Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 227 Zhao Tianfeng, Xue Wuqing (Seeking monthly votes)

A short while later, the shopkeeper and his wife were pushed out by the officers.

The shopkeeper's wife's eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face, leaving two wet streaks.

She had just finished breastfeeding her child, and her clothes were still slightly open and disheveled. She was trembling all over, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly.

Because of her petite figure, her breasts are particularly noticeable.

Yuan Congyi's eyes lit up immediately upon seeing this.

He put down his wine glass, grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and looked the shopkeeper's wife up and down, his gaze fixed on her chest.

The shopkeeper's knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, his forehead pounding against the ground with a loud thud. His voice was choked with sobs: "General Yuan! I beg you! I served in Weicheng for ten years. I broke this leg on the battlefield. I served Prince Ji and shed blood for him! I beg you, please give my family a way to survive. My child is still young, not even a year old yet—"

The shopkeeper's wife also knelt down, pleading, "General, I beg you, please have mercy and spare us—"

Yuan Congyi's face instantly turned ugly, and he said coldly, "Being able to serve this general is a blessing you've accumulated over several lifetimes. Are you looking down on me?"

"No, no," the shopkeeper's wife quickly said, "I didn't look down on the general. We're just ordinary people."

General————

Yuan Congyi's tone was somewhat impatient: "Then hurry up; stop dawdling; take off your clothes; come and feed this general."

Damn it, my mouth's been practically tasteless lately! If you serve this general well, he'll reward your whole family with wealth and honor!

The shopkeeper's wife knelt on the ground, her whole body trembling.

She looked up, her eyes blurred with tears, at the child in the officer's arms, then at the gleaming knife held to the shopkeeper's neck, her eyes filled with despair.

Seeing that the shopkeeper's wife didn't move, an officer slightly pressed down on his single-edged sword, the blade close to the shopkeeper's neck, and said coldly, "The general told you to hurry up, are you deaf?"

The shopkeeper's wife trembled. She slowly stood up, her hands stiffly raised to her collar, her fingers hooking the edge of her dress.

Just then, a calm voice came from the stairwell: "Is it because Liangzhou is too close to the Hu people and has been assimilated, losing all sense of propriety and shame, or are you simply a beast?"

The lobby fell silent.

The group all looked up in the direction of the sound.

Gu Guanqi was walking slowly down the stairs. His pace was unhurried, and his white clothes looked somewhat holy in the dim light.

Yuan Congyi narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "I thought he was just some random guy passing by, but it seems he's just a clueless pretty boy!"

The officer who had just been slapped by Yuan Congyi, eager to impress him, immediately drew his knife and charged at Gu Guanqi, yelling, "Pretty boy! How dare you insult General Yuan! You're asking for death!"

He rushed to Gu Guanqi in a few steps, swinging his single-edged sword in a wide arc and bringing it down on Gu Guanqi's head. The blade flashed coldly in the lamplight.

In that instant, Gu Guanqi casually kicked forward.

The officer didn't even see when Gu Guanqi kicked out; he only felt a sharp pain in his chest.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

The officer's body suddenly bent backward at an odd angle, causing him to fly off the ground and crash heavily into a pillar.

The officer's body slid down the pillar, gushing blood from his mouth, his chest caved in, and he was already lifeless when he hit the ground.

The lobby was deathly silent.

Yuan Congyi's expression froze instantly. He slowly put down his wine cup, stared at Gu Guanqi, and said in a deep voice, "Are you a disciple of the Tianshan Sect?"

Gu Guanqi did not answer, but continued to walk down the stairs and headed straight for the officer holding the baby.

The officer instinctively hugged the baby tighter, took a half-step back, and shouted, "Stop! Take another step and I'll strangle him!"

Gu Guanqi took a step forward and was instantly in front of the officer.

The officer was so frightened that he trembled violently and his eyes widened instantly.

Before he could react, Gu Guanqi slapped him across the face.

With a "snap," the officer's neck twisted twice, becoming like a pretzel.

Then, Gu Guanqi casually took the baby from the officer's arms.

The baby stopped crying and fussing as soon as it was placed in Gu Guanqi's arms, and even started to giggle.

