[Fantasy] The Rogue Landlord (Complete) - Chapter 24

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Six: The Charming Girl

Xu Ping shook his head, his expression slightly somber. He had ultimately become too complacent. Facing these soldiers, he had only focused on showing off his power for a moment. He didn't know who had thrown the dart at the crucial moment, aiming straight for his palm. Given the accuracy and his momentary lapse in concentration, the person could have easily taken his throat.

Clearly, the person had held back. Although his internal strength was sufficient to prevent injury, Xu Ping was still deeply shocked. What if that sharp blade had been coated with poison? What if it was a deadly poison that would kill him instantly? Would he be dead by now? People on the battlefield would stop at nothing to save their lives; he was still too naive.

"Who threw that dart?" Xu Ping brandished the small dagger in his hand, shouting to the chaotic crowd beside him. He felt both admiration and dislike for the person who had shattered his confidence, but it had also brought him back to his senses.

"Me."

A disheveled man crawled out of the haystack. He looked to be around thirty years old, thin and small, with a cunning look on his face. He was spitting out some grass he had accidentally swallowed as he spoke.

"You're something else. I lost because of that trick of yours."

Xu Ping suddenly changed his expression, smiling approvingly.

"Don't you know who I am? I've been using this skill to hunt birds since I was a kid. When I grew up, it was all about survival. I could hit anything I aimed for without fail."

The man smiled憨厚ly, but he was also very proud of himself. He immediately and carefully put the dagger back into his pocket.

The fourth brother, looking at Xu Ping's abnormal strength, couldn't help but stick out his tongue and say, "Beggar, where did you find such a master? Why hire thugs for someone like that!" Chen Qi smiled bitterly and didn't answer. He naturally didn't dare to speak until Xu Ping revealed his identity.

Such a formidable force was being kept hidden away, preventing the court from making proper use of them—a truly heinous crime. Xu Ping immediately conceived the idea of recruiting them into his ranks. Among the dozens of men before him were more than ten third-rate experts, several second-rate, and even the weaker members were all fierce warriors. On average, each one could easily take on ten men.

Xu Ping didn't care whether they wanted to or not, and immediately shouted excitedly, "Fourth Brother!" "Yes!" The Fourth Brother responded, puzzled as to why he answered so instinctively.

Xu Ping brushed the dust off his clothes and strode forward, saying in a very authoritative tone, "Order the entire battalion to assemble!" Zhang Hu immediately produced his warrant and shouted, "By order of the Crown Prince, all officers and soldiers of the three battalions of the Fierce Tiger Battalion, from generals to soldiers, are to assemble at the drill ground. Anyone who is negligent will be executed!" "Damn it!" Lao Si cursed under his breath, complaining to Chen Qi beside him with a bitter face, "Why didn't you tell me sooner!" Chen Qi, with a bitter face, lowered his voice, "Could I have told you? You'd better hurry up and assemble the troops!" "Damn it, I'll settle the score with you later!" Lao Si cursed as he quickly directed everyone to start calling for reinforcements!

"Halt!" Two dutiful soldiers were guarding the lookout tower. Seeing strangers, they immediately blocked the road and shouted loudly.

"Insolence!"

Zhang Hu preemptively brandished his official pass and cursed, "Are you blind? You dare to stop the Crown Prince from his inspection tour!" "We can't read!" The two soldiers, not knowing the truth, were still annoyed by Zhang Hu's attitude and stubbornly retorted.

Xu Ping didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Did he have to teach them to read himself? He had no time to waste arguing with them. With a swift wave of his hand, the two soldiers collapsed limply. As they climbed the stairs, Xu Ping instructed Zhang Hu, "Don't make things difficult for them. Give each of them ten taels of silver! It's rare to see someone not slacking off."

"Yes!" Zhang Hu replied and followed.

After a while, standing on the watchtower about ten meters high, Xu Ping was so angry his nose almost twisted. People began to gather listlessly below, but they all seemed listless, some even yawning as they arrived. They weren't even in formation; this was hardly an army! It looked more like a parade, and there were hardly ten thousand of them.

"Damn it, where are they?!" Xu Ping was furious, his head practically steaming. Looking at the scattered groups below, he wished he could just blow them all up with a bomb.

The fourth brother, somewhat nervously standing to the side, said, "Your Highness, the Tiger Battalion's three schools do indeed have a strength of ten thousand men, but the commander-in-chief is a civil official, so everyone is dissatisfied with him, and he's been so angry that he hasn't come for several years. As for the others, they're all either children of officials or freeloaders. We've had quite a few conflicts with them, and eventually we drove them all away, so they haven't come back."

The fourth brother looked rough, but he seemed to have a mental record, speaking fluently and clearly: "Moreover, the imperial court has been dragging its feet on military pay and provisions, and some brothers have had no choice but to leave to make a living. The court hasn't issued them travel permits, but it's tacitly approved it."

Xu Ping asked impatiently, "Damn it, then tell me how many people that is!" The fourth brother thought for a moment, then immediately said firmly, "Aside from these reasons, the original Tiger Battalion had about four thousand men, and some are currently doing odd jobs in the capital to make a living."

Damn, some have even gone out to work! "I'm utterly fed up with this military camp! The Ministry of War doesn't even care when people leave; they 've let

things slide to this extent!" Xu Ping ordered, his face full of anger, "From today onwards, the remaining soldiers will be reorganized. From now on, anyone unable to fight again or who is negligent will be given ten taels of silver and sent back to their hometown. Anyone who doesn't show up today will be removed

from the ranks and expelled from the camp." But upon closer inspection, he was secretly overjoyed. They had gotten rid of all the useless guys themselves, saving them a lot of effort. What remained were all soldiers who had actually seen battle—the best kind of soldiers. Moreover, many of them were secretly working in the capital. If they could be secretly connected, it would be a vast intelligence network! Hidden behind the scenes, they could be a vital force when needed, catching others off guard in a real crisis.

"Your Highness is wise."

The fourth prince, beaming with joy, rushed off to carry out the task. After all, in this neglected and isolated place, the temptation of ten taels of silver was immense; that amount of money was enough for ordinary people to eat and drink for several years.

"Master, isn't it a bit inappropriate to make such a drastic change to the three schools without consulting the Ministry of War?" Zhang Hu asked worriedly from the side.

"It's alright, I acted first and reported later, they can't do anything about it! Chen Qi, go back and tell Uncle Liu to get started immediately. As for the original general, if he has any objections, send him home to farm,"

Xu Ping said calmly.

Chen Qi responded and turned to leave.

Xu Ping and Zhang Hu waited while drinking tea, feeling displeased as they watched the crowd below begin to commotion. Two hours later, the fourth prince finally ran up, sweating profusely, and reported, "Your Highness, there are about two thousand men. Some are seriously ill, some want to retire, and the rest are orphans or unmarried people who wish to stay. There are over two thousand seven hundred in total."

Xu Ping thought for a moment. Two thousand men were a bit few, but they could be expanded slowly. After all, there was no immediate need to use them, so there was no need to rush.

After thinking for a while, Xu Ping decided, "Alright, let them disperse first. Tomorrow, those with serious illnesses or injuries will each receive an extra ten taels of silver as a pension from the court."

He then stood up, took a few steps forward, and looked at the people registering to leave. Indeed, some of these people were missing limbs, some were already weak, and some were old. Such people would be useless on the battlefield; it was better to let them find their own way to survive!

"Twenty taels per person might be a bit low. When the court has more funds, I'll try to get them some more. We absolutely cannot let these veterans, who have survived countless battles, live a hard life in their later years."

Xu Ping spoke with a pained expression, appearing deeply remorseful. Having watched so much television and read so many newspapers, Xu Ping, a modern man, already knew how to win people's hearts, and dealing with these simple-minded ancient people was a piece of cake.

His words immediately had an effect; tears streamed down the fourth brother's face. He knelt down and choked out, "The fourth brother thanks the Crown Prince on behalf of these brothers."

The court's funding for the Fierce Tiger Battalion had always been just enough to keep them from starving—it was all coarse rice and vegetables! For years, they hadn't received any silver. Xu Ping calculated that the expense would be around fifty thousand taels, enough to appease these men and gain a good reputation. Why not?

Xu Ping couldn't bear to see such genuine emotion in a man's tears; it truly touched him deeply. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Alright, someone will bring the silver tomorrow! Tell the brothers that the Ming Dynasty owes its current status to them, and the court will not forget them."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" The fourth brother was already kneeling on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Sometimes, there wasn't even a single medicine for wounds in the military camp, and some people even died from minor illnesses becoming major ones because of lack of treatment. Compared to the court's indifference, Xu Ping's silver was far more meaningful to them.

