On the island, An Jiu finished her hearty dinner with satisfaction and took Da Jiu for a stroll in the garden with Chu Dingjiang.
The setting sun cast a golden-red hue over the two of them and the tiger. Layers of mist drifted among the flower bushes, while ice crystals clung to the withered branches, refracting the orange sunlight into shimmering sparks, creating a scene so ethereal it seemed otherworldly.
An Jiu let out a satisfied burp and asked Chu Dingjiang, "When are you leaving?"
"Early tomorrow morning," he replied.
If not for the emperor’s illness and the tense political situation, he might have been able to stay longer.
"Earlier, when we arrived, I felt like someone was following us, but I couldn’t spot anyone," Chu Dingjiang had been pondering this. Logically, even if his Internal Energy had waned somewhat, there were very few in the entire Great Song who could evade his Mental Strength—unless...
"Wei Yuzhi." It suddenly occurred to him that this man was skilled in formations and could alter the environment to block Mental Strength. "He might have tracked us here."
An Jiu pursed her lips and sat down on a nearby rock. "I told you back then to eliminate the threat early, but you insisted he was needed to destroy the Liao. I’m used to clearing out any visible threats. If I get another chance, I’ll take him down. It’s not like he won’t come after me if I don’t go after him."
Chu Dingjiang fell silent.
He was accustomed to strategizing for the bigger picture, where sacrifices were inevitable. But this time, he hadn’t considered that Wei Yuzhi might pose a danger to An Jiu—or perhaps he had known but hadn’t taken it seriously.
"This time, it’s my fault," Chu Dingjiang murmured, unsure whether he was speaking to An Jiu or himself.
An Jiu blinked. "What fault?"
After thinking for a moment, she narrowed her eyes. "Did you sleep with another woman again?"
"Nonsense!" Chu Dingjiang flicked her smooth forehead with his finger. "I’m talking about stopping you from killing Wei Yuzhi."
An Jiu relaxed again and waved a hand dismissively. "No need to apologize."
Chu Dingjiang felt deeply gratified. Truly, the woman he had chosen was broad-minded and reasonable.
Just as he was contemplating how to praise her, she added, "I’ve never had high expectations for men in this regard, so you don’t need to feel too pressured."
"..." The words he had prepared stuck in his throat.
An Jiu’s standards for men were low. As long as they didn’t abuse her like her father or stab her in the back, they already passed.
"I’d rather bear that pressure," Chu Dingjiang sighed, steering the conversation back. "I’ll go check over there. For now, don’t leave the island. What about that bounty you took on?"
"It’s in the house," An Jiu said.
"Bring it to me later. I’ll have someone handle it for you," Chu Dingjiang offered.
An Jiu rested her chin on her knee and looked up at him. "No, I’ll be bored with nothing to do."
Chu Dingjiang suggested, "You could learn accounting from Miss Zhu. It’s not ideal to leave all our assets entirely in an outsider’s hands."
"Hmm, that makes sense." An Jiu smiled.
She wasn’t particularly concerned about their wealth, but she liked how he said "our"—that closeness touched a hidden softness in her heart.
"I’ll go check outside the island," Chu Dingjiang said.
As he turned to leave, An Jiu grabbed his hand. "It’s not like they’re going anywhere."
The ice crystals glittered like stars, and the mist draped like gauze in the fading light. An Jiu tilted her head, stray strands of hair falling across her forehead, her gaze clear and her jade-like face captivating Chu Dingjiang utterly.Temperament can completely transform a person. An Jiu's features had matured somewhat compared to before, bearing no trace of Mei Jiu's appearance. Instead, she increasingly resembled her past life's visage.
"A Jiu." Chu Dingjiang clasped her hand in return.
Mist stretched endlessly across the lake.
On the opposite shore, plum blossoms bloomed fiercely in the dark night.
Wei Yuzhi hurriedly returned, gathering and leading away the Ghost Tigers.
