Taking her into his tent, he incurred the wrath of a powerful and mad minister, from which he could

Mingyi thought it was probably a coincidence, since there were only so many entertainment options nearby, and the other person might have come to see the iron flower performance.

Mingyi suppressed her unease and instinctively wanted to get away. She picked up the jade rabbit lantern, turned around, and prepared to leave the place.

However, there were too many people around. Mingyi had only taken a few steps when someone bumped into her shoulder, causing the jade rabbit lantern in her hand to slip out and roll to the ground.

Mingyi quickly bent down to pick it up, but it was crushed by someone's foot, clearly intentionally!

She looked up in surprise and met the masked man's gaze. The pair of dark, deep phoenix eyes behind the mask gave her a strong sense of familiarity.

But Mingyi was very angry at the moment, angry that the other party had broken the lantern that her sweetheart had given her, so she didn't have time to think about it.

She straightened up, hands on her hips, and said angrily, "What's wrong with you? You broke someone else's lantern!"

His fierce demeanor was much more vivid than his deliberate attempt to act innocent.

Zong Xian raised an eyebrow: "It's just a broken paper lantern, I'll compensate you."

This condescending attitude made Mingyi involuntarily think of someone.

She immediately sensed something was wrong and was about to give up.

The other person then took out a gold ingot and placed it in their palm: "This is an apology, is that enough?"

Mingyi bit her lip, but couldn't resist, and quickly took the gold ingot: "That's more like it!"

After saying that, she put away the gold ingots and turned to leave.

They walked very fast.

She had just seen Chang Sui, who was standing behind that man. So, he was Zong Xian!

What is this fellow doing in Qingzhou?

Mingyi didn't want to know, nor did she want to see him, so she simply pretended not to recognize him.

Zong Xian watched her hastily departing figure and slightly curled the corners of his lips.

However, Mingyi still had to confront him in the end.

She bowed to Mingyi, who often appeared like a ghost, and said, "Miss, my second master invites you."

Mingyi's expression froze.

She was wearing a mask and didn't show her true face. She even deliberately hid among a group of masked people. How could they still find her so accurately?!

"What cousin? You've mistaken me for someone else!" Mingyi decided to play dumb and walked straight past Chang Sui.

Chang Sui dared not touch her and quickly stepped aside, but his master had given orders that he could not return empty-handed, so he had no choice but to follow and say:

"You must be Miss Cousin. I haven't mistaken you for someone else."

Mingyi remained unresponsive and continued walking.

Chang Sui followed closely behind, and suddenly said, "Miss, Xie Huaiyu is not someone to be trusted. He will soon marry the daughter of the prefect."

Upon hearing this, Mingyi froze in place and turned around abruptly: "You're talking nonsense!"

Chang Sui also stopped, bowing his head: "If Miss doesn't believe me, go and see Second Master and you'll know."

"Don't try to fool me into going to see Zong Xian with those words. I won't go with you!" Mingyi's attitude was firm.

"I swear on my life that I have not lied," Chang Sui said, looking directly into her eyes.

The girl's eyes behind the mask gradually reddened. She didn't want to believe Chang Sui's words, but Xie Huaiyu's recent behavior was indeed strange, as if he was hiding something from her.

Admittedly, she also had things she was hiding from him, but she made sacrifices for him.

But if he truly breaks the vow he made and marries someone else, she will never forgive him, no matter what!

...

A carriage was parked under a banyan tree, with candlelight faintly shining through the interior. Layers of hidden guards were concealed all around, their auras subdued.

In the end, Mingyi still arrived.

Chang Sui bowed and stood beside the carriage, replying, "Second Master, Miss Biao has arrived."

A clear, familiar voice came from inside the carriage: "Let her up."

The servants quickly brought over a small stool to place on the ground. Mingyi stepped on it, gripped the carriage shaft with one hand, and boarded the carriage.

But just before going in, she felt a little scared and hesitated to lift the curtain.

The next instant, a hand with distinct knuckles suddenly reached out from behind the curtain, precisely grabbed her wrist, and yanked it sharply!

Mingyi lost her balance and stumbled into the carriage, landing directly between the man's legs.

She looked up at him, flustered and bewildered.

Zong Xian had removed his mask, revealing a refined, sharp, and impeccable face. Such an unparalleled appearance was enough to make any woman in the world's heart flutter; even Mingyi was momentarily stunned when she first saw him.

But his innate arrogance and almost cold-blooded selfishness and cruelty made her want to keep her at a distance and avoid any contact with him!

Zong Xian was still holding her wrist. Mingyi tried to get up by supporting herself on his knees, but the fabric was slippery, and her hand slipped, accidentally touching a place she shouldn't have.

The man's breathing suddenly deepened, and he asked in a low, hoarse voice, "Where are you touching?"

She didn't do it on purpose, Mingyi said hurriedly, blushing, "I didn't mean to, it was just an accident..."

Before he finished speaking, Zong Xian used his other hand to wrap around her slender waist, gently lifted her up, and then steadily pressed her down onto his lap.

Mingyi's breath hitched, afraid of falling off him, and she instinctively gripped the brocade robe on his chest.

The girl's light and soft fragrance lingered around my nose, and my palm held her slender waist, so delicate that I could almost touch her warm skin through the thin fabric.

The scene from that day uncontrollably surfaced in Zong Xian's mind.

He had only been with this young woman once, and he thought he could let go of it afterward. But now, holding her in his arms again, he could no longer suppress the surging desire in his heart.

He seemed to have underestimated his desire for Ji Mingyi. After getting her once, his lust not only failed to subside but intensified.

However, such an intimate distance only made Mingyi's skin crawl. She pushed against his chest, thinking, "Second Master, we can't do this, let me go..."

Zong Xian tightened his grip, whispering dangerously, "Behave yourself. If you move again, I won't hesitate to take care of you right now."

The warm, scorching breath brushed against Mingyi's earlobe, and he froze, too frightened to move for a moment.

She cursed him inwardly as a beast, but outwardly remained timid and submissive: "I wonder what business Second Master has with me?"

Zong Xian was just trying to scare her and make her behave; he wasn't that irrational.

"Let me show you a good show."

He had suppressed the lustful desire in his abdomen, and his expression returned to its usual calm. He raised his hand to lift one side of the carriage curtain and gestured for her to look outside.

Mingyi looked in the direction he indicated, half believing and half doubting.

Beside the carriage was a river of suitable width, with rows of Hui-style houses on the opposite bank.

Unlike their dimly lit place, the opposite bank of the river was brightly lit with colorful lanterns, making the scenery on the other side clearly visible.

Xie Huaiyu and Li Yunwan were over there, standing facing each other, talking about something that didn't seem pleasant.

Xie Huaiyu wasn't even wearing a mask; he was too easy to recognize.

But who was the woman beside him? Mingyi didn't recognize her, and she stared blankly at her.

The woman turned to leave, and Xie Huaiyu immediately chased after her anxiously. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms.

Li Yunwan looked up at him, and Xie Huaiyu lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Xie Huaiyu, a person who was so self-disciplined and respectful of propriety, would do something so inappropriate in public.

Mingyi stared blankly, expressionless, yet tears streamed down her face.

Her boyfriend cheated on her.