he rowdiness carried on for some time before eventually dying out.

The palace maid slowly state: “By inviting gentlemen to Xixia, Your Highness Princess naturally wishes to meet with esteemed guests. Presently, Princess has three questions and respectfully asks each of you to take turns in answering. If the answer pleases Princess, he will be invited for a meeting.”

The crowd immediately went wild. Some exclaimed: “Oh, it is a verbal test.” Some cried: “I am only good with spears and sabres; if you ask me some academic question, I will surely fail! Can I answer questions related to martial arts?”

The palace maid invited: “The Princess has informed maid (me) what questions to ask. Which Mister is willing to start by giving me your answer?”

Everyone rushed forward and began shoving one another. They demanded: “Let me go first! I am first! I am ready to answer!” With a chortle, the palace maid giggled: “Gentlemen, there is no need to fight among yourselves. The first to answer may be at a disadvantage.” Everyone thought: That makes sense. The later I answer, the more I can learn from other people’s answers. I can find out what are the dos and don’ts of interacting with Princess. Along the way, I can improve my answers.

With this thought, nobody is fighting to be the first candidate anymore.

Out of a sudden, a man declared: “When everyone is rushing to be the first, I aim to be the last; now that everyone is afraid of being the first to be sacrificed, I am willing to be the first guinea pig. Gentleman (I) is named Bao Butong, married with a kid. All I desired is a glance at Princess’s fair face. No other intentions.”

The palace maid acknowledged: “Mister Bao is straightforward and easy going. Your Highness Princess has three questions and seeks your advice. The first question: In Mister Bao’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

After a short consideration, Bao Butong responded: “It is in a pottery shop. In my youth, I was an apprentice there. The owner is a bully and I was subjected to daily admonishments and ill treatment. One day, I went berserk and smashed everything in the shop. Regardless of bowls or plates, teapots, vases or figurines, Ping! Ping! Piang! Piang! they all ended up as smithereens. That was the happiest moment of my life. Palace Lady, is my answer appropriate?”

The palace maid replied: “Your Highness Princess will decide whether your answer is appropriate or not. Maid (I) has no idea. The second question: The person whom Mister Bao loves the most, what is his or her name?” Without any hesitation, Bao Butong answered: “Bao Bujing.”

The palace maid continued: “The third question: This person that Mister Bao mentioned, what is her appearance?”

Bao Butong articulated: “This person is six years old, with one eye bigger than the other. Her nostrils are protruding upwards and her ears face the front. Regardless of my instructions, she will certainly disobey. Asking her to cry, she will laugh; asking her to laugh, she will cry. And when she cries, it is a four-hour crying session. That is my precious daughter Bao Bujing.”

The palace maid burst out in giggles while the entire crowd burst out laughing. The palace maid concluded: “Mister Bao, please take a break. May I have the next gentleman please?”

Eager to get out and reunite with Wang Yuyan, Duan Yu cannot be bothered if he gets to meet the Princess of not. Stepping forward in the dark, he nevertheless bowed deeply and proclaimed: “Gentleman is Duan Yu of DaLi. I hope Your Highness Princess is doing well. I reside in the rural southern regions. Today, I am able to visit your venerated country and enjoy the wonderful sights. Many thanks for your excellent hospitality. I am deeply appreciative of your kind gestures.”

The palace maid noted: “So it is the son of DaLi Country Lord Zhennan. Prince (DY) has given us too much credit. After a long journey (from DaLi), all we can offer is basic furnishings and limited spaces, which is insufficient to host our valued visitors. We seek your forgiveness and understanding.” (humble talk)

Duan Yu politely rejoined: “Sister, you are too modest. If Princess is not available today, I can always seek an audience at another time. It is a small matter.”

The palace maid questioned: “Since Prince is already here, please answer the three questions too. The first question: In Prince’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

Without thinking, Duan Yu responded: “In an abandoned well among the muddy debris.” The crowd could not help but laughed uncontrollably. Except for Murong Fu, nobody understood why Duan Yu spent the best moments of his life in an abandoned well among the muddy debris. Someone even ridicule in a low voice: “Someone who loves being in muddy debris; is he a tortoise?”

The palace maid covered her mouth to stifle a chuckle. She continued her questioning: “The person whom Prince loves the most, what is his or her name?”

