Chapter 149

Facing the prospect of unemployment, Gu Yun clutched a pocket-sized picture book tightly and glared at it with venomous intent. This cursed object was the very reason his wages for the month were hanging by a thread.

The crumpled little picture book whimpered mentally: *Save me! A demon is trying to commit murder!*

Gu Li rubbed his throbbing temples as he woke from his slumber, never expecting to fall prey to a trick even during a brief afternoon nap.

"Master, this thing has been stirring up trouble all along. Just let your subordinate dispose of it," Gu Yun said, secretly exerting force with his hands. Instantly, the little picture book was squeezed to the point of foaming at the mouth.

"Do as you see fit," Gu Li instructed with a casual wave of his hand.

"You got it!"

At noon, Fubao returned the pouch to Gu Li, and the group idly lingered around the camp with nothing to do. The Emperor had led a grand procession of ministers and guards deep into the woods for a hunt, while the Crown Prince, nursing a bruised rear end, remained resting in his tent and did not accompany the monarch.

This was Fubao's first time laying eyes on the alluring beauty who had caused such a bitter rift between her brother and the Crown Prince. To be frank, this woman possessed the unmistakable aura of a vixen.

Gu Li was originally immersed in the tranquility of fishing when he was jolted by a piercing, ardent gaze. Turning his head, he found a woman dressed in a rather provocative manner staring straight at him.

Gu Li: "???"

And so, Fubao and the others were completely and utterly ignored. Yu Qianqian swayed her delicate steps closer to Gu Li. The nearer she got, the more intensely she could perceive the exotic fragrance emanating from his body. What on earth was this fellow's background? He actually possessed an immortal physique! Rumor had it that bodies carrying such mystical fragrances were a fatal temptation to demons; consuming one was all it took to dramatically elevate one's cultivation level.

The ignored youngsters muttered in unison: "Step away from Brother Gu!"

Of course, Yu Qianqian was merely out scout for prey. Ever since she entered the Eastern Palace, food was the one thing she lacked the least; teenage maidservants were at that tender-skinned age, and their taste was naturally quite pleasant. The few she had brought along with her were off-limits, leaving her no choice but to hunt outside.

Not to mention, the little lasses before her had been pampered into plump and rosy states—they would undoubtedly taste exquisite. As for the man with the immortal physique... Yu Qianqian glanced toward the nearby woods and decided to bide her time and plan accordingly.

At that exact moment, perched high up in a tree clutching a few bird eggs while bickering furiously with a mother bird, Gu Yun sneezed violently. *Who is plotting against me?*

Distracted for a split second, he was mercilessly pecked on the forehead by the fiercely protective mother bird.

Gu Yun: "Oh ho! You've really stirred up my fiery temper now!"

Swishing her waist, Yu Qianqian strolled away. Fubao watched the departing figure, her brow furrowing slightly. *Such a heavy stench of blood and foul aura!*

"She's so gorgeous," the young Miss Chen murmured, gazing at Yu Qianqian's receding back with infatuation.

"Heh heh, truly a beauty," Bai Jie drooled, practically ready to dribble.

Gu Li furrowed his brows. That woman gave off an intensely unsettling vibe.

***

Fubao watched the two boys with a look of utter contempt.

"Cousin!" an urgent voice rang out. The group turned to see Bai Zhuo approaching.

Bai Zhuo had not accompanied General Bai on the hunt; instead, he had stayed behind in the tent to read, keeping a watchful eye on these unruly children to ensure they didn't wander off and vanish as they had yesterday.

Hearing from a servant that the little rascals had run into Yu Qianqian, he had panicked instantly. That woman was far too dangerous; through a few brief encounters, he could tell she was no simple character, reeking entirely of foul and stagnant filth.

Fearing for the safety of the children, he had rushed over in a breathless haste.

"Eldest Cousin!"

"Brother!"

"Are you all right?" Bai Zhuo meticulously inspected his younger brother and cousin.

"Huh? We're fine. What could possibly have happened?" Bai Jie scratched his head in bewilderment.

"As long as you're unharmed. Stay far away from Lady Yu in the future," Bai Zhuo warned sternly.

"Why? Such a gorgeous beauty," Bai Jie protested with a pout.

