Chapter 33: Chapter 33: You’re Coming into Fugui

「Two days later.」

Chen Shaobei braved the scorching weather and went into the city to visit a mansion.

Clad in silver armor, his presence was intimidating.

Chen Shaobei explained the purpose of his visit to the housekeeper.

The housekeeper was surprised. "Sir, are you saying you wish to buy the white porcelain fish tank our master brought back?"

Chen Shaobei nodded slightly. "To be frank, a friend of mine saw it once and took a great liking to it, so I wish to buy it."

"Feel free to name your price. My intentions are sincere; all I want is that fish tank."

As he spoke, he took out a small bag of gold and offered it to the housekeeper.

The housekeeper, even more astonished, said hurriedly, "Sir, please follow me into the courtyard. I must ask my master first."

Chen Shaobei nodded. "My thanks."

He followed him into the courtyard.

The housekeeper invited him to wait in the main hall and served him tea.

Chen Shaobei sat with a straight posture. As he was sipping his tea, he glanced up and suddenly saw a figure walk past outside.

He recognized him.

It was the young servant who had shouted at him last time!

Jiang Zhi was effortlessly walking through the courtyard, a burlap sack full of sand slung over one shoulder.

Suddenly!

She felt a rush of air as a hand swept toward her from behind.

Jiang Zhi’s expression sharpened. She dropped the sack, spun around, and caught the hand that was about to grab her shoulder.

Chen Shaobei was taken aback. "So you’ve had martial arts training."

Jiang Zhi glared at him, not holding back at all. "It’s a good thing I know how to fight. Otherwise, I would have been ambushed by a scoundrel like you, wouldn’t I?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Chen Shaobei’s brows furrowed. "I was just trying to get your attention, not attack you. Why must your words be so venomous?"

"Venomous? We’re complete strangers. How would I know what you were planning to do!" With that, Jiang Zhi thrust her palm forward.

Chen Shaobei caught her wrists, surprised to find that the young servant’s frame was slender and slight—unlike that of an ordinary man.

In his moment of confusion, Jiang Zhi lashed out with a kick, nearly catching him under the chin.

Chen Shaobei jerked his hands back and retreated a few steps.

Jiang Zhi pressed her advantage, her palms striking like coiling snakes, each blow aimed at Chen Shaobei’s face.

Chen Shaobei parried with his fists, remaining purely on the defensive.

His fists met her palms as they exchanged a flurry of blows.

A crowd of servants and retainers gathered nearby, watching the spectacle dumbfounded.

Suddenly!

Chen Shaobei’s fist struck Jiang Zhi’s right shoulder.

She let out a muffled grunt and staggered back, falling onto the burlap sack she had been carrying.

The sack tore open, sending sand flying into the air.

Chen Shaobei’s expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward. "My apologies. Let me help you up."

He had gotten carried away by the exhilarating fight and hadn’t held back his strength in that last blow.

Chen Shaobei extended his hand to Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi lifted her hand slightly as if to take his. But then, suddenly, she seized his arm with both of her hands!

As nimble as a dragon, she used his momentum to vault onto his shoulders and kick him squarely into the pile of sand.

Chen Shaobei landed with a face full of sand.

Jiang Zhi fumed, "Get up! Let’s keep fighting!"

Chen Shaobei got to his feet, pursing his lips as he brushed the dust from his clothes.

He said in a low voice, "We are not enemies. A spar should be just that—we’ve made our point."

"However, watching your techniques just now... they resemble the Unstoppable Fist. Do you happen to know Jiang Xiaofeng?"

At these words, the look in Jiang Zhi’s eyes flickered.

She turned and walked away, abandoning the fight.

"Wait!" Chen Shaobei started to go after her.

But the housekeeper returned, leading a few men. "Sir, our master has agreed to sell you the white porcelain fish tank."

Chen Shaobei could only cast a heavy glance at Jiang Zhi’s retreating back, but she had already disappeared around a corner.

He retracted his gaze. "Excellent."

The family charged him thirty taels of gold, and Chen Shaobei added an extra ten taels of silver.

