Keep your voice down. Are you trying to look glamorous dressed as a forced lover?

Wealthy but not noble merchants would try every means to marry into wealthy and noble families, whether as the principal wife or a concubine. They would pay huge dowries or cover up huge debts, all in the hope of winning the gratitude of their partners and having a happy and fulfilling married life.

The other party's way of reciprocating was to condescend to favor them.

This is the best-case scenario; most people take the money but still harbor resentment.

Compared to before, Li Qingyan's attitude has improved, but Wen Sheng does not want this kind of reward.

"Your Highness, you don't need to force yourself."

Li Qingyan stared in disbelief: "I didn't think that way."

She never expected that the way to repay someone would not only be by taking money, but also by taking advantage of them completely.

Li Qingyan said, "My thought for repaying you is that the river embankment will inevitably be rebuilt in the end. I will erect a monument at the site of the reconstruction to record your good deeds and let the world know about your righteous act."

"I will also work on improving the disaster relief efforts as soon as possible, and try my best to ensure you don't suffer any losses."

Wen Sheng has invested money, so he expects to bring fame and reward the person. If this collaboration goes well, it will be easier to discuss future collaborations.

Finally, she seized the opportunity to win over the most handsome man. At least for now, she wasn't thinking about it and just wanted to take it one step at a time.

Wen Sheng was taken aback; so this was how she intended to repay him.

This was an experience he had never had before, and a way of giving back that he had never imagined.

At least from childhood to adulthood, he never gained anything.

"Thank you, I..."

He was momentarily speechless, but he was used to malice and faced it calmly.

He had good intentions, but because he wasn't used to it, he suddenly didn't know how to deal with it.

He even said those words of favor just now.

"I should thank you. I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

Li Qingyan raised his glass again, and Wen Sheng followed suit, but this time, his mindset had completely changed.

My body hasn't shown any abnormalities so far. This wine is just wine; nothing was added to it.

She brought the wine, simply because she thought he genuinely liked it.

He didn't actually like alcohol, but perhaps because it was tribute wine, it wasn't so hard to swallow for the first time.

Because he had misunderstood her earlier, and remembering that she had eaten walnut paste at his place last time, he tentatively asked, "Your Highness, the kitchen has prepared some snacks and treats. Would you like some?"

Li Qingyan's eyes lit up: "Okay."

Dinner was alright, but who can resist snacks and sweet drinks?

This time, there was not only walnut milk, but also a lot of delicious snacks. Li Qingyan ate happily, and the rest of the wine was also consumed, successfully making her slightly tipsy.

Wen Sheng said she would give instructions on raising funds, but she didn't even look up while eating: "Go ahead and do it."

Because she had eaten quite a lot, palace servants would come to replenish her food whenever needed. When another palace maid approached, Li Qingyan didn't pay any attention until the maid pressed her down on the table and bared her teeth at her.

The change happened too quickly, and Li Qingyan could only hold her neck tightly.

"Someone come here!"

The palace maid's eyes were bloodshot, her conjunctiva was bleeding, and her face and neck were also red, as if she were drunk. However, when she bared her teeth, her gums bled, and even the smell of her breath was off.

Li Qingyan was both suffocated by the fumes and quite frightened.

This palace maid is acting strangely. She seems ill or out of control. She even tried to bite someone. If she were bitten, she might end up like her.

"Help! Someone, please help!"

She screamed, her voice filled with fear, but unfortunately, Huai Xu and the others were not around, so she could only call for help and ask the guards to come.

But the guards never came. As the palace maid grew stronger and stronger, she could hardly hold on. Li Qingyan shouted.

"Sannoh!"

The moment the words left her lips, the palace maid's head suddenly drooped, instantly losing her fighting ability, just as blood rained down on her body.

The palace maid was pulled aside, revealing Wen Sheng with an expressionless face.

It wasn't that Sannoye could teleport and appear in front of her; it was Wen Sheng who saved her, stabbing her directly into her neck with a dagger, killing her instantly.

The palace maid collapsed to the ground, blood gushing out, and after convulsing for a moment, she became completely still.

Li Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief.

Wen Sheng reached out her hand: "Is Your Highness alright?"

Li Qingyan took his hand and stood up: "It's nothing, thank you."

"You're welcome, I'm also trying to save myself."

Wen Sheng's tone remained calm: "The palace maid is from Zhenxing Pavilion. I will investigate thoroughly and give His Highness an explanation."

"it is good."

Palace servants immediately came to drag the body away.

Li Qingyan glanced at it a few more times, then heard Wen Sheng ask, "Shall we escort His Highness to Fengyun Pavilion?"

"Huh?" Li Qingyan didn't react.

Wen Sheng prompted, "His Highness just called out 'Sang Cejun'."

Li Qingyan shook her head: "No need, I was just asking for help, it was just a conditioned reflex."

She couldn't get help from nearby, and it was so dangerous. Sannoye was the person she could call for help from a distance, and the one who knew her situation best. So she naturally thought of Sannoye.

Now that I've calmed down, it's indeed a bit inappropriate to call out Sannoye's name to Wen Sheng.

Fortunately, Wen Sheng didn't mind and even thoughtfully asked if she wanted him to take her there.

Her generous and virtuous demeanor is completely different from the male protagonists in the book who are insanely jealous of the female lead.

Readers love stories of jealousy and dramatic conflicts, but here, because no one loves her, everything is surprisingly harmonious.

She sighed in annoyance. No wonder another NPC came to harm her; she had neither meat nor a Shura field to deal with.

Feeling lingering fear and a bit annoyed, plus the fact that she had just eaten too much, she felt a tightness in her chest: "Will you come for a walk with me?"

God, please make them like her quickly! Ideally, just a couple of sentences would win them over and start a love triangle.

"Yes."

Wen Sheng agreed.

I don't know if it was because God listened to Li Qingyan's words, or if it was just bad luck.

Li Qingyan got up and took a few steps when her foot suddenly slipped and she fell straight backward.

Li Qingyan gasped, thinking she was about to fall heavily to the ground.

But the expected pain did not come.

Wen Sheng caught her.

At the critical moment, he held her tightly around the waist, preventing a tragedy from occurring.

That's quite romantic.

If her exclamation had been quieter, if she hadn't cried out for her mother so urgently that she almost knocked Wen Sheng down, and if she hadn't clung tightly to his neck, her lips pressed against Wen Sheng's cheek...

Because she values ​​her life so much, her reaction was absolutely amazing.

The incredibly soft and warm fabric pressed against her, and Wen Sheng's hand trembled, almost causing her to lose her grip.

Li Qingyan instinctively hugged him again.

This time, the kiss was firmer, and the spot was moved slightly to the side, right in the center of the red mole on the corner of the lip.

Wen Sheng's hand tightened, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

"Your Highness, we are safe."

He was bent over, unable and afraid to move, lest the kiss become even closer. His lips had already made him lose his composure, and he could only make sounds.

His voice was somewhat hoarse.

Because she was holding them so tightly that there wasn't a single gap between them.

It was so tight that he could feel her completely.

He was completely unprepared for this contact, and the warmth and softness from his lips made him even more at a loss.

"Okay, thank you."

Li Qingyan never expected such an accident to happen, because the fear and tension that had been lingering in the palace maid's heart turned into a racing heart and nervousness.

It turns out idol dramas weren't lying; you really can kiss someone if you fall down.

Especially when one of them is particularly afraid of losing their life.