Si Snake returned to the camp. The battle was already over.
The Chief of the Escort was counting casualties while calling for the brothers to assist in treating the wounded.
Eight Miaojiang guards would not be returning, and Bai Qingchen’s mood was sowhat downcast.
Si Snake glanced at the chaos at the scene but said nothing.
Bai Qingchen said, "Xiao Kang is also dead, your favorite young guard."
"Hmm."
Si Snake responded with a grunt.
"You... aren’t sad?"
Bai Qingchen was a little surprised.
Along the way, although Si Snake was always aloof and unemotional, he was soone easy to get along with.
Xiao Kang was a young guard, stepping outside of Miaojiang for the first ti. Playful by nature, he often hovered around Si Snake, who would occasionally give him tips on martial arts.
Bai Qingchen could tell that Si Snake was quite pleased with this young man.
"There’s nothing to be sad about."
Si Snake said calmly.
Bai Qingchen fell silent.
On the surface, Chen Long and Si Snake were of the sa kind, and Chen Long even seed colder and more heartless, but Chen Long’s heart burned with warmth.
Si Snake, true to his na, had blood as cold as ice.
"Their casualties are even heavier."
Bai Qingchen stopped talking about personal matters and shifted the conversation back to the assassination.
Si Snake scanned the disordered corpses strewn around: "Hmm."
"There’s sothing strange," Bai Qingchen said, "Originally, we could have avoided casualties on our side by using Gu, but strangely enough, the Gu worms had no effect on them, as if they had taken so kind of antidote to Gu poison."
Si Snake asked, "Where can one buy such dicine?"
Bai Qingchen whispered, "Miaojiang."
Si Snake said, "Looks like there’s a traitor in Miaojiang."
Bai Qingchen was reluctant to believe it but had no rebuttal: "Is Xun Liu dead?"
Si Snake replied, "I don’t know. I didn’t catch him, but even if he’s alive, he probably won’t be coming back."
"Why?"
Bai Qingchen asked.
Si Snake said, "The new Twelve Guards have appeared."
Bai Qingchen frowned, "Who? Are they powerful?"
Si Snake nodded, "Mao Tu. A very tricky opponent. Be careful; she specializes in Charm Techniques. If you encounter a strange woman, do not look her in the eyes."
Bai Qingchen imdiately took his warning to heart: "I’ll make sure to inform everyone to be cautious."
Thinking of sothing, Bai Qingchen added, "Also, another group arrived earlier. Although they were masked, they each carried Brocade Spring Sabers, likely Jinyi Guards. After arriving, they ordered the retrieval of whole bodies and that coffins must not be damaged."
Si Snake: "Whole bodies?"
Bai Qingchen said, "That’s what they said. I suspect Lu Yuan has already been exposed in the Capital City. The Pri Minister knows that the person in the coffin is Luo San; they want soone alive."
It had to be said, Bai Qingchen was exceptionally clever.
Setting aside his identity, what Si Snake valued more was Bai Qingchen’s potential.
"Should we still send Luo San to Miaojiang?"
Bai Qingchen asked.
Si Snake replied solemnly, "Yes. The real contest is just beginning."
Luo San’s mission was not to impersonate Lu Yuan to deceive the Pri Minister but to et the Miaojiang Goddess.
Lu Yuan and Little Yin Hu had a ssage for Luo San to deliver to the Miaojiang Goddess.
"Mao Tu is a troubleso person. Her martial arts aren’t the greatest, but she has an endless array of unconventional tricks. From now on, heighten our vigilance."
Bai Qingchen nodded seriously, his expression grave.
-
After a heavy snowfall, the Capital City plunged into winter.
"This winter has co earlier than usual."
Nanny Li added a few pieces of high-quality red charcoal to the brazier.
Nanny Wan carried in a large bucket of charcoal: "Not that early; it’s already the Winter Month."
"Ti flies so quickly." Nanny Li assisted her, sighing, "In the blink of an eye, it’s been half a year since we joined the household."
"Isn’t that true? You saying it makes realize I thought it had just been half a month. Here, let help you—don’t dirty your hands; you’re making clothes for the young mistress."
Nanny Wan turned her back, shielding Nanny Li, and placed the bucket under the rack herself. She also positioned the fire tongs on top for convenience when refueling later.