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly, turned around and handed the baby to the shopkeeper's wife, who was already stunned.

At the same time, with a "thud," the officer fell to the ground.

The shopkeeper's wife took the child with trembling hands, and instantly collapsed to the ground, hugging the child tightly in her arms, her whole body shaking so much that she couldn't speak.

Gu Guanqi then looked at the officer who had a knife to the shopkeeper's neck, and with a slight reach of his hand, the knife in the officer's hand instantly flew out and towards Gu Guanqi.

Then, Gu Guanqi waved his hand lightly, and the knife flew back instantly, as fast as a shooting star, and slashed the officer's neck in an instant.

The officer clutched his neck, a look of terror in his eyes, and then collapsed to the ground.

The shopkeeper swallowed hard and quickly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, hero! Thank you, hero!" Then, he quickly crawled towards the shopkeeper's wife, helped her up, and retreated to the counter to hide.

At this moment, several soldiers had already entered through the door, but they all stared at Gu Guanqi in shock, and no one dared to speak.

Yuan Congyi's expression turned very solemn. He gripped the hilt of his sword, and a hint of fear appeared in his eyes as he looked at Gu Guanqi. He knew very well the cultivation level of the officers under his command; they were considered second-rate in the martial arts world.

Gu Guanqi was able to kill him so effortlessly, so his cultivation level must be no weaker than his. In particular, the fighting style of a martial artist is different from that of a battlefield. In this kind of environment, the battlefield fighting style would be at a great disadvantage.

Yuan Congyi took a deep breath and asked, "You should think carefully about who you are. I am the adopted son of Prince Ji and the General of Zhennan of Liangzhou Army. If you are a disciple of Tianshan Sect, then we've really messed things up. Your young sect leader, Xue Wuqing, the Fairy Xue, is currently a guest at Prince Ji's residence!"

Gu Guanqi looked at Yuan Congyi and said calmly, "If everyone in the Ji Prince's Mansion is a pervert like you, and Xue Wuqing is still a guest there, then the Tianshan Sect is no good either."

Yuan Congyi's pupils contracted, and he said, "You're not a disciple of the Tianshan Sect?"

Immediately, he breathed a sigh of relief, the fear in his heart dissipating. He said in a deep voice, "You're not a disciple of the Tianshan Sect, yet you dare to meddle in the affairs of our Liangzhou Army? Do you even have a head?"

Gu Guanqi looked at Yuan Congyi and said calmly, "There are very few people in the world who dare to speak to me like this."

Yuan Congyi's heart skipped a beat.

Gu Guanqi continued, "My name is Gu Guanqi."

Upon hearing the name Gu Guanqi, Yuan Congyi froze, his face turning deathly pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He abruptly stood up, forcing a gesture of composure, and bowed respectfully, saying, "So it is Alliance Leader Gu in person—I was blind to your greatness. Today's events were entirely my fault. My godfather has always held Alliance Leader Gu in high esteem, saying that he is the greatest hero in the world today. I—"

"I will go immediately to inform my godfather and prepare to welcome Alliance Leader Gu!"

As he spoke, he turned and walked toward the door, looking quite disheveled.

Gu Guanqi sat down on the stool and said, "Did I say you could leave?"

Yuan Congyi stiffened, turned his head, looked at Gu Guanqi, and said in a deep voice, "Does Alliance Leader Gu have any instructions?"

"A beast should kneel down to speak."

As soon as Gu Guanqi finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and a stream of true energy shot out, instantly splitting in two and striking Yuan Congyi's knee. Two crisp sounds, "crack" and "crack," rang out simultaneously.

"what!"

Yuan Congyi let out a piercing scream.

His kneecaps shattered into powder, yet there wasn't a single wound. He instantly collapsed to the ground, glaring at Gu Guanqi, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Alliance Leader Gu, are you determined to be an enemy of our Liangzhou Army and the Tianshan Sect? I am the adopted son of Prince Ji, the General Who Guards the South. So what if you possess unparalleled martial arts? Liangzhou has a full 100,000 iron cavalry!"

