Chapter 306: Chapter 177: Sister-in-Law, Do You Have Any Other Sisters at Home? Hehe...

"What’s this? You’ve only been married for about a year and you’re already looking to spice things up? Thinking of getting yourself a Snake Woman?"

’Lu Yuan had no desire to be related to Gu Gaoxu in any way.’

’If Gu Gaoxu got into trouble later, and he was implicated by association, wouldn’t that be a huge loss?’

’When it came to guilt by association, even a dog passing by the gate would be caught and beheaded, let alone a brother-in-law.’

Hearing this, Gu Gaoxu was unconvinced. He took a sip of the cold tea on the table and retorted, "Brother Lu, that’s not a fair thing to say."

"You not only married your wife, but you also have two other ladies. I’m nowhere near your level."

Gu Gaoxu held up an index finger at Lu Yuan and continued, "Me? I’ve only married one woman so far!"

Lu Yuan was momentarily speechless at Gu Gaoxu’s comeback. ’It seems I really do have more than him.’

Seeing her husband couldn’t win the argument, Su Liyan smoothed things over, saying, "Well, if I run into someone suitable, I’ll introduce you."

"See? My sister-in-law knows how to talk," Gu Gaoxu said, satisfied. "Sister-in-law, I’ll be waiting for your good news, then."

Seeing that Lu Yuan could handle Su Liyan, Gu Gaoxu was eager to test his own limits and marry a Half-Demon too.

’It didn’t have to be a Snake Woman. A Fox Woman, a Raccoon Woman...’

Watching the loving couple, Gu Gaoxu’s mind was completely opened to new possibilities.

Lu Yuan, however, took Su Liyan’s hand and said, "Alright, you kid, enough nonsense. We’ve been running around for so long. Aren’t you going to find us a tent and get us some hot food so we can rest?"

Gu Gaoxu slapped his forehead. "I’ll have my men order the cooks right away. We’ll add extra dishes today to celebrate our narrow escape from death and to properly thank Brother Lu."

"’Now you’re talking,’ Lu Yuan replied."

「After the meal, a servant led the way.」

Lu Yuan and Su Liyan found a tent and began to rest.

Lu Yuan’s trusted men stood guard outside the tent.

"These past few days of rushing around have been exhausting. We’re worn out," Lu Yuan said, rotating his right arm a few times.

Su Liyan pounded her back and asked, "Lu Yuan, what do we need King Yan’s private courtyard for? And why did you ask for twenty maids?"

"The private courtyard? If nothing else, we can use it as a residence. We can set up a Yandu branch of the Zhao Mansion... oh, calling it the Lu Mansion would work too. Less conspicuous!"

As for the maids, Lu Yuan wanted to explain but was afraid he couldn’t make it clear, so he said offhandedly, "The maids? It was just a guess!"

Su Liyan didn’t believe him. She grabbed his family jewels and said, "Asking for twenty maids in one go... you’d better not have any funny ideas!"

Lu Yuan covered his groin with both hands. "Of course not! I wouldn’t! Gentle, gentle..."

As Lu Yuan playfully bickered with his wife, just a few licks were enough for saliva to drench her entire snake tail.

Just then, the voice of one of King Yan’s soldiers came from outside the tent.

"Assemble for council!"

"Prince Ning has arrived!"

"King Jin has arrived!"

"King Qi has arrived!"

Lu Yuan threw on an outer coat and stood at the entrance of the tent, watching several figures in Armor approach majestically from a distance on large horses.

It was indeed the Vassal Kings announced by the guards. The princes rode to a spot just outside the camp before dismounting.

They exchanged a few pleasantries, made gestures of deference, and then proceeded toward the Central Army Camp in turn.

Two rows of soldiers were lined up on both the left and right sides of the Central Army Camp.

Banners snapped in the wind inside the camp, while dust billowed outside.

’Seeing this spectacle, Lu Yuan figured the Court must have sent troops to support King Yan.’

’He hadn’t expected King Yan to have so much clout that the Court would actually send three Vassal Kings leading their armies.’

’Too bad they were late!’

’They didn’t get to earn any military merits at all.’

King Yan hurried out of his tent and said to King Jin, "Third Brother, you’re here too."

King Qi and Prince Ning stood behind King Jin and said politely, "Fourth Brother!"

King Jin was the third son of the Grand Ancestor Emperor, and his ability to command troops surpassed King Yan’s.

Exceptionally capable people tend to be somewhat arrogant about their talents, and his brothers both respected and feared him.

"My brother, Father Emperor ordered us to come and support you. What happened? Why was this battle fought so poorly? I heard even our nephew was trapped by the enemy?" King Jin’s expression was not pleasant as he fired off a barrage of questions.

