Chapter 73: The Imperial Edicts

Who else would dare to speak so boldly in front of all the noble ladies but Zhao Yuying?

Nangong Ling’s maid did not stop, continuing to push Nangong Xiaoniao with force, her fingers faintly glowing with the radiance of origin power, clearly intending to strike underhandedly. But as her hand barely touched Nangong Xiaoniao’s chest, a sharp crack sounded in the air, like a whip striking.

The maid suddenly screamed in agony, staggering backward, her sleeves torn, and two thick bloody marks appeared on her arms, quickly swelling up.

No one saw the whip, but those who knew understood that it was an invisible lash made of origin power, wielded by someone exceptionally skilled in its manipulation.

Zhao Yuying strolled into the base gate, Qian Ye at her side. She sneered at the maid, “Daring to make a move while I’m speaking, truly in need of discipline! This time, I only hit your hand. Next time, I’ll rip your mouth apart! Such a disrespectful hound, I wonder who dares to raise such a creature.”

Nangong Xiaoniao turned around, her gaze sweeping past Zhao Yuying and resting on Qian Ye, her entire being suddenly frozen.

Zhao Yuying walked towards her, “Xiaoniao, why did you suddenly run here without telling me? And how are those old men? Still alive, I hope?”

It was clear that Zhao Yuying and Nangong Xiaoniao were more than just acquaintances.

Nangong Xiaoniao’s eyes seemed glued to Qian Ye, muttering incoherently, clearly not hearing what Zhao Yuying was saying.

Zhao Yuying stood before Nangong Xiaoniao, confused, and loudly declared, “Hey! If you don’t say anything, I’ll have to be rude!”

“Uh, okay,” Nangong Xiaoniao replied distractedly, clearly not aware of what she was answering.

By now, the tense atmosphere had been thoroughly broken by Zhao Yuying. The Red Scorpion soldiers nearby, who heard everything, were dumbfounded. A female Red Scorpion officer next to Nangong Xiaoniao reached out to nudge her, but recoiled under Zhao Yuying’s glare, cowering to the side.

Miss Yuying was not to be trifled with. She laughed sardonically, extending her hand to grab Nangong Xiaoniao’s chest. This bold move immediately revealed Nangong Xiaoniao’s true endowments. Beneath her uniform, there lay an unexpected abundance.

Suddenly assaulted in such a vulnerable spot, Nangong Xiaoniao snapped back to reality, first with a scream, then with a swipe at Zhao Yuying’s hand.

Zhao Yuying managed to squeeze a few more times, laughing, “Such a silly bird, by the time you react, I’ve already taken all the advantage I need.”

“You always do this!” Nangong Xiaoniao glared at Zhao Yuying. The word “always” implied that such incidents had occurred more than once.

Zhao Yuying, however, remained unrepentant, grinning, “What’s the difference if it happens once more or less?”

Nangong Xiaoniao, fuming, swung her tiny fist at Zhao Yuying, then her gaze landed on Qian Ye again, unable to look away.

Even Zhao Yuying, with her laid-back demeanor, sensed something amiss. She looked from Nangong Xiaoniao to Qian Ye, puzzled. “My brother is indeed quite handsome, but…”

Qian Ye, feeling the girl’s gaze, found it strange. After a moment, he recognized her and blurted, “Little rookie?”

“It’s me!” Nangong Xiaoniao exclaimed joyfully.

Zhao Yuying, still puzzled, asked, “When did you start calling yourself Nangong Little Rookie?”

“I’m Nangong Xiaoniao!” She swatted away Zhao Yuying’s stealthy hand.

Nangong Xiaoniao fully turned around, and both Qian Ye and Zhao Yuying saw the red marks on her face. Qian Ye was slightly taken aback, while Zhao Yuying instantly became furious, grabbing Nangong Xiaoniao. “What’s this? Who hit you?” Her eyes blazed as she scanned the crowd.

Nangong Xiaoniao clamped her mouth shut, but the reactions of others pointed to the culprit.

Nangong Ling, not hiding, said, “I did.”

Zhao Yuying narrowed her eyes, coldly asking, “Why?”

Qian Ye also approached, looking at the girl who now reached his chin, frowning, “What happened?”

Nangong Xiaoniao, realizing Qian Ye was only an arm’s length away, lowered her head like a startled fawn. Her face flushed, lips tightly pursed, she could not speak, her head sinking even lower.

Unable to get a response from Nangong Xiaoniao, Nangong Ling answered, unwilling to lose face. She calmly stated, “Yuying…”

“Yuying is for you to call? Don’t act familiar with me here!”

Nangong Ling’s face darkened, but she took a deep breath to calm herself.

At this moment, another group entered the base, including Zhang Zixing and Red Scorpion’s Brigadier General An Shaonian, followed by Wei Po Tian and Song Zining. All the influential people in Blackflow City had arrived.

Under these circumstances, Nangong Ling could not back down. Her face slightly pale, she straightened her chest and composedly said, “Miss Zhao, you know the enmity between my Nangong family and her…”

Zhao Yuying interrupted impatiently, “Stop with the nonsense. Get to the point!”

