Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Yuan Pu waited at home for a long time, but his daughter did not come. So he visited Wei Yan Lou again.

Yuanzhi was serving wine to the customers when she saw her father rushing over angrily. She calmly handed the wine ladle to the waiter and led the men upstairs.

The door slammed shut, and Yuan Pu's roar came through the door.

"The Yuan family is on the verge of collapse, and you still have the mind to busy yourself with business?"

Yuan Zhi raised his eyes, "Father, why don't you shout even louder, so that everyone in Shengjing can see what kind of despicable things you've done!"

Yuan Pu swallowed hard and lowered his voice, "Has anything been done about the roster?"

"Have!"

"Tell me quickly!"

Yuan Zhi's eyes were cold and icy as she suppressed her disgust and stared at him. "Then answer me first: did you kill the minister who died today?"

“…Yes.” Yuan Pu paused before replying.

"There were more than just one or two people who knew about this back then. You can kill one, but can you kill thousands or millions? How many crimes do you have to commit before you're satisfied?"

"You don't need to worry about it! Just tell me where the roster is, and I'll handle the rest!"

Seeing that he was still stubborn, Yuan Zhi said sternly, "I know, but I won't tell you. Father, instead of dealing with me, you should seek help from the ***!"

"If I could find her, would I waste my breath talking to you?"

Yuan Pu was furious. Ever since Qingzhou, the authorities had stopped interfering in his affairs. Last night, he hired someone to kill two officials in the capital, so the authorities would never cooperate with him again.

"There are no secrets that stay hidden forever. How long do you think you can keep your actions a secret? While the Three Departments and the Leopard Guard are investigating, confess your crimes as soon as possible to save the Yuan family! Only then can you save your only son!"

The man's face twisted in a ferocious grin. "What, you think that just because the Yuan family has fallen, you can claim kinship with the Marquis's mansion? Don't dream. You are indeed my daughter, Yuan Pu, and have absolutely no relation to Chu Xia!"

Yuan Zhi looked puzzled. "Father, what are you talking about? I don't understand."

"Still pretending? You went to Shuozhou to investigate your mother's background, didn't you? Unfortunately, that old hag only knew one side of the story, not the other."

"Your mother and Chu Xia were indeed in love, but she was still a virgin the night she conceived you after spending the night with me. So, stop dreaming that you're the granddaughter of the Marquis of Changping. Even if your bloodline is tainted, it's still a gift from the Yuan family!"

A sharp, long cry exploded in his ears, and Yuan Zhi looked panicked, staggering back two steps.

How could it be that my mother and Uncle Chu were in love with each other?

“I was born in April of the second year of the Zaiyuan era. Counting from that, my mother was pregnant with me in June of the early Zaiyuan era. At that time, Uncle Chu was still alive. If the two of them were in love, how could my mother have ended up with you…”

Didn't your mother say that she gave birth to you prematurely?

Yuan Pu's eyes flashed with malice. "My wedding night with your mother was the very night the news of Chu Xia's death reached us. Hahaha, the eldest son of the Marquis of Changping, how high and mighty, how incredibly talented!"

"Then let him see for himself how his woman pleases me! And his official position, everything he has, I will take it all away! I will make sure Chu Xia never rests in peace, even in death!"

Yuan Zhi was so shocked by his father's frenzied appearance that he was speechless. He had simply gone mad!

Yuan Pu lunged forward, grabbing her arm tightly, his eyes glistening with tears, but the curve of his lips grew increasingly eerie.

"And you are the continuation of my sins! We are so alike, equally indifferent, equally despicable, equally cynical. You should stand on my side, you must stand on my side! Tell me, where is the register?"

Yuan Zhi's arms ached from his grip, her beautiful eyes, unfocused, stared silently at his distorted face. She was like a puppet on strings in his hands, soulless and completely at his mercy.

"Qi Ren, Doctor of the Imperial Academy."

Yuan Pu laughed loudly, released her, opened the door, and rushed out.

Yuan Zhi slumped to the ground. A maid came over and helped her up, asking with concern, "Master, are you alright?"

"fine."

Yuan Zhi's eyes flickered slightly. Although her father's words had frightened her, everything was still under control.

Xiao Zong has increased manpower at the Qi residence and the injured officials' residence. Even if Father knows the location of the roster, it would be extremely difficult for him to bypass the Leopard Guards and enter the Qi residence to search for them.

On the contrary, the people his father sent would become important witnesses in his imprisonment.

By tonight at the latest, Qi Ren's son will steal the roster and, through Xu Muxin, put it in ***'s bedroom.

Yuan Zhi closed her eyes, reminding herself to stay calm.

She sat in the house all afternoon. As dusk fell, Xu Muxin had Jiang Bai send a message saying that the matter had been settled.

Yuan Zhi felt relieved and, as usual, waited until the restaurant closed before going home.

When Xiao Zong returned, she had already taken a nap. Hearing the noise, she sat up in bed.

The canopy of the four-poster bed was lowered, and after Xiao Zong extinguished the candle, the surroundings were pitch black.

She breathed softly as she heard him tiptoe towards her. The moment the curtain was lifted, she threw herself into his arms, feeling the man stiffen slightly, and she laughed triumphantly.

"How about that? Scared, huh!"

"Naughty!" Xiao Zong slapped her on the bottom. "Aren't you afraid I'll mistake you for an assassin and execute you on the spot?"

Yuan Zhi nuzzled against his neck, smelling the familiar scent of soapberry, feeling an extra longing and reluctance to part.

If her father makes his move tonight, the entire Yuan family will be arrested and imprisoned tomorrow. Even if she and her third brother manage to save their lives, they will still face jail time.

Tonight will be the last night they can hold each other tightly.

She composed herself and said jokingly, "Tell me how you would execute someone on the spot."

The tent was filled with the cool scent of plum blossoms, a fragrance Yuan Zhi often used. Xiao Zong inhaled her delicate scent, his arms tightening around her, his heart beginning to flutter.

His voice was hoarse and deep, like sand rolling over: "Other assassins, of course, are subjected to severe torture. But someone like Madam, she'll have to be devoured and fed to her heart's content!"

Yuan Zhi smiled and said, "The assassins are like lambs to the slaughter, Commander, what are you waiting for?"

After this, Xiao Zong suspected that she had ulterior motives and immediately let go of her hand.

"What kind of trick are they up to now?"

Yuan Zhi sighed softly, "What kind of schemes could a weak woman like me possibly have? I'm just lonely in my boudoir and wanted to find a handsome young man to spend some time with. Since you're not willing, I'll just go find someone else!"

As she spoke, she was about to get out of bed.

Before she could even put on her shoes, Xiao Zong dragged her back and pressed her shoulders down onto the bed.

His eyes were like those of a wolf, brimming with possessiveness. "I'm here, who else are you looking for?"

Yuan Zhi looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes, "Princess Pingyi has quite a few male lovers. I think they are all outstanding individuals, with extraordinary bearing..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Zong's lips swiftly pressed down, silencing her rambling. The kiss lasted unusually long; Yuan Zhi struggled to breathe, pushed him away to catch her breath, only to be pulled back by him.

She cried and begged for forgiveness, "I was wrong... I... I'll never... talk nonsense again!"

Xiao Zong wiped away her tears, "Save your tears, it's not time to cry yet."

After saying that, he stripped off her thin nightgown and bent down.