Liu Fulu clearly had no experience interrogating prisoners. Just as his ear was about to meet with misfortune, Yun Ye pulled his head aside. Liu Fulu looked in terror at the woman’s gleaming white teeth moving before his face and retreated several steps in succession.

With a pale face, he said to Yun Ye: “My lord, this woman truly can speak official dialect. In this subordinate’s view, she must be a descendant of a convicted official. Although pearl divers are fierce, they never leave the Hepu region. Because of long-term diving, their bodies have suffered damage, making it very difficult to bear children. Marrying is difficult—most remain alone for life.”

“Descendant of a convicted official? Can we find their actual origins? Exiling officials is to punish treasonous subjects, but punishing even descendants goes too far. Neither human nor ghost—what kind of situation is that? Liu Jinbao, take her down, give her water and food. When she’s recovered, tell me.”

As Yun Ye walked out of the dungeon, he saw Lingdang holding Li Rong’s hand. The two planned to visit Li Tai’s house across the way. Li Rong was very delighted that his uncle could live across from his home.

A family of three going visiting together. Speaking of which, Li Tai hadn’t shown his face for three or four days. Could the beauty who was snatched really make this fellow so entranced? Fine if he’s entranced himself, but why should this old man have to bear assassination attempts?

When Yun Ye called, Li Tai laughed very happily because there was indeed a woman as beautiful as a flower following behind him. From her head full of pearl ornaments, she was clearly much loved by Li Tai.

This woman had a fair face and a delicate physique. When she curtsied to Yun Ye, fragrant wind overflowed—who knew how much perfume she’d poured on. A beauty with features like a painting, yet the more Yun Ye looked, the uglier she became in his eyes. Not that her appearance was flawed, nor that she’d applied too much perfume, nor her coquettish manner of clinging tightly to Li Tai. It was only because she told Yun Ye that her family had lived in Hepu for generations, her ancestors were also nobles of the Former Sui, only because they offended the Emperor were they exiled here. Fortunately encountering the prince, only then could she escape the sea of bitterness.

Upon entering, Yun Ye had clarified—there was only one woman sent from Hepu to Yongzhou. The captain of the guards swore to heaven there was absolutely no forcible seizure of commoner women. When the Feng family sent her over, this woman was full of joy. These past days she’d been finding every way to please the prince. No different from those women in Prince Wei’s residence—if there was any difference, it was only that she was more beautiful.

How many people in Hepu could speak official dialect? Yun Ye could even clearly sketch out a story’s trajectory: a strong elder sister who, to support her younger sister, turned herself into a pearl diver. By the looks of it, she was even a top-level expert among pearl divers. She herself ate all the bitter hardships while caring for her sister like a refined young lady of a great house, without worry for food or clothing.

When the sister went to sea to harvest pearls, Feng family scouts learned that the fishing village had a rare beauty. So without much resistance, they snatched away this beauty. When the tearful beauty learned that the person she was to serve was a prince, her sadness immediately vanished. Instead, she wholeheartedly wanted to cling to this thick leg. This was the general outline of the story—there wouldn’t be too much deviation. Poor that grief-stricken elder sister, still risking her life trying to rescue her younger sister.

“Last night a female assassin came to the residence, nimble and skilled. But she was still caught by the guards. At the third quarter of noon, she’ll be beheaded. Said something about coming to rescue her own sister. When has the lord’s residence ever forcibly seized commoner women? Truly absurd talk. Stubbornly refusing to reveal who sent her—we can only kill her with one stroke and be done with it.”

“Lingnan has been chaotic land since ancient times—assassins and gallant heroes emerge one after another. Wasn’t Tu Sui, that commander leading four hundred thousand Qin troops, assassinated to death? Ye’zi, be careful. If you don’t have enough guards at home, transfer some from me. We brothers are precious—dying at an assassin’s hand wouldn’t be worth it.”

Yun Ye and Li Tai chatted in low voices. One person’s life or death was decided amid laughter and conversation. From the corner of his eye, Yun Ye noticed the beauty’s body trembled, her expression also froze for an instant. But she quickly returned to normal, holding a teapot with a smile, listening quietly to Yun Ye and Li Tai’s idle chat, her manner tranquil and calm.

Constantly stealing glances at someone else’s concubine wasn’t appropriate, so he directed his gaze to the courtyard. Li Rong was shouting loudly chasing an enormous parrot. With great difficulty catching this parrot that was nearly as large as a chicken, he grabbed its neck and showed off in front of Lingdang, thinking he’d caught another beautiful bird whose feathers could be plucked to make a fan for his mother. Li Tai clapped his hands and laughed loudly, saying this parrot was the beauty’s pet. Now that Li Rong could take it to pluck feathers and make a fan to honor his mother was also making full use of it. Although the beauty was somewhat reluctant, she still smiled from the side saying it was indeed so.

After Lingdang persuaded him for a long time, Li Rong finally understood this was someone’s pet, not a wild bird. The child ultimately had a sense of right and wrong—pets couldn’t have their feathers plucked. Reluctantly throwing away the parrot, watching as it hopped and flew to hide under the woman’s skirt and wouldn’t come out, his face showed undisguisable disappointment.

