Chapter 39: Kiss

Xia Tong paused, turning back to look at the man with a strange expression. What could she offer? She was completely broke!

But to save the heroine, she stepped closer, blinking her big eyes and asking, “What does the prince want?”

All she had was her secret stash of thirty thousand taels of silver, which was her lifeline!

“What do you think?” The man’s tone was low.

Meeting his captivating gaze, Xia Tong felt a shift in the atmosphere. Suddenly, he pulled her waist into his arms and lowered his head to cover her soft, rosy lips with his.

Xia Tong’s breath caught in her throat. She stared wide-eyed, her hands frozen in the air, forgetting even to think.

A faint fragrance surrounded her, and the man lowered his gaze, hiding the darkness in his eyes. His large hand gripped her tiny waist, and he roughly kissed her soft lower lip, deepening the kiss as their breaths turned hot.

Soft and sweet—this must be what a woman tasted like.

An ambiguous atmosphere enveloped them. By the time Xia Tong snapped back to reality, she instinctively pushed against his shoulders, but her hands were suddenly trapped together, unable to escape. She found it hard to breathe.

“Mmm… you… stinky hooligan…” Her face flushed red, and she felt like a startled bird, unable to believe what was happening.

His hand gradually slid down to her rounded hips, giving them a gentle slap. He leaned close to her ear, taking a deep breath, his voice hoarse, “Soon, I’ll throw you into the snake pit.”

Xia Tong: “……”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she bit her lip, not daring to make a sound. She felt completely stiff in his embrace.

Maintaining her dignity didn’t seem as important as staying alive.

Two tiny tears rolled down her cheeks to her chin. Seeing her pitiful state, Gu Qin smirked and gave her a playful slap on the rear, saying softly, “If you behave, I might let that woman live a few more days.”

This woman was as soft as jelly. Although petite, she had her curves in all the right places. For some reason, the image of her in the bath suddenly flashed in his mind, tightening his throat involuntarily.

As their gazes locked, Xia Tong could see the predatory look in his eyes. With her face still flushed, she remained silent, her lips pressed tightly together, feeling completely dazed.

She couldn’t remember how she left the study. Her eyes were red, and she felt panicked, leaving Xifeng outside completely astonished. If the master was angry, he would have acted directly—no one would survive to walk out alive.

Xia Tong hurriedly ran back to her room, and Qing’er almost couldn’t catch up. Once inside, she gulped down several cups of strong tea to calm her nerves, but she still trembled uncontrollably, her face red as blood. What had just happened?!

The villain had actually assaulted her?! No, that was outright harassment!

She had thought he was a man who kept his distance from women, but it seemed she had misjudged him. What kind of man didn’t love women? His beastly nature had truly revealed itself!

But… why was she only feeling fear and not disgust?!

It had to be because he had a face that could easily deceive an innocent girl, it must be that. What if he tried to force her again?!

“Master, are you feeling unwell?”

Seeing her unusual behavior, Fang Yu couldn’t help but step forward and ask softly.

Xia Tong curled up on the soft couch, shaking her head slightly. Unable to help herself, she asked, “Which do you think is more important, innocence or life?”

After saying that, she felt a bit self-deprecating. Fang Yu was from ancient times and surely valued innocence more than life itself.

“I think it depends on the individual’s mindset and who it is that destroys one’s innocence,” Fang Yu replied, keeping her head down and speaking steadily.

Xia Tong took a sip of the strong tea she received, feeling quite conflicted. She reassured herself that her life was the most important. The villain wasn’t bad-looking, if he really intended to force her, she could always consider it a one-night stand. That would be better than being bitten to death by a snake.

After comforting herself for a while, she suddenly remembered something and looked at Fang Yu. “How is Miss Shen doing?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Fang Yu glanced at the courtyard behind her and leaned in to whisper, “Miss Shen’s condition is very bad. If she isn’t treated soon, she might not last much longer.”

Even though she had anticipated this, Xia Tong still felt uneasy. The heroine, while a bit unconventional, was essentially a good person. She couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

“Remember how the emperor rewarded us with a Tianshan snow lotus? You can prepare it into medicine now, and I’ll take it to her later.” She felt resolute, realizing that while it was natural to fear for her life, she couldn’t always be cowardly. Otherwise, she’d be no better than a salted fish.

Hearing this, Fang Yu just looked at her for a few more seconds, then turned around and walked out, just in time to bump into Qing’er who came in with a thin paper.

“Master, in a few days, it will be the old lady’s birthday. What do you plan to give as a gift?”

Qing’er carried the household account book, which Xia Tong had been managing recently. Upon hearing this, she slapped her forehead, almost forgetting that the plot was about to unfold. If she couldn’t protect the Xiahou family this time, her parents would surely be exiled along with them. At this point, it was better to cling to the villain’s powerful support.

