Gate of God

Chapter 466: Altering Fate

“It’s better to teach a man to fish than to give a man to fish. Have you heard this expression before?” Chi Guyan asked Ping Yang.

“Of course. Giving a man a fish may solve his immediate problem, but it’s not a lasting solution. In order to feed him for life, it’s better to teach him to fish. Am I right?” Ping Yang replied.

“Yes.” Chi Guyan nodded.

“But… I still don’t understand. What has this got to do with Canyang sparing Fang Zhengzhi?” Ping Yang blinked in confusion.

“There is another meaning to that story, it is the story of a master laying the path for his disciple.”

“A path?”

“Canyang is a great master. He is so good that he is willing to give up a chance for revenge for Yun Qingwu.” Chi Guyan explained.

“Give up a chance for revenge for Yun Qingwu? What you’re saying is…”

“Yes, Canyang is doing the groundwork for Yun Qingwu.”

“Groundwork?” Ping Yang was increasingly confused.

“If I am right, Canyang probably has very little time left.” Chi Guyan watched the two figures in the distance.

One was dressed in blue, the other in white.

The two figures stood quietly in the middle of the field. One looked extremely calm, whilst the other had an expression of care and unwillingness.

“Sister Yan, you’re saying that the blind man is about to die? That’s not very possible, is it? He is a Sage! Shouldn’t his lifespan be extended as a result?” Ping Yang queried.

“Normally, that would be the case.” Chi Guyan nodded.

“Normally? Are you saying that he didn’t truly enter the Sage State but instead forced a breakthrough?” Ping Yang was in shock.

“There are six Daos in the Rebirth State. Once you grasp the Heavenly Dao, then you are a mere step away from attaining Sage. Canyang had wielded the Heavenly Dao for over a decade. There can be only one possibility why he didn’t attain Sage earlier.”

“What is it?”

“He only cultivated one Dao!”

“Only one Dao? Erm… you mean he entered the Heavenly Rebirth State without going through the Star Conglomerate, Heavenly Reflection, and Supernatural States? How is that possible?” Ping Yang couldn’t believe this even though it had come from Chi Guyan.

“It is extremely difficult for humans, but it is not impossible for a demon. They have accessed Dao from the moment of birth.” Chi Guyan explained patiently.

“That… that is unbelievable!”

“Canyang was relatively unknown for most of his life. He only showcased his abilities over the past decade. Such great improvement may only be possible for someone like Canyang. Of course, this is just my guess.” Chi Guyan continued.

“Even the Emperor buys into your guesses and postulations. However, I still don’t understand. Since he knew that he couldn’t be a Sage, why would he waste his life and breakthrough forcefully?” Ping Yang pressed.

“Maybe he didn’t have much time left anyway.”

“Oh…” Ping Yang was silent. If what Chi Guyan said was true, then there may be a reason for the demons linking up with the Southern Region now.

Canyang was out of time…

Was that the driving force behind this plan?

If that was so, was Canyang breaking through to Sage also part of the plan? Ping Yang’s face was filled with shock.

No wonder…

Yun Qingwu was the Young Master of the demons.

She was known for her ability to predict the future.

However…

She had failed to calculate Fang Zhengzhi into the equation. Even if she did, she didn’t know that Fang Zhengzhi had The Vast World, nor could she have known that Fang Zhengzhi could face up against Canyang.

This was Heaven’s will.

It had nothing to do with Yun Qingwu’s plan.

“I understand now. Canyang was worried that this failure would affect Yun Qingwu’s standing amongst the demons. Since he won’t be able to be by Yun Qingwu’s side for long, he decided to take this course of action.” Ping Yang finally saw the light.

“Mm.” Chi Guyan nodded.

By leaving behind a ‘threat’ that only Yun Qingwu knew well, he could ensure that Yun Qingwu was still valued in the Demon community.

However…

.

There had to be another reason why Canyang was willing to let Fang Zhengzhi live.

In his mind, he was sure that Fang Zhengzhi could not harm the demons anymore.

In other words, Fang Zhengzhi was…

Chi Guyan looked at Fang Zhengzhi, her eyes glittering. Her mouth twitched, but no words came out.

Fang Zhengzhi knew what Chi Guyan was thinking.

However…

Even he didn’t have the answers.

What was the aftermath of eating his Fruits of Dao?

No one knew.

Fang Zhengzhi didn’t bother thinking about it. There was no use anyways. All he knew was that when Canyang pressed on his chest, he had stared death in the face.

However…

Canyang didn’t kill him.

Fang Zhengzhi had no idea if it was because of Yun Qingwu, but he couldn’t be bothered. All he knew was that if Canyang didn’t kill him then…

He wouldn’t kill him now.

That was enough. The rest was up to him.

“How about we talk about the hereditary nobility? After I get it, would I be getting any land? Would I have my own guard?” Fang Zhengzhi spoke up as he walked towards the gates of the settlement.

Marry someone?

That was a must.

Else, who will inherit the knighthood? Who was he going to marry? Chi Guyan was out of the question. Yun Qingwu? Pui, that was even worse…

He would have to go on a blind date…

With his qualities, he should be able to land a good lady.

Hang on, those ladies from noble families tend to be aloof and unable to work. He should find someone who is capable of doing chores.

Yes!

That was something important!

Just as Fang Zhengzhi was busy planning his life…

Ping Yang looked at him with disdain. She was concerned about his safety, but all he cared about was land and a squad of guards?

“Can you show some appreciation? Why do you only think of land and a squad of guards?” Ping Yang pouted as she looked at Yun Qingwu and Canyang.

Behind Yun Qingwu and Canyang…

There were hundreds of thousands of demon soldiers, their armor glistening in the sun. This was a terrifying army to face off against.

“Hahaha, what do you know? This is my reward for surviving that catastrophe.” Fang Zhengzhi couldn’t be bothered to debate with Ping Yang.

Now was his time to celebrate.

Everything else…

Could be pushed to the side for now.

Of course, there was one other thing he had to take care of. That was Yan Xiu.

Fang Zhengzhi turned to look at Chi Guyan and Ping Yang, “Do either of you know how Yan Xiu is?”

“Yan Xiu? He went back to Western Liang.” Ping Yang replied without hesitation.

“He returned to Western Liang? Okay then…” Fang Zhengzhi nodded. He had heard from Teng Shisheng that Yan Xiu suffered serious injuries at the battle at the Icy Monkey Settlement.

It was normal that he would return to Western Liang to recuperate.

That being said, he would have to find time to visit Yan Xiu. The only problem was he may not live to see that day…

Fang Zhengzhi shook his head and walked into the Iron Hill Settlement.

When the Southern Region soldiers guarding the gate saw the three of them approach, they stepped aside.

The three of them disappeared into the settlement.

Nangong Hao also stood up as he looked at the pink figure. He clenched his fists.

Then unclenched them almost as quickly.

“My lord, I need to make a trip back.”

“Make a trip back?” Xing Yuanguo knew that Nangong Hao meant the Nangong Family’s residence.

“Yes, my brother is waiting for me at the gates. This is the treaty signed by the Southern Region. Please hand it to the Emperor for me. I will visit the Emperor in the capital in a month’s time with my brother.” Nangong Hao handed the treaty to Xing Yuanguo.

“I understand.” Xing Yuanguo nodded as he took the treaty in his hands.

…

Time flew by.

Before long, the vanguard of the reinforcements arrived. This was the Great Xia’s army garrisoned at the Icy Monkey Settlement. Shan Ling was not happy to see this.

Four hours later…

The rest of the reinforcements arrived.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers marched into the settlement. Their morale and confidence were high

Then…

When they saw the demon army outside the city, all of their expressions changed.

They simply couldn’t imagine what had happened here…

How did the army hold out in the face of such a domineering onslaught?

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince of the Great Xia is here!” One of the settlement chiefs whispered to Shan Ling.

“Mm.” Shan Ling nodded.

At that very moment, Ling Tianrong, dressed in a silver robe, walked over with Xing Yuanguo.

“I am the Crown Prince of the Southern Region, Shan Ling. Greetings, your highness!” Shan Ling was pale, but he still accorded Lin Tianrong with the appropriate respect.

“Crown Prince, you can do away with the formalities. The Demons are a troublesome bunch, waging war on Great Xia lands. You must have been through a lot. When I return, I will request for a garrison to be permanently stationed here!” Lin Tianrong’s eyes were filled with concern as he looked at Shan Ling’s wounds.

Shan Ling squinted.

The Great Xia’s lands?

A garrison?!

He knew what the Crown Prince was referring to. He also knew what Lin Tianrong had done since stepping foot in the Southern Region.

However…

He could not afford to antagonize Lin Tianrong.

His chest heaved as he smiled. However, his attention had already turned to the demon army on the field.

“Even though they cannot take the Iron Hill Settlement, they aren’t withdrawing. What is their motive? Crown Prince, do you have any intention to withdraw?” Shan Ling spoke.

“Haha…” Lin Tianrong chuckled. He did not show any signs of unhappiness at the question as he looked at the demon army.

“There are two reasons why they are not withdrawing. The first is posturing! Even though they have lost the battle, they have not lost the momentum. If they withdraw immediately, they will lose morale. Furthermore, it takes time to prepare for such a large-scale withdrawal. Yun Qingwu is smart not to give the order immediately!” Xing Yuanguo’s voice rang out.

“You are right. Since Yun Qingwu is merely posturing, Shan Ling, you need not worry. Just increase the defences a little just in case.” Lin Tianrong nodded.

When Shan Ling heard this, his eyes glittered but he maintained his smile.

“Lord, you said that there were two reasons. What is the second?” Shan Ling asked sincerely.

