Chapter 35: Peering Inside

Chen Jianye looked around for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and said, "If I’m not mistaken, this is a C96 Mauser."

"Oh, I didn’t realize you were such a connoisseur," Lin Xing remarked, sounding surprised.

"It’s not about being a connoisseur; I’m quite a bit older than you, after all. Recognizing a gun is hardly anything out of the ordinary..."

Zhou Lang, thinking that his chewing was too noisy, quickly finished his food in a few bites—though he was reluctant to do so, as the fruit was delicious and he had hoped to savor it more slowly.

The human flaws revealed through their words after the conflict made Ding Jiazhi realize how little he truly understood about Rong Qiao and the Rong family.

The Governor of Changshan Commandery had received word early and was waiting at the city gate to welcome them. He had heard the name Zhao Yi mentioned many times.

With those words from the Great Elder, Xiao Yan didn’t know what else to say. He could only bow deeply in silence, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Seeing Zijin leave just like that, Shiyao couldn’t be bothered to pay him any mind. She turned to look at Chunshui and the others, but she couldn't be bothered with them either. Her brow furrowed again as she glanced at the items on the table.

"Hmph, next time, go yourself. Don't order me around." Zijin flicked his sleeves in annoyance and strode away.

Brushing past her without a word, she treated the princess as if she were transparent, walking right past Princess Qiaoqiao toward the place where Ji Yining was hiding.

By the time Yin Shihua emerged, he had already climbed over the wall. Yin Shihua was frantic and wanted to chase after him, but he was held back by Shan Munan.

"Order the soldiers back to the tribe to regroup and prepare for another attack by the imperial army," the leader commanded with a wave of his hand.

Furthermore, from any perspective, Song Yazhu had been injured because Zhang Xiaoni pushed her. As Zhang Xiaoni’s husband, he felt obligated to provide compensation and restitution. He couldn't possibly let Song Yazhu pay out of her own pocket.

"You are too kind, Young Mistress. I am quite fond of Miaomiao as well. It’s truly serendipitous; my future sister-in-law is getting married next month, and I was just about to invite you to the wedding banquet. I didn't expect we would meet beforehand." It was indeed wise to cultivate such connections; at the very least, if you show her respect, she will return the favor.

Fortunately, the Stone-Skin Flame had tempered the Eight-Extreme Cauldron to a third level of defense, otherwise, it would have been unable to withstand the force of Yagyu Ichiro’s blade. Even so, the cauldron wobbled and slammed into Xu Tian. Xu Tian had already been backed into a corner, and this impact nearly knocked the wind out of him.

"Speak..." Xiruo Zanzhuo, furious and anxious, kicked Garlei to the ground. The iron spear in his hand clattered down the steps and fell into the rainwater.

In truth, Lu Yichen had refrained from taking action against Shen Yingcai out of concern for the two elderly people. But today, with Shen Yingcai’s repeated provocations, he could no longer tolerate it. If he did, she would only become more unscrupulous. It was time for everyone to see her true colors.

He and she had built a business together, braved the markets together, and watched the numbers in their account grow—all of which were enough to bring them joy.

Yet, in a hazy state, she seemed to see a dark shadow frantically cutting through the waves, swimming toward her. A thick arm immediately wrapped around her waist.

But now, even in such a situation, Xu Tian and Gu Zhaoxi had vanished without a trace, leaving them all stunned.

To avoid gossip, Cheng Zili had Lu Yichen park the car some distance away, never expecting to be blocked at the entrance and unable to get in.

This was the first time Ling Hu Lan had encountered such a situation. She stared coldly at the Ling Hu Lan who looked exactly like her, and the other woman returned the same gaze, even offering a faint smile.

For instance, each time the imperial birthdays or suburban sacrifices occurred, the consorts were permitted to petition for one relative within the mourning grades; princesses were permitted to petition for one relative of their husband’s family within the mourning grades; and county princesses were permitted to petition for one biological son during the suburban sacrifices.

Although a third-rank residence was granted, the Earl of Fuping was undeniably the weakest, and anyone could bully him. Those of the fourth, fifth, or sixth ranks were not enough to matter, and the neighbors felt no pressure in confronting him.

Consequently, everyone seemed to have developed amnesia, and no one mentioned the wealth hidden within Karazhan.

The phone line was busy for a while. Huai Zhen glanced at the clock in the telephone bureau: it was Sunday, and six in the evening on the East Coast was three in the afternoon at home. Usually, there wouldn’t be many customers calling for laundry at this time. She waited a moment and dialed again. The call went through; it was Yunxia.

After the death of Consort De, Wei Qingjing was devastated. He had originally chosen this path of no return for his mother’s sake, yet his own momentary softness had led to failure, and his mother had taken her own life as a result.

Luan Village was once a large village of over a hundred households, but now half had left. In the end, they had to flee; it was better to leave sooner rather than later.

With graduation approaching, he hoped to follow his heart in choosing his career and lifestyle, rather than pursuing a line of work he disliked just for the sake of money.

Once his father had money, he and his elder brother happily built a house and bought land. Disdaining the local masons, his father specifically hired masons from Fuzhou to build a three-section courtyard house, complete with a skylight, a main hall, east and west wings, and even planted peach trees in the courtyard, just like the wealthy folks did.

Sweet bean curd was originally meant for infants, but things had changed. If one added a bit of beef gravy, it wasn't just simple milk and bean curd anymore—much like steamed buns, some people just made them better.

Qin Jinyu was the legitimate princess of the Wei Kingdom. As long as she revealed her identity, the Feather Emperor might not kill her. But Su Heng was different; he had already been rejected by the Feather Emperor, and if his coup failed, death was his only fate.

Long after, Ye Fei, still in a daze, finally snapped out of it. He lit a cigarette and then, unexpectedly, burst into unbridled laughter.

Fortunately, while the cave was not large enough for a dragon, the environment inside was perfect for snakes. Not only were the temperature and humidity just right, but because it had been uninhabited for years and was nourished by a natural hot spring, it was an absolutely ideal living environment for a snake.

The visitor was Boss Wang—a stout man with a heavy build, covered in fat, wearing a gold chain the thickness of a finger around his neck, and several flashy gold rings on his fingers. At a glance, he looked like a 24-karat nouveau riche.

As her voice trailed off, beneath the ground behind Bingyao, the bodies of Bernie and Blood-Cook slowly emerged.

From the calculated, step-by-step schemes of the old thief Tantai to Ye Fei’s own hidden ambitions as the oriole waiting behind the mantis.