Protect Our Patriarch

……

At the same time.

Wang Anye's pure, unblemished eyes widened in disbelief.

When the little beggar bumped into him, he had clearly reacted and tried to dodge, yet he still ended up colliding head-on?

This was truly bizarre.

Could it be... this little beggar was deliberately trying to scam him, Wang Anye?

Hmm?

There was no foul smell on the beggar, but rather a faint, pleasant fragrance. And the beggar was small and thin, with a soft body that felt comfortable to hold. It was really strange.

Wang Anye felt as if something had sprouted in his usually dull and emotionless heart, a rare flutter of excitement.

Those were clear, bright eyes, yet they possessed a tranquility that other youths lacked.

This quickly calmed her initially panicked heart.

The comfortable and pleasant feeling was like lying in a bamboo chair reading a book while it drizzled outside, bringing a sense of peace and relaxation.

Time.

It seemed to pass both slowly and quickly.

The two of them lay quietly on the ground, their gazes intertwined, as if time had become eternal. Even the wind blowing past them seemed to become gentle and tender.

However.

This beautiful atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by a series of loud curses.

"Little beggar, get up quickly."

"Oh my goodness, Seventh Young Master, are you alright?"

"You little beggar, can't you see where you're walking? How dare you bump into the Seventh Young Master."

"Seventh Young Master, are you alright?"

The guards and servants around Wang Anye hurriedly rushed over, trying to pull the little beggar away.

"Enough." Wang Anye got up, calmly raised his hand to stop the commotion, then helped the little beggar up and asked with a calm concern, "Little brother, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." The little beggar struggled to pull away, her "dirty" face turning red as she lowered her head, not daring to look at Wang Anye.

"As long as you're fine." Wang Anye casually took out a small gold note and handed it to the approaching staff member, "This is for his flying carriage ticket."

"Se-Seventh Young Master..." The staff member was so frightened that he didn't dare to take the money, "I-I... it's my fault for bumping into the Seventh Young Master."

Given the young master's status, even the slightest mishap would be unbearable for him.

"It's alright, don't panic." Wang Anye gently patted his shoulder, "You were just doing your job, there's nothing wrong with that."

Although Wang Anye was only ten years old, he was already a tall young man due to his good family conditions.

"Yes, yes." The staff member breathed a sigh of relief, wiping his cold sweat as he hesitated, "But, but... the tickets for the flying carriage to Qingluo Garrison have already sold out, and the earliest available date is seven days from now."

The head steward nearly spat out blood and immediately scolded, "Idiot, if the Seventh Young Master wants a ticket, how can you not have one? Just bump someone off."

"Yes, yes, but..." The staff member was sweating profusely.

"Don't make things difficult for him." Wang Anye calmly reassured, "Since the tickets have been sold, it's like a promise to the passengers, and we can't go back on our word. How about this, my flying carriage is quite empty, let him come with me."

"Seventh Young Master is right, I didn't consider it thoroughly." The head steward felt guilty, "However, this little beggar is dirty and might affect your mood. How about we arrange a ticket for him seven days later?"

"No way." The little beggar protested in a clear voice, "I can't wait, I need to leave today. I can go with this young master, I don't mind."

The head steward rolled his eyes, "What do you mean you don't mind? Do you know how noble our Seventh Young Master is... letting you ride with him is his kindness, it's him not minding you."

"Fine, fine, whatever you say, but I need to leave today." The little beggar's voice was clear and pleasant.

She looked around nervously, as if avoiding something.

Wang Anye noticed this and said calmly, "Alright, alright, since you're in a hurry, let's go together. One more or one less doesn't matter. Steward Qian, please make the arrangements."

The Wang Clan's family education was strict, and Wang Anye had been influenced since childhood. Although his nobility was restrained, his every move was well-mannered, fully demonstrating his upbringing as a young master of the Wang Clan.

"No trouble at all, Seventh Young Master." The head steward, who came from a branch of the Qian Clan, was excited and full of energy, "I guarantee the task will be completed."

