Chapter 380

“Qiao Jiaojiao, don’t be afraid. Sister Meng will protect you,” Meng Guxue whispered to Qiao Jiaojiao before turning to face Baili Miaoxue with a look of “excitement and joy.”

“Sister Xi! It’s so good to see you!”

“I was just changing on the painting boat, and then suddenly, I woke up here!”

“I was feeling lost, and then you showed up! Sister Xi, where are we? Where is your third brother?”

Meng Guxue acted as if she had found a lifeline.

Baili Miaoxue gave Meng Guxue a strange look, as if she were looking at a fool. Although she didn’t understand how Meng Guxue had woken up so quickly, it saved her the trouble of having someone splash water to wake her up.

“Are you really that stupid or just pretending?” Baili Miaoxue sneered.

Meng Guxue’s expression turned “bewildered.” “Sister Xi, what do you mean by that?”

“Ugh—”

Baili Miaoxue clicked her tongue and said coldly, “You’re so stupid. I can’t fathom what he sees in you!”

Meng Guxue looked “shocked” and raised her voice, “Sister Xi, could it be… could it be that you kidnapped me? And the ‘he’ you’re talking about, isn’t Shen Yuanbai, is it?”

Baili Miaoxue slowly walked forward and snorted, “Not completely hopelessly stupid!”

Hearing Baili Miaoxue’s confirmation, Meng Guxue leaned forward excitedly and said urgently, “Sister Xi, don’t be fooled by Shen Yuanbai! He’s not simple, and many women have died because of him in Yong.”

“Think carefully. He’s just using you!”

Qiao Jiaojiao, who was tightly protected behind Meng Guxue, saw Meng Guxue, while talking, discreetly bring her hands behind her back and slide a round box from her sleeve. She opened it and then smeared something from the box onto her right hand.

Qiao Jiaojiao raised her eyebrows but pretended not to notice.

Baili Miaoxue raised her eyebrows as well upon hearing Meng Guxue’s words. She smiled faintly and said, “I am the princess of Nanli. Do you think I wouldn’t be cautious about such things?”

“He’s using me? Ha—you don’t know that I’m using him too?”

Qiao Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

[Oh? Interesting! Indeed, no one in the Nanli royal family is simple!]

[Without the strong support of the Yong Emperor, Shen Yuanbai is weak in Nanli and has to collaborate with others cautiously.]

[This Princess Xi seems quite ambitious too. Could it be she…]

“Sister Xi, I advise you not to overestimate yourself. Shen Yuanbai is not an easy person to deal with. You might not be able to beat him!”

Meng Guxue, sensing something from Baili Miaoxue’s words, took the chance to poison Shen Yuanbai’s reputation further before he showed up.

“Do you know about the Nanli royal secret treasure—the Soul-Binding Gu?”

“The mother Gu is with Shen Yuanbai. Your third brother helped me find out. This Gu, considered a national treasure, has many marvelous uses. Don’t let him deceive you!”

Baili Miaoxue, who had been looking disdainful, was visibly shocked upon hearing about the “Soul-Binding Gu!”

“What? You said the mother Gu is with him?”

“So… so has he been pretending all this time?”

The latter part of her sentence was Baili Miaoxue’s muttering, but the room was so quiet that both Qiao Jiaojiao and Meng Guxue heard it clearly.

Qiao Jiaojiao clenched her right hand in excitement.

[Wow! Meng Guxue hit the mark. It seems Baili Miaoxue really was fooled by Shen Yuanbai!]

[Could we hope to see them fighting among themselves next?]

Seeing that her words had an immediate effect, Meng Guxue felt a surge of joy but maintained her composure. As Baili Miaoxue stood there in a daze, Meng Guxue continued to fan the flames with a concerned look.

“Sister Xi, have you been deceived by him already? It’s not your fault, really. Back in Yong Dynasty, even I was fooled by his facade!”

“Just watch, his ambitions are huge. He failed to seize the throne in Yong Dynasty, and now he’s eyeing the throne of Nanli!”

“Sister Xi, quickly release me. Together, we can defeat him. If you fancy his looks, you can have your way with him, even tying him up if you want!”

Qiao Jiaojiao: ∑(O_O；)

[What did I just hear? This is getting intense!]

Baili Miaoxue raised her head, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

What does “tying him up” even mean?

“Sister Xi, what do you say?” Meng Guxue asked expectantly.

Baili Miaoxue only appeared confused for a moment. When Meng Guxue pressed on, she curled her lips in disdain.

“Sister-in-law, men… are ultimately just for amusement. He is indeed good-looking, and I do like him, but that’s not what I want most.”

Qiao Jiaojiao: (」ﾟﾛﾟ)｣

[Wow, wow, wow! Could it be that I was right? This Princess Xi is ambitious. It seems she’s also after the throne!]

Meng Guxue: !!!

Oh my, she had underestimated Baili Miaoxue! She thought she was a love-struck fool, but it turns out she’s all about ambition!

“So… it was you who kidnapped me tonight? Are you also against your third brother?”

Meng Guxue originally thought it was the Crown Prince who had captured her tonight. If Princess Xi had the same ambition, then she was indeed in her hands!

If so, what was the Crown Prince’s plan at tonight’s banquet?

Qiao Jiaojiao thought even deeper. Earlier, when Meng Guxue was unconscious, Yin Zhu had been here!

If the Crown Prince and Princess Xi were indeed rivals, could Shen Yuanbai and Yin Zhu be playing double agents? Pretending to support the Crown Prince but actually serving Princess Xi, while ultimately pursuing their own grand scheme?

Impressive—

Qiao Jiaojiao felt a sudden clarity. This trip was truly worth it, as she was finally piecing things together!

Hearing Meng Guxue mention Baili Chengyou, Baili Miaoxue snorted coldly.

“Sister-in-law, don’t count on my third brother to rescue you. He has his own problems tonight!”

Meng Guxue’s expression changed slightly. So the Crown Prince also had plans!

“So, you’re here just to show off?” Meng Guxue looked at Baili Miaoxue, remaining calm.

Since she had willingly entered the tiger’s den today, she was determined. No matter the situation, she couldn’t lose her composure and reason!

Baili Miaoxue shook her head, a hint of contempt and malice in her eyes.

“Sister-in-law, capturing you to restrain my third brother is one thing, but you are also someone Yuanbai wants.”

“Whatever he sees in you, ruining your face first can’t be wrong.”

“And maybe cutting off a finger to send to my third brother’s mansion, to alleviate his longing.”

Meng Guxue, Qiao Jiaojiao: ???

Is she a devil?

As Baili Miaoxue spoke, she drew a beautifully crafted dagger from behind her waist.