What Yu Lingxi cared about was not some “status.”

But since Ning Yin had brought it up, it aroused her curiosity.

“So, what status does Your Highness plan to give me?” she glanced at the empty corridor and asked softly.

Ning Yin, with half his face hidden behind a mask, pondered somewhat frivolously for a moment.

“Your beauty is too remarkable year after year, it must be concealed with a scar. Your identity cannot be too conspicuous, so I’ll have to trouble my precious pet maid to start from my side.”

He casually assigned Yu Lingxi a new identity, the corners of his eyes visible through the mask holes slightly upturned, showing a hint of casualness, “Before, it was Guard Seven serving the young lady, now it’s Suisui serving this prince, isn’t that wonderful?”

He pronounced the name “Suisui” extremely lightly, with a somewhat teasing tone.

Yu Lingxi had never heard him call her by her pet name before. She looked at him seriously for a while, until her cheeks were tinged with the faint crimson of the lamplight.

“This is called ‘hiding a beauty in a golden house.'”

Her eyes curved with an indulgent smile, guessing that Ning Yin would not reveal his entire plan.

He was too gentle, just as in her previous life: the more dangerous and murderous the situation, the more leisurely and self-possessed he became.

Yu Lingxi rested her chin on the carved railing, thought for a moment, and still spoke up: “About the bestowed marriage, I and Xue…”

Before she could finish, Ning Yin pressed her lips through the veil.

She looked up in surprise to see Ning Yin rubbing her lips with his finger, leaning closer and saying, “If a pet maid says things she shouldn’t, she will be punished by her master’s mouth.”

This close, his obsessive eyes were filled only with her.

Yu Lingxi’s eyelashes trembled, and she opened her mouth to gently bite the tip of his finger, staking everything: “Then punish me.”

Ning Yin’s gaze fell on her lips biting his fingertip. Even through the veil, he could see the soft, rosy bloom like a flower petal.

The corners of his lips lifted imperceptibly.

Though pleased, he didn’t take the initiative, merely opening his free arm slightly and saying in a slow, husky voice: “Come here for your punishment.”

Yu Lingxi hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward once, then again.

She gently pressed her cheek against Ning Yin’s chest but was embraced by the waist, held close, and her chin was gently lifted.

As the shadow fell, Yu Lingxi softly closed her eyes.

She knew with absolute clarity: in this lifetime, she would never meet anyone who could make her as infatuated as Ning Yin.

……

The entrance of the Yu mansion was brightly lit.

Yu’s father and son didn’t have time to change into their official robes and hurriedly went out to see two teams of metropolitan guards standing with their hands on their swords, their imposing manner suggesting ill intent.

At the front of the guards stood two stallions, one red and one black. On the red horse was a young eunuch in ochre robes with a jade belt—Chief Eunuch Cui An.

The man on the black horse wore deep red official robes, looking stern and handsome—he was Xue Song, the Vice Minister of Revenue and Xue Cen’s elder brother.

The Yu father and son’s hearts sank.

Currently, military power is divided into three factions, and today two of them have arrived. The only person who could simultaneously mobilize eunuchs and the Ministry of Revenue was the current Emperor.

And it must be a major matter.

Indeed, Cui An slowly displayed his waist token and announced from horseback: “By imperial decree, the imperial heir has been in exile and may be held captive or exploited by villains. Young General Yu is ordered to lead troops to assist us in verifying the Seventh Prince’s identity and investigating treasonous rebels!”

Yu Huanchen had a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, but he merely bowed slightly: “This subject accepts the decree! Please allow me to change into official robes and armor before leading troops forward.”

“His Majesty said that due to the urgency of the matter, there’s no need for such formalities,” Cui An smiled and made a gesture of invitation. “Young General, please.”

The palace’s move came too quickly, too fast to give anyone time to react or maneuver.

Yu Huanchen calmly accepted the riding whip and sword handed over by his attendant, tapping the whip lightly three times with his finger before mounting his horse and leading the troops away.

Yu Xinyi, who had noticed his gesture, discreetly took a step back and disappeared into the shadows.

