When evening came, Imperial Concubine Rong returned to her quarters, and Bai Jingrou sent her off.

 With her around to serve the Empress Dowager, Imperial Concubine Rong no longer had to keep vigil day and night at Fushou Palace.

 As the sky began to darken and lanterns were lit, Bai Jingrou walked back alone. At the thought of Imperial Concubine Rong’s words today, Bai Jingrou’s footsteps gradually slowed. She gazed at the winding lights under the corridor, immersed in her thoughts.

 Back in the past, when the Empress Dowager had suddenly sent her out of the palace, she had known that the Empress Dowager had found out about all that had transpired between the Emperor and her.

 She hadn’t known all the things that the Emperor had done for her in the dark, and had not known that the Emperor had insisted on making her his Empress. Hence, she had been resentful. She had been resentful of the Empress Dowager for being unwilling to keep her in the palace despite claiming that she treated her like a daughter.

 

Although her family background was not prominent like a palace official’s, she was nevertheless still from a respected scholarly family.

 All the platitudes about her being of age to get married and settle down had just been an excuse!

 The Empress Dowager had sent someone to escort her out of the palace in secret and had told the Emperor that she had gone back to visit her family.

 However, the moment she reached home, her father had forced marriage upon her.

 Her mother had still been alive at that point, but she had been very frail. Her mother had always been submissive to her father, and when she saw that her daughter was unwilling to marry, she had used her own life to threaten her into obeisance.

 At that moment, she had known that returning to the palace would be an impossibility. With her mother’s threat looming over her, she had hardened her heart and agreed to the marriage.

 Only after getting married did she find out that Su Wenqian already had a woman in his heart. The woman was his childhood sweetheart, and the couple had already pledged themselves to each other. The woman had already borne a son for him, and at the time of Bai Jingrou’s marriage to Su Wenqian, the other woman had been pregnant again with his other child.

 Unfortunately, that woman had hailed from a poor family, and her background made her unsuitable to be the official wife of the Su Family. Even her children had been kept hidden, and no one outside the family knew of their existence.

 Bai Jingrou did not mind it at all. She did, after all, feel a little apologetic towards Su Wenqian. She hadn’t been pure when she had married him, and she knew that she would never fall in love with her husband.

 1Thus, both of them owed each other nothing.

 Later on, the Emperor had come looking for her. When he had found out that she was married, he had stared at her in agonizing shock. She had never been able to forget the look of despair on his face that day.

 Everything had already been set in stone, and they could not turn back time!

 Soon enough, she had left Shengjing City for the faraway Fuyang City with the Su Family, and had never seen the Emperor again since then.

 She had been in the palace for some time now, but she had deliberately kept her distance. Every time the Emperor came by, she would retire to the inner chamber. Therefore, they had not met.

 It was all for the better. The most painful thing in life was to witness the change in people that the passing of time brought.

 Since her life had already turned out this way, there was no use holding on to empty dreams!

 With a self-deprecating smile, the woman turned to stride out.

 “Rou’er?”

 A voice suddenly rang out from behind her. It was tinged with disbelief.

 Bai Jingrou froze in shock and didn’t dare to turn around.

 They had separated at their prime in the past, and they had both aged with time. She did not want to witness that at all!

 The color drained from the lady’s face, and she hurried forward.

 “Rou’er!” Emperor Zhao Ping rushed over and held the woman back by her arm. He was an Emperor who had weathered a lifetime of royal trials and tribulations, but at this moment, he sounded like a nervous schoolboy. “Is it really you?”

 Bai Jingrou closed her eyes and turned around. She fell to her knees with her head bowed and said, “This humble commoner greets you, Your Majesty!”

 Emperor Zhao Ping staggered a few steps back as he regarded the woman kneeling on the floor. The look in the eyes turned emotional and desolate at the same time as he exclaimed, “Rou’er! I’ve finally met you again! I never thought that we would meet again in this life!”

 With her head bowed, she felt a lump forming in her throat. A myriad of emotions came surging within her, but she stayed silent for a moment.

 Emperor Zhao Ping walked over slowly and helped the lady to her feet. He gazed at her deeply, and said with a smile, “Rou’er, you still looked the same as before. You haven’t changed one bit!”

 The lady slowly looked up, and the light could be seen reflected in her eyes. “But you have aged, Your Majesty!”

 Emperor Zhao Ping suddenly looked nervous as he touched his face. “I’ve aged? Have I grown ugly?”

 “Not at all!” Bai Jingrou shook her head with a gentle smile. “You looked more matured and kinglier!”

