So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

When Xie Xun came in after finishing his work, he saw this beautiful painting.

The woman, dressed in a begonia-colored gauze dress, was comfortably resting on a soft pillow against the pool wall. The warm spring water enveloped her body, and her long, wet black hair spread across her jade-like back as it was submerged in the water, creating hazy ripples that sparked the imagination.

Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, but her peach-blossom-like face was slightly flushed, and her fox-like eyes seemed to hold a hint of water as she woke up.

He couldn't suppress the fire in his chest, and as he looked at the beauty in the hot spring, desire gradually surfaced in his narrow eyes.

All women are the same. He didn't dislike her. When he got tired of her, he would give her a sum of money to keep her quiet. If she disobeyed, he would just kill her.

He stood by the pool wall, watching the person in the water slowly open their eyes and reach out to undo their belt.

Ning Yu noticed the movement behind her, and as he kissed her from behind her ear, she said, "The Governor has agreed to my request."

The hoarse voice entered her ears, and Ning Yu's heart, which had been filled with anxiety for so long, finally settled down.

She wasn't the type to value this kind of thing more than her life; it was just about love between men and women. Objectively speaking, with his physique, sleeping with him wouldn't be a bad deal for her.

Judging from his fleeting interest in her, he wouldn't cause any further trouble. Once this matter was resolved, she could live a carefree life as a wealthy lady, indulging in food, drink, and entertainment.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she hissed in pain. "What are you doing biting me, you dog?!"

The scent on her body was different from the fragrance she deliberately gave him; it was faint and subtle. Xie Xun's kisses gradually intensified.

He kissed her neck, bit her collarbone, and pinched the undergarment inside her clothes. As if he had discovered something, he looked down.

Ning Yu didn't want to look him in the eye. He looked at her with a half-smile, "Does the silk shops in the capital still sell this style?"

"It seems the Commander-in-Chief has seen quite a lot."

Xie Xun listened to her words, which were soft yet barbed, and hummed in agreement, "Someone like you is rare."

The two were pressed close together when he suddenly whispered in her ear, making Ning Yu's legs tremble and go numb.

Looking at his handsome face, she thought, "I must stay far away from a man like this in the future, or he'll eat my bones."

"Lie down there."

His voice sounded quite gentle, but Ning Yu always felt a chill deep within her bones, not just on the surface, but penetrating to the very core.

She glanced at the heated kang bed, then at the open-air bath, feeling somewhat embarrassed. It would be incredibly awkward if anyone walked by.

With a "smack," Ning Yu's ear turned bright red instantly from the blow, and she looked back at him in disbelief.

Xie Xun didn't seem to think anything of it. "What, do you want me to carry you?"

Ning Yu shook her head, wrapped the gauze robe he had taken off back up, and put on the clothes that were on the rack by the pool, covering herself up completely.

Xie Xun was amused by her antics. Seeing that she had soaked his robe, he retorted, "Are you trying to see if I'm strong enough to tear this?"

"I---I feel cold."

"You won't feel cold when you lie down."

His eyes clearly showed impatience. Ning Yu made a tough decision, took off her clothes, quickly got onto the heated kang, and covered herself with a blanket made of polar bear skin.

Xie Xun casually wiped himself with a handkerchief. Seeing her hiding under the blanket without making a sound, he wondered how she had the audacity to seduce him.

Her heart was pounding. The blanket covering her was quickly removed, and before she could even cover her skin, he leaned down and pressed down on her.

The intense masculine scent penetrated her senses relentlessly, and she instinctively closed her eyes, letting him do as he pleased.

---

The young lady has been gone for so long, but she hasn't returned yet. Qinghe looked at the nanny and maid who had regained consciousness and quickly poured the medicine down their throats.

When she took out the strip of cloth, Granny Zhou angrily cursed, "You two, mistress and servant, how dare you! When the Grand Princess sees that I haven't returned, she will definitely send someone. She can't escape."

