Martial Arts: My achievements in Beiliang were so great that they threatened the lord's positio

A few breaths later, the footsteps stopped under the eaves of the courtyard gate, where a slender girl stood quietly. She was wearing a thick white coat, with a delicate and youthful face and a thin figure.

The cold wind behind me came in gusts, pressing my coat firmly against my body and revealing my increasingly defined silhouette.

Her black hair fell over her shoulders and was held in place by a single jade hairpin.

This is Jiang Ni, a maid in the Crown Prince's residence.

Jiang Ni's gaze fell on the man inside the room who was focused on reading the documents. Her lips parted slightly, but she ultimately failed to utter a sound.

Her eyes darted around, shifting from side to side, her hands unconsciously kneading the hem of her clothes, and her toes lightly shuffling on the ground, as if trying to attract the person's attention with these subtle sounds.

however

The man inside the house did not react at all, as if he had not heard anything.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze.

The cold wind continued to howl, and Jiang Ni couldn't help but shiver, her face pale and her teeth chattering slightly.

But she still dared not utter a sound.

About two hours ago

Jiang Ni received some terrible news.

The General of the Northern Garrison specifically requested her to go, and Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Liang, had already agreed.

There was no room for negotiation. The servant only came to deliver a message, ordering her to serve in Linxuan's courtyard that night, and then left.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ni was struck dumb, and then became disoriented.

She naturally knew who General Lin Xuan, the Great General of the North, was—the former butcher of Beiliang, and now the governor of Yanzhou.

More importantly, Lin Xuan and the Crown Prince of Beiliang have a long-standing feud.

She was merely a maid in the Crown Prince's residence; if she fell into that man's hands, her fate would likely be unimaginable.

Filled with bewilderment, unease, and fear, she considered refusing, but no one paid any attention to the thoughts of this lowly maid.

As for the Crown Prince, he is still thousands of miles away, traveling far and wide.

She had considered escaping, but after a brief moment of calm, Jiang Ni forcibly suppressed the thought.

Escape only leads to death.

With no other options, she had no choice but to muster her courage and step into the general's compound.

cold

The chill is getting stronger

She almost lost her balance, her body swayed, and her lips turned pale.

"What are you still standing outside for? Come in."

Just then, the man in the white robe inside the room raised his head, glanced at Jiang Ni, and spoke in a low voice.

She stumbled and nearly tripped over the threshold, but managed to steady herself by grabbing the door frame.

"This servant greets the Great General."

Suppressing the fear in her heart, Jiang Ni composed herself, bowed respectfully, and never dared to look directly at Lin Xuan.

"I'd rather freeze outside than go inside."

He chuckled softly: "Would this general possibly eat you?"

No.

Jiang Ni hurriedly shook her head, forcing a smile: "This servant was afraid of disturbing the General's studies."

"come over."

Lin Xuan's tone left no room for argument.

Jiang Ni trembled all over and reluctantly took small steps, slowly walking towards the person.

He walked with trepidation and unease, as if the man before him were a ferocious beast.

And I am the prey about to be devoured.

"Raise your head."

Finally, she walked up to Lin Xuan.

Feeling the warmth coming towards her, Jiang Ni's body warmed up slightly.

She raised her head, her eyes flickering, still not daring to meet Lin Xuan's gaze.

Are you afraid of me?

There was a hint of amusement in his expression.

"General, it really has nothing to do with me."

That nonchalant tone made Jiang Ni's heart leap into her throat. She hurriedly explained, "I am just a lowly maid in the Crown Prince's courtyard. The conflict between the Crown Prince and you really has nothing to do with me."

I have never stirred up any trouble.

"Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. If the General wishes to pursue this matter, please seek out the Crown Prince. Do not make things difficult for a lowly maid like me."

She curled up slightly, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly.

"What, are you afraid I'll make things difficult for you?"

Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Um."

Jiang Ni responded softly from his throat.

How scared are you?

He reached out and lifted her chin with his fingers.

As their eyes met, Jiang Ni's eyes were already brimming with tears, wanting to cry but daring not to.

Never in all these years has she missed the departed prince so much.

Although that person often made things difficult for her, he would stand up for her if outsiders bullied her.

I'm feeling very panicked.

Her voice was barely audible.

