Chapter 141 Have You Ever Heard-The Princess Is Unattainably Delicate(Shallow affection knows not its depth.)

Before dawn the next day, Huangfu Chen was already waiting outside Guanlin City. The city gates slowly opened, and a humble carriage emerged...

Driving the carriage was Ye Shi, and inside were only Weishaoshangyu and Yunming, with no one else in sight...

Huangfu Chen was not entirely surprised; he led the group and hurried toward Yudu...

Weishaoshangyu sat in the same carriage with Yunming without any avoidance, and casually brought up Feng Qingxuan...

"On New Year's Eve two years ago, when Qingxuan heard at the General Weishaoshang Mansion that you had been sent to Yunyang Mountain, she was on her way in a rush to the Marquis of Xibo's estate when she was seized by Lin Yichu..."

Weishaoshangyu said calmly, "Before that, she seemed to have been waiting for you at the Prince of War's Mansion all along..."

Upon hearing this, Yunming was momentarily at a loss for words.

"I suspect that what you and Feng Jinye thought—that she went to find the antidote for Huangfu Chen—was actually for your sake!" Weishaoshangyu continued in her detached tone.

"She treated Huangfu Chen just as she treated Feng Jinye, but she treated you differently." Weishaoshangyu feared that Yunming was trapped in the illusion of being directly involved.

Recalling Huangfu Chen's remark that day about marrying Feng Qingxuan, she realized it was merely meant to provoke Yunming...

Seeing that Yunming was speechless, Weishaoshangyu went on, "Why am I even telling you all this!"

"What I want to say is that your marriage to the Weishaoshang family, I have unilaterally decided to call it off!"

Weishaoshangyu lifted the carriage curtain and looked toward Guanlin City, feeling as though everything had been properly arranged and nothing was left behind, yet she still had the lingering illusion that something was missing, though she knew very well that some things could never be taken away...

Yunming nodded and abruptly asked two words: "And you?"

"Hmm?"

Weishaoshangyu seemed not to understand Yunming's meaning and raised her eyes to look at him...

"You arranged Qingxia's marriage, handed Xuechun over to Ye Shiyi, entrusted Dongnuan to Lu Liyuan, and even dropped hints for me to propose marriage at the Prince Yuan's Mansion..."

"Then what about you? What about Jinye? What about Huangfu?" Yunming asked calmly.

Though he had only been awake for a few days, he knew this journey was not simple, and he was increasingly sensing the abnormality between Feng Jinye and Weishaoshangyu...

"Was it to save me?" Yunming finally voiced the question hidden deep in his heart.

Weishaoshangyu smiled: "If it were, would you want me not to save you?"

Yunming remained silent.

He was not foolish; this was not merely to save him, it was a high-stakes gamble.

Yet Yunming could not fathom Feng Jinye and Huangfu Chen, nor could he understand Weishaoshangyu...

Besides, just yesterday he had believed Feng Jinye would accompany them, but today Feng Jinye was nowhere to be seen. Feng Jinye must have made other plans!

Huangfu Chen rode silently at the very front of the procession. In the seven days since he had arrived in Guanlin City, the Heart-Devouring Gu had flared up no less than three times...

The only solution Huangfu Chen could think of was to transfer the Cold Gu from Yunming's body into his own, which might allow him to hold on for a little longer...

The closer the group got to Yudu, the more oppressive the atmosphere became...

However, only three days remained of Huangfu Chen's ten-day pact with Xuanyuan Ran. Time ticked away drop by drop, and eventually, they reached Yudu, reached the east of the city, and reached the Twilight Pavilion...

Weishaoshangyu could never have imagined that upon arriving in Yudu, she would be greeted by such a scene...

"Respectfully welcoming the return of the Heavenly Maiden!!!"

Xuanyuan Ran, the female preceptor of the Liyue Kingdom, had actually brought civil and military officials along with all the citizens of the city to kneel and welcome them a hundred miles outside the city gates. The earth-shattering cheers were deafening...

Huangfu Chen was equally taken aback that Xuanyuan Ran would resort to such a display...

Weishaoshangyu sat in the carriage, listening to the roaring cheers outside that threatened to overwhelm her. The more nervous she felt, the calmer she forced herself to be, pondering how to handle the situation ahead...

