272: Women's minds are truly unfathomable.

Before coming, she had already made up her mind: if Duan Zhengchun truly treated her as a mere guest, she would return to Western Xia once the full-moon banquet ended and remain only friends with him thereafter.

As for her previous promise to Duan Zhengchun to protect the women at the Prince's Mansion, she would naturally honor it, but only as a way to repay a favor.

Now that Duan Zhengchun did not treat her like an outsider, she was naturally filled with joy.

This man was indeed different from others; he truly managed to spread his favor equally among his women and wasn't the type of fellow to play around and then refuse to take responsibility.

“Rest assured, there won't be any problems if you leave it to me,” Li Qiushui said with a smile and a nod.

“I naturally trust you...” Duan Zhengchun laughed, giving Li Qiushui's snake-like waist a little squeeze.

Li Qiushui's body immediately stiffened. She looked around nervously, and seeing that no one was paying attention to them, she gave him a coy, reproachful look.

“Can't you behave? If someone sees us, I don't mind, but your reputation would be ruined.”

“Haha... I'm satisfied just hearing you say that. Reputation or not, nothing is more important than my women,” Duan Zhengchun laughed triumphantly.

“Look at you. Who is your woman? Your women have already carried on your family line; at most, I'm just a close friend of yours.”

As she said this, a trace of disappointment flashed in Li Qiushui's eyes.

She had truly fallen in love with this fellow, Duan Zhengchun, and wanted to bear him a child as well.

However, she was well aware of her own situation; she was too old to be allowed to have children anymore.

She could only make up for it in other ways.

“Silly girl, don't think so much. Just let nature take its course,” Duan Zhengchun patted Li Qiushui's small hand.

At that moment, a hearty laugh came from outside.

“Congratulations, congratulations, Prince! A small gift as a token of my respect; I hope the Prince won't look down on it.”

As the voice fell, Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou, and West Gate Blowing Snow were seen walking in together.

Seeing the three of them, Duan Zhengchun stood up with a smile on his Face.

“Brother Lu, Brother Hua, Brother Ximen, your presence is the best gift of all. You've spent too much on me again,” Duan Zhengchun said, cupping his hands with a smile.

“The Prince must be joking. We aren't here to give gifts to the Prince, but rather to the little Heirs and young princesses.”

“If we, as uncles, didn't give some meeting gifts, we'd be mocked by our peers in the Jianghu if word got out,” Lu Xiaofeng said in a joking tone.

“Haha... Good, good. Please, sit. Serve tea...” Duan Zhengchun laughed and gestured for the three to take their seats.

Li Qiushui personally poured tea for the three of them.

This scene gave Lu Xiaofeng quite a fright.

“Senior, you mustn't! We wouldn't dare let a Senior pour tea for us,” Lu Xiaofeng rose quickly to stop her.

“What Senior? You interact with the Prince as equals, so we shall interact as equals as well,” Li Qiushui shook her head and explained with a smile.

At this, the look in Lu Xiaofeng's eyes as he watched Duan Zhengchun changed.

Duan Zhengchun nodded with a smile, and Lu Xiaofeng said nothing more.

However, his heart was like a stormy sea.

He hadn't expected that Duan Zhengchun would actually win over the Empress Dowager of Western Xia.

Even more unexpected was that the rumored Empress Dowager of Western Xia was actually so young and beautiful.

If it weren't for his well-informed sources in the Jianghu, he really wouldn't have recognized this Empress Dowager of Western Xia.

He truly hadn't expected Duan Zhengchun to have such a relationship with Li Qiushui.

While the three were talking, an old man walked in.

“Haha... Kid Duan, we haven't met for many days. I trust you have been well?”

As the voice fell, an old man with white hair and beard, wearing a Daoist robe, walked in.

It was none other than Zhang Sanfeng, who had rushed over from Dragon Tiger Mountain.

The group quickly stood up to welcome Zhang Sanfeng upon seeing him.

“For the Immortal Master to come in person, it brings light to my humble dwelling, truly brings light,” Duan Zhengchun said with a smile, rising and cupping his hands.

“Lu Xiaofeng greets True Man Zhang.”

“Hua Manlou greets True Man Zhang.”

“West Gate Blowing Snow greets True Man Zhang.”

The three bowed to Zhang Sanfeng; they hadn't expected that he would come in person.

“Good, good, good... I didn't expect to meet you three young talents here. My Martial World has worthy successors,” Zhang Sanfeng stroked his beard and nodded with a smile of praise.

“The Immortal Master must be joking. Before you, how could we dare call ourselves talents?” Lu Xiaofeng said modestly with a laugh.

Zhang Sanfeng looked at Duan Zhengchun and took out a wooden box.

“Kid, this old Daoist knows you don't lack treasures, but this is a small token of my regard. I hope you won't look down on it.”

Duan Zhengchun quickly took the wooden box, a smile on his Face.

“Senior must be joking. For Senior to even come is already giving me great Face; how could this Junior have any complaints?”

After speaking, Duan Zhengchun moved to hand the wooden box to Li Qiushui at his side.

Zhang Sanfeng was very surprised by Duan Zhengchun's actions.

This fellow wasn't even curious about the item he had given? He had sacrificed his old Face to get this from Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Because of this, he had also paid a significant price.

“You're not curious about what's inside?” Zhang Sanfeng looked at Duan Zhengchun in surprise.

“Anything given by Senior is naturally extraordinary; it doesn't matter what it is.”

“I hereby promise that I will act on behalf of the Sect three times, regardless of the circumstances.” Duan Zhengchun looked at Zhang Sanfeng, a smile always on his Face.

Hearing Duan Zhengchun say this, Zhang Sanfeng was deeply shaken.

He didn't know if Duan Zhengchun truly knew his inner thoughts or if he was just guessing.

Regardless of which it was, the purpose of his visit this time could be considered achieved.

Given Duan Zhengchun's methods and status, three opportunities for him to take action were definitely worth more than ten thousand gold pieces.

Or rather, this simply couldn't be measured by money. With Duan Zhengchun's current strength, would he be short of money?

This trip to Dragon Tiger Mountain was not in vain after all.

Although the item obtained from Dragon Tiger Mountain this time couldn't compare to Duan Zhengchun's promise today,

Obtaining one opportunity for him to act was still acceptable.

“You kid, sometimes this old Daoist wonders if you're the Reincarnation of some old monster. You seem to foresee everything.”

“However, looking at it now, that doesn't seem to be the case. In all my years, I have never heard of talent like yours,” Zhang Sanfeng said with a look of shock, voicing the sentiment in his heart.

“This Junior simply wants to make a friend of Senior. Regarding the matter at Deaf-Mute Valley, this Junior was indeed a bit excessive; consider this a bit of compensation for the Sect.”

As Duan Zhengchun spoke, he took out a jade bottle.

“Eh, you kid, this is slapping this old Daoist's Face. Yuanqiao has already told me about that matter; the fault was not yours.”

“Furthermore, before that, this old Daoist had already set the rules: no Sect Disciple is allowed to be disrespectful to you.”

“Zhang Wuji knew this full well, yet he still spoke rudely to you. He clearly didn't consider himself a Sect Disciple, nor did he take my words to heart.”

“The fact that you spared his life was already giving this old Daoist Face.”

“Speaking of which, it's my own failure in teaching my Disciples that shamed the Sect.”

“Take the item back; this old Daoist would feel ashamed to accept it.” Zhang Sanfeng spoke these words with genuine sincerity, without the slightest hint of falsehood.