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

Chapter 161 Ximen Qing Meets Qin Keqing and Wang Xifeng
Inside the Rongguo Mansion.

Wang Xifeng wore a dark blue silk-embroidered gray squirrel fur coat, which made her fair and delicate face even more beautiful. Her phoenix eyes were half-closed, and her eyes were filled with unspoken thoughts.

She held a few heavy, golden melon seeds in her hand, casually teasing the green-feathered parrot on the shelf.

That hairy beast was quite clever; with a crisp "caw," it cried out "Get rich!" Feng Jie was pleased to hear this, and a faint smile appeared on her plump red lips.

Early this morning.

News came from outside that the nine city gates had reopened. She thought to herself: now that the city gates are open, those shady money pits and gambling dens should be no longer a problem. Surely, the interest on the loans she made shouldn't be lost.

Thinking this, her smile deepened, and her eyes twitched upwards, revealing a shrewd and calculating nature.

The head steward, Lai Da, was led in by Ping'er.

Standing with his hands at his sides in front of the kang (a heated brick bed), he pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over, his voice extremely low: "Second Madam Lian, regarding the accounts at Wu Family Village, I had someone disguised as a merchant from the south buying mountain goods and secretly investigated..." His Adam's apple bobbed, "...and there are still so many things hidden in the village!"

Sister Feng didn't even bother to lift her eyelids. Her two slender, pointed fingernails, stained with bright red balsam juice, held a golden melon seed and tossed it back into the gilded dish with a crisp "clink".

Only then did she extend her fingernail, stained with blood, and casually pick up the paper. Her gaze swept across the paper—the lazy, lively smile that had just been on her lips froze instantly!

It was like being doused with a bucket of ice shards on a sweltering summer day! Her once radiant and fair face instantly darkened, turning so somber it could be wrung out of three pounds of black water!
The paper was covered in ink, each piece a precious treasure from the Wu family village:

Nine ounces of Liaodong old mountain ginseng, complete with a human-shaped body, sealed in mud, in a total of nine boxes!

Seven pairs of red Ganoderma lucidum, each as large as a copper basin!

The entire black fox pelt, without a single stray hair, was glossy and smooth, and there were ten of them!
Dozens of racks of sika deer antlers with velvet tips as tender as jade!
A dozen large jars of tiger bone wine, aged in cellars with a gelatinous texture resembling amber and an enticing medicinal aroma!

There were also baskets of top-quality matsutake mushrooms and monkey head mushrooms, boxes of century-old mountain walnuts, and plump, oily wild hazelnuts...

These valuable items should have been harvested, stripped, and dug up long ago and obediently sent to the government treasury, but now they seem to have taken root and are still huddled in the warehouse in that poor mountain valley!

That Wu Family Village deserves to die!
Lai Da glanced at Feng Jie's suddenly icy face, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, he took a deep breath, and although his back was slightly bent, he still maintained the composure of a head steward.

However, the words stuck in his throat couldn't find a safe way out.

"Hmm?" Sister Feng's gaze swept over him sharply, her eyes like icy needles, piercing precisely between Lai Da's brows. "What else is there?"

Lai Da bowed even deeper: "Second Madam Lian, please allow me to report... A few days ago, the bear paws that were presented as tribute from the estate were carefully examined by me as it was my duty, and I discovered... that they were all left paws."

"So what if it's my left hand?" Sister Feng sneered through her nostrils, her sharp fingernails scraping across the kang table with a harsh sound.

“Replying to Second Madam Lian,” Lai Da raised his head, looking straight at the ground in front of him, his tone steady, “this bear is greedy and uses its right paw to pluck honey and pick fruit. As a result, its right paw is soaked in honey and pectin over the years, making its muscles plump, shiny and glossy, a top-quality product.”

"After stewing, the gelatinous substance becomes thick like amber, with a rich and penetrating aroma. It is truly a delicacy, worth a hundred gold pieces." He paused, his voice still steady, but revealing a hint of regret for the loss of the host's interests:

"As for the left palm, the flesh is loose and bland, quite different from what was expected. Furthermore, the ginseng that was handed over from Wu Family Village last time, although it appeared robust, upon closer inspection, revealed many empty spaces inside, and the ginseng rootlets were sparse."

"The so-called Ganoderma lucidum is of poor quality, resembling a young mushroom, and has negligible medicinal properties. Such a product is hardly suitable as tribute or medicine."

In his last few sentences, he stated clearly and forcefully, confirming Wu Jinxiao's deception.

"Good! Good for Wu Jinxiao!" Sister Feng slammed her hand on the kang table, making the teacups jump with a loud crash. She sat up abruptly.

"Do you really think I'm some clay or wooden statue in a temple, only eating incense and never saying a word? These tricks about bear paws, the illusions of ginseng and deer antler, those rare delicacies hidden away in the storeroom..."

She jabbed her finger at the paper, "Lai Da, you have to write down every single thing, every single one, in black and white, down to the last detail! I'm going to move along and go to Wu Family Village myself! I'll see which cowardly lackey dares to pull such a trick right under my nose! How are you going to explain this to me!"

Lai Da bowed deeply with a solemn expression: "Yes, Grandma. I will take care of it right away and record every single detail in detail."

He bowed and retreated steadily. Although his steps were quick, there was no sign of panic. Only his slightly furrowed brows betrayed the thorny nature of the matter.

The room had been quiet for a moment when the heavy scarlet felt curtain was suddenly ripped open with a "whoosh," bringing with it a chill of the twelfth lunar month!

A woman wearing a blue satin sheepskin coat stumbled in through the cold wind; she was Laiwang's wife, who lent money at exorbitant interest rates and colluded with underground businesses on behalf of Sister Feng.

