My Gentle and Pure Sect Leader Husband - Chapter 85

Lu Xiaofeng clutched his last remaining wine gourd, looking around vigilantly, then secretly pulled out the stopper and poured a large gulp into his mouth, letting out a satisfied long sigh.

Hua Manlou listened from the side with some amusement. “What are you doing? He won’t steal your wine.”

Lu Xiaofeng complained, “That little girl won’t steal my wine, but that doesn’t mean she won’t steal my gourd! I just don’t understand why I have to work for the Jinyiwei. What kind of cute little bell–she should be called the little ancestor who torments people instead.”

Hua Manlou paused, then said sincerely, “Lu Xiaofeng, as a friend, I still suggest you call Xiao Ling fewer times.”

“I won’t, I’ll keep calling her that! Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling!” Lu Xiaofeng, who hadn’t had wine for several days, was now rebellious all over, sprawled on the roof eaves and started chattering like reciting sutras, “She can’t possibly jump out from behind me right now, can she?”

Before Lu Xiaofeng’s words had finished, the little girl’s eerie voice drifted up from below the house. “Big brother~Lu~, are you calling me?”

Lu Xiaofeng was so frightened he nearly rolled off the roof eaves.

Hua Manlou immediately raised his hand to cover his lips, saying gently, “Actually, I was trying to say that she had already come from behind just now.”

Lu Xiaofeng drank the wine in his gourd in two or three gulps, sat up in embarrassment, and said dejectedly, “Next time, tell me such important things earlier.”

The evidence of the Red Shoes was finally investigated by Lu Xiaofeng himself. The Xue family had to pay a large sum of money to redeem Xue Bing, their only heir, from the Jinyiwei. But Xue Bing was also confined at home because of this. With her sisters either arrested or scattered in flight, Xue Bing nearly collapsed and could hardly listen to any of Lu Xiaofeng’s words.

Ouyang Qing was also spared by the Jinyiwei for Lu Xiaofeng’s sake, but would be under Jinyiwei surveillance for life.

Lu Xiaofeng had a weakness for being soft-hearted toward beautiful women. Although this weakness always put him in dangerous situations, if he changed it, he wouldn’t be Lu Xiaofeng anymore.

During the investigation, Lu Xiaofeng had become involved with Old Madam Gongsun. However, Old Madam Gongsun was deeply sinful and was killed on the spot by the Jinyiwei, leaving no opportunity for Lu Xiaofeng to plead for her. The series of events left Lu Xiaofeng somewhat depressed. He had been drunk and unconscious for more than ten days until the little girl confiscated all of Lu Xiaofeng’s wine gourds, which finally sobered him up somewhat.

——Though he was still terribly disheveled.

“Lu Xiaofeng! If you don’t come down, I’ll go to Wanmei Manor myself! Don’t regret it.”

The little girl’s voice followed immediately.

Wanmei Manor?

Lu Xiaofeng, disheveled all over, suddenly focused his gaze and looked down at the courtyard. “What are you going to Wanmei Manor for?”

Hua Manlou’s expression also changed.

The little girl looked up and called out, “The challenge letter from the Lord of Baiyun City has already been sent to Wanmei Manor. Don’t you know?”

“Final battle?!”

****

Capital City

Yan Hongyin, who was sitting behind her desk with lowered eyes reading memorials, moved her eyebrows slightly and picked up her brush to write a comment on the memorial.

Yu Luocha, who was sleeping sweetly with his head pillowed on Yan Hongyin’s leg, suddenly sneezed. He reached up to grab the hair hanging down in front of Yan Hongyin, and pulled Yan Hongyin’s writing arm into his embrace, mumbling vaguely, “Why do you care about that little rascal? He knows what he’s doing, and no matter how much trouble he causes, he won’t turn the world upside down.”

Yan Hongyin’s brush left an ink mark on Yu Luocha’s body. She let go and allowed Yu Luocha to take the brush from her hand and throw it back on the desk. Her fingers instead grasped Yu Luocha’s palm, which had developed new sword calluses over the years. “He ended the Red Shoes case and forced the Prince of Pingnan to advance his plan to usurp the throne and stage a palace coup.”

