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

Mingyi lowered her eyes and said in a gentle voice, "I just don't want to disappoint Second Master and want to wear all the good things."

"If that's the case, why not wear that pearl headdress as well?" Zongxian asked.

Mingyi paused for a moment.

She's not stupid. Those pearl ornaments were of dubious origin. If she wore them on her head and flaunted them, it would surely bring disaster upon herself if word got out.

Zong Xian was the one who gave her the jewelry, but she was the one who suffered the consequences.

But Mingyi didn't say that. She said softly, "Dongzhu jewelry is precious, and I can't bear to wear it. I just want to keep it safe."

Clearly, these words pleased the man greatly. Zong Xian smiled with pleasure, almost seeing through her little thoughts at a glance. "My dear Jiaojiao is very clever; she knows what I like to hear."

He knew the reason why Ji Mingyi dared not bring it out was simply because he was afraid the stolen goods would be discovered.

Mingyi almost breathed a sigh of relief, his nervousness and unease visibly evident.

Fortunately, the man did not intend to pursue the matter.

Zong Xian was in a very good mood. He brushed aside the stray hairs on her cheek with his fingertips and slowly said, "How could I not clean up the things I gave you? I have already erased the pearl jewelry from the files. Even if you take it out of the Zong residence, no one will cause you any trouble."

Mingyi timidly replied, "Yes."

Zong Xian lifted her chin again and asked, "Why didn't you stay and wait for me yesterday?"

Mingyi met his gaze, then lowered it again, and said obediently, "I'm afraid people will gossip about me. It's not really appropriate for me to stay overnight at Songhe Garden. Besides, I'm not seriously ill. I just need to rest for a while."

"So, you've fully recovered."

Noticing the man's burning gaze, Mingyi immediately realized something, her body tensed, she glanced at the open window, and quickly reached out to push against his chest.

"This won't work."

"Are you so afraid of being seen?" Zong Xian laughed. "Now everyone in the Zong family knows you're one of my people. Even if someone sees you, it doesn't matter."

He held her tightly against his chest, his chest pressed against her thin back, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, causing Ji Mingyi to tremble all over.

Zong Xian said, "If you feel that not having a proper title or status is hindering our relationship, I will inform the old lady tomorrow and have you brought into my room, giving you the proper title of concubine. The old lady already likes you, and she will definitely agree."

"No!" Mingyi blurted out almost instinctively.

This resistance instantly wiped away all the tenderness in Zong Xian's eyes.

His dark eyes locked onto her, his sharp gaze like a blade, his tone suddenly turning cold, "You don't want to?"

He grabbed Mingyi's chin with one hand, forcing her to turn her head. "Or are you still thinking about your ex-fiancé?"

"No...I didn't."

Mingyi was startled and hurriedly explained, "If the old lady wants to arrange a marriage for the second master, it will not be good for his reputation. I just don't want to ruin the clan's rules and reputation because of myself."

Zong Xian stared at her flustered and evasive eyes. "Is that so?"

Mingyi clenched her fists on the desk, her face showing helplessness and resignation. "I am already Second Master's woman, my body belongs to Second Master. From now on, I only want to follow Second Master. Titles and such are not important..."

"Then don't reject the truth."

Mingyi could no longer refuse, and Zongxian closed the window with one hand and pressed her down onto the desk with the other.

One by one, the woman's gorgeous and elaborate clothes were stripped off, leaving only a sock hanging precariously on her fair toes, trembling as if about to fall off.

The calligraphy samples neatly arranged on the desk were quickly soaked with saliva, crumpled, and lost their original orderly appearance.

Zong Xian kissed her from her straight shoulders to her collarbone, and from her neck to her earlobe, not allowing her to escape, tormenting her again and again, forcing her to beg for mercy.

He knew her thoughts all too well.

What woman doesn't care about status and position? She's just being hypocritical; she still harbors a sliver of hope, thinking there's a way out, that she can still return to that person's side.

It's utterly ridiculous.

Doesn't he realize that even if he let her go back now, would Xie Huaiyu dare to take her?

From the day he kept Ji Mingyi by his side, her body and her heart could only belong to him!

Tears streamed down Mingyi's face, but she clenched her teeth and remained silent, afraid that the servants outside would hear.

They continued their ordeal until nightfall before Zong Xian finally released her, got up, put on his clothes, and left.

Mingyi lay on the soft sleeper, panting with her eyes closed. She was completely naked except for a brocade quilt covering her, and her exposed skin was covered with ambiguous marks.

She still didn't stay. With her body weak, she carefully tidied her clothes and returned to Shuangxu Garden alone.

No sooner had she returned than Cui Mama, the old lady's maid, arrived with her entourage.

It was for no other reason than to give Mingyi a contraceptive decoction.

As expected, what happened at Songhe Garden could not be kept from the old lady's ears.

Zong Xian was not yet married, and the old lady absolutely would not allow her to get pregnant before then.

Mingyi took the bowl of medicine and drank it without hesitation.

She also had her own methods of contraception, and the sachet she wore was specially made, which she would carry with her every time she went to see Zong Xian.

Fortunately, after that day, Zong Xian didn't mention making her a concubine again. She could roughly guess that it was because the old lady was dragging her feet and wouldn't agree.

Zong Xian has been busy lately, and even though they live under the same roof, the two rarely meet in the mansion.

However, he would always call her over at night, and she would leave in a hurry before dawn.

Seeing that she didn't mind the trouble, Zong Xian let her go.

-

Almost a month has passed in the blink of an eye. Autumn is coming to an end, and the cold northwest wind has blown into Kyoto, leaving the trees bare.

Madam Zong's plan was to have Zong Xian and Princess Jianing get engaged before elevating Ji Mingyi to the status of concubine.

Speaking of Princess Jianing, she has a remarkable background and is far from being an ordinary noblewoman.

She was the youngest daughter of the General Who Guards the North, a princess personally bestowed by the emperor, and held an extremely noble status.

The princess usually stays in the northwest with her father and brothers, only returning to the capital for short stays during festivals or when summoned by the emperor. She just turned eighteen this year, which is the perfect age for marriage proposals.

Countless princes, nobles, and scions of prominent families in the capital vied to have matchmakers arrange marriages for her, but she rejected them all, finding no one worthy of her attention; she was extremely picky.

Initially, Madam Zong did not consider the General's Mansion, because she knew that the princess's marriage involved the court and the public, and was never a matter for her family to decide.

The final decision rests with the emperor; rashly currying favor with him could easily bring trouble upon oneself.

But today, Zongxian returned from the palace with shocking news—the emperor intended to bestow a marriage upon him and Princess Jianing.

The emperor's decision was not entirely unexpected. Wei Zhao's faction was growing stronger and pressing closer, and he urgently needed Zong Xian's power to check and balance them.

A marriage alliance with the General of the North was the safest bargaining chip. Zong Xian, who held the power of civil officials, was paired with the general who controlled the military in the Northwest. Only by relying on each other could the two forces steadily suppress Wei Zhao.

For the emperor, this marriage was an excellent balancing act.

After a moment's thought, Madam Zong looked at her son beside her and asked softly, "So what are your plans?"