Chapter 40: The Ugly Princess of the Bath Fire Kingdom, Green Bean

  "Not bad, you've made progress again!" The newcomer chuckled, the golden mask glinting with a cold light in the moonlight, a pair of eyes that seemed to hold a hint of dark blue, deep and piercing, with a hint of secret indulgence.

  "How did you get here?" Qing Ge's wrist moved, and her bones seemed to shrink like a loach, wriggling free from the restraints. The dagger quickly returned to her sleeve.

  The golden-faced man glanced at the empty palm, this move of Golden Cicada Shell was very good. He raised his eyes, and the golden mask emitted a faint glow. The dark blue pupils flickered as he smiled and said, "Your performance today did not disappoint me."

  A brief sentence, without a head or tail, Qing Ge could understand his meaning, he was referring to the refusal of the imperial grandson in Chunyan residence this afternoon. A hint of mystery appeared between her eyebrows, what's going on with this person, as if she and he were very familiar.

  It seems that he was in the courtyard all along, judging from the words I heard by his ear during the day.

  Her skills may not have fully recovered yet, but she absolutely cannot be underestimated. This person has been hiding in the courtyard without being discovered by her, and their actual strength is unknown!

  She raised her head to meet the gaze of the golden-faced man, with a hint of surprise in her eyes. This person, whether in the crowded place of Han Yun Xuan or in the small courtyard, had an air of royalty that made everything around him pale in comparison, just like the sun in the sky, eclipsing all other light.

  Those who shine too brightly will inevitably be too lonely.

  Such dazzling light, today she also felt it from another person, however, Qian Wang Yu Tian Qian only rushed back last night, the two should not be together.

  The air is quiet and still, the moonlit night is serene, the croaking of frogs accompanies the warm breeze on a summer evening.

  "You came on a moonlit night just to say one sentence, didn't I not disappoint you?" Qing Ge asked with a calm and clear gaze, she didn't think the golden-faced man had such leisure.

  "I'm sending you something!"

  "Do I have something with you?" Qing Ge looked at the golden-faced man lightly and asked back.

  "This!" The golden-faced man flipped his hand over, and a blue circular bottle appeared on his palm.

  "What is this?" Qing Ge looked at the bottle with a frown, it seemed like something used to hold pills.

  "Just take a look and you'll know!" The golden-faced man smiled, took Qing Ge's hand, and placed the blue round bottle in her palm.

  The man's slender and powerful fingers on his wrist brought a slight roughness to the skin, as well as a scorching heat that was different from women. Qing Ge's mind fluttered slightly, unexpectedly, for someone who wasn't used to physical contact with others, this touch didn't make her feel extremely repelled.

  It was probably the last time the golden-haired man had lent a helping hand, leaving an impression in her heart that made her feel at ease.

  Her eyes narrowed slightly, she withdrew her hand and opened the blue bottle. As the fragrance wafted out, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes. She poured out a few pills into her palm, then took out a jade bottle from her bosom and also poured out a few pills to compare them side by side. Indeed!

  The contents of this blue bottle are exactly the same as those in the bottle given by Qianye Li, and even the medicine inside is more pure and precious, so its efficacy will naturally be better.

  She looked up at the person in front of her with a puzzled expression, wondering why they would give her such good things when they weren't even familiar.

  As if seeing the doubts in her eyes, a glimmer of light flashed across the bottom of the golden-faced man's eyes.

  "Don't take his things!" The golden-faced man stood with one hand, his posture arrogant, his tone deeply dissatisfied. He stretched out his long arm and snatched the jade bottle from Qing Ge's hand. With a slight grasp of his fingers, the jade bottle shattered into powder and disappeared into the night wind.

  What an overbearing internal force!

  Qing Ge looked up at the man, whose strength was indeed formidable, and his personality was just as overbearing as his strength. His words were filled with a strong sense of possessiveness, but he had the qualifications to be arrogant.

  Her lips slightly curled up, her eyebrows and eyes were light, she said in a clear voice: "What's the relationship between you and me? What qualifications do you have to interfere with my affairs?" He was arrogant, but she wouldn't show weakness.

  At the words, Jin's face dimmed, and he gazed quietly at Qing Ge. Under the moonlight, his black clothes seemed to be stained with frost, adding a layer of chilliness. A faint glow emanated from his small, jade-like face, which was no bigger than a palm. The sharp, proud glint in his eyes outshone the starry night sky, and his eyebrows shone with a subtle light.

