“Thud.”

Feng Zhiwei, suspended in mid-air, had no time to let out a wolf’s howl or twist to escape. Just like Miss Gu, she resolutely plunged into someone’s arms.

Her heavy descending body made Gu Nanyi, who caught her, shake. His water-soaked arms slipped, nearly letting Feng Zhiwei slide down.

Feng Zhiwei only felt white light flash before her eyes, then she landed steadily. Instinctively opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was a faint red—blooming like cherry blossoms on a stretch of jade-white purity.

A line of poetry instantly flashed through her mind: Where peach blossoms bloom in shallow depths, seeming to even deep and shallow rouge. Spring wind aids heartbreak, blowing down white garments.

After this first aesthetically captivated, affected elegant impression passed, she suddenly realized what this was!

“Ah!”

Feng Zhiwei bounced like a fish. Gu Nanyi, still not recovered from being consecutively struck by heaven-descending lustful women, startled. His hand slipped. With a splash, Feng Zhiwei tragically fell into the medicinal bath barrel.

Touching her nose was a special medicinal scent with a faint fragrance. The water was very hot, surging wave after wave at her nose tip. There was also something soft, also rubbing wave after wave at her nose tip.

Feng Zhiwei’s eyes widened in the darkness. Coming to her senses, she wanted to scream again. Opening her mouth, she gulped down a large quantity of medicinal-flavored bathwater.

With a splash, she was lifted up by Gu Nanyi. Dripping wet, held in his hands, he looked left and right, seeming somewhat puzzled by her agitation.

The two were squeezed together dripping wet in the bath barrel. Everywhere Feng Zhiwei’s eyes looked, she could see jade-like skin radiance and wet spring colors. Moreover, the medicinal water didn’t reach the waist. Looking forward was naturally the blush-inducing firm, smooth chest and extremely beautiful, flowing body lines. Looking down was even more intolerable, directly capable of making one faint. She could only desperately look at the sky. This look made her realize Gu Nanyi was actually still wearing his veiled hat. However, the veil seemed not to have gotten damp. At the hat’s edge were wet handprints. Feng Zhiwei recalled seeing earlier when falling—his arm swept in an arc, hazy gauzy light flashing. Could it be originally Gu Nanyi wasn’t wearing the veiled hat, and only after Gu Zhixiao ferociously crashed down did he put it on?

What had Gu Zhixiao seen to make her jump down the roof just short of a nosebleed?

Gu Zhixiao, on the other hand, wasn’t wet at all. She slept soundly to one side. By the look of it, her father had caught her and conveniently pressed her sleep acupoint to save her from wolf-howling in the middle of the night disturbing people.

Feng Zhiwei looked around awkwardly, dripping as she pried at Young Master Gu’s hands, laughing dryly: “Fell in the wrong place. Trouble is, please put me down first.”

No response. She looked over in surprise, only to discover Young Master Gu had slightly tilted his head, seemingly curiously examining her… body.

Feng Zhiwei lowered her head, eyes went straight, and with a whoosh turned herself into a bright red cloth.

Spring clothing was already minimal. She’d earlier removed her outer robe to cushion Gu Zhixiao. On her body was only a thin middle garment. When jumping down, she’d also scraped a protruding roof tile. The thin, slippery fabric lightly pulled and opened a large tear—precisely at the chest.

More coincidentally, inside she wore a pure white breast binding. The tightly wrapped cloth band had been cut and loosened. Now it was also completely wet. Thus… surging ready to burst forth, pomegranate flowers showing through red.

Young Master Gu was earnestly appreciating a certain scenery. He knew men and women were different, yet had never concerned himself with this difference, not feeling it had any relation to himself. The environment where he grew up from childhood—the only female accompanying him was his wet nurse, an elderly wet nurse who’d long lost feminine lines and charm. In wide robes and large sleeves, she wasn’t much different from men. After that came Feng Zhiwei’s side. Throughout his life to date, he’d never given other females a second glance. Yet coincidentally, the only two females he cared about—one had cross-dressing fetish, wrapping herself flat-chested and narrow-waisted no different from men; one little bean sprout had them, but her chest hadn’t yet had time to grow out. This led him to think women’s chests were about the same as men’s.

