The planned dance couldn’t be performed now, making this heavy costume useless. Better to take it off first.

Closing the door, Feng Yue walked straight to the screen, deftly untying her sash.

“Master…” Ling Shu stood at the door, calling out with an odd expression.

“Hmm?” Poking her head out to look, Feng Yue said: “Your master is changing clothes—could you close the door?”

Belatedly closing the door, Ling Shu was about to say something when she turned to see her master already removing her wide-sleeved jacket, revealing fair arms and shoulders, along with the crimson-wrapped curves of her chest—quite alluring.

Coming to her senses, Ling Shu shook her head, stamped her foot, and hurried over to tug at her master’s skirt: “Look over there!”

Hmm? Feng Yue looked up in the direction she pointed.

Someone sat elegantly drinking tea in a corner chair. His black clothes blended with the shadows, only his calm, emotionless eyes quietly watching her.

Startled, Feng Yue jumped back a step, blinking at him like she was seeing a ghost: “How could you not make a sound?”

Then, thinking of what had happened downstairs, she asked: “Hadn’t you left?”

Seeing Yi Zhang Zhu chase after him so eagerly, he should have stopped outside waiting for his beauty to catch up, then scowled at her until she burst into tears, before finally sighing and taking her into his arms with gentle comfort. That was the proper way to handle women!

“Left a bit quickly, went from the front door around to the back door, came up for some tea.” Looking her up and down quietly, Yin Gezhi said: “You’re not dancing anymore?”

“How can I dance?” She pouted: “Your Miss Yi has led all the customers away—there’s no one to watch even if I did dance.”

She had anticipated Yi Zhang Zhu’s guqin playing wouldn’t ruin the show, but forgot to consider the person herself—the establishment was ruined anyway. What a shame for all the ladies who had prepared for so long. Who knew what state Dream Return House would be in tomorrow?

The man in the corner stood up, walking toward her step by step. Looking at the wide-sleeved jacket hanging on the screen, he reached for it, opened it, and draped it over her shoulders.

Feng Yue was stunned, raising her head in confusion.

The room was still unlit, yet his silhouette became clearer as he drew near, saying softly: “Dance now. I’ll watch.”

His gentle voice made Feng Yue’s heartache. She instinctively turned around, put on her clothes, and nodded: “Alright.”

Ling Shu watched until her face reddened, then bounced out. Yin Gezhi sat by the table, reaching up to light a lamp, but paused and withdrew his hand.

The moonlight outside was perfect, pouring through the open window, and casting a dreamy light on the couch.

Taking a deep breath, Feng Yue removed her dance shoes, casually took two strings of bells from the dressing table to tie around her ankles, lifted her dance skirt, and gracefully jumped onto the couch.

The bright moonlight cast a soft glow on her red dance dress. Outside were thousands of red lanterns and the sound of strings and bamboo. Casually matching a distant tune that floated in, she began her dance, left toe pointing to the right knee, hands meeting above and beside her right ear, waist swaying gracefully, exuding charm.

Pouring himself tea, Yin Gezhi watched calmly, seeing how she danced like a battle flag in the wind, vivid and alive. Though a seductress from the brothel, she somehow resembled a blood-soaked warrior on the battlefield.

The bells rang out, warfare arose, and blood splattered!

Her dance was tragic, like an exhausted general knowing death was certain, fighting with back against the wall, breaking through encirclement, body covered in blood that flowed across mountains and rivers. The scalding red splashed onto a butterfly, which struggled with broken wings, desperately trying to fly, only to fall limply into the water.

He had meant to tease her, wanting to see her alluring charm, but unexpectedly she danced like this, making his heart inexplicably tighten. For a moment he recalled the battlefield of the past, remembering those who fell beside him, and someone forcefully planting the battle flag on the heights of Wei’s border at sunset.

The butterfly struggled to fly, yet that flash of brilliant color rose again, as if reborn as a peerless beauty, steps graceful, features clear, sleeves sweeping as she slowly walked toward him.

The bell sounds became gentle, barely tinkling with each step. Like a cat’s claws scratching at one’s heart, creating an inexplicable yearning.

Yin Gezhi came to his senses, looking at her with complex emotions.

The wide-sleeved jacket fell to the ground as her snow-white arms draped over his shoulders. She bent down, licking her lips seductively: “Young Master, would you like some dessert?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as Yin Gezhi asked hoarsely: “What dessert?”

Lowering her head to kiss him sideways, boldly teasing between lips and teeth, she smiled alluringly, fingertips tracing her brows and eyes as she whispered: “Naturally, it’s beauty’s sweetness.”

The moonlight was intoxicating. Yin Gezhi rolled with her onto the couch, letting her pepper him with quick kisses like a pecking chick, momentarily dazed.

Today, he had come to win her loyalty. Since they’d decided to cooperate, it would be better if she were completely devoted to him. Someone who already claimed to admire him should be easier to subdue.

