The Prince's Mansion.
Within the courtyard where Ji Mo resided.
Hei Meigui rested her chin on her hands, gazing intently at Ji Mo.
She was filled with curiosity, wondering how a young man could possess needlework skills.
Recalling herself, it seemed she knew nothing but killing.
Ji Mo was mending Hei Meigui's torn leather jacket. Feeling her gaze, he said sheepishly, "My hands are clumsy, and I'm slow to mend… no, it's that my stitches aren't pretty. Don't you dare dislike it."
"I think it's beautiful!"
Hei Meigui wasn't looking at the crooked stitches on the leather jacket, but rather at Ji Mo's face, her expression full of shyness.
Ji Mo's heart skipped a beat.
Was this a cheesy pickup line?
Hei Meigui continued, "I'm very curious. As a boy, how can you do everything? You know medicine, you can cook, and you even know needlework?"
As she spoke these words, her heart fluttered nervously.
In the Xuan Ling Realm, girls were generally expected to know how to wash clothes, cook, and be skilled in needlework.
In comparison, she felt utterly useless.
"What's there to it? Back in my hometown, all men are capable of managing both the home and the outside world."
Ji Mo said dismissively.
These were basic skills. A good man in the new society should master everything except giving birth.
"Ah, your hometown sounds wonderful! If the men do all the housework, what do the women do?" Hei Meigui asked, full of curiosity.
"The women in my hometown?"
Ji Mo's expression became reminiscent, and a hint of lingering fear appeared. "They'd pinch your ear, slap your face, empty your pockets, and make you kneel on durians from time to time."
The reason he wasn't too fond of women was largely due to these things.
Women were like tigers; they couldn't be touched!
"Oh, so that's the trend in your hometown. I'm truly useless, I don't know any of that."
Hei Meigui's gaze dimmed.
Ji Mo's heart immediately relaxed. It was better that she didn't know; if she did, wouldn't that be the end of him?
But in the next second, he trembled in fear.
Because Hei Meigui looked at him and said with utmost seriousness, "Don't worry, I will definitely work hard. I'll take the women of your hometown as role models and diligently learn these skills, striving to surpass them."
*Pfft…*
Ji Mo almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
He quickly stopped her, "There's absolutely no need, no need at all."
It was enough for girls to be gentle and soft. If they turned into tigresses, who could bear it?
"Are you… looking down on me?"
Hei Meigui frowned, her eyes widening as she stared at Ji Mo, which sent a shiver down his spine.
It's over. Why does it feel like that familiar vibe is here?
Or perhaps, all women in the world were like this, with the tigress gene capable of awakening at any moment.
While the two were talking.
An uninvited guest arrived at the Prince's Mansion.
"Li Qiufeng, Miss Li?"
Ying Tianbao looked at Li Qiufeng, who was disguised as a man, and could barely recognize her.
"I'm here to see Ji Mo?"
Li Qiufeng stated her purpose directly.
It was because she had inadvertently overheard her father, Li Xiu, and Crown Prince Ying Tianci's strategist, Wu Yong, secretly plotting to deal with Ji Mo.
Initially, she didn't want to get involved, but she couldn't let go of her feelings and decided to intervene.
Thus, she disguised herself as a man again, climbed over the wall, sneaked out of her home, and came to the Prince's Mansion.
"What, did the assassination attempt last night fail, and now you want to use some scheme to harm my Brother Mo, or are you planning to use cheap tricks like a honey trap?"
Ying Tianbao sneered, showing no pleasantries.
Li Qiufeng was the Crown Prince's intended consort, so he naturally assumed she was part of the Crown Prince's faction and had ulterior motives for coming here.
If she hadn't been a woman, Ying Tianbao would have already ordered her to be beheaded.
He already knew the identities of the assassins from last night and understood that Ying Tianbao was colluding with Yan Zhao, Tian Lin, and Xi Liang. The last shred of brotherhood in his heart had vanished.
Now, Ying Tianbao had made up his mind to be irreconcilably opposed to Ying Tianci.
"Honey trap?"
These three words completely enraged Li Qiufeng.
"Ying Tianbao, you scoundrel! It was you who used a male charm against me. You are despicable and shameless. To seize the throne, you made your subordinate Ji Mo seduce me and deceive my feelings."
Li Qiufeng's eyebrows were knitted in anger as she cursed him.
Her heart was filled with grievance, and her eyes were red.
"What?"
"Male charm? Strategist?"
Ying Tianbao was bewildered, but seeing her genuine emotions, which didn't seem fake.
He said, "Miss Li, perhaps you've misunderstood. My Brother Mo isn't my strategist, and I've never asked anyone to deceive your feelings."
"Stop quibbling. When you returned to Wangjing before, you were shouting about snatching the Crown Princess and taking the throne. Then Ji Mo appeared by my side. Isn't that your scheme?"
Li Qiufeng did not easily believe Ying Tianbao's words.
"You are my future sister-in-law. I, Ying Tianbao, would never do something like seducing my sister-in-law. Moreover, with Brother Mo's status, it's even less likely he would deliberately scheme against you. Brother Mo is a reclusive master who could kick the Spirit Emperor to death. For him, the so-called empire and throne are as light as dust."
Ying Tianbao said sincerely.
Upon hearing this, Li Qiufeng felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She carefully recalled all her interactions with Ji Mo and finally confirmed that she had misunderstood him.
This meant that Ji Mo had not intentionally approached her, nor was it a condescending move. In fact, it was truly a beautiful encounter.
"Young Master Ji is there. I need to apologize to him."
Li Qiufeng looked regretful, hating herself for overthinking and wrongly accusing a good person.
Ying Tianbao, upon learning that Li Qiufeng knew Ji Mo, did not stop her and had a servant lead her to Ji Mo's residence.
He sighed, "Brother Mo, why are you so popular with girls?"
Uncle Fu suddenly appeared from somewhere, "I smell something sour. Your Highness, I knew it, you do have feelings for Young Master Ji. You're gay!"
"You old fool, you're talking nonsense. I'm not into men!"
Ying Tianbao was enraged and chased after Uncle Fu, beating him.
Li Qiufeng arrived in front of the courtyard where Ji Mo was staying and was immediately captivated by the beautiful scenery before her.
Flowers bloomed everywhere, butterflies fluttered, and even the air exuded a sweet fragrance.
This place was like a fairyland, not a place where mortals lived.
At this moment, she had completely believed that Ji Mo's identity was indeed as Ying Tianbao had said, that he was a master.
Li Qiufeng eagerly walked directly into the courtyard and pushed open the door.
However, what greeted her eyes was not Ji Mo, but a woman.
"Woman!"
"Woman!"
Hei Meigui and Li Qiufeng locked eyes, and sparks seemed to fly between their gazes.
Although Li Qiufeng was wearing men's clothing, Hei Meigui could see through it immediately.
The air suddenly seemed to be filled with a sour scent.
"Cold, stunningly beautiful, with a graceful figure, flawless!"
Li Qiufeng looked at Hei Meigui and was also amazed. The other woman's beauty surpassed her own by half.
"Graceful and elegant, beautiful and intelligent. She looks like a well-read lady from a distinguished family."
Hei Meigui felt a hint of unease. The other woman possessed a temperament that she lacked, that unique scholarly aura that she did not have.
Men, she thought, would surely prefer this kind of lady from a distinguished family.
"Who are you to Ji Mo?"
The two asked each other almost in unison.