You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

It was only the first day after he sent Mo'er away, and he was already feeling a little unaccustomed to not having Mo'er greet him. Even when Mo'er was next to him, she was often studying instead of keeping him company.

But it was this silent companionship that made him a habit, and habit is a terrible thing.

Just as he was lost in thought, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the night.

Shen Cong'an was startled and quickly got up, extinguished the candle, and hid in the darkness.

Experience told him that if it were an assassin, it would take some time for them to find him without a light source, and that would be his golden opportunity to escape.

A deep voice came from outside the door: "It's me. I have something important to discuss."

Shen Cong'an then recognized the voice as that of his trusted bodyguard, Afu. Afu had once been the Crown Prince's bodyguard, and after Shen Cong'an woke up, the Crown Prince reluctantly gave him the body.

He quickly opened the door.

Afu slipped inside, his expression tense, and said, "My lord, I was on my routine patrol when I spotted some suspicious people in the corner by the back door. I carefully approached them and discovered they were the Third Prince's men."

Shen Cong'an felt a chill run down his spine, but he remained calm on the surface: "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Afu shook his head: "Come back, if a large group of them suddenly appears while you are traveling, our group of ten or so people won't be able to handle it. You'd better remember to be on good terms with them first and keep your life while we bring reinforcements to save you."

Shen Cong'an nodded and patted Afu on the shoulder: "I know, I won't die so easily. You go and rest first. Remember, don't make a fuss about this, so as not to alert the enemy."

Afu accepted the order and left, while Shen Cong'an relit the candle. He couldn't fall asleep for a long time; after being threatened by Xiao Yan, he was like a frightened bird.

Shen Cong'an's early departures and late returns greatly reduced his contact with his family, so he didn't have to waste energy dealing with them.

As for the Shen family already selling off their assets to maintain the status quo, he didn't care. Why should he care about a group of family members who wanted to kill him and disregarded his life and death?

In contrast, Xie Wanru is desperately searching for her family member, Xie Yanting.

They searched for three days, but the clues were only sporadic.

At first, Xie Wanru also suspected that the hunter might be an undercover agent who deliberately led them south, when in fact they were not going that way.

But when they asked around, they got some scattered clues, but the people had moved before they could find them.

"Junior Sister, if we go further south, we'll be out of Qingzhou territory and far from the border."

Xu Yang returned from scouting the way.

Xie Wanru gazed at the distant town. They had searched too far; beyond that, it would no longer be a desolate wasteland, but a prosperous new world.

Is she really going to give up like this?

"Even if I have to recapture Xuancheng, I will find my third brother before Xiao Yan does."

Perhaps only by stopping the source of this whole thing can this farce be stopped. The Northern Barbarian army is eyeing them covetously, and Xiao Yan is willing to exterminate the Xie family in order to seize that position.

It was the same in my past life, and it is the same in this life.

Xie Wanru hardened her heart and had an extremely irrational idea: she wanted to kill Xiao Yan.

When she was first reborn, she didn't even think about killing Shen Nian'an directly. She was afraid of getting herself into trouble. Also, in this life, although Shen Nian'an was despicable, he and Shen Yanzhi hadn't yet made a move against the Xie family. But now, she wanted to kill Xiao Yan.

Shen Nian'an and Shen Yanzhi may not necessarily be rivals to the Xie family in this life, because she has already divorced, allowing the family to reunite and disrupting the karmic connection from their past lives. However, Xiao Yan, in order to achieve his goals...

"Junior Sister, I can use a carrier pigeon to ask the junior brother from Void Mountain to keep an eye out for you. Should I go back to Xuancheng now?"

Xu Ning asked with a hint of delight.

Before they set off, their master instructed them to protect their junior sister and, ideally, bring her back with them, as it would be extremely dangerous if there was fighting on the border.

"We're going back to Xuancheng, but Senior Brother, I have a request!"

Xie Wanru tumbled off the horse with a "whoosh" and knelt down before Xu Ning with a "plop".

"Junior Sister! What are you doing!"

Xu Ning quickly helped the person up. He was unworthy to receive a bow from his junior sister.

"Help me kill someone!"

Xie Wanru's gaze was firm.

Xu Ning and Xu Yang exchanged a knowing glance. What evil had possessed their junior sister? Was she going to kill someone?

"Only when Xiao Yan dies will all this end, Senior Brother! If you help me, I will personally take action! I won't implicate Void Mountain!"

Xie Wanru's expression remained serious, and Xu Yang and Xu Ning knew that she wasn't joking; she genuinely wanted to kill Xiao Yan.

Xu Ning frowned, looking at Xie Wanru's determined eyes, feeling uneasy.

Xiao Yan's identity was special, and he knew how serious the crime of assassinating a member of the royal family was. Not only would it cost Xie Wanru her life, but if he was not careful, it could also implicate the entire Xie family and everyone around his junior sister.

After all, no matter how bad Xiao Yan was, he was still the emperor's own son!

"Junior Sister, calm down. Xiao Yan is no ordinary person. As a prince, he must be surrounded by many experts. With just our strength, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock. Besides, before Master left, he told us to protect you. How can we take you on such a dangerous mission?"

Xu Ning earnestly tried to persuade Xie Wanru to give up this unrealistic idea.

Xu Yang, who was standing nearby, also advised, "Junior Sister, I think Senior Brother's words make sense. This idea is too risky."

Xie Wanru's eyes were brimming with tears, yet her resolve remained unwavering: "Senior Brother, I know this is difficult, but our Xie family is full of loyal martyrs, yet we have suffered undeserved calamity because of Xiao Yan's ambition. This time he kidnapped my third brother and colluded with the Northern Barbarians, so what will he do next? I can no longer stand idly by, nor can I let my third brother truly fall into his hands. He will not treat my third brother well. If I don't take action against him, he will eventually turn on me."

Xu Yang, who was listening from the side, was moved, but he couldn't help but worry: "Junior Sister, we understand your feelings, but this matter needs to be considered carefully. Perhaps we can find Young Master Xie first, and then make a plan later."

Xie Wanru shook her head. "No, we don't have time. Third Senior Brother, please persuade Eldest Senior Brother for me."

Xie Wanru, who was kneeling on the ground, pleaded with Xu Ning again.

Since her rebirth, everything had gone smoothly for her; she was calm and decisive. But now she had nothing left. She was afraid; she knew all too well the feeling of separation by death.

Xu Yang was somewhat at a loss. He knelt down as well and sighed, "Junior Sister, I know your determination, but this matter must be carefully planned and cannot be acted rashly. If we really have to do this one day, I will go with you, but you must promise me that you will follow Senior Brother's orders and not make decisions on your own."

If we don't agree, my junior sister might act on her own, which would be even more dangerous.

A glint flashed in Xie Wanru's eyes, and she quickly nodded: "Thank you, Third Senior Brother. Wanru will definitely follow your instructions."

The two made a decision, but Xu Ning was so worried that his nose and eyebrows were furrowed in a knot.

If Master knew he had agreed to help Junior Sister assassinate Xiao Yan, he would skin him alive.