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After being abandoned by the Western Zhou emperor, Duanmu Yao had hidden away in the Celestial Mountain Sword Sect. But she seemed to have spent the past half year rather well. She possessed heavenly looks to begin and was just a bit thin, but now looked like she’d put on some meat. Add that to the long dress that exposed part of her supple chest and she made quite the full-figured beauty.

Han Yunxi’s eyes noticed Duanmu Yao’s sword first, resting in an ice-blue scabbard. It had the same style and make as Long Feiye’s own sword. Duanmu Yao didn’t carry any weapons as Western Zhou’s princess, but now the sword by her waist signified that she’d broken all ties with the imperial family to become a member of the jianghu. Han Yunxi knew that Duanmu Yao and Long Feiye were both closed door disciples of the Celestial Mountain Sword Sect head. Each of them possessed top-tier swordsmanship.

From this angle, all she could see was Long Feiye’s back and Duanmu Yao’s smiling face. The love in her eyes was obvious, and their conversation hushed and indistinct. Han Yunxi looked on in silence and felt her heart grow uncomfortable at the sight. She assumed that Long Feiye had rushed here because of some emergency that was inconvenient to tell her, which was why he told her to wait in the gardens. She had chosen to sneak over just to take a look without going in, afraid that she’d disturb him.

But she never thought his visitor would be Duanmu Yao!

Long Feiye had already explained to her that he’d promised his master to protect Duanmu Yao until she turned eighteen. A master for one day equated to a master for a lifetime, so a master’s orders were law. Han Yunxi understood that, but why hadn’t Long Feiye told her directly that Duanmu Yao was coming today? Why did he make her wait in the gardens instead? Now that she was here, why did he have to cover things up even if it was some sort of emergency?

While Han Yunxi was feeling depressed, Long Feiye suddenly bent over. Meanwhile, Duanmu Yao drew closer to whisper in his ear.

Long Feiye!

A furious Han Yunxi immediately stalked inside and grabbed Long Feiye by the arm. Mildly, she said, “Your Highness, why haven’t you called for any tea now that Princess Yao is here?”

Duanmu Yao’s eyes glittered with cold laughter as they swept past Han Yunxi. Her voice was soft as she said, “Martial brother, we haven’t finished talking yet.”

A complicated look flickered past Long Feiye’s eyes before he gently patted Han Yunxi’s hand. “Go prepare some tea and snacks.”

Things like that were supposed to be done by the servants. The Duke of Qin’s estate had plenty of hired help, but Long Feiye had obviously brought this up so he could send Han Yunxi away. Just what kind of secret business did Duanmu Yao have to keep her in the dark? And why did she have to whisper it in his ear?

Han Yunxi didn’t want to go, but she relented after Long Feiye softly stroked her hand. She pulled him to her side and drew close to his ear as if whispering sweet nothings, but all she did was give him a puff of air!

“Mm, go on,” Long Feiye said as he suddenly turned stiff.

It was an extremely provoking sight to Duanmu Yao, but she held her temper in check. She had finally found a chance to come down the mountain, so she wasn’t going to screw everything up now! As she stared at Han Yunxi, the other woman ignored her with her chin raised high. She elegantly left the room without sparing her a single glance. There was no way Han Yunxi would lose her self-confidence in front of this girl. But her eyes couldn’t help but dim once she left the building.

Long Feiye, just how many more steps remain between us?

Her recent days had passed by so warmly that she almost thought she’d finished her 100-steps journey.

I still don’t know so many things about you, the Celestial Mountain Sword Sect, and the Tang Clan. I’ve never asked you, but are you never planning to tell me, either? If I insist on knowing one day, will you tell me then?

Han Yunxi really did go to prepare the tea and snacks without another glance back. By the time she returned, Long Feiye was already sitting in the host’s seat with Duanmu Yao in a guest chair. She stopped speaking as soon as Han Yunxi came in, as if afraid that she’d overhear. Undoubtedly, she was showing off her strength to her via silence.

Han Yunxi didn’t mind the quiet. She arranged the snacks neatly on the table before striding up to Long Feiye and offering him a pastry. “Your Highness.”

Long Feiye didn’t like pastries, especially the sweet kinds this woman seemed to prefer. Every time they went out for tea, he’d always rejected her snacks until she stopping offering them. But now...

Long Feiye glanced at the translucent, soft pudding before him and felt a little helpless. Thus, he accepted the dish and took a bite. It was enough to wake him up immediately.

So sour! It’s sour beyond belief!

“Does Your Highness dislike it? Then let’s try another one.” Han Yunxi quickly picked another pastry and presented it to Long Feiye. He gave her an innocent look before accepting it with another bite. This time he nearly spat it up. It was extremely sour, enough to make his teeth ache.

“You don’t like this one either?” Han Yunxi asked seriously.

Long Feiye felt both powerless and a rising urge to laugh. How could a woman like this exist? It made him both love her and hate her! Both of the snacks she’d offered him were completely sour. Without a doubt, she was warning him that she’d kicked over an entire jar’s worth of vinegar—she was jealous!

He didn’t answer her question, but silently finished off both of the overly-sour snacks. Seeing this, Han Yunxi felt distressed instead of satisfied, and quickly poured him some tea. Duanmu Yao couldn’t take the sight anymore and stood up with a serious voice. “Martial brother, can we leave now?”

Leave? Where are they going?

Han Yunxi sent Long Feiye multiple questioning glances, but he only murmured back, “Be good and stay at the estate. Don’t run about, I’ll be back after a few days.”

There were plenty of things that Han Yunxi never asked, waiting for him to tell her instead. But she couldn’t hold back this time. “Where are you going with her? Did something happen?”

