Xiao Shao cast a cold glance at him, so icy that Ye You involuntarily shut his mouth.
"Jin Yi, Jin Er," Xiao Shao commanded.
"Yes, Master." Before Xiao Shao could finish, the two shadow guards understood his intention. They exchanged a glance—their master was truly enraged this time. The Third Prince had truly overstepped, daring to lay hands on someone under their master's protection.
Ye You watched as the two shadow guards advanced toward him, his face drained of color. "What are you doing? Stay away! Help!"
Meanwhile, Xiao Shao flew back to the Brocade Hero King Manor with Jiang Ruan in his arms. In his urgency, he didn't stop to consider the impropriety of bringing an unmarried woman to his residence. Jiang Ruan was usually cold, composed, and full of life—even her silent fury radiated a vivid hatred. But now, she lay barely conscious, her pale pink robes soaked crimson with blood, looking as pitiful as a helpless child.
Xiao Shao's heart clenched with pain. The woman in his arms was alarmingly light, and the scene he had witnessed earlier gripped his heart like a vise. If he hadn't happened to pass by the Langzhong residence today, recalling that Jiang Ruan was also there, and decided to check on her, he might never have noticed the strangeness in the manor. Following the trail, he had found Tianzhu locked in combat and learned that Jiang Ruan had been drugged and abducted. The surge of anxiety he felt in that moment was unfamiliar even to him.
He was known for his indifference, ruthlessness, and disinterest in women—never had he worried for someone, never had he paid such attention to anyone. But now, as he looked down at the frail girl in his arms, only one thought filled his mind: to protect her, to shelter her under his wings. He would shield her from blades and hidden arrows, ensuring she would never face danger again as long as he lived.
Xiao Shao carried Jiang Ruan all the way back to the Brocade Hero King Manor. Butler Lin was engrossed in reviewing account books, having just received a pair of imported spectacles from the Brocade-clad Guards—thick glass lenses that made reading much clearer. When he saw Xiao Shao return, Butler Lin instinctively stood up, only to freeze in shock upon noticing the woman in his arms. It was as if lightning had struck him—he was utterly speechless.
By the time Xiao Shao strode to his room, kicked the door open, and shut it behind him, Butler Lin finally snapped out of his daze. A familiar figure dropped from the sky, and Butler Lin grabbed Jin San's arm. "Jin San, what's going on with His Highness? Who—who is that?"
Among the Brocade-clad Guards, Jin Yi and Jin Er were close brothers, while Jin San and Jin Si were twin sisters. These four served as Xiao Shao's personal shadow guards and were also minor leaders within the ranks. Whenever Butler Lin wanted to gather information, he preferred to start with these four.
Jin San shrugged. "The young mistress, Old Lin. Don't say I didn't warn you—you'd better take good care of her these next few days. The master has tasks for me, so you're on your own for now."
After a few steps, Jin San turned back to add, "Oh, and the young mistress has been... ahem... poisoned. Don't go barging in to check on her, Old Lin. The master's temper is running high right now."
Long after Jin San had left, Butler Lin remained rooted to the spot, his little mustache twitching. The young mistress... poison... temper running high...
Tears of joy welled up in Butler Lin's eyes. "The young master will have an heir!"
...Compared to Butler Lin's beaming smile outside, Xiao Shao inside the room was somewhat at a loss. He had just finished applying medicine to Jiang Ruan's wounds and bandaging the injuries on her arm. Unexpectedly, the effects of the medicine took hold, causing Jiang Ruan to writhe restlessly on the bed. Xiao Shao initially considered pressing her acupressure points to induce sleep, but the potency of the drug was too overwhelming, and he dared not act rashly for fear of harming Jiang Ruan's body. The thought of Ye You daring to administer such a potent drug to Jiang Ruan made his eyes instantly turn cold, his pupils darkening like ink.
Jiang Ruan lay sprawled across Xiao Shao's bed, kicking off the blanket he had draped over her in just a few movements. Perhaps due to the overwhelming heat in her body, she unconsciously tugged at the collar of her clothes. Xiao Shao had just turned away to wring out a cold towel to wipe her forehead when he turned back to find her in such a "liberated" state. Stunned, he hurriedly searched for the thin blanket to cover her again.
No sooner had he draped the blanket over her than Jiang Ruan grabbed one of his hands. Under the influence of the drug, her strength was astonishingly great. Caught off guard, Xiao Shao stumbled and nearly fell on top of her, instinctively bracing himself with one hand beside her head.
Jiang Ruan suddenly opened her eyes, staring unblinkingly at Xiao Shao. Her eyes were naturally beautiful, and though Xiao Shao had seen countless beauties in his life, he found himself unexpectedly flustered under her gaze today, a faint blush appearing on his handsome face. Thinking she had regained her senses, he whispered, "Jiang Ruan."
Jiang Ruan continued to stare fixedly at him. After a moment, just as Xiao Shao was about to speak, she suddenly pulled his neck down forcefully toward her.
Xiao Shao was truly embarrassed now.
