SFS Chapter 299 (24 words added)
Chapter 299 (24 words added)
She tried to calm herself, but the harder she tried, the faster her heart raced uncontrollably. At that moment, Murong Xun's gaze was like a sharp sword, piercing straight into her, as if trying to see through her heart. Xue Ruanruan felt her face burning slightly. She lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes, silently praying that he wouldn't notice her distress. A blizzard raged, the wind howled, and heavy snow fell in abundance. Miss Xue stood alone in the snow, shivering, her heart filled with helplessness and despair. Just then, Murong Xun, dressed in magnificent robes, suddenly appeared before her like a celestial being descending to earth. His figure stood out exceptionally tall in the snow, his handsome face even more ethereal under the moonlight. Murong Xun strode through the snow, and the red figure in the academy became even clearer in his eyes. She was like a blooming red plum blossom, blooming alone in this icy world, radiating a passionate and resilient vitality. He gazed at her silently, his eyes surging with emotion. At that moment, time seemed to stand still, and the world seemed to consist only of the two of them. Xue Ruanruan was startled by the sudden voice and turned around to see Murong Xun standing less than half a foot behind her. Murong Xun's dark eyes flickered; this was the second time she had addressed him by his given name. "It's alright, Second Sister-in-law, you can wait here. I'll be back soon," Xue Ruanruan said, not waiting for Aseli's response. With a slight movement, she dashed towards the tall locust tree like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, she reached the tree, took a graceful run-up, and leaped up, easily climbing the branches like a nimble swallow. However, as Xue Ruanruan prepared to jump into the courtyard, she suddenly discovered that her brother, Xue Li, was tied to the tree. Xue Li's face was pale, and he looked extremely weak. Xue Ruanruan's heart tightened; she didn't know why her brother was tied up here. At that moment, a blizzard began to fall, the biting wind making Xue Ruanruan shiver. But she didn't back down; she decided to rescue her brother first. She carefully climbed up the tree trunk and used a small knife to cut the ropes binding her brother. Xue Li was unconscious, and Xue Ruanruan quickly carried him on her back, preparing to take him away. It turned out that a bully was forcing an old man to hand over his valuables; the old man refused, and the two argued. Xue Ruanruan was furious and stepped forward, loudly stopping the bully's actions. The golden monkey moved nimbly and gracefully through the orchard in the space. Each fruit emitted an enticing aroma, making the golden monkey's mouth water. The golden monkey was very familiar with these fruits, as it had planted and cared for them all itself. Each fruit represented its hard work and effort. When the golden monkey saw a ripe fruit, it would immediately jump up and gently pluck it with its hand. Then, it would sit under the tree and slowly savor the delicious fruit. Sometimes, it would share some fruit with other animal friends. The golden monkey loved to play in this orchard. It would climb to the top of the tree and overlook the beautiful scenery of the entire space. There were green mountains and clear waters, and all kinds of small animals; everything was so beautiful. In this space, the golden monkey felt freedom and joy. It knew that as long as it worked hard, it could create more beautiful things. So, it would come here every day to take care of the fruit trees and enjoy this tranquility and beauty. The golden rice stalks bent low, their heavy ears swaying gently in the breeze, exuding a rich spiritual energy. In the center of the rice stalks was a jade pendant space, shimmering with a mysterious light, like a dazzling pearl. Inside the jade pendant space, life was vibrant. The roots of the rice stalks were deeply embedded in the fertile soil, absorbing the rich spiritual energy from the jade pendant space. The grains on the rice ears were full and round, shimmering with golden light. At the edge of the jade pendant space, a clear spring flowed gently, bringing a refreshing atmosphere. Around the spring, various spiritual herbs grew, thriving under the spiritual energy of the jade pendant space, emitting a delicate fragrance. Above the jade pendant space, white clouds floated, upon which grew various spiritual fruits, ripe and plump under the spiritual energy of the space, exuding an alluring aroma. The jade pendant space was a world full of vitality and spiritual energy, providing the best growing environment for spiritual rice and bringing endless surprises and harvests to people. The golden monkey jumped around happily, as if sensing Xue Ruanruan's joy. Xue Ruanruan continued to taste other wines, praising each one highly. She felt as if she were in a paradise of fine wines, enjoying this rare delicacy.