Although she was a servant, her eyes and brows carried a fierce, street-smart air. At this moment, her face was ashen, like freshly painted paint. Forgetting all decorum, she rushed to the kang (heated brick bed) and knelt down with a thud, her voice shrill and trembling, choked with sobs:

"My God! The sky has fallen! Those money-draining holes in the west of the city where we held a large stake, and those gambling dens that swallowed our hard-earned money... This morning, before the roosters had even crowed... they've all been wiped out!"

Laiwang's wife slapped her thigh: "They say... they went to Qinghe County, that godforsaken place!"

"They say... they say the situation in the capital is so tense it could strangle someone, so they're going to Qinghe County to take shelter for a while, and we'll talk again once things calm down!"

"Qinghe County?" Sister Feng was taken aback, her temples throbbing.

The cold wind that Laiwang's wife brought in was like a needle quenched in ice, making Fengjie's head throb.

"Qinghe County...Qinghe County..." Sister Feng chewed on these three words repeatedly, her jaw clenched so tightly that her cheeks ached.

But another ledger started churning uncontrollably before my eyes:

The end of the year is almost here! There are hundreds of people in the household, and there are monthly allowances, year-end bonuses, holiday gifts from various places, purchasing New Year's goods, preparing birthday gifts for the old lady and the ladies... every single thing costs money!

The company's accounts were already empty, and they were entirely dependent on her for cash flow. Those high-interest loans she made were just a way for her to rob Peter to pay Paul, a desperate measure to fill the hole at the end of the year!

I had planned to put the money into underground banks and casinos to earn some interest, but now... now they've taken it all!

The thought sent a chill down Fengjie's spine, from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, making her shiver. If this couldn't be covered up... wouldn't those envious and greedy people cause a huge uproar during the year-end accounting season?
That spineless scoundrel Jia Lian... in front of the old lady and the other ladies... Wang Xifeng's reputation as the matriarch, along with the private wealth and prestige she has painstakingly built up over the years, will probably be torn to shreds and left to be trampled on!
"Hiss..." A sharp pain suddenly gripped her temple, as if a red-hot iron rod was violently stirring inside.

Feng Jie's vision went black, her body swayed, and she instinctively pressed her hand tightly against her forehead, her fingernails almost digging into her flesh.

This headache has been recurring ever since she took on this heavy responsibility, but today it came on particularly fiercely, with a death-dealing feel to it.

Cold sweat instantly soaked the fine downy hairs at her temples, and even rouge couldn't cover the ashen look on her face.

"Grandma!" Ping'er, who had been standing in the shadows, felt a sudden pang of fear upon seeing this. She rushed forward and reached out to steady Feng Jie's swaying body. Her hand touched her mistress's arm, which was icy cold and trembling slightly.

"It's nothing..." Feng Jie squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, her voice weak and hoarse with suppressed pain. She closed her eyes, gasping for breath, trying to suppress the churning dizziness and excruciating pain: "Let's go, to Tianxiang Tower, it's time to set off!"

Ping'er dared not say anything, but only supported her with all her might, while gently massaging her temples with her other hand, her fingertips icy cold.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As the wheels rolled over clods of earth, the carriage swayed violently. Although the carriage was spacious, the two exquisitely beautiful women were huddled together on a soft cushion. The soft, warm flesh piled up around them, creating a slightly cramped and fleshy atmosphere, with the scent of fat and sweat subtly permeating the air.

Qin Keqing leaned to one side, extending a dazzlingly white jade wrist. Her fingertips, cool to the bone, were gently massaging the temples of the reclining Wang Xifeng. Her fingertips were smooth and slippery, touching the skin as if dipped in icy dew.

"Auntie, do you feel a little more relaxed?" Qin Keqing parted her red lips, revealing her white teeth. Her voice was soft and sweet, like a nightingale's song, naturally exuding a charming and alluring aura.

Her face, though now pale, only accentuated her delicate eyebrows and pearly lips, making her appear like a celestial being stepping out of a painting. The scent of her lip rouge, mingled with a subtle, cool fragrance, tickled Wang Xifeng's temples and ears.

Wang Xifeng closed her eyes and let out a comfortable "Mmm" from her throat, the last syllable of which was drawn out: "Much better... Your little hands are a natural remedy for fatigue."

She remained motionless, her voluptuous figure, especially her two round, plump mounds, pressed firmly against the brocade cushion, stretching the Hangzhou silk beneath her to a smooth, glossy sheen, making her appear heavy and stable, as if she were rooted to the spot.

Qin Keqing noticed the slight relaxation in her brow and said softly, "Auntie, you must cherish your health and not overexert yourself. There's always room to maneuver amidst all the dangers outside..."

Wang Xifeng suddenly opened her eyes, her phoenix eyes shimmering with genuine pity: "My dear Ke'er! You should take care of your own frail body first!"

Her gaze was sharp as she meticulously traced Qin Keqing's exquisitely beautiful face. "Look at this face, as white as the jade Guanyin statue enshrined in the snow cave. It's stunningly beautiful, but it exudes a deathly aura! You haven't even settled your own unresolved case yet, and you're already worrying about me, who's been through hell?"

Startled by her fervent and weighty concern, Qin Keqing smiled faintly yet captivatingly, her long eyelashes drooping, casting two small, pitiful shadows of sorrow beneath her eyes.

"Find a place? Ha..."

Her voice was light and airy, with a hint of resignation in her tone, "Now, in that mansion, from top to bottom, who can tolerate an obstructive widow like me? To be honest, Auntie, I haven't seen anyone from the Ningguo Mansion for many days. They just wish I would turn into a wisp of smoke and disappear immediately, so that everything will be clean before their eyes."

