Chapter 197: The Test

Su Jiu tiptoed outside the window and dabbed her finger slightly on her tongue before gently pressing it on the window paper. She tilted her head and peeked inside.

Chen Yuchan had walked into the inner room, taken out dishes filled with pastry, and laid them on the little table. Then she took out a porcelain jar.

Chen Yuchan opened the lid. It looked like some kind of soup, hot steam whirling up. She turned and glanced at the tightly shut door. Reassured, she fished out a paper packet. It was a fine powder that Chen Yuchan ended up dumping into the porcelain jar until nothing was left in the paper packet.

Chen Yuchan then stirred it well and put the lid back on.

Outside the window, Su Jiu’s bright eyes darted back and forth as she pulled the corner of her mouth into a foxy smile.

Chen Yuchan’s heart beat wildly in her chest like a drum as she put the porcelain jar down. For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she should wait there or go back to her own courtyard.

Waiting right here seemed the safest. The only thing was that Ji Yuxian might get suspicious and wouldn’t drink the soup.

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If she simply went back to her own courtyard, she was worried that Ji Yuxian might go to some other woman. But since she was the only concubine at the Ji Manor, the odds should be in her favor.

As she was racking her brains to analyze the possible results, a sudden noise at the door made her heart skip a beat. She turned around in surprise and assumed, “Eldest-Eldest Young Master, you are back…”

Chen Yuchan’s eyes instantly popped when she saw Su Jiu walk in.

“Fourth Young Mistress?” Su Jiu slowly walked to Chen Yuchan with a half-smile on her face.

Chen Yuchan’s stomach dropped, face changing slightly. She plastered a faint smile on her face and asked, “Young Mistress, didn’t you leave?”

Su Jiu nodded and said, “I did. But I’m back again!”

Chen Yuchan’s face grew a little pale, thinking hard as quickly as she could. She smiled and said, “Well, I heard that the Young Mistress came, so I made these pastries. Then when I came over, I was told that the Young Mistress had left. I was so disappointed!”

Su Jiu walked up and glanced at the pastries and the porcelain jar. She took a deep breath and said, “How nice the ginseng soup must be! It smells so great!”

Chen Yuchan jumped. She hurried to pick the jar up and said nervously, “I just remembered that I forgot to put salt in the soup. It won’t taste right. I will take it back and cook it again.”

She hurriedly tried to get out of the room.

“Wait!” Su Jiu stopped her and grabbed the jar. She uncovered the lid to take a look and said with a smile, “It smells terrific! You’ve already cooked it. What a waste it would be if you dump it!”

Su Jiu poured some of the soup into a bowl near the table and handed it to Chen Yuchan. “Fourth Young Mistress, please have a bowl yourself!”

Chen Yuchan stared at Su Jiu, surprised and horrified.

“Go ahead, drink it!” Su Jiu said in a serious tone, eyes alight.

“I cooked the soup exclusively for Eldest Young Master and Young Mistress. I wouldn’t dare to have it myself!” Chen Yuchan quickly looked down.

“What’s there to be afraid of? Wait, is the soup poisonous or something?” Su Jiu raised one brow and gave a meaningful half-smile.

“No!” Chen Yuchan instantly blurted out.

“If there’s no poison in it, then drink!” Su Jiu handed the bowl to her again, this time closer.

Chen Yuchan couldn’t help but back away from her, staring at the bowl, face growing pale.

Su Jiu’s face darkened. “Fourth Young Mistress, you look a little too suspicious now. If you don’t drink it, all I can think of is that the soup has poison. How about we get someone to invite Ji Yuxian and Doctor Gu to come over and examine it?”

“No! There really isn’t any poison in it. It’s just regular ginseng soup!” Chen Yuchan hurried to explain.

“Well, then you drink and prove it!” Su Jiu stared daggers at her.

Chen Yuchan reached out her hands and took over the bowl, a trace of determination in her eyes. She leaned her head back and drank it up.

It wouldn’t kill her anyway!

Watching her drink up the soup, Su Jiu thoughtfully nodded and said, “Fourth Young Mistress really doesn’t seem to have put poison in the soup. Then what could it be? Some kind of philter?”

Chen Yuchan’s face changed dramatically. The bowl fell from her hand, rolling a couple of times on the carpet before it hit the corner of the table.

“You knew?”

Su Jiu narrowed her eyes and smiled. “Sorry about that. I saw you put some kind of drug into the soup a moment ago!”

Chen Yuchan stepped back in horror and stared at Su Jiu in disbelief and fear. “You…What do you want?”

“I want to find out how effective the drug is.” Su Jiu huffed out a laugh and suddenly pressed an acupoint of Chen Yuchan’s body.

