"Cough, Female Master, I remembered thereās something I need to handle over at the Lu Family; Iāll head over first," Lu Xiao found an excuse to leave.
Xiao Jin stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. Tall and lean, he was strikingly handsome yet his face was dark, emitting an aura of resentment as if he wanted to devour someone!
Xiao Jin was already fumingāsent back early by Shen Tang, and those two dawdled for so long on the road, you donāt need to think hard to guess what they were doing!
He rushed over eagerly to find them, only to stumble upon such a nauseating scene, angering him so much his panther tail flared up.
"Speak! Is it that you donāt love me anymore?" His face was full of displeasure, with a hint of grievance, his panther ears drooping pathetically, "So itās true that once females get someone, they donāt cherish them!"
"Lu Xiao nearly died in the trial ground, shouldnāt I comfort him? If something happened to you, Iād be even more worried." Shen Tang said with a chuckle, pinching his taut waist muscles, "You sulky panther, who do you think youāre showing that face to?"
"Hissā" Xiao Jin sucked in a breath from the pain, his anger instantly dissipated.
Helplessly, he pulled her into his arms, and Shen Tang wrapped her arms around his neck, tiptoeing to peck his lips.
This brief kiss ignited Xiao Jinās fire!
His Adamās apple moved dramatically, grabbing her nape, he kissed her deeply in return.
The kiss was urgent and intense.
The air filled with sounds of blush-inducing intimacy.
He wished to make up for all the lost passionate moments!
The kiss led to feelings awakening, Xiao Jinās kisses became more rushed, lacking rhythm, leaving Shen Tang almost breathless!
No concern for the outside world, he scooped her up and tossed her to the bed, his long fingers eagerly unfastening her buttons.
"Are you a hungry wolf or something? Itās daylight, calm down!" Shen Tang shielded her chest with both hands, eyes wide.
"I canāt wait anymore!" Xiao Jinās voice was hoarse, his eyes slightly red, his hands moving ceaselessly, mumbling with grievance, "It might get interrupted again tonight, satisfy me now, just once! Very quick..."
At that moment, there was a knock at the door, Xiao Jin didnāt even glance, impatiently shouted, "Scram!"
His voice carried an urgent roughness.
The person outside clearly knew the situation inside, suddenly a loud "bang," the door was kicked open harshly.
A white figure flashed by, accompanied by Xiao Jinās painful yell, his whole body was thrown out, the window glass shattered in response.
"You dead panther, tired of living?" Xue Yinzhou stormed in with a chilling aura, his voice cold as if tempered with ice.
Xiao Jin flipped back in from the outside, eyes bloodshot with anger, instantly transforming into a black panther lunging at Xue Yinzhouās snake tail, wanting to tear the white snake that ruined his fun into pieces.
In no time, the two were tangled in a fight, Shen Tang leisurely rose from the bed, casually tidying her messy collar, rubbing her temples helplessly.
She had seen this scene often, not bothering to mediate any longer.
Only feeling sorry for needing to replace the window again.
The floor-to-ceiling windows were installed for good lighting, but they needed to be replaced frequently.
Jia Lan leaned against the door, giving a faint look, unmoved, "Fight outside, donāt hurt Tangtang."
On hearing this, Xue Yinzhou flung the black panther out the window, transforming into white lightning pursuing him.
Outside the window drifted Xiao Jinās distant roars, accompanied by the sounds of fierce combat, "You damned long thing! When I break through to the tenth rank, Iāll smash your teethāwhat the hell! I said not to hit the face!"
Xiao Jin, failing to be amorous and getting beaten, was filled with anger, but he was no fool, he knew he couldnāt defeat the tenth-ranked Xue Yinzhou. As soon as he saw the pursuit, he activated the flashing skill, quickly escaping.
Xue Yinzhouās speed couldnāt catch up, soon left behind.
Shen Tang walked to the shattered window, peered out, already unable to see them both.