So they’re different…

Young Master Gu used his rarely interested gaze to carefully and meticulously examine that marvelous scenery—truly marvelous. For instance, that binding wasn’t suddenly dropped but slowly loosened. Thus, as it loosened, a certain place suppressed for a long time expanded in a peculiar manner, slowly swelling like white epiphyllum quietly blooming under moonlight, calmly opening into fullness, spiritual charm, and temptation. For instance, because of that uncontrollable blooming, a certain person’s face reddened and mind panicked. Hastily going to cover, yet not knowing that arms crossed and squeezed made the roundness surge even more. A point of rose-red trembled ready to emerge, half-exposed through snow-white jade-like arms—a startling glimpse, suddenly arousing curiosity. Wanting to know if touched, would it fall from the branch like a well-bloomed plum blossom.

So Young Master Gu became curious.

Young Master Gu very much wanted to know if it would fall.

Young Master Gu also wanted to know why Gu Zhixiao’s little bean sprouts were similar to his, but Feng Zhiwei was different?

In this aspect, the extremely naive and innocent virgin boy Young Master Gu was a very action-oriented good child. When there are doubts, one should explore—Feng Zhiwei had told him this.

Thus Young Master Gu naively and innocently extended his hand—to pinch.

“Splash.”

Feng Zhiwei, shocked to thunder from clear skies by that motion, suddenly awakened at the last instant. Hastily raising her arm to block, the fierce movement splashed up large amounts of water.

In mid-air, Young Master Gu’s hand was horizontally intercepted. Between raised arms, two people stared wide-eyed at each other.

Feng Zhiwei’s face was completely red—whether self-roasted or steamed by hot air, she didn’t know. Drawing in a breath, she instinctively wanted to get angry. Suddenly remembering the person before her was different from others—many things in this world were completely unfamiliar to him. Pinching that thing probably seemed to him like picking a pretty flower. Her own fuss would make things even more awkward. His rare curiosity shouldn’t be struck down.

It was remarkable she was naturally deep in thought, accustomed to thinking once, twice, thrice when encountering matters. After thinking it through, any anger and dissatisfaction were gone. She actually even smiled, very earnestly and persuasively: “This one cannot…”

“Why not?” Young Master Gu posed his question in the bath barrel.

“Men and women are different.” Feng Zhiwei inhaled, wanting to climb out of the bath barrel, yet fearing Young Master Gu wasn’t properly educated—if her hand loosened, he’d again “pick flowers from the branch.”

“You’re both female, also different.” Young Master Gu engaged in debate with Feng Zhiwei in the bath barrel.

“She’s still small.” Feng Zhiwei knew he referred to Gu Zhixiao. Sighing, she reminded herself to pay attention in the future—she couldn’t let Gu Nanyi help Gu Zhixiao bathe anymore.

The two were close together, unavoidably seeing clearly. Gu Nanyi had a martial artist’s taut, flowing muscles, yet lacked a martial artist’s protruding veins. His skin was smooth and sleek, emanating a jade color. Slightly prominent collarbone and shoulder bones—exquisite like a jade ruyi scepter, emanating crystalline water color. Water droplets continuously rolled down. The skin they passed became increasingly translucent, glimmering with luster in the night.

Gu Nanyi seemed to be frowning. Looking her up and down, he suddenly murmured lowly: “Hot.”

He frowned, feeling originally he was cold—cold to the bone marrow. Somehow this woman stood so dripping wet before him, like a lotus in morning dew, gracefully standing in water. That scenery rushed into his eyes. All his body’s meridians seemed to ignite small flames—soundless yet searing heart and bones, licking over. All along their path was a feeling of boiling and vigorous surging. Even blood vessels seemed to pulse vigorously. This made him uncomfortable yet unfamiliar—a taste never experienced in many past years.

Hearing that sentence, Feng Zhiwei immediately startled, hastily saying: “We two are too crowded. I’ll go out.”

“I’ll go out.” Young Master Gu, not allowing discussion, put her down and lifted his leg to step over.

Jade-like radiance, long leg shadow.

Feng Zhiwei with a thud buried her head, plunging herself underwater.

