《Heroine Saves A Gentleman》


 Chapter 1 - When you can’t be a Man, you can only be of use to a Married Woman (1)

    Amidst the bitterly cold winter of the twelfth lunar month, snowflakes began to flutter down from the sky.


    There was a summertime villa located in the hollow of the brilliant snow-covered mountains used by a wealthy family.


    The villa which should¡¯ve been uninhabited in the winter was filled with people¡¯s shadows.


    Aunt Li tucked her hand into the sleeves of her cotton clothes, shrank her neck back from the cold and rank into the kitchen.


    ¡°Come and do some work after evading work all day. Grandpa needs his water soon, so quickly prepare the water.¡±


    A figure with messy hair and a dirty face sat on top of the pile of firewood.


    The person have a lifeless look in his eyes, his hair was messily combed into two buns, and rice straws were disorderly weaved into his hair. His face was tanned from the sun, and there are two thick red scabs on his face like most of the hunters in the region. His messy hair, dirty face, and the scab made it impossible to figure out his original appearance.


    She jumped down from the haystack without uttering a word and uncovered two large lids off the pots located in the rear of the room. Then, she completely filled the barrels that were over two and a half humans tall.


    She slipped a pole through the two barrels and carried the pole on her shoulder. She passed through the snowing courtyard and followed along the corridor to the East Wing.


    Although she was thin, she walked fast and steadily. The weight of the two buckets of water seemed to weigh nothing to her.


    A handsome and young servant boy came out from the East Wing room and nodded his head at her, ¡°A¡¯Juan, come in.¡± The servant girl lowered the shoulder pole and carried a barrel of water in each hand as she walked into the room lightly.


    ¡°This girl has a lot of strength, but unfortunately she¡¯s stupid,¡± the servant boy said as he clicked his tongue in dismay.


    The East Wing was connected to the chamber and that room was where their master bathed. In the center of the room, there was a beautifully carved bath bucket, soap, towel, screen, and many other items. Spirals of smoke rise from the bathing area, everything in the room was exquisite.


    The Dujuan lowered the bucket, a pair of clear and bright eyes below her mob of messy bang looked around. If someone else was in this room, they would be surprised by how different the stupid girl appeared to be right now; she was quick and graceful compared to how she usually appeared.


    No one knew that three months ago, Zhou Xiaoxiao had transmigrated here from the 21st century. In mere seconds, Dujuan who had been stupid for over 10 years, was enlightened. Everything in the past sixteen years had suddenly become clear to her at once.


    The two souls merged into one, Zhou Xiaoxiao received both their memories. At first, she was often confused about whether she was Xiaoxiao who had transmigrated into Dujuan¡¯s body or if she was Dujuan who just happened to awaken with Xiaoxiao¡¯s memory.


    It took her three months¡¯ time to get used to it.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao poured the hot water into the tub as she listened to the sound of whipping and scolding from the room next door. She secretly thought the people from ancient times are crazy, once I find an opportunity, I must secretly leave this place and find a different way to survive.


    At this moment, the servant boy from before entered the room and said impatiently, ¡°Why are you dawdling? Quickly pour the boiling water into the tub. The master will have to take a bath after he sweats. If you offend our master, don¡¯t implicate me.¡±


    He instructed Zhou Xiaoxiao to move to the side of the tub and pour in some cold water to adjust the temperature.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao lowered her gaze and put on a foolish and blank expression before acting according to his instructions.


    As she busied herself, the door linked to the chamber was pushed open.


    A tall and sturdy man with his upper body exposed dragged a man riddled with scars inside the room as he strode in. The person who just came in was Lin Bingren from the Lin Residence. He flung the man that was riddled with lash marks onto the ground and grabbed his hair.


    The man was forced to raise his face and even though he was cut a sorry figure, one can still clearly see his jade-like cheeks and beautiful brows.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pretended to be stupid and slowly exited the room. As soon as she closed the door, she was able to see from the corners of her eyes that Lin Bingren forcefully pushing the man¡¯s head into the bathtub. He scolded, ¡°If you still won¡¯t agree with me, then don¡¯t blame me for handing you over to my second brother to be straightened out. Your appearance fits his taste perfectly. At that time, no matter if you called for the heavens or the earth for help, no one will be able to help you. You won¡¯t even be able to be a man anymore; you can be only of use for married women. Don¡¯t regret it then!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao closed the door and returned to the kitchen with her head lowered. She laid down on the pile of firewood and cursed in her heart. The two brothers are really perverts! It¡¯s such a pity for such a handsome guy to fall in the hands of the two brothers. It was very likely that he won¡¯t have many days left to live.


    The Lin Family is a large and influential family, and many of them hold influential official positions.


    Among them is the master of this house, Lin Yuanmao. He was a graduate of the Marital Arts University¡¯s and he was the crown prince¡¯s teacher. He held a large amount of power in the royal court. The residence located on top of this mountain in Lintong City was the old official residence of the Lin Family, but it still holds a special purpose now.

 Chapter 2 - When you can’t be a Man, you can only be of use to a Married Woman (2)

    Unlike other high-ranking officials, he doesn¡¯t use his other residences for entertainment or as a residence for a summer holiday. Zhou Dujuan who lived here for a long time knew that this residence was used to conduct some shady and private businesses.


    For example, Lin Yuanren who is the eldest son of Lin Yuanmao was torturing a prisoner who was secretly imprisoned here for over ten days.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao came from the modern society which had a legal system and institution, so when she transmigrated to the backward and barbaric ancient times where people¡¯s lives are seen as grass, she naturally felt uncomfortable.


    This Lin Yuanmao was an official of the royal court. His eldest son, Lin Bingren appeared like a dignified and magnificent man, but he was actually secretly cruel and sinister. He had secretly done numerous evil deeds for his father.


    The second son, Lin Bingzhi, who also lives within the city was a hedonistic and cut sleeve.** He was tyrannical and sexually abusive. He relied on his family¡¯s power to oppress and harm other people.


    (**T/N: cut sleeve: Chinese euphemism for homosexuality)


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao thought of the various abuses the young man will face, she can¡¯t help but let out a sigh.


    But at this time, she has yet to establish her own footing in this world, so it was hard for her to worry about the life and death of a person from ancient times.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had died a violent death in her previous life. She was thoroughly disappointed in human nature; her heart had died, and her blood had turned cold. She was angered to be a cold and heartless person in this lifetime.


    After she sighed a few times, she warned herself to be indifferent and not meddle in this matter. Then she set the matter aside and began working on her escape plan. Naturally, she was reluctant to act stupid for the rest of her life in such a sinister household. She had long planned to leave this place.


    Two young servant boys dragged an unconscious person here, it was the person who had just been punished.


    This person was covered in stains and injuries. He was flung onto the snowy ground in front of the kitchen doorway, yet he still remained motionless, so the two servant boys fetched some cold water and splashed him with cold water.


    Seeing that the man on the ground didn¡¯t even mutter a word, one of the servant boys kicked him and muttered, ¡°Could he be dead?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t be dead. Even if he¡¯s dead, it won¡¯t be a problem. It¡¯s not like there are numerous people who¡¯ve already died in master¡¯s hands,¡± the other servant boy replied.


    ¡°The mountains are really cold. Regardless of his life and death, let¡¯s get some hot wine and food.¡±


    ¡°Dujuan, wash this guy and carry him into the room. We will return soon.¡±


    ¡°There are so many guards in this bitterly cold residence, are you still afraid that he might run away? Let¡¯s quickly go.¡±


    The two people chatted away as they walked. Zhou Xiaoxiao jumped down from the haystack and flipped the person on the snowy ground over.


    After she brushed away the snow and ice, a bright moon-like face was revealed. His appearance made him look like the immortal god of the moon spring.


    Everyone loves beauty, even more, when they¡¯re in distress and needed help, and Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t an exception to this.


    Seeing his deathly pale and frowning face, Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t help but pity him, and her actions became much gentler.


    She has astonishing strength as she gently lifted him and placed him near a place that was close to the nice and warm stove.


    She fetched some warm water and carefully wiped away the blood on him. It was just that his entire body was riddled with scars that she didn¡¯t know where to even start, but Zhou Xiaoxiao tried her best to tidy him up.


    Then, she noticed that his wrist was tightly bound together with a rope. The rope dug into his skin, making the skin around his wrist black and swollen. She untied the blood-soaked rope, revealing the tragic sight of his wrist.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao fetched a hot towel and spread it over his wrist carefully.


    She suddenly heard a deep and low grunt, so she raised her head and her eyes accidentally bumped into his beautiful pair of eyes that were slowly opening. His eyes appeared as if it had been soaked in moonlight, his gaze was clear and bright as he looked towards her.


    She was instantly swept away by his gaze and immediately felt that her heart had skipped a beat.


    Oh my, his face was just too handsome.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that she was a little superficial.


    She silently muttered in her heart: Avoid falling for his charms to avoid trouble, avoid falling for his charms to avoid trouble.


    She had to remind herself that she was now in the ancient era with an entirely different legal system. She shouldn¡¯t stick her neck for irrelevant people or else she would mysteriously lose her life.


    She put on her cold and indifferent front again.


    She imitated how people from the ancient era talked, ¡°I¡¯m just cutting you some slack for now, and I will tie you up again in a short while. Don¡¯t even think about running away. This courtyard is generally tightly guarded and outside the residence will just be thousands of miles of snowy forests. It would be difficult to escape even if you have wings. Don¡¯t end up involving me, a servant girl in charge of boiling water, when you failed at escaping.¡± The man didn¡¯t respond; he swept his gaze around the room, frowned, and closed his eyes.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao saw that he didn¡¯t move and was relieved when she thought that since he was in this state, even if he wanted to run, he wouldn¡¯t be her opponent.

 Chapter 3 - When you can’t be a Man, you can only be of use to a Married Woman (3)

    Ch.3 When you can¡¯t be a Man, you can only be of use to a Married Woman (3)


    She went to find a piece of ginger and smashed it into pieces. Then, she looked for a brown sugar cube in the cabinets. She boiled the two ingredients together to make a bowl of thick brown sugar ginger water.


    She poured the warm water into a bowl and helped the man up. ¡°Come, this will help you dispel the cold and replenish your qi. Drink it quickly before anyone sees it.¡±


    She fed him slowly, the man let out a soft sigh when he finished drinking it. He glanced at Zhou Xiaoxiao, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t bother with him either. She fetched an iced handkerchief on his wrist and took away the warm towel. She alternatively applied each towel on the man¡¯s wrist to improve his blood circulation and also to stop the blood from bleeding.


    She busied herself when she suddenly heard a low husky voice said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Although the sound was extremely low and soft, Zhou Xiaoxiao was sure that she had heard correctly. Although she didn¡¯t show any expressions on her face, her heart can¡¯t help but lament: ¡°People from ancient times are really different. Even in such a situation, he was still being courteous.¡±


    She estimated that the servant boys were about to return, so she picked up the rope and began to bind his wrists together as it was before. The man didn¡¯t resist her and allowed her to do as she pleased.


    If his hands were tied like this again, the blood circulation around his wrist would be blocked, and his hands would be crippled.


    Now that she thought of that, Zhou Xiaoxiao can¡¯t help but loosen the rope again and again. In the end, his wrist only appeared to be tightly bound.


    She filled the stove with firewood and laid the man next to the warm stove. She laid on top of the pile of firewood in the corner and said, ¡°Pray for some blessings because I can only do this much for you.¡±


    In a short while, someone came and carried the man away.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held a rice straw in her mouth and crossed her legs; she laid on the haystack in the corner of the room with her eyes closed. On one hand, she was secretly cursing at the dark and old society she was in right now and on the other hand, she prayed to the Gods and Buddha to transmigrate her back to the beautiful 21st century.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s father was originally a guard of the Lin Residence and in his later years, he had a daughter and named her Dujuan. Who would¡¯ve known that Dujuan would turn out to be dull and stupid? However, she was naturally gifted with god-like abilities.


    Old Zhou¡¯s wife died early, so he was bored in his later years. He began teaching his daughter martial arts and enjoyed it. Although Dujuan was stupid, she was very talented when it came to learning martial arts. Even though she can¡¯t understand its profound ways, but her martial arts came in handy when it came to going into the woods, hunting, and treasure hunting.


    Old Zhou had only randomly taught her some superficial moves and had frequently brought her to the forest to hunt which slightly eased his loneliness.


    After Old Zhou¡¯s death, the master of the residence still had some old brotherly feelings for him, so he allowed Dujuan to some superficial work that requires strength around the courtyard. In her free time, she was allowed to run around the mountains and was always able to catch some wild animals and birds. Sometimes, she was able to catch some rare wild animals and would bring them back to the residence, astonishing everyone.


    Dujuan traveled around the mountain forest from an early age, so she was very familiar with the snow mountain.


    She had accidentally found a cave on the mountain before. The entrance was small and secretive, and the cave was uninhabited.


    After Zhou Xiaoxiao crossed over and got her memory fused with Dujuan¡¯s memory, she had made some plans regarding the cave.


    She stole some rice grain from the kitchen several times and hid them in the cave. No one paid any attention to Dujuan because she was a fool, so she was never caught. She accumulated a lot of supplies over a long period of time.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laid on top of the haystack and began to silently calculate. After three months here, she had learned to imitate some of the lifestyle and habits of the people living here. Like an ant, she had slowly accumulated a lot of food into the cave, as well as some daily necessities.


    Since she arrived here, she had deliberately hunted some quite a number of exotic and rare animals.


    Most of it was stored in the cave, some were skinned and air-dried or just simply salted to preserve it. Now there were many deer antlers, pelts, and even tiger skin and bone inside the cave. She would just pick some and bring it back to the residence.


    Now, she just needed to patiently wait until Lin Bingren, this evil master to depart from the residence for her to leave. It was customary for the master of the residence to leave only a few guards behind to guard the residence when he leaves.


    When that time comes, she would find an opportunity to go to the mountains alone and hide in the hold, never coming out again.


    The people from the residence wouldn¡¯t be able to find her, so they would probably assume that she died in the mountains. She was just a stupid orphan, so no one would care.


    She would hide in the cave for a few days, then she would come out of the cave disguised as a hunter in the mountains. Then, she would enter the village below the mountains and trade her fur and pelts for some money. She would enter the central plains through Lucheng and find another way to survive.


    She would leave this place where wicked deeds occur, where corruption was concealed, and live a free and unrestrained life.

 Chapter 4 - Should I Just Let Him Die Like This? (1)

    Ch.4 Should I Just Let Him Die Like This? (1)


    After living like this for two days, Zhou Xiaoxiao was woken up by a sudden noise while she was sleeping in the servant¡¯s quarters one night.


    She turned over to get off the bed after hearing the commotion coming from the outside crowd.


    ¡°Bandits! Bandits! They¡¯re mountain bandits!¡± someone yelled.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao ran out of her room and saw the vague scene under the light of the torches. Outside the entrance of the courtyard, men were shouting, and horses were neighing; the noise was deafening.


    It was even more chaotic inside the courtyard; some older maids only had their clothes draped over them, their hair a mess as well. They were running everywhere, not understanding the situation they were in. Soldiers quickly passed by with clubs.


    Aunt Li, who would always use her authority to abuse Dujuan was now panicking. Her hair wasn¡¯t even properly tied together as she yelled at Zhou Xiaoxiao, ¡°What should we do now, Dujuan?! Mountain bandits are coming!¡±


    As she watched the chaotic scene, Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes in contemplation. Then, she suddenly realized that this may be her best chance to escape.


    The mountain bandits looted the place. Although they didn¡¯t break into the courtyard, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal if someone went missing. No one would have the time to find her after the incident. Now that everyone went to the front of the courtyard during the chaos, she could go through the back door and walk all the way up the mountain, it would be more convenient for her to hide in the cave. But if she doesn¡¯t leave before the bandits break in to rob and kill, then an accident may occur.


    After making up her mind, she immediately took action. Zhou Xiaoxiao turned and walked into the room to put on her cotton pants and shirt. She avoided the crowd and headed straight to the backyard.


    While she passed by the East Chamber, she noticed how eerily quiet it was. Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly had a new idea. She walked towards the door and cautiously peeked in and saw no one inside the room.


    She bent her back like a cat and walked into the room. There weren¡¯t any candles lit and the room was dark and quiet. Zhou Xiaoxiao quietly searched the boxes and found a red sandalwood treasure box. Opening the box, she found plentiful treasures, devices, and jade.


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile, thinking that she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about how she will survive in a time period that she knew nothing about. She chose some light jade ware and put it in her bag, ready to leave.


    The moonlight had shone into the room through the window, Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly noticed that a pair of eyes were watching her.


    A sudden chill shot up her back, making her shiver.


    She slowly turned her around and saw a long shadow in the darkroom behind her. It was a person with his hands tied up to the beam and his body slowly turned in the air because his feet couldn¡¯t reach the ground. A pair of empty and cold eyes stared straight at her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao almost cried out in alarm. Noticing that there weren¡¯t any sounds coming from the person, she slowly calmed herself down.


    She walked closer to him with the help of the moonlight and found that this was the man she met two days ago. His hands were tied up to the beam and he didn¡¯t even make a sound as he silently watched her from above with a pair of watery eyes.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had an internal conflict with herself, but her kindness had won once again. She helped the person down from the beam.


    The person was severely injured; he only struggled a few times before he fell flat on the ground, exhausted.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took a sharp sword from the wall and cut the rope that was tied around him. Afterwards, she grabbed a wool jacket to cover his motionless body.


    ¡°This place has been broken into by mountain bandits and it¡¯s extremely chaotic right now. You¡­ should pray to the gods for a miracle to get out of here alive.¡± She left him with this sentence as she dove into the moonlight and snuck into the forest full of snow.


    ¡°This place has been broken into by mountain bandits and it¡¯s extremely chaotic right now. You¡­ should pray to the gods for a miracle to get out of here alive.¡± She left him with this sentence as she dove into the moonlight and snuck into the forest full of snow.


    The snowy forest was deathly silent with the gray sky and threatening shadows lurking nearby. The infinite tranquility in the darkness brought out their most primal fear.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao trudged on the snow, leaving a deep footprint followed by a light footprint, yet she couldn¡¯t help but have regrets. Although she was very familiar with this forest, she still underestimated the horror of walking on the mountain on a snowy winter night.


    Not to mention the weather had gone down 20 degrees, the dark and quiet in this forest alone brought endless psychological stress; especially to Zhou Xiaoxiao, who had been living in a prosperous city. The dead silence in the forest made her unable to suppress her fear.


    The hills that seemed so easy to climb during the daytime now seemed like an endless trip in this freezing and dark weather. You can do it, Zhou Xiaoxiao. Don¡¯t be afraid, you are not a powerless woman now, you are Zhou Dujuan. How strong is Dujuan¡¯s body? Her body is stronger than a cow¡¯s, it¡¯s even comparable to King Kong! There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. She repeated to herself while she ignored the eerie sounds coming from the forest.


    She could hear the faint sound of a horse trotting behind her and as it gradually became louder and louder.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly hid behind a huge tree. She saw a white horse wandering aimlessly along the road with a person on top of its back. She couldn¡¯t tell whether the person was dead or alive.


    As the horse came closer, it slowed down and the person riding it fell off. The person¡¯s body laid on the snowy ground motionlessly.

 Chapter 5 - Should I Just Let Him Die Like This? (2)

    Ch.5 Should I Just Let Him Die Like This? (2)


    Did this person die? Zhou Xiaoxiao observed for a while behind the tree, then finally revealing herself and reaching out for the halter of the horse. If she rode the horse, it would be much faster.


    Just as her hand reached the halter, a sound shot from behind and suddenly, a cold, sharp sword rested on her neck.


    From the corner of her eyes, she saw a man standing behind her holding a shiny sword.


    The sword was honed. Upon touching her skin, she felt a drop of blood dripped down her neck and onto her chest. Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s whole body became stiff and fear engulfed her heart.


    She was killed in her previous life by a sharp weapon and it was by a man. The terrifying memory of watching herself lying on the cold ground with her blood draining out of her body washed over her.


    Her lips were shaking, and she begged in a trembling tone, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± A deep voice appeared from behind.


    The cold sword on her neck disappeared.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao turned around and saw the man whom she let loose from the beam earlier.


    He was wearing the leather jacket that Zhou Xiaoxiao put on him before she left and was holding the sword that Zhou Xiaoxiao used to cut the rope wrapped around him. That sword almost chopped off her neck just now.


    His left leg seemed unfit for walking; he could barely stand up even with the help of the scabbard. He pointed the sword to the ground and using it as a support to drag his broken leg, moved two steps and sat below a cedar tree along the road.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was a bit remorseful, as she acted so panicked just now. She should have acted more calmly, how could she be scared by a severely injured person?


    Luckily, this person was ethical enough that he didn¡¯t return her kindness with hatred. She patted her chest to calm her senses.


    ¡°You can go.¡± That person said softly, ¡°Take the horse.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was delighted and nodded. Nice person, this was a nice person, he sure knows to repay her kindness. She quickly got on the horse and urged the horse forward a few steps, until she remembered to turn and look behind.


    She saw the person sitting under the huge cedar, his gaunt face as pale as snow with his eyebrows tightly clenched and his low drooping eyelashes looking like fans. His long and messy hair dragging on the ground along with his fur jacket.


    Should she just let him die here?


    I¡¯ll take him some distance and let him ride the horse himself halfway.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao urged the horse forward with a whip while contemplating inward.


    This world was still heavily dependent on one¡¯s appearance. If he didn¡¯t have this handsome face, why would I do such a silly thing? A runaway with a burden, oh no, this is unfortunate. I have to leave him halfway.


    Misfortunes never come alone. Not knowing whether it was because of the cold weather or because of the bad road conditions or if it was because the horse was unfamiliar with its riders, the white horse suddenly let out a long neigh midway. It kicked its hooves up and threw the two of them off its back, then the horse turned and ran back from the route they came from.


    The horse ran fast and so far away that when Zhou Xiaoxiao got up from the ground, she could only stare at the other person who sat on a pile of snow with her eyes and mouth wide open.


    That person smiled self mockingly smiled, then cleaned off the snow on his clothes and stood up to bow to her. ¡°I¡¯m Yu Xingzhi, it¡¯s written like the character cuckoo. May I ask for your name?¡±


    His voice was special. At first, it sounded like a gentle winter-spring, but when she listened to it again, his voice was like a warm springtime stream. Zhou Xiaoxiao became somewhat absentminded.


    ¡°I¡­ um¡­ the lowly one¡­ ugh no¡­ your servant¡­ puchi!¡± This was too weird, ¡°My name is Zhou Dujuan.¡±


    ¡°Miss Dujuan, I am from Jingcheng. My father¨CYu Dunsu, Duke of Wei, now resides in Duke residence in Jingdu. My brother¨CYu Xingyi, is a soldier of Dingyuan, is now protecting the Feng Xiang Residence. If one day, you happen to pass by these two places, please send a message to me.¡± Yu Xingzhi paused and then said softly, ¡°Just say¡­ say that I¡¯m at this place.¡±


    What did he mean at this place? Zhou Xiaoxiao paused for a moment, then suddenly understood what he meant. He wanted her to tell his family members that he died here, or he got murdered here. All in all, he was saying his last words.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t reached that point yet. I¡¯m very strong, I¡¯ll carry you for some distance.¡±


    She did have natural strength, so it was a piece of cake for her to carry a grown man. However, in this below 20 degrees weather, it still wasn¡¯t easy to carry someone through the snowy forest.


    Snowflakes started to fall from the sky.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t know how long she had walked in the snow.


    She seemed to have lost feeling in her legs, and it was getting harder to breathe. She was puffing and blowing, and her heart was rapidly beating.


    No, I can¡¯t walk anymore.


    Leave him behind and walk yourself, Zhou Xiaoxiao kept repeating this sentence on the inside.


    But Yu Xingzhi kept saying in her ear, ¡°Let me down, Miss Dujuan. I just need some rest and I can walk by myself.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao breathed heavily and then lift him up more, ¡°I never saw someone who broke their leg yet could walk.¡±


    ¡°Please put me down. You and I just met, but I have experienced so much of your gratuitous act already, so I mustn¡¯t become your burden and make you die here with me.¡±


    ¡°Both of us won¡¯t die.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao was annoyed by his continuous nagging, so she had to tell him her plan while breathing heavily, ¡°I have my own plan. After¡­ after this hill, there¡­ there will be three pine trees in a row, and there¡¯s a cave¡­ behind¡­ we will hide there.¡±


    The person on her back finally became silent.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao clenched her teeth and marched forward with each footstep. Her feet suddenly slipped, and she fell to the ground, losing all consciousness.

 Chapter 6 - It’s Impossible to pay back the young lady’s life-saving grace (1)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt like she was dreaming.


    In her dream, she was wandering in the heavy traffic of a crowded city.


    A young couple next to the road were arguing about something.


    She walked closer to take a look. Wasn¡¯t this man her scum ex-boyfriend whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time?


    Apart from his handsome appearance, he had no strengths. He cheated on her and she had dumped him eight hundred years ago.


    What was he doing here?


    Looking again, wasn¡¯t that woman herself? At the time had an indifferent face and she was saying something, but she couldn¡¯t make out what she was saying from afar.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought of something and she felt a sense of fear washing over her. She wanted to reach out to stop herself from talking! Don¡¯t trigger him! He will¡ªkill you! Zhou Xiaoxiao watched the sharp knife penetrate her body in a split second with astonishment. The world suddenly turned upside down as she lay on the ground. She could clearly feel everything as her warm blood flowed out of her body and soaked her back in blood.


    It turned out to be the memory of her death during her past life.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, I¡­I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Omg! Murder! Call the police quickly.¡±


    ¡°Call the ambulance! Call the ambulance right now!¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey. Miss, how are you feeling?¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Is anyone coming to save me? Did the ambulance come? Why hasn¡¯t it come yet? I don¡¯t want to die; I don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    But she couldn¡¯t yell out or even cry. She could only see the people walking past her and the gray sky. A small snowflake fell from the sky and landed on the corner of her eyes¨Cchilly and cold¡­


    The ice-cold snowflake woke her up alarmingly. Where am I? Zhou Xiaoxiao opened her eyes and felt herself lying on the ground filled with snow. Snowflakes floated down from the gray sky above and landed upon her face.


    She suddenly felt herself being pulled by a great force and then being dragged forward for some distance. She turned her head and saw a person crawling on all fours. The person crawled a few steps forward, and then pulled on the woven belt with great force. He crawled some more and turned to pull on the belt again. The belt was tied around Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s underarm and extended towards the young man¡¯s shoulders, who helped to pull Zhou Xiao forward.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao recovered her consciousness; she finally realized that she was back in the ancient era again. She had fallen on the snowfield previously, and now? It was Yu Xingzhi, the man with a broken leg, who was now crawling as he dragged her forward.


    The snow beneath her left a long trail of evidence of being dragged; she couldn¡¯t see the end of the road behind her! She didn¡¯t know how long he had supported her like this! Zhao Xiaoxiao quickly jumped up and walked forward to help Yu Xingzhi. His face was pale, and his hands and legs were as cold as ice, ice was slowly forming on his clothes. He looked towards Zhou Xiaoxiao, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. He fainted after he attempted to move his lips a few times.


    ¡°Come on! You have to keep it up! We¡¯re almost there, we were almost there!¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao carried him on her shoulder; his body was cold as ice and all four of his limbs were drooping. She didn¡¯t know whether or not he was still alive. Zhou Xiaoxiao was anxious; she freed her legs and started running. It was fortunate that a familiar hill soon appeared in front of them, the three huge cedar trees delighted her more than ever.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly walked towards the cedar trees, then moved away some of the leaves that she had placed there to hide the cave.


    An unimpressive cave appeared.


    The entrance of the cave wasn¡¯t big, but as they got inside, there was something astounding about how big and spacious it was.


    The dent on the stone wall not far away from the entrance was actually the entrance to a natural stone room. The interior of that room was filled with resources that Zhou Xiaoxiao had accumulated such as logs, rice, leather, fur, etc.

 Chapter 7 - It’s Impossible to pay back the young lady’s life-saving grace (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly lit a small fire, but she didn¡¯t dare to warm themselves near the fire immediately, so she piled together all the leather and fur she had in the corner of the cave, far away from the fire pit. She took off both of their wet clothes and crept into the heap, taking the largest piece of tiger skin and pulling it on top of them.


    Humans needed to recover their natural body heat quickly after experiencing extreme cold. However, they can¡¯t immediately warm themselves up right away using fire, otherwise, they would suffer vasospasm or even worse¨Cdermonecrosis. The proper way to warm themselves up was to quickly take off the wet clothes and warm the body at a temperature of 37-40 degrees. However, they were out in the wild and they lacked a thermometer and the right environment to warm themselves up, so the best way to restore their body temperature was using skin contact.


    This scene might seem romantic, but it was actually a very tortuous process.


    Think about what it would be like to hug a piece of ice to sleep in such a severe winter; not only would you not able to take your mind off the cold, your skin might be damaged by the extreme cold.


    At this moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao was hugging a huge piece of ice. The cold was so intolerable that her teeth were chattering. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep either because she had to make sure to change her position once her skin was in pain from being exposed to his cold body, she had to make sure to do that, so she doesn¡¯t get frostbite.


    When Yu Xingzhi slowly recovered his body heat, Zhou Xiaoxiao had to force herself to get up and go outside of the cave to clean up their trail. Luckily enough, the heavy snow quickly washed away the tracks they left behind.


    When she returned to the cave, she pushed the fire pit closer and built a crock and began boiling a bucket of snow water.


    Although Yu Xingzhi still didn¡¯t wake up, his temperature started to recover, and his body wasn¡¯t as stiff anymore. He appeared livelier.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao poured a bowl of hot water and fed it to him. She fell asleep afterward because she couldn¡¯t support herself anymore.


    Yu Xingzhi found himself lying in a warm, dry environment.


    He had been in pain from the injuries he received that he hadn¡¯t had a good sleep since then. It was so comfy that he almost refused to wake up.


    But he still opened his eyes.


    He found himself inside a cave.


    There was a fire in the fire pit and on top of the fire, was a crock. A pleasant and tempting smell arose from the crock.


    He laid on top of the heap of warm leather and fur.


    Following his waking, something next to him stirred.


    A fluffy head popped up from underneath all the leather and fur skin, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face was still dirty as she opened her sleepy eyes. When she saw that he had awoken, her pair of round almond-like eyes revealed a bright smile.


    ¡°You finally woke up. That¡¯s great.¡±


    The girl got out of the heap and lifted the lid of the crock to scoop out a bowl of hot congee with meat.


    ¡°Come, get up to eat something.¡± She said smilingly.


    She only wore a thin set of clothes. As she leaned closer to him, he was clearly able to see the outline of her attractive body. Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face suddenly turned red and he quickly turned his face to the other side, not daring to look any further.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was about to help him get up to drink the soup when he blushed and turned his head to the other side.


    What happened? Zhou Xiaoxiao examined herself, she was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of long pants. There wasn¡¯t any problem, she covered herself so fully that she didn¡¯t even show her shoulder.


    Ancient people were so hard to serve. Don¡¯t tell me I need to wear three full layers inside and out to serve you a bowl of rice under this circumstance. Zhou Xiaoxiao decided to ignore his reactions.

 Chapter 8 - It’s Impossible to pay back the Young Lady’s Life-saving Grace (3)

    Yu Xingzhi felt a warm hand touching the skin of his shoulder as he was lifted up.


    He suddenly realized that he wasn¡¯t wearing anything, even worse than the girl who only wore a thin layer of clothes.


    While he was contemplating what to do, a scoop of congee was already fed into his mouth. The hot congee mixed with shredded meat and mushrooms soothed his scarred mind and body.


    He felt his hungry stomach and body craving for the next sip of congee. His body was too fragile that he couldn¡¯t resist nor could he wait any longer for the delicacy that he hasn¡¯t taste in so long.


    While he was swallowing, he thought, although it was inappropriate, but¡­ let¡¯s prioritize eating for now.


    After he finished eating, Zhou Xiaoxiao watched as Yu Xingzhi fell into a deep sleep again and sighed.


    Looking at the cave, one of the corners held the accumulated wood, rice, bacon, dry goods, and some clothes that she stocked up earlier.


    There won¡¯t be any problem for the two of them if they wanted to live here for ten days or half a month.


    But for the Lin Residence, not only did they lose an orphaned servant, but they also lost an important prisoner.


    After the incident caused by the mountain bandits, it would be inevitable for them to block off the entrance and exits to the mountain.


    How will she escape with an injured person?


    The most important matter that Zhou Xiaoxiao was unwilling to bring up was that she was scared to stay here and just watch a person die like this.


    They lacked medicine here. She looked at the pale-faced Yu Xingzhi; he was severely injured, and he also has a broken leg. For him to stay under this kind of environment for a period of time, she was afraid¡­ she shook her head and forced herself to stop thinking about it.


    She should leave alone and not get involved again. She had used great effort to save her own life and she didn¡¯t want to experience death again.


    Leaving him here with all the resources in the cave would mean that she did her part and the rest can only be left in the hands of God.


    She was originally a cold-hearted person.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao broke the branch on her hand and made up her mind.


    She stood up and changed to men¡¯s clothes, then organized the logs neatly near Yu Xingzhi¡¯s bed and put food and water in a place that was within his reach. She pushed the fire pit closer to him and fixed the crock.


    Looking around, there was nothing else she could do.


    She wanted to leave silently, but her legs wouldn¡¯t move, as if they were rooted to the ground.


    She looked at Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face, he was frowning slightly and there were no signs of life from his pale face. Yu Xingzhi opened his eyes slowly, his eyes lingered on her thick clothes and huge baggage. His eyes first showed confusion, then he quickly understood the situation and showed a comprehensive expression.


    What if he pleaded for me to stay? No, I can¡¯t be softhearted. I don¡¯t owe him anything. Although he dragged me some distance, I also saved him. I already did what I can do by giving him all the resources, Zhou Xiaoxiao told herself.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    She was about to explain the situation when he slowly supported his body and extended his hands out to bow to her in slow motion. He said his farewell in a polite way, ¡°Your great favor is not enough to be thanked by words. If I happen to survive in the future, I must repay you with great rewards. Please take care.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t know what to say. She forced herself not to meet his gaze, turned around and left the cave.


    After a day of snow, the world outside the cave was completely white, showing no signs of life at all.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao covered the entrance of the cave with branches. The cave was hidden well thanks to the snow.


    She walked backwards the whole way, cleaning the footsteps that she left behind. When she covered enough distance, she stepped on a wooden sled and skated downhill to the other side of the mountain.

 Chapter 9 - If I’m lucky enough to not die, I will ask for Her Hand in Marriage (1)

    The speed at which she was skiing down the mountain was very fast.


    In around an hour, Zhou Xiaoxiao arrived at a small town called Lijiatun at the foot of the mountain. This town was located on the south side of the mountain and was about twenty miles away from Qiong City which was northeast of the mountain. Zhou Xiaoxiao planned to stay a night in the town and buy an animal for transportation the next day before leaving.


    Today was coincidentally market day and it was bustling with excitement. Even the villagers from the surrounding villages came here for market day.


    The streets on the two sides of the road were uneven and full of potholes were bustling with activity. The streets were crowded with stalls selling all kinds of things like food, shoes, socks, and numerous other items.


    The pedestrians attached straws to different items to indicate that it was on sale. Some held two geese, or a basket of eggs, while the others carried a load of firewood.


    Because they were near the mountains, there were many hunters trading all sorts of products.


    Right now, Zhou Xiaoxiao was wearing a two-eared dog skin hat and wore a cotton-padded jacket, with a tiger skin sleeveless jacket on the outside. She wore felt shoes and there were two visible patches of red on her dirty face. She dressed like a typical hunter in the mountains and attracted no attention within the crowd.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao examined carefully but didn¡¯t see any eye-catching guards that were patrolling the area. She calmed down and thought that since this place and Lin Residence¡¯s courtyard were in two different directions from the mountains, no one should have thought to come here yet.


    However, the crowded and novel traditional market didn¡¯t make her excited.


    She just felt her heart swelling and aching, after walking irritably within the crowd for a while, she saw a clinic with a sign that said purchasing all sorts of herbs.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knocked on the ancient wooden counter and the worker in the store was a young man in his teens, who smiled at her and revealed his perfectly straight rows of white teeth.


    ¡°Is this customer seeking medicine or treatment?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao placed the package on the counter and said, ¡°I have top-notch tiger bones and young deer antlers. Does the store accept this?¡±


    The young man turned around and shouted towards the room inside, ¡°Father, there¡¯s someone selling herbs here.¡±


    ¡°We accept, we accept. Please show us what goods you are bringing us first.¡± An elderly doctor skilled in Chinese medicine with a white beard walked out from within the room.


    The elderly gave her a reasonable price and because Zhou Xiaoxiao had stolen some money from the Lin Residence on her way out, she didn¡¯t bother to argue with them over the price. She gave them the goods bluntly.


    ¡°If this brother has more quality animal skin, please give some to this elderly man. In such cold weather, this elderly man wants to make a coat for the child.¡± The elderly doctor pointed at the sleeveless tiger skin jacket on Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao recalled the pile of fur within the cave and Yu Xingzhi who laid underneath the pile. How was he now? Could he make it through?


    She kept on feeling like she had done something extremely wrong and her heart was aching. When she left the medicine shop, Zhou Xiaoxiao came out with different types of medications. For example, she has medicine for injuries like burns, decreasing inflammation, frostbite, stab wounds, and a pair of bone setting clamps.


    What exactly am I buying this for? Zhou Xiaoxiao thought inattentively.


    She found a tavern in town and reserved a room.


    She filled her stomach with food, despite not knowing what she had eaten. After that, she laid down on the warm kang stove bed, but couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    After struggling to fall asleep for a while, she finally fell asleep in a daze.


    For a while, she dreamed of Yu Xingzhi being mutilated into bloody pieces by Lin Bingren, or dying in the cave, or his dead body being eaten by wild animals.


    She woke up with cold sweat and saw that the sun was rising.

 Chapter 10 - If I’m lucky enough to not die, I will ask for Her Hand in Marriage (2)

    Ch.10 If I¡¯m lucky enough to not die, I will ask for Her Hand in Marriage (2)


    Zhou Xiaoxiao jumped up from the kang bed and rented a sled as well as eight sled dogs from the owner of the tavern. Then, she bought a blanket and jumped on the sled, after rolling the blanket up and holding the medicine.


    The eight sled dogs exerted all their strength in running and followed the path in which she arrived, heading quickly towards the cave.


    When she arrived in front of the cave, she saw the three white pine trees she had seen before leaving, this made Zhou Xiaoxiao feel relieved.


    She brushed the snow off of the entrance of the cave and drove the dogs in. They sprinted in, bringing the sled along and she was about to call out, but the scene inside the cave surprised her.


    The fire had been extinguished and there was a dim light within the stone chamber from the sunlight shining into the cave. She could faintly see a person lying at the edge of a pile of fur.


    He was naked and his pack was pale white, one of his arms was outreached for something.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s heart thumped rapidly as she ran over. She carefully flipped him over to see Yu Xingzhi¡¯s deathly pale face as he clenched his teeth. The moment she touched his forehead, it was burning hot.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s heart finally felt immense guilt.


    She blamed herself. Since when are you so harsh? That person didn¡¯t even abandon you in this frozen snow-covered ground, but you left an injured person here to perish on his own.


    While she blamed herself for being heartless, she also quickly took action.


    She lit the fire pit up again and placed the blanket she bought over him. Then, she added the herbs for internal use into the pot to cook it. Once she was done adjusting the herbs for external use, she treated the patient with it and re-bandaged him. Other than that, she needed to conceal the cave entrance and find a place for the sled dogs. Coincidentally, while she was busying herself with the tasks, she suddenly heard a low groan.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao hurried over to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s side, asking, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    She touched his forehead to feel it burning.


    ¡±Ba¡­bastard.¡± He continued to murmur in his dream. ¡°St¡­stop¡­let go of me.¡±


    He was burning up so badly that he started to talk nonsense, making Zhou Xiaoxiao anxious.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, I¡¯m back.¡± She could only comfort him in a gentle voice.


    She finished cooking the herbs for ally inflammation and she helped the weak patient up, carefully feeding him the medicine. After that, she was about to turn around when she heard a vague voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t abandon me.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s heart felt bitter.


    She sat by Yu Xingzhi¡¯s side and held his hands, saying softly, ¡°I won¡¯t go. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    He was in an unconscious, so he couldn¡¯t hear any voices. But from time to time, he would let out a few deep groans.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought, if you had begged me before I left, I probably wouldn¡¯t have left you. Yet, you just had to bid farewell to me like a polite gentleman and told me how grateful you are. Now that you¡¯re burning up, what¡¯s the use of saying that anymore?


    She felt ashamed and guilty, so she doubled the effort in taking care of Yu Xingzhi. She wiped his neck, armpits, feet, and hands with cool water constantly. She changed the towel on his forehead time after time until his high temperature finally dropped and he slowly woke up.


    Yu Xingzhi opened his eyes to see Zhou Xiaoxiao and her sparkling star-like eyes. There seemed to be thousands of words he wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t make out any. In the end, he revealed a weak smile, but this made a crack in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s icy heart.


    Yu Xingzhi fought a tedious battle with the fever as he started to burn up, after the temperature dropped, again and again.


    He was in between a conscious and unconscious state from time to time, but he could feel a warm body holding his hands while he was unconscious, gently encouraging him.

 Chapter 11 - If I’m lucky enough to not die, I will ask for Her Hand in Marriage (3)

    Ch.11 If I¡¯m lucky enough to not die, I will ask for Her Hand in Marriage (3)


    When he was finally awake, he could always see a busy figure moving around, feeding him food and changing his bandages for him. Despite taboos regarding men and women, she didn¡¯t keep herself away from him. Her pair of bright and sparkling eyes always revealed a clear smile when seeing him.


    She is taking care of me without any care for societal standards.


    If¡­I am lucky to recover, I will definitely marry this woman. That way, I won¡¯t ruin her reputation. He thought about this while still in a fuzzy state of mind.


    When he slowly woke up from his temperature dropped this time, Yu Xingzhi saw Zhou Xiaoxiao packing up the things in the cave and gracefully carrying all the fur onto the sled, then quickly tying the reins on the sled dogs.


    She¡¯s going again. When he realized this, Yu Xingzhi felt his heart sinking into darkness and he really wanted to ask her to stay and not abandon him in this dark and cold cave, suffering from this illness until he was about to die.


    However, his good upbringing made him unable to open his mouth. After all, he was unwilling and couldn¡¯t implicate a lady who he had never seen before until this day into a dangerous situation. Therefore, he quickly but reluctantly adjusted his emotions, preparing for another peaceful farewell.


    After Zhou Xiaoxiao was done tying the reins on the sled dogs, she looked over to see Yu Xingzhi revealing an upset and sad expression on his handsome face. But this expression quickly disappeared and he placed a quiet and calm look on; he even reluctantly smiled. Zhou Xiaoxiao walked over and rolled Yu Xingzhi along with the blanket, carrying him in her arms and placing him on the sled.


    Yu Xingzhi was shocked. ¡°You¡­you are bringing me with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to find a doctor.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao placed her dog skin hat on his head. ¡°You can¡¯t die.¡±


    But when Zhou Xiaoxiao looked closely at him with her round and wide eyes, smiling and pulling the fur blanket higher up for him, he felt a sense of warmth that he wasn¡¯t willing to let go. Because of this feeling and the desire for survival, he didn¡¯t reject her in the end.


    When the sled started moving and making its way down the mountain, half of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s heart was immersed in the happiness of being saved, while the other half was deeply blaming himself for his selfishness. He felt bitter and knew he was at fault. He was unable to put his feelings into words.


    The two arrived at Lijiatun in the evening. Zhou Xiaoxiao walked straight into the clinic. When she entered, the young man from last time immediately saw them. He hurriedly placed down the work in his hands and helped carry the patient into the inner courtyard. While the elderly doctor was looking over Yu Xingzhi¡¯s injuries, he stroked his beard and revealed a solemn expression. Zhou Xiaoxiao secretly placed her hand on a dagger behind her back. If the situation isn¡¯t right, she will do anything to force him to treat Yu Xingzhi.


    ¡°Child, go put the door plank on and put out the candles in the front yard; Close the door on your way out.¡± The doctor said to the young man, ¡°Quickly go, quickly go, and boil some warm water in preparation.¡±


    He then said to Zhou Xiaoxiao, ¡°We¡¯re going to need this brother to help me.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao slowly let go of her hand holding the dagger and said, ¡°Many thanks, sir.¡± While she kept her guard up, she helped him.


    Yu Xinghzhi had a determined personality and although the process of treatment was extremely painful, he didn¡¯t utter a single word. Instead, he clenched his teeth and looked to the other side.


    If it weren¡¯t for his fisted shaking hands, one might think that the doctor wasn¡¯t treating a malevolent injury on him. Up until the doctor set his broken bone back into place, he finally couldn¡¯t help but groan; his face was full of sweat as he fainted.


    Even the doctor who had seen many patients couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°This overbearing Lin Residence is really torturing people to death.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao who was wiping the sweat off Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face was shocked by his words and immediately turned around to look at the doctor in alarm.

 Chapter 12 - If you touch him again, I’ll kill you immediately! (1)

    Ch.12 If you touch him again, I¡¯ll kill you immediately! (1)


    ¡°Young lad, don¡¯t look at me like this.¡±


    That old man said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what happened. I heard that Lin Residence had lost an important runaway and there were yamen runners in the afternoon in town who held arrest warrants, checking each house. Whoever reported seeing the person would be rewarded ten gold and this patient looks exactly like the runaway on the poster.¡±


    The doctor couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and sighed. ¡°I knew that the two arrogant idlers in Lin Residence were overbearing and dominant. When I saw how badly injured this brother was, I couldn¡¯t bear to expose the two of you guys and bring you guys to them. But since the servants of Lin Residence had searched the town twice already, I don¡¯t dare to keep you guys here anymore; there is a donkey cart at home which I can gift to you guys, so quickly leave tonight with him.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt a bit shameful. She viewed him as a dangerous person when he was in fact, the opposite. She wanted to exchange the donkey cart with her money, but the old man rejected her offer. But he didn¡¯t have a valid excuse, so he accepted very little medical fee from her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao carried Yu Xingzhi onto the donkey cart and placed a thick layer of blanket over him, leaving the fur and sled dogs from the mountain in the courtyard.


    The young man scratched his head, embarrassed when he saw the tiger skin. ¡°Father, I¡¯ll drive them to the village entrance.¡±


    The old man said, ¡°That fine. If someone asks about this, just say that Zhangjia Village¡¯s Wang Da has epilepsy and invited me over to take a look.¡±


    The young man drove them far away from the village and Zhou Xiaoxiao bid him farewell on the ancient road.


    She looked back while driving the donkey cart, to see a young man waving his hands, smiling and revealing his white straight teeth in the dark.


    The donkey cart slowly spent an entire night on the gloomy ancient road. It was a cold, lonely, and quiet night as usual. But because she had someone to accompany her, it didn¡¯t feel as deserted anymore.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat in the front and moved the curtains to the side to see how Yu Xingzhi was doing from time to time.


    Whenever Yu Xingzhi was awake, he would gaze at her with his bright eyes.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao subconsciously laughed and patted the bag containing all sorts of treasures on her back. She thought of Yu Xingzhi who was in a stable condition now and felt her nervousness slowly fading.


    She softly hummed a song and watched as the east turned gradually pale white and the splendor of the morning glow spread over the ground.


    ¡°Not far from here is Qiong City and Lin Family¡¯s ancestral home is there. His family has a lot of powers within the city, so we mustn¡¯t go into the city; which means we have to go around the path and probably spend a night outside again.¡± When the donkey cart got on the official road, Zhou Xiaoxiao said towards the city in the distance.


    At this time, she faintly heard concentrated horse hooves galloping on the ground and she looked back to see a group of people chasing them.


    They were aiming for them!


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was surprised and urged the donkey to go as quickly as it could. Nevertheless, how could a donkey win against a horse? In a few seconds, she could faintly hear them say, ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t think of running!¡± She was incomparably anxious, but didn¡¯t know what to do except to whip the donkey¡¯s back.


    At this time, the curtains behind her were moved to the side and a pale white hand reached over and grabbed the reins.


    While Zhou Xiaoxiao was astonished, Yu Xingzhi grabbed the reins with one hand and grabbed her collar on the other hand, tossing her towards the bushes by the road.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt the world spinning.


    She rolled down the slope and grunted, her head clearly dizzy.


    When she finally grasped what happened, she heard horses galloping by with people on top of it, chasing the donkey cart.


    Maybe it was because they were further in distance before, but they didn¡¯t notice that the driver had changed and even her, who had been tossed out of the cart midway.

 Chapter 13 - If you touch him again, I’ll kill you immediately! (2)

    She hurriedly climbed up the slope, despite falling multiple times and saw the donkey cart flipped over not far from her. Numerous horses surrounded it and Zhou Xiaoxiao hid behind the bushes, making her way over secretly.


    From the crack between the bushes, she saw the leader of the group.


    He rode a tall and sturdy horse and he wore a purple cloud patterned robe. He had slanted eyebrows and bags under his eyes, a hairpin of a flower behind his ears. He was Lin Family¡¯s second son, Lin Bingzhi.


    The moment Zhou Xiaoxiao saw him, it felt like she fell into a freezer. In Zhou Dujuan¡¯s memory, the second master of the Lin Family was a local tyrant who did all sorts of atrocious deeds. Not only did he bully men and women, he has a twisted personality with cruel and sinister methods. One couldn¡¯t even count the number of young girls and boys who were tortured to death by him.


    Right now, he was looking proudly at his guards who were tying Yu Xingzhi up.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laid behind the bushes and didn¡¯t dare to move a bit. Her body trembled in fear, but her heart also ached.


    Then, she saw Lin Jiatun¡¯s father and son were pushed out from the crowd and forced to kneel on the ground, hands restrained behind their backs. Lin Bingzhi walked to the young man and took out a clear and sharp dagger, stabbing him.


    The young man who was still smiling and waving his hands at her yesterday groaned, falling on the ground. After struggling for a bit, he stopped moving.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao covered her mouth in shock and the feeling of fright surged through her mind. She controlled herself and kept quiet.


    That elderly doctor threw himself at his son, sobbing noiselessly and insulted, ¡°Bastard! Why are you so sinister?! You said that as long as you find the person, you¡¯ll let me and my son go! I already led the way here, going against my morals, but you dare to kill my son!¡± You devil!¡±


    Before he could finish his words, the dagger slashed his throat and fresh blood spurted out. Even if he wanted to insult Lin Bingzhi still, he could only make out small noises.


    In the end, he fell on his son¡¯s dead body.


    Lin Bingzhi looked interestingly at the two bodies that fell in a puddle of blood and left, unsatisfyingly.


    The group placed Yu Xingzhi over the horse¡¯s back and they galloped towards Qiong City.


    When they were far in the distance, Zhou Xiaoxiao slowly climbed out of the bush.


    She helped the elderly doctor who still has a breath left.


    When the elderly man saw him, he wept and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°So¡­sorry. I had no choice either. When they saw traces of you being here, they threatened me with my son¡¯s life.¡± Once he finished this, he closed his eyes.


    Maybe it was extreme anger, but Zhou Xiaoxiao gradually stopped shaking in fear. She could even feel herself become calmer than ever.


    She found a piece of cloth from the destroyed cart and covered both father and son¡¯s dead bodies.


    ¡°You two were implicated because of me. Farewell, I will take revenge for you guys.¡±


    She kneeled down and kowtowed three times, placing all the medical items that she could use into a bag. Then, she started to walk towards Qiong City.


    When she entered the city, she relied on the memory of this body when it lived in Lin Residence as a child and then she quickly found Lin Residence. She observed the walls and walked around.


    Right now, if someone was here, they would see a young girl kneeling down on the sand and using a bamboo branch to sketch out a map, at the corner of the forest of the Lin Residence. She seemed to be deducing something silently in her heart and used the thin twig to softly tap the sand.


    Although the girl was young, she emitted an icy cold aura that was incompatible with her age. She glared towards the front, as if able to penetrate the walls and enter the deep courtyard.


    After that, she stood up and messed the map up, heading back into the city to buy the essentials.

 Chapter 14 - If you touch him again, I’ll kill you immediately! (3)

    Ch.14 If you touch him again, I¡¯ll kill you immediately! (3)


    At night, by the tall walls of the Lin Residence, there were a petite and small figure who wore black clothes.


    That figure propped bamboo against the crowd and agilely jumped over the wall using its forces.


    She bit on a dagger and looked around her surroundings before jumping down. When she got on the ground, there was a slight noise as if a cat purring.


    Then, the figure disappeared within the bushes and she walked in the dark, quickly heading towards the inner courtyard, as if she was very familiar with the surroundings.


    She was Zhou Xiaoxiao. In the morning, she had thought carefully and decided to use the host, Zhou Dujuan¡¯s skills and martial arts moves, as well as the memory of her living in the Lin Residence along with her father; she decided to come save Yu Xingzhi at night which would be the best opportunity.


    There were two servants who were guarding for the night, walking around with their lanterns when they heard faint footsteps.


    ¡°Is it a cat?¡±


    One of them moved the lantern over to see.


    Everything suddenly turned black and the two felt a strong force on the back of their head at the same time. Right then, they lost their senses and fell on the ground.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao appeared behind them and dragged the two unconscious men to the back of the fake mountains. Then, she took off their clothes and changed her outfit. As for the other one, she decided to keep for future use.


    Then, she easily found her way to the warehouse, looking for kerosene and other items that could be used for ignition. She poured kerosene in secret areas and prepared a trap. She calculated the time for the fire to be set for ignition.


    After preparing everything, Zhou Xiaoxiao quietly walked to Lin Bingzhi¡¯s room.


    In an extravagant and gorgeous room, Yu Xingzhi laid on top of a beautifully carved round table.


    A man sat comfortably opposite of him and the gaze he used to look at him was nauseating and obscene as he looked him up and down.


    The man licked his lips from time to time and clicked his tongue in a vulgar manner. He asked in an excited tone, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to say that I didn¡¯t give you a chance. I¡¯ll ask you again, who was it that helped you escape from my older brother.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi turned his head the other way without making a sound, but he did feel deep fear in his heart.


    He didn¡¯t want to think about the extraordinary shame and humiliation he would experience.


    His fingers were cold and disgusting like snakes as it crawled onto his face. He hated himself for that moment of weakness; he should¡¯ve ended his own life before he had fallen into this pervert¡¯s hands.


    He closed his eyes and thought, that person should have escaped safely. This was probably the only thing worth celebrating before he falls into the endless abyss.


    Lin Bingzhi was extremely excited at this moment as he reached out and clamped down Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face with his hand. He recalled the time when he went to Jingdu with his father and older brother when he was young and had seen him, the brilliant fifth son of the Yu Family. At that time, he was treated like a precious pearl in the palm of everyone¡¯s hand, he didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to speak to him.


    Now, the most brilliant and eye dazzling man from Jingdu has fallen into his own hands and he could do whatever he pleased with him.


    ¡°Since you can¡¯t differentiate good from bad, then don¡¯t blame me for being heartless.¡± He grabbed and pulled Yu Xingzhi¡¯s jade-like face towards him and said smilingly, ¡°I will make you regret being born.¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t see the fear he imagined he would see in Yu Xingzh¡¯s face. Instead, he saw Yu Xingzhi blinked his eyes in surprise.


    At the same time, a cold dagger was pressed up against his neck. A cold voice sounded behind him, ¡°If you dare to touch another hair, I will make it so that you can¡¯t even be a person!¡±

 Chapter 15 - You risked yourself to save me from shame and humiliation (1)

    Lin Bingzhi used his family power and arrogantly dominated the small town there. He would put on a strong appearance on the outside, but truthfully, he was just like a hollow straw bag on the inside. His ruthlessness and fierceness can¡¯t even compete to his older brother¡¯s.


    At this moment, with the cold dagger resting on his neck, he was scared to the point that both his legs were shaking. He could help be continued to beg for mercy.


    Both his father and older brother knew that Lin Bingzhi was fragile and weak by nature, so they never gave him any important things for this to do. As a result, he ended up as a good for nothing.


    This time, Lin Bingren had secretly tortured Yu Xingzhi and left him here in this manor. Afterwards, bandits invaded the manor and he lost Yu Xingzhi, the person whom he had secretly kidnapped from Jingdu.


    In a moment of desperation, he could only mobilize the guards from his old manor in the city to hunt him down. But who would¡¯ve expected that the good for nothing Lin Bingzhi would accidentally catch him instead?


    When Lin Bingzhi caught him, he didn¡¯t immediately hand Yu Xingzhi over. The first reason was because he wanted to satisfy his lust and the second reason was because he wanted to torture and question him himself. This way, he would be able to earn some respect from his father and elder brother.


    He concealed the news that he had caught Yu Xingzhi, as a result, he was taken advantage of by Zhou Xiaoxiao since no one knew.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tied Lin Bingzhi up and blocked his mouth with a rag. Then she untied Yu Xingzhi¡¯s ropes and helped him down.


    Yu Xingzhi grasped Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hand tightly, but he couldn¡¯t make himself talk. He wanted to tell her that she should¡¯ve have come here for him, but he she didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape the shame and humiliation that he was about to face. He wanted to thank her for saving him, but he didn¡¯t want her to disregard her own safety to save him.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao reached out and gently patted his head and said, ¡°Fortunately you¡¯re fine. I¡¯ll take you away from here.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Yu Xingzhi stared at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re in danger because of me and you already saved me from being humiliated by him. I will forever remember you grace. I¡¯m injured and this place is heavily guarded, Please listen to me and quickly leave.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wanted to speak, but Yu Xingzhi pulled her forward and hugged her gently.


    Yu Xingzhi had a strict childhood and he had always followed the rules and etiquettes. In any ordinary day, he would have never hugged someone of the opposite sex. But now that he was at death¡¯s door, he just wanted to indulge in his heart¡¯s wishes by hugging her.


    ¡°Leave this dagger to me, let me handle this person, and I¡­ will have no regrets,¡± he whispered in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s ear gently.


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao shoved him in anger. She was so mad that she cursed at him, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve risked everything to get here just to hand you this dagger to kill yourself?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but changed Yu Xingzhi¡¯s clothing into the uniforms that servants would wear. Then, she took out two pieces of black charcoal and rubbed them all over Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face and head until it was completely black.


    At this moment, there was a commotion outside. Someone yelled through the window, ¡°Second Master, the storage room has been flooded with water. Fu Rui has already brought over someone to fix it, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pulled Lin Bingzhi towards her, pointed the sharp knife against his back, and whispered in his ear, ¡°I want you to repeat what I say exactly. If you say even an extra word, then don¡¯t blame me for killing you.¡±


    Lin Bingzhi was scared and nodded his head like a chicken pecking at food.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pulled out the rag in his month and whispered something.


    Lin Bingzhi yelled out the window, ¡°I want you all to scram!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao whispered in his ears again, ¡°Who dares to disturb my mood, I will make it so that they won¡¯t be able to see the sun tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 16 - You risked yourself to save me from shame and humiliation (2)

    Lin Bingzhi followed what she said and shouted again.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao flung a cup of water at the window, and sure enough, the people outside the window dispersed immediately. Even the servants who were originally standing outside waiting on him had all left in fear.


    Lin Bingzhi bitterly cried in his heart, where did this woman thief came from? How was she so familiar with the way he would usually speak? Now, the idiots outside won¡¯t come in and rescue him.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao blocked Lin Bingzhi¡¯s nose and mouth; she pressed him on the ground and killed him with one stroke. She did it as revenge for the kind doctor and his son who had died in Lin Bingzhi¡¯s hands.


    Lin Manor¡¯s steward, Fu Rui felt that things have been going wrong recently. Two days ago, they got robbed by the mountain thief. Being robbed by a mountain thief wasn¡¯t really a big deal, but who would¡¯ve known that the eldest son of the manor would quietly lead a large group of guards to capture the thieves and would accidentally injure himself? Luckily, it was just some minor injuries, otherwise the lord in the capital would have his head if he knew.


    But during the chaos, the eldest son lost an important criminal. Right now, they were searching all over the place and putting up wanted posters to find the fugitive.


    When the youngest son heard about this, he was also interested. Every day, he gathered people together and caused a ruckus, saying that he was just helping his elder brother find the criminal. He captured numerous innocent people and made a fool of himself several times.


    Today, the second young master had captured another person. However, he was unsure who he had captured since the man was still being locked and tortured in the room. Second young master didn¡¯t even care that the news had leaked because there were no other masters in the manor today, so the second young master was able to make his own decisions. It was unknown how the warehouse was even set on fire.


    Fu Rui instructed people as they rushed around the courtyard, trying to extinguish the fire. Everyone was panicking and running everywhere.


    Then, he suddenly saw a servant carrying an injured person who had inhaled too much smoke and was covered in dark ashes from the smoke. The servant carrying the person appeared familiar, but he couldn¡¯t remember which courtyard she was from off the top of his head. He was unsure if the person was still alive or not.


    ¡°Who is this? How come they¡¯re injured this badly?¡± Fu Rui stopped them.


    The servant panted and propped the person she was carrying higher up her back. ¡°Reporting to housekeeper Fu, this is second concubine¡¯s Aunt Li¡¯s fifth son. He saw that the warehouse was on fire, so he came to help, but he became unconscious because of all the smoke he inhaled. This servant was just about to carry him back to find his mother.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, quickly go, quickly go.¡± Fu Rui waved his hands, letting them off.


    He stared at the servant. Although he wasn¡¯t tall, he didn¡¯t struggle to carry a person either; she was even able to sprint while carrying another person. Fu Rui thought: this servant is witty, relaxed, and even has a lot of strength. Who does this servant serve? After tonight, he¡¯d go and ask around, and see if he can use her.


    However, he didn¡¯t know that Zhou Xiaoxiao was the one who pretended to be a servant. Right now, she was running away and didn¡¯t dare to look back. She tightly held the hidden dagger in her sleeves. The person who she was carrying was Yu Xingzhi, who was pretending to be unconscious. Yu Xingzhi was also sweating profusely.


    Thankfully, everything turned out fine and Zhou Xiaoxiao managed to carry Yu Xingzhi like this through the crowd. Because the courtyard was on fire, everything was in chaos and no one came to ask about her.


    The two arrived at the stable and Zhou Xiaoxiao lead a handsome horse out of the stable, helping Yu Xingzhi onto the horse. They headed towards Dongcheng, the central district of Beijing.


    On their journey, they arrived at an abandoned temple. Right now, it was getting dark and there was no one on the road. Zhou Xiaoxiao walked into the worn down temple with Yu Xingzhi.

 Chapter 17 - You risked yourself to save me from shame and humiliation (3)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao had already laid a blanket on the ground and throw their bundles of items onto the side in a mess.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao shoved Yu Xingzhi under the sacrificial table and said, ¡°Wait here for me.¡± After she said that, she was about to leave when Yu Xingzhi pulled on her wrist.


    Yu Xingzhi softly called, ¡°Dujuan.¡±


    He slowly revealed a look of disapproval.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed and she touched her nose, saying in an embarrassed manner, ¡°I also have another name: Zhou Xiaoxiao. You can also call me Xiaoxiao.¡±


    She pried Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hand away and said, ¡°Wait here for me and I will be back quickly. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    The door to Dongcheng was just opened and there were only a few people entering and exiting the city. The soldiers guarding the city were yawning and they were bored. There was a person with the surname Zheng who had led 100-200 soldiers and rushed here, standing guard at the door. He was yelling, ¡°Make sure the thieves don¡¯t get away!¡± He ordered people to close the city door and only allow people to come in and not out. The person on shift tonight hurried over to report.


    ¡°What is the matter? Why is the local magistrate so anxious?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know but there was a thief this morning who dared to set the Lin Manor on fire, injuring his youngest son. The lord was extremely angry and ordered the city doors to be closed and for us to investigate strictly. We are given a limited amount of time to capture the culprit.¡±


    The people guarding the city gates were taken by surprise before asking, ¡°What should we do? When we opened the door, we already let numerous people in and out of the city. One of them had ridden the Lin Manor¡¯s horse out of the city.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Are you sure you saw it clearly?¡±


    ¡°This guard has interacted with the second son of the Lin Manor for some time, so I recognize the mark on the horse¡¯s butt. In addition the riders were wearing the servant outfit from the Lin Manor.¡±


    ¡°Is there one or two people on the horse? Have you seen their appearance clearly?¡±


    When the city gate was opened, the guards were being lazy and had slacked off from their duty. They had only asked a single soldier to watch the gate. The guard had only a quick glance and saw the Lin Manor¡¯s horse and the riders in servant uniform. Because Lin Residence was usually ostentatious with their actions, he was too lazy to ask about it.


    The guard knew that he would be in trouble, so he randomly made up an excuse. ¡°Because that horse was too quick, I wasn¡¯t able to see their appearance clearly. But there was only one rider and he was carrying¡­ a person on his back! They passed through the city gate and headed towards the main road.


    The local magistrate with surname Zheng was delighted. He thought that he would be greatly rewarded for capturing the fugitive for sure. While ordering someone to go back and report, he led another group of people to chase after them.


    While the city gates were in chaos, a young farmer carried an empty wagon casually entered the city.


    Local magistrate Zheng and the others rushed pass the farmer, no one paid attention to the ordinary looking farmer. She looked back at the group rushing pass her and blinked her lively and bright eyes, revealing a crafty smile.


    As it turned out, Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to escape with Yu Xingzhi, especially since he was injured. So, she came up with a plan. She wore the Lin Manor¡¯s servant outfit and carried a rolled up blanket on her back, then she rushed out of the city gate. After that, she hid Yu Xingzhi in the temple which wasn¡¯t far from the city. Next, she changed into the clothes she had long prepared and went back to the city, acting like an ordinary farmer. This way, the soldiers would chase her out of the city, instead of looking for her within the city.

 Chapter 18 - Lovely Brows Like Crescent Moons, Limpid Eyes Like the Heat of Spring (1)

    Penglai Inn is a decade-old shop in Chengdong.


    Thanks to the reasonable prices and the clean environment, the place is well-loved by merchants traveling to and from Qiongcheng.


    Early this morning, a farmer with a sallow complexion rode his flatbed trike to the shop with a young woman at the back, body heavy with child. The woman¡¯s face was pale and her head was wrapped in a thick headscarf while a blanket covered her body. Clearly, she was sick.


    The waiter of the shop came forward to greet him.


    The farmer said, ¡°We are from Niujia Village a hundred li away from the city. My wife is pregnant and we came because her body is unwell. We came to seek the doctor at Xingren Temple to buy medicine and planned to return this very morning, but I just found out that the city gates have been sealed under the magistrate¡¯s orders. All the gates are blocked and I heard it¡¯s because they¡¯re catching a criminal so people are only allowed in, not out. We have no choice but to stay at your wonderful establishment for a few days.¡±


    The waiter said, ¡°You¡¯ve come at a good time. We have a warm room upstairs that will be good for your wife to recover. It¡¯ll be only twenty cash a day.¡±


    The farmer took out a string of a thousand cash and passed it to the waiter, smiling, ¡°I will have to bother this brother to find me a neat and quiet room.¡±


    The waiter responded diligently, ¡°Come with me, you and your wife can just worry about relaxing, this one will go to the city gates and find out why the gates are sealed, and when the ban will be lifted for your peace of mind.¡±


    And so, the man picked up his wife and followed the waiter into the shop.


    The waiter caught a glimpse of that hibiscus face that was half-revealed and found her extremely gorgeous. He couldn¡¯t help his heartbeat from speeding up as he secretly thought to himself, ¡°To think such a rough guy like him can marry such a beautiful woman. No wonder he watched over her like his treasure. If I married a wife as beautiful as this one day, I¡¯d also be willing to stay in a room that costs twenty cash a day.¡±


    After entering the room, the waiter excused himself and shut the door. Then, the sallow-faced farmer turned back and smiled at the young woman on the bed, saying, ¡°See? I said nobody will find out, right? That waiter was almost tripping over himself when he saw you!¡±


    The woman¡¯s face was faintly red as she turned her cheek to him. As soon as she opened her mouth, the deep voice of a man spilled out. ¡°Do not make fun of me.¡±


    It turns out that the farmer was actually Zhou Xiaoxiao dressed up, and the pregnant woman was Yu Xingzhi in disguise.


    This was a life or death situation. Much thought had been put into this situation by Zhou Xiaoxiao before he made these careful preparations.


    She picked up Yu Xingzhi from Chenghuang and dressed him up as a woman, so the story goes. Zhou Xiaoxiao had been a woman fond of studying the art of makeup since her previous life, and Yu Xingzhi had a handsome face to compliment that. After her skillful grooming and with the thick cover of bedding and clothes to hide his man¡¯s stature, he was able to dress him up rather beautifully.


    Nobody was in the room at the moment. So, Zhou Xiaoxiao opened up her bag and out came a clutter of makeup products, a great variety she had prepared prior to this. There were some limits to makeup in the ancient days, so she spent a lot of effort trying to find substitutes.


    ¡°Let us settle down here for now and clean up our appearance just a little bit more. Just to make sure that our plan is foolproof.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took out a cotton thread and threaded off the fine hairs of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face and beard. Securing one end of the thread with her teeth, she leaned forward to him.


    Yu Xingzhi could faintly feel her hot breath on his face every so often, and his face gradually turned red as a result. After threading his face, Zhou Xiaoxiao could not help herself from feeling amused when she saw Yu Xingzhi¡¯s peach blossom cheeks.


    ¡°I know it is embarrassing for you that I asked you to dress as a woman, but are we not doing this for the sake of escaping? Is your dignity more important to you or your life? Am I wrong?¡±

 Chapter 19 - Lovely Brows Like Crescent Moons, Limpid Eyes Like the Heat of Spring (2)

    While speaking, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands never stopped. After threading the young man¡¯s face, she wiped it clean before applying a new thin layer of powder.


    ¡°The only thing you can change with makeup is your appearance, and that is only because you have a good foundation for it. However, there is nothing we can do about your body. Your arms, legs, and neck must never be exposed. Especially your hands, they have to be kept hidden within your sleeves. There is a great difference between the hands of a man and a woman, you have to remember that you¡¯ll be instantly exposed if your hands are revealed. Also, you cannot speak. If someone speaks to you, just pretend to be bashful. Do you know what women look like when they are bashful? Look here, look at me.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao used her face that had been colored into a sallow appearance by deliberation and shot Yu Xingzhi a shy blink before lowering her head in a ¡°coy¡± manner. This appearance caused Yu Xingzhi to laugh.


    ¡°A change in a person¡¯s brow can change an entire person¡¯s face. So, I can only trouble you with this. Once we are safe, I will draw them back on for you.¡±


    Without waiting for Yu Xingzhi to voice his protest, she had already begun trimming his long, cheerfully-shaped eyebrows and with deft hands, changed the shape of his broad, manly jaw, and tall nose bridge, with different shades of powder. Then, she drew on some willow leaf-shaped eyebrows on him before drawing a charming outline on his eyelids. Finally, with the final dot on his lips, her work was done.


    Zhu Xiaoxiao moved the bronze mirror over. That boy was no longer to be seen within the mirror, it was nor replaced with a girl, beautiful with her peach blossom blush on her tender skin, lovely brows like crescent moons, and limpid eyes like the heat of spring.


