Chapter 87: This one is even more of a

Only after retreating back into his room did Ren Yidao realize.

The owners of those two pairs of bloodshot eyes did not actually want to give him a kitchen knife.

One was because she had cried all night and her body had yet to recover; this was Li Qiushui.

The other was because she hadn't slept at all and had listened to the wailing and sobbing all night; this was Shi Xue.

That makes sense.

I knew it.

I, Ren, am a person of great virtue, always doing good deeds without leaving a name, and I haven't done anything worth being sent a kitchen knife over, so it wouldn't fall on my head.

With his mind at ease, Ren Yidao walked out of his room in a grand manner.

"Good morning, two young ladies. I wonder what business you have with me, coming at this hour?"

What time is it, anyway?

It's fine if you don't sleep, but don't keep me from sleeping.

Thinking this, Ren Yidao sensed a faint killing intent... coming from Shi Xue.

Why is this?

Aren't we friends?

Or could it be that you guessed it was me who told Li Qiushui to go and apologize to you?

Meeting Ren Yidao's playful gaze, Shi Xue snorted and gave Li Qiushui's back a light push.

"Since you're already here, are you just going to keep not saying anything like this?"

Walking two steps with unsteady feet, Li Qiushui looked at the smiling youth with a complex expression.

So unwilling.

Apologizing to Xiaoxue is one thing, but why on earth do I have to apologize to him!

But if I don't apologize to him, Xiaoxue will continue to ignore me...

Damn it, damn it!

Ren Yidao, you damned fellow!!!

"Hoo..."

With her eyes closed, she let out a long breath, and by the time Li Qiushui opened her eyes again, she had returned to her usual self.

That side of her from last night was only for Shi Xue alone; to everyone else, she would always be that Ninth Princess of Beigan with the King's Way revealed for all to see.

She was not short, and compared to Ren Yidao, there was not much difference; with a bit of distance between them, the two were almost looking at each other levelly.

The two locked eyes for a moment, and Li Qiushui crossed her hands in front of her, lowered her head slightly, and performed a court lady's bow.

"Having had a conflict with the Daoist yesterday, Qiushui knows she was wrong; the fault lies with me, and I hope the Daoist can... forgive me."

Her voice was calm at the start, but by the end, she had almost ground her teeth to pieces, and it was only with great difficulty that she squeezed the words out from her throat.

Because of the step she had taken, only Ren Yidao could see Li Qiushui's true expression.

The veins on her crossed arms were bulging, and her whole body was tensed up, as if she were about to explode the next second.

Li Qiushui is about to explode!

Ren Yidao: Joy!

Appreciating the sight of Li Qiushui on the verge of collapse, crushed by a sense of shame, he almost chuckled out loud.

Miss Li, are you willing to believe me?

If I said that I really was just acting out of a sudden moment of kindness yesterday to urge you two to make up, would you believe me?

I truly didn't guess it would turn out like this.

One plants flowers with intent, but they do not bloom; one plants a willow without intent, and it grows into shade.

However... this is simply a stroke of genius!

Shi Xue, are you a genius?

Forcing this bossy woman who only has "pride" and no "coquetry" to lower her head and admit her faults to an enemy...

What kind of "fallen" plot is this!

I really have to hand it to you for coming up with this.

Nodding at Shi Xue in appreciation, Ren Yidao acknowledged her talent.

("You...")

Just as Ren Yidao was feeling emotional, he heard the sound of gnashing teeth; Li Qiushui was glaring at him fiercely.

("Don't, go, too far!")

How terrifying.

It feels like if I leave her for a moment longer, she's really going to explode.

"Ahem."

Coughing lightly with a feigned air, Ren Yidao stepped forward and reached out to support Li Qiushui's shoulders.

"Yesterday's matter was merely a misunderstanding; why must the Princess perform such a grand gesture? I haven't taken it to heart at all."

"Please, rise quickly!"

While saying this, he pressed down firmly.

Although Shi Xue's maneuver appeared on the surface to resolve the awkwardness between Ren Yidao and the other, it actually intensified the conflict once more.

No matter how he tries to show goodwill now, it won't be of any use.

Might as well play something more stimulating.

It would be a waste not to play.

Click.

