Chapter 13 A Trade

Yucing froze in her movements."Yucing, don’t move. What my younger sister said is true. I’ve always loved you and that’s why I acted towards her..." Night Tianqiong’s previously slightly loosened arms...Chapter 13 A Transaction

Yun Qianyue and Hua Luo rode in silence, urging their horses to gallop along the quiet imperial road. The only sound was the rhythmic clopping of hooves. At dawn, they arrived at Yun City, three hundred miles away.

Although Yun City wasn't large, its proximity to the Imperial Capital Tian Sheng made it a crucial hub for merchants traveling north and south, making it as bustling as the capital despite its size. Despite being small, Yun City boasted various taverns, restaurants, shops, and stores. The city was already lively in the early morning.

"Mistress, let's go to Drunken Fragrance Pavilion for breakfast and a rest before setting off again. It will also help you warm up," Hua Luo looked at Yun Qianyue beside him. He now held her horsemanship skills in high regard; women in Tian Sheng usually learned some basic self-defense techniques, but their riding skills were generally not as good due to physical differences. She was the best rider he had seen, and even he could barely keep up after galloping for three hundred miles overnight.

"Alright," Yun Qianyue nodded. It wasn't worth risking her health over a moment's time.

Hua Luo remained silent as they urged their horses towards Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.

Before reaching the pavilion, Yun Qianyue noticed several carriages and horses parked outside. Recalling that the Nanxiang and Nanyang delegations had only been traveling for two days, she realized they would also be arriving in Yun City about now. She pursed her lips and pulled on the reins to stop, telling Hua Luo, "Let's avoid meeting with the Nanxiang and Nanyang envoys!"

Hua Luo knew that Yun Qianyue was traveling secretly; it would be better not to draw attention. Besides, she hadn't disguised herself, and this place wasn't far from the capital. If news of her unauthorized departure reached the palace, it could harm both her and the Cloud王府 (Cloud Manor). He nodded and suggested softly, "Mistress, let's go to Willow Smoke Pavilion instead!"

"Alright," Yun Qianyue agreed. Drunken Fragrance Pavilion belonged to Feng Ge (Wind Hall), while Willow Smoke Pavilion was associated with Hong Ge (Red Hall). However, Drunken Fragrance Pavilion was purely a tavern and eatery, whereas Willow Smoke Pavilion was a brothel with mixed company, so Hua Luo initially chose the former. Since they could not stay at Drunken Fragrance Pavilion now, they would have to opt for Willow Smoke Pavilion.

"Follow me!" Hua Luo turned his horse towards a quiet side street.

Yun Qianyue nodded and followed him. She had been distracted by the preparations for welcoming the Donghai Princess due to Rong Jing, but she had hurriedly left after the Third Young Master arrived so as not to miss her appointment with Hua Luo. Since she hadn't disguised herself, it was best to remain discreet.

Hua Luo led them through several back alleys before arriving at a grand residence. He gently knocked on the door, and an elderly man opened it upon seeing him, greeting him enthusiastically, "Mr. Hua!"

"Yes! I'm bringing Mistress to Willow Smoke Pavilion for a brief rest," Hua Luo handed over the reins.

"Old servant greets Mistress!" The old man bowed to Yun Qianyue behind Hua Luo, whom he had apparently been informed about earlier. He quickly knelt down.

"No need for formalities," Yun Qianyue gently raised her hand to stop the elder's bowing.

The elder stood and observed Yun Qianyue closely with a hint of joy in his voice, "The portrait circulating in Hong Ge could not capture Mistress's likeness. Yet, Mistress resembles the former master so much that at first glance, I almost mistook you for her. If Mr. Hua hadn't informed me beforehand, I wouldn’t have believed it."

Yun Qianyue smiled faintly with a hint of warmth in her expression, "I don't measure up to my mother's grace."

"It’s such a pity that the master passed away at the peak of her youth," the elder lamented.

"Old Master, Mistress has been traveling all night and needs rest now," Hua Luo interrupted him and told Yun Qianyue, "Mistress, please follow me. This is the backyard area of Willow Smoke Pavilion."

