The water in the pool barely reached her waist. Su Jiu’s eyes were focused on that bookshelf, and she failed to notice where she was stepping. She suddenly tripped over an object and instantly fell into the pool. With a ‘swish’, the man glided over like a fish and grabbed Su Jiu by her waist, before sinking to the bottom of the pool with her.

 The water submerged her on all sides. Su Jiu held her breath and suddenly widened her eyes. Dim rays of light filtered through the clear water; the man’s handsome and mesmerizing face was staring straight at her through the water.

 Their eyes met, but they had no means to speak. Their black hair tangled and intertwined, just like seaweed drifting back and forth in the water. After a period of silence, Su Jiu frowned slightly and pushed her arms against the water, propelling herself back to the surface.

 Just then, her legs were grabbed by the man and forcefully tugged downwards. The man took advantage of this to float upwards. He held the back of her head and kissed her passionately.

 Su Jiu widened her eyes and shook her head as she struggled. She kicked her legs, but they had been sandwiched between his thighs, completely immovable. On the contrary, her actions brought them even closer.

 The man sucked on her lips with much brutality, no longer carrying the same gentleness he used to before. He abused her lips roughly, and the palm that was pressed against her waist started to burn, as though he was on the verge of igniting and setting her ablaze.

 Su Jiu’s breathing became chaotic, and she started to run out of oxygen. She could no longer fight against the sensation of suffocation, and she reflexively parted her lips. The man instantly invaded, meeting her trembling tongue and intertwining with it riotously.

 Unable to breathe, Su Jiu’s mind gradually became hazy. When she was at the brink of passing out, the man injected a mouthful of air over her, before continuing his conquest to obtain her.

 Time trickled on, and a whole lifetime later, the man finally separated from her lips. He carried her delicate body and floated to the surface of the water.

 Su Jiu leaned back against the edge of the pool, jerking her head up with force. Her black hair drew a beautiful arc, and water crystals drizzled down like rain as she gasped for air.

 The hand that had been resting on the girl’s waist tightened its grip, and droplets of water dripped out of his elongated eyes that had been washed clean by the water. They slid down his exquisite collarbone, across his firm and muscular chest, before splashing into the pool.

 The intense taste of alcohol spread across Su Jiu’s tongue and lips. Their bodies were stuck close to each other, fitting perfectly just like a match made in heaven. Turbulent waves seemed to wreck Su Jiu’s mind, causing her to be in a state of haziness. The familiar feeling within her body seemed to have dug its way out, to the point that she could no longer control herself.

 The man trailed hot kisses down her chin, intimately and recklessly planting kisses on her slender neck.

 Leaving behind a line of marks, before slowly moving downwards…

 Su Jiu’s body was shaking, and the shivers seemed to spread out all over her body. A terrible tremor surged from the bottom of her heart, and at the same time, a tumultuous panic started to brew.

 Suddenly, she felt a cool sensation on her chest. Su Jiu widened both eyes abruptly and pushed the man aside with force. She turned around and collapsed on the jade platform, violently gasping to catch her breath.

 What was she doing?!

 Why was it that every time she touched Ji Yuxian, she would lose all semblance of restraint?

 She failed to refuse his intimacy, and that sort of powerlessness made her disgusted with herself.

 She had to constantly remind herself that she was now together with Xiao Lie.

 In the future, she might become his wife, so how could she be so intimate with Ji Yuxian?

 Droplets of water rolled down the girl’s pale face. Her crystal-clear eyes appeared to be full of pain and confusion.

 

The man approached her from behind and gave her a back hug. His burning and exposed chest pressed closely against her drenched back, his hair loose. The man gently kissed her shoulders, and his voice was so raspy that it was almost unrecognizable. “Su Jiu, I can sense it, I’m on your mind!”

 Su Jiu jerked back abruptly, shoving the man aside. Her eyes were red, but still clear and resolute.

 “No!”

 The girl shook her head in alarm, and shouted, “That’s not the case!”

 “Don’t do this!” The myriad of emotions in Ji Yuxian’s eyes subsided, and he instantly became clear-headed. He stretched out his arms and brought her into his embrace. A layer of gloominess emerged between his brows as he said painfully, “Su Jiu, my heart aches so much! I couldn’t restrain myself, I must have gotten drunk again!”

 A thick cloud of mist had completely occluded their faces, separating the two by erecting an impregnable distance between them.

 Su Jiu blinked, and droplets of water rolled down, merging with the streaks of water already on her face before sliding down her lips.

 “I don’t like you, Ji Yuxian! I never liked you!” The girl choked back her tears.

 “Alright, you don’t like me!” The man coaxed softly, “As long as you don’t feel any pain or hurt, anything is fine!”

