Chapter 81 - 90

When Bai Wushang returned to Murong Wei with the eight-layered treasure box, she was still frozen.

She kept guessing what the thing behind her could be. Bai Wushang was an official tomb raider; he had probably raided more ancient tombs than she had ever seen. She thought that with his vast experience, he must know what the thing behind her was, and he must have a way to control it, perhaps even a way to control it already. That's why he was so at ease letting her stand there alone.

Although she wasn't afraid, it didn't mean she had to see it or remember it, right?Full novel: Greedy Baby: Abandoned Wife Mother Becomes a Concubine — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠

She smiled at Bai Wushang, who was also smiling at her, and chuckled, "Lord Wushang, we've got the only thing in this main tomb chamber. Let's leave."

Bai Wushang shone his flashlight on the face of the thing behind Murong Wei. Its already pale face became even paler, as if it were examining something very intently.

"I shone a flashlight into its eyes because although this beast has large eyes, they've been living in darkness for so long that they've severely degenerated. Strong light would definitely damage them; it's like blinding it with light. The bullet I fired entered its head and hit its nozzle, just to prevent it from using the jet propulsion to escape. I don't know how this beast evolved to survive outside of water, but if it tries to escape, its size would definitely cause the main burial chamber to collapse, so I had to kill it with one shot," Murong Wei explained obediently and earnestly.

"Is this thing called a gun?" Bai Wushang asked.

"Yes, it's similar to a bomb, using the explosive force to fire bullets," Murong Wei explained honestly.

"Where did you see this giant… giant squid?" Bai Wushang asked again.

"I heard the old people in the village talk about it before," Murong Wei answered without hesitation.

"What village?" Bai Wushang asked again.

"A small village by the sea, when I was very young, I forgot," Murong Wei said.

Bai Wushang couldn't believe it, and was too lazy to ask further. Looking at her miniature submachine gun, he smiled innocently.

"I don't know martial arts. This is for self-defense. You have hidden weapons, you don't need it!" Murong Wei immediately said.

"Aren't there two? Once we're ashore, I'll start teaching you martial arts. Consider this a gift to your master, how about it?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.

"Lord Wushang, these things are easy to discuss. We can talk about it slowly once we're ashore. Let's get ashore first. You said it yourself, this isn't a place to linger. Besides, if we delay any longer, we won't have the strength to get ashore." Murong Wei smiled ingratiatingly, changing the subject.

"Aren't you going to open this box? This box is quite something." Bai Wushang asked.

"Ashore, let's get ashore first. Everything needs to be discussed slowly." Murong Wei smiled, her right cheek covered in burn scars, yet the allure of her smile was undeniable. It seemed he rarely saw her smile so directly.

She was laughing, but he suddenly became serious, his narrow eyes narrowing with a hint of wariness as he looked at what was behind her. Her smile froze, and seeing his sudden tense reaction, she dared not move.

His handsome brows furrowed, and he stepped forward, his strong hands gently pressing down on her shoulders.

"What is that thing? What's going on?" she whispered, her body trembling.

"Shh..." he whispered back, mysteriously and slowly turning her body around.

She immediately closed her eyes and said sharply, "Bai Wushang, don't joke around, what is that?"

"I'm not joking with you, don't speak!" he said just as sharply, having completely turned her around to face the thing that was very, very close to her.

Its face was paler than anyone else's, its eyes were as black as ink, its nose was sharper than most people's, its lips were blood-red, and its expression was like that of a fierce demon guarding an ancient temple.

After Bai Wushang's stern rebuke, he fell silent. Murong Wei, warned in this way, dared not utter another sound. However, this little brat was no ordinary girl; she was probably terrified to the extreme. The muzzle of her hand holding the gun was still pointed forward. If anything happened, she was sure she wouldn't hold back and fire three shots!

In the silence, the atmosphere became increasingly tense. Just then, Bai Wushang suddenly released his grip. Murong Wei instinctively defended herself and immediately opened her eyes. She saw the bright light of the flashlight shining on that pale, terrifying, and inhuman face.

"Ah..." Murong Wei screamed instinctively and fainted instantly. As she collapsed, Bai Wushang stepped forward and embraced her, sighing and shaking his head helplessly. "Weiwei, you really can be scared to death." He wondered if

Murong Wei knew that what was in front of her was just a stone statue that was only slightly more realistic than the usual slave statues, would she just bite her tongue and commit suicide?

His smile remained unchanged as he strapped the Eight-Layered Treasure Box to her body, carried her on his back, and strode out of the main burial chamber. Only when they reached the door did he slowly push the lifelike slave statue back to its previous standing position. The innermost door beneath the stone steps of the main burial chamber then slowly closed.

This was the most common method of using slave figurines to guard tombs in the Han Kingdom, with internal mechanisms. Surprisingly, Murong Wei, a woman with considerable knowledge of tomb raiding, knew nothing about it. It seemed there were indeed many suspicious points about her that he could slowly discover and unravel…

Bai Wushang carried Murong Wei along the secret passage, traversing almost every room it led to, thoroughly examining the entire tomb. The tomb's structure wasn't complex, suggesting it was very ancient. Sure enough, the tomb contained only the Eight-Layered Treasure Box; the other rooms were all empty, as if looted.

Why was this particular Eight-Layered Treasure Box left behind?

He didn't have time to ponder this further. Instead of searching for an escape route through the secret chambers, he returned to the dark room they had just entered.

They had been swept in by the water. There must be a movable wall in this dark room, and the outside leads directly to the lake. He gently knocked and quickly found the mechanism on the movable stone wall.

He put Murong Wei down and looked at her. His eyes revealed a quietness that no one had ever seen in the usually carefree Lord Wushang. His slender hand gently stroked her pale lips, and his smile grew warmer. He slowly lowered his head, and his usually cold lips gently captured hers. One hand encircled her waist, and the other gently pressed the back of her head.

Suddenly, he exerted his strength, leaping into the air, his legs fiercely slamming into the mechanism. Instantly, the stone wall flipped, but unlike before when it closed immediately after the floodwaters rushed in, it remained motionless, allowing the lake water to surge in, and the entire tomb chamber began to collapse!

He never kept anything or anyone of no value.

In the surging waves, he held her tightly, his cold lips never leaving her, breathing on her. Having grown up by the sea, only he knew how well he could swim.

His figure shot upwards like a shuttle, reaching the surface in no time.

"Splash..." He released her the moment she surfaced, while Murong Wei coughed heavily, groggily about to wake up.

But! Before she was fully awake, Bai Wushang suddenly shoved her head underwater, and at the same time, several sharp arrows shot from the lakeside without mercy.

On the lakeside, Fatty Long, his face dark, personally gripped the arrows and drew the bowstring taut!

Coughing violently, Murong Wei snapped back to reality. She reflexively jerked her head back up, coughing incessantly. But the next moment, Bai Wushang shoved her head down again.

What was he doing? Was he trying to murder her?

She struggled violently, managing to break free of Bai Wushang's grasp. She surfaced again, still coughing heavily. The feeling of choking on water was excruciating. Just as she surfaced coughing, Bai Wushang suddenly unleashed a sharp wave of water, heading straight for her.

"You…you…" Murong Wei's words were cut short by shock. She finally noticed the archers on the lakeshore, led by Ning Ran herself. Several arrows converged and shot towards Bai Wushang.

"Watch out!" She gasped, plunged into the water, grabbed Bai Wushang's legs, and yanked him down! The fierce waves bypassed her original position and crashed towards the archers led by Long Xiao on the shore. Ning Ran's arrows were very accurate, stopping at the lakeside and posing no threat to Long Xiao.

Bai Wushang and Murong Wei were submerged in the water, their eyes meeting. Bai Wushang remained calm, while Murong Wei shook her head and gestured, seemingly trying to express something.

Bai Wushang watched with increasing interest, a slight smile playing on his lips, and beckoned to her.

Murong Wei frowned, as if asking, "What are you going to do?"

Bai Wushang still smiled and held out his hand.

Murong Wei pointed upwards, looking at him suspiciously, as if asking, "My lord, are you sure you want to go up now?"

Bai Wushang nodded, and Murong Wei immediately waved her hand, turned, and swam away from him, pointing upwards and then into the water, as if saying, "Wait until they go into the water; it'll be easier to deal with them from there."

However, it was unclear whether Bai Wushang understood. He maintained his charming smile, suspended in the water, letting his dark hair fly with the current, watching her without making any further gestures.

The commotion on the water grew louder, indicating that Long Xiao was impatient and truly intended to enter the water. Time ticked by, and Murong Wei grew increasingly anxious, needing to devise a perfect solution. However, before she could come up with a plan, bubbles began to appear in her nose, and she had to gasp for air.

Bai Wushang then swam over, his smile deepening. Murong Wei didn't dare move, her heart pounding. This guy was probably coming to give her air, right?

It was perfectly normal, but there was nothing ambiguous about it. In such a tense situation, it had to be serious. But why was she panicking?

He drew closer and closer, and at the same time, a barrage of arrows rained down from the sky, shooting straight into the water.

Murong Wei instinctively sank, and Bai Wushang followed suit. Even a professional archer couldn't shoot less than ten meters.

They were suspended in the lake, ten meters deep. Bubbles kept rising from Murong Wei's nose. She turned on her flashlight and saw Bai Wushang standing in front of her. His lips were still slightly curved in a smile. Above them, the arrows slowed down after entering the water, sliding slowly at seven or eight meters, no longer posing any threat. The people who had jumped into the water to search for them were also slowly approaching.

