After the interstellar female general died in battle, she transmigrated into the body of a dashing p

Hearing the sound of weapons being fired, Yuan Ming twisted his wrist, and the last Gu worm crawled out from his sleeve. His men, who were no match for him in fists and feet, were now like fish on a chopping board, as the Gu worm climbed up their necks and suddenly burrowed into their ear canals.

When the Gu worm enters the body, it's like a fish out of a ravine finding the ocean; even bones and blood become potent medicine. Beneath the man's skin, winding blue marks appear, as if a living creature is drinking the marrow.

"what!"

The man suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream, the sound unlike a human voice, more like that of a wild beast being skinned alive. His entire face was twisted like a broken clay sculpture, and worms crawled under his skin across his eye sockets, pushing his two bloodshot eyeballs out of their sockets.

The other man looked up abruptly and caught sight of the man's distorted face, bulging eyes, and veins bulging like a spider web. His pupils contracted sharply, and a gurgling sound escaped his throat as he gasped in horror.

With a light touch of his toes, the man darted out like a sparrow and disappeared into the dim alleyway.

Sanba took a long stride forward, about to give chase, but unexpectedly, Yuan Ming grabbed the man in her hand and slammed him to the ground like a sandbag.

"Save her first."

The three words were chillingly cold. Only then did Sanba see Yuan Ming's face clearly. His ice-blue robe was soaked in blood, making him look like a demon who had just crawled out of purgatory. Sanba couldn't help but frown.

Yuan Ming flashed to Xiao Bai's side, his movements unsteady as he bent down to pull out a hidden arrow and carefully picked up Xiao Bai.

A flash of dark light appeared, blood splattered, the man's skull collapsed, the eyeballs in his eye sockets were a bloody mess, and paste flowed out along the orbital bones.

When Sanba checked Zhu Zhiling's pulse, she inadvertently noticed that the man's arm was still twisting, and she silently swallowed.

Compared to this, what are broken bones and severed tendons?!

......

Zhu Zhiling's pulse was as erratic and chaotic as a dying sparrow. Sanba dared not be careless, picked her up, and quickly followed Yuanming.

The two walked without leaving a trace, skimming over the continuous rooftops, until they reached the last street corner, where they suddenly saw a graceful figure turning sideways beneath a teahouse—

A woman's pale white skirt swayed gently, her face partially obscured by the rising steam of the tea. Yuan Ming's pupils constricted, he stopped abruptly, and turned to gesture for Sanba to go first.

Cong Yanxin pursed her lips slightly, raised her eyelashes, and met Yuan Ming's gaze. She raised her eyebrows slightly as if surprised, then frowned slightly.

He put down a few copper coins, walked up to Yuan Ming, examined his wounds and the lifeless little white dog in his hand with a worried expression: "Young Master Yuan, what's wrong...? May I take a look at you?!"

“No need.” Yuan Ming took a step back, his entire being radiating resistance, his wariness and impatience evident in his brows.

Cong Yanxin seemed oblivious to anything amiss. She took out a porcelain bottle and handed it to him, saying, "You're badly injured. Don't think you can take it for granted just because you're young..." Seeing Yuan Ming's expression, she realized she had said too much and added, "If Zhi'an finds out, you'll get scolded again."

Yuan Ming hesitated, but Cong Yanxin's behavior didn't seem fake. If she was after Zhu Zhiling, and had attacked unexpectedly just now, Sanba might not have been able to stop her.

"Thank you." Yuan Ming's expression softened, but he still didn't take the porcelain bottle. "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first."

Before Cong Yanxin could speak, Yuan Ming bypassed her and left, quickening his pace.

He knew he wasn't very bright and couldn't distinguish between truth and falsehood, but his intuition told him that Cong Yanxin's presence here today was very strange.

Cong Yanxin gazed silently in the direction of Yuan Ming's residence, her eyes deep, her lips moving slightly.

"It's so hard to kill him!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she keenly sensed a probing gaze. To her right, a disheveled man carrying a wine jug stumbled out of the tavern, only to tumble down the steps and fall flat on his face, still trying to protect the wine jug in his hand...

After settling Zhu Zhiling's spirit, Sanba pondered whether to go and ask his master for permission himself or stay here and send someone from the Yuan family.

Yuan Ming rarely returned to the manor, which was practically leaking like a sieve. This was fine on ordinary days, but today...

"Go find An'an."

Yuan Ming sat on the stone steps outside the house, wiping the bloodstains on Xiao Bai's body inch by inch with a brocade handkerchief.

Sanba pursed her lips; the person inside was unconscious, while outside stood a zombie-like figure.

He dares to leave?!

-

Zheng Zhian, Zong Zhenping, and Yang Lai sat with the old man and the young man for nearly an hour. Fortunately, Yang Yisheng, wanting to show off his literary and martial skills, insisted on taking the old man outside to demonstrate. The three of them quickly made an excuse to escape.

Even if they don't run, they'll all have to be Yang Yisheng's sparring partners, watching that brat get cocky.

