freenovelworld Chapter 316 Achieving the Goal
Chapter 316 Achieving the Goal
Just as Ning Xiaoxi released the ten masks, Xia Zhiyin flipped his hand and a strange light shield enveloped the entire room. The faint white light blended with the soft light from the lamps, easing the tense atmosphere in the room considerably.
Ning Xiaoxi patted her chest. "I was careless. This is the royal city."
Xia Zhiyin gently tapped the cheek of the face mask with her finger, "After all, this is the royal city, so it's normal to use some methods."
"Then why did you come all the way over here?"
Xia Zhiyin glanced at Ning Xiaoxi out of the corner of his eye, "Only by sitting in that position can you survive."
"It's not that easy. What if you can't get a seat?"
Xia Zhiyin finally looked Ning Xiaoxi in the eye, raised his hand and picked up the facial mask, placing it next to his face. "Since my sister passed away, I have no more attachments."
In the dim yellow light of the lamp, vivid human faces and cold masks stood side by side, the stark contrast between life and death never so clear and obvious.
Thinking of her family in the east wing, Ning Xiaoxi understood at that moment.
He covered his face with a mask, his expressionless face contrasting with his lively eyes. "I once wanted to live a life of peace, but I lost my only attachment. I don't care if the world is in chaos, I just want her to come back." Hou Qing's demonic voice was filled with endless madness and pain. "Being born a demon is not our fault, and becoming a demon is not our choice either. Why should we be the only ones to pay the price? This is not fair."
Listening to Hou Qing's words, Ning Xiaoxi wondered, "Fairness? Why did her peaceful and stable life have to undergo such a drastic change?" She also wanted fairness, but it was just a thought she could only dream about.
The facial mask slowly floated up, joining the group of ten masks, and slowly rotated around Xia Zhiyin.
“The restrictions within the royal city are too strong; we cannot make any major moves. Tianji will enter the city the day after tomorrow. After you have met him, go to my villa in the west of the city. I will arrange the rest.” Xia Zhiyin stood up, his mask turning with his movement. “Tianwei has been quite active with the King these past few days, and we cannot obtain any information from the Taiji Palace. Remember, do not easily believe anything he says.”
Ning Xiaoxi bowed and stood up. "Yes."
The ten masks floated back to Ning Xiaoxi's side from Xia Zhiyin's side. Ning Xiaoxi raised her hand expressionlessly and put the masks back into her space, where they were piled up haphazardly in the ashes.
Xia Zhiyin opened the door, and the soft, dim light in the room followed him as he stepped out.
Ning Xiaoxi quickened her pace to catch up.
Four guards outside the gate led the way carrying lanterns, while the rest followed on the left, right, and rear.
The door to the east wing opened, and the maternal grandparents and the eldest uncle stood respectfully at the doorway.
Xia Zhiyin didn't stop walking and went straight to the gate. "As long as you do what you promised me, I will naturally have a way to ensure the safety of your family. Ziqing is working for me at the West City Villa. You and your siblings will meet again soon."
Ning Xiaoxi stood at the gate, her face serious. "This humble girl thanks the Third Prince."
Outside the door, on the dark and quiet street, only the rustling of the guards' clothes as they walked could be heard, and the lanterns swayed gently in the wind. Xia Zhiyin was gone.
Ning Xiaoxi stood at the door until the group reached the end of the street and disappeared from sight, then she turned around and closed the door.
"Xiaoxi." Grandmother's warm hand took Ning Xiaoxi's slender hand and stroked the fine sweat on her palm.
Her maternal grandfather, Ming Sheng, and her maternal uncle, Ming Shoucheng, stood at the bottom of the main hall steps, looking at her with concern.
Looking at his uncle Ming Shoucheng's noticeably thinner figure, he felt a pang of pain in his heart. "Grandpa, Uncle."
Ming Sheng looked at his granddaughter, who had clearly grown taller, with heartache. The little girl had returned to the capital from the northern part of Youzhou without even a servant. Before she even got home, the Third Prince came to find her. He really didn't know what his granddaughter had gone through in the past year.
"Xiaoxi, your second uncle went to the north to buy goods, and several of your cousins went with him to familiarize themselves with the trade routes, so they're all away. Don't worry, everything's fine." Ming Shoucheng's hands, which were already quite chubby, now showed visible veins. Looking at Ning Xiaoxi's eyes, which were almost level with his own, he couldn't help but sigh again, "Xiaoxi has grown taller!"
Ning Xiaoxi's face lit up with a big smile, and she ran over quickly to grab her uncle's arm. "Right, right, Uncle? I think I've grown taller too, but my parents and brother aren't here, so no one praises me." Because Ming Shoucheng wasn't very tall to begin with, and Ning Xiaoxi had grown a lot taller, she was now almost as tall as Ming Shoucheng.
"Haha, our Xiaoxi has grown into a beautiful young lady. Your parents would be so happy to see her." Although Ming Shoucheng was a mature and steady businessman, he seemed at a loss for words when praising his little nephew.
Seeing the close relationship between the uncle and nephew, Madam Ming felt relieved, and the fright she had just experienced subsided. "Shoucheng, Xiaoxi has returned. We can talk about it tomorrow. It's already late today, so let Xiaoxi go back and rest."
“Yes, yes, we’ve been traveling all day, Xiaoxi must be tired too. Come on, let your uncle take you back to the courtyard first.” After Ming Shoucheng finished speaking, he said softly to Ming Sheng and the old lady, “Father and Mother were also frightened today. Have the kitchen prepare two bowls of calming soup. Drink them and then rest.”
"Grandma, Grandpa, I'll head over now." Ning Xiaoxi knelt down and bowed to the two elderly people, her obedient manner touching their hearts.
Passing through the side gate into the third courtyard, there is a garden of moderate size, with a small courtyard on each side. The one on the left is called Hongsu Courtyard, which is where Ning Xiaoxi stayed whenever she accompanied her mother back.
Ming Shoucheng escorted Ning Xiaoxi to the door and instructed the maid who was already waiting by the door, "Hongyue, your young lady has had a long journey. Please take good care of her and help her wash up and rest early."
The maid by the door looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She had gentle eyes and a sweet smile. She said to Ming Shoucheng very respectfully, "Master, don't worry, leave it to me."
Ming Shoucheng turned to Ning Xiaoxi and nodded, "Now that we're home, don't think about those unhappy things. Take a good rest today."
Ning Xiaoxi smiled, squatted down, and bowed, "Thank you, Uncle."
There is a two-story building in Hongsu Courtyard, and the courtyard is full of peonies. However, in winter, the flowers wither and the courtyard looks empty.
"Miss, would you like to wash up now or have something to eat first?"
"Let's wash up first!"
"Ok."
Ning Xiaoxi immersed herself in the bathtub, which was so hot it was almost burning her skin, and let out a long breath. She raised her hand, and a blue mist drifted out of the room.
Steam rose from the ceiling, and a charcoal stove sat in the corner of the bathroom, neither too hot nor too cold. The climate of this royal city was very similar to that of the capital in my previous life; in December, it was only a few degrees below zero, not actually that cold.