Turning to Jia Lan helplessly, "Contact the master to come in the afternoon for the new window."
"Iāll arrange it later," Jia Lan nodded, shifting the topic, "Right, we came to tell you the Ministry of Industry officials are waiting outside to see you, saying construction of the Imperial Palace can start, theyāre waiting for our decision."
Springās warm sun splashed into the courtyard, two months since the war had ended.
The reconstruction of major cities was essentially complete, newly sown crops were growing well, alleviating the Empireās food crisis.
The difficult days were gradually fading, the Night Glow Empireās national power steadily recovering.
But as the Empireās Monarch, Shen Tang still lived in this renovated old compound, less impressive than the aristocratsā residences, even some wealthy commonersā homes were better.
Officials frowned when visiting for discussions, it greatly diminished the Monarchās grandeur!
Just after the war ended, Shen Tang didnāt want to burden the people. Now with national power restored, the Ministry of Industry had repeatedly requested palace construction.
"It should indeed be scheduled." Shen Tang said, instructing to summon the Ministry of Industry officials while calling the Beast Husbands over to discuss the specifics of palace construction.
Not long after, Xue Yinzhou and Xiao Jin returned one after the other.
Beyond the slightly disheveled silver hair and a few bite marks on his snake tail, Xue Yinzhou was fine, still cold and aloof, as if the chase hadnāt happened.
In contrast, Xiao Jin looked much more raggedāa limp in his step, clothes torn in several places.
However, he managed to protect his face, apart from a shallow graze on his cheekbone, his handsome face remained untouched.
Seeing his state, Xue Yinzhouās forehead vein pulsed, he raised his snake tail about to strike again.
"Tangtang, save me!" Xiao Jin leaped behind Shen Tang at a jolt, suddenly his leg not limping anymore, his waist not hurting.
"Enough, calm down." She rubbed her temples, spreading a roll of schematics on the table, "This is the draft for the Imperial Palace designed by Lord Tad at the Ministry of Industry; see if thereās anything to modify or add?"
Xiao Jin, "I have no other requests, just one: the rooms must be soundproof!"
This suggestion was unanimously endorsed by the Beast Husbands.
Embarrassed, Shen Tang touched her nose, "Rest assured, each of you has a separate palace, with individual courtyards, quite distant from each other, no one will disturb anyone." She turned to the other three, "Any other requests?"
Jia Lan lazily leaned back, "Iām a Water Beastman, living on land is too dry." His slender fingers tapped the blueprints, "Just dig me a big pool in the courtyard, the kind I can soak in all day."
Since marrying Shen Tang, life had been quite frugal, this dignified Mermaid Prince never had a decent pool, usually resorting to bath tubs, quite a squeeze indeed.
Not hoping for anything else, too extravagant, just wanted a pool big enough for a soak.
Lu Xiao and Xue Yinzhou had no particular requests, the standard specifications would suffice.
Lu Xiao frequently traveled between places, rarely staying in the palace; any place he could live would do.
Xue Yinzhou wasnāt picky about living conditions.
After a round of discussions, the final construction plan was quickly decided.
Soon, the Imperial Palaceās construction project began in full swing.
Qiu Yang, that sly old fox, was also roped in for work.
Now with the war over, his battlefield services unnecessary, Shen Tang didnāt trust handing him crucial tasks, she opted to use him as labor.
Qiu Yang, feeling enormously humiliated, destined to be a tenth-ranked Beastman revered everywhere, yet heās left moving bricks and mixing cement!?
This vile female intends to disgrace and humiliate him!
But he has no choice but to comply!
If only he hadnāt been so clever... but alas, signed the contract, too late to back out.
Seeing his aggrieved look, Shen Tang remembered something.
Though she and Shen Li had completely severed ties, an item still remained with her.
The pair of birthday earrings Shen Li had given her.
Having split, keeping them felt awkward, tossing them seemed wasteful.
Why not have Qiu Yang run an errand to return them?