Ning Yin sat by the bed, watching with great interest as Yu Lingxi cried for a full half hour.

She was indeed sensible. In a situation where any “last words” would be wrong, crying was certainly not a mistake.

In an instant, the joy of surviving a calamity mingled with grievance, along with irrepressible loneliness and panic, all surged into her heart, overlapping and floating in her wet, red, glistening eyes, transforming into tears like pear blossoms in the rain.

When she cried, there were no unpleasant sounds. She merely tightened her delicate jaw and let the tears flow from her eyes, seeping into her temples.

Ning Yin had seen many people wailing before death, but none had cried as pleasingly as she did.

Suddenly, Ning Yin found something more interesting than killing.

This was the third time he had not killed Yu Lingxi.

Yu Lingxi thought she was allowed to live because the “poison” had failed. Only the Prince’s guards guessed that the Regent needed a woman as a facade.

Because as long as the Prince’s bed was empty, people would continuously send all kinds of women over. After killing too many, even that became tiresome.

And Yu Lingxi was undoubtedly a suitable candidate.

Ning Yin was a calculating person. He had deliberately summoned Yu Lingxi to serve tea during discussions.

Unexpectedly, this woman only dutifully acted as a background figure, her gaze drifting several times toward the window, preferring to be lost in watching the gray sparrows quarreling on the branches rather than having any interest in listening to what he said…

That seemingly attentive yet absent-minded expression couldn’t have been feigned.

She seemed to treat being a caged bird as a job, showing up when needed, and quietly retreating to the side when not, never appearing to disturb.

In terms of appearance and sensibility, she was impeccable, and Ning Yin was moderately satisfied with her performance.

Ning Yin’s leg ailment made him fear the cold, yet his body was chronically cold, so he developed a habit of soaking in hot pools to dispel the chill.

Since last year, when a servant had attempted assassination while delivering bathing towels, and the corpse had fouled the bath, he no longer allowed anyone to attend him while bathing. Tonight, however, he specifically ordered Yu Lingxi to serve him.

If she were a spy sent by someone, she would certainly not miss such a rare opportunity, and then he would have to crush her neck with his own hands.

If she were not a spy…

Ning Yin opened his eyes, stepped out of the bath dripping with water vapor, and walked slowly toward Yu Lingxi.

However, Yu Lingxi kept her head lowered, holding the towel, without even the courage to raise her eyes to look at him, as if his body were something embarrassing.

With such timidity, she was unlikely to be an assassin.

Ning Yin sat in a rattan chair nearby, letting his dripping hair dry, glancing at her nervously fluttering eyelashes, and suddenly ordered: “Go in and wash.”

Yu Lingxi froze, glanced at the steaming pool, and whispered: “I’ve already bathed…”

“This Prince said, go in and wash,” he slightly emphasized.

The young woman immediately trembled, and with quivering delicate fingertips, began to loosen her waistband and ties.

The luxurious layers of clothing piled up around her calves, with her undergarments wrapping her exquisite curves, like a flower blooming in its ultimate glory. Heat spread from her toes testing the water up, flushing her cheeks red.

Her face was naturally suited to being tinged with color.

Whether it was her tear-reddened eyes that day or her now blushing cheeks, both were far more interesting than that listless, uninterested plainness.

So Ning Yin, with his wet hair falling around him, sipped wine and savored the sight of the slender beauty in the bath, her entire body flushed pink.

Only when the beauty’s skin had become wrinkled and she dizzily slid down the stone steps, releasing a string of bubbles, did he leisurely put down his wine cup and pull her out before she could drown.

…

After a month of peaceful coexistence, the Zhao family began to stir.

Zhao Hui sent over lavish gifts, adopting the tone of a concerned elder: “My niece has gained the Prince’s favor, found a good match, and will live a prosperous life. Your uncle’s anxious heart can finally rest. In the future, even in the underworld, I can face my parents and siblings with pride. We are all family, so please send letters home to the Zhao residence regularly. Your uncle can also burn them to report your well-being to your parents… And Hu Tao, that girl misses you so much!”

Zhao Hui shed tears and sighed with regret, but Yu Lingxi only felt mockery.

Her uncle wasn’t concerned about her letters home but was hinting for Yu Lingxi to use her position serving the Regent to transmit information, providing security for his path of flattery and promotion…

She couldn’t refuse, because Hu Tao was still in the Zhao family’s hands.

Although just a maid, she had indeed loyally accompanied Yu Lingxi through difficult times, the only remaining warmth.

Unfortunately, Yu Lingxi was no longer the naive girl she once was.

She immediately relayed Zhao Hui’s words to Ning Yin and used this as a reason to request bringing Hu Tao to served by her side.

This way, the Zhao family would have no leverage over her.

“You certainly know how to climb the ladder,” Ning Yin eyed her as she knelt serving tea, as if trying to extract answers from her eyes. “Having clung to this Prince’s lame leg, you’re now eager to kick the Zhao family aside?”

