With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

This discovery plunged her into an icy abyss.

She braced herself against the ground with her elbows, enduring the excruciating pain in her back, and swayed as she tried to stand up.

My vision blurred and my ears were ringing.

She bit her tongue, relying on a trace of sweetness to stay awake, and stumbled as she tried to move out of the ancestral hall.

But with her injuries so severe, how could she possibly stand still?

He had barely taken a step when his legs gave way and he fell forward uncontrollably.

Yun Tao caught Yun Nian, who had collapsed, and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

Through her torn clothes, he gave her waist a light pinch, his eyes brimming with lewdness.

"Sister Nian'er,"

He lowered his head, his lips brushing against her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck. "How could you be so careless, throwing yourself into my arms like that? If others saw this, what would become of my reputation?"

He spoke insincerely, but instead of loosening his grip on her, he tightened his embrace even more.

His other hand began to gently stroke her back, seemingly to soothe her, but in reality, it was full of intimacy.

Yun Nian's body stiffened; the intense pain and the nausea churning within her caused her to break down.

With all the strength she had left, she suddenly slammed her elbow backward.

"Let me go!"

Yun Duantao was immersed in the wicked pleasure brought by the slender waist when he was suddenly hit in the chest. Although it was not very hard, it still made him stagger and let go.

Yun Nian took the opportunity to break free, but her legs gave way and she almost fell again.

She clung tightly to the edge of the incense table beside her to barely steady herself.

She was panting heavily, her voice weak, "Brother, don't misunderstand. I... I can walk by myself."

Yun Duantao stopped, touched his chest where he had been bumped, and instead of being annoyed, his interest in his eyes intensified, as if he had discovered some interesting prey making its last struggle.

"Even with injuries like this, you're still so stubborn?"

He smiled, stepped forward again, grabbed her arm, and half-dragged, half-carried her away.

"Let me help you."

"Let go...let go of me!"

Yun Nian struggled desperately, but her strength was like an ant trying to shake a tree in front of Yun Duantao. Instead, the struggle aggravated her wounds, causing her to convulse in pain and almost collapse.

Not far from the ancestral hall, Qiluo, who had rushed over, was confronted by this scene and was terrified: "Miss!"

She immediately tried to take Yun Nian from Yun Tao's hands.

"Get out of here!"

Yun Duantao impatiently shoved Qi Luo aside, causing the frail Qi Luo to fall to the ground.

"You blind fool! I, the young master, am personally taking care of the young lady. What right do you, a mere maid, have to interfere?"

Qiluo was both anxious and scared, and she got up, wanting to rush forward again.

Yun Nian was being supported, her whole body aching and weak, her consciousness beginning to fade. She knew that she had no chance of winning if she fought back now.

Yun Nian turned to look at Qi Luo, her lips moving silently as she uttered two words.

Qi Luo met her gaze, instantly understood, her face paled, then nodded heavily, scrambled to her feet, and ran desperately in the opposite direction from Yun Duan Tao's courtyard.

Yun Duantao was filled with wicked thoughts of his imminent success and did not notice the little maid's movements.

He led Yun Nian into his spacious and luxurious courtyard and went straight into his bedroom.

As soon as he entered the room, he slammed the door shut and shoved Yun Nian hard onto the brocade-covered bed.

"what!"

The wound on her back slammed against the solid bed board, and the intense pain caused Yun Nian's vision to go completely black, almost causing her to faint.

She curled up on the cold brocade, unable to react except for the pain and desperate trembling.

Yun Duantao stood by the bed, looking down at the beautiful, fragile girl on the bed.

That face, made even more poignant by pain and tears, greatly pleased him.

He slowly unbuttoned his outer robe, a sinister and lewd smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Sister Nian'er, don't be afraid,"

He spoke softly, approaching the bedside step by step, "Brother, I'll take good care of you from now on."

With lust churning in his eyes, Yun Duantao had already lost his patience and suddenly pounced on the bed.

Yun Nian suddenly pulled out the red hairpin from her hair, gripped the hairpin tightly, and held it against Yun Duantao's Adam's apple, only an inch away.

Yun Nian's hands were trembling.

Her face was deathly pale, her forehead was covered in cold sweat, but her eyes shone with a terrifying light, like a young beast tearing at its prey even as it faces death.

"If you dare take another step forward..." she gasped weakly, "I'll kill you!"

Yun Duantao's movements came to an abrupt halt.

He lowered his eyes, looked at the slightly trembling hairpin, and then looked up at Yun Nian's eyes, which were filled with hatred and fear.

Then, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, he threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"Kill me? You think you can?"

His eyes were full of mockery and disdain. "Sister Nian'er, even if you were completely unharmed, let alone now that you're seriously injured and powerless, what could you do to me?"

He completely disregarded the bluffing threat and made a move to approach again.

Yun Nian made a firm decision.

With a sudden twist of his wrist.

The sharp tip of the hairpin was aimed directly at her slender and delicate neck without hesitation.

"Then I'll kill myself!"

Her voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Let's see how you explain this to the Ningxiang Prince's mansion. The Ningxiang Prince's fiancée died tonight in your bed, Young Master Yun. Tell me, will the Ningxiang Prince believe this was an 'accident' or 'murder'?!"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly exerted force on her wrist, driving the hairpin tip deep into the skin on the side of her neck.

Her delicate, fair skin was instantly slashed open with a glaring gash, and drops of bright red blood immediately seeped out, meandering down her graceful neckline.

The excruciating pain came from the side of my neck, but it was nothing compared to the searing pain from the cane wound on my back.

Yun Nian stared intently at Yun Duantao.

The four characters "Ningxiang Prince's Mansion" were like a bucket of cold water mixed with ice shards, poured over Yun Duantao's head, which was blinded by lust.

His lewd smile froze.

Oh right, how could he have forgotten that?

Even if Yun Nian is not the best, she is still a future princess consort who is on the royal register and engaged to the heir of Prince Ningxiang.

How her father usually treated her was one thing, but if she really died in her own room, especially in such a disgraceful way...

How could the Prince of Ningxiang's mansion let this go so easily?

Even if the heir is incompetent, the dignity of the Ningxiang Prince's Mansion must not be trampled on like this.

A chill ran through Yun Duantao's heart, mixed with anger at being threatened.

But this retreat lasted only a brief moment.

Enrage quickly overcame his fear.

He drawled out his words slowly, "If you die, you'll lose everything. I can tell everyone that you, Yun Nian, were shameless. You took advantage of your injuries to seduce your brother, daring to covet even your own blood relative. When your deeds were exposed, you had no face to live on, so you committed suicide out of shame and indignation."

He bent down, admiring Yun Nian's face, which had turned deathly pale, his smile growing increasingly sinister: "How is it? A slut who dies disgraced and despised by all, are you satisfied with this ending, Nian'er?"

Yun Nian's hand holding the hairpin was ice-cold.

His teeth sank deep into his lower lip, and he tasted an even stronger metallic taste of blood.

She understood.

Trying to reason with such a shameless, selfish, and ruthless scoundrel is like casting pearls before swine.

He didn't care about her life or death; all he cared about was his own pleasure and safety. As for how to cover it up and how to smear her reputation afterward, he must have already come up with a dirty excuse.

But she needs time.

Will he come?

When can you come?

She didn't dare to gamble.

Relying on others is never as good as relying on yourself.