Chen Yuchan suddenly paused, the startled look on her face frozen.

Su Jiu picked her up and casually squeezed her under the bed.

“Well, forgive me, Fourth Young Mistress. I’ve got a bit addicted to squeezing people away recently.

Chen Yuchan stared at Su Jiu, unblinking eyes filled with horror. She had no idea what Su Jiu was up to.

Su Jiu cleaned up the bedroom a bit and went to take a bath. She took her sleepwear with her.

Half a zodiac hour later, Ji Yuxian returned from the study room. “Is Young Mistress back yet?” He asked.

“Yes. She went back to the bedroom,” Jin Feng said.

Ji Yuxian began walking towards the bedroom, charming eyes glittering.

Jin Feng had a mixed expression in his eyes as he wasn’t sure if he should report to Ji Yuxian that he was pretty sure he hadn’t seen the Fourth Young Mistress come out yet, and it’d been quite a while.

While Jin Feng was hesitating, Ji Yuxian had already pushed the door open and entered the room. He couldn’t wait.

Inside the bedroom, Su Jiu, who’d finished taking a bath, was sitting on the couch reading a book, donning a wide moon-white sleeping robe embroidered in the Suzhou style.

Su Jiu’s waist-length jet-black hair fell loose behind her. Her makeup-free face, lit by the candlelight, was clean and almost alabaster with the smoothness of jade. Her eyes were bright like stars, lips naturally rosy, figure slender yet showing off appealing curves. With her whole body covered underneath the wide robe, the mere flash of porcelain skin on her neck appeared extraordinarily enchanting.

Ji Yuxian walked up to her, feeling as if everything had gone back to the way it used to be.

As if his Su Jiu had never left.

He bent over, fished the book out of her hand, and picked up her delicate chin with his long finger before looking down and pressing his lips on hers.

It turned out his obsession with her was a lot worse than he expected. He didn’t think there was a way out.

“Hmm…” Su Jiu let out a light moan, eyes glistening. She slightly lifted her head to kiss back.

Their tongues slipped into each other’s mouths, creating a sensation so addictive.

The glistening sensation kept going deeper and deeper inside them against the darkness of the late autumn night until it hit the deepest points of their hearts.

His long, phoenix-like eyes were alight with something bewitching. He was eagerly savoring her sweetness as he siphoned off every inch of his delicacy. As his enthusiasm stirred up, all he wanted was to fill up the hole inside the deepest of his body with her.

Like hot iron, his palm left a chain of warm imprints from the small of her back on its way up.

Suddenly, Su Jiu withdrew her lips and asked with a smile, “Have you had anything to eat yet?”

“My lady, can’t you tell that your husband is starving?” Ji Yuxian said in an enchanting voice and gently kissed her on her cheek.

“Starving?” Su Jiu pushed him away slightly and continued, “There’s food on the table. There’s soup too. Grab a bite first!”

Ji Yuxian glanced at the pastries on the table and slightly pulled his brows together. “Who brought those?”

“Fourth Young Mistress did!” Su Jiu stood up and poured the soup into a bowl. She squinted and gave him a smile, saying, “I made the soup. Have a taste, see if it’s any good.”

Ji Yuxian raised his eyebrows. “You know how to cook soup?”

“My first time. I don’t know how it tastes. If you don’t drink it, I will take it to Jin Feng.” There was a flirtatious tone in her voice.

“I’m on it!” Ji Yuxian chuckled and took over the bowl. He raised one corner of his mouth and said, “It’s the first time my lady cooked soup. Even if it has poison in it, I will drink it up!”

“Good. Go ahead!” Su Jiu smiled radiantly.

Ji Yuxian slowly drank up the soup, one hand holding the bowl. “Did you really cook this soup, my lady?” He asked in a slightly suspicious tone.

It was surprisingly good. It seemed unlikely to have been cooked by someone who was cooking soup for the first time.

“That’s not important!” Su Jiu raised one eyebrow and smiled as she was pushing Ji Yuxian towards the bathroom. “Go take a bath!”

Ji Yuxian turned around and pinched her cheek gently. “Wait for me!”

He walked into the bathroom. Su Jiu picked up the book he had tossed aside earlier and resumed her reading.

After about ten minutes, Su Jiu heard Ji Yuxian’s suppressed moaning from the bathroom. It was the sound of someone sexually aroused to a point, a sound both high and low, incredibly sexy and alluring.

Su Jiu cast a glance beneath the bed as she pulled up one corner of her mouth into a smirk.

Ji Yuxian came out quickly. He didn’t even bother to put on his sleepwear right. The sleepwear was hanging loosely off his body, revealing his delicate collarbones and fair, tight shoulders. Extremely bewitching!