She paused slightly, letting out a barely audible sigh as her enormous breasts heaved beneath her clothes. "Only those two silly girls, Baozhu and Ruizhu, are still devoted to me in that desolate little courtyard of Tianxiang Tower... That way... at least I can have some peace and quiet."

"Anyway... my heart is like a dry well. It's been like boiling oil, burning through oil for a day, counting as two hours. If the Bodhisattva opens his eyes and takes me away soon... that would be clean, so I won't get in the way of others and be disliked."

There wasn't a spark of hope in his voice, only ashes of weariness and a disillusioned indifference.

As they were talking, the car suddenly stopped.

We've arrived at Guanyin Temple.

Wang Xifeng twisted her waist and stepped off the carriage first, steadily and firmly. Qin Keqing followed, supported by the maid's hand. Her body was soft and trembling, just like a tender willow branch sprouting in March, unable to withstand the slightest breeze, and she too moved into the nunnery.

Wang Xifeng moved with practiced ease, clearly familiar with the place, leading Qin Keqing past the main hall where incense smoke filled the air and made one's eyes blurry, through several corridors with lush flowers and trees, and a chilling coolness, until they arrived at the door of an extremely secluded meditation room in the backyard.

She raised her hand and pushed open the carved wooden door with a creak. Inside, however, was a completely different world: the windows were bright and clean, the blue brick floor was so shiny it reflected a mirror, a bamboo curtain was half-rolled up and let in a little light, there was a dark meditation couch and a small, shiny mahogany table.

On the table sat a Ru kiln white porcelain vase, with a few newly plucked plum buds inserted at an angle, faintly emitting a cool fragrance.

In the corner, a small stove burns fine agarwood incense, wisps of smoke mingling with the scents of plum blossoms and wood, creating a tranquil atmosphere that is both elegant and slightly luxurious.

Qin Keqing stood outside the threshold, her beautiful eyes carefully surveying the elegant meditation room. A hint of surprise flashed across her eyes, and a thin layer of confusion, like mist, floated perfectly on her exquisitely beautiful face. Her cherry lips parted slightly, her voice still soft and sweet, tinged with a touch of bewilderment:
"Auntie? Shouldn't we be going to the main hall to kowtow and burn incense for the Bodhisattva? How did we end up in this eerily quiet meditation room in the back courtyard?"

Before she could finish speaking, the door hinges behind her creaked softly again. Qin Keqing's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively turned to look—

But Ping'er, who had been following behind, did not come in. Instead, she stepped aside, and a tall and imposing man was blocking the doorway, completely blocking out the light!
The newcomer was dressed in brocade robes, with a calm and steady demeanor like a mountain. His face was exceptionally handsome, especially his eyes, which were as warm as the spring sun, carrying an undisguised and scorching warmth, yet also carrying a hint of alluring evil. He stared directly at Qin Keqing's face.

Their eyes met suddenly!

Qin Keqing felt a surge of heat rush from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and her whole body trembled as if struck by lightning. "Ah..." A short cry of surprise escaped from her throat, and her jade-like face instantly turned as red as the sunset clouds on the horizon, the redness extending all the way to the tips of her delicate earlobes.

She panicked like a thief caught red-handed, abruptly lowering her head. Her long, thick eyelashes trembled rapidly like butterfly wings in the wind. She frantically raised her hands to cover her wildly beating heart, but her slender fingertips trembled uncontrollably from the overwhelming shame and panic.

Beneath her autumn coat, her breasts heaved violently, outlining a breathtaking surge that revealed the raging storm in her heart.

She never dreamed that she would suddenly run into this man in this place and under these circumstances!

Wang Xifeng, standing to the side, took in Qin Keqing's shy and surprised expression, her fingertips seemingly conveying affection, and the official's calm yet intense gaze at the door.

The chill of Qin Keqing's touch still lingered on her wrist, but a sudden realization dawned on her! "Good heavens! So my guess was right! That hussy... she kept it from me for so long, when did she hook up with me?"

A strange, indescribable feeling suddenly welled up in Wang Xifeng's heart, a mixture of sourness and sweetness, with an indescribable stinging and astringency.

I'm so happy for Qin Keqing! In this Jia household, only this sickly, beautiful girl is worthy of Wang Xifeng's attention and confiding in. Now that she seems to have a glimmer of hope, Fengjie feels a rare sense of comfort!

Seeing Qin Keqing's shy and surprised expression, with even her fingertips conveying affection, Wang Xifeng, being a woman herself, felt a pang of bittersweet envy.

In this deep and secluded mansion, to find true love is such a luxury! Especially for someone as beautiful as Ke'er, who has to toil away in that living coffin of the Ning family! Wouldn't it be a great blessing if someone could take her out and get her out of that quagmire?
But the thought had barely formed when a bucket of cold water was poured over it. Wang Xifeng's heart clenched instantly, filled with worry for her! How filthy was the Ningguo Mansion? Did she, Wang Xifeng, not know?! Apart from the stone lions at the gate, even the cats and dogs in that mansion were probably unclean! ...Just thinking about it made her want to vomit!

"And it's not just the Ning Mansion! How clean is the Rong Mansion either?" A cold, self-deprecating smile flickered across Wang Xifeng's lips. These men of the Jia family, relying on their ancestors' blessings, how many of them are truly clean? Take, for example, that fourth young lady Xichun in the West Mansion… whose child is she really? Do they really think they can hide it from everyone? Everyone just knows the truth!"

