ng Qianqian’s heart skipped a beat, an indescribable emotion surged through her chest.
He knew.
He had known all along.
Of course. As clever as he was, how could he not have guessed that her resolve to seek revenge through the Thousand chanism Pavilion wasn’t solely due to the hatred towards the Chu Family?
ng Qianqian stared dazedly at him, and in his gaze of utmost tenderness, she saw unwavering support and resolve.
At this mont, all words seed pale and aningless.
At last, she no longer denied that she was Shang Xiaojiu, nor did she ask him when he figured it out or how he convinced himself to accept and believe she was soone reborn.
It didn’t matter anymore.
That he was willing to stand steadfast by her side on this thorny path of revenge was already enough.
Resolutely, she nodded, as though confirming an unspoken pact between the two: "Alright."
She leapt down.
Lu Yuan stood at the base of the courtyard wall, gazing up at the spot where she had been perched.
All of a sudden, a mischievous head poked out.
Lu Yuan smiled faintly: "Not leaving yet?"
ng Qianqian ruffled her bangs and mumbled softly: "You being so gentle all of a sudden...I’m not used to it..."
Lu Yuan: "Hmm?"
"Nothing, just suddenly felt like doing sothing."
ng Qianqian blinked, half of her body sticking into the courtyard, hesitated for a mont, then shrank back onto the wall.
Lu Yuan smirked: "Is this what you want to do?"
He raised his hand, clasped ng Qianqian’s head, and kissed her red lips with a domineering yet gentle touch.
...
In the dead of night.
ng Qianqian returned stealthily to Lady Yan’s courtyard, dressed in night clothes and her face veiled.
As soon as she pushed open her door, a stern voice sounded from inside: "So, you still rembered to co back?"
ng Qianqian’s heart raced with alarm: "Master, what are you doing in my room?"
Lady Yan said flatly: "Lighting the lamp."
"Oh."
ng Qianqian obediently produced a fire starter and lit an oil lamp.
The warm, yellow light illuminated her delicate face, with rosy undertones, sparkling eyes full of charm, lips naturally crimson, vibrant without any adornnt—though perhaps a bit too red tonight.
She had been the mistress of the Everblossom Pavilion for years; it’d be embarrassing if she couldn’t tell what this girl had been up to.
"Were you passing a ssage or secretly eting a lover?"
ng Qianqian pursed her lips: "Can’t it be both?"
Lady Yan said irritably: "Your head’s about to be handed over, yet you still have ti for romance."
ng Qianqian showered her master with flattery: "Isn’t it because I have you, Master? Your powers are vast—I’m sure you’ll help your disciple escape unhard!"
Lady Yan: "Stop buttering up!"
ng Qianqian: "Oh."
"Really, who did you take after?"
Lady Yan shot her a glare full of exasperation, recalling what her own senior sister had said, "You, always admitting fault but never truly changing. Be careful, or you’ll lead Little Nine astray."
She cleared her throat awkwardly, then said with feigned indifference, "Did you go sowhere you shouldn’t have today?"
"Nope."
ng Qianqian replied without hesitation.
Lady Yan’s sharp gaze pinned her: "Are you sure?"
ng Qianqian answered firmly: "Absolutely sure."
Lady Yan gave her a long look: "If you truly are her, you’d better make sure the Thousand chanism Pavilion doesn’t discover your secret, or even I won’t be able to protect you."
It wasn’t the first ti Lady Yan had warned her not to be discovered by the Thousand chanism Pavilion.
In the past, she would’ve treated it as an ordinary caution.
But now, she saw it differently.
Gongsun Liuying had taken her Life Chart.
Recently, Gongsun Liuying had begun to falter increasingly often.
Counting the days, it coincided with her own entry into the Thousand chanism Pavilion not long ago.
Could this an her presence disrupted Gongsun Liuying’s Life Chart?
It felt as though the Life Chart sensed the summons of its original owner and was struggling to break free from its constraints, longing to return to its rightful place.
Such speculation might seem exaggerated, yet if true, reclaiming her Life Chart could be easier than anticipated.
But if the Thousand chanism Pavilion caught wind of this, they would spare no effort to kill her.
