Chapter 231 - 240

The ancient, towering tree, its canopy so thick it blotted out the sky, stood silent, save for the rustling of falling leaves in the wind.

Half a mile from the tree, Xuan Yuanche, on horseback, bow drawn, was poised to fire. His white shawl rustled in the wind, his dark hair billowing behind him. He didn't stop there, resembling a silent, lurking hunter, mysterious and dangerous.

Ahead of him, beyond the canopy's reach, Xuan Yuanli, also bow drawn, was ready, spirited and energetic, his clear eyes focused intently. His arrow was aimed at the tree trunk, his toes lightly touching the stirrups, ready to leap into the air!Full novel: Greedy Baby: Abandoned Wife Mother Becomes a Concubine — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠

Within the tree, amidst its dense foliage and gnarled roots, Murong Wei was nowhere to be seen. Only a small deer, about the size of a pony, appeared on the highest branch, surrounded by thick, intertwined branches.

Everything seemed frozen in time.

Suddenly!

A figure in icy blue appeared out of thin air on the highest branch of a tree, perched on a horizontal trunk—it was Murong Wei.

She crouched silently on the trunk, one hand resting on the bark, the other aiming a gun at her prey. Beneath her intricately carved icy blue mask, a smile played on her lips. Then, "Bang..."—a gunshot rang out!

A gun, indeed, is the most powerful weapon! Blood spurted out, a bullet piercing the chest!

There wasn't even a sound of the deer's cry; a single shot was enough to kill it. The beast plummeted downwards, crashing through layers of tree trunks before falling straight down!

Without a moment's pause, she immediately scrambled up the tree trunk, chasing after it layer by layer. Her figure darted, swayed, and plummeted through the dense foliage, flipping, climbing, and reaching out with nimble and agile movements. Her silhouette grew like a blue shadow, and in an instant, she landed before the deer's carcass. Just then, Xuan Yuanli arrived, looked up, and exclaimed with delight, "Weiwei, well done!"

"Back off!" Murong Wei yanked him aside, and then, with a loud "thud," the deer's carcass hit the ground, its massive antlers thumping violently!

Silence followed the loud noise.

Murong Wei looked at the dying deer, then at Xuan Yuanli, stunned.

Xuan Yuanli looked at Murong Wei, then at the dying deer, dumbfounded.

"Dead?" Murong Wei murmured, her breathing unsteady after the relentless battle.

"Yes!" Xuan Yuanli nodded emphatically.

"We hunted the deer!" Murong Wei asked earnestly.

"Mmm!" Xuan Yuanli nodded emphatically again, like a chicken pecking at rice.

Murong Wei looked at him, her calm face gradually breaking into a smile. She finally recovered completely, jumped up with joy, and exclaimed excitedly, "Thirteenth Prince, we did it!"

"I knew we could do it!" Xuan Yuanli made a fist gesture, something he'd learned from Ye Bao.

"Hahahaha." Murong Wei put her hands on her hips and laughed heartily.

Xuan Yuanli frowned at her, then imitated her, putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head back, laughing so hard he was shaking.

"Hahaha, Weiwei, if I'd known, I wouldn't have asked Seventh Brother for help. I've never asked anyone for anything before!" Xuan Yuanli said.

"Hahaha, Thirteenth Prince, if I'd known you'd ask, I would have stopped you!" Murong Wei said.

"Hahaha, Weiwei, once you regain your beauty, you'll definitely dazzle Consort De's eyes. I'll accompany you to pay her a visit then!" Xuan Yuanli said excitedly.

"Hahaha, I'm going to draw a portrait and send it to Ye Bao first!" Murong Wei was already imagining how Ye Bao would react when he found out.

"Hahaha!" Xuan Yuanli laughed loudly.

"Hahahaha!" Murong Wei laughed even more brightly.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahahaha!"

...

The two of them were like madmen, like fools, joyful, excited, and thrilled for a long, long time, still laughing "Hahahaha!"

In the distance, Xuan Yuanche watched all of this from afar, his cold face as calm as ever, neither sad nor happy, neither elated nor disheartened. He slowly put away his bow and arrows, turned his horse around, his black hair and white robes fluttering, galloping across the vast grassland, a white shadow like a dragon, disappearing into the distance...

Murong Wei and Xuan Yuanli laughed like madmen, their mouths almost frozen from laughing, finally managing to calm down.

Murong Wei took out a dagger, deftly scooped out the bullet casing from the deer's chest, and waved it in front of Xuan Yuanli, mysteriously saying, "This is what killed it!"

"What is this thing?" Xuan Yuanli asked suspiciously, carefully holding the bullet casing; it was quite heavy.

"A weapon from overseas!" Murong Wei remained mysterious.

"How did you hit it? Your hidden weapon skills are even better than Lao Bai's?" Xuan Yuanli asked, assuming that Murong Wei had shot the bullet in with her bare hands!

"Of course! This is for you, a lucky charm!" Murong Wei said, taking the five arrows behind him, confirming the markings, and then thrusting them all into the deer's chest wound!

"These are my arrows!" Xuan Yuanli hurriedly reminded her.

"The deer was shot by our Thirteenth Prince! Five arrows on horseback, breaking the Qi King's record in one fell swoop! Cool, right!" Murong Wei smiled, stood up, and grabbed the deer's antlers.

Xuan Yuanli also stood up, looking at her with complex emotions in his eyes.

"What are you dawdling for! You might even break his time record. Prince Qi isn't as lucky as us; he probably ran into him on the very first day!" Murong Wei said seriously.

Xuan Yuanli looked at her for a long time, then held up the bloodstained bullet casing and said earnestly, "This is a lucky charm; I'll keep it safe!"

"Okay. Hurry up!" Murong Wei urged.

Xuan Yuanli carefully concealed the bullet casings before drawing his sharp dagger and swiftly beheading the deer! Grabbing its antlers, he mounted his horse.

Murong Wei followed, her smile unwavering, making a photographic gesture with her hands. "Click... Thirteenth Prince, you're amazing! You're just as good as your two brothers!"

"Indeed!" Xuan Yuanli stubbornly raised his head, whipped his horse, and galloped away.

"Really." Murong Wei smiled, quickly following after him...

No one had expected this year's hunt to be so successful, so swift, and even less did anyone anticipate that Xuan Yuanli would be the one to succeed!

Even though the number of participants was twice that of previous years, almost everyone believed the hunt was a foregone conclusion; some even predicted that Prince Qi would be the first to return to camp by the evening of the following day!

Night fell, the sky ablaze with stars, and Xuan Yuanlie worked through the night in his tent processing urgent dispatches from the capital.

Suddenly, a eunuch's loud announcement rang out, "Report..."

Xuan Yuanlie jumped up, almost rushing out, "So fast?"

"Your Majesty, it's the Thirteenth Prince... the Thirteenth Prince... the Thirteenth Prince brought back deer antlers!" The old eunuch was overjoyed.

"Thirteenth!" Xuan Yuanlie exclaimed in surprise.

"It really is the Thirteenth Prince! The Thirteenth Prince hunted a deer and returned first with Doctor Murong!" The old eunuch finally managed to speak fluently.

"Summon them!" At Xuan Yuanlie's command, the lights in the camp area immediately came on one after another, waking everyone from their sleep. Everyone was astonished, and many even rushed out disheveled.

"It's actually the Thirteenth Prince!"

"Heavens, it's only the first day!"

"The Thirteenth Prince! How could it be him!"

"Is this a dream?! Prince Qi lost?"

"Haha, Prince Qi actually lost! The autumn hunt record has been broken!"

"He's even faster than Prince Qi! What incredible luck!"

...

Surrounded by onlookers, amidst gasps of disbelief, and with flames burning brightly beside him, Xuan Yuanli rode his horse, one hand holding the reins, the other carrying deer antlers, slowly making his way towards Xuan Yuanlie's main camp. Murong Wei didn't participate, watching from afar. Seeing the lights dimming and the bustling crowd, seeing even his back view so full of vigor, a smile played on her lips, a strange sense of satisfaction.

Finally, he stopped, dismounted, and tossed the deer antlers at Xuan Yuanlie's feet, saying earnestly, "Your Majesty, the deer antlers have been delivered!"

At this moment, two eunuchs carrying the carcass of a deer with five arrows piercing its chest quickly passed through the crowd and approached.

"As expected!"

"No doubt about it!"

"Five arrows! Five arrows fired simultaneously! It really is the work of the Thirteenth Prince!"

"So beautiful!"

...

Amidst exclamations and cheers, the deer carcass was placed at Xuan Yuan Lie's feet! The Empress Dowager personally pushed through the crowd and rushed over. Upon seeing the scene before her, she abruptly stopped. "Thirteenth Prince, you!"

"Your Majesty, inspect the goods!" Xuan Yuan Li said smugly, his arrogance in front of his brother and mother seemingly frozen in time with the days when his father was still alive.

However, his mother showed no surprise, excitement, or praise. Instead, she walked away with a displeased expression, scolding him in a low voice, "Thirteenth Prince, do you know that shooting a deer will shorten your lifespan?"

"If I can live freely and happily, what does it matter if my lifespan is shorter?" Xuan Yuan Li said calmly.

"You silly child, how could you! If you want something, just tell your brother!" The Empress Dowager's annoyed expression made Murong Wei, who was mixed in with the crowd, want to laugh, but Xuan Yuanli laughed first. He leaned close to the Empress Dowager's ear and whispered, "Mother... if I asked for the throne, would my brother give it to me?"

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was struck dumb, her whole body stiffening.

Xuan Yuanli snorted and left, bowing respectfully to Xuan Yuanlie, "Your Majesty, the deer is presented. Your subject has a request!"

Xuan Yuanlie was busy stroking the deer, and he could immediately tell whether it was real or fake. He nodded in satisfaction and said, "Thirteen, you've made something of yourself this year! It is indeed deer antlers. Speak, what do you want? As long as it doesn't violate benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and filial piety, I will grant you whatever I can."

"Your subject wants a certain medicine that Your Majesty keeps in the Imperial Study," Xuan Yuanli said.

"Hehe, you even know about it in the Imperial Study, you've been thinking about it for a long time, haven't you?" Xuan Yuanlie chuckled, instantly spotting Murong Wei in the crowd. He knew what Thirteen wanted.

"Yes, it's the 'disguise' that came from Nanzhao. I heard from the servants that it's still in the Imperial Study," Xuan Yuanli said. In front of all the ministers, he even mentioned where the disguise was kept, so the emperor couldn't refuse.

"Disguise..." Xuan Yuanlie thoughtfully stroked his chin, hesitating to speak.

Faced with Xuan Yuanlie's hesitation, not only Xuan Yuanli fell silent, but almost everyone present also fell silent.

Hunting deer in the autumn was a long-standing tradition of Xuan Yuan, and even if Xuan Yuanlie was autocratic, he couldn't change the rules passed down from their ancestors. No emperor wanted to be smeared in history. The Empress Dowager

of the Western Palace arrived late, standing beside Xuan Yuanlie, her cold face as calm as her son, Prince Qi.

"Disguise" was a rare medicine from Nanzhao, produced only once every few years. Whether it was an old scar or a new wound, no matter how severe, it could restore one's original appearance within a day, essentially giving one a new face, hence the name "Disguise"!

This was common knowledge among the palace officials, just like Murong Wei's disfigurement, which everyone knew.

Clearly, the Thirteenth Prince had hunted the deer precisely to obtain the medicine for Murong Wei.

"Thirteenth, your face is perfectly fine, so handsome, why do you need 'disguise'?" Xuan Yuanlie asked knowingly.

"Brother, will you give it to me or not?" Xuan Yuanli asked anxiously, disregarding any consideration for Xuan Yuanlie's feelings in front of everyone.

Sure enough, not only him, but even the Empress Dowager's face darkened, and silence fell over the surroundings!

"Look at how anxious you are. Even if your brother wanted to deceive you, the ancestral rules wouldn't work. The disguise isn't in the Imperial Study; it's here. Once everyone returns, I'll reward you in front of everyone!" Xuan Yuanlie said.

"Thank you, brother!" Xuan Yuanli was relieved and unconsciously turned to look for Murong Wei, but she wasn't there.

"Someone, pass down the order to summon everyone back! Prince Li has shot a deer; tonight is the night of the bonfire! I want everyone to drink until they're drunk!" Xuan Yuanlie shouted, in high spirits.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"   The crowd shouted three times   .

The deer antlers symbolized longevity, the greatest ambition of every emperor

!   The bonfire night was the final event of the autumn hunt, a celebration after the deer hunt. Unexpectedly, it came so suddenly, so quickly.

Everyone rushed back to prepare their clothes. Tonight, riding attire could be changed; tonight, fine clothes could be worn; tonight, singing and dancing could continue until everyone was drunk.

Torches were lit on the highest watchtower beside the camp, a signal to call the hunters back.

Firewood was piled up in the central open space. All the palace maids and eunuchs were busy. The banquet was gradually set out, everything proceeding in a flurry of activity. Xuan Yuanlie personally went to the deer antlers to return to the camp.

Xuan Yuanli looked around in the crowd, searching, but couldn't find Murong Wei anywhere. He was so excited he wanted to share it with her immediately, so he grabbed someone and asked, "Have you seen Murong Wei?"

"Thirteenth Master, over here!" She was standing right next to him, and suddenly patted his shoulder, cheerfully saying.

Xuan Yuanli turned around abruptly, grabbed her, and spun her around excitedly. "We did it! Weiwei, your face is saved! Hahahaha, hahahaha, hahahaha!"

Instantly, everyone around them turned to look. Murong Wei froze, dumbfounded, letting Xuan Yuanli hold her and spin her around.

"Your face is saved! Haha, we've won a complete victory!"

"Weiwei, after we get back to the capital, we'll feast for three days and three nights!"

...

Murong Wei's ice-blue skirt billowed, tracing a beautiful arc in the air. He was dressed in white, she in ice-blue, and amidst countless onlookers, they joyfully embraced and celebrated. The sight was so beautiful that anyone who saw it couldn't help but feel happy and smile along.

She was dazed by the sight, and in her daze, she saw a figure rushing towards her. It stopped abruptly outside the crowd—it was him, Xuan Yuanche.

He looked at them calmly, as if it were her, not them.

Xuan Yuanli finally calmed down. She unexpectedly met his deep and cold eyes. For some reason, even from this distance, she could easily sense that he was different from usual; something seemed to be hidden beneath his calm.

