While Lu Xingzhou was still in the morning court, in Sheng Yuanxiao’s office, several clerks carefully hugged the walls, not daring to utter a sound as they observed General Sheng’s ashen face.

The discussion at this moment was about Lu Xingzhou’s proposal to marry Shen Tang.

“Is this the answer you made me wait all night for?”

*Crack!* Sheng Yuanxiao snapped the writing brush in her hand.

“Oh dear, what major issue has our General Sheng so enraged?” Pei Chuyun ambled in through the doorway, holding a stack of manuscripts. “I just passed by and saw you throwing a tantrum. Such a bad temper won’t get you a man.”

Sheng Yuanxiao glanced at her with a deathly pale face. “Ignorance truly is bliss.”

“What is it, what is it?” Pei Chuyun had never seen this usually boisterous ‘big melon’ look so utterly heartbroken. She immediately recalled what Sheng Yuanxiao had previously said about her ability to eavesdrop. A shiver ran through her. “Could it be that you heard something happened to Xingzhou?”

Sheng Yuanxiao was about to say something when Gu Zhanting asked if there were any other matters to discuss.

Sheng Yuanxiao immediately fell silent, straining her ears to listen.

“What on earth is it? Speak up!” Pei Chuyun leaned closer, instinctively bringing her ear to Sheng Yuanxiao’s, completely forgetting that she couldn’t hear anything herself.

“Quiet, quiet!” Sheng Yuanxiao pushed her face far away with a hand, her eyes growing increasingly excited.

“You!” Pei Chuyun clenched her fists, wanting to hit her, when she saw Sheng Yuanxiao suddenly radiating light.

Pei Chuyun was dumbfounded, not daring to raise her hand to strike, instinctively stepping back half a pace.

She said I might be possessed, but this ‘big melon’ must be possessed by someone else. Isn’t she completely insane?

“Quiet, quiet…” Sheng Yuanxiao excitedly stood up and grabbed Pei Chuyun. “Old Sheng, you better get your act together! If you dare say no, your daughter is gone!”

“I, I’m not Old Sheng…” Pei Chuyun desperately wanted to run.

“Yes, Old Pei, quickly say no! Please!”

Pei Chuyun: “…”

I’m Little Pei.

“No, Imperial Preceptor, what are you doing here!” Sheng Yuanxiao threw Pei Chuyun aside and began pacing around. “No, I remember now! The Imperial Preceptor told my fortune, saying I’d have a political marriage. Isn’t this it? Yes, yes, yes, it’s bound to happen, bound to happen! Wait, who is ‘catching fish’?”

Pei Chuyun: “…”

“Ahaha! Old Sheng is reliable!” Sheng Yuanxiao leapt three feet high, bouncing and skipping out the door, giving Pei Chuyun a pitying look as she left.

Knowing nothing, truly a melon.

Wait… just as she stepped out the door, Sheng Yuanxiao suddenly braked, turned back, and said, “Is it too late for me to ‘shark’ you now? By the way, how old are you? Are you younger than me? Call me Jie-jie?”

“Get lost.” Pei Chuyun grumbled and went to work.

Ran into a lunatic.

Sheng Yuanxiao sped home and immediately hugged her mother. “Mother, quickly, prepare the dowry.”

Madam Sheng: “?”

Before she could make sense of it, Sheng Qingfeng returned. Seeing Sheng Yuanxiao’s frantic state, he was annoyed. “What are you so foolishly happy about? You can hear, can’t you?”

“Yes, yes, Old Sheng, you’re reliable. Shall I give you a shoulder rub?”

“Rub my ass!” Sheng Qingfeng angrily threw down his official hat. “No matter how good it sounds, this is being a concubine! What on earth are you so happy about?”

“What concubine?” Sheng Yuanxiao retorted, “They said all are wives! Who runs the inner court will depend on the ‘house struggle,’ won’t it? Just you wait, his guards are all my people!”

“…” Sheng Qingfeng had no confidence whatsoever in his daughter’s ‘house struggle’ skills. Looking at her excited face, his eyes were filled with despair.