Duan Yu was about to reply but he suddenly felt two persons tugging at his left and right sleeves respectively. From his left ear, Ba Tianshi whispered: “Say it is Lord Zhennan.” From his right ear, Zhu Danchen whispered: “Say it is Zhennan Princess Consort.” Upon hearing Duan Yu’s first answer, they felt it is highly inappropriate and are concerned that his second answer will become another bad joke. Right now, he is proposing marriage to a Princess. If he says his greatest love is Wang Yuyan or Mu Wanqing or anybody else for that matter, wouldn’t it mean the Princess is his secondary love and is going to marry down and become a concubine? Ba Tianshi reminded: “Of course your Father is your greatest love. This is the directive by the Imperial Court.” Zhu Danchen reminded: “In terms of love, there is no stronger love between a mother and her child. That is the mindset of a learned man.”

When the palace maid is asking Duan Yu about the name of the person he loves the most, he wanted to answer Wang Yuyan’s name. The answer is at the tip of his tongue but after being reminded by Ba Tianshi and Zhu Danchen, Duan Yu thought: He is after all, the son of DaLi Country Lord Zhennan. Now that he is in Xixia, his words and actions will reflect back on his country. It is fine if he wants to embarrass himself but he cannot forsake the prestige of his own country.

Thus, he replied: “The people I love the most are naturally my father and my mother.” When he mentions ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’, his chest naturally swells up with a feeling of love and respect for his parents. He knows the love for his parents and the love for Wang Yuyan are innately different. Still, he cannot decide which love is greater than the other. He is definitely telling the truth when he says his parents are the people he loves the most.

The palace maid questioned again: “Your esteemed father and mother, how would you describe their appearances? Do they resemble Prince?”

Duan Yu responded: “My father has a squarish face, thick eyebrows and large eyes. He has an awe-inspiring demeanor but actually, his character is extremely friendly……” At this juncture, Duan Yu was secretly alarmed. He analyzed: My appearance only resembles my mother and not my father. This is something I have never thought about before.

Hearing Duan Yu stopping mid sentence and not continuing, the palace maid assumed that Duan Yu does not wish to share details of his mother’s appearance with a group of strangers. After all, his mother is a Princess Consort*. Therefore, she concluded: “Many thanks Prince. Prince, please take a break.”

(Princess Consort here means she, as a commoner, is married to the royal brother of the King/Emperor of DaLi. She is not the child of the Emperor nor is she the assigned wife to the son of the Emperor)

Noting the extremely friendly exchange between the palace maid and Duan Yu, as if they are intimate buddies, Zongzan’s heart is filled with jealousy. He secretly thought: You are a Prince; I am a Prince too. TuBo country is much stronger than your DaLi. Are you planning to win the competition due to your good looks?

Unwilling to wait any longer, he stepped forward and hollered: “TuBo Country Prince Zongzan hereby requests an audience with Princess.”

The palace maid acknowledged: “Prince’s glorious arrival is a privilege bestowed on our country. Our Princess has three questions for your attention.”

With an easy-going air, Zongzan laughed: “I have paid attention to the three questions of Princess. You need not ask the questions one at a time. Let me answer them in one shot. In my life, my best and happiest experience is becoming the Prince Consort, marrying the Princess and spending the night with Princess as husband and wife. In my life, the person I love the most is Princess Yinchuan. Her surname is Li and I am unaware of her first name. In the future, when we become husband and wife, she would naturally tell me. Regarding the appearance of Princess, she is surely like a Fairy with rare and incomparable beauty. Ha ha, are my answers correct or not?”

Among the crowd, the majority of them shared the same train of thought as Prince Zongzan and are planning to answer the three questions in this particular manner. Hearing his speech, they are secretly expressing regrets: I should have grabbed the first opportunity to make such an excellent reply. Now, if I kept to the same template, I may be accused of copying his answer.

Xiao Feng waited and listened as the palace maid quizzed the gentlemen one by one. Some of them are trying too hard to please the Princess while others are exaggerating their abilities and making false statements. The more he heard, the more uninterested he felt. If not for his curiosity for the ‘correct’ answers, he would have left a long time ago.

In the midst of his restlessness, he suddenly heard Murong Fu’s voice ringing out: “Gentleman is Gusu Murong Fu. I have long admired Princess’s fame. Today, I came specially to pay my respects.”

The palace maid acknowledged: “So it is Mister Gusu Murong. Although maid (I) is confined to the palace, I have heard of Mister’s (your) famous name.”

His heart filled with joy, Murong Fu thought: Since this palace maid knows my name, the Princess should naturally know about me too. Perhaps the two of them even held a discussion about me.