Then, under the head steward's arrangements, Wang Anye, his attendants, and the mysterious "little beggar" boarded a VIP flying carriage.

It was led by a fifth-rank vermilion-crowned crane, and the driver was an elderly Celestial Realm cultivator with a white beard.

The carriage cabin was made from lightweight yet sturdy [Millennium Suspended Spiritual Wood], exquisitely crafted and engraved with numerous complex runes. Moreover, the cabin was more than twice the size of an ordinary flying carriage, with several compartments separated by fixed screens, including a private resting bedroom.

Every piece of furniture inside was a meticulously crafted masterpiece made from suspended spiritual wood, fixed securely within the cabin to prevent movement during turbulence.

The soft furnishings inside the cabin were designed and handmade by master tailors from the renowned [Longzuo Zhou Clan]. The wall fabric, carpets, and even the soft cushions on the chairs were all carefully sewn from spiritual silk.

As soon as one entered the cabin, a refreshing coolness greeted them.

It turned out that the cabin was equipped with two small arrays, a [Cold Crystal Array] and a [Red Crystal Array], which could adjust the temperature inside the cabin according to the weather, providing a more comfortable experience for the passengers.

Although the stronger the Basalt cultivator, the higher their tolerance for extreme temperatures, with Celestial Realm cultivators even able to survive in magma environments, tolerance did not equate to comfort.

A suitable temperature was the key to a pleasant experience.

Even Wang Anye, who lived a privileged life, was slightly impressed by such a luxurious flying carriage.

His uncle had said he arranged a top-notch flying carriage for him, but he hadn't expected it to be this good.

The little beggar's bright eyes also showed a look of surprise. Clearly, the luxury of this flying carriage had left an impression on her.

Undoubtedly, those eligible to ride such a VIP spirit bird flying carriage were all either wealthy or noble. Even some ordinary seventh-grade families' Celestial Realm ancestors would be reluctant to spend such money.

"Welcome, Seventh Young Master, to [Shouda Trading Company's] [Exclusive VIP] Flying Carriage No. 3." The Celestial Realm driver took off his hat and saluted Wang Anye, his face beaming as he introduced himself, "My name is Li Fangyao, from a small seventh-grade family in a rural town. It's my honor to drive for the Seventh Young Master."

Wang Anye was slightly surprised, "Senior Li, you're the family ancestor, why are you driving a carriage?"

Although he had lived a privileged life, he had some common sense. Typically, a Celestial Realm ancestor of a seventh-grade family held a very high status and was considered a local tyrant...

"Seventh Young Master may not know." Li Fangyao explained with a smile, "In our rural seventh-grade family, the entire family's hard-earned annual income is difficult to reach two hundred thousand Qian gold. As a Celestial Realm cultivator, even if I don't aim for further advancement, just maintaining my cultivation requires at least ten to twenty thousand Qian gold annually. If I want to advance further, it would require a large amount of pills and spiritual food."

"But if I drive for [Shouda Trading Company], working for about half a year each year, I can earn around fifty thousand Qian gold, with good meal allowances during work. This way, I can earn an extra substantial income to support the promising juniors in my family. When the juniors grow stronger, our Li Clan will prosper."

"In addition to me, our Li Clan has several Lingtai Realm elders in the driver team, but they only qualify to drive ordinary flying carriages. Thanks to the Wang Clan, the Qian Clan, and Shouda Trading Company, our Li Clan's life has improved significantly, and we can now nurture two Celestial Realm juniors simultaneously."

Wang Anye nodded in understanding, "I see. Then I wish Senior Li's family prosperity and an early promotion to a sixth-grade family."

His usually dull and calm heart felt a slight flutter.

It turned out that the [Shouda Trading Company] founded by his great-grandfather could change the lives of many people and the fate of many families.

His great-grandfather was truly an extraordinary person. Wang Anye hoped that one day he could be as remarkable as his great-grandfather, admired, respected, and genuinely appreciated by many.