"Alright," Yun Qianyue nodded as she handed over her reins to the old man who quickly wiped his eyes before accepting them. She sighed inwardly at how much influence her mother had left on Hong Ge, earning their lifelong loyalty and devotion. Only someone like her mother could have such power.

Upon entering the courtyard, Hua Luo led Yun Qianyue to a main residence. He pointed at the main house inside and said to her, "This main house was where Master stayed each time he came to Yuncheng. May I ask if you would like to enter first My men will fetch hot water for you so that you can take off the chill."

"Alright," Yun Qianyue nodded and stepped into the main house.

The room was neat, dust-free, and well-lit. It could clearly be seen that someone cleaned it daily. Though there were no luxurious furnishings inside, it had a dignified air to it. Although it differed greatly from Shallow Moon Pavilion in Cloud王府 (Yun Family Manor), one could still see hints of her mother's influence upon closer inspection. For example, the placement of the lamps was according to her mother’s preferences; similarly, the color of the beads on the pearl curtains matched those she favored. The eight immortals table and pear blossom wood chairs were somewhat old, yet they bore traces of months-long use. After surveying the room, Yun Qianyue realized that although her purpose in going to Mount Motian was for the ten hidden families and Donghai Kingdom, it also served as an exploration into her mother's past.

Hua Luo brought two people with a steaming bucket of water inside. He gently placed it in the center before stepping back outside.

Yun Qianyue drew the curtains closed and shut the door, undressed herself, and submerged into the hot water. The warmth seeped through her pores, dispelling half her chill instantly. She thought Hua Luo might look young but was extremely composed; during previous outings with Feng Jin, she had always taken care of everything, even looking after him too. However, things were different now as he had arranged everything comfortably for her. Closing her eyes, she let the warm water cleanse her body from head to toe. Having stayed up all night and traveled half the night, she felt slightly tired, so she closed her eyes to rest.

She didn’t know how long passed before a low voice sounded outside the courtyard, "Who is it"

Yun Qianyue instantly opened her eyes. She raised them toward the window but couldn't see what was happening as the curtains were closed tightly. She returned her gaze to the room; by now, the water had cooled down. This meant that she must have been in it for over half an hour at least. She left the tub and dried off before quickly dressing up and walking towards the window to peer outside through a gap in the curtains. Seeing Ye Qian standing in the courtyard made her pause.

Indeed, it was none other than Ye Qian who had jumped over the wall. At this moment, she was standing in the yard with Hua Luo’s sword pressing against her neck. Ye Qian held nothing in her hands and did not take out her red silk ribbon.

"I am here to see Yun Qianyue," Ye Qian stated plainly.

Hua Luo's handsome brows furrowed slightly, his eyes cold as ice. He replied indifferently without answering, "Where did this madwoman come from It would be best if she left now; otherwise, I won't hold back!"

"I know Yun Qianyue is here," Ye Qian remained unmoved and looked at the main house with drawn curtains. She called out softly, "Yun Qianyue! There's something important I need to speak with you about; you must see me."

Yun Qianyue seemed not to hear her. Other than Rong Jing, there were no ‘must’ in Yun Qianyue’s vocabulary—only whether she wanted to or not.

"I'll count to three, and if you're still here after that, I won't be responsible for my actions," Hua Luo's face was cold. Thinking his mistress hadn’t concealed her trail although they had entered the city under the cover of darkness, he believed no one could have followed them or seen their faces due to his and his master’s high martial arts skills within a few miles’ radius. After entering the city, they only stayed for a short while before leaving; hence, there should be no suspicious spies or secret guards around. How did Princess Ye find this place Not hearing Yun Qianyue's response, he knew she wouldn’t see her and thus didn't remove his sword from her neck.

"You think it’s because your martial arts skills are better than mine that you have the nerve to threaten me with a sword" Ye Qian raised an eyebrow at Hua Luo. "I simply did not use force upon entering; hence, I ended up in this predicament."