He quickly replied: “It is nothing. My name is probably a waste of your hearing.” (humble talk)

The palace maid added: “Although we, Xixia, are at the rural borderlands, we are too, aware of the heroic title: North Qiao Feng; South Murong. It is rumoured that North Qiao Feng, Great Hero Qiao has changed his surname to Xiao, and is currently a high-ranking official in Great Liao. I wonder if this rumour is true?”

Murong Fu replied: “It is true!” He already noticed Xiao Feng when he is on his way to Green Phoenix Court, but did not choose to expose him.

The palace maid enquired: “Mister and Great Hero Xiao share the same namesake status; the two of you must be acquainted. I wonder how is his (XF) character like? In terms of martial arts, compared with Mister, who has the upper hand?”

The minute he heard the questions, Murong Fu’s complexion turned completely red, even up to his ears. At Shaolin Monastery, in his duel with Xiao Feng, he was restrained by him and was even eventually thrashed heavily onto the floor. In front of numerous onlookers, it clearly exhibited his inferior skills. Presently, in front of another large crowd, he would be further ridiculed if he chose not to reveal this fact. Nevertheless, he is extremely unwilling to admit his defeat at the hands of Xiao Feng. Unable to provide a proper account, he flared up: “These questions that Miss (you) is asking; are they the three questions from the Princess?”

The palace maid hurried redeemed: “No. I beg Mister’s pardon. For the past few years, Maid (I) has heard of many heroic stories about Great Hero Xiao and as a result, I am an admirer (fan) of him. I could not help but wanted to ask more questions relating to him.”

Murong Fu disclosed: “At this moment, Khan Xiao is standing right beside Miss. If Miss is interested, you can ask him directly.” The second these words leave his mouth, the peace of the entire hall was interrupted by loud commotions. The prestige of Xiao Feng is known all over the world; within the martial arts community, there is no one who is not shaken by his name.

The palace maid is apparently as emotional as everyone else and her voice is starting to quiver. She welcomed: “To think that Great Hero Xiao has lowered his status and paid a visit to our country. We were in the dark and our hospitality must be severely lacking. Great Hero Xiao must accommodate us and overlook this lapse.”

Xiao Feng let out a ‘Humph’ but did not give a reply.

From the tone of the palace maid, Murong Fu can easily tell that her respect for Xiao Feng is much more than her respect for himself. He was secretly alarmed and thought: Xiao Feng that fellow is a bachelor as well and he holds the official post of Great Liao Southern Khan. He even has an army at his disposal; as a commoner, how can I hold a candle to that? His martial arts are incredible too; there is no way I can surpass his credentials. What… What… What should I do?

The palace maid apologized: “Maid (I) will pose the questions to Mister Murong first. Great Hero Xiao, please be patient. Apologies. Apologies.” After making more polite and apologetic statements, she asked Murong Fu: “ Question for Mister! In Mister’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

Although Murong Fu has heard this question being repeated on fifty odd people before him, now that he is in the hot seat, he suddenly became tongue-tied and could not come up with an answer. All his life, he has been slogging away, incessantly trying to revive the Yan Empire. In fact, he never encountered a joyous occasion before. From the perspective of an outsider, Murong Fu is young and handsome, highly-skilled in martial arts and his fame has spread all over the world. He still commands respect in the martial arts world and logically, he should be satisfied and proud of his achievements. Nonetheless, in his heart, he has never experienced true happiness. After a short daze, he answered: “My true happiness lies in the future and not the past.”

The palace maid assumed Murong Fu is using the same template as Prince Zongzan and the others, saying their true happiness will occur after becoming the Prince Consort and getting married to the Princess. Unknown to her, Murong Fu’s definition of happiness is becoming the Emperor of Yan and the owner of the prosperous Yan Empire. Giggling once, she questioned again: “The person whom Mister loves the most, what is his or her name?”

Momentarily stunned and after a brief contemplation, Murong Fu let out a sigh and replied: “There is nobody that I love the most.”

The palace maid concluded: “Since this is the case, we can skip the third question.”

Murong Fu added: “I hope to meet the Princess and thereby, give a reply to Sister’s second and third question.”

The palace maid remarked: “Mister Murong, please take a break. Great Hero Xiao, since you have made your way here to our country, we have to follow the same procedure. Maid (I) will be asking you the three questions as well. If there is any offense, we ask for your forgiveness and understanding. Maid hereby gives her thanks in advance.” She proceeded to ask and repeat the first question but there was no response at all.

