Joy of Life: Starting by clinging to the eldest princess's coattails!

On the rooftop, Wu Feng sat cross-legged, the night breeze causing his clothes to flutter slightly.

Just as he was pondering when to surprise Emperor Qing again, a faint whooshing sound suddenly came from the direction of Chang Le Palace in the distance.

Wu Feng's eyes narrowed, and he immediately looked over.

Four figures leaped out from the direction of Chang Le Palace, stepping on the palace rooftops and running towards the outside of the palace.

This time he recognized her.

At the very front was Hong Sixiang, the old eunuch whose movements were light and agile, covering more than ten feet with a single step.

Two people followed behind, dressed in ordinary close-fitting clothes. Judging from their figures, they should be the other two ninth-rank officials from Chang Le Palace.

The last person...

Wu Feng narrowed his eyes.

The man was wearing a large hooded black robe, the hood pulled low, obscuring his entire face in shadow.

The movements seemed somewhat sluggish, not as agile as the three before, but each step was steady.

This person is definitely Emperor Qing.

Wu Feng's face showed surprise.

That old scoundrel actually dares to show his face now?

What made him dare to leave the palace now?

Before he could think it through, the four figures had already swept over the palace walls and disappeared into the night of Kyoto.

Almost simultaneously, Yan Xiaoyi leaped over from another rooftop.

"Lord Wu," Yan Xiaoyi landed beside Wu Feng, her gaze still fixed on the direction of Chang Le Palace, "Just now... did you see who it was?"

Wu Feng turned to look at him: "Don't ask too many questions. Commander Yan, you are a military general; knowing too much won't do you any good. Go back and do what you're supposed to do."

After saying that, he lightly stepped on the tile, and his whole body floated up like a feather, returning to the entrance of the sleeping quarters in a few leaps.

The door to the sleeping quarters opened at that moment.

Chunmei leaned out, her face wary: "What happened?"

"Someone has gone out of Chang Le Palace," Wu Feng said in a low voice. "Something big must have happened. I want to go out and see. Is His Highness still asleep?"

"No," Chunmei shook her head. "Be careful."

Wu Feng nodded.

He turned and strode quickly toward the servants' quarters next to the small garden. He pushed open the door, quickly changed into a set of black night clothes that had been prepared beforehand, covered his face with a black cloth, leaving only his eyes exposed.

When she came out again, Chunmei was still waiting at the entrance of the bedroom.

Wu Feng waved to her, then his figure blurred—

Chunmei felt a blur before her eyes.

The black figure seemed to blend into the night, disappearing behind the roof of Guangxin Palace in a few flashes, so fast that she almost thought she was seeing things.

She stood at the doorway, stunned for a moment.

This lightness skill... Your Highness definitely doesn't have it in your armory.

Yan Xiaoyi could see it clearly from the rooftop.

He gripped the bow tightly, his face showing barely concealed surprise.

He felt that Wu Feng's true qi strength was at most at the seventh rank.

But this lightness skill... is too terrifying.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Wu Feng unleashed his Flying Floss and Light Smoke Technique at full speed.

The night wind whistled in my ears, and the rooftops and streets beneath my feet rushed past.

He moved like a true shadow among the houses in Kyoto.

He quickly caught up with Emperor Qing and his three companions.

East of the city.

Wu Feng trailed far behind, watching the four figures hurry along under the moonlight.

The direction is... east of the city?

Almost all the people attending this auction lived in the east of the city, and the auction venue was also in the east of the city.

He suddenly remembered what Chen Pingping had said during the day: Emperor Qing had ordered him to sabotage the auction.

Wu Feng's eyes turned cold.

Could it be that Emperor Qing intends to kill everyone attending the auction tonight? But that doesn't make sense; such a small matter would hardly warrant Emperor Qing's personal intervention.

Just then, the four figures in front of them suddenly separated.

The two ninth-rank masters, dressed in tight-fitting clothes, turned in another direction and disappeared into the depths of the alley in a flash.

Wu Feng immediately slipped into the shadow of a rooftop.

He thought he had been discovered.

After waiting for a few moments, there was still no movement.

He peeked out and saw Hong Sixiang supporting the figure in the black robe, slowly walking towards a street ahead.

The man in the black robe walked with an awkward gait, as if his legs were not very agile.

Hong Sixiang half-supported and half-carried them, and the two walked slowly.

Wu Feng took out the Embroidered Spring Blade from the system inventory and held it in his hand.

The cool hilt of the knife calmed him down.

He used his Flying Willow and Light Smoke technique to follow them silently.

As for where the other two ninth-rank officials went... Wu Feng didn't have time to think about it.

