Chapter 70: The Storm Rises 10

  Early morning. Nan Gong Jin and Na Lan Xian Nuo were having breakfast.

  The entrance of the Liuli Palace. A group of palace maids held various dresses in their hands and walked towards them with lotus steps. Nalan Xianuo raised her head, quickly furrowing her brow. Nan Gongjin smiled and shook his head.

  At this time, the palace maids had already gone outside. The lead maid of the Crystal Palace came in to report, "Your Majesty, Princess, Empress Dowager, there are guests arriving at the palace. Please let the princess try on these ceremonial robes again."

  Nalan Xixi took a deep breath. "I've already tried it on last time."

  At this time, the consul's palace maid said: "Nalan Guire..."

  The palace maid paused for a moment, then hastily changed her words. "Miss Yanran said that it is absolutely necessary for Your Highness to try again. If there's anything inappropriate, please modify it in time. This is the meaning of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."

  It seems she has quickly taken Zhao Song's place. She even dares to use the Empress Dowager to suppress her.

  Suddenly, Nalan Xixi's heart lit up. She quickly got up and said, "So it was the Empress Dowager's intention. Bring it in quickly."

  Nangong Jin's chopsticks paused. Mother... She had just said... Mother...

  He looked up at Nalan Xinnuo in surprise. Nalan Xinnuo ignored him and walked towards the palace on his own.

  Nangong Jin smiled lightly. However, she was so enthusiastic about trying on clothes, which shouldn't be the case.

  As expected. I just tried on one. Nalan Xianyu said: "This one won't do. It's too big. Make it a little smaller."

  The palace maid nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. At this time, Nalan Xianyu looked at a few more clothes and said: "These clothes are all too big. Go find Nalan Yanran, I'll discuss the details with her."

  The palace maid took her orders and backed out.

  Nangong Jin finished his breakfast and saw the palace maids leaving. He was somewhat puzzled. "Why did you call her here?"

  Nalan Xixi's expression turned serious. "She must be eliminated before the grand ceremony. Otherwise, it will be troublesome."

  Nangong Jin was even more perplexed. "Who is she?"

  Nalan Xizuo walked over and sat down beside her. "During the time of Lingyun, she was a palace maid in Nalan Yanran's... that is, my second sister's palace. Later, I arranged for her to pretend to be a princess and marry into the Luo Tian family. At that time, I already had some suspicions about her. But I never expected that she would actually be his person."

  He

  Nalan Xixi leaned over and whispered in his ear: "Huangfu Ling."

  Nangong Jin's face was slightly shocked. He didn't expect that the strongest ally of the past would become the first to start a riot today.

  Nalan Xixiao continued: "I guess she should be his informant in Lingyun, but unexpectedly followed me to Luotian, so I took advantage of the situation and planned this chaos."

  "Besides," Nalan Xiong furrowed his brow, "I killed their people. They will definitely counterattack."

  Nangong Jin slightly raised an eyebrow. "You're saying... they're going to expose your identity."

  Nalan Xixi nodded. "Right, their plan was disrupted by me and they'll need time to regroup. So if I have her in my hands, I should still be able to negotiate with him. Although her importance might not be enough for him to call off this calamity, at least I can use her as leverage to keep him from exposing me. As long as he doesn't expose me, I'll kill her."

  Looking at Nalan Xianyu's raised corners of her mouth, Nan Gong Jin suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely.

  It's really sinister. Once Huangfu Ling exposes Nalan Xinnuo's identity, Nalan Xinnuo will kill Nalan Yanran. At that time, they will have no one left in the palace to collude with, and their chances of winning will be greatly reduced.

  Those who rise with them will also retreat without such a guarantee.

  They can't buy time, so they can only bring a broken team to make trouble. A strong dragon can't overpower a local snake. This is on Nan Gong Yu's turf. Moreover, they also have the strongest imperial guard, the White Silver Armor Knights. This chaos, I'm afraid it won't work.

  At this time, footsteps sounded outside the door. Nalan Xianyu and Nan Gongjin stopped their movements and smiled at each other.

  Nalan Yanran walked in and saw the two embracing each other, then knelt down on the ground. "Greetings to Your Majesty and the Princess."

  Nalan Xixi smiled slightly. "Wu Yue, get up."

  With a slight tremble of his hand, he slowly got up. Nangong Jin said coldly, "How has the King of Ling been lately?"

  The moon's face turned pale. It seems they already knew. They deliberately sent themselves over. It shouldn't be to ask about the well-being of King Ling, right? "This servant doesn't know what Your Majesty means."

  Nangong Jin slightly raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. In two more days, Ling Wang will personally come to fetch you."

  After finishing speaking, Nalan Xianuo nodded slightly. Two dark guards flashed in from outside the door. Ruan Yue was startled in her heart. They wanted to take her hostage and threaten Ling Wang. Before the dark guards could grab her, she hastily shouted: "Wait, Your Majesty. I have something to say."

  "Oh." Nangong Jin showed some interest. "Go on."

  Nalan Xixi whispered that it was not good. However, Wangye still took a step ahead. "Your Majesty, do you want to know what Zhao Song threatened the Empress Dowager with that day? You don't want to know who your..."

  "Not yet... pull it down." Narlan Xizheno's rare anger was somewhat stirred.

  Two dark guards hastily pulled down Wan Yue, stuffed a black cloth into her mouth and dragged her away.

