Chapter 123: You're Everywhere

Su Fan looked at the Saintess Hall’s bedroom before her, her voice tinged with excitement. “Finally out. Though the spiritual energy inside was thick, it was unbearably boring.”

No sooner had she spoken than a voice came from the direction of the living room. “Tao Ming, is that you?”

Tao Ming immediately recognized the voice and snapped back with a hint of annoyance, “Why is it that you’re everywhere?”

The owner of the voice strode quickly into the bedroom, his handsome face clearly marked with displeasure as he scrutinized Tao Ming. “What do you mean by ‘everywhere’? I didn’t even sleep last night. I came all this way overnight, worried you might be in danger.”

Su Nanxing’s temper flared. “Qiao Kongqing, does my wife need your concern?”

“I and Tao Ming have been through thick and thin together!” The Seventh Prince deftly took Ruan Ruan from Tao Ming’s arms, producing a small box which he opened. “Ruan Ruan, I brought you some treats.”

“Thanks, Uncle,” Ruan Ruan accepted without hesitation, pulling out two fruits that looked delicious. She handed one to Nuonuo. “Nuonuo, you eat this too.”

Su Nanxing, scowling, shoved Nuonuo into the Seventh Prince’s arms and tugged Tao Ming out of the bedroom, warning, “Stay away from him. He doesn’t have good intentions.”

“I’ve told you countless times, we’re close kin. There’s no way!” Tao Ming shrugged it off.

Seeing Tao Ming and Su Nanxing leave, Su Fan sidled up to the Seventh Prince, whispering slyly, “You’ve got some nerve, even daring to fancy my sister-in-law?”

“We’ve been comrades through life and death,” the Seventh Prince boasted shamelessly.

Ruan Ruan tilted her head. “Uncle, what’s a comrade?”

“Comrades wear the same robe!” Nuonuo answered confidently.

Ruan Ruan protested, “Mom is a woman, and Uncle is a man. How could they wear the same bathrobe?”

Nuonuo facepalmed. “A robe isn’t the same as a bathrobe. A robe is a long garment, not one worn after bathing.”

“But Mom’s bathrobe is very long,” Ruan Ruan pouted. “Uncle, when did you ever see my mom take a bath?”

Seeing their conversation veer off course, the Seventh Prince hurriedly explained, “I just mean I’m very close to your mom.”

“Oh, I get it. That means a good friend,” Ruan Ruan nodded, feeling rather clever.

Su Fan relaxed his previously furrowed brow and drawled, “Good-friend, huh.”

The Seventh Prince chuckled dryly and turned to leave.

In the living room sat Qin Yunjue, Qin Yunqi, Qin Yunjin, Su Pei, and Mu Chong. Upon seeing Su Nanxing and Tao Ming, Su Pei complained, “We’ve been busy all night, and you two just stayed inside without coming out.”

“Thanks for your hard work. We’ll treat you to hotpot when we get back,” Tao Ming said as she found a chair and sat down, looking toward Qin Yunjue. “Brother, how are those women?”

Qin Yunjue sipped his tea. “Let Yunqi explain.”

“I escorted them into the imperial city overnight and reported the matter to Grandfather,” Qin Yunqi’s expression towards the Seventh Prince shifted subtly. “Grandfather immediately entered the palace. I don’t know exactly what he told the Heavenly Emperor, but the Emperor soon issued orders to send Kongqing with guards to bring you all back.”

Su Nanxing was somewhat surprised to learn Qin Youchuan had met the Heavenly Emperor. He hadn’t expected the Emperor to kill Ling Fei and then leave without further investigation inside the sanctuary.

“What about the ordinary people inside the sanctuary?” Tao Ming was far more concerned about their fate than the Heavenly Emperor.

The Seventh Prince placed the two little ones on a chair to let them begin eating, then approached Tao Ming with a cloth in hand, which he unfolded to reveal a deed. “This is the deed to the Sacred Mountain. It’s yours now. Handle those people as you see fit.”

“What? This is mine now?” Tao Ming took the deed and felt an inexplicable unease. “Can I refuse it?”