Now he was more interested in knowing where Emperor Qing and Hong Sixiang were going.

Ahead, Hong Sixiang helped the man in black robes turn a street corner.

Wu Feng followed, and as soon as he turned the corner, he saw the two standing in front of a mansion.

The gate of the house was tall, with two lanterns hanging in front of it, casting a dim yellow light on the plaque.

The Fan residence.

The two large, gilded characters were clearly visible in the light.

Wu Feng's pupils contracted.

What is Emperor Qing doing at the Fan residence?

Is it...

A thought suddenly popped into my head.

Ye Qingmei's child has appeared?

If that's the case, then Wu Zhu must be nearby.

Wu Feng took a deep breath, shrank further into the shadows, and even softened his breathing.

At that moment, the gate of the Fan residence creaked open.

Fan Jian and Chen Pingping walked out of the door.

Both men wore respectful expressions and quickly approached the man in black.

"Your Majesty..." Fan Jiangang began.

The man in black robes raised a hand, stopping him from speaking.

It was Emperor Qing's voice, somewhat hoarse, but filled with urgency: "Where is the child? Where is the child now?"

Fan Jian quickly bowed: "Your Majesty, please wait a moment, the child is in the backyard..."

Before the words were even finished!

"Bang!!!"

A loud explosion erupted from the backyard of the Fan residence!

The sound was like two massive boulders colliding, making one's eardrums ache.

Immediately following was a series of sharp, metallic clanging sounds!

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Two dark figures shot into the sky from the backyard, collided in mid-air, separated, and then collided again!

Both men held a black steel shovel in their hands, and each collision produced blinding sparks.

The powerful energy exploded outwards, and the flowers, plants, rockery, and stone benches in the backyard were swept away and shattered!

"ah!!"

"Help!"

Screams erupted throughout the Fan residence. Maids and servants scattered and fled in chaos.

Emperor Qing, Fan Jian, and Chen Pingping all looked toward the backyard in shock.

Hong Sixiang stepped in front of Emperor Qing, his true energy surging.

"It's Wu Zhu..." Emperor Qing's voice came from beneath his black robes, tinged with suppressed urgency, "And who's the other one?"

He suddenly coughed violently, his body swayed, as if he couldn't stand up straight.

"Your Majesty!" Hong Sixiang quickly helped him up, his old face full of worry. "Are you alright?"

Fan Jian and Chen Pingping also became anxious.

"Your Majesty, it's too dangerous here!" Fan Jian said urgently. "You must leave first!"

Emperor Qing grabbed Hong Sixiang's arm, his fingers clenching until they turned white: "I won't leave... I finally found out the child is still alive, I must see the child!"

He stared in the direction of the fight in the backyard, his eyes gleaming in the shadows beneath his black robe.

Chen Pingping wheeled himself forward, his voice cold and stern: "Eunuch Hong, quickly help His Majesty away!"

Hong Sixiang gritted his teeth: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

After saying that, he lifted Emperor Qing up with half his arms and half his body and turned to walk quickly out of the Fan residence.

Emperor Qing tried to struggle, but he seemed too weak to resist Hong Sixiang.

The two quickly disappeared around the street corner.

At this moment, the two dark figures in the backyard fought their way to the west side of the Fan residence.

One of the dark figures seemed to be intentionally leading the other away from the Fan residence. As it swung its steel halberd, the force of its energy deliberately swept towards the courtyard wall, blasting open gaps one after another.

The two of them, one in front of the other, sped off in a more remote direction.

Inside the gate of the Fan residence, a series of chaotic footsteps could be heard.

A group of guards rushed out, escorting two women.

The two women each clutched a swaddled baby tightly in their arms, their faces pale and still in shock.

Fan Jianli immediately went to greet her: "Madam! Ruyu! How is the child?"

The woman holding the slightly larger swaddled baby said in a trembling voice, "The child is alright... It was Wu Zhu, Wu Zhu stopped that person... Otherwise, we would all..."

She couldn't continue; her body was still trembling.

Another, younger woman, holding a smaller swaddled baby, cried, "Sir, that was terrifying..."

Chen Pingping wheeled over and said urgently, "Fan Jian! Stop talking and take the child away from here!"

Fan Jian realized what was happening and nodded emphatically: "Let's go!"

He protected the two women and, surrounded by a group of guards, hurried towards the other end of the street.

The footsteps quickly faded into the distance.

At the entrance of the Fan residence.

Chen Pingping looked in the direction where Fan Jian and the others had disappeared, then turned to look at the mess in the backyard.

He sat in his wheelchair for a long time without moving.