From the very first moment she saw this man, there was a strange, direct feeling about him. Like that time at Yanxi Palace, it was clear he was looking at her, pleading for help. And after Yanxi Palace, on many occasions, she had a strange intuition that he was watching her in crowds. Her

intuition told her that his feelings for her were different. Unfortunately, everything that followed proved her to be wishful thinking; it was all just an illusion.

She looked away and teased softly, "Thirteenth Prince, so many eyes are watching! Are you trying to make me a thorn in the side of all the noble ladies?"

Xuan Yuanli was startled, only then realizing the strange looks around him. Impatient, he roared, "What are you looking at!"

With that roar, he vanished in a flash.

"Let's go, I even prepared some clothes for you!" Xuan Yuanli said hurriedly, taking Murong Wei's hand and starting to leave.

"You really made thorough preparations!" Murong Wei smiled, subtly dodging his hand, seemingly starting to pay attention to something.

Xuanyuan Li didn't react much, remaining cheerful.

The two returned to the camp, where the steward immediately approached, carrying a set of fine clothes, and hurriedly whispered, "Your Highness, Lord Wushang just delivered this!"

"When? Where is he?" Murong Wei asked, frowning.

"He left before you returned, saying there was progress on the matter of the precious letter, and he went back to the capital first," the steward said.

"This clothing is…" Murong Wei asked again.

"He said it was prepared for your bonfire party," the steward replied truthfully.

"This guy knows quite a lot!" Murong Wei looked at Xuan Yuanli suspiciously. She hadn't mentioned to Xuan Yuanli much about Bai Wushang training her in the tree that night.

"It's not surprising. That guy has mingled in royal families of various countries and knows all sorts of rules. Xuan Yuan is someone he's relatively unfamiliar with." Xuan Yuanli wasn't curious.

"Then these clothes..." The steward stammered, wanting to say that his master had also prepared clothes, but dared not be presumptuous.

Xuan Yuanli didn't speak, waiting for Murong Wei to speak.

"Oh, it's just an outfit. I brought my own, and it's prettier than what you prepared. Let me show you!" Murong Wei smiled, her eyes filled with complexity. How could she not hurt the Thirteenth Prince's feelings?

She clearly felt that her relationship with him seemed to have begun to go beyond friendship.

He was so young, with a bright future ahead of him, and he would meet many destined people. She already had a child; she couldn't let him down. Besides... besides... she had met Old Bai first.

"You haven't even seen the clothes I prepared yet," Xuan Yuanli said calmly.

"Then let's see! Butler, bring them over." Murong Wei still smiled carefree, though she was afraid of him getting serious. When Bai Wushang was serious, it meant he was angry; when Thirteen was serious, it meant he was injured.

Two sets of clothes were laid out before them. At a glance, it was clear that the high-profile, extravagant, and luxurious style, leaning towards a courtly aesthetic, belonged to Bai Wushang, while the simple, conservative, and tasteful style, leaning towards riding attire, belonged to Xuan Yuanli.

Xuan Yuanli remained silent, waiting for her to choose, as if this choice was very formal, representing some special significance. A

hint of helplessness flashed across Murong Wei's eyes. She picked up a package, still smiling, and said, "Thirteenth Master, actually, neither you nor Lao Bai are as generous as my Ye Bao! Look!"

As she spoke, she lifted the clothes from the package and laid them flat on the table. Instantly, Xuan Yuanli and the butler were both dumbfounded!

This...this...this was actually the most precious thousand-year-old ice silkworm silk!

This is a hundred times more valuable than that golden silk dragon robe owned by the dog emperor!

It's a long, fitted dress that reaches the chest, with a bow at the back adding a touch of playfulness to its solemnity. The skirt is wide and long, trailing on the ground, its color transitioning naturally from white to ice blue—a design rarely seen in ancient times.

"This... is genuine?" Xuan Yuanli incredulously stroked the fabric, its quality so exquisite he didn't want to let go.

"My son Ye Bao always gives me genuine things. This is a birthday gift he gave me last year, and he brought it over specially. I thought then, if we win, I'll wear this! We'll be so high-profile!" Murong Wei said with a smile, genuinely happy when talking about her son.

"Alright, I admit defeat to your son!" Xuan Yuanli shrugged, saying helplessly.

"Go change your clothes. Tonight we'll celebrate your victory, we won't leave until we're drunk!" Murong Wei said cheerfully.

"Good!" Xuan Yuanli finally perked up!

The hunters returned one after another, all astonished by Xuan Yuanli's victory, some even suspecting it was just a joke.

Consort De stormed into Prince Qi's tent, her voice sharp, "Your Highness, the Thirteenth Prince has shot a deer?"

Xuan Yuanche, now dressed in a white brocade palace robe, leaned comfortably on the couch, his eyes slightly narrowed as he rested. He didn't answer her, only waving his hand.

"Consort De, please." Jin Chan said succinctly.

"Jin Chan, did you forget to tell His Highness? I have an urgent message." Consort De said, having waited in vain for Prince Qi last night, and had no chance this morning, unable to catch up with him at the hunting grounds.

Xuan Yuanche immediately opened his eyes, saying calmly, "What urgent message?"

"Your Highness, it's an urgent message from my father. Please take a look." Consort De remained respectful, personally delivering the letter.

The relationship between King Qi and the Han Kingdom is inextricably linked. Previously, King Han's father always respected King Qi because King Qi had always protected the Han Kingdom. However, since King Qi returned to the capital, things have changed. He began to wreak havoc, tampering with countless mines within the Han Kingdom's territory, and ordering Long Xiao to conscript troops for war. All of this, of course, was to be carried out by General Murong.

Before, it was a relationship of dependence, but now, with King Qi making moves in the Han Kingdom, the relationship has become much more complicated.

"The principal wife?" Xuan Yuanche raised an eyebrow, closed the secret letter, and burned it over the fire.

"It is the opinion of my family, Your Highness. Consort Rong is, after all, the Emperor's person." Consort De reminded him, thinking herself clever .

"Are you in a hurry?" Xuan Yuanche asked indifferently.

"The principal wife can be discussed at length. My father has sent people to pay his respects several times, inquiring about my appearance. I would like Your Highness to explain to my father yourself." Consort De said.

"Is Consort De blaming me for not hunting any deer?" Xuan Yuanche asked, finally looking at her.

"Your Highness... I dare not, but... I..." Consort De finally softened her tone. Even after being married to Prince Qi for so long, meeting his gaze still made her heart tremble, just like when they first met.

"Go down. I will speak to Long Xiao about this!" Xuan Yuanche said calmly, then closed his eyes again.

Consort De frowned, annoyed, angry, and full of suspicion, yet dared not question him loudly, and could only turn away helplessly.

Just as Consort De left, Cai Zai rushed over, disrespectful and without even a bow, saying directly, "Master, something bad has happened! There are rumors that the Emperor is mobilizing troops to Han Kingdom!"

Xuan Yuanche frowned slightly, then stood up, unable to even rest for a moment. He said unhappily, "It's just mobilizing troops, why are you so anxious?"

"Your Highness, the Emperor wouldn't be planning to attack Han Kingdom, would he?" Cai Zai was still anxious.

"If he really wants to attack, I can't stop him!" Xuan Yuanche acted as if it were none of his business, getting up and heading towards the door, but his furrowed brows remained unchanged.

Outside the tent, a lively scene had already begun. The banquet spread out from the tents in two directions, forming a circle around a central pile of firewood. Palace maids and eunuchs were serving delicacies and wine in an orderly fashion. The Empress Dowager Cixi

sat upright, beckoning to him. Not far away, many princes and ministers were gradually taking their seats.

"Was it a deliberate loss?" the Empress Dowager Cixi murmured.

Xuan Yuanche smiled faintly. "A loss is a loss."

"Did you know that the Emperor had mobilized troops to Han Kingdom?" the Empress Dowager Cixi asked.

"Cai Zai reported it," Xuan Yuanche replied.

"This... was it intentional? Was it to provoke you?" the Empress Dowager Cixi frowned.

"It seems I really should be worried." Xuan Yuanche remained calm, but a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

"The letter that just arrived... General Murong is rather reserved, but the Second Madam is very direct. She insists on seeing the Empress Dowager's favor before she will mobilize the navy," the Empress Dowager Cixi murmured.

“This is what we should be anxious about!” Xuan Yuanche sighed, propping his head up with one hand. He saw Xuan Yuanli and Ren Fan approaching from afar, a light blue figure faintly visible behind them. He remained silent, watching quietly.

The Empress Dowager followed his gaze, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. “Go back to your seat,” she said. “I won’t reprimand you any further. Handle the Han Kingdom’s naval affairs yourself.”

Soon, with the arrival of Xuan Yuanlie and the Empress Dowager, the commotion ceased immediately.

Xuan Yuanlie glanced at everyone, patted the deer head with its antlers cut off on the table, and laughed loudly, “Someone, light the fire! Tonight, all the formalities are off-limits. I’m delighted that the Thirteenth Prince has hunted a deer!”

“Congratulations to Your Majesty on obtaining the antlers! Congratulations to the Thirteenth Prince on winning the championship!”

The powerful ministers rose to offer their toasts, congratulating him in unison.

Murong Wei remained seated on Xuan Yuanli's back, completely obscured by his tall figure. A sense of nervousness rose within her; she was about to see the "disguised" Xuan Yuanli!

"Someone, bring up what the Thirteenth Prince requested!" Xuan Yuanli shouted.

A eunuch, carrying a brocade box high above his head, bowed and hurried forward.

Murong Wei's heart tightened, and she instinctively straightened up to look. She saw Xuan Yuanli take the box and slowly open it…

Murong Wei instinctively clasped her hands together, pressing them to her lips, her eyes fixed on Xuan Yuanlie's movements as he slowly, very slowly, took out the "Disguise" from the brocade box!

She had expected the box to contain a pill, or perhaps a porcelain bottle filled with a rare medicine, but she never imagined it would contain a "mask"!

When Xuan Yuanlie held the "Disguise" high, everyone present was astonished.

This disguise technique, perfected only in recent years, was rarely seen, and few knew its true appearance.

It was a mask, incredibly small and exquisite, only the size of a palm, multicolored, and its material was impossible to discern!

Murong Wei's heart, which had been in her throat, sank to the bottom of the sea. A thought uncontrollably surfaced in her mind: could the disguise be just a mask, unable to heal scars, only concealing them?

"This is the disguise?" Xuan Yuanlie stood up and asked loudly.

"Hehe, send it to the Thirteenth Prince. This is indeed the rare medicine of Nanzhao, the disguise!" Xuan Yuanlie said confidently.

The old eunuch hurriedly brought the tray to Xuan Yuanli. Murong Wei sat motionless, unable to resist the urge to avoid it. She had worked so hard, been so happy, and finally obtained the "disguise." If it was a lie, how could she face it?

"Is this medicine?" Xuan Yuanli was clearly angry. He touched the disguise, still unable to determine the material, only feeling that it resembled silk.

"Thirteenth, what do you mean by this?" Xuan Yuanlie asked coldly, clearly displeased with Xuan Yuanli's suspicion.

"I just feel this thing is very strange, it doesn't seem like medicine," Xuan Yuanli said.

"Thirteenth, let me tell you, don't think that just because you asked for it, I can't take it back. If you doubt it again, I'll take it back immediately! There are plenty of people who want this!" Xuan Yuanlie said coldly.

"Your Majesty, I was just asking. How is this medicine used?" Xuan Yuanli asked.

"It dissolves instantly in water. Wash your face with it. Different scars heal differently; the fastest is healed after one wash, the slowest is within a day!" Physician Lin quickly said from the side.

His silence only fueled suspicion, making not only Xuan Yuanli but also Murong Wei doubt him.

"Hehe, Thirteenth, when has your imperial brother ever lied to you? If you still don't believe me, you can try it in public!" The Empress Dowager Dong chuckled, attempting to ease the tension between the two brothers. She glanced at Consort De and added, "Thirteenth, your face is perfectly fine. What's the point of disguising yourself? Let Consort De try it on; your seventh brother will be grateful."

Consort De immediately shuddered and looked at Xuan Yuanche.

However, Xuan Yuanche, as always, continued drinking, having no intention of participating in the argument.

He had seen disguises before; he knew whether this disguise was real or fake. If he wanted, in this situation, he could easily force out the real disguise and use it on her.

In the past, he had always managed to resolve countless difficulties, awkward situations, and dilemmas in the palace with a few words, but now, he simply refused. And this last chance, he wouldn't let her seize it!

Just then, Murong Wei suddenly stood up, smiling, and said, "Thirteenth Prince, that's not right. This is what you got from hunting the deer, the greatest reward from the Emperor. How can you just try it out like that? Use it now!"

Xuan Yuanli looked at Murong Wei, his hands trembling slightly. He knew what she was going to do. Using the disguise on the spot, in front of the entire court, would immediately reveal whether it was real or fake. If

it was fake, at least Xuan Yuanlie would have to give an explanation. If she tried it again later, how could Xuan Yuanlie still admit it?

But what if this medicine was still a disfiguring medicine?

A face ruined twice is devastating damage, and even a real disguise cannot cure it!

"Hehe, so Thirteenth Prince is asking for medicine for Doctor Murong! Perfect, the person is right here, use it now!" Xuan Yuanlie said with a cold laugh.

Xuan Yuanli gripped the disguise tightly, remaining silent, looking at the stubborn Murong Wei, shaking his head.

Murong Wei slowly removed the icy blue, intricately carved veil from her face, gradually revealing half of her disfigured features. At the same time, a calm, composed smile appeared on her face.

Instantly, the murmurs and whispers throughout the hall fell silent.

Xuan Yuanche watched, his eyes filled with coldness. He then looked up, a fleeting hint of heartache flashing across his calm eyes.

Under everyone's gaze, Murong Wei's face was fully revealed. In the silence, various sounds began to emerge. Consort De knelt beside Xuan Yuanche, speaking to him, distracting him.

Xuan Yuanlie and the Empress Dowager whispered amongst themselves, sneering repeatedly. Princess Qixi clutched Ren Fan's sleeve tightly, her mouth never stopping, muttering incessantly.

An old eunuch stood by, carrying a basin of water.

Only Xuan Yuanli remained quiet, like a child, looking at Murong Wei, silently shaking his head—shaking his head continuously since then.

No, this risk cannot be taken!

Murong Wei smiled throughout, slowly prying open Xuan Yuanli's tightly clenched fingers, but Xuan Yuanli only tightened his grip, more stubborn than she was.

"Silly Thirteen, we worked so hard to get this, how can we not try! Even if it's ruined, I'm willing." She whispered, then suddenly pressed an acupoint on his wrist, causing him to immediately release his grip, her disguise taken from him.

