After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

Fold the letter in your hand.

The little bird glanced at Yin Huaixi, then spread its wings and disappeared into the misty mountain village in the early morning.

He walked toward the wooden table, deep in thought.

Yin Huaixi picked up the tinderbox on the table and relit the oil lamp.

A flame suddenly ignited.

Flames licked the brownish-yellow strip of paper he held in his hand, and Yin Huaixi watched helplessly as it burned to ashes.

Yin Huaixi picked up the white paper dust remaining on the table with her palm and scattered it outside the window.

"Huaixi...why did you wake up so early?"

With his arms wrapped around Yin Huaixi's waist, Sang Che's voice, still languid from just waking up, remained soft and sleepy.

She rested her chin on Yin Huaixi's shoulder, her eyes slightly narrowed, and smiled broadly.

Yin Huaixi was genuinely startled!

Her heart tightened; she wondered if Sang Che had secretly seen her throwing the paper.

Fingertips against the palm.

Yin Huaixi lowered her eyes in thought. If Sang Che had seen this just now, he would definitely have questioned her.

It's not like they haven't asked a single question by now.

"It's nothing, I just got up early to open the window and let some fresh air in."

"Ah Cai and the others are going shopping this afternoon, are they? Can I go with them?"

Yin Huaixi wanted to investigate the terrain of the bandit stronghold further, in case... her second sister really sent people from the imperial court to help her escape from here.

Then she won't have to wander around aimlessly like a headless fly.

Don't choose a way out.

Don't fight a battle you're not prepared for.

This is Yin Huaixi's first key to escaping.

"I'm with you."

Upon hearing this, Yin Huaixi was first stunned, and then she thought that it was not impossible to take Sang Che out, but she would have to be extremely careful.

Not hearing Yin Huaixi's reply, Sang Che frowned slightly and took two steps forward.

"Don't you want to take me with you?"

"I know...it's because I'm too much of a burden?"

The two sentences made it sound as if Yin Huaixi was a heartless man from a storybook.

Hearing this, Yin Huaixi felt inexplicably heavy-hearted, as if she had really done something bad to Sang Che.

She quickly shook her head.

The jewelry jingled and tinkled as they lightly collided together.

"no."

"I'm just worried... Ah Che... that you're overworking yourself."

Lying is really not Yin Huaixi's forte.

But now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to lie.

Otherwise, she really wouldn't be able to get out or escape from Sang Che's invisible hand.

Despite her seemingly harmless appearance, Yin Huaixi, who had read the original novel, knew very well that Sang Che was no pushover.

There's no such thing as "innocent and naive" about it.

Her beautiful appearance is the best at deceiving people...

...

This bandit stronghold was originally a Miao village.

It is still a large Miao village.

Sang Che and Yin Huaixi strolled along the long bluestone street, while A Cai and Yi Yun stared at their intertwined palms, speechless for a moment.

A few days ago, the relationship between this Han Chinese woman from elsewhere and the saintess was not as good as it is now.

Could it be... that after doing that kind of thing, their relationship progressed so rapidly in a single day?

"Wait... you two sisters."

Are you looking to buy leather goods?

A Miao man carrying a basket stepped forward; inside were neatly stacked leather goods, including ornaments made of rabbit and fox fur, wolf teeth, and deer antlers.

While he talked at length about how hard it was to acquire the goods, his eyes never left Yin Huaixi's face.

It was as if her soul had been bewitched.

Sang Che sensed the man's approaching presence and felt a growing displeasure.

Although the men of Miao region do not know the art of Gu poison, it is not uncommon for them to have several sisters or cousins ​​in their families to ask their sisters or cousins ​​to plant a love Gu poison on the girls they love.

Many girls from the Central Plains were abducted in this way.

However, the gu that are raised are also divided into three grades: superior, middle, and inferior.

A well-nurtured Gu can last a lifetime.

This rotten Gu that can't be raised properly has a time limit.

Once the "love curse" fails, countless people who were forced to have the love curse implanted either suffer the backlash from the curse and die suddenly.

Even those who barely survived and were rescued by wizards often committed suicide out of despair.

...

The person got closer and closer.

Yin Huaixi instinctively hid from Sang Che.

Her arm touched Sang Che's, and her shoulder was embraced by that icy hand.

"Sir, we're not buying."

Sang Che smiled gently, but her politeness did not make the man back down.

"It's alright, I'll take you there!"

He appeared generous, but in reality, he was scheming to trick Yin Huaixi and Sang Che into coming to his home as guests.

As familiar Miao people who frequently interact with Han Chinese, their business dealings with Han Chinese are merely business-related; in reality, they still act as a group.

Han Chinese women value their reputation, and once the deed is done, they will not leave.

Moreover, as long as one puts on this bright and cheerful appearance, most Han women will be moved, since the Miao people don't adhere to the traditional virtues of obedience, submission, and righteousness, or the Five Classics and Six Books.

"No..."

Yin Huaixi had nowhere to retreat.

At this moment, Sang Che pressed down on her shoulder, blocking Yin Huaixi's way with a domineering and imposing manner. She raised an eyebrow.

Despite the complete darkness before him, Sang Che remained calm and composed.

To the man, her indifferent gaze didn't make her seem blind; rather, it conveyed a sense of disdain and contempt.

This man had no inhibitions towards Han Chinese women, but he dared not utter a word when facing women of his own ethnicity.

As a Miao woman, her attire, with its exquisite embroidery and fine silver ornaments, clearly indicated that she was not from an ordinary background.

It might be related to the village chief, elders, and priests.

How could he dare to offend him?

Sang Che suppressed her smile and just stared at the man carrying the shoulder pole.

He said softly, "If you have an ear ailment, you can see a witch doctor."

Yin Huaixi silently gave Sang Che a thumbs up from her sleeve. Is this the highest level of being a hermaphrodite?

Hearing this, the man got a little angry.

He put down the carrying pole.

"I just wanted to give you some things, why... be so ungrateful?"

Sang Che: "Don't you know what's good for you?"

She raised her hand, and a blue butterfly that had been perched on a nearby treetop flew over.

The butterfly landed quietly on the man's shoulder, and Sang Che's hand gestures changed.

The man, who knew some secrets of Gu magic, was terrified when he saw the butterfly.

Before Sang Che could even utter the incantation.

He quickly picked up the carrying pole, hoisted the goods, and slunk away.

Turning her head to watch the person flee in panic, Yin Huaixi also questioned the beautiful yet eerie butterfly.

"You...cast a spell on him?"

Sang Che shook his head in denial.

"Huaixi, how could I do such a thing?"

"It's just a butterfly that I conjured up to scare him."

Yin Huaixi: "Really?"

Sang Che nodded earnestly and said, "Really, when have I ever lied to you?"

She definitely didn't use any witchcraft.

But she didn't say that she wouldn't poison him.

Her love for Huai Xi is truly endearing.

...

After a day of sightseeing, the sun was setting.

Encountering countless inquiring glances, Yin Huaixi quickly memorized the general layout of the village before leading Sang Che back to the inn.

Yiyun and Acai, Sang Che's two maids, did not return with them.

I don't know what they went to do.

When Yin Huaixi returned from the kitchen after telling the chef what dishes to have for the day, she saw Yiyun nervously whispering something in Sang Che's ear.

When she walked in.

Yiyun shut her mouth again and silently withdrew.

It was as if they were deliberately avoiding her.

Seeing the strange atmosphere between the two, Yin Huaixi didn't care; they had secrets they weren't telling her.

She also had secrets she hadn't told Sang Che.

After she leaves, she won't have to "endure humiliation" in front of Sang Che.

So refreshing!