"Little Moon, guess who I am?"
A gruff voice rang out.
"Daddy, you're so old, can you stop being so childish? You scared me."
Yue Liang's tone carried a hint of complaint.
Honestly, she wasn't a child anymore, yet he still played these games with her. How annoying.
Moreover, as a Grand Marshal, wasn't he afraid of outsiders laughing at him if they saw this?
"Alas, Little Moon has grown up and dislikes her daddy now."
The large hand released its grip, and the man's expression was tinged with a bit of loneliness. It was Yue Longgang.
Who would have thought that Yue Longgang, the iron-fisted, overbearing Grand Marshal who disdained everything, was actually a doting father?
It was understandable. After having more than ten sons, this was his only daughter, so naturally, he cherished her like a precious gem.
"No, I don't."
Yue Liang said with a touch of guilt, but she truly disliked Yue Longgang still treating her like a child. She had already grown up, after all.
Yue Longgang sighed and earnestly lectured, "My dear daughter, how many times have I told you not to sneak out to play? The outside world is dangerous, people's hearts are complex, it's so perilous. You must stay home from now on and never run outside again, understand!"
"I wasn't going out to play, I was going to do something serious."
Yue Liang pouted and stuffed all the gold notes in her arms into Yue Longgang's hands. "Here, I went to make money. This is a small token of my appreciation for the soldiers."
Recently, the saying "though of humble position, one does not forget the nation" had been circulating in Wangjing. She also felt patriotic and wanted to contribute her strength.
"Good daughter, how can you accept favors? This is not allowed, return it quickly."
Yue Longgang's expression changed drastically when he saw so many gold notes.
If it were his son, he would have slapped him long ago.
But he couldn't bear to lay a hand on his "little cotton jacket."
Accepting gifts was his taboo, something no one could violate.
"Daddy, I didn't accept anyone's favor. I earned this. No, it should be that scoundrel gave it to me."
Yue Liang recounted the events in broad strokes.
"You mean you paid for someone's tea and received this as a reward!"
Yue Longgang didn't believe it at all. How could such a good thing exist in the world? It was simply unbelievable.
Could it be a trap set by someone to curry favor with him?
But Yue Liang rarely went out, so it was impossible for someone to know in advance and set up such a scheme targeting her.
Yue Longgang asked, "What was that scoundrel's name again?"
"Um, he said his name was Ji Mo, but I'm sure it's fake," Yue Liang replied.
"Ji Mo?"
Yue Longgang quickly inquired about the person's appearance and then confirmed it was indeed Ji Mo.
But what was Ji Mo's intention?
Yue Longgang frowned.
He was certain this wasn't a scheme. After all, given Ji Mo's personality, he would never try to curry favor with him.
This meant that it was all a coincidence, and the other party was genuinely repaying Yue Liang's kindness.
Spending hundreds of thousands of gold, kid, you're something!
Yue Longgang had never looked favorably upon any man in the world, but Ji Mo suited his taste, and Ji Mo was truly exceptionally outstanding, impeccable in appearance, talent, and character.
He looked at Yue Liang, whose eyes narrowed into crescent moons when she mentioned Ji Mo, and couldn't help but sigh: his daughter had truly grown up.
"Little Moon, what do you think of that person?"
He asked tentatively.
"Well, that scoundrel is quite good. He repays kindness, keeps his word, and treats wealth like dirt..."
Yue Liang counted on her fingers, listing a heap of Ji Mo's merits.
Seeing his daughter's radiant smile when she mentioned Ji Mo, Yue Longgang's fatherly heart ached.
But his own little cabbage would eventually be snatched by a pig, and as a father, he could only find the best pig for his daughter.
This pig, Ji Mo, was passable.
"Ji Mo, consider these gold notes as betrothal gifts. Since you intend to help Ying Tianbao seize the throne, I'll lend you a hand."
Yue Longgang made his decision.
Originally, he wouldn't have interfered in such matters at all, as it made no difference to him whether Ying Tianci or Ying Tianbao succeeded the throne. But now, for his daughter's happiness, he had to change his stance.
At this moment.
Ji Mo, unaware that he had inexplicably gained a father-in-law, was leisurely strolling through the streets.
He regretted not keeping some of the gold notes for himself.
Now that his pockets were empty, he couldn't buy anything he wanted.
And he had no idea that some strange people were trailing him, having followed him at some point.
These people concealed their auras, disguised themselves as ordinary civilians, and followed Ji Mo from a distance.
Intense killing intent flickered in the depths of their pupils.
These were assassins sent by enemy nations to kill Ji Mo.
Ji Mo, completely unaware of the impending danger, turned into a secluded alley.
"Attack together and finish him."
The assassins revealed their ferocious expressions, seeing this as a prime opportunity, and followed him in.
But they didn't know that a graceful black shadow, like a nightmare, had set its sights on them.
The hunt had suddenly begun!
Before these assassins could even make a move against Ji Mo, they fell one by one, silently eliminated.
More than a dozen assassins had no chance to resist, dying cleanly.
"Alas, I think I saw the girl who forcefully kissed me in the Heavenly Realm Inn last time."
Ji Mo heard movement behind him and glanced back.
He vaguely saw a figure in a tight black leather suit, with an incredibly voluptuous figure, flash past.
Recalling the ripple effect of the previous encounter, he couldn't help but smack his lips.
Black Rose hid in the shadow of a building, her entire being seeming to merge with the darkness.
She flicked the blood off her dagger and whispered, "What did you do to attract so many assassins to ambush you? But your life can only be mine."
Originally, Black Rose had also come to assassinate Ji Mo to wash away the humiliation from last time.
But for some reason, upon discovering that someone wanted to kill Ji Mo, she eliminated all these assassins without any hesitation.
Black Rose muttered to herself, "I'm not protecting this scoundrel. When I get the chance, I will definitely kill him."
But these words were merely self-deception, because the moment she saw Ji Mo, her heart held no trace of killing intent.
Returning to the Prince's Mansion.
As soon as he stepped through the gate, a figure rushed forward and knelt directly before Ji Mo.
"Young Master Ji, this old servant has wronged you. This old servant will kowtow and apologize now."
Steward Fu's face was filled with shame, and he immediately prepared to kowtow to Ji Mo.
"Steward Fu, what are you doing?"
Ji Mo quickly pulled Steward Fu up, his head full of confusion, not understanding what had gotten into Steward Fu.
"This old servant was blind and has always mistaken you for a charlatan. In my heart, I've always wanted to drive you away. I never expected that Young Master Ji is a hidden dragon among men, a peerless talent with the ability to govern the world."
Steward Fu looked at Ji Mo with fervent admiration.
Ji Mo was even more bewildered. What had he done?
How had he suddenly become a peerless genius?
Steward Fu's mind must have gone haywire.