After a long moment, he waved his hand, his heart ashen. “Alright, this is just a proposal. There are many procedures. He still needs to formally come to propose, offer betrothal gifts, and exchange cards… Given your incomprehensible situation, there might still be changes. Do you think it’s already settled?”

Sheng Yuanxiao smiled. “What does it matter? Honestly, it doesn’t even matter if it’s rejected in court.”

Sheng Qingfeng: “?”

Sheng Yuanxiao grinned. “The fact that he said he wanted to marry me in front of countless people is enough, Father. As for anything else, if you don’t agree, can’t I just elope?”

Sheng Qingfeng took a deep breath and casually picked up the door bolt.

The Sheng Residence was filled with a cacophony of clanging, squawking, and Sheng Shouzuo’s angry roars, mixed with Madam Sheng’s confused “What’s happening, what’s happening?” The sounds echoed through the streets.

Many people began inquiring about what was going on. This matter could not be kept secret. Ministers were already discussing it on their way home after court, and soon, it became known throughout the entire city.

Pei Chuyun heard it in her office and suddenly jumped up frantically, leaping from the window onto the street, and performing parkour all the way home.

At her doorstep, she bumped into Pei Qingyan, who was returning to the mansion. Pei Chuyun cautiously asked, “Is what they’re saying true or false?”

“Not false.” Pei Qingyan entered the house with his hands behind his back, a little speechless. “It’s incredible that Lu Xingzhou actually did it. He really dared to push both Old Sheng and me into a corner! And the Imperial Preceptor even went along with his nonsense! This matter has many political consequences. Let’s close the door and analyze it… Hey, hey, hey, where are you going?”

Before he finished speaking, Pei Chuyun was gone, apparently having run off to find her husband.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t be found at the moment.

At the same time, in many residences, letters were being rapidly written, and various communication talismans lit up, heading straight for Xia Zhou, the Demon Realm, and… Miaoyin Shan.

Two days later, Xia Zhou.

Shen Tang sat on the Sect Master’s throne, with two rows of swordsmen arrayed on either side, dressed in solemn white, their sword energy chilling.

They were holding an important recent meeting concerning the imperial merchant’s main business and interactions with the Demon Realm.

“Out of respect for Elder Lu, the Demon Realm officials certainly won’t make things difficult for our caravan, but there are many bandits along the way even in Daqian, and presumably even more in the Demon Realm’s atmosphere,” Zhang Shaoyou was suggesting. “Therefore, the arrangements for these missions need to be very carefully considered. My suggestion is that the first trip requires all elite members, and I will personally lead the team.”

Shen Tang nodded slightly. “Hall Master Zhang’s words are reasonable… I am considering whether I should go in person for the first trip.”

Zhang Shaoyou was stunned. “It might not be necessary to that extent…”

“It also counts as a form of experience, better than sitting idly in the mountains,” Shen Tang said calmly. “I am also just a young person who needs experience.”

Zhang Shaoyou tapped his head and chuckled to himself.

This Sect Master had become increasingly solemn over the past year, her cultivation profound, exuding authority without anger, always making people feel as if she were an old, famous master. Only now did he remember that she was only twenty-three, in the prime of her youth.

In fact, Shen Tang had one more thing she didn’t say: one reason she wanted to go in person was that she somewhat wanted to see the Demon Emperor, what to do…

As they were discussing, a paper crane fluttered in.

Zhang Shaoyou stopped speaking. Shen Tang reached out, took the paper crane, and opened it.

With just a glance, the people in the hall watched as the previously solemn Sect Master’s face broke into a surprised and sweet smile. That smile was so radiant that the swordsmen’s chill almost dissipated, and the entire hall felt as if spring had arrived.

“As long as it’s her, no matter her identity, whether a princess or a beggar, Lu Xingzhou is determined to marry her.” Shen Tang’s beautiful eyes were fixed on this sentence, unable to move away.

As for Xiao Ting and others’ complaints about the man being promiscuous and greedy, demanding to marry so many high-quality, high-status women, worrying for the princess, and so on, all were ignored.

