Lin Yanxi’s fair palm was upturned, her brow furrowed, her small face contorted in fear. Only her slightly childlike apricot eyes, as she looked at Jiang Wan, showed no trace of evasion. Her gaze was bright and stubborn.
The more she showed no sign of admitting fault, the more Jiang Wan’s anger flared. Jiang Wan took the ruler, grabbed her palm, and struck it hard.
Lin Yanxi trembled from the pain, instinctively trying to pull her hand back, but then hesitated and slowly extended it again.
Jiang Wan, with a stern face, asked, "Do you admit your mistake?"
Lin Yanxi straightened her back, her voice clear and crisp. She turned her head away from Jiang Wan and whispered, "No."
"Slap—"
Another ruler strike fell.
Lin Yanxi gritted her teeth against the pain, sniffing. Tears welled in her eyes, swirling but refusing to fall. She stubbornly held them back.
As Jiang Wan raised the ruler again, Lin Ze couldn’t help but intervene, saying, "Enough! She is our daughter. Her temperament is like yours and mine. If you keep hitting her, do you want to lose both your daughters at once?"
Jiang Wan paused, looking helplessly at Lin Yanxi and Lin Ze. She threw the ruler on the ground and said, "Then you will kneel here as punishment. No dinner. You will kneel for three hours before returning to your room."
After speaking, Jiang Wan turned to leave. Seeing Lin Ze still standing by Lin Yanxi, she cast him a glance and said, "Aren't you leaving?"
Lin Ze looked at his daughter with difficulty. He felt his wife was the more formidable one. After a moment's hesitation, he quickly followed Jiang Wan’s footsteps.
Back in her room, Jiang Wan reclined on a couch, her eyes closed. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed, trying to keep the sound down. After a long while, her breathing stabilized. The silk handkerchief was stained with blood.
Yu Gu brought a bowl of ginseng and pear soup, simmered slowly. Jiang Wan lazily raised her eyelids, glanced at it, and had no appetite.
Yu Gu sighed, gently massaging Jiang Wan's temples. "Actually, after the second young lady regained her senses, she was most like the eldest madam in her youth—lively, clever, daring to love and hate. Madam, do you remember when you were young? Miss Yang always loved to antagonize you. Today she would snatch your fan, and tomorrow you would tear her handkerchief."
"The most intense incident was when Madam was so angry she set fire to the Yang family's backyard. But Master Jiang never blamed Madam then; instead, he doted on her. After that incident, Miss Yang never dared to provoke Madam again."
As Jiang Wan recalled the past, a faint smile touched her pale lips, adding a touch of warmth. She wasn't this frail then. Dressed in red, she was the epitome of boldness and defiance. Fortunately, with the protection of her father and elder brother, she hadn’t caused any major trouble.
The Jiang family had a special bloodline. After each child was born, a diviner would calculate their destiny.
The diviner had predicted the early death of her elder brother, the decline of the Jiang family, and her father's accident. They had tried to change these fates, but each prediction had come true.
As for Lin Yanxi, Jiang Wan had wished her a life of peace, even if she remained foolish and oblivious.
But she had, inexplicably, regained her senses. Her temperament was extreme and unruly. It seemed all the prophecies were unavoidable.
Jiang Wan looked at the darkening clouds in the sky and asked, "Is she still kneeling in the main hall?"
Yu Gu replied, "Without Madam’s command, she wouldn't dare to get up."
Jiang Wan let out a helpless chuckle. "I think she dares quite a lot. I truly don't know if it was right or wrong for this child to regain her senses."
"Madam need not worry. She has merely regained her senses. As long as she doesn't learn talismans, she won't awaken the talisman master bloodline, and the prophecy will not come true."
"Yu Gu, later, give the pomegranate flower balm from my room to Lizi, and have her apply it carefully to the second young lady."
This pomegranate flower was a rare medicinal herb, impossible to buy even with money in the capital. Most pomegranate flowers were single-petaled and had ordinary medicinal effects. However, this batch of wound-healing balm used double-petaled pomegranate flowers. Only one in ten thousand plants was suitable. No matter how deep or difficult the wound, it would stop bleeding immediately and leave no scars after using this balm.
Yu Gu had followed Jiang Wan for many years and knew how much she cherished her second daughter. Jiang Wan had once suffered a sword wound and preferred to let it bleed and fester for over a month rather than use this precious medicine. Now, for Lin Yanxi, who had only taken three strikes, such a rare medicinal herb was used. Did this not illustrate everything?
It was just that these two mother and daughter were too stubborn in temper and too worried.
---
"Miss, Miss, it's time. Hurry and get up," Lizi said, her voice tinged with tears.
Aunt Yu had sent word earlier for Miss to get up and not to kneel until nightfall, but Miss was too stubborn and insisted on kneeling for the full six hours.
Lin Yanxi’s slender frame swayed within her long skirt. She slowly rose, her legs going weak, and she nearly fell. Fortunately, Lizi caught her just in time, and carefully helped her back to her room.
Lizi took out the pomegranate flower balm from her sleeve. "Miss, this is the balm Aunt Yu gave. I will apply it to you."
Lin Yanxi glanced at it indifferently, forcing a cold smile. "Just put it down. You can both leave now."
"Miss, if you don't apply it, it will scar."
She narrowed her eyes and repeated, "Just place it here. You can go out now. I want to rest."
Lizi wanted to say more, but Tang Chao pulled her sleeve and said, "Let's go out first. We can apply the medicine to Miss tomorrow."
