Chapter 274: Defying Heaven to Change Fate

Chapter 274: Defying Heaven to Change Fate

Xiaoyue gently patted her daughter, a faint smile on her lips.

How could she not know what happened next in Nandun Village? After all, she had faced life and death situations and navigated through countless schemes.

Not to mention the years she was drugged, constantly ill, and nearly caused the death of her own son.

In her memory, even the six years spent in the general's mansion were a struggle, step by step.

Hu Shi originally came from the western border of Xiyue and was brought to the Imperial City by Shangguan Jinghong's father.

However, the true Shangguan Jinghong was the son of Hu Shi and a Xiyue soldier.

Thus, Hu Shi and Shangguan Jinghong were manipulated by Xiyue rebels, intent on overthrowing Great Wei and allowing Xiyue to conquer it.

During those years, they schemed against her, and even Xu Ruzhen mistreated her.

She was merely physically weak and emotionally drained, but not someone they could easily control.

Moreover, she had always been filial, initially believing that Hu Shi was merely rough and pretentious, sometimes turning a blind eye, always convinced that the old woman wouldn't harm her own grandson.

Little did she know, both the Shangguan family and Hu Shi harbored deceitful intentions.

Thus, after giving birth to her daughter, Xiaoyue fully awakened and decisively took action, punishing those who deserved it and eliminating those who needed to be, without hesitation.

Previously, it might have been just a small family matter, and she could deal with it gradually.

Now, this was a threat to Great Wei, a threat to her royal brother, and, more broadly, a threat to the common people of the world.

Therefore, Xiaoyue would show absolutely no mercy.

The carriage came to a halt outside the city.

Not far from the city gates, there were two rows of shops lining either side.

There were pastry shops, restaurants, tea houses, and even inns and taverns among them.

"Princess, are you hungry? I'll get you some pastries; the butterfly crisps over there look quite good," Wen Xu said, pointing not far ahead.

"How about we go down together to have something to eat and wait for Hongmei?" Xiaoyue suggested, holding her daughter as she stepped down from the carriage.

Nanny Gui followed, finding a tea house where they could drink tea and enjoy pastries.

The sweet aroma of pastries made Xiao Xi'er's heart flutter; her little mouth smacked as she stared at the pastries on the table, her tiny hand reaching out.

"Does Xier want to eat?" Wen Xu smiled, breaking off a piece of pastry and offering it to Ruo Xi Baby's mouth.

"Ah!" Ruo Xi Baby immediately opened her mouth wide and took a big bite.

But alas, her mouth was still too small, so even though she opened it wide, she only managed a tiny bite.

By the time Hongmei arrived, Nanny Gui had already requested hot water from the shopkeeper, prepared the rice paste, and they were nearly done eating.

"Princess, it's taken care of!" Hongmei announced.

Although Hongmei didn't come close, Ruo Xi Baby still keenly detected the scent of blood on her.

"Hmm," Xiaoyue didn't inquire further; she stood up and said, "Let's head into the city!"

"Clang, clang!"

At this moment, a troop of soldiers rushed from the city gate and quickly fanned out upon reaching the tea house. Behind them, a figure emerged from a carriage and hurried over to Xiaoyue.

"Greetings to the Princess Royal, long live the Princess Royal!"

Zhang Baiyun, the governor of Yunzhou, stepped forward, lifted the hem of his robe, and knelt down.

Behind him, all the soldiers knelt on the ground, kowtowing and chanting blessings for the princess.

"Zhang Baiyun, I have heard that Yunzhou city is on the brink of chaos?" Xiaoyue stood up, passed the child to Nanny Gui to hold, and walked over to Zhang Baiyun, speaking coldly.

"Your Highness, please forgive us. It's just some mischievous acts by some troublemakers. Please do not take it to heart," Zhang Baiyun said.

"Hmph!" Xiaoyue took a step, slowly walking towards the carriage, and as she walked, she said, "Escort me directly to the lake!"

"Mother's presence is commanding! She's truly remarkable!"

Ruo Xi Baby watched her mother, excitedly flailing her tiny hands.

Nanny Gui gently put down the little girl's arm and said, "Does the little princess also find the Princess Royal majestic? In her prime, she was a formidable female general on the battlefield!"

Ruo Xi Baby certainly knew how powerful her mother was. Compared to the situation half a year ago, this mother had already shown great improvement.

Defying fate!

Shangguan Jinghong was gone, so that threat no longer existed.

However, in the world where she had lived for many, many years—so many that even the great villain himself lost count of his years—she had seen dynasties rise and fall, witnessed brutal massacres.

She had even participated in brutal massacres and witnessed the creation and rapid decline of nations.

"Uncle is so good, mother is so good, I must not let this world decline rapidly!"

"If governance is altered, the result will be a more brutal process. Only by conquering that process can history truly become history, and the current situation be recognized."

Ruo Xi Baby, after her consciousness invaded the space, saw the contents written on the silk scroll placed on the fourth level of the nine-story pagoda.

"So, in these two years, there will be countless conflicts, countless trials, and countless schemes. Only by conquering them one by one can Great Wei endure, and mother, uncle, and the entire Xia family remain stable?!"

Ruo Xi Baby paid no attention to other matters; she continued to search for information within the space.

Anything related to Great Wei, she had to find and read.

Xiaoyue and Nanny Gui, holding the little princess, got into the carriage together. Outside, Hongmei followed the carriage on foot.

"Hongmei, provide the city lord with a detailed account of the situation in Nandun Village," Xiaoyue ordered in a cold voice.

"Yes!" Hongmei responded, then walked alongside Zhang Baiyun, explaining the situation.

Ruo Xi Baby, while looking at the information, also listened to Hongmei's voice outside. She roughly understood what Hongmei had done upon returning to Nandun Village.

In Nandun Village, the villagers, driven by extreme malice, had surrounded and attacked Yu Fan and his companions.

By the time Hongmei arrived, the villagers had almost beaten Yu Fan and the other young men to death.

At the crucial moment, Hongmei arrived with her troops and killed the evil villagers. Those who had not participated in the violence and begged for mercy, Hongmei only severed the tendons in one arm and one leg, sparing their lives.

But this method also made them extremely fearful.

Originally, Nandun Village had only three to four hundred people, earning their livelihood by carving stones.

Now, nearly half had been killed, leaving only a little over two hundred people. At Yu Fan's request, Hongmei did not kill the rest.

"I have made them all follow Yu Fan, appointing him as the village chief. All village matters will be decided by Yu Fan. So, City Lord, henceforth, Yu Fan shall be the village chief of Nandun Village!" Hongmei finished speaking and glanced at Zhang Baiyun.