The disguise dissolved instantly in the water, turning the shallow basin of clear water into a kaleidoscope of colors, reflecting the bright moon with an eerie and mysterious aura.

Xuan Yuanli looked at her smile and no longer tried to stop her. At this moment, for the first time in his life, he felt so strongly that he wasn't strong enough, not strong enough to protect the woman he loved, to keep her safe, to protect her from fear and hardship.

Under everyone's gaze, Murong Wei resolutely rolled up her sleeves, slowly lowered her head, and buried her entire face in the water that dissolved her disguise.

She closed her eyes, held her breath, and completely emptied herself, as if sinking to the bottom of the water, ignoring the stinging pain that gradually spread across her face, like countless needles pricking her, the pain intensifying until finally, she could no longer bear it, could no longer ignore it!

Suddenly, she lifted her head!

The water flowed down her face, down her neck, and onto her clothes.

The pain on her face was very strange; in the end, it completely disappeared, as if she had never felt any pain at all.

She still kept her eyes tightly closed; she couldn't hear any sound, completely unaware of the outcome.

Even Xuan Yuanli didn't make a sound; it was so quiet, so quiet it frightened her.

She still smiled, feeling as if she was mortgaging her courage for the future. A stubbornness lingered on her slightly upturned lips. She reached out her left hand and suddenly touched her left cheek, the side of her face that had been perfectly intact.

Her heart calmed down, she clenched her teeth, and her right hand unexpectedly covered her right cheek. At that moment, her heart skipped a beat, and she froze.

"Waaah..." Suddenly, a sobbing sound came; it was Princess Qi Xi.

"Waaah... Weiwei... Waaah..." Gradually, her sobs grew louder, "Weiwei... Murong Wei..."

"Murong Wei..." Xuan Yuan Li's murmured voice also came through.

Then came Ren Fan's clear laughter, "Weiwei, here, wipe your face quickly."

Murong Wei still didn't dare move. This was the consequence of completely running out of courage. She cautiously opened her eyes, staring blankly at the handkerchief Ren Fan offered.

"Weiwei, look!" Xuan Yuan Qi Xi rushed over, pulling out an oval bronze mirror from somewhere, and placed it in front of her!

The face in the mirror was one she hadn't had time to see clearly when she transmigrated. She had wondered before, that a woman personally chosen by the late emperor to be the Prince of Qi must be a woman worthy of him.

This face, ethereal yet alluring, magnificent yet refreshing, possessed a striking beauty. Her lips were bright red, her teeth white and gleaming, her eyes captivating, and her dimples charming.

She smiled unconsciously, a shallow dimple appearing on her lotus-like face. Even before speaking, she exuded shyness, her cherry-red cheeks blooming like vibrant peonies. Beneath her delicately arched eyebrows, her eyes were clear and sparkling.

Only then did people realize that the disfigurement on one side of her face could conceal so much beauty!

At this moment, without many words, all the gossip would be silenced. Indeed, the surroundings remained quiet; the royal ministers, noble ladies, and young women were all dumbfounded.

No one had ever imagined that Murong Wei's original appearance was so beautiful, truly breathtaking. Even the most heavily made-up noblewomen and young ladies present could not compare to her natural beauty.

After being stunned, she was filled with jealousy, but unable to vent it as she had done with her previous sarcasm. She could only stare blankly, her eyes fixed on Murong Wei, afraid of missing anything.

Murong Wei subconsciously looked at Consort De, only to be met with intense hatred in her eyes!

At this moment, Consort De was absolutely certain that Murong Wei was the fourth young lady whom she had driven to the brink of death, nearly losing both her unborn child and her own life in the wilderness!

Now was not the time; she would expose everything one day!

"Hehe, the Thirteenth Prince has good taste; indeed, a beauty." In the silence, the Western Empress Dowager spoke lazily.

"Indeed, it's a pity there's only one disguise; poor Consort De." The Eastern Empress Dowager looked at Consort De with a pitying expression, her provocation obvious.

"Hehe, Prince Qi lost rather quickly this year." Minister Xiao of the Ministry of Personnel said.

"Minister Xiao, how can you say that? Thirteenth Prince won beautifully! Our Thirteenth Prince has truly grown up!" Xuan Yuanlie laughed heartily, even more delighted by Consort De's barely contained anger. If a disguise was to be given, it had to be something valuable!

Xuan Yuanli was still staring blankly at Murong Wei, who was grinning foolishly, unsure what to say to him, waving her hands incessantly.

Music began, and singers and dancers took to the stage. The central bonfire burned brighter and brighter, its flames soaring into the sky—the revelry had begun!

Although it was a celebration, the presence of the Emperor and Empress Dowager kept everyone somewhat reserved.

Seeing Xuan Yuanli still stunned, Murong Wei suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him outside. What did the occasion matter? Tonight was for a joyous celebration!

"

Thirteenth Prince, drink!" she said with a smile, offering him a bowl of wine. Instantly, she spun around and disappeared in a few turns!

The dancers and singers quickly stepped aside. Now that the tables and chairs were no longer obstructing the view, everyone could see her clearly. She wore a strapless, belted long dress that transitioned naturally from bright white to ice blue. The wide, fishtail train trailed on the floor, tracing beautiful arcs in the air as she twirled. Her figure was graceful and exquisite, her waist slender and delicate.

A large bow was tied at her waist, the ribbons flowing gracefully, adding a touch of playfulness to her regal bearing, just like her appearance—glamorous rather than naive, refined yet alluring, a captivating beauty with a hidden dimple and a charming smile! Externally, there was

Murong Zi's impeccable beauty; externally, there was Murong Wei's inner and outer elegance. All her beauty was revealed in her light and lively dance steps.

She wasn't dancing classical dance, nor was she performing her most prized "Rainbow Feather Dress" routine; instead, she was performing a modern, lighthearted cha-cha.

Her lithe figure and captivating eyes made her seem like a graceful blue butterfly, dancing confidently and freely around the campfire and amidst the lively banquet.

Xuan Yuanli downed a bowl of wine in one gulp, unconsciously wanting to follow her dance steps, already fully committed. However, he didn't understand her dance, and his movements were clumsy and stiff.

"I'll teach you!" Murong Wei chuckled, taking his hand. Hidden beneath her long, flowing dress, her lotus feet began another elegant and light dance step—the tango!

She led Xuan Yuanli forward, sometimes turning and shifting positions, sometimes spinning, sometimes leaning back. Xuan Yuanli, guided by her, gradually entered a state of blissful intoxication, completely ignoring the suspicious gazes around him, a joyful smile finally appearing on his lips.

Seeing this, the surrounding singers and dancers were eager to join in, and soon they all joined in, forming a circle around them. The classical dance steps grew increasingly dynamic with the cheerful drum music.

Amidst the profusion of flowers, vibrant colors, and fluttering ribbons, in this scene of peace and prosperity, she transformed from a cocoon into a butterfly, she rose from the ashes, she was like a phoenix leading the dance, receiving the adoration of all birds.

No amount of breathtaking beauty, no amount of unparalleled grace could adequately describe her at this moment.

The jealous and hostile gazes around her unconsciously transformed into envy, astonishment, and utter fascination!

Even the usually aloof king did not look away, his beautifully sculpted lips unconsciously curving into a warm smile, a smile never before seen on his usually cold face.

If ugliness cannot be concealed, then beauty cannot be concealed either.

Tonight's revelry was meant to celebrate the successful deer hunt, it was prepared for them, why should they care about the emperor and empress dowager's opinions?

They dared to give her the real disguise, she dared to use it, she had just told them she wasn't ugly!

"Haha." Xuan Yuanli laughed, she could keep up with her dance steps without her guidance, Xuan Yuanqixi, her tears still wet, suddenly rushed in, following Murong Wei's cha-cha steps, happily saying, "You guys are amazing, this is what a revelry should be like!"

"Emperor, let everyone join in the bonfire revelry!" Xuan Yuanli said generously, such joyful memories only existed in her childhood, when her father was still young, before the struggle for the throne began.

"Hehe, didn't I just say, let's skip the formalities tonight!" Xuan Yuanlie said with a smile, but he didn't join in, watching Murong Wei from afar, gradually becoming infatuated...

Regardless of the season, the Nanzhao Kingdom is always hot, with afternoon thunderstorms being a certainty.

Most of its territory consists of towering, treacherous mountains, a veritable mountain range. Within the largest basin of these mountains lie Nanzhao's largest cities, with the capital being the largest and most central, the seat of royal power.

Beyond these, numerous independent strongholds and self-proclaimed kings reside within the mountains, nominally under Nanzhao's control but long since defunct, some even posing a direct threat to the royal authority.

Nanzhao is the most complex of the four kingdoms of the Central Plains.

Within these towering mountains lies a renowned mountain called Poison Ridge, the location of the infamous Hundred Poisons Sect, feared throughout the land.

Legend has it that anyone trespassing on Poison Ridge will die from poisoning upon entering its gates. The veracity of this legend is unknown, but the Hundred Poisons Sect's position within the Nanzhao royal court and the martial arts world is not to be underestimated.

The clatter of hooves gradually ceased, and a six- or seven-year-old child lazily dismounted. Dressed in a loose-fitting blue robe, he appeared remarkably mature. With his hands behind his back and a slight bow, he strolled leisurely up a few stone steps, gazing up at a massive stone towering into the clouds before the mountain gate. Inscribed on it were four large, flowing characters: "No Poison Under Heaven."

His delicate brows furrowed, and he remained puzzled for a long time before turning around. His exquisitely sculpted features, even in simple attire, could not conceal his innate noble bearing. He was none other than Murong Wei's long-awaited son, Lord Wushang's precious treasure, Ye Bao, the young master Ye.

He asked, puzzled, "Qinglong, what do these words mean?"

"It means that any poison in the world, once brought to the Poison Sect, is no longer considered poison," Qinglong replied.

"Really?" Ye Bao expressed doubt and continued walking upwards. Just as he was about to take his first step into the mountain gate, Qinglong quickly stopped him. "Wait!"

"Even if you tell him, it's useless. From here to the top of the mountain, it's all trials. If he can make it to the top alive, Master might consider reluctantly accepting him. If not, he'll be sent to work in the woodshed. Even if Lord Wushang personally pleads for him, it's useless." Huo Feng said coldly, looking displeased.

All the way from Shang Kingdom along the East Sea to the South Sea, she gave this brat whatever he wanted. Unexpectedly, after landing, the little Buqing in his sleeve woke up, leaving her with no way to deal with it. She had originally planned to get Buqing to please her master!

Ye Bao blinked his innocent big eyes at Qinglong, pursing his lips, looking very aggrieved.

"Looking at me is useless. We have to take another route. I can only warn you that there might be many poisonous creatures along the way, some that even we have never seen before. You'd better be careful!" Qinglong said helplessly.

"Your master's name is Zhao Xueling?" Ye Bao asked.

"That's right. If you can reach the summit smoothly, she will take you as her disciple. She is the sect leader's youngest daughter, the most favored, and the most talented. She is also close to Lord Wushang. Young Master Ye, do your best!" Qinglong said, making a fist gesture with him.

Ye Bao, looking like an old man, rubbed his chin and said, "I'm not afraid of poison, I'm just afraid of... sigh..."

He sighed, hesitating to continue.

"You're not afraid of poison? Hehe, then what are you afraid of? Don't tell me you're afraid of dying!" Huo Feng rolled her eyes at him. You can't look at this brat with the same eyes you would a six or seven-year-old child, or he'll make you suffer!

"No, no, I'm just afraid that from here to the summit, there are at least five thousand stone steps..." Ye Bao said, blinking his narrow eyes cutely at Qinglong, "I'm just afraid that Uncle Qinglong won't carry me up!"

If his mother were here, she would definitely give him a good smack on the head and teach him that acting cute is shameful!

Unfortunately, it was Qinglong present. He seemed to have no resistance to the little guy's cuteness, and looking at his constantly blinking eyes, he didn't know what to do.

"Qinglong, let's go!" Huofeng immediately became alert and pulled Qinglong away.

"I'll carry him up. I won't help him." Qinglong said very seriously.

"No, are you planning to be punished by the master?" Huofeng reminded him.

"Tell the master that he's too young to walk that far, and I'll carry him up." Qinglong said.

Huofeng was too lazy to say anything more, and directly brought the horse to Yebao, pulling Qinglong and saying, "If you dawdle any longer, don't blame me for how I deal with him!"

"Uncle Qinglong..." Yebao pouted, refusing to give up, and directly hugged Qinglong's leg.

"Little Yebao, do you have no bottom line? Qinglong will be punished!" Huofeng was furious.

"Uncle Qinglong..." Ye Bao continued to plead pitifully. If he didn't plead, he would be even less likely to reach the summit. He wouldn't die from exhaustion or poisoning, but he would be incredibly embarrassed and wouldn't want to admit it...getting lost!

"You, surnamed Ye, climb up here right now! I've been waiting for you for ages! Otherwise, I won't even give face to Bai Wushang's father!"

This...this...it was a woman's voice, but...was it Huo Feng speaking?

Ye Bao was suddenly startled and looked at Huo Feng, only to see that Huo Feng's face was extremely pale.

He then looked at Qinglong and saw that Qinglong's face was even worse, a pale green.

"Um...you two...were you calling me just now?" he asked timidly, his own face not much better. The voice clearly came from the summit, echoing through the empty forest. But even an echo wouldn't be that loud, right? The speaker must have a loud voice and be incredibly powerful!

The most terrifying thing was that it was a woman!

His first thought was of the Thirteenth Master's Lion's Roar; compared to this, it was utterly insignificant.

Azure Dragon and Fire Phoenix nodded in unison.

"That voice... Zhao Xueling?" Ye Bao asked timidly again.

Azure Dragon and Fire Phoenix nodded again, and in perfect unison, one turned left and the other right to leave—their master had lost his temper; something terrible was about to happen!

"Uncle Qinglong..." Ye Bao was almost in tears, rushing over.

But in an instant, the figures of Qinglong and Huofeng vanished into thin air. Before the empty mountain gate, amidst the unfamiliar chirping of birds and insects, only his small figure remained, so insignificant beneath the massive boulder of the gate.

"If you haven't finished climbing the stone steps and come to me before dark, you'd better get back down!" That roar came again. This time, Ye Bao heard it clearly; it was indeed a shout delivered with internal force, not an echo.

The voice could identify the person—how powerful must this woman be?

Ye Bao looked up at the long stone path disappearing into the forest, his eyes brimming with tears, looking like he was about to cry, letting the voice echo through the forest several times, but he remained still.