Xu Zhu interrupted: “My Big Brother has already left. Miss, please excuse him.” The palace maid was taken back: “Great Hero Xiao has left?” Xu Zhu acknowledged: “Yes, he had.”

When Xiao Feng witness the Princess of Xixia instructing her palace maid to quiz the gentlemen one at a time, he deduced some special meaning behind the three questions. Nevertheless, the questions are harmless. He then went on to ask himself the same three questions and the answers he would provide. Reminiscing about Ah Zhu, he felt some pain at his chest and was tremendously grieved. Extremely unwilling to divulge his personal emotions to a group of strangers, he turned around and left the stone hall. Since the stone doors are opened and his footsteps are exceptionally light, only a few individuals sensed his departure.

The palace maid inquired: “Where did Great Hero Xiao retreat to? Is he upset with our questioning?”

Xu Zhu explained: “My Big Brother is not a petty person and would certainly not take any offence. Hmm, he must be craving for some wine and has left in order to quench his cravings.”

The palace maid giggled: “It must be so. Great Hero Xiao is famed for his drinking habits and his ability to hold liquor is second to none. The Inner Study does not store any wine and we are unable to host this honoured guest appropriately. We are truly incompetent hosts. Mister (XZ), the next time you see Great Hero Xiao, please convey the deepest apologies from our country’s Princess.” This singular palace maid is particularly eloquent, polite and sensitive in her speech. Compared to the shy palace maid from the Gallery, she is a hundred times more articulate.

Xu Zhu affirmed: “When I see Big Brother, I will pass the message.”

The palace maid probed: “How do I address Mister?”

Xu Zhu stammered: “My… My… My Buddhist name is Xu Zhu Zi. I… came… came… that… not here for the marriage, I am merely accompanying my Third Brother.”

The palace maid questioned: “In Mister’s life, where did you have your best and happiest experience?”

Xu Zhu let out a soft sigh and replied: “In a dark ice chamber.”

He abruptly heard a female voice exclaiming ‘Ah!’ in a soft voice. Following that was another noise ‘Qiang Lang!’ It appears that somewhere in the darkness, a porcelain cup has been dropped onto the floor and was shattered into pieces.

The palace maid continued her questioning: “The person whom Mister loves the most, what is he or her name?”

Xu Zhu lamented: “Ai! I… I do not know the name of that lady.”

The crowd burst out into laughter, thinking that this man is a fool. Without knowing the name of that particular lady, how could she be the person he loves the most?

The palace maid defended: “It is not strange to love someone without knowing the identity. Back then, the filial son Dong Yong happened to meet a Heavenly Fairy on Earth. Without knowing her name or background, he fell in love with her. Mister Xu Zhu, this lady must have been a beauty without equal, am I right?”

Xu Zhu answered: “I have never laid my eyes on her before.”

In a split second, the stone hall is blanketed with thunderous laughter. Everyone was laughing their guts out and felt that this story is truly unheard of. Some even thought that Xu Zhu is intentionally telling a joke.

Amidst all the laughter, Xu Zhu suddenly heard a female whispering to him: “You… Are you Meng-Lang? (Dream mate/groom/hubby)”

Xu Zhu was shocked out of his wits. In a trembling voice, he asked: “You… You… Are you Meng-Gu? (Dream lady/aunt/bride) I missed you so much.”

Unconsciously, he took a few steps forward, inhaling a breath of fragrance. A pair of warm, gentle and smooth hands is now holding onto his hands. A familiar voice is now tenderly whispering besides his ear: “Meng-Lang, I was trying to find you but I failed. Finally, I managed to get Imperial Father to issue a decree and hopefully, you will get invited.”

Xu Zhu was even more astonished than before. He stammered: “You… So you are…”

The young lady suggested: “Let’s talk inside. Meng-Lang, every day and every night, all I pray for is this exact moment…” Speaking in a hushed voice and holding his hand, she quietly led him past a curtain. Stepping onto a layer of thick carpet, the two of them entered the inner chamber.

Within the stone hall, the crowd is still laughing non-stop.

As usual, the palace maid repeated the three questions to everybody. When the list has been exhausted, she announced: “Gentlemen, please adjourn to the previous Ningxiang Gallery for a rest and more tea. The wall-mounted artworks will be prepared as gifts for everyone. If Your Highness Princess wishes to meet up with any one of you, our attendant will summon you accordingly.”