    Zhu Xiaoxiao clapped her hands together at the side. ¡°Ah, being too beautiful is also no good! We may end up incurring some other trouble as well.¡± She unwrapped two pieces of herbal plasters and pasted them on both sides of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s temple before pulling his hair into a sloppy bun.


    Next, she wrapped his forehead with a floral cloth and placed a big woolen scarf around his neck that covered half of his chin. After looking him left and right for a moment, she finally looked satisfied.


    After having finished messing with him, Zhou Xiaoxiao finally began fixing herself up. She took out a fresh orange peel, squeezed out the juice, and poured a little bit of ink on it before smearing it lightly on her face, dyeing her own face a waxy yellow.


    She carefully pasted some hairs onto his brow and with a light brush of her brow pen, created a thick set of brows like the end of a broom. She put on a dogskin hood on her head and an old scarf around her neck.


    When paired with the large cotton jacket she wore that was commonly seen worn by farmers working their crops, she looked exactly like a farming man from the countryside.


    A loud bustle could be heard outside of the inn for a moment. The sound could be heard coming from downstairs. Someone was searching through something.


    Soon, several soldiers began banging on the door and rushing in, only to see an ordinary-looking farmer, feeding a bowl of medicine to the poor woman on the bed.


    The young woman was a great beauty. When people suddenly came in, she was so embarrassed that she covered her face with her sleeve. But even though half her face was covered, her beauty in illness was still unmatched. Her appearance was so gentle as she lowered her head that the young soldiers began to blush, and could not help but lessen their aggression.


    The peasant man showered them with incessant pleasantries while expressing that his pregnant wife was ill, and for the officers to please go easy on them. The sergeant at the lead carefully searched the room and found nothing suspicious, so he did not give them any trouble and left.


    Several waves of inspectors came throughout the day, but neither of them exposed any flaws. At night, it finally quieted down outside. Only then did Zhou Xiaoxiao unwrap Yu Xingzhi¡¯s clothes to check on his injuries. After going through all that, his injury became even more serious. However, they could not find a doctor during their rush, and could only recover by using the medicine left behind from the last doctor.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao helped him bandage his wound and put the bloodied clothes he changed out of into the brazier and slowly burned them. She wrapped their valuables and some clothes into a small bag and hid them at his abdomen to make him look pregnant. Then, she set down a sharp blade beneath the pillow before getting into bed. With one blanket for each person, they slept side by side.

 Chapter 20 - Lovely Brows Like Crescent Moons, Limpid Eyes Like the Heat of Spring (3)

    Since they were still in danger, Zhou Xiaoxiao did not dare to sleep too deeply despite her exhaustion.


    Yu Xingzhi was severely injured and nightmares plagued him constantly in his unconsciousness. In those nightmares, he was either chased by hungry ghosts or driven to his extremes by wicked men.


    However, at the moment when he was about to die, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face would always appear behind those fierce people. She was like the moonlight that penetrated through the abyss. Softly, she opened her mouth and told him, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± A pair of clean, fair hands broke past the darkness, pulling him back from the edge of hell.


    ¡°Wake up. Wake up.¡±


    Feeling someone patting him lightly, Yu Xingzhi came out of dreamland back to reality and woke up.


    ¡°You had a nightmare.¡± A gentle voice sounded softly at his ear, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. You¡¯re fine now.¡±


    He opened his eyes. He could see that face in his dream right next to his pillow now, in real life. Those dark crystal eyes were looking at him with concern.


    A soft hand reached out from under the blanket and held his hand.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao comforted him softly, ¡°Everything is fine, you were just dreaming. We¡¯re out now.¡±


    God is still watching over me. Even after such suffering, I was fortunate enough to meet her, said Yu Xingzhi to himself as he shut his eyes.


    In the next few days, the sound of beating hooves filled the inside and the outside of the city. Lin Bingren, the eldest son of the Lin family, went out personally to chase after the people who killed his brother, but he had no idea that the two of them were hiding right under his eyes in this inn.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took meticulous care of Yu Xingzhi every day, bringing him soups and tonics to heal his body. After a few days, the bustle finally eased up. The waiter came to tell them that the city gates have been unsealed. Zhou Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. Just after settling the bill, they began to set off.


    On the way, Zhou Xiaoxiao purchased an inconspicuous ox cart. One of them laid down while the other stayed seated, leisurely driving the ox.


    At the gates, the guards peered over at the faces of the two, and at the empty ox cart, and let them go.


    They were in the arms of danger just moments prior and finally escaped to freedom. After they reached the small path outside of the city, they felt free even if they were in a deserted field. The two of them smiled at each other. Both of them could finally heave a sigh of relief.


    At this moment, they could finally see the evening mist in the vast sky. The wide world is now their oyster.


    The only problem now was Yu Xingzhi¡¯s injury. They were still in the Lin family¡¯s territory of influence. After their experiences, Zhou Xiaoxiao no longer dared to seek medical help. So, she could only follow the prescription left behind by the doctor, Li Jun, and tried to cure him herself.


    Yu Xingzhi had a very strong character. No matter how much pain he was in, he would make no peep of it. At the very most, he would just shut his eyes and frown.


    It was night now, so the two of them settled down in the wilderness. Though the bottom of the mountain was not as cold as the snowy tops, they could still feel the chill.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao curled up in the ox cart and listened silently to the peaceful noises of the deep night.


    She could feel the person next to her move his body lightly. After a moment, she felt him move again.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao turned around, and, as expected, saw through the faint light of the campfire the knot on Yu Xingzhi¡¯s brow. He was in so much pain that a light layer of cold sweat began to form on his skin.


    ¡°Does it hurt too much to sleep?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao asked.


    Under the flickering and dim light, she saw Yu Xingzhi adjust his appearance and breathed out slowly. Only then did he answer her softly, ¡°It is no matter. My apologies for interrupting your rest.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I tell you a story? It might help take your mind off of it.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao supported her head with her hand and searched the books at her belly, picking out a story that was familiar enough and well suited to the norms of the ancient people.

 Chapter 21 - Rustling Leaves in the Cool Night (1)

    ¡°This is a story that happened by the Qiantang River at an undeterminable date, at a place called Niujia village, where two hunters lived as neighbors. One of them was surnamed Guo, while the other was Yang.¡±


    When she saw that she had caught Yu Xingzhi¡¯s attention, she combed through the plot of Condor Heroes in her mind and slowly began to read it out. ¡°The two families got along so well that it was if they were one, and it happens that both their wives were also pregnant at the same time. And so, they made an agreement that if they were both boys, they would become brothers, and spouses, if they were of different sex¡­¡±


    With the sound of rustling leaves in the cool night, Yu Xingzhi listened to the pleasant voice of the girl that came from his side. Gently, that voice led him into a new and strange world of chivalry and tenderness.


    In that world, there was elation, debts of gratitude, of revenge, and also love that blossomed between two people. It was a thrilling and immersive story, trapping him deeply, and allowing him to forget the pains of his ailing body.


    Who was she truly?


    Yu Xingzhi thought in his heart.


    He did not believe that Zhou Xiaoxiao was a mere ordinary girl.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had no character of a woman in her bones, nor the slightest hint of their humility.


    She was different from the other women. She was confident, easy-going, and she was so giving that it was abstruse. She was like a girl born with great wisdom, unshackled from the restraints in this world.


    Though she tried hard in imitation, she still revealed flaws in her behavior that was incompatible with this world.


    At this moment, she had her back towards the fire. The soft glow of the flames outlined her silhouette in a thin halo. In her stirring voice, she spoke to him a mysterious story full of wonders.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s teeth parted lightly. He wanted to ask, who really are you?


    Were you human? Were you a spirit?


    Where did you come from?


    But he quickly pursed his lips.


    He could not ask, he told himself.


    He was worried that if he ever did, this dream-like warmth could immediately burst like a bubble.


    Only the rustling leaves and the silent cold night would be left for him.


    Whether she was a fox spirit or a ghost in human skin, I¡¯m willing to keep my mouth shut forever as long as she was willing to stay with me.


    He felt his slow heartbeat begin to quicken, and his chest filled up with a mysterious sense of happiness. Nobody knew when, but slowly, he had sunk into the land of dreams.


    When Yu Xingzhi woke up in the early morning, the campfire had already burned out, and there was nobody around him.


    The fog in the wilderness was dense, and the air was cold and quiet.


    He propper up his body and looked around, worried that his ridiculous ideas from last night would come true.


    Suddenly, he heard a rustling noise.


    The foliage parted, Zhu Xiaoxiao who was dressed as a man suddenly jumped out. While running, the fine frost she kicked up covered her face.


    She was holding a live fish in her hand. After wiping her face, she laughed. ¡°I found a small stream at the side. Look what I caught!¡±


    Yu Xingzhi could not help but reveal a smile that came from the bottom of his heart.


    The instant he smiled, the light of dawn had just broken through the dense fog. The light of day finally befell them.


    This gentleman sat quietly with his appearance warm and delicate like jade, but there was a profound look in his eyes.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao understood the implicit affections in that gaze and the inches of frost in her chest melt away.


    Yuyang Town was an ancient place with thousands of years worth of history. It was named so because of an ancient bridge called Yuyang that was situated at the front of the town, well-known for linking up the town and the provincial road. Many people passed by that road, and so the townsfolk from several different towns began gathering and setting up stalls selling snacks and tea for the pedestrians to enjoy while they took a rest.


    On this day at noon, an ox cart drove by after a long trip. The man driving at the front looked young, but his skill was great. He parked the cart beside the banyan tree before getting out. He pulled open the blue floral curtains and helped his young pregnant wife from the cart.

 Chapter 22 - Rustling Leaves in the Cool Night (2)

    The woman was very tall and her face especially beautiful, with a character that appeared very shy. Under the help of her husband, she was slowly brought to the tree roots and took a seat. With her hands and legs covered in her sleeves and skirt, she sat with her back facing everyone else.


    Only her dark hair and a small seam of her fair profile could be seen at the side, but that appearance was still divine like fine jade. A few young hawkers could not help stealing a glimpse at her from time to time.


    ¡°Sit here for a moment and get some air. I¡¯m going to buy something to eat.¡± This young man was clearly very caring toward his young wife. His behavior was both gentle and considerate.


    When they saw this scene, the female hawkers could not help but feel a sense of envy.


    Aunt Yuan from the herbal tea stall prodded Widow Sun who was selling crispy biscuits with her elbow. ¡°Have a look at that couple. They¡¯re so sticky with each other.¡±


    ¡°Ain¡¯t she just pregnant? She¡¯s being fussed over for nothing.¡± Widow Sun spat out the sunflower seed shells from her mouth to the ground. ¡°They don¡¯t look like they come from a fancy family, but what¡¯s with the fancy treatment?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. This young lady does look quite delicate. I worked with the Zhang¡¯s in the city and I have to say not one of the noble ladies there can compare,¡± said the beancurd aunt who was selling beancurd dessert.


    ¡°With that fine appearance, it¡¯s no wonder her man is willing to take such meticulous care of her. Just look at those clodhoppers from our village, they¡¯re all peeping at her.¡±


    While the group of women were chattering amongst each other, thinking they were being quiet, none of them noticed that the ears ¡°beauty¡± sitting under the tree began to twitch, and their tips gradually turned red.


    The young man secured his ox and came over to them with a smile.


    He asked for two bowls of beancurd and a few pieces of crispy biscuits.


    Though this young man didn¡¯t have an appealing body, he was still a man with a handsome appearance. He had a sharp character, and also a poised tongue. While he spoke, the corners of his mouth would raise slightly, and there was a curve in his eyes that almost seemed like a smile. It made him appear just a bit naughty, but also quite genial.


    He was the type that liked to please women. And so, the women greeted him with enthusiasm.


    He leaned on the beancurd stall with a few copper coins in his hands. With a smile, he said, ¡°Miss, give me two bowls of beancurd. A sweet one and a salty one. I want more toppings on the salty one but keep the sweet one mild. My wife has prefers lighter foods.¡±


    While preparing the beancurd with her head lowered, the beancurd aunt touched her cheek subconsciously. There was a bruise there that came from her man who had punched her after he had gotten drunk the prior night. She thought to herself, ¡°If my man could be as considerate as him, I¡¯d be happy grinding soybeans and making curds deep into the night every day.¡±


    And that young man was Zhou Xiaoxiao who was dressed as a man. Returning to the banyan tree with beancurd in hand, she handed the beancurd and biscuit to Yu Xingzhi with a smile.


    She sat down next to him, and while eating, could not help herself from saying, ¡°I heard it all. They were all praising how beautiful you were! Haha!¡± Yu Xingzhi shot her a helpless glance, his eyes revealing a hint of indulgence and embarrassment.


    And thus, Zhou Xiaoxiao could laugh no more. Awkwardly, she scratched her nose and thought to herself, ¡°He¡¯s really too square, it¡¯s hard to even make a joke. Zhou Xiaoxiao, this is the ancient times, be a little more serious!¡±


    Sitting shoulder to shoulder beneath the tree, the two had their beancurd in silence. Through the gaps of the leaves, the mottled noon sun illuminated the place. The hand-made beancurd had a fragrant and mellow taste, and it gave Zhou Xiaoxiao comfort to drink it.


    Suddenly, the pleasant baritone voice of a man sounded. ¡°This¡­um¡­I actually look better in men¡¯s clothing.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao nearly dropped her bowl. To think that these words actually came from the lips of the stiff square, Yu Xingzhi!


    Though this joke sounded both awkward and cold, it also came a dozen beats too slow.


    Still, she felt a small flame kindling in her heart.

 Chapter 23 - Rustling Leaves in the Cool Night (3)

    Turns out she wasn¡¯t the only person having to change and adapt. The other party was also trying his best to change so he could cater to her.


    The knowledge of it burned that kindle even brighter, and the flames fanned hotter under Yu Xingzhi¡¯s gaze, becoming an existence akin to a wildfire. It had broken completely through to the center of the frozen world in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s heart. Spring came quickly, and life returned to the soil.


    Yu Xingzhi probably had to think about it for a long time before he could muster this awkward and dry joke that went against his nature. Right now, though his cheeks burned red like sundown, it only caused his appearance to look unparalleled. He was gorgeous.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was brought to laughter by the sight of his beauty in women¡¯s dress. She wanted to say that if not for the fact that you were wearing women¡¯s clothing, I would have kissed you. Fortunately, she still kept her reason by her and did not let those shocking words leak. Instead, she put her arms around Yu Xingzhi¡¯s shoulder and whispered in his ear, ¡°We should be safer now after so many days. Why won¡¯t we find you a place where you can change back in a bit?¡±


    ¡­


    A simple ox cart was parked at a secluded and deserted country road.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was sitting at the front, bouncing one of her legs, thinking about some matters.


    She was thinking about the last thing she said while they were still resting underneath that tree.


    Did she say something wrong?


    After what she said, Yu Xingzhi was practically blushing from the tips to his ear down to his neck.


    Then, was it her choice of words?


    But nothing seemed wrong¡­


    Oh, then she must¡¯ve been too close.


    It was because she had her arm around his shoulder and speaking next to his ear. That¡¯s why he was embarrassed.


    Since they have been laying low these days, they ended up sticking closer with each other, and it was easy to forget themselves because of that.


    Indeed, he was a very charming man that was very attractive to me, and he had an interest in me too.


    Thought Zhou Xiaoxiao while she rubbed her chin. But are you really sure you want to start a relationship with a man you met from crossing the ages?


    In this era, even holding hands and flirting was considered extremely personal. Perhaps even a kiss wouldn¡¯t be allowed before marriage.


    Moreover, for a thing such as marriage, Zhou Xiaoxiao rubbed her forehead and sighed. Even if I am willing to get married in the future, in such a strict era where the wealth of your family was important, I would likely only qualify to become a live-in mistress of some sort with a grand family like his.


    Just forget it, Zhou Xiaoxiao. Be more rational and mature, she told herself.


    But before she could finish saying it, the curtains were opened.


    Yu Xingzhi leaned over.


    He was dressed in simple menswear and there was a light smile on his picturesque brows that were aimed towards Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    For a moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt that all the words she had learned throughout her life was pale and lacking.


    No pines nor bamboo was enough to describe his character, and no embroidered tigers nor dragons could emulate his grace.


    With a stature tall as a jade mountain, and his appearance bright light the moon¡¯s embrace.


    Standing like green bamboo akin to reflections of jade, he is like a cool breeze in the forest.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that Yu Xingzhi was very attractive, but before that was the messy situation they were in. Both of them were currently in the same chaotic situation.


    You could say that this moment was her first time facing him normally.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had always been a big fan of a pretty face, so even after bracing herself for half a day, the sudden head-on collision still broke down those preparations.


    Whatever reason and maturity she had now melted into nothingness.


    She felt like her mind had turned into mush.


    Who cares about feudal ethics anymore! He caught my eye, and my heart is moved. He is interested in me too, so why can¡¯t this happen?


    Am I an idiot?


    She figured that she could just go on with this relationship, and if they didn¡¯t work out, they could just separate. For a male god at his level, this was a good deal!

 Chapter 24 - If a Boy Closes His Eyes, That Means He Wants You to Kiss Him (1)

    Yu Xingzhi has always been recognized as a beautiful man in the capital. Even the emperor himself had praised the beauty of the Yu family¡¯s fifth son. No matter where he went, he had been the focus of attention since he was a child.


    With too fine an appearance, it will eventually lead him to trouble. However, when he parted the curtain after having just fixed up his dress and grooming, he paused for a moment. This was the first time he felt himself a little lacking in confidence.


    Reluctantly, he pulled open the curtain and looked up.


    Over yonder was the person in his mind, watching himself. That person¡¯s lips were slightly parted, not at all concealing their surprise.


    Yu Xingzhi gradually felt at ease, and for the first time, thanked God for the face he was given.


    Though Zhou Xiaoxiao did not look as slovenly as when she was acting as a madwoman, she still did not have a pretty appearance to begin with.


    She had a slender and free-spirited body. Dressed in menswear, she looked even heroic. There were only those round apricot eyes that were particularly spirited. When she smiled, it seemed like you could see scars scattered within those eyes, causing one¡¯s heart to move.


    Yu Xingzhi watched as those eyes slowly came closer and closer to him. He could feel chaos in his heart as the education of etiquette he had the past twenty years crumpled before him.


    That pair of lips with the slight curve at its corners were right in front of him, lightly opening and closing, speaking words he could no longer take in. His most primitive desires were driving him, and his heart was beating like a rattling drum.


    As soon as he lowered his head, just a little bit, he would be able to kiss her. His gaze was so intense it was could almost materialize upon that pair of lips.


    However, he was able to control himself at the very last moment. He clenched his fists and shut his eyes, scolding himself in his heart, ¡°Preposterous!¡±


    But the moment he shut his eyes, a pair of soft lips touched his own.


    Yu Xingzhi felt a thundering roar in his mind and everything crumbled in an instant. Everything had lost its color as he fell into a vortex he had never experienced in his life. He followed his heart and returned the kiss, again, asking, and asking again, deepening that kiss with no end.


    After a long time, the two of them finally let go of each other with unsteady breaths. They could see the blushing tips of the other¡¯s ears, and could hear their thumping hearts.


    Did I do something wrong? He doesn¡¯t seem to have any experience. Zhou Xiaoxiao licked her lip and suddenly realized she had been too impulsive. However, it truly felt too wonderful.


    If a boy closes his eyes, that means he wants you to kiss him.


    Though this person may not be able to understand that logic, it still wasn¡¯t my fault, right? It was a generation gap, or so Zhou Xiaoxiao thought secretly to herself.


    Yu Xingzhi calmed his haggard breath and spoke quietly, ¡°My deepest apologies, I have been most rude to you.¡±


    No no no, what are you apologizing for? Zhou Xiaoxiao said in her heart, it was me who was rude, I took advantage of you. But she did not say anything. She felt a little naughty and wanted to see what this man who was at a loss had to say.


    ¡°But I am truly fond of you. God can attest to my feelings.¡± Yu Xingzhi took her hand and spoke his carefully-worded sentence in a deep voice, ¡°Once we return to the capital, I will inform my parents thus and we shall go through the full formalities. I shall take you as my wife so we may be tied as family. If you are willing¡­If¡­If you can understand.¡±


    Is¡­is this a marriage proposal? Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t know whether she should be shocked or surprised. Again, this was a very conservative and pedantic era, but why did it feel so sweet? She thought to herself, he truly was a good man, and I also like him sincerely. Though, the setting and age was a bit strange. If he can take the initiative to kiss me, I¡¯ll agree.


    She shut her eyes.

 Chapter 25 - If a Boy Closes His Eyes, That Means He Wants You to Kiss Him (2)

    Then, she felt a warm kiss laying down carefully upon her lips like a guarantee, and also like some sort of agreement. It stopped at just one touch, nothing more.


    Alright then, I¡¯ll agree, she sighed in her heart.


    The two left Yuyang County, took the road towards Shanxi, and came upon the road to Fengxiang Prefecture.


    Passing by mountain ridges and quiet villages, they eventually stopped at a moonlit forest for a rest.


    One day, they reached a prosperous place by the name of Hanzhong. Due to word they heard about a well-known orthopedic in the city, the two went in to seek his medical care and to receive treatment. Then, they took some time to sell the ox cart as well and exchanged it for a more convenient carriage pulled by horses instead.


    By the time they came out of town, dusk had already dyed the sky red.


    At about ten li away from the city, Zhou Xiaoxiao buried the cooking pot and began preparing dinner. In the dim twilight, they had the towering ancient city right behind them while the vast wilderness lay in front. The light smoke coming from the pot while their food simmered was able to warm them considerably, and even brought with it a sense of rustic charm.


    The light of the flames illuminated Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes. She looked at the large pot that was covered tight with sand and soil, thinking about the stinkhorn chicken soup simmering within, as well as the sweet potatoes buried underneath the embers, and couldn¡¯t help swallowing back her saliva.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had been a big foodie since her last life. Besides enjoying food, she would also make her own. Also, not long after she graduated and resigned from her stable job, she opened a WeChat store that specialized in selling various ancient and traditional snacks.


    Relying on the skills she learned from her great grandfather who was a dim sum master, as well as the various recipes she learned from all over after growing up, she learned to make yeast roasted duck, poached chicken, drunken crab, pickled ginger, some puff snacks, ancient mooncakes, and all sorts of other traditional foodstuffs.


    Thanks to her being raised in a wealthy family that pampered her from a young age, Zhou Xiaoxiao ran her shop very wilfully. The product price was expensive and the quantity was always small. What she sold was based on her mood, and she only prepared food with ingredients that were in season. The only standards she kept to was her selection of materials and craftsmanship that could be considered to come from careful selection and her goods were produced in good conscience.


    Perhaps there were parts of it that was well-suited to the novelty of a modern person, that though the amounts she produced each day was in short supply, she was still able to slowly build herself a rather popular online shop. If it weren¡¯t for her being too lazy as a shop owner, and also dying too early, that shop could have grown to become a well-known brand in the future.


    After transmigrating, she was missing many of modern day¡¯s equipments and ingredients, but the natural and organic ingredients found everywhere could still satisfy her ghoulish appetite. In regards to food, she had never once been frugal whether for her or for Yu Xingzhi. She put much focus every day on bringing out the best of the ingredients they managed to procure each day.


    A thick aroma gradually leaked out from the pot. Zhou Xiaoxiao sucked in a breath and thought in satisfaction, even if I don¡¯t get married, I should still be able to open a small shop to earn a living. In this era where information was not widely available and with craftsmen that all kept to themselves, I should be able to mix in well here with my accumulated skills of the eight regional cuisines.


    At this moment, Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°Being on the move day and night is truly a difficult task. We are not much farther from the Fengxiang Prefecture where my elder brother resides, so we do not have to be at as much of a rush as we were. Even staying at an inn in a city should be fine.¡±


    ¡°It may be fine, but¡­¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao slowly stoked the fire and said, ¡°I can¡¯t help but think that our trip has been going too smoothly. We did not even bump into a single pursuer. It is still best for us to be cautious.¡±

 Chapter 26 - If a Boy Closes His Eyes, That Means He Wants You to Kiss Him (3)

    ¡°With the vileness of the things they partake in, they may only walk in the shadows. Right now, we are both at Hanzhong, far away from the Lin family¡¯s sphere of influence. Even those bandits would not dare to capture me so openly. But your words ring true as well, being cautious is never wrong.¡± Yu Xingzhi took over in stoking the flames and continued, ¡°I am just sorry that I have involved a girl like you, that you have to end up suffering such poor living conditions with me. Let me do it, you can take a rest.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and passed the work of cooking to Yu Xingzhi. Since someone is feeling bad, she should just take the opportunity to rest. Zhou Xiaoxiao found herself a comfortable position to lay back and picked up a blackened branch, drawing a cuckoo bird on the stone at her feet.


    With a few strokes, a lively and cute little bird emerged.


    Unfortunately, she had taken up sketching when she was still in school. If she had known she would transmigrate, then she would have taken traditional Chinese painting, so Zhou Xiaoxiao thought as she admired her work narcissistically.


    ¡°A good drawing, I can almost hear it breathing,¡± Yu Xingzhi praised from the side. He picked up another branch and with a wave of his hand, wrote down a line of words. The strokes of his writing was both charming and filled with life.


    What he wrote was a short poem from the poet Li Shangyin¡¯s collection: Emperor Wang¡¯s Spring Heart and the Cuckoo


    ¡°Such well-written words.¡±


    ¡°The legends say that Emperor Wang¡¯s courtesy name was that of the cuckoo bird, Zigui.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°My courtesy name is Zigui as well.¡±(The story is: Emperor Wang turns into a cuckoo bird after he abdicates the throne and he cries in spring, which is a metaphor for love/lust, for his lover.)


    Is this old-fashioned flirting?


    The way ancient people expressed their romantic thoughts were very vague, but Zhou Xiaoxiao also expresses that she likes this very much.


    And so, the two of them enjoyed their graffiti side by side.


    ¡°I can see that your movements are coming more and more smoothly these days. The doctor said today that as long as you took good care of yourself, you will have no troubles. Does it really not hurt anymore?¡±


    ¡°When you mention it, it is still a little¡­uncomfortable.¡± Yu Xingzhi¡¯s ears were tinged with a light shade of red.


    Yu Xingzhi had always been a very restrained person, so he would not easily mention it even if he were severely injured. It was this sentence that stunned Zhou Xiaoxiao for a moment before she came to her senses.


    ¡°Sigh, you¡¯ve become naughty.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao nudged him and said, ¡°If you want to listen to a story, you can just tell me. There is no need to urge me in this way.¡±


    The gentleman who wanted to listen to her stories but was too embarrassed to say it just smiled.


    ¡°Fine then, where did we leave off last time? I think we stopped at the cherry blossom island, where the owner was picking a son-in-law¡­¡±


    The wilderness was beginning to grow cold but the flames still hummed warmly. The two of them enjoyed their tasteful chicken soup and had their roasted sweet potatoes.


    Under the starry sky, he listened as Zhou Xiaoxiao mentioned of songs about green tides within the sword-testing pavilion.


    The sounds of the nights grew louder, and Zhou Xiaoxiao began to feel a little sleepy.


    In her daze, a soft voice sighed, ¡°I just don¡¯t know why the island owner Huang disliked Guo Jing so much.¡±


    ¡°They were of differing ideologies and standing, they had never been a good match to begin with.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes were struggling to stay open, and even her speech began to slur. ¡°He is a scholarly and graceful man from a noble family, of course he would not be able to stand someone unsophisticated like him who grew up in the savage wildlands¡­¡±


    But before she could finish speaking, her body leaned over to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s, and she fell asleep.


    During her sleep, she had no idea that Yu Xingzhi had gently covered her with a blanket and set her head on his lap, sitting by himself in front of the flames for a long time.


    There is no need for you to think about such things.

 Chapter 27 - How Did I Make Him Cry? I Havent Even Started Crying Yet (1)

    The two walked leisurely together and finally reached the outside of Fengyang City. In the distance was the towering walls of the ancient city with villages on both sides. Large fields of pale reeds were swaying in the wind. Both of them could feel their moods lifting up instantly.


    Since Yu Xingzhi¡¯s brother, Yu Xingyi, was stationed here as a third commander in civil matters, taking up the title of General Dingyuan.


    Yu Xingzhi came from a prominent family. His father, Yu Dunsu, was given the title of duke for his meritorious deeds in war, while his eldest brother Yu Xingyong was his successor. With five sons in the Yu family, Yu Xingzhi was the youngest of them all. He had four elder brothers before him, and also two elder sisters.


    While on their way, they began to chat with each other. Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that all that happened to Yu Xingzhi happened because of one person.


    It was the emperor¡¯s sixth child, Cheng Shizhao, whom he grew up with.


    The imperial mother of the sixth royal prince, Guo Dafei, was the sister of the same wound to Mother Yu. Guo Dafei died early, and her son was left behind a child.


    At a young age, Cheng Shizhao had no dependant. As his mother was not of a prominent family, he himself did not receive much care from people. At a young age, he lived a difficult life in the palace.


    Mother Yu had a deep relationship with her sister, so she did her best to take care of Cheng Shizhao in his childhood, and so sent her young child into the palace to become the sixth prince¡¯s companion. The two cousin brothers studied together under the renown scholar Song Ziwen and became exceptionally close.


    Cheng Shizhao and his cousin, Yu Wulang, were close in age and complementary in temperaments. For a while, they were rarely seen apart from each other. They were both outstanding in appearance and suave men and were known as the two jades in the capital for a while.


    Having lost his dependant at a young age, he had been an inconspicuous child among the princes, and he was also quite the cynic. Besides flirting with women and fooling around with all sorts of people, he did not have any other strengths.


    But who knew that he would actually show his brilliancy suddenly after he got older.


    In the 31st year of the Jinyuan Dynasty, Cheng Shizhao, currently 19, and his elder brother, King of Wu, Cheng Shihuan, went on an expedition to battle the Huns, winning three battles out of three, showing his extraordinary military prowess for the first time.


    In the 33rd year, he was ordered to lead the soldiers of Henan, Shanxi, and various others with the duke outside of the city to grow grains in the wastelands, and act as border defense.


    In the 35th year, he was then named King of Yan thanks to his repeated achievements, finally becoming a popular member of royalty from being an idle prince.


    King Yan was a man with striking brows, sharp eyes and an appearance of majesty, becoming a brimming contender to the blessed crown prince of the east palace with their contrast. In recent years, he had been shunned by the crown prince, and the two became rivals.


    A scholar of the Wuying Temple, Lin Yuanmao, is one of the crown prince¡¯s most elite men, and his son, Lin Bingren, had always been vicious in his tactics. So, he formed a plan drawn from drastic measures to kidnap the youngest of the Duke¡¯s residence, which was the fifth child whom the King of Yan was closest to. He forced him all the way to Chuanshu, secretly imprisoned him, tortured him, and forced him to write letters of him confessing to be an enemy to the nation, a betrayer, in order to slander the king.

 Chapter 28 - How Did I Make Him Cry? I Haven’t Even Started Crying Yet (2)

    Ch.28 How Did I Make Him Cry? I Haven¡¯t Even Started Crying Yet (2)


    ¡°The trees wish to stay silent but the wind allows it not. If we return thus, storm will definitely hit the capital. Even if Brother Shizhao wishes to retreat, I am only afraid that there will be no road for him to step back to.¡± Yu Xingzhi sighed softly in the carriage.


    ¡°After entering Fengxiang City, and find your second brother, General Dingyuan, our safety would at least be assured. My nerves that had been pulled taut this entire trip would also finally be able to loosen.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao casually chatted with him while she sat at the front of the carriage, driving the horse.


    She was in a very relaxed mood. Battles like these were just like pages out of a history book for her, it was distant and hardly realistic.


    She figured that her business may come to an end after sending Yu Xingzhi to the city. At the very most, things would become like a love story between star-crossed lovers.


    While sleepily driving the horses, she suddenly heard a loud sound break out from behind.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt like her back had just been hit by a hammer.


    Following that, a twang of pain gushed over her, and as her vision darkened, she fell to the horse.


    A sharp arrow had hit her from behind and penetrated through her shoulder.


    I¡¯ve been hit by an arrow! She suddenly realized.


    Practically at the same time, several more arrows came shooting over, all of them piercing the carriage.


    Loud sounds could be heard coming from both sides of the road.


    The safety they had enjoyed thus far was all just an illusion. Their pursuers had been lying in wait for an ambush like they were hunting rabbits.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth and tried her best to turn the horses around. The carriage swerved off the road and rushed straight into the reed fields instead.


    Only by rushing into the reeds and sneaking in the wetlands would they be able to find a chance to live!


    Zhou Dujuan¡¯s physique had been strong to begin with and her nerves were thick. If this was the original Zhou Dujuan, she would be able to support herself for quite some time even after having been shot.


    Unfortunately, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s soul took over, and she was a spoiled young master who had never suffered any hardships. After being shot through by an arrow, she felt so much pain that she could hardly contain herself, and her vision was beginning to grow faint.


    Fortunately, Yu Xingzhi came out soon to check the situation. He helped her up from behind and managed to take over the reins in time.


    By the time Zhou Xiaoxiao was barely able to gather her consciousness from the pain, she found herself and Yu Xingzhi half-submerged in the cold river water, hiding in the dense thicket of reeds. Yu Xingzhi was carrying her, and keeping the upper half of her body atop the water.


    It was noisy all around them. Clearly, a large number of pursuers were currently looking for them. The situation was extremely critical.


    It turns out that Lin Bingren still had tricks up his sleeve. He must have been waiting at several points throughout Fengxiang and the capital, waiting for them to grab the bait and come.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao and Yu Xingzhi were one modern woman and a noble young master. Having no such exciting experiences in their life, they were completely unprepared when falling into this net.


    It hurts, there¡¯s a stinging pain coming from my shoulder.


    It hurts too much, Zhou Xiaoxiao thought in pain.


    I died from being stabbed in my last life, and now I¡¯m suffering through this again. Seems like I won¡¯t last any longer.


    What did I transmigrate into this world for? Just for me to rescue this handsome man for a bit?


    From her angle, she could see Yu Xingzhi frowning as he listened to the movements around them. The muscles of his jaw were clenched tight, and sweat was dripping straight down to his cheeks, all the way down.

 Chapter 29 - How Did I Make Him Cry? I Haven’t Even Started Crying Yet (3)

    Ch.29 How Did I Make Him Cry? I Haven¡¯t Even Started Crying Yet (3)


    Zhou Xiaoxiao raised a hand to touch Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face which was covered in sweat.


    Yu Xingzhi who was on full alert instantly looked down.


    His eyes were so beautiful. That charming shape, those dense lashes, and eyes that seemed to be filled with a sea of stars¡­They looked at her with so much warmth, such tenderness, encouragement, anger, deploration, and countless other unclear feelings.


    Sigh, forget it. It¡¯s better for one person to die here than two. Since I¡¯ve transmigrated over, I can¡¯t just report back without having done anything.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was overwhelmed by his beauty, and she was ready to sacrifice herself bravely like it had been written down in the book.


    She wanted to shout to him, leave first, I¡¯ll deal with things here.


    But of course, she knows that saying that is useless. Yu Xingzhi was not someone who can be persuaded as easily as that. Even if she wanted to die first, that still wasn¡¯t an easy task.


    ¡°Put me down and run away.¡± She reached out to block Yu Xingzhi¡¯s anxious mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let me finish.¡±


    She sighed, endured the pain, and tried to make herself clear without being too loud.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you must have also noticed it. I¡­I¡¯m not a person of this world.¡±


    With that out, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s pupils shrank. With his hoarse voice, he said with pain, ¡°Don¡¯t say any more.¡±


    ¡°No, listen to me carefully. I¡¯m not the same as you. I won¡¯t die. Or I should say that though I will die, I can still live elsewhere. It¡¯s¡­a bit like the legends here. I¡¯m just a soul borrowing a dead body.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand me? As long as you keep yourself alive, we will be able to meet in the future.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt like a fox spirit from mythology. In the cold wildlands, at the most critical moment, caressing the face of the scholar, softly alluding him to put down his holy scriptures, believe in her promises of resurrection and meeting again in their next lives.


    She took out her best set of acting skills and though she appeared to be speaking with ease, she had exhausted the will of her entire body to make up a clever lie to convince this smart but stubborn man.


    Sorry, I actually lied to you. Maybe this death will be the end, and maybe even after transmigrating several times, I still won¡¯t be able to come back to you, but I really hope you¡¯ll live.


    Please, just let me go and run away.


    Suddenly, a drop of water hit Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face.


    Stunned, she touched her own face.


    Translucent teardrops fell from above her, flickering under the sunlight, and shattering as drops down on her face.


    Then another, and another.


    How did I make him cry? I haven¡¯t even started crying yet.


    Yu Xingzhi revealed a face that was both sad and pained. ¡°Since you say you won¡¯t die, then let¡¯s try dying together.¡±


    Before waiting for her to react, Yu Xingzhi put the two hollow reeds he had prepared early on in their mouths, held her tight, and jumped into the water together.


    Before she was submerged in the bone-biting cold of the water, Zhou Xiaoxiao heard the man speak in her ear through a voice that croaked with sadness.


    ¡°Please, bear it for a moment. You have to hold on, for me. Don¡¯t die.¡±


    The dark and cold river water submerged her body in an instant, drowning all her senses.


    She wished to say, how could you swim out of here with yourself injured as well as I?


    Simply foolish¡­


    But the bubbling river water caused her to be unable to open her mouth.


    A huge gush of pain came from her back, throwing her completely into the deep abyss of her coma.


    Within this chaos, the only thing she could feel was the tight hold of those two arms around her. It was like a string tied to the end of a kite, pulling her back every time her soul tried to float away, pulling her back to earth so that she would not be lost completely to the heavens.

 Chapter 30 - He Dropped to His Knees and Kowtowed to Her Six Times (1)

    By the time Zhou Xiaoxiao woke up, she found herself lying on a large bed embroidered with a complicated pattern.


    An elegant ink painting was hung above the bed, and the mattress was covered in satin brocades. She opened her eyes and saw two young girls opening the curtains and inquiring her status in soft voices. There was also an older woman who had come over to check on her injuries.


    This woman was not very tall. There was a smooth bun atop her head and she was dressed in plain and simple clothes. She had a very kind appearance. With her dry and warm palm, she touched Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s forehead. Only then did she turn around and ordered, ¡°Quickly tell the general and his wife, the miss has woken up.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had just wanted to speak but she suddenly realized her throat felt dry and painful as if she had been choking. Besides that, her entire body was very weak.


    The woman pressed down Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°Miss, rest is important, please lay down if you wish to recover. I will have you know you were just dragged back from the gates of hell, we were barely able to pull you back from the hands of Yamaraja. How could you move so recklessly after such an ordeal?¡±


    She took over a bowl of rice gruel from one of the girls and slowly fed a few spoonfuls of it to Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took a breath and finally left a bit more life in her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled at her and revealed a questioning look.


    ¡°You are currently in General Dingyuan¡¯s residence. This old woman is surnamed Wu, and I am a doctor who specializes in treating physical injuries. I¡¯ve learned quite a few things these past few decades. As your injury is at your shoulder, it would not be convenient for a general physician to treat you. It is hard to find female doctors at this time, so they had me come to take care of you. Please, just call me Aunt Wu.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tried to mouth out Yu Xingzhi¡¯s name to ask about him.


    Then, Aunt Wu responded, ¡°If miss wishes to ask about Fifth Master Yu¡¯s condition, you may rest assured. Both you and the Fifth Master are blessed. I heard that the Fifth Master rushed into the general¡¯s residence with you on that day. Both of you were covered in blood, it was a life-threatening situation, and it frightened everyone. The Fifth Master¡¯s injuries were complicated, and it was hard to seek medical help in this remote region of Fengxiang. So, the general arranged some men to drive him on a carriage to the capital to be treated. Miss has been in a coma for more than half a month, but a letter had been received from the capital just a few days prior, informing of the Fifth Master¡¯s injuries. Being in the care of the Xinglin doctor, Lin Li, I¡¯m sure he must be fine. However, with miss¡¯s injuries you should not be moved, so staying here while you recover is more secure. The general and his wife have invited surgical masters from all over and specially brought me here to take care of you. God has pity after all, and he finally gave his blessings, for you have woken up.¡±


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao heard that Yu Xingzhi was safe, she finally felt relieved. She even grinned at the kind-looking Aunt Wu.


    What a cheerful and strong child, Aunt Wu thought to herself.


    Her husband was a military doctor who worked under the duke. After many years of following the duke, and finally retiring from old age, he still could not let go of his brothers in arms. Coupled with his loneliness, with a lack of successors or other family, he brought his old wife to Fengxiang and planted their roots there, opening up a clinic that specialized in physical injuries.


    The general of the army often came to seek him every time he was met with any unforeseen misfortunes. After the Yu family¡¯s second son took over the garrison here, they had frequent exchanges.


    He and the Yu family shared similar origins, so of course, when they asked for her help, she would not refuse them. She also took special care of Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    While speaking, they suddenly heard someone say from the outside, ¡°The madam is here.¡±


    Following that, a girl opened the curtains, and they saw several girls attending to a woman as she entered. This person was not dressed luxuriously, but she had her own aura of magnificence.

 Chapter 31 - He Dropped to His Knees and Kowtowed to Her Six Times (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao knew instantly that this was General Dingyuan¡¯s madam, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s second sister-in-law, Xia Qinglian.


    She had a face bright as a moon with tender skin like butter. With her kindly eyes, she looked very amiable.


    Though she came in a hurry, she did not mess her skirt in the slightest as she took each graceful lotus step. She sat down beside the bed and inquired her situation. Her every move seemed like descriptions straight out from lines of a poem.


    This is a young lady descended from noble clans in these ancient times. She could finally say that she had set her eyes on the ladylike grace mentioned in the legends, Zhou Xiaoxiao expressed her conviction.


    However, she could not get up and could only express her gratefulness with a smile.


    A few moments later, two old women brought up a screen and placed it down before inviting a doctor in.


    The doctor inquired carefully about her situation while Aunt Wu uncovered her bandages on the other side and responded after examining her.


    Another girl came to pull down the embroidered curtains before laying down a pillow and revealing only one of Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms. They even covered her palm with a handkerchief, exposing only her veins.


    Only then did the man step around the screen. After a careful examination of her pulse, he got up and excused himself to Xia Qinglian.


    Xia Qinglian said, ¡°Please have a talk with us outside, the general is waiting.¡± After a sound of acknowledgment, the doctor excused himself.


    Then, the deep voice of a man rang out from outside. ¡°Thank you, doctor. Please have some tea.¡± It was Yu Xingzhi¡¯s second brother, Yu Xingyi, who was waiting outside.


    After this tedious process, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt like she wanted to cry, but no tears would come.


    It¡¯s just a physical injury, an arrow wound, a penetrating injury.


    Brothers and sisters, if I can recover after having the doctor touch my wrist while I¡¯m wrapped up in layers, it would be a miracle. No wonder I¡¯ve been in a coma for half a month.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao complained several times in her heart, but tried to comfort herself that since she transmigrated, she can only follow the customs here. Everything will be better after you get used to it.


    Fortunately, she still had Aunt Wu here. Perhaps it was due to her advanced age and having stayed by her military doctor of a husband for a long time, she was actually quite dextrous in her actions, and she was very skilled when it came to bandaging and applying medicine.


    When Xiang Qinglian saw how dispirited Zhou Xiaoxiao was, she thought that she was still worried about her condition, so she tried her best to comfort her and telling her that she needed only to focus on recovering here. She also told her to tell her if any of the girls here were not being thorough enough, and if there was anything she needed or wanted to eat, she need only say the word.


    Her voice was gentle and her heart was sincere. Zhou Xiaoxiao was very grateful for this. After comforting her for a while, Xia Qinglian was worried that Zhou Xiaoxiao would be fatigued, so she ordered everyone to exit the room, leaving behind only Aunt Wu and a few girls to take care of her.


    And thus, Zhou Xiaoxiao worked on recovering from her injury in the general¡¯s residence.


    During her rest, a month passed in the blink of an eye.


    Thanks to the meticulous care they offered her in the residence, and also Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s body that was strong to begin with, she was able to recover completely less than a month later.


    Perhaps it was thanks to her having taken many more nutritious foods during this time and also not having to work under rain or sun, her face was more radiant than before she was injured, and fairer. While living in the general¡¯s residence, she also got along well with the madam, so the two got to calling each other sisters in their daily lives.


    One day, after General Dingyuan, Yu Xingyi, returned from the barracks, he saw his wife Xia Qinglian sitting in the room, holding a letter with a frown between her brows, seemingly worried.


    Thus, he asked, ¡°My wife, what has troubled you? Please tell me.¡±


    Xia Qinglian passed him the letter. ¡°My mother has sent us a letter today, but it is quite difficult a matter for me.¡±


    After reading the letter, Yu Xingzhi frowned.

 Chapter 32 - He Dropped to His Knees and Kowtowed to Her Six Times (3)

    Xia Qinglian pondered and said, ¡°Fifth Uncle had always been so gentle and courteous, I have never heard anything of a rebellion. I wonder how he has made mother so angry! She has left him practically no room for considerations.¡±


    ¡°The court is in such an urgent situation but they still have the mood to think of such things! They truly are¡­¡± Yu Xingyi closed his mouth. One was his parent, and the other his younger brother. So, he swallowed down those profanities commonly heard in the barracks. ¡°Let us ignore what mother thinks for now. What do you think of this Miss Zhou?¡±


    ¡°If we should describe only her character, I would say Sister Zhou is quite the special one.¡± Xia Qinglian thought for a moment and said, ¡°No woman I know is as bright and hearty as she, but she is not at all vulgar nor rude. Having interacted with her this past month, I do say we get along rather well.¡±


    ¡°My wife, you are so noble a woman that it is rare to see you compliment anyone. In this case, I will write up a reply to mother. After fifth brother gets married in the future, we will send Miss Zhou to the capital. We will arrange a banquet for him to make her his concubine, and that shall be it. After all, she saved his life, people will have no room to talk.¡±


    Xia Qinglian could not help but laugh. She knew that her husband was a bit slow in this regard. ¡°If he wished only take her his concubine, then that would have been no issue. My husband, you have not read through the letter carefully, have you?¡±


    ¡°A marriage involves the family of two, so one¡¯s parents must definitely be respected. We are sons of the duke, and both of us are men of prestigious titles. To marry a simple commoner is simply preposterous! He will not utter those rebellious words ever again. I think this is just a young and frivolous impulse, it will be just a matter of time. Mother should not be too worried. Fifth brother has always been a sensible kid since he was young, he will definitely learn better as he grows.¡±


    ¡°I do not think so. I have also watched over him since he was young. Everyone calls him a gentle child, but they do not know of the pride in his heart. He has a strong will that none can ever bend. If he is serious, then I¡¯m afraid his mind will not change so easily.¡± Xia Qinglian frowned. ¡°Not to mention, this Miss Zhou may not accept being a mere concubine either.¡±


    Yu Xingyi was displeased. ¡°And what, does she hope to become a proper young noble lady of our household?¡±


    Xia Qinglian reached out to tap a finger on her husband¡¯s forehead and laughed. ¡°Do you think only men of the duke¡¯s household can marry? Do you think she would not be able to find another man she loves, and to become the proper wife of a different, simple man?¡±


    ¡°Would she ever entertain that thought?¡±


    ¡°From my observations of her, it definitely seems so.¡±


    ¡°In this case, I must trouble my wife to give her an invitation. Ignoring this matter, she has given her life to save fifth brother after all. I must thank her in person.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had been living in the general¡¯s residence for some time, but she had never actually seen the Dingyuan General, Yu Xingyi himself.


    On this day, the general¡¯s wife came personally to invite her and said that the general has requested her audience.


    After tidying her dress, she followed Xia Qinglian to the main building and entered the main hall.


    Then, she saw the tall stately officeholder dressed in finely-carved silver armor, and his hair secured into a golden crown. He had a strong body, and his face was about half similar to Yu Xingzhi, but with more fighting spirit within it.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that this must be Yu Xingyi, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s second brother. Just as she was about to cup her fist in greeting, her hand was taken by Xia Qinglian, and she was led inside the hall to sit.


    Suddenly, Yu Xingyi pushed aside his dignity and dropped to his knees, kowtowing to her six times.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked. Just as she was about to help him up, a thread connected in her mind, and she instantly understood his meaning.


    If me and Yu Xingzhi could continue our relationship, his family would not have done so. Since a big man like his brother could get down on his knees, that meant he wanted to settle this debt completely and cut off their relationship.


    After understanding this, Zhou Xiaoxiao also slowly steadied herself and accepted the six bows. Then, she reached out to him and said, ¡°For the general to offer this great bow is something this one cannot be worthy to accept.¡±

 Chapter 33 - Xia Qinglian Could Only Arrange a Carriage and Allow Her to Go (1)

    Yu Xingyi got up after he finished his bow. ¡°This lady, you have put your life aside to save my brother¡¯s life, and so you are a great benefactor of our Yu family, and should receive our thanks. I did not wish to interrupt you as you were recovering from your injury before this, but today, I must see to it that my gratitude is shown.¡±


    Then, he ordered the feast to be brought to the table and invited Zhou Xiaoxiao to sit at the foremost position. Xia Qinglian sat opposite to her, while he himself sat to the side between the two.


    While waiting for the drinks to be served, the couple took turns raising their cups, hoping to cheers to her again.


    But Zhou Xiaoxiao stopped them and said, ¡°I am your junior, so please, you don¡¯t have to be too polite or it will trouble me.¡±


    Yu Xingyi said, ¡°Fifth brother is the youngest amongst us brothers, so me and my elder brothers treasure him most. even more so, our parents and grandparents treat him as their lives. If this young miss had not shown us this good, then I¡¯m afraid we would not even know now how we should face the heavens.¡±


    In the end, the couple each offered her another toast before they finally took their seats.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao even said politely, ¡°During times of crisis, it is a friend¡¯s right to protect each other. You do not have to be so polite, sir general and sister.¡±


    Xia Qinglian made a small gesture while she spoke, and several maidservants rushed in, holding lacquered dishes containing jewelry of gold and jade, as well as fine silks and satins. All sorts of things were brought in, and each of them no less finner than the rest. For a moment, the room was filled with a dazzling assortment.


    Xia Qinglian got up and pointed each one of the items to show Zhou Xiaoxiao. ¡°These are all gifts of my mother¡¯s sincerity that she has sent from the capital, hoping to use them as thanks to you, sister. I hope you will not push these gifts away.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at the first tray in front of her. Atop the delicately created hairpins and jade bangles is a banknote, one worth a thousand liang of silver. Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at it silently and suddenly laughed. She raised her hand lightly, and after a few polite words, accepted this generous gift.


    During the feast, when the couple took turns toasting her, Zhou Xiaoxiao did not refuse them. Both sides came and went in their friendly exchange, and both guest and host were happy. At the end of it, Zhou Xiaoxiao excused herself and returned.


    After Yu Xingyi sent away the guest, he went back inside to see Xia Qinglian sitting at the table. With dimples at her cheeks and face pink like peach blossoms, she could not help but laugh, ¡°I have only shared a few cups with her, but I am no match at all.¡±


    ¡°I never thought that Sister Zhou would have such good tolerance of alcohol.¡± Xia Qinglian toucher her heated cheek and said, ¡°My husband, about today¡­¡±


    But Yu Xingyi did not speak. He sat down bold and uninhibited by the side. He reached out two fingers and lightly tapped them on the table.


    In his heart, he thought about the many years he stayed on the battlefield. His body was covered in a fierce air that when seen by any ordinary men, would cause them to wince, much less women.


    Thinking about how none of the maidservants by his side were tense like small birds, this young woman was actually quite stable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my wife. From what I can see, this Miss Zhou is smart.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister Zhou is quite the clever one. She understood in an instant. She instantly changed her tone and mentioned him only by his courtesy name, Zigui, showing that the two were mere friends. She has accepted both mother¡¯s generous gift and your courteous token, but I am only afraid that she has understood everything.¡±


    ¡°Miss Zhou is a sensible girl. It¡¯s just when I recall what Fifth Brother looked like before he left. I¡¯m afraid this situation will not be solved so easily. We will have to see the situation as it goes.¡±


    Xia Qinglian could not blame her either. Her mother-in-law truly had thrown the hot potato to her this time. If you did well in separating a couple, you would receive no merit, but if you did not settle it well, it would only incur her fifth brother-in-law¡¯s hate towards the family.


    But if the couple had any comments on this matter, they will not express it for the time being.


    After a few days, Zhou Xiaoxiao packed up and came to say farewell to Xia Qinglian. Xia Qinglian was very shocked and she took Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°Has any of the servant girls made you unhappy? You can tell me about it, there¡¯s nothing that cannot be solved with words.¡±

 Chapter 34 - Xia Qinglian Could Only Arrange a Carriage and Allow Her to Go (2)

    Ch.34 Xia Qinglian Could Only Arrange a Carriage and Allow Her to Go (2)


    ¡°Sister, you have taken wondrous care of me these days, and you have been most attentive to me in every aspect. I am very grateful for it,¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said sincerely. ¡°However, it is time for me to go. I may be a woman, but I still have a few tricks in me, I can protect myself. I will come to visit often in the future, so I hope sister will not get sick of me then.¡±


    ¡°Now, how will that happen?¡± Xia Qinglian was truly stunned. It had been a deep-rooted thought for her since she was a child that women were dependent of man. Of their fathers since their birth, and then their husbands when they marry. The thought of a woman standing by herself had never been a thought that crossed her mind.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had thought a lot these days and realized she did not have much skill to make it anywhere in these ancient times. The only thing she was good at was cooking, so she at least had things to do still.


    Even though she was going back to an old craft, she was still unfamiliar with her surroundings. She did not plan to do anything too complicated, just focusing on making a few pastries in a small stall.


    She had prepared her speech early on, so everything came out smoothly as soon as she opened her mouth.


    ¡°My grandfather was a pastry chef and I¡¯ve been learning from him since I was young. Thus, I have decided to open a small pastry shop to earn some money. I was born in a town and not used to being constrained, so it has always been my belief that I can only be happy by being independent. I hope sister can understand this.¡±


    She pulled over Aunt Wu who had been walking over and said, ¡°Speaking of which, it must be fate, but after I mentioned this to Aunt Wu a few days ago, and she happened to mention that a lot on the street west of her house was vacant. Thus, I discussed it with her and decided to rent the shop and live there. With her watching on from the side, I¡¯m sure I will be saved from incurring any trouble.¡±


    Aunt Wu said as well, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, madam. Only me and my husband occupies that house, and it is empty during the day. Miss Zhou is a very lively girl and I like her very much. If she moves in with us, it will add a lot of life to our place.¡±


    Unable to make her stay, Xia Qinglian could only arrange a carriage and allow her to go.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao did not have any luggage with her, so she just packed up the jewelry given by Mother Yu as well as several pieces of clothing, wrapped them up into a bundle, and boarded the carriage with Aunt Wu.


    When Yu Xingyi returned and heard of the incident, he said, ¡°Simply nonsense. She has neither father nor mother, how could she stand on her own as an orphan? If she meets any mishaps in the future, it will be no laughing matter.¡±


    ¡°Sister Zhou has already made her decision, I could not make her stay.¡± Xia Qinglian said, ¡°Moreover, mother does not have any intentions of accepting the two of them together, and yet we have allowed her residence in our home. How would we see each other in the future? You are asking to make my life difficult.¡±


    Yu Xingyi shook his head and sighed. ¡°Fine, fine. Nothing we can do about it. I have already told Uncle and Aunt Wu to take care of her in my stead. My wife, you must remember to send people to check on her. If she has any troubles in the future, we can just do our very best to help her then.¡±


    ¡°Of course this advice needs not be said, I know what to do. Just¡­Sister Zhou had a request before she left, and it seems you are going to come of help soon, great general.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Zhou Xiaoxiao has come here while fleeing, and her parents were already gone, so she has no family. Now, she wishes to establish her foothold in this place, so she would require your help.¡±


    Yu Xingyi thought to himself: Indeed, this was no difficult matter. Only, if she had thought up to this point, then it can be seen that she fully intends to set her roots on Fengxiang. This girl is indeed different from the others, it can be seen that Fifth Brother¡¯s judge of character is not quite so bad.


    On the other hand, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Aunt Wu were already on their way. They arrived at a large street paved in bluestone, and from one end, you could not see the other from where you stood. They named this place Qingshi street.

 Chapter 35 - Xia Qinglian Could Only Arrange a Carriage and Allow Her to Go (3)

    Ch.35 Xia Qinglian Could Only Arrange a Carriage and Allow Her to Go (3)


    After the two got off, they saw many vendors on the streets, all selling fruits, oil, meat, clothing, candy, and whatnot. There were a total of 120 stalls on both sides, and while it was bustling, everything was neat and orderly.


    A variety of trade was happening on this street, from selling their crafts to skills like fortune-telling, all sorts of things were on display.


    Only a single alley could be found on that street, and a small clinic could be found there. A plaque was present on both sides, one wrote ¡°Cuts¡±, while the other wrote ¡°Bruises¡±. They both looked really old.


    Though the doors were open, nobody could be seen inside. Passing by the shop, they arrived at the Wu family home. Stacks of firewood could be seen on both sides of the stone path in front of the door, while a man aged fifty or so could be seen seated by it.


    The man was slouched over, smoking a bag of tobacco. This person had clearly been working hard for many years, as his skin could be seen as tanned, and his body thin. His face was covered in deep wrinkles, causing him to appear quite old. When he saw the two, he knocked the ashes from his pipe under his soles and stood up. This man was Wu Daoquan, Aunt Wu¡¯s husband.


    Aunt Wu stepped forward and introduced, ¡°Man of the house, meet Miss Zhou.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao greeted him and said, ¡°Uncle Wu.¡±


    Wu Daoquan merely nodded and did not answer. Then, he turned around and went inside.


    Aunt Wu apologized to Zhou Xiaoxiao with a smile. ¡°Please do not mind him, he has never been one who enjoyed talking. In truth, when he heard that you were coming, he did not even head to the shop today. He spent the whole day waiting for you to arrive.¡±


    While speaking, he took Zhou Xiaoxiao inside.


    The Wu family residence was a small house with small rooms on each side of the house. There lived the old veteran Chen who was there as the doorkeeper. Besides him, they had no other servants. Aunt and Uncle Wu were responsible for all the daily chores around the house.


    After entering the door, they were greeted by a large courtyard with some bamboo growing at the corners. There were no other plants grown there, and the entire area was leveled with loess with eighteen types of weapons displayed on both sides, pans for drying herbs, tools, and other sundries. Clearly, the owner of this house was a man fond of sword dances and displays, but it was not very elegant, and the courtyard practically seemed like a school.


    A small path could be found after passing the courtyard that was paved with stone slabs. There should have been a door there, but it had long been broken, leaving behind only two dirt walls. Large water jars were placed on both sides while three or four wing-rooms could be found on both sides that were filled with miscellaneous items.


    At the end of the road was a large hall. Both the wooden beams and the walls had seen some years, and they were now colored a deep brown. At the very center of it was a shrine dedicated to several deities. A shared table was placed in front of them, and it was decorated with items such as incense, candles, and so on.


    There were two small doors to the left and right of the hall. Once you go through them, you would be greeted with a small yard. On its right were three rooms, and where Aunt Wu and her husband stayed.


    On the left was a small archway that could fit only one person. Passing through that, you would see a small lane with high walls on both sides. After passing through that, you would come to another small yard, and that would be the west lateral court It was surrounded by several small rooms as well as a two-storied building. A door could be found below, and it exited to the lively Qingshi street. At the left of the door were two shopfronts arranged side by side.


    The west lateral court and the two lots were rented together. The room could be converted into a workshop, while the two suites on the upper floor of the small building could be used to take in guests. In the future, she could purchase a few servant girls and have them stay downstairs. Even though it wasn¡¯t big, it was big enough. There was access through the side door, it was both private and convenient. Zhou Xiaoxiao was very satisfied with this place and signed the lease contract with Aunt Wu immediately.


    Aunt Wu was a very thoughtful person, so she cleaned the place inside out long ago. Not long after, the Yu residence also sent some people over with bedding and clothing, as well as a variety of fine silks Zhou Xiaoxiao had not taken with her. Having been sent over by the maidservants, Zhou Xiaoxiao did not have to intervene and it was already packed neatly into her new residence.

 Chapter 36 - Request A Master to Teach Me in the Future (1)

    Ch.36 Request A Master to Teach Me in the Future (1)


    Once the crowd dispersed, Zhou Xiaoxiao sat in her neat room and felt very satisfied.


    Though the furniture was old, it was rustic and simple. Zhou Xiaoxiao rubbed the cracks and holes that had been formed from the nibbling bugs over the years on the wooden tables and chairs. Instead of finding them disgusting, she found them very interesting.


    Facing the streets were windows on the upper floor. As she opened them, the noisy bustle from the crowd poured in.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t find the noise bothersome at all. She sat on the chair by the window and poured herself a simple cup of tea, enjoying it to the sounds below.


    Now this is the type of atmosphere, she thought, that could allow her a serious life, save from all the sadness and injury, this will also help make her up from her dreams.


    At night, Aunt Wu and her husband were talking in their room.


    ¡°This Miss Zhou is quite a wonderful girl despite her young age. Despite being in the general¡¯s prosperous mansion, she did not seem the least bit timid. She was able to get along perfectly well with the madam like they were sisters!¡± Aunt Wu was doing her needlework under the lamp, ¡°I had a careful look at here now that she¡¯s come to our run-down house, but she didn¡¯t complain in the slightest. Instead, she looks even more content.¡±


    Her husband was busy grinding ginseng with his stone roller and did not respond.


    Aunt Wu seemed to already be used to this, and continued on by herself, ¡°I figured that she was quite pitiful, being by herself without her parents, nor was she willing to become the Fifth Master¡¯s concubine. It is difficult for her too in the general¡¯s residence, and since she wanted to rent a house, we might as well let her stay in ours. We can also watch after her here.¡±


    ¡°Since she saved the Fifth Master, we can take this as a favor paid back to the old lord duke by taking care of her. So why should you charge her the rent?¡±


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t be angry. Did you know? This Miss Zhou may look gentle, but she is quite proud in her bones. She would not have come if I did not accept rent. When I first saw her, she was so heavily injured, and yet I saw not a tear in her eye. She even smiled at me!¡± Aunt Wu stopped her needlework and suddenly recalled the past. ¡°If our own daughter had not been taken away that year, she must be as big as she is now. I figured she would add on to the liveliness of the house if she moved in, the emptiness with just us and Old Chen, three old people, is actually quite sad.¡±


    Wu Daoquan put away his medicine grinder and coughed. ¡°She can stay if she wants, what are you bringing up the past for?¡±


    And so, Zhou Xiaoxiao began her stay in the Wu Residence.


    She was not in a hurry to open up shop, so first of all, she went around the market each day to have a taste of the snacks offered locally.


    After that, she hired some craftsmen to decorate the store and to create her appliances.


    During her spare time, she ended up taking over all the physical labor of the Wu Residence of fetching water and chopping firewood. Then, she tried to create all sorts of baked goods and invited Aunt Wu and her husband to try them.


    Aunt Wu prepared the three meals of each day and would invite Zhou Xiaoxiao to eat with them.


    Sooner or later, they got closer and closer together. Then, even Old Chen would smile to her every time he saw Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Only Wu Daoquan was still neither hot nor cold to Zhou Xiaoxiao, but that did not bother her.


    One day, Zhou Xiaoxiao got up early. The first thing she did that morning was to fill up the water jars for the house. Then, she wandered around the courtyard with nothing to do. Her hands felt itchy when she saw the weapons laid out in the courtyard, and could not help but pick up one of the sticks, following the teachings of Father Zhou that was still present in her mind, and performed a dance in the courtyard. The dust rose up from the ground and the breeze flowed. She could feel her mind ease up as a feeling of heroism washed through her.


    Suddenly, she heard, ¡°Complete and utter mess. All brute force with no use in actual battle.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stopped her actions, but she was not bothered by the criticism. With a smile, she said, ¡°I studied a few tricks from my father in my youth, but he passed on early before I could learn much. Since Uncle Wu is strong in these arts, may I request a lesson or two?¡±


    Without saying a word, Wu Daoquan picked up a rod from the rack and stepped into posture.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Please pardon my rudeness.¡±


    Then, she rushed straight towards Wu Daoquan and beat her rod down.

 Chapter 37 - Request A Master to Teach Me in the Future (2)

    Ch.37 Request A Master to Teach Me in the Future (2)


    While her rod was still in the air, Zhou Xiaoxiao figured that with her own vigor, and with this old man being a retired veteran, it would not look good to Aun tWu if she ever hurt him in case he was merely putting on the tough act in front of her. So, she restricted herself to only about 30% of her strength.


    But without any awareness as to how Wu Daoquan even moved, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt a light friction at her elbow when her entire right arm turned numb. She could not keep her hold on the rod and it rolled off her hand onto the ground.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned on the spot with great surprise in her heart. She rubbed her arm for a while before picking up the rod again. This time, she put her focus into it and came with the full force of the five plums technique passed on by Zhou Dujuan¡¯s father. With a tremble of the rod, five shadows were drawn in the air like a blossoming white blossom. The five shadows disappeared but the great force was still behind the strike. Anyone who came in contact with it would not have a good time.


    But before the plum blossom could fully bloom, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt a heavy hit at her heel that set her off balance, and she fell to the ground. Due to the exessive force exerted from her hands, she could not stabilize her body, and she ended up rolling twice on the ground before she could crawl back up.


    After crawling herself up, Zhou Xiaoxiao turned around and bowed. ¡°Master is mighty, I have not known true skill prior to today, so I would please request master to teach me in the future.¡±


    Without answering, Wu Daoquan walked back inside with his arms behind his back. Zhou Xiaoxiao patted off the dirt from her body and followed behind him. After entering the hall, she pulled over a stool and invited Wu Daoquan to sit. Then, she went down on the ground and kowtowed to him three times before respectfully holding a cup of tea to him. ¡°Master, please accept me as your apprentice.¡±


    Wu Daoquan did not accept the tea but frowned for a moment. ¡°You are a girl, what are you learning the sword for?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was the type that when she wanted something, she would try a hundred times harder than usual to get it. Right now, it was as if her mouth was laced with honey as the sweet words poured out as soon as she opened her mouth.


    ¡°Look, master, there are no boys in this house either, so you can just teach me like you would a boy. I¡¯m sure I will be able to learn.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao knelt down and offered the tea once more. ¡°In the future, when it is the disciple¡¯s turn to take care of master and madam, this disciple would be better equipped to guard against thieves when they come. Then master would not have to do everything himself, is it not so?¡±


    ¡°Martial arts is no fun and games. No tricks will be tolerated.¡±


    ¡°If I slack off, then master needs only punish me.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± Wu Daoquan finally accepted the tea and took a sip. ¡°Tomorrow morning at five, wait for me in the courtyard.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. Since then, she began calling Wu Daoquan and his wife by master and madam respectively and treated them with the respect of a disciple. Wu Daoquan also began to teach Zhou Xiaoxiao his martial techniques from the beginning.


    Wu Daoquan had been a martial arts nut since he was young and was best at performing dances with sword and spear. Due to his family¡¯s trade as doctors, he was drafted into the military as a military doctor and his martial arts became of little use after. He had no sons in his lifetime, and the only daughter he had was lost during the chaos of war in her youth. But when he first saw Zhou Xiaoxiao and noticed her abnormal bearing and qualifications, understanding that she was good material for learning martial arts, he felt a little happy. What happened previously was merely him putting up an act of a master. Now, he could see that though Zhou Xiaoxiao was a woman, she was not afraid of suffering hardships and was smart and eager to learn. This made him happy, and inevitably, the urge to pass on his unique set of skills rose up within him.


    That aside, Zhou Xiaoxiao got up early to learn martial arts every day from then on. In the afternoons, she would go out to pick out suitable workers, fix up her storefront, prepared her pastry stall, and unconsciously, time flew past. The snow began to melt, and the breeze of spring began to blow.


    One day, Zhou Xiaoxiao brought with her two boxes of food and went to the general¡¯s residence to visit the general¡¯s wife, Xia Qinglian.


    Xia Qinglian invited her in and took her hands, looking over her to see if she was doing well for a moment before the two sat down.


    ¡°After not seeing you for a few days, sister looks more and more spirited.¡±

 Chapter 38 - Request A Master to Teach Me in the Future (3)

    Ch.38 Request A Master to Teach Me in the Future (3)


    ¡°I have been missing sister often, so I made a few snacks and brought them here for sister to have a taste.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao opened the box and brought out a porcelain plate glazed in a black mottled texture. ¡°I hope I can receive critique from your noble tastes so this foolish sister may return and improve it.¡±


    Atop the crude black porcelain plate were six exquisitely shaped pastries. There were those that were shaped like delicate white plums, some of an autumn chrysanthemum shape with a milky skin, and also those with the appearance of tender leaves in a muddy jade color. The six pastries were all very small and varied in shapes. A slight hint of tenderness could be seen beneath its soft or translucent appearance while a faint fragrance could be smelled from them.


    When Xia Qinglian first heard that Zhou Xiaoxiao wanted to open a snack stall, she didn¡¯t think much of it. She figured that they were just going to be some crude biscuits and cakes. But after seeing how fine they were now, she was surprised.


    ¡°I did not expect sister to have such fine skills. I can hardly bear to eat them.¡±


    ¡°Sister is of such noble birth, what fine foods have you not seen? Please do not make fun of me, give them a try. I hope you can give me some serious advice.¡±


    Xia Qinglian reached out a finger and tapped Zhou Xiaoxiao before picking up a plum blossom-shaped pastry with a smile. The pastry looked so pure and tender. It had a realistic shape and appeared as if it had been formed from the first snow of winter. Just looking at them made her feel a little hungry. Once she bit into it, the only thing she could feel was the smooth and fragrant flavor of the skin, while the inside contained a slightly sweet and sour but refreshing taste. Xia Qinglian had a light palate and did not take much sweets, but this treat was just right for her.


    Thus, she asked, ¡°Is the filling made of Buddha¡¯s hand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is so. After pickling them, the light flavor is acquired to form the sweetness of this pastry. How do you make of it?¡±


    Xia Qinglian nodded and did not speak, but in her heart, she thought to herself, it was unexpected that her sister would have such a set of skills. No wonder she dared to go independent. She had truly undermined her ability.


    Then, she picked up the soft and tender pastry in the shape of a leaf. It was a common mung bean cake. The taste was no different from the popular ones sold these days, but the texture was particularly delicate. A sweet taste was left in her mouth after eating it, and there was a refreshing feeling that passed through her throat as she swallowed it.


    Xia Qinglian paused and said, ¡°This is very good. It is novel and original, but are there any stories to tell of these snacks?¡±


    ¡°This set of cakes comes in a total of 12 types. As the cakes are created from seasonal flowers and fruits such as rose, white lotus, Buddha¡¯s hand, mung bean, and so on, I call them December Flower Deity Cakes. I plan to sell them as the main offering of my shop, and thus my shop¡¯s name will also be called December Pastries.¡±


    ¡°An elegant and likable name. You have a good hand and a smart mind. It seems that I no longer have to worry about you.¡±


    ¡°How now? I have come especially to seek sister¡¯s help.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao opened up the second layer of her box and took out a plate while saying, ¡°These pastries require a lot of work. If I were to sell them in the market, I¡¯m afraid it will not be the best idea. I am hoping to sustain this business by appealing them to the noble ladies of Fengxiang City¡¯s big families.¡±


    With a smile, Xia Qinglian took a glance at her before looking down at the plate. There were six pastries just like before. Three were puff pastries while the other three were crepe varieties. They came both in an assortment of shapes. The very first pastry was a puff pastry in a round shape. The top of the snack was oiled golden and decorated with sesame seeds. It looked rather cute. Xia Qinglian cut the pastry into four quarters with a small silver knife. Layer after layer of the puff that was thin as a cicada¡¯s wing formed the outer shell while a delicate red bean paste could be found in the middle. Then, there was a flowing salted filling at the very center.


