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Once General Qian left, Xiao Ji released his arms that had been trapping Princess Xinyang against him, stepped aside, and looked at her coolly. “Don’t come to places like this again, and don’t follow assassins.”

Princess Xinyang replied with no expression, “You should worry about yourself!”

Xiao Ji said, “I was being tailed since yesterday. Today I deliberately went to the military camp to lure the other side to act, but he was cautious and never made a move.”

Princess Xinyang looked at him. “Did I ruin your plan?”

Xiao Ji sighed. “Yes. He noticed you. If I hadn’t killed him, you would have been in danger. But since I killed him, I startled the snake, and all his accomplices fled.”

Princess Xinyang lowered her eyes.

Xiao Ji looked at her, half-smiling, and said, “Qin Fengwen, you suddenly seem so concerned about me, don’t tell me you’ve truly fallen for this Marquis?”

In that instant, Princess Xinyang’s guilty conscience vanished like smoke.

Destroyer of atmosphere, the one and only Xiao Ji!

Princess Xinyang returned to the carriage.

Xiao Ji followed as well.

Princess Xinyang barred his way. “What are you doing here? Not continuing your stroll through the brothel? Isn’t your Miss Chenxiang waiting for you?”

Inside the carriage, Little Yiyi let out a loud wail!

Daddy’s here! Time to act spoiled!

Act spoiled as much as possible!

Xiao Ji raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the side where she sat.

Princess Xinyang glared darkly at the little one crying in Yu Jin’s arms. “She really is your biological daughter!”

Upon returning to the mansion, the very first thing Little Yiyi did was shoot her father a look, and then she found his washboard.

Xiao Ji: “…”

……

Three days later, Xuanyuan Qi and Liao Chen set out, accompanied by Young Gentleman Ming Yue and his servant.

They brought along a contingent from the Shadow Division, taking the waterways into the State of Yan, then heading northwest, advancing toward the icy plains.

On the third day of the seventh month, the capital of the State of Zhao held a Junior Secretary Examination, jointly overseen by the Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites. The primary subjects were the eight-legged essay and policy discussions.

In order to attract talent without being overly restrictive, Grand Secretary Yuan relaxed the requirements, raising the upper age limit from twenty to twenty-five.

All first and second-classes Jinshi from the two lists of passers who meet this age requirement may participate in the exam.

Feng Lin and Lin Chengye both met the age requirement, but in the palace examination one had ranked one hundred and twenty-third, the other ninety-ninth, both were only third-class Jinshi. It was Du Ruohan, who ranked thirteenth, a second-class Jinshi, that qualified

He was just one day short of turning twenty-five.

Empress Dowager Zhuang held a letter in her hand, one meant to be sent to the border.

Zhuang Yuheng, the runner-up in last year’s exam, was only a year older than Xiao Heng.

But in the end, that examination decree was never dispatched.

“He cannot surpass Ah Heng. I only wanted to use this chance to call him back to the capital, to let me have a look at him.” She murmured.

“At my age, who knows how many years I have left.”

“I just want to see him.”

But that child might not wish to return to the capital.

……

The Junior Secretary Exam had been registered for the previous year, and in the year since, the other candidates had been rising early and burning the midnight oil in preparation. Meanwhile, Xiao Heng had traveled far to the State of Yan, completely unaware of the matter.

Upon his return, he had been busy with the Ministry of Justice and his wedding, leaving him little time to study. Even Princess Xinyang thought her son had neglected his studies too long and that his chances of passing were slim.

Yet when the results came out, everyone was stunned.

In all three rounds, Xiao Heng placed first with an overwhelming lead.

Looking at the exam papers sent from the Ministry of Rites, Princess Xinyang could hardly believe her eyes. “You spend your days like a boy who had just had his first taste of meat, glued to your wife all the time, and I’ve never even seen you studying…”

Little Jing Kong came running over with da-da-da noise to look at his brother-in-law’s papers.

After reading them, he nodded seriously, then turned and marched to Xiao Heng’s study.

“I heard you’re going to be a Junior Secretary.” He said bluntly. “Is a Junior Secretary powerful? Is it a very high official?”

Xiao Heng boasted, “Of course it’s powerful. It’s a proper third-rank official position, equal in rank to your Granduncle.”

Finally, the curse of being last place could be laid to rest.

Little Jing Kong swung his tiny hand in command, his face solemn. “Since you’re a high official now, the rent on Bishui Alley should be raised! Family price, one hundred taels a month! Payable yearly!”

Xiao Heng: “…”

……

On the eighteenth of the seventh month, the first month of marriage was completed. The residents of Marquis Changping Estate prepared to return to their fief.

Gu Jinyu did not bid farewell to anyone, not even to Old Madame Gu, who had been the one to arrange this marriage in the first place.

The procession left the eastern city gate in a grand and imposing manner.

Inside the carriage, Gu Jinyu sat in silence together with Chunliu.

The breeze lifted the curtain slightly, letting the sunlight spill inside.

Gu Jinyu’s expression remained cold, and even while seated inside the carriage, she still wore a veil. Yet it still could not conceal the purplish bruise on her brow.

……

The day after Gu Jinyu left the capital, Xiao Heng and Gu Jiao began discussing their future residence.

The Princess Mansion that Grandaunt had gifted Gu Jiao was always available for them to move into, but since both Yao shi and Grandaunt had grown accustomed to Bishui Alley, they decided they would divide their time between Princess Xinyang’s residence and Bishui Alley.

Sometimes, a seemingly small decision could change the entire structure of a household.

Because the children were all here, Princess Xinyang no longer mentioned moving back to Zhuque Street.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Qing was also preparing to take his leave.

He had stayed in the State of Zhao long enough and had to return to accompany Shangguan Yan.

However, since the two new firelances that Xiao Heng had promised him were not yet fully completed, he had to wait for a few more days.

In the latter days of the seventh month, a sudden thunderbolt tore across the skies above the capital. Its force was like the explosion of ten tons of black gunpowder, and even the window lattices of the Princess Mansion shook and rattled.

Little Yiyi, who had been napping at noon, was startled awake by the thunder and burst into loud sobs.

Yu Jin and Princess Xinyang were in the greenhouse, so only the wet nurse was inside watching over the child.

The wet nurse hurried to pick up her young miss.

Little Yiyi cried at the top of her lungs, her bright wails so resounding that it seemed as though she wanted to drown out the thunder itself.

For a moment, the wet nurse could not tell whether the thunder was louder, or the young miss was.

But then, quite suddenly, the child stopped crying.

Her tear-streaked eyes widened as she stared, unblinking, at the doorway. There, she saw a handsome but cold-looking youth in black, who at some unknown moment had appeared.

Snake-like, terrifying lightning coiled and writhed above his head like the body of the demon dragon, yet it seemed as though all of it was being blocked outside by him.

Little Yiyi’s small face, still wet with tears, stared at him in dazed astonishment.

The youth in black stepped inside, thought for a moment, then pulled out a candied hawthorn skewer from his hand and held it out to her, asking, “Do you want some?”

Little Yiyi: “???”

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…

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