Chapter 395 The Princess Returns
As dawn broke, the sky was ablaze with rosy light, and the procession heading towards Qingyang entered the city at the height of the rosy glow.
Many people have been coming and going from the Qingyang Prince's Mansion these days, and the guards at the gates and around the mansion are on high alert. Sheng Fei has been kneeling in front of the council hall since he returned, and Madam Sheng has pleaded with Nangong Ming many times to no avail.
But every morning, Nangong Ming would come here to check on his third son, who was still kneeling and reflecting on his actions.
Sometimes they say a few words, sometimes they just glance at someone and leave.
This morning, Nangong Ming asked him, "In all these years in Taiyi, have you only learned how to argue and fight with others, but haven't you learned how to control your own emotions and thoughts?"
Without even looking up, Sheng Fei said, "Did you send me to Taiyi just so I could learn these things?"
Nangong Ming replied, "It was your own choice to go to Taiyi."
He stood in the corridor, looking at the person kneeling in front of the hall door, and said calmly, "Have you forgotten how you begged me to let you go to Taiyi?"
Sheng Fei pursed his lips slightly.
As his father questioned him, he gradually remembered that the reason he had chased after his father and begged him to go to Taiyi was to follow in his elder brother's footsteps, and that entering Taiyi was also a recognition of his strength.
All the geniuses of the entire Xuan Gu Continent are in Taiyi, why doesn't he go there?
He went to Taiyi to become stronger.
But later... why did she always get angry and fight with Gu Gan?
Looking back, Sheng Fei sometimes finds it unbelievable.
Why did we do that back then?
His father said it was because he couldn't control his temper, and Sheng Fei couldn't refute it, but he also felt that he shouldn't have done that.
Nangong Ming was undoubtedly very dissatisfied with Sheng Fei's performance. He thought that the person who returned from Taiyi should be a more stable, calm and powerful son, instead of still being like him at sixteen or seventeen years old.
"Father, why do you think I always target Gu Gan?" Sheng Fei asked in a low voice.
Nangong Ming said indifferently, "I have already answered your boring and childish guesses."
Sheng Fei's eye twitched slightly. Indeed.
He once asked if Gu Gan was your illegitimate son. Nangong Ming coldly replied that he was not. He had answered that Gu Gan was the son of an old friend, but Gu Gan never believed it and felt unbalanced. He then asked why you were so good to him. Nangong Ming had also replied that Gu Gan's parents had helped them a lot and even died for the Nangong family's goals. Shouldn't the Nangong family be good to Gu Gan?
It was precisely because of many reasons that Nangong Ming had to be nice to Gu Gan that Sheng Fei found it even more unacceptable.
“Gu Gan’s existence is very important. If we lose him, many things will become very difficult. I can regard your struggles with him over the years as just children’s squabbles, which are harmless, because you have never really gone all out.”
Nangong Ming said, "If Gu Gan dies in the Endless Sea this time, you will truly disappoint me."
The man's casual remark sent a shiver down Sheng Fei's spine.
He took a deep breath and said, "Even in the Endless Sea, I didn't lay a hand on him."
Nangong Ming asked, "Then why didn't you have the cloud chariot turn back to find him at that time?"
Sheng Fei also turned his head to look over and sneered, "Father, why don't you ask about your own son who almost died in the Endless Sea? Even if our family owes Gu Gan, you don't have to rush to care about Gu Gan first and ignore everyone else!"
Nangong Ming raised his head slightly, looking down at him.
“I’ve said it many times, I didn’t lay a hand on Gu Gan this time. His disappearance or death has nothing to do with me, but you just don’t believe me.” Sheng Fei’s voice was a little hoarse at the end. “In the end, you just don’t believe me. You’re afraid that if I really did it, then the forces behind Gu Gan will come after you. Are you hesitating about whether to let me take the blame?”
The two people under the corridor fell silent.
After the birds had finished chirping in the morning, Nangong Ming said, "You're not the best."
The man's expression remained too indifferent, as was his usual arrogance and disdain for everything, making it difficult for anyone to sense even a trace of fatherly affection.
Sheng Fei lowered his head, feeling a mix of emotions that made his chest feel tight.
He thought the conversation was over, but then Nangong Ming said, "Sui Sui is coming back today and will bring the results of our search these past few days."
Sheng Fei held his breath again at the thought of seeing that annoying face again.
...
The news that the princess is returning to the manor today has already spread throughout the entire palace.
Lady Su used her poor health as an excuse to postpone her mission to the six states of Yan. However, her recent weakness was not an act, and Nangong Ming tacitly allowed her to stay and recuperate.
Now that Yu Sui has returned, Madam Su inevitably thinks of that half of the Breath Soil.
This child's growth in Taiyi is what worries Madam Su the most. An ant that could be crushed with a single finger could become uncontrollable if it secretly gains power, causing many problems.
Madam Su covered her mouth and coughed, staring blankly at the bright red blood in her palm, thinking to herself, "I can't wait any longer."
