Chapter 145: Performance

Feng Jinxu and his siblings looked at each other, understanding each other's intentions without words. "Your servant greets Princess Changlin."

"No need for formalities, Lord Feng. Are you leaving?"

"Yes, my father is still ill, and we've been out for a while. It’s best to return early to take care of him."

"In that case, I won't keep you."

"You're too kind, Princess. We will visit you another day."

Feng Jinxu was increasingly respectful, which made Princess Changlin lose interest. She found those who always tried to please her less appealing than those like Xiao Mu Qian, who often challenged her. Unwilling to engage further, she went straight into Changchun Tower.

The Wen brothers and Liang Luo eagerly attended to her, while Wei Lanxuan didn’t follow immediately. Instead, she apologized to Xu Mingyue again.

Seeing his beloved repeatedly humble herself without gaining any goodwill from Xu Mingyue, Liang Gongzi's remaining guilt toward Xu Mingyue vanished.

"Lan'er, there's no need for this."

Liang Gongzi remembered Wei Lanxuan’s efforts and felt Xu Mingyue never truly valued the Liang family, making things difficult from the start. Fortunately, he had broken off the engagement; otherwise, who knew what troubles would arise?

He replayed these thoughts repeatedly, but Xu Mingyue wasn’t interested in his inner turmoil.

As the Feng family prepared to leave, Xu Mingyue also wanted to go. "I should head back too; my grandparents are still at home."

Bai Siruo's outing mood was ruined, so she decided to follow Feng Jinyao home. However, Bai Sihan was anxious, having finally encountered Wen Mengsheng. She didn't want to miss the opportunity and said to Bai Siruo, "Elder sister, Feng's cousin and the others leaving is understandable, but why don’t we stay with the Princess a bit longer? It’s not often we come out."

Feng Jinyao, understand Bai Sihan's intentions, knew she considered Wen Mengsheng a perfect match both in looks and family background. Bai Siruo, disdaining her flattery, replied, "If you want to stay, stay. The carriage is yours. Return after the banquet ends. I will leave with Ah Yao."

She instructed a servant to wait at Changchun Tower's entrance.

Bai Sihan was thrilled but pretended to be reluctant. "Elder sister, leaving me alone, I’m scared."

"Scared? Then come with us, so you won’t accuse me of abandoning you later."

Bai Sihan’s face turned red with urgency. Leaving now was unthinkable. "As a Bai family daughter, I should stay to accompany the Princess. Elder sister, you should go if you have matters."

This blatant lie showcased Bai Sihan's talent for reversing facts, using the Bai family as her shield to pursue her interests. Bai Siruo, having nothing more to say, rolled her eyes and left.

With Feng Jinyao and her group gone, only Bai Sihan, Wei Lanxuan, and Liang Gongzi remained.

Bai Sihan, as if nothing had happened, eagerly approached Wei Lanxuan, "Sister Wei, your wedding is in a few days. I must drink a few glasses to celebrate."

Wei Lanxuan, familiar with such two-faced ladies, neither responded warmly nor coldly, considering Bai Sihan might be useful in the future and chose not to confront her.

"Don't worry, the Bai family's invitation has been sent. Just come with your elders."

Bai Sihan's smile froze. She had hoped to attend as a close friend, not just another guest. After a moment's pause, she continued fawning over Wei Lanxuan, linking arms and entering Changchun Tower.

Liang Gongzi couldn't help but admire her ability to ignore reality.

Meanwhile, Xiao Mu Qian, Feng Jinlin, and the others rode ahead on horseback, with Feng Jinyao, Bai Siruo, and Xu Mingyue following in the Feng family carriage behind Feng Jinxu and Madam Wen’s carriage. Yin Canwen, unable to ride, reluctantly accepted a seat in the Xu family carriage, trailing behind.

Everyone was still in high spirits, so they decided to continue the celebration at the Feng residence.

Upon reaching the Feng residence, servants quickly came to take the horses and help dismount. Feng Jinlin loudly ordered, "Prepare the Eastern Pavilion for a banquet."

"Right away." The servant, recognizing the opportunity, ran back to prepare the hall, needing only to add some charcoal braziers.

It was Xiao Mu Qian’s first visit to the Feng residence. Unlike the royal grandeur of Prince Kang's Mansion or the lofty elegance of the Bai residence, it had a Southern charm. Lanterns hung around, creating a pleasant atmosphere reminiscent of night tours in Jiangnan.

"My second uncle's family lives in Liangzhou. Have you met them, Young Master Xiao?"

"The Feng family is prominent in Liangzhou. How could I not know them? My uncle often interacts with them. I usually stay in the barracks, so I visit less often."

Hearing this, Feng Jinlin’s eyes lit up. He had always admired military life. Su Cheng had served in the army, but Feng Jinlin's father thought he lacked talent and sent him back to Dongdu. Xiao Mu Qian's stories of military life fascinated him, and they chatted enthusiastically.

Su Cheng was equally interested in Yin Canwen, a talented and humble man. Despite Su Cheng's lack of literary skills, he found their conversation intriguing.

Madam Wen, feeling tired, went to rest first. Feng Jinxu, always by her side recently, also left.

The three sisters, not having chatted in a while, were reminded of a night they spent in a small courtyard by Fahua Temple, reminiscing under the night sky.

"Time flies. It's already the twelfth year of Tianqi. Spring is almost here. When the ice on Mingchi Lake melts, we should go boating. The scenery is even more beautiful than Ah Yao." Bai Siruo joked.

"You’re coming of age at the end of April. Have you decided what gift you want? Just ask, and I'll make sure you get it!"

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 582 Leaving Before Dawn

One night passed.

When Ye Muyu woke up, she felt as if she had been run over by a car, sore and achy all over, with her lips swollen. However, her body was clean.

Thinking about the intimate contact with Chu Heng last night, Ye Muyu's cheeks flushed hotly. She touched her pounding chest and couldn't help but pound on the bedside, muttering, "He just left after eating, a bit too much!"

