The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 123 Sketching Skills
Seeing Pan Jinlian's wanton appearance, Ximen Qing scolded her with a laugh, "You little slut!" "All you do all day is think nonsense! Isn't that all you do?"

Pan Jinlian cried out "Ouch!" as she clutched her sore buttocks, her body seemingly boneless, and she slumped softly into the man's broad embrace.

She raised her watery, alluring eyes, with a hint of grievance and a touch of curiosity. She stretched out her slender, jade-like fingers and picked up a thick, black charcoal stick that Ximen Qing had tossed onto the small table. She examined it closely, her fingertips lightly tracing the black charcoal, leaving faint white marks.

"Being loved by Father is the most natural thing." She cried out in pain, but her eyes were fixed on the charcoal stick. She asked curiously, "I am ignorant and ask Father to enlighten me... I don't know what this thing is for."

The official was aroused by her charming and infatuated appearance. He kneaded her waist with his large hand, but his gaze was drawn to Xiangling, who was standing beside him with her head down.

Ximen Qing's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he deliberately raised his voice, "Xiangling! Come here! Tell me, what is this?"

Xiangling, who had been hanging her head, felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the master call her name. She hurriedly stepped forward. She had been flustered and her face was burning when she saw Jinlian say that she understood something. Now that she had been called, she could only timidly reach out her small hand and take the heavy, thick, black, round charcoal stick from Pan Jinlian's hand.

She held the charcoal stick in her palm, finding it cold and heavy. It was just a charcoal stick, so what was its purpose? She looked at it from left to right, but couldn't figure it out.

Seeing Pan Jinlian huddled in his arms and Xiangling blushing red, Ximen Da Guanren pinched Pan Jinlian's slender waist hard with his large hand: "You two little sluts, each with a filthy mind! Very well, today I'll open your eyes and show you my true skills, so that you won't only know about those shady dealings!"

The official shoved Jinlian'er: "Take off your shoes! Take off your socks too! Hurry up!"

Upon hearing this, Pan Jinlian's alluring eyes immediately lit up, as if she had received rain after a long drought. She twisted half of her body out of Ximen Qing's arms like a taffy, and a seductive smile bloomed on her face, a smile that contained great pride and a touch of flirtation.

"Oh my, my dear father!" she said in a soft, sweet voice, her eyes sparkling with a seductive charm. "Father has finally remembered my two precious children today..."

She complained softly as she slowly and deliberately began to move.

The movement was entirely a carefully choreographed performance of seduction. She turned slightly to the side.

Pan Jinlian raised her watery, alluring eyes, and stretched out two slender, spring-green fingers to gently pinch the toe of her sock.

"Dada...you're really watching..." she breathed softly, her voice alluring. Her fingers, holding the toe of the sock, moved like a snail, inch by inch, sliding it down.

A vibrant, alluring jade-like foot was finally laid bare before Ximen Qing's eyes. The sole was plump and soft, the heel round and pearly, perfectly proportioned and lovely. The entire foot was dazzlingly white, so delicate it seemed as if it could be broken with a touch.

"You little slut! If you dawdle any longer, you'll be punished by my family rules!" the master said with a laugh and a urge.

Pan Jinlian giggled lasciviously, then followed suit and removed the other foot. Her two jade-like feet dangled side by side in the air, toes slightly curled, truly like a pair of twin white lotuses, plump, snow-white, exquisite in every detail, exuding a captivating and alluring charm. She deliberately straightened her arches, then slowly relaxed them, displaying her graceful curves and nimble toes vividly before Ximen Qing's eyes.

The official pointed at the pair of jade feet dangling in mid-air, "Hold them firmly! Fix them for me! They can't move an inch!"

Pan Jinlian responded sweetly, stretching out her jade-like arms and gently cradling her feet with her ten fingers as if holding precious jewels. She then let out another burst of adorable laughter, her body as limp as if she had no bones.

"You little slut!" the official laughed and scolded, then said, "Xiangling! Go! Fetch the finest Chengxintang Xuan paper from the sandalwood box in my study!"

He glanced at Xiangling, who was blushing and flustered, and added, "Raise that bright candlestick higher and bring it closer."

Xiangling, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly agreed, her heart still pounding wildly. She fetched the items and, as instructed, held a bright candlestick high with both hands, bringing it close to Pan Jinlian's jade-like feet that were being held up.