"No whys allowed." Bai Zhuo delivered a sharp rap directly onto Bai Jie's forehead.

"Ouch! It hurts!"

***

"Can you all... please stand a little further away from me?" Fubao held her fishing rod, her mouth twitching continuously as she stared at the dense, multi-layered crowd surrounding her.

"No way, because you're the only one here who can catch fish," the young Miss Chen replied, pressing closely against Fubao and pointing toward the vibrant schools of fish leaping about in the water.

Truth be told, these fish were so numerous they were practically hurling themselves onto the banks. Why on earth did they still need to hold fishing rods to catch them?

Fubao felt rather helpless. Her innate constitution for attracting schools of fish was simply incurable.

"Someone come and haul these fish up for me!" Liu Feier appeared by the riverbank out of nowhere. Upon seeing the abundance of fish, she immediately ordered her four bodyguard-like maidservants to wade into the water and catch them.

"Hey, Liu Feier, what do you think you're doing? You've scared all the fish away!" Seeing the aquatic creatures vanish in a panic, the young Miss Chen jumped up in fury.

"What? Are only you allowed to catch fish while we aren't?" Liu Feier rolled her eyes dramatically, crossing her arms with an arrogant smirk.

"If you want to fish, go ahead! Why did you deliberately chase them off?" the young Miss Chen demanded indignantly. Don't think she hadn't noticed that Liu Feier had intentionally driven the fish away.

***

"Deliberately? Miss Chen, please do not slander an innocent person. How can you call it deliberate? I did it on purpose, of course!" Liu Feier covered her mouth and giggled maliciously. *Hmph! Who asked you lot to ruin my fun yesterday? If Lin Jiajia hadn't already returned to the capital, I would have taught her a proper lesson too.*

"You..." The young Miss Chen was on the verge of dying of anger from dealing with such a shameless wretch.

"So this is the kind of upbringing the Liu family provides. Gong has truly broadened his horizons today," Gong Shaoyu said, stepping out from the crowd and dusting off his robes.

"Lord... Young Master Gong, why are you here?" Liu Feier was utterly startled upon spotting him. Why on earth was this person in such a place?

"Firstly, just address me as Young Master Gong. Secondly, this young master was enjoying a peaceful fishing session, and right as a fish was about to bite, some muscular female behemoth popped out of nowhere and frightened my catch away," Gong Shaoyu said, clapping his hands to signal his subordinates to drag forward a tightly bound, trussed-up maidservant.

Liu Feier hastily counted her personal squad of four Amazons, only to discover one was missing.

"You..." Liu Feier bit her lower lip, on the verge of tears.

"Stop right there, Miss Liu. That look doesn't suit you at all—a raging tigress is your true persona," Gong Shaoyu retorted with venomous wit. Anyone who dared to ruin his fishing session deserved no mercy.

Fubao thought privately: *So this fellow has a tongue as sharp as a viper!*

Gu Li, squeezing his way out from the crowd, wondered: *Who on earth managed to provoke Gong Shaoyu to this extent?*

Usually, Gong Shaoyu maintained the facade of an elegant young gentleman. Blessed with striking good looks and a profound mastery of painting, he won the adoration of countless noble maidens. In private, however, he was a master of sharp tongues and affected arrogance, especially when pushed past his temper. Expect him to spare your feelings? Keep dreaming.

And so, Liu Feier fainted once again and had to be hoisted away on the shoulders of her sturdy maidservants.

Having vented his fury, Gong Shaoyu returned to the riverbank and sat there for ages, waiting for another fish to take the bait in hopes of salvaging his lost catch.

Gazing at the crystal-clear stream where not even a single strand of weed stirred, Fubao's lips twitched. Those fish had been scared off once; they certainly weren't coming back anytime soon.

In the very end, Gong Shaoyu trudged back to his tent carrying a bucket that contained nothing more than a single, lonely crawfish.

By evening, the Emperor returned alongside his ministers and guards. Every single horse was laden with massive mushrooms, wild herbs, edible berries, and various other kinds of foraged foliage.

Oh, and aside from His Majesty's steed, which happened to carry one large rabbit and a pitifully scrawny wild chicken.

The crowd stared in silence: "..."