After a hearty meal, Xue Ruanruan rested against a tree, while the golden monkey leaped merrily nearby. Suddenly, a gentle breeze carried a distant commotion. Xue Ruanruan sat up abruptly, looking towards the sound. She noticed a group of people arguing in the distance, and one of them looked very familiar. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was the bully she had encountered in town before. Recalling her previous experience, Xue Ruanruan felt a surge of anger. She decided to go and see what was happening, and teach that bully a lesson. She quietly approached the group and overheard their conversation. Once the wolf king was shot, the entire pack seemed to lose its soul, plunging into deep chaos and disorder. They no longer obeyed the king's commands as before, but began to fight individually, attacking and even killing each other. Their previously tightly-knit fighting style crumbled at this moment, and the pack became a disorganized mess, unable to form an effective fighting force. Without the wolf king's leadership, every wolf in the pack felt an unprecedented sense of confusion and fear. They didn't know how to move forward or how to face the challenges ahead. Some wolves began to flee, seeking new habitats; others chose to stay, attempting to re-establish order, but these efforts often failed due to the lack of leadership. Meanwhile, other animals noticed the changes in the pack. Realizing the wolf king was dead, they launched attacks, trying to take advantage of the situation. The once-mighty wolf pack had become prey in the eyes of other animals—a stark irony. In this chaos, some weaker wolves died from hunger, injury, or other causes, gradually reducing the pack's numbers. Those who survived needed a long time to readjust to life without a alpha and find new ways to survive. Xue Ruanruan had just reached the entrance of the main hall when she heard Yan Xiao's voice from inside. Overjoyed, she quickened her pace. "Ruanruan, you're back!" Yan Xiao greeted her with a smile. Murong Xun looked up at Xue Ruanruan, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes. He had never seen such a beautiful and captivating woman, as if a fairy had descended to earth. "These are fruits I just picked from my spatial storage, please try them." Xue Ruanruan placed the bamboo basket on the table and handed some fruit to Murong Xun and Yan Xiao. Murong Xun took the fruit, took a bite, and immediately found it sweet and delicious. "Very good, thank you, Miss Ruanruan," Murong Xun said. "You're welcome." Xue Ruanruan smiled. "By the way, you said you were going to Jiangnan earlier, is there something important?" Murong Xun nodded. "The evidence in the Jiangnan flood embezzlement case has been almost collected. I need to go to Jiangnan to bring those corrupt officials to justice." Xue Ruanruan was filled with admiration. "You are truly a good prince who rids the people of evil." Murong Xun smiled slightly. "It is my responsibility as a prince." "Have the kitchen make some chestnut cakes tonight. I saw that Xiao Li really liked them yesterday," Xue Ruanruan said with a smile. "My sister really dotes on Xiao Li. That boy talks about you all the time," Fang Lingruo teased. Hearing her sister's words, Xue Li blushed instantly and hurriedly ran over to tug at Xue Ruanruan's sleeve. "Sister, I missed you too." Xue Ruanruan patted Xue Li's head and smiled gently. "Go play, I'll call you when it's time to eat." "Also, inform Xue Yan to prepare in advance. During my absence, the capital will be in his hands." Murong Xun knew this journey would be fraught with danger and that thorough preparation was essential. "Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately." Yan Xiao bowed and accepted the order before turning to leave. Murong Xun gazed out the window, secretly vowing to thoroughly investigate the corruption case in Jiangnan and bring justice to the people. Murong Xun decided to start with the Left Prime Minister's residence, secretly sending people to gather evidence of the Left Prime Minister's crimes. Soon, various charges were presented before him: embezzlement, disregard for human life, forming cliques, and so on—each a capital offense. Xue Ruanruan's heart skipped a beat, and her face instantly turned pale. Had she been discovered? She couldn't help but wonder. She stole a glance at his eyes and found him staring intently at her, as if he could see right through her. A wave of