He pulled Su Jiu up from the couch with one hand and brought his mouth down on her neck, face blushed bright scarlet. “Su Jiu, what did you feed me?”

“What happened?” Su Jiu put on an innocent look.

“Wicked girl! What on earth do you want?” He hurried to lay his mouth on her, body burning hot. He picked her up and walked towards the bed.

Su Jiu instantly rolled towards the inner side of the bed and then studied the roaring sensual heat in his eyes. “Ji Yuxian, look at you! Have you been drugged with a so-called love potion or philter?” she asked in a seemingly shocked voice.

“Wasn’t it you?” he said through his gritted teeth, holding himself up on all fours above Su Jiu. Ji Yuxian kissed her with a swift gradation of intensity as if wanting to devour her into his body.

Su Jiu tried to push him off. “Ji Yuxian, no, not today!”

“Darling, I can’t take it anymore. Please!” His clothes had already slipped down to his waist. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tight, smooth skin—he was perfectly built! His fair skin was now blushing red, breath heavy, eyes glaring with lust. He reached out his hand and ripped off Su Jiu’s robe before tossing it aside.

Su Jiu dodged him with excellent agility and covered herself with the blanket. “Ji Yuxian, you need to chill! I have chest pain. Tonight is really not good!”

“Jiu’er! Darling!” He held her face with both of his hands, working hard to suppress his surging desire. His eyes were lustrous with charm and struggling eagerness. “You will have to knock me out. I can’t control myself anymore!”

“Nope!” Su Jiu shook her head. “How about I have Jin Feng get Fourth Young Mistress for you? I won’t mind!”

Ji Yuxian knotted his brows tightly. “Darling, please don’t push me onto other women. I only want you!”

“But Fourth Young Mistress is your concubine. Now you have needs that I cannot meet, it’s alright to sleep with her!” Su Jiu said.

Ji Yuxian’s arms embraced her tightly as he said with a severely hoarse voice, “Su Jiu! I will hate you if you keep saying things like that! You are the only one I want!”

“What if you will die without sleeping with a woman?” Su Jiu asked.

“I’d rather die than betraying you!” Ji Yuxian gritted his teeth and said, lightly groaning his reluctant resistance as he kept kissing Su Jiu’s cheeks. “Jiu’er, just knock me out! I’m so afraid I might hurt you!”

Su Jiu’s, gazing at the lights through the window from a distance, slowly closed her deep and dark eyes. “Ji Yuxian, do you really love me that much?”

“Jiu’er!” Ji Yuxian, in pain, was pressing and rubbing himself against her. The muscles in his arms were stretched tight as he endured the torture.

Su Jiu raised her hand and let down the bed canopy. Then she reached out her hands to untie his middle pants while lowering herself, whispering something in his ear.

Ji Yuxian’s eyes popped wide in shock. He frowned and quickly shook his head.

Su Jiu, on the other hand, pressed her lips together into a smile, face blushed red. She pushed him down and brushed her lips on his body.

Her kiss was soft and patient, inching its way from his brows, eyes, to his lips and Adam’s apple before slowly tracing a line down his body.

Atop the purple satin sheet of the gold-rimmed wide bed carved with clouds symbolizing good fortune, their bodies were intertwined, skin touching skin. His skin was tight and smooth to touch. Su Jiu gradually got addicted, eyes sparkling. Something started stirring in the deepest corners of her heart.

Ji Yuxian was trembling slightly. He worked hard to close his eyes, feeling her softness.

Time became painfully slow. Restrained lust was like stretched strings waiting for the right moment to release.

Su Jiu caressed and comforted him with her fingers, the tip of her tongue tenderly lingering around the area of his muscular waist, slowly going downwards in a circular motion…

Suddenly, Ji Yuxian pressed his hands on Su Jiu’s shoulders, dark eyes blazing with something savage. Yet he shook his head and said in a hoarse voice, “Don’t, Jiu’er. I can’t let you do this for me!”

“Sh!” Su Jiu licked her wet lips and pushed his hands away.

Her dark hair fell over his body like a waterfall, caressing his whole body, making him feel as if he was wandering above the clouds in the sky as his consciousness gave way to a haze of ecstasy.

The bed canopy stood in the way of the candlelight. The blurred brightness danced over the bed canopy’s delicate embroidery of waves as soft groans echoed in the silence of the night, lingering.

…

They lost track of time. Su Jiu, who finally got up and fell on the side, slightly rubbed her sore jaw.

Ji Yuxian, still trying to catch his breath, took her in his arms. Attempting to seize the dazzling aftertaste of what he’d just experience, he wasn’t totally back to reality yet.

