticulously.@@novelbin@@ Her curiosity was piqued, eager to witness the effects of cultivating in this extraordinary spring water. If the results proved significant, she could contemte spending half a year cultivating on Wuyuan Ind. In an instant, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s exhaustion gave way to anticipation. She yearned to experience the enchantment of Wuyuan Ind¡¯s spring water. Not far off, glistening in the distance,y the spring itself. The man who had guided her there kept his distance, allowing Gu Chaoyan to approach on her own. As Gu Chaoyan reached the spring and entered its waters, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the palpable enchantment in the air. It was no wonder that cultivation here was said to be elerated. However¡­ Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of familiarity. She recognized the man and the spring water from somewhere. It bore a striking resemnce¡­ To the Living Divine Water within her own realm? In fact, it appeared that the magical water here was even more abundant than the one in her possession. A shadow crossed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. So, was this ce inferior to the magical water in her realm? Perhaps it would be wiser to procure a daily supply of her own magical water and achieve faster progress elsewhere. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression was aplex blend of emotions as she pondered whether she had gained anything from the experience. Her preference did not lean toward the spring water; instead, it sparked inspiration for her to make more effective use of the magical water within her personal space for cultivation. Her thoughts were in turmoil as she lingered for a while and eventually decided to leave, intending to focus on studying her Holy Water. On her way back, Di Hongyun unexpectedly encountered her. He appeared surprised and inquired, ¡°Junior Sister, what brings you here? Aren¡¯t you cultivating in the spring?¡± ¡°I no longer wish to stay there. If you¡¯re interested, I can transfer the rights to you,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded calmly. Di Hongyun was taken aback. She was willing to give it up? What a generous offer! With an honest smile, Di Hongyun agreed, ¡°Alright then, Junior Sister, I¡¯ll take it.¡± Having settled the matter, he walked away without looking back, heading toward the spring. Lv Zhengyang, who happened to pass by the spring, noticed Di Hongyun¡¯s approach. His brows furrowed, and he addressed him bluntly, ¡°You¡¯re not participating in thepetition, so you have no right to be here.¡± Di Hongyun was puzzled by Lv Zhengyang¡¯s abrupt attitude, unable to fathom why his Senior Brother was treating him this way. ¡°Junior Sister asked me to be here,¡± Di Hongyun exined. His response earned him a sharp re from Lv Zhengyang. ¡°She¡¯s quite something. ¡± Indeed, she had achieved the right to use the spring and had generously opened it to others. What more could Lv Zhengyang say? He had lost in thepetition! With a sour expression on his face, Lv Zhengyang left, leaving Di Hongyun to approach Yuan Jia. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Senior Brother Zhengyang?¡± Yuan Jia shook his head slightly. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t feeling well. It was best to steer clear of him¡­ In Yuan Jia¡¯s opinion, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s actions were already quite surprising. She had earned the right to use the spring water, and yet she still seemed to harbor resentment. He couldn¡¯t fathom Lv Zhengyang¡¯s behavior. ¡°The spring water is truly exceptional, and Junior Sister is exceptionally kind to save a spot for me.¡± ¡°She must have given you something she doesn¡¯t fancy,¡± Lv Zhengyang replied bluntly.. Chapter 2186 - 2186: About the Undead Race 2 Chapter 2186 - 2186: About the Undead Race 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions If Elder Lin had not been an elderly man, Gu Chaoyan would have hit him directly. Elder Lin was the sole individual within the Supreme Sect who consistently framed her! Moreover, they were scheming to align her with the Undead Race. The mere thought of this infuriated Gu Chaoyan. However, some individuals from the other sects had begun discussing her as though they had no knowledge of her identity. In that moment, Elder Lin stepped forward, wearing a smile, and addressed the assembly, ¡°The Wuyuan Indpetition has concluded. If we ever gather again, it will likely be for the next iteration of the Wuyuan Ind contest. Since all the major sects are represented here, I propose a matter of grave importance.¡± Elder Lin¡¯s demeanor was notably earnest as he continued, ¡°Several days ago, a significant number of our Supreme Sect¡¯s disciples went missing in Xuhai City, presumably at the hands of Xu Haicheng¡¯s Undead Race. Furthermore, the disciples sent by the major sects on their missions may not return safely.¡± Elder Lin¡¯s words struck a chord; it was undeniable that many disciples from the major sects who had embarked on missions near Xuhai City had not returned, and those dispatched to investigate had also vanished. However¡­ Even in the face of this evidence, many sects seemed inclined to avoid Xuhai City in the future. They showed no intention of confronting the relentless Undead Race, a formidable and undying force. If those sects were to be enemies with the Undead Race, they would remain perpetual adversaries! Their reluctance stemmed from a deep-seated aversion to taking such a risk. ¡°We, as well as the Undead Race, have historically adhered to our own paths, minding our own affairs. Eliminating the Undead Race is no simple feat. The witches managed to subdue them in the past, and any action now would inevitably provoke their ire. Weck the resources and power of the Supreme sects to bear the consequences. Elder Lin, please refrain from jesting,¡± Elder Man of the Fengyue Race stated bluntly, clearly wishing to steer clear of involvement in this matter.@@novelbin@@ ¡°The Undead Race from Xuhai City has assaulted your kind!¡± The Head of the Undead Race eximed fervently, anxious that the issue might be brushed aside. Upon hearing these words¡­ The individuals representing the various schools refrained from scrutinizing the speaker¡¯s identity but remained in a collective hush. It was true. In the past, they had maintained a policy of non-interference because the Undead Race had never posed a direct threat to humanity. That was why they had chosen to mind their own business. However, circumstances had changed. The Undead Race had already begun targeting the sects¡¯ disciples. Once they began, they would not relent. The sects maintained a resolute silence. In their eyes, it would be more appropriate for the Supreme Sect to handle this matter rather than smaller sects like theirs. Then, amidst the assembly, amanding voice rang out. ¡°As for the Undead Race.¡¯ All eyes turned in its direction. It was Pei Yueling from the Grand Unity Sect.. Chapter 2188 - 2188: About the Undead Race 5 Chapter 2188: About the Undead Race 5 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions They were gathered to discuss the forting arrangements. Now, with the absence of Pei Yueling, daughter of the Grand Unity Sect¡¯s leader, Mr. Head, who possessed the Chaotic Spiritual Root, the responsibility of organizing the arrangements fell upon her shoulders. The Supreme Sect, much like the other sects, would simply adhere to her decisions. Elder Lin remained silent throughout. Upon her approval of the proposal, Pei Yueling wasted no time in formting n. Taking her seat at the head of the gathering, she began, ¡°Thousands of years ago, Xuhai City fell under the dominion of the Undead Race. With the uncertainty surrounding their numbers and the possibility of revival after they¡¯ve in numerous disciples of our sects, we must take precautions.¡± Silence followed. ¡°Just to be safe, we should dispatch as many disciples as possible. You have 400 inner sect disciples and 600 outer sect disciples, led by two Elder Men. Meanwhile, the Grand Unity Sect will contribute 1,000 inner sect disciples and 1,500 outer sect disciples, led by three Elder Men, including myself. What are your thoughts?¡± Another pause ensued. ¡°We cannot afford any mishaps during the extermination of the Undead Race in Xuhai City,¡± Pei Yueling pressed. The Elder Men exchanged uneasy nces. Their difort was evident. Two sects coborating with their Elder Men posed no issue, but the inclusion of 400 inner sect disciples was a daunting proposition. For instance, the Fengyue Sect only boasted 1,500 inner sect disciples, and sending one-third of their inner sect disciples to this mission seemed excessive. The potential for idents among the inner sect disciples was a cause for concern. The prospect of both inner and outer sect disciples leaving in such numbers would severely deplete the Fengyue Sect¡¯s ranks. What if.. Pei Yueling¡¯s tone turned bitter as she challenged, ¡°With 1,000 inner sect disciples at our disposal, what is there to worry about?¡± She fixed her gaze upon the Elder Men. ¡°Very well, we are in agreement, ¡± affirmed the Moon Sect. The Moon Sect¡¯s Elder Man had contemted this matter in advance. They had already consented to the arrangement, and even if it didn¡¯t gain favor with the major sects, the reduction would only amount to a hundred individuals. The Grand Unity Sect had taken excellent care of the Moon Sect, showering them with numerous benefits. By being the first tomit, the Elder Man aimed to keep Pei Yueling content with the Moon Sect¡¯s cooperation. If Moon Sect¡¯s value could be recognized through this, it would be a favorable oue. Thus, they concurred. Pei Yueling¡¯s smile briefly flickered, her satisfaction evident with how the Moon Sect had conducted itself. The Moon Sect had already given its consent, and the other sects, sooner orter, followed suit without hesitation. However, Elder Lin wore a perplexed expression. In theory, having Pei Yueling as the leader of the Grand Unity Sect should have been advantageous. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss with the arrangement. Wasn¡¯t the number of disciples too excessive? While Elder Lin hesitated, Pei Yueling turned her gaze towards him and inquired, ¡°What is the Supreme Sect¡¯s proposed course of action? This is what you all have agreed upon.¡± ¡°Originally, the Supreme Sect should have been able to amodate more participants, but given the current state of our sect, I refrained from making such a request,¡± she continued..@@novelbin@@ Chapter 2191 - 2191: Di Hongyun’s Misunderstanding 1 Chapter 2191: Di Hongyun¡¯s Misunderstanding 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The first time they met, Di Hongyun had misunderstood Gu Chaoyan, which had led to his prolonged dislike of her. She had appeared arrogant and persistently declined his advances. Back then, Di Hongyun had been a lively and outgoing person. As time passed, he had transformed into someone who often appeared simple-minded and sincere, frequently disying genuine happiness. However, the current Di Hongyun bore an expressionless countenance, marked by stiffness and disappointment. It was the first time Gu Chaoyan had seen him in such a state. It seemed like he had once again misinterpreted something. This was why Gu Chaoyan wished for him to focus on his cultivation. She also suspected that he might believe she was leaving him behind. Nevertheless¡­ Perhaps this change was beneficial for him. It would allow him to concentrate on his practice without distractions and form deeper connections with others, rather than being excessively innocent and trusting, which could be a significant disadvantage. He could remain on Wuyuan Ind to cultivate. Sighing, Gu Chaoyan turned to Di Hongyun and gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. ¡°Keep up with your practice.¡± Before departing, she left a few bottles of pills on the table. These pills were crafted from Green Sun Grass and could greatly aid in cultivation. Besides giving some to the Head of the Undead Race, Gu Chaoyan rarely used them herself. She hoped that these pills would assist Di Hongyun in advancing his cultivation. As she walked away, the sound of pills dropping onto the ground reached her ears. He¡­ Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t look back but continued on her way. Her expression remained unchanged, but the Head of the Undead Race could sense her somber mood. She had once been devoid of emotions, but now, that was no longer the case. She must have been feeling quite unhappy. The Head of the Undead Race chuckled, but to his surprise, hisughter fell t. In frustration, he snapped, ¡°Idiot, he¡¯s truly an idiot. He can¡¯t see that Lv Zhengyang is a scheming person, and he can¡¯t see that you¡¯re doing all of this for his own good. I can¡¯t fathom how he made it into the sect and grew up here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just leave him be,¡± he finally uttered. ¡°With me by your side, you won¡¯t have to worry about a thing in the future,¡± the Head of the Undead Race awkwardly consoled. He, the Head of the Undead Race, had never offered constion to anyone before¡ªunless he was masquerading as a human. Annoyance surged through him as he reluctantly pampered this cunning girl. Yet¡­ His unease stemmed from his own predicament. The other sects were poised to attack the counterfeit Undead Race in Xuhai City, and if they seeded, Xuhai City would be his. With control over Xuhai City, there would be no reason for him to trail behind her. He would remain in Xuhai City, regaining his millennia-old cultivation. But what about Gu Chaoyan? Di Hongyun was no longer at her side. What was she to do? The Head of the Undead Race found himself in a quandary. Suddenly, he contemted the source of his worries. Were it not for her coercion, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this situation. Well, well, well. @@novelbin@@ This wicked woman could thrive independently. She had never been humiliated by anyone; instead, she had always been the one to humiliate others.. Chapter 2195 - 2195: Xuhai City 3 Chapter 2195: Xuhai City 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°That¡¯s not the truth, ¡± Gu Chaoyan eximed, feeling a growing sense of anxiety. The assembly consisted of numerous disciples from various schools, and their impulsive actions could lead to dire consequences. Gu Chaoyan was utterly perplexed. Many attendees from other schools had also caught wind of the situation, and their attempts to exit confirmed the grim reality. The sect members were equally attentive to the unfolding situation. @@novelbin@@ In this moment, disciples from diverse schools found themselves trapped here. Observing the disciples¡¯ deviation from order, Pei Yueling inquired with evident displeasure, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Miss Pei,¡± the Elder of the Fengyue Sect spoke up, a tinge of urgency in his voice. ¡°We are unable to leave Xuhai City. Shouldn¡¯t we be devising a long-term strategy tobat the Undead Race here? We currentlyck any such n. Blindly charging ahead would only lead to our demise in Xuhai City. We have no way out, and recklessness is not our path.¡± Elder Man¡¯s beard had turned gray, and his anxiety was palpable. Training disciples was no easy feat, especially when their numbers were dwindling with each passing year. The existence of disciples held great significance, and he was unwilling to take the risk of blindly confronting the situation. Elders from other sects echoed the sentiments expressed by the Elder of the Fengyue Sect. They had been grumbling since their arrival in Xuhai City and their rushed attempts to confront the Undead Race. Now, with no apparent means of escape, theirints grew even more vociferous. ¡°A contingency n?¡± Pei Yueling retorted sarcastically. ¡°What kind of contingency n is there?¡± She had no intention of elucidating the situation further. These individuals were rushing headlong into danger out of their own volition, not because they were coerced into suffering. But these school representatives were utterly inept and cowardly. If that was the case¡­ She might as well make it abundantly clear that their demise was a consequence of her own foolishness. ¡°Once we enter Xuhai City, there¡¯s no way back. ¡± ¡°No way back?¡± The Elder from the Fengyue Sect asked in a friendly manner, clearly not grasping Pei Yueling¡¯s intent. ¡°What I mean is that all of you are destined for death,¡± Pei Yueling stated without a trace ofpassion in her gaze. She regarded them as little more than a heap of lifeless bodies. Each school, namely the Fengyue Sect, Baiyun Sect, Moon Sect, Supreme Sect, and Heavenly Dragon Gate, had brought over 1,000 individuals. Among them were 400 inner sect disciples and 600 outer sect disciples. The inner sect disciples were all of Martial God caliber or higher, and the outer sect disciples, while notcking in cultivation, possessed valuable spiritual roots. Their individual cultivation might not have been exceptional, but their spiritual roots were highly practical. She intended to absorb their cultivation and refine their spiritual roots. This would enable her to fuse their spiritual roots with her own, propelling her cultivation to the level of Paragon Martial God. Pei Yueling grew increasingly excited at the thought of the benefits she would reap from this refinement process. She had invested considerable effort and recruited disciples from various schools over many months, yet her gains had been meager. That simply wouldn¡¯t suffice for her ambitions. This was the most efficient method, involving thousands of individuals. ¡°Miss Pei, what do you mean?¡± Chapter 2200 - 2200: Danger in Xuhai City 4 Chapter 2200 - 2200: Danger in Xuhai City 4 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Isn¡¯t that the elderly figure from the Supreme Sect? They hail from the same Sect; why should we be concerned about them?¡± The leader of the Undead Race appeared perplexed as he scrutinized their presence. While he was correct, he refrained from taking a step forward. Gu Chaoyan, known for her astuteness, sensed that something was amiss. ¡°They aren¡¯t. Be prepared,¡± Gu Chaoyan whispered in a hushed tone. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, what should be our course of action now?¡± The Supreme Sect disciples turned to Gu Chaoyan, their expressions filled with anticipation, holding no grudges. Gu Chaoyan directed a stream of spiritual energy toward one of them. The disciple appeared surprised and in a somewhat aggrieved tone said, ¡°Lady Chaoyan, why are you attacking us?¡± ¡°No, our disciples are scattered, and these are the only ones with me. Why would you assault them?¡± Elder Lin interjected. ¡°We must devise an escape n from Xuhai City; the city¡¯s interior is eerily unusual, and lingering here is inadvisable.¡± Gu Chaoyan fell silent. She unsheathed her white jade sword and directly confronted them. Observing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s actions, the Head of the Undead Race alsounched an attack. Gu Chaoyan showed no mercy, harnessing the power of inheritance to strike at the Supreme Sect disciples. The disciples couldn¡¯t withstand Gu Chaoyan¡¯s assault, and many of them crumpled to the ground, their faces etched with a sense of betrayal. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, we are all part of the same family, how could you!¡± Elder Lin cried out, ¡°No!¡± Gu Chaoyan was relentless, paying no heed to their pleas and continuing her direct assault. Even Elder Lin didn¡¯t escape her wrath. The Head of the Undead Race, less skilled than Gu Chaoyan, soon dispatched many disciples, leaving only Elder Lin. Elder Lin gazed at the fallen disciples and then at Gu Chaoyan, his expression a mix of disappointment and disbelief. Crushing someone who had clung to hope proved to be unexpectedly straightforward, though the Head of the Undead Race couldn¡¯t help but question the propriety of it. However, Gu Chaoyan remained resolute, her countenance cold and unmoved. She drove her de into Elder Lin without reservation. The Head of the Undead Race wouldn¡¯t allow Elder Lin to slow them down; they were determined to deal with him together. In light of their actions, the Head of the Undead Race harbored thoughts of exterminating them all, ensuring that no one would ever uncover their deeds. This was the path to a promising future for the Supreme Sect. As a result, the Head of the Undead Race¡¯s ferocity surpassed even that of Gu Chaoyan. When Gu Chaoyan struck with one sword, the Head of the Undead Race struck with the other, causing Elder Lin to copse and spew forth a torrent of blood. Elder Lin coughed up blood, his gaze still fixed on Gu Chaoyan, his expression a mix of disbelief and disappointment. Gu Chaoyan paid him no heed. This was not Elder Lin but a manifestation of the illusion.@@novelbin@@ Being deceived would onlyplicate matters further. After dispatching all their illusory foes, Gu Chaoyan continued leading the way with the Head of the Undead Race, eventually arriving at the gates of Xuhai City. This was where their journey had begun. ¡°Have we escaped the illusion?¡± the Head of the Undead Race inquired. Gu Chaoyan shook her head slightly. Not necessarily. The certainty of their escape from the illusion remained elusive. But one thing was clear to her.. Chapter 2204 - 2204: Escape 2 Chapter 2204 - 2204: Escape 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Time was slipping away, and the most crucial task at hand was preserving the lives of those who remained. This had always been Gu Chaoyan¡¯s steadfast belief. ¡°None of us can stand against Pei Yueling. It seems she¡¯s focused on someone else for now, granting us a window to escape. There are too many deceased disciples¡¯ bodies here for us to carry. It¡¯s only a matter of time before Pei Yueling returns. We must return to the school promptly and disclose the truth about the situation in Xuhai City.¡± ¡°Furthermore¡­¡± ¡°¡­,¡± a hesitant murmur.
¡°We¡¯ve uncovered Pei Yueling¡¯s secret, and we¡¯ve glimpsed the true malevolence of the Grand Unity Sect. If we rush back now, we might bring cmity upon the sect, and Pei Yueling and the Grand Unity Sect might pursue us relentlessly.¡± ¡® more contemtive silence. ¡°When you return to the sect, exercise extreme caution and devise a n without dy.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words illuminated the minds of everyone present. It made sense! Pei Yueling had initially intended to silence them to ensure that today¡¯s events remained hidden. However, circumstances had shifted. They had managed to escape, and when they did, word would spread to all the major sects. How long could the Grand Unity Sect protect them? For a moment, they were torn, uncertain whether returning home was the right choice. Going back could indeed bring dire consequences to their school! ¡°Is there any alternative, perhaps avoiding a return to the school?¡± Elder Man subconsciously inquired of Gu Chaoyan, as if she were their guiding force. It was thanks to her that they had managed to break free from the clutches of the school. ¡°Even if Pei Yueling doesn¡¯t return to the school, it¡¯s only a matter of time before she takes action against your school. She¡¯s already manipting the school¡¯s disciples, and what transpired in Xuhai City will repeat itself. By the third urrence, it will be exceedingly challenging for her to target your school,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated bluntly. Pei Yueling had alreadyid such ns in motion. There was no evading it. That was the unfortunate reality they faced. ¡°The top priority now is to return to our respective sects and divulge the truth. Together, we can devise a strategy to confront the Grand Unity Sect,¡± Gu Chaoyan added cautiously. With that said¡­ She had no desire to linger here any longer, so she urged them to depart. Their concern was that Pei Yueling could reappear at any moment, and by then, those remaining would be in grave danger. Disciples from the major sects were flying back to their respective sects using Sword Kinesis Flight. In Xuhai City, chaos reigned, and many disciples from the major sects had perished. The majority hailed from the Fengyun Sect, with only a few belonging to the Supreme Sect. There were now less than 100 scattered survivors. Elder Lin had also vanished. Gu Chaoyan had no information on the situation, and she could only wait until she returned to the school. Upon their arrival at the Supreme Sect, they were greeted by a sect member. Observing only 100 individuals returning, she was taken aback. ¡°What happened?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Let¡¯s return to the school first,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied. As they passed by the Array Sect, Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t take the lead. Instead, shegged behind. She hadn¡¯t had the chance earlier, but now she intended to find Yan Wuji. He was an outer sect disciple who had apanied her to Xuhai City. She had left Yan Wuji many things, and as long as he used them, he would be fine. But as she looked about¡­ Gu Chaoyan did not see Yan Wuji. Something happened to him? But Zhuo Yuanbai shed past her, all of a sudden.. Chapter 2207 - 2207: The Zhuo Family’s Destruction 1 Chapter 2207 - 2207: The Zhuo Family¡¯s Destruction 1 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions When Elder Man of the Supreme Sect abruptly departed, he tightly grasped the leader of the Undead Race. The leader of the Undead Race wore a deeply perplexed expression. What did this entail for him? He had been coborating with Gu Chaoyan, necessitating his support in all matters. However, Supreme Sect¡¯s involvement offered him no advantages. Why drag him along in the first ce? The elderly man possessed formidable strength, making it impossible to shake him off. The leader of the Undead Race appeared utterly helpless.
As disciples from the major sects returned to their respective sects¡­ In Xuhai City, Pei Yueling was enduring a miserable time. She had sensed his presence but couldn¡¯t locate him. Her initial joy had turned into irritation. Upon her return to Xuhai City, her intention had been to exploit the spiritual resources and practices of thousands of disciples to alleviate her displeasure. However, when she arrived in Xuhai City, she was greeted by the sight of hundreds of deceased Undead Race members. Aside from those who had perished within the illusion, the rest had all vanished, and the protective enchantmenty shattered. Pei Yueling seethed with anger. ¡°You¡¯re all useless!¡± Sheunched an attack on the Undead Race members, who continued to cry out. For a moment, Xuhai City took on a menacing appearance. ¡°What should we do? If those disciples escape, we¡¯ll undoubtedly be exposed to the major sects. It¡¯s possible that not only you but also the Grand Unity Sect will be implicated,¡± the man beside her cautioned her after she had vented her fury. This was the immediate issue they needed to address. The Undead Race members in Xuhai City were their own kin, and attacking them proved futile.@@novelbin@@ Pei Yueling¡¯s expression darkened. Nothing was proceeding as nned! Her mood took a sour turn as numerous problems marred what had initially seemed like a wless n. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Pei Yueling retorted, clearly displeased by his timidity. ¡°We may indeed be more powerful than the other major sects individually, but if they unite, it could pose a challenge. Furthermore, there¡¯s substantial dissent within the Grand Unity Sect regarding your practices¡­¡± the man exined. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll simply prevent them from uniting,¡± Pei Yueling snapped. ¡°Moon Sect has leaned on our support for a long time; a little persuasion will keep them loyal. As for the Fengyun Sect and Baiyun Sect, they aren¡¯t particrly formidable. Even if they join forces, they¡¯ll emerge severely weakened. If the Grand Unity Sect arranges for someone to discuss cooperation, they¡¯ll likely acquiesce.¡± ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t have to tolerate any resistance, but¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with the mighty Supreme Sects first, then dismantle them one by one. Those sects are as good as gone; it¡¯s all part of the premeditated n,¡± Pei Yueling regained her confidence in an instant. The failure in Xuhai City was but a minor setback. The reason for her setback had been his unexpected appearance and interference. Given the circumstances, they could simply expedite the n. ¡°Excellent, excellent!¡± the man grinned, thoroughly pleased with the strategy. When the Grand Unity Sect absorbed these sects, they would swiftly ascend to super sect status. Thinking about this bright future¡­ His mood took a turn for the better. And in that very moment¡­ Chapter 2209 - 2209: The Zhuo Family’s Destruction 3 Chapter 2209 - 2209: The Zhuo Family¡¯s Destruction 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, Madame Zhuo felt a surge of anxiety wash over her. She hailed from no sect herself, but in the grand tapestry of the Shenyou Dynasty, it was customary for noble families and dynasties to send their progeny to esteemed sects like the Supreme Sect. Those fortunate enough to gain eptance into such sects always maintained a strong connection, even when circumstances took them away from their family ns. They never failed to mention their sect. The distinction between outer sect disciples and inner sect disciples within the Supreme Sect wasmon knowledge throughout the Shenyou Dynasty. Inner sect disciples enjoyed the privileges of sect membership, with ess to a wealth of knowledge beyond the reach of their outer sect counterparts. Furthermore, they held prestigious positions within the sect hierarchy. If Madame Zhuo truly harbored intentions, her path to influence was unobstructed. Unbeknownst to the Zhuo Family, the woman before them, a member of the Yan Family, had ascended to the coveted status of an inner disciple within the Supreme Sect.
Manipting matters concerning the Zhuo Family would be a straightforward task for her. Fear had taken hold of Madame Zhuo. She dreaded the possibility of a calcted vendetta by Gu Chaoyan that could undermine the flourishing Zhuo Family. This concern prompted her to invoke the rules of the Supreme Sect in front of all, attempting to salvage some dignity for the Zhuo Family while offering a gentle reminder.@@novelbin@@ Yet, her efforts were in vain¡­ She wasn¡¯t issuing a threat to Gu Chaoyan, who had already resolved her course of action. With a calm gaze, Gu Chaoyan responded, ¡°The rules of the Supreme Sect? Your qualifications to remind me are insufficient, and I¡¯m more well-versed in them than you are.¡± Indeed. Inner sect disciples of the Supreme Sect were barred from interfering with the examination. However¡­ Gu Chaoyan had never harbored intentions of meddling with the examination itself. Her n was far more sinister: to ensure that everyone from the Zhuo Family met their demise alongside Yan Wuji! Yan Wuji¡¯s unfortunate encounter in Xuhai City had been no ident; Zhuo Yuanbai¡¯s sinister and cunning nature was evident in the shadow cast over those events. While Zhuo Yuanbai had already met his demise, Gu Chaoyan harbored no intention of sparing the Zhuo Family. What purpose would their preservation serve? To potentially perpetuate a legacy of trouble for the Yan Family for generations toe? Her objective was clear: to eliminate the root of the issue. Zhuo Yuanming¡¯s qualifications did not meet the standards required for participation in the examination. The connection to the rules of the Supreme Sect was tenuous at best. Gu Chaoyan raised her gaze to meet Madame Zhuo¡¯s eyes. Then, without another word, she took her seat as directed by Madame Yan. Madame Zhuo remained in a state of disarray, left without any sce from those around her. The des and praises flowed freely toward the Yan Family. They now possessed inner sect disciples, a fact thatmanded respect and even fear. Many had children at the Supreme Sect, yet they remained as outer sect disciples for years. The Yan Family¡¯s rapid ascent in such a short time testified to its extraordinary nature. It was evident which held greater significance and which did not. The Zhuo Family, it seemed, had brought their troubles upon themselves. Meanwhile, the Yan Family¡¯s resurgence was on the horizon. A collective sigh of realization swept through the onlookers. Times had undeniably changed. Madame Yan beamed with pride. The transformation of the Yan Family had taken everyone by surprise. Madame Yan¡¯s immense pride became too much for Madame Zhuo to bear. She had contemted reaching out to Zhuo Yuanbai to gain insights into the current situation concerning him and Yuan Ming. However, leaving prematurely would have been impolite. So, she persevered, feigningposure in an increasingly ufortable environment. Fortunately, the banquet concluded swiftly. Madame Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief and made her hasty exit.. Chapter 2211 - 2211: The Zhuo Family’s Destruction 5 Chapter 2211 - 2211: The Zhuo Family¡¯s Destruction 5 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I am here for something,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered. The men from the Yan Family remained silent, patiently waiting for Gu Chaoyan to continue. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face twisted with distress, rendering her speechless. She skillfully redirected the conversation, stating, ¡°I¡¯m uncertain if you are familiar with the Undead Race, but recently, many passing disciples have fallen victim to their attacks.¡± ¡°Both inner sect and outer sect disciples have been dispatched to Xuhai City for a specific mission,¡± she continued.
¡°Elder Brother Wuji,¡± Gu Chaoyan turned her attention to one of the outer sect disciples, ¡°you are among those chosen for this mission.¡± ¡°Regrettably, some of the supplies I had prepared for Elder Brother Wuji were stolen by Zhuo Yuanbai. While Zhuo Yuanbai returned unscathed from the mission in Xuhai City, Elder Brother Wuji¡­¡± As Gu Chaoyan spoke these words, a loud tter echoed in the room as Madame Yan lost her grip on her cup, which shattered upon impact.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t explicitly state it, but her message was crystal clear: something had happened to Yan Wuji. Yan Shuang and Zhao Yiqiu exchanged worried nces. ¡°Is he¡­ did he manage to survive?¡± Yan Shuang asked, her voice trembling. Gu Chaoyan shook her head, implying the grim reality. Xuhai City had be an intricate web ofplications. She chose not to reveal the deeper conflicts involving the major sects and the Grand Unity Sect, leaving her exnation at that. ¡°Zhuo Yuanbai!¡± Madame Yan¡¯s voice dripped with venomous hatred. Wuji should have had a chance at survival, but he fell victim to a frame-up orchestrated by his fellow students¡ªa fact that Madame Yan found utterly intolerable. She, along with the entire Yan Family and the Old Master, had prepared for a visit to the sect. The sect would undoubtedly offer support to the Yan Family, expecting their loyalty in return. If Wuji had met his end during a mission, they could have reluctantly epted it. However, the me rested squarely on Zhuo Yuanbai¡¯s shoulders, a bitter truth that Madame Yan simply could not bear. ¡°T¡¯ve already taken Zhuo Yuanbai¡¯s life, and I¡¯m here to ensure he pays the price,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated firmly. ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± Madame Yan dered, her resolve unwavering. ¡°I had braced myself for the possibility of something happening to Wuji when he joined the sect. But when it¡¯s like this, I can¡¯t simply let it go. I need to personally eliminate the Zhuo Family to find closure.¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement, taken aback by Madame Yan¡¯s strength. Madame Yan¡¯s determination far exceeded her expectations. Together, they would seek vengeance against the Zhuo Family. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed,¡± Gu Chaoyan said, activating Sword Kinesis Flight and inviting Madame Yan to join her. Though she had not initially intended to use Sword Kinesis Flight during their time in the Shenyou Dynasty, Gu Chaoyan believed it would be more efficient now, especially considering Madame Yan¡¯s pregnancy. Madame Yan strapped on the sword, determined and ready. They set off toward the Zhuo Family. Meanwhile, at the Zhuo Family¡¯s residence, the family members had gathered together under Madame Zhuo¡¯s summoning after her return from the banquet. The Zhuo Family and the Yan Family were longstanding adversaries, their enmity dating back to the incident at Star Moon Pavilion. Moreover, there was a deep-seated mutual antipathy between the two ns. Initially, the Zhuo Family had remained unperturbed by their rivalry. However, an unexpected twist urred when an inner sect disciple emerged seemingly out of nowhere, disrupting the Zhuo Family¡¯s carefullyid ns. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you been in touch with your brother?¡± Madame Zhuo¡¯s voice wasced with frustration. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Why didn¡¯t he inform us about the Yan Family¡¯s inner sect disciple? I wonder when this Yan Family disciple ns to join the inner sect..¡± Chapter 2214 - 2214: The Zhuo Family’s Destruction 8 Chapter 2214 - 2214: The Zhuo Family¡¯s Destruction 8 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Aware of the myriad rules within the school and Gu Chaoyan¡¯s pressingmitments elsewhere, the Yan Family hesitated to detain her for long. Consequently, they bid her farewell. Following Gu Chaoyan¡¯s departure¡­ News of the Zhuo Family¡¯s plight swiftly spread throughout the entire Shenyou Dynasty, vet the Dynasty remained indifferent, its noble houses indifferent as well. The Zhuo Family dissolved into obscurity. Nevertheless¡­
As the Zhuo Family vanished into thin air, the Yan Family saw their prestige resurge within the Shenyou Dynasty,pelling everyone to afford them the highest regard. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan made her return to the Supreme Sect a dayter. Sensing an unsettling aura surrounding the Supreme Sect as she drew near, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s unease grew. Rushing back to the sect¡­ She encountered a state of disarray within the Supreme Sect. Avoiding contact with anyone else, she sought out the reclusive Head of the Undead Race, who had taken refuge amidst the intermediate chaos. Annoyance coursed through her as she beheld his timidity. Few were as craven as he. Lifting her up, he inquired, ¡°What has urred? Why is the Supreme Sect in such turmoil?¡± Gu Chaoyan demanded answers. The Head of the Undead Race exuded excitement upon seeing her. ¡°At longst, you¡¯ve returned, and cmity is about to befall the Supreme Sect. The Grand Unity Sect is preparing to assail us, while the other sects remain passive. It appears that Pei Yueling has sessfully persuaded them, offering incentives. The Grand Unity Sect anticipates a swift victory. Mr. Head remains secluded in the intermediate realm, and Elder Lin has vanished. Chaos reigns.¡± ¡°Wee back. Let¡¯s not waste any time. I would¡¯ve already made my escape if I hadn¡¯t been waiting for you. We¡¯ve lost precious moments, and we might encounter members of the Grand Unity Sect,¡± the Head of the Undead Race uttered anxiously, preparing to flee. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s irritation red as she gazed at him. It appeared he was about to abandon their cause entirely. That was simply inconceivable. She halted him, retorting, ¡°Why are you running away? We are a part of the Supreme Sect; we can¡¯t just flee.¡± ¡°You may be part of the Supreme Sect, but I am not. If you won¡¯t escape, I¡¯ll do it alone. If you survive, find me at our usual meeting spot. If not, I¡¯ll seek another ally. Farewell.¡± Seeing that Gu Chaoyan was not swayed, the Head of the Undead Race resolved to depart promptly. However, as he took a few steps away, Gu Chaoyan forcefully pulled him back. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°My revered goddess, I have no affiliation with the Supreme Sect!¡± the Head of the Undead Race pleaded. ¡°My affairs are your affairs. Let¡¯s go and consult with Elder Men,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered as she swept him along. That was her intent. For one, she was a disciple of the Supreme Sect and thus responsible for its matters. Secondly, in the event of a crisis within the Supreme Sect, the fate of the mystical realm hung in the bnce. There existed only one Origin Grass within the mystical realm, and she needed to obtain it. Gu Chaoyan, along with the Head of the Undead Race, headed to Elder Men¡¯s location.@@novelbin@@ On their journey¡­ They crossed paths with Di Hongyun, Lv Zhengyang, and Yuan Jia. Di Hongyun sported a newly grown beard, his countenance devoid of any smiles. Lv Zhengyang did not change. Yuan Jia smiled. ¡°Junior Sister, where are you going?¡± ¡°Supreme Sect is in trouble, you are not running away, are you?¡± Lv Zhengyang said ironically.. Chapter 2218 - 2218: The Biggest Crisis at Supreme Sect 3 Chapter 2218 - 2218: The Biggest Crisis at Supreme Sect 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaovan and the others set out alongside the Elder Men. However, the Head of the Undead Race had different ns. He contemted making a discreet escape, fully aware that the impending battle could spell doom for him if he didn¡¯t slip away unnoticed. As he took a few cautious steps, Gu Chaoyan intervened, pulling him back gently. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The Head of the Undead Race let out a sly chuckle and winked at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You may be willing to risk your life, but I¡¯ve just survived a perilous ordeal, and I value my existence. I won¡¯t willingly march into danger.¡± Gu Chaoyan, her voice hushed, tried to persuade him. ¡°The mystic realm holds countless treasures. If we can secure even a few of them, your recovery is practically guaranteed. Without your support, I can¡¯t ensure the safety of the Supreme Sect and the mystic realm. These treasures are the key. Won¡¯t you reconsider? We¡¯re all taking a risk here.¡±
The Head of the Undead Race found himself taken aback. How had things turned out this way? He realized that Gu Chaoyan had been safeguarding the mystic realm for a reason; she wouldn¡¯t have taken such a stance without good cause. Could there truly be valuable treasures hidden within the mystic realm? If that were the case, it wouldn¡¯t be in his best interest to escape outright. Gu Chaoyan sealed the deal. ¡°You can have the lion¡¯s share of the mystic realm¡¯s treasures.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± The Head of the Undead Race agreed without hesitation. He decided to stick with the group, giving him a chance to win the gamble. If things went south, he could always make a hasty escape or feign his demise. With newfound determination, the Head of the Undead Race ceased his escape attempt and followed Gu Chaoyan peacefully. As they strolled along, they noticed that the day had suddenly grown darker. Gu Chaoyan raised her gaze and was taken aback. Previously, there had been only a small magical creature perched atop the school, but now, there was an additional colossal dragon, a long-standing presence. Comparing the enormous dragon in the sky to the small, loach-like dragon in her arms, the contrast was stark and unsettling. The members of the Supreme Sect seemed to sense an impending catastrophe, their expressions grim. The Elder Men sighed deeply. Gu Chaoyan gently shook the Dragonman in her arms, urging it to look up into the sky. When the Dragonman followed her gaze and spotted the colossal dragon, its eyes widened. Before she could fullyprehend the situation, Gu Chaoyan questioned urgently, ¡°What are the odds of winning?¡± The little dragon responded indignantly, ¡°Are you insane?! Just look at its sizepared to me! I can tell at a nce that I stand no chance against it! How can you even ask about winning odds? There are none! Hand over the jewelry my father left me, and I¡¯ll make a quick escape. I refuse to perish alongside a fool like you. That giant dragon could send me flying with a mere swipe!¡± The Dragonman dered confidently. Gu Chaoyan was left speechless. It seemed everyone¡­ Everyone wanted to escape. Including the two before her. Why was she surrounded by a group of would-be fugitives? ¡°That¡¯s out of the question. Follow my lead, and don¡¯t even think about running away,¡± Gu Chaoyan rejected the idea outright, ced the Dragonman back in her arms, and continued following the Elder Men. As they ascended into the sky using Sword Kinesis Flight.. Members of the Grand Unity Sect were also present. Among them was Pei Yueling, the daughter of the Grand Unity Sect¡¯s leader, apanied by numerous Paragons and Martial Immortals.@@novelbin@@ Pei Yueling expressed her surprise upon spotting Gu Chaoyan.. ¡°You again?¡± Chapter 2222 - 2222: The Biggest Crisis at Supreme Sect 7 Chapter 2222 - 2222: The Biggest Crisis at Supreme Sect 7 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The diminutive dragon man lounged in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s arms, his words slipping outzily. Upon hearing his reassurance, Gu Chaoyan felt a wave of relief wash over her. She decided to inquire further, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Supreme Sect boasts formidable enchantments, imprable to monsters like us from the Dragon Race. While we¡¯re noble, we¡¯re still considered monsters. That woman is merely trying to intimidate you, ¡± the dragon man exined with a calm demeanor. ¡°Alright,¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, finally dispelling her fears. Despite the dragon¡¯s menacing appearance, the Head of the Supreme Sect chimed in, ¡°Fear not. You may not be aware of Supreme Sect¡¯s defenses.
Monsters cannot simply stroll in nonchntly and without consequence.¡± These words from the Sect Headforted many in attendance. Pei Yueling, sensing the diminishing aura of intimidation, wasted no time and issued an order for the Grand Unity Sect¡¯s disciples to step forward. In response, the disciples of the Grand Unity Sect rushed to the forefront. Individuals like Lv Zhengyang, hailing from the Supreme Sect, hesitated to move, wanting to avoid drawing undue suspicion. Pei Yueling cast an irritated nce at these hesitant individuals and dered, ¡°Now, it¡¯s your time to shine!¡± Given that no disciples from the Supreme Sect were willing to surrender, there was no need for them to maintain a facade. Since they had already pledged allegiance to the Grand Unity Sect, there was no going back. In such a scenario, Pei Yueling saw fit to make use of their situation, with no intention of treating them kindly. No matter the circumstances, the disciples of the Grand Unity Sect were undoubtedly moremendable than their counterparts. Lv Zhengyang couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of displeasure as he was unexpectedly scolded.@@novelbin@@ However, he dared not utter another word,pelled to proceed despite his reservations. Such treatment was unheard of at the Supreme Sect, where he had never faced such scolding. He wouldn¡¯t have endured this ordeal if it weren¡¯t for his aspirations. The Grand Unity Sect disciples surged forward, their counterparts from the Wushang Sect brandishing weapons as they too advanced. The disciples from both sides shed inbat, leaving injuries in their wake. Yet, within the stronghold of the Supreme Sect, injured disciples were swiftly reced, and the Medicine Sect provided salvation for those wounded. Those with severe injuries would recover swiftly with the aid of potent medicinal pills. The Supreme Sect spared no expense, using their entire stock of these remedies. While the Supreme Sect disciples may have been physically weaker, their timely assistance ensured that they did not endure excessive suffering. The odds appeared bnced. Upon witnessing the unfolding spectacle, Pei Yueling suggested that the martial arts masters apanying her take action. Before long, numerous Supreme Sect disciples found themselves injured. Gu Chaoyan nced at Yuan Jia, who nodded subtly before joining the fray alongside the intermediate fighters. Employing her white jade sword, Gu Chaoyan, though only a Martial God, wielded the inherited power of the Dragon Race, allowing her to contend with the Grand Unity Sect¡¯s ordinary disciples with ease. However¡­ The Grand Unity Sect swiftly adapted their strategy, deploying their Paragons to encircle Gu Chaoyan and Yuan Jia. Dealing with a Paragon proved to be a formidable challenge for Gu Chaoyan. Elder Men from the Wushang Sect had no choice but to step in. Meanwhile, the Supreme Sect¡¯s elder men remained off the stage, and Pei Yueling herself entered the fray. Pei Yueling held a slightly higher standing than the Head of the Supreme Sect. As the battle raged on, casualties mounted within the ranks of the Supreme Sect.. Chapter 2226 - 2226: Tribe Chief of the Undead Race 2 Chapter 2226 - 2226: Tribe Chief of the Undead Race 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions She was acquainted with the Tribe Chief of the Undead Race? It seemed like they shared a history. What exactly was happening here? If the Tribe Chief was willing to lend a hand, it could mean salvation for the Supreme Sect. They wouldn¡¯t have to rely on those other experts itching to venture into the mystic realm. ¡°We?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression twisted with confusion, but she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to deny the significance of the situation. The Supreme Sect desperately needed the Tribe Chief¡¯s assistance. Even if she had made a mistake in the past, she was determined to make amends. However¡­@@novelbin@@ A pang of guilt crept over Gu Chaoyan, causing her smile to stiffen.
She also worried that revealing too much might jeopardize her n. So, after her brief pause, she smiled and patiently awaited the Tribe Chief¡¯s next move. Observing this exchange, the Head of the Undead Race found himself both shocked and puzzled. He discreetly jabbed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s arm and winked. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why didn¡¯t you inform us earlier that our Tribe Chief is an old friend of yours?¡± He regretted how he had treated her initially and vowed to treat her better from now on. If he could gain her favor, perhaps she might persuade the Tribe Chief to assist them. That would be an incredible advantage. The Head of the Undead Race felt a mix of distress and relief. At the same time, he recognized the fortuitous oue of his coboration with Gu Chaoyan. Without her, he wouldn¡¯t be in this favorable position. It wasn¡¯t toote to make amends. With a ttering look directed at Gu Chaoyan and then at the Tribe Chief, the Head of the Undead Race wore a satisfied expression. Gu Chaoyan exchanged a hesitant wink with the Tribe Chief, her confusion mirroring his own. What exactly was transpiring here? The Tribe Chief had just arrived and imed they hadn¡¯t met in a long time, but Gu Chaoyan had no recollection of any prior encounter with him. She was entirely innocent in this perplexing situation. She had anticipated that the Head of the Undead Race would offer assistance, but instead, he seemed to be showering her with ttery. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how she had been so oblivious to coborate with someone like him. Their subtle exchange didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the Tribe Chief, who chuckled at their interaction. It was the first time he had seen Feng Le act in such a manner. Was she¡­ a bit cute? The Tribe Chief¡¯sughter prompted them to restrain their gestures, leaving both with stiff smiles, especially Gu Chaoyan, who found it increasingly difficult to maintain herposure. ¡°I sensed that you were in trouble, so I came,¡± the Tribe Chief exined. While Gu Chaoyan had been momentarily shocked by his earlier im of a long absence, now that she heard his voice directly, she was genuinely surprised. The Head of the Zombie Tribe had sounded aged and experienced, like an old uncle. But the Tribe Chief¡¯s voice conveyed youth and charisma. It left Gu Chaoyan puzzled. She turned to look at the Head of the Undead Race, feeling somewhat let down by his earlier behavior. As Gu Chaoyan sighed internally, the Head of the Undead Race passed a ck authority token to her. ¡°You won¡¯t need to trouble yourself further; just summon me when needed.¡± ¡°¡­..¡±Gu Chaoyan epted the authority token with a guilty smile directed at the Tribe Chief. Holding the token felt like holding a delicate and dangerous secret. They were both entirely in the dark about what was unfolding, and Gu Chaoyan was well aware that summoning the wrong person next time could be disastrous. She valued her life too much to take such risks.. Chapter 2229 - 2229: Opening of the Mystic realm 2 Chapter 2229 - 2229: Opening of the Mystic realm 2 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions People from the major sects had gathered here as well. Among them were representatives from the Baiyun Sect, Fengyun Sect, the Moon Sect, and even members of the imperial family from the Shenyou Dynasty. Gu Chaoyan had never encountered any of these sects before, and the emblems on their clothing were entirely unfamiliar to her. The sudden influx of so many individuals into the mystic realm left Gu Chaoyan utterly astonished. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what made the Level Five mystic realm of the Supreme Sect so enticing. Even though the sect had previously opened this mystic realm, it seemed that its appeal had grown exponentially, drawing people in despite its defenses. This new mystic realm of the Supreme Sect felt drastically different from the one she had known before, leaving Gu Chaoyan thoroughly perplexed. ¡°What is happening here?¡± Gu Chaoyan muttered softly, her voice tinged with confusion. As soon as the words left her lips, the Head of the Undead Race appeared to be brimming with enthusiasm as he eximed, ¡°I¡¯ll go and inquire.¡±
Gu Chaoyan was taken aback by this sudden motivation disyed by the Head of the Undead Race. It was an unexpected change in his demeanor. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had sparked this newfound determination in him. The Head of the Undead Race hastily departed but returned shortly afterward with a smile. He exined, ¡°Well, it appears there is a mansion for ancient practitioners located just not so faraway from the mystic realm. Moreover, a high-level magical monster has recently emerged in that vicinity. The allure of such high-level magical monsters alone is enough to draw countless individuals into the mystic realm, not to mention the presence of the ancient practitioners¡¯ mansion.¡± Gu Chaoyan was left momentarily speechless. ¡°The world is vast, and while there are numerous types of monsters, high-level magical monsters are exceedingly rare,¡± the Head of the Undead Race continued. ¡°For instance, your Supreme Sectcks any magical monsters, but the Grand Unity Sect possesses one. This sets your sects apart as formidable entities. Those other sects that have no ess to magical monsters, like ours, havee to this mystic realm in search of fortune. If we can sessfully capture one of these magical monsters, our sect¡¯s power will grow substantially in just a few years.¡± ¡°Furthermore, if you happen to acquire one of those ancient practitioners¡¯ mansions, you¡¯ll practically have free rein over the entire Shenyou Continent. But who are these practitioners, anyway? The magical power in the Shenyou Continent isn¡¯t typically sufficient to support individuals with such advanced levels of practice,¡± the Head of the Undead Raceined, his toneced with irritation. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes in response. This was a far cry from the man of few words she had known, who used to be cautious about saying too much to avoid trouble. Now, he was prattling on endlessly, and most of what he was saying seemed like nonsense. What truly mattered were the ancient mansions and the presence of magical monsters within the mystic realm. It was just a Level-5 mystic realm; how could it contain something so powerful? Gu Chaoyan was thoroughly perplexed. Furthermore¡­ Who had leaked this information? How did all these people be aware of the secrets within the mystic realm? Just as Gu Chaoyan was pondering these questions, the Head of the Undead Race rubbed his hands together and smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m doing quite well, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Hearing his words, Gu Chaoyan knew that he had ulterior motives.@@novelbin@@ Instead of answering his inquiry¡­ The Head of the Undead Race continued, ¡°What is your rtionship with our Tribe Chief? Our Tribe Chief is quite reserved. He rarely intervenes on our behalf, let alone assisting others.¡± ¡°Moreover, you¡¯re so young. How could you possibly be old friends with our Tribe Chief? That¡¯s rather perplexing.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know about the authority token?¡± Chapter 2234 - 2234: Altar of the Dead 3 Chapter 2234 - 2234: Altar of the Dead 3 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Di Hongyun finally grasped the gravity of the situation. The mystic realm, it appeared, was far more intricate than what Senior Brother had let on. The mystic realm Senior Brother had described and the one they now found themselves in were two entirely different realms. Senior Brother¡¯s description had hinted at some tests, yet it paled inparison to the peril that surrounded them now.
In the town, a sinister practice known as ¡°death worship¡±pelled people to inflict harm upon themselves by manipting their minds, leaving their souls and sanity trapped within the town. It was a horrifying ordeal. One wrong step, and they could suffer a simr fate. Such an extreme trial was unprecedented, even within the Supreme Sect. Something must have gone terribly wrong within this mystic realm. Fortunately, he had entered this realm with his junior sister; otherwise, there would have been no one to aid her. The Head of the Undead Race wore a grave expression as he closely followed Gu Chaoyan. Outside the town, there was no trace of bloodshed. It resembled an ordinary town, except for its eerie emptiness. Thankfully, the town¡¯s monstrous inhabitants seemed confined by some enchantment, preventing them from freely roaming. If not for this, they would have surely met their demise. A creeping sense of betrayal began to gnaw at the Head of the Undead Race. Gu Chaoyan had promised him numerous opportunities for regaining his Dharmic powers within the mystic realm, which had lured him in. Little had he known that he would be risking his life in such a treacherous ce. Had he been aware of this, he would never have ventured in. Regret welled up within him. As they walked, the Head of the Undead Race adopted a more conciliatory tone, addressing Gu Chaoyan, ¡°Youngdy, something seems amiss in this mystic realm. One who reads the signs wisely knows when to retreat. Perhaps it¡¯s best if we abandon our current pursuit and leave these artifacts behind. There will be ample opportunities in the future to obtain them without risking our lives. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±
Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him. He had just entered, and now he was already contemting an escape? The Head of the Undead Race was notorious for his propensity to flee from challenges. However, his pattern was predictable: after merely a day or two, he would invariably return.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan chose her words carefully as she addressed him, ¡°You see, when the mystic realm opens, it stays open. We¡¯re here now, and the mystic realm must remain open. In one month, it will close again, and that¡¯s when we can leave.¡± The Head of the Undead Race was left momentarily speechless. ¡°What¡¯s more,¡± Gu Chaoyan continued, ¡°since we can¡¯t leave at the moment, why not explore and see if we can find anything valuable? Even hiding here won¡¯t guarantee safety; danger could lurk just around the corner.¡± The Head of the Undead Race stiffened. What kind of situation had they stumbled into? They were trapped here, with no way out? An entire month? No one had ever endured such a prolonged stay. Di Hongyun chimed in to rify, ¡°This is how the mystic realm operates. It opens and remains essible for one month. Disciples from the Supreme Sect used toe here for a month of cultivation. Despair filled the Head of the Undead Race as he muttered, ¡°We¡¯re all doomed here.¡± Additionally¡­ Chapter 2238 - 2238: Mystic realm 3 Chapter 2238 - 2238: Mystic realm 3
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions@@novelbin@@ The stone statue possessed an overwhelming, unfathomable power. One of the disciples from the Three Pure Ones found themselves ensnared by the statue¡¯s unyielding grip, unable to break free. This formidable sculpture seemed impervious to any attack, impervious to the relentless expenditure of spiritual energy, weapons, or enchanted armaments. To be touched by the stone statue meant grave injury, with no recourse for defense. Helpless and outmatched, they faced a grim reality.
Recognizing the gaping chasm in their strength, the disciples of the Three Pure Ones opted for a strategic retreat, instinctively following Gu Chaoyan¡¯s lead. On one side, therey buildings providing cover, while on the other side, a perilous expanse of open terrain left them vulnerable to further attacks. Gu Chaoyan keenly observed the unfolding chaos. Her eyes flitted between the Three Pure Ones disciples fleeing the relentless stone statues and the distressed cries emanating from a nearby room. She began to piece together the puzzle. The individuals inside must have been driven here by the stone statues; this was theirst refuge. As they entered the courtyard, the statues halted their advance. ¡°We¡¯re safe now,¡± dered one of the disciples from the Three Pure Ones with a hint of relief, confident that the mystic realm belonged to them and posed no threat. But Gu Chaoyan disagreed, her voice unwavering. The unsettling sounds persisted within the yard, suggesting that those trapped inside were embroiled in a dire situation. And they¡­ There was no other way out. Their only escape routes led either into the yard or toward confrontation with the stone statues.
Regrettably, none among them possessed the means to challenge the statues directly. Hence, they faced the grim necessity of taking a calcted risk by venturing into the yard. Yet, their expressions darkened once more, for regardless of their choice, peril loomed ever-present. All they could do was hope for a narrow escape from the clutches of death. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed while there are still people inside,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered calmly. Remaining souls inside could provide crucial assistance. With theirbined strength, they stood a better chance of survival. Any harm to those within would weaken their collective position. The Three Pure Ones¡¯ disciples nodded in agreement. United, they advanced. Yet, they were wise enough to let Gu Chaoyan lead the way. She took the initiative, undeterred by the responsibility. Upon entering, they encountered a group of individuals¡ªsome sect disciples, others practitioners¡ªall holding the door and uttering panicked cries. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°Elder Man from the Moon Sect has gone berserk. He shows no mercy to anyone,¡± someone exined. ¡°We can¡¯t let him out!¡±
The frantic voices indicated the presence of disciples from various schools inside. However, Gu Chaoyan deemed the situation uneptable. ¡°Open the door. We need to subdue the Elder Men!¡± ¡°No, this is thest door. Opening it would put us all in grave danger!¡± Many vehemently rejected the idea. ¡°Even if we refrain from opening the door, those inside won¡¯t endure much longer. By then, our numbers will have dwindled,¡± Gu Chaoyan reasoned. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± Her argument held merit, but they all belonged to the Moon Sect, fully aware of Elder Man¡¯s formidable capabilities.. Chapter 2240 - 2240: Danger 2 Chapter 2240 - 2240: Danger 2
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The other disciples collectively breathed a sigh of relief. In this moment, their only task was to watch as Gu Chaoyan confronted the Elder Man from the Moon Sect.
All eyes were fixed on the unfolding spectacle. The Head of the Undead Race felt a sense of injustice and couldn¡¯t hold back his frustration. He shouted, ¡°What are you all gawking at? Take action!¡± A disrespectful disciple couldn¡¯t contain himself and retorted, ¡°Quiet down, you unattractive woman!¡± He looked at the Head of the Undead Race with disdain. Usually, the female disciples from the school were known for their beauty or at the very least, they carried an air of refinement due to their cultivation. It was rare to find a female disciple who was both unattractive and powerful. To have someone unattractive and powerful now barking orders at them seemed absurd to many. This sentiment resonated with several onlookers, and no one came to the defense of the Head of the Undead Race. Di Hongyun couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the scene. ¡°Now, take action!¡± Gu Chaoyan urged urgently, noticing that some were just standing idly by. It was only then that the gravity of the situation began to sink in for the spectators. They had been overly optimistic to expect a single woman to take on the Elder Man from the Moon Sect. Finally, the Elder Man from the Moon Sect began to resist. In that critical moment, Gu Chaoyan aimed a direct strike at the Elder Man¡¯s throat. The Elder Man from the Moon Sect¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he copsed as the events unfolded.
Gu Chaoyan released a sigh of relief.@@novelbin@@ Well¡­ Fortunately, she had sessfully dealt with him; otherwise, the situation would have been extremely challenging. As the Elder Man from the Moon Sect passed away, someone retrieved a vial from his belongings. While it was not for consumption, it was clearly a valuable item. Some remained skeptical when someone picked up the vial, and tensions escted as they began to vie for it. Gu Chaoyan, however, remained indifferent. She had no desire for such a malevolent pill; anyone else could have it. Anything within the mystic realm had to be taken away. She harbored no concerns about anyone consuming the pills again. While the pills did enhance martial skills, they also exerted control over those who ingested them,pelling them tomit heinous acts. For instance, the Elder Man from the Moon Sect had killed numerous disciples from his own sect. What was the point of such power if it led to such atrocities? Her gaze fixed on the room before her. The room appeared safe, while the real dangery within the bottle of pills. However¡­ Whaty ahead remained an enigma.
¡°This youngdy is astute and capable. In my view, you should lead the way, and we¡¯ll be your protectors. We¡¯ll ensure your safety. As for the rewards, you can make the first selection, and we¡¯ll divide the rest among us,¡± suggested one of the more cautious individuals. Retreat was not an option. They had to press forward. Having encountered numerous perils in the second room, they had no inkling of what dangers the unknown future held. They needed a trailzer, someone who could confront and mitigate these hazards. The figure before them was the ideal choice. While they feared for their lives, they also believed she was the most suitable leader. ¡°That won¡¯t do! You¡¯re all cowards, and if anything happens to her ahead of us, we¡¯ll all be in jeopardy!¡± The Head of the Undead Race tly rejected the proposal. These individuals were shrewd enough to push others towards peril while protecting themselves. He intended to keep a close watch over her and not take any unnecessary risks. ¡°I concur, but I insist on making the first selection to secure more for myself,¡± Gu Chaoyan agreed.. Chapter 2243 - 2243: Danger 5 Chapter 2243 - 2243: Danger 5
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions When Elderly Man Xuan Zhen had been present, their skepticism had clouded their judgment, causing them to dismiss his words. However, in his absence, a growing realization began to take hold. Questions started to surface. Why had Elderly Man Xuan Zhene here in the first ce? What was the purpose of his presence? And most intriguingly, why had he chosen to impart his cultivation knowledge to aplete stranger?
The answers to these questions seemed elusive at first, shrouded in uncertainty. While Elderly Man Xuan Zhen¡¯s spectral presence lingered, their minds were muddled, preventing them from grasping the full picture. But as soon as that phantom vanished, rity returned, and the situation appeared increasingly perplexing. The precise moment Elderly Man Xuan Zhen¡¯s apparition dissipated, Gu Chaoyan was certain that the trial within the room had concluded sessfully. Now, as the next room awaited exploration, an air of uncertainty hung in the air, and the group¡¯s susceptibility to temptation became evident. Gu Chaoyan feltpelled to remind them of the nature of this mystical realm, emphasizing that nothing here came without effort or risk. It was a message that carried particr weight, considering that many among them hailed from prestigious sects and were susceptible to deception. With these words of caution, Gu Chaoyan prepared to open another door. However, an unexpected feeling of apprehension washed over her, causing her to pause. The moment the door swung open, her unease transformed into sheer astonishment. Before her eyesy a sprawling field of medicinal nts, and at the center of this botanical wonder stood a single, extraordinary specimen ¨C the One Origin Grass. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes widened, and excitement surged within her. The sight of this rare treasure ignited a fervor within her heart. The One Origin Grass had indeed been located within the sprawling field, and Gu Chaoyan¡¯s reaction was a mixture of surprise, shock, and intense excitement. It was the very treasure she had sought tirelessly for so long. Unable to contain her enthusiasm, she rushed towards the herbden expanse, taking her first eager step before abruptlying to a halt. Blocking her path was none other than the Head of the Undead Race. This unexpected interruption served as a stark reminder of the perilous nature of the mystic realm. Danger lurked around every corner, and they were never truly safe, regardless of their location. Gu Chaoyan quickly regained herposure, her mind sharpening once more.
She reflected on her recentpse in vignce, driven by the sight of the One@@novelbin@@ Origin Grass and the lush field of herbs. Fortunately, the Head of the Undead Race had intervened to prevent her from wandering too deep into the zone. With newfound calmness, Gu Chaoyan began to assess the field more carefully. While the field seemed devoid of other visible threats, the real danger likely resided among the herbs themselves. Fields of this kind often harbored not only medicinal nts but also poisonous herbs. It was crucial to exercise caution, as one wrong step could lead to poisoning. Furthermore, the exactposition of the herb field remained a mystery to her. ¡°Those are Green Sun Grass and Rootless Grass!¡± someone eximed with excitement. ¡°These are high-grade herbs. Even if they aren¡¯t used for alchemy, they can greatly benefit our cultivation.¡± However, Gu Chaoyan interrupted their eagerness with a stern tone. ¡°Before we entered this ce, you all agreed to let me choose something first.¡± Upon hearing her words, the enthusiasm of the group waned. While they had initially consented to this arrangement, the prospect of relinquishing a significant portion of these valuable herbs troubled them. They had faced danger on their journey to this point, and now Gu Chaoyan was poised to im a substantial share of the profits simply because she led the way. The sentiment among some of them was shifting. ¡°Let¡¯s rely on our own abilities,¡± impatient voices murmured, and some began to depart.. Chapter 2244 - 2244: Danger 6 Chapter 2244 - 2244: Danger 6
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression soured as she realized they had broken their promise. Once the man had left, a wave of others followed suit, exiting the room. The danger had considerably subsided, and Gu Chaoyan was no longer obligated to lead the way.
This was particrly true for the disciples from their school, who had the advantage of strength in numbers. Working together, they could mitigate the risks. As those in a rush began gathering herbs, they quickly amassed a substantial collection. Just as their joy was about to peak, a sudden twist of fate struck, causing them to sumb to poisoning and copse in the field. Witnessing this unexpected turn of events, those who were preparing to leave froze in their tracks, realizing their fortune in not moving too hastily.@@novelbin@@ The disciples of the Three Pure Ones, as well as some others who had remained passive, breathed sighs of relief, acknowledging the wisdom of their restraint. Sometimes, greed should be tempered. Reflecting on their journey here, they had ced their trust in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s capabilities, believing in her abilities. Consequently, they were willing to allow her to im what she needed first. A disciple from the Three Pure Ones extended a courteous invitation, ¡°Youngdy, please feel free to take what you require first, and we will gather the remainder.¡± Having no clear strategy for obtaining the herbs themselves, they preferred to let Gu Chaoyan take the lead. Gu Chaoyan nodded appreciatively and cautiously advanced toward the One Origin Grass. Skillfully avoiding the poisonous herbs, she retrieved the precious nt and secured it within her space. With the One Origin Grass in her possession, Gu Chaoyan felt a profound sense of satisfaction, knowing she had sessfully obtained what she needed. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s determination extended beyond acquiring the One Origin Grass. The Head of the Undead Race required the Green Sun Grass, so Gu Chaoyan diligently collected a substantial quantity of it.
For Di Hongyun, she carefully selected some Rootless Grass, recognizing its immense cultivation benefits. Gu Chaoyan always had her own strategy. Since Rootless Grass was scarce and other disciples were eyeing it as well, she took one-third of the herbs, leaving the remaining two-thirds for the others. Once the herbs were distributed, Gu Chaoyan signaled for them to depart. Regarding the herb-picking technique, she had already demonstrated it, expecting the others to grasp the process without difficulty. The disciples readily epted Gu Chaoyan¡¯s division of the herbs, acknowledging her im as rightful. Gu Chaoyan handed the Green Sun Grass to the Head of the Undead Race and the Rootless Grass to Di Hongyun, advising them to consume the herbs directly to elevate their cultivation. As the Head of the Undead Race gazed at Di Hongyun, a hint of jealousy crossed his face. Although Rootless Grass had no effect on him, it was undoubtedly more advanced than his Green Sun Grass. ¡°The mystic realm is vast; there¡¯s no need to rush,¡± Gu Chaoyan reminded the Head of the Undead Race. Only then did the Head of the Undead Race finally begin consuming the Green Sun Grass. However, at that moment, a shadow stirred within the herb field, catching Gu Chaoyan¡¯s attention.
She fixed her gaze on the mysterious figure. ¡°Magical Beast!¡± someone eximed loudly, disregarding the herbs and immediately pursuing the creature. Gu Chaoyan swiftly followed suit. While her primary objective remained obtaining the One Origin Grass, she was determined to make the most of her time within the mystic realm. It would be great if they could get the magical monsters. Suddenly¡­ Everyone started to catch up with the magical monster.. Chapter 2247 - 2247: Danger 9 Chapter 2247 - 2247: Danger 9
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Head of the Undead Race expressed displeasure after Gu Chaoyan snapped at it. He had no intention of bringing it along, but Di Hongyun found it incredibly endearing. ¡°Since it¡¯s here, why not bring it along? It¡¯s so adorable. Plus, you don¡¯t have a riding tool, do you? It could be useful as it grows older,¡± Di Hongyun suggested, reaching out to cradle the enchanting white deer.
The white deer exuded an air of pride as it allowed him to hold it. Gu Chaoyan, however, remained unimpressed. She couldn¡¯t trust this creature entirely. Its current docile demeanor could shift into mischief at any moment, potentially causing them problems. ¡°If you¡¯re fond of it, take it with you. But mark my words, if it causes any trouble, you¡¯ll regret it,¡± Gu Chaoyan emphasized, her tone tinged with disdain. The magical white deer wiped away a tear on Di Hongyun¡¯s sleeve, seemingly sensing the tension in the air. As they continued their journey, the mysterious magical monster tagged along, seemingly without reason. Gu Chaoyan had never held much interest in magical monsters. Her primary objective was to obtain the One Origin Grass, but what she truly coveted was the ancient monk¡¯s sacred mansion. Acquiring the mansion would enable her to inherit some of the ancient monk¡¯s profound knowledge. Even if she couldn¡¯t inherit any of his teachings, the contents within the sacred mansion would still grant her tremendous power. Her ultimate goal? To surpass Pei Yueling and exact her revenge. But right now¡­ Gu Chaoyan was merely a Martial God, while ording to Pei Yueling¡¯sst knowledge, she had already ascended to the status of a Paragon Martial Saint. After the events in Xuhai City, nobody knew her whereabouts. The gap between them was vast. She urgently needed to locate the ancient monks sacred mansion.
Gu Chaoyan wandered with no clear direction in mind. ¡°Girl,¡± a familiar voice called out. Turning around, Gu Chaoyan spotted the disciples from the Three Pure Ones sect, though their numbers had dwindled since theirst encounter. It was evident they had faced difficulties after their separation, leading to this reduction in their ranks. ¡°Would you be interested in teaming up with us to explore the ancient monk¡¯s sacred mansion? We know its location, so you wouldn¡¯t get the first pick, but you could lead the way. When we reach the sacred mansion, you can choose three items, and we¡¯ll take seven. We¡¯ll make the initial selections,¡± the leading Three Pure Ones disciple proposed. Gu Chaoyan found this offer intriguing. ¡°How do you know the location of the mystical realm? It¡¯s baffling, as we were all disoriented upon entering, with no knowledge of its whereabouts.¡±@@novelbin@@ The Three Pure Ones disciple smiled knowingly. ¡°We didn¡¯t manage to capture the magical monster, but by chance, we stumbled upon a map of the mystical realm. The map reveals the locations of various ces, including the sacred mansion. What do you say?¡± After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Gu Chaoyan nodded her agreement. She epted the offer. Once the Three Pure Ones disciples had knowledge of the sacred mansion¡¯s location, it was a given that they would venture there. They wouldn¡¯t seek her assistance foolishly and might seek help from someone else. At present.. She was in the dark about the situation.
Blindly searching for the sacred mansion would likely result in finding it stripped of its treasures. In that case, cooperation seemed like the sensible choice. Seeing her saying yes¡­ The disciples of the Three Pure Ones looked as if they had known about this for a long time. Then they left together.. Chapter 2250 - 2250: Dark Dungeon 2 Chapter 2250 - 2250: Dark Dungeon 2
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°What should we do?¡± An anxious voice pierced the darkness. ¡°Is anyone here? Open the door! Open the door!¡± The Head of the Undead Race vigorously rattled the door, bellowing into the void.
The entire ce sent shivers down his spine. The scene before him was a living nightmare. For him, it was a profoundly terrifying experience. But there was no response, just as she had feared. Gu Chaoyan shook her head subtly, realizing that the situation was far from straightforward. The mor was deafening. And then, unexpectedly¡­ A ze of light erupted, assaulting Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes. She instinctively shut them tight, then cautiously reopened them. Her surroundings became crystal clear. They were imprisoned within a cage, and beyond the bars¡­ Outside.
Even Gu Chaoyan was repulsed. What in the world was happening? The acrid scent of blood suddenly pervaded the air. Beyond the cell, the Undead Race continued to bleed profusely. They were bereft of skin, their formsprised solely of flesh and blood, devoid of eyes. And at the center of it ally the gruesome scene of skinning. The Undead Race remained emotionless, approaching to unlock the nearest cage, their intentions apparent. ¡°What¡­ what are they doing?¡± Some of the more timid souls began to scream. Everyone present understood the horrifying reality unfolding, though most were unwilling to acknowledge it. He asked involuntarily, almost dreading a negative response. ¡°We¡¯ll y you and assimte you into the Undead Race,¡± replied the Head of the Undead Race with an eerie calmness, a level ofposure he had never disyed before. But¡­ He had endured all of this before, and he was well-acquainted with every gruesome detail.