    ¡°My, what ingenuity, Miss Zhou. It is rare to see egg yolks being used for filling,¡± one of the maid servants in the room could not help but praise.


    Oh, even someone from Qinglian¡¯s home had not seen it. Seems like they have yet to create egg yolk pastries or mooncake type desserts in this era. Seems like I¡¯m in luck, thought Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Xia Qinglian tried a piece and offered the rest to the maidservants to share. Everyone liked them.

 Chapter 39 - Like a spring breeze blowing across the lake of my heart (1)

    One of the nannies from Xia Qinglian¡¯s room accepted the two boxes brought over by Zhou Xiaoxiao and saw the small boxes that were filled with pastries. While keeping them away, the nanny said, ¡°This rice cake is light and not at all greasy. The madam will love it. This puff pastry is sweet but contains a delicious savory filling, Second Master will enjoy this. It is truly too kind of you, Miss Zhou.¡±


    Xia Qinglian nodded. ¡°Nanny Zhang, if you are free, go and speak with Steward Li. In the future, all the pastries served in our residence from now on will be December Pastries¡¯ offerings.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood up and bowed in thanks.


    Xia Qinglian took her hand and waved. ¡°This can hardly be considered anything, it is sister¡¯s pastries that are exquisitely crafted. Customers will surely come in the future, then I¡¯m afraid we would not be able to buy any even if we had to queue.¡±


    Then, she had a servant brew two more pots of Miyun Dragon tea to enjoy with Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    After they were done with tea, Xia Qinglian said, ¡°The flower festival will be held on the twelfth of this month. I plan to invite some guests this spring, many renown guests will be there. Teatime snacks must certainly be decent during then, so I will have to trouble sister for your efforts that day.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao brought her hands together and said, ¡°My, sister really treats me well. This amount of work will not bother me at all, sister.¡±


    Xia Qinglian found Zhou Xiaoxiao appearing unable to sit still despite assuring her it was no bother. Her round eyes were looking at her as if she were waiting for her to continue on speaking.


    She sighed in her heart. She was so young, and yet her heart was already so wise. Thus, she had no choice but to draw the letter from her sleeve.


    ¡°Brother-in-law sent a letter a few days ago, and she asked me to pass it to you.¡±


    She avoided Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes and mentioned lightly, ¡°Our family has been arranging for Fifth Brother-in-law recently. We may hear good news from them soon. When that time comes, I hope¡­¡±


    Xia Qinglian was a woman aloof to politics or other worldly matters, so such remarks were against her convictions. She merely coughed to conceal the awkwardness of the conversation and did not continue.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao accepted the letter. Her fingers ground against the corners of the letter for a moment, and she just smiled. Without any other words, she straightened her clothes and excused herself.


    Later that day, when Yu Xingyi returned to the residence, he saw a plate of round golden baked goods on the table. He just happened to be feeling hungry so he took one and took a bite. The crispy crust was fragrant and the bean filling was sweet, with a delicious flowing savory custard in the center. Yu Xingyi was fond of sweet foods, so when compounded with his daily physical exertions, sweet and oily foods were one of his favorites. He could not help but eat several at one go. When he saw his wife, Xia Qinglian, enter, he even pushed the plate to her and said, ¡°Ah Lian, these biscuits are delicious. Come and try some.¡±


    ¡°These are the pastries made my Miss Zhou. She has a mind to open a bakery so she tried her hand at a few treats, and sent these to us this morning.¡±


    ¡°Hm. She has a decent hand at this. I can say they taste quite comparable to those from a known chef.¡±


    ¡°She has already memorized your taste preferences after only staying here for a few days. She truly is a very thoughtful girl. It¡¯s a shame mother does not like her.¡± Xia Qinglan accepted the freshly brewed cup of jasmine tea from the servant girl and passed it over to him.


    Yu Xingyi accepted it and took a sip.


    ¡°Have you given her the letter from Fifth Brother?¡±


    ¡°Naturally. I have also passed on mother¡¯s word. I am not good at talking, so I may not have handled it too well. Though Sister Zhou did not say anything, I can tell she feels bad about it.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing we can do even if she may feel unhappy for this moment. There are good men all over in Fengxiang, just watch out for her and we can leave it at that.¡±


    But when Zhou Xiaoxiao returned home, she first went over to her shop in Qingshi Street to take a look.


    All the decorations are already nearing completion.


    The materials are all there, and the craftsmen have all been paid. The rest of the crude lacquer work and final repairs can be done by the carpenters.


    The staff she hired to watch over the shop had also come to familiarize themselves with things. When they saw Zhou Xiaoxiao, they all came to greet her.

 Chapter 40 - Like a spring breeze blowing across the lake of my heart (2)

    Ch.40 Like a spring breeze blowing across the lake of my heart (2)


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had a look around the place. No issues had cropped up thus far. So, she turned around and went back to the residence.


    The newly purchased servant girl, Juanzi, came out to greet her.


    Juanzi was a rather stoutly servant girl with strong arms that could handle several dozen jin of dough. While browsing, Zhou Xiaoxiao decided to take her because of her strength.


    Her mind was as broad as her stature. With just one glance, she was able to tell that Zhou Xiaoxiao was mulling over something. Happily, she took Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arm with her flour-covered hands.


    ¡°Lady, you¡¯re back. Aunt Ji brought us some freshly steamed dim sum and is waiting for my lady to go take a look.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at the letter in her hand she had yet to read, and with a bitter smile, followed her into the workshop.


    The newly-built workshop was covered in steam. Several girls dressed in smocks were all busying themselves within the misty room.


    The person in the lead was a woman in her thirties called Aunt Ji. When she saw Zhou Xiaoxiao enter, she wiped her flour-covered hands on her smock and lifted a freshly steamed basket of treats to her. ¡°These are our new goods from today. What do you think of them, my lady?¡±


    Aunt Ji¡¯s family had originally been in the bakery business. They were able to make a decent living in the past, but unexpectedly, her husband ended up with tuberculosis just last year. In order to save him, she had to sell off much of her family possessions to seek a doctor, but she still lost him. The widow who was left behind with her child could not bear the crippling debts, and being unable to live on, she had no choice but to sell herself.


    Fortunately, she met Zhou Xiaoxiao who did not mind her identity as a newly-widowed woman, caring only about her skills.


    Not only did she pay her a decent amount in silver, she even passed on her workshop for her to handle. Salary was given to her every month, and she even allowed her seven-year-old child to stay with her. That was why Aunt Ji was especially grateful to Zhou Xiaoxiao and was also extra diligent in work.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao accepted the bamboo steaming basket, and, without saying anything more, picked out a seat near the window and sat down. She put the basket down on the window and slowly let her mind wander. The newly-steamed goods in the basket were still steaming. Through it, a hint of sadness could be seen on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face that was always filled with smiles.


    Juanzi was just about to come over to her, but she was stopped by Aunt Ji. ¡°Go and do your work. The lady has her problems, it¡¯s best we don¡¯t bother her.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was staring off into space for a moment. Then, she looked down at the letter in her hand that was slightly creased from her holding it and unfolded the thin piece of paper inside.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s familiar writing could be seen on the paper, but the tone was very unfamiliar. It contained a few words of thanks, and some kind but distant greetings. Between those words were his farewells that they would never meet again. Zhou Xiaoxiao read through the letter a few times, going through the words back and forth, but no lingering feelings could be found on them.


    She shut her eyes, and Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face appeared in her head.


    A jade-like prince atop that cold, snowy mountain, just like a spring breeze blowing across the lake of my heart.


    Forget it. Zhou Xiaoxiao opened her eyes. If this was not his true meaning, then he would naturally appear in front of me and explain himself.


    If he really wishes to break off this relationship, then so be it.


    She slowly folded up the letter and kept it her sleeve. Then, she took a bite of the snack with her chopsticks and nodded. ¡°Good. That¡¯s the taste. Xiaomei, show me the records.¡±


    A skinny young servant girl came over with the record book for Zhou Xiaoxiao to see. This young servant girl named Xiaomei was one of the helpers purchased by Zhou Xiaoxiao and was the only literate one. She had been working in a big family prior to this, and due to the family head having provoked a government official, all their possessions and maids were sold off because of that, and she was then bought over by Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at the notes and pointed to them, saying, ¡°With this as a base, copy down the last recipe, Xiaomei. The materials used in the subsequent batches must be done strictly according to this one. The taste must be kept the same, no difference in taste is allowed in any of the other batches.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Like a spring breeze blowing across the lake of my heart (3)

    Ch.41 Like a spring breeze blowing across the lake of my heart (3)


    After dealing with the trivial matters, Zhou Xiaoxiao returned to her bedroom to best, only to find herself unable to sit still with the restlessness in her heart.


    After drinking a pot of herbal tea, she still found herself extremely troubled.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao gave herself a slap and scolded in her heart, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any backbone? You think it¡¯s easy to live again? You¡¯ve just known him for a few days, do you have to be this upset about it?¡±


    She changed into a black round-collared short-sleeved shirt, a white girding sash, and a pair of short boots. Then, she casually put her dark hair up in a bun and left for the training courtyard.


    When she arrived, she picked up a metal spear from the rack, and under the soft glow of the setting sun, and practiced the new pear flower spear technique taught to her by Wu Daoquan.


    She thrust the tip of her spear towards the ground and raised up countless leaves in an instant, covering the air with sand.


    In that instant, the silver spear glistened like autumn water as the whistling leaves gradually fell from the sky. Every so often, the strike appeared like a spirited snake flicking its red tongue, and also like a rainstorm carrying up a spring flower.


    The only thing that could be seen was the silver glint of her dance as a single figure raised up the winds in excellence. Her body is left to rise as the injustice of her heart is set free.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was practicing to her heart¡¯s content when a cheer could be heard from outside of the courtyard. ¡°Good skill.¡±


    She saw a young field officer standing at the door. He was wearing a headband, a set of decorated armor with a pale green-tinted belt at his waist, and tall boots at his feet. With his slender waist and broad shoulders, he had an extraordinary appearance, and he held two jars of fine as well a package of cooked beef in his hands.


    Wu Daoquan quickly came out from the room and greeted him. ¡°You¡¯ve come on a long trip. Your martial aunt is inside.¡±


    The field officer said, ¡°It has been many days since I have last seen master and martial aunt, I miss you both very much. I happen to have come across two jars of good wine today so I came especially to invite master for a drink.¡±


    Wu Daoquan accepted the gifts with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve come, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. We have good wine and meat at home as well, how could we take yours every time?¡±


    ¡°Please do not let it worry you, Master. Recently, I hear often from my friends recently that an excellent apprentice has appeared in Master¡¯s home. Could this be the young lady mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Come here, girl.¡± Wu Daoquan asked Zhou Xiaoxiao to come over. ¡°This is Wang Xi. Field Officer Wang. I taught him a thing or two when he just entered the Yu army. He was a polite man and he calls me master, but that position is above me. Right now, he is one of the best spear masters in Fengxiang City. You are new to learning the spear and true combat experience, so it will be good for you to request our field master here to spar with you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was in a bad mood today, so being interrupted while she was playing around with the spear made her unhappy.


    And so, hearing her master¡¯s suggestions, she didn¡¯t shirk away. She spun her spear upright and saluted him.


    ¡°Please grant me your instruction, field officer!¡±


    Wang Zi thought in his heart that this master and student pair were both of upstanding appearance, but were both cold and proud. It is not good for a young person to be overly vigorous, so today will be a good chance to help his master suppress that temper.


    After picking out a spear, he thrust the tip to the ground and offered her a headstart.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao did not say anything more. With a shake of her spear, the tip flew forwards in an array of glints, rushing forwards. When she came close, the glint of the spear converged, and finally, closing in, it flew straight towards Wang Xi¡¯s face like the tongue of a silver snake.


    Wang Xi put his spear up horizontally and felt a strong force knocking against the body of the spear. Like a mountain pressing down on him, he could barely hold it back.


    Wang Xi was shocked.


    This person has such a small stature but possesses such great power.


    He staggered a few steps back and was forced to a squat before he could stabilize his body.


    Without saying anything, Zhou Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to strike. Like a vine, the fierce silver snake in her hands swept over.


    Wang Xi did not dare to underestimate her anymore. He put on his fighting spirit and exchanged moves with her.

 Chapter 42 - Give the Heart That You Had Given Me To Her and Let’s Part Ways (1)

    Ch.42 Give the Heart That You Had Given Me To Her and Let¡¯s Part Ways (1)


    A burst of yellow sand tumbled onto the field, the two figures in the sand and dust gave off a frightening aura like a dragon. They were agile like a rabbit, it was like two dragons fighting over a pearl; they were like fierce tigers fighting for food, the scene was extremely beautiful.


    The two people exchanged a few blows, and it continued all the way up to the 60th to 70th move. However, Wan Xun wa veteran who had been in hundreds of battles, so thanks to his ample experience, he was currently winning.


    Wu Daoquan urged them to stop the battle; the two stopped their sparring, neither of them were satisfied with the brief match.


    ¡°The ¡õ¡õ method originated from the Yang Clan. It¡¯s called the Pear Flower Short Spear, the whole world is harmonious, the wonder of this method lies in the familiarity. You can forget about your hands, and your hand can forget about the weapon. It¡¯s easy to use and inexpensive.¡± With hidden meaning behind his words, Wu Daoquan said, ¡°You took advantage of the fact that you are a little stronger than the average person and would seize every opportunity to train, but you are still an unripe fruit. Today, your mind was unstable and you were a little flustered with your movements, so your movements were stiff. Once you come across a true master, you will definitely suffer a loss.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought that since she had the natural god-like powers from Zhou Dujuan, that she was exceptionally skilled. However, after she crossed swords with him today, she realized that she wasn¡¯t exceptionally skilled in martial arts. It was time for her to put away her arrogance and pride.


    As a result, she lowered her head and received the pointers he had given her, ¡°What master had said is correct. Now that this disciple realized that there will always be someone greater than me, I would never dare to be arrogant again. In the future, I will have to trouble master and my senior brothers to remind me and give me advice.¡±


    Wang Xuan appreciate talented people, so he said, ¡°Sure enough, heroes are cultivated from childhood. Junior brother is so young, yet already very skilled. Master has good eyes, he was able to spot that junior brother is a pearl.¡±


    ¡°She is your junior sister, not junior brother. Her surname is Zhou, and she is my new female disciple.¡±


    ¡°Junior¡­ junior sister?¡±


    Wang Xun was dumbstruck as he watched his junior sister¡¯s retreating figure after she made her salutations.


    Although his ¡°junior sister¡± does appeared pretty, she was also free and easy-going. She didn¡¯t show any bashfulness or embarrassment that a typical female would have. How did she become his junior sister?


    ¡°Come inside the room, let this old man have a three hundred round of battle with you on the wine table.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ wait a minute, master! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that she is my junior sister? What if an accident occurred, and I accidentally hurt her?¡±


    Wang Xun staggered along after Wu Daoquan as he was dragged into the room; Wang Xun turned around to look behind him.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao calmly and respectfully saluted farewell. Under the setting sun, she began practicing her martial arts, her moves were fluid like she was dancing. Thanks to her two dimples and her beautiful and bright deposition, Zhou Xiaoxiao gave off a unique charm.


    She really is my junior sister, Wang Xun thought.


    At nightfall, after everyone had drank and gambled to their heart¡¯s content, the guests began to leave.


    Aunt Wu tidied up the table while Wu Daoquan smoked a tobacco pipe at the doorstep of the entrance.


    ¡°The day before yesterday, the general told me that Lord Wu from Jingdu had sent a letter.¡± Wu Daoquan inhaled the smoke from the tobacco pipe as he absentmindedly said, ¡°His wife asked for Zhou girl to go over today, so I assume she must¡¯ve passed on the letter to her.¡±


    Aunt Wu stopped wiping the table and said, ¡°No wonder Xiaoxiao was acting strangely sullen today. I bet he didn¡¯t say anything good to her. How could the son of the Old Duke be as heartless as those loose and romantic sons of nobility?¡±


    ¡°Humph! How many of those nobilities are morally good? We have many good guys in Fengxiang for her to pick, so tell Zhou girl not be too disheartened.¡±


    ¡°Good, good. Head of the household, for you to ask Officer Wang to come here, could it be that you¡¯re intentionally¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still to early, let¡¯s just watch for the time being.¡±


    From the gossip from the streets, it was known that there was a newly opened pastry shop on Qingshi Street. Its shop front was bright and clear, and one could still smell the fragrance that drifted from the shop ten miles away.


    There are carriages from rich families that are parked in front of the shop, servant girls dressed in silk and satin would came and went through the day.


    The pastries made there were indeed delicate and beautiful, but the price was expensive enough to scare people to death. The daughter-in-law of the Dong blacksmith shop located in the alley would pass by the shop everyday. However, she could only watch the bustling excitement from afar.


    Today around 3-5pm, just as she was about to pass when she saw that old woman Meng was also standing in line in front of the shop.

 Chapter 43 - Give the Heart That You Had Given Me To Her and Let’s Part Ways (2)

    Dong¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law was surprised by this, so walked over and asked her, ¡°Aunt Shen, what happy occasion is it for your family today, for you to be willing to spend a good deal of money on these expensive pastry?¡±


    Old woman Meng replied, ¡°As you know, only the nobles and rich families could afford to buy pastry from this shop, so how could I afford to buy it? However, the owner of this pastry shop is an honest man, the pastry are freshly made everyday and it¡¯s never left overnight. Once 3-5pm passed, the surplus goods on that day would be sold for cheap, and there would be none leftover by the next day. It cost only one or two pieces of copper coin to a piece. My little grandson had been eating the pastry from this shop for several days. Today, I came here early to line up, so I can buy a few pieces for him. This way, it will satisfy his craving and prevent him from disturbing me all day.¡±


    Dong¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law thought to herself, since it was like this, then she should spend a few copper coins and have a taste. She also wanted to experience the pastry that only women of rich families could afford. So, she shamelessly cut the line and stood behind Madam Meng.


    As soon as it passed 5pm, one of the shop assistants from the shop took out a large red sign with the word ¡°special offer¡± on it. He put the sign in front of the shop and the people that were in line became excited.


    Dong¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law stretched her neck to look around, but she could only see the shop assistant. The shop assistant had an apron tied around his waist, his sleeves rolled back, and wearing a pair snow-white gloves on his hands. He was talking and laughing with the customers, and it seemed as if he didn¡¯t care if the customers had only buy one to two pieces of bread or two to three slices of cake. They were all neatly wrapped with oil paper, then it would be stamped with the shop¡¯s name ¡°December Pastry Shop¡± in red and gold.


    When Dong¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law saw the bundles of pastry that people were holding as they left the shop, she became anxious. She tugged on Madam Meng¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Aunt, seeing that there aren¡¯t many pieces of pastry left, please don¡¯t just leave me with crumbs when it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Madam Meng burst out laughing with her clamoring, ¡°You should wait patiently, there will definitely be some left when it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Not long after, two of the shop assistants brought a deep fryer outside, they also brought out a fat white coil of circular dough. They appeared to be deep frying the dough.


    Madam Meng said, ¡°Look at that, that is called deep fried bread. I have no idea where this originated from, but it is crunchy, fragrant, and soft. Even an old lady without teeth wouldn¡¯t be able to resist herself from eating this. The inside of the dough is filled with salted vegetables, bamboo shoots, dried diced meat, and half an egg. The dough will be fried in the deep fryer until crispy. The fresh deep fried bread would be hot in your hands when you hold it, but the moment you take a bite of it, the flavor is delicious. Tsk tsk. It really makes people crave it.¡±


    Dong¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law swallowed her salvia and asked, ¡°How much does a deep fried bread cost?¡±


    ¡°It cost five copper coins for a piece of deep fried bread. It is delicious and filling. They had specially made this a few days ago when they saw that many people were unable to buy the cheap pastry even after lining for a long time. They didn¡¯t make this to earn money.¡±


    Dong Family¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law nodded her head in agreement and said, ¡°The store owner is a really honest person.¡±


    At this moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao was sitting in the attic, and was watching the lively scene from the small crack in the window above the pastry shop.


    She looked at the scene for awhile before she turned around and said to the person in front of her, ¡°Who told you to come here?¡±


    A man who was neatly dressed in a shop assistant uniform stood in front of her.


    The man cupped his hands in front of him and bent his back to greet her, then he smiled and responded, ¡°Responding to young lady¡¯s question, my name is Zhou Tong. I was Lord Wu¡¯s companion since he was young. Lord Wu had asked me to deliver something to young lady.¡±


    He held up a red sandalwood box that was decorated with gems and opened it. The box was filled with rare treasures.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao recalled that when she had sneaked into Lin Bingren¡¯s room, she had stolen many items from a similar box. At that time, she had coincidentally saved Yu Xingzhi.


    On their journey, those items were either all pawned away or lost.


    Did Yu Xingzhi asked someone to deliver this to her, was it to compensate her? As Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at the box full of treasures in front of her, she suddenly felt pain coming from her chest. It was like a hand had abruptly grabbed and twisted her heart, making her unable to breathe and unable to cry out in pain.


    It turned out that I still care for him.

 Chapter 44 - Give the Heart That You Had Given Me To Her and Let’s Part Ways (3)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly said, ¡°Besides those items, did he told you to tell me anything?¡±


    ¡°Ever since Lord Wu returned, he could never forget young lady and he misses you everyday, for this reason¡­ alas.¡± Yu Tong paused for a moment, ¡°Lord Wu told me to tell young lady that he can¡¯t come to see you because of his own reasons. He felt really apologetic for letting you down. Lord Wu feels guilty and has trouble sleeping every night. Before he had sent me here, he specifically told me to ask you if you have any needs or troubles, because he will be sure to help you until you¡¯re satisfied¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao was fed up, so she interrupted his words. She closed the red sandalwood box lightly and the expression on her face became ice-cold as she said, ¡°I have received both the breakup letter and the breakup fee. You can go back to him and tell him that we don¡¯t owe each other anything anymore, so we no longer need to contact each other after this.¡±


    Yu Tong wiped away the beads of cold sweat on his forehead.


    If he messed up on this errand, how will he continue to live?


    Lord Wu is such a cultured and elegant gentleman, it was hard to imagine that the young lady who he cares for was someone like this. This errand is extremely hard to handle.


    He carefully took out a painting from clothes and handed it to her.


    ¡°Lord Wu really misses young lady, but he can¡¯t come to meet you. Lord Wu asked that young lady add to this painting, so that I can bring it back to him.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took the painting and unfolded it to have a look. The spring blue-green painting was smoothed out until there were no wrinkles left, and there were a few water stains on it. At the lower right corner of the paper, there was a fine, vivid, and lifelike drawing of a cuckoo bird. To the side of the cuckoo bird, there was a sentence: I wished to a cuckoo that spring would last forever, so I could hold onto my love.


    A burst of sour feelings filled Zhou Xiaoxia¡¯s heart.


    Since they are ending their relationship, why not just bluntly and clearly end it? Why was he wasting his time dawdling around?


    She unrolled the paper, grinded some ink, picked up her pen, and easily wrote something in one stroke.


    Once we bid our farewells, we shall walk our own paths,


    We should stop yearning for each other and stop communicating.


    Give the heart you had given me to her,


    And we shall walk our separate ways.


    She then threw the paper back at the man.


    Yu Tong received the letter and bitterly said, ¡°My little grandaunt, you can¡¯t write like this. If I bring this back, it¡¯ll take my lord¡¯s life.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked down and then sent her guest out, ¡°It must¡¯ve been a difficult journey here, you can go back now.¡±


    During the night, rain poured down on Fengxiang City.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt lonely in the middle of the cold spring as she bundled herself with the thick cotton quilt in the attic. She couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears.


    She woke up early next morning with two swollen eyes when she went to the yard to practice her basic skills for two hours. Then, she entered the workshop and made pastry with Xiaomei for half a day.


    After noon passed, she changed into men¡¯s clothing and checked out the pastry shop.


    In the evening, Wang Xun came to find her to practice and meet with Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s storm of feelings. Wang Yu was stunned by her sudden change and unable to fight off her blows, so he jumped out of the ring.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen junior sister for a few days, yet junior sister has improved so much.¡±


    He stared at the girl dressed in men¡¯s clothing standing opposite from him, it was hard to distinguish whether she was female or male. There was a cold glint in her eyes; the weapon in her hands trembled as she yelled, ¡°Let¡¯s do it once more!¡±


    For a moment the silver gun transformed into a dragon, and ten million mirages assaulted his senses.


    Wang Xun shouted in response and faced her head on.


    However, he was bitterly crying in his heart. It seemed like he needed to work even harder, because if he can¡¯t beat him junior sister in the future, then wouldn¡¯t people laugh at him until their teeth fall off?


    When it was dinner time, Zhou Xiaoxiao was tired to the point where she didn¡¯t even have the energy to lift her hands. Her small fall had almost fell onto the rice bowl several times throughout dinner; she didn¡¯t even notice that Wang Xun had been carefully and incessantly putting more food in her bowl.


    The moment she returned to her attic, she immediately fell asleep. She didn¡¯t even have the surplus energy to grief.


    She continued on like this for a few days before she finally let it go. She returned to her old lively and healthy self again.

 Chapter 45 - Meeting Again (1)

    Ch.45 Meeting Again (1)


    In the spring, it would rain, making everything wet and moist.


    On that day, after the pouring rain, multicolored clouds filled the whole sky.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pushed the curtains to the side and peered down Qingshi Street with interest.


    Across from her, the residential shops also pushed open their windows and began putting away their rainwears.


    The urchins noisily crawled on the wet stone road, the pedestrians are no longer in a rush. At the end of the street, there were several young gentlemen who were dressed in splendid clothing with a jade crown placed on their head. They slowly rode in her direction on their precious horses.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao extended her hand to catch the raindrops falling from the roof, and happily laughed.


    She didn¡¯t realize that someone was watching her until she turned around and saw a man with a jade-like face standing under the eaves.


    Yu Xingzhi was on a white horse, standing under the window, he raised his head and looked at her with his pale face. His eyes were red, his thin lips were pursed, and his large hands that were holding onto the reins of the horse were trembling.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment by his sudden appearance.


    It was as if time had stood still for a moment in the courtyard.


    Three men sat on the chair to her left and right.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was sitting right in front of the window, staring right at Yu Xingzhi. She hadn¡¯t seen him for a long time, all kinds of feelings began to stir within her hearts and she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    He appeared thin, wan, haggarded, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was far worse than how he appeared when the two of them walked their separate paths two months ago. He changed from a gentle and elegant gentleman to a sickly beauty.


    The man standing next to him was dressed in a splendid embroidered robe, his hair was binded together with a gold crown. He had a pair of handsome eyebrows and he eluded a majestic aura. He was Yu Xingzhi¡¯s famous cousin, Prince of Yan, Cheng Shizhao.


    The other man had a beautiful appearance, gentlemanly manners, but a weak body. He seemed to be a young scholar.


    However, he was actually Chen Shizhao¡¯s sibling, born of the same mother and father, Chen Shiqi. He is ranked 9th among the line of princes.


    Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t see anyone else at this moment, his only focus was on Zhou Xiaoxiao as he stared at her intensely. Their gaze locked and his heart fluttered. He had a thousand words he wanted to say to her, but he couldn¡¯t speak.


    He took out the letter from his clothes and slowly handed it to her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was full of resentment against Yu Xingzhi in her heart. She swore that if she met him again, she would definitely scold him and chew him out, but seeing his appearance right now, her resolve immediately softened.


    ¡°You want me to take back this letter?¡± She glanced away and softly said, ¡°What is the meaning of this? Since the two of us aren¡¯t fated to be together, then we should just end our relationship and respect each other¡¯s decisions from now on. If we continue this nonsense, then everything will become chaotic.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s eyes appeared sad but stubborn, he stubbornly held the letter in front of Zhou Xiaoxiao. His fingers were slightly trembling, his knuckles were white, and his veins were visible from clenching the letter.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t want him to be embarrassed in front of everyone, so after a few seconds of thoughts, she slowly reached out and took the letter from him.


    With a glance, she shockingly saw the bloodstains on the poem that she wrote him.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt a pain in her chest, and sighed, why hurt yourself like this.


    She closed her eyes and ripped the letter apart.


    Yu Xingzhi slightly raised his eyebrows, with hopes in his eyes, he smiled.


    There were no words between the two of them.

 Chapter 46 - Meeting Again (2)

    Ch.46 Meeting Again (2)


    ¡°I wondered which a stunning beauty did you meet that made you so carried away and not even care about your own life¡±


    Cheng Shizhao walked towards them and sneered. He put his right arm around Yu Xingzhi¡¯s shoulder and slightly lifted his left hand.


    ¡°But it turned out she¡¯s nothing more than average.¡±


    He squinted his eyes and said with a frivolous tone, ¡°Zigui, everyone around you are from the noble family, so it¡¯s not your fault that you have never seen these women from Jianghu. She¡¯s just playing with you.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi pushed away his arm, and said furiously, ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡±That¡¯s enough, older brothers stop fighting.¡± the ninth prince, Cheng Shiqi, said from the side. ¡°We walked so many days, I¡¯m exhausted. We should find somewhere to rest first.¡±


    Yan Wang turned to Yu Xingzhi and said ¡°this is our first time at Feng Xiang, shouldn¡¯t you bring me to greet the second older cousin? Unless you want me and the ninth prince to wait here while you and this lady have a heartfelt conversation.¡±


    ¡°Older cousin¡±, Yu Xingzhi suppressed his anger and said ¡°please wait outside with the ninth prince, I¡¯ll come soon.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao snorted and waved his hand to signal everyone to leave.


    Yu Xingzhi turned around and softly whispered, ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t be upset. His Highness usually isn¡¯t like this. Let me arrange the two princes and visit my brother, then I will come and explain everything to you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao nodded, stood up and blinked at him with her eyes, and smiled to show that she didn¡¯t mind. Then she signaled him with her hands that he could leave.


    Yu Xingzhi clenched his fist inside his sleeves, but ended up saying nothing and left.


    After Yu Xingzhi left, Zhou Xiaoxiao put her hand on her chest. She no longer felt emptiness, but instead was filled with happiness.


    She gently slapped her own head.


    You like him so much. He didn¡¯t even say anything yet and you just forgave him.


    This time I lost, he got me.


    She organized her clothes, and just like usual she walked downstairs to make pastry with the aunties.


    ¡°Is there anything good that happened? You were smiling while working.¡± said Auntie Ji.


    ¡°Really? I was smiling?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled while touching her own face. ¡°Today indeed is a happy day, we should eat grilled fish as lunch¡±


    ¡°You mean the ones from last time? When you made them by putting the fish in an iron plate with fire burning below it? Those grilled fish were tasty.¡± Juan Zi happily said.


    ¡°Those childe that came earlier are scary, each of them carried a weapon. When they ran in, they intimidated me.¡± Xiao Mei replied with a different focus.


    At the same time, Wang Xun was walking on the street of QingShi, and saw Liu Cang.


    Liu Cang hugged Wang Xun and said ¡°Captain looking spirited today, where are you going? If you¡¯re free, let¡¯s have a drink together.¡±


    Wang Xun touched the brand new hats on his head and replied: ¡°I don¡¯t have time today, I need to go to my master¡¯s place. I¡¯ll invite you to drink with me another day.¡±


    ¡°I heard Master Wu recently has a new disciple, have captain seen him yet? I went to Doctor Wu a few days ago to get some medicines, and saw the young boy practicing. So I decided to have a small battle against him and lost in only three moves.¡±


    ¡°Zhou¡­ brother indeed has extraordinary skills.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, the only one who can compete with that boy in Feng Xiang is only you, captain. Master Wu is good at teaching his disciples, each one of them is well trained.¡±


    As the two of them talk, they have arrived at the house of Master Wu. However, they saw there were many people outside the house.


    Wang Xun startled and left Liu Cang behind while pushing his way into the house.

 Chapter 47 - Meeting Again (3)

    As he entered, he saw that the door was open with the courtyard full of guards on horse. Inside them, was a man wearing gold clothes and he was staring down at Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Wang Xun flipped over the wall and stood next to Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    ¡°Who are you? You guys are not the guards in our city of Feng Xiang. Why are you entering the house without permission?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao reached out her hands to keep him behind her.


    ¡°This is his royal highness Yan Wang, don¡¯t be rude brother.¡±


    Wang Xun heard that Cheng Shizhao is from the noble family of Wang Sun, and suddenly he lost his imposing manner.


    The guard behind Cheng Shizhao scolded ¡°Noble family handling affairs, unrelated people move out of the way!¡±


    Due to his lower status, Wang Xun dare not speak against him, but he also doesn¡¯t want to leave. So he stepped back two steps.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at Cheng Shizhao, and at the same time tried to think of his purpose for being here.


    She said to Wang Xun in a low voice, ¡°brother, this is unrelated to you, leave as soon as possible.¡± With one hand behind her back, she made a sign for the number two.


    She doesn¡¯t know if there will be any use in notifying General Yu, but she has to think about the safety of Wu DaoQuan and his wife.


    Wang Xun hesitated, but Zhou Xiaoxiao turned and pushed him away, ¡°leave!¡±


    Wang Xun had no choice but to leave.


    Cheng Shizhao sneered and said ¡°you even have something going on with a low ranking captain, no wonder you are a woman of easy virtue.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao became outraged, but she in her previous life, she¡¯s a grown adult in the working field many years. So she isn¡¯t a young teenager who doesn¡¯t understand anything.


    She understands in a world like this, noble families like Cheng Shizhao, can easily take her life since she¡¯s only a commoner.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at the people from the house of Wu that are isolated, and tried to control her emotions. Using a moderate voice, she said ¡°If you have any problems, please come inside and have a talk, there¡¯s no need in bothering other people.¡±


    Everyone entered the house.


    Soon, the door outside the small hall was filled up with guards.


    However, on the inside, there¡¯s only Zhou Xiaoxiao and Cheng Shizhao.


    Cheng Shizhao sat on the owner¡¯s seat, lightly tapping the leather whip in his hand, and squinting his eyes at her.


    He couldn¡¯t tell what¡¯s special about this woman, or how she could make someone with a noble character like Zigui** turn into apostasy.


    (T/N: Zigui¨Chow he addresses his cousin, Yu Xingzhi)


    This woman is currently wearing male outfit, with a male hairstyle. Her ordinary face still had some flour stuck on it. You couldn¡¯t see any charm from that woman.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t frightened when he entered the house, nor did she show any sense of flattery towards him.


    ¡°Very courageous. But don¡¯t have your hopes up, Zigui is at somewhere else right now so he won¡¯t be here.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao calmly stared at him, and waited for him to continue.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have patience for a woman like you. To be honest with you, if you still think you can enter the royal family, aunt will no longer tolerate you.¡± Cheng Shizhao frowned while touching his chin, ¡°right now, I have another path for you. I have a house located at Jing Jiao, and I can move you there. I will teach you for a year or so on how to behave like a woman, and if you learn well, I can grant you a lifetime of wealth.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao suppressed the upsettness in her heart to avoid fighting with him, but she also didn¡¯t want to say more to him. So she said ¡°thank you for your highness. But I don¡¯t want any wealth, as long as I can stay safe in this world, it is enough.¡±


    The man sneered in response; Zigui risked his life so many times, just for some garbage like this.


    Cheng Shizhao heard the perfunctory tone in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s words and was angered.

 Chapter 48 - I’m Not Scared of Dying. What Can You Do About It?! (1)

    Cheng Shizhao could tell that Zhou Xiaoxiao was saying this half-heartedly and became angry right then.


    ¡°This Prince went through so much effort for you and you don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you! For you, the entire State Duke Residence has been restless and turned upside down. Aunt has fainted a few times due to anger and State Duke was incredibly infuriated that he ordered servants to serve Xingzhi planks. Xingzhi almost died because of this. Seeing him now, how can you not feel guilty at all?¡±


    ¡°This is funny. Did your highness forget who the injuries on Xingzhi¡¯s body were caused by?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t hold in her words and mocked him.


    Cheng Shizhao squinted his eyes and he glared coldly. He clapped his hands and numerous armored warriors flooded in the room.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not willing¡­¡± Cheng Shizhao curled his lips up sinisterly and there was an evil glint in his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s actually an easier way to save some trouble and it can be over once and for all.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao forced herself to stay calm and keep her composure, thinking of something quickly in her mind.


    She took a few steps back and saluted. ¡°The moment your highness is infuriated, I knew I would die. Although it¡¯s easy to kill someone, one can¡¯t be sure that they won¡¯t regret their decision in the future. Your highness treats Xingzhi closer than family and you would do anything for him. But if you kill me, Xingzhi will definitely be displeased and angry with you. It¡¯s not worth killing this lowly one. Your highness, please think again and I hope you can calm down.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao stared at Zhou Xiaoxiao for a second and he waved his hands, saying, ¡°You guys are dismissed. Don¡¯t come in unless summoned.¡±


    The warriors left the room like water flowing out, closing the door tightly again and the room became silent.


    ¡°If you have any requests, just say it.¡±


    ¡°This woman from an ordinary family has no other wishes and isn¡¯t willing to become anyone¡¯s concubine either. I just want to be able to support myself and live an ordinary life. I hope you can grant me this wish.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao turned around and laid on the kang stove bed, saying leisurely, ¡°Could it be that you have your eyes on that military officer? Well, that¡¯s good. How about you tell Xingzhi that you are interested in someone else now and not him anymore? That way, he won¡¯t have his mind on you anymore. After that, this Prince will reward you with jewelry, gold, and silver; you won¡¯t suffer a loss.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± She really wanted to insult someone. Where did he come from? Why is it his matter who this lady wants to marry?


    Cheng Shizhao pounded the desk and said, ¡°You¡¯re not willing to do this or not, so what exactly do you want me to do?!¡±


    ¡°Your highness.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao tried her best to speak in a gentle tone. ¡°Our relationship is out of mutual consent. If Xingzhi has no feelings for me, I definitely won¡¯t nag him anymore. You are Xingzhi¡¯s brother, so why don¡¯t you persuade him? Instead, why do you have to make things difficult for a woman like me?¡±


    ¡°Humph. What do you mean by mutual consent? You¡¯re shameless.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao stood up and gradually walked to Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    ¡°The way you say it sounds nice, but the reality is that you cannot bear to part with the riches of State Duke Residence. You think that as long as you have Xingzhi, that fool, you can have what you want in the future. Right?¡±


    He bent down and casually observed Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face. ¡°Although you have average looks, you have a fiery personality and you¡¯re also courageous. This makes you quite interesting.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt a bad feeling rising in her heart.


    ¡°In the State Duke Residence, there are strict rules and everyone is complicated there. Plus, all the elders dislike you. Even if you reluctantly make it inside the door, you won¡¯t be the primary wife and you would be bullied and tortured for sure. If you can¡¯t bear to part with Xingzhi¡­why not be mine?¡±


    ¡°Prince!¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked. He was shameless!

 Chapter 49 - I’m Not Scared of Dying. What Can You Do About It?! (2)

    ¡°Shh¡ª, you don¡¯t need to say anything yet.¡± Cheng Shizhao moved closer to Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s ears, saying softly and teasing her, ¡°There are no elders or brothers in my residence, so you will get the freedom you want. Plus, the Princess Consort has a gentle personality and understands this Prince; she is also lenient towards concubines. If you come to my residence, I will pamper you and you get to wear clothes made out of silk, satin, and many other precious fabrics. You¡¯ll also get silver and gold accessories, be able to order servants and maids too. You¡¯ll never need to be so exhausted and you just need to enjoy all the riches and glory. Isn¡¯t that a great deal?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao was clearly familiar with ways of dealing with women. He curled his lips and murmured this in her ears while he placed an arm around Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s shoulders.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tried her best to endure the goosebumps rising on her body and advised him without angering him, ¡°Your highness, please calm down and consider Xingzhi¡¯s feelings. If he knows you did this purposely, he would definitely be upset with you.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be truly angry with me. As a child, he always lets me and no matter how much he likes something, as long as I like it, he was willing to give it to me.¡± Cheng Shizhao flipped the table over and pressed Zhou Xiaoxiao on it. ¡°Of course, you better tell him that you were willing. That way, he would feel better.¡±


    He took off his robe and reached over to strip Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t hide anywhere, so she suppressed Cheng Shizhao¡¯s hands and enunciated each word, ¡°I¡¯m not willing.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao raised his brows and slightly shrugged, smiling at her mockingly. He said in an extremely gentle tone, but it carried a harsh treat, ¡°You must think clearly. Do you know the consequences of going against me?¡±


    He slowly pried Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Your entire family will have to pay for this Prince¡¯s anger.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face enlarging in front of her and she truly felt anxious.


    She was an adult and not an innocent one. She knew very well the consequences of disobeying this man. She treasured the life she obtained out of difficulty and didn¡¯t want to drag her relatives and close friends down with her.


    She closed her eyes and a familiar face floated in her mind. Zhou Xiaoxiao tightly clutched her fists and comforted herself. It¡¯s ok. It¡¯s nothing. Just pretend that you were bitten by a dog. Patience! Patience!


    But when the man¡¯s disgusting breath sprinkled on her face, Zhou Xiaoxiao kneed him firmly and flipped over, punching Cheng Shizhao harshly on his stomach.


    Sorry, I can¡¯t hold it in anymore!


    This punch contained the last straw of Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s fury.


    The punch made Cheng Shizhao bend down and his veins were bursting, cold sweat enveloped him. He vomited and laid on the kang stove bed, unable to say anything.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took out a dagger and played with it, pressing the silver tip against Cheng Shizhao¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try calling? Let¡¯s see if your guards are quicker or if my dagger is quicker?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Cheng Shizhao painfully said, ¡°You don¡¯t want to live anymore?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of dying. What can you do with me?!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took out his belt and pressed his hands behind his back, tying him into a rice dumpling wrapped in leaves.


    ¡°You crazy woman. Aren¡¯t you afraid that your family will be implicated and killed just like you?!¡±


    ¡°Whole family? I¡¯m the only one left. Even if you want to kill my entire family, you can only kill me. It¡¯s worth exchanging my life for your life!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was burning with anger and an evil idea popped up. She covered Cheng Shizhao¡¯s mouth and gave him a harsh beating.


    ¡°Do you know how Yu Xingzhi and I first knew each other? The first time I saw him, he was hung on the pillar by Lin Bingren and whipped. After dozens of days of cruel torture, he still refused to submit. I was wondering which brother he was doing this for. Who knew that he was doing this for you ¡ª a stupid fool whose conscience was eaten by a dog!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s punches landed like heavy rain, punching while talking.

 Chapter 50 - I’m Not Scared of Dying. What Can You Do About It?! (3)

    ¡°After that, he luckily escaped and almost froze to death on the snowy mountain. Coincidentally, he met me, so he didn¡¯t die in the wilderness. We ran for a long time, but we were still caught by Lin Bingren¡¯s brother, Lin Bingzhi. Do you know who Lin Bingzhi was? You probably don¡¯t know him, but that pervert was into gay men. You don¡¯t know how pitiful it was for Xingzhi to land in his hands. Xingzhi almost¡­almost¡­¡±


    The more Zhou Xiaoxiao thought about it, the more angry she was, kicking Cheng Shizhao harshly. The latter wriggled around in pain like a shrimp, letting out small whimpers and groans.


    ¡°I finally got him out of that hell, but he was sick and injured along the way. We had to disguise ourselves and we suffered countless hardships before we almost arrived at Fengxiang. We thought that we could breathe for a while when we were ambushed outside the city door. A villain shot me through my shoulder with an arrow and almost killed me. I¡¯ve never endured something like this before. Now that I think about it, it¡¯s all because you ¡ª an insane person. Don¡¯t you get this injustice? Don¡¯t you think I should grieve over this?¡±


    ¡°I killed the second master of Lin Family and there was not a place I could hide. I ended up staying in this town and opening a store of my own, wanting to live an ordinary life. I didn¡¯t even ask for any favors back from you guys or annoy anyone. Yet, you guys don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you guys and always caused trouble for me. Where¡¯s your conscience? Doesn¡¯t it hurt? Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡±


    After Zhou Xiaoxiao vented her anger, she gradually calmed down.


    She could only see Cheng Shizhao laying on the kang stove bed and curling his body up, remaining unmoved. Blood flowed down the corner of his lips and his face was pale, sweat covering his face; it made it hard for her to see his face.


    Could he be dead? Zhou Xiaoxiao felt guilty.


    Besides the first punch which was done angrily, I had restrained myself later on.


    What should she do now? Flee to a faraway place now? But once I go, my Master, Madam, Aunt Ji, and Juanzi will all be implicated.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pulled off the tape from Cheng Shizhao¡¯s mouth and placed a finger under his nose, feeling his breath.


    She heard a weak voice, saying, ¡°Continue. Why aren¡¯t you hitting me anymore?¡±


    ¡°Are you scared that I am dead?¡± Cheng Shizhao remained unmoved, but talked in a joking tone, ¡°Hilarious. With this force, I wouldn¡¯t die anytime soon. I¡¯ve endured much harsher torture than this. And look, aren¡¯t I still living?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao was absent-minded. His body was sore everywhere and it felt like he returned to the dark and gloomy time period of his childhood.


    In his memory, his mother imperial concubine, Imperial Concubine Guo, was a beautiful but not smart woman. She didn¡¯t even know how she died in the palace and she left her young son in the dark and gloomy palace hall, within the hands of countless resentful imperial concubines,


    Father Emperor had countless sons and daughters and quickly, he began to dislike him after numerous methods people in the palace used to wedge their relationship. Whenever it was night, those imperial concubines who were laughing happily and treated him kindly seemed to be devils and demons coming out of drawings. They had terrifying faces, long claws, and used all sorts of cruel methods to torture and abuse his small body.


    That father Emperor turned a blind eye to it and his entire childhood was full of abuse.


    Up until aunt had sent his cousin into the palace to be his companions. Everyone seemed to recall that although this Prince didn¡¯t have a powerful family, he had an aunt who married into the State Duke Residence at the very least.


    The State Duke Residence valued the fifth master a lot and due to his inseparable companion, all the devils and demons slowly left him alone and revealed kind and caring looks again.


    At that time, the gentle and humble Yu Xingzhi would always hold his hands. He slowly brought him out of the trauma in the palace and brought light into his world. His cousin¡¯s existence was like a sun shining and lighting up his life, warming his heart full of scars.


    ¡°What the Lin Family had done to Xingzhi, I¡¯ll make sure they pay a hundredfold more!¡± Cheng Shizhao spat the blood and fiercely swore an oath.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at Cheng Shizhao who was having difficult breathing and it was surprising that he wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he started to talk to himself, which made Zhou Xiaoxiao stunned. Was there something wrong with his brain?


    Right now, there was a panicking voice outside the door. Cheng Shizhao¡¯s personal guard, Guo Suren, barged in.


    He glanced at the Prince laying on the kang stove bed with his clothes disheveled and a woman disguising as a man with her back against him, sitting on the Prince. She turned around and stared in shock.


    Guo Suren was stunned and he suddenly looked down and left. With a red face, he reported outside the door, ¡°Prince, Fifth Lord Yu barged in. Our brothers can¡¯t stop him.¡±

 Chapter 51 - You’re Going To Beat Them to Death (1)

    Ch.51 You¡¯re Going To Beat Them to Death (1)


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Cheng Shizhao reprimanded Zhou Xiaoxiao in a low voice.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao hesitated.


    Would he behead me as soon as I let go of him?


    ¡°Quickly let me go! I won¡¯t bicker with you about it for now, unless you really want to let Xingzhi see us like this?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao immediately cut the rope off of him and Cheng Shizhao leaned against the edge of the bed, using it as support to stand up.


    While he was putting on his robe, the door was kicked open with a bang and Yu Xingzhi walked in with a solemn face.


    The room was a mess and the table was turned over on the ground, while Cheng Shizhao and Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s clothes were disheveled. They both looked at Yu Xingzhi in shock while the latter¡¯s veins were bursting at the sight. His eyes were red and stormy.


    He dragged Cheng Shizhao over and punched him.


    The Ninth Prince, Cheng Shiqi, who came right after Yu Xingzhi hugged him tightly from behind and said, ¡°You can¡¯t hit him. You can¡¯t hit him.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi kicked him and said, ¡°You¡¯re just allowing him to do dirty and vile things to Xiaoxiao by hindering me!¡±


    ¡°Hit me. I¡¯m letting you hit me. Nine, don¡¯t stop him!¡± Cheng Shizhao said in a weird tone, ¡°You had never laid a hand on me since you were a child, so I¡¯ll grant you your wish today!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Yu Xingzhi angrily hollered.


    From the side, a pair of white and smooth hands grabbed his wrist.


    Although the hands were small and delicate, it had a lot of strength.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hit him. I had already hit him and if you continue, he¡¯s going to be beaten to death.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said.


    Yu Xingzhi turned around and stared at Zhou Xiaoxiao with red eyes.


    ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m fine.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao reached over and gently patted Yu Xingzhi¡¯s back and continued, ¡°Look, nothing happened to me.¡±


    She extended her arms and spun in a circle.


    Yu Xingzhi blinked his eyes and finally noticed what was wrong.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s clothes were neat and tidy; she was easygoing and only her hair was a bit messy. On the other hand, Cheng Shizhao¡¯s hair was scattered around his shoulders and he sported bruises on his face. Not only that, the corner of his lips were bleeding and his clothes were disheveled, a bit embarrassed.


    The guards of the residence who followed in gasped and they all took out their swords, pointing it at Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face turned white and then red, unusually embarrassed. He was extremely angry after hearing that Yu Xingzhi had to endure cruel torture for him, but also because he couldn¡¯t protect himself against a woman.


    He angrily hollered, ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t you guys think you guys are losing enough face already? Leave with me!¡±


    After that, Cheng Shizhao left with his personal guard, Guo Suren¡¯s help, limping out.


    The guards all looked at each other and placed their swords away in confusion, following out.


    Guo Suren knew that it wouldn¡¯t end well. He recalled the scene he barged into and realized that the Prince must¡¯ve been ¡®bullied¡¯ at that time. Yet, he thought it was the Prince¡¯s weird kink.


    It would be fine if he didn¡¯t see that happen, but he did and he didn¡¯t even go and save the Prince. If the latter remembers, what should he do if the Prince decides to settle accounts with him?


    The room quieted as people left.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s companion, Yu Tong, peeked out from behind and carefully asked, ¡°My great aunt ah. You really gave Prince Yan a beating?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s gaze flickered and said, ¡°Um¡­I had already beaten him. So what can I do now? Should I start packing my things and get ready to run off?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and he stared at Zhou Xiaoxiao, gently patting her head. He finally couldn¡¯t help but hug her in his arms.


    He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s all my fault that you had to endure these hardships.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt something wrong and she asked, ¡°Xingzhi, why is your body so warm?¡±


    Then he slowly fell on the ground, but Zhou Xiaoxiao caught him in time. She touched his burning forehead and glanced at his flushed face.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao hurriedly supported him, asking Yu Xingzhi¡¯s personal guard, Yu Tong, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why did he get sick all of a sudden?¡±

 Chapter 52 - You’re Going To Beat Them to Death (2)

    Yu Tong said in distress, ¡°Lady, you don¡¯t know, but ever since the Fifth Lord returned to the capital, he never recovered from his injuries. Just recently, he refused to marry the daughter of Zhangsun Family and disobeyed the Lady, resulting in a harsh beating from the State Duke. What a pity that my Fifth Lord, a noble man, has to endure this kind of beating. Plus, after he received your letter, he spat blood instantly. Without a care for his injuries, he rushed over despite his struggles. Thankfully, Prince Yan hindered him and followed along, persuading him to not hurry. We ended up arriving here longer than expected, but it was worth it for the Fifth Lord. Then, he rushed over here as soon as we arrived.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knitted her eyebrows and was confused. If that¡¯s the case, then why did he say goodbye in the letter?


    But this was not the time to think about it. She placed Yu Xingzhi on the bed in the room and had Yu Tong call for a doctor over.


    Because of Prince Yan, everyone in the residence was shocked and startled, going into chaos. Zhou Xiaoxiao came out of the room to comfort them, finally turning the situation around. When she finished, the doctor had long arrived.


    The doctor was an old man with silver hair and after feeling Yu Xingzhi¡¯s pulse, he twirled his beard in his hands and constantly shook his head.


    ¡°From what I have seen, you guys don¡¯t seem to be coming from a poor family. So, why didn¡¯t you guys care for the patient properly? This person hasn¡¯t recovered from his old injuries and now, he received new ones on top of that.¡± The doctor sighed continuously and said, ¡°This is because he has been too stressed and heartbroken that led him to faint. Now, he is heavily injured and suffering from both internal and external injuries. If he isn¡¯t young and has a sturdy body, he might¡¯ve died by now.¡±


    The doctor shook his head while writing down a prescription, talking endlessly and reminding them to take proper care of Yu Xingzhi, before leaving.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao saw the doctor off and ordered Xiao Mei to go and cook the medicine.


    Meanwhile, she called Yu Tong to the living room.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat in front of Yu Tong and knocked on the table, asking, ¡°What happened? What led to this? When the doctor was treating Xingzhi¡¯s injuries, you had seen them too. How could his injuries be due to lack of proper care? He basically didn¡¯t even bother to tend to the injuries!¡±


    Yu Tong slapped himself and said, ¡°It¡¯s all this guard¡¯s fault. Who knew that the Fifth Lord wouldn¡¯t care about his body? Ever since the Fifth Lord suffered heavy injuries from Sichuan and returned to the capital, he had a strange habit. He stopped allowing the servants to personally look after him. Whether it be changing clothes or applying medicine, he did it by himself and refused to let others help him. One day, a youngster accidentally tipped the teacup over and it spilled on the Fifth Lord, making him hurriedly want to clean up after the Fifth Lord. Who knew that he had just touched the Fifth Lord¡¯s hand when the latter acted unusually and became angry. He scolded the servant and after that, the servants didn¡¯t dare to overstep their boundaries anymore.¡±


    He revealed a confused look and said, ¡°Not only this, but I noticed that Fifth Lord seems to despise being touched lately, even getting angry at his close brothers when they accidentally touched him. Fifth Lord loves the Lady dearly, so please try to talk with him and maybe, it will make him feel better.¡±


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao heard this, she was very confused and pondered over this, unable to say anything for a moment.


    Yu Xingzhi gradually woke up to see him lying on the bed within a room. There was a soft light in front of the bed and an enchanting woman was sitting under the light.


    When she saw him awake, she leaned against the bedside and supported her smooth and delicate face, the other hand gradually reaching over and touching his forehead.


    Yu Xingzhi felt a burning sensation surging from his heart and he was unable to do anything about it.


    He softly turned his head to the side when he heard, ¡°You have a cruel heart.¡± A soft and cute voice was scolding him.


    He immediately couldn¡¯t help but look over, only to see Zhou Xiaoxiao leaning against the headboard and her chin was propped by the back of her hands. She glanced at him with her pitch-black eyes, eyes full of sparkling stars which made him obsessed with her.

 Chapter 53 - You’re Going To Beat Them to Death (3)

    Although he knew that when Zhou Xiaoxiao was talking in a soft and coquettish tone, she must have something up her sleeves, he still couldn¡¯t look away from her.


    ¡°You left me here by myself and you don¡¯t want me anymore. At least, say it in my face. I heard from your second sister-in-law that you were going to marry another woman and my heart is aching so bad.¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t going to.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you write such a ruthless and harsh letter to me? After I read the letter, I cried under the blankets for several nights in a row.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°If something is going on, can you tell me?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao glanced at Yu Xingzhi¡¯s eyes and softly advised, ¡°If you don¡¯t like me anymore, or if you think I¡¯m too crude and reasonable and incompatible with you, or if you can¡¯t be with me due to pressure from your family, you just need to tell me the truth. That way, I won¡¯t think about random possibilities and feel bad.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao patiently waited a while before finally hearing Yu Xingzhi¡¯s deep voice.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He clenched his fist and his face paled, opening his mouth with difficulty, ¡°I can¡¯t have sex.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned. She thought of all sorts of answers, but didn¡¯t expect to hear such a bizarre one.


    ¡°Impossible. Since when?¡± She blurted.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face flushed and he closed his eyes, turning to the side.


    ¡°Ever since I landed in the Lins¡¯ hands and suffered from their torture, this had occurred. After returning to the capital, I felt annoyed and frustrated. I was unable to sleep day and night and this slowly worsened my injuries. Even more, I began to despise other people coming near me and no matter who accidentally touched me, it made me irritated and upset. That day¡­¡±


    He paused before continuing.


    ¡°That day, mother wanted to break our relationship, so she ordered a maid in the residence to¡­climb my bed in the middle of the night. I woke up in shock and the maid¡¯s soft and delicate body only made my hair stand up. I began to feel nauseated and couldn¡¯t help but vomit on the bed. That maid ended up escaping out the door and ever since, I knew there was something wrong with me. I secretly went to search for a cure¡­but nothing was effective. Although we swore to be together, I am too ashamed to let you stay with me, so I can only let you down.¡±


    When he said this, Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t continue anymore. He clenched his fists tightly and his knuckles were in pain.


    He originally was not willing to mention such a shameful matter in front of his beloved, but to keep Zhou Xiaoxiao from feeling bad and clear the misunderstanding, he endured his shame and blurted everything out.


    Right now, he felt as if a dagger had sliced his body open and revealed his ugliness in front of him. He had no interest in life anymore and he felt like his world was gray.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao calmed down and recalled the days when they were escaping. At that time, she took care of Yu Xingzhi who had trouble moving around, so she helped him, not afraid of contact at all. She didn¡¯t notice that ¡°some parts¡± of Yu Xingzhi was unusual. Even more, while Yu Xingzhi was unconscious, she could tell that he was reacting to her.


    ¡°Then when I touched you, do you feel nauseous?¡±


    ¡°You are naturally¡­different from others.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi thought in dismay: only when you¡¯re by my side, I can sleep well. Do you know that when we separated paths, I haven¡¯t gotten a single day of good sleep? I have been eagerly waiting for you to return to my side, so we can be together forever. Even if I have to disobey my parents and be disowned, I¡¯m not scared. I just hate myself for how useless I am right now and despite how much my heart aches for you, I have to endure the pain and break off our relationship. I can¡¯t drag you down your entire life.


    But right now, he couldn¡¯t say this, so he didn¡¯t.


    Yet, Zhou Xiaoxiao was recalling the details and she disagreed with Yu Xingzhi¡¯s explanation. She decided to verify this, so she wasn¡¯t really rushing to explain.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be too worried. This should be a psychological issue and it might not be a physical issue.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yu Xingzhi didn¡¯t understand, but his heart had died. Therefore, he didn¡¯t bother overthinking.

 Chapter 54 - I Am Willing to Endure the Hardships (1)

    Ch.54 I Am Willing to Endure the Hardships (1)


    ¡°Yu Tong said you suffered planks by your father and haven¡¯t been applying ointments. The physician left a medicine bottle, so do you want me to apply it for you?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao sat up and grabbed a white medicine bottle from the headboard of the bed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. I can handle this by myself.¡± Yu Xingzhi reached for the bottle.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? What are you doing?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao raised the bottle up, away from his reach. ¡°I can¡¯t even recall the number of times I¡¯ve applied ointment on for you. But now you want to draw boundaries with me?¡±


    Maybe after today, he may not have a chance to be close to her. As this slipped by Yu Xingzhi¡¯s mind, he slowly placed his hand down and silently rested on his stomach on bed.


    After Zhou Xiaoxiao washed her hand, she stripped him down to his trousers. She opened the medicine bottle¡¯s cap and swiped a bit of ointment on her fingertip.


    Right now, she secretly revealed a mischievous expression.


    Yu Xingzhi felt her finger gently applying the ointment on his back, creating a tingling and slightly ticklish feeling. At first, her finger was well-behaved but then it slowly troubled him as it moved all around his back either intentionally or unintentionally.


    As a result, the tingling feeling gradually became clearer. It penetrated his skin and went straight for the heart, and then it spread across his limbs..


    Yu Xingzhi felt an instinctive reaction in his body and he suddenly lifted his head, looking unbelievably at Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao withdrew her finger and bit her lip, smiling naughtily.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite spirited? Why did you say you can¡¯t have sex? It seems like you¡¯re only bluffing me.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face was full of colors. He hurriedly tugged the blanket over to cover his lower half of the body, propping himself up.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He said with his head down, not knowing what to do, ¡°How can I deceive with you with these things?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao found it infuriating but funny. She thought that it may be because during the days he was a prisoner, he was disgusted by the Lin Brothers who were into homosexuality, especially Lin Bing. This traumatized him and he was appalled by people¡¯s touches. But he had been overthinking and ended up scaring himself, creating this unexpected mishap.


    Once she recalled how uneasy and restless Yu Xingzhi was by himself, she was a bit guilty for tormenting him and she also felt bad. She found it sweet how he trusted and loved her, only not rejecting her touch.


    ¡°Ok, ok, I¡¯ll stop teasing you. I know you didn¡¯t lie to me.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao moved over and softly touched Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hair. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with you. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re temporarily unwilling to accept other people¡¯s touches because of what Lin Bing, that loser had done. But you will recover and be free from this soon.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi felt the huge stone pressing on his heart suddenly tumbling down.


    As expected, as long as she was by his side, even light can enter the darkest world.


    He was blessed for life, being able to meet a person like her.


    He lowered his head and kissed the lips he had been dreaming about.


    Morning after several days.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was still in the yard practicing her martial arts. She was agile and in high spirits, a smile on her face.


    Wu Daoquan coldly humphed by the side and said, ¡°Flowers can bloom from your smile. If you¡¯re not focusing, you might as well stop training.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rushed over to his side and tugged on his sleeves. ¡°Master, I¡¯m wrong. Please forgive this disciple.¡±


    Wu Daoquan always couldn¡¯t do anything about her when she acted meek and submissive, so he couldn¡¯t keep a straight face anymore.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was busy the entire time. She would carry a chair over and then make tea for Wu Daoquan. When his expression slightly softened, she would kiss up to him and kneel by the chair, saying, ¡°It was this disciple¡¯s fault for what happened the other day. I ended up worrying Master and Madame. It¡¯s my bad.¡±


    Right then, Madame Wu was just walking out of the room and she said, ¡°How is it your fault? Prince Yan is too overbearing and a bully. Thankfully, Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re fine. When you were blocked by the soldiers, I was extremely worried and stressed out for you.¡±


    Wu Daoquan sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s obviously not easy to get along with young masters of wealthy and noble families? Xiaoxiao, you need to think carefully.¡±

 Chapter 55 - I Am Willing to Endure the Hardships (2)

    ¡°This disciple always remembers how Master and Madame treat me.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at the Wu Couple and said in seriousness, ¡°But all matters in this world revolved on ¡®willingness.¡¯ Although this would be a difficult path to follow, I am willing to endure the hardships and try.¡±


    ¡°Ok, you didn¡¯t disappoint this Master. You¡¯ve always been a unique woman with your own opinions. Master never likes people who pretend and are untrue to themselves. If you made your decision, following according to your heart. But you must remember that you are Wu Daoquan¡¯s disciple. No matter what happens in the future, you will always have this Master.¡±


    After he finished this, Wu Daoquan stood up with his hands behind his back, walking back into the room.


    Madame Wu said, ¡°Xiaixiao, I don¡¯t blame you for liking someone like Lord Wu. Since you¡¯ve set your mind on following him, then you don¡¯t need to be afraid. No matter what happens in the future, you can still return to this Madame¡¯s side. There will always be a home for you to live here.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held her hands and said, ¡°What¡¯s Madame saying? Xiaoxiao can¡¯t bear to leave Madame and Master. If I marry one day, I will have my spouse by Madame and Master¡¯s side, so we can both serve you guys.¡±


    Madame Wu patted her hands and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡±


    After that, she followed Wu Daoquan and walked in the room.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was the only one in the yard, unmoved.


    She touched her heart and felt a sense of warmness surging.


    When she first arrived, although she was all smiles, she treated herself as a passing traveler. She felt alone in this world and viewed herself as a splash of paint on a picture scroll.


    Now, she realized that these ancient people are human beings who have feelings and emotions. They were even concerned for her, giving her warmth and help.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡±


    She heard someone calling for her.


    She raised her head to see Yu Xingzhi standing by the front door. Several days later, it seems like the illness plaguing him had vanished completely. Right now, his back was against the sunshine and he stood all alone.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed and walked over.


    ¡°Xingzhi, why did you come so early?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you always wake up early in the morning to practice martial arts. I wanted to come over and see if you need someone to train with.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao found this funny. It might be because a few days ago, Wang Xun had went to the General¡¯s Residence to ask for help. Normally, he would train with her but since this piece of news was spread to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s ears, he was clearly jealous and acting out in front of her.


    She led Yu Xingzhi in and sat him down, keeping him there.


    ¡°You¡¯re still ill. Just a few days ago, the physician had reminded me carefully that you needed to be attentive to your recovery process and be patient. Just sit here and watch what I have learned these days. Tell me if my skills had improved.¡±


    ¡°A weak young master is worthy of practicing with junior sister?¡± Wang Xun¡¯s voice rang from the door.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao placed a hand on her forehead. Now, the two were both together.


    Wang Xun took large strides as he walked in, ¡°Lord Wu¡¯s weak body probably can¡¯t withstand junior sister¡¯s punch. It¡¯s best if you rest.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi slowly stood up with a calm expression and rolled his sleeves up. ¡°Now that you said this, this military officer¡¯s skills must be extraordinary. Although I¡¯m not talented, I want to learn from you..¡±


    ¡°Pause, pause.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao stood in the middle of them and looked left and right. First, she said to Yu Xingzhi, ¡°Xingzhi, this is my senior brother, Wang Xun. He and Master has been the ones teaching me the skills. Don¡¯t be rude.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi had been angry and now that he heard this, he was extremely upset when he saw Wang Xun¡¯s proud expression.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao found his upset expression to be silly.


    She reached over and held one of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hands, pulling him forward.


    ¡°Come. Pay your respects to senior brother.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi watched their linked hands and thought that she might be trying to reassure himself by making their relationship public. If she was treating him so sincerely and honestly, how could he be suspicious and betray her?

 Chapter 56 - I Am Willing to Endure the Hardships (3)

    Ch.56 I Am Willing to Endure the Hardships (3)


    In that moment, his heart was full of happiness. He stopped looking at Wang Xun in dislike.


    He suddenly became a politeful son of nobility again. He respectfully said, ¡°Paying respect to senior brother.¡±


    This angered Wang Xun.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said in her heart: Sorry senior brother Wang. I can¡¯t help that I¡¯m closer to Yu Xingzhi than you.


    She had been feeling guilty from the start and so, she apologized deeply, ¡°Senior brother, please allow Xiaoxiao to be lazy for once, since my friend had traveled a long way here. We don¡¯t need to train today but still, Xiaoxiao feels very bad for making senior brother coming over for no reason.¡±


    Wang Xun¡¯s expression changed and he finally coldly humphed, walking off.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sighed and made a silly face at Yu Xingzhi.


    ¡°See how you angered my senior brother? I¡¯m not practicing today, so let¡¯s go. Are your injuries getting better? If you can walk, then I¡¯ll take you on a stroll around Fengxiang City. There¡¯s a lot of great food there.¡±


    Right now in General Yu Xingyi¡¯s camp.


    Cheng Shizhao was very displeased.


    ¡°Second Brother, aren¡¯t you going to look after Wu Lang? I can¡¯t believe a figure like him was enchanted and infatuated by a typical woman in society. He even swore to marry her. What am I supposed to tell my aunt when I return?¡±


    Yu Xingyi thought in his heart: no matter who the woman was, she was still Fifth Brother¡¯s woman. Chen Shizhao, what you have done a few days ago wasn¡¯t a diligent move. Seeing that you¡¯re my younger cousin, I won¡¯t bring it up for the time being. Thankfully, Wang Xun had informed me, otherwise we might not even be able to be brothers anymore.


    He just responded, ¡°How could I have the patience to concern myself with these trivial matters? Marriage is arranged by the orders of parents and the words of a matchmaker. When he returns to the capital, my mother will naturally teach him the ways. As long as she doesn¡¯t budge, he can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao was choked by the words and couldn¡¯t say anything momentarily.


    Seeing that the two were about to get in a fight, Cheng Shiqi tried to act as the mediator. ¡°We can¡¯t force them to cut off their relationship. Maybe as time passes, they¡¯ll find themselves incompatible with one another. Speaking of which, Fengxiang¡¯s frontier area has a lot of unique pastries and food. Royal Brother, how about joining us to enjoy a few days of sightseeing? Treat this trip out the palace as a stroll. See how the pastries in General¡¯s Residence are all so unique and different? It wouldn¡¯t even lose against the capital¡¯s Yu Dining Hall. May I ask where the pastries are from?¡±


    Yu Xingyi felt in the wrong after hankering after a petty advantage. His face flushed and he coughed, saying, ¡°This is from Limestone Street¡¯s December Mooncakes Store and also¡­Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s business.¡±


    Cheng Shiqi was shocked. ¡°That young lady has superior martial arts skills and is ferocious. Even Royal Brother isn¡¯t her match, seeing that he suffered a punch from her. How could someone like her have a business selling delicate and meticulous items?¡±


    Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, was angry right then.


    Yu Xingyi watched as the two were about to quarrel again, feeling a headache. ¡°Prince Yan, you are usually out on expeditions, so it¡¯s fine that you came to visit with my brother. But Ninth Prince is a cultured and noble person. How can we alarm him and make him come all the way here because the trouble my brother caused? If even something little happens to the Prince while he¡¯s outdoors, we¡¯re going to be in deep trouble. It¡¯s not a child¡¯s play.¡±


    Cheng Shiqi said, ¡°General, don¡¯t blame us. I had insisted on coming and since I was a child, I¡¯ve been weak so I can¡¯t learn to box or train. Although I¡¯m titled as the number one idle person, I¡¯ve never been out of the capital to tour, admire the scenery, or try out the delicious food of the world. I usually yearn to take a look of the frontier view and seeing this opportunity, how could I not take it? On the way here, we admired the views of the roads so it wasn¡¯t tiring at all.¡±


    Yu Zingyi cupped his fists and said, ¡°How would I dare to blame you? Sorry for troubling the two highnesses for staying at a simple and crude place like here.¡±

 Chapter 57 - His Wife Likes To Be In Affairs And the Neighbors All Know (1)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao wore men¡¯s clothes and pulled Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hand, as they strolled for the entire day. Right now, they found a small noodle shop by an alley.


    The shop wasn¡¯t big but it was tidy. It sold noodles and scones, and it had set up a shack outside with three to five tables.


    There was a hole in the wall of the noodle shop with a built-in wooden pole that was pressed on top of a huge flatbread. A young woman sat on one side of the wooden pole and jumped with every step, pressing the flatbread over and over. This was ¡°jumping noodles.¡± One would need to cut the noodles extremely thin, throw it in the pot, and then fish it up after it was cooked. Then, pour the bone soup in a bowl of noodles, sprinkling it with mutton, chopped onions, and lard. It tastes delicious, appetizing, and fresh.


