CHAPTER 671: CHAPTER 538: GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME

Lan Yingwu brought with him an imperial edict that contained two parts. One part was a reward for Ye Lingyue’s meritorious service in quelling the rebellion at Purple Bamboo Ridge, and the other was an order for Ye Lingyue to replace Emperor Xia in attending Emperor Beiqing’s twentieth-year enthronement celebration ceremony next month.

The inevitable still arrived.

Ye Lingyue inwardly despised Wu Zhong, not knowing if that guy was a prophet or simply had a crow’s mouth, but his predictions were always accurate.

"Foster father, must I attend the celebration? Doesn’t Daxia have plenty of people with more illustrious identities than me to go? Like foster father or Uncle Nie," Ye Lingyue hesitated, and she even had her excuses ready, as Mercenary City had just stabilized and there was still a vast tract of land in Purple Bamboo Ridge that needed to be developed.

"I, your foster father, am a straightforward man. If I go to Beiqing, there’s a risk of committing a faux pas. As for your Uncle Nie, I have some good news for you. Your mother is pregnant, and now not only Uncle Nie but the entire Guanwu Marquis Mansion are revolving around your mother, deeply afraid that something might go wrong with her. Do you think at such a time, your Uncle Nie would be willing to leave Xia Capital?"

Lan Yingwu burst into laughter.

When Ye Huangyu first married into the Guanwu Marquis Mansion, the Old Marquis was somewhat displeased and did not show much fondness for this daughter-in-law.

Yet, over the months, the Marquis discovered that Ye Huangyu was magnanimous and adept at managing household affairs.

What’s more important, since she married into the Marquis Mansion, Nie Fengxing had evidently become a model of filial piety and a good husband. With Ye Huangyu’s pregnancy, nobility through her son’s merit soared, and her current favored status was obvious to everyone.

That fellow Nie Fengxing was also going to be a father for the first time, hovering around Ye Huangyu day and night, and had even declared publicly that he wanted to have a child every two years, intending to break the Guanwu Marquis Mansion’s tradition of having only one male heir for generations.

"Moreover, this time, your trip to Beiqing is not His Majesty’s idea, but rather a suggestion from Beiqing itself."

Emperor Beiqing had sent a special envoy a few days ago, who besides inquiring about Princess Qing Bi’s situation, also carried in both words and lines, from the special envoy of Emperor Qing, a bitterness towards the new lord of Purple Bamboo Ridge. The envoy further stated that unless Ye Lingyue gained recognition from Emperor Beiqing, Beiqing would refuse to acknowledge Ye Lingyue’s title as Female Lord.

Ye Lingyue understood. This was not an invitation but a blatant threat.

"Foster father, I have my own judgement on this matter. Sister Cai’er and Brother Yan went to Purple Bamboo Ridge early yesterday morning, and they should be back before evening," Ye Lingyue said, noticing Lan Yingwu kept looking around while speaking, and she smiled knowingly.

"Hmph, kiddo, don’t bring up that mischievous brat to me. Wasn’t one lesson with Dao Ge enough? And now she’s gotten involved with Yan Jiu," Lan Yingwu’s expression changed dramatically upon hearing Lan Cai’er’s name.

It was Lady Lan who first received Ye Lingyue’s letter while Lan Yingwu was attending the morning court session.

After reading the letter and learning that Lan Cai’er had a beloved, and that her character and appearance were highly praised by Ye Lingyue, Lady Lan was elated that her daughter, raised for twenty years, finally had someone who wanted her.

Lady Lan immediately celebrated with lanterns and streamers and set off a string of firecrackers. Lan Yingwu had not even reached the mansion gate when he heard the firecrackers.

Wondering what was happening, he became overjoyed upon hearing Lady Lan’s explanation.

But as soon as he finished reading the letter, his heart sank with a thud.

Lady Lan was a traditional woman, naive to the ways of the world, but Lan Yingwu was not.