Wang Anye seemed to have found some life goals, injecting a sense of vitality into his dull and monotonous heart.

Yes, coming out for a walk was indeed the right choice.

The little beggar's eyes darted around, clearly also quite shocked.

In the world, all noble families were personally ennobled by the ancestors. Seeing family ancestors and elders working, and doing so with such enthusiasm...

Such a scene, even in the capital, she had never seen...

It seemed that Shouda Trading Company was indeed quite extraordinary.

"Neigh, neigh."

Suddenly, Wang Xing and Wang Yun, two servants, led a flying horse with a single horn into the cabin. It was Wang Anye's mount obtained from the grasslands—the [Jade Horn Flying Horse].

This Jade Horn Flying Horse was still young and not suitable for long-distance travel.

Moreover, if Wang Anye rode the flying horse, what would happen to the other attendants and guards? Even the Celestial Realm guard, Elder Qian, couldn't keep up with the Jade Horn Flying Horse during long-distance flights.

Although the Jade Horn Flying Horse was reluctant to approach the two servants, its intelligence allowed it to recognize them as the master's attendants, so it reluctantly followed.

Upon seeing its master, it became excited, rushing to his side and rubbing its head against him, neighing and begging for food.

The Jade Horn Flying Horse was majestic, like a celestial horse descended to the mortal realm. However, its neighing was quite grating.

Jade Horn Flying Horse?

The little beggar's eyes widened in astonishment.

This, this Seventh Young Master even had a Jade Horn Flying Horse? Even she had been refused by her doting father when she wanted one last time.

These exotic flying horses were always rare and only bonded with those they were willing to bond with. Otherwise, no matter how powerful or high-ranking, it was useless!

"Alright, alright."

Wang Anye, feeling ticklish from the horse's rubbing, slapped its head lightly and took out a large pile of spiritual fruits, spiritual pastries, and some valuable pills to feed the Jade Horn Flying Horse.

These pills were all refined by his Seventh Grandfather Wang Shouye and were beneficial for the growth of the Jade Horn Flying Horse. Earlier, he had given Seventh Grandfather a large piece of tenth-rank Dragon Whale King Ambergris, which had delighted him, and he had given Wang Anye all sorts of good pills in return.

Speaking of which, Wang Anye and Seventh Grandfather Wang Shouye had quite a connection, both having the character "Ye" in their names and both being the seventh in their generation. Wang Anye had also heard that Seventh Grandfather was very popular with girls when he was young, with many noble ladies keeping an eye on him.

In the end, it was Seventh Grandmother from the Lei Clan who won his heart.

"Sigh~ Seventh Grandfather said that girls are very troublesome..." Wang Anye muttered as he fed the Jade Horn Flying Horse pills, worrying about his future. His family praised his handsome looks, and as he grew older, there would be a lot of troublesome girls. Wouldn't that mean no peace?

What should he do? It was too troublesome...

As Wang Anye lamented, his extravagant way of feeding the horse left the little beggar dumbfounded. No wonder her father refused to buy her a Jade Horn Flying Horse; how could her pocket money ever be enough?

Even more devastated was Li Fangyao, the driver. He had envied the Jade Horn Flying Horse earlier.

But seeing the rare spiritual food and pills Wang Anye fed it, he couldn't help but feel both envious and sorrowful. As a dignified Celestial Realm ancestor, the spiritual food and pills he consumed daily were far inferior to those of a mere beast...

These wealthy young masters truly had good lives.

It was too hurtful to his self-esteem; he couldn't bear to watch anymore.

He made a polite bow and retreated to the driver's seat, his agitated heart unable to calm down for a long time. He had never tasted such rare spiritual fruits in his life.

Time passed quickly.

The luxurious flying carriage, pulled by the fifth-rank vermilion-crowned crane, took off and flew exceptionally smoothly under Li Fangyao's experienced hands. Especially this time, he drove with extra care, fearing that any mishap might harm the Seventh Young Master, and he couldn't afford to compensate even if he sold himself.