“Robbery! The demons must have used up many resources in this campaign. They had intended to take the capital. Now that the capital is off the table, they will definitely look for secondary rewards.” Xing Yuanguo added.

“Robbery?! Are they going to ransack Nan Ling?” Shan Ling’s expression turned to shock.

However, he did not ask for help.

He knew that Lin Tianrong was waiting for him to do so.

However, if he asked for help…

The price that he would have to pay would definitely be greater than Nan Ling Settlement. More importantly, the demon army was a force to be reckoned with.

Even if the Great Xia was willing to help, they would not risk their lives for some gold.

As a result…

Any request for help would be meaningless.

Shan Ling didn’t speak.

After a moment of silence, Crown Prince Lin TIanrong chuckled, his eyes glittering.

“Since the lord has spelled it all out, let’s just guard the Iron Hill Settlement for three days. Is that okay?”

“Yes, thank you for your assistance!”

Shan Ling nodded and left the wall.

“Your Highness, we will be taking our leave too!” The settlement chiefs followed Shan Ling’s lead.

“Okay, it has been tough on all of you. I will take over the defense.” Lin Tianrong smiled and bowed.

Shan Ling and the settlement chiefs returned to the settlement.

Lin Tianrong turned back and looked at the sea of demon soldiers in black, his gaze icy.

…

Nightfall.

Inside a huge stone house in the Iron Hill Settlement…

The house’s interior was beautiful. It was adorned with leather on the walls as well as leather carpets.

Gems also hung from the ceiling, lighting up the entire room.

Lin Tianrong wore a white robe and he lay down on an exquisite piece of leather. He squinted, his eyes icy.

Having arrived here…

He had heard about the battle and the events in The Vast World.

“Fang Zhengzhi! I never expected… that the battle here would shoot you to fame!” Lin Tianrong’s chest heaved but he calmed himself down.

“Your Highness, Official Su is here!”

At that moment, the voice of one of his servants rang out.

Then, Official Su, donning a black robe, entered the room.

“Official Su, what great timing.” Lin Tianrong glanced at Official Su. He didn’t give Official Su the permission to sit.

Su Qing wasn’t surprised by this. He knew exactly how Lin Tianrong was feeling.

Lin Tianrong wasn’t alone in his shock.

When he heard about the events here, he was stunned as well.

“Your Highness, are you worried about Fang Zhengzhi?” Su Qing asked softly as he bowed.

“Fang Zhengzhi? Haha… Official Su, I have known you to be a great reader, but I must disappoint you this time. No matter how much Fang Zhengzhi achieved here, he is of no threat to me. Furthermore, he has been rendered useless.” Lin Tianrong replied disdainfully.

“You are right, Fang Zhengzhi cannot threaten you, but…” Su Qing stopped himself.

“But what? Spill it!”

“Your Highness, did you forget about the messenger you sent to the Icy Monkey Settlement?”

“I have already made arrangements and there is no evidence the order came from me. Even if Fang Zhengzhi complained to the Emperor, it will not link back to me.”

“There is no evidence, but this doesn’t mean that Fang Zhengzhi will not hate you for it.” Su Qing nodded.

“So what?” Lin Tianrong replied dismissively.

“With his contributions this time, Fang Zhengzhi may be accorded a title and his family may be promoted to noble status. Do you know that the Minister Of Rites is dead? If I am correct, the Emperor had tried to push Fang Zhengzhi to that ministry. Now, with his achievements, it is only a matter of time before he becomes the minister.” Su Qing added.

“Continue.” Lin Tianrong’s interest had been piqued.

Ministry of Rites!

One of the six ministries, in charge of rites and diplomacy. It was one of the most important domestic ministries. He had control of the ministry in the past.

Of course…

That was not the most important point.

Most importantly, Lin Tianrong knew that the Emperor had been meaning to combine the Imperial Academy and the Ministry of Rites. If that were to happen…

The influence of the Ministry of Rites would be gargantuan.

“Your Highness, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that Fang Zhengzhi and Chi Guyan have a wager that could result in their marriage. Previously, the possibility of this was close to none. But what if he is the Minister of Rites?” Su Qing smirked.

“Are you talking about the Divine Constabulary?” Lin Tianrong’s gaze was icy.

“That’s right. Chi Hou has always been King Duan’s strategist. Even though Fang Zhengzhi and King Duan have a bit of history, if Chi Guyan and Fang Zhengzhi wed, what would his attitude be?”

“Carry on.”

“If Fang Zhengzhi is the Minister of Rites and a son-in-law to the Divine Constabulary… taking into account Xing Yuanguo’s attitude towards him today… do you think the 13 constabularies… will still remain silent?”

“Impossible! The Stabilization Constabulary has never taken part in the battle for the throne. This is something that will never happen!” Lin Tianrong replied assertively.

“Theoretically, that is true, but what if it happens? If the 13 Constabularies are linked to King Duan… together with the Yan Family of Western Liang… you may not be able to hold your position.”

“Smack!”

A crack appeared in Lin Tianrong’s bed.

Lin Tianrong finally sat up, his eyes squinted and filled with iciness.

“What is your plan?”

“I have a plan that will help take care of all these concerns and will also give you all the credit here. If it works, no one will be able to contest your position!” Su Qing’s eyes glittered.

“It’ll give me all the credit? Haha… you must be joking. Fang Zhengzhi’s exploits here are clear for all to see, how can I take that away?” Lin Tianrong couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Stealing is the lowest of all methods. This plan of mine will not steal anything, but it could change the course of events!” Su Qing shook his head.

“Haha… you plan to help me take all the credit without stealing? That is ridiculous. Why don’t you tell me how confident you are of this plan succeeding?” Lin Tianrong chuckled.

“10%!” Su Qing replied without any hesitation.

10%? You must be joking.” Lin Tianrong froze as he stared at Su Qing.

“If it doesn’t work, I am willing to die for my actions!” Su Qing fell to his knees.

“Okay then, tell me what your plan is!” Lin Tianrong stood up and walked over to Su Qing to help him up.

Chapter 467: Making Babies

…

Two figures say under the moonlight. It was dim, but the two figures glittered in the light.

After eating and drinking his fill, Fang Zhengzhi changed into a fresh set of clothes. The only thing left to do was get a good night’s rest.

However…

He still chose to sit down with Chi Guyan.

There was no special reason. Perhaps it was because Chi Guyan was leaving at daybreak and Fang Zhengzhi wanted to repay her for saving him.

There was no harm in listening to the roar of beasts whilst snacking on some nuts. They could enjoy watching the moon whilst being surrounded by an army of demons.

The night was best for admiring the moon.

He leaned against the backrest of the stone chair and placed his feet on the table. He held a handful of nuts in his hand.

This was his reward after the battle.

“What are your plans after you return to the capital?” Chi Guyan wasn’t surprised to see Fang Zhengzhi so relaxed.

“I’ll visit the Northern Mountain Village first.” Fang Zhengzhi turned to look at Chi Guyan.

Chi Guyan was wearing a blue dress and had a white flower pinned to her chest. A white belt around her waist accentuated her great figure.

Fang Zhengzhi had to admit that Chi Guyan’s eyes were especially alluring, and she had an attractive aura about her.

It was a pity that she was a little too arrogant.

“And then what?” Chi Guyan pressed.

“I’ll build a big house.”

“And?”

“Marry… erm, find 100 servants.”

“100?”

“Yes.”

“Is 100 enough?”

“Haha… yes it is, any more and the expenses would be too great.”

“Mm, that’s true.” Chi Guyan nodded but didn’t say more.

Fang Zhengzhi was silent as well. He continued eating the nuts in his hand, but he found that they weren’t as tasty as before.

The night was chilly.

It was almost winter. Nights in the Southern Region were already cold, and the chill cooled the stone seats even further.

After some time…

Chi Guyan spoked once again.

“Once you return to the capital, I think the Emperor would make you acting minister of the Ministry of Rites. What… do you think of that?”

“Then I’ll just take it up.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“The Heaven Dao Pavillion selections are in a month’s time, will you be participating?” Chi Guyan’s voice was calm, but her eyes were filled with anticipation.

Fang Zhengzhi didn’t speak.

He knew why Chi Guyan had come to find him, and he also knew that he had promised her that he would go to the selections.

The only problem was…

Could he still do it?

Time seemed to crawl…

The night deepened.

Fang Zhengzhi raised his head and closed his eyes.

Chi Guyan did not press further. She simply sat quietly, her eyes glittering like the stars in the sky.

It was a calm night…

Some distance away, there was another calm figure…

This figure was clad in black leather, her beige skin glowing.

She watched the two figures sitting under the moonlight.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince and the Settlement Chiefs are waiting for you.” Someone whispered respectfully beside her.

“I got it. Are there any movements from the demons?”

“Not yet.”

“Okay, pass down my orders. The Silver Horned Wolves are to help reinforce the defences. There must be no points of weakness! Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with by court-martial!”

“Yes, ma’am!” The voice replied and took his leave.

She continued to watch the two figures under the moonlight for a while. Her eyes glittered momentarily, then she took her leave.

…

At daybreak, Chi Guyan left and brought a begrudging Ping Yang with her.

The demon army was still camped outside the Iron Hill Settlement. They exercised and practiced formations, but never launched an attack.

When Fang Zhengzhi was free, he would go and sit on the settlement walls.

There was always one figure standing at the front of the demon camp. That was a figure in a white dress.

Three days later, the demon army withdrew.

The Southern Region war was finally over.

As the commander, Xing Yuanguo headed straight back to the capital after the war was over. Xing Qingsui, the Dragon Protection Squad, the Mountain Breaking Army and the 100,000 Great Xia soldiers returned with him.

