Zi You lightly smiled and stroked her grandfather’s chest soothingly. “Don’t say that, grandfather. We saved his life, but he saved my life too. We’re even now. If we meet in the future, neither one owes the other. Isn’t that pretty good? It’s better not to owe a debt of gratitude. You don’t have to worry. It’s good if granddaughter’s reputation is ruined and can’t get married. You’er can follow you and uncle to the battlefield and protect you. When You’er’s cousins join the Mu army, You’er can also protect them. Grandfather, nothing is more important than all of you.”
Old General Mu looked at his more and more sensible granddaughter and loved her more and more.
He thought, ‘Dier only left Zi You behind. No matter what, she has to be happy. How can she sacrifice her whole life for the Mu family?’
Old General Mu was racking his brain. Zi You looked at this frowning forehead and knew that he didn’t hear what she said.
Thus, she smiled as she said, “Grandfather, there’s actually a way to stop everyone’s gossip. As long as You’er gets engaged to someone else, it’s certain that not long after that, no one will gossip.”
Old General Mu immediately shook his head in disapproval. “Where can we find a suitable family and man in a hurry? Is my, Mu Junyuan’s, granddaughter someone an average person is worthy of?”
Zi You faintly smiled. “I won’t really marry him. I’ll just be using him to block everyone’s mouths. Grandfather, didn’t Duke Yongnan fu have the intentions to set an engagement? You’er feels that they’re not a bad choice.”
“No.” Old General Mu objected without demur. “Duke Yongnan is okay, but his son and furen are too unreliable. That rascal Zhao HongXiang is a lustful lecher. And now his leg is wasted. The doctor said that even if he is cured, he will be lame. Duke Yongan is looking everywhere for a marriage partner for him because he’s afraid that after his son becomes lame, no one will want to marry him.”
Zi You’s gaze was distant and she faintly said, “It’s because of this, that we’re choosing their fu. Zhao HongXiang’s leg is wasted, but we set an engagement with him at this time. He would certainly think that we’re doing so because of my bad reputation. If he doesn’t care about it, then it shows us that he’s doing us a good turn. But if he does care about it, then he shouldn’t blame us for not taking into account our friendship. After all, whether Shizi’s leg would get better is a problem. We don’t disdain him, but he disdains us. As for matters four or five years later, who knows what will happen?
“If he gets better, we can discuss it then. If not? After four or five years, would granddaughter not obtain any meritorious achievements? As long as there are meritorious achievements, granddaughter will have a way to dissolve the engagement. At that time, You’er will have grown up and shown You’er’s face around the army. It would be best to meet someone who would cherish and not disdain You’er. If not, You’er can spend life alone. What’s the big deal? Besides, grandfather has to believe in your granddaughter’s charm. A good man in the army would certainly like granddaughter.”
At the end, Zi You’s tone turned cheerful, mischievous, and coquettish. Old General Mu couldn’t help but laugh. His mood improved a lot.
He felt that his granddaughter was right. Based on Zi You’s talents and moral character, he didn’t believe that no one would recognize a pearl. At that time, it would be good if he could find amongst his subordinates a young general and entrust Zi You to him.
The soldiers in the army were mostly from poor and humble origins and not prominent families. They definitely wouldn’t care about this ridiculous gossip.
Old General Mu slightly nodded. He suddenly asked, puzzled, “There are plenty of good men in the army now, so grandfather can set an engagement for you. Why do you have to go around in a circle and have to be engaged to Zhao HongXiang, that b*stard?”
Zi You was a bit embarrassed and said bashfully, “Grandfather, how old is You’er? Granddaughter wants to get engaged to Zhao HongXiang to quell the gossip and use him to block the wangzis. It’s not because granddaughter actually likes him. But you’ve said it. The Mu army is filled with good men. Granddaughter naturally doesn’t want to take advantage of them. We have to find a…… Aiya! Grandfather, You’er is still young. Let’s talk about this some other time. Grandfather, do as You’er says. You’er will think of a solution in the future.”
“Okay, okay, okay. Grandfather won’t say anymore. I’ll do what You’er says.”
Old General Mu looked at his granddaughter getting shy and smiled lovingly.
He thought that she was correct. She was only twelve years old. They still had a year or two to think about marriage.
If it wasn’t for these rumors, how could he give that little beast Zhao HongXiang a cheap advantage? He wasn’t even worthy of having his name be tied to You’er’s.
Old General Mu thought and immediately said to Zi You, “This is good too. When we go train in the mountains, you would inevitably come into contact with soldiers. It would be good if you get engaged then. Grandfather will make it clear to Duke Yongnan. He is rather reasonable and easier to talk to than the other officials.”
“No.” Zi You immediately objected. “Grandfather, don’t take the initiative to find them. You’er has a way to make them take the initiative to find us.”