 When she heard the man’s low and gentle voice, an inexplicable sense of bitterness bred in her heart. She took a deep breath and pushed the man away. She said with her eyelids half-closed, “I came here to find something, and unintentionally disturbed you. I’m leaving now!”

 Once the girl finished speaking, she did not wait for the man to respond, and hastily climbed out of the pool. She walked out the doors of the bathroom and fled as quickly as she could.

 Maybe she was too familiar with this place, and this was the cause of her misperception. She had to leave immediately.

 Indeed, she should not have come!

 “Su Jiu!”

 Suddenly, a low voice sounded behind her.

 Su Jiu stopped abruptly. Without looking back, she asked curtly, “…Anything else?”

 The man walked up slowly, and when he saw her, his heart could not help but ache. “Are you going to go out in wet clothes? Do you want to catch another cold?”

 It was only then that Su Jiu realized the clothes on her body were still dripping wet, causing her entire being to freeze. She had not even put on shoes.

 Ji Yuxian held her shoulders, staring at her with profound eyes as his lips hooked into a bitter smile. “So stupid, how are you going to be Prince Rui’s consort? Those people in the palace…”

 Something got stuck in the man’s throat, and he had no way of completing the sentence. The hands that were holding the girl’s shoulders started to tremble. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but at the same time, he was combatting his desire and restrained himself.

 Oh, how he wanted to protect her, pamper her, prevent her from being bullied by others. However, he feared that he no longer had the qualifications to do so.

 He took a deep breath and suppressed the pain that was growing in his chest. He straightened his body and said softly, “Some of your clothes are still in the cabinet. Change before you leave!”

 Su Jiu nodded her head faintly, before turning around to head behind the folding partition.

 After opening the closet, she was greeted by the sight of a neat line of her clothes. Those clothes were all purchased by Ji Yuxian for her; some of them were worn, while others were brand new.

 She suddenly recalled that back when she was in the Ji Manor, Ji Yuxian was the one who prepared everything for her—from the accessories to the clothes she wore, to even her inner clothes and undergarments.

 A wave of pain burst from her chest. She quickly grabbed a light green dress and walked behind the folding partition to change.

 When she walked out, Ji Yuxian threw her a glance with his long phoenix eyes, while holding a mahogany box in his hands.

 “You must be here for this. You may have it!” Ji Yuxian placed the mahogany box into her hands. “Inside, there is incriminating evidence that proves Xie Shiyun colluded with the officials back when he was the governor of Yunzhou, as well as the fact that he accepted bribes. There is even evidence of him embezzling disaster aid and food rations. You can take it all away!”

 There was a layer of condensation on the mahogany box. As expected, it was hidden on the bookshelf in the bathroom.

 Su Jiu closed her eyes and nodded her head. “Many thanks!”

 The man’s dark red and thin lips curved into a self-deprecating smile. “No need for thanks. It’s late, you should head back!”

 “Alright, I shall take my leave!”

 After replying softly, Su Jiu turned around and walked out while lowering her head, not paying the man a second glance.

 Jin Feng sat on the roof and watched as Su Jiu plodded out of the bedroom slowly. Every step she took was heavy, as though her feet had been weighed down by a thousand kilograms. Finally, the girl walked out of the courtyard, and her silhouette melted into the boundless night.

 Jin Feng kept vigil on the rooftop for a whole night. The candlelight in Ji Yuxian’s room continued to flicker through the night as well.

 After the court session concluded the next day, Xiao Lie went to find Su Jiu after breakfast.

 Li Xin was carrying the freshly laundered clothes over when she saw Xiao Lie. She then immediately curtsied to pay her respects.

 “Where is your Miss?” Xiao Lie asked nonchalantly.

 “Miss returned late last night, so she’s still sleeping. Your Highness, please hold on!” Li Xin possessed a small and round face. When she saw him, she flashed an amiable smile.

 Xiao Lie stopped in his steps and raised his long eyebrow slightly. “Returned late? Where did she go last night?”

 Li Xin shook her head purely and innocently. “I don’t know. When Miss returned last night, she was very low in spirits, and she had also changed her clothes. Oh right…”

 Li Xin looked left and right, before whispering enigmatically, “When this servant was attending to Miss as she slept, this servant saw many bruises on her neck. Was my Miss bullied by someone?”

 1Xiao Lie’s handsome face immediately darkened. He remained silent for a moment before replying placidly, “She wasn’t. You may continue with your work!”

 “Yes!” Li Xin blinked, before turning to leave.

 Xiao Lie stood at the corridor for a while, before pushing the door to enter.

 Sure enough, Su Jiu was still sleeping under the bed curtains. The crisp sound of birds chirping was heard outside the window, but the interior of the room itself was exceptionally quiet.

 Xiao Lie walked up to the bed and pried open the bed curtains before sleeping down. He was greeted by the sight of the girl in her inner clothes. Her black hair was scattered, concealing half of her jade-like countenance, breathing shallowly in deep sleep.

