Nan Lingqin pointed at Yuwen Yao, then at her own stomach, her eyelids slightly lifted in a calm manner, yet she silently asserted her dominance. The girl's expression clearly darkened, but after a moment, a slight smile appeared on her lips, cleverly concealing the embarrassment in her eyes, and she nodded slightly to Nan Lingqin.
Of course, the woman seemed to understand Yuwen Yao's rules very well. She stopped a few steps away from the two of them and, without saying a word, directly ordered the bandits to prepare food.
The bandits were completely obedient to the woman and showed no disobedience; they retreated in an instant.
Yuwen Yao did not accept the woman's kindness. Instead, he turned to look at Nan Lingqin. In the fiery red afterglow of the setting sun, his deep, dark phoenix eyes were filled with dappled light. He did not blink for a moment, but what he held and protected was only Nan Lingqin.
"What do you think, Madam?"
His voice was deep and clear like a spring, more like a living, breathing painting.
The wind, gentle and soft, like a warm feather, teases the heart, bringing warmth to the smiles of those in the painting, like spring in full bloom, while those outside the painting feel only a chill.
Xue Ningshuang's expression turned slightly pale, and her hands, which were hanging at her sides, unconsciously tightened and then gradually relaxed.
"We're tired from our journey, and Chief Xue is so hospitable, we certainly can't refuse his kindness." Nan Lingqin gently took Yuwen Yao's hand and asked the chief to lead the way into the village.
"I never imagined I would meet you all."
Xue Ningshuang seemed to be mocking herself, "So many years have passed..."
"Are you planning to be a bandit leader here for the rest of your life, neighbor?"
Nan Lingqin spoke softly, and Xue Ningshuang was taken aback. When she met Nan Lingqin's gaze, she looked somewhat flustered. She suddenly turned her head away and said in a low voice, "Of course not."
"So what are your plans?"
Xue Ningshuang pondered for a long time without answering, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.
"You know what? Minglan is going back to the Xue family. I didn't notice, but he'll be there soon."
Nan Lingqin said seemingly unintentionally, but Xue Ningshuang's expression turned rather unpleasant. She secretly glanced at Yuwen Yao, only to see that the man was tall and handsome, his eyes seemingly glued to Nan Lingqin the whole time, not even glancing at her. She was immediately extremely disappointed.
“Minglan is my man. He used to hate the Xue family for abandoning him, but now that he has chosen to go back, he must want the Xue family to be well, so…”
Upon arriving, Nan Lingqin turned to Xue Ningshuang, her eyes and tone already carrying a distinct chill, "Therefore, I will not allow anyone to overthrow the Xue family again."
Upon hearing this, Xue Ningshuang's expression changed drastically. Her slightly lowered eyelids trembled, and her pupils contracted as she looked at Nan Lingqin. "You, what?"
"I think you should understand."
Nan Lingqin raised her hand to stroke her swollen belly, her face showing the tenderness of someone about to become a mother. However, her sudden and intimidating aura made it impossible for anyone to lie in front of her. It was as if she could see through Xue Ningshuang's thoughts.
Xue Ningshuang blurted out, "But the Xue family has been divided into two factions fighting each other for many years. If this continues, it will surely destroy itself." Her words were filled with anger, not at Nan Lingqin, but at the Xue family. It was as if something that had been suppressed for too long and had been covered up was now being provoked by Nan Lingqin.
Seemingly never having seen their leader like this before, the bandits were stunned from afar. Not only them, but all the henchmen in the entire village stared blankly in this direction, on high alert.
"Just like the general trend of the world, what is divided for a long time will unite, and what is united for a long time will divide. So let me ask you, when have you ever seen a country or a faction without any strife? As long as there is internal checks and balances, everything is stable. The Xue family is chaotic, but it is not necessary to destroy it."
Upon hearing the last two words of Nan Lingqin, Xue Ningshuang's face turned pale, and a cold light appeared in her eyes.
"Instead of staying here and making a fuss, you might as well go back to the Xue family and take a look. Maybe you've been away from home for so many years, but your thoughts have just wandered too far. You're just imagining things here, and everything is not as bad as you think."
"impossible."
“As soon as I entered, I noticed something strange about your village…” Nan Lingqin looked at Xue Ningshuang with clear eyes, “There must be quite a few people being raised in the back mountain of your village.”
Xue Ningshuang immediately became alert, her pupils contracting.
Nan Lingqin then looked at the smoke rising from the village and smiled slightly, "Why don't we have our meal first?"
A casual remark seemed to defuse the tense atmosphere that had just arisen.
Xue Ningshuang was immediately confused about what Zhao Yunxi was trying to do. She secretly looked at Yuwen Yao, only to find that the man was even more like a towering mountain covered in snow, shrouded in clouds and mist, making it even harder to see clearly.
The atmosphere during the meal was strange. It was obvious that Nan Lingqin's words had been a heavy blow to Xue Ningshuang, making her feel uneasy far more than she liked Yuwen Yao.
"Madam, you are truly brilliant. With just a few words, you effortlessly won over a potential lover."
Standing behind Nan Lingqin, Tingfeng was full of admiration for his wife.
Nan Lingqin raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is she considered a rival in love?"
He spoke to Tingfeng, but his eyes were fixed on Yuwen Yao.
"Cough cough..."
Since entering the mountain stronghold, Yuwen Yao had tried his best to remain silent, minimizing any chance of being misunderstood by Nan Lingqin. At this moment, meeting her gaze, he smiled slightly, as radiant as peach blossoms in spring, melting snow, and his voice was so soft it could play light music, "Madam is right."
"However, Fu Rao is indeed superior."
The secret message entered her mind. Nan Lingqin looked at Yuwen Yao, their eyes met, and they understood each other without words.
Yes, she had always harbored doubts about the Xue family. Minglan had also considered destroying it in the past, but after investigating, she found that apart from internal strife, the Xue family did not act out of line in their external affairs, so it was not worth destroying.
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