Everyone understood what was happening from the Sect Master’s expression. Only when it concerned Elder Lu would the Sect Master be unable to hide her girlish demeanor. Previously, she had claimed to want to conceal it, not make it public, but who could her beaming smile possibly fool…

“Cough.” It was still the old subordinate Tang Yunzhong who knew to remind the Sect Master. “Sect Master, Sect Master? Um, keep a low profile, low profile… Weren’t we supposed to keep it a secret…?”

“Ah?” Shen Tang snapped back to reality as if waking from a dream, grinning. “Conceal what? Pass the word: effective immediately, Guest Elder Lu Xingzhou will no longer serve as a guest elder of this sect.”

Tang Yunzhong was surprised. “Could Elder Lu be officially joining the sect? But his current status…”

“What is his current status?” Shen Tang’s eyes were full of innocence. “Oh, Uncle Zhong, how did you know Lu Xingzhou is already my husband?”

Tang Yunzhong almost tripped, and the entire hall was in an uproar.

Shen Tang stood up and announced loudly, “All disciples of the sect are dismissed from classes for three days. Each person who goes to the Internal Affairs Hall and says ‘Congratulations to the Sect Master on her engagement’ can receive two liang of celebration money. Enjoy your holiday!”

Tang Yunzhong was dumbfounded.

Two liang per person… Do you know that the total number of disciples in the sect now exceeds five thousand?

Why had he never noticed this girl was such a spendthrift before!

Three days later, in the Demon Realm.

Because the letter Lu Xingzhou entrusted Long Zheng to deliver was taken by Qi Tuizhi, Qi Tuizhi had been traveling for several days and had just arrived.

Long Zheng immediately sent the letter directly to Long Ya through special means, before discussing the market with Qi Tuizhi.

Meanwhile, the urgent messages sent from the capital via communication talismans had already reached Long Qinghuang’s hands first.

Long Qinghuang was furious at the news that “Lu Xingzhou married four at once,” and crushed the talisman in her hand. “Is this what you meant by ‘wait for me’? Wait for news of you marrying and having children, is that it?! Lu Xingzhou, you’re something else!”

“And he even married that Sheng Yuanxiao, didn’t he! I fell for your trick, ‘female brother’!”

“Had I known, I shouldn’t have tied up that Sheng back then. I should have thrown her off Long Ya!”

“Long Xi!”

General Long Xi appeared in the imperial study, trembling. “Your Majesty…”

“Gather the troops for me, and invade the south immediately!”

“No, Your Majesty, we were severely weakened by the previous internal strife, and there are still many unresolved issues. It is not a good time to engage in warfare again, Your Majesty!”

How could Long Qinghuang not know that this was not a good time? But she couldn’t swallow this anger.

While she was still fuming, a paper crane fluttered in. It was Long Zheng’s secret message, conveying Lu Xingzhou’s letter directly as a paper crane.

Long Qinghuang suppressed her temper and read the message first. Upon opening the letter, Lu Xingzhou’s familiar handwriting appeared: “Qinghuang, as we meet.”

“He still has the nerve to call me Qinghuang, how dare he call me Qinghuang!” Long Qinghuang was so angry she almost wanted to tear the letter, then she resisted. “…He seems to have called me so intimately for the first time…”

She pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and continued reading.

“This letter is ostensibly about market affairs, but is in fact a private letter.”

“When I asked you to wait for me, I didn’t explicitly state why, for only one reason… Lu Xingzhou is promiscuous and unfaithful, as Your Majesty must know. Shen Tang of Tianxing Jianzong is real, and the so-called brother Sheng Yuanxiao is also a matter of male-female affection, which Your Majesty simply did not expose. There are others I won’t detail for now, but in short, I cannot let down so many people, and I must return south.”

“In the past, I hadn’t considered deeply, driven by lust, I wanted to embrace everything, but upon reflection, it was an illusion. Yuanxiao only agreeing to be a brother is a typical example, and Your Majesty’s retention made me confront ‘choice’ for the first time – if I stayed at Long Ya, dependent on Your Majesty, then I wouldn’t be able to have anyone else; if I remained a guest elder of Tianxing Jianzong, I would forever lose Your Majesty.”

“I do not want this, I must seek change.”

