Chapter 374 – The Sweet Princess Was Here – Disinfect, Disinfect (19)
With Wu Chenyi’s assistance, Fang Xianglian’s status in the Prefect’s residence rose rapidly. She became Prefect Li Xiuming’s “steward” in business matters, her position almost equal to Zhu Lanxiao’s.
Zhu Lanxiao now had to announce herself before entering the study, while Fang Xianglian could come and go freely. It was common to hear Li Xiuming and Fang Xianglian laughing together inside.
Unable to restrain her growing fury, Zhu Lanxiao finally snapped one day after she brought desserts to the study and was scolded by Li Xiuming.
She ordered someone to get rid of Fang Xianglian’s child, then had people from Fang Xianglian’s hometown send her the news.
When Fang Xianglian received the terrible message, she completely lost control.
She rushed into Zhu Lanxiao’s room and smashed the bird’s nest soup Zhu Lanxiao was drinking onto the floor.
“You touched my child—I’ll strangle you!”
Before Zhu Lanxiao could react, Fang Xianglian—driven to the brink of madness—grabbed her by the throat.
To earn money for Li Xiuming’s business ventures, Fang Xianglian had worked both as a seamstress and in the fields. Her strength far surpassed the delicate Zhu Lanxiao.
The maids tried to intervene, but all of them were pushed aside. Zhu Lanxiao was throttled until her eyes rolled back.
Meanwhile—
After a period of investigation and probing, Wu Chenyi finally compiled a list of officials who had purchased ranks and embezzled disaster relief funds. As long as he submitted the list to Emperor Jude, his mission would be complete.
Wu Chenyi was well aware of Fang Xianglian “throwing her weight around” in the Prefect’s residence—he had instructed her to.
As expected, Fang Xianglian drove Zhu Lanxiao to “madness,” and now Zhu Lanxiao, in turn, had driven Fang Xianglian mad.
Following Wu Chenyi’s orders, Su Wen went to retrieve Fang Xianglian from the Prefect’s residence, but instead walked in on the scene unfolding inside.
She quickly separated the two, saving Zhu Lanxiao, who was only seconds away from being strangled to death.
“Xianglian, calm down,” Su Wen said.
“She killed my child—I’ll kill her…” How could Fang Xianglian calm down? Just thinking about her child being murdered by that vile woman made her want to drink her blood and tear her apart.
Snap—
Su Wen slapped her. Fang Xianglian clutched her face and finally quieted down.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Su Wen let out a sigh and helped her up. “Your child is fine. Young Master arranged everything long ago. I don’t know where you heard that something happened to him, but in truth, he’s staying safely at the inn Young Master prepared.”
Fang Xianglian froze, then burst into wild joy. “You mean… my Xiao Ding is fine? He’s alive—he’s perfectly fine…?”
“Yes, alive and well. My young master is not someone who goes back on his word. He said he would help you, so he definitely will.” Su Wen pulled her hand free from Fang Xianglian’s grip. Red marks had already formed on it—proof of Fang Xianglian’s strength, enough that even Su Wen, who practiced martial arts, felt pain.
“That’s wonderful, wonderful. I—I can… can I…”
“You want to see him, right? Come with me.” Understanding her completely, Su Wen wrapped an arm around Fang Xianglian’s waist and led her out of the Prefect’s residence.
Meanwhile, the half-dead Zhu Lanxiao was being shaken by the maids. “Someone—quick, call a physician!”
Wu Chenyi had gone to meet with the imperial envoy sent by Emperor Jude, leaving Bai Tang at the secondary residence.
But someone had leaked the news, and it reached Li Xiuming. Thinking of his business operations being raided, he was filled with both rage and fear—fear buried deep in his heart.
“Bai Chenyi, Bai Chenyi…” Li Xiuming gnashed his teeth, cursing Wu Chenyi. But unfortunately for him, it was only a false name. He couldn’t even curse the right person.
Li Xiuming’s business dens had been seized. Enraged beyond measure, he gathered his men and headed toward the secondary residence. Even if he died, he wanted to drag the culprit down with him.