Qinghe didn't waste any words with her, and directly poured the medicine down her throat. After watching the person become dizzy and faint again, she stuffed the cloth strip back in.

The two maids had never seen such a bold master and servant pair before. They kept their faces tense and didn't say a word. Their angry expressions made Qinghe furious as well.

Their young lady has been bullied for no reason and hasn't even said anything yet, so why are you all angry? Who wants to kill whom?

Without saying a word, she forced the medicine down the throat. When the maid refused to open her mouth, she pried open her teeth and fed her directly.

After finally dealing with the two of them, the voice of a servant from the Mo family suddenly came from outside, "Sister Qinghe, Mother Li is knocking on the door."

The maids in the Mo Courtyard had no idea what was going on inside, and even tried to peek through the crack in the door.

Qinghe knew that these servants were not on her young mistress's side, so she quickly responded loudly, "Granny Zhou is talking to the Princess Consort, so don't come in. Open the door and let Granny Li in."

After saying that, she quickly covered her mouth with a cloth and scattered the young lady's bottles and jars into the air.

When Li's mother came in, she smelled a strange odor as soon as she pushed open the door. Before she could look closely, she was suddenly hit on the back of the head. She was not knocked unconscious, but turned around in shock and pain. Then, she was hit again with a hammer.

With a thud, the stick fell to the ground. Qinghe looked at the unconscious Li Mama in fear, and her whole body slumped down.

She didn't dare to linger, so she quickly closed the door and went to check on Li's mother's head injury. There was a large swelling and it was bleeding.

She was terrified and quickly went to get gauze, bandages, and medicine.

Champs-Élysées.

Threads of bright sunlight streamed through the windowpanes into the room, and incense smoke curled gently upwards from the burner with a hissing sound.

The Grand Princess, dressed in magnificent attire, lay half-reclined on a soft couch. Kneeling before her was a handsome young man who was respectfully massaging her waist and legs.

"It's been so long, and they haven't come back yet. Could something have happened?"

The young man was a clever and charming woman who had been sent to serve the Grand Princess a while ago. Upon hearing this, she immediately responded gently.

"Princess, there's no need to worry. It's just a tool, after all."

"Tools?!" The Grand Princess seemed to chuckle. "I'm just afraid they won't be handy enough."

"Princess, the Duke of Dingguo has arrived."

Just then, the voice of the old woman came from outside. The Grand Princess had no expression on her face, but she gave the young man a glance.

The latter stood up and respectfully stood in an inconspicuous corner.

The Duke of Dingguo had just returned from the palace. As soon as he entered, he smelled the erotic atmosphere in the room. He glanced at the young man in the corner and then looked away without any expression.

"How are things going with the arrangements for the mausoleum?"

The Grand Princess remained seated calmly on the soft couch. "I've sent people to make repairs."

"Those are the ancestors of our Xie family."

"Your Excellency only remembers your Xie family ancestors, but do you still remember my son who died tragically at the hands of the Shangliang people?"

The Duke of Dingguo said calmly, "There are some things that women shouldn't interfere with."

The Grand Princess looked at his unmoved expression and smiled sarcastically, "You just wish all my sons were dead so that the throne could be made for that wretch's son, don't you?"

"Nonsense." The Duke of Dingguo flicked his robe and his face darkened. "The princess's behavior has become increasingly arrogant in the last two years."

Arrogant?! When she first married into the Xie family, everything she did was for the sake of the Xie family. She bore him children, taught the illegitimate children in the mansion, acted as the mistress of the house, and served the old lady and the old master. And what did he do?

She spoiled those wretches, letting their bastards be born one by one, even wanting to take her son's place.

She was Princess Jianing, a descendant of the Great Zhao Emperor, and could not be humiliated by such barbarians. The fact that she did not kill them all was already a great concession to him.

"Take him away."

The young man's expression froze instantly, and he looked to the princess for help, but the princess's eyes remained fixed on the Duke's face, and she didn't look at him at all.

He tried to shout, but the guards quickly covered his mouth and forcefully dragged him away.

"Hmm---"