When Fan Li heard Princess Chang Le was coming, he remained indifferent. Xiang Ning panicked into a cold sweat though.
"What to do? I've never met the Princess before in this getup. Moreover, it's at your residence. What if the Princess recognizes me and gets the wrong idea..."
Fan Li rolled his eyes. How could there be such a huge gap between women of the same gender?
Princess Chang Le was like a millennia-old fox spirit who had played countless men to death. Yet Xiang Ning was like a chick just hatched, panicking over every tiny matter.
"What ideas could the Princess get?" Fan Li said gloomily.
Xiang Ning's face reddened. "What if... what if she thinks you and I have... have..."
Have an affair.
But this was something Xiang Ning just couldn't say out loud no matter what. Fan Li guessed what she wanted to say and rolled his eyes again in vexation.
"Since Your Majesty has never met the Princess, please keep your head lowered later and pretend to be an ordinary palace maid. The Princess won't pay you much attention."
"Oh, okay." Xiang Ning nodded repeatedly. She now had completely no idea what to do and could only listen to Fan Li obediently.
'Strange. Why is Princess Chang Le specially coming to see this treacherous official?' The thought flashed across Xiang Ning's mind. But before she could think further, the faint fragrance of peonies drifted into Rivers and Mountains Pavilion, carried along the lakeside breeze.
"What a nice smell!" Women were most sensitive towards fragrances and floral scents. Xiang Ning was no exception. Following the scent, she saw a peerless beauty approaching from afar.
It was obviously a woman coming. Clad in snow-white robes, graceful as an orchid.
Just from the woman's gait, each step sprouting lotus flowers, before even seeing her looks clearly, Xiang Ning believed she must possess devastating beauty!
'Princess Chang Le really isn't ordinary. This Fan Li...' Xiang Ning couldn't help glancing at Fan Li, actually worried he would fall under the Princess's spell.
Fortunately, Fan Li had an indolent, casual appearance. He was even yawning as he welcomed the Princess.
Xiang Ning secretly felt relieved, praising Fan Li as sensible in her heart. Up close, Xiang Ning finally saw the Princess's looks clearly.
"So pretty!" Xiang Ning cried out in admiration inwardly, immediately feeling inferior and pathetic compared to her.
Princess Chang Le's beauty truly outshone all women in the world! As elegant as a peony, naturally noble with an aloofness towering over the masses of flowers!
Her snow-white dress seemed to hint at Princess Chang Le's flawless perfection. The vermillion lip coloring accentuating her peerless face gave off an overbearing femininity of a queen over women!
Princess Chang Le stopped five meters away from Fan Li, the corner of her mouth hooked in an meaningful smile but she didn't hurry to speak.
With a lazy gaze akin to Fan Li's, she casually looked over the scenery inside Rivers and Mountains Pavilion.
In just those few seconds, the Princess's eyes lingered on Xiang Ning for a bit.
"Does the esteemed Princess's visit to my humble abode have any business?" It was like Fan Li deliberately spoke to shift the Princess's attention lest she recognize Xiang Ning.
As expected, the Princess shifted her focus.
"Hehehe!"
This laugh stunned Xiang Ning.
How could the favored daughter of Han's heaven laugh so licentiously like a courtesan of Qinhuai!?
"This princess came looking for Duke Jin today. Of course it's because I wish to stay the night here! If I can conceive Duke Jin's child tonight, Great Chu will have an heir!"
Fan Li's aged face darkened. "Please watch your words, Princess. Such things cannot be said carelessly!"
It seemed Princess Chang Le's eyes unintentionally swept past Xiang Ning. The latter didn't dare speak but endless dog blood drama had already started playing out in her mind!
It wasn't enough that this chief minister existed. How could the soon-to-be Han Princess marrying her actually have an affair with Fan Li!?
And they were conspiring about Great Chu's succession!?
"Oh? Who is this young miss? Why does she seem jealous? Duke Jin, is she your new favorite?" Princess Chang Le asked with an wicked smile.
