Chen Jinfeng’s brows furrowed sharply, and he cast a faint glance at the woman not far away.
The group of guards were all bewildered by Wen Ning’s words. Though they didn’t understand why she said that, several instinctively avoided the man’s wound. Finally, one guard, standing behind the man, seized the moment, rushed forward, and struck hard at a spot on the man’s neck with the hilt of his sword. The man, who had been rampaging like a mad beast, collapsed with a heavy thud and fainted.
Chen Jinfeng walked over slowly. He did not look at the unconscious guard on the ground, but instead fixed his gaze on Wen Ning. His phoenix‑shaped eyes narrowed slightly, his tone cold and detached as he enunciated each word: “Why did you tell the others to avoid his wound?”
That look—if Wen Ning’s answer displeased him even slightly, the cold light in his eyes seemed ready to turn into blades and cut her down. He could tell from her urgency and seriousness that she hadn’t spoken casually. This wasn’t something she could brush off with a random lie.
Wen Ning hadn’t intended to bluff anyway. During the fight, she had clearly seen several guards come into contact with the man. Who knew if they might be unlucky enough to catch a venereal disease from him?
She still had to live in this household, and she had no desire to exist in a world full of contagion. Her mind raced, and she feigned fright, speaking timidly: “This concubine… this concubine once read in some medical texts that certain skin diseases can be contagious. Just now I saw that man’s hands were covered in red rashes—it was terrifying. I worried… he might infect others…”
At her words, everyone turned to look at the man’s hands on the ground. Sure enough, they were covered in blotchy red rashes.
The guards who had touched him immediately turned pale.
Chen Jin‑feng’s lips curved faintly, his meaning unclear. “You read medical texts in your spare time?”
Even Wen Ning, who prided herself on her composure, felt crushed under his mountain‑like gaze. She lowered her eyes slightly and said: “My maternal grandfather was a physician. Influenced by him… I developed some interest in medical books…”
She silently rejoiced that the original Wen Ning had at least that background to use as a shield. Though her grandfather had died when she was ten, and she had seen him only a handful of times, at least it gave her some tenuous link to medicine.
“Is that so?” Chen Jinfeng neither confirmed nor denied belief. His phoenix eyes glinted with chilling cold as he said, “If that’s the case, then you should know: ordinary skin diseases, though troublesome, are not fatal. Hardly a reason for you to cry out so urgently.”
Wen Ning’s heart skipped. She realized that in her panic, she had revealed a flaw. This man truly deserved his reputation as one of the overlords of the realm—he had discerned so much from just a moment of her behavior.
For the first time, Wen Ning understood what it meant that one lie requires countless more to cover it. She bit her lip, feigning panic: “My lord… my lord may think this concubine ignorant of the world. But even an ordinary skin disease is still a disease. I only thought… better to avoid it if possible…”
She stammered to the end, while Chen Jinfeng continued to stare unblinkingly at her.
Just as Wen Ning nearly faltered in her act, he let out a laugh devoid of emotion and said flatly: “Very well.”
Wen Ning’s brow twitched violently.
The next instant, Chen Jinfeng’s voice rang cold: “Take this man to the dungeon. Interrogate him thoroughly about what he has concealed. Then summon a physician to examine him and determine exactly what kind of skin disease he has.”
The words “skin disease” were deliberately emphasized.
Wen Ning: “…”
She sensed this matter would not pass so easily. Sure enough, Chen Jinfeng turned to her, chuckled without warmth, and said: “Since he attempted to assault Lady Wen’s chambers tonight, Lady Wen must also wish to know his reason. Bring Lady Wen along.”
His words made it sound as though he were graciously granting her the chance to accompany them.
Wen Ning repeated to herself: Don’t slip up, don’t slip up. She lifted her face with feigned delight and said: “This concubine thanks my lord!”
Chen Jinbai, who had followed, thought: “…” He truly didn’t know whether to call this woman clever or foolish. His second brother’s killing intent was about to spill over. Summoning her was merely to see what else she might be hiding. His brother despised anyone playing tricks before him. In all his years of conquest, had he not been so suspicious and ruthless, he would have died countless times already.
Chen Jinfeng’s eyes narrowed, his expression half‑smile, half‑threat, before he turned and strode ahead.
Wen Ning gave her maid Chunxi a look, signaling her to return to the courtyard and wait, then hurried after him. Inside, however, she was far from calm. She knew this sudden appearance of the great lord boded no good. Though this was her first time meeting him, and the original Wen Ning’s memories held little of him, it was clear enough: his nature was hypersensitive and suspicious, the type who would rather kill a hundred by mistake than let one slip away.
The more Wen Ning thought, the more she realized she could not allow Chen Jinfeng’s suspicion to deepen. Otherwise, she might not even know how she died. If five parts of truth could not dispel his doubts, then she would give seven, even eight. So long as she protected her greatest secret. She pressed her lips together, abandoning even the thought of lamenting her fate, her mind racing as she followed them to a doorway leading underground. Though torches lined both sides of the stairway, the passage still seemed eerie and bottomless.
Chen Jinfeng did not glance at her, descending first.
Wen Ning hesitated only a moment before Fang Wu’s cold voice snapped from behind: “What are you dawdling for? Keep up!” As though driving along some despised beast of burden.
He had disliked her earlier, and now surely believed even more firmly that she harbored ill intent.
Wen Ning ground her teeth silently, thinking: If he had been the one fighting that man earlier, I would never have warned him. Let him catch the disease and die miserably!
With that thought, she lifted her skirts and stepped into the doorway.