On the street, a luxurious carriage was heading toward the Prince's Estate of Northern Prefecture.
Reclining languidly inside the carriage was a young woman dressed in brocade.
"That is Zhu Linger, the daughter of the Prince of Nanjun!"
"Shh, keep your voice down! Word is the Empress dotes on her, and has already bestowed upon her the title of Little Princess of Nanjun!"
"Where is the little princess headed? It looks like the Prince's Estate!"
...
Inside the study at the General's Mansion!
Ye Tian was lying on the couch.
Su Xiaotang was holding a bowl of ginseng soup with a aggrieved expression, feeding him spoonful by spoonful.
Behind the desk, Su Chanjuan was reviewing documents.
"Brother-in-law, aren't you full yet?"
"You've already eaten two large bowls!"
Su Xiaotang said, huffing in annoyance.
"Hmm?"
Hearing her younger sister throwing a tantrum, Su Chanjuan shot her a stern look.
Su Xiaotang had no choice but to drop her head, pretending to feed him with meticulous care.
Ye Tian was thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere.
"Just one more spoonful and I'll be full!"
"You didn't look like you were hurt anywhere when you came back!"
"I don't know myself, but my hands just don't have an ounce of strength."
After swallowing the final spoonful, Ye Tian muttered a contented "Ah, refreshing" and lay back down.
Furious, Su Xiaotang secretly pinched his thigh!
Though the spot was a bit off, she didn't care anymore!
She glared at him with threatening eyes!
Ye Tian forced a wry smile and suddenly said, "My wife, it looks like someone has arrived outside!"
Su Xiaotang hastily pulled her hand back!
Su Chanjuan glanced over, then quickly looked away.
"Absurd!"
"It seems you haven't suffered enough from yesterday. Do you really want me to throw you outside the city gates?"
"Don't you like the hunting grounds? Didn't you have beauties there to brew tea and chat with you?"
Her tone was thick with jealousy.
Ye Tian glared at Su Xiaotang. "Did you tell her?"
Su Xiaotang retorted indignantly, "Who asked brother-in-law to flirt with them behind my back!"
"What do you mean, flirt? I was offering strategic counsel!"
Ye Tian let out a humph!
Su Chanjuan said coldly, "What strategies do you even know? With your level of intelligence, it's a blessing that the Northern Wasteland faction offended that mysterious figure, otherwise neither of you would have made it back yesterday."
As she spoke, Su Chanjuan couldn't help rubbing her arm.
Ye Tian quickly asked, "Is your injury feeling lighter?"
"None of your business!"
Su Chanjuan glared at him, then suddenly looked toward the door.
At that moment, Old Ma hurried in. "General, the Princess of Nanjun has gone to the Prince's Estate!"
"Zhu Linger? What is she doing at the Prince's Estate?"
"Oh, I see!"
Su Chanjuan glared fiercely at Ye Tian. "You brought this entirely on yourself!"
Ye Tian pointed at himself. "Me? When have I ever provoked Zhu Linger?"
Su Chanjuan glared at him. "The last time the four regional princes brought their heirs to court to meet the Empress, you actually said something to Zhu Linger right in the throne room. Have you forgotten?"
Ye Tian racked his brain, and deep in his memory, he really had said: "One day, I'll make you my concubine!"
Damn it!
This predecessor of his was truly asking for a beating!
Zhu Linger was arrogant, domineering, and notoriously ill-reputed. How could he dare provoke such a woman?
In the entire Imperial City, the two people with the worst reputations were Ye Tian and Zhu Linger!
This Zhu Linger had a vicious temperament. Anyone who dared to speak ill of her, openly or behind her back, had their limbs hacked off and fed to the dogs!
Even those who merely cast a sideways glance at her had their eyes gouged out and were thrown into the hunting grounds!
Naturally, they were long since devoured by wild beasts.
Yet because Zhu Linger's father was one of the four regional princes, guarding the Northern Prefecture as a formidable power, even the Empress could not easily touch him!
Thus, Zhu Linger had cultivated her arrogant and tyrannical disposition!
"Young Prince, the Princess of Nanjun has blocked the gates of the Prince's Estate, declaring that if you don't show your face today, she won't leave today!"
Ye Tian slapped his thigh. "How bold! I'll go meet her myself!"
With that, Ye Tian got off the bed and started walking.
Su Xiaotang stared blankly at him for a moment before remembering something, and raged, "Oh! So you were completely fine all along?"
Just as she moved to strike, Su Chanjuan grabbed her wrist.