Yu Luocha said indifferently, “Let him try. It’s perfect for catching them all in one net, saving you from being distracted watching the Prince of Pingnan cause trouble.”

When the Grand Prince’s faction fell back then, the Prince of Pingnan, who had been supporting them from behind the scenes, managed to retreat unscathed because he was cautious and left no evidence. Over the years, he had kept his head down as a well-behaved idle prince, but the number of martial artists he kept in his mansion was increasing.

Yan Hongyin’s fingers slid along Yu Luocha’s collar and inside, her expression remaining serious and light. “He also sent Xiao Jing to the South Sea. Three days ago, Ye Gucheng sent a challenge letter to Wanmei Manor.”

Yu Luocha hissed and pulled Yan Hongyin’s hand out, then sat up properly. In retaliation, he pinched Yan Hongyin’s fingertips that had just been mischievously pinching his chest, saying casually, “He’s not unaware of Ah Xue’s character. He surely wouldn’t really let the duel…”

Halfway through his words, Yu Luocha met Yan Hongyin’s gaze and hesitated, “Ah Xue wouldn’t take it seriously… right?”

Yan Hongyin asked back, “What do you think?”

Regardless of whether Ximen Chuixue had been told about the arrangements behind this duel, asking the serious-natured Ximen Chuixue to fake a duel with Ye Gucheng, who had become famous before him and possessed the Sword Immortal City, was almost impossible.

Yu Luocha’s mouth twitched.

But thinking again, he said, “Since they want to stage a coup, they’ll definitely come to the capital. Under our very noses, what kind of casualties could there be in a sword duel?”

As he spoke, he yawned again. He really didn’t know where Ah Yin got her energy – after three hours of activity last night, she still had such good spirits today.

Maybe next time they could try during the day… hmm…

Yan Hongyin reached out to turn Yu Luocha’s face toward her and narrowed her eyes. “What are you thinking about?”

Yu Luocha looked innocent. “Thinking about children~”

——Thinking about the process of creating children.

There could be many, many instances of the process, but one of those debt-collecting little demons was really enough.

Yan Hongyin pinched Yu Luocha’s cheek. “Do you know that when you’re thinking bad thoughts, your face clearly shows the words ‘causing trouble’?”

Yu Luocha blinked. “Really?”

After staring at each other for a while, Yan Hongyin couldn’t help but laugh, leaned over to kiss the beautiful Yu, then let him go. She then said thoughtfully, “I always feel this matter isn’t Xiao Ling’s style.”

Yu Luocha chuckled. “Indeed it’s not. Although our little one is difficult to deal with, he’s essentially very cute. Being able to do something so troublesome that stirs up the capital into chaos while staying out of it – you can tell at a glance this is something the old Zhu family would do.”

Back then, didn’t his father also sit on the mountain watching tigers fight, watching his two sons turn the capital upside down?

Now, with the seemingly innocent and harmless, non-aggressive honest little emperor on the throne, things hadn’t quieted down much either.

“Just watch. On the night of the duel, that little emperor definitely won’t be able to resist getting involved.” Yu Luocha snorted lightly. “Over the years, every time he wanted to travel incognito and roam the martial world, you dragged him back. This time, he won’t have fun until he’s had enough.”

****

Capital City – Night of the Duel

At dusk, the streets were all dyed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Lu Xiaofeng came out of Hefang Shop in extreme embarrassment, clutching a ribbon he had finally managed to wheedle from Xiao Ling with great effort.

He knew this ribbon was definitely not one of those previously distributed, but so what?

Some things – smart people always had to learn to be rarely confused.

With this flowing, radiant ribbon, Lu Xiaofeng passed through layers of strict guards and entered the pinnacle of power in the capital’s imperial palace.

In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, at the summit of the Forbidden City.