These disturbances did not affect their...breathing...state. He was still so elegant, and she was still so nervous.

She really wanted to control herself, but even the strongest person cannot control the speed of their heartbeat. Facing him, she lowered her head and drew closer. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest. This action and posture were so damn similar to the prelude to a kiss!

Suddenly, he slowly tilted his head slightly, his long, captivating eyes giving her lips a meaningful look. His smile was wicked. She quickly reached out and placed her hand against his chest, her brows furrowed and her gaze warning.

He then feigned innocence, pointing to the bubbles coming out of her nose. She thought that if he could speak now, he would definitely say, "It's your greatest honor that I'm kindly helping you breathe, Weiwei. You shouldn't be looking at me like that!"

He raised an eyebrow, looking at her with amusement, waiting for her reaction. Helpless, she could only nod. If this guy didn't help her breathe soon, she would definitely rush to the surface.

Seeing her nod, he seemed quite satisfied, smiled, and suddenly put an arm around her waist. She froze, and simply closed her eyes...

A long, long time passed, but there was no touch whatsoever. He just held her tightly. What was going on?

She couldn't hold back any longer and suddenly opened her eyes. In that instant, she felt a tightness around her waist. He was actually carrying her and rushing upwards against the current!

She had no time to recover, and before she could even hold her breath, the oncoming water choked her nose and mouth. However, the discomfort was only momentary; soon they were out of the water. She couldn't care less about anything else, clinging tightly to Bai Wushang, coughing and spitting desperately, gasping for air.

At the same moment they ascended from the sky, almost the entire lake surface erupted with waves, even faster and higher than them, all tumbling sideways and crashing towards the shore. Murong Wei, in a daze, felt as if it were a terrifying tsunami.

Everything happened so suddenly. The guards in the water were swept out and crashed heavily onto the shore, all dying from mouth-to-mouth bleeding. All the archers on the shore, ready to fire, were thrown into disarray by the successive waves; some were injured, some retreated. Long Xiao and Ning Ran were both escorted back by a group of people, and they too were soaked to the bone.

All of this happened in an instant. In a moment of distraction, everything was over. With the splashing of water, by the time everyone came to their senses, Bai Wushang and Murong Wei had already vanished.

Yinling and Bao'er, who had been hiding in the bushes, anxiously wondering what to do, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sister Bao, Master's skills seem to have improved," Yinling said happily.

"Being submerged for so long must have taken a toll on his body, even if he wasn't injured. We need to find him quickly. You go to the Imperial Hospital and bring all the nourishing herbs," Bao'er said earnestly.

"But... Sister Bao, do you know where Master went?" Yinling asked helplessly. They had followed Master for so long, yet his whereabouts remained a mystery; no one could easily find him.

“Let’s just take him with us for now. We can’t stay in the palace anyway. I really don’t understand why he would turn against Long Xiao so easily for Murong Wei. His breath-holding skills are amazing. If he hides in the water for a long time and in a deep place, he can completely stay out of it,” A Bao muttered unhappily.

"I heard Consort De's face is ruined. I reckon starting tomorrow, Murong Wei will be a wanted criminal by Long Xiao and even the entire world. Our master is shrewd; she'll surely get her share!" Yinling said with a smile.

The two sisters watched for a long time, and only left quietly after Long Xiao and Ning Ran had both left. However, they didn't see Xiao Dezi, who was also quietly leaving not far away.

Consort De kept her disfigurement a secret, delaying her return to Xuanyuan while frantically searching for medicine, even more so than for Murong Wei.

Long Xiao, soaking wet and still in his dreadful state, rushed to the Ziwei Pavilion. Only the old nanny remained inside; all the maids had been dismissed.

Through the curtain, Long Xiao couldn't see Consort De's face, standing there trembling with fear.

"Escaped?" Consort De's tone was icy.

"Your Highness, don't worry, that brat Bai Wushang was very willing to abandon Hanhai City, otherwise I would have definitely caught him!" Long Xiao quickly replied.

"Bang..." Consort De slammed her hand on the table, and it was faintly visible through the curtain that she had stood up. "What I want is Murong Wei. Bai Wushang's life or death has nothing to do with me. Long Xiao, I'm warning you, if you can't keep Murong Wei here and heal this scar on my face, then when Prince Qi is furious, don't say I can't protect our Han Kingdom!"

"Yes, yes, Your Highness Consort De, of course I understand the implications. I have already ordered the city gates and palace gates to be sealed. Neither Bai Wushang nor Murong Wei can escape the capital. As for the injury on your face, I have still secretly sent someone to Nanzhao to ask the King of Nanzhao for medicine in your name. That old fellow has a divine medicine that can restore one's appearance to its original state no matter how bad the injury is. You can rest assured about that. Even if the King of Nanzhao doesn't give me face, he has to give Prince Qi face, right?" Long Xiao answered hastily, his logic somewhat muddled.

"How long will that take!" Consort De asked anxiously.

"I've already sent messengers at top speed; they'll arrive within a month," Long Xiao said timidly.

"Arrived where?" Consort De demanded sharply.

"To... Nanzhao... It'll take a month to get back." Long Xiao's legs trembled. He'd forgotten how he'd fallen asleep in Jingxuan Palace, and why he'd woken up in the far west of the palace.

The secret of royal legend lay hidden in the Han Hai Lake, containing the Han Hai Key. Could it be that Bai Wushang and Murong Wei were after that thing?

He couldn't worry about that now; Consort De alone was enough to give him a headache.

Silence. A complete silence filled the room. Hearing his answer, Consort De fell silent, staring intently. Long Xiao thought that if it weren't for the curtain separating them, Consort De would have killed him with her gaze.

He dared not speak either, waiting anxiously.

After a long silence, Consort De suddenly waved her hand and said, "This is none of your business. You may leave now."

"Your Majesty, actually, this matter is truly..." Long Xiao wanted to explain, but Consort De almost roared, "Get out! Do not enter without my order!"

"Yes!" Long Xiao, true to his servant nature, fled in a panic.

Inside the curtain, Consort De's entire face was covered by a veil, only her eyes and mouth were visible. She stood stiffly, her heart heaving violently, it was unclear whether she was angry or afraid.

To her right, Bai Wushang, his undergarments still dripping wet, held a dagger to the old nanny's throat, coldly watching her. His narrow, captivating eyes possessed a power that could shatter one's spirit with a single glance, sharp and terrifying.

He coldly spoke, "Who used the washing torture on Murong Wei?"

"Her!" Consort De immediately pointed at the old nanny.

The old nanny was so frightened that she didn't dare to utter a word in defense, her old eyes wide open, staring at Consort De.

Without a word, Bai Wushang plunged the sharp dagger directly into the old nanny's throat from the front, piercing through bone, blood vessels, and trachea, giving her no chance to utter a sound. A spurt of blood gushed out, splashing onto Consort De's face.

Consort De screamed in alarm, but Bai Wushang stood coldly, letting the old nanny fall, his eyes still icy.

"Consort De, what happened?"

"Consort De, what's wrong?"

Several maids and eunuchs rushed in, all stopping only before the curtain.

"N-nothing...nothing...all out, out!" Consort De continued to scream in panic, covering her face with one hand, wanting to remove her blood-stained veil but not daring to.

The servants dared not act rashly, wary of their unpredictable mistress, and retreated together.

After a long, long silence, Consort De finally spoke, her voice trembling, "You... what exactly... what exactly do you want to do?"

"No one is allowed to enter the Ziwei Pavilion for three days. We will depart for Xuanyuan in three days. The carriage will stop at this gate," Bai Wushang said coldly.

"You... what exactly is your relationship with Murong Wei... she's the most powerful... why... why..." Consort De, timid yet trying to maintain her composure, couldn't utter a single question.

Bai Wushang didn't even glance at her, walking directly towards her.

"I'll agree to anything you want, but if you kill me, no one will be able to take you out of Han Kingdom!" Consort De blurted out in panic, retreating step by step until she collapsed onto the warm couch.

Bai Wushang remained expressionless, pressing her pressure points with both hands, and said coldly, "Consort De, remember this, it's time for this debt to be settled. I will personally settle it with you." With that, he tore off her veil, but without looking at her, turned and left.

The second floor of the Ziwei Pavilion remained serene and tranquil. Consort De, assuming Prince Qi would stay there, had specially arranged for a complete renovation, opening up several rooms to create a spacious bedroom with a sizable balcony.

The bedroom contained a large double bed, furnished with expensive bedding and carpets.

At this moment, Murong Wei lay quietly on the bed, her back to the sky, unconscious. Xiao Dezi sat beside her, pounding medicine; his figure was thin, his features delicate, and he appeared to be nothing more than an insignificant eunuch.

Bai Wushang brought a clean set of women's clothing and said indifferently, "Is the medicine ready?"

"Master, you should change your clothes first," Xiao Dezi said calmly, without even looking up.

"I'll change in a moment. Once the medicine is ready, go out," Bai Wushang replied in a similarly indifferent tone.

Only then did Xiao Dezi stand up, saying, "Master, offending Long Xiao for a woman is not something you should do."

“Whether it’s right or wrong, I know in my heart.” Bai Wushang said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Murong Wei’s golden low-waisted skirt was already disheveled, revealing all the wounds on her back. After being soaked for so long, it was unbearable to look at.

