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

Frost-covered branches, white as snow, withered and cold.

Xiao Zong entered from outside, his goose feather cloak damp with moisture, his pale face shrouded in gloom, making him awe-inspiring.

He loosened the tie at his collar and subconsciously glanced at the bed.

The woman lay facing outwards, her long, black hair cascading over her shoulders, partially obscuring her fair chin. Her crimson lips seemed to be coated with a silvery sheen, moist and full. Beneath her delicate, arched eyebrows, a pair of beautiful eyes were slightly closed, her long, raven-feather-like eyelashes drooping and fluttering gently with her breath.

Her nightgown was thin, and she hugged her arms, while the thick quilt was only draped over her waist; she didn't know whether she was hot or cold.

Xiao Zong hung the cloak on the frame, strolled to the bedside, and sat down next to her.

He grabbed her arm, brandished the hidden dart, and then put the weapon attached to the slingshot on her arm.

Just right!

Yuan Zhi was woken up by him. Her almond-shaped eyes were still sleepy as she murmured, "I'm so sleepy! Why are you bothering me instead of sleeping after coming back?"

He grabbed her wrist. "I have a gift for you. See if you like it?"

"Where would you buy it in this desolate wilderness..."

She opened her eyes irritably, but when she saw the hidden arrow, her words stopped abruptly. She tried to pull her hand away, but he gripped it even tighter, even turning on the mechanism and pointing it at her chest.

This madman!

"Tell me quickly, do you like it or not?"

"dislike!"

Xiao Zong's voice was languid, with a hint of roguish charm: "Wear it even if you don't like it! There are still three days left on the journey. If there's another assassination attempt, Madam can protect herself!"

Yuan Zhi was filled with hatred. He clearly knew everything, so why didn't he expose her? Did he feel a sense of accomplishment by provoking and testing her with these words, watching her become completely exposed under his pressure?

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her other hand touched Ji Tuo. Didn't he want to die? She would grant his wish!

With lightning speed, Xiao Zong twisted her arm just before she could press down. The arrow flew out, extinguishing the only candle in the tent.

As darkness fell, the flickering embers in the basin allowed the two to vaguely see each other.

"Even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness, yet you show no regard for our past relationship and resort to violence without hesitation!"

"When my husband and Consort Zheng were entangled in their affair, did he ever think of my feelings?"

"She has been kind to me and to the Xiao family, and I cannot fail to repay her kindness! But I can tell you clearly that I have never done anything to wrong you!"

"That sounds nice! Do you think I don't know that Consort Wei is only nominally loyal to me and the County Princess, but in reality, she obeys your orders! You sent her to the palace, can you say it wasn't for Consort Zheng's sake?"

Xiao Zongdao said, "I admit, I wanted to protect Xiangxiang's life, but sending Wei Xueyao to the palace was more because..."

He wanted to say it was to find out the truth about his past life, but Yuan Zhi had no memories of her past life, so she wouldn't understand!

Yuan Zhi was utterly disappointed: "You repay your debt of gratitude, and I shouldn't say anything, but do you even understand that it's Consort Zheng who wants my life now!"

She's powerful because of her son; dealing with me is as easy as crushing an ant. How many times can you save me? On one side is my benefactor, on the other is my wife. If you can't choose, get out of my sight!

Xiao Zong felt a void in his heart; she really intended to leave him!

"I've already warned Xiangxiang not to lay a hand on you again. You can stay by my side without worry!"

"Who wants to stay by your side!" Yuan Zhi sneered. "Do you think I'd care for a man who has two women in his heart at the same time? I borrowed your power when we got married, and now I'm giving you a title. I've repaid that debt. Xiao Zong, I don't owe you anything!"

"You think we're even? I don't agree! Yuanzhi, you'll never escape me in this lifetime! Say it, say you're mine, say you'll always belong to me!"

He leaned down and nibbled at her red lips.

Yuan Zhi slapped him across the face. "Xiao Congyun, wake up! Don't make me look down on you!"

