I have ten trillion licking dog gold

When Jiang Chen and the Princess arrived together, Master Duanmu had already finished eating.

He's practicing his swordplay in the yard.

Outer wrist flower.

Inner wrist flower.

Then it becomes an inner and outer wrist flower.

Like an arm controlling its fingers.

Lively and graceful.

Beautiful.

Ok.

Exercising after meals is good for your health.

"Miss Duanmu's swordsmanship is truly unparalleled."

The princess sighed with emotion.

She was once kidnapped by gangsters, but they came to her rescue in her time of need. The Taoist nun can be considered her savior.

As for someone.

That time I was just there for show.

"That's not a sword, it's a knife."

Pregnant, her eyesight was probably not very good. After explaining, Boss Jiang walked into the courtyard.

"He's a father now, yet he's still so childish."

"I reckon this is what I really think from the bottom of my heart," she muttered quietly, as the princess slowly followed.

People of the same kind have different fates.

They're all just guests.

The treatment they received was worlds apart.

A feast to enjoy.

One of them almost got shot.

"bass."

The slender Tang sword, spinning and tumbling like an illusion, is precisely and dangerously inserted into its sheath. This one move alone is enough for many people to study for a lifetime and still not understand.

Master Duanmu, whose physique is more similar to Boa Hancock, looked on calmly.

"Are you full?"

Mr. Jiang, who had returned, greeted him warmly.

The experience was certainly unpleasant, but as a gay man, I cannot be unreasonable, nor can I involve innocent people.

Is she related to the Taoist nun?
Absolutely not.

He had agreed to let them have a meal, and when they parted, the Taoist nun kindly reminded him to lend her a knife, but he refused.

His attempt to borrow a knife was useless.

He didn't have the martial arts skills of the Taoist nun sister, who could catch bullets with a knife.

"Miss Duanmu."

The princess, who was two steps behind, was approachable and smiled politely.

Master Duanmu was naturally very impressed with her, this Japanese woman, after all, he had overheard her conversations before.

Her gaze quickly descended and settled on Fujiwara Reiki's belly, which wasn't actually showing much.

Eleven weeks, which is less than three months, doesn't actually make her look much different from the average person.

really.

They have sharp eyes!

Jiang Chen knew, of course, that the Taoist nun had discovered something. Since he had brought her along, he had no intention of hiding it from her. He explained frankly and openly, "Let me reintroduce you. Miss Fujiwara has married into the royal family and is currently pregnant."

Master Duanmu looked up and gazed at him.

Mr. Jiang nodded without changing his expression; he had a clear conscience.

“Miss Duanmu, I recently read Zhuangzi, and one sentence in it has benefited me greatly: ‘To know what is beyond one’s control and to accept it as fate is the highest virtue. To understand that one can act freely and without restraint is the ultimate Tao.’”

Her Highness the Princess is very talkative and cheerful, but the guests she faces are the complete opposite.

They simply didn't respond.

"Please rest for now, both of you."

The princess, who had traveled a long way, didn't mind and came over to greet the guest personally, showing him full respect. She then left a servant behind and turned to leave.

It's not cherry blossom.

After all, last time Sakura went to the East Blue to deliver good news, she was mistaken for a thief and beaten up. Her injuries weren't serious, and she has already recovered, but it would be rather embarrassing.

But she certainly wouldn't be one of Lady Fujiwara's people anymore.

"What are you looking at?"

Boss Jiang looked at Master Duanmu, but the other man's gaze followed the departing figure of his master.

rare.

There were things that actually piqued her interest.

"She got married?"

"Ah."

Mr. Jiang nodded calmly, his expression indifferent. "Getting married and having children are things most people go through, it's just that she was rather unfortunate."

"lie."

Mr. Jiang paused mid-sentence.

Where did he lie?

At least so far, it hasn't been possible yet, has it?

"She doesn't have a marriage line."

"..."

Mr. Jiang's pupils dilated slightly, his expression shifting rapidly from confusion to intense shock.

Even the corner of his eye twitched slightly.

Gan.

He is not only a martial arts genius.

He's a charlatan, isn't he?!

"What does it mean if there's no marriage line?"

Duanmu Liuli withdrew her gaze from the distance, fell silent, and spoke volumes in her silence.

Knowing full well what was going on, Boss Jiang took a deep breath and tried to calm his turbulent emotions. He had never regarded the Taoist nun as a normal person, but what she had just said was truly hard for him to accept, and even sent chills down his spine.

Think about it.

What would it feel like to have someone with "heavenly eyes" lurking in your side all along?

"Well... she got married, but before the wedding could be held, her husband had an accident and was assassinated, which is why I said she was rather unfortunate."

