The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

In early spring, cherry blossoms covered the ground in the back garden of the Wei family mansion.

Inside the waterside pavilion, Qi Yunli's fingertips stiffened. She knew that tonight's pipa performance was not for entertainment, but a "gift" from her second uncle, Wei Zhongde, to Zhou Wenbin, the Vice Minister of Revenue.

Wei Zhongde raised his cup and asked with a smile, "I've heard that you, sir, are fond of the zither. What do you think of Yun Li's piece?"

"Excellent, excellent! They're far superior to the musicians hired at exorbitant prices!"

Outside the beaded curtain, Zhou Wenbin's gaze, sticky and oily, swept over her body from beneath his half-white hair.

Wei Zhongde pressed his advantage: "Since Your Excellency is so fond of Yun Li, why not have Yun Li play a piece on her own?"

"Very well, Miss Yunli has a graceful figure. If she steps out from behind the beaded curtain to play the zither, the music will surely be even more beautiful."

A graceful figure?

Qi Yunli's heart skipped a beat.

She was a cousin of the Wei family, but at this moment, she was no different from a commodity waiting to be sold.

Inside the pavilion, the dancers moved gracefully, lined up in a row, their skirts fluttering as they twirled to the music, revealing their long, slender legs.

Qi Yunli sat behind a white beaded curtain, dressed in a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a plain ribbon cinching her slender waist, revealing her graceful figure.

The white dress, though simple and plain, revealed a striking and refreshing beauty under the deep night and the warm glow of the lanterns, as if untouched by dust. Through the hazy beaded curtain, it became even more captivating.

Qi Yunli's heart sank. After the death of their parents, she and her younger brother lived in the Wei family mansion, dependent on them. If they disobeyed their second uncle, their lives would become even more difficult.

She could only step out from behind the beaded curtain. Her fingertips pressed against the strings, repeating the melody praised by Lord Zhou over and over again.

As the candlelight dimmed, Wei Zhongde, a cunning old fox, kept urging Zhou Wenbin to drink one cup after another, his face flushed with drunkenness, and his speech becoming slurred.

Wei Zhongde, seemingly dissatisfied with the lack of wine, poured Zhou Wenbin a freshly opened bottle of peach blossom wine and hurriedly instructed his servant:

"Quickly, help Lord Zhou to the guest room in the west wing so he can rest properly and be well taken care of."

To show his respect for the distinguished guest, Wei Zhongde personally followed the servant out of the pavilion, giving Qi Yunli a meaningful smile before leaving.

As Zhou Wenbin staggered away and was helped away until his figure disappeared from sight, Qi Yunli's zither music slowly ceased.

The music stopped, and the dancers' flowing sleeves fell to the ground. The waterside pavilions and towers, which had been bustling for half the night, instantly returned to tranquility.

Cherry blossoms rustled in the breeze. They were merely accompaniments to this banquet; now that the main characters had departed, they too should step down.

Qi Yunli put down her pipa and left with the dancers, returning to her courtyard under the cover of night.

"Why are you only returning now, young lady?" Tingyue hurriedly went to greet her and took the pipa from her hands.

"The guests have just left, and I didn't want to embarrass my uncle, so I played until the very end," Qi Yunli said wearily.

Tingyue, with her sharp eyes, grasped the girl's reddened fingers. Those fingertips, repeatedly rubbed against the strings, were swollen and burning.

She gently massaged her hands, saying with concern, "Your hands are swollen from playing for so long. The Second Master will surely remember this and will always think of you when good things happen in the future."

Qi Yunli's gaze swept lightly over the swollen fingertips, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

I hope so.

As the pain in her fingertip subsided slightly, a servant suddenly announced from outside the courtyard gate: "Miss, the Second Master requests your presence at Songyin Courtyard."

"It's so late, what are your orders, Uncle?"

"I don't know. Please hurry, Miss, the Second Master is waiting at Songyin Courtyard."

Tingyue's eyes lit up: "Could it be that I was right? Does the Second Master have some good fortune in mind, looking for a young lady?"

Qi Yunli's heart skipped a beat. Judging from Lord Zhou's reaction just now, he must be extremely satisfied with his uncle's hospitality tonight.

She followed the servants to Songyin Courtyard. When they arrived at the courtyard gate, the servants stepped outside and did not go inside.

"Uncle?" she called softly as she gently pushed open the courtyard gate.

Songyin Temple is a two-story pavilion. The first floor is dark and gloomy, while only a faint candlelight shines through the gaps in the windows on the second floor.

Qi Yunli stepped onto the stairs, and after only a few steps, the candlelight suddenly went out. Startled, she involuntarily stepped back.

