Chapter 404 You'd Better Not Save Him
The Prince of Nangong's Mansion.
Yu Sui was on her way to see Madam Sheng. The strangeness in the corridor earlier had made her wary, but she did not encounter anything unusual until she entered Madam Sheng's courtyard.
Madam Sheng sat in the open-air pavilion, with some account books on the table. She usually sorted out the accounts of the Chamber of Commerce here. Yu Sui had already entered the pavilion, but she did not look up, her fingers lightly moving the abacus beads.
"Auntie," Yu Sui called out softly.
Madam Sheng casually replied, "Please sit down."
Yu Sui did not sit down, but asked instead, "Has Third Brother not returned from the ancestral home yet?"
"He arrived rather late," Madam Sheng said calmly.
Her indifference did not make Yu Sui feel uncomfortable, and Madam Sheng was unable to see the former helplessness and caution in the girl as she had hoped.
Yu Sui strolled around casually, came to the pavilion railing, looked at the green leaves and swimming fish in the pond, grabbed a handful of fish food and scattered it in, looking unhurried.
Madam Sheng, however, couldn't wait any longer and asked directly, "Why are you so obviously targeting him this time you've returned? What happened?"
"I thought you already knew, Auntie, that's why you called me here," Yu Sui said with a smile.
Madam Sheng said, "I just can't understand why you've become like this."
Yu Sui turned around and casually scattered the remaining fish food: "Auntie is so smart, how could she not understand? If I insist on becoming the heir of the Nangong family, what brotherly and sisterly affection can there be between Third Brother and me?"
She looked down at Madam Sheng, who was sitting at the table, with the same arrogance she had shown when facing Sheng Fei during the day.
Madam Sheng laughed inwardly. "You think you can take me on?"
If Han Bing suddenly said he wanted to be the heir of the Nangong family, she would be a little wary. Even if it were Su Feng, Madam Sheng would think twice. But she was not afraid of Nangong Sui at all.
There's no way this child could possibly be a match.
The ladies in the Prince Nangong's mansion knew far more than they did.
Madam Han is Nangong Ming's assistant and partner in his actions, while Madam Sheng also knows a lot about the trends in the business of the Chamber of Commerce and the Nangong family, and the two sides also exchange information.
Even Lady Hui, who spent her days sightseeing, would learn a great deal about court affairs by cooperating with her family.
They all knew that Princess Nangong Sui of the Prince's Mansion was just a pitiful little thing, and the position of the future head of the Nangong family could never be her.
"Princess, the Prince is still in good health. Perhaps it's a bit too early to discuss the successor," Madam Sheng said with a faint smile.
Yu Sui snorted, "Auntie, don't think I don't know that Father secretly teaches Third Brother the arts of the masters."
Madam Sheng calmly replied, "That's the Prince's decision. What can you and I do about it?"
Yu Sui: "Can't you see that, to me, Third Brother is the biggest threat?"
Madam Sheng smiled, as if she were showing affection to a younger generation: "It is his honor to be regarded as a rival by you, Princess."
“My mother controls the lifeline of six states in Yan, and no matter what, my father will not abandon her,” Yu Sui said. “Similarly, my father will not choose my third brother over me. Aunt, you might as well give up now.”
Madam Sheng looked at Yu Sui with genuine affection: "Princess, perhaps the Prince will not abandon Madam Su, but you know in your heart how Madam Su has treated you."
Yu Sui said unhappily, "I won't allow you to speak ill of my mother. I had many misunderstandings about her before. It was only in Taiyi that I realized that my mother was willing to take action against my third brother early on for my sake. All these years, she has been quietly paving the way for me."
The smile in Madam Sheng's eyes faded: "Is that so? What has Madam Su done?"
“Aunt, I came tonight to advise you to be sensible and stop going against me.” Yu Sui stood across the stone table and looked back at Madam Sheng with a half-smile. “Third Brother has been ruined by the farming techniques all these years. Just look at his performance in Taiyi. I can tell that he has completely disappointed Father this time. And I am the one who is most useful to Father.”
"Think it over carefully."
She turned to leave, but Madam Sheng stood up and chased after her, asking, "Princess!"
Yu Sui did not stop.
She wouldn't be foolish enough to tell Madam Sheng directly about Madam Su using the magical beast on Sheng Fei. Even if she did, Madam Sheng might not believe her. She would have to let Madam Sheng investigate herself and uncover the truth bit by bit in order to maximize the other party's anger.
After Yu Sui left, Madam Sheng immediately sent someone to contact Sheng Fei in Taiyi to inquire about what had happened there during the past year.
As early as the day Sheng Fei returned and was punished to kneel, Madam Sheng had already sent someone to investigate. So before Yu Sui returned, she set a trap for her by releasing information about Sheng Fei's experience at the Lake of the Dead.
Tonight, news from Taiyi reached Madam Sheng's ears. She learned that Sheng Fei had gone berserk in the Lake of the Dead, beating Mu Mengbai half to death, and was suspected of being influenced by the Farmer's Phantom Beast.