The flying carriage headed east, flying fast and steady. Such a carriage's speed was indeed incomparable to ordinary ones. In just about two hours, they reached the skies above Jingang.

However, the carriage did not stop at Jingang but continued straight to Qingluo Garrison. Looking down from the sky, the vast blue sea resembled a beautiful canvas.

The little beggar almost pressed her face against the glass window, greedily looking at the sea, occasionally lost in thought, appearing as if she had never seen the world.

……

At the same time.

In the Great Swamp, several large riverboats sailed into the Gourd Mouth Harbor. Following the instructions of Master Wang Shouzhe, they had already rolled up their sleeves and started working.

The two ancestors of the Wang Clan were shocked by the bustling scene before them.

This was indeed the legendary Wang Clan's speed, starting work as soon as they said they would!

The northern part of An River, this small corner of the Great Swamp, was just a tiny part of the vast swamp. But even this corner was the size of several garrison towns. The narrow Gourd Mouth was the key waterway that could control this part of the swamp.

"Ancestor Kun Yuan, rest assured. Our Wang Clan's construction team is battle-hardened, with many Lingtai Realm family guards and Lingtai Realm puppets assisting. This relatively small project will be completed in less than a month." In a temporary pavilion, Wang Shouzhe chatted and drank tea with the two ancestors, a small, adorable red fox nestled in his arms.

The fox seemed to love this position, feeling safe and comfortable, as if it wanted to sleep forever.

"This is indeed the renowned Wang Clan's construction team." Ancestor Kun Yuan sighed, "Such an elite team, most of them are Qi Refining Realm cultivators... Looking across the entire Longzuo, only Master Wang Shouzhe has such boldness."

Using Qi Refining Realm cultivators as workers was something the Wang Clan had been planning for decades. After mastering the production of the third-grade pill [Enlightenment Pill], they began offering bloodline enhancement services to commoners whose qualifications were just short of the mark.

Although their cultivation techniques were only low-grade, they significantly enhanced strength, speed, and stamina. A Qi Refining Realm worker could perform tasks that ordinary workers couldn't, with strong adaptability and high efficiency.

The only minor issue was that they required some spiritual food and pills, and their annual contract maintenance cost ranged from fifteen to thirty Qian gold.

Such a level of construction team was not something ordinary families could afford.

Only a family like the Wang Clan, enthusiastic about various infrastructure projects and always ready to expand into outer regions, would cultivate such a powerful construction team for tackling high-difficulty construction tasks.

"It's just that the Yuan Shui Azure Flood Dragon is out of luck." Ancestor Cheng Ye said gleefully, "It's trapped in this part of the swamp with no way out." It was understandable, as the Wang Clan had lost family members and guards in this disaster.

The Yuan Shui Azure Flood Dragon could still fly, but due to its large size and insufficient bloodline ability, it couldn't fly high or far. Only when it reached the seventh rank and transformed into the Yuan Shui Azure Dragon could it truly soar into the sky.

By then, it would be impossible to trap it.

But for now, the Yuan Shui Azure Flood Dragon was helpless. If it ventured inland, it would be entering human territory, and if it caused havoc, it would eventually be dealt with by Celestial Realm cultivators.

Wang Shouzhe calmly sipped his tea and smiled, "It's just a small-scale water blockade. My Sixth Uncle once did something similar to catch a spirit fish that strayed into a river."

Of course, Wang Shouzhe's current operation was on a much larger scale than catching a small spirit fish.

This was a sixth-rank peak Yuan Shui Azure Flood Dragon, about to transform into a dragon.

The two ancestors of the Wang Clan were full of admiration for Wang Shouzhe. Not only was this an innovative approach, but the most challenging part was the difficulty of constructing the floodgate.

Only the Wang Clan's construction team could carry out such rapid construction in this difficult environment, supported by a large logistics team transporting cement and stones.

"What I admire most about Master Wang Shouzhe," Ancestor Kun Yuan said happily, "is that this project can kill two birds with one stone. It can trap and kill the Yuan Shui Azure Flood Dragon and tame this part of the swamp, proposing to raise the wild Great Swamp Fierce Crocodiles as meat-producing spiritual beasts... It's truly ingenious!"