panic and unease washed over her. She had thought she had acted flawlessly, but now it seemed that wasn't the case. She realized she might have underestimated his intelligence and insight; perhaps he had already seen through her intentions. At this moment, Xue Ruanruan's heart pounded even faster. She didn't know how to face this situation. If he had indeed discovered her actions, what would happen next? She began to regret her risky move, now finding herself in such an awkward predicament. However, despite her fear and anxiety, Xue Ruanruan tried to remain calm. She took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself and consider how to deal with the situation. After all, running away wouldn't solve anything; she needed to bravely face reality. But since he hadn't exposed her publicly and had even cooperated in pressuring the Left Prime Minister, did that mean he had approved of her actions? Xue Ruanruan was in a state of utter confusion, unable to think of anything else. Only after the Left Prime Minister and the other students' parents had all left did she apologize to the headmaster and teachers. The Left Prime Minister decided to secretly observe the Regent's movements and wait for a suitable opportunity to make further plans. At the same time, he began to cultivate relationships with ministers in court to strengthen his own power. The Left Prime Minister knew that in this power struggle, only with sufficient strength could he protect himself and his family. He began to carefully recall his conversation with Lady Wang, trying to find some clues. But the more he pondered, the more ordinary and unremarkable the words seemed. The Left Prime Minister frowned, lost in deep thought. Was he just imagining things? Or was there some deeper secret hidden within? Time passed, and the Left Prime Minister remained perplexed. He decided to temporarily set aside his doubts and continue to observe Lady Wang's every move to see if he could discover more clues. After all, in this bureaucratic world full of intrigue and scheming, any detail could become the key to changing the situation. The Left Prime Minister was furious, never expecting his beloved daughter to be so disobedient. He angrily pointed at her, declaring that if she continued her entanglement with the Regent, he would disown her! Hearing this, the Left Prime Minister's daughter felt a sharp pain in her heart. She knew her father had always placed high hopes on her, wishing her to grow into a noble and elegant young lady, marry into a wealthy family, and bring honor to the clan. But her feelings for the Regent were something she could not sever.
The Regent was a handsome and talented man. He and the daughter of the Left Chancellor had known each other for a long time and shared a deep affection. However, due to the difference in their social status, their love faced many obstacles. The Left Chancellor's daughter knew that her father was a stubborn man, and once he made a decision, it was difficult to change it. But she did not want to give up her love, so she decided to face the difficulties with the Regent and win her father's approval. There could be many reasons for the shortage of medicinal herbs in the army. On the one hand, war could damage the growing environment of medicinal herbs, or restrict their collection and transportation. On the other hand, war could increase the demand for medicinal herbs, while the supply could not meet the demand. They abused their positions, using various means to embezzle disaster relief funds, and even deliberately delayed the distribution of disaster relief supplies, making the lives of the disaster victims even more difficult. These acts of corruption severely damaged the court's credibility and caused the disaster victims to lose faith in the court. A snow wolf galloped across the snowfield, its fur as white as snowflakes, blending into the surrounding snowscape. Its steps were light yet powerful, each step carrying a firm determination. Its eyes gleamed brightly, warily scanning its surroundings. The snow wolf was the apex predator of the snowfield; its speed and agility made it a nightmare for other animals. Its teeth were incredibly sharp, capable of easily tearing apart its prey's throat. Its claws were as hard as iron, leaving deep marks on the snow. The snow wolf darted across the snowfield, its figure as swift as lightning. Its presence filled the entire snowfield with life and vitality.