Murong Ke personally forced a bowl of pitch black medicine down Shen Xia’s throat before ordering someone to send her back.
He also instructed his servants, “Tell Shen Duancheng that I find this girl quite promising. I intend to have her serve as my eldest daughter’s study companion. The Shen Family had better take good care of her.”
“Yes, sir.”
After Shen Xia was escorted away, a soft and delicate voice came from behind the screen.
“Why did Father spare her?”
The moment he heard that voice, Murong Ke immediately put on the smile of a loving father.
“Don’t you think keeping her alive will be far more useful, Wen’er?”
“Shen Duancheng knows Nanli Island inside and out. The mining operations cannot function without him. Yet despite being our Murong Family’s dog, he is constantly disobedient. In that case, we should consider how to make that dog completely incapable of resisting.”
Murong Anwen smiled.
“So Father intends to use Shen Xia to monitor Shen Duancheng, and eventually have her replace him?”
“Compared to Shen Duancheng, this girl is cowardly, greedy, and vain. She will be much easier to control,” Murong Ke replied calmly.
“Does Father have other motives as well?”
“Naturally! Our people reported that today, that little beast Li Xiao actually followed obediently behind Shen Xia. Quite unusual. Over the years, we have planted many people around him in hopes of uncovering information about the Jiang Family’s former subordinates.”
“But that little beast is extremely vigilant. No one has ever managed to stay by his side. Shen Xia may very well be the breakthrough we need. If we can uncover clues regarding the Jiang Family’s remaining forces, we will have rendered a great service.”
“As for this Nanli Island, perhaps you are not tired of it yet, Wen’er, but I certainly am. We all bear the surname Murong. Why do they get to serve beneath the Son of Heaven with limitless prospects, while I am stuck on this remote island with no future in my official career?”
By the end, Murong Ke’s expression had become somewhat twisted.
“But Father, can Shen Xia really be of any use? What if she was merely acting for us just now?”
“There is no need to worry. I already forced poison into her earlier. If she refuses to obey, she can only wait for death. Besides, everyone on this island is under our control. She is nothing more than a lowly concubine-born daughter. She cannot possibly stir up any great waves.”
Murong Ke was completely unconcerned.
“That’s true. Father has always planned everything flawlessly. I admire you. I will also keep an eye on Shen Xia for you and do my best to use her to draw out the Jiang Family’s remaining forces behind Li Xiao.”
At the entrance of the Shen residence.
Shen Xia was helped down from the carriage.
“Seventh Miss Shen, in a few days we will come to escort you to meet our Eldest Miss. You have suffered quite a fright today, so please get some rest.”
The servants from the Murong residence comforted her softly before heading off to see Shen Duancheng.
The Shen Family servants were stunned when they saw Shen Xia return unharmed.
Especially Shen Ying’s servants. They had already prepared a mat and were ready to transport Shen Xia’s corpse to the mass burial grounds.
Yet she had returned very much alive.
“Hurry and inform the Second Miss! Shen Xia isn’t dead!”
They ground their teeth as they spoke.
“Se… Seventh Miss?”
Qianzhu stared at Shen Xia, her voice trembling slightly.
Just what ability did she possess to survive and return alive?
“You seem disappointed to see that I’m still alive and well.”
Tilting her head, Shen Xia stared directly at her.
Qianzhu hurriedly shook her head.
“This servant would never dare. That isn’t what I meant. Seventh Miss returning safely makes me very happy.”
If Shen Xia died, she would never obtain the antidote. Naturally, she wanted her alive.
“Enough! Help me back.”
Shen Xia withdrew her gaze and spoke wearily.
After putting on so many performances today, her energy was nearly exhausted.
Just as she was about to leave, however, she suddenly remembered something. Her tone sharpened.
“Where is Li Xiao?”
“Seventh Miss, you’ve only just returned alive. Please stop worrying about him. He’s a disaster, a harbinger of misfortune. Nothing good ever happens to anyone who gets close to him.”
Qianzhu tried to persuade her earnestly.
“Where is he?”
“I… I’ll take you there right away.”
Li Xiao was being held in the woodshed.
When Shen Xia arrived, he was in the middle of fighting several men.
His attacks were vicious, every punch landing with brutal force. Blood covered the backs of his hands, and the injuries on his body had worsened considerably.
The guards lying on the ground were in even worse condition. Every one of them had been knocked unconscious.
Qianzhu let out a frightened scream.
“He attacked people! Is he trying to escape? I’ll go get help!”
“Be quiet, don’t make a sound. Wait outside.”
Shen Xia’s voice turned cold as she gave the order.
Qianzhu looked conflicted, but in the end, she could only grit her teeth and retreat outside to stand guard.
Meanwhile, Li Xiao knocked down the last guard, though his own body swayed dangerously afterward.
Shen Xia hurried over and caught him before he fell.
“Have you lost your mind? None of these men are weak. Fighting them will expose you.”
Her voice carried both helplessness and anxiety.
“You…”
Li Xiao looked up at her in shock.
When he saw that she did not appear to have suffered any serious harm, he immediately let out a breath of relief.
But the moment he realized what he had done, his expression turned cold again.
He shoved her away forcefully.
“What right do you have to interfere in my affairs? Stay away from me.”
Naturally, Shen Xia had not missed the relieved look that had flashed across his face.
Suddenly enlightened, she said, “You were worried about me? You fought these people because you wanted to escape and save me, didn’t you?”
“How is that possible? You’re dreaming! Why would I want to save a vicious woman like you? I… I wish you’d die!”
Clenching his fists, Li Xiao furiously denied it.
Seeing his flushed face, Shen Xia nodded knowingly.
“Oh? Fine then. If you say it’s impossible, then it’s impossible.”
“It’s not just because I said so. It really is impossible!”
Li Xiao protested angrily once more.
“Yes, yes. Everything you say is right.”
Shen Xia nodded again.
“You…”
“Enough! At this rate, you’ll bleed to death from all this arguing.”
She directly tore a strip from her skirt and wrapped it around the wound on his arm.
Watching her carefully bandage him, Li Xiao’s expression changed repeatedly. His eyes darkened again and again.
Awkwardly, he muttered, “Are you trying to scheme against me again?”
Shen Xia was about to explain when she suddenly sensed something.
Immediately, she reached out and pulled him into her arms.
One hand pressed against the back of his head as she spoke gently.
“It’s alright now. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Li Xiao’s mind exploded with a loud buzz.
Since he was shorter than her, that position pressed his head directly against her chest.
Had she completely lost her mind?
At a loss for what to do, he instinctively wanted to push her away, but Shen Xia held him even tighter.
“Shh, someone’s there. Don’t move.”
She lowered her voice to warn him.
“You don’t need to worry about me. Prefect Murong only held my father responsible. The rest had nothing to do with me, so he let me come back.”
She deliberately raised her voice as she spoke.
After waiting for quite some time and confirming that the figure lurking by the corner wall had finally left, she released him with a sigh of relief.
“Li Xiao, you…”
She had intended to say something, but then she noticed that Li Xiao’s entire face had turned crimson. Even the tips of his ears looked as though they had been stained with blood.
“Are… are you alright?” she asked strangely.