Su Jiu kissed his lips, then said, as she was trying to hide her shyness with a mischievously annoyed tone, “Your breath! What is that?!”

“Not as sweet as yours!” Ji Yuxian huffed out a laugh with satisfaction.

Su Jiu lay on him and asked, “Ji Yuxian, are you satisfied this time?”

“In fact, I really hated letting you do this. There was another easier option, but Jiu’er simply wouldn’t use it!” Ji Yuxian said, stroking her long hair with his fingers. His handsome face had a relaxed and satisfied look on it.

Su Jiu cast him a glance and dabbed her finger on her lips before swiping the finger on his body. “You got it all over you. Go take a bath!”

“Okay!” Ji Yuxian said in a deep and hoarse voice. He held her face up, kissed her affectionately, and then put on his robe and got off the bed.

After he left, Su Jiu also got dressed and got off the bed. Then, she pulled Chen Yuchan out from under the bed.

Chen Yuchan’s whole body was trembling, middle coat soaked in sweat, face so flushed that it looked round and almost purple.

Su Jiu pulled up her skirt slightly and sneered. “Do you want a man?” she asked.

Chen Yuchan gazed up at her as if begging with her eyes, expression hazy.

Su Jiu unlocked her acupoint. Chen Yuchan instantly curled up, turning and rolling on the floor as if in pain.

“I need to confirm with you. Do you want a man?” Su Jiu asked again.

Chen Yuchan, aroused and overwhelmed, repeatedly nodded, clutching onto Su Jiu’s robe, and begged in a husky voice, “Please! Please!”

“Consider it done!”

Su Jiu got up and picked Chen Yuchan up. She walked out of the room.

Outside the manor, Su Jiu placed Chen Yuchan in a carriage and said to Er Mao, “Go tell the brothel-keeper, get the best man for Lady Chen. No matter what, they have to make sure that Lady Chen has a good time!”

Er Mao nodded with a smile. “No problem, Young Master!”

“Go!”

“Yes!”

Er Mao drove the carriage quickly towards Qing Tavern.

By the time Su Jiu returned to the bedroom, Ji Yuxian had finished his bath. He was reclining comfortably on the bed, loosely wearing his sleepwear, somehow bearing a noble and romantic manner.

Ji Yuxian’s long phoenix eyes had a relaxed expression. He waved at her and said, “Come over here, darling.”

Su Jiu’s eyes gazed at him with an arched twinkle. She slowly walked up to him and yawned. “I’m exhausted,” she said.

Ji Yuxian reached out his hand and took her in his strong arms. He held her chin with his long finger and lowered his gaze at her.

“Darling, were you happy with my reaction?”

Su Jiu averted her gaze in case her eyes betrayed her. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“You drugged me with some kind of philter, trying to test me to see if I would make a mistake. If I couldn’t control myself, did you really plan to throw the woman under the bed at me?” Ji Yuxian pulled a corner of his mouth into an evil yet charming smile, eyes slightly glittering.

Su Jiu smacked off his hand, straightened her back, and said in a flat tone, “Yep, I did test you. What are you going to do about it?”

“What am I going to do?” Something cold flashed across his face. Ji Yuxian suddenly pushed Su Jiu to the bed, the gaze that focused on her was so intense as if he had something painful hidden in his expression. “Don’t you have a heart? Don’t you even know a little bit of what I think of you?”

Testing him?

After everything they’d been through, life and death, and more, yet she was still trying to test him?

Su Jiu’s eyes, glaring and widening in shock, were locked at him.

Ji Yuxian let go of her, feeling a stab of helpless bitterness in the pit of his stomach. The softness and affection that had filled his heart just a moment ago were gone. He let go of her, leaned back against the soft pillow with his head lifted and eyes closed, breath slightly heavier.

“Ji Yuxian!” Su Jiu, suddenly a little flustered, encircled him with her arms. “It’s my fault! I was so impulsive and didn’t think much about it!”

She buried her head against his chest, gently kissing him. “Please don’t be mad at me!”

Ji Yuxian caressed her face gently and asked in a lowered voice, “What if I had touched Chen Yuchan?”

Su Jiu suddenly looked up. “I will hate you and never talk to you again!”

Ji Yuxian huffed out a laugh. “Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t mind?”

A trace of embarrassment flashed in Su Jiu’s eyes. She buried her head against his chest.

Ji Yuxian laughed silently and picked her up, locking her in his arms in an indulgent way. He gently kissed her forehead and said, “Jiu’er, you don’t need to test me. I am yours inside out!”

Su Jiu closed her eyes and nodded thoughtfully.

