Chapter 131
Chapter 131
War was coming…
Shengsheng Zhou was shocked when she learned the news.
She was not belittling the barbarians, but who could this tiny, ramshackle kingdom possibly fight?
Were they going to stone the invaders to death with pebbles?
Crouching before a potted money tree, Shengsheng could not make sense of it no matter how hard she thought.
“Young lady…”
She was lost in thought when someone called from behind. Shengsheng instantly brought her legs together, rose with extreme elegance, and turned with a faint smile. “What is it?”
A young maid stood behind her.
Shengsheng recognized her. She was probably the senior maid in charge of this courtyard. Her name seemed to be Cuiguo.
Perhaps it was psychological, but every time she heard the City Lord or someone else call the maid, she could not resist wanting to add, “Smash her mouth!”
Discarding the inexplicable thought, Shengsheng gently asked what she needed.
Cuiguo said, “Many merchants arrived from the capital. The City Lord found their goods interesting and bought everything. There are no women in the residence, so he had people choose some of the best pieces and send them to you.”
Shengsheng’s mind automatically transformed “capital” into the barbarian imperial capital.
She thought the maid truly did not know how to speak.
What did she mean, there were no women? Shengsheng was a woman standing right here. What about her looked so masculine that it blinded Cuiguo’s clear eyes?
“I understand. I’ll personally thank the lord later.”
Meanwhile, Li Su, unaware that his attempt to please his lord’s beloved had gone completely to waste, sneezed violently.
There were many gifts, arranged in several chests throughout the courtyard.
Shengsheng casually opened one whose name, “Dafu Zhou,” sounded destined to be connected with her.
The neatly arranged jewelry of every kind inside nearly blinded her.
Cuiguo stood beside her and exclaimed happily, “It’s Dafu Zhou Jewelry! I heard it became very popular recently. They even offer engraving services. Their jewelry is almost impossible to obtain in the capital. The City Lord actually bought this much.”
At a rough count, the chest contained more than ten jewelry boxes.
Shengsheng picked up an oddly shaped hairpin with ears and examined it. “It really is interesting.”
Her fingers touched an uneven trace. Moving them aside, Shengsheng discovered that a pattern had been carved into the otherwise smooth jade hairpin, and she gasped in surprise.
She focused on the design. Only after staring carefully did she realize her mistake. It was not a pattern at all, but writing.
“Huangfu Xiong’s Girlfriend Outside the Circle.”
Shengsheng: “…”
Cuiguo, who leaned over to look: “…”
Shengsheng gave a dry laugh. Now she understood how goods so fiercely sought after in the capital had been bought wholesale by the City Lord here.
So they were secondhand. Hehe. Unscrupulous merchant–she wanted to report them.
“This… is simply outrageous!” Cuiguo reacted as well.
“Young lady, please let this servant deal with it.” Cuiguo sounded furious.
Shengsheng said it was fine and that she would keep the items.
Cuiguo asked in surprise, “But someone else discarded them, and words have already been engraved on them…”
Shengsheng smiled faintly, her expression carrying a broad-minded detachment from worldly concerns. “No matter. Starting today, I like Huangfu Xiong.”
Cuiguo: “…”
Shengsheng put the hairpin back. As she turned, she suddenly remembered something and asked, “By the way, who is Huangfu Xiong?”
Cuiguo paused. “Um… the male protagonist of a popular storybook lately… This servant doesn’t know much about it either.”
Confusion briefly crossed Shengsheng Zhou’s eyes. “His official pairing… is the heroine of this storybook, Murong Yuxin, right?”
Cuiguo nodded. “You’ve read it?”
She had not… Yet she seemed to remember reading it aloud to someone. Shengsheng’s mind dissolved into chaos, and she did not even know when she returned to her room.
When she came to her senses, she was already standing before Fusheng Duan.
Looking at the dazed and distracted Shengsheng, Fusheng did not call out to her. He quietly waited for her to recover.
Once Shengsheng saw Fusheng clearly, she frowned. “City Lord, I feel as though something is wrong with me.”
Fusheng’s fingers curled, but nothing showed on his face. “Are you feeling unwell?”
Shengsheng shook her head. “I don’t know… I can’t explain it.”
A-Pang said to Fusheng in delight, *Is Shengsheng about to recover?*
Fusheng did not answer him. Instead, he continued, “There will be drills at the military training ground this afternoon. Would you like to watch?”
Shengsheng nodded. She had not left the residence yet.
This was the perfect opportunity to inspect the city’s military strength. If there were too many soldiers, she would have to suspect that the City Lord coveted the High Priest’s position.
But…
“City Lord, who is our enemy?”
Arrogance entered Fusheng’s expression, and his tone was disdainful. “Merely a few little insects who overestimate themselves.”
Shengsheng swallowed. She had to admit, the way he looked as if he were the most badass man alive was devastatingly handsome!
The soldiers were preparing to leave for war. As the City Lord, he should stand before them and deliver a few inspiring words.
That was how it should have worked…
Looking at Li Su on the platform, then glancing around for Fusheng, who had vanished somewhere, Shengsheng was utterly bewildered.
Well done, Li Su! No matter how little the City Lord cared about his duties, you could not simply seize a ceremonial task that symbolized his authority!
Shengsheng was furious. Her gaze toward Li Su on the platform brimmed with dissatisfaction.
After finishing his speech, Li Su came down and immediately spotted Shengsheng. He walked over in a few strides.
“Young lady, you’ve come. Where is my lord?” he asked respectfully.
Shengsheng smiled without warmth. “My lord couldn’t bear to keep looking, so he left first.”
Li Su: ?
Li Su noticed the inexplicable hostility in her eyes and felt extremely surprised.
After thinking for a moment, he wondered whether he had offended her somehow.
Or was her relationship with his lord not what he had imagined?
“Young lady, forgive my presumption, but what is your relationship with my lord?”
——
At that moment, an extremely shrill mechanical voice suddenly sounded inside A-Pang’s head as he followed Fusheng.
[Warning, warning, warning! Unknown energy entity invading the host’s mind! Warning, warning, warning!]
A-Pang was horrified. *Villain! Hurry back! Something happened to Shengsheng!*
——
Hearing Li Su’s question, Shengsheng’s heart lurched. Did he suspect her?
Where had she exposed herself???
She was about to explain when a sharp pain suddenly pierced her mind.
Then a cold mechanical female voice sounded inside her head.
[Choice Mode Activated.
In response to Li Su’s questioning, please choose one of the following options:
1. Build an atomic bomb on the spot to demonstrate loyalty.
2. Summon Buddha to verify your sincere heart.
3. Transform into Lü Bu, lead the troops, and secure victory.
4. Passionately declare your loyal resolve before the crowd.]