The blazing candlelight cascaded down like a waterfall, instantly enveloping those jade-like feet.

The light, sharp as a knife, clearly sculpted the rounded, plump contours of the toes, casting deep, alluring shadows between the pink toes.

Ximen Qing spread out the Chengxintang paper, which resembled snow-white waves. He picked up a charcoal stick and tapped it to make a notch. His eyes, sharp as torches, lingered over Jinlian'er's smooth, jade-like feet, as if appraising a rare treasure, or measuring its dimensions, capturing the subtle interplay of light and shadow. The charcoal hung above the snow-white paper. After a moment of concentration, he finally made his first stroke.

The charcoal threads rustled across the paper, the official's expression unusually focused. Even the alluring, seductive charm of Jinlian'er, her jade-like feet resting on her hands, was somewhat subdued by his artistic posture. The coarse charcoal lines seemed to possess a certain life of their own beneath his wrist, beginning to outline rounded ankles, full heels, and rounded, moon-like soles on the white paper…

Holding her prized possessions, Pan Jinlian looked at Ximen Qing's serious expression with a mixture of curiosity and pride.

She deliberately gave a slight tremor to her dangling toes, her two little feet bumping against each other, creating a gentle ripple of flesh, and said in a sweet voice, "Daddy... does the drawing resemble my chubby feet? You must capture their softness and tenderness..."

The candlelight flickered, illuminating her alluring face, as well as Xiangling's trembling hand holding the candlestick high and her blushing face, which seemed to be dripping with blood. The room was silent, except for the soft rustling of charcoal grinding, the rustling of brushstrokes, and the silent yet intensely warm fragrance.

The official held his breath and focused intently, his wrist suspended in the air, the ink varying in shades, sometimes as black as lacquer, sometimes as light as wisps of smoke, occasionally dabbing with his finger as he painted.

With the final stroke, he let out a long sigh. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, indicating that he had expended a great deal of energy.

He examined the charcoal traces of the lotus on the paper and sighed. He had learned it when he was a child, and although his skills were not profound, sketching was a novelty here.

"Come, come and take a look!" Ximen Qing waved his hand, beckoning to the two women.

Pan Jinlian, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, disregarded her clumsy feet and stepped barefoot onto the cool floor tiles, quickly making her way to the table. Xiangling, having also lowered her aching arms, held the candlestick and timidly approached. The flickering candlelight illuminated the drawing paper even more clearly.

Two pairs of eyes fell on the paper and were instantly captivated.

On the snow-white Xuan paper, a pair of plump, fair, and alluring jade feet were clearly visible!

The charcoal lines outline the contours smoothly and fully, vividly showcasing the fleshy beauty of Pan Jinlian's jade feet. The charcoal color transitions from dark to light, creating a flowing interplay of light and shadow throughout the painting. The charcoal's charm is so vivid that the jade feet seem to leap out, as if carrying a warm body temperature and a sweet, fleshy aroma!

"My God!" Pan Jinlian gasped, her alluring eyes widening, her red lips slightly parted, and after a long while she exclaimed in amazement, "This...this is a painting of my feet? How...how can they look so real! Even the little fleshy dimples are painted so realistically!"

She subconsciously looked down at her bare feet, still slightly dusty, then at the flawless "Miaolian" in the painting, and could hardly believe it. The painting not only resembled her feet in form, but also captured the most captivating charm of those jade feet—that heavy, alluring sensuality and seductive allure.

Xiangling was completely mesmerized. She herself loved calligraphy, painting, and poetry. Although she had seen some of the world in the Xue family mansion and had a collection of famous paintings and calligraphy in Ximen's study, she had never seen such a lifelike and realistic painting. The jade feet in the painting were depicted with exquisite detail, and the interplay of light and shadow made it seem as if one could feel the softness and delicacy of the skin. It was as if Jinlian'er's pair of precious feet had been imprinted on the paper!
She felt her heart pounding wildly, a strange heat rising from the bottom of her heart, her face burning, but her eyes couldn't leave the painting.

So embarrassing!!

The official picked up the already cold, rain-washed sky-blue teacup beside him, took a sip, and then slowly said:

"Ha, what is this? It's just some rudimentary skill. The technique is very rusty, barely passable, nothing special."