 He stretched out his arms to brush her cascading hair aside. The girl’s clear eyes were tightly shut, her red lips were slightly swollen, and there were even traces of her bloody lips being bitten. Below, her white neck was covered in green and purple hickeys.

 The air around the man suddenly turned frigid, and a sharp pain stabbed his chest as his entire body emitted fury and killing intent.

 Xiao Lie held the girl’s hand as his handsome and gloomy eyes stared dully at Su Jiu.

 There was a shift in the sun, and after an indeterminate amount of time, Su Jiu’s lashes finally quivered as she opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes still contained momentary grogginess, and when she finally had a clear view of the man sitting before her, she asked with a hoarse voice, “When did you come in?”

 Xiao Lie looked forlornly at her. “Li Xin said that you went out last night?”

 Su Jiu sat up and put on her outer robe, before casually nodding her head. She retrieved the box from the bedside table and handed it over, saying, “This is the evidence of Xie Shiyun’s crimes. Go and pass it to the imperial censor.”

 Xiao Lie stared coldly at the wooden box and asked, “Where did this come from?”

 Su Jiu replied, “Don’t ask anymore, just take it!”

 Xiao Lie did not receive it and only raised his head to look intensely at her. “Ah Jiu, you went to meet Ji Yuxian?”

 1Su Jiu froze and lowered her head while closing her eyes.

 Xiao Lie’s heart was in unbearable pain. His voice also carried a wisp of frostiness as he continued, “Ah Shu, this prince will be able to deal with a mere minister without all these. Why did you go find him so late at night?”

 Was she doing this for the evidence, or was she going to meet him?

 Su Jiu stared blankly at him, and when she saw the anger in the man’s eyes, her face paled considerably.

 After a pause, Su Jiu wore her clothes properly and rose to walk towards the table. She poured a cup of cold tea and gulped it down, before speaking perfunctorily, “Yes, I took unnecessary actions. Since His Highness Prince Rui doesn’t want it, we can simply toss it away!”

 Xiao Lie suddenly panicked and stood up abruptly before walking over to her. He hugged Su Jiu tightly from the back and apologized in a soft voice, “Ah Jiu, I’m sorry!”

 1“No need, you have nothing to apologize about!” The girl’s voice was slightly hoarse.

 On the contrary, it was her. She did not love him wholeheartedly and had no idea how to respond to his deep affections for her.

 Xiao Lie flipped her around quickly and extended his arms to draw her closer. “Ah Jiu, do you know how afraid I was when I saw the marks on your body? I’m scared that he’ll snatch you back before you even start liking me!”

 At this moment, Su Jiu suddenly remembered those marks on her neck and frowned. “I’m sorry. Last night, I…”

 “Don’t speak!” Xiao Lie suddenly interrupted her words, before continuing in a low voice, “I believe you! But in the future, don’t meet him anymore, alright?”

 Su Jiu leaned on his shoulder, and after a period of silence, she nodded her head slowly. “Alright! I promise that I won’t meet him in the future!”

 It was not just a vow to Xiao Lie, but one to herself. She wanted to maintain an appropriate distance with Ji Yuxian. The matter that happened the day before should not happen again.

 Xiao Lie planted a kiss on the top of her head and said in a mellow voice, “Ah Jiu, obtaining you was an unfulfilled dream I once had, which is why I’m so afraid to lose you.”

 “Mm!” Su Jiu nodded her head. “Believe me, I won’t leave you!”

 1Xiao Lie smiled without a word, cuddling her tightly in his arms.

 After a pause, Su Jiu muttered, “Xiao Lie…”

 “Mm?”

 “I’m hungry!”

 Xiao Lie chuckled and got up to brush her black hair. “Let’s go and eat!”

 The two of them walked, and the moment the door was opened, they saw Li Xin standing right outside. A trace of panic flashed past her eyes when she saw them, and she hurriedly said, “Miss, I heard you woke up! This servant is here to help you wash up!”

 

She was holding a basin of hot water in her hands, though it had already cooled significantly.

 Xiao Lie’s eyes narrowed slightly and he suddenly mentioned, “Qiao An will be setting off to Wu’an tomorrow, and no one has been assigned to attend to him. You should set off with Qiao An!”

 “Ah?” Li Xin was stunned.

 Su Jiu was also a bit shocked. “Master An is leaving tomorrow?”

 “Yes, my father, the Emperor, has already approved it. Dapao will be leading the troops as usual. A mudslide has destroyed some of the residences, so the military soldiers have been dispatched to support the stationed troops to conduct search and rescue!” Xiao Lie explained.

 Su Jiu nodded her head slightly, then looked at Li Xin. “Then I must trouble this lady to take care of Master An!”

 Li Xin forced out a smile. “Yes, you are being too courteous, Miss. Attending to you and Master An is this servant’s duty!”