After Ye Muyu finished dressing and left the room, the sun was already up.

Hu Shi quickly served her breakfast, "Madam, you're up? Master left early in the morning and instructed not to wake you up. He probably didn't like the scene of parting, so he deliberately left early."

Although Ye Muyu had guessed that he had left, hearing it made her feel a little lost.

"When did he leave?"

"Before dawn, at the hour of Mao."

"Oh." Indeed, he left early, Ye Muyu thought to herself. This man, where did he get his energy from? He was so active all night long, yet he didn't seem tired at all.

But thinking of how he looked thin but had a good physique, she felt like she had worried for nothing.

"Where is Ziluo?"

It wasn't too late at this hour, there was still an hour and a half before lunch. Usually, Ziluo would be at home reading by now but she was nowhere to be seen today.

Hu Shi said, "Miss went to Master Chu Xing's place. This morning, I went out for a while and heard that the elders in the family were praying for Master at home."

"Children shouldn't go far. Master Chu Xing happened to bring back a kind of double-sided embroidered item which is said to test the skill of the embroiderer. All the girls in the family are learning it. Master Chu Xing said that whoever embroiders a handkerchief, he will buy it for five hundred wen."

"This price has attracted many girls to learn, hoping to earn some silver."

"It seems that Master Chu Xing is really making a fortune, otherwise he wouldn't offer such a high price." Hu Shi couldn't help but comment.

Ye Muyu smiled, "Hu Shi, don't underestimate this double-sided embroidery. I've heard that there aren't many skilled embroiderers, and even the ladies of high officials and nobles admire this embroidery method. So, if the girls can really learn it, it's also a valuable skill for them."

These days, ordinary people rely on their skills to make a living. Those without skills either farm, which depends on the weather for food. If the harvest is poor in a year, the whole family will go hungry.

Having a skill is different. Even if it's not great, it can still guarantee a meal.

"Madam is right." Hu Shi nodded with a faint smile.

After that, seeing Ye Muyu picking out the ribs from the soup, Hu Shi quickly stopped her, "Madam, these ribs were cooked for you by the master. You have to finish them."

"I've had a lot of soup and I'm a bit full. How about I eat them later?" Ye Muyu felt sore all over and felt lazy all over.

Hu Shi rarely saw her like this and was a little worried. "Madam, are you feeling unwell somewhere? Why don't you have an appetite today?"

As she spoke, she reached out to touch her forehead.

Although Ye Muyu had covered the marks on her neck with rouge, Hu Shi would inevitably see them if she got too close. Feeling guilty, Ye Muyu stood up abruptly and waved her hand, "Hu Shi, I'm fine. I just drank too much soup just now and feel a bit full. Eat, I'll finish the rest right away."

Because the ribs were cured, they already had a salty taste and became more fragrant as she chewed.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

As the two were talking, they heard someone knocking on the door.

Hu Shi quickly walked to the door of the main hall and looked towards the courtyard gate.

Only to see Zhang Shu quickly walking to the door to open it, Hu Shi recognized the person at a glance, it turned out to be Song Lu.

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 581 Initiative

He even wanted to help her rinse her mouth, but in the end, Ye Muyu managed to regain the initiative by agreeing to accompany him to rest earlier in the evening.

After brushing her teeth, Ye Muyu mustered up the courage and returned to the eastern wing.

Inside the room, Chu Heng was already sitting on the bed, leaning against the blanket, holding a book in his hand. Whether it was intentional or not, a large patch of skin was 'accidentally' exposed on his chest.

Seeing this, Ye Muyu couldn't help but cover her eyes with her hand. It was too... too stimulating.

"Ah Yu, come here." Chu Heng, who seemed completely unaware of his wardrobe malfunction, lifted his thick eyelashes slightly and reached out to her.

Looking at his slender and smooth hands, Ye Muyu felt a little shy, but looking into his dark eyes, she took a deep breath and thought to herself that even if she didn't go over, with Chu Heng's temperament, he wouldn't let her go easily. It might be better to... be more proactive and seize some initiative.

With that in mind, Ye Muyu slowly walked over.

As soon as she reached the bedside, Chu Heng pulled her down into his arms. His voice was soft as he whispered in her ear, "Were you scared just now, Ah Yu?"

"No, I wasn't scared." Ye Muyu denied without hesitation, "I'm just not used to it."

"Not used to what?" Chu Heng's voice was low and hoarse, and his large hand had unknowingly placed itself on her waist, circling around. Ye Muyu quickly dodged backwards, softly pleading, "Don't move, it tickles."

But Chu Heng didn't stop his movements, pressing her to answer his question. Ye Muyu could only grab his hand and try to formulate her response carefully, "Think about it, matters of the heart should progress gradually. How we were before was fine, right?"

"It's pretty much the same as before." Chu Heng spoke nonsense with his eyes wide open, completely unashamed. At least, Ye Muyu didn't see any change in his emotions from his handsome face.

Ye Muyu tilted her head back to look at him, unable to help but argue, "It's different. Before, when we slept, we each had our own blankets. But now, look, I'm all over you. This distance, it's not right, you know?"

"Ah Yu thinks we were too distant before? Actually, I also think so. From now on, we'll just use one blanket when we sleep." Chu Heng made a decisive decision.

Ye Muyu panicked and quickly sat up straight, waving her hands, "That's not what I meant."

"Yeah, I know. Ah Yu is shy and embarrassed to say it. Don't worry, I'll take the initiative." Chu Heng reached out to lightly stroke her hair, then hugged her and lay down, holding her in his arms.

Summer was originally hot, and Ye Muyu was also cold-natured, so her body temperature was not high. But Chu Heng was like a furnace, making Ye Muyu feel like a cold piece of iron being placed into a furnace, her whole body feeling like it was about to melt away.