Yu Lingxi was somewhat surprised, but quickly composed herself, holding up the teacup: “The Prince has shown me the mercy of sparing my life. I simply don’t wish to be controlled by others and repay kindness with enmity.”

Her voice was soft and clear, without the sweetness of flattery, pleasant to the ear.

Ning Yin was quite satisfied with her ability to read the situation. When not in a frenzy, he could be quite reasonable.

So the next day, Hu Tao was brought to the Prince’s residence, carried by the arms between two tall, strong guards.

…

Today during a hunting expedition, someone with ulterior motives had released wild wolves where they shouldn’t have been. Ning Yin’s hunting dogs, raised for two years, fought with the wolf pack and suffered serious injuries, beyond saving.

He stroked the hunting dog’s eyes, then in front of Yu Lingxi, personally crushed its neck bone.

He ordered the hunting dog to be made into a taxidermy specimen, placed in his bedchamber. This way, even though his beloved dog was dead, he could see it day and night, no different from when it was alive.

The night the hunting dog’s specimen was completed, it rained, and Ning Yin’s leg was not comfortable, his face pale as paper.

Years ago in Yujie Xiandu, his whereabouts were betrayed, and he fell into Ning Changrui’s hands. That pig used every vile method, torturing him with rotating implements, poisoning him, and after exhausting all his strength, ordering someone to break his left leg bone, making him writhe and crawl on the ground like a dead dog.

The iron hammer had spikes and barbs, breaking the bone and tearing out flesh fragments, leaving permanent damage that no treatment could fully remedy.

Ning Yin was accustomed to killing on rainy days; it was his only way to relieve the pain.

Yu Lingxi’s maid came in to serve tea but was startled by the glowing green eyes of the taxidermied hunting dog on the wall, accidentally breaking his customary cup.

A crisp and abrupt shattering sound.

His finger paused in tapping the table, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Probably sensing the growing murderous intent in his eyes, Yu Lingxi, who had been mixing fragrances nearby, quickly rose to stand in front of the terrified, kneeling Hu Tao, scolding: “Hurry and clean this up!”

Ning Yin narrowed his eyes slightly, his pale thin lips curling almost imperceptibly—a sign of his anger.

Yu Lingxi knew he wanted to kill someone, and in this chamber, besides Hu Tao, there was only her; neither could escape.

She moved closer to him, softening her voice, clumsily trying to distract his attention.

On a rainy night with his old injury flaring up, she shouldn’t have attempted to pacify a madman filled with murderous intent.

Ning Yin almost instinctively grabbed her neck.

She froze, not daring to move, her trembling, beautiful pupils staring fixedly at him.

The blood vessels beneath his fingers pulsed rapidly, the warmth of a living person spreading through his cold fingertips, as warm and delicate as jade.

Ning Yin’s force paused, and he brought his other hand up as well.

Yu Lingxi shivered from the icy fingers on her neck but dared not resist. She sensed the painful chill throughout his body and hesitantly moved forward, first grasping Ning Yin’s hand, then gradually drawing closer, cautiously entering his territory.

Outside the hall, the night rain fell continuously, and the fluttering curtains danced wildly.

Dawn was thin, the rain cleared, and the sky was blue.

When Ning Yin opened his eyes, there was indeed a moment when he felt the urge to kill.

The person in his arms had hair as black as a demon, with traces of moisture still on her eyelashes, making her look fragile and bewitching.

Ning Yin never shared his bed with anyone. Ever since childhood, when he heard that woman’s heart-wrenching cries, he had detested all of this.

Reason told him he should kill this woman. Any existence that could influence him should vanish from the world.

He reached out with disgust to grasp her neck, while she remained oblivious in her sleep.

After staring sinisterly for a long time, he released his hand and pinched Yu Lingxi’s nose.

Before long, she was awakened by the lack of air and looked at him somewhat bewilderedly.

Her lips were red, her eyes were red, and her dazed appearance was pitifully endearing.

“Let’s break Lingxi’s leg, or perhaps cut off a hand,” he said, giving up on killing her, smiling gently. “This way, you would match this Prince.”

Yu Lingxi knew he wasn’t just saying this.

This deranged person truly planned to make her “like him,” keeping her permanently confined by his side.

“With broken feet, I couldn’t dance for the Prince,” Yu Lingxi looked at him, answering hoarsely. “With broken hands, I couldn’t massage or brew tea for the Prince.”

“Then I’ll poison you mute,” Ning Yin sneered, pressing down on her lips until the full redness lost its color, before saying with a half-smile: “To prevent this mouth from arguing eloquently and irritating this Prince.”

Yu Lingxi was indeed frightened into holding her breath.

However, Ning Yin couldn’t bear to do it. After all, at certain moments last night, her voice was quite pleasant, so sweet that one wanted to crush her thoroughly.

Since then, there seemed to be some changes between them, yet also none.

