The moment Jing Hengbo woke up, the terrifying black hole from before she fainted suddenly struck her mind like lightning, scaring her so much that before she even opened her eyes, she let out a piercing scream.

The scream was miserable, as if she were being murdered.

Immediately she found herself embraced in someone’s arms. That person used somewhat clumsy gestures to pat her back repeatedly to calm her shock, like patting a little dog.

Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes from the patting, but her panicked emotions inexplicably gradually settled down. The scent at her nose was quite familiar—clear, cold, yet mellow, a reassuring smell.

Opening her eyes that were somewhat blurry from sleeping too much, she first saw lamplight, extremely bright lamplight, and immediately felt at ease.

When she saw clearly, her eyes widened again—damn, was this really necessary? The entire room was filled with lights, with eighteen arm-thick candles lit.

What a waste!

The person patting her back sensed her awakening, then felt her very lively gaze after becoming conscious. As if realizing something, he immediately pushed her away quickly.

Jing Hengbo was pushed against the headboard, but fortunately it was covered with thick bedding, so it didn’t hurt.

Who was this hot-and-cold fool?

Just as Jing Hengbo was considering whether to thank this fellow or scold him, the person by the bed had already stood up. Without even glancing at her, he turned and walked away. Jing Hengbo squinted to identify his back, opened her mouth in amazement, and quickly rubbed her eyes again.

She wasn’t seeing things.

It was actually Gong Yin!

Jing Hengbo sat up holding the quilt, rarely thinking seriously for a while, finally reaching a conclusion about this strange phenomenon.

This guy must have just wanted to knock her unconscious, then his conscience was awakened by her gaze, so he didn’t continue his assault!

She then despairingly thought about how, after going in circles, she had still fallen into Gong Yin’s clutches.

At this moment she had no strength left to struggle. Her heart was racing, breathing labored, dizzy, and weak all over.

This time she was truly ill—half from fright, half from the invasion of cold and dampness from walking in the jungle before.

Jing Hengbo buried herself in the quilt, too lazy to move or think. Sister was in this state—whatever happened, happened.

The door sounded, and Gong Yin entered, carrying a steaming bowl in his hands.

Jing Hengbo thought in fright: It’s not poison, is it?

Looking again at Gong Yin’s walking posture—eh, why was he limping?

Gong Yin showed no expression. Facing her exploratory gaze, he very naturally sat down by her bed and pushed the bowl in front of her.

“Drink the medicine,” he said.

Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes irritably. Was this how one took care of patients? Why was his precious State Preceptor self coming to serve her? Wouldn’t it be better to have Cui Jie and Jing Jun come? She’d be comfortable and he’d be comfortable too.

“My hands hurt, can’t hold it.”

Gong Yin’s long eyebrows furrowed slightly. He glanced at her, his expression full of disagreement: “Do you want me to feed you?”

“Ah, no!” Jing Hengbo was startled and didn’t dare be difficult anymore, lest her nightmare come true. She immediately sat up properly, took the medicine bowl, and gulped it all down in one go, showing the empty bowl bottom as boldly as drinking wine: “Done.”

Putting down the medicine bowl, she thought the great god should show satisfaction, but it seemed this fellow was even more dissatisfied, his face darker.

“Is being fed medicine by me so terrifying?” he asked.

Jing Hengbo was stunned for three seconds.

She had the urge to grind her teeth, feeling that upon waking, the world had changed—she was sick, and Gong Yin was also abnormal.

What exactly did he want!

She stared at the medicine bowl, waiting for him to get lost. Gong Yin stared at her. The two maintained this strange standoff for a while before Gong Yin spoke.

“Don’t you find it bitter?”

Jing Hengbo paused, only then noticing that this fellow was still holding a small plate in his hands, which actually contained preserved plum candies.

Jing Hengbo blinked, the strange feeling in her heart growing stronger.

Had Gong Yin’s brain been squeezed by a door? Struck by lightning? Transmigrated? Been reborn with another soul in his body?

The last possibility seemed very likely.

“They all said that after taking medicine, one would want to eat something sweet.” Gong Yin faced her suspicious gaze and explained with some difficulty.

He remembered Jing Jun’s surprised look when he had sought advice from her earlier, and his expression stiffened somewhat.

The more Jing Hengbo looked, the more she felt this fellow must have been reborn!

“Good, good, eat candy, eat candy.” She smiled broadly, picked up a preserved plum candy to eat, and casually popped one into his mouth: “Here, eat together.”

Gong Yin’s entire body stiffened.

The woman’s fingertips carried a faint medicinal fragrance mixed with the scent of her skin. Her nails were smooth as small jade stones. When leaving, her nail seemed to scrape against his lips, and he suddenly felt a slight burning sensation on his lips.

The preserved plum candy silently dissolved on his lips. This was his first time encountering such a taste—sweet and sour, like his current mood.

His expression suddenly changed slightly, realizing he seemed to have made too many exceptions recently.

At this moment, eating candy together with her was even more absurd.

If they were currently in Dahuang surrounded by enemies, if she had already become the Female Empress, if she had already contacted that group of people, if he were currently fulfilling his duties as State Preceptor.

This candy would not be offered, much less enter his mouth.

Perhaps he had been away too long, away from the Dahuang that was peaceful on the surface but treacherous within, so long that even he had lost his vigilance and made too many mistakes.