“Even if she has value, you don’t need to rush to bring her up here. Why didn’t you give me three days to deal with Long Xiao?” Xiao Dezi asked again, acting completely unlike a servant.

“Get out.” Bai Wushang stopped explaining and his voice turned cold.

“Master, you don’t have much time left. Don’t ruin everything for a woman.” Xiao Dezi said, leaving behind a bottle of medicine. He must have been seriously injured from exerting so much force in the water.

The door closed, and Bai Wushang hurriedly removed Murong Wei’s wet clothes, then pulled the brocade quilt over her waist, his brows furrowed, and carefully applied the medicine to her.

Water dripped steadily down his clothes, along his sleeves and the corners of his garments, and into his hair. His face was pale, his lips purple, and even the fingers that were gently applying medicine to her skin were wrinkled and white from being soaked.

He was so focused, his head bowed, his brow furrowed with heartache.

Xiao Dezi was right; at this moment, there was no need for him to offend Long Xiao. He feared he would be unable to move freely in the Han Kingdom from then on. But he just couldn't bear it. He couldn't bear to see that woman in the water, wounded, for so long; he couldn't bear to see her in pain for so long; he couldn't bear to see her go hungry for so long.

Women, no matter how strong, still need to be cared for.

If you asked why he made such an exception, perhaps it was because she could bring him warmth, nothing more.

After applying the medicine, he busied himself helping Murong Wei dress in clean clothes before finally taking a break to change himself. He then took the medicine Xiao Dezi had given him. Since Murong Wei discovered the chronic poison in his body, he had been seeking medical help everywhere, but to no avail. He could only take some common medications to suppress the poison and barely manage to stay afloat.

On the balcony outside, Xiao Dezi was staring blankly at the eight-layered treasure box on the table.

"We've searched the entire tomb, and it's empty except for this thing," Bai Wushang said, walking over and sitting down beside him.

Xiao Dezi immediately stood up, showing proper etiquette.

Bai Wushang patted the spot behind him, gesturing for him to sit down.

"Master, I was rude just now," Xiao Dezi said, bowing his head slightly.

"Sit down. Look at this thing. If the Vast Ocean Key isn't in this, it might be hard to find later," Bai Wushang remarked, leaning back lazily and stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"This is an eight-layered reliquary, a relic of the state religion of the Flowing Sand Kingdom, used to store Buddha relics. It shouldn't be in the tomb of the Han Kingdom's royal family, and even if it were, it shouldn't be placed under the coffin," Xiao Dezi said earnestly.

Bai Wushang glanced at Xiao Dezi, remaining expressionless. This was exactly what Murong Wei had said. Xiao Dezi was merely an alias for this guy in the Han Kingdom's palace; his real name was Liu Jian. He had been rescued by Bai Wushang many years ago on the border of the Northern Que Shang Kingdom, but his memory was still hazy, and he couldn't remember his origins.

"This reliquary has eight layers, and the contents

are hidden in the innermost layer. Actually, to be precise, this should be called a golden coffin and silver outer coffin, a type of coffin used to store Buddha relics," Liu Jian continued. "The Flowing Sand Kingdom..." Bai Wushang seemed thoughtful, carefully examining the reliquary. The outermost layer was a sandalwood box, carved with totems he had never seen before, exuding an ancient aura.

"Or perhaps, this is a guide!" Suddenly, Liu Jian jolted awake, took out a tattered ancient brocade map, pointed to the missing parts, and said, "The missing part is very likely the Liusha Kingdom!"

Bai Wushang didn't speak, glanced at the ancient brocade map, hesitated for a moment, and finally carefully opened the first treasure box.

Sure enough. Inside the sandalwood box was a silver box. Bai Wushang took out the silver box and saw that it was carved with the common auspicious dragon and phoenix pattern. Opening that silver box, there was another silver box inside, carved with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix. Continuing to open the fourth box, it was still a silver box, but the carvings on it were all fierce wolves, tigers, and leopards.

Bai Wushang patiently continued, however, the fifth box was golden, the same shape, but carved with totems he couldn't understand. Continuing, the sixth was also pure gold, and the next one was a flawless treasure box made of precious jade, with almost no visible seams.

"Treasure boxes carved from a single piece of jade are rare; such craftsmanship is probably unparalleled," Liu Jian said softly.

Bai Wushang remained silent, carefully and slowly lifting the seven boxes... What would be on the eighth layer?

As Bai Wushang slowly opened the seventh box, a noise came from inside the room. Liu Jian's eyes darkened, and his figure vanished in a flash.

A faint smile appeared on Bai Wushang's lips as he finally opened the jade box. At the same time, with a "creak," the door opened.

Murong Wei emerged, looking exhausted and drowsy. Her long hair was loose, and she wore a white gauze dress with a purple padded jacket and a purple veil. She looked elegant without being ostentatious. Upon seeing Bai Wushang, she frowned. "Where is this?"

Bai Wushang smiled and said, "Ziwei Pavilion."

"How did you get here?" Murong Wei asked again.

"My lord, I threatened Consort De. She's downstairs. You can kill her or do whatever you want with her," Bai Wushang said with a smile.

Murong Wei looked suspicious and asked, "Who changed my clothes?"

Bai Wushang gave her lips, which had regained their color, a meaningful look, and smiled without speaking.

Murong Wei's face darkened, her voice growing colder. "Who applied the medicine for me?"

Bai Wushang remained silent, his smile growing even brighter.

Murong Wei narrowed her eyes, a dangerous aura emanating from him.

Bai Wushang lazily shifted his posture, gesturing for her to sit down, and said, "I had the old nanny beside Consort De do it. Don't worry, I've already killed her, it won't affect your reputation."

Murong Wei was still half-believing, staring intently at him. Bai Wushang chuckled, laughing heartily, and stood up, pulling her away.

"What are you doing?" Murong Wei instinctively shook off his hand.

Bai Wushang didn't mind, smiling as he said, "Consort De is downstairs, what do you think I'm going to do?"

Murong Wei was genuinely puzzled. It wasn't him being interrogated; she barely felt anything anymore. What was he so excited about? She pointed to the items on the table and reminded them, "Let's look at this first.

Consort De still needs to escort us out of the capital. We can deal with this after we leave the city." Bai Wushang was staying here and had kidnapped Consort De, so he must have gotten her to lead them away from Long Xiao.

"The eighth lock is on. That golden lock isn't something an ordinary person can open. It's useless to look at it now." As Bai Wushang spoke, he took the eighth box out of the jade box. It was a pure gold box with a small lock. Unless the gold was melted down, no tool, no matter how strong, could open it.

Murong Wei was surprised. She glanced at the other boxes on the table and said calmly, "This lock doesn't require the Vast Ocean Key to open, does it?"

"It's impossible to find out. After we leave the capital, we'll go to Xuanyuan. There's a locksmith in the capital who's extremely skilled. There's no lock he can't open." Bai Wushang said.

"Is Ye Bao coming with us?!" Murong Wei blurted out hastily.

However, Bai Wushang acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing to tidy up the table. Murong Wei assumed he really hadn't heard and patiently repeated, "Lord Wushang, is Ye Bao coming to Xuanyuan with us?" Only

then did Bai Wushang look up, looking at her very seriously, and said, "No, to avoid trouble. Let's just go to Xuanyuan with Consort De. Be careful later, and make sure she's alive."

"Then is Ye Bao going to Xuanyuan?" Murong Wei asked again. In this situation, Bai Wushang couldn't stay in Han Kingdom. Who knows, in a few days, news of Murong Lan's disfigurement might reach Xuanyuan, and she would become a wanted criminal. Bai Wushang would also be implicated. How could this guy let himself fall into such a state?

Thinking about it, Murong Wei's gaze towards Bai Wushang changed from suspicion to wariness. She was very confident that this guy would betray her in a critical moment!

"Weiwei, what are you worried about?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.

“My lord, although Consort De is a bit despicable, offending her is no small matter,” Murong Wei said.

“You really injured her face?” Bai Wushang asked in astonishment.

Murong Wei, utterly desperate, nodded. “Yes.”

“How did she get injured like that?” Bai Wushang asked again, filled with fear.

“The washing… that iron brush… I accidentally kicked it in the face,” Murong Wei said innocently.

Bai Wushang stared at her for a long time, speechless, shaking his head.

Murong Wei was utterly despairing and instinctively backed away.

Bai Wushang stood up, his brow furrowed, a sigh on his face, and approached, approached, and approached again!

“My lord, you’ve already offended Long Xiao and threatened her. No matter who disfigured her face, you can’t escape it. Besides, if you want to find fault, you can always find a reason. Don’t you…?” Murong Wei said with a forced smile.

Bai Wushang continued to approach with a sigh, stopping only when he had Murong Wei at the top of the stairs. He said calmly, "Weiwei, Consort De is just a mere concubine. Why are you so afraid of her?"

Murong Wei was taken aback, not understanding for a moment.

"Weiwei, Long Xiao is a fool. How can someone as clever and intelligent as you not understand? The relationship between nations cannot be decided by anyone other than the monarch. If Emperor Xuanyuan Lie insists on Han Kingdom, even ten Princes of Qi pleading for him won't change his mind, let alone a mere Consort De." Bai Wushang spoke with some seriousness.

