Ning Chen's expression stiffened. By the look of it the Ninth Princess had never heard of Zisu, and that made for an awkward moment.

"Don't be in a hurry. Listen and let me tell you slowly."

"One Yudie is already this princess's limit, and now you dare bring up a second one..."

The Ninth Princess was angry enough to get up off Ning Chen's knee, but Ning Chen held her fast.

"Zisu saved my life."

The Ninth Princess stopped struggling at once. "Saved your life?"

Ning Chen nodded. "When I attacked Mangzhou, I was wounded. My leg swelled up as thick as a child's arm, and Zisu's superior skill was what pulled me through."

The Ninth Princess looked puzzled. "Your leg swelled up as thick as a child's arm?"

"Uh — that's not the point. The point is I was badly hurt, and it was Zisu's superior skill that brought the swelling down and cleared the bruising, and it tired her lips out to do it."

"Hm? You need your lips to treat a wound?"

Ning Chen nodded. "Bringing down swelling has to be done with the lips. It's a secret technique, unique to her school."

"Zisu's own story is a sad one too. All her family are dead, and she has nobody left in the world... She saved my life, and I couldn't stand by and watch her drift about with nowhere to go."

The Ninth Princess nodded silently, and then all at once looked puzzled. "Have you mentioned this Zisu to me before?"

"Uh — have I? I don't remember clearly."

The Ninth Princess glared at him. "First Yudie, and now there's another one, Zisu on top of her... How many more women do you have? Tell me all at once."

"That's all. Just the two of them."

"Really?"

Ning Chen nodded. "Truer than a pearl."

The Ninth Princess made a small scoffing sound.

Ning Chen let out a small breath. He had gotten past it, more or less.

"Are you carrying a weapon? It's poking into me and it's not comfortable."

The Ninth Princess said it suddenly,…