When he arrived, Bai Tang—currently transformed into a little squirrel—was playfully swaying on the camphor tree in the courtyard.
The main gate was pushed open. Xiao Duzi didn’t even have time to stop them before Li Xiuming shoved him aside and rushed inside with his men, smashing whatever they saw.
“Bai Chenyi! Get out here!”
Gone was the refined, elegant Prefect Bai Tang had first met. At this moment, Li Xiuming looked no different from a street thug.
The men he brought headed toward the side room. Seeing this, Xiao Duzi scrambled to his feet, panicking. The Crown Princess Consort was still resting inside. If these people barged in, the Crown Prince would kill them.
Ignoring the dust on his clothes, Xiao Duzi ran to the door and blocked their way.
“Get out!” He pulled out the dagger he always carried, ready to protect the Crown Princess Consort with his life.
He hoped the Crown Princess Consort would hear the commotion outside and escape through the window.
The little squirrel on the tree saw everything happening below with perfect clarity.
Qiu’er sighed, “This Xiao Duzi is truly a loyal servant—faithful and righteous.”
For Qiu’er, anyone who stood on Tang Tang’s side and protected him was “one of his own.” This Xiao Duzi passed the test. Lord Qiu’er officially declared him part of his people.
Xiao A shook his head. Qiu’er had recently finished watching yet another over-the-top melodrama, and now everything he said was full of exaggerated bravado.
The little squirrel jumped to another branch with a wider view. The burly men clearly didn’t take Xiao Duzi seriously—they knocked him to the ground and began ganging up on him.
“Young Master, run! Run—!”
Xiao Duzi shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to warn Bai Tang.
He had no idea that the Crown Princess Consort was currently hanging on a tree branch above.
“Squeak squeak squeak—!” How dare they lay a hand on my people!
The little squirrel burst into action. Several vines grew wildly from the tree, lifting several of the big men into the air. Their long knives clattered onto the ground with sharp metallic rings.
The vines, now acting like whips, lashed at them. Struggling, the men followed the vines back to their source and saw that they came from the camphor tree.
“G–ghost… a g–ghost…”
Such a bizarre scene, paired with the pain coursing through their bodies, left no room for rational thought.
A ghost. There was definitely a ghost in this residence!
The little squirrel leaped down from the tree, slipped behind it to change clothes, and then strolled out calmly.
The sudden appearance of the young boy hit the men’s senses as hard as the vines had.
“G-ghost… you—you’re a ghost…”
“You’re the ghost. Your whole family are ghosts,” Bai Tang retorted, displeased.
He helped Xiao Duzi up. “Are you alright?” He had been too absorbed in talking with Qiu’er and Xiao A earlier, so he acted just a little late.
“Your servant is fine. It’s the Crown Princess Consort who must have been frightened.”
To show he was strong and sturdy, Xiao Duzi puffed out his chest—only to immediately break into a harsh coughing fit.
Bai Tang took out a Yuan-Restoring Pill. “You call this ‘fine’? Take this—it’s good for your body~”
The Yuan-Restoring Pill was truly a good thing—boosting immunity, strengthening the body, and prolonging life. For Xiao Duzi, it was all gain and no loss.
“I feel much better. Thank you for the reward, Your Highness,” Xiao Duzi said. He swallowed the pill without hesitation. Warmth spread through his body at once, and even the places where he had been beaten no longer hurt. Strength surged through him.
“Your Highness, leave the rest to your servant. Please return to your room and rest.” Xiao Duzi was now even more respectful toward Bai Tang.
The hidden guards lurking in the shadows saw that they weren’t needed and returned to being silent watchers on the beams.
They had been sent by Wu Chenyi to protect Bai Tang and would only act if Bai Tang were truly in danger. But unexpectedly, the seemingly harmless Crown Princess Consort possessed extraordinary abilities. They couldn’t even understand how Bai Tang had acted just now. Perhaps it was a talent unique to the Huan Nation. The Huan Nation had held its strategic position for so long without being conquered—not without reason.
