"What are you laughing at? If you hadn't asked that question, would I have stepped on my own skirt? Shameless woman."
Wen Qiyu stood up, pouting with a complaining expression.
"Haha, you're really cute, kid. If you were a woman, you might actually be in danger."
Zhu Yanniang looked him over and chuckled softly, covering her mouth.
"Now you know that the person you're worried about is alright, right? I've already found out that the golden thread snakes of Miao territory are all in the Bagua Mountains to the south. This time, you absolutely have to come with me."
Wen Qiyu stomped her foot, feeling that the skirt was really affecting her walking, so she simply picked up the hem of the skirt and squeezed it around her waist, then looked at Zhu Yanniang resentfully.
“Alright, Cen Xi was able to save people just now, which shows that Miao Jiang treats them very well. I really don’t need to worry about it anymore. You’re right, even if I wanted something, I wouldn’t have the right to. I might as well learn from you and be more carefree, let go, and continue to roam the martial world. The capital city is really not a suitable place for me. Staying there any longer will only bring trouble to Cen Xi and him.”
"He was right to reject me so clearly and send me away back then. I really shouldn't be in front of them anymore."
Zhu Yanniang glanced in the direction Cen Xi had left and suddenly realized that she shouldn't cling to the hopeless love in her heart anymore, nor should she make things difficult for Cen Xi out of jealousy.
She didn't do anything wrong, and she treated me very well. I did do something stupid back then.
Since you know it's impossible, you might as well let go of everything and live carefree like Wen Qiyu.
“It’s good that you’ve figured it out! There’s nothing to stay in the main city of Miao territory, let’s hurry to Bagua Mountain. This dress is made of gauze and thread, it’s so hard to wear! You… wait for me, I’ll go get a gentleman’s outfit.”
After giving Zhu Yanniang a look that said, "You've finally figured it out," Wen Qiyu lifted her skirt and ran towards their place.
Seeing his large movements, Zhu Yanniang was afraid that the Miao people in Miao territory would notice something was wrong, so she quickly chased after him.
...
After leaving the farce at the Zhu family's house, Lu Duling returned to her residence, locked herself in her room, and drank alone, one glass of wine after another, until the dead of night, but she still couldn't get drunk.
"You clearly like her, so why did you make such a solemn vow in front of Tian Ying?"
High Priest Mengya entered his room at some point and sat down in front of him.
"Why does the High Priest ask a question he already knows the answer to? Tian Ying, I, Lu Duling, am not worthy of your esteem!"
Lu Duling, her face flushed, chuckled softly, her reply laced with endless mockery and sorrow.
"Now is a good opportunity. Maybe there won't be any more Gu poison in Miao territory in the future. Besides, Tian Ying and Zhu Changqing's wedding is in two months. Lu Duling, you have a chance, and we all have a chance. Ever since that person entered Miao territory, the situation there has been disrupted. You really don't need to be so pessimistic."
High Priest Meng Ya grasped Lu Duling's hand as he was about to pour the wine and said firmly.
"Yes, the situation has already been broken, but Miao territory may be doomed. Do you believe it? Meng Ya, have you thought about how we'll handle this?"
Lu Duling pushed his hand away, sighed, and suddenly asked.
"No destruction, no construction! The Gu has controlled Miao territory for thousands of years. You! Me! We both feel the suffocating constraints. I have to marry a woman I don't like, and you have to give up the woman you like. Even if I ascend the throne as the Miao King, I will still be subject to the Gu's control. So I did the right thing, and you didn't follow the wrong person. As for how things will develop in the future, I think it's still within a controllable range. You don't need to worry unnecessarily."
High Priest Meng Ya sat calmly, his tone firm and powerful. Everyone could see that he was shrewd and arrogant.
"Since this is what you want, I have nothing to say. I will still help you if I can. You can leave now. I want to be alone for a while."
Lu Duling's head was spinning. She glanced at the broken wine pot on the ground and impatiently shooed people away.
"Lu Duling! You wait for me to help you create a completely new Miao region, so that the Gu magic will disappear from Miao region completely, and the people of Miao region will no longer be bound by Gu. You! You will marry Tian Ying. When I become the Miao King, I will personally bestow the marriage upon you."
Seeing that Lu Duling didn't want to talk anymore, Meng Ya had no interest in disturbing him further. Before getting up, he couldn't bear to see him so sad, so he made a final promise to him.
Lu Duling watched Meng Ya's departing figure and smiled mockingly, unsure whether she was laughing at the High Priest, at herself, or perhaps both.
He always felt that the wisp of soul they had put into Miao territory was just a way to exploit the entire region. But now that they had made their decision, they had no choice but to go all the way. He hoped that the final result would not disappoint them too much.
After everyone left, Lu Duling lost his appetite for drinking. It was already past midnight, and no matter how much pain he was in, he had to lie down and go to bed.
But he lay in bed with his eyes closed, silent for a long time, his heart still heavy and aching, unable to fall asleep at all.
Unable to sleep, he simply sat up, forced the alcohol out of his body, got dressed, got out of bed, and quietly left the Lu family home.
He didn't pay much attention to the farce that happened during the day, so he didn't know that Tian Ying wasn't at the Tian family's house. So he went to the Tian family's house that night and searched around, but when he couldn't find her, he panicked.
In his panic, he secretly questioned the servants of the Tian family and learned that it was the princess who had attended the grand banquet who had protected Tian Ying and taken her to stay at the inn in the Miao village. So he turned around and headed towards the inn.
Unexpectedly, just as he climbed onto the roof of the Miao village inn, he encountered a person dressed in flowing white robes. Their eyes met, and both saw the bitterness of unrequited love in each other's eyes.
The two tacitly descended from the rooftop and walked into a dark alley. Lu Duling glanced meaningfully at the actual person in charge of the grand banquet and asked:
"Why is Prime Minister Shen not sleeping in the middle of the night? Is he eavesdropping?"
"As everyone knows, we came to Miao territory to find the Gu King and Gu Queen to remove the love Gu. Now, I'm standing outside my wife's room, secretly observing her Gu poisoning. It doesn't seem out of place, does it?"
"So, why is Commander Lu here? Is it because of the maid my wife just took in? I overheard some gossip today. I heard that Commander Lu swore to the heavens today that he had nothing to do with Tian Ying of the Tian family, so why is he here in the middle of the night to spy on us? Could it be that Commander Lu is used to wearing two faces?"
Shen Jinchen was in a terrible mood. He had finally met a fellow sufferer, and his sharp tongue, which was usually so harsh in court, couldn't help but utter a string of profanities.
"If you can't let go of her, you come to see her. I, Lu Duling, do love her, but according to the rules of Miao territory, it's impossible for us to ever be together. The oath I made today was to clear the stain she brought upon me. Prime Minister Shen, you don't need to laugh at me. At least I can see her alive. As for you, if you can't find the Gu King and Gu Queen, you might just go to great lengths to die for love in hell."
"So we are all tragic figures, so why must we confront each other like this?"
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