Just then, the door to the small courtyard behind them clicked shut and locked.

"Someone come here! Open the door!"

Qi Yunli rushed to the door and pounded on it, but the only response was the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.

She immediately sensed something was wrong. From her second uncle asking her to play the zither, to Lord Zhou saying "graceful figure," and then to her second uncle's meaningful smile at the end.

Her second uncle wasn't asking her to perform; he wanted her to offer herself!

This thought instantly brought her to her senses, but it also plunged her into an even deeper abyss.

In the darkness, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and hot breath fell heavily on her neck.

coming!

The night was as dark as ink, and there was not a single light in Songyin Temple.

The darkness and the locked courtyard swallowed all sound, forcing Qi Yunli's senses to become unusually acute. Fear twisted her heart, causing it to pound wildly, each beat a heavy thud against her chest.

Her teeth were chattering wildly, and she couldn't breathe.

After tomorrow, her reputation will be ruined, and she and her brother may be expelled, becoming the subject of gossip.

If he's "lucky," Lord Zhou might take her back to his mansion. But to curry favor with other powerful figures, he might easily give her away to someone else. In that case, she would truly be like a commodity, flowing from one man's hands to another's bed.

With no choice and no future, she faced an abyss.

Trembling, she reached for the silver hairpin in her sleeve; it was her only means of survival in this critical moment.

The hand stroked her waistline and easily turned her around.

The fear in her heart almost made Qi Yunli faint. Should she use her hairpin to stab the other person, or... stab herself?

The newcomer carried a faint scent of sandalwood, his voice low and husky, his breath hot against her ear, like a devil's whisper:

Who do you hope it is?

He easily pried her hand off the hairpin. The silver hairpin fell to the ground with a clear, crisp sound.

The kiss that followed was passionate and intense.

It's Wei Jun. He's back.

Qi Yunli leaned against the cold door panel, her back to his burning hot body, trembling uncontrollably.

She fell from one wolf's den into another tiger's mouth.

Smelling that familiar scent, Qi Yunli's back was pressed against the cold door panel, while his burning hot body was in front of her.

The temperature difference made her feel increasingly helpless. Even after two months apart, her body still trembled uncontrollably.

In the darkness, only her rapid breathing remained. He held her wrist firmly, pressing it against the top of her head.

She tried to struggle, but he held her even tighter.

"Don't move." His kiss landed, sweeping down over her neck and collarbone, each touch carrying a burning heat.

"No..." Qi Yunli's voice was weak, tinged with tears.

If Uncle Er outside realizes that the person inside isn't Zhou Wenbin and brings people to investigate, wouldn't he be discovered?

"There's no one outside." He gently bit her earlobe, his breath hot. "They can't hear you."

A more intense shock swept over her, and her struggles gradually weakened. In the endless darkness, she could only cling to this man, with nowhere to escape.

It wasn't until midnight that her breathing gradually calmed down, leaving only soft gasps. He held her in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head, trapping her firmly in his embrace.

As dawn broke, the lock on the courtyard gate was opened.

"Keep it down." Wei Zhongde deliberately lowered his voice, with a hint of excitement.

The attic door opened. Wei Zhongde was followed by four or five maids carrying washbasins, who impatiently scanned the room.

The table was off its original position, and the curtain next to it had a hole in it, indicating that the "battle" last night was fierce.

The servant reported back: "Second Master, there is no one on the first floor."

Finding the first floor deserted, he went up to the second. As he climbed the last step, Wei Zhongde muttered to himself:

"This...this is outrageous..."

Upon seeing the scene inside the room, he froze instantly.

Then, they froze in place.

Only Qi Yunli remained, quietly leaning back in her chair, her clothes neat and impeccable.

"How come it's you... Where is Lord Zhou?" Wei Zhongde asked in surprise.

The servants searched the house thoroughly, but couldn't find a single person.

"Last night, my uncle summoned me to discuss matters, but when I arrived I did not find him, and the door was locked. I had no choice but to stay overnight at Songyin Courtyard. Lord Zhou... why are you here?"

Qi Yunli rubbed her sleepy eyes; her voice was a little hoarse from not drinking water all night.

The servants looked at each other in bewilderment. This scene... didn't seem like they were being asked to get up; it looked more like they were there to "catch someone in the act."

"Second Master! Second Master!" the servant called out from afar, his expression panicked. "Lord Zhou, he... he..."

Wei Zhongde turned around abruptly, his voice urgent: "Where is he?!"

"In, in the woodshed... Lord Zhou got drunk last night and somehow ended up sleeping in the woodshed all night... He's already awake."