The brief, fleeting touch was unexpectedly sweet, like the fragrance of flowers, belying her usual cold demeanor. Xiao Shao lowered his gaze, his dark eyes fixed on the clearly delirious girl.
"So sweet..." Jiang Ruan murmured hazily as she loosened her grip slightly.
Xiao Shao was taken aback. Was she referring to him or herself?
Jiang Ruan was clearly no longer aware of her own actions, burrowing relentlessly into Xiao Shao's embrace. He found himself at a loss—why was she tugging at his belt now?
The usually impassive man was now thoroughly discomfited. Holding onto his belt with one hand and watching Jiang Ruan cling to him, Xiao Shao felt utterly exasperated. How could someone change so drastically under the influence of drugs? Why hadn't Jin San returned yet?
Outside, Butler Lin, risking his life to peek through the lattice window, was flushed with excitement. He was both awed by the future young mistress's boldness and dismayed by his master's gentlemanly restraint. The young mistress was being so forward—shouldn't the master, as a man, take the initiative? Butler Lin shook his head with a sigh. His young master was perfect in every way, except for being too virtuous. Any other man would have gladly become the antidote by now.
...
Among the twelve pleasure houses, Hundred Flowers House stood out as the most exquisite. Not only were its ladies stunningly beautiful and clever, but they were also worldly and well-versed in high society, making them favorites among nobles and officials. Today, however, a rather unusual guest arrived.The guest was dressed in a long robe and dark cloth boots, with hair tied high—clearly in male attire, yet her identity as a woman was unmistakable at a glance. The madam of the brothel had a sharp eye and immediately noticed the natural grace in the woman’s movements, as well as her delicate features. Though her clothing appeared simple, the fabric was the expensive Rain Brocade silk. Though it was odd for a woman to enter a brothel, the madam still stepped forward and asked, “Young lady, are you here to request something from our Hundred Flowers House?”
Jin San glanced at the madam. “Rumor has it that Hundred Flowers House is well-informed. Do you know of ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’?”
The madam’s expression changed, and she scrutinized Jin San carefully before cautiously asking, “Why does the young lady inquire about Spring Breeze Crossing?”
“A friend of mine accidentally ingested ‘Spring Breeze Crossing.’ Since Hundred Flowers House is the largest den of beauties in the capital, surely you wouldn’t be unaware of this thing?”
After Xiao Shao rescued Jiang Ruan, he ordered someone to examine the cup she had drunk from and detected a scent similar to ‘Spring Breeze Crossing,’ which he had encountered before. Though he studied poisons, he had little knowledge of this particular drug and naturally had no idea about its antidote. The madam of Hundred Flowers House would surely have a solution, so he sent Jin San to investigate.
The madam smiled. “To be honest with you, ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’ is a rare and potent drug. Once ingested, if one does not engage in intimate relations within three hours, they will succumb to its effects and die—it might as well be called poison.” She added with an ingratiating smile, “If your friend still has time, simply find someone to spend the night with them.”
“If it were that simple, why would I come to you?” Jin San grew impatient. “I have urgent matters to attend to, madam. It would be best if you produced the antidote quickly.”
The madam hesitated. “Young lady, it’s not that I won’t give you the antidote, but the antidote for ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’ is extremely rare. No one has ever come asking for it before. This is…”
“A hundred taels,” Jin San said.
“Young lady, this really isn’t…”
“Gold.”
The madam fell silent, her face instantly blooming with delight. “I’ll have someone fetch the antidote right away.” Though the person before her seemed like an easy mark—who would spend a hundred taels of gold on such an antidote? Whose chastity could be worth so much? Even the top courtesan of Hundred Flowers House rarely encountered a patron willing to pay a hundred taels of gold for a single night.
Jin San could tell what the madam was thinking from her expression and silently grumbled to herself. The young mistress’s night was truly worth more than that of the brothel’s top courtesan. Ahem —what was she thinking? The young mistress was pure and virtuous; how could she be compared to a courtesan?
…
When Jin San returned to the manor with the antidote and saw Xiao Shao, she couldn’t help but be shocked. Xiao Shao’s face was slightly flushed, his usually expressionless features almost cracking as he sat rigidly by the bed. Beneath his dark robes, something suspicious stirred faintly.
Jin San covered her nose—who wouldn’t feel their blood boiling at such a sight? Xiao Shao took the antidote from her without a word and said, “Leave.”
As Jin San exited, she was deeply conflicted. Had she done a good deed or a bad one? Who would have thought that her master, who always appeared cold and composed, could be so passionate? What had the young mistress been doing under his robes earlier? If she had given him the antidote, would he hold a grudge against her for this in the future?Jin San grew increasingly uneasy as he thought about the situation and decided to seek out Jin Si to discuss the day's events. This left Butler Lin alone outside, pounding his chest in frustration, his face once again streaked with tears—this time from sheer anxiety.
Master, do your family members know you spent so much silver just to buy an antidote? Such extravagance! Don’t you know the best antidote is a person? The late master and mistress must be furious watching from the heavens.