He slowly spat out the candy, meeting Jing Hengbo’s puzzled gaze.

“I don’t eat these things,” he said indifferently. “Rest well.”

Jing Hengbo disappointedly discovered that Great God Gong had not been reborn—that annoying fellow was back.

The atmosphere between them suddenly became a bit awkward. She wanted to find something to say when she suddenly remembered something and immediately patted the bedside asking him: “Hey, by the way, what happened earlier? Who locked me in that dark room to harm me? Did you catch that bastard? Drag him over here—I want to rape then kill, kill then rape, then kill and rape him ten thousand times…”

Gong Yin’s expression stiffened.

Jing Hengbo gritted her teeth and continued venting her hatred. When she looked up, she said in amazement: “What’s wrong with you? Why do you look so awful? Didn’t catch the person?”

Maybe the great god felt embarrassed because he didn’t catch the culprit?

Gong Yin coughed once, then coughed again.

Jing Hengbo watched him with interest, feeling that this moment’s Great God Gong had quite rich and spectacular expressions on his face, much better looking than his usual noble coldness.

After finishing coughing, as if afraid she would continue asking, Gong Yin suddenly reached out to help tuck in her quilt corners. The tucking motion was very natural. From Jing Hengbo’s angle, she could see his lightly pursed lips—thin and red like a gentle petal of spring peach blossoms. His black eyebrows flew long to his temples with some sharpness, but were softened by the water-like tenderness in his eyes at this moment.

Jing Hengbo looked at him in shock, not knowing which of his nerves had crossed wires.

Yet looking at his tranquil face like this, she suddenly held her breath, feeling inexplicably startled. She didn’t dare speak nor was willing to, as if words would disturb this moment’s strange atmosphere flowing between them.

When her breathing stopped, he seemed to suddenly awaken, his hand pausing and freezing.

Then his hand quickly withdrew from beside her quilt corner. When he spoke again, the earlier tenderness seemed to scatter like an illusion, his voice still cold and quiet.

“Patients should act like patients. Why worry about so much? Sleep.”

Jing Hengbo grabbed the quilt corner, looking at him strangely, murmuring: “The expression on your face seems to say ‘guilty conscience’?”

Gong Yin pulled the quilt up to cover her chattering mouth, his eyes glancing at the medicine bowl as if talking to himself: “You don’t want to sleep? Then have another bowl!”

Jing Hengbo bit the quilt corner, not wanting to drink medicine but feeling unwilling, mumbling: “You’re all kinds of strange today…”

Gong Yin seemed to really want to stuff that bowl in her mouth, yet also seemed to want to leave immediately. Wanting to leave yet seemingly hesitating, fortunately the door sounded at this moment, rescuing the great god from his conflicted state.

Jing Hengbo lifted her eyelids to glance—the first thing to enter was a tuft of red feathers.

Er Gouzi had come to visit the patient.

Jing Hengbo felt somewhat comforted. She’d rather see Er Gouzi’s bird beak than Gong Yin’s strange face.

Er Gouzi looked around in all directions, then sneakily walked a few steps and opened its mouth.

“Life is full of regret for too little joy, willing to treasure a smile over a thousand gold…”

“Shut up, no reciting poetry!” Jing Hengbo knew what the next line was and immediately rudely stopped Er Gouzi.

Did she want to hear it say in front of Gong Yin, “A person should be a female sex wolf, not sleeping without conquering a thousand men?”

Er Gouzi rarely obediently closed its beak, slowly paced to Jing Hengbo’s front, craned its neck to look at her, then looked around to confirm Feifei didn’t seem to be present, and reached out its claw to hook onto Jing Hengbo’s collar.

This was a habitual gesture it had developed with Jing Hengbo at the brothel. Jing Hengbo often taught it to speak through the cage bars, and when Er Gouzi had requests, it would reach out its claw to hook her low-cut collar.

With its eye-booger-sized brain capacity, Er Gouzi had thought up this action to awaken Jing Hengbo’s sense of intimacy, laying groundwork for the upcoming negotiation. However, it ignored the icy gaze of the State Preceptor beside them.

That gaze made a substantial pause on the low neckline, then extended with force along that light claw. Because of Er Gouzi’s complete obliviousness, the great god’s train of thought had progressed from planning to tear off this claw to deciding to just roast this claw.

“Da|bo, Da|bo,” Er Gouzi, unaware of the approaching crisis, tugged at Jing Hengbo’s collar and urgently negotiated with her: “Drive away cat! Drive away cat!”

Oh, it was scared of being bullied by Feifei and came to make survival efforts.

Jing Hengbo smiled broadly watching Er Gouzi get anxious—truly, evil birds have evil cats to grind them down.

A hand reached over and unceremoniously grabbed Er Gouzi’s crest. Preparing to throw it.

Er Gouzi panicked greatly, reaching out its claws to scratch desperately. How could it reach Gong Yin’s face? It habitually tried to hook onto a certain low collar, but that hand, as if anticipating this, flicked and harshly knocked away its wandering claw.

“Go to hell, pretentious bastard! Go to hell, pretty boy!” Er Gouzi shouted angrily, reaching out both claws pitifully toward Jing Hengbo: “Da|bo save me—”

“This…” Jing Hengbo tried to falsely plead for mercy.