  He had only seen her a few times, but from the first time on, the cold and ruthless intention that came out of her bones had already caught his attention. If someone had told him before that there would be a woman in this world who would make him infatuated at first sight, he would have coldly told others that it was a huge joke.

  Until he met the girl in front of him, her appearance was the heart-stopping moment that changed his life, and there would never be a second person.

  The golden-faced man slowly unfolded a smile, saying loudly: "If you become my..." Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes suddenly became sharp and he turned to look outside the courtyard. Qing Ge, who was standing opposite him, also gradually floated up with a layer of murderous aura, and the air between her eyebrows suddenly became fierce.

  The two locked eyes, and in each other's gaze, they saw the same meaning - an assassin! A killer aura!

  The wind swept over the treetops, bringing a rustling sound, the air was quiet and settled, several black figures jumped onto the wall, silently appearing in Qing Ge's line of sight.

  In an instant, more than a dozen black-clad men stood in the originally small courtyard, each with cold eyes and a murderous gaze.

  Standing in the courtyard, Qing Ge's eyes coldly stared at the black-clad man opposite him, his ink-black clothes fluttering, his lips tightly pursed, forming a chilly arc.

  "Are you Mu Qing Ge?" a man in black asked in a low voice.

  "I am." Qing Ge replied without hesitation.

  The man in black nodded slightly, looking at the golden-faced man who was standing still in the yard. His pupils contracted, and he felt a strong aura. This person is not easy to mess with! They were just carrying out their orders and didn't need to waste energy on unnecessary trouble. He immediately waved his hand towards the golden-faced man and said: "If others don't want to die, they should leave immediately."

  "Die? You think you can kill me?" Jin's face was cold and smiling, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, filled with disdain.

  The man in black glared, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, and shouted: "Since you won't back down, don't blame us for being ruthless! Brother, go ahead and kill them both!" It's all the same whether we kill one or two!

  At one word, more than a dozen black-clad figures quickly moved in and swiftly surrounded Qing Ge and Jin Mian in the courtyard.

  Qing Ge gave a sidelong glance at Jin Mian, "You really do like to meddle in other people's business!" As soon as the words fell, the dagger in her hand was already tightly gripped, and with a flash of movement, she shot towards the black-clothed man at the forefront like lightning.

  "Except for you, I have no interest in other idle matters!" A hint of surprise flashed in Jin's eyes, followed by a smile between his eyebrows. This was the first time Qing Ge had taken the initiative to speak to him. His figure flashed, and he also welcomed the man in black.

  The men in black immediately split into two groups, one half dealing with Qing Ge and the other half dealing with the golden-faced man.

  Jet-black long hair, jet-black robes, a slender figure almost merged with the night, Qing Ge's eyes were a deep black, and his eyebrows had a thick murderous aura.

  The overflowing killing intent filled the courtyard, and the temperature suddenly dropped. The black-clothed men were shocked, their daggers flashing in all directions, swift as wind and lightning. Wherever the cold light appeared, blood would splatter out, and in an instant, one of them met his end at Qing Ge's hands.

  Her speed was so fast that by the time you were still searching for her figure, the dagger had already stabbed out from another strange angle.

  No sparks of clashing blades, no scattered flesh and blood flying everywhere, no desperate cries of despair, between the flash of a knife's rise and fall, someone would fall.

  The eyes of the man in black were filled with deep shock, while the girl's eyes only had coldness, only goals, only bloodthirsty slaughter. Everything else did not exist in her eyes except for the person she wanted to take down!

  Too scary!

  The man in black conveyed only one message: this was no place to come and buy life with money; it was a place to come and lose your life!

  His golden eyes also showed shock, and in his dark blue pupils, there was only the shadow of a girl merging with the night. On the martial stage of Han Yun Xuan, he had already witnessed her strength, but that was during a competition.

  This was the first time he saw her walking between life and death, without any extra moves, but a fatal blow, every move ruthless! As if the queen who dominated life and death, the rise and fall of which determined survival!

  The corners of her mouth curled up into a big smile, good, good! She indeed never disappointed him!

  Seeing Qing Ge's side, the black-clothed man was already left with only one person. Since that's the case, he couldn't fall too far behind either. His eyes gleamed like a sword in an instant, cold as frost. Originally slow and gentle, like teasing a child, his moves suddenly became fierce and swift. With a wave of his sleeve, the black-clothed man felt a powerful internal force surging towards his chest, his body flying backward, his mouth filled with sweetness, a mouthful of fresh blood gushing out from his heart...

  The man in black gazed at the golden-faced man in the moonlight, standing calmly and unruffled, his overbearing aura making him seem like the only one standing alone in the world.