He stood there for a long time until Xiao Buqing slowly woke up from his clothes, lazily crawling out from his wide collar. He patted Xiao Buqing's head and said earnestly, "Qing'er, you're the only one who won't abandon me. If my mommy doesn't mind you, I wouldn't mind marrying you as my wife someday, really. Lead the way!"

Xiao Buqing seemed to understand him, leaping down to the ground and wagging its tail at Ye Bao.

This Xiao Buqing was quite capable, though he wouldn't easily tell others, such as its navigation skills. If you put it in the mountains, it would definitely find the shortest route and reach the mountaintop in half a day.

Ye Bao remained unhurried, still with its hands behind its back, as the old ox slowly followed Xiao Buqing onto the path on the right side of the stone steps…

Two hours later.

Ye Bao, his head covered in branches and leaves, his blue robe disheveled, and his little face dirty, crawled out of a hole in the ground, a twig clenched in his mouth. He didn't care about the scenery before him; he pulled a small bronze mirror from his wide sleeve, stuffed Xiao Buqing inside, and busied himself fixing his hair and clothes in front of the mirror.

Even his mother would never know what he hid in those wide sleeves.

Around him, clouds chattered, offering an unobstructed view from any direction. This was the highest peak in the myriad mountains of Nanzhao. Before him stood a massive stone gate, like a blue sky gate, and not far inside, a magnificent palace, as grand as an imperial palace, surrounded and behind it, was a cluster of palaces—truly proving the saying, "He who occupies the mountain is king!"

Beneath the gate, a petite little girl leaned against a stone pillar, legs crossed, fast asleep, a reed clenched in her mouth, just like him.

She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in green, like a cultivator, with her hair in a bun, an oval face, and features and skin even more exquisite than Ye Bao's.

Ye Bao held up the bronze mirror and saw her in it. He frowned abruptly and subconsciously walked forward, wanting to see her more clearly. After a few steps, he suddenly came to his senses and saw her in person not far behind him! Moreover, he could now see clearly what he couldn't see in the bronze mirror: a large green snake that she was carrying around her waist!

He could only see the snake's body, as thick as a tree trunk, but not its head or tail. Just by looking at the patterns, he knew it was a Bu Qing, a large Bu Qing!

He subconsciously touched the smaller Bu Qing that was curled up asleep in his sleeve, exhausted, and turned to run away.

Just then, a silly, pig-like voice suddenly rang out, "Master, something terrible has happened!"

The girl sprang to her feet, stomping hard on Da Buqing's body. Her eyes were dazed, but her voice was deafening, "What happened?"

"Miss, all the snakes in the burrow are dead!" the maid said, then knelt down with a thud.

The girl snapped to attention. "Who did this?"

The maid twisted her fingers, pointing to Ye Xiaobao, who was stealthily moving away with his back to them. "It was that child. He crawled up from the burrow."

"Drag him away and feed him to the snakes!" The girl said domineeringly without even glancing at Ye Bao, then flopped onto Da Buqing's bouncy belly and continued sleeping.

"You're Zhao Xueling?" Ye Bao's jaw nearly dropped in surprise, then he couldn't help but burst into laughter. He had expected a menopausal old woman waiting for him at the door! It turned out to be a little girl.

Ye Bao laughed so hard he looked like he was having a fit, startling the maid who didn't dare approach. Zhao Xueling,

still half-asleep, looked at him suspiciously, her brows furrowing. Ye Bao immediately rushed over, kneeling and saying, "Disciple Ye Bao has successfully reached the summit and has come to pay respects to Master!"

This girl was clearly even more unruly and ruthless than Princess Qi Xi, and also incredibly wealthy—exactly his type! He'd finally found a new dream girl!

The girl's age was hard to guess; she looked about fifteen or sixteen, but her large, watery eyes made her look like a doll, incredibly cute. The two buns on her head further enhanced this childlike appearance.

However, her eyes betrayed her true nature; even in her sleepiness, shrewdness and intelligence were clearly visible.

"You're Ye Bao?" She raised an eyebrow, lazily standing up and looking down at the devoutly kneeling Ye Bao.

"Yes, disciple!" Ye Bao quickly replied.

"You climbed up from the cave?" she asked again.

"Yes, disciple!" Ye Bao answered again.

"You killed all the snakes in the cave?" she continued.

"Yes, disciple!" Ye Bao continued.

"Do you know how many years I've been secretly raising those snakes!" Suddenly, she roared, and Ye Bao leaned back, clearly sensing the sharpness in her voice!

He immediately lowered his head, feeling extremely wronged. He had expected to be praised, but instead, he had caused trouble right away.

"How did you kill him?" she asked lazily.

"Poisoned him," Ye Bao replied hastily.

"Poisoned him?" she asked suspiciously, crossing her arms and looking him over with amusement.

"If you don't believe me, Master can go and see for himself," Ye Bao said, sounding aggrieved.

"Who's your master? I haven't even decided whether to take you in yet!" she scoffed, grabbing his thin arm and pulling him toward the cave.

"Master, the sect leader has been back for a long time and wants to see you," the kneeling maidservant quickly reminded her timidly.

"Let Fire Phoenix and Azure Dragon handle him, don't bother me!" she said lazily, without turning her head.

Ye Bao's arm ached from being pulled, and he looked up at her, blinking his teary eyes, pleading, "Beautiful sister, it hurts..."

She stopped, frowning, looking at him without speaking.

"Beautiful sister, it really hurts, I want a hug..." Hot tears streamed down Ye Bao's face, making him look pitiful, as if she had wronged him terribly.

Seeing him cry, she immediately smiled and deliberately moved closer. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, which were even bigger than his, and she choked out, "Little Ye, this beautiful sister isn't little anymore. Calling me 'sister' makes me sick."

She said this with such pitifulness, as if he had bullied her.

Ye Bao froze, his tears stopping abruptly, his own cry echoing in his mind, "Mommy, I've met a master!"

"Auntie, we can go now," he said, unable to bear seeing such a beautiful and adorable woman cry.

She then wiped away her tears and pulled him along. They

soon reached the cave exit. She was shocked as soon as she stepped inside, instinctively shielding Ye Bao behind her, and said coldly, "Only you've been here?"

"I don't know," Ye Bao whispered, contentedly clinging to her leg.

"It's Bu Qing Wang!" she said coldly, recognizing him immediately by his scent.

Bu Qing Wang was of royal blood among the Bu Qing snakes, rarely encountered.

Not to mention other venomous snakes, even Bu Qing snakes themselves were unlikely to escape unscathed when encountering Bu Qing Wang!

If it were just a small Green King, that would be fine, but if it were a large Green King, the entire Hundred Poisons Sect would have to be on high alert. Of course, the Poison Scripture records that a large Green King hasn't appeared for thousands of years.

Small Green Kings are very difficult to raise, and it's not easy for one to grow into

a large Green King. She was about to retreat, but she couldn't move her feet. Turning her head, she saw Ye Bao hugging her leg, looking up at her with an innocent and harmless smile on his tender face. His narrow eyes were squinted into slits, and he was holding the tail of a small Green King in his hand.

"You!" she exclaimed in surprise, struggling violently as she tried to go into the cave.

Although she could only see the tail and not the head, she could tell at a glance that it was a small Green King! Once

everyone was far away, Ye Bao leisurely dusted off his green robe, straightened his clothes, stretched his thin arms, and then walked forward with a serious, hunched back, like an old man strolling along like a slow-moving ox.

From Shang Kingdom to Nanzhao, although the journey was by sea, it practically traversed the entire Divine Continent. Along the way, Qinglong taught him a great deal about martial arts, hidden weapons, and poisons. In short, Qinglong taught him everything Lao Bai instructed, and he forced Qinglong to teach him everything Lao Bai hadn't mentioned.

Even though he came to the Hundred Poisons Sect sincerely to become a disciple and humbly learn, he should at least be somewhat prepared!

This cave ascends vertically from the foot of the mountain to the summit. Below this steep slope are winding stone steps. The cave is now filled with a nauseating stench—the potent poison of Xiao Buqing mingled with the blood of various venomous snakes. An ordinary person would have been killed by the toxins in the air long ago.

She was nowhere to be found, but Ye Bao showed no reaction to these stenches, as if he had been bitten by Buqing.

He strolled along the stone steps, slowly disappearing into the darkness.

The entire cave was silent; no one was to be seen.

However, the atmosphere around them grew increasingly terrifying and eerie, the air thick with danger. Looking into the bottomless darkness, even the most oblivious person could sense something amiss, as if something terrible was about to happen.

"Mommy!" Suddenly, Ye Bao's pitiful scream rang out, followed by his charge.

And following him were several strands of what looked like sprayed spider silk!

In an instant, they engulfed him and pulled him into the cave.

Then, the surroundings quickly returned to calm; a gentle mountain breeze blew, insects chirped merrily, and butterflies danced gracefully among the flowers—a scene of tranquility and peace.

In the bushes near the cave entrance, Qinglong, tears streaming down his face, was heartbroken but helplessly turned away, saying, "Young Master Ye, may you find your own good fortune."

After a while, the green-clad girl lazily emerged from the cave, almost mimicking Ye Bao's movements—hands behind her back, hunched over like an old woman—humming an unknown tune to herself.

If one looked more closely, one could see that she was holding a very thick spider silk in her hands behind her back. Following this silk, a huge silk cocoon was being slowly pulled out of the cave entrance, a vast expanse of white with a faintly visible black center. Looking further back, finally, a small head appeared from behind the large white silk cocoon—it was none other than Ye Xiaobao, who had just been so confident, now looking utterly defeated, making one want to give him another piece of their mind.

The girl in green didn't even go through the main gate. Instead, she dragged him back to her residence along the rugged path. The small courtyard nestled in the bamboo grove possessed a tranquil serenity, like a clear spring flowing over rocks in a poem.

"Boy, how's it going? Enjoyable?" she asked with a smile at the doorway, her words and tone brimming with a manly, unrestrained style.

Ye Bao, his face contorted in a grimace, gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"Now I'm going to ask you a few questions. Answer honestly, or else..." she smiled, slowly raising her hand. A black spider appeared out of thin air on the back of her hand, its eight legs extremely thick and hairy, sending chills down one's spine at first glance.

"Tell me who you are first!" Ye Bao shouted urgently.

"I never change my name! I'm Zhao Xueling, the Little Poisonous Demon, known as the Poisonous Maiden of the Hundred Poisons Sect of Nanzhao!" Zhao Xueling finally revealed her name!

"How can you treat me like this? Do you think you've lived up to Lao Bai's trust?" Ye Bao shouted again, demanding an explanation.

“Little one, now it’s my turn to ask you, not the other way around, understand?” Zhao Xueling asked.

Ye Bao didn’t speak, looking at her with sobs, extremely unwilling. If Xiao Buqing hadn’t been so exhausted just now, he would have killed all her spiders.

“Don’t understand?” Zhao Xueling raised an eyebrow coldly, gently flicking her hand. The hairy black spider landed on the cocoon and slowly crawled towards Ye Bao.

“Ah… I understand! Ask me anything!” Ye Bao suddenly shouted. Spiders were one of the things he feared most!

Zhao Xueling smiled triumphantly, caught the spider, and said, “What’s your relationship with Lao Bai?”

“Almost father and son.” Ye Bao answered calmly.

“Almost father and son? What do you mean?” Zhao Xueling was surprised.

“It means that Lao Bai will marry my mommy in the future and become my daddy!” Ye Bao explained.

“So, you’re not Lao Bai’s illegitimate son?” Zhao Xueling asked.

Ye Bao was suspicious. This woman, could it be… that she likes Lao Bai? No way! Wouldn’t he be in big trouble then!

"No, no, how could that be! Actually, he and my mommy aren't..." He hurriedly tried to explain, but before he could finish, Zhao Xueling impatiently said, "You don't need to explain!"

With that, she suddenly pulled out a sharp dagger and stabbed him fiercely!

"Ah...ah...ah..." Ye Bao closed his eyes, almost screaming himself hoarse.

However, the expected pain didn't come, and the feeling of being bound by the silk cocoon suddenly disappeared!

He immediately opened his eyes and saw Zhao Xueling very close to him, her eyes lowered as she pulled away the remaining spider silk for him. Looking at her so closely, he found her to be incredibly beautiful, especially her big, watery eyes, so beautiful that he was filled with envy and jealousy!

"Kid, I've decided, I'll take you as my disciple." Zhao Xueling picked him up and carried him into the house.

"Why?" Ye Bao asked, puzzled.

"As long as you're not related to Bai Wushang by blood, I'll take you in," Zhao Xueling said.

"Why?" Ye Bao still didn't understand.

“That way it won’t be a waste. I don’t want my apprentice, whom I’ve personally trained, to die young.” Zhao Xueling said, placing Ye Bao on the warm couch and taking out a token.

It was a heavy black iron token, shaped like a black spider.

“Here, you must carry this with you. It allows you to move freely within the Hundred Poisons Sect. Remember, from this moment on, if anyone asks you, you must say he’s my newly accepted apprentice, an orphan, understand?” Zhao Xueling said.

“Why?” Ye Bao asked again, truly confused. Why couldn’t he say Old Bai? Why couldn’t he be related to Old Bai by blood?

“Because, no one in the Hundred Poisons Sect likes Bai Wushang. Here, everyone wants to kill him!” Zhao Xueling narrowed her eyes, speaking with great seriousness.

Ye Bao looked at her suspiciously, not believing her.

“You don’t believe me?” Zhao Xueling asked.

“No.” Ye Bao replied, feeling there was a secret hidden here.

“Qinglong, come out. Tell him if it’s true.” Zhao Xueling said.

Immediately, Qinglong climbed in through the window and stood respectfully to one side, saying, "What Master said is absolutely true."

"Fire Phoenix, what do you say?" Zhao Xueling asked again.

Fire Phoenix climbed in through another window, his usual arrogance gone, even more respectful than Qinglong, saying, "What Master said is absolutely true."

Ye Bao didn't speak, his gaze sweeping over the three of them for a long time before suddenly revealing a shocking secret. He said, "Master Xueling, Bai Wushang is Prince Qi, right? Prince Qi's sons never live past ten, right? I am Prince Qi's son, which is also Old Bai's son, right?"

Fire Phoenix exclaimed in astonishment, Qinglong's jaw nearly dropped, and Zhao Xueling's lips twitched uncontrollably. The room fell silent.

Seeing their reactions, Ye Bao's lips also began to twitch, not as loud as before, but cautiously and timidly, "Could it be... that I really guessed right?"

