Could it be transmigration between past and present lives?
Li Yue Shu thought this, but quickly dismissed the idea.
This was a fictional world, merely a book with millions of words to her in modern times.
The author had only taken two years from the start to the end of the book; how could it be related to past and present lives?
Qin Mo Yuan looked at the appraisal results before him, his sword-like brows furrowed tightly.
He still couldn't understand the strange symbols!
Qin Mo Yuan set the two papers aside. "Ah Shu, when we return to Chong Zhou, I will find a way to get the hair of General Zhen Bei's couple and Li Xiang Ru. Then you can do another appraisal."
At least they needed to clarify whether Li Xiang Ru was truly a daughter of the Gu family.
Li Yue Shu pondered it. It seemed like this was the only way for now.
...
The matter in Guan Zhou was temporarily resolved. Logically, with Qin Ye Xiu overseeing it, Li Yue Shu and the others should have set off back to Chong Zhou.
But Li Yue Shu hesitated for a moment and decided to wait for Qin Ye Xiu to finish his affairs before leaving with him.
The plot had invested so much effort at Da Geng Mountain to eliminate her and Qin Mo Yuan; the journey back might not be peaceful.
If Qin Ye Xiu, the male lead, was with them, they would have a protector!
Speaking of Qin Ye Xiu, Li Yue Shu was quite curious about something.
Ever since she and Qin Mo Yuan returned from Da Geng Mountain, Qin Ye Xiu had shown an unusually strong concern, as if actively trying to appease them.
His demeanor suggested that the person who had been trying to kill Qin Mo Yuan and had arranged assassins in Tong Mu County was not him at all.
When something is out of the ordinary, there's usually a reason.
Li Yue Shu wasn't in a hurry. She believed that a fox would eventually reveal its tail.
...
On the day they set off back to Chong Zhou, the people of Guan Zhou lined the streets to bid them farewell, their faces filled with gratitude and reluctance.
After leaving Guan Zhou and reaching a town, Li Yue Shu used an excuse to bring Mother Mo out of the spatial dimension.
On the way back, with Mother Mo arranging their daily life, Li Yue Shu lived like she was on vacation, experiencing an indescribable sense of ease.
Soon, the group arrived within the territory of Chong Zhou.
As dusk approached and they were still some distance from the city, everyone decided to find a place to stay for the night and return tomorrow.
All the way back, Qin Ye Xiu had been showing favor to Qin Mo Yuan, and arranging accommodations was naturally his responsibility.
Qin Ye Xiu was certainly willing to spend money; they had been staying at the best inns in every location, and tonight was no exception.
Since it was still early and they had finished dinner, Li Yue Shu, as usual, planned to go for a stroll.
Chong Zhou was the capital of the Chen Nan Kingdom. Even before entering the city, one could feel the liveliness here.
Qin Mo Yuan accompanied her all the way.
After a tour around the area, the two decided to return and rest.
As soon as they stepped into the inn, they found the lobby filled with people, all of whom turned to look at them.
"Innkeeper, are these the two you mentioned who booked half the inn?"
The speaker was a man wearing an indigo robe.
The man appeared to be in his early twenties, with striking features and a pair of handsome phoenix eyes that held a hint of devilish charm.
The innkeeper emerged from behind the counter and repeatedly affirmed, "This honored guest has a large family, so they booked half the inn. We truly don't have enough rooms to accommodate so many people for you."
Listening to the innkeeper, the man's gaze had been fixed on Qin Mo Yuan the entire time.
It seemed as if he knew him.
The man walked forward with a smile. "It's already late, and it would be troublesome to find another inn. Might I trouble this lord to spare a few rooms?"
Qin Mo Yuan glanced at him indifferently.
Except when he was in front of Li Yue Shu, he maintained a detached demeanor even towards the emperor, his closest relative. Thus, his expression revealed no emotion.
He turned to the innkeeper. "Go and make a few rooms available for them."
After speaking, he turned back to Li Yue Shu, his expression changing faster than flipping a page, and smiled brilliantly. "Ah Shu, let's go back and rest."