The next day, Fourth Young Mistress of the Ji Manor was expelled from the Ji Manor with the reason of an incapability to give birth to a child within three years and was sent back to the Chen family.

Before she left, Chen Yuchan went to say goodbye to Ji Yuxian.

“I actually saw this coming a long time ago. I just didn’t want to accept it!” After one night, Chen Yuchan looked exhausted and withered, yet the expression in her eyes was calmer and more poised.

“This money was arranged for you by Young Mistress. Please take it!” Ji Yuxian handed a cheque to her.

Gazing at the cheque, Chen Yuchan had tears falling down along her pale face. She took it with her hand and slightly lowered herself. “Young Master, please tell Young Mistress that I appreciate her very much.”

She knew that Su Jiu had helped her save face and even offered a way out for her. The real reason she had been expelled was because of her lack of a woman’s virtue.

If she really got expelled in the name of lacking woman’s virtue, she couldn’t imagine she would have the guts to continue live.

She didn’t hate Su Jiu. She simply didn’t want to be ignored and live as invisible for the rest of her life. Now at least she didn’t have to suffer because of that. It’s not that bad.

“I will be on my way then. I only wish the best for Eldest Young Master and Young Mistress!” Chen Yuchan said, then she turned around and left.

The Ji Manor was like a gold cage. Chen Yuchan had been trapped there for three years and tasted all the flavors life there had to offer. Now she was about to leave. The path in front of her might be tough, but it might also become a relief.

Chen Yuchan had left. Ji Yuxian turned around and walked behind the folding partition where Su Jiu was playing chess by herself.

Ji Yuxian sat behind her and circled her waist with his arms, chin placed on her shoulder. “For my lady, I have expelled all the concubines. How is my lady going make up for this?”

“I have made up for it last night!” Su Jiu responded casually, still concentrated on the game.

“But, I, your husband, want more!” He then gently nibbled at her dedicate fair earlobe and groaned.

His move instantly sent a warm chill through half of her body. Su Jiu pushed him away. “Don’t interrupt my game!” she said.

“When will my lady have time to spend with me?” He had a hint of grudge in his voice.

“After I finish this game!”

Ji Yuxian picked up a black chess piece and placed it on the board. “The game is over!”

Then he picked her up and headed towards the bed.

Su Jiu gazed at the white pieces, which had lost the game, in disbelief. “Ji Yuxian! Have you been messing with me when we played chess this whole time?” she asked, realizing what happened.

“Not messing with you. I just let you win, that’s all,” Ji Yuxian said innocently.

Su Jiu went speechless.

…

In the Crown Prince Manor.

Yu Long, who had passed out for a day after returning from the hunting grounds, had been staying in bed the whole time due to her injuries.

Xiao Lie never entered her courtyard.

Hong Xiu, who heard that Xiao Lie had been spending the night at the new Young Mistress’s room, didn’t tell Yu Long about it, fearing that she would be upset.

Hong Xiu entered the bedroom carrying medicine. She helped Yu Long sit up and said, “Crown Princess Consort, it’s time for your medicine.”

Yu Long slowly sat up and took the bowl of medicine. She finished it quickly.

Hong Xiu used a silk handkerchief to dab the corners of Yu Long’s mouth and said with a smile, “Crown Princess Consort, you look so much better! His Highness asked about you before he went to attend the morning audience.”

Yu Long knew that Hong Xiu was making this up to make her feel better. She didn’t call her out. Instead, she pressed her lips together to form a self-mocking smile.

“Do you feel bitter in the mouth, Crown Princess Consort? Eat a candied sweet. They were brought by Lady Yun Nan when she came to visit you!” Hong Xiu said as she offered a jar of glazed sweets to Yu Long.

It was not the bitterness in her mouth but the bitterness in her heart that Yu Long actually felt. She used to hate sweets. Yet now she had started to develop a sweet tooth.

She picked up a glazed plum. It was sweet and tart. Mixed with the bitterness of the medicine lingering in her mouth made it harder to swallow.

Someone knocked on the door. “Crown Princess Consort, Concubine Lan is here!” The maidservant outside the door said.

Surprised, Yu Long’s turned slightly as she said, “Let Concubine Lan in!”

“Crack!” The door opened, and Lan Zhihui slowly walked in.

Now that she had become a concubine at the Crown Prince Manor, Lan Zhihui started dressing up as a proper young mistress. She was wearing a lengthy jade-white satin dress covered with a white fur coat. Her jet-black hair was decorated with a jade lotus hairpin. A pair of earrings made of pearls from the East Sea and jade were hanging from her earlobes. Beautiful and elegant, she carried the otherworldly manner resembling a lotus, certainly worthy of the name of the number one beauty of Shengjing City.

