Words from translator: Moderate warning for moderately explicit details ahead.

  She looked to Li Xiao Ran and found that he seemedreluctant.

  The love and affection returned to Li Xiao Ran’s face:“Silly child, I was a bit harsh with my words. You cannot do something sofoolish like this, if you had died, wouldn’t I, someone with white hair, haveto send off a young one with black hair.” He said with pain and sorrow evidentin his eyes.

  “Fuqin, do not say that. It’s my fault, it’s all myfault…… I do not have anything to ask other than to occasionally talk with LaoFuren about everyday things and have the chance to talk and play chess withFuqin…… That will be enough.” Li Chang Le seemed to be guilty and remorseful,and if anything, even more vulnerable and pitiful.

  “It is good that you know you were wrong. We are allone family, living together in harmony is most important. Remember not to dosuch naive things. You must take care of yourself and get better.” Li Xiao Ransaid, not mentioning anything about sending her back.

  Li Wei Yang chuckled under her breath…… One must knowthat Da Furen had just passed away, and what little fatherly affection Li XiaoRan had, had been brought out today. Li Chang Le’s intellect seemed to haveimproved a bit after her time at the temple.

  Tuoba Rui stood nearby, glaring at her as if afraidshe would harm Li Chang Le.

  The physician that had examined her began to prepare aprescription and said: “Da Xiaojie’s condition is no longer life-threatening.She was only depressed and disoriented. She must rest well and leave her mindat peace.”


  Lao Furen saw the situation and added: “Send theYatous here. Take good care of Chang Le.” She was used to such charades innoble households and could see through Li Chang Le’s act. Although in Li XiaoRan’s presence, coupled with Tuoba Rui’s adamant protection, she could not sayanything more.

  The next two days, Li Chang Le’s behavior closelyfollowed etiquette, she became kind and generous, a stark contrast to her pasttemperament. Lao Furen remained indifferent, having neither good nor illsentiments towards her. Li Chang Le begrudged this but did not outwardlyexpress her frustration.

  Looking out the window, Li Wei Yang saw Li Chang Lepersonally bringing tea to Lao Furen, seemingly anxious and afraid. She turnedback and smiled: “Did you see that?”


  Li Min De indifferently said: “She is attentive andprobably up to no good.”


  Li Wei Yang nodded: “Fuqin’s attitude towards her hasdrastically changed. This is not a good sign.”


  Li Min De’s gaze fell on Lao Furen’s apathetic face inthe distance: “I am not worried about Da Bofu but Lao Furen. If even Lao Furenfelt Li Chang Le has genuinely changed for the better, then everything we havedone will go to waste.”


  Li Wei Yang smiled wistfully: “Da Xiaojie has alwayshad the advantage, being a child of the official wife. She only needs to lowerher head and admit to her mistakes, and everyone will forgive her. If I madethat many mistakes, I would have soon lost my life.”


  “So - we must strike first before she can think ofsomething else.” Li Min De proposed.

  Li Wei Yang nodded: “The funeral ceremony tomorrow isan auspicious day……”


  Bai Zhi, who had been standing behind them, heard thisand looked strangely at Li Wei Yang, unsure of what Xiaojie meant by this. LiMin De only smiled in response, adding to Bai Zhi’s confusion. These days shecould not keep up these two Zhuzi’s thinking. Xiaojie herself was one thing,but even San shaoye became difficult to understand.

  In the evening, Li Chang Le returned to her room. Herface was remorseful and sad, but the moment she returned, her face turned intoone of anger.

  “That old woman, no matter what I do, she isindifferent. Her heart doesn’t soften at all!” She angrily grumbled.

  Terrified, Tan Xiang quickly said: “Don’t worry,Xiaojie, Lao Furen is just angry at the moment. Her indifference will quicklychange like Laoye.”


  Li Chang Le sneered: “How could it be that easy? LiWei Yang, that wretched Yatou has put in so much time and thought to win thatold woman’s favor, but either way, as long as I have Fuqin’s trust, I stillhave a chance.”


  Tan Xiang said: “What does Xiaojie intend to do next?”


  Li Chang Le said: “Come here.” Tan Xiang leaned over,Li Chang Le whispered a few words to her, and Tan Xiang’s face changed:“Xiaojie, this is not a good idea. Xiaojie knows there is a Yatou skilled inmartial arts by San Xiaojie’s side. Nubi will be quickly discovered if Nubispies on San Xiaojie.”