    There was a big wooden barrel outside with a layer of mud within. Charcoal was burning on the bottom of the furnace and the woman would paste the finished flatbread inside, waiting for the layers of the bread to puff up. On the surface, it was crispy and savory. When the bread slowly turned golden, the woman would grab the flatbread out with an iron hook. One could taste the saltiness, savoriness, and crispiness of the bread, leaving a memorable experience.


    Although the shop was situated at a remote location, there were a lot of customers, causing Zhou Xiaoxiao and Yu Xingzhi to squeeze at a table with numerous other people.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao grabbed a pair of chopsticks and peered inside, saying, ¡°Xingzhi, this is the best noodle shop in Fengxiang. You have to try it.¡±


    But Yu Xingzhi¡¯s gaze was only on Zhou Xiaoxiao. No matter what she was doing, it seemed like she was full of radiance and warmth. It slowly cast away the darkness and anxiousness in his heart from the past few days.


    Not long later, the owner carried out a bowl of steaming noodles and a tray of delicious flatbread, rushing to place the food on the table and then he greeted them enthusiastically.


    The owner of the noodle shop was a short man with pockmarks. People called him Sun Mazi because of his efficiency and diligence. Plus, he was also good at making flatbread, even married to a young wife.


    The shop was taken care of by the married couple, one working inside and one working out.


    Sun Mazi was busy the entire time and hollered inside, ¡°Madame, make some dough for flatbread.¡±


    They heard a simple ¡°ok¡± from inside as the young woman came down from the wooden pole. She carried a tray of already finished dough, moving the curtains to the side and walking out.


    They watched as she came out with her head down in a gentle manner. She was separating the dough with her slender and delicate hands, adding onto a woman¡¯s charm. Sun Mazi happily took the tray of separated dough from her and he sprinkled sesame and scallion powder on top, pasting it in the interior of the furnace. One delivered and one passed it on, clear that was a tactful understanding.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao slurped the noodles and asked, ¡°Is it yummy?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi sat next to her and slurped the noodles as well. ¡°Delectable dish.¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m eating with you, everything tastes delicious.¡± Yu Xingzhi stared at the busy couple and was jealous of them. ¡°Look at them. Although they come from ordinary families, they are deeply in love with each other and living the lives everyone yearns for.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao moved over and said, ¡°There are problems in every family. Although they seemed harmonious on the surface, in reality, Sun Mazi is an abuser and finds joy in beating his wife. Meanwhile, his wife enjoys taking lovers and all the neighbors know, except the husband, Unlike you and I, who are separated by distance but still in love with each other. We have succeeded far more than these two-sided people. Why be jealous of others?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi looked down and said, ¡°My mother doesn¡¯t agree with our relationship. Xiaoxiao, can you wait for me? It might take a year¡­or two years. But I¡¯ll do whatever I can and I promise I won¡¯t betray you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao glanced at him and answered seriously, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you. We can¡¯t force fate to be on our side. We can only do our best, so don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t help but reach over and grab Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands. She bit her lip and secretly smiled.


    ¡°Under the eyes of the public, you guys are not shameful at all!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao heard a voice that ruined the mood.


    She looked up and as expected, she saw Cheng Shizhao and Cheng Shiqi who came at an ill time.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes and thought: what right do you, a bastard who tries to steal their brother¡¯s girlfriend, have to scold me?


    But considering Cheng Shizhao¡¯s status and how he can¡¯t be easily offended, as well as their ill relationship, she didn¡¯t speak her mind.


    ¡°Wu Lang is really making it easy for us to find you. I would never think Yu Family¡¯s Wu Lang who has the title of the capital¡¯s bright jewel would eat alleyway food.¡± Ninth Prince, Chen Shiqi squeezed in a seat next to Yu Xingzhi and watched the flatbread coming out of the furnace, saying, ¡°These ordinary food do smell quite good and it looks interesting.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and said, ¡°People who are hungry don¡¯t care about appearance. As it turns out, your¡­Ninth Lord matches the description. Do you want to taste it?¡±

 Chapter 58 - His Wife Likes To Be In Affairs And the Neighbors All Know (2)

    Cheng Shiqi nodded and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have a bite.¡±


    Chen Shizhao and the guards in disguise stood at one side, black lines falling down their forehead.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rummaged for ten coins and cupped her fist at the customers sitting at the table. ¡°This person has a few friends who want to sit at this table. I am requesting for you guys to move to another table and sorry for troubling everyone. This contains a bit of my thoughts and apology.¡±


    Seeing how straightforward and polite she was and how they could get ten coins from this, they all moved their seats.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao gestured for them to sit and Chen Shiqi happily sat across the table, while Chen Shizhao unwillingly sat diagonal from them. The guards didn¡¯t dare to sit down, only standing behind them.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao shouted at Sun Mazi and said, ¡°Manager, I want another two bowls of ¡°jumping noodles¡± and a tray of flatbread. I¡¯d like to add dried vegetables and crisps.¡±


    Sun Mazi answered clearly, ¡°Coming right up.¡±


    Quickly, two bowls of steaming hot noodles were brought over.


    Chen Shiqi had a bite and his eyes brightened, saying, ¡°It¡¯s fresh and tasty, delicious as expected. In a plain and humble alleyway, I can¡¯t believe there are delicious food here. Sixth Brother, have a taste too.¡±


    Chen Shizhao had a dark expression and remained silent.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change either, staying quiet.


    Only Cheng Shiqi buried his head in eating the flatbread.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knew what was going on with the three of them. One couldn¡¯t find a way out of this situation; one was angry; and the last one just doesn¡¯t care.


    Although she disliked Cheng Shizhao in her heart, she knew that Yu Xingzhi had been in a difficult situation lately. She didn¡¯t want him to obtain more enemies because of her.


    Plus, she was the one who punched him.


    Therefore, she decided to turn the chapter over since she didn¡¯t need to get along with these lunatics anymore after today.


    ¡°About that day ¡ª ¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao started.


    All three turned their heads over, facing her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao fixed her clothes and said seriously, ¡°Earlier on, I had an argument with Sixth Lord over a small matter and I accidentally lost control, doing something that I didn¡¯t mean to. Thankfully, Sixth Lord was generous and didn¡¯t settle accounts with me.¡±


    She stood up and slowly bowed at him, looking at Cheng Shizhao deeply at the same time.


    This is enough. I¡¯ve given you a way out of this situation so just go along.


    When Cheng Shizhao heard her mention the incident, he couldn¡¯t sit still. When she finally flipped the page over, he then calmed down and thought: at least you¡¯re tactful.


    He glanced at Yu Xingzhi and said in his heart: Xingzhi, if it weren¡¯t for you, why would this Prince need to endure this shrew¡¯s annoyance? As a friend who is smitten by love, you are unable to tell what¡¯s best for you.


    Who knew that Yu Xingzhi didn¡¯t even look at him, pulling Zhou Xiaoxiao instead. ¡°Xiaoxiao, you don¡¯t need to apologize. My older cousin must¡¯ve done something excessive for you to do what you had done because I know you¡¯re not someone who causes trouble.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled, never hesitating to express her fondness of people.


    She moved her head closer and seemingly tried to whisper, but everyone could hear her words. ¡°No matter what, I was the one who punched him so it¡¯s my fault. Plead with him for me and ask him to forgive me, and to not kill me.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face turned red and he was angry.


    Chen Shiqi hurriedly acted as a mediator. ¡°Ok, ok, Sixth Brother, you¡¯re a man so stop arguing about this with a woman. If this causes a disturbance, it won¡¯t look good on us.¡±


    Then he said to Zhou Xiaoxiao, ¡°Lady Zhou, since you want to apologize, why are you stingy and only inviting us to eat flatbread? There are so much delicious food in Fengxiang. Quickly bring us over to have a taste of it.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes. I was just acting when I said I was going to apologize. Do you think I really want to apologize to two losers?


    ¡°Sure. The finest delicacy in Fengxiang City belongs to the one food that the two of you guys probably don¡¯t dare to eat.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao gently tapped her bowl with her chopsticks.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Chen Shiqi was very curious.


    ¡°Pufferfish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. Apparently, it¡¯s extremely fresh and delicious, the number one unusual food in the world. What a pity that I¡¯ve never seen this in the capital.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s guard, Guo Suren leaned over and said quietly, ¡°Sixth Lord, pufferfish are extremely poisonous. It was said that two people in Jiangyin had died from the pufferfish¡¯s poison. You mustn¡¯t eat it.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao clapped her hands and stood up, ¡°In this local area, there¡¯s always been the saying that ¡°you dig your grave with your teeth.¡± One must try this out when they¡¯re here, but since Sixth Lord doesn¡¯t dare to eat it, please head back. Xingzhi, Ninth Lord, why don¡¯t we go?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face turned red and white. He stood up, clapping the table, ¡°What don¡¯t I dare to do?¡±


    Everyone made their way towards the riverside.


    Right now, it was about to become late, but the sparks by the riverbed were harmonious with the sunset glow, painting a beautiful scenery.

 Chapter 59 - His Wife Likes To Be In Affairs And the Neighbors All Know (3)

    There was an ancient bridge by the foot of a hill by the north side of the riverside. A shop was open by the bridge and a few lanterns were on top of the shop. Two tables were outside and there was a stone carved sign next to the door. Once they took a closer look, it said: this shop is skilled in slaughtering pufferfish as it was passed down from generation to generation. It promises its customers that there is nothing to worry about and if anything happens, the owner is willing to repay the loss with his life.


    Whenever the owner saw someone coming, he would brush a layer of ink on the slabstone and paste a sheet of paper on it, and then write a declaration, handing it to the customers. It was like signing a promise letter. After that, he would slaughter the pufferfish.


    Cheng Shiqi found this interesting and sighed with admiration, ¡°While eating pufferfish here, we are able to admire the lights on the fishing boats and the landscape. Now, that¡¯s carefree and relaxing, a hundred times better compared to the imperial banquets hosted in the palace.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao gave him a thumbs up and said, ¡°Ninth Prince is indeed a gourmand.¡±


    Momentarily, the tender and fresh pufferfish was delivered. The owner took a bite in front of everyone before he said, ¡°Please enjoy.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi picked up his chopsticks and said, ¡°As expected, the sweet smell has assaulted my nose. I¡¯m drooling at the scent so let me have a taste first and see if it¡¯s as delicious as the rumors have said it to be.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao stopped him and said, ¡°Xingzhi, wait momentarily. Let me taste it first.¡±


    Then Guo Suren blocked them. ¡°Sixth Lord, please be patient. Please let this guard try it first.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was quick and took a few bites before any of them could. The Ninth Prince, Cheng Shiqi, couldn¡¯t wait anymore and hurriedly grabbed a few bites, hissing at the burning sensation.


    When everyone saw this, they were at ease and took bites. Even the guards had their own table by the side.


    While eating, everyone was praising at how unusual but delicious the pufferfish was.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought that even though Chen Shizhao was shameless and despicable, he was sincere to Xingzhi. Because of him, she will let this matter go. Therefore, she said to Cheng Shizhao, ¡°Since Sixth Prince already tasted the pufferfish, we are now friends who will stick together through thick and thin. How about we let what happened in the past go?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao continued to eat and didn¡¯t say anything. But he thought: although she is brazen woman, she treated Xingzhi sincerely. Because of this, this Prince will not lower myself to her level.


    Everyone enjoyed the food and wine and they were all full. Cheng Shiqi rubbed his round stomach and sighed. ¡°Too bad we have to return to the capital in a few days and we won¡¯t be able to taste this delicacy anymore. It¡¯s really a regret in one¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°You guys are about to go back? When?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at Yu Xingzhi.


    He apologized and said, ¡°There are matters that I need to deal with in the capital and although my older cousin came with me, we had left the capital without permission. It¡¯s really not suitable for us to stay, so we need to return in a day or two.¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his words and his eyes were concentrated on Zhou Xiaoxiao, revealing an expression of reluctant.


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao recalled how he came over despite the distance because of her letter, her heart felt bitter and uncomfortable. An idea sprang in her mind and she proposed, ¡°How about I accompany you to the capital? I was planning on opening a branch of December Mooncakes Store in the capital anyway, so I might as well go check it out before coming back.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, are you being serious?¡± Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t help but feel cheerful at her words.


    After all, he really wished to spend more time with his beloved, but was also worried that she might be implicated in the capital¡¯s complicated affairs.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just accompanying you for the time being and then I will be returning.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao knew what he was worried about. ¡°When we arrive in the capital, we are probably busy with our own matter so we may not see each other. Once I finish settling everything and opened a branch in the capital, it will be more convenient for us to see each other.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao sneered, ¡°Earlier on, I wanted you to return to the capital but you would cause a ruckus and threaten me with your life, unstable and erratic.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao squinted her eyes. ¡°Enough, enough. Your highness, aren¡¯t women like this? Just stop arguing with me.¡±


    She thought: I wanted to break up with Yu Xingzhi because you wanted to lock me up as your mistress. Of course I refused. Now that I knew Xingzhi didn¡¯t mean to break up with me, I naturally wanted to create more opportunities to stay with him since we had made up. It¡¯s not like I am relying on your WangFu. Who needs you to look after me?


    But she said, ¡°Xingzhi just recovered from his illness and I¡¯m worried. At least on the way, I can take care of him. Otherwise, your highness will probably blame me if something happens to him on the way.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Cheng Shizhao angrily said, ¡°Only women and small-minded men are hard to deal with.¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Cheng Shiqi: Wu Lang, what are you drinking? The smell is unique. Let me have a taste as well.


    Yu Xingzhi: Ninth Prince, I¡¯m drinking medicine.


    Cheng Shiqi: Oh, then let me have a taste.

 Chapter 60 - That Idiot Only Cares About Eating The Entire Day! (1)

    When Zhou Xiaoxiao returned to the residence, she made Aunt Ji in charge of the store business matters. December Mooncakes Store was already popular within Fengxiang and it has a solid foundation. Every day, crowds of customers came and the demands would exceed supply. Due to this, Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t need to worry about the state of the store anymore. In addition, Aunt Ji had abundant experiences so she didn¡¯t really need to explain matters to her.


    After a day or two, Yu Xingzhi came to invite her and she bid her farewells with Wu Daoquan and his other half.


    She wore a green bamboo hat with a green silk blouse, buckled by a moon-lit belt. She carried a Yanling Dagger and a carry-on bag, taking only Juanzi along with her.


    Along with Yu Xingzhi, Cheng Shizhao, Cheng Shiqi, and the guards were a total of about 20 people. They were heading on the journey to the capital from Fengxiang.


    There were two horse carriages amongst the people, mainly for Yu Xingzhi and Cheng Shiqi, the two ¡®weak and sick scholars.¡¯ Everyone else disguised into ordinary merchants and rode horses.


    At the beginning, Juanzi wasn¡¯t comfortable so Zhou Xiaoxiao rode the horse with her. But later on, she became familiar and uncomfortable, riding by herself happily.


    This continued for the next two to three days and there were rarely any people to be seen, along with desolate roads. Pine trees and blueish-green cupressaceae painted the surroundings and the wind would whistle and hiss every now and then. The narrow streets contained views of mountains and shades of indigo and green jade extended on.


    Cheng Shiqi was bored of staying in the carriage as he had been in the past few days and gradually became annoyed. This day, he decided to ride a horse, saying he was going on a stroll. Like a wisp of smoke, he was gone instantly.


    Prince Yan couldn¡¯t stop him and wanted to chase after him, but was ill at ease when he saw Yu Xingzhi¡¯s horse carriage. Within the carriage, Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°Older cousin, Ninth Prince is naturally unrestrained and doesn¡¯t know about the truths of the world. Go look after him and make sure nothing happens.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao rode the horse next to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s carriage and said, ¡°Who wants to follow that fool? You, on the other hand, had suffered at Sichuan; but I don¡¯t see you learning your lesson. If I don¡¯t pay attention to you and ended up giving that beautiful woman a chance to hurt you, what am I supposed to say to my Aunt when we return?¡±


    The curtains on the carriage were moved to the side and Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face popped out.


    Cheng Shizhao subconsciously took a step back.


    Who knew that Zhou Xiaoxiao gave a fake smile and pulled the curtains back over?


    In the carriage, Zhou Xiaoxiao said in a coquettish and delicate voice, ¡°Whoa, this beautiful woman¡¯s legs are feeling sore. Brother Xingzhi, can you help me massage it?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t keep himself from laughing. ¡°Stop looking for trouble.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao had lost the round. Ever since he was given the title of Prince, he had never endured this kind of annoyance.


    He casually pointed at two people and said, ¡°Go, go and chase after your Ninth Lord! You guys can¡¯t even discern the situation. Why are you guys waiting for me to order you guys?¡±


    Right now, Cheng Shiqi followed his sudden impulse and left everyone, galloping on the horse.


    On his way, he admired the beautiful scenery and felt carefree.


    Unintentionally, he has already passed over numerous hills and saw the peak of a mountain in front of him.


    This was an arduous and towering mountain, seemingly about to collapse. There was a high mountain road in the middle and narrow mountain, along with rocks, pebbles, and weeds. After passing the pine trees and bamboo forests, one could see the faint ancient red and glazed tiles on a temple, emitting a solemn and remote manner.


    Under the foot of the mountain was a tea shed. Two bold monks were begging for money and selling tea. There was a table set there with a few wooden benches. On top, there were a few teacups, a teapot, and a jar for money.


    Cheng Shiqi was accustomed to relaxing and being idle so after suddenly traveling a long distance, he felt his heart pounding irregularly and wanted to quench his thirst.


    He was about to ask for a cup of tea when the two guards caught up from behind and blocked him. ¡°Ninth Lord, the food in the mountains are probably not sanitary. Please wait momentarily as our own fleet has water on the carriages. Let¡¯s wait for the Sixth Lord and Lord Wu to arrive before this guard serves the Ninth Lord water.¡±

 Chapter 61 - That Idiot Only Cares About Eating The Entire Day! (2)

    Cheng Shiqi couldn¡¯t stand the thirst, ignoring his guards.


    The two monks were sitting down by the tree and drinking. Seeing someone coming over, they didn¡¯t bother to greet them. But they said, ¡°If you benefactors are feeling thirsty, feel free to drink the tea made from the spring water. You may give however much as you wish. We¡¯re not here to earn money from you.¡±


    Them, they continued to drink and didn¡¯t bother with them.


    One guard walked forward and drank half a bowl of tea first. Then, he rinsed the bowl with tea and served it to Cheng Shiqi.


    Cheng Shiqi saw the muddy tea but still drank it, feeling a sense of bitterness entering his mouth. He thought it was just the tea and took a few more sips, before placing the cup down.


    He suddenly sniffed an unusual smell in the air which came from the wine jars in the two monks¡¯ hands.


    Cheng Shiqi asked the monk, ¡°May I ask the senior brothers what the Fragrance Hill is? And where is the pagoda of a temple?¡±


    The monks looked at each other and both stood up, saluting. ¡°May I ask why you guys are inquiring this? This is the Tiger Cave Mountain and there is a Thousands Clock Temple within. This monk is the traveling monk within the temple.¡±


    Cheng Shiqi saluted and said, ¡°I am quite lucky to see two senior brothers and I am wondering what win you guys are drinking since it has an unusual smell. I am tired from traveling and am hungry and thirsty. Can you guys give me some wine? I will naturally pay you for this.¡±


    The two monks shook their head repeatedly and said, ¡°This benefactor doesn¡¯t know but the air in the mountain is moist. We have to drink wine in order to combat the cold and this wine is made from the wild apes. It¡¯s called ¡®Monkey Wine¡¯ and it can only be discovered but not sought out. We don¡¯t even have enough so how can we sell this to you?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s heart itched, wanting to have a taste. He coaxed and pestered, saying, ¡°I am very thirsty and even just selling a bit of wine will be enough for me.¡±


    When the two guards saw this situation, they rummaged for an ingot of silver and scolded, ¡°Monks, don¡¯t create trouble for us. Since our young master wants a taste of your ¡®Monkey Wine,¡¯ what¡¯s wrong with selling some wine to us? We are still giving you the money you deserve.¡±


    The monks took their time to come over and pour three bowls of wine, covering the jar of wine afterwards and refusing to pour anymore.


    Cheng Shiqi looked at how clear the wine was and took in the strange fragrant scent. He was delightful in his heart as the ¡°Monkey Wine¡± was mentioned in a legend; he finally got a glance of it today.


    The two guards were quite curious as well, but seeing that the wine was poured from the jar that the monks were drinking from, they weren¡¯t worried anymore. The two toasted and drank the wine in one gulp.


    But after one bowl, Cheng Shiqi was still in the mood for more. He wanted to ask for more but his legs became weak, feeling the surrounding spinning in circles. He asked, ¡°Why does this wine has such a strong effect?¡± Then he fainted on the table.


    The two monks chuckled out loud and one of them said, ¡°Seeing that a scholar like you has no bags or luggage and also have two fierce guards accompanying you, I wasn¡¯t going to bother with you. Had you just silently walked by, it would¡¯ve been fine. Who knew you were being greedy and determined to drink the wine? You were basically asking for it so don¡¯t blame us monks.¡±


    The two guards also felt their legs becoming weak, falling down and couldn¡¯t move at all. Thankfully, one of them ¡ª Li Quan ¡ª had a determined mindset and didn¡¯t faint. Seeing the situation had gone wrong, he pulled out a dagger and stabbed his leg. Using the pain, he reluctantly remained awake and struggled to get up. While the two were off guard, he rolled over and escaped.


    At this time, Yu Xingzhi and Cheng Shizhao slowly headed over.


    However, they only saw one person galloping their horse and returning.


    When he was finally close, a guard rolled off the back of a horse, covered in blood. He said, ¡°Something big happened. Ninth Prince was snatched by two people off to the mountain!¡±


    Everyone was shocked after hearing Li Quan¡¯s report.


    Cheng Shizhao smacked his hands with his fists and scolded, ¡°That idiot. He only cares about eating the entire day! Now, that¡¯s great. He¡¯d gotten himself in a thorny situation!¡±


    Yu Xingzhi advised, ¡°Your highness, now is not the time to blame anyone. We need to devise a plan to save him first. If we delay the time, Ninth Prince may be in grave danger.¡±

 Chapter 62 - That Idiot Only Cares About Eating The Entire Day! (3)

    ¡°How are we going to save him? That temple is situated in a dangerous terrain. It¡¯s easily guarded but hard to attack.¡± Cheng Shizhao said angrily, ¡°The closest stationed troops are at Fengxiang Residence. Even if they come as fast as possible, it will definitely take two to three days and by then, it¡¯s enough time for those people to cut Cheng Shiqi to pieces and be made into jerky.¡±


    From Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s memory, Cheng Shizhao was unstable, impudent, and abnormal.


    But this time, she witnessed this young man, titled as Prince, who joined the army at the age of nineteen and achieved numerous accomplishments and his elegant manner.


    Although Prince Yan was infuriated, he quickly calmed down as well. As expected, he ordered people to find information and sent his trusted aide back to Fengxiang to ask for aid. After that, he personally led a group of people and advanced to the foot of the mountain to examine the terrain.


    Once everyone arrived at the foot of the mountain, they looked up at the towering high mountain, only seeing the peak and pines hanging upside down against the cliff. There was an ancient temple in the middle of the mountain and the path to the mountain was quite steep and narrow. There was a ladder that led straight to the temple. One man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies.


    The spies who went to observe the surroundings came back and reported, saying that the Thousands Clocks Temple on the Tiger Cave Mountain was originally an ancient temple that had been worn down by years of non-repair. Gradually, no one tend after it anymore.


    Who knew that a fat monk named Huang Tiangu came one day. He was eight feet tall and highly skilled in martial arts, using the staff of a Buddhist monk to the best of his abilities. He gathered 20-30 thieves and took over this temple. The monks who pretended to follow Buddhism were really robbers who waylay and robbed that specializes in shady business like murdering people for money.


    Cheng Shizhao said in a low voice, ¡°This is troublesome since the terrain is narrow and dangerous, easily guarded but not to be attacked. There is only one way up the mountain and the thieves seemed to have set up hidden sentry posts at the foot and waist of the mountain. Even if we force our way through, if the thieves feel like there¡¯s no way out, they will kill Ninth Lord; there is no way to save him.¡±


    Seeing that no one said anything, Zhou Xiaoxiao interrupted. ¡°I have an idea but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a viable one.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao said, ¡°What ideas can a woman come up with? Well, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at Yu Xingzhi and said, ¡°Let¡¯s resort to old methods. Find three to four experts to pretend as women entering the temple in order to burn incense. Look for an opportunity and save Ninth Prince while others will provide support.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s eyes lit up and he grabbed her hands. ¡°That works! But the mountain was a dragon¡¯s pond and a tiger¡¯s cave. We don¡¯t know the situation within and it¡¯s enough for me and my older cousin to you; you can¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°I naturally have to go. You just recovered so you¡¯re the one who can¡¯t go.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao grabbed his hands and said, ¡°But it¡¯s ok. We don¡¯t need to argue since we can both go.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao was confused and said anxiously, ¡°What do you mean by pretending to be women? You¡¯re a woman so who do you want¡­¡±


    He watched Zhou Xiaoxiao staring at him and smiling.


    ¡°Nonsense! Absurd! You dare to ask me to pretend to be a woman?!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at the sturdy and built guards and shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no other ways. Plus, other people don¡¯t look like one besides you.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao waved her hands and continued, ¡°Your Highness is invaluable so you naturally can¡¯t easily take risks. Since that¡¯s the risk, I can go with Xingzhi while your highness is in charge of backing us up under the foot of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Give me a reason not to go!¡±


    Cheng Shizhao had never seen a woman that infuriated him so much. She could easily anger him with her words, making him on the verge of exploding.


    Juanzi heard their conversation rushed over, ¡°How can Lady go somewhere so dangerous? If you must go, bring Juanzi as well.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked once again. ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble. How can you, a servant girl, be involved in this?¡±


    Juanzi tightly hugged Zhou Xiaoxiao, not letting her go. ¡°I¡¯ve never once acted as a servant girl who hid behind their master as they went on a dangerous mission. If Lady must go, you have to bring me. If there¡¯s danger, at least Juanzi can block it for Lady even if it means she has to die.¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Cheng Shizao: You idiot. You only care about eating the entire day; do you dare to eat anymore?


    Cheng Shiqi: Wu, wu, wu, then I¡¯ll eat less.

 Chapter 63 - Reaching Over and Touching Cheng Shizhao Everywhere (1)

    Speaking of which, once Cheng Shiqi drank the ¡®Monkey Wine¡¯ that was spiked with knockout drops, he was taken to the temple.


    Not long later, he gradually woke up and felt his guards that accompanied him were tied back to back with him, on the main hall¡¯s pillar.


    A black, sturdy, and fat monk was sitting on the chair in front of him and he was polishing a shiny sharp dagger.


    That monk had bronze leopard-like eyes, a pair of bushy eyebrows, and his face was fierce-looking. He looked sinister and chuckled at Cheng Shiqi once he woke up. He stood up and said, ¡°People, bring the equipment over.¡±


    Two bandits who were also monks brought two half full basins of clear water, two bundles of rope, and two pieces of masking cloth.


    The fat monk slid the already polished sharp dagger over the water and wiped it with a cloth, walking over.


    Recall how Cheng Shiqi had been provided for and lived comfortably as a child and grew up with everything he desired. This was even the first time he left the capital so he¡¯d never experienced a situation like this.


    He was scared witless.


    He begged for mercy, ¡°Buddha, please have mercy and don¡¯t murder me. My family is wealthy and I can send people home and have them bring money to you, so that Buddha can repair the temple and allow Bodhisattva to reveal itself in the temple!¡±


    The fat monk hysterically laughed and walked up, covering Cheng Shiqi¡¯s mouth with a dirty piece of cloth. Then, he tugged his clothes and revealed his white and smooth chest. He grabbed the rope to strap his skin tightly and then he raised his shiny sharp dagger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to cause a disturbance. Even if I haven¡¯t slaughtered 1,000 easy men like you, I¡¯ve killed at least 800. The only reason you¡¯re blabbering nonstop is because you want to stall time and live.¡±


    Cheng Shiqi sobbed but it sucked that he couldn¡¯t say anything with the cloth in his mouth, so he made incoherent noises.


    That monk was teasing Cheng Shiqi like a cat teasing a mouse, sliding the tip of the dagger around his chest as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know everything before you die. I¡¯m not Buddha or anyone like that and my name is Huang Tiangu, also known as God of the Mountains. Because I was tired of this mundane world, I voluntarily shaved my head and became a monk, resolving the previous worries I had. I took over this temple and started this merciful business. Since you had drank a bowl of ¡®monkey wine¡¯ from the temple, you must leave your heart as tip, so that these grandfathers can eat along with rice. You don¡¯t need to be afraid since I¡¯ll be quick and next year of today will be your anniversary of death!¡±


    As he was about to dig his heart out with the dagger, he heard a series of bang outside the door. Several minions hurriedly ran in.


    They murmured, ¡°Master, master, we got a few more cash cows and they¡¯re being brought up the mountain right now.¡±


    Huang Tiangu scolded, ¡°Stupid fools. We have a person for today so why are you guys bringing more cash cows up? This grandfather has reminded you guys several times that we only kill one person per day; don¡¯t be greedy.¡±


    The minions chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that we are being greedy but rather Buddha is being merciful, wanting to give master some presents. We passed by two beautiful and gorgeous ladies who had four to five companions with them. They said that they were devoted worshippers and worshipped every temple they saw, insisting on entering the temple and burning the incense. We tried to stop them but we couldn¡¯t, so we had to spike the others¡¯ drinks with knockout drops and we are bringing the two ladies up now.¡±


    Huang Tiangu said, ¡°There¡¯s actually something good like this? We¡¯ve been free and relaxing here, not lacking anything but a few wives of brigand chiefs. Could it be that Bodhisattva


    Is pitying us and being generous? Let¡¯s go and see how the ladies look.¡±


    Everyone laughed and said, ¡°Today seems to be grandfather¡¯s great day!¡±


    As they exclaimed this, a few minions carried a few knocked out sturdy men inside the main hall, followed by two ladies who were squirming and helped inside by two servant girls.


    The two ladies had milky white skin and eyes like autumn water.


    They were like fairies descending to the mundane world and Chang¡¯e from the Palace of Moon entering their dreams. They were beautiful women, capturing the attention of birds and beasts, even shaming the flowers.


    None of them had seen women like them and they were stunned at the sight.

 Chapter 64 - Reaching Over and Touching Cheng Shizhao Everywhere (2)

    The two ladies were clearly extremely afraid, trembling in fear and their cheeks flushed. On either side of them, one fat and one skinny servant girls were supporting them in the hall.


    The plump servant girl was shaking while the skinny one who had almond eyes was a bit courageous and clever. She blocked in front of them and said, ¡°My young miss is a sincere worshipper of Buddha. May I ask why you guys are taking us here? If you guys want money, there¡¯s enough money in the bag for you guys to share. We just want you guys to show mercy and let us back down the mountain. We will definitely burn incense daily and pray, thanking everyone for their kind hearts.¡±


    The fierce thieves burst into loud laughter and said, ¡°We aren¡¯t lacking in gold or silver, only ladies to be our wives of brigand chief.¡±


    When Huang Tiangu saw the two beautiful women¡¯s appearances, he was unable to contain his joy and his heart itched at the sight.


    He tugged on his monk gown and pretended to be polite, saying, ¡°You two ladies are extremely gorgeous and I really love you guys. I have big businesses, gold and silver for the ladies to spend, and food and wine for the ladies to eat and drink. If the two ladies are willing, we can imitate Ehuang Nvying and the three of us can be happily married for the rest of our lives. The other two young misses can pick amongst my brothers who they have their eyes set on and marry them as well.¡±


    The servant girl revealed a shocked expression and asked timidly, ¡°You¡¯re a monk so how can you get married?¡±


    Huang Tiangu said, ¡°After seeing this lady¡¯s beautiful appearance, even senior monks are unable to hold back. They must return to their normal lives and even Buddha can¡¯t escape from this fate, needing a Buddhist nun.¡±


    That servant girl covered her face and said, ¡°What if we don¡¯t agree?¡±


    Huang Tiangu¡¯s face darkened and he replied, ¡°Then don¡¯t blame me for not being fair to you guys. We will strip you of your clothes and dig out your hearts as we eat it along with rice.¡±


    That servant girl fell to the ground and sobbed, saying, ¡°What a pitiful moment, what a pitiful moment. Heaven, why must you watch as we are trapped in their hands? Young misses, we have no other choice but to agree. It¡¯s more important to save our lives.¡±


    The two ¡°young misses¡± were speechless.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was a drama queen and was enthusiastically performing right now.


    Suddenly, a cry came from the main hall.


    Everyone looked over to see Cheng Shiqi who was tied to the pillar still. He originally thought he would¡¯ve died for sure and his soul was half gone from the fright. He saw stars flying everywhere and heard the sound of the bronze drum ringing over and over.


    He then slowly woke up and vaguely heard a woman crying and speaking.


    The voice was familiar and he opened his eyes and identified the crying woman to be Zhou Xiaoxiao and her chubby servant girl.


    There were two other beautiful women behind Zhou Xiaoxiao who seemed familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recognize them for the time being.


    Cheng Shiqi looked closely and suddenly realized that the two women were Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingzhi in disguise. He couldn¡¯t help but call out.


    Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t completely stupid and corrected ¡°Ah, Royal Brother save me!¡± into ¡°Ah! Royal ¡ª King Huang, please have mercy!¡±


    Huang Tiangu then remembered Cheng Shiqi and pondered: since these ladies are crying nonstop, they probably won¡¯t surrender easily. I shall dig the heart out of this cash cow and scare them. I bet they will surrender to this grandfather right then.


    Who knew that the moment he was about to turn around, Zhou Xiaoxiao threw herself at his feet and tugged on his sleeves. She sobbed and choked, ¡°Young miss said that as long as the King promises her three things, she will surrender to the king! Wu, wu, wu!¡±


    Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingzhi were speechless.


    Juanzi sobbed.


    Huang Tiangu was delightful and hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention just agreeing to three things but once the ladies agree to be my wives, I¡¯ll even grant you guys 300 wishes.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Our young miss comes from a respected family so if the King is sincere and wants to marry her, you have to set up a banquet and kowtow to the heaven and earth. That way, our young miss can marry the King.¡±


    As she said this, she tugged on Yu Xingzhi. ¡°Right, young miss?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi smiled gorgeously and lifted her sleeves over to cover her face, turning to the side.


    Huang Tiangu felt himself turning soft at her appearance and promised accordingly. ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯ll tell my minions to set up a banquet and we can conduct our ceremony momentarily.¡±

 Chapter 65 - Reaching Over and Touching Cheng Shizhao Everywhere (3)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao continued, ¡°Secondly, since young miss will marry the king, then we are a family. Please don¡¯t hurt the servants and after the ceremony is over, you have to let them go.¡±


    Then she tugged on Cheng Shizhao and said, ¡°Elder young miss, say something.¡±


    His face was flushed and he harshly glared at Huang Tiangu, turning his head to the side.


    Huang Tiangu concluded that the ladies were ignorant and he would just agree to their conditions for now. After all, he was just keeping them alive for the night.


    After their wedding festivities, he¡¯d have his minions bring them down the mountain and secretly kill them. He¡¯d just say he let them return home and there was nothing the ladies could do about it anyway.


    Of the two ladies, one was gentle and quiet, and the other was charming and delicate. He would do anything to enjoy his life with the two ladies.


    Right then, his heart was tingling and he wanted badly to tug the ladies into the room and start their wedding night.


    Therefore, he agreed without a doubt and hastily asked for the third condition. ¡°What¡¯s the third condition?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and said, ¡°The third condition is simple. My young miss is a sincere worshipper and since Bodhisattva bestowed us with this marriage, she wants to remain a vegetarian for three days in order to thank the spirits and there will be no murders occurring. Since you want to marry my young miss, you must follow these conditions as well. Don¡¯t mention killing anyone in these three days but you can¡¯t even slaughter chickens. If you agree with these conditions, we will follow you endlessly and stay here.¡±


    Huang Tiangu tweaked his ears and scratched his cheeks, unable to contain his joy. ¡°I¡¯ll follow, I¡¯ll follow. I won¡¯t kill anyone or slaughter chickens, only being affectionate and sweet couples.¡±


    When Cheng Shiqi heard Huang Tianyu agree to the conditions, he calmed down since he knew he wasn¡¯t going to be killed. While they were off guard, he gestured at Cheng Shizhao to kill them and he gave him a look. Cheng Shizhao glared at him, motioning for him to quiet down.


    Not long later, a few minions had set up a few tables of vegetarian dishes and they randomly spread some red cloth on the tables and placed red candles on top.


    They made the entire serene Buddha hall into a crowded and delightful hall.


    Then people found two more red pieces of cloth and placed it over Yu Xingzhi and Cheng Shizhao¡¯s head, acting as a bridal veil.


    They helped the two to the table and then noisily started the banquet.


    All the monks took off their monk gowns and changed their clothes, they placed wildflowers and weeds over their ears. Then they began to laugh out loud and enjoy their time.


    Then there were a few more people who took out the Chinese shawm and started playing the drum. They were just blowing the shawm casually and at irregular beats.


    What a pity that this ancient and solemn temple became an oppressive nest of devils.


    In the vast hall, one could only see the group of people dancing happily and randomly.


    It was absurd and ridiculous and no one cared how many ghosts were wandering about while they were having fun.


    Huang Tiangu had changed into a brand new gown and he wore a brocade waistcoat, with a glossy dark green square scarf over his bald head. Red silk flowers hung on his body and he was ecstatic, looking forward to be the groom.


    All the bandits congratulated the King in unison and they took turns toasting him. Huang Tiangu burst into laughter and accepted all the toasts.


    At that moment, he drank glass after glass of wine and enjoyed the drinking party.


    The whole hall was surrounded by drunks and tables full of mad men.


    Huang Tiangu was intoxicated by this point. He stood up, his clothes were open to the world and he looked lustily at the ladies. His body of fat shook as he walked, revealing his hairy chest. He reached over and grabbed Cheng Shizhao everywhere as he said, ¡°Go, go, go. Wives, let¡¯s conduct the ceremony and prepare for the wedding festivities.¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Zhou Xiaoxiao: The north wind blows as the snowflake floated in the air. One dislikes how the Heaven isn¡¯t watching this and is miserable that the world is ruthless. My young miss is as beautiful as a flower, but she has to enter a cave of wolves! Cry, cry!


    Juanzi: Wu, wu, wu. This is miserable, miserable!


    Cheng Shizhao: Act, continue to act, guys.


    Yu Xingzhi: Older cousin, don¡¯t interrupt them. Xiaoxiao hasn¡¯t had her fun yet.

 Chapter 66 - Wife, Why Are You Beating Your Husband? (1)

    Cheng Shizhao burst into anger and threw the red cloth off his head.


    He kicked Huang Tiangu to the ground and the latter shouted, ¡°Wife, why are you beating your husband?¡±


    Without another word, Cheng Shizhao grabbed a hidden sharp dagger and attempted to stab Huang Tiangu¡¯s chest. He hurriedly rolled over and barely missed the attack. He suddenly felt a heaviness on his back and he was pressed against the ground by a nimble feet.


    He watched as the servant girl who stepped on him chuckled, saying, ¡°You must be drunk and rushing to get the wedding night started with my elder miss?¡±


    Huang Tiangu attempted to get back up but that servant girl was unusually powerful. It felt like mountains were crushed on top of him and he couldn¡¯t even move the slightest.


    Cheng Shizhao walked over and slit his throat with one clean cut.


    The local tyrant and ferocious demon had died finally, going to hell to dream about his wedding night.


    The servants who had been tied up the mountains all yelled in unison, jumping up and breaking free of the restraints, pouncing at the bandits. They were all elites and skilled guards picked by Cheng Shizhao from the residence.


    Earlier, at the foot of the mountain, they all drank the wine in order to not raise suspicion. In reality, they spat the wine in secret and hid diggers on themselves, pretending to faint. Once they were tied up the mountain, while the bandits were off guard, they had all cut the rope loose and just waiting for Cheng Shizhao¡¯s orders to take the bandits down.


    There was one person who rushed out the main hall and let out a signal; then, one could hear the uproars from the foot of the mountain and people forcing their way up the mountain. All the bandits felt their legs weakening at the sight and were frightened since their leader, Huang Tiangu, had died already.


    They had no intentions of fighting back as they all ran off in different directions. However, they were all either killed or captured, the majority taken care of.


    Yu Xingzhi untied Cheng Shiqi and he fell on the ground, sobbing and whimpering. He said, ¡°Thankfully brothers came on time, otherwise I would¡¯ve died here. Wu, wu. My legs are soft as dough and I have no strength. I really can¡¯t get back up.¡±


    Prince Yan felt helpless but reached over to help him up.


    Cheng Shiqi¡¯s face was covered in tears and he looked to see his usual dominating and fierce Royal Brother who now had his hair combed into a bun and golden hairpins were stuck in his hair. He wore a dress and had blush and lipstick applied on his face, appearing to be moving and beautiful from the makeup.


    Cheng Shiqi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think brother can be such a beautiful woman in disguise.¡±


    Right then, Prince Yan frowned and scowled at him, flying into a rage of humiliation. He pushed Cheng Shiqi, making him stumble; then he brushed his sleeves and left him.


    He went to the back of the hall and found an empty spot, changing this humiliating outfit.


    Coincidentally, he saw Yu Xingzhi still wearing the dress and he, along with Zhou Xiaoxiao and Juanzi, squeezed in front of the kitchen. He was washing the rice and vegetables, helping out the women.


    Cheng Shizhao was confused and asked, ¡°Xingzhi, what are you doing here?¡±


    He looked up, smiling and answered, ¡°Everyone has been busy the entire day and they¡¯re all hungry. Xiaoxiao is cooking food for them and I was worried that she may be too exhausted, so I decided to help her out.¡±


    Right now, Yu Xingzhi had a beautiful face of a woman and he seemed familiar to his memory as a modest and polite man. The two faces had coincided every now and then as he continued to stare.


    Cheng Shizhao felt helpless by his actions, unable to even tell him that men should stay away from the kitchen. He used the wall as support and slowly walked out.


    In the meanwhile, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Juanzi enjoyed playing with each other. One would push the other and the other would pinch back in retaliation.


    Juanzi said, ¡°When I first saw Prince Yan, he was like a black face Yama and he scared me half to death. Now, he doesn¡¯t even seem scary; in fact, he is quite friendly.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao chuckled at this. It was pretty fun to bully him.


    ¡°Xingzhi, quickly go and change your clothes. There¡¯s nothing you could do here anyway.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi stood up and before he left, he smiled and said, ¡°Well, control yourself and don¡¯t bully older cousin too much.¡±

 Chapter 67 - Wife, Why Are You Beating Your Husband? (2)

    Although they were in the temple, the bandits weren¡¯t actual monks that abstained from eating meat. There were all sorts of meat in the kitchen, along with fresh fish.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao first cooked one big cask of rice and then sliced three layers of meat into squares, adding a spoonful of lard into the pot. After it was heated up, she added white sugar and waited for it to melt into a golden thick liquid before adding pork into the pot, once it was slightly fizzled. She stir fry the pork until it changed to a layer of caramel color; then she added: cooking wine, five spices seasoned, anise, Chinese cinnamon, and slight salt. She poured this into a casserole and cooked it with small fire.


    After that, she slaughtered the fresh fish and scraped the meat from the bones, dumping the fish fillet in hot oil after it was marinated. Then, she took it out, leaving it to the side for later. After that, she added slight oil in another pot and stir-fry the fish bone by itself for a while, adding boiling hot water and onions. She cooked a cream white soup, adding in pickled vegetables and bamboo shoots. When the soup was cooked, she added in the already heated fish fillet and quickly carried the pot out.


    Everyone had been exhausted and dehydrated, all famished when they suddenly smelled a captivating and appetizing smell of meat. They watched as Zhou Xiaoxiao carried out a bowl full of sparkling and translucent oily red braised pork while Juanzi held a cream white pot full of fish.


    They placed it on the table, smiling and declaring, ¡°Time to eat!¡±


    At that moment, one could hear everyone gulping their saliva.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao, Yu Xingzhi, Cheng Shiqi, and Cheng Shizhao sat in one table. They watched as Cheng Shiqi choked while eating but wolfed down the rice, saying, ¡°Wu, wu, wu, this pork isn¡¯t too oily and it¡¯s delicious. Wu, wu, wu, this fish soup is fresh and appetizing. Even the rice smells delicious, wu, wu, wu. I have never been starved this much before since I was a child.¡±


    On the other hand, Yu Xingzhi had been placing food on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s bowl while she ladled soup for him.


    Although the food was delicious, Cheng Shizhao didn¡¯t have much of an appetite. There was something in his mind and he placed his bowl down not long later, walking out of the main hall.


    On the steps of the main hall, the guards sat in groups and each had a bowl of rice and fish soup. Red braised pork, soaked with its juices, was piled high on the rice, as soldiers enjoyed fish and meat. Elite guards from all over the world were chatting while eating.


    ¡°This meat is so damn good.¡±


    ¡°Us Shanxi people love drinking sour soups. It¡¯s amazingly delicious.¡±


    ¡°If I had to say, this Lady Zhou has great cooking skills and efficient as well. Lord Wu¡¯s taste is excellent. If I were to marry in the future, how good will my life be if I found a woman like her?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. If you¡¯re going to find a wife, you must not find those delicate and pampered young misses from the capital. All they know is to cry and cause trouble. Find someone who is good at cooking and has a straightforward personality.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Lady of State Duke didn¡¯t agree to their relationship and the State Duke almost beat Lord Wu to death because of this.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they agree?¡±


    ¡°Look at State Duke Residence¡¯s status. They obviously want to form connections with wealthy young misses from noble families through marriage. How can people like us even think about marrying into the residence?¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know this. If Lord Wu and Lady Zhou can¡¯t be together in the end, I will go and ask Lady Zhou if she doesn¡¯t mind me ¡ª Hey!¡±


    Cheng Shizhao kicked them off the steps from behind and scolded, ¡°A group of filthy and small-minded people. You dare discuss about the Prince?!¡±


    Everyone immediately kneeled down and kowtowed nonstop.


    Guo Suren latched onto Cheng Shizhao¡¯s legs and said, ¡°Prince, please calm down. The brothers are just uneducated people that speak their minds. Please have mercy on them.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao angrily turned around just in time to see Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s tender white face peeking out from the main hall¡¯s door.


    When the two were about to walk past each other, Cheng Shizhao suddenly stopped.


    ¡°This time, this Prince owes you a favor. When we return to the capital, this Prince will naturally try my best to speak for you and Xingzhi in front of Aunt.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly froze, not knowing what was the matter with him right now.

 Chapter 68 - Wife, Why Are You Beating Your Husband? (3)

    However, she thanked him still. ¡°Many thanks to the Prince for accepting our relationship.¡±


    Who knew that Cheng Shizhao suddenly became agitated and said, ¡°A woman who doesn¡¯t refrain from speaking about marriage is shameful!¡± Then, he angrily walked off.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    What did I do wrong this time? It¡¯s difficult to serve someone who has unstable emotions. Zhou Xiaoxiao thought.


    The next night, Yu Xingyi personally led a group of troops over.


    Seeing that everyone was fine, he calmed down at last.


    However, Yu Xingyi didn¡¯t dare to let his guard them. He had guards look after them as they got back on the road; thankfully, they were safe and sound during the journey.


    In a few days, they arrived at the capital. It was a flourishing, prosperous, and bustling area. As expected, it was extraordinary as claimed. There were tens of thousands of families living here with numerous buildings, a boiling cauldron of oises.


    The group passed the west street and coincidentally came across the temple fair market.


    Civil and military businessmen gathered here for their business and there were all sorts of performing artists, creating a bustling atmosphere. The marketplace clamored about and there were crowds and crowds of people.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said to Yu Xingzhi, ¡°Xingzhi, I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll leave you here. We will only be temporarily separated and we will meet again another day.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao held his hands, couldn¡¯t bear to leave him.


    She took out a piece of folded paper and shoved it in his hands. She said in his ears in a low voice, ¡°As a way of remembering me.¡±


    Then she and Juanzhi jumped off the carriage, walking towards the center of the market.


    Cheng Shiqi yelled from behind, ¡°Lady Zhou, you¡¯re not familiar with the capital, so where are you going? Why don¡¯t you come to my residence and stay there for a few days?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao waved her hands without looking back and said, ¡°Many thanks but you don¡¯t need to worry about this. I naturally have a place I can stay.¡±


    She and Juanzi giggled and squeezed into the crowd that was entering the temple fair.


    Yu Xingzhi kept watching her until he couldn¡¯t see her anymore, looking down afterwards. He gently rubbed the paper that had scale marks and then he gently opened it; he saw a cuckoo that was seemingly drawn by Chinese strokes. The technique was unusual, but the bird seemed quick-witted as it appeared vividly on paper almost as if it were real. There was a small poem by the margin: Zhou Xiao is in love with Xingzhi and the desire of love at heart is embodied by a chirping cuckoo


    Yu Xingzhi stared deeply at it for a while, stunned.


    Cheng Shiqi then looked over and sighed, saying, ¡°It looks as if it was real. I¡¯ve never seen a drawing like this before and it¡¯s quite magical. Lady Zhou is really a strange and unique woman.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small trick.¡± Cheng Shizhao stared at it and humphed. ¡°Xingzhi, she¡¯s a woman after all. Are you actually comfortable with leaving her to roam in the city center when no one¡¯s looking after her board and lodging?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi snapped out of his trance and his face was flushed as he said, ¡°Speaking of this, older cousin may laugh at me but while we were on a journey from Sichuan to Hanzhong, I was heavily injured and I relied on her arrange our lodging. Xiaoxiao is extremely independent, so we don¡¯t need to worry about these small matters. On the other hand, if we made her stay with us, it will be unsuitable on our part.¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Huang Tiangu: Heheh, sorry for making my wife wait too long. This husband is coming now~


    Cheng Shizhao: You bastard. What did I take? How come I have no strength and can¡¯t move?


    Huang Tiangu: Heheh, since this lady has drink my ¡®monkey wine,¡¯ you naturally have to give birth to my kids.


    Cheng Shizhao was furious right then.


    Cheng Shizhao: You! You better not do anything inappropriate! I¡¯ll tell you the truth as I¡¯m actually not a woman, but a man in disguise!


    Huang Tiangu: This lady has fair and milk white skin and a delicate body. I really can¡¯t hold myself anymore. I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re a man or woman, but let me satisfy my urges first.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao: The only reason I hadn¡¯t taken my revenge is because the timing wasn¡¯t right.


    He tugged Cheng Shizhao¡¯s pants down and it revealed the white¡­


    Cheng Shizhao: Zhou Xiaoxiao! Stupid woman! You dare to entrap this Prince!

 Chapter 69 - The Tiger Bone Seems Real But It’s Actually Fake (1)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao explored the city with Juanzi and they enjoyed their days there. They were watching an opera and then they tried out tea in the teahouse. In the morning, they bought combs and cosmetics and went shopping at noon.


    Today, the two were carrying bags of all sizes, shopping at a gathering which was unbelievably packed. There were all sorts of vendor¡¯s stalls packed next to each other, some selling food and others selling products. It was a boiling cauldron of noises and a deafening sound of gong surrounding the women.


    One could see a person producing lotus from an empty pot of wine, instead of doing a somersault or a handstand as expected. Everyone paused and spectated this sight. There was a pair of daughter and father by the side who had glued a ring, playing a Chinese yo-yo in fancy ways. From time to time, they criss crossed their legs and spin back, or climb a tightrope upside down, or glance up at the moon while performing. This caused people to cheer at their skills.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao enjoyed watching the performing artists show off their skills and when they were about to go, she was attracted by a wrestling site. She squeezed into the crowd to watch the show.


    There were two sturdy men in the middle whose upper parts of their bodies were bare, dodging and ducking each other¡¯s attacks.


    At the corner of the site, while a scammer was trying to grab everyone¡¯s attention, he taught his disciples some experiences.


    ¡°You have to pay close attention when you¡¯re wrestling. See how your senior brother is great at his skills? He held his second senior brother¡¯s waist and slammed him on the ground while the latter followed suit and imitated him. They¡¯re pretty good in combat.¡±


    As Zhou Xiaoxiao was drawn to the fight, she suddenly heard cymbals clanging and a cry. She looked over to see a man from Northeast China who had an ordinary appearance wearing a hunting outfit. He carried a bench over and a carpet was spread on the ground, displaying four furry tiger legs.


    He stepped one foot on the bench and cupped his fists, hollering, ¡°All the elders and fellow countrymen, I¡¯ve recently hunted a tiger by the north mountain range and I will be selling it right now in order to subsidize my family. The tiger bone is beneficial and handy for many purposes. It is specifically used to heal all sorts of injuries, sores, and deficiencies. Even if you¡¯re not ill, it can be used to make wine and strengthen bodies. I don¡¯t sell things as expensive as the dishonest businessmen in pharmacies; it¡¯s only two coins for 50 grams of tiger bones.¡±


    Normally, pharmacies would sell 50 grams of tiger bones for about seven to eight coin; but, they only needed to pay two coins for this. Although it was exquisite and still expensive, numerous people gathered over.


    That man immediately took out a saw and started to saw the tiger legs as he stepped on the bench, selling it right then.


    Ingots of ingots of silver landed in the pocket of the man selling tiger bones.


    Juanzi glanced at this from the side, looking at the sharp claws and sturdy muscles and bones. She couldn¡¯t help but pull Zhou Xiaoxiao over in shock and say, ¡°In the past, lady has hunted a tiger before, but it didn¡¯t sell as good as this one.¡±


    Gongs and drums sounded the air so one would have to raise their voice in order to be heard. Coincidentally, while Juanzi was talking, the noises became softer and her words stood out, catching everyone¡¯s attention.


    Everyone looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao who wore hairpins and a dress, like a little girl; they couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her.


    The man selling tiger bones coldly humphed and said, ¡°Little lady, if you¡¯re not buying tiger bones, don¡¯t cause a disturbance here. A delicate young woman like you would¡¯ve wet your dress at the sight of the fierce tiger, running to your parents sobbing.¡±


    Everyone chuckled again.


    Juanzi¡¯s face was flushed from the anger, about to retort.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stopped her and smiled, saying in a clear voice, ¡°My family are all hunters and don¡¯t mention whether we¡¯ve caught the tiger before or not, but we had seen them frequently. Your tiger bones appear to be real but it¡¯s actual fake.¡±

 Chapter 70 - The Tiger Bone Seems Real But It’s Actually Fake (2

    Someone came over and asked, ¡°Young lady, how do you know if it¡¯s real or not?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao explained, ¡°Everyone, think about this. In pharmacies, 50 grams of tiger bones are sold for eight coins, but it had bought the bones off the hunters for three coins in reality. If the tiger bones were real, why doesn¡¯t he just sell it to the pharmacy for three coins? Wouldn¡¯t he earn more profit and money like that?¡±


    Everyone started to discuss and murmur about this new finding.


    The face of the man selling tiger bones darkened and he said, ¡°Young lady, don¡¯t go around blurbing nonsense if you don¡¯t know the truth. I have the tiger legs right here and I am selling it as I saw it. How can this be fake?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Your tiger bones are probably the bones of hind legs of a cow or camel. The sharp claws are posed by eagle¡¯s claws and you would tie the two items together using cow tendon, roasting this with a secret recipe. After that, you would cover it with a layer of tiger skin which could pass off as real tiger bones. If you don¡¯t believe me, take off the tiger skin and let everyone see for themselves.¡±


    Once she said this, the man¡¯s face turned red and white, speechless.


    Once everyone saw this, they let out gasps and all hurried to refund their money, heading off in their own ways after.


    The man had a darkened face and said angrily, ¡°Where did you come from? You¡¯re quite senseless to rules and you disturbed me from earning money, ruining my source of income.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao replied, ¡°If you were selling other things, I would be too lazy to expose you. It¡¯s quite abominable that you¡¯re selling things that could treat people, especially raising it to expensive prices. Did you not see that impoverished family who reluctantly bought the tiger bones in order to save someone¡¯s life?¡±


    The man¡¯s face turned red, flying into a rage out of humiliation. He rushed over and tried to grab Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hand, but her delicate milky white hands slipped out of his reach like a fish. That man failed, about to try again when she pressed on his elbow.


    Right then, he felt half of his body going limp and unable to exert strength.


    He was shocked and yelled, ¡°Wicked woman, what spell did you cast on me?!¡±


    Unexpectedly, he watched as the woman jumped back and hid behind the chubby servant girl, feigning shock. She lifted a finger and pointed at him, saying, ¡°Someone¡¯s robbing a girl!¡±


    The chubby servant girl immediately spread her two arms, protecting the lady like a hen protecting its chicks. She started to call out loud, ¡°Someone! There¡¯s someone robbing a girl in broad daylight!¡±


    Everyone came over and started to discuss spiritedly, pointing at the man.


    That man was humiliated but angry, stomping on the ground as he said, ¡°Fine, I admit defeat this time. Two stupid women, pray you don¡¯t land in my hands one day!¡±


    However, an extraordinary young man whose hair was binded by a golden crown walked out from the crowd.


    He said coldly, ¡°In broad daylight, under the foot of the Emperor, a man dares to have filthy thoughts about a woman! Someone, give him a beating!¡±


    Numerous servants popped out from behind in immediately and they all held guns and sticks, revealing sinister and fierce faces. They all charged at him, pressing the man selling fake medicine on the ground and giving him a harsh beating. He sobbed loudly and kept crying for mercy.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sniffled and walked to the man, politely saluting him.


    ¡°Sixth Lord, what a coincidence.¡±


    It was Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao. He knitted his eyebrows tightly, clearly unhappy.


    ¡°Why did you dress yourself like this? You¡¯re attracting unneeded attention and trouble.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked down at her outfit. What¡¯s wrong with wearing a dress when I¡¯m a woman?


    ¡°I¡¯m wrong. In the future, I will only wear men¡¯s clothes in front of your highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Cheng Shizhao didn¡¯t know what to say momentarily, angered by her words.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was used to Cheng Shizhao¡¯s personality so she was too lazy to argue with him.


    She asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Xingzhi? How come I don¡¯t see him with you?¡±

 Chapter 71 - The Tiger Bone Seems Real But It’s Actually Fake (3)

    Cheng Shizhao said unhappily, ¡°The moment he returned home, he was punished to kneel at the ancestral hall. How could he come out? But he was extremely worried for you and asked me and ninth brother to take care of you from time to time.¡±


    Then he acted patient, saying, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re looking to rent a storefront. This Prince has a few¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Many thanks to your highness¡¯s thoughts. A few days ago, Ninth Prince already referred me to a storefront. I took a look at it and I was very pleased, already had signed a contract with the landlord. I¡¯ve completed the documents and the storefront is just around the corner in the front.¡±


    ¡°Then nevermind.¡± Cheng Shizhao avoided her glance, taking out a name card after a few moments. ¡°Because of Xingzhi, I¡¯ll let you keep the card. If you encounter any difficulties in the capital, you can come to Prince Yan Residence to find me.¡±


    ¡°Many thanks to your highness.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao took the card from him in a straightforward manner.


    She could feel Cheng Shizhao¡¯s awkward sense of concern and this made her happy.


    When she came out of Fengxiang, Sister Xia had given her and on the way here, Xingzhi had also given her one. Now that she came here, Ninth Prince had done so too and finally, Prince Yan right now. If she gathered a few more cards, she could use this to play card games. She thought.


    Cheng Shizhao turned around and was about to head off when he suddenly looked back. He remained silent momentarily before asking, ¡°Do you¡­have a place to stay?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m living in a tavern, Yuelai Tavern on the west street.¡±


    ¡°There are a mix of good people and scumbags in that area. It¡¯s extremely unsafe and if you don¡¯t mind coming to the WangFu, I¡¯ll order my Princess Consort to arrange a room for you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Now it would be unsafe if I¡¯m living in your WangFu.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao flew into a rage out of humiliation. ¡°You shrew! If it weren¡¯t for Xingzhi, you think I would bother myself over you?¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao waved her hands and said, ¡°I accidentally blurted out the wrong thing. Your highness, please don¡¯t stoop to my level and don¡¯t argue with me.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face turned red and he turned around after a while, saying in a low voice, ¡°You said that you¡¯ll turn the page over and stop coming back to the previous matter. As it turns out, you¡¯re not keeping your words and you¡¯re still angry at this Prince.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Of course. Your highness, you¡¯ve married so many concubines; don¡¯t you know that women are all narrow-minded?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao said nothing for half a second before he finally said, ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡±


    What do you mean by what do you want me to do? Is he letting me list conditions? Zhou Xiaoxiao blinked her eyes.


    ¡°How about you apologize to me?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao angrily shouted, ¡°Undiscriminating woman!¡± He brushed his sleeves and left.


    What is wrong with him this time? Zhou Xiaoxiao waved her hands in confusion.


    She turned around to ask Juanzi, ¡°Juanzi, do you know what your lady has said wrong?¡±


    Juanzi said, ¡°How could my lady ever be wrong? Your highness must definitely be wrong since what the lady says is always right.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and placed an arm over her shoulders. ¡°Very good, you¡¯re correct.¡±


    The two chuckled and strolled around the entire day before returning at a later time.


    Once they arrived at the tavern, a person was standing there.


    That man stood up straight and had a fresh appearance.


    Seeing their arrival, he turned around and softly called, ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡±


    ¡°Xingzhi! How are you here?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said in shock and tossed her bags at Juanzi, running over to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Lantern Festival tonight and I am here to invite you to admire the lanterns.¡±


    ¡°I heard that you were locked at home. How did you get out?¡±


    ¡°Why did your face turn red? You can¡¯t possibly have crawled out of a dog hole?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me but I did climb over the wall.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re learning to be bad!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The two walked shoulder to shoulder, their shadows casting down the street.

 Chapter 72 - My Wings Aren’t Always Delicate And I’m Willing To Share The Burden With You (1)

    Spring has passed and summer was coming; the weather was gradually becoming warmer.


    The fourth concubine in State Duke Residence, Guo Jingyan, caressed the slight bump on her stomach. She was fanning herself and idly eating the snacks on the table.


    This was her second pregnancy and she had a miscarriage during her first one, within the first three months. Therefore, she was extra cautious and careful this time.


    She suddenly saw the first lady, Huang Tingyu, walking over and she hurriedly stood up to welcome her arrival.


    The two held each other¡¯s hands and greeted one another before sitting in their respective seats.


    Huang Tingyu is the wife of the Crown Prince of the State Duke Residence, Yu Family¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law, and the future first lady of the residence.


    She was in her thirties and held a graceful and steady manner, attaining the ways of housekeeper and respecting everyone. She treated her younger siblings and brother¡¯s wives with respect and love, taking on the role model of a sister-in-law.


    They had just sat down when she earnestly asked. ¡°Are you feeling better today? Do you still have severe morning sickness?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea which demon had reincarnated in my stomach but the baby has been tormenting me so much that I have been unable to eat anything.¡± Guo Jingyan said distressed, ¡°Today¡¯s pancakes, however, are quite to my taste. I was able to eat a few.¡±


    Huang Tingyu stared at the bluish green plate which held a few exquisite-looking pastries, made into different flowers. It was exquisitely made, dainty, and delicate, making people drool at the sight.


    ¡°It looks quite beautiful and lovely, not like the ones made at home. I¡¯m guessing your fourth uncle loves you dearly and ordered people to buy the pastries from outside. It¡¯s either from Shiyu Hall or Jiuxiang Building.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯ve got it wrong this time. Recently, there was a newly opened pastry store on the west street called the December Mooncakes Store. These are their signature pastries called the December Cake. It¡¯s very difficult to buy it as lines would form from the west street to east street every morning. Xing Zhang ordered for a servant to go early in the morning to line up and they didn¡¯t return until the afternoon.¡± Guo Jingpin pushed the plate over and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you can have a taste and see.¡±


    Once Huang Tingyu heard this, she choked on tea and coughed for a good while. She took out her handkerchief, covering her mouth and revealing a strange expression.


    ¡°Make sure to eat the pastries in the room and you must not let mother see this.¡±


    ¡°How come?¡±


    ¡°So it seems like you didn¡¯t know. This is that woman¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°Which woman?¡± Guo Jingyan was stunned before she came to a realization. She widened her eyes and gesticulated with her hands. ¡°Is it her?¡±


    Huang Tingyu adjusted her breathing and fixed her appearance. She looked at her and said, ¡°Exactly her. Right now, mother is angry so don¡¯t get on her nerves during dinner.¡±


    Then, she started to ponder over the current situation right now. In the afternoon, mother sent the third sister-in-law over to see what was going on and they still had no idea. It was an errand that both parties dislike having to do; they needed to be alert to prevent themselves from being implicated.


    Guo Jing was speechless momentarily before replying, ¡°Thank you sister-in-law for reminding me.¡±


    She patted the crumbs of the pastries off her hands and said in disdain, ¡°With a figure like fifth uncle, I would¡¯ve expected him to be enchanted by a gorgeous and magnificent woman. Who knew that he had his eyes on the daughter of a businessman. It¡¯s the biggest joke I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±


    ¡°It was also odd.¡± Huang Tingyu said, ¡°A few days ago, Prince Yan had went to Fengxiang in an overbearing manner and I was aware of the situation. Who knew that the moment he came back, it seems like his whole attitude had changed; he even started to speak for fifth uncle.¡±


    ¡°I know right? Even second uncle and sister-in-law Qing Lian wrote letters hinting that they were on his side. I wonder what type of a woman she is. It¡¯s making me curious now.¡±


    During dinner, the people at the dining table of the State Duke Residence were extremely quiet.


    Lady Guo who sat at the center of the table had a darkened expression on her face and one could tell she wasn¡¯t in a good mood. No one wanted to get on her bad side so they hastily ate and left.

 Chapter 73 - My Wings Aren’t Always Delicate And I’m Willing To Share The Burden With You (2)

    Only the three concubines had stayed and moved to the east wing in the house.


    When everyone left, Guo Jingyan couldn¡¯t hold in her urge to ask anymore. ¡°Third sister-in-law, have you seen Lady Zhou today? Is she beautiful and alluring, like a fairy?¡±


    State Duke Residence¡¯s third concubine, Liu Xinyi said, ¡°She¡¯s not that beautiful, but¡­¡±


    Liu Xinyi touched her face and recalled the woman from afternoon. An unknown feeling rose in her heart.


    ¡°So she acts like a man? What about that?¡±


    Liu Xinyi recalled the pair of bright smiling eyes. Her face couldn¡¯t help but flush. ¡°She does act like a man and whenever I speak to her, it¡¯s a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°A bit what?!¡± Lady Guo said in an unfriendly tone. ¡°Does she dare to give you an attitude?¡±


    Liu Xinyi jumped at her words and hurriedly stood up to answer. ¡°She wasn¡¯t being impolite, in fact, she was the opposite. It¡¯s just that she has a straightforward personality and is a glib-tongue woman that I became confused by her words; therefore, I was unable to complete the task Lady asked of me.¡±


    Lady Guo said, ¡°Useless thing. You¡¯re a young lady from an affluent family but you can¡¯t even win an argument against an ignorant and crude woman. I¡¯ve seen you talking slick normally but it turns out you¡¯re civil in public.¡±


    Liu Xinyi¡¯s face turned red, accepting the scolding and didn¡¯t dare to retort.


    The fourth concubine, Guo Jingyan, was Lady Guo¡¯s niece and the latter favored her. Even more, using the fact that she was pregnant, she helped out and said, ¡°Lady, third sister-in-law isn¡¯t entirely at fault. That Lady Zhou is the daughter of a businessman and have been working hard in the market everyday. It¡¯s no wonder if she¡¯s bold, crafty, and slick. Third sister-in-law is a polite and respectful woman so how could she stoop down towards the same level as a country side woman?¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. What use do I have of you guys? Such a pity for my Wu Lang. He has been docile, well-mannered, and overly intelligent. Everyone would compliment him but who would know that he was enchanted by an impudent and reckless woman?¡±


    Huang Tingyu tried to advise her, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be too worried. From this daughter-in-law¡¯s perspective, why don¡¯t you invite that woman to the residence one day? That way, you can reprimand her and she wouldn¡¯t dare to not listen to her. The rest of us can agree by the side.¡±


    Lady Guo tightly knitted her eyebrows and remained silent for a while.


    The next day, in the back hall of east street¡¯s new branch of December Mooncakes Store, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Xiao Mei who just arrived were checking the accounts.


    ¡°When you came over, everything was going well in Fengxiang?¡± While calculating on the abacus, she asked.


    ¡°Report to the lady, the main store in Fengxiang has prosperous business every day and Aunt Ji has her hands full. Just days ago, she hired two servant girls and boys. She had me bring over the accounts from the past few months over for you to take a look.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao nodded and said, ¡°Are Master and Madame well?¡±


    ¡°Old man and lady are well, but they miss Lady. They said that when it¡¯s the new year, they will find time to come to the capital and visit you.¡±


    ¡°Towards the end of the year, when everything is steady, I will personally go and pick the two of them up. You have to pay more attention to the new store and if you work hard enough, you can be like Aunt Ji sooner or later.¡±


    Xiao Mei was unable to contain her joy and deeply bowed at her. ¡°Thank you lady for doting on me. Xiao Mei won¡¯t forget everything you¡¯ve done for me.¡±


    As she said this, Juanzi walked in and held an invitation in her hands.


    ¡°Lady, someone sent an invitation.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao reached over and opened the invitation.


    ¡°That Lady from State Duke Residence wants to invite me over for a gathering?¡±


    Juanzi said, ¡°Lady, you must not go. Who knows how many conspiracies and plots are waiting for us the moment we enter the residence?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao chuckled and said, ¡°What do you mean by conspiracies and plots? I think you¡¯ve listened to operas too frequently.¡±


    Xiao Mei also advised, ¡°Lady, Juanzi isn¡¯t wrong either. Should we notify Lord Yu first? After all, it¡¯s not suitable for you to go alone.¡±

 Chapter 74 - My Wings Aren’t Always Delicate And I’m Willing To Share The Burden With You (3)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked down at the invitation and softly said, ¡°What¡¯s not suitable? Lady State Duke is also a person, not a tiger. Could an elderly lady eat me? Even if I can¡¯t win against her, I can at least run away.¡±


    She closed the invitation and said, ¡°Go and reply to the person that I will go over tomorrow morning.¡±


    The next day, wet nurse Yu received an order to lead the rumored Lady Zhou to the central building.


    In these few months, the entire residence has heard of Lady Zhou and her accomplishments. Now that they looked at her, she seemed to be different from what they expected.


    Wet nurse Yu murmured as she walked.


    Although she has a delicate appearance, it wasn¡¯t overly caked with makeup. She has a tall and thin figure, well-proportioned with her height. While they walked passed all the paths, she remained calm and her face wasn¡¯t blushed, a gentle look on her face.


    State Duke Residence has a magnificent landscape and its interiors were flourishing, flaunting how wealthy the people are. She walked naturally and gracefully, not seeming to be petty and low, or purposefully acting proud and arrogant.


    She isn¡¯t easy to deal with. Wet nurse Yu decided.


    While they were about to walk past the corridor, who knew that Lord Wu walked out of a door.


    Yu Xingzhi blocked them and held a solemn expression, holding Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and walking off with her.


    Wet nurse Yu hastily stopped them and said, ¡°Unacceptable, unacceptable, Lord Wu. Lady especially invited Lady Zhou over today.¡±


    Then she stomped on her feet and said, ¡°Where did Yu Tong and the other people go? The Lady especially ordered for us to not startle Lord Wu.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi coldly glared at her and he was on the verge of exploding in anger.