Lan Zhihui walked up to her bed, poised and confident. She lowered herself to Yu Long and said, “Good to see you, Crown Princess Consort!”

Yu Long said in a sweet and flat tone, “No need to be so formal, please.”

“I thank the Crown Princess Consort very much!”

Lan Zhihui sat on the wooden chair and gazed up at Yu Long with a look of graceful softness. “I planned to come and visit the Crown Princess Consort from the beginning. Unfortunately, I caught a cold a couple of days ago. His Highness took such good care of me and wouldn’t allow me to go outside. Please forgive me for my rude absence, Crown Princess Consort!”

Something cold flashed in Yu Long’s eyes but she still maintained her graceful and warm smile. “How could I? You’ve been so preoccupied with serving His Highness, I should be grateful for you!”

A hint of shyness flew cross Lan Zhihui’s face. “Yes. His Highness has been spending the night at my place in the last several days. I did get very exhausted. On top of that, there was the cold I caught, so it got even harder to move around!”

Underneath the satin blanket, Yu Long suddenly clenched her fists tightly. Yet she simply gave a soft smile and asked, “I’ve heard that Concubine Lan used to stay at Prince Zhao Manor?”

Lan Zhihui’s eyes were glistening as she put on a look of sadness. “Yes. I used to be so unfortunate and was forced to stay there by Xiao Jing. But fortunately, I threatened to kill myself, so he never forced himself on me. Otherwise, how could I serve His Highness now?”

The blue veins on Yu Long’s forehead bulged. She hated that Lan Zhihui dared to lie to her so blatantly; she hated it more that she was using her made-up experience to insinuate what had happened to Yu Long at the hunting grounds.

Yu Long closed her eyes for a moment and said in a flat tone, “I’m a little tired. You can go now. From now on, unless it’s something important, you don’t need to come over here to greet me.”

“Yes, Crown Princess Consort. I’m on my way then. Please take good care!” Lan Zhihui said elegantly. She lowered herself to show her respect before she left.

As soon as Lan Zhihui left, Hong Xiu let out a “Bah” sound. “I hate this kind of unworthy despicable person! This b*tch didn’t come to visit the Crown Princess Consort! She just came to show off!”

Yu Long asked in a cold tone, “Is it true that His Highness has been spending nights at her place these days?”

Hong Xiu hesitated and fell silent.

Seeing her maidservant’s expression, Yu Long pretty much figured it out. She felt as though something was weighing down on her chest and it almost made her cough blood!

She was noble and graceful, yet was it for real that in Xiao Lie’s eyes, she wasn’t even a match for such a sultry sl*t?

Just because Su Jiu told him to marry Lan Zhihui, she became something special in his eyes?

“Crown Princess Consort, please don’t be mad. I heard that Concubine Lan seduced His Highness after he got drunk. It’s not worth it to be upset because of a b*tch like that! What if it compromises your health?” Hong Xiu hurried to say, seeing that Yu Long’s face dropped.

Yu Long half-closed her eyes as something flashed across her face. She suddenly uncovered the blanket and said, “Help me get dressed. I need to pay a visit to the Palace!”

“Crown Princess Consort, you are still recovering! How about visiting the Palace in a couple of days?” Hong Xiu said.

“No! I have to go to the Palace today!”

Half a zodiac hour later, Yu Long was ready. She was wearing a gold-rimmed violet palace dress embroidered with patterns of clouds. Her dark hair was pulled up into a bun. Followed by Hong Xiu, Yu Long slowly walked out of the manor.

The scar on her neck remained uncovered. She even stood straighter because of it.

Outside of the manor, a carriage was waiting for her. Yu Long was about to get on it when she glanced over her shoulder and saw a light purple figure flashing by the corner of the wall from a distance.

Yu Long’s eyes lit up. She ordered Hong Xiu to wait for her and then walked towards the corner of the wall alone.

Li Xin, who was hiding by the corner of the wall, bowed immediately when she saw Yu Long. “Greetings, Crown Princess Consort!”

“What is it?” Yu Long asked in a soft voice.

Li Xin glanced around and walked up to Yu Long. She said something into her ear.

Yu Long’s eyes turned slightly intense as she nodded and said with a smile, “Good. Thank you very much, Lady Li!”

“Crown Prince Manor is my greatest benefactor. I would love to do anything for the Crown Princess Consort!” Li Xin lowered her head and said humbly.

“Well, your father might not want you to work at the Crown Prince Manor, so stay at the tavern for now. If there’s anything you need to tell me, simply come over here. I promise you will be rewarded!” Yu Long gently patted Li Xin’s shoulder.