Pan Jinlian snapped out of her daze, and the initial awe she felt at the painting's skill instantly transformed into a strong sense of allure and possessiveness.

"Darling... you call this 'shallow skill'? My soul is completely captivated by this painting... you can paint more than just feet, can you? Tomorrow... paint my other good spots too, so I can see your other talents, okay?"

Xiangling blushed as she watched, feeling as if the air in the room had become so thick and sticky that it was impossible to breathe.

The official laughed and said, "Why wait until tomorrow? Let's paint now, including Xiangling." With that, he put his arms around Xiangling and walked into the room.

The autumn wind knocks on the vermilion gate several times.

In his dazed state, the high official suddenly heard the maid on night duty outside, her voice tinged with urgency, speaking through the curtain:
"Reporting to the master! There is an urgent matter at the mansion! It is said that during the day... a servant from Madam Qin's residence has a matter that is extremely urgent and requests an audience!"

Qin Keqing? Ximen Qing's heart skipped a beat. He pushed away Jinlian and Xiangling, who were clinging to him, lifted the curtain and sat up, his strong upper body exposed to the cool air.

"Change your clothes!" he said in a deep voice.

Pan Jinlian and Xiangling also hurriedly struggled to crawl out from under the brocade quilt to serve Master Ximen as he changed his clothes.

"Enough!" Ximen Qing waved his hand, looking at their languid and weak seductive appearance. "You all rest, I'll do it myself!" He moved swiftly, putting on his close-fitting undergarment, then draping a dark brocade robe with subtle patterns over his shoulders, haphazardly tying the belt, slipping on his soft boots, lifting the curtain and striding out.

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing. The servant of the Qin household, travel-worn and weary, saw Ximen Qing as if he were a savior, and immediately knelt down, his voice trembling with sobs:

"Master Ximen, save me! My mistress's maid, Ruizhu, has suddenly developed a high fever this evening. Her whole body is burning hot, and she's unconscious and delirious! We've consulted a nun at the nunnery who knows a bit about medicine, and she says it's an acute illness, very dangerous! My mistress is desperate and, remembering you, Master Ximen, she mustered the courage to send me here in the dead of night to beg for help! She's currently resting at the Guanyin Nunnery outside the city and can't leave her side. Please, Master Ximen, have mercy and save Ruizhu's life!"

The servants kowtowed repeatedly.

An emergency? It sounds like it, judging from the servant's description.
Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing immediately understood. In this late autumn season, the mornings and evenings were chilly, and he suspected that the young maid had caught a cold from serving her master, which had led to a high fever. Although he wasn't a formal doctor, his family owned a herbal medicine shop, and the mansion always kept pills, powders, ointments, and remedies for headaches, fevers, and women's ailments on hand, so he had some knowledge of pharmacology.

"Wait!" He walked straight back to his room and opened a small sandalwood medicine box next to the display cabinet. Inside were bottles and jars, emitting a strong medicinal aroma, and many Chinese medicines were neatly packaged and separated. After a moment's thought, he picked out a small celadon bottle with a red label that read "Secret Recipe Bupleurum Detoxifying Pills." This medicine was perfect for dispelling wind and heat.
He grabbed a few packets of herbs that had already been prepared—mostly herbs like Saposhnikovia divaricata, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, Mentha haplocalyx, Scutellaria baicalensis, and Forsythia suspensa, which are used to dispel wind-heat. He then opened the locked box, poured out a few capsules, and came out.

"Prepare the horse!" Ximen Qing ordered, and strode out the door. A strong servant quickly brought his magnificent chrysanthemum-green horse. Ximen Qing mounted the horse, without any attendants, and shouted to the servant, "I'll go ahead to the Guanyin Temple. You follow me."

The official squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs, and the horse neighed loudly, its hooves clattering as it trampled the cold moonlight before the steps and shot into the deep night like an arrow.

Ximen Qing spurred his horse and soon came into view of the nunnery gate. The gate was wide open, with two dim lanterns hanging in front of it. In the light, he could see the old nun Jingxu, accompanied by two pretty young novices, craning their necks and looking anxiously.

