Chapter 202 - 106: My Man Is Being Bullied, and You Want Me to Drink Congee?

Chapter 202: Chapter 106: My Man Is Being Bullied, and You Want Me to Drink Congee?

"It’s nothing."

Yang Mo said in a low voice, "I’ll handle this myself later. Brother Ci, are we still coming tomorrow? If Prince Lie’s Mansion wins one more match, we’ll..."

"Of course we’re coming! Why wouldn’t we?"

Zhao Ci pursed his lips. According to Xiang Yunzhan, there would be one more day of battles tomorrow. The day after that was the Prefecture Examination to select Mansion Officials. Once Prince Lie’s Mansion had a full staff of officials, they would immediately depart for the border.

In other words, as long as Prince Lie’s Mansion secured third place, tomorrow and the day after would be his last two days to trade the Emperor Pill for the Heaven-Suspended Spider Silk.

The Imperial Clan Court could not find out about this process, or he’d be in for a world of pain.

He had to be careful and find the right opportunity.

’Being mocked by someone I’ve already defeated, while also having to conduct a secret deal with them... This feeling really sucks.’

...

「As night deepened.」

「Kan Mansion.」

「A bedroom.」

Kan Luotang was still sealed tight by Talisman Paper. For days, the Deaf-Mute Granny had been taking care of her daily needs and meals, as if she were an invalid.

No matter how much she pleaded, the Deaf-Mute Granny remained unmoved.

The woman couldn’t hear a thing, after all.

But she knew the Deaf-Mute Granny understood her intentions.

Because she hadn’t eaten a single bite of food since her house arrest began.

’But will this actually work?’

Kan Luotang silently calculated. The Prefecture Examination was the day after tomorrow, which meant tomorrow was the last day.

She didn’t know if the three rewards included what Zhao Ci wanted. However, on the day she returned to the city, she had run into some people coming from Lingge who said Zhao Ci had fought over a dozen matches in a single day.

’Fighting so desperately... he must have found something he wants.’

But in all these days, her grandfather hadn’t appeared even once.

It was the first time she had ever seen such a firm attitude from him.

Having spent so much time together, the two of them understood each other very well.

She was well aware that Kan Tianji knew she had made up her mind. No amount of persuasion would make her turn back. Unless he could keep her under house arrest for the rest of her life, the moment she walked out that door, she would make the same choice again.

And yet, he had still chosen house arrest.

’It seems that even if he’s willing to negotiate, it will have to wait until after the Prefecture Examination.’

"Sigh..."

Kan Luotang sighed to herself. Hunger made her stomach twist into knots, and thirst left her lips dry and cracked.

’He probably won’t come today, will he?’

Just then... "CREAK!"

The door opened.

It sounded like something wooden was placed on the table.

Then came the clinking of a bowl and utensils.

The aroma of light porridge and side dishes wafted over. She was resistant, yet she couldn’t help but feel her appetite stir.

Kan Luotang was getting truly angry. "I already said I’m not eating!"

She didn’t know what the point was of getting so angry at a deaf-mute woman, but her heart was filled with resentment.

"You won’t even eat when your grandfather brings you food?"

"Hm? Grandfather?"

Kan Luotang froze, realizing Kan Tianji was sitting by her bed, holding a bowl of porridge. She hadn’t seen him in days, and he seemed to have aged.

Kan Tianji’s brow was etched with exhaustion. With the disappointment of one who felt his efforts were wasted, he said, "I never should have spoiled you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t think that everything you do is right. I stop you from throwing your life away, and you decide to starve yourself to death, is that it?"

"No, that’s not it!"

Kan Luotang’s eyes reddened. "My body is a gift from my forebears; how could I dare to harm it so lightly? I just wanted to earn another chance to explain myself to you!"

"Hmph!"

Kan Tianji shook his head. With a flick of his joined index and middle fingers, the Talisman Paper restricting Kan Luotang’s movements turned to ash.

He held out the bowl of porridge. "Finish this first, then you can explain."

Kan Luotang took the bowl. The fragrant steam mercilessly teased her senses, but she remained unmoved. "What if I eat this, and you just tie me up again?"

Kan Tianji was taken aback, then said indignantly, "A grown daughter can’t be kept at home, is that it? You spend a few days in the Northern Three Prefectures and some boy has you completely bewitched. I suppose I raised you for seventeen years for nothing, right?"

"No!"

Kan Luotang shook her head. "Grandfather! Luotang does not wish to deceive you. The Tenth Prince is compassionate, yet unconventional in his methods. He is truly a man unlike any I have ever met, and I do hold a certain admiration for him in my heart.

I have indeed thought that if I were destined to spend my life by his side, it would not be without its own happiness.

However, this admiration is not romantic love.

It is far from enough to make me resolve to follow him for a lifetime."

"Oh?"

Kan Tianji looked at her. "Then why did you make such a choice?"

Kan Luotang met his gaze without flinching. "Grandfather! On this trip to the Northern Three Prefectures, I initially thought I would just do good deeds and not worry about the outcome. If one dose of medicine couldn’t save the people from their suffering, then I would use a thousand, or ten thousand.

But I later discovered that things weren’t like that at all.

There were over ten thousand Qi Cultivation Pills. Those officials had already taken seven thousand, yet they were still eyeing the remaining five thousand with avarice.

The officials deceived, and the clerks concealed the truth.

Even the Ninth Prince who was sent there chose to just go with the flow.

Grandfather!

The Northern Three Prefectures have existed for a thousand years. How immense must the cost of the officials’ salaries be?

If that money were used to gather the full power of the dynasty and reinforce the formations, how could this crisis not be resolved?

I’ve come to understand. The disaster plaguing the people of the Northern Three Prefectures is not a natural one—it’s man-made!

The Kan Family has been atoning for generations, yet the Northern Three Prefectures remain as they always were. It’s not because our ancestors failed to contribute enough.

It’s because our entire approach was wrong from the very beginning!"

Kan Tianji’s brow twitched. "Wrong? How were we wrong?"

Kan Luotang took a deep breath and said, enunciating every word, "Compassion without power is a joke!"

Kan Tianji: "!!!"

His cloudy eyes flew wide open, his pupils trembling as if shaken by an earthquake.

Kan Luotang placed the porridge bowl on the bedside table, stumbled out of bed, and knelt before the old man. "Grandfather! Dabai is right outside. He’s alive, but he’s crippled, and Luotang may never be able to heal him in this lifetime.

I still want to go to the Northern Three Prefectures in the future, but I don’t want to have to make another desperate, half-month journey just because of a single lie from those officials.

And I never again want to see a single person with a sincere heart be forced to give up in despair because of them!

I want power!

I want the power to truly change all of this!

I want to follow the Tenth Prince. This isn’t about a passing whim or some silly romance. I simply believe that the Tenth Prince is the only person who can help me achieve my great ambition.

I want to dispel the gloom over the Northern Three Prefectures and fulfill the long-cherished wish of our ancestors.

I want the guilt that the Kan Family has been unable to repay for generations to end with me!

Luotang is unfilial!

I beg you, Grandfather, to grant my wish!"

With that, she prostrated herself, her forehead touching the floor.

Kan Tianji: "!!!"