 Upon hearing the lady’s words, Emperor Zhao Ping was visibly relieved, and his happiness at her compliment made him look decades younger. “It’s good as long as I don’t make you feel repulsed! I’ve always been worried about my looks changing so much that even if you saw me one day, you would no longer recognize me!”

 The lady suddenly began to tear up, and she turned her head away.

 “Don’t cry!” Emperor Zhao Ping suddenly panicked and reached out to wipe the tears from her face. “What I’ve always feared the most is you crying!”

 When the man touched her, Bai Jingrou suddenly took a step back and assumed a subservient posture. “Your Majesty!” she exclaimed.

 Emperor Zhao Ping retreated his hand and chuckled sheepishly. “I was lost in my thoughts. For a moment, I thought we were back in the time when you were still in the palace.”

 The lady smiled in reply. “It’s been 20 years!”

 Emperor Zhao Ping nodded his head. Under the glow of the firelight, his eyes looked fathomless. “When did you enter the palace?”

 “I came quite a few days ago!”

 “Quite a few days ago? Why didn’t you come to see me?”

 Bai Jingrou looked down silently.

 Emperor Zhao Ping’s smile was humorless. “Even though I’d never forgotten you, I would never force you to do anything against your will. Why did you hide from me?”

 Bai Jingrou shook her head. “I wasn’t hiding from you. I simply lacked the courage to meet you!”

 Emotion flashed across Emperor Zhao Ping’s eyes, and he suddenly looked up at her.

 However, the lady resumed her usual formal demeanor. “Are you here to see the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty? It’s almost time for dinner. Please go in, Your Majesty!”

 “Alright!”

 Emperor Zhao Ping walked forward, while the lady followed behind, making sure to keep a safe distance from him.

 “When are you leaving?” Emperor Zhao Ping suddenly asked.

 “I initially planned to leave two days ago. But the Empress Dowager’s migraine started acting up, and she requested for me to stay on a little longer,” Bai Jingrou replied softly.

 “Of course. The Empress Dowager has been missing you and talking about you constantly. Since you’re finally here, it’s only right that you should stay a little longer!”

 “I will.”

 When both of them stepped into the main hall together, Empress Dowager Xiao glanced at them in surprise. With a smile, she remarked, “I was wondering why Jingrou was taking such a long time to come back! I see that she bumped into the Emperor!”

 Bai Jingrou walked over to Empress Dowager Xiao’s side and said gently, “Allow me to get some soup for you, Empress Dowager!”

 “You don’t have to do it personally! Have a seat!” Empress Dowager Xiao tugged on Bai Jingrou’s hand and pulled her over to sit by her side. She turned to the Emperor and said, “You should have a seat too, Your Majesty! It’s been a long time since we’ve eaten together! This is a good opportunity to do so!”

 “Of course!” Emperor Zhao Ping glanced at the woman opposite him with a graceful smile on his face.

 The servants served dinner to the three individuals. Without any intentions to shy away from the past, Empress Dowager Xiao spoke freely of their history, and her spirits were lifted throughout the dinner.

 Emperor Zhao Ping ate very slowly. He suddenly felt as if this were his first time enjoying a proper meal.

 He had never clarified the events of the past with the Empress Dowager, but he had come to understand roughly what had happened. He could only blame himself for being too young back then and not knowing how to take a step back, which resulted in him losing the love of his life.

 For many years since, whenever he had trouble falling asleep at night, he would have the desperate impulse to look for her. However, upon sunrise, he would calm down and realize that the weight of the kingship still rested upon his shoulders.

 As for the regrets that he harbored towards her, he had no other choice but to be resigned to repaying her in the next life.

 He couldn’t allow his actions to bring her trouble. As long as he was able to see her once more, he would be satisfied!

 A few days later, something happened in Shengjing City. It wasn’t major, but it wasn’t exactly minor either.

 Chang Bo, the son of the seventh-rank Imperial Censor Chang Zheng, was assassinated, and he died in a secluded alley. The assassination had likely taken place when Young Master Chang was returning home from the red-light district.

 According to the reports, he had died a horrible death. His belly had been torn open, and his lower body had been hacked into a bloody mess.

 The violence of the murder, and the fact that the victim was the son of a court official, combined to cause a ripple to pass through to entire Shengjing City.

 At this point, no one could have imagined that this small homicide case and the identity of the seventh-rank Imperial Censor’s son would one day bring about a huge upheaval in Shengjing.

 This topic dominated everyone’s conversations at meals and tea. The question on everyone’s mind was, “Just who had killed Chang Bo?” Naturally, many individuals were gleeful at the tragedy too. Chang Bo was a hedonist and a bully and was already hated by many. In the minds of more than a few, his gruesome death was well deserved.

