Aurelian Dragon repeatedly looked at the small white silk handkerchief in her hand. It had been delivered to her residence by a pretty palace maid a quarter of an hour earlier. The guards in the residence did not dare to be careless and quickly handed it to Aurelian Dragon. By the time Aurelian Dragon left the residence, the palace maid had already disappeared.
Unfolding the neatly folded silk scarf, a simple route map was drawn on it with an eyebrow pencil, and below it were a few delicate characters: "By the Moon Lake, at the Jade Heart Pavilion, at three in the afternoon, I await your private meeting. I eagerly await it! I eagerly await it!" At the end was a faint signature, hazy and full of charm, because above the signature was a delicate, small, bright red lip print, exuding a subtle and elegant fragrance, appearing both sensual and ingenious.
After examining it closely, Aurelian Dragon finally concluded that the sensual invitation was from the hand of the capricious Princess Selene Qian. First, the messenger was a palace maid; second, the delicate red lip print was very similar in shape to Princess Selene Qian's small mouth; and third, the two locations mentioned on the scarf were near the villa where Princess Selene Qian had once told him. With these three reasons combined, wasn't the person behind the scarf obvious?
Thinking of this, Aurelian Dragon couldn't help but feel proud of his clever mind. He hadn't seen that capricious and clingy beautiful princess for many days, and now she finally couldn't stand the loneliness and came knocking on his door. But how could the usually careless Princess Selene Qian have learned to play such an alluring tune?
It seems my charm is truly irresistible! A man who never hesitates to praise himself is naturally pleased with himself at this moment. He solemnly places the fragrant little silk scarf in his arms, looking forward to the wonderful afternoon with anticipation.
※ ※ ※
Gilmans was eating when he received the report from his subordinate. He immediately stood up from his seat, his narrow eyes flashing with a terrifying cold light, causing the man in front of him to break out in a cold sweat.
"What did you say? That batch of red goods was stolen from our territory!?"
"Yes..." The man, already ashamed, was speechless. He could only lower his head deeply and wait anxiously for his master's judgment.
Damn it! Damn it all!
Gilmans shoved his chair back, his voice laced with barely concealed anger. It was understandable that he was furious; this was a shipment of weapons and equipment transported from the important eastern city of "Golden Sea City," including a large number of magic crossbows. He had spent a fortune acquiring these from the Celestial Clan; their power was formidable, enough to significantly enhance the combat capabilities of his men. He didn't want them to be stolen at this crucial moment; if word got out, the chaos would be immense.
The thought that the court is currently preparing for the Second Prince's wedding ceremony, and if the robber were to use these weapons during this time, the consequences would be unimaginable, and it would be even more troublesome if a thorough investigation were to be conducted.
"What on earth is Jeff doing? How could he cause such a huge mess!"
"Lord Jeft is working hard to investigate. It is said that a group of mysterious people appeared in the vicinity when the incident occurred," the subordinate replied tremblingly.
Upon hearing this, Gilmans became even more enraged and turned around with a cold smile.
"Now that suspicious individuals have been identified, why not investigate further? Don't you know the connection between these things? What a bunch of incompetent fools!"
"..." The man, covered in sweat, was speechless and could only lower his head.
Footsteps sounded, and the bald butler strode in, causing the terrified servants to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Jules bowed to Gilimans and said, "Sir, Mr. Ying has arrived."
"Oh, please come quickly!" Gilmans' anger subsided slightly as he dismissed the uneasy servants. "Go tell Jeft that if he doesn't make any progress on this matter by tonight, let him deal with it himself! I told him to have people watch over those things, and look what he's done!"
As the poor servant hurriedly retreated, he came face to face with a tall, thin man with a goatee who was just entering from outside. The tall, thin man, dressed in a white robe, looked unremarkable, and it would not be an exaggeration to call him vulgar.
"Who is this guy? He looks like a boring schoolteacher. Why is the master being so polite to him?"
The servant left with these questions in mind, while the man called Mr. Ying was greeted by Gilmans as he descended the steps to enter the inner hall.
"Sir, you must have brought good news with you this time?"
"I'm all smiles," said Gilmans, inviting Mr. Ying to sit down opposite him. Jules then walked to the entrance of the hall and found a seat, a spot from which he could perfectly observe the surrounding area.