The entire Jia family is filled with a hypocritical arrogance, looking down on the Wang family all day long! Don't be fooled by Wang Xifeng's current favor with the old lady and her management of a huge family business; behind her back, countless people gossip about her, laughing at her as an illiterate shrew.
But what about the men of the Jia family? Strip away their pretentious scholarly facade, and they're dirtier than anyone else inside! Since the Jia family is all show and no substance, rotten to the core, wouldn't it be a miracle if someone could actually pull Ke'er, this beautiful flower, out of this cesspool?

Wang Xifeng's gaze swept once more over the imposing, broad-shouldered Ximen Qing at the door. Who was he? Just a merchant with some wealth who had earned a bit of favor from the master!
Even if he truly cared for Ke'er, and even if he had some ability, how could he possibly take Qin Keqing away? What was Qin Keqing's status? The eldest grandson's wife of the Ningguo Mansion's eldest son, Jia Rong's lawfully wedded wife! A widow coveted by an old lecher!
This identity is an inescapable golden shackle and jade lock! How could Jia Zhen, that old philanderer, let go of this swan meat in his palm? For the sake of that facade of respectability, which is looser than a prostitute's belt, could the Jia family tolerate such a "shameful" affair of a widow remarrying?
"Difficult! As difficult as ascending to heaven!" Wang Xifeng sighed heavily in her heart. The joy she had felt for Qin Keqing just now was instantly crushed by the heavy reality, leaving only a heart full of worry and an uncontrollable, sarcastic sneer towards the Jia family.

laugh!
She cursed inwardly. The Jia family? A scholarly family?

Bah! These people, their ancestors' graves must have been filled with the smoke of murder and arson, they amassed this enormous wealth with the power of a knife, not a pen! And now, they're putting on long gowns, hanging up calligraphy and paintings, pretending to be learned scholars? Do they really think they're some ancient tree root that's been gathering ink for generations?

"At heart? At heart, every single one of them is still the lowlife thug they despise! The kind of scoundrel who can't resist a pretty girl and can throw a tantrum in the street after a few drinks!"

Wang Xifeng's thoughts were like poisoned needles, piercing her heart and chilling her to the bone: "A bunch of scoundrels who are nothing but peasants at heart! Strip away their fine clothes and silks, and you'll still find that indelible animalistic stench inside!"

"As the saying goes: Even if a weasel wears a brocade robe, it will still stick out its rear end and puff out smoke when it smells a chicken coop; even if a thief manages to sneak into the top scholar's list, he still can't help but reach for a luminous pearl when he sees it. — That coarseness etched into one's bones cannot be washed away no matter how much soap water you use. This saying is most apt when it comes to the men of the Jia family!"

Look at what they've done! That old beast Jia Zhen of the Ning Mansion has even gone to great lengths for incest, coveting even the gentle and kind Qin Keqing! And that spineless coward Jia Rong is no exception!

"In the Rong family, that good-for-nothing of hers wants to drag any woman onto the bed! And those two masters above, humph, who doesn't know about their shady dealings?"

"Those men of the Jia family, when they get together, they either gamble and drink, or they fawn over actors and play with young boys. How many of them can actually absorb the classics? With that kind of character, they still dream of being a 'family of scholars and officials'? Bah! Aren't they afraid that Confucius will crawl out of his coffin and spit in their face!"
The old lady saw through all of this, which is why she held Baoyu's phoenix-egg-like eyes in her hands and cared for them personally, "afraid they would melt if she held them in her mouth, afraid they would break if she held them in her hands."

They were single-mindedly determined to pull this precious son of the Jia family back from that "vulgar and unbearable" path and force him into the brocade of a "scholarly family." They guarded him like a thief, constantly preventing him from picking up "martial habits," fearing he would learn those "rude and impolite" and "sharp-tongued" behaviors.

"Ha! And what was the result?" Wang Xifeng's inward sneer could freeze a person to death. "What good scum did she raise? A 'two-faced brat' who can only live by being surrounded by women and smelling their fragrance!"

"He looks like a man on the outside, with fair skin and tender flesh, even more delicate than a woman! But what's inside him? He's all show and no substance! He can't lift a finger, he'll wet his pants at the sight of blood, and when something happens, he'll just whine and burrow into the old lady's arms or hide behind his sisters!"

"He has absolutely no sense of responsibility or backbone! He's a spineless, soft cotton canopy!" Wang Xifeng grew increasingly disdainful as she thought about it. "To say he's like a man? I think he's more like a pampered young lady raised in a boudoir!"

And look at this big shot blocking the doorway! Those shoulders are so broad they could carry mountains! That physique is as upright as a sturdy pine! There's an indescribable wickedness in his eyes, but that wickedness is full of a living, hot, and irresistible masculine energy that can steal a woman's soul!
Standing there, he's like a leopard surveying its territory, his composure concealing strength. That's a real man! A man who can stand firm in the storm and shelter a woman from the wind and rain!

The weight in Wang Xifeng's heart slammed heavily against the doorway.

What a pity... Such a man just happened to run into Qin Keqing, a "widow bound by golden shackles and jade chains"!
The Jia family's place is like a "stone in a latrine—stinky and hard" rotten mud pit. Even the stone lions at the entrance are "filthy to the core." How can there be any sincerity or vitality in it?
She looked at her niece-in-law, who was so beautiful she could "steal one's soul" and was utterly embarrassed, and then at the man at the door whose gaze was "like hooks" fixed intently on Ke'er.
I felt that the elegant meditation room, filled with the scent of burning aloeswood, was permeated with a suffocating, hopeless desolation, carrying the "smell of blood and mud." I sighed in my heart: This brocade cage is bound to "trample this pair of unfortunate wild lovers to death!"

