Shen Jianxi, perhaps influenced by him and her own weary body and mind, felt drowsy soon after lying down and succumbed to sleep.
Outside.
A Xiu, who should have been busy, was now in Granny Fang's room.
If any villager were present, they would have noticed that Granny Fang's legs were completely different from her usual portrayal; she moved with surprising agility, showing no sign of a limp.
Her face, too, had lost its usual kindness, replaced by an indescribable coldness.
Granny Fang sat by the bedside, with A Xiu kneeling respectfully before her.
"Your Highness," she said, her hand going to her waist where a poisoned dagger was hidden. "That person is trapped here now, should we..." With just a word from Granny Fang, A Xiu could go and kill the two people in the room.
But to her surprise, Granny Fang refused her suggestion.
"Not yet," a cold glint flashed in Granny Fang's eyes. "The entire royal family of my Zhoujin Kingdom, over a hundred people, were all killed by Qin Lang. Killing him like this would be too merciful."
"I want to make him wish he were dead!"
"And that woman beside him, hmph! I never expected this person to appear here, but it's good. This time, we can send them both on their way!"
The hatred in her words made A Xiu's breath catch. She lowered her head further, not daring to displease her at this moment.
Granny Fang was originally the Empress Dowager of the Zhoujin Kingdom. Zhoujin was the first country to fall under Emperor An's unification of the world. To strike fear into the hearts of all, after they surrendered, he still resolutely slaughtered the entire royal family.
This was why conquering other countries later went so smoothly.
Her country was destroyed, her family ruined; such hatred was something Granny Fang could never forget. After her country fell, she aged over ten years overnight, which was why Qin Lang did not recognize her.
Heaven had opened its eyes and let these two villains fall into her hands!
...
Inside the house, Shen Jianxi slept until seven or eight in the evening. The fatigue of the past few days was mostly dispelled in this sleep, and she felt a rare sense of relaxation.
When she woke, Qin Lang's eyes were still closed. She didn't know when she had ended up in his arms.
There was no shyness; Shen Jianxi merely felt annoyed. She tsked softly and unceremoniously pushed away the man's arm.
As her hand touched him, Qin Lang's sharp eyes snapped open. He instinctively grabbed her wrist, and his other hand went to her neck.
The moment he applied pressure, Shen Jianxi felt as if her bones were about to shatter.
"Qin Lang!" she couldn't help but cry out. "Let go!"
Upon seeing who it was, Qin Lang immediately loosened his grip. Just as he was about to let go, he heard her words and, with a mischievous intent, tightened his hold and pulled her closer.
"What's wrong, my lady?" he asked lazily, lying on his side, his mood clearly good. "Your husband is here."
Hearing his address again, Shen Jianxi used her free hand to punch him hard in the stomach. Seeing him wince in pain and loosen his grip, she triumphantly wagged her fist.
"Nothing!" she paused, then grinned. "I just wanted to tell you, your father is here."
With that, she quickly darted away, giving Qin Lang no chance to retaliate.
Her figure vanished in a flash. The man, who had been clutching his stomach as if in great pain, released his hand and lowered his head, lost in thought.
Knowing they were awake, A Xiu had specially prepared a bowl of noodles for the two of them.
After she left, Shen Jianxi and Qin Lang sat at the table, staring at each other without touching their chopsticks.
"These noodles..." The aroma of the noodles filled the air, and Shen Jianxi felt her saliva secreting frequently. "...are they poisoned?"
Qin Lang spread his hands. "I don't know. My lady can try. If anything happens, your husband will surely collect your corpse for you."
Giving the man a glare, Shen Jianxi remembered touching his shoulder earlier, which felt as good as new. She steeled herself and decided to satisfy her poor, weak stomach first.
"I'll eat first. If I'm going to die, I'll be a well-fed ghost."
With those words, she picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.
Qin Lang watched her in surprise, then curved his lips playfully, a languid smile on his face.
By the time Shen Jianxi finished her bowl, he thoughtfully pushed his own towards her. "Here, there's more. It's clean."
"Thank you, but I've had enough."
Patting her slightly full stomach, she firmly refused.
However, she kept Qin Lang's kindness in mind. In the future...
"Enough?" the man drawled maliciously, his voice drawn out. "My lady, don't trouble yourself. Being plump and fair is good for childbearing."
"......" A moment of silence fell in the room, followed by an enraged roar, "Get out!!!!!!"
The man burst into hearty laughter and finally picked up his chopsticks.
In the other room, Granny Fang, hearing the laughter and merriment from their side, wished she could tear him apart with her bare hands, eat his flesh raw, drink his blood, pull out his tendons, and then scatter his ashes to the wind.
However, given Qin Lang's current heightened vigilance, she could not make any moves.
"A Xiu."
A Xiu, standing behind her, stepped forward. "Your Highness, what are your orders?"
Granny Fang lifted her chin with her finger, examining her from side to side, and nodded with satisfaction.
"I want you to seduce Qin Lang. Can you do it?"
A Xiu stiffened. Thinking of that simple and honest man, she instinctively wanted to refuse, but in the end, she nodded. "A Xiu will not fail Your Highness's expectations."
Granny Fang raised her chin high. She naturally understood the principle of striking first and then rewarding. She then changed her tone to a more intimate one. "Now, you are all I have left. Don't worry, I'm not really asking you to get involved with that Qin Lang. I just need you to find the right opportunity to slip this into his food." Saying this, she handed A Xiu a sachet.
Granny Fang took A Xiu's hand, which was already calloused from hard work and felt a bit rough. Looking at these hands, her eyes filled with sadness and heartache. "I am old, and anything can happen to me. It is only my poor Xiu'er who has suffered so much." Su Dan Novel Network
"Don't worry. When that Qin Lang and the dog emperor are dead, I will arrange for you to marry Wang An."
Her words made A Xiu forget the difference in status between mistress and servant, and she looked up in shock. "Really!?"
"Of course, it's true." Granny Fang smiled kindly. "After... we will depend on each other. I have long regarded you as my own daughter, and naturally, I wish you happiness."
After saying this, A Xiu's eyes welled up, her throat choked. She knelt on the ground and said, "A Xiu is willing to do anything for Your Highness."