Don't Meddle in the Prime Minister's Manor's Affairs

The Nine Provinces Continent, Great Xia Dynasty.

Jiangling Commandery, Yuyi City.

Snow Moon Pavilion.

As the premier establishment for pleasure in Yuyi City, it had always been renowned for the stunning beauty of its songstresses and the graceful allure of their dances, drawing in countless scholars, refined gentlemen, and disciples of noble clans.

Yet today, the Snow Moon Pavilion was unusually desolate.

The entrance, typically bustling with an endless stream of visitors, was now deserted enough to catch sparrows with a net.

Passing merchants and pedestrians, upon seeing the group of fierce, baleful-looking guards stationed at the door—each with a Jiang Family Token hanging from their waist—all fell silent. They lowered their heads and hurried past, terrified that a single extra glance might invite disaster.

In the entire Great Xia Dynasty, the Jiang surname was the one that could not be trifled with.

Even the various kinsmen of the imperial family would change color and hold their tongues upon seeing this token.

"How could people from the Prime Minister's Manor appear in Yuyi City?"

In the distance, only after the pedestrians had walked far away did they dare to ask in hushed tones.

"I don't know. Don't ask, and don't meddle in the affairs of the Prime Minister's Manor. Do you have a death wish?"

The person beside him turned pale, hurriedly pulling his companion along and urging him to shut his mouth immediately.

Meanwhile.

At the Snow Moon Pavilion, before the pavilion overlooking the pond.

Jiang Lan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the water before him with a distant look in his eyes.

He wore white robes with wide sleeves, an Ancient Jade hanging at his waist. His features were refined and handsome, his frame tall yet somewhat gaunt. Perhaps due to constant toil, his skin held a slightly sickly pallor, as if a strong gust of wind could blow him away.

No matter who saw him, they would think him a graceful and jade-like young noble, only to sigh inwardly at the pity of such a young man being so frail.

This shouldn't be...

It's already this late, yet the Female Protagonist still hasn't arrived.

Suddenly, Jiang Lan sighed softly, rubbing his brow as if in pain, before returning to his seat to take a sip of clear tea.

"Jiang Lan, hand over my sister."

"If you don't, don't blame me for being discourteous."

Suddenly, a cold, snow-like sharp cry rang out, startling the birds on the treetops and eaves into flight.

Jiang Lan's expression shifted slightly, though he remained calm on the surface. The Female Protagonist had finally arrived; she had certainly kept him waiting long enough.

The next moment, a figure like a startled swan stepped across the pond, swept over the eaves, and arrived in an instant.

With a clink, a long sword was unsheathed, and a streak of cold, misty Sword Qi splashed forth like fine rain.

The icy killing intent seemed to freeze the very air.

However, as the sword descended, the light dissipated, stopping half an inch from Jiang Lan's throat, unable to advance a single fraction further.

The jade-like hand gripping the sword was slender and delicate, the nails painted with crystalline henna that seemed to reflect the mountain and lake scenery—a breathtaking sight.

Yet, it was trembling slightly, betraying the fury of its owner.

She stared fixedly at the man in white before her.

Inside the pavilion, he continued to drink his tea with lowered eyes, his expression faint and unmoved, as if he were deaf to the voice and threats beside him.

The cold Sword Qi lingered at his throat, carrying the chill of ice and snow, as if it could pierce his windpipe and draw a spray of blood at any moment.

"Jiang Lan, all your guards are outside now. No one can protect your life..."

"Hurry up and hand over my sister."

The White-robed Woman gritted her teeth and shouted again.

Her features were like a painting, peerlessly beautiful; her hair was piled in soft, misty coils, and her figure was tall, well-proportioned, and graceful.

Dressed in a plain white gown with the hem tucked up, her legs were long and straight, making her slender waist seem no more than a handful. She was pure and clean, like a lotus flower on a snowy mountain.

At this moment, her exquisitely painted face was even colder, her jade hand trembling as she fought to suppress the rage in her heart.

"Does Miss Qinghan intend to kill me?"

Facing such fury, the only response was a slow, measured remark.

Jiang Lan looked up at her, his expression appearing extremely surprised.

"Release my sister at once..." the White-robed Woman gritted out.

"And what if I refuse?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lan seemed to smile. He then unhurriedly reached out a hand to steady the long sword in her grip, ensuring the tip remained pointed directly at his throat.

"You..."

A pallor washed over the White-robed Woman's flawless, painting-like face, and the hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

Jiang Lan let out a soft chuckle, stood up, and took half a step forward, as if mocking her timidity and empty bluster.

"If not here, then how about here?"

As he spoke, he reached out, pinched the tip of the blade, and guided it down toward his own chest.

"Miss Qinghan, would you like to try pushing it another half-inch?" His voice was unhurried, devoid of any emotional ripples.

Watching this scene, the White-robed Woman's jade-like hand trembled even more violently.

Caught in a dilemma where she could neither advance nor retreat, she felt not only anger but also a deep sense of humiliation.

She had not expected that even with no guards by his side, Jiang Lan would remain so calm and composed, showing not a hint of panic.

It was as if he hadn't taken her threat to heart at all.

This air of superiority and contempt suggested he was certain she wouldn't dare to strike.

This stung her pride, stirring up endless resentment and embarrassment within her.

He was clearly just an ordinary man with no cultivation base.

How could he be so composed in front of her, a Fourth Realm practitioner, showing no regard for her and no fear that she might actually kill him?

Was it just because his father was the current Prime Minister?

Time seemed to freeze in that moment.

A mocking smile curled the corner of Jiang Lan's lips as he said slowly, "Since you don't dare, Miss Qinghan, you really shouldn't attempt such dangerous stunts. Your Su Family must have thousands of members here in Yuyi City."

"Your father, the Su Family Patriarch, is likely in line to be the next Lord of Yuyi City. I imagine he wouldn't want to see you doing something so reckless."

"You..."

The White-robed Woman gritted her teeth, her delicate body trembling; she was clearly enraged to the limit.

Pfft!

The next moment, a spot of crimson blood suddenly spread across Jiang Lan's chest, quickly staining his pristine White Robes like a blooming plum blossom.

The White-robed Woman's beautiful eyes widened, and she suddenly froze.

This had nothing to do with her.

It was the man in White Robes himself who had gripped the tip of the sword and guided it into his own chest.

"Guards! Assassin!"

Jiang Lan suddenly shouted, his hand gripping the blade as if trying to stop it from piercing deeper.

"There's an assassin!"

"Protect the Young Master!"

Upon hearing the cry, angry shouts erupted in the distance.

At the same time, a large group of skilled guards, their iron armor clattering, rushed over in a flurry.

Seeing this, the White-robed Woman's face turned pale. Her hand went limp, and with a clang, the longsword slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the stone floor.