"I want Qin Guang and the two Yama Kings of the Wheel of Reincarnation. If you can bring these two out, I will have nothing to say."
The Ten Kings of Hell in the Imperial City are directly under the City Lord's command. Apart from the City Lord, it would be very difficult for anyone else to even see them, let alone invite them out.
"They've already gone."
Turning around, he stood by the stairs, having changed his clothes. His red brocade robe, embroidered with gold dragons, made his pale face appear almost radiant and alluring.
"Qionghua, find Xiangrui to go to the Yeting Prefecture with you and bring back the people I need, especially the spies Tianchen planted. Not one of them can be missing." He said as he walked over, put a hand on my shoulder and lowered his head, "May I borrow your Phoenix Token, my wife?"
You never seem to see any panic or tension in this person. He should be as calm and serene as a painting by an ink brush, but perhaps with just a turn of your head, he will bloom leisurely, displaying the most beautiful flowers and fruits while hiding sharp thorns.
"Jinse, tell everyone who stayed in Tianchi City to return within seven days."
Qionghua took the Phoenix Token and went with Xiao Jinse without delay.
"You just gave it to him like that?"
"He wouldn't and wouldn't dare to betray me."
Hearing that made me uncomfortable. "Yeah, you believe everyone but me."
I felt a weight on my shoulder, but without looking up, I knew that seeing his expression would kill my arrogance.
"A-Yue, bring Li Yu over here."
Who just promised me that I wouldn't have to worry about anything until I recovered?
"It's okay, I'll just ask him a few questions." He said, sitting down next to me and habitually pinching the bridge of his nose.
I squinted at him suspiciously. You're amazing. Even when you're clinging to me like this, you still managed to find the Ten Kings of Hell to discuss a solution. Just keep your busy life, I'm not going to bother with you anymore!
Feeling angry and a bit hungry, I picked up some sunflower seeds from the table to crack them open, but before I could even lick the shells, a hand grabbed my hand.
"How can you eat this kind of thing now?" Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Aqing, go to the kitchen and get some snacks. They need to be nutritious."
I watched helplessly as he confiscated a plate of sunflower seeds and also took away all the snacks on the table. He wouldn't even give me tea, only a glass of water.
"I still dislike you more than I thought."
He was fiddling with my hand with his eyes down, and after a long while he slowly sighed before raising his head.
"Lian'er, I don't need to teach you the principle that trouble comes from the mouth..." He laughed halfway through his sentence, "Never mind, you're hopeless. You've never learned your lesson in all these years."
I snorted and pulled my hand away. "Then go teach someone who has a bad memory a lesson. Who's stopping you?"
He looked at me and smiled gently, a smile that was pale and lingering, like a wisp of soft smoke formed from condensed clouds.
“I don’t have that much time to rest, they won’t give it to me. Lian’er, do you know how afraid I am of losing you? I just want you to have all the best things in this world…”
"I know."
Besides, I've already obtained it.
Chapter 122
Anyone who tolerates Li Yu is doomed. If I hadn't stopped him from continuing, he might have made up some cheesy story, saying that his mother only had time to teach him lightness skills, and that the prime minister's daughter wouldn't know any martial arts. It's just that his father only taught him lightness skills and didn't allow him to learn anything else.
Ah Yue was always gentle, but she showed no mercy to Li Yu.
"Do you have a grudge against him?" Seeing Li Yu being pushed and falling in by him, it's not unreasonable to think that way.
"He looks like a little white rabbit, but he has the ambition of a wolf."
This kid tried so hard to drag me down with him back then, but he failed. I never thought he would fall for Xiao Lianjue's trick in the end.
"How so?"
"Li Mu didn't even bring his command seal with him. This father and son put on a great show, fooling so many people into thinking they were really in dire straits."
So, he deliberately let me escape just to lure out his son! I opened my mouth, wishing I could conjure up a tiny person, stick Li Mu's name on it, and stab him to death!
"Of course, this kid isn't entirely loyal to his father either," the person next to me said, casually stuffing a piece of osmanthus cake into my mouth. "If Li Mu gets into trouble, he'll definitely be the first to switch sides."
Yeah, you're the same, kicking someone when they're down.
"Isn't that good? I can provide you with information about him anytime."
Give me a reason why I can trust you.
Li Yu raised her delicate face, a flirtatious glint in her eyes.
“Your first weakness, Nangong Ling, is that you are too suspicious. As for the second one…” He glanced at me as he spoke, “I don’t need to explain it; anyone with eyes can see it.”
With that look in her eyes, she made me seem like a burden.
"...You're definitely not a likable child. No wonder your father doesn't want you."
Before he finished speaking, his expression changed.
"Don't talk about me, aren't you the same? Phoenix Girl, you're destined for wealth and glory, but it's hard to find a true heart. Anyway, everyone is only thinking about how to scheme against you."
