After deceiving the villain, I was forced to love him.

but--

Open the perfume, take a deep breath, and inhale deeply.

The scent was different from the one on the back of his wrist earlier.

So, she was probably overthinking it...

But looking at the scenery outside the carriage, Baili Ce couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

“Young lady…” Bi Cui was about to burst into tears as soon as she saw Bai Li Ce.

"Are you alright?" Baili Ce's eyes changed, and his attitude turned cold.

“…Yes.” Just as Bicui was about to step onto the carriage, she sensed something was wrong, immediately stopped, withdrew her foot, and stood properly.

"Everyone is feeling much better after using the medicine brought by the Wang family head."

Tears can disappear in an instant.

Wow, that's a pretty quick reaction!

However, Baili Ce did not ask any further questions.

Sometimes, turning a blind eye is more effective than strict vigilance.

Especially when the other party thinks they've hidden it well.

She leaned back against the cushions with her eyes closed, now she was going to be the wicked young lady. "Now that you're all better, you can stand outside and serve me."

“…” Bi Cui was stunned for a moment, looked at Bai Li Ce in disbelief, wanted to argue, but held back and quietly retreated to the carriage window.

......

After leaving Baili Ce, Wang Qingyan rode his horse to the ruins of the post station.

"What time is it now?"

At the four quarters past Shenshi (4 PM), in front of the burned-out gate, the servant led the horse over and answered respectfully.

Wang Qingyan glanced at the shadows on the ground and realized the time was about right, just like the servant had said. He snapped his fingers and walked toward the center of the ruins.

With the snap of his fingers, the two rows of guards standing on the left and right sides instantly froze and went into hibernation.

Even the servant who had been leading Wang Qingyan's horse stopped pulling on the reins like a block of wood.

In the center of the ruins lies the assassin who attacked Baili Ce yesterday.

With a "whoosh," Wang Qingyan drew the sword from the guard beside him and swiftly beheaded an assassin, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

"Pah! You..."

“Z—”

An assassin spat out the cloth from his mouth, intending to curse Wang Qingyan, but Wang Qingyan thrust his sword into his mouth and twisted it, cutting off his tongue.

With another swift swing, he severed the hand of the assassin next to the man.

Then they randomly severed their tendons and ligaments, and blinded them...

A moment later, amidst the blood-soaked ground, Wang Qingyan glanced sideways and saw someone stop.

Amidst the utter silence, a boiling emotion finally arose.

"No, no... don't kill me..."

With his shoulder bandaged, the assassin who had slashed Baili Ce's face twice looked at the horrific state of his comrades around him and had long lost the courage to face death.

Wang Qingyan raised an eyebrow, his smile as sharp as frost in the dead of winter. The smile crept up the tip of his sword, and with a series of swift, sharp strokes, dozens of sword strikes were used to completely slash the face of the assassin who was bound hand and foot.

As he listened to his screams gradually become hoarse and weak, he squatted down and planted the sword on the ground.

He asked indifferently, "What value do you still have to me?"

The assassin, whose poison sac had been ripped from his mouth early that morning, was in excruciating pain, his face covered in blood, trembling all over. "I... I can..."

"Hahaha..." Wang Qingyan's gloomy and elegant laughter interrupted him.

"Don't worry, even if you don't say anything, I won't kill you."

He said he wouldn't kill them, but his eyes were filled with a chilling glint.

"Yes, yes... Baili Chengjun sent me, but I am actually He Shoufeng's man."

Wang Qingyan casually tapped the hilt of his sword with his index finger. "Tell me something I don't know."

"..." Meeting his chillingly calm gaze, the assassin struggled to search his memory.

Before long, he was soaked in blood and sweat. "He... He Shoufeng's residence seems to have... a strategist."

Wang Qingyan slightly raised his eyes, a suppressed madness about to burst forth.

It has finally happened—

His "old friend".

But now is not the time for reminiscing.

"..." She gently lifted her sleeve and sniffed the scent on her wrist, her emotions, which were about to spiral out of control, calmed down.

Surprisingly, this faint fragrance could still be detected amidst such a strong stench of blood. "Go on."