These veterans weren't fools; for them, no reward from the court was as real as the silver that could save their lives.

Xu Ping paused, then turned around and said, "Alright, from now on, the Fierce Tiger Camp will only have this one camp left. You lead these men for now. If I see them still so lazy, I'll take your head."

"Your subordinate obeys!" The fourth brother said, choking back tears, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly.

Successfully pulled off the show! As soon as Xu Ping stepped outside the camp, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He hadn't expected this! He'd thought subduing this bunch of freaks would be difficult, but now, with a little money, it was easy. He really had to thank the Ministry of War for starving them for so long!

On the way back, Zhang Hu, while driving, asked in bewilderment, "Master, isn't it a bit wasteful of such a large sum of money? Besides, these two thousand men aren't much of a threat. Even a large martial arts sect wouldn't have as many as them. And

we'd have to spend money to support them for a while. I think it's a bit hasty." Xu Ping smiled confidently and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, I understand. Two thousand men is indeed a bit few, but they all seem quite capable. We don't have experience leading troops in battle, so we can slowly learn from them, right?" "Understood!" Zhang Hu blushed as he spoke, perhaps recalling his previous defeat.

As they were about to enter the city under cover of night, Xu Ping suddenly noticed a bustling area on his left, teeming with people. He had Zhang Hu stop the car and went over to ask a few people, only to learn that they were distributing rice porridge. In times of famine, a bowl of rice porridge was incredibly precious. Although only two or three large pots were cooking, the few bits of meat floating on top still drew crowds eager to line up, hoping their children could have a bite of the greasy food.

Outside the capital, refugees were still everywhere, their clothes tattered or they were emaciated. Tens of thousands lay or sat on the ground, seemingly shivering in the chilly evening wind. Seeing this, Xu Ping felt a pang of sorrow.

Although it was called porridge, there were simply too many refugees. It was more like rice water; normally they were given coarse grains like millet, but now they were being given rice, which explained the refugees' eagerness. Of course, many were also drawn by the tiny bits of greasy food floating on top!

Upon closer inspection, a beautiful figure was seen behind a table, sweating profusely as she served porridge to the refugees. Although she looked exhausted, a happy smile graced her face. This angelic beauty stood out among the refugees, yet the genuine respect from those around her was palpable. People are generally kind and simple; they know who truly cares for them.

Xu Ping's gaze lingered on the woman in the center. She wasn't dressed extravagantly, but rather in a clean, crisp white dress. Her figure was petite and delicate, yet possessed a unique charm—perfectly proportioned, with a graceful silhouette that was pleasing to the eye. Especially noteworthy was her willingness, even in her white attire, to playfully interact with the refugee children. Her

delicate features were striking; her large, watery eyes shone with gentle kindness. A few drops of sweat glistened on her pretty face, suggesting she was exhausted, making her look particularly adorable. Although dressed casually, her demeanor clearly indicated she wasn't from an ordinary family.

Around eighteen years old, she was delicate, adorable, and full of love—it was impossible not to like her!

While the girl was also beautiful, what Xu Ping admired most was her gentle, loving face and approachable smile! He pondered for a moment, feeling he recognized her but not quite; he must have seen her somewhere before! But if he had truly seen such a beautiful girl, given his personality, he would never forget her! How strange.

"You've arrived!" The ethereal woman was adding another piece of meat to a crying, hungry little girl when she suddenly sensed someone staring at her. Looking up, she immediately met Xu Ping's questioning gaze. Her smiling face instantly became shy and flustered!

Seeing her familiar panic, Xu Ping slapped his forehead and remembered. Wasn't this fairy-like beauty the imposter Guo Ziwen? He never expected her to be so beautiful in her pink dress and light skirt. Xu Ping's gaze immediately became unrestrained, his eyes scanning her from her fair, rosy neck down to her long, shapely legs beneath her skirt. He realized he'd been blind; he'd never imagined that fake could be so alluring. It was

too noisy to see clearly, so Xu Ping squeezed and pushed, not caring if he got dirty. Finally reaching her, he saw Guo Ziwen's embarrassed expression and, taking the spoon from her hand, said with a smile, "Let me help you!" Seeing her face clearly now, Xu Ping didn't find her strikingly beautiful, but rather a rare kind of pretty. However, her kind and gentle demeanor made her seem untouchable; she was an absolute beauty with an air of elegance, growing more and more likable the more he looked at her.

"Why are you here! We can do these chores,"

Guo Ziwen immediately said, hurriedly trying to take the wooden spoon from Xu Ping.

Xu Ping firmly shook his head in refusal, turning back to serve porridge to the refugees. He looked with affection at the thin, small children, whose innocent eyes were fixed on the tiny piece of meat on the pot.

"Miss Guo, has your sweetheart come to see you?" A middle-aged woman nearby teased, busy at work. She too had fled to Beijing; if it weren't for the relief efforts, she would have either starved or frozen to death. Seeing Guo Ziwen's face flushed and her head lowered, yet a hint of joy lingered on her lips, she immediately sensed something amiss.

"Yes, what a handsome young man! You two are a perfect match, like gods!" A woman washing rice behind them also chimed in, looking up.

"Hey, kid! If you dare treat our Miss Guo badly, we won't let you off the hook!" A middle-aged man nearby said menacingly, carrying an empty bucket. The crowd immediately burst into laughter, but Xu Ping knew they meant no harm and didn't pay much attention.

Zhang Hu, however, couldn't tolerate disrespect towards his master. He glared at Xu Ping and was about to step forward when Xu Ping glared at him, stopping him.

"Don't worry, we'll invite you to our wedding feast,"

Xu Ping said, wiping the sweat from his brow. Standing next to the buckets of hot porridge was indeed unbearably hot; his clothes were almost soaked through in no time.

Guo Ziwen, standing beside him, lowered her head in embarrassment, though a slight smile lingered on her lips. She glanced at Xu Ping timidly, her voice trembling with shyness as she said, "Don't tire yourself out, let me do it!" "Hehe!" Xu Ping chuckled slyly, reaching out to wipe the beads of sweat from her flushed face. He felt the sweat, but her skin was incredibly soft and delicate. Taking advantage of the situation, he said, "This is definitely something a man should do. You just rest for now! You can wash my feet properly when we get home tonight."

"You…" Guo Ziwen was immediately speechless with embarrassment, pursing her red lips and giving Xu Ping a sidelong glance.

"Exactly, exactly!" an auntie agreed while carrying buckets. "Men should do the heavy lifting. Women only need to know how to manage the household! Besides, you're such a beautiful woman, I wouldn't want you to do any work!" "Managing the household isn't enough, you also have to serve the man!" another auntie immediately added. A

kind-hearted uncle who seemed to be her husband glared at her and said disapprovingly, "What nonsense! Just serving the man isn't enough! You also have to give me a whole bunch of babies. What good are you if you can't lay eggs?"

"Yeah, right!" Everyone burst into laughter.

Guo Ziwen immediately blushed and turned her face away, so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground. Xu Ping, on the other hand, was secretly pleased. He knew these people were just trying to tease her, and they all assumed he and this beauty were a couple. He wasn't angry, just felt like he was getting the better deal.

"Breaking news! The Ministry of Works is setting up an arsenal and recruiting laborers. We need 1,000 strong male workers and 300 female workers. First come, first served! Food and lodging provided, one qian of silver a month!"

At this moment, a group of people dressed in official robes with the character "merchant" printed on their front rode up on horseback. After dismounting, they waved the notice in their hands and shouted loudly. The others immediately set up tables and chairs and laid out notebooks to record the information. The crowd immediately became lively and rushed over, vying to sign up, as enthusiastic as if they were going to war.

"Aunties, this recruitment is paying wages, don't you have any doubts at all?" Xu Ping suddenly turned to the old women behind him and asked.

"How could that be? We've all been terrified of those corrupt officials. If it weren't for His Highness the Crown Prince's Ministry of Commerce continuously sending us relief grain, we'd probably be starving to death in droves. Such a great favor, let alone money, we'd do it even if it were just for food. Besides, everyone who went said the money was sent on time, without any delays. That's why everyone's hoping to be chosen when there's another job opening."

The auntie replied with a smile, looking as if she couldn't wait to drop what she was doing and rush off to grab a job.