Gu Guanqi gave a cold laugh.

Liangzhou is such a wretched place, you couldn't raise 100,000 iron cavalry even if you sold everyone off.

Of course, even if there were 100,000 iron cavalry, he wouldn't care.

"From what you're saying, Prince Ji is aware of your ways of doing things?" Gu Guanqi asked.

Gu Guanqi knew about Prince Ji.

He was a member of the royal family, named Zhao Yan.

According to seniority, Zhao is the uncle of the current emperor Zhao Mingce. He is enfeoffed in Liangzhou and is extremely capable, especially in leading troops into battle. When the late emperor was alive, he followed the late emperor to the battlefield and made meritorious contributions such as beheading generals, capturing flags, and being the first to scale the walls.

The late emperor valued this man highly and specially arranged for him to command the border troops in Liangzhou, firstly to guard the country's borders, and secondly to restrain the Tianshan faction.

However, after the late emperor passed away, the new emperor was young, the empress dowager ruled from behind the curtain, and Zhang Jiexi controlled the government. For many years, the court did not send military pay to Liangzhou, and Prince Ji began to disobey the court's orders.

However, in many people's opinion, Prince Ji was a disciplined leader who loved his soldiers like his own children.

Therefore, Gu Guanqi was somewhat puzzled that the adopted son of Prince Ji would be of such a character.

"So what?"

Upon hearing Gu Guanqi's question, Yuan Congyi loudly proclaimed, "I've guarded the nation's borders and rendered countless merits. What's wrong with me having a few sips of milk? I am of such high rank as this general. It's a blessing for those lowly commoners to have the opportunity to serve me. If they don't serve me well, that's their problem!"

Is there a problem with this punishment?

Gu Guanqi calmly replied, "I'm asking if Prince Ji knows about this?"

Yuan Congyi said in a deep voice, "I've already said that what I did wasn't a big deal. What difference does it make whether my godfather knows or not?"

Gu Guanqi said, "So you know?" He then pointed to the prisoners outside the door and asked, "What are these people doing? What crimes have they committed?"

Yuan Congyi stared at Gu Guanqi and said in a deep voice, "Gu Guanqi, are you judging me? What right do you have to judge me?"

As he spoke, Yuan Congyi raised his head, looked directly at Gu Guanqi, and said, "You, Gu Guanqi, you are a master of martial arts, but so what? You have no right to judge me! I, Yuan Congyi, General Zhennan of Liangzhou, have guarded the border for decades and participated in hundreds of battles, large and small!"

"It was I, Prince Ji, who held back the Hu people's invasion, allowing someone like you to live peacefully in the Central Plains. Without Prince Ji, without me, you, Gu Guanqi, would have been roasted alive in some remote corner long ago. What right do you have to put on airs in front of me?"

Looking at the hysterical Yuan Congyi, Gu Guanqi calmly said, "So, this is the reason for not treating ordinary people as human beings?"

"Hmph," Yuan Congyi said angrily, "They were protected by me. Without me, they would have been ruined long ago."

"I am their benefactor, shouldn't they offer me alms?"

Gu Guanqi said, "First of all, defending the border is not your achievement alone, Yuan Congyi. Without the support of the people of Liangzhou, what would you use to fight? Without those hundreds of thousands of soldiers and laborers, could you, Yuan Congyi, have stopped the invasion of the Hu people by yourself? In the entire Liangzhou, how many families do not have soldiers? How many families have no one who has ever been to the battlefield?"

Yuan Congyi said, "But without me, could they have won the battle? I have made so many contributions and rendered so much merit; I should enjoy their offerings. I am their god. What right do they have to disobey my will?"

Gu Guanqi said, "According to your logic, whoever has the greatest merit can control the fate of others. Then I, Gu Guanqi, single-handedly quelled the rebellion of Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun, preserved the royal family, and preserved the national structure of the Qian Kingdom."

"I'm the one who protected your master Zhao Mao's royal title. Does that mean I can kill him at will, and I can arbitrarily burn, kill, and loot at Prince Ji's residence?"

