Chapter 48: Avoiding the Subject

Shen Qingyao felt a slight pang of embarrassment upon hearing this.
It was true, after all; they were at the age of marriage, and acting coy now hardly seemed appropriate.
Shen Qingyao explained, "Your granddaughter's husband is a busy man; he hasn't had the time to humor me these past few days."
"Well, he is busy with proper matters, so how can you complain? The mere fact that he doesn't philander outside already makes him better than a lot of men."
Shen Qingyao grew anxious. "Isn't that something he ought to do in the first place? With my looks, he would still want—"

Before long, they arrived in Chang'an. The once bustling capital was now gripped by panic and anxiety due to the ravages of war, stripped of much of its former vitality. The business of the shops and the flow of crowds on the streets were far inferior to the past.
The car drove all the way to the entrance of the Military Governor's Mansion and came to a stop. Yang Jinxin instinctively shrank back, but Qin Muyang gave her a reassuring smile and led her out of the car by the hand.

Qing Qilin's movements were somewhat sluggish; one hand clung to a tree branch while the other felt ahead, groping in the direction of He Lang.
It was only after stepping out of the lounge that Yang Jinxin realized those waiting to meet their car, besides Qin Muyang, included the newly appointed Premier Chen Hongzhi and a host of high-ranking military and political officials.
The meaning of his words was crystal clear: regardless of whether they were the ones who leaked this video, he would spare no one associated with this affair.

"In Lord Yining's view, this is merely bolstering others' morale while extinguishing our own prestige." The old official looked somewhat resentful.
"Damn it, why do they have to send me for such a trivial matter? I really don't know what they are thinking..." Shortly after, Old Ghost returned to the meeting room, muttering curses.

Mrs. Yang on the bed became too anxious to speak further, reduced to a fit of violent coughing. Yang Jinxin felt as though everything before her eyes was spinning; she hastily turned to tend to her mother and stumbled, collapsing right by the bedside.
The brutal slaughter between the two sides lasted for a full hour, yet the Red Turban Army still failed to plant their flag atop the city walls. When the smoke of battle finally cleared, General Ruan Wu, now shorn of his beard, had completely lost his temper, left only to stare blankly at the towering city walls before him.

The victorious Meng warriors regained their soaring morale. Taking advantage of the moment, Khan Bars reorganized and regrouped all troops, ordered Zhai Longbiao's head to be severed and placed in a wooden box, and recruited brave men to deliver it beneath the gates of Feihong Pass.
At this very moment, witnessing it with their own eyes, this mob of a hundred thousand finally felt terror and fear. They had merely come lured by the temptation of wealth; now, facing such a ferocious and overwhelming formation, how could they not be shocked, how could they not be afraid?

Whether in the Concession or the Chinese-administered territory, every person and faction with ties to the New Restoration Society turned cold with dread upon hearing the news, instantly severing all connections with the society and keeping as far away as if fleeing a plague.
"Your Highness, the Eldest Prince has arrived, saying he wishes to see you on an urgent matter. He has already entered the front courtyard," the housekeeper reported from outside the door.

"From this day forward, my life, Hong Pengyao, belongs to Young Master Chen. I shall never regret it, even through a hundred deaths." Immediately afterward, Hong Pengyao's resolute voice rang out, devoid of the slightest hesitation or doubt. For him, this was an opportunity—an irresistible opportunity.
Before Mo Liancheng, how could this bizarre entity possibly escape? With a single efflux of his profound Qi, he accurately and immovably imprisoned that mass of shadow, rendering it completely paralyzed.

This expression coincided precisely with the one the couple had worn earlier when inquiring of the old shopkeeper, further confirming to them that the curio shop indeed knew the whereabouts of the Ten-Thousand-Year Primordial Essence Tree.
"If we cannot fire our guns, does that mean we are helpless against you? Open fire!" Then, Mu Changning's sharp voice rang out.

The next day, Yan Shiqi was unsurprised to hear news that came as a shock to others: Zeng Jie had attempted to escape the palace and had been caught.
Sure enough, around noon, the people arrived about three miles away from the reputed habitat of the wild boars.
For reasons unknown, the moment Dai Dong stepped out of the house, he found himself irresistibly walking in the direction of Yunmeng Lake. By the time he regained his senses, he had already covered several miles.