The middle-aged man who had been carrying rice earlier came over, patted Xu Ping on the shoulder, and said with a simple, honest smile, "Young man, you don't know! The grain used in the largest soup kitchen in the east of the city was confiscated from unscrupulous merchants who were raising rice prices by orders from Lord Zhang of the Ministry of Commerce. Some people even went to the capital to make a scene, crying and wailing, but the Crown Prince's residence immediately stepped in and suppressed the matter. This has been making headlines recently. Just for the favor the Crown Prince and Lord Zhang have done for us, and the chance to get food, who wouldn't want to go?" "I really didn't know!" Xu Ping racked his brains but couldn't recall ever doing anything like that. It seemed Uncle Liu and the others had handled it! Zhang Qinghe has really got guts now; he knows that buying grain with silver is too expensive, so finding a good excuse to rob it is much more direct. This guy really has potential!

"I heard that Shili Xiang Winery is going to build a new factory in the capital in a couple of days, and the workers will still be selected from here. There are more and more people in our area who can afford to eat now; it's the imperial family that cares about us. Unlike those lowly officials who only care about filling their own pockets."

The aunt continued her rambling, her teeth clenched when talking about corrupt officials, but her face was full of piety when talking about the imperial family.

Xu Ping felt ashamed; he was probably the one in the whole world who most wanted to fill his own pockets! Auntie, you're so naively praising me because you don't know me. If you did, you'd probably beat me up!

"Please have some water! Look how sweaty you are!" Guo Ziwen handed him a glass of water and then took a towel to wipe the layer of sweat from Xu Ping's face, her expression slightly concerned. But as she wiped him, she realized she had been a bit abrupt and felt a little embarrassed.

Xu Ping smiled gently and said softly, "You drink first, I'm not thirsty!" The woman was considerate, the man gentle. To onlookers, they looked like a loving young couple. The others smiled kindly and didn't tease them further, but Guo Ziwen was laughing so hard she could barely lift her head.

"Is this all you drink all day?" Xu Ping looked around and only saw a tiny bit of minced meat; there was no salt or other seasoning.

"We're content with this porridge. Back in our hometown, we couldn't even get tree bark to eat,"

the middle-aged man said with a satisfied expression.

The old woman nodded, smiling, and said, "That's right, rice is so expensive! And it even has a little bit of meat in it. This is all for the children, who would bear to give it to the adults! Besides, outside the city, we're the only ones who get this little bit of white rice porridge, we should be grateful to have something to drink."

"Let's go back first, the carriage is waiting downstairs."

Xu Ping was filled with emotion, said goodbye to everyone, and gave Guo Ziwen a wink.

Guo Ziwen blushed slightly, quietly said goodbye to the refugees, and followed behind Xu Ping somewhat nervously, head down, taking small steps silently.

"Hey, young man, don't forget to invite us to your wedding!" the crowd shouted, joking.

Guo Ziwen listened, lowering her head, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, a faint smile on her lips, her face still flushed, looking extremely shy.

"I will, I will."

Xu Ping walked to the carriage and waved goodbye to everyone.

The two got into the car one after the other, and Zhang Hu drove towards the city. Xu Ping looked at the beautiful young woman in front of him, so nervous that she didn't know where to put her hands. Her flustered appearance was really endearing, so he couldn't help but tease her, saying, "Hey, Guo, are you coming back with me now? I'm still waiting for you to wash my feet!" "I, I want to go home!" Guo Ziwen waved her hands hurriedly, then lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong.

Xu Ping chuckled mischievously twice, then asked sarcastically, "Then tell me, what exactly do you mean by running off to my place disguised as a man? Tell me the truth, and I'll consider letting you go back!" Guo Ziwen nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, muttering softly, "This...this humble woman was just confused for a moment."

"Confused!" Xu Ping deliberately dragged out the last syllable, for some reason wanting to tease her more the more he saw her nervousness. After chuckling a few times, he suddenly asked seriously, "By the way, what's your name?" "This humble woman..." Guo Ziwen stammered nervously, seemingly unable to speak clearly.

Xu Ping threatened with a flat face, "If you dare lie to me, I'll throw you into the river later." "

This humble woman, my lowly name is Guo Wenwen!" She lowered her head so much she could barely lift it. Xu Ping muttered to himself, pondering the name. He thought it was really a bad name; was her father illiterate? Giving her such a name was a disgrace to her beauty and kind heart.

But then again, her family must be well-off, able to run a rice porridge stall outside the city! She couldn't possibly be from a poor family, and judging from her demeanor, she should be a lady of high birth!

Guo Wenwen? But why does that name sound so familiar? Xu Ping racked his brains but still couldn't figure it out, so he casually asked, "By the way, what did they say about the Ministry of Commerce? What is it?" Guo Ziwen seemed a little nervous and said somewhat haltingly, "Some time ago, Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Commerce mobilized grain merchants to donate a batch of grain, but there were too many refugees, and it was all used up in less than half a month. Later, he made a drastic decision and confiscated all the grain belonging to Guanghe, the top grain merchant in Shandong, around the capital, which refused to contribute. He even sealed off their granaries, and this matter even went to the imperial court. It was only after the Empress intervened that the matter was suppressed."

Xu Ping felt a surge of joy; his mother was still on his side after all. He nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, I'll have someone buy some lard and salt and send some over tomorrow. The children are growing; they can't just eat plain porridge and coarse grains all the time."

"This humble woman thanks you on behalf of these refugees,"

Guo Wenwen said, her pretty face filled with gratitude. She gave Xu Ping a radiant smile that felt like a gentle spring breeze, making him momentarily dazed.

From the moment Xu Ping was sweating profusely as he served porridge to the refugees, Guo Wenwen knew that although he outwardly appeared absurd and reckless, and extremely greedy, he was different from other sons of officials. In fact, he was a very kind person, both aloof and approachable… While lost in thought, Guo Wenwen secretly observed the handsome young man before her, feeling her heart pounding even faster.

"So how are you going to thank me?!" After only a few words of seriousness, Xu Ping immediately revealed his lecherous side, leering at Guo Wenwen's chest as he asked.

"This humble woman..." Guo Wenwen was speechless, flustered by Xu Ping's direct gaze.

"Alright, just kidding!" Xu Ping, seeing they were home, got out of the car and headed towards the gate; it was already dark. He still had some things to arrange!

After getting out of the car, Xu Ping gave the still embarrassed Guo Wenwen a deep look and softly asked, "I feel like I've seen you somewhere before?" Guo Wenwen hesitated for a moment, but still said softly, "My father is Guo Jinghao!" "Oh!" Xu Ping gave a long "oh," and without saying much more, had Zhang Hu take her home. Guo Jinghao

was also a high-ranking official in the founding of the dynasty, holding the position of Right Chancellor, a first-rank official. The right-hand man was the most respected. Although both were first-rank officials, second only to the emperor, his status was far higher than that of Ji Long, the Left Chancellor. The only difference was that he didn't have the Ministry of War and the army as a backer like Ji Long. Even so, he was a rare old fox.

He remained impartial and aloof in his attempts to win over Ji Long, neither offending nor siding with him, making his attitude quite enigmatic. Moreover, Guo Jinghao was highly respected in the court, having cultivated his influence for over a decade and had numerous protégés. He held great power in the Ministry of Personnel, wielding immense influence. In terms of power, he was not much less than Ji Long, but he didn't have a father like Ji Zhongyun, who had a father with immense prestige and commanded a large army. He was usually so low-key that his thoughts were impossible to fathom!

Xu Ping searched his memory for the few impressions he had of men. In his memory, Guo Jinghao was tall and thin, with a very neatly trimmed beard. If he had to find another striking feature, it would be his ever-present friendly smile, no matter who he met! Even the palace gatekeepers say Lord Guo is a kind man; I wonder if that counts as another form of cunning!

The image of Guo Wenwen, her pretty face flushed and rosy with sweat, and her sweet, loving smile as she served porridge to the child, involuntarily surfaced in his mind. She was much more adorable than when he first met her, so rigid and feignedly heroic; she exuded femininity.

Guo Jinghao's daughter, interesting!

Xu Ping chuckled, then turned and walked into the house.

When he reached the front yard, Uncle Liu and the others were already waiting, drinking tea. Seeing Xu Ping arrive, they quickly rose and bowed, two of them kneeling obediently. Xu Ping casually sat down in a chair, his eyes sweeping over them. One was a young man dressed in dirty cloth, thin and somewhat haggard, looking very tired, his face covered in a thick layer of grease, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

The other was a kind-looking middle-aged man. In this era, "our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents" was a great honor, and his shaved beard indicated that his parents had passed away. Although kneeling on the ground, it was not difficult to see that he was a strong and burly man. His slightly exposed dark neck was covered with scars of various sizes, and his face had a kind and stern appearance with a penetrating aura. He was clearly a formidable figure who had been through many battles.