  Li Chang Le was almost blinded by fury. She did notplan to let Tan Xiang go like this, but Muqin died and Dage was driven out ofthe residence. If she rashly sent someone to spy, they may be discovered by LiWei Yang. Only Tan Xiang with her cautious personality could be her eyes andears: “No need to fear. That Yatou only knows some cat scratching martial arts.I am telling you do watch Li Wei Yang’s movements from afar, like who shemeets, what she is doing, not telling you to closely follow her. You won’t bediscovered.”


  “But—” Tan Xiang remembered Zhao Yue’s hostility andfelt uneasy.

  “But nothing! Nothing is impossible, I don’t think LiWei Yang is invulnerable. I only need to find her weakness and use it to strikea direct blow to her!”


  “Xiaojie, San Xiaojie is too cunning. I’m afraid itwon’t be so easy.” Tan Xiang anxiously said, far from being reassured.

  Li Chang Le scoffed coldly: “Cunning? Haven’t I usedher before? Did she expect me to attempt suicide while Wu Huangzi was here? Idon’t have to go back to the temple now, and that must infuriate her to death!I want to use this victory to press on rather than to wait for her to recollectherself, then it would be difficult to act!”


  Tan Xiang looked at Li Chang Le’s beautiful face: “IsXiaojie really going to marry Wu Dianxia?”


  “Nonsense! You think I’d think so highly of him? If hewas useless to me, then I would not even bother to look at him!” Li Chang Le’svoice was cold and cruel, completely different from her weak and pitiful facadeyesterday. She looked up at Tan Xiang: “From today onwards, closely follow LiWei Yang’s every move and report back to me!”


  Frightened by the look in her eyes, Tan Xiang quicklysaid: “Yes.”


  The next day, the Emperor sent an Imperial edict over.This was to appease Li Xiao Ran. Soon enough, the niang niang in the palacesent their regards as Huangzi came to visit one after another. This notionconsolidated Li Xiao Ran’s position and authority.

  Tuoba Zhen left Wu Xian Fei’s palace and changed intonormal clothes, red with gold embroidery and took some guards with him to theLi residence. Li Xiao Ran went out to greet him and invited him into the mainhall for tea.

  “Where is everyone?” Tuoba Zhen asked.

  “Wu Dianxia came three days ago. Taizi Dianxia alsosent over gifts.” Li Xiao Ran began.

  Tuoba Zhen smiled, although there was a bit ofridicule in his smile. Tuoba Rui diligently ran over here, perhaps because ofthat Da Xiaojie.

  The two exchanged a few words before someone outsidereported: “Laoye, Hui Guogong sent gifts for the ceremony.”


  Li Xiao Ran nodded, then stood up and said: “SanDianxia, it is very busy in the residence. I must go and receive the newlyarrived guests. It is quiet here, San Dianxia, please stay and enjoy the tea. Iwill return in a bit.”


  Tuoba Zhen saw how busy the entire residence was forhimself and nodded. He waited until Li Xiao Ran had gone outside before sittingback down to drink the tea. A while later, he got up to look around the hall.There was a pot of begonias on a low table near the window. The jasper potemphasized how precious the begonias were. Tuoba Zhen approached them, liftinga begonia up to closer examine.

  This was a precious pot of begonias, gently swaying tothe breeze. The drooping petals were like a curtain of hair hiding the face ofa lady, leaving a lasting impression. Its purple sepals were like an outerrobe. The begonias were red and bent downwards like young women who have hadtheir first taste of wine, jade-like skin flushed red, delicate and fragile.The color was more alluring than the flush of peaches. Traditional begonias hadno fragrance. Only carefully cultivated begonias had a faint fragrance. It wasrare to find such begonias, even in the palace. Tuoba Zhen suddenly thought ofsomething, and his face grew solemn.

  In the palace, every Huangzi was extraordinary intheir own ways, but they fell short of Qi Huangzi and his keen intellect, whowas cold yet handsome. The Emperor also respected his Mufei. Naturally,everyone sought to curry favor with him. Tuoba Zhen paid no mind to it becausehe would eventually claim their attention and everything else soon enough, butLi Wei Yang, was she infatuated by Tuoba Yu’s appearance too?