    Wet nurse Yu couldn¡¯t help but take a few steps back.


    She could only watch as Yu Xingzhi pull Zhou Xiaoxiao away.


    Wet nurse clutched her heart and thought: Since Lord Wu was a child, he was always the most gentle and considerate person. What¡¯s wrong with him today? He really has been cast a spell.


    Yu Xingzhi pulled Zhou Xiaoxiao and walked for a while before stopping. He adjusted his emotions and turned around.


    He carefully stared at the person in front of him and reached over to help brush her hair to the side. He gently said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, I¡¯ll bring you back. You don¡¯t need to come here.¡±


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want me to see your mother?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, that¡¯s not the case. It¡¯s just mother¡­she doesn¡¯t know you yet and I haven¡¯t convinced her either. I don¡¯t want you to face her anger and endure this for no reason.¡±


    He held Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and gently rubbed it. His hands were big and warm; his voice was warm and gentle.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought it was very sweet of him. Although she frequently felt helpless with him, at least he had the thought of guarding and protecting over her.


    She had already passed the stage of holding unrealistic thoughts about love. She knew very well about the pressure she would need to endure for their love and as well as the hardships they needed to overcome.


    Her heart was thumping rapidly and was full of happiness.


    ¡°I will do my best to handle everything. When I have the power to give you a steady and content environment, I will personally hold your hands and bring you to see my mother and my family, ok?¡±


    He kept talking but Zhou Xiaoxiao was a bit distracted.


    He¡¯s so handsome. I really want to kiss him.


    She bit her lip while thinking about this and couldn¡¯t help but reach over to brush the hair on his forehead to the side.


    There was a bruise as if something rough had knocked against his head.


    ¡°Is your mother very fierce?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi was stunned.


    ¡°Could she be even more fierce than Prince Yan?¡±


    ¡°Mother naturally isn¡¯t like older cousin who is aggressive and mentions killing casually. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Yu Xingzhi revealed a worried expression as he knew what Zhou Xiaoxiao was talking about.


    ¡°Xingzhi, I said I will wait for you.¡±


    She looked up at Yu Xingzhi and her eyes were sparkling.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t mean that I was going to stand behind and wait for you to take care of and protect me.¡±


    She held Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hands and slowly walked through this trail with him.


    As they walked, she continued to say, ¡°I want to walk shoulder to shoulder with you. Together. Even if there are hardships, I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯m not always weak and I¡¯m willing to share the burden with you.¡±


    She suddenly felt a shadow over her.


    Yu Xingzhi looked down and kissed her.

 Chapter 75 - That Lady Zhou Is Quite Crafty And Unruly, With A Strange Mind (1)

    The State Duke was from a military background and he often trained people in the residence as if they were soldiers. Therefore, the rules in the State Duke Residence are strict. The servants always followed the rules and moved around quietly, careful to not disturb anyone.


    But, they were out of place today.


    The servant girl carrying a basin of water dropped it by accident and the other girl who was sweeping the floor sprained her feet.


    This is all because they saw Lord Wu who was gentle, elegant, and well-mannered since he was a child, holding a woman¡¯s hands and walking across the yard in public and towards the central building.


    They passed the rooms and arrived at the east central building where Lady usually lived in.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pulled on his hands and shook her head.


    Yu Xingzhi said in shock, ¡°You¡¯re going there by yourself?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and said, ¡°Well, you don¡¯t understand now. mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are naturally enemies, so it¡¯s better if you¡¯re not present. If you¡¯re by my side and determined to protect me, Lady will be even angrier at me.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi tightened his grip on her hands, clearly worried for her.


    ¡°Xingzhi, when I first walked into the State Duke Residence by myself, I was very hesitant too.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao gently said, ¡°But when you came to pick me up, I feel much more at ease and comfortable; there¡¯s nothing I should be scared of.¡±


    She patted Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hands and walked up the steps by herself, into the room.


    In the middle of walking, she looked back and smiled brilliantly.


    Yu Xingzhi looked at her and hid her beautiful and treasurable smile in his heart.


    The servant girls who were serving by the door were all ill at ease and frantically rushing around as if they were about to face an enemy. The servant girl who was pulling the curtains over tripped on her foot and almost fell down.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao helped her silently and walked into the room.


    This room was contained a dignified and imposing atmosphere, magnificent and serene.


    There was an ancient folding chair inside with carved patterns on there and a Ruyao was placed beside the desk.


    A woman with a solemn expression was sitting upright by the kang stove bed.


    The three concubines sat by the chairs on the east side. One of them was Liu Xinyi who she saw yesterday. From that, she assumed the other two would be the Crown Prince of State Duke Residence, Yu Xingyong¡¯s wife, Huang Tingyu; the other would be the Fourth Lord, Yu Xingzhang¡¯s wife, Guo Jingyan.


    The person sitting on the kang stove bed was the center of attention, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s mother: Lady Guo.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao walked up and earnestly crossed her hands and bent her knee, bowing at her.


    She said, ¡°Paying respects to the Lady.¡±


    She kneeled for a while but still didn¡¯t hear her telling her to get up. Therefore, she silently counted to ten and then stood up.


    Lady Guo¡¯s face remained calm.


    Huang Tingyu who sat closest to her knitted her eyebrows and said, ¡°Your elder hasn¡¯t told you to stand up so how can you do so? You have no manners.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao calmly responded and asked, ¡°So you want me to continue to kneel?


    ¡°You¡­¡± Huang Tingyu didn¡¯t expect for Zhou Xiaoxiao to speak in such a straightforward manner. She clutched her handkerchief, unable to retort.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t mind and she didn¡¯t wait for someone to address her before she sat down at a chair to the west.


    She smiled and said to Liu Xinyi who was across from her, ¡°Thank you, fourth concubine, for inviting me over. I¡¯m very happy to be able to see the Lady¡¯s kind appearance and the goddess-like concubines today.¡±


    Lin Xinyi said awkward, ¡°You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Guo Jingyan knitted her eyebrows, ¡°Humph, shameless girl. I¡¯m advising you to stop being overly confident. Check your status first before thinking about speaking with an attitude to third sister-in-law. Who would want to invite you over? It¡¯s just that mother wants to reprimand you.¡±

 Chapter 76 - That Lady Zhou Is Quite Crafty And Unruly, With A Strange Mind (2)

    Guo Jingyan knitted her eyebrows, ¡°Humph, shameless girl. I¡¯m advising you to stop being overly confident. Check your status first before thinking about speaking with an attitude to third sister-in-law. Who would want to invite you over? It¡¯s just that mother wants to reprimand you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at her for a while before sighing. ¡°It seems like the fourth concubine is pregnant so it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t get angry too easily. It¡¯s not good for the baby.¡±


    She revealed Guo Jingyan¡¯s thoughts and the latter touched her stomach, quietening down.


    She thought: right, what does this have to do with me? fifth uncle and Prince Yan have a close relationship and your highness has a brilliant future. Since fifth uncle is protecting her, why should I stand up against her and offend him? Look at Sister-in-Law and Third Sister-in-Law. It¡¯s not like they aren¡¯t glib-tongued, but they just sat there and didn¡¯t say much. Only I¡¯m stupid enough to stand up.


    Then she heard Zhou Xiaoxiao continued, ¡°I see that fourth concubine has a blood deficiency from your pale face, so do you have morning sickness?¡±


    Then she casually answered, ¡°Um¡­that is right.¡±


    ¡°My shop has a product named Meisu Pill which is sour and salty. Although it¡¯s just a snack, it can warm your gallbladder and stop your nausea, preventing a miscarriage. Most pregnant women enjoy this.¡±


    Guo Jingyan couldn¡¯t help but listen and then ask, ¡°What are the ingredients and how much does it cost?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite easy to obtain and convenient to create this at home as well. You just need 100 grams of dark plums and kudzu, costing six coins; sandalwood costs one coin; shiso costs three coins; fried salt costs one coin; you need one catty of powdered white sugar and make this all into one pill. Then you seal them in the pots for half a month and you will obtain the product.¡±


    Guo Jingyan said, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    She heard Lady Guo coughing unhappily.


    She hurriedly stopped talking and pretended to fix her appearance. But she quietly took down the prescription and wanted to make the servants create this later.


    When Lady Guo saw them interacting and how the three daughter-in-laws all lost to her, she was annoyed.


    She ordered, ¡°You guys can leave as I have something to say to Lady Zhou.¡±


    When the three saw that they didn¡¯t need to be involved in this situation, they were secretly content with the decision. They all stood up and bowed, leaving one by one.


    They walked out of the hall and Guo Jingyan invited the other two to her room.


    The moment they sat down and before Guo Jingyan could drink some water, she ordered a servant girl, ¡°Ru Yue, go go go. Go to your Lady¡¯s room and find your sister, Ru Ying. Find an excuse to stay there and see what that woman has to say with the Lady.¡±


    Huang Tingyu said, ¡°How can we eavesdrop on their conversation?¡±


    Liu Xinyi said, ¡°Sister-in-law, just let us do what we want for once. I¡¯m really curious what they would be talking about.


    Huang Tingyu pointed at with her finger, saying nothing anymore.


    Guo Jingyan pulled on Huang Tingyu¡¯s sleeves and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you already saw this. That Lady Zhou is crafty, unruly, and has a strange mind set. She dares to give mother attitude so how could mother let her go easily?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her.¡± Huang Tingyu said, ¡°Mother already hates her deeply so no matter how petty, low, and cautious she is, do you think that mother will have a good impression of her?¡±


    ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°The moment she came, she was arrogant and rude, offending the Lady. She first angered her and then swallowed her pride, being gentle and polite. That way, the Lady will think she surrenders to her and it would be easier to talk. If you don¡¯t believe me, wait for Ru Yue to return to see.¡±


    In the central building.


    While drinking the tea the servant girl brought over, Zhou Xiaoxiao silently observed Yu Xingzhi¡¯s mother.


    This Lady has a thin figure and solemn expression. She sat upright constantly and straightened her back.


    Maybe it was because she had been solemn all year around, there were two deep nasolabial folds, making her expression stiff.

 Chapter 77 - That Lady Zhou Is Quite Crafty And Unruly, With A Strange Mind (3)

    She wore a green Mudan and golden brocade leather jacket. She pursed her lips and wore a triangular golden openwork crown that Zhou Xiaoxiao was unable to nae,


    Based on the beauty standards of modern society, Zhou Xiaoxiao thought she was basically wearing a pagoda on her head. This awkward appearance washed away her nervousness.


    She had to hold in her laughter and suppress her urge. She sipped a cup of tea and disguised herself.


    Lady Guo quietly placed down her teacup and gradually said, ¡°I heard that you risked your life to rescue Xingzhi and I originally was very grateful towards you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood up and gently bowed.


    ¡°If you want money or business, I can do whatever you want. Even if you want your family to hold positions of authority, that is possible.¡± Lady Guo slapped the table and said sternly, ¡°But you should never have incited Wu Lang to disobey the orders of his parents, making him going against the ancestral rules and making a pledge to get married with you without his parent¡¯s approval.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao quietly stood there and looked down, listening to his scolding and not retorting.


    Lady Guo vent out her anger and gradually sighed after seeing Zhou Xiaoxiao being gentle, obedient, and having a good attitude.


    ¡°I know you are originally a good lady and even Zhao¡¯er had took care of you, saying that you treated Xingzhi sincerely.¡± She reached over and held Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands, bring her to her side. ¡°But you also need to understand a mother¡¯s heart. Wu Lang is my son and he originally should¡¯ve gotten his parent¡¯s love, but I sent him to the palace at a young age to become Zhao¡¯er¡¯s companion with a harsh heart. He had to overcome all the obstacles in the palace.¡±


    ¡°I already feel guilty towards him so how can I let him marry the daughter of a businessman who doesn¡¯t match his status? He¡¯d become the laughingstock of all the noble families in the capital.¡± She gently patted Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and persuaded, ¡°Good girl, as long as you agree with me, I will definitely find you a wealthy husband in the capital who has a bright future. I¡¯ll even marry you off as you were my daughter, ok?¡±


    In reality, Zhou Xiaoxiao was a bit touched since she could understand the Lady of the State Duke who is conservative and rigid swallowing her pride to say this to her.


    What a pity that you and I have a large disparity over our viewpoints. No matter what, neither of us would be able to convince one another and we are bound to separate unhappily.


    She stood up and bowed in seriousness, saying sincerely, ¡°Lady, your love and concern for Xingzhi touches me. I had once cut off any thoughts about love and roamed the world casually. However, ever since I met Xingzhi, we had experienced all sorts of hardships together, from Sichuan to Hanzhong. We had gotten through everything together and relied on each other a lot; we deeply love one another and this is our fate. Lady, I hope you can be considerate of our feelings.¡±


    Lady Guo¡¯s expression slowly darkened and she said, ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡±


    In Guo Jingyan¡¯s room.


    Guo Jingyan covered her mouth with a handkerchief and shockingly asked, ¡°She really said this?¡±


    Ru Yue¡¯s face was red from running over and she panted, saying, ¡°She did. This servant couldn¡¯t even listen anymore.¡±


    ¡°This is really¡­¡± Guo Jingyan snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°What love and fate? I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s not embarrassed to say this; she doesn¡¯t care about her face.¡±


    Liu Xinyi said, ¡°How about Lady? Wouldn¡¯t she be infuriated?¡±


    Ru Yue said, ¡°Of course Lady is infuriated. She gave her a good scolding and that Lady Zhou silently listened to the reprimand until the Lady mentioned her being disrespectful to her elders and how it was her parent¡¯s fault. She¡­she¡­¡±


    ¡°She what?¡± Guo Jingyan said, ¡°Say it.¡±

 Chapter 78 - Beating The Drum And Waving The Flag Ostentatiously To Conquer The Enemies (1)

    Ru Yue said, ¡°This servant here can¡¯t say such disgraceful words.¡±


    ¡°Quickly speak.¡± All three concubines said in unison.


    Ru Yue stomped on her feet and did what she was told, ¡°What Lady Zhou is saying is that Lady is naturally Lord Wu¡¯s elder, however, since Lady can¡¯t accept her, then it means that she doesn¡¯t want to be her senior. Therefore, she doesn¡¯t believe she is disrespecting her elders.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Huang Tingyu spoke up, ¡°What is this nonsense? Is she saying that Lady has to accept her as her daughter-in-law before being qualified to discipline her?¡±


    Ru Yue continued talking, ¡°She even said that as long as she could convince Lord Wu to give up, she won¡¯t ever pester him anymore.¡±


    Guo Jingyan replied, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Fifth Uncle who doesn¡¯t listen, who cares about a store owner like her? She¡¯s basically stabbing Lady in the heart with her words. How could Lady not be furious with her?¡±


    ¡°Lady¡¯s body was trembling in anger, she even explicitly said that unless she died, Lady Zhou will never be able to enter the State Duke Residence. She then grabbed the teacup by her side and threw it at her.¡± Ru Yue paused for a brief moment before continuing with her words, ¡°What was strange was how Lady Zhou was able to catch it in one try, she even placed it back on the table without any problems.¡±


    All three concubines gasped in a breath, they were speechless.


    ¡°Before Lady Zhou left, she said that it was her fault today, she also advised the Lady to not be overly furious as it would harm her body. Since the Lady is Lord Wu¡¯s mother and the Lady of the State Duke Residence, she still respects her and as long as she doesn¡¯t agree. Because she won¡¯t enter the residence without permission, she won¡¯t make the Lady feel uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ she just left like that?¡± Liu Xinyi asked.


    ¡°The Lady didn¡¯t make her leave, but rather, the elder lady ordered for sister Chun Hua to take her away.¡±


    Guo Jingyan clutched her chest and said, ¡°Oh my god. There¡¯s more drama today than the whole year combined.¡±


    ¡°Why did the elder lady decide to involve herself?¡± Just as she said this, Huang Tingyu thought in her heart: Oh right! It must¡¯ve been the Fifth Uncle who asked her. The elder lady adores the Fifth Uncle the most, and as long as he mentions something in front of her, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be done.


    Here, Zhou Xiaoxiao followed a servant girl wearing beautiful clothes out of Lady Guo¡¯s room.


    When she was outside the room, she finally sighed.


    No matter what, she had at least met her once, even if it wasn¡¯t a great meeting.


    She knew that even if she lowers her status and requests her pettily, she would never be able to make Yu Xingzhi¡¯s mother understand their love.


    Therefore, she talked in a sincere manner and clearly expressed her attitude. As long as she and Yingzhi were determined and had the same motives, they would be able to overcome everything in the future.


    Since there was still a long road ahead of them with numerous obstacles. This comrade still needs to work harder! She couldn¡¯t help but tease herself.


    The servant girl led the way and they turned a corner towards the east, passing by a few buildings and courtyards. A muddy yellow short wall was in front of them, the interior contained numerous pale tile houses with a jade green fence blocking it. There were small plots of vegetable fields as well as some melons and livestock. It was as if they were in a farm, it emitted a completely different atmosphere than the previously lofty and magnificent residence.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao walked into the courtyard to see Yu Xingzhi, the latter was rolling up his sleeves and drawing water from the well. An elderly lady whose hair was all silver and body slightly bending over was holding onto her cane nearby. She was sitting by a stone table while smiling at him.


    After seeing that Zhou Xiaoxiao arrived, Yu Xingzhi waved his hands at her, introducing each other, ¡°Xiaoxiao, this is my parent¡¯s grandmother. Great Grandmother, this is Xiaoxiao.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao walked over and paid her obeisance, ¡°My respects to great grandmother.¡±


    The elderly lady had a kind expression on her face, she smiled at Zhou Xiaoxiao, nodding at her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao calmed down when she saw this and gradually returned to her lively personality.


    ¡°Xingzhi, let me help you.¡±


    After she squeezed nearby Yu Xingzhi¡¯s side to help, she noticed him mouth out these words at her: Are you okay?


    Zhou Xiaoxiao squinted her eyes in response, indicating that she was fine.


    She had incredible strength and quickly drew two barrels of water from the well, easily pouring it into the bronze water pot.


    Yu Xingzhi carried the two water pots and went to scatter them on the vegetables in the field by himself.

 Chapter 79 - Beating The Drum And Waving The Flag Ostentatiously To Conquer The Enemies (2)

    The elderly lady pulled at Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands before saying, ¡°Let the boy do the hard work. You¡¯re the guest, just sit by this great grandmother¡¯s side.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and responded to her, ¡°Great grandmother, it isn¡¯t a problem at all since I¡¯m used to doing stuff like this.¡±


    She then followed along and sat on the round chair by the stone table while holding the old lady¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Of the children these days, only Xiao Wu is willing to accompany this great grandmother now.¡± She squinted her eyes and watched her grandson, who was still working his way through the field.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°If great grandmother doesn¡¯t mind, I can come frequently and visit you if I have the chance in the future.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, good, that¡¯s great!¡± The elderly lady pointed at the snacks on the table and continued, ¡°Xiao Wu has been recently bringing me snacks made by you here. You¡¯re quite thoughtful and skilled; the pastries are really delicious as well.¡±


    She patted Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and carefully observed the latter, she constantly nodded with approval. ¡°Not bad, not bad. You¡¯re a good girl. You have a rather round face and your hands can tolerate work, you¡¯d easily raise a child.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao chuckled and said, ¡°Great grandmother, stop teasing me. I¡¯m going to blush.¡±


    ¡°Why should you be shy? I like straightforward people like you. The Lady must¡¯ve scolded you before, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really see it that way, the Lady was just a bit stern and serious. She isn¡¯t as kind and caring like great grandmother.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re still speaking up for her. do you think I don¡¯t know her personality? You don¡¯t need to be so scared of her, here, let me tell you something, the Yu Family wasn¡¯t originally a noble and wealthy family. Xiao Wu¡¯s father came from an ordinary background and his original name was Gou Dan. It was due to the fact that he made an achievement in war that the Emperor gave him the title of Duke. He then changed his name into one that sounded more polite and civil. After marrying a woman from a higher status, he went on to establish authority for the State Duke Residence.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao snorted as her mind wandered about: As expected! The daughter-in-law and mother-in-law would diss each other across generations.


    The elderly lady patted her hands again and said, ¡°My daughter-in-law keeps a stiff face every day and only cares about maintaining the rules. In addition to that, my granddaughter-in-laws all have sharp chins, thin figures, and can¡¯t even walk a few steps before being blown to the ground by the slightest wind. I don¡¯t really like them at all! However, Xiao Wu has great tastes since he found you.¡±


    After hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao looked towards the vegetable field, her eyes locked on to the sight of Yu Xingzhi busily working. She smiled at this scene.


    ¡­


    In the evening.


    At Yu Xingzhi¡¯s small courtyard.


    A pot of wine and numerous dishes were placed under the tree.


    Yu Xingzhi and Cheng Shizhao sat across from each other as they ate and drank.


    Cheng Shizhao laughed while saying, ¡°She wants to walk shoulder to shoulder with you, that¡¯s quite shameless of her!¡±


    He and Yu Xingzhi toasted before drinking the cups in their hand in one gulp.


    He chuckled and responded, ¡°That¡¯s right, she¡¯s always brazen and courageous. There¡¯s nothing she doesn¡¯t dare to think or do.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi raised the glass to his lips, he opened his mouth as if he was muttering to himself, ¡°Walk shoulder to shoulder with me and share the burden. Although I can¡¯t protect her from everything, at least I can¡¯t hide behind her and let her protect me.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re determined to go on this expedition with me this time?¡± Cheng Shizhao moved over and said, ¡°Aunt probably won¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°I already made my decision and reported this to father, thankfully, he agreed with my choice.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got talent and you¡¯re also a genius. After ten years of studying and passing the exam for scholarly honor, you¡¯ve decided to wait for the coming year¡¯s civil service examination. You won¡¯t take the path with a bright future, but you¡¯re taking the one for a woman. You really would rather be a part of the military and abandon your studies? Is it really worth it to stake everything you have for a shortcut in marrying her?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi stared at the wine in the glass as he recalled Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s gentle and faint smile.


    ¡°I already owe her a lot and I can¡¯t waste her time any more in vain. If I take the formal path, even if everything is successful for me, then I would need at least 20 years before I can finally reach my goal. Only by making an achievement in war can I quickly be promoted to a higher position, once I do, I would be given a residence to live independently. This expedition to South Vietnam is a great opportunity for me, I should put everything into this fight.¡±


    ¡°Fine then,¡± Cheng Shizhao said. ¡°Since we treat each other as brothers and look after one another, I won¡¯t say you¡¯re at fault here.¡±

 Chapter 80 - Beating The Drum And Waving The Flag Ostentatiously To Conquer The Enemies (3)

    During the 36th year of the Jin Dynasty, South Vietnam invaded the borders and attacked the nearby cities, they brought disaster to the people.


    The Emperor was furious and dispatched 100,000 troops to defend the country, the Sixth Prince led the troops to attack the South Vietnam king.


    Speaking of which, the day they went on an expedition, the commander held the flag as he said goodbye.


    When all the commanders and general got on their horses, the populace beat the drums while they left the capital, they waved the flags in their hands, and waited for them to conquer the enemies.


    The people watched on as the elite and powerful soldiers galloped their horses into the distance.


    There were others who tried following along to see them off until they finally disappeared into the horizon.


    Since Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s store was in a garret, she moved the curtains to the side and looked into the distance. She was searching for Yu Xingzhi¡¯s figure in the army.


    After her eyes saw a flag, she spotted a general in white.


    The man had a rifle and a dagger hanging by his waist, alongside a bow in his hands.


    The general, who rode on a horse, looked handsome like always.


    While passing by the window, he looked up and his gaze plastered on to Zhou Xiaoxiao, it stayed there as his horse moved forwards.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao forced a happy expression on and tried her best to wave her goodbye at him without bursting into tears.


    When he finally turned around and was no longer in her sight, she couldn¡¯t help but cry.


    Xiao Mei advised, ¡°Lady, since you can¡¯t bear to part with him, why didn¡¯t you convince him to not go?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wiped her face and sighed, ¡°Although we know one another, we still give each other support and respect for the decisions we make. That¡¯s how you get along with someone, how can I recklessly ruin his ambitions?¡±


    ¡­


    After around one to two days, Liu Xinyi came to visit.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao invited her to the parlour so they could drink tea together.


    After staring at Zhou Xiaoxiao multiple times, she was unable to form a sentence.


    Therefore, Zhou Xiaoxiao initiated the conversation, ¡°Because Xingzhi and the State Duke are on an expedition, the Lady must be missing them very much.¡±


    Liu Xinyi looked up at her momentarily before saying, ¡°Of course. Lord Wu abandoned his studies to be a part of the military, he insisted on going to South Vietnam where it¡¯s quite damp and has numerous diseases like malaria. This made the Lady cry for a few days in a row, and lately, she has been laying in bed and hasn¡¯t even gotten up.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sighed and responded, ¡°This is both my and Xingzhi¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°The Lady said that no matter what, she won¡¯t let you into the State Duke Residence anymore.¡± Liu Xinyi clutched her handkerchief before continuing, ¡°Are you really¡­ willing to keep on waiting like this?¡±


    ¡°Xingzhi abandoned his studies to enter the military for me, I can obviously be patient for him.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao faintly smiled and took a sip of tea.


    She wore plain and white clothes, and after pulling her hair up into a simple bun, she dressed herself up as a man.


    With a bright smile, this made her look even more beautiful and extraordinary.


    Liu Xinyi couldn¡¯t help but be stunned at her looks, her heart thumped rapidly.


    She touched her chest and thought: after getting along with this Lady for a while, it seems like she really is something. No wonder someone like fifth uncle was also smitten by her.


    ¡­


    Time flew quickly.


    The people in the bustling capital had already forgotten about the battle and disaster at the frontier.


    Due to Zhou Xiaoxiao having a regular and thorough lifestyle, she would sometimes hear about the tense situation at the frontier. News about their victory would often appear on the streets. Sometimes, the Ninth Prince, Cheng Shiqi, would grace her with his presence and bring her a letter written by Yu Xingzhi.


    Once the letter came, she would always make tea and prepare snacks while happily re-reading it.


    ¡­


    In the blink of an eye, autumn approached the capital.


    Today, Zhou Xiaoxiao was idly sitting in the courtyard of the store, casually reading ¡¶Menu in the Garden¡·.


    She suddenly saw a man in armor rush over towards her, he wore a baleful look on his face.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked up and saw Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, someone she hadn¡¯t seen in a while.


    ¡°Prince? Why did you come back?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao brushed his sleeves and sat on the seat next to Zhou Xiaoxiao. After a closer look, she noticed that he had a fierce look on his face, she could also faintly smell blood on him.


    The latter quietly looked at Zhou Xiaoxia, his eyes were red and his mouth was silent.

 Chapter 81 - Hanging Between Life and Death (1)

    After a brief moment, he broke the silence and spoke, ¡°Xingzhi was poisoned very badly and he¡¯s¡­ in a life or death situation right now.¡±


    Clearly shaken up by what she had just heard, the book in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands fell to the ground with a thump.


    ¡°Our troops won and Xingzhi had repeatedly made miraculous contributions to our victory, we managed to kill the South Vietnam king and take dozens of people from the royal family with us. As we were about to head back to the capital with the captives and wait for the Emperor to offer us our rewards; of course, after he takes a look at them. We were all delighted and cheerful, it was to the point that we were caught off guard and jumped on by those crafty scoundrels in the forest.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao clenched his teeth as his face was filled with rage, almost like a ferocious beast that was about to explode at any time.


    ¡°When we were approaching the capital city the day before, I was extremely happy in my heart. However, Xingzhi entered my tent and saw some pastries on my desk, it probably made him remember about you¡­ As a result, he took a bite¡­ what happened soon after is the state he is in now.¡±


    Without noticing it, he broke the armrest of the wooden chair he was sitting in. It seemed that he didn¡¯t even feel the sharp fractures digging into the palm of his hand.


    ¡°We headed back as quickly as we could and brought him into the capital. Despite their knowledge, the imperial physicians could do nothing but only slow down the poison. This was the moment that everyone knew it was truly hopeless. Those pastries were meant for me¡­! He ended up enduring this for me again!¡±


    The bright red blood oozed between his fingers and dripped on the ground, converging into a small puddle.


    ¡°Where is Xingzhi right now?¡± A voice rang out.


    Cheng Shizhao, who was currently staring at the puddle of blood, snapped out of his trance. He hurriedly calmed his irritated mood.


    When he looked up, he saw the woman across him sit quite steadily.


    He laughed sarcastically and couldn¡¯t help but mock himself. That¡¯s right, when was this woman ever afraid?


    The so-called thing they call ¡°love¡± was nothing more than this after all.


    ¡°Bring me to see him, okay?¡± Zhou Xiaoxia asked while she stood up. However, she tumbled over due to the lack of balance.


    Thankfully, Cheng Shizhao held onto her elbow just in time. Once he touched her, he could feel her shaking.


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s heart softened at this. As it turned out, she too was scared, this meant that Xingzhi did mean something to her in the end.


    This was the first time he tried comforting someone, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be too anxious. I¡¯ve already promised Xingzhi that if he recovers from the poison, I will use WangFu¡¯s power to make sure you guys will be married. If he¡­ by then, we will address each other as brothers and sisters, I will take care of you for the rest of my life! I won¡¯t do anything out of boundaries, and I, Cheng Shizhao, will make this vow to the Heavens!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ just want to see him right now. Can you bring me to the State Duke Residence?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao raised her head and stared at him. Tears fell down her face and dripped on the back of Cheng Shizhao¡¯s hands, the tears felt blindingly hot, as if he was scorched by them.


    He turned his face to the side and responded, ¡°You can¡¯t go. Aunt is¡­ influenced by anger, she said that if something happens to Xingzhi, she will make you pay for it. If you¡¯re in trouble as well, what am I supposed to say to Xingzhi? Come to my WangFu and avoid this situation for now.¡±


    While he said this, the door to the courtyard suddenly opened with Juanzi hurriedly running over.


    The Lady of the State Duke followed behind with a gloomy face.


    Lady Guo walked over to Zhou Xiaoxiao in large strides, a faint anger lingered in her eyes; her body couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    However, Cheng Shizhao blocked the path. ¡°Aunt!¡±


    Lady Guo fiercely glared at him and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Zhao¡¯er, do you still don¡¯t know what you did wrong?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao looked down with shame and embarrassment after hearing this. ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m sorry about what happened to younger cousin but¡­¡±


    Lady Guo brushed her sleeves and interrupted him, she lifted her thin finger up and pointed at Zhou Xiaoxiao. Even though her lips were moving, her voice wasn¡¯t coming out.


    After a moment, she placed her hand down and curled it into a fist. After closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before finally saying this with difficulty, ¡°Xingzhi, he¡­ you probably already know what happened to him. He¡¯s unconscious right now and is in a life or death situation, however, he¡¯s vaguely calling out your name.¡±


    With tears flowing down her face and her voice turning ever-so hoarser; she clutched her chest and continued, ¡°He only has you in his heart! I¡¯m his mother and I would be shameless if I disobeyed what my son wants on his deathbed! I especially came to invite you over and accompany him with what little time he has left. At the very least, I can grant this last wish.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me if you¡¯re willing to or not!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but twist her handkerchief in nervousness as she was about to pay her obeisance at her.

 Chapter 82 - Hanging Between Life and Death (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao held onto her and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for the Lady to make her salutations. Let¡¯s go right now!¡±


    In front of State Duke Residence¡¯s door.


    As soon as they got off the horse carriage, Lady Guo tightly held onto Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and walked quickly.


    Yet, Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t like how slow she was so she called for Cheng Shizhao to lead the way. The two sprinted over and in a few jumps, they were gone and left the servants at their original spots.


    ¡­


    In Yu Xingzhi¡¯s bedroom right now.


    Smoke lingered in the air and there was a strong smell of herbs and medicine.


    On the carved bed and behind the muslin curtains, Yu Xingzhi faced up and his eyes were tightly shut; his face was pale white and he was unconscious.


    The elderly imperial physicians, all having white hair, gathered by the bedside and stroked their beards. They knitted their eyebrows and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Numerous servant girls furrowed their eyebrows and held bowls of medicine in their hands, cautiously pouring medicine down his throat.


    It entered his mouth but he didn¡¯t swallow it, as the liquid flowed down the corner of his lips.


    Right now, they heard a bang and the door was pushed open. Cheng Shizhao and Zhou Xiaoxiao entered the room.


    She quickly walked to the bedside and glanced at Yu Xingzhi¡¯s pale white face. Her eyes flickered and she felt as if thousands of sharp diggers were digging her heart out. She reached over to touch his handsome face but felt only the coldness. It didn¡¯t even feel like he was alive.


    ¡°Elderlys.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao turned around and bowed deeply at the imperial physicians, begging them, ¡°Xingzhi, he¡­there¡¯s really nothing you guys can do?¡±


    One of the imperial physicians shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that we aren¡¯t willing to help out but this is an extremely powerful poison. It makes General Yu¡¯s muscles stiffen so that he can¡¯t swallow medicine. Due to this, even the rebirth of the great doctor Hua Tuo can¡¯t save him.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt her body was in a freezer, only coldness surrounded her.


    She stared at Yu Xingzhi¡¯s unconscious but handsome face, feeling endless melancholy surging in her heart. She stumbled a few steps before slowly shaking her head slowly.


    ¡°Yu Xingzhi, Yu Xingzhi! You liar! Ever since I transmigrated here, I¡¯ve done almost nothing but chase you everywhere. You¡¯re the one who said you¡¯re going to marry me! I didn¡¯t even force you, so why do you keep on leaving me behind?!¡± She pointed her finger at him, almost in front of his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cruel and harsh! Fine, if you died right now, I¡¯ll go marry someone else, so you better not regret this!¡±


    In that moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt like there was something wrong with her vision. She could feel his eyelashes slightly twitching. Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned.


    One of the servant girls asked, ¡°Did Lord Wu¡¯s eyelashes flicker for a moment?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao leaned down and carefully stared at Xingzhi¡¯s face.


    While gently touching his hair, she softly called, ¡°Xingzhi? Xingzhi?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face was like a frozen glacier, remaining unmoved even after a while.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao replied, ¡°Give me the medicine.¡±


    The servant girl carrying the bowl of medicine was confused. ¡°Lady, you¡­you are?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao reprimanded her in a low voice, ¡°Give her the medicine!¡±


    Prince Yan had a lot of authority, making her servant girl obeying his orders and shiver in fear.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pressed on Yu Xingzhi¡¯s chin and pried his mouth open. She drank the medicine and fed him with her mouth. At the same time, she pressed his forehead with her right hand and raised his chin. She pressed different acupuncture on him back and forth.


    She couldn¡¯t help but softly say, ¡°Xingzhi, you have to be persistent and swallow the medicine for me.¡±


    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, Yu Xingzhi swallowed with difficulty.


    Everyone let out gasps in the room.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao repeated the same process and fed him.


    She stared at him with a burning gaze.


    ¡°Xingzhi, be good and take another sip.¡±


    Everyone held their breaths and finally saw his adam¡¯s apple bobbing down and swallowing the medicine.


    There were cheers in the room.


    All the servant girls held their hands together and cried tears of joy.


    Cheng Shizhao clapped his hands suddenly and said, ¡°Good job!¡±


    The imperial physicians applauded and said, ¡°Fortunate, fortunate. As long as he could take in medicine, there is a chance to save him. Lady, stay here and feed him medicine while we consult over a new prescription for the general.¡±


    Right now, Lady Guo and the other ladies hurried over.


    The moment they walked in, they saw Zhou Xiaoxiao leaning on Yu Xingzhi and their lips touching.


    This made the young women halt in their footsteps all of a sudden and they blushed, covering their faces with their sleeves.

 Chapter 83 - Thankfully, We Have You (1)

    Guo Jingyan gasped and covered her eyes with her handkerchief, but couldn¡¯t help but peek through the cracks.


    Lady Guo loves his son the most, so she couldn¡¯t care too much about this. She hurriedly inquired the situation and the servant girl rushed over to pay her respects. ¡°Congratulations, Lady. Lord Wu can take in medicine now.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao said, ¡°Congratulations, Aunt. Imperial physicians said there¡¯s hope.¡±


    Lady Guo felt a ring in her ears and she fainted.


    She originally had lost all hope, but she was ecstatic right now. She held Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Good girl, thankfully we have you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held her icy hands back, feeling like she was a survivor after a disaster and drowning herself in happiness right now.


    Lady Guo¡¯s eyes turned red and her hands were trembling. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl and I had thought wrong about you before. If you are able to save Xingzhi this time, I will definitely thank you.¡±


    ¡°Lady, there¡¯s only one thing I request right now.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at the man on the bed. ¡°I just want him to be safe and sound.¡±


    Lady Guo¡¯s tears covered her face and she said, ¡°Ok, ok, as long as he¡¯s ok. As long as he recovers, I¡¯ll do whatever he wants.¡±


    Huang Tingyu who stood behind her thought: this sister isn¡¯t a simple figure. She knew what to say and what not to say.


    But with mother¡¯s personality, her emotions had gotten the better with her. Without a promise, who knows if she might go back on her words in the future.


    Therefore, she walked over to hold onto Lady Guo, ¡°Mother, you¡¯ve been tormenting yourself for the entire day and your body won¡¯t be able to endure this anymore. Why don¡¯t you go back and rest for a while leave leave Lady Zhou and this daughter-in-law to look after him? That way, Xingzhi can quietly rest as well.¡±


    At this moment, Lady Guo felt her head was heavy and her legs were going weak; clearly, she couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. She gave careful instructions to Zhou Xiaoxiao before leaving with everyone else.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t pass the work to anyone else as she took care of Yu Xingzhi with utter seriousness.


    As a result, in the afternoon of the second day, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s impression became better and his illness improved.


    He just wasn¡¯t awake yet.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao leaned her head against the bed side and watched as the sunlight penetrate the window and landed on Yu Xingzhi¡¯s handsome face. Zhou Xiaoxiao gently stroked his hair and thought: he¡¯s so handsome that I can keep on looking at him and not be tired. His thick eyebrows were like fans, casting a shadow on his eyes. He had a full and bright forehead and he knitted his handsome eyebrows.


    Let me kiss it. Zhou Xiaoxiao thought.


    She reached over and landed a gentle kiss on his forehead.


    Then the tip of his brows.


    Then his eyes and brows¡­


    She couldn¡¯t stop the feeling of tenderness and her urge to kiss him.


    However, she suddenly saw his eyelashes flickering and the pair of alluring eyes gradually opening. She could only see herself in his eyes.


    Yu Xingzhi gazed at her and flashed a weak smile, calling her.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡±


    ¡­


    In the autumn of the 36th year of the Jin Dynasty, the royal army won a victory against South Vietnam and the troops returned back to the capital, offering the king of their captures.


    The Emperor was delightful and rewarded all the soldiers and generals, giving the Sixth Prince, Cheng Shizhao, the title of the Grand Prince.


    Yu Xingzhi, the fifth son of State Duke Wei, was familiar with military strategies and at horsemanship and archery; he, a loyal military officer, had helped the Sixth Prince attack South After that, he led a troop of 600 people, abandoning the army to mount a sneak attack on the enemies, killing the South Vietnam king and capturing dozens of royal family members.


    The enemy was defeated and the two main armies took advantage of the victory, forcing their way into South Vietnam and killing tens of thousands of people.


    The Emperor was satisfied with this and promoted State Duke Wei to a lower first rank stationed in the country, but the State Duke couldn¡¯t accept this position. The Emperor said in his decree, ¡°Yu Xingzhi, a loyal military officer, had killed the South Vietnam king and captures thousands of people, is the biggest winner in this war. I will grant him the title as Marquis of Champion.¡± (Yu Xingzhi had made a lot of achievements and the winner of the army, therefore the Emperor gave him the title of Marquis of Champion)


    Lately in the State Duke Residence, it entered a delightful and cheerful state unlike the solemn and gloomy mood from before.


    State Duke had triumphed in court and even received the Emperor¡¯s praise.

 Chapter 84 - Thankfully, We Have You (2)

    Lord Wu was out of danger and he was given the title as the Marquis of Champion.


    Of the family, there were two Marquis, incredibly extraordinary.


    Suddenly, everyone came to congratulate him and the residence was like the bustling city center, crowded and packed with people.


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s small courtyard was still quiet and peaceful.


    Firstly, Yu Xingzhi just recovered and was still weak, so strangers didn¡¯t dare to bother him.


    Secondly, everyone in the residence were afraid of stepping close to this courtyard as they may accidentally bump into Lady Zhou doing something shocking.


    Right now, in front of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s bed, Zhou Xiaoxiao was feeding him a bowl of porridge.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s throat was burned by poison, so it was difficult for him to swallow and made it worse as he didn¡¯t have any appetite.


    ¡°Here, eat another spoonful.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said in a low voice, soothing him.


    Yu Xingzhi shook his head and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to eat anymore.¡±


    ¡°Just one more spoonful. After that, I¡¯ll kiss you.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao tapped his nose.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face turned color, ¡°Don¡¯t play with me.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, then I¡¯ll kiss you one hundred times in one breath.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao bit her lips and smiled wickedly.


    ¡­.


    The Crown Prince¡¯s wife, Huang Tingyu, arrived in front of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s room to see his two personal servants standing outside the door and scratching their eyes as if they had nothing to do.


    ¡°Two monkeys, you guys aren¡¯t taking care of your Lord Wu but trying to evade your responsibilities. If the Lady sees this, she¡¯ll definitely skin you guys alive.¡± Huang Tingyu scolded.


    The two servants hurriedly walked over to pay their respects and made eye contact with each other before saying, ¡°This servant isn¡¯t trying to evade work, but rather Lady Zhou is inside and Lord Wu doesn¡¯t want us inside.¡±


    Huang Tingyu opened the door to see Zhou Xiaoxiao turning her head over and smiling at her. One could see the bottom of the porridge bowl.


    Instead, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face was flushed.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said happily, ¡°Lady, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Huang Tingyu said in surprise, ¡°You seem better day after day and you¡¯ve eaten more now.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi choked and repeatedly coughed.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao hurriedly patted Yu Xingzhi¡¯s back to calm him down and then she helped him take a seat.


    When Huang Tingyu saw how well they got along, she sighed with emotions and sat down on a drum-shaped stool in front of the bed.


    She grabbed Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and said, ¡°You¡¯re really a good girl and sorry for all the trouble. The entire Yu Family is grateful for your actions.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked down and laughed. ¡°How come you¡¯re being so polite and formal with me today?¡±


    Huang Tingyu gently patted her hand and said, ¡°You guys have a deep relationship which isn¡¯t bad, but there¡¯s one matter. As an elder sister, I have to remind you something and don¡¯t blame me. You guys have to remember to be respectful of each other and don¡¯t cross the boundaries.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood up and bowed. ¡°Elder sister really cares about me so how can I not take your words to my heart? I¡¯ll remember the words and listen to you.¡±


    Huang Tingyu laughed and said, ¡°I already know you¡¯re a dainty and exquisite girl, so I¡¯m just remind you again.¡±


    She stood up and prepared to leave. At the door, she advised Zhou Xiaoxiao, ¡°Don¡¯t see me out. Go back and take good care of Xingzhi. If you encounter any problems, you can come and visit me and I¡¯ll try to help you.¡±


    Huang Tingyu returned to her room and saw Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, and her husband, Yu Xingyong, sitting in the main hall.


    When Cheng Shizhao saw her coming in, he stood up to pay her respects, addressing her as sister-in-law.


    Huang Tingyu moved to the side and returned the salutations.


    The Crown Prince of the State Duke, Yu Xingyong was sitting in the center. He asked, ¡°Did Lady come from fifth brother¡¯s place? How is he?¡±


    Huang Tingyu smiled and said, ¡°Lord, there¡¯s no need to worry. Fifth uncle seems like he has recovered and Lady Zhou took good care of him. When I went there, I just saw her finish feeding fifth uncle an entire bowl of porridge.¡±


    Yu Xingyong nodded and said, ¡°Heaven pities and protects us! We¡¯re fortunate, fortunate!¡±


    Cheng Shizhao clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Lin Family¡¯s old man! Bastard son and father! If I don¡¯t take my revenge, I swear that I won¡¯t be human!¡±


    Yu Xingyong stopped him and said, ¡°Your highness, don¡¯t be impatient.¡±


    He shot Huang Tingyu a look.


    Huang Tingyu stood up and said, ¡°Your highness, please have a seat while I take a look at my mother¡¯s place.¡±

 Chapter 85 - Thankfully, We Have You (3)

    When she walked far, Yu Xingyong dismissed the servants before he said, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s no need to act impulsively. How could the Emperor not know how the people within the eastern palace are cruel and sinister? Our Yu Family and Prince are closely related to one another. We are connected and the fact that the Emperor bestowed this residence with rewards shows that he is already getting tired of the Crown Prince.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao punched the table and said, ¡°How could I not know? But how can I endure Xingzhi being the scapegoat when I am clearly their target?¡±


    ¡°Father is an honest and considerate man.¡± Yu Xingyong squinted his eyes. ¡°But I, Yu Xingyong, isn¡¯t easily bullied. Since they dare to touch my fifth brother, I won¡¯t let their family off so easily!¡±


    Cheng Shizhao extended and shook hands with Yu Xingyong. He said in a low voice, ¡°Elder brother, f*ck him!¡±


    Yu Xingyong moved closer and said in Cheng Shizhao¡¯s ears, ¡°We need to get rid of Lin Yuanmao first. That way, the eastern palace would lose its trusted aide.¡±


    Winter was approaching and the official, Wang Hui, reported, ¡°The grand secretary and the Crown Prince¡¯s teacher, Lin Yuanmo and his wife, as well as the Princess Consort, had cursd the Emperor and wanted the Crown Prince to become the Emperor.¡± This was treason and a treacherous crime.


    The Emperor was furious and issued an imperial decree for Lin Yuanmao to ride the jail cart to the site where he would be beheaded while his wife was to be decapitated. When their son, Lin Bingren, heard of this, he fled as the officials received orders to capture him. At the same time, the Princess Consort was caught as well. (Someone accused the Lin couple and the Princess Consort for cursing the Emperor and wanting to make Crown Prince succeed the throne. When the Emperor found out, he was infuriated and issued an imperial decree to behead him on the streets, in front of the public. Their son, Lin Bingren, had ran away and the Princess Consort was also captured.)


    The Crown Prince was terrified and entered the palace barefoot, weeping bitter tears by the Emperor¡¯s feet. When the latter found out the Crown Prince had no other intentions, he let him go.


    Right now, in State Duke Residence, the State Duke ¡ª Yu Guosu ¡ª and his Lady were paying respects to the great grandmother.


    Lady Guo heard that Lin Yuanmao was going to be beheaded today and this helped to vent her anger. She spat at the ground happily.


    ¡°That villain has tried to harm my Wu Lang numerous times and he deserved this. What a pity that the other boy got away from this punishment.¡±


    The great grandmother nodded and said, ¡°In our Yu Family, we will definitely take our revenge and repay favors. Xiaoxiao had saved Xingzhi twice, so how long do you guys plan on prolonging their wedding?¡±


    Lady Guo¡¯s face turned red and she coughed, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Wu Lang is a Marquis now and he would be everyone¡¯s laughing stock if he married the daughter of a businessman. From this daughter-in-law¡¯s perspective, he can just take Xiaoxiao in as a high-ranking concubine. Plus, Xiaoxiao is a reasonable person, so she¡­¡±


    ¡°Pah at your nonsense excuse. You dare to look down upon the daughter of a businessman? Don¡¯t you remember when you married Gou Dan and also looked down upon his status since he came from an ordinary family?¡±


    Lady Guo¡¯s face flushed and she stood up.


    Yu Guosu consoled, ¡°Mother, how could my virtuous Lady mean this?¡±


    The great grandmother pointed at the State Duke and scolded, ¡°Every day, you keep on mentioning this ¡°virtuous Lady.¡± When you were an official back then, there were many wealthy and noble families who wanted to make connections with us through marriage but Guo Family¡¯s young miss was on your mind the entire time ever since you saw a glance of her at the temple. You begged this mother to be your matchmaker and help you guys get together.¡±


    Yu Guosu¡¯s face was red and he tugged at the great grandmother¡¯s sleeves, saying, ¡°Mother, leave some face for this son and stop mentioning about past events.¡±


    The great grandmother was enjoying the storytelling, so she ignored him.


    ¡°At that time, I had went over to sneak a look only to see this Lady Guo with a sharp face and skinny figure. She was delicate and exquisite, not my ideal type at all. But what could I do? Recalling how my son who was an official had begged me endlessly, I couldn¡¯t bear to see you being upset, so I allowed you to have your way. After all, didn¡¯t you still marry her despite my protest? Now that you guys are parents, you don¡¯t care about your son. Don¡¯t you see how Xiao Wu would even sacrifice his life for Lady Zhou?¡±

 Chapter 86 - From today onwards, I will never leave you (1)

    Lady Guo felt shameful and she covered her face with her sleeves, walking out of the room.


    The great grandmother murmured softly, ¡°Humph, you deserved it. I¡¯ll let you taste how it feels like to have your son be enchanted by a young lady as well.¡±


    Yu Guosu coaxed, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll go reprimand her right now.¡±


    The State Duke caught up to his Lady and he gently patted her back, comforting, ¡°Lady, there¡¯s no need to be mad. Mother¡¯s just harsh with her words because she loves Xingzhi dearly.¡±


    Lady Guo stomped on her feet and said, ¡°Even you¡¯re saying this. How could I not love Wu Lang? But if I allowed him to have his way and marry Zhou Xiaoxiao, he will become the laughing stock in society for the rest of his life. And then for me, what face do I have to leave the house and hang out with my sisters?¡±


    State Duke replied, ¡°My virtuous Lady, please calm down and think about it first. If it weren¡¯t for that lady, don¡¯t mention having a daughter-in-law, but we won¡¯t even have our son right now. Seeing that Xiao Wu is uncontrollably in love with her and had suffered all this hardship to be with her, we should let him be this time. It¡¯s ok if we lose some faces for him.¡±


    Lady Guo had thoughts running through her mind and she said nothing.


    ¡­


    In Yu Xingzhi¡¯s peaceful courtyard that was hidden away from the world, he was unable to experience all the things going on outside.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was supporting Yu Xingzhi who was wearing a fur coat, helping him slowly walk out into the courtyard from his room.


    ¡°Be careful while walking, or do you want me to carry you?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi supported himself against the wall and shook his head. ¡°I can still hold on.¡±


    Yu Tong who was serving them in the courtyard hurriedly looked away. Before leaving, he tactfully closed the door for them. He had witnessed this extraordinary ¡°future Lady¡± easily carrying Lord Wu out of the room to bask in the sunlight. Therefore, he treated this as an ordinary event and remained calm.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao helped Yu Xingzhi walk under the Chinese parasol tree and spread a fur cotton-padded mattress on the lounge chair. She helped him lay down to soak in the morning sunshine.


    Then, she sat by his side, massaging his hands and feet.


    Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°Rest for a while as there¡¯s no need to be so busy.¡±


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m not tired. If you lay for too long and don¡¯t get a massage in time, your muscles can easily shrink and it¡¯s not beneficial to recovering.¡±


    At the beginning, Zhou Xiaoxiao was focused on massaging him but then she started to be naughty. From time to time, she would pinch him, making Yu Xingzhi chuckled and dodged her.


    ¡°Still dodging? Still dodging? I¡¯ll see where you can hide now.¡±


    The two chuckled and had a fun time together. Zhou Xiaoxiao pressed on his shoulders firmly, forcing him to stay where he was.


    Yu Xingzhi looked to the side, laying there and slightly panting. She stared at his flushed face and the corner of his eyes brimming with tears.


    At one moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned and then she slowly leaned down.


    When Yu Xingzhi saw her face coming closer and closer, his eyes flickered and he looked up and down at himself.


    His heart was thumping rapidly and he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Don¡¯t joke around.¡±


    Her voice rang in his ears, ¡°How am I joking around? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    The scent of orchid was on his skin and her face was just inches away, making him afraid to look up. He softly bit her lips and licked her red plump lips.


    Yu Xingzhi stood up and captured her lips.


    Who knew that she tricked him.


    She avoided his kiss like a vixen and said arrogantly, ¡°Xingzhi~ Stop playing around.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi reached over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He pecked her forehead, hair, eyebrows, lips¡­


    He embraced Zhou Xiaoxiao tightly and kissed her softly, murmuring, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    After they were done, Zhou Xiaoxiao laid on him and cupped his face, pecking his slightly swollen lips. She softly touched his hair.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi closed his eyes and sighed.


    ¡°The moment I was poisoned, I thought I would¡¯ve died for sure and I held a lot of regret. I regret how I always followed the rules and never hugged or kissed you once more.¡±


    Tears fell down his face.


    ¡°When I was unconscious, I felt that my soul was gone and my body was stiff, but I vaguely heard you saying that you were going to marry someone else. My heart ached as if knives were digging at my heart and that forced me to wake up.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao propped her body with her hands and slowly kissed his tears.

 Chapter 87 - From today onwards, I will never leave you (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao propped her body with her hands and slowly kissed his tears.


    ¡°Xingzhi, I¡¯m fine. From today on, I will never leave you. If you are going to the battlefield, I will accompany you because I never want to see you injured again.¡±


    ¡­


    Recently, the most popular rumor within the capital was how the newly titled Marquis of Champion married the owner of the Twelve Mooncakes Store.


    There were all sorts of rumors and some said that the Marquis of Champion was saved by Lady Zhou on the battlefield, so he wanted to marry her to repay the favor.


    There were others who said Lady Zhou was a beautiful and charming woman, seducing Lord Wu and making him disobey his parent¡¯s orders to marry her.


    At the banquet of the noble families and great clans, this was the hot topic of discussion and everyone was enthusiastically discussing this.


    This was all because he was Wu Lang and his name obtained the entire capital¡¯s attention. He was a handsome and graceful man and there were numerous young ladies who were secretly in love with him.


    Now that the pearl of this capital was taken by a lowly and petty woman, they all couldn¡¯t help but sigh in regret.


    ¡­


    At the beginning of a new year, Military officer Wang¡¯s Lady hosted a flower festival.


    During the banquet, young ladies coming from prestigious families all arrived.


    In the garden, a canal was set up and water flowed passed the exquisite-looking boats, carrying all sorts of food within.


    Everyone took their seats and reached for whatever they wanted to eat, a distinctive style in this festival.


    Not long from now, one could see the fourth concubine of the State Duke Residence, Guo Jingyan, walking over with numerous other women.


    Last year, Guo Jingyan gave birth to a child towards the end of the year. She just completed her month of confinement following childbirth and one could see her full and round face.


    Of the people in the seats, one of them was Zhanshi Houses¡¯s Zhanshi¡¯s young miss ¡ª Wang Bihua. She had married grand secretary Zuo¡¯s second young master. Of the ladies, Guo Jingyan wasn¡¯t easy to deal with.


    Seeing that Guo Jingyan had taken her seat, she mocked, ¡°An exquisite and noble woman like Yu Family¡¯s fourth concubine has a sister-in-law who sold pancakes, tsk. What a pity. If this happened to me, I wouldn¡¯t even have face to leave the house.¡±


    Guo Jingyan humphed and said, ¡°State Duke is someone who keeps to his words and values righteousness. Because of my sister-in-law who was willing to give her life in order to save fifth uncle, we are all grateful for her. The State Duke personally offered a dowry and requested Prince Yan to be their matchmaker. This displays the etiquette of the Yu Family and righteousness.¡±


    She glanced at Wang Bihua and snorted. ¡°Unlike some people who had their eyes above their head and only cares about scheming and arguing over the littlest things ever. They only want to marry their daughter to someone of high status and accept daughter-in-laws based on the dowries given. They¡¯ve almost fallen into a money pit and they can¡¯t even be compared with ordinary families. Heheh.¡±


    State Duke Residence had a lot of power and Guo Jingyan had a lot of followers who laughed along with her, agreeing.


    Wang Bihua¡¯s face turned red and white from anger.


    The Military Officer Residence¡¯s Lady Xue hurriedly coaxed her and smoothed things over.


    On the other hand, the left deputy¡¯s daughter, Lin Xingyue, said towards the young miss of Gongsun Family, Gongsun Yu, ¡°Did your older cousin really married a peasant woman as his wife?¡±


    Gongsun Yu had phoenix-like eyes and cherry red lips, with a slender waist. She portrayed a beautiful and elegant manner in front of everyone.


    When she heard this, she slightly knitted her eyebrows. ¡°That is true but I have never seen the rumored wife of my cousin.¡±


    Lin Xingyue said, ¡°No matter how beautiful she is, how can she be compared to you? Especially with that status. Your older cousin is really inflexible and adherent to old ideas.¡±


    Gongsun Yu wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°Sister, please be mindful of your language. Marriage is formed through the orders of parents and now that you¡¯re discussing this in private, where are you putting my face?¡±


    Lin Xingyue hurriedly explained, ¡°I¡¯ve spoken the wrong words. Sister, please don¡¯t argue with me and this is just a private conversation. I¡¯ve heard that the State Duke Residence had the intentions of forming connections through marriage in the past and clearly everyone in the capital was jealous. Yet, this is what happened and I feel really bad for you.¡±


    Gongsun Yu reached over to caress the plum blossom that flowed down the river.


    She faintly smiled and said softly, ¡°Sister is not me, so how can you know if I¡¯m happy or not? Although older cousin is a gentleman, he isn¡¯t the best for me. Instead, I feel extremely lucky about this current situation. But, I am quite curious to see who my older cousin¡¯s wife is and I will go visit her sometime.¡±

 Chapter 88 - Fifth Lady, Zhou Xiaoxiao (1)

    ¡­


    The next day, Guo Jingyan was pacing around the room, annoyed.


    This was her first baby, so she had no experience in taking care of a baby at all.


    She watched the baby vomit sometimes and then urinate or defecate; she had no idea what to do.


    Right now, this baby kept on crying and even through the coaxing of wet nurses and servant girls, it wasn¡¯t effective.


    Guo Jingyan felt her head exploding. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Go, go, go. Go bring that wind chimes or whatever for the young master to play with.¡±


    A servant girl found an anise-like imperial canopy shaped small and elegant plaything. Underneath the shape were colorful silk waistbands and there were all sorts of bells tied on top, as well as colorful and vivid exquisite dolls.


    She hung it on the bed and it gently spun in a circle, creating a pleasant sound.


    The young master was attracted by the noise as expected and he widened his eyes, staring at it and blowing a bubble.


    ¡°He has finally stopped crying.¡± Guo Jingyan sighed and said, ¡°That woman made this lady endure all this mistreat, but at least she¡¯s useful in this area.¡±


    As she said this, Gongsun Yu hastily walked in and her face was flushed. She leaned against the table and clutched her chest with one hand, panting.


    At first, Guo Jingyan thought that she would become sister-in-laws with Gongsun Yu, so she had a pretty good relationship with her.


    When she saw her walking in like this, she murmured: could she possibly have seen Zhou Xiaoxiao already? Now that the love rivals have seen each other, did they quarrel?


    But she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    Gongsun Yu looked up confusedly and even stuttered, ¡°I¡­I just came back from visiting older cousin and his new wife.¡±


    Guo Jingyan said, ¡°What happened? Could it be that she bullied you? Tell me and I¡¯ll personally go over to make sure you get the justice you deserve.¡±


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s face was ripe as an apple. ¡°When we just walked in the courtyard, the servant girl leading us scurried off quickly and there was not a single person in sight. When we walked to the back, we saw an unfamiliar young man playing with weapons.¡±


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s personal servant girl stomped her feet and said, ¡°Fourth lady, you have to give us justice. When that skirt-chaser saw my young miss, he didn¡¯t even know to withdraw from our sight. Instead, he asked who this beautiful lady is.¡±


    Guo Jingyan was flabbergasted. ¡°This¡­this is our fifth lady, Zhou Xiaoxiao.¡±


    ¡­


    She finally coaxed Gongsun Yu into leaving.


    At noon, lunch was in the Lady¡¯s room.


    Guo Jingyan walked over with the young master. Before she walked in, she could hear the Lady pointing at Yu Xingzhi¡¯s room¡¯s elder servant girl, Qiao he, and scolding her.


    ¡°Useless girl. I told you to look after fifth lady and make sure she doesn¡¯t go out. So where did she run off to now?¡±


    Qiao He said upsetly, ¡°Report to the Lady, this servant wants to look after the fifth lady but I can¡¯t even catch up to her. She just swooshes and disappeared after climbing over the wall. If Lord Wu was home, he would even carry a ladder for her, so how can this servant look after her?¡±


    When Guo Jingyan heard this, she thought: whatever, whatever. I should go back for now and come again later. Ever since that woman entered the residence, there was not a day of peace.


    In the evening, Zhou Xiaoxiao rushed back into her room happily.


    Only to see the lights were on and the warm and steamy dishes placed on the table.


    Yu Xingzhi was wearing a beautiful sable robe and he held a scroll in his hands, reading and waiting for her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat down embarrassed and said, ¡°Sorry for making you wait.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi placed the scroll down and said, ¡°No worries. How was today?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and replied, ¡°Everything was good. In the morning, while I was training, there was a beautiful woman who entered the courtyard and her face was so delicate and smooth that I wanted to pinch it. What a pity that she was really shy and ran off before I could say anything.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao recalled the moment and shook her head. ¡°After all, I went to visit the store and the business was very good. Xiao Mei is very hardworking and made everything neat and tidy. Therefore, I went to the wrestling site by the temple to secretly leave a few moves. We should spar sometime in the future.¡±


    ¡°The moment I came back, great grandmother called me over, saying that she had to say something to me and that I didn¡¯t need to pay respects to the Lady. Thankfully, I bought great grandmother¡¯s favorite osmanthus pastries. I coaxed her and made her happy, which is why she just let me back.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi patted her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s good how relaxed you are right now. Because I have the title of Marquis, it¡¯d only be a few more days before our own residence is built. Just wait a bit.¡±

 Chapter 89 - Yu Xingzhi Struggled At First And Then Stopped Resisting (1)

    Speaking of which, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s wish was granted and she married her love. She was satisfied being with Yu Xingzhi.


    After their marriage, the two were sweet and clingy with one another, making others jealous of their love.


    But Zhou Xiaoxiao was still from another world. Although she acted proper on the surface, she snorted at the manners and etiquette here.


    She has a lively personality and frequently made trouble for State Duke Residence, not even knowing the ruckus she caused.


    This day, Zhou Xiaoxiao came back from the ¡®wild.¡¯


    She saw Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingzhi sitting in the reception pavilion waiting for her.


    The moment Chen Shizhao saw her, he impatiently said, ¡°Why do you look like this? You¡¯re Lady Marquis, but still acting in such an unruly manner. Quickly go and change your clothes and then we¡¯re taking you out to see someone special.¡±


    Even Yu Xingzhi said sternly, ¡°Xiaoxiao, remember to wear something professional. This person is of noble ranks and we really can¡¯t be reckless.¡±


    Therefore, Zhou Xiaoxiao went into the room and changed into collared brocaded clothes with a white jade strapped to her belt, pulling her hair up and inserting hairpins, as well as wearing a silk cloak over her. She was covered head to toe with accessories and she awkwardly walked out.


    When Chen Shizhao saw this, he reluctantly said, ¡°You look pretty good.¡±


    When the three got in the horse carriage, Yu Xingzhi explained in a gentle tone, ¡°Xiaoxiao, we¡¯re going to see the elder princess today and she has done a lot of favors for Yu Family. She also takes care of me and my cousin, so you need to be respectful to her. Elder princess has a lively personality and she doesn¡¯t care for etiquettes, similar to you. You will definitely gain her favor, so you don¡¯t need to be nervous.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao asked, ¡°Which elder princess?¡±


    Chen Shizhao waved his sleeves in the air and said, ¡°How many elder princesses are there in Da Jin? Naturally, it¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s paternal aunt and this prince¡¯s grandaunt, Jian Country¡¯s elder princess. She has a respected status and father extremely adores her. If it weren¡¯t for elder princess¡¯s care, father probably won¡¯t even remember me.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi continued, ¡°Princess Ran is Da Jin¡¯s most extraordinary and talented person. She and Emperor¡¯s son-in-law are a pair of loving couple and they never asked about the country¡¯s matters. They like to be free and unfettered, traveling all over China, and rarely coming back to the capital. Therefore, many royal family members have never seen her before and it was a coincidence that we are able to take you to meet you.¡±


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao heard this, she was also very curious, eager to see this extraordinary figure.


    Once they arrived at elder princess¡¯s residence, servants naturally came to greet them.


    When they entered the residence, they could sense the lofty and magnificent atmosphere. It was clean and refreshed, not extravagant or luxurious in any ways.


    After they passed the front yard, they entered a flower bed with Japanese roses blooming.


    There were all sorts of Japanese roses blooming and fighting to show off its beauty.


    They smelled subtle fragrance deep in the garden.


    There was a silver-haired woman sitting there.


    She was wearing a very comfortable wide robe with her long hair scattered on her shoulders, holding a scroll in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. She was drinking it by herself leisurely.


    There was a plate of yellowish orange snacks on the table along with a jade pot of wine.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao saw that the snacks were one of her store¡¯s signature dishes ¡ª egg yolk pastries.


    Cheng Shizhao acted weirdly and bowed, respectfully paying his respects.


    ¡°Paying respects to grandaunt.¡±


    That woman¡¯s gaze stayed on the scroll, but she said in a gentle tone, ¡°Zhao¡¯er is here.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao politely introduced Zhou Xiaoxiao. ¡°This is Xingzhi¡¯s new wife and she owns December Mooncakes Store.¡±


    The woman raised her head and she sat against the light, so Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t see her appearance. However, she slightly extended her hands and said, ¡°In my impression, Wu Lang is still a little boy, but he has already married now. Quickly come and let me take a look.¡±

 Chapter 90 - Yu Xingzhi Struggled At First And Then Stopped Resisting (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao walked over and paid her respects.


    The elder princess glanced at her in detail and became shocked. She murmured to herself, ¡°What? I can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    She suddenly realized something and said, ¡°No soul? So you¡¯re not from this world.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao didn¡¯t understand, but Zhou Xiaoxiao and Yu Xingzhi were surprised.


    Yu Xingzhi grabbed Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms and hid her behind him.


    The elder princess smiled and said, ¡°No wonder you know how to make this egg yolk pastry, helping me relieve my homesickness.¡±


    She waved her hands at Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. You can come up.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was skeptical and worried. Could she have transmigrated over as well? She patted Yu Xingzhi and then walked up.


    The elder princess looked at her warmly and said, ¡°It must be tiring to come here by yourself. Thinking of when I¡­¡±


    She paused and then said, ¡°Thankfully, you met Xingzhi who is a good child. You guys will definitely live peacefully and happily together. Do you have any worries or problems that you need me to help you with?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao bowed and said, ¡°Thank you for being concerned. As of right now, I don¡¯t have any problems, but there is something I want to ask this elder.¡±


    ¡°Sure, tell me.¡±


    ¡°In my town¡­my parents and family are still there. Although they live peaceful lives, I still miss them a lot. Will I have a chance to see them in the future?¡±


    The elder princess looked down and pondered, revealing a reminiscing look. After a while, she looked up and Zhou Xiaoxiao saw a faint rainbow in her eyes, disappearing quickly.


    She closed her eyes and sighed, saying, ¡°Your soul is yet to be in another world, so I don¡¯t know what will happen to you in the future. Remember this, however. No matter what happens, everything happens for a reason.¡±


    After that, she wrote this down along with a paragraph of words, folding this after she was done. She placed it in a silk brocade bag and put it in the palm of Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands.


    ¡°If the day comes, do something for me. I wrote it in the letter and you can read it in detail when you go back.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao agreed and placed the silk brocade bag in her sleeves.


    The elder princess waved her hands and said, ¡°I¡¯m not in the right state of mind, so I won¡¯t keep you any longer. You guys can go now.¡±


    The three left.


    After leaving the residence, they got in the horse carriage.


    Cheng Shizhao hurriedly asked, ¡°Why are you guys talking in riddles? I didn¡¯t understand a single word and I can¡¯t believe Xingzhi is actually keep something from me.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s eyes turned red and held onto Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s words tightly, making her groan. ¡°What exactly did the elder princess mean by that? Where¡­are you planning to go?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao comforted, ¡°Xingzhi, you don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯m not sure myself and when I find out, I will definitely tell you.¡±


    She took out the silk brocade bag, unfolding the paper and reading it twice. She nodded and silently memorized the words, placing it back in the bag.


    Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingzhi both asked, ¡°What did the elder princess ask of you?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao placed the silk brocade bag into her sleeves and said, ¡°This is elder princess¡¯s personal matters, so don¡¯t blame me for not being able to tell you guys.¡±


    She went to elder princess¡¯s residence and got a remarkable amount of information.


    Before the second day, the Emperor handed down an imperial edict rewarding the Marquis for his achievements by bestowing a residence as the Marquis residence, and thousands of silver and gold.


    The Lady Marquis was bestowed pearl necklaces, a pair of Ruyi, head ornaments, and jade artifacts.


    Everyone in the residence kowtowed and thanked the Emperor, adding onto the cheerful atmosphere.


    The Yu Couple knew that it was because of elder princess that they were rewarded, so they were grateful for her.


    But Lady Guo didn¡¯t want his son to leave, so she was in an unhappy mood. However, she could do nothing about the imperial edict.

 Chapter 91 - Yu Xingzhi Struggled At First And Then Stopped Resisting (3)

    But Lady Guo didn¡¯t want his son to leave, so she was in an unhappy mood. However, she could do nothing about the imperial edict.


    Therefore, they chose a lucky day to move into the residence.


    The couple lived within the Marquis residence by themselves and there were many servants serving upon them, but no elders to discipline or control them anymore.


    Yu Xingzhi extremely pampered Zhou Xiaoxiao and he was very considerate, listening to everything she said.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was like a bird freed from its cage and became even more wild.


    Every day, she did whatever she wanted to without restrictions.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sent people over to bring Wu Daoquan and his wife into the capital.


    Finally, her wish was granted. Every day, she was practicing martial arts with her master. Until one day she had practiced too late into the evening.


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao was done showering and changing her clothes, she saw Yu Xingzhi laying on her bed and resting his eyes.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held a naughty thought and tippy toed to grab a cyan colored dossel.


    She walked to the bed and covered Yu Xingzhi¡¯s eyes with it. The latter attempted to take it off, but Zhou Xiaoxiao jumped on bed and restrained his hands, pressing down on his legs and stopping him from moving.


    Yu Xingzhi struggled for a bit, but then stopped after knowing he wasn¡¯t her match.


    Therefore, he started to beg, ¡°What is lady doing? Please let go of your husband.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled wickedly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not your lady. I¡¯m the king of this mountain. You look beautiful, so you do want to go to the mountains with this king and become the wife of a brigand chief?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi chuckled at this, finding it amusing. However, he was helpless because there was something covering his eyes so he couldn¡¯t see her expression.


    Therefore, he could only struggle and say, ¡°Stop fooling around.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao started to move her hands around, saying, ¡°This king just wants this beautiful woman today. Let¡¯s go for our wedding night!¡±


    Yu Xingzhi struggled at first but then stopped resisting.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao only saw the bridge of his nose and handsome chin as his eyes were covered by the cyan dossel. Looking from a side view, he had thin lips and was breathing heavily. She knew that he was aroused by her.


    She reached over and licked his white earlobes, softly asking, ¡°So, wedding night or no?¡±


    After a while, she saw him softly nod.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took off the dossel to see Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face flushed.