However¡­ Undead Race members in the mystic realm? He had never encountered the Undead Race before, and now, they seemed even more sinister than he could have imagined. The Head of the Undead Race¡¯s words sent shivers down their spines, confirming their worst fears, further fueling their terror. The unfortunate man who had been taken away was already strapped to the skinning table. The Undead Race members exhibited an eerie emotionlessness as they methodically went about their gruesome task. ying was a cruel and agonizing ordeal, the cries resembling the ughter of pigs echoing relentlessly. Witnessing this horrifying spectacle, some desperately yearned to rescue their fellow schoolmates, yet the door remained firmly shut, denying them any chance. The Head of the Undead Race closed his eyes, his expression fraught with misery. This was the same ordeal he had endured before. ¡°What can we do?!¡± Someone shouted in despair. If this continued¡­ Sooner orter, they would inevitably face the excruciating torment of a life worse than death, transforming into grotesque abominations. They had to devise a solution. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, please, think of something. Our top priority is escaping this ce unscathed. We can address grievancester, once we¡¯re free!¡± The disciples of the Three Pure Ones turned to Gu Chaoyan, their voices pleading. They felt powerless, yet a glimmer of hope resided within them, a belief that Gu Chaoyan held the key to their salvation. After all, she had disyed resourcefulness during their journey here.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan shook her head, her expression filled with despair. There seemed to be no way out. She turned her gaze toward the Head of the Undead Race, hoping he might conjure a solution. ¡°Impossible,¡± the Head of the Undead Race uttered in a tone of hopelessness. ¡°It¡¯s a Level 100 Inferno of Asura, what can you possibly do?¡± Bailu remarked nonchntly while in Di Hongyun¡¯s embrace.. ¡°Your highest level of cultivation barely reaches Paragon Saint status, doesn¡¯t it? How audacious! In the mystic realm, every monster you encounter is as formidable as a Paragon Martial God!¡± Chapter 2254 - 2254: Dark Dungeon 6 Chapter 2254 - 2254: Dark Dungeon 6
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan shot him an infuriated re as they traversed the deste terrain together. The unknowny ahead, veiled in uncertainty. Recollections of the cryptic words uttered by the spectral white deer in the dim dungeon surfaced in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mind, hinting at its knowledge of this enigmatic realm. She rapped her knuckles lightly against the magical white deer¡¯s head and demanded, ¡°Tell me, in painstaking detail, the workings of this mystic realm.¡±
Initially reluctant to converse, the magical white deer hesitated when it pondered the possibility of Gu Chaoyan bing its master. Eventually, it relented, cautioning, ¡°This is the Level 100 Asura mystic realm within therger mystic realm. By venturing here, you¡¯re perilously close to courting death, as this realm harbors an abundance of unresolved grudges.¡± ¡°Ordinarily, you wouldn¡¯t even have ess to this mystic realm. So, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Nevertheless, since we¡¯re already here, we might as well ept our fate and face the dangers that await.¡± ¡°Level 100 Asura mystic realm,¡± someone muttered, their voice quivering. Unbeknownst to them, they had unwittingly stumbled into a realm of formidable challenges. ¡°There¡¯s little of value in this mystic realm, aside from the venerable old man¡¯s sacred abode,¡± Bailu remarked, breaking the silence. ¡°I can guide you to the dwelling of the ancient monk.¡± ¡°The sacred mansion of the ancient monk?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired, turning to Dao Seeking for confirmation. The white deer nodded. ¡°But I have a condition.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, her annoyance simmering. She suspected it had something mischievous in mind, and it was undoubtedly up to no good. ¡°You be my master, and I can do something for you.¡± Bailu said seriously. It was young¡­
But it was a magical monster. It was an exceptionally clever magical creature, coveted by many, though not for its utility but for its mystical allure. However, one woman stood apart from the rest. Her desire wasn¡¯t to possess it; she sought to safeguard it, understanding that its safety was paramount. This notion hadn¡¯t urred to her before, for she had once been too feeble to protect it. But now, as the Elder Man of the Undead Race, she felt qualified for the task. Gu Chaoyan, who had initially been deeply moved, found herself conflicted. The truth was, she didn¡¯t truly covet it. This reluctance irritated the white deer, which had taken the initiative despite her indifference. ¡°Very well, ¡± Gu Chaoyan conceded, her tone somewhat forced. At that moment, an aged, jovial voice resonated, ¡°How unexpected that you managed to break free from here!¡± ¡°The sacred mansion lies just ahead. Hurry, or it will be pilfered.¡± Right in front of them? Without hesitation, the others departed in a frantic rush.
Gu Chaoyan exchanged a nce with the white deer.@@novelbin@@ The magical white deer nodded, and Gu Chaoyan reluctantly followed suit. Her enthusiasm had waned, as she suspected that she had fallen into a cunning scheme. If a situation like this were to repeat itself, she might not be as fortunate. ¡°Is it going to be perilous?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°Yes,¡± the white deer replied candidly. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hold such value if it weren¡¯t perilous.¡± ¡°Obtaining the sacred mansion will pave your way out of here smoothly.¡± Determined, Gu Chaoyan hastened toward the holy mansion. Meanwhile¡­ Gu Chaoyan spotted a strikingly familiar figure. Pei Yueling? What was she doing in this ce? Could she also be after the sacred mansion? If that were the case¡­ Chapter 2256 - 2256: The Holy Mansion 2 Chapter 2256 - 2256: The Holy Mansion 2
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The mystical creature was testing her. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but sense it.
She gently tapped the white deer¡¯s head, almost as if reprimanding it. They departed quietly, leaving no disturbance in their wake among the people. Their sole focus remained on the sacred mansion. ¡°Where are we headed?¡± The Head of the Undead Race inquired of Dao Seeking, casting wary nces around, anxious about unforeseen events. Gu Chaoyan addressed the white deer nestled in Di Hongyun¡¯s arms. The magical white deer suddenly assumed an air of pride, lifting its head high, as if about to reveal the way¡­ Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged. The figure moved swiftly but made no hostile move toward Gu Chaoyan. Consequently, she refrained from pursuing him and stood her ground. The mysterious figure drew closer to Gu Chaoyan, keeping his back to her. She couldn¡¯t discern his appearance or identity. His voice carried an ancient resonance, much like before. ¡°I offer you one opportunity. Depart this mystic realm immediately, and abandon your quest for any holy mansion. You shall never return to this mystical realm.¡± ¡°If you choose otherwise, you should be well aware of the consequences.¡± The voice was chilling.
Gu Chaoyan watched as he retreated. It was a back turned to her, one she did not recognize. Why was he offering her this opportunity? Had they not crossed paths before, he likely wouldn¡¯t have divulged this information. ¡°Who are you?¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s tone turned frosty, as if she were probing for answers. ¡°Do you ept or decline?¡± The enigmatic figure refused to divulge any more, his identity still concealed. He pressed impatiently. ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind to leave yet,¡± Gu Chaoyan admitted with a hint of regret. Pei Yueling was already within the mystic realm. If she could secure the holy mansion, the gap between them would only widen. And what about Huaijin, still at Mount Longmai? She was just a Martial God.
Obtaining the holy mansion was her most efficient shortcut. The mystical creature knew the location of the holy mansion, and she had no intention of relinquishing that knowledge easily. As for this man in ck¡­ She believed, at this moment, that he was doing this for her sake, extending this chance to her. ¡°Thank you,¡± Gu Chaoyan expressed genuine gratitude. The ck shadow offered no further words, suddenly vanishing. He had granted her this opportunity, and it was unlikely he would do so again.@@novelbin@@ At this juncture¡­ ¡°Lead the way,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed. The magical creature leaped from Di Hongyun¡¯s arms and dashed forward. Familiar with the mystic realm, it knew the path well. ¡°She went there?¡± Pei Yueling asked, her displeasure evident. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No more mercy! I don¡¯t care if she can make pills or forge weapons; what¡¯s the point? I have plenty of people I can utilize, and I don¡¯t need an irritating one. You needn¡¯t dwell on this any longer,¡± Pei Yueling said with disdain. ¡°Understood, ¡± the ck shadow replied with a pitiable sigh. He genuinely believed that if Gu Chaoyan could be of future use to them, she would be a valuable asset. That¡¯s why he kept affording her chances. However, Elder Miss had decided not to dwell on it any further, so she dismissed the matter. ¡°Are we going to confront her?¡± ¡°No need. She¡¯s too skilled to venture there. She¡¯s simply courting death!¡± Pei Yueling remarked indifferently.. Chapter 2261 - 2261: Getting 3 Chapter 2261 - 2261: Getting 3
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions As she contemted the reason¡­.. The White Deer Divine Beast¡¯s words held undeniable merit.
From a logical perspective, possessing the sacred abode of this expert should have enabled her to inherit their cultivation prowess, vastly enhancing her own. Yet, even after vanquishing Elder Lin, her cultivation remained stagnant, firmly rooted at the Martial God level. Pei Yueling had already ascended to the exalted Paragon Martial God Realm, further entuating the chasm between them. Whether it was the Second World expert¡¯s holy mansion or the Dragon Race inheritance she¡¯d acquired, it appeared neither had substantially contributed to her progress. If this was indeed the case¡­ Something was amiss with her physical condition. Her pulse was non-existent; Mr. Zhao had previously stated that individuals devoid of a pulse were devoid of life. Could there be a connection here? Gu Chaoyan found herself perplexed by these developments. ¡°Stay here and keep watch,¡± she instructed Dao, before delving into her mental sanctuary. This time, she sought answers from Huang Fu. Once inside, Huang Fu remained elusive, but the spatialndscape had undergone noticeable changes. Apart from the visible elements, the majority of the space was shrouded in a dense white mist, now tinged with a ominous dark fog¡ªemanating from the expert. ¡°They¡¯re all within this space now?¡± Not absorbed into her own?@@novelbin@@
What was going on? Gu Chaoyan was utterly bewildered. It appeared that these objects had entered this space without undergoing any transformation into her own cultivation. Gu Chaoyan found herself torn between feelings of tion and concern. This space had been a significant boon from the outset, facilitating many of her achievements thus far. However, a hurdle had now presented itself, stemming from this very space. This obstacle, it seemed, was intrinsically linked to the space itself. She could harness the resources within it, but the space had an unsettling tendency to absorb her possessions as well. Fortune and misfortune were inextricably intertwined. Gu Chaoyan heaved a deep sigh. At that moment, Huang Fu emerged from the shadows behind her.
¡°You¡¯ve already noticed, haven¡¯t you?¡± Huang Fu¡¯s voice was remarkablyposed. Gone were the malevolent and carefree aspects of his demeanor; instead, his countenance bore a solemn gravity. Gu Chaoyan, eager for answers, turned to face Huang Fu. However, upon glimpsing his solemn visage, her heart sank. Huang Fu had transformed. The precise moment of this transformation eluded her. It was as though Huang Fu could adopt a different facade each time they met. Noticing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s abrupt chilliness, Huang Fu swiftly discarded his seriousness and reverted to his customary mischievous and nonchnt smile. ¡°You know, it¡¯s nothing to fret about. I didn¡¯t divulge this earlier, fearing you might not handle it. But now, I¡¯ll provide you with an overview.¡± ¡°You were originally a lifeless person. The reason why you are still alive is because of this space. The reason why you are still alive is also because of this space.¡± ¡°This space should have been an independent entity, so it will automatically absorb your things into the space.¡± ¡°Now that you have nourished your own spiritual root, this is not a big problem.. Now, what you have to do¡­¡¯ Chapter 2264 - 2264: Leaving the Mystic Realm 2 Chapter 2264 - 2264: Leaving the Mystic Realm 2
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I¡¯m afraid she has subjugated them all through refinement. She¡¯ll gain immense power in a short span,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated bluntly. The hall master of the Undead Race remained silent for an extended period. Eventually, he had an epiphany.
¡°This woman is genuinely ruthless!¡± The hall master of the Undead Race eximed with enthusiasm. ¡°She¡¯s even more cunning than I am, which is quite a rarity.¡± Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes in response. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered plenty of people smarter than you,¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted candidly.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Pfft-¡± Di Hongyun burst intoughter. The hall master of the Undead Race and the two of them resumed their banter. Gu Chaoyan could feel a headache looming. Bam, bam, bam, bam. The incessant bickering showed no signs of abating. While they had managed within the mystic realm, their fear of death now resurfaced outside of it. They continued on their path toward the Supreme Sect. The White Deer Divine Beast abandoned Di Hongyun to follow Gu Chaoyan exclusively. It seemed to disdain Di Hongyun¡¯s noisy demeanor, no longer emanating the gentle and amiable aura it disyed within the mystic realm. Little Master, as always, remained the epitome of tranquility.
Upon returning to the Supreme Sect, Gu Chaoyan detected the lingering presence of individuals surrounding the sect. They were likely the Grand Unity Sect¡¯s appointed overseers tasked with monitoring the Supreme Sect. Their presence was thoroughly exasperating. They had just got back to the yard¡­ Before she could locate the Elders, Yan Zhengchu intercepted her. ¡°Something has urred.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired with confusion. Upon her recent arrival, she had noticed that, apart from the Grand Unity Sect members stationed outside, the Supreme Sect seemed rtively intact. They needed time to recuperate from their recent defeat, but nothing appeared amiss. However, Yan Zhengchu¡¯s demeanor suggested otherwise. ¡°An incident has transpired in the Shenyou Empire,¡± Yan Zhengchu spoke in hushed tones. ¡°Do you recall the Wu Family? A Paragon Martial God has arrived in the Shenyou Continent to champion the Wu Family¡¯s cause. As a result, the empire is powerless against the Wu Family, and the Yan Family and other aristocratic ns within the empire find themselves in dire straits.¡± What? A Paragon Martial God level cultivator. In the Shenyou Continent, individuals of that caliber were exceedingly rare, with Pei Yueling being one of the few.
¡°Why has this suddenly urred?¡± Gu Chaoyan queried. Those individuals weren¡¯t particrly formidable, and such a development had never arisen before. Why had it urred now? ¡°In the past, the Shenyou Dynasty enjoyed protection from the Supreme Sect. But now that the Supreme Sect is unable to safeguard even itself, itinerant cultivators with designs on the dynasty have naturally emerged. This is one of them,¡± Yan Zhengchu exined. Those words left Gu Chaoyan utterly astounded. So, it was a consequence of the Supreme Sect¡¯s copse. ¡°Fortunately, the individual at the Paragon Martial God level has refrained from precipitous actions. Nheless, the Wu Family wields substantial influence within the Shenyou Dynasty,¡± Yan Zhengchu added. Gu Chaoyan nodded slightly. The Yan Family had ties to the Shenyou Dynasty, and she feltpelled to protect it. However¡­ Currently, she was only at the Martial God level. Even if she desired to intervene¡­ What steps should she take? At the very least, she needed to utilize the Chaotic Spacetime to break through to the Paragon realm. ¡°I¡¯ll go see the Elders first. We can discuss this furtherter,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted calmly.. Chapter 2267 - 2267: Chaotic Spacetime 1 Chapter 2267 - 2267: Chaotic Spacetime 1
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Upon hearing this, the chaotic spacetime couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly. It had not only seen her before, but it had seen her many times. It had only seen her before. However¡­
This time, she had not entered for a prolonged period, and when she did return, she seemed entirely unfamiliar with him. Her cultivation was even significantly lower. The chaotic spacetime couldn¡¯t fathom what had urred during this interval. Deeply sighing within, the chaotic spacetime felt that its efforts had seemingly gone to waste. Fortunately, after a considerable wait, someone had finally arrived. ¡°Yes,¡± the chaotic spacetime acknowledged, revealing the truth to Gu Chaoyan.@@novelbin@@ ¡°What was my previous level, and why did Ie here?¡± Gu Chaoyan queried with curiosity. She had not anticipated that she had visited here before. ¡®In the past?¡¯ In the past, she had been a half-step Golden Immortal. How else could she have unlocked this chaotic spacetime? The chaotic spacetime cultivation bead was an ancient supreme-level Dharma artifact, an enchanted armament. To open it, one needed not only a high cultivation level but also specific opportunities. In the past, Gu Chaoyan had been a half-step Golden Immortal, perfectly capable of unlocking it. Additionally, her physique was highly conducive to cultivation. After all, how could a Martial God be deemed worthy of entering the chaotic spacetime? However¡­
The chaotic spacetime had no intention of disclosing this information directly. It wouldn¡¯t reveal her previous cultivation level, nor would it mention that the chaotic spacetime was, in fact, her own magical weapons. Was that the reason she hade? Wouldn¡¯t that imply that he would soon encounter difficulties again? He wasn¡¯t foolish. ¡°Don¡¯t inquire so much. What brings you to the chaotic spacetime? If you have nothing to say, just leave. Don¡¯t disrupt my reprieve,¡± the chaotic spacetime asserted sternly, an unusual urrence in its demeanor when addressing Gu Chaoyan. Gu Chaoyan refrained from further questioning. She sensed that this chaotic spacetime held significant power. If she wished to elevate her cultivation, she would require the chaotic spacetime¡¯s assistance. It was best not to provoke it. Gu Chaoyan confessed, ¡°I¡¯ve been stagnant at the Martial God level for a long time. My goal is to advance and attain the rank of Paragon, no matter what.¡± Upon hearing her words, the chaotic spacetime couldn¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°I thought it was something more substantial. Simply breaking through to the Paragon realm. It¡¯s quite straightforward.¡± ¡°Paragon cultivation? It¡¯s a rtively mediocre cultivation level. If you enter the Second World, you¡¯ll be devoured within minutes.¡± ¡°You ought to find a way to reach the divine soul cultivation level as soon as possible. That¡¯s the most critical step for entering the second world,¡± the chaotic spacetime advised.
Although the chaotic spacetime¡¯s words held a certain allure, Gu Chaoyan refrained from pondering them too deeply. Instead, she inquired candidly, ¡°Do you possess a method to help me reach the Paragon realm immediately?¡± ¡°It¡¯s merely a breakthrough. Quite straightforward,¡± remarked the chaotic spacetime. ¡°Select a mission, and upon itspletion, you¡¯ll achieve a direct breakthrough within the chaotic spacetime.¡± ¡°A mission?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Without dy, a floating book materialized before Gu Chaoyan as the chaotic spacetime concluded its statement. The book emitted a faint golden radiance, replete with an array of missions.. Chapter 2270 - 2270: Mission 1 Chapter 2270 - 2270: Mission 1
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°She should be at the Martial Master level by now. After all, doesn¡¯t the Shen Family prioritize the cultivation of its younger generation? With my daughter achieving Martial Master status, my father will surely take notice, making it easier for her to reim those belongings,¡± Gu Chaoyan remarked. Lady You, still wrestling with feelings of self-pity, was stunned when she heard her daughter im to have broken through to the Martial Master realm. It took her a moment to process this astonishing news.
¡°What?¡± Lady You¡¯s face registered disbelief. ¡°Lianxue, are you saying you¡¯ve already reached the Martial Master Realm?¡± Gu Chaoyan, in the guise of Shen Lianxue, nodded in affirmation. She chose not to exaggerate, opting to state that she had attained the level of a Martial Master. Fortunately, she refrained from dering her true status as a Martial God. Given the underdeveloped state of martial arts civilization in this ce, such a im might have been met with skepticism or concern that she had lost her sanity. Lady You¡¯s expression shifted from disbelief to excitement and touched. ¡°Incredible! I never expected that my daughter would encounter good fortune after surviving that ordeal. Reaching the rank of a Martial Master means no one in the family will dare to mistreat you anymore. The Qian Family will surely reconsider the marriage proposal,¡± Lady You eximed with enthusiasm. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated.@@novelbin@@ Lady You had likely endured years of mistreatment within the Shen family, leaving her feeling helpless even when presented with the prospect of her daughter¡¯s elevated status. She even entertained the idea of approaching the Qian Family to prevent the annulment of the engagement. But Gu Chaoyan had no intention of marrying into the Qian Family. Her desires went beyond merely avoiding mistreatment; she aimed to make everyone in the family fear Shen Lianxue and help her recover everything she had lost in the past. However, Gu Chaoyan chose not to disclose these ns to Lady You. She couldn¡¯t fathom how Lady You¡¯s personality had changed so swiftly after enduring years of mistreatment. It was a relief that she was no longer feeling anxious.
With her decision firmly made, Gu Chaoyan wasted no time. She resolved to head directly to the Qian Family. Time was of the essence, and she aimed toplete the task swiftly, allowing her to focus on her cultivation and address the issues within the Shenyou Empire. Choosing the Qian Family as her starting point made sense for several reasons. Firstly, the Qian Family¡¯s Young Master, Qian Ziang, had wronged Shen Lianxue and proposed the annulment of their engagement. Secondly, Shen Lianxue¡¯s untimely demise had strong ties to the Qian Family. In light of these circumstances, there seemed to be no better ce to begin than with the Qian Family. The Young Master of the Qian Family bore simrities to the head of the Shen Family. Just as the Shen Family¡¯s head had deceived Lady You into relinquishing her possessions, the Qian Family¡¯s Master had simrly tricked Lady You, leaving her bereft. In the case of the Qian Family¡¯s Young Master, he had directly called off the engagement after his deception involving Shen Lianxue¡¯s belongings. Shen Lianxue and her daughter appeared somewhat naive,cking defensive measures against such deceit. However, as long as they exercised caution, they could avoid falling into such dire straits. If the engagement was terminated, so be it. What mattered most was retrieving what had been lost. Leaving the mansion behind, Gu Chaoyan ventured alone to the Qian Family. Fortunately, the Qian Family was located nearby, in close proximity to the Shen Family. With Shen Lianxue¡¯s memories guiding her, Gu Chaoyan swiftly located the Qian Family¡¯s residence. ¡°I wish to speak with your Young Master,¡± she dered..
Chapter 2273 - 2273: Mission 4 Chapter 2273 - 2273: Mission 4
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I¡¯m giving it to you. Are you nning to marry me and bear my children? Why on earth would I give you such valuable items out of the blue? Have you lost your mind?¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted sarcastically. The Qian Family¡¯s gatekeeper couldn¡¯t help but hang his head in embarrassment upon hearing these words. The situation had taken an unexpectedly amusing turn.
Hahaha. hahahahahahaha. It had been a while since they had witnessed such a lighthearted argument. It involved the Young Master of the Qian Family and the Lady from the Shen Family. Typically, it was Lady Shen who carefully ingratiated herself with the Young Master of the Qian Family. Seeing her behave so assertively was indeed a rare sight. As a result, the spectators preferred to see the Young Master of the Qian Family making a fool of himself. These two individuals¡ªLady Shen, who was perceived as foolish and inept despite her noble birth, and the Young Master of the Qian Family, known for bullying the weak¡ªelicited contrasting reactions from themoners. While Lady Shen had never mistreated themon folk, the Young Master of the Qian Family had a reputation for tormenting them. Hence, the crowd relished the opportunity to witness his embarrassment. Qian Ziang felt a pang of confusion. He had imed ownership of the items because Shen Lianxue had initially indicated they were intended for him, although she had been deceived by his ruse at the time. He said this because he trusted Shen Lianxue too much. He trusted Shen Lianxue¡¯s love for him. But from the looks of it, * Why was Shen Lianxue always targeting him? Apart from feeling sorry for him in the past, she also felt sorry for him.
Could it be that Shen Lianxue was too sad and wanted to use these things to keep him? The more Qian Ziang dwelled on it, the more he considered the possibility. He spoke seriously, ¡°Shen Lianxue, don¡¯t attempt to manipte the situation. Are you trying to use this ploy to trap me and force me to continue the engagement with you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible, Shen Lianxue!¡± ¡°A woman like you has no ce in the Qian Family.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want these items!¡± ¡°Take them and get lost!¡± Qian Ziang snapped impatiently and fiercely, partly due to the difort of being ridiculed by the onlookers and partly because he had grown weary of the situation.@@novelbin@@ Numerous itemsy strewn before Gu Chaoyan. She examined them briefly, confirming that they indeed belonged to Shen Lianxue. However, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that these were among the least valuable possessions from Shen Lianxue¡¯s collection. It was no wonder Qian Ziang had readily produced them. Observing the assortment, Gu Chaoyan nced back at Qian Ziang. ¡°Pick them up and return them to me.¡± ¡°Is the Qian Family just going to leave these items on the ground?¡±
¡°In that case, the Qian Family will have to retrieve the items we throw onto the ground,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered matter-of-factly. Themoners erupted inughter. Since the engagement had been dissolved, this Lady from the Shen Family had be so eloquent that none could outdo her. Qian Ziang seethed with anger, his face turning crimson. His initial aim had been to belittle Shen Lianxue, but he found himself on the receiving end of humiliation. Qian Ziang signaled for the gatekeeper to retrieve the items. He urged them to be quick about it. He needed to sever all ties with this irrational woman as soon as possible. Gu Chaoyan epted the items without objection but soon wore a suspicious expression. ¡°Young Master Qian, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s something missing from this collection..¡± Chapter 2275 - 2275: Mission 6 Chapter 2275 - 2275: Mission 6
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions She found today¡¯s battle to be exceptionally smooth. This low-level cultivation bead held no value for her. Its efficacy was limited to advancing one¡¯s cultivation to the level of a Martial God. However, she had already achieved that status.
Yet, for the Southern Mist Kingdom, a realm with a severely underdeveloped martial arts culture, it was a highly coveted treasure. It was no wonder that Qian Ziang had resorted to numerous schemes to acquire this precious item from Shen Lianxue. As for Shen Lianxue, she likely felt a profound sense of loss because she had already surrendered her most cherished possession and had failed to obtain her true desire. Reflecting on recent events¡­ Shen Lianxue had indeed gifted Qian Ziang many things, but throughout the years, she had never parted with a low-level cultivation bead. This fact alone emphasized the bead¡¯s unparalleled worth in Shen Lianxue¡¯s eyes. Now that the artifact was back in his possession, she could finally hold her head high. Next, she needed to contemte how to restore Shen Lianxue¡¯s dignity within the Shen family. When that mission was aplished, his purpose would be fulfilled. With her current cultivation level and capabilities, she had no doubt that she could achieve this goal within a matter of days. With these considerations in mind, Gu Chaoyan made her way to the Shen Family residence. At that moment, the Shen family remained rtively tranquil. Upon her return to the Shen Family, the gatekeeper cast a disdainful nce in her direction. Nevertheless, she chose not to create any difficulties and allowed her to enter without hindrance. She re-entered the rundown house.
It had been a long time since Gu Chaoyan had seen such a decrepit dwelling. Resting peacefully here was out of the question. She could only wait for the Shen family to confront her as soon as possible. After all. cultivating in this ce was futile- The scarcity of spiritual energy in this region was directly linked to the backward state of martial arts civilization. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t sense any spiritual energy here, making it pointless to rest or linger. As expected¡­ Soon enough.. It was clear that the Shen Family had be aware of the situation involving the Qian Family. Naturally, the Shen Family disapproved of Shen Lianxue¡¯s involvement with the Qian Family and themotion she had caused. The Qian Family held slightly more influence than the Shen Family, and even though Qian Ziang and Shen Lianxue¡¯s engagement had been canceled, he had promptly arranged a new marriage with Shen Ningyu, a youngdy from the Shen Family. They were now connected by familial ties, and the Shen Family had no desire to see the Qian Family suffer. Conversely, the Shen Family appeared indifferent to Shen Lianxue¡¯s fate, whether she lived or died. ¡°Shen Lianxue,e out!¡± It was the voice of Shen Ningyu. She had arrived with a group of people and forcefully kicked open the door to Shen Lianxue¡¯s residence. The small group stormed inside, determined to bring her to the main hall for a severe punishment. ¡°Take her to the main hall so Father can discipline her properly. Let her lose her mind!¡± Shen Ningyu was livid.
Her impending marriage to Qian Ziang was at stake, and Shen Lianxue¡¯s actions had seemingly embarrassed Brother Zhiang by creating such a scene. However, the most critical issue was¡­ She had heard that Shen Lianxue had seized Brother Zhiang¡¯s low-level cultivation bead. Regardless of the circumstances, she was determined to reim it! Brother Zhiang had promised that, with the aid of the low-level cultivation bead, he would be the most powerful member of the Qian Family within six months. At that point, he would undoubtedly secure the position of family head. And she would smoothly assume the role of the Qian Family¡¯s headwife. But now¡­ All of that had been thwarted by Shen Lianxue, that wretched woman.@@novelbin@@ Shen Ningyu ordered two individuals to escort Shen Lianxue to the main hall and left two others behind to search for any low-level cultivation beads they could find. Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t resist but instead followed them to the main hall. She was in high spirits.. Chapter 2278 - 2278: Mission 9 Chapter 2278 - 2278: Mission 9
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Lianxue, residing within Gu Chaoyan¡¯s consciousness, addressed Lady You with enthusiasm. She had been gued by doubts regarding the days when she had refrained from fighting back or, more urately, when she had chosen to endure silently. Gu Chaoyan spoke earnestly, defending Shen Lianxue¡¯s stance. Shen Lianxue had been precisely as Lady You had described her¡ªobedient to the Shen Family¡¯s will, believing thatpliance would lead to a better life. However, the more she behaved this way, the more the Shen Family took advantage of her, treating her as expendable.
For Shen Lianxue, the consequences of herpliance had been severe. She met her demise when the Qian Family terminated the engagement. Such a situation could not be allowed to persist. Gu Chaoyan was on the verge of exining Lady You¡¯s perspective. Lady You gazed at Shen Lianxue with a sense of helplessness. She grasped the reasoning behind it all. She was well aware of the hardships that Lianxue had endured over the years. Nevertheless, shecked any cultivation abilities, and over the years, Lianxue had depleted her own resources. Originally, she had thought she could endure it until Lianxue reached adulthood, believing that those difficult days would eventually pass. After Lianxue married into another family, she would lead a better life than her time in the Shen family. But no one could have foreseen that the Qian Family would abruptly terminate the engagement. Following the dissolution of the engagement, they had no support within the Shen family. Lady You feared that if she took this path, the Shen family would struggle to secure a better match for Lianxue. Her own well-being mattered little to her. She merely hoped to endure the situation and resolve matters with Lian Xue before finding sce.
Lady You¡¯s expression betrayed a hint of pain. In the end, it was her inability to protect Lian Xue, her own daughter, that had condemned her to such a bitter existence. Gu Chaoyan exchanged a meaningful nce with Lady You. Seeing Lady You¡¯s self-reproach and suffering, he couldn¡¯t bear to witness her in such anguish. Lady You possessed a profoundly generous heart, and her actions were indeed motivated by concern for Lian Xue. She worried that her own heartache for@@novelbin@@ Lian Xue would be unbearable, but her chosen approach had been wed. Gu Chaoyan sighed, gently shook her head, and spoke, ¡°Throughout these years, we¡¯ve suffered because we were too soft-hearted. We consistently entrusted our destiny to others. If we hadn¡¯t been so tender-hearted and hadn¡¯t given everything to the Shen Family, they wouldn¡¯t have treated us this way. If we had been more prudent about our future, we wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a long road ahead. We can¡¯t expect Madam to treat me kindly. I can only make decisions and ns for myself.¡± ¡°Now that my daughter has reached the Martial Master level, I¡¯m confident that with even more effort, I can break through to the Martial Master realm myself. When that timees, what can the Shen family do to me?¡± ¡°Mother, please wake up. Don¡¯t remain so vulnerable. If this continues, it will lead to our worst possible oue,¡± Gu Chaoyan implored earnestly. Lady You¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she listened. Aren¡¯t these the very thoughts Lian Xue had expressed?
Sheprehended these notions thoroughly, even pondering them during her sleepless nights. Yet, she had been hesitant to truly confront them. She had been hiding away, reluctant to emerge and confront reality. However, Lady You nodded with solemn agreement, affirming Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words.. Chapter 2280 - 2280: Mission 11 Chapter 2280 - 2280: Mission 11
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions@@novelbin@@ As a result, she didn¡¯t dwell on how these pills might have been useless. Following Lady You¡¯s consumption of the pill, Gu Chaoyan initiated her meditation.
After a while, Lady You¡¯s body emitted a radiant glow, indicating a breakthrough was underway. Gu Chaoyan watched with a smile. A martial artist. A Martial Master. Gu Chaoyan believed that everything was proceeding smoothly. However, just when she believed the process had concluded, Lady You continued to break through. This unexpected development surprised Gu Chaoyan. She had intended for these pills to facilitate Lady You¡¯s ascent to the rank of Martial Master. Little did she anticipate that the breakthrough would persist. Warrior! Third Heaven of the Warrior Realm. Sixth Heaven of the Warrior Realm. Ninth Heaven of the Warrior Realm. It was the Ninth Heaven of the Warrior Realm!
Merely a step away from achieving the status of Martial King. It was worth noting that within the Shen family, the family head, Shen Chengwang, held a rtively high cultivation level. He had attained the pinnacle of the Martial Master rank. With Lady You now a Martial Warrior at the Ninth Heaven of the Warrior Realm, no one within the Shen family would dare to mistreat her. This was because, on this continent with its extremely rudimentary martial culture, martial prowess held an elevated status, and one¡¯s cultivation determined their standing. Gu Chaoyan had initially believed that Lady You possessed an unsuitable physique for cultivation. However, the current results clearly indicated that Lady You not only had a suitable constitution for cultivation but also disyed talent on this continent. ¡°Mom, congrattions!¡± Gu Chaoyan conveyed her happiness. ¡°What?¡± Lady You was still in the dark. She sensed her spiritual energy and couldn¡¯t believe that she had truly reached the Ninth Heaven of the Warrior Realm. What a shock! With this level of cultivation, Even if the Shen family attempted to suppress them, the Shen family n would not permit it. Lady You no longer held any affection for Shen Chengwang. In her eyes, Lian Xue was the most important person, and her top priority was to protect Lian Xue.
¡°I¡¯ll head to the n immediately. With my cultivation, I¡¯m sure I can persuade the n to provide us protection!¡± Lady You eximed in excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother, don¡¯t be hasty. Just wait. We don¡¯t merely want protection; we intend to reim what we¡¯ve been deprived of!¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted with conviction. Completing her mission wouldn¡¯t be feasible by hiding alone. To seed, she would need to regain her dignity within the Shen family. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t Lady You who needed to regain her pride, but Gu Chaoyan herself. Lady You hesitated, feeling that this approach would make numerous enemies and was somewhat reluctant to proceed with it. She was about to attempt to persuade Gu Chaoyan¡­ At that very moment, a knock sounded at the door. Before Lady You could invite the visitor inside, the door swung open, and an individual entered with a less than friendly expression. They spoke disdainfully, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Why haven¡¯t youe out to greet us? The npetition is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. The Old Master mentioned that Shen Lianxue will be participating this year, so I¡¯vee to inform you. You should prepare thoroughly.¡± Prepare to lose face. This individual refrained from stating it directly. Nevertheless, the disdainful expression on their face was unmistakable. ¡°Understood,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied without bothering to engage in an argument with the servant. She had no intention of squandering any more time on this matter. Apetition? It was precisely what she had been hoping for. She had been fretting over how to elevate her status in the Shen family and assert her position, and now the opportunity had presented itself. Following thepetition, she could then proceed to teach these individuals a valuable lesson. Upon concluding his message, the servant observed that Shen Lianxue¡¯s response appeared rather nonchnt. Consequently, he concluded that there was nothing intriguing to hold his interest, and he promptly departed. ¡°Why are you participating in thepetition this year? Previously, our team would not have allowed you topete. How is this even possible? If your cultivation level is subpar during the npetition, everyone will ridicule you,¡± someonemented, their tone carrying a hint of mockery.. Chapter 2282 - 2282: Mission 13 Chapter 2282 - 2282: Mission 13
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan spent the remainder of her time confined to her room, a prisoner of boredom. When dinner time arrived, Lady You would bring her some simple dishes. In truth, given Gu Chaoyan¡¯s advanced level, she had no real need for sustenance. However, Lady You, being of a different caliber, still required three meals a day. Consequently, it was agreed upon that Gu Chaoyan should partake in the meals as well.
Gu Chaoyan obliged and had some modest food, finding herself with little else to upy her time in this ce. The spiritual energy on this continent was astonishingly scarce, rendering her cultivation attempts futile. Her only recourse was to spend her time refining pills and medicine within her secluded space. The pills she produced were exclusively for Lady You, primarily basic in nature and effortlessly concocted. In fact, her stockpile had nearly reachedpletion, sufficient tost Lady You a lifetime. As she diligently worked on her pill refining, the moment of the impendingpetition drew near. Gu Chaoyan stored the freshly made pills within her interspace and emerged, resolute in her intention to engage in the npetition alongside Lady You. The Shen family¡¯s residence was situated not far from their current location. In essence, the Shen family¡¯s residency served as the central courtyard within the Shen family¡¯spound, epassed by various branch courtyards. A convenient, designated entrance allowed passage from one side to the other, with one side leading to the n¡¯s territory and the other to the Shen family¡¯s residence. Ordinarily, without prior notice, members of the Shen family¡¯s branches were restricted from entering the n¡¯s territory, just as n members were discouraged from freely wandering into the branch courtyards. Today marked a typical npetition day, where elders sought to gauge the progress of the younger generation. Thus, they were free to traverse between the n and the family residence. Gu Chaoyan and her peers could not venture to the n independently. They had to wait for all the young members of Shen Chengwang¡¯s family to gather before proceeding together. She and Lady You had arrived early and decided to wait here for the others.@@novelbin@@ One by one, the rest of the group arrived. As they caught sight of Gu Chaoyan, their expressions disyed a mixture of disdain and the excitement of watching a spectacle.
Shen Ningyu, seemingly the most troubled among them, arrivedst, still visibly perturbed. The others greeted Shen Ningyu with great respect, even trying to tter her from time to time. It was only after this interaction that Shen Ningyu managed to suppress her impatience and approach Gu Chaoyan. Once Shen Ningyu arrived, they were ready to depart. However, she unexpectedly halted and approached Gu Chaoyan, her gaze filled with disdain as though she was savoring a delightful spectacle. ¡°You? What are you doing here?¡± Gu Chaoyan remained unfazed, seemingly uninterested. ¡® Shen Ningyu continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm, ¡°Our branch had already suffered a significant loss of face in the past. Now, you want to participate in thepetition. Do you think our branch hasn¡¯t been humiliated enough?¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted casually, ¡°Father and your mother made the arrangements for me to participate. If you find it inappropriate, I suggest you discuss it with our Master and Lady. There¡¯s little point in discussing it with me.¡± Shen Ningyu was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected Shen Lianxue, who usuallyplied readily, to talk back to her, let alone without any concern for her dignity. Speechless, Shen Ningyu knew very well why Shen Lianxue had decided to participate in the npetition. It was a calcted move by her mother to further disgrace her, setting the stage for a hasty marriage and the acquisition of low-level cultivation beads from her future husband¡¯s family. She had wanted to enjoy the spectacle alongside Shen Lianxue, so how could she discourage her from participating now?
Chapter 2284 - 2284: Mission 15 Chapter 2284 - 2284: Mission 15
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Ningyu eximed with excitement. However, Gu Chaoyan disyed a disapproving expression.
For someone like Qian Ziang, it seemed that self-interest was all that mattered. Would Shen Ningyu be an exception? It appeared unlikely; he was currently coaxing her because she remained indispensable. Only a person like Shen Ningyu would wield this situation as a means of unting her importance. Gu Chaoyan regarded her with pity, as if looking at someone pitiable. Shen Ningyu disliked Shen Lianxue¡¯s expression; it wasn¡¯t the effect she desired, and this infuriated her. ¡°Shen Lianxue, wipe that expression off your face. What right do you have? You¡¯re just a woman whose engagement was broken off and can only seek a hasty marriage. What right do you have to say anything?¡± Shen Ningyu retorted angrily. Gu Chaoyan simply shrugged. ¡°Then don¡¯t look at me.¡± This response irked Shen Ningyu even more. Who did Gu Chaoyan think she was to judge Qian Ziang in this manner? Did she honestly believe her future would be any better? Shen Ningyu¡¯s eyes gleamed with ruthlessness as she ascended the stage, effortlessly dispatching her opponents with just two moves. With Elder Miss dominating the stage, there was no need for furtherpetition. Helplessly, the other participants ascended one by one, only to be swiftly defeated.
Ultimately, no one remained except for Shen Ningyu. The elders of the Shen family n were about to step forward to announce her victory when Shen Ningyu intervened, her expression filled with anticipation. She provocatively remarked, ¡°If my memory serves me right, there¡¯s still one person who hasn¡¯t taken the stage, right? Shen Lianxue, you were so insistent on participating. Thene up andpete. What¡¯s the point of hiding there?¡±@@novelbin@@ For instance, she could have easily defeated Shen Lianxue with a single move. However, since Shen Lianxue had provoked her, it wasn¡¯t enough for Gu Chaoyan to just win; she wanted to humiliate her as well. It was the only way she could save face. Shen Ningyu thought to herself, determined to prove her superiority. At this moment, all eyes were fixed on Gu Chaoyan. She had no intention of staying in the shadows. The reason for her dyed entrance was straightforward: she had no desire to expend unnecessary energy, so she nned to appearst. Now that Shen Ningyu had singled her out, Gu Chaoyan walked up to the stage with a leisurely gait. ¡°It¡¯s my turn,¡± she dered calmly. Shen Ningyu had no interest in small talk. Sheunched her attack immediately, and Gu Chaoyan instinctively evaded. After evading, Shen Ningyu frowned slightly. Logically, Gu Chaoyan shouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge her attack. She hadn¡¯t anticipated her luck being so favorable.
Having her attack dodged made Shen Ningyu somewhat irate, and sheunched another attack without restraint. Gu Chaoyan, keen to end the confrontation swiftly, countered Shen Ningyu with the spiritual power of a warrior. Just as Shen Ningyu firmly believed that Shen Lianxue would either stumble or fall t on her face, bing the object of ridicule, something unexpected urred. She felt her body being lifted, followed by a sudden and intense pain, especially on her face. The entire scene fell into an eerie silence. Shen Ningyu had always been the brightest star among the younger generation of the Shen family, consistently outperforming her peers. Now¡­ Now, she was directly defeated by that trash Shen Lianxue? Moreover, she was defeated in one move. And¡­ She was beaten up very badly.. Chapter 2285 Mission 16 Chapter 2285 Mission 16 Shen Ningyu tumbled to the ground. Among the younger generation of the Shen family, not a word was uttered. After a moment, Shen Ningyu realized her predicament. She had been knocked out of the arena, and the pain on her face stemmed from her face''s contact with the ground. Meanwhile, Shen Lianxue remainedposed and still stood on the stage. "It''s impossible!" Shen Ningyu refused to concede defeat and wished to continue thepetition. The elders of the Shen family didn''t intervene because they, too, found the situation improbable. The winner of thispetition would represent the Shen family in the pce. If Shen Lianxue had only won through luck and couldn''t replicate that sess in the pce, it would be a significant embarrassment for the Shen family. Furthermore, there was the matter of discussing the marriage between Qian Ziang, the young master of the Qian family, and Ningyu in the pce. Gu Chaoyan furrowed her brow slightly. Her impression of the Shen family n had significantly soured. Logically, in apetition like this, once an opponent was knocked out of the stage, they should be dered the loser. However, the elders of the Shen family n were not adhering to the rules and were allowing Shen Ningyu to return to the stage. Gu Chaoyan couldn''t help but wonder what was going on. Without affording Shen Ningyu any courtesy, Gu Chaoyan activated her spiritual energy and promptly kicked Shen Ningyu out of the arena. It had happened once, and perhaps one could argue it was luck. But achieving the same feat twice demonstrated genuine strength. The elders of the Shen family n acknowledged it and even saw it as a positive development. However, Shen Ningyu remained unconvinced. She made repeated attempts to reenter the arena. The elders of the Shen family n finally stepped in to stop her, recognizing that Shen Lianxue had evolved into a warrior, making any furtherpetition futile. They firmly admonished her, "Shen Lianxue has attained warrior status. You cannotpete with her any longer." "Martial Warrior Realm?! How? Why?!" Shen Ningyu teetered on the brink of emotional breakdown, her cries echoing in disbelief. Wasn''t she supposed to be aplete failure, incapable of cultivating at all? How could she suddenly attain the Martial Warrior Realm? She vehemently rejected this reality. "Because I''ve made a breakthrough, and I''ve reached the Martial Warrior Realm. There''s no need for further exnation," Gu Chaoyan stated matter-of-factly. Shen Ningyu struggled to ept it, continuing to scream in distress. Madam Shen turned to Shen Chengwang, seeking answers. "What is happening here?" Shen Chengwang was equally baffled. How could he exin it? Both Shen Lianxue and Lady You possessed physiques that were deemed untrainable. This was a well-known fact. Yet, Shen Lianxue had suddenly attained the level of a warrior. The exact reasons behind this development were beyond his understanding. Nevertheless... Regardless of the circumstances, Shen Lianxue was still his daughter, and this was a positive development. There was no reason to be unhappy about it. Achieving the status of a warrior held significant advantages.@@novelbin@@ "If nothing else, this is a positive development. Go and console Ningyu. I''ll visit Lady You," Shen Chengwang said with evident joy. Madam Shen''s expression darkened immediately. In the past, even when Lady You was favored, her life had not been pleasant at all. It had been many years since then, and she had not anticipated that things would remain the same. How could Madam Shen willingly ept this? She approached Shen Ningyu in frustration. "Stop crying. Your tears will ruin your face. Let''s go back and discuss the next steps." Shen Ningyu continued to sob loudly, but Madam Shen led her away. Meanwhile, Shen Chengwang walked over to Lady You with a contented smile. Chapter 2288 - 2288: Mission 19 Chapter 2288 - 2288: Mission 19
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Ningyu wore a confident and proud expression on her face. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but think that this woman was beyond hope. She acted as if being married to Qian Ziang was the greatest joy in the world. She seemed to havepletely disregarded what Shen Lianxue had said earlier and didn¡¯t care that Shen Lianxue wanted nothing to do with a greedy person like Qian Ziang.
Gu Chaoyan shook her head slightly. Dealing with such a brainless person was not worth her time. So, Gu Chaoyan waited quietly. Once the n elders were ready, they all set off for the pce together.@@novelbin@@ In the carriage, Gu Chaoyan and Shen Ningyu shared the same space, while the elders of the Shen Family each had their own carriage. To her credit, Shen Ningyu didn¡¯t throw a tantrum about the arrangement. It was clear that there was a great deal of formality and etiquette in the interactions between the elders and juniors of the Shen family. Gu Chaoyan had no objections either way. She simply got into the carriage. However, the moment Shen Ningyu entered, she immediately began to look at Gu Chaoyan with disdain. She prattled on about how familiar she was with court affairs, warning Gu Chaoyan not to cause any trouble in the pce and proudly mentioning her connection with Qian Ziang. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t fathom what she was so proud of. Fortunately, their arrival at the pce was imminent.
Otherwise, she might have been driven to annoyance. Shen Ningyu, as an elder miss who had been pampered for a long time, had a good-natured temperament and was incredibly self-centered. Once they disembarked from the carriage, Gu Chaoyan purposefully kept her distance from Shen Ningyu. Shen Ningyu didn¡¯t continue her nagging. Instead, she adopted the demeanor of Elder Miss Shen, radiating an air of pride as she walked with her head held high. Gu Chaoyan obediently followed the n elders. As they approached the pce¡¯s entrance, there was still quite a distance to cover. The two n elders walked side by side, and it was natural for them to engage in conversation. ¡°Recently, the Emperor has been allowing these young members of our family into the pce quite frequently. Could it be that Chengqi Country is bing restless again? Is there too much friction at the border?¡± one elder spected. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Otherwise, why would they be sending our young members into the pce so often? We all know that if Southern Mist and Chengqie to blows, relying solely on burly soldiers andmoners won¡¯t be enough. We¡¯ll still need these young ones with cultivation. Any family that can produce juniors with high cultivation is likely to be given important positions. With just Lianxue and Ningyu, the Shen family should certainly be in a favorable position,¡± the other elder replied. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing,¡± the first elder remarked. The two elders shared a simr smile and appeared to be in good spirits. They were the n¡¯s elders, and regardless of which branch¡¯s junior seeded, it would ultimately benefit the entire n.
The Shen family had been in a difficult situation, and they hadn¡¯t anticipated that the stalemate would be resolved so swiftly. Now that Ningyu was engaged to the Qian family¡¯s young master, it was indeed a cause for celebration among the n¡¯s elders. The elders of the Shen family n were in high spirits. As Gu Chaoyan carefully listened to their conversation, she seemed to be contemting something. Indeed, in this continent where spiritual energy was scarce, most peoplecked the innate talent to cultivate. However, these noble families possessed cultivation because they had ess to resources. These resources naturally enabled the young members of the family to cultivate. Ordinary people didn¡¯t have ess to such resources, which is why theycked the ability to cultivate. This was precisely why everyone sought to maintain their status within the Southern Mist Kingdom and secure favor with the Emperor. Well¡­ A npetition was imminent, and it was considered a fair opportunity for the juniors.. Chapter 2289 - 2289: Mission 20 Chapter 2289 - 2289: Mission 20
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Lianxue had never been particrly favored in the residence, but as long as her cultivation remained strong, the n¡¯s elders would consider bringing her into the pce. Shen Ningyu, on the other hand, appeared unfazed by the situation, seemingly understanding that those with advanced cultivation were recognized subconsciously. Her return from the pce signaled the nearpletion of her mission. As for Lady You, she had already devised an exit strategy for her.
Gu Chaoyan strolled in with an air of rxation. Within the court¡­ The Shen family, like the other noble families, waited in the pce, maintaining a near-silent vigil. asionally, the n¡¯s elders exchanged a few words, but mostly, silence prevailed. As Gu Chaoyan stood there quietly, numerous eyes fell upon her, likely due to her being a neer. Qian Ziang shot a few nces her way, but Gu Chaoyan ignored his gaze, acting as if she hadn¡¯t noticed. Before long, the Emperor arrived, his face bearing a warm smile. After exchanging pleasantries, he gazed at the young individuals before him and said, ¡°Impressive, very impressive. You are all outstanding young talents from my Southern Mist.¡±@@novelbin@@ He added that having individuals with strong aptitude was even more reassuring to him as the Emperor. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± they responded in unison. Following a brief bow, the Emperor personally descended, while a eunuch behind him held the Spirit Stones to test their spiritual energy. As was customary, the Emperor ordered their cultivation levels to be tested. ¡°Second Heaven of the Martial Master Realm. Impressive. If my memory serves me right, you were at the First Heaven of the Martial Master Realm thest time we met. It¡¯smendable that you¡¯ve made such swift progress. The younger generation of the Zhang Family is truly remarkable,¡± the Emperor praised.
However¡­ The Emperor did not offer such praise to everyone. If he encountered someone whose cultivation hadn¡¯t improved, he remainedposed. Upon reaching Qian Zi¡¯ang, the Emperor disyed a contented smile. ¡°You¡¯ve already reached the Eighth Heaven of the Martial Master Realm. Well done. At your age, you are the most exceptional.¡± Having said that, the Emperor turned his gaze towards Qian Ziang, his expression turning more serious. Qian Ziang couldn¡¯t hide his tion. The Emperor¡¯s demeanor changed as he moved on to the next individual. This time, he did not approach with the same enthusiasm. Unfortunately, this individual¡¯s cultivation had not improved either. As he continued to assess more individuals, the Emperor¡¯s expression gradually soured. It became apparent that many had not made any progress. It took a considerable amount of time for the Emperor to reach Shen Ningyu. After the assessment, the Emperor smiled once more. ¡°Seventh Heaven of the Martial Master Realm. Well done. Considering you¡¯re a youngdy, you¡¯re the first in Nan. The Shen family has reason to be proud.¡±
The Emperor¡¯s praise for Shen Ningyu was heartfelt. Interestingly, his previouspliments had not included any mention of the family ns, but he specifically praised the Shen family this time. It was evident that the Emperor was genuinely pleased. Shen Ningyu couldn¡¯t help but wear a smug smile. She had anticipated this oue. The next in line was Shen Lianxue. Shen Lianxue seemed somewhat unfamiliar to the Emperor, prompting him to cast a few extra nces at her. However, he didn¡¯t dwell on it. Among the younger generation of the Shen family, the male members had not fared well. Shen Ningyu¡¯s family was the exception, and since no one else could bring Shen Lianxue along this time, the Emperor didn¡¯t pay her much mind. He did not even look at the results of the Spirit Stones test. It was the eunuch in charge of the test who reminded him, ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The emperor of Southern Mist turned around and almost thought that he had seen wrongly.. ¡°What!¡± Chapter 2291 - 2291: Mission 22 Chapter 2291 - 2291: Mission 22
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Emperor Southern Mist¡¯s initial disappointment was brief, and he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°This is a positive oue. The Shen family has proven its worth. I am pleased with your performance and will reward you generously. I will make arrangements for your mother toe and personally receive her reward!¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded with a grateful smile.
Emperor Southern Mist¡¯s actions were driven by his personal interests and those of the royal family. With Lady You as the sole pill refiner, he needed to ensure a steady supply of pills for himself and the royal princes. Therefore, Lady You¡¯s entry into the pce was crucial to receive the reward. However, all of these events had unfolded ording to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s meticulous n. She anticipated this oue, ensuring that the credit for Lady You¡¯s skills would go directly to her, rather than the Shen n. Regardless of any further questions the Emperor may have had, he didn¡¯t continue the conversation with Shen Lianxue at that moment. Instead, he calmly proceeded towards the back. With Shen Lianxue, a Martial Warrior of the Fifth Heaven, leading the way, the achievements of those following behind appeared rtively ordinary. After offering some praise, Emperor Southern Mist shifted his focus away. After evaluating everyone present, Emperor Southern Mist returned to his dragon throne and surveyed the assembly below. ¡°Impressive, truly impressive. Southern Mist is brimming with talent, with each generation surpassing thest. Especially Lady Shen Lianxue of the Shen Family, if you have the time, I invite you to attend court more frequently, interact with the princesses, or engage in conversations with The Queen.¡± As Emperor Southern Mist uttered these words, many in the audience couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of envy towards Shen Lianxue.@@novelbin@@ On Shen Ningyu¡¯s face, the expression had already soured considerably. Why, indeed! Why did she get such good treatment? Shen Ningyu seethed with resentment. She turned her gaze towards Qian Ziang, her face breaking into a smile. Fortunately, she had Brother Ziang, who had expressed his desire to marry her. This alone was a far better prospect than what Shen Lianxue had ever dreamed of. Unfortunately for Shen Lianxue, her dreams remained unfulfilled, but Shen Ningyu was determined to seize the opportunity. Now that the Emperor had evaluated the cultivation and strength of these young individuals, it was the perfect moment to request a marriage.
The Qian Family¡¯s promising young talents and an exceptionaldy from the Shen Family seeking betrothal would undoubtedly bring great joy to the asion. Shen Ningyu believed that the King would dly grant their request. After all, this was a moment of celebration. So, Shen Ningyu felt quite optimistic about the situation. She gazed at Qian Ziang, only to find that he didn¡¯t meet her eyes at all. This caused a growing sense of anxiety, and she couldn¡¯t help but stomp her foot, hoping to catch Qian Ziang¡¯s attention. However, no matter how she tried to make a sound or attract his notice, he remained oblivious. What was happening? In the past, Brother Ziang would always notice even the slightest deviation in her behavior. Why was hepletely ignoring her now? If he didn¡¯t speak up soon, the Emperor would soon depart. Feeling increasingly desperate, Shen Ningyu reluctantly bit the bullet and addressed the Emperor, saying, ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Young Master Qian wishes to speak with you,¡± Shen Ningyu finally spoke up. She had gone to great lengths to set the stage, and now, she was merely waiting for Qian Ziang to reveal the truth.
However, Qian Ziang frowned slightly. He had easily discerned Shen Ningyu¡¯s ploy and subterfuge earlier, choosing to ignore it because he had no intention of seeking a marriage. Consequently, he had no desire to speak about it. For the time being, he opted to remain silent. This was not something he had anticipated.. Chapter 2293 - 2293: Mission 24 Chapter 2293 - 2293: Mission 24
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After all, he intended to proceed with his marriage to Shen Lianxue. Given his ns, it was essential for him to maintain a positive rtionship with the Shen family. Consequently, certain rifications needed to be made. He didn¡¯t want the Shen family to misinterpret his intentions or bear any ill will toward him. The Elders of the Shen family n heard his exnation.
Indeed, this was the case. Shen Ningyu had ryed the details to the 500-meter family, but no representatives from the Qian Family had approached her. They had assumed they could simply await the formal betrothal, but it appeared that Young Master Qian didn¡¯t share the same sentiment. Shen Ningyu had misunderstood his intentions. The elders from the 500-meter family found Shen Ningyu¡¯s current state rather awkward. They swiftly reined her in, advising, ¡°Ningyu, you¡¯re a youngdy. What¡¯s happening?¡± With that, they offered their apologies to the Qian Family¡¯s elders. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan had observed the unfolding events in silence. She had previously cautioned Shen Ningyu about this. Qian Ziang¡¯s character left much to be desired. If he could break off an engagement with Shen Lianxue after using her, he might just as easily discard Shen Ningyu after his purposes were served. Regrettably, Shen Ningyu held a high opinion of herself and didn¡¯t believe she could be abandoned in such a manner. Gu Chaoyan shrugged, feeling a sense of helplessness. With the situation nearing resolution, Shen Lianxue assessed the circumstances and considered departing.@@novelbin@@ Staying any longer seemed like a waste of her time. When she returned, the events of today would elevate her status within the Shen family, marking the officialpletion of her mission. Her next step involved returning to the chaotic spacetime for further cultivation, striving to reach the Paragon level she had always aspired to achieve. Shen Lianxue had decided to leave.
However, she soon found herself blocked. It was Qian Ziang, his expression tender and affectionate. ¡°Lianxue, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you. Can we have a private conversation?¡± Shen Lianxue felt a surge of disgust. To her surprise, her initial suspicions were proving correct. Qian Ziang appeared to be drawn to anyone of high value. It seemed he believed that, as long as he was willing, anyone would gravitate towards him. His self-assuredness was rather off-putting. Shen Lianxue regarded him with disdain. ¡°If you have something to say, say it here.¡± Qian Ziang had wanted a private conversation with Shen Lianxue, believing it would be easier to persuade her that way. Now that she was reluctant to grant him privacy, Qian Ziang found himself in a dilemma. ¡°Do you have something to say or not? If not, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Shen Lianxue aeciarea Impatiently, unwilling to waste any more time on Qian nang.
¡°Yes, yes, of course,¡± Qian Ziang hurriedly responded. ¡°Lianxue, please don¡¯t be hasty. There are matters I wish to discuss with you today. In the past, I broke off our engagement because you had no cultivation and couldn¡¯t bear the responsibilities of being my wife. But now, you possess cultivation. We¡¯ve been betrothed since our youth, and I¡¯ve already chosen you in my heart. Since the circumstances are now suitable, let¡¯s proceed with the marriage. I, Qian Ziang, will cherish and care for you.¡± His words brimmed with enthusiasm. Having spoken his piece, Qian Ziang gazed at Shen Lianxue expectantly. ¡°Lianxue, I initially intended to speak to you in private, but having the elders of the n as witnesses is just as well. Don¡¯t be shy. It¡¯s merely a formality, as we were betrothed in our youth..¡± Chapter 2296: Mission 27 Chapter 2296: Mission 27
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions In this case, the n would find themselves slightly more at ease. They wouldn¡¯t allow the branch to be too prosperous, and the person involved would be directly associated with the n.
Shen Lianxue pondered this and eventually agreed. It wasn¡¯t that she believed the people within the n were superior, but she was well aware that living within the n would grant her a status within the Shen family. This, in a way, marked the officialpletion of her mission. As for Lady You, she was simply asked to relocate to the n, aligning perfectly with the n¡¯s desires. This arrangement was swiftly put into motion. When Shen Chengwang discovered this, they had already settled in within the n. Anxiously, he rushed over, stating, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you discuss this with me before moving here? I am the head of the family!¡± Shen Lianxue responded candidly, ¡°Living in the residence was less than ideal. Theck of assistance and frequent cold meals made it unbearable. So, we moved here, which is just 500 meters away. The n¡¯s environment is superior.¡± Shen Chengwang stomped his feet, showing some dissatisfaction, but he couldn¡¯t afford to offend the two of them. He sighed and said, ¡°You should have informed me about these matters. I would have certainly handled them for you. Why did youe here? However, if you¡¯re willing to stay here, then stay.¡± Shen Chengwang knew that it was toote to reverse the situation now. If he insisted they return, the n might still criticize him. So, he decided to go along with it. However, he wanted to know what benefits they brought, with a particr interest in Lady You¡¯s skill in refining pills. ¡°How much have you refined so far? Give it to me first, and I¡¯ll distribute it to the children. Don¡¯t be naive. While the n is influential, you¡¯re still from our branch. Only when our courtyard thrives will you have a good life. So, the more pills we have in our courtyard, the better, understand?¡± Shen Chengwang advised. ¡°No, I¡¯ve already given all of it to the emperor,¡± Lady You replied bluntly, showing no politeness. ¡°Our lives in the n are quitefortable. It¡¯s certainly better than in the residence. We¡¯re living well here.¡± Shen Chengwang was momentarily speechless and anxious. He hadn¡¯t expected the two of them to be sopliant in the past and now be so oppositional. Furthermore, he hadn¡¯t anticipated this situation developing so suddenly. He was unsure of how to proceed. ¡°Lady You, regardless of how the n treats you, we are husband and wife. I had initially intended to support you, but I didn¡¯t anticipate your move to the n. This situation isplex, ¡± Shen Chengwang said, introducing a solution that he had thought of spontaneously, which hadn¡¯t urred to him previously. But now, it seemed like an option. Wasn¡¯t this what Lady You had been yearning for all these years?@@novelbin@@
He decided to grant her wish. In the future, things would be simpler. It wouldn¡¯t matter if Lian Xue stayed in the n, but Lady You had to return to the residence. This way, their branch would shine within the Shen family, with numerous advantages. As he contemted it, Shen Chengwang felt it was a reasonable decision. Lady You was initially taken aback. When she hesitated, Shen Chengwang assumed that he had touched a chord with her. However, after her pause, Lady You responded coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± She had no desire to be Shen Chengwang¡¯s wife. She understood his motives all too well.. Chapter 2299: Mission 30 Chapter 2299: Mission 30
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Although Gu Chaoyan imed to be at the ninth level of the Martial Arts Realm, in reality, she had already attained the level of a Martial God. In and where spiritual energy was scarce, a Martial God was nearly invincible and could provide unwavering protection for Lady You. Moreover¡­
Gu Chaoyan also harbored a desire to expose Lady You to a broader world. She believed that by doing so, Lady You¡¯s horizons would expand, and she would gradually grow indifferent to the Shen Family.@@novelbin@@ Lady You smiled upon hearing her daughter¡¯s agreement. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll apany you and watch over you. Furthermore, should anyplications arise on the battlefield, I will be there to safeguard you.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s return and make preparations. If possible, we should manufacture more pills,¡± Lady You swiftly recollected that arrangements needed to be made for their impending deployment to the battlefield. Gu Chaoyan smiled and nodded. The two of them were already contemting their return to make the necessary arrangements. On the other side, a heated discussion was taking ce. Lady You wished to disengage from these matters and depart, but Shen Chengvvang intercepted her. ¡°Lady You, please adjudicate this matter. Share your thoughts on how we should handle it.¡± ¡°Logically speaking, since these rewards were bestowed by the pce, they should be sent to our residence since you are my significant other. There¡¯s no justification for you to leave them at the n. While the n serves as the governing hub of the Shen family branch, traditionally, only a portion of the acquired wealth is presented to the n forparative purposes, not the entire sum. I, Shen Chengwang, am willing to allocate a portion, but it wouldn¡¯t be reasonable to surrender everything to the n.¡± ¡°Lady You, these rewards are rightfully yours. The decision is yours to make, and we will adhere to your judgment.¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re currently residing in the n, you should still return to the residence whenever you desire. You have the freedom to do as you please at our residence,¡± Shen Chengwang urgently asserted. If these possessions were retained within the n, what significance would there be for Shen Chengwang¡¯s branch? In the foreseeable future, all the advantages and prestige would likely umte within the n, leaving their branch devoid of any benefits.
Deep down, Shen Chengwang possessed an unconscious belief that Lady You would unquestionably bepliant with his wishes. After Shen Chengwang voiced his concerns, the n¡¯s elders offered their counsel. ¡°Lady You, these rewards were bestowed upon you by the emperor within the pce. They rightfully belong to you. While you¡¯re residing in the n, there¡¯s no need to leave these items here. The n has no im to them. They are exclusively yours, and you alone are deserving of them.¡± Lady You found herself in a dilemma. Their gazes were fixated on these rewards. Nheless, no one was genuinely considering her feelings. She had no intention of bestowing these possessions upon anyone else. Her n was to take them with her when she ultimately requested permission to depart from the Shen family after achieving victory in the future. For now, they were just temporarily situated there. However¡­ The sentiments expressed by the n¡¯s elders were more ptable on the surface. Lady You pondered for a moment. ¡°I will leave them within the n for the time being. I can always retrieve them in the future when the time is right.¡± Upon hearing Lady You¡¯s decision, the n¡¯s elders breathed sighs of relief and disyed tion.
Shen Chengwang¡¯s countenance betrayed his displeasure. Why were these possessions left within the n? ¡°Lady You!¡± Shen Chengwang uttered softly, his discontent evident. He was a member of the residence; why hadn¡¯t Lady You considered the residence¡¯s interests at all? Since when had any family¡¯s concubines been encouraged to reside outside the family? ¡°If there are no further matters, Lian Xue and I will retire for some rest,¡± Lady You announced.. Chapter 2303: Mission 34 Chapter 2303: Mission 34
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Under these circumstances, there was no need forbat. A more prudent approach would have been to adopt a defensive stance. He ascended with a pained expression.
Gu Chaoyan and the 8,000 soldiers apanying her were well-versed in their strategy. They tactically retreated, ensuring their safety. As the forces from Southern Mist began to withdraw, those from Chengqi grew even more arrogant. They contemted pursuing the retreating Southern Mist troops, intending to defeat them before returning to im their rewards. Meanwhile, Southern Mist¡¯s people continued their hasty retreat in all directions, prompting Cheng Qi¡¯s men to consider pursuing them. Southern Mist was left virtually empty,cking both significant reinforcements and led by a female general. The question arose: what utility did they hold? As expected, Chengqi¡¯s men gave chase, unknowingly leading themselves into a cunning trap set by Southern Mist. Upon arriving at the ambush site, Southern Mist¡¯s soldiers swarmed from all directions, encircling their unsuspecting pursuers. With over 10,000 individuals in pursuit, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s troopsbined with the 22,000 concealed ambushers left Chengqi with no hope of oveing Southern Mist¡¯s might, no matter how formidable they were. At that moment, Regret filled Cheng Qi¡¯s forces. Theirck of caution had led them into a perilous trap within Southern Mist¡¯s territory. Moreover, The presence of mountains surrounding them made it impossible for their horses to escape.
They had forgotten a crucial lesson: never chase a desperate enemy, especially one who has led you into their own territory. There was no time for reflection; their situation demanded immediate action. In an instant, they were overwhelmed, unable to resist, and met their demise on the battlefield. Upon witnessing this dire situation, Cheng Qi¡¯s general chose to sacrifice himself. He believed he no longer deserved to live. Gu Chaoyan was taken aback. It became clear why Chengqi had consistently emerged victorious. Their general possessed unparalleled determination. ¡°Let¡¯s honor Chengqi¡¯s general with a proper burial; such a valiant soldier deserves nothing less,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered with a solemn expression. ¡°Now, let¡¯s gather our belongings and depart.¡± ¡°Yes, General Shen. We will follow your lead,¡± the deputy general responded with a respectful smile. Victory! This was a victory of monumental significance, a once-in-a-century triumph!
Upon returning, promotions were assured, and their family¡¯s standing in Nan would soar. How could they not be ted? Aside from the burial of a general, they would do whatever it took. Gu Chaoyan was not just a woman; she was their great leader, deserving of their utmost reverence. Gu Chaoyan nodded approvingly. She then instructed them tomence the battlefield cleanup.@@novelbin@@ The people of Southern Mist were brimming with joy. They wholeheartedly engaged in the cleanup effort. Gu Chaoyan observed their determination. Afterpleting the task, They proudly proceeded to the border city. The general stationed at the border wore a somber expression. Initially prepared to oversee the collection of fallenrades, he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes when he witnessed a substantial contingent of Southern Mist soldiers emerging. He repeatedly rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. How many had been unounted for, and where had they alle from? ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± the border general inquired.
Before Gu Chaoyan could respond, the deputy chimed in, ¡°This is all part of our general¡¯s strategy. We set up an ambush here, and our general lured the enemy into it. It¡¯s a remarkable victory, a once-in-a-lifetime triumph, the likes of which hasn¡¯t been seen in 800 years. We¡¯ve inflicted 14,000 casualties on Chengqi¡¯s forces, with only 300 losses on our side¡ª200 of them wounded, and just 100 fatalities.¡± ¡°Well¡­ The border general struggled to digest this unbelievable turn of events. Simultaneously, he couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge Shen Lianxue¡¯s exceptional prowess. Furthermore, learning that he was a Ninth Heaven Warrior only deepened their admiration. Without dy, he warmly weed them and initiated discussions about their next steps.. Chapter 2305: Mission 36 Chapter 2305: Mission 36
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Bncing on one shoulder, Gu Chaoyan moved with the agility of a swallow. In no time, she returned.
Despite the darkness, Southern Mist¡¯s soldiers and generals patiently awaited her arrival. Upon seeing their dedication, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but feel touched. She gently lowered the man from her shoulder and exined, ¡°I managed to seize two of Chengqi¡¯s generals, but I couldn¡¯t defeat him, so I returned.¡± ¡°These two alone could prove valuable assets for us.¡± ¡°Put them away for now and get some rest. We¡¯ll discuss our strategy tomorrow,¡± Gu Chaoyan casually suggested. Her nonchnt tone left the Southern Mist soldiers wide-eyed in astonishment. This was the first time they had followed such a fearless and capable general. It seemed as if there was nothing they needed to do; she had handled everything effortlessly. In a single swoop, she had captured two generals who once struck fear into the hearts of Southern Mist¡¯s soldiers. And now, they were being told to get some sleep. Sleep? It was an unexpected turn of events.@@novelbin@@ After the two captives were secured, the soldiers dispersed.
The following day, everyone was revitalized and enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Only then did they gather in a leisurely manner. Gu Chaoyan approached with a general in each hand and challenged, ¡°Are you still thinking of fighting? Let Southern Mist be the first to touch these two generals¡¯ necks.¡± ¡°What!¡± Chengqi¡¯s soldiers murmured to one another in disbelief. Earlier that morning, they had discovered the disappearance of their two generals but were clueless about the situation. Now, they found the missing generals in the hands of Southern Mist. Panic and confusion swept through Chengqi¡¯s ranks. Losing three generals in quick session was a grave concern. How could they dare to plunge recklessly into a war now? ¡°What¡¯s your condition for releasing our general?¡± The lone Martial Warrior general in Chengqi inquired. ¡°That depends on how sincere you are,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied with a smile. Without hesitation, Chengqi withdrew his troops. Thus, Gu Chaoyan departed with her forces.
The deputy general posed a peculiar question, ¡°Should we cease fighting now?¡± Gu Chaoyan yfully knocked him on the head. ¡°What are you thinking? Do you honestly believe you can defeat him?¡± While it was eptable to use their numerical advantage for intimidation, a direct confrontation was beyond their capabilities. Was he challenging the general to a fight? ¡°I can¡¯t beat him,¡± the deputy general admitted gloomily. ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of discussing it further? Don¡¯t you think winning is enough? Do you want to court defeat again?¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then take these two captives back and collect the rewards. Don¡¯t get yourself into trouble,¡± Gu Chaoyan advised bluntly. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Gu Chaoyan ceased speaking when she noticed hispletepliance. He hoisted the two generals onto his shoulders and departed.