Hua Luo snorted coldly, "So what In any case, leave immediately!"

Ye Qian ignored Hua Luo and addressed the main house again. "Yun Qianyue! I came here regarding Prince Jingshi’s matter; aren't you curious about that Purple Bamboo Grove painting you took from the Chancellor's residence"

A flicker of thought crossed Yun Qianyue, narrowing her eyes slightly but still without a response.

"One…" Hua Luo began counting when he saw Yun Qianyue was unresponsive.

"Perhaps you have figured out the layout in that Purple Bamboo Grove painting, but you don't know its secrets," Ye Qian added.

"Two…" Hua Luo started on his second count.

"Why does that painting end up in Qin Yuning's hands And also, about the secrets of the Rong王府. Don't you want to know Even if you don't care about this, and are afraid of being misled by me or not trusting me, aren't you curious that the Eastern Sea Kingdom princess hasn't just arrived from the Eastern Sea but has already been here in Shengtian" Ye Qian raised her eyebrows and spoke very quickly.

"Three..." Hua Luo called out the third number, lightly turning her wrist, causing the sharp edge of her sword to press against Ye Qian's skin.

"Hua Luo, stop!" Yun Qianyue gently shouted.

Hua Luo paused instantly in her movements, withdrawing her sword but not leaving it away from Ye Qian's neck. The cold blade was just like its owner, as chilly and clear as spring peach blossoms covered with a layer of frost, sharp and cold.

"Yun Qianyue, you're indeed here!" As expected, Ye Qian spoke out loudly, waving her hand to open the sword Hua Luo had held against her neck. She glanced at Hua Luo then said to Yun Qianyue: "You truly are lucky. No matter where you go, there's always a handsome man accompanying you, flocking around like bees to honey. It makes me suspect that you're naturally destined to attract men. I don't understand why the Prince Shi likes you so much, willingly drinking old vinegar."

Yun Qianyue reached out and pulled aside the curtain, looking at Ye Qian with a cold gaze: "How did you know I was here"

"Yun Qianyue, sometimes when people say you're smart, you truly are, but when they say you're foolish, you're really foolish. As the princess of Nanzheng and daughter of the King of Nanzheng, I must know who comes to and leaves this small Yun City if I'm still to be the future queen of Nanzheng. You shouldn't forget that Nanzheng relies on insect curses; as soon as you approach my set-up boundary, I can sense your presence, no matter how well you hide yourself. There's nothing strange about knowing you're here." Ye Qian sneered at Yun Qianyue.

Yun Qianyue was suddenly enlightened: The insect curses of Nanzheng had this use too She hadn't known that before. Her expression remained indifferent, without any other change: "You didn't just find me here to tell me about the Purple Bamboo Grove painting and the princess of Eastern Sea Kingdom"

"Of course! I want to discuss a deal with you!" Ye Qian said.

Yun Qianyue suddenly smiled, "Three years ago, you talked about a deal with Yitian Yi. Now you've found me too. I didn't know that the future queen of Nanzheng likes not just governing and surviving in the cracks between countries but also doing business"

"Yun Qianyue, don't mock me! Since you know about the difficulty of survival among the other nations, you should understand that I have no right to be mocked for what I do for Nanzheng and my homeland." Ye Qian's eyebrows furrowed coldly as she said through the window: "Moreover, how are you different from me What you're doing now is also for the safety of Yun王府. You just happen to be luckier than me, having Prince Shi."

Upon hearing this, Yun Qianyue's smile vanished immediately; her expression turned solemn and fair: That was true, no one had the right or qualification to mock those who sacrifice for their homeland. Even if Ye Qian was adept at scheming and plotting, willing to give up her love and marriage, Yun Qianyue said in a serious manner: "You can come in."

Ye Qian took a step closer towards the main house.

Hua Luo watched as Ye Qian entered the room. She put away her sword then followed inside. He had to do his utmost to ensure the safety of his young master; he needed to be wary, regardless of who it was. This Princess Ye was especially cunning and deep in scheming, making precautions necessary.