Especially when Chu Heng's hand touched her, her whole body shivered and the tingling sensation spread throughout her body. This unfamiliar feeling made her head feel a little dizzy.

Struggling to speak, she said, "Ah Heng, let's... let's go to sleep."

"Yeah, I'm already asleep." Chu Heng's voice was husky as he lowered his head to lightly nibble and tease her lips, occasionally licking them softly. His movements were gentle yet slowly advancing.

Ye Muyu leaned against his chest for a long time before being let go, and hurriedly crawled into bed, secretly watching him. Seeing that the man was still sitting, she whispered softly, "You should go to sleep soon, we have to get up early tomorrow."

"Okay." Chu Heng's voice was content as he lay down.

Next Chapter ▶▶

Shu Yu spent about an hour sitting in the restaurant before leaving. Before she departed, she even packed some pastries to take with her.

As she walked out of the restaurant, she glanced at the beggar in the corner again, shook her head, and sighed, "Truly pitiful."

The waiter who had accompanied her outside also sighed, "Indeed, it's a rare occasion to encounter someone as kind-hearted as the young lady today. With so much reward, he can finally have a good meal."

He could also have a good meal now. He had put in considerable effort to satisfy the young lady and was rewarded with half a tael of silver. Although it couldn't compare to the loyal and righteous beggar, it was still worth it.

Shu Yu walked leisurely, seemingly curious about her surroundings. Occasionally, she would come across interesting things and stop to take a look. When she found something she liked, she would buy it.

The things she bought varied from food to playthings, and even a strangely-shaped bowl that she found intriguing.

Her pace was slow, and when she couldn't carry any more things in her hands, she regretfully returned to the inn.

When Shu Yu reached the front desk, she greeted the innkeeper and asked, "Has my servant girl returned?"

The innkeeper shook his head, "Not yet."

Shu Yu frowned, "She's been gone for such a long time. I wanted her to bring back some more things for me. I hope she won't be late and miss the closing of the city gate."

She grumbled a bit and then carried her belongings back to her room.

After a while, a man in a gray robe arrived at the inn. He leaned against the front desk and asked the innkeeper about Shu Yu's background.

The innkeeper mentioned that the young lady was accompanied by a personal maid, who was probably from Tianning County. As soon as they arrived, the maid went out to the city outskirts to pay her respects to her father. The young lady was generous and even gave her money to buy incense and paper money. After the maid left, she went out to stroll around.

The man in the gray robe nodded in understanding and left the inn. He then returned to South Fifth Street and entered the restaurant where Shu Yu had eaten pastries earlier. He told the innkeeper, "I've inquired about it. The young lady indeed sent her personal maid back to pay respects to her father, and the maid hasn't returned yet. She said she would leave Tianning County tomorrow morning."

The innkeeper nodded, "It seems to match what she said earlier. Keep an eye on her and see if she leaves tomorrow morning."

"Alright."

The man in the gray robe returned to a corner outside the inn and kept an eye on the entrance.

When it was getting dark, Ying Xi drove the carriage back to the inn. Her eyes were a bit swollen, but she seemed to be in good spirits.

After she entered the inn, it didn't take long for her to come out with Shu Yu again.

The two of them went to a restaurant to have dinner, then bought some items before returning to the inn to rest.

Early the next morning, Shu Yu and Ying Xi packed up their belongings and put them on the carriage. They went to the front desk to check out and then drove the carriage straight to the city gate.

The man in the gray robe watched them leave and waited for quite a while before returning to the South Fifth Street restaurant. He whispered to the innkeeper, "They left as soon as it got light."

The innkeeper nodded, "It seems they were just passing through." It seemed they had no relation to Meng Pei.

The innkeeper glanced expressionlessly at the old beggar at the entrance and went back to work.

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 308: Wu Shi Jumps into the River, Xiao Ruiyuan Comes Searching (3)

Watching Wu Shi's thin and fragile figure, Mo Yan sighed silently, closing the courtyard door...

Taking advantage of the absence of anyone in the main hall, Wu Shi stealthily hugged the cotton-padded jacket filled with pastries and was about to return to her own room when she coincidentally ran into her sister-in-law, Niu Shi, who was on her way out to the toilet. She muttered to herself, "This is not good," as Niu Shi's loud voice started to clamor.

"Oh my, I thought the eldest sister-in-law was an honest and straightforward person, but it turns out she's also deceitful, secretly hiding such a good cotton-padded jacket for herself! What's wrong, couldn't hide it anymore so you decided to take it back?" Mo Niu Shi's eyes were fixed on the cotton-padded jacket in Wu Shi's arms, her eyes rolling around, wishing she could snatch it away and hold it in her own arms.

Wu Shi knew that she couldn't argue with her at this time, otherwise not only would she lose the cotton-padded jacket, but the pastries for the children inside would also be taken away.

Ignoring Niu Shi's sarcastic remarks, Wu Shi squeezed past her while hugging the cotton-padded jacket and rushed into the room on the left side of the main hall, slamming the door shut with a bang, cutting off Niu Shi's noisy voice outside.

Niu Shi's eyes widened in astonishment. She never expected that the usually honest and soft-hearted eldest sister-in-law would dare to show her displeasure. For a moment, she kept muttering to herself, but she didn't have the face to knock on her big brother's door.

"What are you making noise about? What's all this noise? You, this stinking woman, are making a fuss for no reason. Do you want to tear off the roof before you're satisfied?" Hong Shi came out from the upper room, looking at Niu Shi with disgust in her eyes.

This stinking woman, who incited the second son to turn against her, used to quarrel every day about dividing the family property. Now that she's stopped causing trouble, she doesn't even hand over the money anymore. Now she's causing trouble at home again. What kind of sin did she commit to marry such a plague-infested wife?

"I'll make noise if I want to, why do you care? You, this stinking woman, are always making a fuss for no reason. Do you need to tear off the roof before you're satisfied?" Niu Shi stared, shutting Hong Shi down with just one sentence.