“Pretty boy? Pretentious bastard?” Gong Yin held Er Gouzi, his icy gaze turning toward Jing Hengbo.

Jing Hengbo made an “eh” sound, belatedly realizing—Er Gouzi couldn’t create terms on its own. These beautiful descriptive words like “pretentious bastard pretty boy” naturally came from her teaching.

Jing Hengbo laughed awkwardly once and guiltily shrank into the quilt, no longer attempting to challenge the great god’s authority.

The great god casually carried the bird out. Er Gouzi desperately reached out its claws to grab the door frame, screaming miserably: “Go to hell, pretentious bastard! You dare treat Master Bird like this—Master Bird will tell Da|bo that you locked her in the dark…”

“Whoosh.” Er Gouzi disappeared from Great God Gong’s hand at lightning speed.

Jing Hengbo stared blankly at Er Gou’s flying trajectory, then looked at Gong Yin, then pointed at Er Gou: “It said… it seemed to say…”

“Looks like you’re better. We start traveling tomorrow.” Gong Yin quickly changed the subject, turned and left at extreme speed, as if ghosts were chasing him.

Jing Hengbo watched dumbfounded as he disappeared even faster than Er Gouzi, then shouted after a long moment:

“Damn, why are you running so fast? At least tell me what happened…”

…

Unfortunately, she was destined not to get an answer. Later, until they hit the road, she never saw the noble State Preceptor.

Gong Yin also unreasonably disregarded her sick body and ordered immediate departure, reasoning that they had already delayed too long on the road, and the nobles and troops waiting to receive them domestically might already be getting impatient.

That very day she was dragged into the carriage. However, when Jing Hengbo saw the carriage specially prepared for returning home, she couldn’t help exclaiming “Wow” and dropping her eyeballs all over the ground.

The carriage looked like a mobile miniature palace—carved saddles and decorated wheels, inlaid gold and embedded jade, hanging crystal curtains of five colors sparkling brilliantly like rainbows in the sunlight. Inside, the deep red long-haired carpet could bury a person. Sitting and sleeping areas were actually divided into inner and outer chambers, not to mention various gorgeous and exquisite furnishings. Everywhere the eyes could see was encrusted with gems.

Jing Hengbo’s eyes sparkled with the same colorful light as she immediately pounced inside.

Guard captain Meng Hu walked beside the carriage, listening to the constant fine gnawing sounds like mice from inside—Her Majesty was probably trying to bite off the gems from the dishes.

Meng Hu listened very seriously, planning to report everything to the State Preceptor later.

Meng Hu’s worship of the State Preceptor’s wisdom had again risen to new heights. Originally, according to his intention, the carriage wouldn’t be so gorgeous and gaudy. Dahuang produced gold and gems—everyone was already tired of shiny things. Currently, the domestic trend was natural wood colors or tung oil clear lacquer, emphasizing the beauty of returning to simplicity. But the State Preceptor had specifically instructed that the carriage must be gorgeous and exquisite, the more dazzling the better. Don’t be afraid of using too many gems—the more gems used, the more obedient the Female Empress would be. Meng Hu sincerely admired this—how did the State Preceptor understand Her Majesty so well?

The carriage rolled forward for several consecutive days. Jing Hengbo couldn’t see Gong Yin, but her three female companions were all in the carriage. Jing Jun took care of her, while Cui Jie and Yong Xue silently fed Feifei on the side, rarely coming before her.

Sometimes Jing Hengbo woke up in the middle of the night to see Jing Jun still sitting upright beside her in the darkness, with faint light illuminating her long, delicate eyelashes. Beneath the lashes, her eyeballs were moist and warm black, steadily gazing in an empty direction.

Her hands resting on her clothes were slightly twisted together, like a white flower about to wither, trembling and struggling in the night wind.

Sometimes she could also see the normally carefree Cui Jie sitting on the carriage shaft, turning to gaze toward Da Yan, her eyes covered by wind-tousled bangs.

Jing Hengbo knew this was called sorrow.

Getting closer to Dahuang, farther from their homeland, everyone’s heart was filled with infinite confusion about the unknown future.

She lightly pressed her lips together in the darkness.

It doesn’t matter, my friends.

Since you’ve followed me all this way, I naturally must protect you.

Even if it means exhausting all my strength and becoming enemy to all.

…

Leaving Xi Kang, crossing the last county on Da Yan’s northwestern border—Liuhua County—Jing Hengbo’s group finally officially left Da Yan territory and entered Xi E, which bordered Da Yan.

According to Gong Yin’s intention, he originally didn’t want to cross Xi E’s borders and would rather take a detour. But he had been away too long and was ultimately uneasy about the domestic situation, so he had to pass through Xi E’s Tiannan Province, cross the Jiehu grasslands, pass over the Yunlei plateau, and return to Dahuang.

Jing Hengbo welcomed this attitude. It had been desolate before and would be desolate after—with great difficulty passing through Tiannan Province’s supposedly prosperous Baofan City, how could they not go shopping?

The convoy entering Baofan City didn’t encounter any trouble—just pay money. It was said that the King of Tiannan loved money like life and had assigned high tax quotas to all government offices under his command, so much so that even the soldiers guarding the city gates desperately exploited passing merchants. As long as you had enough money, they’d let even the Da Yan Emperor enter.