The Seventh Prince’s gaze lingered on the ring on Tao Ming’s hand — something he had never seen before. Softly, he said, “The Heavenly Emperor gave you this as a dowry. Keep it.”

“A dowry? Well, alright then.” Tao Ming put the deed away, thinking it might be useful someday. But what was she to do now?

Qin Yunqi saw Tao Ming’s furrowed brow and chuckled softly. “A father knows his daughter best! Your father knew you’d be troubled, so he had Grandfather send someone over. Just tell him how you want to handle things.”

Then he called out, “Bring Steward Li here.”

The Seventh Prince whispered, “We’ll have a proper talk when we get back.”

Tao Ming nodded. Su Nanxing protested, “I want to be there too.”

“No problem. That’s your right.”

---

Soon, a sharp and capable-looking middle-aged man entered, bowed to everyone in the room, then addressed Tao Ming. “Madam, the clan chief says you have full authority. How do you wish to proceed?”

“Madam?” Tao Ming felt uncomfortable with the title.

Su Nanxing patted her hand. “A woman married out is naturally called ‘Madam.’”

“Well then, Steward Li, I’ll leave it to you,” Tao Ming said after some thought. “Those who want to return home, give them some money and send them back. Those who don’t want to leave, let them stay.”

Steward Li agreed and proceeded to detail his plan. After gaining Tao Ming’s approval, he left.

Tao Ming stood and stretched, feeling somewhat more at ease. Seeing everyone staring at her, she asked, “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Su Fan muttered quietly, “Not a trace of a noble lady about you.”

“Now that that’s settled, shall we go back?” Tao Ming didn’t want to stay any longer. The sanctuary reeked of blood.

Qin Yunjue agreed. “Let’s go. We can continue discussing things in the carriage.”

The group left the Saintess Hall.

Tao Ming noticed over a hundred guards stationed at the entrance, making her uneasy. The Seventh Prince ordered, “Depart immediately.” Su Nanxing picked up Tao Ming and carried her into the carriage, then the Seventh Prince’s voice followed. “Tao Ming, you’ve changed. You don’t even care for Ruan Ruan anymore.”

“That’s right. Since Dad returned, Mom doesn’t pay attention to me,” Ruan Ruan huffed as she climbed into the carriage, sitting on Tao Ming’s lap.

Tao Ming patted Ruan Ruan’s head and smiled at the Seventh Prince. “Aren’t you here?”

“You really trust me that much?” The Seventh Prince moved to sit beside Tao Ming but received a furious glare from Su Nanxing.

Tao Ming ignored Su Nanxing and pulled the Seventh Prince down beside her. “Of course I trust you. We’re comrades.”

The others entered the carriage one by one, each finding a seat. Hearing Tao Ming’s words, they exchanged glances.

Su Fan’s eyes flicked knowingly. “Seventeenth Brother, if I were you, I wouldn’t stand it.”

“I trust my wife completely,” Su Nanxing said, not falling for the bait.

Once the carriage was underway, Tao Ming sighed, “The carriage is much more comfortable than staying in the sanctuary.”

Along the way, everyone cooperated in entertaining Ruan Ruan and Nuonuo, carefully avoiding any mention of the unpleasant events that had just transpired.

Their return was much faster than the journey there. Before long, the carriage entered the imperial city. Su Fan and Su Pei took their leave to return to the Su residence. Su Nanxing escorted Tao Ming back to the Qin household, then returned to the Su residence with Wen Youfang and his son, intending to have Su Yanfeng check on the matriarch.

Before they parted, Tao Ming returned the key to the storage room that Su Nanxing had entrusted to her, urging him to quickly replenish what he owed Su Fan; otherwise, she felt like a monstrous aunt bullying kindergarten children.

Sitting once more in the main room of the Star Plucking Courtyard, Tao Ming finally felt completely relaxed.

“Truly, a grown daughter is hard to keep at home. You haven’t come to see your mother for so many days,” Tao Sisi teased Tao Ming with a mischievous glance.