  Tuoba Zhen would not believe it. On the surface, LiWei Yang was respectful and compliant, but with the Imperial family, she wasneither indifferent nor sincere and kept her distance. Others may fall for hergentle and amiable appearance, not seeing her true character, but Tuoba Zhensensed she was detached in her actions, pretending perhaps, so he was willingto say his first intuition had not been wrong. So why did Li Wei Yang treatTuoba Yu differently, the reason he thought of…… It made him even moreindignant.

  Perhaps it was human nature to take for granted thethings that come easily, not cherishing them, and the things they cannot havewill make them uncomfortable and even more determined to obtain them at anycost. He could not stand the fact that in Li Wei Yang’s eyes, he could notcompare to Tuoba Yu. His fist clenched, causing the crumpled petals to fall tothe ground. Tuoba Zhen sneered, Li Wei Yang, just you wait, I would ratherdestroy what I cannot have than to let someone else have it!

  Just then, a soft touch brushed over his shoulders.Tuoba Zhen froze then suddenly turned around and was met with a sight thatcaused him to stiffen.

  A xiao meiren stood before him, her garments slightlyundone, exposing an alluring, pale neck. Her eyes had the charm of autumn, andher lips were slightly curved up. She seemed to be in a daze, perhaps a bitdisoriented, as she took his hand into hers. A bead of sweat slowly rolled downalong pale jade skin, falling onto her layered garments. Tuoba Zhen looked downat the unnamed place where it had fallen, his heart felt as if it was suspendedin midair, helplessly pounding for the longest time.

  If it were any other day, Tuoba Zhen would not havefallen for it. For some reason, the potted begonias began to let out an intensefragrance, making hallucinations appear before his eyes. He saw the beauty infront of him turn into someone who even without saying much could still makehim clench his teeth. He resented that person, and she was unforgettable forthat very reason. He felt the young woman before him and the person in hisheart become one, his heart raced, rising and falling like crashing waves in astorm.

  The covert guards waiting outside saw this and lookedat one another but did not dare to act. Although Zhuzi acted with an unwaveringresolve, when faced with a beauty who could make empires and cities fall, whowould not be tempted? Tuoba Zhen’s face had not changed. Nothing seemedunusual, so they stood by, not daring to interrupt their Master.

  Tuoba Zhen pulled the young woman closer, a tremblingfinger touching the lips he had dreamt of for so long. He subconsciously beganto lose control. His hand slid into the folds of her garments and encountered acomforting warmth, soft and smooth like jade. Her face was a bit flushed, shebit her lip coquettishly, panting as if unable to hold back.

  Although Tuoba Zhen’s body was crying out in protest, hestill had a shred of reason. He knew he had fallen into a trap and fiercelyshook his head to try and clear his mind. Stunned, he hoarsely asked the youngwoman in his arms: “Who are you?”


  “Dianxia—” Her tone of voice was intimate like that ofa lover, the sharp inhale and prolonged tremor in her voice added to itsseductive charm.

  This voice made Tuoba Zhen’s heart stir. He forcefullybit down on his tongue. The throbbing pain allowed him to recollect his senses.

  “Dianxia…… I feel very uncomfortable, help me……” The hotbreath that escaped her lips ghosted across his face, she weakly called out tohim, “Save…… Save me……”


  The fragrance of begonias loomed overhead, itscaptivating allure invading Tuoba Zhen’s senses. “Wei Yang—” He softly calledout, he could not wait to ravage the young woman before him to vent hisfrustrations. His grip tightened as if wanting to leave behind red marks on herbody. She groaned in protest, her eyes fluttering open as a hazy pink tingedher face. Tuoba Zhen inhaled deeply and enveloped her in a tight embrace. Sheobediently fell into his arms like a doll, soft as cotton with an overwhelming,enchanting fragrance. The two bodies were pressed together, lips and tonguesconstantly entangled, reluctant to let go.

  Tuoba Zhen caressed her face, his eyes slightlybloodshot: “I genuinely like you and respect you! I am willing to shareeverything I have with you, I will give you everything!” He was simultaneouslyundressing her as he mumbled this, biting her with a rabid fervor, desperate toleave behind marks. His hands began to make its way all the way down.

  “I…… I am…… Chang Le…… Chang Le……” The young woman’s voicesuddenly grew louder. Tuoba Zhen felt as if he had been struck by lightning,his entire body stiffened. Then, he heard the door opening——

  Translator: Chau

  Editor: Pending——