The Great Swamp Fierce Crocodiles had a high growth rate and could be raised by releasing fish fry into the swamp, providing ample cheap food. Additionally, pigs, yaks, and other meat could be fed to the crocodiles to speed up their growth.

Although the initial investment was high, the returns were equally substantial. The Great Swamp Fierce Crocodiles had a high meat yield, and many by-products such as skin, claws, and teeth were valuable.

The only minor issue was that the initial investment was significant, and the return period was very long.

Therefore, the Wang Clan had fully allied with the Wang Clan, collaborating on this industry. The Wang Clan would primarily invest and provide some old, weak, sick, and disabled livestock from their pastures.

The Wang Clan would be responsible for the labor, becoming a happy working family. Although the Wang Clan would take a slightly larger share of the final profits, the Wang Clan would bear no risk.

Additionally, the two parties agreed that until the Great Swamp Fierce Crocodile industry became profitable, the Wang Clan would lend a sum of money to the Wang Clan each year to help their young juniors and Ancestor Kun Yuan with resources for advancing to the Purple Mansion Realm.

Such a righteous act naturally won the Wang Clan's heartfelt admiration, and they could only 感慨长宁王氏格局之大。

汪氏内部已经打定了主意，从今往后跟着王氏干了。

眼下，先辅助王氏或抓住或杀掉那头元水青蛟再说。这一次，一定要好好表现一番，给守哲家主留个好印象。

*****

陇左郡。

郡王府。

王府后院之中，各色灵花异植在阳光下舒展开枝叶，绿的翠绿，红的鲜红，有淡淡的灵光在叶脉中流淌，看起来生机蓬勃，格外精神。

看得出来，它们的主人将它们照顾得很好。

花丛中，穿着一身白色休闲短褂的镇左王吴殿山正弯着腰，手里拿着一柄灵器级的小锄头，一锄头一锄头翻着地。

作为一个闲散郡王，他手里也没多少实权，除了早年为了袭爵上过几回战场之外，大部分时间就是宅在家里种种花，钓钓鱼这样子。

这些年，随着年纪越来越大，他连郡王府的事情都已经很少插手，全丢给了即将袭爵的曾孙子，自己只一心一意侍弄花草，享受天伦之乐，倒也过得很是自在。

这后院中的灵花异植，如今大多都是他亲自在照顾。

把手中的灵器小锄头贴到地上，玄气涌入，器身上的铭文当即亮了起来，道道灵光自锄尖涌出，散入了土壤之中。

这灵器小锄头是他专门请炼器师帮忙炼制的，不仅可以松土，还能疏导地脉灵气，让灵花异植吸收起来更容易。

很快，树根下的土壤就会自动翻涌起来，迅速变得疏松透气。

然后换下一棵。

不知不觉，吴殿山就悠悠闲闲地松完了半个院子的土。

这时候，一个穿着文士长袍的老管事穿过葱茏草木，来到吴殿山身边，低声说道：“殿下，几日前安郡王和安郡王妃来过帖子，说要来拜访。算算日子，今天下午，或是明天他们就该到了。”

“哦，我想起来了，是有这么回事。”吴殿山日子过得太悠闲，都差点忘了这事，随口询问道：“客院准备好了吗？”

“早就收拾妥当了，都是按照郡王的标准准备的。食材也备足了，都是今早才从青萝卫运来的海产，用冰镇着，保证新鲜。”老管家毕恭毕敬地把自己的准备汇报了一遍。

“准备好了就行。派人在门口守着，等人到了立刻通知本王。”

