The eldest daughter's scheming, the crown prince's exclusive favor to the venomous concubi

"Are you sure the one searching for Qiu Lingfeng is a woman? Can you tell who she is? What were they saying?"

No sooner had the woman in white left than a guard in golden armor entered Murong Chuan's study to report.

"It was a woman, wearing a white veil, so we couldn't see her face. Moreover, this woman was exceptionally skilled in martial arts and had been tested multiple times when she entered the manor. In order not to be discovered, we subordinates could only keep a distance and monitor her."

They spoke very cautiously, with the doors and windows tightly closed, and in extremely low voices. Only when they mentioned Shangguan Jianyue did their voices suddenly rise, then fall back down, and after that, nothing could be heard at all.

Murong Chuan narrowed his eyes slightly, and after a long while, he smiled and said, "In that case, I can guess who it is. I just didn't expect Qiu Lingfeng to be so bold as to have even come into contact with people from Miao territory. No wonder she has such audacity to kill someone in public."

As he spoke, he looked at the people kneeling on the ground and said, "Hold your positions and pretend you never discovered their meeting. Since Shangguan Jianyue is their common enemy, then I suppose it won't be long before a big show unfolds in this mansion. You all keep a close eye on things and don't miss it."

The person kneeling on the ground nodded and was about to get up when Murong Chuan continued, "You can leave this matter to someone else. Go and find this person for me yourself."

The rooftop of Lanyue Tower.

Holding a jar of fine wine, Kumu Zhang hummed a tune as he swayed out of the underground passage of Lanyue Tower. Looking up, he saw Hei Feng sitting on the roof of Lanyue Tower, his face expressionless as he quietly gazed at the moon.

Seeing this, Kumu Zhang followed his gaze and suddenly laughed, leaping onto the roof and sitting opposite him, saying, "It's just a waning moon, why are you looking at it so seriously?"

Upon hearing this, Black Wind shook his head and laughed, "The waning moon has its own beauty, which the full moon can never match."

Zhang the Drywood shook his head, reached out and opened the wine jar, took a swig directly into his mouth, and then chuckled as he hiccuped, "I'm a rough man, I don't know how to appreciate the beauty of this waning moon, but I can tell you, in your state today, are you perhaps suffering from lovesickness?"

Black Wind paused, looked at Ku Mu Zhang, and saw the other party grinning and laughing loudly: "Looking at you like this, we've been companions for over a hundred years, and I've never seen you so lost in thought. Even when watching your own flesh fall off your body, you never frowned. Even if I weren't a tapeworm in your stomach, I could still tell a thing or two."

"Tsk tsk, I really didn't expect Black Wind to actually blossom like an old tree, so lovesick. Tsk tsk, it's just a pity, the falling flowers are willing, but the flowing water is indifferent; that silly girl's heart isn't with you."

Upon hearing this, Black Wind frowned and scolded, "Stop talking nonsense, or you'll ruin the young lady's reputation."

Kumu Zhang chuckled again, raising an eyebrow. "Whose reputation have you ruined? How did you know who I was talking about? Did someone guess your thoughts? Heh, I knew it. What? You've really fallen for it?"

Black Wind didn't speak, but looked at the waning moon in the sky again. After a long while, he said, "Is it really that obvious?"

Kumu Zhang pouted: "If it were someone else, they naturally wouldn't be able to tell. Don't worry, you're still the same Heifeng who doesn't show his emotions. No one will notice. But I don't understand, since you like him, why not give it your all? Torturing yourself like this really doesn't seem like you, Heifeng."

Upon hearing this, Hei Feng suddenly smiled, a bitter look on his face. He countered, "Ku Mu Zhang, do you really think the two of us can have a romantic relationship like ordinary people?"

Ku Mu Zhang paused, then saw Hei Feng sigh, lie down directly on the roof tile, and look at the crescent moon, saying, "From the moment I discovered this place until now, I have never thought of continuing."

Kumu Zhang looked at Heifeng, whose face was weary and helpless, but the warmth in his eyes was undeniable. He blinked, downed another mouthful of wine, and tossed the wine jar to Heifeng, saying, "A good drink can wash away a thousand sorrows."

Hei Feng caught it, lifted the wine jar with one hand, and poured the wine straight into his mouth while lying down, letting the wine splash all over his face. After a long while, he returned the wine jar to Ku Mu Zhang.

Kumu Zhang clicked his tongue and said, "What a pity about this good wine. I dug it out from under this building, and you've wasted it."

Hei Feng chuckled, his eyes tinged with drunkenness. He sighed, "Perhaps, like Master and the others, ending it all is the best choice. Zhang, have you ever thought of that?"

Upon hearing this, Kumu Zhang retorted sarcastically, "Become the same kind of disgusting food as them? You can do it, but I can't. Otherwise, I wouldn't be in this situation today."