 “Then, you don’t have to serve in this courtyard today. Go and help Master An pack and settle all his baggage. You should also pack for yourself!” Su Jiu said.

 “Yes, this servant will head over now!” Li Xin placed the water basin down. “This servant shall take her leave!”

 After Li Xin had walked quite a distance away, Su Jiu splashed some water on her face. She raised her head and asked with a smile, “What’s up with her? Why do you want to send her away?”

 She knew that the maidservant had been eavesdropping her conversation with Xiao Lie outside the room. This was indeed a bad habit, but was Xiao Lie sending her to Wu’an because of this?

 Xiao Lie retrieved a handkerchief and gently dabbed her face. His voice was languid and husky as he said, “Do you know this maidservant well? It’s best for the servants at your side to be trustworthy and reliable!”

 Su Jiu raised her eyebrow. “I have known her for almost two years. Back then, the Boneless Ginseng we had stolen from your manor was used to save her. She’s an adorable and guileless lady.”

 Every time she went to the restaurant, she would always see Li Xin and the other waiters work themselves tirelessly. To be honest, her father was the shopkeeper, and there was no need for her to do such exhausting tasks given she was a lady. Because of this, Su Jiu took special care towards Li Xin.

 “Adorable and guileless?” Xiao Lie smiled wryly, “Why don’t I see it?”

 Su Jiu tip-toed and stared at Xiao Lie with her head tilted. The corner of her lips hooked upwards, both quick-wittedly and craftily. “His Highness only has Ah Jiu in his eyes. How can he see other people?”

 Xiao Lie suddenly chortled out loud and gently tapped her forehead. “So, you already knew!”

 Su Jiu’s black and white pupils turned, full of mischief.

 The next day, Qiao An and Hu Dapao set off towards Wu’an. Li Xin went to bid farewell to Li Tai and left reluctantly.

 On the other hand, Li Tai was very happy. He felt that it was good for his daughter to broaden her world view.

 Su Jiu instructed Qiao An to take good care of her, as after all, she was only a 14-year-old lady. It was her first time embarking on such a long journey, so it would not be comfortable for her.

 Two days after Qiao An and Dapao had left, the imperial censor submitted the evidence that implicated Xie Shiyun as a greedy minister who received bribes and embezzled rations. They had even retrieved evidence of him conducting monetary transactions with the influential merchant Zhu Hecheng.

 Zhu Hecheng was once again implicated, and a warrant was issued to search his house and lock him to prison.

 Outraged, Emperor Zhao Ping ordered his men to investigate the matter properly.

 This time, Prince Zhao was also quite alarmed. Initially, he had only intended to bring up Xie Shiyun’s matters in Yunzhou and indict him for his crimes. It would be enough if he was stripped of his position or exiled to a faraway land as an official, but he did not expect his collusion with Zhu Hecheng to be investigated as well.

 Xie Shiyun’s misdeeds in Yunzhou had happened a long time ago, and even if he was declared guilty, he would only lose his position and be punished by exile. He would not admit to those things he did in Shengjing. Otherwise, the punishment would not be as simple as stripping him of his position.

 However, the way this matter had progressed was indeed out of Xiao Jing’s expectations.

 Prince Zhao anxiously summoned the Minister of Revenue, Yu Xian, to discuss this matter.

 Both of them were grasshoppers on the same piece of string. Yu Xian was quite annoyed and resentful at Zhao Jing’s impulsiveness when settling matters. He should not have allowed Liu Wen to propose Xie Shiyun’s impeachment.

 If he didn’t like this person, he could have just pulled some strings in the dark and station him outside the capital. Now that the matter has been blown out of proportion, the situation was no longer desirable.

 Even though he harbored resentment in his heart, Yu Xian naturally would not dare to voice his complaints to Zhao Jing upfront. He could only frown and say, “As the saying goes, you either give up or go through to the end. If Xie Shiyun is unable to open his mouth from now onwards, then this problem will be solved!”

 Zhao Jing lifted his head and looked over. His eyes narrowed viciously as he said, “Minister Yu, you mean…”

 Yu Xian nodded his head cryptically. “This old minister will find an opportunity to send some men to the prison over the next few days. I will resolve this issue for His Highness and eliminate all future problems!”

 “Alright, you must do this cleanly. Don’t let other people raise suspicion!” Xiao Jing instructed.

 “His Highness, be rest assured!”

 In the prison, Xie Shiyun was still putting up his final fight. After being subjected to several rounds of torture, he continued to keep his mouth tightly shut, refusing to confess.

 He was waiting, waiting for Xiao Jing to rescue him.

 Zhu Hecheng had been implicated, and ironically, this was advantageous to him. This time, Zhao Jing would surely be worried as well, and hence, he would send someone to negotiate.