    Yu Xingzhi harshly glared at her and then suddenly flipped Zhou Xiaoxiao over.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao reached over to pull the curtains down with difficulty.


    The room was full of pants, moans, and pleasure.


    ¡­


    After a few days, Guo Jingyan brought Gongsun Yu over to visit them.


    When they first entered the residence, it looked quite proper and pleasing to the eyes.


    Until they reached the yard where Lady Marquis was living.


    The yard was bare and neat, the loess spread on the ground.


    There were all sorts of weapons by the surroundings as well as wooden pillars, iron chains, and others.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao made the sophisticated and unique Marquis residence into a battlefield and training grounds.


    In the middle of the training ground, there was a figure jumping up and down, playing with a pike.


    It was silver and sparkling, appearing from time to time and it enhanced the view.


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s gaze was burning and passionate, holding onto Guo Jingyan¡¯s arms and saying in admiration, ¡°Fifth cousin¡¯s wife is confident, at ease, and beautiful. Only someone like her can be a match for fifth cousin who is refined and elegant. I am really attracted by the scene.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao heard voices and stopped what she was doing, bowing towards Wu Daoquan first and said, ¡°Master, there¡¯s someone visiting me today, so let¡¯s take a break. Later on, Xiaoxiao will make up for the time.¡±


    Wu Daoquan humphed and left without saying a word.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and greeted, ¡°How come cousin and fourth sister-in-law has time today? Your presence brings light to my humble dwelling.¡±

 Chapter 92 - Gongsun Yu Is A Beautiful Woman With Talents (1)

    Guo Jingyan rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be polite. Look at you and what you¡¯ve done to the Marquis residence.¡±


    After getting along with Guo Jingya for a while, Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that she was just softhearted but too prideful to admit this.


    She naturally didn¡¯t argue with her, leading the two people into the east room. She ordered for servants to bring up fruits and snacks.


    Gongsun Yu looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s sweaty forehead and flushed face, delivering an autumn-colored handkerchief over and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, stop whatever you¡¯re doing and wipe your sweat first.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took it from her and felt the softness of the handkerchief which had a nude magnolia embroidered on it. The imposing branches were just splitting at the seams. The colors of the flower gradually changed by layers and it felt irregularly tender and delicate.


    It was the same flower front and back, the rare two-sided stitch.


    She almost didn¡¯t have the heart to wipe her sweat with the handkerchief, so she announced her guilt and left to wash her face as well as change her clothes.


    As a result, Guo Jingyan started to chat with Gongsun Yu.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have good tea or anything good here, just some snacks that are edible. Try it out.¡±


    After Guo Jingyan gave birth, her taste changed and she didn¡¯t like sour anymore, only sweets.


    Yet, Gongsun Yu seemed like the plum pellets, eating a few in a row.


    Guo Jingyan teased her, ¡°When I was pregnant, I liked this too. Now, you seem to have the same taste as me.¡±


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s paled but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Coincidentally, Zhou Xiaoxiao finished changing clothes and started to greet her guests.


    She gave the handkerchief back to Gongsun Yu and admired, ¡°Cousin has incredible sewing skills. This is some fine needlework and you¡¯re worthy of being a well-bred young lady from a prestigious family. I can¡¯t even bear to stain the handkerchief.¡±


    Gongsun Yu said, ¡°You¡¯re quite polite, but it¡¯s just some little things. If you don¡¯t mind, I can make two for you as a greeting gift.¡±


    ¡°Haha. When we first saw each other last time, you sprinted off so quickly that I couldn¡¯t even give you a gift. How do I have the nerve to ask for your gift?¡±


    As Zhou Xiaoxiao said this, she opened her trousseau and picked a golden jade hairpin shaped as a flower.


    Gongsun Yu stood up and pushed Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Handkerchief isn¡¯t a valuable item, so how can I accept such a pricy and expensive gift from you?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao reached over and inserted the hairpin between her pitch-black but bright hair, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s not worth anything. Beautiful jewelry has to match someone beautiful like you.¡±


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s face turned red and she patted the jewelry on her head, thanking Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Then, she asked, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what flowers you like. Tell me so Yu¡¯er can go find it and sew some handkerchiefs for you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought of her alias, Du Juan. Yu Xingzhi enjoyed drawing the cuckoo every day and she flipped through the drawers to find a few sketches of Du Juans that she drew while she was idle, delivering it to Gongsun Yu.


    ¡°What do you think about this?¡±


    Gongsun Yu and Guo Jingyan both looked over and gasped.


    Gongsun Yu said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before, but it looks very realistic as if it was coming to life.¡±


    Guo Jingyan stared at it for a while before she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you have skills like this. Tomorrow, Yu Family¡¯s sister is holding a poetry and pictorial art group. You will come with me and reveal yourself in front of them. That way, it would save me from being annoyed by them, asking me who you are.¡±


    After a while, the two left and Zhou Xiaoxiao personally went to see them off. She even watched as they got in the horse carriage before heading back.


    One of them was the young lady of State Duke residence while the other one was a noble young lady from a prestigious family.


    There were many people waiting for them outside the residence. One of Gongsun Yu¡¯s guards was tall and buff, looking extraordinary, and Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t help but take a few looks at him.


    ¡­

 Chapter 93 - Gongsun Yu Is A Beautiful Woman With Talents (2)

    Yang Su¡¯s elder daughter, Yang Yuehua, would hold poetry and pictorial art groups every few months, naming it as Suyun Group. She would invite close friends over for a gathering and they would make poems or art in an idle atmosphere.


    After marrying into Ruan Family, the husband¡¯s family was wealthy and generous towards her. In addition, the sister-in-laws were also cultured people, so she was able to maintain the habit until today, becoming one of the capital¡¯s huge banquets for making friends amongst young talented women.


    The gathering was set in Ruan Family¡¯s garden.


    It was vast and in the center was a pavilion called Tianhui Pavilion.


    All the ladies sat around the table in the pavilion and one could hear the faint music playing along with the ripples of water. It made them feel at ease and pleased.


    There wasn¡¯t anything at the table besides a silver wine pot, jade white wine glasses, a box, and a beautiful little bell. It revealed a refreshed and noble sense of atmosphere.


    But no one paid attention to the arrangement of the banquet. They all gathered together to gossip or secretly look at the Lady Marquis who rose up the social ladder.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat in her seat and enjoyed the scenery and wind blowing at her, feeling relaxed.


    Guo Jingyan, however, was a bit stiff and nervous. She was like an exploded kitty and ready to reveal her claws and fight whenever it was needed.


    Not long later, another guest arrived.


    That woman walked over elegantly with her hands on her waist.


    Countless people covered their faces with fans and whispered secretly.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s Gongsun Family¡¯s young lady.¡±


    ¡°This Zhou Xiaoxiao had snatched her man, so let¡¯s see how Gongsun Yu will treat her.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s watch how they¡¯re going to fight. Heh.¡±


    ¡°I bet there¡¯s going to be a great show.¡±


    Gongsun Yu was gorgeous and had a wonderful and delicate figure.


    Under everyone¡¯s expectation, she started to walk towards Lady Marquis who was the owner of a pastry shop. Yet, she sat beside her and gently held Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms, saying in a coquettish tone, ¡°Why did sister-in-laws walk so quickly? You guys didn¡¯t even wait for Yu¡¯er.¡±


    A round of coughing started every now and then.


    ¡­


    When everyone arrived, the owner took out a jade tube and began to shake the sticks in there.


    One fell out and it had ¡®east¡¯ on top of it.


    Yang Yuehua drank a glass of wine first and then said, ¡°We¡¯ll do the ¡®east order¡¯ this time. Whoever¡¯s turn it is, they will drink first and if they can¡¯t reply completely to the previous person¡¯s response, they will drink another glass. If they can¡¯t get it right, they will drink three glasses.¡±


    She started off saying, ¡°The whiteness in the air floats like snow.¡±


    The bell by the table rang once.


    Then the person besides her added on, ¡°The matters of the mortal world passes like wind blowing.¡±


    She drank a glass and then the sound rang again.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought that it was fine. After all, it was just three glasses.


    Therefore, she wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    When it was Guo Jingyan¡¯s turn, she slowly said, ¡°Staying in this world¡¯s cool and refreshing place.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was about to drink three glasses of wine as punishment when Gongsun Yu slightly moved her fan towards her. She saw a line of words and started to read from it, ¡°Heart thinking of Heaven¡¯s cold palace.¡±


    Everyone nodded in approval.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao admired Gongsun Yu with gratitude even though coming up with verses weren¡¯t that hard.


    It¡¯s just that Gongsun Yu had to guess what Guo Jingyan would¡¯ve said before she said and then come up with hers in time, before she could write it on the fan.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao prostrated herself in admiration. What a talented woman.


    She reached over and pinched Gongsun Yu on the waist while the latter laughed and said, ¡°If sister-in-law keeps on bullying Yu¡¯er, don¡¯t blame me for not helping you anymore.¡±


    After two rounds, Gongsun Yu had written quite a few verses on her fan.


    Yu Bihua sat close to them, so she realized something was off and secretly moved closer, grabbing Gongsun Yu¡¯s fan from her hands. She was about to raise it high and holler when she felt a numbness on her wrist. Without knowing how, the fan landed in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao gently fanned herself and smiled, saying, ¡°Who is this elderly lady? Why did you grab my cousin¡¯s fan? Could it be that you forgot to bring yours?¡±

 Chapter 94 - Gongsun Yu Is A Beautiful Woman With Talents (3)

    Yu Bihua¡¯s face was red and was about to expose Zhou Xiaoxiao when Guo Jingyan suddenly stood up and pointed at her. She said, ¡°Yu Bihua, you have to know that I¡¯ve been enduring your attitude for some time and if you dare to bully my younger brother¡¯s wife, don¡¯t blame me if I make things difficult for you.¡±


    Gongsun Yu used her handkerchief to cover her mouth and said, ¡°Oh, if sister Yu is missing a fan at home, this sister can ask someone to send you a box full of fans in a while. Why the need to do this?¡±


    Yu Bihua¡¯s face turned red and white for a while, but she was unwilling to leave. Therefore, she endured the humiliation and sat back down.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao clutched her heart and thought: whoa, women don¡¯t get into quarrels any less than men. It would¡¯ve been easier if they actually fought with weapons.


    After a few more rounds, everyone was kind of drunk.


    Some maids started to come up and clean up the mess while the others prepared ink and paper.


    Once they finished setting this up, Yang Yuehua grabbed a stick and it had a picture of a beautiful woman on it.


    Yang Yuehua said, ¡°Wonderful. The topic of drawing will be ¡®beauty.¡¯¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t know how to draw but she was pretty good at sketching.


    Yesterday, Guo Jingyan had already told her about it, so she prepared a few charcoals of different sizes. After receiving the topic, she began to draw.


    Everyone followed suit and started brushing against the paper; silence filled the air.


    Only Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s charcoal made noises as she started drawing.


    People couldn¡¯t help but watch.


    After a while, everyone started gossiping and whispering to one another.


    ¡°What is this art technique? I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite unique and it looks like the figure was about to come out of the paper.¡±


    Someone gasped in shock and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t, isn¡¯t this lady Gongsun?¡±


    They watched as a beautiful woman slowly appeared on the paper. It seems like she was walking on paper and her clothes were floating, her gaze like Goddess Luoshui; it looked exactly like Gongsun Yu.


    As Zhou Xiaoxiao continued to draw the figure, it became clearer. She skillfully used different strokes to illustrate the woman.


    The woman in the drawing smiled and her hair was scattered down her shoulders, as if there was wind blowing at it. She was floating and about to come out of the art.


    Everyone was shocked and declared this drawing as the winner of Suyun Group.


    Gongsun Yu adored it very much and named it ¡¶Luoshen¡·. She then gave the drawing a description, describing its beauty.


    She coaxed and pestered Zhou Xiaoxiao for this drawing and she got it in the end.


    When the banquet was nearing its end, there were countless social climbing women who surrounded Zhou Xiaoxiao and Guo Jingyan, flattering them.


    Guo Jingyan happily accepted it since she thought that Zhou Xiaoxiao helped her gain face. She didn¡¯t need to endure these women¡¯s attitudes anymore and she was like a peacock who had opened its feathers, being proud and prideful.


    When they returned to the residence in the evening, Zhou Xiaoxiao saw Yu Xingzhi who was in the study practicing writing characters. She pounced on his back and kissed him several times.


    Yu Xingzhi smiled and helped her down.


    ¡°How is today¡¯s banquet? Did you get used to it?¡±


    ¡°The banquet was very unique and interesting. Gongsun Yu is a beautiful woman with talent, making me sigh in admiration.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held onto Yu Xingzhi, not letting him go.


    ¡°But Xingzhi, I have a question. With someone as beautiful and talented like Gongsun Yu, even I like her, so how come you really didn¡¯t have the intention of marrying her?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi suddenly sighed in relief. He was actually worried that Zhou Xiaoxiao was never jealous.


    Yet, he always felt awkward about men appearing by Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s side, but he couldn¡¯t really voice his thoughts.


    This was the first time he¡¯d heard her imply that she was sort of jealous, making him feel comforted.


    ¡°No matter me and my cousin¡¯s habits, hobbies, or personality, we are both the same. While getting along with each other, if one person is like a mirror, it will be very boring. She and I both understand this and we¡¯re just annoyed that our family likes to force us together.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi hugged Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°My heart belongs to you.¡±

 Chapter 95 - I am Also Attracted by Looks (1)

    Ever since Zhou Xiaxiao appeared in Ruan Family¡¯s Suyun Group, all the upper class women in the capital wanted to be friends with her.


    Everyone finally realized that the new Lady Marquis wasn¡¯t a strange figure and they slowly became friends with her.


    Plus, Zhou Xiaoxiao was humorous and had a straightforward personality, with a lot of mischievous ideas. Therefore, she quickly obtained a few good friends and built her first friend group after transmigrating over.


    What surprised people the most was Gongsun Yu. She was beautiful and delicate, always hanging onto Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms and this made the latter want to protect her.


    The two people who should¡¯ve disliked each other from first meeting ended up becoming a pair of close friends.


    The days passed by quietly and peacefully.


    One day, Zhou Xiaoxiao was on the garret of December Mooncakes Store by herself and casually reading ¡¶Secret Menu¡·. While she was immersed in reading it, drool came out of her mouth.


    She suddenly heard scattered voices from the neighboring yard.


    The neighbor besides December Mooncakes Store was a store that specialized in fortune-telling, called Nan Xuan Store.


    On the door, there was a sign saying: everything depends on feng shui and the owner can detect any sinister motives one has.


    The owner was a skinny old man who brushed his hair into the hairstyle of a Daoist, wearing a Daoist robe as well. He stroked his beard and pretended to be a Daoist who had a lot of power.


    His name was Song Yangming.


    If those who did this as a business didn¡¯t need to go on the streets and beg for business or set up a stall, they would¡¯ve been famous already just having a store of their own.


    But Zhou Xiaoxiao had been keeping an eye and observing, thinking that this old man was just a liar.


    It¡¯s just that he was more capable than normal liars, cheating the customers and making them pay more than they should¡¯ve.


    This person had cruel methods and was greedy and selfish. Therefore, Zhou Xiaoxiao never talked to him before, despite being neighbors since she despised him.


    There was a balcony on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s garrett and it was facing the backyard of the Nan Xuan Store. She had set up a table by the balcony and sat on a rocking chair, enjoying the faint sunshine and wind. Then, she would taste tea and read books.


    This time, she heard voices and peeked over to look, only to see two people sitting in the yard.


    The one whose back was facing her was Song Yangming and the other person was handsome and sturdy. He was familiar but she couldn¡¯t remember him off the top of her heard.


    She vaguely heard them talk about some sort of ulterior motives.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was absent-minded for a moment before remembering that the man was one of the guards in Gongsun residence. She had swiped a few glances at him while Gongsun Yu was getting into the horse carriage and because of his status, this made Zhou Xiaoxiao curious.


    She gently climbed over from the balcony and then landed on the wall of the neighboring yard silently.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao hid in the shadow of the roof and the slanted roof blocked everyone¡¯s views of her, letting her clearly hear their conversation but not give herself away.


    She heard that guard ask, ¡°Daoist priest, what do you mean by ¡®malicious child?¡¯¡±


    Song Yanming said, ¡°Whenever women are pregnant before they are married, they are plagued by demons, so their children will also be. They would need to abort the child, so that it wouldn¡¯t harm anyone else.¡±


    ¡°How do I abort the child? How much would it cost?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. You just need to invite me over to your house and I¡¯ll cure this illness for you. It only costs ten silvers for the ritual and you would also need to pay for the sesame oil and ritual money. In addition, you need to prepare fresh fruits and flowers.¡±


    ¡°Money is not a problem, but it¡¯s not convenient to invite the Daoist priest over. Why is this necessary?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, they just need to take certain pills, but the pills are very expensive. You would need top notch safflower and cabardine which would cost 50 silvers. I promise you that they will be cured from the illness and that it wouldn¡¯t harm the body.¡±


    That guard said, ¡°Fine.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao snorted when she heard this.


    Another stupid fool who fell for the trap. Do you really think Song Yangming genuinely wants to go to the residence and give the woman an abortion? He¡¯s just swindling you.


    The guard was handsome, tall, and sturdy.


    Although he was a guard, he was generous with giving money.


    He must¡¯ve fooled around with a wealthy young miss or noble woman.


    They were probably in an affair and he accidentally impregnated a woman. Therefore, he paid no attention to the money, only hoping that Song Yangming wouldn¡¯t go to the residence.

 Chapter 96 - I am Also Attracted by Looks (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao saw the handkerchief, clearly belonging to a woman but her heart thumped rapidly.


    She looked at the lotus colored silk handkerchief with a magnolia embroidered; she had seen the handkerchief on Gongsun Yu many times before, very familiar to this.


    While she was shocked, a small stone had hit Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s head.


    She turned around to see Juanzi standing on the balcony and giving her a look as if she was about to be killed.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao climbed back and said, ¡°Juanzi, you¡¯ve gotten more and more brazen. Why did you hit your lady with a rock? I was just listening¡­¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao patted the dust on her and looked up to see Guo Jingyan¡¯s dark face. She pointed a finger at her and she scolded, ¡°You, you actually¡­¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao grabbed her finger and covered her mouth, pulling her into the room. She said, ¡°Fourth sister-in-law, don¡¯t scold me just yet. I have an incredible matter that I need to tell you since I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±As the Daoiest continued to ask, he had seen through the guard¡¯s status, making sure to pester him and making the guard pay more money than needed.


    But since this guard was improper and asked for this himself, Zhou Xiaoxiao was too lazy to worry about his matters.


    As expected, Song Yangming continued to say, ¡°Those who are pregnant with demon children will not be able to escape the clutches of demons. Right now, the medicine will only work for now but not for the future.¡±


    ¡°Does the priest have another clever method?¡±


    ¡°I have an ancestral prescription and once they take it, they will never be pregnant anymore. However, this medicine is hard to obtain as it is very expensive. Seeing that you are genuinely asking me, I¡¯ll just ask you for 200 silvers.¡±


    When the guard heard that they will never be pregnant anymore, he became ecstatic, casually asking, ¡°Why do you need that much money?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know but there is a main ingredient in here that comes from overseas. It¡¯s very difficult to obtain and I¡¯m just asking for 200 silvers as capital. If you don¡¯t want it, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was furious. It seems like no matter whether she was in the past or right now, there were always slags.


    Although the man had taken a woman¡¯s virginity, they had done it under consent, so she couldn¡¯t blame anyone; but now the guard was planning on making the woman infertile. It was only something scumbugs would do, less worthy than livestock.


    Therefore, she slightly peeked up to see what was exactly happening.


    She watched as the guard took out a handkerchief and a pearl about the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg as well as a golden phoenix hairpin were wrapped inside.


    ¡°These items are worth at least 200 silvers. Priest, please give me the medicine as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡­


    At the front door of Gongsun Family, State Duke Residence¡¯s Yu Family¡¯s fourth young lady and fifth young lady arrived without notice.


    The housekeeper in charge of receiving guests happily walked over and welcomed them.


    Guo Jingyan didn¡¯t even bother and led Zhou Xiaoxiao into the door.


    Arriving in front of Gongsun Yu¡¯s room, her personal maid, Lian Xin, was about to go in and report their arrival.


    However, Guo Jingyan pushed her aside and scolded, ¡°What a reckless girl. I¡¯ll settle accounts with you guys later on.¡±


    She barged into the room, pulling Zhou Xiaoxiao and then closing the door with a bang. She locked everyone else outside.


    Inside the room, Gongsun Yu was sitting absent-minded in front of a desk, with a bowl of pitch-black medicine in front of her.


    Guo Jingyan grabbed the bowl of medicine and slammed it on the ground.


    ¡°Do you know what this medicine is? You dare to just dump it down your stomach like that?¡±


    Thankfully, she remembered to lower her voice before scolding Gongsun Yu.


    Gongsun Yu gradually stood up. She had a pale face and her lips were trembling; the tears were threatening to fall but it didn¡¯t in the end.


    ¡°How¡­how do you guys know?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao blocked the flustered and exasperated Guo Jingyan, trying her best to reiterate what happened today.


    Gongsun Yu fell on her seat and said, ¡°He¡­he actually¡­actually¡­¡±


    She closed her eyes and recalled how that man had kneeled on the ground not too long ago, hugging her legs and sweet-talking her. He promised that the medicine would not harm her body and even swore that he would definitely marry her in the future, never betraying her.


    Her tears finally slid down her pale white face.


    Guo Jingyan stomped on her feet and said, ¡°Do you not believe us? Do we need to call that cruel and unscrupulous man over for confrontation?¡±


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s hands trembled and she bit her lips, saying after a while, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I had long detected this. He¡¯s just a man who looks impressive but is actually worthless, only knowing to smooth talk someone and betray them. But I¡¯ve already made my mistake and it¡¯s too late to regret it.¡±

 Chapter 97 - I Am Also Attracted by Looks (3)

    Guo Jingyan was frightened in her heart. She knew that once this matter was exposed, countless people would die because of this and their family¡¯s reputation would be ruined.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a fool. What happens now? What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Since it has already happened, I can only hang myself.¡± Gongsun Yu was pale white and there was no blood in her face. She gradually sat up straight and raised her neck, saying, ¡°I only hate how this world is so cruel and ruthless to women. Men can have multiple concubines and choose who they love, but women have no choice but to marry and follow their husbands.¡±


    She looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, I know you must be looking at me in disdain, but you need to know that I am very jealous of you. You are so lucky to be able to meet my cousin and be married to him. You guys can get through any hardships with one another, becoming a couple that everyone is jealous of. But in this world, this is incredibly difficult to find.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao slowly said, ¡°I originally thought that I can treat you as my best friend since we have similar hobbies and personalities. But now, I am going to look at you in disdain because you are bullied by him, but instead of finding a rope and strangling that guard, you want to commit suicide. Do you think that¡¯s fair to your parents or us, who treated you like sisters?¡±


    Gongsun Yu finally collapsed and hugged Zhou Xiaoxiao, crying out loud.


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s mother who had heard that State Duke Residence¡¯s fifth young lady had rushed into her daughter¡¯s room angrily was scared that she might brood over past events and bully her daughter. Therefore, she hurriedly led a group of maids into her daughter¡¯s room, only to see her daughter hugging the famous fifth young lady and sobbing out loud.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao patted Gongsun Yu who was gasping for breath from all the crying and said, ¡°Fourth sister-in-law and I promise that we won¡¯t tell anyone else about it. You don¡¯t need to be afraid, but you need to let your mother know since she¡¯s the one person who genuinely places you over everything.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao and Guo Jingyan left Gongsun residence and looked at each other, sighing.


    Guo Jingyan clutched her chest and said, ¡°I would¡¯ve never thought that this could happen to her. If her father, that old-fashioned man, finds out, he would definitely capture the two of them and drown them in a wicker basket.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°As outsiders, we can¡¯t do anything about it. We can only hope that Yu¡¯er¡¯s mother can handle this appropriately, so that Yu¡¯er can get over this crisis soon.¡±


    In the evening, it was clear that Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t in a good mood.


    Yu Xingzhi quickly detected this and thought of numerous ways to cheer her up, all failing in the end.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with lady today? Is there something annoying you? Why not tell this husband about it?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held onto Yu Xingzhi¡¯s arms and leaned her head against his shoulders.


    She enjoyed the warmth on his body.


    Maybe she didn¡¯t need to rely on anyone in a materialistic way, but she was very happy that he was there to support her psychologically.


    It¡¯s a wonderful feeling to have someone besides her side when she was feeling weak.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt horrible in her heart. Towards Gongsun Yu, she was infuriated at what happened to her, but she also pitied her.


    She touched Yu Xingzhi¡¯s handsome face and thought: what right do I have to scold Yu¡¯er? I am also attracted by looks.


    How lucky was she to have met such a handsome man who was also not a slag?


    She recalled her past life. Wasn¡¯t it because she only cared about appearances that she accidentally found a perverted slag and ended up dying because of him?


    She wondered how the world there was like. Her parents and friends were probably upset because of her.


    Seeing how Zhou Xiaoxiao became more and more upset and was even able to cry, Yu Xingzhi panicked.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, what¡¯s the matter? Just tell me whatever you want, and I will do it for you. You don¡¯t need to act this way.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao faintly looked at him and asked, ¡°You¡¯ll do whatever I want you to do?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate to.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled mischievously and whispered in his eyes, ¡°I want you to¡­reveal yourself.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face turned red and he suddenly stood up, about to turn around and leave.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sobbed, saying, ¡°And you said you¡¯ll agree to whatever I want? You¡¯re just bluffing. Although I¡¯m in this luxurious residence, what a pity that I¡¯m just by myself and not with my family. No one even cares about me. Why should I be here anymore? I really miss home and I want to go back to visit my parents.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi paused and slowly turned around.


    After a while, he turned around and gradually raised his slender fingers, unbuttoning his shirt and revealing his smooth white skin.

 Chapter 98 - Amidst The Rolling Red Dust, Two Dragons Emerge To Steal A Pearl (1)

    After the incident, Zhou Xiaoxiao went to visit Gongsun Yu a few times.


    Although she weakly laid in bed trying to recuperate, she was in a fine state of mind.


    Gongsun Yu displayed a sense of persistence that contrasted her weak and pale appearance. Zhou Xiaoxiao had never seen her cry at all.


    But one time, Gongsun Yu held Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands and placed her moist and wet face against the back of her hands, softly saying, ¡°Sister-in-law, I know my faults. If I get through this crisis, I will change my habits in the future.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had observed for multiple days and knew that Gongsun Yu¡¯s mother must¡¯ve handled this matter secretly and appropriately, comforting her at last.


    ¡­


    One day, Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, came to visit. Because he visited frequently, the servants would just lead him towards the yard where Yu Xingzhi¡¯s study was.


    Once they arrived in front of the yard, they heard a resounding guqin music playing.


    They watched as Yu Xingzhi wore black clothes and sat under the Chinese parasol tree, playing the guqin.


    His fingers plucked the strings rapidly and the notes were pleasing to one¡¯s ears.


    A mixture of notes rang and it created a calm and soothing atmosphere.


    Along with the guqin, Zhou Xiaoxiao was dancing with a pike.


    The sparkling silver light contrasted the stars while the Heavens listened to the guqin being played.


    Cheng Shizhao leaned against the door and clapped without emotions or effort.


    ¡°Males are the one performing sword-dances while the women are playing the guqin. But you guys end up doing the opposite.¡±


    ¡°Your highness, you won¡¯t be happy if you go one day without bickering?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao asked.


    Sweat covered her forehead from training and seeing that Yu Xingzhi came over with a towel, she naturally moved her head over.


    Yu Xingzhi carefully wiped off the sweat from her forehead.


    Cheng Shizhao remained silent, not being able to bear looking at their interaction.


    Xingzhi, your wife doesn¡¯t even listen to you; this is losing us, men¡¯s faces!


    ¡­


    The three sat down around the tea table.


    Cheng Shizhao came back a few times to visit Yu Xingzhi and after a moment of silence, he said slowly, ¡°Xingzhi, the Emperor has intentions of expanding to the North, wanting to give me the title of generalissimo and take over the army. You¡­¡±


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao heard them talking about military matters, she decided to get up and step back from the conversation.


    Cheng Shizhao stopped her and said, ¡°Sit by the side and listen.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi and Zhou Xiaoxiao exchanged looks and the latter nodded.


    Then, Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°Since this is the case, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao glanced at Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t have any objections?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao couldn¡¯t help but be annoyed and reproach himself. I¡¯ve become a useless person like Yu Xingzhi. Why should men care about women¡¯s opinions when it¡¯s their jobs to participate in wars?


    Zhou Xiaoxiao blinked her wide and innocent eyes, shrugging. ¡°I have no objections.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao sighed heavily in her heart. Who knew that this woman at least understood the situation, despite being lively and careless.


    In the 18th year of the Jin Dynasty, the Emperor bestowed the golden military seal, making Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, as generalissimo of the army. He led a troop of 200,000 soldiers and expanded towards the North.


    At this time, Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, was already 26.


    He was on duty as generalissimo, allocating soldiers from all around the world, summing up to 200,000 soldiers. They separated into three paths and went on an expedition towards the North.


    Yu Xingzhi, who was given the title as Marquis, was 24 at this time; he was the co-commander with Prince Yan and also led the midway troops.


    The day of the expedition, the flags hid the sun and the elite soldiers wore their armors, ready for battle.


    This was the first time Cheng Shizhao was given the title of generalissimo, so he felt incredibly proud but also a bit hesitant.


    The troops had set up a camp while Cheng Shizhao led the co-commanders to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s camp in order to discuss about their military matters.


    Yu Xingzhi was reading a book on the art of war and a guard stood behind him.


    The guard didn¡¯t have a distinctive figure, but their eyes were bright and radiant, looking extraordinary.


    Cheng Shizhao casually glanced at the guard and was flabbergasted.


    He pointed at the person and said, ¡°You¡­you¡­¡±

 Chapter 99 - Amidst The Rolling Red Dust, Two Dragons Emerge To Steal A Pearl (2)

    Even with Prince Yan¡¯s imposing manner, the guard didn¡¯t fear him at all. Instead, they even rolled their eyes at him, paying no attention.


    Cheng Shizhao was infuriated and said, ¡°Xingzhi! We¡¯re in a war right now! You, you, dared to bring her over?!¡±


    That guard didn¡¯t care for the social rankings and they dared to provoke Cheng Shizhao, saying, ¡°What does your highness mean by this? Do you think this person isn¡¯t worthy of being the Marquis¡¯s guard?¡±


    ¡°Is this an issue of whether your skills are top notch or not? How, how, how can you follow Xingzhi to the military camp?¡±


    That person knew no manners and rudely said, ¡°Humph. Since this Prince looks down on me, you must have elite guards by your side. I want to spar with them and see who doesn¡¯t have the right to be a guard within this military camp.¡±


    An iron tower-like man walked out from behind Cheng Shizhao


    ¡°You are quite rude and dare to boast yourself shamelessly in front of the Prince. Let me learn some moves from you.¡±


    His name was Meng Zhongtian who was from the Kansai region.


    He was Prince Yan¡¯s trusted vanguard lieutenant with brute force, able to go against a mace that was about 60 kg.


    Seeing how Yu Xingzhi¡¯s guard was so rude, Meng Zhongtian was extremely angry. Now that the guard provoked him, Meng Zhongtian couldn¡¯t control his urge anymore, jumping out and demanding a spar.


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s guard, Guo Suren, had seen the scene where Zhou Xiaoxiao disguised as a man and beat Cheng Shizhao up, however.


    When he saw Zhou Xiaoxiao disguising as a guard, he knew something bad was going to happen and a headache rising.


    Great grandaunt, who wants to spar with you?


    If they win you, you would¡¯ve complained about them bullying a woman. But if they lost, they would have no face to see anyone else.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t think about his own brother Meng Zhongtian and his faults.


    He acted like a bull, charging at the person who provoked him out of impulse. Guo Suren hurriedly tugged on Meng Zhongtian¡¯s sleeves and gave him a look.


    But they heard Zhou Xiaoxiao say, ¡°Ok, do as you wish. Let¡¯s spar outside the school field. If you don¡¯t dare to spar with me, you¡¯re not a man.¡±


    How could Meng Zhongtian care about Guo Suren¡¯s look now? He sprinted out.


    Now that Zhou Xiaoxiao got her way with her evil plan, she smiled and followed him out.


    Guo Suren covered his eyes and said bitterly in his heart: great grandaunt, aren¡¯t you taking advantage of how stupid brother is? You¡¯re not even a man.


    Cheng Shizhao was infuriated and said to Yu Xingzhi, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do something about her?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi touched his nose and said oh. He called, ¡°Xiaoxiao, be careful while sparring and don¡¯t injure the Prince¡¯s subordinate.¡±


    ¡­


    While they were preparing for war, the soldiers experienced boring and dull days.


    The soldiers were all young and vigorous men, so everyone was incredibly excited as if they had won the lottery when they heard that one of Champion Marquis¡¯s elite guards was going to spar with the leading general¡¯s guard, Meng Zhongtian.


    Meng Zhongtian had a dark face and he was extremely tall and buff. While standing on the field, he presented an awe-inspiring presence.


    Compared to the guard with surname Zhou, he appeared to be a weak chicken against a fierce tiger. Not only was he short and thin, but he had a snow-white face and delicate appearance.


    Therefore, the officers who were close to Meng Zhongtian teased and said, ¡°Skinny guard, let me give you a word of advice and admit defeat right now. Guard Meng doesn¡¯t go soft on blows, so it wouldn¡¯t look good for the Marquis if you end up with a broken bone or something.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled, but wasn¡¯t angry. She exhibited her imposing manner and said, ¡°Please teach me!¡±


    The two decided to not spar with weapons, but only their bare hands.


    That Meng Zhongtian made a strange cry and pounced on Zhou Xiaoxiao like a fierce predator hungry for its prey.


    His arms reached for her, but Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t afraid at all. People watched as she extended her snow-white palm and caught Meng Zhongtian¡¯s iron-like arms steadily.


    She paused but didn¡¯t take a step back; the two were in a deadlock for a moment. On the other wise, Meng Zhongtian looked as if he couldn¡¯t endure this, greatly shocked.


    He thought: this person appears small and delicate, but who knew he had so much strength?

 Chapter 100 - Amidst The Rolling Red Dust, Two Dragons Emerge To Steal A Pearl (3)

    Meng Zhongtian hollered out loud and moved his legs to the side, attempting to trip over his opponent.


    Yet, he was shocked when he felt numbness on his knee and his legs weakening.


    Thankfully, he spent many years training the lower half of his body, so his stance was extremely solid and firm. Although he stumbled a few steps, he didn¡¯t fall down, hurriedly jumping out of the ring.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was also shocked. She had hit two pressure points with her moves, taught by Wu Daoquan; whenever she had done this to her opponent, they would always fall down and it never failed. She clearly had hit his pressure points, but he hadn¡¯t fallen.


    Therefore, she stopped treating this casually.


    Meng Zhongtian felt the sight in front of him turning blurry and then the small figure disappeared suddenly. He looked around for the man when he suddenly felt his collar and belt tightening. In that moment, his world was spinning and he was lifted up.


    Everyone heard Zhou Xiaoxiao hollering in a clear voice and then she carried the iron-tower like Meng Zhongtian over her head, tossing him far in the distance.


    While Meng Zhongtian was in the air, he knew this was his end. The moment he slammed against the ground, it would be a painful blow and he wouldn¡¯t be able to get up.


    Who knew that when he was about to land, he felt the force softening and it didn¡¯t hurt as much when he fell.


    He knew that his opponent didn¡¯t use his entire force, so he felt ashamed and humiliated. His face turned red and he climbed up, saying, ¡°Brother Zhou has great moves. You are very admirable, very admirable.¡±


    They heard cheers around them.


    The soldiers in the military respected people with capabilities.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sincerely won with her own skills and obtained everyone¡¯s favorable impression; they stopped just supporting for Meng Zhongtian.


    Someone came out of the crowd and said, ¡°I am Zhang Rongan and I would like to spar with brother Zhou as well.¡±


    That person held a rifle and played with it first, saying, ¡°As soldiers, we need to depend on our weapons. Not sure what brother Zhou is used to using.¡±


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao saw the man using a rifle like her, her heart itched and asked for her silver gun.


    Yu Xingzhi stopped the two and took off the gun head, wrapping it with cloth which was covered in lime.


    The winner would be the one who has less lime on their body.


    Then, Yu Xingzhi was comforted with letting Zhou Xiaoxiao spar.


    At this moment, amidst the rolling red dust, two dragons emerge to steal a pearl. It was a spectacular sight.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was incredibly swift and after numerous rounds, there was still no lime on her. Everyone was convinced by her.


    While they were returning to camp, Meng Zhongtian hooked an arm around Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s shoulders, calling him his brother.


    Guo Suren was on the side, anxiously giving him a look as if Meng Zhongtian was about to die.


    Meng Zhongtian glared at him and said, ¡°Guo, what are you doing? Why are you glaring at me like that? You¡¯re not my true friend, are you? You must¡¯ve knew about brother Zhou¡¯s extraordinary skills, but you purposefully didn¡¯t tell me, watching me lose my face in front of all my brothers.¡±


    Guo Suren covered his face and said nothing.


    He thought: you fool. Don¡¯t blame this brother for not reminding you, but quickly take your hands off her shoulders. Don¡¯t you see how Marquis¡¯s face is as dark as the bottom of the pot?


    When it was getting late, inside Yu Xingzhi¡¯s tent, Zhou Xiaoxiao and him slept in separate beds.


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao was done washing her face, she went to tidy up her bed only to see Yu Xingzhi who was wearing a body of white sitting by her head and saying, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you haven¡¯t sparred with me in a while. Let¡¯s spar a round.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was curious and said, ¡°Now? Spar what?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said unnaturally, ¡°Anything. We can even wrestle.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled into his arms and said, ¡°Brother Xingzhi, in order to be with you everyday, I used all my skills and finally maintained a steady position in this military camp. In addition, I won¡¯t be driven away by Cheng Shizhao, that bastard anymore.¡±


    She wrapped her arms around Yu Xingzhi¡¯s waist and rubbed her head against him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired. My waist is sore and my back hurts. How about we see who¡¯s better at massaging. Why don¡¯t you massage me first? Ok?¡±


    Therefore, Yu Xingzhi tossed the feeling of jealousy to somewhere over the rainbow and willingly started to massage his Lady.

 Chapter 101 - Picking Peaches To Eat (1)

    In the Champion Marquis¡¯s residence, Lady Guo was bringing her two daughter-in-laws in.


    The housekeeper who was greeting them looked miserable. She couldn¡¯t stop them nor could she not greet them.


    Liu Xinyi followed behind and tried to advise them, ¡°Lady, since your younger brother¡¯s wife isn¡¯t feeling well, let¡¯s go back for now and come back another day. We should let her rest.¡±


    Lady Guo humphed and said, ¡°Although I don¡¯t like her as a daughter-in-law, I am still her mother-in-law. Wu Lang is out on an expedition, but she has gotten sick, so I have no choice but to visit her.¡±


    They arrived at Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s room only to see numerous maids and servants hurriedly coming up to greet them.


    Lady Guo wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°They¡¯re all panicky, having no manners at all. Is this how your master has taught you?¡±


    Guo Jingyan stopped in front of her and reluctantly smiled, saying, ¡°Aunt, brother-in-law is out on an expedition, so she must be feeling down and thus, became sick. It is reasonable, so let¡¯s not reveal ourselves and upset her again.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Yu Family is a military family, so it¡¯s normal for men to go on expeditions and make contributions to its country. If everyone was like her and end up sick in bed when their husbands were on the battlefield, wouldn¡¯t people laugh their heads off at this?¡±


    Lady Guo pushed Guo Jingyan to the side and walked into the room in large strides.


    Guo Jingyan and Liu Xinyi helplessly exchanged a look.


    As expected, they heard Lady Guo screaming and smashing porcelains in the room.


    Guo Jingya and Liu Xinyi covered their faces and thought: fifth brother¡¯s wife, your sister-in-laws have done their best. You might be able to pretend to be sick and hide from others, but it won¡¯t work for Lady.


    Therefore, within the Lady¡¯s circle, she heard rumors that once the Champion Marquis went to war, Lady Marquis became lovesick and ill.


    The mother-in-law from the State Duke residence even came over to scold her, not effective at all.


    She still laid in bed and refused to meet any visitors for months.


    ¡­


    The Northern Expedition army received news of success; the Emperor was in a delightful mood.


    At first, the army attacked Yi Province and it was successful. After the province surrendered, with irresistible forces, they seized Feng, Ying, Mi and numerous other provinces.


    Prince Yan was courageous and dared to lead the army into venturing deep into the territories.


    On the other hand, Champion Marquis was an expert in stratagem and the two would make up for each other¡¯s shortcomings through tactful understanding.


    Prince Yan¡¯s army was cautious and disciplined. Although he was a Prince, he slept along with the soldiers and ate the same things. He made punishments and rewards clear to the soldiers, agreeing on three-point covenant. Those who stole common people¡¯s riches, raped women, or left the camp without permission, would all be beheaded. This was how he kept everyone in unity.


    The Champion Marquis was tolerant and generous. Whenever there were people demoted from their position, he would go and offer them an option, serving under his wing. Therefore, there were many of Champion Marquis¡¯s followers and wherever he went, he made sure he didn¡¯t disturb the common people. When the army crossed the borders, they made sure they didn¡¯t offend the common people, making the latter appreciative of them.


    The entire day, the army would settle down in the camp and spent their time cooking food.


    Cheng Shizhao led Guo Suren, Meng Zhongtian, and Yu Xingzhi into the camp.


    Yu Xingzhi and Zhou Xiaoxiao were eating together when they saw Cheng Shizhao coming; they both stood up and allowed him to come in.


    Cheng Shizhao sat down to see that the food on the table wasn¡¯t the communal meal cooked by the mess cook from the camp.


    There was a pile of crispy Chinese pancake, bowl of fresh bamboo shoots and mushroom soup, as well as a few other plates of cooked beef, garlic, thin cucumber slices, and fried eggs.


    Yu Xingzhi personally cooked and brushed a layer of black sauce made from secret recipe on the Chinese pancake. Then, he rolled the cooked beef, cucumber slices, egg, and garlic onto it.


    He delivered a roll for Cheng Shizhao and then made another one for Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Cheng Shizhao took the warm and steaming rolled up pastry from him and felt that the sauce was incredibly unique. It was spicy and sour, but tasty. The rolled up pastry was crispy and the beef was chewy; even the vegetables tasted fresh and delicious. Cheng Shizhao wanted to clap his hands after taking a bite.

 Chapter 102 - Picking Peaches To Eat (2)

    ¡°Whoa, Xingzhi. As the commander-in-chief, you dare to cook your own food? Are you here on vacation or to fight in war?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi smiled and said, ¡°Thankfully, Xiaoxiao had prepared this.¡±


    Lately, Cheng Shizhao had been sharing delights and hardships with the soldiers, so he ate from the communal meal as well.


    Right now, the rolled pastry he received was delicious and filling, the smell assaulting his nostrils. He couldn¡¯t be bothered and started to bury his head in eating this delicacy.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled a few more and walked out of the door, giving it to Guo Suren who was guarding the door, as well as the other two guards.


    Guo Suren was going to decline it when Meng Zhongtian already grabbed it and shoved it into his mouth. He murmured, ¡°This is so damn yummy. Brother Zhou, did you make this? Not only do you have great martial skills, but you have great cooking skills. Unbelievable! Unbelievable!¡±


    Guo Suren had no choice but to respectfully thank her and take the food.


    Meanwhile, Meng Zhongtian was still hollering, ¡°Guo, why are you so slow, like a woman? Brother Zhou, I¡¯m not as proper as he is with you. This pancake is really delicious, haha. Sorry to trouble you into grabbing a few more pancakes for me.¡±


    Guo Suren wanted to cry in his heart. My silly brother. You¡¯re not that polite with Lady Marquis, but the Marquis might be one day. When can you be quick-witted?


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s stomach was full and he walked out in satisfaction.


    He stared at Zhou Xiaoxiao and his two foolish subordinates who were standing by the wall, eating the pancake and drinking the soup. She completely adjusted to this military lifestyle and he couldn¡¯t tell she was actually a woman anymore.


    He was about to say something but then remembered that he ate her food, so he wasn¡¯t in the position to scold her.


    Therefore, he kicked Meng Zhongtian.


    ¡°Go back now. All you know what to do is eat every day.¡±


    Meng Zhongtian was speechless.


    Speed was a crucial asset in war and the army arrived at the border soon.


    This mountain pass was dangerous as the city wall is solid and thick, with mountain blades against each other.


    There is a huge stream under and cliffs by the sides. It was about a 1,000 feet along and it would be difficult for even apes to climb it.


    The Jin army started its first battle on its Northern Expedition.


    The army continued to attack for numerous days, resulting in countless casualties but they hadn¡¯t gotten out of this war.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t an expert in planning military strategies, but even the battlefield couldn¡¯t stop her from being a foodie.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t need to worry about matters in the front as her job was just to protect Yu Xingzhi. Whenever she was idle, she would search around for some fresh food for her and Yu Xingzhi to eat.


    This day, all the commander-in-chiefs gathered in Champion Marquis¡¯s tent, anxious discussing a strategy to break the tension and seize the leader of the opposing side.


    Suddenly, the curtain was pulled to the side and an unprepossessing guard walked in.


    He carried a bowl of fresh peaches; the body was fresh and green while there was a tint of red at the tip of the peaches.


    It was clearly just washed as water droplets still clung to the peaches, giving people the desire to take a bite.


    That guard had a peach in his mouth, clearly not expecting for there to be so many people in the tent. He awkwardly laughed and placed the bowl to the side, standing behind Yu Xingzhi.


    Seeing that the guard was someone close to Champion Marquis, they didn¡¯t mind as much anymore and continued to discuss intensely.


    There was a constraining atmosphere in the tent and all the generals had deep and reserved looks, knitting their eyebrows.


    They fought for several days in a row and the soldiers who had died during the war transformed into mountains that crushed the generals¡¯ hearts.


    Meng Zhongtian said, ¡°Give me a squad who isn¡¯t afraid of dying. I will personally lead our brothers tomorrow and if we don¡¯t make it across the city wall, I won¡¯t come back!¡±


    ¡°No. If we forcibly attack, we might lose even more people. Plus, it might not be effective.¡±


    ¡°I just hate how this city gains the advantage in terms of location. We can only directly attack it and there are no other ways to get by.¡±


    From the noisy discussion, someone suddenly said, ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡±

 Chapter 103 - Picking Peaches To Eat (3)

    Everyone immediately quieted down and looked towards the source of the voice.


    It was Zhou Xiaoxiao who stood behind Yu Xingzhi, eating a peach.


    Seeing that everyone glanced at her, she awkwardly took the peach out of her mouth and wiped it, saying, ¡°There¡¯s another way.¡±


    Although Zhou Xiaoxiao was frequently with Yu Xingzhi, she never said anything during a military meeting.


    Therefore, someone said unhappily, ¡°A guard dares to¡­¡±


    Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingzhi stopped them at the same time and said to Zhou Xiaoxiao, ¡°Continue.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao touched her nose and said, ¡°I climbed to the top of the mountain from the left valley today and I noticed a gradual slope behind it. It leads from the northwest to straight into the city.¡±


    Meng Zhongtian said, ¡°Brother Zhou, the north valley contains sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces. It¡¯s extremely hard to climb over it and we brought our brothers to search through that area multiples times. Yet, there are no pathways leading up the mountain, so how did you find the path?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°It is¡­is a bit difficult to climb. But as long as one person can climb it and suspend themselves on the mountain and strengthen the rope ladder, it should work out especially if you pick some nimble brothers.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao said, ¡°Why¡¯d you go and climb that for no reason?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao raised the half-eaten peach in her hand awkwardly.


    Everyone understood. ¡°He went to pick peaches to eat.¡±


    The next morning, Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingzhi personally picked 500 nimble and strong men.


    They arrived under the left valley and raised their heads to see the 1,000 feet tall mountain that goes straight into the clouds.


    The surface was clear and smooth with little to no space to climb up.


    Even cranes may not be able to fly over it; the apes would have to climb gradually too¡­


    At the tip of the mountain, one could see the branches of a peach tree faintly hovering over. It had a lot of leaves and one could vaguely see the countless peaches hanging on the branches.


    Everyone was thinking: how are they going to climb up this mountain?


    They watched as Zhou Xiaoxiao reached towards a small pouch hung on her waist and grabbed a handful of plant ash, rubbing her hands with it.


    Then she grabbed onto a caved in part of the mountain and slightly borrowed some strength, immediately climbing up quickly as if she was a gecko.


    She climbed a dozen meters up and then suspended herself between the crack of the mountain, resting a bit. After that, she borrowed strength from the mountain and then climbed another dozen meters up.


    Everyone glanced at how her figure became smaller and smaller, merging with the clouds. Their hearts were in their throats.


    They were all thinking that if she accidentally missed and fall down, she would¡¯ve become a meat patty. This person dared to climb this mountain just to eat a peach; what a bizarre and extraordinary person.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao climbed to the top of the mountain and grabbed a branch that was drooping down, pulling as hard as she could. Right then, she soared in the sky like a bird and flew above the cliff.


    Everyone sucked in a cold breath.


    They watched as Zhou Xiaoxiao had rolled over and got on the tree, hugging a thick branch and waving happily towards the bottom.


    Cheng Shizhao felt his heart had gone on a roller coaster and he clutched his chest, sighing. ¡°Xingzhi, Xingzhi, where did you find this precious treasure?¡±


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi didn¡¯t answer him. He raised his head and kept his gaze trained on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s figure, his body stiffened. It seemed like he was getting ready to catch her at any moment.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao untied a layer of thin rope around her and tied it to a small rock, gradually throwing it to the bottom.


    There was naturally someone catching the rope on the bottom and connected it to a thick layer of rope.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pulled the rope and fastened it to a sturdy tree trunk on the top of the mountain.


    Then, she used this rope to create a rope ladder as well.


    After that, nimble men climbed up the mountain with the assistance of the rope ladder and on their way up, they used stone nails to keep the rope ladder on the mountain.


    The people climbing up had done so quickly and there were countless rope ladders in moments.


    500 warriors silently climbed up the left valley along the rope ladder.


    Yu Xingzhi rolled up his sleeves and got ready to climb when Cheng Shizhao stopped him.


    ¡°Xingzhi? You¡¯re actually going to lead the army to launch a sneak attack?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°If Xiaoxiao can go, how could I not go?¡±

 Chapter 104 - Why is your Face so Red? (1)

    The general guarding Qi Province was a known courageous warrior, Yelu Dilie.


    Right now, he had his two arms around his beautiful concubines and was drinking in his room.


    One of the women laid on him and extended her jade-like hands, softly caressing his chest and saying, ¡°General, I heard that the Jin country has attacked countless of Da Liao¡¯s cities and they¡¯re already at the border. This concubine is feeling restless for this general.¡±


    ¡°For the last decade or so, Da Liao has been prosperous and peaceful, raising people to become good-for-nothing. They had forgotten about how we are the reason why there haven¡¯t been any wars of violence.¡±


    Yelu Dilie humphed and smashed the wine glass against the table.


    ¡°These two boys began to be proud and arrogant after leading a group of soldiers and winning useless warriors from our side, pft. The sea border is Da Liao¡¯s first border and it is incredibly dangerous. It¡¯s between perched high cliffs and deep mountain passes; even if the Jin soldiers knew how to fly, it would be extremely difficult for them to cross. We are absolutely safe here, so there is no need for you to worry.¡±


    The beautiful woman raised her wine glass and responded, ¡°It seems like this concubine has been thinking too much. With general¡¯s impressive martial arts skills, why would we need to be afraid of Jin country and its soldiers.¡±


    Yelu Dilie said, ¡°I have already volunteered myself for military service and I¡¯m just waiting for the Emperor to make his decree. The moment he does so, I will lead the army and aid my brother-in-law, capturing that Prince Yan and Champion Marquis alive. Then, I¡¯ll have them kneel in front of you and amuse you, sound good?¡±


    The other concubine said, ¡°This concubine heard that Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, and Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi, were two handsome men from affluent families. In Jin country, they were known was the Two Jades, even prettier than women.¡±


    Yelu Dilie laughed out loud and said, ¡°Once I catch them alive, I¡¯ll break their veins and have them serve me just you like you guys. Hahah, we can even drink and play together. That sounds quite interesting too.¡±


    One could only hear roaring laughter in the room.


    They suddenly heard bangs to the door.


    Yelu Dilie said unhappily, ¡°Who dares to disturb this general? Get the hell in.¡±


    It was the commander-in-chief of the Han Decai and he hurried in with disheveled clothes and looked battered.


    He hugged Yelu Dilie¡¯s legs and cried, saying, ¡°Brother-in-law, save me. Jin army has breached the city and we lost the sea border!¡±


    Yelu Dilie was shocked and said, ¡°How could they easily breach this dangerous border?¡±


    Han Decai reached over and trembled as he gestured with his hands, crying too. ¡°For the past few days, Cheng Shizhao has been continuously attacking the city but to no avail. Therefore, we stationed the troop in the city and remained cautious in our daily lives, not daring to slack off at all. We have been waiting for brother-in-law¡¯s assistance but who knew that two days ago, a Jin army, about tens of thousands of soldiers suddenly entered the city from the north valley. Then, they attacked the sea border from two sides, along with Cheng Shizhao¡¯s help.¡±


    Yelu Dilie said, ¡°Nonsense. Even birds can¡¯t easily fly over the north valley, so how could the Jin army make it through safely?¡±


    Han Decai cried and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know! Maybe the Jin army knows how to cast magic spells. Otherwise, how could they climb over the cliff? I witnessed with my own eyes that Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi, personally led the troops and waved their flags, charging down from the peak of the cliff and barging into the city. At the same time, Cheng Shizhao was outside doing his part. Our army really couldn¡¯t resist against them anymore and the city was immediately breached. It was a helpless situation, so we had to abandon the city and flee, running over to brother-in-law¡¯s place to ask for help.¡±


    Yelu Dilie kicked him and scolded, ¡°Useless scaredy-cats. What use does this general have of you?¡±


    He then heard a military officer reporting outside, ¡°Report to the general, Jin army is 50 meters outside of the city.¡±


    Han Decai trembled and said, ¡°We rushed here overnight, disguising ourselves by wearing casual clothes and only managing to arrive just now. Yet, their army has already arrived. It must be¡­must be the work of ghosts and Devil.¡±


    Yelu Dilie was extremely infuriated and took out his sword, killing Han Decai right then.


    He angrily hollered, ¡°Grab my armor!¡±

 Chapter 105 - Why is your Face so Red? (2)

    By the north wall of Qi Province residence, the guards of the city could gradually see the smoke coming from the ground.


    The dusty sand filled the air and darkness took over.


    Like a ruthless predator, Yelu Dilie hurriedly wore his armor and galloped his horse towards the city wall.


    He watched as the enemy took over the road and menacingly made their way over.


    They were waving the flags and the warhorses were neighing, with a ¡®Yu¡¯ on the flag of one of the horses.


    Yelu Dilie knew that the Champion Marquis personally led the troops over to combat him, feeling secretly shocked.


    From his impression, the Jin country¡¯s army had mostly food soldiers, which was why they moved slowly. In addition, they were only adept at guarding cities and not attacking.


    On the other hand, Qidan¡¯s cavalry moved quickly and attacked fiercely. In the battles from the past decade with Jin country, Liao army almost never lost.


    The armored horses of Da Liao galloped across the Central Plain unrestricted and almost none could match its strengths. In the Liao army¡¯s eyes, Jin army was just groups of sheep that they could murder easily and to their pleasure.


    Yelu Dilie sighed in his heart.


    Not so long ago, Jin country also had a powerful and rapid army while Qidan had lost some of its acute spirit from all these years of peace.


    He collected his feelings and equipped himself, getting into formation and showing off the army¡¯s imposing manner. They arrived at the bottom of the city and prepared for their enemies, wanting to want for their enemy¡¯s presence and dampen their acute spirit.


    The two armies met face to face with each other, standing in place and preparing to combat.


    Yelu Dilie watched as one of the people from the opposing side clasped a flag in his hand.


    He rode a handsome saddle horse and he appeared to be extraordinary and elegant.


    That person was Jin country¡¯s one of the newest generals, Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi.


    Therefore, Yelu Dilie whipped his horse, moving forward and calling out Yu Xingzhi¡¯s name.


    He watched as Yu Xingzhi took out a long pike and galloped towards himself.


    Without another word, the war had begun.


    In the moments of breathing, the bright tip of the pike aimed towards Yelu Dilie without warning.


    Yelu Dilie raised his arms and caught the pike steadily, stopping its attack.


    He originally wanted to swing the pike over Yu Xingzhi¡¯s head but he didn¡¯t expect it to be as heavy as a mountain.


    While attempting to block the attack, Yelu Dilie felt a sharp pain on the web between his thumb and forefinger. At that moment, his skin tore apart and fresh blood dripped down.


    That didn¡¯t stop Yu Xingzhi from continuing to gesture about the pike.


    Yelu Dilie widened his eyes and watched as the tip of the pike reached his chest and pierced his body, stabbing his heart.


    Before he died, he thought in shock: since when was there a figure like him in Jin country?


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took the lead and charged into the enemy ranks.


    Jin army felt their spirits rising and they all surged into the opposing side, killing the enemies and roaring.


    Finally, the war was over and the opposing side submitted.


    Yu Xingzhi personally led the troops to chase about a kilometer in and captured coutless hostages.


    ¡­


    In the 18th year of Jin Dynasty, Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi, breached the sea border and the guards fled the city.


    Yu Xingzhi chased after them and raided Qi Province.


    He killed the general guarding Qi Province, Yelu Dilie, and breached the city in one day.


    Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao led the troops to attack the other counties.


    The two troops met up in Qi Province and the entire army was ready.


    When the Emperor heard this, he was so ecstatic that he rewarded the generals and soldiers with treasures.


    ¡­


    In Qi Province city, Yu Xingzhi sat in front of a red sandalwood carved flower on the desk in the original guarding general, Yelu Dilie¡¯s study. He was flipping through the books on the art of war and documents he had left when he suddenly saw ¡¶Seven Books of Martial Arts¡·under the documents.


    Yu Xingzhi said: I didn¡¯t think Qidan barbarians would read through the Central Plains¡¯ military strategies and tactics.


    He placed it on top of the desk and prepared to read it when he saw that there was another book inside the cover.

 Chapter 106 - Why is your Face so Red? (3)

    It was ¡¶Secrets to a Happy Couple¡·. There were two lines to a poem on the heading and it read: since one can¡¯t see the scenery in


    the sky, why not take a look at the scenery under a woman¡¯s clothes?


    Then, there was a painting which highlighted sex between a couple in detail, as if this was brought to life.


    As a child, Yu Xingzhi obeyed strict rules in the house, so he had never interacted with such fornication.


    He placed the book down, his face red and his heart thumping rapidly.


    He hurriedly closed the door and Zhou Xiaoxiao walked in just as he was debating where to hide the book.


    Yu Xingzhi placed the book under his thigh and said frantically, ¡°Xiaoxiao, why are you here?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said curiously, ¡°Xingzhi, why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?¡±


    She walked to the side of the desk and leaned over, touching Yu Xingzhi¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not warm¡­¡±


    Yu Xingzhi coughed and pretended to act confident.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao propped her chin up with her hands and her eyes sparkled.


    She said in a coquettish tone, ¡°Xingzhi, since I¡¯ve done so much for the war, do you think the Emperor will give me some rewards? I


    saw that everyone has gotten great items.¡±


    When Yu Xingzhi heard her mention this, he smiled and said, ¡°When you snuck into the military camp under this status, how could you


    expect to get any rewards? What do you want? I can¡­¡±


    When he said this, he saw Zhou Xiaoxiao revealing a mischievous look and he became alarmed immediately, standing up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­stop with the nonsense. We already agreed on the three-point covenant before leaving and don¡¯t you remember that you


    said you won¡¯t do anything inappropriate while in the military?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything, so why are you so nervous?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and she suddenly pointed at something. ¡°What¡¯s the


    thing that you were sitting on?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi was shocked and attempted to grab it, but he saw a blur and the book was in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands now.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao calmly flipped through a few pages and waved the book, saying, ¡°Such a bad man. You try to act proper on the


    surface by setting a three-point covenant with me, but you ended up looking at this in secret.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face was flushed and he couldn¡¯t stand still, not knowing where to start explaining from.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that he was bashful and couldn¡¯t take the teasing, so she, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stop teasing you, but I¡¯m confiscating this


    book.¡±


    Then, she continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want any rewards either. I¡¯m just in the mood for painting today and I want you to be my model.¡±


    Seeing that Zhou Xiaoxiao had let him go, he sighed and said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy. I¡¯ll accompany you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was very enthusiastic and prepared paper, pen, and a board.


    She said, ¡°Xingzhi, sit on the table.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi followed the direction, although he wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°Why am I sitting on the table?¡±


    ¡°You need to have your sword on you.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi followed the instructions.


    ¡°Only your sword.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi was silent for a while before his face started turning red from bottom to top. He rejected without hesitation, ¡°Don¡¯t even


    think about it.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao touched the ¡¶Secrets to a Happy Couple¡· and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t let me draw, I can only draw from the book then.


    After all, I¡¯m already married to you, so I can¡¯t look at anyone else¡¯s.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s whole face was red and after a while, he finally turned around and took off his armor, stripping and revealing his slender


    and sturdy body.


    His pitch-black hair scattered down his shoulders which contrasted the snow-white milky skin he had.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stared at him and praised him sincerely.


    ¡°Xingzhi, you¡¯re so beautiful. Don¡¯t be bashful and turn around for me. I just want to take a good look at you and draw you and keep


    you in my heart.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi slowly turned around and leaned against the red sandalwood carved flower, his face against a side and didn¡¯t dare to look


    straight at Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao grabbed her brushes and started to draw. At one point, the room was brightly-lit and one could only hear the sound of


    brushes brushing against the paper.


    Yu Xingzhi took a secret glance only to see Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s serious expression. She was concentrated and focused, a few hair strands


    landing on her face. She brushed it back, but it left a coal-black mark on her face.


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile.

 Chapter 110 - You think He’s Handsome Because You haven’t Seen Anyone Better (1)

    She didn¡¯t cry but she kept her ink-black eyes silently on the people by the shore.


    She engraved the last look on earth in her mind before she was about to die.


    Her mother had already fainted from crying by the shore.


    Her father, Gongsun Family¡¯s leader ¡ª Gongsun Zhen ¡ª kept a stern face and knitted his eyebrows as he personally locked his


    daughter in the cylindrical bamboo. He gravely stared at the event occurring in front of him.


    Gongsun Zhen glanced at her miserable and pitiful daughter.


    His own wife had fainted, but she didn¡¯t forget to clutch on his sleeves.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to do so, but he quickly reminded himself that Gongsun Family was a scholarly family for generations and had an


    upright and honorable familial manner. There was never a daughter whose engagement was called off.


    How could I keep my impure daughter just because I couldn¡¯t bear to and allow the family¡¯s reputation to be ruined?


    The servants on the boat grabbed the cage and while the man was hollering and crying for help, they threw the cage and the man


    inside into the river.


    After a few seconds, the cage went to the bottom of the river and disappeared.


    The servants carried Gongsun Yu¡¯s cage and couldn¡¯t bear to do the same, staring hesitatingly at the shore.


    Gongsun Zhen closed his eyes and waved his hands, making the servants helpless.


    They tossed their young miss into the river with harsh hearts.


    The pitch-black river swallowed the cage and it immediately got rushed into the lower reaches of the river.


    Only half a cage appeared on the surface of the water and one could see a pair of struggling white and clean fingers, floating on the


    river.


    Gongsun Zhen stumbled a few steps and finally didn¡¯t have the heart to see anymore, leading everyone away.


    Yet, he never saw the black figure appearing by the shore which quickly raced towards the coastal area.


    The figure rushed towards the cage and jumped into the water with a splash, swimming rapidly towards the cage.


    <


    2/3


    It was Zhou Xiaoxiao and they were in a dire situation, not allowing room for thoughts. She grabbed onto the cage with her best and


    helped Gongsun Yu¡¯s head out of the surface of the water.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t really good at swimming and the currents were rapid. In addition, it was dark and cold, making her struggle to


    swim as she was also carrying a person.


    Thankfully, she was nimble and full of energy. Plus, since Gongsun Yu was locked in the cage, the latter didn¡¯t struggle much.


    Therefore, Zhou Xiaoxiao was able to swim steadily and reluctantly made it to the shore.


    The rocks by the shore were precipitous and slippery from the river water, making it hard for her to grab onto anything.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had no choice but to follow the current and drift downstream. Occasionally, she was able to grab onto the crack of a


    rock filled with moss, but she couldn¡¯t hold on for long.


    After a moment, she was washed away by the water again.


    Not long later, she heard the sound of horse hooves and Yu Xingzhi calling for her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was delighted and she tried her best to pop her body out on the surface of the water and hollered towards the shore,


    ¡°Xingzhi! Xingzhi! I¡¯m here.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi rode his black horse and appeared by the shore. He quickly jumped off his horse and climbed down, following the narrow


    and steep slope.


    The slope by the shore had fresh moss growing out, making it slippery and wet and having barely no space for him to walk.


    Yu Xingzhi reluctantly kept steady, trying his best to extend his hand towards Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pushed the cage containing Gongsun Yu over.


    ¡°Xingzhi, grab onto cousin first.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi carried the cage and helped Gongsun Yu¡¯s head out of the water.


    This meant that he couldn¡¯t extend his other hand over to Zhou Xiaoxiao; the latter grabbed the other side of the cage and floated on


    water.


    From the distance, they stared at each other.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, hold on. Cousin will almost be here.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tried her best to make herself seem calm and she revealed a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Xingzhi, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

 Chapter 111 - You think He’s Handsome Because You haven’t Seen Anyone Better (2)

    Quickly, Cheng Shizhao and the servants climbed down using a makeshift rope made from knotting clothes and pants together.


    They tied it around the cage and carried Gongsun Yu up.


    Yu Xingzhi was delighted and finally extended his hand over to Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    The two held their hands and saw the cheerful looks in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Yet, the palm of Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands were wet and she couldn¡¯t hold onto him tightly, feeling the strength leaving her hand.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt her hands slipping out of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hands uncontrollably.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, hold onto me!¡±


    She heard Yu Xingzhi yell and she was able to extend her other hand, when a wooden pile coming down from upstream suddenly


    slammed against her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao watched as their hands slipped away from each other.


    She suddenly felt her body losing control and an undercurrent pulled her into a deep whirlpool.


    In the last second, she saw Yu Xingzhi screaming her name loudly and jumping into the water.


    She wanted to call for him but she ended up drinking a mouthful of water.


    Then, blackness took over and she lost her conscious.


    ¡­


    Yu Xingzhi woke up from unconsciousness and found himself to be completely soaked, laying by the wet grass near the river.


    There was a bonfire in front of him and his cousin, Cheng Shizhao, was sitting by him and looking at him in concern.


    He then remembered everything and suddenly stood up, asking, ¡°Xiaoxiao! Where is she?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao avoided his gaze, afraid to look straight at him.


    Yu Xingzhi rolled and crawled towards the shore, only to see a pitch-black Henan river.


    There were countless torches lit up by the two sides of the shore and guards were searching back and forth, calling out Zhou


    Xiaoxiao¡¯s name.


    ¡°Xingzhi, you¡­you don¡¯t need to worry. We haven¡¯t found her yet and there are a lot of undercurrents and urgent currents as well. You


    must not jump down again.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi remained unmoved and stiffly stood by the rocks on the shore, his gaze trained on the flickering torches.


    After a while, he softly said, ¡°Cousin, you don¡¯t need to worry that I might do something stupid. She will definitely come back. She had


    told me before that nothing will happen to her.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao glanced worriedly at Yu Xingzhi.


    They still hadn¡¯t found her in a such a long time, so Zhou Xiaoxiao is most likely dead¡­


    If something happens to her, cousin will¡­


    He knew very well that Yu Xingzhi was deeply in love with Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    He almost couldn¡¯t even think about the scary consequences of this.


    Right now, someone from afar reported, ¡°We found her. We found Lady Marquis!¡±


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao woke up and felt her body was sore and slow.


    She softly moved and felt a pang of pain on her chest.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao opened her eyes to see the pure white color.


    Pure white wall.


    Pure white bed sheets and blankets.


    There was a transparent IV linked to her hand and liquid was dripping into the tube.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took a while before she reacted, realizing that she was at the hospital.


    A modern hospital.


    I transmigrated again?


    She saw three heads popping in front of her and they were all murmuring about.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao is awake?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, you¡¯re finally awake?¡±


    ¡°Let me call your mother.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao recognized them to be her best friends from college, Ruan Xinran, Chu Yunyun, and a store manager, Lin Zhihua.


    ¡°I¡­what¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    Ruan Xinran carefully said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t you remember? You were stabbed by Xue Chunjian, that scum, and was unconscious for


    3-4 days.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao clutched her chest and felt a wound there.


    I had transmigrated for 3 years already, so why are they saying it¡¯s only for 3-4 days?


    Could everything just be a realistic dreams?


    She reached for the banister by the side of the body and slightly moved her stiff body, letting herself lean up.


    Chu Yunyun made a fuss and said, ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t casually move around. Does it hurt? Does it hurt?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao comforted her, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can hold on.¡±


    Lin Zhihua carefully helped her up and placed a pillow behind her back.


    ¡°You¡¯re just awake, so don¡¯t be moved emotionally. If you have something to say, say it slowly. Your mother went to cook chicken soup


    for you and she will be here momentarily.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought her mind was a mess, so she slightly nodded, ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡±

 Chapter 112 - You think He’s Handsome Because You haven’t Seen Anyone Better (3)

    The three looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao in worry.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Chu Yunyun seemed like she was about to cry. ¡°Why are you talking in a strange manner?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao touched her face.


    Even my tone and usual talking habits had changed. It¡¯s not something a dream could do.


    She closed her eyes.


    It¡¯s not a dream.


    I came back.


    Xingzhi, what should I do with you?


    Ruan Xinran was Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s senior in college. She had two siblings at home and Ruan Xinran had a gentle personality, very good at taking care of people.


    She reached over and brushed the hair from Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s forehead, gently saying, ¡°You just woke up, so get some rest and don¡¯t overthink. The doctor said that as long as you wake up, everything will be fine. Xue Chunjian, that bastard, was arrested and he¡¯s in the police station now.¡±


    Chu Yunyun interrupted and said, ¡°Right, right, right. I hope that bastard gets sentenced a century in jail and he won¡¯t be released even after his death.¡±


    Although Chu Yunyun¡¯s parents gave her a graceful name, she wasn¡¯t charming or lovely in any way. Instead, she was talkative and loud.


    She had been classmates with Zhou Xiaoxiao since they were in high school. In college, it was coincidental that they were in the same dorms, making them close friends for many years.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, do you know who caught Xue Chunjian? Speaking of which, it¡¯s such a coincidence¡­Aiya!! It¡¯s actual my idol!¡±


    ¡°Why are you squirming about?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao. ¡°Looking at you, a handsome man must¡¯ve appeared. What a pity that I have been unconscious, so you¡¯re lucky.¡±


    As they were talking, someone gently knocked on the door.