Xiang Ning immediately raised her head! 'Nonsense! I'm not jealous!' Then afraid Princess Chang Le would remember her looks, she quickly lowered her head again.
Fan Li felt extremely vexed. Both these women were nothing but trouble.
"Hey! Liu Man, stop messing around so much if there's something to say. If there's nothing, I'll have to see you out!" Fan Li put on a stern face to appear rather dignified.
The Fan estate was his territory. How could he let outsiders sing and dance here however they wished!
Princess Chang Le also knew she couldn't keep joking. Twisting her charming body, she sat right in front of Fan Li. The Princess kept smiling but her next words were truly no small matter.
"Someone wants you dead."
"A sage ruler of Brahma Sound Pure Land plus experts from the Blazing Fire Sect."
Fan Li's expression immediately turned serious as he recalled Xiang Chong whom he had humiliated in court previously.
Xiang Ning cried out, "Brahma Sound Pure Land? The ascetic cultivation paradise of the world beyond, why would they interfere in worldly affairs!?"
A paradise beyond the mortal world?
Fan Li shook his head listening. Even as a transmigrator, he knew this was an age of great conflict! Average people fought over fame and gain. Cultivators struggled over the Heavenly Opportunity.
Since Brahma Sound Pure Land were all cultivators, how could they transcend worldly affairs when fighting over chances for ascension!? Moreover, Fan Li especially scorned those who flaunted themselves in their names.
Pure Land?
Those claiming to be so were actually the furthest from clarity and stillness!
Princess Chang Le went on, "That Xiang Chong you humiliated last time isn't just the Blazing Fire Sect Lord's personal disciple. He's now that person's son-in-law. The Blazing Fire Sect Lord only has one daughter who is already engaged to Xiang Chong. So offending Xiang Chong makes you the mortal enemy of the entire Blazing Fire Sect."
"Then... why would Brahma Sound Pure Land interfere in this matter?" Xiang Ning couldn't resist asking.
Fan Li gave her a "you idiot" stare. Without needing the Princess's explanation, he directly answered, "That sage ruler from Brahma Sound Pure Land is probably Xiang Chong's mother-in-law right?"
"Hehehe, correct! You're so smart!" Princess Chang Le laughed uproariously as if Fan Li hadn't drawn a great expert's ire but won the lottery jackpot instead.
"So Princess, you've come to announce my death or are you going save me instead?" Fan Li directly asked without beating around the bush.
From their first meeting, Princess Chang Le's attitude towards him was always proactively enthusiastic. But Fan Li knew there was no causeless hate or love in this world. Princess Chang Le had absolutely no obligation to help him so Fan Li didn't hold high hopes either.
Xiang Ning was already nervously holding her breath!
Let alone the Blazing Fire Sect, that sage ruler from Brahma Sound Pure Land was what kind of existence!?
After Former Qin's downfall, the feudal lords rampantly warred. A sage ruler of Pure Land's personal strength was absolutely no weaker than a powerful warlord capable of subjugating the realm!
Xiang Ning didn't want Fan Li to die now. She hoped Princess Chang Le could help Fan Li!
"Hehehe..." Princess Chang Le laughed coquettishly again.
"This princess is also a junior member of Brahma Sound Pure Land. How can I make a move against a sage ruler? Although the Blood Phoenix Sage Ruler is only the lowest seat among Pure Land's sages."
Fan Li quietly listened without rushing to speak.
Just from the crucial intel slipped in the Princess's words that the threat was from Pure Land's lowest sage ruler, he had to thank Princess Chang Le!
Princess Chang Le also stared fixedly at Fan Li for quite a while. Admiring colors gradually emerged within her bewitching eyes, clearly due to Fan Li's current composure.
"Duke Jin, this princess is even more inclined to bear your children now. The premise, however, is that you manage to survive under the Blood Phoenix Holy Lord's hands, oh..."