Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Very Obediently Buried in His Embrace However, Gan Qiongying never expected that the information Lihua had given her was false from the very beginning. That list held no practical value whatsoever. She was even more unaware that Lihua had already resolutely chosen to stand by her side. Gan Qiongying finished her bath feeling utterly refreshed and content. Still thinking about the roast duck, she barely noticed Lihua changing his clothes and headed straight for the dish on the table. It truly was the signature dish of Phoenix Tower, living up to its reputation. Gan Qiongying even felt she could eat it every day without getting tired of it. She ate happily, and because she had thought of several good strategies that wouldn't cost any money, her smile was especially radiant. She was already strikingly beautiful, and when she smiled, her charm was multiplied a hundredfold. Lihua couldn't help but keep watching her. Because of what she was about to do—even if it wouldn't cause Lihua any real loss, it was still a form of exploitation—Gan Qiongying couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt in her heart. When it was time to sleep at night, she actively moved closer to Lihua, very obediently burying herself in his embrace. Lihua, almost without hesitation, held her tightly. Soft moonlight filtered through the window, and the night breeze gently brushed against the gauze curtains. There was not a single gap between the two of them. Having been busy all day, holding someone in his arms now made Lihua feel incredibly at peace. Both of them had their own thoughts weighing on their minds, but they both slept soundly through the night. Early the next morning, Lihua went out to work as usual. Gan Qiongying, as always, saw him off at the door and then had Manyue gather the remaining people in the main hall. Better to deal with this early and set her mind at ease! Most of those people were useless and could be handed over to Lihua. However, Gan Qiongying still felt it necessary to meet that Fan Xi. After yesterday's events, Fan Xi's previously flirtatious and seductive demeanor seemed to have suddenly vanished. Now, standing before Gan Qiongying, he truly possessed some of the dignified bearing befitting the son of the Martial Manor's master. "Greetings, Princess," Fan Xi said, all traces of his former dissoluteness gone as he immediately knelt and performed a grand salute. "May the Princess enjoy golden peace." Gan Qiongying waved her hand, indicating he need not be so formal, then glanced at Manyue. Manyue stepped forward a few paces and called toward outside the hall, "Bring it in." Several attendants worked together to carry in a large wooden chest. When it landed on the ground, it immediately stirred up a cloud of dust, clearly having been stored away for a very long time. Fan Xi's attention was also drawn to the chest. He recognized it at a glance as one he had used in his childhood. He and his martial brothers from the Martial Manor would often hide inside this chest while playing. He couldn't believe it. Hesitantly, he took a step forward, but tears uncontrollably began to fall. He fell to his knees with a thud before the chest. "The wooden chest was already damaged," Manyue said. "The Princess hired skilled craftsmen to piece it back together and ordered people to search for some relatively intact items from the manor's grounds, bringing them all back. The ashes of your esteemed parents are also inside." Fan Xi slowly stroked the chest, brushing off the dust on its surface. After opening it and seeing the two memorial tablets and the wooden box inside, he finally couldn't hold back any longer and broke down. He buried his head in the chest, his body trembling uncontrollably, and sobs spilled out from within. Manyue glanced at Gan Qiongying and, receiving a look in response, continued, "When we arrived at the Martial Manor, the two elders were already..." Manyue wanted to say 'beyond recognition,' but seeing Fan Xi's profound grief, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Instead, she said, "The Princess has already selected several good burial sites in the outskirts of the city for the two elders. You can choose one today after leaving the residence to bury them and fulfill your filial duties as a son." Fan Xi held the box, his face already streaked with mud and tears, his voice choked with emotion: "Thank you, Princess... thank you..." Gan Qiongying was moved by the scene, her tone softening: "From now on, you will work under the Consort. First, establish a legitimate livelihood to avoid suspicion. When I have need of you in the future, I will contact you." Previously, Fan Xi's greatest concern had been the remains and memorial tablets of his parents. Now that he had them, Gan Qiongying worried he might seize the chance to flee or refuse to cooperate with her plans. So, she dangled a carrot. "Regarding the enemies of your Fan family," Gan Qiongying looked up, meeting Fan Xi's eyes to lend credibility to her words, "I will help you deal with them." This was not entirely empty talk. While she couldn’t touch the old witch, she could certainly find ways to handle Gan Li’s people. Even if she couldn’t kill them outright, she could cripple them—as long as it made Fan Xi believe her. Fan Xi suddenly stopped crying. His eyes gradually turned bloodshot as he recalled the scenes of the Martial Manor’s massacre. Then, he knelt and kowtowed heavily several times. "Princess," Fan Xi nearly roared, his eyes filled with determination. His forehead was already bruised, a trail of blood trickling down. "Fan Xi’s life belongs to you. From now on, whatever you command, Fan Xi will give his all!" "Get up quickly." Gan Qiongying couldn’t bear the bloody sight but maintained Princess Duanrong’s speaking style: "First, you must take care of your health. Otherwise, how will you serve me?" After seeing Fan Xi off, Gan Qiongying met with several others she deemed useful, naturally employing a mix of kindness and authority, with kindness being the dominant approach. Ding Doudou longed to study and learn to read, so Gan Qiongying promised to hire a tutor for him. Upon hearing this, Feng Wu insisted on joining Ding Doudou. Originally, Gan Qiongying paid little attention to the other male consorts. But before leaving, she noticed a monk standing among the crowd. Recognizing his face, she recalled the memories associated with him. This was Liaoyuan, the senior disciple of the young monk Dingzhen. Back when the temple could no longer sustain itself, Princess Duanrong had gone to great lengths but still failed to bring Dingzhen into the Princess Manor. In her desperation to keep him, she even promised to build a temple for him, but he refused to agree. In a fit of anger, Princess Duanrong brought back Dingzhen’s senior disciple, Liaoyuan. Princess Duanrong had once granted Liaoyuan’s every wish. But after repeated rejections whenever he tried to withdraw funds, he grew anxious and began to doubt whether the princess was still as infatuated with him as before. However, he never had the chance to go to the Front Courtyard. Proud and accustomed to the princess’s fawning, he naturally wouldn’t lower himself to beg for money. Most people in the rear courtyard avoided him, partly out of fear of being beaten, and partly because Liaoyuan was genuinely unlikable. Liaoyuan didn’t care. Liaoyuan had fair skin and, due to years of vegetarianism and martial arts training, his well-built physique was evident even beneath his monk’s robes. The corners of his eyes drooped slightly, lending him an innocent air. His gaze was clear, as if he sought nothing, yet in truth, he was deeply attached to worldly desires, unable to achieve detachment and purity. Manyue recited the list outside the hall: "Liaoyuan, please remain in the rear courtyard. On another day, accompany the Consort out of the manor and return to Dingchen Mountain." Liaoyuan's steps faltered, the joy on his face at the thought of soon seeing the Princess vanishing abruptly. He couldn't believe the Princess was actually telling him to return to Dingchen Mountain! His expression turned stunned, but as a monk who had always been proud and aloof, he simply couldn't bring himself to lower his pride and ask to stay. Gan Qiongying searched her memories several times but couldn't recall Dingzhen's appearance at all. Having gone to such great lengths, even bringing back his senior brother, Princess Duanrong would never have wasted her efforts. Gan Qiongying was determined to find an opportunity to meet him and see just what abilities this little monk Dingzhen possessed. But now was not yet the time, so she decided to set it aside for later.