“Let’s go shopping, let’s go shopping,” Jing Hengbo grabbed Gong Yin’s sleeve after entering the city.

Without the great god’s permission, no one dared to shop.

The great god indeed ignored her, saying indifferently: “I hear the King of Tiannan who controls Baofan City is tyrannical, shameless, and arrogant in his actions. We’re just resting and still need to travel. On her territory, behave yourself.”

“No matter how arrogant she is, she’s in her palace while I’m shopping on the streets—how does that bother her?” Jing Hengbo protested, holding up two fingers: “Just shop for two hours. You assign lots of guards to follow me, I promise not to run away, okay?”

Gong Yin gently pulled away her fingers and dusted off his sleeves.

“One hour.” He bent down one finger.

Gong Yin turned to inspect the inn.

“Half an hour.” Jing Hengbo said pitifully.

Gong Yin selected a pastry from a plate handed to him by a guard and casually gave it to her: “Sweet. Eat this after taking medicine later to clear the taste.”

Jing Hengbo understood he meant she could shut up now, but the three words “after taking medicine” reminded her of something.

“Fine, if I can’t go, I can’t go.” She watched Gong Yin’s departing back and said sadly: “I’m just a puppet without freedom anyway. Others can do whatever they want to me. If they want to bully me, they bully me. If they want to lock me in a dark room, they lock me in a dark room. If they want to scare me, they scare me…”

Gong Yin’s back stiffened.

“…After being locked up, frightened, and scared into illness, in the end I don’t even know who did it…”

Gong Yin stopped in his tracks.

“But what if I knew who did it? Wouldn’t it still be the same—letting people squeeze me however they want, reject me however they want, not a single day of peaceful life…”

Jing Hengbo sniffed and looked up at the sky. Oh my, acting in a tragic drama felt a bit off—tears, emotionally stirring tears, anyone? Who could lend her a chili pepper?

Gong Yin suddenly turned around and walked over.

Jing Hengbo was overjoyed and quickly lowered her face, dragging her feet and sniffling as she went inside.

This back view must be written full of loss, grievance, sadness, and helplessness!

Her sleeve was grabbed. Jing Hengbo looked up at a forty-five-degree angle with tearful, sparkling eyes to see the great god looking straight ahead, holding her sleeve and saying: “Nearby streets, half an hour.”

“Great!” Jing Hengbo immediately smiled like a flower, turned and swayed gracefully as she walked out. After walking a while she felt something was wrong—looking back, why was Gong Yin still following?

Gong Yin still didn’t look at her, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, saying indifferently: “I heard Baofan City has a very special slave market. I plan to take a look.”

“Then let’s go our separate ways.” Jing Hengbo immediately turned around smartly. She didn’t want to see slaves—she wanted to visit flower and bird markets, rouge and powder shops, clothing stores, to understand ancient women’s dressing and styling. You could figure out with your toes that the great god would definitely dislike the cloying scent of cosmetics, the crowded shops, the stench of manure in flower and bird markets… She didn’t want to go with him.

After walking three steps, catching sight of a snow-white robe corner from the corner of her eye, she stopped, turned around, propped her chin with her hand, and looked at him.

Meeting her questioning yet teasing gaze, he seemed slightly embarrassed, his eyes flowing away like water, though his expression remained calm: “Seems like the same route? Then let’s walk together.”

Jing Hengbo pursed her lips. She didn’t believe a slave market could be on the same route as a flower and bird market, but she was always easygoing and too lazy to expose the great god’s lie. What if this made him angry and embarrassed, and he didn’t let her shop?

“Oh yes, maybe really the same route.” She rolled her eyes and smilingly came over to link arms with Gong Yin: “Then, shall we shop together?”

Gong Yin looked down at the arm she had linked, his expression and movements somewhat stiff.

But Jing Hengbo, afraid he would become awkward and change his mind, dragged him forward. The unprepared Gong Yin nearly stumbled, wanted to steady her, but after hesitating, was ultimately dragged away by her.

A figure flashed—Meng Hu emerged from behind the crowd, watching his stiffly dragged-away master, his eyeballs nearly popping out.

He sighed, seemed to want to laugh but ultimately didn’t, just turned to instruct his subordinates: “Have our people returned?”

“Not yet, but there’s been news that Yélu Qi has recently appeared in Xi E territory, spotted around Black Mountain near Black Water City. Our people have already pursued him there.”

“Black Water City is west of Baofan City, already close to Jiehu. Since Yélu Qi has reached there, he shouldn’t turn back. Moreover, he’s been pursued and killed all along without chance to recover, and is seriously injured. In that case, send word to the tracking guards ahead—they must intensify efforts and strive to eliminate Yélu Qi outside our borders.”

“Yes.”

The message-carrying guard disappeared into the crowd. Meng Hu slightly relaxed his shoulders. Recently he had been commanded to direct Gong Yin’s guards in implementing a counter-pursuit of the injured and fleeing Yélu Qi—partly wanting to solve the problem once and for all, partly to keep Yélu Qi busy running for his life without time to interfere with Gong Yin again.

Now it seemed Yélu Qi was too busy escaping to do anything else. He was about to leave Xi E with his route heading straight for Dahuang. Baofan City was safe.