After entering the room, Ye Qian glanced at the bucket with flowers in the center of the room before laughing: "Even while traveling outside, you're still a person who knows how to enjoy life. However, I wonder what expression Prince Shi would have if he knew about your bath in front of another man"

"Ye Qian, I don't have time to argue with you!" Yun Qianyue turned around and walked to the table where she sat down, glancing coldly at Ye Qian.

"Let's talk about my conditions first! If I tell you what I know, you'll agree to help me recover Nanzheng's jade seal." Ye Qian walked over to sit opposite Yun Qianyue with a business-like demeanor.

"Nanzheng's jade seal" Yun Qianyue raised her eyebrows.

"Exactly!" Ye Qian nodded seriously: "I know you also sent people to Nanzheng. Your secret guard Mo Li is skilled in martial arts and covert, but my treasures can still detect his aura; he went to Nanzheng, yet someone beat him there by stealing the jade seal first. That person's aura was unfamiliar, undetected by my treasure, so I don't know who took the jade seal. But I believe you must know, because your secret guard had a confrontation with that person."

"A Purple Bamboo Grove painting and the whereabouts of the Eastern Sea Kingdom princess; these two pieces of information, I can investigate myself. Together, they seem insufficient to compensate for helping me recover the jade seal." Yun Qianyue also approached the matter pragmatically: "Gradually speaking.

"What if I help you disfigure the beauty of Princess Lu Yao from the Eastern Sea Kingdom" Ye Qian said.

Yun Qianyue raised her eyebrows slightly.

"It's said that Princess Lu Yao is as beautiful as a celestial being. If her appearance were disfigured, she wouldn't have any face to marry Crown Prince Jing. Wouldn’t this accomplish your goal" Ye Qian asked.

"Disfiguring her would not cancel the marriage engagement," Yun Qianyue said indifferently.

"I don't have the ability to cancel a marriage engagement, and if I did, I wouldn't need to come here to make a deal with you for help in retrieving the jade seal." Ye Qian replied.

“She’s just an innocent woman. She doesn’t bear me any deep grudge; she merely came to meet the Prince of Honor王府赴約而已。那個人卻偏偏是容景，所以才成了我的阻礙。毀了她的容貌就免談吧。既然你做不到取消婚約的事，那就換一個你能做到而我做不到或者無法做到對我有利的事情。” Yun Qianyue thought that she wasn't ruthless enough to harm an innocent woman from behind.

"Yun Qianyue, your heart is truly kind. Such kindness amounts to foolishness!" Ye Qian coldly scolded her. "What does it mean to take the initiative Don’t you know Crown Prince Jing treats you well now, but how can you guarantee that he won't be captivated by a woman who's even better than you once he sees one How can you ensure that Princess Lu Yao is an innocent woman What if she falls for Crown Prince Jing and tries to remove you through any means necessary Remember, your relationship with him is well-known across the land. She has no way of not knowing that you're a hindrance to her."

"Regardless of what happens in the future, at least now, she poses no threat to me, so I can’t resort to underhanded tactics. Besides, I trust Rong Jing." Yun Qianyue's expression remained unchanged; her calm voice softened slightly when she mentioned trusting him, as if that sentiment touched a tender chord deep within her heart. She spoke clearly and firmly, “Rong Jing isn't an ordinary man; he is Rong Jing. All the women in the world want to marry him because of his charm! It’s nothing unusual for Lu Yao to fancy him. If she harms me, I won’t hesitate to take action, but if she competes fairly with me, am I going to lose to her just like that”

