Chapter 71: Luotian's Calamity

  Nangong Jin smiled slyly. "Really angry? Is it you who said don't let your..."

  Nalan Xixi suddenly turned her head and glared at him. "You still dare to say."

  Nangong Jin couldn't help but burst out laughing. Seeing Nangong Jin's smug expression, Nalan Xianyu went up and fiercely bit his lips, making him unable to laugh anymore. Nangong Jin hurriedly waved his hands in surrender, he definitely didn't want to attend the imperial ceremony with injuries.

  Nalan Xixi let him go, feeling a bit relieved in her heart. Nangong Jin gently held her close and said helplessly, "You, when can you not be so stubborn? I am your husband, what's the point of winning against me?"

  "It's just not going to work." Nalan Xixi became blunt and unreasonable.

  "Okay, okay. No way. You're the heroine. Let you do it all. You cover me. Is that alright?" Nangong Jin coaxed her softly.

  Nalan Xixi heard this and burst out laughing. She scolded: "How annoying."

  A game of chess had been going on for more than an hour. At this moment, the lady-in-waiting from the palace walked in through the door outside.

  "The Emperor sent someone to find Miss Yanran..."

  Nangong Jin said: "Tell her Nalan Yanran has already left and is no longer here."

  The lady-in-waiting nodded and turned to leave. Nalan Xianyu said, "Wait a minute. Let her tell the empress dowager on the way. I'll go with Wangye this afternoon to keep her company at lunch."

  The palace maid nodded and backed out.

  Nangong Jin felt a deep sense of relief in his heart when he heard this. He thought she would have some reservations because of what happened with Zhao Song's slander, but unexpectedly she didn't hold it against him at all.

  But that's just the way she is. She's meticulous and thorough in her work, but the only things that can get her angry are losing to someone else or someone hurting the people she cares about. Apart from that, nothing else bothers her.

  Turning back, facing Nan Gong Zhi's gentle gaze, Nalan Xianuo raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me with such a corny expression?"

  Nangong Jin pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "Madam..."

  In the Empress Dowager's palace, it was bustling with excitement. Since Nan Gong Zhen began his campaign to unify the thirteen kingdoms, she and her son had not sat down together like this in a long time, enjoying a meal in perfect harmony.

  What's more, the happy event is approaching and everyone can't help but feel delighted. Zhao Song's passing has dealt a significant blow to the Empress Dowager. Within a few days, she has visibly aged greatly. Although she is also advanced in years, she had always looked like a woman in her thirties.

  It was just overnight, and there were strands of white hair, as well as a few wrinkles.

  Nangong Yan also came over. As soon as she entered the door, she shouted to find Nalan Xiangran. However, Nalan Xiangran had not returned to the palace yet. Nangong Yan did not give up. She ran into the bedroom and didn't care that Empress Dowager was talking to Nangong Jin and Nalan Xianuo. She directly interrupted and asked: "Where is Sister Nalan? Why can't I see her?"

  The empress dowager was displeased with her lack of propriety and said discontentedly: "You went out today and still haven't returned."

  Nangong Yan looked puzzled. "Where did he go?"

  Nangong Jin continued, "Today, the Empress Dowager let Xianuo try on some ceremonial clothes. A few of them didn't fit well, so she went to talk to her about modifying the clothes. She should be at the Imperial Tailoring Department."

  Nan Gong Jin rarely paid attention to such trivial matters, and even less so about other women. This time, not only did he care about the clothes, but he also helped her guess Nalan Yanran's whereabouts. Nan Gong Yan was dissatisfied in his heart, but didn't say much. He hummed a sound and followed Empress Dowager.

  The four of them chatted on and off for a bit. Before long, a palace maid came over and said that the meal was ready.

  Four people moved to their seats at the dinner table. Nangong Jin was very caring towards Nalan Xianuo, eating his own food while keeping an eye on Nalan Xianuo. The Empress Dowager smiled happily after seeing this, but Nangong Yan had a dark face and chewed her food without saying a word.

  Nalan Xixi frowned, pushing all the carrots in her bowl to the side and only eating the meat. Nangong Jin picked up his chopsticks and began to pick out the vegetables from the meat dish into his own bowl. Nangong Yan's anger grew as she watched, finally slamming down her chopsticks.

  The Empress Dowager frowned. "Yan'er."

  Nangong Yan's nose turned sour, and she ran out with tears streaming down her face. Nangong Jin stood up to chase after her, but Mu Rong Dowager Empress said discontentedly: "No need to chase after her, you've all been spoiled by her."

  Nangong Jin let out a sigh and gave a signal with his eyes to the palace maid behind him. The maid hastily chased after her.

  Murong Taohou said angrily: "Brother has found the woman he loves, should be happy for brother instead. What kind of temper is she throwing? Where does she put her sister-in-law? Does she think I'm just a nominal empress?"

  Nalan Xixi hastily comforted her, "Mother, don't be angry. Yan'er is still young. And recently because of the grand ceremony, I've been busy to the point of dizziness and didn't have time to have a good talk with her. It will be better in the future."

  Murong Taohou saw Nalan Xinnuo persuading her, and her expression eased a bit. "Alas, you are also a noble lady, when have you ever suffered such humiliation? I was afraid of wronging you."

  Nalan Xixi smiled slightly. "It doesn't matter. From now on, we're all family. There's no need to mind so much."

  Nangong Jin was drinking tea and almost choked. He really couldn't believe that Nalan Xianyu could say such a thing. However, this was her true feelings. She loved him, so she would naturally love his family as well, loving them just like she loved him.