However…

The Crown Prince did not return immediately.

All of the candidates who had participated in the court examinations stayed behind with the Crown Prince to participate in the celebratory dinner.

As the one with the greatest contribution to this victory…

Fang Zhengzhi stayed behind as well. He followed the Southern Region soldiers back to the Sagely Mountain City and basked in the festivities.

At that very moment, the capital of the Great Xia was also in a celebratory mood.

News of the battle had already reached the capital. The events of the Southern Region sent everyone in the capital into a frenzy.

“Did you hear? Fang Zhengzhi dueled a Sage!”

“Of course I heard about it. I am sure he would be handsomely rewarded.”

“It is a pity that this is the end of the road for his cultivation.”

“So what? His contributions to the battle would definitely mean that the Emperor will reward him handsomely! His cultivation may have been ruined, but it was for the country! Even if he was crippled, it would be worth it!”

Everyone was talking about the war, and everyone was talking about Fang Zhengzhi…

…

In the throne room…

The officials stood on both sides whilst Emperor Lin Mubai took his seat on the throne. He was smiling radiantly.

This was a difficult battle.

However…

It had gone even better than he had expected. Even though they had suffered some losses, they managed to quell the unrest in the Southern Region. The Emperor was delighted.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince had been a key factor in our victory. Now, he is negotiating with the Southern Region on behalf of the Great Xia. In my modest opinion…”

“When is Xing Hou expected to arrive?” Emperor Lin Mubai interrupted and waved the official off.

“Your Highness, we have reports that he has left the Southern Region. He should be back within the next five days.” Another official stepped forward, smirking at the other embarrassed official.

The Crown Prince?

That’s jumping the gun.

They had won the Southern Region war. As the chief invigilator of the court examination, he did have a part to play in the victory, but…

In comparison to some others… his contributions were negligible.

“Okay, my orders are as follows. Tell Xing Hou not to rush and to take care of himself. Have all the cities and provinces along the way prepare feasts as a reward for our army.” Emperor Lin Mubai nodded.

“Yes, your highness!”

“Oh yes, Fang Zhengzhi is still in the Southern Regions, yes?” Emperor Lin Mubai seemed to remember something.

“Your Highness, Fang Zhengzhi is participating in the celebratory feast in the Southern Region. He should be there for another week. He will return with the Crown Prince…” The official replied.

All of the other officials looked at each other. They knew what was coming…

Discussing Fang Zhengzhi right after Xing Hou…

That meant that he was valued far more than just a rank four official.

However, none of them raised any objections because they knew that there will be a youth in the courts very soon.

A sixteen-year-old…

This was a teenager who they had to listen to and value his opinions. This man was the main reason why they were victorious.

A duel against Canyang in The Vast World.

This would make him famous throughout all the lands…

Even if he was no longer a talent…

“Okay, here are my orders. Fang Zhengzhi is to be made assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites. He will temporarily be a rank three official. He will represent the ministry and assist in negotiations with the Southern Region.” Emperor Lin Mubai ordered.

“Yes, your highness!” All of the officials replied.

No one dared to bring up the fact that Fang Zhengzhi’s cultivation had been ruined. Even Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping closed his eyes and remained calm.

They all heard the word “temporarily”.

Rank three official? Temporarily?

He had already received a double promotion despite not having returned to the capital. One could only imagine what rewards awaited him when he returned.

…

The Sagely Mountain City was in a festive mood.

From the foot of the hill all the way to the peak, ladies in rattan lined the sides of the road, dancing to welcome the victorious army. There were bonfires all along the path…

Beasts roasted on each bonfire, the fragrance wafting into the noses of the soldiers.

This was how the Southern Region welcomed their warriors. Each bonfire represented a settlement. The ladies danced to welcome their warriors back.

When the warriors passed by the bonfire of their settlement, they could stop and enjoy the food.

Of course…

If they wanted to, they could interact with the ladies dancing by the bonfire. If the ladies were willing, they could form even deeper connections.

The Southern Region was a land of warriors.

It was also a very liberal place.

Countless warriors stopped in their tracks and joined in the festivities, eating and drinking their fill.

At the peak of the Sagely Mountain City…

The festivities were at their greatest inside the royal palace.

A myriad of leather pieces hung from the walls of the palace. There were also pictures fashioned from dyed rattan and gems.

Each picture represented something different.

It was an honor.

It was also a faith…

A faith that belonged to the major settlements of the Southern Region.

The bigger and more intricate the picture, the more space it took. The six largest pictures hung from the main door.

There was a golden picture in the middle of the six.

This belonged to the royal family.

Inside the throne room, the King of the Southern Region, dressed in exquisite leather, sat next to the Crown Prince.

Just below them were Shan Ling and Princess Shan Yu, as well as the settlement chiefs and Great Xia candidates.

“Drink!” The King of the Southern Region raised his glass.

“Drink!” The settlement chiefs echoed.

The candidates from the Great Xia raised their glasses as well. They were all flushed; the wine in the Southern Region was much stronger than they were used to.

However, they weren’t about to concede.

As such…

They raised their glasses and gulped it down.

With everyone high and tipsy, the poetry composition began.

The brushes of the Great Xia candidates were stained black with ink.

The Southern Region settlement chiefs found friends amongst the generals and music began to fill the room.

Fang Zhengzhi had little interest in all of this.

However, there was too much attention on him. Even the King of the Southern Region and Crown Prince Lin Tianrong came over to toast him.

Then, there were the settlement chiefs and generals…

All this while, Fang Zhengzhi had been a bit of a recluse during such events. However, today, he was the center of attraction.

No one tried to challenge him to poetry.

After the candidates finished their composition, they would turn to look at Fang Zhengzhi with excitement and anticipation.

“Official Fang, please critique!”

“Good!” Fang Zhengzhi replied casually.

“Thank you, Official Fang!” The candidate would smile and bow before he turned to ask for comments from the others.

Watching this…

Fang Zhengzhi felt rather exasperated.

Being so popular isn’t such a great thing after all. That being said… he could probably start taking bribes in the near future.

After he received his titles and land and servants… he couldn’t possibly reject all the gifts offered to him…

Right?

Fang Zhengzhi smiled to himself. After so many toasts, he was beginning to feel a little tipsy.

After a few more rounds, he felt rather groggy.

At that moment, the King of the Southern Region stood up, his face flushed as he surveyed the candidates below.

“The people of the Great Xia are knowledgeable and cultured. I am truly in awe! It is a pity that age is catching up with me. I will have to leave the cultural exchange and learning to the next generation.”

“Your Highness, you are still young.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong stood up and smiled.

“Hahaha… there is no point in denying that I am old. However, my age is of little concern. I am simply handing over the responsibilities to the next generation a little earlier.” The King of the Southern Region chuckled.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong squinted when he heard this. His eyes glittered icily as he looked at Shan Ling.

However, they reverted to normal very quickly.

“In my modest opinion, you still have more than a decade of ruling in you!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong added.

“Ten years? Hahaha… you must be joking. I know my body well. I wouldn’t even last a year longer, much less ten. However, there’s something that I’ve been unable to put to rest.” The Southern Region King lamented.

“What is it?”

“This requires your help, Crown Prince.” The King of the Southern Region added.

“Your Highness, you are too kind. If I have the honor of assisting you, I will definitely do my best without any hesitation!” Lin Tianrong squinted.

“Hahaha… that’s great! Let me thank you on behalf of Princess Shan Yu in advance!” The King of the Southern Region laughed.

“Princess?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong was taken aback.

“Yes, this daughter of mine has been pampered since young. She doesn’t like any of our brave warriors. However, she has taken an interest in the candidates…” The King of the Southern Region looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

Fang Zhengzhi was slightly tipsy…

However, this did not affect his judgment.

He was shocked to see the King of the Southern Region look at him. “F*ck me, is he trying to get me to marry his daughter?”

Then…

Should he accept or reject?

At that very moment, Fang Zhengzhi felt another pair of eyes looking at him. This figure was wearing a luxurious piece of leather.

Her eyes were as black as ink and glittered in the light.

Her body exuded an animalistic aura that radiated all over her skin. She also had thin, pen-like legs.

Princess Shan Yu.

She was a lady with many suitors.

Fang Zhengzhi never expected that he would be the center of attraction today.

Much less the subject of an arranged marriage.

This request came from the King himself?

Shouldn’t this be requested by the guy?

If this was the case…

Could he save on the dowry?

After all, Princess Shan Yu was a princess. He was at an advantage here! She was more influential than most girls he could find.

More importantly, she was capable!

So… should he marry this person and make babies with her? Fang Zhengzhi thought to himself as he looked at Shan Yu and the King.

Chapter 468: Where is the trust between people?

This was a serious question.

Just as Fang Zhengzhi was thinking about it, the other candidates became increasingly excited.

They knew what the King of the Southern Region meant.

He was looking for a suitor!

The question was, would he pick someone based on intellect or combat skill?

All of the candidates looked at Princess Shan Yu, their eyes glittering. She was a beauty…

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong also knew what the King of the Southern Region was getting at. He smiled, almost as if he knew this was coming.

“Are you trying to use this event to find someone for your daughter?”

“Indeed.” The King of the Southern Region nodded as he looked away from Fang Zhengzhi and back at Lin Tianrong.

“That’s great! That’s great indeed! How would you like to go about choosing?”

“No, no I will not be the one choosing. I want my daughter to choose for herself.” The King of the Southern Region looked at Princess Shan Yu.

“Have the Princess choose for herself?” Lin Tianrong was taken aback.

Generally, royal weddings were decided by the Emperors. This made Lin Tianrong think that this would be the case here as well.

