Chapter 6: Repaying Evil with Kindness [Edited]

The night was chilly, and the imperial garden was shrouded in a faint layer of moonlight. The Third Prince’s face was filled with panic as he quickly lowered his head and respectfully said, “I just heard movement behind me and thought it was an assassin, so I acted on instinct. I had no intention of offending the Regent.”

As he spoke, his eyes flickered, and he glanced at Xia Tong, who was standing ahead. Earlier, he had clearly heard footsteps that belonged to someone untrained in martial arts.

“In the palace, it’s normal for people to come and go, and noises are to be expected. Are all of them assassins?” A nearby swordsman in a blue robe coldly interrupted.

The Third Prince was momentarily at a loss for words, clenching his palms but not daring to speak. Even when beating a dog, you must look at its master—he couldn’t afford to offend someone close to the Regent.

However, one of his subordinates, emboldened, tried to explain, “Forgive us, Your Highness. The footsteps were suspicious, which is why His Highness was cautious.”

Before the Third Prince could stop his subordinate, a flash of cold light appeared, followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground.

The man’s eyes were still wide open as he lay there, his body stiff, and the bright red on his neck stark against the dark night.

The swordsman in the blue robe sheathed his sword without changing expression. “He almost harmed the Regent. His crime is unforgivable.”

Xia Tong: “…”

This world is too dangerous—I want to go home!

Seeing his subordinate’s lifeless body, the Third Prince pursed his lips, a hint of darkness flashing in his eyes. After a moment of silence, he bowed respectfully, “He deserved to die for nearly harming the Regent.”

His lowered head hid his thoughts, but Xia Tong knew that the Third Prince must be harboring resentment. He was, after all, a scheming villain in the book, willing to do anything to seize the throne from the hero. It was this very Third Prince who ultimately led to the downfall of her family, the Xiahou family.

Gu Qin said nothing, his expression remaining calm and indifferent.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.” The Third Prince glanced at Gu Qin before bowing again and disappearing into the dark night.

Once he was gone, the atmosphere became tense again. Xia Tong, realizing something, quickly turned around, not daring to lift her head. She bowed deeply and respectfully said, “This humble servant greets the Regent.”

In the hazy moonlight, her dark hair cascaded down as she stood there in her delicate autumn-colored gown. Her head was bowed so low it nearly touched her chest, as if in fear, and her pale fingers clutched her handkerchief tightly, knuckles white with tension.

How could Xia Tong not be afraid?

She feared she might be the next one to be killed with a single sword strike!

“I heard the Ministry of Justice has introduced a new punishment?”

A cold, indifferent voice suddenly cut through the silence. Xia Tong froze instantly, her face draining of color as she began trembling.

The swordsman in blue seemed confused but responded truthfully, “It was invented by Lord You. First, the tendons in the criminal’s hands and feet are severed, and then they are forced to walk on a bed of nails. No one has survived this punishment so far.”

A gust of wind blew through, and Xia Tong was so terrified she almost fainted.

Seeing her pale face, Gu Qin leisurely turned his jade ring, lowered his gaze slightly, and smirked faintly. “What are you afraid of?”

Xia Tong: “…”

Is this a psychological torment before my death?

Her overwhelming survival instinct kicked in, and she immediately knelt on the ground, looking up into Gu Qin’s deep, unreadable black eyes. She threw caution to the wind and blurted out, “The annulment of the engagement years ago was my grandfather’s decision. Even my father couldn’t stop it. I know the Xiahou family has committed unforgivable crimes, but if my father had any say in the matter, the engagement would never have been broken. Otherwise… we wouldn’t have been betrothed in the first place.”

Her last words were spoken shyly, but she knew that sometimes it was better to lay things out plainly. Life or death could be decided in a single sentence, and at least this way, she had a chance to plead her case.

Her clear, crisp voice left the swordsman in blue completely stunned. Did he just hear correctly? His master had actually been abandoned?!

The gentle breeze played with Gu Qin’s dark robe. His sharp, chiseled face remained emotionless, and his black eyes met Xia Tong’s clear gaze. After a long moment, Gu Qin lowered his gaze slightly.

