After the divorce, I was adorned in a phoenix robe, while my ex-husband's entire family dug up

Lu Zhufeng paused, his pen still.

Wei Jiaruo said, "My lord, you know that my stepmother is arrogant and domineering."

"My sister is in trouble now. If you, as her husband, don't even go to see her or make a show of it, even if the General's Mansion gets her out, given my stepmother's temperament, she'll probably go after the Marquis."

"Not to mention, if His Majesty gets angry, won't the Marquis's official position be affected? If he offends the General's Mansion, who will plead for him then?"

Lu Zhufeng finally looked at her properly.

That makes sense; he had witnessed the Duchess's temper firsthand.

In the past, if he raised his voice a little when speaking to Wei Zhaoning, the Duchess would make a scene.

As her husband, it would be truly inexcusable for him not to even glance at her.

"understood."

Wei Jiaruo said, "My lord, although I don't want to share my husband with my sister, we grew up together, and I don't want anything to happen to her. Could you please take me with you to see her?"

Lu Zhufeng was silent for a moment, then said, "Hmm."

As they approached the entrance of the Marquis's residence, they ran into Lu Ze, who had just returned from gambling.

Lu Ze's eyes were bloodshot, like a wild beast that had gone mad.

Wei Jiaruo said, "Aze? The Marquis and I are on our way to the Dali Temple to see my sister. Would you like to come along?"

Lu Ze's expression turned sour the moment he saw Wei Jiaruo. He claimed it was for her own good, but his lies caused him to suffer in the Prime Minister's residence.

The same goes for He Mi, who we found before. He said he would teach me everything he knew, but what happened?

Casino games are constantly being updated and replaced, and gambling equipment is replaced with a new batch every so often, all to prevent anyone from trying to cheat.

Now that's great, everything's changed. He Mi's tricks are completely ineffective, causing him to lose so much money.

I went to find He Mi, but he wouldn't see me!

"Get lost." Lu Ze wasn't in the mood for pleasantries with her.

Wei Jiaru sniffed, and Lu Zhufeng didn't say anything. He couldn't muster any desire to speak up for Wei Jiaru.

Wei Jiaru could only chuckle awkwardly before getting into the carriage.

She quickly calmed down. Lu Ze's attitude towards her was only temporary, and he would soon be able to turn the situation around.

*

Wei Zhaoning huddled in a corner of the cell until evening, when the jailer brought him some food.

Unlike the swill that prisoners were fed, this meal was truly exquisite.

Braised fish, braised pork ribs, and even abalone.

It felt like a last meal before someone's execution.

Wei Zhaoning cautiously removed the silver hairpin from her hair, tested it for poison, and found that none of the dishes were poisonous, so she ate them directly.

After eating, we waited for a long time, but nothing unusual happened.

This is all so strange.

"Brother jailer, when are we going to take him for interrogation? Any progress?"

The jailer looked at Wei Zhaoning with a sinister gaze, a half-smile on his face.

"Anyway, not tonight."

Wei Zhaoning suddenly got goosebumps.

The cell was damp and cold. She curled up in a corner and closed her eyes to rest. Since nothing was wrong, she would just wait and see. She would deal with whatever came her way.

The chirping of insects outside was incessant, adding to the desolation. The corridor outside the iron railings was eerily quiet, without even a sound of footsteps.

I don't know how much time passed, but my body started to feel hot, and I felt dizzy and lightheaded. All I could hear was the heavy thumping of my own heart, as if it was about to burst out of my chest.

The heat made her itchy all over, and she couldn't help but reach out to scratch the skin on her neck. Her fingernails left several red marks, but she was completely unaware of it.

She unconsciously pressed her body against the cold wall, hoping to find some coolness, but the moment the wall's coldness touched her skin, it was swallowed up by the burning heat inside her body, making her shudder and feel even more unbearably hot.

Suddenly, she heard a very faint sound, like the sound of a lock being picked.

She suddenly opened her eyes, and a face she never wanted to see again appeared in front of her.

He Mi was dressed in prison clothes, covered in bloodstains, and his greasy eyes stared brazenly at Wei Zhaoning's entire body.

"Little beauty, have you been waiting long?"

"I've been waiting for this day for so many years. This cell is damp and cold. If I hadn't been waiting for this day, I wouldn't want to live anymore."

He Mi suddenly lunged forward, his heavy body reeking of alcohol pressing down on Wei Zhaoning, his arms gripping her clothes tightly.

Wei Zhaoning pressed her back tightly against the damp, cold wall, her hands instinctively wrapped around her chest, her fingertips turning white with fear.

The overwhelming fear paralyzed her for a moment, just like it had five years ago.

She belatedly realized that what Wei Jia had promised He Mi was actually her.

Five years ago, at Zhongshan Temple.

She accompanied her mother to burn incense. While waiting for her mother outside, she encountered a drunkard who looked dejected and said that he had lost all his wealth.

Wei Zhaoning comforted him gently and even treated him to a hearty meal.

But just as she was about to leave, the drunkard suddenly hugged her from behind.

"I have nothing left, you're so beautiful, can you let me have my way with you for one night? Have pity on me!"

The force was astonishing. She was just a little girl at the time, and she was so frightened by these words that she trembled all over.

He Mi dragged her onto the bed, tearing at her clothes as he said, "No one wants to talk to me anymore, only you, only you."

I like you so much, you're so beautiful.

If her mother hadn't arrived in time, she would have lost her innocence.

His mother was furious. She chopped off one of He Mi's hands and sent him to the Dali Temple, where he was imprisoned for five years.

Five years ago, that little girl, who was so weak she could barely lift a chicken, was so frightened that she fell seriously ill.

The scene before her now overlapped with the scene from five years ago, and Wei Zhaoning froze completely. She was at a loss, helpless, and powerless.

Her mind went blank, and her body felt hot and weak. Only then did she realize that she had been drugged!

He Mi breathed heavily in her ear, "You're still so beautiful and charming, I like you so much."

Wei Zhaoning struggled incessantly, her despair almost overflowing.

She tried to shout, but because of the Chinese medicine, she couldn't make a sound at all. "Help...help me!"

The area outside the cell was deserted; there wasn't a soul in sight.

The soul had long since left the body, leaving only an empty shell sitting in place, unable to even sense the dangers of the outside world.

Suddenly, He Mi's body stiffened, his cloudy eyes instantly lost their luster, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth and flowed down his face, and he fell heavily to the ground, still clutching Wei Zhaoning's clothes tightly in his hand.

Wei Zhaoning was so shocked by the sudden scene that she trembled all over. Her confused consciousness cleared up a little in an instant. She looked up at Pei Yi, whose hands were covered in blood, and finally couldn't help but shed tears.

Pei Yi pursed his lips, a storm brewing in his eyes. He looked at He Mi's corpse as if it were trash, gently covered Wei Zhaoning's eyes, and, in a fit of rage, stabbed He Mi into a pile of mangled flesh.

"Throw him out to feed the dogs."

"Yes!" Yun Ce replied.

Pei Yi sniffed and frowned. He held Wei Zhaoning in his arms. The person in his arms had a flushed face, a hot body, and was starting to feel confused again.

Whether it was due to the intense stimulation or the deep penetration of the aphrodisiac, Wei Zhaoning felt utterly confused.

Fear, the relief of surviving a disaster, resentment, helplessness—all these emotions became catalysts for the aphrodisiac.

In an instant, only desire remained.