  Murong Taohou looked at Nalan Xixiao and felt relieved that she was so understanding. "Indeed, a child of the Huangfu family, knowledgeable and reasonable, with great tolerance. Right, I heard that your brother will bring gifts tomorrow, but I don't know if your mother will come. There have been too many things happening these days, I even forgot to write an invitation letter myself, how rude..."

  Having heard this, both Nangong Jin and Nalan Xianyu were stunned. How could they have forgotten about this matter? Tomorrow morning, Huangfu Ling and Dugu Han would be entering the city.

  Nalan Xixi hastily said, "It's I, Xixi, who is too impolite. Came too suddenly. My mother... didn't come. Only sent my older brother to send some small gifts. After the grand ceremony is over, we will prepare more substantial gifts and come again."

  "Ah, it should be me who lets the king prepare betrothal gifts and go to your country for a visit instead. Never mind, let's wait until after the grand ceremony. Then I'll have the king take me there for a visit as well. It's been many years since I've seen them."

  Nalan Xixi continued to chat warmly. "The Empress Dowager also said she misses you..."

  This time she changed her mother's words and didn't dare mention the king again.

  The Empress Dowager Mu Rong smiled and nodded. "Wang Er, tomorrow morning you will personally go to the palace gate to welcome him."

  Nangong Jin nodded his head. "Yes."

  The next day, early in the morning, on the streets outside the gates of the Luo Tian Imperial Palace, hundreds of miles away, the crowd was packed. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the foreign envoys' demeanor. Moreover, it was said that today, Ling Wang from Lian Xiang Country and Prince Dugu Han from Sheng Jin Country would arrive with gifts. The common people were even more eager, waiting at the street entrance early in the morning, forgetting to eat and sleep.

  The palace gate. The guard of honor was also waiting there early.

  Nan Gong Yu held Nalan Xinnuo in his arms, waiting in the palace building on top of the palace wall. Just as a cup of tea had passed, an eunuch rushed in hastily and whispered: "Your Majesty, Ling Wang has arrived."

  Downstairs, the band began to play their instruments. The dancing girls started to dance gracefully.

  Nalan Xixi and Nangong Jin walked to the front of the palace gate. In the distance, a team was slowly advancing.

  The leader rode a white horse, wearing brocade clothes, with a warm smile on his face. His handsome face looked captivating in the sunlight, exuding an air of elegance that was hard to suppress. Every gesture he made was elegant.

  Nalan Xixi's smile was not a smile. It was indeed him, the one who had been beaten twice by her but did not fight back.

  He also saw Nalan Xianyu from afar and couldn't help but curve the corners of his mouth into a meaningful smile at her. At this moment, he thought he was about to see through her, at least win against her once, and give her a warning. Little did he know that he had long been calculated by her.

  The team approached, and Huangfu Ling saw Nangong Jin. On his face was a calm and respectful smile, but in his heart, he was secretly shocked. It had been several years since they last met, and he had long since transformed from the invincible and arrogant General Nangong Jin of the past into a stable and majestic emperor.

  Not as sharp and revealing as before, but the momentum of introversion is even more intimidating.

  Nangong Jin said faintly: "Ling Wang has had a hard journey."

  Huangfu Ling slightly nodded. Nalan Xianuo walked up, pulled his hand, and he was taken aback. He looked up at her to see that her eyes were full of cunning. Then looking at Nan Gongzhen, there wasn't a hint of displeasure, but rather a faint smile.

  Huang Pu Ling cried out in alarm, but Nalan Xixi didn't give him a chance to regret it.

  "Brother Wang, you must be tired from your journey. Let's go to the imperial palace first." Saying that, he led Huangfu Ling into the palace.

  Huang Pu's face turned solemn, and he didn't say a word all the way. Nan Gong Jin excused himself to attend to some matters and left. Upon arriving at the post house, Huang Pu kept two attendants by his side and dismissed everyone else.

  Nalan Xixi looked at those two attendants. They were indeed the ones who had followed him that day.

  Nalan Xixi didn't waste any time on small talk and directly cut to the main topic. "Wu Yue is now in my hands."

  Huang Pu's heart sank, but he smiled on the surface. "I don't understand what Your Highness means. Moreover, Princess Nalan, when did I become your royal brother?"

  When mentioning Princess Nalan, Huangfu Ling intentionally emphasized the two words "Nalan". However, he did not think that Nalan Xizhao was not only saying that she had discovered Ou Ye's identity, nor was she saying that she had caught Ou Ye.

  "Xianuo wants to borrow the identity of the princess of Lianxiang Kingdom for a while. I hope Ling Wang will fulfill it." Nalan Xianuo looked at him, not hiding her cunning smile, just like the few times she had caught him and beaten him up, as if saying "I'm calculating you, what can you do to me?"

  Huang Pu Ling was shocked. This woman really had no shame. Not only did she dare to steal the identity of the Princess of Lian Xiang, but now she even had the audacity to come and borrow from him. "The princess is joking,"

  "Otherwise, I'll kill her." She wasn't joking.

  Huang Pu's eyes slightly widened. So that was it. She wanted to use Yuan Yue to threaten him... Ha! Too naive. Did she think he would give up this opportunity for Yuan Yue? Did she think she could threaten him with Yuan Yue?

  Suddenly, Huangfu Ling furrowed her brow. She could.

  Now Zhao Song is dead, the insider in the palace only has Yuexiang left. If Yuexiang also dies, this action will undoubtedly fail. However, if those people know that he agrees to cooperate with Nalan Xianyu and acknowledge her identity as Huangfu Xianyu, they will definitely suspect themselves and withdraw their hands. At that time, it will be the same failure.

  This Nalan Xiong is quite sinister.