My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!

After who knows how long, Phoenix finally stopped crying.

Li Nuo's shoulder was dampened.

She truly embodied the saying that women are made of water.

When Heaven created her, it must have used especially a lot of water.

Having cried for so long, her makeup had smeared, and Li Nuo's freshly changed clothes were stained red and purple.

Phoenix wiped her eyes, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, young master, I've dirtied your clothes again."

Li Nuo said indifferently, "It's fine."

He stood by the window, watching a sedan hurriedly departing, and asked, "Was that woman just now talking about the Happy Building?"

Phoenix was silent for a moment before she said, "Young master, let's just leave this matter be, as long as they don't make trouble and let Jade Sound Pavilion conduct its business normally, we are already satisfied..."

They were satisfied, but Li Nuo was not.

Speaking of which, he had recently been preoccupied with courting his wife and had neglected his duties.

Just over a month had passed, and his lifespan had diminished by more than a hundred days; continuing like this, he'd soon deplete his resources.

It was time to replenish his lifespan.

Li Nuo waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about this anymore."

Seeing that he seemed to have made up his mind, Phoenix grabbed his sleeve and said, "Young master, forget it. Behind the Happy Building are a group of nobles, it's not worth offending them for Jade Sound Pavilion..."

Nobles?

Li Nuo wanted exactly that—the nobles!

He hoped each noble would come forward, as he was short of such experience and life packages.

Li Nuo went downstairs and woke up the two men who had fainted.

He looked at them and asked, "Who sent you?"

The two clamped their teeth together and remained silent.

Li Nuo didn't repeat the question.

He looked at Housekeeper Wu and decisively said, "Send them to the Ministry of Justice."

As a good citizen, Li Nuo could act bravely for a just cause and stop thugs.

But he had no right to interrogate them.

Setting up a private court would give the court officials something to criticize him over.

Hearing the words "Ministry of Justice," both men shuddered and immediately spoke.

"I'll talk, I'll talk!"

"It was..."

Li Nuo glanced at them and said, "You may want to speak, but I don't want to listen anymore..."

Such matters, the Ministry of Justice was specialized in, and they could certainly extract more information than he could.

When Li Nuo returned to the second floor, Phoenix had already removed all her makeup.

Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned her head, panicked, and immediately covered her face with her hands, saying, "Young master... please sit outside for a while, I'll reapply my makeup and come out soon, very soon..."

Li Nuo sat outside next to a zither, idly playing a piece according to the sheet music.

This piece was composed for "Phoenix Seeking His Mate."

Phoenix's skills in playing the zither were merely passable.

Of course, this "passable" was in comparison to Liu Shang and those Music Masters.

Ordinary musicians couldn't hold a candle to her, let alone compare her to my wife and Li Anning; she was far superior.

However, her composition could definitely be regarded as masterful.

This piece, with its clear layers and gradual progression, beautifully conveyed a man's affection for a woman, fitting perfectly with the theme of Phoenix Seeking His Mate.

A moment later, Phoenix came out.

She had applied only a light, simple makeup, less glamorous but more elegantly plain.

Phoenix with or without makeup presented entirely different impressions.

Glamorous with makeup, pure without, she managed both styles very well.

Phoenix looked at Li Nuo uneasily and asked, "Does it look bad this way?"

Li Nuo looked at her more intently and said, "It looks quite nice. I think lighter makeup might suit you even better."

Although heavy makeup also looked good, it inevitably carried a hint of worldliness.

A light makeup appeared much more pleasing to the eye.

Actually, her bare face was even better; a makeup-free Phoenix had not a trace of worldliness, looking like the virtuous lady of a reputable family.

If it were before, Li Nuo might not have given such a straightforward assessment.

But after recent events, he and Phoenix had grown more familiar, and his speech became more casual.

There was still no news from the Ministry of Justice.

Having nothing else to do, why not chat with her?

Currently, Li Nuo knew nothing about her, not even her real name.

Li Nuo casually asked, "Miss Phoenix, what is your name?"

Phoenix said, "My name is Phoenix..."

Li Nuo replied, "I meant, your original name."

In this line of work, women usually do not reveal their real names.

Like Phoenix, Nightingale, Yuan Yang, are surely their stage names.

Phoenix's face showed a shy expression and she said, "My lord, women in our line of work can only tell their real names to their future husbands..."

Li Nuo waved his hand dismissively and said, "Then forget I asked."

He only felt that, as friends, sharing real names was a normal thing.