Was this the "both a great calamity and great fortune" that Mr. Zimu once ntioned?
Rather than feeling afraid, ng Qianqian found herself becoming excited.
"What mischief are you plotting again, girl?"
Noticing the gleam in ng Qianqian’s eyes, Lady Yan regretted her earlier reminder.
She should have known better; this girl was born defiant and gutsy. The more forbidden sothing was, the more driven she beca to do it, utterly fearless.
ng Qianqian’s gaze returned to Lady Yan’s face.
Lady Yan definitely knew sothing about the Life Chart, but she seed unwilling to divulge it.
So be it.
Whether she spoke or not mattered little; after all, ng Qianqian had mostly pieced it together on her own.
"The Thousand chanism Pavilion massacred my Shang Family, leaving not even innocent mbers alive. I’ll make them pay in blood and reclaim what’s mine."
Lady Yan furrowed her brows.
ng Qianqian seeking revenge against the Thousand chanism Pavilion didn’t surprise her.
But that last phrase, "reclaim what’s mine," seed to carry a deeper aning.
"You—"
She hesitated, then said, "I’m going to rest now."
ng Qianqian curved her lips into a smile: "Master, when you go to the palace tomorrow, rember to bring along."
Lady Yan stopped in her tracks, her brows knitting slightly: "The Pavilion Master didn’t ntion taking to the palace."
ng Qianqian smiled: "Master, take your ti."
The next morning, as dawn broke, news from the palace arrived—
The Empress was unwell, bedridden.
That wouldn’t do. The Empress, being the legitimate mother, didn’t need to rely be bedridden; even a sneeze would prompt the Princes to enter the palace to care for her.
The little eunuch delivering the imperial edict explained: "I heard Prince Jian is also attending."
Even Lu Qi went to display filial piety—how could Lu Yuan, also an Imperial Grandson, remain indifferent?
Lu Zhaoyan wasn’t foolish.
He had spies in the Imperial Palace. Today’s events were clearly targeting his son.
Fine. Let them see for themselves that Lu Zhaoyan’s son wasn’t soone to be trifled with.
"Son, I couldn’t protect you in the past when I wasn’t there, but from now on, I won’t let you be bullied again."
Lu Zhaoyan had even rehearsed comforting words for his son. The mont he entered the courtyard, he was interrupted by his rebellious child.
"I’m not bringing my mother along. n’s business—don’t involve her."
Lu Zhaoyan shot his son a glare.
I ca to find you, not drag Xiao Bai into this ss!
Lu Zhaoyan took a deep breath. How could he have such an insufferable son? All the sentintal words he’d prepared vanished into nothingness.
"I just wanted to check if your mother was awake, say a few words to her, and leave."
"Oh, my mother’s willing to see you?"
The first stab of the day was driven into his heart by his son.
Ever since Liu Qingyun learned she’d slept with her sworn brother, she had been mortified, avoiding Lu Zhaoyan for days.
Lu Zhaoyan, expressionless, said: "If you don’t speak, no one will mistake you for a mute."
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Doesn’t seem like you want to pursue my mother."
Lu Zhaoyan’s face turned cold instantly: "Speak."
Lu Yuan smirked and said, "If you want to court a woman, you’ve got to appeal to her interests. Want to tell you what my mother likes?"
Lu Zhaoyan looked at his son.
Lu Yuan made a gesture for money.
Lu Zhaoyan handed over a silver note worth a thousand taels, his face black as coal.
Lu Yuan pocketed the note: "My mother, she likes sleeping."
Lu Zhaoyan: "...!!"
Lu Zhaoyan grabbed a nearby stick.
Lu Yuan bolted.
"Ji Feng! Hold him down for !"
"Mother! Your man is hitting your son—"
Bang!
Liu Qingyun kicked her door open and stord out, fury blazing.
In the courtyard, Lu Zhaoyan was tidying Lu Yuan’s collar, speaking gently and warmly, the picture of a doting father: "Rember to stay close to when we go to the palace later."
Lu Yuan didn’t move his lips: "Five thousand taels."
Lu Zhaoyan: "Three thousand."
Lu Yuan opened his mouth: "Mother—"
Lu Zhaoyan: "Deal."
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