Chapter 138 Haili
Luo Fu and Zhang Xiangyun did not go into the carriage, but stayed outside.
Yu Sui, inside, said angrily, "What exactly do you want to do?"
Zhang Xiangyun laughed and said, "Princess, there's no need to be afraid. We're not bad people."
“You guys don’t seem like good people either,” Yu Sui said. “My senior brother told me to stay away from you guys.”
"Why are you listening to him?" Zhang Xiangyun said. "Mei Liangyu is just your senior brother. Why do you listen to everything he says?"
Yu Sui pursed her lips, not following his lead, but instead asked, "And what is your relationship with the Prince's Mansion?"
Zhang Xiangyun said with a playful tone, "It should be a relationship that Mei Liangyu can't compare to."
Yu Sui frowned: "Why do you always have to mention my senior brother?"
Zhang Xiangyun paused for a moment after hearing this, finding it somewhat amusing. "Didn't you bring this up first?"
Yu Sui was not a disciple of Taiyi Academy at this moment, and she was not a fellow disciple of the same academy as Zhang Xiangyun. Instead, she had the aura and attitude of a princess of the royal palace.
While living as a princess in the capital of Qingyang, Yu Sui was not only obedient and easily bullied in front of Nangong Ming and others, but also possessed the dignity of a princess when she was outside.
Especially when helping Gu Gan, she could use the power of the Prince's Mansion with a smile to prevent those people in the capital from daring to touch Gu Gan in the slightest.
Although you may occasionally encounter reckless or unapproachable individuals, they are mostly useful.
"Alright, to avoid you being completely unaware of anything later, Princess, it's better to give you a heads-up beforehand." Zhang Xiangyun sat in front of the carriage, toying with the reins in one hand, and said leisurely, "The envoy from the Prince's mansion who came to Taiyi tonight is here on the Prince's orders, also because of the recent investigation into the Lan poison in Taiyi."
There was a moment of silence inside the carriage. Then, Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu heard a hesitant voice from inside: "My father sent people here to help Taiyi investigate the Lan poison?"
Zhang Xiangyun burst into laughter upon hearing this.
Yu Sui asked, "What are you laughing at?"
The carriage traveled quickly along the mountain road at night, and once it rounded the foot of the mountain, it could see the outer city and the sea illuminated by lights.
Luo Fu remained silent, instead keeping a close eye on his surroundings and being alert to any potential dangers on the road.
Zhang Xiangyun suppressed a laugh and replied in a low voice, "On the contrary, the Prince's Mansion is here to help Lan Shi."
Yu Sui rebuked softly, "Nonsense! You're slandering the Prince's Mansion and smearing the Nangong family with these words. Be careful, or I'll have your tongue pulled out later."
Zhang Xiangyun was not intimidated at all. He thought Yu Sui was exactly as described in the intelligence report, adept at using her status as a princess to intimidate others.
“The people coming later are people you can’t argue with.” Zhang Xiangyun didn’t seem to be in a hurry at all. “It seems you don’t know how extensive the Nangong family’s businesses are. There are some things they don’t openly participate in, but the connections, money, and protection they provide behind the scenes are no less than generous.”
“They won’t be directly involved, but digging deeper will reveal the Nangong family’s influence everywhere.”
Yu Sui said, "Don't try to fool me. How could something like orchid poison have anything to do with our family?"
Zhang Xiangyun glanced behind him, a hint of sarcasm in his smile: "The princess is too well protected; she knows nothing about the dirty dealings outside."
Yu Sui said, "You also know that orchid poison is filthy?"
Zhang Xiangyun still smiled and said, "I can't compare to the princess, whose hands are clean. We are born dirty. So what if the orchid poison is dirty?"
Yu Sui's words carried a hint of disdain: "You don't also use orchid poison, do you? Aren't you afraid I'll tell Master? Tonight they're going to the outer city to catch those orchid corpses who make orchid poison in Taiyi."
Zhang Xiangyun wasn't afraid to tell her, "None of the orchid corpses found tonight will survive. They will destroy everything related to the orchid poison before they die. Once people are dead, they have nothing left. This matter will come to an end because of their deaths, but for us, the future will be more difficult, and we will have to be more careful. That's why we need your help, Princess."