 As long as Xiao Jing sent someone, he would have bargaining chips in his hands.

 Su Jiu was quite idle for the past few days. Occasionally, she would even have the mood to listen to storytelling sessions at the teahouse.

 When Xiao Lie came over, he would occasionally mention the developments in Xie Shiyun’s case. Su Jiu was not in a hurry. Alas, Qiao An and Da Pao would need to stay in Wu’an for some time.

 On the other hand, over the past few days, Xiao Lie had many matters weighing on his heart. His father, the Emperor, had asked his mother about Su Jiu. As a result, he had found out that Su Jiu was born a mountain bandit, and had even disguised herself to marry into the Ji Manor as the Young Mistress. At that time, he was indignant and even blamed his mother for failing to inform him in advance.

 Now his father had completely forbidden him from mentioning Su Jiu, and every time he was summoned to the imperial study, he would bump into Princess Yu Long two out of three times.

 In his heart, he understood. His father wanted to match them together.

 He had also prepared himself. For him to be together with Su Jiu, he needed to overcome these difficulties.

 What he did not understand was Yu Long’s attitude. A smart and intelligent person like her should naturally understand Emperor Zhao Ping and Lord Yun Nan’s intentions. However, she did not seem to reject the idea.

 He had already made it clear to Yu Long that the person he liked was Su Jiu. Yu Long generously admitted that she was able to tell, but she continued to follow Lord Yun Nan into the palace every day nonetheless.

 Early that morning, Su Jiu was about to leave the manor after eating her breakfast, when the subordinates reported to her. Madame Hu had arrived.

 Su Jiu froze for a moment, before remembering that Madame Hu referred to Nangong Bi.

 The moment Nangong Bi entered, her eyes reddened when she saw Su Jiu. She took a few steps forward and plonked into her arms while choking with emotion, “Su Jiu!”

 “What happened? Who bullied our general’s wife?” Su Jiu teased with a smile.

 “Su Jiu, he’s gone!” Nangong Bi said as she wiped her tears.

 “Dapao? He went to Wu’an to manage the disaster. It’s not like he’s not returning!” Su Jiu helped her dab her tears away. She continued with a smile, “Are you missing Dapao already?”

 Nangong Bi’s face flushed red. Her eyes darted left and right, before she said in a shy voice, “Su Jiu… I need to tell you something. Don’t laugh at me!”

 “I won’t laugh! Just speak!”

 Nangong Bi nibbled her lips, and mumbled with a mosquito-like voice, “Su Jiu, ever since we got married, Hu Dapao… He hasn’t touched me at all!”

 Su Jiu frowned. With a puzzled expression, she asked, “He hasn’t touched you? Hasn’t touched your what?”

 Tears welled up in Nangong Bi’s luminous and amorous eyes. She glared shyly at Su Jiu and grunted, “Su Jiu!”

 Realization suddenly dawned upon Su Jiu. “What you mean is, you’ve been married for so long, but he hasn’t slept with you yet?”

 When she heard Su Jiu speak so explicitly, Nangong Bi grew more and more embarrassed as she nodded her red face.

 Su Jiu chuckled. “If he doesn’t sleep with you, why don’t you sleep with him?”

 “That’s so shameful!” Nangong Bi harrumphed coldly. Her finger hooked onto the tassels on her clothes as she said sadly, “Do you think… Hu Dapao doesn’t like me anymore?”

 “How about you? Do you like Dapao?” Su Jiu asked.

 Nangong Bi hesitated for a minute, before slowly nodding her head.

 “Then it’s done!” Su Jiu said joyfully, “Don’t worry, Dapao must have assumed you don’t like him and was forced into this marriage, which is why he doesn’t dare to touch you!”

 “Really?” Nangong Bi’s almond eyes became vibrant.

 “Really!” Su Jiu said confidently.

 Nangong Bi’s expression now resembled the rose-tinted skyline at sunset. After pondering for a moment, she raised her head and said seriously, “Su Jiu, I want to go and find him!”

 “Where will you go to find him?” Su Jiu was astonished.

 “To Wu’an City!” Nangong Bi proclaimed with great determination. “In the past, I did not dare to accept the fact that I like Dapao because of the silly things I’ve done to him. I even forced him to Northern Xinjiang! Now that I’ve finally figured things out, I want to go and tell him now!”

 “But Wu’an is quite a distance away! Your parents and your brother will not agree!” Su Jiu stated.

 “I shall go secretly and bring guards with me. Don’t worry, nothing will happen!” The girl smiled brightly like a flower, having finally resolved the burdens bugging her heart.

 “Alright, then take care!”

 “Mm, I shall set off tomorrow!” Nangong Bi lifted her hands to wave farewell to Su Jiu. “I shall take my leave now!”