Again “splash”—the kindhearted Young Master Gu didn’t understand. He’d already come out, yet why did she want to drown herself? Extending a hand, he fished her out again.

Eyes closed, Feng Zhiwei said: “Thank you. Please put me down and let me walk myself.”

Young Master Gu’s hand released. Feng Zhiwei as wished fell down. Not daring to turn her head back, eyes closed, relying on memory she felt around and grabbed Gu Zhixiao. Picking her up in one motion, she scrambled out rolling and crawling. Because she kept her eyes closed the whole time, she crashed into the door frame with a bang, immediately bouncing up a very large bump. Not daring to cry out in pain, fearing Young Master Gu would come bare to express concern. Hearing Young Master Gu from behind say “You…” she hastily waved her hands randomly: “No need, no need.” Also not caring about being dripping wet all over, with a whoosh—using her life’s fastest lightness skill, she vanished in a flash.

Behind her, indoors, Young Master Gu—who’d already conveniently draped on an outer robe when exiting the bath barrel—stood dazed in the middle of the room, hand holding a robe. Only now did he complete that question.

“…Do you want to change clothes?”

The thoroughly soaked Feng Zhiwei swiftly sent Gu Zhixiao back to her bedroom. Just wanting to go around a flower wall to return to her own bedroom to change clothes, she suddenly heard someone on the flower wall smiling: “Lord Wei, long time no see.”

Feng Zhiwei raised her head, drew in a cold breath. After a long while, looking left and right, she murmured: “The guards are truly becoming more and more inattentive…”

The person atop the wall sat steadily with hands clasped, robes dancing leisurely in the wind. He also smiled very leisurely: “Strange—I’m sitting on my own family’s wall top. Why would guards need to intervene?”

“Own family’s wall top?” Feng Zhiwei spun around in a circle and smiled: “I remember my manor gate hangs the Loyal Righteousness Marquis Manor plaque. Up to now it hasn’t been taken down and changed to Prince Chu Manor.”

“Lord Wei, noble person busy with affairs.” The person atop the wall amiably bent down, bringing a devastatingly beautiful face tenderly close to hers, smile like this spring breeze gentle: “Probably haven’t had time to inquire—whose manor residence was Wei Manor originally?”

“Whose?” Feng Zhiwei maintained an arms-crossed-over-chest posture, vigilantly staring at him.

“This was originally General Zhaoyong Han Xin’s villa in the capital.” Ning Yi raised his brows, looking at her bedraggled state with both satisfaction and dissatisfaction: “Han Xin was implicated in the Fifth Prince’s treason case, his family confiscated and exiled. And before Han Xin, this was Ministry of Works Supervising Secretary Chang Kai’s residence. Chang Kai was a distant relative of the Chang family. After the Chang family incident, he was also executed with his whole family. This residence originally was said to have very good fengshui, but it consecutively defeated two family heads. No one in the capital would touch it. It was recovered by the Internal Affairs Office. Last time I passed by, I felt this residence was actually still very good. The reason for incidents was only that the masters couldn’t suppress it. So I spoke with the Internal Affairs Office—I wanted this residence. I paid money and bought the land deed and house deed. Just after buying it, your residence burned down. His Majesty had the Internal Affairs Office find you a residence. Looking around, this residence was the most spacious and refined, most suitable for you. The Internal Affairs Office discussed with me—this house I wouldn’t give to others, but you need it, naturally I can’t be stingy. Don’t you agree?”

Feng Zhiwei looked at someone’s happily smiling face. She instinctively felt this probably wasn’t coincidence. Grinding her teeth, she smiled: “Aren’t you afraid His Majesty will say you’re consorting with outside ministers?”

“The Internal Affairs Office is currently managed by Tenth Brother.” Ning Yi flicked his sleeve lightly: “His Majesty doesn’t know the house deed and land deed are still with me.”

Feng Zhiwei stared at him suspiciously, still feeling something was wrong. Her manor’s guards, though not yet fully hired, also had Zong Chen’s arranged layers of hidden guards. How did he pass through those checkpoints to enter?

Her gaze moved below the flower wall, searching everywhere. Atop the wall, Ning Yi had already smiled faintly: “Still my Zhiwei is clever.”