Gilmans was overjoyed upon hearing this. The fact that Zhao Wuji, the commander of the Northern Army Corps who held real power in Yongzhou, had switched sides to his side would undoubtedly greatly enhance his own strength. In this way, his voice in the military would also be much stronger.
"Sir, you have done a truly remarkable service this time!" Gilmans stood up. "Where is Young Master Zhao? Please invite him in!"
Mr. Ying stroked his goatee and said calmly, "I have already arranged for them to stay at Xifeng Pavilion. I think it would be best if Your Excellency went there in person to show your sincerity."
Gilmans nodded and said, "Indeed, Mr. Ying is quite right! Let's go now." He paused for a moment, then added sincerely, "It is truly a great fortune for Mr. Ying to return to my side!"
Mr. Ying smiled slightly, turned to look at Jules at the door, and then said to Gilmans, "With such a sage by your side, why would you say such a thing? You flatter me!"
Gilmans chuckled and said, "Sir, you are too modest. As for Steward Yu, how could I be without him by my side?"
"I believe that if Mr. Yu were to take charge of this matter, he would achieve great things," Mr. Ying said calmly. "I had already heard about it when I arrived, and based on my assessment, the most likely culprit is an inside agent!"
Gilmans' eyes flickered, and he looked hesitantly at Mr. Ying, saying, "What you mean, sir..."
Mr. Ying chuckled and took over the conversation, "I was merely guessing. If I were to say it, it would only confuse people, which is why I thought of asking Mr. Yu for his presence."
Gilmans chuckled and said, "Since Mr. Ying puts it that way, then Mr. Yu, you'll have to trouble yourself this time."
Jules, who had remained silent and composed throughout, nodded in agreement and then accompanied Gilles and Mr. Ying out of the inner hall.
※ ※ ※
Around 2 p.m., those around Aurelian Dragon noticed that the Governor seemed a little different today. Obsidia Shade and Cynthia found Aurelian Dragon's restless appearance amusing, but also a little curious about what had caused him to act this way.
"Young master, aren't we going to Serena Vale's place this afternoon?" Obsidia Shade finally couldn't help but ask tentatively.
"Oh, didn't we go this morning?" Aurelian Dragon answered without hesitation. "It seems like I won't make much progress if I go again."
"But didn't you used to report for work every morning and afternoon on time?"
Although she thought this to herself, Obsidia Shade didn't say it aloud, but simply glanced at her older sister Cynthia sitting to the side. The leader of the goddess warriors was idly toying with a pen in her hand.
"Cynthia, weren't you going to teach them the Shield Technique?"
As if suddenly struck by a thought, Aurelian Dragon walked up to Cynthia and said...
"Huh, wasn't Young Master supposed to come along?" Cynthia looked up at Aurelian Dragon with a puzzled expression. "Besides, it's not time yet. It's too early to go now. Little Sister Dragon must still be training them hard. To be honest, there are very few captains as formidable as her. I don't think many of them will be able to hold out."
"I think it's because Sister Feng caught Long Xiaomei leading this group of guys and she's unhappy about it."
Obsidia Shade chuckled softly, then said, "Young master, shouldn't we do the same thing as yesterday? First, go to Serena Vale's place and drink her homemade herbal tea, and then go to the training ground." Thinking of Serena Vale's skillfully brewed herbal tea, Obsidia Shade immediately felt that lingering, delightful aroma fill her mouth.
Aurelian Dragon chuckled as he thought of the poor soldiers who had been tortured by Lyra Draconis. Fortunately, Lyra Draconis was now focused on training her men, and without the occasional pranks from this strange and beautiful girl, Aurelian Dragon felt much more at ease.
Seeing that it was almost time, Aurelian Dragon's eyes lit up and she said to Cynthia, "I forgot to mention earlier, Phoenix seemed to have said that you should go early today, as she has something to discuss with you."
"Really?" Cynthia was taken aback. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Didn't I tell you already? Go now!"
"That young master's companion..."
"It's alright, Obsidia Shade and I will be there soon! You and your sisters go ahead first!"
After sending Cynthia and her goddess warriors away, Aurelian Dragon devised another excuse to send Obsidia Shade away as well. Then he secretly slipped out of the Eastern Governor's Mansion and headed towards the place indicated on the little scarf.