I think we should live for the moment. If it weren't for you, I probably would have left this damned armored unit long ago. Why should I stay here when it's just a name without substance?

He looked at Black Wind, his eyes filled with resentment and dissatisfaction as if fermented by alcohol, and said: "Passed down from generation to generation, apart from you and me, they are completely out of control. Why do you persist? Is it just because of your master's dying instructions and last words? Then why didn't he live to take responsibility himself? Why did he have to commit suicide in front of you, so that you would remember the task he gave you for the rest of your life?"

Black Wind, don't you feel tired? You've never lived for yourself, and now you're caught up in this endless war. Do you really think this battle between two phoenixes will have a good outcome?

"I do not know."

As Hei Feng spoke, his eyes filled with confusion and doubt. He continued, "I don't know what I'm persisting in. This gamble has continued for hundreds of years without interruption. Do you think that if we give up, there will be a good outcome?"

If that's really the case, do you think I'd be willing to continue guarding this place? From the moment that thing was planted, I had no way out. I'm just sorry for dragging you into this."

Upon hearing this, Kumu Zhang mockingly poured the remaining wine onto Hei Feng's face. Hei Feng was drenched and felt a shiver run down his spine. Then he heard Kumu Zhang say, "Now you're talking about implicating me? Don't you feel hypocritical? I'm telling you, Hei Feng, you're really ruthless. You can even say such hypocritical things. You should really let Xiao Yueyue see just how thick your skin is."

Mentioning Jian Yue, Hei Feng suddenly smiled, a hint of gentleness appearing on his roguish face, as if his nerves had relaxed, and said, "She knew how thick-skinned she was from the moment she met me, so I don't need to show it off."

Kumu Zhang smiled, then suddenly looked at Heifeng and said seriously, "Are you really not planning to continue?"

Hei Feng shook his head, his expression returning to its usual calm, and smiled, "Of course, but feelings are something that can't be controlled at all. I can't say how far it will go. But I hope she never finds out. It's good as it is now. At least, I am still her master, and can only be her master."

Kumu Zhang frowned: "But she hates you now."

"So what? It's better than the game of chess where there was never a place for her piece to play from the very beginning."

Upon hearing this, Kumu Zhang nodded and sighed, "The game of chess, the game of chess, I really don't understand why we have such a fate. Oh well, since it is so, there is nothing that can be changed. We brothers can only stay together with our lives. Don't worry, you won't be alone for the rest of your life. I will be with you."

Hei Feng chuckled, neither confirming nor denying, then looked up at the waning moon in the sky and said with a slight smile, "The New Year is almost here. After this full moon, it will be the New Year. I wonder if that girl will be able to make any progress before the New Year."

Kumu Zhang smiled and said, "What are you worried about? There will be gains, it's just a matter of time. Besides, haven't you already taken over the mess behind us?"

Hei Feng smiled and said nothing more.

Kumu Zhang was right. He was destined to take over this mess. In this game of chess, no matter who was playing or whether he had ever been on the board, once he got involved, he could no longer leave the game. The player had placed him in the most important position on the board, and he could never escape it in his lifetime.

Even so, he remained as devoted as ever.

"I say you're a strange person. Why do you always follow me? I've told you I don't know you, so why do you still stubbornly stick to me?"

Qiu Lingyu angrily spoke to the people following behind her as she sped towards the capital. In the past few days, she had been searching for news of the Shangguan family and had temporarily left the capital. However, she never expected to encounter such a troublesome fellow just a few dozen miles away from the capital.

She knew perfectly well who this person mistook for her, but she had no idea what kind of personality the person who looked just like her had, nor did she know the relationship between the man and her. Fearing that she might make a mistake in her impersonation, she decided not to pretend to be her.

However, after she told the other person that she had mistaken her for someone else, the other person not only did not leave, but also continued to follow her, aside from changing their expression. She didn't know whether they believed her or not.

At first, she did not agree with the other person following her. After all, without knowing whether he was friend or foe, this person would always ruin what she was doing. But she never expected that this person's martial arts skills were actually superior to hers, and she couldn't drive him away even if she wanted to.

The only difference is that they went from being at each other's throats to ignoring each other. But she still felt uncomfortable being followed so closely by a strange man, so she often spoke harshly to him and gave him a cold look.

The person following closely behind remained silent, letting her speak rudely. Only when Qiu Lingyu turned her head would she pause slightly, watching her walk a little further away before silently following her with her sword.

And so, the two of them, one after the other, arrived at the city gate of the capital.

Looking at the towering city gate, the man, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke. He stared at Qiu Lingyu's face for a long time and said, "If you don't change your face, you'll probably be shot to death by arrows when you get to the city gate."