"This humble subject Hong Shun greets Your Highness."

"This sinful subject Guan Daming greets Your Highness."

After the two knelt and bowed, Xu Ping told them to stand up. While drinking tea, he looked at Hong Shun with great interest. The man in front of him was currently a prominent figure. It would be hard to find another person like him who dared to go against the old stubbornness of the Ministry of Rites. Although he had been imprisoned for so many days and had not suffered any physical pain, it was still rare for him to maintain such arrogance.

Several maids came in, placed fresh tea and snacks, and then withdrew. Xu Ping leisurely picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked with a smile, "How are things, Hong Shun? How have you been in prison?" Hong Shun wasn't reserved at all. He returned the greeting, drank the tea in one gulp, tidied his disheveled hair, and said in a nonchalant tone, "Compared to getting this revenge, this is nothing. I should thank Your Highness. Thanks to your care while I was in prison..." "Life is alright, I was only locked up for a short time before being released, it's really hard to get used to it."

Hong Shun was quite a straightforward person, Xu Ping nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Where is your ancestral home? Who else is in your family?" "Hehe, my hometown is Hebei, all alone, wandering around without any relatives or friends, I have no family left, they all starved to death, only I am the only one the King of Hell doesn't take."

Hong Shun said with a somewhat bleak smile, there seemed to be some resentment in addition to the bleakness.

"Well, since that's the case, you should live well! Leave some incense for your Hong family."

Xu Ping knew that people in this era believed that "of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no descendants," since he had come to seek refuge with him, it meant that he still had ambition, this would definitely touch his heart.

Hong Shun, somewhat embarrassed by the comment, said self-deprecatingly, "Your Highness, please don't laugh at me. Someone like me, no different from a beggar, who would want me?" "Go and rest for now. Starting tomorrow, you'll temporarily go to the Ministry of Works to oversee the establishment of the arsenal."

Xu Ping didn't want to give him a major responsibility yet; after all, such talent needed time to develop. Moreover, Hong Shun was somewhat ruthless in his actions, sometimes causing headaches; he needed to shed that sharp edge.

"Then this humble subject will take his leave!" Hong Shun took his leave without any further explanation, seemingly not expecting any reward but also unafraid of punishment.

"Quite carefree!" After he left, Xu Ping smiled and gave Uncle Liu a look, signaling him to investigate Hong Shun's background.

"Yes! Young man."

Uncle Liu nodded subtly, changing the subject.

Xu Ping glanced at Guan Daming before him and said politely, "Uncle Liu, you haven't introduced this general to me yet."

Uncle Liu immediately cupped his hands in greeting and said with a slightly elevated tone, "Master, this is Commander Guan Daming. He originally commanded the garrison at Xifengkou, but later became a prisoner."

Then he turned to Guan Daming and smiled, saying, "Introduce him to the Crown Prince yourself."

The middle-aged man stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said with a strong voice, "Your Highness, this is your guilty subject, Guan Daming. I served as the commander of the garrison at Xifengkou for eleven years, constantly resisting the invasions of the Turks. Seven years ago, the court didn't allocate a single penny of military pay for six months, and they also delayed providing provisions. So, this guilty subject allowed his troops to loot provisions and was dismissed from his post and sent to the capital. Strangely, however, this guilty subject has never been convicted and has been imprisoned without any regard for his fate until now."

Xu Ping closed his eyes slightly, his mind immediately racing. Seven years ago, the imperial court was already strapped for cash due to water conservancy repairs. It was around that time that local garrisons began secretly engaging in small businesses, which gradually became a trend. There were virtually no goods available for trade in the northern frontier, making it unlikely they could raise funds themselves. Allowing soldiers to plunder for food at least provided them with sustenance and stability. The Emperor knew this, but was powerless to stop it, as there was truly no money left.

Since this guy had the ability to lead his troops out of the pass and return unscathed, it proved he was a capable commander! Coincidentally, the people were also starting to rebel around that time, so arresting him and imprisoning him in the capital wasn't a bad solution. It avoided angering the Turks during that critical moment and could also slightly curb the grain-grabbing trend. However, seeing his talent, it was hard to bear using him as a scapegoat, which was somewhat contradictory, so he could only be kept aside and ignored.

Perhaps it was because the old generals of the founding dynasty appreciated his ferocity!

Xu Ping couldn't help but feel secretly pleased; this historical issue had actually given him an advantage! Currently, the newly recruited so-called Fierce Tiger Battalion didn't have a single capable leader, so Guan Daming could be tested first to see if he had any good methods.

"Guan Daming!" Xu Ping asked with a flat face, "Do you know the Fierce Tiger Battalion of the Four Great Military Camps?" "Yes!" Guan Daming nodded, his tone somewhat forlorn, "It was one of the Four Great Army Corps back then, but unfortunately, it declined like the Python Battalion. Speaking of origins, I was also in the Fierce Tiger Battalion before I was transferred!" "That's even better!" Xu Ping took a small sip of tea and said expressionlessly, "The Third Division of the Fierce Tiger Battalion is currently short of a general. You will take on this position starting tomorrow!" "Third Division?" Guan Daming frowned slightly, and boldly asked, "Your Highness, is it inappropriate to change a general without the Ministry of War's approval?" "There's nothing inappropriate about it!" Xu Ping frowned slightly.

"This humble general obeys the order, but I humbly request Your Highness to grant me one person!" Guan Daming didn't ask further questions; since the Crown Prince had spoken, there was naturally no problem. Having spent half his life on the battlefield, living a life of constant warfare, he had long since grown accustomed to the life of a warrior. Seven years had passed since he entered the pass, yet his sharp edge remained undiminished. After receiving the order, he solemnly made his request.

"Who do you want?" Xu Ping immediately became interested; this guy really dared to ask.

Guan Daming said seriously, "This humble general desires the vanguard general who was originally stationed in the Eastern Camp, Chen Qi!" So these two knew each other! Xu Ping lowered his head and thought for a moment. Chen Qi, currently by his side, seemed unremarkable and unable to play any significant role, offering no way to prove his abilities. In that case, it wouldn't be bad to take the opportunity to send him to the military camp to see what he was capable of. However, this meant that Guan Daming would gain connections before even leading an army, which was somewhat inappropriate!

Xu Ping hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said, "This person is useful to me now, so I can't transfer him out for the time being! Let's talk about it later."

"Yes!" Guan Daming wasn't the kind of person to be stupid, so he naturally didn't ask anything more.

"Step back!" "Yes!" After Guan Daming took his leave, Uncle Liu dismissed the servants, his face showing some worry. "Young Prince, isn't it a bit inappropriate to take such drastic action against the Three Schools without reporting to the Emperor? Besides, even if the Fierce Tiger Battalion isn't very good, it still has a general attached to it. What if the Ministry of War makes a fuss?" "It's alright. Isn't the Fierce Tiger Battalion untouchable by anyone? I'll show them how powerful this army is in my hands. Let them do whatever they want. Anyway, I have military power in my hands, so it's safer. I think Father will be happy for me to keep this unplanned force under my control."

Xu Ping said casually, but inwardly he cursed: Serves you right for trying to take advantage of me. Now I'm not happy if I don't give you something to do. He already knew what was going on. He talks a big game, but he only has a little over two thousand soldiers! With this small force, they wouldn't alarm Ji Long or cause much of a commotion. The Ministry of War might make a slight fuss, but it wouldn't be a major problem.

Uncle Liu knew Xu Ping always acted with a degree of certainty and had never caused any trouble before, so he could only nod in agreement. Then, with a serious expression, he said, "By the way, Master. Ru Xue's side has also sent news confirming that the Golden Knife Khan has indeed begun a large-scale mobilization of troops, estimated to be around 100,000. Ji Zhongyun's side is also not daring to be negligent and is making full preparations for war."

Xu Ping snorted coldly, somewhat disdainfully saying, "I don't believe that old guy Ji Zhongyun would really prepare for war. If he wanted to fight, why would he have stayed in that wretched place for over twenty years! At most, he'd just be defending. Those troops are his foundation for survival; once the fighting starts, there will definitely be losses. Unless he's lost his mind, in the end, he's just looking for an excuse to get money."

Uncle Liu thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, saying, "That's true, but the Khitans have been entangled in the Northeast for so many years and haven't gained any advantage. Although Ji Zhongyun's main goal is to preserve his forces, given his temper, he won't let the Khitans swagger around in front of him." "They're acting so arrogantly, there shouldn't be anything to worry about over there."