The old nun, shivering in the autumn wind, wore a worn-out bluish-gray robe. Upon seeing Ximen Qing's tall horse galloping through the moonlight, her face instantly plastered with an extremely fawning smile. She strode forward, hands clasped together, her voice sweeter than honey:

"Amitabha! Master Ximen! You are truly the reincarnation of a Bodhisattva who saves us from suffering! We've been waiting for you!"

As she spoke, she hurriedly directed the young nun to fetch the horse. "I'm so sorry! It's the middle of the night, and you've made such a tiring trip for me, sir! I feel so bad for you... It's all thanks to your generous donation that the temple gate and roof tiles have been repaired. The Bodhisattva remembers your great merit! And today, I'm so grateful for your presence to save me from this suffering. You are truly a great protector and a great benefactor of Buddhism!"

Ximen Qing had no interest in listening to her rambling flattery. He dismounted, tossed the reins to a young nun, and impatiently interrupted her: "Enough nonsense! I'm asking you, where is the patient? Lead the way!"

"Yes, yes, yes! It's in the quiet room in the back courtyard! This way, sir! This way, sir!" The old nun Jingxu hurriedly stepped aside to lead the way, her waist bent so low it almost touched the ground, and her fawning smile looked particularly greasy in the dim lantern light.

The two young nuns lowered their heads and stole glances at the legendary wealthy, powerful, and dashing Ximen Qing, their faces flushing slightly in the cold night.

Without even glancing at them, Ximen Qing, clutching his medicine bag, strode off, following the swaying figure of the old nun Jingxu, into the stillness of the Buddhist temple in the dead of night.

After passing through several dark corridors and bypassing the incense-filled main hall, we arrived at a more secluded courtyard in the backyard of the temple.

Just as I stepped into the courtyard, a sharp rebuke rang out, like an ice bead falling onto a jade plate, carrying an undeniable chill and disgust:

"Halt! Who are you? How dare you trespass on my sacred place of cultivation?!"

Ximen Qing paused, looking up. Beneath the moon gate stood a beautiful young nun. She wore an immaculate moon-white robe, her figure slender and graceful. Her long, black hair was not shaved, loosely tied with a plain silver hairpin, a few strands falling beside her temples, further emphasizing her exquisitely beautiful face. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes like cold stars dotting the lacquer, her nose straight, and her lips pale as cherry petals.

At this moment, however, a layer of frost remained between her beautiful brows, her eyes sharp as knives, piercing directly at Ximen Qing, filled with undisguised contempt and vigilance. She was like a solitary, proud plum blossom in the snow, aloof and unapproachable—this was none other than Miaoyu, who resided here.

Ximen Qing had never been scolded like this by a woman before, especially a nun! And the scolding was so inexplicable. He raised an eyebrow.

Before Ximen Qing could speak, the old nun Jingxu, who was half a step behind, was terrified and scrambled forward, bowing repeatedly to Miaoyu, her voice trembling:
"Oh dear! My little darling! No, no! This is the famous Ximen Master from Qinghe County! He is our nunnery's great benefactor and philanthropist! The money used to repair the halls and recast the statues was all donated by him! He's here to save Miss Ruizhu's life!"

Upon hearing this, Miaoyu showed no respect whatsoever; instead, she let out an extremely contemptuous and grating sneer.

The voice was like shattering ice, carrying an otherworldly aloofness and utter disgust for the mundane world. She didn't even glance at Jingxu; her cold, star-like eyes remained fixed on Ximen Qing. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and the words she uttered were filled with contempt:

"Hmph! Great benefactor? Great philanthropist? What do I care? Whether he's incredibly wealthy, a prince or a filthy wretch, this pure and clean place is not for such vulgar and foul-smelling men to set foot on! How can this sacred Buddhist ground be desecrated? Get out! Get out now! Don't defile this land or tarnish the pure light of this courtyard!"

After saying this, she turned to the maid behind her and said, "The foul air on men is even more disgusting than moss. This wind has been carrying the stench of money for three days, causing half of the white crabapple I just picked to wither."

As she spoke, she picked up a porcelain vase from the table and tossed the newly arranged white begonia flowers to the maid: "These flowers have been touched by the wind from a man's clothes, so they are no longer suitable. You should know that men are born with impurities."

Her words carried an undeniable resolve, as if Ximen Qing's very existence was a defilement of this world.