The great force transmitted from her shoulder made her kneecaps emit a faint sound, and she nearly truly knelt down.

"You!"

Li Qiushui squinted at Ren Yidao's face, which was mere inches away, and the smile in his eyes; instead of getting angry, she laughed.

Fine.

To think you would dare to humiliate me time and time again.

I actually felt a shred of gratitude toward you yesterday; this princess must have been blind.

This princess has truly remembered you this time.

Ren Yidao, you just wait!

Not actually wanting to make her kneel, Ren Yidao played a little trick before loosening his palm and stepping back one pace.

"……Hmph."

"Heh."

The two stared at each other, neither speaking first.

Li Qiushui had nothing to say; she was currently thinking about how to properly punish this guy later.

Ren Yidao, meanwhile, felt there was no need to speak.

If understood according to the game modes he was familiar with, this Li Qiushui was currently still an un-romanceable character.

No matter how many gifts you grind, it's useless; it's better to save more energy to romance other characters.

Perhaps when a certain version updates its DLC and unlocks the romance option, it won't be too late to romance her then.

Actually, this trick is the same when applied to reality.

When you have repeatedly tried various methods like giving gifts to grind favorability and all have been fruitless, then you should give up early.

But if you feel she likes you, and you have a ten-tenths or even nine-tenths certainty, then pretend I didn't say the previous words.

I sincerely wish you happiness!

And I hope not to see your post on certain forums……

"Alright, since the misunderstanding between you two has been cleared up, don't cause unpleasantness over this matter again."

Shi Xue was not stupid; she didn't think these two would completely turn from enemies into friends after this child's-play apology.

She couldn't manage that much.

As long as these two didn't continue to lock horns on the surface, it was enough for her.

Especially, don't drag her into it again!

So sleepy, so tired, so want to sleep……

She was also a cultivator close to breaking through to the Earth Realm, so not sleeping for one night was nothing.

But that is on the condition that there isn't an Earth Realm cultivator wailing in your ear all night and repeatedly using your clothes to wipe away tears and snot.

My heart is truly so tired.

"Then I'll go to the government office to report the matter first; I'll be back in about an hour. Is there enough time?"

Looking up at the sky, Ren Yidao nodded solemnly at Shi Xue:

"There is enough time; you just need to come back in two hours."

I beg you, go for two hours, let me sleep a little longer.

Shi Xue did not hear the scream in Ren Yidao's heart and nodded:

"Okay, I will try to be as fast as I can."

No, you should come back in two hours!

Listening to the two's conversation, Li Qiushui's brows furrowed, and she asked with some unease:

"Xiaoxue, where are you two going?"

Raising an eyebrow, Ren Yidao didn't expect that Shi Xue hadn't told her best friend anything.

Shi Xue didn't think there was any problem with this and spoke frankly:

"Daoist Ren and the others are going to Wentian, and I happen to be going home to handle some matters, so we are traveling together."

Going to Wentian!

And traveling together!?

She turned her head and glared at the innocent-looking Ren Yidao.

Evil Dao!

You have no martial virtue!

Seeing Li Qiushui's glaring gaze, Ren Yidao didn't bother to explain; he pretended he saw nothing and silently retreated back into the room……

Then he clung to the door crack to peek outside.

Don't you worry about whether this Fox Demon wouldn't be able to hear if I didn't do this.

This is called atmosphere, understand?

The main point is the vibe.

"Xiaoxue, are you really going with him? I am also returning to Wentian; why don't you come with me?"

Turning a blind eye to Li Qiushui's "looking at a scumbag" gaze, Shi Xue truly didn't think there was any problem with this matter.

"Not this time; they aren't taking the teleportation array, and I happen to be able to use this opportunity to clear my head."

She smiled self-deprecatingly and shook her head.

"When I was young, I thought Wentian City was the most beautiful place in this world, and I once took pride in that city."

"But after coming out, I gradually realized how much filth and corruption was hidden under Wentian's prosperous exterior."

When she first arrived in Chongzhou City, Shi Xue was shocked by the poverty here; the huge disparity almost made her give up on the spot.

Here, there is no noisy night scene; at night, Chongzhou City has only silence.

Even the entertainment options are limited to just the Zuixian Small Pavilion and a few flower houses; it is so barren that it leaves her speechless.