Zhao Yuying’s lack of respect for Nangong Ling was evident. The spectators, especially the noble ladies, reveled in her misfortune.

Nangong Ling, fists clenched beneath her sleeves, coldly said, “Simply put, she blocked my way, so I hit her. It’s that simple! A mere commoner, what does it matter if I hit her? Even if it were more than a slap, compensation would suffice. I can afford it. That’s the law of the Empire. Do you have a problem with that, Miss Zhao?”

Zhao Yuying, instead of getting angry, laughed lazily, surprisingly saying, “Of course not.”

Nangong Ling, surprised, realized it was best to leave and said, “If there’s no problem, I’ll take my leave.”

“Wait.” Zhao Yuying called after Nangong Ling, then walked towards her.

“Is there something, Miss Zhao?” Before Nangong Ling could finish, Zhao Yuying slapped her, the sound resounding through the air, leaving a harsh mark on her face.

In an instant, Nangong Ling’s face swelled, blood trickling from her lip. She stood in shock, covering her face, unable to believe Zhao Yuying had actually hit her so hard.

Nangong Ling’s maids and guards finally reacted, rushing to protect her. But they knew Zhao Yuying’s strength, not daring to draw their swords or even threaten.

Feeling better after the slap, Zhao Yuying said, “Nothing much, just teaching you about the laws of the Empire. Here, it’s the Evernight Continent, not the Empire.”

Her eyes flashed coldly, and she continued, “Slapping you was wrong. Go back to the Empire and sue me. No rush, it might take ten years for the verdict. Whatever the Law Ministry decides, I’ll pay, down to the last coin.”

Nangong Ling, seething, said nothing, turning and walking away. Her guards and maids quickly followed.

Zhao Yuying’s threat was clear: opposing her in the lawless Evernight Continent would bring no benefit. As the eldest granddaughter of the You Kingdom Duke of the Zhao Clan, her status was higher than Nangong Ling’s, a secondary daughter of a marquis. Even in the Empire, what could Nangong Ling do? Sue the Law Ministry?

Those old hands in the Law Ministry would drag the case for years. Even if Zhao Yuying was found guilty, the fine would be negligible. But the Nangong family’s reputation would be ruined.

In the use of Imperial law, Nangong Ling and Zhao Yuying were in different leagues.

As Nangong Ling retreated, Zhao Yuying huffed, “Running fast! I wanted to slap you again!”

The noble ladies, sensing her wrath, dispersed. They knew if Zhao Yuying could hit Nangong Ling, she could hit them too. In such clan disputes, Zhang Zixing wouldn’t interfere, only dealing with external threats, not internal strife.

Wei Po Tian, however, fearlessly approached, smiling, “Sister Yuying, you’re back! Oh, Qian Ye, you’re here too!”

Hearing the second part, Qian Ye’s eyes narrowed, tempted to punch the wild boar. Clearly, he hadn’t noticed him until now.

Ignoring Wei, Zhao Yuying examined Nangong Xiaoniao’s injuries, asking, “Does it still hurt? Where does it hurt?” While she claimed to check her face, her hands roamed freely, touching and pinching.

Nangong Xiaoniao, no longer brave, dodged Zhao Yuying’s hands, nearly curling into a ball.

Seeing Zhao Yuying’s behavior, Qian Ye coughed. Zhao Yuying glared, annoyed, “Mind your own business. Caught a cold? Need a doctor?”

Though annoyed, Zhao Yuying let go, and Nangong Xiaoniao darted behind Qian Ye, her movements swift and fluid, far surpassing her usual skills. Seeing this, Zhao Yuying raised an eyebrow, smiling knowingly.

Soon, everyone gathered in Qian Ye’s study, settling down.

Qian Ye, looking at Nangong Xiaoniao, felt a headache. Zhao Yuying had already revealed the little rookie’s identity.

He never imagined that the young rookie, after returning to the Red Scorpion, had risen to become a favorite of the legion commanders, cherished and protected.

Her talent in mechanical design and origin power arrays was astonishing. Qian Ye knew the value of such geniuses; their long-term impact exceeded that of even the Scorpion King. Nangong Xiaoniao’s talent surpassed most.

For someone of her stature to come to Evernight with only a small escort and a high-speed airship, it was obvious she had snuck out.

Nangong Xiaoniao, sitting opposite Qian Ye, stared at the table, unmoving, as if mesmerized by a rare origin power array.

“Xiaoniao, did you sneak out?” Zhao Yuying asked after introducing her impressive background.

“Yes. Oh, no, I didn’t!” Nangong Xiaoniao, dazed, blurted the truth.

Zhao Yuying and Qian Ye exchanged glances, then Zhao Yuying asked, “Are you going back?” Though she was often unreliable, she was serious about important matters. Nangong Xiaoniao staying in Blackflow City could be problematic for Qian Ye.

“No!” This time, the little rookie was clear and firm.

“How long do you plan to stay?”

“A very long time!”