Murong Wei was startled, feeling as if she had been enlightened. At the same time, she looked at Bai Wushang with new respect for the first time. Although he was not a court official and did not follow the proper etiquette between ruler and subject like Long Xiao, he was well-versed in the true way of ruler and subject. For some reason, looking at his calm demeanor, she suddenly thought of someone—no, to be precise, a legend about someone: Prince Qi.

He possessed the talent to govern a country, but lacked the will to do so. He was heavily relied upon by Emperor Xuanyuan Lie, yet he remained wise and discerning, traveling far and wide, living a carefree life like an immortal.

Was this the feeling she was experiencing?

Why did she feel this way looking at Bai Wushang, while only feeling cold indifference towards Xuanyuan Che?

While she was still in a daze, Bai Wushang had already turned around with a smile and slowly descended, not to the ground floor, but towards a terrace suspended between the first and second floors.

"Where are you going?" Murong Wei asked hastily, recovering from her daze. Her thoughts and feelings were utterly ridiculous; Bai Wushang and Xuan Yuanche were completely opposite people, they would never cross paths in eight lifetimes!

"To eat. Only when I'm full do I have the energy to torment Consort De. If she hadn't shown up that night, I wouldn't have had to soak in the water for so long. If I don't avenge this, how can I save face?" Bai Wushang said angrily.

Murong Wei was so shocked that she almost tumbled down the stairs. Compared to this guy, her pettiness and grudges were negligible.

She quickly followed, only to see a table full of food and wine on the terrace, with all kinds of delicious dishes. Although she was starving, although she had already sat down uninvited, and although she had picked up her chopsticks, she still coughed a few times and said seriously, "Lord Wushang, let's get back to our previous topic. Will Ye Bao come with us to Xuan Yuanche?"

Bai Wushang didn't speak, and just sat down and drank his soup.

“Lord Wushang, please understand a mother’s feelings. Ye Bao is only five years old and has never been away from me for more than a day. Although he is a bit precocious, he needs to lie in my arms and listen to stories every night before he can fall asleep.” Murong Wei choked up, her head bowed.

However, Bai Wushang ignored her, drinking his soup with relish.

“Lord Wushang, Ye Bao will cry if he doesn’t see me for a day. He’s only ever wanted me since he was little. Even the old nanny who takes care of him can’t serve him properly. It’s been so many days, please let me see him just once, Lord Wushang. He’s only five years old. You wouldn’t want him to be crying all the time, would you?” Murong Wei spoke with great emotion, tears welling up in her eyes.

Bai Wushang still only reacted to the hot soup. Meanwhile, on the other side of the stairs, a child who looked about five or six years old, dressed in a mature-looking blue robe, carrying a canvas backpack, was slowly munching on a fried chicken leg—it was none other than Ye Bao, the young master Ye, whom he hadn’t seen for many days!

He climbed slowly, step by step, his chubby little face flushed and rosy, a look of contentment on his face...

When Weiwei's throat was parched from talking, Bai Wushang finally responded, bringing her a bowl of hot soup and smiling, "Have some soup first."

"Lord Wushang...please let me see Ye Bao," Murong Wei said weakly.

"Actually, that child doesn't miss you that much," Bai Wushang kindly reminded her.

"I'm her mother, who else would she miss if not me?" Murong Wei asked in a deep voice, taking the hot soup and drinking it down in large gulps.

"Perhaps she's missing some beautiful girl, just like me!" Bai Wushang maintained his elegant smile.

Suddenly, Murong Wei dropped her pleading expression, slammed her hand on the table, and said earnestly, "Lord Wushang, Ye Bao is my son. His upbringing is entirely mine. No matter how long you intend to hold him hostage, first, please don't pass on your philandering ways to him; second, please don't pass on your wickedness; third, please don't pass on your eccentricities!"

Bai Wushang slowly furrowed his brows, stroking the beauty mark under his right eye, looking at her with a thoughtful expression, without speaking.

Murong Wei coughed a few times and continued earnestly, "Lord Wushang, given that these things are acquired through exposure and are irreversible, you should return Ye Bao to me."

"Hehe!" Bai Wushang laughed, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Weiwei, I am twenty-six years old this year and still single. Do I have a harem?"

"No, but your fondness for women is common knowledge," Murong Wei replied.

“Did you see with your own eyes, Weiwei, which flower beds this Lord has been in and out of? Did you see with your own eyes which beautiful girl this Lord has favored?” Bai Wushang asked again.

Murong Wei was completely tongue-tied. It was true—this guy’s playboy reputation was purely based on rumors. She really hadn't seen him treat any woman particularly well. After being with him for so long, she had never seen him keep any woman by his side.

“Weiwei, this Lord has bared his heart and soul to you. Didn't I even risk being wanted by the entire world to help you kidnap Consort De? If I didn't have a belly full of wicked schemes, how could I protect you and Yebao? Don't you agree? Besides, even if I have a belly full of wicked schemes, I only use them against others. Have I ever treated you two, mother and son, badly?” Bai Wushang countered.

Murong Wei remained silent. She couldn’t help but feel that his words sounded incredibly strange—as if she and Yebao were somehow his family. For a moment, she couldn't even find the words to argue back.

Bai Wushang took a sip of wine, still with that seemingly nonchalant smile, and said, "Weiwei, my mind is clear, and I can answer your questions fluently. How can you say I'm crazy?"

Murong Wei coughed a few times and explained, "This...this is a bit of an exaggeration. I mean, you sometimes make those inappropriate jokes, which makes you seem like a carefree, irresponsible person. That's not good for the child. Boys...boys should be more robust and serious."

Bai Wushang didn't speak, but smiled with narrowed eyes and pointed behind her.

Murong Wei was puzzled and slowly turned around. Just one glance, and she froze instantly. She saw her precious son leaning against the door with a roguish air. His long robe was loose, his long hair was tied up high, and a strand of curly hair fell to the corner of his right eye. At this moment, his right foot was on the ground, his left foot crossed over his right foot, his toes touching the ground, his left hand was on the door, supporting his head, and his right hand was holding a large chicken leg, which he was gnawing on with relish.

Seeing her turn around, he just smiled at her with narrowed eyes and continued gnawing on his chicken leg.

This… isn’t just being nonchalant! This… is downright thuggish!

Murong Wei didn’t speak, her shocked eyes gradually turning cold and deep. As this coldness deepened, Ye Bao slowly retracted his left foot, left hand, and right hand, standing straight, hiding the chicken leg behind his back, and slowly drooping his head.

“Come here!” Murong Wei said coldly.

Ye Bao threw the chicken leg behind him hard and obediently stepped forward. Bai Wushang’s smile remained unchanged. He propped his head up with one hand and held a wine cup in the other, watching the mother and son with amusement, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Mommy, Ye Bao missed you so much.” Ye Bao said, cautiously raising his head, his big, watery eyes suddenly welling up with tears.

“Mommy missed you too.” Murong Wei said emotionally, opening her arms.

“Waaah, Mommy…” Ye Bao wailed and suddenly pounced on her.

"Ye Bao... Mommy really misses you!" Murong Wei suddenly broke down in grief, burying her face in Ye Bao's arms and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mommy... Ye Bao really misses you too!" Ye Bao's voice gradually softened into a sob.

"Mommy misses you so much..." Murong Wei also sobbed softly.

The mother and son, reunited after a long separation, embraced and wept, a truly touching scene. Bai Wushang, standing to the side, was puzzled. Why did this mother and son keep talking about only one word: "missing"? One missed the past, the other missed the present.

At this moment, amidst Ye Bao's low sobs, Murong Wei asked, "Where?" Then, she began to sob, "Wuwuwu..."

In her sobs, Ye Bao hurriedly replied, "The underground palace of Wushang Palace... Wuwuwu, Mommy, I miss you so much it breaks my heart, wuwuwu..."

"Who... Wuwuwu, Ye Bao, Mommy misses you so much she can't eat or drink!" Murong Wei asked again.

"A servant, dressed in black and masked, even taught me martial arts... Waaah, Mommy, if Ye Bao isn't around anymore, please take care of yourself," Ye Bao replied.

"Can I escape? Waaah," Murong Wei continued to ask.

"Aaaah... I still can't escape!" Ye Bao was truly heartbroken. After saying that, her little hand slowly slid from Murong Wei's neck to her back.

"Stop!" Suddenly, Bai Wushang spoke up to stop her.

Ye Bao froze, then whispered helplessly, "You can't hide it from him, he's very shrewd. Sometimes we discuss things."

Murong Wei no longer had a chance to ask any more questions and let Bai Wushang take Ye Bao away.

"I want Mommy! I want Mommy! Waaah, let me go!" Ye Bao cried miserably, struggling wildly in Bai Wushang's arms.

"Your mother's back is badly injured. Don't touch it for the next few days, remember that," Bai Wushang said seriously, frowning.

Instantly, Ye Bao stopped struggling, slowly turning to look at Murong Wei, her voice low and earnest, "Mother, who bullied you?"

"It's nothing serious. Come here, let Mommy see if you've lost weight," Murong Wei said calmly.

Ye Bao looked at Bai Wushang, earnestly asking, "Lord Wushang, who bullied my Mommy?"

"Consort De," Bai Wushang said, still smiling, a complex emotion hidden in his eyes.

"The one downstairs?" Ye Bao asked coldly.

Bai Wushang nodded, but before he could speak, Ye Bao suddenly struggled, performing a somersault and landing in the courtyard below.