After saying that, I couldn't help but ask, "How did you figure that out?"

"Want to learn?"

Duanmu Liuli turned her head and looked at him.

When their eyes met, it's no exaggeration to say that Jiang Chen felt as if his very soul had been seen through.

"What good would it do? You don't know how to teach me."

Boss Jiang forced a smile and pretended to be relaxed.

They still have self-awareness.

The servants led the way, and the two walked together.

Jiang Chen kept reassuring himself to stay calm and not scare himself. The Taoist nun had some Taoist skills, but she certainly couldn't be omniscient or omnipotent; those were supernatural powers possessed only by immortals.

Why did he dare bring the Taoist nun along? Was he attracted by her martial arts skills?
No.

What I value most is the other person's pure and innocent heart.

Not only is there turmoil here, but what if the secret pregnancy between him and Fujiwara no Reiki is leaked to the Central Plains?

—You must believe it.

The fun will definitely be bigger than this, and possibly much bigger. It's hard to say who will be "abandoned by everyone" in the end.

You definitely can't "calculate" it, right?
Right?

"What did she mean by saying just now, 'The ultimate virtue is the ultimate principle of the Way'?"

This is typical of making conversation for the sake of it; Boss Jiang is trying to divert his attention.

Keep in mind that he was a contestant who could lecture on the Tao Te Ching at Peking University.

Knowing that there is nothing one can do about it and accepting it as fate, anyone who has completed nine years of compulsory education should be able to understand this.

Of course.

The understanding of experts is definitely different from that of the general public.

This is not.

Master Duanmu's response made Boss Jiang raise an eyebrow once again.

"What I said earlier was lying flat."

Lie flat?

It is a truly brilliant summary.

She really does adapt to local customs. She certainly wouldn't have been able to offer such an explanation before descending the mountain.

"What about the second half of the sentence?"

To understand that one can act freely and without restraint is the ultimate attainment of the Way.

This is outside the scope of nine-year compulsory education, and many people probably haven't even heard of it.

"mess."

same.

It was just two words.

Mr. Jiang, who already had his own understanding, remained silent, but his expression was filled with complex emotions.

The Taoist nun.

They've already advanced to the next level.

No longer bound by dogmatism.

I've learned to analyze each situation specifically.

Slowly walking through the seemingly bottomless mansion, Fujiwara Reiki, with her hair in a bun and exuding gentleness and virtue, arrived at her mother's courtyard.

Just like Boss Jiang.

No.

Boss Jiang sometimes hesitates and wavers, but she is by no means an escapist.

When conflicts arise, they should be addressed and resolved.

Such is the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

The same applies to a mother-in-law and son-in-law.

"Mother, it's best to feed the fish less at this time of year; it's more harmful than beneficial."

On the arched bridge, Lady Fujiwara held fish food in her hand. She must have known her daughter would come. The fish food fell into the pond undisturbed, and ripples spread outwards, but it did not cause a joyous scene of koi scrambling for the food.

In winter, due to low temperatures, animals are less active in order to slow down their metabolism.

"It's a rare opportunity to meet, why not stay a little longer instead of wasting your time here?"

Look.

As expected, she has emotions.

"If love between two people is meant to last, why should they be together every day and night?"

Fujiwara no Reiki's exceptional cultural refinement added a touch of poetic beauty to the bleak environment; she stepped onto the bridge...

"And in Li Ji's heart, her mother is also very important."

Seeing that the fish were so lazy and unwilling to move, Lady Fujiwara stopped feeding them. "Is he more important?"

"Mother~"

Fujiwara Reiki came to her side, drawing out her words like a spoiled little girl, "In China, there's a classic question that daughters-in-law often ask their husbands: 'If my mother-in-law and I both fell into the water, who would you save first?' Mothers, don't you think such a question is absurd?"

啧。

Why are people's values ​​sometimes so righteous that they seem to shine?
“If Mother wants to see Jiang Sang, she can simply tell her daughter. There’s absolutely no need to create such a misunderstanding.”

"Fujiwara Reiki said softly."

"Misunderstanding. Is it really a misunderstanding?"

"if not?"

Lady Fujiwara threw another handful of fish food into the pond, causing ripples that spread all the way to the gloomy artificial hill at the end. "You're fooling yourself. He doesn't take the Fujiwara family seriously at all. How could he not know who I am?"

It doesn't count as sowing discord.

If someone is deliberately feigning ignorance, then the nature of the offense is quite egregious.

Moreover, Lady Fujiwara's logic was also reasonable and well-founded.

Regardless of the personal relationship between the daughter and the other party, the Fujiwara family's status in Japan is self-evident, and how could that man, who had played such a big game in Japan, not have had intelligence on the "local powerful families"?

