Le charme d'une femme puissante se répand à travers le monde

Chapitre 134

"Boss!" I shouted. So what if he ate and dashed? I have plenty of ways to deal with that.

"What's up, young man?" The middle-aged man ran over again, kneading his floury hands.

Oh, poor guy, he's about to dine and dash! I looked at him with a bit of sympathy and said softly, "My older brother doesn't like steamed buns, could we exchange this basket of steamed buns for four flatbreads?"

The middle-aged man glanced at the steamed buns and quickly said, "Okay."

After saying that, he took the two baskets of steamed buns back, and a little while later he brought over four large flatbreads.

I glanced at the flatbread and quickly said, "Oh dear, there are scallions in the flatbread. My brother doesn't eat scallions. Could you please replace it with four steamed buns?"

Without saying a word, the middle-aged man took four flatbreads and then brought over four steamed buns.

I stared at the steamed bun, pondered for a moment, and then said with a guilty look, "I'm so sorry, boss, the steamed bun is too dry. I suddenly want to eat noodles again, this..."

The middle-aged man glanced at me, then at the fox, and quickly replaced the steamed bun with noodles.

I smiled gratefully at the middle-aged man, then picked up my chopsticks and started eating. Only then did the man leave, reassured. As I ate my noodles, I gestured for the fox to eat too. He looked at me suspiciously, then copied me and started eating. I ignored him, burying my head in my food until I finished the soup. Then, patting my round belly, I looked at the fox with satisfaction. He had also finished his noodles, his peach-blossom eyes smiling at me, but his face held a "what do I do now?" expression.

I stood up, wiped my mouth, and patted the fox on the shoulder, saying, "Big brother, let's go."

Before we had taken two steps, the middle-aged man, kneading flour with his hands, blocked our way, looking at us with disbelief and saying, "Young men, you haven't paid your bill yet."

I blinked a few times and asked, "What bill?"

"The bill for the two bowls of noodles hasn't been paid!"

I blinked a few more times and said, "I traded these noodles for steamed buns, why should I pay?"

"But you didn't pay for the steamed buns either!"

"Boss, I traded the steamed buns for flatbread," I said matter-of-factly.

"You didn't pay for that pancake either!" the middle-aged man said, getting a little anxious.

I laughed and said, "I traded steamed buns for the flatbread."

The middle-aged man's face was already a little red, and he stammered, "But...but you didn't pay for the steamed buns either."

I quickly said loudly, "Boss, we didn't eat those buns at all, why are you asking us for money?"

The middle-aged man froze on the spot, and I immediately grabbed the fox and ran away. That damned fox, from beginning to end he's been watching my performance like a spectator, even needing me to remind him to run away. What kind of person is he, making me freeload off ordinary people? It's such a disgrace to me, the Empress of a nation, if word gets out! I'll have Night Wind send some silver back later; we can't exploit the people.

Panting heavily from dragging the fox along, I finally stopped, clutching my chest to catch my breath, only to see the person beside me looking completely calm and carefree, not even out of breath. Heavens are furious! Why can't I be reborn as a female knight-errant with unparalleled martial arts skills?

"Xi Lan!" I spotted a white figure from behind, slapped away the fox's outstretched hand that was trying to pat me on the back, and ran towards that figure.

“Qianqian…” The fox grabbed me a few steps away, her voice tinged with doubt.

As I struggled to break free, I pointed in the direction where the white figure disappeared and shouted, "Big brother, it's Xi Lan! It's Xi Lan! Hurry and chase after her!"

"Qianqian, he's in Yecang, the war isn't over yet." The fox put his arm around my waist, his voice tinged with helplessness.

Yes, Qinglin and Xilan are still in Yecang. The Longyao and Tianqing armies have already converged outside Yecang's imperial city, Yezhou City, and a major defeat for Yecang is imminent. Meanwhile, on Hanxing's side, Xiu Ruo's army has also approached Hanxing's imperial city, Hanzhou, and taking Hanxing is expected. As for Xiu Ruo, his uncle, the Crown Prince, is still imprisoned in the North Palace. Although the old man's health isn't good, he can still hold on for some time. The succession of the old man Yun is a foregone conclusion. Everything is developing as expected, or rather, as I hope. Only I myself still have a lingering concern I can't let go of.