Lu Xiaofeng didn’t arrive particularly early. Many martial artists had already gathered around, and at a glance, they were all sect leaders and masters from major schools.

Somehow, Lu Xiaofeng felt a chill in his heart.

If all these people were to remain here today…

No, it wouldn’t happen!

The court wouldn’t do such a thing, and His Majesty absolutely wouldn’t give such an order—— Having all martial world forces leaderless and in chaos wouldn’t be good for any side.

But… Lu Xiaofeng withdrew his gaze from surveying the surroundings, and the worry in his heart still couldn’t find an answer.

He knew this duel had come under suspicious circumstances, and the ribbons had been distributed through his hands, but Xiao Ling…no, it should be said the Jinyiwei, His Majesty – what was the purpose of gathering the leaders of these martial world forces at the Forbidden City?

…

“Your Majesty, the four city gates have been sealed, each guarded by the four constables from Divine Marquis Zhuge’s mansion with heavy troops.” Wei Ziyun, the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards, respectfully saluted without raising his head to peek at the emperor behind the imperial throne.

Although the current emperor had not yet reached adulthood and had not been on the throne for long, he was meticulous in his thinking. Even before ascending the throne, he had supervised the state for a long time as crown prince, with swift and decisive methods, even more inscrutable than the previous emperor.

“Are all the people here?” The emperor’s clear voice came, immediately followed by the light sound of the imperial brush being placed on its rest.

Wei Ziyun didn’t speak because he knew the emperor wasn’t asking him.

Sitting in a chair beside him, wearing princely robes, Yan Chuan swallowed the pastry in his mouth, drank some tea to wash it down, then leisurely wiped his mouth before answering, “Those who haven’t arrived won’t appear anymore. The people here today are just right.”

The young emperor walked out from behind the imperial throne, lifted up the short-statured little nephew sitting in the chair by his armpits, and laughed. “Xiao Ling, if you keep eating, you’ll become a ball too fat to carry, and then Imperial Sister will only favor your father alone.”

Yan Chuan, being lifted up by his imperial uncle who had no martial arts skills, didn’t feel annoyed at all. Without struggling in the least, he said very calmly, “Then I’ll go shave Father’s head bald. Mother will definitely find him distasteful then and come cuddle with me instead.”

The emperor imagined the scene of chaos in the Zhenfu Division if his little nephew actually succeeded, his eyelid twitched, and he quickly put Yan Chuan down. He smoothed his little nephew’s robes and said seriously, “You’re not fat. Who said our Xiao Ling is fat? We eat more because children need to grow and get hungry quickly.”

Yan Chuan, who had grown up with his imperial uncle since childhood, clearly understood his uncle’s nature. Both of them were like black sesame soup dumplings – looking innocent and pure on the outside, but having more schemes than anyone when it came to calculating people.

He immediately said, “But Imperial Uncle, before I say it’s okay, you absolutely cannot leave the Southern Study.”

The emperor, who really wanted to go out and watch the excitement: “…”

He sighed deeply, his expression mournful. “You said before that you could let me participate in martial world events. What kind of participation is hiding here and secretly watching from afar?”

“Didn’t Imperial Uncle cleverly extract those words from your nephew?” Yan Chuan puffed his cheeks, using Yu Luocha’s aggrieved expression while speaking in Yan Hongyin’s style. “For Your Majesty’s safety, I hope you won’t entertain any thoughts of sneaking away, and must allow this subject and the secret guards to protect Your Majesty.”

The emperor: “…You’re being very unlovable like this.”

Wei Ziyun, still kneeling below, kept his face impassive, acting as if he didn’t exist.

“By the way, where is your Chief Eunuch Wang?” Yan Chuan asked.

Eunuch Wang An, the emperor’s personal eunuch, was the only spy the Prince of Pingnan had managed to turn over the years. Because he held Wang An, the Prince of Pingnan dared to act prematurely.

Unfortunately, with the Jinyiwei around, the moment Wang An fell into the Prince of Pingnan’s scheme due to gambling debts, his name was already written in the intelligence reports submitted by the Jinyiwei.