Xiao Zong covered his cheek, laughing in anger, "You hate me so much now? Don't forget, we're husband and wife who've already been married. If you don't want to do this with me, who else would you want to do it with? His Majesty?"

His anger from the day resurfaced, and the thought of her smiling at His Majesty fueled his jealousy.

Yuan Zhi froze, tears welling up from the intense emotions within her. Did he really see her as a woman who would shamelessly climb into the emperor's bed for wealth and status?

She laughed sarcastically, saying against her will, "My husband is right. The emperor, the ruler of the world, what woman wouldn't be tempted by him?"

Xiao Zong gritted his teeth, successfully provoking her.

"Is that man, who is nearly fifty, capable of serving you?"

His large hand ran through her hair, cradling the back of her neck, and brought her to his lips. With his other hand, he removed the hidden dart from her arm, not giving her a chance to harm him, like a god in complete control of her.

Yuan Zhi struggled violently, and a few strands of her hair were tangled in something and torn off. In the struggle, the gauze on her ankle was ripped off, and the burned area felt like it had been scalded with chili peppers, burning with pain.

Her tears flowed even more fiercely as she cursed and swore at him, wishing him to die immediately!

Jealousy almost consumed Xiao Zong's reason. Suddenly, a medicinal fragrance wafted into his nose. He stopped and stared at her blankly.

"You are hurt?"

Yuan Zhi did not answer. Xiao Zong got up, relit the candle, and lifted the blanket to check. When he saw the injury on her ankle, his heart ached, and his eyes were filled with pity.

"Why don't you tell me?"

Yuan Zhi looked at him stubbornly, "Why should I say it?"

Xiao Zong sighed, grabbed her ankle, and wrapped the gauze back around her ankle.

"Whatever you're plotting, if you want to have an affair, you'll only succeed if I die! No, even if I die, you won't have the chance, because before that, I'll kill you first!"

Yuan Zhi's eyes flashed, "Then let's try it and see if you die first, or I die first!"

Xiao Zong sneered, picked her up horizontally, ignored her resistance, and tucked her, blanket and all, into the inner fold. Then he took off his outer robe, extinguished the candle, and held her close for a good night's sleep.

The next day, while everyone was having lunch, Yuan Zhi couldn't eat. He grabbed a fishing rod and went to fish on the frozen riverbed.

A short while later, Consort Yuan's maid came over and said that Her Majesty wanted to see her.

Yuan Zhi boarded a magnificent carriage. Although it was called a carriage, the interior space was actually enormous, almost the size of a room.

"What does Your Majesty wish to see me about?"

"We are sisters in name only. We've been out of the capital for so many days. If we don't see each other soon, won't people become suspicious?"

Yuan Zhi's smile didn't reach her eyes. "That's true! But Her Majesty summoned me here not just to reminisce, is it?"

Jiang Rou poured her a cup of tea and said, "Sister, you are a smart person. I won't beat around the bush. I invited you here to persuade you to abandon darkness and embrace the light."

Yuan Zhi wanted to say that the two of them weren't blood sisters and didn't need to address each other so affectionately. However, fearing that the walls might overhear, she swallowed her words.

What is light? What is darkness?

"Listening to both sides leads to enlightenment; listening to only one side leads to ignorance."

Jiang Rou dipped her finger in tea and wrote two characters on the table: "Rou" and "Wei".

She circled the character "Wei" and asked, "Have you heard this story before, sister?"

Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao.

Yuan Zhi took a sip of tea. "I've heard of it, but I don't understand what Your Majesty means."

Jiang Rou added the character "Yuan" before the character "Rou," then slid her finger between the two characters and cut them off.

“My sister and I have each found a good husband. Although it is said that a woman should obey her husband after marriage, we are ultimately of the same lineage and share the same fate. I should listen to my sister’s good advice.”

What if I don't listen?

Jiang Rou pulled out the hairpin and held it to her neck. "Sister, you're so willful. Don't you know that when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken?"

Yuan Zhi was horrified. For a concubine to commit suicide was a grave crime, yet Jiang Rou was using the Yuan family as leverage to win her over?!