The two captured generals, humbled by their predicament, couldn¡¯t even muster the courage to look up. Once they had set things right, Gu Chaoyanmenced her arrangements. Recognizing that the border had a shortage of troops, she assigned additional soldiers to remain at the border while some apanied her back. These soldiers found it to be the oddest and easiest battle they had ever experienced. It didn¡¯t feel like they had won the battle without exerting any effort; instead, it felt like a monumental victory. Such an extraordinary turn of events was unlikely to recur. General Shen would need to pay regr visits in the future. Gu Chaoyan asked Lady You to provide some herbs for the soldiers to have when needed, a gesture that Lady You couldter call upon for a favor. This would undoubtedly serve Lady You well in the future. On the journey back¡­.. Chapter 2308: Return 2 Chapter 2308: Return 2
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Over the years, Lian Xue had endured an excessive amount of suffering, and the Shen family was not a ce where she and her daughter could find protection. Leaving the Shen family was merely the initial step.
In the days toe, they would need to support themselves independently. In this regard, Lian Xue aspired to grow stronger. While she was no longer young, her daughter, Lianxue, was still in her prime, with many years ahead of her. Stopping here was insufficient; they had to strive for further progress. No one should dare to mistreat them lightly. Lady You was far from foolish. Her years of enduring inhumane treatment had forged her into an exceptionally rational person. She understood that indulging in luxury was an unrealistic desire. Gu Chaoyan was taken aback by Lady You¡¯s sudden transformation. This change brought Gu Chaoyan a greater sense of confidence, especially as she prepared to leave. At this point, Gu Chaoyan had been outside the court for a while, and the imperial edict was about to arrive. The King of Southern Mist had allocated a mansion for her, chastised the Shen Family for their treatment of Lady You and Shen Lianxue, and demoted the Shen Family. He bestowed a title upon Lady You. The court officials then assisted Lady You and Shen Lianxue in relocating. The Shen family was utterly bbergasted. They had initially expected to revel in the prosperity brought about by Lady You and Shen Lianxue¡¯s return, possibly attaining high-ranking positions in Southern Mist. However, they were blindsided when Lady You and Shen Lianxue took the Shen family to task. Not only did they fail to reap any rewards, but their prospects in Southern Mist appeared bleak. Within the Shen family n, they shifted the me entirely onto Shen Chengwang, who was subsequently expelled from both the Shen family and the Shen n. After resolving this matter, the Shen n elders ventured to Lady You¡¯s new residence. They intended to use this opportunity to dissuade Lady You from further conflicts with the Shen family. However, despite their prolonged wait outside, Lady You did not make an appearance. Shen Chengwang, along with his entourage, also made daily visits to Lady You¡¯s residence to plead for leniency.
Ultimately, the imperial authorities intervened and ordered him to leave. As for these developments¡­ Gu Chaoyan remained unaware. This was because, on the second day after relocating to the mansion, she departed. Currently, she found herself in the chaotic spacetime, undergoing a rigorous training process. In just three days, the tempering process waspleted within the chaotic spacetime. Gu Chaoyan felt as though she had been purified after attaining the cultivation level of a Paragon. At different levels of cultivation, she experienced distinct sensations. She left the refining area feeling lighter than ever. The chaotic spacetime observed her condition and was in good spirits. ¡°Take a few days to rest, and then return to the chaotic spacetime promptly to continue your missions. Subsequent missions will assist you in advancing your cultivation. ¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Gu Chaoyan responded calmly and had no inclination to engage in conversation with the chaotic spacetime. She hastily departed, intending to resolve matters rted to the Shenyou Dynasty. ¡°It¡¯s bing more and more like the past,¡± the chaotic spacetime grumbled discontentedly. In the past, Gu Chaoyan had been so talkative. Prior to missions, she would engage in a lot of idle chatter. But now, having just elevated her cultivation level, she had reverted to her quiet disposition. Thus¡­
Gu Chaoyan, who had already left the room, remained oblivious to thesements.@@novelbin@@ At this moment, within the chamber, she opened her eyes and stretched her long-unused muscles. Gazing upon the familiar surroundings of the Supreme Sect, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unreality. She had abruptly transitioned from one familiar ce to another, leaving her mood in a state of fluctuation.. Chapter 2311: Return 5 Chapter 2311: Return 5
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Supreme Sect can¡¯t even protect itself at the moment, and it¡¯s still in the Yan Zhengchu hade to seek her assistance today primarily because he needed her help. It was only natural for her to bring up this matter.
There were already some indications of the dire situation in the Shenyou Dynasty. He understood that the current royal family was incapable of protecting the dynasty¡¯s people. Yan Zhengchu seemed to be the best option. Once she helped him ascend to the throne, Yan Zhengchu would have every reason to take good care of the Yan Family, whether out of gratitude, fear, or their potential usefulness in the future. As for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s initial inclination to support the Yan Family, she quickly reconsidered. Regardless of where the imperial power resided, people naturally recognized it in their hearts. Given the Yan n¡¯s current state, it was hardly worth considering. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll resolve this matter after dealing with that individual,¡± Yan Zhengchu replied directly. Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement.@@novelbin@@ She intended to bring them to the Shenyou Dynasty. Little Dragon and White Deer were still asleep. Gu Chaoyan gently cradled the Dragonman in her arms and entrusted the White Deer to Di Hongyun¡¯s care. After all, Di Hongyun had been the one who looked after her in the mystic realm, so it was only fitting that he took care of the White Deer. Di Hongyun carried the White Deer, and they set off.
Supreme Sect had always been protected by a defensive shield. No one could disturb them within this protective barrier. However, as soon as they stepped beyond the shield, they were immediately confronted by the individuals arranged by the Grand Unity Sect. Despite their previous failures, the Grand Unity Sect was not willing to let Supreme Sect off the hook. They continued their vignce, waiting for the moment the protective shield dissipated, hoping that the members of Supreme Sect would run out of provisions. During this period, they refused to release any disciples of the Supreme Sect, making it clear that escape was not an option. Gu Chaoyan surveyed the obstacles before her, her brows furrowing deeply. ¡°Leave,¡± she ordered. ¡°Drive us away? Since you dared to step out of the Supreme Sect, the Grand Unity Sect won¡¯t let you live. It¡¯s hard to predict who will be driven away,¡± retorted the Grand Unity Sect members, their expressions fierce. They advanced menacingly. Gu Chaoyan activated her spiritual energy and forcibly pushed them back. Without hesitation, she pursued them, resulting in the deaths of several Grand Unity disciples. Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t even flinch as she took their rings as spoils. She then distributed these rings to the Head of the Undead Race and Yan Zhengchu, as if dividing the loot. Observing this turn of events, the remaining Grand Unity Sect disciples refrained from acting recklessly. Instead, they retreated and arranged for someone to report back to their sect.
¡°The Grand Unity Sect grows increasingly audacious,¡± Yan Zhengchu remarked. Gu Chaoyan refrained frommenting further on the Grand Unity Sect. After all, how could the Grand Unity Sect not be arrogant? Pei Yueling, the daughter of their leader, had already reached the half-step Golden Immortal level. She had transcended the Paragon realm entirely and could be considered the most formidable presence on the continent. As for the Grand Unity Sect itself, it had rapidly risen to the level of a Dynasty Sect. This was a prime example of how a bad reputation could linger for centuries. Pei Yueling and the Grand Unity Sect practitioners may have employed unorthodox cultivation methods, but they were undoubtedly bing stronger with time.. Chapter 2316: Shenyou Dynasty’s Crisis 4 Chapter 2316: Shenyou Dynasty¡¯s Crisis 4
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan immediately halted anyone attempting to chase after Zhang Lehe, advising them not to pursue him. Her initial n had been to provoke this group of troublemakers and then have them bring their formidable ally to the forefront. The current situation was ideal, so she opted to remain here and wait.
¡°Take a break; we¡¯ll have to handle something majorter,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed, gesturing for them to rx. Hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, the Yan Family servants either chuckled or failed toprehend the situation entirely. Regardless, her statement provided them with reassurance. It implied that Gu Chaoyan could handle these matters, and there was no need to worry about the consequences. ¡°What about these individuals? How should we deal with them?¡± Madame Yan inquired. ¡°They¡¯re just a gang of swindlers. While they¡¯re in the wrong, they don¡¯t deserve death. Bind them for now, and we¡¯ll address their caseter,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded nonchntly. Upon hearing this, the culprits breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, they wouldn¡¯t face punishment that might have led to their demise. Only they were aware of the various transgressions they hadmitted during this period, likely offending numerous individuals, including the Yan n. In a matter of moments, Zhang Lehe arrived with his entourage. He excitedly pointed at the Yan Family members. ¡°It¡¯s them! Not only did they refuse to surrender the items willingly, they even abducted my people and threatened me!¡± The Paragon Martial God expert¡¯s hair had already turned white, but his face remained rosy due to his cultivation. He furrowed his brows and delivered a p to Zhang Lehe¡¯s face. ¡°What use are you? You can¡¯t even handle such a small group of troublemakers, yet you expect me to intervene personally!¡±
¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯m utterly useless. I¡¯m utterly useless,¡± Zhang Lehe responded obsequiously, fearing to provoke the expert any further. The elderly man with the Paragon Martial God cultivation remained silent, choosing not to pursue the matter further. Continuing to do so would make him appear petty, given that these individuals had significantly lower cultivation levels. As a Paragon Martial God, he was an expert, and although he had engaged in numerous activities, he had no intention of tarnishing his image. He took a few steps forward, positioning himself in the center of the Yan Family. A perplexed expression crossed his face. ¡°I underestimated him. I didn¡¯t expect to encounter a Paragon Martial Saint here, especially one so young. Achieving the Paragon Martial Saint realm at such a tender age indicates considerable talent. However¡­ Unfortunately, young people tend to act impulsively. Theyck the wisdom to distinguish right from wrong. I am a Paragon Martial God, and my cultivation far surpasses yours. It would be effortless for me to take your life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too hasty. Do you believe that with your level of cultivation, you can behave like a rogue here?¡± The elderly man spoke with disdain in his tone.@@novelbin@@ Though he outwardly appeared disdainful, inwardly, he harbored deep displeasure and envy. He had expended a lifetime of effort to reach his current status, and he couldn¡¯t fathom how someone as young as Gu Chaoyan could effortlessly achieve something he hadn¡¯t been able to. He was unconvinced, utterly unconvinced! And such an eyesore couldn¡¯t be allowed to persist. It had to be eliminated. Just as he harbored this thought and gathered spiritual qi in his hand, preparing to unleash it¡­ Suddenly¡­
Chapter 2318: Shenyou Dynasty’s Crisis 6 Chapter 2318: Shenyou Dynasty¡¯s Crisis 6
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°That¡¯s how you get out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on your own!¡±
The individual boasting the cultivation of a Paragon Martial God suddenly had an epiphany. Just moments ago¡­ The White Deer hadn¡¯t been considering following him at all; instead, it had set a trap for him! It had lured him right into array formation, and he had unwittingly fallen for it. He had let his guard downpletely. ¡°You conniving beast! How dare you deceive me? When I escape from here, I¡¯ll make you pay dearly!¡± he shouted furiously. After all, he was a Paragon Martial God. With his level of cultivation, being outsmarted was a severe blow to his pride. This was precisely why he felt the need to utter such harsh threats. Little did he realize howical he appeared in this situation. Gu Chaoyan regarded him with an amused expression, as if she were witnessing a spectacle. The Divine Beast White Deer, too, looked upon this human with contempt.
It had encountered many humans like him. When it had sought to entice him earlier, he had been all politeness. Now that he was ensnared, he resorted to calling it a ¡°beast.¡± Humans could indeed wear different faces. Following a person like him would undoubtedly lead to a challenging existence. The more the White Deer pondered, the more content it felt. Inside the formation, the individual continued his outburst. ¡°Be cautious! Do you think a Level-10 array formation can hold me? When I break free, I¡¯ll bring ruin upon your Yan family!¡± Gu Chaoyan burst intoughter. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± the trapped individual demanded. ¡°Are you serious? Do you believe you can assail the Yan Family just because you¡¯re in a Level 10 array formation? Do you have any idea how many array formations the vast Yan Family possesses? You might just find yourself ensnared in another array formation once you manage to escape this Level 10 one. Do you honestly think you can ovee them all?¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted yfully, regarding the Paragon Martial God-level individual as if he were aplete fool. Laughter erupted from the onlookers from the Yan Family. Indeed, the situation was quite ludicrous. A person with the cultivation of a Paragon Martial God was now ensnared within an array formation. Upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words, the Paragon Martial God practitioner had already grown frantic. He was desperately attempting to break free from the array formation, but it proved no easy task.
This particr array formation epassed aption of various cultivation techniques. Those trapped within needed to excel in various disciplines to have any hope of breaking free. For instance¡­ The first level of the Level-10 array formation was a sword formation. Countless swords whizzed towards the trapped individual, leaving him with no respite, regardless of how skillfully he evaded them. This individual¡­ He was far weaker than Gu Chaoyan had initially anticipated.@@novelbin@@ The White Deer couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°This person is at least 300 to 400 years old. Yet, at his age, he¡¯s merely a Paragon Martial God. The reason he hasn¡¯t achieved a breakthrough can be attributed to one thing: sheer ipetence. Consequently, his actions are sluggish. Moreover, he¡¯s teetering on the brink of death. Without an ample supply of Spirit Stones to sustain him, he won¡¯t make it. He did manage to regain some vitality in the Shenyou Dynasty, but regrettably, it still isn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°Throughout his life, even if he were to im every resource in the Shenyou Dynasty for himself, including an abundance of Spirit Stones, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to attain the half-step Golden Immortal realm.¡± ¡°He¡¯s simply devoid of the opportunity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Ick the intellect required to grasp it. I¡¯m merely struggling to eke out thest remnants of time,¡± the White Deer admitted bluntly..
Chapter 2321: Mission 1 Chapter 2321: Mission 1
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan had just entered the chaotic spacetime when she was met with the sound ofughter. This immediately furrowed her brow. If she had known where this voice originated from within the chaotic spacetime, she would have undoubtedly dragged the man responsible out and given him a piece of her mind. He always seemed to derive amusement from mocking her in her presence.
It was infuriating beyond measure. It felt as though he held sway over everything. Gu Chaoyan harbored an aversion to this sensation, particrly when she suspected that this man must have known her from a previous encounter. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived sooner than I anticipated. I thought it would be some time before our paths crossed again after the previous mission, ¡± the voice within the chaotic spacetime spoke candidly. However¡­ As soon as he finished his statement, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s attention was drawn to the book that allowed her to select tasks. The book emanated a radiant, sacred light. Rather than engaging in an argument with the chaotic spacetime, Gu Chaoyan opted to peruse the avable tasks. It had to be acknowledged that the chaotic spacetime was exceedingly astute. Gu Chaoyan had never treated him with much courtesy. This marked her second perusal of the mission book, and she swiftly discerned that every time she opened it, the contents were entirely different. It was as if the missions had undergone an update. Now, she needed to once again scrutinize these missions and contemte which one would be the most suitable.
She exhibited great discernment, eschewing a thorough perusal of numerous missions because she knew all too well that she stood no chance ofpleting many of them. He conducted a thorough evaluation among several missions that appeared more fitting. Upon careful consideration, Gu Chaoyan settled on a task that she felt morallypelled to undertake. The mission¡¯s backdrop was set in Jinwei Land. The martial arts civilization of Jinwei Land surpassed that of Southern Mist, and the continent they inhabited boasted a somewhat richer supply of spiritual energy. However¡­ Jinwei Land stood out for a rather peculiar reason.@@novelbin@@ In the realm of martial arts civilization, Jinwei Land was likely the sole entity Gu Chaoyan had encountered that imed women were inherently incapable of practicing martial arts. Consequently, only men were permitted to engage in martial practice within Jinwei Land, while women endured a significantly lower status, bordering on servitude. Even women hailing from aristocratic lineages faced arduous lives. The mission revolved around a woman blessed with innate cultivation talent. Yet, the mission¡¯s protagonist had met a grim fate. As her cultivation prowess grew, she acquired a precious cultivation bead. However, due to her gender, her brothers within the n seized the cultivation bead and subjected her to a brutal beating. Ultimately, she sumbed to indignation and perished.
Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The plight of the women in thisnd was truly heart-wrenching. ¡°I¡¯ll choose this one,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered, pointing to the task. ¡°You¡¯re still the same as always, unfailinglypassionate,¡± the chaotic spacetime remarked. Her choice didn¡¯t surprise him; she had always been inclined toward such missions. This particr mission posed significant challenges. To sessfullyplete it, Gu Chaoyan would need to alter the fate of the female protagonist in Jinwei Land, enabling her to escape her grim destiny within the confines of the male-dominated society. Jinwei Land had adhered to these gender roles for centuries, and any attempt at change would be met with staunch opposition from the male popce. The female protagonist had been conditioned with this mindset since childhood, making change an arduous endeavor. The mission entailed a multitude of tasks, and the rewards were rtively modest. Yet, she consistently embraced such missions. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t deny it. Indeed, part of her nature was rooted in kindness.. Chapter 2323: Mission 3 Chapter 2323: Mission 3
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Really?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. ¡°Why am I injured like this? Why are you here? Isn¡¯t it because I have the talent to cultivate? And you¡¯re forcefully telling me that I don¡¯t! ¡±
¡°What¡¯s in it for you? Do you want a talented girl in cultivation to suppress her abilities and refrain from cultivating so that you can continue being subservient to these men?¡± Gu Chaoyan challenged. The nanny fell silent for an extended moment. No one was naive. She was aware of the truth. Yet¡­ Certain things had persisted for thousands of years. They were not easily changed. She set aside her hope and determination. Perhaps she could live peacefully. Must she wage a battle? In thisnd, boys began their cultivation at a young age, while girls had no opportunity to do so. Even if they possessed talent, they were discouraged from embarking on the path of cultivation. How could they defy their entire nation? If they tried, they might face an even bleaker fate.
The nanny had imparted these principles to these girls because she understood this reality and wanted them to grasp the situation. Among all the young women, Xu Xunnan, the Xu family¡¯s youngdy, had proven to be the most challenging to raise. It was as if she never relinquished her hope, maintaining an unwavering optimism for the future. The nanny crouched down and ceased uttering harsh admonishments. Instead, she spoke gently, ¡°There are many girls like you, but you must learn to ept your destiny. In Jinwei Land, women are forbidden from cultivating. Even if the current ideology insists that women who resist deceptionck the inherent talent for cultivation, what difference does it make? If you don¡¯t feignpliance on the surface, the Xu family may not attempt to reprimand you, but rather let you meet your end directly.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Lady of the Xu family, the Xu family won¡¯t let you take risks in this world.¡± ¡°If you break the beliefs of these thousands of years, your enemy will be all the men in Jinwei Land.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible for the Xu family to bear all this for you. They will only use simple words to deal with it.¡± ¡°Girl, ept your fate.¡± ¡°There are many girls like you. So what? She¡¯s talented. Can she change her ¡°They won¡¯t let go of their family n alone, let alone change anything.¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°I¡¯ve conveyed enough to you. Reflect on it yourself,¡± the nanny sighed, her countenance now devoid of its previous severity. Initially, Gu Chaoyan had harbored suspicions about the nanny¡¯s intentions. However, the nanny had imparted a great deal of wisdom. Gu Chaoyan grasped the underlying message. This nanny likelyprehended certain realities and had resigned herself to her current status, believing that survival was paramount. This perspective was not entirely wed. Nheless¡­ The current Xu Xunnan embodied Gu Chaoyan¡¯s resolve. She hade here to empower the women of Jinwei Land to pursue their right to cultivate. How could she acquiesce to a life of passivity? Gu Chaoyan ignited her Phoenix¡¯s me. The nanny was visibly taken aback.
¡°This¡­¡¯ ¡°Nanny, do you believe I am inferior to the men of Jinwei Land?¡± Gu Chaoyan queried. During her time in Southern Mist, she had concealed some of her cultivation to navigate her mission covertly. However, in Jinwei Land, There was no need for pretense.. She had to reveal her utmost strength Chapter 2327: Mission 7 Chapter 2327: Mission 7
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± the nanny stated, pointing ahead. Gu Chaoyan looked up and spotted a weathered house with a small yard outside. The yard was overrun with weeds. Was this where Miss Lin resided?@@novelbin@@
Observing the expression on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face, the nanny could discern her thoughts. As they walked, she provided an exnation. ¡°After discovering that Miss Lin possessed cultivation, the Lin Family pressured her to marry. Despite ceasing her cultivation, Miss Lin refused to wed. ¡°The Lin Family contemted executing her, but her mother intervened, threatening to die alongside her daughter if they proceeded. Consequently, they relented. However, they were concerned that she might cause trouble, so they abandoned her in this derelict yard.¡± ¡°Fortunately, her friends looked after her, and some were too frightened of the Lin Family to take any action.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve brought you directly to her.¡± ¡°Miss Lin has numerous friends and a pleasant personality. She has consented to assist us. There are certain tasks you needn¡¯t handle personally,¡± the nanny exined. Gu Chaoyan nodded,prehending the situation. As they were about to enter, Miss Lin emerged. ¡°Nanny, why have youe?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s step inside and discuss it. I¡¯ve brought Lady Xu here today because there¡¯s something important we need to talk to you about,¡± the nanny said. With a basket in hand, Miss Lin turned and headed back inside. Ever since leaving the Lin Family, she had been living independently.
Girlscked the means to survive independently. Even market vendors refused to sell vegetables to her once they discovered her status. These days, she relied on assistance from friends or ventured into the mountains to forage for wild vegetables. Regarding the suppression of women, an unspoken consensus prevailed among the men of Jinwei Land. It offered neither recognition nor a path for women who aspired to cultivate. As long as they couldn¡¯t fend for themselves, they would inevitably opt for peaceful marriages. After marrying, they could lead rtively tranquil lives. ¡°Nanny, what brings you here?¡± Miss Lin inquired. ¡°With your refusal to marry, this way of life isn¡¯t sustainable,¡± the nanny expressed. ¡°Nanny, please, let¡¯s not talk about it. I won¡¯t marry; they¡¯re just trying to force me, and I won¡¯t yield to their demands,¡± Miss Lin maintained her unwavering stance. The nanny smiled. She was content with Miss Lin¡¯s determination. Smiling, she continued, ¡°I haven¡¯t shared everything with you.¡± ¡°I want to ask you, do you wish to continue your cultivation? Do you aspire to grow stronger? Do you desire to resist?¡± The nanny¡¯s demeanor transitioned from a smile to a resolute countenance.
¡°Considering your current circumstances, why not give it another try?¡± the nanny proposed. Although Miss Lin recognized the logic behind it, she had no intention of agreeing outright. Well¡­ While she possessed the potential for cultivation, she had no prior experience. What could she possibly achieve? Even those who attempted to harass her would find it challenging to contend with her. Gu Chaoyan rose to her feet and demonstrated her Phoenix Fire skill. Simultaneously, she unleashed her aura. Previously, it had been inconvenient within the Xu Residence, but here it posed no issue. The aura she emitted. Even the nanny, who had already reached the First Heaven of the Martial King Realm, felt ufortable. ¡°Lady Xu, what¡­ what is your cultivation level?¡± ¡°Paragon Martial Saint.¡± ¡°What!¡± The nanny appeared astounded. This revtion had caught her off guard..
Chapter 2330: Mission 10 Chapter 2330: Mission 10
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Over the past few days. After an extensive search, she finally located a somewhat suitable location.
Gu Chaoyan was in high spirits. Not only had she seeded in finding a fitting spot for the pagoda, but the nanny had also achieved remarkable progress. Everything was proceeding smoothly. She was on her way back today. Xu Xunnan¡¯s father, Xu Yuanlong, happened to be present. Upon spotting Xu Xunnan, he halted in his tracks. ¡°I¡¯ve been providing for you these past few days. Have you considered it?¡± Xu Yuanlong¡¯s tone held a touch of severity. If he had a choice. Xu Yuanlong would prefer for the woman from the Xu family tock the talent for cultivation. A woman possessing cultivation potential brought about far too manyplications, both for the Xu family and for her. Without cultivation potential, she would naturally be more pragmatic.
Those gifted in cultivation couldn¡¯t help but harbor unrealistic aspirations. In Jinwei Land. Such aspirations were strictly forbidden. Xu Xunnan was his daughter, and in this lifetime, he harbored few requests. His sole desire was for her to live a peaceful and stable life. However, this young woman was incredibly tenacious. The nanny had made repeated efforts to instruct her, but she still appeared uprehending. He did not want to emte those families that allowed their daughters to wither away within their homes just to safeguard the family¡¯s reputation. ¡°Nanny brought you out as well. You¡¯ve witnessed the predicament those women face. I believe you¡¯re not foolish and can discern what¡¯s best for you. Xunnan, certain things are predetermined from birth. Living a good life is the wise choice. Once you¡¯ve thought it through, I¡¯ll find you a suitable family for a peaceful marriage. In the future, forget about cultivation,¡± Xu Yuanlong urged earnestly. Upon hearing his words¡­ She began to grasp the essence of the Xu family¡¯s stance. Xu Xunnan¡¯s father cared for her.
For instance, he understood that the nanny had taken her away. Xu Xunnan¡¯s father evidently didn¡¯t want her to suffer harm. His desire was for her to contemte her options and lead a contented life, much like the other women who had acquiesced. Within the Xu family. Much like other families, they had adhered to Jinwei Land¡¯s conventions for centuries. Yet, the Xu family exhibited a modicum ofpassion. Having pieced it all together,@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan felt even more convinced. She knew that a confrontation with the Xu family was imminent. Only by estranging herself from the Xu family could her future actions remain disconnected from the family¡¯s fate. With this realization in mind, Gu Chaoyan regarded Xu Yuanlong with a touch of disdain in her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re advising me to abandon thoughts of cultivation; are you attempting to seize my low-level cultivation beads?¡± ¡°What an excellent n.¡±
¡°You instructed me not to bring up this matter again and not to request this item. Now, your Xu family can make use of it. Are you trying to chase me away?¡± ¡°No way, don¡¯t say a word. Give me back my low-level cultivation bead!¡± Gu Chaoyan dered vehemently. Upon hearing her words, Xu Yuanlong was initially taken aback. Then, he regarded Xu Xunnan with disbelief. Xunnan might be somewhat obstinate and suspicious, but she had never exhibited such behavior. Why was she now contemting the Xu family and him in this manner? ¡°Xunnan, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. In Jinwei Land, women are forbidden from cultivating. If you persist in cultivating, you¡¯ll only incur the condemnation of everyone. I cannot return the low-level cultivation beads to you..¡± Chapter 2334: Mission 14 Chapter 2334: Mission 14
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions However it was dissected.. This had escted into a significant crisis.
No longer could it be remedied by these self-proimed nobles. Indeed, it seemed usible that the repercussions would extend across the entirety of Jinwei Land. These dignitaries appeared disconcerted and apprehensive as they hurriedly entered the pce. Their typicallyposed countenances were now streaked with perspiration. For the first time, Emperor Jinwei Land witnessed these individuals in such a disheveled and rmed state. ¡°What transpired?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, a grave situation has arisen!¡± ¡°The Lady of the Xu family defied the teachings of her upbringing and insisted on cultivating. She even harmed Brother Xu and seized the cultivation beads from him. We aimed to apprehend this woman who had strayed from the sutra and defied the Dao. To our astonishment, after chasing her from the Cangkong Pavilion all the way to the capital, just as we were about to apprehend her, a pagoda materialized suddenly in the sky. The pagoda descended into the capital, and the Xu family¡¯s Lady led a group of women inside. Shielded by the pagoda, we were powerless to act against her. Men cannot enter that pagoda!¡± ¡°Throughout history, women in Jinwei Land have never practiced cultivation. Now, with the sanctuary provided by this pagoda, I fear numerous individuals who have deviated from the sutra and the Dao will embark on the path of cultivation. In such an event, Jinwei Land is bound to descend into chaos.¡± ¡°They im it to be the will of the heavens, but¡­ As they discussed the will of the heavens, they had witnessed it firsthand and tacitly acknowledged it. Yet, this predicament concerned Jinwei Land, and while they acknowledged it privately, they dared not make any rash decisions. Only the emperor had the authority to address this matter. Emperor Jinwei Land found himself taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
His countenance reflected the gravity of the situation. Jinwei Land had adhered to its established traditions for countless centuries. These were the regtions governing thend. During his reign, Emperor Jinwei Land had not harbored any intentions of altering these deep-rooted customs.@@novelbin@@ Yet now¡­ Chaos loomed on the horizon. ¡°Summon Xu Yuanlong immediately. I wish to conduct a thorough inquiry,¡± Emperor Jinwei Land instructed with evident displeasure. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± an attendant promptly conveyed the message to Xu Yuanlong. The others present dared not make a sound. Meanwhile, at the Xu family¡¯s residence, a state of turmoil had erupted. Xu Yuanlong had initially intended to dispatch someone to retrieve Xu Xunnan, but she had eluded them, instead venturing to the Cangkong Pavilion to create a spectacle.
The situation had spiraled out of control. Xu Yongnian had since returned, exacerbating the turmoil following the incidents at the Cangkong Pavilion. Xu Yuanlong felt an overwhelming sense of despair. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said to Xu Yongnian, leading her in search of Xu Xunnan. Meanwhile, the capital teemed with an unending flow of people, both men and women. Ordinarily, women were a rare sight on the streets. Today, however, their presence couldn¡¯t be contained. They had all poured out, converging on the pagoda. Xu Yuanlong heaved a deep sigh. ¡°A major incident has urred.¡± Indeed, a significant event had unfolded. Under the pagoda, Xu Xunnan had sought refuge. He called out to her, ¡°Xu Xunnan, descend and apany me to the pce for an apology.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still your father, and you must heed me!¡± Xu Yuanlong implored.
Xu Xunnan peered down at Xu Yuanlong. She understood. Her father meant well, just like everyone else. He only wished for her safety and well-being, not her demise. This very understandingpelled her not to reveal herprehension of his intentions. ¡°Impossible! Xu Yuanlong, you seized my cultivation bead. I have yet to settle that score with your Xu family. Your family even attempted to harm my life. This alone renders a return to the Xu family inconceivable..¡± Chapter 2335: Mission 15 Chapter 2335: Mission 15
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Depart from this ce before I be entangled with the Xu Family, for their sake as well! If that were to happen, the Xu Family would face grave consequences!¡± Gu Chaoyan exhibited a visible aversion to any association with the Xu Family. Evidently, the actions of the Xu family had deeply angered her.
The Xu family¡¯s methods aligned with the customs of all families in Jinwei Land. In this moment, many individuals found themselves feeling sympathetic toward the Xu family. After all, it was the Xu family¡¯s entric sutra that had instigated this tumultuous chain of events. Xu Yuanlong let out a heavy sigh. He knew that Xunnan¡¯s future appeared grim. Her fate held little promise of a peaceful death aftermitting such a grave offense. Jinwei Land was likely to condemn her to a gruesome end. She was still his daughter. The thought of her suffering in such a manner pained him deeply. Yet, regardless of what he said, she remained unyielding, even cing me on the Xu family. It seemed futile. Just as Xu Yuanlong grappled with his inner turmoil, a servant from the Xu family approached him, whispering softly, ¡°Master, the emperor has summoned you to the pce.¡±@@novelbin@@ Xu Yuanlong¡¯s countenance shifted subtly. He gazed at the familiar face atop the pagoda, his daughter, his own flesh and blood. However¡­
It appeared that he could no longer shield her. He offered a slight nod, then shifted his gaze away, turning to departpletely. Observing Xu Yuanlong¡¯s departure, Gu Chaoyan felt a sense of relief. She looked at the governess beside her and proceeded to give her instructions on how to manage the situation with those present. Xu Yuanlong hastened to enter the pce. The Emperor had evidently summoned him at this critical juncture to address the matter concerning Xu Xunnan. Xu Yuanlong was acutely aware of his responsibilities. While Xu Xunnan was indeed his daughter, the Xu family constituted arge and extensive n. His own children numbered several, and that was just one branch of the family. When one considered the entire Xu family n, including the numerous household servants, the poption swelled to hundreds. He could not allow these individuals to perish on ount of Xu Xunnan¡¯s actions. From the beginning to the present, he had done his utmost to guide and discipline Xu Xunnan. However, she disyed no remorse for her deeds, harboring resentment toward the Xu family. Now, in the Imperial Pce, he had no choice but to relinquish Xu Xunnan before the Emperor.
By forfeiting Xu Xunnan, he could safeguard the lives of the entire Xu family. Xu Yuanlong had resolved his course of action, and his gaze radiated determination. ¡°Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live Your Majesty,¡± Xu Yuanlong prostrated and bowed, his trepidation evident. The Emperor of Jinwei Land refrained from instructing him to rise. Instead, she preferred to keep him kneeling. As she regarded Xu Yuanlong, who remained in a prostrate position, the Emperor of Jinwei Land couldn¡¯t help but feel an overwhelming anger. Many of the issues that had arisen in Jinwei Land could be traced back to his daughter. Irrespective of any other factors, he had failed in his duty. ¡°Numerous significant events have transpired today, all of which seem to be connected to your daughter. Xu Yuanlong, do youprehend why I have summoned you to the pce?¡± The Emperor of Jinwei Land seethed with anger. Xu Yuanlong prostrated even more fervently, to the point where the sound of his repeated kowtows resonated far and wide. Xu Yuanlong shouted with fervor, ¡°Your Majesty! It is my daughter who is responsible for this situation. I failed in disciplining my daughter effectively. In the past, I should have taken immediate action and had this disobedient daughter eliminated. She even attempted to learn from the governess!¡± ¡°By the time I recognized the gravity of the situation, it was already toote. No one within the Xu family possessed the capability to apprehend her.¡± ¡°The entire fault lies with me..
Chapter 2338: Mission 18 Chapter 2338: Mission 18
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions They were all high-ranking officials and influential figures. Their positions insted them from most consequences. Whether or not women in the n could engage in cultivation, they still relied on these officials. With the exception of the emperor, these individuals, be they men or women, held a superior status. As the emperor¡¯s unfulfilled mandate circted among these officials, they began to discuss the matter among themselves. Their deliberation was unhurried, as no one had managed to aplish the task. As the saying goes, thew cannot penalize the masses. Even if the emperor felt anger or frustration, there was little he could do to them. The number of officials and nobles was substantial, and it was impractical to punish them all. Such an action might evenplicate matters further for the emperor.
Upon careful examination, the situation involving Xu Xunnan from the Xu family significantly impacted themon people¡¯s interests. This was the source of the emperor¡¯s concern, a matterrgely unappreciated by the general popce. For countless years, Jinwei Land had remained peaceful and uneventful. The emperor¡¯s worry primarily revolved around the potential consequences during his reign. He let out a sigh. ¡°Summon me to the pce.¡± Certain decisions needed to be made promptly. Inside the court, the Emperor of Jinwei Land¡¯s countenance was exceedingly grim. While it was the eunuchs¡¯ responsibility to handle the task, the emperor had heard of their less than satisfactory progress. It was really unsatisfactory! ¡°How insolent!¡± The Emperor of Jinwei Land furiously swept aside the stack of memorials before him. ¡°How insolent!¡± The Emperor¡¯s ire boiled within him, but words eluded him. This situation had unfolded with such swiftness and abruptness that it defied containment. The appearance of the pagoda seemed like a heavenly shield, a protection beyond his imperial authority. As the ruler, he found himself utterly powerless. ¡°Your Majesty, it is time for court,¡± the attending eunuch reminded, casting a nce at the sky outside. The Emperor of Jinwei Land pounded the table with great force, then rose with an exceedingly grim countenance. He made his way to the court.
Inside the court, the ministers had assembled, their expressions riddled with apprehension. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on them all, causing anxiety to gnaw at their hearts. When the Emperor of Jinwei Land arrived in court, he immediately knelt, a chorus of repentance in unison. ¡°We have failed in our duties. Please punish us, Emperor!¡± ¡°We have failed in our duties. Please punish us, Your Majesty.¡± The hall reverberated with these fervent pleas, as everyone prostrated themselves. It was as though they werepelling the Emperor of Jinwei Land to humiliate himself. His anger, already raging, red further upon seeing that none had fulfilled their duties, and he was left spluttering with frustration before he could utter a word. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The ministers cried out in worry. The Emperor of Jinwei Land rolled his eyes at them. ¡°If their concern for him was genuine, they should have followed his instructions. Instead, they¡¯re deeply worried now, despite not acting upon his prior guidance. ¡°Your Majesty, this situation is exceptionally challenging to resolve. The Lady of the Xu family has managed to sway their loyalties, and I¡¯m unsure of what incentives she¡¯s provided, but they remain reluctant to return. In my humble opinion, we may need to entrust Lord Xu with the task. It appears to be the most viable option given the circumstances.¡± Recognizing the Emperor of Jinwei Land¡¯s discontent, an individual promptly stepped forward, deferring the matter to Xu Yuanlong. Xu Yuanlong was abruptly singled out for the responsibility..@@novelbin@@
Chapter 2341: Mission 21 Chapter 2341: Mission 21
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Minister Xu¡¯s dedication and concern for the welfare of the nation are evident. Your Majesty has certainly made a wise choice,¡± remarked Zhang Cailiang. As the Left Prime Minister, he sought not to directly affront Xu Yuanlong, at least not at this moment. Observing Xu Yuanlong¡¯s cooperative stance brought him considerable relief. ¡°Minister Xu truly upholds justice. He understands the gravity of the situation. I can assure you that, should Xu Xunnan and Jinwei Land eventually find her untenable, I will take it upon myself to rpense your Xu family for her actions.¡±
¡°Now, let us address the immediate issue.¡± ¡°The task of extending the invitation to Xu Xunnan will fall under Minister Wang¡¯s jurisdiction, with Ministers Zhang and Xu primarily responsible for negotiations with Xu Xunnan,¡± decreed the Emperor of Jinwei Land. In overseeing these affairs, the Emperor of Jinwei Land remained meticulous, ensuring each minister¡¯s role matched their strengths. The current arrangement proved apt, a testament to his extensive experience as an emperor. Everything was proceeding as nned. The Emperor of Jinwei Land exhaled a sigh of relief. Several days had transpired, leaving him somewhat hoarse. Fortunately, he possessed capable individuals who could execute their duties adeptly, forestalling any true cmity. During this period, the Emperor of Jinwei Land took some time to rest, while Wang Yuankui had already arrived at the pagoda. He brought along a sizeable entourage. They strode forward resolutely, their determination palpable.
Within the pagoda, word quickly reached Xu Xunnan¡¯s ears as the people reported to Dao Seeking. ¡°Is the Imperial Court nning to take action against us?¡± someone asked Dao Seeking.@@novelbin@@ ¡°No, they are not permitted to enter the pagoda. Even if they intend to take action, it will be fruitless on the outside. If I am not mistaken, the King of Jinwei Land wishes to meet me. It has been several days, and if he doesn¡¯t meet me, Jinwei Land may descend into chaos,¡± remarked Gu Chaoyan. ¡°So, what should we do?¡± ¡°Just wait here. I will handle everything for you. With individuals who possess the ability to cultivate, you won¡¯t face mistreatment even if you advance your cultivation in front of men in the future.¡¯ ¡°As long as we finalize this arrangement, you can return to the pagoda, resuming your previous way of life, but with added dignity and status,¡± assured Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Okay!¡± Gu Chaoyan offered a reassuring smile. He apanied the nanny as they exited the pagoda. Beyond the pagoda, the prince, king, and monarch, Yuan Kui, spotted her and temporarily set aside his usual pride. His tone wasced with politeness as he addressed her, ¡°Lady Xu, the emperor wishes to meet with you. Please follow me to the pce.¡±
The Left Prime Minister had advised him to adopt a more courteous demeanor upon arrival, fostering an atmosphere of greater tolerance. In the end, this would facilitate the resolution of their differences. Wang Yuankui was eager to avoid anyplications in the matter. Regardless of their personal reluctance, they behaved with decorum now. Gu Chaoyan remained indifferent to these niceties. She recognized the necessity of visiting the pce to negotiate with Emperor of Jinwei. Given that the other party had taken the initiative to invite her, there was no harm in making the trip. As for the attitude of the emissary, she remained unfazed. Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°If the Emperor of Jinwei Land wishes to meet with me, I shall go.¡± Having uttered these words¡­ She turned her gaze toward the people apanying her, her eyes resting on the nanny. ¡°Nanny,e with me.¡± The nanny nodded. Miss Lin expressed some concern. ¡°Should we bring additional individuals? After all, the pce is quite a distance away..¡±
Chapter 2343: Mission 23 Chapter 2343: Mission 23
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Her mission here was to enable the women to attain a rightful status and the opportunity to cultivate. Nheless, she aimed to ensure that these women didn¡¯t, in turn, seek to oppress others.
As they embarked on the carriage bound for the court¡­ She shared the ride with her nanny. Upon arriving at the carriage¡­ They still had some distance to cover before reaching the pce. The nanny couldn¡¯t suppress her curiosity, ¡°For so many years, it was a rule that women couldn¡¯t cultivate. Now, these women are all cultivating. Can we expect the Emperor of Jinwei Land to readily ept this and summon us to the pce for discussions in such a short time?¡± Only a few days had transpired. Gu Chaoyan gave a slight shake of her head. ¡°It certainly won¡¯t be that straightforward,¡± she responded. ¡°My suspicion is that our visit this time is intended to disband us, initially through persuasion, then potentially resorting to force. If I don¡¯t acquiesce, I fear we might encounter danger in the pce, as Miss Lin suggested.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry. The Jinwei Land¡¯s pce can¡¯t contain me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s proceed. We¡¯ll address the situation step by step,¡± Gu Chaoyan reassured. The nanny nodded.
Xu Xunnan had elucidated the situation so thoroughly that she now had a fairly clear understanding of the circumstances. Simultaneously, she felt a sense of calmness. She believed that with Xu Xunnan¡¯sprehension and confidence, there should be no issues to confront within the pce. The carriage swayed and before long, they arrived at the Jinwei Land¡¯s pce. Gu Chaoyan surveyed the expanse of Jinwei Land¡¯s pce. While Jinwei Land may have been considered rtively small and not overly affluent, its national strength wasmendable. The pce exhibited a formidable level of security. Guided by Wang Yuankui, they encountered no obstacles along the route and sessfully advanced into the epassing the pce. They reached the innermost section. Upon disembarking from the carriage, a pce eunuch directed them to the Emperor. Gu Chaoyan took notice of the court¡¯s greenery.
She strolled leisurely. Before long, they reached the imperial study. As she stepped into the imperial study, she spotted Xu Yuanlong waiting outside. Xu Yuanlong regarded her with an anxious countenance. ¡°Xunnan¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan pivoted without acknowledging him and departed without a single word. She didn¡¯t extend the slightest courtesy to Xu Yuanlong and exhibited no inclination to address him. Xu Yuanlong found himself somewhat embarrassed. By chance, his gaze met that of Wang Yuankui. Wang Yuankui regarded Xu Yuanlong and offered aforting expression. ¡°Lord Xu has done his utmost. Don¡¯t overthink it. Take your time.¡± Xu Yuanlong nodded. Wang Yuankui was somewhat apprehensive. He then stepped into the imperial study.
Rather than bowing, Gu Chaoyan maintained an erect posture, positioning herself in front of the Emperor of Jinwei Land. The Emperor of Jinwei Land was somewhat displeased by this. Since ascending to the throne, no one had dared to exhibit such audacity in his presence. Yet now, a woman disyed such arrogance. His gaze shifted to Xu Xunnan. Among the noblewomen from these aristocratic families, Xu Xunnan¡¯s appearance was indeed rather unremarkable. In fact, it bordered on the ordinary.@@novelbin@@ It was hardly surprising that she would undertake such an audacious action. She believed that if she failed to do so, she would lead an unsatisfactory life, even as the Lady of the Xu family. ¡°You are Xu Xunnan,¡± the Emperor of Jinwei Land addressed Xu Xunnan in a soft tone. He didn¡¯t request her to bow or take a seat. Instead, he permitted her to remain standing. Gu Chaoyan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Beyond that single word, no additional words were exchanged. The Emperor of Jinwei Land was deeply dissatisfied with her demeanor. Observing an emperor devoid of fear, excitement, embarrassment, or any disy of emotion was an unusual sight.. Chapter 2347: Mission 27 Chapter 2347: Mission 27
Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Upon hearing Xu Xunnan say ¡®but,¡¯ the Emperor of Jinwei Land¡¯s initially eager and hopeful countenance immediately stiffened and dimmed. He had believed there might be a straightforward resolution, that Xu Xunnan understood the challenges he faced and was willing to uphold Jinwei Land¡¯s age-old traditions.
But it appeared she still had her own terms. The Emperor of Jinwei Land remained silent, his gaze resting reluctantly upon her. Gu Chaoyan continued, ¡°However, this tradition is rooted in the belief that womenck the aptitude for cultivation, hence the prohibition. Today, many women clearly possess the talent for cultivation. So why restrict them?¡± ¡°The current rule is not the essence of Jinwei Land¡¯s traditions; it is an overcorrection. ¡± ¡°Thus, my requests are not numerous. I merely seek the freedom for Jinwei Land¡¯s women to choose whether they wish to cultivate or not, without being arbitrarily stifled. At best, I will facilitate their marriages; at worst, they will be confined to domestic life. As for cultivation, as long as they disy the necessary talent, they should have the opportunity to receive guidance and training within the pagoda.¡± ¡°As for other matters, Emperor of Jinwei Land, I do not seek riches, precious metals, jewelry, or wealth. Although if you are willing to offer these women positions within the intermediate court, I have no objections. Of course, I do notpel you to do so,¡± Gu Chaoyan remarked. In essence, her aim was not to drastically transform Jinwei Land¡¯s way of life on her own. Her primary objective was to secure the right for Jinwei Land¡¯s women to cultivate, as stipted in her mission. Once they stood on equal ground with men, they could pursue cultivation freely. They could reserve the rest of their concerns for future endeavors. After all, it was wiser to teach people how to fish than to merely provide the fish.
Gu Chaoyan understood that she couldn¡¯t arrange every detail herself; they should be able to take the reins directly. In that case, they might end up being more self-reliant. The Emperor of Jinwei Land¡¯s countenance twitched, growing increasingly unattractive. He was taken aback by the extent of her demands. These were numerous and substantial requests. Throughout history, the women of Jinwei Land had been barred from cultivation. If the country suddenly permitted them to cultivate, the repercussions down the line could be immense. Addressing the grievances of the citizens would be a formidable challenge. Furthermore, this was an age-old rule; how long would it take for people to embrace such a shift? While it might be ptable now, what about the future? Would his descendants not revile him if the oues took an unfavorable turn? Offering wealth, gold, silver, and jewelry was straightforward, but theplexity of this request weighed heavily on him. The Emperor of Jinwei Land was troubled, evident in the weariness etched across his face. He looked up at Xu Xunnan and proposed, ¡°Let¡¯s deliberate on this matter thoroughly. It¡¯s quite challenging. How about we consider an alternative approach? For instance, I can appoint some women to official positions and grant them power. They could oversee the affairs of women across the world. In doing so, their interests would be safeguarded, whether they choose to cultivate or not. Additionally, women primarily y a crucial role in supporting their husbands and educating their children. Is cultivation truly a top priority?¡±@@novelbin@@ The Emperor of Jinwei Land proposed. Gu Chaoyan cast a nce at the King of Jinwei Land. Honestly¡­ While this Emperor might be as timid as a mouse and held a fear of death,
After years of reigning as Emperor, he still possessed a degree of intelligence. The ongoing negotiations were a testament to this. In a brief span, he had swiftly devised a solution that favored his own interests.. Chapter 2351: Mission 31 Chapter 2351: Mission 31
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions If she could attain the cultivation of the Paragon Martial God, she would be nearing the half-step Golden Immortal realm. In this state, she could almost catch up to Pei Yueling, or at the very least, gain ess to the second world like her. It wouldn¡¯t be too distant of a prospect to seek revenge then. Huaijin?
The thought of Zhou Huaijin, lonely and imprisoned in Longmai Mountain, weighed heavily on Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mind. Her mood shifted as she contemted Zhou Huaijin. Suppressing the sorrow within her, she inquired, ¡°What¡¯s the mission?¡± There was a brief silence within the chaotic spacetime, followed by a voice, ¡°In the northern region of Jinwei Land lies a small country named Baizhou Land. It¡¯s simr to Jinwei Land, prohibiting women from cultivating and regarding them as inauspicious beings. Your task is to persuade the people of Baizhou Land to acknowledge the power of women and end their discrimination.¡± ¡°Afterpleting this mission, you can exit the mission and refine your cultivation in the chaotic spacetime up to the First Heaven of Paragon Martial God.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied without much deliberation. She was eager to advance her cultivation, and the mission¡¯s reward was highly enticing. She was more than willing. If she wanted to agree, there was no reason to dy. The chaotic spacetime emitted a subtle smile, and then his voice faded, gradually growing more distant. Gu Chaoyan understood that he was likely departing. As shey on the bed, her mind was filled with these thoughts.
And then, there was Zhou Huaijin¡­ As she ruminated on these matters, fatigue overcame Gu Chaoyan, and sleep beckoned. He waited for her to awaken. Outside the door, the nanny had been patiently waiting. Given Gu Chaoyan¡¯s current level of cultivation, she could sense if anyone approached. Moreover, the nanny had nothing to hide. ¡°Madam, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired first. Since they had smoothly entered the pagoda, the nanny had been consistently busy. His presence outside today indicated something significant must have arisen. ¡°Someone from the pce has arrived. They conveyed that the Emperor wishes to discuss matters with you,¡± the nanny ryed. On the Emperor of Jinwei Land¡¯s side, the woman who had just secured the agreement allowing Jinwei Land¡¯s women to cultivate had dispatched someone. She seemed concerned that something of great import was afoot and wanted to address it before resuming her cultivation. Gu Chaoyan remained unaware of what transpired. She rose from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll go and see.¡±
Gu Chaoyan proceeded to exit the pagoda. Up to this point, men were not permitted inside, so representatives from the pce could only await her outside. The eunuchs within the pce held considerable influence, and in front of Xu Xunnan, they dared not disy any dissatisfaction. When Gu Chaoyan emerged, one of them smiled and spoke, ¡°Lady Xu, the Emperor requests your presence.¡± Gu Chaoyan offered a slight nod. She motioned for the nanny to oversee the pagoda as she followed suit.@@novelbin@@ The reason behind the Emperor of Jinwei Land¡¯s summon remained unknown to her. Gu Chaoyan was equally in the dark. They made their way to the pce of Jinwei Land. Having been here before, Gu Chaoyan was well-acquainted with the surroundings. En route, the pce eunuchs exchanged a few words with Gu Chaoyan.
Chapter 2354: Mission 34 Chapter 2354: Mission 34
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions So, what if these soldiers were unhappy? In any case, these women were focused on their cultivation. Their well-honed abilities rendered them impervious to bullying by disgruntled men, who could do little more than wear sullen expressions.
This was the advantage of cultivating strength; it instilled a sense of empowerment. Without their cultivation, these women knew that the men would likely exploit their vulnerability and live in fear of retribution if they underperformed. The men¡¯s displeased countenances only fueled these women¡¯s determination to excel in their cultivation and resist being victimized. Throughout the journey, things proceeded rtively smoothly. Despite the soldiers¡¯ unhappiness, they had heard about what had befallen the Imperial Master when pitted against Xu Xunnan. Knowing that they would be at a disadvantage, they didn¡¯t dare to provoke any conflicts. After four days and three nights, they finally reached Baizhou Land. Baizhou Land, unlike the prosperous Jinwei Land, appeared deste and barren along the way, exining the rumors surrounding it. As they crossed the border into Baizhou Land, the local citizens automatically made way for Jinwei Land¡¯s envoy, hesitant to express any curiosity and eager to understand the reason behind their visit. However¡­ Even though the people of Baizhou Land granted them passage, Gu Chaoyan could still discern from a distance that the women of Baizhou Land were being mistreated and subjected to a life resembling that of ves. It took them a full day to reach the capital of Baizhou Land. Upon their arrival outside the capital, envoys from Baizhou Land extended their wee. The presence of Jinwei Land¡¯s envoy initially stirred excitement among the locals in Baizhou Land, who greeted them with beaming smiles. However, those smiles gradually waned when they caught sight of Gu Chaoyan and herpanions. Their expressions becameplex, and suspicion clouded their eyes.
¡°What is the meaning of this, Jinwei Land? Are you belittling Baizhou Land? How dare you send these ill-fated women to bring harm to us?¡± The Baizhou Land envoy expressed evident anger, his direct question underscoring the perceived disrespect toward Baizhou Land. To them, this was a grave affront to their nation¡¯s honor. ¡°The Baizhou Land envoy may have misunderstood. I will certainly rify this matter when I meet your king,¡± replied Jinwei Land¡¯s envoy in a catory tone, opting not to borate and allowing the people of Baizhou Land to express their grievances. The expression of the Baizhou Land envoy improved slightly.@@novelbin@@ However, Gu Chaoyan and herpanions still regarded him with disdain, as if their very presence was an affront to Baizhou Land. They had never faced such treatment in Jinwei Land, and their demeanor was now marked by discontent and a hint of anger. Gu Chaoyan, on the other hand, remained her usualposed self, as though she had not heard the usations. The envoy from Jinwei Land cast a meaningful nce at Gu Chaoyan, and the smile on his face faded slightly. They then proceeded to the pce of Baizhou Land. Baizhou Land was not as opulent as Jinwei Land. Even the capital appeared somewhat faded, not to mention the pce itself. In Gu Chaoyan¡¯s perspective¡­ There was a reason for all of this.
Baizhou Land was not as progressive as Jinwei Land, which naturally reflected in its rtive wealth. However, in her view, ever since Jinwei Land had allowed women to cultivate, she believed the nation¡¯s strength would continue to grow. In a world where both men and women existed, their coexistence was essential for progress. It was not as if one side was suppressing the other. If so, creativity would always be limited. Chapter 2357: Mission 37 Chapter 2357: Mission 37 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The angrier the King of Baizhou Land became, the more satisfaction Gu Chaoyan derived. ¡°Your Majesty, I apologize for any offense my earlier question may have caused. I was simply seeking rification,¡± Gu Chaoyan said, her voice taking on a tone of trepidation, as if she remained genuinely fearful. Only then did the King of Baizhou Land begin to rx slightly. He had no desire to squander time on someone like her. He merely wanted to expedite their departure from Baizhou Land. The King of Baizhou Land was on the brink of speaking, but Gu Chaoyan interjected hurriedly, ¡°And, Your Majesty, you mentioned that women are useless and that cultivating is a waste of time. Why do you consistently hold such beliefs?¡± ¡°Just because the women in Baizhou Land may not fulfill your expectations, it doesn¡¯t mean that all women in the world are the same. It¡¯s possible that it¡¯s your perspective that¡¯s wed,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered candidly. Her gaze met his without a hint of mockery; she was earnest in her statement. Nheless, her words contained subtle taunts aimed at the King of Baizhou Land and his domain. This was certain to irk him. He had been raised among individuals who were deferential, both in the pce and outside of it. No one had dared to overstep their boundaries or speak impudently in his presence. This woman from Jinwei Land was the first to challenge that norm. For the first time, he encountered such a defiant individual. He was momentarily at a loss for how to respond, his anger coursing through him, seeking an outlet. If she had been from Baizhou Land, he could have simply eliminated her. However, she hailed from Jinwei Land,plicating any direct course of action. ¡°The envoy of Jinwei Land, take a good look at yourpanion. She appears to have disregarded propriety entirely. How do you propose we address her transgression?¡± bellowed the King of Baizhou Land. @@novelbin@@ The envoy from Jinwei Land felt the strength drain from his legs. He was caught in a perilous situation with no room for offense. Offending the King of Baizhou Land could potentially result in dire consequences, and Xu Xunnan, despite her cultivation prowess, had already been injured by the Imperial Master. The King wished to impart a lesson through the King of Baizhou Land¡¯s hands, but he had not provided any guidance on how to handle Xu Xunnan. This left the envoy in a state of intense anxiety, sweat forming on his forehead. His gaze briefly shifted to the Third Prince, who chose to avert his eyes, feigning ignorance. He had merely been brought along to Baizhou Land to represent the royal family and was not entrusted with any specific tasks. Understanding Xu Xunnan¡¯s reputation, he had no desire to provoke her, especially since hecked favor within the pce. It was one thing to endure his own mistreatment, but crossing paths with Xu Xunnan could result in a united front of Jinwei Land¡¯s women opposing him in the future. Such a life held no appeal for him. Jinwei Land¡¯s envoy, his voice trembling, was left with no option but to utter, ¡°King of Baizhou Land, we are currently in Baizhou Land¡¯s domain. If I have offended you, I trust that you will deal with it ording to your own judgment.¡± ¡°Deal with them?¡± The King of Baizhou Land initially expressed surprise before responding impolitely, ¡°Deal with them, indeed. Guards, seize these women and carry out their punishment!¡± The Baizhou Land guards eagerly advanced to surround the women. The envoy from Jinwei Land¡¯s countenance stiffened. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that the King of Baizhou Land would opt for such a direct and extreme measure. This turn of events left him deeply concerned. If Xu Xunnan chose to hold him responsible¡­ However, the Baizhou Land guards had not yet reached Gu Chaoyan. The envoy realized that the situation had not yet reached its climax. Chapter 2359: Mission 39 Chapter 2359: Mission 39
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Her countenance remainedposed. Most of the guards in Baizhou Land were novices in the realm of cultivation. No matter how many advanced upon her, they were all destined to sumb to the immense pressure she exerted. Fear did not upy her thoughts.
In the realm of cultivation, victory hinged not upon numbers but rather the disparity in one¡¯s cultivation level. There existed chasms between different tiers of cultivation, making such disparities insurmountable. These individuals were but ants in her presence. Should she choose to, she could easily im the life of the King of Baizhou Land in a mere instant. Yet, Gu Chaoyan had no intention of such an act. She held a different objective in mind, understanding that perceptions were deeply entrenched in individuals¡¯ minds due to their environment and history. Ending their lives would serve no purpose; her aim was to reshape their beliefs.@@novelbin@@ Upon the King of Baizhou Land¡¯smand, the guards of Baizhou Land surged forward. However, they crumbled before they could draw near Gu Chaoyan. The sheer pressure she exuded inflicted torment upon them. Attempting to advance would only result in being repelled by her spiritual energy and incurring internal injuries. Though the mercy she disyed spared them from severe harm, it was a considerable struggle for them to rise again. After their previous ordeal, they found no will to rejoin the fray. The pressure alone threatened their lives, and they were well aware of this. Guard after guard sumbed, forming an unbroken chain of defeat. Gu Chaoyan, in contrast, stood her ground, apparently expending no effort, yet her influencepelled these individuals to kneel. The King of Baizhou Land wore a vexed expression. Determined to exact retribution, they now found themselves at a loss, stunned by the unexpected turn of events. This woman possessed an astonishing power. It was as if she could singlehandedly bring down Baizhou Land¡¯s pce. In that moment, the King of Baizhou Land experienced a profound revtion as to why the Emperor of Jinwei Land had eded to such an unreasonable request and permitted the cultivation of Jinwei Land¡¯s women. The Emperor likely had little choice in the matter. This unforeseen turn of events left the King grappling with a pressing dilemma.
If the current situation persisted, it would be untenable. Beyond the substantial casualties incurred by Baizhou Land, their national strength had been grievously weakened. If Jinwei Land were to entertain hostile intentions, Baizhou Land would find itself in an even more perilous predicament. Furthermore, Jinwei Land possessed considerable renown. The envoy before him was appointed by Jinwei Land out of respect for Baizhou Land. Yet, Baizhou Land had initiated hostilities against the envoy, merely in response to a provocation. If Jinwei Land were to employ this pretext to deploy troops, given the present circumstances, Baizhou Land would likely be vanquished by Jinwei Land. This state of affairs was untenable. After a careful assessment of the situation, the King of Baizhou Land urgentlymanded, ¡°Stand down, all of you.¡± Addressing Gu Chaoyan, he said, ¡°Miss, it is all a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here on a diplomatic mission to Baizhou Land, and our nation extends a warm wee to you. This is simply a misunderstanding. Further conflict would strain the rtions between our two countries.¡± ¡°Baizhou Land and Jinwei Land are neighbors, despite our proximity.¡± Chapter 2362: Mission 42 Chapter 2362: Mission 42
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Just take a well-deserved break and attend the banquet in Baizhou Land. After the banquet concludes, we¡¯ll return to Jinwei Land, and then we¡¯ll have some matters to attend to.¡± Gu Chaoyan rose from her seat, ced her hands on the nanny¡¯s shoulders, and gently guided her into afortable sitting position, encouraging her to rest. For some inexplicable reason, ever since entering the pagoda, she had regarded the nanny as her mentor. In the nanny¡¯s presence, she naturally disyed obedience and refrained from sitting casually or indifferently, a habit she was determined to change.
Gu Chaoyan disliked this formality. The nanny acquiesced and took her seat. However¡­@@novelbin@@ She remained deep in thought, pondering the implications of their conversation, as if she was meticulously examining the matter. In her contemtion, she began to realize something. Her thought process was straightforward, and she believed that addressing issues directly and exining them clearly would yield the best results. Little did she know that certain matters would naturally resolve themselves due to underlying pressures. This marked a fundamental difference between her and the Lady. The Lady possessed exceptional intelligence, which exined her ability to aplish grand feats in such a short time. After her introspection, the nanny smiled. Her expression held a mix of emotions, epassing relief and admiration. ¡°Very well, I will heed your counsel, My Lady,¡± the nanny said, smiling kindly as she patted Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hands, assuming the role of a nurturing elder guiding a junior. Nevertheless¡­ The matter remained unsettled. The nanny feltpelled to address something more, ¡°My Lady, please don¡¯t fault me for my verbosity. In the future, as you pursue your cultivation, I¡¯ll have to handle various responsibilities within the pagoda, both major and minor. So, I¡¯d like to be privy to your thoughts, to better understand what needs to be managed.¡±
¡°Judging from the Third Prince¡¯s recent demeanor, it seems he¡¯s inclined to seek your favor. He might be considering surrendering. My Lady, what is your perspective on this?¡± At the mention of the Third Prince, Gu Chaoyan took a moment to ponder. Then, she replied, ¡°Regarding the Third Prince, he is inherently frail and shies away from taking on responsibilities. Furthermore, hecks interpersonal skills, making his position in Jinwei Land rather precarious. His eagerness to gain our favor is likely a move to secure some form of protection in the future.¡± ¡°Though he may not possess the ideal qualities, he remains a prince. We can make use of him, but it would be unwise to entrust him with significant responsibilities.¡± ¡°Nanny, do youprehend my intentions?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired, looking at Dao Seeking. ¡°Perfectly understood.¡± The nanny grasped the message immediately. Indeed, they currently faced a shortage of allies. No matter how formidable the pagoda was or how powerful the Lady¡¯s cultivation had be, Jinwei Land¡¯s age-old traditions had ingrained a deep-rooted aversion to their presence, prompting people to instinctively distance themselves and hope for their swift departure. The Third Prince¡¯s willingness to extend goodwill marked a promising beginning. epting his overtures was a practical step. But they could not be overly entangled with him.
The nanny swiftly grasped the intricacies of this situation. The journey to Baizhou Land had been lengthy and taxing, and having addressed two significant matters, the nanny decided not to linger. After advising Gu Chaoyan to rest, she departed. Gu Chaoyan reclined on her bed, contemting the challenges thaty ahead once she ascended to the status of a Paragon Martial God. Achieving the cultivation level of a Paragon Martial God would not make the subsequent transition to the half-step Golden Immortal realm a simple or straightforward endeavor. Chapter 2365: Mission 45 Chapter 2365: Mission 45
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Alright, there¡¯s nothing more for you to attend to at present. You may depart. It seems that one by one, you struggle with handling tasks. You exhibit ipetence at every turn. What purpose does your presence here serve?¡± The King of Baizhou Land expressed his dissatisfaction, rose from his seat, and hastily left. The Grand Council ministers lingered in an ufortable silence.
Naturally, the King was displeased with Wu Jinghui¡¯s suggestion. They were reluctant to break free from the thousand-year-old traditions because of the risks involved. Yet, the King¡¯s remarks held a kernel of truth. But¡­ The Grand Council ministers sighed and eventually dispersed. They were bound for Jinwei Land to investigate. Concerns about the impending oue weighed heavily on their minds. The ministers traveled in groups of two or three, while Wu Jinghui proceeded alone. He harbored no resentment. At this juncture, the die was cast. In the Baizhou Land court, Gu Chaoyan and herpanions reveled in their triumph. The prince, the King, and the King of Baizhou Land held her in both admiration and fear.
On the other hand, the Jinwei Land envoy grappled with a challenging situation. Now that the Third Prince had managed to converse with Gu Chaoyan, she didn¡¯t mind granting him some favor. Before long, the time arrived for the Baizhou Land pce banquet. Distinct disparities separated Baizhou Land from Jinwei Land. Just from the matters in the pce. In the pce of Jinwei Land, the young princes and princesses were amodated within the pce grounds. In contrast, Baizhou Land adopted a different approach. The princes and princesses resided in courtyards located outside the main pce. Within the pce, only the King and his concubines dwelled. Due to the prevailing belief that female presence brought misfortune, the Baizhou Land¡¯s people predominantly relegated the princesses to the external courtyards. They would only set foot in the pce on special asions, such as pce banquets. The princes experienced a somewhat more lenient treatment and enjoyed the freedom toe and go from the pce. However, they too didn¡¯t reside within the pce, maintaining their separate residences outside the pce walls, under the supervision of teachers appointed by the prince, the King, and the King of Baizhou Land. This arrangement stemmed from Baizhou Land¡¯s apprehension that mothers might exert undue influence over the upbringing of their royal offspring. The nation adhered to deeply entrenched feudal practices, which were underscored by a notable bias against women. On the day of the pce banquet in Baizhou Land, the princes and princesses from the external courtyards would converge within the pce. This was an infrequent urrence in the Baizhou Land pce. Gu Chaoyan stood by the window, gazing outside contemtively, lost in her thoughts.
Meanwhile, the nanny held a sandalwoodb, meticulously tending to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s hair as shemented, ¡°Tomorrow marks the pce banquet. After its conclusion, you may return to Jinwei Land.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe the imperial banquet may pose some challenges, so I¡¯ve instructed the preparations,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded. ¡°Understood,¡± the nanny continued tob her hair.@@novelbin@@ The deste northernndscapey beyond the window, but Gu Chaoyan¡¯s interest in it waned quickly. She returned to her seat within the room. At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted the tranquility. The voice that apanied the knock caused a slight crease in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s brow. While Gu Chaoyan had initially extended some courtesy to the Third Prince, his behavior was growing increasingly audacious and avaricious. Over the course of their shared experiences, Gu Chaoyan had be adept at discerning people¡¯s true intentions. It was clear that the Third Prince had sought to align himself with her to improve his future prospects once she returned to Jinwei Land. However, the Third Prince¡¯s motives might have taken a more sinister turn, which troubled her. Gu Chaoyan heaved a sigh and remarked, ¡°There¡¯s no need to entertain him further. He¡¯s a man who¡¯s beyond our reach¡ªneither capable nor content, just greedy.¡± The nanny nodded in agreement.
Chapter 2368: Mission 48 Chapter 2368: Mission 48
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°I refrained from attacking you simply because you hold the title of prince, but do not test my patience, or I will have no qualms about confronting you directly,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated sternly, her eyes narrowed in displeasure. ¡°I hail from Jinwei Land and am on a mission to Baizhou Land. I did note here to endure humiliation at your hands. Your constant belittlement of Jinwei Land and my presence as an insult to Baizhou Land is unwarranted.¡± The Fourth Prince remained silent, clearly taken aback by her resolve.
¡°For anyone else, I would have already taken action more forceful than merely sshing tea on them,¡± Gu Chaoyan continued, her tone unwavering. ¡°If you persist in causing trouble, I will not hesitate to take appropriate action.¡± The Fourth Prince retorted, ¡°We are causing trouble? You are but a woman.¡± Before he couldplete his sentence, Gu Chaoyan swiftly pped him, sending him crashing to the ground. The Fourth Prince¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, and despite his own cultivation abilities, he found himself incapacitated by a single blow. After his fall, there was a noticeable dy in anyoneing to his aid. Hispanions were too upied nursing their own wounds. ¡°I had no intention of shing with a prince like you, but you have pushed the limits of my tolerance,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered, her tone upromising. ¡°Do not me me for responding in kind. I am the envoy from Jinwei Land, and I stand my ground here. If anyone disagrees, step forward.¡± A hushed silence fell over the onlookers as they observed the Fourth Prince¡¯s current sorry state. His martial prowess, previously impressive, was now questioned, and they thought better of challenging Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You stand at the seventh level of the Martial Warrior Realm, weaker even than my subordinates. What is your purpose here?¡± Gu Chaoyan sneered with a disdainful expression. ¡°What?!¡± The Fourth Prince eximed, his disbelief evident. They were even more formidable than those under hermand? In other words, the women behind her? How could that be possible? At that moment, the nanny released her formidable aura, an oppressive might that could rival
that of a Martial King, enough to give even the Fourth Prince a severe headache. They had actually¡­ Surpassed him in cultivation. And they were women? Why? Traditionally, women had been considered of lesser significance. What gave them the right to excel in this domain? Previously, the Fourth Prince had been unable to fathom his father¡¯s actions. He had thought that his father had allowed a woman from Jinwei Land to have her way out of magnanimity. Now, even if he couldn¡¯t fullyprehend, he grasped the situation. So his father was constrained by them? On one hand, it was due to Jinwei Land. On the other hand, it was because of their formidable cultivation. How could this be?
The Fourth Prince remained in shock and was unable to grasp the situation. At this juncture, the King of Baizhou Land finally stepped forward to mediate. ¡°Lady Xu, my sons are still young and imprudent. I request that you do not hold their behavior against them. After the pce banquet, I will ensure that they offer you a personal apology.¡± The King of Baizhou Land then cast a disapproving nce at the Fourth Prince and admonished, ¡°Nonsense!¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°I understand my mistake,¡± the Fourth Prince conceded, ceasing his resistance and speaking obediently. He continued to dwell in his bewildered thoughts. The King of Baizhou Land extended a warm wee to their guests. This year¡¯s pce banquet in Baizhou Land was unlike any seen before. It became a topic of discussion, rife with astonishment. The Fourth Prince¡¯s countenance remained grim as he reluctantly took his seat once more. However, his understanding remained iplete. The envoy from Jinwei Land¡¯s expression soured once more. He had initially believed that¡­.
Chapter 2371: Mission 51 Chapter 2371: Mission 51
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions She had already returned to the chaotic spacetime. ¡°It appears that these missions present no challenge for you,¡± the voice within the chaotic spacetime remarked dispassionately.