Long Feiye avoided the question. “I’ll return in a few days.”

“Do you have to go?”

“Mm.”

“Oh...” Han Yunxi paused, before she said in a low voice, “Your Highness, take me with you, won’t you?”

But it was then that Duanmu Yao urged in a slightly coquettish tone, “Martial brother, let’s hurry up and gooo!”

Han Yunxi stared at Long Feiye, her eyes shining not with pleading, but with hope. Pleading and hope were two completely different things! She liked him, but she’d never demand anything from him. She only had expectations and desires.

“Your Highness, I want to go,” she said honestly.

But Long Feiye ended up disappointing her. He stroked her hair as always and murmured, “Be good and stay here. Don’t run about and keep your distance from Gu Qi Sha.”

Then he stood up and left with Duanmu Yao...

Han Yunxi sat down silently in a chair until Long Feiye and Duanmu Yao’s forms faded into the distance. Then she touched the place where he’d stroked her hair and blanked out. Her heart felt unbearably stifled, making her choked and miserable!

So it was all my own wishful thinking. 100 steps is still far, far away.

No matter how earth shaking his secrets might be, who could force Long Feiye to keep quiet if he didn’t want to? Who was capable of stopping him from bringing her along? It seemed like she hadn’t entered his world at all, but just stopped by the door.

Outside the window, Gu Qi Sha narrowed his eyes at Han Yunxi’s dejected expression. He next strode into the hall and declared openly, “Lass, you were abandoned?”

Han Yunxi shot him a furious glare. “You were eavesdropping!”

“This old fellow was listening in, loud and clear! I didn’t hear much, so who knows what that Duanmu Yao was telling to Long Feiye’s ear!” Gu Qi Sha said irritably.

“Telling to his ear?” Han Yunxi echoed.

Gu Qi Sha’s gaze turned evasive, but he said loudly, “She sure stuck close to him. Aiya, it would’ve been better if Princess Yao married into the Duke of Qin’s estate as a mere concubine than be some abandoned daughter now!”

Han Yunxi had only paid attention to the first part of Gu Qi Sha’s sentence. Her face fell before she rose to leave. Gu Qi Sha hurried after her all the way to the estate’s back gates. Han Yunxi was about to leave when Chu Xifeng suddenly appeared.

“Esteemed wangfei, it’s better you don’t go out when His Highness isn’t around.”

Han Yunxi gave him a frosty stare, causing Chu Xifeng to back up unconsciously. Her eyes were more terrifying than His Highness’s at this moment—simply enough to murder! Despite this, the pageboys in charge of the doors didn’t dare to open the gates. All of them stood to block her way.

“Get out of the way!” Han Yunxi snapped icily.

The various servants all shot looks at Chu Xifeng, who simply pursed his lips in silence.

“Don’t let me repeat myself. Scram!” Han Yunxi demanded.

The pageboys were scared out of their wits, but still didn’t dare to budge. Finally, Han Yunxi took out her hidden weapons and aimed them at the servants’ knees, causing them all to collapse with numb legs. Chu Xifeng panicked and ran forward to block her. “Esteemed wangfei, His Highness has orde—”

“You’re putting me under house arrest?” Han Yunxi said coldly.

“No!” Chu Xifeng cried. His Highness only said to take precautions against Gu Qi Sha, not anything else. But if esteemed wangfei leaves the estate, how are we supposed to guard against Gu Qi Sha then?

“If not, then beat it. Don’t make me–”

Chu Xifeng got out of the way before Han Yunxi even finished. He didn’t want to get poisoned! If that happened, how was he supposed to follow her out? Gu Qi Sha just stood on the side and laughed. When he saw Han Yunxi leave through the back door, he simply flipped over the wall to tail her. “Lass, let’s take a trip to Pill Fiend Pharmacy for a look! They’re going to start construction on the warehouse today.”

“Keep your distance!” Han Yunxi next mounted a horse and stalked off. Naturally, Gu Qi Sha followed in hot pursuit, with Chu Xifeng secretly bringing up the rear with a crowd of hidden guards. By the time things quieted down at the Duke of Qin’s estate and its back doors, Long Feiye and Han Yunxi were both gone.

Finally, Chu Tianyin called off his scouts.

After the explosion in the black market, Long Tianmo had been seeking trouble for the Chu Clan in front of Emperor Tianhui day after day. Chu Tianyin was supposed to devote his energies to dealing with Long Tianmo, but a secret missive from Ouyang Ningnuo let him see through Long Feiye’s schemes! As long as Duanmu Yao could lead Long Feiye away, he would definitely make the man regret setting off those stores of gunpowder!

—

Both Gu Qi Sha and Chu Xifeng assumed that Han Yunxi would leave the city, perhaps even chase after Long Feiye herself. But after galloping around the outskirts for a bit, she turned tail and headed for the Gu Estate instead. Currently, Gu Beiyue was reading medical texts in his flower garden with Lil Thing napping by his side. But as soon as the poison beast scented its master getting closer, it jumped to its feet and cheeped at Gu Beiyue with wide eyes.

“What is it?” Gu Beiyue’s gentle voice was like sunshine in winter, warm and soft.

Lil Thing loved his voice to pieces. If it could die just listening to this voice alone, it’d be satisfied. It cheeped a few more times before dashing towards the gates. Gu Beiyue immediately chased after him, just in time to see his steward hurrying over from the opposite direction.

“Master, esteemed wangfei has honored us with her presence! There’s also a man in black robes, he seems to be His Excellency Pill Fiend.”

Gu Beiyue was caught off guard, but he felt more pleasantly surprised than anything else. His smile brightened as he said, “Hurry, welcome them inside.”