He floated down, saying softly by her ear: “I have a retainer skilled in mechanisms and terrain who’s been here before. He told me this residence is very interesting. Below the residence is another residence—extending in all directions, shaped like a maze… Where it reaches farthest, can you guess?”

Feng Zhiwei remained silent. After a long while she only said: “I only know there’s definitely one passage leading to Prince Chu Manor.”

Ning Yi smiled lightly, then suddenly raised his hand and pulled.

A long strip of white cloth whooshed into his hand.

Feng Zhiwei, who’d been holding her chest, immediately felt her chest go empty. Looking again, her loosened breast binding had already been swiftly extracted by this bastard Ning Yi with quick eyes and hands. Smiling without shame, he slowly wound that medicinal-water-stained white cloth in his hands.

Good-tempered Feng Zhiwei finally exploded in fury.

The mother tigress doesn’t show her power—one by one treating her like a sick cat! Want to poke, then poke; want to pull, then pull!

She opened her mouth to send a signal notifying Zong Chen’s subordinates to surround and attack. Suddenly her mouth went warm—Ning Yi had already covered her mouth with his palm, smiling by her ear: “Don’t call out. Tonight I’m looking for you for serious business.”

Feng Zhiwei remained unmoved. But Ning Yi smiled: “Second Brother has activities tonight… Don’t you want to play him to death?”

Feng Zhiwei’s gaze flashed—the person she most wanted to bite to death right now was the Second Prince. Hating him till her teeth itched. Though a gentleman’s revenge waits ten years, if she could make him unlucky earlier, she’d naturally be even more willing.

“Come with me. Clothes can be changed—I have them prepared there. But this breast binding, no need for it.” Ning Yi without allowing discussion pulled her along: “Tonight I need a woman. Are you willing to let another woman stand by my side?”

“Your Highness asks strangely.” Feng Zhiwei considered briefly, didn’t struggle free from his hand, and smiled: “When wind suddenly rises, rippling a pool of spring water—what’s that to do with me?”

Ning Yi walked a few steps along the flower wall, seemingly silently counting steps. At a certain place he stopped. There, directly facing a flying eave corner, beneath which was a well.

He turned back smiling: “This humble one, the great king’s wind, only wishes to ripple Miss Feng’s one pool of spring water.”

Feng Zhiwei smiled, narrowing her eyes: “Good wind, good madness!”

Ning Yi looked at her, smiled and shook his head. Raising his hand, he pressed several times on the flower wall. Behind them came continuous creaking sounds. Faintly, water sounds murmured. The water in that well actually slowly receded, flowing out from both well walls. The well bottom revealed a doorway.

“Very ingenious mechanism.” Feng Zhiwei praised: “I thought it would be in the well wall, didn’t expect it to be at the well bottom.”

“Your residence has many marvelous aspects. See how many you can ultimately discover.” Ning Yi led her toward the well bottom, raising his hand to lift open the mechanism. The door opened. The two disappeared into darkness.

After the mechanism returned to original state, well water slowly flowed out again from both walls, restoring to the original water level. Rippling light reflected a well full of gentle moonlight.

Reflected in the moonlight floated a swaying human figure.

That person stood at the well opening, silently gazing at the endlessly undulating water surface. Wide robes were plated with silver moonlight.

Behind him stood a gray-clothed figure with bowed head, also watching the well surface. Finally unable to restrain himself, he said lowly: “General Leader, why didn’t you stop Prince Chu just now?”

Zong Chen’s hands supported the well edge. Carefully examining the well edge’s green moss, he said: “This residence really is very interesting… Why stop him?”

“Ah?”

“Don’t underestimate the young miss.” Zong Chen turned around, saying gently: “She has absolute self-protection ability, and also absolute discernment ability.”

“But…” That person couldn’t help protesting: “Ning Yi, that person…”

“Remember your and my duties.” Zong Chen’s tone was light, yet made the other person lower his head: “Whatever the young miss wants to do, she has her freedom. We only assist—no authority to interfere… As for your unease about Ning Yi, I feel for now, no harm.”