"Ahem!" Wang Xifeng cleared her throat. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was like water dripping into boiling oil, making Qin Keqing tremble. She was startled awake from her eye contact with the official and hurriedly lowered her head, her snow-white neck flushed with an alluring pink.

Feng Jie's face broke into a mischievous smile, yet also one of knowing all the ways of the world. Her gaze swept ambiguously between the two of them, and she deliberately raised her voice slightly:
"Oh dear! What a memory I have! Ke'er, Master Ximen, please have a seat! I suddenly remembered a few extremely important matters that I must immediately go and explain to that nun! There can be no delay!"

As she spoke, she stood up nimbly, completely ignoring Qin Keqing's pitiful appearance—her face pale with embarrassment and flushed, almost fainting—and walked straight towards the door.

As she passed the tall figure, Wang Xifeng paused, turned her head, and glanced sideways at the official with her phoenix eyes. A wicked smile, both a warning and an encouragement, curled at the corner of her mouth. She lowered her voice, speaking in a tone barely audible to the three of them, yet enough to make Qin Keqing so ashamed and indignant that she wanted to hang the handkerchief in her hand somewhere:
“My lord, haste makes waste! My daughter is as thin-skinned as newly pasted window paper! As the saying goes, ‘A stolen gong cannot be struck!’ You two… ‘A kiss to satisfy your craving is enough!’ There’s no time for anything else!” She paused deliberately, her eyes glancing at Qin Keqing’s trembling body, which was like a leaf in the wind. “In broad daylight, in this serene Buddhist temple… time is too tight. I’ll be back in a bit!”

Before she finished speaking, she had already rushed out the door like a gust of wind, and with a "bang," she neatly closed the carved wooden door of the meditation room!

Outside the door, Wang Xifeng grabbed Ping'er, who was waiting there. The mischievous look on her face was instantly replaced by a murderous glint in her eyes. Her voice was low and carried an undeniable ruthlessness:

"Ping'er! What did you see or hear inside the room just now?"

Ping'er, being quick-witted, immediately lowered her head and said in a calm and even voice, "Reporting to Grandmother, this servant saw nothing and heard nothing. Grandmother only went to talk to the nun for a while, and Madam Qin is resting in the meditation room."

Wang Xifeng nodded in satisfaction, then pinched Ping'er's arm hard, leaving a red mark as a warning: "As the saying goes, 'Disaster comes from the mouth'! Keep this matter to yourself! If you dare to utter a single word... you'll regret it!"

“Yes, Grandma.” Ping’er’s heart skipped a beat, and she replied meekly with her head bowed.

As the door closed, the meditation room fell into a suffocating silence, with only the wisps of incense smoke silently drifting between the two people.

Qin Keqing felt all her vital essence rush to the top of her head with a "boom," and her ears were ringing as if filled with a thousand bees.

Wang Xifeng's lewd remark, "A kiss to satisfy my craving is enough," was like a red-hot branding iron, sizzling and burning right onto the most tender part of her heart, making her unbearably ashamed, her internal organs went numb, and a surge of heat rushed down her spine.

The handkerchief in her hand was already wrung tightly, her knuckles white, as if she wished she could turn into a wisp of smoke and escape out the door immediately. But her two jade-like legs were limp and trembling, as if they were filled with lead and rooted to the ground, unable to move even half a step.

She could only bury her head tightly, wishing she could shrink her whole body into that thin spring silk robe.

Seeing the tall figure approaching step by step, she hurriedly raised her two soft hands and covered her face, which was so hot that it was almost dripping with rouge. She was just like a sand pheasant who didn't care about her own face. She thought that as long as she covered her charming eyes, everything would be fine.

Fortunately, the figure stopped a few steps away.

But that unfamiliar yet familiar scent, unique to him—the clear, cool base of agarwood mixed with his own warm, sweaty body odor—was just like that night at the Guanyin Temple.

But it was like an invisible, soft silk, aggressively encroaching upon her, thread by thread, drilling into her nostrils, domineeringly wrapping around her slender body, as if trying to envelop her entirely in that warm, heavy, suffocating net, making her heart flutter, her bones feel weak and her muscles go limp, and making her increasingly unsteady on her feet.

The official stood a few steps away, his gaze deep and fixed on the stunningly beautiful woman who was trembling and seemed about to dissipate into a wisp of smoke amidst the cold fragrance of plum blossoms.

"Am I really that repulsive?" His voice was low, with a hint of barely perceptible hoarseness. "You think even glancing at me is an eyesore?"

Qin Keqing covered her face with her small hands and shook her head repeatedly. Her two long eyelashes trembled like the wings of a dying butterfly in a storm. After struggling for a while, she did not want the man in front of her to misunderstand her, so she slowly took her hands down. Finally, she exhausted all her strength and raised her pointed chin slightly.

Those shimmering, watery eyes timidly stumbled into the man's unfathomable depths, now brimming with burning tenderness and affection.

"Mmm..." A faint, almost inaudible breath escaped from her throat. Her face was already flushed, more beautiful than the most intense sunset clouds, breathtakingly gorgeous.

She glanced at him quickly, like a startled fawn, then hurriedly lowered her eyes. But her gaze seemed to be drawn back to his face by invisible threads, meticulously tracing his unforgettable features.

Amidst the overwhelming shame and panic, a gentle concern, pure and clear as a spring, stemming from her very nature, unexpectedly broke through her defenses and flowed forth.

"How have you been lately?" The official asked, his gaze never leaving her. He deliberately spoke in a gentle tone, yet his voice held an undeniable probing.

