“Father, I know I was wrong this time. Please spare me,” Lin Hongtao said, forcing out two tears to feign pitifulness.
“You won’t change. I can see through your little schemes.”
Lin Zhenfei glanced at him with cold eyes.
“Lin Zhenfei, you’re too heartless. You’ve hit Tao’er, scolded him, and tied him up. Do you really want to kill him? We’ve already lost one daughter. Do you want to lose Tao’er too?” Madam Lin acted shamelessly when Lin Zhenfei refused to release their son.
Lin Zhenfei glanced at the oily-faced mother and son, his anger rising. He flicked his sleeve and strode out.
He no longer wished to deal with the mother and son.
After coming out, he turned and went to Tao Shi’s small courtyard.
At this time, Tao Shi was in the courtyard sorting out some herbal teas she had made. She intended to make tea with these herbs when the weather got hot.
She was busy moving about and did not notice Lin Zhenfei standing behind her.
“What are you doing?”
Lin Zhenfei’s sudden voice startled Tao Shi.
“Master, when did you come? Why didn’t you come into the house to sit?” Tao Shi said with a chuckle.
“I just came in. Seeing you busy in the courtyard, I didn’t want to disturb you,” Lin Zhenfei replied with a smile.
“It’s alright, Master. These are for making tea. It doesn’t matter if I tidy them early or late, there’s no hurry!”
Tao Shi smiled gently.
“Good, then I’ll go in and sit for a while.”
Lin Zhenfei smiled back at her.
“Okay, Master, you go in and sit first. I’ll go boil some water for you to make tea.”
Tao Shi quickly fetched a pot of cold water and went inside to boil it to make tea for Lin Zhenfei.
“Tao Zi, stay away from Tao’er from now on. He’s been spoiled by Madam since he was young, and he’s arrogant and overbearing. I’m afraid he might hurt you.”
Lin Zhenfei warned her.
“Master, don’t worry. From now on, I’ll go the other way when I see the Heir Apparent. I won’t cross his path,” Tao Shi promised Lin Zhenfei with a smile.
“That’s good!”
Lin Zhenfei was very pleased to hear this.
Fortunately, he still had the thoughtful and sensible Tao Shi at home. Otherwise, living in this household would be truly tiring.
Lin Zhenfei sighed inwardly.
As they were talking, the water Tao Shi was boiling began to bubble.
“Master, let me make you a cup of tea to moisten your throat first.”
Tao Shi said considerately.
Then, she picked up the tea leaves and expertly began to brew the tea.
Lin Zhenfei was startled by what he saw.
Tao Shi’s tea artistry was extraordinary. Every movement she made while brewing tea was elegant and graceful, nothing like the affected behavior of the refugees or courtesans he had known. Each gesture was natural, as if she were a young lady cultivated in a noble household.
“Tao Zi, where is your hometown?” Lin Zhenfei asked her tentatively.
“Master, I come from Jiangnan. My hometown was flooded, and my parents and younger brother were all swept away by the flood. I don’t know their whereabouts. Alas, I am left alone and helpless. Didn’t I tell you this before?”
Tao Shi lied, feigning sadness.
“Oh, oh, haha. I’ve been too busy lately, my memory isn’t good, and I forgot.”
Lin Zhenfei quickly gave a forced laugh.
“Master, it’s alright. These are old matters, no need to keep them in mind.”
Tao Shi smiled broadly and comforted him.
As she raised the brewed tea with her right hand, while Lin Zhenfei was not paying attention, her thumb’s nail extended into his tea. The powder hidden in her nail quickly dissolved into Lin Zhenfei’s teacup.
“Master, the tea is ready. Please taste it!”
Tao Shi smiled at Lin Zhenfei tenderly.
Seeing her smile, Lin Zhenfei’s heart instantly bloomed.
“Good, I’ll taste the tea brewed by Tao Zi.”
Saying that, he took the teacup and brought it to his lips, taking a light sip, smacking his lips as if savoring it.
“Mmm, not bad. This tea is brewed well, better than those professional tea masters.”
Lin Zhenfei praised her repeatedly.
“Master, please don’t praise me like this, or my heart will float away. If I get too happy, I might go crazy…”
With that, Tao Shi gave him a meaningful flirtatious glance.
“Hahaha…”
“You, you are truly a little enchantress. With just a glance, you’ve captured my soul.”
Lin Zhenfei reached out and pinched Tao Shi’s cheek.
The scene of them talking and laughing in the house was exactly what Madam Lin, who was looking for Lin Zhenfei for an important discussion, saw from the corner of the corridor.
Her daughter was right. Tao Shi, that little slut, was indeed a menace. Her daughter had only been buried in the morning, and this woman was already seducing the Master in the afternoon.
This was clearly a sign that she did not take Madam Lin, the mistress of the house, seriously. Now that her daughter’s affairs were settled, it was time for her to deal with those vixen-like women in the back courtyard.
If she didn’t put them in their place, they would forget who the mistress of the Duke Lin’s mansion was.
…
As night fell and the lanterns were lit, various movements began.
At the Cold King’s residence.
After dinner, the Cold King and his wife flew to the rooftop to wait for the guards to return with news.
They watched the moon for the time it took to drink a cup of tea on the rooftop. Ye Ying hurriedly flew to their side.
“Your Highness, Your Consort, that Deputy General Yang has come out of the small house.”
“Let’s go and see if we can lure out a big fish,” Leng Ruo Li joked.
“A big fish, probably not. Maybe a few small shrimp,” Jun Mohan smiled faintly.
“Let’s go. Whether it’s a big fish or a small shrimp, it’s good to join the fun, haha…”
Leng Ruo Li said, then chuckled.
Following that, both of them used their light footwork and flew away. Ye Ying and the guards quickly followed behind.
On a street in the western part of the capital city, a furtive figure swiftly flew along the sides of the street. This figure was the traitorous Deputy General Yang.
He thought his actions were extremely discreet. Little did he know that countless eyes were already watching his every move from the shadows, as everyone wanted to know who possessed the Imperial Seal.
Thus, under the close watch of these hidden observers, the figure arrived at a small grove outside the city.
As a result, he waited in the small grove for a long time but did not see his master come to meet him.
He immediately became impatient from waiting.
After a while, a flying dart suddenly flew past his arm and was deeply embedded in the trunk of a poplar tree behind him.
Deputy General Yang turned around, took the note on the flying dart, opened it carefully under the mottled moonlight, instantly understood, burned the note with a fire starter, and returned to the city the way he came.
Tonight, those who had tracked Deputy General Yang were all met with an empty chase.