The Capital.

Huang Rang remained at Di Yiqiu’s fief.

Since Di Yiqiu was handling the matter concerning Huang Shu for her, Huang Rang let him go ahead.

Now the liang rice seeds were nearing maturity. To guard against sabotage, she couldn’t afford to be careless.

Huang Rang kept strict watch over this place, and the court also dispatched official soldiers to patrol. But after all, the land was vast—there were always places that couldn’t be fully guarded.

Just then, the tenant farmers who were busy in the soil applying the final round of fertilizer suddenly cried out in alarm: “Fire! Fire!”

Huang Rang’s heart sank. As expected, those with wicked intentions were still at it.

Thick smoke began rising ahead. Because it was broad daylight, the flames weren’t particularly conspicuous.

Huang Rang ran toward the sound and indeed saw that one corner of the land, where the liang rice stalks were nearly mature, had caught fire. In the midsummer crop fields, tung oil had even been poured in the corners, and the fire spread almost instantaneously.

At that moment, a group of people was hiding in the darkness, observing.

Old Master Xi stared intently at where the thick smoke rose, his expression cold: “Go. Deal with her first.”

He spoke slowly, as if merely resolving a trivial matter.

“Yes.” Several assassins dressed in black with masked faces behind him responded in unison.

Old Master Xi thought for a moment, then added: “Make it brutal.”

Beside him, his eldest son Xi Feng frowned and said: “Father, she is after all Ayin’s daughter. Are we doing this…”

Old Master Xi’s expression was indifferent: “It’s not that this old man is cruel, but only by doing this can we intimidate everyone. From now on, no one will dare work for Di Sanmeng.”

Xi Feng was silent for a moment, then could only turn and instruct the assassins: “Go.”

Everyone understood what was meant.

At the field’s edge, Huang Rang had the tenant farmers fight the fire while staying alert to her surroundings.

Though there were irrigation channels between the fields, drawing water was quite inconvenient. Huang Rang was in a dilemma when suddenly, a column of water spouted from the burning soil!

The water column rose skyward and quickly doused every last flame.

Only a small patch in the field’s corner had time to turn black.

Huang Rang, being at the forefront, naturally got thoroughly soaked.

She turned to look at that towering water column and discovered it must be a magical treasure that, sensing either flames or high temperature, immediately sprayed water toward the source.

A magical treasure…

Huang Rang thought of that person again, and the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curl into a smile.

—Di Yiqiu, he had already thought of this.

At that moment, ahead, the ground beneath the soil bulged into a large mound.

Inside the mound, as if concealing a monster, it traveled directly underground.

Again?

Huang Rang pulled out from her bosom the magical treasure Di Yiqiu had given to “Di Sanmeng” last time and placed it on the ground.

Just as she was about to show her skills, she stepped back and her back suddenly bumped into a chest.

With her mind full of Di Yiqiu, Huang Rang turned around and almost cried out.

But at this moment, the person standing behind her was not Di Yiqiu.

“Xie Hong… Sect Master Xie.” Huang Rang’s expression was hesitant.

—How could she not be hesitant?

She had awkwardly encountered her ex-husband at a moment of crisis!

At this moment, she had been drenched by the cascading water, soaked through completely, with even her hair dripping water.

Yet Xie Hongchen wore pure white robes with a jade crown binding his hair, and water droplets seemed to unanimously avoid him. The First Sword Immortal appeared ethereal and transcendent, untouched by even a speck of dust. He always seemed to be this clean and refined.

“Retreat behind me.” He dropped this brief statement. With his Heart Sword drawn, which of the assassins dared to engage?

In the current immortal sects, he was the ceiling.

Without a single word of nonsense, everyone immediately scattered and fled.

But the First Sword Immortal still made them understand what it meant to face a gap in ability.

—Xie Hongchen’s form transformed into light as he slayed two and captured five alive.

The entire assassin group—not one less—was all accounted for here.

In the shadows, as soon as Old Master Xi saw him appear, he didn’t even observe the battle and immediately turned to leave.

