The Demon Lords

Chapter 1019 - 238: Good Sister

They came in a rush and left in a rush. The so‑called medical visit was really just going through the motions, and the carriage quickly returned to the Fan Mansion. What surprised Zheng Fan a little was that the steward who accompanied him didn’t have Zheng Fan get off at the main gate. Instead, he signaled for the side gate to be opened so the carriage could drive directly into the residence.

The Fan Mansion was huge, and its layout was very well designed. That "well designed" was from a military point of view. In Zheng Fan’s eyes, when the Fan Family ancestors built this great house all those years ago, they must have meant for it to be a residence that could double as a fortress.

It was just that after more than a hundred years of peace, the original military facilities had long since become mere decorations or been torn down and rebuilt. But the carriage path encircling the inner residence of the Fan Mansion had always been preserved.

Add to that the very particular location of the Qingfang Room, and the carriage practically drove straight to the side door of the Qingfang Room—actually, it could even drive straight inside.

Once the carriage was inside, the steward just stood outside and gently announced:

"Sir, we’ve arrived."

Then, without waiting for Zheng Fan to respond, the steward took the servants and left, leaving only the carriage in the Qingfang Room.

Why not get off at the main gate of the Fan Mansion?

If he got off there, what would Liu Ruqing do?

Hand her over to the maids and servants?

Was he supposed to carry Liu Ruqing in his arms all the way back to the Qingfang Room? How embarrassing would that be?

So, the steward’s move could really be said to hit the mark perfectly.

When you got down to it, it all boiled down to two words: details!

However, just as Lord Zheng was about to carry the "unconscious" Liu Ruqing out of the carriage, A Ming walked over and, through the carriage, spoke:

"It’s really cold today. I do hope April comes early so we can have spring and blooming flowers."

Lord Zheng got off the carriage,

alone.

At the same time, he instructed He Chunlai and Chen Daole beside him:

"Have the people of the Fan Mansion invite a doctor to come take a look."

"Yes."

"Yes."

Then,

Zheng Fan and A Ming walked toward the house together.

Zheng Fan’s gaze signaled: How long have you been here?

A Ming made a chopping gesture downward: Just got here!

Zheng Fan let out a long breath: Good.

A Ming nodded: Right.

Zheng Fan raised two fingers: And the groundwork?

A Ming nodded: Watertight.

Zheng Fan reached out and patted A Ming on the shoulder.

A Ming stopped walking and said:

"My lord, what a coincidence, isn’t it? Siniang just came over and you’ve already come back. I’d told Siniang earlier you wouldn’t be back till afternoon."

"That’s probably what you’d call... minds thinking as one."

A Ming halted,

and Zheng Fan pushed the door open and walked in.

Only, there was no one in the front hall. When he went into the inner room, steam was billowing, the pool was already filled with hot water, and a lovely figure was sitting inside bathing. Who else could it be if not Siniang?

"My lord, life here really is comfortable. Let’s arrange things like this at our own residence in the future, shall we?" Siniang of course knew who had come in.

"We can’t afford to be that extravagant," Zheng Fan said.

"That’s true."

"How are things arranged over there?"

"The barbarian soldiers are placed at the foot of Qi Mountain as backup. Part of the Jin soldiers and Yan soldiers have been settled in the royal family’s private retreat, and part have been placed in Zhou County’s county seat."

"You’ve worked hard."

"My lord, you’re always so polite. I heard from A Ming you went out of the mansion to treat a girl with the surname Liu?"

"Her younger brother."

"A Ming said she’s one of the old matriarch’s people in the Fan Family?"

"Eight or nine chances out of ten."

Many times, if you just slightly shift the emphasis of a matter, the flavor of it becomes completely different.

There couldn’t be anything wrong with Liu Ruqing’s identity, because she was the wife of Fan Zhengwen’s fourth younger brother, a person in the open. At the same time, Fan Zhengwen wouldn’t be stupid enough to plant some spy‑type figure at his own side—that was a major taboo, and there was no need for him to do it.

Fan Zhengwen had married Ji Chengjue’s aunt. What he needed to do now was, first, help him abduct the princess of Chu State; second, strengthen his ties with him. The former was "I’ve rendered merit in service to Yan," and the latter was "I’m also on this boat with you."

No matter how you looked at it, Fan Zhengwen wouldn’t bother with such an unnecessary move.

But once you shifted it onto that old crone, Lord Zheng instantly became someone who was "turning the scheme back on them" and "baiting the tiger with himself."

"A Ming said that old crone is in Mystic Cultivation?"

"Yes, she’s got some tricks," Zheng Fan said with some feeling.

Siniang asked again:

"My lord, will she affect the situation?"

Zheng Fan shook his head. "From the looks of it, Fan Zhengwen should have her suppressed. She probably won’t come out and wreck the overall situation, but we still need to be careful.

Some people, after cultivating Mystic Cultivation for a long time, tend to go to extremes."

"I understand. I’ve really been enjoying myself in the Fan Mansion these days. It’s been hard on you. Come, I’ll scrub your back."

Zheng Fan slowly took off his clothes,

and stepped into the hot pool.

...

Happy times always pass quickly.

After the bath, Zheng Fan held Siniang in his arms and took an afternoon nap.

When night fell, Siniang got up, ready to leave. There were still matters outside that needed her to watch over. Xue Three might not be able to handle everything alone, given that there were several arrangements in different places.

There was none of that clichéd "I came quietly, I leave quietly" business.

Siniang stroked Zheng Fan’s face, gently waking him up.

Zheng Fan opened his eyes, stretched lazily, and said:

"This bed is really comfortable to sleep on."

"My lord, the mattress is filled with all sorts of rare herbs. They have a calming effect and help you sleep."

"Ah, no wonder."

"My lord, this servant will be going first. My lord, you stay here and keep waiting for news."

"All right, be careful."

"Mm, my lord."

Siniang left,

and to avoid causing misunderstandings and alarming the Fan Mansion’s guards, she had the steward escort her out.