Chapter 12

Yi Ling stood stiffly, like a puppet.

“I mean…” she said dryly, without even blinking. “The gold coin pastry from Zhou Xiangji in the east of the city was delicious today. Wait here, and I’ll get some for you to try.”

After her words fell, there was no response for a long time.

Xie Hengzhi set down his teacup and leaned back against the chair, tilting his head to stare at her. The candlelight rippled in his eyes, enhancing his air of elegance and charm.

If not for the overly piercing smirk at the corner of his mouth, Yi Ling might have thought his expression was genuinely seductive.

He was clearly mocking her but refused to speak, using only his gaze to taunt her.

With the house steward still present, Yi Ling felt frustrated but didn’t want to lose face. She forced herself to maintain composure and softly asked, “Then, if you want to eat it, I’ll go get some now?”

Glancing up at Xie Hengzhi, Yi Ling suddenly felt all her pretenses were futile.

It was as if he had seen through her every little thought but chose not to expose her, only raising his chin slightly with a smile, not even bothering with pleasantries.

“Go ahead.”

Yi Ling turned and left.

As soon as the door closed behind her, she immediately stopped in her tracks and turned back to glare fiercely at the room.

Wait for what? Of course, wait for your comeuppance!

After calming herself a bit, Yi Ling took a few steps forward. Still unable to figure it out, she stopped again, staring intently at the corridor pillar.

How did Princess Yu’an end up under house arrest? Wasn’t she the emperor’s most beloved daughter?

What kind of father sides against his own child?

If crying and throwing tantrums didn’t work, couldn’t she think of another plan? How did it come to this?

Useless.

Completely useless!

On the chilly autumn night, Yi Ling was so exasperated she broke into a light sweat.

She looked up at the bright white moon in the night sky, unsure how to vent her frustration.

She sat alone under the corridor for a long time, gazing at the flowers, the grass, and the autumn moon. Her thoughts flitted between worrying about Yi Yun, who had been punished, and scheming ways to make Xie Hengzhi uncomfortable.

---

By the time she returned to Lin Fengyuan, an hour had already passed.

Only a single lamp was lit in her bedroom. By the faint moonlight, Yi Ling removed the hairpin holding her hair in place and placed it on the desk.

Her gaze suddenly froze, fixed on the desk for a long moment.

Before she had left, she had placed the gold coin pastry on the desk. Why was only half of it left?

Sensing something amiss, Yi Ling suspiciously scanned her surroundings.

Both Mama Cao and Mallow had been with her the entire time, and neither of them was the type to sneak food from their mistress.

Could it have been Xie Hengzhi?

At this thought, Yi Ling immediately folded her arms and shook her head.

He wouldn’t even touch a single fried bun at breakfast. How could he have eaten such a snack in the middle of the night?

A thin layer of cold sweat crept up Yi Ling’s back.

The moment she understood, her entire body tensed with alertness. 

There is Danger!

She stiffened, turning around with rigid limbs. She hesitated for only a moment between calling for help or running away, but then she saw a shadow cast on the screen in front of her.  

Yi Ling’s mind went completely blank, and driven purely by survival instincts, she took a step forward.  

Unfortunately, it was too late.  

Before she could scream, an arm locked around her from behind, and an icy dagger was pressed against her throat.  

Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, her ears buzzed, and her voice seemed caught in her throat, unable to make a sound for a long while.  

Yi Ling gasped for air, frozen in place, daring not to move. Slowly, she turned her head, trying to glimpse her assailant out of the corner of her eye.  

“You and your husband, staying up so late and not returning to your room—how considerate of you to make me wait, Lady Yi,” came a chilling voice.  

“…”  
The moment Yi Ling heard the voice, she knew who it was.  

No way—the esteemed princess sneaking into someone else’s house to commit murder?  

Yi Ling couldn’t believe it. She took a deep breath, trembling as she spoke. “Your Highness, grievances have their rightful owners. Xie Hengzhi is in the study next door; you’re just two steps away. Could you… let me go first?”  

“Do you think I’m stupid?”  

Princess Yu’an tightened her grip on Yi Ling and dragged her further into the corner. “When Xie Hengzhi arrives, you’ll follow my commands. If you dare to have any thoughts of resistance, I’ll make sure you accompany him to the grave first!”  

“Your Highness…”  

Yi Ling never expected Princess Yu’an to be this unhinged, actually sneaking out of the palace to confront Xie Hengzhi.  

