The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife

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Quyang City.

Shangguan Yan exited the City Lord’s residence and boarded the carriage bound for the military camp.

It had been a full day and night since Gu Jiao set out for Pucheng; she wanted to check whether Gu Jiao had returned. Besides, the imperial army was scheduled to launch an attack on the remnants of the State of Liang’s forces the day after tomorrow, and making frequent visits to the military camp was her way of boosting morale among the troops.

Quyang City had gradually returned to order.

Although the shadow of war still loomed heavily over the common people, the thought that the Crown Princess herself was leading the expedition in the Emperor’s stead filled them with renewed faith in the imperial family and the court.

The carriage wheels creaked rhythmically as they rolled forward, the carriage body swaying gently with every bump in the road.

Shangguan Yan sat silently inside, her posture upright and her lips sealed.

In contrast, Huan’er was full of curiosity, taking in the local customs and scenery of the borderlands with great interest. Having never traveled far from home, everything she saw seemed novel and fascinating.

“Your Highness, the flatbread they sell here looks really strange.” Huan’er said as she turned toward Shangguan Yan, who sat motionless across from her.

But Shangguan Yan seemed completely unaware of what she said, lost in her own world.

Huan’er slowly lowered the curtain, leaving only a narrow gap through which the flickering glow of countless lanterns streamed into the carriage.

After hesitating briefly, she asked softly, “Your Highness, are you thinking about that gentleman?”

“Hm?” Shangguan Yan’s focus returned. “What did you say?”

“That gentleman… um… His Highness’s father.” Huan’er clarified.

As the Crown Princess’s trusted palace maid, Huan’er had gradually gained Shangguan Yan’s confidence and came to learn the true identities of Xiao Heng and Shangguan Qing. She also knew that the strikingly handsome man was the biological father of the two princes.

Shangguan Yan said, “Why would I be thinking about him?”

Huan’er replied, “You left that night in such a hurry, it was like…”

As if fleeing in panic.

Those were the words she held back at the last moment.

Shangguan Yan murmured, “Was it fast? I felt like I said a lot to him.”

Huan’er spoke bluntly, “That’s only because you were avoiding him, which made every sentence feel longer than it actually was. In truth, neither of you even asked how the other had been all these years.”

Huan’er was naïve, but not stupid. As an outsider, she could see things more clearly than Shangguan Yan herself.

That night, the two of them had no idea how to face each other; they were both completely at a loss.

Originally, the Crown Princess was supposed to stay in the military camp. The reason she moved into the City Lord’s residence was probably to avoid that man.

Shangguan Yan lowered her gaze and calmly adjusted the wide sleeves of her robe. “What’s the point in asking? Whether good or bad, things have come to this.”

After a moment of silence, Huan’er asked again, “Then do you still… like him?”

Shangguan Yan sat up straighter, as if speaking to Huan’er, yet also to herself. “I am the Crown Princess of Great Yan. I will not fall in love with any man.”

When the carriage arrived at the military camp, Shangguan Yan first asked the sentries at the gate. Learning that Gu Jiao had not yet returned, she headed straight toward the training grounds where the soldiers were drilling with their weapons.

Huan’er simply watched as her Crown Princess walked farther and farther away from the tent belonging to that man.

“Shangguan Yan!”

But in the end, some things simply could not be avoided.

Marquis Xuanping strode over in long, powerful steps.

Shangguan Yan’s expression faltered for a moment, as if she was hesitating. Then, she composed herself and continued forward without a word, her face devoid of emotion.

Marquis Xuanping caught up with her and blocked her path, glancing at her with a vague, unreadable look. Narrowing his eyes, he said, “Shangguan Yan, are you avoiding me?”

Shangguan Yan looked toward the soldiers training under the night sky, her expression calm as she replied, “Avoiding you? Don’t flatter yourself. What could you possibly have that’s worth my trouble to avoid?”

Marquis Xuanping was unconvinced. “Then why did you slip away so quickly that night, like you were…”

Shangguan Yan answered coolly, “Because you’re irritating.”

