Miss Hong stood dumbstruck. “Princess… I’ve long forgotten about being a princess. Little Hong is just Little Hong.” Tang Lici said, “I understand you have no desire for the princess title, but to command the heroes and leave Yu Konghou with no room to interfere, you must have unparalleled qualifications. Being a princess is excellent qualification.” Miss Hong said, “I smashed the token, and I have no evidence to prove I’m the princess. I heard His Majesty has already recognized Miss Zhong Chunji as the princess. If I contend now, wouldn’t it be in vain?” Tang Lici said, “You must contend. If you’re not the princess, you cannot contend with Yu Konghou.”
“If I win, wouldn’t that force Miss Zhong to death?” Miss Hong said in a low voice, “Even implicating my elder brother and second sister.” Tang Lici’s lips curved slightly. “That girl surnamed Zhong is selfish and vicious, not worth pitying. If she’s forced to death, so be it. Are you an indecisive woman with misplaced kindness?” Miss Hong smiled sadly. “I’m not.” Tang Lici said, “Regarding the princess matter, I’ll have Yang Guihua and Jiao Shiqiao come to verify. Most arrangements are ready—you needn’t worry. Yu Konghou currently has no energy to deal with the true or false princess issue. This is our opportunity.”
“Once I’m established as princess and command the heroes using Biluo Palace’s authority, can you safely depart?” Miss Hong said in a low voice, “What will you do afterward?” Tang Lici said gently, “Whatever pain I endure, I’ll make Yu Konghou repay tenfold. Don’t worry.” Miss Hong raised her head. “I… I was once a person of Fengliu Store…” Tang Lici interrupted her words. “Therefore—you must make amends. Yu Konghou will certainly use this to make things difficult for you, but given your character, killing several Fengliu Store pawns to prove your determination to reform shouldn’t be difficult.”
“Yes.” She responded in a low voice, her resolve suddenly becoming firm, courage arising naturally. “I’ll handle everything well.” She said word by word, “Within Fengliu Store, I still have loyal followers. I absolutely won’t let Miss Tao do as she pleases. In the battle at Bodhi Valley, even if we can’t completely destroy Fengliu Store, I’ll make Miss Tao miscalculate at every step, with all her schemes falling through.”
“Very good.” Tang Lici said gently, “Take care of yourself. Even if the battle at Bodhi Valley cannot win, it absolutely cannot lose. Wanyu Yuedan will find other ways to assist you—you’re not alone.” Miss Hong nodded. “Young Master Tang, his… his safety, Little Hong entrusts to you.” She bowed gracefully to Tang Lici. “Little Hong cannot serve by his side in life, but hopes he’ll be safe from now on, far from the martial world.” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “I said before, as long as he reforms, no matter how many lives he’s taken, I can guarantee no one can harm a hair on his head.”
Yu Tuan’er had been listening for a while and still insisted, “Little Fang won’t turn bad.” Tang Lici said, “He won’t turn bad—he’s always been himself.” Yu Tuan’er said again, “Why are you so good to him?” Tang Lici was slightly startled. “What?” Yu Tuan’er puffed out her cheeks. “You say because you can’t kill him, you’d rather be framed by bad people. Why are you so good to him that you’re not even afraid of being framed?”
Tang Lici smiled at her. “I’m good to him because he’s always been good to me.” Yu Tuan’er shook her head. “When has he ever been good to you?” Tang Lici’s lips curved even more, revealing an intriguing smile. “Little girl, are you jealous?” Yu Tuan’er looked at him sideways. “Only I’m allowed to be good to him—you’re not allowed to be too good to him.” Tang Lici said gently, “I’m going to be gentle and considerate to him, fulfilling his every wish.” Yu Tuan’er’s face flushed red with extreme frustration. “You’re a big villain! Bad person! You’re not allowed to be so good to him!” Miss Hong listened from the side, increasingly realizing Yu Tuan’er was actually serious, and burst out laughing. “You could be even better to him.”
“I can’t think of ways to be better to him.” Yu Tuan’er said dejectedly, “When he’s cold to me, I get angry and want to hit people. I don’t know how to be gentle and considerate.” Miss Hong suppressed her laughter. “Then be cold to him too—maybe he’ll realize you’re important.” Yu Tuan’er shook her head vigorously. “No, no, if I’m cold to him, he’ll ignore me even more. I don’t want that!” Tang Lici said gently, “I’ll teach you a method I used to use often—very effective.” Yu Tuan’er was delighted. “What method?” Tang Lici grabbed the tea knife from the tea tray on the table, spread his left hand’s five fingers on the table, and with his right hand drove the knife down with a “thud” between his fingers. His movement was swift as wind—in an instant, the knife was embedded in the table. Yu Tuan’er and Miss Hong both cried out in alarm, thinking he’d stabbed the knife into his hand. Tang Lici smiled faintly. “When he ignores you, stab yourself once. If he still ignores you, stab yourself again.”