Is this truly the place she had looked forward to?

She had also once doubted whether she had come to the wrong place.

But fortunately, in the end, she still managed to persevere.

Shi Xue straightened her back and smiled proudly at her close friend.

"When I was little, I once said I wanted to be a Constable in a small city and do the things from those novels."

"Although there is still some gap from that dream, I can say I have achieved it."

Raising her hands above her head, she stretched vigorously, venting the fatigue from her body.

"Qiushui, I am actually very happy that you could come to find me."

"You are the only one among those people who came to find me on your own initiative, and you are the only one who has seen the same scenery as me; I am truly happy."

Shi Xue looked at Li Qiushui earnestly and shook her head gently.

"But I am sorry, I cannot go with you."

"If I absolutely had to choose one among your group, my answer would always only be you."

"However, Qiushui, this is not a multiple-choice question of black and white."

"The others are also my family and friends; I cannot bring myself to send them to the guillotine with my own hands."

"So, I am sorry, I will not participate in your struggle."

The struggle for the throne is a bloody topic that can never be avoided during the transition of every dynasty.

Different factions must choose a side, find the wise monarch they recognize, and stake everything on them.

But Shi Xue is lucky.

The status of the Shi Family in Beigan is already special, and her mother is the Emperor's most beloved Xiao Mei; relying on these identities, she has the power to choose not to take a side.

Although she is unwilling to see the tragedy of kin killing kin, she also understands that this matter is unavoidable.

In the midst of pain and conflict, she chose to escape.

She hid alone in this Chongzhou City.

It was both to fulfill an unrealistic ideal from her youth and to extricate herself from that treacherous quagmire.

From the moment Shi Xue started speaking, Li Qiushui's expression returned to calm, and she watched her quietly the whole time.

Finally, after Shi Xue clearly refused, Li Qiushui asked helplessly:

"Then do you have the heart to watch others send me to the guillotine?"

Shi Xue smiled, lifted her chin, and asked in return.

"Would you? You are Li Qiushui, after all; how could there ever be such a wretched day for you?"

Looking at Shi Xue, Li Qiushui also began to smile, her smile full of pride and dominance.

"Indeed, there wouldn't."

"If I truly reached the point of having no way out, I would not let anyone push me onto the guillotine; I would end everything myself."

Without continuing to persuade her, Li Qiushui turned to ask:

"Then what are you thinking now? You went through so much trouble to run away, yet now you want to go back and get involved?"

Shi Xue laughed in spite of herself and shook her head dismissively.

"Who said I was going to enter the game? I am just going home to see my mother; I will absolutely not participate in the struggle between you all."

"You can rest assured."

Looking at Shi Xue, Li Qiushui sighed silently in her heart.

Xiaoxue, you are still too naive.

Once you truly arrive at Wentian, many things will no longer be for you to decide...

Not voicing this worry, she instead asked:

"Then what about after you leave Wentian? Will you continue to be a Constable here?"

Can you continue to stay in Chongzhou City peacefully?

"After that... right, I want to go and see."

After thinking for a moment, Shi Xue beamed.

"The territory of Beigan is so vast, yet I have only stayed in Wentian and this small Chongzhou City; it is truly a waste."

"I want to use these eyes of mine to see the great mountains and rivers of Beigan with my own eyes."

Woo woo.

Hiding behind the door, Ren Yidao wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes in a spineless manner.

Ah, I'm moved...

What a beautiful emotion!

The bond between these two is actually so pure!

They consider things for each other, yet at the same time, they hold fast to their own hearts and will not lose themselves for the sake of others.

Such beautiful souls are truly moving.

"I seem to have gained a bit of understanding of the target audience for yuri works."

Denigrate, understand, worship, become, transcend!

Ren Yidao also gained more understanding of Shi Xue.

He had originally thought she was just a sheltered young lady from a noble family who had impulsively run here to realize herself.

Thinking about it now, my previous assessment of her was somewhat improper.

This person is not as simple as a female knight...

With a serious expression, Ren Yidao silently admitted his mistake and said in a low voice:

"She is a Knight Princess."

A rare, specialized type among female knights; her ideals are loftier, and her status is even more noble!