However, it would seem that…

This was not the case.

“We have our own customs, would you mind indulging us?” The King smiled.

“I would love to.” Lin Tianrong replied.

“Have someone light a bonfire!” The King smiled when he saw Lin Tianrong nod.

“Yes, your highness!” A few of the servants replied before taking their leave.

Then, a few heavily armored soldiers entered and placed a pile of wood in the middle of the room.

There was a live Blue Horned Lamb on it.

All of the candidates were shocked. In their minds, they were expecting a stage.

A pile of wood and a lamb…

Were they planning to roast it?

Just as they were thinking about it, Princess Shan Yu stood up and looked at the candidates, then at Fang Zhengzhi.

She walked over to the bonfire.

Then…

Two daggers appeared in her hands.

And then…

The candidates were all stunned by what they saw.

Princess Shan Yu began slaughtering the lamb… her movements were so smooth it was as though she had been doing this her whole life.

The lamb was prepared within moments.

Princess Shan Yu placed the lamb on the bonfire and sheathed her daggers.

Every movement was smooth, clean, and animalistic.

However, all of the candidates were still confused. They had no idea what was coming.

“We have a tradition here in the Southern Region. All returning warriors can enjoy a sumptuous meal. They can choose which fire to go to, and the ladies can choose whether to let the males eat from her bonfire!” The King chuckled as he explained.

All of the candidates looked at each other when they heard this.

They understood almost instantly.

How simple was that?

This was a great representation of Southern Region culture. There were little formalities and they emphasized freedom.

The warriors showed their admiration and liking of a girl by eating at their bonfire. The ladies could choose which males they allowed to eat from their bonfire.

This was all about freedom of choice.

It was simple.

No one would be forced to do something against their will. At the same time, they were spreading the culture of their food.

In order to impress the warriors, the Southern Region ladies learnt to cook from a young age. That was how they supported the family.

When he heard this…

Fang Zhengzhi couldn’t help but exclaim in his heart, “Great tradition!”

…

The lamb was placed on the fire and a few servants stood around it. At that moment, Princess Shan Yu moved.

The red cloud patterns appeared on her body.

They extended down her arms and her eyes also began to turn red, almost as if there were two balls of fire dancing in them.

All of the candidates whooped and cheered.

“All the best, your highness!”

“How beautiful! I have never seen anything so red and bright in my 20 years of life!”

“Indeed, she looks like a rising sun, her eyes are so beautiful…”

All of the candidates couldn’t hold back their praises as they tried to find words to express their feelings.

Fang Zhengzhi looked at the candidates scornfully.

Pretty?

A sun?

Is that even a fitting description?

The first time he had seen Princess Shan Yu like that, he had almost mistaken her for a ghost.

That being said, he had to admit that she did give off an attractive animalistic aura.

The only question was…

What are the cloud patterns?

No one bothered to find out what Fang Zhengzhi’s question was. No one planned on answering it either. They were all engrossed with what Princess Shan Yu was doing.

Princess Shan Yu was dancing.

Her slender long legs flew across the floor as she twirled, sparks dancing on her hands. As she twirled, the sparks landed on the lamb, giving off sizzling sounds.

After a few rounds of twirling, Princess Shan Yu took out a few tubes. Each tube contained a certain spice.

Grinding and spreading…

Princess Shan Yu twirled around the flame as she seasoned the meat with her spices. The fragrance wafted into the noses of everyone around.

“You can roast meats this way?” Fang Zhengzhi was slightly shocked. He had heard that you could roast meats using all kinds of herbs and spices.

However, it was a very difficult method.

Because…

The ratios had to be perfect. If you used too many herbs and spices, the natural flavor of the meat would be masked.

If you used too little, then the blend would be suboptimal and both flavor and texture may be compromised.

One could only perfect the ratios through many rounds of trial and error.

Of course, as the Princess of the Southern Region…

Fang Zhengzhi knew that Princess Shan Yu’s standards would not be low. In fact, when he smelt the fragrance…

He knew that her standard was better than he had expected!

There wasn’t any overpowering herb smell!

In fact, it was fresh and inviting.

How did she do it?

Could it be…

That she used the meat’s fragrance to mask that of the herbs?

“Fantastic!” Fang Zhengzhi had always loved to eat. To him, eating was one of the greatest enjoyments in life.

Gulp…

Fang Zhengzhi swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

This was heard by Princess Shan Yu. Her eyes brightened when she heard it as a red glow brightened her face.

All of the other candidates were mesmerized when they smelt the aroma of the meat.

Then, Princess Shan Yu stopped.

A golden lamb sat atop the bonfire. There was no charring. The entire lamb was a decadent golden color.

All of the candidates gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

Even Lin Tianrong was tempted…

“The Princess’s abilities… even I…” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong wanted to say that he wanted to taste some, but he stopped himself.

“Hahaha, I have to say that my daughter is probably the best around when it comes to roasting lamb!” The King chuckled.

He knew what the Crown Prince was saying.

As the Crown Prince of an empire, he could not request for a tasting. The King had to offer it.

However…

The King had no intention of letting the Crown Prince have a try. This was the Southern Region culture! Only someone sincere, whom the lady liked, had the right to taste it.

Anything else…

Would be an insult to their culture!

Seeing that the King of the Southern Region didn’t say anything else, Lin Tianrong cleared his throat. This told the candidates that they could begin.

All of the candidates leapt at the opportunity.

“Your Highness, could I please try a bite?” A youth in green stood up first. He had a gentlemanly demeanor.

“Have you been promised to someone?” The Princess glanced at the candidate.

“Erm… yes I do, but if I could be with your highness…” The youth was stammered.

“Scram!” Princess Shan Yu ordered.

“Erm…” The youth wasn’t expecting this…

The King of the Southern Region had said that they could try the food if they were attracted to the Princess…

Yet, things were not playing out that way.

He didn’t want to return to his position…

However, a few heavily armored soldiers had already lowered their spears at his throat.

“Hahaha… she can be quite wilful…” The King of the Southern Region chuckled.

When the other candidates heard the words of the King, they seemed to understand…

This was the tradition of the Southern Region…

However, Shan Yu was a Princess.

She wouldn’t let any random person try her food.

Her willfulness…

Was reason enough.

The youth in green decided to return to his spot, slightly depressed. However, he did not dare to say anything.

At that moment, another candidate stepped forward.

He was dressed in black.

He held a paper and pen.

“Your Highness, I have a short poem that I wrote for you. Perhaps you could take a look at it?” The candidate prepared to present his work.

“Scram!” Princess Shan Yu’s voice rang out.

“Erm, your highness, I have not been promised…”

“You are too ugly!”

“…” The candidate withdrew, visibly embarrassed, tears in his eyes. His appearance was no fault of his… why couldn’t she just look at his work?

After two candidates had failed…

The candidates realized that Princess Shan Yu was extremely willful. If she didn’t like you, she would send you packing.

However, the candidates weren’t about to give up.

So…

They tried their luck!

“Scram!”

“Scram!:

“…”

“Your Highness, I want to challenge you to a duel!”

After Princess Shan Yu had rejected a few candidates, a brave soul stood up and challenged her to a duel.

In the end…

He was defeated handily.

Fang Zhengzhi’s lips twitched as he saw the pool of blood. He sighed to himself, “Not every lady succumbs to the hard way!”

“Scram!”

“Scram!”

“…”

And then, many of the candidates were sent packing. Some of them even lay on the ground, bawling their eyes out.

They could neither win her over nor defeat her!

What were they supposed to do?

Some were too short… others were too tall…

She sent another guy packing simply because his eyes were too small…

Somethings were out of their control!

The candidates’ hearts were all shattered by Princess Shan Yu…

The tales were all lies…

Weren’t they supposed to be able to try as long as they were sincere?

Where was the trust?

“Princess, my princess!”

All of the candidates screamed in their hearts.

However, it was to no avail.

Because…

Princess Shan Yu had no intention of letting up.

The lamb continued to sizzle on the pile of wood, the fragrance causing everyone in the room to salivate…

However, that was all they could do.

Almost every candidate had been sent back.

Except for one man…

That man was Fang Zhengzhi!

Chapter 469: Acting skills

Fang Zhengzhi didn’t move.

Why didn’t he move?

The reason was simple.

The look on the face of the Southern Region King said it all. Princess Shan Yu’s actions couldn’t have made things clearer.

They clearly wanted him to be a suitor.

Did they really think that he was dumb?

Fang Zhengzhi was sure that if he stepped forward, he would definitely be able to get a taste. Things would all fall into place from that moment on…

All Fang Zhengzhi could say was…

“Naive!”

How dumb did they think he was?

Marry Princess Shan Yu?

This was something that many people dreamed of. Those with neither name nor fortune all dreamed to be part of a royal family.

But the truth was…

Marrying a princess was not as glorious as people thought.

If one really married a princess, one would know how tough life could get.

If he married a Southern Region Princess, that difficulty would only increase.

Princess Shan Yu would never return to the Great Xia with him. In other words, he would have to stay here.

He wouldn’t even have any control over the surname of his kids.

Furthermore…

The Southern Region was Princess Shan Yu’s territory. Even though Fang Zhengzhi would never bully her, who was to say that she wouldn’t bully him?

There was something that he still remembered to this day.

He had slapped Princess Shan Yu at the foot of the Sagely Mountain City. He didn’t do it on purpose…

But did anyone hear his explanation?

No…

They just tried to kill him.

Princess Shan Yu lost her mind and Shan Ling was volcanic.

There was still a long way to go. Heaven knows what conflicts may arise in the future…

Even though Princess Shan Yu seemed very attractive and cultured now, Fang Zhengzhi knew her ‘true colors’.