Xu Ping stretched and chuckled, "Never mind, these things should be Dad's headaches now. I'll just focus on developing peacefully."

Uncle Liu smiled and shook his head, saying, "Ru Xue wrote to me the other day saying that things are getting increasingly tense in Japan. The Kiyono family somehow found a batch of finely crafted weapons, which has scared the other two families. No one has continued to make moves and they're all quietly observing. It looks like a storm is brewing."

Xu Ping was happy to see others suffer and smiled shamelessly, saying, "Have someone keep an eye on things over there. Remember to let me know if there's any good news. Tsk tsk, a war between three races! It would be interesting if it got completely chaotic!" Uncle Liu, of course, didn't care about things in Japan. This kind of information was just something he mentioned casually. Seeing Xu Ping's smile, he immediately seized the opportunity to get down to business: "By the way, Ru Xue might be coming to the capital soon. She said she hopes to see you, is that alright?" Xu Ping immediately sat up, his face full of vigilance, and asked, "She's not coming to ask me for money, is she?" "I don't know, you can ask her yourself when she arrives in a couple of days!" Uncle Liu shook his head with a smile. This master of his was now a real miser; he'd be furious if he didn't find gold bars while digging, and he'd be satisfied even if he had to find a gold ingot inside a pig.

"That's good, no money here. Not even my life!" Xu Ping patted his chest, feigning relief, which made Uncle Liu laugh heartily.

"Young Prince, I have other matters to attend to! You should eat your meal."

Uncle Liu smiled and took his leave.

What to do? The night is long; it's more practical to eat first.

As Xu Ping was pondering this, Yao Lu approached, smiling, and asked, "Master, what would you like to eat tonight?" When Xiao Mi was unavailable, Yao Lu naturally took on the role of a maid, seemingly accustomed to it here.

Xu Ping maintained his cheerful demeanor, nodding and saying, "Let's have hot pot tonight! Something simple will do. Let the others join us. It'll be more lively with everyone eating together!" "Yes, Your Majesty!" Yao Lu gracefully curtsied and then left.

Watching her tall figure recede into the distance, Xu Ping couldn't help but ponder for a while. These two women hadn't done anything since infiltrating, seemingly only interested in who he had summoned. This information was neither direct nor clear; who wanted them? And what was their purpose?

Just then, a mature and voluptuous figure gracefully passed by. Lin Ziyan walked over, wearing a thin purple silk dress. Her beautiful curves and large breasts swayed with every step, captivating all who saw her. Coupled with her beautiful and mature face, such a beauty was the dream gift of countless men. Seeing Xu Ping sitting alone in the living room, seemingly recalling the ripples of that night, a blush immediately crept onto her face. She stepped forward and softly asked, "Your Highness, why are you alone?" Upon seeing his beautiful mother-in-law, Xu Ping was reminded of the passion of that night, and his appetite instantly transformed into a surge of lust. Making no attempt to conceal his lust, he stared intently at her ample bosom, swallowing hard as he said, "I'm waiting to devour your two big white rabbits!" Lin Ziyan's face flushed like a young girl's, and she said coquettishly, "Why are you always so frivolous!" "Hehe!" Xu Ping reached out and pulled her into his arms amidst her gasp, embracing her voluptuous waist and taking a deep sniff of her fragrant hair, grinning lewdly. "This isn't being improper at all! Promoting the family line is a perfectly proper thing!" Lin Ziyan forcefully pressed down on Xu Ping's large hand, which was about to climb onto her chest. She struggled slightly and refused in a coquettish voice, "Don't do this! Someone will be here soon!" "Hehe, don't worry!" Xu Ping couldn't help but kiss her snow-white neck, and said with a lewd smile, "Someone's coming anyway, let's have her clean up the mess while we're at it!" Lin Ziyan relaxed only when she saw that Xu Ping's hand stopped moving upwards. She felt something hard pressing against her buttocks, and she knew exactly what it was. A strange, tingling sensation spread throughout her body, and she went limp, collapsing into Xu Ping's arms. She gave him a flirtatious glare and scolded, "You're so naughty!" Xu Ping chuckled, holding her soft body, and said with a lewd grin, "Being a little naughty is good. Haven't you heard that saying? Something about men who aren't bad?" "Men who aren't bad, women don't love!" Lin Ziyan, seeing Xu Ping struggling to speak for so long, and noticing his predicament, blurted out the answer in a moment of panic.

"Ah! You actually knew?"

Xu Ping feigned surprise, looking at her.

Lin Ziyan realized she was being teased and immediately blushed, pouting, "You're so annoying! Who loves you?"

"Hehe, whoever answers that is the one who loves you!" Xu Ping said, one hand already moving down to her leg, kneading the smooth, soft flesh of her thigh through her skirt, while lewdly saying, "But, that's outdated. What I want to say isn't that." "

Then what is it?" Lin Ziyan grabbed Xu Ping's hand again, but her face was full of curiosity.

Xu Ping chuckled, pulling her closer and thrusting his hips upwards through her skirt, seemingly hitting the very center of her warm buttocks. Lin Ziyan was startled, instinctively wanting to scream, but immediately shut her mouth, her body going limp, giving Xu Ping a resentful glare. Xu Ping felt a surge of secret

pleasure. Taking advantage of her momentary lapse in attention, he stuck out his tongue and licked her fair neck hard, lewdly saying, "If men aren't a little bad, where will their offspring come from?" "You're so annoying!" Lin Ziyan trembled, instantly blushing and angry, playfully punching Xu Ping's chest with her soft little fists. Xu Ping enjoyed her charming coquettishness while laughing heartily. "Baby," Xu Ping saw her pouting and looking angry after hitting him for a while, so he immediately hugged her tighter, breathing warmly into her ear as he whispered, "I'll come find you tonight, remember to leave the door open for me!" "No!" Lin Ziyan shook her head, throwing a tantrum, but a slight nervousness lingered in her heart. Their last attempt at intimacy hadn't succeeded, and although she felt a sense of relief, she also felt a little disappointed. After calming down and thinking about it, she felt a pang of guilt towards her daughter, and for a moment, she hesitated. "Master, I heard we're having hot pot tonight!" A clear, melodious child's voice, as cheerful as a lark's song, rang out from afar! That wicked Qiao'er seemed determined to antagonize Xu Ping; the atmosphere had finally started to become ambiguous. But then she swaggered over. Lin Ziyan blushed, hurriedly struggling for a moment before standing up, like a child who had done something wrong, and stood to the side! Qiao'er was dressed most adorably today, a pink little dress accentuating her petite figure, adorned with a light green headband and playful butterfly hair clips. Her already round, doll-like face looked even more youthful and beautiful, and her rosy lips were always mischievously smiling. It was hard to be angry with such a cute little girl. Seeing Lin Ziyan there, Qiao'er immediately feigned surprise and said apologetically, "Auntie's here too? I'm sorry! I'll be going now." She then made a move to turn around. Lin Ziyan hurriedly waved her hands, explaining in a way that only made things worse, "No, no, don't go! We didn't do anything." "Oh..." Qiao'er let out a long "oh," smiled slyly, and then muttered with a relieved look, "That's good, that's good!" She looked as innocent as could be. Xu Ping wasn't buying it. He glared at her fiercely and gritted his teeth, saying, "What are you doing here? I didn't say I was going to eat here!" Qiao'er completely ignored Xu Ping's forced grimace and said with a grin, "But I didn't say where I was going to eat either. I just came here because I was hungry!" Just then, the maids arrived, setting up the table and chairs, setting up the copper pot, and carrying the food. In no time, they had prepared dinner efficiently, as fast as butterflies flitting among flowers. When they gently bowed and took their leave, it was almost dazzling. "Aunt Lin, please sit down!" Qiao'er, looking like a well-behaved child, innocently waved to Lin Ziyan. "Okay, sit down!" Lin Ziyan also carefully sat down, but next to Qiao'er, seemingly afraid of being harassed by Xu Ping in front of others. For a traditional woman like her, such a thing happening in public was absolutely unacceptable. "Auntie, aren't you sitting next to the master?" Qiao'er asked, looking puzzled. "No!" Lin Ziyan hurriedly waved her hand, then blushed and whispered in Qiao'er's ear, "My dear Qiao'er, when your sister Xue comes, you mustn't tell anyone, okay?" "Tell what?" Qiao'er asked innocently. Lin Ziyan's face turned even redder, but she still quickly pleaded, "It's just that I'm alone with your master, you can't say anything, okay?" After saying that, she turned around and glared at Xu Ping with a mixture of resentment and anger. "Oh, I understand!" Qiao'er nodded obediently, but seeing the mature young woman so flustered by the teasing, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Xu Ping was seething with hatred at this moment! He really wanted to throw this flustered little devil aside and give her a good beating, then strip her naked and rape her a hundred times to vent his anger. She usually seemed so clever, why did she have to cause trouble now? When she saw that it was just the two of them at the door, she should have obediently gone out to play for a while. This was definitely a clear provocation, definitely a sincere flirtation. Seeing that Xu Ping's eyes were almost spitting fire, Qiao'er bit her chopsticks and asked pitifully, "Master, did I say something wrong?" Her aggrieved expression, coupled with her tender childish voice that made people's hearts ache, immediately triggered Lin Ziyan's maternal instincts, and she pulled Qiao'er into her arms. She glared at Xu Ping fiercely, patting Qiao'er's little head while gently comforting her, "Qiao'er, don't be afraid, Auntie's here!" "Mmm!" Qiao'er immediately feigned fear, comfortably resting her head on Lin Ziyan's large breasts, looking utterly pitiful! Xu Ping felt like vomiting blood. "I haven't even touched her yet, and she's already lying down on me!" Upon closer inspection, he noticed Qiao'er secretly sticking her tongue out at him, making him furious. However, this kind of life was quite interesting, much better than the boring life he had in the Prince's Mansion and the Palace, where everyone treated him with utmost respect. Despite his anger, Xu Ping was still quite gratified!