What wasn't explained was that they would point the clues outside of Taiyi, turning the gaze of the Taiyi Sage outwards.
“Why would I help Lan Shi?” Yu Sui frowned in the car, her voice muffled and unease palpable. “Father wouldn’t let me do that.”
Zhang Xiangyun gave a cryptic laugh.
In autumn, the wild geese arrived at the outer city ahead of everyone else.
The outer city remained bustling, and the search for the Lan poison seemed to have no effect on them.
The location Zhang Xiangyun mentioned was a property owned by the Nangong family, which made Nian Qiuyan feel somewhat uneasy. He walked in the crowd, playing with the Listening Wind Ruler for a moment, then sent a message to Mei Liangyu, asking where he was.
Mei Liangyu replied quickly and honestly: "Mechanical Island."
Nian Qiuyan frowned: "Aren't you afraid of Wen Yang's family retaliating if you go to Jiguan Island now?"
Mei Liangyu: "What are you afraid of? I brought two thugs with me."
Nian Qiuyan smiled as he watched. He stood still, his eyes fixed on the bright screen of the Listening Wind Ruler. People came and went around him, busy with their own things, and didn't care why this person had stopped.
Mei Liangyu had already landed on the island with his two henchmen, bypassing the surveillance of the Jiguan family, and was now standing on the cliff looking down at the sea.
In this area, only the sea in front is covered with dark clouds that refuse to disperse. Thunder can be seen flashing behind the clouds from time to time. The waves below are also fierce and rapid, constantly crashing against the mountain walls, one wave after another, as if they will never stop.
Mei Liangyu held the wind-listening ruler, and Zhong Lishan beside him asked, "What did he say?"
“He didn’t ask anything,” Mei Liangyu said coldly. “I told him he was on the Mechanical Island, but he’s very patient and didn’t ask a single question.”
Xing Chun squatted on the ground, peering down while raising his hand to shield his eyes from the rain and mist blown up by the strong wind: "He really can endure, otherwise we wouldn't still be unaware of anything until now."
"That kid." Mei Liangyu put away the Wind-Listening Ruler, turned around and walked down. "He better not let me catch him."
He blew a loud whistle into the sky, summoning a white-headed, black-feathered sea eagle, whose sharp talons lightly touched Mei Liangyu's shoulder for a moment before flying away.
Mei Liangyu asked it to help keep watch, and after the eagle responded, it flew up to a higher place.
The bustling city outside is always dazzling, but if you are alone in it, you will feel a loneliness that is different from that of others.
Nian Qiuyan went to the appointment alone, heading to the place Zhang Xiangyun had told her to go. The streets and alleys around the destination had been cleared out, and the lights that were usually on in every house were now completely gone.
The sorcerers of the Nangong family hid in the shadows, observing everyone who passed by.
Nian Qiuyan walked calmly through the dark alley towards the only brightly lit, exquisite courtyard. As soon as he reached the outside of the courtyard, someone opened the door from the inside and let him in.
Several red fish swam around in the open-air pond. Walking past the water corridor on the side, at the end of the waterside pavilion, a transparent light blue gauze curtain hung. Near the pavilion, there were two guards, both with expressionless faces.
Through the gauze curtain, Nian Qiuyan could see a blurry figure sitting by the stone platform, pouring tea.
It looked vaguely familiar.
When he entered the waterside pavilion and met the man's sharp, concealed gaze as he looked up, his heart skipped a beat.
Nian Qiuyan lowered her head almost instantly, avoiding eye contact, and whispered, "Uncle Cao."
Yu Sui arrived a little late.
She stayed in the carriage the whole time, only lifting the curtain to look out after entering the city. Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu hadn't spoken a word the whole way, and after quietly entering the city, they drove the carriage into the winding alleyways.
As the area grew darker, Yu Sui complained, "Where are you taking me?"
“Little Princess, don’t worry.” Zhang Xiangyun said casually, “Take a good look around. There are Nangong family sorcerers hiding all around here, guarding you. Don’t worry. If the two of us show you the slightest disrespect, these people will pop out one after another like dumplings falling from a pot.”
As the carriage rounded the corner, a small courtyard with lights on could be seen ahead.