“All right, all right, I’m irritating.” Marquis Xuanping said with a shrug, folding his hands behind his back as he regarded her casually. “Just tell me where my son is, and I promise I’ll stop bothering you.”

Shangguan Yan let out a cold laugh. “Didn’t your son go to Cangxue Pass to negotiate with the army of the State of Chen?”

Marquis Xuanping replied, “You know that’s not the son I’m talking about.”

Shangguan Yan sneered, “Right, how could I forget? You, Xiao Ji, are such a philanderer, leaving your mark everywhere you go. Of course you have more than just Ah Heng for a son.”

Marquis Xuanping gave her a long, probing look, his tone laced with implication as he said, “Shangguan Yan, don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

Shangguan Yan responded sternly, “I am the Crown Princess of Great Yan, with three thousand beautiful men in my future harem, why would I be jealous over you?”

“That’s good to hear.”

Shangguan Yan shot him a frosty glare and continued walking forward, her expression icy and detached.

Marquis Xuanping stepped sideways to block her path, his gaze suddenly serious, so unlike his usual lazy and unruly demeanor that it caught her off guard. He asked, “Where exactly is Xiao Qing?”

Shangguan Yan turned her face away and looked toward the training formation ahead. “If you want to know your son’s whereabouts, trade Chu Feipeng for him.”

Marquis Xuanping let out a disbelieving laugh. “Chu Feipeng, huh? Fine, he’s yours.”

As the smile faded from his face, he asked once more, his voice flat and heavy, “Where is my son?”

Shangguan Yan’s fingers curled tightly into her sleeve as she answered with regal solemnity, “Qing’er is at a mountain manor near Shengdu. Once the situation stabilizes, I will bring him back myself.”

……

“Goddamn it!”

Elsewhere, deep within the haunted Ghost Mountain of Pucheng, Min Hongyi led his men through the forest in search of something. Yet despite being a group of hardened soldiers, they somehow managed to get hopelessly lost in the woods.

A soldier pointed to a knife mark carved into a nearby tree trunk and exclaimed, “General Min! That’s the mark we left earlier! We’ve circled back to where we started!”

Min Hongyi frowned deeply.

Soldiers with battlefield experience rarely lost their sense of direction, but for some inexplicable reason, every tree in this forest looked exactly the same. The sun had already set, and with neither the moon nor the morning star visible in the sky, there was no way to orient themselves.

Even moving forward by instinct, they should have exited the forest by now, but instead, they had ended up right back where they began.

This was seriously messed up.

Swish!

Suddenly, one of the soldiers felt something dart past him in the shadows. He jerked his head to the side. “Who’s there!”

But all he saw was a dark, silent forest stretching endlessly around them.

“What’s wrong, Old Wu?” a comrade teased, patting him on the arm. “You getting spooked? Don’t tell me you’ve got a weak stomach for ghosts.”

Another companion chuckled and added, “Exactly. Just because the place is called Ghost Mountain, doesn’t mean there are actually ghosts. And even if there were, we’ve got General Min with us. What do we have to be afraid of?”

The words struck a chord with Min Hongyi.

That’s right. He, Min Hongyi, feared neither heaven nor earth, capable of punishing the heavens above and exorcising demons below. What damned Ghost Mountain? Just a bunch of cowardly rumors made up by fools. There was nothing to be afraid of!

With that thought, the strange chill in his heart dispersed, and as if heaven itself had been frightened by his bravery, even the clouds above were swept away by a sudden cold wind.

The moment the moon emerged from behind the clouds, everyone felt an immense sense of relief. It was as if they had finally returned to the world of the living.

But just as that breath of relief was being exhaled, a sharp scream echoed from the rear of the formation, “Little Luo is gone! He was just talking to me! And then… and then he vanished!”

The mood dropped instantly. Min Hongyi’s eyes turned cold as he gripped the hilt of his saber at his waist. “Groups of five. No one walks alone!”

The Jin soldiers quickly readied their weapons and linked arms in teams of five, convinced that this formation would keep them safe. After all, there was no way five people would disappear at once… right?

Raz P.'s Thoughts

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…