Chapter 96: Dragon Bed, Provincial Top Scholar

"Who are you people, spouting nonsense? My niece is innocent—when has she ever seduced someone else's husband?"
Her uncle was angry now; the usually mild-mannered, good-natured man was provoked by the malicious accusation, his temper flaring.
He and his cousin rushed forward, one after the other, and with a forceful push, sent one of the offenders sprawling to the ground.
Lin Xiyu's panic lasted only a second. As the five surged toward her, instinct took over; she raised her arms protectively.
That day, when Luo Yihuan went to call Gong Yu Langhuan to dine, she found the princess had not yet risen. Gong Yu Langhuan was always disciplined and proper, a model of decorum—this was the first time such a thing had happened. Luo Yihuan worried that perhaps Gong Yu Langhuan could not endure the climate of Xueling and had fallen ill.
"That's right. In that case, you should head back early. If anything happens, it'll be bad. Notify me if you notice anything unusual; I won't be showing myself these days. That way, we can lower the vigilance of those men in black," Jian Ling said, tidying up before departing.
Qu Miaoyan did not let out the expected scream. Instead, she deftly sidestepped, her clear eyes fixed on the cured meat lying on the ground, noticing the black maggots writhing atop it.
"Is there really anything to feel aggrieved about?" Luo Yihuan said carelessly, thinking to herself that if history hadn't relegated her to the rank of a mere concubine, she wouldn't mind becoming empress at all.
She had an elder brother and sister, younger siblings as well, and at home she simply worked without complaint, yielding in everything to others. This upbringing had shaped her timid nature.
Lin Luo, standing nearby, was utterly stunned. Though cooking was routine for her, she had never mastered such skillful knife work. Was it merely her imagination? The ordinary kitchen knife in Shao Yang's hand seemed as precise as a surgeon's scalpel.
Su Xiao felt a bit embarrassed upon hearing that. In fact, she realized later that it was thanks to Mo Ziyan's generosity. Why not invite him over for a meal someday? Her mother's cooking was excellent—a small token of thanks.
The young master of the Ruthless Sect, Prince Su, and a disciple of the Divine Emperor—each identity was a great opportunity for the three.
"Enough, Monkey—stop stirring up trouble," Dashan muttered, waving at the others to keep a low profile. Without further ado, they followed the attendant to another vacant spot.
If one looked at the positions carefully, it would be clear that, including Xue Hongliang and Hong Mo, seven deadly threats had encircled Chu Yun from all directions, leaving him no path to escape. That sole direction was blocked by the gathered experts from Star Tung City and Gathering Star City.
Surrounded by troops, if he clashed head-on with the official army, he might defeat ten, twenty men—but how could he cope with hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands? Moreover, Wu Dingyuan was nearby; if he came to assist, what would he do then?
"Well..." Lin Tiansheng tapped the tea table with his finger, pretending to ponder deeply.
Lord Bu had already replaced his steward with a younger one, equally courteous and proper. Liang Feng repeatedly apologized for his drunken misconduct the night before, grateful that the host had intervened and prevented any mishap.
The Indiana Pacers certainly dared not underestimate Wu Dawei now; they did not want to lose hope in this match so easily.
For reasons unknown, a trace of doubt and discomfort in Li Yu's heart vanished amid Princess Ya's embrace and kiss. The anger in his body began to burn, his consciousness slowly collapsing, until it became an unending blaze.
"Well, I hadn't even asked you, and you confessed yourself! You went behind my back to find Bai Hua—you're cheating!" Never mind, strike first and accuse him before he can defend himself; that's my usual tactic.
Split inbounded the ball from the sideline, and with the referee's whistle, the Cleveland Cavaliers' players immediately began their tight, pressing defense.