Watching them leave, Lin Yanxi thought of Shen Muzhou, whom she had seen on the execution platform today. His cold, indifferent eyes, and the aura of killing intent surrounding him.
Such a formidable figure was not someone she could easily provoke.
"Yesterday, Shen Muzhou sneaked into my room. You two go and add more guards around my courtyard," Lin Yanxi commanded in a weak voice.
She didn't intend to keep this from Lizi and Tang Chao. They were the closest people to her now. They lived in the same courtyard, and this matter would surely not remain a secret.
Lizi was startled and asked nervously, "Is it… is it that bloodthirsty Ninth Prince? I heard he delights in killing people. He killed several people on the execution platform today."
"Then why did he sneak into Miss's boudoir? Did he bully you, or does he intend harm to the Grand Tutor's mansion?"
Lin Yanxi shook her head. "No, not really. It’s a long story why I got involved with this fearsome figure. In any case, just add more guards. This matter must not leak out."
Her gaze fell back on the secret tome about talismans. If she saved him, would she be indirectly contributing to the future massacre? If she didn't save him, the soul ring was in his hands, and she would be threatened by him in all matters.
Tang Chao and Lizi exchanged a look and nodded heavily without asking further questions.
Miss's safety was theirs to protect!
After Tang Chao and Lizi left, Lin Yanxi was alone in the room.
She curled up in the darkness, her palm burning, her heart aching with it. Her knees also pained terribly.
She seemed to have a dream.
She dreamed of her past life, when her mother was dying, she said, "Don't blame me, my daughter. Like all mothers, I only wish for my daughter to be safe and happy."
Now that she had regained her senses, her mother wouldn't even spare her a smile, constantly finding fault with her.
She also dreamed of the man in her past life who protected her as she left Nan Min, following her and protecting her all the way. That man wore a silver mask, yet he had risked his life for her countless times.
They had never spoken a word, but as long as he was behind her, she felt at ease.
In a daze, she saw Shen Muzhou again. He was dressed in a dark robe and cape, blending into the night. His peach blossom eyes, illuminated by the moonlight, were exceptionally captivating, as deep and clear as stars.
"Male demon."
She murmured subconsciously, thinking it was still a dream.
He was sitting by her bedside, gently unfolding her hand, taking a bit of pomegranate flower balm, and applying it to her red and swollen palm.
Shen Muzhou lowered his gaze, his long lashes obscuring his eyes, and frowned slightly.
This delicate, soft skin couldn't withstand even a little beating; it was so red and swollen. The person who hit her was indeed ruthless.
A thin layer of balm landed on her skin, cool and slightly stinging.
Her small hand flinched, trying to pull back, but was quickly held.
Lin Yanxi suddenly realized this was not a dream; Shen Muzhou had entered her room again!
"You, why are you here again?" Her voice was childish and laced with surprise.
He raised his eyes to look at her, then continued to lower his lids, applying the medicine to her hand, his grip a little firmer. "What? You don't want this King to come?"
"Hiss—"
She gasped in pain. Did he even need to ask?
Of course, she didn't want him to come!
However, when she said the words, they were full of flattery and subservience. "How could I not? It's just that the Grand Tutor's mansion has increased its guards, and I was worried you wouldn't be able to come easily. It seems I was worrying too much."
After all, she didn't want her hand, which wasn't broken from the beating, to be ruined by his application of medicine.
"Oh? Increased the guards? I thought your Grand Tutor's mansion had no security. It is good that you anticipate my arrival." He smiled faintly, his movements becoming gentler.
"Heh heh, heh heh. Anticipate, of course, I anticipate. To ensure your smooth arrival, I deliberately reduced the guards in my courtyard. My admiration for His Highness is sincere!"
Lizi, guarding outside the door, seemed to hear movement in Lin Yanxi's room. She held up her lantern and knocked. "Miss, are you not asleep yet? Please rest assured, I have doubled the guards in this courtyard, and I will stay by the door. I will absolutely not let that scoundrel Ninth Prince disturb Miss again!"
Lin Yanxi's expression was stiff with embarrassment. This scoundrel, whom she had tried so hard to guard against, was currently in her room, applying medicine to her!
Shen Muzhou's expression suddenly turned grim. He was no longer gentle and abruptly let go of her hand.
"Ouch~" Her small hand suffered a second injury.
"Miss?"
"Li Li Lizi, don't talk nonsense. Ninth Prince has noble character, and I admire him greatly. Alright, from now on, you are not allowed to speak to me. I need to rest."
Lizi softly said "Oh" from outside the door. She couldn't understand whether Miss liked the Ninth Prince or hated him, but regardless, sneaking into Miss's boudoir late at night was absolutely out of the question!
She forced herself to stay alert and continued to squat outside Lin Yanxi's door, guarding.
Seeing his expression becoming increasingly dark and murderous, she realized this was very, very bad!
Ignoring the pain in her hands, she grabbed Shen Muzhou's cloak and said, "She misunderstood, completely misunderstood. I meant that if you see the Prince coming to my room, don't stop him. His Highness is not a dissolute person. This, this, she must have misheard."
His cold eyes narrowed in the darkness, and a murderous aura emanated from him. He said in a low voice, "Such a foolish girl is useless. Kill her, and I will give you a hundred more who are clever and intelligent."
Kill… kill her?
Without waiting for Lin Yanxi's reply, he walked towards the door. By the time he reached the threshold, he had drawn the white-bladed sword from his waist.