When Murong Wei and Bai Wushang caught up, Ye Bao had already moved a stool and was sitting in front of the motionless Consort De, who had been immobilized by pressure points. Ye Bao was staring at her with her large, innocent, bright eyes. Consort

De's face was covered in scattered scars, almost like a pockmarked face, and her eyes were even wider than Ye Bao's, filled with fear.

"Ye'er, don't go too far. We still need her to take us out of the capital and away from Han Kingdom," Murong Wei instructed, then leaned back lazily on the warm couch beside her, completely at ease.

Bai Wushang, her eyes filled with amusement, also sat down beside her, curious about what kind of trouble a child could possibly cause that required such instructions.

The room fell silent. Ye Bao clumsily slid off the stool and walked to Bai Wushang, smiling as he asked, "Lord Wushang, could you release her pressure points?"

Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "If she escapes, will you catch her? If the noise is too loud and attracts the servants, can you handle them?"

"No problem." Ye Bao's smile widened, revealing two small tiger teeth, making him look like a little devil.

Bai Wushang patted his head and couldn't help but remind him, "Kid, take it easy." With that, a nut popped out of his hand, accurately releasing Consort De's pressure points.

"Help! Someone help me!" Consort De immediately screamed and turned to run away.

Ye Bao remained unfazed, letting her shout, and calmly lowered the last curtain, saying, "If you take another step forward, I guarantee I'll shoot off your ears!"

Consort De stopped abruptly, her face pressed against the curtain, and without needing Ye Bao's reminder, shut her mouth, not daring to utter a sound.

However, her scream had still attracted attention.

"Your Highness, what's wrong? What was that sound just now?" a guard asked respectfully through the curtain.

Ye Bao didn't speak, but instead moved a stool and stood on tiptoe, holding a sharp butterfly dart to Her Highness's ear.

"Your Highness? May I come in? Your Highness, is something wrong?" the guard asked anxiously.

Her Highness turned tremblingly to look at Ye Bao, who only smiled at her, remaining silent, her other hand fiddling with a small, pocket-sized dagger.

"Your Highness, may I come in?" the guard asked again.

"No!" Her Highness cried out suddenly, and at the same time, Ye Bao grabbed the back of her head, pushing it out of the curtain, and slashed her back with the dagger in her other hand. Her

entire body trembled beneath her head; it was unclear how she managed to suppress a scream.

Outside the curtain, several guards were stunned when they saw Consort De's pockmarked face peeking out from behind it. They were so shocked they forgot to look away. The maid who followed her in cried out in alarm.

"Get out! All of you, get out! I'm fine!" Consort De was furious and ashamed, and she didn't care about being afraid. She roared. She had never suffered such humiliation in her life.

Her anger did not intimidate Ye Bao at all. Hearing the door close, Ye Bao lazily asked, "Are you all scared away?"

"What do you want? If you have the guts, kill me!" Consort De said coldly. She turned around abruptly and swung her hand, almost hitting Ye Bao, but Ye Bao disappeared in a flash.

Consort De looked at Bai Wushang and Murong Wei, who were watching the show from afar, wary and trembling. She said, "If you want me to send you out, you must first guarantee my safety. Otherwise, I would rather perish with you!"

Bai Wushang drank his tea without even glancing at her.

Murong Wei scrutinized Ye Bao's face, wondering if her own back would also become pockmarked. Wouldn't that be ugly? How could she wear a backless dress in the future?

Only Ye Bao answered her, appearing out of nowhere behind her, smiling, "Your Highness, do you think you have any bargaining chips?" With that, his eyes darkened, and with lightning speed, he slashed at the Consort De's bare back, leaving an "X" mark.

"Ah..." The scream was like a sharp object scraping against glass, unbearable to hear. Bai Wushang covered his ears, his face showing impatience. Murong Wei, however, was astonished by Ye Bao's improved martial arts skills. He leaped forward, pressing his legs onto the Consort De's shoulders, pinning her to the ground. One hand pressed down on her ear, stopping her scream, while the other slowly and leisurely cleaned her ear.

The whole action happened in the blink of an eye; it was so fast you could barely see it. And then there was the butterfly dart Ye Bao had just used—was Bai Wushang starting to teach him how to use hidden weapons?

Consort De was completely subdued, her lips pressed to the floor, her cries of pain turning into muffled whimpers.

"Mommy, how did she hurt you?" Ye Bao looked up and asked earnestly.

"That's enough, that's enough. Come and rest for a while. Mommy has something to say to her," Murong Wei said calmly, her eyes narrowed.

"Mommy, what's wrong? Why aren't you seeking revenge?" Ye Bao asked in surprise. Bai Wushang also looked over with amusement, while Consort De breathed a sigh of relief.

“No, we’ll either kill her with one blow, or…” Before Murong Wei could finish speaking, Bai Wushang interrupted, reminding her, “Weiwei, if you don’t take revenge, I, as the master, will also settle scores with her.”

Murong Wei still frowned, and sighed, “I… I really can’t stand it anymore. Ye Bao, tie her to the chair, stop this nonsense. When will this cycle of revenge end? Either kill her with one blow, or… wait until we’re safe, then we’ll chop her down!” As soon as he finished

speaking, Bai Wushang almost spat out his tea. Ye Bao couldn’t help but shake his head, exclaiming, “Mommy, you’re too rough!”

“Come here already, your pants are stained with blood!” Murong Wei frowned and urged.

Ye Bao sighed helplessly. He had just learned many new martial arts skills and thought he could finally show them off. He pulled Consort De up, tied her to a chair, gagged her, and whispered a warning, "I've marked your back. What you owe my mother, I'll get back one day!"

After saying that, he hurriedly walked to Murong Wei. Murong Wei picked up his loose hair, rubbed his little face, straightened his clothes, and looked him up and down for a while before asking, "Have you eaten and slept well?"

Ye Bao nodded emphatically, saying, "Mommy, don't worry, I've gained a lot of weight and am living a good life!"

"Have you ever been injured while learning martial arts?" Murong Wei asked seriously.

Ye Bao quickly shook his head, saying, "Not a scratch. I'm very clever. Both my masters said I have extremely high talent, a martial arts prodigy that comes along only once in a century."

"Rest for a while, Mommy has something to say to her." Murong Wei said, pulling Ye Bao into her arms, her gaze calmly turning to Consort De.

At this moment, Consort De had blood pooling on her back, her long hair disheveled, her hairpins scattered on the ground, and several scars on her pockmarked face were worn away. She looked neither human nor ghost, a truly unsightly sight.

"Ye Bao, do you still have butterfly darts? Can Mommy borrow them?" Murong Wei said calmly.

"Here!" Ye Bao said, immediately pulling out a handful of butterfly darts from his sleeve. Murong Wei weighed them in her hand and immediately knew they were gold-plated, not real gold. It seemed this kid had replaced all the real gold ones.

Bai Wushang watched meaningfully, still silent, toying with a real gold butterfly dart in his hand. Ye Bao glanced at it casually, his eyes instantly lighting up. Ever since he first saw Lord Wushang use golden hidden darts, he had made many high-quality replicas to replace them. He had

completely replaced the stock in Wushang Palace's underground palace; he wondered how many more Lord Wushang still had hidden on him.

Bai Wushang looked over, smiling at him with narrowed eyes. Ye Bao returned the smile; both of them, one big and one small, had captivating eyes, and their smiles were remarkably similar.

Murong Wei looked at Consort De and spoke calmly, "Tell Long Xiao that we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, taking the same route you came by, going through Beicheng to Xuanyuan."

Consort De's sorrowful eyes were hidden beneath her disheveled hair, and she looked at her with extreme reluctance.

"Whoosh..." Instantly, a butterfly dart flew by, hitting her right shoulder.

"Nod if you understand." Murong Wei's tone remained calm.

Consort De broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, her shoulders shrinking inward, and nodded hastily.

"Spread the word that we're heading south to draw away Long Xiao's pursuers," Murong Wei added.

This time, Consort De had learned her lesson and immediately nodded.

"Whoosh..." Murong Wei didn't stop; a second dart pierced her left shoulder. This butterfly dart wasn't for negotiating with her, but to seek justice for the throbbing pain in her shoulders.

"Ugh..." Consort De groaned, tears and cold sweat streaming down her face, her legs kicking involuntarily.

"The third thing is that you must keep your disfigurement a secret from Prince Qi. I don't care what you do, just make sure Prince Qi doesn't find out. Also, keep Long Xiao's mouth shut." Murong Wei was serious.

Consort De, whether unwilling or too pained to nod, lowered her head, her shoulders hunched, sobbing uncontrollably.

Bai Wushang looked over, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes, not quite understanding Murong Wei's intentions.

"You can refuse this one, but I can guarantee you that in three days Prince Qi will know who Murong Lan is," Murong Wei said with a cold laugh.

At this moment, Consort De suddenly looked up, her face filled with terror, nodding repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice. This was perhaps her greatest weakness.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached from outside the curtain. It was a maid. "Your Highness, General Murong and the Second Madam request an audience. The two elders are in a hurry and are at the door."

Before she could finish speaking, someone rushed in, shouting, "Daughter, are you alright? I heard you're disfigured! What happened? What should we do?!"

"Second Madam, Her Highness has ordered that no one should disturb you. Please wait a moment," the maid quickly stopped her.

"What happened? We haven't seen you all day," Murong Bo was carried in and asked in a deep voice, gesturing for the maid to leave. The maid had no choice but to close the door and go.

Father and daughter, mother and daughter, after all, had a difference in status. The two elders sat outside the curtain and dared not enter rashly.

