Xiao Wu Collapses! War Begins at Blue Silver King's Mansion!

The moment Xiao Wu heard the words "Spicy Rabbit Head," her face went deathly pale with fright, and even her pair of rabbit ears drooped.

"N-No... don't eat rabbits!"

"Rabbits don't taste good! They're all bones!"

Tears welled in Xiao Wu's eyes. She had truly been terrified.

The way this person looked at her—though he was smiling, there wasn't a trace of warmth in his eyes. It was like he was looking at a dish.

Tang Yuan found her cowardly appearance rather amusing.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?

So this was all the nerve she had.

Still, since she had delivered herself to his door, there was naturally no reason to let her go.

Although Blue Silver King's Mansion was heavily guarded, the inner court was indeed short of a few attentive servants.

Ying Qi and the others were loyal, but they were, after all, a bunch of grown men who only knew how to kill. Serving tea and pouring water were things they inevitably handled rather roughly.

"Enough. Stop howling."

Tang Yuan withdrew his hand, and the tightly binding vines loosened slightly, though they still held Xiao Wu firmly in place.

"Since you can't pay the money, then pay with your body."

Xiao Wu's pupils shrank. "Y-You hooligan!"

Tang Yuan raised a brow. "What are you thinking?"

"My courtyard happens to be lacking a maid to serve tea and water, grind ink, and lay out paper."

"Since you're fairly pleasing to the eye, I'll give you a chance."

"Stay and work as a maid to pay off your debt."

"Otherwise..."

Tang Yuan's gaze swept toward the kitchen. "That cook recently learned a new dish called stir-fried rabbit kidneys."

Xiao Wu shuddered all over.

Become a maid?

Or become a dish?

This was not a choice at all.

As long as she could stay alive, never mind becoming a maid—even becoming that... was better than dying.

Besides, although this person was terrifying, the aura of life around him made her feel very comfortable. It seemed that cultivating by his side would even make her progress much faster.

"I-I'll do it! I'll be a maid!"

Xiao Wu nodded frantically, afraid that if she agreed too slowly, she would be sent to the kitchen.

"Very good."

Tang Yuan snapped his fingers.

The vines instantly released her. Xiao Wu dropped to the ground with a thud, rubbing her reddened wrists as she looked at Tang Yuan with a pitiful expression.

"Ying Qi."

Tang Yuan called out.

Ying Qi appeared soundlessly from the shadows, holding a neatly folded set of clothes in his hands.

He had clearly prepared them in advance.

"Take her to change."

"Teach her the rules."

Xiao Wu looked at the clothes and accepted them somewhat unwillingly.

They were the standard uniform of the mansion's maids, but they were clearly high-end goods that had been modified.

A black-and-white maid dress, lace trim, and... what was that?

White silk thigh-high stockings?

Half an hour later.

The study door was pushed open.

A freshly dressed Xiao Wu walked in, fidgeting shyly.

It had to be said that she was a natural clothes hanger.

Her original pink outfit had made her look lively, but this closely tailored maid dress perfectly outlined her astonishingly long legs.

The white stockings wrapped around her slender calves, while the hem fell at just the right spot halfway down her thighs. It did not look frivolous, yet it carried an indescribable allure.

Her scorpion braid had been undone, her silky hair falling behind her back and tied loosely with only a white ribbon.

Paired with that face, still youthful yet already displaying breathtaking beauty, and that aggrieved expression...

Excellent.

Tang Yuan sat behind his desk, holding a freshly delivered secret report without even raising his head.

"Come here. Grind the ink."

Xiao Wu bit her lip, wanting to lash out, but the moment she thought of those vines and Spicy Rabbit Head, she immediately chickened out.

She shuffled over to the desk in tiny steps, picked up the inkstick, and began grinding it in circles against the inkstone.

Because of her height, she had to rise slightly onto her tiptoes, with most of her body nearly pressed against Tang Yuan's arm.

The unique fragrance of a young girl, mixed with a faint milky scent, drifted into his nose.

It was the pure aura unique to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Tang Yuan turned his head and glanced at her.

Feeling Tang Yuan's gaze, Xiao Wu's body instantly tensed. Her hand trembled as she ground the ink, and several drops of ink splattered out.

"S-Sorry!"

She hurriedly tried to wipe it away.

Tang Yuan reached out and caught her wrist.

The warm touch made Xiao Wu feel as though she had been electrocuted, and her face flushed bright red at once.

"So clumsy."

Tang Yuan commented indifferently before releasing her hand.

"Since you're a maid now, you need to follow the rules here."

"If you don't do well, I won't mind genuinely adding another dish tonight."

"Do you understand?"

Xiao Wu nodded like a pecking chick. "I understand, I understand! Master... no, Prince, please rest assured. Xiao Wu will behave!"

To save her life, she was truly going all out—even putting on a sugary voice.

Tang Yuan paid no further attention to this rabbit.

His gaze returned to the secret report in his hand.

The teasing look in his eyes instantly turned as deep and still as an ancient well.

It was an urgent report from the border.

There were only a few lines on it, yet they carried an intense stench of blood.

The Star Luo Empire was causing trouble again.

"Looks like some people never learn their lesson."

Tang Yuan crumpled the secret report in his hand. With a slight squeeze of his palm, the scraps of paper instantly turned to ash.

He rose to his feet, and his lazy air vanished completely, replaced by a suffocating, murderous presence.

Xiao Wu shrank back in fright. The man beside her had suddenly transformed from a vile young nobleman into a sharp sword drawn from its sheath.

"Prepare the horses."

Tang Yuan walked out of the study, his voice spreading throughout the entire King's Mansion.

"We're going to the border."

A few days later.

Zhennan Pass, at the southern border of the Heaven Dou Empire.

This was the first line of defense against the Star Luo Empire's invasion, as well as the brutal meat grinder where the two nations clashed most fiercely.

At that moment, the atmosphere inside the central command tent was grave to the extreme.

Dozens of generals clad in heavy armor stood in two rows, every face filled with anxiety and anticipation.

They were waiting for someone.

Someone who could lead them to victory.

As the tent flap was lifted—

Tang Yuan strode inside, clad in silver battle armor.

Swish!

All the generals dropped to one knee in perfect unison. The clatter of their armor rang out neatly like thunder.

"Greetings, Blue Silver King!"

There was not the slightest trace of dissatisfaction in their eyes, only fanatical worship.

In this military camp, where strength reigned supreme, Tang Yuan's prestige had not come from rewards bestowed by the Imperial Family—it had been forged through one hard-fought battle after another.

Tang Yuan strode straight to the commander's seat and sat down without wasting words.

"How is the situation?"

An old general immediately stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Reporting to Your Highness, the Star Luo forces have been moving frequently lately. Though they have been very discreet, our scouts still noticed some signs."

"They appear to be massing a large army, intending to launch a major surprise assault against us."

"And..."

The old general paused, his expression turning grim.

"According to intelligence, the one leading the troops this time is the Star Luo Empire's eldest prince, Dai Weisi."

Tang Yuan lightly tapped his fingers against the table.

Dai Weisi.

Dai Mubai's older brother.