CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 33: TIME FOR A NAP!

"Miss Yu, hold on!"

Just as Yu Nianzhao was about to board the carriage, Mr Zhao hurriedly chased after her, with a few disciples trailing behind.

"Miss Yu, may I ask where your master is from? My Zhao Family holds a respectable position among the mystical families, yet I’ve never seen someone with your extraordinary fate, who is also skilled in ghost hunting. Could you give me a way to contact you, so we could visit you another day?"

Mr Zhao smiled ingratiatingly, eager to invite Yu Nianzhao to the Zhao Family for guidance.

"My master in metaphysics? You might need to be at the brink of death to meet him."

To meet King Yan, one must be heading to the beyond.

Only then did Mr Zhao realize his mistake, apologizing with embarrassment, "I didn’t know about it, I’m really sorry, Miss Yu."

Unwilling to give up, he asked, "Miss Yu, are you planning to take on any disciples? We have a few talented children in the Zhao Family who haven’t found a master yet."

Yu Nianzhao’s technique of capturing fierce ghosts is unparalleled, even the ancestors of the Zhao Family may not possess such skill.

It’s not possible for her to find a master; if it weren’t for his age, Mr Zhao would have already shamelessly asked her to be his own master.

"The Princess does not intend to take on any disciples."

Xie Jiuxiao directly rejected the idea for her, preventing Mr Zhao from speaking further, as he pulled Yu Nianzhao onto the carriage, leaving promptly.

Watching the carriage depart, Mr Zhao couldn’t help but mutter bitterly, "Clearly destined for solitude, why drag such a powerful young lady into it?"

As he spoke, a colorful cloud floated in the sky in the direction where Yu Nianzhao disappeared.

Mr Zhao’s heart pounded wildly as he calculated with his fingers, then his eyes widened, "A variable, indeed the greatest and fastest variable ever seen, I must hurry back to report to our ancestor."

——

When Yu Nianzhao and Xie Jiuxiao returned to Prince Su Mansion, Mu Hongxuan carried two large boxes of silver, walking with a perfectly straight back.

Dongfang Chenyuan came out to greet them, "What is this?"

Mu Hongxuan looked proud, "It’s the silver earned by the Princess."

Dongfang Chenyuan was puzzled, "What?"

After Mu Hongxuan and Ms Jiang gave a brief recount of today’s events, Dongfang Chenyuan slapped his thigh, "Incredible, such a thrilling scene, and I missed it. Had I known, I should have gone with you today!"

He was genuinely regretful, "That Mr Zhao? From the mystical Zhao Family, right? I’ve heard of his reputation, though it doesn’t match the Dongfang Family, he’s still a rare esteemed person in mystical circles. His high praise for the Princess must mean she really opened his eyes."

Ms Jiang pursed her lips, "Really, it’s mind-boggling what the people at Marquis Wu’an Mansion were thinking. Such a fine daughter unappreciated for a fake, clouded by pig oil."

"Is Zhaozhao hungry? I’ll make some delicious food for you, just say what you want."

Ms Jiang cherished Yu Nianzhao more and more, treating her like her own daughter.

Yu Nianzhao touched her empty stomach, "Whatever Ms Jiang makes, I’ll love it."

She was genuinely hungry.

After eating to her satisfaction, Yu Nianzhao leaned drowsily against Xie Jiuxiao.

Today, she captured countless little ghosts and destroyed a fierce ghost, depleting her body’s energy, urgently needing to absorb evil Qi from Xie Jiuxiao to replenish.

Feeling lazy all over, she instinctively said, "Prince, accompany me to sleep, won’t you?"

"Alright!"

The reply came by ear, and the atmosphere suddenly quieted down.

Everyone looked at Xie Jiuxiao in disbelief.

What?!

Did they mishear?

The Prince agreed to sleep together?

Dongfang Chenyuan was so shaken he almost dropped his teacup.

"Really?"

Yu Nianzhao, now less sleepy, excitedly pulled Xie Jiuxiao’s hand, "Then let’s go, back to the room."

She felt delighted inside, just absorbing evil Qi overnight, and she’d be lively again tomorrow.

Xie Jiuxiao’s ears were flushed red, allowing Yu Nianzhao to pull him into the room.

Dongfang Chenyuan watched them leave longingly, blurting out, "The Prince’s springtime has arrived, finally breaking his virgin..."

Before he finished, a teacup smacked him in the face.

It was a real hit; Dongfang Chenyuan felt his face swelling.

He glared angrily at Mu Hongxuan.

Mu Hongxuan gave him a disdainful look, "Don’t spout nonsense!"

"How is this nonsense? Mu Hongxuan, you’re responsible for my handsome face being red!"

"Huh..."

The sound of their squabble faded as Yu Nianzhao pulled Xie Jiuxiao back to the room.

Boldly climbing onto the bed, she patted the spot next to her, "Prince, sleep on this side, I usually sleep inside."

Xie Jiuxiao, "..."

He saw no trace of embarrassment on Yu Nianzhao’s face.

"I’ll bathe and change first!"

Pretending to be nonchalant, he returned to his room to bathe.

When he returned, steam rising from his body, dressed in black underclothes, his stunningly handsome face seemed particularly alluring under candlelight.

Yu Nianzhao had also freshened up, lying sideways, her eyes bright as she looked at him, "Prince, hurry and sleep."

Xie Jiuxiao pressed his thin lips into a line, hesitating, then reluctantly walked to the bed and was pulled up by Yu Nianzhao.

Yu Nianzhao wrapped her arms around his, contentedly closing her eyes, "Prince, sleep."

As soon as she finished speaking, the room’s candlelight extinguished automatically.

In the darkness, Xie Jiuxiao could only hear Yu Nianzhao’s calm breaths.

He lay stiffly, unable to resist asking, "Are you just sleeping like this?"

"Or what, Prince, what do you wish to do?"

Yu Nianzhao wasn’t truly asleep, her brow hot, Jiu Ying secretly enjoying the delicious evil Qi.

Xie Jiuxiao denied, "I don’t want to do anything!"

Yu Nianzhao opened her eyes, staring at his reddened ears, and teased with a grin, "What are you thinking, Prince? We’re not officially married yet, we should restrain ourselves; don’t let your mind wander."

"I didn’t!"

He said through gritted teeth.

"Oh... then let’s chat under the covers, so the Prince doesn’t daydream."

Yu Nianzhao absorbed the evil Qi, lazily, "Prince, aren’t you worried about the curse in your body? Since our first meeting, you have seven days to find the mother curse."

Xie Jiuxiao calmed considerably, quietly saying, "I’ve searched the Empress Dowager’s chambers and found nothing. Her worship hall has shown nothing either. She’s meticulous, those Daoists she interacts with only visit occasionally, none have been around recently, and there’s currently no lead on the mother curse."

Yu Nianzhao yawned, advising, "Could it be the mother curse is in someone else’s body, like yours!"