Yuan Muyu didn’t stay unconscious for too long, waking up in less than half an hour.

When she opened her eyes, Long Qinghuang was already gone, having happily returned to the palace to rest and nurture her pregnancy. She couldn’t even be bothered with Shen Tang, let alone a “dead fish.”

Previously, she had been eager to meet this important person whom Lu Xingzhou mentioned in his letter as “the first to stand up because of Shen Tang,” rushing a thousand li to greet her. After meeting, her impression was indeed very good; she felt that this person was worthy of Xingzhou’s respect and love, and a formidable opponent.

But now, nothing else mattered. A mere human princess, no matter who you are or where you’re from, do you have a little dragon-human?

And a virgin at that! It made a dragon laugh to death. Why bother with her?

As for that Yan Jun… Long Qinghuang felt that the campaign against her had gone on long enough; there was no need to pursue her relentlessly. After all, it was Xingzhou’s own entanglement, involving a life-saving grace, nurturing affection, and the virtue of imparting skills – this was truly not something to be taken lightly. Whether the debt was repaid, or who owed whom, outsiders couldn’t really say; it had to depend on what the person involved thought.

If one were to rashly overstep and pursue the matter too far, and it led to serious consequences, it might not necessarily be a good thing. A little punishment was enough.

Shen Tang agreed.

When Yuan Muyu woke up, Shen Tang was sitting beside her, reading a book. As Muyu opened her eyes, Shen Tang sensed it and said, without lifting her head, “You’re awake?”

Yuan Muyu silently did an internal scan. Her internal injuries had stabilized considerably, likely thanks to the witch doctors who had treated her, drained the clotted blood, and given her medicine.

She asked in a low voice, “How long was I unconscious?”

“Less than half an hour,” Shen Tang’s tone was cool.

“Where’s Long Qinghuang?”

“She went back.”

Yuan Muyu noticed her attitude was off… Previously, Shen Tang’s attitude toward her wasn’t particularly good, but it was at least normally polite and tried to be amicable. However, she would at least express the concern and protection expected of “sisters,” impeccably so. But at this moment, with Muyu having just woken from unconsciousness, Shen Tang was aloof and her tone perfunctory.

She thought Shen Tang was upset because Long Qinghuang was pregnant, so she said, “You… don’t have to worry too much. Dragon pregnancies take a long time; maybe you can still have one before her?”

“Honestly… although I’m angry, it would be quite petty to specifically compete for such a thing,” Shen Tang said indifferently. “Xingzhou wouldn’t want his wife to be a vulgar woman who only competes over such matters.”

Yuan Muyu pursed her lips and said nothing.

Shen Tang asked, “So what about you? Long Qinghuang’s pregnancy, why did it provoke you to vomit blood and faint?”

Yuan Muyu was stunned: “I… I, of course, also…”

“Also as angry and jealous as I am?”

“Mm…”

“But is anger and jealousy so difficult to express? You vomited blood and fainted; who wouldn’t know the reason? Why do you still hesitate and can’t speak it out?”

Yuan Muyu was silent for a moment, then finally said, “Perhaps it’s because I’m not as brave as you in acknowledging my inner negativity.”

Shen Tang finally put down her book and turned to look at her: “I don’t think this is negativity… Because you love him, you feel jealousy and unwillingness about such things. This is a normal human heart, as long as you don’t let jealousy cloud your judgment. If you don’t even have this much jealousy, then you are either abnormal or you don’t love him.”

Yuan Muyu nodded: “You’re right.”

“So you can’t say it, not because you don’t dare to admit jealousy, but because you don’t want to admit that you love him. Is that right, Your Excellency Yan Jun?”

Yuan Muyu, who had been leaning against the headboard, suddenly sat up straight.

Shen Tang’s gaze, however, returned to her book, and she casually turned a page: “Loving yet expelling, jealous yet self-harming. Even lacking the courage to face your own love and hate, it truly surprises your sister-in-law that Elder Sister could break through to Huiyang.”