Tan’er lay on the soft couch, one leg crossed lazily, munching on candied hawthorn skewers as she said matter-of-factly, "Because it doesn’t feel like spending an eternity at the Lu Family!"
Bai Yuwei, seated at the writing desk practicing calligraphy, glared at her: "You do know plenty! Get over here and practice. No slacking!"
Bai Yuwei had originally been studying in her own courtyard, but after her courtyard was struck by lightning, she moved to Tinglan Garden.
After squeezing in one night with Tan’er, she then moved to the main residence.
ng Qianqian was delighted, finding it convenient not to have to shuttle between two places, so she decided to teach the two together.
Tan’er rolled her eyes up dramatically, "I already finished!"
Bai Yuwei retorted, "I don’t believe you!"
Tan’er pulled out two crumpled pieces of paper from behind her and stretched them forward: "Here!"
Bai Yuwei called out, "Ah Man."
Ah Man walked to Tan’er and took the papers she had written on.
Bai Yuwei unfolded them and was instantly dumbfounded: "What... what is this?"
Tan’er: "Writing!"
Bai Yuwei stared at her, exasperated: "This? This is writing? This looks like ghost scribbles! Even Bao Shu writes better than you!"
Tan’er pouted: "How is that possible?"
Ban Xia lifted the curtain, and ng Qianqian, dressed in a soft and warm fur coat, entered the room.
Bao Shu was nestled warmly in her arms.
She smiled and asked, "What’s all the commotion about?"
Bai Yuwei imdiately held up Tan’er’s work and cried out, "Sister-in-law, look at what she’s been practicing!"
ng Qianqian took the crumpled papers, glanced at them, and sighed helplessly, "Tan’er."
Tan’er sat up, arms crossed, face turned away: "Fine, fine, I’ll write seriously next ti!"
Bao Shu furrowed her little brows sternly: "Tan’er, not good."
Tan’er huffed, "If I weren’t good, why do I keep getting punished to reflect on my actions?"
Bao Shu: "Not today."
From the next room ca Liu Qingyun’s thunderous roar: "Ahhh! Who buried poop in my powder box?!!"
Bao Shu’s pudgy little body trembled.
No scooping poop, no wiping butts—now even burying it wasn’t allowed?
Treasure Piggy once again dragged the little wolf cub into a corner to reflect on their misdeeds.
After all, the culprit was their poop.
ng Qianqian couldn’t help but exclaim: "From whom did you learn this?"
Facing the wall, Bao Shu turned around and pointed at a tabby cat digging a hole under a tree: "Tabby Little Brother."
ng Qianqian: "..."
Qing Shuang appeared: "Young Madam, the Grand Commander requests your presence in the study."
"Alright."
ng Qianqian placed a tiger-head hat on Bao Shu, pinched her cheeks, and headed to the study.
On the windowsill perched a carrier pigeon, and Lu Yuan sat by the window, reading a note it had delivered.
Upon seeing her enter, Lu Yuan handed her the note: "A pigeon post from Bai Qingchen—The fourth of the Pri Minister’s Twelve Guards is Mao Tu."
ng Qianqian was surprised: "It’s her? Hiss—"
Lu Yuan noticed her suddenly clutching her head in pain and quickly asked, "Are you alright?"
ng Qianqian softly replied, "It’s nothing. Sotis when I think too hard, this happens."
Whenever she desperately tried to recall past life mories, she would experience splitting headaches—the more intense the pain, the more she would rember.
Lu Yuan frowned: "Then don’t think about it. I’ll ask Chen Long."
ng Qianqian said, "He’s been missing for days; how will you find him? I know about Mao Tu."
A trace of suspicion flashed in Lu Yuan’s eyes: "You’re sure you’re okay?"
"I’m fine."
ng Qianqian leaned closer to him, "If you don’t believe , feel for yourself."
Lu Yuan’s throat bobbed: "...Feel?"
"Yes." ng Qianqian nodded. Standing while he sat, she leaned slightly to et his gaze directly. "Feel for yourself, and you’ll know if there’s anything wrong."
Then Lu Yuan’s hand landed on her soft chest.
ng Qianqian’s expression darkened: "I ant, feel my forehead."
Lu Yuan, completely embarrassed: "..."
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