Forced to return to his room, Bai Tang did not remain idle. He immediately turned around, climbed out the window, and left.
Li Xiuming and his men searched the entire courtyard but still couldn’t find Wu Chenyi. Only the study remained unchecked.
Even if Wu Chenyi wasn’t inside, discovering even one of his secrets would give Li Xiuming leverage for negotiation. Maybe there would still be room to turn things around.
And sure enough, luck was on Li Xiuming’s side. He actually found something—
the jade pendant symbolizing the Crown Prince’s authority, capable of mobilizing three hundred thousand elite soldiers.
Wu Chenyi had given the pendant to Bai Tang. The last time Bai Tang had been drawing in the study, he’d fallen asleep from exhaustion. Wu Chenyi had carried him back to his room, and the pendant had slipped out—now picked up by Li Xiuming.
To be fair, Li Xiuming had served as Prefect for three years. After dealing with high-ranking officials for so long, he had enough knowledge to recognize what he was holding.
The shock of learning Wu Chenyi’s true identity was nothing compared to the excitement of obtaining the pendant. Three hundred thousand soldiers—the elite of the Wu Dynasty’s forces. If he could command them, even opposing Emperor Jude wouldn’t be impossible.
Li Xiuming’s gloomy mood vanished instantly. As his right foot stepped across the threshold of the study, the scenery around him abruptly changed.
Day turned to night. Not a single speck of light remained. A cold wind swept through, icy enough to pierce bone, as if his very marrow were freezing apart.
Feeling confused, Li Xiuming raised his head. Above him was endless darkness, stretching without end.
“A-San…” he called out tentatively.
No answer.
Everyone he had brought with him was gone. The entire space had only one occupant—
him.
Li Xiuming felt a chill crawl up his spine and took several steps back, wanting to return to the study.
He walked quite a distance, yet still hadn’t touched the threshold. Li Xiuming’s eyes widened. He clearly hadn’t walked far—so why hadn’t he reached the study again?
Another gust of wind blew, this time directly at the back of his neck. Li Xiuming suddenly didn’t dare turn around.
The cold, eerie wind grew stronger and stronger. It was no longer something he could dismiss as “just an illusion.”
“Prefect Li… please… don’t force us out…” A woman’s shrill, mournful voice echoed right beside his ear, dragging him instantly back to events two years ago.
Back then, in order to monopolize the rice trade, he and his men had gone to Boss Li’s home to “negotiate.”
Boss Li’s wife knelt and begged him for mercy. Because she was beautiful, his subordinates laid their eyes on her. The woman later hanged herself, and the Li family was destroyed.
This voice—this was exactly what that woman had said while begging him.
Li Xiuming didn’t want to turn around, but the “woman” refused to let him ignore her.
She appeared right in front of him, her tongue hanging out and swaying in the air.
Li Xiuming let out a blood-curdling scream…
Outside the study, his group of men watched as Li Xiuming ran in circles like a madman. They had tried to stop him, but anyone who approached was knocked down. None of them understood where the weak, scholarly-looking Li Xiuming suddenly got such strength.
The little squirrel stood on the roof beam, eyes fixed on the jade pendant at Li Xiuming’s waist. As Li Xiuming ran beneath him, the squirrel sprang down, snatched the pendant, rolled across the ground, and slipped into a patch of grass.
His movements flowed like drifting clouds and flowing water—no one even noticed that someone had gotten close to Li Xiuming.
The little squirrel pulled out alcohol and cotton, scrubbing the pendant over and over.
A’Yi’s things were actually touched by this piece of human scum.
Disinfect, disinfect~
Author’s Note :
Bai Tang: I’m so mad, so mad, so mad! (scrubs furiously)
Wu Chenyi: (takes the pendant) Don’t be mad, don’t be mad. If it’s dirty, we just won’t keep it. (throws it away)
Xiao Duzi & Su Wen: “???” Master, are you still of sound mind? (calls the imperial physician)