"Okay, Jingxi, remember not to go to Huguo Temple that day, okay?" Yan Wan instructed worriedly.

"Don't worry, Wan'er, since that's the case, I won't go. It's not worth getting so seriously injured over a problem," Jing Xi said with a shrug.

"Good Jingxi, that's for the best. If I'm lucky enough to meet Zen Master Kongfan, I'll ask the question you want to ask for you," Yan Wan said with relief, seeing that Jingxi listened to her advice.

"What do you mean? Wan'er, it's so dangerous, you want to go to Huguo Temple? No, you shouldn't go either. I don't actually want to know the answer." Jing Xi said anxiously. What's wrong with Wan'er? She's rushing up in such danger, is she stupid?

“Jingxi, I know you dislike this world. You want to go back, I can see that. Besides, he will go too.” Yan Wan said sincerely. In fact, Yan Wan wanted to tell Jingxi the whole truth regardless of everything, because it was too painful and too powerless for her to know everything that happened in the book but not be able to change the course of events. But if she told Jingxi, wouldn’t that just drag an innocent person into pain?

"Ji Mohan?" Jing Xi thought of him almost immediately. Yan Wan cared about him a lot, which was obvious to anyone with eyes.

"Yes," Yan Wan readily admitted.

"Wan'er, are you crazy? I used to think you were just a little love-struck, but I never expected you to be this insane! Yan Wan, do you think you have to give up your life just because you like him? You are the most important person! Wan'er!" Jing Xi roared in exasperation. Yan Wan had truly gone mad; how could she go to such lengths for a man!

There are plenty of men out there. As long as she wants them, Jing Xi can find her a whole basketful of them, no matter what type they are. I really don't know what's so good about Ji Mohan that makes Wan'er go to such lengths!

Yan Wan stood up, turned her back to Jing Xi, closed her eyes and said, "Jing Xi, I won't be so foolish as to sacrifice my life unless it's absolutely necessary. Don't worry, Jing Xi, my mission is not yet complete, why would I be so despondent as to die?"

Yan Wan's ethereal and soft voice drifted over, and Jing Xi looked at her back and said, "Mission? What mission? Who gave you a mission? Wan'er, he's just a man. You can get as much or as little as you want, whatever you want."

Yan Wan composed herself, turned around, smiled, and took Jing Xi's hand, saying, "This is the mission I've given myself, Jing Xi. Don't worry, my mission is to make Yan Ji Hotpot bigger and stronger."

Looking at the quirky and clever Yan Wan in front of her, Jing Xi finally felt relieved. She was genuinely worried that Yan Wan might do something rash. If she were to act like she was going to die for a man, she would definitely lock her up and bring her to her senses. Fortunately, Yan Wan wasn't that stupid.

“Wan’er, it’s good that you understand. As for the Huguo Temple…” Jing Xi asked tentatively.

"I'm not going," Yan Wan readily agreed.

Yan Wan's face was completely sincere. Jing Xi stared at her for a long time but couldn't see anything unusual, so she finally felt relieved.

"Jingxi, since there's nothing else, I'll head back to the manor now!" Yan Wan said casually, bidding farewell to Jingxi.

"Okay, be careful on the road," Jing Xi said.

Yan Wan pushed open the door and left, walking out of the hot pot restaurant. She glanced up at the window of the private room where Jing Xi was.

I'm sorry, Jingxi, some things can't be avoided. My mission is to protect everyone in the Yan family from harm, to ensure Ji Mohan lives a long and healthy life, and to allow you, Jingxi, to live a carefree life without being confined to the palace.

After Yan Wan turned around, got into the carriage, and left, Jing Xi appeared at the window, watching Yan Wan's carriage slowly depart, and finally sighed.

She knew that Yan Wan would definitely go to Huguo Temple.

Yan Wan also knew that Jing Xi knew she was lying.

The two women knew the truth but didn't say it aloud. Everyone has secrets. Jingxi knew that Yan Wan had been keeping her secret because when Yan Wan looked at her, she always showed regret and heartache. Sometimes, when Yan Wan looked at lively scenes, her eyes were empty, and a kind of helpless pain lingered around her. Jingxi wasn't stupid; she could see it.

