"Yes." Mama Xun nodded and waved her hand at the crowd, signaling them to leave.

The once bustling Qingning Pavilion suddenly fell silent. Yu Qingwu kept her eyes tightly closed, her pale face devoid of any expression.

A complicated look flashed across Xie Jin Yan’s eyes. He paused, then spoke in a deep voice, "Shijie, what good does provoking Ah Yue do you? Does putting yourself in this state make you feel better?"

"If I don't provoke her, will things be any better?"

A faint medicinal fragrance wafted in the air. Yu Qingwu slowly turned around. Her charming peach blossom eyes were now unfocused and weak. She coldly stared at Xie Jin Yan, her voice mocking and hoarse, "Your Highness, you know very well that even if I hadn't provoked Gao Min Yue today, she would still kill me."

"She has great martial skills, but she is ignorant and overbearing. It might work in the fishing village, but in the capital, her martial arts and 'simple' and fiery nature will be her death warrant."

"You know this, Your Highness, which is why you specifically arranged me as a shield for her, isn't it?"

The woman's clear voice entered his ears. Beneath the seemingly nonexistent mist, her delicate face revealed a hint of mockery, helplessness, and numbness.

There were no tears, nor the previous meekness. Yet, the appearance of the sickly beauty made people feel even more sorry for her.

Xie Jin Yan avoided her gaze, not daring to look.

After a while, he calmed down and said faintly, "In short, don't provoke her."

"Let's not talk about this, let's drink the medicine first."

With that, he helped her up again, scooped up a spoonful of the medicinal soup, and gently handed it to her, saying, "Yu Qingwu, don't be temperamental. Your life is your own. No one can live it for you."

Yes, no one could live it for her, and no one could indulge her the way Xie Jin Yan indulged Gao Min Yue.

She had to carefully plan every step, and gamble with her life.

Yesterday's design was not to expect Xie Jin Yan to punish Gao Min Yue.

To make his heart completely belong to her was not something that could be achieved overnight...

A sense of sadness rose in her heart. Yu Qingwu suppressed the cold light in her eyes, glanced at the spoon Xie Jin Yan offered, and changed the subject, gently and deliberately ordering him, "Your Highness, blow on it. I'm afraid it's too hot."

"Also, the medicine is too bitter. Have someone go to the street to buy some osmanthus candy later."

A spoonful of medicinal soup was sent into her mouth, intolerably bitter.

Yu Qingwu's beautiful eyebrows furrowed into a frown...

Xie Jin Yan took out a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her mouth. Perhaps seeing that Yu Qingwu was no longer arguing with him, his expression softened a lot. He nodded slightly and replied softly, "Okay, I'll have someone buy it later."

Yu Qingwu smiled, raised her head, and suddenly kissed him.

Xie Jin Yan was stunned, somewhat disbelieving that she would be so proactive.

Being hooked by Yu Qingwu like this, a burst of fire instantly surged up.

But thinking of her being sickly, he didn't dare to be too presumptuous.

He responded extremely gently, cautiously, and even with a bit of flattery.

Looking at the man's handsome and affectionate face, Yu Qingwu gently wrapped one of her small hands around his neck, extremely passionate and charming, causing Xie Jin Yan to feel a burst of heat, and his large hand held the back of her head even tighter.

He didn't know how long it had passed when he felt Yu Qingwu was a little out of breath, so he let go with satisfaction.

Then he lowered his eyes, stroked her lips, and warned her again extremely gently, "Shijie, be good, listen to me, don't do such dangerous things again in the future."

Gentle, doting, ambiguous.

Men are just lowly. Once they've slept with someone, they can easily fall in love, even with someone they once loathed.

Yu Qingwu sneered in her heart, and when she looked up at Xie Jin Yan again, she changed into a delicate face, leaning in his arms extremely docilely, and coquettishly said, "Jin Yan, I can not provoke Ah Yue, but you have to protect me. You should know, I don't know martial arts, and I'm the weakest among my Shijie and Shimei. If she wants to kill me again one day, I may not be able to save my life?"

"I can't just stay in Qingning Pavilion all day and not go out, can I?"

Her voice was娇嗔 (jiao chen - coquettish), and her full and delicate lips pouted.

Never before had she been so gentle and lovable, causing the man's heart to tremble.

If it weren't for seeing her sick in bed, he really wanted to...

His Adam's apple slid slightly. Xie Jin Yan suppressed the impulse, put her back on the bed, and replied in a hoarse voice, "Rest well, I will handle Ah Yue's side."

After saying that, he got up and hurriedly stepped out of the door.

Yu Qingwu lay on the bed, looking at the man's flushed ears, and couldn't help but smile triumphantly.

Outside the window, the cold wind blew.

Xie Jin Yan's ink-colored clothes fluttered in the wind, his sleeves fluttering, walking on the pebble path with light and joy, looking as if he was in a great mood.

The fine drizzle fell on his face, but it couldn't cover up the amorous look on his face. He walked towards Chunfang Pavilion all the way with a smile.

At this time, inside Chunfang Pavilion, a dozen maids were cleaning up the mess on the floor.

From last night to today, Gao Min Yue had been crying and making trouble, and she didn't know how many things she had broken.

When she was tired and exhausted from smashing, she would lie on the ground and threaten to commit suicide.

At first, the servants tried to stop her, but later, they found that she was just talking about it, so no one paid any attention to her anymore.

Gao Min Yue had been making trouble for a day and a night, and then she 'fell ill'.

When Xie Jin Yan entered the door, she was lying on the couch 'dying'.

Seeing Xie Jin Yan enter the door, her eyes turned red, and she cried out to him, "Shige, I don't want to live anymore. Now, whenever I see that bitch, I think of the disgusting things with that cook. Those things are like nightmares,缠着 (chan zhe - haunting) me day and night..."

The more Gao Min Yue said, the more she cried, gasping for breath, and begged, "Shige, I beg you, kill that bitch for me! Otherwise, I really can't live anymore! And that bitch knows about my past, she will definitely ruin my reputation everywhere..."

"In your current state, do you still need her to ruin your reputation?" Xie Jin Yan suddenly replied coldly as Gao Min Yue was crying enthusiastically.

His voice was cold, with obvious impatience, no longer the previous indulgence, but more like a warning.

He silently looked at her and sneered, "Ah Yue, you know very well why you climbed onto that cook's bed that day, so stop harping on Shijie."

What does he mean? Is Shige blaming her for reaping what she sowed?

Gao Min Yue's body shook violently, and she looked at Xie Jin Yan in disbelief, her gaze slowly sweeping over him.

She couldn't understand why Shige would suddenly favor that vicious bitch.

Suddenly, Gao Min Yue's gaze settled on the red mark on Xie Jin Yan's neck, and her whole body trembled violently. Intense jealousy and hatred instantly floated in her eyes, and she gritted her teeth and said, "I understand, that bitch, she pleased you in bed, didn't she?"

Gao Min Yue looked at Xie Jin Yan suspiciously. Seeing that he didn't speak, her heart sank heavily.

She was almost driven mad with anger!

Biting her lip, she suddenly hugged Xie Jin Yan's waist and reached out to untie his belt, "Shige, if she can, so can I!"