As twins who grew up together in military camps, she naturally understood that Yu Huanchen’s three taps on the whip before mounting were a signal to her.

Half a cup of tea later, a rider galloped out from the back door of the Yu mansion, taking a shortcut and racing toward the direction of the post house.

……

After dinner, the commotion had settled, leaving only a few points of lamplight diffusing into the endless night.

Yu Lingxi pushed open the door with her hair still damp and loose, still wearing the aqua-blue jacket and skirt from the daytime, her shoulders and fingertips tinged with a pale pink from being soaked in hot water.

Ning Yin was leaning by the window, polishing a small jade object with wool felt. Hearing the sound, he turned his face, his gaze lingering on her for a long time.

“I didn’t bring nightclothes,” Yu Lingxi closed the door, finally speaking up herself.

Ning Yin had been waiting for her to say this.

After admiring the bathed beauty for a while, he finally locked the shaped object and wool felt in a drawer, then rose and walked to a lacquered floral cabinet nearby, opening its doors.

Yu Lingxi was immediately astonished to see the cabinet neatly filled with more than ten sets of clothing, from dresses and shawls to undergarments, everything one could need.

“Come here,” Ning Yin called to her, his expression calm.

Yu Lingxi reluctantly went over to see Ning Yin take out a set of apricot-pink clothes, hold them against her body to check, put them back, and select another set in lotus-root color.

Yu Lingxi stood quietly, allowing him to methodically select and compare, while an endless ache swelled in her heart.

He had even prepared clothes, truly intending to take her away…

Yet, he hadn’t considered himself.

Just as she was thinking this, Ning Yin finally selected a light snow-colored inner garment and skirt, draping them over Yu Lingxi’s arm.

Seeing her not moving, Ning Yin raised his eyes: “Don’t worry, these clothes were estimated based on the young lady’s measurements, they should fit.”

The words abruptly pulled Yu Lingxi’s thoughts back.

She bundled the clothes in her arms, surveyed the only bed in the room, and after a long while muttered: “Where will I sleep?”

Ning Yin followed her gaze and laughed: “The bed is quite large, I thought the young lady could see that.”

“Of course, I can see it.”

Yu Lingxi had already given up arguing with him about “two people should have two beds”—after all, wasn’t she his “pet maid” today?

Outside the window came the sound of wings flapping by.

An unidentified bird circled in the air for a moment, landed on the opposite roof ridge, and tilted its head to observe the direction from which hoofbeats were approaching.

Ning Yin’s eyes darkened slightly.

He reached out to stroke Yu Lingxi’s damp, slightly cool hair and said: “Change into your clothes and lie down obediently, don’t wander around.”

Yu Lingxi looked at his eyes, black as ice, and nodded.

Ning Yin opened the door and left. The lantern in the corridor cast his shadow on the door, cold and severe.

As his footsteps faded away, his shadow also disappeared, leaving an eerie silence outside.

Yu Lingxi thought for a moment, then went to secure the door bolt.

Just after changing her clothes, another shadow appeared on the door and knocked lightly: “Second Young Lady.”

Yu Lingxi recognized the voice and immediately got up: “Qing Lan?”

“It’s me.” Qing Lan’s voice was very low, extremely cautious. “I was sent by the Elder Young Lady to bring the Young Lady back to the mansion.”

Yu Lingxi immediately rose, first pulling the door open a small crack to confirm there was no suspicious person before completely removing the bolt and letting Qing Lan in.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Just now, the Chief Eunuch and the Vice Minister of Revenue, by imperial decree, led imperial guards to the mansion, summoning the Young General to verify the Seventh Prince’s identity and arrest treasonous rebels.”

Qing Lan explained concisely, “I don’t know what happened after that. The Elder Young Lady said the Yu family is in a precarious position with countless eyes watching, so she couldn’t leave the mansion herself but ordered me to bring the Second Young Lady back safely.”

Hearing this, Yu Lingxi’s heart suddenly sank, not expecting this moment to come so quickly.

What treasonous rebels were around Ning Yin?