"Compete fairly" Ye Qian raised an eyebrow as she looked at Yun Qianyue, as if she didn't recognize her. "Yun Qianyue, are you sick in the head You’re not taking advantage of favorable conditions, but instead talking about righteousness and morality I’m willing to do it for you, so even if there’s an investigation, they won’t be able to connect it to you. What are you afraid of If her face is disfigured, she’ll lose a significant advantage. At that point, no matter how much worse off she becomes compared to you, the situation will have changed dramatically. But things aren’t the same now; you should know that the Eastern Sea Kingdom is wealthy and powerful. The princess of the Eastern Sea Kingdom is the prince’s beloved daughter. She can get whatever she wants. Her status as a legitimate daughter from Cloud Prince王府的地位高了好幾倍。如果東海國施壓，景世子和你在天聖本來就被老皇帝和七皇子製肘，到時候就是前後夾擊，腹背受敵的局麵。即便你們有翻雲覆雨手，能鬥得過兩個皇帝和兩個皇室？”

"So what" Yun Qianyue smiled faintly, unperturbed. Though her voice was light, she spoke with great seriousness: "Ye Qian, the foundation of governing is being a good person, and the foundation of being a good person is maintaining goodwill. I don't care about others, but my fundamental belief as a human being is to uphold kindness. If people lose their sense of righteousness for personal gain, striving desperately while scheming against others without hesitation, destroying lives with ruthless tactics, then this world isn’t far from collapse. How important is the appearance of women You know it, I know it, and even a three-year-old child knows it. Ruining someone's face means ruining her entire life. Unless there’s no other choice, I won't do such a thing. Moreover, I haven't seen the princess of the Eastern Sea Kingdom yet; I don’t know if she is round or flat. Why can’t I believe that I am better than her Even if she harbors ill intentions toward Rong Jing and tries to harm me, even if we face attacks from all sides, without the ability to control the world, Rong Jing and I still have the power to shake it up."

Ye Qian suddenly lost her voice. She looked at Yun Qianyue; the woman across from her had a determined expression with a clear and serene demeanor. Her eyes shone with cool clarity like starlight, and even though she wore a deep red dress, in front of Yun Qianyue, it seemed to lose its color. She always believed that no one could match her cunning schemes or broad-mindedness, especially since seven years ago when she had carried the heavy responsibilities for Southern Xiang alone with her frail shoulders as Night Qingran set out on a journey southward. Her belief was to spare nothing to protect her homeland and what she desired. But now, Yun Qianyue’s words suddenly shattered that belief.

From her perspective, maintaining kindness only led to being restricted from all sides, allowing others to take the initiative while she responded passively, which seemed foolish. Yet now, she gradually felt that this so-called stupidity was disappearing from her heart as she thought about how many people still held onto goodwill in today’s turbulent world where everyone fought for their goals.

None

No, there is one—Yun Qianyue!

"Since you don’t agree to this condition, what other conditions do you want" Ye Qian gathered her thoughts and asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's add the truth behind one secret matter," Yun Qianyue said after pondering for a moment. "Regarding the incident where the King of Ten Thousand Curses was poisoned by purple grass on that day outside the Meridian Gate, and your injury. You shouldn’t be unaware of it!"

"That’s not possible!" Ye Qian firmly refused.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to give up!” Yun Qianyue waved at Ye Qian. “If we can't make a deal, let's leave this matter alone! You should know that I actually don’t mind making deals with you. I’m patient and would slowly uncover these secrets one by one, whether it’s the Purple Bamboo Grove map, the princess of the Eastern Sea Kingdom, or the truth behind the purple grass poison, as well as all the unsolved cases left behind.”

Ye Qian suddenly stood up, staring at Yun Qianyue: "For secrets related to Southern Xiang, I won’t disclose them to you."

"On that day outside the Fifth Gate on the execution platform, there were four people—yourself, Night Qingran, Night Tianqiong, and Qin Yuning—as well as the corpses on the ground and a King of Ten Thousand Curses. Even if you don’t speak, I can guess some of it. But since the jade seal is your Southern Xiang’s national treasure, you should know that the longer it remains lost, the less advantageous it will be for your kingdom. Moreover, with Prince Wang of Southern Xiang seriously ill and you in a hurry to return, think about this: compared to revealing a small secret of Southern Xiang, what's worth more"

Ye Qian's body stiffened, and she narrowed her eyes. "Do you know that my father is seriously ill"

"I don't think I am the only one who knows this. Those who should be informed are all aware of it," Yun Qianmo said calmly without any rush, waiting for Ye Qian.