“The old lady likes valuable items, so let’s give her that string of nanmu and gold thread beads from the Western Regions. You can pick out some other gifts for the others as well,” Xia Tong said seriously.

Qing’er nodded eagerly and hurried off to prepare the gifts.

Once Fang Yu had made the medicine from the snow lotus, Xia Tong asked her to bring extra bandages and some food, as the meals in the prison were probably terrible.

Before dusk, she rushed to the dungeon. As she passed through the bamboo grove, she still didn’t dare approach the snake den. It turned out that apart from the square-faced man and Hongxue, the others in the house respected her as the princess. When they saw her approach, they immediately opened the cell door for her, although they were sure her small frame wouldn’t be able to carry anyone out.

Hongxue had been tricked by Xia Tong into believing that Xifeng was looking for her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have let her come to rescue someone.

Returning to the depths of the dungeon felt unsettling. The dim and damp atmosphere made her hold her breath. When she reached the heroine’s cell, the guard opening the door kindly warned her, “Princess, please be careful. There are often rats and insects inside. If you encounter danger, remember to call for us immediately.”

Xia Tong glanced at Fang Yu, who promptly pulled out a bag of silver and handed it over with a gentle smile. “Thank you for the trouble, brothers.”

Surprised by the princess’s generosity, the guard initially felt a bit shy but ultimately accepted it. After a few more words, he stepped back.

In truth, Xia Tong was planning for her future. Who knew if she would end up in a similar situation as the heroine? It was always wise to build good relationships with the people here.

“Sister Shen?”

Inside the cell, the person lay there, barely conscious. She looked emaciated, with visible bloody wounds that sent chills down one’s spine at the thought of the person who had hurt her.

The woman still hadn’t woken up. Xia Tong quickly urged Fang Yu to feed her the medicine. Despite some difficulties, after half a bowl of medicine, Shen Xin finally began to stir.

Upon seeing the woman’s delicate and concerned face, Shen Xin lightly coughed, seeming to want to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she realized she had no strength at all.

With red-rimmed eyes, Xia Tong gently squeezed her arm. “Sister Shen, don’t worry. I will definitely save you.”

While Fang Yu was using a warm towel to clean Shen Xin’s wounds and applying medicine, the woman remained unblinking, seemingly unable to feel any pain.

Perhaps the Tianshan snow lotus was finally proving useful; Shen Xin’s complexion improved significantly. After Xia Tong helped her change into clean clothes and she drank some warm chicken soup, Shen Xin finally whispered, “Miss Xia, you don’t have to take such risks for me. Life and death are determined by fate. You just need to take care of your own safety. That traitor is capable of all kinds of evil. You will be in danger sooner or later if you stay with him.”

The cell was quiet, with even the sound of breathing clear and distinct. The woman before her looked pale, yet her determined eyes still shone brightly. Xia Tong lowered her head, feeling guilty. In truth, she had no idea how to rescue the female lead. Just as Shen Xin said, no one could guess the villain’s intentions.

“There’s no need for Sister Shen to worry about me. I have the Xiahou family behind me, and my safety is tied to many others. But you’re different, you still have a chance for freedom. I don’t know how to save you right now, but I’ll send someone with medicine every day. The prince said he won’t take your life in the next few days. I believe the Fifth Prince will find a way to rescue you.” She spoke in a low, serious tone.

Looking at the clear-eyed woman before her, Shen Xin suddenly felt a bit dazed. In coming to this world, she had encountered too many treacherous individuals. She had initially thought Xia Tong was just another one of them, but now realized she had underestimated her character.

With a flicker in her eyes, Shen Xin’s pale lips suddenly curled into a faint smile. “Don’t worry Miss Xia. I will live well. Only I can decide my fate.”

The last sentence carried an unexpected sharpness. Xia Tong blinked and nodded. But the next moment, Shen Xin suddenly leaned in and weakly said, “Under the statue at the land temple outside the city, there are many pieces of evidence collected over the years against the regent for corruption and his intentions to rebel. I can’t go out now, but I hope you can keep it safe. If absolutely necessary, send someone to the Grand Tutor’s residence. We must not let this villain have an easy time.”

Xia Tong: “…”

No wonder the villain wanted to kill the heroine…

Seeing her hesitation, Shen Xin coughed lightly. “I know this matter is extremely dangerous. It’s normal for you not to want to get involved. You can also tell the Fifth Prince, he will know what to do.”

“This…” Xia Tong swallowed and looked back unconsciously. For a moment, she felt very complicated. How could she persuade the heroine to give up this idea?

The cell suddenly fell silent. Shen Xin leaned against the wall and suddenly pulled her hand with great effort. He said breathlessly, “Forget it. Just keep the secret for me, Miss Xia. But if I can get out one day, I will definitely not let the traitor go unpunished.”