That's really... you're just trying to make me laugh.
"Why do you talk like that lousy fortune teller?"
He paused, then finally managed to squeeze out, "What?"
"Kids are kids, believing things like that. What does that say? Are they trying to make me look bad, or are they trying to sow discord between us?"
"I'm just telling the truth about what happened here while you were away..."
A crisp "clink" cut off Li Yu's next words. A Qing was holding half of a gold ring lock in her hand, while the other half fell onto Li Yu's leg and landed at his feet.
I squinted and half-raised my head; the osmanthus cake was quite dry and a little hard to swallow.
"You're too hasty to let me know what happened, Aqing." After taking a sip of tea, she glanced sideways at the person who had remained silent. "Did you test everyone like this, or was it just me?"
"Young Marquis, do you want to be a meritorious official or a sinner?" He didn't answer me, but easily changed the subject with a light laugh.
"Hmph, what difference is there between a hero and a villain?" A glint of malice appeared in those clear eyes. "No matter who wins this game, they will never tolerate me in the end. Rather than waiting to die, I might as well strike first."
"So how much of an advantage did you gain?"
It was probably Nangong Ling's indifferent attitude that provoked him. He kicked aside the gold ring at his feet and tried to walk over, but was acupunctured by a drop of tea that had just splashed out.
Neither A-Yue nor A-Qing moved, and there was no tea on hand, so it couldn't have been them.
Li Yu glared fiercely at the person next to me, "It's all because of you! Your interference is tantamount to sentencing me to death!"
"That's because you were too eager for quick success." Nangong Ling's eyes gradually changed, becoming dark and sharp as poison. "Jun Guan of the Tianjue Sect, Sect Leader Jun, don't tell me you don't recognize him."
Before Li Yu could react, I was stunned. How did we suddenly jump to the Tianjue Sect?
"You...you mean..."
"It's all your fault for choosing the wrong person; he used the wrong methods. Wanting to annex the Nangong and Feng families and become the city lord—his actions are too ambitious, and his appetite too large. But that alone wouldn't warrant me arresting the people behind him. Yet you all, without any sense of right or wrong, chose to kidnap Rong Lian." He chuckled slowly, his voice soft and gentle like smoke, yet tinged with a chilling, bloodthirsty aura. "Since you know my weaknesses, you should also know what I hate most. You've all seen Rong Zhi's fate."
When did you find out?
"It's earlier than you think."
Li Yu gritted her teeth, "How is that possible!"
"Oh, I have to thank my Eleventh Sister for facilitating this fleeting romance. The courtesan of Xihong Garden and the young marquis are quite close, aren't they?"
A single sentence, however, was like a thunderclap in spring, shattering the peach blossoms and leaving only ashen whiteness and despair.
“Even she lied to me…” he murmured softly, his voice choked with sobs.
"Anyway, you have no will to live, so it doesn't matter whether you are sentenced to death or not."
I told you long ago, Nangong Ling is petty and vengeful. Don't offend him, no matter who you are. Once he sets his sights on you, you'll never get rid of him.
"Ah Yue, escort the young marquis back to the capital."
After saying that, he got up and took the half-piece of osmanthus cake from my hand, saying, "If you eat so much, you won't be able to eat lunch later."
"Tsk, I haven't finished eating yet... You're so annoying, Xiao Lianjue can eat whatever he wants there..."
Halfway through the play, someone suddenly took the snack from my hand. Actually, it's because of my tendency to speak without thinking; I accidentally reveal my true feelings.
"Say it again, I didn't hear you clearly."
He squinted and smiled slightly, and a chill ran down my spine, instantly sobering me up.
"W-what? Did I just say something?" He turned his eyes away, pretending not to notice. "Ah, it's already noon, let's eat."
"Aqing, have lunch here."
"Still... Hello!"
Before I could finish speaking, he had already vanished.
"You're having a good time in the Eastern Palace? Look at how you're reminiscing, it seems I worried about you for nothing."
"I'm just worried your daughter will go hungry. Do you think you can't stand to see me doing well and only want to be tortured and imprisoned to be satisfied?"
"Torture and imprisonment." He repeated, reaching out to smooth the stray hairs from my forehead. "Anyone who dares to do this will know what it means to wish they were dead."
I was stunned; I hadn't expected him to take it seriously.
"So Lian'er, don't give others this opportunity."
My momentary carelessness disrupted his plans. This time, he didn't yell at me at all, probably because he wasn't as anxious as he used to be.
"Yes, I will be good."
Perhaps because he had never heard me say such things before, it took him a long time to realize what I meant.
He laughed, his laughter spreading like a radiant spring breeze. The kiss that landed on my forehead was as light as willow catkins, tender as the gentlest touch, and as devout as the warm glow of a rosy sunset.