Yuan Congyi was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "This is different. Prince Ji went to the battlefield, while he guarded the border and repelled the Hu people—"

—”

Gu Guanqi pointed at the shopkeeper and said, "He didn't go to the battlefield? He didn't make any contributions? But you still didn't treat him like a human being. Well, I also made tremendous contributions, so can't I also treat you like a human being?"

"This is not the same!" Yuan Congyi said angrily, "These people are just lowly commoners, how can they be compared to Prince Ji!"

"So, you're not protecting the people, you're protecting your master!" Gu Guanqi said coldly. "Merit isn't for you to act recklessly and bully the people—forget it, there's no point in arguing with someone like you!"

Gu Guanqi had no interest in saying much more to Yuan Congyi, because Yuan Congyi's thinking was the same as that of someone who believed that if he was strong, he could bully and kill those weaker than him at will. However, when the situation reversed, he disagreed.

If it benefits me, then it should be accepted; but if it turns into something detrimental to me, then I immediately disagree.

Upon hearing Gu Guanqi's words, Yuan Congyi realized that Gu Guanqi intended to kill him and immediately shouted, "Gu Guanqi, you can't kill me! I am the General Who Guards the South of Liangzhou, and I have military merits. You can't abuse your power to bully others!"

Gu Guanqi gave a cold laugh.

As he had expected, Yuan Congyi could disregard the contributions of others when he acted recklessly, but when a stronger person came to suppress him, he would start to talk about his achievements.

Gu Guanqi had no interest in wasting words with Yuan Congyi. With a wave of his hand, a sword aura shot out and instantly severed Yuan Congyi's head.

With a "thud," Yuan Congyi's fat head fell to the ground, his eyes wide open, dying with his eyes wide open.

The soldiers who witnessed this scene were all terrified and panicked. However, no one dared to rush up to avenge Yuan Congyi. Instead, when they saw Gu Guanqi get up, they scattered and fled in fear.

Gu Guanqi didn't stop them, but waved his hand slightly, and a surge of true energy shot out, immediately suppressing the two flag officers.

The two flag officers, finding themselves unable to move, turned pale with fright and stared at Gu Guanqi with eyes full of terror.

Gu Guanqi pointed to the prisoners trapped outside and asked, "What did these people do?"

Both flag officers were in a state of panic.

One of the older men stammered, "They—they didn't do anything wrong—"

"Then why arrest them?" Gu Guanqi asked.

The flag officer said, "Yes—it's because General Yuan said that His Highness the Crown Prince's birthday is in two days, and he wants to prepare a gift for him. He said the Crown Prince likes hunting, but he's lost interest in hunting ordinary wild animals, so—so, he went and captured some people to serve as prey, so the Crown Prince can have his fill!"

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly and said, "It seems your young master isn't any better." As he spoke, he glanced at Yuan Congyi's corpse on the ground and said, "Anyone who can associate with such a pervert can't possibly be a good person!"

"We are just common soldiers, unworthy to meet His Highness, and we do not know who His Highness is."

Just then, the innkeeper stammered, "Um—my benefactor—I've heard some rumors about the young master—"

Gu Guanqi turned around and asked, "What do you mean?"

The shopkeeper said, "The young master's name is Zhao Tianfeng. He is known as the number one young master in Liangzhou. It is said that he is very romantic and spends money like water. He always travels with hundreds of soldiers. What is most talked about is that he has taken more than a hundred concubines, half of whom are the wives and daughters of his enemies."

Gu Guanqi asked in confusion, "The wife and daughter of my enemy?"

"Yes," the shopkeeper said, "It is said that when he falls in love with a woman, he will kill her whole family, then forcibly take the woman into his mansion, giving her the opportunity to assassinate him."

But in the end, those women would all be captivated by his personal charm, willingly bearing him children and managing his household affairs.

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly.

With the mindset of a normal person, it would be difficult for him to comprehend the idea of ​​being subdued by the enemy who wiped out his family. If it were just one or two people, it might be possible, after all, with a large number of people, there will always be those who are not normal.

But if all of them are like that, then that would be very strange.

He speculated that either there was some kind of mental magic controlling them, or that they were constantly being worn down by the women's will, eventually destroying their belief in revenge and leaving them to live like zombies.