  Nangong Jin was about to stop, but Nalan Xiner grabbed his hand and said: "Don't listen to her nonsense, she's just trying to confuse you, wanting you to spare her life."

  Nangong Jin was somewhat suspicious. Even if that's the case, why is she so flustered? And besides, Zhao Song died so suddenly. He must have known some unknown secret and was silenced by someone.

  Under Nan Gong Jin's suspicious gaze, Nalan Xianuo felt a little flustered in her heart. She was afraid that he would continue to ask questions. In front of him, she couldn't lie. And how could he not see through it?

  But that matter absolutely cannot be revealed. Not even she has a grasp on it. If Nan Gong Jin knew he was... the child of that person, she didn't know what he would do. This is a truth that even she found hard to bear, let alone him.

  "Uh-huh." However, Nangong Jin didn't mean to ask further questions. He nodded and changed the subject. "I'm free today, where do you want to go? I'll accompany you."

  Nalan Xixiao knew that Nangong Jin wouldn't ask any further questions, not wanting to force her. However, he would definitely investigate privately or directly ask Yuan Yue. Nalan Xixiao shook her head. "Leaving the palace now would only give them an opportunity. And besides..."

  Nalan Xixi walked over and sat in his arms, gently wrapping her arms around his neck. "As long as you're by my side, it doesn't matter where we are."

  Nangong Jin lightly kissed her lips. "These past few days, I've been listening to He Zhi complaining about how you won against him in chess. He wants me to get justice for him."

  Nalan Xixi raised her chin and smiled complacently. "Just you wait."

  Looking at Nalan Xianyu's humble appearance, Nan Gong Jin couldn't help but laugh. "What if you lose?"

  Nalan Xixi sneered: "I will absolutely not lose."

  Nangong Jin laughed even louder. How could he forget? It was harder for her to say the word "lose" than it was to ascend to heaven.

  Nangong Jin thought for a moment, then nodded and said: "Alright... If I win, we'll live in seclusion on an island in the East Sea. If you win, I'll accompany you to live in seclusion in the Zhongtong Forest. How's that?"

  It was because of this that they had a quarrel one night. Nalan Xixi wanted to go to the same forest, because no one could enter there. But Nan Gongyin insisted on going to the East Sea, saying it was far from the Luotian mainland and no one would recognize them, nor would anyone disturb them. It was a pure land far away from the noise of the world.

  But after a night of noise, nothing was achieved. In the end, Nalan Xixi's waist and back still hurt without any illness.

  Right away, the Crystal Palace set up a chessboard.

  Nalan Xixi still had a proud look on her face, didn't even glance at the chessboard, and made moves that required almost no thought.

  Nangong Jin was also closely pursued. Several palace maids and eunuchs who understood chess stood by to serve, watching with bated breath, almost screaming out loud. Nangong Jin had been forced back step by step by Nalan Xianyu's son.

  However, in Nalan Xianyu's view, it seemed that her chess style was orthodox and fierce, forcing Nan Gongyin to have no way out. But from the perspective of onlookers, she was step by step walking into Nan Gongyin's trap.

  Nangong Jin seemed to be falling behind, yet also appeared to be responding very seriously. In reality, she had already set up a trap, surrounding her in it. And let Nalan Xianyu, who was deeply trapped, become confused by the victory that seemed within reach. The deeper they went, the more entangled they became...

  Another cup of tea's time had passed. Nalan Xinnuo seemed to have realized something was off. How come she always won? She naturally didn't doubt her own chess skills. There weren't many people in the world who could beat her.

  But it's him. How could he also be continuously retreating?

  She raised her head and looked at Nan Gong Jin with a suspicious gaze. Nan Gong Jin's expression hesitated for a moment, then revealed an enchanting smile.

  Nalan Xinnuo's heart skipped a beat as he saw Nan Gongyin smile so warmly, and his face immediately flushed with some embarrassment.

  She averted her gaze and continued to play chess. The palace maids and eunuchs beside her also breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, Nan Gong Jin had set up the most critical trap. As long as Nalan Xianyu stepped into it, she would inevitably be controlled by him.

  Nalan Xixi stopped at that time. They thought she had already seen through it. Unexpectedly, their king's smile made this normally cold and cruel princess fall into a trap...

  Nalan Xixi continued to sail smoothly. She raised her head again and looked at Nan Gongyin. Nan Gongyin still maintained a smile that made people's hearts move. Only, this smile had a few more hints of indulgence.

  Nalan Xixi scolded: "Don't let me."

  Nangong Jin pretended to hesitate for a moment, with a helpless tone. "Alright then."

  Having said that, Nangong Jin picked up a child and fell in the direction of Nalan Xianuo. Looking at the direction where Nangong Jin's hand was going, Nalan Xianuo couldn't help but take a breath of cool air.

  "Slap"

  The last tile falls. Nalan Xiong's entire board is cleared.

  She widened her eyes in astonishment, only to discover that she had long been caught in his trap without realizing it, and was so easily conquered by him, losing everything.

  Unbelievable. The most sinister person is here. Who would have thought that I myself am like this chessboard, step by step falling into his gentle trap, unable to extricate myself. She felt a little angry and turned her face away, venting her anger alone. Just now she was still confidently saying that she wouldn't lose, but in the end, she lost everything in just a short while.

  Nangong Jin couldn't help but laugh at her angry look. He got up and walked over, pulling her into his arms. She struggled free and walked to the side, ignoring him.