Chapter Twenty-Three: The Cunning Fox

The weather has been splendid of late. As the morning sunlight spills through the window, she reclines in the bath, her slender frame appearing as delicate as a flower amidst the glistening water.

She idly moves her small hand, occasionally catching sight of him biting his lip, a heavy, muffled groan escaping his throat.

At this, the corners of her lips curl upward. She feels the ticklish sensation of his eyelashes fluttering against her palm, along with the scorching heat and occasional, restless movements of his other hand, which seems to slip beyond her control.

Walking down another flight of stairs, the wind grows stronger with every step, reaching a point where its whistling can be clearly heard. Although Liu Yu, hypersensitive to drafts, can discern that this is merely the sound of vibrating air, in such utter darkness, the noise only serves to intensify the fear gripping her heart.

The second custom-built warship was, of course, the new-style barrier ship. Its requirements were the opposite of the new-style house ship: the goal was to maintain its speed while reinforcing its defensive capabilities, and if possible, increasing its cargo capacity.

The Tian clan chieftains of Sizhou were among the most renowned in the history of Central Guizhou. Hereditary for a thousand years, their territory was vast; the saying "Sizhou and Boshou belong to the Tian and Yang clans" meant that Sizhou was the domain of the Tian chieftains, while Boshou was the domain of the Yang chieftains.

Finally, to ensure military superiority over the Mongolian Left Wing, he was appointed as the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. He thoroughly reorganized the Beijing Garrison and established a new Imperial Guard, restoring the combat effectiveness of the capital's troops—especially their field warfare capabilities—and strengthening the military advantage against the Chahar Mongols.

On one side, a skilled performer showcased sleight of hand. He held a flower, covered it with a handkerchief, and upon lifting it, revealed a fluttering bird in its place.

At this moment, Han Kun pushed his magical energy to its absolute limit. Although the wind pressure made it incredibly difficult even to move his body, the situation was far less extreme than being caught in the super-gravity field of a fully activated Sink. As long as he could still channel his magic, there was room to maneuver.

In the evening, Chu Junlan ordered Ziyan to borrow a brocade robe from Chu Huating that he had worn in his youth.

"It’s fine, I didn't do anything, and I couldn't have done anything anyway," Rong Lan said with a sheepish laugh.

When this was said, the members of the Wang family were quite surprised. Wang Jian looked at Wang Zhan, Wang Zhan looked at Lady Liu, Lady Liu looked at Wang Ying, Wang Ying looked at Old Madam Wang, and Old Madam Wang looked at Ying Shu.

Chu Junlan sneered inwardly. It seemed the Sixth Prince was already quite confident in his ability to seize the throne. After all, Chu Junlan had interacted with the princes often, and even the eldest, the Second Prince, did not carry himself with such arrogance.

Rong Yue covered her face and wept bitterly. Even if Mu Heng hadn't stopped her just now, she could never have truly brought herself to kill Mu Qingge and leave Niannian an orphan.

Furthermore, it was a waste of talent for Jiang Sheng to enlist at this time. The school had even spoken to him, noting that after the founding of the nation, the country needed experts in economics and technology more than anything. No one knew what he was truly thinking.

In his eyes, there was a flickering light, dimming and brightening, like a distant beacon on a lonely island, hazy and indistinct.

Yue Qianhuan immediately joined forces with Feng Jiuli to cast a spatial array capable of tracking the Heavenly Dao. Then, they ceased their spellcasting, drew their weapons, and charged into the fray.

Seeing her state, Ouyang Min realized she was clearly unwilling to continue the topic, so she stopped asking and turned to speak with Lu Yuetang beside her.

As for receiving the chrysanthemums, he didn't really care, but he worried it might damage the company's image.

Yan Shiyu had not actually drunk himself into a stupor. Hearing someone call his name, he sat up, frowning, and massaged his throbbing temples with his fingers.

"Wow, I never imagined the night markets in ancient times would be this lively. They’re much more interesting than the ones back home!" Su Yuemei exclaimed in admiration.

Chi Hang tilted his head to look inside, his long eyelashes drooping in a way that made him look exceptionally pitiful.

Chi Hang couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Lin Guyu might have guessed it was him, but from what she said, she seemed only to lament that she didn't know who the real culprit was.