Ever since her daughter was sold, Niu Shi no longer cared about Hong Shi's face like she used to. Now, hearing Mo Hong Shi's words, she had no kind words left. Seeing that Hong Shi was about to get angry, she twisted her body and ran to find the toilet.

Hong Shi was furious, unable to speak a word. Then she remembered something and ran to knock on Wu Shi's door, "Eldest, what are you doing closing the door in broad daylight? Are you hiding something from me behind my back? Hurry up and open the door, I want to see if you're up to something!"

Wu Shi, who was just looking for a place to hide the cotton-padded jacket, was startled and almost threw the jacket away. She panicked and turned around. If her mother-in-law saw these things, they wouldn't be able to hide them from the big family. But there was nothing in the room except for a bed. Where could she hide it?

Outside the door, Hong Shi saw that there was no movement in the room, so she began to vigorously knock on the door again, and the words she spat out became increasingly unpleasant.

Gritting her teeth, Wu Shi looked at the cotton-padded jacket in her arms. She couldn't hide it left or right, so she might as well wear it out to let her mother-in-law see. As for this big bag of pastries, no one had seen them, so she could simply deny their existence.

Having made up her mind, Wu Shi quickly opened the cotton-padded jacket and took out the pastries inside, wrapped them in a piece of old clothes, and stuffed them into the corner under the bed. Then she took off her outer clothes, put on the cotton-padded jacket, and finally put on her outer clothes and buttoned them up before walking over to open the creaking door.

The door suddenly opened, startling Mo Hong Shi. She put her hand on her chest, pointed at Wu Shi, and scolded, "You wicked Wu Shi, are you trying to scare me to death?"

Wu Shi shrank back for a moment, quickly shaking her head, not daring to speak out in retort.

Mo Hong Shi snorted coldly, her triangular eyes sweeping over Wu Shi's neck, where a new cotton-padded jacket was exposed. Her face darkened involuntarily, and she grabbed the corner of the cotton-padded jacket, scolding, "You wasteful stinking woman, how dare you hide private clothes and buy fine cotton to make a jacket! Quickly hand over the cotton-padded jacket and private money, otherwise I'll have the big husband divorce you, you unfilial thing!"

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 87: The First Kiss is Artificial Respiration

He wanted to back out.

He needed to get up.

Jiang Chenchen pressed down on his chest again, using force to keep him down.

"Brother Ah si, don't be nervous. I'll do it properly."

She had watched related videos and explanations online but hadn't practiced, so she wanted to confirm if she had really learned it.

Sheng Mingsi had no idea where she got so much enthusiasm!

This person had no concept of boundaries between men and women!

Pinned beneath her, his face grew even darker, and his seriousness trembled to the tip of his eyebrows.

"I'm starting."

She began with chest compressions, just like last time, skillful and effective.

Then came the artificial respiration she was learning today.

She earnestly lifted his chin, opened his mouth, pinched his nose with one hand, and leaned down.

Breath descended.

Sheng Mingsi's whole body tensed, and his own breath seemed to stagnate.

The person in his line of sight came closer.

The delicate face enlarged in front of him until all he could see were those lips.

Cherry blossom-pink lips, descending with the warmth of her breath.

A strand of wet hair fell on his face, cold and wet, mixing with the scorching breath, stirring something deep within.

He couldn't breathe.

The soft lips touched his in a moment of distraction.

They enveloped him, and the breath flowed in.

A very standard artificial respiration.

But his ears turned red.

His body tightened to the extreme.

He couldn't take it anymore; if he didn't push her away, he might lose control and want to respond with a forceful kiss.

Sheng Mingsi reached over, pushing her aside with a firm hand, leaving those fatally attractive lips. He took deep breaths of air.

In this spacious indoor pool area, despite the heating, he was dressed so lightly that he felt the chill. But his body was burning.

Jiang Chenchen was surprised by his sudden move. "What's wrong? Did I do it wrong?"

Sheng Mingsi had no time to answer, quickly flipping over and heading for a towel. He hastily left.

Jiang Chenchen stayed in place, watching his departing figure, wondering if what she did was good or bad.

...

The swimming lessons were put on hold like this.

Sheng Mingsi only taught once, and then he intentionally avoided her.

Although Jiang Chenchen couldn't understand, after learning on her own, she would come to swim for half an hour, becoming more proficient. She could stay underwater for a long time without coming up.

Time quickly arrived at the night of New Year's Eve.

Jiang Chenchen finished the red sweater she had been rushing to knit overnight. She looked at the completed work with satisfaction, imagining the happiness of the person who would receive the gift.

Because Xia Changli, who received her scarf, unexpectedly reddened her eyes, hugged her, and sincerely said thank you.

So, Sheng Mingsi would also sincerely thank her.

She waited for Sheng Mingsi to come back.

The phone on the table rang.

It turned out to be a call from Zhan Momo.

When the call connected, Zhan Momo's energetic voice came through. "Jiang Chenchen, long time no see."

"Hmm." She responded softly.

Zhan Momo was long accustomed to her less talkative nature and quickly shared some recent updates before getting to the point.

"Can you help me make an appointment with Ye Xi? You agreed last time."

Jiang Chenchen did agree; Zhan Momo insisted, holding her hand, and she agreed.

"Now?"

"Yeah," Zhan Momo said, "you don't have to say it's for me, just tell him you're inviting him. At 11:30, on the 108th floor of Jin Gao Building."

Jiang Chenchen checked the time; it was only 8:30 in the evening, still early.

"Now?"

"Yeah," Zhan Momo said, "tell him if he doesn't come, you'll keep waiting for him."

She said some pleading words, then hung up.

Afterward, Jiang Chenchen's phone received a transfer.

Two transfers.

Two transfers of 5200.

Below, there was a message: "Love you, yo!"