Zhao Tianfeng may have lost interest in normal women, which is why he deliberately did this to forcibly conquer his enemy's wife and daughter to gain a sense of satisfaction.

"Is there not a single normal person in the Prince Ji's mansion?"

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly.

He has already killed Yuan Congyi, and a grudge has been formed. It's time to make a trip to Prince Ji's residence.

Gu Guanqi did not make things difficult for the two flag officers. He waved his hand to let them leave, and then waved his hand again, sending out streams of true energy that shattered the shackles on the feet of the dozens of prisoners.

All the prisoners knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude.

Gu Guanqi waved his hand and said, "Go back on your own!"

After saying that, he turned and went back into the inn. He waved his hand lightly and threw the corpses out of the inn. Then he placed a silver ingot on the table and said, "Take your wife and children and find a place to lay low for a few days. Keep an eye on things. Come back when things have calmed down."

Immediately, Gu Guanqi turned around, took a step, and disappeared into the twilight.

The shopkeeper and his wife then came to their senses. They immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowed towards the door, and cried out, "Thank you so much, benefactor! Thank you so much, benefactor!"

"We will definitely set up a longevity tablet for you and pray for your well-being every day!"

Liangzhou City, Prince Ji's Mansion.

As a prince's residence, the Ji Prince's Mansion was extremely grand, covering an entire mountain. It was incredibly luxurious and ostentatious, resembling a small city with carved beams, painted rafters, pavilions, and towers.

The Ji Prince's Mansion has been very lively recently, as the 30th birthday of the heir apparent, Zhao Tianfeng, is approaching. Given the Ji Prince's Mansion's prestige in Liangzhou, all the prominent forces in the entire Liangzhou region have come to offer their congratulations.

Even the Tianshan Sect, a sacred martial arts site in Liangzhou, sent two elders and the young sect leader to personally offer their congratulations.

As evening approached, the Prince Ji's residence was bustling with activity.

Prince Zhao Mao was receiving people from various powerful forces, the most important of whom were the two elders of the Tianshan Sect.

Although Xue Wuqing, the young master of the Tianshan Sect, was also at the Prince Ji's residence, he was currently enjoying the scenery there at the invitation of Prince Zhao Tianfeng and did not attend the banquet.

During the banquet, Zhao Mao sat in the main seat, smiling broadly as he exchanged pleasantries with the leaders of various factions. As a veteran who had been through many battles, Zhao lived up to the general public's impression of him: tall and burly, with rough skin, and exuding an air of authority and power.

Zhao Mao is now over fifty years old, and his hair is already a bit gray, but he is in very good spirits. Sitting in his chair, although his every move is very casual, he always gives people a strong sense of pressure, like a fierce tiger.

As they were chatting and laughing, someone suddenly asked Zhang Tinghe, the second elder of the Tianshan Sect, "Where is Fairy Xue? I heard she's also come to Prince Ji's residence!"

Zhang Tinghe waved his hand and said, "Originally, the young sect leader was going to come, but just before she arrived, His Highness the Crown Prince invited her to enjoy the scenery. The young sect leader and His Highness the Crown Prince have known each other for many years and are good friends. Since the Crown Prince invited her, she naturally wouldn't refuse."

The man laughed and said, "Young people have more to talk about; we old folks are getting rather boring!"

Someone else asked curiously, "Your Highness, Second Elder, I heard a while ago that the Crown Prince went to the Tianshan Sect to propose marriage to Fairy Xue. Now it seems that good things are about to happen!"

Zhao Mao chuckled and said, "My son and Wuqing have both been very opinionated since they were young, so neither Sect Leader Leng nor I have interfered in this matter. We'll just wait for the two young people to discuss and decide for themselves. We, as elders, will simply wait for news!"

Immediately, someone flattered him, saying, "Your Highness is the most talented and handsome young man in Liangzhou, while Fairy Xue is the most extraordinary and beautiful woman in Liangzhou. The two are a match made in heaven!"

"Yes, we're just waiting to attend the wedding!"

'

Everyone was complimenting him.