She had a bad temper.

She was far from demure…

She was capable…

But…

Perhaps she was overly capable.

He had to reject her.

Fang Zhengzhi’s body didn’t move, but his eyes kept darting towards the roasted lamb.

“Gulp!”

He swallowed another mouthful of saliva. The temptation was overwhelming.

He wondered how tasty the lamb would be. Would the skin be crispy? The lamb must be really young. The meat must be extremely tender! Shan Yu’s roast meat might even be better than his!

Furthermore, the ingredients used were some of the best in the world.

Could he just try it for free?

Fang Zhengzhi really wanted to ask that question, but he stopped himself from doing so. He knew that the possibility of that was near to none.

He must not give in to temptation!

But…

It was really good… why was it so good? What could he do that would allow him to taste it without taking responsibility?

Fang Zhengzhi could not think of any possible methods. After all, there were so many people watching. If he stepped forward…

He would be walking right into the trap!

He grit his teeth and bit on the piece of meat at his table. It was okay, but it was a far cry from the lamb that was on offer.

The more he ate the meat at his table, the more he listed for the lamb.

If this was not the throne room but Princess Shan Yu’s camp, then he would have many ways of tasting that lamb.

“Ah… I can’t do this!”

I have to resist!

He had to resist the temptation! If not, he would be signing on for decades of torture just for one moment of enjoyment…

Hang on!

Could he even live for another decade?

Fang Zhengzhi had no idea. After all, there was no precedent in history. There was every chance that he could die tomorrow.

Should he just live in the moment?

No!

It wouldn’t be fair to Princess Shan Yu.

If he died, Princess Shan Yu would be a widow! She would not be able to remarry!

That would be most unfair!

Hang on…

Oh yes!

If even he found it unacceptable, what would the King of the Southern Region think? What about Shan Ling? They loved Shan Yu…

Would they allow something like that to happen?

“Genius! This plan is genius!”

Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes glittered as he looked at the King of the Southern Region.

He held a flask of wine in his hand as he stood up.

The crowd was silent as they watched him…

This was the respect that he commanded.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored the jealous gazes of the candidates around him. He gulped down the entire flask.

“Good!”

“Official Fang can handle his alcohol!”

“I never thought that Official Fang was so good! He is definitely no worse than our warriors! No, he is even better than our warriors!”

“Hahaha… indeed!”

The settlement chiefs and generals began to cheer as they watched Fang Zhengzhi down the flask of wine.

All of the candidates turned to look at each other.

So…

This was how to get to Princess Shan Yu?

Oh gosh, what a mistake!

All of the candidates regretted their actions. They had thought of impressing Princess Shan Yu with their brains or brawns… but Fang Zhengzhi was way ahead of them.

This simple act had already put him in the lead.

The candidates were jealous, but they had to admire Fang Zhengzhi’s methods.

The King of the Southern Region beamed when he saw this.

To the people of the Southern Region…

Being able to handle one’s alcohol was a skill!

Furthermore, they were a culture which prided themselves on courage and showmanship. Fang Zhengzhi’s actions were representative of both these qualities.

Of course…

Most importantly, the King of the Southern Region knew what Princess Shan Yu was thinking.

“It’s him!” The King of the Southern Region thought to himself as he looked at Princess Shan Yu. His eyes said it all.

Don’t be wilful any longer!

Fang Zhengzhi saw the look on the King’s face. He smiled, then began to hobble over tipsily. He shook from side to side as he walked towards Princess Shan Yu.

“It is good wine… but I don’t have any good meat to complement it!” Fang Zhengzhi sighed as he walked up.

“Is he really going to try?”

“I guess he is trying to use his drunkenness as an excuse to absolve himself from any responsibility later…”

“How shameless!”

All of the candidates began to discuss amongst themselves.

Princess Shan Yu’s eyes glittered as she looked at Fang Zhengzhi. She bit her lip, but it wasn’t clear if it was out of surprise or hate.

But one thing was for sure…

She didn’t ask him to scram…

“This meat…” Fang Zhengzhi pointed to the lamb on the fire, licking the remnants of the wine at the edges of his lips. He squinted, almost as though he was drunk.

“Do you think that this fella would claim that he was drunk and not take responsibility for his actions later?” One of the candidates asked.

“Oh? That’s a real possibility!” Another candidate echoed.

All of the candidates looked on in scorn.

“Do you think that the Southern Region is stupid? If Fang Zhengzhi dared to do such a thing, he won’t even be able to live past dawn!”

“That’s true!”

“But… would he want to marry Princess Shan Yu?”

All of the candidates thought to themselves…

By this time, Fang Zhengzhi was within arm’s reach of the lamb.

The entire throne room was silent.

Because…

Princess Shan Yu had not spoken.

In other words, Princess Shan Yu wasn’t going to stop Fang Zhengzhi from eating… in other words… Fang Zhengzhi was moments away from becoming Princess Shan Yu’s husband…

“Is Fang Zhengzhi really going to do it?”

Everyone from the candidates to the King of the Southern Region held their breaths.

Fang Zhengzhi was equally anxious. This had nothing to do with whether he could eat the lamb. He was nervous because the success of this plan…

Depended on this moment.

He looked at everyone. Then, he focused on one hulking, calm man sitting below the King.

Crown Prince Shan Ling!

“Why is he so calm?” Fang Zhengzhi was slightly suspicious. The King may like him, but Shan Ling should be making things difficult for him.

He had already accounted for it.

But the fact was…

Shan Ling never said anything.

Come on!

Come and make things difficult for me!

Damn it, I already thought of a response, yet you aren’t doing your part? Fang Zhengzhi had already tried to slow down, but…

It was all to no avail. Shan Ling’s silence was embarrassing him.

It was a strange feeling. He had prepared himself for a great obstacle ahead only to realize that…

The door was wide open for him!

Okay then…

Fang Zhengzhi looked away from Shan Ling. He extended his hand and took the leg…

It was all going much too smoothly.

“He got it!”

“He actually got it?”

“Who would have thought that he would be so lucky? Aish… she is out of my reach…”

All of the candidates were shocked to see Fang Zhengzhi hold that lamb leg in his hand. However, after all that he had done, they could see why…

Fang Zhengzhi had a leg of lamb…

Princess Shan Yu had not said anything. She showed no intention of stopping Fang Zhengzhi. Even an idiot knew that this was her way of giving him permission to eat.

That meant that…

If Fang Zhengzhi bit down on this leg of lamb… he would have the spot firmly in his grasp.

Would he eat it? That was the question in everyone’s mind.

The King of the Southern Region looked at Fang Zhengzhi and smiled encouragingly.

Time seemed to freeze…

Princess Shan Yu clenched her fists, blushing as she did so. She looked at Fang Zhengzhi…

Almost as though she was making a tough decision.

“Are you guys all… pigs? Eating this is so simple, yet none of you managed to do it? You need me to do this?!”

A voice rang out.

It shattered the silence in the throne room. Everyone’s eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.

“What did he say?”

“He was… scolding us?”

“Just because he is on the verge of getting Shan Yu’s hand in marriage doesn’t give him the right to scold us!”

All of the candidates reacted instantly. They knew that it was Fang Zhengzhi’s voice, and they knew what he was insinuating.

He was mocking them…

Plain and simple.

“Why? Are you all mad? Why bother with all the fanciful stuff? It’s all of no use! What’s the point of writing so much? Useless!” Fang Zhengzhi continued to ramble on.

He waved the leg of lamb as he berated the candidates.

“Fang Zhengzhi! Even though you were an important factor in our victory, that doesn’t give you the right to humiliate us!”

“Yes, you aren’t even married to her yet! Maybe Princess Shan Yu just pities you. Maybe she just wants to reward you for your valiant efforts!”

“Exactly! If she doesn’t choose you, all you will have is a taste!”

All of the candidates couldn’t take it lying down any longer.

Fang Zhengzhi smiled.

He was ecstatic. He had been waiting for this moment.

Fang Zhengzhi’s initial plan was to act as though he was the victim after Shan Ling made things difficult for him.

However, Shan Ling’s silence had made things more difficult.

He didn’t want to get the leg of lamb so easily…

Since Shan Ling wasn’t going to act according to the script…

Fang Zhengzhi had no choice but to change the script!

Chapter 470: Caught between a rock and a hard place

The mocking wasn’t the key here.

What Fang Zhengzhi wanted to hear was, “Even if you eat the meat and she doesn’t choose you, it’ll all amount to nothing.”

That was the key.

This was something that everyone knew in their hearts. However, saying it and knowing it was two different things altogether.

“Do you think that the Princess won’t choose me?” Fang Zhengzhi smiled at the crowd.

“Everything is possible until she chooses!”

“Don’t think that you’ve secured your place just because you got a taste of the meat!”

“Exactly!”

The candidates replied without hesitation.

“Is that so?” Fang Zhengzhi smiled as he turned to look at Princess Shan Yu.

“Are you really so confident that I will like you?” Princess Shan Yu felt a wave of pride and wanted to rebut Fang Zhengzhi.

However, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

She recalled what Shan Ling said to her before the start of the banquet.

“Sister, you are not young anymore. You will need to take some responsibility for matters concerning the Southern Region. Fang Zhengzhi’s cultivation may have been ruined, but he was the main factor in our victory. I also heard that you promised him ten gold mines. If we let him return, won’t we be giving the gold mines to the Great Xia?”

“But brother, that fella and Chi Guyan…”

“As long as you agree, I will arrange everything. I know that this is unfair towards you, but we can’t let him have the ten gold mines!”

“Erm…”

“Feelings can be developed over time. Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi is proficient in the Law of Dao. If he stays here, it could be good for our development.”

