Everyone looked at each other in confusion. What did this have to do with the Cheng family?
Sixth Master raised his eyes and spoke in a calm, ordinary tone, but his words were terrifying:
“You are disturbing me.”
Zheng Tong was shocked. He did not expect the Sixth Master to come to question them. He immediately scolded Old Master Cheng and Madam Jia sternly:
“You disturbed Sixth Master’s peace. Hurry and apologize to him!”
Madam Jia and Old Master Cheng dropped to their knees with a thud.
“Please forgive us, Sixth Master! We didn’t know you were nearby. Even if we had a hundred lives, we would not dare disturb you!”
Madam Jia hurriedly added,
“Sixth Master, this is all my fault for poor household management. Last night a servant stole money and ran away, so we urgently searched for him. These are dirty family matters. I didn’t expect to offend your ears.”
The Sixth Master laughed lazily.
“With such a big scene, I thought the Cheng family had lost some rare treasure.”
Madam Jia could not tell whether his calm tone meant anger or not. His handsome face hid emotions she could not read. People who never show joy or anger are the scariest. She was already trembling and forced herself to say,
“It wasn’t a treasure, just an ungrateful, disobedient dog of a servant.”
“Was the person found?” The Sixth Master asked.
“Yes… he was found.”
“That’s good.” The Sixth Master smiled.
“Then today, everyone in the Cheng household should behave. No one is to leave the house.”
He sounded like he was joking, even a little careless.
“But…” Old Master Cheng froze. He didn’t understand this strange order. No one could leave today? What about Xu Miaoxue’s wedding? How would they explain it to Merchant Zeng?
“Anyone who steps outside,” Sixth Master said gently, “will not have an easy time.”
His friendly words carried pressure that could not be resisted.
Zheng Tong immediately understood. He shot Old Master Cheng a hard look and cut him off:
“Why aren’t you thanking the Sixth Master for his mercy?!”
Madam Jia also understood. The Sixth Master had come to Ningbo Prefecture to show his power, and the Cheng family was unlucky enough to become an example. They could only accept it. The only problem was that Xu Miaoxue would have to stay one more day. That worried her.
The Sixth Master picked up his teacup again, took a sip, then sighed.
“Master Cheng and Madam Cheng don’t know good things when they see them.”
Everyone thought he was talking about tea.
Old Master Cheng and Madam Jia kept kowtowing to thank him, but the Sixth Master didn’t look back. He stood up and walked out of the Cheng house boldly.
In this world, people are divided into ranks.
Madam Jia, who had just acted like a begging dog before Sixth Master, turned around and saw Xu Miaoxue still standing in the hall. She poured all her anger onto her and slapped her twice hard. Xu Miaoxue’s ears rang, and one side of her face swelled instantly.
“You slut! You had to make trouble and almost got me in trouble with Sixth Master! If the Cheng family’s future is ruined because of you, I will cut you into pieces!”
Xu Miaoxue did not beg or speak. She just looked at Madam Jia. Her face, which had looked hopeless moments ago, suddenly changed. Dark clouds cleared, and she smiled at Madam Jia.
The smile was mocking.
Madam Jia always showed off her power in front of Xu Miaoxue. She was the elder, the mistress of the Cheng family. Crushing Xu Miaoxue should have been easy. But for some reason, sometimes when she looked at Xu Miaoxue, she felt uneasy—almost afraid—as if she were the one kneeling.
Those bright eyes looked like a snake’s eyes: cold and dangerous.
You never knew what she was thinking or what she was confident about.
Yet she was clearly the loser.
Madam Jia didn’t want to deal with her anymore. After today, she could send this big problem away and happily count her money. She ordered people loudly to lock Miss Xu in her room and guard her closely. Not even a fly was allowed to escape. Only after several heavy locks were placed did she finally relax.
Just one more day, and everything would be solved.
But that evening, when servants unlocked the door to bring food, the room was empty.
They looked up and saw that several roof tiles were missing. There was a small escape hole.
Peach Blossom Ferry was a small dock by the sea in Ningbo Prefecture. Fishermen used to go out to sea from there, but after sea bans became stricter, even fishing boats faced many limits. Fewer fishermen came, and many old boats were abandoned there.
Xu Miaoxue followed the messy footprints of the sedan chair all the way to Peach Blossom Ferry. She was unsure—had the Sixth Master come here?
