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

When Qingfeng arrived later and saw the servants kneeling on the ground, he was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on his back.

Why is he in the kitchen in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? He was so angry that his head was throbbing. Seeing his master come out, he quickly said, "Master, please forgive me. It was my fault for not watching the person properly."

Behind the master was his wife, who was tall but slender. Perhaps she was embarrassed or shy, but she was hiding behind the master and could not be seen, only her clothes were vaguely visible.

He knew his master's temper and wanted to plead with the lady, but she remained silent and hid behind him, so he didn't dare to bring it up.

Xie Xun glanced at the trembling servant kneeling on the ground, then at Qingfeng standing at the bottom of the steps, and said, "Your eyes are of no use."

Qingfeng was terrified and immediately knelt down. He had served his master for many years and had never been scolded like this before. Knowing that the man was truly angry, he quickly begged for mercy, "Your subordinate will go to the imperial prison to receive punishment."

Ning Yu peeked down and saw that even Qingfeng, that lackey, was so frightened. She pursed her lips.

What a shameless bastard! He doesn't do his job properly, yet he complains that his lackeys aren't being watched properly. He's truly a master of his own life.

To be honest, she was also afraid. Xie Xun was a very unpredictable person, so she didn't dare to plead for him and stood silently in the back without saying a word.

"This servant is too noisy, take him away."

The servant initially thought this meant he was being let off the hook, but when he saw Lord Qingfeng's expression change, he immediately realized what was happening and collapsed to the ground in fright.

"Governor, spare me! This servant saw nothing, saw nothing at all!"

He really didn't see it; he only saw the governor's back, his head bowed as he kissed the person in his arms. He didn't even see the hem of the lady's clothes.

"Tell me, where is this place? And where did this adulterous couple come from?"

The servant was startled, realizing the words were directed at him. He kowtowed incoherently, "This servant was talking nonsense, please forgive me, Governor, please forgive me---"

Ning Yu couldn't see the man's face, but she could hear the sinister tone in his words. She knew he was vindictive and unhappy about being insulted, so she rolled her eyes at him.

He doesn't mess around in the kitchen, so other people might catch him.

Seeing the guards approaching with knives not far away, she glanced at the servant on the ground who was so frightened he was about to wet his pants, tentatively tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "He just bumped into it by accident, let it go."

Xie Xun turned around. "You feel sorry for him?"

"---"

Ning Yu didn't want to talk to him anymore, but seeing that Qingfeng didn't say anything either, she could only coax him softly, "I feel sorry for the governor. The cooks in this kitchen are all quite skilled. If you kill him, who will cook delicious food for you?"

"Is he the only cook in the kitchen? How do you know he's the cook?"

She was just guessing; she had no idea who this servant was.

Ning Yu knew he was deliberately picking a fight. It was almost four in the morning, and she was tired and sleepy, with her legs trembling. She said helplessly, "I don't want to see bloodshed. I want to go back to sleep."

Xie Xun glanced at her face, bent down, picked her up horizontally, and walked back.

Ning Yu glanced at the guard and said directly, "Let him go back."

Upon hearing this, the guard instinctively looked at his master, but seeing that the man did not speak, he understood and dismissed the servant.

Qingfeng knew that his eyes had been saved, so he breathed a sigh of relief and got up. He said that this lady was very kind-hearted, which was obvious in everyday life.

After all that commotion, Ning Yu didn't dare mention the medicine furnace she wanted anymore. After returning to the main courtyard where she lived, she went to the bathhouse at the back.

Xie Xun was used to extravagance, and since the villa was not as comfortable as the East Garden, he had a bathhouse built behind his residence and drew in underground water.

Before he came in, Ning Yu quickly cleaned everything off her legs, took out the medicinal herb from the cabinet, and swallowed it in one gulp.

This is cold moon grass, which has very similar components to contraceptive fragrance. It makes it difficult to conceive after consuming it.

God knows how awful it must have tasted to swallow it like that. After rinsing her mouth with a grimaced face, she drank several cups of cold tea and vomited it all out before finally cleaning her mouth.

Once the cool minty taste in her mouth had dissipated, she came out of the bathroom.

Xie Xun wasn't asleep. She stood by the window, and it seemed someone outside was reporting something to her. As she got closer, she saw a fleeting, sarcastic smile in the man's eyes.

She didn't know what had happened again, and without asking any questions, she went to sleep.

Unexpectedly, Xie Xun stopped her, saying, "I have to go to the palace later."

Going to the palace in the middle of the night, with court in a few hours, Ning Yu had no idea what he was going to do, so she obediently hummed in agreement.

"Ning Yu".

"Hmm?" She turned around and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Xie Xun closed the window and walked over slowly.

Palace lanterns were lit inside. Ning Yu watched the man's figure getting closer and closer, feeling something was off. She suppressed the feeling and gently straightened his clothes. "It's cold at night, Governor, please wear a cloak when you return to the capital."

"Answer me, what were you planning to make when you went to the kitchen?"

Ning Yu's heart tightened, knowing that he suspected her, but she was determined not to admit it, and muttered, "The governor has asked several times, I went to put out the tea."

As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and rubbed against him. "I've already told you, things are already like this, I will stay with the Governor. But you still doubt me all the time, and keep asking me where I go."

He was too tall. She was already considered tall among women, taller than several of the Xie family's daughters and wives, but even on tiptoe she could barely reach his shoulder. She was so tired that she wanted to hang all her limbs on him.

Xie Xun hooked his arm around her waist and lifted her up slightly. "You used to say that I was the only one in your heart, right?"

"Yes," she murmured, "My heart belongs only to the Governor."

"So, should I be better off with my older brother or with my younger brother?"

"---" Why are you asking this all of a sudden? Ning Yu replied against her will, "Greetings, Commander."

Xie Xun stroked her waist and said gently, "I hate being lied to the most. You said yourself that you only want to be with me and that I'm the only one in your heart. If I find out that you've lied to my feelings, I'll kill you."

How do I kill him?

Ning Yu felt a pang of panic, but feigned a joking tone and asked, "Gouge out my eyes or chop off my hand?"

"I'll fry you in oil and kill the entire Ning family."

He smiled faintly, speaking in a half-truthful tone, which sent a chill down her spine and made her shiver involuntarily. She buried her face in his chest and said, "I won't lie to the Governor."

Damn it, he's a pervert. She doesn't believe him at all about the oil fryer. Who knows what kind of torture he's using?

Besides, what feelings could a scoundrel like him possibly have?

As he spoke, as if he felt he wasn't ruthless enough, he looked at her and added, "I'm a very vengeful person. I can't tolerate even the slightest imperfection. I won't be soft-hearted."

Ning Yu knew he wouldn't soften his heart, and said in a low voice, unwilling to give up, "What about the Commander-in-Chief? Didn't he treat me like a plaything?"

A pet kept in a secluded courtyard, something that can't be seen by others, what feelings could it possibly have? It's just a tool for venting desires.

"A plaything?" Xie Xun heard her murmur, pulled her closer into his arms, and sneered, "Do you know what a plaything is, what a tool is? Do you want me to show you?"