"Moreover, this little friend Li Qiushui is also more interesting than I imagined."

To walk the King's Way while valuing emotions and righteousness... combining these two is not an easy path to tread.

He looked forward to seeing what the two of them would be like in the future.

While Ren Yidao was thinking, the conversation outside came to an end.

"Since that's the case, I will go with you."

Although Li Qiushui had given up on recruiting Shi Xue, she was still unwilling to part with her just like that.

"We will part ways with you once we are close to Wentian; we won't cause you any trouble."

"Is that alright?"

Having already refused Li Qiushui once, Shi Xue could not bear to refuse again and could only hesitate:

"I don't mind, but I have to discuss it with the others..."

Clang.

"I don't mind."

Timing it perfectly to push the door open and step out of the room, Ren Yidao spoke immediately:

"The more people, the livelier it is; I naturally welcome it."

Come, child.

Join this journey together.

Let me continue to observe these moving and beautiful emotions from the sidelines.

"We don't have a problem on our side, but you... hmm? Why are you all not saying anything?"

Strange?

You can continue to be together, shouldn't you be happy?

Squinting at Ren Yidao, Shi Xue spoke with an unkind tone:

"You heard it?"

"Heard what?"

Recalling that those words might have all been heard by this guy, Shi Xue's cheeks gradually heated up, and she gritted her teeth and asked:

"Did you eavesdrop?"

Eavesdrop?

"... No, I didn't."

Ren Yidao shook his head candidly, revealing his own vigorous aura of Merit.

"Ren here cultivates Merit."

"How could I do such a thing!"

You all stood at my doorway to chat, how could that be eavesdropping?

It is clearly you who took the initiative to tell me!

When it was time to set off, Ren Yidao looked at the expanded team with a heart full of emotion.

"I might have wronged Senior Sister in the past; picking up things is actually not that difficult."

He only went out for a stroll for one afternoon, and in the end, he picked up a Knight Princess, a Ninth Princess, and an additional female guard whose face could not be seen.

Jing Yueqin has only picked up this many over so many years; it seems she has already shown too much restraint.

"Can liking to pick up things be considered a tradition of Luoyue Peak?"

Li Lingling was somewhat shocked when she saw Li Qiushui, but she felt relieved after discovering that Li Qiushui had no interest in her.

The fact that Li Qiushui would not be interested in anyone else as long as Shi Xue was around had long been an open secret among their group.

She was at ease, but there was one person who could no longer sit still.

Yang Wusheng was very panicked.

He had originally thought that at most there would only be an extra Shi Xue; he never expected that after just one afternoon of not seeing him, Ren Yidao had pulled the Ninth Princess, who should have been staying in Wentian, into the team.

This shouldn't be happening!!?

Doesn't the Ninth Princess always loathe men and only associate with women?

How could she be willing to travel with him?

This trip to Wentian, although nominally for travel, was actually not much different from a vacation.

Thinking back to the task the Emperor had arranged for him, Yang Wusheng felt more and more that Ren Yidao's identity was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

"He must have another identity!"

Thinking this, his attitude toward Ren Yidao became increasingly humble.

As for adding so many people to the team, Yu Yu didn't mind, and she was actually quite happy about it.

But at this moment, as she looked back at her mother standing at the city gate seeing them off, her expression was somewhat strange.

Seeing this, Li Lingling leaned over to her side and asked in a low voice:

"Senior Sister, you don't seem very happy?"

Are you unhappy?

I wouldn't say that.

After thinking for a moment about how to phrase it, Yu Yu muttered strangely:

"I don't know if it's just my imagination, but why do I feel like Mother's spirit is much better than it was yesterday?"

She looks radiant, as if she has become several years younger.

Li Lingling thought for a moment and comforted her:

"It must be because she was so haggard from worrying about you before; she finally set her mind at ease and had a good sleep after seeing you yesterday!"

"Is, is that so?"

Watching her mother's gradually disappearing figure, Yu Yu's eyes gradually grew a little moist.

And Ren Yidao, who was riding his horse outside their carriage window, nodded silently upon hearing this.

That's right, it is exactly like that!

As expected of my daughter, she inherited my intelligence.

She is absolutely right!

It must be exactly like that.