"Daughter, say something. Are you awake?" the Second Madam asked loudly again.

At this moment, Her Highness's voice, tinged with sobs, finally came through, "What important matter... barging in so rashly, what kind of behavior is this? What will the servants say about me if they see this?"

Behind the curtain, Murong Wei personally restrained Consort De. Bai Wushang and Ye Bao listened intently, truly wary of the Second Madam suddenly barging in and taking three people hostage – that would be a major problem.

"Oh dear, Mother was just worried. Is your face alright? The King said there's medicine that can heal it, but how long will it take? The Qi Prince's residence is pressing us for an answer." The Second Madam's voice came again.

"I'll leave tomorrow. Don't worry about this matter. I'm resting. We'll talk about it tomorrow." Consort De clung on, afraid Murong Wei would suddenly stab her like Ye Bao had, and forbade her to cry out.

"What's the rush? I want to discuss the burning of the mansion with you." Murong Bo finally spoke, then paused and added, "I had my men search carefully, and the backyard still shows signs of bombing, just like last time. I wonder what that little black ball Fourth Sister was holding back then; it had the same power as explosives. I was worried that she might have returned."

Murong Wei was startled and pressed down on Consort De's shoulder, causing her to tilt her head back in pain.

"Shh..." Murong Wei gestured for her to be quiet, wondering to herself. Back then, she was focused on saving her own life and hadn't known or noticed that only Prince Xuanyuan Qi possessed bombs. She had naturally been worried afterward, but since Consort De had disappeared, she had left the matter to the Murong family. She didn't know what Murong Bo was thinking.

Consort De did not answer, and Murong Bo continued, "Back then, I reported this matter to Prince Qi, only saying that thieves had blown up the Second Miss. The people from Xuanyuan took the soil samples and left, and there has been no news since. But your position as a concubine remains secure. Lan'er, regardless of whether your Fourth Sister returns this time, you must be careful. Remember, strike first. Prince Qi still favors you."

"Yes," Consort De replied, her voice low. She didn't know if the person holding her was Murong Zi, but there was no doubt that her future would be very difficult.

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave tomorrow? The injury on your face hasn't healed yet," Murong Bo asked again.

"Time... there's a time limit for leaving the Prince's residence. There's no time," Consort De said. Seeing Murong Wei wave her hand, she breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "Father, you should go. I'm tired. Don't worry about this."

"Oh dear, you child, let your mother see what happened to your face, okay?" the Second Madam said worriedly.

"Kneel down and leave. I'm truly exhausted." Consort De adopted a haughty demeanor, watching Murong Wei's increasingly heavy eyes, her legs almost giving way. She had a premonition that the person was Murong Zi, it had to be her!

"Yes." Murong Bo and the Second Madam had no choice but to take their leave.

Finally, calm returned. Murong Wei gagged Consort De and tossed her onto a chair, only then feeling the pain in her back. She sat lazily to the side, rubbing her temples, feeling neither the joy of revenge nor the satisfaction of holding her enemy hostage.

She was thinking, Murong Zi was, after all, Murong Bo's own daughter. For profit, for his own life, he could sacrifice his daughter's life like this, even reminding Murong Lan to strike first.

If one day she stood before him, how would he react?

Consort De collapsed onto the couch, utterly exhausted. Ye Bao went over and carefully tied her up with a thick rope. They were setting off tomorrow; she needed a good night's sleep tonight.

Bai Wushang walked over, looked at Murong Wei's expression, and said with a smile, "Didn't you eat enough?"

"Aren't you curious?" Murong Wei asked casually.

"There are many things I'm curious about, I don't know if you'd like to tell me." Bai Wushang smiled.

"Why should I tell you? Go to sleep, we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, it's too stuffy here!" Murong Wei rolled her eyes at him, got up and went upstairs.

"I'll go up and apply the medicine for you in a bit." Bai Wushang said.

"No need!" Murong Wei stopped and said seriously.

"If you don't apply the medicine, it will leave scars, uglier than the ones on your face, and it will be painful for months, who knows, your whole back might even ulcerate." Bai Wushang kindly reminded her.

"Let Ye Bao do it." Murong Wei said.

"Mommy, I'm already at the age where men and women shouldn't touch each other!" Ye Bao quickly spoke up, not forgetting to give Bai Wushang a meaningful look, which Bai Wushang returned with a meaningful look.

"Find a servant." Murong Wei said.

"Do you want to kill innocent people indiscriminately? I, sir, don't intend to take a servant with me when I escape." Bai Wushang said.

"Where are Yinling and Abao?" Murong Wei asked, only then noticing that Bai Wushang's personal maid was no longer by his side.

"Let her be. I'm going to sleep. Yebao, you and Lord Wushang stay with this woman and make sure you don't fall asleep!" Murong Wei's words had a hidden meaning, which Yebao naturally understood. She still had to retrieve the things hidden in the Chaofeng Hall...

That night, Bai Wushang didn't actually look for her. He chatted with Yebao all night. One was a little cunning, the other a big cunning, and despite the significant generation gap, they managed to talk all night, laughing constantly.

For example, Yebao asked, "Lord Wushang, do you like my mommy?"

Bai Wushang laughed loudly without answering.

For example, Bai Wushang asked, "Yebao, is your mother Murong Zi?"

Yebao giggled without answering.

For another example, Yebao asked, "Lord Wushang, your identity is not simple. You must be more than just a city lord of Han Kingdom, right?"

Bai Wushang laughed even harder, pinching Yebao's rosy cheeks, unwilling to let go.

For example, Bai Wushang asked, "Ye Bao, logically speaking, your mother is Murong Zi, who was framed by Murong Lan. But she doesn't seem like it, even less so than Consort De. I heard that Murong Zi was a timid and reserved young lady from a modest family."

Ye Bao laughed even louder. He didn't know anything else; he only knew that his mother was his mother. From the time he was born until now, she had always been the same, with the same temperament.

When it was fully light, Bai Wushang asked again, "Ye Bao, your mother should have been a concubine of Prince Qi, and you should have been the heir of Xuanyuan. Do you like this identity?"

Ye Bao, still a little drowsy, said, "My mother said my father died long ago. She's going to take me to roam the world, earn gold, and become a mountain king..." He drifted off to sleep in Bai Wushang's arms.

Bai Wushang looked up at Murong Wei, who had been standing on the stairs for a long time, carrying a heavy backpack, smiled, and said nothing.

Murong Wei came down and wanted to pick up Ye Bao, but Bai Wushang said softly, "Put the bag in front of you. Your back is still injured. I'll reluctantly carry this child for a while."

"Being a prince isn't all that great. Don't talk nonsense with him in the future," Murong Wei said calmly.

"A noble status, no worries about food or clothing, what's wrong with that?" Bai Wushang asked.

“True nobility lies in the heart, in a person’s integrity, not in a title or status. A life free from worries about food and clothing is something one can achieve on their own. Of the fourteen sons of the late Emperor Xuanyuan, only two remain as princes. The thirteenth prince, Xuanyuan Li, is the emperor’s younger brother and is protected by the Empress Dowager. The seventh prince, Xuanyuan Che, is the Prince of Qi and is deeply trusted by the emperor, yet he manages to remain untainted. He will surely pay the price. Haven’t all his sons never lived past ten years old?” Murong Wei said calmly, then turned and pulled the sleeping Consort De up, coldly saying, “Have all those accompanying her outside retreat to the palace gate!”

The carriage slowly pulled out of the palace gates. Inside, Bai Wushang sat casually in the main seat, Ye Bao still nestled in his arms, fast asleep. Murong Wei, clutching her canvas bag, looked exhausted, arms crossed, head bowed.

"Hey, over here," Bai Wushang said softly, pointing to the other end of the high pillow.

Murong Wei glanced at it, shook her head, and, clutching her bag tighter, moved even further away, leaning against the doorframe, quickly falling asleep again.

Bai Wushang smiled, pushed the high pillow over, placing it next to Murong Wei, and shifted his position, carefully protecting Ye Bao with one hand while gently tugging at Murong Wei with the other.

Murong Wei reflexively pushed his hand away, continuing to cling to the doorframe, while Ye Bao, whose sleeping posture was never good, suddenly rolled over. Bai Wushang quickly caught him with both hands to prevent him from falling.

Helpless, he straightened his back, letting Ye Bao cling to him, his head resting on his left shoulder.

This mother and son were sometimes really hard to please. He couldn't care less about Murong Wei anymore. He gently patted Ye Bao's back with his right hand, his eyes filled with a warm, heartfelt smile.

A moment later, Murong Wei slowly rolled onto the high pillow, lying on her side. A thin gold veil covered her face, and even at such close range, her half-disfigured face was clearly visible. Bai Wushang carefully reached out, his fingertips gently tracing the gold veil, his brows furrowed, lost in thought.

"Mommy... gold... so much gold..." Suddenly, Ye Bao's babbling interrupted his thoughts.

With one hand pinned down, he had to use the other to care for Weiwei and protect Ye Bao—it was truly difficult. Lord Wushang had never served anyone like this before, especially not two at once.

"Mommy... hehe... hehehehe, I won't tell you." Ye Bao grinned foolishly, secretly amused.

"Or, why don't you tell me secretly?" Bai Wushang whispered, gently patting Ye Bao's thin back.