Huang Rang wiped the water droplets from her face and said: “Today I’m truly indebted to Sect Master Xie for the rescue.”

Xie Hongchen’s gaze swept lightly over her body, then immediately turned away as he said: “Master Di Sanmeng has won the support of many through his virtue. Naturally, Miss Arang will also turn danger into fortune.”

Huang Rang thought “heh heh” inwardly, but her expression remained gentle as she said: “How did Sect Master Xie know I was here?”

Xie Hongchen’s gaze didn’t dare look at her body at all. At this moment, the water column in the air dissipated, and a rainbow even appeared in the sky.

Huang Rang stood beneath the rainbow, her entire person like a goddess who had mistakenly descended to the mortal realm.

Xie Hongchen retrieved an item from his storage treasure and handed it to Huang Rang, saying hurriedly: “This item, I give to Miss Arang to use for drying clothes.”

Drying clothes?

Huang Rang took it and looked back, but Xie Hongchen had already left.

He seemed to be deliberately avoiding something… How strange.

Huang Rang lowered her head, then her entire body stiffened—she had just been soaked by the water column, and her outer skirt clung tightly to her body, revealing the chest wrap underneath. Worse yet, the color of her chest wrap today was quite vivid.

…Me!! This!!

Huang Rang’s eyes went round. After staring for a long while, she slowly used the magical treasure Xie Hongchen had given her to dry her garments.

—Heaven has eyes! From now on, this virtuous woman will definitely do many good deeds and accumulate merit. Please protect me from being embarrassed in front of my ex-husband.

I’m begging…

Outside the fields, on a small path.

Sect Master Xie had already traveled quite far, yet lingering before his eyes was the afterimage of a beauty.

Those eyes, glistening as if they could see into one’s heart.

Just now when she was drenched by water, that scene truly couldn’t be recalled.

The corners of Sect Master Xie’s mouth lifted slightly as he walked along the small path overgrown with wild grass. Suddenly his foot slipped, and Sect Master Xie nearly tumbled into the field.

…

Xiānchá Town.

Di Yiqiu “invited” “Lord Huang” back to the Bureau of Celestial Oversight, loudly declaring he would treat his illness. No matter how “Lord Huang” cried and begged for help, several broad-shouldered attendants still came forward and forced him into the carriage.

“What treatment? You just want to kill me, you want to kill me—” Huang Shu screamed repeatedly. Until Bao Wu sat inside the carriage.

Bao Wu was naturally built like a warrior, tall and robust. With a golden sword at his waist, he didn’t say a word.

But Huang Shu didn’t dare shout anymore.

—This fierce star before him couldn’t have developed such tiger-like eyes without killing at least several hundred people.

Di Yiqiu helped Xi Yin into another carriage and was about to depart.

Suddenly, he raised his head. At the height of summer, the sunlight scorched and cicadas chirped everywhere. Right before him was a peach tree, and on its leaves, a colorful and patterned saddleback caterpillar was diligently “dining.”

He didn’t know why, but Di Yiqiu always felt this thing was inexplicably familiar.

He reached out his hand and picked up this insect, bringing it along back to the Bureau of Celestial Oversight.

The carriage slowly began moving. Many people had gathered around, but not one person spoke up.

How would Huang Clan Leader Huang Shiyi dare block Di Yiqiu’s carriage?

The court was the largest employer of the seed cultivation families, and the Huang family was not irreplaceable like the Xi family.

He could only watch helplessly as Di Yiqiu left with Huang Shu.

That evening, Huang Rang changed into a different skirt and shirt—this time she had learned her lesson and chose a very plain chest wrap.

Even without the outer skirt, it would still be conservative and proper—absolutely the kind that wouldn’t be awkward.

She went back to the kitchen and made several small dishes.

As if she had calculated the timing, just as the dishes were served, someone came to report: “Miss Arang, the Director has returned. Hehe.”

