Xi Qingyue remained completely unfazed by the arrival of these people. Even if they all came together, what could they possibly do? They were incapable of causing her any harm.
She had no intention of caring about what outsiders thought of her. Only people without ability worried about such things.
She merely said, “Nanxing, go back to the county office first. If the Duke Anguo’s family tries to enter, stop them. As for the Ninth Prince, let him in if he wants to enter the county office, but keep a close eye on him.”
“Yes, Commandery Princess.” Nanxing answered and quickly flew away.
When Lu Jinshuang heard that the Ninth Prince had arrived, her brows drew tightly together. She had heard Xi Qingyue talk about the things the Ninth Prince had done and knew that this younger brother of hers was the true mastermind behind Guangling Pavilion. Although it had not been fully confirmed, it was probably correct.
She had originally thought he was someone who avoided worldly disputes and traveled freely. Who would have thought that he was actually a hypocritical villain who devoured people without even spitting out their bones?
Royal struggles had existed throughout the dynasties, but it was extremely rare for someone to establish a faction specifically to capture children and refine them into pills. It was simply madness.
Her lofty father, the emperor, was no better. Who knew how much he knew about these matters? Or perhaps he was the one indulging them.
At the thought of this, her good mood vanished in an instant. Even the drink at her lips no longer tasted sweet.
Xi Qingyue seemed to notice that she was upset, so she took out a bottle of beer, opened it, and handed it over. “Sister Jinshuang, why are you thinking so much about it? You have so many brothers and sisters. It’s normal for them to fight one another to the death over the throne, and it’s normal for them to commit all kinds of vile, unconscionable acts. What other people do has nothing to do with you. Don’t let them ruin your mood.”
Lu Jinshuang took the bottle and downed several gulps in succession. Then a delighted smile spread across her face. “Little Sister Yue is right. What does it matter to me if they refuse to act like human beings? I only need to be true to myself.”
With that, she tilted her head back and began drinking heartily.
Seeing her recover so quickly and return to her carefree, uninhibited self, Xi Qingyue’s lips curved upward. This was the Lu Jinshuang she knew.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the county office.
Duke Anguo and his party arrived at the gates, only to be stopped outside by Nanxing.
“The Commandery Princess said that Duke Anguo is not permitted to enter. If you have nowhere to stay, there are inns in the city. You may find lodging there.”
The moment he heard this, Duke Anguo flew into a rage. “I am a duke of the imperial court, and I am also your Commandery Princess’s grandfather! How dare a lowly guard like you stop us from entering? You have some nerve!”
Nanxing met his furious gaze without the slightest fear. This was Xi Qingyue’s territory now. No one could do anything here.
Her expression calm, she said, “Your Grace, our Commandery Princess has had her own household registration in the capital for some time, with His Majesty’s approval. Besides, she has never acknowledged that she is your granddaughter. Please do not claim relations where none exist. I am merely carrying out orders. The county office has just undergone major changes, and there are still many matters to deal with. If you have nothing important to say, please do not come here and cause trouble.”
Duke Anguo was so furious that his whiskers trembled. They truly did not take him seriously at all.
Xi Daniu glared at Nanxing and suddenly raised his voice. “Where’s that brat, Dayaya? Tell her to get out here! Has she even stopped acknowledging her own father? What a vile, ungrateful wretch!”
The instant he said this, Nanxing’s eyes turned icy. She abruptly drew her pistol and fired at Xi Daniu without hesitation.
“No one is allowed to insult the Commandery Princess. That includes you.”
After following Xi Qingyue for so long, Nanxing had grown bolder and had also come to understand her better. She had originally worried that Xi Qingyue might be unable to remain ruthless toward her blood relatives. But after reporting what had just happened, Nanxing understood that these people did not count as family at all.
The bullet struck Xi Daniu in the wrist, and he cried out in pain. Duke Anguo turned around to see what had happened, his face filled with shock and fury, followed by overwhelming distress. Even the Ninth Prince was somewhat surprised.
