The government was sending out wives, and I ended up with a princess from the previous dynasty!

As the Lantern Festival approached, the snow gradually stopped.

As the sun shines brighter, the snow on the ground gradually melts.

Yilan County.

In the Ninth Prince's Palace.

After a winter's baptism, the green of the Chinese juniper, osmanthus, and oleander has become even deeper.

It reflects dappled sunlight.

But this vibrant scene was ruined by a pair of bloody hands!

A blood-stained handkerchief lay on the ground, revealing an aged face. His eyes, usually sharp and piercing, were now filled with weakness.

"Cough cough..." The old man had just landed and stood up when he couldn't help but cough up another mouthful of blood.

Just then, a young man hurried over.

The young man was none other than the Ninth Prince, Wu Qingye.

"Old Wang, what happened? How did you get injured out of nowhere? The delegation meeting is about to start, you can't afford to get hurt!"

The old man sat on a stone bench, took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a few pills, and threw them directly into his mouth. Then he smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, it's fortunate that I reacted quickly and left in time, otherwise, I would have lost my life there."

"What exactly happened? Who could have beaten you up like this?"

"By order of His Highness, I have been secretly monitoring Jia Daoshi these past few days, and I have done my mission well, uncovering some secrets. Although he has now made the manor impregnable, as long as I am careful, there shouldn't be any major problems! However, today a little girl with amazing kung fu suddenly appeared! She only used one palm strike, and I was seriously injured!"

Wu Qingye took special care of Jia Daoshi. Under the old man's watchful eye, he discovered Jia Daoshi's activities, including killing members of the Shadow Gate and building traps.

However, Wu Qingye did not know the true identities of Chi Lian Shou and his men, and thought they were just ordinary stupid thieves, so he did not pay any attention.

He was quite interested in the mechanisms that Jia Daoshi had created.

“Little girl, you said you were injured by a little girl?” Wu Qingye frowned.

"That's right. I was careless today and exposed my whereabouts. As a result, that little girl suddenly appeared, and I was no match for her at all!"

"This little girl's skills are strange. After making eye contact with her, I was filled with endless fantasies and nightmares. I was powerless to resist. Fortunately, I stabbed myself in time to wake up and was able to retreat! Your Highness, rest assured, I can handle this injury."

Wu Qingye frowned: "What you've said reminds me of someone, though I wonder if it's her."

"Oh? Whom has Your Highness remembered?"

"Forget it, let's not talk about that for now. If it really is that person, then Jia Daoshi must be recruited into my ranks. As long as I have his support, my strength will increase greatly!" Wu Qingye's eyes showed a thoughtful look. "Alright, you should recover from your injuries first. We'll head to Mantuo Manor tomorrow."

"Yes!"

……

Inside Jia Daoshi's manor.

As the snow melted, the young maids in the house tended the garden, with Butler Sun directing them from the side.

Yin Xin stood in front of two unfamiliar men, hands on her hips, head held high, speaking with an air of superiority.

The two men looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, very young and inexperienced. They wore long gray robes and small hats, and looked quite thin. They were very respectful in front of Yin Xin.

He casually beckoned a young maid and asked her a question, only to find out that Steward Sun had brought two servants.

These two men came from poor families and didn't even have proper names. One was called Ashan and the other Aming. They were children of farmers from nearby areas. Their families were so poor that they sold the children here. They were honest and law-abiding people.

Because the manor lacked men to do manual labor, it was indeed necessary.

Jia Daoshi nodded. He was too lazy to get involved in such matters, since the manor was so large and needed manpower.

After wandering around the manor for a while, I suddenly felt a bit bored.

Jia Quan and Tie Lan went back a few days ago.

The facilities are almost finished.

For a moment, there was nothing to do.

"Uncle."

Just then, Silverheart came up from behind and called out.

"Silverheart, where is your young lady?"

Jia Daoshi had already sensed something was wrong, and after looking around, he realized that the clingy Yi Qianxiao was nowhere to be found.

"The young master hadn't gotten up yet when Miss Shen Li sent someone to take the young lady away. Miss Shen said she would come to pick up the young master tomorrow and they would go to Mantuo Manor together."

"Mantuo Villa? What place is that?" Jia Daoshi was confused, not knowing what Shen Li was up to this time.

"Her Majesty the Empress of our dynasty will meet with the Holy Maiden of the Longwu Dynasty at Mantuo Villa tomorrow."

"I see, I understand."

Jia Daoshi nodded.

But it's strange, what's the deal with the Prince of Zhenbei picking up Yi Qianxiao a day early?

Are you afraid that if I don't go, you'll steal my wife away first?

To be honest, he really didn't want to get involved in this!

But now... it seems I have no choice but to go.

"What's the background of this Mantuo Villa?" Jia Daoshi asked.

“Although Mantuo Villa is under the jurisdiction of Yilan County, it is an independent villa,” Yin Xin explained. “The entire Mantuo Villa is built on a cliff, suspended in mid-air. It is one of the three legendary villas in Dajing, and it is very famous.”

"It is also the earliest mountain villa in the Great Jing Dynasty. It is said that it was built by craftsmen of the Kumu School over a period of sixteen years, brick by brick."

Jia Daoshi was somewhat surprised: "A mountain villa built on a mountaintop? That's quite impressive, but aren't our Empress and the Holy Maiden of the Longwu Dynasty afraid of danger?"

After all, this is the mountaintop, the perfect opportunity for anyone with malicious intentions.

As he said this, Jia Daoshi thought of his wife, Mu Weishuang.

That little girl is the mortal enemy of the Great Jing royal family!

"No need to worry about that. There will definitely be layers of guards. Who would dare to go? Wouldn't that be courting death?" Yin Xin stuck out her tongue.

"Alright, you can go now."

……

the next day.

Just as Jia Daoshi got up, guests arrived at the manor.

It was Shen Li, whom I hadn't seen for quite some time.

"Prince Shen, did you come here specifically to pick me up?" Jia Daoshi said with a playful smile. "Yesterday, you came to pick up my wife Qianxiao, and today you've come to pick me up again. You must have gone to a lot of trouble."

"Of course, of course," Shen Li chuckled. "It's about sharing the burdens of the country."

"How did this escalate to the point of sharing the nation's burdens?"

"Get in the car first, we'll talk on the way."

Shen Li stepped forward, grabbed Jia Daoshi's hand, and pulled him onto the carriage without saying a word.

sunny.

However, the atmosphere in Yilan City seemed somewhat tense.

Jia Daoshi did not intend to have Di Qinglin and Murong Jiu accompany him on this trip to Mantuo Mountain Villa.

After learning their identities, Jia Daoshi did not want them to show their faces in public.

To avoid being recognized by someone with ulterior motives.

Shen Li pulled him into the carriage, and they began their journey to Mantuo Manor.

The weather in January was very warm, and the sunlight shining on the carriage made one feel drowsy after a short while.

"Prince Shen, what exactly happened today? Why do you seem so nervous?" Jia Daoshi couldn't help but ask.