On the Qing Province Continent, how many could there be with the surname Yan and given name Jiu?

The third-ranked figure of the Underworld Yama Palace, such a malevolent star, how had his daughter Lan Cai’er provoked someone like that?

Underworld Yama Palace was an existence even more formidable than the Primordial Demon Cave.

Thinking of his daughter being with someone like Yan Jiu, how could she have a happy future? The thought alone made Lan Yingwu fume with anger.

He feared that his daughter, Lan Cai’er, had made a mess of things again, just like before, when she fell for Dao Ge. That ordeal left Lan Cai’er dejected for many years, even calling off an arranged marriage she had agreed to in her youth.

"Father, I could hear your roar from miles away. Who has upset you this time?"

Lan Yingwu was still in a rage when he heard Lan Cai’er’s voice.

They saw Yan Jiu and Lan Cai’er walking in together.

She had heard her parents were coming today, so she hurriedly finished her work and rushed back.

"Who else but you, you little rascal, could make me so angry? Look at you now, thinking you’re grown up enough to run away from home, making decisions on your own, and getting involved with some inexplicable person. Kneel down now!"

Lan Yingwu took a closer look and noticed a man standing next to Lan Cai’er. The man had a tall and straight stature, eyebrows sharp as knives, dark eyes, and a face that was handsome yet possessed an icy sharpness.

Lan Yingwu had met Dao Ge and at the time felt that Dao Ge was an outstandingly dashing man. However, compared to Yan Jiu, Dao Ge paled in comparison.

Lan Cai’er hadn’t expected that her father would be so incredibly furious this time.

She had always been stubborn since childhood and being punished with kneeling was as common as having three meals a day for her. Knowing she was in the wrong this time, she could only walk in front of Lan Yingwu and was about to kneel down.

But before she could kneel, she felt a warmth at her waist as Yan Jiu embraced her, his handsome brows furrowed tightly.

"Uncle Lan, what fault has Cai’er committed for you to punish her like this?"

"Who are you to me, who claims to be your uncle? Cai’er is my daughter, and I will discipline her as I see fit," Lan Yingwu replied, his general’s temper flaring as he pointed at Yan Jiu’s nose, his beard bristling and eyes bulging.

But Yan Jiu was still half a head taller than Lan Yingwu.

As for the battle-hardened aura that Lan Yingwu carried, Yan Jiu didn’t take it into account at all.

"Lady, how can you speak like this?" Lady Lan couldn’t stand by and watch, tugging at the irate Lan Yingwu.

But this time, Lan Yingwu had worked himself up too much and refused to compromise.

"I am her man, you’re disciplining my woman, and I will not allow it," said Yan Jiu, as headstrong as ever. Lan Cai’er hadn’t rested well last night, in her rush to return early, and he ached for her, unwilling to let her kneel as punishment.

"Hey, lad, you think I won’t discipline you too?" Lan Yingwu, infuriated, suddenly stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and was ready to teach Yan Jiu a lesson.

"You can’t beat me," Yan Jiu stated the fact.

"Insolent, let me tell you, Mr. Yan, I don’t care what Yan Hall you’re from, I’d rather marry my daughter to Dao Ge than to you," Lan Yingwu said, his eyes rolling back in anger.

"Father, what nonsense are you spouting? What does this have to do with Dao Ge?" Lan Cai’er exclaimed in shock.

"When we left Xia Capital, Dao Ge personally visited the General Mansion, bearing guilt and explaining the misunderstanding from the past. He also brought betrothal gifts, personally coming to the General Mansion to propose," Lan Yingwu sneered twice.

Back when Dao Ge was under Lan Yingwu’s command, Lan Yingwu had quite admired him.

Now that the misunderstandings of the past had been cleared up and Dao Ge took an interest in Lan Cai’er, after some thought, Lan Yingwu had indeed agreed to Dao Ge’s proposal.