Jiang Chenchen stared at the phone screen, stunned. Suddenly, many heart emojis appeared, falling like a rainbow rain.

"How did you make these hearts appear?"

Zhan Momo could imagine the puzzled expression on her face, chuckled, and cheerfully typed, "Just send 'love you,' and the hearts will appear."

So Jiang Chenchen also sent a "love you."

Sure enough, a cascade of hearts appeared on the screen.

Jiang Chenchen: "Thank you, I understand."

Zhan Momo: "My dear, accept my love, quickly check your red envelope."

But Jiang Chenchen didn't check the transfer; she couldn't accept so much money.

Understanding that earning money was not easy, she wanted to make money based on her own abilities.

Exiting WeChat, she looked in the direction of the door, but Sheng Mingsi hadn't returned yet.

She huddled on the sofa, holding a throw pillow, and decided to call Ye Xi.

When the call connected, a loud and flamboyant voice came through, "Who is it? Looking for big brother!"

Jiang Chenchen fell silent for a moment.

"It's me, Jiang Chenchen."

Ye Xi paused at her words, then his tone became even more flamboyant, with a hint of surprise, "It's you! How did you get my number? Are you calling me because you've figured it out and want to kick out that cold-blooded man, our Young Master Sheng?"

Jiang Chenchen: ?

What is he talking about?

"11:30, meet at the 108th floor of Jin Gao Building."

She repeated this sentence.

Ye Xi exaggeratedly laughed for two minutes, "Who the hell is arranging to meet me?!"

Sheng Mingsi happened to return from the bathroom; he quickly put the phone on speaker, making it audible to everyone nearby.

"Say it again, who are you?" The arrogant tone was almost taking off.

But his eyes glanced at Sheng Mingsi.

This was an annual New Year's Eve banquet; they met every year.

This year was no exception.

After drinking two glasses of wine, Sheng Mingsi was about to leave.

The trunk of his car was already loaded with fireworks, as promised to her, to set them off together.

Ye Xi, always boisterous, gave him a quick look, his lips curling slightly. This guy never stopped making noise.

But when he heard the voice and name coming through the phone, his raised lips stopped, and he looked over.

Jiang Chenchen was calling Ye Xi?

Was she inviting him?

Ye Xi looked at Sheng Mingsi triumphantly, answering on the phone, "Wait, since you're inviting me, your brother will definitely come."

He wanted to boast some more, but his phone was snatched away.

A chilly and sinister aura enveloped him.

Ye Xi didn't even want the phone anymore, stepping back a bit.

Loves to provoke but also timid!

Zhao Shitian didn't even want to comment on him anymore.

Qin Chi sat on the side, watching Sheng Mingsi with a cold gaze. He always had different reactions because of this girl. Just watching this was more interesting than anything else.

"What are you doing?"

A questioning tone.

Jiang Chenchen, ready to hang up the phone, heard the voice on the other side change to Sheng Mingsi, and she froze.

"Why is it you? Brother As!"

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 134: Debate in the Court

"Your Majesty!"

General Pingwei stood up. "The disappearance of wealth from the Chen Mansion, I believe, is just a case of 'the thief crying thief'."

With that, Xie Yunshang looked towards the Minister. "Leading the team to search the mansion was none other than the Minister's nephew, Guo Qiang. If they wanted to move the Chen family's wealth while appearing innocent, it would be effortless for them."

"Moreover, after the Chen family's mansion was searched, they were exiled the next day, leaving no opportunity to transfer their wealth!"

"What evidence does General Pingwei have?" The Grand Secretary's face soured unexpectedly when Xie Yunshang interjected.

"What evidence does the Grand Secretary have?"

"You..."

"Furthermore..." Xie Yunshang turned to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, regarding the attack on the exiled convoy by bandits, I have already investigated it. As I mentioned before, there were people behind the scenes instigating the bandits."

"Who?"

Finally, the Emperor reacted. After all, although the exiled convoy consisted of criminals, if even they couldn't be protected by the court and were easily killed by bandits, it would be a disgrace.

Therefore, knowing that someone was behind it, the Emperor was very angry.

"Guo Qiang!"

"The Grand Secretary's nephew!"

The Grand Secretary's face changed, cursing Guo Qiang inwardly, but maintaining a calm facade outwardly. "General Pingwei, what evidence do you have?"

"If it is indeed him, there's no need for the court to order it. I will immediately go back and have Guo Qiang executed as a deterrent." General Pingwei took out a document from his sleeve. "Your Majesty, this contains the testimony of the bandits..."

As soon as he said this, the Grand Secretary visibly relaxed, smiling. "How can we believe the words of bandits? Furthermore, this matter has already been concluded. The bandits have all been beheaded for days."

Ignoring him, General Pingwei continued, "I have also found evidence that Guo Qiang sent people to search for evidence of the bandit attack on the convoy."

"Some people witnessed Guo Qiang's subordinates searching for the bandit attack team, and there are letters exchanged between them, all of which are in this document."

The Emperor glanced at the eunuch beside him, who promptly stepped forward and took the document from General Pingwei's hand, then presented it to the Emperor.

Opening it, the Emperor indeed found several letters inside.

The eunuch opened the letters and read them aloud, while the Emperor took the opportunity to examine the contents of General Pingwei's document.

It was written clearly and in detail.

When Guo Qiang's subordinates were sent to search for the bandits, several of them refused, so they were replaced by others. One of them, upon finding the bandits, wrote a letter to Guo Qiang asking him what to do next. In fact, that person already knew what to do, but he deliberately wrote to Guo Qiang to leave evidence, thus specifically asking for his instructions.

This letter was hidden by that person and disclosed to Zhao Guang, who then changed his stance and informed Chen Yuan, who in turn told Xie Yunshang.

"In addition, I have also discovered that the corruption case involving disaster relief grain is also related to Guo Qiang. When someone saw the granary being stolen, a carriage was seen leaving at night, and the gatekeeper even saw the appearance of the coachman."