 The masters and servants of the Chang Manor were all in tears. When Chang Zheng saw the grotesque state that his son had been reduced to, he fainted on the spot. When the physician finally revived him, he was filled with rage and grief again. He made his way to the government office to beat the drums, crying for justice until he lost consciousness yet again.

 Upon seeing that such a preposterous crime had been committed right under the Emperor’s nose, Magistrate Lin was infuriated, and he vowed repeatedly that the murderer would be caught and brought to justice.

 An arrest warrant was sent out to search for evidence, and anyone who had any interaction with Chang Bo was brought into the government office for questioning. In an instant, all the citizens in the capital were in turmoil, afraid of the slightest chance that they could be linked to Chang Bo.

 At night in Prince Zhao’s Manor…

 It was the fourth month of the lunar year. The flowers were in full blossom, and the moon was bright and round. As night descended, Xiao Jing, Prince Zhao sat by the water pavilion. The ground was laid with thick and warm blankets as the water beside him flowed freely, and bamboos swayed overhead. Four scantily-clad women sat surrounding him, plying on their seduction with giggles and charm.

 Xiao Jing rested his head on a concubine’s leg. His eyelids were half-closed as he tapped his fingers. It was clear that he was enjoying himself.

 A woman behind him gently massaged his temples, while beside him, a woman in red peeled a grape before putting it into his mouth. She asked with a giggle, “Is it sweet, Your Highness?”

 Xiao Jing lips curled up in a leer as he pulled the woman over to kiss her on the lips. “It’s not as sweet as your lips, Xue’er!” he teased.

 “You’re so exasperating, Your Highness!” Xue’er protested coquettishly as she hooked an arm around Xiao Jing’s neck, and leaned forward to kiss Xiao Jing on his jaw.

 The other women laughed along seductively.

 Out of the blue, a woman in white made her way slowly over. Even from afar, Xiao Jing was able to detect her faint fragrance. He inhaled deeply and was intoxicated with her scent.

 He turned around and stretched his arm out towards the woman. With a quirk of his eyebrow, he smiled at her frivolously and said, “Zhihui, come to me!”

 Lan Zhihui sauntered over unhurriedly. When she neared him, she placed her fair and slender hand in Xiao Jing’s palm. Xiao Jing tugged at her forcefully, and she fell into his arms.

 The woman yelped in response, and her eyes flickered as she mumbled, “Your Highness!”

 The lady’s face was enchanting, and her demeanor was gentle. Her voice was sweet and soft. Her presence immediately made the other women look vulgar in comparison.

 Xiao Jing’s eyes betrayed his obsession with her. “The rest of you are dismissed!” he ordered.

 “Yes, Your Highness,” all the other women replied before retreating.

 Xiao Jing flipped himself over and pinned Lan Zhihui between his body and the ground. He kissed her passionately and bit her lips. He divested her of her clothing urgently, not caring that they were out in the open.

 The woman’s red undergarments flung into the water without a care, revealing her graceful figure and alabaster skin. Her hands were warm as she responded eagerly to the man’s advances.

 “Zhihui! Hui’er!” Xiao Jing’s voice was hoarse as he called out her name. He was lost in his obsession with her body.

 The sounds of the crickets and wind slowly faded away, and were replaced by the moans and groans of endless ecstasy that echoed late into the night.

 A long while later, the woman leaned on the man’s chest, panting fiercely. She threaded her fingers through his hair as she slowly caught her breath.

 “Now that I have you as my concubine, I don’t even want to marry my main consort any longer!” the man stroked her exposed shoulder and chuckled.

 “You’re always saying the right thing to make me happy, Your Highness!”

 “I’m being sincere! The heavens can attest to it!”

 Lan Zhihui giggled, her lust still evident on her face as she looked up. “I came to thank you, Your Highness!”

 Xiao Jing pinched her cheeks, and his eyes were playful as he asked, “What are you thanking me for?”

 “Two days ago, I simply mentioned that I had been violated by Chang Bo, and you immediately avenged me! Of course, I have to thank you for that, Your Highness!” Lan Zhihui smiled alluringly.

 “You’re really smart, Zhihui! How did you know I was responsible for that?”

 “Other than you, Your Highness, there is no one else to spare a thought for me!”

 Xiao Jing chuckled. “Indeed! Who the heck was Chang Bo to covet my woman? It was merciful of me to leave him as a whole corpse!”

 “You’re so good to me, Your Highness!” Lan Zhihui giggled. Suddenly, she frowned and said, “But Chang Bo is my godfather’s nephew. Aren’t you worried that my godfather will hold a grudge against you, Your Highness?”

 Xie Shiyun?