 Su Jiu watched the girl’s bright and cheery departing silhouette, and she could not help but hook her lips up into a smile. She was genuinely happy for both Hu Dapao and Nangong Bi.

 At the end of the fourth month, the weather slowly became warmer. At Prince Zhao Manor, Lan Zhihui was lying on the couch enjoying an afternoon nap after her lunch. Halfway through her nap, she began to sweat buckets, and she had no choice but to strip off the thin robe on her body as well.

 Xiao Jing had not gone to her room for many days. Lan Zhihui’s mind was filled with her desire to kill Su Jiu, and could not sleep peacefully as a result.

 She did not believe that even Xiao Jing was unable to kill Su Jiu!

 With each passing day that Su Jiu was not eliminated, her heart became more and more unsettled.

 In the haziness of her sleep, she suddenly opened her eyes and saw her maidservant Qinxiang seemingly walk in to close the windows.

 Lan Zhihui’s black hair scattered behind her, and she was only wearing her undergarments and a thin embroidered skirt. The skin on her body was as white as snow, her bottom was bountiful, and her waist was slender. After experiencing the matters between a man and a woman, a mature charm replaced her previous magnolia-like elegance.

 “Qinxiang?” Lan Zhihui’s eyes were groggy as she lay half-reclined on the bed. She raised her arms to knead her temples. “My head hurts a lot! Come over and help give me a massage!”

 ‘Qinxiang’ walked over, and raised her arms to release the bed curtains first.

 Lan Zhihui’s head was lowered as she massaged her temples, but when she saw that the bed curtains had been released, she lifted her head in displeasure. “This madame does not like the dark…”

 Just as she opened her mouth, she froze and gawked at the girl before her in a daze, unable to utter a word.

 Su Jiu retracted her hand and blinked slyly. “Lady Lan, long time no see. I trust that you have been well since the last time we met!”

 Lan Zhihui’s acupuncture points had been locked. She was neither able to budge in the slightest, nor was she able to talk. Her eyes shifted from shock to panic as she stared at Su Jiu, with no idea what she had up her sleeves.

 “I heard Lady Lan wants me dead! It is against proper etiquette if I don’t respond, so this old master has come to visit you, Lady Lan!”

 Su Jiu’s lips slipped into a smile, and she stretched out her hands to adjust Lan Zhihui’s posture such that she was lying horizontally on the bed. Her expression was lecherous as she stroked the girl’s cheeks. “Tsk tsk, no wonder Lady Lan is doted upon everywhere she goes. Very pretty indeed.”

 Lan Zhihui felt her blood run cold as she stroked her, and she was dying to ask what she intended to do!

 No matter what, she was still a girl, and she wasn’t going to be able to rape her!

 Su Jiu did not speak any further. She extended her arms to remove Lan Zhihui’s clothes, before untying the undergarment that covered her chest. She did not displace it completely, however, and only exposed half her chest, to make the scene more seductive and alluring.

 Lan Zhihui’s eyes flashed with even more horror. What did she want to do?

 Su Jiu narrowed her eyes and grinned as she carefully examined Lan Zhihui. Suddenly, she fished out a book with yellow bindings from her clothes and opened it to a particular page. She stared at the illustration on the page, while scrutinizing Lan Zhihui at the same time.

 Lan Zhihui widened her eyes when she saw the five words on the book cover: “Appreciation of Flowers and Fragrance.”

 She felt dizzy for a moment. Did this girl actually like other girls?

 Referring to the book, Su Jiu ruffled Lan Zhihui’s hair accordingly. After that, she pinched a few red marks on the girl’s neck and chest, before stripping her of her skirt as well.

 When she felt that Lan Zhihui had been reduced to a similar state as the girl in the illustration, she nodded her head in satisfaction, before keeping the book away. Afterward, she dug out a man’s belt and stuffed it under the body of the girl, only revealing one end.

 At this point, Lan Zhihui already understood Su Jiu’s intentions. A chill spread from her heart as she glared coldly at her.

 “I won’t kill you today. You guys can take your time and have fun!” The corner of Su Jiu’s lips slipped into a smirk, and her eyes flashed with amusement.

 She parted the bed curtains and walked out.

 Lan Zhihui had been rendered immobile, and panic seized her heart. She could only hope that Qinxiang or her other servants would quickly come in.

 It had been many days since Xiao Jing visited her courtyard, and there was no certainty that he would come today.

 The courtyard was deadly quiet, and the servants who would usually be walking about as they busied themselves were no longer there. Su Jiu leaned against the pillar along the corridor as she sat on the wooden rails, quietly waiting.

 After approximately half an hour, she finally heard the sound of footsteps approach in her direction.

 Su Jiu opened her eyes and glanced over. Sure enough, it was Prince Zhao, Xiao Jing.