Right now, there are many frustrated men who started rioting: “We want to see the Princess!” “We want to see her now!” “Shoving us from one place to another, are you making fools out of us?”

The palace maid reasoned: “It is better for everyone to take a break outside, why bother risking the wrath of the Princess?”

The last sentence worked like magic. Everybody came to Lingzhou for the sake of becoming the Prince Consort. By disobeying the Princess, she would not grant an audience. Without seeing her, the chances of becoming the Prince Consort is zero. The crowd instantly turned silent and one by one, they left the stone hall. Outside, the return path is well lighted by bright torches. By retracing their steps, the crowd ended up back in Ningxiang Gallery where they had tea a few hours ago.

Reunited with Wang Yuyan, Duan Yu updated her about the Princess’s three questions. When Wang Yuyan heard him saying that his best and happiest experience is in an abandoned well among the muddy debris, she cannot help but break out into uncontrollable giggles. Both her cheeks turning red, she cooed: “I feel the same too.”

Having tea and engaging in idle chatter, the gentlemen eventually started discussing and comparing their answers to the three questions. They wondered who has the answer that best satisfies the Princess. A short while later, palace eunuchs appeared, holding bundles of paintings and calligraphies in their arms, inviting those present to pick one. These men are deep in thought, wondering if the Princess would grant them an audience or not. Obviously, they cannot be bothered with the artwork. As no one is competing with him, Duan Yu easily retrieved the painting .

Admiring the painting with Wang Yuyan at his side, Wang Yuyan sighed: “The person in the painting resembles my mother more than myself.” Recalling the prolonged separation between she and her mother, she could feel some longing in her heart.

Remembering that Xu Zhu has a similar painting as well, Duan Yu wanted to borrow his copy for a comparison. However, despite all his efforts in searching, Xu Zhu seems to have disappeared from the Gallery. He even called out: “Second Brother! Second Brother!” But there was no response. Duan Yu thought: Both Big Brother and Second Brother are gone! Is there some hidden danger?

Just as he started worrying, unexpectedly, a palace maid accosted him and informed: “Mister Xu Zhu has a letter for Prince Duan.” As she spoke, with two hands, she presented a folded letter made out of gold foil.

Accepting the letter, Duan Yu could smell a light fragrance coming from it. He opened it and on the letter are the following words: I am all good. I have never been better. I am happy beyond words. I am so sorry you made a wasted trip and I have failed Uncle Duan too. But I have no choice. Addressed to Third Brother.

At the bottom, it was signed with two words: Second Brother

Duan Yu is aware that his Monk Second Brother received little education and is terrible at expressing himself through written letters. Still, this letter is totally incomprehensible. Not knowing what to do next, a dazed Duan Yu held the letter in his hand as he racked his brains.

From afar, Prince Zongzan saw the palace maid handing a letter to Duan Yu and immediately assumed the Princess is granting him an audience. Filled with jealousy, he cursed to himself: Great, true enough, you gained an advantage because of your good looks. However, I am not willing to give up that easily.

He hollered: “I will not tolerate you!” With a swift pounce, he leapt towards Duan Yu. Using his left hand, he snatched at the letter and using his right fist, he threw a punch at Duan Yu’s chest.

A preoccupied Duan Yu is still trying to decipher the meaning behind Xu Zhu’s letter and when Prince Zongzan attacked him, he did not think about avoiding the attack. Furthermore, based on Zongzan’s martial arts, his punch is as fast as lightning and Duan Yu could not avoid it even if he wanted to. ‘PONG!’ The blow landed squarely on his chest. Inside Duan Yu’s body, his abundant internal energy instantaneously reflected the blow and with another ‘PONG!’ sound, followed by ‘Pi Pai! Qiang Lang! Ai Yo!’ Prince Zongzan flew several steps away and crashed onto a tea table. The teapot and tea cup on the table were smashed to bits.

In pain, Zongzan cannot help but cry out ‘Ai Yo!’ Before he got on his feet, he examined the letter and read it out loud: “I am all good. I have never been better. I am happy beyond words.”

It is evident to everyone that Zongzan was rebounded by Duan Yu’s internal energy and just suffered a heavy fall. Yet, he exclaimed: I am all good. I have never been better. I am happy beyond words.

While everyone is scratching their heads in bewilderment, Wang Yuyan hurried to Duan Yu’s side and asked: “Did he injure you?” Duan Yu guffawed: “Nothing worth mentioning. Second Brother has written a note to me. That Prince must have gotten the wrong impression, thinking that the Princess is granting me an audience.”

