CHAPTER 690: CHAPTER 670 LAN NINGZHEN 2

Lan Ningzhen’s gaze swept across the three strategists standing in front of the Second Prince Manor, her eyes pausing momentarily on Xie Jue’s figure before she suddenly let out a whistle.

Everyone: "..."

The group greeted Lan Ningzhen politely, and she responded gracefully in return. As usual, Xie Jue said little, silently watching as one of the strategists exchanged pleasantries with Lan Ningzhen.

After the small talk, Lan Ningzhen said, "Then I won’t delay you anymore. See you."

"See you!"

Lan Ningzhen, along with members of the Lan family, swept into the Prince Manor with a confident and carefree stride. Xie Jue withdrew his gaze and left with two strategists, heading toward a restaurant.

The strategists in the manor were mostly funded by the Second Prince. They also accumulated personal wealth through small businesses; the three of them jointly opened a weaponry shop, primarily crafting and selling weapons. However, this business couldn’t operate openly. The restaurant was located next to the weaponry shop, so they often visited to check things out.

Initially, Xie Jue didn’t participate, but as his status rose, surpassing others, the strategists sought to curry favor with him.

Once seated at the restaurant, the owner promptly brought out a large plate of boiled beef. Xie Jue barely needed to eat as he already felt full; even tea leaves weren’t served here, and he couldn’t drink wine, leaving him with only water to sip.

"The princess’s younger sister, Lan Ningzhen, doesn’t frequent the Prince Manor much, right?" Xie Jue asked, the whistle Lan Ningzhen had blown earlier still lingering in his mind.

Unexplainably familiar!

During his time at the manor, Xie Jue had naturally familiarized himself with its interpersonal dynamics. The Second Prince had three consorts, all of whom shared equal status—neither wife nor concubine, but equals. Lady Lan, the Great Queen, had insisted on marrying the Second Prince, inciting dissatisfaction within the Lan family. General Lan had quarreled with her multiple times, and Lady Lan, with her fiery temper, hadn’t returned home for years. Her mother, however, visited often, though her siblings rarely appeared at the manor. As for this Lan Ningzhen, she had never set foot in the manor before.

"Helian Feng, you haven’t been at the manor long, so you might not know the whole story. Lady Lan’s mother gave birth to six sons and two daughters. The youngest daughter, Lan Ningzhen, was chosen by the priests after her birth and sent to Heavenly God Mountain to serve as a goddess. She lived there for ten years, never returning home, and seldom saw her parents. Two years ago, a volcanic eruption at Heavenly God Mountain brought calamity, and the goddess was sent back home, losing her title as a goddess. During the eruption, she was severely injured and remained in recovery at home, rarely seen by others. Rumors even said that Lan Ningzhen’s face was disfigured, making her too ashamed to meet others. It wasn’t until two months ago that Lan Ningzhen recovered, and Lady Lan began taking her out for frequent social engagements. Only then did we realize how stunningly beautiful Lan Ningzhen was, and, surprisingly, her martial skills are exceptional—many men couldn’t best her." Strategist Xiao Jinghong explained. He was three years older than Xie Jue and often found common ground in conversations with him.

Another strategist, Du Fang, added, "The youngest daughter of General Lan has recently become quite famous in Fox City. You haven’t heard?"

Xie Jue shook his head. His focus had been on how to strategize against the Second Prince and sow discord among the princes. The female figures of Fox City held little interest for him; his attention only extended to the mothers of the consorts and their influence, never considering Lan Ningzhen’s newfound fame in Fox City.

"Lady Lan brought Lan Ningzhen into the palace, where she earned the favor of the Third Princess Consort. Word has it that the Third Princess Consort wanted to marry Lan Ningzhen to the Ninth Prince, Dugu Jing. Back then, the prince and the Sixth Prince hadn’t fallen out yet, so if Lan Ningzhen had married Dugu Jing, it would’ve brought the prince, the Sixth Prince, and the Ninth Prince closer. But now, it’s no longer an option. Besides, Lan Ningzhen is ambitious and has declared that she’ll only marry the most powerful man. Whoever wants to marry her must defeat her in combat. Several generals tried to challenge her and were all beaten back by Lan Ningzhen." Xiao Jinghong, being more attuned to the happenings in the city than Xie Jue, shared these details—events that took place during Xie Jue’s recovery and which he had only vaguely overheard without paying much heed.

"With such strong martial skills, why hasn’t she gone to the battlefield?" Xie Jue wondered aloud. The Beiman women who were skilled in combat typically fought on the front lines; why hadn’t Lan Ningzhen?

"The Lan family claimed she had just recovered."

"Just recovered, yet she’s already so proficient? That doesn’t make sense," Xie Jue continued to puzzle. "What would a goddess from Beiman need martial skills for?"

"Exactly, for us too, goddesses don’t need to train in martial arts."

"Who cares? It’s none of our business. When the Lan family says something, people just believe it. After losing so many sons, perhaps they don’t want their daughter to join the battlefield."

Xie Jue remained doubtful but didn’t press further. He hadn’t expected that upon returning to the manor, he’d find Lan Ningzhen still there, staying to dine.