 Because of the consequences that resulted from Lan Zhihui’s request to kill Chang Bo, Xiao Jing was filled with worry and anxiety, and at the same time, he harbored some resentment against Lan Zhihui. As such, he had not visited her courtyard for a long time.

 Furthermore, he already found out that Lan Zhihui wasn’t Xie Shiyun’s adopted daughter. Rather, she was a concubine that resided in his manor, and this matter made him even more furious.

 As it turned out, the girl that he doted on was merely someone who had slept with Xie Shiyun.

 If this were to spread out, he would turn into the laughing stock of the entire Shengjing City!

 He suppressed the anger in his heart. That day, Xiao Jing was here to interrogate Lan Zhihui.

 He entered the courtyard, and after walking for a while, he realized that the courtyard was exceptionally quiet that day. Where were the servants?

 Xiao Jing furrowed his brows and walked briskly into the bedroom. Suddenly, he saw a shadowy figure flash past, moving through the flowering trees and leaping over the wall.

 The guard behind him was shocked as he said, “Your Highness, the person that flashed past appears to be a man!”

 He did not have a clear view of his face, but he knew that the figure was wearing a male’s robe.

 A man had sprinted out of his concubine’s courtyard. Xiao Jing’s complexion became ashen as he bellowed with rage, “Quickly chase after him!”

 “Yes, yes!” The few guards immediately chased swiftly.

 Xiao Jing’s expression was ugly as he walked quickly into the room.

 Sure enough, the bed curtains were still down inside. With a chilling expression, Xiao Lie walked over and ripped open the bed curtain, and he was instantly enraged.

 The girl on the bed was partially naked. Her hair was in a mess, and the white skin on her chest was covered with ambiguous marks. It only took a single glance for anyone to figure out what had happened.

 “You slut!”

 Xiao Jing was so vexed that his eyes turned green. He lifted Lan Zhihui in one swoop and threw her forcefully on the ground.

 This throw, however, unlocked all the acupuncture points on Lan Zhihui’s body. She stood up in alarm and hugged Xiao Jing’s legs as she cried bitterly, “Your Highness, your concubine has been wrongly accused. Someone deliberately set things up to harm me!”

 Xiao Jing picked up the man’s belt on the bed and flung it forcefully onto her face. “You still dare to quibble with me! You slut, this prince did not touch you for a few days so you secretly had an affair. How dare you betray this prince?!”

 

“Your Highness, this concubine was wrongly accused. It was Su Jiu! She knew that I wanted to kill her, so she purposely came to harm me!” Snot and tears dripped down Lan Zhihui’s pretty face as she wailed out loud. It was a sorry sight.

 “Did you think this prince would still believe you? You had already climbed onto that old man Xie Shiyun’s bed a long time again, and you dared to deceive this prince by saying that you were his adopted daughter!” Xiao Jing’s eyes were cold and vicious as he gripped Lan Zhihui’s chin. In his anger and hatred, he almost crushed the girl’s jaw into pieces.

 Tears streamed down Lan Zhihui’s entire face as she stared at Xiao Jing, stupefied.

 Xiao Jing tossed her onto the ground without mercy, before brushing his hands. “Dirty slut!”

 “Your Highness! Don’t go!” Lan Zhihui threw herself over once again. “Please listen to this concubine’s explanation!”

 Xiao Jing lifted his leg and kicked her aside. At this moment, the guards that went to chase the figure returned. “Your Highness, that person fled out of the manor. Your subordinates were unable to catch up!”

 Xiao Jing harrumphed coldly. “Even this prince’s personal guards are unable to capture an ordinary person. Shouldn’t this prince reward you all generously?”

 “Your Highness, please forgive us!” The few of them prostrate on the ground as they pleaded for mercy fearfully.

 “Don’t be afraid, this prince genuinely wants to reward you all!” Xiao Jing sneered cryptically as he glanced at Lan Zhihui behind him. “I will give this woman to all of you. Go and sleep with her now!”

 “Your Highness!” Lan Zhihui raised her head to gape at Xiao Jing in utter shock.

 “Aren’t you lacking men? Then this prince shall gift you a few!” Xiao Jing flashed a wicked smile and kicked one of the guards. “Hurry up!”

 “Your subordinates don’t dare!” The guards were all quaking.

 “Then this prince shall send you all to your death!” Xiao Jing sniggered coldly.

 Those guards lifted their heads in alarm. When they saw the girl whose clothes were in disarray, they immediately moved their hands to remove their clothes.

 Xiao Jing harrumphed coldly, before talking big strides out.

 “Your Highness, Your Highness! This concubine was falsely accused!” Lan Zhihui wailed with a piercing voice, her face full of despair and sorrow.

 She had worked so hard to climb up and had come up with hundreds of schemes. In the end, however, she was trampled into the dirt!

 And, the man who once doted on her already left heartlessly.