Since the day Xilan left, I often dream of him. Sometimes I dream that he is seriously wounded on the battlefield and unconscious, and sometimes I dream that he sits on the dragon throne, with the Azure King smiling triumphantly beside him. Every time I dream of these things, I wake up in fright, then bury my face in the fox's arms and cry, feeling sorry for Xilan while being thankful that the fox is not angry about it.

Perhaps Xi Lan's efforts touched the fox to some extent, or made the fox feel grateful, which is why the fox repeatedly tolerated my behavior.

"But I clearly saw him just now, I can't be mistaken, brother." I can't be mistaken, it must be Xi Lan. I didn't just mistake a similar white silhouette for Xi Lan. Xi Lan's aura is something no one can imitate or replace. Although he should be on the front lines at this time, didn't Xi Lan rush over to my wedding last time? I thought I would never see Xi Lan again after that, and that he would never come to see me again, but deep down I still hoped that Xi Lan would appear before me again, dressed in flowing white robes, ethereal and otherworldly.

He didn't speak, but took my hand and led me in the direction I pointed, heading in the direction Xi Lan had disappeared. I quickly followed him, looking around for that familiar white figure.

"Big brother, I'm not mistaken, it really is Xi Lan, it really is Xi Lan! He clearly came this way, but why can't I find him?" Perhaps it was the fox pulling me, or perhaps it was me pulling the fox, but the two of us walked straight down this street to a dead end, without finding Xi Lan, or even seeing any white-clad figures appear. My heart felt heavy, unbearably heavy, and my voice trembled with the urge to cry.

I tried to inquire about Xi Lan afterward, but we never contacted each other. I tried writing to him, but those letters disappeared without a trace. Just when I stopped bothering him and only thought of him from afar, only knowing from a distance whether he was doing well, I suddenly ran into him again. Now that Xi Lan is in Longzhou, how could I not look for him, how could I not greet him in person, how could I not formally thank him? If possible, I would also like to have a meal with him, chat with him, like any long-awaited reunion between friends, although I know this is just wishful thinking.

"Qianqian, don't worry." He suddenly pulled me into his arms, ignoring the surprised looks from passersby, and patted my back gently, chuckling softly, "If he really comes to Longzhou but doesn't come to see you, then he must be here to see the Princess Consort Huang who is about to give birth."

I looked up abruptly, accidentally bumping my head on the fox's chin. I frowned, rubbing my head, and pondered the fox's words. It made perfect sense. The war at the front was still raging; Tianqing and Longyao's armies had just arrived in Ye Cang's imperial city, Yezhou. At such a critical juncture, for Xi Lanruo to come to Longzhou—if not for me—the only person in Longzhou who could have brought him here at this time, wouldn't it be the pregnant Princess Huang—his third elder sister, Tian Jinyu?

"Big brother is so clever." I looked at the fox with a big smile on my face, grabbed his hand and led him back towards the Prince Huang's mansion, sticking out my tongue as I said softly, "Big brother doesn't mind at all?"

"I mind." He answered crisply, leaving me speechless and my smile faltering. Looking into his mischievous, alluring eyes, I heard him smirk and lazily continue, "Speaking of which, it's been almost half a year since our wedding, hasn't it?"

I nodded, puzzled. It seemed like I'd been married to this stinky fox for almost half a year, which meant I could soon return to the court and "wield power." But what did it matter whether he minded or not? *Sweat*

He curled his lips into a smile, his peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze languid, his smile languid, and his voice languid as he said, "I heard that he is also a disciple of the divine physician Master Xuanqing."

"So what?" I still don't understand, why is that stinky fox interested in Xi Lan?

"I happen to have some things to ask him for advice on." He suddenly put one arm around my waist, broke free of my hand with the other, and gently stroked my stomach through my clothes, his eyes suddenly becoming deep.

After a ten-second brain freeze, I finally understood what he meant. I leaped into his arms and tried to pinch his waist, but he gently dodged me, caught my body as I lunged, turned around, and put his arm around me as we got into the carriage that had appeared out of nowhere.