"Hehe, haha, what did he say? It's so funny." Zhao Xueling laughed, but it sounded so fake.

"Haha, I didn't understand, really." Huo Feng immediately joined in the laughter.

"Hehe, hehehe, hahaha..." Qinglong's laughter became increasingly awkward, and he almost cried.

"Master Xueling! We're all straightforward people, so let's not keep any secrets to ourselves. I'll tell you honestly, Lao Bai slipped up once back in the capital. He conspired with the Empress Dowager to trick my mother! I've known why for a long time!" Ye Bao said earnestly, his heart

trembling. He hadn't actually prepared to ask about this; he'd kept it a secret all along, never daring to delve into it. He'd just let it slip by accident.

How could he just casually reveal something so important? He should at least wait until he saw his mother, discuss it properly, and then figure out how to deal with Lao Bai!

Seeing Zhao Xueling still laughing hysterically, Ye Bao sighed, "Fine, fine, I knew you weren't a straightforward person!"

He waved his hand, as if to say, "You can all leave now, I need to rest.

" "You can all leave now!" Zhao Xueling finally spoke, her voice deep.

Ye Bao was startled. Was she really going to tell him?

The Azure Dragon and Fire Phoenix obediently withdrew, closing all the doors and windows.

Ye Bao unconsciously shrank to the side. He had been wanting to know for so long, but now that the secret of his origins was about to be revealed, he was afraid.

Zhao Xueling sat down beside him, looking at him with a hint of doting in her bright eyes.

"Master Xueling... I'm Lao Bai's soon-to-be son, right?" Ye Bao said.

Zhao Xueling smiled, patted his little head, and was about to speak when Ye Bao suddenly stood up, covering her mouth with his chubby little hand, "Master Xueling, Ye Bao is scared."

"Such a clever and quick-witted child, Lao Bai really let you come to the Hundred Poisons Sect!" Zhao Xueling exclaimed.

"Master Xueling, Yebao wants a hug." Yebao said, wrapping his little arms tightly around Zhao Xueling's neck.

Zhao Xueling's heart skipped a beat; she could clearly feel the child trembling.

"Yebao, actually... before you came, I received Lao Bai's letter. I wanted to tell you some good news first, okay?" Zhao Xueling said softly.

Hearing the good news didn't lessen Ye Bao's nervousness.

Heaven knows how tense this seemingly bold and carefree child was inside.

Zhao Xueling, who usually had little interest in children, couldn't help but hug Ye Bao tightly and sit down with him.

The truth—to tell, or not to tell?

A lie about one's origins is cruel to a child.

But the truth about one's origins is even crueler.

Her delicate brows furrowed as she looked at Ye Bao, caught in a dilemma.

Ye Bao became increasingly nervous under her gaze, quickly covering his eyes with his hands, but still peeking at her through his fingers.

Zhao Xueling took a deep breath and said, "You brat, didn't you say you wanted to be straightforward? Why are you scared now? You decide. If you want to know, I'll tell you. If you don't want to know, just do as I say. No matter who asks, you answer the same way, as if everything I said today was nothing."

"I...want...to...know..." Ye Bao still covered his eyes.

“Then take your hands off. What are you afraid of, man?” Zhao Xueling said.

“Ugh…” Ye Bao rolled over, burying his face in Zhao Xueling’s arms, nuzzling her for a long time before finally taking a deep breath, getting up, and saying, “Let’s talk about it first. Save the good news for last.”

“Actually, it’s very simple, just three points. First, you guessed right, Bai Wushang is actually Prince Qi, Xuan Yuanche!”

“Ah…” Ye Bao cried out, his chubby little hands immediately covering his mouth.

Zhao Xueling gave him a disdainful look and continued, “Second, the Hundred Poisons Sect has some influence within the royal family. My aunt is a princess. The Nanzhao royal family is the most controlled by Emperor Xuan Yuanche among the four vassal states. You can’t hide it from him here. It wouldn’t be difficult for Xuan Yuanlie to find you.”

“Ah!” "Ye Bao cried out again, then covered his mouth even tighter.

Zhao Xueling rolled her eyes at him and continued, "Thirdly, the reason I sent you here is firstly so you can become an apprentice and learn skills, and secondly, before the Hundred Poisons Sect invaded the Nanzhao royal family, this place was the safest of the four vassal states. As long as you wear this from today onwards."

As Zhao Xueling spoke, she took out a small, silk-like mask. A beauty mark hung one centimeter from the corner of the left eye on the mask, similar to Lao Bai's.

"Ah?" Ye Bao was stunned and couldn't recover for a long time. Receiving too much information at once was really hard to digest.

However, what he cared about most was not this. He looked at Zhao Xueling seriously and said, "Master Xueling, can you tell me if I am Lao Bai's son? Why did he hide it from my mother? My mother was clearly framed by Murong Lan, so why is she pregnant with his child?"

"He only joked that he would sell you to me, saying he would protect you and ensure you learn poison skills. He didn't say anything else." "Zhao Xueling said.

"You must know, you're lying!" Ye Bao said stubbornly.

"If I knew, would I have needed to test you just now? What illegitimate child, what prospective father and son." Zhao Xueling said helplessly.

"You know so much, you must be lying to me!" Ye Bao said stubbornly, almost stamping his feet in frustration.

"You brat, do you think Bai Wushang trusts me that much? Let me tell you, I've known him for over ten years, since I was five, and he's still wary of me! Qinglong is the person he planted next to me, and he thinks I don't know!" Zhao Xueling sneered.

Ye Bao trembled; he knew this was true.

"Let me tell you again, that guy has never completely trusted anyone except his mother since he was a child. But it's no wonder, his identity is too special. Prince Qi holds the secret formula for explosives and is a direct descendant of the royal family. So many people have designs on him. Everyone around him is an undercover agent. Cai Zai is Xuan Yuanlie's man, and Jin Chan comes from Shang Kingdom; his true identity is still unknown." "Zhao Xueling said seriously, helpless about Bai Wushang's wariness. She knew him too well.

When she was five years old, she met an older brother in the mountains. She tried to scare him with a joke, but he stabbed her without saying a word. The scar on her abdomen is still there. From that moment on, she vowed that she would never marry such a terrible guy. Her heart held too many secrets, and the burden on her shoulders was too heavy.

Knowing so many secrets, following him would definitely make her sleep at night uneasy.

Ye Bao's eyes widened. She thought of the one-eyed guard, Jin Chan, who was almost always by Qi Wang's side. He was actually... actually a spy from Shang Kingdom!

"Bai Wushang's identity is not comfortable either. He travels to various countries as a treasure hunter, which does bring him some advantages. However, he also has to be wary of even more people than Qi Wang. It's not just Xuan Yuanlie. Many people are looking for Xuan Yuan's military treatise. A Bao is from Liu Sha Kingdom, and Yin Ling is the little princess that my Nanzhao sent away when she was young!" "Zhao Xueling continued.

This time, Ye Bao's little mouth opened wide, unable to close.

Zhao Xueling looked at his astonished expression, smiled, and said, "Kid, how about that? Pretty straightforward, right? I've told you everything you wanted to know, and everything you didn't want to know! If you dare to say a word out loud, or dare to tell Lao Bai that I told you, be careful I'll poison your tongue!"

"Master Xueling...Is Lao Bai very tired?" Ye Bao suddenly became serious.

"He's alright, he's been like this since he was little, he's used to it." Zhao Xueling smiled helplessly.

"Sister Xueling, I feel so sorry for Lao Bai! Waaah..." Ye Bao said, and suddenly burst into tears, tears falling in a steady stream.

A child's most accurate intuition is that Lao Bai must be very, very tired.

Ye Bao became more and more heartbroken as he spoke, sobbing.

Looking at Zhao Xueling, her heart ached, and she couldn't help but sniffle, scolding, "You brat, that's enough! Stop pretending. He's not here, he can't see!" “

He’s not faking it! Old Bai is always smiling, I always thought he must be living a very happy life, sob sob sob…”

"Don't cry, don't cry! I have good news for you: your mother's appearance has been restored!" Zhao Xueling said quickly.

Ye Bao was stunned, his long eyelashes still wet with tears, staring at her with wide eyes.

"It's restored. Old Bai said he'll paint a portrait of you and send it over in a while," Zhao Xueling said.

Ye Bao slowly grinned, a silly smile gradually blooming into a tearful one. For the first time in her life, Zhao Xueling felt an urge to find someone to marry and have her own child.

"Hehe...hehe...hehe..." He laughed so hard

he couldn't stop. "Alright, alright, stop crying," Zhao Xueling said helplessly, wiping away his tears.

Ye Bao stared at her innocently and said, "Master Xueling, can I also give Mommy some good news?"

"Hmm?" Zhao Xueling asked, puzzled.

"I want to tell Mommy that Old Bai is Prince Qi, and Prince Qi is Old Bai!" Ye Bao grinned mischievously.

"You're overthinking it, brat! I'm warning you, I told you all this secretly. If you dare betray me, see how I deal with you!" Zhao Xueling warned solemnly.

"How long is Old Bai going to keep this from Mommy?" Ye Bao asked anxiously.

"Who knows?" Zhao Xueling rolled her eyes.

"When will Old Bai come to find me?" Ye Bao asked again.

"When the world is turned upside down!" Zhao Xueling sighed.

"Turned upside down?" Ye Bao was puzzled.

"It's a secret! Lend me your Little Buqing to play with first." Zhao Xueling smiled decisively, changing the subject. If she continued, Bai Wushang would definitely stab her again when he found out.

"I won't lend it to you if you don't tell me!" Ye Bao threatened.

"Really? Did you bleed this little guy in the cave?" Zhao Xueling smiled, pulling out a nearly dying Little Buqing from behind her.

"Give it back to me!" Ye Bao pounced suddenly. This was his only treasure, equivalent to his life. Without it, he would be very sad in the Hundred Poisons Sect!

"Come on, if you dare!" Zhao Xueling taunted, her figure flashing as she dashed out the door.

Ye Bao hurriedly gave chase; his growth within the Hundred Poisons Sect would begin with this pursuit.

Meanwhile, on the Xuanyuan royal family's side, the upheaval of the Divine Continent was about to begin with a secret letter!

The main force of the Autumn Hunt had long since returned to the capital, and Xuanyuan had entered the cold winter.

At the bonfire party, Murong Wei shattered all the ugly rumors with her most beautiful dance. The Prince Li's mansion was visited almost daily, all under the guise of seeking medical treatment.

However, she had no time to concern herself with whether these were genuine attempts to make friends or another ill-intentioned trap.

On their first day back in the capital, Xuanyuan Li and Prince Qi both received invitations from the Flowing Sands royal family; the Buddhist Dharma Assembly was about to begin.

They couldn't afford to prepare for another battle without stopping!

These past few days, she and Prince Li have been busy collecting information on the Buddhist Dharma Assembly of the Liusha Royal Family, searching for maps of the underground palace, and making various meticulous plans.

Guiguzi remains elusive, while Liu Jian has been quite helpful to them, and Bai Wushang has not appeared since they returned to the capital.

In the dimly lit secret room, a map is spread out on a large stone table.

Xuan Yuanli frowned, pointing at the map, and said seriously, "This map is not entirely real. At least here, here, and here. I've been to all of them, and the terrain is completely different."

"I also think it's fake," Liu Jian said calmly.

"You've also been to the Liusha Kingdom?" Xuan Yuanli asked.

Liu Jian shook his head without speaking. He only felt a sense of familiarity, but this familiarity was not strong, just as he felt that Xuan Yuanli was also familiar to him. He couldn't remember where he had seen him before.

"You say it," Murong Wei nudged Guiguzi, who was leaning lazily to the side.

Guiguzi glanced at it and said, "It's fake! The terrain and underground structure are clearly wrong. No matter how the quicksand underground palace is designed, it couldn't be like this. This kind of structure would definitely collapse in a sandstorm!"

"We're leaving in five days. These preparations are too few. Thirteenth Master will be a VIP and can't enter the underground palace with me. We need to find someone familiar with the underground terrain," Murong Wei said seriously.

"Your old Bai has been tomb raiding for years. He knows it best. With him here, you can rest assured!" Guiguzi said impatiently, his voice strange and hoarse.

"Can you show everyone your true face? Aren't you tired of pretending like this?" Xuan Yuanli said impatiently.

"No, I'll go find Bai Wushang for you!" Guiguzi said, and his wide black robe immediately disappeared into the darkness.

"Thirteenth Master, if Prince Qi also accepts the invitation, can he shield you from some trouble? Can you find time to go down to the underground palace with us?" Liu Jian asked.

"Hehe, if only King Qi were so easy to talk to. Besides, he might not even go. I heard in the palace today that King Han has treacherous intentions," Xuan Yuanli said calmly.

Murong Wei's eyes flashed with complexity, but she didn't ask further, saying calmly, "This is none of our business. The more chaotic the world is, the more beneficial it is for us."

After the autumn hunt, Consort De remained secluded, refusing to see even the maids in her courtyard. Her temper was unusually bad, showing no respect even to Sister Li.

At this moment, the sun was setting.

A distinguished guest arrived at Jingde Courtyard: the third young lady of the Murong family, Consort De's younger sister, Murong Lan—Murong Yue!

This young lady was remarkably adaptable and shrewd, far surpassing Consort De in every aspect.

She was travel-worn, dressed simply and modestly. Petite with delicate features, she resembled a girl next door, endearing and lovable. Upon closer inspection, she bore a resemblance to Nangong Jingsi, possessing the same pair of perpetually pitiful eyes that stirred not only men's affection but also women's tenderness.

Consort De sat high above, maintaining the airs of a princess even when facing her own sister, coldly disdainfully looking down at her. "What did Father send you here for?"

Even before her marriage alliance, Father had planned for this sister to accompany her in her dowry, saying that being far away in Xuanyuan, the two sisters could look after each other.

It was practically a rule that if the sister accompanied her in the dowry, the sister-in-law would inevitably have an inextricable relationship with the brother-in-law!

"Father asked me to bring you this," Murong Yue said, turning around and carefully pulling a secret letter from her bosom. If it hadn't been so well hidden, this journey from afar wouldn't have been safe.

The letter carried Murong Yue's faint fragrance. Consort De disgustedly had an old nanny open it before turning to look at it herself, but the more she looked, the more shocked she became.

"What does Father mean by this?" After reading it, her face turned extremely servile.

"Yue'er doesn't know, Yue'er hasn't seen this secret letter before," Murong Yue said aggrievedly.

"Look for yourself!" Consort De said sharply, sweeping the letter away with her sleeve.

