Chapter 676: Meeting
Editor: Atlas Studios

The guest courtyard where Mu Yangling lived was surrounded and all the guards were guarding closely outside the door.

Liao Wu and Liao Ji looked at each other and led the way forward. Jing Xin, Yuan Fang, Jie Kong, and Jie Mo followed closely behind.

The guards placed their hands on the hilts of their sabers and watched them intently. Liao Wu believed that as long as they made any abnormal movements, the other party would definitely chop off their heads. However, Jie Kong felt that the Prince’s estate had made a mistake in arranging for most of the guards to be here. Once someone rushed inside, wouldn’t they be unable to defend themselves?

He felt that it was a pity. If the Prince’s estate hadn’t brought a messenger pigeon with them to send for help, he would have been able to clean up the mess even if all these people were killed.

As soon as this thought flashed through his mind, when the courtyard door opened, the six of them were startled to see that there was actually a battle team inside. They were so quiet. If not for the guard leading the way holding a lantern in the darkness, they would have almost missed it.

Seeing their lineup, Jie Kong’s face turned slightly pale. After passing through the lineup, he arrived at the second door of the guest courtyard. There were also two guards guarding the door. When they saw Qi San, they bowed and opened the door.

There was only a lantern lit under the corridor in the entire courtyard, and there was a faint light coming from the house. Although it was dark, everyone could still see Mu Yangling sitting on the stairs. In the courtyard in front of her, there were also teams lined up. The difference was that the teams outside the first door were all male servants, and here, they were all female servants. Liao Wu even saw an 11 or 12-year-old girl holding a stick tightly in her hand, staring at them fiercely.

Liao Wu took a deep breath, sensing their strong aura.

But it dawned on him that since even the servants had such an imposing aura, even without a messenger pigeon, they probably wouldn’t be able to barge in. If some time had elapsed since news was heard from the Prince’s family, those at the foot of the mountain would definitely head up the mountain to investigate.

Liao Wu glanced at Jie Kong and saw that the latter’s face was pale. Although his uncle-master did not say it explicitly, he understood what he wanted to ask. Can you fight such a person? Can you hide the fact that you killed them?

However, he did not know who had set up such a defense.

He had known that Qi Haoran was a commander-in-chief, but he certainly did not expect that there would be such a commanding talent among the servants. With so many talents and the world being at peace, could this be a sign that the Great Qi was about to usher in a prosperous era?

While Liao Wu was letting his imagination run wild, he had already walked past the team to the foot of the stairs. He clasped his hands together and bowed to Mu Yangling, who was sitting upright on the stairs. Smiling, he said, “Amitabha. Benefactor, I apologize for the inconvenience. I wonder if Your Highness and the little prince are well amidst the chaos on the mountain?”

Mu Yangling glanced at them expressionlessly before looking at Qi San and asking, “Did the guards in the residence suffer any casualties?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, one person died, two were seriously injured, and one was slightly injured.”

“Those who died in battle, keep their corpses well. Those who are injured, carry them down for the accompanying doctor to treat.” Mu Yangling asked in a low voice, “Have you caught the bandits?”

Qi San glanced at Abbess Jing Xin and replied with his head lowered, “No, it’s just that the two sides have already stopped fighting. Now, the room they’re staying in has been surrounded by my subordinates. The martial nuns of Cleansing Water Nunnery have not interfered since.”

Nodding slightly, Mu Yangling looked at Jing Xin and Yuan Fang. She asked, “Abbess Jing Xin, can you tell me who the guest staying in the east courtyard is now?”

When Mu Yangling did not answer Liao Wu and instead asked about the injured, their hearts sank. When they heard her straightforward question, they became even more depressed and worried.

Abbess Jing Xin looked at Liao Ji. Since those people had been sent by the White Cloud Temple, no matter what, White Cloud Temple had to bear half the responsibility for this matter.

