The courtyard was utterly quiet. Yao Shu bent down to look at the stone tablet. On it was carved a single character—“Yun.” The strokes were firm and vigorous, clearly the work of a man’s hand.
“Get out!” A low shout came from outside the courtyard gate. Startled, Yao Shu darted behind the rockery, pressing herself against the stone, terrified of being discovered.
“I won’t. Deng Lingyun, let’s see what you can do to me.”
Yao Shu froze. That lazy, mocking tone—it was Deng Xunfeng’s voice.
Through the cracks in the rockery, she saw two figures enter the courtyard, one after the other. Deng Xunfeng, in his purple-red robe, swung the gate shut behind him, then suddenly grabbed the tall, lean figure in black ahead of him. That figure spun around, and the two began to fight fiercely, their blows carrying them right to the locust tree near Yao Shu’s hiding place.
The person in black kept their back to Yao Shu, so she couldn’t see their face. But she could see Deng Xunfeng’s confident smile, never wavering.
Against the sharp, aggressive strikes of the black-robed figure, Deng Xunfeng countered smoothly. Within ten moves, the black-robed figure was already losing ground. Yao Shu thought to herself that she had stumbled upon some family discord within Marquis Changning’s household—perhaps even something connected to the Yao family murder case.
In the instant she was distracted, the fight was decided.
Deng Xunfeng twisted the black-robed figure’s wrist, locking them against his chest. One arm circled the person’s neck, the other forced their right hand behind their back. His chin rested on their shoulder, lips curved in a smile.
They were of different heights—Deng Xunfeng stood a head taller. The black-robed figure bent forward, struggling to break free. Only then did Yao Shu notice the curve of the chest.
The black-robed figure was a woman.
“Deng Xunfeng! Let go! I’m your sister!”
Deng Xunfeng mischievously blew into Deng Lingyun’s ear. Unable to break free, her lips pressed tight, her phoenix eyes blazing with fury.
“Deng Lingyun, you know it—I like sis~ter~” He deliberately dragged out the word “sister,” making Yao Shu feel as if struck by lightning, her jaw dropping in shock.
She hadn’t just stumbled upon a family secret of Marquis Changning’s household—she had uncovered an incestuous scandal. If discovered, she might be silenced forever. Her mouth hung open as Deng Xunfeng spoke again, nearly making her jaw fall off.
“Better me than some outsider, don’t you agree, sis~ter~?”
Such shameless words! Yao Shu pressed herself against the stone, terrified of missing a single word that might change the meaning.
“If you want Marquis Changning’s household to never lift its head again, go ahead. Don’t use the tricks you play on brothel girls on me. Be careful, or I’ll break your other leg. Father is already arranging a proper wife for you. It’s time you faced your responsibilities.”
Seeing she couldn’t escape, Deng Lingyun stopped struggling, her tone cold and full of disgust. Deng Xunfeng’s smile collapsed. He released her, ruffling his hair in frustration, then grabbed her again.
“How long will you keep pretending? Do you really look down on me that much?”
Deng Lingyun stared at him for a long moment before replying. “You’re a frivolous wastrel. Without a wife, how can you safeguard Marquis Changning’s household? If I die in battle, the household will lose its protector. And besides—I am your sister.”
The courtyard was silent, broken only by cicadas. Deng Xunfeng’s fists clenched tighter. In the next instant, he pinned Deng Lingyun against the locust tree and kissed her hard, shaking loose its leaves.
Yao Shu was barely three steps away, holding her breath, silently chanting “see no evil” while cursing Fu Xiujin for bringing her here.
“Lingyun, your father says since Xiujin is here, you should all go to Zhidian Hall for tea.”
The sound of a woman’s voice came with the creak of the opening gate. The two under the locust tree sprang apart. Yao Shu saw Deng Xunfeng dart toward the rockery—straight in her direction.