He wanted to see just how thick-skinned this woman was!
Feng Shihao finally left Hua Shang Lou and returned to his manor.
"Your Highness! You're finally back!"
As soon as he reached the manor gates, a flamboyant figure lunged into his embrace. The strong scent of powder was unpleasant, and a flicker of disgust crossed his eyes.
He shoved the person away.
"Your Highness..."
The woman stumbled, nearly falling. She was caught by a maidservant behind her, and looked at Feng Shihao in disbelief, her eyes immediately welling up with tears, presenting a pitifully frail appearance.
So sickeningly dramatic. Qu Linglong would never be like this!
Huh? Why was he thinking of that woman? She dressed like a tomboy all day, with no femininity at all.
"Oh, it's Qingqing, I didn't see you clearly just now. Are you alright? Did you twist your waist?"
Feng Shihao immediately put on a roguish smile, enduring the nausea as he reached out to her waist.
"Your Highness..." Jin Qingqing pouted coquettishly, shyly batting away his hand. The jewels in her hair jingled, "We're still at the main gate, how embarrassing!"
The Prince's eyes were truly beautiful, so captivating, and his lips were also beautiful, thin and curving into a wicked smile.
But she knew that these lips could be painful when they nibbled at night, as if trying to suck a person into one's belly.
Oh dear, she shouldn't think about it, her legs felt weak just imagining it.
"Heh heh, then let's go inside." Feng Shihao put his arm around her shoulders.
"Ah! Sister is back, greetings to Sister."
Jin Qingqing lowered herself with a feigned grace, looking at Qu Linglong who was walking closer. She smiled triumphantly, her body soft and boneless as she leaned against the man.
Feng Shihao's body stiffened. Suppressing the urge to throw her off, he turned to look at Qu Linglong, trying his best to maintain a normal expression.
Qu Linglong did not avoid his gaze, looking directly back at him with a resolute and unwavering look.
There was none of the shyness a woman displayed when looking at her beloved.
Qu Linglong's attention was not on their bodies pressed together, nor did she pay attention to Jin Qingqing's pretense of flirtatiousness.
She had seen plenty of women like this.
Back in the border town, at every celebration banquet, there were many such women, more blatant and unrestrained than Jin Qingqing, practically performing live spring romances in front of everyone.
When she stopped looking at this man from the perspective of a jealous woman, her gaze became much clearer.
She could now capture details she had previously overlooked.
For example, Feng Shihao was nervous.
His hands were stiff.
His eyebrows twitched.
His beautiful phoenix eyes flickered and darted.
His lips were pressed slightly downwards.
Qu Linglong was an accomplished physician, treating not only the body but also having some expertise in psychological issues.
Feng Shihao's behavior indicated that his relationship with the woman beside him was not what it appeared to be.
She then looked at Jin Qingqing.
Jin Qingqing, on the other hand, appeared consistent, clinging tightly to Feng Shihao's arm, her eyes full of lingering desire, as if she wanted everyone on the street to witness the Prince's favor towards her.
Qu Linglong saw no flaw and frowned slightly.
She smiled faintly, "Your Highness, Madam Jin, why don't you go back to the manor to be affectionate? Isn't it cheap to let people watch for free?"
Feng Shihao's brows twitched heavily.
Jin Qingqing glared at her angrily, then coquettishly shook Feng Shihao's arm, "Your Highness, shall we go to my Xiang Ling Courtyard?"
Feng Shihao neither agreed nor disagreed, but rather, with her in his arms, he entered the manor.
Qu Linglong avoided the guards and quietly followed.
When she was a military doctor on the frontier, she had treated many people. Battlefield injuries were usually severe, and she had to speak to distract the injured.
As a result, she had learned various skills, such as how scouts avoid detection by the enemy.
Qu Linglong followed from a distance until she saw Feng Shihao dismiss Jin Qingqing.
Was there indeed a problem between them?
Qu Linglong's heart began to race.
Feng Shihao entered the room, and the hidden guards slipped in.
"Master, Concubine Qu has been following stealthily behind."
Feng Shihao waved his hand irritably, "Ignore her! Let her do whatever she wants!"
He was itching all over now and needed to bathe! Bathe! Bathe!
The hidden guard slipped out again.
Feng Shihao jumped into the bathtub and scrubbed his neck vigorously, his hands, and even the parts not exposed, he scrubbed them all. He felt as if that scent of powder had seeped into his pores and couldn't be scrubbed out.
Jin Qingqing, that woman, was truly detestable. Now that he was no longer in court and didn't need any support, should he find an excuse to send her away?
Childless?
She was just a concubine, and that reason didn't seem valid.
"Ding dong!"
A strange sound came from behind him. Feng Shihao spun around abruptly.
No one was allowed into his room without permission. Who was this suicidal person defying orders!
Where were the hidden guards! Where had the hidden guards gone!
Qu Linglong covered her mouth, tiptoed, and crouched as she moved past the partition. She slowly opened the door and then darted out with a "whoosh."
Damn it!
He was actually bathing!
Bathing in broad daylight, was he crazy!
Or was he planning to go find Jin Qingqing later?
Qu Linglong sprinted back to Ting Yu Yuan. She closed the door, leaving Su Mian bewildered.
She saw the whip marks on his back again. They were just a few white marks, different in color from the surrounding skin. Others might not know what they were, but she did.
The day she had been intimate with him, she had seen them. At that time, they were still very obvious, from a whip with barbs, which healed with difficulty. She had been heartbroken then and had prepared a formula for a scar-removing medicine for him, but he had thrown it away fiercely.
Now, seeing this, how could she still feel heartbroken?
Feng Shihao changed his clothes and went out. Seeing the crooked rhombic frame, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, and he coldly called out, "Thirteen!"
The hidden guard from before slipped in again.
"Master."
"Did you come in just now?"
"Your subordinate dares not. Concubine Qu came in."
Feng Shihao's body tensed, and he felt a slight abnormality on his back, as if small holes had appeared.
He sternly reprimanded, "Why didn't you stop her!?"
"Master, Master ordered not to mind her?"
Feng Shihao had a total of thirteen hidden guards, and this thirteenth one was naturally the lowest ranked, having only been trained for half a year.
It was this fellow in front of him, truly stupid, utterly stupid!
How had he been selected!
Feng Shihao took a deep breath. "Go guard Hua Shang Lou and have Twelve return."
"Yes, Master."
Thirteen's mind was slow, but his martial arts were good. Twelve could not defeat him. The master ordering him to guard Hua Shang Lou meant that Hua Shang Lou was more important than this place.
He obeyed.
"Wait." Feng Shihao called out to Thirteen again.
"Does Master have any instructions?"
"You, go to Ting Yu Yuan first and see what Concubine Qu is doing, but don't let her discover you."
"Yes, Master."
Oh dear, was the Master playing games with the Concubine? When Twelve left, he had said the Master was outwardly dissolute but actually disliked women, and warned him not to make mistakes.
It seemed he hadn't truly understood the Master!