Ning Zining smiled faintly, saying, “There’s no need to be nervous. I won’t try to take you away from Qian Ye anymore. But now that the Nan Gong Family has temporarily retreated, I think it’s time we had a proper talk. Why is Nan Gong Yuanbo so interested in you?”
Nan Gong Xiaoniao’s face turned bright red as she angrily retorted, “Isn’t the reason clear enough? You already know about my childhood, why do you need me to repeat it?”
“No, that’s not the reason,” Ning Zining shook his head and continued, “With Nan Gong Yuanbo’s status and power, he can have any woman he desires. As the head of the family, he offended the Zhao Clan, the Expeditionary Army, and the Red Scorpion, all for you. Do you really think it’s just for your body? If Nan Gong Yuanbo were such a person, he wouldn’t be able to sit in the position of the head of the family.”
Seeing a hint of panic flash in Nan Gong Xiaoniao’s eyes, Ning Zining leaned forward, staring into her eyes, and asked, word by word, “Nan Gong Xiaoniao, how much are you hiding from us?”
“N-no! Nothing!” Nan Gong Xiaoniao began to panic and, under Ning Zining’s piercing gaze, involuntarily lowered her head, not daring to look up.
Ning Zining said solemnly, “I don’t want to help you, but I have to help Qian Ye. He has already caused a lot of trouble because of you, and what you’re hiding now will bring him even greater danger. You can’t think the Iron Curtain will last forever, can you? What will happen to Qian Ye when the Iron Curtain disappears?”
Nan Gong Xiaoniao’s hands twisted together, her body trembling slightly, indecisive.
“Tell me the reason, and I’ll know what precautions to take. Otherwise, it will be too late when the Iron Curtain is gone. I don’t want Qian Ye to face the pursuit of many powerful Nan Gong Family members without knowing why.”
Nan Gong Xiaoniao’s face gradually turned pale, and she finally shook her head, saying, “I… have no secrets. If I’m not welcome here, I’ll just go back to the Red Scorpion.”
Ning Zining sighed and said, “You can stay as long as you want. Just be careful with yourself.”
Nan Gong Xiaoniao hesitated, but eventually left.
Ning Zining slowly walked to the wall, staring at the war map for a long time. He then reached out and traced the map, moving beyond the human territory, into the dark nation, and finally beyond the edge of the Evernight Continent. Beyond the endless void lay other continents and countries, until the Neutral Zone.
It wasn’t Qian Ye’s first time on an airship, but every time he saw the ground passing beneath him, he was still stunned. The old airship emitted a deafening roar, and the entire cabin vibrated, as if it could fall apart at any moment, making comfort out of the question. The cabin, after being used for a long time, carried a peculiar smell—a mix of body odor, tobacco, alcohol, and an indescribable stench.
Behind the airship, thick black smoke billowed, leaving a long trail. Occasionally, a strong wind would blow from behind, and the dense smoke from burning black stone would flood the cabin, taking a long time to dissipate.
This journey avoided public routes and didn’t use the Zhao Clan’s ships. Instead, like Qian Ye’s previous trip to the Western Continent, they chose a smuggling route. The cabin wasn’t large, but Qian Ye and Zhao Junhong occupied the best rooms on the airship. This ship also carried several dozen people, all heading to other continents.
Qian Ye threw himself onto the bed, wanting to rest, but countless thoughts kept rising in his mind, making it impossible to calm down. He opened his eyes and stared at the rust-stained ceiling, motionless.
The airship flew over mountains and seas, finally landing on a much larger airstrip. Looking around, there were over a dozen airships in the sky, either arriving or departing. Among them were military warships and large troop carriers. A newly landed troop carrier’s door was wide open, and soldiers were marching out in formation.
From this airstrip alone, one could see that the empire’s war machine was already in motion.
Zhao Junhong led Qian Ye to a small, unmarked intercontinental airship, clearly a high-end model. It was already ready to depart, and as soon as they boarded, the airship took off. With the opening of the force sails, the speed gradually increased, and they leaped into the void between continents, heading towards the Western Continent.
After a day, the airship landed on an enclave on the edge of the Western Continent, preparing for a brief refueling before taking off again. Zhao Junhong would return directly to the Evernight battlefield from here.
As the airship touched the ground, they heard the cabin door being hastily opened, and Zhao Yuying strode in.
“How are you, Little Five! Did you miss your old mom?” Zhao Yuying greeted him with her typical greeting, followed by a fierce hug.
“Well…” In front of such a greeting, Qian Ye never knew how to respond.