He gazed absently at the moon’s reflection in the well water, saying softly: “I will never agree with Madam Feng’s thinking. I also will forever respect Dacheng’s founding Emperor and Empress. Those were true great wisdom holders who’d thoroughly experienced the mortal world and seen through wind, rain, and fleeting years. Not acting rashly, not forcing, transparent and wise. You remember—the three stratagems in the brocade pouches left by the founding Emperor and Empress aren’t meant to be used as blades in the young miss’s hands, but only to pave the road beneath her feet.”

He held his fingers together like scissors, raising them toward the moon, silently cutting once. Smiling lightly.

“The path of severing emotions.”

Traversing the tunnel, the exit was actually concealed by a screen. On the screen, large characters splashed in thick ink: “Usage and abandonment depend on timing, action and concealment lie with me. What harm in idly watching with hands in sleeves.”

Feng Zhiwei paused, looking at those large characters for several moments, smiling: “Good characters, good lines. Characters like iron spears and warhorses, lines leisurely and composed—truly an exquisite pairing.”

“You’re beating around the bush mocking people again.” Behind her, Ning Yi laughed lowly, resting his chin on her shoulder: “Clearly mocking this line’s affected pretense.”

Feng Zhiwei smiled without speaking. Ning Yi sighed lowly: “I really don’t like this medicinal smell all over you…” He rose and walked away, personally rummaging in a cabinet to one side for a while, then took out a set of clothing and handed it over.

While smiling: “This screen was written when I was ten. The original line was ‘Shaking clothes on thousand-ren peaks, washing feet in ten-thousand-li streams.’ Once Father Emperor on a whim came to my manor. Seeing this line, he said not a word and left with flicked sleeves. For a full three months he didn’t summon me. Later Xin Ziyan pointed it out to me. Only then did I change to the current line.”

When he mentioned Xin Ziyan, his expression was composed, gaze peacefully looking at Feng Zhiwei. Feng Zhiwei’s expression was also calm. Casually nodding, she took the clothes, smiling: “Why not write ‘Not knowing old age approaches with brush and ink, wealth and honor to me like floating clouds’? Wouldn’t that make you seem even more free of worldly contention, tranquil in ambition, more suited to your suspicious old man’s intent?”

Ning Yi laughed coldly. “You still don’t understand the current ruler. His suspicious illness is… extraordinarily strange. If your ambition is for all under heaven, reaching for lofty ideals—that won’t do; he’ll call it disloyal thinking. If you stay tranquil everywhere, retreating from swift currents—that won’t do either. He’ll suspect you harbor resentful intentions. Moreover, as an imperial prince at the pinnacle of humanity, born to wealth and honor, and yet saying things like ‘wealth and honor to me are like floating clouds’? He’ll definitely scold you for affectation!”

Feng Zhiwei listened attentively, smiling. “I’m educated.” Her curiosity piqued, she looked around. This seemed to be Ning Yi’s private bedroom—her first time in his residence. Examining it closely, the furnishings struck her as somewhat peculiar. At first glance, the room was overwhelmingly luxurious: a purple-and-gold tripod, a carved bed. On the bed lay heavy gold-thread brocade bedding, giving an impression of indulgence and refined elegance. Yet beneath the gold-thread layers, faintly pressed underneath, was a dark-colored mattress. The exposed corner showed fabric that was comfortable but not luxurious—a fine kudzu weave. Presumably, the gold-thread bedding was for show; the layer underneath was what was actually slept on each night.

This person, ah, forever lived himself as two sides.

Feng Zhiwei didn’t dare let her gaze linger too long on Ning Yi’s bed, fearing someone would take the opportunity to tease. So she lowered her eyes to flip through the clothes. With one flip, her face reddened.

This pile of clothes was actually extremely complete. From the outer silk gauze wrap to the inner bellyband and stocking ties—most fatal was, the bellyband fabric was extremely minimal, simply couldn’t be called a bellyband. Even as a breast covering it was barely adequate. Countless thin, fine silk ribbons held together a palm-sized piece of goose-yellow bright brocade. On that pure-colored brocade, embroidered was not ordinary flowers, birds, or mandarin ducks, but actually a woman with jade neck and red face, half-exposed bosom, reclining under willows playing qin and singing. The embroidery work was exquisite to an astonishing degree—even that woman’s fine hair ends and the dignified yet subtly teasing expression between her brows were embroidered.