Xiao Shao was carefully supporting Jiang Ruan’s head as he fed her the antidote. He glanced down at the woman in his arms, the earlier awkwardness now replaced with quiet focus. The commotion outside was impossible to ignore—he wasn’t deaf. As for the notion of a person being the antidote, even if Jiang Ruan didn’t mind such things, he would never take advantage of her vulnerability. The thought had never even crossed his mind. Though he harbored some subtle feelings for Jiang Ruan now, his conduct remained strictly proper. In certain ways, despite having witnessed such matters often, Xiao Shao was entirely inexperienced when it came to himself. As Old Lin would say, he was far too much of a gentleman.
...
The night passed, and almost none of the servants in Brocade Hero King Manor had a good night’s sleep—nor did the Brocade-clad Guards. The former were too excited to sleep, while the latter were too busy. The manor’s servants whispered among themselves about whether the household would soon welcome a mistress. However, the servants under Butler Lin’s management had undergone special training—their lips were sealed. Nothing leaked out, or else Jiang Ruan’s reputation would have suffered greatly.
When Jiang Ruan awoke, her entire body ached terribly. Rubbing her head, she sat up and noticed a beautiful maidservant tidying the table. Seeing her awake, the maid approached with concern. "Miss Jiang, are you feeling better?"
Jiang Ruan studied the maid before her, noting the strange look in her eyes—a hint of concealed amusement, overly enthusiastic. Though puzzled, she smiled faintly. "I’m fine. Where is this?"
"Brocade Hero King Manor," the maid replied, her smile sweetening. "His Highness brought you back yesterday and watched over you all night. He only just left." The maid glanced at the medicine bowl on the table, picking it up and bringing it to Jiang Ruan’s lips. "Now that you’re awake, please drink this."
As if to confirm her words, Xiao Shao entered the room. Seeing the maid about to feed Jiang Ruan, he said, "Leave. I’ll do it."
The maid stifled a knowing smile, covering her mouth as she retreated and even considerately closing the door behind her. Jiang Ruan looked at Xiao Shao, fragmented memories flashing through her mind. She knew she had been afflicted with a potent bewitching drug the previous day, and much of what happened remained unclear. She only remembered Xiao Shao rescuing her in front of Ye You. Xiao Shao would never take advantage—of that, Jiang Ruan was certain. What worried her was whether she had done anything improper to him under the drug’s influence. The thought made her head throb. Why did these things always seem to reverse roles when it came to her?
Xiao Shao sat by the bed, effortlessly taking the medicine bowl from the table. When Jiang Ruan reached for it, a sharp pain shot through her arm. Looking down, she saw the white bandages wrapped around it and recalled the injury from the day before. Instinctively, she reached for her dagger—it was far too valuable to lose.
Xiao Shao picked up the dagger from the nearby stand and placed it before her. "No need to search."It was that delicate short sword. Jiang Ruan held it in one hand and looked up to meet Xiao Shao's dark, night-like eyes. She froze for a moment before Xiao Shao lowered his head and gently scooped up some medicine with a silver spoon, bringing it to her lips.
Since her hands were inconvenient now, she didn’t resist and obediently drank the medicine he fed her. Their bodies were close, and she could smell the clean, bamboo-like fragrance on him. For a moment, Jiang Ruan felt strangely dazed.
After finishing the entire bowl of medicine, Xiao Shao took a few colorful sugar pills from a nearby dish and handed them to her. The pills were bright and adorable, leaving Jiang Ruan momentarily stunned. Xiao Shao explained, "Eat these, and it won’t be bitter anymore."
Jiang Ruan: "..."
She wasn’t a three-year-old child—why was Xiao Shao speaking to her in such a coaxing tone? And what was with that concerned look in his eyes? Yet, faced with such kindness and that beautiful face, she found herself unable to refuse. Only after popping the sugar pills into her mouth did she snap back to reality. How long had it been, in this life or the last, since she had eaten something like this? Even medicine had been a luxury, let alone these sugar pills, reserved only for those who were carefully cherished. Feeling that eating such things somewhat undermined her current composed image, Jiang Ruan shot Xiao Shao a glance and thought: He really knows how to win people over!
Among the twelve pleasure houses, Hundred Flowers House was the most exquisite. Not only were its women beautiful and clever, but they had also seen the world, making them favorites of nobles and officials. Today, however, a special guest arrived.
This guest wore a long robe, dark cloth boots, and had her hair tied high—clearly dressed as a man, yet her identity as a woman was unmistakable at a glance. The madam, sharp-eyed, immediately noticed the natural grace in the woman’s movements and her lovely features. Though her clothing appeared simple, the fabric was the expensive Rain Brocade silk. While it was unusual for a woman to enter a brothel, the madam still stepped forward and asked, "Young lady, are you here to request something from our Hundred Flowers House?"
Jin San glanced at the madam. "They say Hundred Flowers House is well-informed. Do you know of 'Spring Breeze Crossing'?"
(End of Chapter)
OpenNovel