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

As night fell, the Imperial Guards searched everywhere for assassins, their shadowy figures moving swiftly through the woods.

Ning Yu was being pulled by the arm, and she glanced at the man beside her out of the corner of her eye. "I'm fine, Your Highness."

Seeing that her expression wasn't good, Xie Yun instantly realized something and glanced over. "I was in such a hurry just now that I didn't notice the Commander was here."

Xie Xun gave a forced smile. "Does Your Highness know your sister-in-law?"

Xie Yun replied evasively, "We met five years ago after we had a fight."

"I never knew my sister-in-law was so brave."

His scrutinizing gaze swept over the sickly King Zhao, settling on the slender and tall Ning Yu. A cryptic smile appeared on his lips, a smile that was both mocking and frivolous.

Yin and Yang weirdness.

Ning Yu reflexively pulled her arm away and took two steps back. "I'll go back first. Your Highness and the Governor, please take care."

Just as Xie Yun was about to follow, he remembered the way Xie Xun had looked at him earlier and felt something was off.

He glanced sideways and remarked, "The governor's information network is quite extensive."

Xie Xun remained unfazed. "It's chilly at night, Your Highness. You're not well, so please go back and rest early."

Xie Yun was extremely displeased by these words, as if they were saying he was incompetent. He glanced at the man's departing figure and walked towards Ning Yu's direction.

Ning Yu hadn't gone far when Xie Yun caught up with her. She quickly glanced behind him and, not seeing him, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your brother-in-law doesn't seem to treat you very well?"

He sensed that Xie Xun disliked him even more, not in the way of the hostility shown in court, but in an inexplicable and abnormal way.

"He's sick."

Hearing Ning Yu's merciless words, Xie Yun suddenly burst into laughter, loosely putting his arm around hers, "Are you alright?"

Ning Yu brushed his hand away. "It's nothing, you just don't look too good."

"Same as always, I don't know how many more years I have left to live."

Ning Yu looked at his face and sighed, "Master once said that your poison requires the Fire Lotus to extract the medicinal catalyst, but after searching for so many years, it is said that the Fire Lotus has become extinct."

Just as the two were chatting on the road, someone suddenly caught up from behind, saying that the eldest princess wanted to see the crown princess.

Xie Yun didn't recognize the guard, but Ning Yu did; he was from Xie Xun's courtyard.

A chill ran down her spine. She glanced at Xie Yun and lied, "Your Highness, please go back first. My mother probably needs to speak with me."

Xie Yun noticed something was wrong with her expression, squinted at the guard, looked at him for a while, then nodded and left.

Regardless of whether they belong to the Grand Princess or not, they are still members of the Xie family.

The Imperial Guards were still searching for the assassin in the woods. The torches illuminated the woods quite clearly. Ning Yu followed the guard for about half an incense stick's time, and after wandering around, they arrived at a dark place.

The night was dark and the forest was shrouded in darkness. The deeper one went, the denser the branches became. A few feet away, a man stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

Ning Yu tucked a stray hair behind her ear and slowly walked over. "Commander."

"Come here," he called.

Ning Yu took a few more steps forward, but before she reached him, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, touching her body through her clothes.

Her expression changed instantly. She struggled to push him away, frowning and scolding, "What are you doing? The person is still here."

Xie Xun glanced up at the guard, who immediately turned around and disappeared into the ink-black forest.

He lowered his head and kissed her neck, his hands gripping her so tightly it felt like he was going to strangle her. Ning Yu felt like he was going to kill her. It was the middle of summer, and she would have to wear a high-necked shirt tomorrow, otherwise her neck would be covered in marks.

Not knowing what was wrong with him, she bit her lip, not daring to make a sound, and let him do whatever he wanted.

Xie Xun seemed dissatisfied with her indifference, so he tore off her coat with one hand, grabbed her head, and vented his anger on her lips.

Ning Yu gasped in pain, her voice trembling as she managed to utter, "Thank---Thank you, Xun---"

Intermittent cries escaped her lips, and at the same moment, he pressed her against the tree trunk and kissed her with the force of a wolf.

Ning Yu tried to break free, but the more she struggled, the tighter he held her, making her breath quicken and her face flushed.

The grove was very secluded, so for a long time, Ning Yu could only hear her own trembling voice and the tangled breaths of the others.

A chill ran through her, and she froze, immediately reaching out to push him away. "What are you doing? I don't want to be here."

"If not here, then where?" He looked up, seemingly deliberately humiliating her. "Who are you afraid of seeing?"

Ning Yu's face flushed red. "I just feel cold. Let's go back."

"I think you're not afraid of the cold, you're afraid that Xie Yun, that sickly old man who's about to die, will see you."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I'm talking nonsense." He pinched her soft flesh, his eyebrows slightly raised, inadvertently revealing a hint of superior arrogance and mockery. "You were flirting with Wei Jiu in the restaurant, exchanging glances with that sickly Xie Yun, and I'm talking nonsense?"

She winced in pain, and before she could even open her mouth, he lifted her chin and pinched it tightly. "Since you knew Xie Yun five years ago, why didn't you ask him for help back then? Instead, you spread your legs and begged me."

Ning Yu's chest trembled with anger at his vulgar words, but she held back her rage.

"Are you trying to cheat on me by pulling and tugging at me right in front of me?"

"What do you mean by tugging and pulling? It was just a little arm grab." Ning Yu was so angry by his scolding that her palms were sweating. She gritted her teeth and scolded him back, "You're the one with a dirty mind, don't assume everyone else is so dirty."

"What kind of good person are you to sleep with your own brother's woman?"

"Everyone says you are pure and noble, but who knows the despicable things you do behind the scenes? You are a two-faced beast, utterly hypocritical."

Xie Xun had never been insulted like this before. He lowered his eyelashes and said, "You call me a beast? Why didn't you call me a beast when you begged me to do it? You're so stubborn, I should kill you."

She retorted defiantly, "Then kill me! The second young master of the Xie family, a god in the eyes of the world, have you ever seen anyone like this? People who don't know better would think you're jealous, jealous of your own brother's woman."

He didn't speak, but the way he stared at her was unsettling.

Ning Yu felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze, but since the matter had already been brought up, she simply spoke her mind.

"It was a consensual affair between us. The governor helped me back then, and I slept with you. We should have settled things long ago. You've made things difficult for me repeatedly since then, forcing me to beg you. Are you even a real man?"

"Whether I'm a man or not, you can try again."

The moonlight poured into the woods, vaguely illuminating his face, but his eyes were shrouded in shadow, their depths unreadable.

Ning Yu ignored his nonsense and tore off the veil of pretense. "Now that we've come to this, I also want to tell the Governor that we should have broken up long ago and shouldn't have continued like this. Please let me go."

Let her go? Just for that sickly guy.

Xie Xun's eyes grew increasingly cold. "Ning Yu, don't push your luck."

"Am I being too arrogant, or do you, Grand Commander Xie, want to enjoy the blessings of having multiple wives? Your marriage is already arranged, and you will be surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines and children. Why should I be at your beck and call? Our relationship is just a transaction."