Murong Yue skimmed through the information, her little face showing surprise. Her father wanted her to openly negotiate with Prince Qi; once the disguise was gone, she would get the position of Right Consort.

"Openly..." Murong Yue hesitated, her brows furrowed.

"Heh, the news you brought, why don't you go?" Consort De sneered.

"Sister, Yue'er has never met Prince Qi, Yue Kingdom is afraid," Murong Yue said timidly.

"I'll take you, you can speak, how about that?" Consort De asked. At this point, it was necessary to speak openly. The Emperor had mobilized troops to the border of Han Kingdom, and Prince Qi had remained silent, clearly unable to protect it. At this time, relying solely on Prince Qi would only make Han Kingdom a victim in the struggle between the two brothers.

"Why should Yue'er speak?" Murong Yue asked. It was her first time away from home, her first time in the capital, her first time in a palace twice the size of the Han Kingdom's palace, and her little face was filled with fear.

“Because… it’s not easy for you to say it directly, so it’s more convenient for you to do it. You can also subtly hint at it to her.” Consort De said, she was all too used to her younger sister’s instigation and instructions.

“Then… alright! Sister, teach Yue’er how to talk to Prince Qi.” Murong Yue mustered her courage and said earnestly.

“Just say directly that Prince Qi didn’t manage to get you a disguise, and Father and the King are very disappointed. Seeing the Emperor mobilizing troops and the Prince remaining unmoved, Father and the King are very worried. Therefore, they asked you to ask him when you come to see my sister, hoping that the Prince can make a statement, establish my sister as his principal wife to appease the people, and negotiate with the Emperor about mobilizing troops as soon as possible.” Consort De had already prepared her speech.

Murong Yue listened attentively and repeated softly.

“Did you remember?” Consort De asked.

Murong Yue nodded emphatically, smiling, “I will try my best to say it well.”

“Hehe, let’s go, go change your clothes. I told the Prince you would come tonight, he will be here soon.” Consort De said with satisfaction, but walked away even faster than Murong Yue.

Prince Qi hadn't visited her Jingde Courtyard for a very long time; tonight, she was determined to keep him there.

When the bright moon hung high in the sky, Prince Qi finally arrived, still dressed in white robes and adorned with a black jade hairpin. The weather was getting cooler, so he wore a dark cloak—a simple attire, accompanied only by Cai Zai and Jin Chan.

Even though Consort De harbored a thousand grievances about the autumn hunt, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to truly hate Prince Qi.

She had dressed up early and waited at the gate, worried about Prince Qi's feelings. If not for the circumstances, how could she bear to threaten him? Seeing him anxious, flustered, and angry, she only wished to see

him smile, even just a smile would be enough to satisfy her.

However, no matter how polite Murong Yue was about to say, someone as intelligent as him could clearly hear the threatening undertone.

Murong Yue stood behind her, dressed in pink that accentuated her fair and delicate skin, her makeup light and understated.

"Your Highness, you must be tired." Consort De smiled and stepped forward, personally taking off his cloak, not even giving it to the nanny, keeping it for herself.

Xuan Yuanche didn't speak, only glancing casually at Murong Yue beside him, before striding into the house.

Inside, a table was laden with delicacies and wine, including plenty of seafood. He sat down, and Consort De immediately came to serve him, completely forgetting to introduce Murong Yue.

If she could, she wished she could discuss that matter tomorrow, and let herself and Prince Qi enjoy a good night together tonight. Since their marriage, such opportunities had been few and far between.

"Sit down, have the servants come. Who is that? I haven't seen her before?" Xuan Yuanche asked casually.

"Let me do it, Your Highness. It's chilly, have a cup of warm wine to warm yourself up first. After you finish this cup, I'll introduce you to this young lady," Consort De said with a smile.

Xuan Yuanche nodded expressionlessly and drank it all in one gulp.

Consort De then pulled Murong Yue over with satisfaction, saying, "This is my third elder sister, the third young lady of the household, Murong Yue."

Given her status as Murong Zi, she naturally addressed Murong Yue as her third elder sister. Only

then did Xuan Yuanche begin to seriously examine Murong Yue, making the already tense Murong Yue feel extremely uncomfortable, and she couldn't help but tremble.

"Are you scared again?" Xuan Yuanche raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Um...no, no, no..." Murong Yue panicked and didn't know how to answer.

"Sit down, everyone. You're much younger than your sister," Xuan Yuanche said casually, taking his chopsticks.

Even though Consort De was blindfolded during the interview, she couldn't hide her embarrassment. Murong Yue couldn't help but chuckle, immediately earning a cold glare from Consort De.

Xuan Yuanche looked at her with amusement and asked, "Are you chuckling?"

"Yes," Murong Yue nodded subconsciously, then immediately shook her head, "No! No!"

"Hehe, your personality is completely different from Consort De's. You're so absent-minded!" Xuan Yuanche actually laughed.

Murong Yue was too shy to look at him, lowering her head, looking delicate and charming.

Xuan Yuanche didn't speak again, continuing to eat. The silence quickly deepened, and the atmosphere became awkward.

Consort De kept trying to wink at Murong Yue, but she was too shy to see her.

"Your Highness, when Third Sister returned, Father and the King gave her some instructions. They were just about to have me relay them, but I stopped them. Your Highness, please stop yourself." Consort De couldn't help but speak up, and carefully poured Xuan Yuanche a cup of wine.

"Is that so? What did they tell you?" Xuan Yuanche looked at Murong Yue and asked, "Did Long Xiao mean for you to deliver a message to me?"

Even though his voice was as calm as ever, without any change in volume or tone, these words still made Murong Yan kneel down abruptly. "I dare not!"

"What did they tell you?" Xuan Yuanche continued to ask, not allowing her to rise.

"Father and the King said... Prince Qi failed to secure a disguise for my sister... Father and the King are very disappointed... Seeing the Emperor mobilizing troops and the Prince remaining unmoved, Father and the King are terrified, so... so they asked me to come see Fourth Sister and inquire, hoping that the Prince can make a statement, establish Fourth Sister as the Empress to appease the people of Han, and negotiate with the Emperor on troop deployment as soon as possible... to give... to Han Kingdom an explanation." Murong Yue said timidly, whether from nervousness or because it came out too easily, she blurted out the last sentence, which Consort De hadn't taught her, making the threat even more obvious.

Consort De frowned, looking at Prince Qi with worry, biting her lip, wondering what his reaction would be.

However, she waited for a long time, Murong Yue waited for a long time, and even Cai Zai behind Xuan Yuan Che waited, but Xuan Yuan Che remained unresponsive, only saying indifferently, "General Murong, are you still blaming me for not getting the disguise?"

"Father wouldn't dare, Father only wants the Prince to make his stance clear." Consort De quickly said when she saw him get up to leave.

"The position of the principal wife is not vacant. Consort Rong has not committed any wrongdoing and cannot be demoted so easily. As for the Emperor's troop deployment, he must have his reasons, and it is inappropriate for me to interfere," Xuan Yuanche said calmly, stepping out the door.

"Prince Qi, if you lose Han..." Consort De was about to blurt out in a panic, but Murong Yue quickly stopped her, "Sister, no, let's discuss this further!"

Prince Qi did not turn his head and had already gone far away. Cai Zai and Jin Chan followed him. Jin Chan was expressionless and cold, while Cai Zai hesitated and stammered, "Sir, the Emperor has already mobilized troops. It's not good to offend Han at this time."

"Offend? Can I protect Han? And why would I protect Han?" Xuan Yuanche retorted.

"Your Highness, no matter what...aren't you worried?" Cai Zai seemed very anxious.

"Go down and prepare for the trip to Liusha." Xuan Yuanche waved his hand to signal them to leave and went straight to Jingxuan.

Inside the Jingxuan Pavilion, an elderly woman had been waiting for a very long time. It was none other than Aunt Li, who hadn't appeared yet. She was now lazily reclining on the warm couch, dozing with her eyes half-closed.

"Old lady, even the air here is filled with poison, how dare you sleep here?" Xuan Yuanche said calmly, leaning against the doorframe. Moonlight illuminated his handsome profile.

"I've been worried about the poison in your body, so I wanted to test it myself!" Aunt Li said with a smile.

...

Jingxuan was named so because from its rooftop, one could see the entire Qi Prince's Mansion. Standing up, one could see the entire capital, including the palace.

At such a height, the difference in height between a person and the highest point in the palace was comparable to that of the Xuanyuan Hall.

At this moment, Xuanyuan Che was lazily leaning against the roof ridge, dressed in white with ink-black hair, his demeanor as cold as an autumn night. Aunt Li sat beside him, her knees drawn up, her back against him.

The two, one old and one young, looked like close friends despite their age difference; perhaps, they were mother and son who shared everything.

Xuanyuan Che was gazing in the direction of Lanyuan Garden, lost in thought.

"Young man, what are you thinking about?" Aunt Li asked with a smile.

"Lanyuan Garden has been empty for a long time," Xuanyuan Che replied casually

. "Doctor Murong lives there; is she getting used to it?" Aunt Li asked, her face filled with nostalgia.

"She probably isn't used to it. If she were, she wouldn't have left," Xuanyuan Che said calmly.

"Hehe, that's true, kid. For Murong Wei's sake, you've offended the entire Han Kingdom. That's not worth it. If I remember correctly, you came to this point to curry favor with Consort De," Aunt Li said.

"Hehe," Xuan Yuanche laughed loudly, "Old lady, what do you mean by currying favor? If I had been happy to curry favor all my life, I wouldn't be sitting in the Xuan Yuan Palace now, I wouldn't be Xuan Yuanlie!"

"But, that wasn't your original plan. You left the Han Kingdom behind as your last resort, wasn't it?" Aunt Li pressed, her brows furrowing slightly. This was no small matter.

"If Xuan Yuanlie hadn't suddenly mobilized troops, Long Xiao wouldn't have dared to do this! But leaving no way out makes the battles more exciting!" Xuan Yuanche smiled, his composure gone. The wicked aura on his cold face was so captivating that even knowing he was a devil, one would willingly be drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

"You plan to start with Quicksand?" Aunt Li was surprised.

"A secret!" He chuckled coldly, resting his arms behind his head as he leaped down. At the same time, Aunt Li hurriedly ducked.

Someone was coming.

It was none other than Murong Yue, who had just arrived at the manor that day, filled with fear and timidity.

Her petite figure nimbly leaped over the high wall in an instant.

"You lucky lad, a beauty has come to throw herself at you in the middle of the night," Aunt Li said with a laugh.

Xuan Yuanche smiled coldly and silently slid down.

Murong Yue had come in the dark, having finally persuaded Consort De to let her act as an intermediary. She had intended to have someone announce her arrival, but then remembered her mother's instructions and chose to climb over the wall instead. Her

mother had said that men preferred sudden surprises.

While surprised that there were no guards or maids in Jingxuan, she cautiously made her way up to the pavilion in the dark.

By the moonlight, she carefully pushed open the slightly ajar door, and upon seeing the person on the bed, her breath caught in her throat!

It was indeed Prince Qi. His clothes were disheveled, and he lay on his side on the warm couch, the lines of his chest clearly visible. A faint floral fragrance filled the air, and under the tranquil moonlight, the image of a handsome man reclining was overwhelming for the naive Murong Yue. Unfamiliar emotions surged within her, making her hesitate. She

nearly crushed the aphrodisiac powder in her hand. This was an aphrodisiac she had given Prince Qi before his arrival at Jingde Courtyard, obtained by her mother from the Han Kingdom Palace. It had to be administered in two stages to avoid detection: once in the wine, and once sprinkled into the air.

Originally, her mother had sent it to Consort De, but she wanted to use it herself, to secure her future.

She stood there dumbfounded for a long time, and seeing that Prince Qi didn't move, she cautiously approached.

Her heart pounded, and in her haste, she threw the powder directly at Prince Qi's face!

At that moment, the old man on the roof nearly rolled off the building with laughter!

Prince Qi sprang up abruptly, grabbing Murong Yue by the neck. He turned her around, pinning her against the couch, and said coldly, "How dare you!"

"Your Highness…I…you…you let me go!" Murong Yue said with difficulty.

Xuan Yuanche actually released her.

Murong Yue looked at Xuan Yuanche pitifully with teary eyes, saying nothing, tears slowly streaming down her face. She then proceeded to undress, revealing her bare shoulders.

Xuan Yuanche remained silent, his cold eyes filled with a deep gloom as he frowned at her.

"Your Highness, Yue'er didn't come tonight on behalf of Consort De, but to ask Your Highness for a favor." Murong Yue choked back sobs, her clothes already pulled down to her beautiful, soft chest. With a sudden tug, her breasts were completely exposed.

This petite woman, seemingly small, was exquisitely beautiful, her curves so all the way down to her flat stomach and to her most secret place.

She slowly lay down on her side, presenting herself completely to Xuan Yuanche, without reservation. Her excessive nervousness flushed her face and even her body, making her even more captivating and mesmerizing.

However, he had already turned his head away, casually pulling a large robe over her, still refusing to look at her, and said in a deep voice, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"Prince Qi, I...I want..." she hesitated, then sat up and hugged him from behind, pressing herself against his spotless white robes for warmth.

Xuan Yuanche remained motionless, his voice even deeper, "Speak!"

"Prince Qi, I want to stay and serve Fourth Sister and you," Murong Yue finally spoke, pleading pitifully.

"Let go!" Xuan Yuanche said coldly.

Aunt Li on the rooftop clearly sensed his unusual behavior; at least the act shouldn't be like this.

Using this as an excuse to keep Murong Yue at Jingxuan served two purposes: first, to test the poison; second, to provide another hostage besides Consort De.

But this isn't how you keep someone!

Where has Prince Qi's usual aloofness and indifference gone?!

Aunt Li was frantic. She couldn't see Xuan Yuanche's face, but from his voice, she could hear the deep, masculine hue caused by lust!

"If Your Highness doesn't agree, I won't let go!" Murong Yue said coquettishly, rubbing against Xuan Yuanche's back, fanning the flames.

"I agree, let go!" Xuan Yuanche barely managed to remain calm.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Murong Yue was overjoyed and immediately let go. However, as soon as Xuan Yuanche stood up, she hugged him again, holding his waist. "Your Highness, I'm willing..."

"I have other matters to attend to. You can stay here tonight," Xuan Yuanche said, his forehead already covered in cold sweat. He wanted to pry Murong Yue's hands off, but he didn't dare touch her, afraid he wouldn't be able to control the effects of the drug.

"Your Highness, it's dark here, I'm scared!" Although Murong Yue was nervous, she still gritted her teeth and held onto him, waiting for the drug to take effect. Even with permission, she was still reluctant to let him go.

