Chapter 185: Dingyuan Marquis Mansion

No, thank you, I have no appetite.

The National Master's tone was stiff; he merely glanced lightly at Ye Qingran, then went to find the two children.

Holy shit, did he take the wrong medicine?

Watching the National Master's retreating back as he flicked it at her, Ye Qingran was stunned at that moment.

Fu Hanxiu walked up to the two children who were researching poison, reached out his big hand and rubbed their heads, then lifted them up, wearing a fatherly smile.

What are you playing?

I'm researching poison with Xiao Hu! Fu Chen held a plate filled with sticky, glue-like substance that gave off a faint herbal scent.

What poison are you researching?

Mo Xiaohu grinned, showing his neat, shiny white teeth: "Researching a poison that makes one's skin thicken after eating it!"

Fu Hanxiu: "......"

Lowering his gaze at the disgusting stuff in the plate, Fu Hanxiu furrowed his brows; if he could, he really wanted his son to give him a dozen of this poison, so he could shamelessly cling to Ye Qingran without making her angry!

Go wash up and eat.

Putting the two sons down, Fu Hanxiu urged gently.

Father Lord, aren't you eating with us?

Fu Hanxiu gritted his teeth, "I'm full!" Thanks to Ye Qingran, he's been angered into fullness!

Fu Chen narrowed his eyes suspiciously, feeling that Father Lord sounded aggrieved when he said that.

After Ye Qingran took care of the two children, she turned her gaze to Fu Hanxiu: "National Master, are you sure you don't want to eat something?" One meal less, one meal more!

That hypocritical woman surely wishes he'd just get lost, yet she puts on an enthusiastic front!

How did he not notice before? Is he blind, or is she just too good at pretending?

Fu Hanxiu gave her a sideways glance, let out a faint cold snort from his nose, then turned and handsomely left Ting Yu Xuan.

Ye Qingran bit her chopsticks, baffled by his cold snort.

Are you out of your mind?

Xiao Chen, what's up with your dad?

Fu Chen shook his head: "My father lord has been like this lately; usually it's because you, Mother, have upset him."

Ye Qingran was dumbfounded: "What does this have to do with me? When did I offend the National Master?"

Xiao Chen, I must seriously warn you: your father lord's unhappiness has nothing to do with me! I won't take the blame for this!

Fu Chen nodded, but inside he thought, Father Lord never acted like this before meeting you.

But, Mother, you're beautiful, so whatever you say is right!

Ye Qingran, unable to figure it out, finally muttered, "Maybe it's because my aunt's husband is here!"

Mo Xiaohu lifted his little face from the bowl, looking at Ye Qingran like a curious baby: "Mother, could it be that Uncle National Master and his aunt's husband have a bad relationship?"

Ye Qingran: "???"

Otherwise, if the National Master's aunt's husband came, why would he be in such a bad mood?

Ye Qingran: "......"

She'd better just keep quiet!

Early the next morning, a piece of news spread by word of mouth in Xiliang City: a commotion came from the training ground of the Old Dingyuan Units; the soldiers declared they would petition His Majesty to issue an edict appointing Ye Huanhuan as the new commander of Dingyuan.

This news immediately caused an uproar.

The Old Dingyuan Units, as the remnant force of the Dingyuan Army, have as their commanders the Female War God and General Dingyuan Yun Sui Feng. After Yun Sui Feng died in battle, logically, the most qualified to inherit this Dingyuan unit is Ye Qingran.

But the Old Dingyuan Units' soldiers are now clamoring for His Majesty to appoint Ye Huanhuan as their commander; the hidden meaning makes one unable not to ponder.

At Ting Yu Xuan, Ye Qingran had long known this news.

Ye Huanhuan's appetite is still pretty big! She's started calculating the Old Dingyuan Units. Ye Qingran fiddled with the medicinal herbs plucked from the Shen Nong Space, the corner of her lips hooking a faint arc.

Han Xing sneered, "This news must have been released by her arrangement. Over the years, she's run back and forth to the Old Dingyuan Units under the pretense of admiring the Dingyuan Army's bravery, but actually to curry favor there. And that Zhao Shi, from time to time, takes worthless things to reward those soldiers; those Old Dingyuan soldiers, already weak-willed, have probably been addled by Ye Huanhuan and Zhao Shi's sugar-coated bombs and honeyed words."

When Yun Sui Feng died in battle that year, the Dingyuan Army also suffered heavy losses in that great battle; nearly all its elites were wiped out, and the few survivors gradually left over the years. Those former Dingyuan soldiers either went missing, retired and switched careers, or died... in short, very few remain. Now, at the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, the remaining Dingyuan troops number about a hundred.

An army almost completely annihilated with its commander dead in battle should, by regulation, have been reorganized into other camps long ago; but the present Emperor, remembering Yun Sui Feng's merits, is reluctant to let the Dingyuan Army vanish, so he issued a special decree for the Dingyuan Army to keep its flag flying at the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, which is essentially a way to commemorate those fallen heroes underground.

Where is Ye Huanhuan?

Having heard the news early, she rushed to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.

The Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, formerly the general's residence, is now where the Old Dingyuan Units barely survive.

Ye Qingran nodded; Leng Yue interjected at this moment: "Ye Huanhuan has probably been waiting for this moment, hasn't she?"

Definitely! But, Miss, the Dingyuan Army is already a spent force; what does Ye Huanhuan gain by doing this?

What Ye Huanhuan boasts of is being the number one woman of Xiliang City. Originally she already had an excellent reputation in Xiliang City; if she could leverage the Dingyuan General's fame to elevate her status, wouldn't that bring her a step closer to her goal?

Han Xing and Leng Yue both wore looks of contempt: "This woman's greatest talent is indeed stepping on others to climb up!"

Ye Qingran smiled, noncommittal.

Miss, should we go take a look at the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion?

Go. Why not? Ye Huanhuan anticipated causing such a commotion, so I certainly can't sit still. Since Ye Huanhuan is waiting for me, how could I let her down?

Ye Qingran pulled her lips coldly, a cold light flashing in her eyes.