Chapter 1782 - 1768

Ye Liang’s cheeks instantly burned like fire. She lifted her eyes and glared at Ru Xue, but by then Ru Xue had already walked far away, leaving only her graceful back.

She raised a hand to touch her face, and kept warning herself in her heart that Ru Xue’s words couldn’t be trusted, mustn’t be trusted; yet the more she thought that, the more her cheeks seemed to burn, hotter and hotter as if scorched by flames.

All of a sudden, Ye Liang poured the now-cold tea on the table into her mouth. A chill slid down her throat and spread through her body, easing the heat in her body a little.

She had to admit, Ru Xue’s soul-hooking technique was really something. Just a few simple words and she’d managed to make her blush.

Ye Liang steadied her emotions, and the flush of heat on her face slowly faded.

After Ru Xue left the tavern, she didn’t hurry back to the Prince Manor.

"Princess Consort, the Prince said you should return early," the maid following at her side saw her heading in the opposite direction from the Prince Manor and hurried forward to speak.

Ru Xue slightly turned her eyes, and said in an icy tone, "What? I need you to manage whatever I want to do?"

"This servant wouldn’t dare." The maid was so frightened she quickly lowered her head.

"Enough. I’m going to see my savior. You all go back." Ru Xue waved her hand lightly at them.

"But Princess Consort... your safety..." The maids didn’t dare act rashly—if she said go back, they couldn’t just go. If anything happened to the Princess Consort, even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to chop off.

Ru Xue looked at their useless expressions and gave a cold snort. "You think something can happen under the Emperor’s very nose? Besides, the Beggar Gang isn’t far, just up ahead. It’s such a short distance—could there really be someone bold enough to commit robbery?"

"That’s not what this servant meant." The maid drooped her head even lower. "Princess Consort, this servant is worried... worried..."

"Worried about what? Or are you worried that people in the Beggar Gang will be bad to me?" Ru Xue arched a brow.

The maid said nothing; that was exactly what she feared.

"Although the Prince and the Beggar Gang disagree on many political views, it hasn’t come to the point of drawing swords. Besides, I’m going to the Beggar Gang to see my benefactor, not to stir up trouble on purpose. The Beggar Gang is also a reasonable place; they won’t do anything to me."

That was what she said, but the maids and followers were still uneasy. Ru Xue couldn’t exactly tell them that she knew martial arts and that those people in the Beggar Gang were no match for her at all. Seeing their faces full of difficulty, Ru Xue sighed lightly. "Fine, then you can come along."

What a hassle—wherever she went there was a whole crowd trailing after her; it was not convenient at all! She couldn’t even climb a wall if she wanted to!

Ever since she came here, the martial arts she used the most was the Fox Charm Technique, and her biggest success was Prince He Shuo. As for other men, she disdained to use it on them.

But Chu Ge... Thinking of how she had used the Fox Charm Technique on Chu Ge at the conscription site before, yet he had remained completely unmoved, Ru Xue’s inner flames of anger rose uncontrollably.

No man had ever escaped from the palm of her hand! This time she was going to the Beggar Gang precisely to try again. She wanted to firmly take Chu Ge down before he entered the military camp; that would make things much easier for her in the future.

With the followers accompanying Ru Xue, some people recognized that among them were people from the Prince Manor. Seeing that they were heading toward the Beggar Gang, they stopped in their tracks at once and began to gossip.

Slowly, everywhere they passed, people were whispering about them. Ru Xue’s brows furrowed slightly at the sight, and she grew even more annoyed inside.

When she realized that these people could so easily affect her mood, she had a bad premonition.

This was not how an Assassin should be. If she was easily influenced by others and her emotions were out of place, it would be easy for someone to catch her by the handle, and in serious cases, it could even bring disaster down on her.

Ru Xue narrowed her eyes slightly, fixed her gaze ahead, and only after a long moment did she restore her mood to normal.

Two guards stood at the gate of the Beggar Gang. From a distance they saw Ru Xue leading a whole group, coming toward them in great numbers.

"Quick! Go report to the Gang Leader!" One of them recognized that the person was the Princess Consort and hurriedly spoke.

Luo Qi received the news while he was fussing over his vegetable patch in the courtyard. His hands were still covered in dirt, and his clothes were in disarray, making him look quite a mess.

"Gang Leader, the Princess Consort is headed this way to the Beggar Gang."

"So let her come. What are you so flustered about? She’s walking this way, but that doesn’t mean she’s coming to our Beggar Gang!" Luo Qi snorted lightly and continued tinkering with his vegetable garden. Aside from that one time when the Princess Consort suddenly came to their Beggar Gang saying she wanted to thank Mr. Chu for saving her life, when had she ever come to the Beggar Gang?

"She is coming to our Beggar Gang. She’s already at the gate right now!" The little beggar was about to die of anxiety seeing how unhurried Luo Qi was.

Luo Qi was puzzled. "Again? What for?"

Though that was what he said, his body obediently stepped out of the vegetable patch. As he patted the dirt off his clothes, he complained to the little beggar, "This year really is full of strange things. The Princess Consort’s come to our Beggar Gang twice already."

If word of this got out, those who didn’t know the situation might think their Beggar Gang had reconciled with Prince He Shuo! And if some busybody started wagging their tongue, who knew what kind of rumors would be spread!

Luo Qi washed his hands and was just about to instruct the little beggar who had come to relay the news when another little beggar came running over in a panic. "Boss Luo, the Princess Consort is here!"

So she really had come to their Beggar Gang!

"I know! Look at how flustered you are! It’s just a Princess Consort. All right, you all go to the front hall and receive her first. Oh, and go inform Luo Jiu and have him come out too."

This troublesome matter couldn’t be left all to him; Luo Jiu had to share the trouble as well.

"Yes!"

Ru Xue sat in the main hall. Though she said nothing, her presence was there for all to see. The little beggars who had come to attend to her stood there trembling, not daring to breathe loudly.

Although they were from the Beggar Gang and normally feared nothing, they always felt a certain instinctive fear toward these officials... No! Toward women like her!

They didn’t even dare to look directly at the maids beside Ru Xue.

"What’s your Boss Luo busy with?" Ru Xue asked calmly.

"He’s in the back courtyard. He’s already been notified and will be here soon."

As the little beggar finished speaking, Luo Jiu stepped in first. "Well now, if it isn’t the Princess Consort. What Wind is it today that’s blown you here?"

He certainly didn’t think the Princess Consort had just dropped by in passing, or that she’d come to see them. Wasn’t it like this last time? She was most likely here to see Mr. Chu.

Ru Xue smiled. "We’re heading out to war tomorrow. As a woman I can’t be present at the send-off, so I made a special trip today to see Mr. Chu off."

Just as expected.

Luo Jiu pressed his lips together. He turned his head to glance toward the entrance; even now his elder brother still hadn’t shown up. It seemed his elder brother had also guessed the Princess Consort’s purpose and had gone to find Mr. Chu, right?