 If not for her mentioning that man, Xiao Jing would have forgotten about him completely. He replied offhandedly, “Even if I killed his biological son, he wouldn’t dare to hold a grudge against me!”

 “That’s great to hear! I would hate to cause you trouble, Your Highness!” Lan Zhihui remarked thoughtfully, even as her face retained an expression of bitterness and displeasure.

 “What’s wrong? Is there something else on your mind, Hui’er?” Xiao Jing asked.

 “I won’t lie to you, Your Highness. While I hated Chang Bo very much, my real enemy is someone else. What’s infuriating is that while Chang Bo may be dead, she’s still very much alive!” Lan Zhihui lay on the man’s chest. In the night, her eyes were oozing with vehement hatred.

 “Oh? Who is this person?” Xiao Jing held the woman’s chin as he asked coldly.

 “Her name is Su Jiu!”

 “Su Jiu?” Xiao Jing frowned.

 “Yes. She used to be the Young Mistress of the Manor, but she was originally a mountain bandit. When it suited her, she changed her identity and became the famous Master Su Jiu in Shengjing City!” Lan Zhihui stated matter-of-factly.

 “Who cares if she’s a mountain bandit or Master Su Jiu? As long as she has offended my woman, I’ll make sure she dies a horrible death!” Xiao Jing scoffed in disdain.

 Lan Zhihui’s eyes lit up, and she got up to kneel on the ground. “Your Highness, if you’re able to kill her, and rid me of her, I’ll be willing to serve you in any capacity you wish!”

 “That’s not necessary, Zhihui! It’s just killing a lowborn commoner. In less than two days, I’ll bring you her head!”

 “Thank you, Your Highness!” Lan Zhihui smiled with venom in her eyes.

 …

 A day or so later, as the sky was getting dark, Su Jiu was on her way back from the Commercial House when the carriage turned into a small alley. Er Mao suddenly stopped the carriage and called out, “Master Jiu, there are robbers ahead!”

 Su Jiu burst out laughing in the carriage. Someone was out to rob her?

 She kicked the door open, and sure enough, there were a dozen masked men in black surrounding the carriage. All of them had swords in their hands as they glared at her, with murder in their eyes.

 As Su Jiu hadn’t fought for some time, this scene excited her. With a laugh, she said, “Where are you from? Give me your names!”

 The men in black saw that while Su Jiu was no older than 17 years old, she emanated a piercingly cold aura. “Su Jiu?” they called out.

 “That’s me!” she replied.

 The moment Su Jiu nodded her head, the men in black came rushing over with their swords in the air.

 Su Jiu’s gaze turned to ice as she flung Er Mao inside the carriage before leaping over. She reached out and caught the man at the forefront within her grasp. With a clench of her fingers, the sound of bone snapping could be heard. The man howled in pain, and his sword fell to the floor before he found his whole body flying from her kick.

 Although the other men maintained their attacking position, they gawked at Su Jiu in shock.

 They were guards that were employed to guard households and residences. They had grown accustomed to abusing the authority of Prince Zhao’s Manor and bullying the commoners. However, now that they had met someone skilled in martial arts, they were dumbstruck.

 “Are you going to fight, or aren’t you? The sky is dark, and I want to go home for dinner!” Su Jiu stood atop the carriage and called out impatiently.

 The men in black were overcome with embarrassment, and they rushed forward once more.

 Ten minutes later, the dozen or so men in black lay on the floor, rolling and moaning in pain!

 Su Jiu jumped off the carriage and stepped on one of the men on the ground. Her eyes were unfriendly as she crouched down and asked, “Who sent you?”

 The man gaped at her in trepidation and placed his tongue between his teeth. If she asked any further, he was going to bite his tongue in suicide.

 “No! Don’t! We can talk civilly! Don’t do anything rash!” Su Jiu quickly removed her foot. She rested her cheek on one hand, and the chilling expression on her face was replaced by animation as she changed her tone. “Let me change the question! Do you know whom you’re robbing?”

 “Su… Su Jiu!” the man replied breathlessly.

 Su Jiu nodded. “And do you know what my other identity is?”

 The man’s eyes shifted. “A mountain bandit?” he ventured.

 “That’s right!” Su Jiu was elated. “So today, either you’re going to rob me, or I’m going to rob you! Though from the looks of things…”

 Su Jiu’s eyes raked him from head to toe. “…I don’t think it’ll be possible for you to rob me. That only leaves us with the possibility of me robbing you!”

 “What… what are you up to?” The man in black quickly held his clothing tightly as he swallowed the lump in his throat and stared at Su Jiu in wide-eyed fear.