He said to the housekeeper, "Please explain to your masters on my behalf. I acted on impulse when I fought with the young servant in your courtyard."

"I saw that the sandbag was torn, and I don’t want the servant to be blamed. To be clear, these ten taels are to compensate for the damage on their behalf."

The housekeeper paused in surprise, then accepted the silver and agreed.

Only then did Chen Shaobei board his carriage, instructing his men to transport the white porcelain fish tank back to the palace.

「Zichen Palace」

Mo Lingwei had tried to leave several times, but was stopped on each occasion.

A eunuch knelt on the floor, pleading desperately. "His Majesty the Emperor said that the Crown Prince’s illness requires several days of quiet rest. We servants cannot let you leave."

Mo Lingwei’s eyes were grim and hostile. "Get out."

The eunuch didn’t dare to move. Fearing the volatile Crown Prince would kill him with a single stroke of his sword, he could only weep and kowtow.

Just then, Chen Shaobei arrived with his men, hauling a plump, round, white porcelain fish tank.

Mo Lingwei stood in the doorway and glanced over, his gaze cold. "What is the meaning of this?"

Chen Shaobei replied, "I know Your Highness is anxious, but your health is paramount. You must rest for a couple of days before you can resume your search."

"In the meantime, I feared you would grow bored, so I took the liberty of purchasing this fish tank. I thought you might find comfort in having something that reminds you of her."

Mo Lingwei scoffed. "Chen Shaobei, have you lost your mind, or have I?"

’He had to admit he’d been mistaken; it was just a fleeting glimpse.’

’Shen Ningning wasn’t nearly that roly-poly.’

Chen Shaobei faltered. "It seems Your Highness is not pleased. I’ll have my men take it away, then."

Mo Lingwei’s voice was icy. "Halt."

His eyes were as dark as ink, his expression unreadable. "Moving it back and forth is a hassle. Just put it in the corner."

Mo Lingwei pointed to a spot in the courtyard.

Chen Shaobei clasped his hands and bowed, suppressing a smile. "Yes, Your Highness."

Under the sun, the white ceramic fish tank, which stood half as tall as a man, was filled with fresh water and stocked with a few small fish.

Mo Lingwei stood on the veranda, watching it with narrowed eyes.

’In a daze, he thought it looked like Shen Ningning again.’

Meanwhile, the real Shen Ningning...

...was riding the Black Wolf King, leading his pack in a wild dash through the mountains.

At every dried-up spring they came across, the little girl would dismount from the wolf’s back, channel her Spiritual Spring, and bring the water source back to life.

Her Spiritual Spring was inexhaustible.

Once a channel was opened, it would flow without end.

The locations she chose were all deep within the mountain forests.

This meant that people would not easily find them, and the springs would exist solely for the benefit of the forest animals.

Shen Ningning was exhausted. After running all day, her little face was flushed and hot.

Seeing that the wolves were also panting heavily, she had the pack rest by one of the springs.

While the pack drank, she cupped some cool water in her hands and splashed it on her face.

The Black Wolf King looked at her round little face, etched with exhaustion, and his heart ached for her.

He walked over and nudged her with his body, letting her lean against his thick fur to rest.

The little girl happily hugged the Black Wolf King, watching the forest before them shimmer in the summer heat.

She said in her sweet, soft voice, "Langlang, now that there’s water on the mountain, the plants can live. And if the plants live, all the animals will slowly have food to eat!"

The Black Wolf King replied with a soft AWOOO.

He didn’t care about any of that; he only cared whether his little one was exhausted.

Shen Ningning hugged his huge head. "It’s not hard work! I’m not tired at all."

Just then, a familiar wolf howl came from the distance.

It was the pack’s way of relaying messages.

Shen Ningning listened intently. The pack was telling her that someone had come to the village looking for her!

The little girl quickly scrambled back onto the Black Wolf King’s back, and they raced down the mountain with the rest of the pack.

When she reached the foot of Wolf Mountain, she saw Sister-in-law Liu standing there, her face beaming.

"Ningning! Your fortune is made!"