"Master, no one else is back yet! Please eat first!" Xiao Mi came over with chilled rice wine. She saw Xu Ping's aggrieved expression and didn't know what was wrong. However, she filled the wine cup and stood next to him, putting meat into the boiling water. Soon after the water boiled, the whole room was filled with the aroma of meat.

When Qiao'er saw the dishes—mutton, beef, spinach, and lettuce—she immediately grumbled unhappily, "Master, you're the Crown Prince, for goodness' sake! You eat this every day? Can't you have some of the grandeur of a prince? Give me some delicacies!" "Damn it!" Xu Ping downed his wine in one gulp, saying irritably, "So what if I'm stingy? You're not happy, are you?"

Seeing Xu Ping was about to explode, Qiao'er quickly waved her hands innocently, smiling sweetly, "No, no, it's fine! Really, I like it very much."

"Good that you like it!" Lin Ziyan lovingly stroked her hair, blushing as she glanced at Xu Ping, and said softly, "There are refugees everywhere outside the capital right now. If you're frugal, you can set a good example for the officials, right? Otherwise, people will say things like, 'The rich feast while the poor freeze to death on the streets.'"

"Yes, yes!" Qiao'er said weakly, picking up a piece of mutton and putting it in her mouth.

"Ouch..." A scream rang out as Qiao'er scalded herself, sticking out her tongue!

Xiao Mi quickly got her a cup of water. Lin Ziyan saw her coughing after drinking it and quickly patted her back, gently scolding, "Why are you in such a hurry, child? Nobody's going to take it from you!" "Thank you, Sister Xiao Mi!" Qiao'er coughed for a while before thanking Xiao Mi with red eyes. Xiao Mi quickly waved her hand, saying it wasn't necessary. Xu Ping saw that she seemed about to cry and felt a little sorry for her, but thinking that this little devil had ruined his plans, he cursed inwardly with some unease: Serves you right, who told you to be so greedy!

"Qiao'er, eat slowly. It's so hot, why don't you blow on it!" Seeing Qiao'er's flushed face, Lin Ziyan's maternal instincts kicked in, and she scolded her while continuing to pour her cool water. Unfortunately, she didn't know that this little devil was no innocent child, and that she had left a deep shadow on her daughter's young mind. Now, Cheng Ningxue would instinctively itch whenever she saw her.

"It's okay, Auntie, you eat too."

After recovering, Qiao'er seemed to be retaliating, grabbing vegetables and meat like crazy and eating in a whirlwind for a while, but she didn't eat much. She glared at Xu Ping with a little temper and said, "Master, I have things to do! I'll come back for a midnight snack tonight."

After saying that, she wiped her mouth, greeted Lin Ziyan, and ran off with cheerful steps.

"Damn it, what is she doing here?" Xu Ping saw that the usually gluttonous Qiao'er hadn't eaten much this time, so she must have already eaten and was deliberately trying to cause trouble. He was furious and almost went crazy.

"It's normal for little kids to eat less!" Lin Ziyan said with a smile, watching the little girl run off. Her maternal love seemed almost sacred and untouchable.

Xu Ping took a big gulp of wine before speaking, "Damn it! I

'll strip this little girl naked and ravage her sooner or later." Zhang Hu came to see him at this moment. After seeing Xu Ping, he looked at Lin Ziyan, his expression seemingly troubled.

"What is it? Speak!" Xu Ping waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to leave.

Zhang Hu nodded, his tone stiff, and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, news has come from the palace. Zhang Yulong has recently suffered from acclimatization problems, and the imperial physician diagnosed him with a potentially incurable disease! His days seem numbered. Zhang Yulong has requested permission from His Majesty to retire and return to his hometown, but there has been no further news since."

Lin Ziyan had been stunned since hearing Zhang Yulong's name. Hearing that her sworn enemy had a terminal illness, two streams of tears flowed down her face. She seemed lost in thought, sobbing and muttering to herself, "Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes!" Xu Ping, however, frowned deeply, deep in thought. How could Zhang Yulong, a perfectly healthy man, suddenly be dying? This seemed unbelievable, especially since it happened at this time, making it even more suspicious. Could it be that Lin Wei's actions in Yunnan had already alarmed Ji Long, fearing that Yunnan's previously impregnable defenses would crumble, making Zhang Yulong restless and eager to return home?

That's possible; if it was her father who poisoned her, that can't be ruled out! But he didn't even inform her beforehand, so Xu Ping was suddenly unsure whether it was true or not.

At this moment, Lin Ziyan couldn't suppress her inner excitement and the grief she had been holding back. She acted as if Zhang Yulong was already dead and their family's revenge had been achieved, and she couldn't help but squat down and wail loudly.

Zhang Hu, seeing this, quickly moved away.

Seeing her crying so bitterly, Xu Ping felt a pang of pain in his heart. He didn't have time to think about Zhang Yulong anymore and quickly went forward to help her up. Her voluptuous body trembled uncontrollably from crying, and her large breasts bounced up and down, making it a little dizzying. Xu Ping suppressed his impulses and lust, patting the beautiful woman's shoulder gently as he comforted her, "Alright, he's not dead yet, what's there to cry about? It's not too late to cry when you see his corpse after he dies. If you still feel unsatisfied then, we'll drag him out of the grave and whip his corpse!" "Thank you, thank you!" Lin Ziyan cried, almost incoherently. Ignoring Xiaomi's presence, she excitedly buried her face in Xu Ping's chest and burst into tears, as if venting her frustration.

Xu Ping knew she had been suppressing her emotions, often appearing sullen and lost in thought. Even though Zhang Yulong wasn't dead yet, letting her vent wasn't a bad thing! He sighed and let her vent her resentment on his chest.

Lin Ziyan, without any restraint, hugged Xu Ping tightly and cried loudly! Unbeknownst to them, a beautiful figure resembling her sister stood frozen at the doorway.

"Mother, you!" Cheng Ningxue, having finished her day's work, entered the room and was shocked to see her mother embracing her beloved, the two of them tightly and affectionately. A sharp pain shot through her heart, and she stood helplessly at the door.

"Xue'er, our revenge will be near! Our revenge will be near!" Lin Ziyan, her face streaked with tears like a kitten, went over and hugged her daughter tightly, bursting into tears again.

"What?!" Cheng Ningxue was at a loss. Her mother, whom she remembered as always calm and quiet, was now so agitated!

Xiao Mi whispered beside her, "News just came from the palace. They say Zhang Yulong has an incurable disease!" Cheng Ningxue was stunned. After a long while, her body began to tremble. She gritted her teeth, her voice filled with hatred, and said, "How could this be? Someone who deserves to be torn to pieces couldn't possibly die so easily!"

Although her expression was stubborn, tears immediately streamed down her face. She couldn't help but burst into tears and hugged Lin Ziyan, the mother and daughter both sobbing uncontrollably.

Xu Ping looked helplessly at his chest, which was already soaked. The sudden emptiness in his arms made him feel a little uncomfortable. Xiao Mi immediately grabbed a silk handkerchief to help Xu Ping wipe himself, but Xu Ping waved her away.

