Only when Wen Ning’s figure disappeared from the dungeon did Chen Jinbai finally come back to his senses. He couldn’t help but curse under his breath: “That woman must have eaten a pound of courage!”
Even as he spoke, he couldn’t resist glancing at his second brother. Truth be told, though he found that woman irritating, he was curious—if she had actually managed to touch his brother just now, how would his brother have reacted?
In his heart, his second brother was the most formidable man in the world. Yet even he had to admit, in certain respects, his brother’s temperament was exceedingly strange.
Otherwise, no matter how ugly the rumors outside became, why would he, as a younger brother, feel compelled to fuss and chatter like an old woman, so anxious on his behalf?
Chen Jinfeng, however, seemed unwilling to waste words on irrelevant people. His lips curved carelessly as he looked toward the man bound on the execution rack. “Investigate thoroughly what dealings he had with Concubine Cheng. Since the Cheng family has sent us such a fine gift, we must not let it go to waste.”
Everyone present understood. The Protector had chosen the Cheng family as the target to make an example of.
“And another thing.” Chen Jinfeng’s hand rested on the sword at his waist, his thumb absently stroking the scabbard. “In the coming days, assign men to keep a close watch on Lady Wen.”
Though her behavior earlier seemed flawless, Chen Jinfeng still felt something was off. Even if it was nothing more than a vague intuition, he never ignored such feelings. Having spoken, he turned and headed out of the dungeon.
Chen Jinbai blurted instinctively: “Second Brother, where are you going?”
It was the middle of the night—where else could he go?
Chen Jinfeng couldn’t even be bothered to answer his occasionally witless younger brother, merely lifting his hand lazily.
Fortunately, Fang Wu still had some sense. Though he thought the Fourth Young Master’s question foolish, he patiently explained: “The lord is returning to his chambers to rest. It is very late. Both Fourth Young Master and Protector have traveled far today; you must be weary. Best to rest quickly.”
Only then did Chen Jinbai realize his own embarrassment. He stamped his foot, protesting: “I… I was only worried for Second Brother. Just now Lady Wen nearly touched him—I feared it would disgust him!”
Fang Wu smoothed things over with practiced ease: “This subordinate knows the Fourth Young Master has always cared deeply for the Protector.”
“Good that you know!” Chen Jinbai muttered, as though covering something up, and strode ahead. But he held it in all the way until they left the dungeon. Then he couldn’t help blurting: “Chief Fang, do you think my second brother truly has some kind of problem? Third Sister‑in‑law once said she always felt there was an invisible wall between him and those around him. Though he truly loves us…”
Fang Wu’s eyelid twitched. He answered cautiously: “This subordinate dares not speculate on the lord’s private matters.”
“Speculate? This is concern! Concern!”
Chen Jinbai pouted in dissatisfaction. “Others may not know, but we do. With Second Brother’s temperament, he will never take concubines. Those women he accepted before were only for expediency. So long as they behave themselves, in the end, he can release them from the household, find them good marriages, and provide generous dowries. That would be kindness enough.”
“It’s just… now I feel Second Brother not only will never take concubines, but he also may not even marry a wife at all.”
“He’s like this even with us—I truly cannot imagine what he would look like being intimate with a woman.”
Cold sweat broke out on Fang Wu’s back. The Fourth Young Master, being the Protector’s youngest brother, feared nothing when speaking. But the rest of them were not the same!
At last, Fang Wu could only reply cautiously: “The lord is still young. Marriage need not be rushed…”
“Tch.”
Chen Jinbai gave him a look of disdain. “Forget it! You’re as dull as ever. Talking about this with you is worse than talking with Third Sister‑in‑law.”
With that, he quickened his pace and went straight to his own courtyard, leaving Fang Wu to exhale a long sigh of relief. Though he was curious about the Protector’s peculiarities in this regard, curiosity was outweighed by fear of the Protector’s authority.
Fang Wu shook his head and hurried away as well.
Their attention had been so absorbed in conversation that they failed to notice someone hiding behind a nearby rockery.
The Protectot’s residence was divided into West and East courtyards. The concubines lived in the West, while Chen Jinfeng and his siblings lived in the East, far apart.
Because the original Wen Ning rarely came this way, she had gotten lost earlier. Now she carefully stepped out from behind the rockery, her face showing the shock of overhearing a juicy secret. After the shock, her heart exploded with joy. She had been fretting over how to escape this wretched concubine identity—and now it was as if a pillow had been handed to her just as she was dozing off!
Being a concubine was, in some ways, harder to escape than being a servant bound by contract. A servant could save money and buy freedom. But a concubine—unless her husband willingly released her, or she risked everything to flee—had no way out. And now Chen Jinfeng not only intended to release them, but even to provide generous dowries.
Who wouldn’t call him a “living father” after hearing that!
She pressed a hand to her pounding chest, then suddenly thought of something and quickened her steps toward her own courtyard. She hadn’t forgotten: all of this depended on her behaving properly.
Her mind drew the equation automatically: Behaving properly = doing nothing harmful to Chen Jinfeng. Beyond that, whatever she did—even if she tore down the heavens—Chen Jinfeng likely wouldn’t care. As long as she held that line, she could freely plan her new life. This gave her far more confidence than crossing a river by feeling for stones!
Her only obstacle might be—the Wen family.
Though they hadn’t interfered much these past two years, they had schemed endlessly to send her here. Surely it wasn’t just to offer Chen Jinfeng a token gift. Whatever they demanded of her in the future—whether to curry favor with Chen Jinfeng or to harm him—she must refuse firmly. For that, she needed to return quickly and carefully plan her future!
When Chen Jinfeng returned to his courtyard, the lamps were already lit, and all the items for washing and sleeping were neatly arranged. He entered, removed the sword from his waist, and prepared to change clothes.
The servants were long accustomed to their master’s excessive independence. Though he held supreme power, he never allowed anyone to serve him closely.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside: “My lord, Master Xu requests an audience.”
Chen Jinfeng paused in unfastening his wrist guard, lifted his gaze toward the door, and said: “Invite Master Xu to the study.”
He refastened the half‑loosened guard, dressed properly again, and walked toward the study.
Inside, the lamps were lit. Xu Jiusi, dressed in pale moon‑white robes, sat leisurely, feather fan in hand. Seeing Chen Jinfeng enter, he smiled slyly:
“My lord, I hear something major happened tonight. That Wen family girl actually dared to lay hands on you.”
Though his appearance and attire resembled an immortal, everything about him exuded irreverence.
Chen Jinfeng sat cross‑legged behind the desk without doubt or hesitation. “That brat Jinbai is itching again.”
In the entire household, only that scatterbrained younger brother would dare spread his affairs as gossip.
Xu Jiusi chuckled, shaking his head: “The Fourth Young Master was merely worried for you. Fortunately, Lady Wen did not touch you tonight. Otherwise, if you had reacted too strongly, others might have noticed something.”
At this, Chen Jinfeng’s long, narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. He leaned lazily against the wall, right hand propped on a small table, gently massaging his temple. His clothing was perfectly neat, every button fastened, not a trace of bare skin exposed. Paired with his languid posture, it gave off a strange aura of ascetic allure—like a flame that drew moths to destruction. Even Xu Jiusi, a fellow man, couldn’t help but click his tongue inwardly.
A demon. Dangerous, seductive demon.
He wondered if, in his lifetime, he would ever see someone tame this demon. In truth, only a very few knew: their outwardly charming, rakish lord harbored an indiscriminate aversion to being touched by anyone. Yet this extreme psychology was not born of hatred. On the contrary, it was precisely the opposite.