“If I don’t even have the right to stand up and stand at the pinnacle of this world myself, what right do I have to obtain a peerless prodigy like Your Majesty?”

“This return to the country, gaining a viscount title and a substantive position in the Ministry of Guests, is certainly Gu Zhanting’s tactic to sow discord between me and Shen Tang, but it also gives me the capital to stir up trouble. I will become a force myself, awaiting my time, and sooner or later, I will make sure everyone cannot ignore me.”

“When the time comes, I will say to Your Majesty, marry me, rather than Your Majesty taking me into the imperial harem.”

“Therefore, ‘wait for me,’ this is the explicit declaration.”

“Soon there may be a multi-party marriage, with me as the protagonist. An impossible farce, proving that I can be the center and bond of multiple parties.”

“Lu Xingzhou may be greedy, he may overestimate his capabilities, he may be promiscuous and unfaithful… If Your Majesty scoffs and refuses to wait, I accept it. But I must say, Lu Xingzhou stood up for the first time because of Shen Tang, and he stood up a second time because of Long Qinghuang.”

“Even if you are unwilling, I still have to say, wait for me. By then, perhaps no matter where you hide, you will be within my influence, and you will no longer need to consider whether to leave or stay.”

As Long Qinghuang read on, she was initially a little angry, but by the end, she actually let out a “ha” laugh.

Then she reread the letter several times, “Ptooey!” she spat, “Insatiably greedy, overestimating his own strength.”

She then leisurely folded the letter and tucked it into her bosom, placing it with the previous farewell letter that hadn’t gone through. She comfortably settled back into her chair, elegantly sipping tea. “But he’s quite masculine… Alright, I’ll wait for you to tame me, if you have the ability, little doctor.”

Long Xi, who had watched the storm pass and the sun come out, was completely dumbfounded. Was this letter some kind of weather vane?

Then Long Qinghuang touched her belly and asked Long Xi, “Generally speaking, if our Dragon Clan gets pregnant, how many months does it take for signs to appear?”

Long Xi wiped his sweat. “It takes about half a year, unlike humans. But if Your Majesty has doubts, you can get it checked now, can’t you?”

Long Qinghuang said in a huff, “No check. What’s there to check? We’ll talk in half a year.”

South, Miaoyin Shan.

Yuan Muyu was meeting with several Ghost Emperors.

They were all familiar faces, and she rarely wore her mask. Her charming, impish face looked solemn and pale. Ji Wenchuan felt she had been like this for days, unsure what blow she had suffered.

However, generally, only matters concerning Lu Xingzhou could affect her… Ji Wenchuan felt no sympathy, why bother.

Leaving aside other things, look at this meeting – what on earth are they discussing? Without Lu Xingzhou as the steady hand, everyone argues valid points, and ultimately Yuan Muyu doesn’t know how to make a decision.

This chaos had been going on for a long time… The Yama Hall, after losing Lu Xingzhou, hadn’t shown signs of collapse in the short term and was still steadily developing according to previous plans. But discerning people could have seen from various details that the Yama Hall was like a machine missing lubricant, severely stuck.

As they were discussing, a talisman drifted in from outside.

Yuan Muyu reached out and took it. The talisman spontaneously ignited, and a piece of information entered her sea of consciousness.

Yuan Muyu sat there in a daze, silent for a long time.

“Yama King?” Northern Ghost Emperor Dong Chengbi cautiously asked.

The next moment, with a *poof*, Yuan Muyu violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, her face deathly pale.

No matter how much she said “Jie-jie, Jiefu” before, no matter how much they messed around in front of her, Yuan Muyu knew that Ye Tinglan was ultimately a monastic and that with such a temperament, it would be difficult for her to truly openly face marriage. So, at most, it was an affair, not a true belonging.

But at this moment, the engagement of one to four, publicly discussed in court, rumored throughout the world… told her nakedly that Lu Xingzhou was truly getting married, and in this grand play, Yuan Muyu was nothing.

She could no longer deceive herself.

Yuan Muyu didn’t know what she was thinking, she stood up shakily, but suddenly spat out another mouthful of blood, her head spinning.