Chapter 370: Happiness is Round (2)

Sixteen years later.

On an early autumn afternoon, in a huge courtyard, three young women sat under a big tree to enjoy the shade. All three were extremely beautiful, but each was different. The woman sitting closest to the door was in light blue and white clothes, her face as calm as water, silently wiping the thin blade in her hand. The soft sword was as thin as a cicada's wing, but extremely sharp.

The woman in red beside her was quite different. The crimson clothes set off her beautiful face, and the cinnabar mole between her eyebrows was as red as fire. She sat upright, her brows heroic, and her whole body exuded a noble air. In contrast, the woman in white beside her was much lazier, holding her chin in one hand and tea in the other, with a calculating smile in her cat-like eyes, and she didn't hide it at all, "Sister Chen, Sister Ning, in a few days, it will be my sixteenth birthday. You... don't have any expression?"

The woman in red looked at her and asked readily, "What expression do you want?"

"Oh, whatever you send is your heart, how can you let the birthday star ask for what gift herself?"

"Heart?" Yan Ning frowned, but replied quickly, "That's simple."

Seeing that she really didn't ask anymore, Su Su felt a bit anxious in her heart, and her words changed, "However... I am so understanding, I won't let the two sisters worry. I will reluctantly make a request."

Knowing she had a request, Yan Ning smiled, "Say it."

"Cough, cough." Pretending to cough twice, Su Su said loudly, "I want..." The tail sound was dragged long, and there was no next sentence for a long time. Yan Ning looked impatient, "Say it!"

Su Su stuck out her tongue and replied, "I want... the Linlang Night-Shining Pearl."

Yan Ning frowned, "What do you want it for?"

Su Su grinned, not answering. The person sitting on the side wiping the sword spoke coldly, "I'm afraid you broke the night-shining pearl in the military room and want to find one to make up for it." One of the military rooms of the Su family was used to develop flint weapons, and it was not allowed to be near fire. The Linlang Night-Shining Pearl was much brighter than ordinary night-shining pearls, so it was best for lighting.

Su Su's face turned red, and she urged, "No way?!"

Lou Chen raised her head and glanced at her. Under her cold gaze, Su Su curled her lips, having nothing to refute.

So it was causing trouble again. Yan Ning laughed, "You have the Eighteen Lotus Steps, and you are still afraid of being skinned by your little aunt."

Speaking of the Eighteen Lotus Steps, it was truly the supreme lightness skill unique in this world. Fast as a flying bird, body like a startled swan, with just one glance, the figure could flash out dozens of feet away. With a lift of energy, one could go straight up the cloud ladder without borrowing force, reaching more than ten feet high.

If she really wanted to run, Su Ling was afraid he couldn't catch up. Speaking of which, Su Su could practice this unique skill, she really had to thank her mother, Gu Yun. As the only daughter of the Su family, Su Su was not afraid of anyone, and even occasionally dared to talk back to the high-ranking Emperor uncle, but there was only one person who, with just a light hum, would make her droop like a mouse seeing a cat. It's just that this Miss Su had never been a well-behaved person since she was a child. It was impossible for her not to cause trouble or be lazy. Since she was a child, she had naturally been repaired by Gu Yun. Because Gu Yun's swordsmanship was superb and her endurance was amazing, but she didn't know lightness skills, in order to avoid Gu Yun, Miss Su's other skills were mediocre, but her footwork was not idle at all. She practiced lightness skills hard. After she was twelve, Gu Yun rarely could catch her when she was angry.

Just like... now, Lou Chen and Yan Ning only felt a flash before their eyes, a white shadow flashed like a streamer, and only the tea cup that was thrown down in a hurry was still spinning on the table. Where was Su Su's shadow? The two looked at each other, their corners of their mouths twitching. Needless to say, it must be the little aunt who came. Sure enough, a low shout sounded outside the door: "Su Su—"

No matter how fast she ran, she would eventually be punished. After thirty rounds of frog jumps in the drill ground, Miss Su moved back to her room with her two legs shaking like a sieve under the sympathetic eyes of everyone, lay in bed for two days, and finally welcomed her sixteenth birthday.

In the boudoir, Su Su lay lazily on the bed, even if someone came into the room, she refused to get up.

"Do you still want the night-shining pearl or not." Yan Ning played with a night-shining pearl the size of a fist in her hand. Even in broad daylight, one could still see its faint luster, not to mention in the night.

The person on the bed rolled her eyes at her, turned over, and hummed, "Don't want it, I've already been beaten, what do I want it for."

A fair hand suddenly stretched out. Su Su looked at the brocade box in front of her, opened it impatiently, and saw ten or so dark green pills lying in the brocade box, the faint medicinal fragrance refreshing. Su Su's eyes lit up: "Warm Fragrance Pill?! Still Sister Chen is the best!"

In order to treat and regulate Lou Xiyan's body, Zhuo Qing devoted herself to learning traditional Chinese medicine, combining Chinese and Western medicine, and her medical skills were getting better and better. Lou Chen was smart since childhood, and under the influence, her medical skills were naturally not low. She would occasionally make some pills for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, relieving pain and regenerating muscles. For a master like Miss Su who had to be scraped from time to time, they were naturally good things.