What changed was the time of Yu Lingxi’s service, extending from daytime to occasional rainy nights. What remained unchanged was that the Regent was still cold and cruel, only using and taking from her when his old injury flared up.

Apart from this annoyance, the quality of Yu Lingxi’s food, clothing, and accommodations steadily improved, almost reaching the standard of palace consorts.

Once when Ning Yin was in a good mood, he asked her what she wanted.

Yu Lingxi, probably still wary after the “poison” incident, fearing that the greater her hopes, the more he would enjoy destroying them, hesitated for a long time before finally saying: “I want to see the lanterns at the Lantern Festival.”

What kind of request was that? Ning Yin scoffed.

However, at the Lantern Festival palace banquet, what awaited him was an ambush.

The mechanism of that hidden weapon nearly pierced Yu Lingxi’s heart.

Ning Yin killed many people—he had never personally killed so many. The palace was in chaos, with corpses everywhere, blood flowing like rivers, and the palace steps dyed a foul-smelling crimson.

Yu Lingxi could have escaped in the chaos, but she didn’t.

“Why would I flee?”

Though terrified by his blood-soaked appearance resembling an asura, Yu Lingxi still maintained her composure: “The Prince rules the world. There is no more noble patron than the Prince, no more comfortable refuge than the Prince’s residence. I have no reason to flee.”

Ning Yin began to laugh, his blood-stained smile appearing especially insane.

When Yu Lingxi said these words, there was obvious fear in her eyes.

But Ning Yin was very satisfied. Even if she spoke falsehoods, they were the most pleasing falsehoods.

When going to the summer palace to avoid the heat, Ning Yin brought Yu Lingxi along.

They spent a hot summer without bloodshed. He took a perfunctory alias, “Wei Qi,” and let her accompany him as he toured mountains and waters.

However, once dressed in his princely robes and with blood on his hands, he again became the Regent she dared not look in the eye.

Yu Lingxi, like other people’s caged birds, learned to do embroidery and needlework to please him. After all, she had nothing, not even her own life, and such gestures were the only sincerity she could offer.

Ning Yin never wore these items, tossing them aside casually. Having such poorly made things on his person would be laughable.

Yu Lingxi didn’t mind; she would always create new tokens to please and make up for it.

However, when servants found a crooked-stitched sachet under the bed, Ning Yin inexplicably took it, dusted it off, and then locked it in the small cabinet by his bed with a disdainful expression.

After more than a year, all he had kept were this sachet forgotten in a corner and a pair of comfortable cloud-patterned leather boots.

Ning Yin never thought Yu Lingxi was special.

It was like keeping an obedient cat or dog—coming when called, leaving when dismissed, providing care, and coldly taking in return. His leg had an old injury that prevented him from kneeling, and even on rainy nights when they shared a bed, it was Yu Lingxi who actively offered close service.

Born cold-blooded and indifferent, he didn’t know what “affection” was and didn’t allow himself any weakness.

He would not like any woman, including Yu Lingxi.

Ning Yin cruelly enjoyed everything but wasn’t worried about Yu Lingxi leaving.

Because she was alone in the world, and besides staying in the golden cage he had created for her, she had nowhere else to go.

Until that spring, a secret letter from the Zhao residence broke the peace.

When Ning Yin put on those cloud-patterned boots and sat in the carriage heading to the Zhao residence, he could still maintain a gentle smile on his face. However, when he saw Yu Lingxi and Xue Cen talking under the crabapple blossoms, all gentleness transformed into wildly growing dark murderous intent.

She called him “Brother Cen.” The beauty and gentleman made a picturesque scene as if they were born to stand together.

Her brows were slightly furrowed, her heart full of anxiety—emotions she had never shown in his presence.

While at the Prince’s residence, all her tears, shyness, and smiles had been forced by him.

Ning Yin, with a gloomy expression, slowly spoke, breaking the harmonious scene under the flowering tree.

Yu Lingxi, with a pale face, knelt for Xue Cen, just as two years ago on an autumn night, Xue Cen had knelt for her in the pouring rain.

Ning Yin watched their tacit understanding as childhood sweethearts, watched as Xue Cen skillfully protected her, and the viciousness in his eyes nearly surged forth.

What was Xue Cen?

How dare he?

Ignoring Yu Lingxi’s pleading gaze, Ning Yin had Xue Cen taken to the prison of the Court of Judicial Review for personal interrogation.

What fault did Lingxi have? The fault lay with those who tempted her.

He tortured Xue Cen, soothing his irritation with fresh blood.

It wasn’t until much later that he understood that the dark irritation growing wildly in his heart was called “jealousy.”

As Ning Yin left the prison, his cane-supported steps paused.

He lowered his gaze to the leather boots Yu Lingxi had sewn.

Xue Cen’s blood had splattered on the dark surface, soiling them.

Ning Yin was somewhat displeased.

But on second thought, he could openly have Yu Lingxi sew a new pair—he possessed something Xue Cen could never have.

Ning Yin felt comforted and returned to his residence with a smile.