Fortunately, Zhao Yuying didn’t need a response. She turned to Zhao Junhong and slapped him hard, saying, “Brother, it seems you’ve broken through again after a few days, haven’t you?”
Zhao Junhong, well-prepared, sidestepped to the cabin door and laughed, “My strength is nothing special. No matter how much I break through, I can’t match you, Yuying.”
To everyone’s surprise, Zhao Yuying’s eyes widened, and she angrily shouted, “Zhao Junhong! Don’t beat around the bush and point out my weaknesses! I just made a few mistakes in the tabletop exercises, that’s all!”
Zhao Junhong smiled and said, “It was just luck. If it were a real battle, you could have broken into the center and created some uncertainty.”
Zhao Yuying immediately felt proud, saying, “Good to know you understand!” seemingly not noticing the underlying meaning in Zhao Junhong’s words. Since he knew she would break into the center, with Zhao Junhong’s steady tactics, he must have prepared something.
Zhao Junhong didn’t argue further and nodded to Qian Ye, saying, “With Yuying accompanying you, I can rest easy. Farewell, I’m off to the Evernight.”
“Second Young Master Zhao…” Qian Ye paused, then said, “Take care.”
Zhao Junhong smiled, “Under the Iron Curtain, it’s just a game. When you become a Battle Captain, we’ll meet again outside the Iron Curtain.”
Qian Ye watched Zhao Junhong leave, feeling a mix of emotions. In their limited conversations, Zhao Junhong hadn’t mentioned much about the Zhao Clan’s bloody battles, and he made it clear that, although Qian Ye had earned a significant amount of military merit under Zhao Yuying’s name, neither he nor Zhao Jundu intended for Qian Ye to formally join the Zhao Clan’s forces.
Two days later, at noon, Qian Ye and Zhao Yuying stood at the gate of the Zhao Mansion in the Westernmost City.
The Zhao Mansion was like a small city, with its gate similar to a city gate. The gate tower was fifty meters high and hundreds of meters wide, with the words “Yunyun Zhao Family” written in large, majestic characters on the red-painted, copper-nail-adorned gate.
Qian Ye and Zhao Yuying got off the carriage at the gate and switched to a vehicle that could only be used within the mansion.
As soon as they got in, Zhao Yuying waved carelessly and said, “Send a message to the Cheng’en Duke! But it’s the time for Uncle to handle military affairs, so he might not be available. You can stay at my place for now.”
Without waiting for Qian Ye to speak, the vehicle started, turned half a circle in the square, and headed towards the Youguo Duke’s mansion. Qian Ye opened his mouth but didn’t make a sound.
The two attendants who had been standing at the switch point were completely ignored. Zhao Yuying didn’t even glance at them, and Qian Ye, of course, didn’t know that they were subordinates of the Cheng’en Duke’s mansion.
After passing through two intersections, a group of young heirs, laughing and chatting, emerged. By their attire, they were all direct descendants.
One of the young men, seeing Zhao Yuying in the car, became excited and hurried over, shouting, “Yuying! You’re back in the mansion?”
Zhao Yuying seemed to have a good relationship with the young man, and since she was in a good mood, she ordered the car to stop and got out.
The young man quickly walked to Zhao Yuying, displaying decent footwork. He was tall and handsome, embodying the characteristics of the Zhao Clan’s bloodline, with a sunny disposition and a genuinely cheerful smile.
“Yuying, how are your injuries? I brought a friend who has a Boiling Dragon Powder, which is very effective for treating origin power damage. I was wondering how to give it to you, and now you’re back. I’ll have someone send it over right away!”
Zhao Yuying laughed, “If I recover too quickly, it might not be good for you! What, did I beat you so badly last time that you’re eager to get beaten again?”
The young man was momentarily embarrassed but then laughed, “Just because I can’t beat you and Junhong doesn’t mean I should stop trying. Getting beaten isn’t a big deal. Besides, if it were a military exercise, you might not win against me.”
His gaze shifted to Qian Ye, and his casual look changed to slight surprise at Qian Ye’s exceptionally handsome appearance. He then asked with a smile, “Yuying, is this your friend?”
This young man’s manners were appropriate, and his bearing was impressive. Qian Ye had a good impression of him, but the question seemed to carry a hint of caution.
Zhao Yuying, without thinking, put her hand on Qian Ye’s shoulder and declared, “He’s my best friend!”
The three words, “best friend,” were spoken with great emphasis by Zhao Yuying.
The young man’s smile faltered slightly but he maintained his composure, smiling, “If you’re Yuying’s friend, you’re my friend. Welcome to the Zhao Family. So, what brings you here?”