At this moment, Aurelian Dragon was filled with the heroic ambition of stealing a kiss, because this action reminded him of the absurd affair he had done in Xijiang. The greatest temptation of this kind of thing is the unknown consequences. This strange thrill of being afraid of being found out, yet wanting to be found out, is enough to make any man unable to resist.
Bixin Pavilion is a two-story lakeside pavilion with green glazed tiles on its roof. It looks quite beautiful under the shade of green trees. It is obvious that this area belongs to the royal garden area. Apart from a few low-rise buildings that are arranged in a staggered and exquisite manner, there are hardly any people in the huge place.
This scene, witnessed by a certain man, further solidified his resolve. Following the directions indicated by the small scarf, Aurelian Dragon found the rather uniquely styled wooden building without any difficulty.
"Hey, where are those two adorable twin sisters?"
Upon seeing a pretty maid standing at the entrance of the Jade Heart Pavilion, Aurelian Dragon was somewhat surprised. This was a woman he had never seen before, dressed in the attire of a court maid.
Upon seeing the Aurelian Dragons, the woman bowed to him and said with delight, "Greetings, Your Excellency! The princess has been waiting for you upstairs for quite some time!"
"Really?" Aurelian Dragon was overjoyed to hear this and walked inside without saying another word.
Ascending the exquisite wooden staircase to the second floor, the bright afternoon sun streamed through a row of large windows facing the lake, illuminating everything inside with dazzling brilliance.
A woman with a beautiful figure stood with her back to the stairwell in front of a window overlooking the lake, gazing at the beautiful scenery outside. However, her thoughtful posture clearly told the man who came up that her attention was not on the outside world.
However, Aurelian Dragon stopped in his tracks and stood less than five steps away from the woman, quietly observing her.
She wore a bright yellow robe, with a long, light ribbon tied around her slender waist, which fluttered in the breeze outside the window, giving her an ethereal appearance. Over the robe, she wore a brightly colored vest, with a string of pearls dangling gently, complementing the pair of snow-white pearl earrings hanging from her delicate earlobes. Her jet-black hair was glossy and styled into two buns, perfectly contrasting with her fair skin, truly deserving the title of an unparalleled beauty.
However, she was not the woman Aurelian Dragon envisioned, the energetic and willful princess. In terms of both figure and temperament, she was definitely not Princess Selene Qian.
Who is she? Why is she making such a seductive invitation to me? What does she want?
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Aurelian Dragon's mind. His intuition told him that this unexpected stroke of good fortune was no good, and turning away was the best option. But at the same time, a question arose in his mind: who exactly was this beautiful woman? What did she look like?
If he had known that this sudden curiosity was causing him unprecedented trouble, he would have immediately turned and run away. Unfortunately, he didn't have the ability to foresee the future, nor did he possess the ability to read minds like Phoenix Vane and Lyra Draconis. Perhaps this is what they mean by the unpredictability of life!
Perhaps feeling that Aurelian Dragon had been standing behind her for too long without making a sound, the woman with her back to her slowly turned around, revealing a bright and beautiful face to Aurelian Dragon.
Her alluring cherry-like lips were lightly tinged with red, making one yearn to taste their unique flavor. Her delicate cheeks, though unadorned with rouge, were already fair with a rosy glow, like a layer of rosy clouds from the horizon, making her appear even more tender and beautiful, gentle and graceful, like a fairy descended from heaven to earth.
"Who are you..."
Aurelian Dragon was slightly shaken. He recognized the pink face. Although he hadn't seen it many times, he was absolutely certain that he was right. This mysterious woman was actually Princess Xiu of Wu'an!
"When did she become so exceptionally beautiful? She's practically a different person from when we first met?"
Aurelian Dragon bowed respectfully, secretly wondering what she was trying to achieve by doing this.
"General, save me!"
A sorrowful expression appeared on Princess Xiu's beautiful face. She parted her cherry lips and said something that puzzled Aurelian Dragon, but also aroused his curiosity even more.
※ ※ ※
Phoenix Vane found Cynthia's words both amusing and infuriating. That girl must be up to something shady, coming up with such an excuse to get rid of the people around her.
Sure enough, Obsidia Shade soon came to find her alone, and Lynette Quill stamped her feet repeatedly upon seeing this.
"That wretched guy, what is he planning to do? He's being so secretive, even keeping it from us sisters, it's outrageous!"
