After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

The two were locked in a stalemate.

In the sudden rain, Sang Che's butterflies flew back.

It was almost soaked through by the rain and on its last legs, yet it stubbornly clung to Sang Che's shoulder.

Given such an unusual situation, how could Yin Huaixi not know what had happened?

She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

Softening his voice and lowering his head, he was the first to back down in this silent dispute.

Yin Huaixi: "Ache, stop arguing."

"If the emperor discovers your existence, you'll probably be in even greater danger than Ah Shui."

Sang Che glanced at the butterfly perched on his shoulder, but didn't seem to care, and gave a slight smile.

She let the rain flow as she leaned close to Yin Huaixi, her eyes filled with thoughts that Yin Huaixi could not fathom.

For the first time, Yin Huaixi realized that Sang Che was such an incomprehensible person.

She seemed to have never been able to see through Sang Che's thoughts. Her pupils darted away, and just as she was about to turn her head away, she heard Sang Che lean close to her, pinch her face with his fingers to prevent her from looking away, and whisper: "Huai Xi, you are always like this."

"Whenever I want to hate you, you release your kindness towards me... this kindness that I crave."

Do you hate me, or do you love me?

With a lowered gaze and a faint smile, Sang Che was like a fleeting ephemera in the rain, appearing only for Wei Tuo.

She added, "Or... is it both?"

Thinking about it that way, it doesn't seem so bad.

Sang Che simply loves Yin Huaixi. When you love someone, the face you think of is her; when you hate someone, the face you think of is also her.

...

Zhao Huining hurriedly returned to the room where Jiawan was hidden. Before she could even step into the room, she saw a group of maids kneeling on the ground, prostrate and not daring to raise their heads.

"Your Highness...that woman has disappeared!"

The head maid remained relatively calm, her face pale, and said with annoyance.

Her anxiety was confirmed, and Zhao Huining clenched her fists. She had known all along that since Sang Che had the ability to come, she had the ability to take Jia Wan away from this Taoist temple.

However, it's alright.

Beneath this Taoist temple mountain, there was already a dense, inescapable net she had laid...

Now she was determined to capture Sang Che alive, so that Jia Wan would never again be able to whisper Sang Che's name in front of her.

Zhao Huining turned to the guards in the room and said, "Listen to my orders, you will all come with me."

Then, Zhao Huining looked at the kneeling maid and instructed, "Don't let any word of today's events spread. Also... was there anything unusual just now?"

The head maid didn't dare to get up, her forehead pressed against the cold ground, and immediately replied, "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine just came by."

"They said there was something for His Highness, and it's in the room."

Upon hearing the title "Imperial Consort," Zhao Huining frowned slightly; she truly hadn't expected the Imperial Consort to be involved.

Could it be that the Imperial Concubine is working with the Emperor to get rid of her?

What was once a childhood friendship could not ultimately withstand the corrupting influence of power.

Even she chose to side with her brother?

"Bring that thing here."

"I want to see what she has to give me."

Upon receiving Zhao Huining's order, the maidservant quickly rose, walked into the side room, and held the box that the Imperial Concubine had previously left in her palm.

Just as he was about to hand it to Zhao Huining.

But then a eunuch's shrill voice rang out from outside the door: "The Emperor has arrived!"

Zhao Huining's expression hardened; she hadn't expected so many people to come looking for her today.

Did the emperor find out something?

...

As dusk approached.

Jiawan made her way down the mountain in the dark.

When she was first brought here, she was not familiar with the Taoist temple or the mountain scenery. If Sang Che hadn't hung Xiao Ya'er on her, Jia Wan would have stumbled and fallen more than she should have.

They're probably already lost by now.

On rainy days, the poisonous insects and wild animals hiding in the mountains have long since gone into hiding.

Jiawan had no heart to wake the poisonous insects at this moment; all her little darlings had died.

This was an extremely painful thing for Jiawan, although she was not as dedicated and devoted as Sang Che to refining Gu worms.

