Chapter 25: Exposure

With her back pressed tightly against the edge of the table, Xia Tong narrowed her eyes and instinctively shrank her neck, stammering, “I… I…”

“Where’s the courage you had to drug me?” Gu Qin’s gaze turned icy as his large hand gradually gripped her neck, leaning in closer to meet her almond-shaped eyes. “I’ve been patient with you time and again, yet you continuously challenge my limits. Do you think I’m easy to talk to?”

Their eyes locked, his hand firmly grasping her neck. Xia Tong blinked, momentarily speechless. It seemed… this villain hadn’t actually harmed her in any real way…

The room was silent. The woman in his embrace was delicate and slender, a faint, almost imperceptible fragrance enveloping him. Gu Qin’s eyes darkened, his grip tightening. He thought her neck was so slender, he could easily snap it.

“In the past, I was the one who didn’t understand. From now on, I promise to behave and prioritize the interests of the palace!” Xia Tong raised three fingers in a gesture of sincerity, her small face serious.

At this point, preserving her life was the most important thing!

Seeing her act like a fool, Gu Qin scoffed and abruptly pushed her away, not even sparing her a glance.

As he resumed reading the documents, Xia Tong immediately moved to grind ink for him, no longer daring to utter a word.

When the study fell silent again, she couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the documents. Though it was just a quick glance, she caught sight of a few crucial words, making her quickly avert her gaze as if nothing had happened.

Ink splattered onto her fair hand, stark against her skin. Gu Qin suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on her hand. His voice was low and heavy, “Those who enter this study generally end up dead.”

Xia Tong: “…”

Her hands began to tremble involuntarily, causing another drop of ink to land on her hand, but she didn’t dare wipe it off with her handkerchief.

Noticing her pale face, Gu Qin smirked slightly and said, “Keep grinding.”

He kept his head down, moving one document aside to take another sheet of paper, writing something while lightly tapping the brush in the inkstone.

Xia Tong felt as if her heart was about to explode. She quickly resumed grinding in silence, discreetly wiping the ink off her hand with her handkerchief.

In the dimly lit study, the man appeared serious and focused, his sharp profile exuding an unsettling coldness. Xia Tong stole a glance at him and thought, this truly felt like a Mary Sue story. Even the villain was exceptionally handsome, though his mood swings were too unpredictable for her fragile heart to handle.

She didn’t know how long she had been grinding. The autumn wind outside grew stronger, and having not eaten for an entire day, her hands ached, and her head spun, leaving her feeling light-headed.

After switching hands to grind the ink again, she suddenly tentatively asked the man, “Can I… leave now?”

Her voice was faint, and Gu Qin didn’t look up. After a moment, he replied coolly, “Let Xifeng in.”

“Okay!” Xia Tong replied excitedly, turning to leave.

“Wait a moment.” Gu Qin suddenly raised his gaze and nonchalantly glanced at her. “Take this away.”

On the table was a beautifully arranged plate of pastries. Xia Tong had long coveted them, but she hadn’t expected him to offer her something to eat. Was he worried she would starve to death?

Without hesitation, she hugged the plate to her chest, stealing a glance at him, and murmured, “Thank you.”

Flushing, she quickly left the room, while the man at the desk shook his head slightly, not believing that such a timid woman would dare to do anything reckless.

As soon as she opened the door, a cold gust of wind rushed in. To maintain her composure, she decided to eat later.

Glancing back at the closed study, Xia Tong felt a mix of emotions. Although this villain was ruthless, he hadn’t done her any real harm and had even saved her once. She realized her earlier actions had been somewhat ungrateful.

Holding the pastries, she left the courtyard and saw Xifeng waiting there, quickly walking over to him. “The prince wants you to go in.”

Seeing that she had come out unharmed after spending the entire morning inside, the surrounding guards exchanged glances, their expressions changing as they looked at her with a hint of curiosity. No wonder Xifeng dared to let the princess in. It seemed she was no ordinary woman.

“It’s already noon, Princess. You should go back and have your meal.” Seeing that the other party was holding a plate of cakes, Xifeng naturally knew that his master was no longer angry.

Upon hearing this, Xia Tong felt a surge of joy but maintained a calm facade. She looked at Xifeng with increasingly warm eyes, feeling grateful for his kindness. It is true that good people will have a peaceful life.

Feeling a bit guilty under the other person’s gaze, Xifeng hurriedly walked toward the study, thinking it would be best to keep a distance from the princess in the future.

Holding the pastries, Xia Tong confidently returned to her courtyard, surprising many. The news that the princess had spent the entire morning in the prince’s study had already spread, and now the prince wasn’t angry—this was truly puzzling.

As Xifeng had said, the kitchen quickly delivered lunch. For the first time, Xia Tong felt a strong desire to eat, and she didn’t stop until she could eat no more. However, she decided that from now on, she would behave and listen, as the facts showed her that she wasn’t the main character, and opposing the antagonist would lead to bad outcomes.