“Yes! Thank you, Crown Princess Consort!” Li Xin said, thrilled and flattered.

“You can go now. Be careful. Don’t let the others see you!”

“Yes! I will absolutely be cautious!”

Yu Long turned around and went back to get on the carriage with a half-smile on her face. She told the carriage driver to head to the palace.

Imperial Concubine Rong was at Fushou Palace. Someone from Yulan Palace led Yu Long to Fushou Palace to say her greetings.

When she got there, she saw that Emperor Zhao Ping was also there. He was chatting with Imperial Concubine Rong and Empress Dowager Xiao.

Yu Long walked in and greeted each of them.

Imperial Concubine Rong stood up right away and said with a warm smile, “Why have you come to the Palace today? Are you feeling better?”

Empress Dowager Xiao said, “Come over here and sit with me. I need to take a good look at you!”

Yu Long touched the scar on her neck, expression graceful and calm. She sat on the stool next to Empress Dowager Xiao and said with a smile, “These a couple of days I haven’t got a chance to see you, Royal Grandmother. I really missed you! The weather is so nice today, so I just couldn’t wait to come to the Palace!”

“You are not feeling well. I won’t blame you even if you can’t stop by,” Empress Dowager Xiao said.

“I’m sorry I made you worry, Royal Grandmother. Yu Long is feeling fine now!”

Emperor Zhao Ping glanced over, furrowed his brows, and said, “Today we only have family here, so there’s nothing to worry about. I need to ask you, that day in the mountain, who hurt you? Do you still remember?”

Yu Long slightly pressed her lips. Yet she didn’t show any trace of embarrassment or uneasiness on her face. She said in a soft voice, “Emperor, I do remember!”

“What?” Imperial Concubine Rong was a little surprised. “If you knew who hurt you, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

“Please forgive me, Mother! I only know that it was a woman who hurt me. She had her face covered so I couldn’t see her clearly. She deliberately faked the scene to make it look as if I had lost my innocence. It was definitely plotted to ruin my reputation and my relationship with His Highness!” Yu Long said in a calm tone.

Imperial Concubine Rong instantly realized who Yu Long was talking about hearing her words. Her stomach sank.

Emperor Zhao Ping frowned and asked, “A woman? Why did she want to ruin the relationship between you and Lie’er?”

“It might be someone who used to admire His Highness. Since I married His Highness, she did so out of jealousy!” Yu Long said.

Emperor Zhao Ping was outraged by this and said, “How dare she hurt the Crown Princess Consort! Now she had the gut to do this, who knows if she would try to assassinate Lie’er next time? I will make sure we find this person!”

Imperial Concubine Rong quickly said, “Please don’t be mad, Emperor! The woman is probably some pathetic thing who simply couldn’t get what she wanted and let stupidity get the better of her to do something like this. Since Yu Long hasn’t really gotten hurt, we should just let it go.”

Yu Long cast Imperial Concubine Rong a glance and said, “That’s true. She didn’t really do any harm to me. I really appreciate that the Emperor is willing to protect me, but we probably should let this matter go!”

Imperial Concubine Rong glanced back at Yu Long, comforted.

Empress Dowager Xiao had not said anything yet. She gave a meaningful glance to both Imperial Concubine Rong and Yu Long.

Emperor Zhao Ping didn’t look too happy. He pondered for a moment as his eyebrows were furrowed. Among those participating in the hunting trip, who had female family members who knew martial arts on that day?

Imperial Concubine Rong picked up Yu Long’s hand and tried to comfort her. “Lie’er had been really busy recently. If he didn’t manage to take good care of you, please understand!”

“No,” Yu Long said with a soft smile. “Concubine Lan has been taking good care of me. It counts as taking care of me on His Highness’s behalf!”

Imperial Concubine Rong paused and asked, “Who is Concubine Lan?”

Yu Long lowered her head slightly. “The concubine His Highness brought back the other day from the hunting grounds.”

The other three all got startled at the news. When did Xiao Lie get a concubine?

“Do you know which family the girl come from?” Imperial Concubine Rong asked at once.

“That’s what I was concerned about as well. This Concubine Lan as a very nice appearance and behaved very nicely. The only thing I’ve heard is that she used to live at Prince Zhao’s Manor. I’m just a little worried that she approached His Highness with another purpose and intends to harm him,” Yu Long said, brows knitted.

Imperial Concubine Rong was more shocked. A former concubine of Xiao Jing’s now got into the Crown Prince Manor?

What was Xiao Lie doing?

Emperor Zhao Ping was even more furious. “Lie’er is becoming more and more reckless these days!”

