Fairies Are Fierce

Chapter 4: Unwilling Men, Unwilling Women

Zuo Han Chou pointed at Zuo Lingquan's face.

"Among all the young masters of the Zuo family, you are the most handsome and love to wander around, making everyone in the four southern counties know about it. It's like when the emperor chooses a concubine, everyone knows there is a beautiful lady waiting in your family. Would you dare to send someone of lesser status into the palace?"

"..." Zuo Lingquan opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.

Seeing that his nephew didn't argue back, Zuo Han Chou's expression softened.

"I know you like to be carefree and dislike being restrained. This time, when choosing a husband, as long as you do your best and let everyone see the position of our Zuo family, it will be enough.

If you are chosen, it will be your good fortune. The princess is exceptionally beautiful and matches you in both talent and appearance. If you still fail to be chosen despite giving your all, then consider this matter as if it never happened."

Zuo Lingquan couldn't refuse any further and could only nod slightly.

"I understand. I will do my best. If I am not chosen, Uncle San, please don't blame me for being incompetent."

"The princess has sharp eyes. As long as you don't respond passively, how could she not choose you? It's getting late. Go back and rest well."

After Zuo Han Chou finished his instructions, he got up and saw Zuo Lingquan off.

Zuo Lingquan nodded, bid farewell with a raised hand, and walked towards the study, directly leaping onto the roof.

Seeing this scene, Zuo Han Chou came to the window and asked in confusion, "Lingquan, why aren't you going back to your room to sleep at this late hour? Why are you going to the upper rooms?"

Zuo Lingquan, who was new to the place and felt uncomfortable staying at his uncle's house, wanted to find a place to settle down. But he couldn't say it directly, so he smiled while on the eaves.

"It's my first time in the capital. I want to go out and take a look. When it's time to choose a husband, I will be there on time. Uncle San, don't worry."

After all, Zuo Lingquan was a man, not a young lady who couldn't leave the house. Although Zuo Han Chou didn't want his nephew to disappear, he couldn't forcefully confine him either. He thought for a moment and only reminded him, "Pay attention to your appearance when you're out, don't be like a brute who draws his sword at the slightest provocation. Also, absolutely do not go to brothels, at least not in the next two days."

Zuo Lingquan stood under the umbrella in the rain, feeling a bit helpless.

"Uncle San, I'm not interested in women."

Zuo Han Chou furrowed his brows slightly, looked around, and saw that his wife wasn't there. Then he put on a knowing look.

"Not interested in women? Can you still be called a man? Don't pretend to be righteous in front of Uncle San. By the way, being interested in men is also not allowed. You must not go to the gentlemen's mansions in the city..."

Zuo Lingquan didn't know what to say. He shook his head, sighed, and disappeared into the rain with a few ups and downs...

---

Under the same night sky.

The majestic palace stood solemnly on the east side of the capital. The palace lights flickered in the wind, and the rain hit the eaves, making the grand imperial city seem like it was enveloped in clouds and mist, with a hint of splendor shining through.

Inside the Chang Le Palace where the emperor resided, the lights were bright. A eunuch stood quietly outside the study, holding a feather duster, while palace maids came and went, carrying books.

The young emperor, only twelve years old, dressed in a black and red dragon robe, sat behind a small desk, drowsy. The book in front of him, which he had been copying, had turned into crooked lines like wriggling worms.

Inside the study, the large imperial desk was piled with memorials, and a female official was diligently organizing them.

Sitting upright at the desk, a woman dressed in a red and black palace dress held a dossier that had just been delivered by the arrest department in the afternoon, carefully examining it.

The woman, in her early twenties, had a golden hairpin slanted in her hair bun. Her eyes were like red apricots, her eyebrows like crescent moons, and her graceful figure already showed a hint of maturity that belonged exclusively to women.

Although she didn't wear any makeup, the soft charm between her eyebrows remained undiminished. Especially her cherry-red lips, which carried a hint of innate spring-like charm.

However, her gaze was as sharp as a sword. Even without any movement, her inherent superiority was evident, making it impossible for outsiders to look directly at her. As a result, these beautiful eyes in front of the lamp seemed to lack any softness and instead carried a somewhat icy coldness.

The woman who could make the emperor copy books while she sat at the imperial desk and handled official documents was none other than Princess Long Li, Jiang Yi.

Princess Long Li was almost twenty years old, already considered an old maid in this world. Because she had to assist her young brother, she wasn't in a hurry to get married.

But as a female regent, and not the emperor's birth mother, there was no precedent in history, and it went against the rules and etiquette. Many members of the royal family and court officials had objections.

This time, the selection of a husband was a compromise made because the objections from the royal family were too strong and there was no other choice.

After getting married, one becomes an outsider. According to the rules, one must leave the palace and go to the husband's family, unable to stay in the palace, naturally far away from the center of power.

Long Li Princess and the young emperor are siblings, with a significant age difference, but they have a deep bond. How can they feel at ease leaving their twelve-year-old brother alone in the palace, being overshadowed by courtiers and the Zong family? They definitely don't want to get married, and at this moment, they are also worried about the matter of finding a husband.

