Ning Chen had been about to help Shi Shan up. At Lin Ying's words, his face darkened slightly. Then he looked up toward the main hall, lit up with excitement, and shouted, "Wife, I'm home!"

With that, he stepped over Shi Shan and ran toward the hall.

Shi Shan howled, clutched his stomach and curled up into a ball, twitching all over with pain.

That son of a bitch Ning Chen had played dirty. Stepping over Shi Shan, he had stomped hard on his stomach on the way. He'd practically walked across him.

Lin Ying gave Shi Shan a contemptuous look, turned and went into the main hall.

Shi Shan was thick-skinned and could take a real pounding. After a moment on the ground, he struggled to his feet.

But before he could get his balance, a roof tile came flying down and hit him square on the head.

Shi Shan howled and went down face first again.

Clutching his head, he looked up at the roof.

Xie Siyu was leaning on his sword, his face cold. "Got a problem? Want to fight?"

Shi Shan: "..."

Can't beat them. No way can I beat them.

This city lord's residence really was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. If a country woman from some village could fight like that, the swordsman on the roof had to be even better.

In fairness, Shi Shan hadn't done anything wrong. He had only been doing his duty and standing up for the woman emperor.

It was just that standing up for her had cost him a lot.

Ning Chen ran into the main hall and felt his scalp prickle.

It was obvious the woman emperor wasn't getting along with the Ninth Princess and the others. The air was thick with hostility.

"What are you doing here all of a sudden?"

The woman emperor looked at him. "What, this emperor isn't welcome?"

"No, no..." Ning Chen gave a dry laugh. "I mean you should have sent word ahead, so I could come and meet you."

The woman emperor gave a snort!

Ning Chen rubbed…