“Brother, do you think that Fang Zhengzhi… will be willing to stay in the Southern Region for me?”

“Didn’t you spend some time with him in the camp? Do you know what he likes?”

“He… likes to eat…”

“Eat?”

“Yes… he loves meat…”

“Hahaha, then things are simple. Even the King loves the things that you cook. I will discuss it with father, then the rest is up to you.”

…

Princess Shan Yu recalled what Shan Ling had told her. She bit her lip and blushed as she looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

The words were at the tip of her tongue but she couldn’t bring herself to say them.

Fang Zhengzhi was shocked to see Princess Shan Yu like that. Ordinarily, Princess Shan Yu would not tolerate this.

Even though he was very confident of himself…

But…

It was quite impossible for Princess Shan Yu to fall for him.

He felt that this was a plan by the Southern Region King. Princess Shan Yu only agreed to go along with it because she didn’t want to disappoint him.

But it didn’t matter…

Once she agreed, everything else wouldn’t matter.

Ordinarily, as long as he gave Princess Shan Yu an out… she should have jumped on it. By antagonizing everyone…

Princess Shan Yu could ‘reject’ him and appease the crowd.

That would be the perfect ending.

Princess Shan Yu wouldn’t have to marry him and he could enjoy the leg of lamb. They would both get what they wanted.

But…

She didn’t say anything!

Did she really want to marry Fang Zhengzhi?

Fang Zhengzhi started to have doubts. He had interacted with Princess Shan Yu before, but none of those interactions would have resulted in her falling for him.

There must be some other factors at play here.

But what were they?

Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think too much about it. He knew that there was one thing that the King of the Southern Region would never be able to tolerate.

“Actually, it is only natural that you doubt the princess would choose me. After all, my body… haish… it’s…” Fang Zhengzhi’s tone changed instantly. His expression was pained…

All of the infuriated candidates were confused.

In their hearts, they knew that Fang Zhengzhi was shameless and loved agitating the crowd. They weren’t surprised that he would mock them.

But what was with the sudden change in tone?

That was completely unexpected…

Could it be…

That he realized that he made a mistake?

No way!

He wasn’t someone who would change his attitude so easily! There could be only one possibility. There really was something wrong with his body…

The candidates had not witnessed what happened in The Vast World. Everything they knew was made known to them through word of mouth.

However, this did not dull their curiosity.

They weren’t alone. The settlement chiefs, generals, the King, and even the Crown Prince were equally curious.

Swallowing Fruits of Dao!

This was something that no one had ever done and would have never thought of doing. This was equivalent to suicide.

No one would play around with something like that.

But Fang Zhengzhi did…

Most importantly, Fang Zhengzhi was still sitting here, eating and drinking like nothing was wrong.

Even though…

Everyone guessed that Fang Zhengzhi’s cultivation was ruined…

It was just a guess. The scene after Fang Zhengzhi exited The Vast World and stopped Ping Yang’s Blazing Qilin Spear was still etched in the minds of all the settlement chiefs.

This had thrown some doubts into their guesses.

Was Fang Zhengzhi’s cultivation truly ruined?

This was a question which everyone wanted to know the answer to.

The throne room was silent.

Everyone wanted to know how Fang Zhengzhi was doing.

Fang Zhengzhi surveyed his surroundings, smirking as he did so. He knew what they were all thinking and he had control of the room.

Human nature was an interesting thing.

Sometimes, minute changes to one’s methods could elicit a completely different reaction.

If Fang Zhengzhi had started off depressed and told everyone his condition, they may not have believed him.

After all…

This was his trump card.

No one revealed their trump card unless it was absolutely necessary.

The candidates did not ask Fang Zhengzhi privately because they had no confidence Fang Zhengzhi would tell the truth.

Asking him would be meaningless…

But now…

After Fang Zhengzhi had mocked them so openly and gotten rebutted… the sadness he showed…

Had a whole other meaning to it.

A painter may have painted a horrible piece of work, but he would always be confident of his art and defend his work.

Fang Zhengzhi had mocked them…

They had retaliated…

But their retaliation had hit a sore spot. Fang Zhengzhi was ‘deeply saddened’ by it.

That was all very natural.

Most people would buy it.

At the very least, the candidates had bought it. Once a group of them believed it, they would influence the others to believe it as well.

Fang Zhengzhi wanted to act this out when Shan Ling made things difficult for him.

But Shan Ling didn’t play along…

As such, he had to make use of the candidates to manufacture such a scenario. Even though the results weren’t as good, he would have to make do.

In fact, there were elements in this entire scene that made it seem a little forced. However, these would be overlooked when Fang Zhengzhi talked about his body.

That was the reason why Fang Zhengzhi had brought it up.

“Speaking of my body, aish… I’ve felt as though there has been a hole in my body the past few days. It’s almost as if something is missing…” Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t going to keep them in suspense.

“Hole?”

“Something is missing?”

“Is his cultivation ruined?”

The candidates immediately got the ‘gist’ of it. They looked at each other. Their expressions were like mirror images…

Fang Zhengzhi looked like he was depressed.

But in fact, he was quite satisfied with this result.

Talent? He had loved the sound of it before the war. But now… his views about that term had changed…

Bai Xing had targeted him…

Canyang had also targeted him…

This all served to prove one point.

Being a talent was tough.

Furthermore, he had antagonized the entire demon race during this war. If he continued to be that proud and aloof, there may be a second sage coming for him.

What was he going to do then?

He would just reap the rewards from this war and live out the rest of his life peacefully.

The other thing he valued was his freedom.

He wanted to live a carefree life.

Fang Zhengzhi had already gotten their attention. He also had control of the room. His words had given them much to think about.

Just as they were all thinking about the implications of Fang Zhengzhi’s words…

Fang Zhengzhi glanced at the King.

Would the King let his daughter marry an individual with no cultivation prospects?

The result…

Was clear…

The King of the Southern Region seemed a little disappointed but had seen it coming. He still had a faint smile on his face.

“He’s really going to tolerate it? But… there is one thing that he definitely can’t take lying down.” Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t too surprised. He knew that the King would have considered this possibility before making a decision.

Hearing the guesses of the candidates…

Made Fang Zhengzhi rather depressed.

The candidates’ curiosity was piqued. Could there be anything worse than having one’s cultivation future go up in smoke?

Just as they were thinking about it.

Fang Zhengzhi spoke up.

“Other than the hole in my heart, I have had many dreams. Recently, my dreams have become increasingly weird. I feel like I’m floating in the sky, and I always see a bridge… and there are words on that bridge…”

“What words?” One of the candidates couldn’t hold back any longer.

“I can’t really see the words clearly, but I believe it is “Naihe”. Furthermore, there is a fire burning under the bridge!” Fang Zhengzhi recalled.

“It’s Naihe Bridge!”

“My god… does Hell really exist?”

“This… this…”

All of the candidates were stunned when they heard this. They looked at Fang Zhengzhi awkwardly.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored the candidates.

His gaze never left the King of the Southern Region. The King’s expression had changed from smiles to pain.

“I guess he can’t tolerate that!” Fang Zhengzhi smiled, then continued, “I don’t know if this is true, and I couldn’t see it clearly in my dreams. I vaguely recall an old lady waving towards me, telling me that time is almost up. She keeps asking me to hurry…”

“Fang Zhengzhi, are you serious?!” The King of the Southern Region stood up and glared at Fang Zhengzhi.

“How can one take dreams seriously?” Fang Zhengzhi replied respectfully as he bowed to the King.

“Mm… Official Fang is right. Dreams cannot be believed.” The King of the Southern Region reacted quickly. Realizing that he had lost his composure before, he changed the way he addressed Fang Zhengzhi to the more appropriate “Official Fang”.

Fang Zhengzhi did not speak.

He knew that he had already done his job. There were believers and naysayers in every world.

However…

For a religious place like the Southern Region, there were definitely many people who believed in heaven and hell.

It was clear that the King of the Southern Region was one of them.

Even though he had his doubts, it was enough…

“I am tired, Shan Yu, come and help me!” The King of the Southern Region spoke up.

“Yes!” Princess Shan Yu nodded.

Then…

Just as Fang Zhengzhi had predicted, the King used the excuse that he was ‘tired’ to pause the ceremony.

As for the lamb…

It was left behind.

“Yum!” Fang Zhengzhi licked his lips and bit down on the leg of lamb. It melted in his mouth.

Damn, it was good!

Fang Zhengzhi loved eating such great food. He picked up a flask of wine and took a gulp. This was enjoyment at its finest.

He was very satisfied with the result.

All of the candidates were extremely jealous of what they were seeing. They too wanted to try the lamb, but they had been rejected by Princess Shan Yu.

They couldn’t possibly go up now.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored the gazes of the candidates as he enjoyed his lamb. He finished the leg in his hand and took another one.

His mouth was filled with the taste of that delicious lamb.

It was out of this world!

Then, he began to feel dizzy, almost as if all the energy went out from his body.

It was dark…

Why was the room spinning?

Fang Zhengzhi felt like he was floating. Were all his lies coming true? That didn’t seem very possible…

No!

This meat…

Fang Zhengzhi recalled that no one went to check the food that Princess Shan Yu had prepared. She had used all kinds of herbs and spices…

For the banquet…

Every dish was tested for poison. However, no one tested Princess Shan Yu’s lamb. No one, bar Fang Zhengzhi, had even managed to go near it.

“Damn it, it’s a trap!” Fang Zhengzhi felt the world around him go dark.

“Get someone to help! Official Fang is drunk! Help Official Fang to his room to rest!” Shan Ling’s voice rang out as Fang Zhengzhi fell to the ground.

