Taking her into his tent, he incurred the wrath of a powerful and mad minister, from which he could

Mingyi nestled softly against him, and Zong Xian wondered where she got so many tears; she cried even more than Meng Jiangnu.

The tears seemed endless, soaking most of the man's clothes.

Zong Xian had always reserved his patience for court intrigues; this was the first time he had ever been so patient with a woman.

He felt sorry for her crying, but at the same time, he was also tempted by her complete dependence on him. Suddenly, he felt that if he had known that locking her up for a few days would teach her a lesson, he should have done it sooner.

Zong Xian raised his hand and ran it through the woman's disheveled hair. His palm gently stroked her thin, slender back, soothing her gently, his eyes filled with unfathomable emotions.

Mingyi gradually cried herself to sleep and fell into a deep sleep in his arms. Zongxian carefully wiped away the tear stains on her face before leaving to handle official business.

The following day at noon, Mingyi finally regained consciousness.

Looking at the antique surroundings, she couldn't hide her disappointment.

She knew she was still trapped in this cannibalistic feudal society; she could never see her modern parents again, nor could she return to her brother's side...

Just then, Zong Xian pushed open the door and walked in. He saw her sitting alone on the couch, hugging her knees and lost in thought. A gentle look unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

She walked slowly forward and said softly, "You're awake."

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Mingyi abruptly looked up, her face turning deathly pale.

In an instant, it was as if I had seen a demon, and my body trembled uncontrollably.

This is the person who imprisoned her in a dark and sunless cage and said he would keep her locked up for life. It was him!

"Don't come any closer! Don't come near me!" Mingyi screamed, her eyes fixed on Zong Xian, filled with fear and defensiveness.

At this moment, Ji Mingyi was no longer the completely dependent person she had been the night before; all that remained was hatred in her eyes.

Zong Xian suddenly stopped, standing a few steps away, gazing at her silently, the gentle tenderness in his eyes fading away inch by inch.

He said in a deep voice, "Look carefully, it's me."

Ji Mingyi's eyes were red and swollen, and she screamed in despair, "Why won't you let me go?!"

Zong Xian stood silently, his face extremely cold and stern, as if he were suppressing some emotion.

The servants on duty outside were all so frightened that they hung their heads, wishing they could bury their heads in their clothes, and dared not utter a sound.

After a moment, Zong Xian said, "You will rest for two days, and then return to the capital with me the day after tomorrow."

The tone was commanding, leaving no room for negotiation.

These words completely triggered Mingyi's emotional breakdown, and she immediately grabbed a soft pillow and threw it at him forcefully.

But with her meager strength, she couldn't hurt Zong Xian at all; the pillow barely rolled to his feet.

Zong Xian glanced down at the pillow on the floor, then looked back at her pale, trembling face, and said calmly, "You are still ill, so I won't hold it against you. Get some rest, and I'll come over later."

After he left, along with the servants in the house, she was left all alone in the large house.

Mingyi suddenly came to her senses, immediately got out of bed and walked quickly to the door, pulling hard on it.

But the door didn't budge; it was indeed locked.

A chill ran through her heart.

What does he take her for?

His canary?

Mingyi leaned against the cold wooden door, his body slowly sliding down until he finally collapsed to the ground.

...

Although Zong Xian said he would come to see her later, he did not show up that day.

The locked door was only briefly opened when servants brought medicine or meals.

Knowing that the outside was full of Zong Xian's people and that she had no way to escape, Mingyi simply stayed inside.

"Young lady, try to think more positively. Take your medicine and rest well. What good will it do you to argue with your elders like this, except to hurt yourself?"

The old nanny stood beside the bed, gently advising the woman, who turned her back to her without uttering a word, a silent protest.

Although the girl's identity was unknown, she was highly valued by that official, and the servants could only serve her with utmost care.

The medicine had gone cold, and the old nanny's repeated attempts to persuade her were to no avail. She had no choice but to leave and report the situation to Zongxian truthfully.

Upon hearing that she refused to take her medicine and intended to continue her hunger strike, Zong Xian sneered.

The chilling smile sent shivers down the old woman's spine, filling her with dread.