Such close contact finally made her understand why this man could drive so many women in the world crazy.

He was so handsome, so beautiful that even women were overshadowed. His seemingly slender body was so refined and powerful. What she couldn't bear to let go of was the faint, aloof loneliness emanating from him. Even holding him tightly, she still felt so far away from him, as if she could never get close, only watch, gaze, and think from afar.

"Let go!" Xuan Yuanche's voice was already as low as it could be. He lowered his head, his cold eyes darkened, and large beads of sweat slowly slid down his nose.

"Your Highness, Yue'er doesn't want to let go. Your Highness, Yue'er will stay with you." Murong Yue choked out, not knowing why she uttered the word "stay with." A woman's intuition told her directly that this man needed someone to accompany him.

"Let... go." Xuan Yuanche's hand froze in mid-air, unable to let go. Moonlight shone on his sweat-soaked forehead, revealing the bulging veins!

Just then, the half-closed door creaked open.

"Your Highness, Lord Mo has been waiting for quite some time!" The newcomer was Sister Li, carrying a lantern, but the light didn't shine inside.

Murong Yue subconsciously let go of her hand, and in the blink of an eye, she saw a white shadow flash by; Xuan Yuanche was already gone.

On the rooftop, a dark figure followed, heading far away towards the Prince's residence.

Aunt Li finally caught up with Xuan Yuanche outside the Prince's residence's backyard. He was panting heavily, leaning against the wall, his hands clenched into fists.

"Boy, you couldn't handle such a naive young girl?" Aunt Li teased, knowing he had been drugged.

"Get me some clothes, quickly," Xuan Yuanche said in a deep voice.

Aunt Li was shocked. "That drug, you couldn't handle it?"

With so many women in the Prince's household, almost all of them knew how to use drugs. Xuan Yuanche's self-control had always been good, and he was used to it, but this time was different.

"Hurry up!" Xuan Yuanche roared.

Aunt Li stumbled and nearly bumped into him. "Che'er, you!"

Sister Li, who had rushed over with clothes, saw her master coming this way and knew he was there to see Murong Wei, not for this situation. She blurted out, "Master, Doctor Murong is not suitable to treat this kind of illness..."

Without another word, Xuan Yuanche grabbed the bundle and climbed over the high wall.

"My little darling..." Aunt Li said, her smile gradually brightening. "Hey, do you think our Ye Bao will have a younger brother or sister in the future?"

"Old lady, this servant is more interested in knowing Doctor Murong's reaction," Sister Li said helplessly.

"She's a doctor, she can't just stand by and watch someone die. That medicine must be extremely potent. Does she really expect the lord Wu Shang, who dotes on her so much, to go find a beautiful girl?" Aunt Li chuckled, then turned and slowly disappeared into the darkness.

By this time, the night was deep!

The Prince's residence was eerily quiet. These past few days, everyone had been busy preparing for their trip to the Flowing Sand Kingdom, leaving them all exhausted. When they first returned from the autumn hunt, they would drink with Guiguzi in the courtyard, but these past few nights, they had all gone to their rooms to sleep as soon as night fell.

Murong Wei was also exhausted. Hugging her pillow, she cursed Bai Wushang, whom she hadn't seen for days, and thought of her beloved Ye Xiaobao .

Lost in thought, she drifted off to sleep. Just as she was drifting off, she felt someone tickling her.

Instinctively, she turned over and lay on her stomach to continue sleeping. A little while later, her back started itching again. Still half asleep, she turned over, stretched, and lay on her back, continuing to sleep.

Soon, she felt another itch on her lower abdomen.

She woke with a start, immediately flipping over, pulling her arm out from under the pillow with one hand, grabbing the person's arm with the other, kneeling on the couch, and bending her knees behind her, aiming for the person's most vulnerable spot. Her lower body swept across, a series of swift and decisive defensive movements.

Fortunately, just as her knee struck him hard, the man stepped back, rolled over, and landed on the couch.

Murong Wei immediately followed, her gaze piercing his deep, unfathomable eyes!

She froze, as if struck by lightning!

"You...you...you...you...it's you!" She was utterly astonished, not yet noticing his strange expression.

Bai Wushang grinned, his smile stiff, "Doctor Murong Wei..."

Murong Wei nearly collapsed. "Doctor Murong?" These four words sounded like something from the last century coming from his mouth.

"Doctor Murong...my lady, I..." He forced a smile, his handsome face completely frozen.

Murong Wei leaned closer, her brows furrowing suddenly. She abruptly pulled him close, pressing his pulse with utmost seriousness.

He leaned on her shoulder, his breath hot as he inhaled and exhaled softly. Even though he tried so hard to control himself, he couldn't suppress the darkness in his eyes and the hoarseness in his voice.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Murong Wei asked, frowning, pressing down on his hand that he was trying to pull away.

"Very bad!" Bai Wushang said, biting his lip as soon as

he finished speaking. "It's alright, not a big problem. Wait a moment, I'll go get the medicine!" Murong Wei said earnestly, getting up first before releasing his hand and immediately taking several steps back.

Bai Wushang slumped on the bed, one hand gripping the sheet tightly, his voice cold, "Doctor Murong, there's no medicine..."

Before he could finish speaking, Murong Wei had already fled, bursting through the door and instinctively rushing towards the exit.

The moment she saw him, she knew what was wrong; just by taking his pulse, she knew it was something incurable. Her first instinct was to escape!

With the speed of the wind, she rushed to the tightly closed door. The guard at the door was jolted awake. "Doctor Murong, what are you doing so late? Where are you going?"

"I...I..." She stopped, then turned sharply. "Just taking a walk!"

Again, like the wind, she rushed back to the courtyard.

Having been exposed to all kinds of aphrodisiacs, she knew better than anyone how serious the consequences would be if this drug wasn't countered!

At best, her meridians would be severed; at worst, she would suffocate to death!

In fact, her mind was blank; she acted entirely on instinct, rushing into the room like a whirlwind!

She saw Bai Wushang kneeling beside the bed, his hands gripping the edge of the bed, blood seeping from his fingers, blurring the entire edge of the bed with blood.

On his forehead, the back of his hands, even the bridge of his nose, veins bulged, as if they might burst at any moment!

She had already rushed behind him when she stopped abruptly.

He seemed oblivious to her arrival, and it was unclear how he was so focused on enduring the surging emotions within him.

Her brows furrowed. At this moment, she only had two choices: first, save him; second, find another woman to save him!

She had no time to hesitate; she had to make a choice immediately.

Her small hands trembled as she placed them on his trembling shoulders. Her lips were bleeding from being bitten, but she still couldn't speak.

"I... Bai Wushang... or I..."

However, before she could finish speaking, he suddenly turned around, and before she could recover, he pulled her into his arms and pressed her against the bed!

"Bai Wushang! Let's talk this out first, okay!" she cried, her face pale.

"No... let me hold you first... just hold you, that's enough." His voice was so deep and so beautiful, so sexy, so gentle...

He held her tightly, almost crushing her, but he just kept holding her...

In the stillness of the night, their breathing was heavy, so intimate.

Yet, the bed was quiet. He held her beneath him, tightly, tightly, burying his face in her neck.

The drug seemed incredibly potent; every part of his body was burning hot—his face, his lips, his breath.

His expression was hidden, only the alarming blue veins bulging on his neck were visible.

How much pain he must be enduring.

She looked up, two streams of tears slowly flowing down her cheeks, her delicate brows furrowed, her face contorted in agony.

He held her so tightly, so very tightly, as if crushing her, and his grip seemed to continue.

This greatest rogue in the world, this notorious scoundrel, was actually holding her so tightly even now.

"Weiwei, holding me is all I need." His words echoed in her ears, refusing to fade.

Holding her was all I needed.

Could she accept these words as the most beautiful love confession in the world?

In this situation, for him to say such things, and to speak so truthfully, how could such a man not move one to tears, how could one not entrust one's life to him?

"Wu Shang... let's talk, okay?" she choked out.

He didn't answer, but suddenly pulled her even tighter!

"Wu Shang... let's talk, just a few words, I'll ask, you answer, okay?" she asked again, her tightly clenched hands slowly loosening.

"No!" he growled in her ear.

She laughed, "Lord Wu Shang, didn't you say before that you could use your charm on me?"

"Murong Wei, you better behave yourself!" His hoarse, deep voice suddenly turned cold, so fierce.

Unfortunately, she wasn't afraid. She smiled, a calm smile, and reached for a dagger beside her. Suddenly, she slashed open his clothes from behind!

"Murong Wei!" he roared like a wild beast, yet he couldn't leave, still pressing against her, his large hands gripping the sheets tightly, almost crushing them, yet still unable to lift himself.

“Weiwei’s here!” she replied, clutching the torn clothes, clenching her teeth as if making a firm decision, slowly closing her eyes, motionless.

Seeing her still, he immediately relaxed, his hot breath brushing against her ear, causing her to let out a soft moan.

This moan suddenly stirred him, reaching the deepest, most primal desire within him.

“Weiwei…” he murmured involuntarily, his voice

brimming with desire, “Weiwei… Weiwei… Weiwei…” She closed her eyes, having long since abandoned all restraint, quietly listening to his hoarse, irresistibly alluring voice.

“Weiwei… Weiwei… Weiwei…” His burning lips pressed against her neck, calling softly, yet he still held back, daring not to move away.

Hearing such a moving call, a satisfied smile slowly curved her lips. She said softly, "Bai Wushang, just for your 'all is well,' I..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but instead suddenly tore off his tattered clothes, showing him what she intended to do. With his

clothes off, she gasped before he could. Due to the effects of the drug, his entire body was burning hot, almost burning, flushed all over. However, none of this affected his perfectly sculpted physique.

Although it wasn't the first time she had seen him, it was the first time she had seen him so closely, and now she saw it clearly.

Seemingly slender, yet refined and perfect, every line, every muscle seemed sculpted, so perfectly proportioned!

"Murong Wei, you're playing with fire!" he growled, warning her.

"You said I could play with you!" she smiled mischievously, a sly glint in her bright eyes, and abruptly pushed him aside.

He couldn't lie on his back at all, so he immediately turned to his side, clutching the pillow tightly and curling into a ball. He simply closed his eyes, biting the corner of the blanket, ignoring her.

But when the cool touch slowly crept up his burning body, he suddenly opened his eyes, and in that instant, he couldn't look away.

She was lying on her side beside him, her clothes completely off, her small hand resting on his arm, gently caressing it. She smiled at him, her body almost completely naked, her skin like ice and snow, pure and flawless. But it was precisely this purity that outlined the most prominent part of a woman's body, extending to her flat stomach, and exploring the most secret place, only here, wrapped in a silk blanket, was it faintly visible.

His gaze involuntarily followed the curve of her lips downwards. Her lips, bitten raw and bleeding, finally curved into a slow, roguish smile, his usual carefree grin betraying his roguish nature. "Weiwei, my lord..."

He didn't finish, his actions revealing his intentions. He abruptly pulled her into his arms, then leaned in, his smile fading as he slowly drew closer, whispering in her ear, "Weiwei, my lord originally intended to marry you first."

Without waiting for her reply, a torrent of passionate kisses rained down on her neck, face, lips, nose, eyes, and forehead! The kisses continued

their descent, sometimes sucking, sometimes gently touching, sometimes forcefully penetrating her lips and teeth.

She, not to be outdone, didn't hold back, but responded openly and passionately. To be possessed by the one you love—what a blissful thing!

Her lips were still red and swollen from his love, his kiss lingering on her lips, almost touching them. She rubbed his neck, feeling somewhat lost. Although she was a master of seduction, she had always stopped short of giving in. She admitted that she was still quite ostrich-like, never having personally experienced what to do next!

She only felt that she seemed to want something, but she wasn't entirely sure. All she could do was hold him tighter and reciprocate his advances.

He immediately unleashed another torrent of passion, tracing his way down her body, igniting fire within her every inch!

Downward, downward, and further down.

The last thread of her clothing was wickedly torn away by his bite, jolting her awake. She cried out in alarm, instinctively shouting, "No!"

But it was too late!

Regret was futile.

He had already lost all control; his burning desire surged forth, followed by his involuntary moans!

"Bai… ah…" All words were reduced to screams, shattering the silence of the night!

…

She couldn't remember how many times she begged for mercy beneath him that night.

She couldn't remember how many times she yielded to his deception.

She couldn't even remember how many secrets he whispered in her ear that night.

She had even forgotten how she had fallen into a deep sleep, only remembering one final thought: she wouldn't dare do it again!

Bai Wushang was a wolf, and a starving wolf at that!

In her hazy sleep, she vaguely felt a cold sensation on her forehead. The feeling was familiar yet strange, much like his kiss from the previous night, but without the heat of the previous night; it was cool, yet a familiar kind of cold.

She couldn't think about it, couldn't remember it. So

tired, so very tired, she drifted in and out of sleep, unable to distinguish between reality and dreams.

When she finally woke up, the bed was empty. A sense of emptiness washed over her, her heart sinking to the bottom of the sea!

That satiated wolf, gone just like that?

Her brow furrowed, she barely concealed the hickeys on her body with the silk quilt, enduring the aching pain all over her body, and got out of bed barefoot.

"Wait!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from beside her.

She was overjoyed and turned to see him still in the small room beside her!

He was only wearing a robe, casually and comfortably open, his long, dark hair loosely tied up, ladling out a bowl of hot soup.

She laughed, watching his silly grin, forgetting her shyness, before finally smelling the fragrant chicken soup.

He carried the hot soup, barefoot, and strode over. She looked at him, realizing even his bare feet were incredibly sexy.

"Drink some, it'll nourish you." He personally fed her.

Hearing this, her face flushed red. She rolled onto the bed, hiding under the quilt. This guy, was he really that awful?!

He wanted her nourished right away?

Did he know how terrible she was last night?

"My lord, I finally managed to steal this from the kitchen. Come here, drink it while it's hot." Bai Wushang urged.

"I don't want to, go away!" Murong Wei said shyly under the covers.

He sighed, pulling her out and holding her in his arms. The chicken soup still tasted good. "Open your mouth."

Her heart was as sweet as honey; she didn't struggle anymore, obediently opening her mouth, enjoying the rare personal service from Lord Wushang.

The bowl of chicken soup was quickly finished; she was indeed hungry.

His expression remained serious as he carefully placed her on the couch, whispering, "Does it still hurt?"

He had tried his best to control himself under the influence of the medication, but he couldn't help being a little too rough.

She pouted and nodded quietly.