“I don’t believe Lie’er would be so unrestrained. There must be a reason. We should ask Lie’er to come here and listen to what he has to say before jumping to conclusions,” Empress Dowager Xiao interrupted in a flat tone.

“Yes. I understand,” Emperor Zhao Ping nodded, face darkening.

“Yu Long, I’m sorry about what happened. When the Emperor finds out what really happened, you will get an explanation.” Imperial Concubine Rong held Yu Long’s hand and comforted her.

Yu Long looked up with a smile on her face. “Don’t be sorry. Ever since I entered the Crown Prince Manor, I’ve been sick the whole time. So there’s nothing wrong with His Highness having a concubine. As long as this Concubine Lan has a clean background and won’t do anything harmful to His Highness, Yu Long will absolutely treat her as if she is my own sister!”

Imperial Concubine Rong smiled gratefully. “Yu Long considers Lie’er’s good in all things. I am very pleased.”

“He is my husband. That’s what I should do,” Yu Long said with sincerity. Her expression warm and gentle.

…

By the time Yu Long left the palace, it was already late in the afternoon. “Crown Princess Consort, are we going back home?”

Yu Long shook her head. “No. We are going to Lord Yun Nan Manor.”

“Yes.”

Yu Long entered the gate of the manor and asked, “Is the crown prince here?”

A servant quickly answered, “Yes, the crown prince just came back!”

Fallen flowers filled the yard on that late autumn afternoon. Xia Huan hadn’t let anybody clean it up. Now he was lying on a lounge casually, eyes closed.

Osmanthus blossoms fell on his jet-black hair, light yellow and fragrant, going against his beautiful eyes and brows, which made him look more charming as a mature man.

Yu long walked up to him and gently wiped the flowers off his shoulder.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw who his guest was. His hazy eyes instantly went cold. “What are you doing here?”

“Huan’er, I’m your elder sister. Is there anything wrong with me coming to see you?”

He coldly pushed her hand off his shoulder and said in an aloof tone, “You and I don’t need to talk, ever. In life or death. Stay away from me!”

“Huan’er!” Yu Long lowered herself and gazed up at him. “As your elder sister, I have paid my dues. Before, I got stabbed in the chest. Last time, Su Jiu ruined my reputation. Now Xiao Lie doesn’t even pay attention to me. He even got himself a concubine who tries to sit on my head all the time. Huan’er, isn’t it enough?”

“Of course not!” Xia Huan gazed at her, eyes ice cold. “You deserved everything that’s happened to you!”

“Even if I, your elder sister, give Xiao Lie back to Su Jiu, do you think Su Jiu can marry him? Do you think Su Jiu can forgive him?” Yu Long said in a painful tone.

Xia Huan looked at her with a half-smile on his face. “I don’t hate you for marrying Xiao Lie. I hate you for being so evil! You tried to use your own brother to kill her! What did she do to you that you had to get her killed?”

Yu Long put on a bitter smile and said, “I am evil? Didn’t I do everything for Lord Yun Nan Manor! I’d rather shoulder the accusation of being ungrateful; I’d rather Xiao Lie hate me; I’d rather you, my brother, hate me! It’s all for Lord Yun Nan Manor! I have to become the Crown Princess Consort! I have to become Daliang’s Empress! Huan’er, even if other people hate me, how come you can’t understand?”

Xia Huan laughed coldly and said, “I have followed Boss for more than a dozen years as part of the bandit group. I don’t understand your so-called greater good, but Boss taught me to be an honest person and to do honest things! Maybe I’ve failed her, but I’m not going to become a piece of sh*t who sells out his friends! You plotted the hell out of yourself. I’m curious what’s going to come out of all this for you in the end!”

Yu Long slowly stood up, eyes glaring with determination. “I don’t want anything. I just want Lord Yun Nan Manor and Daliang to remain everlasting, from generation to generation! Huan’er, once you inherit Father’s position and become Lord of Diannan City, once you stand on the earth of Diannan City and look at your own people, you will understand everything I, your elder sister, have done today!”

She spoke no more before she turned around, heading to the exit.

“Xia Yu Long!” Xia Huan suddenly shouted and asked, “Did Father know that you tried to kill her?”

Yu Long didn’t answer. She simply said, “In light of the greater good, a woman’s life doesn’t matter!”

Xian Huan huffed out a laugh. “I got it!”

He should have figured this out sooner. Without Father’s permission, how could Xia Yu Long move so many guards of Lord Yun Nan Manor without being found out?

“You will understand more in the future,” Yu Long said in a flat tone and then left.

After leaving Xia Huan’s courtyard, she headed straight to Xia Cang’s study room. She didn’t leave until it was dark. Yu Long got into her carriage and returned to Crown Prince Manor.