On the imperial desk, a green lamp flickered. Long Li Princess, under the light of the lamp, looked at the scroll in her hand and absentmindedly rubbed her forehead.

"These people are really shameless."

The female official, Leng Zhu, who was next to the imperial desk, heard Long Li Princess speak and put down the scroll in her hand, curiously asking, "Princess, what's wrong?"

Long Li Princess pushed the scroll in front of Leng Zhu and pointed to the writing on it.

"Take a look for yourself."

Leng Zhu picked up the scroll and saw that it was written: "Today at noon, Zuo Lingquan, the legitimate son of the Zuo family in Qinghe County, arrived in the capital and encountered a ferocious beast causing trouble in the Linhe District. In order to protect the people in the neighborhood, he fearlessly fought against the beast, risking his life. The scroll detailed Zuo Lingquan's resolute determination to sacrifice himself for the country, even adding that after doing a good deed, he refused to reveal his name and was recognized by his fellow townspeople."

Leng Zhu read the scroll from beginning to end, but she couldn't casually comment. After thinking for a moment, she said, "If this Zuo Lingquan is truly so brave and righteous, he is indeed worthy of praise."

Long Li Princess's eyes showed a hint of disdain.

"All these young heroes are coming out for the position of husband. Li Cang from Jintang County saved a classmate who fell into the Bai Lu River, Zhao Huian from Beiyao County risked his life to stop a frightened horse on Xinghua Street, and so on. They all coincidentally don't care about fame, and then they are recognized by the people present and brought to my attention. Sigh..."

This light sigh probably meant that it was a waste of breath to criticize these young gentlemen for their hypocrisy.

Leng Zhu lightly curled her lips and joked, "In order to win the favor of the princess, these young gentlemen are really going all out. For now, Zuo Lingquan seems to be the most sincere. He went to kill the ferocious beast, not to mention his courage."

Long Li Princess was already accustomed to this kind of behavior from the people below her, shaking her head and saying, "Zuo Lingquan is only seventeen years old, not a cultivator. How could he kill a ferocious beast? Cui Shanying was also present today, and the Arresting Bureau sent many people. The ferocious beast happened to appear at the dock. I'm afraid that as soon as Zuo Lingquan landed, he ran into the Arresting Bureau hunting down the beast and they conveniently added his name. The Zuo family is wealthy, and the Assistant Minister, Zuo Hanchou, is well-connected. It's not that simple to do this."

Leng Zhu also thought so. She realized that Long Li Princess had negative feelings towards the candidates for the husband position, so she didn't say much. She changed the topic and talked about official matters.

"It is said that the Zhan Gang Dao has had problems three times this year. And since last year, there have been incidents of ferocious beasts in the capital, and Qihuang Valley has not given a satisfactory response. Could it be that there really is a problem in Qihuang Valley, as the princess suspects?"

Phoenix Valley is only thirty miles away from the capital city. As a place that receives offerings from the country, it naturally has to protect the prosperity and peace of the Great Dan Dynasty. Now that the capital city is starting to have trouble with ferocious beasts, it's equivalent to having frequent leaks right under their noses. The princess doesn't believe that there are no problems in Phoenix Valley.

But this matter is of great importance. Long Li, the princess, feels that it's meaningless to talk to the palace maids. Without a response, she turns to look at the little emperor who is sleeping on his stomach.

"Someone, the emperor is tired. Take him to rest."

"Yes."

The nanny waiting outside comes in upon hearing the command and carries the soundly sleeping little emperor out.

Long Li, the princess, closes the dossier, gets up, and leaves the study. She originally intended to return to her own palace, but halfway there, she stops in the corridor.

Cold Bamboo follows behind, seeing Long Li, the princess, looking towards outside the imperial city, slightly puzzled.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

Long Li, the princess, hesitates for a moment, thinking about the incident of the ferocious beasts in Linhe Alley today. In the end, she feels uneasy in her heart and gives an order.

"I'm going out of the palace for a while. You all can return to the palace, no need to follow."

"Yes."

Although Cold Bamboo is puzzled, she doesn't dare to ask further. She slightly bows and quietly withdraws with the palace maids.

---

Thank you very much to the two big shots, [Jiaoqing Mao Cat] and [Mu Jianli], for the leader's reward, as well as the massive rewards from other big shots.

There are quite a few big shots, so I'll express my gratitude first. I'll summarize and thank everyone in a separate chapter in a few days.

As for the rules for additional updates, I owe about 300 chapters in this book. Let's round it down to 3 chapters... I'm sure everyone will kill me, so let's just count it as a solid 300.

I already owe a lot, and promising too many additional updates is like asking for trouble. So, just like in the previous book, Late Stage, let's count it as one additional update for every 30,000 rewards. Guanguan will carefully tally it up. If Late Stage can't handle the rule change, I will inform everyone in advance.

In addition, this is a xianxia novel. As a xianxia newbie, Guanguan doesn't dare to say how well it's written, but it's definitely different from other xianxia novels. I don't know if everyone can adapt to it.

I've written several books, and loyal readers should already know Guanguan. No matter how it's written, I will do my best within my abilities. I hope everyone can support me more. Thank you.

(End of this chapter)