Zhao Mao laughed heartily and said, "It all depends on the fate between these young people, hahaha, come, everyone, let's drink!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of Prince Ji's residence, there was a huge artificial lake with extremely beautiful scenery. Various precious trees were planted on the shore, and their reflections were in the lake, giving the entire lake a unique charm under the night.

Meanwhile, a luxuriously decorated pleasure boat was slowly drifting on the lake.

Inside the cabin.

A young man was lying on a bench, with two stunningly beautiful women kneeling on either side of him, serving him.

This young man was extremely handsome, with phoenix eyes and peach blossom eyes, fair skin like jade, and an extraordinary demeanor, unlike anyone of this world.

It was Zhao Tianfeng, the heir of the Prince Ji's mansion.

Sitting opposite Zhao Tianfeng was a young woman. She was dressed in white, had a graceful figure, and possessed a cool and aloof demeanor, showing no sign of arousing trouble.

Dust sat there, her face exquisitely beautiful, like a fairy in a painting.

This woman is none other than Xue Wuqing, the young master of the Tianshan Sect.

Zhao Tianfeng looked at Xue Wuqing with great interest and chuckled. That chuckle made the woman serving him beside him slightly lose her composure.

Zhao Tianfeng was very famous in Liangzhou, and there were all sorts of opinions about him. Some said he was dissolute, extravagant, and treated human life as worthless, while others praised him for being loyal, dashing, and exceptionally talented. There was praise, condemnation, admiration, and hatred.

However, what is least controversial about him is his appearance. He is recognized as the most handsome man in Liangzhou, even more so than Xue Wuqing, who is known as the most beautiful woman in Liangzhou.

Xue Wuqing also saw Zhao Tianfeng's smile and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: Although this guy is unruly and irresponsible, and always acts like a slacker, his appearance is truly something else!

Zhao Tianfeng chuckled and asked, "Young Master Xue, you've been here for so long, what's the meaning of not saying a word?"

Xue Wuqing remained expressionless and said, "You're the one who called me here. I should be asking you why you summoned me? Just to watch you flirt with a few women?"

"Are you jealous?"

Zhao Tianfeng slightly rose and moved closer to Xue Wuqing.

Xue Wuqing looked at that flawlessly beautiful face, slightly turned her gaze away, pursed her lips, and said, "You're being too presumptuous."

Zhao Tianfeng waved his hand slightly, and the four women understood immediately, getting up and slowly retreating.

"If you don't like watching, then I'll let them leave," Zhao Tianfeng said.

"What does this have to do with me?" Xue Wuqing said, but a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"It's alright, it's alright," Zhao Tianfeng slowly lay down again and said, "However, I only chased them away because I was afraid of disturbing Fairy Xue. Now I have no one to serve me. Fairy Xue should at least make it up to me. How about pouring me a glass of wine?"

"You wish! Me, pour you wine? You're just a slacker who only knows how to indulge in pleasure and debauchery. Do you even deserve it?" Xue Wuqing said.

"Unworthy, unworthy," Zhao Tianfeng said, unconcerned by Xue Wuqing's sarcasm. "If Fairy Xue says I'm unworthy, then I'm unworthy."

Looking at Zhao Tianfeng's unreliable behavior, Xue Wuqing felt both angry and helpless. She still poured him a glass of wine and said, "Those four women just now, were they two pairs of mothers and daughters? Don't you consider morality and ethics at all when you do this?"

Zhao Tianfeng picked up his wine glass and said, "I don't care about it, and I don't care about worldly opinions. Fairy Xue, I understand Liangzhou better than you do. Morality, ethics, propriety, and a sense of shame cannot survive in this land."

"Is this your reason for slaughtering entire families and stealing other men's wives and daughters?" Xue Wuqing said.

"That's not it," Zhao Tianfeng said. "The world just doesn't understand me. Don't you understand, Fairy Xue? Didn't those people I killed deserve to be killed? In Liangzhou, where are the good people? If it weren't for my father suppressing them, what difference would there be between Liangzhou and places like the northern frontier or Lingnan?"