  What majesty and domineering aura!

  The remaining two men in black looked at each other and saw the intention to retreat in each other's eyes. They stood up simultaneously and suddenly jumped out!

  Money is important! But life is more important!

  "It's not that easy to escape!" The golden-faced man sneered with a proud smile, his arm stretched out, and his sleeve puffed up. Suddenly, the branches, weeds, and stones in the courtyard flew into the air, flying towards him.

  The black-clad figure's leaping form paused, and then crashed to the bottom, only to feel a gravitational force pulling them continuously towards the golden-faced man.

  "Sheng Ji Jue Gong!" One of the men in black was shocked, his eyes wide with fear as he shouted loudly, his voice filled with terror, absolute terror. This supposedly lost internal skill suddenly appeared, how could he not be terrified!

  "Although your martial arts skills are trash, your vision is still okay!" Jin's face was cold and smiling, with no warmth in his eyes. "Tell me, who ordered you to carry out the assassination tonight?"

  The man in black had his fingers tightly clasped on the ground, struggling not to be dragged away. His face was covered with bulging veins and his eyes were bloodshot. He replied with difficulty: "Jianghu rules, I will never... reveal my employer's name!"

  "You dare!" Jin's face turned cold as he let out a low hum, his internal energy surging in an instant. "I'll give you one more chance, speak or not?"

  Two men in black clothes suddenly increased their pulling force, and one of them was flipped over and fell in front of the golden-faced man. The air was filled with the sound of cracking bones being squeezed open.

  A pain more unbearable than lingchi swept through his entire body, the black-clothed man's whole body shrunk into a ball, all notions of Jianghu rules and bone spirit thrown to the back of his mind!

  "Mou...er xiao...jie..."

  The golden-faced man's palm shook, and with a cracking sound, the black-clothed man's entire skeleton was shattered, his breath gone, his body destroyed. He turned to look at Qing Ge, whose eyebrows were filled with a sinister and ruthless aura, and raised an eyebrow, asking: "Woman, what's next?"

  Miss Mu Er?

  At these words, Qing Ge, who was wiping the dagger, suddenly had a fierce look in his eyes. Ah, you Mozi Ru! From dusk till now, it's such a short time, you can't possibly go and buy assassins to take action. So, this group of assassins must have been prepared long ago!

  "I won't harm others if they don't harm me, but if they do, I'll destroy them!" With a flick of her body, Qing Ge had already rushed out the door and sped towards Murong Ziyu's Qian Hong Residence.

  The golden-faced man behind him had a smile in his eyebrows and eyes, and he followed closely after a flash of movement.

  The night grew darker and more silent, with a stillness like death, the majestic imperial palace quietly lay in the vast darkness.

  One person flew in mid-air, one person ran on the road, both with incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye they arrived in front of Qian Hong's residence.

  Bright light shines through the exquisitely decorated window, proving that the people in the house have not rested yet. A man's voice can be faintly heard from inside.

  Is there anyone else in the house?

  The singer's hands grasped the dagger tightly, with a single push of both hands, he jumped over the outer wall of Qianhongju, landing on the ground without making any sound. His movements were more agile than those of a wild cat, and he quietly approached under the eaves of the house.

  A hazy human figure on the silk window casts a tall side shadow. At this time, who else is in Ziyu's room?

  Qing Ge withdrew her dagger into her sleeve, and with both hands, she climbed up onto the outer eaves. The golden-faced man flew up to sit beside her on the crossbeam, and together they looked inside through the ventilating window above.

  There are four corner lamps in the shape of flowers in the house, and a row of night pearls as big as fish eyes are inlaid on the roof, making the house bright and not dazzling.

  A rosewood carved flower beast leg dresser, a high-quality silk quilt, and pink curtains with large and small pearls. The pear wood bed carved with peach blossoms shows that this is the boudoir of an official's daughter.

  Looking at all this, I thought of Qing Ge's dilapidated small courtyard. A cold anger flashed in Jin Mian's eyes, and flames burned in his icy gaze. He stared at Qing Ge sitting across from him for a moment, then continued to look around the room when he saw that she didn't seem to care.

  Mei Zi Ru sat on the bed, her body wrapped in bandages. Her face had been re-dressed and was no longer bandaged up. The whip marks from Qing Ge's beating two days ago had scabbed over and were healing well. But even with such a beautiful face, this scar would still ruin its beauty completely.

  At this time, she was covering her face, with tears in her eyes, speaking to the man standing opposite her in a wronged tone: "Dad, look at your daughter's face, it was beaten like this by Mu Qingge, how can I see people in the future!"