Meng Hu’s gaze swept through the crowd… eh, how had his master and Her Majesty disappeared in just a few words?

…

Jing Hengbo was in a good mood, pulling Gong Yin cheerfully through the crowd.

Today they arrived quite coincidentally during Xi E’s traditional holiday called the “Flower Festival.” This festival originated from an ancient Xi E legend: in some dynasty of the past, demon flowers caused havoc, transforming into enchanting women to harm all living beings. Fortunately, a virtuous woman sacrificed herself by sitting upon the flower, destroying the demon flower and saving everyone. Since then, she has been called the “Flower Goddess” by the people of Xi E. Every year on this day, people hold flower markets in commemoration, and women are allowed to go out and enjoy themselves on the streets. Each city also selects beautiful women to serve as the “Flower Goddess” and “Demon Flower,” parading through the streets to attract crowds.

So today in Baofan City, there was no need to specifically look for flower markets—the entire street was filled with flower vendors, fragrant sleeves and beautiful figures in red and green everywhere. The roadside was packed with flower stands and vine baskets, clustered and hanging with various varieties of flowers. Many Jing Hengbo couldn’t name, only feeling her eyes filled with brilliant colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Clusters of delicate flowers bloomed in the wind, in fair hands, by women’s temples, and in all charming glances. The air was filled with sweet, rich fragrance.

Having traveled continuously, seeing nothing but blue skies or the black carriage roof, Jing Hengbo now had her eyes washed by such brightness and liveliness. She felt relaxed and comfortable from her chest to her fingertips.

She moved rapidly through the crowd.

“What flower is this? It’s bubbling with beauty! Such pure pink!”

“This flower has four colors, somewhat like lantana, but more vivid than lantana!”

“This inverted golden bell flower shape is quite special—it would be better with more colors.”

“This flower has such vivid golden-purple brilliance… eh, wrong, it’s just a bird…” Jing Hengbo grabbed a particularly bright cluster from the flowers, looking at it for a long time before discovering it was also a parrot. She couldn’t help sighing: “Ah, Er Gouzi, as fellow parrots, you’re much uglier than it…”

“Good rain knows the season, arriving when spring comes. A bald bird dares to provoke?” Er Gouzi’s shrill scolding sounded particularly harsh. “This old lady can recite poetry—can you? Can you?”

Feifei silently walked out, raised its paw to grab Er Gouzi, and presented it to that innocent, scolded beautiful parrot.

That creature raised its claw and gave Er Gouzi a swipe, scratching while shouting: “Master’s peace! Master’s peace!”

Er Gouzi, unwilling to be scratched, angrily retaliated, clawing off three crest feathers from that macaw. The macaw dodged and screamed while shouting: “Master’s peace! Master’s peace!”

Turns out it only knew this one phrase.

Er Gouzi was triumphant, suddenly finding superiority—neither Feifei nor this cheap bird could speak as well as Master Bird!

Jing Hengbo laughed until she nearly suffocated. Fortunately, Gong Yin timely patted her back to save her life.

Under the sunlight, Gong Yin’s pale face looked down, his clear, dark pupils sparkling with tender light he himself hadn’t noticed.

Suddenly everything around became quiet, all the noise and bustle seemed to quietly freeze.

Today there were many young ladies at the market. From the moment Gong Yin appeared at the market, the crowd of young ladies showed strange changes, basically revolving around Gong Yin’s location—flowing with or against the current, or first with then against the current. Some walked past him repeatedly, some stood straight across from him, the clever ones positioned themselves sideways, seemingly looking at flowers but actually looking at the person. When Gong Yin moved one step, they changed stalls.

When Gong Yin stopped to pat Jing Hengbo’s back, almost all the young ladies’ gazes fell on his hand and Jing Hengbo’s back—full of longing for that hand, and wishing they could burn a hole with their eyes in that back.

Many young ladies also watched Gong Yin’s gaze as he looked at Jing Hengbo, and couldn’t help being mesmerized.

They bit their lips, unconsciously playing with and crushing the flowers in their hands, rubbing those clear colors into scattered pieces, just like their hearts being squeezed and tightened at this moment…

The flower vendors throughout the market wailed in despair.

The instigator, Jing Hengbo, was completely unaware. Having finally stopped coughing, she looked up to see a cluster of deep red flowers with silver edges ahead. Her eyes lit up as she grabbed Gong Yin’s hand and pointed there: “Wow! That flower is beautiful! Such beautiful silver edges! Like those eighteen-scholar camellias! Let’s go look!”

Gong Yin paused slightly, his gaze slowly falling on the hand she held.

In an instant, his jade-white cheeks seemed to show a faint red, his lips pressed tightly together, also a thin touch of pale red. His eyes showed some glassy color, making his entire person clear and transparent like mountain snow.

All the young ladies in the market involuntarily crushed the flowers in their hands, hating that the hand was in another’s grasp, and even more hating that shameless woman who dared forcibly drag an innocent man!

Look at that beauty who obviously had a noble nature, so unwilling, so reluctant, such stiff expression, such slow movements, yet because of his kind heart, unable to bear embarrassing that shameless woman, allowing himself to be led forward… Ah, why not shake off her hand… why not shake it off!