Liao Wu and Liao Ji smiled bitterly and went forward. “Your Highness, can we talk in private?”

Mu Yangling looked at the two of them solemnly, then stood up and turned sideways. As she extended her hand, she said, “Please.”

With a wave of her hand, Mu Yangling asked a martial matron to carry Little Bear to the inner room. Qi San didn’t dare to let Mu Yangling be alone with them, so he followed her in.

Just as Liao Wu glanced at the servants in the inner room, Mu Yangling said with a smile, “Master, you have to show some sincerity. I certainly don’t dare to let the child stay outside.”

Liao Wu was somewhat puzzled. In his opinion, wouldn’t it be safer to place the child in a side room and send a martial matron and guards to protect him? However, now that the two sides did not trust each other, he did not dare to raise this question.

To Mu Yangling, the safest place in the world was by her side. She would never allow the child to leave her sight.

Liao Wu thought for a moment and got Jie Kong, Jie Mo, and Yuan Fang to stay behind. Then, he entered with Liao Wu and Jing Xin.

Reluctant to do so, Jie Kong and Yuan Fang hesitated.

Mu Yangling’s lowered eyes lit up as she looked at Liao Wu with interest. Liao Wu’s heart skipped a beat as he glanced at Mu Yangling warily. Then, he turned around and glared at the two of them. With a wave of his hand, he said, “Hurry up and leave. Wait outside.”

Jie Kong gritted his teeth and could only retreat. However, Yuan Fang was not someone Liao Wu could control. She said with a dark expression, “Considering I’m the most senior elder in the Cleansing Water Nunnery, it’s better for me to stay and let Jing Xin stay outside.”

Jing Xin lowered her eyes and chanted a Buddhist proclamation, then said calmly, “Aunt-Master, since I’m an abbess of Cleansing Water Nunnery, I’ll naturally take responsibility for this matter. You and Senior Brother Jie Kong can stay outside for now. Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

Impatient to hear them argue about who should enter and who should stay, Mu Yangling sneered and said, “Could it be that things will be different just because the person who speaks is different? Or have you not decided how to weave this lie?”

“Amitabha. Benefactor Your Highness, monks and nuns don’t lie. Why would anyone lie to you?” Liao Wu hurriedly clarified.

“Monks and nuns also don’t kill and harm people. But didn’t you just kill one and injure four?” Mu Yangling said bluntly, “If we hadn’t happened to bring two messenger pigeons with us and could inform the people outside, I’m afraid more than one or two people would’ve died.”

Liao Wu lowered his eyes and could only chant a Buddhist proclamation benevolently without explaining.

Mu Yangling waved her hand impatiently and said, “Alright, don’t you just want to talk to me? It’s very simple. I’ll talk to Master Liao Wu, Master Liao Ji, and Abbess Jing Xin first. Then, I’ll talk to Master Jie Kong, Master Jie Mo, and Abbess Yuan Fang. Men, invite these three to the side room for tea first. Be sure to attend to them attentively.”

Just as Liao Wu was about to object, the guards held their sabers to their necks and escorted Jie Kong and company away. Liao Wu looked at Mu Yangling in surprise, only to see her bright eyes and stern gaze. He immediately knew that they had made a mistake.

Mu Yangling snorted coldly in her heart. Those people had almost killed all of her men. Now that they had voluntarily come knocking on her door, how could she be so stupid as to send them out again?

Liao Ji clearly understood as well. He looked at Liao Wu and sighed slightly. Now that the White Cloud Temple’s abbots and elders were here, how could the temple suppress Prince Rong’s family members without a leader?

They could only blame themselves for underestimating their enemy and thinking that they only had 20 guards. How could they have expected that there was actually a general among them?

With a wave of Mu Yangling’s hand, only a martial matron and Spring were left in the inner room. Rain led everyone to leave the room and guard the door. Meanwhile, Qi San stayed in the room and stood behind Mu Yangling to protect her.

Chapter end