"What, what's going on?" Ji Jingyue had just come out of the palace, still a little worried about her rogue nephew. As soon as she entered, she saw the Cheng family mother and daughter crying together, their sobs so desolate they were almost oppressive. She was immediately startled. She

couldn't help but look at Xu Ping with a hint of disdain! Xu Ping was furious. The mother and daughter were just crying to vent their emotions, and his gaze made it seem as if he had raped them!

Despite his anger, seeing his beautiful aunt return, and remembering her meddling these past few days, Xu Ping, seizing the opportunity, pounced on her, burying his head in her ample bosom, his voice choked with sobs, "Auntie, you're finally here! I didn't know what to do without you; they've been crying the whole time."

Though he spoke with sadness, he felt incredibly pleased. In those days, women wore very thin undergarments, practically just a layer of cloth. Upon contact, he could deeply feel the elasticity and fullness of his aunt's breasts, and vaguely felt a small clitoris. Xu Ping became even more excited, inhaling the woman's natural fragrance while pushing his head closer.

Ji Jingyue was stunned by the sudden movement, vaguely feeling a tingling sensation spreading throughout her body. Coming to her senses, she let out a terrifying scream and suddenly kicked Xu Ping hard in the stomach.

The crying mother and daughter were startled by the scream and turned to see Xu Ping, accompanied by a high-pitched scream, fall straight into the corner, smashing the table and crashing to the ground. Ji Jingyue, with a very stylish and thuggish kick, glared angrily.

Xiao Mi was the first to react, quickly running over to clear away the scattered wooden frames, and the Cheng mother and daughter also rushed over. Xu Ping was not only unharmed, but also secretly pleased. Just a moment ago, when her aunt kicked him, a glimpse of her underwear under her skirt was revealed, clearly showing that her aunt was wearing black underwear. It seemed her aunt was quite concerned about her appearance, having immediately changed the color of her underwear.

"Master, are you alright?!" Seeing Xu Ping in a daze, Xiao Mi was so frightened she was almost crying, her eyes red as she grabbed Xu Ping's shoulders and shook him repeatedly.

"I'm fine, luckily I'm pretty tough!" He patted the splinters off his clothes and stood up. Seeing the mother and daughter both looking relieved, Xu Ping couldn't help but tease them with a smile, "Don't cry, don't cry! Crying makes you look ugly. Come on, give me a gentle smile! A good smile will earn you a reward."

Women are naturally most concerned about their appearance; it's an instinct that hasn't changed in tens of thousands of years. Hearing Xu Ping's words, they weren't amused at all. The mother and daughter looked at each other, their light makeup ruined, looking rather comical. They then tacitly and dashed out.

This rapid change immediately stunned Xu Ping. He had expected them to blush or something, but judging from this, they were definitely running back to fix their appearance. Women are indeed unpredictable creatures. Xiao Mi was also stunned, her dazed look exceptionally cute.

Xu Ping stood at the door with a deadpan expression and shouted, "Hey girls, don't go! How about I give you a really innocent smile? I sell my body, not my smile, consider it a freebie, okay?" Ji Jingyue snapped out of her daze and immediately burst into laughter, though she had tried to hold it in. But she couldn't suppress it and just laughed out loud. Her red dress fluttered with her body's trembling, and her unrestrained laughter added to her allure. Most eye-catching were her mature breasts, bouncing up and down, and the glimpse of white flesh on her chest, which was even more alluring.

"Hmph, what's so funny! If you hadn't kicked me, would I have been so embarrassed?" Xu Ping wiped the drool from his mouth and said with a wronged expression.

"Come on, you little rascal! If you hadn't taken advantage of me, would I have kicked you?" Ji Jingyue pouted, put her hands on her hips, and stood like a shrew. However, it perfectly matched her fiery personality, instantly arousing a desire to conquer in men.

"Don't wrong me, okay? My young heart was simply hurt, and I wanted to find someone to rely on."

Xu Ping said, while inviting her to eat with him!

"Oh, I'll reluctantly believe you!" Ji Jingyue poured herself a glass of wine after sitting down, and taking advantage of Xu Ping's relaxed state, she suddenly asked casually, "Is it soft?" "Yes, it's soft, it feels amazing!" Xu Ping answered instinctively while drinking, but by the time he came to his senses, it was too late.

"You still want to take advantage of me."

Ji Jingyue slammed her hand on the table and stood up angrily.

Although Xu Ping knew he was in the wrong, he immediately adopted a defensive stance and said in an innocent tone, "Can't you be reasonable? A woman's breasts are naturally soft. Do you expect me to say they're as hard as iron for you to be happy? Are you going through menopause and looking for a fight?" Ji Jingyue paused, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "What is menopause?" Xu Ping then realized that this term didn't exist in this era, and he couldn't very well explain it to her in the original sense. He thought, "They'd probably tear this whole house down in no time. Demolishing the palace isn't a big deal since it's not their money to repair it, but demolishing this place and then repairing it would cost them their own money—it's not worth it." His eyes darted around, and with a sly grin, he said, "It's what they call 'a woman's period'—you know

what I mean?" Ji Jingyue immediately understood what he meant and became furious. She grabbed a wine glass and threw it at Xu Ping, angrily yelling, "You filthy scoundrel! You dare flirt with me! You're asking for it!"

Xu Ping caught the glass with a smile, smelled it, and then, with a look of ecstasy, stuck out his tongue and licked the glass a few times before exclaiming, "So fragrant! It smells like both wine and my aunt's scent. It's something to cherish forever."

The small wine glass resembled a woman's private parts; this action was utterly lewd.

Ji Jingyue was defeated once again, speechless with anger. If her sister hadn't warned her not to cause trouble in the capital, she would have been whipping him and throwing knives. However, hearing Xu Ping's praise made her secretly pleased, though she didn't show it on her face.

Suppressing her anger, Ji Jingyue casually asked, "Where's Qiao'er? Where did she go?" Xu Ping was genuinely afraid that this fiery beauty and the little devil would get together; both of them were fearless. Qiao'er was so clever and intelligent, and his aunt was a bit of a brainless idiot, yet somehow they were kindred spirits! If the two of them were to cause trouble together, everyone would want to avoid them!

Xu Ping immediately asked warily, "What do you want with her?" "She's not your wife, why do you care so much?" Ji Jingyue glared at Xu Ping fiercely, as if to say, "You'd better tell me honestly before I lay a hand on you."

She's not my wife now, but except for the final step, we're practically inseparable. She's a good match now, I can't let you corrupt her. Xu Ping, still indignant, said, "She's mine, of course I care."

"Your woman?" Ji Jingyue's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way, she's only twelve!" "Only twelve?" Xu Ping was taken aback, feeling she should be even younger! But then again, getting married at thirteen or fourteen was normal these days; someone like Lin Ziyan was considered overage, so it wasn't strange. "

No way!" Ji Jingyue immediately tensed up, running outside while muttering, "I have to ask her if you, you beast, forced her. If she gets married so young, who will play with me? What if she accidentally gets pregnant with your bastard child?" What

the hell was that all about?! Xu Ping was both amused and exasperated. What kind of talk was that? Was he really that much of a beast? He'd always preferred adultery to rape, even date rape had much more refined taste! But thinking about it another way, Auntie must be bored in the capital, and it wouldn't be bad if Qiao'er could keep her company.

After this commotion, Xu Ping was also a bit too full to eat. Ningxue and his mother-in-law had cried so much earlier, and as a good man, he had to go and comfort them, preferably with both physical and emotional support to achieve the best effect. Thinking of this, Xu Ping grinned lewdly, happily took his wine glass and bottle, and walked to Ningxue's room, knocking on the door. With some wine to liven things up, he wondered if something special could happen that night, like mother and daughter sharing a bed.

"Who is it?" Lin Ziyan's voice sounded weak.

"It's me, I came to see you."

Xu Ping tried his best to make his voice sound serious, so gentle that even he himself couldn't believe it.

Cheng Ningxue ran to open the door. The traces of crying were gone from her face, though her eyes were still slightly red and swollen. She had changed into casual clothes, and in the soft moonlight, she looked incredibly beautiful. Her breasts, unusually large for her age, were high and firm, drawing attention. Standing gracefully, she appeared both innocent and alluring.

Seeing Xu Ping staring intently at her, his gaze somewhat fiery as he looked at her chest, Ningxue felt a mixture of shyness and secret delight. She lowered her head and softly asked, "Is something the matter?" "What? Can't I come see you if there's nothing wrong? Won't you invite me in?" Xu Ping said in what he considered his most dashing manner, but it felt incredibly awkward.