 “Don’t worry. I’m not going to rob you of your chastity!” Su Jiu said with a shrug. “I’ll only rob you of your money! I’ll give you a choice. Should I divest you of all your clothing and search for the money myself, or would you like to hand the money over on your own?”

 The men on the ground forgot their pain momentarily and merely gawked at Si Jiu in stupefaction.

 Then, they silently took out all their moneybags.

 Su Jiu counted the money; there were at least 400 taels of silver!

 These men in black were certainly very rich! That meant that the man they served was either someone rich, or someone powerful.

 Moreover, he even knew of her identity as a mountain bandit. This made things very interesting indeed!

 Su Jiu made sure the money was kept securely, before happily getting into the carriage again. She suddenly recalled something, and turned back to say, “The next time you come, remember to bring more silver! If I’m unsatisfied with the amount of money, I’ll have to rob you of your life instead! Got it?”

 The men in black lay on the floor, their masks revealing only their eyes that were staring at her in a daze.

 Su Jiu got into the carriage and whipped the horses into action. “Giddy up!”

 Er Mao emerged from inside the carriage and asked with a laugh, “Has it all been settled, Young Master?”

 “Yes. Let’s go home for dinner!”

 The carriage suddenly came rushing over, and the men in black quickly jumped out of the way in fear. They could only stare with their mouths agape as Su Jiu rode away.

 That night, Prince Zhao lost his temper.

 “Useless trash! You’re all useless trash! How can so many of you fail to kill one person? And you even got robbed by her? You are all an embarrassment to me!” Xiao Jing pointed his finger at them as he bellowed with a frown.

 “Your Highness! Su Jiu knows martial arts, and she is very highly skilled!” the leader of the men in black said hesitantly.

 “So you’re telling me that you’re all useless when facing someone who knows martial arts? If that’s the case, what do I even need you for?” Xiao Jing demanded harshly.

 “Please calm down, Your Highness!” the men fell to their knees, quivering. “We’ll go again, and we’ll succeed in killing her this time!”

 “If you fail to kill her, don’t bother coming back!”

 “Yes, yes! We will follow through with it!”

 The next day, in that very same alley, a large net suddenly dropped over the carriage as the carriage was making it way through.

 With the net above his head, Er Mao called out with a straight face, “Master Jiu, they’re here again!”

 A dozen men in black flew down from the roof holding a large net in their hands. They ran around the carriage several times, trapping the carriage inside their net.

 The men then quickly rushed forward and exerted all their strength to lift the carriage. They were intending to carry the whole carriage away!

 Su Jiu kicked the door open. When she saw all that the faces of the men in black were red from exertion, she sniggered.

 Such stupid people couldn’t be assassins. That meant that they had to be the guards from a household.

 The knife in Su Jiu’s hand flashed right before the entire net fell apart in fragments. As the bit of net fell on the men’s heads, they stood dumbly watching Su Jiu on top of the carriage.

 With a burst of kicks and punches, the men in black all fell to the ground again.

 A moment later, Su Jiu raised the moneybag in her hand and thanked them sincerely.

 “See you tomorrow!” she said.

 As they watched the carriage roll off into the distance once again, the men clutched their bruised arms as they stood up and asked with a frown, “What do we do now, Boss?”

 One eye on the leader’s face was swollen shut. “Prepare bows and arrows. We’ll set another trap tomorrow!” he declared resentfully.

 “Boss, I have no more money left!” one of the men cried.

 “Scram!” the leader of the men in black kicked the man and limped out of the alley with the others.

 When Su Jiu reached home, Xiao Lie was sitting on the stone bench in the front yard, waiting for her.

 “Why are you back so late?” Xiao Lie asked with a smile as he pulled Su Jiu to sit down beside him. His brows suddenly shot together as he peered at the bloodstains on Su Jiu’s body. “You got into a fight?” he asked.

 Su Jiu placed the money in her hands on the table. Her picturesque features were a mask of indifference as she replied, “For two days in a row, a group of men has been showing up to hand me their money. How can I not take it?”

 Xiao Lie glanced at the silver and asked, “What happened?”

 Su Jiu related the assassination attempts by the masked men in black over the last two days to Xiao Lie.

 Xiao Lie narrowed his eyes, and his expression darkened. Who was out to kill Su Jiu?

 “Don’t leave the house over the next two days. I will get to the bottom of this matter!”

 “Don’t worry. They can’t harm me!” Su Jiu replied unconcernedly.

 “I know you’re a skilled martial artist. But while it’s easy to avoid an open weapon, it’s a lot harder to defend against a hidden attack. It’s better to be careful!” Xiao Lie stroked the girl’s cheek. “Otherwise, I won’t be at ease either!”