“Such exquisite embroidery work used on such a thing is truly wasteful…” Feng Zhiwei turned it over and over examining it, mentally considering whether it might be possible to cut off those ribbons and use it as a handkerchief.

“You’re wrong. Such exquisite embroidery work should precisely be used on such things.” Ning Yi smiled watching that bellyband: “Embroidered on outer garments, everyone can see. Embroidered on inner garments is only for one’s beloved to see.”

“Your Highness should keep this treasure for your beloved concubines to wear for you, this beloved person, to see.” Feng Zhiwei raised her hand and threw the clothes back: “This humble one won’t accompany.” Finishing speaking, she turned and was about to return through the tunnel.

“Second Brother tonight is hosting a banquet at Shuyu Villa in the city outskirts, entertaining the retiring Shannan Regional Inspector Xu Minglin.” Ning Yi’s one sentence made Feng Zhiwei stop: “Xu Minglin is Consort Shu’s father from the Xu clan. When Second Brother’s birth mother Consort An was alive, she and the Xu clan were very close. The Xu clan branch has no offspring. Daily she stays out of contentions. Inside and outside the palace, her reputation is good.”

“You suspect that night’s Shaoning incident was directed by the Second Prince with Consort Shu’s methods involved?” Feng Zhiwei stopped: “I feel Second Brother isn’t clever to that degree. Moreover, since Consort Shu has stayed out of contentions for so many years, why now get involved in this muddy water?”

“That’s why I want to personally go inside to see.” Ning Yi narrowed his eyes: “Second Brother’s Shuyu Villa is his most closely guarded place. Supposedly all his retainers are kept there—quite some talented people. Normally Second Brother uses the excuse of hunting in the city outskirts and returning late to often stay there. Properly speaking, His Majesty knowing this villa exists should disapprove, but after His Majesty visited once, he never expressed anything again. Second Brother handles affairs immaturely these years. His Majesty isn’t satisfied, yet always raises him high and sets him down lightly. Brothers all feel it’s strange, suspecting Second Brother has his own means to please His Majesty. They’ve been interested in that villa for a long time.”

“You’ve sent people in before? Unsuccessfully?”

“More than once.” Ning Yi smiled bitterly: “Ning Cheng also went. He was confused dizzy by the formations there and returned without success.”

“Visit openly to see the layout—that won’t work either?”

“Visiting openly shows nothing. Some court officials seemingly neutral but actually privately belonging to other princes’ camps have also found opportunities to enter, attempting to participate in the Second Prince’s night banquets. But that villa has a strange rule—all guests are strictly investigated for background and must bring female companions.”

“That’s even simpler.” Feng Zhiwei smiled: “Capital famous actresses and courtesans—anyone can bring them.”

“It’s not that simple. The villa seems to strictly test women, probably targeting women’s shallow scheming and loose tongues.” Ning Yi frowned: “Women brought in, no matter how reliable or loyal, in the end nine out of ten still ruin things. Those coming to spy on others’ secrets end up being spied upon themselves. Back and forth, even we don’t dare act rashly anymore.”

“How do you dare again now?”

“You’ve recently made moves against Second Brother, haven’t you?” Ning Yi glanced at her sideways. “After you returned, those two vice ministers of the Ministry of Rites who had been awaiting punishment—their pending offenses were immediately turned into real charges. His Majesty has already ordered a thorough investigation. You want to purge the Ministry of Rites, and His Majesty allows it, intending to use your hand to set the atmosphere right.

“How could Second Brother’s faction be at ease? As their leader, first he has to worry whether you’ll bite recklessly and drag more people down with you. Second, he has to give an account to the ministers loyal to his own camp. You and he are already locked in a deadlock that’s hard to unravel—almost at the point where the map is spread and daggers are revealed.

“Strike first and you gain the advantage; strike later and you suffer disaster. If he fails once, there will be a second attempt. Fail twice, there will be a third. He won’t give up. I don’t believe you haven’t thought of this. And even if you haven’t, I’ll think of it for you.”

