Volume One, Chapter 89: Satisfied?

The invitation to Fang Yuze’s birthday banquet arrived exactly on cue, as troublesome as expected. Fu Yuting had already received it at the company the day before: an extravagantly designed card edged in gold.

Looking at Fang Yuze’s flamboyant signature on it, all she felt was a chill of contempt.

He was inviting her?

A fox visiting the henhouse could hardly mean anything good.

The masked pair led Shui Tao through several streets to an inn. Shui Tao had intended to enter through the front door, but one of the men pressed a hand to her shoulder and took her to the back entrance instead. Then, looping an arm around hers, he leaped lightly and carried her up to the inn’s second floor.

After they returned to the courtyard of his own home, Nie Rong’s father saw that the doors of the various rooms along the edge of the yard were all wide open.

As if that were true. The emperor’s face was filled with such heartfelt regret, and the Grand Steward, his trusted confidant, lied through his teeth without so much as blinking.

“Summon everyone. Come here at once.” Xu Yang nodded in acknowledgment, and Feng Ling promptly withdrew as though granted a pardon.

At first, the spotted fox would bat away Lu Fan’s hand. But after it happened too many times, it buried its head beneath itself, curling into a ball and letting Lu Fan rest his hand upon its body at will.

Only I understand this feeling of happiness. At first, I was somewhat put off when you took my first kiss, because from that day on, whenever I ate something, I would think of the moment you stole it from me. And yet each time I thought of you, I discovered that a smile would always, quite against my will, rise to my face.

“I thought I’d come ask my sister for her opinion first. If sister disapproves, then I’ll go back and continue making plans for Jing Bao Lin to bear a child. If sister has no objections, then I’ll go and beg the emperor.” The imperial consort said.

Though they did not understand why their young master had suddenly changed his ways, they were all wise enough to pretend they knew nothing. So long as the young master was in a good mood, they would have more chances to distinguish themselves before him.

After a moment of stunned silence, Nie Rong’s father also looked anxious and immediately prepared to leave, intending to head to the neighboring county to find Nie Rong.

“This matter ends here. The Retired Emperor is in poor health, and none of you are to disturb his rest over this affair.” The emperor’s face showed concern, as though he feared that news of the matter would worsen the Retired Emperor’s condition.

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! How could there be no food? I still have a hundred jin of white flour and two hundred jin of rice at home! And I have several jars of fine liquor too! See if that’s enough—if not, I’ll have someone buy more for you at once!” In order to save his own life, Diao Deyi had thrown caution to the wind.

Given the strength he had just displayed, Xingsha Chen no longer found it strange that he could speak. And during the time he was talking, all the sandmen had ceased moving, so Xingsha Chen did not need to worry about being attacked.

“Didn’t the battalion commander already say so? You’re set to be this battalion commander!” Peng Mingxuan argued.

“You also know this trip to the imperial capital was limited in time to begin with. If you want my help, I really won’t be much help at all.” Lin Yumai shrugged.

“What happened?” Ralu and the others frowned as they looked downward. Only half of Vatican had been destroyed, while the great cathedral, the most important of all, had narrowly escaped harm.

With a light leap, Beidou landed smoothly inside the cellar. With a shift of thought, the blood-red Ghost King Flame within him surfaced, its power reduced and its brightness increased, instantly illuminating the entire dark cellar.

Yao Ying took a deep breath, his eyes filled with killing intent. The ordeal of those days was still vivid before him, impossible to let go.

The boulder blocking Lin Yumai’s path was smashed to pieces by the tail of the Yagi serpent, and Lin Yumai had already withdrawn far away.