  Mu Zongpei slowly turned around, and under the lamp light, his face didn't look as calm as it did in daylight. His eyebrows were furrowed, making him appear somewhat ferocious. Looking at his crying daughter, Li Hua, who was tearfully holding a pear blossom, he said slowly: "Dad has already gotten you the best lotus flower ointment, just wait for some time and it will be fine, don't cry anymore. If tears fall on the wound, it might leave scars." His tone was warm and loving, although somewhat impatient, but still filled with thick paternal love.

  Her fingers clenched tightly, a wave of inexplicable sorrow welled up inside her. Was it you, Mu Qing Ge? Were you the one who felt pain? Did you feel that as another daughter of the Mu family, you received completely different treatment and felt pain? Since you've already chosen a different path, I'll be the one to move forward! This kind of sorrow must not appear!

  The emotions in her eyes gradually faded away, and she continued to watch the father-daughter pair perform their affectionate act with a cold expression.

  Hearing that it would leave a scar, Mei Zi Ru immediately stopped the tears in her eyes, touched the concave and convex scars, and resentfully said: "Dad, now that cheap thing is at home with his head held high, hitting me and Rongrong is not enough, today he even broke my mother's leg, Dad... why didn't you stop him today?!"

  "Don't mention your mother!" Mu Zong Pei frowned, "What foolish thing did she do today! The emperor is there, I just temporarily took down her position and let her copy some scriptures, isn't this all for show? After a few days, return her position and it's fine, but she actually wants to push me out too! Foolish woman!"

  Mei Zi's eyes were filled with anger as she said, "Father, the Emperor is so fond of Mu Qing Ge now that he even scolded the Crown Prince for writing a divorce letter. I've heard that the Emperor has always been very fond of the Crown Prince and never lost his temper before. But if it was the timid Mu Qing Ge from before, it would be understandable. However, she's suddenly changed into a different person, being arrogant to the extreme. If the Emperor continues to support her, Father, she will take revenge..." She still remembered what she had done over the years and was now afraid that Qing Ge would retaliate.

  Revenge? Mu Zong Pei's mind flashed back to the moment when Qing Ge picked up a brick and fiercely smashed it towards Qin Yan Lian, with the fierce and ruthless look in her eyes... Revenge... She really did it...

  Aged eyes with a cold light flashed towards him, his complexion becoming increasingly somber.

  Mei Zi Ru saw that her words had taken effect, and she continued to hum and snuggle into Mei Zong Pei's arms, with tears welling up in her eyes again. "Dad, Mom is like this now, it's hard to protect me... if that Mei Qing Ge comes again next time... Dad... I'm so scared..."

  Looking down at his tearful daughter, Mu Zong Pei's eyes flashed a few times. This daughter was a bit arrogant in her personality, but from childhood to adulthood, she had always been able to make him happy with her spoiled and silly ways. He stroked her hair, "Don't worry, from young to old, you're the one I love and care for the most. You're my only daughter, how could I not dote on you? What did you ever ask for that I didn't give you?"

  Mei Zi smiled complacently, how about it? Even if Your Majesty likes you, can't Your Majesty always be in charge of these small things at the Mei's house? At home, Father is still in charge. It's not known when that group of killers will make their move, and if they succeed, that would be best; if not, she'll rely on her father for stability first.

  She sniffled, "Dad dotes on Ziyu, doesn't he? Although she's born out of wedlock, isn't Muyeqing also your daughter?"

  Mu Zongpei's expression suddenly stiffened, his face looked a bit strange. He pushed Mu Ziru away with his hand and said somewhat absent-mindedly: "Huh? How did she compare to you..." He paused for a moment, then continued: "Father just remembered something, you rest well and recover from your injuries. At the grand banquet, King Qian will also be there..."

  Upon hearing the two words "Qian Wang", a flush rose to Mu Zi Ru's face, and she leaned against the headboard with a girlish charm, completely unaware of Mu Zong Pei's unnatural expression just now.

  She didn't notice, Qing Ge and Jin Mian Nan wouldn't have noticed either. Seeing Mu Zong Pei preparing to return to her room, the two immediately withdrew. Qing Ge's foot tripped, and she jumped down from the eaves of the house. Suddenly, her body tilted, and she fell straight down...

  Digression

  Zui's job is 365 days a year, except for the New Year's holiday, every day has to go to work, every working day from 8 am to 6 pm, no rest time in between... Don't let Zui and those full-time authors compare word counts...