The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

Luo Hanyi was both ashamed and furious. How dare an old stable boy disobey his master like this!

"What...did you say?"

Wang Long looked down at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"This old servant says that the First Madam didn't seem to be in pain just now."

"It seems more like..."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sliding from her flushed cheeks to her lips, which were marked with blood.

"...I'm having a great time."

The moment the words fell, a burst of violent spiritual energy exploded from Luo Hanyi's body!

"Bang--!"

Wang Long was thrown back by the shockwave, his back slamming against the wall. He fell to the ground, his chest heaving, and a metallic taste rising in his throat.

Luo Hanyi withdrew her strength, and Wang Long was not seriously injured.

Wang Long frowned and rubbed his chest, realizing that he had gotten a little carried away.

Luo Hanyi is the mistress of the Marquis's mansion, a powerful expert at the mid-stage of the sixth rank. How could she be so humiliated by a mere stable boy?

He slowly raised his head and saw that Luo Hanyi had already sat up from the bed.

Her clothes were disheveled, her black hair was loose, but the dazed look in her beautiful eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by an extremely cold killing intent.

She raised her hand, a wisp of spiritual energy condensing at her fingertips, and pointed it from a distance.

"laugh--!"

A gust of wind grazed Wang Long's earlobe and pierced a hole the size of a thumb in the wall behind him.

If it hadn't been off by half an inch, that finger would have pierced not the wall, but his head.

"Old man!"

Luo Hanyi's voice regained its usual coldness, even colder than before.

"Do you think that after cultivating with me, you can take advantage of my kindness and control everything?"

She stood up, walked up to Wang Long, and looked down at him.

Her long hair fell down, covering half of her face. The eye that was exposed held no anger, no shyness, only a chilling indifference.

"Remember who you are."

Luo Hanyi lifted her foot, her toes touching Wang Long's chin, and lifted his face up.

"You are the slave, I am the master."

"It is an honor for me to employ you."

"If you know what's good for you, and behave yourself as a tool, I will never mistreat you."

She paused, then pressed down slightly with her toes, turning Wang Long's face to the side.

"If you dare to disobey your master again..."

Her voice was light and airy, as if she were talking about something trivial.

"At worst, I'll just find someone else..."

Wang Long quickly and respectfully responded.

"This old servant knows his mistake, thank you for your mercy, Madam..."

Luo Hanyi withdrew her foot, turned around and walked towards the bronze mirror to continue tidying her clothes.

"Get lost."

"Be there promptly at midnight tomorrow."

"If you dare to be late..."

She didn't finish speaking; she simply raised her hand and waved it gently.

"Bang--!"

The door was flung open by an invisible force, and the night wind, carrying snowflakes, rushed in, causing the candlelight to flicker violently.

Wang Long got up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and bowed respectfully.

"This old servant... takes his leave."

He walked out of the room with steady steps, his shadow stretching long in the moonlight.

Luo Hanyi stood in front of the bronze mirror for a long time, looking at the ambiguous red mark on her neck in the mirror, her brows furrowing more and more tightly.

She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing the red mark, the touch slightly hot.

"That old geezer..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Wang Long returned to the stable.

Zhao Hu and his two companions had already rebuilt the stable. Although it was simple, it could at least provide shelter from the wind and snow.

Wang Long sat cross-legged on the haystack, cursing and swearing, constantly complaining about Luo Hanyi in his heart.

"This woman is really unpredictable. Once I become stronger, I'll make you beg me to favor you every day!"

As Wang Long spoke, he looked around the stables, clearly displeased.

"They didn't even give me a new room or anything..."

The next morning.

Wang Long was adding hay to Ta Xue's fodder in the stable when a sudden commotion came from the front yard.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees—"

A high-pitched voice pierced through the morning mist and echoed throughout the entire Marquis's mansion.

He was a eunuch in the palace.

Wang Long stopped what he was doing and pricked up his ears.

