They were both home flowers—why did my lord treat Shen Guiyan so well? Jiang Shi felt puzzled, her willow-leaf brows furrowing lightly.

If her whole heart hadn’t fallen for Gu Chaobei, she wouldn’t have helped him deceive her master for so long. She was originally sent to bewitch him, but unexpectedly she was bewitched by him instead. Call her useless if you will, but Gu Chaobei was truly too gentle—she couldn’t resist.

“You think I’m that intimate with Yan’er?” Gu Chaobei laughed. “No matter how beautiful she is, she’s still a home flower. I don’t have a taste for that. You’re no different from her—it’s just that she’s above and you’re below.”

Jiang Shi’s eyes brightened slightly. “Really?”

“What benefit would I get from lying to you?” Gu Chaobei smiled at her, bent at the waist and pushed her down onto the bed, burying his head at her neck intimately.

Jiang Shi embraced him, comforting herself that my lord must have been drained by those vixens outside. Once he stayed in the residence more often, it would be fine.

Even someone like Shen Guiyan hadn’t received his favor—she needn’t be too anxious.

Under the bed, Shen Guiyan listened to the movements on the bed, having long since cursed Gu Chaobei from the hair on his head to his toes in her heart.

This bastard, with all this talk of home flowers and wild flowers—if Shuangjiang hadn’t interrupted last time, the way he was acting, as if he could have held back. His mouth spoke nothing but rubbish, and his actions were strange and peculiar—did this man have even half a sincere heart?

After being intimate for a while above, Gu Chaobei seemed tired. Jiang Shi was also perceptive and withdrew on her own. Shen Guiyan hurriedly held her breath and played dead, lest he detect her.

The room was quiet for a while, but Gu Chaobei didn’t seem like he was going to sleep. The room door creaked—it seemed someone else had entered.

“The death warriors have already been sent into the palace. The young mistress has safely left the city. Everything awaits dawn.”

Another unfamiliar voice, though much gentler than the daytime one.

Gu Chaobei nodded. “Then you should also go rest.”

“Yes.”

The sound of rustling clothes being removed came from above. Shen Guiyan had no sleepiness at all, but Gu Chaobei peacefully planned to sleep.

Where did those people come from? And why did Gu Chaobei send death warriors into the palace? Wasn’t he always a carefree, accomplishing-nothing wastrel? Others all said he was worthless, but why did she feel he was playing a very large game behind the scenes?

She lay with her eyes open thinking for a long time until she was truly tired. Only then did Shen Guiyan close her eyes to sleep.

But she hadn’t slept long when, just as the sky outside was growing light, the room door was suddenly pushed open.

Gu Chaobei naturally woke up. His hands and feet were very nimble as he closed the door and helped the entering person sit at the table’s edge.

“Mission accomplished…”

Shen Guiyan only heard these four words, then there was a muffled thud.

The room was very quiet, but outside there were some sounds—it seemed people were making their way through the Prime Minister’s residence and had already reached the northern courtyard’s entrance.

Gu Chaobei didn’t hesitate. He immediately stuffed the person he was supporting under the bed, then swiftly cleaned up the bloodstains on the floor and opened the door to randomly pull in a passing maid.

“Ah! Young Master.” It happened to be Shuangjiang, startled by Gu Chaobei’s action.

“Morning is the best time to attend to me.” Gu Chaobei’s voice was somewhat hoarse, sounding heart-stirring.

Shuangjiang’s face reddened. Without a word, she pressed herself against Gu Chaobei, allowing him to tear open her clothes. Outer robes and inner skirts were strewn across the floor.

Shen Guiyan covered her mouth tightly to keep from crying out. She’d been hiding peacefully when suddenly there was a half-dead person beside her. The black clothes were one thing, but the face was also covered in blood—terrifying no matter how you looked at it.

Fortunately she was calm enough. Otherwise, if she’d caused trouble for Gu Chaobei at this moment, he wouldn’t be able to get through this.

Some moaning sounds came from the bed. Shen Guiyan’s face flushed as her fingers tightened slightly. She glanced at the unconscious man in black beside her, covered her mouth and closed her eyes.

The sounds outside quickly drew near. The main house door was pushed open again—the footsteps indicated at least seven or eight people had entered.

“This…”

“Ah!” Shuangjiang screamed, startling everyone at the door who all retreated.

“What are you doing?” Gu Chaobei got off the bed and grabbed a vase from the side to throw at them, his attitude extremely arrogant. “You dare break into my courtyard? Do you know this official is the newly appointed Vice Minister of Justice?”

The people outside all froze. The leader cupped his hands. “This subordinate is from the Internal Palace Monitoring. Following an assassin’s trail here, where we’ve been offensive, I ask for Your Excellency’s forgiveness.”

“Assassin?” Gu Chaobei frowned. “What assassin would be in the Prime Minister’s residence? Are you saying the Prime Minister has treasonous intentions?”

“This subordinate wouldn’t dare.” That person said, “But the assassin’s trail truly disappeared near the Prime Minister’s residence. The Prime Minister, upon learning of this, has already ordered us to search the residence freely.”

Gu Chaobei looked thoroughly displeased. “I’m taking advantage of my wife’s absence to properly pamper a maid. I haven’t seen any assassin. You’ve disrupted my pleasure—how will you compensate?”

The Internal Palace Monitor frowned. A sword-bearing guard beside him said quietly, “Your Excellency doesn’t know—this Fourth Young Master Gu is habitually undisciplined, a wastrel who only knows how to indulge in women. There’s no need to search here—there definitely won’t be anything.”

