Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

He pulled her close and coldly uttered those words.

"You think I'll let you go? Don't even think about it. Even if you die, you won't get rid of me."

"A woman as promiscuous as you would be a menace if you were released."

Shen Ningzhu clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug deep into her flesh. In her mind, she cursed the scoundrel and the lunatic, telling him to die.

She must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to run into such a despicable man. That stinking mouth of his—she wanted to tear him to shreds. Luckily, she now understood that he wouldn't kill her easily, so she stopped paying him any attention.

He kicked the person to the ground, then rolled off the bed and prepared to go to sleep.

The man flew into a rage, slammed his fist onto her wrist, and gritted his teeth.

“Shen Ningzhu…”

Shen Ningzhu sneered. What's with all the yelling? As long as she doesn't die, she's not afraid.

He frowned, trying to shake off the grip, but found that the other person was holding him very tightly, as if he was about to crush his bones. The man's arm muscles were taut, and his body trembled slightly.

Shen Ningzhu looked at him.

In the candlelight, his sharply defined profile flickered in and out of focus, his eyes swirling with complex and intense emotions.

Anger, resentment, and the humble plea and grievances hidden deep within.

Shen Ningzhu pursed her lips, turned around, and placed her bare feet on his boots, gently hugging his waist. Seeing him visibly stiffen, she took a step back to create some distance, and said in a soft voice,

"I was really kidnapped by Prince Chen. After finally escaping, when I went to look for you, you were gone. I thought..."

"Thought I was dead?"

"Oh right, so... ah—"

The man violently threw her away, and she, caught off guard, lost her balance and fell to the ground.

My palms felt raw and burned; my knees were scraped, and bright red blood trickled down my kneecaps, slid over my fair, shiny calves, and stained the soft carpet.

The red and white colors create a striking contrast.

Like white snow and red plum blossoms.

Just then, the candlelight flickered, and a tall figure appeared in front of him.

The other person was breathing rapidly, clearly not expecting this to happen. He hurriedly knelt on one knee in front of her, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

His large hand grasped her round calf.

"Quickly, let me see how serious your injury is?"

Shen Ningzhu didn't want to see him in the first place, and now her patience was completely exhausted. She stretched out her foot to kick him, but he held it down forcefully.

"Don't move, I'll give you medicine."

Without waiting for a reply, he picked the person up, strode to the bedside, lifted the curtain, and gently placed the person on the couch.

He quickly retrieved the first-aid kit, carefully treated her wound, sprinkled on some medicine powder, and then bandaged it with gauze.

Shen Ningzhu watched his practiced manner, her fingers curling slightly, a chill running down her spine.

He even knew exactly where she kept her medicine chest. Yet Song Hanchuan had clearly said that he already had most of the court under his control.

Why does Jiang Xuan Yan still possess such strength?

The guards in the manor were all handpicked by Song Hanchuan, and each of them was capable of taking on a hundred men.

The entire household had dozens of people, with guards both overt and covert, yet Jiang Xuan Yan still walked in so easily. There was no attempt to stop him from entering, and no sound was even made.

Shen Ningzhu felt a chill down her spine and her hands and feet were icy cold.

Fear and apprehension spread rapidly in my heart.

Shen Ningzhu stared intently at him, unable to comprehend what kind of powerful monster he truly was. He inspired both hatred and fear, a desire to kill him, yet an inability to do so.

After bandaging her wound, the man carefully blew on it, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Shen Ningzhu, however, did not appreciate it.

He always does this, hurting her while giving her a condescending smile and expecting her to be grateful. But why should she?

Shen Ningzhu coldly withdrew her leg.

His brows and eyes were distant, his gaze indifferent, and his tone conveyed a coldness that kept people at a distance.

"If Your Majesty has nothing else to say, please leave. I'm tired and want to go to sleep."

Jiang Xuan Yan pressed his lips tightly together.

He'd already taken the initiative to back down, yet she still didn't appreciate it? Even though she was clearly in the wrong, she acted all high and mighty, trying to chase him away.

Between him and her, it's not her place to make the decision.

Jiang Xuan Yan knelt by the bed, still in the position of applying medicine to her, and scoffed coldly.

"What if I don't?"

Jiang Xuan Yan was born a favored son of heaven and was always pampered. He had never been looked down upon like this before, let alone by a woman.

Once, twice.

This woman trampled his self-esteem underfoot and crushed it mercilessly.

Jiang Xuan Yan tightened his lips, pressing them into a straight line, the coldness in his eyes almost freezing Shen Ning Zhu into an ice sculpture.

"When I leave and when I stay is up to me. It's not your place to kick me out. Shen Ningzhu, you've schemed against me and deceived me time and time again. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

"what do you want?"

"Anyone who dares to scheme against me will pay the price."

Jiang Xuan Yan looked at Shen Ning Zhu's stunned eyes, and his gaze couldn't help but move downwards, landing on her neckline, where her fair skin was covered by a light veil, revealing her exquisite collarbone.

It was just a small section of her jade-like neck, yet it was inexplicably alluring, causing Jiang Xuan Yan's heart to burn with desire.

Jiang Xuan Yan quickly looked away and met Shen Ning Zhu's dazed eyes.

Those eyes were both innocent and alluring, so innocent yet captivating that Jiang Xuan Yan was almost fooled by them again.

He thought about how she had said she loved him to death one minute, and then she had taken advantage of his absence to fake her death and run away the next.

While standing in front of Jiang Yanche to confront him, she leaned against him with a shy and coy demeanor, seemingly both resisting and welcoming, all the while creating a false impression, attempting to use his hand to kill Jiang Yanche.

Thinking of this, Jiang Xuan Yan felt a surge of anger.

He couldn't understand how a woman could be so heartless. Thinking back to Jiang Yanche's foolish act of storming into Luoshui Town, he realized that he had clearly been deceived by this woman.

Jiang Xuan Yan's eyes sharpened even more.

The cold voice was like a sharp sword, and the fingertips caressed her knee, applying a little pressure as they pressed on her wound.

The newly bandaged wound started bleeding again, staining the snow-white gauze red.

Shen Ningzhu hissed in pain.

The man sneered, his bloodshot eyes giving him a sinister and arrogant look, as if he were seriously ill. "So you can feel pain too? I thought you didn't feel pain and had no heart."

This reminded Shen Ningzhu of the scene in the dungeon, so she quickly lied and said that she was menstruating and feeling unwell.

"Really? Let me touch it." Shen Ningzhu vs. Jiang Xuanyan. (Image caption: Shen Ningzhu's face is full of horror.)

Then, as expected, he reached out and xx, his smile mocking, his tone filled with deep disappointment.

"As expected... Ha..."

Suddenly, she pressed down hard with her fingertips, winding her way inward. "Shen Ningzhu, I remember telling you that deceiving me will have consequences. Why can't you ever remember that? Hmm?"

"you--"

Shen Ningzhu was both shocked and furious. Her face flushed red instantly, and she trembled with anger as she cursed the other party for being shameless.