Su Chanjuan pressed her other hand down on Ye Tian's shoulder. "If you go out there, it's dangerous!"
Ye Tian sneered. "Doesn't she and I share the title of the two scourges of the Imperial City? I'd like to see who is worse!"
The sisters exchanged a glance!
Fine, let him go!
After all, he was the Young Prince of the Prince's Estate; Zhu Linger had to give him some face.
Besides, a real man shouldn't hide under the protection of women!
Seeing Ye Tian looking so spirited, Su Chanjuan cast him an approving look.
Watching Ye Tian's retreating figure, Su Xiaotang blinked in surprise. "Sister, you're just going to let him walk out like that?"
Su Chanjuan smiled faintly. "Don't you think he manages to turn danger into safety every single time?"
"Some things are terrifying to think about too deeply. I want to see if he can make it back alive this time."
With that, Su Chanjuan swept her palm backward, and the long spear hanging on the wall flew toward her with a whoosh.
"Sister, you're going too?"
Su Xiaotang was startled.
"Stay at home and behave yourself. Zhu Linger is not someone to mess with! Don't go provoking her!"
With a stamp of her foot, Su Chanjuan left the study, leaped onto the ridge of the roof, and glided like flickering light and shadows. In the blink of an eye, she reached the top of a tall building, standing against the wind with her silver cloak snapping loudly!
Her left hand held an empty grip, while her right hand held the spear slanted behind her back!
A pair of beautiful eyes slowly looked down!
Down by the street stood the towering gates of the Prince's Estate!
At that moment, ten guards stood in lines on either side, and in the center sat a tall, ornate carriage!
Inside the carriage, Zhu Linger was sipping tea!
Many commoners in the surroundings were hiding and watching, not daring to step forward—seemingly terrified of having their eyes gouged out or their limbs chopped off!
The estate gates opened, and a young man draped in a fur coat walked out!
Who else could it be but Ye Tian!
Hmm?
Su Chanjuan smiled faintly, a kaleidoscope of colors dancing in her eyes as she looked at Ye Tian.
He had actually gone into the estate first and then come out?
Though this action seemed simple, upon closer inspection, its significance was entirely different!
If he had come from the outside, word would soon spread that her General's Mansion was harboring Ye Tian!
After all, Ye Tian's reputation had been poor lately, and even the Empress wore a displeased expression.
Yet coming out from the Prince's Estate meant that Ye Tian wanted to avoid implicating the General's Mansion!
For some reason, a warmth bloomed in the depths of Su Chanjuan's chest.
Actually, with a husband like this, what more could one ask for?
In the entire Daxia nation, women were supreme!
Most men were unable to break through their own physical shackles, finding forty to be a major barrier!
Those who could live to fifty were one in ten thousand!
And those who reached sixty were practically less than one in a hundred thousand!
Why on earth must I insist on searching for some peerless son-in-law?
A gentle sigh escaped her heart!
Su Chanjuan gripped her spear a little tighter. No matter what, she could not let Ye Tian come to any harm!
He was her System's sugar daddy, after all!
Down below, Ye Tian stood with his hands behind his back, raising his eyes to look at Zhu Linger. "Zhu Linger, what are you here for?"
Seeing that Ye Tian actually dared to show his face, Zhu Linger was momentarily stunned before pointing a finger at him. "You—why aren't you kneeling when you see this princess?"
Ye Tian burst out laughing. "Arrogant wretch! This lord is of equal rank to you. What are you even worth?"
Never in all her years had anyone spoken to her in such a tone, let alone dared to curse at her!
"You... how dare you curse at me! Someone, beat him! Beat him to death!"
"Is that so? If you dare let anyone lay a finger on him, see if I don't ruin your face! Old Ma!"
Right at that moment, an elderly man appeared behind Ye Tian—none other than Ye Tian's carriage driver, Old Ma!
And lo, in Old Ma's hands was a longbow, notched with a flaming arrow!
Zhu Linger was startled!
If this flaming arrow were to be fired, even if she could dodge it, what about the carriage?
Once it caught fire, there would only be two outcomes!
Either she abandoned the carriage and fled!
Or her face would be ruined by the fire!
Either option was completely unacceptable to her!
Abandon the carriage and flee? Wouldn't the entire Imperial City be buzzing with gossip by tomorrow?
She had heard that a new organization called the Heavenly Secrets Sect had just been established in the Imperial City, specializing in selling intelligence!
Would news of her fleeing in disarray make the headlines?
No, absolutely not!
Well, what about having her face ruined?
Even more out of the question!
"Wait!"
"Ye Tian, just... just what do you want?"