But the footprints were fresh. This was the direction Sixth Master and Zheng Tong had gone.
She barely recognized the path. The footprints led to an ordinary boat, but this boat was slightly different from the abandoned ones nearby. It was docked at the loneliest part of the pier, floating alone on the sea.
Xu Miaoxue quietly climbed onto the boat. Inside, a dim oil lamp was lit. Thick curtains blocked the view from outside, as if the boat were silently waiting for her.
She looked around. The boat was clean and tidy. Someone lived here.
But how could a powerful man like the Sixth Master live on an old boat?
She walked to the desk and immediately saw a blank contract paper with a handprint on it. She understood at once—she had come to the right place.
Soft footsteps sounded behind her. She didn’t turn around. She reached out and picked up the contract.
“You’re bold,” a voice said. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll send you back to your aunt?”
“If that were the case,” Xu Miaoxue said as she turned around holding the contract, “why did you go to the Cheng house at all? Weren’t you forcing me to come fulfill this contract?”
The Sixth Master spoke lazily.
“When did I ever say that?”
“Have you heard that part from Journey to the West?” Xu Miaoxue said, her heart pounding but her voice steady.
“When Patriarch Bodhi knocked the monkey’s head three times, it was a hint. You didn’t visit the Cheng family just to taste fake tea or punish them for one day indoors. You were testing my understanding. Are you satisfied now?”
The Sixth Master calmly added oil to the lamp. The cabin brightened.
Only then did he clearly see the fresh fingerprints on her face and the bruising at the corner of her mouth.
She looked miserable, but her expression was not weak at all. She showed none of the submissiveness of the Cheng couple. He wondered how such a hard-boned girl came from that family.
“You already escaped from me,” he said.
“Marrying Merchant Zeng or your cousin would both be good options. Why come back to fulfill my contract?”
“Because you know the value,” she answered. “And you have power.”
That was exactly what he wanted her to see. With just a finger, Merchant Zeng could be pushed aside. More importantly, he was interested in her.
She saw that. So she changed her mind about running away.
Since no one had freedom, why not make a big gamble?
“Madam Jia bullied me and wanted to sell me for a good price. I don’t want her to succeed. Merchant Zeng is a bully, but you can silence him easily. If I must marry anyway, I want to disgust Madam Jia before I leave.”
“Lies,” Sixth Master said calmly.
Xu Miaoxue was silent for a moment.
He saw through her immediately. She would never make choices just to spite Madam Jia. That was not her real reason.
Xu Miaoxue was a liar by habit. She hid her true goals easily. But she realized that hiding things in front of him only made things worse.
“All these choices cost a lifetime,” she said slowly.
“But I want to trade one year for future freedom, no matter how hard that year is.”
The Sixth Master seemed to think about her words for a long time.
His silence felt endless to her. She wasn’t confident that someone like him would truly value her.
She was clearly the weakest one here.
Xu Miaoxue moved forward.
One step. Two steps. Three steps.
In the narrow cabin, she stood in front of him. Tonight, there was no thin screen between them.
She looked up at him. The armor she used to protect herself turned to dust under his cold gaze. She had already lost.
She bent her knees and knelt on the floor.
“Please… show me mercy, Sixth Master.”
She thought she could say empty words easily, but her voice trembled. It was summer, yet her whole body shook.
The Sixth Master saw her long hair fall along her thin back onto the floor.
She truly had no way out.
After a long time—so quiet she thought she had come to the wrong place—he laughed.
It was the confident laugh of a winner.
Her pride shattered.
“Come,” he said from above her.
He reached out his hand.
His wide sleeve fell back, revealing a long, pale hand glowing in the dim light—beautiful and unreachable, like a river of stars flowing toward her.
This was not lucky at all. Xu Miaoxue felt cold fear. This man was no gentleman. He was a wolf’s den.
But she had no choice.
She clenched her teeth and stood up.
The Sixth Master withdrew his hand and walked to a corner. Xu Miaoxue followed and saw a dark water tank.
“Catch a fish,” he said, taking a net from the wall.
“Why?” she asked.
Her defenses rose instantly. She hated being ordered, especially without reason.
She had just sworn loyalty, yet now her true nature showed.
She didn’t even notice it herself.
The Sixth Master glanced at her.
“There are expensive and cheap fish in my tank. Try your luck.”