"But what does this have to do with you taking other men's wives and daughters?" Xue Wuqing said ruthlessly. "Those people deserved to die, deserved to have their entire families wiped out, so why did you spare their wives and daughters and even take them into your household?"

Zhao Tianfeng laughed and said, "I've done this, so I have to get something in return, right? If Fairy Xue doesn't like it, how about you offer yourself to the demon to reform me? For Fairy Xue, I'm willing to give up all my concubines and be with you for life, protecting you alone."

"I—" Xue Wuqing looked at Zhao Tianfeng, hesitated for a moment, and said, "There is no right or wrong between us. I am the young master of the Tianshan Sect, and I must dedicate my life to the Tianshan Sect."

"What's the big deal?" Zhao Tianfeng said, "I still have to take over the Prince Ji's mansion and hundreds of thousands of troops in Liangzhou! Your Tianshan Sect's influence in Liangzhou is deeply rooted. If the two of us join forces, we can better unite Liangzhou to resist the Hu people and protect Liangzhou. Isn't that your Tianshan Sect's goal?"

Snow remained silent, unmoved.

Zhao Tianfeng took a sip of wine and said, "I know what you're worried about. You think I'm a spoiled brat who indulges in debauchery and acts recklessly."

But that's just appearances. You know, my martial arts are no weaker than yours. If I were truly the kind of person the outside world speaks of, how could my cultivation level possibly rival yours?

Xue asked ruthlessly, "Then why are you pretending?"

"I have no choice but to pretend," Zhao Tianfeng said. "My father is a prince with a large army, and the court is suspicious of him. The powerful families in Liangzhou are also both afraid of and hate my father."

I'm a spoiled brat, and everyone's happy. After my father passes away, the imperial court can smoothly take over the Liangzhou army, and the powerful families and clans of Liangzhou will no longer be suppressed.

But if I weren't a spoiled brat, but a prodigy with talent even surpassing my father's, how much open and covert attacks would our Prince Ji's mansion suffer? No one would allow a second Zhao Mao to appear. Why don't you guess how my mother died?"

Xue Wuqing exclaimed in surprise, "Your mother didn't die of illness? There's more to the story?"

"Of course," Zhao Tianfeng said, "My mother is your master's senior sister. Although her cultivation level isn't as high as your master's, she's still a grandmaster. How could she possibly die of illness? But my father can't do anything about it, and neither can I. We can only pretend we don't know. I also have to be a spoiled brat!"

With that, Zhao Tianfeng sighed deeply and said, "Everyone says Liangzhou is a bitter place, but who can be more bitter than me?"

Xue Wuqing looked at Zhao Tianfeng with deep remorse and said, "I'm sorry—I didn't know these hidden details!"

"It's alright," Zhao Tianfeng waved his hand, then suddenly asked, "By the way, I've heard some rumors that your master is planning to arrange a blind date for you with Gu Guanqi to help him with his cultivation. Is that true?"

Xue Wuqing nodded slightly and said, "That is true, but I did not agree."

Zhao Tianfeng smiled slightly and said, "Is it because of me?"

Snow remained silent and indifferent.

Zhao Tianfeng then asked, "Aren't you afraid your master will be angry?"

Xue Wuqing shook her head slightly and said, "Master is angry, but not because I refused to go on a blind date with Gu Guanqi, but because I'm coming to Prince Ji's residence to see you!"

"Why didn't I let you come to see me?" Zhao Tianfeng asked.

Xue Wuqing fell silent.

Looking at Zhao Tianfeng's handsome face and his melancholy yet affectionate eyes, she felt a pang of heartache and thought to herself, "Master, I'm sorry, you really misunderstood him. Everything he did was for a reason. I'm sorry, Master, I really can't bear to watch him suffer any longer."

Xue Wuqing was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Master is investigating your Ji Prince's Mansion. She feels that the Ji Prince's Mansion is no longer suitable to command the Liangzhou Army. She also believes that your father was responsible for your mother's death!"

Zhao Tianfeng chuckled softly, his eyes filled with melancholy, and said, "The world misunderstands me like this, and it misunderstands my father too. I'm used to it!"

Xue Wuqing quickly said, "Don't be like this. I understand you and I believe in you!"

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