    A man in a police uniform carrying a fruit basket stood by the door.


    He was 1.9 meters tall and he had sharp eyebrows, standing tall. He had short hair and clearly had an armed police¡¯s imposing manner, smiling warmly.


    Cuh Yunyun and Ruan Xinran hugged one another and shrieked.


    That officer was clearly used to women losing their self-control in front of him.


    He laughed brightly and walked into the room in large strides.


    ¡°Hey, junior sister Zhou, do you still remember me? I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯m lucky or not to be able to meet you in this case.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed bitterly and politely shook hands with him.


    ¡°Senior Weipan, long time no see. Sorry for causing you trouble.¡±


    Chen Weipan placed the fruit basket on the table, a strange feeling blooming in his heart.


    He didn¡¯t really pay attention to this junior sister while they were in high school. However, after they shook hands, he suddenly felt an invisible sense of pressure looming over him.


    He had never experienced this feeling from ordinary women, only experiencing these feelings on those SWAT seniors who went to the front and saw blood before.


    Chen Weipan believed in his gut feelings due to many years of experiences.


    He couldn¡¯t help but become serious, taking out his notebook to ask Zhou Xiaoxiao some questions in detail.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao answered each one.


    This doesn¡¯t seem right. This junior sister is too calm. Not only wasn¡¯t she afraid or mad, but she didn¡¯t reveal any extra expressions at all.


    It felt like she was recounting something that happened a long time ago and had nothing to do with her.


    Chen Weipan thought about this and secretly wrote this down in his notebook.


    ¡­


    After Chen Weipan left, Ruan Xinran and Chu Yunyun weren¡¯t over their excitement.


    ¡°He¡¯s so handsome! This officer is so handsome!¡±


    ¡°Right? My idol is still my idol. No! After he became a police, he seems even more handsome.¡±


    Chu Yunyun laid against the armrest of the bed and grabbed Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re too sneaky. Whenever you get the chance, you take advantage of my idol.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao helplessly agreed.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, what¡¯s the matter? How come you¡¯re not energetic even after seeing a handsome man?¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯s handsome because you haven¡¯t seen someone better.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Chu Yunyun jumped up and said, ¡°Since when have you seen someone better? How come you didn¡¯t tell me?¡±

 Chapter 113 - Don’t Be Close-minded. Isn’t He Just A Man? (1)

    After 2-3 days, Zhou Xiaoxiao left the hospital.


    Her family welcomed her back happily as if she was a princess.


    Actually, she could reluctantly walk, but her lively brother ¡ª Zhou Zisi ¡ª suddenly became a reliable person.


    He was determined not to let her off the ground, carrying her out of the elevator and placing her on the bed.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laid on the soft and comfortable bed at home, hugging the familiar but unfamiliar blanket.


    She stared at the empty ceiling and Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face flashed over her mind over and over.


    She recalled his weak and pale, but determined face.


    She recalled his gentle, elegant, and warm smile while they were deeply in love.


    She recalled his blushing face while he was embarrassed.


    And their tightly linked hands while in a life or death situation.


    ¡­


    What should she do? I can¡¯t let go or forget him.


    I can¡¯t get over him.


    She rolled back and forth on her bad for a while, finally falling to sleep eventually.


    While she was in deep sleep, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt herself standing in front of a room and two maids walked out, carrying basins.


    While closing the door, they wiped their tears away.


    ¡°Who knows when Lady will get well at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, Marquis is so pitiful. Even I feel miserable while staring at his expression.¡±


    The two maids seemed very familiar, as if they were from the residence. Zhou Xiaoxiao thought.


    However, it felt like the maids couldn¡¯t see her and walked right past her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao opened the door, but didn¡¯t expect there to be no resistance.


    She stumbled and penetrated through the wall, drifting in.


    In the room, she saw herself.


    No. She saw Zhou Dujuan¡¯s body who was sitting absent-mindedly at the dining table.


    Zhou Dujuan was like a puppet who lost her mind, eating and sitting when told to do so.


    Yu Xingzhi sat in front of her and carefully fed her a bowl of porridge.


    He fed a spoonful into her mouth and half a spoonful of porridge would fall down.


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi was very patient and he held a handkerchief, catching the falling food and gently wiping the corners of her lips.


    After a bit, he raised another spoonful of porridge to her mouth and coaxed, ¡°Xiaoxiao, listen to me and take another bite.¡±


    However, Zhou Dujuan was still as a statue and didn¡¯t respond.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s gaze was gentle like water and he softly said, ¡°Take a bite and I¡¯ll kiss you once.¡±


    He slowly fed her and then moved over, closing his eyes and pecking Zhou Dujuan¡¯s forehead softly.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at this and felt a bitter feeling in his heart; she couldn¡¯t help but call, ¡°Xingzhi.¡±


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t hear her call or see her who was standing in front of him.


    He looked gently at the unmoving body.


    Lady Guo pushed the door in and sat beside Yu Xingzhi¡¯s side.


    ¡°Son, ever since Xiaoxiao became like this, you almost have been looking over her 2-3 days without sleeping a wink. How can your


    body hold on any longer? How about you go rest first and let mother take care of her?¡±


    Ever since I drowned, it¡¯s only been 2-3 days?


    Great. The two world¡¯s time are almost the same.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood to the side and happily thought.


    If a day in the modern world was still a year in this world, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to accept that in just 20 or so days, Xingzhi


    would be so lonely and die of old age already.


    Yu Xingzhi shook her head and said, ¡°Thank you mother. But when Xiaoxiao took care of me, she did everything herself. Now, this child


    doesn¡¯t want anyone else taking care of her but me.¡±


    His eyes almost never left Zhou Xiaoxiao and he said, ¡°I want her to be able to see me when she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Foolish child. If Xiaoxiao remains unconscious, do you plan on looking over her your entire life?¡± Lady Guo raised her handkerchief


    and wiped her tears.


    Yu Xingzhi remained silent for a while and said, ¡°If she¡¯s here, I will naturally look over her. If she¡¯s not, I will also¡­¡±


    ¡°You what?!¡± Lady Guo said miserably, ¡°You have been educated by the holy book for 2 decades and where did your knowledge go?


    You fed the dogs with it? For a woman, you dare to abandon your country and your parents too?¡±

 Chapter 114 - Don’t Be Close-minded. Isn’t He Just A Man? (2)

    Yu Xingzhi kept his head down and revealed an extremely upset expression.


    Lady Guo sobbed and left the room.


    Yu Xingzhi silently sat there momentarily and then he stood up, twisting a towel dry from the basin.


    Then, he kneeled in front of Zhou Dujuan, carefully and patiently washing her face and hands.


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao woke up and found her face covered in tears.


    No, I have to find a way to return.


    She recalled what the elder princess had said to her.


    When you interact with water, you will return to the modern world. When you interact with fire, you will come back.


    Interact with fire, interact with fire¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao climbed over and found a candle in her drawer.


    After she ignited it, she looked around the room and there was no reaction.


    Was the fire too small?


    She thought about it and found an iron basin, ripping piles of paper and igniting a fire.


    There was still no reaction.


    She even placed her hand in fire, hissing in pain.


    It still didn¡¯t work.


    Until she startled her parents and brothers from the noises.


    Everyone rushed into the room when they heard her fussing, stopping her absurd actions.


    ¡­


    After a while, under Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s parents¡¯ care, she quickly recovered.


    This time, she returned to the studio of her own store.


    The moment she walked in, her two employees, Li Hongmei and Ke Dingqi stood in a line and welcome her back.


    ¡°Ding dong! Let¡¯s welcome our leader back!¡±


    The store manager, Lin Zhihua, even gave her a bouquet of roses.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao pretended to be deep in thought and placed her hands on her waist, waving her hands and said, ¡°Very good, very good. I know it must be hard on everyone.¡±


    As a result, all four women started laughing.


    Although Zhou Xiaoxiao had been recuperating for a while, the studio was still operating regularly and thoroughly under the store manager, Lin Zhihua¡¯s leadership.


    The data and accounts of their performances looked very good too.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat in the control room and took out all sorts of tools, attempting to make some snacks from ancient time after she transmigrated over.


    While creating it, she recorded the steps on a paper.


    Lin Zhihua moved over and took a look, sighing, ¡°Xiaoxiao, did you go to recuperate or to cultivate into a god? How come your handwriting looks legible now? Look, look. You even wrote in traditional Chinese characters. You¡¯re acting cool now?!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao silently stared at the tip of the brush. After 3-4 years of living in the ancient times, it had gradually and silently changed her writing habits.


    She slowly started moving the brush against the figure, outlining an ancient man¡¯s figure on the paper.


    She reached over and gently caressed his silhouette.


    She sighed and said, ¡°You guys can go to work. I¡¯m going out to get some air.¡±


    ¡­


    The city Zhou Xiaoxiao was in had a huge river too, called Jiujiang.


    Jiujian spanned across the center of the city and there was a magnificent bridge that connected the endpoints of the river.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood in the middle of the river, leaning against the banister and staring at the river water flowing.


    The day she drowned, the currents were urgent and deep like this.


    The moment her hands slipped from Yu Xingzhi¡¯s grip, she could still hear Yu Xingzhi¡¯s ear-piercing scream.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao covered her ears and tightly shut her eyes.


    What should I do? How can I go back?


    ¡­


    She suddenly felt a pair of arms around her waist and pulling her back.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked and subconsciously took a step back, knocking her elbow against her opponent.


    She turned around and pressed on a pressure point easily, hearing a soft groan.


    She saw a police officer clutching his stomach on the ground.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao blinked her eyes and was stunned. ¡°Senior Weipan? How come it¡¯s you?¡±


    Chen Weipan clutched his stomach and got off the ground, feeling shocked and ashamed.


    Even though he was off guard, he still felt embarrassed for being beaten by a delicate junior sister since he was a police officer.


    ¡°Junior sister, don¡¯t be close-minded. Isn¡¯t it just a man?¡± He rubbed his stomach and advised.


    In his heart, he said: This junior sister looks intelligent and quick-witted, with nice skills. Who knew that she would seek death because of a man. I didn¡¯t think she would come here to jump off the bridge in broad daylight.


    After all, women were women and they were all the same. Whenever they broke up, they would throw a tantrum.

 Chapter 115 - Don’t Be Close-minded. Isn’t He Just A Man? (3)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry.


    It seemed like she was too concentrated on the view and this misled others to think that she was about to commit suicide. This made


    senior police officer rush over to protect her. In the end, it was all a misunderstanding.


    ¡°I was just staring at the view and not seeking death. Senior, you must¡¯ve misunderstood me.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed bitterly and


    explained.


    She cupped one of her hands over the other out of habit and realized that it looked weird during this time. Therefore, she awkwardly


    waved her hands instead, turning around and leaving.


    Chen Weipan chased after her and suddenly realized in shock that half the side of his body was sore and numb, unable to exert any


    strength.


    He realized that the numbness wasn¡¯t caused by his fall, but probably caused by his junior sister elbowing him and pressing on a


    pressure point.


    Oh my. Could junior sister have acupuncture skills?


    Chen Weipan was shocked and confused.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao kept his head down and walked, looking at her hands.


    After getting her body back, she felt like she had no strength at all, becoming someone with no martial arts skills.


    I had pressed on his pressure point, but it didn¡¯t do much to him.


    She also became slower in reacting.


    He had gotten behind my back and even hugged my waist, and I didn¡¯t realize until he had done so.


    If this was on the battlefield, she would¡¯ve died hundreds of times.


    It seemed like she needed to find a trainer.


    Even if she wasn¡¯t born with natural strength like Zhou Dujuan, at least she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to be useless.


    In the evening, Zhou Xiaoxiao laid on her bed which had a portrait of Yu Xingzhi hung on top.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao silently murmured: Xingzhi, I hope I can see you tonight as well.


    She slowly fell into a dream.


    ¡­


    When she recovered her conscious, Zhou Xiaoxiao realized that she arrived in the familiar residence again.


    Right now, she was standing in the yard she usually lived in.


    She watched as Yu Xingzhi sat by a parasol tree not far from here and was massaging her unconscious body¡¯s feet and hands


    Zhou Dujuan kept her eyes open but she had an absent-minded expression, laying on the deck chair covered in fur.


    She allowed Yu Xingzhi to carefully massage her, not reacting at all.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao walked in a circle around the yard and and noticed that she could only move in a small range around Yu Xingzhi,


    unable to walk too far. Then, she had to return to his side again.


    Therefore, she kneeled by Yu Xingzhi¡¯s side and raised her head to look at his beautiful face.


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s gaze was only on the soulless body and he couldn¡¯t see her.


    Cheng Shizhao sat by the side and knitted his eyebrows, ¡°We¡¯ve had all sorts of doctors look over her illness and they had different


    diagnosis. Some said that she lost her soul or that an evil spirit had taken over her. But it was all unreliable. What a pity that elder


    princess was out traveling and on vacation, so we don¡¯t know her whereabouts. When she comes back, she may have a solution. But


    who knows?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi softly patted Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Cousin, you don¡¯t need to worry for me. Xiaoxiao is just leaving for a while and


    she will definitely think of me one day and come back. Right? Xiaoxiao?¡±


    He said that to the expressionless Zhou Xiaoxiao sitting on the deck chair and he glanced at her, seemingly in a trance.


    Even Cheng Shizhao shook his head and sighed; Yu Xingzhi didn¡¯t even realize that he had left.


    He was confused on gently patting Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hair.


    After a moment, he slowly leaned over and pecked Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s forehead.


    Then, he pecked her eyebrows.


    Then, he pecked the tip of her nose.


    Then, he pecked her thin lips.


    ¡­


    ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡± He softly murmured, ¡°In the past, you had kissed me like this too and then I woke up. Now, I¡¯m kissing you the same way, so


    you¡­can wake up soon as well. Ok?¡±

 Chapter 116 - He’s Mine (1)

    Jiang Wenhao was a highly experienced trainer.


    He had been working at one of the advanced gyms in Jiujian for many years.


    He had also seen countless students with all sorts of abilities.


    Yet, he accepted a member who surprised him constantly recently.


    When this female member just joined, she didn¡¯t have the best physical conditions.


    She was weak and had no muscles, feeling no strength in her body. She also didn¡¯t have a typical figure, the standard weak whitecollar worker who sat in the office frequently.


    At one point, Jiang Wenhao even thought that she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for long.


    However, she was very generous and bought the personal golden trainer package without hesitation.


    Therefore, Jiang Wenhao warmly greeted her and treated her in the most professional attitude.


    What surprised him was that this Zhou Xiaoxiao who was on the petite side wasn¡¯t like the majority of women, setting their goals as


    getting rid of fat and modelling their figures.


    Her only request was to train her strength and muscles.


    Jiang Wenhao formulated a reasonable plan that helped to improve her strength over a gradual time period.


    She had class five times a week and there were no interruptions.


    The only two days were for adjusting to the training. She even adding in activities like swimming, running, and other aerobic exercises.


    Whether it were squats, bench press, or weightlifting, she could quickly grasp the gist of these strategic exercising moves.


    She strictly followed the 5¡Á5 improving strength plan every day.


    Then, she gradually added lifting barbells in, never complaining about how difficult it would be or slacking off.


    She could be a role model of the members in the gym, even having a special fondness towards wrestling techniques.


    Whenever she rested, she would frequently slip off towards the neighboring training grounds for judo, taekwondo, or boxing, to


    observe and emulate.


    Because she went frequently, she gradually became familiar with the trainers as well.


    One time, Trainer Wu of taekwondo half-jokingly wanted her to give it a try, but also wanting to recruit her as a member.


    Her performance that time completely toppled over Jiang Wenhao¡¯s views.


    In the beginning, Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled as she changed her outfit and got in the training grounds.


    But after that, her expression changed and she defeated her opponent in one clean and swift move, locking their throat.


    She was powerful and able to lock the black belt Trainer Wu¡¯s throat accurately, throwing him on the ground.


    Everyone was shocked by her moves and they were silent.


    Even today, Trainer Wu and Xiao Zhang from judo still pestered her over and over again, wanting to recruit her.


    Jiang Wenhao thought about this.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao had completed today¡¯s training; she changed her clothes and said goodbye to him.


    Jiang Wenhao hesitated before chasing to the door and stopping her. ¡°Um, Xiaoxiao, do you have time today? Let¡¯s eat lunch


    together.¡±


    As an energetic and healthy trainer, Jiang Wenhao was very popular amongst the women and rarely anyone rejected him. Even


    many female members came to ask him out.


    He really enjoyed winning over all sorts of women.


    However, when he faced Zhou Xiaoxiao, he couldn¡¯t help but feel doubtful.


    The delicate and elegant in front of her gave him an unknown feeling of pressure occasionally.


    He felt a bit nervous and curious.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled at him but clearly rejected, ¡°Sorry, Trainer Jiang. I am going out with my friends.¡±


    She held Chu Yunyun¡¯s hands and waved goodbye to Jiang Wenhao.


    Chu Yunyun silently said in her ears, ¡°This trainer has a great figure and he¡¯s also handsome. How come you decided to reject him? I


    don¡¯t mind having another handsome man with us out for lunch.¡±

 Chapter 117 - He’s Mine (2)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao pinched her and said, ¡°Fine. You can go if you like. I had prepared ¡®mandarin ducks¡¯ hotpot this afternoon. You can choose whether to come or not.¡±


    Chu Yunyun hurriedly held onto Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms and wagged her invisible tail.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m coming. Xiaoxiao, your cooking skills are incomparable to anyone else and I am your fan. No matter how handsome he said, he can¡¯t seduce me away from your dining table¡±


    The two enjoyed their time eating hotpot in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s home.


    They had eaten too much and both laid on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s bed, remaining unmoved.


    Chu Yunyun rubbed her round stomach and stared at the newly hung picture frame on her wall.


    ¡°Eh? Xiaoxiao, you changed to drawing in an ancient style? This is a really good drawing and looks exactly like how ancient people would look like. It reveals a gentleman-like temperament.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sighed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do the best. He looks way better than how I had drawn him.¡±


    ¡°Real person? Model?¡± Chu Yunyun rolled over and shook Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s shoulders as if her life depended on it. ¡°You¡¯re so bad. You even hid this handsome model from me.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and took out a sketchbook from the drawer of her bed. ¡°I drew many portraits. Take a look.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, he¡¯s playing the guqin. So charming.¡±


    ¡°He also knows how to ride a horse, hehe. He¡¯s so handsome.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, he¡¯s wearing his armor and covered in blood on the battlefield. Cool.¡±


    ¡°This¡­this¡­my heart can¡¯t take it. How can you only draw half of this? Where¡¯s the other half? Give me it! Give me!¡±


    Chu Yunyun pounced on Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    The page Chu Yunyun flipped to, on the sketchbook, contained the body of half a man. He was naked and his hair scattered down his shoulder, looking embarrassed.


    He extended his arm and covered his blushed face.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed loudly and panted, grabbing Chu Yunyun¡¯s hands and saying, ¡°He¡¯s mine, so I obviously can¡¯t let you see him.¡±


    Chu Yunyun shockingly raised his head and said, ¡°You¡­you had won him over?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat up and flipped through the sketchbook pages.


    ¡°Right, I like him a lot and he¡¯s very nice to me.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡­when did this happen? How come I don¡¯t know? What¡¯s his job? What stage are you guys up to?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao softly caressed the man in the drawing and said, ¡°I did everything I could do to him already.¡±


    Chu Yunyun squealed like a chipmunk and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re so good at hiding this. Quickly bring him out and let us meet him. No wonder you don¡¯t care about Xue Chunjian, that scum. One is Heaven and the other is dirt!¡±


    ¡­


    While Zhou Xiaoxiao was dreaming, she returned to Champion Marquis residence again.


    Her body remained stiff and expressionless like usual.


    Yu Xingzhi was by her side.


    Gongsun Yu stood in front of them and stared at Zhou Xiaoxiao, tears falling down her face. She knelt and kowtowed her.


    ¡°I originally have no purpose to live in this world, but you have done your best to bring me back from the gate of hell. I can¡¯t fail your friendship and care.¡± She wiped her tears away and said, ¡°I will keep living well for you, sister-in-law. I will make sure to anger those who hate me.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi stared at Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao has always liked you. You can tell me whatever plans you have for the future and I will help you.¡±


    Gongsun Yu saluted and said, ¡°I originally planned to take care of sister-in-law, but since she has you¡­who is so detailed and cautious, there is no need for me to stay here anymore. After all, our statuses don¡¯t allow us to be in the same room as one another. If you allow me to stay in this residence, there may be rumors about us. Even more, sister-in-law may be unhappy if she heard this.¡±

 Chapter 118 - He’s Mine (3)

    ¡°I just want a place to myself, away from the capital. I don¡¯t care about the environment and am only requesting this.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi thought about it momentarily and said, ¡°In Fengxiang, Xiaoxiao has a store. There is a married couple there; they are Xiaoxiao¡¯s teachers and since you frequently come to my residence, you must¡¯ve seen them before too.¡±


    Gongsun Yu said, ¡°I did see this couple before. Aunt Wu is very amiable and I have a deep impression of her.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°We have been on an expedition for half a year and they aren¡¯t used to living in the capital, so they moved back to Fengxiang temporarily. Now, we just came back and Xiaoxiao got into an accident. I don¡¯t have the time to bring them over, so you can go and look over them for your sister-in-law in the meanwhile. Plus, you can avoid the matters going on for a while.¡±


    Gongsun Yu nodded and thanked him.


    When she exited the room, she frequently looked back at Zhou Xiaoxiao, not wanting to leave her.


    Yet, the real Zhou Xiaoxiao was waving her hands at her, but Gongsun Yu couldn¡¯t see this.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was happy. ¡°Xingzhi, Xingzhi, you¡¯re great at arranging things. I will be comforted now that she left the capital and went to visit my master, his wife, and Aunt Qinglian. Hopefully, you can write a letter to second sister-in-law and have her pay attention to any good man for cousin. That way, she can finally walk out from the trauma.¡±


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi can¡¯t hear murmuring these words.


    He fetched some warm water and carefully washed Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s body, face, and her feet. Then, he changed her pajamas and cautiously carried her and placed her on the side of the bed, covering her with blankets.


    He blew out the candle flame and laid by her side, softly touching her hair.


    ¡°Have a good sleep, Xiaoxiao.¡±


    The dull Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly closed her eyes and he heard her even breaths after a while.


    Yet, the real Zhou Xiaoxiao was standing by the bed and looking at Yu Xingzhi. Even in the darkness, his eyes were still bright.


    She knew that Yu Xingzhi frequently kept his eyes open and stared at his soulless wife, not getting a wink of sleep.


    She heard Yu Xingzhi¡¯s soft voice in the darkness.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, why aren¡¯t you back? I miss you so much. I¡­can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    Although he said it in a soft voice, she felt a pang of her heart.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t help but lean over and kiss Yu Xingzhi.


    Yu Xingzhi suddenly stood up as he felt someone kissing him.


    But when the moonlight cast into the room, there was not a single person in the dark room.


    He tightly clutched his pounding heart and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, where are you?¡±


    He painfully said to the air, ¡°Come back. As long as you come back, I will never disobey your orders. I will agree to whatever you want.¡±


    He stood up and took off the cyan cloth on the clothes hanger and caressed it.


    Then, he covered his eyes with it, slowly laying on bed.


    After a while, Zhou Xiaoxiao saw him opening his mouth and saying, ¡°Xiaoxiao, how come you didn¡¯t kiss me?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt bitter in her heart, cupping his face and harshly kissing him.


    While kissing, Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked to realize that she could touch her Xingzhi now.


    She could clearly feel their skin touching each other.


    Although she still couldn¡¯t move the blankets, clothes, and inanimate objects, she could feel their lips on one another and the warmth of their hands genuinely.


    It was extremely real!


    Yu Xingzhi laid there and his face was pale, his lips trembling as he clearly felt herself too.


    Yu Xingzhi suddenly raised his hands and took off his clothes.


    The bright moonlight shone on his skin.


    Although he couldn¡¯t see anything, his chest heaved up and down and he asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Is it you? Xiaoxiao? Is it you?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled on bed and said, ¡°Tell me, is it me?¡±


    She knew that Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t hear her voice, so she answered him with her actions.

 Chapter 119 - You Have a Boyfriend? (1)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao vented her feelings that she had kept in for the last few months out.


    Yu Xingzhi cooperated with her and allowed her to do as she wished.


    At one point, he was teased endlessly and he desired her badly.


    They rolled over the red blankets and let their desires take over.


    Sweat dripped down their heads.


    They were extremely delighted and Yu Xingzhi went to search for his ecstasy between Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s thighs.


    They couldn¡¯t explain their happiness and satisfaction, allowing their actions to explain.


    They exchanged their souls and let themselves live in the moment.


    ¡­


    After they were done, Yu Xingzhi subconsciously fell into a deep sleep.


    Ever since Zhou Xiaoxiao had drowned, he was worried and had trouble falling asleep, both mentally and physically exhausted.


    This was the first time in months that he had completely let go of his pressure.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wanted to clean him up, but she was unable to do so.


    She couldn¡¯t even pull the blankets over him, sitting by the bedside and admiring his beautiful and sweaty body.


    She was deeply in love with him, but she also pitied him.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao leaned over and kissed away his tears, softly caressing his hair and saying, ¡°Xingzhi, sleep well and don¡¯t ever do this to yourself anymore.¡±


    ¡­


    Yu Xingzhi was in slumber and when he woke up, it was already the next day.


    He sat up and there was no one in the room.


    His soulless wife still laid besides him.


    Yet, he was restless and confused.


    Was last night real or a dream?


    He pulled the blankets over to cover his body full of marks.


    Could it be that I had missed Xiaoxiao too much and did this to myself?


    He held his wrist and recalled someone last night restraining his arms.


    It¡¯s her.


    In the past, she had done this to me too.


    Yu Xingzhi revealed a smile and gradually slid his slender fingers over his face.


    He closed his eyes and recalled the kisses showering him.


    It¡¯s her.


    Besides her, who else would it be?


    Who else would tease him like that?


    Who else would be so familiar with the sensitive parts of his body?


    Would recklessly tease him, but refuse to admit defeat?


    She would make him feel like he sunk into darkness, but also soaring through the clouds.


    Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t forget about me and she finally came to visit me.


    ¡­


    The servants of Champion Marquis residence realized that their Marquis seemed to have walked out of darkness overnight and became a warm and gentle person again.


    He started going to court and talking to people again.


    After he returned to the residence, he still personally took care of Lady Marquis.


    But, he stopped being gloomy and upset.


    They could see him holding the expressionless Lady Marqui¡¯s hands occasionally.


    They would stroll in the garden.


    They would read in the pavilion.


    They would be under the tree and playing guqin.


    When facing Lady Marquis, Marquis was always gentle with his words and warm towards her.


    This made the servants and maids of the residence jealous of Lady Marquis who came from a common status.


    No one knew that Yu Xingzhi was the happiest at night.


    Whenever night came, he had already taken off his clothes and went to sleep.


    When it was silent and dark, he could feel a familiar touch on him which felt so realistic.


    That person looked for him every night.


    Sometimes, she would just cuddle by his side and sleep with him.


    Other times, she wanted to be mischievous and played with him.


    Yu Xingzhi was slightly worried that even these happy nights could casually be gone just like how he had woken up from his dreams.

 Chapter 120 - You Have a Boyfriend?(2)

    Because he stopped restraining himself, he allowed his body to abide by his desires and did his best to release his enthusiasm, hugging his beloved one and reaching the peak of happiness over and over again.


    ¡­


    Countless months have passed by in the modern world.


    One day, Zhou Xiaoxiao reserved two tables in a five-star hotel in the center of the city.


    She invited her friends and family who had taken care of her during the period she was ill.


    After they were done eating, a few youths were unwilling to leave, so they went to the second place.


    They found a KTV and continued to party happily.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s squad, Ruan Xinran and Chu Yunyun, obviously participated as well. What was surprising was that Chen Weipan who was a police didn¡¯t reject this offer and stayed too.


    During this time, Chen Weipan advised Zhou Xiaoxiao to not drink too much. A while from now, everyone could tell that the past school prince and current police officer was interested in Xiaoxiao.


    Yet, Zhou Xiaoxiao was very polite and alienated herself from him, clear that she was rejecting him.


    A few single women clenched their teeth in hatred.


    Chen Weipan had shown interest in her, but Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t even do anything about it. She¡¯s just letting him go and this wasn¡¯t fair to them.


    When it just reached eleven, Zhou Xiaoxiao left early for some reason.


    ¡°My family is waiting for me.¡± Without another word, she picked up her bag and left.


    Chen Weipan followed her and insisted on bringing her back home.


    ¡°I already called a taxi, so senior can just bring me downstairs.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao politely denied his offer.


    The two stood by the street, waiting for the car.


    This was a remote and desolate area, so there were rarely any people and cars late at night.


    Suddenly, a minivan drove towards them and the sound of the driver pressing on the brakes made a screech, halting in front of the two.


    They opened the door and there were dozens of men holding weapons and rushing towards Chen Weipan.


    Despite Chen Weipan¡¯s skills, he was unable to defeat them all and quickly got slammed on the ground. The group beat him with their bare hands and feet, as well as weapons.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wanted to take out his phone to call the police, but a bald gang member with tattoos waved the iron stick in his hand and said sinisterly to Zhou Xiaoxiao, Woman, I¡¯m advising you to not stick your head in our business. Otherwise¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his words, he felt his elbow going numb and didn¡¯t know how his weapon ended up in the woman¡¯s hands.


    That woman tossed the stick up and down, murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s too light.¡±


    After that, it was like there were 5 clubs, a blooming white flower in the night.


    The bald man watched as the figure struck him and softly tapped his chin, feeling a buzz in his head and then he lost his consciousness.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao joined the battle and did the same towards the others.


    She was confident and used the club to her advantage, waving it around.


    On the muddy street, one could see a blooming white flower.


    If anyone got hit, not only did their body become numb, but they were in extreme pain and rolling on the ground.


    After a moment, she stopped and there was a group of rascals howling in pain and rolling around.


    Chen Weipan was shocked and even forgot about his pain for a moment.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held the club in her right hand and extended her left hand to help him up.


    ¡°Senior, are you ok? Do I need to call the police?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I am the police.¡±


    ¡­

 Chapter 121 - You Have a Boyfriend? (3)

    The next morning, Zhou Xiaoxiao received a huge bouquet of Baby¡¯s breath the moment she got to the studio door.


    There was gauze wrapped around Chen Weipan¡¯s forehead, but this didn¡¯t affect how flirtatious he looked, coming over early in the morning to wait for Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    ¡°Junior sister, thank you for yesterday.¡±


    This junior sister was not only mysterious but arrogant, making him very interested. I must win her over.


    He said to himself.


    He eagerly gave her the flowers and went to open the door in a gentleman-like manner, following Zhou Xiaoxiao into the studio.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao invited him to sit and she poured a cup of tea for him.


    ¡°What happened yesterday? Police officers have to subject themselves to be in such dangerous situations now?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, this is the first time it had happened to me, and it¡¯s just an accident. This usually doesn¡¯t happen and being a police isn¡¯t as dangerous as how the TV Shows had portrayed them to be.¡± Yet, Chen Weipan¡¯s expression became solemn and he said, ¡°But there is a big case that we have been working on and it might affect some people¡¯s profits, which is why they may want to scare me, so that I can stop investigating it.¡±


    The two women in the studio, Li Hongmei and Ke Dingqi, were in the control room chattering about and sticking their heads around.


    Chen Weipan coughed and said, ¡°Is it convenient for you to go on a walk with me? I¡¯ll treat you for coffee.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Senior brother, I have a whole bunch of things I need to handle, so another day?¡±


    ¡°Then do you have time tonight? I can treat you out for dinner, so that I can thank you for saving my life yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so polite with me. Officer Chen, you had helped me last time as well. I have plans with my boyfriend tonight, so it¡¯s not very convenient.¡±


    ¡°You have a boyfriend? Who? Xue Chunjian is still in prison.¡±


    ¡°No, not him. His name is Yu Xingzhi.¡±


    ¡­


    Chen Weipan left in disappointment.


    Lin Zhihua came over to help Zhou Xiaoxiao pack her things.


    ¡°Officer Chen is pretty nice and he¡¯s also handsome, coming from a good background too. You¡¯re not dating anyone, so why do you have to say that?¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at pink bouquet of Baby¡¯s Breath and tossed it into the garbage can, patting her hands and saying, ¡°My boyfriend is more handsome and richer than him. He is also better than him in all aspects. Most importantly, he is amiable.¡±


    ¡°Sister Hua, oh right. I need to go out for a few days, so I need you to look over the store again.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the store. But where are you going?¡±


    ¡°L City.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao ripped off a sheet of paper and wrote an address on there.


    It was an island-like city. The plane ride there from where Zhou Xiaoxiao was at was about a few hours along.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao glanced at the address. It was elder princess who had transmigrated over countless years ago that left the piece of information for her. At that time, elder princess entrusted her with looking over her family if she ever transmigrated back to the modern world.


    This is my only clue now. Hopefully, it¡¯s useful.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said in her heart.


    ¡­


    At night, Yu Xingzhi had went to sleep very early already.


    He took off his clothes and closed his eyes, laying on the bed and nervous waiting.


    Not long later, he felt a soft hand gently caressing his face as usual.


    A familiar body snuggled up against him.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡± Yu Xingzhi closed his eyes and softly called out.


    He felt a gentle finger slowly sliding around his chest.


    She slowly wrote ¡®it¡¯s me¡¯ on his chest.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, have you been well?¡±


    I¡¯ve been good.


    ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    Home. My parent¡¯s home.


    ¡°You have a family? Who?¡±


    My father, mother, and brother.


    ¡°Do they treat you good.¡±


    Yes. They love me a lot.


    ¡°Why¡­aren¡¯t you coming back yet?¡±


    The finger paused and then she slowly wrote:


    I temporarily can¡¯t come back yet.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I¡¯m thinking of solutions. Wait for me.


    ¡°Does your family know about me?¡±


    They¡¯ve seen a portrait of you.


    ¡°Do they¡­approve of us?¡±


    They all like you. They think you¡¯re handsome.

 Chapter 122 - Sorry Xiaoxiao. I can’t allow you to stay here. (1)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao came to L City by herself and it was an island near the sea.


    The temperature was suitable for people to live there and they had a slow lifestyle.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao followed the address elder princess gave her and found a building near a shady path.


    The building was probably left during the Republic of China and after people rebuild it, it revealed a strong sense of culture and civilization, but also a low-key sense of luxuriousness.


    In the yard, the Japanese rose was blooming brightly and it peeked its head out from the simple and unadorned perimeter wall.


    This belonged to elder princess¡¯s original home.


    But the time was different from the two worlds, so she had no idea how it looked inside.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao raised her head to look at the swaying flowers, recalling the first time she had seen elder princess from the distant world. She was sitting in the corner of the yard full of blowing Japanese roses.


    Although the princess was well-respected and got everything she desired, she still missed her relatives. It must¡¯ve been a regret in her heart.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao walked over and knocked on the door.


    An amiable elder woman full of silver hair came to answer the door.


    ¡°Who are you looking for? Young lady?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned. This woman was similar to the elder princess in some senses.


    ¡°Hi grandma, is there a woman called Cheng Qianye here?¡±


    ¡°No. Young lady doesn¡¯t seem to be local.¡± That grandma smiled kindly and said, ¡°My surname is Cheng, but no one in our family has this name. I only have a son called Cheng Qianluo.¡±


    Right now, a grand and luxurious car passed by them and drove into the yard.


    The car window slid down and it revealed a male face almost exactly like the elder princess from Jian country.


    The car door opened and a young man wearing a suit with his hair combed nicely, wearing frameless glasses and looking successful, came out of the car.


    He was only in his early thirties and looked very young.


    That grandma introduced, ¡°That¡¯s my son.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said goodbye and left, feeling lost.


    The address and people were correct, but no one knew about Cheng Qianye.


    She was just walking confusedly when she heard someone call for her.


    ¡°Please wait a second.¡±


    She turned around to see grandma¡¯s son chasing after her.


    He walked over to Zhou Xiaoxiao and lifted his glasses, remaining silent for a second.


    ¡°Are you talking about my twin sister?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked and said, ¡°Cheng Qianye? Your sister?¡±


    ¡°Finally, someone remembers her like me.¡± That man sighed and said, ¡°I can¡¯t explain everything in a few sentences, so how about we find a place to sit and talk?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao and Cheng Qianluo took their seats in a seascape cafe.


    It was very secluded and beautiful here; they were able to see the vast ocean from the French Window and hear the waves splashing.


    Cheng Qianluo stirred his coffee and seemed to have sunk into deep thought.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tested and said, ¡°Elder¡­uh no¡­is Qianye your sister?¡±


    When looking at their ages, the elder princess was old enough to be his mother.


    ¡°I¡¯m Cheng Qianluo and I have a twin sister, Cheng Qianye.¡±


    Cheng Qianluo sighed and murmured to himself, ¡°Qianluo and Qianye. These are the names that my sailor father gave us.¡±


    ¡°As children, my sister and I have a great relationship. She was very lively and liked to wear my clothes, mimicking my voice and pretending to be me jokingly. Yet, people had seen through her act frequently.¡±


    ¡°But one day, Qianye suddenly went missing.¡±

 Chapter 123 - orry Xiaoxiao. I can’t allow you to stay here. (2)

    He brushed his hair with his hands and messed up his neat hairstyle.


    ¡°No, not missing. She disappeared. Whether it was our friends or family, no one remembered her existence.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t find any traces of her at work, home, or even work. There¡¯s nothing in her room and she wasn¡¯t in any of the pictures. It seemed like she never existed in this world.¡±


    ¡°She disappeared? And never showed up?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao asked.


    Cheng Qianluo reached over and reluctantly sipped his coffee, trying to suppress his emotions.


    ¡°Sorry, I lost control.¡±


    He took off his glasses and wiped it.


    ¡°Miss Zhou, where have you seen Qianluo?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°You probably won¡¯t believe it, but it was a coincidence. I met her under very bizarre and strange circumstances and I can only tell you that she can¡¯t come back anytime soon. Therefore, she asked me to come over and visit you guys and see if you guys have been living well.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I believe you. For a while, I almost thought there was something wrong with my mind as no one remembered her, and I can¡¯t prove her existence as well. But I do have a blood-related twin sister and her existence has been engraved in my mind.¡±


    Cheng Qianluo wore his glasses and became calm like a mature man once again, staring at Zhou Xiaoxiao warmly just like how elder princess looked at her.


    ¡°Thank you for personally coming over and telling me about her. You had explained the confusion I had for many years and now I just want to ask if she has been living well all these years.¡±


    ¡­


    After saying goodbye to Cheng Qianluo, Zhou Xiaoxiao sat on the plane going back.


    She stared at the clouds and ocean outside, feeling even more confused rather than understanding.


    She suddenly realized that if she had gone back this time, she might not be able to come back just like Qianye anymore.


    Her parents and relatives might forget about herself and this world may erase her existence.


    Which side do I abandon?


    Will I have the heart to do so?


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was in a dilemma as she dragged her tired body back home.


    There was a warm light lit up at home.


    As long as she wasn¡¯t home, no matter how late it was, mother would always leave a light on.


    The moment she walked in, her brother ¡ª Zhou Zisi ¡ª jumped out and pulled her into his room.


    ¡°Damn. Sister, are you crazy? Why¡¯d you transfer so much money to my card?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for you. I¡¯m just keeping it on your card for a while.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes and sat across from him. She rubbed her brother¡¯s messy hair and said, ¡°That¡¯s all my money, so don¡¯t spend it recklessly.¡±


    ¡°Sister, what¡¯s the matter with you? Why do I feel like you¡¯re acting strange? Is it because of Xue Chunjian?¡± Zhou Zisi jumped up and said, ¡°Xue Chunjina, that bastard. If he wasn¡¯t locked in prison, I will definitely stab him a dozen times to vent anger.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed and said, ¡°Zisi, you grew up and you¡¯re more mature now. Don¡¯t act out of impulsive as our parents and I are going to depend on you in the future.¡±


    ¡°Sister, something must¡¯ve happened. You¡¯re keeping it from me!¡±


    ¡°Something did happen. I am dating someone. Here, you can see a portrait of your brother-in-law. Our parents had seen him already.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, that handsome? No, no, no. You must¡¯ve added filters on him which is why he looks so handsome. I need to see him in real life.¡±


    ¡­


    In Yu Xingzhi¡¯s study now, Cheng Shizhao, Cheng Shiqi, and Yu Xingzhi had dismissed the servants and were discussing.

 Chapter 124 - Sorry Xiaoxiao. I can’t allow you to stay here. (3)

    Cheng Shizhao knocked on the table and said, ¡°Xingzhi, why are you distracted? Look at your foolish smile. Did you hear me talk or not?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi snapped out of his trance and said, ¡°Cousin, sorry for being distracted.¡±


    Cheng Shiqi said with a sullen face, ¡°Fifth brother Yu, could you have gotten sister-in-law¡¯s illness? You have been laughing by yourself recently and you seem to look even scarier than before.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao slapped his head and said, ¡°What¡¯s this nonsense? Take care of yourself first. How many times have I told you guys to not interact with the merchants? Especially the merchants who travel between Liao country and our country. Who knows if there is a spy in Qidan.¡±


    Cheng Shiqi covered his head and said, ¡°But those merchants have traveled everywhere and they have knowledge in a lot of things. We can gain more knowledge just by listening to them chatting about all sorts of scenery and people around the world. Has anything happened in Qidan? Didn¡¯t Da Jin just resume trading with the cities?¡±


    ¡°Those barbarians are shameless and sneaky. After losing once, they appeared to act peaceful with Da Jin, but in reality, they have evil tricks in the sleeves of their hands. Lately, there are traces of Qidan spies in the capital and we don¡¯t know what the barbarians are planning. We have to be on the alert.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°The Emperor ordered me to strengthen the security in the capital because of this as well.¡±


    As they were talking, they heard knocking.


    Yu Tong walked in and said, ¡°Report to fifth lord, sister Juanzi said that everything is well with Lady and she¡¯s asleep. She said for you to not worry for her.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi replied, ¡°Tell Juanzi to take care of Lady and I will be over right now.¡±


    Yu Tong walked away.


    Cheng Shizhao suddenly thought of something and knitted his eyebrows, saying, ¡°Xingzhi, you were just talking a walk on the street in the capital, but Lin Bingren ended up kidnapping you to Sichuan out of nowhere. I feel like things aren¡¯t that simple and someone must¡¯ve leaked your whereabouts. Did you inspect everyone in the residence?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said in a gloomy voice, ¡°Ever since that happened to me, father and elder brother were furious and already looked through the entire State Duke Residence. There were a few servants who leaked my whereabouts, but we didn¡¯t find the rest.¡±


    Late at night, Yu Xingzhi laid on bed and Zhou Xiaoxiao hugged him, remaining quiet.


    Yu Xingzhi detected Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s unusual emotions and asked, ¡°Xiaoxiao? What¡¯s the matter today?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao touched his face and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Yu Xingzhi acutely felt something was wrong and he said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, what¡¯s the matter? Why aren¡¯t you telling me?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao drew on his chest and slowly wrote: I¡¯m fine.


    Yu Xingzhi sighed, talking in a gentle but serious tone, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you told me that we were going to walk shoulder to shoulder in the past and help one another. Although I¡¯m not as determined as you, I¡¯m not a weak man either. If something is bothering you, tell me.¡±


    She drew circles on his chest and slowly wrote: Xingzi, where is the elder princess?


    ¡°The elder princess went on vacation and she hasn¡¯t come back to the capital yet. Do you want to ask her how to come back?¡±


    I, I can¡¯t find a way back here.


    Yu Xingzhi sucked in a breath and gradually said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t be so impatient. The fact that we are able to be one another right now is very good. Let¡¯s work together and search for a solution. I believe that one day, we can find a solution and reunite. I have been sending people to search for elder princess and once I get any information, I will let you know.¡±


    She wrote: elder princess is from the same world from me. If you end up seeing her, tell her that I visited her family. Her family has been doing well and her brother misses her a lot.


    Yu Xingzhi was suddenly afraid. He could detect Xiaoxiao¡¯s feelings for her friends and family. But, he had no other ways to keep her here.


    He rolled over and tightly hugged his beloved, frantically kissing her.


    Sorry Xiaoxiao, I can¡¯t allow you to stay at home. I really can¡¯t live without you.

 Chapter 125 - Give Me A Chance! (1)

    Lately, Yu Xingzhi was in charge of security in the capital, so he was clearly busy.


    He carefully told Juanzi, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s personal maids, Xiao He, and the others how to take care of Zhou Xiaoxiao in the morning.


    One day, Juanzi and others bathed in the sun with Zhou Xiaoxiao in the yard when they heard Yu Tong.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s maid, Xiao He, went to open the door to see Yu Tong peeking his head in.


    Xiao He said, ¡°Brother Tong, you came to look for your sister Juanzi again?¡±


    Yu Tong touched his head and handed an exquisite box over, smiling and saying, ¡°Sister Xiao He is teasing me again. Marquis is at Xinghua Building drinking with his friends and he tried out a fruity roasted duck which was extremely delicious. He recalled this dish being Lady¡¯s favorite dish, so he especially ordered takeout and brought this back home. He wanted me to let Lady try this out.¡±


    A group of maids in the yard surrounded him and started to gossip.


    ¡°Marquis devotes so much time to our Lady.¡±


    ¡°Lady has a nice life, even when she¡¯s sick. Even like this, she is still on top of Marquis¡¯s mind.¡±


    Yu Tong softly tugged on Juanzi¡¯s sleeves and she followed him out.


    ¡°Is there a matter, brother Tong?¡±


    There was an elderly lady who stood outside the residence, occasionally selling vegetables.


    She pushed a wheelbarrow over, containing a wooden barrel on top full of vegetables.


    Juanzi vaguely remembered her as Yu Tong family¡¯s relative, so she nodded.


    Yu Tong carried a steamer basket down and said, ¡°This is Xinghua Building¡¯s steamed dumpling. It has a lot of juice and a thin outer layer. I was thinking that sister might like it, so I especially brought it over even with the steamer basket. It¡¯s delicious when you eat it right now, so please take it in and have all the sisters try it out.¡±


    Because Juanzi was always by Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s side, she met Yu Tong frequently and was familiar with him.


    In addition, Yu Tong was a lively man and was smooth and evasive with his words.


    He didn¡¯t mind a plump Juanzi either, eagerly bringing delicious food from outside in order to please her.


    Gradually, the two became interested with each other.


    Juanzi¡¯s face turned slightly red and she grabbed the steamer basket, walking in.


    There was a group of sisters in the yard who were laughing and teasing her as she opened the steamer basket.


    They stared at the sparkling and translucent warm and cute steamed buns.


    After that, everyone began to divide the food.


    Xiao He sucked in the juice inside the steamed bun and it was indeed delicious. The outer layer was thin and yummy, tempting her to eat another one.


    They suddenly felt the world turning in circles around them and someone calling out, ¡°How come this chair seems to be turning around?¡±


    ¡°Sister, my head feels dizzy.¡±


    Xiao He said ¡°oh no¡± but she couldn¡¯t help but faint, unable to control her mind.


    Yu Tong and that elderly woman pushed the wheelbarrow and walked in, closing the door.


    Juanzi had a more determined mindset and didn¡¯t faint. Instead, she laid on the ground and stared at Yu Tong.


    That woman gestured at neck and said, ¡°That girl saw you. Should we?..¡±


    Yu Tong stared at Juanzi and said softly, ¡°Whatever. I won¡¯t be able to hide my status this time, so I have no choice but to leave with you. There¡¯s no point in killing more people.¡±


    That woman nodded and the two lifted Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s expressionless body, letting her sit inside the wooden barrel and covering her with some leaves and vegetables. They closed the lid and silently disguised themselves, leaving the residence.


    Yet, in the modern world, Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t find any ways to return to the ancient world.


    There was nothing she could do, so she went back to her studio with her head drooped down.

 Chapter 126 - Give Me A Chance! (2)

    This day, while she was walking, she received a bouquet of sunflowers.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao saw who it was and helplessly said, ¡°Officer Chen, it doesn¡¯t seem like your style to pester someone endlessly.¡±


    Chen Weipan took a step forward and slightly blocked Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    He was handsome, tall, and had broad shoulders.


    Countless women were attracted by his tender-hearted look and masculinity.


    Therefore, for many years, he had won many women over.


    But this time, he was ill at ease and not confident.


    The exquisite and beautiful woman looked at him, her sparkling eyes full of patience and indifference. Please leave.


    Chen Weipan was upset and said, ¡°Junior sister, am I that bad that you don¡¯t even want to give me a chance?¡±


    ¡°I thought that I had been very clear with you.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s just your excuse to reject me. You don¡¯t have a boyfriend at all, not to mention there is no one named Yu Xingzhi by your side. In our entire city, there are only three people with that name. One is already in his 80s, the other is 45 and recycles garbage for a living, and the last one is only 12. Which one of them is your Yu Xingzhi?¡±


    Her eyes became dull and cold, saying harshly, ¡°You¡¯re abusing your power now, Officer Chen. This is excessive.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t want to argue anymore, moving to the side and planning to leave.


    ¡°Wait, Xiaoxiao.¡± Chen Weipan took a few steps back, genuinely begging, ¡°I am being serious. Give me a chance and we¡¯ll start off as friends, ok?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t meet one of my standards.¡±


    Chen Weipan raised his brows.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao moved her wrist in a circle and said, ¡°In order to be my boyfriend, there is the most important condition. You need to be able to withstand 10 rounds with me.¡±


    Black lines fell down Chen Weipan¡¯s head and he was speechless.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao waved her hands and said goodbye, glancing at a few men who walked behind Chen Weipan from the corner of her eyes.


    These men emitted faint murderous aura which made the back of Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hair stand up.


    She was about to notify Chen Weipan when two guns were pointed at them.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t think that she can go against these men despite months of training.


    She didn¡¯t resist and strangely complied, getting into a business car with Chen Weipan.


    The two were roughly pushed into an empty warehouse.


    There were three men in police officer uniforms laying on the ground, their hands trussed behind their hands and their thumbs were binded by wire; their mouths were covered by black duct tape.


    One of them was bleeding from the head and unconscious. After being dragged across the ground, fresh blood was left on the ground.


    Chen Weipan¡¯s heart sunk. Of the members in this special investigation team, besides the leader the authority specially appointed them with, the major members were all caught. Who had done this?


    He quickly observed his surroundings and realized that these people were professional. The warehouse they chose was 7 meters high and the windows were too far from their reach and also too narrow. There were gasoline barrels placed around their surroundings and even some gasoline was spilled on the ground. A dangerous aura filled the air.


    Even if the general headquarters realized what happened in time, it was very hard for them to conduct a rescue mission.


    Plus, they heard kids running around and laughing from the stairs above. It was either a personal nursery school or a daycare center.


    The environment placed them at a disadvantage and they must come up with a way to save themselves.


    Right now, someone walked down from the stairs above the warehouse.

 Chapter 127 - Give Me A Chance! (3)

    He was on the skinny side and looked gloomily at them.


    When the henchmen saw him, they all said, ¡°Brother Juan.¡±


    ¡°Juan Ba, it¡¯s you!¡± Chen Weipan said angrily.


    ¡°Officer Chen, it¡¯s quite difficult to invite you over.¡± Juan Ba stood by the entrance of the stairs and pointed at Chen Weipan with the finger holding a cigarette, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve given you face. The moment the patrol officers came over, we¡¯ve dwindled down our actions. So why can¡¯t you let me and my brothers go?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve committed all these utterly heartless things like opening casinos and selling drugs. Didn¡¯t you think that you would be executed one day?¡±


    ¡°Since you can¡¯t tell what¡¯s good for you, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless and harsh. Even if fate doesn¡¯t favor either of us, I¡¯ll make sure you guys die with us.¡± Juan Ba said with hatred.


    He saw a delicate woman¡¯s face popping out from behind Chen Weipan.


    The woman nodded weakly at him and bowed, saying, ¡°Brother¡­Brother Juan, this has nothing to do with me. Can you let me go first?¡±


    ¡°Why is there an extra woman? Who is she?¡± Juan Ba knitted his eyebrows and said, ¡°I heard from prison that baldy and the others were defeated by a female SWAT member. Where is she now?¡±


    The man whose nickname was Hu San and had a beard walked over, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯re not sure who she is and there has been no information on her.¡±


    Another subordinate said, ¡°Brother Juan, this is Officer Chen¡¯s girl, the owner of a fast-food store. When we met Officer Chen, he was just giving her flowers and it was a very good time to kidnap him, as the location was quite desolate too. Therefore, the brothers made their moves. But because we were scared that she may call the police, we had no choice but to bring her along.¡±


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not his girlfriend. I have nothing to do with him. Let me go and I promise not to call the police. I swear.¡±


    Chen Weipan originally wanted to say that, but Zhou Xiaoxiao stole his lines and he didn¡¯t know what to say now.


    He ended up saying dryly, ¡°This has nothing to do with her, so please don¡¯t implicate innocent people.¡±


    Juan Ba humphed and grabbed the collar on Zhou Xiaoxiao, pushing her on the ground, saying, ¡°Why are you so anxious? Since she¡¯s here, let the brothers take care of her and make Officer Chen happy too.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao fell on the ground and it was unsure whether they hadn¡¯t tied her hands tightly, but rope loosened.


    Because she seemed delicate and weak, grabbing onto the collar of her shirt on one hand, no one really noticed the small detail since she was trembling.


    They heard her shocking ask, ¡°No¡­no. What are you guys doing to me?¡±


    Seeing how the woman was scared witless, the rascals laughed out loud and said, ¡°Woman, brothers didn¡¯t plan on doing anything to do you. But looking at you now, if we don¡¯t do anything, that wouldn¡¯t be right. Hahaha.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao curled into a ball and looked pitiful, moving back constantly.


    She shook her head as if her life depended on it, ¡°Don¡¯t come over. Don¡¯t come over. No!¡±


    The men laughed and surrounded her.


    Chen Weipan was furious but he felt helpless as his hands were bound behind his back. He roared at Juan Ba, ¡°Come at me! Don¡¯t touch her!¡±


    Juan Ba kicked him and said, ¡°Officer Chen! You really think that I invited you over to be a guest?¡±


    Hu San walked over and stepped on Chen Weipan¡¯s chest, touching his beard and saying in a vulgar tone, ¡°Officer Chen, what a pity that your body is too muscular and sturdy. You¡¯re not my type, otherwise I could really have a go at you. Haha.¡±


    Chen Weipan scolded, ¡°Bastard gay guy!¡±


    Hu San harshly stepped on Chen Weipan¡¯s chest, making him gasp in pain and speechless.


    Juan Ba sneered and said, ¡°Hu San, if you can f*ck Officer Chen today, I¡¯ll give you a bonus. This much!¡±

 Chapter 128 - Let’s Die Together! (1)

    It was gloomy within the Champion Marquis residence today and everyone kept quiet out of fear.


    Marquis¡¯s beloved Lady Marquis was actually silently kidnapped out of the residence under everyone¡¯s eyes and no one knew where she had gone.


    The maids in the Lady¡¯s yard were knocked out with medicine by a servant by Marquis¡¯s side.


    When everyone realized, it was too late and the yard was full of unconscious people laying on the ground.


    Only the Lady was nowhere in sight.


    Marquis¡¯s elder brother ¡ª State Duke Residence¡¯s Crown Prince ¡ª Yu Xingyong, and Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, rushed to the Marquis¡¯s study one after the other without even waiting for the servants to report their arrivals.


    The moment Chen Shizhao walked in, he said, ¡°Xingzhi, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Yet, he looked up to see the two brothers, Yu Xingyong and Yu Xingzhi, both raising their heads to look at him.


    Yu Xingzhi had an ashen but calm look on his face, not nervous as Chen Shizhao had expected him to be.


    Cheng Shizhao coughed and sat down, feeling as if he was the one who can¡¯t be calm.


    Right now, he was restless and worried as if a fire was burning in his heart.


    Yu Xingzhi said in a gloomy tone, ¡°Xiaoxiao is in trouble. I can¡¯t panic because if I do, what will happen to her? But right now, we can¡¯t delay this matter. Cousin and elder brother, please calm down and help me come up with a plan.¡±


    Yu Xingyong knitted his eyebrows and said to Juanzi, ¡°Describe what happened in detail.¡±


    They had just splashed her with cold water, waking Juanzi up. She reluctantly struggled to get up, her hair still covered in water droplets.


    Her eyes were red and she clutched her sleeves with her plump hands.


    But she knew that time was urgent, so she held in the urge to cry and described what happened in detail again.


    Yu Xingzhi took out a letter and placed it on the table. Everyone looked to see a few rows of words.


    For Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi: At around 3:45pm, I want to invite you to the Shili Pavilion outside the city to admire the scenery. We haven¡¯t seen each other for countless years and I missed you. I¡¯m afraid that you might not come, so I especially invited the Lady to come first. If you¡¯re late by 15 minutes, I will chop off one of Lady¡¯s shoulders and if you¡¯re late by 30 minutes, I¡¯ll chop off two of her legs. If you want to save your Lady, come alone. Don¡¯t forget.


    From your brother, Bingren.


    Cheng Shizhao pounded the table and said, ¡°Yu Tong has followed you for countless years and I would¡¯ve never thought he was the spy Lin Family had placed at our side.¡±


    Yu Xingyong waved his hands and dismissed Juanzi, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Lin Family to be so sinister and cruel. After so many years of planning, they suddenly made this move, clearly catching us off guard. From what my people have told me, they were quick and swift, with countless people. In addition, there is a spy within the residence and there are elites outside the residence helping out. After everything had gone smoothly, they rapidly left the city. This was not like was the work of Lin Bingren, this runaway. It seemed like Qidan people were behind this. Oh right, fifth brother, does Yu Tong know about Xiaoxiao¡¯s background?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been very careful about this. Besides my brothers and father, no one knows that Xiaoxiao comes from Lin residence. Even Yu Tong thinks that Xiaoxiao was just a woman I met out of coincidence.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao said, ¡°If this was the work of Lin Bingren, he must¡¯ve been aiming for revenge. It might be difficult for us. But if Qidan people were behind this, they must¡¯ve another motive and we might have a chance of turning the tables around.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re pressed on time and in order to keep Xiaoxiao safe, I¡¯ll head over first.¡±


    ¡°You must not!¡±


    Yu Xingyong and Cheng Shizhao both stopped him.


    Yu Xingyong said, ¡°Fifth brother, don¡¯t act out of impulsive. We need to carefully create a plan. Elder brother, I¡­¡±

 Chapter 129 - Let’s Die Together! (2)

    Yu Xingzhi interrupted him and said, ¡°Elder brother, there is only empty land from the city door to Shili Pavilion. There are barely any people walking past and nowhere to hide. Lin Bingren has a brutal and violent personality, so I can¡¯t risk this and allow Xiaoxiao to be in danger. They probably just want me. If I go, I will have a chance to save Xiaoxiao.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! I won¡¯t let you do something stupid!¡± Cheng Shizhao said angrily.


    ¡°Brothers, I naturally won¡¯t just go down without a fight.¡± Yu Xingzhi raised his head and said, ¡°I invited you guys over because I need your help, not for you guys to stop me. We don¡¯t have much time and my mind¡¯s set, so please listen to my plan carefully.¡±


    ¡­


    At the Shili Pavilion outside the city, Yu Xingzhi went alone and there was someone waiting for him. It was Yu Xingzhi¡¯s former personal guard, Yu Tong.


    Yu Tong watched as his master for many years stepped on the stairs and walked in front of him.


    Under his burning gaze, Yu Tong couldn¡¯t help but avoid his gaze out of shame.


    ¡°Fifth Lord, as expected, you love Lady. You came here by yourself.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi stared at him for a moment before he gradually said, ¡°Where¡¯s Lady?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Lord, don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t do anything to Lady. If Fifth Lord wants to see Lady, come with me.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi got on his horse without another word and followed Yu Tong, turning corners and riding dozens of meters before arriving at their destination.


    They started to go on an empty country path and there was a rope that tripped the horse, making Yu Xingzhi fall down the horse.


    There were dozens of sturdy men who surged from the bushes and flocked around him, tying Yu Xingzhi up.


    Yu Xingzhi was brought to an inconspicuous private house. They entered the yard to see countless people coming out of the room.


    Although the leader was wearing Han clothes, he had thick eyebrows and a sturdy figure, not like a Han person.


    He walked over to take a closer look. As it turned out, it was Qidan¡¯s famous general, Yeluxiu.


    After him, someone with a fierce and sinister face walked out. It was Lin Bingren who had been escaping.


    Ling Bingren saw Yu Xingzhi and smiled evilly, saying, ¡°Fifth Lord Yu, you didn¡¯t expect this, did you? We meet again!¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°Where¡¯s my Lady? Since you guys have caught me, there¡¯s no need to make things difficult for a weak and sick woman.¡±


    Lin Bingren squeezed Yu Xingzhi¡¯s throat and said, ¡°Well, look at you. Instead of considering other people, think about yourself first. My father, mother, and brother all died in Yu Family¡¯s hands! I will make sure you regret ever living. I¡¯ll make you crouch like a dog in front of my brother¡¯s grave, making you cry and beg for mercy!¡±


    ¡°I originally thought that we just have different political views. Now, it seems like you would betray your country and go over to the enemy in order to gain honor and fame.¡±


    Lin Bingren squeezed harder and veins were bursting on Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face. He tossed Yu Xingzhi on the ground and ripped his clothes.


    Yeluxiu stopped him and said, ¡°Although he¡¯s my enemy in war, but I also admire him. In our traditions, towards someone loyal like him, even if he¡¯s our enemy, we can only kill him but not humiliate him. Plus, I still have a use for his life.¡±


    Lin Bingren¡¯s face was shaking and after a while, he finally stepped aside and bowed his head.


    Yu Xingzhi violently coughed and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°General Yelu, please let my wife go. She¡¯s just a woman who lost her mind and she definitely won¡¯t leak your whereabouts.¡±


    Yeluxiu looked down and said, ¡°General Yu, although I respect your skills, but since Mr. Lin relied on me for help, he is my friend. I can¡¯t hurt his feelings of you. Your enmity has nothing to do with me.¡±


    As he said this, he turned around and ordered his guards, ¡°Pack up and immediately leave. Burn this place and make sure there are no traces of Qidan people here.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi watched as Lin Bingren¡¯s servants pushed a woman out from the room. She was expressionless, like a puppet and allowed people to do whatever they wanted. It was his wife who lost her soul, Zhou Xiaoxiao.

 Chapter 130 - Let’s Die Together! (3)

    Yu Xingzhi struggled, wanting to go over, but he was pressed against the ground and couldn¡¯t move.


    Lin Bingren took out a sharp dagger and lifted Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s chin, pressing it against her snow-white neck.


    He smiled with a distorted face and said, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know who she is? At first, I didn¡¯t recognize her. But from a coincidence, Heaven gave me a chance to kill my enemies. One of the housekeepers in my old residence had seen her before and remembered who she was. I¡¯m not sure if Fifth Lord Yu remembers since you have been trying to escape.¡±


    Lin Bingren pushed someone out and they nodded their head and bowed.


    Yu Xingzhi recognized the person. It was the night when Zhou Xiaoxiao entered the Lin residence and killed Lin Bingzhi and carried himself out. They accidentally bumped into the housekeeper there, Fu Rui.


    At that time, the person was fooled by Zhou Xiaoxiao, but who knew that he had a great memory. Even after so many years, he recognized her.


    Ling Bingren clenched his teeth in anger and said, ¡°I gathered all the people in the residence and observed them for a while before realizing that this woman was the erratic and crazy maid who boiled water for the Lin Family. Since she was a child, she pretended to be crazy, but she was cruel and unscrupulous, not knowing to repay favors. When no one paid attention to her, she actually helped you escape and even killed my brother, Ling Bingzhi!¡±


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll let you taste how it feels to see your loved one¡¯s corpse in front of your face!¡±


    Yu Xingzhi felt his heart becoming cold and he trembled, saying, ¡°No, stop¡­don¡¯t!


    The tip of the dagger sliced her pure white skin and fresh blood oozed out.


    Yu Xingzhi was frantically struggling but his face was pressed harshly against the ground. The red blood flowed on the ground in front of his eyes.


    He felt his world sinking into deep red.


    No! She won¡¯t die!


    She¡¯s different from others!


    She said nothing will happen to her!


    She will definitely come back for me!


    Yu Xingzhi repeated this in his heart over and over.


    He grabbed onto the last bit of hope, like guarding the last night in the pouring rain and darkness.


    He won¡¯t sink into this darkness with this light.


    ¡­


    Lin Bingren ordered people to bring Yu Xingzhi into the horse carriage and he burned the room, as well as the corpse in the yard.


    The group silently left in the darkness, but no one noticed the strange silver butterfly flying out of the burning flame in the darkness.


    It extended its wings and flew across the sky, turning into a phoenix, disappearing.


    ¡­


    In the modern world, Chen Weipan watched as Hu San inched closer and closer to him, making him terrified.


    Hu San touched his beard and revealed his yellow teeth, smiling vulgarly. ¡°Now that I take a closer look, Officer Chen looks quite handsome. As police officers, you guys must train every day. Now that I think about it, you will probably taste good.¡±


    Chen Weipan said, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to be Officer Chen¡¯s first man. Haha¡­Ah!¡±


    The rooster-like laugh stopped and a pair of jade-white hands quickly choked his throat and snapped it.


    Everyone heard a crack and this vulgar man lost his senses forever.


    Because they were in an emergency and didn¡¯t have enough people, Zhou Xiaoxiao made sure to kill in one move.


    Although this body wasn¡¯t as strong as Zhou Dujuan¡¯s, her arms slightly trembled as she felt herself exploding.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tossed the man down and reached over to untie Chen Weipan only to hear him shouting, ¡°Juan Liu, what are you doing?!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked back to see Juan Liu who she had just beaten up standing up again, igniting a lighter.


    Juan Liu yelled, ¡°If we¡¯re going to die, let¡¯s die together!¡±


    That lighter made an arc in the air and landed on the gasoline barrels.


    Flame immediately engulfed them.


    Oh no. I was too careless. I¡¯m still not strong enough to knock him out. Zhou Xiaoxiao thought.

 Chapter 131 - Wait For Me (1)

    Gasoline was poured around the surroundings of the warehouse. The flame was brought to life, rapiding spreading and engulfing everything in its way.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao swiftly untied Chen Weipan and the other police officers.


    The elite officers were quite competent. They quickly held down Juan Liu.


    They worked together to open up a window high up, forming a makeshift ladder with themselves. They helped one another and escaped the dangerous place.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao left a deep impression within these officers¡¯ minds during this operation.


    They were secretly shocked. After all, the woman that Officer Chen brought appeared to be weak and beautiful. However, when she climbed the makeshift ladder, they saw her running up to the ladder and then agilely climbing up the five or six meters tall window with ease.


    After that, she even hung upside down and pulled their injured colleagues up.


    She was definitely not a normal person.


    Officer Chen had quite the methods. It was unclear how he was able to borrow such a powerful attractive policewoman from the SWAT, but they had resolved this peril due to her.


    Everyone was out of danger and they watched as the fire uncontrollably burned and engulfed the warehouse.


    The terrible thing was that a small-scale private child care center was upstairs of the warehouse.


    Right now, the thick smoke made its way up and blocked the exit to the staircase.


    The preschool teachers noticed the fire and hurriedly opened the anti-theft safety door, throwing the children one by one down the window.


    Many of the nearby residents gathered and started pulling bed sheets and cushions under to help catch the children.


    Although it was the second floor, because the first floor was the warehouse which was seven meters high, the second floor was actually three floors high.


    The children cried from the fright and they refused to cooperate. Even more, the exit was too tiny and there were too many people. The situation became extremely dangerous.


    A teacher found a screw and wanted to unscrew the nut on the anti-theft window, but the nut was rusted and so, it was to no avail.


    The passengers on the road grabbed Chen Weipan¡¯s sleeves and exclaimed, ¡°Officers, officers, please save them. Save the kids!¡±


    Before Chen Weipan could say anything, he saw Zhou Xiaoxiao bending down and running up, stepping on the wall and climbing up like a gecko. She reached over and grabbed the railing, rolling over to the anti-theft window of the child care center.


    She grabbed a little boy¡¯s collar, but the boy was scared and started screaming, holding onto the exit and refusing to let go.


    He even blocked the other people from coming out.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao tugged him and tossed him down. The audience downstairs caught him.


    Then, Zhou Xiaoxiao turned and crawled into the safety tunnel.


    ¡°Quick, call the firefighters! Let¡¯s go as well!¡± Chen Weipan ordered his colleagues.


    He was very anxious in his heart.


    The intensity of the fire skyrocketed and the thick smoke had already spilled out of the child care center¡¯s window.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao grabbed the screw from the teacher¡¯s hand and unscrewed the nut in three turns.


    She then kicked the banister of the anti-theft window downstairs.


    The teachers worked together and grabbed the children, tossing them down.


    Large quantities of thick smoke rushed into the second floor and the cushions in the classroom were all on fire.


    The last of the children were down.


    The teachers clenched their teeth and closed their eyes, jumping down.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, quickly come down!¡± Chen Weipan hollered from downstairs.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood by the window. She inspected the classroom one last time to see if she missed any children when she suddenly saw a very magical scene.


    There was a strange golden crack swaying clearly in the flame.


    By the strangely bright light, there seemed to be a vertical eye gradually opening its eye.

 Chapter 132 - Wait For Me (2)

    By the strangely bright light, there seemed to be a vertical eye gradually opening its eye.


    In it, it revealed the other world¡¯s situation.


    Through the swaying eye, Zhou Xiaoxiao vaguely saw a worn down yard.


    In the middle of the yard, Yu Xingzhi was trying to struggle free with all his might. Two tall and sturdy men were pressing him against the ground right now.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t help but jump off the window sill and walked slowly towards the crack.


    Chen Weipan was shouting and hollering at the top of his lungs, ¡°Xiaoxiao! Zhou Xiaoxiao! What are you doing? It¡¯s dangerous! Quickly leave!¡±


    She hesitated for a moment before looking over at the window.


    However, she heard Yu Xingzhi¡¯s ear-piercing screams from the other world.


    He was calling for her.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao!¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly turned around and walked towards the strange light.


    The moment her hand touched the golden light, it was as though there was a magnetic force from the crack pulling her in.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked up at the glaring light before her body burned up.


    ¡­


    By the time Zhou Xiaoxiao snapped out of her trance, she was situated under the ruins.


    She felt warmth surrounding her wherever she went and smoke filled the air.


    She felt as though she had been carbonized, her body pitch-black.


    She gently touched herself and the black epidermis fell down, revealing her smooth white skin.


    The strange thing was that she didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    What happened?


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned.


    She left the burned yard.


    Taking advantage of the night, she snuck into a farmer¡¯s yard and stole a dress.


    She unfolded it and as expected, it was ancient clothes.


    Did, did I come back?


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked and happy. She walked to the brook and under the moonlight, she washed herself.


    She looked at herself through the surface of the water and it reflected a fair and delicate face; it was herself.


    However, her body contained a lot of energy and strength right now.


    She seemed to be like a cuckoo.


    But no matter what, she returned to the ancient time.


    She should go find Xingzhi.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao patted her face.


    Right, Xingzhi. Did something happen to him?


    ¡­


    Right now, in that burned and ruined yard, Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingyong each led a group of people as they glanced gloomily at the ground.


