Fortunately, she was worldly-wise and quick-witted, unlike those delicate young ladies who would only clutch their chests and scream when faced with trouble. Sharp-eyed and swift-footed, she immediately took off running. The Prince's quarters were the most spacious in the Imperial Manor, and even running circles around the room would keep Seventh Lord chasing after her for quite a while.
This only made Seventh Lord angrier. As he chased her, he cursed, "Don't let me catch you! Just wait till I get my hands on you—I’ll give you two good slaps! Stop... you’re still running?!"
At twenty-eight, Seventh Lord considered himself getting on in years and no longer as physically fit. Though he practiced martial arts daily, it was mostly just going through the motions. That Tai Chi was fine for cultivating the mind and body, but when it came to agility, Manchu Wrestling was the way to go. But how long had it been since he last practiced wrestling? He couldn’t even remember. Ever since he established his own household, he’d grown lazy. As the head of the household, he’d dismissed all the tutors and nannies who could have kept him in line. With no one above him to pressure him, he didn’t even bother studying anymore. His archery often missed the target, and as for hand-to-hand combat, he’d long since returned all those skills to his old wrestling instructor.
He glared at Xiaoshu, knowing full well he couldn’t catch her, but he enjoyed scaring her, watching her panic like a little rabbit—it was rather endearing. That’s how men were—when they liked someone, even a pockmarked face seemed like each scar was a flower, and they’d cherish them from the bottom of their hearts.
Panting heavily, the two of them circled the octagonal table for what felt like ages until he finally couldn’t take it anymore. Leaning on the table edge, he gasped, "Stop running! If you keep this up, I’ll call someone in to catch you, and you’ll be stripped bare for all to see... You’re really something, aren’t you? Pull you forward and you resist, push you back and you dig in your heels—what a troublemaker!"
Dingyi was also exhausted and terrified, her calves trembling. "If you stop chasing, I’ll stop running. If you keep chasing, I’ll keep running... Why don’t you sit down? Take a rest, and I’ll sit too."
Seventh Lord was frustrated but realized she had a point. This chase wasn’t getting them anywhere. He groped for the long bench, plopped down, and waved his hand. "You sit too. Let’s have a little chat."
And so, this farcical pursuit came to an undignified end. The two sat across from each other to catch their breath, and Seventh Lord even poured her a cup of tea.
Dingyi studied him in the candlelight. Seventh Lord was drenched in sweat from the chase. The Yuwen family all had fair complexions, and the more he sweated, the more porcelain-like his skin appeared. With his long lashes lowered, he actually looked somewhat refined when silent. She gulped down some tea. "You really ought to work on your fitness. Getting winded after just a few steps—what are you going to do during the Autumn hunt in Chengde?"
He waved it off. "It’s fine. The Emperor’s brother-in-law is worse off than me, and he gets by just fine."
She thought of the legendary Duke Kun and nodded. "True enough. You’re the Emperor’s own brother—closer than a brother-in-law. If all else fails, just pretend to be sick. Come autumn, start coughing, and the Emperor will take one look and say, ‘Alright, stay home and rest. If you go hunting, you’ll cough up blood.’ Then you’re off the hook."
Seventh Lord snorted to himself. If he were in better shape, would she be sitting here teasing him like this? Don’t push your luck—just wait till he caught his breath, and she’d get what was coming to her. Out loud, he said, "That’s just me keeping a low profile. Back before the heir was chosen, I used to show off. The game I bagged alone outdid all my brothers combined. The Emperor Emeritus even said, ‘Seventh Master takes after me.’ I thought I had a shot at the throne, but in the end, it went to the second brother. Once it was clear I wouldn’t be Emperor, I set aside my bow and horse. Why break my back for someone else’s empire? I’m no fool."She sighed with heartfelt relief that the old Emperor hadn’t passed the throne to him. With such a playboy squandering the family fortune, the Great Britain’s empire would have changed dynasties within a few years under his rule.
After catching their breath for a while, Seventh Lord steered the conversation back. “Don’t change the subject. I’m asking you—what exactly is going on between you and Twelfth Master? You love him, don’t you?”
Anyone with a thinner skin or even a shred of consideration for him would never have uttered that “Mm-hmm.” Yet Mu Xiaoshu did—firmly and resoundingly. Seventh Lord was dumbfounded. “Then what about me?”
From Dingyi’s perspective, he had never been part of the equation to begin with. He was the one who insisted on inserting himself, and that too without knowing her gender. What was there to say to a lord with such inclinations? She blinked innocently and said, “You’re my good master. You took me into your household and gave me a livelihood. You’re my savior.”