"No matter what method you use, make sure she takes the medicine. If you can't even handle this small matter, all of you will be going to jail to keep your former masters company."

These maids and servants were all people left behind by the Li family.

Upon hearing this, the old nanny's legs went weak with fear, and she hurriedly bowed and repeatedly agreed, "Don't worry, sir, this old servant will definitely take care of it!"

...

The old nanny came out of the study, brought back a bowl of medicine, and quietly gave a wink to the two maids beside her.

Mingyi was forcibly lifted from the couch by her maids, and she asked in surprise and doubt, "What do you want to do to me?"

"Young lady, I'm so sorry!" The old nanny stepped forward, and before she could struggle, she grabbed her chin and forced her to tilt her head back.

He held the bowl of medicine and forced it into her mouth!

The old nanny looked at the empty medicine bowl, raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, and after all that trouble, she finally managed to feed it to the baby.

The maid loosened her restraints, and Mingyi, with half her body leaning over the edge of the bed, coughed violently from the choking.

"You guys...cough cough..."

The old nanny stepped forward and patted her back. "Miss, please don't blame your men for being rude. They are following orders from their superiors. We have no choice but to do this."

Mingyi didn't speak, covering her mouth with her eyes red and moist.

After this incident, Mingyi obediently took all the herbal medicine and tonics that the servants brought him thereafter.

She also realized that Zong Xian was ruthless and cruel, and no matter how much she resisted, it would be useless. Instead, she would only suffer more humiliation and mistreatment.

But she refused to accept her fate.

...

The next morning, while Mingyi was having breakfast, Zongxian brought Ji Mingzhe to see her.

"Sister!" Ji Mingzhe rushed over worriedly.

Mingyi glanced at the man behind him before managing a weak smile at her younger brother, saying, "Sister is alright, don't worry."

Ji Mingzhe said, "Yuegui is also very worried about her older sister. Why doesn't she come to see us?"

"My sister also wanted to see you, but she was imprisoned by corrupt officials a few days ago and was only released the day before yesterday."

"Is the corrupt official you're referring to the former Prefect Li?"

Zong Xian was still there, so Mingyi naturally didn't dare to say that the corrupt official she was cursing was him, and so she nodded.

Ji Mingzhe clenched his fists: "Sister, don't be afraid. That corrupt official got what he deserved; his house has already been raided!"

Mingyi has been isolated from the outside world these days and has no idea what major events have happened outside.

She was stunned, momentarily shocked.

After the siblings reunited for a while, Zong Xian instructed the servants to take Ji Mingzhe away first.

Ji Mingzhe was reluctant to leave, and Mingyi said gently, "Ah Zhe, go back first and tell Yuegui that I am fine. We will set off for the capital together tomorrow."

"Back to Kyoto?" Ji Mingzhe asked, puzzled. "Aren't we staying in Qingzhou?"

Mingyi clearly felt the man beside her gaze fixed on her. She lowered her eyelids, touched the top of her brother's head, and softly replied, "Yes, I won't keep it."

The servant led Ji Mingzhe away, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Zong Xian looked at her quietly and said, "Finally figured it out?"

Mingyi never looked up at him, sitting upright to the side, and said calmly, "If I still can't understand, will you let me go, sir?"

Zong Xian did not answer, his eyes filled with an unreadable emotion.

Letting her go is obviously impossible.

Zong Xian slowly walked to Mingyi's side, raised his hand, and gently gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. His voice was low and cold: "Have you truly come to terms with this, or are you still plotting something?"

His eyes were deep and sharp, as if they could see through everything.

Mingyi's ten fingers, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly, barely able to withstand his piercing gaze.

She forced herself to remain calm, her face showing obedience, and said helplessly, "My lord is using my brother's and maid's lives as leverage, how could I dare to have even the slightest thought of separation?"

"From this day forward, I will never disobey you in the slightest. I only ask that you have mercy on me and forgive all past transgressions."

She looked up at him with a pair of bright, watery eyes, her expression sincere and earnest, full of a sense of weakness and pleading.

Zong Xian's heart skipped a beat. He ran his fingertip across her soft lips and slowly asked, "How will you prove it?"