“When did you know?”

“Just now.”

“Long Qinghuang did recognize me… She said those things on purpose.”

“Is it important whether it was on purpose?” Shen Tang said indifferently, “Are those words wrong?”

Yuan Muyu was silent for a moment.

“Perhaps Elder Sister thinks they’re wrong; just now you subconsciously tried to argue ‘no.’ But why did you change your mind and admit it?” Shen Tang smiled: “Did Elder Sister realize that when you only consider things from your own perspective, it doesn’t seem that way, but once you put yourself in the position of an observer like us, then it is?”

Yuan Muyu finally admitted it frankly: “Yes.”

“So Elder Sister also finally believes that Yan Jun should be held accountable?”

Yuan Muyu didn’t answer. How could she answer that?

Not answering was also an answer. Shen Tang said indifferently, “In that case… we will leave it to Elder Sister to seek that accountability.”

After saying that, she stood up and left the room: “It is my duty as a sister-in-law to protect Elder Sister during her recovery. Since Elder Sister is awake, we have nothing more to say to each other. Let us part ways here.”

Yuan Muyu subconsciously asked, “Where are you going?”

Shen Tang continued walking: “Back to the capital.”

“Don’t be impulsive,” Yuan Muyu said. “There’s turmoil in the capital. Your appearance will cause variables. Your current strength is insufficient, and rashly attracting Gu Zhanting’s attention is not a good thing.”

Shen Tang finally stopped and turned, her expression serious: “Is Xingzhou in danger?”

“He’s calculating others, so danger is hard to say,” Yuan Muyu slowly got out of bed: “Don’t waste the foundation he built for you. Reaching First Grade early is better than anything else… I’ll go to the capital.”

Shen Tang looked at Yuan Muyu somewhat strangely, but ultimately said nothing.

During the meeting of the Demon Domain Kings, in the capital of Daqian.

Huo Heng, the third son of the Huo family, hired assassins to kill his fifth brother, Huo Jin, in prison. He was later punished by family law, but couldn’t endure it and was beaten to death. This dramatic news spread throughout the city, stunning the capital’s gentry.

Investigations into the prison matter revealed that one of the jailers had fled with his entire family overnight, whereabouts unknown.

The rumors heard by others in the prison were indeed that “Third Master Huo did not want Fifth Master to be released.”

If not investigated deeply, it appeared to be true on the surface.

Those who suspected Lu Xingzhou investigated and found that at the time of the incident, Lu Xingzhou was beating Huo Qi in the Demon Suppressing Division’s prison, and the two prisons were far apart. At least, his alibi was sufficient on the surface.

Most crucially, Grand Tutor Huo and Marquis Huo had not commented on the rumor. The entire Huo family remained silent, only busying themselves with the funeral, seemingly tacitly acknowledging the rumor.

This became interesting… Even if a son died from family discipline, it was still a crime, and Huo Heng was an official. It was unclear how this matter would be handled. Presumably, Gu Zhanting was having a headache in the palace, and political rivals of the Huo family, such as Pei Qingyan, did not seize this opportunity to make things worse, seemingly just watching the show.

The whole city was watching the show.

And among the many male descendants of the Huo family, only Huo Qi, whose cultivation was abolished and who was exiled, remained alive.

Oh, and Lu Xingzhou…

These past two days, he had repeatedly referred to himself as “also a member of the Huo family” on various occasions. Although he still hadn’t called them “grandfather” and “father,” still addressing them as “Grand Tutor” and “Marquis,” his willingness to take over the family business was already obvious.

It was amidst this volatile situation that Gu Zhanting summoned Lu Xingzhou.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Lu Xingzhou bowed respectfully.

This was his first time being summoned into the Imperial Study, and his first private meeting with the Daqian Emperor, who was soon to be his father-in-law.

Gu Zhanting stared at him for a long time, with some admiration and also some complexity in his eyes, then sighed softly: “Is your revenge enough?”

Lu Xingzhou smiled: “The blood feud of Huo Shang’s murder is settled.”