“My God! What kind of method is that?” Yu Tuan’er said angrily, “You used to scare him like that? You’re terrible! You’re a sick madman! Never be with him again! So bad! Don’t use such methods to scare people, and never teach anyone such methods again!” Tang Lici smiled. “It’s a good method…” He paused slightly, then said elegantly, “Bi Lianyi has been standing outside the door for quite a while. Miss Hong, in the coming days you must stay inseparable from Bi Lianyi, Tie Jing and the others—absolutely don’t give Yu Konghou a chance to strike.”
Yu Tuan’er blinked. “I want to return to Fengming Mountain.” Tang Lici said, “Fengming Mountain is now a dangerous place—you can’t go. I’ll have Shen Langhun secretly take you to a safe place. Don’t worry.” He then glanced at Xue Xianzi. “As for this one, I’ll watch him to prevent accidents.”
“I don’t want to!” Yu Tuan’er said again, “I want to go back and find him.” Tang Lici frowned. “He might no longer be at Fengming Mountain.” Yu Tuan’er insisted, “Then I still want to go back and find him! I don’t want to go somewhere else alone!” Tang Lici struck out with one palm, gently touching her forehead. Yu Tuan’er collapsed immediately, and he placed her in a chair. Miss Hong sighed deeply. “Treating her like this, she’ll hate you.” Tang Lici smiled faintly. “I don’t care.” He clapped his hands, and Shen Langhun floated down from the roof beams. Miss Hong was slightly startled—Shen Langhun had been lurking on the roof so long, yet she knew nothing about it.
“Take this girl who understands nothing away. I’ll contact you again about future matters.” Tang Lici took out a gold ingot. “Be careful on the road—don’t let her escape.” Shen Langhun chuckled. “Yu Konghou wants to turn Fang Pingzhai—can’t you find a way to keep Fang Pingzhai stable?” He had been lurking in the roof beams and heard everything said earlier.
“I can’t stabilize him.” Tang Lici sighed deeply. “I’m stretched too thin, and regarding the secrets Fang Pingzhai is hiding, Yu Konghou knows clearly while I don’t.” Miss Hong’s gaze flashed. “Fang Pingzhai’s secrets?” She pondered for a while. “Miss Tao was guarded against me everywhere. When I was at Fengliu Store, I didn’t know she was actually the true master of Fengliu Store. But regarding the legend of the Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderer, I still heard something. It’s said Diexie Chonghua comes from White Cloud Valley, a place of clear mountains and beautiful waters that has produced military talent since ancient times.”
“Military talent?” Tang Lici’s gaze shifted. “The talent of generals who fight on battlefields?” Miss Hong nodded. “White Cloud Valley is said to be descended from several Han Dynasty generals. Every household has military treatises, and even in today’s court, many soldiers and officers come from White Cloud Valley.” Tang Lici frowned. “Could it be that Gui Mudan and Yu Konghou’s intense interest in Fang Pingzhai is for his military treatises? Or because Fang Pingzhai actually possesses the talent of a general?” Miss Hong shook her head. “Hard to imagine.” Looking at Fang Pingzhai’s verbose and casual manner, it was impossible to imagine him as any kind of capable general.
“I’ll pay attention to this military talent matter. If Yu Konghou is interested in military talent, that means he has ambitions for the battlefield. At this moment, could he be planning war against the Liao Kingdom?” Tang Lici closed his eyes slightly. “Because the Great Song is currently suffering defeats? Could it be that Yu Konghou and Gui Mudan’s ambitions go far beyond gaining the martial world—they have other grand aspirations? He wants to accomplish deeds that will be recorded in history? But this is absolutely impossible…”
“Everything is just our wild speculation,” Miss Hong shook her head. “Young Master Tang, don’t think too far ahead. Worry can harm people—take care of yourself.” She bowed to Tang Lici and opened the door to leave. Shen Langhun laughed out loud. “Fang Pingzhai can lead troops in battle? Military talent isn’t something where if the father has the seed, the son has the ability. How can someone who’s never been on a battlefield lead troops?” Tang Lici coughed lightly and sat down in a chair. “This matter is very strange—the inside story must be extremely complex. Let’s set it aside for now.” Shen Langhun saw his expression was somewhat haggard. “I heard Qiyang has already come to the mountain. Should I have him examine Xue Xianzi’s pulse?” Tang Lici’s spirits lifted. “Please bring him over. I wasn’t on the mountain and have neglected our guest.”