The emperor thought for a moment and said, “When the fighting starts outside, he should arrive soon, right?”

Then he turned to Wei Ziyun and said, “Minister Wei, you’ve worked hard tonight. After the duel, no one is to be allowed out of the imperial palace.”

“Yes!” Wei Ziyuan responded, then hesitated before finally speaking, “What about Ximen Chuixue and the others…”

The emperor showed a meaningful expression. “No need to worry about them. Someone will naturally arrange for them.”

…

“Does Your Majesty wish to rest?” Chief Eunuch Wang An crept in, glanced at the prince covered with a blanket sleeping in a ball beside them, his expression becoming even more fawning. “This slave will attend to Your Majesty’s washing.”

“No need to attend, withdraw.” The emperor waved his hand without looking up.

Wang An gradually straightened up, his turbid eyes staring directly at the young emperor. “This slave would like Your Majesty to meet someone.”

The emperor raised his eyebrows, looking calmly at the Prince of Pingnan’s heir standing before him wearing dragon robes.

——The fool’s method was really simple, direct, and absurd.

The emperor’s gaze swept over his little nephew pretending to sleep nearby. The little fellow was trembling under the blanket, trying to suppress his laughter.

However….really did look quite similar.

What a pity.

The emperor sighed inwardly.

If he weren’t the Prince of Pingnan’s son, keeping him in the palace as a body double would allow me to sneak out of the palace to play every now and then.

“Execute him.”

The emperor’s secret guards appeared in response, sword points directed at the Prince of Pingnan’s heir and Wang An, who showed no fear and seemed to believe they held victory in their hands.

A white silk ribbon broke through the air, deflecting all the secret guards’ sword points. The rainbow light was shocking, unmatched in the world.

This was sword light from a long sword, with smooth, restrained cloud patterns carved on the hilt.

This sword was held by a man in white robes, his face cold as frost, with icy sword intent filling the great hall.

“Ye Gucheng.” The emperor looked at the newcomer, speaking softly and lightly.

Ye Gucheng looked back at the emperor, his voice calm, “Yes.”

The Prince of Pingnan’s heir immediately called out: “City Lord Ye, kill him!”

The emperor raised his hand to have the secret guards before him step aside, then walked closer to Ye Gucheng, asking him, “You want to kill me?”

Ye Gucheng: “…”

The Prince of Pingnan’s heir, sensing something was wrong, looked panicked, his voice rising again, “Ye Gucheng, what are you waiting for?! This was our plan! Don’t you want Baiyun City anymore?!”

But the emperor continued approaching Ye Gucheng on his own, actually reaching out to grasp Ye Gucheng’s hand that hung at his side without holding the sword, sighing deeply:

“You could have been a beautiful person, why did you follow rebels?”

Ye Gucheng’s eyelid twitched.

He suddenly remembered that little dumpling who used to stare fixedly at his face all the time.

After all these years… his nature hadn’t changed?

“Puhahahahahaha!”

Yan Chuan, who really couldn’t hold back his laughter, simply threw off the blanket and curled up in the chair, laughing so hard he couldn’t straighten up.

….

On the roof of the Southern Study, listening to the commotion below, Yan Hongyin couldn’t help but twitch her mouth.

Yu Luocha embraced Yan Hongyin from behind, his face buried in Yan Hongyin’s neck and shoulder, muffling his continuous laughter.

Yan Hongyin raised her hand to rub her temples. Seeing Wei Ziyun bringing Lu Xiaofeng rushing over below, and Ximen Chuixue’s figure also appearing outside the Southern Study, she said helplessly, “Forget it, they know what they’re doing here. Let’s go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.”

“Don’t rush. I’ve noticed something.” Yu Luocha raised his head, his voice still carrying traces of laughter, but his eyes looked dangerously toward a certain direction. “Did you notice over there?”

“There’s a little madman thinking of stealing our Little Thorn.”

Yan Hongyin had naturally noticed, coldly parting her lips, “Asking for a beating.”