Yet, Gu Chaoyan detected a trace of teasing in the voice, suggesting a familiarity that bordered on amusement. It was as if the chaotic spacetime observed her with a knowing eye, witnessing something subtle. Although Gu Chaoyan failed to discern the specifics, she did sense something amiss. ¡°A lower-level cultivation bead?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired once more. A moment of silence ensued. Then, abruptly, the chaotic spacetime spoke, ¡°Hasten your self-tempering. It will lead you to the cultivation level of a Paragon Martial God, a goal you¡¯ve long pursued.¡± The chaotic spacetime must have overheard her earlier statement, a fact Gu Chaoyan was well aware of. However, he evaded her query, unwilling to discuss the matter, and had no intention of revealing anything. No matter how she inquired, the response would remain the same. Consequently, Gu Chaoyan decided not to press further. As she delved into the tempering process, each session left her with a profound sense offort. It entailed the influx of abundant spiritual energy that coursed through her body, rendering her light and at ease. In this state of ease, her cultivation level ascended, oneyer at a time. Yet, just as she was on the brink of a sessful breakthrough, the process came to an abrupt halt. This cessation engendered a measure of difort, impeding her progress. Gu Chaoyan emerged from the tempering session in a somewhat disconcerted state.
At this moment¡­ Her cultivation had already reached the level of a Paragon Martial God. The difort she had experienced previously likely stemmed from her inability to advance to the half-step Golden Immortal realm. Indeed¡­@@novelbin@@ It was a formidable barrier to surmount, exining her recent sensations. This rified why so many individuals chose to remain here. Anxiety began to creep over Gu Chaoyan. When she emerged from the tempering, she urgently questioned the chaotic spacetime, ¡°How can I attain the status of a half-step Golden Immortal?¡± ¡°I need to review the mission.¡± The chaotic spacetime fell into another prolonged silence. After a considerable pause, it responded, ¡°A half-step Golden Immortal? This cultivation level grants ess to the Second World. Breaking through to the half-step Golden Immortal realm is no simple feat.¡± ¡°Only the most challenging missions offer the potential to attain the status of a half-step Golden Immortal.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to undertake the mission,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered without hesitation, as if driven by an urgent desire to embark on the task. ¡°You¡¯ve justpleted a mission. It¡¯s advisable to rest before entering the chaotic spacetime for another mission,¡± the chaotic spacetime advised, his tone notablyposed, as if attaining the status of a half-step Golden Immortal held little significance to him. He appeared content to take things at a leisurely pace. ¡°I don¡¯t need to rest,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted. ¡°The chaotic spacetime requires time.¡± With her understanding, Gu Chaoyan ceased her insistence. She nodded, signaling her eptance. And then, she exited the chaotic spacetime. Returning to the Yan Family in the Shenyou Dynasty, the room was cloaked in silence. Energized by her recent breakthrough, she pushed open the door to survey her surroundings. Dragonman, White Deer, Yan Wuji, and the head of the Undead Race stood guard outside, clearly concerned about any potentialplications. ¡°Congrattions on your breakthrough, Junior Sister!¡± Di Hongyun greeted her with an enthusiastic smile. ¡°The signs of a breakthrough had been evident sincest night. We were worried that something might go wrong, so we¡¯ve been on guard. Thankfully, all is well, and you¡¯ve sessfully attained the next level,¡± the head of the Undead Race acknowledged.
Chapter 2374: Mission 54 Chapter 2374: Mission 54
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Upon mention of the chaotic spacetime¡¯s role in providing mission instructions, Gu Chaoyan experienced a sudden recollection. Whenever shepleted a mission within the chaotic spacetime, it would furnish her with clear guidance on how to aplish the task before she embarked on it. However, in this instance, she remainedpletely unaware of how toplete the mission. This left her in a quandary;cking the knowledge of what constituted effective progress in the mission.
She was not only oblivious to the situation she found herself in but alsocked any understanding of the mission¡¯s objectives. Was this genuinely a mission aimed at attaining the half-step Golden Immortal realm? If so, could thisplexity be attributed to the inherent difficulty of achieving that level? ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking it; I just wanted to wash my hands in the river. There¡¯s no need for excessive pondering. While alive, people encounter myriad experiences, and I have no intention of avoiding life¡¯s trials in death,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded straightforwardly. Even though she couldn¡¯t fathom the reasons behind this woman¡¯s misconceptions or the circumstances that might have led her to believe that Gu Chaoyan contemted self-harm, she feltpelled to assuage those concerns entirely. Upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s response, the woman appeared somewhat reassured. ¡°In the past two days, our n has suffered incessant attacks, resulting in numerous casualties. Our n¡¯s existence is a perpetual struggle, and you carry a significant weight of responsibility. I fear that you might bear the brunt of guilt and internalize the hardships,¡± the woman exined. Gu Chaoyanprehended the situation now. The woman¡¯s conjecture was not unfounded. It was usible that this enigmatic Tribe Chief of an unfamiliar race had genuinely shouldered an onerous burden and arrived at this ce alone. Nheless, with Gu Chaoyan¡¯s presence, there was no longer any need to bear the weight alone. Having known this Tribe Chief for a considerable period, Gu Chaoyan possessed a reasonably urate understanding of her personality. ¡°I¡¯m here solely for rxation. Rest assured, I won¡¯t leave you behind,¡± Gu Chaoyan offeredfortingly. She apanied the woman back to their n. It was during this moment that Gu Chaoyan finally had the opportunity to take a closer look at the woman¡¯s attire. The Tribe Chief was garbed in a very simplistic manner, with just two pieces of tattered fabric serving as her upper and lower body coverings, leaving most of her body exposed.
What kind of race was this? Wearing such revealing attire was a stark departure from Gu Chaoyan¡¯s customs. Surveying herself, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat relieved. While her own attire might be revealing, it was marginally more modest than what this woman wore, especially given the additional piece of cloth that was wrapped around her lower body. Fortunately, that was the case. Upon returning to the n, Gu Chaoyan gained a more profound understanding of the dire situation. The woman¡¯s initial misconception about her inclination toward self-harm began to make sense. The n¡¯s predicament was evidently catastrophic. The environment was challenging, and numerous n members were gravely injured. The absence of medicinal herbs contributed to the lingering scent of blood in the air. Those who sustained severe injuriesy incapacitated, while the less injured individuals endeavored to perform various tasks. Although characterized as work, these activities essentially involved the preparation of wild vegetables for consumption. Observing the wounded individuals, Gu Chaoyan inquired of the woman apanying her, ¡°Why aren¡¯t their wounds being tended to?¡± The woman gazed at Gu Chaoyan with a bemused expression, seemingly taken aback by the Tribe Chief¡¯s apparent unfamiliarity with the situation. Nevertheless, she proceeded to exin candidly, ¡°Tribe Chief, perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten that our sole provisions were taken by the Moco n. In our efforts to safeguard the supplies, our n members were willing to risk their lives. Regrettably, weck medical supplies, hence the absence of bandages despite our injuries.¡±@@novelbin@@
Chapter 2378: Mission 58 Chapter 2378: Mission 58
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Even the wounded hadn¡¯t received proper attention yet, but Gu Chaoyan was directed to take cover initially. It was evident that the members of the Five Elements n held her in high regard.
Gu Chaoyan rose and followed Aina, although her intention was not to shelter from the rain, but rather to address n matters. ¡°I am uninjured and in good health, so there¡¯s no need for me to seek shelter. Let¡¯s focus on tending to the injured individuals first. They should not be exposed to the rain. Only when they recover will our n slowly regain its strength,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted.@@novelbin@@ Aina and the others were taken aback. They were astonished that the Tribe Chief prioritized their welfare. Recalling what the Tribe Chief had said earlier, Aina beamed with delight. The Tribe Chief was indeed undergoing a transformation. ¡°Very well,¡± Aina promptly agreed. ¡°Absurd,¡± an elder member of the n scolded Aina, believing she shouldn¡¯t have made such a suggestion. ¡°I am the Tribe Chief, so heed my instructions. Go and care for the injured first, and then attend to the others,¡± Gu Chaoyan advised. Having conveyed her sentiments, the members had no choice but toply. Once things were settled, Gu Chaoyan gazed at the sky. Dark clouds loomed overhead, heralding impending rain. Fortunately, there was no sign of lightning. To be frank, the tents of the Five Elements n were rudimentary structures fashioned from animal skins. They provided some shelter from the elements, but their number was insufficient to amodate everyone adequately.
Once the injured had been tended to, it became evident that many of themcked tents to shield them from the wind and rain. Given the scarcity of resources, it was no wonder that the n harbored numerous grievances against their Tribe Chief. The question remained: How should the others be amodated? ¡°Aina, rain is imminent, and the tents can¡¯t amodate so many people. We can¡¯t just stand out in the rain. Come with me; we can take shelter beneath that tree to stay dry,¡± Gu Chaoyan called out to Aina, signaling for her to bring along some individuals. ¡°Tribe Chief, no, you mustn¡¯t do this,¡± Aina expressed with anxiety. ¡°In the past, there were people from other races who sought shelter like this and were struck down by the heavens.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a terrible way to go,¡± Aina eximed as though she had recalled something harrowing. ¡°No, there are just a few dark clouds directly above us, and they are meant to produce lightning. Without lightning, they won¡¯t be struck. Our top priority right now is to prevent them from falling ill,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted with confidence. ¡°But¡­¡± There were evidently certain fears Aina couldn¡¯t ovee. She hesitated toply. Within the tent, someone interjected, ¡°Aina, heed the Tribe Chief¡¯s instructions.¡± In the past, they might not have been inclined to obey. However¡­ They could sense the effectiveness of the herbs that the Tribe Chief had administered earlier. Their pain had subsided, and they were no longer bleeding excessively. Furthermore, their tempers had cooled considerably.
Many of them hadn¡¯t sumbed to their injuries but had perished due to their agitated mental states. Now, the injured individuals were in better condition. All of this was thanks to the Tribe Chief. Hence¡­ They had trust in the Tribe Chief. She likely wouldn¡¯t deceive them. The Tribe Chief must have asked them to do that for their own good. ¡°Aina, go.¡± This person had some prestige in the n. After he finished speaking, Aina had no reason to disobey and brought those people to the tree to hide from the rain. Chapter 2382: Mission 62 Chapter 2382: Mission 62
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions He held a few wild fruits in his hand. ¡°Tribe Chief, eat this. It is good when eaten like this.¡± During this challenging period, our n has faced hardship. We are unable to hunt and have resorted to consuming wild vegetables to quell our hunger. We understand that wild vegetables may not be your preferred choice, but our current circumstances leave us with few alternatives. Let¡¯s begin by making use of the wild fruits avable. Once conditions improve, I¡¯ll resume hunting,¡± Gary assured.
Due to their differing roles and responsibilities, the Tribe Chief had rarely experienced such hardships. It was customary for the Tribe Chief to receive priority ess to the n¡¯s best resources, which was understandable. Initially, Gary had reservations about continuing to cater to her needs, but given the Tribe Chief¡¯s earnestmitment to the n, he felt a responsibility to ensure she had ess to quality food. Gu Chaoyan felt somewhat embarrassed. Her reluctance to consume these wild foods stemmed not only from unfamiliarity but also from the fact that her cultivation level rendered food unnecessary. However, if survival required her to eat, she would dly partake of these wild vegetables.@@novelbin@@ Gary had misunderstood her situation, and while she didn¡¯t mind, she didn¡¯t want to burden him further. After some contemtion, Gu Chaoyan epted the fruit from Gary¡¯s hand and spoke earnestly, ¡°At this moment, the 500 meters are our top priority. Food is of secondary concern. Please don¡¯t waste your time on this. I was simply not hungry earlier.¡± ¡°As for hunting, we can discuss itter. Perhaps we can explore improved hunting tools?¡± ¡°After the events that transpired recently, I¡¯ve had some realizations. With our current n¡¯s strength, relying on our intellect is paramount.¡± ¡°Alright, Gary, please tend to your own duties,¡± Gu Chaoyan concluded. Gary didn¡¯t seem eager to leave. He examined the bow that Gu Chaoyan had crafted and then turned his gaze back to her. Scratching his head in embarrassment, he asked, ¡°Tribe Chief, may I study it a bit longer?¡±
Gu Chaoyan nodded. She had no reason to stop him; he appeared genuinely interested. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan pondered the best ways to safeguard the Five Elements people. In this primitive world,nd division was virtually non-existent. It resembled the nomadic lifestyle of grasnd dwellers, where migration was frequent. The dominant races imed advantageous territories, while the weaker ones had to settle for less hospitable areas. Here, a bamboo house stood, and for the moment, things were rtively quiet. However, if passing migrants took an interest in it, disaster could strike. Precautions were necessary. In that case, the need for a strategically ced trap became apparent. But what type of trap should they employ? The trap had to harmonize with the local terrain. Fortunately, abundant bamboo forests in the vicinity provided valuable resources. Moreover, it was high time for order and organization within the n. Each member needed a defined role and responsibilities. After a night of contemtion, Gu Chaoyan formted a preliminary n.
The following day marked themencement of bamboo house construction. Gary, Oliver, and Warren had eagerly awaited this moment, yearning for a substantial undertaking. The rest of the n members remained engaged in their usual tasks, seemingly oblivious to the bamboo house¡¯s construction. Gu Chaoyan did not take offense. She began providing the three of them withprehensive instructions on the project¡¯s specifics. Chapter 2385: Mission 65 Chapter 2385: Mission 65
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan gazed at Giles with clear eyes, as if she hadn¡¯t heard his earlier words. Her expression mirrored how she looked at Gary and the others. She spoke calmly, ¡°They¡¯ve all joined in. Why are you still here? Hurry and lend a hand with the bamboo house construction. The recent rains have been quite relentless. If we finish early, we won¡¯t suffer as much. Afterpleting the bamboo house, I¡¯ll teach you how to use bows and arrows. Our tribe will gradually be stronger.¡± Giles observed the Tribe Chief with astonishment.
He sensed that the Tribe Chief had undergone a transformation. She seemed even more gentle and magnanimous than before. In the past, the Tribe Chief had been somewhat headstrong. If any tribe members expressed dissatisfaction, she would keep track of scores and settle scores with them. He had anticipated the Tribe Chief might react simrly to his earlierments. However, the Tribe Chief didn¡¯t. A warm feeling welled up in Giles¡¯ heart. He nodded and quickly moved to join the others, saying, ¡°Yes, Tribe Chief.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled. Initially, she had been slightly concerned. Giles was somewhat rebellious, and she feared that his stubbornness might disrupt her ns. But now, he acted like a child, easily persuaded to contribute to the work. These nsmen. Even though many had been dissatisfied with her, Gu Chaoyan could see that these individuals were practical, thinking about the n¡¯s welfare.
If this spirit persisted¡­ Soon, the n would enjoy a morefortable existence. With more n members joining in, the construction of the bamboo house progressed much more quickly. Guided by Gu Chaoyan, the first bamboo house was erected. It wasn¡¯t spacious, but these nsmen were ustomed to sharing a singlerge sleeping area, so this bamboo house couldfortably amodate four people. The nsmen gazed at the bamboo house in astonishment. They realized that their Tribe Chief was genuinely clever. The bamboo structure provided shelter from wind and rain on all sides, and a thickyer of weeds covered the top. It was more practical and spacious than animal skin tents. If everyone could live in these bamboo houses, they would no longer endure exposure to the elements. ¡°Tribe Chief!¡± The nsmen shouted with excitement. ¡°The Tribe Chief is truly wise!¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s cheeks reddened. She found it hard to face such heartfelt praise. She simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s keep building. Aim to construct more bamboo houses in the next few days.¡±@@novelbin@@
With the Tribe Chief¡¯s directive, the nsmen¡¯s enthusiasm reached new heights. They got back to work. In this uncivilized world, everyone remained highly industrious. Gary stood beside Gu Chaoyan, surveyed the bamboo house, and sighed, ¡°It feels like a dream. I never expected our n would see such a day.¡± ¡°And it seems they¡¯ve embraced you,¡± Gary added. He was genuinely pleased for the Tribe Chief. The nsmen hadn¡¯t embraced the Tribe Chief¡¯s leadership for a long time. The Tribe Chief distancing herself from her nsmen hadn¡¯t been beneficial. ¡°I hope we can remain like this forever,¡± Gu Chaoyan said, gazing into the distance. ¡°As long as¡­¡± Gary began, but he hesitated, unable to find the right words. His face reddened slightly, as though articting his thoughts would reveal too much. ¡°I will.¡± Gu Chaoyan regarded Gary with curiosity. He had wanted to say¡­
Chapter 2388: Mission 68 Chapter 2388: Mission 68
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Now, our n has a ce to seek refuge from harsh weather, and we possess our own weaponry. With these fundamentals in ce, it¡¯s time to establish and refine our n¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°While this territory is our own, we can¡¯t guarantee that other ns won¡¯t encroach. Thus, we need individuals who can take turns patrolling this area to safeguard our n members.¡±
¡°In addition to the patrols, we require members responsible for defense. They will dedicate most of their time to honing theirbat skills. In the event of any future threats, they can protect our elders and children at the forefront, reducing casualties among our n.¡± ¡°Furthermore, we need individuals to oversee food procurement and daily chores. We must distribute the work evenly.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m unaware of your specific skills, pleasee forwardter and express your preferences regarding your assigned tasks. I will evaluate your qualifications from various angles and organize your roles.¡± ¡°What are your thoughts on this arrangement?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. Upon hearing this proposal, the nsmen exchanged nces and engaged in animated discussions. Their faces were suffused with excitement. Such organization had only been witnessed when the Patriarch was in charge. Now, the Tribe Chief not only grasped the concept of structuring such arrangements but also outlined aprehensive n that even surpassed the Patriarch¡¯s strategies. If this pattern persisted, the n would undoubtedly progress significantly. ¡°Tribe Chief, hi!¡± ¡°Tribe Chief.¡± ¡°Tribe Chief.¡±
The nsmen cheered enthusiastically, expressing their excitement and consent. Gu Chaoyan acknowledged their response. She began organizing their division ofbor. Gu Chaoyan took charge of the patrolling duties, while Gary, being knowledgeable and astute in handling tasks, was assigned a suitable role. Warren, Oliver, and Giles were entrusted with the task of supervising the daily training of the nsmen, in addition to setting up traps under Gu Chaoyan¡¯s guidance. Aina expressed her desire to join the fighting team, but Gu Chaoyan contemted the situation and decided against it. Aina would be in charge of all the n¡¯s chores, while also having the opportunity to practice herbat skills in her spare time. Gu Chaoyan had her own reasons for this arrangement. If she was to remain in the n long-term, Aina¡¯s inclusion was permissible. However, when their mission was ultimatelypleted, she¡¯d have to depart. In such a scenario, she required someone capable of managing the n¡¯s trivial matters. Aina was a suitable candidate who would serve as her dependable support, ensuring the n¡¯s stability even during her absence. Satisfied with the selected individuals, Gu Chaoyan smiled. She then instructed them to manage their respective tasks. After the allocation of responsibilities, Gu Chaoyan requested them to test the suitability of this new system.@@novelbin@@ After two days of trial, everything seemed to function smoothly.
Gu Chaoyan convened Gary, Giles, Warren, and Oliver to discuss the specifics of setting traps. ¡°Tribe Chief, do you truly believe these will be effective?¡± Giles, always the lively one, posed the question first after learning about the n. ¡°You¡¯ll find out once they¡¯replete,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded with a faint smile, her satisfaction evident. Giles had unwittingly be herb rat, much to her contentment. Chapter 2391: Mission 71 Chapter 2391: Mission 71
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Giles appeared somewhat ashen and wore a grim expression, but he seemed to be uninjured. Upon seeing Giles¡¯s expression, Gu Chaoyan deduced that there was no intruder. If there were any intruders, Gary and the others would have raised the rm, alerting the entire n to be on guard.
So, what could have caused Giles¡¯s distress? ¡°Giles, what¡¯s happened?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, seeking to reassure him. ¡°Stay calm when faced with a situation.¡± Giles also attempted to regain hisposure. Even when facing outsiders in confrontations, he could maintain remarkableposure. However¡­ Today was different. The people from the Thunder Fire Tribe had arrived. The Thunder Fire n had never engaged inbat with them. When their Tribe Chief sent emissaries to request resources, it typically ended with the Tribe Chief taking whatever was left in the n and departing contentedly. Gu Chaoyan was in a position toply with these requests. Yet, life within the n was far from easy. Without those resources, the already-scarce Five Elements n would be vulnerable to raids or malicious intent from other ns.
In the past, they might have acquiesced to such demands. But now, the situation had changedpletely. The n already enjoyed a thriving environment, and its members harbored hope for the future. The Five Elements n was flourishing, and as long as they didn¡¯t disrupt the present, a prosperous life was within their grasp. Furthermore, the Tribe Chief had enlisted Garcia to craft a multitude of bowls, further enhancing their quality of life. Their lives were continually improving. The unexpected arrival of the Thunder Fire n took them all by surprise. Upon witnessing the n¡¯s prosperity, the two Thunder Fire n representatives disyed an unmistakably covetous look, indicating their desire to im these resources for themselves. As for the Tribe Chief¡­ Adams, the head of the Lightning Fire Tribe, had consistently acquiesced to their requests.@@novelbin@@ Despite the current Tribe Chief demonstrating a more responsible and dutiful approach, there was no guarantee that the appearance of the Thunder Fire n wouldn¡¯t revert the Tribe Chief to her previous ways. In their pursuit of the n¡¯s resources, the Thunder Fire n likely intended to offer the Tribe Chief highly tempting conditions.
Giles had yet to voice his concerns, but it seemed as though he could already foresee the oue. He shut his eyes and expressed his despair, ¡°Tribe Chief, the Thunder Fire Tribe¡¯s people have arrived.¡± ¡°Thunder Fire n?¡± Gu Chaoyan found the name somewhat familiar, as though she had heard it mentioned somewhere before. After a moment of contemtion, she recalled that Aina had referred to this n. Why were they here? ¡°When encountering other tribes, there¡¯s no need to fear. If they have malicious intent, we can defend ourselves with bows and arrows. If not, we can continue on our way. Didn¡¯t I mention this before? Or do you find the Thunder Fire n particrly challenging to deal with?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired calmly. While she wasn¡¯t entirely pleased with how Giles and the others were handling the situation, she also understood that they had never encountered such a predicament before. Consequently, she didn¡¯t judge them too harshly. Giles regarded the Tribe Chief with astonishment. In the past, the Tribe Chief would have been overjoyed upon hearing that visitors hailed from the Thunder Fire Tribe. They had maintained peace with that tribe. Had the Tribe Chief truly moved beyond her previous mindset? ¡°Tribe Chief, they wish to speak with you.¡±
Chapter 2394: Mission 74 Chapter 2394: Mission 74
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions The Thunder Fire n members stood there in disbelief. They couldn¡¯t fathom being dismissed so abruptly. In the past, when the Tribe Chief had merely sent over two representatives, she had been eager to offer everything from the Five Elements n to the Thunder Fire Tribe, as if she feared something might be left behind.
This time, they had dispatched more people because the offerings from the Five Elements n were genuinely remarkable. Yet, instead of showing gratitude, they were instructed to leave? Fury welled up within the Thunder Fire Tribe members. However, Gary and his fellow n members, armed with bows and arrows, remained vignt on the sidelines. The slightest provocation might incite an attack. The Tribe Chief of the Five Elements n had already departed. They weren¡¯t foolish. The weaponry they held appeared exceedingly potent, and they had no intention of meeting an untimely demise. Someone tugged at another and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s return and report to our Tribe Chief first.¡± And so, the Thunder Fire Tribe members departed in this manner. Gary breathed a sigh of relief. Their relief wasn¡¯t just for the Thunder Fire Tribe members; it was also for their own Tribe Chief. ¡°It seems like the Tribe Chief has indeed changed,¡± someone eximed with excitement. The Thunder Fire n was most apprehensive that the Tribe Chief would revert to her previous behavior and allow the Five Elements n to go without any resources.@@novelbin@@
Now¡­ The Tribe Chief had proven them wrong. She hadn¡¯t behaved that way at all. It was genuinely reassuring. She now carried herself as a true Tribe Chief. Gary¡¯s expression showed a hint of joy. While he felt relief, he couldn¡¯tpletely let his guard down. His current concern revolved around whether the Tribe Chief would maintain her current resolve if the few Thunder Fire n members sessfully persuaded her. Even if she didn¡¯t fully yield the Five Elements n¡¯s resources or disclose the bamboo house construction methods or give them bows and arrows, it wouldn¡¯t bode well. That was the way of the world. Despite some friendly interactions among ns presently, in the end, races were fundamentally united. When the opportunity arose, they might target weaker races. Of course, there were indeed ns that were entirely amicable, but the Thunder Fire n didn¡¯t fall into that category. There was no possibility of amodating their demands. They couldn¡¯t yield any resources to the Thunder Fire n.
That was Gary¡¯s perspective. Thus, he remained deep in thought. Meanwhile, the other n members were ted. As for the few Thunder Fire Tribe members who had been rebuffed, their faces were flush with anger. As members of the Thunder Fire Race, they were ustomed to asserting dominance in front of the Five Elements n. This was the first time they had faced rejection. Their temperament was unlikely to be kind. ¡°Can you believe this woman? She¡¯s acting all high and mighty,¡± one of them muttered incredulously. ¡°These items from the Five Elements n are genuinely valuable. I reckon they know the worth of these items and are attempting to lure our Tribe Chief with them. She seems rather foolish, so let¡¯s not argue with her. We¡¯ll simply head back and report to our Tribe Chief. It may require a bit more effort, but those resources will eventually be ours,¡± remarked the Thunder Fire Tribe member. ¡°That¡¯s correct. She¡¯s infatuated and gullible. If we let our Tribe Chief take charge, we won¡¯t be requesting a mere portion of their resources; we¡¯ll demand the entirety of the Five Elements n!¡± another member dered with arrogance. ¡°No worries, it¡¯s all ours. It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± The few of them wore smug smiles as they made their way back to the Thunder Fire n. After a few hours, they returned.
The Thunder Fire Tribe¡¯s Tribe Chief, Adams, immediately inquired, ¡°Where is the item?¡± Chapter 2397: Mission 77 Chapter 2397: Mission 77
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions After an extensive search, he finally located the Tribe Chief within a group of women who appeared to be deliberating on their recent prey. Over the past few days, the n had assigned several individuals to spearhead the hunting efforts, knowing that winter was approaching and it was imperative to dry and preserve meat for the harsh months ahead, ensuring their fellow nsmen could stave off hunger and survive. Until now, it had been these women who led the effort, and it seemed they intended to proceed as usual. However, the Tribe Chief appeared to have a different perspective, her excitement evident as she voiced her opinion.
Gary hesitated to disrupt this scene, but recognizing the Tribe Chief¡¯s authority, he feltpelled to report all the recent developments in the n. He held great respect for her. Thus, they had to discuss the Thunder Fire n Tribe Chief¡¯s arrival. ¡°Tribe Chief,¡± Gary called out softly. Gu Chaoyan, absorbed in her thoughts about the dried meat, appeared to have forgotten yesterday¡¯s events. She regarded Gary with puzzlement, asking, ¡°What is it?¡± Gary found himself in a conflicted state of emotions, uncertain of how to feel about the situation. Gu Chaoyan suddenly recollected the previous day. A few Thunder Fire Tribe members had approached her, seeking a discussion that she had promptly declined. Their social statuses were distinct, and since they wanted to negotiate, it was only fitting for the Tribe Chief to engage. The Five Elements n had only recently begun to assert itself, and she aimed to stand up for her nsmen, reminding them that they need not be subservient to others. Today, their Tribe Chief had indeed arrived.@@novelbin@@ Last night, she had gone out of her way to consult Aina regarding the Thunder Fire n, gaining a better understanding of the situation. She discovered that the previous owner of her body had held great admiration for the Tribe Chief and had made a series of foolish decisions. It seemed that this Thunder Fire n Tribe Chief was likely attempting to deceive the Five Elements n once more. In light of this, she feltpelled to meet him personally and put a stop to his schemes. ¡°Tribe Chief, what about these prey?¡± a n member inquired. ¡°Wait for my return; I will handle it,¡± she insisted. The n members fell silent, awaiting the Tribe Chief¡¯s return.
Gary couldn¡¯t help but smile. It pleased him to see the Tribe Chief¡¯s unwavering concern for the n, alleviating his earlier gloom. ¡°Are they waiting outside?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t allowed them inside without your instructions,¡± Gary replied. ¡°Let them enter and convene at the meeting ce,¡± Gu Chaoyan instructed as she departed. Gary nodded and stepped outside to escort the Thunder Fire Tribe members in. Since the Tribe Chief had given her approval, he would carry out her orders, believing that she knew the boundaries of the situation. Approaching the Thunder Fire n¡¯s Patriarch, Gary extended an invitation, saying, ¡°Patriarch of the Thunder Fire Tribe, pleasee in.¡± Adams couldn¡¯t hide his self-assured smile, and the Thunder Fire n members shared the sentiment. With the Tribe Chief taking charge, their treatment was entirely different. She had graciously allowed them inside, which made them feel as though they were visiting their own n, boosting their self-importance. Gary, despite his difort, endured the situation. He and a few n members maintained a watchful presence, keeping their bows and arrows at the ready to prevent any potential schemes by the Thunder Fire n visitors. He led his entourage into the bamboo house. Adams couldn¡¯t hide his surprise as he took in the sight of the bamboo house, clearly an unexpected development. He had no idea who hade up with this idea. Upon entering, he noticed Xui within, and Gu Chaoyan¡¯s gaze also fell on him simultaneously.
Gu Chaoyan, curious about the girl who had captured the previous body owner¡¯s affection, scrutinized her closely. The Tribe Chief, like the other nsmen, had a sun-kissedplexion, consistent with the people of this world. However¡­ He was notably tall and exuded a strong masculine presence. And¡­ Chapter 2399: Mission 79 Chapter 2399: Mission 79
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°As winter approaches, with this bamboo house providing shelter from the snow and cold, it would be highly beneficial for us to learn how to use weapons effectively for hunting,¡± Adams conveyed with an earnest expression. ¡°I intend for you to arrange for some of your people to teach us the art of crafting and wielding such weapons. By doing so, I believe our ns can sessfully endure the winter together.¡± The Thunder Fire n possessed considerable strength in this region. Nheless, they were not immune to the harsh forces of nature. Winter¡¯s arrival brought freezing temperatures, leading to the tragic deaths of many n members. Adams was determined to prevent his nsmen from perishing due to freezing or starvation. Thus, they considered these two requests to be of utmost importance.
Adams was confident that Xui would support his appeal. She was willing to go to great lengths to assist him, and he anticipated her agreement. Tension gripped the faces of the Five Elements n members, who fervently hoped their Tribe Chief would reject the proposal. Their n was already fragile, and without this, they might lose the means to survive peacefully. There was a very real possibility they¡¯d be forced out in the end. While the Thunder Fire n¡¯s Chief currently appeared benevolent, it was only because he sought something from them. If he had no requests, he could be quite ruthless. This point had been made abundantly clear. The n members were perplexed, wondering about their Tribe Chief¡¯s thoughts. Anxiety coursed through them, fearing her immediate acquiescence. In response to Adams¡¯ request, Gu Chaoyan calmly nodded. Certainly, bamboo houses and weapons were essential for ensuring their ns¡¯ survival through the harsh winter, preventing deaths from freezing and starvation. But these were valuable possessions of the Five Elements n, and the Thunder Fire n couldn¡¯t expect to obtain them in exchange for a mere two pieces of meat, could they? ¡°Sure,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded casually.@@novelbin@@ The members of the Five Elements n appeared increasingly despondent. Adams couldn¡¯t hide his delight. ¡°Xui, do you have any doubts?¡± Feeling content, he added a touch of warmth to his tone, addressing her by name to make her feel appreciated. Gu Chaoyan, however, remained straightforward. ¡°Of course, I do.¡±
Adams appeared perplexed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Considering you want the bamboo houses and weapons of our Five Elements n, what do you intend to exchange for them? These two pieces of meat? That¡­ seems rather absurd, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yesterday, Gary and his people went hunting, returning with numerous wild rabbits and even a wild boar. These two pieces of meat have little value to the Five Elements n. It¡¯s unreasonable for us to surrender our weapons for them,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated, regarding Adams as though he were acting foolishly. Gary nodded in agreement. The Tribe Chief was absolutely correct. Even if they intended to provide assistance, they should expect a fair exchange. How could they ept such a perfunctory offer¡ªtwo pieces of meat in exchange for such valuable resources? It was a fanciful notion. Adams gazed at Gu Chaoyan in astonishment. ¡°Xui, what¡¯s gotten into you? Weren¡¯t we discussing how to mutually benefit our two ns, striving for betterment?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly making demands?¡± Adams expressed his disappointment, attempting to unnerve her with his disappointment. Gu Chaoyan was puzzled. ¡°Tribe Chief, are you suggesting that you want to gain something without offering anything in return? You aim to take the possessions of the Five Elements n without providing us anything?¡± ¡°Are you living in a dream?¡± ¡°Even if we have the welfare of our nsmen at heart¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan was poised to continue, seeking a bnced solution.
Chapter 2402: Mission 82 Chapter 2402: Mission 82
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions It was here. Traditionally, they had always favored air-drying the meat for preservation, which was amon practice among the ns.
However, the Tribe Chief¡¯s mention of potential issues in the n during winter had struck a nerve. What if something went wrong with the dried meat? The most pressing concern for the nsmen was that the Tribe Chief suggested consuming a portion of the meat now. Given the Five Elements n¡¯s bted food storage, there was an apprehension about potential scarcity in the future. The nsmen were arduously trying to convince Gu Chaoyan. They understood that she had their best interests at heart but couldn¡¯t bear the thought of wasting food. Gu Chaoyan grappled with the challenge posed by their deeply ingrained beliefs. The nsmen¡¯s fears of hunger and coldness ran deep, leading them to be anxious about every aspect of their situation. Beyond their anxieties, they had little else on their minds. Their prevailing mindset favored a conservative approach for survival. Nevertheless, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s insistence persisted. She reasoned, ¡°Dried meat carries a high risk of spoge and offers limited nutrition, primarily serving as a hunger suppressant. If we consume some of the meat now, it will replenish the nutrients for a few individuals. When we are in good health, winter will be more manageable. We now possess weapons, which will facilitate hunting, and I can arrange traps.¡± ¡°Under my approach, I will guarantee that you won¡¯t endure starvation in the winter.¡± ¡°Eat some fresh meat. There¡¯s no need to dispute this with me. My mind is set, and I have to pursue this course of action. As for the smoked meat, if you¡¯re concerned about unforeseen circumstances, we can have both¡ªdrying a portion and smoking a portion. This year, we¡¯ll smoke a small quantity. When this year concludes, and you judge it suitable, you can make a decision for next year.¡± ¡°We must prepare and cook the meat during this period. It¡¯s essential for everyone, and no one is exempt,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted firmly. ¡°Once your bodies recover, you¡¯ll experience fewer illnesses, leading to an improved quality of life.¡± ¡°We have a wild boar that¡¯s been prepared¡ªhalf smoked, half dried¡ªand the remaining wild rabbits have been cooked for everyone to enjoy,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered resolutely. Despite her convictions, there were still nsmen who sought to persuade her once more.
Aina chimed in from the side, ¡°Consider this: when have we ever had a wild boar for the winter in the past? We¡¯ve already amassed an abundant supply of prey earlier this year, surpassing anything from previous seasons. With our weaponry and the ample time at our disposal, we can surely secure more hunting opportunities.¡± ¡°The Tribe Chief has devised a n, and we should follow it. Our currentfort is a direct result of the Tribe Chief¡¯s leadership. What reason do we have to doubt her?¡± Upon hearing Aina¡¯s remarks, the nsmen found themselves unable to object. They resumed their tasks peacefully. Given that her nsmen were more experienced in dealing with the prey, Gu Chaoyan chose not to participate directly. However, she arranged for someone to learn from her about making bacon. Subsequently, a portion of the meat was used for smoking. The air-dried meat, although there were many subpar pieces, was not particrly ptable overall. Nevertheless, the bacon stood out for its exceptional taste. The aroma of the bacon intensified with each passing moment. The enticing scent drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Tribe Chief, observe those folks. They were initially hesitant about wanting smoked meat, but now they¡¯re all lured by the aroma,¡± Aina remarked with a yful grin.@@novelbin@@ The nsmen had harbored doubts about the Tribe Chief¡¯s intentions, which had fueled their initial reluctance. ¡°Tribe Chief, I apologize for my earlier opposition to the idea of smoked meat. In the winter¡­¡±
Chapter 2405: Mission 85 Chapter 2405: Mission 85
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions With their ns in ce, the Thunder Fire n members felt a renewed sense of confidence.@@novelbin@@ As darkness settled in, they enjoyed some wild fruits before drifting into slumber. The welfare of their n always remained at the forefront of their minds, even though they refrained from indulging in the winter delicacies typically reserved for their n.
The following morning, they awoke, gathered more wild fruits to eat, and set off for the Five Elements n with an air of determination. The Five Elements n had fewer tasks to manage at this point. nsmen were engaged in chores, patrolling, and hunting, and even the smelting furnace was in operation. Gu Chaoyan pondered how to best prepare for the uing winter in the Five Elements n. Nowadays, the nsmen relied on animal fur and hide to shield themselves from the cold. These resources were dwindling, and there would likely be a shortage during the winter months. She contemted whether there might be a material akin to cotton in this world. It was possible, given the abundance of resources in thisnd. They only needed to search for it. Just as her thoughts wandered in this direction, an unexpected visitor arrived with haste. Gary approached Gu Chaoyan, his expression puzzled. ¡°Tribe Chief, the Thunder Fire n has returned once again.¡± ¡°They mentioned they had another matter to discuss,¡± Gary exined. Gu Chaoyan furrowed her brow. ¡°We¡¯ve already addressed matters with them previously. Why have they returned?¡± Gary couldn¡¯tprehend their motives either. Gu Chaoyan, however, maintained aposed demeanor. ¡°Let theme. As long as it¡¯s not a grave issue, we can engage in dialogue. The Thunder Fire n¡¯s territory isn¡¯t far from us, and it¡¯s in our best interest to foster peaceful rtions. We may be armed, but the Thunder Fire n boasts numerous members, and I¡¯d prefer to avoid unnecessary harm to my people. If we can find a solution through conversation, that would be ideal.¡± Gary nodded in agreement. The Tribe Chief¡¯s perspective was sensible.
As long as the Thunder Fire n didn¡¯t arrive with hostile intentions and the prospect of violence, it was a favorable oue. They were acutely aware of the dire consequences that could stem from conflict between their two ns, especially with winter approaching. ¡°I¡¯ll go and invite them,¡± Gary offered. ¡°Proceed.¡± Soon, Gary returned with the group from the Thunder Fire n. Despite Adams having a n, he appeared somewhat uneasy when broaching the subject. ¡°Is there something else you wish to discuss? Why have youe so early in the morning?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. Adams hesitated before responding, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it since yesterday, and I¡¯ve decided to agree.¡± ¡°Agree to what?¡± Gu Chaoyan sought rification, perplexed by his statement. ¡°You once mentioned that epting the role of being the wife of the Thunder Fire n was an affront to you. As the Tribe Chief, your position will always remain as such. In light of that, I¡¯m ready to agree. I¡¯ll be a member of your Five Elements n, and you will continue to hold the position of Tribe Chief. While I may not officially call you my wife, I see myself as an equal, fulfilling the role of Tribe Chief alongside you. You will lead, and I will wholeheartedly support your leadership.¡± Adams was fully aware that he wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage in this arrangement, yet it felt a bit strange for him to put it into words. As a man and the leader of his own n, willingly submitting in this manner, particrly to a woman who had once been quite ttering, left him with a sense of unease. Chapter 2409: Mission 89 Chapter 2409: Mission 89
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan nodded with a sense of gravity, untroubled by Gary¡¯s consumption of the meat. The meat was rather pungent andcked salt, making it challenging to eat. Wild vegetables seemed like a better option, and if it went to waste, it would be better for Gary to finish it. After observing Gary¡¯spletion of the meal, Gu Chaoyan initiated the discussion. ¡°At present, we have sessfully arranged winter shelters for our Five Elements n, and we possess weapons for our protection. There is little chance of encountering any trouble, unless we were to encounter an exceptionally formidable n. However, such a n is unlikely to venture here.¡±
¡°We must now turn our attention to the challenge ofbating the cold,¡± she continued. ¡°At present, we only have animal skins, and a few small pieces are mainly allocated to the elderly and children. There are also a few for the very frail women. However, these resources are insufficient to withstand the impending snowstorms.¡± ¡°Winter is rapidly approaching.¡± ¡°We need a solution to this dilemma.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m thinking now is that we can¡¯t continue to sit here and wait for death.¡± ¡°Select five suitable individuals, and we will venture to a more distant location to seek something that may suit our needs,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered. Gary seemed puzzled. What exactly were they searching for? In the past, during the snowy season, they would stock up on food supplies, furs, and charcoal fires to survive. These resources were already considered a luxury for the n. What else could they possibly be seeking? ¡°Tribe Chief?¡± Gary inquired. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Gu Chaoyan questioned. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange the individuals right away,¡± Gary promptly replied. He had unwavering trust in the Tribe Chief. Their current quality of life and the innovations they had implemented, such as the bow and arrow, were all thanks to her. Her judgment had consistently proven reliable.
Gu Chaoyan had already made up her mind. Regardless of whether she found cotton or not, they had to locate as much edible food as possible during their journey or discover alternative means tobat the cold. In essence, they had to make an attempt. Once Gary had departed, Gu Chaoyan began formting her ns for the future. Given that they were limited to traveling on foot, they could only cover a limited distance in a day, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to bring back significant quantities if they found anything. She had a contingency n in mind to address these challenges. When the time came, they would construct a simple wheelbarrow to transport their findings back. First, they needed to prepare for the three-day expedition, ensuring they had enough provisions tost. This initial undertaking was rtively straightforward, as Gu Chaoyan was primarily interested in exploring the world in this new environment. Gary swiftly coordinated the arrangements, selecting a mix of young and older individuals. Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t require further details; she trusted Gary to handle it appropriately. ¡°We¡¯re nning a three-day journey this time. We¡¯ll finalize the n¡¯s preparations today and assemble the necessary dry rations for our trip,¡± Gary ryed the information. Chapter 2412: Mission 92 Chapter 2412: Mission 92
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Realizing that the tomatoes were indeed sweet and safe to eat, Gu Chaoyan felt a profound sense of joy. Resources were scarce in this world.
Besides the asional wild game, there were some unappetizing wild vegetables. While these wild vegetables were edible and not poisonous, their taste left much to be desired. How could one subsist on such fare and a bit of meat alone? With tomatoes, they had a source of essential vitamins toplement their diet. Gu Chaoyan grasped the significance of this discovery. Gary watched her with widened eyes, unblinking, fearing that she might fall victim to poisoning after consuming the red fruit. However, nothing adverse happened to Gu Chaoyan after some time had passed. She remained full of vigor and happily finished the rest. Then, she remarked, ¡°If you¡¯re concerned about these red fruits, don¡¯t eat them right away. I¡¯ve already consumed them, and if I¡¯m fine tomorrow, it¡¯s a good sign that they aren¡¯t poisonous. Let¡¯s gather these and continue our search for other resources.¡± Having the Tribe Chief test the fruit first seemed like the most prudent approach now. The n members concurred, all the while anxious that their Tribe Chief might indeed have been poisoned. If that had urred, they would be at a loss for exnations. ¡°Tribe Chief, if there are any other fruits that require testing, allow us to sample them first. If they prove non-toxic, you can partake and gather them. You are our Tribe Chief; such tasks should not fall to you. We, as n members, should be the ones taking such risks on your behalf,¡± the Five Elements n members expressed. Gu Chaoyan gently shook her head. ¡°I am perfectly fine.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s have something to eat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The n membersmenced cooking and dining. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan roamed the area, still able to see clearly. Apart from the small area where she initially spotted numerous tomatoes, there were even more tomatoes scattered not far away. With such an abundance of tomatoes, even if they fashioned a wheelbarrow to transport them back, it would only sustain them for a mere two or three days. After that, any surplus would likely spoil. The effort required to make this arduous journey wouldn¡¯t be worthwhile for such a brief benefit.@@novelbin@@ If that were the case¡­ If she brought the tomatoes along with their nts back to the Five Elements n, it would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to their cultivation efforts. This way, they could have a continuous supply, eliminating the need for suchborious foraging. As she contemted this n¡­
Gu Chaoyan began searching for materials suitable for crafting wheels. Given their current circumstances, creating anything more advanced, like a carriage, proved near-impossible. For now, they could only fashion a rudimentary version. Using suitable tree trunks, they fashioned small wheels and constructed a frame to secure the tomatoes for transportation. While it might not be the most convenient solution, it would save time and effort. Gu Chaoyan identified a suitable tree trunk. It had been severed a while back and had already dried out. Prior to her journey, she had prepared a simple tool that could be used to cut the tree trunk and began crafting the wheel. ¡°Tribe Chief, what are you working on?¡± Gary inquired, filled with curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when the time is right,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied, prompting Gary to observe while she proceeded with her work. The oue was rather rudimentary. Nheless, it met her basic expectations. They were nearly finished, and the sky had turned pitch-ck.
With her vision impaired in the darkness, they¡¯d have to resume the task tomorrow. Chapter 2416 - 2416 Mission 96 Chapter 2416 Mission 96 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Yes,¡± Aina responded without reservation. ¡°Tribe Chief, you didn¡¯t want to take me with you on your previous expeditions. Now, I can contribute without going on trips. Why didn¡¯t you include me? Am I not proficient at what I do?¡± Aina, despite her cheerful nature, could also be quite obstinate. She didn¡¯t want to be idle and unproductive, incapable of making a meaningful contribution. This feeling was disheartening. Her little friend, Gary, and the others all had important tasks to attend to. Even the less dependable Giles was upied with work all day, while she wandered aimlessly. She didn¡¯t have any responsibilities. The Tribe Chief hadn¡¯t assigned her any specific duties. It was as if her presence was insignificant. Everyone had their roles to y. She, Aina, was no exception. She couldn¡¯tprehend it. Seeing Aina¡¯s forlorn expression, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Aina was still very young. Her sorrowful look had a touch of innocence. It seemed that unless Gu Chaoyan rified things, Aina would only grow more despondent. She rified, ¡°Aina, I didn¡¯t involve you in their tasks for a different reason. It¡¯s just that we¡¯re going on a different expedition soon, and I intend to bring you along so you can gain broader experiences. That way, you¡¯llprehend better.¡± ¡°Furthermore, I haven¡¯t assigned you the same responsibilities as the others because I don¡¯t think you¡¯re incapable.¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°It¡¯s because I want you to be well-rounded, knowledgeable in all aspects. Only then can I eventually entrust you with the management of all the n¡¯s affairs. Do you grasp what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Gary is responsible for the welfare of our n, whereas you¡¯re in charge of overseeing both major and minor n matters.¡± ¡°So, whether I¡¯m present or not in the future, the n will run smoothly. Do youprehend?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on those concerns.¡± ¡°Aina, our n will continue to grow stronger, and there will be many tasks to be done. I hope I can count on you to fulfill the responsibilities I¡¯ve entrusted to you.¡± ¡°Do you understand the expectations I have for you?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked Aina earnestly. Aina¡¯s face disyed astonishment. She had believed that the Tribe Chief hadn¡¯t allocated specific responsibilities to her because she was young and at times acted without propriety. She thought her abilities were limited and therefore was left out. But she had never realized The Tribe Chief held such high hopes for her. It was precisely because her aspirations for Aina diverged from the rest that Aina¡¯s role within the n set her apart. Aina was a little unhappy. She had misconstrued the Tribe Chief¡¯s intentions. Not only had she not fulfilled her responsibilities well, but she had also been a source of bother throughout the day. ¡°Tribe Chief¡­¡± Aina was riddled with guilt. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it too much. You¡¯re still young, and it¡¯s natural not to know everything,¡± Gu Chaoyan reassured her. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve rified things for you, here¡¯s how we¡¯ll proceed. Just focus on your assigned tasks and apany us on our missions. We can discuss the rest at ater time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll provide guidance if you encounter any difficulties.¡± ¡°Understand? Don¡¯t ce too much pressure on yourself.¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± ¡°All right, now select three individuals you deem trustworthy and suitable to follow you. Once you¡¯ve done that, we¡¯ll set out.¡± Chapter 2421 - 2421 Mission 101 Chapter 2421 - 2421 Mission 101
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression remained less than joyful. Nevertheless, it was impossible for her to tly reject Gary¡¯s excitement and instruct him not to make the necessary preparations.
She was certain of one thing: if she attempted to drive the sorcerer away, it was highly likely that the Five Elements n would take issue with her and potentially expel her instead. Therefore, she forced a smile.@@novelbin@@ Gary wasted no time in organizing a ce for the sorcerer to stay and warmly weed him. Seeing Gary¡¯s eagerness to settle the alleged chatan-like wizard, Gu Chaoyan decided to let Gary handle these matters. She wasn¡¯t particrly interested in this visitor and was more inclined to check on Aina¡¯s progress. With this intention, Gu Chaoyan began to depart. However, the sorcerer sensed her intent and halted her. ¡°Tribe Chief, please apany me. I have something to discuss with you.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s n to leave was thwartedpletely. She cast an unhappy nce at the sorcerer but reluctantly walked over to him. The sorcerer wasn¡¯t deceived by Gary¡¯s actions. The vacant bamboo house he had prepared was somewhatrger than the one belonging to the Tribe Chief. The original inhabitants of this bamboo house willingly relocated to their former animal skin tent. Since the sorcerer wished to converse with the Tribe Chief privately, Gary didn¡¯t follow them inside but stopped outside. He gestured for them to enter.
Upon entering the bamboo house, the sorcerer appraised the interior and nodded approvingly. ¡°Although your race¡¯s strength may be rtively ordinary, your intelligence surpasses that of many other races. A house like this is vastly superior to an animal skin tent. You can stand upright and move about freely within. It can provide warmth in the winter and shade in the summer.¡± ¡°Very impressive. You excel as the Tribe Chief,¡± the sorcerermended. However, Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t think much of his praise. It wasn¡¯t due to any other reason but because, in her view, she didn¡¯t need the sorcerer¡¯s approval. The sorcerer couldn¡¯t understand why Gu Chaoyan seemed unaffected by his words. He smiled then. ¡°You¡¯re not the Tribe Chief of the Five Elements n, are you?¡± Gu Chaoyan remained silent. ¡°Or more precisely, you don¡¯t belong to this world.¡± At this point, Gu Chaoyan cast an inquisitive nce at the sorcerer. What had he discerned? Or rather, what did he know? Could it be that he wasn¡¯t just a chatan, but someone with genuine insight?
Gu Chaoyan was taken aback. No wonder Gary and the others held this self-proimed sorcerer in such high regard. ¡°What are you talking about, sorcerer? I¡¯m not the leader of the Five Elements n, and I have no connection to this world. I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m here within these 500 meters. Sorcerer, you must be tired,¡± Gu Chaoyan denied tly. She had no desire to engage in further conversation with this sorcerer. The sorcerer merely smiled. He believed that Gu Chaoyan was deceiving herself. ¡°You¡¯ve done an excellent job developing this n, and you don¡¯t seem to have any harmful intentions. I¡¯ll choose to overlook what I¡¯ve discerned for now. However, if you ever harbor ill intentions in the future, I¡¯ll naturally exercise my authority as a sorcerer,¡± the sorcerer conveyed. ¡°Leave now. I¡¯d like to rest for a while,¡± he dered, disinterested in further conversation. Gu Chaoyan took a step toward the exit but paused, turning back to nce at him before swiftly departing. Outside, Gary kept a vignt watch not far from the entrance. Upon spotting her exit, he greeted her with an enthusiastic smile.
Gu Chaoyan was left with a throbbing headache. Tribe Chief? Chapter 2424 - 2424 Mission 104 Chapter 2424 - 2424 Mission 104
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Your resilience, sorcerers, appears to match only the thickness of your skin,¡± Gu Chaoyan remarked matter-of-factly, convinced of the truth in her statement. The sorcerer gazed at her and offered a subtle smile.
Though she contemted exining herself, she ultimately chose silence. He responded with a fleeting smile. It wasn¡¯t that everyone in their world possessed thick skin; rather, not everyone within the witches was a sorcerer. He stood as the lone practitioner of magic, and no sessor would emerge after his passing. She truly hailed from a different realm. In this world, the knowledge was universal¡ªthere existed only one witch. This singr figure was revered like a god, entrusted with the duty of safeguarding the popce. The special treatment he received was a direct result of this unique position. At that moment, he opted not to unveil her origin and risk unsettling her. Instead, he maintained aposed smile. His expression, however, irked Gu Chaoyan. She sensed that he possessed a deeper understanding, as if he held all the cards. Observing him, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that everythingy within his grasp. His gaze shifted to the figure cradled in his hands, his smile casual. If she harbored no affection for him, she¡¯d have no power over him and couldn¡¯tpel him to depart.
In that case, departure seemed the best course. As a sorcerer, he could only linger for a few more days at most. Avoiding him entirely would spare her from furtherplications. Unexpectedly, however, winter set in. Even with the first snowke¡¯s descent, the sorcerer showed no intention of leaving. Hefortably made use of the Five Elements Race¡¯s nket, residing in the bamboo house. asionally, he would emerge, moving like a drifting cloud and a wild crane. Gu Chaoyan seethed with anger. She felt betrayed by Gary¡¯s apparent falsehood. Gary had assured her, ¡°Magi never linger in one n for long. Even if something arises, it¡¯s only for a few days.¡± Yet, the sorcerer had stayed for more than a month. The idea of providing him with a bamboo house free of charge and utilizing the tribe¡¯s quilts irked Gu Chaoyan. The more she dwelled on it, the more discontented she became. For the first time, Gu Chaoyan emerged from her room and headed to the sorcerer¡¯s bamboo house, ring at his door.
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The sorcererzily emerged, meeting Gu Chaoyan¡¯s gaze with innocent eyes, seemingly oblivious to the situation. Seeing his expression, Gu Chaoyan had the impulse to strike him. She was certain she could overpower him, but the nsmen would surely disapprove. If she resorted to violence, she risked bing an outcast. Suppressing her anger and the urge tosh out physically, Gu Chaoyan entered his room and took a seat. A warm charcoal fire illuminated the space. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but think it was a wasteful use of the Five Elements n¡¯s resources. ¡°It¡¯s snowing outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. Two days ago, it was snowing, and today as well. I took a look early in the morning. Indeed, it¡¯s snowing,¡± the sorcerer replied casually. ¡°It¡¯s already snowing, and you¡¯re still here. Traveling will be difficult in theing days,¡± Gu Chaoyan reminded him, hoping he would take the hint and depart, sparing her further encounters with him. ¡°Tribe Chief, it¡¯s precisely because of the snow that I can¡¯t leave. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to impose on you for this winter,¡± the sorcerer said to Gu Chaoyan with a smile.
Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression hardened.@@novelbin@@ ¡°He¡¯s not leaving?¡± He wasmitted to staying through another winter. How long was a winter? Several months. Chapter 2428 - 2428 Mission 108 Chapter 2428 - 2428 Mission 108
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Gary offered an innocent smile. ¡°Did the sorcerer say anything to you?¡± Gary inquired, a hint of anxiety in his tone.
Gu Chaoyan twirled around joyfully, looking at Gary. ¡°Not much. He just mentioned leaving early, taking care of himself in the future, and that he¡¯s departing tomorrow.¡± ¡°Gary, you¡¯re the biggest fan of sorcerers. Go prepare some dry food for them to have on the journey,¡± Gu Chaoyan suggested with delight. Gary couldn¡¯t muster augh. They genuinely believed the Tribe Chief was sincere. However¡­ The sorcerer had stayed for an extended period. It was sufficient. If the sorcerer had tasks to attend to, he could handle them himself. Gary diligently went about preparing the rations. Gu Chaoyan was in high spirits witnessing Gary¡¯s earnest preparations and the impending departure of the sorcerer. She engaged in conversations with n members, spreading her rare good mood. She even teased Aina. A day passed. The following day marked the sorcerer¡¯s departure. Gu Chaoyan rose early, eager to bid him farewell.
Seeing him off brought her immense joy. Gu Chaoyan had just stepped outside when Gary wore aplicated expression. ¡°Tribe Chief, the Huang n is here.¡± Huang n? What kind of n was this? ¡°Huang n?¡± ¡°Yes, that renowned n. They control the best territory, boast over 10,000 nsmen, upy the prime cave, hold a high position, and wield powerful weapons. Typically, they look down on us small ns. I didn¡¯t expect them to send representatives. I don¡¯t understand why,¡± Gary expressed his confusion. Gu Chaoyan was about to investigate. Before leaving, she inquired of Gary, ¡°Has the sorcerer left?¡± ¡°Not yet. What¡¯s the matter, Tribe Chief?¡± Gary questioned. It was still early in the morning. She couldn¡¯t expect the sorcerer to depart so soon.@@novelbin@@ Gary sometimes felt utterly powerless when dealing with this Tribe Chief.
He wasn¡¯t sure how to handle her. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the Huang n first, Tribe Chief. The Huang n is formidable, and I¡¯m curious why they¡¯re sending representatives to us,¡± Gary suggested, disying his concern. Typically, a sizable n like the Huang n wouldn¡¯t pay them much attention. Gu Chaoyan remainedposed. What she truly wanted to know was when the sorcerer would leave. She apanied Gary to the scene. Six individuals from the Huang n were present. They conducted themselves with utmost courtesy, patiently waiting outside as she approached. It was a wee contrast to the arrogance disyed by the Thunder Fire n. Clearly, they embodied the demeanor of a powerful n. ¡°Are you from the Huang Family?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired, disying a polite demeanor toward these guests. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the Tribe Chief of the Five Elements n, correct? We were instructed by the Tribe Chief of the Huang n to ry this message. Winter has passed, and as spring begins this year, the Tribe Chief wishes to organize for you to relocate to our Huang n. Our geographical location is favorable, providing more options for exploration. We¡¯ll make arrangements for each n, and you will retain control over your n¡¯s affairs. The Huang n will only provide you with a ce. In the fall, you can find a location of your own.¡±
¡°The reason for this decision is that the Huang n has learned about the appearance of an exceptionally ferocious beast this year. We don¡¯t want to risk losing our nsmen due to this threat,¡± the representative exined. Chapter 2431: Mission 111 Chapter 2431: Mission 111 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions She nodded. ¡°In that case, alright.¡± Gary exchanged a surprised nce with his Tribe Chief. Adams, too, couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment. He hade to express goodwill merely to make an appearance in front of the sorcerers. He hadn¡¯t expected Xui to acquiesce to his previous attitude. If she hadn¡¯t agreed, he had a backup n: follow behind but not too closely. But¡­ She actually agreed. What? Adams found himself momentarily unsure of what to do. ¡°We¡¯re all headed to the Huang Family. Our families are close, so let¡¯s stick together. Gary, check if the Thunder Fire n needs assistance. If we need help, we can turn to them. Since we¡¯re going to be friends, let¡¯s drop the formalities,¡± Gu Chaoyan announced loudly. Gary¡¯s expression stiffened. The Tribe Chief¡­ Did she have something in mind for Adams? Now that Gu Chaoyan had made her position clear, Adams was determined to do the same. ¡°I¡¯ll organize my nsmen right away. Let¡¯s all lend a hand!¡± Adams dered sincerely. @@novelbin@@ As Adams left, Gu Chaoyan gave a subtle wink to Gary. ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty of supplies; we can handle the quilts and animal skins ourselves. Let¡¯s ask the Thunder Fire n for assistance with the rest. They have abundant resources and can help us with those. At most, we can contribute by preparing food for the Thunder Fire n as well,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined, concerned that Gary might be contemting something else and might not grasp her subtle hints. Gary grasped Gu Chaoyan¡¯s intentions almost instantly. It became clear that the Tribe Chief had agreed for the sake of unity, not because she shared Adams¡¯ sentiments. Gary felt a twinge of guilt for the misunderstanding. ¡°What are you waiting for? Our tribesmen are disciplined. Don¡¯t touch our crucial supplies, or we¡¯ll be short on necessities!¡± Gu Chaoyan bellowed. Gary couldn¡¯t afford any dy. He rushed out, swiftly coordinating the cooperation between the two races. Despite the promise to support each other, the Five Elements n, with its abundance of resources, didn¡¯t have spare hands to assist the Thunder Fire n. At most, they would share some resources with them. Soon, the Thunder Fire n found themselves burdened with numerous items from the Five Elements n. Fear of the sorcerer¡¯s presence kept any potential dissent in check; they dared not oppose the arrangement. The Five Elements n continued their journey with renewed cheerfulness. Gu Chaoyan, who had initially been displeased, now felt a sense of satisfaction. Had it been any other tribe, she might have restrained herself, but against the Thunder Fire n, she held nothing back. They had taken advantage of the Five Elements n in the past, and she was determined to reim what was rightfully theirs. The sorcerer, well aware of the unfolding dynamics, chose to feign ignorance. As they walked alongside each other, he couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°You¡­¡± Gu Chaoyan nonchntly shrugged, choosing to ignore him. The sorcerer wisely refrained from intervening. Among the Five Elements n, joy was palpable, while the expressions of the Thunder Fire n members turned increasingly sour. ¡°Tribe Chief, have we fallen victim to a scheme?¡± inquired a member of the Thunder Fire n. ¡°Yes,¡± Adams confirmed unequivocally, ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, you must bear with it and handle these items. The presence of the sorcerers in the Five Elements n leaves us with no choice. Either they won¡¯t side with you, or you¡¯ll have to ept this burden. Clear?¡± Chapter 2434: Mission 114 Chapter 2434: Mission 114
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions It was evident from the animal skin he wore. In this yet-to-be-civilized world where ns operated like close-knit families, unity prevailed. However, there were still subtle ss distinctions within the n, although few and not markedly significant.
For instance, the Tribe Chief and a few n leaders enjoyed better resources than others. While most men had only the lower half of their bodies wrapped in animal skin, some could afford an additional animal skin vest. The man before Gu Chaoyan was among the few in the Thunder Fire n who could don a hide vest¡ªother than Adams, it was a privilege few could im. This man¡¯s eyes were clouded, not as clear as Adams¡¯, and a malicious intent seemed to overflow from his expression. Gu Chaoyan responded coldly, showing little respect to the Thunder Fire n member. ¡°It¡¯s not that harsh. The Five Elements n has abundant resources, so we can choose whatever we want to eat. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re unable to eat it.¡± Upon hearing this, the Second Chief of the Thunder Fire n smiled. He didn¡¯t take offense; he understood that the Five Elements n had grown stronger, and the presence of a sorcerer heightened their influence. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s actions suggested that her fundamental nature hadn¡¯t changed; she was using her position to intimidate others. ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re right,¡± the Second Chief of the Thunder Fire n concurred, trying to ease the tension. Gu Chaoyan resumed her meal without further words. The Second Chief of the Thunder Fire n felt a bit embarrassed. Eventually, he took a seat and said, ¡°I am here because I have something to discuss with you.¡± Gu Chaoyan shot him a skeptical nce. Something to discuss?
They had already agreed on the arrangement for the two races traveling together. Now, he imed to have something to discuss, and Gu Chaoyan harbored suspicions that it might not be entirely altruistic.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Go ahead,¡± she said, setting down her empty bowl. The cold winter still lingered, and Gu Chaoyan hadn¡¯t initially wanted to broach the topic due to the chilly weather. However, she was prepared to listen now that the Second Chief had raised the matter. In truth, if it weren¡¯t for Adams, Gu Chaoyan wouldn¡¯t have felt the need to engage in a conversation with Percy. Nevertheless, as the two ns were journeying together, she decided to give them some consideration. Seeing her attentive, Percy proceeded to express his thoughts. ¡°Well, here¡¯s the thing. The nkets your Five Elements n provided today are only enough for a few of our oldest and unwell Thunder Fire n elders. The rest are left without nkets.¡± ¡°Winter has just passed, and while days are bearable, the nights are exceptionally cold. It¡¯s not easy for the Thunder Fire n members to endure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking that the nkets from your Five Elements n are more than sufficient. If you¡¯re willing to make a little more space, we could use dozens of additional nkets. This way, many in the Thunder Fire n can have a much morefortable life.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to share these nkets, it¡¯s a testament to your kindness. I believe you won¡¯t be hesitant with those additional dozens of nkets. The Thunder Fire n will be genuinely grateful,¡± Percy exined. Chapter 2436: Mission 116 Chapter 2436: Mission 116
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°All these years, the Thunder Fire n has never harbored any enmity toward our Five Elements n. The camps of the two ns are not far apart. Now, as we journey to the Huang n together, the Five Elements n is extending goodwill. They fear potential conflicts with other ns along the way and have, as an exception, permitted the Thunder Fire n to join our journey to the Huang n alongside the sorcerer.¡± ¡°As a gesture of goodwill, we even distributed nkets to some elders of the Thunder Fire n. The meat from the Five Elements n has been turned into soup, ensuring everyone is treated equally.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t anticipate the Thunder Fire n¡¯s apparent greed, seeking more items and demanding half of the Five Elements n¡¯s nkets.¡± ¡°The actions of the Thunder Fire n are excessive.¡± ¡°Though our agreement to travel together to the Huang n will stand, the future will see us no longer sharing meals with the Thunder Fire n. The Five Elements n will partake in their own provisions. As for the few nkets already distributed, consider them as valuable as meat buns.¡± ¡°Gary, ry this message to the Five Elements n.¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± Gu Chaoyan stated with a stern expression. ¡°Understood.¡± Gary responded with joy. He eagerly anticipated the implementation of this decision. Ensuring everyone received equal treatment with food was already a generous gesture, considering the Thunder Fire n¡¯s substantial numbers and hearty appetites. Witnessing their apparent greed, Gary was ready to move forward with a sense of relief, focusing on mutual assistance during the journey. Unexpectedly, the people of the Thunder Fire n seemed unchanged, persisting in their desire for more from the Five Elements n even after receiving benefits. Gary, noting this, couldn¡¯t allow such behavior to be encouraged. Turning away, he got back to his tasks. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan calmly sat down and gracefully requested another bowl from Aina. Aina left with a smile.
Percy remained standing, his face reflecting disbelief. Not only did Gu Chaoyan refuse to give more, but she also withdrew the original food arrangements. Furthermore, she made it clear that, in the future, if she was dissatisfied, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to expel the Thunder Fire n. Percy felt like he was losing control of the situation. His intentions, initially aimed at benefiting his nsmen, seemed to have backfired. Moreover, if the Thunder Fire n members learned that the Tribe Chief of the Five Elements n issued such an order upon his arrival, they might harbor resentment towards him. Although he held a position in the n, he wasn¡¯t the Tribe Chief¡ªonly the Tribe Chief would be forgiven if mistakes were made. Percy¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Tribe Chief of the Five Elements n, are you truly going to be this ruthless?¡± Gu Chaoyan lifted her head, casting a nce at him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Thunder Fire n is overreaching. I¡¯m taking these steps to minimize losses. You can leave now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a nuisance in my presence, or I can¡¯t guarantee I won¡¯t take further action.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t permit you to join the journey to the Huang n to cause trouble for my Five Elements n.¡± With those words, Aina arrived with a bowl of hot wild vegetable soup. ¡°Tribe Chief, it¡¯s still hot. Drink it while it¡¯s warm. Pay no mind to those people from the Thunder Fire n. The sorcerer mentioned wanting to speak with youter.¡± Percy seemed about to say something, but at the mention of the sorcerer, he hastily departed.
Observing Percy¡¯s departure, Gu Chaoyan turned to Aina with a displeased expression. ¡°What does the sorcerer want?¡± He seemed to bring a lot of trouble.@@novelbin@@ Aina chuckled. Chapter 2439: Mission 119 Chapter 2439: Mission 119 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Knowing that this had happened, he was surprised by her way of doing things. Very few women would be so decisive and could not help bute over to chat. But he said that. It was a little like saying the Tribe Chief of Five Elements n was cold-blooded and heartless. Gary hurriedly wanted to exin when he heard this. ¡°Sorcerer, you¡¯ve misunderstood our Tribe Chief. It¡¯s not that our Tribe Chief is cold-blooded and heartless, but that person from the Thunder Fire n has really gone too far.¡± Upon hearing Gary¡¯s exnation, Gu Chaoyan interrupted him. Facing the sorcerer, she articted, ¡°You mentioned that it¡¯s unreasonable for me to take this stance. Have you considered the repercussions for me if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Percy from the Thunder Fire n proposes ideas solely for the benefit of his n. If I were to reject them, it would undoubtedly breed discontent within the Thunder Fire n. I¡¯ve alreadymitted to both ns to journey to the Huang n together. With the Thunder Fire n harboring grievances against my Five Elements n throughout this extended journey, can the two ns coexist harmoniously?¡± ¡°Now, due to Percy¡¯s actions, the entire Thunder Fire n is entangled in this matter. They harbor resentment towards him. This extends even to the tribal level.¡± ¡°Moreover, since Percy instigated this, he should bear the consequences.¡± Having conveyed her perspective, Gu Chaoyan refrained from further self-defense. Hailing from a more civilized world, she was ustomed to rules and consequences for actions. In this untamed world, where such rules were less defined, she asserted her own principles. In her view, Percy, having provoked her, should be subject to the consequences ording to her established rules. @@novelbin@@ At this juncture, the sorcerer clearly grasped the significance behind her actions. Among the members of the Thunder Fire n, feelings were split between animosity towards Percy and animosity towards her. As Percy initiated the situation, the onus should be on him to shoulder the responsibility. The sorcerer nodded, realizing he may have delved into a topic better left untouched. ¡°I understand,¡± the sorcerer stated solemnly. Gu Chaoyan nodded in acknowledgment. The sorcerer, seemingly reluctant to delve further, nced at her and then walked away. Observing Percy¡¯s departure, Gary trailed behind him. Approaching the sorcerer, Gary ventured boldly, ¡°The sorcerer might not be aware of the events leading up to this, which could exin his opinion of the Tribe Chief.¡± The sorcerer fixed his gaze on Gary. Aside from the Tribe Chief, Gary held a significant role in managing various affairs within the n. During his time in the Five Elements n over the past few months, he had gained some insights. Despite always maintaining politeness towards a sorcerer like him, Gary had refrained from taking sides on many issues, always aligning himself with the Tribe Chief. His actions were driven by a genuine concern for the Tribe Chief¡¯s well-being. The sorcerer smiled. He found the dynamics within this n to be truly fascinating. The individuals in the n appeared to be distinct. ¡°What transpired in the past?¡± he inquired. ¡°Indeed. In the past, the Tribe Chief extended generous treatment to the members of the Thunder Fire n. Numerous resources from the n were willingly shared with them. However, instead of reciprocating with respect, the Thunder Fire n responded with greed. They regarded the Tribe Chief and the Five Elements n not as allies but as sources to exploit.¡± Chapter 2442: Mission 122 Chapter 2442: Mission 122
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Initially, when the Huang n approached them, they were informed that this year, the Huang n had identified an increased presence of ferocious wild beasts. Seeking to unite the strength of various ns, the Huang n invited them to their territory. They were promised a designated ce and location. Filled with hope and reverence, they arrived, not expecting avish life in the Huang n but anticipating the protection and amodations offered.