"I...I'm fine..." Ke Qing's voice was as soft as willow catkins drifting in spring, tinged with a barely audible sob, broken and intermittent, "But..."

She paused, as if gathering a little more strength, before fixing her wet, sorrowful, and timid gaze on his face again. Her worry was genuine and undisguised.

"You...you look so tired...there are even dark circles under your eyes..."

She even subconsciously and subtly shuffled forward half a step, her concern overflowing so much it seemed to drip from her clear, bright eyes, utterly genuine. "But...but lately, you've been plagued by troubles? You...you must...you absolutely must take care of yourself..."

Those last few words, as soft as a sigh, landed heavily in the scorching, stagnant air between the two, carrying endless, unfulfilled longing and care, as gentle as water.

The official looked at her stunningly beautiful face, now even more vivid and exquisite with worry and shyness, and felt the pure and heartwarming sincerity in her words: "You're worried about me?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Keqing trembled almost imperceptibly! The little bit of courage she had just mustered because of his haggard appearance vanished instantly, like a startled snail retreating into its shell.

She hurriedly lowered her head, leaving only a section of her delicate, smooth neck, flushed with a captivating pink, exposed to his burning gaze, both fragile and alluring.

The official's gaze lingered on Qin Keqing for a long while before he spoke. His voice was deliberately gentle and low, with a barely perceptible huskiness, like sandpaper gently rubbing against sandalwood:
"Today... you look better than before." He paused, his gaze lingering for a moment on her slightly thin shoulders, wrapped in a plain spring dress, before slowly continuing, "However... you still need to take good care of your health. The autumn chill is still in the air, so don't be tempted by the cool breeze and catch a cold."

Qin Keqing turned her face slightly to the side, her long eyelashes drooping, casting a small, trembling shadow beneath her eyes. Her voice was soft and gentle, almost drifting away into the wisps of smoke:
"Thanks... I'm still thinking about it. I... I'm much better now." She unconsciously clenched the plain handkerchief in her hand, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force. "Every day I just... read books, do some needlework, and... don't go out much."

The official's gaze fell squarely on her hands, which were clenching a handkerchief, the subtle movement betraying the turmoil within her. His eyes deepened, his tone softening, yet carrying an invisible pressure: "Yes. It's good that you can rest quietly."

He changed the subject, his gaze returning to her downcast profile. "Do you like bird's nest?" He paused. "If you do, I have some top-quality blood bird's nest in my Qinghe Reservoir. I'll have someone send some over later."

A faint blush suddenly appeared on Qin Keqing's cheeks, like rouge spreading on rice paper. Her voice was even softer, with a hint of obvious panic: "Thank you... but no need for such trouble... no need to bother anymore."

She glanced at him quickly, her gaze like a startled butterfly's wing, fleeting and swift, her eyes darting over the intricate cloud patterns on the hem of his robe in her haste. "I... I am not worthy of such a great man..."

The official's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly for a moment, before he regained his usual composure. He took a tiny half-step forward, the hem of his robe brushing against the blue brick floor with a soft rustling sound. The distance wasn't much closer, but his masculine aura, tinged with the scent of agarwood, seemed to suddenly intensify:

“It’s nothing. It’s just piling up in the storeroom anyway. You’re weak, you should take some nourishing food.” He then changed the subject, with a hint of inquiry, “Now that he’s gone, you’ve been staying in that Tianxiang Pavilion all day… have you felt bored?”

Qin Keqing clearly felt the burning intensity of his gaze and the invisible pressure from his subtle proximity. Her heart pounded again, as if she were holding a lively rabbit. Her body tensed involuntarily, and her voice trembled slightly.

"Well... it's alright. With the scriptures to keep me company, and occasionally... I can look at the chrysanthemums in the backyard, so... it doesn't feel too boring. Besides... my aunt often comes to visit..."

The official nodded: "You look a little better than the other day, but not by much. I'm worried about you, and I just want to go to the Jia mansion to see you... but that's difficult!"

He took half a step forward, not much closer, but his masculine aura, mixed with the scent of agarwood, suddenly intensified, domineeringly invading the air around Qin Keqing and making her gasp for breath.

"I just hope... you'll come to Qinghe more often. Even if... you find an excuse, say you're not feeling well, and come see me, your 'doctor,' to get some advice and clear up any pent-up feelings in your heart..."

"It's better than... looking at each other from afar, separated by high walls and deep courtyards, so close yet so far."

Qin Keqing felt as if every word he spoke carried sparks, striking her tense back. The words "I am worried about you" and "I want to relieve my depression" were so ambiguous that her ears burned, as if his warm palms were already pressing on her massive heart through her clothes, each word like a scratching fingertip.

"Hmm..." Qin Keqing finally managed to squeeze out a faint, weak sound from deep in her throat, as light as a mosquito's buzz, with a heavy nasal tone. This single "hmm" seemed to have exhausted all her strength, and her body swayed almost imperceptibly, like a slender willow swaying under the weight of the wind.

Seeing her subtle reaction, the official chuckled softly and said, "I know... my current status... is not enough to break through the brocade cage woven for you by the Jia family, and I cannot rescue you..."

Upon hearing "I can't save you," Qin Keqing felt a sharp pain in her chest, but for some reason, the shyness on her face vanished.

What followed was an overwhelming urge to cry, which quickly became uncontrollable. A scalding tear fell without warning.

Then, a second drop, a third drop... Silent tears, like beads from a broken string, rolled down her pale, smooth cheeks, spreading dark, damp stains on the ash-covered ground, like blood silently seeping from her heart.

She didn't cry out or sob; she just bit her lower lip hard and tightly!

Her two full, moist cherry lips were deeply embedded in her fine, white teeth, which were bitten tightly!