Speaking of being thick-skinned, there were benefits to being thick-skinned. Jing Hengbo turned a blind eye to the murderous gazes throughout the street. In her view, those were women coveting Gong Yin’s beauty, which was perfectly normal. But what did that have to do with her?

“How much for this flower?” Her attention was entirely on that pot of nationally beautiful flowers, enthusiastically crouching down to ask the price: “Boss, how much per pot?”

“Five hundred wen.” The flower vendor glanced sideways at their clothing and demanded an outrageous price.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Jing Hengbo pressed a finger to his forehead: “The most expensive flowers in this entire market cost no more than fifty wen, yet you dare ask five hundred wen. Is this flower grown with gold?”

Her slender fingers and flowing eyes, under the sunlight those upturned peach blossom eyes seemed ready to fly out countless enchanting peach blossoms.

“Miss,” the flower vendor’s soul was pressed out to beyond the universe by her finger. He reached out sneakily to grab her finger, smiling: “Is it expensive? It’s not easy to raise flowers like this—they must be placed on the highest mountain daily to bathe in heaven and earth’s essence, and collected into warm chambers at night… But good flowers match beautiful people. Since the miss likes it, two hundred fifty wen! I’m selling at a loss!”

Jing Hengbo’s finger flickered, already nimbly dodging his wolf claws, her laughter flowing like water: “Two hundred fifty? Truly a two-fifty fool!”

The flower vendor didn’t understand her mockery, laughing as he handed over the flowers, trying to touch her hand.

The two went back and forth, seemingly negotiating enthusiastically, completely forgetting the increasingly cold ice sculpture beside them.

“I don’t recall agreeing to you buying flowers.” A cold, clear voice came. Jing Hengbo, busy bargaining, then remembered this great god.

Her eyes lit up as she grabbed Gong Yin and pushed him forward: “Quick, quick, help me bargain!”

Gong Yin: “…”

“After you get a good price, help me choose the best pot. One with full leaves and many buds.” Her Majesty, skilled at talking to herself, calmly patted the great god’s shoulder and whispered in his ear: “This guy is very lecherous and talkative, definitely not a good person, definitely bullies the weak and fears the strong. If you step up, you can absolutely bring down the price! I believe in you!”

Gong Yin’s sleeve-flicking motion was half-done when he turned to look at her.

“You also think he’s very lecherous? Very bad?”

“Of course.” Jing Hengbo nodded, not noticing the mystery in that word “also.”

The great god stopped talking and actually crouched down, beginning to bargain and select flowers.

The young ladies watching from afar let out incredulous exclamations.

This obviously very aloof man was bargaining? Buying flowers?

Watching this, Jing Hengbo also felt something seemed off. The highland flower-like Gong Yin crouching down to bargain and move flower pots? But life should involve trying all kinds of poses—what was wrong with being down-to-earth?

Her gaze swept past and her attention was suddenly attracted by commotion not far away. It sounded like gongs and drums mixed with children’s and men’s cheers.

“Come see the Flower Goddess!”

“Come see the demon flower!”

“Eh, the Flower Goddess.” Jing Hengbo, who had already inquired about the Flower Festival legend, immediately brightened. Forgetting about Gong Yin buying flowers behind her, she quickly pushed forward. But at this time, the crowd was all flowing in that direction, and despite pushing for a long time, she hadn’t advanced many steps. Jing Hengbo became frustrated and simply flashed—whoosh.

She disappeared from where she stood.

On the other side, the unworldly Gong Yin was earnestly bargaining.

“Five hundred wen!” Seeing a man had replaced her, and a man who made people jealous at that, the flower vendor’s attitude changed drastically, shouting back to the original price.

Gong Yin held up one finger.

“One hundred?” The flower vendor’s eyes widened: “Is that how you bargain?”

Gong Yin shook his head, still holding up that finger. The finger was beautiful, with nails like ice crystals, though it didn’t look beautiful to the vendor.

“…Ten wen?” He asked uncertainly and incredulously.

Though his asking price had been outrageous, this flower was worth at least fifty wen. Ten wen? Too shameless!

Gong Yin still shook his head, still holding up that finger—elegant, calm, and cold.

“You… what exactly do you mean?” The flower vendor stammered.

“One wen.” The great god finally spoke coldly. Ice-cold and hard, deadly.

“You…” The flower vendor was stunned for a moment, then jumped up holding the flower pot: “You’re just here to cause trouble! Wasted so much talk on you! What, trying to force a sale? Let me tell you, this master doesn’t eat grass…”

“Thunk.”

Gong Yin lightly flicked his finger.

His fingertip struck empty air, yet made a clear sound as if striking something solid. The flower vendor’s wide, blue-tinged forehead visibly turned blue, then red, then purple, then swollen…

Countless layered whirlpools spun in the flower vendor’s eyes. The flower pot in his hands that he was preparing to throw fell straight down. Gong Yin casually caught it in his palm.

“Bang.” The flower vendor fell to the ground, shaking all the flower pots on the rack.

“Ding.” A copper coin bounced onto his chest.

State Preceptor Gong kept his word—he said he’d give one wen and gave one wen, even if the man was unconscious.

Suddenly everything around became silent. Gong Yin seemed completely unaware, lifted his foot and calmly stepped over the flower vendor, looking down to examine the flowers. Finally, he carefully selected a pot with tender colors, fresh leaves, and especially many buds, not raising his head: “How about this pot?”