"He Shoufeng trusted him completely, even to the point of obeying his every word, but he seemed to be in poor health, and every time they met, it was in a completely sealed room..."

......

"Hahaha......"

"Excellent!" In a mansion in Kyoto, Baili Chengjun, dressed in fine clothes, laughed and slapped the table repeatedly in approval.

Seeing his joy, Han Lin beside him also became happy, "Young Master, what's wrong?"

Bai Jiacheng quickly folded the secret letter, put it back in the envelope, and put it in his pocket, looking triumphant. "It's time to take back what belongs to me."

"Yes!" Han Lin immediately went to prepare the carriage with high spirits.

Before long, Baili Chengjun set off with Hanlin and a dozen guards.

Upon seeing that they were heading towards Baili Prefecture, the people responsible for monitoring them nearby immediately went to inform Baili Ming.

"Drive!"

Upon arriving at Baili Prefecture, Han Lin's arrogant demeanor immediately became apparent.

The gatekeeper at the entrance was always very perceptive. Seeing this, he quickly sent others to inform the steward while he himself greeted them with a smile.

"Are you looking for my master? I have already gone to inform him. Please wait a moment."

Since the gatekeeper didn't directly say that the master wasn't there, Han Lin didn't know how to make trouble.

He could only look at the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Baili Chengjun remained silent for a moment. Although he was clearly impatient, he still pretended to be calm and composed, saying, "Then let's wait."

However, the steward of Baili Prefecture arrived quickly, and soon hurried footsteps could be heard.

Before they even saw him, they heard him shout loudly, "Oh dear, I've kept you waiting! Who is this distinguished guest...?"

As they were talking, a nimble, over-fifty man in his fifties had already arrived in front of them.

Han Lin immediately changed his expression, "Steward Feng, you've kept our young master waiting."

This was Baili Chengjun's first visit to the Baili residence in the capital. As servants, they naturally had to project the air of their master to avoid being looked down upon.

Fengdeng was an elder of the Baili family. Before coming to the capital, he often visited the old head of the family and naturally remembered the young masters and ladies of the clan and the people around them.

Therefore, as soon as he saw that the person was Han Lin, who was with the Sixth Young Master, he knew who the person was and what they wanted to do.

"Oh, it's the Sixth Young Master."

This idiot~

"Please forgive me, young lady is not in the manor. I have to take care of everything, big and small. That's why I'm a little late. Please forgive me, Sixth Young Master."

"You're so cunning!" Upon hearing the old steward's voice, Baili Chengjun lifted the carriage curtain and got out. Seeing that the Baili Mansion in Kyoto was even larger than he had imagined, his eyes were filled with eager anticipation.

Fengdeng lowered his head and smiled obsequiously, looking completely compliant, "Hehe."

Then......

Then there is no more.

The two remained silent for a long time, with neither Fengdeng showing any intention of inviting Baili Chengjun into his residence.

"Hey, who's this? What are they doing standing at the door?"

"Who knows? They're probably just trying to curry favor with the Baili family again..."

Baili Chengjun felt embarrassed by the stares of passersby, but he was too ashamed to go back to the carriage, so he could only cough twice in a pretentious manner.

After coughing, he looked at the bountiful harvest.

Fengdeng looked at him, his face showing he didn't know how to handle things.

Seeing this, Han Lin stepped forward again to save face for his master, "What, this young master of the Baili family won't even be allowed to enter his own home?"

"Oh, right, right, right!!"

Feng Deng suddenly realized what was happening and slapped his forehead. "How could I be so foolish as to let the Sixth Young Master just stand there?"

He then turned and kicked the gatekeeper's butt, saying, "You brat, you didn't even warn me."

After saying that, he respectfully invited Baili Chengjun inside, "Sixth Young Master."

The latter's expression improved somewhat, and he walked in with his head held high, followed closely by Han Lin and a dozen guards.

"This..." The gatekeeper saw the guards carrying knives into the mansion, and even through the main gate. He instinctively wanted to stop them, but Fengdeng grabbed him and pulled him back.

Baili Chengjun turned his head and caught a glimpse of Fengdeng's actions. He snorted coldly in displeasure, thinking to himself that he would settle accounts with him later!