Yu Sui knew that this was the Nangong family's residence in the outer city.
Blackbeard had previously been worried about her staying at the West German Restaurant, feeling that it was unsuitable for her status and that she should move to a better mansion.
The carriage stopped at the door, and Zhang Xiangyun nimbly alighted: "Princess, you may get off now."
The door was still open, as if it knew someone else was coming and dared not close it.
Yu Sui got off the carriage but didn't look inside immediately. Instead, she stretched out her hand to Luo Fu and said, "Give it back to me."
His tone was commanding, and he made no attempt to hide his anger.
Zhang Xiangyun, watching from the side, laughed and said, "Now that you've arrived at the destination, why don't you just return it to them?"
Luo Fu placed the Wind Listening Ruler in her outstretched palm.
Yu Sui glanced at the two of them, then turned and walked inside. With someone leading the way, she wasn't afraid of getting lost.
Zhang Xiangyun and Luo Fu followed behind, their eyes fixed on Yu Sui ahead, lost in thought.
Perhaps because she had been pampered since childhood and had never been mistreated or had anything taken from her, this princess had quite a temper. It seemed that the two of them had successfully offended and angered this Princess Nangong.
Yu Sui followed the people to the water corridor and saw that there were already people waiting in the waterside pavilion at the end, but there was more than one.
Until she could clearly see who was sitting behind the gauze curtains of the waterside pavilion, Yu Sui kept guessing who it was.
The person who had been sitting while talking with Nian Qiuyan stood up to greet Yu Sui as she approached. Looking at the girl who had grown from a toddler to a graceful young woman, Cao Yan, the captain of the royal guards, bowed and said in a deep voice, "Princess."
The man who stood up was dressed in a black robe with python patterns. He had an imposing presence. His eyes, which were filled with authority without anger, were under his handsome eyebrows. However, when he looked at Yu Sui, he became more restrained. He returned to his usual self, who always kept a low profile and was like a solid shield behind the Nangong family, as if he didn't exist when he didn't speak.
Yu Sui stopped a step outside the waterside pavilion, staring blankly at Cao Yan in front of her, even ignoring Nian Qiuyan beside her.
Memories flashed through his mind, from the first time he was held in Nangong Ming's arms atop Mount Luo, he saw Cao Yan holding a sword and guarding Nangong Ming's side.
After being brought back to Qingyang, Cao Yan was almost always present whenever Yu Sui saw Nangong Ming. He was a man of few words, but reliable and dependable, and he always handled any task assigned by Nangong Ming perfectly.
When Yu Sui was still an infant, Cao Yan and Nangong Ming brought her back to Qingyang from the top of Luoshan Mountain. Then, when she turned eighteen, Cao Yan escorted her away from Qingyang and rode the flying dragon cloud chariot to Taiyi.
He was one of Nangong Ming's trusted confidants, that much is undeniable.
Sometimes, Cao Yan himself represents Nangong Ming's power.
Zhang Xiangyun was right; the person from the Prince's Mansion was indeed someone Yu Sui couldn't refute.
"Uncle Cao," Yu Sui said softly, half surprised and half delighted, "It's you who came. Why didn't you just have them tell me that Senior Brother Zhang and Senior Brother Luo intercepted my carriage halfway and said some nonsense, slandering the Prince's Mansion and my father?"
She walked briskly inside, and before she could finish speaking, Cao Yan said in a steady tone, "If it's related to the Orchid Poison, what they said is true."
Yu Sui stopped in her tracks. She stared at Cao Yan with wide eyes, as if she had been greatly frightened, and slowly covered her mouth with her hands.
Cao Yan blinked and glanced at the three people standing to the side. Nian Qiuyan and the other two then tactfully withdrew, leaving the waterside pavilion to the two of them.
Yu Sui sat on the stone bench, staring at Cao Yan in disbelief, looking confused and bewildered.
After Cao Yan waited for her to calm down a bit, he took out an envelope from his sleeve and handed it to Yu Sui, explaining his purpose: "The Nangong family and the Lan Shi organization Xuan Kui have a certain cooperative relationship and will help each other in some matters."
Just a cooperative relationship?
Yu Sui accepted the envelope he handed her with a look of surprise; it must have been written to her by Nangong Ming.