No response. Gong Yin frowned, straightened up, his gaze quickly sweeping around. Suddenly he flicked his sleeve.

A white shadow flashed, and he was gone.

Leaving the street full of women who had been secretly watching him, bewildered as they dropped the flowers in their hands, half-suspecting they were dreaming.

…

Near Baofan’s Bichui district, gongs and drums were thundering with excitement.

Because this year’s “Flower Goddess” and “Demon Flower” had begun their parade. According to the established route, they would start from Bichui district near the royal palace in the south, singing and dancing all the way to Shande district in the north.

Throughout the parade, the “Flower Goddess” would ride in a colorful sedan while the “demon flower” would be trapped in a “fake cage” decorated with fresh flowers. They would perform along the way, demonstrating how the Flower Goddess had bravely and fearlessly sat the demon flower to death. Both the “Flower Goddess” and “flower demon” were played by local virtuous, beautiful women who received quite generous compensation. The selected women would become famous during the Flower Festival, their status skyrocketing.

This year the area around Bichui district was especially lively, packed with people layer upon layer, all enthusiastically discussing the beauty of this year’s goddess and demon flower.

“I heard this year’s selected Flower Goddess is the young lady from the city’s wealthiest Huang family! They say she has both talent and beauty and will throw embroidered balls to choose a husband!”

“I heard the demon flower candidate has even more prestigious background—she’s the daughter of Little Phoenix, who was the daughter of Golden Phoenix, the pillar of Xi E’s former top theater troupe Ruifeng Company. They say she surpasses her teacher, with enchanting beauty, a voice like golden bells, and skilled in song and dance. She’s been chosen by our prefecture’s magistrate as a treasure, and next month’s debut is clearly going to be heavily promoted…”

“This year’s goddess and demon flower are both rare talents in nearly ten years, so it’s particularly lively. I wonder if it will attract the king to leave the palace to watch.”

“You must never say such things! Do we still want to celebrate the festival? Would it be good if she came?”

“Silence! Don’t speak of the king!”

…

Outside the lively crowd, there were some colorful pavilions along the street, and some tea houses had also erected high pavilions on their second floors for viewing—naturally these were for officials and wealthy families, ordinary people couldn’t squeeze in.

The highest colorful building seemed quite quiet at this moment. Light rose-colored gauze curtains hung low, the silver hooks holding the curtains clinked in the wind, unable to conceal the faint laughter from inside.

“This year’s Flower Festival is particularly lively—is it because you came?” The speaking voice was female, slightly hoarse, yet because the tone was lowered, it carried several parts suppressed allure.

The room quieted, then a man’s deep, pleasant voice responded.

“Baofan City’s liveliness is naturally all because of Your Majesty. If Your Majesty hadn’t brought me along, I also wouldn’t have seen such excitement.”

The woman’s laughter inside the purple gauze curtains was low and hoarse, with natural musical undulations that made even ordinary conversation seem constantly flirtatious.

“Are you blaming me for insisting on coming out…” The woman’s boneless soft arm slowly emerged, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally climbing onto the man’s shoulder, her fingertips lingering in circles, extending all the way into his thick black hair… “I was just afraid you’d be bored recuperating, accompanying you out to relax…”

She giggled softly, slightly turning her face. The Western lotus-cut flower-shadow palace lantern cast pale yellow light—she knew this angle was most beautiful under the lamplight.

He turned his head slightly, the lamplight cutting out his profile—wonderful, all lines speaking of the elegant style of a young gentleman in black with tilted hat. She gazed mesmerized at his dark brows, wanting to press her lips to that touch of warm, seductive red, but ultimately restrained her stirring desires because of his noble beauty, only smiling as she watched him gently take her fingertips and gently, skillfully place them in his palm.

Toward such a verdant tree among mortals, she dared not be too eager, fearing to break his flourishing beauty.

He smiled, holding her fingers, and coughed lightly twice.

“Is your injury acting up?” She immediately showed concern. “Perhaps we should return to the palace.”

“The parade just started…” His expression was considerate.

“Your health is important…” She was even more like a gentle, tender wife.

The soft murmuring wasn’t finished when commotion arose below, with vague exclamations. She turned in surprise and walked to the window: “What’s happening?”

…

A white shadow flashed as Gong Yin appeared on the other side of the street. Looking left and right, he knew Jing Hengbo wasn’t there.

He had only bargained with the flower vendor for an instant, yet Jing Hengbo could escape his sight so quickly—naturally she had used teleportation.

Following the direction of the crowd’s flow, he looked at the gathering crowd in the distance. As expected, that woman had run there to watch the excitement.

After thinking, he made a summoning signal. Moments later, Meng Hu appeared beside him.

“How is the city?”

“Safe.”

“News of Yélu Qi?”

“Reportedly he’s reached Black Water City, appeared near Black Mountain. His next step should be toward Jiehu.”

Gong Yin suddenly stopped.

“Black Mountain? Black Water City?”

“Yes.”

“He’s been there the whole time?”

“Our people besieged him there for three days.”

Gong Yin stopped moving, slowly looked up at the sky. Xi E’s sunlight was so intense, yet his eyes seemed to slowly form a layer of ice.

