Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 197 Avoid My Edge

Noon!

Murong Xueshan woke up.

She opened her eyes, stared blankly at the bed curtains above her head for a while.

Then she slowly sat up, the blanket slipped off, revealing her fair shoulders.

There were a few faint red marks on it. She looked down at them and her face felt slightly hot.

"woke up?"

A sound came from the doorway.

Murong Xue looked up and saw Lan Fenghuang walking in carrying a tray with porridge and side dishes on it.

"Sister Lan?" she asked, somewhat surprised. "What's wrong with you...?"

"I've come to see you." Lan Fenghuang placed the tray on the table, walked over, and sat down naturally on the edge of the bed.

"I just went to the kitchen and saw the maid warming porridge, so I brought it over with me."

She glanced at the marks on Murong Xue's shoulder, her eyes flickered, but she didn't say anything.

Murong Xue pulled the blanket up and asked softly, "Sister Lan...didn't you sleep well last night?"

"It's alright." Lan Fenghuang smiled, but the smile seemed a little forced. "It's just that I'm not quite used to it yet."

"What are you not used to?"

"I'm not used to it..." Lan Fenghuang paused, her voice lowering.

"I'm not used to such a lively place. When I was in the temple, I always cultivated alone!"

I'm currently staying at the guest quarters of the Prince's Mansion. Although it's quiet, I still can't fall asleep.

Murong Xue remained silent for a while.

She reached out and gently took Lan Fenghuang's hand.

"If Sister Lan is willing, you can come to my place often to sit and chat."

Lan Fenghuang looked up at Murong Xue.

Murong Xue's eyes were clear and sincere.

"...Okay." Lan Fenghuang nodded, then gripped Murong Xue's hand tightly. "Thank you, Xue'er."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

"Oh, right," Murong Xue suddenly remembered something, "my husband... didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

Lan Fenghuang blushed: "No, no, Your Highness was just... just saying it."

"Him?" Murong Xue shook her head and smiled, "He's just like that. He doesn't talk much, but he's actually quite shrewd. Sister Lan, please don't mind him."

"I know," Lan Fenghuang said softly.

"If Your Highness truly wished... you wouldn't have let me leave last night."

These words were quite blunt, and both of them fell silent for a moment.

Then they both burst out laughing.

"Let's eat some porridge," Lan Fenghuang stood up. "It won't taste good if it gets cold."

"Um."

Murong Xue put on her clothes, got out of bed, and sat down at the table.

Lan Fenghuang served her a bowl of porridge and added a few side dishes.

The two of them ate their midday breakfast in peace and quiet.

At this moment, everything is peaceful.

But both of them knew that this peace wouldn't last long.

……

Afternoon, Xishikou.

The execution platform has been set up.

The audience below the stage was packed with people, a dense, dark mass.

Some came to watch the spectacle, some to confirm the fate of their enemies, and some were simply pushed along.

Liu Zhenshan stood on one side of the execution platform, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his face expressionless.

The time has come.

The executioner tossed down his command token: "Execute!"

The executioner raised his knife and brought it down.

One by one, heads rolled off, and blood splattered everywhere.

The crowd gasped in surprise; some timid people covered their eyes, while the bolder ones craned their necks to look.

Liu Zhenshan scanned the entire room, his gaze sharp as a knife.

He saw several ordinary-looking people in the crowd, but with sharp eyes, staring intently at the stage.

When they saw the head fall to the ground, the men's expressions changed, and they quietly withdrew from the crowd.

Liu Zhenshan didn't move, but gave a wink to the commander beside him.

The commander understood and, leading a squad of elite cavalry, followed discreetly.

The beheading lasted for half an hour.

More than a hundred heads were piled up into a small mountain.

The executioner rose, loudly read out the charges, and then announced:

"His head will be displayed on the city wall for three days as a warning to others!"

The crowd erupted in uproar.

But no one dared to say anything.

Last night's bloody purge has made it clear to everyone.

This Prince of Zhenbei was not one to be merciful.

Liu Zhenshan turned and left the execution platform.

He still had to go back and report to Lin Chen.

Before leaving, he looked back at the city wall.

They've already started hanging up heads there.

One by one, row upon row, they appeared particularly dazzling in the afternoon sun.

He knew the news would soon spread throughout the world.

The news spread to Dongli, Nanyue, Beishuo, Xiyu, and even Zhongzhou, reaching the ears of everyone who harbored ill intentions towards Dayan.

and then?

Then, it's time for the next scene.

The storm that was bound to come would arrive sooner or later.

At that point, it will simply be another batch of people killed.

As Liu Zhenshan thought about his actions last night, a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

The days ahead shouldn't be boring anymore.

……

Jiangnan, the ancestral home of the Cui family.

In the study, Cui Yuanming, the head of the Cui family, sat in a grand chair, holding a string of sandalwood prayer beads in his hand, the beads making a "clattering" sound as they spun.

Standing in front of him were three middle-aged men, all of whom were key figures in the Cui family of this generation.

"Father, last night... our shops and hideouts in the capital were raided."

The leader, Cui Yongshan, turned pale. "Twenty-seven people, all dead."

"The banks in the south of the city are finished too." The second son, Cui Yonghai, gritted his teeth.

"The shopkeeper was an old man we'd supported for twenty years. They didn't even bother to interrogate him; they just beheaded him."

"And..." The third brother, Cui Yongjiang, trembled.

"The merchants and allies who had been cooperating with us have all terminated their contracts and sent word that... they dare not offend the Prince of Zhenbei!"

"Snapped!"

The Buddhist prayer beads in Cui Yuanming's hand broke, and the beads rolled all over the ground with a "crackling" sound.

The three sons were too frightened to speak.

"You dare not offend me?" Cui Yuanming slowly raised his eyes, a fierce glint flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"Does Lin Chen really have absolute power?"

"Father, now is not the time for a direct confrontation," Cui Yongshan said in a low voice.

"Lin Chen has terrestrial immortals under his command and a large army, what about us..."

"I know," Cui Yuanming interrupted him, "That's why I told you to be patient."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gloomy sky outside.

"Any news from Zhongzhou?"

"Not yet!" Cui Yongshan sighed.

"The news hasn't reached Zhongzhou yet, but the Netherworld Sect previously reported that they suffered heavy losses and shouldn't send anyone to confront Lin Chen directly for the time being!"

Cui Yonghai muttered, "They've lost three terrestrial immortals, can they just let it go like this?"

"No, forget it." Cui Yongshan shook his head.

"It's just not the right time yet. The Netherworld Sect says... when the 'great change of heaven and earth' occurs, all old and new grudges will be settled together."

"The world has undergone a great change..." Cui Yuanming murmured repeatedly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Okay, then let's wait."

He turned to look at his three sons:

"Pass down the order: all undercover agents must remain silent, all businesses must be reduced by 30%, and all people connected to us... cut ties where necessary, and distance ourselves from those who should be distanced."

"Father!" Cui Yongjiang cried out in resentment, "Our Cui family's thousand-year-old legacy..."

"Is your legacy more important, or your life?" Cui Yuanhao asked coldly.

"Lin Chen is now the Prince of Zhenbei and the consort of the Eldest Princess. Even His Majesty has to give him some leeway. If we go head-to-head with him, we're just courting death."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "But... as long as you're alive, there's a chance."

The three sons exchanged glances, each seeing the ruthlessness in the other's eyes.

"Understood, Father."