这老管事跟了他也有上百年了，吴殿山对他很是放心，只简单交代了一句就让他去了。

不过，被这么一打岔，他不免想起了如今已经日趋白热化的“帝子之争”，便也没了松土的悠闲心境。

其实皇室内部，除了几位神通境的亲王之外，剩下的大天骄数量虽然算不上多，但也有五六个。只不过，并不是每一个大天骄都有资格角逐帝子之位的。

这其中，有一个是年纪太大，如今已经紫府境巅峰，过几十年就要突破神通境了，这属于生得太早，没赶上时候。还有一个则是年纪太小，才十几岁，根本赶不上趟。

剩下的则是血脉太远，不是嫡长一脉，没有资格角逐继承权。

最后合计下来，也就只剩下康郡王和安郡王这两个，年龄，修为，身份全都合适的了。

不过，吴殿山本人并不看好安郡王。

其一，安郡王出身青萝公主一脉，本身名义上就不是那么稳当。

青萝公主当年的确是为大乾国立下了汗马功劳，先皇也的确留下了遗诏，但毕竟数千年过去了，连亲王都已经换了一茬，当年的情分还有多少人会认真记着？

名不正，则言不顺。

如今的皇室宗亲内部，私下里对于安郡王的继承权也不是没有非议。只是隆昌帝念嫡长女旧情，又搬出了当年他还未即位时，先皇留下的遗诏，以及他隆昌帝当初继位时立下的誓言，大家也不能说什么。

但也是因此，宗亲内部对于安郡王始终持保留态度，除了青萝公主一脉的亲王和郡王，嫌少有明着站出来支持他的。

不像康郡王那边，截至目前，明着支持他的亲王就已经有两个，郡王的数量更是比安郡王这边多了很多。

其二，就是姻亲关系了。

康郡王毕竟是嫡长一脉，而嫡长一脉一直以来的联姻对象，都是当朝二品，三品的顶尖世家，且娶的都是身份较高的嫡脉小姐，跟那些顶尖世家的联系十分紧密。

而安郡王在这方面就逊色不少了。

虽然青萝公主一脉这几千年来也是人才辈出，但毕竟不是嫡长，在联姻对象上难免就逊色了一筹，二品世家那是基本不用想，大部分时候，就是跟三品世家联姻。

但哪怕是三品世家，嫁出来的嫡脉小姐，在家族序列上比起康郡王那边也要逊色一筹，也就是像安郡王这样的大天骄，才能娶到像公孙清蕊这样在家族中地位较高，天资又好的嫡脉小姐。

天长日久，两边的差距自然也就拉开了。

安郡王在朝堂上的影响力始终不如康郡王，症结也正是在此。毕竟，朝堂上地位较高的权臣，除了皇室成员外，便是出自这些顶尖世家。

其三，就是个人声望了。

安郡王此人行事实在是过于低调。

明明他怎么说也是个大天骄，但在他成为准帝子，正式参与进“帝子之争”以前，在皇室中竟是嫌少听说他的事迹，大家对他的性格以及行事风格竟是几乎不了解。

相比之下，康郡王则要高调得多。

在成为准帝子之前，他便已经凭借大天骄的身份以及不俗的战力，在朝堂以及战场上闯下了不小的功勋。

两相比较，康郡王的势头自然要比安郡王好得多。

如今，随着站队的朝臣和宗亲越来越多，争斗日趋白热化，两人间的差距也是越来越大，局势越来越明朗了。

安郡王夫妻俩会在这时候过来拜访他，老实说，他也是挺意外的。```

However, he wasn't too worried.

As a leisurely Commandery Prince far from the political center, his bloodline was already quite distant, and his influence in the court was very limited, with little value for anyone to try to win him over. No matter how fierce the Imperial Heir Struggle became, it had little to do with him.

He could go about his usual interactions without any concerns.

Unknowingly, half a day passed by in a flash.

In the afternoon, a dragon eagle flying carriage spiraled down from the sky and slowly landed on the small square outside the Commandery Prince's household.

Soon, Commandery Prince An, Wu Mingyuan, and his wife, Gongye Qingrui, dressed in the Commandery Prince's regular attire, lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out.

The old steward of the Commandery Prince's household had been waiting for a long time and immediately led the people to welcome them, bringing the couple into the main gate.