Yet, as they neared the Huang n, a sense of unease crept in. The Huang n¡¯s treatment of the arriving nsmen deviated from the promises made ¨C no arrangements had been made for their stay. ¡°Tribe Chief, what¡¯s happening? Why does something feel off?¡± Gary cautiously inquired of Gu Chaoyan. Simr concerns echoed from the Thunder Fire n members. Puzzled and surprised, everyone sought answers. Gu Chaoyan, equally baffled, shook her head. She was as clueless about the situation as the others. This stark contrast from what the Huang n hadmunicated left her perplexed. Recalling the sorcerer¡¯s prior warning, Gu Chaoyan contemted seeking him out for insights. However, upon searching, she found the sorcerer not in his pristine sorcerer attire but covered in dust, d in animal skins. Perplexed, Gu Chaoyan approached him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°There is indeed an issue with the Huang n. If I appear as a sorcerer, I fear I won¡¯t discern the truth and will face constraints. Hence, for now, I am just a member of the Five Elements n,¡± the sorcerer exined. The sorcerer had decided toe to the Huang n because they sensed that something had urred in the direction of the Brilliant Race in thisnd and sought to investigate. Initially intending to go alone, he changed his ns upon hearing from the people sent by the Huang n, discerning that matters were moreplex than they seemed. Hence, he joined the Five Elements n in their journey. At the mountain¡¯s base, he had warned the Five Elements n, but they insisted on proceeding to the Huang n, and he did not halt them, still uncertain about the unfolding situation.
¡°You don¡¯t know what happened?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Despite being a sorcerer, I¡¯m not omnipotent on this maind,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°Understood,¡± Gu Chaoyan acknowledged. She surveyed the n members and the situation ahead. Gathering the Five Elements n, she whispered, ¡°Put away our bows and arrows quietly. Don¡¯t let the Huang n notice. In case of any trouble with the Huang n, our bows and arrows might help protect our nsmen.¡±@@novelbin@@ Upon hearing this, the Five Elements n members swiftly stowed their bows, sensing that something was amiss. Revealing their weaponry might lead to unpredictable consequences. Originally thinking their bows and arrows could improve their standing with the Huang n, they now hesitated. After instructing the n members, Gu Chaoyan turned to Adams, ¡°When you return, instruct your people to keep quiet about the bows and arrows. Our two ns will still support each other. Once settled, we can provide you with some bows and arrows. In case of future challenges, everyone should strive to escape. Also, remember¡­¡± ¡°Be cautious of sorcerers. If anything urs between us.¡± Chapter 2446: Mission 126 Chapter 2446: Mission 126
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Then, they would rely on their nsmen for cover. Stealthily, they nned to slip away from this corner, unnoticed. The Huang n members perceived them as insignificant, presuming they belonged to small, ignorant ns. Consequently, the Huang n had assigned only a few individuals to monitor them in this area. Each person was responsible for a corner and rarely attended to all of them.
As long as the members of the Five Elements n and the Thunder Fire n provided cover, their movements would go undetected. Gu Chaoyan felt optimistic. She had already devised a n for their escape. Instructing Adams to coordinate with the Thunder Fire n members, she assured the Five Elements n that everything would be fine as long as everyone maintained an unspoken understanding. With the preliminary n set, they waited confidently, anticipating the approach of nightfall when they could put their n into action. Gary persisted in trying to join them. Gu Chaoyan declined his offer outright. Not because she doubted his abilities, but additional individuals increased the risk of discovery. Moreover, she hoped Gary would keep a watchful eye on his nsmen in her absence. With him present, she would feel somewhat reassured when she wasn¡¯t around. Only after Gary finished speaking did the night fall. Following a simple meal, Gu Chaoyan nodded at Adams and the sorcerer, signaling that they were ready. Adams and the sorcerer joined them, understanding the n without the need for words.
The nsmen on both sides started to gather. Under the cover of darkness, silence prevailed. The Huang n members didn¡¯t take the situation seriously, showing little attention to the neers. As the trio approached the Huang nsmen guarding their side, the taller members from both sides congregated even more. Gu Chaoyan signaled Adams and the sorcerer to stay put. Being tall and strong men, they would easily draw notice, whereas she, being shorter, wouldn¡¯t attract as much attention. Moreover, her actions wouldn¡¯t cause a significant disturbance. With a smile, Gu Chaoyan approached the guards. The two guards were about to question when Gu Chaoyan swiftly incapacitated them without a sound. She directed Adams to remove their clothes and put them on. Determining what to do with the subdued guards posed another challenge. Ultimately, she opted to tie them up and ce them between the Thunder Fire n and the Five Elements n, treating them as part of her own group. Upon their return, she would assign three individuals from each n to stand guard in this position. It seemed like a fitting solution. This strategic move was a decisive one.@@novelbin@@ Both ns now had an escape route. So¡­
Under the cover of darkness, Gu Chaoyan, along with Adams and the sorcerer, left. Their destination: the Huang n, to uncover what was happening. They ascended the hill, confirming that these individuals who had arrived at the Huang n hadn¡¯t reached the n¡¯s territory at all. Instead, they were positioned at the mountain¡¯s base beneath the Huang n. It became apparent that the Huang n had intentionally confined these smaller ns here. As they entered the Huang n¡¯s territory, Only then did he truly sense that this world was slowly evolving towards civilization. Chapter 2449: Mission 129 Chapter 2449: Mission 129 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The ck-robed man snorted. He appeared to concur with the statement. ¡°Who do you think sorcerers are? Once we¡¯ve refined them, let alone sorcerers, anything can make them perish.¡± The ck-robed man emphasized. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re aware, what¡¯s your n? I need a total of 20,000 people. How many do we have now?¡± The ck-robed man expressed clear frustration. ¡°I¡¯ve done my best to entice individuals from bothrge and small ns. Currently, there are no more to be found. I¡¯ll check if any ns from farther away have arrived. Do we truly need the blood and bones of 20,000 people? If we can¡¯t gather that many¡­¡± ¡°Of course, we need 20,000 people. Otherwise, how can we obtain enough essence energy?¡± The ck-robed man¡¯s tone and demeanor were far from pleasant. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer. If we can¡¯t assemble enough people, there are still the Huang nsmen. If the Huang nsmen are depleted, we can gradually recruit more. It would be a shame if we can¡¯t cultivate them!¡± The Huang n¡¯s Tribe Chief suggested. The ck-robed man appeared to be in a better mood. After all, the issue had been addressed. There were undoubtedly 20,000 people at the mountain¡¯s base, including the Huang nsmen. After a brief discussion, they inspected the pool before departing hastily. Once they left¡­ Gu Chaoyan descended from the tree and approached the pond. The frigid air emanated from this pool. But why was it so cold here? The closer she got, the more Gu Chaoyan sensed that something was amiss with the pool. Not only was it cold, but it also reeked of blood. ¡°Run! They have to run! ¡°If we don¡¯t escape, those nsmen will die here.¡± That was the realization Gu Chaoyan had after uncovering what was happening. The sorcerer wore a grave expression. He sensed that something was amiss, exining why nothing seemed right in this world. ¡°Let¡¯s head back first,¡± the sorcerer advised. The ck-robed man had already detected someone¡¯s presence earlier. While the Huang n¡¯s Tribe Chief believed it was his daughter, it could expose the truth. Their situation would be perilous if the truth surfaced. The three of them hurriedly retraced their steps. Upon their return to the mountain¡¯s base, Adams remained in a state of shock. In this uncivilized world, where concerns revolved around sustenance, health, and the well-being of nsmen, the Huang n¡¯s ordeal had thrust him abruptly into an alien reality. He had yet to regain hisposure. ¡°If my guess is correct, the Huang n¡¯s Tribe Chief and that ck-robed man are utilizing that pool to cultivate some forbidden power. To facilitate the cultivation, they require human bones and blood as sacrifices. Besides the chilling cold emanating from the pool, there¡¯s also the unmistakable stench of blood. I fear many missing nsmen have been thrown into that pool.¡± ¡°The Huang n¡¯s Tribe Chief has be somewhat deranged over this matter. He didn¡¯t hesitate to offer up the Huang n. Every day we linger here increases the danger.¡± ¡°We need to devise a n to escape as soon as possible,¡± Gu Chaoyan proposed. ¡°Of course,¡± affirmed the sorcerer. The situation appeared more intricate than he had initially perceived. While the three of them were engrossed in conversation, a suddenmotion arose at the mountain¡¯s base. @@novelbin@@ ¡°Gary, go check what¡¯s happening!¡± Gu Chaoyan urged, concerned that their recent actions might lead to discovery. Gary hastily departed. Shortly afterward, he returned in a hurry. Chapter 2451: Mission 131 Chapter 2451: Mission 131
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions At the mountain¡¯s base, The atmosphere oscited between silence and mor.
Initially, many of the Huang nsmen on duty harbored hope, but in this moment, that hope dwindled. Monitoring these individuals wasn¡¯t a sought-after assignment. If the Elder Miss favored them, life would improve significantly. In the Huang n, no one would bother with them, let alone worry about their sustenance. After some grumbling and a twinge of regret, these individuals resumed their duties. Adams, standing beside Gu Chaoyan, released a long sigh of relief. Thankfully, she had departed. This meant he had avoided detection. ¡°Now is not the time to rx. If you hade out earlier, it would have been so simple. Just imagine, if the Elder Miss of the Huang n finds you again, she¡¯ll kill you. Be careful,¡± Gu Chaoyan teased, not missing the chance to gloat. Adams shot her an irate re.@@novelbin@@ Xui was truly an enigmatic woman. Initially naive and willing to undertake anything, she had evolved into a challenging and distant individual. Now¡­ Adams found it challenging to describe her at the moment. He perpetually wanted tosh out when she spoke, yet he didn¡¯t harbor any hatred or dislike towards her. His frustration mounted, and he gritted his teeth, unable to act on his impulses. The sensation was far from pleasant, and Adams detested it.
¡°If you stay silent, no one will think you¡¯re mute,¡± Adams retorted. Gary stepped forward, shielding his Tribe Chief. Nheless, Gu Chaoyan paid it no mind. She patted him and gestured for him to step aside. ¡°I¡¯m just stating the truth. Since you haven¡¯t been found, steer clear of them. Let¡¯s contemte our next steps,¡± Gu Chaoyan advised. Discussing future ns made Adams solemn. He didn¡¯t want to waste time on such matters, especially when it involved the lives of hundreds from the Thunder Fire n and the Five Elements n, along with numerous individuals from other ns. ¡°Tribe Chief, what¡¯s happening with the Huang n?¡± Gary inquired, puzzled. Since their arrival at the Huang n, things had been peculiar. The Huang n had confined these people without rity on their activities. There was a looming threat of envement. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Huang n is concocting, but they require our blood and bones for sacrifice. With over 10,000 people here, I fear they aim to fill a pool. We need to escape the Huang n before that urs,¡± Gu Chaoyan revealed truthfully to Gary. Gary was her most trusted assistant, and he needed to be aware of her ns and arrangements for a smooth coboration. ¡°What!¡± A shocking revtion. In the past, it was already umon for significant ns to capture people from smaller ns as ves. The Tribe Chief¡¯s words elevated the horror.
The sorcerer nodded, confirming Gu Chaoyan¡¯s statement. If not for this, the sorcerer wouldn¡¯t have been rmed without cause. Gary was left agape, seeking rification, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°We must unite with these tribes; otherwise, we won¡¯t escape and will meet an earlier demise,¡± Gu Chaoyan truthfully stated, casting a meaningful nce at the sorcerer. Chapter 2455: Mission 135 Chapter 2455: Mission 135
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan exchanged a nce with the sorcerer and then with Gary, deeming it an opportune moment. The Five Elements n and the Thunder Fire n could prepare for a decisive move.
When the Elder Miss of the Huang n appeared, Gu Chaoyan had yfully teased Adams. That very teasing made her see an advantage in the presence of the Elder Miss. Now¡­ Not only could they seize the chance to strike and flee, but they could also take the Elder Miss of the Huang n as a hostage. Gary and the sorcerer affirmed their readiness. Gu Chaoyan signaled to Adams, and both nodded in agreement. Taking the initiative, Gu Chaoyan acted first, with Adams following suit. Gu Chaoyan secured Cami¡¯s neck with a tie and positioned an arrowhead against it. ¡°Don¡¯t move, or I will kill you.¡± Cami, suddenly bound, left the Huang n members in shock, unsure of how to react. On the contrary, Cami remainedposed. ¡°Why? Is Tribe Chief Adams your lover?¡± ¡°It¡¯smendable to be so daring and decisive. You truly possess courage.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gu Chaoyan coldly refuted. ¡°I do not have this kind of bad taste.¡± ¡°You!¡± Cami disyed clear anger. She struggled briefly but found it futile, so she ceased resisting. ¡°Tell me, what do you want? I¡¯ll meet your demands. The lives of your nsmen? I can release them.¡±@@novelbin@@
Cami felt secure. Even within the Huang n¡¯s domain and in the hands of others, she believed nothing dire would happen to her. The Huang n had too much at stake. ¡°No,¡± Gu Chaoyan firmly rejected. ¡°Then what are you?¡± Cami inquired. ¡°If there¡¯s truly no other option, I¡¯ll choose a man among my people who suits your preference. I¡¯ll hand him over to you.¡± ¡°I want everyone here to leave the mountain safely,¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted. ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Cami replied bluntly. ¡°Even as the Elder Miss of the Huang Family, I¡¯m not worth the lives of so many people. If the Huang Family leader desires these individuals, I can release some, but not all of them,¡± she stated directly. ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± Cami continued. ¡°Even if you tie me up.¡± ¡°Really? I disagree.¡± Gu Chaoyan smiled and instructed, ¡°Gary, take action!¡± Gary led the Five Elements n and the Thunder Fire n, armed with bows and arrows, attacking the Huang n members. Before they could reach them, they were shot down. ¡°Descend the mountain!¡± Gu Chaoyan ordered. In this critical situation, individuals from all races sprinted downhill with all their might. Cami couldn¡¯t remain passive either.
Tricking all these people into returning to the Huang n was challenging. If they all departed at once, the Huang n¡¯s borate n would crumble. Cami initiated an attack, but Gu Chaoyan managed to fend her off. Rather than continuing the argument, Cami released a signal re to alert the Huang Family. Then, she fled. Gary considered chasing her, but Gu Chaoyan halted him. ¡°Stop, it¡¯s futile.¡± ¡°She was calm because she¡¯s skilled at escaping danger. Trying to catch her would be in vain. You might even put yourself in jeopardy,¡± Gu Chaoyan cautioned. ¡°Let¡¯s run quickly. The Huang n is descending. We might not be able to escape.¡± Chapter 2459: Mission 139 Chapter 2459: Mission 139 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions She was using Xui¡¯s identity and preferred not to expose her cultivation, but at this juncture, she had no other option. ¡°Step back,¡± Gu Chaoyanmanded with cold authority. Adams and the sorcerer subconsciously retreated. Though her tone was typically assertive, Adams sensed a different aura about Xui at this moment. Gathering her spiritual energy, Gu Chaoyan struck a small hill not far away. The hill quivered and copsed after being hit by the spiritual energy. Continuing to use her spiritual energy, she propelled the hill into the pool. The once-unfathomable pool was finally measured, reaching a depth of at least the height of a small mountain ten feet. As the water in the pool seeped into the soil, the mountain, previously adorned withrge trees, absorbed the water. The verdant trees, once corroded into ck trunks, regained their natural color. While not a perfect solution, this method proved sufficient. Simultaneously, the ck-robed man, having left the mountain, sensed something amiss. Anxious upon learning that over 10,000 people had fled, he rushed back with the Huang n¡¯s Tribe Chief to intervene. However, the scattered escapees, originally at the mountain¡¯s foot, dispersed in all directions, and the Huang n, relying on their numbers, refrained from pursuit. An unease settled upon him something was not right. The Tribe Chief of the Huang n exined that the nsmen subconsciously worshipped and feared therger ns, and no matter how many nsmen there were, they dared not act rashly in the Huang n. However, all the nsmen mentioned by the Tribe Chief had now fled, indicating that someone was controlling them. ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± the ck-robed man suggested. ¡°We haven¡¯t captured them yet,¡± the anxious Huang n leader protested. He hoped the ck-robed man would use his cultivation to chase the escapees back. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the ck-robed man curtly responded, leaving the Tribe Chief of the Huang n with no choice but to follow. Before leaving, he instructed, ¡°We must capture all of them, no matter where they escape to.¡± Upon their return, the ck-robed man headed straight for the pool. ¡°Tribe Chief, your daughter isn¡¯t here. Where is she? If I find out that she went there alone, I won¡¯t let her off on your ount,¡± the ck-robed man questioned. The secret was known by three people, including his daughter. The ck-robed man trusted none of them. Not seeing his daughter Cami upon his return made him suspicious. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare. Don¡¯t worry,¡± the Huang n leader assured. @@novelbin@@ ¡°You¡¯d better.¡± As they hurried over, the surroundings fell silent. The ck-robed man sighed in relief when he saw the destroyed pool. ¡°Who did this?¡± His anger made his voice hoarse and unpleasant. Gu Chaoyan, Adams, and the sorcerer remained silent in the tree. Originally intending to leave, they had hidden upon hearing approaching footsteps. Now, they observed the ck-robed man¡¯s reactions closely. And at this moment¡­ Chapter 2463: Mission 143 Chapter 2463: Mission 143 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. There was a valid reason why the people in this world worshipped this sorcerer. He appeared to possess an uncanny ability to sense andprehend everything in this realm simultaneously, including her existence and all details about her. Even when she used her spiritual energy, she no longer cared. The act of utilizing her spiritual energy meant that she had willingly exposed herself to their scrutiny. ¡°Then I won¡¯t descend from the Huang n mountain. Sorcerer, I have a request for you on behalf of the Five Elements n,¡± Gu Chaoyan conveyed. ¡°Please proceed,¡± the sorcerer responded calmly. ¡°When I encounter the nsmen and they inquire about my whereabouts, I will inform them that an unexpected event urred. Gary will oversee the n and the safety of our nsmen, while Aina will handle the day-to-day matters. For now, this is the arrangement. As the ns grow, we will let the nsmen democratically choose their n Leader. The more support a candidate gathers from the nsmen, the more likely they are to be the n Leader. This will be the new norm from this point forward,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined cautiously. After conveying these instructions¡­ Gu Chaoyan carefully considered and confirmed that there was nothing else to address. She nodded and added, ¡°That¡¯s all. Please ry the message, sorcerer. Our nsmen will unquestionably follow your guidance, given your status as a sorcerer.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the sorcerer acknowledged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Before departing, Gu Chaoyan bowed to the sorcerer and expressed her gratitude. The sorcerer responded with a smile. Gu Chaoyan left. The sorcerer approached Adams and spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s descend from the mountain.¡± Adams surveyed the surroundings but couldn¡¯t find Xui. Surprise etched his expression. Having seen Xui heading towards the sorcerer earlier, he assumed she would be with him now. However, in the sorcerer¡¯s presence, Xui was conspicuously absent. An uneasy feeling crept over Adams. ¡°Where¡¯s Xui?¡± he inquired. ¡°She left,¡± the sorcerer replied bluntly. ¡°Left? Where did she go? Did she descend the mountain ahead of us?¡± Adams, bewildered, failed to grasp the situation and grew increasingly flustered. ¡°She won¡¯t be returning. Keep today¡¯s events to yourself. That¡¯s all,¡± the sorcerer stated firmly. Adams¡¯ heart sank. Heprehended the implications of her absence. Perhaps on some level, he had sensed this oue, but he had never truly epted it. When she dismantled the cold pool, Adams had a vague inkling that Xui might not be who she seemed, that she might depart. @@novelbin@@ Unbelievably, it had turned out to be true. As Adams descended the mountain with the sorcerer, his stepscked vigor. No cmity befell the Thunder Fire n and the Five Elements n. They patiently waited at the mountain¡¯s base. Gary and the others spotted the sorcerer and the Thunder Fire n Leader returning and eagerly searched for their n Leader. In the next moment, realization struck¡ª their n Leader, having received the news, would not be returning. The Five Elements n resonated with mourning and silence. Gu Chaoyan observed as the sorcerer ryed her words once more. The moment concluded. Gu Chaoyan withdrew into the chaotic space. The recent scene and the events in that world seemed like a transient dream¡ªalien and unreal. Furrowing her brow, Gu Chaoyan entered the Chaotic Space for contemtion. This time¡­ Chapter 2467: Second World 1 Chapter 2467: Second World 1
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions A dragon and a deer materialized, entering seamlessly. ¡°Do you have any idea? I¡¯m already a half-step Golden Immortal, destined for the second world. What about your ns?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired respectfully. ¡°We¡¯ll follow you,¡± they replied in unison.
¡°But, I¡¯m headed to the second world¡­¡± ¡°We are mythical beasts. Entering and leaving the Second World is within our capabilities,¡± the Dragonman proudly dered. Gu Chaoyan was initially surprised but then felt a twinge of embarrassment. After grappling with her own uncertainties, she realized they could freely navigate the second world. How could she not feel a bit self-conscious? Smiling, Gu Chaoyan said, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± With that settled, it was time for her departure. Transitioning to the Second World mirrored traveling to other continents, utilizing a teleportation gate. Yet, the portals to the second world differed significantly from those leading to othernds. The teleportation gate to the second world resonated with her cultivated energy. Gu Chaoyan left a letter. Subsequently, she employed the teleportation gate, whisking herself away to the second world. White Deer and Little Dragon followed her smoothly into the forest.
The air was thick with the scent of thousand-year-old trees, each one flourishing with vitality. Gu Chaoyan exchanged nces with White Deer and Dragonman. White Deer, an ancient divine beast, and Dragonman, a descendant of the Dragon Race, were both extraordinary beings. Being a divine beast, White Deer was likely a rare sight in the Second World. Yet, Gu Chaoyan hesitated to openly bring them along. Before departing the forest, she stowed White Deer into her personal space, then carried Dragonman as she had before, giving the impression of solitary travel. Gu Chaoyan surveyed the surroundings, ensuring no other beings were present, and continued her journey with a sense of security.@@novelbin@@ Her knowledge of the Second World was limited. She only knew that its inhabitants boasted cultivation levels surpassing half-step Golden Immortals. Caution was paramount; death could lurk at any moment. However, the specific sects and factions within the Second World eluded her understanding. To gain insights, Gu Chaoyan intended to explore books within the interspace. Before entering the space, Dragonman cautioned proudly, ¡°In the Second World, you must exercise caution.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as straightforward as the demons and humans on the Shenyou Continent.¡±
¡°The Second World houses demons, humans, witches, as well as entities like the Bone Race, Asura Race, Devil Race, and more.¡± ¡°You entered like an ant.¡± ¡°Be vignt.¡± ¡°Which tribe holds the greatest influence in this realm?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired with a smile. Despite the Dragonman¡¯s youth, his wealth of knowledge suggested insights passed down by his father. Given his willingness to share, she could glean valuable information about the world they were entering. ¡°Just to warn you, it¡¯s a bit intricate,¡± he began. ¡°In the Third World, the witches reign supreme. However, their presence in the Second World is limited. While not deemed dominant, most tend to avoid crossing paths with them.¡± ¡°A millennium ago, demons held unparalleled power, but¡­¡± Chapter 2471: Demon Clan 3 Chapter 2471: Demon n 3
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan, who had been weighed down by distress, suddenly found a glimmer of relief. A tentative smile graced her face, for there was now a ray of hope for escape. Observing her sudden change, the ck-robed individuals felt the tension in their hearts ease. Initially concerned that the current state of the Demon n City might displease the n Leader, making her feel they had aplished nothing in her absence, they were relieved to see her apparent satisfaction. Her mood lifted, and she even offered a genuine smile. Their anxiety dissolved.
Guiding the n Leader to the tallest and grandest spot in the Demon n City¡ªa ce traditionally reserved for the n Leader, left vacant and meticulously maintained throughout the years¡ªthey marveled at the unexpected use it would find today. Upon entering, Gu Chaoyan, wearing an expression of fatigue, uttered, ¡°You may depart now; I need to rest. Do not disturb me until the Elder returns, understood?¡± Initially prepared to detail the matters concerning the Demon n City, the ck-robed cultivators were taken aback by the n Leader¡¯s apparent weariness. ¡°Understood, n Leader,¡± they responded after a brief pause. Gu Chaoyan nodded reassuringly. ¡°You may leave now.¡± Reluctant to depart, these individuals had countless matters to discuss with the n Leader after their prolonged separation. Regrettably, their only choice was to exit for the time being. As they departed, Gu Chaoyan found herself alone in the room. Finally, she let out a sigh of relief. She acknowledged that navigating this situation had been far from simple. Closing the door behind her, Gu Chaoyan swiftly brought the Dragonman out of hiding. ¡°Let¡¯s figure out how to escape. You¡¯re familiar with the second world, but I¡¯m not,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated. ¡°The Demon n has a sparse poption at the moment. With careful nning, our escape should be rtively straightforward.¡±
The Dragonman gazed at her in silence, questioning the bizarre stroke of fortune that seemed to follow this woman. Setting aside her luck, she now held the title of n Leader of the Demon n? Even if she wasn¡¯t, she undeniably bore an uncanny resemnce to the Demon n¡¯s leader. With this identity, she could navigate the second world with ease. The Dragonman could only marvel at her extraordinary luck. ¡°Escape? Don¡¯t even entertain the thought,¡± the Dragonman asserted bluntly. ¡°Why are you acting so foolishly in the Second World?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°Your safest bet is to stay put. Escaping is a dead end.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard what those Demon n people said?¡± ¡°Most demons are scouring the entire second world looking for you. Even if you manage to escape, they¡¯ll track you down swiftly. If it¡¯s demons who find you, you¡¯ll likely end up back in their devil city. Encountering members of other ns will spell certain death. The n Leader of the Demon n is formidable; no matter how dire the demons¡¯ circumstances, no one dares to provoke them. But what happens if the n Leader of the Demon n is absent?¡± ¡°If they encounter you, they might just decide to kill you,¡± the Dragonman bluntly reminded,cking any trace of courtesy. ¡°The n Leader of the Demon n is immensely powerful. I¡¯m guessing everyone in the Second World knows about them, right?¡± Upon hearing these words, Gu Chaoyan stumbled and copsed onto the ground. ¡®What does this mean?¡¯ Was she now marked and restricted throughout the second world? It seemed like her only option was to continue masquerading as the n Leader of the Demon n her sole recourse.
What crime had shemitted? ¡°Why are you so unwilling to act? If you assume the role of the n Leader of the Demon n, it could work to your advantage. It would make it much simpler for you to exact revenge on that woman.¡± Chapter 2474: Demon Clan 6 Chapter 2474: Demon n 6
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions It seemed as if she could only ascend if she expressed satisfaction. The height was daunting, and even if she desired to ascend, a method had to be devised. Gu Chaoyan was on the verge of tears. Fortunately, she possessed numerous Dharma treasures within her spatial storage. Otherwise, she would have been at a loss.
Upon entering the Supreme Sect, there would be an array formation facilitating the ascent to the towering Supreme Sect. She had to ascend. A simr array formation had to be devised. Stepping onto the node of the array formation, a secret known only to her, she began the process. The individuals from the Demon n likely couldn¡¯t discern the intricate workings of the array. Gu Chaoyan constructed the array formation using her spiritual energy, calming herself as she advanced steadily toward the Demon n Leader¡¯s throne. With each step, herplexion grew paler. Although she employed an array formation, it relied on her spiritual power for support. After a considerable duration, she finally ascended, coercing herself to settle upon the throne of the n Leader of the Demon n. She surveyed the Demon n elders below with aposed demeanor. Gu Chaoyan had no knowledge of the Demons and the n Leader of the Demon n¡¯s appearance. Ignorance could easily unveil her true identity. It was in her words, actions, and attitude.
Thus, the less she said and did, the fewer opportunities for errors.@@novelbin@@ To remain inconspicuous, she opted to speak and act sparingly. Regardless, she now held the position of the n Leader of the Demon n, so maintaining a reserved silence was only fitting. Even if the n Leader¡¯s demeanor was different before her disappearance, it could be attributed to the changes wrought by a thousand years. Thus, Gu Chaoyan continued sitting there as a matter of course. Suddenly, an exuberant voice echoed, ¡°See, I told you this is our n Leader. You didn¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°The moment Iid eyes on her, I knew she was the n Leader.¡± Gu Chaoyan turned her gaze towards the source of the voice, discovering a handsome young man speaking. However, his demeanor did not match his appearance. Despite his good looks, there was a touch of surliness to his personality. That was the only word Gu Chaoyan could conjure. Fortunately, this individual believed in her. Otherwise, she would have found this situation exceedingly challenging. If he harbored suspicions, her exposure would have been imminent. Gu Chaoyan breathed a sigh of relief. Her future life in the Demon n seemed promising with this individual¡¯s trust.
The few elderly individuals below appeared somewhat embarrassed. It wasn¡¯t their desire to doubt the n Leader, but the n Leader had vanished for a millennium. Her sudden return, discovered by the n, left them with little choice but to harbor suspicions. The current Demon n had evolved, necessitating caution in every aspect. Many eyes were watching, eager to dismantle the Demon n and seize thest vestiges of advantage. Who knew if this was a trap? The Elders exchanged slight head shakes. While the prospect of having the n Leader back would undoubtedly bring joy, there was uncertainty. She might not share their enthusiasm. Despite her sessful ascension to the position of n Leader, shecked the usual confidence. The familiar aura of pride was notably absent. Although unable to discern that familiar demeanor, lingering doubts persisted in their minds. Yet, acknowledgment was now unavoidable. ¡°Greetings, n Leader!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry; what is the current state of the n?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. As the saying goes, ¡°Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles.¡± Understanding the Demon n¡¯s current circumstances was imperative before she could sustain the charade. Chapter 2476: Demon Clan 8 Chapter 2476: Demon n 8
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions@@novelbin@@ Though it appeared she had sessfully navigated the initial scrutiny, the disparity from the former n Leader was too evident, leaving lingering suspicions among the observers. ¡°n Leader, everything in the n will now be under yourmand,¡± eagerly dered the Demon n¡¯s Dao Child, seemingly impatient to relinquish control. ¡°The n Leader has only just returned; let¡¯s proceed gradually. There¡¯s no need to rush. The n Leader shouldn¡¯t exhaust themselves so soon,¡± cautioned the First Elder of the Demon Race. He added, ¡°n Leader, where have you been for the past thousand years? Have you gained anything during your absence?¡± The question was born out of concern and a desire to understand the situation, crucial for informed judgment.
Gu Chaoyan hesitated. Where had she spent thest millennium? What had she aplished? How could she articte her experiences? ¡°I have been cultivating, yes, cultivating,¡± she replied. ¡°n Leader, has your cultivation surpassed its previous level?¡± inquired the First Elder. Suppressing augh, Gu Chaoyan grappled with the challenge of exining her significant advancement to a half-step Golden Immortal. Unable to provide a satisfactory answer, she chose silence. Her reluctance to speak prompted the Demon n¡¯s Dao Child to intervene. Stepping forward, he confronted the First Elder, ¡°Old man, why are you pressuring my sister? You know why she disappeared. Do you still doubt her? Why are you interrogating her like this?¡± The First Elder nced helplessly at the Dao Child of the Demon n. Despite his youth, the Dao Child wielded formidable cultivation, and he was known for his cautious nature, never erring in critical decisions within the Demon n. However, when it came to the n Leader, his protectiveness and bias became unmistakably apparent. Given the prolonged absence of the n Leader, skepticism and concern pervaded the n. ¡°The n Leader has been missing for quite some time. He¡¯s merely expressing concern and seeking answers,¡± exined the First Elder.
¡°Don¡¯t inquire too much. If questioning harms my sister¡¯s Dao Seeking, I won¡¯t let you off,¡± retorted the fiercely protective Dao Child. ¡°I appreciate your consideration,¡± conceded the First Elder after receiving the Dao Child¡¯s defense. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; the situation remains as it was within the 500 meters. I still have unresolved matters and may need to depart, making it an inopportune time to assume n leadership,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined. ¡°Sister, you still want to leave? I won¡¯t allow it. Last time, you were absent for a thousand years. Now, I won¡¯t permit it. There are many tasks in the n. Even if you don¡¯t care about me, you must consider their welfare,¡± protested the Dao Child vehemently upon hearing her intention to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this for now. I¡¯m not feeling well, so I¡¯ll go back to rest,¡± Gu Chaoyan announced, preparing to leave. ¡°Worry not, Sister;e down quickly,¡± urged the concerned Dao Child. With a determined effort, Gu Chaoyan descended the stairs, the exertion draining her spiritual power and leaving her fatigued. She nned to slip away discreetly, a strategy she executed with surprising speed, eluding even the pursuing Dao Child. The First Elder intercepted the Dao Child who couldn¡¯t catch up, cautioning, ¡°Dao Child, do you genuinely believe she is the n Leader? Aren¡¯t you afraid of jeopardizing everything?¡± Chapter 2479: Demon Clan 11 Chapter 2479: Demon n 11
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Sister!¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n called out. Gu Chaoyan felt a wave of exasperation as she faced him. ¡°Sister, I just wanted to let you know that Brother will be back tomorrow,¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n conveyed the information with the enthusiasm of sharing excellent news. ¡®Brother?¡¯ This Dao Child had an older brother?
¡°Okay,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied, maintaining aposed demeanor. The Dao Child of the Demon n seemed a bit taken aback by her response, then tilted his head and departed. Only after his departure did the Dragonman cautiously emerge from the nket. In the Dao Child of Demon n¡¯s presence, it had hidden, unwilling to expose itself. ¡°The Dao Child of Demon n has a brother? Who is his brother?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. The Dragonman had acquired considerable knowledge about the Demon n from its father, including details about significant figures within the n. Gu Chaoyan hoped to determine if the Dragonman was familiar with this individual. ¡°It¡¯s also the Dao Child of the Demon n,¡± the Dragonman responded. Another Dao Child of Demon n? Wasn¡¯t the Dao Child of Demon n a unique position? Why did his brother also hold the same title? ¡°The Dao Child is a position within the Demon n, passed down to the next generation. Typically, the sessor to the Dao Child of the Demon n is also a cultivation prodigy. So, the status of the Dao Child of the Demon n remains prestigious within the Demon n. The previous Dao Child of the Demon n had two sons, making both of them Dao Children of the Demon n,¡± the Dragonman exined with an expression that hinted at recollections from the past. Gu Chaoyan recognized the reminiscent expression on the Dragonman¡¯s face, mirroring the way its father spoke about the Dao Child of the Demon n. The Dragonman had never explicitly discussed its father, but Gu Chaoyan understood the unspoken yearning. In asional conversations recounting its father¡¯s past teachings, the Dragonman revealed a silent longing for its absent parent. ¡°I see,¡± Gu Chaoyan acknowledged before drifting into sleep.@@novelbin@@
The next day¡­ A knock echoed through the door, prompting Gu Chaoyan¡¯s immediate assumption that it was the Dao Child of the Demon n. Opening the door, she observed him closely. Then, she took another look. The Dao Child of the Demon n appeared strangely unpredictable. Yesterday, he had been full of enthusiasm, but today, his countenance resembled that of a stoic specter. Moreover, she was adorned in the ck robe and the eyeball ne he had given her. Upon seeing him, Gu Chaoyan lifted her hand and lightly pped his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you look good? Why the cold expression today?¡± ¡°If you persist, I might identally misce the ne,¡± Gu Chaoyan warned. The Dao Child of the Demon n appeared somewhat uneasy. Once again, the n Leader had mistaken him for his younger brother. The n Leader consistently disyed this confusion, unable to distinguish between the two siblings. Moreover, he never made an effort to differentiate them.
Regardless of whether it was him or his younger brother, they were both treated like children. Despite holding the esteemed position of the Dao Child of the Demon n, he found himself subjected to her blows and admonishments. Initially harboring doubts, the recent palm strike and the mistaken identity now cast a shadow on his suspicions about the authenticity of the n Leader. ¡°You look good,¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n conceded reluctantly. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. She removed the ne. This presented an opportune moment to refrain from wearing the unsettling essory. Chapter 2480: Demon Clan 12 Chapter 2480: Demon n 12
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Removing the eyeball ne brought immense relief to Gu Chaoyan. No longer burdened by the unsettling essory, she felt a sense of liberation, grateful that she could now move without drawing unwarranted attention. This shift in mood was all thanks to the Dao Child of the Demon n¡¯s capricious nature. Despite his fervent enthusiasm the previous day, today, he maintained a stoic silence. It was perplexing. Could this be a traitmon among the Demon n? Gu Chaoyan dismissed the thought with a slight shake of her head.
Now free of the ne, Gu Chaoyan regarded the Dao Child of the Demon n with a serious gaze. She sought to discern his purpose for being here. Likewise, the Dao Child of the Demon n observed her calmly. Having received news of the n Leader¡¯s return after a millennium of absence, the Dao Child of the Demon n shared the elders¡¯ cautious approach. The n Leader¡¯s sudden reappearance warranted careful investigation to ensure it was the genuine leader and not an imposter with ill intentions. Upon arrival, the n Leader immediately recognized him as his younger brother, leaving the Dao Child of the Demon n uncertain about his course of action. Should he exploit his role as the younger brother to scrutinize her further, or should he straightforwardly reveal that he was not her younger brother? ¡°Why are you staring at me? Just tell me what you want to say,¡± Gu Chaoyan demanded fiercely. Despite the Dao Child of the Demon n¡¯s formidable cultivation, standing as one of the top figures in the Demon n, Gu Chaoyan asserted her authority as the n Leader. She made it clear that, in her presence, he should not be treated merely as the Dao Child of the Demon n. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s willfulness in front of the Dao Child of Demon n stemmed from the imperative need to safeguard her identity. Fearful of exposure, she found it preferable to risk offending the Dao Child of Demon n rather than jeopardizing her secret. After all, she held the position of n Leader, and he would not dare to take any drastic actions against her.@@novelbin@@ The Dao Child of Demon n found the situation strangely familiar. In the past, when the n Leader was present, he exhibited simr behavior¡ªunable to distinguish between brothers and frequently disying impatience and fierceness. The n Leader¡¯s bold and willful demeanor remained unchanged. However¡­ The Dao Child of Demon n sensed a disparity in the current n Leader¡¯s aura. Itcked the same formidable presence as before. There were discernible differences.
Acknowledging half of the situation, he believed the other half warranted further scrutiny. Only then would he feelfortable relinquishing control to the n Leader and entrusting the fate of the Demon n. ¡°The Human n¡¯s Patriarch, Chengze, is about to celebrate his birthday. As you¡¯re aware, the Human n is entangled in myriadplicated affairs. We¡¯re obliged to extend invitations to various ns for his birthday celebration. Despite our Demon n¡¯s decline, we still received an invitation.¡± ¡°Initially, in your absence, the Demon n intended to send the First Elder to attend the banquet. However, now that you¡¯ve returned, n Leader, it is expected that you personally attend the birthday celebration for the Human n¡¯s Leader.¡± ¡°The elders were unaware of this news yesterday; they specifically came today to inform you, n Leader,¡± the Dao Child of Demon n conveyed with gravity. The tone was somber,cking any trace of humor, signifying a significant shift from their previous interactions. Gu Chaoyan regarded the Dao Child of Demon n with suspicion. Could it be that this Dao Child of Demon n had two personas? During inconsequential moments for the Demon n, he presented himself as a yful young boy. Yet, when the n faced critical matters, he reverted to a serious demeanor? Chapter 2483: Demon Clan 15 Chapter 2483: Demon n 15 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°It¡¯s highly probable that our n Leader has returned. However, her aura seems somewhat diminished,¡± expressed the Dao Child of the Demon n, harboring lingering doubts. The First Elder and a few other elders maintained their cautious stance, waiting to observe further. In their perspective, despite the Dao Child of the Demon n¡¯s impressive cultivation, his youth made him susceptible to deception. This matter required their utmost vignce. ¡°We might gain clearer insights during the birthday banquet of the Human n¡¯s n Leader,¡± suggested a few elders. The Dao Child of the Demon n assented. Their sentiments were aligned. Upon hearing their remarks, the Dao Child of the Demon n couldn¡¯t conceal his discontent. ¡°After all this time, you still harbor suspicions about Sister? I believed you were eager to announce Sister¡¯s return and intended to have her attend that human¡¯s birthday celebration.¡± ¡°Let me make it clear¡ªI¡¯ve said it before. Big Sister is real, and my certainty is unwavering. I won¡¯t mistake her for someone else.¡± ¡°You im Sister¡¯s aura isn¡¯t as potent as before. Do you recall a thousand years ago when Sister vanquished all the n patriarchs, emerging as the mightiest figure in the second world? At that time, she aspired to ascend even further, but an error in her cultivation led to unforeseen consequences, causing her prolonged absence. Yes, Sister¡¯s current cultivation may indeed be weaker, but isn¡¯t it in pursuit of strength for the sake of our Demon n that she faces this situation?¡± ¡°And yet, you all entertain suspicions about Big Sister at every turn.¡± The Dao Child of the Demon n expressed his frustration. ¡°If you have the time, go and appease the n Leader. She wasn¡¯t pleased with the ne you gifted her,¡± his brother reminded him. The Dao Child of the Demon n seethed with anger. It was this individual who caused his sister to dislike the ne she received. He would rather he not spend so much time with those unpleasant elders, casting doubt on his sister. Fuming with frustration, the Dao Child of the Demon n stormed away. Upon returning to the residence of the n Leader, the Dao Child of the Demon n meekly poked his head out, eager to enter. He called out obediently, ¡°Sister.¡± Hearing the voice, Gu Chaoyan felt a shiver down her spine. She could only muster the courage to respond, ¡°What is it?¡± The Dao Child of the Demon n nced at the now-stored ne, reluctant to let go. He felt it was a genuine pity. But since his sister didn¡¯t appreciate it, he decided not to persist in making her unhappy. Perhaps, in the future, he could find an opportunity to praise the ne. Maybe then his sister would like it. ming his brother for undermining his gift, the Dao Child of the Demon n diverted his resentful gaze. Then, with obedience, he said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll personally apany you to the n Leader of the Human n¡¯s birthday celebration. If anyone dares to mistreat you, I¡¯ll tear them apart!¡± Having delivered the fierce promise, he grinned at Gu Chaoyan with obedience. He feared his sister might not like him anymore. Gu Chaoyan observed the Dao Child of the Demon n. Mixed feelings of fear andpassion washed over her. From the moment heid eyes on her, despite his often brutal demeanor, he consistently exhibited a protective instinct, like a child seeking her approval. Meanwhile, she remained wary of him. Thus, a twinge of heartache surfaced. The Human n¡¯s n Leader¡¯s birthday celebration likely served as a test imposed by the Demon n. @@novelbin@@ Taking the Dao Child of the Demon n along might prove advantageous. Chapter 2486: Demon Clan 18 Chapter 2486: Demon n 18
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions She refrained from employing her spiritual energy but exhibited no mercy whatsoever. Channeling her utmost strength, the whip struck the face of the human who hadshed out at the Demon n. Under the impact of the whip, flowers of bruises blossomed across the human¡¯s face. The heavy mark of the whip left a blood-red imprint, flesh overturned and blood seeping from the wound, spanning from his face to his body. The sudden strike left the human writhing in agony on the ground, his wails echoing, drained of the strength to resist. The rescued Demon n members stared at Gu Chaoyan in disbelief. In the absence of the Demon n Leader for a millennium, demons had plummeted to the lowest echelon in the second world. Many were enved like this, and throughout the years, both their fellow Demon ns and the inhabitants of the Demon n City never intervened. The Demon nspeople had resigned themselves to their fate. Unexpectedly, someone had taken action. Uncertain whether to feel gratitude or urge her to leave swiftly, the Demon n member hesitated. Stirring up trouble outside was thest thing the Demon n needed.@@novelbin@@
Attempting to intervene, it was already toote. Other humans rushed forward, seeking retribution. Gu Chaoyan gripped the whip firmly, honing her hand speed throughbat training. Her movements were swift, striking unseen. Each whip descended with precision. The humans were soon covered in wounds, resembling the Demon n members who had endured prolongedshings. In less than an hour, all the humansy injured on the ground, while only one among the group of Demon n members had retaliated. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re incredible. These wretched humans deserve a beating to death. This is too lenient. In my opinion, we should rip out their hearts and bring them back to our Demon n,¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n stated, his eyes shing with a bloodthirsty glint, clearly contemting such action. Gu Chaoyan maintained her silence. While these individuals might deserve death, the brutality they were subjected to seemed excessive. Despite her reservations, she refrained from intervening. Initially unafraid, the injured humans assumed the Demon n woman wouldn¡¯t dare to kill them outright, fostering a sense of peace. However, upon hearing about their connection to the Demon n City, fear gripped them, causing visible trembling. Though officially called the Demon n City, it was more urate to refer to them as descendants of the ancient Demon n, residing in the now-empty ancient city due to the absence of their n Leader. ¡°We were wrong; we were merely following orders,¡± the humans pleaded, kneeling before Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Please let us go. We¡¯ll never dare harm the Demon n again.¡± Their sincerity echoed through their words, apanied by miserable pleas. Yet, Gu Chaoyan remained silent. Demon n members who were once captive attempted to intervene, advising, ¡°Enough. This serves as a warning, and they won¡¯t repeat such actions. We appreciate the concern of the Demon n City for our sect. However, with the n Leader¡¯s prolonged absence, the Demon n City faces challenges. It¡¯s better not to draw undue attention and trouble.¡± ¡°The n Leader of Demon n has been missing for a thousand years¡­¡±
Chapter 2489: Demon Clan 21 Chapter 2489: Demon n 21
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions Regarding this, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction that the Dao Child of the Demon n had personally taken care of the matter. His sister had always disapproved of his heavy-handed approach in the past. Now, he made a conscious effort to restrain himself, eager to im credit. Gu Chaoyan observed the Dao Child of the Demon n. This child seemed harmless. Yet, his words, oftenced with menace, instilled a subtle fear in her. She believed he would genuinely carry out his threats to break someone¡¯s bones.
However, today he had exhibited mercy, and she acknowledged it. ¡°You handled things well today,¡± Gu Chaoyanmended. A genuine, joyous smile lit up the Dao Child of the Demon n¡¯s face. It mirrored the happiness of a recognized child. Gu Chaoyan felt a twinge of guilt. The Dao Child¡¯s happiness wasn¡¯t solely for her but for the Demon n Leader. After the Dao Child of the Demon n departed, Gu Chaoyan sought refuge inside. Undoubtedly, the Dao Child now fully acknowledged the Demon n Leader. Today¡¯s events likely gained her respect from the two Elders as well. Indeed. Half of today¡¯s events stemmed from her inability to tolerate injustice, while the other half aimed to prove her identity to the First Elder. Only with their collective belief in her true standing could she lead a secure life within the Demon n without constant fear. They continued their journey without encountering any further issues.@@novelbin@@ Inside the wagon, Gu Chaoyan suddenly grasped a realization as she observed the scene outside.
The residents of Demon n City, when venturing out, possessed the knack for avoiding unnecessary trouble. As for those from the Demon n, the First Elder likely orchestrated their presence for her benefit. Gu Chaoyan shook her head. It was, indeed, a test. A day psed. Finally, they reached the residence of the n Leader of the Human n. The Human n was in high spirits. After all, it marked the birthday of the n Leader of the Human n. Upon the arrival of the Demon n, a collective sigh echoed through the crowd. The Demon n had abandoned the ancient city of the Demon n, relocating to the distant Demon n City centuries ago. Back then, the n Leader of the Demon n had vanished, bringing notoriety to the Demon n. Considering their present circumstances, it was widely understood that the Demon n had no intention of attending the birthday banquet of the n Leader of the Human n. Unexpectedly¡­ Here they were. Thus, the assembled guests sighed collectively.
¡°The Demon n has arrived!¡± Following the sigh, normalcy resumed. It was, after all, the residence of the n Leader of the Human n. He was not someone unfamiliar with the ways of the world, capable of handling such situations. However¡­ Human guests exchanged knowing nces. They all pondered the reasons behind the Demon n¡¯s presence. Why were they here? Who was the individual inside that warranted the protection of the Dao Child of the Demon n? The members of the Demon n disyed pride, lining both sides of the carriage and clearing a path for their n Leader. Gu Chaoyan disembarked, trailed by the Dao Child of the Demon n, apanied by the First Elder and the Elder of the Demon n. The initially tranquil residence of the Human n Leader erupted inmotion once more. To elicit such a reception¡­ Apart from the fiends, who else could it be? ¡°The n Leader of the Demon n has returned?¡± someone spected.
¡°Who else could it be? It¡¯s been a thousand years, and I remember her vividly.¡± Someone gazed at Gu Chaoyan and remarked, ¡°I fear the skies of the Second World are about to undergo a change once again.¡± Chapter 2493: Demon Clan 25 Chapter 2493: Demon n 25 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The n Leader of the Human n didn¡¯t dwell much on it; his ambitions burned even brighter. While the former n Leader of the Demon n sought supremacy, the Human n aimed for dominion, desiring to assert control over the entire Second World. In the event of a mishap befalling the n Leader, chaos would inevitably ensue within the n. The n Leader of the Human n saw this as an opportunity to unify the Second World. Compared to the Demon n, the Human n was a shade more sinister, an unfortunatemonality among humans. Now, these disparate ns found themselves standing on the same side, united in their desire to confront the n Leader of the Human n and vent their collective anger. ¡°It all hinges on the capabilities of your Human n. n Leader of the Human n, have you considered that if you take this risk and fail, the Human n might be our shared adversary in the future? The Human n could swiftly vanish from the Second World,¡± analyzed the n Leader of the Bone n, devoid of strong emotions. He provided a straightforward assessment for the n Leader of the Human n. He believed that engaging in a deadly confrontation here wasn¡¯t a favorable oue. This was the territory of the Human n, and if they harbored such intentions, they should have been prepared. Moreover, their contingent for the birthday banquet was not extensive. Given the Human n¡¯s confidence, they likely possessed some ace in the hole or a trump card. A direct confrontation might lead to losses. In light of this, a diplomatic resolution seemed more prudent. Being thest to arrive, the n Leader of the Bone n immediately sensed that something was amiss upon entering the residence. The presence of the barrier confirmed his suspicions. Instinctively, he surmised certain possibilities. His first move was to head to the Demon n. If the n Leader of the Human n had orchestrated this, the n Leader of the Demon n could potentially guide everyone through this crisis. @@novelbin@@ Her cultivation level was formidable. However, upon close interaction, He discovered. The n Leader of the Demon n no longer exuded the formidable aura of yore. The overwhelming pressure that once emanated from her was absent. For a thousand years, they hadn¡¯t made an appearance. It was highly probable that something had affected their cultivation. If that were the case, they were genuinely in peril. This was precisely why the n Leader of the Bone n expressed these sentiments ¡ª an attempt to avoid conflict. The n Leader of the Blood n, known for his fiery temper, disapproved of the n Leader of the Bone n¡¯s cautious approach. ¡°Gu Ming, when did you be so timid? This wretched n Leader of the Human n has shown his true colors, and you still want to give him a chance? Let¡¯s confront him head-on and end this. The Human n will only serve as our ves from now on.¡± The actions of the Human n had truly incensed him. Individuals from the Blood n were straightforward and preferred transparency in their dealings. Such devious schemes were outright repulsive. He continued with a blunt assertion, ¡°You aspire to unite the Second World with your Ling Family? You deceitful and cunning individuals are nothing but a blight on the Second World. Even when the n Leader of the Demon n was detestable and ostentatious, I, Xue Ye, didn¡¯t hold it against her. She was principled and righteous. Despite her vexing strength, I still respected her. You contemptible people¡­ Hmph!¡± The n Leader of the Blood n kept voicing his disdain. Gu Chaoyan had been lingering in the background, hoping to remain inconspicuous and observe how the other n leaders would handle the situation. With her half-step Golden Immortal cultivation, she was powerless here. Hiding seemed like the best option. Yet now¡­ If the n Leader of the Blood n harbored grievances, so be it. Why drag her into it without cause? The gaze of the n leaders shifted back, as if glimpsing a glimmer of hope, when they heard the announcement, ¡°The n Leader of the Demon n is present today.¡± Chapter 2496: Demon Clan 28 Chapter 2496: Demon n 28 Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The Dao Child of the Demon n found himself in a perplexing situation. Uncertain of the n Leader¡¯s cultivation level, he pondered the mystery. Was the n Leader¡¯s cultivation merely at the onset of the Second World? Normally, individuals born into any n were considered half-step Golden Immortals from birth. Perhaps, he spected, the n Leader had experienced an unfortunate setback in cultivation, regressing to this initial stage. However, a nagging doubt lingered: * Could it be that the n Leader had already attained an iprehensible level of cultivation, rendering her expertise so profound that ordinary observers, like them, perceived it akin to that of a child? The Dao Child of the Demon n remained unsure. Nevertheless, the abrupt disappearance of the Demon n¡¯s n Leader left the n Leader of the Human n on the verge of madness. The unexpected revtion of the Demon n Leader¡¯s current cultivation level astonished him. The Ling Family could not afford to falter,pelling him to take swift action. His formidable spiritual energy surged, targeting those present. In response, the Dao Child of the Demon n swiftly stepped forward, intercepting the onught of spiritual energy. @@novelbin@@ The n Leader of the Human n¡¯s spiritual energy forced the Dao Child of the Demon n to recoil slightly. ¡°This is not good; we may not be a match for him.¡± Promptly, the group retreated. ¡°Where is the n Leader of the Demon n? Bring her forth to confront the Leader of the Human n!¡± someone in the crowd demanded. However, the vanished n Leader of the Demon n remained conspicuously absent. Gu Chaoyan regarded them with lingering trepidation, recalling how the recent surge of spiritual energy had nearly imed her life. Fortunately, in a moment of crisis, she discovered an alternative application for her spatial abilities. Swiftly, she concealed her body within the confines of space, disappearing from their immediate perception while actually remaining in proximity. Despite their persistent calls, she hesitated to reappear. Safety was hard-won, and the risk of emerging seemed too great. Gu Chaoyan continued to shrink within her concealed space, determined not to expose herself. Yet, her absence left the group unable to resist. Even the Dao Child of the Demon n wore a troubled expression. A sigh of relief escaped Gu Chaoyan. She pondered the nature of her perceived transgression. Seizing a white jade sword, she emerged momentarily from her hidden space, swiftly striking the injured n Leader of the Human n. With deftness, she retreated once more into her spatial refuge, creating an illusion of disappearance. The Human n Leader, wounded and with diminished cultivation, faced a vulnerable moment. Observing this opportunity, the Dao Child of the Demon n rushed forward, recognizing the strategic advantage. With the Human n Leader¡¯s diminished cultivation, the alliance of n Leaders became an overpowering force against him. Gu Chaoyan exhaled, leaving the unfolding scenario to them, as she contemted ways to unravel the spirit formation. Her familiarity with barriers positioned her as a valuable asset in this critical moment. The barrier originated from an array formation, evolving into a formidable structure known as a barrier. Locating the array core was the key to unlocking the barrier, providing a pathway for escape. After investing some time, Gu Chaoyan sessfully dismantled the ward and emerged from her spatial refuge. Observing the Chief still putting up a resistance, she calmly addressed the situation, ¡°The ward has been opened; please dispose of this stray dog.¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s demeanor suggested that she had already reached a resolution regarding the events that transpired. The n Leader of the Bone n, Gu Ming, delivered the decisive blow to the Human n Leader. Henceforth, the Human n would likely find itself relegated to the status of stray dogs within the Second World. Gu Chaoyan released a sigh of relief. This ordeal had proven to be a significant trial. Chapter 2500: Demon Clan 32 Chapter 2500: Demon n 32
Trantor:Henyee TrantionsEditor:Henyee Trantions In the current situation, the Dragonman clung to hope, but Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words hinted at a more serious predicament. It possessed some knowledge about the ancient city of the Demon n. The Demon n earned its name due to its inherently demonic nature. The existence of the ancient city of the Demon n was intricately tied to the n Leader of the Demon n. In essence, the ancient city¡¯s fate hinged on the presence of the n Leader. Moreover, each generation of the n Leader transformed the appearance of the Demon n Ancient City entirely.
For the Demon n to desire a return to their ancient city, it meant acknowledging the current n Leader and aspiring to revive the city. The revival of the ancient city was essential for the residents to continue their cultivation. Gu Chaoyan, resembling the n Leader of Demon n, could maintain her fa?ade. Yet, if she ventured to the Demon n¡¯s ancient city, her true identity would undoubtedly be exposed. Such exposure would lead to dire consequences, not just for her but also for the Dragonman, still rtively young and finding it challenging to return to the Second World. The possibilities were abundant, and it would be a tragedy for him to perish here. Therefore, the Little Dragon agreed. Pleased with itspliance, Gu Chaoyan nodded, deeming the n eptable. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s pick a suitable time to make our escape,¡± she decided. The Little Dragon nodded in concurrence. With the matter seemingly settled, a voice interrupted, ¡°Sister.¡± It was the voice of the Dao Child of the Demon n. They had just met, so why was he here again? Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t fathom what this guy could possibly want. Hiding the Dragonman away, she opened the door and yfully patted the Dao Child of the Demon n on the head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Why do you keep bothering me every day?¡± The Dao Child of the Demon n was taken aback, looking at her with a slight blush on his face, clearly feeling a bit embarrassed. Calling the n Leader his sister was a rare urrence, and it seemed the n Leader had recognized him. However¡­
Only when the n Leader mistook his identity could he be so at ease in her presence. The Dao Child of the Demon n asionally relished the sensation of being recognized incorrectly. ¡°You all returned from the Human n Leader¡¯s residence and specifically came to see you,¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n truthfully revealed. This revtion left Gu Chaoyan stunned. A case of mistaken identity? This must be the elder brother of the Dao Child of the Demon n. She wasn¡¯t ustomed to suddenly being called sister. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Gu Chaoyan had no choice but to yfully p him again. To assert that she wasn¡¯t afraid of him, the Dao Child of the Demon n responded with augh. Although he usually wore a serious expression, when he smiled, he looked quite charming. However, this fleeting moment of levity soon reverted to his usual mature and stern demeanor.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Is there any issue within the Demon n?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked, getting straight to the point. ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The two of them exchanged a wordless gaze.
The Dao Child of the Demon n appeared unperturbed, casually taking a seat. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but wish that the Dao Child of Demon n would leave promptly. Despite the Dao Child of Demon n¡¯s mature demeanor, it was important to remember that he was still a child. Born as twins, their parents had abandoned them at a very young age, leaving the n Leader as their primary caretaker. Although only slightly older, she assumed the role of an older sister and had been looking after them ever since. Chapter 2503: Demon Clan 35 Chapter 2503: Demon n 35 Editor: Henyee Trantions @@novelbin@@ The atmosphere among the members of the Demon n was jubnt. Gu Chaoyan chose to depart abruptly. It was exasperating. No one granted her the opportunity to make a hasty escape. She yearned to distance herself from the Demon n and its people. Yet, the Demon n members perceived her departure as a routine urrence, in line with the n Leader¡¯s customary behavior. Frustration overwhelmed Gu Chaoyan to the point where she contemted leaping from the n Leader¡¯s quarters. Meanwhile, the Dragonman, having failed in his escape attempt, remained remarkablyposed. ¡°Leave it to fate. We¡¯ll deal with the situation as ites,¡± the Dragonman advised, adopting a philosophical tone, acknowledging the futility of escape. The method to breach the Demon n¡¯s defenses remained elusive. Escape seemed improbable and risked raising suspicions. Perhaps it was better to abandon the endeavor altogether. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t revive the Demon n¡¯s ancient city, they won¡¯t take drastic measures. Denying your identity is imusible. They might only harbor suspicions. im that you sumbed to Energy Deviation, leaving you devoid of cultivation. Without power, reviving the ancient city is beyond your capability.¡± ¡°Even in the worst-case scenario, they won¡¯t harm you. With your resemnce to the Demon n¡¯s n Leader, they wouldn¡¯t dare take extreme actions.¡± Attempting to console her, the Dragonman met Gu Chaoyan¡¯s gaze. She was aware of his ipetence. Prepared for the worst, she decided not to open the door for anyone on that day. ming her bad mood, she refused to show any courtesy. It wasn¡¯t until the following day¡­ Reluctantly, she emerged with a sullen expression. Throughout this period, Gu Chaoyan appeared visibly distressed. The imminent revtion of her true identity loomed over her, making everything incredibly awkward. The Dao Child of the Demon n attempted to engage her in light-hearted conversation, hoping to alleviate her stress and bring a smile to her face. However, Gu Chaoyan remained stoic, refusing to acknowledge the efforts of the Demon n¡¯s Dao Child. It wasn¡¯t until they were on the verge of reaching the ancient city of the Demon n that she disyed any reaction. The ancient city of the Demon n differed significantly from the Demon n City. Magnificent and adorned with floating castles supported by ck clouds, the ancient city exuded an otherworldly aura. The current obscurity in the Demon n¡¯s ancient city suggested that it had yet to fully recover. Moreover, the ancient city boasted the formidable Demon n Wall. Gu Chaoyan found herself uncertain of whether she could gain entry, let alone predict the consequences if she seeded. She harbored no desire to go at all. Diverging from the enthusiastic anticipation of others, who eagerly awaited the unfolding events, Gu Chaoyan maintained ack of enthusiasm. ¡°What if I cannot revive the ancient city of the Demon n? What will you do?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired deliberately, seemingly providing herself with an exit strategy. ¡°n Leader, it has been a thousand years, and some things are subject to change. idents can happen. Don¡¯t burden yourself with pressure. Let¡¯s attempt it first. If it doesn¡¯t work, we can discuss itter,¡± reassured the Dao Child of the Demon n, attempting tofort her. A sigh of relief escaped Gu Chaoyan¡¯s lips. Fortunately, the timing was not set in stone. As Gu Chaoyan and the others neared the ancient city of the Demon n, a palpable seriousness gripped their expressions. They gradually passed through the formidable Demon n Wall, entering the deste ancient city. However, the arrival of Gu Chaoyan and herpanions failed to inject vitality into the defeated ancient city of the Demon n. Seeking answers, Gu Chaoyan turned to observe the expressions of the Dao Child of the Demon n and the First Elder. The unchanged state of the ancient city raised doubts in her mind. Had she failed, and was she no longer recognized as the n Leader of the Demon n? Chapter 2506: Demon Clan 38 Chapter 2506: Demon n 38
Editor:Henyee Trantions@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan nodded slightly. Rest was imperative for her at this moment. The sights within the Demon n¡¯s ancient city were overwhelming for her. The slow recovery of the surroundings induced a terrible and dizzying feeling. She needed to retreat for a while, perhaps to escape what felt like a surreal dream.
¡°Don¡¯t follow me; I want to be alone,¡± Gu Chaoyan said without turning around. The Dao Child of the Demon n, initially inclined to follow and care for her, halted in his tracks upon hearing his sister¡¯s request. He refrained from pursuing further, fearing that any intrusion might worsen her difort. Truth be told¡­ There was a notable difference in his sister¡¯s demeanor between now and a thousand years ago. In the past, she was quite vain and disliked solitude, so he had always been ustomed to following her. However, for some inexplicable reason, she now seemed to prefer solitude. The Dao Child of the Demon n was uncertain whether to feel pleased or troubled. In the end, he decided to immerse himself in his duties. Within the ancient city of the Demon n, numerous things held sentimental value for his sister from the past. He intended to inspect and ensure that everything remained undisturbed, hoping that no unforeseen issues would arise. Gu Chaoyan returned to her room. Without hesitation, she summoned the Dragonman. Her frustration was palpable.
The Dragonman looked at her in confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a good thing? Why are you angry? You can revive the ancient city of the Demon n. They willpletely believe in your identity. In the future, you can prosper in the Second World and take revenge quickly. Why are you angry?¡± ¡°Do you remember what you told me? You said that the n Leader of the Demon n is the only one who can revive the ancient city of the Demon n, and no one else can do anything about it. But now I have revived the ancient city of the Demon n. Why? Am I really the n Leader of the Demon n?¡± Gu Chaoyan felt on the verge of losing herposure. She knew, deep down, that she couldn¡¯t possess such abilities. The Dragonman nodded, recalling the conversation vividly. It echoed the words of its father, stating that only the n Leader of the Demon n held the power to aplish this feat. ¡°No, I am not!¡± Gu Chaoyan denied vehemently. ¡°I know myself very well. I have never been to the second world, so how could I be the n Leader of the Demon n?¡± The Dragonman sensed her stubbornness regarding her denial of being the n Leader of the Demon n. Could she have forgotten something from the past? Given the n Leader¡¯s mysterious disappearance for a thousand years, who knew what events transpired during that time? The Dragonman couldn¡¯t help but think that its father had excellent judgment in passing the Dragon Race¡¯s inheritance to her. She was kind-hearted, treated it well, and made promises to take care of it. Perhaps she had forgotten some crucial aspect of her own past? In the past, it felt that this woman¡¯s cultivation level was too low. Allowing a member of the Dragon Race to follow her seemed like an unnecessary extravagance. Now, however, it appeared differently.
His father had made the right choice. Even in a ce as formidable as the Shenyou Continent, his father had entrusted it to a n Leader of the Demon n who had been left behind in this realm. That decision proved to be exceptional. The Dragonman saw no issue with being under the leadership of the n Leader of the Demon n. ¡°Have you forgotten some things yourself?¡± the Dragonman questioned. Gu Chaoyan was taken aback. She hastily covered the Dragonman with a nket. Suddenly, a memory shed in her mind. In the beginning, the City Lord of the Snow Territory called her Feng Le. Afterward, it was Huang Fu. Chapter 2510: Demon Clan 42 Chapter 2510: Demon n 42
Editor:Henyee Trantions The flower fieldsy beyond the central city, distinct from the residence of the Demon n¡¯s n Leader. Within the central city resided solely the n Leader of the Demon n. The flower fields, however, were situated where the demonic qi of the Demon n was most potent. It was an environment where this demonic qi fostered the growth of unique flowers that could aid in cultivation. Historically, ess to this ce was restricted to the n Leader of the Demon n alone. As time passed, and the n Leader obtained a cultivation Dharma artifact, rendering the need for these flowers obsolete, they began to bloom more freely. Members of the Demon n who had achieved a certain stage in their cultivation could now enter and gather Demon Flowers.
Consequently, the influx of people increased. Given the significant status of the Demon n¡¯s Dao Child, they were entitled to enter the flower field and collect Devil Flowers.@@novelbin@@ However, the cultivation benefits of the Demon n¡¯s Dao Child were somewhat limited. Ultimately, this fact brought joy to Gu Chaoyan. The n Leader¡¯s visits to the flower field were customary. ncing at the petite flower field, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but feel ted. The Demon n Flowers within this field were extraordinary treasures, boasting spiritual qi far more abundant than the herbs in her possession. The absorption of the spiritual qi from these Demon n Flowers promised a significant boost in her cultivation. Contemting her choices, she sought out Demon n flowers exuding the most demonic aura. Her intention was to take them back for experimentation. She gazed at the array of flowers for an extended period. Finally, something caught her eye.
It was thergest one, with an oddly captivating allure. Deciding on her choice, Gu Chaoyan approached to pick it herself. As she extended her hand to pluck it, amanding voice intervened, ¡°Stop. Who do you think you are? How dare you pluck this flower? I¡¯ve taken a fancy to it.¡± Without resorting to force, Gu Chaoyan refrained from picking the flower immediately. The delicate process of plucking Demon n flowers demanded care. Disrupting the tranquility of the surroundings would only mar the beauty of the act. It seemed more prudent to postpone the plucking. Curious to see who dared to halt her, the esteemed matriarch of the Demon n, in the ancient city of the Demon n, Gu Chaoyan rose and scrutinized the individual. To her surprise, the face was familiar. Pei Yueling? Why was she here? And more puzzlingly, why was she obstructing Gu Chaoyan from picking flowers? Could it be that Pei Yueling held an extraordinary status in the second world, surpassing even Gu Chaoyan, the n Leader of the Demon n? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. I was wondering who would be so impetuous as to casually pluck the flowers that I like. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it were you,¡± Pei Yueling remarked condescendingly. ¡°You never know your ce, and you never know when to step back,¡± Pei Yueling continued, casting a disdainful gaze upon Gu Chaoyan as if she were observing an insignificant ant.
The recognition of this person struck a chord with Gu Chaoyan. Her cultivation prowess was rather unimpressive. Pei Yueling couldn¡¯t help but notice that what truly stood out about Gu Chaoyan was her striking appearance, which she found to be even more attention-grabbing than her own. This fact irked Pei Yueling. Despite her lingering dissatisfaction over a past failure, Pei Yueling remained unfazed. As long as Gu Chaoyan¡¯s status didn¡¯t surpass hers, there was no urgency to see someone meet their demise. d in the robe of the Demon n, she presented herself as a member of the n. However, she was well aware of the hierarchical structure within the Demon n. Those who visited the flower field to enhance their cultivation were considered ordinary entities within the Demon n. Individuals of substantial significance within the n no longer relied on such means for cultivation. Given Gu Chaoyan¡¯s perceived ordinariness, Pei Yueling felt justified in asserting her dominance. Her intent was not only to humiliate but also to exact a price from Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 2511: Demon Clan 43 Chapter 2511: Demon n 43
Editor:Henyee Trantions Initially, Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t sumb to anger; instead, she was perplexed. This confusion arose because she couldn¡¯tprehend the situation. In the Demon n, she held the position of n Leader. Even if that weren¡¯t the case, she remained a member of the Demon n. On the other hand, Pei Yueling, judging by her attire, clearly didn¡¯t belong to the Demon n. Gu Chaoyan wondered, where did Pei Yueling find the audacity to give orders here? Who exactly was she?
Gu Chaoyan felt a sense of bewilderment. Meanwhile, the Dao Child of the Demon n was incensed. In the ancient city of the Demon n, someone dared to address his sister in such a manner. ¡°Apologize to your sister, or I¡¯ll rip out your tongue!¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n threatened, his gaze intense. If not for his sister¡¯s preference for restraint, he would have swiftly executed this woman and presented her severed tongue as a warning to his sister. At present, it was merely a cautionary threat, as the Dao Child deemed it a rtively lenient response.@@novelbin@@ Pei Yueling burst intoughter. This child dared to threaten her? Little did she know that the child she had lured here was not only fiercely protective but also referred to Gu Chaoyan as his sister. ¡°Sister? Kid, you¡¯d be better off abandoning her and joining me. There¡¯s no merit in following her. It¡¯s amusing to see you so devoted to someone like her,¡± Pei Yueling remarked with a mocking expression, as if she found the situation to be quiteical. The Dao Child of the Demon n could no longer contain his temper and was on the brink of attacking. However, Gu Chaoyan intervened, preventing the Dao Child from carrying out his intended action. Given the Dao Child¡¯s formidable cultivation, he could have easily ended Pei Yueling¡¯s life with a direct assault. Nevertheless, Gu Chaoyan restrained him, resolute in her desire for personal retribution against Pei Yueling.