The generational hierarchy was a bit muddled—entangled with Hongce yet calling him her savior. What a smooth evasion! Seventh Lord seethed with suppressed anger, but it only strengthened his resolve. He nodded, each motion gritted through his teeth. “Since your household registry is under my banner, how do you plan to handle this?”
She lowered her gaze and bit her lip. “If you could be merciful, both Twelfth Master and I would be eternally grateful.”
Seventh Lord scoffed. “You’re really making yourself at home, aren’t you? What, do I look like someone who enjoys playing matchmaker? You’ve met me too late. In my younger days, I was the Scourge of Houhai—eyes wide open only for brawls. Anyone who dared intervene would get a beating too. Now that I’m older, I’ve mellowed a bit, so you think you can brush me off?”
“That’s not what I meant…” She twisted her fingers. “I just think you have a good heart. You might seem fierce, but deep down, you’re kind. How could you possibly pick fights?”
Seventh Lord turned his face away. “Don’t flatter me—it won’t work. Even in fights, I pick my opponents. I’m a prince; I can’t just brawl with anyone and demean myself. I target other nobles—those Princes of the Commandery and Beile who scurry at the sight of me. If they cross me, even the third one won’t escape a thrashing…” He turned back to her. “Shu’er, what’s wrong with me that you won’t choose me? Twelfth Master can’t hear. How exhausting must it be to whisper sweet nothings to him? Haven’t you thought this through?”
She kept her head down. “Twelfth Master can see. When I speak to him, he understands.”
“And that’s enough? That’s unreliable. What if one day his eyes fail too? What would you two have left?”
After a pause, she exhaled deeply. “If that happens, I won’t need to speak anymore—less trouble. Honestly, my thoughts have never mattered much. As long as he can speak and I can listen, that’s enough.”
Seventh Lord felt a tumult of emotions. “Are you stupid? Do you love him that much? Even if he were deaf and mute?”
Some feelings defy explanation. The flaws others see are precisely what she adores. To her, Twelfth Master was flawless—his hearing impairment didn’t diminish him but made her cherish him more. In a relationship, passion alone isn’t enough to last. There must be something that moves you, something that lodges him in your heart—for a lifetime.Seventh Lord's interest here was mostly a passing whim. Once the excitement faded, he might even forget her name. So for now, she had to navigate carefully, avoiding words that might offend him. After all, his fondness for her, though somewhat blind, wasn’t exactly a crime.
“You’ll understand when you meet someone like that someday,” she said with a smile. “I like Twelfth Master, and I’m grateful to Seventh Lord. Both of you are important to me, but in different ways. Twelfth Master is in my heart, and you’re in my mind.”
Why? Why did Twelfth Master get to be in her heart? What did being in her mind even mean? He could plot to harm someone in his mind—there was plenty of room there for anyone. But the heart was different. It could only hold one, and unfortunately, it wasn’t him.
He refused to accept it, narrowing his eyes as he said, “How do you know I haven’t met someone like that? You say Twelfth Master is good, but right now, I’ve got you locked in my room. Even if you scream your lungs out, he won’t hear you, nor can he come to your rescue. What’s so good about that?”
Objectively speaking, it was indeed a flaw. But once she’d made up her mind, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. She murmured, “I just think he’s good. I can’t explain it, but he just is.”
Seventh Lord gritted his teeth in frustration. Just good? If something really happened, let’s see how good he’d be then! Clenching his jaw, an idea struck him. He slapped the table and declared, “I’ve got it! I’ll challenge him to a duel—best two out of three. The winner gets you. Fair enough?”
Dingyi frowned. “Why go to such lengths? You can barely walk a few steps without wobbling…”
He waved her off. “Don’t underestimate me. I’ve never lost a fight. See this swirl in my eyebrow? It’s powerful—even Guan Yu had one. A mark of a great general!”
She was skeptical. She’d heard of double or single swirls on the crown of the head, but never in the eyebrows.
Noticing her doubt, Seventh Lord leaned in and pointed at his eyebrow. “Don’t believe me? Take a closer look. It’s perfectly formed.”
She was naive enough to actually crane her neck for a look—only for Seventh Lord to seize her arm with a triumphant laugh. “Got you! Now where will you run?”
Dingyi paled in shock, but by the time she realized what was happening, it was too late. Seventh Lord had always been playful, and she’d never considered him dangerous—until now. She struggled backward, refusing to budge, but he was strong, gripping her arm and dragging her toward the inner room like a sack of rice. She burst into tears, screaming for help, but everyone around was from Prince Xian's Residence. Unless it was Seventh Lord’s voice, no one would intervene even if heads were bashed in.