"It won't happen again next time," he said softly, so gently.

Her eyes widened immediately. Next time?

Seeing her like this, he couldn't help but laugh, asking, "Weiwei, from today onwards, I officially own you! Isn't that right?"

She didn't answer, just stared at him.

"Is that right?" he asked again, in a good mood, as if the guy who had desperately endured it last night wasn't him at all!

"Last night…who…said…as long as…holding…it would…" she deliberately dragged out her words, teasing him.

"Is that right?" he avoided her teasing and continued to ask.

"I want to sleep!" she also tried to avoid him, wanting to escape.

But he suddenly picked her up and stood up, pulling the quilt over her, saying, "Is that right?"

She still didn't speak, looking at him defiantly. What else could he do now?

He narrowed his long, thin eyes, smiled brightly, and strode towards the door!

"Yes!" she exclaimed, quick to understand.

At the same time, a knock came at the door.

"Weiwei, are you up? We're going out today, are you up?" That voice... Xuan Yuanli...

"Knock, knock, knock..."

The knocking was urgent, and the person outside was also anxious. "Weiwei, it's late, are you up? What's wrong with you today?"

Xuan Yuanli was dressed casually but looked very smart. They had agreed to go out to find a map last night. The capital was a melting pot of all sorts of people, and the black market was sure to have what they wanted.

"Weiwei, even Guiguzi is waiting. Are you up?" Xuan Yuanli asked again, somewhat worried. Murong Wei had never gotten up this late before.

Inside the house, Lao Bai stopped, watching Murong Wei's flustered state like a thief with amusement.

"Going out?" he asked deliberately.

She immediately glared at him, wanting to cause trouble, but he mischievously hugged her tighter.

"Wait a minute, I'm going out right now!" she said loudly.

Bai Wushang became suspicious. "Weiwei, aren't you going to rest?"

"Bai Wushang, I don't do secret relationships. It's either yes or no. You come out with me and give me an explanation in front of everyone!" Murong Wei said seriously.

Bai Wushang immediately gave a thumbs up and laughed, "Just what I wanted, sir!"

She moved swiftly, changed her clothes, and sat before the dressing table, gazing at her stunning reflection, lost in thought.

Bai Wushang gently embraced her from behind, leaving a deep crimson kiss on her neck, and whispered, "Weiwei, let's go. I'm serious. I've already written the letter to Ye Bao."

The first thing he did after waking up last night was write a letter to Ye Bao!

Murong Wei smiled, gently tugging at her sleeve to conceal the crimson mark, and said with a smile, "I need you to go out and, in front of everyone, promise me one thing."

"Speak!" Bai Wushang readily agreed.

"The day Ye Bao returns will be the day you marry me. You must treat Ye Bao as your own son, forever protecting him, cherishing him, and loving him," Murong Wei said earnestly.

"No problem," Bai Wushang readily agreed, his eyes filled with a warm smile.

The two then stepped outside. As soon as the door opened, Murong Wei's heart ached. Despite her resentment, the pain was uncontrollable.

Outside the door, Xuan Yuanli sat alone on the opposite stone steps, his chin resting on his hands, waiting.

Upon seeing her open the door, he immediately stood up with a smile, but the cheerful smile froze on his still somewhat childish face.

Bai Wushang stepped out, looking languidly as if he had just woken up, and put his arm around Murong Wei's thin shoulder, greeting Xuan Yuanli with a smile, "Thirteenth Master, good morning!"

Xuan Yuanli didn't speak, just stared blankly at Murong Wei.

"Thirteenth Master, are you leaving or not!" Guiguzi's impatient voice came from behind, his voice preceding his arrival.

Xuan Yuanli didn't speak either, his hands behind his back, his right hand gripping the bronze elbow guard on his left arm tightly through his clothes. This was his only source of security—his Red-tailed Kite, his man-eating eagle.

"Thirteenth Prince, what are you dawdling for..." Guiguzi suddenly sprang out of the bushes, looking suspicious upon seeing Bai Wushang.

Liu Jian followed closely behind, then quietly retreated to Bai Wushang's side.

It seemed everyone understood the unspoken tension, remaining silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

No matter how much Murong Wei secretly pinched him, Bai Wushang stubbornly refused to speak, maintaining a smile as he looked at Xuan Yuanli.

Finally, Xuan Yuanli spoke first, directly roaring at Bai Wushang, "Bai, what do you mean? Do you think you can just come and go as you please at the Li Wang Mansion?"

"Thirteenth Prince, please calm down. These past few days, I've been looking for someone and something, so I'm late," Bai Wushang explained with a smile.

"Who? What?" Xuan Yuanli asked unhappily, no longer looking at Murong Wei.

"Ren Fan, and a silk painting in the hands of his subordinate," Bai Wushang said.

"The silk painting Weiwei mentioned before?" Guiguzi immediately rejoiced.

“Indeed, it has an eight-tiered treasure box depicted on it, along with the grand ceremony of the Buddhist Kingdom,” Bai Wushang said.

“How did it end up in Ren Fan’s hands? Did you get your hands on it?” Guiguzi asked, his voice becoming increasingly urgent and sarcastic.

“Hehe, my little Ye Bao saw it by chance at the residence of one of Ren Fan’s subordinates. It’s a treasure, made into a screen,” Bai Wushang explained.

“Did you get your hands on it?” Even Murong Wei was curious.

“We’re still negotiating the price. Ren Fan is a man with many connections. If we can win him over, it will benefit us. For him, money is no problem. We should have definite news in a couple of days,” Bai Wushang said.

“Hehe, no wonder he hasn’t come to visit since we returned from the hunting grounds,” Murong Wei sneered.

“Should we still go out?” Xuan Yuanli asked calmly, still avoiding Murong Wei’s gaze.

“Hehe, if you want to know anything, ask me, sir. I know the Lord of Liusha Kingdom very well.” Bai Wushang wasn’t being arrogant; he had a complete understanding of the four vassal states.

"Then I'll ask for your guidance, Lord Wushang," Xuan Yuanli said calmly, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Bai Wushang stopped him.

"What?" Xuan Yuanli's tone was clearly off; after all, he was still young and hadn't learned to control his emotions, his feelings were all written on his face.

"My lord would like everyone to witness today, and in front of you all, I'd like to make a promise to Weiwei," Bai Wushang said with a smile.

Xuan Yuanli still turned away, but Guiguzi leaned lazily to the side, showing no interest whatsoever, and picked up his wine gourd to drink.

Liu Jian glanced up at Murong Wei unintentionally, his clear eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Who would be interested in Lord Wushang's joke?"

Bai Wushang glanced at everyone, his smile vanishing, and suddenly knelt down on one knee before Murong Wei.

"Cough cough... cough cough cough... cough cough cough cough!" Guiguzi immediately choked on his wine.

Liu Jian frowned, shocked.

A man's knees are worth gold; even before the emperor, his master had never knelt!

Xuan Yuanli was also shocked and involuntarily took a step back.

Seriousness or a joke cannot be determined by a few words or tones.

"I promise that the day Ye Bao returns will be the day I marry Murong Wei. I will treat Ye Bao as my own son, protect him, cherish him, pamper him, and love him." Bai Wushang looked at Murong Wei, paused, and then added, "I will protect you, cherish you, pamper you, and love you even more."

Murong Wei's eyes were wet, and she covered her mouth, unsure of what to say.

Guiguzi suddenly laughed, "Hehe, I didn't expect Lord Wushang to be such a sentimental person!"

Seeing that Xuanyuan Li was still stunned, he grabbed his shoulder like a brother and said, "Thirteenth Master, we are fortunate to be witnesses today. Come on, let's go drink together! Let's celebrate!"

"Okay...okay!" Xuanyuan Li murmured.

"Come on, come on, Liu Jian, you go too. Staying too long will make you jealous. Let the young couple be lovey-dovey!" Guiguzi laughed and pulled Liu Jian over as well.

"Hehe, that's exactly what you wanted, my lord. Today's wine bill is on me!" Bai Wushang stood up and laughed, looking at the dazed Xuanyuan Li, a complicated look flashing in his eyes.

Better a short pain than a long one. This kid is still very young. He can't hang himself on one tree!

Murong Wei looked at Xuanyuan Li's lonely figure and remained silent.

"Hey, my lord has been so sincere, don't you have anything to say?" Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow and asked.

Murong Wei pushed him away, her brows furrowed, watching from afar as Xuan Yuanli dodged Guiguzi's hand.

"Children will get hurt, they'll be fine in a few days," Bai Wushang remarked.

Murong Wei didn't speak, letting out a long sigh before resolutely turning and entering the house.

Ambiguity is no good! It can't be!

Bai Wushang, however, still watched Xuan Yuanli's receding figure, a hint of heartache flashing in his smiling eyes.

"Hey, come in, give me something," Murong Wei said.

Bai Wushang shrugged and went inside, where Murong Wei brought out a brocade box, carefully placing it on the table.

"What good thing do you want to share with me, sir?" Bai Wushang smiled, leaning back lazily.

"Something that will make you suffer," Murong Wei smiled mysteriously, slowly opening the brocade box, revealing dark, round pills inside.

"This is…" Bai Wushang asked timidly.

"This medicine, while not able to completely cure the poison in your body, can at least alleviate it and temporarily save your life. This kind of chronic poison is no joke," Murong Wei said earnestly.

Bai Wushang, that lazy, irresponsible fellow, clearly knew he was poisoned, yet he never seemed worried. She had been searching for medicine for him for a long time, finally managing to make these ten pills, which cost her a lot of savings.

Bai Wushang took one pill, examined it, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Good medicine, bitter?"

"Extremely bitter, a mixture of all the bitter things in the world," Murong Wei replied truthfully.

Bai Wushang frowned. "How do I take it?"

"I gave you some medicine before, did you take it on time?" Murong Wei asked.

"Of course, it was Weiwei who gave it to me, I almost couldn't bear to eat it myself, sir," Bai Wushang smiled brightly, he was in a very good mood.

"This one, one every ten days. I'll check your pulse again in ten days," Murong Wei said.

"Can I take it now?" Bai Wushang asked.

Murong Wei was suspicious. "Okay, but it's really bitter, I'm not lying to you!"

Bai Wushang smiled so much that his narrow eyes almost squinted into straight lines as he slowly put the pill into his mouth.

Murong Wei stared intently, not wanting to miss the moment his expression stiffened. However, Bai Wushang's smile remained unchanged, and he didn't even swallow it, but instead chewed it slowly.

A rich aroma wafted towards him, and Murong Wei couldn't help but cover her mouth, but he just kept smiling.

Finally, Murong Wei quickly offered him water. "Really not bitter?"

"Bitter," Bai Wushang said.

"Then why are you smiling!" Murong Wei asked, puzzled.

"It's sweet as honey," Bai Wushang said, gently pulling her into his arms, his smile clear and bright.

On the journey to find the Xuanyuan Military Manual, there might be many more hardships to endure, and even after finding the Xuanyuan Military Manual, the struggle for the emperorship, the conquest of the world, and the subjugation of states would bring even more hardships.

But he was willing to endure it all.

He had said it before: Ye Bao would never be the son of Prince Qi, Xuan Yuan Che, nor the heir apparent of the Qi Prince's mansion.

One day, he would be the Crown Prince of the Xuanyuan Empire!

That day would come!

His wife would never be the Princess Consort of Xuanyuan, never enter the gates of the Qi Prince's mansion as a kept woman, but would forever stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

One day, he would make the entire capital of Xuanyuan deserted, a crimson carpet laid from Xuanwu Gate all the way to the Xuanyuan Palace, and he would personally lead her to the Xuanyuan Palace.

Just as his father had promised his mother, and though his father hadn't kept his promise, he would.

These words were hidden in his heart, hidden in his clear, cheerful laughter. He said, "Weiwei, it's really bitter. I will remember the bitterness of this medicine for the rest of my life, but I find it sweet!"

"Sweet talk," Murong Wei glanced at him.

"Is that so?" He moved closer, asking ambiguously.

She panicked, struggling to break free. She was still terrified of this guy! Heaven knows how long he had been starving.

"Didn't you say you were going to find Ren Fan? I'll go with you. We're leaving in a few days." She tried to distract him.

Bai Wushang didn't speak, moving closer and closer.

Murong Wei leaned back repeatedly, but he suddenly pulled her up, whispering, "Last night..." He

only said "last night," and her face instantly turned bright red. She wanted to punch him. What was he trying to do?!

"I really like your initiative." He truly had no bottom line, telling her with a smile as his kiss slowly drew closer.

She found herself utterly unable to resist his seduction. He didn't need many sweet words; his dashing, suave demeanor and irresistibly charming expression alone were enough to captivate her.

The kiss drew closer, ever closer. The scene was so familiar; he had teased her like this more than once. He

had stirred up all her tension, yet in the end, he still hadn't kissed her!

He smiled, lifting her chin with a wicked grin, and said, "Rest well, wait for me to return."

Without a kiss, he got up to leave.

"Wait!" She frowned, quickly stopping him.

"Don't tell me you still have the energy..." He turned, smiling as he asked.

"Shameless!" she snapped angrily, smashing the brocade box in her hand before turning and leaving.

"Haha." He was overjoyed, carefully hiding the box before departing.

A kiss, a cold, icy kiss. One day, he would give it to her…

Murong Wei saw that he had truly left before she came out, hesitating whether to go see Xuan Yuanli. After much internal struggle, she decided against it. If she was going to be ruthless, she had to be ruthless to the end. Perhaps, if she went again, she would only hurt him once more.

At this moment, Guiguzi and Liu Jian had been following Xuan Yuanli.

They followed him throughout the entire palace, back and forth, circling around and around.

Suddenly, he stopped abruptly and roared, “Get out, all of you! I need some peace and quiet.”

“Thirteenth Prince, there are plenty of flowers in the world. Why be hung up on just one?” Guiguzi smiled eerily.

“Get out!” Xuan Yuanli roared furiously.

Liu Jian remained expressionless and turned to leave.

Guiguzi, however, approached instead and whispered, "Thirteenth Master, besides, even if you're only interested in one woman, if she's already taken, you can still snatch her away!"

He patted Xuanyuan Li's shoulder like a buddy, then urged, "Come on, let's go drink! A man can live without women, but he can't live without wine!"

"Get lost!" Xuanyuan Li's voice was deep. Guiguzi immediately sensed something was wrong, glanced at the red-tailed kite flying low in the sky, and in a startled flash, disappeared.

Xuanyuan Li stood there for a long, long time, until the red-tailed kite landed on his shoulder, then he slowly headed towards the back mountain…