"How panicked are you?"

Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

His palm slid down, brushing past her shoulder and down her sleeve.

Jiang Ni's body trembled slightly uncontrollably.

A large, strong hand grasped her wrist, and with a slight exertion, a short blade slid out from her sleeve, which Lin Xuan caught steadily.

"It is quite exquisite."

He held it up to his eyes and examined it closely.

Give it back to me.

Summoning her courage from who knows where, Jiang Ni reached out to snatch the dagger back from the man's hand.

next moment

Her movements froze in mid-air.

The cold blade tip was already pressed against her throat, just a hair's breadth away from piercing her skin.

The chill emanating from the short blade seeped into his body, sending shivers down Jiang Ni's spine.

"What is the punishment for attempting to assassinate a second-rank official of the imperial court?"

Lin Xuan spoke, his tone icy cold.

"I don't."

Jiang Ni's voice trembled: "You took it from me yourself; I never intended to assassinate you."

She felt all her strength rapidly draining away, her legs going weak and trembling so much she could barely stand.

Especially when she accidentally met the man's gaze, she felt even more disoriented, as if she could see countless corpses in those eyes.

Just how many lives has this person taken?

"If I say you have it, then you have it."

……

Lin Xuan sheathed his short blade, his tone indifferent.

"You're being unreasonable."

Having narrowly escaped death, Jiang Ni looked pitiful, her face full of grievance: "It was the Crown Prince who offended you, not me."

"If you really have the guts, you should go after him. Why bother with a servant like me?"

"Even if I'm being unreasonable, what can you do about it?"

He nodded.

Give me back my dagger.

Jiang Ni reached out to ask for it.

"Have you thought this through?"

Lin Xuan said with amusement, "If you hold a sharp blade in your hand, it means you intend to assassinate this general, which is enough to punish three generations of your family."

"I'm the only one left in my family. If you want to exterminate my entire clan, you'll have to dig up my grave and whip my corpse."

Jiang Ni answered in a low voice.

"It's boring."

He pursed his lips and tossed the dagger onto the table.

Jiang Ni hurriedly picked it up and put it away.

"From now on, you will be my maid. Keep this dagger safe."

Lin Xuan sneered: "If others see this, the tombs of your three clans will probably be dug up and their corpses whipped."

Jiang Ni's pupils contracted slightly, and she dared not look at the white-robed man.

"Go take a bath and change your clothes."

He waved his hand and gave the order.

Although Jiang Ni was unwilling, he dared not disobey and had no choice but to do as he was told.

After changing her clothes, she sat on the edge of the bed, tightly gripping the short blade in her hand.

Only it can bring a faint sense of security.

The expected scenario did not occur.

Lin Xuan only ordered her to keep watch by his bedside at night and not to sleep.

"Whoosh—whoosh—"

The wind and snow lashed against the doors and windows.

Jiang Ni's eyelids were heavy, and she leaned against the bed frame, feeling drowsy.

He still gripped the short blade tightly in his hand.

A gust of cold wind swept in, making her more alert.

She gritted her teeth, staring at the sleeping man on the bed, and resisted the urge to stab him with a knife, leaving countless holes in his body.

"the wicked."

She muttered to herself, drank a cup of hot tea, and then slumped onto the table, barely managing to fall asleep.

"stand up."

The next morning, Lin Xuan woke her up and told her to sweep the snow in the yard, and then do the laundry and cook.

After several days, Jiang Ni became listless and lost weight.

He was tortured to the point of being unrecognizable as human.

A maidservant from the Crown Prince's residence secretly visited her.

Soon, the entire Northern Liang royal palace knew about it.

General Lin Xuan, the Great General of the Northern Garrison, was taking his anger out on a maid in the Crown Prince's courtyard.

"hateful."

"He's not even human."

"What kind of ability is it to bully a weak woman like me?"

"Go ahead and cause trouble for the Crown Prince if you dare."

In the backyard

Jiang Ni was washing clothes by the icy well water, muttering complaints under her breath.

"I'll make sure you're riddled with holes from now on; not a single one less will appease my hatred."

"Stop gossiping."

A maid walked out from the courtyard, her tone indifferent: "The general has ordered that you will not have any food until these clothes are washed."