The obedient Dao Child, respecting his sister¡¯s wishes, held back his aggression, choosing not to engage in a direct confrontation with the woman. ¡°Step aside! Do you want me to invite you out personally?¡± Pei Yueling cast a dark re at Gu Chaoyan, fully prepared to pluck the flower once she moved. Gu Chaoyanplied, making way for Pei Yueling to proceed. She decided to allow Pei Yueling to pluck the flower, knowing that, in the end, it would still be under her control. The situation amused Gu Chaoyan. After Pei Yueling finished plucking, she prepared to depart, holding the Demon n Flower with an air of arrogance. She believed herself to be the sole authority capable of intimidating others. However, her exit was halted as several members of the Demon n arrived. Upon recognizing them, Pei Yueling greeted them with a smile. ¡°Hall Master, the flowers are here. Let¡¯s go. You¡¯re quite courteous to personallye and fetch me.¡± The Hall Master of the Demon n was displeased. He had allowed Pei Yueling to pick flowers due to the Demon n¡¯s banquet, extending a measure of courtesy. However, he had not invited trouble in return. ¡°Greetings, Elder Miss Pei. I¡¯ve treated you with respect and fulfilled your request. But you mustn¡¯t cause any more disruptions,¡± the Hall Master of the Demon n voiced his concern. Being the Hall Master, he harbored more fear of the n Leader¡¯s influence than a mere sense of trepidation. ¡°Retrieve the flowers and offer an apology. As a VIP, we do not wish to create anyplications for you,¡± the Demon n Hall Master insisted, although reluctantly.
He hesitated, originally intending to disclose Pei Yueling¡¯s identity as the n Leader. However, the n Leader signaled him not to do so, prompting him to exercise caution. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Whom do you expect me to apologize to?¡± Pei Yueling questioned, taken aback. ¡°To her,¡± the Demon n Hall Master pointed at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s utterly impossible for me, Pei Yueling, to apologize to her. I share a certain camaraderie with the n Leader of the Demon n. Demon n Hall Master, if you insist on this, don¡¯t me me for being impolite,¡± Pei Yueling dered defiantly. Chapter 2513: Demon Clan 45 Chapter 2513: Demon n 45 Editor: Henyee Trantions She harbored a thirst for vengeance. This approach mirrored her sister¡¯s typical manner of handling such situations, and the Dao Child of the Demon n had once been simr. However, he couldn¡¯tprehend his sister¡¯s current mindset. Why wasn¡¯t she perturbed? Why didn¡¯t she share his urgency? @@novelbin@@ In his view, if someone dared to mistreat his sister, they should retaliate in kind. Wasn¡¯t it appropriate to act immediately? ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself; I have my own ns. Don¡¯ty a finger on that woman. I want to be the one to end her life!¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words resonated with profound animosity. Had it not been for her¡­ Why had Huaijin lingered in the Dragon Vein Mountain for such an extended period? If not for her¡­ How had Huaijin encountered such an unforeseen cmity? Gu Chaoyan had no intention of dealing with this woman hastily. Unaware of the past conflicts, the Dao Child of the Demon n felt a sense of confusion. To him, it didn¡¯t appear to be a significant issue, and his sister¡¯s concern seemed unwarranted. Nevertheless, since his sister insisted, he wouldply. ¡°Sister, shall we continue admiring the flowers?¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n inquired. ¡°Bring some back; I need them,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied. The Dao Child of the Demon n found this request somewhat perplexing. After all, it had been a long time since his sister had required these Demon n flowers. Why did she need it now? ¡°Then seal this ce. Only Sister can use it,¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n suggested, emphasizing exclusivity for his sister¡¯s benefit. ¡°As you wish, but it¡¯s unnecessary. That will be all,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded. The Dao Child of the Demon n still sensed a difference in his sister. She seemed altered from her past self, exhibiting a demeanor that he found unfamiliar. Despite his concerns, the Dao Child of the Demon n proceeded to pluck some demon flowers undisturbed, following his sister back. Gu Chaoyan observed the demon flowers, seeing the Dao Child of Demon n off before initiating her practice with the harvested blossoms. Aware of the limited time at her disposal, Gu Chaoyan immersed herself in cultivation. The Demon n Flowers held an abundance of spiritual qi, raising the prospect of advancing her cultivation to a higher level. Focused and determined, Gu Chaoyan began absorbing the spiritual energy of the Demon n Flowers. As the energy permeated her body, a sense of smoothness engulfed her, a sensation she hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. Anticipating the transformation of spiritual qi within these Demon n Flowers into her cultivation, Gu Chaoyan soon realized that things weren¡¯t unfolding as expected. While the spiritual qi was abundant, as it coursed through her body, its destination remained elusive. In the end, only a modest amount of spiritual qi lingered, proving insufficient to elevate her cultivation. Undeterred, Gu Chaoyan persisted in her attempts, determined to unlock the true potential of the Demon n Flowers. After numerous attempts, Gu Chaoyan realized with utmost seriousness that the Demon n Flowers were not proving effective for her cultivation at all. This revtion left her perplexed. What had changed? It had consistently yielded positive results before. Initially ted, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s emotions now spiraled into disappointment. She angrily cast the remaining flowers to the ground. Hearing the disturbance, the Dao Child of the Demon n sensed that something was amiss with his sister. Though hesitant to intrude, concernpelled him to inquire softly from outside, ¡°Sister, are you alright?¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Gu Chaoyan reassured, regaining herposure. Only then did the Dao Child of the Demon n feel a modicum of relief. Despite the setback with the Demon n Flowers, the Demon n¡¯s banquet continued as nned. Finally¡­ Gu Chaoyan emerged from the room, resuming her assertive demeanor as the n Leader of the Demon n. Chapter 2517: Demon Clan 50 Chapter 2517: Demon n 50
Editor:Henyee Trantions The n Leader of the Demon n engaged in a conversation with the n Leader of the Bone n. Despite the tense atmosphere, he refrained from impulsive actions and patiently awaited developments. Meanwhile, Pei Yueling sought out the First Elder. Meeting her, the First Elder regarded Pei Yueling with a dignified expression, treating her almost like a junior. He inquired, ¡°The n Leader of the Blood n mentioned you have something to discuss. Speak quickly.¡± The First Elder harbored reservations about the Blood n, finding their Elder unreliable and overly indulgent towards his daughter, evidenced by the audacity to invite her. Pei Yueling, however, perceived the First Elder of the Demon Race as the right person for her concerns.
¡°I have matters concerning the Demon n¡¯s n Leader that I cannot conceal any longer,¡± she conveyed. The First Elder, with some knowledge of the Blood n, showed interest. ¡°Concerning the n Leader? What is it that you wish to discuss?¡± ¡°Both of us hail from the Shenyou Continent, where we first crossed paths and became well-acquainted,¡± Pei Yueling stated resolutely. ¡°In essence, she is not your Demon n¡¯s n Leader.¡± Pei Yueling asserted firmly. The First Elder initially maintained a calm expression. Unfamiliar with the unfolding situation and uninterested in expending effort on a girl, he remained indifferent. However, when he heard Pei Yueling¡¯s revtion, the First Elder¡¯s attention was instantly captivated. Studying Pei Yueling with a serious gaze, he pondered, ¡®Is Pei Yueling¡¯s mind affected by her cultivation?¡¯ Was she suggesting that the n Leader wasn¡¯t truly from the Demon n?@@novelbin@@ The First Elder couldn¡¯t help but think Pei Yueling might be mentally impaired. ¡°It¡¯s true. Trust me, I encountered her in the Shenyou Continent when she was still a disciple of the Supreme Sect. Her cultivation was meager, and shecked prowess. Aside from employing underhanded tactics, she couldn¡¯t aplish much. How could someone like her be the n Leader of the Demon n? Shenyou Continent is full of deceit. Perhaps she assumed your n Leader¡¯s identity to mislead you. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s worth investigating?¡± Pei Yueling asserted. The First Elder frowned. A fake n Leader? While he might have entertained such an idea in the past, the current circumstances made it difficult to believe.
Did Pei Yueling notprehend how the legitimacy of the Demon n¡¯s n Leader was confirmed? The First Elder scrutinized Pei Yueling, growing more skeptical of her intentions. There seemed to be something amiss with the n Leader of the Blood n. Why did he favor such a person? ¡°For the sake of the Blood n¡¯s n Leader, I¡¯ll grant you an opportunity. Retract your words and refrain from speaking further upon your return. Otherwise, do not me the Demon n for responding impolitely,¡± the First Elder warned sternly, his expression dark. ¡°Do you doubt my words? I speak the truth,¡± Pei Yueling insisted. ¡°Not everyone can be the leader of our fiendish Demon n. Are you suggesting that our Demon n is blind?¡± the First Elder retorted. ¡°The rise and resurgence of the ancient city of the Demon n are intricately tied to the n Leader. Now that the ancient city thrives again, it¡¯s all thanks to the n Leader. You im she isn¡¯t. It seems youck understanding of the Demon n. After all, you¡¯re a neer to the second world, and ignorance is expected.¡± ¡°Leave, or face the consequences.¡± Chapter 2520: Demon Clan 53 Chapter 2520: Demon n 53
Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Where?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired instinctively. Did the First Elder have another destination in mind for her? Her curiosity lingered. ¡°You will find out tomorrow,¡± the First Elder responded solemnly, as though alluding to something of great significance. Gu Chaoyan wasn¡¯t particrly fond of the mysterious tone the First Elder adopted, but she refrained from challenging him directly.
So be it. In any case, she would uncover the truth when the time came. Gu Chaoyan nodded. With that, the First Elder departed in tranquility. As he exited, he coincidentally encountered the Dao Child of the Demon n returning with an ted expression. The First Elder remained perplexed; this young one must have found some target for mischief. It was only during such endeavors that he exhibited such jubnt demeanor. Amused by the thought, a fond smile crept onto the First Elder¡¯s face. Now¡­ It increasingly resembled the Demon n of a thousand years past. Back then, everyone within the ancient city of the Demon n shared a simr spirit. The First Elder took his leave. The Demon n¡¯s banquet concluded simultaneously. Each n leader departed with their respective entourages.
Therefore¡­ The n Leader of the Blood n also escorted Pei Yueling back. The present Pei Yueling appeared worse for wear, with noticeable swelling on her face. The assault had been orchestrated by the Dao Child of the Demon n, and they were unable to mount a retaliatory response. Presumably, the attack was a consequence of Pei Yueling¡¯s actions within the Demon n. The Dao Child of Demon n, though reputedly formidable, generally exercised reason. Yet, Yueling¡¯s provocations within the Demon n¡¯s ancient city had pushed him to this extent. The n Leader of the Blood n deemed Yueling¡¯s conduct excessively impulsive. Unanticipated was Yueling¡¯s rashness, and now she had to bear the consequences. For the future, the n Leader decided to confine Yueling within the Blood n, avoiding situations that mightpromise the Blood n¡¯s standing. It was evident that the Demon n¡¯s ancient city harbored resentment towards Yueling. ¡°Just ept it. The Dao Child of the Demon n possesses profound cultivation. Even among us cultivators, facing his attack would result in injuries,¡± advised the n Leader of the Blood n. ¡°Your audacity within the Demon n¡¯s ancient city was unwarranted.¡± Pei Yueling maintained a stoic silence. Aware of the n Leader of the Blood n¡¯s stance, she saw no value in expending energy on futile exnations. Her sole focus was on cultivating diligently, awaiting the day when she could exact revenge on the Demon n. Even the n Leader of the Demon n was not exempt¡ªYueling desired her demise.
The n Leader of the Blood n remained oblivious to Pei Yueling¡¯s current thoughts. He assumed her silence reflected acknowledgment of her mistake, fostering a sense of guilt that kept her mute. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand,¡± sighed the n Leader of the Blood n. As everyone departed, they left behind the ancient city, with the passage of time unrelenting. The awaited day finally dawned. ¡®Early.¡¯ Outside, the First Elder awaited Gu Chaoyan. Having risen early with thoughts weighing on her mind, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face brightened upon seeing the First Elder. Despite everything, the First Elder retained a kind demeanor. ¡°n Leader, let¡¯s go,¡± urged the First Elder. ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied, and together, they departed. The First Elder guided her to locations with fewer members of the Demon n. The surroundings grew progressively sparse with Demon n individuals, and the atmosphere chilled as they ventured further. Numerous Demon n flowers bloomed along the way, signifying the heightened spiritual energy nurturing them. In this ce, spiritual energy had be increasingly abundant.@@novelbin@@ Now¡­
Gu Chaoyan beheld the colossal flower. Her mood took a somber turn. Chapter 2524: Demon Clan 57 Chapter 2524: Demon n 57
Editor:Henyee Trantions In the First Elder¡¯s perspective, he found itmendable that the n Leader harbored aspirations of venturing into the Third World. The Second World remained elusive for inhabitants of lower-level continents, yet there was always someone surpassing others. Beyond the Second Worldy the Third World, a realm where spiritual energy flourishedpared to the limited resources in the Second World. Cultivators reaching the pinnacle in the Second World inevitably aimed for the Third, while failure meant depletion. Despite the rarity of the Demon n¡¯s presence in the Third World, the pursuit of ascension persisted. The First Elder was notably supportive, appreciating the current n Leader¡¯s foresight and conscientious nature. However, Gu Chaoyan felt a degree of awkwardness when questioned by the First Elder. Her objectives differed; she had no intention of venturing into the Third World. Her primary focus was seeking revenge against Pei Yueling and saving Huaijin using her spiritual roots. After aplishing these tasks, she contemted abandoning further pursuits, potentially distancing herself from the Demon n.
This revtion caused a sense of unease in the First Elder, who held high expectations for her. Gu Chaoyan, responding to the First Elder¡¯s inquiry, offered a hesitant smile and shook her head. ¡°I merely considered the notion briefly and inquired. Many ancestors have faltered in reaching such heights, and I am not inclined to approach it with nonchnce or indifference.¡± The First Elder began to speak, appearing as though he had something to convey. However, he ultimately chose silence. Understanding that the current n Leader was distant from the Third World, the First Elder refrained from offering advice or any remarks at the moment. Gu Chaoyan, aware that Pei Yueling wouldn¡¯t imminently depart the Second World, decided to leave. In the subsequent period, the n Leader of the Blood n dispatched numerous members to locate Pei Yueling. After an extended but futile search, they eventually abandoned the effort, projecting an image to the world that she had betrayed the n and was expelled. This narrative aimed to shield the Blood n from potential future repercussions. Despite the Blood n swiftly forgetting Pei Yueling, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s associates persisted in their search. Initially, many devils were involved, but the numbers dwindled over time, with the responsibility eventually falling on the Dao Child of the Demon n¡¯s brother. Gu Chaoyan felt reassured under his charge. With most arrangementspleted, Gu Chaoyan found herself with idle time. Recalling the Chaotic Space for cultivation, she instructed others not to disturb her without consent and immersed herself in its depths. After a prolonged period, she could finally utilize the Chaotic Space.@@novelbin@@ Upon entering, she was greeted by the deep and ancient voice within the primal chaos space, saying, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Gu Chaoyan was momentarily speechless. In this chaotic space, she was ustomed to being the one who initiated the conversation. Now, the space seemed to be expressing a sense of grievance. Not missing a beat, the Chaotic Spacemented, ¡°The cultivation level of the Golden Immortal Dao Ancestor is not bad.¡± However, before it could finish its sentence, the Chaotic Space appeared surprised and confused. ¡°What? You¡­¡±
¡°Is this predestined?¡± Chapter 2528: Demon Clan 61 Chapter 2528: Demon n 61
Editor:Henyee Trantions The more the Dragonman pondered, the more his anger intensified, and the deeper the sense of grievance he harbored. As a member of the Dragon Race, it was disheartening that he couldn¡¯t rival a mere bird, feeling as if the once-dignified Dragon Race had be ineffectual. Displeased with the tasteless Spirit Stones, he tossed them aside, renouncing his usual sustenance. Uponpleting the fruit preparation for the bird, Gu Chaoyan observed the Dragonman in the midst of a tantrum. Concerned, she approached him, inquiring, ¡°What¡¯s bothering you? Don¡¯t you find the Spirit Stones tasty?¡± The Dragonman persisted in his sullen state. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling bored, perhaps take a stroll outside. I¡¯ll inform the First Elder,¡± suggested Gu Chaoyan.
The Dragonman¡¯s discontent lingered. Was his unhappiness connected to this? Being from the Dragon Race, perhaps it held him back from expressing anger towards him for any reason. Was it merely searching for someone? Couldn¡¯t it find them? Finding someone wasn¡¯t that challenging, he grumbled to himself. ¡°Then why are you behaving like this?¡± ¡°I am a dignified member of the Dragon Race. Must I spend my days here sleeping and eating Spirit Stones?¡± retorted the Dragonman. ¡°In that case, you can manage it yourself,¡± responded Gu Chaoyan, perplexed. She allowed the White Deer and the bird to follow their whims, never imposing demands on those around her. Everyone was free to do as they pleased. The White Deer continued its cultivation in the space, and the bird, likely grateful for being saved, willingly undertook missions on its own ord. Due to a sense of kindness stemming from its father, Gu Chaoyan maintained a lenient attitude towards the Dragonman, allowing it to indulge in idleness and tantrums. However, its perpetual state of discontent left Gu Chaoyan feeling somewhat helpless. Unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Dragon Race, she struggled toprehend how to assist it. Seated in frustration, the Dragonman realized that such a lifestyle couldn¡¯t persist. It was wasteful and threatened to undermine its standing within the Dragon Race. Determined to ovee this, it resolved to be a more productive member. Recognizing the shift in their behavior, Gu Chaoyan felt a sense of reassurance as she enjoyed her meal. Deciding to take a stroll, she delegated most matters to the First Elder and the Dao Child of the Demon n, confident in their ability to manage. Still, as the n Leader, she felt an obligation to express concern for the Demon Race and asionally inquire about the situation.
Arriving at the First Elder¡¯s residence, she coincidentally met him returning. Walking together, they engaged in casual conversation, as formalities were not to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s liking.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Anything noteworthy happening recently?¡± she inquired. ¡°The Demon n hasn¡¯t encountered any issues, but there¡¯s been a stir in the Second World. Witches from the Third World descended for some reason. Their presence bodes ill for the Second World,¡± the First Elder shared with evident concern. The witches. It was the witches again. An existence like the witches, be it in the Shenyou Continent or in this second world, seemed to be a legendary existence. ¡°Please be careful, First Elder.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. Also, n Leader¡­¡± Chapter 2532: Demon Clan 65 Chapter 2532: Demon n 65
Editor:Henyee Trantions Ever since she assimted the enigmatic spiritual energy within the Demon n¡¯s vortex, her cultivation had reached a standstill at the level of Golden Immortal Dao Ancestor. Regardless of her future cultivation efforts, it seemed destined to remain unchanged. This predicament left her deeply frustrated. While the Golden Immortal Dao Ancestor level might suffice to confront Pei Yueling today, it offered no guarantee for tomorrow¡¯s encounters. Gu Chaoyan recognized the imperative need for incremental cultivation to keep pace with evolving challenges. Compounding her vexation, the Chaotic Space, once bestowed upon her, often eluded her perception. She couldn¡¯t ess it for cultivation, fueling her frustration. Gu Chaoyan pondered her own cultivation, realizing that conventional methods held little efficacy for her. The spiritual energy derived from the Dragon Race¡¯s inheritance appeared meager, a discrepancy that seemed incongruous with the reputed potency of the Dragon Race¡¯s legacy. Despite absorbing the Spirit Qi of the Demon n and attempting to employ their cultivation methods, the gains proved ephemeral. Only cultivation within the elusive Chaotic Space demonstrated genuine efficacy, yet ess to it remained sporadic.
Contemting her current predicament, she grappled with unanswered questions. It felt as though only the Huang Fu held the key to her quandary, but its whereabouts remained unknown. The uncertainty of whether the Huang Fu would manifest in the second world added an additionalyer of mystery to Gu Chaoyan¡¯s situation. Gu Chaoyan drew a deep breath before re-entering the interspace. The familiar surroundings greeted her, a space that once bestowed numerous benefits during her time in the Human n Continent and the Shenyou Continent. However, in the second world, its utility had dwindled, leaving her vexed by the changes within. The ongoing struggle between the ck fog and white fog for dominance persisted, and the herbs inside seemed inferior to even a random Demon n flower¡¯s spiritual energy in the Second World. The quandary of how to cultivate in this space weighed on her. Moreover¡­ Why was she barred from re-entering the primal chaos space? ¡°Sister, Sister!¡± A familiar and urgent voice echoed from outside. Gu Chaoyan recognized it as the Dao Child of the Demon n. Exiting the space, she inquired of the Dao Child, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I saw Pei Yueling,¡± the Dao Child of the Demon n disclosed. ¡°What? Pei Yueling? Where is she?¡± Gu Chaoyan was taken aback. Having just evaded Pei Yueling, why had she suddenly appeared again? What was happening?@@novelbin@@ ¡°In the Demon n.¡±
Gu Chaoyan¡¯s confusion deepened. Did Pei Yueling consider the Demon n the safest haven, believing she wouldn¡¯t be attacked here? She was no longer part of the Blood n; what right did she have to go unchallenged? Gu Chaoyan prepared to leave, but the Dao Child of the Demon n cautioned her, ¡°She arrived with the witches. I don¡¯t know how she managed it, but it seems the witches are highly protective of her. Attacking her could provoke the Third World witches. If we refrain from attacking and she follows us to the Third World, catching up to her might prove challenging. That¡¯s why I came to inform you, n Leader.¡± She had allied herself with the witches? ¡°Let¡¯s go and investigate.¡± Chapter 2537: Obtaining Spiritual Root 3 Chapter 2537: Obtaining Spiritual Root 3
Editor:Henyee Trantions Recognizing the sorcerer¡¯s reasonable nature and adherence to rules, Pei Yueling decided to approach the situation from this perspective. Hoping that a conversation might provide her with an opportunity, she turned her attention to the sorcerer. However¡­ The sorcerer frowned. Other witches chimed in bluntly, ¡°Young one, don¡¯t y clever games with sorcerers. It won¡¯t end well for you. You agreed to be brought along by us. Otherwise, why would the witches be so amodating?¡± Pei Yueling¡¯splexion grew even paler.
She hadn¡¯t anticipated this turn of events at all. It seemed she had made a grave mistake. Observing her futile struggles, Gu Chaoyan understood that resistance was in vain. She smiled, asking, ¡°Is that satisfactory now?¡± Regret engulfed Pei Yueling. She regretted entangling herself with Gu Chaoyan over envy. Initially considering Gu Chaoyan merely a disciple of a small sect, she hadn¡¯t foreseen the extent of her fate. Desperation filled Pei Yueling as she inquired, ¡°What must I do for you to spare me? I¡¯ve never taken a life. Why must I endure such a severe consequence?¡± Gu Chaoyan responded sternly, ¡°Impossible.¡± Release her? Allowing Pei Yueling to go free would jeopardize Huaijin¡¯s safety. ¡°At the very least, grant me rity before my demise. What did I do to warrant such a heavy price? I haven¡¯t taken lives. Why must I endure such agony?¡± While there was a slim chance of rebirth for a cultivator as long as their inner core remained intact, the opportunity was uncertain and might nevere. Pei Yueling was unwilling to gamble on such uncertainties. ¡°Really?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired with a hint of skepticism.
In response, Gu Chaoyan grinned and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re the Noble Lady with a selective memory. The one you harmed will always bear the pain. How could you forget?¡± ¡°Do you recall the Dragon Vein Mountain in the Shen You Continent?¡± ¡°The Dragon Race¡¯s inheritance? I didn¡¯t receive the inheritance.¡± Pei Yueling felt a twinge of difort. She recognized Gu Chaoyan from their encounter at the Dragon Vein Mountain. It made sense now. The unattained Dragon Race inheritance remained Pei Yueling¡¯s greatest regret. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t, because I possess the Dragon Race¡¯s inheritance.¡± Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t hesitate to bring up this sore point. ¡°But that¡¯s not what I want to settle the score for.¡± ¡°When you left the Dragon Vein Mountain, do you recall using your spiritual power to kill an ordinary man with no cultivation?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired with resentment in her eyes. Pei Yueling would neverprehend the extent of the harm her actions caused others or how she coped with it initially. Initially surprised, Pei Yueling gradually remembered and found it unbelievable. ¡°You mean that man?¡± Pei Yueling turned to Dao Seeking for confirmation.
Gu Chaoyan nodded. Pei Yueling chuckled in disbelief. She found the situation absurd. This bizarre chain of events had led her, Pei Yueling, to this state.@@novelbin@@ What a ridiculous twist of fate. ¡°Gu Chaoyan, are you truly a cultivator? Can¡¯t you see through this?¡± Pei Yueling questioned, not considering herself a fool. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gu Chaoyan was puzzled. ¡°Who is he to you?¡± Pei Yueling was intrigued. This situation appeared perplexing and hard to fathom. ¡°That¡¯s not something you should inquire about. Now, you must face the consequences!¡± Chapter 2541: Can’t Come Back 2 Chapter 2541: Can¡¯t Come Back 2
Editor:Henyee Trantions Exposed to the elements on Dragon Vein Mountain for half a month, Pei Yueling¡¯s emotional state differed from Gu Chaoyan¡¯s grief and the sorcerers¡¯posure. Throughout this time, she pondered over the unfolding events. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was a deliberate scheme behind the sorcerers¡¯ willingness to take her in and the sudden appearance of the witches. It seemed as if she had be entangled in a plot, and that realization left her discontented. Initially, she believed she had schemed against others, but the tables had turned. This lingering uncertainty bothered Pei Yueling. While settling scores with the sorcerers was impossible, she was determined to uncover the truth. Doing so would, at the very least, provide her with a sense of closure. The sorcerer observed her closely.
With a kind demeanor, he exined, ¡°I sensed her aura from you, prompting my appearance. Surprisingly, you willingly set your conditions, likely due to a conflict with her. Your conditions happened to align well, so I agreed.¡± ¡°Having you around guaranteed her appearance. Additionally, you can consider it a gift from me.¡± ¡°Now that you have attained freedom, there¡¯s no need to dwell on these matters and make yourself unhappy. Why don¡¯t we simply let it go?¡± The sorcerer maintained his calm demeanor, treating the situation as if discussing a mundane topic. Pei Yueling felt disheartened. Alright¡­ She understood. Despite her initial suspicions, she had guessed the truth. Yet, even with that knowledge, she couldn¡¯t let go and insisted on seeking confirmation. The response she received was still frustrating and left her feeling helpless. After encountering the sorcerers, Pei Yueling suddenly felt that she wasn¡¯t treated badly at all. However, she remained cautious not to provoke Gu Chaoyan in the future. ¡°Thanks,¡± Pei Yueling expressed her gratitude to Gu Chaoyan before hastily departing. In the ancient city of the Demon n, no one impeded her. Once Pei Yueling left, the witches showed no inclination to leave. Gu Chaoyan exchanged a nce with the sorcerer, signaling him to depart with her.
Meanwhile, the Dao Child of the Demon n had intended to approach. Witnessing the situation, he could only leave in disappointment. How long had it been since hest saw his sister? Yet, these people always caused disturbances. Frustrated, the Dao Child of the Demon n pondered about the intentions of this witch man. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked calmly. ¡°Previously, I only knew that you left, Miss Xui. I didn¡¯t know where you went. A few days ago, I sensed that you were in the Second World and thought that it had been a long time since west met, so I came over to meet you,¡± the sorcerer exined with a smile. He added, ¡°Let¡¯s catch up.¡± Catch up on old times? Gu Chaoyan regarded the sorcerer with a look of disbelief, as if she was observing a monster. Was he here just to catch up? After creating such amotion, everyone in the Second World was on edge and took precautions, only for them toe for a casual catch-up. Gu Chaoyan felt thoroughly unsettled. The sorcerer had truly irritated her, and she had no desire to engage with anyone, whether in the uncivilized times or the present. As the current n Leader of the Demon n, she chose to endure it. ¡°If you¡¯re not here, why are you in the Third World, and why are you a witch?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked with curiosity. The sorcerer smiled gently, finding her curiosity understandable. He exined, ¡°The ce you¡¯re referring to is the jurisdiction area assigned to all witches. I was severely injured before, so I could only undertake missions in such a lower-level continent.¡±@@novelbin@@
Chapter 2545: Ice Flame Continent 2 Editor: Henyee Trantions Since the age of 14, Kang Shi had found himself stuck at the Sixth Heaven of the Martial Warrior Realm. Despite relentless efforts, his attempts at cultivation proved futile, with his progress seemingly evaporating into thin air. The stagnation persisted, and as he reached the age of 18, four years had psed. Among his peers in the n, who were of simr age, even those with supposedly inferior aptitude had surpassed him in strength. Kang Shi, once considered a young genius, now found himself at the very bottom of the n hierarchy. Despite asional bouts of dejection over the past four years, Kang Shi never abandoned hismitment to cultivation. However, the recent npetition served as a breaking point. The stark contrast between his efforts and the results became unbearable for him. At just 18 years old, Kang Shi perhaps carried the burden too heavily. The struggle weighed on him, and the pressure seemed insurmountable. Adding to his distress, the engagement that had been arranged since his youth hung in the bnce. If he failed to impress in the recentpetition, the girl promised to him might break off the engagement and choose another suitor. Gu Chaoyan, witnessing Kang Shi¡¯s torment, sighed with relief when the news came that the engagement had been spared for the time being. Yet, she understood the immense emotional toll such circumstances could inflict on a young soul. Determined to alleviate Kang Shi¡¯s burden, she resolved to excel in the uing tasks on his behalf. Rising from the bed, she disyed newfound vigor, casting aside the disheartened demeanor. As she opened the door, weing sunlight flooded the room. The brightness reflected in her eyes as she made a silentmitment to support Kang Shi. He, still grappling with his emotions, squinted at the radiant sunlight streaming in, perhaps finding a glimmer of hope amid the challenges thaty ahead. He was about to cultivate when a servant, responsible for Kang Shi¡¯s daily needs, entered from outside.
In their n, individuals¡¯ treatment hinged on their cultivation level. Those with insufficient cultivation often found themselves without anyone to attend to their needs. Despite Kang Shi not being entitled to such services, his father, the n Leader, still provided him with a servant.@@novelbin@@ However, the servant held little regard for Kang Shi, addressing him with apathy and leavingzily after delivering the message that the n Leader requested his presence. Unwilling to waste time with such a person, Gu Chaoyan sought out the n Leader. From what she now understood, Kang Shi¡¯s father, the n Leader, faced declining status within the n due to Kang Shi¡¯s stagnant cultivation. The elders wielded significant power, and it seemed Kang Shi¡¯s father was losing control. Given Kang Shi¡¯sck of progress, despite his father¡¯s position, he was looked down upon throughout the n. Gu Chaoyan sighed in relief, realizing it was yet anotherplex situation. She decided to approach the matter gradually. Upon reaching the n Leader, Kang Shi was met with a worried expression. The n Leader informed him about the impending visit of the n Leader of the True Martial Race and his youngest daughter to discuss the marriage. ¡°The n Leader invites you in,¡± the indifferent servant had conveyed. As Kang Shi stood in front of his father, the n Leader, the elder continued, ¡°They should be talking about your marriage. As for you, perform wellter and say that you will definitely study hard and train hard. Your cultivation will definitely rise. No matter what the True Martial Race says or how they make things difficult for you, you just have to endure it.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t cancel this marriage. If we do, we won¡¯t have the support of the True Martial Race. Our lives in the n in the future will be even more difficult.¡± ¡°Shi¡¯er, I¡¯m fine, but you can¡¯t. You¡¯re still young. You have to have someone to rely on.¡± ¡°Do you understand? If you do, we¡¯ll go over in a while. You¡¯ve always performed very well in the past. Just perform as usual this year.¡± Chapter 2548: Ice Flame Continent 5 Editor: Henyee Trantions Kang Shi was jolted by the sudden sharp and angry voice, unsure of its origin. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was his junior sister from the n. In her youth, when Kang Shi was a prominent figure in the n, his junior sister had always admired him. She was the sole believer in his potential to continue growing in power, given his past aplishments. While many struggled to match his achievements, Kang Shi had recently encountered some setbacks. His junior sister held deep admiration for Kang Shi and harbored resentment towards Ziluo for abandoning him. How could she abruptly break off the engagement with someone like Kang Shi? Recalling the time when Kang Shi was a young genius, his junior sister vividly remembered approaching him to get engaged. That memory fueled her anger today. Kang Shi couldn¡¯t help but smile at his junior sister¡¯s reaction. When she arrived to assist him with his mission, she expected everyone here to be equally dull. Little did she anticipate encountering such a spirited junior sister, adding a touch of excitement to her otherwise monotonous life. ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°The True Martial Race and Ziluo have their reasons. After all, she¡¯s the n Leader¡¯s daughter. She can¡¯t marry someone they consider unworthy. They did give me a few years, and in these years, things have turned out this way. I can only admit that I haven¡¯t worked hard enough.¡± ¡°Wu Yan is currently the most powerful person in the Ana Race. As the daughter of the True Martial Race n Leader, it¡¯s reasonable for Ziluo to choose him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really me her for not wanting to marry me and endure hardship. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±
¡°Brother Kang Shi, you will definitely be very powerful in the future,¡± Little Junior Sister insisted. She had witnessed it from the beginning of her cultivation journey. She had seen the extraordinary power of Brother Kang Shi. He stood out as the most dazzling and formidable figure. Even in the face of setbacks, she remained steadfast in her belief. She was certain of it! Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help butugh. Kang Shi had dedicated himself to rigorous training in the past, and this girl undoubtedly had unwavering faith in his abilities. So, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s heart softened as she looked at her. ¡°Yes, I will be the best in the future!¡± Gu Chaoyan promised. ¡°Really?¡± Little Junior Sister immediately beamed. ¡°Brother Kang Shi, you never said that before. Is it because all of this will be true now?¡±@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan nodded. Kang Li observed them. As children, they remained naive about many things. He would entrust the rest to them. Above all, he could not let Shi¡¯er endure suffering. Kang Li attended to some matters and left. After Kang Shi escorted his little junior sister back, he returned to examine his cultivation. This time was different from before. While Gu Chaoyan possessed her own cultivation level, the true owner of this body, Kang Shi, was indeed King Wu. She needed to assist Kang Shi in oveing this cultivation obstacle. He had reached this level of cultivation at the age of 14, making him a true genius in the continent.
But why hadn¡¯t he made any progress since then? That was what Gu Chaoyan needed to understand. Carefully inspecting him, Gu Chaoyan discovered that Kang Shi¡¯s cultivation faced a significant barrier. This obstacle stemmed from his exceptional talent, leading to a biased understanding of how to continue breaking through.
Chapter 2551: Ice Flame Continent 8 Chapter 2551: Ice me Continent 8 Editor: Henyee Trantions This disgust emanated from the depths of Ziluo¡¯s heart and was expressed without reservation. Who would want a person with such a low cultivation level to persistently bother them? Ziluo naturally held this view. Gu Chaoyan had been examining underperforming herbs when she heard the sharp, disdainful voice. Startled, she turned around to find Ziluo standing there with Kang Yan and several other Kang family members. All eyes were fixed on her, as if she were someone with malicious intentions. Gu Chaoyan was baffled by what she had done. Ever since the engagement was called off, Kang Shi had been cultivating in his room. Afterward, he strolled around the n, encountering mockery along the way. What did it have to do with others? Why did Ziluo suddenly dere him disgusting? ¡°The engagement has been broken off, and whatever I do is my own business. Why are you so disgusted?¡± Gu Chaoyan expressed her displeasure. Ziluo nced at Kang Shi.
She snorted. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand. The engagement has been broken off. I, Ziluo, am now engaged to Brother Kangyan. In the future, I will marry him. We will mind our own business. Don¡¯t overthink it. Since the decision has been made, there¡¯s no need for regrets. Stop bothering me. Being pestered by a good-for-nothing is truly disgusting!¡± Ziluo made her stance clear. Gu Chaoyan frowned as she observed this strong-willed girl. Honestly, From the beginning to the end of the engagement, she had at least felt that it was reasonable for the True Martial Race and this girl named Ziluo to call off the engagement. After all, certain matters affected their interests, and they were merely safeguarding their own interests. She harbored no feelings for this family or the girl. But now¡­ She felt genuine disgust. Keeping to oneself and minding one¡¯s own business was the right approach. Regardless of how inept Kang Shi might be, there was a need for rationality. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Did I seek you out after the engagement was broken off? Did I approach you? I cultivated on my own and strolled around the n, never looking for you. Yet, here you are in the herb field, discussing so much, using me of pestering you. I believe you¡¯re the one doing the pestering,¡± Gu Chaoyan expressed with disdain. ¡°Let¡¯s go, the engagement is over. It¡¯s none of your concern.¡±@@novelbin@@ With that, she squatted back down to examine the herbs. Ziluo had never been shouted at so disrespectfully before. She felt both embarrassed and angry at the sudden outburst. Initially, she was a bit annoyed by Kang Shi¡¯s actions and hade to settle scores with him. However¡­ It seemed they were the ones who had taken the initiative to find him. Kang Shi, this so-called ¡°trash,¡± hadn¡¯t actively sought them out. She assumed he was here to seek her out. Moreover, Kang Shi had a history of this behavior. Every year, when he spoke of breaking off the engagement, he woulde to beg, lowering his voice. Logically, it should be the same now.
This good-for-nothing seemed to cling to slim hopes. Right? ¡°Kang Shi, what are you saying? How dare you be so fierce with Ziluo? Even if you don¡¯t respect Elder Brother Kang Yan, you should still consider the True Martial Race. You¡¯re quite audacious.¡±
Chapter 2554: Ice Flame Continent 11 Chapter 2554: Ice me Continent 11 Editor: Henyee Trantions Having irrigated the Holy Spirit Water in the designated herb area, he returned. Thanks to the Holy Spirit Water, these herbs would flourish within three days, ready for harvest on the second day. Not only would they be superior to other herbs, but their effects would also be enhanced. Gu Chaoyan found immense satisfaction in today¡¯s aplishments, feeling a sense of rxation. However, others couldn¡¯t share in this tranquility, particrly Kang Yan. Upon returning, Kang Yan briefed his father, the current First Elder of the Ana n, about Kang Shi¡¯s recent developments.@@novelbin@@ ¡°What? Kang Shi¡¯s cultivation has advanced? This progress is linked to the annulment of the engagement? There¡¯s actual improvement?¡± The First Elder queried incredulously. For four years, Kang Shi had shown no signs of progress, leading most to assume he would remain stagnant. It was widely believed that he might end up working outside the n in a few years. Unexpectedly¡­ He had made strides.
¡°What¡¯s his cultivation level now?¡± ¡°Kang Yan was defeated outright. He¡¯s at least a top-notch Martial Saint,¡± Kang Yan reported. In truth, Kang Yan suspected Kang Shi had reached Martial Saint and Heavenly levels. However, to ensure his father took the matter seriously, he embellished slightly, emphasizing the top-notch Martial Saint status to capture his attention. Top-notch Martial Saint? At the Level Six Martial King Realm, it seemed as if Kang Shi had undergone a sudden and remarkable advancement in a single day. If this progression persisted, there might not be a ce for them within the Ana Race. ¡°Yan¡¯er, have Ziluo return to the True Martial Race and expedite the marriage preparations. Additionally, elerate everything within the n,¡± the First Elder advised, ¡°It¡¯s better to forestall trouble than deal with itter. That kid disyed exceptional talent in his youth. Who¡¯s to say if that talent has resurfaced.¡± Kang Yan wore an unhappy expression, clearly harboring resentment. Why? Why was Kang Shi consistently fortunate from a young age? Despite Kang Yan¡¯s prolonged and arduous efforts, he found himself overshadowed once again by Kang Shi. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on such thoughts. Ziluo is already yours, and the True Martial Race will support you in the future. Even if Kang Shi¡¯s talent has returned, he¡¯s aged and has remained dormant for many years. How formidable could he be now? He¡¯s merely reiming what was once his,¡± the First Elder reassured, well aware of his son¡¯s concerns. Only then did Kang Yan¡¯s mood slightly improve. He descended to make the necessary preparations. The next day¡­ Before dawn, Gu Chaoyan was already in the field, eager to witness the results and prevent any potential interference. Upon reaching the medicinal field, she observed the herbs brimming with vitality, having grown ten centimeters taller overnight. ted, Gu Chaoyan awaited the arrival of the overseer. When he appeared, she pointed at the thriving herbs. ¡°Are you satisfied with mypensation?¡± The overseer rubbed his eyes in disbelief. ¡°What? Is this real?¡± Upon closer inspection, he confirmed the truth.
This herb, considered rtively precious, was notoriously challenging to cultivate. Even if it managed to grow, it usually did so poorly, halving its efficacy. Among the 15 overseers of the medicinal field, each had received a seed of this herb, but none harbored much hope given its difficulty to cultivate. It was in their best interest to avoid any mishaps. Chapter 2558: Ice Flame Continent 15 Chapter 2558: Ice me Continent 15 Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°The n Leader of the True Martial Race is so astute. Having held the position for so long, how could he not have considered these aspects? He even preconceived them before I did. How long can he tolerate my presence?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°It doesn¡¯t lead to a favorable oue either way. I might as well not be deferential to him. We¡¯ve be apparent adversaries, but he¡¯s exercising restraint. If something were to happen to me, wouldn¡¯t suspicion naturally fall on him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply taking a gamble,¡± Gu Chaoyan remarked with a smile. The overseer of the medicinal field gazed at her, suddenly struck with awe. This Kang Shi. Despite limited strides in cultivation, his intellect remained that of a prodigy. Furthermore, he was adept at manipting situations like this. In the future, he might genuinely set himself apart from the rest. This disciple now recognized more facets of Kang Shi¡¯s capabilities. Deciding to seize this opportunity to align himself with Kang Shi, he understood that for his own future, it was worth a try. Without opportunities, everything he did in life would likely follow the same pattern. The future held uncertainties, contingent on the avability of opportunities.
¡°Gao Zhuo, call me Gao Zhuo from now on. Entrust the matter of the pills to me. If we coborate effectively, our chances of survival will surely improve,¡± dered Gao Zhuo, as if envisioning a distant future. Gu Chaoyan smiled faintly, sensing that her strategy had seeded. Part of the reason behind her earlier words was, in fact, for this individual to overhear. She didn¡¯t genuinely hold that perspective. Gradually establishing a foothold in the Ana Race was Kang Shi¡¯s aim. Relying solely on his strength had its limitations. To expand influence, he needed to gather more individuals to his side. This Gao Zhuo.@@novelbin@@ He might not be a virtuous individual. However, he possessed foresight and ambition. That was sufficient. It suited her purpose perfectly. As long as Gao Zhuo remained loyal, she pledged to provide him with a fitting reward before her departure. His introduction of his name today signified his genuine desire to ally with her and his approval of her. Gu Chaoyan found herself in good spirits. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll entrust the pills to you. We can discuss the next stepster,¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly. ¡°Okay!¡± Gao Zhuo agreed with a smile. The two of them continued to indulge in food and drink without engaging in any unnecessary actions. Contrary to the concerns of Kang Yan, Ziluo, and the n Leader of the True Martial Race, nothing unfolded as they feared. Kang Shi remained asposed as if he had never been engaged to Ziluo. His inaction further irked Kang Yan and Ziluo. After all, there were numerous motives behind Kang Yan¡¯s desire to marry Ziluo. He sought topete with the n Leader¡¯s son, who was once a prodigy. This turn of events did not stir any joy in him, as his goal had not been achieved. As for Ziluo, she questioned whether she was not as alluring as she had presumed. After all, Kang Shi and the Ana n¡¯s patriarch had pleaded with her so earnestly. She had thought¡­ The two of them entered matrimony with a sense of disappointment. When the time came for the bridal chamber, others withdrew.
Following that, Ziluo remained in the Ana Race. The n Leader of the True Martial Race departed early the next morning, citing an urgent matter in the n. The alterations within the Ana Race were confined to the First Elder¡¯s household, while the rest returned to their usual routines. Gao Zhuo assembled a group of people.
Chapter 2561: Ice Flame Continent 18 Chapter 2561: Ice me Continent 18 Editor: Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan maintained a calm demeanor, her reluctance evident as she spoke, ¡°I¡¯m not particrly inclined to sell it.¡± Curiosity piqued, someone inquired eagerly, ¡°What pill?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a high-level elixir. Designed for those on the brink of a breakthrough at the ninth level of cultivation, this elixir can be quite beneficial. However, there are only a few avable. If you¡¯re interested, I might consider selling them to you,¡± Gu Chaoyan continued, her hesitation still palpable. What? Such a pill. Even if it¡¯s not immediately useful, there wille a time when it is! How could anyone not want it? Seizing the opportunity, someone swiftly dered, ¡°Yes, I want it. Ten Spirit Stones,¡± and promptly handed over the requested currency. However, Gu Chaoyan remained unimpressed, showing no interest as she examined the Spirit Stones. She then asserted, ¡°Spirit Stones alone won¡¯t cut it for this pill.¡± ¡°I require something more¡ªDharma artifacts or something entertaining. Feel free to offer whatever you please, and if it catches my interest, we can make an exchange,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated bluntly. Frustration brewed among the crowd, with some itching to criticize Kang Shi. Yet, many held their tongues. Kang Shi, with his appearance suggesting proficiency in pill refining, likely owed his skills to prior knowledge rather than a recent boost in cultivation. Considering his past as a young genius, the assumption that he possessed pill-refining expertise wasn¡¯t far-fetched. The medicinal pills from before were very useful. Now that there were new medicinal pills, there might be others in the future. There was no need to offend him. If they offended him, there would probably be no benefits. They had already recognized this fact. ¡°Could I exchange this middle-grade weapon among low-grade ones for one?¡± inquired someone, holding the weapon in his hand, addressing Dao Seeking. He still possessed an advanced-grade weapon amid his low-grade collection, and this particr one was practically unused. Swapping it for the offered pill seemed fitting; he wouldn¡¯t be at a loss, especially considering he¡¯d soon be able to benefit from such a pill. @@novelbin@@ Kang Shi, currently without any weaponry, found it apt to acquire one under the circumstances. Gu Chaoyan nodded, facilitating the exchange. Observing the oue, the others refrained from taking advantage of the situation and presented their items one after another. Incidentally, Gu Chaoyan noticed the presence of crystal Spirit Stones. Although not highly practical, she held a personal liking for them, prompting her to ept them in exchange. The others perceived a glimmer of hope. Given Kang Shi¡¯s apparentck of discernment between valuable and less valuable items, they exploited the situation, offering assorted items to make up the numbers. Gu Chaoyan paid little attention to Kang Shi¡¯s choices, epting whatever was presented, be it useful or useless. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, let¡¯s call it a day. I have other matters to attend to,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered, expressing her reluctance to prolong the proceedings. Understanding the situation, the participants hastily presented their items as Kang Shi prepared to leave. In a flurry, they swapped a few more items, concluding today¡¯s affair. Although many had nothing particrly valuable, they continued pondering Kang Shi¡¯s pills. ¡°There should be other types of pills in the future. Come again when you are free, but obtaining them won¡¯t be easy,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated expressionlessly. Acknowledging their understanding, the group departed. Once they left, Gu Chaoyan refrained from touching any of the items, patiently waiting for something to unfold. Chapter 2563: Ice Flame Continent 20 Chapter 2563: Ice me Continent 20 Editor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan looked up and saw Ziluo approaching. Ziluo appeared to have taken great care with her attire, and an unusual smile graced her face. In the past, encountering Kang Shi would elicit nothing but disdain from Ziluo, her expressions reflecting her aversion. But today was different. Ziluo had consistently avoided Kang Shi, fearing his lingering influence due to their past interactions. It was a rare urrence for her to take the initiative to seek him out. Rather than returning home, Gu Chaoyan walked directly towards Ziluo, intrigued to see what Ziluo had in mind. Simultaneously, she refrained from initiating conversation, observing the exchange between the two. Kang Shi regarded Ziluo with a cold gaze. Surprisingly, Ziluo found Kang Shi more appealing today. In the past, she couldn¡¯t stand the sight of him, viewing him as a good-for-nothing. She actively avoided any association with him. However, today was different. For some inexplicable reason, Ziluo now found Kang Shi to be rather pleasing. He was no longer excessively ingratiating, no longer desperately trying to win her over or proposing marriage to alter his seemingly useless status. Furthermore, he exhibited a newfound talent. Few possessed the skill to refine pills effectively, a coveted trait in every race. Contemting the potential future, Ziluo found herself in high spirits.@@novelbin@@ Her attitude toward Kang Shi had taken a positive turn. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you have potent pills here. I¡¯m currently stuck in the Ninth Heaven and can¡¯t break through. How about giving me one of those miraculous pills?¡± Ziluo¡¯s face adorned a genuine, beautiful smile. Ziluo believed that she could easily obtain what she wanted from Kang Shi. Confident in her approach, she saw no need to rush.
Taking it step by step seemed like the right strategy. By gradually offering Kang Shi some benefits, she anticipated receiving even more. The ideal scenario would involve Kang Shi continuously supplying her in the future, given his longstanding admiration for her. Aware of Kang Shi¡¯s fondness for her, Ziluo was confident that her n would not fail, drawing from their past interactions. Observing this interaction, Gu Chaoyan frowned at Ziluo¡¯s confident request for pills. It suggested an expectation to receive them without offering anything in return, and the motive behind Ziluo¡¯s newfound good temper towards Kang Shi became evident. Despite this, Gu Chaoyan was in a good mood. Even Ziluo, known for her reservations, was enticed by the pills, proving the sess of her and Gao Zhuo¡¯s efforts. However, Gu Chaoyan wasn¡¯t about to provide the pills for free. She straightforwardly responded, ¡°You want the mid-grade pills in my hands? Certainly.¡± Ziluo reached out confidently, expecting to receive the pills without a hitch. She had foreseen this oue when she approached Kang Shi. However, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s frown deepened as she looked at Ziluo, appearing puzzled. She continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that when you came here? If you want this kind of pill, you need to offer something I am willing to ept, or a Dharma artifact. If I don¡¯t find your offering satisfactory, I won¡¯t give you the pill. Crafting this pill requires significant resources and time, and they are not easy to make. They are highly valuable. If you expect to obtain it for free, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to robbery?¡± Chapter 2567: Ice Flame Continent 24 Chapter 2567: Ice me Continent 24 Editor:Henyee Trantions Many people were eager to witness the unfolding drama, making it a widely discussed topic. Although most kept their curiosity hidden from Kang Yan, the news still spread rapidly. Even those attempting to keep the information secret found that Kang Yan soon became aware of it. Kang Yan was furious upon learning the news. Ziluo had gone to seek out that cripple? Wasn¡¯t that an embarrassment to him? It appeared as though Kang Yan was incapable of fulfilling her needs, leading her to turn to someone he deemed worthless. With intensity in his eyes, Kang Yan forcefully brought Ziluo back into the house. His gaze bore into her, his temper barely restrained, as if he might unleash his anger on her at any moment. ¡°Why did you go to that trash? Can¡¯t I provide what you need anymore?¡± Kang Yan¡¯s eyes held a sinister edge. Kang Shi had always been the person Kang Yan despised the most since childhood. Once shining brightly, Kang Yan felt overlooked and unnoticed. Now that Kang Shi was in a dismal state, Kang Yan seemed to relish the idea of many despising him. And the person he once admired would always harbor resentment towards him. Now aware that Ziluo had voluntarily sought out Kang Shi, Kang Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of anger. How could he feel good about it?@@novelbin@@
Ziluo was somewhat taken aback by Kang Yan¡¯s intense reaction. While he had treated her well since their marriage, she had maintained interactions with other disciples. Kang Yan had never disyed any signs of jealousy before. This sudden outburst made Ziluo uneasy. She quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s like this. I heard from fellow disciples that Kang Shi has pills that can help with breakthroughs, so I went to take a look. I didn¡¯t think too much about it. After all, it has nothing to do with him anymore. He¡¯s just a regr fellow disciple.¡± Pills? Kang Shi? ¡°What pill?¡± Kang Yan stared at Ziluo and inquired. Why was he unaware of the existence of these pills? ¡°It¡¯s a medicinal pill that aids cultivation. There¡¯s another type that facilitates a smooth breakthrough in the Ninth Heaven. I find it intriguing, so naturally, I had to verify it,¡± Ziluo exined. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyone informed me about this?¡± Kang Yan furrowed his brows, disying his dissatisfaction. ¡°Guards!¡± His men approached nervously. The disciples of the Ana Race and the n had tacitly avoided mentioning anything about Kang Shi¡¯s pills in front of Young Master Kang Yan. As servants, they adhered to the same silence. Aware of Young Master Kang Yan¡¯s strong aversion to Kang Shi, they anticipated his fury if he discovered Kang Shi¡¯s ability to refine such potent pills. Desiring to avoid me, they chose to remain silent. To their surprise, their efforts to conceal the information were in vain. Naturally, the attendants were apprehensive. Observing Kang Yan¡¯s intention to reprimand the servants, Ziluo swiftly intervened. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss this with you,¡± Ziluo said. She signaled for the others to step away, urging them to leave the immediate vicinity. The attendants expressed gratitude towards Ziluo, believing her to be considerate and responsible. Previously, they had perceived Miss Ziluo as somewhat stern and domineering, but now, their perspective had shifted. They saw her as a kind person, and they felt a sense of obligation to repay her in the future. Chapter 2570: Ice Flame Continent 27 Chapter 2570: Ice me Continent 27 Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°Whether it¡¯s Kang Shi or the others, they¡¯re all here for us. Since they¡¯re here for us, we¡¯ll make the best use of them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s bring him to the Medicine Sect first before addressing him openly. We can obtain any pills we desire.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle this matter. You observe from the sidelines. The affairs of the n will be under our control in the future. You need to learn how to manage things steadily,¡± the First Elder asserted. Kang Yan remained slightly dissatisfied, but his father¡¯s reasoning made sense. His discontent stemmed not from anything else but his aversion to Kang Shi being in the spotlight, no matter the circumstances. If they utilized him, they would still attract attention. Kang Yan wished for Kang Shi, this seemingly worthless individual, to continue being unremarkable.
The First Elder patted Kang Shi¡¯s shoulder and conveyed, ¡°Yan¡¯er, now that you¡¯ve matured, Father¡¯s influence in the n has strengthened. As we¡¯re no longer the same as before, we need to adapt. We must be magnanimous. If he can be of use, we¡¯ll tolerate him. Ultimately, it¡¯s still within your control.¡± Understanding his son¡¯s sentiments, the First Elder knew that trifles wouldn¡¯t concern him when aiming for greatness. Although Kang Yanprehended, he couldn¡¯t entirely let go. He nodded reluctantly. ¡°Father, I understand.¡± The First Elder nodded approvingly. That was more like it. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand,¡± the First Elder replied. He signaled his men to summon Kang Shi and instructed him to perform a task joyfully. While Kang Yan lingered nearby, the First Elder awaited further developments. During this time, the First Elder refrained from further discussion. He aimed to use this period to contemte how to handle Kang Shi¡¯s situation. After a brief while¡­ Kang Shi approached. He appeared lively, yet somewhat unkempt. ¡°First Elder, what brings you here?¡± Kang Shi bowed and inquired, maintaining a bnced demeanor.@@novelbin@@ The First Elder gazed at Kang Shi. He sensed a subtle change in Kang Shi, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was. Concealing his thoughts, he said, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been refining numerous pillstely, and their effects are quite remarkable?¡± Gu Chaoyan quickly discerned that the First Elder had learned about the pills and was gearing up to manage the situation. Kang Shi smiled and disimed, ¡°I dabbled in it casually. Disciples often engage in sporadic pill refining. It¡¯s amon practice. asionally, when I refine a surplus, I exchange them with fellow disciples. If they find it worthwhile, they willingly participate.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not actually proficient in pill refining,¡± Kang Shi insisted.
The First Elder chuckled. ¡°Why so modest?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Iprehend the situation. Your cultivation has remained stagnant. Instead of this, why not consider joining the Medicine Sect? The Medicine Sect has been short of hands in recent years. Rest assured, with your father as the n Leader, regardless of your destination, the n will treat you well.¡± ¡°¡­¡±
¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Gu Chaoyan directly declined. ¡°Kang Shi, don¡¯t be unappreciative. With your current cultivation level, if there¡¯s no improvement within the next two years, you¡¯ll bepelled to work outside the n. I¡¯m just suggesting this for your own benefit¡­¡± Chapter 2572: Ice Flame Continent 29 Chapter 2572: Ice me Continent 29 Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°In terms of cultivation, you cannot rely on personal achievements. Over the years, your progress has been stagnant, and considering your age, relying on further cultivation might not be a feasible strategy. Think about your father¡¯s concerns. Joining the Medicine Sect could provide stability. It¡¯s time to consider settling down, find a suitable partner, and alleviate your father¡¯s worries,¡± the First Elder advised, attempting to persuade Kang Shi. Gu Chaoyan discerned that the First Elder¡¯s efforts were merely a fa?ade. Deep down, he harbored dislike for Kang Shi. Recognizing Kang Shi¡¯s perceivedck of potential, the First Elder believed this course of action to be the most favorable oue for him.@@novelbin@@ Kang Yan, on the other hand, openly resisted, wearing an expression of disapproval. The First Elder, with his advanced age, possessed experience and logic. For the former Kang Shi, the First Elder¡¯s advice might have held merit. Settling in the Medicine Sect could have offered a stable life. However, now that Kang Shi harbored Gu Chaoyan¡¯s soul, his perspective had shifted drastically. Kang Shi would not settle for mediocrity; the glory of the past would persist into the future. Kang Yan feigned agreement, masking his true sentiments. Kang Shi responded with a polite but firm smile. ¡°I have not contemted joining the Medicine Sect. Regarding marriage, I will discuss it with my father. Thank you for your concern, First Elder.¡± ¡°¡­¡±
¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I must return to my cultivation,¡± Kang Shi asserted, signaling his desire to leave. ¡°You¡¯re making a grave mistake,¡± Kang Yan rebuked. Despite the First Elder¡¯s displeasure, he restrained himself. With the n Leader still in power, maintaining harmony was crucial; now wasn¡¯t the time to disrupt it. After Kang Shi left, the tension lingered. The First Elder scrutinized Kang Yan and remarked, ¡°Why the rush?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If Kang Shi is currently unwilling, it¡¯s just a matter of time. His reluctance won¡¯t change after thepetition. Even his father won¡¯t consent if Kang Shi remains unwilling,¡± the First Elder asserted confidently. ¡°Patience is crucial in such matters. More haste, less speed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kang Shi is still young and headstrong,cking the foresight for arrangements. Does his father not possess that skill? I¡¯ll discuss this with his father,¡± the First Elder dered. With that, he turned and departed, intending to address the matterter. Meanwhile, Kang Yan remained in a daze. Setting aside other concerns, the issue with Ziluo lingered in his heart. With his father facing adversity, how could he find peace of mind? Departing discontentedly, he vented his frustration on a few servants. The First Elder reached the n Leader¡¯s residence with a genial smile. Being slightly older than the n Leader, the First Elder, in the past, had vied with the n Leader for leadership due to his inferior cultivation level. ¡°You must have heard about Shi¡¯er¡¯s situation. Although his cultivation has not progressed, there¡¯s a positive development. He has acquired the skill of pill refinement. Joining the Medicine Sect would sidestep the impendingpetition, offering stability. If he excels in pill refinement, his standing in the n could be quite favorable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promising solution. What are your thoughts, n Leader?¡±
Kang Li met the First Elder¡¯s gaze. In the past, he would have weed and seriously considered such a suggestion. It was only natural to let Kang Shi go. However¡­ Presently, he viewed the situation differently.
Kang Yan had married Ziluo, establishing ties with the n Leader of the True Martial Race behind the scenes. Furthermore¡­ Over thest two days, he had learned some crucial information. Chapter 2578: Ice Flame Continent 35 Chapter 2578: Ice me Continent 35 Editor:Henyee Trantions She felt something. Everything was not going as nned. Married to Kang Yan, whose father held significant power in the n, it was expected that aligning with the Ana Race would grant her control and favor. But?@@novelbin@@ Was it really as seamless as it seemed? She sensed a discrepancy. If Kang Shi was rendered powerless, should she ept it meekly? How could someone from the Medicine Sect dictate that she couldn¡¯t act? Was she supposed to endure such mistreatment? When had she ever faced such adversity?
¡°No!¡± Ziluo vehemently objected. ¡°Your assurances were insincere. What about the promises you made to me and my father? Now you im we must wait. How long are we expected to wait?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fulfill themitments you made to me and my father. Fine. Since you can¡¯t, don¡¯t expect me toply with your wishes,¡± Ziluo dered. Kang Yan¡¯s expression immediately darkened. She seemed oblivious to her own priorities. Despite his prolonged show of humility, was it all in vain? ¡°We¡¯re already married. The honor and disgrace of husband and wife are intertwined. Unwilling? Fine. But if Father fails to secure the position of n Leader, do you think your life will remain unaffected?¡± Kang Yan retorted, his face somber and voice filled with gravity. He had never seen a woman who did not know what was good for her. Ziluo, too, looked displeased, prompting Elder Miss to lose her temper. ¡°Kang Yan, what do you mean? Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What difference does it make even if I refuse? Do as you wish. I¡¯m heading back to the True Martial Race. Whatever you have to say, say it yourself,¡± Ziluo retorted angrily, signaling her intention to depart unless Kang Yan met her demands. Kang Yan, unused to such defiance, refused to yield. The deadlock persisted between the two. After the prolonged standoff, Ziluo departed. As she left, she encountered the First Elder. She snorted and walked away, viewing the First Elder much like Kang Yan¡ªan obstacle. From her perspective, both were equally uncooperative. Initially bewildered, the First Elder then observed his son¡¯s expression and grasped the situation. Approaching Kang Yan, he voiced his concern with a touch of displeasure, ¡°Did you provoke Ziluo?¡± Kang Yan snorted dismissively and turned away. ¡°She¡¯s valuable to us. Why provoke her?¡± The First Elder sighed, exasperated. ¡°We still need the assistance of the True Martial Race.¡± ¡°Kang Li and Kang Shi are insignificant now. Just deal with them directly. Why involve the True Martial Race? Look at Ziluo, she¡¯s acting recklessly. If she leverages the True Martial Race, she might consider us expendable in the future,¡± Kang Yan argued.
¡°It¡¯s not an issue. Whatever happens to her doesn¡¯t matter. Understand, Yan¡¯er?¡± The First Elder dered, ¡°To us, she¡¯s merely a pawn. When the timees, we discard her. She¡¯s not worth your concern, Yan¡¯er.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As my son, I hope you¡¯ll consider the bigger picture. Don¡¯t be narrow-minded, only focusing on immediate matters,¡± the First Elder urged, his tone tinged with disappointment.
Chapter 2581: Ice Flame Continent 38 Chapter 2581: Ice me Continent 38 Editor:Henyee Trantions The n Leader of the True Martial Race smiled and remarked, ¡°You still have many good days ahead of you. Why think about retirement now? Take your time. After the Ana Race, whether in your hands or theirs, they will all be yours.¡± He appeared genuinely nostalgic about the past. However, the First Elder shook his head, clearly disagreeing with the n Leader of the True Martial Race. ¡°I¡¯m not as fortunate as you, having many children. I only have Yan¡¯er. What else is there to consider?¡± the First Elder insisted. The n Leader of the True Martial Race simply smiled, choosing not to say anything more. In reality, the n Leader¡¯s words didn¡¯t reflect his true thoughts. If he genuinely wished for the Great n Leader to retain power indefinitely, what would be of his daughter? What about his future grandson? Therefore, the First Elder¡¯s thoughts aligned well with those of the n Leader of the True Martial Race, and he was quite satisfied. The two engaged in a happy conversation, quickly reaching an agreement during their discussion. With no rush to leave, the First Elder remained in the True Martial Race for a while. Observing that the two had not returned, he left them there and returned alone. The n Leader of the True Martial Race appreciated cooperating with the First Elder. The First Elder understood his boundaries, aware of his position within the dynamics.
Indeed, the n Leader found it quite agreeable. Not long after the First Elder¡¯s return to the Ana Race, Kang Yan and Ziluo came back the next day. While the True Martial Race offered some entertainment, it mostly amounted to a waste of time beyond the usual activities of eating, drinking, and ying. Although both of them were arrogant and headstrong, they remained diligent in their cultivation, unwilling to squander time. The First Elder had anticipated their return, allowing him to calmlye back. This time, it was Ziluo who returned, and there was a noticeable change in her demeanor. Her face exuded newfound confidence, and it seemed as though she regarded the Ana Race with disdain, as if stepping on them beneath her feet. As for Kang Yan, she felt like she had gained some level of control over him. In the past, Ziluo asionally felt a twinge of guilt, being an outsider from the Ana Race in the True Martial Race. She believed she shouldn¡¯t be so assertive. However, current circumstances suggested otherwise. Observing Kang Yan and the First Elder¡¯s attitudes, sheprehended that they couldn¡¯t function without her. Kang Yan went about his own business, and Ziluo, after a moment of contemtion, sought out Kang Shi. Now that she had reached the ninth heaven, she needed to break through a formidable bottleneck. It seemed insurmountable, and obtaining pills to facilitate the breakthrough could save her significant time. Kang Shi had desires, didn¡¯t he? All she had to do was bring what he wanted. Casually selecting a Dharma artifact, Ziluo went to find Kang Shi, navigating the familiar path she knew well.@@novelbin@@ Taking advantage of the solitude around, she hastened to his location. Upon reaching Kang Shi¡¯s abode, she found him leisurely sipping tea, seemingly unupied. Ziluo skipped over.
Gu Chaoyan looked up as she was drinking tea, and saw Ziluo walking towards her. She was wearing a purple dress. She was small and cute, but she looked very cute in this dress. Her eyes were dark, and she looked very yful. Chapter 2584: Ice Flame Continent 41 Chapter 2584: Ice me Continent 41 Editor:Henyee Trantions Despite making the exchange, Ziluo harbored dissatisfaction. Initially, Kang Shi had been reluctant to ept her offerings, but now he was willing just because this woman liked them? It didn¡¯t sit well with Ziluo. She discreetly pocketed the pill, silently dering her decision not to leave. Observing the woman seated there, Ziluo then turned her attention to Kang Shi, wearing a serious expression. ¡°Kang Shi, step out for a moment. I have something to discuss with you privately.¡± Gu Chaoyan, puzzled by the sudden request, nced at Little Junior Sister, who smiled and nodded. Still confused, Gu Chaoyan followed Ziluo outside. Impatiently, she inquired, ¡°What is it? Just say it.¡± ¡°It was my father¡¯s decision to call off the engagement. Being the daughter of the n Leader of the True Martial Race, my father has his considerations about whom I marry. It¡¯s unrealistic to expect him to prioritize your cultivation. I¡¯ve tried to convince him for years, but you haven¡¯t changed much, and I can¡¯t persuade my father any longer. That¡¯s why it ended up like this,¡± Ziluo exined. ¡°¡­¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°That¡¯s not what I truly wanted,¡± Ziluo continued. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kang Shi, if I didn¡¯t have feelings for you back then, why would I have agreed to the marriage?¡± Ziluo revealed. Gu Chaoyan responded bluntly, ¡°Now that you are married to Kang Yan, there¡¯s no point in discussing these matters. Is that what you wanted to talk about privately?¡± She couldn¡¯t grasp Ziluo¡¯s intentions. Ziluo nodded solemnly. ¡°I know you might find it hard to believe, but it¡¯s true. I am genuinely willing. My father coerced me into this marriage. Even though I¡¯m already wed, I still have feelings for you,¡± Ziluo confessed. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll support you in the Ana n¡¯spetition. Even if I can¡¯t directly assist, I¡¯ll find a way to arrange matters for you outside the n. You can count on me,¡± Ziluo pledged, envisioning a scenario where Kang Shi would be solely reliant on himself, refining pills for her benefit. To her, it all seemed possible. Her words carried sincerity. Kang Shi regarded her with an incredulous expression. Did Ziluo think he was a fool? ¡°Thank you, but no. We are merely fellow disciples. You¡¯re already married, and there¡¯s no connection between us. Please go back and refrain from uttering such things again. Regardless of your feelings, I have no interest in you,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded coldly, turning away and departing. Ziluo attempted to hold her back, but Gu Chaoyan dismissed her, not providing an opportunity for further interaction. ¡°Very well!¡± Ziluo shouted in frustration, turning back. There woulde a day when she could take control of the situation. She vowed to handle things appropriately when she achieved her breakthrough, ensuring no one had an easy time. Back inside, Gu Chaoyan seemed to have forgotten about the encounter with Ziluo. ¡°Little Junior Sister, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I came to check on you. The npetition is approaching, Senior Brother Kang Shi. Focus more on cultivation and less on studying these pills,¡± Little Junior Sister advised, to which Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. ¡°And as for Miss Ziluo, don¡¯t be misled by her. It could lead to trouble in the future. Senior Brother Kang Shi, do you understand?¡± Little Junior Sister added.
Chapter 2588: Ice Flame Continent 45 Chapter 2588: Ice me Continent 45 Editor:Henyee Trantions Only then did she finally calm down. Kang Yan¡¯s attention shifted away from Ziluo. Regardless of what happened to her, the oue would change after thepetition¡ªit was an entirely different scenario. Postpetition, Kang Shi would be expelled from the n, falling under their control. Regardless of Ziluo¡¯s actions, she would be powerless. Moreover, once their father assumed the position of the n Leader of the True Martial Race, it signified that the Ana Race was now under their dominion. They would no longer be subservient to the n Leader of the True Martial Race. Naturally, Ziluo wouldn¡¯tmand as much respect from them, and if she erred, they would simply impose punishment. Kang Yan ceased his arguments with Ziluo, and gradually, Ziluo lost the inclination to continue. Her thoughts also gravitated towards Kang Shi. Kang Shi had rejected her earlier proposition. Yet, he wasn¡¯t in dire straits yet. When he found himself in such a predicament, he wouldn¡¯t maintain the sameposure. When she reappeared, she would offer him a promise, affirming that her feelings hadn¡¯t wavered. By then, she expected him to be grateful and willingly serve her. Both Ziluo and Kang Yan harbored their own contemtions, leading to a period of silence between them. They patiently awaited the day of thepetition.
The atmosphere in the n was vibrant. It was a rare sight to witness Kang Shi emerge and make his way to thepetition hall.@@novelbin@@ On this asion, he wasn¡¯t entirely subjected to ridicule. Instead, some individuals sought to befriend him, offering polite greetings along the way. However, he remained wary, treating these greetings merely as superficial exchanges. Gu Chaoyan also arrived at the venue. She stood outside, observing the scene within thepetition hall. Thepetition in the Ana n differed from the npetitions Gu Chaoyan had encountered in the past. It wasn¡¯t a team-based martial artspetition in the arena. Thispetition was more akin to the monitoring of disciples¡¯ spiritual roots when they entered a sect, although in the Ana Race, it wasn¡¯t a test of spiritual roots but rather of cultivation levels. There were two criteria: Firstly, participants had to meet a specific minimum cultivation standard. Secondly, their cultivation had to show improvement every year. The degree of improvement wasn¡¯t strictly defined, as long as there was progress. Kang Shi already met the standard set for n disciples. However, the only reason he might be selected was that his cultivation hadn¡¯t improved in the past few years. Two years ago, he still had a chance, but if he didn¡¯t show improvement this year, he would lose that opportunity. He would then need to seek opportunities outside the n. Gu Chaoyan stood at the entrance of the court, surrounded by onlookers. Many gazes lingered on Kang Shi, each viewer harboring different thoughts. Some, like Kang Yan and Ziluo, eagerly awaited Kang Shi¡¯s departure. These individuals had already taken sides. On the other hand, there were those who hoped for Kang Shi to stay. These were n disciples who hadn¡¯t aligned themselves with any faction. They were considering the practical aspect ¨C Kang Shi¡¯s medicinal pills were valuable to them. Having a consistent supplier of medicinal pills would facilitate continuous breakthroughs in their cultivation. As they grew stronger, obtaining what they desired in the future would be much easier. The individuals of the Ana n harbored their own thoughts. Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t linger for long and entered the premises. Wherever she moved, conversations ensued.