The lower lip first lost its color, leaving deep teeth marks, and then, due to the rush of blood, it turned an unusually bright red and swelled up slightly, like a ripe cherry about to burst.

She was using the pain in her body to suppress the turmoil of grievances, the overwhelming despair, and the faint but burning hope that he had stirred within her!
Tears rolled to her lips and seeped into her teeth, salty and bitter, but she was oblivious. She bit down harder, as if to seal away all the sordid thoughts, attachments, and desires that she dared not cry, shout, or think between her lips and teeth.

Those thin shoulders could no longer support them, and they began to tremble like a leaf, just like the last trembling withered leaf on a branch in late autumn.

The official saw clearly her silent tears and her self-torturing lip-biting, and knew he had misunderstood. If he didn't give her more to say, she might not be able to bear it, so he quickly continued, his voice soft but each word carrying immense weight:

"But—you—can—rest—without—afraid!"

"Soon...soon I'll be able to take you away openly and honestly! Away from that filthy place! So you'll never have to suffer this injustice and torment again!"

"Trust me!"

Qin Keqing's body jolted violently! That last promise was like a thunderbolt that cleaved the gloom in her heart, and like a scalding key that instantly opened the floodgates of her tears.

She could no longer hold on and looked up. Her beautiful face, streaked with tears, her lips swollen and red, filled with fear and immense shock, met the deep, burning eyes of the official.

Her mouth was open, her lower lip was bitten until it bled slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.

She just stared wide-eyed at the man, her eyes brimming with tears, incredulously fixed on him.

Tears flowed even more profusely, washing over her pale face, gathering in a line on her chin, and dripping onto her slightly heaving chest.

His eyes were incredibly complex—there was shock, fear, overwhelming joy in disbelief, unfathomable anxiety, and even more so, a resolute determination to risk everything and tie his entire being to that solemn oath!

"Hmm..." Qin Keqing finally managed to squeeze out a faint sound from her throat, as weak as a mosquito's hum, accompanied by a heavy nasal congestion. This single "hmm" drained all her strength, and her body swayed almost imperceptibly, like a tender willow branch about to break in a gale. The tears instantly vanished, and her lifeless eyes regained their spring-like color.

It is just as the embroidered curtains and lotus blossoms open with a smile, tears scattering like broken fragrant cheeks, the slightest movement of her eyes being guessed by others.

But just as their feelings for each other were growing stronger...

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside, the sound of something breaking mixed with hurried footsteps! Immediately following was Ping'er's sharp, almost distorted cry: "Grandma—!"

Before she could finish speaking, Wang Xifeng let out a piercing scream that shattered the air, making everyone's heart tremble!

Qin Keqing's crying stopped abruptly. Her heart clenched, and without caring about the tear-streaked face, she lifted her skirt and rushed out the door like a frightened bird!
The official reacted even faster than lightning, his figure blurring as he followed closely behind her like a shadow.

The curtain was lifted, and a scene of utter chaos came into view! Ping'er's hair was disheveled, and a burly, fierce woman in fine clothes was gripping her hair tightly. Ping'er was in so much pain that her face turned pale and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Even worse, Wang Xifeng had fallen backward to the ground, her hair disheveled, her hairpins scattered, and her face deathly pale, clearly indicating that she had suffered a serious fall.

A burly man with a ferocious face grinned as he picked up a heavy, coarse pottery jar filled with incense ash from beside the Buddhist shrine, raised it high, and with a fierce gust of wind that seemed to splatter a person's brains, slammed it down on Wang Xifeng on the ground!
"Auntie—!" Qin Keqing was terrified, her cry of alarm choked into a sob. Seeing the gray jar, carrying the scent of death, fall, her mind went blank. Driven by an innate passion and fierce determination, she lunged forward without a second thought!
Her frail body clung tightly to Wang Xifeng like a moth drawn to a flame, her head buried in her hands and her back taut, determined to use her thin, delicate spine to withstand the fatal blow!
No sooner said than done! Just as the burly man swung his arm in a wide arc and the ash jar was about to fall, a short and sharp "whoosh!" pierced the air!

A streak of silver light, too fast to be seen with the naked eye, shot out from the official's sleeve! In his haste, he had casually picked up a piece of silver from his sleeve and used his "Fallen Feather Arrow" skill! The silver struck the burly man squarely in the face, right on the bridge of his nose!

"Agh—!" The burly man let out a pig-like scream, the excruciating pain piercing his heart, and stars flashed before his eyes. His raised arm went limp, and the heavy ash jar slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground with a loud "bang." A cloud of grayish-white ash billowed up and spread out.

Before the burly man could recover from the pain and dizziness, the official strode closer! He lightly touched the blue brick ground with his toes, his body leaping up, his right leg whipping like a steel whip with a whistling sound, delivering a fierce and unparalleled "Kui Xing Kick" to the burly man's temple!

With a muffled thud, like a heavy hammer striking a broken drum, the burly man's large body was kicked into the air and flew more than ten feet away like a tattered sack with a broken string. He crashed heavily against the base of the courtyard wall with a thud, and without uttering a sound, he collapsed to the ground like a rag doll, blood gushing from his mouth and nose.

Before the incense smoke and ash had even dissipated, the official's figure was already fixed in front of Qin Keqing and Wang Xifeng like an iron tower!
His tall and imposing figure completely enveloped the two terrified beauties in his shadow, like a living, solid wall of bronze and iron.

The hem of his brocade robe was still slightly billowing, and the fierce and menacing aura emanating from him had not yet dissipated.