Gu Chaobei frowned with dissatisfaction. “I heard that. Who are you calling a wastrel?”

“This lowly one wouldn’t dare!” The guard who’d just spoken quickly retreated several steps, tugging at the Internal Palace Monitor’s sleeve, wanting him to leave.

The Internal Palace Monitor was only following Deputy Commander Hu. If they didn’t find anyone, he wouldn’t be the one punished upon return. The person before him looked difficult to provoke—his heart was already backing down. “Your Excellency, please calm your anger. Since you say there’s nothing, this subordinate will take his leave first.”

Relieved inside but still stern-faced, Gu Chaobei waved his hand impatiently. “Go quickly. I still need to continue my business.”

“Yes.” The Internal Palace Monitor bowed and was about to lead everyone out.

“Wait!” An angry shout came from behind. Gu Chaobei froze as the guards at the door parted and a person wearing shoulder armor pushed in.

“The blood trail ended at this northern courtyard. How can you just not search?” This was Hu Chang, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Forest Army and a favorite before the Empress. When he stood inside and roared, the guards behind him instantly gained confidence, all looking toward the room.

Cursing under his breath, Gu Chaobei scooped up the naked Shuangjiang with one arm and sat on the bed. “So it’s Deputy Commander Hu. If you insist on searching, I can’t stop you. Search away, just don’t disturb me and my beauty.”

Hu Chang glanced at him and snorted coldly. With a wave of his hand, three guards entered and examined all the tables and cabinets.

Gu Chaobei was rarely this composed, kissing Shuangjiang’s neck in his arms as if no one else existed. Shuangjiang was bold enough too—her coquettish voice rang out. The people in the room and at the door didn’t dare look toward the bed, only searching around with lowered heads before reporting at the door: “Reporting to Deputy Commander—nothing.”

Hu Chang squinted, not avoiding looking at Gu Chaobei and Shuangjiang on the bed at all. “Have you checked under the bed?”

Shen Guiyan’s breathing tightened.

The smile on Gu Chaobei’s face also faded slightly. “Isn’t Deputy Commander Hu going too far? Is today deliberately meant to make things difficult for me?”

“This official is only following orders.” Hu Chang snorted and beckoned behind him. “Look under the bed.”

Gu Chaobei released Shuangjiang and stood up, his clothes half-open, a hint of anger between his brows. “Does Deputy Commander Hu think that with Empress’s backing, he can humiliate me like this? Already searched once and still searching again, repeatedly interrupting me and my lovely concubine—what exactly is your intention?”

“Why must Lord Gu be so agitated?” Hu Chang said coldly. “The Sixth Prince was assassinated—it’s a grave matter. Just checking under that bed will clear suspicion. Why must Your Excellency obstruct?”

Not obstructing means certain death. Gu Chaobei gritted his teeth and stood before Hu Chang. “Everyone knows I, Gu Four, have a strange temper and am habitually undisciplined. You’ve displeased me today—I don’t care who you are, unless you step over my corpse, otherwise, don’t even think about it!”

Everyone in the room froze. Hu Chang also frowned, his hand already on his sword hilt.

“Bei’er.” Prime Minister Gu’s voice sounded from outside.

His heart sank. Gu Chaobei’s face turned ashen. Truly escaping one disaster only to face another—with the Prime Minister here, he couldn’t stop them no matter what.

His eyes slightly reddened, sweeping a glance at the people at the door, Gu Chaobei was already calculating the likelihood of slaughtering all these people in this courtyard.

“Father.”

“Stop this nonsense.” The Prime Minister stepped into the room, frowning as he swept a glance at his appearance, then looked at the disheveled Shuangjiang beside him. With a darkened face he said, “Stand aside. Even willfulness has limits!”

Gu Chaobei’s body stiffened. Hu Chang personally came forward and pushed him aside with one motion. “If they can’t search, then I’ll do it myself!”

His thick hand reached for the brocade hanging down from the bed. Gu Chaobei couldn’t help turning his head away, killing intent surging in his heart.

A delicate jade hand extended from under the bed, gently blocking Hu Chang’s hand. Hu Chang froze, somewhat dumbfounded for a moment, then heard a woman’s voice from under the bed: “No need to search. It’s me down here.”

Gu Chaobei sucked in a breath of cold air and turned to look toward the bed. The Prime Minister beside him also frowned and stepped forward.

Shen Guiyan lifted the brocade and slowly crawled out. Her autumn-water eyes swept toward Hu Chang with some resentment. “I didn’t expect Your Excellency to be so brilliant and divine. This concubine has been hiding here for so long—my husband didn’t even discover me, but Your Excellency saw through it at a glance.”

What a beautiful lady! Hu Chang’s eyes went straight. But Shen Guiyan couldn’t stand up. Forcing herself to endure the pain in her back, she half-leaned against the bed. “Fortunately I had a whim to hide under the bed today, otherwise I wouldn’t have caught this good affair… Shuangjiang, how dare you!”

The disheveled Shuangjiang stood to the side, looking somewhat frightened at the young mistress who was much more fierce than usual. She instinctively knelt down. “Young Mistress, forgive me! This servant didn’t intentionally seduce Young Master—it was Young Master…”

Only then did Hu Chang come to his senses, glancing at Gu Chaobei. “This…”

Gu Chaobei ignored him, eyes wide. “Didn’t my lady say you were returning to your natal family today? How could you be hiding under this bed?”

Shen Guiyan snorted and bowed down toward the Prime Minister. “I beg Father-in-law to make the decision!”