The contents of the imperial edict quickly spread throughout the Marquis's residence.

Three days later, the grand imperial examination will be held in the capital region.

In previous years, the grand competition was a contest between major families and noble clans. Each family would send their leaders to compete and exchange skills, and the winners would receive rewards and great benefits.

The loser will at best lose face, and at worst, their family will be ruined and quickly swallowed up by others.

For many years, Luo Hanyi has remained at a mid-level, struggling to maintain the last vestiges of dignity for the Marquis's mansion.

But this year, the emperor changed the rules.

"To avoid the major families from damaging their harmony over the competition, each family must send a servant in place of the competition's participants."

"The servants fight amongst themselves, regardless of life or death."

When the news spread, the entire Marquis's residence was in an uproar.

A grand competition for household slaves...

Wang Long is only at the first rank now, and he doesn't want to take the risk. He can become stronger by honestly cultivating with Luo Hanyi!

But sometimes, things don't go as planned.

Luo Hanyi summoned all the servants of the Marquis's mansion.

The main hall was already packed with people.

More than a hundred servants from the Marquis's mansion, from stewards to menial laborers, from grooms to cooks, filled the courtyard.

Luo Hanyi sat upright in the main seat of the main hall, wearing a long crimson dress, her hair tied up in a high bun, her face cold and aloof.

Qin Minglan sat quietly to the side, munching on sunflower seeds.

Luo Hanyi's gaze swept over everyone in the courtyard. Her voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"You have all heard about the contents of the imperial edict."

"Three days later, the grand competition will be held in the capital region. Each household must send a servant to participate."

"Our Zhenbei Marquis's Mansion naturally cannot be absent."

She paused, her gaze sharp as a knife.

"Today, I will choose two of you to represent the Marquis's mansion in the battle."

The courtyard was deathly silent.

All the servants lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

The household servants were put to a high standard, regardless of life or death.

Nobody wants to be chosen.

Luo Hanyi's voice remained cold and aloof.

"If you win the competition, I will reward you handsomely: you will be freed from slavery, given a hundred acres of fertile land, a hundred taels of gold, and become my personal bodyguard!"

As the saying goes, a generous reward will surely bring forth brave men.

This reward was enough to drive any servant mad.

Moreover, the term "personal bodyguard" carries a meaning that many people perceive as much more than just a bodyguard role.

Although Luo Hanyi was over thirty, she was a renowned beauty for miles around, with an icy and jade-like appearance and a cool and aloof demeanor.

If I could take this opportunity to get intimate with her!

"A personal bodyguard!?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Long was startled. After being a stable boy for decades, he no longer considered himself a chosen one.

If Luo Hanyi finds another suitable partner for dual cultivation, Wang Long will be in danger.

Thinking of this, Wang Long was the first to step forward. He had to secure a spot in the competition and seize the opportunity to cultivate with Luo Hanyi.

He had already considered Luo Hanyi his woman, and no one else was allowed to touch her!

"Madam, this old servant is willing to join the battle!"

Wang Long's actions immediately caused an uproar.

"Has this old man gone mad?"

"He's just a horse breeder, why would he go up there to his death?"

"He's probably so desperate for a reward that he doesn't even know his own limitations."

Luo Hanyi's gaze fell on Wang Long, and her brows furrowed slightly.

"you?"

Her voice carried a hint of surprise, and a hint of... displeasure.

This is a grand competition for household servants held by the royal family. If Wang Long's life is in danger, Luo Hanyi cannot protect him!

Wang Long is now a very important tool for dual cultivation in Luo Hanyi's heart, second only to Qin Minglan in status.

If Wang Long dies...

Luo Hanyi imagined Wang Long dying in the arena, and her heart inexplicably clenched.

"What's wrong with... Madam?"

Luo Hanyi was horrified; Wang Long was nothing more than a tool to help her cultivate.

Could it be that they've developed feelings for each other over time?!