“Your Highness’s true heart is truly moving to this humble minister.” Feng Zhiwei applauded: “Only Your Highness doesn’t mention—you borrowed Shaoning’s matter to silently and soundlessly replace the Imperial Forest Guard in the palace, reassign the Changying Guard, petitioned His Majesty to release a batch of palace servants, newly select palace maids and change inner attendants, almost replacing old people in various palaces completely. I may have provoked the Second Prince urgently, but haven’t you also?”

“So we must join forces and go together…” Ning Yi bent down by her ear. His lips’ hot breath blew at her ear side, smile deep: “Ordinary women entering the villa will only ruin things. Among all women under heaven besides you, who else is capable?”

“How do I feel Your Highness is saying—among all women under heaven, I’m the most treacherous and vicious?” Feng Zhiwei put her hand at her temple to push him away.

Ning Yi taking advantage licked her palm center. Feng Zhiwei hastily withdrew her hand, wiping her palm on her clothes. Her face had already uncontrollably reddened. She heard Ning Yi’s laughter low and deep, seemingly in a joyful mood: “You’re vicious, I’m treacherous. Aren’t we precisely a heaven-made pair?”

“Don’t dare be listed alongside Your Highness.” Feng Zhiwei smiled falsely.

“Also… call me Yi.” Ning Yi smiled faintly, eyes flowing with brilliant waves, voice drifting like a ball of cotton, rippling without anywhere to grasp: “Come… call once and let me hear.”

“Yi…” Feng Zhiwei also smiled. In Ning Yi’s eyes flashing with delighted surprise, she smiled very mischievously: “…Eh? What did you just say? I didn’t hear.”

Listening to this detestable woman’s tune that changed direction midway, Ning Yi—whose heart was grabbed halfway without reaching the itch—seemed to smile yet not smile as he glared at Feng Zhiwei. After a long while, shaking his head, he smiled: “No help for it. Just fond of your slyly wicked tune.”

He straightened his body, pointing at the clothes in Feng Zhiwei’s hands: “Aggrieve you. You truly need to play a famous actress—the former famous actress, one of Shanbei Circuit’s four great cloud opera troupes, Dexing Society’s early leading flower dan. Later she became the wife of Shannan Regional Inspector’s assistant, Assistant Magistrate Huang. This time Assistant Magistrate Huang accompanied Regional Inspector Xu to the capital, handing over the case of mountain bandits gathering to make trouble in Shanbei to the Ministry of Justice. Tonight, invited by the Second Prince, he’s a guest at Shuyu Villa. You’re an actress by origin, always liking flowery extravagance, vain and competitive in nature, so…”

He smiled: “The capital’s currently most fashionable figure-patterned bellyband—Madam Huang will definitely be first to wear it.”

Feng Zhiwei stared at that alluring bellyband, twitching her mouth corners, suspecting this identity was Ning Yi’s deliberate doing.

“What about the real Assistant Magistrate Huang and Madam Huang?” Feng Zhiwei took a mask.

Ning Yi indifferently patted the human-skin mask in his hands: “In your hands.”

Feng Zhiwei twitched her mouth corners again, suppressing the urge to vomit. Holding the mask in her hands, she stared at that pile of clothes without speaking.

“Two choices.” Ning Yi said leisurely: “Have someone help you dress, or I personally help you dress.”

“I dare not trouble Your Highness.” Feng Zhiwei chose to act swiftly.

“Manchun.” Ning Yi turned his head and called outward.

Faintly, ornament sounds rang. Fragrance assailed. From the paulownia wood corridor turned a graceful, slender shadow. Then the door curtain lifted. Feng Zhiwei’s eyes brightened. She saw a woman in lotus-root-colored gauze skirt standing gracefully at the door.

The corridor’s crabapple lanterns cast a pale red glow, making the woman’s forehead flower ornament gleam brilliantly. Her brows were trimmed with exquisite precision. Beneath them, her eyes lifted slightly, lined with deep red eyeliner—coldly beautiful and refined, like crabapple blossoms under the moonlight. She did not glance at Feng Zhiwei, only bowed gracefully to Ning Yi. Her voice was very light, yet through that lightness shone an irrepressible, vibrant joy.

“Your Highness…”

Ning Yi lifted the door curtain and went out, leaning slantedly against the corridor’s railing outside, saying indifferently: “Attend this young lady in bathing and changing clothes.”