"Mother."

Fujiwara Reiki remained calm and composed, a smile playing on her lips. "Men are different from us women. Men can be quite careless sometimes, not so meticulous. If it were me, I would definitely know who my mother is, and I would even investigate her lifestyle and birth date thoroughly. But he..."

Fujiwara no Reiki shook her head, her tone filled with a sigh and lingering affection.

"My mother didn't spend enough time with him. Actually, he's quite silly."

傻？
It seems this isn't the first woman to comment on Boss Jiang in this way.

"So, Mother, please don't be angry anymore, okay?"

Lady Fujiwara remained noncommittal. "Didn't he complain to you?"

"To complain?"

"What are you complaining about?"

Lady Fujiwara did not answer.

Looking at the artificial hill at the end of the pond, Fujiwara Reiki smiled and said, "He didn't complain at all. Instead, he told me that whatever a mother does to protect her child should be understood."

"so."

"A mother should be able to understand her daughter, right?"

"You're still young, you'll have many more opportunities in the future."

Fujiwara Reiki's smile faded. "Why pin our hopes on the future? Everything is clearly the best arrangement."

"It's not the best arrangement. It's your arrangement."

"So, Mother has changed her mind?"

"Go back on what?"

"My mother had already agreed before. So why is she hurting him now?"

Fujiwara Reiki, supporting her belly, spoke in a soft, melodious voice, her words floating on the surface of the pool without sinking.

"Just because it's not your child, can you be so heartless? You've been very kind to Fujiwara Takuno."

“Mother, there’s no need to explain, because I’m a mother now too, so I have no objection. No matter how bad, how naughty, or how rebellious the child is, they are still flesh and blood that fell from your own body after ten months of pregnancy. Even tigers don’t eat their cubs.”

“I married into this place when I was a teenager, and this is my home. If one day Fujiwara Takuno affects the survival of this place, I will not hesitate to take action.”

meaning is.

Did Fujiwara Takuno not affect the family's survival before?
It really is.

The current clan chief is at most morally deficient.

However, moral failings are not a problem once they reach a certain level.

"Does Mother mean that I have had an influence?"

They've started asking questions they already know the answer to.

So Lady Fujiwara did not answer.

“Mother, the Age of Exploration has begun anew. In such a wave, those who do not strive for progress will be left behind and eliminated. I thought you and I shared the same view, but it turns out that it was just wishful thinking on my part.”

Fujiwara Reiki murmured, "You are old, and it's understandable that you are conservative and nostalgic. I don't ask for your support, but you can't row in the opposite direction either. You can question me, but the answer will be revealed in the near future."

It is understood that one can act freely and without restraint.

Master Duanmu summarized it in two words: reckless.

But what does it mean specifically?
To put it simply, if you feel confident in something, go for it without any hesitation.

Having experienced such dramatic ups and downs as a joyous occasion and a funeral, Her Highness the Princess is clearly...

With a "thump".

The water exploded!

The lifeless koi fish scattered in fright, swimming wildly, and the once stagnant pond was suddenly bursting with vibrant colors.

That's right.

Colorful.

The vibrant crimson blood slowly spread with the ripples, the hair floating due to buoyancy resembled rootless water plants, and against the backdrop of frantic koi carp, a fresh human head steadily sank to the bottom of the pond.

By the pond.

Sakura, dressed in black with a cinched waist, stood silently, expressionless.

"you--!"

Lady Fujiwara finally turned pale and glared angrily at her pregnant daughter.

No need to guess anymore.

Lying at the bottom of the pool is He Gui, who recently received a tip from Boss Jiang.

only.

Only the head remained.

What about the body?
The blood became a better catalyst than fish food, making the pool lively and even more beautiful.

Look.

You have to do the job if you take the money.

People who take money and then stab you in the back are destined for a bad end.

Lady Fujiwara possessed an extraordinary and unconventional perspective, yet she was still subject to human emotions and desires; her eyes were sharp as needles.
"You promised me..."

"Didn't my mother promise me that too?"

Fujiwara no Reiki, who had gone back on her word, looked down at the heads at the bottom of the pool with a smile on her face.

“Mother, life is never perfect. We should only ask for half of everything to be satisfactory. In the words of Shenzhou, we cannot have it all. If you feel uneasy, you can go to Shenzhou first, go there to relax, and come back when everything has settled down. Jiang Sang will definitely take good care of you.”

Expecting a man who demands you to perform striptease to take care of you?
Lady Fujiwara's face was terribly cold. She turned her head away and said, "Step back."

Fujiwara no Reiki lowered her eyes and said, "Mother, please rest well." (End of Chapter)