…

 The guards walked out after putting on their clothes. They opened the door with smiles plastered on their faces, but even before the smiles faded, countless arrows shot towards them, instantly reducing them into sieves.

 Fresh blood gushed out, and the guards felt onto the ground, still wearing an expression of horror on their faces.

 The archers put away their bows, and Xiao Jing walked out from behind. He said expressionlessly, “Carry them out and clean up!”

 “Yes!”

 The subordinates’ faces were all ghastly pale as they acknowledged his order fearfully.

 When Lan Zhihui heard the movements outside, she slowly opened her eyes. A hint of ruthless resolution flashed past her face, and she got up abruptly to run against the corner of the table.

 Thud! The girl collapsed onto the ground, and fresh blood flowed down her pale face.

 “Miss!”

 “Miss!” Qinxiang ran in and anxiously carried Lan Zhihui up.

 “Quick, send someone in! Our Miss has attempted suicide by hitting her head!”

 “Quick, summon the imperial doctor!”

 Xiao Jing slowly walked in and sneered when he saw the streaks of blood that covered Lan Zhihui’s face. He ordered, “Go and summon the imperial doctor!”

 “Yes!’

 Only then did the servants acknowledge.

 After a few days, Nangong Bi and her guards reached Wu’an.

 The natural disaster at Wu’an happened in Zhouwen County. The spring floods had burst through the river dikes, and a landslide had occurred, destroying the villages at the base of the mountain. After Qiao An had arrived with the disaster rations, he ordered the stationed troops to distribute porridge to the commoners every day.

 Hu Dapao and his soldiers dug through the mud and stone to conduct rescue efforts. At the same time, they relocated the displaced commoners.

 After several sleepless nights, the rescue efforts were almost completed. Hu Dapao led his men to dredge the river channel and clear it of debris.

 Nangong Bi arrived at the government office of Zhuowen County first and met Qiao An.

 Qiao An stared at Nangong Bi in astonishment. The journey had been wrought with rain and wind. The girl appeared quite thin and pallid, but her almond eyes continued to shine brightly as she impatiently asked after news on Hu Dapao.

 Qiao An told her that Hu Dapao was repairing the river channel, and he dispatched two soldiers to lead her there to find Dapao.

 After sitting in a carriage for half a day, she finally arrived at a nearby village after a winding ride.

 When she got there, the sky was already getting dark. Hu Dapao was sitting at the riverbank, eating dinner with his subordinates.

 A tent had been erected on the ground, and a bonfire was lit up. A few girls from the village had come over to cook for these soldiers.

 It must have been the smell of the river-caught fish, as the rich aroma of fish soup could be smelled a distance away.

 With the sky as their cover and the ground as their bed, the exhausted soldiers, who had worked for a day, gathered around the bonfire to chat and laugh with each other.

 A girl brought a bowl of fish soup and walked over to Hu Dapao. She knelt on one knee and flashed a simple and honest smile. “General, this is for you!”

 The girl was wearing a dress made out of sackcloth which appeared simple and crude. Her countenance, however, was delicate and pretty. Her eyes were full of smiles, and she carried herself with the earthy and pure disposition of a mountain dweller.

 “Many thanks!’ Hu Dapao said politely, before receiving the bowl.

 However, the girl did not leave, and she continued to kneel on the ground to replenish the firewood instead. Just then, she spotted something at the corner of her eyes and said in alarm, “General, your clothes are torn!”

 Hu Dapao lowered his head and saw that a small hole had been ripped open on his military robe, probably by a sharp rock.

 “It’s fine!” Hu Dapao brushed it aside without care and continued to drink the soup.

 “I have needles and thread here with me! Let me help you sew it up!” As she said this, the girl fished out a small cloth bag from her clothes. Inside, it was full of sewing tools like needles and thread. She threaded the needle and continued to kneel right there on the ground beside the glowing bonfire as she stitched up Hu Dapao’s military robe.

 On the other hand, Hu Dapao became more cautious, and his handsome face flushed red. He leaned to the side and smiled, saying, “No need. I can get my soldiers to do this!”

 “How can a man sew? I’ll be done after a few stitches! General, please don’t move, just in case I poke you!” The girl’s voice was gentle and warm. Her smile was guileless as she continued to lower her head to sew.

 Hu Dapao seemed to be in a predicament as he watched her, and he was unsure whether he should drink the fish soup in his hands.

 Nangong Bi came over and saw Hu Dapao in the distance. Joy overwhelmed her, but just as she was about to run over, she caught sight of the girl kneeling next to him.

 In the darkness, she could not make out what the two of them were doing clearly, but their positions appeared extremely intimate.

 The smile on Nangong Bi’s lips froze, and her exquisite brows knitted.

 Good job, Hu Dapao. You looked so honest and sincere, but you attract peach blossoms (1) everywhere you go.

 (1) Peach blossoms: Figurative of a love affair.