"A peasant mythical beast?" Madam Sheng couldn't help but recall Yu Sui's earlier words. That was a forbidden technique of the peasant family, and Su Xing, that woman...
If it really was Su Xing, she would never have done it for the princess. Instead, it was for her eldest daughter, Chu Jin. It turns out that this woman was pretending to be aloof, but she had been scheming for a long time and paving the way for her eldest daughter in private!
"Go and call the young master back immediately." Madam Sheng walked out with a cold expression. "And ask Physician Song to come and confirm where the prince is now."
The maid replied, "His Highness has just finished a council meeting and is still in the hall."
Madam Sheng's eyes darted around, and she asked again, "When did Madam Su's condition worsen?"
The maid added, "About two months ago."
This timeframe is roughly the same as when Sheng Fei went on a rampage in the Lake of the Dead.
Madam Sheng had already begun to believe Yu Sui's words to some extent. The thought that Su Xing had pretended to be indifferent all these years, but had secretly taken advantage of her son, ignited an unquenchable anger within her.
...
Sheng Fei and Su Feng are still in their ancestral home.
They arrived late, and although they had met Grandmother Nangong and Lady Hui, they had not seen Yan Xiaochuan.
Before leaving, Sheng Fei stood in front of the ancestral home and asked Su Feng with a cold face, "You said Yan Xiaochuan was here, where is he?"
Su Feng looked down at Tingfeng Chi: "I personally brought the person over. Grandmother just said that there are guests in the mansion."
Sheng Fei turned to go back, but Su Feng stopped him: "Yan Xiaochuan doesn't want to see you. Do you insist that your grandmother say so?"
The old lady was even more frightening than in previous years, so Su Feng didn't want to go back again.
"Why did Yan Xiaochuan..." Sheng Fei frowned, unable to understand many things. Su Feng grabbed him and led him outside, "When you get back, just ask your father. He'll tell you whatever you want to know."
As the two walked back to the palace, they saw golden-armored soldiers and the Imperial Guard coming and going on the road.
"Has anything happened tonight?" Su Feng pondered.
Sheng Fei said coldly, "Is it another attempt to capture Xuan Kui?"
"Even the Imperial Guard has been mobilized, it must be." Su Feng's gaze followed a group of Azure Dragon soldiers.
Speaking of Xuan Kui, Sheng Fei recalled the night he captured Xuan Kui in the outer city of Taiyi. He talked to Yu Sui about when they would go home, and the atmosphere at the time made him feel a little awkward. Now, thinking back, he only felt regret for having that memory.
While Sheng Fei was reminiscing about the past, Su Feng had already stopped a group of Imperial Guards to inquire.
"Young Master!"
The people sent by Madam Sheng found Sheng Fei and called out loudly, "Young Master! Madam wants you to return to the manor immediately!"
Sheng Fei glanced over and asked, "What is it?"
The guard stepped forward and replied, "I don't know, but the lady was in a bit of a hurry and called Physician Song."
Sheng Fei thought that Madam Sheng was feeling unwell and was about to go back when he remembered Su Feng and looked up to find him.
"Second Brother!" Sheng Fei called out to Su Feng.
Su Feng waved to indicate that he understood, and said to him from a distance, "You go back first, I'll go with the Imperial Guards to take a look."
The two brothers parted ways on the dark official road.
Su Feng learned from a Yulan Guard he knew that the Yulan Division had been operating outside the city that night and had captured two escaped Xuan Kui members. They were now hunting down any remaining members who had escaped back to the capital.
So Su Feng took the initiative to offer his services, saying that he had fought with Xuan Kui outside the city before, so he could help capture him. He then drew out the area in a very convincing manner and asked the Imperial Guards to send more men to the area around the Prince Nangong's residence.
Geng Hanfu and Wei Lingshu were captured by Yu Lansi. After Duan Fengning brought the two main members of Xuan Kui back to the capital, he announced that the Xuan Kui bandits were seriously injured in tonight's operation and escaped back to the capital.
Xuan Kui's Qingyang Hundred Bandits are a ninth-rate sorcerer who is skilled in both medicine and magic. He is afflicted by the Tai'a Divine Art Sword Intent, which has disrupted his five elements.
The release of numerous announcements has brought a lively atmosphere to the capital city, which should have been quiet at night.
Before Nangong Ming was even aware of this, many people and forces had already begun their operations. Su Feng ordered increased patrols in the area around the Prince's residence, preventing the injured Chu Jin from approaching rashly, let alone entering the residence.
The person leading the patrol outside was none other than Su Feng himself.
Before returning to the capital, the safest place for Chu Jin was the Nangong Prince's Mansion.
But now, even though she's only a few streets away from the Prince Nangong's residence, the patrol and search teams of the Imperial Guard and the Military Strategist's Office have made things extremely difficult.
There is a quick way to get back to the Prince's mansion by passing through the patrol team, and that is to ask Su Feng for help.
But Chu Jin would rather die than beg Su Feng to clear a path for her.