But if she really harmed Xie Hengzhi, Yi Ling wouldn’t survive either.  

“Your Highness, Wang Churen’s whereabouts are still unknown. There’s a sliver of hope he’s alive,” Yi Ling said cautiously. “If he’s still alive and you kill Xie Hengzhi, won’t you lose any chance of finding him?”  

Hearing this, Princess Yu’an’s hand trembled slightly.
 
Just as Yi Ling felt a glimmer of relief, the princess’s bloodshot eyes locked onto her, and she hissed through clenched teeth, “Impossible.”  

“Churen is extraordinarily clever. If he were alive, he’d find a way to send a message! He’s dead. He must’ve been killed by Xie Hengzhi!”  

As she spoke, her grip on Yi Ling’s neck tightened. In a sinister tone, she added, “Even if I can’t kill Xie Hengzhi, killing you is a trivial matter. Xie Hengzhi harmed Wang Churen, so taking his wife’s life seems fair, doesn’t it, Lady Yi?”  

Fair my foot!  

Yi Ling couldn’t believe Princess Yu’an was so determined to spill blood tonight. And judging by her demeanor, she might actually do it.  

If she died because of Xie Hengzhi again, Yi Ling vowed she’d never rest in peace.  

Watching the dagger glide back and forth near her neck, Yi Ling’s legs turned to jelly as she begged for mercy.  

“Please, Your Highness, don’t!”  

She turned her head, trying to meet Princess Yu’an’s eyes.  

“Do you think you’re the only one who despises Xie Hengzhi? My hatred for him runs just as deep as yours! We’re on the same side here!”  

Consumed by hatred, Princess Yu’an hesitated when she heard this.  

She scrutinized Yi Ling with suspicion, finally speaking after a long pause. “You hate Xie Hengzhi? Haven’t you been infatuated with him for years?”  

“Rumors! All baseless rumors!”  

Yi Ling vehemently lied, swearing, “Your Highness, think about it. Have I ever named him in my poems? None of them were for him!”  

Princess Yu’an froze, a flicker of curiosity in her long, narrow eyes.  

“Then who were they for?”  

“…”  
Is that the focus here?  

Seizing the princess’s momentary distraction, Yi Ling pitifully pleaded, “It was Xie Hengzhi who spread those rumors, making everyone think I was infatuated with him! In truth, he’s the one obsessed with me, resorting to such despicable tricks to force the Emperor to grant our marriage. Because of him, I lost the chance to be with the one I truly love. My entire life… ruined!”  

If not for the genuine fear of dying at Princess Yu’an’s hands, Yi Ling doubted she could’ve fabricated such a tale on the spot.  

Now that she’d said it all in one breath, she didn’t know if there were any flaws in her story or whether the princess would believe her.  

But her tone carried real anger and bitterness.  

When she lifted her face, her eyes were already red with tears.  

Princess Yu’an, still skeptical, thought back to what had happened by the Lanjiang river earlier that day. She couldn’t understand why Yi Ling had helped her then.  

Could this really be the reason?  

The princess remained silent, and Yi Ling couldn’t gauge her thoughts. But she felt the blade slowly pull away from her neck.  

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yi Ling was just contemplating her next move when footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the room.  

Both women turned to look.  

In the dimly lit chamber, the lattice window framed the shadowy figure of Xie Hengzhi, steadily approaching the bedroom.  

Yi Ling’s heart leapt into her throat.  

She glanced back to see that the vengeance-driven Princess Yu’an, now face-to-face with Xie Hengzhi’s imminent arrival, hesitated.  

Clutching the dagger tightly, her arm trembled. She didn’t charge forward to fight him to the death as expected.  

She was scared.  

Yi Ling urgently whispered in her ear, “Your Highness, you must leave! Xie Hengzhi’s men are everywhere outside. If he finds you here, it’ll be you who disappears by tomorrow! Go quickly!”  
The princess, startled, didn’t have time to think. She followed Yi Ling’s advice and retreated to the corner.  

Meanwhile, Xie Hengzhi pushed the door open and stepped inside.  

Thankfully, the gauze screen in the room blocked part of the view.  

As Xie Hengzhi approached, Yi Ling panicked. Desperate, she shouted, “Don’t come any closer!”  
Xie Hengzhi stopped in his tracks.  