But how had it turned into this? He seemed to have her in his grasp, yet held nothing at all. Instead, his mind was filled with swirling red dance skirts and bewitching bell sounds.

Crown Prince Yin had known countless women and tasted hundreds of different flavors, yet only felt this way about two people.

Before he could think further, the moonlit enchantress lured him into endless dark currents. His mind struggled to think of something, but in the end could think of nothing except the desire to tear off her dance dress.

In the quiet Not Yin City, there were sounds of passion, and also terrified screams.

Yi Zhang Zhu didn’t know where she was running. Yin Gezhi had long disappeared, and behind her were all the customers who had left Dream Return House. She finally managed to shake them off but got lost.

The street was sparsely populated. Dian Chai said anxiously: “Miss, we need to ask someone for directions and get back quickly.”

“I know that without you saying it, but who can we ask now?” Irritably tugging at her dress, Yi Zhang Zhu was about to complain more when she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

A sword appeared from nowhere, slashing at her arm.

“Ah—” The scream echoed through the entire street. Dian Chai was terrified, looking back at the masked person, her legs trembling.

Yi Zhang Zhu only felt pain, seeing blood seeping from her arm. She immediately said: “You dare attack someone from the General’s mansion—don’t you want to live?”

The masked person gave a cold laugh and raised the sword again. Only then did Yi Zhang Zhu realize they truly meant to kill her. Terrified out of her wits, she turned and ran!

“Help! Help!”

The two women couldn’t run fast at all, but the person behind pursued unhurriedly, occasionally slashing at Yi Zhang Zhu again, cutting her clothes.

A young lady who had been pampered all her life, how could she have ever been hurt? She immediately felt she was dying, screaming more wretchedly, her face covered in tears and mucus.

Just as they were running out of strength and nearly despairing, a group of guards suddenly rushed out from the side, shouting: “Who goes there!”

Seeing this, the masked person immediately turned and vanished.

Almost fainting, Yi Zhang Zhu collapsed to the ground, clutching her arm and crying pitifully: “Save me…”

“Miss Yi?” Someone among the guards recognized her and hurriedly asked: “How did you come here?”

Looking up at the plaque of the mansion beside them—Nan Gong Manor.

The Nan Gong family… Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Yi Zhang Zhu fainted with peace of mind.

Early the next morning, Feng Yue opened her eyes to see Guan Zhi standing with his back to the bed, face bright red, calling softly: “Master.”

Yin Gezhi was sleeping soundly, his arm around Feng Yue’s soft waist, unwilling to open his eyes.

Giving a low laugh, Feng Yue said: “Your master is awake.”

The person beside her opened his eyes with displeasure, glared at her, then slowly propped himself up: “What is it?”

Hearing his master’s voice, Guan Zhi finally relaxed and quickly said: “Something’s happened—Miss Yi was attacked in the city last night. The Crown Prince left the palace early this morning for the General’s mansion.”

Feng Yue was stunned, watching the man beside her quickly get up, dress, and say: “I’ll go check.”

The door opened and closed, the room instantly quiet. Feng Yue raised an eyebrow, looking down at herself, then at the man who had left without a backward glance, thinking: why was their relationship still just that of courtesan and patron? She had danced so hard yesterday—hadn’t that improved anything?

Pouting, she wrapped herself in clothes and got out of bed. Opening the door, she heard several courtesans chatting outside.

Duan Xian sneered: “Never seen such a shameless young lady. With such noble status, yet running out to court death herself.”

“She’s been raised in seclusion, and doesn’t know the dangers of the world,” Jin Ling pouted: “The ones to pity are the common folk. Look at this early morning chaos—the yamen is in an uproar, and the city guard will probably be held accountable too.”

The city guard?

Her mind stirred. Feng Yue turned to see the cleaning woman smiling at her: “Miss, shall I clean?”

Nodding to her, and watching her enter her room, Feng Yue waited a while. After she came out, Feng Yue went straight in, opened the cabinet, and took out a note to read.

“The Crown Prince intends to hold the city guard accountable and has already taken action. Zhao Lin has great wealth from unknown sources. Account books are in a hidden compartment behind the painting in the study, but I cannot get close.”

He Chou might not know martial arts or have anyone’s help, but being able to gather so much information in such a short time was already impressive.

After some thought, Feng Yue burned the note, changed into clean clothes, and grabbed Ling Shu: “I plan to visit Miss He Chou. Stay here and guard well—if anyone comes looking, just tell them where I’ve gone.”

“Alright.” Ling Shu nodded, innocently handing her a box of snacks: “Take these as a gift.”

Solemnly accepting, Feng Yue left, eating the snacks as breakfast along the way, then bought a medium-sized ornament from a nearby porcelain shop and headed to the Commander’s mansion carrying it.

The Commander’s mansion was always difficult to enter, but the doorman was quite understanding. Hearing she was looking for He Chou, he immediately went to announce her. Soon a maid led her in, examining her while asking: “Isn’t Miss He Chou without family or friends? Who might you be?”