That woman, called Manchun, had originally arrived with a reserved grace, her face full of springtime color. Who would have thought she would actually hear that sentence? She couldn’t help freezing in place. After a long moment, she slowly turned her gaze indoors. Feng Zhiwei had already turned her back and switched to a backup mask. Even knowing that the person Ning Yi summoned had to be trustworthy, she still didn’t want any of her faces exposed.

Manchun stared blankly at Feng Zhiwei’s back, looking at that set of clothes. Again woodenly turning her head wanting to look at Ning Yi—head turned halfway, yet she forced herself to twist back. Silently she bowed.

Deep black showed in her eyes—like night without starlight. Compared to the earlier sparkling, rippling eyes, this moment this woman’s gaze had a kind of coolness like sinking into an abyss.

And a kind of incredulous shock.

And a kind of despair—originally thinking bitter ends would bring sweet rewards, yet dreams suddenly shattered in one stroke.

She stood dazed there. Long fingernails curled into her palms, gripping tightly.

Feng Zhiwei felt somewhat uncomfortable as she pulled the curtain closed. Still uneasy, she latched all the windows’ bolts. That woman stood straight and rigid, watching her casually walk back and forth in Ning Yi’s bedroom that was never entered by others, unconcernedly handling Ning Yi’s things. Her fingers curled even tighter, faintly showing a trace of redness.

But Feng Zhiwei didn’t notice these details. Having long held high positions and grown accustomed to reading the thoughts and actions of emperors and generals, she had almost forgotten that women’s psychology is the most intricate of all. Though she had no habit of looking down on others, she had already developed a noble bearing. Casually, she said, “Please trouble the miss to close the door tightly. Oh, and also turn your back—I need to bathe.”

Her tone was gentle, yet between the lines there radiated a delicate elegance and noble poise that made the woman tremble upon hearing it.

But Feng Zhiwei had already quickly removed clothes, bathed, washing away the medicinal smell on her body. Must hurry—still needed to leave the city.

She had never been very willing to look at that woman—at those cloudlike coiffures, the drooping-pearl flower ornaments worn by married women. Very obviously, this was one of Ning Yi’s concubines. Those two characters, combined with the gold-thread embroidered large bed opposite, groundlessly made her stomach churn. She didn’t want to look even once more.

Hot steam rose from the bath barrel. Feng Zhiwei thought with mild amusement—in just half an hour tonight, she had already soaked in bath barrels twice.

Thinking of the shock from the previous bath, a certain light and shadow swept through her mind. Her face couldn’t help flushing slightly. Hastily stopping herself, she felt briefly awkward. She also sensed the woman standing stiffly behind her, silent and motionless, and feeling uncomfortable, she wanted to say something to break the silence. Clearing her throat, she asked, “You are… Prince Chu’s concubine?”

After asking, she immediately felt a bit regretful. What was this about? Was the question even necessary? How boring of herself—what idle words couldn’t be said? How had she opened her mouth to ask this?

But the woman did not answer immediately. She stood there in silence.

All around, white steam swirled densely. On the window lattice, fine, dense water light rose. In the quiet, only the faint sound of water stirred. The silence exuded something eerie, like a stagnant dream that could not be broken, pressing oppressively on the heart.

After a long while, Feng Zhiwei heard the woman behind her laugh briefly—very short, carrying a cool, sharp amusement. Then, in the candlelight’s light and shadow, Manchun’s lotuslike, graceful figure gradually grew larger on the wall.

She walked closer. Feng Zhiwei had already hurriedly finished washing and took a dry cloth to wipe herself. Candlelight reflected off her back—pearl-like roundness, jade-like purity, and flowing, marvelous form, bringing to mind spring’s most beautiful poetry, blooming luxuriantly among dense flowers.

In Manchun’s deep-red, upturned eyeliner glimmered a pair of ice-cold eyes, coldly watching her. She lifted that nearly demonic bellyband to the side, carefully stroking it in her palm. Thinking of the women in Prince Chu’s manor bearing such titles, thinking of herself walking further into loneliness, a desolate smile gradually rose in her eyes.

“Concubine…” Her lips curled into a mocking arc as she walked toward the back-facing Feng Zhiwei.