“Qian Ye just arrived and hasn’t settled in yet, so he’s staying with me for now.” At these words, the surrounding crowd’s expressions changed. Zhao Yuying, as if oblivious, waved at the young man and said, “We’ll go now. Once I’m better, we can have another match on the training field!”
“Certainly.” The young man smiled and watched them leave. After their vehicle disappeared around the corner, his expression darkened.
A person next to him pondered, then said, “Xiu Zhu, it’s unusual for Miss Yuying to bring someone back to her own residence.”
Zhao Xiu Zhu’s expression changed several times before he said, “Find out who he is. Also, spread the news to Zhao Fenglei. Even if we have to compete, let’s wait until I advance to the next rank.”
“Very wise, sir.”
Zhao Xiu Zhu snorted, glancing heavily in the direction of the Youguo Duke’s mansion before leaving with the others.
Though the Zhao Mansion was vast, news spread quickly.
In his study, the Youguo Duke was reading a book when a trusted attendant knocked and whispered something to him. The Youguo Duke’s expression changed, a mix of joy and worry, and he pondered for a long time before saying, “Yuying and Qian Ye… If Qian Ye is indeed that child from back then, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Sir, what should we do now? There will be plenty of gossiping servants in the mansion.”
The Youguo Duke chuckled, “Let them talk. After all, the one who will be most troubled is the Cheng’en Duke, not us!”
In the Yan Guo Duke’s mansion, Zhao Fenglei almost jumped up, roaring, “What did you say? Yuying brought a man to stay at her place?”
The servant, trembling, replied, “Yes, sir. I saw it with my own eyes.”
SLAP! Zhao Fenglei slapped him, enraged, “You saw it and let them leave like that?!”
The servant could only plead, “I’m incompetent, I’m guilty! I’m guilty!”
In reality, Zhao Yuying’s reputation for ferocity had spread throughout the mansion. Even if Zhao Fenglei himself had been present, he likely wouldn’t have dared to say anything. Zhao Yuying never hesitated to take action.
In another corner of the Zhao Mansion, there was a serene courtyard. Within the courtyard, a pond of clear water was surrounded by rocks, flowers, and trees, with a small, elegant pavilion in the middle. Strands of pure energy floated up from the pond, stopping at the courtyard walls. Staying here for a while would make one feel refreshed. This was because a massive origin power array was constructed beneath the courtyard, constantly generating pure Dawn Origin Power to supply the area.
At the courtyard gate, there was a small room where an elderly woman sat, dozing off. This Xi Yuan (Dawn Garden) was a famous and pleasant place in the Zhao Mansion, but it was also a restricted area. Not only could outsiders not enter, but even the family members had to submit a visitation card and obtain permission to enter.
On the second floor of the pavilion, Zhao Ruoxi sat by the window, lazily yawning. A maidservant nearby said, “Miss, you seem to be in better spirits lately!”
“Is that so?” Zhao Ruoxi smiled faintly, but her smile carried a hint of bitterness. She sighed softly, self-mocking, “Today, I’m just not as tired. Does that count as being in better spirits? I wonder if there are many like me.”
The maidservant quickly said, “Miss, you’re different! Those commoners are naturally destined to be busy, how can they compare to you? You are destined to be a great figure in history!”
Zhao Ruoxi sighed and said, “I’d rather be like those ordinary people, free to wander and see the world as I please.”
After a moment of silence, Zhao Ruoxi suddenly asked, “Be honest, have they increased the dosage of the medicine again recently?”
The maidservant looked a bit flustered and finally, with no choice, bit her lip and said, “It’s just increased by twenty percent.”
“As I thought.” Zhao Ruoxi smiled self-mockingly, picking up the mirror on the table and looking at her reflection. “Tell me, what’s new in the mansion lately?”
The maidservant, sensing an opportunity to divert her attention, quickly smiled, “There’s a piece of interesting news! Miss Yuying from the Youguo Duke’s side just returned, bringing a man and directly arranging for him to stay in her residence. Everyone says that this will surely stir up a commotion between the Youguo and Yan Guo mansions! Many young masters want to marry Miss Yuying!”
Zhao Ruoxi’s interest was piqued, “Miss Yuying has never had a man she approved of. What kind of person is he?”
“They say he’s extremely handsome, comparable to Young Master Junhong. Oh, and many of the sisters say that even among the blood races or demonkin, his appearance would hold its own. His name is Qian Ye, but I don’t know his surname…”
With a loud SMASH, the mirror in Zhao Ruoxi’s hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
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