Ningxue slowly turned around, welcoming Xu Ping in and closing the door behind her. She saw Lin Ziyan sitting at the table, already dressed in a white nightgown, having removed her makeup and hair simply pinned up. Compared to her usual glamorous look, she possessed a more understated beauty, and the loose nightgown could barely conceal her supposedly fullest breasts, the most voluptuous in the Crown Prince's residence.

"Hehe, I was bored, so I came to chat with you guys,"

Xu Ping said, giving Lin Ziyan a suggestive wink after sitting down. His first intimate encounter with the beautiful woman had happened in Ningxue's room—a truly memorable place.

Lin Ziyan knew exactly what Xu Ping meant. Thankfully, her daughter couldn't see. Remembering how her body had already been thoroughly played with by the man before her, and seeing Xu Ping still teasing her, her face flushed instantly.

"Mother, why is your face so red! Are you alright?" Ningxue walked over and sat down. Seeing her mother's flushed face, she quickly asked with concern, "Are you sick?" "I'm fine, just a little hot."

Lin Ziyan quickly regained her composure and said casually.

"Master, didn't Aunt Ji come over just now? Why didn't you spend time with her? And you even had the audacity to come and drink with us. Where did the sun come from today?" Because her mother was present, even though it was in her own room, Cheng Ningxue didn't feel anything was amiss and joked with a smile, although the effect was a bit awkward.

"I heard that the sun came out of the outhouse today. That's a good answer, isn't it?" Xu Ping smiled and placed the wine cup on the table before pouring a glass of wine for everyone.

"Disgusting."

Ningxue made a face and said.

"Hehe, I'm not that serious to begin with. I just came to check on you because I was worried about you!" Xu Ping slowly took a sip of wine and said. Although his tone was very casual, it was still easy to hear the concern in his voice.

Lin Ziyan felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Thank you, we're fine! We're just a little too happy."

"Happy about what!" Cheng Ningxue's face immediately darkened again, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "That guy deserves to be struck by lightning. It would be too easy for him to die of illness."

Xu Ping knew how deep Cheng Ningxue's hatred for Zhang Yulong was. If it weren't for a blood feud, she wouldn't have entered the palace with the intention of dying to assassinate him. After a helpless sigh, he said, "Alright, Xiaoxue, you don't need to worry about these things anymore."

"Why!" Cheng Ningxue stubbornly retorted, full of confusion, "He killed so many people from my family, shouldn't I hate him?" "No!" Xu Ping slowly shook his head, his tone gentle, "You should hate him, but not you. I'll handle things from now on, you just need to live happily!" Cheng Ningxue's mind went blank for a moment, and she blurted out indignantly, "Why should I!" Xu Ping's face immediately darkened, and he said coldly, "Because you're mine now!" Lin Ziyan's face immediately turned red, her heart pounding so fast she could hardly bear it. Xu Ping's words were tantamount to saying he liked her. Cheng Ningxue was so nervous that her mind went blank. She didn't realize that Xu Ping had said "you all" instead of "you," and in her dazed state, she didn't notice the fleeting embarrassment and blush on her mother's face. Her usual sharp wit had completely vanished!

Xu Ping was very satisfied with their reaction and felt quite smug. However, he continued to threaten, "If you continue like this, I'll have Qiao'er keep an eye on you, so you won't cause me any trouble!" "Yes, Ningxue!" Lin Ziyan secretly glanced at Xu Ping and quickly advised, "Zhang Yulong is not far from death. The Crown Prince is already taking a huge risk by hiding you here! You have to know what's good for you. You can't cause trouble for him in a moment of impulsiveness!" Xu Ping smiled approvingly, thinking that repaying him with his body was the best reward! When you two are both heavily pregnant, it will be a perfect ending.

When Cheng Ningxue recalled Qiao'er's innocent smile and the words spoken in her pure, childlike voice, and that innocent yet devilish smile in the secret room, she immediately felt an instinctive itch, as if ants were crawling all over her body. Her face paled, and she waved her hand, saying, "I... I won't go looking for him."

Xu Ping raised his wine glass. He had come tonight with the intention of getting her drunk, and he immediately smiled with satisfaction, saying, "Come on, drink this first, and then I'll tell you about the situation in Yunnan."

Upon hearing that it concerned their family's deepest grudge, the mother and daughter picked up their glasses without hesitation and drank it down, then looked at Xu Ping expectantly.

"Some of those involved in the murder of your family have already been secretly dealt with. It's a bit of a shame you couldn't do it yourselves, but that wouldn't be right, since we weren't handling these matters legitimately through the Ministry of Justice, but rather using torture privately."

Xu Ping smiled, noticing the slight blush rising on the faces of the mother and daughter, their allure enhanced by the dim light. He felt a stirring in his heart, but continued, "Anyway, don't worry about Yunnan anymore. I'll handle everything. We're all family now, no need for such formalities."

"Your Highness, we don't know how to repay your great kindness,"

Lin Ziyan said, her face filled with gratitude and emotion.

Xu Ping secretly gave her a look that seemed to say, "You don't know how to repay?" This immediately made the beautiful woman blush even more, though thankfully, the wine she had consumed made it less noticeable.

Cheng Ningxue, still somewhat unwilling, said, "It's a pity I can't kill these beasts with my own hands."

Xu Ping paused, seeing the moved expressions on the mother and daughter's faces, and pressed his advantage, saying, "Now that you have no more worries in Yunnan, just stay here with me. We're family, and I'll take good care of you from now on. You don't need to go anywhere!" As Xu Ping spoke, his eyes were filled with affection as he looked at Ningxue, but his hand secretly touched and held the beautiful woman's small hand under the table. Lin Ziyan hurriedly tried to break free, but she couldn't resist Xu Ping's strength. Afraid of being discovered by her daughter, she could only continue to act as if nothing had happened. Xu Ping enjoyed this so much that he scratched her palm with his fingernails, causing Lin Ziyan to tremble slightly and give him a delicate glare.

Cheng Ningxue had never intended to leave. Ever since Xu Ping saw her innocence, she had already decided to spend her life with him, but her girlish modesty made it difficult for her to speak up. Looking into Xu Ping's affectionate eyes, she felt both happy and moved. For some reason, she felt like crying. She hurriedly turned and walked outside, saying as she went, "Wine without food is no good. It's so hot. I'll go to the kitchen and get some fruit and side dishes."

Tears welled up as soon as she turned, and she couldn't understand why.

As soon as Cheng Ningxue left, Xu Ping eagerly pulled the beautiful woman into his arms. Lin Ziyan struggled frantically, pleading softly, "Not here! What will I do if Xiaoxue sees me when she comes back?" "It's alright, she won't be back for a while. Do you miss me?" Xu Ping said, turning her back to him and holding her close. He began kissing her white neck, his hands brazenly slipping inside her nightgown, caressing her smooth, delicate legs.

"Yes! Ah... Don't touch there!" Lin Ziyan responded shyly, hurriedly grabbing Xu Ping's hand to prevent it from getting any closer to her private area, afraid that she would lose control, and also afraid that Xu Ping would lose control. Xu Ping didn't care

about any of that; he could sense Cheng Ningxue getting close, so he wasn't afraid of being discovered. Since he couldn't play with her lower body, he moved to her waist and touched the pair of huge breasts that he had been thinking about so much that he could hardly sleep. The feeling of touching them was still so soft and elastic, so big that he couldn't even hold them. He was so excited that he kneaded them into various shapes in his hands.

"No, no. Xiaoxue will be back soon."

Lin Ziyan gasped, her eyes already a little hazy. While enjoying the waves of pleasure brought by the caresses of his large hands, she told herself that she couldn't do this, but her body couldn't resist this wonderful feeling.

Good things don't always come true, but bad things always do. No sooner had she finished speaking than Xu Ping sensitively heard light footsteps approaching from outside. He immediately released Lin Ziyan, letting her sit back down, and obediently picked up his wine glass, pretending nothing was wrong.

Lin Ziyan immediately knew it was probably her daughter returning, and hurriedly straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, sitting upright.

Both of them appeared completely at ease, but inwardly they both felt as if they had been having an affair, especially since avoiding Cheng Ningxue gave it a unique thrill, which was quite exciting.

"Master, you're here!" A clear and melodious child's voice rang out.

Upon hearing that the voice wasn't Ningxue's, but Qiao'er's uniquely childish voice, Xu Ping was instantly furious, so angry he felt like he could burn himself to death.

(To be continued in "The Rogue Landlord" Chapter 7)

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