Unless this was just an excuse, and someone wanted to remove his claws and fangs before he could establish himself before he could officially be recognized as a royal descendant.

Specifically having Yu family members lead troops was also a test of the Yu family’s loyalty—killing two birds with one stone.

The commotion coming from the front courtyard of the post house interrupted Yu Lingxi’s thoughts.

At this quiet hour, this unusual bustle made her uneasy.

She forced herself to steady her mind and asked: “Is anyone outside?”

“I checked when I arrived, and there are no suspicious persons,” Qing Lan said. “Please follow me, Young Lady.”

Yu Lingxi thought for a moment, took the light crimson veil from the table, gripped it with her five fingers, and put it on her face, concealing her features.

When they reached the corner of the corridor, Yu Lingxi stopped.

An hour ago, she had stood here with Ning Yin, gazing at the pavilions and towers.

But now, she saw the front courtyard of the post house filled with military guards, their swords reflecting cold gleams in the bright torchlight.

They had captured two people.

Yu Lingxi’s eyes widened as she recognized one of the bloodied men tied up and pressed to the ground—it was Ning Yin’s attendant who had delivered a message to her earlier that day.

She remembered his name was Chen Feng, and he loved to smile.

“During His Highness’s years in exile, who knows how many malicious villains have been lurking in the shadows, attempting to exploit or harm His Highness. Look, today we’ve caught two rebel leaders.”

A young man dressed as a eunuch pressed Chen Feng’s head down and turned to Ning Yin: “I wonder how Your Highness wishes to deal with these two? Beheading, or dismemberment?”

Yu Lingxi’s heart clenched.

She knew Ning Yin couldn’t acknowledge Chen Feng as his man—once acknowledged, it would confirm the crime of forming a faction.

Ning Yin was probably smiling, his face hidden in the distant shadows, obscure and hard to discern.

The next moment, there was a flash of cold light.

It happened too fast for Yu Lingxi to see clearly what occurred, only knowing that when Ning Yin’s hand released from Chen Feng’s chest, his sleeve was stained with large patches of red.

Chen Feng and the other man’s bodies fell forward in succession, silent.

The fake smile on Cui An’s face froze, and everyone present was startled.

Ning Yin let go, allowing the blood-stained blade to fall to the ground with a clang.

“Since these rebels targeted this prince, it’s only appropriate that this prince deal with them,” Ning Yin said in a tone without ripples or waves, asking, “Gentlemen have rendered meritorious service in protecting me—will you return to request rewards, or do you wish to interrogate this prince tonight?”

Cui An looked at the two corpses on the ground and after a long moment squeezed out a smile: “How dare we.”

“Very good. Clean this up, it’s unsightly.”

Ning Yin moved the corner of his lips and walked away directly, ignoring Cui An and Xue Song with their varied expressions behind him.

“Second Young Lady?” Qing Lan couldn’t help but remind her—if they didn’t leave now, it would be too late.

“Qing Lan, you go back first,” Yu Lingxi heard her hoarse voice say.

“Second Young Lady!”

“Don’t worry, I know what to do.” Yu Lingxi watched Ning Yin walking alone with blood-covered hands, her voice deepening, “Go back!”

Qing Lan looked at the approaching Ning Yin, then at Yu Lingxi, and finally bowed slightly before disappearing back into the darkness.

……

The two corpses were dragged out, and Cui An was examining them.

The dead eunuch didn’t look pleased.

He had finally caught two of the Seventh Prince’s most trusted subordinates, intending to warn him by punishing others, but instead of gaining merit, he couldn’t even produce evidence.

Yu Huanchen laughed coldly inside but maintained a calm exterior, asking with his hand on his sword: “Has Chief Eunuch Cui verified?”

Cui An finally withdrew his hand from the corpse’s neck, took out a handkerchief, and slowly wiped his hands, then laughed sinisterly: “Indeed, they’re dead. Trouble the Young General to take them to the foot of Yanwang Mountain and bury them.”

Yu Huanchen quickly raised his eyes and glanced at the eunuch.