"Very well! I agree to tell you about these three matters, but in return, you must retrieve the jade seal for me within a month," Ye Qian gritted her teeth and finally agreed.

"Agreed!" Yun Qianmo readily nodded. Although dealing with the Lan family of the Ten Great Clans was troublesome, it wasn't insurmountable.

"Prime Minister Qin split from his mainline a century ago during the chaos in Southern Frontier, which means that his ancestors are from there. He is a person of Southern Frontier. Prime Minister Qin only has one daughter, who is Qin Yuceng. Now do you understand The woman who used purple grass back then was Qin Yuceng," Ye Qian explained.

"So it's like this! This is indeed an inside secret. Did the old emperor know that Prime Minister Qin is a descendant of Southern Frontier" Yun Qianmo said in realization. She had suspected that Prime Minister Qin and Qin Yuceng were connected to Southern Frontier but never imagined it would be so.

"Of course! Why did Southern Frontier fall into chaos a century ago It was because the imperial family of Heavenly Saint employed tactics to incite internal strife, causing traitors to wreak havoc in Southern Frontier. My great-grandfather later pacified the internal turmoil in Southern Frontier, but it suffered tremendous losses as a result. Over the past hundred years, relying on South Liang, they have managed to survive amid the conflicts between various nations. That traitor was renamed and reassigned by the night royal family of Heavenly Saint, becoming an important official within its court. In fact, two generations ago he held the position of prime minister," Ye Qian elaborated.

Yun Qianmo nodded her head; there were few records about that chaos a century ago in Southern Frontier. She raised an eyebrow and said, "That's why you refused to talk about it earlier. You pretended not to recognize Prime Minister Qin and Qin Yuceng So does this mean the hundred southern frontier assassins who attempted to kill me and Rong Jing were sent by Prime Minister Qin"

"Indeed!" Ye Qian affirmed, "The mainline of Southern Frontier a century ago only branched out into his lineage. No one else could master their secret arts such as Soul Departure Technique. The hundred covert soldiers who used it on that day could only be him. I can't mention that Qin Yuceng tampered with the execution platform and destroyed the King of Ten Thousand Curses because if Prime Minister Qin and Qin Yuceng knew I had figured out their identities, my life in Heavenly Saint's capital would become precarious. Of course, Prime Minister Qin has secretly tried to harm me twice but failed."

"So the woman who set up three Falling Leaves Aroma traps against Rong Jing and me was Qin Yuceng" Yun Qianmo raised an eyebrow, "Qin Yuceng might kill me, yet she wouldn't dare hurt Rong Jing. That doesn't make sense."

"Then it must be someone else! I can’t tell you anymore about this as I don’t know either," Ye Qian replied.

"That day Qin Yuceng had to summon her because of Night Qingran's protection and the fact that my pulse prevented using my blood as an ingredient. What if she hadn't come Could you have found out who was behind it then, exposing Prime Minister Qin" Yun Qianmo recalled that day’s situation and asked.

"Likewise, I couldn’t either! You know my King of Ten Thousand Curses has reached its deadline! Besides, there was an extra person on the execution platform back then. That individual carried purple grass," Ye Qian paused and looked at Yun Qianmo before continuing, "Moreover, that night Night Qingran also had purple grass on him. You should understand; he always stayed close to me."

Yun Qianmo narrowed her eyes, “That night, did Night Qingran have purple grass with him”

Ye Qian looked at Yun Qianmo's expression and sneered, "Yun Qianmo, don't be so naive. Night Qingran isn't just an ordinary prince; he is the Deying Prince of the night clan. Seven years ago, why did he leave the capital Wasn’t it because the old emperor ordered him to protect my King of Ten Thousand Curses The Deying Prince’s family is a loyal servant to the royal family of Heavenly Saint. What's abnormal about him helping cover up for the imperial family"

Yun Qianmo recalled that day when he and Rong Jing encountered the hundred assassins, there was no one at the scene in broad daylight except the Prefectural Magistrate and the city guards. Later on, Night Qingran appeared first at the crime scene. She remained silent; she had known this all along but didn't want to think too much about him.