"I won't tell you, Mommy, I replaced all the butterfly darts... they're all gold, real gold." Ye Bao mumbled sleepily, his little hands starting to stroke Bai Wushang's shoulder... stroke... and stroke again, as if he couldn't put it down.

Bai Wushang stared at the sky with a look of disbelief; this kid had actually stolen from him!

"Gold... hehehe, real gold." Ye Bao was still grinning foolishly, his little hands increasing their pressure as he patted Bai Wushang's shoulder again and again.

Suddenly, Bai Wushang snapped out of his daze, but it was too late. Before he could stop him, Ye Bao's sharp teeth had already come down, biting him hard on the shoulder, continuing to grin foolishly, "Mommy, pure gold!"

"Ah..." Bai Wushang suddenly cried out in surprise; the pain was extraordinary, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to hold back.

Murong Wei immediately snapped out of her daze, quickly covering his mouth and frowning sharply, "What's going on?"

Bai Wushang pointed to his shoulder, then to Ye Bao. He himself didn't know what was happening. This kid only had one mouth; how could he bite him twice at the same time?

Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped, and servants swarmed in. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

"Whose voice is that?"

"Your Highness, say something!"

Murong Wei glared at Bai Wushang unhappily, turned to lift the slats, and soon after getting in the carriage, Bai Wushang, who had almost taken her seat, had already thrown her under the slats where the luggage was stored.

But Bai Wushang stopped her, cleared his throat, and spoke, "I should be asking you what you want! Why did you stop the carriage for no reason? Change that driver for me. If you stop without my permission again, drag him to the side of the road and feed him to the dogs!"

The voice, the tone, were almost identical to the Consort De's.

Murong Wei stared at Bai Wushang in disbelief, unable to resist reaching out to touch his throat to see if he had some kind of voice-altering device implanted, given how similar it sounded.

"You... this... what kind of kung fu is this?" Murong Wei asked suspiciously.

Bai Wushang, however, handed Ye Bao to him, turning his head to look at the wound on his shoulder. But before he could see the wound, he first saw a small green snake with its mouth wide open, sleeping on its back with its legs in the air—no, wait, it had no legs!

"It... it seems to be dreaming too," Murong Wei said timidly, tossing Ye Bao aside and quickly tearing off a strip of cloth to bandage him, smiling apologetically, "It's alright, this little green snake isn't actually poisonous, it just bites really hard."

"Why was it poisonous when you took Da Chaofeng?" Bai Wushang asked, puzzled.

"Well... whether its bite is poisonous or not depends on the target. How could you poison such a kind and good person as you, sir?" Murong Wei said as she haphazardly bandaged him through his clothes.

"I've never heard of a Buqing that isn't poisonous.

Could it be that its bite method is different?" Bai Wushang wondered, quite interested in this question. Apart from the pain, there were indeed no other unusual symptoms. Being poisoned by Buqing wouldn't be so easy. "Maybe, I don't know either. It has bitten people before, and they were all fine, but there were also a few times when people died." Murong Wei quickly chimed in, but a hint of suspicion flashed in her eyes.

Could this be another coincidence?

People bitten by Buqing either died or were maimed. Only Ye Bao, when he was very young, was brought up the mountain by Aunt Li, and unknowingly, this little Buqing was also brought back. When bathing him that night, they found it hiding in Ye Bao's sleeve. It was even smaller then than it is now. No one knows when it bit Ye Bao, but the wound was hidden on his arm, and it looked like an ordinary wound, without any poisoning.

Thinking of this, Murong Wei, who had already bandaged the wound, hurriedly untied it and said earnestly, "Lord Wushang, please take off your clothes so I can properly bandage it. Luckily, I brought some common medicine powder with me; I'll apply some to prevent infection."

Bai Wushang cooperated, taking off his clothes and letting Murong Wei apply the medicine while he was shirtless.

Murong Wei approached and examined the wound carefully. It was indeed the same as Ye Bao's wound from years ago; it had only bled a little and was red and swollen, with no signs of poisoning.

While carefully applying the medicine, she pondered for a moment and said calmly, "Lord Wushang, why don't we take the mountain path? It leads directly to the North City, and from there it's closer to Xuanyuan."

"The mountain path is difficult to traverse. Why do you suddenly want to take it?" Bai Wushang asked.

"I suddenly remembered the poison in your body. It's been quite a while since you took your medicine. My Bao'an Hall in Beicheng should still be there; some medicines can only be found there," Murong Wei said.

"Alright," Bai Wushang readily agreed, but a complex emotion flickered in his eyes as he exchanged a glance with Murong Wei. Was it the voice-changing technique she had just used that made her suspicious, or was it the fact that Bu Qing Poison couldn't kill him that made her suspicious?

Each harbored their own secrets. One was shirtless, the other almost pressed against him, leaning on his shoulder.

Ye Bao, groggily opening his eyes, immediately closed them again upon seeing this scene.

For a long, long time, Ye Bao remained silent, still not daring to open his eyes. Despite his seemingly mature appearance, he was incredibly conservative when it came to matters of the heart. Children shouldn't look at things they shouldn't see!

However, even when the two adults began to speak, he still dared not open his eyes. He had no choice but to eavesdrop, and the more he listened, the more he felt that the two were having an affair!

"Weiwei, you say there's nothing good about royal descendants, but what's so good about ordinary people?" Bai Wushang leaned against his high pillow, asking casually, wanting to continue this topic .

"Peaceful and simple, without so much scheming and deceit, avoiding so much anxiety," Murong Wei said calmly.

Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow at her, then looked at Ye Bao, and said, "You two, mother and son, don't seem like ordinary people."

"But we're not royal descendants either. There's no need to discuss this further, Lord Wushang," Murong Wei said.

"You must be Murong Zi," Bai Wushang suddenly blurted out.

Murong Wei wasn't surprised. When she threatened Murong Lan, she knew Bai Wushang had guessed, and now she was even more suspicious that he knew even earlier. She unexpectedly blurted out, "Lord Wushang, you actually knew all along, didn't you?"

"My lord, I'm quite surprised. How come the two sisters switched identities, and you've fallen to this state while she's risen to prominence?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.

"She likes the imperial family, I like ordinary people," Murong Wei replied with a smile.

"You really are Murong Zi. You clearly had a marriage agreement with Prince Qi before, how come you had a child out of wedlock?" Bai Wushang asked, his expression still smiling.

Murong Wei avoided answering, carefully lifting the curtain and saying, "Lord Wushang, over there is Murong Wei's back mountain. The tomb of the Duke of Ningguo is there, isn't it? Does it look familiar?"

By this time, the carriage had been traveling along the mountain road for a long time, entering from another mountain, still taking the road from Murong Wei's back mountain directly to the north city.

Bai Wushang glanced out the window, his smile deepening. This woman was truly not easily fooled.

"Lord Wushang, let's not even talk about the world, just within the borders of Han Kingdom, the tomb of the Duke of Ning, the main tomb of Prime Minister Ning, and the back mountain of General Murong's mansion—who else but you would dare to trespass in broad daylight?" Murong Wei asked. She hadn't noticed this question at first, but seeing his back in the narrow passage of the underwater tomb made it all clear.

Bai Wushang remained smiling and silent.

At this moment, Ye Bao stopped pretending to be asleep, carefully got up, grabbed Xiao Buqing's tail, pulled it over, and sat it beside its mother, blinking its clear, bright eyes at Bai Wushang.

This rich man had robbed the tomb of the Duke of Ning. Mommy said that he was carried away by a golden leopard in the tomb, and she also encountered a mysterious person. After waking up from unconsciousness, she was rescued by Aunt Li in the mountains.

Could it be that Aunt Li, whom Mommy once suspected, was arranged by Lord Wushang?

Ye Bao became more and more excited, excitedly grabbing Xiao Buqing's tail, which finally woke Xiao Buqing up completely. Xiao Buqing stretched out its flat little head and flicked its tongue at Ye Bao, but Ye Bao ignored it completely, secretly rejoicing. His favorite rich man, Lord Wushang, was very likely his father!

He didn't believe Mommy's claim that his father was dead; he preferred to believe that the two of them were having an affair.

"No explanation, I'll take that as a yes. Why did you save me? Why did you send me to Beicheng? And who is Aunt Li?" Murong Wei asked seriously.

Bai Wushang glanced at Ye Bao, hesitating to speak.

"I can know anything, I can accept anything!" Ye Bao hurriedly declared.

Bai Wushang looked at Murong Wei, his face mysterious, but still didn't speak.

Murong Wei pulled Ye Bao into her arms and said calmly, "Answer my question."

"Because this child... looks like someone, so I saved you." Bai Wushang finally spoke.

Murong Wei's heart skipped a beat. The question she was about to ask caught in her throat. What she really wanted to confront him about was whether he was Xuan Yuanche!

Like Ye Bao, he was immune to the poison of Bu Qing; like the black-clad man with the silkworm silk that night, he was immune to electric current; and coincidentally, he appeared in the Ningguo Palace tomb during her escape, saving her and Ye Bao.

"Looks like Prince Qi, doesn't he!" Ye Bao suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Bai Wushang and Murong Wei were both stunned. Only this child could make them hesitate to confront him at this moment. Murong Wei didn't want him to enter the imperial family and didn't want him to become a sacrifice in the court struggle.

"Who told you that?" Murong Wei asked, frowning.

"Yinling and Auntie Abao, they asked me before if I knew Prince Qi, saying I look like him. Mommy, have you seen Prince Qi? Does he look like me?" Ye Bao asked curiously.