The beauty caught the parrot and placed it on a stand, conveniently fastening one of the parrot’s legs with a chain, then presented it with both hands to Li Rong saying: “Since the prince likes it, this concubine will present it to the prince. This parrot is called Green Slave, very interesting. I only hope it can bring the prince joy.” Li Rong happily accepted the parrot, completely ignoring the parrot’s frightened calls, dragging Auntie Lingdang to return home to personally teach this parrot to speak.

Yun Ye looked at the beauty thoughtfully and saw her eyes full of pleading. Well, he wouldn’t act the petty villain in vain. When Li Tai was enjoying the woman’s body, how would he know that woman wasn’t enjoying glory and wealth? It was originally an exchange—couldn’t say who took advantage of whom. The beauty abandoned her elder sister and wanted to use a pet to shut his mouth. After paying such a great price, she just wanted to live the life of a noble lady. As long as it was harmless, who would bother with her?

After discussing with Li Tai for a while about receiving the imperial envoy, the person coming to Lingnan was actually Chu Suiliang. Who knew what mission he bore? Feng Ang hadn’t found out—his lips were very tight. If Li Tai went to his own fief, there might be rumors in court that he was preparing to rebel. Since he came to Lingnan, it could only be considered fooling around—here there was no soil for Li Tai to divide the land and become king.

So neither of them could figure out what plan the Emperor had. Order Li Tai to return north? It seemed unnecessary to deploy a high minister like Chu Suiliang. However, after five days, everything would become clear.

The pearl diver rested for a morning and finally recovered somewhat. She seemed to know her fate. She took a string of pearls from her neck and told Liu Jinbao that as long as he could deliver this string of pearls to her sister, she was willing to pay any price, including her virginity.

“My lord, that string of pearls is the pearl diver’s life object. Pearl divers won’t easily give this string of pearls to others. Even in death they must wear this string of pearls. My lord, do you think perhaps…”

“Not bad, Liu Fulu. When did you learn to cherish beauties? When she threatened me using the lady, she didn’t hesitate at all. Moreover, the lady is with child. Having committed an error, how can she not be punished?”

Seeing the lord was displeased, Liu Fulu fell to his knees with a thump, head bowed, silent.

“Since you pity her, go tell her that her sister lives very well, in fine clothes and jade food, very likable. In a few years perhaps she can become a consort. She has no need to worry anymore.”

Liu Fulu departed gloomily with his orders. The lord wanted to completely shatter this pearl diver’s last illusion. Knowing she must die, having something to worry about in her heart would be more bearable. Giving her life for her sister—this way there’d be an explanation to parents under the nine springs. When she learned her sacrifice was completely meaningless, living would be worse than death. This was the so-called attacking the heart.

Seeing Liu Fulu’s plump body descend into the dungeon, Yun Ye smiled. Wanting to live anew wasn’t very easy. Without giving up hope, how could there be rebirth? The household had always lacked someone to protect women and children—men were very inconvenient. This time Lingdang being seized touched this string in Yun Ye’s heart. Since the pearl diver could knock down five battle-hardened strong men, she was definitely a qualified candidate. The Yun family liked collecting all kinds of strange and unusual people—much more interesting than collecting gold.

The crazed screaming from the dungeon—Yun Ye could hear it clearly even on the ground level. People who valued relationships were all good people. Even murderers who valued relationships would be looked upon more highly. Using your life to support a heartless, ungrateful sister—consider it your bad luck. Fortunately this marquis encountered you. With your sister growing into that nation-toppling, people-harming appearance, trouble would come sooner or later. The first one those coveting beauty would eliminate would be you. Although you harmed Lingdang, this marquis still saved your life.

When he told Lingdang his thoughts, Lingdang instead smiled very happily: “Husband, this is right. You’re a good person. Ever since you didn’t report this concubine for stealing food in the palace, I knew you were a good person. Good people will suffer grievances—I understand. In the palace, most people punished were good people. This concubine lives very well now. You take such good care—you’re afraid my feet will swell, so you rest my legs on yourself. Several times a night—I know it all.”

“I always feel I’m one enjoying blessings. Husband, I only hope our child is born safely and soundly. Heaven has already given everything it can give to this concubine—it owes me nothing more. Husband, you releasing that assassin makes me very happy. Consider it accumulating virtue for the child in my belly.”

Yun Ye was also very happy. His eye for women wasn’t too bad. Although not like the imagined immortal couple playing music in harmony, at least each one was a living person. Days with joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were days lived by humans. If from early morning upon rising you had to compose poetry, better to die—because at this time, going to the toilet was more important than composing poetry.

Very good indeed. Everything was changing harmoniously and naturally. Li Chengqian was plotting for the throne, Li Tai was indulging in female beauty, he himself was enjoying freedom, Feng Ang was preparing to marry over his granddaughter, Grandmother was traveling, the first wife was traveling, the concubine was waiting to give birth. The son reportedly burned the Eastern Palace stables—several aged dukes were trampled and injured by horses, all waiting for him to return to Chang’an to apologize. But no matter—by the time this old man returns to Chang’an, they should all be dead, right?