“So now, can you tell me exactly who you saw? Why were you so terrified?”

Ziteng’s face instantly turned pale again.

“Ziteng, if you don’t tell me, how can I help you?”

Ziteng shook her head and said: “No, no, Sister, that person – you can’t afford to provoke him, we can’t afford to provoke him…”

Qin Shuying recalled the scene at that time, looked into Ziteng’s eyes, and said slowly: “The Fifth Prince…”

Ziteng’s eyes instantly widened, and she involuntarily gasped “Ah!”

Qin Shuying had only thought that since Ziteng had acted that way after the princes passed by, she would try mentioning the Fifth Prince, Sixth Prince, and Seventh Prince one by one.

But she had gotten Ziteng’s confirmation with just the first guess.

Ice-cold peaks suddenly appeared in Qin Shuying’s eyes, her voice suddenly rising: “It was him who ruined your virtue?”

Ziteng swayed as if about to fall, biting her lower lip tightly, tears streaming down: “Sister…”

Qin Shuying embraced Ziteng, gritting her teeth, her gaze like ice: “Don’t worry, he will definitely pay the price!”

Ziteng could no longer care about anything else, throwing all fear and concerns aside: “Sister, I was twelve years old then…”

Qin Shuying’s mind thundered – twelve years old?!

Was he even human?

He was a beast!

No wonder Ziteng was so terrified just seeing him from afar, terrified beyond measure!

After a long while, when both had calmed their emotions, Ziteng told Qin Shuying the whole story.

On the day the Zhou family met with disaster, Ziteng had been mischievous, hiding in a broken water jar planning to startle Uncle Zhou.

Who would have known that several masked men quietly entered the back courtyard, covered Uncle Zhou and the others’ heads with sacks, quickly poured oil on them, and then set them on fire.

Ziteng was so frightened at the time that she lost her voice and couldn’t speak.

When the great fire started burning, Ziteng didn’t know where she found the courage to escape from the broken water jar. The street was in chaos, and no one noticed her.

She wanted to go to the Qin residence to inform her cousin, but while walking, she was spotted by kidnappers.

The kidnappers sold her to a wealthy household as a maid.

She had thought about finding Qin Yaoyao, but many times when she tried to escape, she was caught and brought back, then beaten bloody.

That family didn’t want such a servant, so they sold her.

This time, she was sold to a brothel. Because she couldn’t speak, she could only continue working as a rough maid.

When she was twelve years old, the Fifth Prince came to this brothel and ruined her virtue.

At that time, she naturally didn’t know that person was the Fifth Prince – she just thought he was an ordinary customer. Because one of this brothel’s businesses was selling virgin girls, and those perverted men were clients of this brothel.

At the time, she was terrified beyond measure, even more than the shock she had received that year.

She kept struggling, but her struggles only brought the Fifth Prince excitement and determination.

But strangely, she learned to speak again, though she didn’t let anyone know.

The painful experience taught Ziteng to protect herself.

But this was only the beginning of her suffering.

The Fifth Prince later forced himself on her several more times, which was why she could remember his appearance so clearly. Otherwise, at only twelve years old, after so many years, she might not have been able to recognize him from so far away tonight.

Later, because she fell ill, the brothel sold her.

Without household registration, she could only secretly do the lowest menial work.

Moreover, the Lu residence had moved later. When she occasionally managed to get out successfully, she discovered that her cousin’s home had moved somewhere unknown, and she could never find her cousin again.

She had also gone to the Qin residence, but the people there completely ignored her.

She gradually stopped trusting anyone and never thought about finding her cousin again.

She became increasingly withdrawn and painful. Such a person, even working as the lowest maid, would be bullied and looked down upon.

So she had once become a sacrifice in that household’s internal strife, was dragged and beaten in the street, fell unconscious for three days before waking, and nearly lost her life.

Until she was selected to enter the Qin residence and became Qin Shuying’s maid.

…

After sending Ziteng away, Qin Shuying held a book and sat on the imperial concubine couch, gazing at the lamplight, lost in thought.

It was already very late, but Qin Shuying had no sleepiness at all.

The Fifth Prince…

Various thoughts and ideas floated through her mind, finally sinking one by one into her already drowsy brain.

It wasn’t until the hour of Zi that Qin Shuying fell asleep.

In her dreams, twelve-year-old Ziteng faced fourteen-year-old Fifth Prince, terrified to the point of screaming and shouting, but no one paid attention to her pleas for help.

Ziteng’s thin body was like a small boat tossing in huge waves, with nothing to depend on, nothing to shelter her, letting the wind and rain beat down, letting herself be ravaged and tormented…

The next day.

Having slept poorly the night before, Qin Shuying was somewhat listless.

Just after finishing breakfast, she received an invitation from Princess Yongjia, asking her to go burn incense the next day.

The location was Xiguo Temple.

Qin Shuying held the invitation, pondering the reason behind this.

The capital had four famous temples: Huangjue Temple, Fayuan Temple, Xiguo Temple, and Dongyin Temple.

Among them, Huangjue Temple was the imperial temple, in the previous dynasty and this dynasty alike. In the previous dynasty, there was even a lovelorn emperor who became a monk there.

Besides this, the other three temples were all very famous, but Fayuan Temple was the most renowned.

Although Fayuan Temple wasn’t an imperial temple, it had over five hundred years of history. Not only did it house relics of several eminent monks, but countless painters and literati had left their works there, making it truly rich in heritage.

Therefore, people came from all over the country in endless streams – scholars, merchants, and officials alike.

With Fayuan Temple as comparison, although Xiguo Temple was also called one of the capital’s four famous temples, it ultimately wasn’t as renowned. Relatively speaking, more women’s family members went there.

Princess Yongjia choosing Xiguo Temple probably meant she was going incognito to burn incense, not wanting others to know her identity.

There was a reason why Xiguo Temple could gain favor with women’s family members.

Xiguo Temple rose in layers following the mountain terrain, with a neat and beautiful layout.

Not only did it have a vast lotus pond stretching for miles, but also lush trees and flowers, as well as exquisite and magnificent treasure halls and Buddha halls built following the mountain, with fresh air and quiet, beautiful scenery.

Additionally, Xiguo Temple’s vegetarian meals were also famous, comparable to those of Dongyin Temple.

A few days ago, after Princess Yongjia had shown friendly intentions toward her, there had been no movement.

Now she was formally sending an invitation – what could this be about?

To fulfill her promise from that time, Qin Shuying selected two books about overseas curiosities to lend to Princess Yongjia.

This outing would inevitably last until evening before returning to the residence. Qin Shuying had to inform Dong Shi and clearly state that it was Princess Yongjia’s invitation.

Having received Qin Yongtao’s instructions previously, Dong Shi had no hesitation and readily agreed, arranging the best carriage for her and assigning six guards and two matrons.

Early the next morning, Qin Shuying brought Ziteng and Lu Ye to the second gate, where she saw Qin Kaiyu.