The three of them strolled around the backyard. Ever since Yang Lai learned that Zheng Zhian was Princess Le'an, he had been observing her words and actions intentionally or unintentionally.

Is there something wrong with my clothes?

Yang Lai himself may not have realized it, but martial artists have extremely sharp senses. If Zheng Zhian hadn't known that he and his wife were very loving, he would have mistakenly thought that Yang Lai had feelings for him.

Zong Zhenping turned to the side, tilted his head back, and gazed into the distance.

Yang Lai coughed lightly and clasped his hands in apology: "Princess, please forgive me, it was really..." She was able to detect the subtle observations that had been made during their ordinary conversation!

Embarrassed to the point of wanting to slap his thigh: "It was my poor eyesight that prevented me from recognizing the princess as a woman at all."

Zheng Zhian's eyes gleamed with cunning, but she feigned a cold expression: "General, are you saying that I am uncouth and lack the demeanor of a refined lady?!"

"No, Princess, that's not what I meant. I meant that you are so unrestrained and bold that few men in the world can match you." Yang Lai clicked his tongue in annoyance. He could be calm and composed in front of the emperor, but he was speechless because of the little girl.

She looked at Zong Zhenping with pleading eyes, but Zong Zhenping happened to look away.

Zheng Zhian was heartbroken: "General, are you saying I'm more manly than a man?!"

Yang Lai coughed violently, pressing his fist to his lips, while his other hand, which was pushing the wooden chair, reached out and quietly poked Zong Zhenping with his index finger.

Zong Zhenping stared at the girl with his curved eyes, as if she were hiding behind a tree, occasionally pawing at his whiskers with his paw.

"My cousin praised the princess for her gentle and refined nature, her untroubled spirit, and her ability to embrace the bright moon as if it were soaring to the heavens. Few in the world could match her."

"Haha..." Zheng Zhian laughed brightly, "You really did study hard!"

Zong Zhenping humbly bowed and said, "Your Highness is too kind."

Yang Lai then realized that the princess was "playing him for a fool"!

"General Yang, is your trip to the capital this time for the Jingnan matter?" Zheng Zhian's playful expression turned serious.

Yang Lai pushed Zong Zhenping forward, saying, "That counts too."

"Also?" Zheng Zhian asked, puzzled.

Yang Lai nodded: "Last year, the dike in Luotian County broke, and Lord Yu investigated the south. I should have gone to the capital then. However, it just so happened that envoys from various countries were entering the capital, and the garrison troops in various places were on high alert. The Duke of Yun sent a message reminding my father to take care of Lord Yu... So things dragged on until now."

"I only learned yesterday that Kong Gaojun had gone missing in Jingnan."

Zheng Zhian laughed and said, "Your Excellency is truly pure and untainted by worldly dust!"

The most powerful second-rank official in the southwest region, having delegated authority to this place, found his subordinates in complete chaos, yet he remained unmoved.

They collected a lot of money, but took no responsibility whatsoever.

With military power in hand, he only collected money and never coveted a shred of power. Zheng Zhian had also witnessed the extraordinary talent of Marquis Lin, a man of such rarity.

Yang Lai heard the sarcasm in her words but was not angry. "Although my father never interferes in the officialdom in the south, the fact that he could bring someone out quietly and suppress them for so long means that the forces behind him are definitely not in the south."

At such a sensitive time, a disgraced official was transported to the capital and killed right under their noses. If this matter had gone slightly wrong, Marquis Lin would have been finished. Having been boiled in oil, he certainly wouldn't have been let off so easily.

Who would dare provoke an ordinary power like the Marquis of Lin?

Intelligent people have already used this to significantly narrow down the circle of doubt.

Zheng Zhian crossed his arms and occasionally kicked at loose stones: "My maternal grandfather only said he would take care of Lord Yu?"

She found it hard to believe it could be so simple.

Yang Lai affirmed, "That's what I know."

Zheng Zhian nodded slightly, and after a moment of silence, someone suddenly asked, "Are you familiar with the Lü family of Baishan County?"

"The Lü family?" Yang Lai thought for a moment: "It should be a branch of the Lü family, the richest family in Jiangling."

Do you know who's backing you?

Yang Lai, unusually serious, said: "The third daughter of the eldest branch of the Lü family is Yang Jie's concubine."

"Yang Jie." Zheng Zhian murmured the name, then realized after a few moments, "Your brother?"

Zong Zhenping, who had been keeping a low profile, was preoccupied with how to leave a lasting impression on Zheng Zhian. Upon hearing the words "your brother, concubine," he immediately rejected the idea.

I have no concubines.

There were no concubines either.

"Those who get close are all men."

He was so serious it was as if if he explained things any slower, he wouldn't see the sun rise tomorrow.

Yang Lai snorted and couldn't bear to look at him.

Zheng Zhian gave a wide, awkward smile.

"Master, the guards from the Yuan residence say they have important business to discuss with you."