She had not failed to consider that Xuanyuan wanted her to marry the fake emperor in the capacity of the Heavenly Maiden...

Now, it seemed she was not mistaken. That madwoman Xuanyuan Ran probably wanted to prove that she possessed the Weishaoshang Heavenly Maiden, to prove that she, Xuanyuan Ran, held the Xuanyuan Twins, and that the world was hers!

Hearing no movement from the Heavenly Maiden outside, and as if to confirm Weishaoshangyu's thoughts, another wave of earth-shattering, giant-wave-like cheers erupted...

"When the Heavenly Maiden appears, the Twins rule the world."

The citizens of Yudu must have been brainwashed by Xuanyuan Ran during this period. Could it be another case of Gu poison?

Weishaoshangyu tapped twice on the carriage wall, and Ye Shi, snapping out of his shock at the scene before him, stepped closer: "Princess."

"Call Huangfu Chen over!" Weishaoshangyu ordered.

"Princess, Lord Huangfu is surrounded by the crowd and cannot get through!" Ye Shi was reluctant to move too far from Weishaoshangyu, fearing that in the chaotic mob, some unexpected danger might occur...

Weishaoshangyu could not step out of the carriage like this; if she did, she would most likely be snatched away, and then Yunming would surely be beyond saving...

"There is a way."

As a precaution, the carriage happened to be equipped with a veil. Yunming tore down the white gauze from the curtain and handed it to Weishaoshangyu...

Weishaoshangyu instantly understood Yunming's intent.

Xuanyuan Ran smiled smugly, waiting with triumphant anticipation for Weishaoshangyu to step down from the carriage...

"Ye Shi." Weishaoshangyu called Ye Shi over once more and whispered a few instructions into his ear.

Hearing her directives, Ye Shi stood up from the carriage driver's seat, bowed deeply, and asked loudly: "May I ask what the esteemed Xuanyuan Preceptor means by this?"

Seeing that the person speaking to her was merely a lowly hidden guard, Xuanyuan Ran was filled with vexation and motioned for a servant beside her to reply!

"The Xuanyuan Preceptor divination foretold that at noon today, the Weishaoshang Heavenly Maiden would surely appear in the east of the city! Your subjects are here to respectfully welcome the Heavenly Maiden!"

"May I ask if the Heavenly Maiden your Preceptor divined is me?" It was Weishaoshangyu's voice, one that Xuanyuan Ran would never mistake.

"It is indeed Miss Weishaoshang. Will the Heavenly Maiden please alight from the carriage!" Xuanyuan Ran said with a sneer.

Inside the carriage, Weishaoshangyu clenched her fists tightly, desperately suppressing the surging, howling hatred that threatened to overwhelm her, fighting down the impulse to rush out and kill Xuanyuan Ran!

Sitting beside her, Yunming could feel the raging fire of fury burning through Weishaoshangyu's entire body. He almost forgot the irreconcilable blood feud between her and Xuanyuan Ran, and that now, in order to save him, she was forced to submit to Xuanyuan Ran...

"Shangyu!" Yunming called out softly.

Weishaoshangyu immediately placed a finger to her lips, signaling him to make no more sound!

Outside, Xuanyuan Ran did not miss Yunming's cry of "Shangyu." She had been certain that the person in the carriage was Weishaoshangyu, but why would Yunming be in the same carriage with her?

Xuanyuan Ran instantly realized something was amiss, but Weishaoshangyu had already lifted the carriage curtain...

Weishaoshangyu slowly descended from the carriage, yet she turned and reached out her hand to help Yunming down as well...

"Preceptor?" Yunming asked calmly.

Xuanyuan Ran looked at Yunming with fury. She had anticipated that Huangfu Chen might bring Yunming back, but she had expected him to be hidden among the hidden guards and escorted securely to the east of the city. She had never imagined that they would shamelessly ride in the same carriage together, a lone man and woman!

The citizens of Yudu had long been brainwashed to believe the Heavenly Maiden was betrothed to the emperor. Seeing this scene unfold before their eyes, they were utterly dumbfounded!