The hidden meaning was that the feud for his own family’s annihilation was not yet over, but unfortunately, no one would understand that. Gu Zhanting sighed, “My impression of you was very good before. I thought you knew your limits, and I didn’t intervene sooner. Now it has reached this point, it’s a bit much, but alas, it’s too late.”

Lu Xingzhou said, “It’s not too late.”

At least, if you mediate, the old man of the Huo family will have an even bigger headache trying to deal with me.

Gu Zhanting didn’t understand the unspoken meaning: “At least you’re the only one left, right?”

Lu Xingzhou smiled: “Yes.”

Gu Zhanting leaned back in his chair, tapping the armrest with his fingers: “The Dan Academy graduation exam is coming soon. I hear that you and Lu Nuonuo both want to skip the annual assessment and go straight to the graduation exam?”

“Yes.”

“Are you confident?”

“Should be alright.”

“Good. If you pass the exam and successfully graduate, you will return to Xiazhou first and hold the wedding with Yitang.”

Lu Xingzhou was stunned. He hadn’t expected the old man to actually speak Shen Tang’s original name directly in front of him, a complete revelation.

Seeing Lu Xingzhou’s stunned expression, Gu Zhanting smiled: “I have always known about your feelings for Yitang. Your enrollment in Dan Academy was originally to gain this layer of prestige, to make it easier to marry her, wasn’t it?”

Lu Xingzhou nodded: “Yes. Although I had some personal interest in alchemy studies, the main purpose was indeed to be worthy of Tangtang. The original plan was to successfully enter the Son of Heaven Hall, and I would then find an opportunity to ask Your Majesty for her hand. Now the time has been moved up, but overall, the initial goal has been achieved… I also thank Your Majesty for making it happen.”

“I am willing to make it happen for you, but I never thought you would dare to leverage this to ally with both the Pei and Sheng families through marriage,” Gu Zhanting’s expression darkened: “Lu Xingzhou, do you know what you are doing?”

Lu Xingzhou was silent.

He hadn’t been able to discern the emperor’s contradictory and complex psychology much in the early days, but now he understood a little.

He had some love and guilt towards his daughter, but not much.

His willingness to marry Shen Tang to Lu Xingzhou indeed had some intention of fulfilling his daughter’s wishes, and also acknowledged Lu Xingzhou’s excellent abilities, making him a suitable match. On this point alone, it was for his daughter’s good.

However, he publicly denied Shen Tang’s identity in court, which led to a series of changes.

Of course, half of the blame belonged to Gu Zhanting, and half to Lu Xingzhou’s promiscuity and greed; neither could blame the other. In short, what could have been a somewhat harmonious relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law was now somewhat broken.

The Pei and Sheng families were actually fine; marriage alliances do not necessarily mean a complete merging of forces. Otherwise, the Pei family would have had countless in-laws throughout generations. At most, Lu Xingzhou showed no respect for the imperial family, marrying a princess and openly having a harem… This was still acceptable, as long as you were优秀 enough, the emperor could still tolerate it.

What truly broke was Ye Tinglan; this was an irreconcilable conflict between father-in-law and son-in-law.

So, did Gu Zhanting asking him to return and marry early imply some other exchange?

Indeed, seeing Lu Xingzhou’s silence, Gu Zhanting still hinted: “Ye Zhuoyu is a person who cannot be found, perhaps anyone?”

Lu Xingzhou instantly understood his meaning. He sneered inwardly, but replied respectfully on the surface: “This subject understands.”

You want me to give up on my teacher… Since she can be anyone, I can naturally marry someone else, as long as it’s not Ye Tinglan.

But since she can be anyone, she can also be Ye Tinglan.

Gu Zhanting stared at Lu Xingzhou for a long time, then slowly said: “Huo Qi has been exiled, and the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is temporarily vacant. If you perform well in the Department of Guest Affairs, you might become Daqian’s youngest Deputy Minister. As for the Huo family, let’s stop here.”