As the discussions subsided, Chapter 2592: Ice Flame Continent 50 Chapter 2592: Ice me Continent 50 Editor: Henyee Trantions Regardless of the circumstances, he couldn¡¯t afford to withhold his thoughts and goals entirely. Achieving greatness required facing inevitable challenges, as things never proceeded as smoothly as nned. Mistakes were an inherent part of any endeavor, and today had presented one such error. His immediate concern should be devising a solution and rectifying the mistake rather than sumbing to anger¡ªan ineffective response. Could Kang Shi be expected to lower his cultivation level just because someone was unhappy? The notion was imusible, the First Elder concluded. Upon his return to the First Elder¡¯s hall, the scene was chaotic¡ªa clear aftermath of Kang Yan¡¯s tantrum, evidenced by the scattered wreckage. Orderly individuals within the hall started tidying up upon the First Elder¡¯s entrance. Recognizing the need for privacy, the First Elder instructed them to leave. Once alone, he regarded Kang Yan sternly. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If your cultivation isn¡¯t strong enough to assert dominance, throwing a tantrum won¡¯t solve anything,¡± the First Elder asserted. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, this isn¡¯t an insurmountable problem. Solutions exist.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it simply because our cultivation level surpasses yours? With our higher cultivation, performing tasks bes a bit more cumbersome for us. Whyplicate things for yourself?¡± the First Elder questioned, his frustration evident when facing Kang Yan, whom he viewed as an inconvenience. ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°With the support of the True Martial Race, we only need more allies,¡± the First Elder continued. ¡°Once he bes a captive, won¡¯t he be at our mercy?¡± Seeing Kang Yan, the First Elder felt a deep sense of exasperation, as if dealing with someone of intermediate capability was a constant burden requiring undue time and attention. ¡°Why? Why does he effortlessly steal the spotlight?¡± Kang Yan couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°What¡¯s the distinction? As long as the oue aligns with our desires, it¡¯s eptable. What more do you seek?¡± the First Elder retorted. ¡°Nitpicking and heading towards a dead end will only result in further losses.¡± Kang Yan gazed up at the First Elder. As long as the result was the same? Even the most talented individual, if they died prematurely, it could only be attributed to insufficient cultivation, right? A realization dawned on Kang Yan, and he gradually began to regainposure. Onceposed, he inquired, ¡°So, what¡¯s our next step?¡± ¡°Before he gets an opportunity, coborate with the True Martial Race to suppress the n Leader and eliminate him directly,¡± the First Elder proposed. Kang Yan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the team with Kang Shi, and Ziluo will cooperate with me. Together, we can neutralize any threat he poses.¡± Ziluo observed Kang Yan, offering neither agreement nor disagreement. However, Kang Yan assumed her agreement, considering their marital ties ¨C a connection transcending honor and shame. ¡°Furthermore, I need you to visit your father tonight. rify the situation and hand him this letter,¡± the First Elder instructed Ziluo. She nced at the letter, nodded, and affirmed, ¡°Understood. I won¡¯t waste any time. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Kang Yan said. Ziluo looked at him with disdain. First Elder stopped him first. ¡°You stay here.¡± Ziluo breathed a sigh of relief and returned. @@novelbin@@ She made her way back alone, seamlessly blending into the hustle and bustle of n. Today held numerous tasks that demanded attention, causing Ziluo to go unnoticed. Upon reaching the True Martial Race, Ziluo promptly sought out her father. ¡°How did it go?¡± Chapter 2595: Ice Flame Continent 53 Chapter 2595: Ice me Continent 53 Editor:Henyee Trantions Ziluo cast a calm nce at the First Elder. It was evident that his words held little weight for her. The simrity in the threats from both the First Elder and Kang Yan reinforced their familial connection. However, Ziluo, bound to Kang Yan through marriage, feltpelled to strategize for his benefit. Yet, they had severely underestimated Ziluo. She had notmitted herself to that level. Her focus was consistently on the long term, contemting the future of the True Martial Race and her own. She harbored no illusions about relying on someone like Kang Yan. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed this with my father, and he believes it¡¯s not the opportune moment. Let¡¯s exercise patience and observe the situation,¡± Ziluo stated. The First Elder appeared somewhat helpless.@@novelbin@@ Ziluo, appearing fatigued, signaled her desire to disengage.
¡°There¡¯s no rush. Let¡¯s take our time,¡± she added before departing. Kang Yan, on the verge of eruption, was restrained by the First Elder. ¡°Why argue with her now? Let¡¯s wait and see their ns.¡± Angrily, Kang Yan kicked a bottle aside but refrained from further action. The First Elder, more cautious, arranged for surveince on Ziluo¡¯s recent activities and dispatched someone to the True Martial Race to gather information. On the first day, Ziluo maintained tranquility, taking no decisive action. It wasn¡¯t until the following day that she leisurely approached Kang Shi. She didn¡¯t adopt a secretive approach. Instead, Ziluo entered openly, although without any overt disy. Only a select few were present, deliberately chosen. Despite having visited only a couple of times, she navigated the area with ease, as if it were a familiar haunt. Observing Kang Shi¡¯s absence, she meandered through the surroundings. His living space was modest but impably clean, adorned with various herbs. These herbs seemed peculiar, surpassing the quality of those in the Ana n¡¯s Medicine Sect. It exined Kang Shi¡¯s ability to craft exceptional pills. A teapot sat on the table, suggesting his penchant for tea, a rarity among dedicated cultivators who seldom devoted time to such pursuits. Upon encountering a face she had no desire to see, Gu Chaoyan greeted her with disdain. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came to see you and share some information,¡± Ziluo confidently responded, taking a seat. With a smile, she added, ¡°Won¡¯t you pour me a cup of tea?¡± ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have time for tea. Just tell me what you want,¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted, dismissing the idea of serving tea. Undeterred, Ziluo didn¡¯t dwell on the matter. If there was no time for tea, so be it. Business took precedence. ¡°I returned to the True Martial Race two days ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My father has something he wants me to deliver to you.¡±
¡°¡­¡± ¡°Presently, you face two alternatives. The decision is yours.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Option one, continue living in this state of uncertainty. Eventually, at the opportune moment, the First Elder will intervene.¡±
¡°¡­¡± ¡°Option two, coborate with Father to facilitate your father¡¯s path to n Leader. No hindrances will impede you here, ensuring a smooth ascension to n Leader in the future. Father and I will offer assistance, and¡­¡± Chapter 2600: Ice Flame Continent 58 Chapter 2600: Ice me Continent 58@@novelbin@@ Editor:Henyee Trantions Confronted with Kang Yan¡¯s hopeful gaze, the First Elder, despite a sincere desire to offer a clear exnation, knew the futility of such an attempt. Captured alongside his aplices by Kang Shi, with the entire n now aware, how could he possibly provide a reasonable exnation? Even if he did, could it alter their fate? He had discerned Kang Shi¡¯s cultivation level, a depth of mastery he couldn¡¯t fathom. He couldn¡¯t withstand a single move, rendering all their aspirations mere illusions before Kang Shi. What use was there to resist? Having admitted his wrongdoing, the First Elder sought to distance Kang Yan from the affair. If he persisted in denial, Kang Yan might be ensnared in future consequences. Why risk it? With no ulterior motives left, the First Elder only wished for Kang Shi to spare Yan¡¯er. Despite Yan¡¯er¡¯s frequent disappointments, he remained his child. What more could he do? The First Elder gazed at Kang Yan, still hopeful, and uttered, ¡°I am at fault. Stray no further. Devote yourself to cultivation within the n and apany Ziluo. I ask for nothing more.¡± Having said this, he offered no resistance. n members pulled Kang Yan away.
The n Leader pronounced Kang Shi guilty, leading to his apprehension. The multitude that had rushed in from Kang Shi¡¯s side dispersed. The First Elder¡¯s actions were expected by everyone; the situation was clear. Kang Yan, realizing hisck of options, darted around aimlessly. Ultimately, he grasped the harsh reality that, no matter where he turned, the course of events was beyond alteration. After an extended period of aimless running, Kang Yan eventually recalled Ziluo and hastily sought her out. During these recent days, Ziluo had faced a string of misfortunes. Enduring mistreatment from Kang Shi was one thing, but Kang Yan¡¯s actions hadpounded her troubles. Injured and subjected to Kang Yan¡¯s physical aggression, she sought refuge in the True Martial Race. To her dismay, she discovered she couldn¡¯t leave the Ana Race at all, leading Ziluo to roam about aimlessly. Despite her protests, she realized that making a scene was futile. Choosing to surrender to the circumstances, she opted to conceal herself for recovery. Once healed, she could reassess the situation. As for the rest, she would take things at her own pace. Even if they intended to confine him within the Ana Race for the rest of his life, her father would eventually sense something amiss and actively search for her. With this reassurance in her heart, Ziluo remainedposed. She had been remarkably well-behaved in recent days. When Kang Yan eventually found her, he witnessed Ziluo tending to her injuries. He pulled her close and remarked, ¡°Do you still find the mood to attend to this now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Father has been arrested, and we¡¯re in a precarious situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We need to strategize. Perhaps we should return to the True Martial Race and leverage your father¡¯s influence. We must take action; otherwise, how can we endure our time in the Ana Race?¡± Kang Yan expressed his concerns anxiously. Ziluo regarded him with an icy stare. The matter seemed of little consequence to her, as if it were unrted to her. ¡°Oh,¡± Ziluo responded calmly, then remarked, ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡±
¡°How could it not concern you? You married me, Kang Yan; we are one. With Father facing trouble, do you believe we¡¯ll lead a peaceful life in the future?¡± Chapter 2605: Ice Flame Continent 63 Chapter 2605: Ice me Continent 63 @@novelbin@@ Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°When I regain my strength, I¡¯ll give him a few beatings to release my anger. He had the audacity to strike me like that. I¡¯ll never forgive him!¡± Ziluo seethed with anger at the mere thought. She also harbored deep resentment over past events. ¡°Alright, alright, do as you please,¡± the n Leader of the True Martial Race acquiesced. Now that Kang Yan had lost the protection of his father, he was merely a useless pawn in the eyes of the n Leader. Such a person could be treated as the n Leader saw fit. Naturally, he was willing to indulge Ziluo. Ziluo finally felt a semnce of relief. In the Ana Race, everything had been disagreeable. Now that she was back in the True Martial Race, it felt like returning to a semnce of normalcy. Just as things seemed settled¡­ The Ana n¡¯s members arrived. Surprisingly, Kang Shi himself led the group. The n Leader of the True Martial Race felt a sense of disbelief. He had already shown restraint by not actively pursuing Kang Shi, and it was unexpected that the Ana Race would seek him out. Facing this unexpected turn of events, the n Leader of True Martial Race remained remarkablyposed. He met Kang Shi and the others with a smile on his face, as if he were enjoying a spectacle. ¡°Why? Why have youe to my True Martial Race?¡± ¡°They are here to retrieve our people,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded, her expression impassive. Retrieve people from the Ana n? The n Leader of True Martial Race couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Why would someone from your Ana Racee to our True Martial Race to look for someone?¡± ¡°Kang Yan, Ziluo, they left the n yesterday and came to the True Martial Race. We are taking them back today,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated expressionlessly. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Kang Yan is my son-inw, and Ziluo is my daughter. It¡¯s entirely normal for them to be in the True Martial Race. Why must you bring them back?¡± The n Leader of True Martial Race asserted forcefully. ¡°They are now affiliated with the Ana Tribe, and the First Elder is nning a rebellion. Having ties with the First Elder, they are being transferred to the intermediate level, and we need them to return with us for investigation,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered emotionlessly. ¡°It has nothing to do with my daughter. Kang Yan can be handed over to you, but my daughter cannot. Ziluo, my daughter, has been married for a brief period. First, she endured mistreatment from your Ana Race. Now, she is entangled in inexplicableplications. I haven¡¯t had the chance to settle scores with you. Are you really seeking to investigate my daughter?¡± the n Leader of True Martial Race retorted. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, give Kang Yan to me, and we will examine Ziluo¡¯s situationter. If it doesn¡¯t involve you, the Ana Race will be held ountable.¡± Gu Chaoyan turned her gaze to Kang Shi. His current cultivation level was undeniably high. His daring arrival indicated a certain level of confidence. The n Leader of True Martial Race didn¡¯t wish to be entangled with the Ana Race over Kang Yan. He nned to strategize once the immediate matter was resolved. He promptly arranged for someone to bring Kang Yan over and handed him to Kang Shi. ¡°Is that sufficient?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded, temporarily satisfied. ¡°Father-inw! What is the meaning of this? I am innocent!¡± Kang Yan shouted anxiously. His return was already challenging, and now he was being taken back again. Kang Yan dared not contemte the consequences. The n Leader of True Martial Race responded impassively, ¡°Our True Martial Race won¡¯t bear the consequences of baseless actionsmitted by you and your father. Let¡¯s return and conduct the investigation.¡± Chapter 2608: Ice Flame Continent 66 Chapter 2608: Ice me Continent 66 Editor:Henyee Trantions He still wore a perplexed expression. Kang Shi seemed to have undergone a transformation, evolving from his former oily self to an enigmatic figure. No one could ascertain if he was open to negotiations or what he truly intended. This greatly irked the n Leader of True Martial Race. Upon rejoining the scene, he found that the Ana n members had hastily departed. His countenance darkened. Ziluo rushed over, observing the displeased expression on the n Leader of True Martial Race¡¯s face. ¡°Is Kang Shi here? How is he?¡± ¡°How is he?¡± The n Leader of True Martial Race snorted in discontent. ¡°Nothing remarkable. He¡¯s still young and has managed certain matters well. However, his arrogance knows no bounds; he even disregards my authority.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Individuals like Kang Shi no longer harbor affection for you. Cooperate with other races, marry as you please, and don¡¯t dwell on anything else.¡±
¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can the True Martial Race truly allow you to remain in the n? Think about the rumors that will circte.¡± The n Leader of True Martial Race spoke sternly, ¡°Regarding other matters, it¡¯s beyond your concern. I will handle the affair with the Ana Race together with Kang Shi.¡± With that, he left discontentedly, sweeping his sleeves. Ziluo looked at her father. ¡°Father!¡± Ziluo felt aggrieved. It was her father who had chosen Kang Yan in the first ce. How could she be held responsible for the current situation? If Kang Shi showed reluctance, he would indeed refuse to assist her. In the end, she was not his favored daughter. Ziluo began to create amotion. Eventually, the n Leader of True Martial Race had her confined, saving himself from the hassle of her incessant chatter. Whether or not she was truly his daughter depended on her perceived value. Aside from causing embarrassment, Ziluo had little else to offer. What was there to make a fuss about? Previously, her actions went unpunished because of her lingering feelings for Kang Shi. Now, it was clear that Kang Shi not onlycked any sentiments for her but also harbored disdain. Hence, the n Leader had to deal with her promptly, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t remain in the n. If Kang Shi declined cooperation with the True Martial Race, it could jeopardize the interests of the n, posing a significant issue. The n Leader of True Martial Race had formted new ns for Ziluo, considering her actions that had stirred turmoil in the True Martial Race. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan, who had sessfully manipted the situation, was escorting Kang Yan back to the Ana Race. Theck of assistance from the True Martial Race towards the First Elder was a consequence of the coveted pills. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s earlier endeavors had proven worthwhile. As for coborating with the True Martial Race¡­ ¡°Gao Zhuo, do you really think I would cooperate with the True Martial Race?¡± Kang Shi asked, sensing Gao Zhuo¡¯s concerns. Despite the True Martial Race¡¯s formidable power, Kang Shi held a strong aversion towards them.
¡°I would rather see the Ana Race not be more powerful, and I would never ally with a deceitful entity. Who would have thought that it would lead to my own demise?¡± Gu Chaoyan dered, providing Gao Zhuo with a definitive answer. ¡°Not only will we refrain from coboration, but if we uncover any interference by the True Martial Race in the Ana Race¡¯s affairs, I will personally address each member of the True Martial Race involved.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He colluded with the First Elder and probably did many things behind your back.¡±
Chapter 2611: Top-notch Golden Immortal Dao Ancestor 2 Chapter 2611: Top-notch Golden Immortal Dao Ancestor 2 Editor:Henyee Trantions What remained conspicuously unspoken was the general disregard from other races towards the n Leader of the True Martial Race. It seemed as though they were deliberately turning a blind eye to his existence, behaving as if they werepletely unaware of his position. Despite his simmering anger, the n Leader of the True Martial Race found himself powerless in the face of this tant disregard. In a hurried attempt to break free from the stagnation, the n Leader orchestrated the swift marriage of his youngest daughter to the second son of a lesser n leader within the same month. Finally, the True Martial Race had something to upy themselves with, a much-needed distraction from their recent woes. However, their respite was short-lived, as they soon received unsettling news. The Ana Race, the Heaven Race, the Five Grains Race, and others were entering into cooperative alliances. The Ana Race contributed pills, and in return, the other races provided resources apart from medicinal pills. For instance, the Ana Race might receive a certain quantity of medicinal pills, and in exchange, the Heaven Race would grant them ess to their back mountain for hunting demon beasts. While each race contributed different resources, they all agreed to coborate. Even some smaller ns on the continent forged partnerships with the Ana Race, excluding the True Martial Race. Was this a sign of the True Martial Race being ostracized on the continent? The races benefiting from the pills were flourishing, growing stronger under their influence, while the True Martial Racecked such vital resources, steadily weakening. As time psed, the grim possibility of them having no ce to reside on the continent loomed over them. Contemting the future filled the n Leader of the True Martial Race with apprehension. He could onlyment his past decisions.
Why did he meddle in the power struggles of other races? Had he refrained from interference, the Ana Race would have remained distinct, and the True Martial Race would have retained its identity. The current animosity might never have arisen, and regretfully, the n Leader couldn¡¯t help but rue his past actions. Indeed, had they not severed the engagement in the past, what would the fate of the True Martial Race be now? The n Leader of the True Martial Race hesitated to delve too deeply into that contemtion, consumed by an overwhelming sense of regret that drained his vitality. In that same year, Kang Shi¡¯s father, Kang Li, who doubled as the n Leader of the Impermanence n, contemted passing his position to Kang Shi. However, Kang Shi declined the offer, opting instead to embark on a journey of training. Kang Li, respecting his decision, allowed him to go. Before Kang Shi set out, he entrusted Gao Zhuo and Little Junior Sister as the n Leader¡¯s trusted aides. Meanwhile, seizing the opportunity presented by Kang Shi¡¯s departure, Gao Zhuo and Little Junior Sister, having recently confirmed their intentions, expedited their wedding banquet to support Kang Shi. Following the celebration, Kang Shi departed to fulfill his mission. As the task concluded, Gu Chaoyan, unlike her previous ease, experienced a weighty sense of relief. The past ambition of elevating her cultivation level for revenge against Pei Yueling lost its luster upon discovering the truth about Huaijin¡ªa mere clone. Now hesitant, she refrained from delving too deeply into matters, grappling with a newfound fear of the unknown. In a moment of recollection within the Chaotic Space, memories of the first encounter with Zhou Huaijin and their tea-drinking scene in winter sparked excitement in Gu Chaoyan. Energized by the memories, she entered the tempering space, eager to engage in the process.@@novelbin@@ The cultivation level of a distinguished Golden Immortal Dao Ancestor was awe-inspiring. Gu Chaoyan, feeling a weight lifted, released a sigh of relief. Exiting the chaotic space, she now harbored two determined goals. Firstly, she sought to locate Emperor Cang, questioning him about the reason behind his clone¡¯s involvement in her life and the assistance provided. Secondly, she demanded the return of his clone¡ªHuaijin belonged to her, not merely as a clone. Chapter 2616: Mission 2 Chapter 2616: Mission 2 Editor:Henyee Trantions The third branch of the Yan family depended on the food they had diligently saved over time for their sustenance. With their provisions now stolen, what options did they have left for their meals? While a few of them could endure hunger, it was not an option for their ailing mother. Yan Dandong, overwhelmed with anxiety, was on the verge of tears. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Gu Chaoyan sighed deeply. This mission proved to be more challenging than the cultivation-oriented ones, posing a considerable headache. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. No one can take anything away from us,¡± Gu Chaoyan assured. ¡°Sister, but you¡­¡± Yan Dandong hesitated, not due to ack of trust in her sister, but out of concern for her sister¡¯s well-being. Her sister had already fainted from injuries, and entrusting her with such intricate matters raised worries about her sister¡¯s health. The fear was palpable in Yan Dandong¡¯s eyes. Gu Chaoyan sighed again. Though the Yan family¡¯s children demonstrated remarkable maturity, their sensibility held little value in their harsh environment. Despite their wisdom, they were still being driven to the brink of survival. While their mother could shield them from some challenges in good health, the prospect of her illness left them vulnerable and unprotected.
Ultimately, the assets of the third branch of the Yan family were at risk of being divided, and the daughters were being hastily married off¡ªa distressing fate. Fortunately, Gu Chaoyan was present to offer protection. As Yan Danqiu and Yan Dandong conversed, amotion erupted outside. It seemed someone was attempting to force their way in by kicking the door. Yan Dandong, ovee with anxiety, shouted frantically, ¡°It must be them again. I¡¯ve tried to block the door with various items, but it¡¯s not holding!¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded. It wasmendable that Yan Dandong could handle the situation at such a young age. Now, it was Gu Chaoyan¡¯s turn. Surveying the room, Gu Chaoyan turned to Yan Dandong. ¡°Go, bring me some knives from the kitchen.¡± ¡°Sister, what are you going to do?¡± Yan Dandong asked, puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just bring them here,¡± Gu Chaoyan reassured. Yan Dandong hurriedly fetched the knives. After a short while, Gu Chaoyan held two knives in her hands. She stepped out with determination. As she emerged, individuals from the clueless branch of the Yan family were already entering the courtyard. Having heard that the eldest branch had taken away a substantial amount of noodles, they hade, not anticipating the resistance from the younger members. Their audacity surprised them.@@novelbin@@ Without acknowledging Yan Danqiu and Yan Dandong in the courtyard, they proceeded to invade. Gu Chaoyan confronted them. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What are you doing? Retrieve your belongings,¡± dered someone from the second branch of the Yan Family self-righteously. ¡°Take something? It belongs to my family, and you think you can just take it?¡± Gu Chaoyan questioned with a cold expression. ¡°Why not? Your father passed away early, and we were the ones looking after you. Isn¡¯t that what we should do? You useless people still dare to obstruct us. Do you believe that we, from the second branch of the Yan Family, won¡¯t abandon you anymore?¡± arrogantly retorted the person from the second branch.
¡°Enough, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Go home,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied sternly. The second branch of the Yan Family was about to respond, but upon hearing this, they swallowed their words. ¡°Useless thing, get out of the way.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need you to search for anything. You can leave now,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated icily. ¡°You don¡¯t need us? Fine. If the Jiang family breaks off the engagement with you, don¡¯te running to us in tears.¡±
Chapter 2620: Mission 6 Chapter 2620: Mission 6 Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°But you¡¯re aware that Uncle¡¯s family is not a good family, and they won¡¯t let us live peacefully either. Tomorrow, lock the door and stay at home. Don¡¯t go out, and don¡¯t open the door, no matter who calls you. Wait for me toe back,¡± Gu Chaoyan advised. ¡°Sister, where are you going?¡± Yan Dandong inquired. Gu Chaoyan pondered for a moment. Even if she wasn¡¯t sure they fullyprehended her words, Gu Chaoyan respected the two sisters of the Yan family and decided to share everything with them. ¡°The reason for our current situation is mainly because weck support. If we want to improve our lives, we need our own strategies and some people who appear capable of supporting us. Our father mentioned to me before that there are valuable wild medicinal herbs in the mountains. Our North Vige specializes in cultivating medicinal herbs for a living. If we can find a way to locate those medicinal herbs and sell them¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Firstly, we¡¯ll have some money for a fresh start.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Secondly, we can approach our father¡¯s former employer, the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy. If our ingredients are of high quality, they might provide assistance, allowing us to lead a better life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I need to think about it more, but that¡¯s all I cane up with for now.¡± Gu Chaoyan had considered the options but preferred not to delve too deeply into the intricacies, fearing they might find it overwhelming. Yan Danxia and Yan Dandong remained silent for a while. They were still young and required time to process this information. After a lengthy pause¡­ Yan Danxia inquired with confusion, ¡°But finding those medicinal herbs can¡¯t be that easy, can it?¡± ¡°Father already told me the approximate location, so I just need to invest some time and effort. Father believed it was a pity to unearth them, so he left them there. But unexpectedly, so many unforeseen things happened,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined, feeling a tinge of guilt. She knew that her father had passed away, making it convenient for her to weave some fabrications, or else her two sisters might not believe her. Uncertain about finding medicinal herbs on the mountain, Gu Chaoyan had a backup n. If the mountain yielded nothing, she could retrieve some from her interspace. Either way, she couldn¡¯t afford to lose in terms of confidence. Her two sisters needed to believe her. In the current predicament of the Yan family, maintaining their morale was crucial. They had to restrain their frustration, or everything would crumble. Yan Danxia and Yan Dandong, being still young, ced trust in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s words. Both wore serious expressions, anticipating the future and feeling a sense of responsibility for safeguarding the family. To prevent them from rushing ahead, Gu Chaoyan advised, ¡°Go and get some rest. I¡¯m going to check on Mom.¡± The two children obediently nodded. Gu Chaoyan went to see Mrs. Yan. As long as she was alive, there was hope for recovery, so Gu Chaoyan wasn¡¯t overly anxious. Upon entering the room, the scent of medicine filled the air, amon urrence for someone bedridden for an extended period. Danxia had brought some food earlier, and Gu Chaoyan noticed that Mrs. Yan hadn¡¯t eaten much. Concerned, she approached and said, ¡°Mom, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± @@novelbin@@ ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Take it and eat it. My body can¡¯t take it anymore. There¡¯s no need to waste these things. I¡¯m useless. I can¡¯t protect you.¡± Chapter 2624: Mission 10 Chapter 2624: Mission 10 Editor:Henyee Trantions Ms. Wang suddenly fell silent. After a moment of quiet, her eyes reddened. Then, she smiled again¡ªa grateful smile. As a mother, her heart twinged with a bit of pain. However, in that ache, she found reassurance knowing what her daughters were capable of. All three of them were girls, and she had worried about what would be of them without her. Yet, observing their resilience, she felt a sense of relief. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you girls can manage this. However, there¡¯s no need to make things too challenging,¡± Ms. Wang said, her concern evident. ¡°After all, you aredies.¡± Gu Chaoyan understood Ms. Wang¡¯s underlying worry. She was concerned about their well-being. Responding calmly, Gu Chaoyan exined, ¡°My father shared some information with me in the past. There are old medicinal herbs on the mountain. Today, I went up and encountered my father¡¯s old friend. He assisted me in digging them up. They are all hundreds of years old ginseng and dragon roots, along with some younger ones that I brought back.¡± ¡°¡­¡±
¡°Now, Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle are coveting our 15 acres of fertilend. That¡¯s why they are pressuring us like this. We must protect our field. Beyond safeguarding these herbs, the crucial thing is to secure an escape route.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ginseng and dragon roots¡ªwe¡¯ll sell half of the hundred-year-old ones and keep the other half. We need the money from the sale. Additionally, we¡¯ll rely on the Lin Family¡¯s shop for support.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Keep the remaining half. We¡¯ll use it when the time is right. I¡¯ll figure out a way to cultivate the younger ones,¡± Gu Chaoyan outlined her n. ¡°Mom, we won¡¯t face hardship. As long as we stick together, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If we truly can¡¯t defend it, we¡¯ll temporarily move out of the North Vige and use the funds to secure a ce in the city. We can reim it in the future. As long as we hold the title deed, there¡¯s nothing to fear.¡± Ms. Wang¡¯s eyes brightened progressively, filled with hope and anticipation for the future. If they could execute Danqiu¡¯s n, she believed there was nothing to be afraid of. She recognized that the most crucial thing now was for her children to lead good lives. Material possessions were ultimately transient.@@novelbin@@ Hope permeated the atmosphere within the family. At that moment, Danxia brought the food over. The aroma of rabbit meat filled the air. Danxia¡¯s culinary skills weremendable, nearly on par with Ms. Wang¡¯s. Growing up in a modest household, children learned to take on responsibilities early. By the time they reached their teenage years, they were already adept at various tasks. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± Dandong eximed, unable to contain her drooling at the scent. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even reached your mouth, and you already im it¡¯s delicious?¡± Danxia teased. ¡°Second Sister made it. It¡¯s always delicious, especially meat,¡± Dandong retorted mischievously. ¡°You¡¯re just fixated on the meat. Luckily, our eldest sister is here, so we have meat to eat,¡± Danxia agreed. Gu Chaoyan smiled, a bit surprised. She had briefed Ms. Wang on the current situation but refrained from mentioning their visit to Yan Danxia¡¯s house tomorrow. She worried that it might weigh on Ms. Wang¡¯s mind, which could impede her recovery.
As for the details, they would naturally unfold after tomorrow. Specting at this point served little purpose. There was a lot of rabbit meat. The four of them opened their stomachs and ate, but they did not finish it. Hence, they kept it. they could still have a meal tomorrow. If that was the case¡­
Chapter 2629: Mission 15 Chapter 2629: Mission 15 Editor:Henyee Trantions Yan Danqiu brought Danxia back, attracting the attention of many onlookers who treated it like a spectacle. ¡°Danqiu, the Jiang family canceled your engagement. You¡¯ll need to marry again, right? Tell me what kind of person you like, and I¡¯ll find a suitable match for you,¡± a meddler inquired. ¡°If you can¡¯t marry Schr Jiang, consider marrying a young man from our northern vige. Your family owns so muchnd and medicinal fields. If you bring these with you, everyone will have to provide for you. You won¡¯t have to worry.¡± Gu Chaoyan frowned and replied, ¡°No need,¡± before leading Danxia away. She was genuinely weary of such spections. Even in a less advanced world, things wouldn¡¯t be as backward. With the failed attempt of the old house members to seize the fields, it was likely that the vigers in the northern vige would now be eyeing theirnd. In that case, a new n was necessary.@@novelbin@@ It might not affect her much, but Danxia and Dandong couldn¡¯t bear the consequences. She needed toe up with a solution.
Gu Chaoyan returned with a troubled expression. At the Yan family¡¯s old house, First Yan and Second Yan expressed their dissatisfaction. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s happening? After Third Brother left, those belongings were divided among us brothers. Why did you leave them for those useless people?¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t they have a share? Don¡¯t you understand? We need to reim the fields. Didn¡¯t Third split up? If those good-for-nothings refuse, can you still seize it? Make them willing if they¡¯re unwilling. If they resist, force them into agreement. Can¡¯t they use their brains to figure something out?¡± Old Man Yan scolded. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they realize they can¡¯t live well without our support? Let them suffer. Convince those few people to exert more pressure. After intimidating them for a few days, they¡¯ll naturallye back. By then, they might even take the initiative to hand over the fields. Won¡¯t they still be ours?¡± Old Man Yan looked at his sons as if they were clueless. If it weren¡¯t for his son, he would have scolded them earlier. First Yan and Second Yan suddenly saw the light. Why hadn¡¯t they thought of such a method? ¡°Father, we understand. We¡¯ll handle it now. In less than three days, we¡¯ll definitely make them surrender and reim thend,¡± First Yan dered. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Old Man Yan replied and continued drinking. Ever since their Third Brother separated from the family, their life had been thriving, but the days in the old house were bing worse. Fortunately, things were gradually improving. Once they got thend, Jiang Changxiu would willingly marry Damei. With the addition of a field in the old house, life was improving. After settling the affairs of those girls, Third¡¯s house could be vacated. The old couple could leave, saving them the trouble of squeezing in here. Old Man Yan still held high hopes for the future. As for Yan Danqiu, she returned with Danxia. However, she sensed that things weren¡¯t proceeding as smoothly as expected, prompting her to devise alternative ns. In the North Vige, only sons were acknowledged, and without a male in the house, all eyes were on them.
Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t consider it a significant issue, but she knew the necessity of finding a solution. She called Mother Yan and Dandong out, and they began to discuss. ¡°What happened outside?¡± Ms. Wang asked. ¡°The people from the old house want ournd, but I refused. Now we¡¯ve asked the Land Officer to be our witness, so we can keep thend, and the people from the old house won¡¯t bother us anymore,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined truthfully, choosing not to mention the annulment issue to spare Ms. Wang¡¯s feelings.
Chapter 2633: Mission 19 Chapter 2633: Mission 19 Editor:Henyee Trantions The joy in the family was palpable. That night, they dined on some vegetables, a simple meal that didn¡¯t dampen their spirits. Tomorrow, they looked forward to enjoying the chicken Auntie Lianhua had brought. As Gu Chaoyan reflected on the day, she resolved to bring back more provisions for her family during her city visit. While she could manage other aspects gradually, ensuring they had enough to eat was a priority. The family retired for the night in contentment. The following morning, Gu Chaoyan headed to the city, her basketden with ginseng and dragon root, covered by ayer of wild vegetables. As she approached, curious nces and hushed conversations followed her. The Yan family¡¯s third branch had be a vige gossip focal point, with one father¡¯s demise and the annulment of the engagement. Unperturbed, Gu Chaoyan paid little attention to the vige chatter, proceeding confidently to the ox-cart, where she paid the fare and boarded. ¡°Why are you going to the city, Danqiu? The Jiang family broke off the engagement. Do you still have the mood to go to the city?¡± someone inquired, attempting to stir the pot. ¡°We may have ended the engagement, but we still need to live, don¡¯t we?¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted.
Realizing Yan Danqiu wasn¡¯t one to engage in idle talk, the inquirer grew disinterested. Yet, as nces met, others couldn¡¯t resist scrutinizing Yan Danqiu, unable to resist the vige¡¯s gossip mill. Gu Chaoyan brushed off the scrutiny, ustomed to the North Vige residents¡¯ behavior. Upon reaching the city, she made her way directly to the Lin Family¡¯s shop. The Lin Family¡¯s shopkeeper initially assumed Gu Chaoyan came to purchase medicine. ¡°What medicine are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy medicine. I¡¯m from the Yan Family in North Vige, and I¡¯vee to sell medicine. I¡¯d like to see your manager,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated bluntly. Given the longstanding coboration between her father and the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy, locating them was rtively straightforward. Upon hearing it was the Yan family, the shopkeeper promptly informed their manager. The pharmacy¡¯s manager soon emerged, a man of short stature. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Yan Family face a mishap? What happened? Do you still have medicine?¡± Gu Chaoyan held no ill feelings toward this shopkeeper; their interaction had always been professional. ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s effective. Would you like to take a look?¡± Gu Chaoyan invited Dao Seeking. The Lin Family¡¯s manager nodded and guided her inside. The Yan family¡¯s herbs were consistently well-cultivated, asionally featuring rare varieties. He wondered if any remained. Gu Chaoyan seemed more cautious in her approach to selling. As they reached the backyard, the shopkeeper was about to speak when he turned and was taken aback. A substantial ginseng, exceptionally rare, caught his eye. It was the kind nobles sent to the pce in the capital. Selling it there would fetch a high price, and he pondered the profit. Such luxurious items were unheard of from the Yan family in the past. ¡°Did your father leave this behind?¡± he inquired.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Chaoyan admitted. ¡°Are you interested, or should I bring something else?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, but how much are you asking for it?¡± the Lin Family¡¯s manager asked Dao Seeking.
¡°Before that, open it. Let me take a look,¡± Gu Chaoyan insisted. ¡°In the capital, this type of ginseng could fetch a hundred taels, but here, I can offer you seventy,¡± the shopkeeper suggested. Seventy taels for such a rare ginseng of this age? Gu Chaoyan was forthright, ¡°Two hundred taels.¡±
Chapter 2637: Mission 23 Chapter 2637: Mission 23 Editor: Henyee Trantions She didn¡¯t endorse spending money recklessly across two provinces. She believed in using the money judiciously within her means. At present, they had the necessary resources, and it was imperative to procure essential items. Gu Chaoyan purchased some pork for meat, not in excess as there was no need. Recently, Auntie Lianhua had brought over a chicken, and upon her return, Gu Chaoyan could hunt as well. Therefore, a modest amount of pork sufficed. Additionally, she picked up some snacks for Danxia and Dandong, anticipating their liking. @@novelbin@@ After a thorough shopping session, Gu Chaoyan found that there wasn¡¯t much to buy. Food and beverages were easily obtainable, and a few clothes were sufficient. They could wait until they had more free time to make custom clothes. The day progressed smoothly. Gu Chaoyan returned home early, and the shopping excursion took less time than expected. Upon her return, she brought many items with her. While sitting on the ox cart, discussions ensued, but Gu Chaoyan chose to ignore them. However, she made a mental note to add a wagon to the household. Apart from the convenience, it would allow her to avoid meddling neighbors. Though money was currently scarce, nning for it in the future was a viable option. As she approached home, Gu Chaoyan sensed something amiss. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a group of people gathered around the house, engaged in what seemed like a heated argument. Sure enough¡­ As Gu Chaoyan approached, she recognized the people from the old house. Yan Tieniu and his daughter, Yan Jinhua, were among them. Yan Jinhua tightly held something in her hand. Gu Chaoyan returned and questioned directly, ¡°Danxia, what¡¯s going on?¡± Yan Danxia¡¯s eyes were slightly red, revealing a sense of being bullied and wronged. ¡°Yan Jinhua stole my clothes. Those are my favorite clothes,¡± Yan Danxia reluctantly exined. ¡°How is it stealing? Don¡¯t you have plenty of clothes? If Jinhua likes it, can¡¯t you just give it to her? After all, Jinhua is still your cousin,¡± Yan Tieniu asserted confidently. ¡°Give it back to her!¡± Gu Chaoyan¡¯s voice resonated with anger. She wondered what could make Danxia feel so aggrieved. Now she understood. The people from the second branch of the Yan Family were truly shameless, even resorting to snatching clothes. Ms. Wang attempted to make peace, thinking it was just clothes. It was eptable if Danxia gave it up, but it would be best if nothing else happened. She subtly hinted at Ms. Wang with her eyes. However, Gu Chaoyan did notply. ¡°Jinhua likes it. Why be so petty? Moreover, Jinhua should dress better for herself. Are you jealous of our Jinhua?¡± Yan Tieniu was agitated, showing reluctance to return the clothes. He could say anything to defend his actions. ¡°Give it back to her!¡± Gu Chaoyan reiterated. Ms. Wang attempted to intervene, but Yan Jinhua clung even tighter to the clothes, unwilling to return them. Gu Chaoyan picked up a branch from the ground and tapped Yan Jinhua¡¯s hand, causing her to release the clothes in pain. Gu Chaoyan took them back and handed them to Danxia, saying, ¡°What¡¯s yours is yours. If you want to give it to her, we¡¯ll willingly give it. If not, no one can take it away. I¡¯m here to help you.¡± Chapter 2641: Mission 27 Chapter 2641: Mission 27 Editor:Henyee Trantions Thetter referred to the fact that these young girls had already been married, and now they were back in the old house. Despite their ability to sit still, they were also able to run to the vige.@@novelbin@@ The Land Officer, however, seemed unhurried. ¡°Why are you so worried? While the county is responsible for household registration, have I not managed these vige matters all these years? The county won¡¯t bother about you as a farmer. You can handle it. Going to the county won¡¯t change anything,¡± Land Officerreassured. But they remained unconvinced. In the past, some vigers were unwilling to provide him with benefits. Even when he went to the county, the county residents paid no attention. That was the harsh reality. Despite their anxiety, Land Officer remained calm. They had the luxury of time. When they faced obstacles in the county, they would inevitably turn to him.
The third branch of the Yan family was affluent, and he intended to impensation. Upon hearing this, Old Man Yan no longer felt rushed. Indeed, that made perfect sense! If they truly adopted him, the affairs of the old house would be irrelevant. How could he not be anxious? Any mishandling of the situation would still have consequences for the old house. Old Man Yan felt a sense of relief. They were simply waiting for their return. The vige hushed once again, anticipating their return and the unfolding results. Meanwhile, the two families had already reached the city. Unrushed, they leisurely enjoyed two bowls of noodles before setting out. Gu Chaoyan, before leaving, made a detour to the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy. Upon her arrival, Manager Lin emerged. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Manager Lin inquired. ¡°The ginseng delivery wille on another day. We¡¯re here in the city for some household registration. Since Manager Lin is in the county, you might be more familiar with the process. Could you direct us to the right ce?¡± Gu Chaoyan asked. Manager Lin considered it a minor affair. ¡°Registration? That¡¯s simple. I¡¯m free right now; I can guide you. It won¡¯t take much time.¡± Gu Chaoyan felt a twinge of awkwardness. ¡°Well, we can manage on our own.¡± ¡°You can, but it might take longer,¡± Manager Lin replied with a friendly smile. In today¡¯s world, those with some influence tended to be amodating. Gu Chaoyan nodded,prehending the situation. ¡°Thank you, Manager Lin.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, she produced some silver. ¡°Is this sufficient?¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much,¡± Manager Lin responded directly. ¡°Usually, one tael is already considered generous for such matters. Household registration isn¡¯t a high-ranking position.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just for this,¡± Gu Chaoyan insisted with a smile. Manager Lin said nothing more. She must have her own reasons for taking this course of action. Manager Lin guided them to the registration office.
Upon reaching the household registration office, the process waspleted within fifteen minutes. Tian Jiu retained his name, but now ¡°Yan¡± preceded it as the family name. Gu Chaoyan discussed the next steps with Manager Lin, then proceeded to purchase a substantial amount of vegetables. nning to host a vige banquet after the wedding, she needed ample provisions. With Auntie Lianhua¡¯s expertise, they faced little concern. All these tasks were efficiently aplished. Upon their return to the vige, anticipation hung in the air. The Land Officer, too, awaited news eagerly. Upon seeing them, he inquired with a smile, ¡°Has the adoption been finalized?¡± ¡°Yes, we will host a dinner at our house the next day,¡± Gu Chaoyan announced generously. The vigers were taken aback by this revtion. Word quickly spread, with some rushing to inform the Land Officer. Chapter 2644: Mission 30 Chapter 2644: Mission 30 Editor:Henyee Trantions The introduction of the herb arrangement improved the atmosphere, fostering a sense of camaraderie with the third branch family for the future. The news of a 100 copper coins assisting fee suddenly heightened everyone¡¯s excitement. A hundred copper coins represented more than half a month¡¯s earnings for someone working outside. With that amount, it was practically a small fortune, and anyone unwilling to participate would seem impractical. ¡°I¡¯m in!¡± ¡°Danqiu, count me in.¡± Enthusiastic shouts erupted from the vigers. The Land Officer found himself pushed forward. Old Man Yan seethed with anger at the thought of someone else receiving that much money. ¡°You¡¯re useless. Always squandering money. If you need help, why not call a few aunts instead of paying an outsider a hundred copper coins? Don¡¯t you understand the principle of not letting the benefits of one¡¯s own work go to others?¡± Old Man Yan promptly took responsibility for the eldest and second son¡¯s families. ¡°We agreed that you wouldn¡¯t interfere in our family matters, so we dared not invite you,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded candidly.
The vigers echoed their discontent. ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re the quickest to sever ties.¡± ¡°Danqiu, ignore him. Choose us.¡± ¡°Alright, the seven of you will do. My mother isn¡¯t in the best health, and my sisters are still young, so we¡¯ll need your assistance. Let¡¯s meet at our house tomorrow morning to discuss,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated with a smile. She managed the situation diplomatically, avoiding offending anyone. The selected individuals were pleased with the arrangement. What more could they ask for? After the others left, only the Land Officer and Old Man Yan remained. Gu Chaoyan politely asked them to leave, stating, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and we need to rest. You can go back now. Join us for the banquet when the timees.¡± With that, she closed the door, feeling a sense of relief. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Danxia eximed in admiration. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t cause any trouble, and don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied casually. Danxia understood her sister¡¯s approach, so there was no need for further discussion. Ms. Wang also expressed happiness at the prospect of a better future. Instead of taking a break, Gu Chaoyan remained seated. ¡°After the banquet, it will be time to start the nting process. Hiring people is a concern.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking that Tian Jiu still has two brothers. The Tian family still has hunting to do, but we can assign one of them to take care of the fields. We can find a few suitable individuals in the vige and have Tian Jiu¡¯s brother oversee them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Our main goal is to venture into the shops in Luo City.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Fight for it. We can establish a good shop for Danxia and Dandong before they get married.¡± Gu Chaoyan was nning ahead.
Danxia and Dandong were slightly taken aback. ¡°We won¡¯t get married. We¡¯ll stay with Sister and Mother.¡± ¡°Hahaha, there are women who choose not to get married. Don¡¯t worry about me. With Tian Jiu here and your frequent visits, I¡¯ll be content,¡± Ms. Wang reassured. Danxia and Dandong weren¡¯t rebellious. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a break for now. The cook will be here tomorrow morning.¡±
¡°Okay.¡± Everyone dispersed to get some rest.@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan smiled, sensing that things were progressing well, and her mood naturally lifted. The following morning, everyone assembled promptly. With a meal at a rate of 100 copper coins, no one dared to be tardy. Gu Chaoyan discussed with them the menu, what ingredients to purchase, and the quantities needed. She intended to handle the shopping herself; if she wanted things done right, she would have to depend on these individuals. This time¡­ Gu Chaoyan brought Tian Jiu along. As a young boy, he needed to broaden his experiences and see more of the world. Chapter 2647: Mission 33 Chapter 2647: Mission 33 Editor:Henyee Trantions Manager Lin didn¡¯t delve into specifics, but he made no effort to conceal the support they had from influential figures in the capital, including the lords. These words carried weight, particrly because the county magistrate was present. Manager Lin¡¯s presence was a clear endorsement of their cause. It sent a strong message that, in the future, no one in North Vige would dare to hinder their business endeavors in the city. As expected¡­ These words instilled fear in the vigers of North Vige. However, Gu Chaoyan remainedposed. The approval of the adults in the capital for the ginseng and dragon root would undoubtedly prove beneficial in the long run. ¡°Manager Lin, thank you; I understand,¡± Gu Chaoyan acknowledged. ¡°Please enjoy your meal, and we can continue our discussion afterward.¡± While Gu Chaoyan was familiar with Manager Lin, the identities of the other two individuals eluded her. Nevertheless, she extended polite greetings, recognizing that those in Manager Lin¡¯spany held a respectable status.
Without any indication from Manager Lin, Gu Chaoyan refrained from probing further. Instead, she maintained a courteous demeanor. ¡°Feel free to proceed; our main purpose here is to partake in your family¡¯s subsequent banquet,¡± Manager Lin stated with a smile. Gu Chaoyan returned to her duties. Following this exchange, Gu Chaoyan remained calm, but anxiety gripped the vigers of North Vige. Observing the county magistrate¡¯s apparent indifference, Yan Danqiu spected on the connections he might have. The realization dawned that the county magistrate might not only have ties with him but could also hold influence with officials in the capital. The implications were unsettling, leaving them in a state of fear and confusion. Fortunately, Third Yan¡¯s family was spared from bullying. It became apparent that the county magistrate had yed a role in facilitating the adoption, exining his earlier assertion that it wasn¡¯t a challenging process. The county magistrate had already taken steps, potentially making the ownership transfer less cumbersome. Internally, they wanted to voice their frustrations. The current atmosphere was subdued, with everyone eating cautiously. Land Officer¡¯splexion shifted to a shade of green. In the prevailing circumstances, his position looked unfavorable. The capabilities of the Yan family surprised him. He shot an irritated look at Old Man Yan, holding him responsible for the hostilities with Third Yan¡¯s family. If not for them, Land Officer wouldn¡¯t have found himself in this adversarial situation. His dissatisfaction with Old Man Yan knew no bounds. He harbored resentment, convinced that their misfortune was a direct result of Old Man Yan¡¯s actions. Old Man Yan, at this point, had witheredpletely, clueless about the unfolding dynamics. It seemed apparent that the people from their old house not only failed to seize the coveted 15 acres ofnd but were also denied a share of the newfound glory. Presently, everyone seated had divergent thoughts. The Jiang family, in particr, found it hard to sit still. They abandoned their meals, and a few discreetly left. Their purpose?@@novelbin@@
To inform Jiang Caixiu¡¯s family. As a schr, if Jiang Caixiu could establish a connection with the county magistrate, his future career prospects would undoubtedly be smoother. The prospect of Jiang Caixiu attaining an official position held the promise of better lives for those with the surname Jiang. After the banquet, everyone immersed themselves in their own contemtions.
In contrast, the Tian family adopted a more pragmatic approach. They focused on practical actions, such as adding more dishes to Manager Lin¡¯s table, without overthinking the situation. Gratitude yed a significant role. Tian Jiu¡¯s improved life was indebted to Danqiu¡¯s family, and they were more than willing to reciprocate the favor. Danqiu¡¯s family, in turn, remembered the Tian family when benefits arose. For instance, if they acquired a carriage, they could allow Tian Jiu¡¯s brothers to learn from it, creating opportunities for mutual assistance in the future. For the Tian family, this newfound reality felt like a dream. They had unexpectedly found themselves leading a much-improved life. Meanwhile, a considerable number of people from the Jiang family were present. Chapter 2651: Mission 37 Chapter 2651: Mission 37 Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°I¡¯ll work for you now. When I save enough money, I¡¯ll buy my own medicinal field,¡± Tian Liu asserted, a hint of embarrassment coloring his words. His genuine fondness for herb cultivation, nurtured over the years, now motivated him to pursue this passion. ¡°You can pay me less; it¡¯s not an issue.¡± Gu Chaoyan chuckled, appreciating the simplicity and honesty in the young man. Coincidentally, the Yan family possessed fifteen acres of farnd that required attention, making it an ideal fit for Tian Liu¡¯s aspirations. ¡°If you¡¯re willing, that¡¯s wonderful! We have fifteen mu of farnd and five mu ofnd for you to manage. I¡¯ll hire some vigers to assist with nting, and you can supervise them. Feel free to learn on your own when you¡¯re free. I¡¯m not concerned about the sry; you¡¯ll receive one tael of silver per month here. If you perform well, you can earn additional reward money,¡± Gu Chaoyan exined. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll identify suitable helpers.¡± Tian Liu happily nodded in agreement. Auntie Lianhua, thinking the sry might be too generous, considered expressing her concerns. However, Hunter Tian restrained her, prompting her to abandon the idea. ¡°Then I¡¯ll handle the carriage in the future,¡± Tian Qi proposed with a smile. ¡°No, your parents aren¡¯t getting any younger. Aside from managing the wagon, you¡¯ll learn about business operations in the store. When the time is right, you¡¯ll delve into these matters to ensure your parents can enjoy their time,¡± Gu Chaoyan directed. ¡°Since you¡¯re taking on two responsibilities, I¡¯ll pay you two taels of silver.¡± While Gu Chaoyan allowed flexibility, there were aspects she deemed necessary to manage strictly. The two brothers, driven by strong morals and as Tian Jiu¡¯s elder siblings, were willing to contribute.
Auntie Lianhua expressed her reluctance, feeling that the family was gaining too much at the Yan family¡¯s expense. ¡°Auntie Lianhua, if we were to hire someone for these long-term tasks in the city, the cost would be considerably higher. Additionally, I believe that Tian Liu and Tian Qi have promising futures. Wouldn¡¯t it be mutually beneficial for our families to support each other in the future? Consider it my narrow-mindedness,¡± Gu Chaoyan responded with a smile. Auntie Lianhua found herself momentarily unsure of how to respond, torn between epting or rejecting the generous offers. ¡°You both must perform your duties diligently. No matter what the future holds, no matter the Yan family¡¯s fortunes, you must take the lead, understand?¡± Hunter Tian asserted with seriousness. ¡°Understood,¡± the siblings replied solemnly. Hunter Tian exchanged an embarrassed nce with Gu Chaoyan before lowering his head. Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t help but smile, fullyprehending Hunter Tian¡¯s unspoken message¡ªit aligned perfectly with her intentions. The family members were astute, and Gu Chaoyan appreciated her interactions with the Tian family. On the other hand, Auntie Lianhua, being more straightforward, still harbored reservations about the offered sry. Eventually, she was convinced.@@novelbin@@ As darkness settled in, they decided to head back home. The next day, Tian Liu would resume his work. As they gathered at home, Gu Chaoyan addressed her siblings before bedtime, ¡°You all know that the Yan family isn¡¯t to be easily bullied. Be confident when you¡¯re outside, but avoid arrogance. There¡¯s always someone more skilled. Arrogance can lead to consequences like those we witnessed today, understand?¡± Chapter 2654: Mission 40 Chapter 2654: Mission 40 Editor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan was well-acquainted with the intricacies of Jiang Caixiu¡¯s family and their cunning maneuvers. During the previous banquet, the county magistrate¡¯s mention of the Lord of the Capital had triggered their interest. The personal appearance of a schr like Jiang Caixiu indicated the significance of their family¡¯s stature. Despite the visible damage to their reputation, Jiang Caixiu, valuing his pride, remained undeterred, showcasing the determination that brought him to confront the situation. Given these circumstances, Gu Chaoyan deemed it necessary to rify matters and persuade them to abandon their pursuits. She wished for them to relinquish their objectives, freeing herself from further involvement with this family. While she had an affinity for the Yan family, her primary focus remained onpleting her mission efficiently and saving time. Upon hearing Gu Chaoyan¡¯s stance, a smile graced Jiang Caixiu¡¯s face. It seemed Danqiu¡¯s previous confrontation had not fully appeased her, and now, with her anger vented, she was ready for a more civil conversation. Jiang Caixiu wore a smug expression, ncing at Tian Liu with satisfaction. Tian Liu, basking in Dan Qiu¡¯s attention, failed toprehend the source of his pride. Unbeknownst to him, Jiang Caixiu harbored ns to gradually distance Dan Qiu from the Tian family, ensuring they could no longer revel in their past glory. As Jiang Caixiu contemted her schemes, Tian Liu¡¯s face betrayed his concern, primarily for Danqiu¡¯s well-being at the Elementary Schr¡¯s residence, given her previous hardships. Gu Chaoyan, cutting through the tension, took a direct approach. ¡°What is it? Tell me,¡± she prompted, gesturing for a private conversation as she walked to the side. Jiang Caixiu, now adopting a sincere tone, exined, ¡°Danqiu, I led a peaceful life studying in the academy and was unaware of the developments. I only discovered the broken engagement with your family upon returning today. As soon as I learned of it, I apologized to my family and came to apologize to you.¡±
He made it sound like it was a serious matter.@@novelbin@@ If Gu Chaoyan was not a normal person, she would have believed it very soon. Did he not know about the annulment? His mother had echoed simr sentiments just the day before, and Jiang Caixiu¡¯s current words did not align with his own thoughts. It seemed that he considered himself exceptionally intelligent, believing others to be fools easily manipted by his schemes. Gu Chaoyan sighed, subtly shaking her head in response to Jiang Caixiu¡¯s perceived arrogance. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on it any longer; it¡¯s already in the past,¡± she calmly suggested, expressing no desire to engage in further arguments. Disregarding Gu Chaoyan¡¯s suggestion, Jiang Caixiu eagerly proposed, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s consider this matter null and void. My family will formally send the betrothal gifts, and once we are married, such issues won¡¯t resurface.¡± Gu Chaoyan, maintaining herposure, rified, ¡°The engagement has already been terminated. There¡¯s no need to revisit the past. You can forge your path, and I¡¯ll forge mine. Whether you understand the reasons or not, it¡¯s evident that you¡¯re unwilling to marry me. Lack of understanding simply signifies yourck of qualification.¡± Expressing discontent, Jiang Caixiu retorted, ¡°Why? Am I inferior to Tian Liu?¡± Gu Chaoyan, throwing him a discerning look, simply walked away. This action fueled Jiang Caixiu¡¯s anger, prompting him to give chase, determined to seek rification. How could he, an esteemed Elementary Schr, not be considered a suitable match? Chapter 2658: Mission 44 Chapter 2658: Mission 44 Editor:Henyee Trantions Earlier, when Miss Danqiu was present, the Young Master had agreed to Manager Lin¡¯s suggestion. Manager Lin had assumed it was due to the absence of old ginseng, and the recement with these new ones had prompted the agreement. However, now that Manager Lin sought confirmation once more, he aimed to discern the Young Master¡¯s genuine stance toward these ginseng. When the Young Master expressed his approval, Manager Lin, though initially slightly surprised, found it to be entirely reasonable. Having tasted the ginseng tea himself, he acknowledged its exceptional quality, likely surpassing thefort provided by the old ginseng. The Young Master¡¯smitment to safeguarding Miss Danqiu and her family became evident to Manager Lin, influencing his decisions on pricing and future interactions with the Yan family. ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± Manager Lin promptly replied. The Young Master nodded, smiling appreciatively at Manager Lin. While Manager Lin hadn¡¯t made any significant errors or standout achievements at the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy, his recent decisions weremendable. Expressing gratitude, the Young Master continued, ¡°Manager Lin, you¡¯ve been handling your responsibilities at the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy excellently. Considering your age and the family responsibilities, it must be tiring for you. With numerous grandchildren at home, the mansion we¡¯ve provided might not suffice. Therefore, the Lin Family has prepared a new residence for you. You can relocate there with your family and delegate your cab responsibilities to others. Your main focus should be ensuring smoothmunication with the Yan Family to prevent any issues. If you manage it well, your family¡¯s situation will improve.¡± This unexpected offer left Manager Lin surprised, but he quickly expressed his heartfelt thanks. ¡°Thank you, Young Master!¡± Manager Lin eximed with excitement.
¡°Okay,¡± the Young Master replied before taking his leave. Having spent considerable time in the capital, there were numerous matters that had been neglected. With everything now proceeding smoothly, it was time to return to the capital and attend to those pending issues. He promised to find time to visit in the future. Feeling relieved, the Young Master made his way back.@@novelbin@@ Manager Lin swiftly attended to his duties. As for Danqiu, their coborative efforts in procuring ginseng and dragon root had proven fruitful, and the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy hadpensated them. The current situation was eptable, but Manager Lin foresaw challenges ahead. Given the quality of his merchandise, he anticipated potentialpetitors in the future. Therefore, preparing a contract for safety became imperative, along with the necessary gifts. Meanwhile, the Yan family wandered the streets. After purchasing rice, flour, vegetables, and meat, Gu Chaoyan treated them to toys, snacks, and even custom-made clothes. The children enjoyed the outing, and after a few hours of y, they grew tired. Gu Chaoyan then took them to a restaurant for dinner. Tian Qi, Danxia, and Dandong hadn¡¯t experienced dining in the city¡¯s restaurants before, and Gu Chaoyan, generous as always, was eager to share the experience with them. However¡­ She would not indulge them either. She would pamper her where she should be pampered, but when it came to serious matters. Chapter 2660: Mission 46 Chapter 2660: Mission 46 Editor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan treated every member of the Yan Family equally, be it the youngest Dandong or the oldest Ms. Wang. They engaged in open discussions and collectively made decisions. The Yan family operated on a unique principle ¨C if one couldn¡¯t shoulder a burden alone, everyone would unite and be the pirs of support. This collective effort aimed to enhance their lives. ¡°I still have two old ginsengs and the dragon root. I¡¯ll retain them for now, keeping them as a trump card. In case of unforeseen incidents, they can be useful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Additionally, what¡¯s our next step? We nted a small amount of ginseng, and the Lin Family¡¯s medicine shop is pleased with it. If they desire more, we should expand our nting scale. Our five acres of farnd near home is nned to be extended with another five acres nearby. We¡¯ll build a protective wall and cultivate within it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The same applies to the small ginsengs. Send batches to the Lin Family¡¯s medicine shop, but ensure not to deplete the stock. Reserve some in each batch, drying them in the sun for future use.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Our coboration with the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy is stable. Unless any issues arise, maintain the current arrangement.¡±
¡°¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°When we amass enough funds, we¡¯ll venture into the city and purchase shops. If Danxia and Dandong are interested in business, we¡¯ll dive into it. If not, we can lease the shops for additional ie.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else; just remember these guidelines,¡± Gu Chaoyan concluded with a serious tone. Ms. Wang and the others pondered the discussed ns carefully. In contrast, Dandong voiced his confusion, questioning, ¡°Sister, why did you provide such detailed arrangements? Are you leaving us? Otherwise, why n something so distant?¡± Dandong sensed that his sister might not return for a long time. Everyone sensed an underlying issue. In the past, Ms. Wang might not have given much thought to it, assuming it was rted to Danqiu¡¯s marriage. However, given the current circumstances, with Danqiu¡¯s marriage already settled, why was she making such far-reaching ns? ¡°Danqiu, do you already have someone special in your life?¡± Ms. Wang inquired. Gu Chaoyan found it amusing but was unsure how to respond. ¡°No, I just want to rify things for you. Who knows what tomorrow holds? There¡¯s nothing wrong with nning ahead,¡± she exined. Ms. Wang appeared puzzled, uncertain of what Gu Chaoyan intended to convey. The conversationpsed into silence, with no one pressing further. The next day¡­ Manager Lin arrived early in the morning, wearing a cheerful smile and carrying various items. This was precisely what Gu Chaoyan expected. Although they desired the ginseng, the young master hadn¡¯t offered a price, instructing Manager Lin to negotiate it with them. This suggested that the Lin Family¡¯s pharmacy highly valued the ginseng, prompting them to initiate discussions. Gu Chaoyan prepared tea she had bought the previous day, a rtively high-quality option for North Vige standards. It was sufficient for their needs. ¡°I brought you some meat and other food for your regr consumption. Additionally, I believe you can use the fabric the young master brought from the capital. I brought that along too.¡± ¡°¡­¡±
¡°Also¡­.¡± Chapter 2663: Mission 49 Chapter 2663: Mission 49 Editor: Henyee Trantions Not extending an invitation to the Yan family left their family with no potential benefits, causing a sense of dissatisfaction in Yan Tieniu¡¯s heart. He yearned to reim a position superior to the Tian Family. Eager to press the matter, Yan Tieniu prepared to voice his arguments. However, Gu Chaoyan decisively turned away, leaving Yan Tieniu to grapple with his discontent. Auntie Lianhua, observing the scene, couldn¡¯t help expressing her thoughts, ¡°He¡¯s truly shameless.¡± Reflecting on the past and present attitudes of the Yan family from the old residence, Gu Chaoyan sighed, finding the situation troublesome. The Yan Family¡¯s fields and mansion were in close proximity, leading to frequent visits from individuals of the Yan Family¡¯s old residence. Gu Chaoyan, wishing for peace, found the constant disturbances unbearable. Despite initially considering distancing themselves, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t ignore the potential of the original five acres of Yan family¡¯s medicinal field. The quality was exceptional, prompting her to purchase additionalnd to expand the estate. Daily harassment from the Yan family¡¯s old residence had be unsustainable. After careful thought, Gu Chaoyan proposed a solution, ¡°It¡¯s not a significant issue. Once the wall ispleted, I¡¯ll hire some guards from the city. Those from the Yan Family won¡¯t be able to cause trouble if they try to approach. We¡¯ll spend some money on security.¡± Auntie Lianhua instinctively wanted to reject the idea, deeming it extravagant. Hiring guards could be costly. However, she refrained from voicing her concerns aloud. Danqiu was capable. The Lin Family¡¯s Pharmacy had ns to cultivate valuable herbs in the area, prompting a substantial offer of silver taels. While Gu Chaoyan didn¡¯t necessarily require the extra ie, her primary motivation was to ensure afortable life. Auntie Lianhua, mindful of the financial aspect, chose to remain silent. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Tian Liu, Tian Qi, and the others have their own affairs to attend to, and they were concerned about not being able to manage everything themselves. Hence, they opted to hire guards. That should suffice,¡± Auntie Lianhua exined. Gu Chaoyan smiled, feeling a strong sense of camaraderie with the Tian family. @@novelbin@@ Things progressed busily for both Auntie Lianhua and Gu Chaoyan, while life continued for the rest of the vigers in North Vige. Jiang Caixiu returned to the vige, surprising the members of the Jiang family. In the past, he would typically linger in the city for a while before returning to the vige. This time, however, he came back promptly. Upon seeing Jiang Caixiu, the expressions of the Jiang family members turned somewhat unpleasant. This year, expectations were high that Jiang Caixiu would advance to a higher level. Despite expressing their confidence, there was no tangible result, likely due to their pride preventing them from seeking external assistance. Jiang Caixiu¡¯s return caught them off guard. ¡°Why are you back, Caixiu?¡± Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother inquired, expressing concern. In the past, he would have stayed in the city, and she worried he might face criticism along the way. Her heart ached at the idea of talented individuals facing challenges. Jiang Caixiu felt a tinge of annoyance, interpreting his mother¡¯s inquiry as embarrassment. Despite his initial irritation, he responded, ¡°You haven¡¯t passed the exam. If I don¡¯te back, are you nning to wait in the city for the red robe?¡± His words carried a hint of sarcasm. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and you know it,¡± Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother rified, and his expression softened in response. The previous tension stemmed from his frustration, and his mother had no intention of criticizing him for it. When Jiang Caixiu thought of this, her tone became much better. ¡°If I don¡¯t pass the exam, I¡¯ll have to wait for another three years. I can¡¯t wait anymore. Who knows if I¡¯ll seed or fail in three years?¡± Chapter 2667: Mission 53 Chapter 2667: Mission 53 Editor:Henyee Trantions Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother¡¯s reasoning resonated with those who overheard. The observation that individuals on the intermediate rankings were typically older was acknowledged¡ªthere were indeed few young achievers. Though Jiang Caixiu had faced failure, the uncertainty of the future remained. If he were to make it to the intermediate rankings eventually, the Jiang family¡¯s prestige would endure. Sensing the potential consequences of mocking them during their low point, some opted to keep their opinions to themselves, albeit begrudgingly. Despite an undercurrent of dissatisfaction, those harboring ill intentions refrained from teasing him. The disapproval of the Jiang family¡¯s actions lingered, but they chose not to exacerbate the situation. Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother, feeling a sense of vindication, resumed her somewhat arrogant demeanor. As she proceeded to the river to wash her clothes, she encountered Ms. Wang, confirming her decision to seek her out. Upon reaching the river, she found Ms. Wang among the crowd. In the past, when trouble befell the Third Yan¡¯s family, people avoided Ms. Wang. However, within a short span, everyone had flocked to her, leaving no vacant seats. Unperturbed, Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother approached with her basin. Although a farmer¡¯s wife washing clothes beside Ms. Wang expressed discontent, she reluctantly moved away with her basin. No one wished to incur the displeasure of Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother, considering the potential for her to be the mother of an official. Once the dissenter departed, Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother squatted down. Ms. Wang, not particrly fond of her, furrowed her brows and expedited her washing. She was neither inclined to leave abruptly nor linger longer than necessary in the presence of Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother. ¡°I¡¯m also washing clothes. I noticed that your family has hired some people to work. Why are you still toiling away?¡± remarked Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother, her words carrying a certain loftiness. She implied that, given her current status, she had no need to engage in manualbor for the benefit of farmers. She envisioned a lifestyle reminiscent of city women, free from suchborious tasks. Ms. Wang, not appreciating the tone, responded, ¡°Our family differs from your Jiang family. Ultimately, we are just an ordinary farming family. While we¡¯ve sought assistance for certain tasks, we still need to manage our own responsibilities at home.¡± Her tone was teasing yet firm, revealing a sense of pride. Aware of the previous rejection of the marriage proposal by the Jiang family, Ms. Wang acknowledged the condescension they had disyed towards farming families. She maintained her independence, content with her life choices and uninterested in further interaction with the Jiang family.
Attempting a softer approach, Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother leaned in and said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t you think life in North Vige is tiresome and meaningless? Living by tending to fields, one must strive for more. Imagineing to the city, bing the wife of a capital¡¯s official¡ªnow that would be an interesting life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Undeterred, Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother continued, ¡°The past misunderstanding that led to the broken engagement has now been rectified. The families are closer than ever, having ovee the discord.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Danqiu is young and inexperienced, but you¡¯re different. You must weigh your options carefully. Working with the Lin Family¡¯s Pharmacy ismendable, but how long will this arrangementst? If unforeseen events ur, who will safeguard your family? Reflect on what happened when Third Yan departed,¡± she urged. Chapter 2671: Mission 57 Chapter 2671: Mission 57 Editor:Henyee Trantions This was kidnapping Danqiu. This was damaging Danqiu¡¯s reputation and forcing her to do something morally.@@novelbin@@ She had already said this in front of Danqiu. Who knew what she could say outside? This was harming someone. They were the ones who had broken off the engagement back then. Now that the engagement had been broken off, they were still ndering a virgin girl¡¯s innocence. If these words were to spread, how would Danqiu be able to get married in the future? Not to mention that she was considered half a rtive of Danqiu, even if she was a woman, she couldn¡¯t allow the Jiang family to bully her like this. ¡°If you don¡¯t get lost, I¡¯ll hit you,¡± Auntie Lianhua said fiercely. At this moment, Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother woke up and her mind became clear. Only then did she realize that the person who had attacked her was the slut, the lotus flower. Just now, she was stunned. She almost did not know what was going on. She red at Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother and said unhappily, ¡°I came to beg Danqiu. What does it have to do with you? I still have to slowly settle the score with you for hitting me.¡±
Then, she continued to look up at Yan Danqiu, hoping that she would be soft-hearted. Women were soft-hearted people. Just as she had said, they had feelings for each other back then, so her son could be considered half a man to her. Was she really going to leave him in the lurch? She said all this to remind Yan Danqiu of their past rtionship. This bitch Lianhua was actually shouting here. She really had not seen the world. ¡°You don¡¯t have to settle the score slowly, just forget about it now.¡± Gu Chaoyan said coldly. ¡°It¡¯s fine even if it¡¯s her debt now,¡± Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother said excitedly. She looked at Auntie Lianhua with disdain. She really thought that she was the master after helping here for a few days. Now, she was going to settle scores with her. ¡°Tian Qi, go and report this to the authorities, and let them make the decision. Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother ndered me and caused trouble at the Yan Family. She is dissatisfied with the county magistrate¡¯s verdict, and we will see what the authorities say. Of course, Auntie Lianhua¡¯s beating can also be calcted. If she is at a loss, then she is at a loss, and if she is at fault, then I, Yan Danqiu, will take the me.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calmly with a serious look on her face, showing no intention of letting Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother go. Whether it was Jiang Caixiu or Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother, these individuals from the Jiang family exhibited extraordinary audacity, believing that their status as Elementary Schrs granted them universal influence. Even after Jiang Caixiu¡¯s arrest, their arrogance persisted, as if they were immune to consequences. Arrogance, however,es at a cost. As Jiang Caixiu faced imprisonment, she would finally taste the price of her audacious actions. Gu Chaoyan, fully aware of the situation, took charge. Tian Qi hesitated, viewing the vigemotion as trivial due to his prolonged stay. Gu Chaoyan, sensing urgency, directed him decisively, ¡°Get the wagon, hurry up!¡± Without dy, Tian Qi rushed toply. Considering the circumstances, Gu Chaoyan pondered the need for more than just a wagon. A horse, she thought, would expedite matters further. Initially unflustered, Jiang Caixiu¡¯s mother now panicked. Desperate, she pleaded, ¡°Danqiu, don¡¯t be like this. It¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I just feel that we still have feelings for each other, and we are all from the same vige. And Caixiu¡­¡± Before Jiang Caixiu could say anything, Gu Chaoyan ignored herpletely. She continued to arrange what she had to do next.
