Jun Xiaoqiao was so angry at his words that her face turned green. However, Cen Xi shamelessly pressed her speech acupoint, so she couldn't even howl.

Cen Xi glanced at her flushed face, and couldn't help but curl his lips into a deep smile:

"She's a bit unruly and needs to be disciplined. Just be careful when you use snakes to scare her in the future, or she'll run away for her life. We can discipline her once, but we can't discipline her a second time, right? Young Master Wen, the best solution is to make her follow you wholeheartedly."

"Oh? Does the princess have any good ideas?"

Wen Qiheng glanced at Jun Xiaoqiao with a smile, then turned his handsome peach blossom eyes to Cen Xi.

"I have no good solution, but I have a bottle of Spirit Elimination Powder here. You won't need to use acupressure on her anymore. This should last for three months."

Cen Xi handed the medicine to Wen Qiheng, her smile deepening.

As soon as she finished speaking, Jun Xiaoqiao's eyes darted around. If she could speak, she would definitely be cursing. Unfortunately, she was being controlled by others and had dug her own grave. She really wanted to find a place to cry herself to death.

"Is Your Highness truly a friend of my wife?"

Wen Qiheng shook the medicine bottle in his hand, couldn't help but smile, and his movements were somewhat playful.

"Of course, I have no choice but to have such a bad friend like her. Don't worry, what I did is not against her wishes. She likes you. The only reason she wants to run away is because she is afraid of snakes. As long as you can overcome this, you two will be a perfect match."

Cen Xi naturally knew what Wen Qiheng meant by his question. Jun Xiaoqiao was so eager to marry this person back then, she must have liked him, right? So she wasn't being immoral; she was helping the two of them to get to know each other better.

Yes, that's right. There shouldn't be any other explanation.

"Hahaha... Your Highness is truly a remarkable person. No wonder you could bewitch Prime Minister Shen so completely. I'm taking him away. With Your Highness's auspicious words, I, Wen, will surely stay with you, my friend, forever and grow old together."

Wen Qiheng laughed loudly, then gave Jun Xiaoqiao a meaningful look before ordering someone to carry her away from the princess's residence.

"After you get what you want, Young Master Wen, don't forget to give me a return gift. I've sold you my best friend."

Cen Xi saw that Jun Xiao Qiao's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and laughed with great excitement.

"No problem, no problem. Once she gets pregnant, I will give the Refined Warm Jade that I obtained by chance to the little one in your belly."

Wen Qiheng pinched Jun Xiaoqiao's cheek, clearly in a very good mood. After speaking, he cupped his hands in farewell and took his leave.

Before they left, Cen Xi saw Jun Xiaoqiao glaring at her, as if to say, "Damn it, Cen Xi, you just wait, I'll definitely get my revenge."

Cen Xi responded to her with mouthing:

"After years of hunting geese, you've finally been pecked by one. Keep going, keep trying, and I hope to see the moment when you can get rid of him."

"Cen Xi, you just wait, if I don't kill you, I'm not Jun Xiaoqiao."

Jun Xiaoqiao responded with mouth movements.

Cen Xi raised an eyebrow, watching the other person walk further and further away, the smile on her lips never fading. What use are such verbal threats? Jun Xiaoqiao, Jun Xiaoqiao! You used to joke around so recklessly.

A gentleman takes his revenge, even after ten years.

Today, she finally got her revenge for what she had suffered before.

So, since Jun Xiaoqiao brought this trouble upon herself, shouldn't she have a couple of drinks to celebrate?

Unfortunately, I'm pregnant and can't drink alcohol.

...

Thanks to Shen Jinchen's swift and decisive actions, the capital city is now in a state of peace and tranquility.

Outside the capital, since the last rebellion of Prince Ning, there has been no sign of suppression, and local princes and non-royal princes have been making frequent moves recently.

The mastermind behind this was none other than the long-absent Emperor Taizu. After borrowing the shell of the Ning Prince's Mansion, he decisively abandoned it. His current plan is to secretly send people to spread rumors, making the princes in various regions believe that the imperial court has long been dissatisfied with their independent rule and is preparing a major move to wipe out all the princes in one fell swoop.

To make the events more realistic, Yan Shengxiao also ordered his men to spread rumors about Wang Feng in various places in the name of the imperial court. As a result, people in all the fiefdoms were in a state of panic, and everyone was searching for spies from the imperial court.

Among the various regional princes, the Prince of Yingchuan was the most powerful. In order to avoid being passively attacked, he invited many princes to gather at Qifan Mountain on the Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. Yan Shengxiao was also among those invited.

...

In a secluded courtyard in Lingshan, Yan Shengxiao and Xiao Qiliang sat facing each other, playing chess leisurely like old friends reuniting.

"My lord, should we go to the invitation from the King of Yingchuan?"

Xiao Qiliang placed a white piece and looked up to ask.

"No, we shouldn't show our faces right now. Let's just leave it at that. We only need to guide public opinion."

Since his last injury, Yan Shengxiao has been recuperating. It's unclear what Shen Jinchen smeared on his sword, but even two months after fleeing the capital, his injury hasn't fully healed, and his mouth still aches slightly.

He must take good care of his health now in order to prepare for the future.

He originally thought that after dealing with the person destined for him, he could rest easy, but unexpectedly, a Cheng Yaojin appeared out of nowhere. He would have to carefully consider his future plans.

He didn't think that he, a man who had lived two lives, was inferior to that young upstart; he just lacked luck.

So now is really not the time for them to rise to the top.

"What are your thoughts on that Chancellor Shen, my lord?"

Knowing that his master would not easily change his mind once he had made up his mind, Xiao Qiliang shifted the blame to Shen Jinchen.

Xiao Qiliang had heard of this person when he was a member of the Fan family in the capital, but at that time, he was just the son of General Shen and did not have much of a reputation.

Unexpectedly, in just a few years, he went from an unknown person to a powerful minister in the imperial court, and even had the power to compete with his master. It was truly astonishing!

“I have investigated him. He probably has another identity. He is very likely an illegitimate child of the previous dynasty. Moreover, we may even be from the same family. He probably knows about me as well. He is not easy to deal with.”

Yan Shengxiao slowly placed his black pieces, his heart clenching as he recalled the sword that young upstart had stabbed him more than two months ago. However, he didn't dwell on the temporary setback; he would get his revenge next time.

"He is indeed somewhat difficult to deal with. I think he has big ambitions and is likely to have the same idea as us. He is currently on the side of the court and probably plans to eliminate all the rebels before taking action against the emperor in the palace."

Xiao Qiliang thought about it and agreed with what Yan Shengxiao said.

"You little brat, how dare you compete with me? In my past life, I used ruthless methods to seize the throne of the Great Qi, so why can't I do the same in this life! Qi Liang, I'm giving you a mission. Go to the capital one day, secretly, with plenty of shadow guards, and capture that princess for me."