Reborn, the daughter of the Marquisate went crazy

Xiao Yan's expression froze, his voice filled with surprise: "Princess Fu'an...is actually your biological sister?"

Then his expression suddenly changed, and he grabbed Chu Yuncang's wrist: "Wait...what did you mean by 'you will be gone one day'?"

Chu Yuncang lowered his eyes and stared at the tea leaves floating in the tea soup, a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "In life, there are always some destiny... that cannot be defied."

As the tea smoke curled up, his expression softened. "As for Fu'an, I raised her. She's always been kindhearted, and certainly not one to covet power. She acted like this today... I don't know the reason, but I'm sure... she had to do it for a reason."

Chu Yuncang raised his eyes and looked directly at Xiao Yan, his voice lowering, "Although the Nanjing Royal Family isn't as turbulent as the Dongling, Fu'an's personality...will ultimately make it difficult for him to cope with those treacherous schemes."

His fingertips gently traced the rim of the lamp, and he whispered, "If Brother Yan doesn't like her... just make sure she has enough food and clothing for the rest of her life. This is the path she chose, and she should bear the consequences."

Xiao Yan's expression was solemn, and he even heard a hint of entrusting his orphan to his best friend's words. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and bowed solemnly, "Brother Yuncang, don't worry. Because of our friendship, your sister is my sister. As long as I, Xiao Yan, am here, I will protect her and make her safe and secure."

The room was silent for a moment, with only the sound of the copper clock remaining, which was particularly clear in the solemn air.

After a long moment, Chu Yuncang suddenly smiled and held the kettle to refill Xiao Yan's teapot. "I'm very curious, why did Brother Yan suddenly switch to Queen Nanjing's name?"

Xiao Yan's expression suddenly turned stern, and his low voice was filled with a hint of repression: "That time in Jiazhou... Mother's people have been chasing me."

The candle flames popped, casting a dark shadow in his eyes. "If it weren't for a... a benefactor who saw through Mother's tracking method, I..."

He gave a bitter laugh, "After escaping back to Nanjing... in order to survive, I had no choice but to completely break off with my mother."

Chu Yuncang's eyes flickered slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs, so how could there be a mother in this world who would hunt down her own child?"

He tapped the table with his fingertips and said meaningfully, "I once heard an anecdote. It said that in the deep mountains, a fox demon devoured a lone woman, transformed into her appearance and returned home... and then ate her two children one after another..."

Xiao Yan heard Chu Yuncang's hint and said in disbelief: "Brother Yuncang is just a rural ghost story..."

Chu Yuncang's eyes flickered. "The magic of this world may not be entirely false. I wonder if Brother Yan has ever heard of... the Fengqian Zou family's disguise technique?"

Xiao Yan's pupils suddenly shrank, and this horrifying thought exploded in his mind like thunder: If his mother was fake, then the pursuit would make sense.

His fingertips unconsciously dug into his palm, his thoughts racing: But if this is true, when was his mother replaced? Was it when he was seven years old and fell seriously ill? Or even earlier...

Suddenly, his younger brother, Xiao Rui, appeared before his eyes. The younger brother, who had always been inseparable from him, had become a completely different person since he broke his leg while on duty that year...

Chu Yuncang took a sip of tea, his drooping lashes masking the complexity in his eyes. He trusted Xiao Yan's character, and was certain that Han Jue's words were true. But he ultimately didn't have the right to reveal Han Jue's secrets. He could only offer this subtle reminder to his close friend...

……

The night deepens and the moon sinks to the west.

Chu Yuncang had just seen Xiao Yan off, and before he could turn around, Liuguang had already trotted over and whispered, "Master, urgent news from Tingyu Tower: a group of experts are lying in ambush near Bishui Lane. Even more bizarre is... there aren't even a single soldier patrolling that area tonight."

Bishui Lane? Isn’t that the only way Xiao Yan must take to return to the Honglu Guesthouse?

A cold light flashed in Chu Yuncang's eyes, and his voice was cold and stern: "These people... are truly lawless."

He was about to summon the secret guards for help when he suddenly remembered the assassination on Lantern Festival. The clues clearly pointed to Meng Ziheng, the fourth son of the Meng family. As soon as he submitted the memorial for interrogation that day, his father urgently ordered the investigation to be terminated and even reprimanded him in court for his poor investigation.

What exactly was my father afraid of? Was he afraid he'd uncover some hidden secret? Or was he worried that if the Meng family fell, the carefully maintained balance in the court would be shattered?

But no matter what the reason is, since his father is always suspicious of him, why should he be a loyal minister and a filial son?

Chu Yuncang suddenly paused, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes: "Go. Immediately deliver this news to the palace guards."

A sneer played on his thin lips. "Since he's so determined to facilitate this marriage...why would he just sit back and do nothing?"

A moment later, Chu Yuncang, along with Liuguang and several secret guards, quietly sneaked to the entrance of Bishui Lane. Before they got close, they heard the clanging of swords clashing.

Looking intently, he saw Xiao Yan's guards locked in a tussle with a dozen black-clad men. Under the moonlight, cold light flickered, and blood splattered. Xiao Yan was protected in the center, his sword whirling like a dragon, yet danger was already lurking around him.

Everyone put their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready to strike.

Chu Yuncang's eyes darkened as he raised his hand to signal for peace of mind. Just as Xiao Yan's guards were about to collapse, a sudden sound of air piercing came from the distance. Dozens of agile men in black emerged from the alley like ghosts, instantly turning the tide of battle.

Chu Yuncang breathed a sigh of relief. His father's reaction... was actually faster than expected.

On the eaves of a high pavilion not far away, Xie Qingli stood in the wind in her nightgown. She gently patted Han Jue's tense shoulders, a mischievous smile in her eyes: "Well, it seems that Liuguang has got the news. Now you can finally rest assured, right?"

Han Jue loosened his clenched fists, turned away awkwardly, and snorted coldly, "Who's worried about him? I just came to see how he was dealt with... If it weren't for the diplomatic relations between the two countries, I would wish he would die right now..."

Xie Qingli suddenly raised his index finger to his lips, signaling him to be silent. In the street fighting below, another group of people rushed out from the darkness, their swords flashing like snow, instantly pushing the battle to a white-hot stage.

Although they were all wearing night clothes, the person in the lead was petite and slender, with a long whip in her hand that was like a snake spitting out its tongue, drawing silver rays under the moonlight. Who else could it be but Princess Tuya?

At the rear, watching the battle, one man leaned against the wall, his posture elegant; another stood with his hands behind his back, as straight as a pine tree. They were undoubtedly Feng Zhaoheng and Tuoba Lie.

Xie Qingli's gaze fell on Tuya, who was in a killing spree. A hint of sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth. "These grassland barbarians... act so ostentatiously, as if they're afraid others won't recognize them."

She toyed with a stone between her fingers, a sly glint in her eyes. "But this suits me perfectly... It's a perfect revenge for the humiliation I suffered at the Wanshou banquet."

Turning to Han Jue, he said teasingly, "You'll be replacing him in a few days... Do you want to pretend to be a cripple or a blind man?"

An indescribably complex expression suddenly appeared on Han Jue's face. Xie Qingli, however, continued, "The cripple is better... He won't hurt that handsome face, and it will be easier to take action when the time comes."

Before he could finish his words, three stones flew through the air. One struck Tuya squarely in the face, sending her stumbling backward. Another pierced Feng Zhaoheng's thigh, sending the playboy crouching with a wail. Another grazed Tuoba Lie's leg, startling him and causing him to look up sharply, his sharp gaze darting like a hawk towards the source of the hidden weapon...