"He looked a lot like him when he was little, but not anymore," Murong Wei said calmly.

"Mommy...you...could it be...Mommy..." Ye Bao looked bewildered, unable to express himself clearly, so he simply stopped talking, glancing at Murong Wei and then at Bai Wushang, his expression unchanging.

"Ye Bao...Mommy didn't mean to lie to you...Mommy has her reasons," Murong Wei hurriedly explained.

Ye Bao turned around, grabbing Xiao Buqing's slender tail and pulling it desperately, his head lowered, his body trembling slightly, as if he were about to cry.

Even Bai Wushang was anxious; this child had cried many times, but had never truly been heartbroken.

"Ye Bao, Mommy really didn't mean to lie to you. Back then, Mommy was framed by Murong Lan...by...Mommy didn't even know who that man was. I only found out I was pregnant after three months, and I was too afraid to abandon you, so I hid in the backyard. Mommy really doesn't know who your father is." Murong Wei was so anxious she was almost crying herself. Although what she said was still a lie, to Ye Bao, this was his true background.

Looking at her like this, Bai Wushang's eyes held a hint of helplessness and guilt. Just as he was about to speak, Ye Bao suddenly turned around. Her small body was still trembling, and her chubby little hands were still tightly gripping Bu Qing's tail. She raised her head, her face filled with unparalleled excitement.

He took a long time to calm down, finally suppressing his overwhelming joy, and said helplessly to Bai Wushang, "Lord Wushang, although I like you the most, I still like Prince Qi the most! Hehe, he's actually my father!"

"Slap..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Murong Wei suddenly slapped him on the head, her eyes dark, "You brat, who said Prince Qi is your father? He just looked like him when he was little, and he looks like him again when he grows up. It's just a coincidence! They might have misjudged him!"

This child must be taught a lesson. She was worried that he wouldn't be able to handle it, but he was actually... so excited!

"Ye Bao, you're so young, you can't be so realistic..." He shook his head in despair, but a happy smile still lingered in his eyes.

A smile lingered in Bai Wushang's narrow, captivating eyes as he said, "Weiwei, so you don't know who the child's father is?"

Murong Wei rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to respond.

"Weiwei, you don't like the imperial family, but Ye Bao seems to like it a lot. What should we do?" Bai Wushang seemed quite troubled.

"That doesn't seem to have anything to do with you, sir. No need for you to worry about it. May I ask another question, sir? Do you know Aunt Li?" Murong Wei asked, determined to get to the bottom of things today, otherwise she might find herself in trouble with this guy one day.

Bai Wushang smiled and said, "We're quite familiar."

Ye Bao's eyes immediately lit up, his face full of admiration. "Prime Minister Ning made things difficult for us, but you didn't appear because of fate; you appeared on purpose!"

"Fate, sometimes, needs to be created." Bai Wushang smiled, leaned closer, and whispered, "Ye Bao, if I find a vassal state and become a prince, you'll like me the most, okay?"

Ye Bao thought for a moment. He liked Lord Wushang the most, Prince Qi the most, gold the most, and his mommy the most. Seriously though, Lord Wushang's ranking wasn't high.

His eyes darted around, and he said, "If you were a prince, I'd like Prince Qi the most, and you the most."

"You're not familiar with Prince Qi; you've never even met him. How can you like him the most? Just because you looked like him when you were little, and he's a prince?" Bai Wushang asked helplessly.

"He has more gold than you, and his power is greater than yours, so I added 'most'," Ye Bao said truthfully.

Bai Wushang shook his head helplessly, looked at Murong Wei, and said, "Weiwei, your son is too vulgar; he needs to be properly disciplined."

"Enough nonsense! Who exactly is Aunt Li to you? What is your purpose in doing this? Are you trying to threaten Prince Qi?" Murong Wei asked impatiently, no longer being polite.

Bai Wushang, however, slowly sat down and said earnestly, "Weiwei, my original plan was to protect you first, then find out if Ye Bao is Prince Qi's son. If he is, I have something I want to discuss with Prince Qi; having leverage makes negotiations easier, right? But now I've changed my mind. You and Ye Bao are so likable; I've decided to keep you by my side. Let's go find the most precious treasure in the world together, and Ye Bao will get a share—three for ourselves!"

"What treasure?" Ye Bao immediately came closer, having long forgotten who his father was.

Murong Wei was still suspicious; was it really true?

Bai Wushang took out a locked golden box from his sleeve and said, "I'll tell you after I find someone in Xuanyuan to open this." Upon

seeing the pure gold box, Ye Bao's eyes immediately lit up, and she almost drooled. Just as she was about to reach for it, Bai Wushang stingily hid it back in his sleeve.

"So, what have you found out?" Murong Wei's mind was entirely on this matter.

"After you escaped, Murong Bo killed over a thousand people in the Murong household, and Murong Wei also killed all her subordinates. Now, only Murong Bo, the Second Madam, and two other young ladies know the true identity of Consort De. There's simply no way to investigate this matter," Bai Wushang replied.

Murong Wei remained silent, staring intently at Bai Wushang, seemingly plotting something.

Facing her unwavering gaze, Bai Wushang remained calm and composed, letting her look at him as she pleased without offering any explanation. He dodged Ye Bao's stealthy hand and said, "Little Ye Ye, you can't touch this until your mommy believes me."

"Tell us what you're looking for, and I'll believe you," Murong Wei finally spoke.

"The Xuanyuan Ancient Tomb," Bai Wushang said in a low voice.

"The Xuanyuan Ancient Tomb?" Ye Bao and Murong Wei exclaimed in unison, neither knowing what it was.

"Thousands of years ago, this continent was a unified empire. Xuanyuan, after the wars with the feudal lords, became an independent state in the four regions of the Central Plains, leading to the current situation of the four regions of the Central Plains. The Xuanyuan Ancient Tomb is the tomb of Emperor Xuanyuan, containing countless treasures of immeasurable value. It also contains ten volumes of military treatises handwritten by Emperor Xuanyuan. Ancient legend says that whoever finds the Xuanyuan Ancient Tomb will rule the world, and this is the reason why," Bai Wushang said with a smile, seemingly never taking anything seriously.

Ye Bao immediately turned around, "Mommy, I believe him! I've decided to give him a 'super' rating."

Murong Wei rolled her eyes at him, pulled him behind her, and looked at Bai Wushang seriously, saying, "Regardless of whether Prince Qi is his father or not, this matter ends here. We'll go treasure hunting with you. You promise me one thing: if one day Prince Qi really wants him, you'll guarantee he'll stay away from court intrigue forever."

Ye Bao understood his mother's words, but he couldn't fully comprehend them.

No matter how smart he was, it was just cleverness; no matter how mature he seemed, it was just pretending. He was still a child and couldn't understand the complex situation of the Xuanyuan Dynasty. He only wanted to get lots and lots of treasures, sell lots and lots of gold, and he only wanted his mother to find someone she liked to be her father, and then he would like that too.

Just as Bai Wushang was about to speak, Murong Wei said seriously, "Think it through. If it really is Xuan Yuanche, then all of this is very likely completely under his control. It won't be easy to get rid of him. Bai Wushang, have you thought it through?"

Bai Wushang laughed, then laughed heartily, "Weiwei, compared to him, do you really have to look down on me like that? I've said it before, Ye Bao isn't the son of the Prince of Qi, and he never will be!"

Ye Bao felt a certain implication in their words, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He completely trusted his mother and would follow her decisions without question. What he cared about more was the precious box in Bai Wushang's sleeve. The more he looked at it, the more familiar it seemed.

Murong Wei looked at Bai Wushang, smiled faintly, and released her hand from Ye Bao's shoulder. At the same time, Bai Wushang took out the golden box from his sleeve and tossed it to Ye Bao.

Ye Bao examined it carefully and said seriously, "Mommy, I've seen this before!"

"Where have you seen it before?!" Bai Wushang and Murong Wei asked in unison, a rare moment of tacit understanding between them.

“I saw him at a slave owner’s mansion in the North City. He was one of Ren Fan’s men,” Ye Bao replied.

“Exactly the same?” Bai Wushang asked.

"No, it's a painting. Inside are several boxes like this, big and small, some silver, some sandalwood. One of them is exactly the same as this one. The painting is very long, entirely embroidered with gold and silver threads. The sandalwood is embroidered with purple-gold threads," Ye Bao said excitedly.

"Ren Fan is in your hands, isn't he?" Murong Wei asked, frowning.

"He was redeemed long ago," Bai Wushang said calmly.

"How much gold did he pay to redeem him?" Murong Wei asked.

"Thirty million ingots, piled up as high as three mountains, all gold ingots," Bai Wushang said.

Ye Bao's eyes shone brightly again, while Murong Wei was suspicious. "Is that guy really that rich?"

"Hehe, the richest man in the world isn't the Xuanyuan Kingdom's treasury, but Ren Fan of the East Sea," Bai Wushang said with a smile.

As they were speaking, the carriage suddenly stopped abruptly. Fortunately, Bai Wushang stopped it, otherwise Ye Bao, lost in thought about the treasury, would definitely have rolled out.

"Your Highness, there are people and horses blocking the road ahead," a servant rushed in to report.

Bai Wushang smiled and spoke in the exact same voice as Consort De, saying, "Who dares to block my path?"

"Your Highness, it's the Thirteenth Prince's men," the attendant replied truthfully.