This left King Yan at a loss for how to answer. Among his elder brothers, King Jin was the most hot-tempered.

In the previous Northern campaigns, King Jin and King Yan had always split their forces into two prongs to jointly attack the Beastman Race.

After several battles, the Beastman Race was forced into a steady retreat, and the Court rewarded both of them.

It was after a series of successive campaigns that the Beastman Race was finally pushed back by King Jin to the border of King Yan’s territory.

So, the final credit naturally fell into King Yan’s hands.

King Jin, who had always been arrogant about his talents, was rather displeased by this. His contributions had clearly been greater, yet he had to share the same reward as his younger brother.

This was especially true for the task of wiping out the Beastman Race’s main lair; his own father, the Grand Ancestor Emperor, had given the opportunity to King Yan.

’From now on, the only one whose name would be recorded in the annals of history would be his younger brother, King Yan, Gu Di. It would have nothing to do with him.’

’And now, when the campaign wasn’t going smoothly, the Court sent him to clean up the mess.’

’They even sent Prince Ning and King Qi to back him up.’

’Did the Grand Ancestor Emperor favor King Yan that much, or did he not trust that King Jin could handle the situation?’

King Jin strode into the Central Army Camp Tent, drew his sword, and pointed it at the sand table in the center of the tent. "What’s the current status of the war?" he demanded.

King Yan replied politely, "Elder brother, the Beastman Race has already been crushed by my army. My men are currently mopping up the remnants. The main army will be returning to Yandu in a few days."

"What? The fighting is over?" King Jin was incredulous. "How long has it been since the Court issued the decree?"

’The tables have turned!’

Seeing that the battle had gone smoothly, King Jin couldn’t say much more. It just meant he had made a trip for nothing.

"Then what about my nephew?" King Jin asked. Of all King Yan’s sons, Gu Gaoxu was the one King Jin favored most.

Rescuing Gu Gaoxu was of the utmost importance; the Grand Ancestor Emperor had specifically instructed them on this.

"Elder Uncle, and my two other uncles." Gu Gaoxu entered the Central Army Camp Tent without being announced by the guards.

Gu Gaoxu was the only person who could come and go from the Central Army Camp as he pleased.

Having just spoken, Gu Gaoxu covered his mouth, paused, and then corrected himself, "King Jin, Prince Ning, King Qi."

"The Grand Celestial Masters from the Celestial Dynasty Palace and Le Shen Temple have arrived!"

"Show them in!" King Yan shouted. ’Finally, someone’s here,’ he thought.

King Jin’s aggressive and domineering presence made King Yan feel completely uncomfortable. Not even the Crown Prince, Gu Biao, treated him like this.

"Greetings, Your Highnesses," a leading Grand Celestial Master said, flicking the horsetail whisk in his arms a few times.

The Princes were very respectful toward the Celestial Dynasty Palace and Le Shen Temple. These Grand Celestial Masters were all renowned figures.

Both sides politely exchanged greetings.

King Yan, Gu Di, looked at Gu Gaoxu and said, "You, boy. Tell them what happened yourself."

Gu Gaoxu looked around. Everyone present was either an elder relative of the uncle generation or a highly respected Grand Celestial Master.

So, Gu Gaoxu recounted his situation in full detail, making sure to emphasize his own moments of glory.

"What? What did you say? A dozen or so giant flying birds were actually members of the Human Race?"

The Princes and Grand Celestial Masters had never seen humans who could fly. The person who created such a thing must have been incredibly intelligent.

...

After watching everyone enter the Central Army Camp Tent, Lu Yuan lost his patience for watching the drama.

Lu Yuan couldn’t care less what they were discussing in the Central Army Camp Tent.

Lu Yuan rubbed his hands together, a wicked smile on his face as he looked at his wife, who was still lying there.

Su Liyan, after what Lu Yuan had just done to her, couldn’t get up for a good while and was just lying there limply.

’Playing a two-person game in a tent, with patrols walking around nearby... the very thought of it was exciting to Lu Yuan.’

Lu Yuan lifted his wife’s long skirt. Her skin was like pristine white snow, dazzling under the sunlight.

And that thick, powerful snake tail.

Lu Yuan ran his hand up from the snake tail, feeling the texture of the scales.

"Darling, you’re still waiting for me," Lu Yuan said, looking at Su Liyan’s jade-white snake tail.

Su Liyan, in response, blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering.

A single playful expression from Su Liyan was enough to send a jolt of excitement through Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan couldn’t care about anyone else and pounced on her.

’Besides, my trusted men are standing guard at the entrance.’

While Gu Gaoxu was holding forth in the Central Army Camp, Lu Yuan was in his tent, doing battle with the Snake Woman.

Those two buddies were each busy with their own affairs.