In a house in the city, Chu Jin sat on the edge of the bed, covered in sweat and blood. She had taken off half of her clothes, and Tang Yingxiu was tending to her injuries.
Tang Yuan then set up a shrine outside the house to avoid being occupied.
Tang Yingxiu had originally planned to test Yu Sui tonight, but upon learning of the Imperial Guard's operation, she knew things were going badly. She left the palace to find Chu Jin and the others, but she was still a step too late.
Now she has met Chu Jin, who is returning to the capital, but he is already seriously injured.
Chu Jin's five elements were in disarray, and there were burn marks on his body from the Heavenly Fire Flowing Flames, which Tang Yingxiu found very troublesome.
"When is Yuan Xi coming?" Chu Jin asked through gritted teeth.
Tang Yingxiu said, "I have already notified him, but there are patrol teams everywhere in the city now, so it may take a while."
Just as Chu Jin was about to speak, she felt a sharp pain in her chest due to the chaotic Five Elements Qi, and spat out a mouthful of blood. She wanted to use acupuncture to treat herself, but she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand.
Upon seeing this, Tang Yingxiu turned to Tang Yuan outside the house and said, "Go and bring Yuan Xi over."
"Leaving you here all alone?" Tang Yuan asked without turning his head.
Tang Yingxiu calmly said, "As long as you come back quickly enough, nothing will happen."
Tang Yuan then left.
Yuan Xi did not participate in their trip to the outer city tonight. When he received the news, he was supposed to rush there immediately, but as soon as he opened the door, he was stopped by Nian Qiuyan who was standing outside the door.
"You..." Yuan Xi was still in surprise when he was blasted back into the house by the mountain pattern of the divination array coming towards him.
Nian Qiuyan closed the door and said to Yuan Xi, who was lying on the ground clutching his forehead, "What did you say to them?"
Yuan Xi cursed inwardly, but smiled and said, "I'll answer whatever Miss asks. Nian Qiuyan, if you're going to get angry, you should go find Miss!"
Nian Qiuyan also laughed and said, "Why would I get angry at Miss?"
"Then what are you doing now?" Yuan Xi took a deep breath and got up from the ground. "Miss is seriously injured by the Tai'a Divine Sword Technique of the Zhongli family. Her five elements are in reverse. She is waiting for me to help. If you stop me and ruin things, then there really won't be anyone who can save you."
Nian Qiuyan stared calmly at Yuan Xi: "If you go tonight, no one can save you."
"Yuan Xi, I'll give you a chance."
Yuan Xi paused for a moment, then covered his forehead where he had been bumped and laughed: "Nian Qiuyan, I gave you a chance, didn't I? You've done so much in Taiyi all these years, and I haven't told anyone about a single thing."
His smile became intriguing: "Even if you later became close to the princess, I didn't say anything."
Nian Qiuyan squinted slightly.
"Since you didn't say anything, how does Miss know about the Lake of the Dead?"
“Since Miss has come to me directly, of course I have to say something to save my life.” Yuan Xi shrugged. “You should also know that Miss wants me to investigate again because she suspects you, and I don’t want to be suspected of being a traitor by Miss. After the Wenren Xu incident, she started to see everyone as a traitor.”
"Besides, you're not exactly innocent either."
Nian Qiuyan met Yuan Xi's gaze and heard him say, "You just want to rebel, but you don't have the guts."
Yuan Xi squinted and smiled, "I'm different. I'll be on whichever side has the better chance of winning."
Nian Qiuyan: "Then you'd better be a shrewd opportunist, otherwise the moment you make the wrong choice will be your death."
Yuan Xi rolled his eyes and said, "You should worry about yourself first!"
As she was about to leave, Nian Qiuyan raised her hand to stop her.
"Are you really going to stop me? I don't even need divination to know that Tang Yuan will definitely come looking for me later. Are you planning to walk right into his trap?" Yuan Xi looked at him in confusion.
Nian Qiuyan said, "You don't have to go."
Yuan Xi's eye twitched slightly: "Are you planning to kill me?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Nian Qiuyan's divine wooden divination slip appeared before Yuan Xi. Looking into Yuan Xi's shocked eyes, he said, "Just change your Five Elements to be in reverse order."
"Nian Qiuyan, you..." Yuan Xi hadn't finished cursing when he clutched his chest and squatted down because of the disordered Five Elements.
Not long after Nian Qiuyan left, Tang Yuan arrived.
He kicked open the door and saw Yuan Xi inside, who had fainted due to the reversal of the five elements.
...
In a small building in the city, a blind young man in a pavilion was playing with a sacred wooden divination stick, his dark eye sockets gazing at the old man outside the pavilion.
Upon receiving the news, Elder Yan said, "Geng Hanfu has been captured by the Imperial Guard."
Shan Rong handed over the sacred wooden divination stick in his hand and said, "I have a bad feeling."
Old Yan looked up at him and said, "That's rare."
"You'd better not save him," Shan Rong said.
Old Yan asked, "Why?"
Shan Rong shook his head: "I can't figure it out, but I have a bad feeling about it."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com