The elderly nun Jingxu was sweating profusely with anxiety, and wanted to persuade her again: "Master Miaoyu! Please listen to me, this is a matter of life and death, Miss Ruizhu, she..."

The official chuckled coldly, surprised to find such self-righteous people here.

"Noisy!"

Before Jingxu could finish speaking, and even less inclined to waste a word on Miaoyu, Ximen Qing stepped forward abruptly. His large, fan-like hand, carrying a sharp gust of wind, gave Miaoyu no chance to dodge, and delivered a vicious slap!
"Snapped!!"

A crisp, loud slap echoed through the quiet courtyard like a thunderclap!

Miaoyu cried out in pain, her whole body staggering a few steps like a kite with a broken string, her embroidered shoes slipping, and she fell heavily to the ground next to her, overgrown with weeds! Her moon-white black robe was instantly covered with mud and grass, and her carefully combed black hair was also disheveled, covering half of her cheek that was rapidly swelling up.

She felt dizzy, her face burned with pain, her ears were ringing, and a metallic taste even seeped from the corner of her mouth. Her otherworldly demeanor and unapproachable arrogance were utterly shattered by that slap, leaving only a disheveled state and incredulous anger.

Ximen Qing laughed, "Now look in the mirror yourself, and see if you're filthy or I am? Even the prostitutes in brothels are cleaner than you." He then turned to the terrified old nun Jingxu and asked, "Which room is she in? Lead the way!"

The old nun Jingxu was so frightened that she dared not say another word. She scrambled to the main room and pointed, "It's...it's right there...the first quiet room at the east end..." Her voice was trembling uncontrollably.

The official didn't linger any longer. He snorted coldly, strode inside, and

The old nun Jingxu stood there dumbfounded, looking at Ximen Qing's murderous back and then at Miaoyu in the mud. She felt as if the sky was about to collapse, and all she could manage to say was unconsciously, "Amitabha... Amitabha..."

She quickly stepped forward to help Miaoyu up, but Miaoyu struggled and pushed Jingxu away, then went into the room and slammed the door shut.

Ximen Qing pushed open the door to the quiet room, and a strong smell of Chinese medicine mixed with the warm fragrance unique to a woman's boudoir wafted out. The room was lit only by a small oil lamp, its dim and flickering light barely illuminating the area around the bed.

Qin Keqing was seen leaning against the headboard, wrapped in a brocade quilt. Her once stunningly beautiful face was now pale and haggard, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her eyes half-closed, filled with exhaustion. Seeing her personal maid sweating profusely, she, who was always considerate of her servants, became even more worried. Hearing the door open, she struggled to lift her eyes.

When she recognized the person as Ximen Qing, her dim, beautiful eyes instantly lit up with a bright, joyful light, like a drowning person grabbing onto a piece of driftwood! She stood up: "My lord! You've finally come! I... I've been waiting for you!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she froze. "I've been waiting for you"—in the dead of night, while she was sick, in the quiet boudoir where she was alone… The ambiguity and intimacy in those words, like a pebble thrown into calm water, suddenly stirred up a storm in her heart!
A surge of heat rushed from Qin Keqing's neck to the top of her head, making her face as radiant as the morning sun.

Fortunately, Ximen Qing's mind was entirely focused on saving the person. He strode to the bedside, his brow furrowed, his sharp gaze sweeping over Ruizhu. After inquiring about the illness, just as he had expected, he handed the medicine to Baozhu, a maid who dared not breathe: "Quickly go and brew the medicine. Boil three bowls of water down to one bowl, simmering it slowly over a low flame. There must be no mistakes!"

Seeing Baozhu quickly retreat with the medicine packet, Ximen Qing softened his tone, speaking with a reassuring certainty: "Don't panic, it's nothing serious, I guarantee you'll be fine."

Upon hearing the words "all safe and sound," Qin Keqing's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. A feeling of relief washed over her, and her eyes welled up slightly.

She lowered her eyes, her voice barely audible, filled with gratitude and deep apology: "Thank you so much, sir... It's so late, and you still... you still went to all this trouble... I'm so... so sorry..."

The guilt she felt for disturbing her so late at night, mixed with the embarrassment she had just felt, made her almost afraid to look up.

Ximen Qing waved his hand dismissively, his gaze sweeping over her still pale cheeks, which were flushed pink with lingering shyness. His tone was unusually gentle: "It's alright. I'm glad you're alright."