Since they had such a custom, he naturally wouldn't force them.

At that moment, Phoenix switched the subject and said, "But since the young master wants to know, I will not hide it from you any longer. My name is Jiang Dai'er, Jiang as in ginger, Dai as in rouge."

Jiang Dai'er.

Li Nuo looked at Phoenix, whose name truly matched her character.

Dai'er... it sounded like the name of a woman with a fine figure.

He then remembered something and asked, "I heard from Song Yu that you and Nightingale are biological sisters?"

Phoenix nodded and said, "Nightingale's name is Jiang Zhi'er, we are biological sisters. She is two years younger than me; I am the elder sister, and she is the younger."

Nightingale and Phoenix, they did not seem like biological sisters at all.

But not all sisters resemble each other as much as Song Mu'er and Song Ning'er, who are often indistinguishable.

Jiang Dai'er, Jiang Zhi'er, Song Mu'er, Song Ning'er; if a family has two daughters, they seem to always like these similar names.

During the wait, Li Nuo asked her several more questions.

Phoenix and Nightingale sisters, they were once young ladies from a wealthy family.

However, due to a family catastrophe, their parents passed away, leaving the sisters destitute. Fortunately, they were taken in by a Music Workshop, which apprenticed them and taught them various skills.

Later, as the owner of the Music Workshop was dying, he entrusted the workshop to her. To honor her master's dying wish and make Jade Sound Pavilion the most famous music workshop in the world, she moved it to Chang'an.

The subsequent events, Li Nuo was already familiar with them.

When speaking of these things, tears welled up in her eyes.

Her tears came easily, and Li Nuo dared not ask further, afraid of reminding her of those sad memories.

At this moment, Housekeeper Wu's figure appeared at the doorway.

Li Nuo stood up and went out to ask, "Did you find out anything?"

Housekeeper Wu smiled and said, "Once they entered the Ministry of Justice, everything was revealed..."

He continued, "They confessed without torture; someone had paid them in silver to cause trouble at Jade Sound Pavilion."

Li Nuo asked, "Did you find out who directed them?"

Housekeeper Wu shook his head and said, "These rogues and bullies usually rely on such disgraceful methods for extortion and, occasionally, paid tasks. They recognize only money and do not know who their employer is..."

How great a loss must the court quietly bear when a model business, paying tens of thousands of taels of taxes annually, is forced to close due to a few thugs?

Li Nuo decided not to bother his father with this matter.

Because he would need to ask him about another matter later.

Much later, when Li Nuo arrived at the Ministry of Justice and entered the government office, Li Anning, who was slicing an apple, looked up in surprise.

Wasn't he supposed to be at home, focused on preparing for the Imperial Examination? To avoid disturbing him, she hadn't dared to look for him at Song Residence.

She handed Li Nuo the sliced apple, about to say something, then leaned close to him and inhaled deeply, suspiciously asking, "Did you go see Phoenix?"

Li Anning turned away from Phoenix.

She knew Phoenix's scent.

Li Nuo's body carried the strong fragrance of Phoenix.

The two must have been in close, extended contact; otherwise, the scent wouldn't be this intense.

Li Nuo nodded and said, "Yes, I just came from Jade Sound Pavilion."

Li Anning looked at him and asked, "Have you two reconciled?"

Li Nuo said, "Isn't it you who said that friends sometimes argue? We shouldn't end a friendship over a trivial matter..."

Li Anning's chest heaved, "I..."

She had no reason to say anything; taking back the apple she had sliced, she crisply bit into it and said, "I knew it, Phoenix—the lady you cannot go a day without missing. How could you possibly end your friendship with her..."

Li Nuo said, "There's something I need your help with..."

Li Anning scoffed, "If you didn't need my help, you wouldn't even come to the Ministry of Justice, would you?"

Li Nuo unfurled a scroll he was holding and said, "A gift for you, see if you like it. If not, I'll draw another one for you."

Li Anning's eyes shifted to the scroll, and her expression froze.

On the painting, a woman wore a magnificent red palace dress, precisely how she appeared in her court dress.

Beside the portrait, there were two lines of verse.

Turn head, a smile kindles charm alluring, the powdered court ladies pale in comparison.

Even though the court painters have better skills,

They do not write poetry.

Snap.

Li Anning's lips curved upward slightly, her chin lifted as she split the apple she was holding into two halves, handing one to Li Nuo, and said, "What is it, tell me..."