The two stunning beauties were still in shock, their four beautiful eyes fixed on the imposing figure that suddenly appeared in front of them!

In Qin Keqing and Wang Xifeng's trembling vision, that figure was so tall and majestic, like an iron wall or copper wall that suddenly rose from the ground, completely shutting out all the blood and filth, the wailing and howling of ghosts outside!
His broad, sturdy shoulders and back supported the muscular contours beneath the brocade robe, rising and falling slightly with his steady breathing, exuding an unshakeable strength.

Qin Keqing lay on top of Wang Xifeng, still trembling, her delicate body shaking like a leaf. The ash jar that had just been smashed had terrified her so much that she had almost lost her mind.

But at this moment, the majestic spine that suddenly appeared before them was as solid as a reef that had been pounded by waves for thousands of years and could hardly be moved an inch!

The overwhelming masculine scent, mixed with the lingering afterglow of the terrifying power that had just erupted and swept away everything in its path, was like a shot of scalding liquor being poured into her delicate throat!

A strange, almost suffocating sense of security, accompanied by an indescribable tingling sensation, instantly coursed through my limbs and bones, forcefully dispelling the lingering chill in my bones.

The taut muscles and bones involuntarily went limp, and the slight soreness in my heart was mixed with a strange longing, a desire to cling to it and bury myself in it. My nose tingled and my eyes burned.

Wang Xifeng lay on her back on the ground, her hairpins askew and her hair disheveled. For the first time in her life, she had experienced the feeling of being on the verge of death, and she was still in shock.

At this moment, her usually sharp and calculating phoenix eyes were fixed on the imposing figure before her. The broad shoulders and muscular back, their outlines faintly visible beneath the taut brocade robe, seemed capable of supporting the collapsing sky!

That condensed, tangible protective power, carrying an undeniable strength and control, descended heavily and densely, firmly enveloping her. This feeling… had never before been experienced by the audacious and power-hungry Phoenix Lady?
All her life, she had been calculating and assertive, but now she was like a snow lion scalded by boiling water, her bones softening with tenderness! The sense of security that was firmly protected by absolute power and could not be violated in the slightest made her tremble all over, and a kind of shiver and numbness, which she had never felt before, welled up from the depths of her heart, making her want to submit.

This nemesis... this fiend... is clearly the Vajra pestle that can subdue this crimson tiger! The unprecedented sense of security brought with it a heart-pounding feeling of submission, warm and itchy, penetrating to the bone, making even her toes curl up.

The official stood in front of the two beauties, his gaze as cold as lightning, instantly fixing on the shrewish woman in fine clothes who was still clutching Ping'er's hair. His words were like thunder, his voice shaking the roof tiles: "You shrew! Let go of her now!"

This sharp shout, carrying the lingering power from before, was like a bolt from the blue! The woman in the fine clothes trembled violently, like a toad whose tendons had been pulled out, and let out a strange cry, releasing her grip on Ping'er's hair as if she had been electrocuted.

Ignoring Ping'er's pained rubbing of her hair, she scrambled and crawled onto the limp man at the foot of the courtyard wall, patting his lifeless body and wailing, "Brother! Are you alright? Don't scare your sister!"

Amidst her wailing, she abruptly turned her head, her bloodshot eyes like poisoned hooks, glaring fiercely at Wang Xifeng, and she hissed as she cursed, "Wang Xifeng! You heartless, ruthless woman! It's you! It's you who ruined our whole family! You deserve to die a horrible death! You'll be struck by lightning sooner or later, your body utterly destroyed! You'll be condemned to the eighteenth level of hell, never to be reborn—!"

At this moment, Wang Xifeng and Qin Keqing had helped each other to their feet. Although Fengjie's hair was disheveled and her face still bore traces of ash, her innate shrewishness had returned.

Hearing this nonsensical curse, her eyebrows furrowed, her phoenix eyes widened, and she pointed at the woman with one hand on her hip, retorting sharply:
"Bullshit! I, Wang Xifeng, have always been upright and honest. When have I ever harmed your family? You crazy old woman, have you lost your mind and are spewing nonsense and making baseless accusations?!"

The woman wept uncontrollably, her eyes widening in fury at the words. She pointed at Fengjie's nose, her voice so shrill it seemed to pierce eardrums:

"You still dare to deny it?! Wasn't it you who personally wrote that insidious letter and had someone deliver it to Lord Yun Guang, the military governor of Chang'an?"

"Wasn't it you who interfered and forcibly broke up the marriage between the two families' children?! Poor them... one hanged himself! The other threw herself into the moat! Two lives lost! It's all your fault, you wicked woman! You... you'll pay for my son's life! You'll die a horrible death! May your intestines rip out and your lineage be cut off—!"

She cursed and pounded the ground, acting like a madwoman.

This series of tearful accusations struck Wang Xifeng's heart like a heavy hammer! She was stunned, the color draining from her face in an instant, and she subconsciously turned to look at Qin Keqing beside her.

Qin Keqing was also shocked, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief and disbelief as she stared at her intently.

Their eyes met, and what Wang Xifeng read in those clear eyes was not suspicion, but panic and inquiry. A sudden pang of sadness shot through her heart, and an unprecedented sense of grievance welled up inside her.

She grabbed Qin Keqing's arm as if it were a lifeline, her voice trembling with an urgency she herself didn't realize, shaking her head repeatedly as she said:
"No! Ke'er! I didn't! That day... after you persuaded me like that, I... I completely got rid of that filthy thought!"

“I didn’t write a single word of those harmful letters! I swear to God, it was definitely not me!” she hurriedly confessed, her eyes earnest, afraid that even the only person who believed her might have some doubts.

(End of this chapter)