Chapter 201: Don't Act Wild Without Choosing a Place

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin remained outwardly calm but pondered inwardly. She gently pulled Jun Chengcai aside and whispered:

"Do not move about recklessly. The envoy from Eastern Zhou is looking at you with a very strange expression."

Jun Chengcai wore a face full of confusion,

"Sister, why?"

At this moment, Shen Shen Qianxi took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and walked toward Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, a seemingly gentle smile plastered on her face.

"This Young Master, I apologize for the intrusion. I am new here and not yet familiar with the people and affairs of your land. Just now, I noticed that Young Master looks remarkably familiar, bearing a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance of mine. May I ask who Young Master is?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin smiled faintly and said:

"This is my brother, Jun Chengcai."

Shen Shen Qianxi examined Jun Chengcai closely and asked again:

"Young Master Jun carries an air that suggests he hails from a prestigious family. May I ask, which divine ancestor is your great-grandfather?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin was startled in her heart. She raised her eyes without making it obvious, glanced at the envoy's face, and grew secretly wary.

He exchanged a glance with Jun Chengcai and saw the same confusion and caution in the other's eyes.

This envoy suddenly inquiring about Jun Chengcai must be related to his background, but whether he is friend or foe remains unknown. Recklessly revealing their true lineage might invite disaster.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin chuckled lightly and, without rushing, clasped her hands in a bow and said:

"The envoy is too polite. We are from Jingcheng, and our father is the Right Minister Xiang Xiang Junzheng. As for the envoy, you come from Eastern Zhou yet have an old acquaintance in Emperor Tianqi; what a fateful coincidence. However, I wonder why the envoy is so interested in our family?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin calmly threw the topic back at the envoy, attempting to extract some useful information from his mouth and ascertain his intentions.

Shen Shen Qianxi's doubts did not lessen, but it was not appropriate to press further, so she decided to investigate secretly.

Shen Shen Qianxi silently vowed in her heart to uncover the truth, to find Crown Prince for the Emperor and Empress, and to save Eastern Zhou from the flames of war.

Once this thought arose, it grew wildly like weeds.

Unable to restrain her inner curiosity and suspicion, Shen Shen Qianxi immediately sent people to inquire at the Jun Residence as soon as the tribute ceremony ended.

What she did not know was that every single one of her movements was under Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's control.

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In this era where epidemics ran rampant, a single flu could easily claim countless lives; facing the outbreak, the common people could only struggle bitterly amidst pain and fear.

Whenever an epidemic broke out, coughing and painful moans filled every street and alley; makeshift clinics were overcrowded, and physicians, facing the raging virus, were often helpless.

Antipyretics and antiviral drugs like ibuprofen and oseltamivir from later generations would be lifelines saving countless lives in this era.

The moment Seeing Jun Jun Zijin discovered her familiar laboratory within the Phoenix Ring space, she planned to develop these medicines to make them into broad-spectrum drugs affordable for all the people of Emperor Tianqi.

Just after the first day of the lunar new year, while the entire Emperor Tianqi was still immersed in the festive atmosphere of the New Year, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and He Ling'er began to busy themselves.

On the second day of the lunar new year, just as dawn broke, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and He Ling threw themselves into the laboratory within the Phoenix Ring space, where the two fiddled with bottles and jars for half a day.

They had just emerged from the space, had a simple lunch, and were sitting by the window taking a short rest.

Warm sunlight filtered through the carved window lattice, spilling onto the carpeted hall, adding a touch of lazy comfort to this little world.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and He Ling'er stretched their limbs, gently rotated their sore necks, and sat by the window leisurely drinking coffee, enjoying a moment of tranquility.

The aroma of coffee permeated the air, mingling with the fresh scent of plum blossoms drifting in from outside the window; everything seemed so peaceful and serene.

Having drunk only half a cup of coffee, suddenly, a burst of noisy footsteps shattered this tranquility.

Princess Princess Tuoba, dressed in magnificent attire, strode in arrogantly, accompanied by a host of palace maids and attendants.

She held her head high, her eyes full of arrogance and disdain, as if the Jun Residence were her own private garden.

The gate servant looked deeply troubled; fearing the charge of jeopardizing diplomatic relations between the two nations, he dared not stop them and could only follow behind trembling, his face filled with helplessness and panic.

Princess Princess Tuoba swept her gaze around, finally landing on Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and He Ling'er, who were drinking coffee by the window.

The rich aroma of coffee made her instinctively sniff, but the pride of being the Emperor's beloved Princess of the Northern Kingdom forcibly suppressed her curiosity.

The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a mocking smile. She then walked straight to the main seat in the hall and sat down without hesitation, her movements reckless, as if that seat belonged to her by right.

Before Seeing Jun Jun Zijin could speak, the palace maid beside Princess Princess Tuoba pointed at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and shouted with the arrogance of a dog borrowing its master's power:

"How dare you! The Princess has arrived. Come forward to receive her immediately. Since the Princess has not granted you permission to sit, you should obediently come forward and kneel."

That shrill voice echoed through the hall, shattering the original harmony.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin raised her eyebrows slightly, moved with elegant composure, gently set down her coffee cup, and looked at her with a half-smile.

She paid no mind to the commotion before her and said calmly:

"Could it be that this Princess has misremembered? When did Emperor Tianqi become a vassal state of the Northern Kingdom?"

Her voice was clear and cold, carrying a hint of mockery, drifting slowly through the air.

Princess Princess Tuoba let out a cold sneer, her voice sharp, arrogant, and domineering:

"Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, this Princess does not care about vassal states or not. You, an unrelated Princess of Emperor Tianqi, performing the kneeling ritual for a Princess is basic etiquette. Kneel down immediately."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin pretended not to hear, her slender fingers gently gripping the coffee cup without even lifting an eyelid.

She took a light sip of coffee, feeling the silky liquid slide down her throat, before slowly speaking:

"The Princess must have stayed in the Northern Kingdom too long and forgotten that this is the territory of Emperor Tianqi. In my Jun Residence, no one else has the right to dictate terms."

Her voice was not loud, but every word carried weight, revealing an innate authority and confidence.

He Ling'er, standing nearby, could no longer hold back. Her willow eyebrows shot up, her apricot eyes widened, and she said angrily:

"Exactly! Who do you think you are? My Jun Zijin only bows to the Princess of our Emperor Tianqi. You, a Princess from a vassal state, what arrogance do you show before a Princess of Emperor Tianqi?"

These words were like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand layers of waves.

"How dare you!"

The palace maid behind Princess Princess Tuoba felt some fear toward the cold Seeing Jun Jun Zijin but felt no fear toward He Ling'er, who looked harmless.

How could she know that neither of the two women before her was someone to be trifled with.

The palace maid shouted angrily, took a few quick strides forward, and raised her hand as if to strike He Ling'er.

"Let me see who dares to lay a hand!"

A cold, sharp voice sounded outside the door. Jun Chengcai strode in with long, confident steps. His posture was upright, his brows and eyes radiating heroism. His long robe swayed gently in the wind, exuding an aura of its own.

"If you're going to run wild, at least pick the right place."