—————————————————————————————————————

Chapter 471: Pants are off

…

Fang Zhengzhi had played the King to a tee. Even though the King had said that he would let Princess Shan Yu choose her mate…

But…

No father would watch his daughter jump into a pit.

He would never let his daughter marry Fang Zhengzhi knowing that Fang Zhengzhi could die at any time. As such, Fang Zhengzhi was in control the whole time.

But…

What was with the poison in the lamb?

Drunk?

Fang Zhengzhi didn’t feel like he was drunk. He could still hear what was going on around him and his brain was working fine.

However, his head was heavy and he felt as though his body was floating. He had lost control of his body.

It was almost as if his bones had turned to jelly.

Damn, why would they poison the lamb?

Fang Zhengzhi didn’t know, but he could hear the sounds around him.

“Be careful!”

“Official Fang is really drunk!”

“I guess that’s normal after the amount of alcohol he had.”

“Official Fang, your room has been prepared. I am helping you to it right now.”

Voices rang out next to him. There were female and male ones. Then, Fang Zhengzhi was lifted up by someone.

The touch was soft…

Fang Zhengzhi could tell that it was probably two ladies, one on each side. He could smell the fragrance…

“This guy must be acting like he’s drunk!”

“How do you know that he’s not actually drunk?”

“Just look at where his hand is.”

“Wow! He lusts for servants as well. I have never seen someone this shameless before!”

Fang Zhengzhi heard the voices of the candidates around him.

“Acting drunk? F*ck you!” Fang Zhengzhi felt an urge to scream but he wasn’t even in control of his body.

Then, the voices became softer and softer.

If he was right, he had already been carried out of the throne room and was heading towards his room to rest.

Is it possible…

That someone would kill him here?

That was a little anticlimactic…

If he had known this would happen…

He would have just married Princess Shan Yu. If he had done that, he may still have a chance to live.

The two servants were very stable.

Before long, Fang Zhengzhi heard the sound of doors opening. He was at the entrance to the bedroom, but there was no assassination.

What was happening?

He was defenseless.

Wasn’t there supposed to be an assassin?

What was happening?

Fang Zhengzhi was lost. He thought that they had gone through all that trouble of poisoning the lamb just so that they could kill him whilst he was defenseless.

However… there were no signs of any hard objects piercing his body from start to finish.

What was happening?

Was there no assassination?

Fang Zhengzhi was extremely confused. Why would someone poison him just to let him rest? That didn’t seem very likely.

Did they use the wrong poison?

Or…

Did they target the wrong person? Did they abort the mission?

Fang Zhengzhi felt that the possibility of that was close to none. Everything from start to finish was targeted at him.

He had to be the target.

But nothing was happening…

Just as he was thinking to himself, something happened. A pair of hands belonging to a lady…

Seemed to be undressing him.

Servant?

Probably just taking off his coat…

Fang Zhengzhi didn’t think much of it. However, he quickly realized that something was amiss. After taking off his clothes, the hands showed no signs of stopping.

Hang on!

What were they trying to do?

He didn’t want to sleep naked!

Stop!

F*ck, why aren’t they stopping?!

This can’t be! The servants couldn’t possibly be lusting for him. Even though the people of the Southern Region were liberal, this was completely ridiculous.

No way!

A servant would never dare to do something like that. They must have been ordered to do so by their master.

Could it be…

Was he about to sleep with a servant?

Fang Zhengzhi knew that in some of the Royal circles, people would sleep with the servants. This was sometimes seen as a reward.

However…

In this case… Fang Zhengzhi had no idea if he was extremely lucky or extremely unlucky.

He was still a virgin!

Was he really going to lose his virginity to a servant?

At the very least, he should be able to see what she looks like! He should know if she had a good figure! But right now, he couldn’t see anything!

He didn’t want to be raped!

Fang Zhengzhi wanted to resist.

He didn’t hate the tradition of sleeping with servants, but one had to be willing! Raping was out of the question.

No!

It can’t be that simple.

There were definitely greater powers at play here!

Could it be…

Shan Ling must have been the one who poisoned the meat. His aim was to make Fang Zhengzhi look guilty.

Then have a servant rape him?

Let Princess Shan Yu witness it and break her heart?

Possible!

But that would make him a sacrificial lamb! What was the meaning of that? Shan Ling could have simply objected!

He didn’t want to marry Princess Shan Yu anyways!

Fang Zhengzhi scorned at such matters. Why did they have to resort to such underhand tactics?

Is the innocence of the servant worth so little?

Fang Zhengzhi was furious.

However, his fury was quickly overwhelmed by a chill. All of his clothes had been stripped.

The pair of hands moved quickly.

Fang Zhengzhi could tell that these were an old pair of hands.

What the hell?

At the very least, they could have given him someone younger and more beautiful.

There is no way he was going to lose his virginity to an old lady! This was his virginity!

No, no sex, please!

No sex!

AH…

Not the pants as well!

Fang Zhengzhi was embarrassed and furious. He never thought that he would be undressed by a servant.

Then…

Was she going to hop on?

Just as he was thinking about it, he felt a soft feeling on his body.

Okay…

It’s just a leather blanket.

Then, Fang Zhengzhi heard footsteps approaching the door.

Then, the doors closed.

Now that the door was closed…

The room was silent. There were no footsteps. There was no assassination. It felt as though nothing had happened. The blanket and bed were both extremely comfortable.

Is that it?

Fang Zhengzhi felt like something was wrong.

He had thought that the servant had gone to close the door, but in fact, she had left! What was happening? She even took off his pants!

What was this about?

Damn it, this was confusing.

Time passed slowly.

15 minutes…

One hour…

Fang Zhengzhi lay silently on the bed. There were no sounds around him. It was strange…

The fact was…

Nothing was happening.

This was rather awkward… something was wrong. Why would they do nothing after poisoning him?

How queer…

Fang Zhengzhi knew that ‘queer’ was probably not an apt word to use, but that was how he felt.

He stopped thinking about it anymore.

After all, he had had too much alcohol and it wouldn’t hurt to rest a little. He was quite tired.

He began to dream…

In his dream, he was back in the north, back home in the Northern Mountain Village. It was now linked by huge roads and traffic was heavy.

His academy was already up and running with many teachers roaming the grounds.

“Learn well!”

“Stop being so lazy! Laziness will get you nowhere!”

“Role model. You must learn from Fang Zhengzhi. He is your role model! Learn the Law of Dao and be as successful as him!”

“Yes, teacher!”

The entire Northern Mountain Village was extremely vibrant with the sounds of kids and teachers and traders.

Zhang Yangping sat in the middle of the square, his face lit up by the sun. Fang Houde, Qin Xuelian, as well as other villagers were standing around him.

“I heard that Zhengzhi did great work this time! I wonder when he will be back?”

“Soon soon! I hear he is on his way!”

“That’s great! Our village would prosper when he is back!”

“Naturally so! Zhengzhi is a high ranking official now. I heard that the Emperor rewarded him with some land. I wonder if it is our Northern Mountain Village?”

“It’ll be great if it is! Then we won’t have to pay taxes!”

“What are you saying? This village is not enough! Zhengzhi did so much work this time! Maybe he’ll be given the entire Huai An County!”

“Won’t he be a king then?”

“Hahaha… Zhengzhi is doing well. It is great…”

Fang Houde and Qin Xuelian nodded in satisfaction as they listened to the opinions of the villagers.

Fang Zhengzhi smiled when he saw the happiness on his parents’ faces.

At that very moment…

A voice rang out next to him.

“Greetings, Princess!”

“Princess? What princess?” Fang Zhengzhi was shocked to hear the sound of the door opening.

Then, he heard footsteps.

The footsteps were closing in on him.

Hang on!

Where did the Princess come from? Why was she walking towards him? Wasn’t he in the Northern Mountain Village?

No!

He was still in the Southern Region!

Southern Region…

Princess?!

F*ck, could it be Shan Yu?

What was she coming into his room for? Doesn’t she know that he is sleeping? Most importantly…

He was naked!

What was she doing?

No way…

Could it be that she wanted to rape him?

Fang Zhengzhi recalled that he had only lost control of his body after eating the lamb Princess Shan Yu cooked…

The one who was most likely to poison him was Princess Shan Yu.

But why would she do such a thing? What did she want?

Hang on…

Could it be that she knew that he had no intention of marrying her? Was this her way of forcing him to marry her?

That’ll be shameless!

How could she think of such a despicable plan?

No, no…

Even though Princess Shan Yu was capable and pretty, she was definitely not the one for him. She may just turn on him one day…

Should he just do it and forget about it?

What kind of position would Princess Shan Yu like?

The lady on top?

Mm… that’s very likely…

But…

That’s not something Fang Zhengzhi liked. Fang Zhengzhi wanted his wife to be a demure person.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard noises coming from beside him as the footsteps neared.

The noises sounded like… someone undressing!

“No way! Is she really stripping?” Fang Zhengzhi’s emotions were conflicted. He had known that they were liberal, but this was over the top.

How could a princess poison and rape him?!

What kind of place was this?!

Chapter 472: Something was wrong Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

What was he going to do? What was he going to do now? 　　 Was he going to fck her? Or was he going to fck her… 　　 Fang Zhengzhi struggled internally as the footsteps came closer… 　 Then, the footsteps stopped and the blanket covering him was lifted. Then, he felt a shake…

It was clear…

Princess Shan Yu was on the bed! 　　 “She’s gotten in! She’s really gotten in bed!” Fang Zhengzhi screamed in his mind. He felt like Princess Shan Yu was mad. 　 At the very least, she should have said a few comforting words…

At the very least, she could have assured him that she would be gentle…

However, Princess Shan Yu had slid under the covers without a single word.