“Is that so?” His tone was neither heavy nor light.

The man’s face was flawless, yet his personality was the exact opposite—so unpredictable that it was impossible to guess what he was thinking. Xia Tong, nervously twisting her handkerchief, didn’t know how to explain further. All she could do was continue trying to survive.

“My father has always felt deeply remorseful, but in the Xiahou family, neither of us had any real authority. We couldn’t make decisions about many things.” She quickly shifted the blame, hoping to save herself.

As soon as he finished speaking, the knife in Gu Qin’s hand suddenly pierced into the rockery with a “swoosh” sound, and a piece of rubble instantly broke into pieces. He smiled and said, “Some apologies must be paid for with one’s life.”

His cold and indifferent voice echoed through the silent night. As their eyes met, Xia Tong’s body trembled, nearly fainting from fear.

Gu Qin casually toyed with the jade ring on his finger, casting a sidelong glance at the trembling woman. A slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He always enjoyed seeing people consumed by fear, especially this woman.

Leaning slightly closer, he glanced at her pale, terrified face, his eyes dark and brooding. “But this king always likes to repay evil with kindness.”

His deep voice, like a venomous snake, slithered straight into Xia Tong’s heart. As the wind blew, a cold shiver ran down her spine. By the time she regained her senses, Gu Qin had already walked away, leaving her alone in the eerily quiet Imperial Garden.

Even the sword-bearing man, though already far away, couldn’t resist glancing back in curiosity. It was incredible that someone had treated his master like this and was still alive. Even more unbelievable was that his master had just saved the woman’s life.

If she could go back in time, Xia Tong thought, she would return to before the original owner called off the engagement. Then, she would never cancel it, but instead marry the villain, becoming a loyal and virtuous wife, determined to straighten out his twisted personality.

But, alas, there are no second chances in life. Believing the villain will repay evil with kindness was as unlikely as the sun rising in the west!

At this moment, Xia Tong no longer wanted to find the heroine. She hurried toward the banquet, feeling incredibly unlucky. If the villain hadn’t intervened just now, the Third Prince might have killed her.

However, that villain was definitely a complete lunatic. He probably wanted her to live in constant fear, only to eventually cut her down with a single stroke. How could someone be so deranged? His twisted nature didn’t match his handsome appearance at all!

Given the situation, Xia Tong decided that from now on, she must become good friends with the heroine and let her Mary Sue-like aura shine on her.

But when she returned to the banquet, the heroine was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Lin Qin approached her and, after a few concerned words, leaned in to quietly share some gossip.

“Did you hear? Just now, someone caught the daughter of Minister Shen and the second son of Lord Liu having an affair in the west hall!”

At this time, everyone in the women’s area was whispering about something. It was big news, especially for those who envied the heroine’s beauty. They were all gloating over the misfortune.

Xia Tong, however, was dumbfounded. This… this isn’t how the plot was supposed to go!

Wasn’t the heroine supposed to be falsely accused of having an affair with a guard in the Imperial Garden?

Seeing Xia Tong’s shocked expression, Lin Qin chuckled and whispered, “That second son of Lord Liu is a good-for-nothing playboy who frequents brothels. Who would’ve thought Shen Xin could be so shameless? Looks really can be deceiving. She’s already been detained by the Empress and will be interrogated after the banquet. But one thing’s for sure—she’ll have to marry him. The Shen family’s reputation is utterly ruined.”

“This…” Xia Tong was so shocked she didn’t know what to say.

The banquet was in full swing, lively and festive. Most of the guests had arrived. Gu Qin sat lazily on a chair to the right of the dragon throne, and no one dared to offer him a drink. His mere presence had silenced the ministers below, who all felt as though a cloud hung over their heads, too afraid to even breathe loudly.

Xia Tong avoided looking around too much, weighing the pros and cons of whether or not she should save the female lead. But if she did decide to help, how would she even go about it?

However, the matter seemed more complicated than she thought. Soon, Qing’er came over from the old madam’s side. Leaning in close to Xia Tong’s ear, she whispered, “The old madam said to leave with her as soon as the banquet ends.”