In the posthouse, Qiu Zhi couldn’t help asking, "Where did all those fire-thunders end up? Did the young master secretly send them to She Zongyi’s household?"

Jiang Yichun rolled his eyes at him helplessly and said, "Disasters shouldn’t be brought down on one’s family. He’s already dead—why would I send them to blow up his family?"

Shanhu tugged on Qiu Zhi’s sleeve. She’d realized by now that Qiu Zhi really didn’t know how to talk—he was stupid as anything. But in her eyes, that stupidity looked honest and simple, and somehow that was just so adorable. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

She probably didn’t know there was a saying: beauty lies in the lover’s eyes.

Bai Ruozhu sat quietly to the side drinking tea without saying a word. All those fire-thunders were lying in her Space; she had no intention of explaining.

Tang Feng knew she had a Space, so he smartly changed the subject.

Three days passed like this. Ning Yu and Diao Bin’s bodies had recovered quite a bit; at least both of them could get out of bed and walk. When the sun was good during the day, they would go to the Yard to bask in the sun and listen to Bai Ruozhu and the others talk about everything that had happened along the way which the two of them didn’t know.

So much had happened that Bai Ruozhu’s mouth went dry from talking; she simply had Lan Ying do the telling instead.

Once Fo Lanying started talking, her eyebrows danced and her expression came alive; she was especially good at drawing people into the scene. Ning Yu and Diao Bin exclaimed in surprise several times as they listened, and because of this, Diao Bin and Fo Lanying also grew familiar with each other and became good friends.

"Ruozhu, you went through so many dangers to come find us. I really feel bad." When they found a moment alone, Ning Yu spoke to Bai Ruozhu privately.

Bai Ruozhu smiled. "I promised the National Master I’d look after you a bit, but ended up letting you drift in a foreign land. Wouldn’t that mean I broke my word? Besides, Lan Ying didn’t quite tell you this part: after this we still have to go to sea off the eastern Fusang waters to look for a way to save Achun."

"What’s wrong with Achun?" Ning Yu was startled. Since she used the word ’save’, the situation clearly wasn’t ordinary.

Bai Ruozhu felt a faint sourness in her heart. She didn’t hide it from Ning Yu and told him about Jiang Yichun’s background, how he’d been struck by a Blood Curse in the Barbarian Tribe, which in turn awakened the Merfolk Bloodline in his body, and how now, because of the Curse in that Merfolk Bloodline, he had less than three years left to live.

Ning Yu listened, his eyes growing red-rimmed. "Ruozhu, you’ve had it hard."

Bai Ruozhu instead felt a bit more at ease. "Being able to meet him already makes me very happy; there’s nothing hard about it. And I firmly believe we’ll definitely find a way to help him get through this trial and grow old together with me."

"You definitely will!" Ning Yu nodded.

On Astrologer’s side, he had calculated the location of the Star Plate, and it turned out to still be in the Imperial Palace. They just didn’t know whether Wu Yunfeng had hidden the Star Plate in the Imperial Palace, or whether the Star Plate was in Song Yi’s hands—he was currently in the Palace.

Because things had blown up a bit recently, Bai Ruozhu and the others hadn’t left the posthouse. Astrologer took some attendants and went into the Palace to retrieve the Star Plate.

He brought the Star Plate back to the posthouse to show everyone and discovered traces that it had been tampered with.

"Th-this, could it have been used to breed Poisonous Insects?" Astrologer was somewhat repulsed by Poisonous Insects; even looking at this Star Plate made him feel a little nauseated.

Bai Ruozhu really didn’t know much about raising Poisonous Insects. Her little Furball had been given to her by Elder Shougu, and then it just stayed in the Space by itself without needing her to feed it, so she truly didn’t have much experience.

Fortunately, Ning Yu had read books on this subject. He stepped forward, took the Star Plate, examined it carefully, and said, "This isn’t for raising Poisonous Insects. This Powder is for performing a ritual. I don’t know what trick he’s pulled on the Star Plate."

As soon as he said that, Astrologer suddenly furrowed his brows. Then he bit his fingertip and let a drop of blood fall onto the Star Plate.

After the blood seeped into the Star Plate, there was no other reaction. Astrologer’s brows knit even tighter.

"This is fake. I can’t believe I didn’t notice it at first." he said, a little vexed.

Bai Ruozhu immediately understood. Song Yi had used some method, performed a ritual on this fake Star Plate so that when Astrologer searched, he could only find the fake one—or rather, he used the fake Star Plate to block out the aura of the real one.

Well now, that really was impressive.

Ning Yu went over to pat Astrologer on the shoulder and said, "His methods are seasoned; it really is hard to tell. I don’t blame you."

Astrologer looked at Ning Yu somewhat excitedly. "Brother, you remember me?"

Ning Yu nodded a little sheepishly. "Ruozhu already told me, and I also remembered how I used to always have a Meng when I was little. In the Meng I was playing with another version of myself. I used to think it was because I was too lonely. Now I know the one in the Meng was you."

Astrologer said excitedly, "When I was little I’d often Meng of you too. We even played with a Slingshot together and held cricket fights together."

"I Menged that too!" Ning Yu cried out in surprise.

Bai Ruozhu said with a smile, "I’ve heard that some twins have a sort of psychic connection. I didn’t expect that even when you were so far apart, you could still meet each other in your Mengs. That’s a bond between brothers. I also have a pair of twin sons; I wonder if they’ll also always play together in their Mengs."

Jiang Yichun put an arm around Bai Ruozhu’s shoulders. His woman was missing the children.

Ning Yu and Astrologer looked at each other and smiled. This brotherly affection between them was something no one could cut off.

Bai Ruozhu figured that after being separated for so many years, the two brothers must have a lot to talk over in private, so she called everyone to go mind their own business. The others hurriedly dispersed as well; even Diao Bin tactfully went off with Yizi to do some embroidery.

"I heard you killed him. Is that really all right?" Ning Yu asked. The "him" he spoke of naturally referred to their biological father, but he didn’t want to call that man "father."

Astrologer looked at Ning Yu somewhat anxiously. "Will you think I’m cruel and ruthless, Brother?"

"I heard he killed your adoptive parents. If it were me, I would have acted too. I’m just worried that if people find out, it’ll be bad for you." Ning Yu said.

Astrologer let out a big sigh of relief. "In the Family, strength is everything. Even if someone found out, they wouldn’t say anything about me. That’s also where their coldness lies—they only look at strength and nothing else. Otherwise they wouldn’t have treated you like that in the first place."

Ning Yu patted his shoulder. "Speaking of which, the one they wronged the most was you. Just because of some rumor, they wanted to kill you from the start, and later they ruined your life as well. I really don’t like that kind of Family and I have nothing to do with them."

Astrologer knew he wouldn’t go back. "Just nod and say you have nothing to do with the Astrologer Family anymore. As long as you acknowledge me as your younger brother, that’s enough."

Ning Yu smiled. "We’re twin brothers—how could I not acknowledge you?"

The two brothers chatted happily. By the time they came back to themselves, it was already lunchtime, and Diao Bin came over to call them to eat.

Ning Yu introduced Diao Bin to Astrologer. "This is my fiancée, Diao Bin."

He didn’t mention Princess Diao Bin, because he’d also decided not to return to the Danliang Imperial Palace. Diao Bin thus had no further connection to her former identity.

Astrologer had already known that the two of them were deeply in love, but seeing Diao Bin again now, he was still quite stunned.

"Astrologer greets Sister-in-law."

Diao Bin’s face flushed. "We’re not married yet, how can you call me Sister-in-law? Just call me by my name."