Witnessing their own master being knocked over, some of the TuBo warriors ran over to assist him while the others approached Duan Yu in a fierce and intimidating manner, as if they are challenging him to a fight.

Duan Yu signaled: “This place is ill-suited for us and I don’t see why we should stay any longer. Let’s take our leave.” Ba Tianshi hastily dissuaded: “Since Prince is here, there is no urgency to leave.” Zhu Danchen added: “This is the Inner Palace of Xixia’s Royal Palace, I doubt the TuBo fellows have the guts to use violence. In addition, the Princess may summon you soon. If we leave now, wouldn’t that be discourteous?” The two men continued to take turns to persuade Duan Yu from leaving.

True enough, some warriors from the Elite Guild appeared and demanded the TuBo warriors to behave themselves. Prince Zongzan has gotten back on his feet. Recognising that the letter is not the Princess granting an audience to Duan Yu, the anger in his heart subsided.

In the middle of the commotion, Mu Wanqing can be seen beckoning at Duan Yu. In her left hand, she is waving a piece of paper. Duan Yu nodded his head and approached her, taking the paper from her hands.

Seeing another letter in Duan Yu’s hands and noticing the expression of uncertainty on his face as he read the letter, Zongzan thought: This letter must be from the Princess, summoning him for a meeting

He roared in a loud voice: “The first time, you managed deceive me, the second time, you won’t be so lucky!” His both legs propelling his body, he pounced on Duan Yu again, grabbing the letter with one hand.

Learning from his mistake, he dared not punch Duan Yu at the chest anymore. After obtaining the letter, he lifted his right foot and kicked Duan Yu’s hip. At the pelvis area is the ‘Danzhong’ point, the seed and reservoir for all internal energy. When Zongzan kicked that same area, Duan Yu’s internal energy instantly reacted without any need for activation. The repel was swift and impactful. With a ‘Hu!’ sound, followed by another ‘Pi Pai! Qiang Lang! Ai Yo!’, Prince Zongzan again soared through the air and flew over the heads of a few dozen men. Crashing into several tea tables, he finally landed on his back.

The Prince is stocky and his flesh is thick. Moreover, Duan Yu did not intentionally activate his internal energy to harm him. Although Zongzan was embarrassed and haggard looking, he did not suffer any internal injuries. Still on the floor, he lifted the freshly snatched letter and read it out loud: “A formidable foe is planning to murder my father, who also happens to be your father. Save him quickly.”

With these words, the crowd became even more confused. Why did Prince Zongzan say: my father, who also happens to be your father?

Only Duan Yu, Ba Tianshi, Zhu Danchen and the others knew what the message meant. Since the letter is written by Mu Wanqing, the two fathers she mentioned is obviously Duan Zhengchun. Gathering at her side, they interrogated her about the details.

Mu Wanqing explained: “Shortly after you (all) left, the two sisters Plum Sword and Orchid Sword entered the palace, saying they have an urgent report for Mister Xu Zhu. Since Xu Zhu Zi has not shown himself, they passed the message to me. Their network of allies has received word that several formidable foes have laid an ambush in order to entrap Father. The traps have been laid at Shunan area, where Father must go through in order to return to DaLi. Their Lingjiu Palace has already dispatched two factions, Xuantian and Zhutian, to chase after Father and warn him. At the same time, they sent word to us.”

Duan Yu anxiously asked: “Plum Sword and Orchid Sword, where are the two sisters? Why didn’t I see them?” Mu Wanqing remarked: “You only have eyes for Miss Wang; we are all invisible to you. The two sisters Plum Sword and Orchid Sword actually wanted to speak to you directly but no matter how hard they waved at you, there was no response. I don’t know if you really didn’t see them or are you intentionally ignoring them.”

His face turning red, Duan Yu insisted: “I… I really didn’t see them.”

Mu Wanqing coldly state: “They are in a hurry to find Second Brother Xu Zhu and cannot afford to wait for you. I tried to signal you too but you ignored me. I have no choice but to write that letter and pass it to you.”

Feeling apologetic, Duan Yu recognized the truth in her words. Recently, all his undivided attention has been centered on Wang Yuyan. All he saw was her smiles and her frowns; all he heard was her words and her laughter. Even if the sky fell down, it does not matter. It is natural for him to miss Mu Wanqing’s summons. If not for Prince Zongzan’s pouncing