"That coachman was one of Guo Qiang's subordinates!"

"Impossible!" The Grand Secretary hastily interjected. "The case of corruption in disaster relief grain has already been investigated by Your Majesty. The main culprit was the Chen family, and everyone else involved has been caught. How could there be any omissions?"

Then, he suddenly questioned, "General Pingwei, are you questioning His Majesty?"

It was known that the case of corruption in disaster relief grain had been closed at the Emperor's request. There was no need for further investigation. Now General Pingwei claimed there were still omissions.

Wasn't that questioning the Emperor's judgment?

How could the Emperor be wrong!

"My father is inviting you because he respects you. Regardless of the size of the Shangshu Mansion, how can it compare to the Marquis Mansion!"

At this moment, Xie Yunshang suddenly revealed his playboy nature, helping the Grand Secretary resolve the crisis.

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Chapter 307: Wu Shi Jumps into the River, Xiao Ruiyuan Comes Searching (2)

"I... I'm willing, Tie Tou will definitely be willing." Wu Shi grasped Mo Yan's hand excitedly, her eyes reddening again, "Our family has done so many wrongs to you, but you still think of your cousin in such a good way. I... I don't know how to thank you."

"Aunt, this is just a small favor, you don't need to be like this."

Mo Yan held her trembling hand in return, feeling the roughness and cracks in her palm, feeling ashamed for her previous hesitation.

This honest and somewhat weak woman had once used these hands to bring warmth to the original owner. Yet she had turned a blind eye to this woman's plight out of consideration for Old Mo and the others. Mo Yan felt guilty.

Wu Shi couldn't speak for a long time, feeling nothing but gratitude towards Mo Yan.

When Wu Shi finally calmed down, Mo Yan continued, "As for the wages, it's set at seven hundred copper coins per month. I'll give Uncle four hundred copper coins at the end of each month, and the remaining three hundred will stay with me temporarily. When your cousin gets engaged, Aunt can come to me to collect it. What do you think, Aunt?"

"Seven hundred coins? That's so much?" Wu Shi was stunned for a moment, then quickly added, "Yan'er, since your cousin is going to help out, you can't give him such a high wage just because he's a relative. Two or three hundred coins a month would be enough."

Working as a laborer in the city for a month straight only earns six hundred coins, while being a shop assistant at the rice shop is much easier, and pays better than manual labor. Seven hundred coins is too high, she couldn't accept that.

"Aunt, working in a rice shop isn't easy. Seven hundred coins isn't considered high, that's the usual wage for shop assistants. You can rest assured!" Mo Yan felt a bit helpless. If it were someone else, they would only complain about low wages, where would they ever complain about high ones!

Wu Shi felt somewhat relieved, "That's good! You can decide on the wages. Aunt has no objections."

Mo Yan nodded, "Alright, then I'll give him four hundred coins per month and keep three hundred coins."

"Um, that's fine." Mo Yan thought for a moment before reminding, "Aunt, regarding the wages, you should only tell others that it's four hundred coins per month. Even to cousin, you should keep it a secret. I'm afraid he won't be able to keep it to himself and might let it slip."

Wu Shi was puzzled, "Why is that?"

Mo Yan realized she didn't understand, feeling somewhat speechless. She decided to be straightforward, "Cousin is turning eighteen soon and should start saving money for marriage. But since you're not in charge at home, if you give the money back to them, will it really benefit others in the end?"

Wu Shi's eyes welled up with tears! Exactly, if she gave the money back, it would just end up in her mother-in-law's pocket, and eventually be given to her younger sister-in-law as dowry. Her poor children had to get up before dawn to go up the mountain to chop wood, working themselves to exhaustion. They barely made any money, and whatever they earned was all taken away by her mother-in-law, who still complained it was too little, and didn't even let them eat enough every day.

Now, Yan actually considered this as well. She, as their mother, had been so muddle-headed, she really didn't deserve those children!

Thinking of this, Wu Shi felt even more grateful, "Yan'er, thank you, really thank you!"

Mo Yan held her warm hand, shaking her head with a smile.

Seeing that Wu Shi's clothes were too thin, before leaving, Mo Yan gave her a new cotton jacket. The jacket was made by Li Xiu according to her own size, and since they had similar body shapes, it would fit Wu Shi too. Then she gave her some pastries, letting her take them secretly.

Wu Shi really needed these things, but she owed too much to the Mo family, and refused to accept them no matter what, until Mo Yan pretended to be angry, and she felt too embarrassed to refuse. When she left, her eyes were still red.

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Chapter 86: Are You Nervous?


"Do you not know how to swim?"


Holding the steamer basket, Sheng Mingsi looked at her seriously and asked.


"Nope."


Jiang Chenchen reached out again to grab a small bun, only to have it pulled away once more.


"?"


She looked at him with confusion.


Sheng Mingsi fixed his gaze, "Then let me teach you."


He handed her a pair of chopsticks.


Jiang Chenchen took them, and only then did he push the steamer basket towards her.


It turned out he wanted her to eat with chopsticks.


She used the chopsticks to pick up a hot dumpling, took a bite, and mumbled, "But I've missed a few days of classes, and I don't have time to learn."


Sheng Mingsi frowned slightly, "Learning this is quick. Just set aside half an hour every day. If you're not too slow, you can learn it in half a month."


"Alright."


She seemed to focus more on eating and didn't pay much attention to this matter.


For the first time, Sheng Mingsi personally taught her something. Selfishly, he hoped she would remember it forever.


But with today's news, it seemed like there was no room for asking.


That'll do.


...


Behind Sheng Mingsi's residence, there was an outdoor private swimming pool as well as an indoor one.


Jiang Chenchen didn't expect him to have such a complete set-up; he had everything.


