26 Haphephobia or Mysophobia?

The hours of darkness was serene outside. There were barely any guards inside Prince Shen's Manor. Song Hui Yao was sitting in his study as he listened to his subordinate's report.

"Master, the Viridescent Contour Palace has made an attack on the Clime Quintessence Shrine. Right now, the Clime Quintessence Shrine is forcing the Sequestered Fane to yield and be their ally."

'Ally? It is the same as making the Sequestered Fane another one of their underlings.' Song Hui Yao snorted coldly. "What's the situation in the Sequestered Fane?"

"The Lord is dealing with it," Yin Yi paused for a bit, "he didn't want to bother you so he did not want this subordinate to tell you, Master. But..."

His thin lips curled into a smile but the smile did not reach his black eyes. "It seemed like I need to go back for a while."

"Master..."

"Hm?"

"The Zheng Family and the Sima Family had become low-key."

Song Hui Yao's smile dimmed slightly as his brows were lifted vaguely.

-----

"The usual light purple one," Zhu Xiao Wan said as she waited for the servant girls to dress her. One of the servant girls accidentally brushed her hand against Zhu Xiao Wan's smooth white skin. Zhu Xiao Wan stiffened while the servant girl dropped to her knees on the cold floor.

Zhu Xiao Wan spat out her words with a frigid and expressionless face before the servant girl could apologize: "From now on, I do not need servants to dress me."

The servant girl kowtowed, "Young Miss Xiao Wan, this-"

"I have told you that you can dress me," Zhu Xiao Wan moved away from the servant girls that have been surrounding her, "but never to touch me."

"This servant will be careful not to do it-" The servant girl had yet to finish when Zhu Xiao Wan shot her a cold look that made her trembling like she was about to be frozen into an ice statue.

The servant girls retreated out of her room and she took her inner garment off. Zhu Xiao Wan went to wash the place the servant girl had touched on her arm. She didn't mind being touch as long as one didn't touch her skin - one could touch her if there were clothes in between. She finished wearing her simple light purple dress and went to the usual place.

She took a seat on the stone bench and gazed at the bamboo forest. She didn't want to go out because every time she did, Tang Rue would create troubles for her. She was getting tired of dealing with Tang Rue's petty schemes.

Yesterday, Guang Ling visited. He said that he might not come next month since he needed to go treat some people and an important person. He would give her some more Expunge Powder when he came back; since he didn't teach her how to make the Expunge Powder yet. Fearing that she would use it in a not good way - especially because she asked for the powder and his previous award for her was used up.

'But he only gave me one dose..."

Zhu Xiao Wan took her gaze away from the bamboo forest and turned to look at Zhu Xiao Qian who was walking towards the Bamboo Pavilion. After he seated himself next to her on the stone bench, he observed the leaves in the teapot. "What tea is Wan Wan drinking this time?"

"Green tea from Palatial Region."

Zhu Xiao Qian raised his eyebrows, 'Palatial Region?' He poured himself a cup and took a sip - "This isn't a high-quality tea."

She tilted her head to the side to stare at him. "Ning Rou Li gave it to me."

He placed the cup down. That made sense, Qianyu Kingdom was located in Penurious Region - low-quality tea from Palatial Region was a luxury here.

"How's the business doing?" he asked. "Is there anything I can help?"

She pursed her lips into a smile, "Okay, Fragrant Rose and Sea Atoll are doing well. Big Brother, can you help me open a gambling den?"

"Gambling den?"

"Mm-hmm."

"I'm not too bad at gambling...Okay," Zhu Xiao Qian agreed.

Zhu Xiao Wan's smile deepened and became more visible. "We can gather pawns and polish them so when we need to place them on the chessboard, they'll be polished." She then shoved the toilsome job to her brother, "Big Brother, you're the boss hence you'll polish them."

Zhu Xiao Qian chuckled as he shook his head lightly. "I personally made your birthday gift this year. It isn't anything special, so don't disdain them when I'll give to you, all right?