A smile may hide a dagger, and words can be as sharp as knives; even the sounds of dogs and horses can be deceiving.

  Gu Yunxi's eyebrows furrowed deeply, and Gu Zixuan's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. The woman standing by the door was someone he knew - it was none other than Princess Nan Yue, who had asked the Emperor for permission last night. Although he resented her for using him, he didn't want to expose this matter and cause trouble for her either.

  "Your Highness has arrived, why wasn't there an announcement?"

  Words that were neither happy nor angry came out, and Zilan suddenly appeared behind Luoran with a look of horror. Gu Yunxi didn't really want to blame her, so she immediately walked towards Luoran and said, "I apologize for not welcoming you properly, please forgive me, Princess."

  Luo Ran covered her mouth and smiled, her slender figure trembling with laughter. "Has Miss Gu forgotten? I want to make friends with Chu Yi."

  Gu Yunxue couldn't help but laugh. This princess was indeed a woman of her word. She stepped aside and gestured towards the house, "Please come in, Princess."

  Luo Ran entered the house calmly and sat down without needing to be invited. Gu Yun Xi signaled for Zi Lan to bring tea, leaving only the three of them in the large room. Luo Ran gave Gu Zi Xuan a captivating glance, causing his face to flush red as he hastily bowed to Luo Ran and retreated without even looking at Gu Yun Xi.

  Luo Ran's smile deepened, but then he sighed, "Three days later, my brother and I will return to South Vietnam. Father Emperor is seriously ill and can't wait for a moment. Da Yan is a place of outstanding people and land, Luo Ran originally wanted to make more friends, now it seems that only Gu Niang and Chu Yi can be recognized."

  Gu Yunxi raised an eyebrow, lightly clapped her hands twice, and a white shadow darted out from the inner room. Luo Ran's face lit up even more upon seeing the little thing, and just as she stretched out her hand, Chu Yi let out a low whistle.

  Luo Ran's expression changed slightly, and Gu Yunxi could only apologize, "I'm really sorry, Chu Yi is indeed a bit wary of strangers, I'm afraid there's no one in this world who can get close to it except for me."

  Luo Ran's eyebrows rose slightly, and his eyes were filled with amusement, "Really?"

  Gu Yunxi only felt a thought flash through her mind, but she couldn't quite grasp what it was. As she gently stroked Chu Yi's back, she asked softly, "I've never been to Nanyue before, I wonder where the princess will go three days from now?"

  "Good tea!" Luo Ran took a sip of the tea and sighed, "Three days later, from Chaoyang Gate out of Yanjing City, then head south to Wulipo, down the scales of fish peak on the official road, through the southwest fourteen states straight to the southwestern border of Yan State, after crossing the border is South Vietnam, this road is the most convenient and fast, just afraid that Father Emperor can not wait."

  Gu Yunxi's expression didn't change, and she nodded slightly. "In that case, I only wish the princess a smooth journey. There's nothing suitable for me to give as a gift here, but this small token might be acceptable."

  As soon as the voice fell, Gu Yunxi took out a sachet from her sleeve. The silver cut surface was embroidered with a blooming peony, which was elegant and refined, yet fresh and simple. Luo Ran's eyes lit up as she took it over, and Gu Yunxi smiled slightly, "This sachet was embroidered by my mother, I don't think I'm like this peony, now it's just right to give it to the princess. Inside is filled with very ordinary mind-clearing incense, the princess can wear it on her body."

  A strange emotion flashed in Luo Ran's eyes, she lovingly turned the sachet over and over again, examining it carefully. Suddenly, her gaze deepened as she looked at Gu Yun Xi, "It seems I've come at the right time, three days later Luo Ran will be returning to Nan Yue, by then Luo Ran will definitely have a gift to send you off."

  Gū Yún Xī's eyes narrowed slightly, "As long as the princess likes it, Yún Xī doesn't dare ask for any return gift."

  Chu Yi was quietly lying in Gu Yun Xue's arms, Luo Ran looked at Xiao Xue Lang and sighed, "It seems that it can't be friends with him, Miss Gu, I hope we have the chance to meet again in the future."

  Luoran didn't think much of what she said at the time, but she never expected that her farewell would come so soon. At that moment, they stood facing each other, surrounded by an atmosphere of murder!