The mute woman knocked on the door, entered the house, and turned to the side, revealing the woman in white following behind her.
Chu Jin glanced at Madam Su, who was sitting at the table with her back turned, and asked, "My little sister is returning to the manor today. Aren't you going to see her?"
Madam Su said in a hoarse voice, "Just have her come once."
Why should she go?
Chu Jin entered the room and walked up to Madam Su, reaching out to take her pulse, but Madam Su avoided him.
"If you can still manage, then keep going." Chu Jin didn't insist, and turned to leave after saying that.
The mute woman stood guard at the door with her head down. After Madam Su finished her meditation, she brought the medicine and placed it on the table.
Madam Su closed her eyes and said to the mute woman, "Go and see what's going on, then bring the princess over."
The mute woman nodded.
...
Han Ziyang had stayed in the outskirts of the capital for several days and was only returning to the palace at dawn. He didn't know what had happened at the palace in the past few days. As soon as he entered, he saw Han Bing standing in front of the gate.
"Where did you go?" Han Bing asked.
"No comment," Han Ziyang said.
He's not the Nangong family's dog; he doesn't have to inform them where he's going.
Han Bing wasn't angry; his tone was calm: "If you don't come back soon, even more people will come out of the palace looking for you."
Han Ziyang seemed to be in a bad mood, and said in a gloomy tone, "I know that Your Highness cares about me, but I am not a three-year-old child. Even if we are distant relatives, we should keep a sufficient distance from each other."
Han Bing asked, "How far do you want to go?"
Han Ziyang said impatiently, "Can't you understand human language?"
The tension between the two was palpable, as if they were about to come to blows. The other sorcerers from the second division felt sorry for their young master, having encountered such a troublesome character as Han Ziyang.
You can't hit them, and you can't out-argue them.
Han Bing remained calm and said, "If there's a next time, I hope you can give me a heads-up beforehand. Otherwise, if I accidentally find you in an unexpected place, it will be troublesome for both of us."
Upon hearing this, Han Ziyang's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at the men from the Second Department, approached Han Bing, and lowered his voice: "Besides the Nangong family, did you also have others follow me?"
Han Bing neither admitted nor denied it, but said, "You can understand it as protecting you."
Han Ziyang reached out and hooked his arm around Han Bing's shoulder, seemingly greeting him as a good brother, but actually choking Han Bing's neck and putting pressure on him: "If you value your men, don't let them continue to follow you, otherwise I'm afraid if I make a mistake, you'll lose a few loyal dogs."
Han Bing frowned slightly, and was about to raise his hand when Han Ziyang, having gained the upper hand, immediately withdrew, not giving Han Bing a chance to retaliate.
Just as the two locked eyes, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside. Jiang Chi, who had just entered, immediately spotted Han Bing and Han Ziyang beside him and greeted them with a smile: "Young Master, Mr. Han is here too."
Han Ziyang remained silent with a cold expression. Only after seeing the long line of people behind him did he ask Han Bing, "What important person has come to your house?"
Jiang Chi smiled, stepped back, and turned sideways as if to welcome her: "The princess is back."
Han Bing and Han Ziyang simultaneously saw the person walking up from the back of the procession. Against the backdrop of rosy clouds, the slender figure approached the gate of the Prince's Mansion in the shimmering light, the hem of her indigo skirt swaying gently in a tiny arc.
Han Ziyang had heard of the Nangong family's youngest daughter before, but this was the first time he had met her.
The girl's extremely dark eyes casually swept across the scenery inside the mansion, landing on Cao Yan and the others who had come to greet her.
Cao Yan bowed his head to the person returning to the mansion and said, "The prince is waiting in the council hall."
Yu Sui walked straight toward Cao Yan without stopping. As she walked, she looked up at Han Bing and the other man not far away, and a faint smile flashed in her eyes when she looked at Han Bing.
Han Ziyang's eyes met Yu Sui's at the end of the sentence, and both of them were just observing and probing each other.
Jiang Chi and A Jing followed behind Yu Sui. Han Ziyang glanced at the people who had been arrested in the group and raised his eyebrows. Han Bing looked at Yu Sui, but said to the people next to him, "If you have nothing else to do, go back and rest."
"It looks like it'll be very lively over there," Han Ziyang said.
Han Bing, however, was not interested in the excitement he mentioned. Instead, he frowned, sensing something was amiss.
The girl who had just returned looked relaxed and carefree, even more radiant and lively, yet something seemed to be missing.
She no longer possessed the demure and timid demeanor she always maintained.
"If you go over there now, you'll have to deal with the prince yourself." Han Bing said, then turned to follow the group.
Han Ziyang sneered inwardly, but instead of following, he stopped Han Bing and said, "Give me your Wind-Listening Ruler."
Han Bing: "What are you doing?"
"Give it to me or not?" Han Ziyang raised his eyebrows and asked impatiently.