Phoenix Vane shook his head and said, "Qin-mei, what else could he be doing? There's only one reason he sent all the sisters away: he's going to meet someone, someone he doesn't want us to know. Do you think it's someone?"
Lynette Quill exclaimed with sudden realization, "Then it can only be a woman!" Her diamond-like eyes darted around, and she suddenly suggested, "Sister Feng, why don't we go and arrest him? That scene would be so interesting!" As she spoke, she began to imagine what a man caught red-handed would look like.
The women couldn't help but smile knowingly. If that scene really happened, it would be an absolutely spectacular sight! Moreover, they were confident that they could find that self-righteous man quickly, because there was a master from the Dark Clan here, who could easily find a master with whom she shared a spiritual connection.
Phoenix Vane smiled and looked at Lynette Quill, saying, "If we arrest him now, what pretext will we use? Besides, men are naturally very susceptible to temptation, especially someone like Aurelian."
"Are we just going to let him go like this?" Lynette Quill said unwillingly. "It's not that I'm jealous, but why make things so mysterious when we could just tell each other?"
"Sometimes Aurelian is like that, doing things he thinks are clever."
"When he's tired of playing, he'll naturally go home." Phoenix Vane said softly, as if explaining to everyone around him, and also as if speaking to himself. "For a man, a home worth cherishing is his final destination, unless there's nothing left in that home that he can cherish."
The entire hall fell silent for a moment. It was the first time that the resolute and decisive beautiful warrior had revealed her feminine sentiments. All the women fell into deep thought, slowly savoring Phoenix Vane's words.
After a while, Phoenix Vane broke the silence first, smiling as he said to Lynette Quill, "Lynette, if you can become the legal wife of the Aurelion family soon, you will have the right to stop those disreputable women from flirting with Aurelion!"
"That's true!" Lynette Quill chuckled upon hearing this, then teased, "Sister Feng, you can't wait to marry him, can you?"
"That's right. If we don't do it sooner, who knows who else might join later? We need to establish our sisterhood first, so that no one else can take advantage of us later!"
Phoenix Vane's poised and confident demeanor prompted Lynette Quill to exclaim, "This is truly my Sister Feng! Wise, decisive, and thoughtful!"
The women burst into laughter. Phoenix Vane chuckled and said, "Come on, it won't do you any good by flattering me. I won't give you anything in return!"
"I'm back!" A cheerful greeting rang out from the doorway. A knowing smile spread across everyone's faces; only one person could greet them like that.
Then Lyra Draconis entered briskly. The beautiful dragon girl had fully demonstrated her military talent and intelligence. With amazing strength and beautiful appearance as her backing, her status in the hearts of her subordinates was rising day by day. Although the infantrymen were being trained and complaining, they had indeed gained a lot from it. Those with disloyal intentions were eliminated one by one, making others wonder if this beautiful young female commander was human or a god. But in any case, the infantry was now united, and the changes in just a few days had impressed even the veteran generals who led the troops.
Lyra Draconis had never seen so many men so obediently follow her commands, allowing her to do as she pleased. It was an intriguing feeling. She was becoming more and more immersed in the role, but at the same time, a sense of responsibility was slowly developing within her. Interest and a sense of responsibility are both indispensable qualities of a good commander.
Seeing the smiles on everyone's faces, Lyra Draconis couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's so funny?"
Phoenix Vane smiled and looked at the energetic and beautiful girl, saying, "Is today's training over?"
Lyra Draconis found a comfortable seat next to Phoenix Vane and nodded in response, "Next up is Sister Cynthia's turn."
Lynette Quill chuckled from the side, "I think those guys are really pitiful, they've been tormented to death by Little Dragon!"
Lyra Draconis chuckled and said, "The more pain you experience now, the better your chances of survival in the future."
"Little Dragon Girl seems to have the air of a general!" Phoenix Vane said with a smile. "How many people are left in total now?"
"Eight hundred, or more precisely, eight hundred and twenty-six soldiers. I think that number is sufficient." Lyra Draconis took the cup of fragrant tea that Tian Tian handed her, gave her a grateful smile, and then continued, "These people are enough to form any formation and handle any situation."
Phoenix Vane nodded and said with great pleasure, "It's better than I expected. I originally planned to have 500 people, but now more than 800 are left. That's quite a gain."