Accompanying him was a teenage boy.

He was the great-great-grandson of Wu Dianshan, the Prince of Longzuo, and the eldest legitimate son of the heir apparent of the Prince of Longzuo.

In fact, it should have been the heir apparent himself to receive the Commandery Prince and his wife, but the heir apparent was currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Celestial Realm, so his eldest son had to step in.

After leading the Commandery Prince and his wife into the main hall, the boy retreated.

In the main hall, Wu Dianshan had already arrived and immediately went out to greet them.

"Uncle, it's been a long time. How have you been?" According to seniority, the Commandery Prince and his wife first saluted Wu Dianshan and exchanged polite greetings.

"Hahaha~ Mingyuan, Qingrui, you two are rare guests~ No need to be so polite, come in, come in." Wu Dianshan returned the courtesy warmly, "How was your journey?"

After some pleasantries, they quickly took their seats as host and guests.

The attendants of the Commandery Prince's household served tea, and after a few sips and some small talk, they got to the main topic.

"Mingyuan, it's rare for you and your wife to come to Longzuo." Wu Dianshan took a sip of tea and smiled, "We're all family. If there's anything I can help with, just let me know. No need to be polite."

"It's nothing major. We mainly came to pick up Yiluo and handle some matters at the academy." Wu Mingyuan smiled, "Has Yiluo been causing you much trouble lately?"

"Mingyuan, you're too polite." Wu Dianshan laughed heartily, "We're all family, how can it be trouble? Besides, Yiluo is very well-behaved and usually stays with Qianrou, not causing any trouble."

"Uncle, don't cover for that girl. I know her temperament." Gongye Qingrui covered her mouth and laughed, "At home, she's a little tyrant. It's already a favor if she doesn't cause a ruckus. How well-behaved can she be?"

While they were talking, Wu Dianshan had already sent someone to fetch Wu Yiluo from Wu Qianrou's courtyard to meet her parents.

However, after a quarter of an hour, the maid who should have returned by now was still nowhere to be seen.

Wu Dianshan and Wu Mingyuan's couple felt something was wrong and immediately sent more people. The old steward, worried about any issues, went personally to find her.

Soon, the old steward returned, pale-faced.

Following him were two Celestial Realm guards with ashen faces and a pretty little girl, Wu Qianrou, nervously twisting her fingers.

But Wu Yiluo, who should have been with them, was nowhere to be seen.

"What... what's going on?" Wu Dianshan's previously relaxed body tensed up, and his expression became serious.

Wu Mingyuan and his wife also became anxious: "What's going on? Where's Yiluo?"

The two Celestial Realm guards knelt down with a thud, trembling as they spoke: "Reporting to the Commandery Prince and Princess Consort, the little princess, she... she has gone missing."

They were both assigned by the Commandery Prince and Princess Consort to protect Wu Yiluo.

They had been diligently guarding the little princess all this time.

However, as men, it was inconvenient for them to enter a girl's boudoir, so they only guarded the courtyard, following her secretly when she went out.

During this period, the little princess hadn't gone out, and they occasionally saw and heard her through the glass windows, so they didn't suspect anything. It wasn't until Wu Dianshan sent someone to find her that they realized something was wrong.

The old steward added: "Your Highness, I have already sent people to search the entire Commandery Prince's household, inside and out, but we couldn't find the little princess."

"Qianrou!" Wu Dianshan's face darkened, glaring at Wu Qianrou hiding behind the two Celestial Realm guards, and sternly asked, "Tell me honestly, what happened?"

Wu Qianrou, only eight or nine years old, was frightened by Wu Dianshan's stern look and immediately confessed everything.

It turned out that Wu Yiluo was annoyed by the constant presence of guards, feeling restricted and unable to enjoy herself when going out. Moreover, people would instinctively avoid her when they saw the guards, making it hard for her to make friends.

So, she came up with a plan, using the Heavenly Recording Disk to record her voice and image, and even had a doll made to simulate her aura to fool the guards, with Wu Qianrou helping her cover up. She then sneaked out of the Commandery Prince's household alone to visit Qingluo Garrison and see the sea.