As a coach, Sheng Mingsi was quite strict, and with his excellent physique, Jiang Chenchen wasn't moved despite witnessing him in a swimsuit. However, his swimming figure was elegant and agile, like a beautiful fish. This made it interesting to watch.


Squatting by the pool, wrapped in a towel, Jiang Chenchen held her phone and took a picture of him leaping out of the water.


His black hair dripped with water, his eyes misted from the splashes, and he wiped them away with his hand, messing up his hair in the process. The slightly disheveled black hair, combined with his cold and handsome face, made his eyes, as dark as obsidian, stand out. The muscles on his taut body sparkled with water droplets, creating ripples in the water below.


Although it was midwinter, he made everything around him look like a beautiful summer cartoon.


Sheng Mingsi furrowed his brows slightly and walked toward her. "Are you taking pictures again?"


"It looks great."


Jiang Chenchen handed him the photo she had taken. "Take a look."


"..."


He reached out, pressing down his gaze, "Delete it!"


His wet hand reached out but only touched the edge of the phone. Jiang Chenchen quickly withdrew it.


She was fast, stepping back a few steps and holding the phone to her chest.


"Don't delete it."


Sheng Mingsi's brows deepened. "Why did you take this?"


"It looks good."


"Where... does it look good!?"


"Don't you think so? I think it's good. Do you want to take a closer look?"


She attempted to show him the photo, seeking approval.


"..."


Sheng Mingsi closed his eyes, completely giving up.


Forget it, let her be.


"Put down the phone and get in the water." He adjusted his expression, looking like a coach.


Jiang Chenchen took off her towel, placed it on a lounge chair, locked her phone, and left it there. Walking to the edge of the pool, she hesitated a bit.


She squatted down, looking up at him.


Recalling the incident of falling into the water, there was a slight palpitation.


Sheng Mingsi lifted his chin, "Come down; the water isn't deep."


However, he reached out and helped her into the water.


Jiang Chenchen got in, and the water was indeed shallow. The moment of uneasiness disappeared instantly.


The pool water was comfortable, and she looked up at him.


Sheng Mingsi let go of her hand, took a step back, and at the same time, beckoned to her.


Sheng Mingsi let go of her hand and stepped back, simultaneously beckoning her with a gesture.


"Come here."


"Hmm?"


Jiang Chenchen followed him, feeling the water level rising as she took each step. It reached around her chest when he finally stopped.


"Start by practicing breathing in and out, like this, and then dive straight down."


Sheng Mingsi demonstrated.


"Now you try."


Jiang Chenchen watched, then mimicked the movements a few times.


After several repetitions, the last time she stayed submerged for a long time without resurfacing.


Sheng Mingsi's heart tightened a bit. When he dove down, he saw her comfortably staying underwater. He had underestimated her ability to hold her breath.


He gestured that she could come up.


Jiang Chenchen finally surfaced.


She opened her mouth, adjusting quickly with a few breaths.


Sheng Mingsi looked at her with some doubt. "You've really never learned before?"


For someone who had experienced being submerged in water, there might be some psychological burden, making progress slower.


But she learned surprisingly fast.


Jiang Chenchen nodded. "Today is my first time learning."


"Once you're not afraid of the water, your progress will speed up."


Originally, the plan was to learn for half an hour, but it extended to two hours.


And then she learned it.


Sheng Mingsi watched her, who was gracefully moving in the water. Though swimming breaststroke wasn't that attractive, he had chosen it initially to boost her confidence—perhaps he had overthought it.


After getting tired, both of them got out of the pool.


Sheng Mingsi reached out to help her up.


When Jiang Chenchen walked toward him, she suddenly looked up. "Brother Ahsi, this is a good time for artificial respiration. Can I try it?"


Sheng Mingsi stumbled for a moment, halting in his steps. He looked at her with a dark expression. "What did you say?"


"Why do you want to learn this?"


"I want to learn."


But she didn't say why.


Sometimes, Sheng Mingsi really wanted to knock on her head to see what she was thinking.


But her face remained as usual, expressionless, and she didn't seem to have any ulterior motives.


Was she really just learning artificial respiration?


Jiang Chenchen approached him, asking earnestly, "Is it okay?"


Her pure gaze made Sheng Mingsi realize he couldn't refuse.


Perhaps he had overthought it.


"How do you want to learn?" He spoke coldly, his face tense and serious.


Jiang Chenchen spread out a towel. "Lie down."


Sheng Mingsi: "..."


How could she say something like that so casually?


Fortunately, there was no one else here. Even if they did this, only the fool in front of her would know.


He took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and then lay down.


The last time they did chest compressions, he was still wearing clothes. This time, he was only in swim trunks...


He had a tall figure, long legs, an excellent physique, and his skin was overly fair.


Lying there, he was quite stiff.


His entire face looked strangely awkward.


Jiang Chenchen squatted down, pressing her hands against his chest, and asked, "Are you nervous?"


Asked in this indifferent, expressionless manner, Sheng Mingsi was left bewildered: "..."

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 133: Chaos Caused by the Demoness

"No way!"

"I only asked you to deliver a message, not to do anything else!"

Zhang Yiquan was somewhat annoyed, threatening, "Don't forget, when you were in trouble, who covered it up for you, who saved your life."

"Compared to saving your life, I'm just asking you to deliver a message. After delivering it, we'll have no further debts between us!"

The man remained silent for a moment, then nodded reluctantly, "Fine!"

"What message do you want me to deliver, and to whom?"

"Deliver the message to the Grand Secretary, telling him that the strange phenomenon of the sky darkening was caused by the Chen family!"

Saying this, Zhang Yiquan briefly explained the matter so that the man could report it in detail to the Grand Secretary.

However, after hearing the explanation, the man's expression changed drastically.

"Are you crazy? If the Chen family really can change the weather, they are definitely not ordinary people. They might be immortals. Instead of trying to please them, we'd offend them by doing so. Are you out of your mind?"