He threw her onto the kang, its hard edge knocking the wind out of her. Seventh Lord’s eyes burned with desire. When a dish was laid out before him, who wouldn’t take a bite? Since her heart was beyond saving, he might as well act first. Once she was truly his, Twelfth Master’s regrets would come too late.
Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself against her cries and struggles. Pinning her hands down, he freed one hand to undo his buttons. Guards wore short riding jackets with overlapping right flaps—once opened, they revealed a wide expanse. The jacket had many buttons, and his impatience grew. With a sharp tug, the buttonholes held, but the fabric tore, exposing the silk padding beneath and, beneath that, his undergarments.Dingyi’s voice was hoarse from screaming. If this continued, it would be disastrous—one more step and she’d be exposed. She sobbed and pleaded with him, “Master, have mercy on me. I have no father or mother—how can I live after this? You’re a kind man, with a heart of compassion. Spare me this once, and I’ll repay you with my life in the future…”
Seventh Lord remained silent. He knew her background—her family truly was scattered, making her a pitiable soul. But since she was pitiable, shouldn’t she seize any opportunity to climb higher? Any Prince was still a Prince—why be so picky? He paused his movements to wipe her tears. “How am I not showing you mercy? Why won’t you listen? Twelfth Master’s feelings for you are genuine, but who’s to say mine aren’t? Don’t judge me for my frivolous ways—men like me are the most devoted. Twelfth Master has weathered storms and knows how to seek fortune and avoid disaster. Who’s to say he won’t abandon you once he comes to his senses? I’m different. ‘A rabbit doesn’t eat the grass by its own burrow.’ Since I’ve set my sights on you, I intend to take responsibility for you for life. What are you afraid of?”
Tears streaked her face, and her hands were pinned down, leaving her no room to struggle. She could only beg, “Then let me go first. The more you do this, the more afraid I become.”
Seventh Lord was stung by her words and sneered. “‘Forced fruit is never sweet’? All I know is that raw rice must be cooked—once it’s done, it can’t run away.”
His anger surged like a mountain. What could a thin undergarment possibly block? With a flick of his wrist, the two ties snapped effortlessly. He thought he’d finally see what lay beneath, but when he looked closely, he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him—why was there still more? A three-inch-wide cloth was tightly bound above her navel, cinched so tightly it strained against her curves. He gaped, his mind buzzing. “You…”
Before he could finish, the door burst open with a bang. Hongce stormed in, his face livid, yanked Seventh Lord off the kang and sent him stumbling. He grabbed a quilt and wrapped it around the person on the bed before turning to glare at Seventh Lord with a look that could devour him alive.
Seventh Lord was still dazed, unable to process what had just happened. The scene replayed in his mind—Mu Xiaoshu binding her chest… Why was she binding her chest? And not just binding it, but wrapping it so tightly it looked like a bursting rice dumpling… She had large breasts!
So she was a woman? Seventh Lord felt dizzy, swaying on his feet, nearly losing his balance. A woman? She’d been right in front of him for months, and he hadn’t noticed?
Twelfth Master was shouting at him like a madman, but Seventh Lord only saw his lips moving—not a single word registered. Slowly, he turned to look. “Shu’er… what in the world is going on?”
Dingyi hated him to the core, burying her face in Twelfth Master’s chest and wailing. She felt she could never show her face again. Last time, she’d only been groped—but this time, she’d been stripped bare.
Seventh Lord, realizing the gravity of his mistake, looked both fearful and horrified. He stammered, “I didn’t know… Had I known, I’d rather die than do such a thing…”
Hongce was nothing like his usual composed self—his expression was terrifyingly violent. Clutching her protectively, he snarled, “She’s mine. From now on, don’t you dare lay a finger on her. If this happens again, I’ll kill you!”
They left, leaving Seventh Lord and Najin staring at each other in shock. Najin trembled as he said, “Twelfth Master was possessed—he charged in like a whirlwind, took down everyone outside… And after all this time, how did you still not succeed?”Seventh Lord was on the verge of tears. "Jin, this trip wasn't in vain. I saw everything—turns out Mu Xiaoshu... she's actually a girl!"
Author's note: Outer Anda: Tutors in the Qing Dynasty's Imperial Study. Inner Anda were responsible for teaching Manchu and Mongolian languages, while Outer Anda taught horseback riding and archery.
② Spoon: To hit them all together in one go.
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