Meng Hu felt uneasy.

“Master…”

“You made a mistake.” Gong Yin slowly interrupted him. “Yélu Qi is not staying at Black Water.”

“This…”

“The blood antidote I gave him is an antidote, but also has special ingredients. It contains ice crystal seeds from my Prajna Snow. The ice crystal seeds will act up in all cold, damp environments, transforming into another kind of poison. To handle pursuit, Yélu Qi will definitely use my antidote. Having used the antidote, he definitely cannot stay long in the cold, damp place like Black Water. Three days?” He curled his lips mockingly. “Three days—you don’t even need to pursue him anymore, you can collect his corpse.”

Meng Hu’s face reddened with shame as he quickly bowed his head.

“This subordinate was incompetent…”

Gong Yin waved to stop his words.

“The ignorant are not at fault. The urgent matter now is knowing where he actually is. If he didn’t stay at Black Water, he wouldn’t pass through Jiehu, then…”

He suddenly paused, thoughtfully looking toward the city’s lively area, then his expression changed. His figure flashed, already sweeping over the crowd’s center like a white cloud.

…

In the center of Bichui district’s crowd, a colorful cart slowly moved. The cart was formed by connecting several carriages with their outer walls removed, decorated with colorful curtains on four pillars, loaded with flowers and grass. In the center sat the “Flower Goddess” in red palace dress with dignified features, while the “flower demon” in seductive dress, heavy makeup, and painted high brows was extending her jade arms, dancing around the “Flower Goddess.” At this moment, she was performing the “demon flower causing chaos, flowers raining from the sky” scene.

The woman playing the flower demon was worthy of being the daughter of a soon-to-be-famous performer. Her figure was soft and seductive, her dance posture magnificent. She constantly leaped to the tops of the decorative pillars on all sides, her toes making flower petals brilliantly rise and fall, drawing thunderous applause from spectators along the route.

“Whoosh.”

A figure flashed—Jing Hengbo arrived.

She appeared in the crowd at the very front. Because there were many people and everyone’s attention was on the colorful cart, though some felt something strange, they didn’t pay attention.

Only the “flower demon” dancing on the decorative pillar, looking down from above, suddenly paused and widened her eyes.

Jing Hengbo knew she had seen her and smiled toothily at her.

The woman’s eyes showed even more alarm. Her feet softened and she immediately couldn’t maintain her grip on the pillar. With an “ah,” her body fell backward, already tumbling down.

With a “crack,” her head hit the edge of the colorful cart. Without a grunt, she fainted.

The cheering stopped abruptly. Everyone stared in shock, not understanding why this sudden mishap occurred. The “Flower Goddess” stood up in amazement but was tripped by the “flower demon’s” body, falling with a “bang” under the colorful cart as well.

The stunned silence was immediately broken by exclamations. People looked at each other in confusion—there had been problems before, but having both main characters collapse in an instant had never happened.

Who did this?

“Who did this!” A loud shout as a green-robed official lifted his robe and jumped onto the colorful cart full of killing intent: “Hah? Who did this!”

This was the city’s deputy magistrate, the organizer and manager of this parade, and also the backstage supporter of the “flower demon” Little Phoenix.

With the colorful cart having problems and both the “Flower Goddess” and “flower demon” unable to continue the parade, this was also something difficult for him to explain.

“Who did this, hah?” The official was beside himself with rage, flapping his sleeves: “Who did this! Drag them out onto the cart for public display!”

The crowd was silent. After a while, some young ladies in the crowd suddenly turned their gazes toward Jing Hengbo and exclaimed softly.

Then more people turned their gazes to her. Most of these people were women.

Jing Hengbo felt inexplicably confused by their stares. Damn, was this wrong? These two women scared themselves into problems—what did it have to do with her?

Her natural, comfortable expression in the young ladies’ eyes ignited even more burning jealous fury.

Right! It was her!

That woman who was dragging a beauty to buy flowers on that street earlier!

Shamelessly pulling men on the main street!

Even making such a handsome, noble gentleman bargain for her!

Now she’s come here to show off again!

How could such a woman not be punished?

“Who did this!” The official on the colorful cart roared.

A group of women surged forward in front of the colorful cart, turned in unison, and pointed at Jing Hengbo.

“Her!”

…

The King of Tiannan leaned against the window sill, smiling as she watched the commotion below.

“What happened?” A lazy, seductive male voice came—he didn’t seem to plan on coming to watch the excitement.

“It seems both the Flower Goddess and flower demon were frightened,” the King of Tiannan pushed open the window indifferently. “It looks like this parade will be unexpectedly suspended—perfect, let’s return to the palace.”

The man chuckled softly, his voice pleased: “Good.”

“Eh,” the King of Tiannan, who had been preparing to leave, suddenly stopped and turned to look below: “They’re pulling up a woman… how can they just make do randomly… ah, this woman is actually more seductive than that flower demon!”

Her voice was full of jealousy, and by the end carried killing intent.

All charming, beautiful women in this world should be inferior to her charm—whoever exceeded her should be eliminated.

The man had already stood up, walking toward the door. Hearing this, he suddenly paused and turned around.

…

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Note: This chapter’s plot corresponds to the Xi E portion in “A Thousand Gold Laughs.”