 A light flashed in Su Jiu’s eyes as she replied, “At first, I thought that these men were sent by Zhu Hecheng. But the weapons that those men were carrying today did not look like they came from an ordinary civilian household. Don’t make any move yet. Tomorrow, I’ll head out as per usual, but I’ll have Chang Huan tail them. When they run back, he can follow them, and we’ll find out who’s behind all this.”

 “When they run off, they might not go back to their master immediately out of concern of being followed!” Xiao Lie reminded her somberly. “In any case, I have to find out who’s the mastermind behind this!”

 “Alright.” Su Jiu nodded her head agreeably. “Have you had dinner yet?” she asked.

 “No, I was waiting for you!” Xiao Lie’s eyes turned gentle as he gazed at the young lady. “Ah Jiu, my mother told me today to bring you into the palace when we’re free. She would like to get to know you better!”

 “What?” Su Jiu smiled uneasily. “What does she want to talk to me about?”

 “Don’t worry. It’ll just be a casual conversation!” Xiao Lie’s lips turned up in a winsome smile. “We’re going to be a family in the future. Naturally, we’ll have to interact more and get to know each other better!”

 “Okay!” Su Jiu nodded her head.

 “In a few days, I will tell my father, the Emperor, about us. Once he agrees to it, let’s get married!” Xiao Lie said somberly.

 “Will your father, the Emperor, agree to it?” Su Jiu asked.

 1“Yes, he will!” Xiao Lie said with a smile. “I will make him understand how much you mean to me!”

 The twilight sky was dark, and flower petals drifted to the ground all over, some of them landing on the faces of the two individuals. The look in the man’s eyes deepened as he cradled Su Jiu’s face in his palms and pulled her nearer to him. His gaze fell on her cherry-like lips, and with a smothering gaze, he lowered his head towards hers.

 The snow-white petals of the pear blossoms landed on Su Jiu’s eyelashes. She shuddered gently, and she suddenly turned her head when the man’s lips approached hers.

 Time seemed to come to a standstill as a hairsbreadth stood between both of them. Xiao Lie narrowed his eyes and kissed her on the cheek before asking gravely, “What’s wrong? You don’t like it?”

 Su Jiu bit her lip, before shaking her head and replied matter-of-factly, “I don’t know. Perhaps I’m just not used to it!”

 Xiao Lie chuckled and pulled Su Jiu into his arms. “It doesn’t matter. Let’s take it slowly. I’ll wait. I’ll wait for you to accept everything about me.”

 Su Jiu could smell the cold fragrance of the man, and she abruptly felt impetuous. Closing her eyes, she said, “Xiao Lie, there will come a day when you’ll realize that I have many faults. You might not like me anymore after finding out what they are!”

 “What sort of faults?” the man asked with a chuckle. “You’re not gentle? You’re too stubborn and strong? What else?”

 “Plenty!” Su Jiu looked up with a smile. “For example, I don’t know how to interact with your mother, and I don’t know how to be Lady Rui!”

 “Ah Jiu, you’re everything to me. Unless I die, I will never stop loving you!” the man’s voice was very low, and he gazed at her meaningfully. “Nothing else matters!”

 Su Jiu’s eyes flickered for a moment, and her face broke out in a smile. “Thank you, Xiao Lie!”

 She was grateful for his love for her!

 She was very touched that in addition to brotherly affection, she could have such passionate love. She resolved to work harder to improve herself.

 “Silly girl!” Warmth spread in Xiao Lie’s heart. He reached his arm out and embraced her tightly. Even if he gained the throne, it would be nothing compared to this moment.

 At night, Jin Feng’s expression was grave as he returned from outside, and made his way hurriedly into the Ji Manor’s study.

 “Young Master, I have something to report to you!” Jin Feng stated solemnly.

 Ji Yuxian was seated behind the gold-rimmed nanmu wood table. The lamp cast a shadow on his face as he continued perusing the accounts ledger in his hand. Without looking up, he asked, “What is it?”

 “Someone sent assassins after the Young Mistress. She was stopped on the way home for two days in a row!” Jin Feng reported.

 Ji Yuxian’s brows shot together, and he suddenly looked up. “How is she?” he asked.

 “Don’t worry, Young Master. The Young Mistress is fine!”

 “Who are they?” Ji Yuxian asked coldly.

 “They’re from Prince Zhao’s Manor!” Jin Feng replied.

 “Prince Zhao? Xiao Jing? Why does he want to kill Su Jiu?” Ji Yuxian’s eyes narrowed.

 “Lan Zhihui is currently in Prince Zhao’s Manor!”