Seeing that the crowd blocking his path was also stunned, Huangfu Chen broke free from the throng and walked up to Weishaoshangyu and Yunming...

Looking at the three confronting one another, he heard Weishaoshangyu immediately bow to him: "Xuechun greets Lord Huangfu."

Xuanyuan Ran let out a contemptuous, barking laugh: "Miss Weishaoshang is truly as clever as ice and snow!"

Xuanyuan Ran's laughter filled Weishaoshangyu with utter disgust. She demanded angrily, "Xuanyuan Preceptor, you captured my cousin and forced me here. Will you not hand over my cousin Lu Yanran now?"

Weishaoshangyu's voice rang clear and resolute, every word echoing in the air...

Yet what she received in return was still Xuanyuan Ran's derisive laughter: "Do you think these people are still going to be swayed by you?"

Saying this, Xuanyuan Ran swept her gaze across the sea of kneeling citizens covering the ground of Yudu and proclaimed brazenly, "Everyone here obeys only this Preceptor!"

Weishaoshangyu frowned. It was indeed Gu poison!

That was exactly how Xuanyuan Ran had treated the Xuanyuan family back then!

"Heh..."

Weishaoshangyu suddenly burst out laughing as well, her laughter echoing without a shred of regard for Xuanyuan Ran...

"You will never surpass Xuanyuan Yuan!" Weishaoshangyu struck directly at the deepest part of Xuanyuan Ran's heart.

Furies flared across Xuanyuan Ran's entire body. With a backhand strike, she lashed out a slap toward Weishaoshangyu's face, staring at her with a glacial gaze filled entirely with menace: She did not want to kill Weishaoshangyu yet, but she would make her wish she were dead!

Weishaoshangyu was struck by the blow, blood spilling from her mouth. Xuanyuan Ran's cultivation was indeed unfathomably deep.

Raising a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, Weishaoshangyu knew she was no match for Xuanyuan Ran, but she did not resist. Instead, she continued, "Have you ever heard..."

"Whenever Feng Jinye returns in triumph, whether to Guanlin City, Qudu, Modu, or Yudu..."

"Do the people of the entire city shout in unison, 'All hail the Prince of War'?"

Flames danced in Xuanyuan Ran's eyes, threatening to consume Weishaoshangyu entirely, but Weishaoshangyu continued to smile, continued to speak...

"That is Xuanyuan Yuan's son!"

"And you, Xuanyuan Ran..."

"All of this is controlled by you, a manufactured illusion, a stage set created by your own hands!"

"Whatever prestige you, Xuanyuan Ran, are worthy of possessing amounts to this! It is truly more worthless than the dirt beneath our feet!"

Xuanyuan Ran looked ready to tear Weishaoshangyu to shreds. Yet Huangfu Chen stepped directly in front of Weishaoshangyu and Yunming. Every single word Weishaoshangyu uttered made Huangfu Chen feel profoundly gratified!

"The dirt beneath our feet can occasionally grow flowers, but the illusions you manufacture can only rot away slowly!"

"Hahaha, truly worthless, truly the most laughable thing in the world."

They said that the greatest cruelty was to break a person's spirit; even if she could not kill her, it did not stop Weishaoshangyu from driving daggers into Xuanyuan Ran's heart!

The citizens kneeling across the ground seemed to sense the surging tempest of Xuanyuan Ran's wrath and trembled all over...

"Get out!"

Xuanyuan Ran roared in extreme fury. Several frail children among the crowd had their internal organs shattered and died instantly from the sheer force of her roar...

Weishaoshangyu's expression hardened. Fearless, she glared furiously at Xuanyuan Ran, her imposing aura pressing heavily upon her adversary!

"Trash!"

Two icy words slipped past Weishaoshangyu's lips. She let out a cold sneer, her eyes looking upon Xuanyuan Ran as though viewing a pile of garbage, filled with absolute contempt.

Huangfu Chen could not help but glance back at Weishaoshangyu. He saw that the veil concealing her face had been torn away by Xuanyuan Ran's strike, and the blood at the corner of her mouth remained uncleaned, making her look like a blood-drinking Asura...

Much like Feng Jinye on the battlefield, where slaughtering gods stood in his way or Buddhas blocked his path, he destroyed them all.