"Miao'er" and "Xuan'er"

Upon arriving at the estate, Zhu Youning first met with Wang Shifan, then dispatched men to summon Xuanjing Tian and Miaocheng Tian.

At this moment, both Xuanjing Tian and Miaocheng Tian were dressed as maidservants, their bodies bound tightly; aside from being able to walk, they were completely unable to move a muscle.

When they appeared before Zhu Youning, they both wore expressions of panic and timidity, acting exactly like commoners who had suddenly encountered a high-ranking official.

"What are your names?"

Miaocheng Tian said timidly, "Replying to Your Highness, this servant is named Miao'er."

Xuanjing Tian also spoke with trepidation, "This servant is named Xuan'er."

"Miao'er" and "Xuan'er" blinked their watery eyes, their expressions filled with fear and helplessness.

Zhu Youning scrutinized the two Saintesses dressed as maids, thinking to himself that if he hadn't already known their true identities, he might have truly been fooled by their acting.

Life is like a play, and it all depends on one's acting skills.

"Miao'er and Xuan'er, is it?" Zhu Youning scanned the two, his voice cold. "Your origins are unknown and your identities are suspicious. I now suspect that you either have ulterior motives or are assassins."

"Your Highness, please see the truth!" Miaocheng Tian immediately looked panicked, wailing, "This servant truly has no ulterior motives! I have been poor since childhood and have never even held a kitchen knife; how could I possibly be linked to assassins? Your Highness, this servant has been wronged!"

"This servant has relied on my sister since we were young. We fled to Luoyang half a year ago just to find a meal a day. How could we have any ulterior motives?"

Xuanjing Tian also knelt in terror, her brows furrowed and lips pursed in a pitiful, moving display.

Xuanjing Tian's acting is a bit lacking, Zhu Youning thought to himself after observing her performance. He walked over to her, lifted her chin, stared intently into her eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Miss Xuan'er, you say you came to Luoyang half a year ago?"

Xuanjing Tian looked as if she had been frightened out of her wits, tears streaming down her face as she trembled, "Yes, this servant is just an ordinary woman who came to Luoyang to escape the famine. All I wish for is a bite to eat."

"It seems I have wronged you both."

Zhu Youning finally let go and laughed, "How about this? I will give you a chance to live in luxury. From now on, stay by my side and serve me!"

"Yes."

After Xuanjing Tian and Miaocheng Tian retreated with the grace of swaying willows, Zhu Youning pondered for a moment before whispering to Wang Shifan, "Old General Wang, what do you say?"

Wang Shifan hesitated, then said, "Your Highness, I still feel that these two are highly suspicious. They are very likely..."

"People from the Huan Yin Workshop, right? We see eye to eye." Zhu Youning said slowly, "But I intend to keep them. If I say they are innocent, they are innocent. What does Old General Wang think?"

Wang Shifan was startled and had no choice but to bow, "Your Highness's words are absolutely correct."

He naturally knew what the Huan Yin Workshop was.

On the surface, it was a place of song, dance, and fragrant sleeves, but in secret, it was the assassination organization of the Qi State.

Only if these two women were cleared of suspicion could his Wang clan shed the charge of colluding with the Huan Yin Workshop and avoid the sentence of extermination of their nine clans. Zhu Youning saying this was offering him a way out!

Of course, Wang Shifan was also acutely aware that this favor did not come for free.

Zhu Youning's move was likely a way to "beat the grass to startle the snake," aimed at nothing more than securing the loyalty of the Wang clan.

If he didn't show his stance now, he feared that with one accusation from Zhu Youning, he would find himself on the execution ground for colluding with the Qi State's Huan Yin Workshop.

This Zhu Youning was no pushover!

Thinking of this, Wang Shifan immediately bowed to Zhu Youning and said, "This defeated old general has received such great kindness that I have nothing to repay it with. I am willing to offer the labor of a dog or horse and go through fire and water for Your Highness!"

Zhu Youning smiled inwardly at these words and immediately helped Wang Shifan up.

"Old General Wang, please rise."

After helping him up, Zhu Youning said happily, "Old General Wang is a man of talent, but it is precisely because of that that you have attracted the pursuit of various forces from states like Qi and Jin. The waters of Luoyang are too deep, and I fear you cannot handle them. Now that you are free of official duties, you should pack up and prepare to return to Qingzhou."

That day, Xuanjing Tian and Miaocheng Tian were exhausted.

On one hand, it was because there were soldiers under Zhu Youning patrolling at all times; even if they wanted to leave, they couldn't.

On the other hand, it was because Miaocheng Tian's Innate Severed Meridians had flared up, forcing Xuanjing Tian to exhaust all her internal energy to soothe her sister's pain.

At this moment, in a room at the official post house in Luoyang, Xuanjing Tian sat cross-legged, having finally finished channeling her energy to heal Miaocheng Tian.

"Sister, how do you feel?"

Miaocheng Tian's face and lips were pale, yet she forced a smile, "It's an old ailment. It's fine, I'm used to it. I'll be better after a rest."

Xuanjing Tian looked full of regret and helplessness, sighing, "It's a pity my cultivation isn't strong enough. I can only temporarily ease your pain, but I cannot remove the root of the illness."

"Silly girl, I have Innate Severed Meridians; even the Empress said it was incurable, so why are you blaming yourself?" Miaocheng Tian shook her head and said gently to Xuanjing Tian, "Save your internal energy to prepare for any incoming enemies. I don't think this Zhu Youning is a simple character."

Xuanjing Tian was clearly worried, saying, "But sister, our weapons are still hidden in Wang Shifan's estate. If we can't retrieve them, even if our cultivation returns to its peak, I fear it will be difficult to shake off these Liang Soldiers."

Miaocheng Tian pondered, "That is true. What I fear most now is that Zhu Youning has already discovered our identities. If he knows we are from the Huan Yin Workshop, our lives will be in danger!"

"I don't think he knows. He probably just wanted an excuse to keep us," Xuanjing Tian said dismissively with a smile. "Men, after all, are never averse to beauty. It's nothing more than that."

"If we want to escape, the best method is actually to take Zhu Youning hostage, or at the very least, kill him!"

Miaocheng Tian frowned slightly, "But this Zhu Youning is likely not easy to deal with. We must not be careless under any circumstances. Zhu Youning was able to retreat unscathed under the pursuit of Li Cunxiao; he is certainly not simple."

"Sister, aren't you worrying too much?" Xuanjing Tian said. "Although that Li Cunxiao has high martial arts and is known as the world's fiercest warrior, he isn't very bright. As long as we avoid a direct confrontation with him, it is possible to escape. The fact that Zhu Youning escaped from Li Cunxiao doesn't prove much."

Miaocheng Tian's eyes held a trace of apprehension and unease as she mused, "But you forgot there is also Li Cunzhong. With Li Cunzhong's cunning combined with Li Cunxiao's ferocity, even if our Huan Yin Workshop dispatched six Saintesses, I fear we wouldn't win. Therefore, I believe we must report the current situation to the Empress and let her decide..."

Miaocheng Tian was about to continue, but suddenly fell silent.

Because footsteps were slowly approaching.