  When Gu Yunxi escorted Luo Ran out the door, it was already afternoon. One wore a red robe and the other a white cloak with wind blowing through their hair. As they walked out of the Shuiyue Pavilion together, they immediately attracted the attention of many people. When they reached a fake mountain corridor, they ran into Gu Yingxue from Huisnow Pavilion. Her pace was steady, her mouth slightly hooked up in a smile, but only Gu Yunxi could see that this sister's shoulders were tense, suppressing something unknown.

  When they brushed past each other, they just nodded at each other. Gu Yingxue's voice was slightly low, "Who is that?"

  Because of the previous night's palace feast, Gu Yingxue, as a future princess, did not attend and therefore did not know Luo Ran's identity. However, Jin Xin had already asked clearly when she heard the servants discussing it on her way back to the mansion.

  "Miss, that is the princess of Nanyue. I heard she will be taking the prince of Nanyue back with her in a few days. Today, she came to find Second Miss. You mustn't underestimate this princess. Almost everyone in Nanyue knows how to use poisonous insects, and the most toxic techniques in the world are all mastered by the royal family of Nanyue."

  Gu Yingxue's footsteps paused slightly, "The most poisonous poison?"

  "It's exactly that." After saying these three words, Jin Xin paused and hurriedly said, "Miss, the king only postponed the wedding because of an inauspicious sign during the night sky observation at the Imperial Observatory. You..."?

  Hehe——

  Gu Yingxue sneered, "Even if there was a deadly poison, I wouldn't do anything. The imperial edict has been issued, what difference does it make whether it's sooner or later?"

  As she watched Luo Ran's carriage disappear into the distance, Gu Yun Xi turned back and instructed, "Head to the Duke of De's residence!"

  Gu Yunxi, still sitting in the carriage, was thinking about the route to Nanyue that Luo Ran had mentioned earlier. Zi Lan deliberately asked the coachman to hurry up, and when they arrived at the De Wang Fu, Gu Yunxi's eyebrows were still deeply furrowed, her heart feeling somewhat uneasy. After Xiaotong opened the door, she didn't wait for him to lead the way and directly rushed towards Gong Sunmo's courtyard.

  Before approaching, the faint sound of silk and bamboo could be heard. Pushing open the courtyard door and entering, there were only Sun Lu and Sun Zhe present. Upon seeing Gu Yunxi arrive, their expressions changed. Just as they were about to turn around and report inside, Gu Yunxi made a hand gesture to stop them. As Gu Yunxi was about to push the door open herself, the faces of Sun Lu and Sun Zhe turned pale.

  "With a creak, Gu Yunxi's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. The slender-waisted dancer, the disheveled and lecherous-looking man, the overwhelming smell of wine and the intoxicating scent of perfume - her gaze fell straight on the main seat. Gong Sun Mo was sitting with his legs crossed, holding a wine cup in his hand, while a woman with skin as fair as a peach blossom and wearing very little clothing leaned against his chest, her face flushed red."

  Almost at the same time, everyone's gaze turned to Gu Yunxi, and Gong Sunmo, who was sitting in the main seat, frowned slightly. When he saw that it was Gu Yunxi standing at the door, his eyes changed dramatically. He slowly pushed away the woman in his arms and stood up, while the man closest to the door had already walked over to Gu Yunxi with a dazed expression.

  The man reeking of alcohol placed his large hand on Gu Yunxi's shoulder, leaning in close to her, "Beautiful woman, finally met a beautiful woman——"

  The nauseating voice brought Gu Yunxue back to her senses, she glanced at the greasy big hand on her right shoulder, her eyes turned cold, and her right hand suddenly lifted and wrapped around the man's wrist, Push! Wrong! Break!

  All that could be heard was a "crack" sound, and a blood-curdling scream instantly rang out in this grand hall filled with music and dance, fragrant with the scent of incense.

  By the way?

  Our heroine may not have very high-level martial arts skills, but she can still handle simple and neat grappling and whatnot~ She can do the most basic self-defense, and later on, there will be developments in her martial arts skills too. To those who like a heroine with both literary and martial talents, I won't disappoint you...

  Today's big push, hope everyone collects and gives it a boost!