Once the meal was cleared away, she started snacking on the pastries she had brought from the study. To be fair, the villain certainly knew how to indulge. Even the food was better than the others.

“I told you the prince would forgive you. You don’t need to be so afraid of him. Perhaps he isn’t as scary as you think,” Fang Yu quietly advised from the side.

Xia Tong leaned against the soft couch, took a sip of tea, and frowned slightly without saying anything.

“However, I received some news today,” Fang Yu suddenly said. “A decree from the palace announced that the crown prince has chosen his consort from the Duke’s residence, while the concubine will be the legitimate daughter of Minister Dong. The official ceremony will take place next month.”

Xia Tong nearly choked on her tea, looking at Fang Yu in surprise. The latter seemed serious, and Xia Tong couldn’t believe that the plot had veered so far off course. In the original story, the hero had fought against opposition to make the heroine the primary consort, while the female supporting character was indeed a concubine who later schemed against the heroine in the inner courtyard.

Moreover, she had just read something shocking in a document. The old Grand Tutor had been holding back the trade taxes between the Great Jin Dynasty and its neighboring countries. This time, the tax revenue had taken a whole forty percent, yet there had been no news of it in the court.

These noble families had deep-rooted foundations that had thoroughly infiltrated every corner of the Great Jin Dynasty. In the end, the hero benefited as both the villain and the noble families fought each other to their detriment. Now that the plot had diverged so much, she wondered what would happen next. The Xiahou family also had its dirty dealings, and when the hero ascended to the throne, he would definitely eliminate the Xiahou family. Regardless of how it ended, her father must divide the family.

“I know you’ve always been unwilling to marry the prince, but given the circumstances, you might want to think it over. Being the prince’s consort isn’t such a bad thing. At least, in public, this status can bring you many conveniences,” Fang Yu said seriously.

Xia Tong remained noncommittal. She understood Fang Yu’s intentions, but she still didn’t know what the antagonist really wanted. If she could keep her life, being a carefree princess was certainly not a bad option. Her only fear was that the other party had some ulterior motives. However, given the current situation, she planned to persuade her father to divide the family when she returned home in three days.

“Try this pastry. It’s definitely much better than the ones from the Xiahou family,” she suddenly smiled, offering a piece while her gaze landed on a few maidservants outside.

She had remembered those lazy maidservants and planned to take action against them soon to establish her authority!

*

Last night in the bridal chamber, the villain was absent, so Xia Tong felt relieved. The rumors were indeed correct. He was not interested in women.

That evening, after finishing dinner, Xia Tong ordered someone to prepare water for her bath. She had heard there was a hot spring in the residence, but she didn’t dare go there. After all, it was the villain’s private domain.

In the room, the steam enveloped her. The large bathtub was filled with vibrant flower petals, revealing a fair neck dripping with water. Her smooth, white skin and damp black hair made for a stunning sight. Holding a small book, she felt the water getting a bit cold and called out to the person outside, “Qing’er, bring in some hot water.”

As night fell and the silver moon cast its glow, a tall figure approached from the end of the corridor, startling everyone outside.

Gu Qin was unsure why he came here, but he thought it was his room—why should this woman occupy it?

“This servant pays her respects to the prince!” The people at the door all knelt to pay their respects, surprised that the prince had come tonight!

Gu Qin glanced at those outside and pushed the door open. Qing’er seemed hesitant to speak but was pulled back by Fang Yu, who shook her head slightly.

As soon as he entered, a layer of mist filled the room. Behind the purple wooden screen, a small head popped up. Gu Qin paused, catching sight of something he shouldn’t have seen.

“Qing’er, bring me a thicker shirt.”

Xia Tong decided not to soak in the tub anymore. She had expected Qing’er to come in, but upon standing up, she saw the tall figure at the door, scaring her so much that she quickly submerged herself in the water, her face turning bright red. “You… why didn’t you knock before entering?”

The memory of the sight lingered in Gu Qin’s mind, and his gaze darkened. He stepped forward, and as he got closer, he saw the woman completely submerged, leaving only her blushing face above the water.

“You seem to be using my room at your ease.” He looked down at her with a cold expression.

Xia Tong felt utterly embarrassed, her face burning. She stammered, “I… I didn’t know.”

His gaze sharpened, subtly noticing the water’s surface, stirring a sense of restlessness within him, but his cold expression held a hint of mockery. “With your small body, what is there to hide?”

Thinking she was concealing herself quite well, Xia Tong had initially felt shy. But upon hearing his taunt, she grew somewhat displeased, thinking her figure was pretty decent—at least a C cup! It seemed that he definitely hadn’t seen anything earlier!

“I’m not well developed, but if the prince likes it, he can certainly take in more concubines. I absolutely won’t mind.” She pouted defiantly.

Gu Qin fixed his gaze on the water’s surface, suddenly leaning forward to grip the back of her neck, his eyes cold. “Say that again.”