 Ji Yuxian’s eyes turned to ice. “I underestimated her. So she managed to move from the Chang Manor to Prince Zhao’s Manor. I guess Chang Bo’s death a few days ago has something to do with her too!”

 Jin Feng bowed his head. “That was probably her doing!”

 Danger loomed in Ji Yuxian’s eyes. “Since that is the case, send Prince Zhao a gift!”

 …

 The next day, a dozen sacks were suddenly thrown into the courtyard of Chang Zheng’s Manor. Inside each sack was a person screaming and struggling.

 Written on the outside of each sack was the word “Murderer” in bold.

 Chang Bo had just been murdered. Naturally, this word was an indication that these were his murderers.

 Horrified, the servants quickly called for Chang Zheng.

 Chang Zheng was equally shocked. He cautiously asked, “Who are you?”

 These dozen men in black had been lying in wait along the road the Su Jiu usually passed through on her way home, ready to attack her the moment she showed up. However, a shadow had suddenly flashed past them, knocking them all out. By the time they had awakened, they were already in the sack.

 When the leader of the men saw it wasn’t Su Jiu who had captured them, he hollered immediately, “Release us now! We are from Prince Zhao’s Manor! If you resist any further, Prince Zhao will have your heads!”

 Chang Zheng’s face darkened. “You work for Prince Zhao?”

 If they truly were his son’s murderers, that meant Prince Zhao was the mastermind of it all.

 Why did Xiao Jing want his son dead?

 “Were you the ones who killed my son?” Chang Zheng demanded coldly.

 The man inside the sack grew silent before asking instinctively, “You’re Official Chang?”

 He belatedly realized the gravity of what he had uttered and shut his mouth immediately.

 “So, you’re the ones!” Chang Zheng began to quake. “I have no enmity with any of you! Why did you kill my son?”

 The man in the sack did not speak further.

 “Tell me! Why did you kill my son? Just how did Bo’er offend Prince Zhao?” Chang Zheng went over and crouched by the sack. His voice was hoarse.

 “No! It wasn’t His Highness! It wasn’t us!” the man the sack quickly backtracked in panic.

 “You still refuse to admit it? If you didn’t kill him, how did you know who I was just by me asking you why you killed my son?” Chang Zheng trembled in fury and yelled, “Guards! Take these men to the government office! I want them to pay for taking my son’s life!”

 “Yes, sir!” the guards acknowledged immediately.

 “Hold on!” a voice suddenly rang out. It was Chang Shou, the housekeeper of the Chang Manor.

 Chang Shou walked to the front, and with a grave expression, pulled Chang Zheng to the side. Softly, he whispered, “Old Master, you can’t hand them over to the government office!”

 “Why not?” Chang Zheng asked, his brows knitted tightly in bewilderment.

 “Think about it, Old Master. If Prince Zhao truly sent these men to kill Young Master, how would it be possible for Magistrate Lin to question and accuse Prince Zhao on your behalf? If you hand them over, they just have to refuse to confess to the crime. After all, you have no evidence that Prince Zhao killed the Young Master,” Chang Shou explained patiently.

 Chang Zheng was so infuriated that his entire body was shaking. He said resentfully, “Am I to sit back and do nothing? Can I not even avenge my son?”

 Chang Shou pondered for a moment. “Old Master, lock these men up for the time being. Meet with Minister Xie, perhaps he might have an idea. Even if there’s nothing Minister Xie can do, you’ll at least be able to find out why Prince Zhao killed the Young Master.”

 Chang Zheng nodded his head. “I’ll head over to meet with Minister Xie right away!”

 After instructing the servants to throw the sacks containing the men into the woodshed, Chang Zheng rushed out of the house and over to the Xie Manor.

 Upon entering Vice Minister Xie’s Manor, Chang Zheng was informed by the servants that Minister Xie had just left to meet some guests, and would only be home in the evening.

 Chang Zhen had no choice but to wait for him anxiously in the reception pavilion.

 The two families were related by marriage, and when Mrs. Xie heard that Chang Zheng had come, she went out to greet him.

 “Master Chang, what an honor! How is my sister doing?” Mrs. Xie asked warmly.

 “She’s doing well. She was just talking about you the other day. I’ll bring her to visit soon!” Chang Zheng’s mind was preoccupied with other thoughts, and he simply replied out of courtesy.

 “I heard about what happened to Bo’er. My condolences! Please console my sister well.” Mrs. Xie said with a sigh.

 “Of course!”

 “Please have a seat, Master Chang!” Mrs. Xie had a servant bring some tea. “You don’t look too good, Master Chang,” Mrs. Xie said, “Is something wrong? If it’s urgent, I’ll get someone to bring Xie Shiyun back right now!”