The commoners were also stunned by the sudden turn of events. They had followed Duke Anguo and the others all the way here, hoping to witness a touching reunion between grandparents and grandchildren. Instead, they had seen something utterly unbelievable.
Blood poured nonstop from Xi Daniu’s wrist. Duke Anguo and the others were heartsick and furious.
“Wretched girl!” Duke Anguo cursed furiously.
The Ninth Prince frowned slightly. Putting on an act of standing up for justice, he stepped forward a few paces. “How can a mere guard be so arrogant? Is this how the Commandery Princess usually teaches her people? Regardless of everything else, the Heir is your Commandery Princess’s father. How dare you attack him with a concealed weapon? Aren’t you afraid that the Commandery Princess will blame you when she finds out?”
The onlooking commoners also stared at Nanxing curiously. They were eager to learn the truth about Xi Qingyue’s relationship with Duke Anguo’s family.
Just then, Nan Yun returned from somewhere and shot forward, landing in front of Nanxing in a flash.
She looked calmly at the crowd with a smile on her face. “There is something you all do not know. The Commandery Princess’s father disappeared more than three years ago. Everyone in the village said that he had already died. The Commandery Princess Suwei had never even seen her biological father from the day she was born. Now, the Heir of the Duke Anguo’s residence claims to be our Commandery Princess’s father. But if that is true, why did he ignore her for all these years? Everyone in the capital knows that the heir of the Duke Anguo’s residence and his wife are deeply devoted to each other, and that their son is three years old. Don’t you feel ashamed coming here now to look for our Commandery Princess?”
She had deliberately hurried over because she felt that the matter needed to be explained clearly. Xi Qingyue did not care about her reputation, but the fact that Xi Daniu had abandoned his wife and daughter still needed to be made known to the people of Xin’an City. Otherwise, they might allow others to smear her name.
After hearing this, the commoners all cast strange looks at Xi Daniu. Some began whispering among themselves.
“How can this man have the nerve to come looking for the Commandery Princess? His son is three years old, and the little Commandery Princess is only a little over three. He must have taken a lover and deliberately disappeared after she became pregnant.”
“Exactly. Judging by the children’s ages, that’s probably what happened. He likely vanished on purpose after his lover became pregnant. The poor little Commandery Princess had never even seen what her father looked like when she was born.”
“Bah, what good would a father like that do her? The two Commandery Princesses are doing perfectly well now. They’ll be taking charge of Xin’an City in the future too. They can even kill a county magistrate, so things will only get better. They don’t need a father at all!”
The people discussed the matter noisily among themselves. They thought they were whispering, but in reality, every word was clearly heard by Duke Anguo’s group.
Countless gazes swept over Xi Daniu’s family, causing Bai Ruoshu’s face to flush crimson.
She had been a victim herself back then, but she had indeed ruined someone else’s family. She deserved the criticism. However, her son could not bear the stares any longer and immediately burst into loud sobs.
Xi Daniu’s cries of pain, Song Qian’s wailing, and the commoners’ discussions made the entrance of the county office exceptionally lively.
From beginning to end, Nan Yun neither saluted the Ninth Prince nor spoke to him. She simply acted as if she did not know his identity.
The Ninth Prince clenched the hand hidden inside his sleeve, and a murderous glint appeared in his eyes. In the end, however, he still refrained from acting.
Nan Yun swept her gaze around and spoke once more. “Your Grace, the Heir is injured. You should take him to see a physician as soon as possible. If treatment is delayed, it may cause serious problems.”
At these words, Duke Anguo could no longer hold back. He angrily demanded, “Where is Xi Qingyue? She was able to heal the Ninth Princess’s injuries, so why can’t she heal Wen Liang? He is her own biological father!”
Nan Yun shook her head regretfully. “Duke Anguo, Commandery Princess Suwei did cure the Ninth Princess, but it took a serious toll on her, and she still hasn’t recovered. Besides, Her Highness isn’t at the county office right now. The longer you delay, the worse it will be for the heir’s injury. You should leave at once and find another physician.”