Han Bing took off the Wind-Listening Ruler and gave it to Han Ziyang, who then left satisfied.
...
There were more people in the council chamber this time than when Sheng Fei returned last time.
The leaders of the six and nine departments of the Nangong family were also present, as were the heads of collateral branches of the Nangong family. Everyone in this room was either Nangong Ming's confidant or his children.
Even Madam Sheng and Madam Han are here today. Madam Hui wanted to come back, but because of Nangong Ming's previous order, she is still staying at the Nangong Old House with her grandmother.
From night to dawn, the mist soaked Sheng Fei, making him look completely drenched.
The young man kneeling in front of the door stood upright, his expression indifferent, showing no signs of dejection.
They all heard the commotion coming from the distant procession approaching this place. The people in the hall had different thoughts. Su Feng refused to go to the morning meeting at Bingjia Chongtai today, just waiting to see Yu Sui.
He hid in a corner, head down, and sent a message to Han Bing, asking why he hadn't come yet and whether he had met Sui Sui on the way.
As Han Ziyang walked back to the courtyard, he flipped through Han Bing's listening rod and found that the rod was very clean, containing only official conversations, and there was nothing wrong with the conversations with his younger siblings.
He saw the message from Su Feng, clicked his tongue, and after thinking it over, decided to contact him again to break his promise.
This time, however, Han Bing will use the Wind Listening Ruler to test the waters. Even if he breaks his promise and uses his connections to find the owner of the Wind Listening Ruler, Han Bing will still be the one to take the blame.
Anyway, he had been using someone else's wind-listening ruler before.
Han Ziyang made up his mind, immediately took Han Bing's Wind Listening Ruler, entered the inscription, and sent it via telepathy.
Yu Sui, who was walking under the corridor, was playing with the wind-listening ruler in her hand when she suddenly stopped. The others also stopped and watched her turn around and quietly wait for Han Bing, who was walking behind her.
After Han Bing approached, she smiled gently and said, "Brother, where's your Wind-Listening Ruler? I just sent you a message asking if you were coming over."
Han Bing paused: "Before I came, I gave the Listening Wind Ruler to Mr. Han... Mr. Han."
"Mr. Han?" Yu Sui was taken aback. "Is he the person who was standing next to you just now?"
Han Bing nodded and briefly introduced Han Ziyang's background to her: "He is a guest that my father brought back from the Legalist school. His name is Han Ziyang."
Oh, it's you.
Yu Sui smiled and turned off the telepathic notification.
Han Ziyang received a message from Yu Sui: "Don't use my elder brother's Wind-Listening Ruler to send me telepathic messages."
...Big brother?
Han Ziyang's mind went blank for a second.
The next message read: "If you want to see me, come to the council chamber."
Han Ziyang stopped abruptly, suddenly remembering the girl who had just returned to the mansion. His heart pounded, and he immediately turned around and rushed back.
It was you!
...
Yu Sui put away the Wind Listening Ruler under the long corridor and followed Han Bing forward. After turning the corner, he saw the mute woman and other maids waiting in front of him step back and lower their heads, revealing the back of the young man kneeling at the entrance of the council hall.
Sheng Fei glanced at Yu Sui and the others, and immediately saw Su Xingchao, who was being held unconscious by the sorcerers of the Nangong Three Divisions in the crowd. He was first taken aback, and then his expression changed instantly when he realized what Yu Sui was going to do.
"Third Brother."
A girl's light and sweet voice echoed in the corridor. Yu Sui, walking towards Sheng Fei, ignored everyone in the council hall and said with a smile, "Didn't you swear to kill Su Xingchao, the one who won your bet, with your own hands?"
“You left Taiyi in a hurry and didn’t have time to kill him. Now I’ve brought Su Xingchao back to you.”
Yu Sui bent down slightly to look at Sheng Fei and asked softly, "Are you going to kill him now?"
Sheng Fei stared at her in disbelief.
The people in the hall looked at Yu Sui in surprise. It seemed that no one expected that the first thing Yu Sui did upon returning was not to greet Nangong Ming, but to provoke Sheng Fei and rub salt into the wounds of the already distressed Third Young Master.
Even Su Feng was taken aback, not expecting their relationship to have deteriorated to this extent.
Jiang Chi and A Jing exchanged a glance, realizing that this was how they were going to use the kid they had been holding captive all the way.
He had thought that the princess had asked about the whereabouts of the third young master because she was concerned about her brother's safety, but now that he thought about it... Jiang Chi couldn't help but feel gratified by his intuition; this princess was indeed not someone to be trifled with.
We can't trust Ah Jing's divination anymore.
"Nangong Sui," Nangong Ming's displeased voice pulled everyone back to reality. He looked coldly at the girl, "What are you doing?"
Yu Sui seemed to only then notice Nangong Ming, and in surprise, she straightened up and looked up at the man standing at the head of the hall, casually dragging out the last syllable of her name, "Father."
Chu Jin looked at Yu Sui. Had she gone mad?
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