Female martial arts fanatics only love to fight, while men fight for their lives.

Lou Xiao is very busy.

Even after returning to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, he didn't have much time to listen to Lou Hong.

The pile of gifts that he didn't know how to deal with were still waiting for her to make a decision. She didn't want to be bothered by them.

Ever since Lou Xiao came to the capital, so many people have given him gifts that he has come to believe that all the warmth and coldness of human nature that he had experienced in the past was an illusion.

Another thing that gave him a headache was...

Lou Hong, who was looking at the account book, looked up and saw Yu Jing looking at the door as if nothing had happened. He didn't know what kind of curse had been cast on him, but he kept finding excuses to come over.

Under the pretext of visiting the ancestors, in reality...

What's good about Lou Xiao?

But it's all because of the reputation of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion and the favor of the emperor.

But... he had to admit that it was her arrival that saved the precarious Holy Heart of the Zhenguo Mansion.

"She probably won't come back today. As your majesty is about to celebrate his birthday, he often lets her stay in the palace. Even if she occasionally comes home, she won't stay for long." Lou Hong's meaning was very clear.

"Ajing, you are still young. If you have anything to ask, you'd better ask your parents and sister first. Don't be willful."

If you have feelings for Lou Xiao, it would not be a good thing.

Yu Jing was still an ignorant teenager. It was the first time that someone clicked on his heart. He was not very happy and immediately retorted,

"I'm not young anymore. There are many people in the capital who get married at the age of 16."

He knew that Lou Hong didn't like Lou Xiao very much, and he thought that he had stood up for him in the past.

But now it is different. Things have come to this point, the dust has settled, and it is impossible for Lou Hong to inherit the title. It is time to accept his fate.

Thinking of this, Yu Jing spoke for Lou Xiao, "It's good for you that she is favored by His Majesty. The Lou family has a promising future. With her as a backer, you may be able to find a new future..."

As he was talking, he noticed that Lou Hong's eyes were drooping, not moving on the account book, and his voice was getting smaller and smaller, "Anyway, you are all family..."

If Lou Hong had any outstanding qualities, he would not have been married off to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. His Majesty did not allow him to take that position because he was dissatisfied with his mediocrity.

Yu Jing thought that even if he sat in that position, he would not be able to push the Lou family from the bottom to the top like Lou Xiao did.

But he couldn't say this.

Lou Hong did not respond to his words, but the silence between the two made Yu Jing more and more embarrassed.

She found an excuse and quickly slipped away, leaving Lou Hong alone to face the account book that had skyrocketed because of Lou Xiao, and the countless posts and gifts that piled up like snowflakes.

They are all for Lou Xiao.

Another servant who came in with a note in his hand was sensitive to the fact that something was wrong. He hesitated whether to speak up, but he had to report his work as part of his duty.

"Master Hong... the concierge has sent in a new batch of gifts, including some from the Li family. Would you like to take a look..."

There was a hint of annoyance in Lou Hong's eyes. She usually helped Lou Xiao deal with it, but today she suddenly didn't want to care about it.

Li Huaiqing acted like this to prove that he was interested in Lou Xiao, but he knew that with that man's arrogance, how could he easily fall for Lou Xiao?

It's all fake.

"Leave it there. I'll tell her when she comes back." Lou Hong waved his hand. "Send it to the warehouse and put it together with the other things sent by the Li family. If she remembers it, it's a good opportunity for her to take a look at it all."

As he spoke, his eyes revealed mockery, "Who knows, the talent of the Queen will end up in the hands of my Lou family."

When it comes to playfulness, how can Lou Xiao be Li Huaiqing's opponent? He, Li Huaiqing, doesn't like Lou Xiao at all, he just wants to use her.

She is just stupid. She is obsessed with beauty and leaves as soon as someone seduces her.

The housekeeper who came in later deliberately made some noise, and Lou Hong immediately adjusted his facial expression, as if he had never said the words just now.

"What's the matter?"

The old butler bowed to him and told him what Lou Hong had expected.

"The young lady stayed in the palace. Eunuch Ling Yu asked the servants to bring back the reward and some of the young lady's underwear. He said that the young lady liked the embroidery made in the palace, which was delicate and soft."

Lou Hong nodded, closed the account book, pressed his hand between his eyebrows to relieve his fatigue, and just said "Go", but he saw that the housekeeper did not move, raised his eyes in surprise and asked,

"what happened?"

He still had some respect for this old servant who had been in the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion for many years.

The butler, who had experienced many ups and downs, was a little nervous at the moment, not knowing whether to speak.

"Master Hong... please don't be offended if I dare to say this... now that things have come to this, she is..." The old man didn't finish his words, but Lou Hong understood.

He had convinced himself this way countless times. Even though he pretended to be extremely obedient to Lou Xiao in front of outsiders, he still felt unwilling in private.

The man in front of him with a head full of white hair and a hunched back is the old man who once followed his father. He is an old servant who has served the Lou family all his life and never left even when he fell into poverty. He is truly "one of our own".

Lou Hong couldn't pretend in front of the old servant who had watched him grow up. He turned his face away and didn't want him to see his expression. "I know, I just... I'm unwilling to accept it."

Even if she talked it out to him, he would still feel aggrieved.

Her unwarranted favor is just like a rootless duckweed. Now the Lou family seems to be popular, but how many people are still waiting and watching?

Lou Xiao had no outstanding qualities - knowing some martial arts was useless, and he couldn't fight in battles and kill enemies to gain military merit like Lu Huan, so what was the point of him staying in the capital?

Lou Hong didn't think he could sit back and relax now. Lou Xiao could bring opportunities to the mansion, but could also bring devastating disasters.

He was not familiar with her character and was afraid that she would get lost in the wealth and luxury of the capital. If she displeased His Majesty one day, the Lou family would quickly fall.

What's more, I'm afraid that she will be seduced by male beauty and marry a man with ulterior motives, causing unrest in the whole family.

Of course...he was thinking of Li Huaiqing.

The Li family wants to revive and regain control of the government, but they cannot do it on their own.

Lou Xiao, please don't be the stone ladder for others to climb to the sky.

On the other side, Youshan King Xiao Zhengdu asked the servant beside him, "What is Lou Xiao doing now? Didn't he go to see the kid from the Li family?"

The quick-talker beside him tried to guess his thoughts and tentatively replied, "The Duke of Zhenguo is mostly accompanying the emperor, and I haven't heard that he went to the Li Mansion... If the prince enters the palace at this time, he will surely meet Miss Lou..."

Clearly he acted like he had a good impression of Lou Xiao from the beginning, but now he is so cold, it’s really confusing.

"I'm not going!" Xiao Zhengdu looked up at the sky of the capital. The colorful ribbons floating in the sky to celebrate His Majesty's birthday were graceful, indicating that the date was approaching.

"Counting the days, he should be back soon. I'd better stay away from her! Otherwise he will hate me even more." He looked polite and declined, as if he was afraid of "that person".

The people who had served him for many years knew who he was talking about, but they could only persuade him in a submissive manner.

"We are all blood brothers, how could Your Highness..."