"Yes, I'll go find him right away." The man retreated.
Xue Changan angrily threw the teacup, exclaiming, "Useless."
If she hadn't been short of people, she wouldn't have thought of using money to buy someone from Qianjin Tower. Who would have thought that the renowned Qianjin Tower would also have such fools?
As for Xue Yu, he was indeed useful, but Xue Yu's reaction when he saw An Ning that day made her wary.
"Ah..." Wen Yuxi rubbed his nose and threw away the teacup that his sneeze had just sprayed.
Who was cursing him? Did they not want to live?
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and asked, "Wen Nuan, how many days has Wen Ling been gone?"
Before he finished speaking, a woman in red landed before him, kneeling on one knee, and respectfully said, "Reporting to the楼主, didn't you sell Wen Ling for twenty thousand taels of silver a few days ago?" Da Feng Novel Network
Wen Yuxi blinked upon hearing this and asked, "When did Wen Ling become so valuable?"
Wen Nuan's mouth twitched upon hearing this, "Didn't the楼主 say that Wen Ling was proficient in all fifty-eight martial arts? Whoever uses him will know?"
Wen Yuxi couldn't help but laugh, "As for the people of Qianjin Tower, haven't I praised them a few times? Otherwise, how could it become the number one assassin tower in the world?"
"Yes,楼主, you are right. It's just Wen Ling..."
His mind was a bit slow. He truly worried for the buyer.
"Wen Ling is very good. He is decisive and has a single focus in his mind. Whatever you ask me to do, he will do it without any personal agenda." Wen Yuxi said.
Wen Nuan couldn't help but roll her eyes, "The楼主's twenty thousand taels were very worth it."
"I also think it was very worth it," Wen Yuxi said.
He picked up the teacup, looked at the tea inside, and sighed softly.
Seeing this, Wen Nuan asked, "Why is the楼主 sighing?"
"I was thinking of that old friend. I wonder how she is doing?"
"楼主, if your old friend is still alive, you can go and see her."
Wen Yuxi shook his head, "She might not recognize me."
"楼主, you jest. Who doesn't know the楼主 of Qianjin Tower?"
"Alright, you may go!" Wen Yuxi waved her away.
Wen Nuan withdrew.
He drank the tea in one gulp, the scene from that day still vivid in his mind.
Empress, are you well?
An Ning felt she was not well. She had tried her best to avoid inhaling the aphrodisiac, but some of it still entered her nose. At this moment, she bit her lower lip and used the hairpin on her head to stab her finger. The pain made her more alert.
At this time, she followed two maids to a secluded place in the backyard. After the maids left, she quietly walked forward. Perhaps they were too confident that no one inside would escape, as there were no guards.
She gently pushed open the door, and the sound of a bowl falling to the ground came from within, followed by a woman's voice, "Tell him to come and see me..."
This voice was not An Ru's or An Ping's, but it sounded familiar.
She walked forward and saw a young girl sitting on the ground, attempting to use the broken bowl pieces to cut a rope.
However, it was not a rope but an iron chain, which could not be cut at all.
"Who are you?" An Ning asked.
The girl slowly raised her eyes. Upon seeing her, her entire body trembled, and she stared at her with wide eyes, "Xue... Xue Zining?"
An Ning was startled and took a step closer, saying, "I am not her."
Xue Zining, she knew who that was – the former Empress of Huangze.
Xue Changan had called her a fake empress, but she knew it wasn't that simple.
The girl looked closely, and her gaze gradually returned to normal. "You are indeed not her. You lack her presence."
"Who are you?" An Ning asked.
The girl gave a low laugh, tinged with sadness, "Xue Yunlan."
An Ning was slightly taken aback, "The Yunlan County Princess, the most beloved daughter of the Regent who once held absolute power in Huangze."
Xue Yunlan smiled, her smile filled with immeasurable sorrow, "How long has it been since anyone introduced me like this?"
It seemed like a very long time.
"How did you end up here?" An Ning asked.
Hearing this, Xue Yunlan's face, which could be seen to have been pretty once, had now become hideous and terrifying. "It's all my fault for trusting the wrong person, leading to my current predicament. I brought this upon myself; I deserve it."
She couldn't help but use her chained hand to slap herself fiercely.
"Do you want to get out?" An Ning suddenly asked.
Xue Yunlan trembled all over, "Can you save me?"
An Ning shook her head, "I am also trapped here. To escape, we need to save ourselves."
"You are willing to save me?" Xue Yunlan seemed disbelieving.
An Ning said, "I'll save you because I can't escape on my own. If I save you, you will have to listen to me from now on."
Xue Yunlan did not hesitate, "I will listen to you."
"Good," An Ning said, while taking out her hairpin and poking at Xue Yunlan's iron chain.
Xue Yunlan was about to say it was impossible, that she had tried, but before the words could come out, the iron chain on her hand suddenly broke.
Xue Yunlan was stunned. Seeing An Ning move to unlock the chain on her feet, she couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid I'll betray you after you save me?"
An Ning said without looking up, "I believe that your experiences over the years have allowed you to discern what is most beneficial to you."
As she finished speaking, the leg chain also came undone.
Xue Yunlan tried to stand up. Perhaps due to not walking for a long time, she staggered after a few steps. Seeing this, An Ning quickly supported her, preventing her from falling.
Xue Yunlan sighed, "I haven't stood up for so long, I don't even know how to walk anymore."
"Take your time," An Ning said.
After half an incense stick's time, Xue Yunlan had adapted.
The two looked at each other. An Ning asked, "Have you heard anyone here mention Princess An Ru and Princess An Ping?"
Xue Yunlan shook her head, then suddenly seemed to remember something. She said, "But I did hear them mention some 'most noble princess,' and then send her to the dirtiest place."
An Ning trembled all over and couldn't help but step forward, asking, "Are you telling the truth?"
Xue Yunlan nodded, "Yes."
An Ning could hardly imagine what An Ru would do in such a situation. No, she had to rescue An Ru quickly.
"Do you know where that is?" An Ning asked.
Xue Yunlan shook her head, "I don't know, because the only people I've seen are the two who bring food. I haven't seen anyone else."
"You mentioned that heartless person earlier. Who is he?" An Ning asked.
Xue Yunlan trembled all over, her eyes filled with hatred, "He hasn't seen me for a long time."
"Who is he?"
Xue Yunlan's gaze paused, then she gritted her teeth and squeezed out from between them, "Xue Yu."
An Ning was stunned, disbelieving, "Xue Yu?"
Xue Yunlan nodded, her smile tragically bitter, "If I hadn't trusted him wrongly, I wouldn't have fallen to this point today."
"In that case, he must know where An Ru is?"
Xue Yunlan shook her head, "I don't know."
"Miss Xue, can you lure him here?" An Ning thought of a plan.
"I'm very sorry, I can't do that," Xue Yunlan said apologetically.
"I have a way," An Ning leaned forward and whispered.