The people at the Bureau of Celestial Oversight seemed naturally observant.

Now everyone was accustomed to tipping her off—each and every one of them, seeming to say nothing yet seeming to say everything.

Well, it was all understood without words anyway.

Huang Rang wasn’t being coy either, saying: “Good, the food is just ready.”

That person ran off with a smile.

Huang Rang carried the food box, taking the familiar route to Di Yiqiu’s study.

The weather was somewhat hot, yet Di Yiqiu’s official robes were fastened tightly and properly. Huang Rang glanced at him and said: “Wearing this every day, aren’t you stifled? Come eat.”

Di Yiqiu completely ignored her nagging—this person was like this, always properly dressed no matter when.

Huang Rang suddenly had a flash of inspiration—this young lady could dress more lightly, but thinking of the thick chest wrap underneath… forget it, whether she undressed or not made no difference anyway.

Di Yiqiu had no idea about her little thoughts and busied himself setting out the bowls and chopsticks.

“My father…” Huang Rang wanted to ask about Huang Shu’s matter, but just as she started speaking, she caught sight of a colorful insect on the table.

“A saddle… saddleback caterpillar?” Huang Rang bent halfway down and came eye to eye with the insect, quite surprised in her heart.

How could she not be surprised?

“Where did this thing come from?” She simply couldn’t believe it.

Di Yiqiu said lightly: “Went to the Huang family today. It looked familiar, so I brought it back.”

Huang Rang walked in front of him, utterly speechless with tears streaming: “Di Yiqiu.”

“Mm?” The Director looked up.

Huang Rang pointed at her own face and asked: “Do I look familiar to you?”

The Director was baffled: “What?”

Huang Rang was truly puzzled: “I just don’t understand. You don’t even find my face familiar, so how can you find an insect familiar?” She wore a mournful expression. “How inconspicuous am I?!”

“Why are you comparing yourself to an insect?” The Director could never figure out the thoughts of the woman before him. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating.

Huang Rang looked at him again, becoming angrier the more she looked!

I’ve been making meals for you for ten years, and I can’t even compare to an insect!

She lifted her hands and moved all the dishes to the desk, placing them in front of the saddleback caterpillar: “Eat what eat! Feeding you is worse than feeding an insect! Hmph!”

Having said this, she didn’t even eat and walked off with a flick of her sleeve.

“…” The Director held a pair of chopsticks in his hand, with nothing before him.

On this side, the carriages carrying Xi Yin and Huang Shu traveled more slowly.

As Xi Yin returned to the capital once again, the old scenery before her eyes seemed both familiar and strange. She observed her surroundings, her emotions mixed with both sorrow and joy.

The Xi family was in the capital. Before her marriage, she often traveled around everywhere.

Who would have thought that many years later, when she returned to her homeland, everything would have changed so drastically.

At that moment, the carriage ahead stopped.

Xi Yin first saw a tall, burly man get out. Then, the man carried something in his hand, and this thing was curled into a ball, trembling. Xi Yin stepped back in alarm, only then seeing clearly that what the big man held in his hand was none other than Huang Shu.

Huang Shu was initially quite terrified, but upon seeing Xi Yin, he immediately cursed angrily: “Bitch, colluding with outsiders to harm your own husband! Truly fickle and unfaith…”

He was about to curse more wildly, but the man punched him in the stomach.

Huang Shu’s entire voice stuck in his throat, unable to speak for quite a while.

The burly man threw Huang Shu on the ground, saying: “Come on, curse Master Bao one more time.”

Huang Shu clutched his stomach, his face pale and ashen, repeatedly shaking his head.

Only then did the burly man pick him up again, muttering: “I see you’re truly like grinding flour bare-assed—spinning circles of humiliation.”

Having said this, he lifted Huang Shu effortlessly and entered the Bureau of Celestial Oversight.

Xi Yin was so frightened that she waited for quite a while longer. Only after the burly man had gone far did she, accompanied by attendants, step through the gates of the Bureau of Celestial Oversight.