The words spoken by Si Jianye were all true.
Ever since he took charge of Xiyou Continent, there had been no one foolish enough to cause trouble.
Ordinary trivial matters were handled by others, and he never had to lift a finger.
Feng Ninghe said no more, her thoughts instantly sinking.
She thought of the Lin Kingdom.
When she was in the Lin Kingdom, only major matters were handled by her; minor matters were delegated to others.
At that time, Lin Yuran had even volunteered to take on these minor matters, claiming it was to share the burden of state affairs and prevent her from becoming too tired.
Feng Ninghe hadn't thought much of it and had agreed to Lin Yuran's proposal.
Now, upon deeper reflection, Lin Yuran's eagerness had a purpose.
By handling minor matters, she gained popularity, accumulated experience in state affairs, and eventually aimed to reclaim the entire Lin Kingdom.
The carriage continued its journey.
Inside the carriage, everyone harbored their own thoughts.
*
First Sect.
"Achoo!"
Su Hongxiu felt a slight chill and sneezed heavily.
He stretched his arms, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and glanced around.
Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the door and windows, dappling the room. On the table sat half a pot of drunk brew and an unfinished game of chess.
Su Hongxiu suddenly realized what had happened and quickly got up, muttering, "Damn it! Si Jianye, that brat actually drugged me! It's already morning!"
A mere drunk brew couldn't have knocked him out. How could it have made him unconscious?
The drunk brew must have been tampered with by Si Jianye.
He hurriedly pushed the door open.
Just then, Feng Yi happened to be passing by. Seeing Su Hongxiu standing at the door with a flushed face, she was startled and quickly stepped back, exclaiming, "Sixth Master, what are you doing here?"
Su Hongxiu deliberately surveyed his surroundings and quickly replied, "I've been here all along."
Feng Yi's eyes widened, unable to hide her confusion. "Sixth Master, didn't you return to Liu Mian Pavilion to handle urgent matters? Why are you still here?"
"Handle urgent matters?"
Su Hongxiu's brows furrowed deeply, and a hint of unease crept into his eyes. "Who said I returned to Liu Mian Pavilion to handle urgent matters?"
When questioned, Feng Yi's lips moved without hesitation as she stated the facts. "The King of Hell said so."
Mentioning Si Jianye, Su Hongxiu immediately understood and changed the subject. "Are Miss Feng and the others still here?"
Why would Si Jianye tamper with the drunk brew for no reason? There must be a motive!
But what exactly did he want to achieve?
Feng Yi shook her head slightly and revealed all that she knew. "They left eight or nine days ago. Counting the time, they should be arriving at Medicine Valley soon."
"Eight or nine days?"
Su Hongxiu's brows shot up, and he bit his lip tightly. "This Si Jianye... he's truly annoying."
To prevent him from following, Si Jianye had drugged him. By the time he woke up, everyone had already left.
Even if he wanted to catch up, he wouldn't be able to do so anytime soon.
This time, he really had to return to Liu Mian Pavilion.
Feng Yi, unaware of what had happened, looked at him with her bright eyes. "Sixth Master, have you finished handling your affairs and specifically come to find Miss Feng and the others? Upon hearing that you had urgent matters to attend to, they dared not disturb you and departed."
Hearing her explanation, Su Hongxiu felt like crying without tears, his emotions in turmoil. "I was sleeping in my room the whole time and never left, let alone returned to Liu Mian Sect."
At this moment, Feng Yi also understood the whole story.
It seemed the King of Hell had lied, claiming that Sixth Master had urgent matters to attend to at Liu Mian Sect. But what was the King of Hell's purpose in doing so?
After a moment, Feng Yi regained her composure and looked at Su Hongxiu. "Sixth Master, are you planning to catch up with them to Medicine Valley?"
Su Hongxiu rubbed his temples with a headache. "Even if I chased now, it's too late. I'll just return to Liu Mian Sect and investigate their whereabouts further..."
He did want to go to Medicine Valley with them.
But even if he caught up now, Feng Ninghe and the others might have already left Medicine Valley.
At the same time.
A carriage slowly made its way, entering the Li Kingdom.
Feng Ninghe lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked at her surroundings.
The streets were bustling with traffic and extremely prosperous.
Scenes from the past flashed before her eyes.
The events that had transpired in the Li Kingdom were vivid in her memory. Although it hadn't been long ago, she felt as if a long time had passed.
Outside the carriage.
Bai Niannian's eyes widened with excitement as she looked around. She deliberately lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the people inside. "Master, why don't we rest at the Bai family today? I've been away from home for a long time, and my parents must miss me. I've never left home since I was little, and this is my first time traveling so far!"
Feng Ninghe smiled and readily agreed. "Li Kingdom is not far from Medicine Valley; it will only take half a day to reach it. Since we're back in Li Kingdom, let's go to the Bai family and rest for a few days as you wish. Who knows when we'll return after leaving Li Kingdom."
Bai Niannian didn't think much of it and quickly led the way. "Turn down that road ahead, and you'll find the Bai family! I'm home!"
A deep gaze fell upon Feng Ninghe at this moment.
Si Jianye watched her quietly, his eyes filled with an indescribable depth.
For some reason, he felt that the woman before him was not as simple as she appeared.
Logically speaking, going to the Lin Kingdom to congratulate the enthronement ceremony was a minor matter, and Feng Ninghe could go wherever she pleased.
Even if she wanted to stay in Medicine Valley, it wouldn't be a problem.
However, her words made one ponder.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze.
The carriage stopped at the Bai family residence.
Bai Niannian eagerly led everyone into the Bai family home.
"Miss is back! Quickly inform the Master and Madam!"
Upon seeing Bai Niannian, the servant was overjoyed and quickly called out.
The Bai Master and Bai Madam, having received the news, hurried over, their faces beaming with smiles.
Si Jianye, not wanting his identity to be discovered by too many people, deliberately put on a mask.
The golden mask obscured his features, but his tall physique and noble demeanor were undeniable.
The mask hid the man's handsome face but could not conceal his untamed, noble aura.
"Niannian!"
The Bai Master and Bai Madam hurried over, their faces filled with smiles.
Bai Niannian rushed forward, looking at the Bai Master and Bai Madam with delight. "I've learned a lot in Jinling these past few days. Jinling is full of cultivators, unlike Li Kingdom, which is filled with human presence."
Seeing her daughter's rosy complexion and good spirits, the Bai Madam finally felt relieved and affectionately took her hand. "Niannian, it seems you've been doing well. Mother is relieved."
As the youngest daughter of the Bai family, she was showered with affection.
The Bai Master and Bai Madam feared most that she would suffer hardship.
Bai Niannian patted her chest confidently and said without hesitation, "Father and Mother, with Master here, no one dares to bully me, so of course I'm doing well."
In Jinling, no one dared to bully Feng Ninghe with impunity.