Seeing the man's expression, Zhang Yiquan's face darkened. "What, you don't want to? Then don't blame me for being ruthless and exposing what happened back then!"

"You..."

"Besides, what are you afraid of? As long as you don't talk, and I don't talk, who will know that you leaked the message? Besides, you're just delivering a message, you haven't offended them."

First, he used a stick, then offered him some sweetness. It was evident that Zhang Yiquan's experience as an official had not been lost. He immediately took control of the man.

"Fine!" The man gritted his teeth. "Just this once, after completing this task, we'll be even!"

"Hurry up, no matter what method you use, the message must reach the capital within three days."

"Three days?"

"Are you crazy?"

"You know how far it is to the capital."

However, Zhang Yiquan's face remained cold. "I don't care what method you use. As long as you complete it within three days, our debt will be cleared."

Watching Zhang Yiquan leave, the man's face fluctuated between darkness and light, a trace of killing intent flashing across his body.

In the end, he gave up. After all, who knew if Zhang Yiquan had any other tricks up his sleeve? Besides, it was just delivering a message.

With the horses galloping at full speed, the man managed to deliver the message to the Grand Secretary's residence.

Upon receiving this message, the Grand Secretary's eyes lit up. "Summon the Astronomical Bureau!"

The next day, during court.

Just as the court session was about to end, th Grand Secretary stood up and, in front of everyone, recounted the message handed to him by Zhang Yiquan.

"Oh?"

The Emperor raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested. He had originally intended to issue a decree of self-punishment, but upon hearing the Grand Secretary's words, he suddenly had a direction in mind.

"Summon the Astronomical Bureau!"

Soon, the head of the Astronomical Bureau was summoned to the court.

An elderly man with a white beard hurriedly entered and then knelt down to the Emperor, paying his respects.

"Minister of the Southern Sky, Yen, pays respects..."

"That's enough!" The Emperor waved his hand. "Minister of the Southern Sky, I ask you, what caused the recent unusual celestial phenomena?"

The Minister raised his head and glanced at the Grand Secretary before respectfully saying, "Reporting to Your Majesty, a solar eclipse, which is an ominous sign."

As soon as he finished speaking, an official behind the Grand Secretary jumped out, crying out in grief, "Your Majesty, this is a sign of chaos caused by a demoness!"

The Emperor ignored him and looked at the Minister. "What does the Astronomical Bureau think about this matter?"

The Minister gritted his teeth and lowered his head. "Your Majesty, as Minister Liu said, a solar eclipse is a harbinger of chaos caused by a demoness."

We

"Oh?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "But didn't the Minister of the Southern Sky say something different a few days ago?"

The Minister immediately knelt down. "Your Majesty, I dare not lie. Last night, when I observed the celestial phenomena, I discovered a meteor falling to the south. It must be a demoness being born, and it's happening in the south."

Seeing this, the Grand Secretary stood up immediately. "Your Majesty, the Chen family is located in the south, and that Chen Xue is the so-called demoness!"

"Nonsense!"

The Imperial Censor and others quickly stood up and accused, "What the Grand Secretary said is absolutely absurd."

"Why not listen to the situation first?" The Grand Secretary snorted coldly, then turned to bow to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, do you remember the incident of the Chen family being raided?"

"At that time, not a single silver or grain was found in the Chen family, nor was a single grain of food found. Is this ordinary?"

"Absolutely, if the Chen family really has such ability, how could they willingly be exiled?"

The officials skilled in arguing were speechless, because they didn't know how to defend the Chen family.

"In addition, do you want to know what happened to the exiled convoy?" The Grand Secretary continued, "All the prisoners saw it with their own eyes. When the demoness of the Chen family got angry, the sky darkened instantly. When she forgave everyone, the sky immediately brightened."

"With such events, can you still call it a coincidence?"

After speaking, the Grand Secretary bowed to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I request that you order the execution of the entire Chen family to demonstrate the consequences of causing chaos by a demoness."

As soon as the Grand Secretary finished speaking, a group of officials behind him immediately stood up, requesting the Emperor to order the execution of the demoness.

"Han Quan, the Chen family has fallen to such a state, and you still want to exterminate them?"

The Marquis of Pingyuan, who had been silent all along, spoke up.

The Grand Secretary's eyelids twitched, not answering. Instead, he glanced at the Minister of the Southern Sky, who sighed in his heart and also bowed, "Your Majesty, a solar eclipse, the last time it appeared was a hundred years ago."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately remembered that at that time, the Great Moon Empire had not yet been established, and it was still during the rule of the Yu Dynasty.

There was also a solar eclipse at that time, but the next day, chaos erupted throughout the country, with uprisings breaking out everywhere, and the rule of the Yu Dynasty was in jeopardy.

Then, there was no need to go into detail. Emperor Xi defeated the hegemon, unified the world, and established the Great Moon Empire.

"Minister, you..."

The Imperial Censor and others suddenly changed their expressions. The Minister brought up the matter of the previous dynasty's downfall, clearly emphasizing the seriousness of the Chen family's situation, which was thousands of times more severe than before. It was as severe as the fall of the previous dynasty.

In other words, if before, they still had a chance to plead for the Chen family, but now it involved the downfall of a dynasty, and they could no longer speak out. Even if they did, it would be useless.

Furthermore, there was only one person who had the final say on this matter.

Therefore, the Imperial Censor and others unwillingly said, "Your Majesty, what the Grand Secretary said is just speculation, without any evidence. If the Chen family really had such abilities, why would they willingly be exiled?"

The Emperor, however, interrupted their words, his stern face looking at everyone, "The disappearance of items from the Chen Mansion, Chen Xue's command causing strange occurrences in the sky, how do you explain these things?"

"If the Chen family really caused chaos, what do you officials intend to do about your ancestors?"

After a few rhetorical questions, the Imperial Censor and others were speechless, realizing the Emperor's intentions. They could only sigh.

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