Chapter 2674: Master of Fortune Chapter 2674: Master of Fortune Editor:Henyee Trantions This was because, despite his tremendous power, he remained a Dharma artifact, reliant on the strength of the artifact¡¯s owner. Only when the owner grew stronger could he eventually revert to his original form. The anticipation for this day had been a prolonged wait, and he fervently wished it wouldn¡¯t be in vain. He hoped that, this time, the transformation would be enduring, sparing him the need to restart the process. To attain the Sky Sect, time was the determining factor. During the tempering, the Chaotic Space dared not stray from Gu Chaoyan, intensely focused on her breakthrough, fearing any disruption.@@novelbin@@ As Gu Chaoyan refined herself, her countenance portrayed a mix of rxation and agony. She alternated between moments of suffering in the fiery heat and shivering within an icy chill. The Chaotic Space¡¯s eyes reflected relief. Previously, Gu Chaoyan could only grasp the Phoenix Fire. Now, reaching a higher cultivation realm, she had gained insight into an additional skill¡ªa positive development and a promising sign. The Chaotic Space wished for a prolonged tempering this time, recognizing the benefits of absorbing more spiritual qi and the potential forprehending additional skills. Greed filled its eyes, yearning for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s petite form to carry even greater achievements. Just as he was filled with hope, the tempering had already stopped, and the chaotic space hadpletely calmed down. The Chaotic Space sighed in disappointment.
He seemed to be very dissatisfied. Gu Chaoyan walked out lightly. Her current cultivation had already broken through to the Master of Fortune¡¯s cultivation. The Master of Fortune did not belong to the Second World. Or rather, it was a cultivation base that could directly reach the Second World. Why was the Chaotic Space sighing unhappily? Gu Chaoyan shared the same displeasure, yearning to exit the Chaotic Space to escape the vexing voice of this unpredictable man. His constant interruptions grated on her nerves. Attempting to leave, she was abruptly halted by the Chaotic Space. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°What now? Another task? I need a break,¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted candidly. ¡®Rest?¡¯ The Chaotic Space couldn¡¯t allow that. ¡°It¡¯s not a mission. Haven¡¯t you gained anything?¡± The Chaotic Space inquired impatiently. ¡°You mean this?¡± Gu Chaoyan retrieved a scroll emitting a faint blue glow, infused with spiritual energy. On the scroll were two words: Sky Sect. ¡°That¡¯s it. Now that you¡¯ve attained the cultivation level of the Master of Fortune, you can visit the Sky Sect or explore the Third World. Hurry and report to the Sky Sect,¡± the Chaotic Space urged impatiently. The Sky Sect was where that person resided. Naturally, she had to go. However, Gu Chaoyan had no intention of departing without bidding farewell. ¡°Before I head to the Sky Sect, there¡¯s something I need to attend to. I¡¯ll leave once I¡¯ve finished.¡± Gu Chaoyan asserted. ¡°What else could you possibly need to do?¡± The Chaotic Space was thoroughly perplexed. Besides meeting the Celestial Thearch, what other matter could be so crucial? ¡°I need to visit the Demon n and rify certain matters.¡±
¡°Demon n?¡± The Chaotic Space fell into silence. With an additional heart now, her path seemed even more auspicious. Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t encounter the same cmity as before. No need for him to intervene.
¡°After you¡¯re done, proceed to the Sky Sect promptly. The window of time for the Sky Sect is limited; don¡¯t procrastinate.¡± Chapter 2676: Sky Sect 2 Chapter 2676: Sky Sect 2 Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°I must entrust the remaining responsibilities of the Demon n to you. The First Elder will continue overseeing all n affairs. Now, a crucial matter requires attention. Once I depart for the Sky Sect, a new n Leader may emerge.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I believe it¡¯s imperative to make this decision in my presence,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated. She needed to personally assess the potential candidates to ensure a smooth transition of leadership within the Demon n. Otherwise, even as she ventured to the Sky Sect, she wouldn¡¯t find peace. ¡°n Leader, do you no longer wish to lead our n?¡± Some discontented Elders inquired, casting uneasy nces amongst themselves. Gu Chaoyan was perplexed. Her intention was to strategize for the betterment of the Demon n, yet it seemed as if she were abandoning them. The confusion deepened for Gu Chaoyan. Previously, the First Elder had mentioned that the emergence of a new n Leader often indicated that the former had either achieved enlightenment and ascended to the Third World or, unfortunately, fallen.@@novelbin@@ Being in the former category, a new n Leader was imminent.
The First Elder, realizing the misunderstanding, rified, ¡°n Leader, in your absence, I will handle the day-to-day affairs of the n. However, you can still retain your position as n Leader. You would be the first to transition directly to the Sky Sect. If you sessfully reach the Sky Sect, you can continue as the fiend, the n Leader of the Demon n, as it holds a unique status.¡± Surprise shed across Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. If she had been aware of this nuance, her concerns would have been alleviated. The Elders chimed in proudly, ¡°Indeed, n Leader. Among the past leaders of the Demon n, you will be the first to ascend to the Sky Sect. Such an urrence is rare even among the ns of the second world.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The significance of ascending to the Sky Sect is truly profound. Moreover, you possess considerable autonomy. Hence, you remain our esteemed n Leader without any reservations. Entrust the mundane affairs of the n to us; your position as n Leader stands unchallenged. As long as you retain this role, your influence over our Demon n remains intact, ensuring our future resilience against any mistreatment.¡± ¡°This revtion about the Sky Sect is remarkable.¡± Gu Chaoyan was utterly bewildered. What kind of formidable force was this Sky Sect? Such information left herpletely puzzled. Had she been aware of this, she wouldn¡¯t have hurried to exin herself. Instead, she would have ventured forth to experience it firsthand. Gu Chaoyan disyed a helpless expression. ¡°I will adhere to your counsel. I must attend to other matters, so I shall take my leave now. Rest assured, upon my return, I will enforce discipline.¡± With those words, Gu Chaoyan resolved to make her way to the Sky Sect promptly, mindful of the limited timeframe for utilizing the Guidance Scroll. As Gu Chaoyan prepared to depart, the Dao Child of the Demon n cast a pitiful nce her way. Feeling a sense of helplessness, Gu Chaoyan recalled the responsibility she had towards a particr Dao Child within the Demon n. Retrieving a paper crane from her spatial storage, she infused it with her spiritual energy. Handing it over to the Dao Child, she spoke, ¡°This is for you. In my absence, feel free to use it tomunicate any concerns.¡± The Dao Child of the Demon n immediately smiled and expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Sister.¡± Despite its lifeless appearance, the paper crane retained a trace of spiritual energy from Gu Chaoyan, bringing contentment to the Dao Child. Satisfied with his new possession, the Dao Child of the Demon n couldn¡¯t help but boast.
Gu Chaoyan was on the verge of leaving. Before her departure, she discreetly prepared another paper crane. Without verbalizing its purpose, she allowed the paper crane to gracefully soar in front of the Dao Child of the Demon n. Chapter 2678: Sky Sect 4 Chapter 2678: Sky Sect 4 Editor:Henyee Trantions However, here, there seemed to be no way to ascend further. Gu Chaoyan felt a surge of embarrassment, contemting the prospect of starting anew. As she took a brief respite,ughter reached her ears. Two individuals covered their mouths, casting disdainful looks her way. Standing there, Gu Chaoyan noticed the arrival of others. In response, a smile crept onto her face. Despite the arduous climb she had justpleted, now she found herself subjected to mockery. It seemed her turn to witness others making a spectacle of themselves had arrived. Gu Chaoyan, in a surprisingly good mood, observed those below. She anticipated the arrival of the individual who would inevitably have to undergo the same struggle. However¡­
Just as Gu Chaoyan eagerly awaited the unfolding spectacle, a man casually ascended with an air of ease. Underneath him, it appeared as if there were stairs, facilitating his leisurely ascent. Why hadn¡¯t she noticed him down there earlier? She could¡­ Climb!@@novelbin@@ Gu Chaoyan¡¯s expression darkened. The two individuals who had mocked her continued to smile, remarking, ¡°You chose the most foolish method to enter the Sky Sect. It¡¯s quite rare for someone like you to be granted a Guidance Scroll by the Sky Sect, for reasons unknown.¡± She continued her ascent. It was an unheard-of and unprecedented sight! After uttering their mocking remarks, they found it even more amusing and departed, maintaining their smiles. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s countenance darkened. What in the world was this? In the midst of her inner turmoil, the individual she had been waiting for effortlessly reached the top. Alright¡­ What had taken her a day, he aplished in mere moments. Thankfully, the audience for this spectacle was limited. Otherwise, her reputation might truly suffer. Curious, Gu Chaoyan approached the man, asking, ¡°Did you just receive the Guidance Scroll ande to the Sky Sect? We seem to be on a simr journey.¡± Desiring to establish a connection in this unfamiliar environment, she hoped to familiarize herself with the Sky Sect through him. ¡°Mm,¡± he responded, continuing to stride forward. Gu Chaoyan had no choice but to follow.
Abruptly, he halted at a particr spot, and Gu Chaoyan mirrored his actions. As she was about to speak, a green-d girl approached, addressing the man beside her, ¡°Come with me.¡± Heplied. Upon hearing this, Gu Chaoyan trailed behind.
However, after taking only a couple of steps, she was halted. ¡°Let him go. You don¡¯t need to follow.¡± What? Gu Chaoyan stood there in bewilderment. She had just arrived at the Sky Sect. So was this person. Why was he taken away first, leaving her here alone? What was going on here? ¡°Why?¡± Gu Chaoyan was not convinced. ¡°Our Sect Leader isn¡¯t interested in you, so there¡¯s no need for you to follow us. Just wait here. Perhaps other Sect Leaders might take an interest in you,¡± the woman in green added, offering a bit more exnation. Gu Chaoyan grasped the situation. It seemed the green-robed woman¡¯s Sect Leader had selected the man, leaving her without any takers at the moment. Was she supposed to linger aimlessly? She couldn¡¯t help feeling frustrated. Didn¡¯t they realize how capable she was? With a dejected sigh, Gu Chaoyan took a seat.
The two individuals who had passed by earlier continued on another path, their smiles growing wider as they saw her. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t leave!¡± Gu Chaoyan halted them. The continuous mockery fueled her anger. ¡°What¡¯s happening in your Sky Sect? Why lure them here with the Guidance Scroll and then ignore them? What kind of Sky Sect is this?¡± Gu Chaoyan fumed. It was ridiculous! The two men stopped in front of Gu Chaoyan. Chapter 2681: Sky Sect 7 Chapter 2681: Sky Sect 7 Editor: Henyee Trantions The Sect Leader of Xing Sect let out a sigh of relief, recognizing that bringing him to Xing Sect was a preferable optionpared to remaining by the Heaven Emperor¡¯s side. @@novelbin@@ With the possibility of joining the Xing Sect, Gu Chaoyan no longer needed to linger in her previous position. She could now be taken under the wing of the Xing Sect. Initially, she had felt the odds were against her and had contemted finding a way to meet the Heaven Emperor in the future. The Third World still held a glimmer of hope. Just as she was considering her options, she was abruptly taken away, prompting her shocked inquiry, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To the Xing Sect. You will be a part of the sect. Report there now,¡± the two individuals responded with stoic expressions. The revtion that she would end up in the Xing Sect caught everyone off guard. ¡°What?¡± Gu Chaoyan was dumbfounded, finding it to be a delightful surprise. Was entering the Xing Sect akin to entering the Sky Sect? Despite being told she had no hope of entering the Sky Sect, it seemed their judgment was more discerning than she had thought. Without resistance, Gu Chaoyan followed, and the Xing Sect was not far away. Given their responsibility for the Sky Sect¡¯s logistics, the journey in the pce was brief. In almost an instant, it was over, leaving Gu Chaoyan pleasantly surprised. She didn¡¯t know what the Sky Sect was like, or what the Sky Sect was like. After arriving. The Sect Leader of Xing Sect didn¡¯t personally greet Gu Chaoyan; instead, he casually delegated the task to a female official. Gu Chaoyan wasn¡¯t someone he had handpicked due to any personal preference; rather, he chose her out of necessity. Additionally, he found her to be somewhat unintelligent, with no intention of investing effort in grooming her for a potential introduction to the Heaven Emperor¡ªtoo much trouble. Opting for a more straightforward approach, he assigned her a standard position within the Xing Sect and considered his duty fulfilled. Gu Chaoyan had just arrived when the female official from the Xing Sect approached her, giving her a once-over before inquiring, ¡°You¡¯re a new disciple of the Xing Sect, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let me introduce the Xing Sect to you first.¡± Gu Chaoyan stood there obediently, ready to hear what was going on. ¡°The Xing Sect is derived from food, clothing, amodation, and transportation. In other words, the Xing Sect is in charge of the food, clothing, and transportation of the entire Sky Sect. Therefore, we are the Xing Sect.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Speaking of which, you should understand now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are in charge of the chores.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Logically speaking, no Sect Leader of the Sky Sect was willing to ept you. In the end, it was the Sect Leader of Xing Sect who reluctantly epted you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In that case, work hard in the Xing Sect in the future.¡± What? ¡®In charge of chores?¡¯ It had nothing to do with cultivation? ¡®So what¡¯s she doing here?¡¯ She would rather the Sect Leader of the Xing Sect not take a fancy to her. She would still have a chance when she went to other ces in the Third World! Gu Chaoyan showed no gratitude on her face, but helplessness. She was chosen by the Xing Sect. Seriously¡­ The female official in charge did not care what she was thinking and continued, ¡°In the future, you will follow me and doplicated chores.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get familiar with each other today. Starting tomorrow, we¡¯ll officially start work.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your ce now.¡± The female official brought her people over. Gu Chaoyan followed him helplessly. Ordinary people in charge of washing were all living together. Gu Chaoyan got a bunk too. At this moment, the others were not around. They were probably working. Gu Chaoyan looked veryplicated. ¡°Can I leave the Sky Sect or go to another sect?¡± Gu Chaoyan could not help but ask. The female official looked at her with an indescribable expression. ¡°No Sect Leader from the other sects is willing to choose you.¡± Chapter 2684: Sky Sect 10 Chapter 2684: Sky Sect 10 Editor:Henyee Trantions Hearing the reason, Gu Chaoyan looked helpless. Alright¡­ It was actually because of this. The moment Gu Chaoyan disyed a look of disdain, she suddenly realized that it might actually be a desirable job! In a ce like the Sky Sect, one¡¯s status depended on their elevation. Those in the clouds held the highest status, while those in the Xing Sect had to gaze upward to catch a glimpse. Given her current circumstances, aspiring to reach the clouds seemed like an unattainable dream. God knew the amount of effort required to ascend to the clouds. However, the prospect changed if the task involved cleaning for the Heaven Emperor. It offered the chance to see the Emperor monthly, providing Gu Chaoyan with an opportunity to question him whenever she pleased. It sounded like a fantastic opportunity.
She believed it was possible. Entirely possible. ¡°How can I be the one washing the Heaven Emperor¡¯s clothes?¡± Gu Chaoyan earnestly inquired from Dao Seeking. Her question carried a serious tone, while others viewed it as nothing more than wishful thinking. The person who spoke to her couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. She then remarked, ¡°Both of us aiming for that job? It¡¯s simply a fool¡¯s dream!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Those selected to wash the Heaven Emperor¡¯s clothes are individuals of talent and experience, recognized by the Sect Leader of Xing Sect. You and I are tasked withundering the garments of ordinary new disciples, tasks considered beneath the Sect Leader¡¯s notice. Don¡¯t harbor illusions about washing the Heaven Emperor¡¯s clothes.¡± The speaker acknowledged it was toote to approach Xiaoyun now. Attempting to do so would likely result in not even getting a glimpse. Since a chance to chat was rare, engaging in conversation here seemed like a reasonable idea. She continued chatting with Gu Chaoyan. Earning the recognition of the Sect Leader of Xing Sect? Gu Chaoyan¡¯s thoughts dwelled on how the Sect Leader perceived her. Yet, considering the Sect Leader¡¯s apparent disdain, she dismissed any hope of genuine appreciation. Upon her arrival at the Sky Sect, she had swiftly ascended. The Sect Leader of Xing Sect must have witnessed this. Undoubtedly, he looked down on her from the very beginning. She pondered if there was any alternative path. Gaining the recognition of the Sect Leader of Xing Sect appeared to be a formidable challenge. Gu Chaoyan felt a bit frustrated. As for the one called Xiaoyun, she got swept away by the crowd at that moment. Left alone were only the two of them, and they decided not to follow themotion. Gu Chaoyan gazed up at the clouds. Despite both being part of the Sky Sect, the Xing Sect felt like a world apart. Attaining recognition from the Heaven Emperor and washing his clothes seemed challenging. Instead, she contemted sneaking into the clouds to catch a glimpse during a quiet moment. Perhaps she mighte across someone. With her decision made, Gu Chaoyan felt a sudden enlightenment and regained herposure. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± the person asked, furrowing her brows as she observed Gu Chaoyan.
¡°I¡¯m thinking of sneaking into the clouds, maybe catch a glimpse of the Heaven Emperor. But keep it between us,¡± Gu Chaoyan confessed openly. Grateful for the person¡¯s previous kindness, she found it only fair to share her intentions. ¡°I know the way. Shall we go together?¡± the person whispered.@@novelbin@@ Their eyes met, expressing mutual understanding. With their minds made up, they nodded in agreement.
Chapter 2688: Sky Sect 14 Chapter 2688: Sky Sect 14 Editor: Henyee Trantions As for cultivators, they almost didn¡¯t need to eat anything anymore. They had their own cultivation to maintain the cirction of their lives. Of course. Everyone would also eat something. Firstly, eating was sometimes a form of enjoyment. Secondly, they had once needed grains. Therefore¡­ Lin Xue thought it was weird. But she also knew that it was a good idea. ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xue agreed. Gu Chaoyan smiled. This smile was naturally for the good life ahead. He killed the chicken skillfully, and then Gu Chaoyan started the fire with the fire of the phoenix and started to roast the chicken. The aroma of roasted chicken filled the air, carrying with it the familiar fragrance of the human world. Both of them eagerly anticipated the moment when they could savor the delicious roasted chicken. Worriedly, the Sect Leader of Xing Sect inquired, ¡°What are those two doing now?¡± The individual responsible for keeping an eye on them replied, ¡°They¡¯re roasting chicken.¡± ¡°Two fools!¡± The Sect Leader of Xing Sect couldn¡¯t help but curse again, his anger evident. How could his Xing Sect harbor such individuals? After causing considerable trouble, they were now casually roasting chicken and enjoying themselves. He couldn¡¯tprehend where they found the audacity. Despite the Sect Leader of Xing Sect seething with anger, the two individuals roasting chicken remained blissfully unaware. It was about to bepleted. It was too fragrant. Having transitioned from a tense state to rxation, the prospect of indulging in roasted chicken brought immense joy to Gu Chaoyan. Just as the chicken was perfectly roasted and they were about to enjoy their meal, an unexpected visitor appeared. ¡°What are you guys eating? It smells amazing.¡± Startled, Gu Chaoyan and Lin Xue had assumed they were the only ones at the back of the mountain. The sudden appearance of someone else left them shocked. ¡°Who are you?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired warily. The Heaven Emperor, dressed in a green robe, looked at the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m a junior disciple from another sect. I followed the fragrance here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. I just want to have something to eat,¡± the Heaven Emperor reassured them enthusiastically. The aroma had piqued his interest, and he hade to investigate what they were cooking, only to find them roasting chicken. Observing his attire, Lin Xue noted, ¡°The Sky Sects are differentiated by the color of their clothes. For instance, the Xing Sect wears ck and green. There are also smaller sects within the Sky Sect.¡± He appeared to be a junior disciple. Being confined to the back of the mountain, they had limited interaction with other aspects of the Sky Sect. Reaching the clouds seemed nearly impossible for them. Considering the situation, Lin Xue nodded and gestured at Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Let him have some.¡± Initially displeased, Gu Chaoyan let go of her reservations when Lin Xue signaled her approval. ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Gu Chaoyan said calctively. She did not want to give him the best part at all. The Heaven Emperor threw a look at Gu Chaoyan. A doting smile appeared in his gaze. Uncertain whether she appeared favorable or unfavorable now, Gu Chaoyan no longer possessed the arrogance and dominance of her previous life. Instead, she appeared somewhat simple and human, even expressing excitement over roasted chicken¡ªsomething she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with in the past. Feeling uneasy under his scrutiny, Gu Chaoyan red at him and snapped, ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± The Heaven Emperor pretended innocence and offered a smile. Taking charge of distributing the meat, Gu Chaoyan reserved the choicest pieces for herself and Lin Xue, leaving the remainder for him. The Heaven Emperor didn¡¯t mind and happily epted his portion.@@novelbin@@ Chapter 2690: Sky Sect 16 Chapter 2690: Sky Sect 16 Editor:Henyee Trantions What was she saying now? In the Xing Sect, in the back mountain? What kind of ce was this? These were the lowest level existences in the Sky Sect. If he remembered correctly, it was a ce for cleaning. Why was he doing this? The Chaotic Space felt its head hurt. ¡°How far am I from being able to free him?¡± Gu Chaoyan pondered within the Chaotic Space. ¡°I need to cultivate, but I can¡¯t stay here for too long like before. Only by enhancing my cultivation will I stand a chance to reach the clouds,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered earnestly. Of course, when she mentioned going to the clouds, she meant infiltrating sneakily. However, the interpretation in the Chaotic Space differedpletely.@@novelbin@@ The Chaotic Space assumed that an elevation in her cultivation level would eventually lead her to the clouds. Then¡­
A solid n had to be devised for her. ¡°You can undertake swift missions. These tasks can bepleted within a day or two. However, the rewards are not as profound as the spiritual energy gained from the prior missions,¡± the Chaotic Space suggested. ¡°As long as it aids in advancing my cultivation!¡± Gu Chaoyan abandoned any pickiness. ¡°Return in two days,¡± instructed the Chaotic Space. Gu Chaoyan was satisfied. As long as it could increase his cultivation, it was fine. Her physique diverged from the norm. Within her body, it seemed like two forces were in constant opposition. Only through cultivation within the Chaotic Space could she genuinely elevate her cultivation. With the Chaotic Space¡¯s assurance, she feltpletely at ease. Now that she had emerged from the chaotic space, she found herself with idle time on her hands. Lin Xue was engrossed in her cultivation. Gu Chaoyan opted to take a leisurely stroll around the back of the mountain. It was an exceptionally tranquil ce. If it were a peaceful retirement, it would be truly idyllic. After a while, boredom set in, prompting Gu Chaoyan to consider exploring elsewhere. However, she found herself unable to depart from the back of the mountain. It was really tragic. On the second day, Lin Xue ended her cultivation. Coincidentally, Gu Chaoyan found herself grilling chicken once again. Lin Xue approached with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that guy ising or not.¡± Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes, convinced he would show up. For the first time, a glutton had found his way to the back of the mountain.
How could he resist such an opportunity? As if on cue, just as Gu Chaoyan pondered this, a figure approached with a cheerful smile. ¡°Just in time,¡± dered the Heaven Emperor gleefully. One had to appreciate the effort it took for him to make it here. The Sky Sect was bustling with tasks, and he had to expedite his work to squeeze past those in the clouds.
Nevertheless, the chance to enjoy her roasted chicken made it worthwhile. ¡°Let me share some news. There¡¯s a grand banquet in the Sky Sect in ten days. Every sect is invited, except you two. But, fear not, I can bring you along. How about it? Aren¡¯t I a good person? I didn¡¯t enjoy your food for free, right?¡± proimed the Heaven Emperor proudly. Gu Chaoyan rolled her eyes at him. It was quite good, but there was no need to praise himself like that. Still. Seeing that he was willing to take them with him, Gu Chaoyan gave him a chicken drumstick. ¡°Eat it, it is for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, I¡¯m going to focus on training for the next two days, and I won¡¯t have any roast meat to offer. You cane back in a few days,¡± Gu Chaoyan dered. The Heaven Emperor seemed a bit displeased, as he had intended to visit daily. Nevertheless, considering her dedication to cultivating, he refrained from intervening. He nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 2693: Sky Sect 19 Chapter 2693: Sky Sect 19 Editor:Henyee Trantions They were quite unfamiliar with this person. His sect, name, and identity were all mysteries to them. Even if he fed them lies, it wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched. The Sky Sect was vast, and they held a humble position in its hierarchy, making any grudges they might have against him inconsequential. Observing his attire in simple green clothes, Lin Xue spected he couldn¡¯t belong to any prestigious sect. The idea that he possessed the abilities to secure them a ce at the banquet seemed like a far-fetched fantasy. The more Lin Xue pondered, the more convinced she became that they were being deceived. Contrarily, Gu Chaoyan remained unfazed and unworried. ¡°Chaoyan, aren¡¯t you concerned that we might be deceived?¡± Lin Xue inquired. ¡°Who would lie to us for a couple of roasted chickens? That¡¯s impossible,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied confidently, dismissing any thoughts of deceit. Lin Xue couldn¡¯t help but think her friend was too trusting. The Sky Sect was vast and housed individuals with varied motives. Perhaps someone could indeed deceive them for a few roasted chickens. ¡°You trust people too easily,¡± Lin Xue sighed. ¡°Do I seem like someone who would lie? That would be disheartening.¡± The Heaven Emperor strolled over leisurely, holding some items in his hand. As the words left his mouth, he tossed the items to Lin Xue and Gu Chaoyan. ¡°Put these on. They¡¯re not easy toe by. Wearing these, sneaking in won¡¯t be an issue. If you¡¯re lucky, you might spot the person you¡¯re looking for,¡± the Heaven Emperor advised calmly. Unbeknownst to Gu Chaoyan, the person she desired to see was right in front of her. Over the past few days, he had a myriad of tasks to attend to. The banquet wasn¡¯t the only thing demanding the Sky Sect¡¯s attention; the unsettled state of the Third World left no room for additional tasks. Unexpectedly¡­ Despite his short time here, he found himself under suspicion. Apparently, they deemed him a skilled liar. If he had arrived a few stepster, he wondered if the duo would have scolded him to death. The more the Heaven Emperor contemted, the more disheartened he became. Honestly¡­ Lin Xue and Gu Chaoyan, however, didn¡¯t dwell on suspicions. They calmly donned the clothes, making adjustments for size differences. With this attire, they could indeed slip into the banquet unnoticed. It turned out the young man wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°It seems I misunderstood you. You¡¯re quite trustworthy,¡± Lin Xue generouslyplimented, wearing a smile that suggested she was in a good mood. ¡°Of course. Can I afford to go back on my word?¡± If he were such a person, he wouldn¡¯t hold the title of Heaven Emperor. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Lin Xue inquired. The Heaven Emperor hesitated momentarily. Revealing his real name would undoubtedly expose him. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, he settled on one. After racking his brains, he finally came up with an answer. ¡°Heaven. Just call me Heaven.¡± ¡°Heaven,¡± Lin Xue called out.@@novelbin@@ The Heaven Emperor forced a smile onto his face as he agreed. If other people from the Sky Sect heard this, they would probably be scared to death. A Heaven Emperor was being addressed as Heaven so casually. Fortunately, there was no one here. Chapter 2697 - 2697: Sky Sect 23 Chapter 2697: Sky Sect 23 Editor:Henyee Trantions ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t overthink it. You¡¯re in Cangwu Sect attire. If the Xing Sect Leader confronts youter, just deny it. Unless he catches you red-handed, he won¡¯t have grounds for confrontation afterward,¡± reassured the Heaven Emperor, leaving room for caution rather than overconfidence. This assurance eased Gu Chaoyan¡¯s apprehensions. She found the Heaven Emperor¡¯s logic convincing. Perhaps the Xing Sect Leader wouldn¡¯t bother pursuing them further on such a hectic day. If confrontedter, as per the Heaven Emperor¡¯s advice, they could simply deny it. No need to dwell on the matter now. However, with this incident, continuing their shopping seemed unwise. Another encounter might not end as smoothly. Moreover, the Heaven Emperor had yet to make a public appearance.@@novelbin@@ Even if they did, the timing wasn¡¯t right for confrontation on this eventful day. After weighing the options, the two decided to cut their shopping short and return to the back mountain.
The Heaven Emperor chose not to apany them. Instead, he resumed his role as the Heaven Emperor, overseeing the situation. The one feeling the most tension was the Xing Sect Leader. He had clearly identified the Heaven Emperor with those two individuals, yet the Heaven Emperor silenced any mention of it. Seeing the imposing Heaven Emperor again, it felt as though the connection to those two had never existed. Yet, it had transpired. The Xing Sect Leader recalled the awkward instance when the Heaven Emperor insisted on the inclusion of that seemingly foolish woman into the Xing Sect. So¡­ Was there a connection between the Heaven Emperor and her? The Xing Sect Leader found himself at a loss for words. Having been part of the Xing Sect for numerous years, this was an unprecedented scenario. Faced with uncertainty, the Xing Sect Leader decided to act as though nothing unusual had urred. He would fulfill his duties, turning a blind eye to the rest. Having resolved this in his mind, the Xing Sect Leader felt a newfound sense of ease. The banquet continued vibrantly. This asion marked the rare opportunity for many from different sects to encounter the elusive Heaven Emperor in the Sky Sect. It was considered a fortunate encounter for those in attendance. The banquet ended. The Heaven Emperor gestured for the Sect Leader of Xing Sect to stay behind. The Sect Leader of Xing Sect was shocked. He had originally wanted to pretend that nothing had happened. From the looks of it, this waspletely impossible.
The Heaven Emperor had taken the initiative to look for him. The Sect Leader of Xing Sect frowned and left. He did not know what would happen. However, he could still pretend that he hadn¡¯t seen the Heaven Emperor today. ¡°Heaven Emperor.¡± The Sect Leader of Xing Sect bowed respectfully.
¡°There are some things that you¡¯ve already seen. If you see them, just pretend that you didn¡¯t see them. Otherwise¡­¡± the Heaven Emperor warned. ¡°Yes,¡± hastily replied the Sect Leader of Xing Sect. He wasn¡¯t particrly adept, and being Sect Leader was already pushing his limits. Getting involved in moreplicated matters wasn¡¯t on his agenda. The Heaven Emperor expressed satisfaction with a nod. Then, he added with significance, ¡°Who¡¯s handling my attire in the Xing Sect now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Xiaoyun, the most reliable in the Xing Sect.¡± The Sect Leader of Xing Sect responded. Xiaoyun had a wless track record. ¡°Change it,¡± the Heaven Emperor stated bluntly. ¡°Change?¡± The Sect Leader of Xing Sect was puzzled. ¡°Currently, no one in the Xing Sect matches Xiaoyun¡¯spetence. Who else could take on the role.¡± Chapter 2701 - 2701: Sky Sect 27 Chapter 2701: Sky Sect 27 Editor:Henyee Trantions Gu Chaoyan gazed at Lin Xue, contemting the words Xiaoyun had uttered. It was evident that Xiaoyun spoke out of discontent, driven by her own opinions. However, Gu Chaoyan found a certain logic in what she had said. As Xiaoyun pointed out, managing the attire of the Heaven Emperor was no small feat. The task required precision, and only those who sessfully passed the assessment in the Xing Sect were deemed qualified. Yet, Gu Chaoyan, who had barely spent a few days in the Xing Sect, suddenly found herself thrust into the responsibility of overseeing the Heaven Emperor¡¯s clothing. It seemed inevitable that mistakes would ur, and once they did, the consequences would be irreversible. She would undoubtedly have to bear the brunt of her own missteps. Adding to theplexity, the sect master of Xing Sect harbored a strong dislike towards her, even going so far as to wish for her removal from the sect. Considering all these factors, a thought crossed Gu Chaoyan¡¯s mind¡ªdid the Sect Leader of Xing Sect intentionally orchestrate this situation? ¡°It seems like the Sect Leader wants to put the Heaven Emperor¡¯s clothing in my hands, knowing that any misstep could lead to my punishment and expulsion from the sect,¡± Gu Chaoyan spected. Lin Xue attempted to offer words offort but found herself at a loss, realizing there was little she could dispute. Their situation had reached a point where they were pushed to the back of the mountain, with little room for anything else. It seemed natural for the Sect Leader of Xing Sect to want them to leave. Therefore, her guess was very likely to be like this.
Although it was a little dangerous. But Lin Xue felt that it was a good thing. ¡°Chaoyan, have you considered how challenging it would be for us to encounter the Heaven Emperor without this opening? The current situation may be perilous, but the prospects of wealth and prestige are within reach. Perhaps, this is our moment,¡± Lin Xue expressed, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Despite spending numerous years in the Xing Sect, Lin Xue had never stumbled upon such a promising opportunity. What more could one ask for? Gu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. Lin Xue¡¯s perspective struck a chord with her. Her purpose in joining the Sky Sect differed from that of others. She aspired to meet the Heaven Emperor and pose some pressing questions to him. If she could seize this chance to encounter the Heaven Emperor and address her inquiries, whether her futurey in the Sky Sect became inconsequential. Her sole focus was gaining the knowledge she sought. Eagerly, she hoped for the opportunity to arise sooner rather thanter. Gu Chaoyan reflected inwardly, contemting her own thoughts. ¡°What about you? Whose presence are you eager to secure?¡± Gu Chaoyan inquired. ¡°A person in the clouds. I still don¡¯t know who he is, but after you go, I will have a chance to find him,¡± Lin Xue said with a smile. In her eyes was the light of hope. Gu Chaoyan nodded, wondering how she could help Lin Xue.@@novelbin@@ When she returned to the bed, Gu Chaoyan was still thinking about what to do next. The following morning¡­ Gu Chaoyan did not dare to dy any further. She went straight to the Sect Leader of Xing Sect and waited to start her new mission. The Sect Leader of Xing Sect dared not linger; his authority did not afford him such liberties.
Unaware of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s perception of his intentions, the Sect Leader found himself grappling with his own troubles. Why had the Heaven Emperor chosen Gu Chaoyan? If she excelled in her duties, it could potentially propel her beyond the standing of the Sect Leader himself. The prospect of being surpassed by someone like her left the Sect Leader deeply unsettled. He regarded Gu Chaoyan with aplex expression. ¡°Let me guide you through the process of familiarizing yourself with the care of the Heaven Emperor¡¯s garments first. We¡¯ll proceed to the celestial realmster,¡± he stated, his tone carrying a mixture of obligation and reluctance.
Chapter 2705 - 2705: Sky Sect 31 Chapter 2705: Sky Sect 31 Editor:Henyee Trantions Although the Heaven Emperor was very dissatisfied with the Sect Leader of Xing Sect¡¯s evil deeds, he only offered a few words offort. As for what to do, he would have to take it slow in the future. Gu Chaoyan nodded, thinking that what Heaven said made sense. It was just an old man who was a little long-winded. He just put one ear in and out and didn¡¯t take it to heart. Actually, it didn¡¯t have much of an impact. Gu Chaoyan smiled. ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are doing well. You, on the other hand, need to train well. If there is nothing important, don¡¯t show up here all the time. It is not good to be caught, it will affect you.¡± Gu Chaoyan said. Heaven was really not bad. He had only eaten a little of her food, but he was so dedicated to bringing them to the banquet. Even now, he still cared about them so much. That was why Gu Chaoyan had to protect him.
The Heaven Emperor still wanted to retort, but in the end, he stopped and nodded obediently. From his perspective, he relished the amusement of adopting the role of the Heaven Emperor before Gu Chaoyan, fully aware that no repercussions would touch him within the Sky Sect. He had the freedom to act as he pleased. However, Gu Chaoyan and Lin Xue perceived him differently. To them, he was merely an inconspicuous disciple donned in green attire¡ªan existence with a lowly status. Without careful consideration, his future could easily be jeopardized. This perspective fueled their genuine concern. There was no need for him to say anything. He also nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go back first. If there¡¯s anything, I¡¯ll look for you again.¡± He went back. Engaging with them had be a challenge; the carefree days of ying at the back of the mountain were a distant memory. The Heaven Emperor regretted his hastiness, realizing that his impulsive decision had disrupted the ease they once shared. He should have approached things more deliberately. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan and Lin Xue were engrossed in their tasks, unaffected by the Heaven Emperor¡¯s return. Coincidentally, the Sect Leader of Xing Sect arrived with a genuine purpose this time. However, the Heaven Emperor, already in a sour mood, frowned upon learning that the Sect Leader was mistreating Gu Chaoyan. His opinion of the Xing Sect leader soured even more, and he found himself caring less about any consequences that might befall him. With a cold expression, the Heaven Emperor inquired, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? How does a modest sect like yours find itself entangled in so many affairs?¡± The Sect Leader of Xing Sect hesitated, sensing that his urgency may have been misguided. Nheless, since he was already there, admitting that everything was fine might be worse. Summoning courage, he exined, ¡°It¡¯s about Xiaoyun, who used to oversee your attire. She¡¯s been put on hold now. ording to our past practices, she should serve as a maid in your pce. The decision was abrupt back then, and we never finalized it. Now, with time passed, I thought it best to address the matter.¡± The Heaven Emperor looked at the Sect Leader of Xing Sect. He did not notice the person in front at all. The Sect Leader of Xing Sect was right. However, he looked down on some of the people he liked. Letting here to his pce was better saved.@@novelbin@@ Still. He could arrange for someone to stay in the pce.
¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let her continue to be in charge of the original matters. There¡¯s no need for her to be a maid in my pce.¡± Chapter 2709 - 2709: Sky Sect 36 Chapter 2709: Sky Sect 36 Editor:Henyee Trantions It was because the Sect Leader of Xing Sect was worried. He was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be willing to go if he continued nagging. What should he do? He wouldn¡¯t be able to answer to the Heaven Emperor, and the Heaven Emperor would definitely vent his anger on him. He did not want to take the risk. He only wanted to be the Sect Leader of Xing Sect. If he could not be the Sect Leader of Xing Sect, he would really be finished. So he behaved himself and did not give Gu Chaoyan any chance to get angry. He brought her to the clouds. When she arrived at the clouds, Gu Chaoyan still felt a bit nervous. If she became a maid in the pce, she would no longer be in charge of the Xing Sect, but the clouds. The rules here were strict, but it was not as good as in the Xing Sect. Although the Sect Leader of Xing Sect was usually very naggy and prejudiced, he was an honest person. He didn¡¯t really do anything to hurt others.
But when it came to the clouds, Gu Chaoyan could not guarantee anything. Therefore, he was more or less a little nervous.@@novelbin@@ ¡°In the future, you¡¯ll oversee matters in the Heaven Emperor Pce, attending to his daily life and sustenance. You¡¯ll receive guidance, but I caution you against making errors. The Heavenly Pce has few inhabitants, and you¡¯ll be solely responsible. No one wille to your aid, and any misstep will result in punishment,¡± the Sect Leader of Xing Sect warned. Gu Chaoyan nodded. She more or less knew about this. She came here every day and found that there were very few people in the pce. Gu Chaoyan started to learn from the people in charge. The Heavenly Pce was not big, and there were many rules. There were a lot of things to do. Gu Chaoyan did not finish learning until the sky turned dark. After the lesson, Gu Chaoyan subconsciously followed the Sect Leader of Xing Sect home. Just as he was about to depart the Heavenly Pce, he found himself halted. ¡°From now on, you will reside in the Heavenly Pce,¡± dered the Sect Leader of Xing Sect, leaving in haste, seemingly anxious to distance himself from any potential entanglements involving Gu Chaoyan. Unustomed to this change, Gu Chaoyan felt a sense of confusion. She had grown ustomed to following the Sect Leader of Xing Sect, and without that guidance, she felt adrift. The elderly maid apanying her offered no additional information. She guided Gu Chaoyan to her designated resting ce and promptly departed. Surveying the opulent surroundings, Gu Chaoyan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that everything resembled a dream. Since her arrival at the Sky Sect, she had been navigating a series of unpredictable events, unsure of what each day would bring. Contemting when she would have the opportunity to engage with the Heaven Emperor and seek answers about her predicament, Gu Chaoyan sumbed to exhaustion and gradually drifted into slumber. Unbeknownst to her, as shey in peaceful sleep, a figure silently approached her bedside. The Heaven Emperor, his gaze intense, observed her with a burning determination. Little did Gu Chaoyan know, many aspects of her journey were aligning with the Heaven Emperor¡¯s cunning n.
However¡­ However, when he really saw her, everything was messed up again. She was in the Heavenly Pce now. He had been too anxious. He wondered if she would be able to face all this so soon.
Bathed in the moonlight, the Heaven Emperor¡¯s hand tenderly brushed against Gu Chaoyan¡¯s face. Her features, delicate and slightly furrowed in slumber, hinted at a subconscious unease within this unfamiliar celestial environment. Sensing a presence, Gu Chaoyan instinctively extended her hand. Startled, the Heaven Emperor withdrew his touch, careful not to disturb her peace. Gu Chaoyan, still asleep, remained oblivious to the brief interruption. The night unfolded at anguid pace, though for the Heaven Emperor, it felt remarkably short. A sense of urgency weighed on him¡ªit seemed his departure was imminent. Rushing back to his responsibilities, the Heaven Emperor returned, coinciding with Gu Chaoyan¡¯s awakening. Chapter 2713 - 2713: Serving the Heaven Emperor in a Bath 1 Chapter 2713: Serving the Heaven Emperor in a Bath 1 Editor:Henyee Trantions Then, she would not be able to go to the Chaotic Space toplete the mission. However, her current level of cultivation left much to be desired. Within the Sky Sect, a misstep could lead to irreversible consequences, making aeback unlikely. Despite her newfound rity of purpose, questions lingered in her mind. Yet, her demeanor was not one to yield easily. In the realm of cultivation, adaptation and continual advancement were imperative. Lost in contemtion, Gu Chaoyan ventured into the Chaotic Space. Perusing the mission book within its chaotic confines, she was met with the curious inquiry of the Chaotic Space itself, ¡°Another mission, perhaps?¡± Though unable to locate the Chaotic Space physically, Gu Chaoyan could sense its presence elsewhere within the realm. With a dismissive eye-roll, she responded to the Chaotic Space.@@novelbin@@
Gu Chaoyan said calmly, ¡°Are there any tasks that can improve your cultivation temporarily?¡± The Chaotic Space did not respond for a long time. When Gu Chaoyan was about to give up, it said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You should consider going to the mountains for training. While you may not see significant improvements, there could be valuable opportunities awaiting you. If you manage to capture some beasts or stumble upon fortuitous encounters, you¡¯ll count yourself lucky,¡± the Chaotic Space conveyed eagerly to Gu Chaoyan. Initially reluctant to venture outside the Sky Sect, Gu Chaoyan found herself with little choice but to acquiesce. The Chaotic Space¡¯s enthusiasm couldn¡¯t dispel her apprehension about the unknown dangers lurking within. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Gu Chaoyan conceded, sensing an impending presence from outside the space. ¡°Perhaps tomorrow.¡± With that, she hastened her departure. Meanwhile, the Chaotic Space beamed with satisfaction. The neer was none other than the elderly attendant, Huan. Addressing Gu Chaoyan once more, her tone was noticeably softer, devoid of the previous harshness. ¡°In four hours¡¯ time, you¡¯re to report to the Heavenly Pce for duty,¡± Huan instructed. Typically, the Heaven Emperor would allocate tasks during his watch, allowing individuals to manage their own responsibilities at their leisure, often devoting spare moments to personal cultivation. However, the Heaven Emperor¡¯s specific request for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s attendance outside of her usual schedule was an unusual urrence. Huan hade to inform her, lest any misunderstanding arise. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Chaoyan answered. Fortunately, Gu Chaoyan hadn¡¯t nned on training that day. If she decided to go, she reasoned, they were all residing under the same roof anyway. Huan refrained from scolding or issuing orders. The change in treatment from that person made her obligations clear; she need only concern herself with their needs. With that understanding, Huan swiftly departed. Reflecting on the shift in dynamics, Gu Chaoyan gingerly touched her face. She wasn¡¯t ustomed to this newfound freedom. In the past, her duties came with a barrage of instructions. Now, with the sudden cessation of directives, she found herself at a loss.
Left with little else to upy her time, she brewed a pot of tea and delved into her books once more. When the appointed hour arrived, Gu Chaoyan made her way to the pce to attend to the Heaven Emperor. Despite her burning curiosity, she dared not broach the subject with the aloof figure of the Heaven Emperor. The timing never seemed right, and her recent arrival at the Heavenly Pce left her uncertain of his receptiveness. Thest thing she needed was to incur his suspicion.
Upon arrival, she was guided to a different area. Drawing nearer, she realized it was the bathing chambers. Chapter 2717 - 2717: How Dare 1 Chapter 2717: How Dare 1 Editor:Henyee Trantions She did not manage to snatch thest one. She was at a loss. Though unsure of the reason, Gu Chaoyan felt the urge to rise from her seat. Despite her confusion, her role as the Heaven Emperor¡¯s maidservant remained ingrained in her consciousness. It was undeniably audacious to partake in the meal alongside him and even attempt to im his food. Thus, she made the decision to stand, intending to address the situationter. In walked a striking woman, her visage contorted with anger, a sight that did her no favors. Qi Yue¡¯s fury was palpable, her indignation fueled by the audacity of anyone daring to dine with the Heaven Emperor in such a manner. In the hallowed halls of the Heavenly Pce, such behavior was beyond reproach, a tant affront to propriety. Her rage threatened to consume her, fueled by the perceived disrespect from this ignorant interloper. However, she had not anticipated such boldness from someone not granted permission by the Heaven Emperor himself, leaving her feeling that no woman in existence was worthy. Meanwhile, the Heaven Emperor¡¯s displeasure was evident despite his masked countenance. Initially content with the peculiar behavior of Gu Chaoyan, her unexpected defiance piqued his interest, finding allure in her apparentck of fear. It was a dynamic he found oddly appealing.
Such a moment was actually disturbed. He was disturbed just like that! The Heaven Emperor was furious. ¡°Get out.¡± The Heaven Emperor was a man of few words, but his every word was stern. Qi Yue pointed her sword at Gu Chaoyan and said unhappily, ¡°Did you hear that? Get out!¡± Alright¡­ She wanted to get out again. Gu Chaoyan got up and walked out helplessly. The dietary fruits were so delicious. Unfortunately¡­ Originally, that should have entered her mouth, but now, it was all for naught. She prepared to go out like a quail. The Heaven Emperor¡¯s expression darkened as he swiftly intervened, pulling Gu Chaoyan back. In the abrupt movement, she lost her bnce and stumbled into his waiting arms, where he held her firmly, refusing to release her gaze. Addressing Qi Yue with a steely resolve, he spoke, his voice cutting through the tension in the air. ¡°I instructed you to leave. Who are you to dictate my actions?¡± ¡°Brother Heaven Emperor!¡± Qi Yue¡¯s disbelief was palpable. The notion of being dismissed by her own brother, the Heaven Emperor, seemed unfathomable. After all, she had always been treated as an exception, granted asional presence within the hallowed halls of the Heavenly Pce. Brother Heaven Emperor had never interfered with herings and goings before. Therefore, in her opinion, this Heavenly Pce could be considered a part of her rights. Unexpectedly¡­
The Heaven Emperor saw that she hadn¡¯t left for a long time. He directly used his spiritual energy to knock her out. There were only two people left in the room, but Gu Chaoyan did not dare to snatch the fruit. After all, the Heaven Emperor was still the Heaven Emperor. He couldn¡¯t treat him like a sick cat if he didn¡¯t show his might!
It was better not to provoke him. The Heaven Emperor¡¯s authority remained unassable, ensuring that dissenters faced dire consequences. In Gu Chaoyan¡¯s eyes, the woman¡¯s mistreatment wasn¡¯t solely due to her actions but rather the Heaven Emperor¡¯s perceived challenge to his authority, prompting punishment. Standing silent and submissive like a quail, Gu Chaoyan observed the scene unfold.@@novelbin@@ The Heaven Emperor¡¯s expression betrayed no hint of his thoughts as he spoke, offering her thest morsel as a reward. ¡°This will suffice until your next bath. You may depart for now.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied before rising to leave. Though not in a position of disadvantage, a sense of mncholy lingered within her. The uncertainty of when she might find an opportunity to seek answers weighed heavily on her mind. Chapter 2722 - 2722: Poisoned 1 Chapter 2722: Poisoned 1 Editor:Henyee Trantions At first nce, Gu Chaoyan mistook the cluster of green Spirit Stones for an unusual object, only to realize it was actually a snake¡ªa revtion that nearly startled her out of her wits.@@novelbin@@ However, as the white tiger gently nudged the little green serpent, any apprehension melted away. It seemed the creature harbored no ill intent. With a sense of relief washing over her, Gu Chaoyan epted the snake, albeit uncertain of how to care for it. In a decisive move, she retrieved a silver needle from her belongings and began administering treatment to the white tiger. After carefully inserting the needles and cleansing the wounds with spiritual spring water from her space, she watched in awe as the injuries healed at a rapid pace. Once the white tiger was bandaged once more, Gu Chaoyan reassured it, ¡°Your life is no longer in jeopardy. With time and rest, you¡¯ll fully recover. As for this little green snake, you¡¯ll have to tend to it yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As a reward, give me this leopard¡¯s corpse.¡± Having said the words, Gu Chaoyan put them away. Then, she turned around and left.
She wondered if she could get a pet beast. The white tiger got up and followed her. There was a small green snake coiled around its head. When Gu Chaoyan turned around, the white tiger pounced on her, bit a small wound on her finger, and then dripped her blood on her forehead and the little green snake¡¯s forehead. Huh? Gu Chaoyan was dumbfounded. Did they take the initiative to form an alliance with her? In the blink of an eye, there were two pet beasts. But¡­ She was just injured. There was also a small green snake. It was so small. What could it do? She sighed. She brought them around to see if they could find other pet beasts. Unexpectedly, after shopping for a few hours, there was not even a bird on his head. She could only go out. The giant tiger and the little green snake couldn¡¯t apany them on their journey, so Gu Chaoyan stowed them away in her space. Given the tiger¡¯s need for recuperation, it was best left there for the time being. However, when Gu Chaoyan attempted to bring the snake out, the tiger insisted on caring for it, disying an unexpected sense of responsibility. Luckily, the small snake didn¡¯t require much space. Though Gu Chaoyan initially nned to set up a designated area for it in the room, it wound itself around her wrist, blending in seamlessly. Content to let it be, Gu Chaoyan decided against sleeping despite the early hour. With time ticking away, she opted to upy herself with a book and a cup of tea. Yet, as she took a sip, a sharp pain pierced her head, signaling that something was amiss¡ªthe tea was tainted! Helplessly, Gu Chaoyan nced at her snakepanion, who seemed equally puzzled by the situation. In that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but think that perhaps her tigerpanion wasn¡¯t the only onecking in wits¡ªher own judgment had faltered too.
Drinking tea can kill you, I¡¯ll see you again. If it had known earlier, it would have paid more attention. It was sensitive to poisonous gas, but it did not expect its master to¡­ What should he do now?
Calling for help? That was basically impossible. It went to smell the poison in the tea. It was quite poisonous. This master¡¯s cultivation level could die. After some thought, it decided to bite her. She had cured a lot of the poison, but there was still one more thing. She would be fine when she woke up. Knowing that there was no big problem, the little green snake was relieved. To it, it was not a big problem if it could not die. When Gu Chaoyan was discovered, it was Huan who came to look for her. Seeing the unconscious person, Huan was shocked. ¡°Guards!¡± When the Heaven Emperor saw him, he was lying on the ground with a pale face. His expression twisted with fury. To think he could be poisoned within his own Heavenly Pce! It was utterly intolerable¡­
Without hesitation, he dispatched investigators to uncover the source of the treachery. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan swiftly organized efforts for detoxification. The investigation swiftly yielded damning evidence¡ªit was none other than Qi Yue, the daughter of the Leader Sect of One Sect, who had orchestrated the poisoning. With brazen nonchnce, Qi Yue confessed to her actions. ¡°I poisoned her. She¡¯s nothing more than a disobedient maid,¡± Qi Yue admitted casually. Chapter 2725 - 2725: Amnesia 3 Chapter 2725: Amnesia 3 Editor:Henyee Trantions The humble abode he had initially prepared for her remained uninhabited. Unable to find rest there, she sought sce in hispany. Ever since she fell victim to poisoning, she found herself often seeking refuge in his presence. During this period, the Sky Sect¡¯s celestial physician attended to her needs. For now, staying with him seemed the best option. He gentlyid her on the bed, a soft smile gracing his lips as he observed her peaceful slumber. The burden of her lost memories seemed to ease her troubled mind.@@novelbin@@ In the past, whether awake or asleep, his countenance bore a perpetual furrowed brow, an air of defiance and vignce. With her memory lost, those feelings of unease and watchfulness dissipated. He pondered whether this change was for better or worse. The celestial physician had mentioned her body¡¯s natural ability to purge the poison. However, the potency of this particr toxin left remnants in her brain, hindering her memory. As the poison slowly dissipated, her recollections would likely return.
The period of memory loss would be fleeting. Thus, the Heaven Emperor harbored little concern. For now, her happiness during this interlude mattered most. When her memories resurfaced, he¡¯d offer answers if she sought them. In the Heavenly Pce, one slumbered peacefully while the other kept watch. Meanwhile, Huan had reached the Xing Sect. The Heaven Emperor, preferring not to encounter the Sect Leader personally, arranged for her to handle the matter. Upon seeing her, the Sect Leader of Xing Sect greeted her with utmost courtesy. Huan wasted no time, promptly issuing instructions to the Sect Leader of Xing Sect, ¡°Prepare two individuals to apany Gu Chaoyan to the Heavenly Pce as per the Heaven Emperor¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Two? Why the sudden need for additional personnel?¡± The Sect Leader of Xing Sect voiced his surprise. Huan¡¯s expression soured. No wonder the Heaven Emperor held such disdain for this individual. Trulycking in intelligence. Thankfully, the Heaven Emperor wasn¡¯t known for his leniency. Otherwise, the Xing Sect¡¯s leader would have been reced long ago. ¡°It¡¯s imperative to select individuals familiar with Gu Chaoyan, those who have had the most interactions with her,¡± Huan dismissed the Sect Leader¡¯s query. Though the Heaven Emperor hadn¡¯t provided explicit instructions, those chosen to serve in the Heavenly Pce were known for their astuteness. With just a single directive from the Heaven Emperor, they were expected to proceed efficiently. The Sect Leader found himself in a quandary. What significancey in familiarity? ¡°She¡¯s only acquainted with one person. Lin Xue, albeit simple-minded. Her inclusion in the retinue could pose¡­¡± The Sect Leader hesitated, seeking rification.
¡°Sect Leader, your role is to obey the Heaven Emperor¡¯smands, not question them,¡± Huan retorted, her frustration palpable. Interacting with such an individual proved exasperating. Among the Sky Sect, intellect was prized, ensuring tasks unfolded seamlessly. How could they anticipate such ipetence? ¡°Yes, understood,¡± the Sect Leader hastily acquiesced, wary of any dy.
With that, Huan departed without further ado. In haste, she set about arranging for Lin Xue¡¯s inclusion. Additionally, there was another matter to attend to¡ªXiaoyun. Both tasks were swiftly aplished. Xiaoyun required no discussion. Lin Xue, however, proved more troublesome. He summoned her, subjecting her to two hours of relentless admonishment before releasing her. The pair could proceed directly to the Heavenly Pce without the Sect Leader of Xing Sect¡¯s escort. The Celestial Thearch harbored disdain for the Sect Leader, making their presence unnecessary. Given Xiaoyun and Lin Xue¡¯s strained rtionship, silence reigned between them as they made their way. Chapter 2729 - 2729: Amnesia 7 Chapter 2729: Amnesia 7 Editor:Henyee Trantions Lin Xue, having never undertaken such a task before, initially found herself uncertain of what to do. It was Huan who assumed the role of instructor, while Lin Xue observed from the sidelines. Though Huan herself was somewhat unfamiliar with the task, she possessed a basic understanding of pce duties, having served in the Heavenly Pce for some time. Since his arrival in the Heavenly Pce, the Heavenly Emperor hadn¡¯t engaged in such activities at all. As the sole master of the Heavenly Pce, he kept a considerable distance from others, permitting only routine interactions. Consequently, Huan wasn¡¯t entirely ustomed to such tasks. Fortunately, given Lady Chaoyan¡¯s gender, the situation was manageable. Gu Chaoyan gazed with wide eyes, though there was little to behold in their surroundings. With careful precision, Huan assisted Gu Chaoyan in undressing. As Gu Chaoyan stood exposed to the air, Lin Xue couldn¡¯t help but stare, her eyes widening in awe. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s form was strikingly beautiful. Neither tall nor short, her proportions were just right. Her figure boasted curves, yet she remained slender, a sight to behold.
Previously, Gu Chaoyan had sported a slight tan, which detracted somewhat from her beauty. However, in recent days, herplexion had lightened considerably, attaining a pallor akin to porcin, tinged with a delicate hint of rose. Lin Xue possessed knowledge of Gu Chaoyan¡¯s ndestine practices. She recalled the unique concoctions Gu Chaoyan employed to darken her skin during bathing sessions. When questioned, Gu Chaoyan had exined her desire to maintain a low profile. Now, perhaps due to her memory loss, Gu Chaoyan had foregone this practice, reverting to her natural appearance. Even Lin Xue found it difficult to tear her gaze away from him. However, the individual in question remained oblivious to her attention, proceeding directly into the water to soak. During her bath, Gu Chaoyan preferred privacy and requested that they wait for her upstairs. Uponpleting her shower, her skin still glistened with droplets of water as she regarded Lin Xue and Huan with clear eyes. Huan meticulously dried her body with a cloth before assisting her into a fresh shirt.@@novelbin@@ Fresh from her bath, Gu Chaoyan appeared somewhatnguid. Apanied by Huan and Lin Xue, she proceeded to visit the Heavenly Doctor. Following the consultation, strict dietary restrictions were to be adhered to, given the prescribed medications, requiring utmost caution. Gu Chaoyan came out. Even Xiaoyun widened her eyes. Why did she look so good? She had seen Gu Chaoyan before, but Gu Chaoyan was not even as good-looking as herself. But how did she suddenly be so beautiful? Even she looked dimmer in front of her. This made Xiaoyun a little unhappy. In particr, the Heaven Emperor¡¯s eyes were fixed on her, which made Xiaoyun even more displeased.
He thought that Gu Chaoyan was very smart, otherwise she would not have caused so much trouble. The heavenly doctor had shown her. His expression softened. ¡°The toxin in her brain is slowly decreasing. When it¡¯spletely removed, she¡¯ll regain her memory,¡± the heavenly doctor said.
Obviously, he felt that it was very impressive. The Heavenly Emperor nodded with satisfaction. Though he harbored reservations about Gu Chaoyan recovering her memories too swiftly, his concern for the poison lingering in her body remained paramount. Once the Heavenly Doctor departed, a suitable meal was promptly arranged. Gu Chaoyan ate with evident delight, disying a childlike enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the others observed her with keen interest as she enjoyed her meal. Upon finishing their meal, they prepared to depart. The festivities hosted by the Flower Sect were drawing to a close. With concerns for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s well-being, the Heavenly Emperor opted to apany her, along with Huan, mindful of the care she received from Lin Xue and Xiaoyun. Chapter 2731: Flower Sect 2 Chapter 2731: Flower Sect 2 Editor:Henyee Trantions The Heaven Emperor¡¯s face twitched. Thinking back to the past, when that person came to Flower Sect, it was as if she hade to her own backyard. She was so arrogant that people wanted to beat her up. But now¡­ This person was afraid after being looked at twice. The Heaven Emperor found this both infuriating and funny. After all, the difference between before and after was too great. However, when he sensed the person hiding behind him, the Heaven Emperor felt a surge of affection towards her. He had always harbored tender feelings for her, contingent on whether she reciprocated them. He gently took her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s depart. Fear not, you¡¯re under the protection of my Sky Sect. No harm will befall you. If you find this bustling atmosphere diforting, I¡¯ll escort you to the tranquility of the Flower Sect¡¯s abode.¡±
The Heaven Emperor spoke with reassurance. Yet, as they conversed, Gu Chaoyan¡¯s fear dissipated, reced by a curious and delighted demeanor as she surveyed her surroundings. It was evident that the Flower Sect, with its stark contrast to the austere Sky Sect, captivated her. The Sky Sect was known for its solemnity, with scarce adornment of flowers. In contrast, the Flower Sect exuded a different aura. Rare blooms adorned every corner, captivating the eye. Visitors to the Flower Sect adhered to its rules, refraining from heedlessly plucking the flowers. Part of this restraint stemmed from a sense of awe; these blossoms were captivating, yet potentially treacherous. In the Flower Sect, anyone was eligible to pluck the flowers, as clearly stipted in the documents, except for the Phoenix Flower, which bloomed only once every thousand years. However, plucking the Phoenix Flower was not an opportunity open to all. The majority of these rare blooms were harvested by descendants of the Flower Sect, with the plucker ascending to the position of Sect Leader. This was the method by which the Flower Sect determined its leadership. Yet, idents were not umon. A millennium ago, an audacious woman plucked the flower, resulting in an extended tenure for the incumbent Sect Leader. This time around, despite another potential mishap, the Flower Sect¡¯s current leader spared no effort in extending an invitation to the Sky Sect¡¯s Heaven Emperor. After all, who wouldn¡¯t desire a few extra years at the helm? Upon the arrival of various sect members, discussions ensued among the leaders while others indulged in leisurely activities within the garden, where the Phoenix Flower resided. The Heaven Emperor prepared to confer with the Flower Sect¡¯s leader, while Gu Chaoyan eagerly ventured into the garden. Slightly apprehensive, the Heaven Emperor contemted arranging alternative amodations should Gu Chaoyan feel unwell and wish to avoid interaction. Before he could voice his concern, Gu Chaoyan grasped Lin Xue¡¯s hand and bounded into the garden with excitement. The Heaven Emperor¡¯s expression twitched. What happened to her earlier apprehension?
Nheless, he hastened to catch up and inquired, ¡°I¡¯m about to discuss matters with the Flower Sect¡¯s leader. What are your ns? Will you be staying here to y?¡± Gu Chaoyan nodded earnestly, fully intending to revel in the garden¡¯s delights. With little choice, the Heaven Emperor departed, leaving Gu Chaoyan to her amusement. However, he still addressed Huan and the others with utmost seriousness, ¡°Take good care of her and ensure her safety. Failure to do so will have dire consequences.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the others replied promptly. Knowing the Heaven Emperor¡¯s reputation for keeping his word, they were naturally filled with trepidation. The garden bustled with a plethora of flowers and people, some engaged in casual conversations while others mingled in social circles. Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyan immersed herself in studying the flowers, her expression earnest. Unfamiliar faces surrounded her, and she remained oblivious to their identities. Yet, many were aware of her association with the Heaven Emperor and couldn¡¯t resist casting curious nces her way.@@novelbin@@ A few bold individuals approached, though they maintained a cautious distance, mindful of the formidable reputation apanying the Heaven Emperor¡¯spanion. ¡°Are you from the Sky Sect, brought here by the Heaven Emperor?¡± inquired a group of boys and girls, their tone frosty. Chapter 2735: Flower Sect 6 Chapter 2735: Flower Sect 6 Editor:Henyee Trantions She took it off and held it in her hand, waving the Phoenix Flower at Huan excitedly. The faces of the few people from the Flower Sect had alreadypletely frozen. The others couldn¡¯t help but twitch. Why was someone handling the revered Phoenix Flower with such carelessness, as if it were amon weed? The significance of the Phoenix Flower couldn¡¯t be overstated. Not only did it mark the position of the Flower Sect¡¯s sect master, but it also held immense benefits for marrow purification and cultivation enhancement. Ordinarily, one would handle it with the utmost reverence. How could they treat it so recklessly? Upon her return, Gu Chaoyan tossed a rope to Huan, requesting assistance to pull her ashore. Once on solid ground, she handed the Phoenix Flower to Huan and turned eagerly to the Flower Sect members, proiming, ¡°You all agreed that if I sessfully plucked this Phoenix Flower, I could freely im any other flowers from the Flower Sect!¡± The expressions on the Flower Sect members¡¯ faces soured as if they had tasted something foul.
They never imagined she could aplish such a feat, throwing their ns into disarray. With this opportunity squandered, they¡¯d have to wait another millennium for the next Phoenix Flower to bloom to vie for the Sect Leader position. Considering the current Sect Leader¡¯s advanced age, another thousand-year wait could be fatal. If she dared to pluck it, fine, but how dare she covet the other flowers in the sect?@@novelbin@@ The lead woman brandished her sword, poised to confront Gu Chaoyan. Just then, the Sect Leader¡¯s attendants arrived. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, Lady Hua Wu, the Sect Leader requests your presence.¡± With the Sect Leader¡¯s men present, Hua Wu abandoned any notion of attacking further. Provoking them would only result in her own humiliation. Hua Wu found herself¡­ The group received an invitation. Gu Chaoyan quickly spotted the Heaven Emperor among the gathering, apanied by other individuals, likely leaders of various sects. The Flower Sect Master greeted them with a smile. ¡°Lady Chaoyan, I¡¯ve heard that you managed to pluck the Phoenix Flower, is that correct?¡± the Flower Sect Leader inquired kindly. ¡°It is indeed true,¡± Gu Chaoyan affirmed boldly, embodying a fearless demeanor. ¡°What about the other flowers?¡± the Flower Sect Leader queried, slightly puzzled. He had witnessed the plucking of the Phoenix Flower, but Gu Chaoyan held nothing in her hand. At the mention of the flowers, Gu Chaoyan suddenly recalled something. Approaching Huan, she retrieved the flower from her. Huan held it out in her hand. Gu Chaoyan confessed with embarrassment, ¡°Sect Leader of the Flower Sect, I must apologize. When I set out, I hadn¡¯t intended to pluck the Phoenix Flower, so I didn¡¯t bring along the container for the flowers.¡± The Flower Sect Leader chuckled heartily, while the expressions of the Flower Sect members turned sour, particrly Hua Wu, who appeared on the brink of fury.
Though Huan spoke the truth, its implications were rather bitter. What did she mean by not intending to pluck it? The Flower Sect Elders pondered silently. Gu Chaoyan returned the flowers to Huan with a harmless toss and turned earnestly to Dao Seeking, ¡°The Flower Sect Leader mentioned a wager with me. If I sessfully plucked the flower, I could im the flowers. However, despite my sess, she refused to honor the bet and threatened me with her sword. May I still take some flowers with me? Many of them are quite beautiful.¡± Hua Wu was so angry that she vomited blood.
She was still not satisfied after obtaining the Phoenix Flower? She still wanted to covet other flowers? And if she said it here, where would she put herself? Sure enough¡­ Chapter 2738: Flower Sect 9 Chapter 2738: Flower Sect 9 Editor:Henyee Trantions He had instructed Lin Xue to keep watch over Gu Chaoyan while he attended to other matters. Despite the responsibilities awaiting him in the Sky Sect, he opted not to rely on his clone¡¯s presence for herpanionship. Gu Chaoyan slumbered deeply, undisturbed for several hours. Upon awakening, her first instinct was to seek out the Heaven Emperor. Ignoring Lin Xue¡¯s calls from behind, she searched tirelessly until she spotted him seated atop a towering chair, surrounded by people who remained invisible from her vantage point. Unperturbed, she made her way toward him. With a helpless smile, the Heaven Emperor dismissed the elders and regarded Gu Chaoyan affectionately. ¡°Already awake? Weren¡¯t you nning to rest a while longer?¡± ¡°You were nearby,¡± Gu Chaoyan stated seriously. The Heaven Emperor chuckled warmly before growing pensive. ¡°When do you intend to depart for the Meteor Academy?¡± ¡°Right away,¡± Gu Chaoyan replied eagerly. The prospect of attending the academy filled her with excitement, eager to hone her skills in Sword Kinesis Flight. Though a hint of reluctance flickered in the Heaven Emperor¡¯s eyes, he nodded with a smile. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll escort you there.¡± Despite yearning for their current intimacy tost indefinitely, he knew he couldn¡¯t keep her memories suppressed forever. It was essential for her to recover and pursue her education at the Meteor Academy. Before bidding farewell, the Heaven Emperor embraced Gu Chaoyan tenderly, then arranged for their journey to the academy.
While ordinary disciples required a full day to reach the Meteor Academy, as the Heaven Emperor, he possessed his own flying beast, significantly reducing travel time to a mere two hours. Thus, they soon arrived at the Meteor Academy. Upon arriving at the Meteor Academy, Gu Chaoyan encountered the man who had berated her earlier while riding the green lion. Her initial smile faltered, and she instinctively grasped the Heaven Emperor¡¯s hand, seeking his support as she walked past the man. The Heaven Emperor couldn¡¯t suppress a chuckle at her reaction. Gu Chaoyan¡¯s demeanor reminded him of their initial encounter many years ago when she was brimming with cheekiness and defiance.@@novelbin@@ However, over time, she had be distant and aloof. Casting a pointed nce at the young man from the Flower Sect, the Heaven Emperor guided Gu Chaoyan away. Upon their arrival at the Meteor Academy, the Heaven Emperor had already arranged for Gu Chaoyan¡¯s teacher and the Celestial Thearch. Though reluctant to part ways, the Heaven Emperor departed, knowing that the uing mission at the academy could potentially aid in Gu Chaoyan¡¯s journey to reim her lost memories. Once she returned, she would be the Gu Chaoyan he remembered. ¡°It¡¯s you again,¡± a slightly irritating voice interrupted as the man confronted Gu Chaoyan. ¡°You again,¡± Gu Chaoyan retorted disdainfully, turning away from him in refusal to engage. The teacher overhead interjected, ¡°Our academy has a new mission that requires immediate action. Prepare yourselves, as we¡¯re about to embark on the mission.¡± Gu Chaoyan was dumbfounded. She was here to learn Sword Kinesis Flight, not to carry out a mission. ¡°I am going home.¡± Gu Chaoyan said seriously. ¡°I am not going.¡± Haha¡­ Hahahahahaha. Everyoneughed when they heard this.
When the teacher heard this, his face twitched, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, it was the youth from the Flower Sect who said disdainfully, ¡°How useless.¡± Gu Chaoyan got so annoyed. ¡°You are useless!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going on a mission. You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t dare to go.¡±