Xu Miaoxue wanted to curse.
Why not speak clearly? Was he mocking her, saying she was just a fish to be judged as valuable or not?
Her patience lasted less than three seconds. She could be beaten, she could be ordered, but not insulted.
Well—if necessary, she could accept insults too, as long as there was benefit.
She needed him now.
Xu Miaoxue swallowed her anger, took the net, and pressed it over the water. The net covered the entire surface.
Then she stopped.
The Sixth Master raised an eyebrow, waiting.
She spread her hands.
“Everything under the net is my catch. What do you think of my luck?”
With the net upside down, everything inside belonged to her.
The Sixth Master suddenly smiled.
The smile was cold and unsettling.
Xu Miaoxue regretted provoking him, but forced herself to stay brave.
If it works, it works. If not, so be it.
When Sixth Master suddenly raised his hand, Xu Miaoxue panicked and curled up defensively, afraid he would hit her.
He paused, then laughed softly and walked past her to the shelf.
She realized she misunderstood and felt embarrassed. She pretended to stretch and look around, trying to save face.
The Sixth Master slowly unfolded what he had taken—it was a letter.
Xu Miaoxue glanced at it and almost jumped.
“How do you have this letter?”
It was the letter she had forged, pretending to be the Salt Inspector’s concubine, asking Zheng Tong to help her go to Ruyi Harbor.
“I can let you go to Ruyi Harbor,” Sixth Master said with a half-smile.
Xu Miaoxue swallowed nervously.
She couldn’t read him at all. Every move he made was beyond her expectations.
But suddenly, excitement rose in her.
Before, she had come here out of desperation. Now her mind was sharp and active.
He knew who she was and what she planned. He didn’t report her and instead offered help.
That meant she was more useful than reporting her.
“Come,” he said, shaking the letter between his fingers.
“Catch a fish.”
It was an obvious temptation and threat.
Xu Miaoxue scolded herself inside, then smiled flatteringly.
“Why catch fish? Sixth Master, I am your fish.”
No wild beast cannot be tamed—if you throw the right bait.
The Sixth Master looked at her.
“Thought it through?”
She nodded hard.
“Know you were wrong?”
She froze, then nodded again quickly.
“I was wrong, very wrong. I shouldn’t have lied to you. Please forgive me.”
He knew she wasn’t sincere, but he enjoyed it anyway.
“How will you help me get to Ruyi Harbor?” she asked eagerly.
The Sixth Master shook his head.
“I’m not helping you. I want you to do something for me at a banquet. How you enter Ruyi Harbor is your problem. I’m just giving you the chance.”
“I agree!” she blurted out, afraid he would change his mind.
As long as she could continue her plan, she would step into any mess.
Her quick agreement made him pause.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked.
“All the important families in Ningbo will attend the Pearl Banquet,” he said.
“I want you to remember the names and appearances of all the women there.”
“That’s all?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“What about Merchant Zeng?”
The Sixth Master sneered.
“He won’t need to marry again in this life.”
Xu Miaoxue felt refreshed. Even the man before her looked better now.
“Magnificent, Sixth Master!”
He suddenly found her flattery annoying. Her earlier helpless look was more pleasing.
Too much flattery meant she knew how to act. Her heart was not obedient.
She was not an easy chess piece.
But he was the one holding the board. He knew how to tame a hawk.
“Get lost,” he said.
“Yes, Sixth Master.” She bowed and turned to leave.
So obedient, so hardworking—nothing like a cunning wild cat.
He tapped the table impatiently. She turned back, unsure.
Something small flew toward her. She caught it clumsily.
It was a box of ointment.
“Medicine. For your face,” he said casually.
“Take care of it. I like pretty faces.”
She was surprised—but free was free.
She left the boat. The tide was rising. The footprints on the sand were almost gone.
She applied some ointment to her lips. It hurt badly, but the pain reminded her that everything was real.
It felt like she was back at the starting point. She could compete again.
The Sixth Master stood at the railing, watching the girl hop away across the sand.
Qin Shan followed his gaze, confused.
“Sixth Master, she offered herself willingly. Why make it so complicated?”
The Sixth Master chuckled.
“Do you know how hard it is for an ordinary person to get to Ruyi Harbor?”
Qin Shan shook his head.
“I need to see,” Sixth Master said softly,
“what she’s really capable of.”