Li Yue Shu had not spoken a word from beginning to end. Now, she simply nodded and followed him upstairs.
The man, witnessing this, raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Yue Shu with curiosity.
However, Qin Mo Yuan's body completely blocked his view, and he saw nothing.
"Interesting," the man murmured. "I never thought I'd live to see this side of the Regent of Chen Nan in my lifetime."
Qin Mo Yuan's hearing was exceptionally sharp, and he naturally heard this but paid it no mind.
It was Li Yue Shu who was confused. "Who is this person?"
Given Qin Mo Yuan's nature, he wouldn't even acknowledge someone he didn't know, let alone make rooms available for them.
In response to her question, Qin Mo Yuan patiently explained, "He is the Crown Prince of Qing Yan Kingdom."
Li Yue Shu was startled. "The Crown Prince of Qing Yan Kingdom? Ji Quan Si?"
"Ah Shu knows him?" Qin Mo Yuan suddenly thought of something. "Is he also a character who appeared in the book?"
He had a name and a surname, so he was likely not an ordinary character.
Li Yue Shu nodded, but didn't elaborate further.
It wasn't until they returned to their room and closed the door that she explained, "After Qin Ye Xiu ascended the throne, in addition to the four children causing him trouble, Ji Quan Si was also a significant enemy. However, his main role as an enemy was directed at Li Xiang Ru."
Qin Mo Yuan was surprised, but it made sense upon reflection.
"The border between Qing Yan Kingdom and Chen Nan Kingdom is called Feng Zhou, a place guarded by the Zhen Bei General's family for generations. As the daughter of General Zhen Bei and the first daughter of the Gu family to marry into the royal family, it's not strange for Ji Quan Si to pay close attention to her."
Despite saying this, Li Yue Shu's lips twitched slightly. "He's not targeting Li Xiang Ru, but Hong Dai by her side."
"In the original book, Li Xiang Ru saved Hong Dai's life, so Hong Dai became her right-hand woman."
Qin Mo Yuan hadn't expected that Hong Dai, who was always clinging to Ah Shu now, would have been Li Xiang Ru's right-hand woman.
No wonder Ah Shu had been so concerned about her back in Tong Mu County.
But he was still curious. "What is the relationship between Ji Quan Si and Hong Dai?"
How could a crown prince and the leader of a martial arts organization be connected?
This time, it was Li Yue Shu's turn to be surprised. "You don't know that Ji Quan Si is the楼主 (Lou Zhu - Leader) of Chi Yun Lou?"
Since its inception, Ming Yue Lou had been competing with Chi Yun Lou for business, and everyone in the world knew that the two factions were at odds.
Ji Quan Si was the leader of Chi Yun Lou, and Hong Dai was the leader of Ming Yue Lou. Naturally, these two were mortal enemies.
Qin Mo Yuan shook his head.
He truly didn't know that Ji Quan Si had another identity.
Chi Yun Lou could be called the number one intelligence organization in the martial arts world, its strength naturally not to be underestimated.
Qing Yan Kingdom and Chen Nan Kingdom had been in a state of animosity for a hundred years, with both sides wanting to crush the other.
If the Crown Prince of Qing Yan Kingdom was the leader of Chi Yun Lou, it would be terrible news for Chen Nan Kingdom.
With this thought, Qin Mo Yuan made up his mind.
Previously, he had helped Hong Dai develop Ming Yue Lou solely for Ah Shu's sake.
Now, it seemed that only by rapidly developing Ming Yue Lou could they counter Chi Yun Lou.
"Speaking of Hong Dai, I suddenly remembered something," Qin Mo Yuan frowned. "Hong Dai's relationship with Ji Quan Si should be more than just that simple."
Li Yue Shu asked doubtfully, "What do you mean?"
Qin Mo Yuan pondered and explained, "Ah Shu, do you remember last year during the New Year when Hong Dai left Tong Mu County for a period, and not long after she returned, Qing Feng Guan was burned down?"
Li Yue Shu nodded, and just as she was feeling puzzled, a sudden flash of inspiration struck her.