    On the burnt soil, there was an outline of a person.


    After Guo Suren inspected it, he went back and reported, ¡°Replying to the prince, there should¡¯ve been a corpse lying here originally and they weren¡¯t that tall.¡±


    He paused before saying his observations in an objective manner. ¡°This person¡¯s limbs didn¡¯t curl up, so they must¡¯ve been killed first before being set on fire. After that, the corpse was moved away. That could only be the reason why there was the outline of a person on the burnt ground.¡±


    The enemy probably wouldn¡¯t set their own people¡¯s dead bodies on fire.


    Then the corpse that was lying here originally was most likely¡­


    Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingyong exchanged a gaze.


    Their hearts felt heavy.


    It couldn¡¯t be his fifth brother. Yu Xingyong thought in his heart.


    However, it might possibly be their sister-in-law.


    If sister-in-law unfortunately got into an accident and died in front of their fifth brother, it¡¯d be a huge blow to him. They didn¡¯t know if he could hold on.


    Cheng Shizhao felt a slight pang in his heart. He didn¡¯t dare to think anymore. He said, ¡°Is that method effective or not? Are you sure we won¡¯t get lost?¡±


    ¡°Those Khitan people are very sneaky and swift. They hid their tracks well and they¡¯re not easy to stalk in the first place.¡±


    Yu Xingyong patted the black hunting dog by his side and said, ¡°Thankfully, the fifth brother carried the honey fragrance exclusively provided by the western regions. This fragrance is long lasting and wherever he went, the fragrance would follow. The most unique part is that normal people couldn¡¯t sense the fragrance, but a specially trained hunting dog would be able to. This is our Yu Family¡¯s special trick used exclusively by spies.¡±

 Chapter 133 - Wait For Me (3)

    ¡°The most unique part is that normal people couldn¡¯t sense the fragrance, but a specially trained hunting dog would be able to. This is our Yu Family¡¯s special trick used exclusively by spies.¡±


    Yu Xingyong glanced afar and said, ¡°I already ordered someone to carefully follow them, but those people are on high alert. Fifth brother is also in their hands, so we can¡¯t be too close in case we startle them.¡±


    Right now, a clear female voice rang from the weeds. ¡°Who has Xingzhi?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao was shocked. Who was able to conceal themselves and approach them that closely without anyone noticing them?


    The subordinates all unsheathed their words and shouted, ¡°Who¡¯s there?! Come out!¡±


    From the weeds, a woman walked out.


    That woman had fair white skin with bright straight and wet hair hanging behind her shoulders.


    Coming out of the dark silent night, she wore a baggy dress and she walked bare feet.


    People¡¯s instinct was that she was an evildoer or a devil.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Your Highness, elder brother.¡± That woman touched her chin and said a bit distressed, ¡°I¡¯m Xiaoxiao.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao glanced at her familiar gaze, action, and tone. However, he didn¡¯t recognize her face.


    He said doubtfully, ¡°You¡­you are lying.¡±


    Yu Xingyong interrupted, ¡°You said that you¡¯re our sister-in-law. How can you prove that?¡±


    ¡°How do I prove it?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao tilted her head.


    ¡°Right!¡± She lifted a finger and said to Cheng Shizhao, ¡°When we were at Fengxiang, you told me that there¡¯s nothing good about the duke residence. Your princess consort¡­¡±


    Cheng Shizhao covered her mouth, his face flushed. He turned around to say to Yu Xingyong, ¡°Elder¡­elder brother, she might really be our sister-in-law.¡±


    ¡­


    In the dusky prison where prisoners were submerged in water, half the water was contaminated and dirty while walls surrounded all four corners.


    There was an extremely small window at the tip, shining a weak light onto the pitch-black surface of the water.


    The dust rose under the light beam. It was probably the only ¡°lively¡± thing in this gloomy and cold prison cell.


    Half of Yu Xingzhi¡¯s body was soaked in water and he was tied to a thick wooden pillar by steel chains.


    His face was pale and his lips were cracked. He stared at the faint light beam on the surface of the water, in a daze.


    An old jailor opened the prison door and walked down from the wet stairs, carrying a bowl of clear water and a steamed bun.


    He bent down by the water and delivered the steamed bun to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s lips.


    He robotically took a few bites before closing his eyes and shaking his head.


    That old jailor advised, ¡°General Yu, please take a few more bites. No matter how strong your body is, you can¡¯t last long if you don¡¯t eat or drink.¡±


    Seeing that he closed his eyes and said nothing, the old jailor sighed and left.


    Yu Xingzhi tightly shut his eyes and thought: Xiaoxiao, ever since that day, you didn¡¯t come find me. Are you¡­you¡­


    A drop of tear fell down his face and landed on the black and muddy water, rippling.


    A pair of soft lips gently kissed his face and the tear stains.


    Yu Xingzhi suddenly opened his eyes and happiness filled his heart.


    He hoarsely called out towards the empty prison, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, is it you?¡±


    His voice echoed in the spacious prison, but no one responded to him.


    Yet, another gentle kiss landed on his cracked lips, giving him the answer he longed for and comforted his almost crumbling heart.


    The warm tears in his eyes flowed down his cheeks.


    Drop after drop landed on the water and splashed.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re fine. You¡¯re fine!¡±


    He felt a gentle finger lightly writing a few words on his chest.


    Hold on. Xingzhi, wait for me.


    I¡¯m back.

 Chapter 134 - I Want to See You Again (1)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao woke up from her dream.


    Ever since she transmigrated back, she always slept until the morning.


    She never communicated with Xingzhi within her dreams.


    At one point, Zhou Xiaoxiao thought that she was unable to do so anymore.


    Who knew that during her dream, whilst in a daze, she arrived at a gloomy and dark prison.


    The prison was full of contaminated and dirty water.


    Xingzhi stood on the water, tied to the pillar.


    Xingzhi was crying.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt a burst of anger.


    She rolled out of bed and dressed up.


    She walked over to Yu Xingyong and Cheng Shizhao¡¯s doors, knocking.


    The three sat together and listened to her report.


    Cheng Shizhao shockingly asked, ¡°You¡¯re saying that you saw Xingzhi being locked up in a water prison? How could you see that?¡±


    ¡°Mnn, I can¡¯t explain it right now, but I¡¯m sure that he is locked in a water prison. The water prison should be underground and one could see a window at the tip, revealing shapes of fake boulders.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask anymore.¡± Yu Xingyong lifted his hand and said, ¡°The fifth brother had already said that our sister-in-law is different from ordinary people. I believe in his words.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao glanced at Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s completely different face.


    He thought that since she could revive and appear in front of them with a completely different identity, finding out where Xingzhi was locked at was a piece of cake.


    No wonder the Princess Royal said that she wasn¡¯t from this world.


    He suddenly felt his hair standing up straight.


    He didn¡¯t dare to overthink.


    Cheng Shizhao took out a simple map of the building, unfolding and laying it out on the table.


    ¡°Xingzhi must be locked in this general¡¯s residence. The merchant, Luo Tong, had drawn this map according to his memory, so it is a rough sketch. However, this residence occupies a lot of area and the map is overly simple. We can¡¯t tell where the water prison is at all. Therefore, we need to investigate before coming up with a plan.¡±


    The three surrounded the map and pondered over the possible places.


    Ever since they reunited at the scene of the fire, the three led carefully selected elites and they disguised themselves to cautiously follow the traces that Yu Xingzhi left, arriving at Shanxi Taiyuan.


    The enemies were vigilant and strictly guarded the place. Not only didn¡¯t they find a good opportunity to save Xingzhi, but they almost lost their clues a few times.


    Up until they arrived at Taiyuan and came to Yelu Xiuge¡¯s base camp.


    Yelu Xiuge and the rest stopped and locked Xingzhi in the general¡¯s residence. It was then that they found a breakthrough.


    The breakthrough came from a merchant named Luo Tong.


    This person traveled back and forth between the Jin and Liao regions for fur business.


    He had a wife whose name was Lin Qiushui.


    Due to some opportunities, they pleased one of Yelu Xiuge¡¯s concubines. They would bring exquisite fabrics and elegant playthings for the concubines and young misses in the residence from time to time.


    By the time Cheng Shizhao and the rest left the capital, just in case, he asked Cheng Shiqi to get a list of merchants, especially the Han Chinese merchants that frequently came to Qidan.


    When they arrived at Taiyuan, Yu Xingyong had someone find Luo Tong. Under intimidation and bribery, he had him work for him.


    ¡°Is Luo Tong reliable?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao asked.


    Cheng Shizhao narrowed his eyes and fisted his hands. ¡°He lives near the capital. I already sent people to capture his parents and children. I¡¯m not worried that he¡¯d do anything out of hand.¡±


    Yu Xingyong added, ¡°Merchants care about profit. I promised him that as long as he helped us, I¡¯ll purchase the rough lumber military supplies from him first. As long as he wasn¡¯t dumb, he¡¯d work for us.¡±

 Chapter 135

    As he said this, a servant reported and said that Luo Tong wanted to see them.


    The moment Luo Tong came in, he first kneeled down and kowtowed at Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingyong.


    He saw that by the side of the two noble people, there was a beautiful young madam sitting there properly. He didn¡¯t care to find out who she was first. Instead, he greeted her respectfully.


    Ever since Cheng Shizhao and the rest found Luo Tong, he had been feeling ill at ease.


    If these people wanted to snatch someone from General Yelu¡¯s residence, they were basically trying to pull a tooth off a tiger and obtaining something from a fire. It was incredibly dangerous. If they make one mistake, they¡¯d probably die.


    What a pity that he was from the Jin Country and his family was situated near the capital.


    The two were cruel and sinister; his parents, wife, and children were all in their hands.


    He couldn¡¯t express his hardships as he was forced to just listen to them.


    However, if this was successful, then he¡¯d have the support of Prince Yan and the duke residences.


    As long as these two influential figures gave him some money, it¡¯d be enough to last him his whole life.


    That was why people said riches and honor come from surviving peril.


    Thinking of this, Luo Tong¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but itch and his blood boiled. He wanted to hand over his heart in order to express his loyalty.


    ¡°This lowly person found out that although the brigand Yelu had dozens of concubines, it might be because he had done too many bad things that he only had daughters. Only his legal wife gave birth to a young master. He is seventeen this year and treasured by Yelu Xiuge. His name is Yelu Abao.¡±


    ¡°What a pity that this person had a weak body as a child. He didn¡¯t know anything related to martial arts and only stayed in the residence idly. He only had one hobby which was painting and calligraphy. He loved it like his life. Especially paintings of beauties. Last night, I had my concubine give him a copy of the admonitions scroll which he loved so much that he didn¡¯t dare to part with. He even invited me to discuss finding the real scroll.¡±


    When Zhou Xiaoxiao heard this, a plan bloomed in her mind. She turned around to say to Yu Xingyong, ¡°Heir, I believe there will be tight security in the water prison where Xingzhi is held. It won¡¯t be easy to attack the place. However, if we are able to hold young master Yelu hostage and use him to exchange for Xingzhi, it would work, right?¡±


    Yu Xingyong looked at her and then nodded a moment after.


    Towards, Luo tong, he said, ¡°Here. Arrange for your wife to bring me¡­.this subordinate into the residence. That way, we can see for ourselves. It¡¯d be best if we could lure that young master out while we are at it. I¡¯ll have someone else provide support outside of the residence. You don¡¯t need to pay for anything. I¡¯ll give you a thousand gold for you.¡±


    ¡­


    Luo Tong¡¯s wife was Lin Qiushui.


    She was smart, agile, and nimble.


    Ever since she married Luo Tong as his concubine, she traveled extensively with her husband.


    She frequently visited the Qidan noble families and obtained precious and valuable items transported from the south.


    Based on all these years of experiences, she could handle this noble¡¯s wife easily.


    She had gradually made a name out of herself, so she had some face while traveling around.


    Although she was slowly getting older, Luo Tong almost brought her along instead of any other beautiful concubines.


    Yet, what her husband was going to do this time made her uneasy and worried.

 Chapter 136 - I Want to See You Again (3)

    Right now, she lowered her head and walked on the corridor of General Yelu¡¯s residence, her heart thumping loudly.


    However, the young lady by her side appeared calm and composed.


    This young lady wore a common dress and carried goods in her hands, pretending to be her maid. She followed her slowly and calmly.


    She looked around discreetly with her round and big eyes, clearing memorizing the environment of the residence.


    Sometimes, she even wormed her way into becoming friends with the maids, ¡°Sister, the general¡¯s residence is like a Temple in Heaven. It¡¯s so beautiful that I¡¯m dizzy just from looking at it. Hey, look. That fake mountain looks magnificent.¡±


    That maid smiled and said, ¡°You clearly haven¡¯t seen the world before. That is the front yard. It¡¯s the place where the general handles his business matters and the military strategic location. Don¡¯t mention you, but even we can¡¯t casually enter. If you barge in by accident, you will die. Don¡¯t blame this sister for not warning you beforehand.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao affectionately pulled the maid¡¯s hand and thanked her, even shoving a bag of osmanthus candy from Wangfu Teahouse into her sleeves. She also quickly mingled with that maid.


    Under her influence, Lin Qiushui gradually recovered to her normal state.


    She remembered Luo Tong¡¯s promise that if this was successful, he¡¯d make her his wife.


    The late wife¡¯s maiden family didn¡¯t dare to offend those two noble people.


    Thinking of this, she wasn¡¯t scared anymore nor did her legs shake. She lifted her head and chest, bringing Zhou Xiaoxiao to young master Yelu¡¯s yard.


    Yelu Abao looked over the scroll that Lin Qiushui brought enthusiastically.


    ¡°This Gu Dajia is worthy of being Gu Dajia. What a pity that he only had this one scroll.¡±


    He looked through the scroll when a white sheet of paper suddenly fell out.


    ¡°Eh? What is this?¡±


    Yelu Abao caught the paper.


    There was a sketch of a woman¡¯s features.


    She had exquisite features and looked realistic.


    The artist used a reversed type of technique to sketch the eyelashes.


    It seemed like it was slightly trembling under the sunlight.


    A drop of translucent tear fell down her eyes and it looked like it was about to roll off the paper.


    She had a tall nose bridge with slightly pursed lips.


    She was a gorgeous and lovely woman that landed on paper.


    ¡°This¡­who drew this?¡± Yelu Abao was shocked and happy, tugging on Lin Qiushui¡¯s sleeves.


    Lin Qiushui took a look and carelessly said, ¡°Young master, this work belongs to one of the nameless artists in the city. His surname is Wu. He has a strange personality and everyone calls him Strange Wu.¡±


    ¡°We received Gu Dajia¡¯s admonitions scroll from him. It took me a lot of effort. He probably carelessly tucked this paper in. Lately, he had been talking about drawing some sort of ten beauties painting, so there were all sorts of paper like this in his house.¡±


    ¡°This¡­this person is in the city? Quickly invite him over.¡±


    ¡°This person is strange and never accepts any invitation. If young master likes his painting, after he finishes drawing, I can buy it for you. However, he draws very slowly and only finishes a painting after at least one to two years.¡±


    ¡°No, no. I should personally go visit him.¡±


    Yelu Abao¡¯s personal servant said with a difficult expression, ¡°Young master, don¡¯t forget that the lord has ordered for you to stay in the residence and prohibits you from leaving.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? Father is busy with business, so we can just sneak out. How could father find out?¡±


    Lin Qiushui moved up closer and said, ¡°This person lives in the Yanghua Alley. It¡¯s only half an incense stick¡¯s worth of time from here. If young master wants to know, the horse carriage is outside, so I can take you over.¡±


    ¡­

 Chapter 137 - I Want to See You Again (4)

    In the water prison right now, Lin Bingren opened the prison cell door and slowly walked down the slippery steps.


    He glanced at the tied up Yu Xingzhi on the pillar in the water.


    He sneered and received the long whip from his guard.


    The body of the whip was woven with an unknown fabric.


    The whip itself was jet-black and glossy with extraordinary splendor.


    He slammed the whip against the bluestone and it actually left a mark.


    Lin Bingren lifted Yu Xingzhi¡¯s chin with the whip.


    ¡°Tch. What a beautiful face. My little brother, Bingzhi, always likes goods like you.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi said, ¡°You dare to disobey General Yelu and torture me without his permission. Aren¡¯t you afraid of your new master punishing you?¡±


    Lin Bingren laughed and said, ¡°You expect him to save you? What a pity that he isn¡¯t here now. Plus, he needs me right now. Even if I kill you, do you think he¡¯ll kill me for a dead person? You¡¯re just a prisoner right now. You think that you¡¯re still the all and mighty young master of the duke residence?¡±


    He lifted his brows and said in a crazed state.


    ¡°I remember when father just mingled with the officials in the capital back then. Bingzhi was still a child. Father brought me and him to attend Scholar Yang¡¯s banquet.¡±


    ¡°On the banquet, you were escorted over and everyone¡¯s attention was on you. Bingzhi liked you a lot because you were beautiful looking. He wanted to come over to talk to you, but the Sixth Prince by your side pushed him down the stairs. That idiot rolled down the stairs, but still climbed back up without a care. He still wanted to squeeze his way over and talk to you. It was hilarious how too many people swarmed around you, so even if he wanted to make his way over, he couldn¡¯t.¡±


    He suddenly snapped out of his memory and harshly whipped Yu Xingzhi¡¯s chest.


    A purplish red lash mark immediately appeared on Yu Xingzhi¡¯s fair and delicate skin.


    He tightened his body and clenched his teeth, not giving Bingren the satisfaction of listening to him cry in pain.


    However, the cold sweat on his forehead uncontrollably dropped down.


    Lin Bingren held the whip in his hand and sneered, ¡°The whip¡¯s name is Dragon Tail. The last person who suffered at the hands of it was only able to endure twenty whips before he died. Haha. Marquis Yu, I want to see how many times you can endure it.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi tightly shut his lips.


    He gloomily thought in his heart: Xiaoxiao, I want to see you again. But I don¡¯t know if I still have the chance to or not.


    Lin Bingren touched Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face and said, ¡°I regret my past decision. I should¡¯ve sent you to Bingzhi¡¯s bed, so that he could enjoy himself. Now that he¡¯s dead, I can¡¯t even grant him his wish as his elder brother.¡±


    His face was distorted, veins bursting. He grinded his teeth and said, ¡°Bingzhi likes beautiful guys like you. He likes to hold you in his arms and love you dearly. However, I¡¯m different! I only like to rip off your mask and torture you to death!¡±


    Lin Bingren grasped Yu Xingzhi¡¯s chin, forcing him to look at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you two options.¡±


    ¡°Endure 100 whips or act like a woman and please me.¡±


    He sat down properly on the chair behind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you. You¡¯ll die if you take 100 whips.¡±


    He crossed his legs and pointed at the whip in his hand, glancing at the battered Yu Xingzhi.


    ¡°Choose.¡± He said, ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it as you choosing the latter.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi closed his eyes and parted his lips with difficulty, ¡°1¡­00 whips.¡±


    Xiaoxiao, sorry. I might not be able to wait for you.

 Chapter 138 - Rescue (1)

    Sound of the whip broke the silence in the air paired with the terrible screams of it hitting Yu Xingzhi¡¯s skin.


    The red blood droplets rolled down along the pale body and were swallowed whole by the pitch-black surface of the water.


    The prison door was opened and a Qidan warrior hurriedly ran down.


    ¡°Mr. Lin, why are you here? You¡¯ve made it difficult for me to find you. Stop hitting him. We¡¯re in trouble!¡±


    Lin Bingren snapped out of his violent state and asked fiercely, ¡°What happened?!¡±


    ¡°Some villains kidnapped the young master and said that they¡¯re going to exchange him for the Champion Marquis at the red autumnal forest outside of the city in the afternoon today. The general is furious right now and has me to come search for you in order to discuss a plan.¡±


    Ling Bingren glanced maliciously at Yu Xingzhi riddled with scars and said, ¡°Someone is here to save you? Don¡¯t even think about it! Just you wait. You still have to endure the rest of the whips. I will make sure you enjoy each whip.¡±


    He reached over and pinched Yu Xingzhi¡¯s purplish red lash marks firmly.


    Up until Yu Xingzhi lifted his head and uncontrollably let out a gasp of pain before Lin Bingren let.


    Lin Bingren arrived at the conference room and from afar, he could hear Yelu Xiuge¡¯s indignant voice, ¡°They¡¯ve already threatened me from the capital to Taiyuan, my place! Now despite Ye Xingzhi being in my hands, they want me to hand him over just like that!¡±


    The moment he entered, he saw the whole full of officials keeping quiet and standing to the side in fear.


    Lin Bingren replied, ¡°General, find a person similar to Yu Xingzhi and torture them to the point they are badly mutilated and their face can¡¯t be distinguished. Lock him in the prisoner cart. When the time comes, we¡¯ll go to the red autumnal forest and pretend to exchange people, but actually have people lying there waiting to ambush. As long as it¡¯s planned appropriately, we¡¯ll be able to snatch the young master back and kill those brazen villains too!¡±


    With a dark face, Yelu Xiuge said, ¡°We¡¯ll do according to your plan! Pass on my military order and assemble the men and horses. The moment the scheduled time passes, quickly surround the red autumnal forest. Don¡¯t let even a housefly be able to fly within the ten mile radius. I want to see which brazen people dare to touch my son and trample over me!¡±


    At this time, in a dark secret room in the suburbs, Yelu Abao was tied up like a glutinous rice, his mouth gagged and eyes covered, thrown to the corner of a wall.


    Ye Xingyong, Cheng Shizhao, and Zhou Xiaoxiao were facing a map and hastily discussing their plan of action.


    Cheng Shizhao said, ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with Yelu Xiuge many times. He¡¯s ruthless and swift, having lots of tricks up his sleeves. I doubt he¡¯d just hand over Xingzhi without putting up a fight.¡±


    Yu Xingyong knitted his brows and replied, ¡°No matter what, we need to plan this carefully and meticulously. We¡¯ll bring people over. No matter whether we are able to exchange our fifth brother out or not, he¡¯d definitely send lots of men over to either surround the red autumnal forest or to cut off our escape route. He won¡¯t let us leave easily.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao interrupted, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the general¡¯s residence be on its lowest guard right now?¡±


    Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingyong both turned around to look at her.


    ¡°Why are you guys looking at me like this? Here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. If Yelu Xiuge doesn¡¯t care for his son¡¯s life, choosing not to exchange with us sincerely, or that he didn¡¯t actually bring Xingzhi out, only bringing men over to annihilate you guys¡­¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao touched her face, ¡°Then the guards in the general¡¯s residence won¡¯t be on high guard. Would I be able to steal Xingzhi from the residence at this time? When I went last time, I roughly found the location of that fake mountain.¡±

 Chapter 139 - Rescue (2)

    Cheng Shizhao and Yu Xingyong exchanged a look and saw hope in one another¡¯s eyes.


    Cheng Shizhao continued, ¡°Here. Let¡¯s split into two teams and prepare a backup plan as well.¡±


    ¡­


    Yu Xingzhi woke up from his unconscious state.


    I¡¯m still alive. He spat the filthy blood out.


    I can¡¯t die. I don¡¯t want to die.


    I want to personally see her.


    Even if it¡¯s just one look.


    He heard soft fighting sounds above his head.


    He reluctantly lifted his head to see the door to the water prison being opened.


    The warm sunlight shone into the prison and an unfamiliar woman walked in.


    The woman jumped down from the steps, landing on the ground. She lifted her face and called out, ¡°Xingzhi!¡±


    So strange, but so familiar.


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao barged into the water prison first. As expected from her dream, Yu Xingzhi was chained to the pillar.


    There were countless more hideous looking lash marks paired with dark red blood seeping from his scary wounds, rolling down his pale legs and into the muddy black water.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held in her tears and jumped into the water, taking out a steel and sturdy dagger, chopping off the chains on him.


    Yu Xingzhi couldn¡¯t hold on anymore and fell down.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao caught his weak body only to hear a weak voice ring in her ears, ¡°Xiaoxiao, my Xiaoxiao.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt bitter in her heart.


    He recognized me at first glance.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao clenched her teeth and held in her tears, carrying Yu Xingzhi out of the water prison on her back.


    There were countless masters outside of the water prison. Once they saw that she came out safely, they all greeted her before climbing over the wall and retreating.


    Outside of the wall, there were naturally people waiting to rescue them by horse carriage.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao got on her silver horse and placed Yu Xingzhi behind her.


    Not long after, battle cries rang. A group of the general¡¯s residence¡¯s guards had chased after them.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao urged the horse quickly with her whip.


    From time to time, arrows flew by her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao undid the belt, wanting to move Yu Xingzhi in front of her.


    However, Yu Xingzhi¡¯s arms wrapped around her body, tightly hugging her.


    ¡°Xingzhi, let go of me. Come to the front.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hand holding onto her clothes tightly.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s weak voice rang from over her shoulders, ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you get struck by an arrow again.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao reached over and held Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hand tightly. She kicked the horse and urged it to run ahead rapidly.


    The silver hose chased the wind and galloped.


    They gradually left the Liao soldiers and their own people behind.


    ¡­


    The day became gloomy.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao rushed towards the point they originally agreed upon.


    Nobody else arrived yet.


    She rolled over down the horse and carefully carried Yu Xingzhi down.


    Yu Xingzhi had sunken into a half conscious state, but his hands were still tightly holding onto Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s clothes.


    She lightly pried his hands apart and helped him lie down.


    She took off her outer clothes and covered him with it.


    Then, she lifted his head and pinched open his colorless lips, making him down the ginseng soup she had prepared beforehand.


    Yu Xingzhi slightly panted and then opened his eyes.


    He looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao and his lips parted, saying nothing however. He reluctantly revealed a faint smile.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt bitter in her heart and her tears fell down.


    Yu Xingzhi gradually raised his hand and gently touched her face. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Xiaoxiao, as long as you¡¯re back, my injuries are nothing.¡±

 Chapter 140 - Rescue (3)

    Zhou Xiaoxiao cupped his face and lowered her head, pecking his cracked lips.


    Their companions gradually arrived. Seeing the pair of figures hugging under the moonlight, they didn¡¯t want to disturb. Therefore, they were on guard and observed their surroundings.


    Towards the second half of the night, Chen Shizhao and Yu Xingyong¡¯s people finally got rid of the people chasing after them and hurried to meet up.


    Seeing that Yu Xingzhi was rescued, Cheng Shizhao burst with joy and laughed out loud.


    He threw Yelu Abao down and took out his sword, maliciously walking towards him.


    That Yelu Abao cried out loud and howled.


    Ye Xingzhi tugged on Zhou Xiaoxiao and slightly shook his head.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stopped Cheng Shizhao and said, ¡°Sixth Ye, what his father had done has nothing to do with him. Xingzhi wants to let him go.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao humphed and cut off one of Yelu Abao¡¯s ears, tossing that bloody ear on the ground.


    ¡°Your grandfather is in a good mood right now. I¡¯ll let you go since the Champion Marquis requested. However, I¡¯ll take some interest. When you go back, tell your father that I¡¯ll take revenge on him and Ling Bingren, that dog.¡±


    Yelu Abao covered his face and expressed his gratitude, frantically escaping.


    Everyone didn¡¯t dare to stay for long. They prepared to head back to the capital.


    On the way, Ye Xingzhi rested in the horse carriage as Zhou Xiaoxiao personally took care of him.


    She leaned against the bed and glanced at Ye Xingzhi¡¯s handsome face, feeling as though she¡¯d never get enough of him.


    From time to time, she couldn¡¯t help but lean over and kiss his face.


    Yu Xingzhi weakly smiled. ¡°Xiaoxiao, you look very beautiful like this too.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I always look beautiful.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao touched her face proudly. She was more used to her own face.


    ¡°Right, Xingzhi, how did you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°That day, Ling Bingren¡­set the yard and you on fire in front of me.¡± Yu Xingzhi¡¯s expression became gloomy. ¡°At that time, I lost all hope and just wanted to die in the fire with you. However, Lin Bingren¡¯s subordinates pressed me against the ground, not letting me get up. I looked up and at that moment, I thought I saw a woman¡¯s reflection through the flame. Although she looked different from you, she had the same bearing and actions as you.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi glanced at Zhou Xiaoxiao, his expression a bit unnatural. ¡°I saw a man with you. The moment he called you, you left. Therefore, I kept on crying out your name. As expected, you turned around and walked towards me. That scene disappeared and it seemed like no one noticed. However, that was my only hope. I am so blessed to be able to reunite with you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s it.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled and ruffled Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hair. ¡°He¡¯s no one important. You don¡¯t need to mine. My Xingzhi is so handsome. You¡¯re the only one I think about. I won¡¯t ever be interested in any other lame people. Sleep and rest well. I¡¯ll watch over you, okay?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s gaze landed on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face. He was weak and tired, but didn¡¯t want to sleep.


    He unnaturally said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you really returned to my side? I¡¯m so scared that once I wake up, it¡¯s just a dream.¡±


    After that, he felt his dry lips being captured by something moist and soft. Her tongue slipped in and like a fish, teased his tongue. They ended up pursuing and entangling one another. Up until his limbs trembled and shook.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao only stopped after she almost ran out of oxygen.


    She glanced at Yu Xingzhi¡¯s red swollen lips and his dazed expression.


    She lightly tapped his nose. ¡°Are you comforted now? Am I real or just a dream?¡±

 Chapter 141 - Can’t Hold It In Anymore (1)

    In the Champion Marquis¡¯ residence, Duke Yu Dunsu and his wife, Guo Shuxian, were sitting in Yu Xingzhi¡¯s courtyard waiting anxiously.


    Madam Guo rubbed her hands and couldn¡¯t sit still. If it weren¡¯t that she¡¯d be breaking the rules, she even wanted to wait by the duke residence¡¯s front door.


    Yu Dunsu said, ¡°Madam, five had endured too many hardships. Yong¡¯er had sent a letter earlier, but he didn¡¯t explain clearly, only saying that five¡¯s wife had gotten into an accident as well. When five gets back, you should let him have his way and don¡¯t restrict him anymore.¡±


    Madam Guo twisted her handkerchief and said, ¡°I know. When he comes back, I won¡¯t control him anymore. As long as he¡¯s happy, he can be with any lady he wants. Xiaoxiao is also a pitiful child. They are not fated, it seems like. I¡¯m just scared that with Xingzhi¡¯s personality, he¡¯d be too stubborn to be with anyone else. Sigh!¡±


    A travel-worn horse carriage stopped by the duke residence¡¯s door.


    Yu Dunsu and Madam Guo couldn¡¯t help but walk out to welcome him.


    However, they saw a woman with a clear and fresh appearance walking down first after pulling the curtains to the side. She jumped down and turned around to raise her pair of fair and delicate hands, helping Yu Xingzhi out of the horse carriage.


    Yu Xingzhi looked exhausted and weak, but he didn¡¯t wear a sorrowful expression surprisingly. Instead, he shot everyone a warm smile.


    He seemed to have lost his balance, slightly stumbling a bit.


    That woman hurriedly supported him and carried him under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes. She skillfully carried him into his bedroom.


    On the way, Yu Xingzhi tried to reject her offer, though not sincerely, ¡°Xiaoxiao, put me down.¡±


    Madam Guo glanced at this in shock. ¡°This¡­she?¡±


    Yu Xingyong followed along, coughed and exclaimed, ¡°This is a long story. Let this child enter the room and report in detail.¡±


    ¡­


    In the noble women¡¯s circle within the capital, there was a new popular discussion of the topic.


    The Champion Marquis¡¯ common wife misses her husband too much as he was on expeditions and actually fell ill.


    The Champion Marquis had won the battle and returned, becoming the newly popular influential figure in the court. He also cherished and took good care of her, finding all sorts of famous physicians to diagnose and treat his madam.


    However, the madam¡¯s sickness didn¡¯t get any better. In the end, she died and went to heaven.


    ¡°There are some unlucky people and can¡¯t enjoy the riches and honor. Speaking of this, she is quite pitiful.¡± At a small private banquet, the second mistress of Scholar Zuo, Wang Bihua, said this as though taking pleasure in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s misfortune.


    ¡°With her status, she was fortunate enough to marry the duke in a proper and legal manner, enjoying the riches and gold for a while.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Marquis Yu also mourned excessively, causing him to fall ill too. Up until the duke¡¯s wife made a decision to search for a common woman whose personality and name was the same as the late marquis¡¯ wife that the marquis slowly got better after taking her in as a second wife.¡±


    ¡°What? The Champion Marquis had remarried just like this? Earlier, my wife wanted to send my third sister¡­sigh.¡±


    ¡°The Marquis is really a faithful man. However, I wonder which woman got lucky.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean faithful? Men are all the same. They forget their old lover now that they have someone new. Look, the late madam just died and he remarried.¡±


    ¡­


    Right now, in the duke residence, Yu Xingzhi and his ¡°new wife,¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao, were being lovey-dovey in the room without a care for the gossips.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sat by the edge of the bed holding the White Jade Ointment which helped to improve blood circulation; she was carefully applying the ointment to Yu Xingzhi¡¯s injuries.


    She lifted her fair and tender finger, scooping the milky white ointment and carefully applying it on the lash marks which started to form scabs. She pursed her lips and gently blew on the ointment.

 Chapter142 - Can’t Hold It In Anymore (2)

    ¡°The ointment that the fourth sister-in-law gave is really useful. Your injuries have improved much more than yesterday. I have been shuddering at the sight of your injuries lately.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just physical injuries that look a bit scary. Stop looking at it. You¡¯ll lose your appetite later. Rest for now.¡±


    ¡°So what if I take a look? Xingzhi, you don¡¯t know but you¡¯re beautiful. No matter how I look at you, you¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    Because she was applying the ointment, Yu Xingzhi had stripped his clothes and laid in bed.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s sparkling eyes observed his naked body without a care.


    ¡°No wonder Lin Bingren was that perverted. Even I couldn¡¯t help but bully you when I see you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­pass my clothes to me.¡± Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face flushed.


    ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t finished applying the ointment yet.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao held him down and promised, ¡°I won¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m just applying ointment, applying ointment okay?¡±


    She pretended to act proper. ¡°Does it hurt? I¡¯ll apply it lightly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°How about here?¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡±


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t¡­.doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°Here? Or here? Ah, Xingzhi, what are you thinking?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao whispered in a seductive tone in Yu Xingzhi¡¯s ears, ¡°Look, you¡¯re hard. You¡¯re still hurt, so we can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Yu Xinzhi grabbed her hands and rolled over, pressing her down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke around¡­¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao laughed. ¡°Really though. Your injuries haven¡¯t recovered.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as weak as you imagined me to be.¡± The deep male voice rang.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was scared of touching his injuries, so she didn¡¯t dare to move and could only obediently allow him to ¡°bully¡± herself. This man quickly ignited the desire buried deep within her.


    She glanced at the body riddled with scars against her. The white and fair skin had sweat droplets. The man had dashing brows and beautiful eyes. He didn¡¯t stop kissing her gently.


    I can¡¯t hold it in anymore. I really want her.


    In front of strangers, Yu Xingzhi always acted like a gentleman. He was gentle and always wore a faint smile. Only Zhou Xiaoxiao knew that he was like a ball of fire when they were in bed, a fierce beast. He didn¡¯t bother with any foreplay, only thrusting in and maintaining his stamina for a long time. However, the different poses made Zhou Xiaoxiao admit defeat.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held onto his shoulders and flipped the two¡¯s position, confining him to the bed.


    Like a soft and agile kitten, she made her way slowly up and said faintly and seductively, ¡°Xingzhi, you¡¯re hurt. Let me this time. I promise¡­you¡¯ll have the time of your life.¡±


    She looked at him and gently licked her lips, glancing at the attractive prey in front of her. She gradually swallowed him bit by bit whilst enjoying her time.


    Yu Xingzhi gave up resisting and enjoyed this sweet torture.


    Morning after, Zhou Xiaoxiao signed in satisfaction. She laid in bed and placed her face against Yu Xingzhi¡¯s warm and rough hand.


    Their love was overly sweet, making them addicted. They would even give their lives up for one another.


    However, people were bound to meet countless people and they won¡¯t just have one love.


    In the past, she couldn¡¯t return, so she could say that she was helpless and just enjoyed her time here.


    Now, although the chances are slim, she knew that there was the possibility of returning. She was unable to just cut off her friendships and relationships that she had maintained for the past twenty or so years for moments of happiness by staying here.


    She closed her eyes and enjoyed the hand gently caressing her face. She wasn¡¯t scared of talking to Xingzhi about her feelings anymore.


    ¡°Xingzhi, everything just became peaceful. Lately, I have been feeling overwhelmed. When I wake up sometimes, I frequently don¡¯t know where I am. Only when I¡¯m by your side that I can feel genuine feelings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hesitant. On one hand, I can¡¯t let go of my parents, but on the other, I can¡¯t let you go either.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi held her in his arms and gently kissed her hair. ¡°I heard the Princess Royal is back. Let¡¯s go visit her tomorrow and see if there¡¯s a way to satisfy both sides.¡±

 Chapter 143 - Can’t Hold It In Anymore (3)

    Don¡¯t worry. No matter what, I¡¯ll face it with you and share the burden. I just hope that you can treat me sincerely and let me into your world as well. I don¡¯t want you to carry the burden by yourself.


    The next day, Princess Royal Cheng Qianye received the guests in her place.


    Cheng Qianye waved her hands and had Zhou Xiaoxiao sit by her side.


    ¡°You¡¯re my only fellow townsman. Let¡¯s disregard the rules and just act according to our hometown¡¯s etiquette.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao listened to her and sat down besides her, telling Cheng Qianye about what she had seen in the modern world.


    Cheng Qianye held a jade pot and poured a cup of tea for Zhou Xiaoxiao. She lifted three fingers and lightly patted the table in order to thank her.


    Cheng Qianye smiled and said, ¡°You even learned of this custom. It seems like you really went to my hometown.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao replied, ¡°Your hometown is situated in a city that left a deep impression on me. Your hometown contains countless talented people.¡±


    ¡°So my elder brother is still young as I recalled him to be.¡± Cheng Qianye revealed a longing expression. She lifted the teacup to her lips and gulped the tea along with her worries altogether.


    Yu Xingzhi stood up and respectfully paid his respect, ¡°Does Your Highness have a way to satisfy both sides? If you are able to let us couple to stay together and not make Xiaoxiao unfilial either, then Xingzhi will do anything needed.¡±


    Cheng Qianye glanced at Ye Xingzhi for a moment before unclasping a pendant from her neck. The pendant was light and simple. It had a faint aura around it; it doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary item.


    ¡°This is the dragon¡¯s scale. Rumour has it that under the right circumstances, it can connect the two worlds. I¡¯ve searched all over and only found this one scale. However, I was unable to find the way to use it after so many years. Now that Ye¡¯er is grown up, I¡¯m not concerned with this place anymore. I¡¯m going to return to my hometown with my husband in a few days and we¡¯re not coming back. You can have this.¡± Cheng Qianye lightly placed the pendant in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re going back? How are you going back?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao asked confusedly.


    ¡°I have my own ways.¡± Cheng Qianye smiled and patted her hair. ¡°I recall my young self when I see you guys. It makes me think of the past.¡±


    The strange light of the dragon scale refracted on her white hair, vaguely revealing her young self¡¯s manner.


    When the first snow appeared during the winter, news of the Jiang Country¡¯s Princess Royal had passed away spread.


    When the emperor heard this, he weeped and said, ¡°Aunt has passed away and abandoned me. I don¡¯t have any other relatives now.¡± Because he was overly upset, he hadn¡¯t gone to court for half a month.


    ¡­


    The Princess Royal had possession of a hot spring courtyard by the west mountain. The mouth of the spring was shaped like the crescent of a moon. The weather was warm there all year long. It was known as the Yuesheng Hot Spring. It was originally imperial property but the emperor bestowed this to the Princess Royal.


    There was a unique part to this spring. It was incredibly effective for the injured and those who had hematoma. It could improve one¡¯s appearance, relieve cold, and many other uses.


    Because Yu Xingzhi had gotten a cold in the water prison, Zhou Xiaoxiao had assisted him in using the hot spring a few times. Even more, Princess Royal had asked the emperor to bestow this hot spring to the Champion Marquis after she passed away.


    Lately, there had been strong wind and timely snow had fallen.


    Brilliant white snow covered the peak of the west mountain, painting it silver.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao comfortably bathed in the hot spring. Her fair shoulders were placed against the edges of the banisters for the hot spring.


    She lifted the dragon scale hung around her neck.


    ¡°It seems like bathing in water doesn¡¯t help either. What do I need to do in order to make it a coincidence? Xingzhi, do you think Princess Royal really died or she returned to the modern world?¡±

 Chapter 144 - Blood Spilt in the Yuanyang Teahouse (1)

    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s hands slowly wrapped around her waist from behind and tightened his grasp.


    In this seriously cold winter, the two young heterosexual bodies were pressed in the foggy hot spring together, easily igniting their desires.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao felt that a certain body part of hers became needy for attention.


    Yet, Yu Xingzhi only hugged her tightly and gently, kissing her constantly but without desire. Instead, it seemed more sincere and honest.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao turned around and lifted her arm, wrapping it around the man¡¯s waist. She could feel his wet head on her shoulders. The man¡¯s magnetic voice rang. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Xiaoxiao.¡±


    He¡¯s actually afraid. I¡¯ve been worrying about solving the mystery of the dragon scale that I neglected his feelings.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao lifted her hand and patiently caressed his clean back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Xingzhi. I¡¯m not going to leave. If I have a chance, I really want to let you see the world I was born in and take you to see my friends and my family.¡±


    In this cold and icy world, they were situated in a warm place.


    The crescent-shaped mouth of the spring was emitting white smoke.


    The man in the spring gently lifted the woman¡¯s face and deeply kissed his beloved.


    ¡­


    Zhou Xiaoxiao got out of the water and wore her robe.


    She didn¡¯t like to drown in sadness. Since it hadn¡¯t happened, she didn¡¯t want to overthink about it. In the blink of an eye, her sadness vanished and she became lively again.


    ¡°In such a beautiful place, let¡¯s do something happy.¡± She took out her sketchbook and pencil. ¡°Xingzhi, Xingzhi, I hadn¡¯t drawn you in a while. Just stay there and don¡¯t move. I can draw you just like that.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi followed her ashore and wore his robe while saying, ¡°You can draw whatever you want, but let¡¯s go back first.¡±


    He felt his sleeves being tugged on. He turned around to see his weird and eccentric wife wearing the snow-white long robe sitting by the hot spring with her long wet hair scattered on her shoulders.


    She was tugging on his sleeves and revealing a sinister smile that made him feel ill at ease.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, although no one would barge in under broad daylight, I¡­¡± He was a traditional person and the etiquettes he learned were carved into his bone.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao took out her specialized painting brush and gradually used the tip to pull Yu Xingzhi¡¯s robe¡¯s belt to the side.


    She lifted her face. There was a faint smile in her eyes. ¡°In my hometown, everyone approves and admires human bodies. Most of the professional art schools where people learned sketches took still life of human bodies. This isn¡¯t something shameful.¡±


    ¡°Xingzhi, you have a beautiful body. I like it a lot. I really want to sketch you. Let me. Here and right now.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face paled and then flushed. ¡°You¡­sketched a lot of people before?¡±


    ¡°Right, many. Men, women, elders, and children. I¡¯ve sketched countless people.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at him calmly. ¡°But from today on, I¡¯ll only sketch you. You¡¯re the only man I want to sketch. Okay?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi looked around and made sure that there was no one before he closed his eyes and took off his robe.


    ¡°Xingzhi, lay down by the rock. It¡¯s warm there. Just lay on top of it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lift your arm. It¡¯s blocking your face.¡±


    ¡°But this position is nice as well. It leaves people to their imaginations.¡±


    ¡°Put your other leg down a bit, okay?¡±


    ¡°Separate it more¡­more¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, how come you reacted to this already? I need to erase and sketch again. It¡¯s a waste.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t cover yourself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t move. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to have to re-sketch you again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. You¡¯re beautiful there too. I¡¯ll make sure to sketch it beautifully.¡±


    ¡°Look at you. Why are you so excited? Endure it for a while. After I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll come to you.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, you can touch it by yourself for a bit, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t be too excessive.¡±

 Chapter 146 - Blood Spilt in the Yuanyang Teahouse (3)

    The red wall and precious stone tiles were on both sides with leftover snow on the ground.


    Cheng Shizhao glanced at the road he took every day and recalled his childhood memory. ¡°Guo, you had been by my side for at least a decade, right?¡±


    Guo Suren slightly bowed and said, ¡°This servant was fortunately chosen to serve by Your Highness¡¯ side when I was fifteen years old. It has been twenty years already.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao laughed and said, ¡°Back then, mother had died due to sickness and I was still ignorant and young. Aunt had carefully chosen from a handful of people before choosing you to be my guard amongst the tribal people. However, I looked down upon your status and caused all sorts of trouble for you.¡±


    Guo Suren sighed with feelings. ¡°Back then, Your Highness was still a little child like the size of a snowman. I frequently walked down this road with Your Highness.¡±


    He was suddenly on alert and stopped. ¡°This road isn¡¯t right! Where are you guys taking Your Highness?¡±


    The eunuch leading was a familiar face. He bent down and said in a soft voice, ¡°The Crown Prince has a few words to say to Prince Yan, so he wants this eunuch to bring Your Highness over to him first.¡±


    Cheng Shizhao reprimanded, ¡°Nonsense. His Majesty summoned me to meet him at the banquet first. How can you guys delay me? Quickly head back.¡±


    The eunuch¡¯s smile vanished instantly. He waved his hands and the eunuchs carrying the palanquin placed it down and left.


    Cheng Shizhao and Guo Suren knew that this was a bad omen. They turned around and wanted to leave when the palace door behind them was closed. Someone locked it from the outside.


    There was a long corridor and tall palace walls surrounded their two sides. The geography was anything but assuring for them.


    Cheng Shizhao¡¯s heart felt heavy. The Crown Prince was being brazen and presumptuous, clearly planning a rebellion!


    He didn¡¯t know how his emperor father was doing.


    He looked up to see dozens of arches on the palace wall. Without another word, they aimed their arrows at him.


    The two entered the palace for the banquet. They didn¡¯t bring any weapons or wear armors; there was no place for them to hide either.


    Guo Suren pounced to the wall and pushed Cheng Shizhao behind him.


    Chen Shizhao was squeezed between the bloody red wall and Gu Suren¡¯s body. He heard countless sharp arrows hitting the latter¡¯s body and his groans.


    ¡°Guo.¡± He softly called out, but he knew well that he had completely lost his personal guard that had accompanied him at a young age.


    ¡°Your Highness, walk ahead. There¡¯s¡­a door there¡­¡±


    Cheng Shizhao bent over and supported Gu Suren. They ran ahead while their bodies were against the wall. He heard Gu Suren¡¯s voice from time to time.


    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ve done this frequently when Your Highness was young. I had carried Your Highness and walked around here¡­who knew¡­I still¡­have a chance right now¡­¡±


    His voice gradually dimmed and he stopped talking.


    Cheng Shizhao gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. He rushed to the only door by the side of the palace wall and kicked it open. He rolled down, expecting there to be an ambush.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect there to be a huge fish net behind the door.


    But no matter how agile and quick he tried to dodge it, the huge net had fallen and trapped him in the end.


    The net was full of dazzling knives and Cheng Shizhao felt his body undergoing excruciating pain. He was immediately badly mutilated and hung in the sky.


    He watched as two people stood on the balcony on the second floor of a pavilion. One of them clapped and laughed out loud. ¡°Sixth brother, ah, sixth brother. I bet you didn¡¯t think this would happen one day.¡±


    It was the Crown Prince, Cheng Shijue, and Lin Family¡¯s only detested survivor, Lin Bingren.


    Cheng Shizhao cursed, ¡°Cheng Shijue! As the Crown Prince of the country, you actually colluded with Lin Bingren who betrayed the country! In this palace, you dare to rebel and take over the throne!¡±

 Chapter 147 - Dying by a Woman’s Hand (1)

    Cheng Shijiu coldly humphed, ¡°I¡¯ve been the head of the east palace for a decade or so. Everyone knows that I¡¯ll be the future emperor. Yet, they want me to submit defeat to my originally useless younger brother. How can I accept this? As long as I get rid of you today and then control the nobles entering the palace today, I can request for the emperor father to abdicate. I bet that he has no choice but to do so by then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! The Jin Country¡¯s court is full of loyal officials. How could they possibly let a rebel like you have your way?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only saying this because you have Yu Family¡¯s military support.¡± Lin Bingren walked out from behind Cheng Shijiu.


    ¡°Ever since you destroyed the Lin Family, the Crown Prince had sent me to secretly ask the Liao Country for aid. Originally, we planned on capturing the Champion Marquis in order to restrict the Yu Family. What a pity that one careless mistake and you messed things up for us.¡±


    He waved his hand towards the north and said, ¡°But it¡¯s fine. The emperor of the Liao Country promises to send 100,000 soldiers the moment the capital is in chaos. He¡¯d help the Crown Prince ascend to the throne. By then, Your Highness still has control of the country. He just needs to cede sixteen provinces to the Liao Country. Isn¡¯t that better than submitting to you though?¡±


    He gradually pulled out an arrow from the quiver. He slowly got into position and pulled the bow gradually, smiling. He aimed it towards Chen Shizhao in the net.


    The cold and icy iron arrow shone in the sunlight for a second before aiming straight towards Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face.


    He clenched his teeth, unwilling to resign to this ending.


    At the last moment, a palm blocked the deadly arrow for him.


    The iron arrow penetrated their palm before stopping.


    Splashes of blood sprinkled Cheng Shizhao¡¯s face.


    His brother¡¯s blood.


    The boiling blood branded his heart and made it ache.


    Yu Xingzhi stood in front of Cheng Shizhao.


    Lin Bingren revealed a surprised and mocking strange expression.


    ¡°Oh hey, let me see who it is.¡± He said.


    ¡°Yu Xingzhi.¡± He tched and shook his head. ¡°Why are you so stupid? I originally wanted to seek you out to play with you later on. Who knew that you anxiously revealed yourself before I could seek you out. Saving me all this effort.¡±


    ¡°Champion Marquis, why did you rush here?¡± Compared to Lin Bingren, the Crown Prince was calmer and asked the crucial question.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want anyone to know, then don¡¯t do it.¡± Yu Xingzhi pulled out the arrow and placed his bloody hand behind his back, slowly saying this.


    ¡°Your Highness Crown Prince, since you can assign a spy to my side, do you think the Yu Family wouldn¡¯t do that? Right now, my father and brother are leading the imperial army into the palace to protect the emperor. How many people do you have? Even if you have a few officials assisting you, it¡¯s the same as attempting the impossible.¡±


    ¡°This official advises you to act in the nick of time and pull back. His Majesty might punish you leniently since you guys are father and son.¡±


    Cheng Shijiu¡¯s heart felt cold. Since Yu Xingzhi had received the news and arrived that quickly, then the others¡­


    His plan had fallen through and been exposed earlier than he thought. There are some things leaving his control as well. He started to panic in his heart.


    Lin Bingren narrowed his eyes and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t believe in his lies. If he knew about the news in advance, he wouldn¡¯t have come by himself and blocked the arrow with his palm for Cheng Shizhao.¡±


    ¡°He is just stalling for time. As long as Your Highness gets rid of the two of them in a decisive manner, we can still act according to plan. We have enough time.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come alone.¡± Yu Xingzhi looked at him calmly.


    Lin Bingren¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. This was the instinct when a prey was being stalked by a wild beast.


    He turned his head around stiffly and saw a woman standing on the rooftop not far from him.


    That woman wore pure white clothes and no hair accessories. Her hair was casually tied up into a bun behind her.


    She stood against the wind and held a bow and arrow in her hand, glancing coldly at him.

 Chapter 148 - Dying by a Woman’s Hand (2)

    The moment Lin Bingren looked over, the woman loosened her grip and the sparkling iron arrow whizzed straight towards him.


    Lin Bingren subconsciously lifted his hand to block it. He felt a strong power pushing him towards the pillar behind him.


    He widened his eyes and watched as the sharp tip of the arrow penetrated the muscles and bones of his palm.


    The arrow penetrated his palm and it entered the space between his eyebrows at a constant strength.


    Up until the arrow pinned him against the pillar and the arrow slightly shook that he felt a sense of pain.


    I actually died in a woman¡¯s hand like Bingzhi.


    Before dying, that was the last thought that flashed by in his mind.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao shot the second arrow and it shot down the net holding Cheng Shizhao up.


    She jumped down from the rooftop and landed in front of Yu Xingzhi and Cheng Shizhao. With one hand supporting her, this eased the shock.


    ¡°Bring him away first. I¡¯ll deal with him!¡± Without looking back, she charged towards the warriors surrounding them.


    Yu Xingzhi carried the bloody Cheng Shizhao and looked back at Zhou Xiaoxiao before immediately rushing out without hesitation.


    Yu Xingzhi ran as fast as he could before he finally encountered Princess Consort Yan, Yang Qianxun, who was panting from running as well.


    Yang Qianxun was a weak woman who¡¯d be blown to the ground by the slightest wind and she had to take the sedan chair even when she was at home.


    Right now, under a personal maid¡¯s support, her hair accessories were scattered and messed up, and she was panting heavily.


    The moment she saw her bloody and unconscious husband on Yu Xingzhi¡¯s back, her face paled and she almost fainted right then.


    But Yu Xingzhi leaned Cheng Shizhao against her and said, ¡°Protect Your Highness. My elder brother and father will be here in a moment.¡±


    Then, he ignored her calls and turned back around.


    Yang Qianxun¡¯s maid looked at the prince¡¯s bloody holes on his body which were seeping with blood. Her eyes rolled back and her legs weakened, fainting.


    Yang Qianxun fell on the ground, her lips trembling and her eyes brimming with tears. She wanted to cry, but she didn¡¯t dare. She wanted to call out, but she didn¡¯t dare.


    Cheng Shizhao leaned against her legs and lifted his bloody hand, saying in the usual bullying tone that he held towards her, ¡°Why¡­why are you crying? I¡¯m not dead yet. Wo¡­women are useless.¡±


    Yang Qianxun trembled as she ripped parts of her clothes and frantically bandaged Cheng Shizhao¡¯s injuries, trying to stop the blood before standing up.


    Cheng Shizhao watched as his wife who usually needed a maid to hold the umbrella for her actually carried him on her back, running ahead like her life depended on it.


    Yu Xingzhi returned to the battlefield to see his wife facing the enemies alone, her clothes drenched in blood.


    He picked up a weapon and exclaimed, ¡°Xiaoxiao, I¡¯m here!¡±


    Yu Xingzhi entered the battle and went back to back against Zhou Xiaoxiao; the two fought and defended together.


    The two¡¯s gazes met as they held their swords. It felt as though they were going to live and die together; they weren¡¯t scared anymore. They worked together and bathed the battlefield in blood.


    Finally when they were both exhausted and worn out, the backup Yu Xingyong brought was here.


    ¡­


    This year¡¯s winter in the capital felt unusually cold and icy.


    The huge case which was called ¡°overthrowing the throne¡± had implicated various people.


    Every day on the east street, there were dozens of people waiting in line to be beheaded. The blood solidified and covered the entire street.


    The Champion Marquis, Yu Xingzhi, went to court and said, ¡°The offenses were created by Shijiu and Bingren. They should be killed, but if other people are implicated in this matter, it would bring panic to the people.¡±


    Thus, the emperor spared the world, only killing Shijiu and Bingren who were the main culprits.


    The officials stated, ¡°Shijiu has a malicious personality and wants to seize the throne. Even more, he hadn¡¯t had any contributions to the world. However, Prince Yan has contributed greatly and thus, caused the Crown Prince to be envious and wanting to get rid of him. Now that he is dead, Your Majesty should confer Prince Yan the title as the Crown Prince for he had accumulated merit and virtue as well as leading the world to peace. He can be trusted with the affairs of the country and it is the country¡¯s fortune to have him as the Crown Prince.¡±

 Chapter 149 - Dying by a Woman’s Hand (3)

    ¡°Good! The words are exactly mine.¡±


    Prince Yan, Cheng Shizhao, was conferred the title of the Crown Prince. Shizhao was entrusted with the country¡¯s responsibilities.


    No matter how cold the winter was, it¡¯d pass one day.


    In the blink of an eye, the ice had melted.


    The rain of blood had melted and seeped into the deepness of the ground.


    Gradually, it was forgotten by the people.


    Spring had come and peach blossoms bloomed.


    The capital recovered its prosperity and livelines.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was idly being her marchioness in the residence. She lived every day shamelessly and extravagantly.


    Besides making snacks, practicing martial arts, she was pondering over getting entertainment at night in a world without technology.


    This day, Yu Xingzhi returned to the residence to see Zhou Xiaoxiao lying on the stone table drawing peach blossoms with bottles and cans by her side.


    ¡°Why is madam in the mood to use writing brushes to sketch today?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao held the inked writing brush and was about to draw when she was distracted by Yu Xingzhi. The pinkish color on the brush landed on the paper and made a pink blotch.


    ¡°I failed again. It¡¯s too easy to permeate the writing paper. It¡¯s hard for me to control the moisture content needed.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao sighed.


    ¡°What does the madam used to draw on? Let me see if there¡¯s something that can replace it.¡± Yu Xingzhi asked.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at him and bit the tip of the brush. Her eyes brightened and she said in his ears, ¡°I especially like one method. It¡¯s basically when I draw on the person. But who¡¯s here to let me draw on them right now?¡±


    Yu Xingzhi caught her hands and stopped her from stirring him. ¡°Xiaoxiao, you¡¯re trying to coax me into having fun with you again.¡±


    The two were playing around when Juan Zi came in to report, ¡°Madam, Military Officer Wang, Wang Xun, came from Feng Xiang. He is here to deliver an invitation and is waiting outside the door right now.¡±


    ¡°Senior brother? Why is he here?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao was shocked. ¡°Quickly let him in.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao received Wang Xun in the front hall.


    She found it strange. After all, there were barely any people who knew she transmigrated to another body. Strangers all thought that the original Zhou Xiaoxiao died of sickness and that Yu Xingzhi remarried a woman with the same name as her.


    Of course, her master and master¡¯s wife knew the inside story. However, they were received back to the residence already. They most likely hadn¡¯t written a letter to tell Wang Xun who was in Feng Xiang.


    Yet, seeing Wang Xun¡¯s incredulous and confused expression, it was clear that he knew the inside story.


    Besides second brother and second sister-in-law, there was actually one other person who knew this in Feng Xiang.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao thought about it before smiling. ¡°Why is senior brother looking at me like this? I haven¡¯t seen you in a while, so it¡¯s about time I ask senior brother to give me some pointers for my marksmanship and see if I have improved all these years.¡±


    Without another word, Wang Xun stood up.


    The two went to the yard and after competing, Wang Xun was defeated.


    He painted before tossing his gun and admitting defeat. ¡°You¡­you are indeed junior sister.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxia smiled and helped him up. ¡°Senior brother, you let me win.¡±


    The two arranged their clothes before sitting across from each other on the table in the yard. Yu Xingzhi stayed with her.


    While Zhou Xiaoxiao poured tea for Wang Xun, she smiled and listened to him talk about their acquaintances¡¯ recent developments in Feng Xiang.


    Yu Xingzhi smiled and greeted the guest, but Zhou Xiaoxiao could tell from his proper expression that he was a bit uncomfortable.


    ¡°Why did senior brother come to the capital? Is there something you need my help in?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao lifted the teapot and poured tea while secretly shifting her feet to lightly tease between Yu Xingzhi¡¯s legs.


    Yu Xingzhi¡¯s face flushed and as though scared that Zhou Xiaoxiao might continue to tease him, he felt as though he was sitting on pins and needles. He lost the mood to be jealous of Wang Xun.


    ¡°I came here for Lady Yu¡¯er from my senior sister¡¯s store.¡± After a while, Wang Xun awkwardly stated his purpose. ¡°Yu¡¯er said that if I want to marry her, I need to ask my senior sister and the marquis.¡±


    ¡°Yu¡¯er?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao and Yu Xingzhi looked at each other.

 Chapter 150 - Don’t Go (1)

    Ever since Gongsun Yu went to Feng Xiang, Zhou Xiaoxiao hadn¡¯t seen her.


    However, the two had connected by letters. Zhou Xiaoxiao would receive Gongsun Yu¡¯s personally embroidered gift from time to time.


    On these thoughtful products, there would always be a yulan magnolia embroidered on it and a lively and realistic cuckoo perched on the branches.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao extremely adored her determined and unyielding friend. She always hoped that she could walk out of her gloomy and dark part of her life, finding her actual happiness.


    ¡°Senior brother wants to marry Yu¡¯er?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao snapped out of her trance and asked seriously, ¡°Do you know about Yu¡¯er¡¯s past?¡±


    ¡°Sigh. That¡¯s nothing in Feng Xiang.¡± Wang Xun said, ¡°There are some widows whose husbands died on the frontline and remarried others, bringing along their kids too. Those are normal. Not to mention Yu¡¯er just followed the wrong guy.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, I wouldn¡¯t even get a chance with her.¡± Wang Xun touched his head, embarrassed to say, ¡°Junior brother, Yu¡¯er doesn¡¯t really talk to me. Please help put in a few words for me. She only listens to you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t wish this. I need to at least ask Yu¡¯er¡¯s opinion first.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said properly.


    Gongsun Yu was from an aristocratic family. However, Zhou Xiaoxiao understood her. She didn¡¯t like really polite and proper scholars, but rather mainly and forthright men like Wang Xun.


    Since Wang Xun knew about Gongsun Yu¡¯s background, the latter must have some feelings for him too, thus not wanting to hide it from him.


    Wang Xun took out a golden bracelet from his sleeves and held it in front of Zhou Xiaoxiao with a red face. ¡°Junior sister, I was at Feng Xiang when you held your wedding. I wasn¡¯t able to come on time to witness your wedding. This is senior brother¡¯s compensation to you. Please help me. I promise to be good to Yu¡¯er forever. After marriage, I will give her all my money and let her handle it.¡±


    Yu Xingzhi was happy. ¡°Senior brother, don¡¯t worry. This brother will help you.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao received Gongsun Yu and personally sent her off from the residence.


    Right now, the Champion Marquis¡¯ residence was at the peak of its power. Everyone knew that Yu Xingzhi was the closest person to the Crown Prince.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t specially broadcast the wedding, but because she didn¡¯t hide it either, many madams and young misses came over to congratulate and bring gifts.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t reject the gifts, adding it to Gongsun Yu¡¯s dowry.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s mother-in-law, Madam Guo, loved face and came over. She scolded Zhou Xiaoxiao but left a box of pearls before leaving.


    Gongsun Yu¡¯s father, Gongsun Zhen, came looking for them in a fierce manner.


    Yu Xingzhi received him in the front hall.


    Gongsun Zhen was just entering the hall. However, he watched as the polite junior was sitting on the master seat, looking at him indifferently. Even more, he didn¡¯t even stand up to welcome him.


    This new dazzling nova on court sat there still, wearing the authority that was sharpened by expeditions on the battlefield.


    Gongsun Zhen felt that he lacked the imposing manner when standing next to him.


    He thought of how the Crown Prince relied and was close to this military marquis, and then the bunch of useless juniors at home.


    Gongsun Zhen couldn¡¯t help but bow.


    In the end, he left gloomily, leaving his daughter to his cousin¡¯s family¡¯s elder brother to send her off.


    The night before Gongsun Yu got married, Zhou Xiaoxiao met Gongsun Yu¡¯s mother.


    This madam came to look for her in secret and took out some banknotes and deeds for lands from her sleeves. Her eyes were brimming with tears and she endlessly requested Zhou Xiaoxiao to take care of Gongsun Yu. With one hand, she covered the side of her face with her handkerchief the entire time.


    However, Zhou Xiaoxiao still saw a clear finger mark on her face.

 Chapter 151 - Don’t Go (2)

    Half of her face was swollen from the slap. No matter what, she shouldn¡¯t have left the residence to visit someone. However, for her daughter who was about to get married, she endured her shame and brought her entire secret stash of money to leave in the middle of the night and secretly come to find Zhou Xiaoxiao. It was so she could give her daughter some dowry.


    What a useless and pitiful woman. Zhou Xiaoxiao softly sighed in her heart.


    Her husband must be the culprit behind the slap on her face. That Gongsun Zhen didn¡¯t dare to do anything in the residence, but he took out his anger on his weak wife.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly understood why Gongsun Yu had high expectations for her spouse.


    If I came from a family like this, I probably wouldn¡¯t like a scholar that appeared to be proper and polite only on the surface either.


    The second morning, Zhou Xiaoxiao personally applied makeup for Gongsun Yu.


    ¡°I hate to marry a beautiful woman like you off.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao pinched Gongsun Yu¡¯s face. While applying makeup, she shook her head and sighed.


    Gongsun Yu lifted her face and sat in front of her. Hearing this, her thick eyelashes slightly trembled and her tears fell down her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re going to ruin your makeup.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao frantically wiped her tears. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. You¡¯ll live a good life after you get married. If senior brother dares to bully you, just tell me. He¡¯s not my match anymore. I can casually beat him down.¡±


    Gongsun Yu snorted and held Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone bully me. I¡¯ll definitely live a good life.¡±


    She wore a smile on her tear-filled face; she looked beautiful as if she was reborn.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao was very glad that she had intervened back then and protected Gongsun Yu under her wings, helping her survive the mad and difficult time period.


    Clamors filled the streets and chests of dowry were lined up on the next few streets.


    The noisy and bustling procession headed out of the capital.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao sent Gongsun Yu a few kilometers out of the city before saying goodbye and heading back to the capital.


    During the journey, they passed by the riverside.


    Thinking of the extremely terrifying experience of how she fell into the river, Zhou Xiaoxiao sighed with feelings and couldn¡¯t help but stop.


    The Yellow River was like a huge dragon resting on the earth.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao stood by the shore and glanced at the river water. Suddenly, she thought of something and took off the dragon scale on her neck.


    A strange light flickered on the surface of the dragon scale and there was immediately a cyan-colored crack on the surface of the water. The crack was like a vertical eye and it gradually widened just enough for a person to pass through.


    Through the cyan-colored light, Zhou Xiaoxiao vaguely saw her family¡¯s living room. It seemed to be late at night there. The light in front of the living room¡¯s door was lit and emitted a warm glow.


    Her mother was used to leaving the light on for her whenever she wasn¡¯t home.


    Mother is waiting for me to come home.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s heart felt bitter.


    She couldn¡¯t help but reach towards the world.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao!¡±


    She felt someone calling her.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao looked back. Yu Xingzhi was not far from her, hurriedly getting off his horse and rushing over.


    He did so hastily which led him to almost trip and fall.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao.¡± Yu Xingzhi was running rapidly. ¡°Don¡¯t go. Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t leave.¡± He wore a pale face and reached for her with trembling hands. In a careful tone, he said, ¡°Please, please don¡¯t go.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s heart felt bitter for a moment before it ached. While holding onto Yu Xingzhi¡¯s cold fingertips, she looked over at the warm light.


    She sunk into a difficult situation.


    She couldn¡¯t help but tighten her grip on the dragon scale; the edge of it had slashed her palm. The red blood dyed the dragon scale¡¯s light and it dripped into the river.


    A cold light rose from the surface of the river and immediately drowned the two people holding their hands tightly.


    ¡­


    Speaking of, they were back in the modern world.

 Chapter 152 - The End

    Ever since Zhou Xiaoxiao disappeared at the scene of the fire, they couldn¡¯t find her body whether alive or dead.


    Her friends and family were incredibly worried. Who knew that she came back in good shape within a day. Even more, she brought back her boyfriend who she had been trying to hide the entire time. He met her parents.


    Today, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s besties received her message all in unison.


    Let¡¯s meet up at 8pm at our usual place. I¡¯m officially bringing my boyfriend with me today to see my family members! Act proper and don¡¯t scare him.


    At night, Ruan Xinran, Chu Yunyun, Lin Zhihua, and the other arrived at the cat cafe that they usually met up at. While eating snacks, they waited for Zhou Xiaoxiao.


    ¡°Have any of you guys seen Xiaoxiao¡¯s new man? I heard he¡¯s extremely handsome.¡± Chu Yunyun started to gossip.


    Ruan Xinran snorted. ¡°When aren¡¯t Xiaoxiao¡¯s boyfriends handsome? She is attracted to good looks. What a pity that besides looking good, her boyfriends are useless. Hopefully, she has a better taste this time.¡±


    ¡°I think that Official Chen is pretty good. Since she vanished at the scene of fire last time, I think that he was really anxious over her. He hadn¡¯t rested the entire night and was crazily looking for Xiaoxiao.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Official Chen is like an adonis, yet she doesn¡¯t even give him face. I wonder if there¡¯s something wrong with her brain.¡± While talking, Chu Yunyun ate a french fry.


    However, she watched as Ruan Xinran and the other suddenly widened their mouths and revealed a foolish expression.


    ¡°What are you guys doing? Did you see a ghost?¡± While talking, she turned around to look only to see Zhou Xiaoxiao smiling and standing by the door, linking hands with a man.


    From Chu Yunyun¡¯s perspective, the man¡¯s face was blocked by the plants, so she could only see him wearing a white shirt and his arms.


    The arm was slender and powerful. His skin was smooth like jade.


    The man seemed to be slightly shy. Zhou Xiaoxiao gently pulled him before he walked in.


    He revealed a god-like face.


    He opened his mouth to say, ¡°I¡¯m Yu Xingzhi. Pleasure meeting you guys.¡±


    His voice was magnetic and attractive, warm and gentle.


    All the women present quietened down.


    The french fry in Chu Yunyun¡¯s mouth fell on the ground.


    ¡°Ah. They¡¯re really not on the same level. No wonder Xiaoxiao doesn¡¯t talk to Senior Chen.¡± Chu Yunyun thought.


    ¡­


    Two months later, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s parents hosted an extravagant wedding for their daughter and son-in-law.


    In the middle of the banquet, Zhou Xiaoxiao went to the dressing room to change.


    Wearing an unhappy expression, she complained to her bridesmaid, Chu Yunyun, ¡°On other people¡¯s wedding, the audience is all stunned by how breathtaking the bride is. How come everyone falls to the groom¡¯s feet during my wedding instead?¡±


    Chu Yunyun said in her ears, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t have stage fright. I¡¯m here. I prepared a huge surprise for you in your honeymoon room in the hotel. I¡¯ll make sure your husband will submit to you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao asked excitedly.


    The wedding reception ended and the newly married couple arrived at the honeymoon room in the hotel.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao hummed a song while she showered in the bathroom.


    Yu Xingzhi glanced at the big bed scattered with rose beatles and the box of strange ¡°tools¡± on there, confused.


    He picked up one of them and pressed on the power switch. That item even started moving. It scared him and he hurriedly switched it off.


    This world was too magical. There were too many things that he didn¡¯t know and things that he slowly needed to familiarize himself with.


    Thankfully, Xiaoxiao was here and she would teach me. He didn¡¯t need to worry, he thought.


    Zhou Xiaoxiao wore her robe out to see the ¡°huge gift¡± Chu Yunyun left on the bed. She revealed a strange expression.


    Yu Xingzhi asked, ¡°Xiaoxiao, what are these?¡±


    Zhou Xiaoxiao coughed. ¡°My best friend sent us the wedding gift.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s thoughtful. Thank her for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our custom here to use the items during our wedding night. Uh, on the groom.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­then let¡¯s try it out?¡±