 “It isn’t urgent at all. I’ll just wait!”

 Upon replying to her, a thought suddenly occurred to Chang Zheng, and he asked, “Previously, Minister Xie came to my manor and brought a maidservant back with him. Is she still in the manor?”

 The expression on Mrs. Xie’s face lost its warmth as she replied, “Did Master Chang not hear of it? A while back, Shiyun adopted his girl as his goddaughter and gifted her to Prince Zhao!”

 “What?” Chang Zheng was stunned, and he instantly understood why Prince Zhao killed his son, Bo’er.

 So, it was because of that woman!

 Chang Zheng’s demeanor suddenly turned icy as wrath and fury overwhelmed him, and he began to tremble.

 “What’s wrong, Master Chang?” Mrs. Xie noticed that something was wrong with Chang Zheng’s expression and quickly asked.

 “No… nothing!” Chang Zheng remained seated as vitriolic hatred consumed him. He wanted nothing more than to barge into Prince Zhao’s Manor and slaughter that vixen!

 After some time, a servant came to report that the Old Master was back!

 Chang Zheng got up immediately and staggered a few steps before hurrying out.

 “Master Chang!” Xie Shiyun greeted him with a frown when he saw him. “Has Bo’er’s murdered been caught yet?” he asked.

 “I came precisely for this matter, my lord. Let’s talk inside,” Chang Zheng said hoarsely, his expression grave.

 “Sure! This way, please!”

 Xie Shiyun led Chang Zheng into this study and dismissed his servants.

 The moment the door was closed, Chang Zheng dropped to his knees in front of Xie Shiyun. “Minister Xie, Bo’er is your nephew. Please avenge him!”

 Xie Shiyun quickly stepped forward to help him up. “Get up quickly! Tell me what’s going on! What happened?”

 Tears streamed down Chang Zheng’s old face as he related what had happened earlier in the day. He declared confidently, “The person who killed Bo’er is Xiao Jing, Prince Zhao!”

 Xie Shiyun was astounded. “Is someone trying to frame him? Why would Prince Zhao kill Bo’er?”

 Chang Zheng sighed heavily. “Did Minister Xie gift Lan Zhihui to Prince Zhao? There’s something you don’t know. That woman was initially captured by Bo’er and forced against her will to be his concubine. She hates Bo’er vehemently and hence, she instigated Prince Zhao to kill him!”

 “What?” Xie Shiyun was taken aback. “I was careless!” he said resentfully. “I’d completely forgotten about that. I never imagined that woman would be so vicious!”

 Chang Zheng wiped his tears as he continued, “I was initially intending to hand the murderers over to Magistrate Lin, but on second thought, I was afraid that Magistrate Lin would cower in the face of Prince Zhao, and help him to cover up for this crime instead. You’re the only person I can discuss this with. Please help me to avenge Bo’er!”

 Xie Shiyun sauntered over to his writing desk and said somberly, “If Prince Zhao is truly the mastermind behind this murder, how are we supposed to avenge Bo’er?”

 “Are we supposed to just let Bo’er die in vain like that?” Chang Zheng cried out with injustice in his heart.

 “There’s nothing I can do even if I want to help you!” Xie Shiyun said with a sigh.

 “Bo’er was your nephew! Are you truly able to stand by and watch, knowing he died such a horrible and unjustifiable death?” Chang Zheng scoffed derisively.

 Chang Zheng’s tone was extremely discourteous, and Xie Shiyun’s expression darkened in response. “You’re putting me in a very difficult position. Setting aside that I’m merely a fourth-rank minister, I wouldn’t be able to do anything to Prince Zhao even if I were the Prime Minister! He’s a prince!”

 “Fine! I was wrong in coming here today! Farewell!” Chang Zheng said before walking out resolutely.

 Xie Shiyun frowned, resentful that Chang Zheng had put him in such a tough position. He didn’t bother to see him out.

 Chang Zheng made his way back to his manor, brewing in his intense hatred. Chang Shou welcomed him at the door when he reached home, and asked, “Old Master, what did Minister Xie say?”

 “It’s all his fault that my son died!” The look in Chang Zheng’s eyes was ominous, revealing his animosity.

 If Xie Shiyun hadn’t hooked up with that woman while drunk and later given that woman to Prince Zhao, his son wouldn’t have died!

 They were all responsible for Bo’er’s death, yet no one wanted to take responsibility!

 There was no way he was just going to accept this!

 He was going to make sure that they paid the price with their lives! None of them were going to get away scot-free!

 Chang Zheng’s eyes flashed with malevolence as he came up with a plan and turned to head inside the house.