“Is it beginning?” Fang Zhengzhi thought to himself nervously. 　 He had no idea what Princess Shan Yu would do to him, or what position she would do it in. Most importantly…

He had no idea when Princess Shan Yu was going to start. 　 In fact, Fang Zhengzhi wanted to sit up and get out of there… 　　 However, his body was still jelly and he couldn’t move. All he could do was wait and let Princess Shan Yu do as she pleased. 　　 Something was wrong… 　　 Wait!

After a long pause, Fang Zhengzhi realized that Princess Shan Yu made no contact with him. 　　 In fact, it was almost as though she was… 　　 Sleeping?

Oh? What is happening? 　　 Fang Zhengzhi was confused. He expected Princess Shan Yu to pounce on him like a ravenous wolf.

Why… 　 Was she sleeping? 　 Fang Zhengzhi couldn’t open his eyes. He couldn’t see the light in the room nor Princess Shan Yu. All he could do was wait. 　　 He was like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

However, he could hear the breathing next to him. Princess Shan Yu was sleeping soundly. 　　 Her unique fragrance was intoxicating. 　　 Fang Zhengzhi was familiar with this fragrance. He had smelt it many times from his interactions with Princess Shan Yu. 　 But… 　　 If Princess Shan Yu wanted to bed him, what was she waiting for? 　　 Doesn’t she know that you can only have a baby through sex? Was she that dumb? Did she think that merely sleeping together would get her pregnant? 　 Fang Zhengzhi did not want to be raped. 　 However, if that wasn’t the point, then why was he stripped naked?!

Just as he was thinking about it, he felt Princess Shan Yu roll over. Her leg was now resting on his body.

It was a great feeling…

It was almost as if he was being wrapped by a warm cushion.

“Calm down, calm down… if you can resist the temptation and control yourself, she can’t do anything about it!”

Fang Zhengzhi tried to convince himself. At that very moment, a hand pressed on his chest. 　　 Then, a body leaned in…

Fang Zhengzhi knew Princess Shan Yu’s body quite well. When the body pressed against his, he confirmed that this person was Princess Shan Yu! 　　 “Is she doing it now? What a despicable move!” Fang Zhengzhi fumed. He had thought that she just wanted to sleep peacefully…

But he didn’t expect that…

She really wanted to rape him. 　　 What was he going to do now? 　　 What could he do? 　 Just as Fang Zhengzhi thought about it, the limb began to feel his body. It started at his chest, then slowly extended downwards… 　　 Then it stopped! 　 It stopped for more than five minutes! 　　 Fang Zhengzhi felt like he was about to explode. At that very moment, a scream pierced through the air. 　 “Ah!!” 　　 The only way to describe this scream was ear-piercing. 　　 Fang Zhengzhi’s ears rang… 　 He never expected that someone could scream that loudly. Most importantly, he didn’t expect his rapist to scream. 　　 What was she screaming about? 　 Why would Princess Shan Yu scream?

Shouldn’t he be the one screaming?

This b*tch wanted to rape him, but still screamed for help? Fang Zhengzhi couldn’t understand what was happening. 　 Hang on… 　 Something was wrong…

Didn’t this b*tch want to make a baby? Why would she scream before it was done… 　　 Furthermore, based on her character, she wouldn’t scream this way unless she was truly shocked…

What was happening?

Fang Zhengzhi had yet to figure out what was happening when the doors opened. Then, the voices of the servants rang out. 　 “Protect the Princess!” 　　 “The Princess is in shock, catch the assassin!”

“Quick, lockdown the palace!”

The servants were extremely well trained. The people giving the orders were all servants.

However…

Fang Zhengzhi felt like something was amiss… 　 The voices of these servants were foreign to him. They were different from the people who had helped him in here. 　　 Why would there be two groups of people? 　 Something was wrong! 　 Ordinarily, servants did not change. 　 Hang on… 　 If the servants had changed, there were only two possibilities. The first one was that the servants who had helped him had been chased away. 　　 But the possibility of that was low.

Because… 　　 Princess Shan Yu screamed. 　 And she screamed very loudly. 　　 That meant that Princess Shan Yu wasn’t afraid to let others know that she was about to rape him. As such, why would she chase those servants away? 　 That was unnecessary! 　　 That left only the second possibility. 　　 That was…

This room wasn’t his!

A chill radiated down his spine. Then, it rose all the way to his head, causing him to shudder.

If this wasn’t his room and Princess Shan Yu was inside here… the only possible explanation was that… this was Princess Shan Yu’s room!

F*ck!

He was innocent! 　　 He was the one that was about to be raped… he was the victim here. How did he become the suspect? 　　 This…

Was a setup! 　 Fang Zhengzhi finally understood why Princess Shan Yu didn’t notice him. One of the reasons may have been the lighting…

More importantly, Princess Shan Yu never thought that someone would be daring enough to barge into her room and sleep on her bed. 　　 This would explain why Princess Shan Yu fell asleep. 　 However… 　 This was not good for him! 　 Fang Zhengzhi finally understood the plot against him. However, even he didn’t predict just how vicious the perpetrators were. 　 Not only did they kick him into Princess Shan Yu’s room, they sacrificed Princess Shan Yu’s innocence as well.

Who?

Who was it?!

Fang Zhengzhi initially thought that it could be the King. But that was impossible! Crown Prince Lin Tianrong? Possible… but unlikely! 　 This was the Southern Region palace… 　 Who could have him sent to Princess Shan Yu’s room by servants… and not be found out by Princess Shan Yu’s servants… 　　 There was only one man…

That was… 　 Shan Ling! 　 “It’s Shan Ling! But why would he do such a thing?” Fang Zhengzhi didn’t know what Shan Ling’s motives were, but he knew he was in trouble. 　 He had slept with the Princess of the Southern Region!

This was a huge sin! 　　 Even though he didn’t move, it didn’t mean that nothing had transpired. Furthermore, all the evidence was against him. 　 And then… 　　 Everything seemed to play out according to a script. 　　 He felt a light in front of his eyes. It was red, and it was closing in on him. A heat wave crashed towards him. 　　 He could only imagine the cloud patterns on Princess Shan Yu’s body. 　　 However, the heat dissipated almost instantly. He heard a curious voice next to him. 　 “Oh? Why is it…” Princess Shan Yu’s tone was filled with surprise. She made no attempts to hide her shock. 　 “Your Highness, it’s Official Fang. Why… why…” 　 “It’s Official Fang! I heard that he got drunk at the banquet, why would he appear here?” 　　 “Who cares who he is? Anyone who dares to barge into the Princess’s room and… and strip naked… deserves to die…” 　 The voices of the servants rang out behind Princess Shan Yu. Their voices were filled with shock and surprise. 　 “Shut up!” Princess Shan Yu ordered. 　 Then, the room went silent as the light disappeared. Everything seemed to return to normal.

However, Fang Zhengzhi’s heart was in turmoil. 　　 Would she… 　　 Really think that I barged in on my own? 　 Just as he was thinking about it, Fang Zhengzhi felt a hand on his forehead and a finger at his nose checking for signs of breathing. 　　 Then, his eyelids were forced open. 　　 This gave Fang Zhengzhi a chance to see what was happening. 　 All he saw was darkness. 　　 Other than the darkness, he saw a single figure, her silky black hair resting on her shoulders. Her beige skin glowed dimly in the dark room. She was gorgeous. 　 “It is Princess Shan Yu!” Fang Zhengzhi recognized the person in front of him instantly.

Then, his world was plunged into darkness. 　 His eyelids were closed. 　　 “He has been poisoned!” Princess Shan Yu affirmed as she released his eyelids.

“Poisoned?” 　 “Wasn’t he drunk?” 　 “Who poisoned Official Fang?” 　 All of the servants began to question the diagnosis.

As for Fang Zhengzhi…

He was moved… 　　 It was almost as though he saw the light at the end of the tunnel. He was glad that Princess Shan Yu was a smart person. 　　 How clever. 　 She knew that he had been poisoned. 　　 This girl was great! 　　 “Quick, close the doors and stop anyone from coming in!” Princess Shan Yu ordered as she turned around. 　 The moment the servants heard this, they rushed to help Princess Shan Yu dress.

“Close the doors, don’t let news of this get out!” Fang Zhengzhi wanted to scream. However, he couldn’t move his lips. Even though he wasn’t a high ranking official, Shan Yu was a princess… 　 If news of this got out… 　 It would… 　 Shock the Southern Region and possibly the Great Xia. 　　 They had to keep this under wraps!

“Sister, what is wrong? Why were you screaming?” Just as Fang Zhengzhi thought about it to himself, a male voice could be heard outside the door. 　　 “Close the door!” Princess Shan Yu ordered.

“Your Highness, the Princess is resting, please do not…” The servants rushed to stop Shan Ling when they heard the orders. 　　 “Scram!” Shan Ling bellowed. 　 Then, two dull thuds rang out… 　 It was clear… 　　 The servants blocking Shan Ling had been knocked unconscious.

“Brother, why did you hurt my servants?” Princess Shan Yu’s voice was icy. 　　 “Sister, do not panic, I am in control of everything!” Shan Ling didn’t reply. He simply commented reassuringly before turning around, “What are you looking at? Seal all the exits!” 　 “Yes!” The response came… 　　 From the response, one could tell that there were hundreds of people outside…

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Comments (3) Andy2c Andy2c That’s the problem with treating readers as ret*rds so often: even though that last turn, at the end, kinda saved this chapter; I couldn’t help but despise the author for the whole time

Kwangiwo Kwangiwo Uhm okay

Timmy Timmy Wow

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