"Did Father give it to me?" Yu Sui asked softly.
Cao Yan stood beside her, his expression as silent and respectful as ever. Even though his position in Nangong Ming's heart might be higher than that of his children, he never took advantage of this trust to make things difficult for the young masters and ladies, and his words and actions remained respectful to them.
In a way, he was also someone who watched these children grow up.
As Yu Sui opened the envelope, Cao Yan continued, "Xuan Kui lost the Divine Mechanism Pseudo-Beast in Taiyi this time, and lacks people to transport the Orchid Poison and deliver messages. The Xuan Kui organization made several suggestions to Your Highness, and Your Highness agreed."
Yu Sui ran her fingertips along the edge of the paper, creating a cut that oozed blood that soaked into the white paper.
Cao Yan slightly raised his eyes and looked at Yu Sui, saying, "The cooperation with Xuan Kui in Taiyi will be taken over by the Princess from now on."
The golden character "Ming" that appeared on the paper flew off the page and floated to Yu Sui's ear. She heard Nangong Ming's voice with a smile: "Sui Sui, you must learn to seize opportunities."
Seize the opportunity?
Nangong Ming knew her all too well and knew her stupidity; he would never let her take on such a troublesome task, but this time he agreed.
The fact that Cao Yan was sent to personally deliver the message demonstrates how much Nangong Ming valued it.
But why?
Is it that important?
Or did he realize something and think that his stupid and good-for-nothing daughter could still be saved?
Nangong Ming and Qingkui had different ideas.
Qingkui knew nothing about Nangong Sui.
The decision to let Yu Sui take over the cooperation was more of a test for Mei Liangyu, based on the simple belief that she was weak, stupid and incapable of achieving great things.
But Nangong Ming is different.
Over the years, he witnessed Nangong Sui's clumsy side, but he also felt that her clumsiness was always just right, and not entirely useless. As long as he put a little pressure on her and gave her some guidance, this daughter, although slow to learn, would always give a satisfactory answer.
This youngest daughter is just a slow learner, not someone who can't learn.
After arriving in Taiyi, she did indeed learn a lot.
Nangong Ming gave Yu Sui a chance to prove herself.
Yu Sui pretended not to understand, blinked blankly, and looked back at Cao Yan to ask, "Uncle Cao, what does my father mean by this? How can I handle this kind of thing? It would be better if you stayed in Taiyi, Uncle Cao. I have to learn the Nine Streams Technique and deal with all kinds of deductions from the academy. How can I have time to care about Xuan Kui's affairs?"
As she spoke, her brows furrowed, and her face showed a pained expression.
"And... that's orchid poison, do I... do I really have to do it?" Yu Sui looked at Cao Yan timidly.
Her current performance undoubtedly disappointed Nangong Ming when Cao Yan told him.
Cao Yan remained calm, his gaze unwavering, and said with his head bowed, "This is the Prince's order."
Upon hearing this, Yu Sui knew there was no room for negotiation.
She put away the letter, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Okay, I understand. I will try my best not to disappoint Father."
Then let all of Taiyi's Xuan Kui Lan corpses die.
Yu Sui lowered her head, looking both distressed and frustrated, occasionally glancing up to talk to Cao Yan.
Standing on the water corridor, Zhang Xiangyun saw this scene and said gloatingly, "Look at her, she looks like she's taken a hot potato, her face is all scrunched up from the heat."
Luo Fu glanced at him but didn't say anything.
The wild geese remained silent throughout the autumn.
Zhang Xiangyun asked, "Why aren't you two saying anything? Isn't she funny?"
Luo Fu stood between the two, keeping them far apart, just in case, to prevent them from having any necessary contact before Zhang Xiangyun's love potion was completely cured.
"You should hand over the Milky Way Water by now." Luo Fu glanced at Nian Qiuyan. "If you don't reveal the whereabouts of the Milky Way Water tonight, you might not be able to leave this courtyard."
Nian Qiuyan looked up and said calmly, "I have already told Uncle Cao."
Zhang Xiangyun raised an eyebrow, looking past Luo Fu at him: "Where?"
Nian Qiuyan pursed her lips and said, "In the sea."
In the sea where six-colored trees grow.
[Author's Note]
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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