A man?

Chenguang stared intently at Taosheng walking beside A’Zhu, rubbing his eyes.

Was he seeing things? How could a man appear here?

No, it wasn’t about a man appearing here—men appearing here wasn’t strange. But someone cross-dressing as a woman was a serious matter.

The maid in azure walking nearby was A’Zhu, right?

Chenguang’s eyes went wide.

This meant that a cross-dressing man had infiltrated Third Miss’s boudoir? This was outrageous!

Chenguang strode over with a darkened face, then paused midway.

He couldn’t act rashly. From the looks of it, that scoundrel had already emerged from Third Miss’s boudoir. If he caused a scene here, it wouldn’t be good for the young lady’s reputation.

Chenguang took a deep breath and took a different route straight to the main gate to wait.

Since he was from the Princess Residence, he couldn’t be treated carelessly, so A’Zhu escorted Taosheng to the entrance.

“Sister, take care.”

Seeing his escape at hand, Taosheng relaxed his tense mood. Feeling lighthearted, he naturally had leisure to feel sentimental.

Such a gentle little maid—if only she worked at their Princess Residence.

“Sister A’Zhu, see you again.”

Third Miss Li was his young master’s beloved. If Young Master married Third Miss Li, he could see Sister A’Zhu every day—his words weren’t wrong.

A’Zhu smiled, watching Taosheng walk out the main gate before turning back.

Taosheng looked up at the sky silently and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

He’d finally made it out and even brought Third Miss Li’s thank-you letter. Although the letter was written to the young lady, Young Master would be happy to see it.

Taosheng pressed the letter tucked in his robes and stepped toward one side.

Young Master was still waiting for him over there.

Having completed his mission, Taosheng no longer took small steps, happily striding toward the wall. He had just turned a corner and hadn’t had time to call Chi Can when a hand reached out from beside him, covering his mouth and carrying him off.

Chi Can, who had already spotted Taosheng, was stunned on the spot.

What was happening?

In broad daylight, there was a rogue specifically waiting outside the Li family gate to abduct young ladies?

The more Chi Can thought about it, the angrier he became, hurrying toward Chunfeng Tavern.

He needed to borrow two skilled fighters from Shao Mingyuan to eliminate that audacious rogue, otherwise what would happen if that girl went out someday?

As for Taosheng—

Young Master Chi wasn’t worried at all. After all, once they undressed him and discovered he wasn’t female, it would be fine.

Fearing that carrying someone would be too conspicuous and cause trouble, Chenguang knocked Taosheng unconscious with one palm strike and carried him on his back, running swiftly along small paths. Occasionally, encountering one or two passersby, he would shout: “Make way, make way! My sister has an urgent illness—it’s contagious!”

With a whoosh, anyone who heard scattered away.

Soon, entering Chunfeng Tavern through the back door, Chenguang forcefully pinched Taosheng’s pressure point to wake him up.

Taosheng let out a miserable cry, tearfully calling: “Who are you? What do you want?”

Chenguang sneered: “Don’t think crying like a pear blossom in rain will prevent me from seeing you’re a man!”

What had he done before? If he didn’t even have this much discernment, how could he have served under the General and been entrusted by the General with the important task of protecting Miss Li?

Taosheng was stunned, looking down at his clothing before remembering he was still cross-dressed, and immediately coughing violently.

So embarrassing! He knew the task Young Master assigned wasn’t fit for humans!

A great force came, and Taosheng was directly grabbed by his collar and pressed against the wall by Chenguang.

“Boy, confess honestly—who exactly are you, and why did you infiltrate Third Miss Li’s room?”

Taosheng was grabbed so tightly he couldn’t breathe, desperately clawing at Chenguang’s hands, but the other man didn’t budge.

“Confess honestly!” Chenguang grew more furious the more he thought about it, backhanding Taosheng across the face.

The General had told him to take good care of Third Miss Li, yet problems kept arising one after another—was this trying to make him unable to continue serving under the General?

Anyone who tried to make him unable to serve under the General would finish off first!

Taosheng was stunned by the slap.

Though he was a servant, he had grown up following Chi Can. At most, his master would kick him twice when in a bad mood—where had he ever really been beaten? Immediately, the pain brought tears to his eyes.

He couldn’t cry. He was the Young Master’s servant—lose dignity but not face. How could he cry in front of this damned brute?

The very ambitious servant desperately blinked, trying to force the tears back.

Seeing this, Chenguang became even angrier, spitting on the ground: “Bah! You pervert, trying to use feminine wiles? Think your grandfather has never seen a woman?”

Though he had only seen them, he still wouldn’t be confused by a man!

“Speak! Who exactly are you?” Chenguang’s grip on Taosheng’s collar tightened further.

Having been abducted here, Taosheng had no idea where he was. Seeing Chenguang’s fierce appearance as if wanting to kill and silence him, his heart went cold. In desperation, he suddenly glimpsed a figure and shouted as if seeing salvation: “Help! Assault!”

Chenguang: “…” This pervert was trying to ruin his reputation before the General!

A tall, well-built man walked over, stopping not far away and asking gently: “Chenguang, what’s happening?”

Chenguang nearly wept with joy.

See, see! He knew the General wouldn’t be deceived by appearances!

His innocence was finally preserved.

“General, this person cross-dressed as a woman and infiltrated Third Miss Li’s boudoir!”

Hearing the word “General,” Taosheng’s head buzzed.

Was it the Marquis Guanjun?

Heaven, just let him die!

No, no, no—he was just a servant. Though the Marquis Guanjun often met with Young Master, he shouldn’t pay attention to him, especially since he was wearing women’s clothing…

Taosheng comforted himself, then heard footsteps moving away.

He left?

Yes, the Marquis Guanjun was wise and mighty, handling countless affairs daily—he definitely wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters. Let this brute interrogate him; he would rather die than surrender and absolutely couldn’t reveal his true identity.

“Bring him inside to continue.”

Taosheng’s vision went black, and he nearly fainted.

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Shao Mingyuan sat down, crossing his long legs elegantly, looking coldly at Taosheng with a voice as cold as snow on high mountains: “Cross-dressing? Entered Third Miss Li’s boudoir?”

With each question, his voice grew a degree colder.

Taosheng buried his head deeply, not daring to make a sound.

“Who sent you?”

“It was, it was myself…” He absolutely couldn’t betray Young Master.

“Impossible.” Shao Mingyuan’s tone was certain as he said lightly: “Lift your head.”

Won’t lift it, won’t lift it, rather die than lift it.

Taosheng trembled all over, desperately resisting the oppressive aura emanating from the General.

At this moment, someone shouted outside the door: “General, Young Master Chi has arrived and is waiting for you in the front.”

Shao Mingyuan stood up and walked out without a word.

Hearing the door close, Taosheng nearly wept with joy.

Young Master, your timing couldn’t be better! A moment later, and this servant couldn’t have held out!

Shao Mingyuan entered the private room, and Chi Can immediately stood up: “Tingquan, lend me two men!”