Old General Mu grew up in the military his whole life. His intelligence was used on the battlefield. For a situation like this, he really didn’t have many ideas.
Looking at his tricky granddaughter, he felt that she really did grow up. It was as if she knew everything. She was so clever and witty that people looked at her in awe.
Old General Mu was very gratified, but with it came worry. “Sweetheart, you wouldn’t do anything foolish, right? That kid is hateful, but we don’t have any deep animosity with him. Is it good that we’re doing this?”
No deep animosity? After hearing her grandfather’s words, Zi You’s body stiffened. Her heart pained and she almost started swearing.
She endured and endured for a very long time before she could smile innocently and naively at Old General Mu. “What were you thinking, grandfather? You’er feels that it’s better for girls to be more reserved. If we show up, Duke Yongnan would feel that there’s something going on with You’er and the imperial family. Besides, what’s wrong with it? You’er said that things depend on Shizi. If he changes his habits, he’s considered a good man. If so, then You’er will go through with the marriage.”
Old General Mu thought for two seconds and nodded in agreement with a smile. “You are my good granddaughter. Your words make sense. We’ll do it like this then.”
Old General Mu quickly agreed and asked about Zi You’s martial arts progress.
Zi You answered his questions one by one. Then she left Old General Mu’s study and returned to Hundred Herb Garden.
Once there, Zi You’s smile immediately disappeared, leaving behind a sinister coldness.
You dare to scheme about me? Fine. Whether it’s the previous life’s enemy or this life’s b*stards, I’ll take care of all you together.
But what about Shangguan LingRan? What did he mean? Was he trying to stop the Emperor from bestowing a marriage or was he trying to test the Emperor’s bottom line? Or did he really like her?
Zi You touched her petal-like lips and coldly smiled. Whoever you are, the door to my heart will not open for any man in this lifetime.
As if he knew that Zi You was thinking about him, Shangguan LingRan came over, as she was practicing in Hundred Herb Garden.
But Shangguan LingRan did not know that after Miao shaman Darong Ka’s visit, Zi You had set up an array around Hundred Herb Garden. He went in and almost couldn’t get out. He expended a lot of effort to solve the Nine Cyclical Array. He arrived ten meters away from Hundred Herb Garden in a sorry state.
But he did not expect that he would encounter Weishali’s two spirit cobras and a dozen mice. They bared their teeth at him, blocked his path, and wouldn’t let him flip over the wall.
Shangguan LingRan didn’t know that in India, a lot of animals such as snakes, monkeys, and oxen were worshipped as gods.
After they were domesticated by someone with spiritual power, it was the equivalent of being able to psychically communicate with their master and becoming a spiritual being.
However, he knew that there were animals that could take on human forms through cultivation in lots of mountains, forests, and sparsely populated areas in Great Yan.
But knowing about it was one thing. He had not yet seen it.
He witnessed Weishali’s abilities last time. Now, he looked at the two cobras and mice and he finally knew that Zi You was not an average yatou. At the very least, she was practicing a special form of martial arts.
This knowledge made him even happier. He felt that only such a yatou could match him.
However, that little yatou didn’t seem to be very interested in him. She had an ice-cold and unapproachable appearance.
He was anxious. He was really anxious because the things that Taizi and Third Wangzi did already gave the yatou a negative impression.
He was afraid that the little yatou couldn’t handle it and would become sad.
He wanted to come over a few days ago, but he knew that he couldn’t come.
That was because Taizi, Third Wangzi, and even the Emperor had people watching General’s Manor.
Although he had recovered from his injuries, his martial arts had not returned to the state before his injuries.
If he really fought, he was afraid he couldn’t cope with those “specters.” Then he would have startled the snakes and bring harm to You’er and even the whole General’s Manor.
So, he waited anxiously and desperately tried ways to recover his martial arts. He finally felt his martial arts recover to 70%-80% today. He couldn’t hold on any longer and ran over here.
For this, his subordinate blocked his path and was kicked by him.
Speaking of which, Shangguan LingRan looked happy-go-lucky and devilishly charming on the outside. In fact, he was cold down to his bones. He could even be said to be sinister and ruthless.
A woman once touched his arm. He simply cut off the hand that the woman touched his arm with.
He never knew how to have tender, protective feelings for the opposite sex. The one who had tender, protective feelings for the opposite sex was his substitute.
For him, to be disguised as his substitute, was simply miserable.
He secretly made up his mind that once he had enough power and strength and didn’t have to put anyone in his eyes, he would make the people who have harmed him, despised him, and ridiculed him regret it.
Shangguan LingRan was actually a vengeful man and sinister and ruthless in the way he did things. What Zi You currently saw was not the real him……