But in the end, there are feelings involved.

Watching her beloved Gu worms turn into stiff corpses one by one, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Jia Wan's heart was breaking.

She arrived at the woodshed that Sang Che had arranged, reached out and pushed the door open, and found two Taoist priests lying inside.

Jiawan glanced at them briefly and knew that the two had been poisoned by spider venom.

As Jia Wan's eyes swept across the two men's faces, she felt a little puzzled. She knew Sang Che well; once he took action, he wouldn't let these people off so easily.

At best, the poisonous insects will devour the flesh and bones of these people, hollowing out their skeletons.

In severe cases, these people will be injected with Gu worms, turning them into puppets who will serve Sang Che until they turn into a pool of blood.

The two Taoist priests, however, lay unharmed on their beds; the spider's venom had only paralyzed them and had not taken their lives.

It seems that Sang Che did not kill them.

It must have been on Yin Huaixi's orders.

Ah Che really does listen to her now.

Jiawan knew how terrifying it would be to fall into this trap. She looked up at the window, where the Taoist temple was hidden in a hazy darkness.

With her hands clasped together, Jiawan began to pray for Sang Che in her heart, hoping that Sang Che could come back soon.

The longer Sang Che remained trapped in that dangerous place, the less likely he was to escape.

Having been through the ordeal at the Princess's residence, Jiawan was utterly exhausted and no longer dared to underestimate the imperial city.

Silently recite the prayer in your heart.

Just as Jiawan was about to finish reciting, a soft knock came from outside the wooden door.

A surge of joy welled up in their hearts, and even Little Tooth raised its snake head. The two of them stared at the wooden door, but in the next instant, the wooden door was kicked open.

"Bang!"

Wearing bamboo hats and clad in black armor, the men, each holding a scabbard, surrounded the woodshed. They all wore black iron masks, revealing only their eyes, making them look quite terrifying.

"you…"

During the days she was imprisoned, Jia Wan became very familiar with the attire of these people, and she immediately recognized them as people sent by Zhao Huining.

These people are here to arrest her!

The armored guard politely clasped his hands in a fist salute, showing a respectful attitude towards Jiawan.

"Young lady, please come back with us."

"This is His Highness's order."

However, despite their respect, the densely packed heads that appeared behind the armored guards were undoubtedly there to take Jiawan away.

Jia Wan sneered. She could sense that Sang Che had hidden Gu worms in the room, and her fingers twitched slightly.

Her bright eyes were fixed on the armored guard who was threatening her.

"What makes you think I'll go with you?"

"I tell you, even if I die here today, I will not leave this woodshed with you."

The armored guard seemed to have anticipated Jia Wan's words, and she spoke directly: "Miss Jia Wan, His Highness said that if you are unwilling to give up and do not wish to go back, you can wait here."

"His Highness will personally come to fetch the young lady first thing tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing what the Xuanjia Guardian said, Jiawan's heart tightened. She walked up to the Xuan Tie Guardian and stared straight at her, like a wolf that had been cornered.

"What did you say... Say it again."

Armored guard: "Miss Jiawan, His Highness said you don't need to wait."

"They won't come."

...

The raindrops were slanted.

Just as Yin Huaixi was about to speak to Sang Che again, a silver dart flew through the air from behind Sang Che. Yin Huaixi was terrified and instinctively reached out and pulled Sang Che into her arms.

He dodged the silver dart.

With a sharp, metallic clang, the silver dart embedded itself deeply into the crack in the brickwork!

With her palm pressed against the back of Sang Che's head, Yin Huaixi was almost subconsciously relieved that Sang Che hadn't been hit in the vital spot by the dart.

She took a breath, unaware of how much she cared about the person in front of her, her relieved expression revealing just how much she valued him.

Lowering her voice, Yin Huaixi leaned down and whispered in Sang Che's ear, "A-Che, hurry up."

"They're coming to arrest you."