I wonder what secret Yan Wan is keeping that could make the usually optimistic Yan Wan, like a little sun, show such a vulnerable expression, as if everything in front of her is just a mirage, something that would shatter at the slightest touch.

Yan Wan remembered there was a blacksmith shop in the alley in the east of the city that could make custom-made gold-threaded soft armor. In the original book, when Jing Mo grew up and joined the army, Jing Xi made a set of gold-threaded soft armor for him. Today, she decided to try her luck and wondered if that blacksmith shop was still open.

Yan Wan was very lucky; the blacksmith shop was open. It seemed that the blacksmith shop had been open for a long time, and it was still open seven or eight years later when Jing Mo joined the army.

"Is anyone home?" Yan Wan called out from the blacksmith's shop.

A moment later, a thin old man appeared from the back door, smiling, and said, "What would you like, young lady?"

Yan Wan said softly, "I want a pair of gold-threaded soft armor."

The old man's smile vanished, replaced by impatience. "I'm just a blacksmith," he said, "how could I possibly make such precious items as you're talking about? You should look elsewhere." With that, he turned and headed towards the back room.

"Please wait, Mr. Ouyang. I apologize for my intrusion. I know you urgently need the Healing Pill, and I happen to have one. How about we make a deal?" Yan Wan said calmly.

The Ouyang family of Jinyang excels at weapon manufacturing. The Shangguan family of Lingnan is skilled in witchcraft and sorcery. The Li family of the Northwest is adept at setting up traps and formations. The Ye family of the East Sea is renowned for its education, with students spread throughout the Yin Kingdom.

The four great families have been passed down for hundreds of years. Now, the direct descendants of the Ouyang family are few and far between, and it is about to decline. In recent years, Ouyang Shang, the only genius of the Ouyang family, has also been poisoned. A generation of genius is about to fall.

The old man stopped, paused, and turned around to say, "Princess Han, please come in."

Yan Wan was not surprised at all when she heard that the other party knew who she was. Although the family had been a powerful family for hundreds of years and was about to decline, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. What kind of powerful family could not even find out this little bit of information?

Yan Wan went in and watched as the old man tucked the blanket around the boy on the bed. She turned around and said excitedly, "Princess Han, please sit down. Was what you just said true?"

Yan Wan looked around the room. It wasn't big, and many weapons hung on the walls. The boy was sleeping by the window, and sunlight shone on his face, which looked sickly. She understood. It seemed that the Ouyang family had gone to great lengths to protect Ouyang Shang.

“Of course it’s true, we can exchange.” Yan Wan said earnestly.

The old man gazed at his grandson on the sickbed, sighed, and said, "The Ouyang family has a family rule that they must not interfere in royal affairs. Princess Han is now a member of the royal family, and I cannot interfere in court affairs."

“Yan Wan understands Mr. Ouyang’s predicament, but can you bear to see the young master on the bed die so young… My healing pill can cure all poisons, sir, why don’t you reconsider?” Yan Wan sincerely advised.

"Thank you for your understanding, Princess Han. Please leave now," the old man said, looking at his grandson on the bed with a heavy heart.

Yan Wan watched the kind-faced old man gently wiping his grandson's palms, sighed, and stood up, saying, "Mr. Ouyang, I understand your heart that cannot go against the family tradition, and I also understand your love for your grandson. I came to you because, like you, I don't want to lose my dearest loved ones. Please reconsider, Mr. Ouyang. Yan Wan takes her leave."

After Yan Wan left, the old man looked at his grandson on the bed and said softly, "Shang'er, will you blame your grandfather?"

The boy on the bed did not respond. The old man raised his hand to wipe the corner of his eye, turned around to prepare medicine for his grandson, but saw a white porcelain bottle in the spot where Yan Wan had just sat.

"I don't want to lose my dearest loved ones." The girl's voice still echoed in my ears.

The old man sighed, picked up the porcelain bottle, walked to the window, looked at his grandson lying on the bed, and tremblingly reached out to cover the boy's mouth and nose, intending to suffocate him to death.

After Yan Wan left, reflecting on what had just happened, she suddenly paused.

not good!

"Lixia, hurry and drive back!"