Beiyang City sat nestled among the mountains, surrounded on three sides by rivers and backed by sheer cliffs, making it easy to defend and hard to attack.
After a long journey, Xiao Minghuang and her two companions finally arrived outside the city.
During the three days on the road, aside from searching for opportunities and teasing the little girl Ye Ruoshui, Xiao Minghuang spent her time chatting idly with Lin Wanqiu.
In that time, she learned quite a bit about the situation in Beiyang City.
Besides the city lord, who was at the peak of the Yongquan Realm, there were also four major families in Beiyang City, with the family heads’ cultivation ranging from the fifth to the eighth level of the Yongquan Realm.
On top of that, Lin Wanqiu revealed something rather noteworthy.
“My meridians were blocked from birth, so I can’t break through to the Qi Refining Realm.
My father spent who knows how many spirit stones and pills, but all he managed was to help me reach the seventh level of Body Tempering…” When Lin Wanqiu spoke of this, her expression dimmed, looking lost and dejected.
After learning this, Xiao Minghuang’s view of Lin Wanqiu changed.
“Maybe making a contract with Lin Wanqiu isn’t a bad idea.
If I can help her clear her meridians and let her continue cultivating, she’ll definitely be grateful to me.”
As for how to clear her meridians, that was simple enough.
All she needed was to find some basic pills and keep giving them to Lin Wanqiu, then just wait for the payoff.
Even if the right basic pills were hard to find, Xiao Minghuang still had Ye Ruoshui, a little genius at alchemy, by her side, so pills weren’t a problem at all.
Thinking of this, Xiao Minghuang’s gaze lingered on Lin Wanqiu, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
Noticing Xiao Minghuang looking at her, Lin Wanqiu’s fair and delicate face broke into a gentle smile, her eyes showing a trace of reluctance to part.
But she quickly looked away.
Xiao Minghuang and Lin Wanqiu walked ahead, exchanging smiles and glances, their eyes full of unspoken feelings.
Ye Ruoshui, walking behind them, saw all of this in silence, her feelings complicated.
“Is Her Highness…?” Ye Ruoshui’s sensitive thoughts were completely unknown to Xiao Minghuang.
Noticing Lin Wanqiu’s odd expression, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly, realizing things weren’t so simple.
She’d only known Lin Wanqiu for three days, even if there was an old engagement.
But when they first met, Lin Wanqiu didn’t even know her name.
To say she’d been in love with her since childhood was a bit too far-fetched, wasn’t it? Yet, since they met, Lin Wanqiu had been nothing but friendly—how was that to be explained? After thinking it over, Xiao Minghuang muttered to herself, “Could it be she fell for me at first sight?”
But then she thought again, finding it hard to believe.
“Love at first sight? There’s no such thing in this world.
That’s just something bored scholars made up to comfort themselves.”
After thinking for a long time and getting nowhere, Xiao Minghuang decided not to dwell on it.
The three of them arrived at the city gates, where the city lord’s guards had been waiting for the Ninth Princess’s arrival.
As soon as she entered the city, Xiao Minghuang received a grand welcome from Beiyang City.
“Lin Zhengquan, City Lord of Beiyang, along with all the city’s officials and soldiers, respectfully welcome the Ninth Princess!” Lin Zhengquan led a crowd of officials and soldiers, all kneeling before her in utmost respect.
Behind them, many commoners also bowed deeply.
Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang was a bit confused.
She might be a princess, but Daxia was a kingdom ruled by martial artists, who didn’t care much for empty ceremony.
Even when meeting the emperor, kneeling wasn’t required.
This scene was completely unexpected.
After helping the city lord up, Xiao Minghuang said loudly, “Such grand ceremony is too much for me.
Please, everyone, rise!”
The officials and commoners stood up, looking at Xiao Minghuang with admiration and gratitude.
Xiao Minghuang looked at Lin Zhengquan, curiosity in her eyes.
Lin Zhengquan smiled and explained, “Your Highness, have you forgotten? Three days ago, you killed the evil cultivators causing trouble nearby and rescued the kidnapped people.
That was a great deed for the people of Beiyang City!”
“When everyone heard, they insisted on coming to thank Your Highness, so I arranged today’s welcome.
I hope Your Highness doesn’t mind.”
After hearing the whole story, Xiao Minghuang couldn’t help but laugh.
Looking at the crowd, she said clearly, “I appreciate your thanks, but as a princess of Daxia, it’s my duty to protect the land and the people.
Killing evil cultivators who harm others is just my job.
There’s no need to thank me so much—everyone, please go home.”
Everyone present was moved by her words.
A soldier sighed, “I used to work in the capital.
Just because I opened the gate a moment late, the Second Prince’s groom beat me, leaving me with a hidden injury that ruined my cultivation.
Only today, meeting the Ninth Princess, did I realize there’s someone in the royal family so kind and humble.”
A weathered man looked grateful.
“My daughter went missing a few days ago.
When I reported it, the official just told me to wait.
Everyone knows if you really just wait, you’ll never find your child… If it weren’t for the Ninth Princess, my daughter would be lost forever!”
And so, a noble, peerless young woman, dazzling and extraordinary, walked into the city lord’s mansion under the gaze of the crowd.
…
Beiyang City Lord’s Mansion, main hall.
Xiao Minghuang sat at the head seat, Ye Ruoshui standing beside her.
As for Lin Wanqiu, she’d disappeared since entering the mansion, probably gone to rest.
Lin Zhengquan and the city’s top officials sat on either side.
After some formal greetings, everyone else left, leaving only Lin Zhengquan in the hall.
Lin Zhengquan stood up, glanced at Ye Ruoshui, as if he had something hard to say.
Xiao Minghuang looked at him and said calmly, “Ruoshui is my sister.
We’re very close.
If you have something to say, just say it.”
Hearing the words “very close,” Ye Ruoshui blushed, her heart sweet.
Lin Zhengquan saw that Ye Ruoshui was strikingly beautiful, nothing like an ordinary maid, and couldn’t help but sigh for his own daughter.
After a moment, he gathered his thoughts and said respectfully, “Your Highness, you wiped out the evil cultivators and saved my daughter’s life.
Such great kindness—I’ve prepared a small gift, and I hope you won’t mind.”
As he spoke, several guards carried in large chests from inside the hall.
After the guards left, Lin Zhengquan opened the chests one by one.
Instantly, rays of light shot out, mist rose, and a rich spiritual energy filled the hall.
Even someone as experienced as Xiao Minghuang was shocked.
“City Lord, this is too much for me!”
The spiritual energy from these chests probably came from well over a thousand spirit stones.
Lin Zhengquan said seriously, “Your Highness has done a great favor for Beiyang City.
A few spirit stones are nothing.
There are five chests here, five hundred stones in each, for a total of two thousand five hundred.
Please don’t refuse.”
Hearing this, Xiao Minghuang didn’t decline further and accepted the spirit stones.
After that, Xiao Minghuang went to attend the welcome banquet held by the city lord’s mansion.
