Xiao Li completely ignored the unwelcome look in her eyes, lowering his head to sniff: "Has Imperial Sister-in-law been injured? Why is there such a strong medicinal scent?"
Liu Xueyin's face instantly tensed: "I fell and hurt my knee, currently applying medicine."
"Is that so?" Xiao Li suddenly smiled, bewitching and alluring, then shoved Liu Xueyin aside.
"Stop right there!" Liu Xueyin panicked, yet still couldn't stop Xiao Li.
Liu Xueyin anxiously followed Xiao Li inside, seeing the empty room, she instantly breathed a sigh of relief, then fury ignited: "What exactly are you here for?"
"Of course to see Imperial Sister-in-law, but since you seem unwelcoming, I'd better leave."
Xiao Li came swiftly and left just as quickly. Liu Xueyin suspected she knew something, but how was that possible?
Yet she had no time to dwell on Xiao Li's suspicions, now she worried about Gu Ling. With his severe injuries, what would he do without her?
Beaten twice yet learning no lesson—if he ended up dead by her hand someday, he'd have no one to blame but himself.
The commoners buzzed with discussion, while nobles and officials felt uneasy, uncertain whether this was due to Xuan Yang Princess's influence or if the Emperor intended to use her name to eliminate someone.
However, Lu Yanzhi's hesitant thoughts were soon shattered.
Even severely wounded and captured, he could still be snatched away.
Xiao Li instantly felt as if a fly had flown into his throat. Last time he'd regretted not proceeding with the Heli, only focused on antagonizing the female lead and Lu Yanzhi. Now thinking about it, he'd still have to remain married to this person for some time.
"Let him move in."
"Instruct the Patrol Camp to intensify their search. Whoever finds him will be rewarded with five hundred taels of gold."
Grand Secretary Lu narrowed his eyes, sharp and composed: "She beat you like this, yet you're doubting yourself? It seems I underestimated her."
"Emperor Brother, guess whether I can catch Gu Ling or not?"
Xiao Li couldn't help his anger.
Madam Lu's heart ached each time she saw him, yet Lu Yanzhi didn't think he had any problem: "Mother, don't worry, I'm perfectly fine."
What could one say? An abusive man and a white lotus bitch—a perfect match! Just as Xiao Li was sighing over this, Lu Yanzhi returned with his belongings.
This was utterly inhuman.
Lu Yanzhi was clearly distracted, playing a few moves before stopping. He asked confusedly: "Grandfather, all these years I've resented Xuan Yang Princess—have I been hating the wrong person?"
Liu Xueyin suffered his repeated abuse, tormented physically and mentally, each time barely escaping death.
Liu Xueyin miscarried, right after Xiao Li went to trouble her.
The jade brush in Lu Yanzhi's hand was crushed violently. How could he feel soft-hearted toward such a vicious woman like Xuan Yang? What was he doing? Xiao Li: I admit I'm vicious, but I won't take the blame for this.
Outside the wall, a group of people lay scattered about, all appearing injured.
"Before, she was infatuated with you, hence appearing docile and easily bullied. But a motherless princess surviving under the Empress Dowager's watch must be deeply cunning, adept at biding her time. Don't be deceived by her."
Xiao Li detested abusive men, yet considering how Liu Xueyin ultimately forgave him and they became a loving couple…
He refused to believe he couldn't eliminate one Gu Ling.
"Of course, I haven't caught him yet, but I've posted men outside. If anyone tries to escape now, they'd be walking right into the trap."
"What exactly are you all here for?"
No wonder he could be the third male lead—he still had some luck on his side.
What a calamity! How could her perfectly fine son encounter such a scourge as Xuan Yang Princess? Lu Yanzhi hadn’t lost his soul; it was his worldview that had been shattered.
Xiao Li pondered the melodramatic plot of the book. It seemed complicated, but in reality, it was simple—everything revolved around the female lead, Liu Xueyin, focusing on the ambiguous entanglements and conflicts between her and several men. Driving them away wasn’t an option, especially since she still had to deceive the Emperor.
Xiao Li felt she had found her direction.
Gu Ling’s escape and refusal to show himself already proved, from another angle, that he was the assassin.
So, if she killed the male and female leads, along with the male supporting characters, could she escape this absurd world?
Meanwhile, the Lu family had no time to concern themselves with the rumors outside, as they were all preoccupied with worry for Lu Yanzhi.
Xiao Li and Xiao Jingyi exchanged a glance. Xiao Jingyi shrugged—he truly had no idea and was merely dragged along by his imperial sister to make up the numbers.
This was utterly outrageous.
All male antagonists would be crushed and eliminated by the male lead, while all female antagonists would die at the hands of various male supporting characters. These male supports would then choose to support the male lead for the female lead’s sake, propelling the male and female leads to the highest positions of power.
Ever since he was carried back drunk after being beaten by the Princess, he had seemed like a man who had lost his soul.
Liu Xueyin had clearly been tortured by Chen Wang until she miscarried—what did that have to do with her? Upon learning of Liu Xueyin’s miscarriage, Xiao Li curled her lips. This was why she disliked Liu Xueyin and male supports like Lu Yanzhi, yet harbored no hatred for the male lead, Chen Wang.
He ate, drank, and studied as usual, but his eyes were always vacant, and he would often space out, appearing like a walking corpse. It pained the entire family to see him like this. “What on earth happened? Could he have been beaten senseless?”
“Princess, the Imperial son-in-law’s men are already moving their belongings.”
This place was specifically chosen by Xiao Li for that family. Since Quzhou was now her fief, it was the perfect opportunity to keep them under her thumb.
Though only on the surface, it was still thoroughly disgusting.
The old master couldn’t stand seeing him like this and called him over for a game of chess between grandfather and grandson.
Xiao Li’s face abruptly darkened: “Where is he?”
She smiled mischievously: “Emperor Brother should know I was assassinated. Since Gu Ling hasn’t been found yet, and I recalled his close relationship with Imperial Sister-in-law, I thought I’d try my luck here.”
Lu Yanzhi knew the Princess was wicked—now openly so. But during those first three years, she hadn’t been wicked, and he had genuinely liked her then, able to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Not long ago, Xuan Yang Princess nearly destroyed the entire Lu family, and now, because of her, she had directly brought down a Marquis’s household.
Everything she did was solely to achieve her own goals. As for the relationship between Chen Wang and his wife, that had nothing to do with her.
Was he fine? Watching him drift off mid-sentence again, Madam Lu felt her heart bleed. How was this fine?
The Emperor issued a warrant for arrest, while Pingnan Hou was stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner, with his entire family exiled to Quzhou.
After saying this, Xiao Li dashed off in a flash.
Yang Zhuo knelt before Xiao Li: “Your Highness, Gu Ling did indeed jump out from here. We had just managed to capture him together when three men in black appeared out of nowhere and abducted him.”
Xiao Li pulled out a fan from somewhere and fanned herself: “Is Emperor Brother certain you want to know?”
After making a round, Xiao Li took her leave. Xiao Jingyi immediately prepared to follow, and Chen Wang could hardly fail to notice their perfunctory attitude.
Kill them, and this world would cease to exist, allowing her to leave.
Those eyes, which should have been gentle and tender, were now filled with excitement and murderous intent.
It was indeed regrettable that Gu Ling had escaped by a mere step that day, but hadn’t someone obediently delivered themselves right to her doorstep now?