He wasn't certain how far Chu Dingjiang's Internal Energy had progressed, but he was sure his Mental Strength surpassed his own. The first rank of the Transformation Realm—a level beyond his comprehension. Thus, he couldn't be certain whether the array he had set up could deceive everyone. If Chu Dingjiang discovered it, the loss of a few Ghost Tigers would be trivial, but exposing their tracks and incurring the new emperor's displeasure would be disastrous!
The Ghost Tigers were resentful of Wei Yuzhi's sudden change of plans, but he couldn't be bothered to care about their feelings. As long as they obeyed, that was enough.
"If we withdraw from Plum Blossom Village, how will we capture Mo Sigui and Mei Shisi?" the Ghost Tiger leader asked.
"Patience. I have my own plans," Wei Yuzhi replied.
"If the master doesn't explain clearly, I'm afraid we'll find it difficult to comply," the Ghost Tiger leader slowed his steps, and the others followed suit.
Wei Yuzhi knew he had to remain patient, but his body was failing, a faint sense of exhaustion creeping in, making it hard to stay calm.
His face was frosty, his dark eyes cold. "Did Her Highness the Princess send you all to supervise me?"
Wei Yuzhi's displeasure was written plainly on his face. Though the Ghost Tigers weren't afraid of him, they dared not easily tear the fragile facade of harmony between the princess and this man.
"Her Highness sent us to assist the master, but..." The Ghost Tiger leader's tone shifted sharply, his words cutting almost to the point of cruelty. "The master has repeatedly failed, and our ranks have suffered heavy losses. We Ghost Tigers do not fear death, but we never sacrifice ourselves in vain."
This was a blatant challenge to his competence.
Fury surged to its peak in Wei Yuzhi, yet his mind suddenly calmed. He sneered, "As long as you don't throw your lives away, there will be no vain sacrifices!"
With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.
The Ghost Tigers paused briefly before following their leader.
The clouds thickened overhead. By nightfall, not a single star was visible, and a light snow began to drift down.
The Dream Blossom was gradually buried under the snow, and the mist around the island no longer lingered. Originally native to swamps, Dream Blossom had been cultivated to bloom even in icy conditions, but the cold always suppressed its vitality. Though it could flower year-round, winter was its weakest season—especially on snowy days.
Chu Dingjiang stayed in An Jiu's room for over two hours before leaving. He couldn't rest easy without checking things himself.
When he reached the ferry, something felt off. Glancing around, he realized the mist had thinned.
The Dream Blossom was covered in a thin layer of snow, its petals drooping as if withering.
Chu Dingjiang immediately turned back, heading straight for Mo Sigui's residence.
Mo Sigui's quarters were filled with Hidden Weapons and Poison Pills, so Chu Dingjiang didn't sneak in—he kicked the door open instead.
A thick cloud of smoke billowed out. Prepared, Chu Dingjiang tapped his toes and leaped back seven or eight zhang.
Moments later, a lanky young man emerged from the smoke, a pipe dangling from his mouth. His peach-blossom eyes, buried in dark circles, squinted as he exhaled a puff of smoke and drawled, "Well, well. Who's got such a fiery temper? Ah, it's Lord Chu, who's only recently started indulging in the flesh!""Fair enough. Compared to the Miraculous Doctor Mo who hasn't tasted meat yet, I admit I'm inferior," Chu Dingjiang retorted with faint sarcasm.
Mo Sigui clicked his tongue. "When I was savoring meat, I reckon Lord Chu was still playing with his bird."
"Is that so? Then I must have misunderstood you, Miracle Doctor. My apologies," Chu Dingjiang chuckled. "But some things aren't about timing. I'd rather wait for the day when lovers finally unite."
Mo Sigui suddenly flung his smoking pipe at Chu Dingjiang. "What the hell is there to be smug about! I'm off to sleep!"
Instead of catching it, Chu Dingjiang sidestepped the pipe. "Hold on, I have something to discuss with you." (To be continued...)
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