Eight or nine years ago, before the Yu family army was established, military discipline was lax with frequent crimes. The ravine at the foot of Yanwang Mountain was where military traitors and capital offenders were disposed of.

Only when his father had just taken command of the army had he executed a few people according to the law, but outsiders didn’t know about the existence of Yanwang Mountain—how did this eunuch know?

With no time to think further, Yu Huanchen mounted his horse, signaling his subordinates to lift the two “rebels” onto a cart and head toward the city gate.

The night was deep, with mountains crouching like giant beasts.

An inconspicuous carriage was parked on the road, beside which stood a tall man with a heavy sword on his back.

The man bowed to Yu Huanchen on horseback.

“The people have been brought,” Yu Huanchen pulled the reins and signaled.

Qing Xiao accepted the order, stepped forward, and swiftly lifted the straw mat.

……

Ning Yin slowly ascended the red-lacquered wooden stairs, raising his blood-stained hand and turning it slightly.

In the dying lamplight, the red of fresh blood intertwined with the white of his knuckles, a shocking sight.

He frowned indifferently, looked up, and saw Yu Lingxi hiding in the shadow at the corner of the corridor.

Ning Yin’s footsteps paused imperceptibly as he moved his blood-scented hand behind his back before continuing slowly up, turning the corner to stand before Yu Lingxi.

“Not obedient.”

Ning Yin used a gentle smile to cover the unreleased ferocity that surrounded him, as well as the fleeting, faint panic in his heart.

He had clearly instructed her not to wander off, clearly didn’t want her to see what had just happened.

He wanted to reach out and pinch her ear, but seeing the blood on his hand, he casually let it drop again.

Yu Lingxi stared at him unblinkingly until her eye sockets grew hot and her vision blurred.

Partly for Chen Feng, and partly for Ning Yin.

She had harbored wishful thinking, craving the sweetness before her eyes. She only remembered Ning Yin’s glorious power over all under heaven, forgetting that the position that overlooked all beings was one he had walked to over countless corpses and blood…

Including staking his own life, his blood.

The former Yu Lingxi only admired Ning Yin’s fierce ruthlessness, but the current Yu Lingxi ached for the endurance beneath that strength.

Yu Lingxi held back the overflowing sourness, lowered her eyes, and pulled Ning Yin’s hand out from behind him, holding it.

Without a word, she pulled Ning Yin striding toward the room. The slippery fresh blood stained her slender white fingertips, somewhat nauseating, but she gripped even tighter.

Ning Yin was probably surprised by her rare assertiveness and forgot to withdraw his hand, allowing her to angrily pull him into the room and seat him on the bed.

Yu Lingxi prepared a basin of water and set it on the table beside the bed, then pulled Ning Yin’s long hand and immersed it in the clear water.

Streaks of blood diffused, and the water quickly turned crimson.

Yu Lingxi poured out the water, prepared another basin of clear water, took a cotton cloth, and silently cleaned Ning Yin’s ten fingers one by one.

Her eyelashes trembled, as did her hands.

Ning Yin sat there, initially unconcerned, but gradually, the casual smile at the corners of his mouth faded.

“What is the young lady doing?” he asked.

Because he had been wounded too many times, he had gradually forgotten what pain felt like.

If a hand was severed, he would reattach it; if his chest was torn open, he would plug the bloody hole—this was his usual way of handling things. But faced with Yu Lingxi’s trembling eyelashes, he was at a loss for how to respond, and where to fill the void.

Perhaps this was pain.

Pain that was sweet as honey.

Yu Lingxi didn’t look up, suppressing the choke in her throat, and said hoarsely: “For a precious pet maid to wash her master’s hands is part of her duty, isn’t it?”

Thus, Ning Yin’s eyes melted with an almost self-mutilating pleasure. He placed his hand on his knee, leaned forward, and touched Yu Ling xi’s butterfly-wing-like eyelashes with the tip of his straight nose, then moved downward.

“You are precious.”

Ning Yin corrected in a low voice, emphasizing not the “pet maid.”

His hands were stained with blood, but at least his kiss was clean.