"What? You said Yiluo went to Qingluo Garrison alone? To see the sea?"

Upon hearing Wu Qianrou's words, Gongye Qingrui stood up in shock, accidentally knocking over the tea cup beside her.

Wu Mingyuan's face also darkened.

Wu Dianshan's face turned pale and then green.

Seeing the guards still standing there dumbfounded, he angrily shouted: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and send people to find her!"

Wu Yiluo was the most precious youngest daughter of the Commandery Prince, even known to the current Emperor. If something happened to her here, or if she went missing, it would be a huge problem!

Even his position as the Prince of Longzuo might be at risk!

...

While the Prince of Longzuo's household was in turmoil over the little princess's disappearance.

Wang Anye's flying carriage had already arrived at the flying carriage station in Qingluo Garrison after a long sea journey.

Qingluo Garrison, a brand-new garrison town.

With the involvement of the Wang's Clan, it naturally included many of the Wang's Clan's "unique" architectural styles, such as towering concrete frames and thickened stone walls.

And neatly planned and clean concrete streets paved with bluestone.

The buildings on both sides of the street included some orderly and "modern-style" high-rises.

A little beggar, visiting Qingluo Garrison for the first time, was deeply attracted by the sight. She gratefully cupped her hands to Wang Anye, who had disembarked with her: "Thank you, Seventh Young Master, for your righteous help. I will definitely repay this kindness."

"Hold on, little brother." Wang Anye grabbed her arm with a smile, "My Wang's Clan is practically the majority owner of Qingluo Garrison. I come here often and know the place well. Since you're here, let me show you around, and we can part ways after a meal."

The little beggar's body stiffened, her face blushing. Unable to refuse his kindness, she had no choice but to follow him. After all, the Seventh Young Master not only helped her but was also very handsome.

Then, Wang Anye took her on a tour: "Look, that's the street for fresh seafood, filled with high-end ingredients rarely seen inland. Here, you can eat your fill for just one Top Gold."

"Over there is Qingluo Academy, providing basic education for the children of Qingluo Garrison. However, for higher education, you can only go to our Wang's Clan School."

"Little brother, look, that's the city guard office of Qingluo Garrison. Although my grandfather is not the city guard, he also works here." Wang Anye held her arm tightly, enthusiastically introducing the place as he led her towards the city guard office.

The little beggar blushed, wanting to struggle but feeling weak. What was this little rascal up to? Could it be that he discovered her true identity as a girl and developed feelings for her, wanting to take her to meet his grandfather?

This... this wouldn't do. It didn't follow the rules of the clans, nor the proper procedures.

Her heart was in turmoil, like a deer running wild, her thoughts scattered. She wanted to refuse, but his grip made her feel powerless.

"Little brother, look, that's the prison inside the city guard office, holding the most vicious criminals." Wang Anye smiled as he introduced, "I heard there are many sea bandits imprisoned there."

"Seventh Young Master, why are you showing me this?" The little beggar was slightly puzzled. Wasn't he supposed to take her to meet his grandfather?

Suddenly!

Wang Anye's expression turned serious, stepping back seven or eight steps to distance himself from the little beggar, and sternly said: "Men, arrest this suspected fugitive and lock her up in the prison for a thorough interrogation."

He had long noticed something off about this little beggar. He hadn't acted earlier to avoid causing trouble. Now that they were at the city guard office, near the prison, the little beggar couldn't cause any more trouble.

"Yes, Seventh Young Master."

A fully armed patrol team surrounded the little beggar, pointing their swords, spears, and crossbows at her.

"What?"

The little beggar felt as if struck by lightning, almost collapsing. When did I, Wu Yiluo, become a fugitive?

In an instant, tears welled up in her eyes.

She had thought he had ulterior motives and was worried about it. But in a blink of an eye, he had her arrested.

Boohoo~~~ Mother was right, men are no good, too deceitful.

...

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