The words "It's good that you're alright" were an ordinary expression of concern, but to Qin Keqing, who had just experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, they carried an indescribable meaning. Especially the word "good," which seemed to carry a hint of…cherishing?
Her heart skipped a beat for no reason, and the shyness that had just subsided surged up again, even more intensely than before!
She had absolutely no idea how to handle this subtly ambiguous situation. Her cheeks burned, and she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet. Her mind went blank, with only one thought remaining: end this unsettling situation as quickly as possible!
She blurted out almost in a panic, her voice trembling with obvious stuttering and confusion: "Um... sir... it's late... you must be tired... I... I'll take you home?"

Ximen Da Guanren was taken aback: "You're just sending me away? You won't even let me stay a while?"

Qin Keqing shook her little head like a rattle drum.

"I...I'll see you off, sir!" Qin Keqing hurriedly broke the deadly silence, her voice trembling as she stood up.

The official didn't joke around, but cupped his hands and let them arrange things as they pleased.

The two left the quiet room one after the other and made their way along the corridor toward the main hall. The night breeze was cool, brushing against Qin Keqing's burning face, easing her heat a little, but how could it dispel the tangled mess in her heart? She deliberately lagged behind by half a step, her head lowered, no longer daring to look at Ximen Qing's broad back.

Ximen Qing walked ahead with a powerful stride, his black boots clattering on the bluestone slabs: "When are we going back?"

Qin Keqing followed behind, her lotus-like steps light and almost inaudible. Her head was lowered, her eyes fixed on the pointed toes of her shoes peeking out from under her skirt. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor: "I...I'll be back tomorrow."

The tall figure paused for a moment, but did not turn around. His voice, however, pressed on more urgently, carrying an unavoidable pressure: "When will you come again?"

How could she possibly answer that?! Qin Keqing felt a surge of heat rush to her cheeks and ears, even her neck felt hot. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip, causing her full lips to slightly indent, revealing a more vibrant red.

She was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear into the ground, but she dared not not answer. She lowered her head even further, and her shy and hesitant appearance, under the cool moonlight, was even more charming and alluring than usual.

The two fell silent for a moment. They could only hear the heavy, powerful footsteps ahead and the soft, hurried rustling of skirts behind.

The moonlight shone like mercury spilling onto the ground, and the one in front of him strode forward with his head held high!

The one behind her, however, resembled a willow swaying in the wind, with her head bowed and eyes lowered. Her timid and delicate demeanor made one feel both pity and love for her.

Just as he stepped across the threshold of the majestic hall, his toes still hovering over the cold stone steps, he suddenly heard a few hushed whispers coming from the shadows below. Ximen Qing, lost in his own calculations, paid no heed. But Qin Keqing's delicate body stiffened abruptly! Her heart felt as if it had been gripped by cold iron clamps, instantly leaping into her throat! That voice… that voice… why did it sound so familiar?!
By the dim moonlight, Qin Keqing casually glanced down the steps—

This sweep was no small matter; it truly terrified him so much that his soul flew out of his body and his spirit scattered to the heavens! His entire body was frozen solid!
In the distance, down the slope, the old nun Jingxu, with her back bent and a fawning smile, was leading two people up the steps in a hurried manner! The one in front was tall and slender, wearing a dark brocade jacket and skirt with a scarlet cloak trimmed with glossy mink fur. She moved with the speed of the wind, exuding an air of fierce ruthlessness! Even in the dim light, her face could not hide seven parts shrewdness and three parts allure. Who else could it be but Wang Xifeng?!
Qin Keqing's mind went blank with a sudden, overwhelming fear! She reacted swiftly, grabbing Ximen Qing's arm tightly, her nails digging into his flesh. Her voice trembled, almost breaking into a sob: "Quick! Master, hide! Otherwise, how can we explain things clearly in the dead of night? She didn't even know I was here; something must have happened, and she's been searching for me all this way."

Ximen Qing was also startled. In a flash, Qin Keqing looked around frantically and pushed him behind a small shrine with a clay statue of the earth god by the side door! The shrine was embedded in the corner of the wall, and the dilapidated red lacquered wooden shrine was so narrow that only a skinny ghost could squeeze into it by turning sideways!