"But he’s truly kind to you! Knowing that you wanted cinnabar banded krait venom, knowing I would take it while he was immobilized, he gave it to you without hesitation despite my pursuit for years," Ye Qian snorted. "I wonder how the old emperor would react if your loved one were Night Qingran instead of Rong Jing Would he still grant him command over forty thousand guards in the capital"

"There are no ifs and buts in this world." Yun Qianmo lightly changed the subject, "Let's talk about the Purple Bamboo Grove painting."

“You must have figured out the secret of that Purple Bamboo Grove painting by now, right But you didn't dare open it to reveal its mystery,” Ye Qian smiled at Yun Qianmo with a hint of mischief in her voice. "Yun Qianmo, I believe you really love Crown Prince Jing; you are afraid that the secret within may be too much for you to bear."

"Just tell me!" Yun Qianmo's face darkened, she couldn't help but admit that Ye Qian had hit a nerve. After obtaining the Purple Bamboo Grove painting from Qin Yuceng that day, even though she discovered how to unlock it and uncover its secret, in the end, she still didn’t dare open it.

"Do you know how Qin Yuning got hold of the Purple Bamboo Grove painting" Ye Qian ignored Yun Shanyue's dropping face and said solemnly, "The truth is not that the Honorable Prince once gave a Purple Bamboo Grove painting to Empress Zhenjing. It’s this particular one…"

"Forget it, I don't want to hear about this anymore; you don’t need to say any more!" Yun Shanyue suddenly interrupted Ye Qian.

"Haha, Yun Shanyue, so there are things that even you fear" Ye Qian laughed loudly when she saw the slight frown on Yun Shanyue's lips.

"I have many fears! Now tell me where the Eastern Sea Kingdom’s princess is in Divine Capital!" Yun Shanyue said with a cold expression.

"She's right here in Cloud City," Ye Qian replied.

“Hmm” Yun Shanyue narrowed her eyes.

"What Don’t you believe me" Ye Qian looked at Yun Shanyue. "I rely on you to help recover the jade seal; how could I give you false information Business is business, even if I am calculating behind the scenes, I wouldn't be so untrustworthy as to not speak the truth."

"How did you know she’s in Cloud City" Yun Shanyue raised her eyebrows. She didn’t disbelieve Ye Qian.

“I have a treasure; anyone who has met me even once will be remembered by my treasure, and as long as that person appears within my boundary, I’ll know it. Although the Southern Frontier may be weak in troops and resources, over these years standing firm, there must be its unique survival之道.” Ye Qian said clearly: “Don't underestimate our Southern Frontier’s secret techniques.”

Yun Shanyue nodded, thinking that no wonder Ye Qian had suggested destroying the appearance of the Eastern Sea Kingdom's princess. It turns out that the princess is currently in Cloud City and it would be convenient for her to act. She waved a hand at Ye Qian, saying, "You can leave now!"

Ye Qian stood up, tidied her clothes, glanced at Yun Shanyue without further words, then walked out of the room. When she reached the doorway, she suddenly stopped and listened intently for a moment before turning back to smile at Yun Shanyue: "Yun Shanyue, since you don’t want to know about that Purple Bamboo Grove painting, I’ll give you another piece of information."

Yun Shanyue raised her eyebrows.

"Night Tianyi just arrived in Cloud City!" Ye Qian said.

-- Interlude --

How many beauties can understand our Yue o(n_n)o~

Cloud City is about to become very lively... o(n_n)o~

I’ve seen all the votes and flower gifts you guys have sent, I love you!

Thank you for the diamond gifts and flowers! Kisses!n Liang’s Nation Master these days. Going like this isn’t good. We should wait for Red Pavilion to retrieve a portrait of the Nation Master or more details before taking any action. The Southern Liang...