As soon as she left the house, Jiang Yuanxi summoned Xuanwu and headed straight for the Duke of Han’s residence.

A gust of wind passed by, and the gate guards blinked in confusion.

“What just went past us?”

The other guard replied, “Looked like our young lady… riding a turtle.”

“Can turtles even grow that big?”

“Who knows? Maybe it’s a thousand-year-old ancient tortoise.”

“Then what’s a turtle?”

“…”

Jiang Yuanxi stormed into Han Qianhua’s courtyard in a whirlwind.

“Godmother! Godfather!”

Upon hearing the call, Han Qianhua emerged from the house.

“Qianhua, walk slowly, be careful of your belly,” Wu Jiping reminded her, supporting her at her side.

“I’m fine. It’s only three months; everything is stable now.”

“Still, be careful.”

Seeing Jiang Yuanxi rush in, Wu Jiping quickly stepped in front of his wife.

“Your godmother is pregnant. Be more careful.”

Wu Jiping was afraid that Jiang Yuanxi’s reckless energy might accidentally bump into his wife.

Jiang Yuanxi sidestepped him effortlessly and ran straight into Han Qianhua’s embrace.

“Godmother!” Jiang Yuanxi nuzzled into her affectionately.

[Ah, the embrace of a beauty is so warm and fragrant.]

Wu Jiping snorted unhappily.

So young, yet already competing with him for his wife’s attention.

Han Qianhua ordered the servants to bring out all of Jiang Yuanxi’s favorite foods.

Jiang Yuanxi ate to her heart’s content, stuffing her pockets with even more snacks.

Wu Jiping rolled his eyes. “You must have come here for a reason.”

Han Qianhua shot him a glare. “Yuanxi rarely comes by. Don’t bring up other matters.” Then she smiled and continued wiping Jiang Yuanxi’s mouth.

“But wife, I—”

The moment Jiang Yuanxi arrived, a portion of his wife’s affection was stolen away.

Yet, he dared not voice his complaints to his wife.

Wu Jiping looked like a wronged concubine, sulking in the corner, one step away from biting his handkerchief in frustration.

After eating to her heart’s content, Jiang Yuanxi let out a satisfied burp.

Then she turned to Wu Jiping. “Godfather, carry me downstairs.”

“Hey, you little rascal, first you take my wife, and now—” He started to protest but, under Han Qianhua’s sharp gaze, he forcefully changed his tone, “Ahem, well… alright.”

He picked Jiang Yuanxi up and carried her down.

Jiang Yuanxi giggled and hugged Han Qianhua’s leg.

“Godmother, I want Godfather to take me flying.”

“Flying? I don’t have time for that. I need to keep Qianhua company.”

“Godmother, look at Godfather. He’s being mean.”

Wu Jiping: …

Tattling now, huh? Very well.

Late at night, a shadow moved swiftly through the streets and landed silently in a courtyard.

“Where to next?” the man asked in a low voice.

Jiang Yuanxi slowly peeked her head out from his embrace.

“Godfather, jump down. Don’t let anyone see us.”

Wu Jiping had no idea what this little rascal was up to but followed her instructions anyway.

“Yuanxi, sneaking into a government official’s house is a crime.”

Jiang Yuanxi patted her small chest confidently. “Don’t worry, Godfather. I’m a princess—a very powerful princess.”

Wu Jiping sighed.

If it weren’t for Jiang Yuanxi, he would be in bed right now, cuddling his soft, fragrant wife.

What kind of job was this?

But Qianhua spoiled Yuanxi too much to refuse.

The two of them sneaked into the Feng residence.

After wandering around for a while, Jiang Yuanxi finally found the right spot.

Next to a dark stone in the garden stood an inconspicuous statue.

Jiang Yuanxi walked over and pressed it gently.

The large stone beside it split open, revealing a hidden door.

Wu Jiping frowned.

A fifth-rank official’s house has a secret chamber like this?

What exactly is the Feng family hiding?

He stepped in front of Jiang Yuanxi and descended first.

The dark passage was damp and muddy, as if it had not been visited for a long time.

Wu Jiping lit a torch.

At the end of the passage, an iron-barred cell appeared before them.

Inside was a boy, around eleven or twelve years old, dressed in tattered clothes.

As the firelight illuminated the cell, Feng Qing slowly raised his head.

Wu Jiping stepped back in shock.

How… how could someone look like this?!

Half of his face was human, the other half like a demon.

“So that’s how it is.”

The Feng family had willingly admitted guilt because they didn’t want anyone to discover the monster they were hiding.

Jiang Yuanxi flicked a talisman toward the cell, and the door swung open.

“Yuanxi! Stay away from him! Don’t go in!”

Wu Jiping warned her repeatedly.

This boy was definitely not normal. No human should look like that.

Or rather… was he even human?

Feng Qing let out a cold laugh. Despite the open door, he showed no intention of leaving.

“A half-human, half-demon, modified by someone?”

Jiang Yuanxi murmured in curiosity.

She slapped a talisman onto Feng Qing’s forehead.

Instantly, the pain in his body vanished, and he felt much lighter.

His eyes lit up. “How do you know about demons?” His voice was hoarse from disuse.

What a joke. Of course she knew about demons.

[I am the ancestor of the demon clan, after all.]

Back in the day, she had chased the Demon King across the land just to claim that title.

Wu Jiping stared at the little girl in front of him in disbelief.

Was she… bluffing?

“I have connections in the demon clan,” Jiang Yuanxi said vaguely.

Feng Qing saw a glimmer of hope. “Can you save me?”

There was a desperate plea in Feng Qing’s eyes.

His parents had spent everything to keep him alive.

His sister had reached marriageable age, but because of him, she couldn’t find a husband.

He had locked himself away to keep the Feng family safe.

His half-human, half-demon body brought him endless pain and forced his family to live in fear.

“I can save you. But do you want to be human… or demon?”

“Human! Of course, human!”

That night, while the Feng family’s guards patrolled, they noticed firelight flickering in the secret chamber.

They immediately alerted their master.

Moments later, Lord Feng rushed over in his night robes with his men.

“Who dares trespass in my home?!”

If word of this got out, his son would be doomed.

“H-Her Highness, Princess Xihe?!” Lord Feng gasped.

Why was she here?

“Your Highness, it was Sima Pingting who forced me to frame the Jiang brothers. I had no choice,” Lord Feng knelt. “Please, don’t let this matter spread.”

Before he finished speaking, Feng Qing stepped out of the shadows.

“Qing—Qing’er!”

While Lord Feng and his wife were overwhelmed with emotion, the guards grew wary.

Whenever the young master left the chamber, many people got hurt.

And each time was worse than the last.

“Brother, you—” Feng Zhiyu couldn’t believe her eyes.

Feng Qing grasped her hand. “Sister, I’m cured. The princess healed me.”

From now on, he could walk in the sunlight without fear.

Lady Feng trembled as she touched his face.

The demonic markings were gone, his pupils normal again.

He looked just like any other boy.

“He’s healed! My lord, he’s really healed!”

Lord Feng cupped his fists. “Thank you, Princess!”

The entire Feng family knelt in gratitude.

Jiang Yuanxi waved dismissively. “It was nothing.”

[But how did Feng Qing become a half-demon?]

She was puzzled.

Wu Jiping voiced her thoughts. “Lord Feng, how did this happen to your son?”

Lord Feng wiped his tears.

“Six years ago, my wife took Qing’er through Feng’an. He was kidnapped… and when he returned, he was no longer human.”

“Feng’an…” Jiang Yuanxi murmured.

Wasn’t that where the male lead was born?