Standing just outside the screen, he asked, “What’s wrong?”  

Frantically, Yi Ling glanced around, then hastily gestured toward the window, signaling for Princess Yu’an to escape.  

But the princess froze in place, still hesitating.  

Seeing Xie Hengzhi about to move closer, Yi Ling had no choice. She clumsily tugged at her own collar.  

“I’m… changing clothes!”

After a moment of silence, Xie Hengzhi suddenly asked, “Shall I help you?”

“?”

“No need! Almost done; just wait a bit!”

With her flustered voice, a light and soft outer garment was tossed out from the green gauze screen.

It floated gently under the light, drifting straight toward Xie Hengzhi.

He turned his face aside but didn’t move from his spot.

The garment landed lightly, draping loosely over his shoulders, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.

Xie Hengzhi closed his eyes briefly.

A moment later, he pulled the garment off his shoulders and held it in his hands. Lifting his gaze, he stared at the green gauze screen in front of him.

The surrounding light was dim and ambiguous, her silhouette faintly visible through the screen, unclear and hazy.

“Are you sure you don’t need help?”

Xie Hengzhi stepped closer. “You and I are husband and wife.”

Before he could finish, Yi Ling suddenly dashed out from behind the screen.

The blurred silhouette transformed into a vivid image—her bare shoulder glowed like jade under the light as she charged straight toward him.

Xie Hengzhi stood still, not moving an inch, letting Yi Ling and her breath crash into his embrace.

The urgency in the air abruptly froze, turning into an intangible awkwardness.

Yi Ling hadn’t expected Xie Hengzhi to remain unmoving. Her hands pressed against his chest, and after a long pause, she shoved him forcefully backward.

“I said I don’t need help!”

Although she had pushed him away, the warmth of his touch seemed to linger on her body.

Xie Hengzhi lowered his eyes for a swift glance, then immediately turned his back to her.

While Yi Ling puzzled over his behavior, she saw him lift his arm, holding the garment dangling from his fingertips. It swayed lightly, appearing almost translucent in the candlelight.

Yi Ling quickly glanced down at her own chest, then shot a sharp glare at Xie Hengzhi’s back.

He still knows not to overstep boundaries, huh?

She grabbed the garment, turned her back, and hurriedly put it on. She glanced behind the screen and clearly saw Princess Yu’an’s figure slipping out through the window, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

For this little troublemaker, she truly had gone through too much!

After putting on her clothes, Yi Ling’s heartbeat also began to settle.

She looked at Xie Hengzhi’s back and, seeing his calm and composed demeanor, confirmed that he hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

“I… I’m going to sleep now. You should rest soon too.”

“Mm.”

–
After the candles were extinguished, the room became so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.

Yi Ling pretended to sleep, but her mind remained restless. Every time she closed her eyes, Princess Yu’an’s hoarse voice echoed in her head.

In her twenty years of life, she had never met a woman so reckless—let alone a princess.

She didn’t even dare to think about what might happen if Xie Hengzhi discovered Princess Yu’an.

No matter who gained the upper hand, the outcome would be something Yi Ling didn’t want to see.

She didn’t want Xie Hengzhi to capture Princess Yu’an and take down another enemy, nor could she bear to watch him die and drag her into the chaos.

Fortunately, she was smart and resourceful, averting this crisis at the last moment.

Thinking of this, Yi Ling turned to glance at Xie Hengzhi beside her.

The faint moonlight outlined his features, soft and serene.

He lay there quietly with his eyes closed, his breathing steady and long, as composed and tranquil as ever.

Yi Ling snorted softly.

Sleeping so soundly, without a single worry.

If it weren’t for me saving the day, who knows? You might already be on your way to meet the King of Hell.

After confirming that he hadn’t noticed anything unusual, Yi Ling turned her back heavily, tugging at the blanket as she did.

Immediately after, she heard Xie Hengzhi’s murmured question: “Can’t sleep?”

Yi Ling’s heart skipped a beat in fright.

After a moment, she realized he had been woken up by her movements and cautiously replied,
“Mm.”

“Then talk to me…”

The bedding shifted beneath her as Yi Ling felt Xie Hengzhi leaning closer.

She didn’t understand his intentions. When she turned her head, she clearly saw the faint glow in his eyes.

“Talk… about what?”

“Tell me, those love poems of yours—who exactly are they for?”