In the past, the maids in the Crown Prince's courtyard all had powerful backers, and their food, clothing, and daily necessities were all of the highest quality. Even their status seemed to be a notch higher than that of the servants elsewhere.

Now that they finally have the chance, these people naturally want to take their anger out on Jiang Ni.

"Understood."

Faced with the unfriendly-looking maid, Jiang Ni could only nod timidly.

The snow is still falling.

After leaving Tingchao Pavilion, Dapan'er returned to the General's Courtyard.

"Young master, when shall we depart to return to Yanzhou?"

She asked.

"Let's talk about it after the Lantern Festival."

Lin Xuan smiled slightly: "What, you want to go back after only a few days?"

"I have already browsed through the martial arts manuals on several floors of the pavilion."

Dapan'er sat down: "There's no point in staying any longer."

Why the rush?

Lin Xuan said calmly, "Your sister Nangong hasn't finished watching it yet, and besides, Jiang Ni's play hasn't finished singing either."

"It won't be that easy to get that old fox Xu Xiao to completely lower his guard."

The market shook its head.

"Or perhaps I should ask him for two more maids from the Crown Prince's residence?"

He raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Alright."

Da Pan'er said with a hint of mockery, "When that prince escapes back to Beiliang and finds out that his beloved maid has already fallen into the young master's hands, that scene will surely be quite interesting."

"You're really wicked."

Lin Xuan joked.

"What's wrong? You just learned it from the young master."

Dapan'er said, "This servant used to be innocent and kind."

"cough."

"Big Shot, doesn't your conscience hurt when you say that?"

His expression was somewhat subtle.

The infamous female demon of the Northern Barbarians, who was feared by all back then, actually claimed to be kind and innocent.

"Hehe, only when young master touches my heart will he know my conscience."

She stood up straight, smiling broadly.

"I'm done washing. Is there anything else you need, General?"

The two were talking in the hall. Jiang Ni, who had been busy all morning, stood by the door, starving. Her thin dress was soaked with sweat and clung to her body. Her lips were pale and her face was bloodless.

"They can't even wash a piece of clothing properly."

Dapan turned around, her pretty face frosty: "You're punished by not being allowed to eat lunch today. Go and sweep the snow in the yard."

If you still can't cook this well, you can forget about dinner.

A hint of despair flashed across Jiang Ni's eyes. She could only lower her head, pick up the broom, and silently walk into the yard to sweep the snow.

Sure enough, due to Lin Xuan's deliberate attempts to make things difficult, she didn't even get to eat dinner.

The next day, before dawn, she was woken up by the maids in the courtyard to fetch water and chop firewood.

Although she used to be a servant in the prince's courtyard, she did easy work. Unlike now, she toils day and night, is often scolded and beaten, and can't even get a full meal.

Inside the main hall of the Prince's Mansion

Lin Xuan and Xu Xiao, the adopted father and son, sat around the stove, with two maids warming wine beside them.

"Xuan'er, when do you plan to set off?"

Xu Xiao asked.

"It's past the Lantern Festival, isn't it?"

He took the wine cup from the maid, sniffed it lightly, and then drank it all, saying, "I don't know how many years it will be before I can come back to visit my godfather."

"A thousand miles is not a long distance."

Xu Xiao sighed, "But it's not easy to travel back and forth after all. I should come back less often in the future, so as not to arouse suspicion from the court."

Those unaware of the situation might genuinely believe he was considering Lin Xuan's well-being, but in reality, he was simply fed up with his adopted son.

He was arrogant and domineering within the Northern Liang King's Palace, but as the King of Northern Liang, he couldn't openly admit it.

It would be one thing if he could come and go freely in such an important place as Tingchao Pavilion, but he actually let those two maids stay inside all day.

Xu Xiao had long hoped that Lin Xuan, this plague god, would leave, the farther the better, and preferably never come back.

"Godfather".

Lin Xuan put down his wine cup and scratched his head: "I have a favor to ask."

"Please feel free to speak."

Xu Xiao nodded slightly.

"That Jiang Ni is quite easy to manage, so why don't you assign a few more servants from the Crown Prince's residence to me, Father?"

"Wait a minute."

Xu Xiao felt a swelling in her forehead.

"Xuan'er, don't make your godfather feel awkward."