"Right here!" Qin Keqing grabbed Ximen Qing and, like a startled bird, stumbled and staggered toward the shrine.

The two of them practically rolled into a ball, squeezing themselves into that suffocatingly narrow crevice!
The local authorities are so narrow-minded! So narrow-minded it's despairing!
The official's breath was a strong, hot breath from a grown man, mixed with his usual faint smell of alcohol and an indescribable, aggressive body odor, which, like wildfire, swept over Qin Keqing's burning forehead and face.

Qin Keqing was overwhelmed with shame. Fine beads of fragrant sweat, like dewdrops in early spring, silently seeped from her smooth forehead, burning temples, and even into her snow-white neck and armpits.

The beads of sweat carried her unique, warm, sweet, milky scent; they were soft, slippery, and slightly salty from her skin, like melted honey, sticking clinging to the flesh inside the man's collar.

The scent of this man made Keqing lose her balance; she was so embarrassed she almost fainted.

Just as desire was boiling and sweat was rising, the light, somewhat anxious footsteps outside the hall, mixed with the rustling of skirts, came clearly from afar, like the urgent beat of a drum!

Wang Xifeng burst in, her scarlet cloak, gleaming with sable fur, casting a sharp shadow in the dim light. Ping'er, head bowed and eyes lowered, followed half a step behind her mistress, her steps as light as a cat's. The old nun Jingxu, bowing low, her face plastered with obsequiousness and fear, also scurried in.

The hall was empty, and Wang Xifeng's sharp, shrewish voice immediately struck the four walls, creating a buzzing echo, and also exploded like thunder in the ears of the two "clay statues" in the cracks of the shrine:

"Ping'er!" Sister Feng paused, her voice lowered, revealing an unusual seriousness and anxiety. "You'd better be on your guard later! My little sister Ke'er... sigh! You know how delicate she is, even more fragile than a paper-mache beauty lantern!"

She sighed heavily, as if a huge stone was pressing on her chest. "Wait... wait until she hears the news that Rong-ge'er is gone! How can she bear such a terrible news? Her body is most vulnerable to sudden emotional distress! I'm afraid she... afraid she'll faint right away! Especially since Rong-ge'er's death was so suspicious!"

"What if she collapses on this cold ground, or bumps into something?! You better keep your eyes peeled! Be quick! As soon as you see her face turn pale, her body sway, or her eyes glaze over, immediately go over and steady her! Hold her tight! Make sure she's protected and doesn't fall! Do you hear me?!"

Ping'er's face was also a little pale, and her eyes were slightly red. She was clearly also affected by the bad news and her mistress's rare panic. She gently patted Feng Jie's tense hand, her voice soft but with a reassuring force: "Don't worry, Madam. I know what I'm doing. I will definitely stay by Madam's side every step of the way and protect her steadily... I will never let Madam suffer any more mishaps."

In the cracks of the niche, that tiny space instantly became the boundary between an ice cellar and a fiery pit!

Qin Keqing felt as if she had been struck by lightning! The words "Rong-ge'er is gone" and "bad news" were like red-hot steel needles, piercing her eardrums and going straight into the depths of her brain!

The blood in her body drained away instantly, and the shame, the burning sensation, and the tingling sensation she had felt were immediately swallowed up by boundless coldness and fear!
Suddenly everything went black before her eyes, and she saw stars. Her body felt as if all her muscles had been removed, and she collapsed limply into Ximen Qing's arms!
Ximen Qing was also terrified, and felt the soft, warm body in his arms suddenly become deathly cold! He reacted quickly, his arms tightening like iron hoops, using his strong body to firmly stop Qin Keqing from sliding down!

Their bodies pressed together even deeper, tighter, and more tightly!

Her cold, pale, and bloodless face was pressed weakly and tightly against Ximen Qing's sweaty chest, her breath as faint as a whisper.

Ximen Qing could clearly feel the heart in her chest, which first pounded wildly like a drum, then suddenly stopped beating a few times, before it began to beat again very weakly and very slowly.

It's over! She's really fainted! Ximen Qing's heart sank. He tightly hugged the limp body with both arms, not daring to move or even breathe, feeling the veins on his forehead throbbing.

How do I do this?

Sweat streamed down his face.

(End of this chapter)