Lou Chen replied indifferently, "Use it sparingly."

"I know, I know." Su Su said while throwing two pills into her mouth and chewing.

Yan Ning shook her head. It had been painful for a few days, and it would be fine if she endured it. She even ate two pills. This is called sparingly? Anyway, Lou Chen didn't say anything, spoiling her, so Yan Ning was too lazy to talk about her, and handed out a rectangular box in her hand.

What is it? Su Su was a bit curious, opened the box, and saw a cowhide map of Qiongyue.

Maps were rare, and for ordinary families, they were considered precious, but they had no attraction to Su Su at all. The Su family had too many maps. Su Su threw the map back into the box listlessly and asked, "Sister Ning, why did you give me a map?"

Taking out the map and spreading it on the table, Yan Ning's eyes fell on a certain place on the map, her eyes a bit burning, "Don't you all feel bored being stuck in the capital all day?"

"Of course it's boring." Looking at the map spread on the table, then looking at Yan Ning, Su Su finally was willing to climb up, supported her chin, and smiled, "Sister Ning, did you think of something fun?"

Yan Ning raised her head and smiled somewhat mysteriously, "How about we make a bet."

"How to bet?"

"The world is big, let's see who can find a treasure by their own ability. One year as the period, let's compare next year at this time."

"One year? This is running away from home?! Mother will definitely peel my skin." Miss Su said this, but her eyes flashed with a little excitement.

"Then do you bet or not?"

"Bet!" One word, showing Miss Su's nature of fearing that the world would not be chaotic enough.

Yan Ning looked at Lou Chen who was sitting on the side and silent. Lou Chen had always been a poker face and didn't talk much, but her mind was unusually sharp. Yan Ning felt a bit nervous, "What about you?"

Lou Chen glanced at the map on the table, then looked at Yan Ning, and rarely raised the corners of her mouth, replying, "Okay."

At the third watch, the Imperial City under the night was quiet and cold. Three figures galloped all the way to the city wall, jumped up, actually climbed the wall, and then jumped again, landing lightly outside the city wall. The city wall of more than three feet was a mere decoration for them, showing that the three had extraordinary martial arts.

The three stopped after running more than ten feet.

"One year as the period."

"Take care."

After saying a few simple words, the three didn't look back and ran in three directions.

Yan Ning ran forward all the way, but apologized silently in her heart, Chen, Su Su, I'm sorry, I must go to that place. Only by deceiving you out can I disperse the energy of the family, so they can't bring me back so quickly. Forgive me, forgive me!

Compared with Yan Ning's urgency, Miss Su was much more leisurely. She, who wanted to see the magnificence of the sea, naturally chose the East Sea. After she had enough fun, she would go to Juling Island to visit Uncle Ao, and by the way, ask for a treasure. Maybe the one-year agreement would be her win!

Lou Chen had a cold gaze, a dull expression, and a calm pace. Ning just went to the west, then... she would go further, how about Liaoyue?

Three people, three kinds of thoughts, no matter what, their journey started from here.

"Are they really not afraid of danger running out like this?" On the high city tower, several figures stood quietly, watching the three go further and further away. Qingfeng was still a bit worried.

Zhuo Qing looked very relaxed, "They are all so big, it's nothing to go out for a walk."

Thinking of her daughter's lazy nature, Su Ling said in a low voice, "Should we send someone to protect them secretly?"

"No." Gu Yun's cold voice carried a bit of pride, "They have learned a lot of skills over the years. Do they look like they need protection to go out?"

"That's true." Zhuo Qing and Qingfeng thought about it and nodded. While talking, the three slender figures completely disappeared into the night. The women on the city tower all turned and left, leaving the three men in a dilemma. After all, they were their own precious daughters.

"Really don't care?" Su Ling and Lou Xiyan looked at Yan Hongtian at the same time. He was the monarch, they were subjects, so they naturally listened to him. Yan Hongtian shook his head, raised the corners of his mouth, and replied, "This is a family matter. Logically speaking, Xiyan is the eldest brother-in-law."

Su Ling turned to look at Lou Xiyan indifferently. Anyway, it didn't need him to make a decision or take the blame.

Lou Xiyan's narrow black eyes narrowed slightly, and his gentle voice replied unhurriedly, "The wives only said that we cannot protect them secretly, but didn't say we cannot 'monitor' them secretly."

This works too?

Lou Xiyan is worthy of being Lou Xiyan...

Ten days later.

In the huge conference hall of the General's Mansion, three people were kneeling straight, their resolute faces full of shame.

"This general is incompetent. I lost track of Princess Ning in the Heishan Fenglin."

"This general is incompetent. I lost track of Miss Chen at Wumen Pass."

"This general is incompetent. I lost track of Miss Su in Mao Cheng."

The brows of the three men in the main seats furrowed, then slowly relaxed, their faces all carrying a hint of pride. Lou Xiyan's lips curled into a faint smile: "It seems... we underestimated them."

The End

(End of Chapter)