Xin Jiuwei's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand! The conditions he offered struck at all her vulnerabilities! Her brother's future, her sister's innocence, the revival of her family... each of these was something she was willing to risk her life to protect in this second life! He used these as bait, throwing them precisely at her, making her unable to resist even though she knew it was a trap!

However, the word "need" sent a chill down her spine.

Today, Xiao Xun no longer has any Gu poison in her body; she is no longer Xin Jiuwei who holds the antidote.

He lured her to the capital, away from the Xin family's territory in Yingzhou and the protection of her grandparents and elder brothers outside Yuncheng. In this vast and turbulent capital, the lies she told him back then became the truth.

She was truly surrounded by enemies and in a difficult situation.

What else does he need her for? What does she have left that he can use?

To be an even more important pawn on his power struggle? She never expected Xiao Xunjing to think so highly of her.

"Your Highness has quite the audacity." Xin Jiuwei suppressed the turmoil in her heart, forcing herself to remain calm. "A powerful backer? The Xin family is of humble origin; I fear we cannot bear the weight of Your Highness's 'mountain.' As for what we need..."

A cold smile curved her lips, filled with undisguised sarcasm. "What Your Highness needs is something that many noble ladies would flock to. Why force yourself on a girl from a lowly family who is adept at currying favor?"

She deliberately emphasized the words Princess Yongjia used to humiliate her.

Xiao Xun's gaze darkened slightly. He naturally sensed the barb in her words, as well as the deep-seated resistance within them.

He remained silent for a moment, then gently placed the butterfly-shaped earring back between the pages of the book, closing it with a strange sense of reverence.

“Since I returned to the capital, countless people have flocked to me.” He raised his eyes, his gaze locking onto her again, his voice low and clear, “but not one of them is you, Xin Jiuwei.”

"The waters of the capital are deeper and more murky than you imagine. You alone cannot protect the Xin family, nor can you protect yourself." He took a step forward, and the distance between them suddenly closed. His cold, pine-black aura forcefully invaded Xin Jiuwei's breath.

“Yongjia has been humiliated today, and given her temperament, she will never let this go. Tomorrow’s banquet on the lake,” he said, staring at her slightly constricted pupils, “is the first test she has set for you.”

He took a step back, creating some distance, and his tone returned to its usual indifference: "Do you choose to continue being a rootless duckweed, at the mercy of others, dragging down your brother far away in the north; or do you seize the vine I've offered and gamble on a chance to turn things around..." He paused, leaving endless space, "Miss Xin is a smart woman, she should know how to choose."

Xin Jiuwei sneered: "I can't get involved in this mess, so I'll go back to Yingzhou. Do you think I have to stay in the capital?"

Xiao Xun's gaze darkened slightly. "Perhaps you don't understand Yongjia enough."

"Yingzhou is not far away. If she wants to make things difficult for you, where can you escape to?"

Silence fell over the study once more, broken only by the occasional crackling of the candlelight. Xiao Xun's words were like cold stones, each one crashing into Xin Jiuwei's heart, stirring up a stormy sea. Her brother's safety, Yongjia's revenge, his blatant manipulation and equally blatant seduction... countless thoughts clashed wildly in her mind.

In the end, all the struggle, anger, and humiliation were suppressed by a stronger, colder determination. The last trace of emotion in her eyes subsided, leaving only a hardness and resolve like jade.

She didn't answer, but instead slowly curtsied to Xiao Xun. Her movements were precise and her posture respectful, yet it revealed a cold, hard edge, as if everything was about to be destroyed.

"Your Highness's teachings are etched in my heart." Her voice was calm and even. "If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

After speaking, without waiting for Xiao Xun's response, she turned around, opened the door, and resolutely walked out. Her slender figure stood straight, disappearing into the deepening night outside the door.

Xiao Xun stood rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the empty doorway. After a long while, he slowly walked back to his desk and sat down, his fingers unconsciously tracing the spine of the copy of "Commentary on the Waterways Classic" he had just read. The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his face, and his unfathomable eyes churned with complex emotions that even he himself couldn't fully comprehend. Calculation? Yes. Exploitation? That was also true. But the fleeting glint in her eyes for Xin Yunzhou, and that final, solitary, cold figure, pierced the depths of his hardened heart like a tiny thorn.

He closed his eyes and tapped his knuckles lightly on the cold desk.

The next day, at Taiye Pond in Xiyuan.

The royal pleasure boat, with its ornate beams and painted rafters, glides slowly across the gently rippling autumn lake. The weeping willows along the shore have turned golden, their reflections shimmering in the clear water. Yet, the atmosphere on the boat is far less delightful than the autumn scenery itself.

Xin Jiuwei sat alone in a relatively secluded corner at the stern of the boat, a nearly untouched cup of tea before her. Xin Kui stood quietly behind her, her eyes warily scanning the noble ladies around them who appeared to be admiring the scenery but were actually casting probing or disdainful glances at her from time to time. Xin Kui was also dressed in proper maid's attire today, but the composure and sharpness between her brows, weathered by life, made her stand out among the many servants.

Princess Yongjia was naturally the center of attention during the lake excursion. Dressed in a magnificent palace gown embroidered with gold peonies, she was surrounded by a group of noble ladies, like a proud peacock. The humiliation she suffered at the Sixth Prince's residence yesterday clearly hadn't subsided; instead, it festered in her heart like poison. Her gaze, like an icy knife, repeatedly scraped across the spot where Xin Jiuwei stood.

"Oh my, isn't this Miss Xin San?" Princess Yongjia finally couldn't contain herself any longer. Surrounded by several noble ladies, she swayed over gracefully, her voice rising with feigned surprise. "Why are you sitting here alone? Have we failed to entertain you properly, making you feel bored, Miss Xin San?" As she spoke, her gaze swept contemptuously over Xin Jiuwei's elegant dress and simple hair ornaments. "Indeed, the games we sisters in the capital play with—poetry, songs, sightseeing, and tea tasting—are probably not worthy of Miss Xin San's attention. After all..." She deliberately dragged out her words, her voice not loud, but loud enough for everyone at the nearby tables to hear clearly, "Miss Xin San's 'talent' lies elsewhere."

The surroundings fell silent instantly, all eyes turned to them, filled with the excitement of watching a good show.

Xin Kui's eyes suddenly turned cold. She took half a step forward, but was stopped by Xin Jiuwei with a very subtle gesture.

Xin Jiuwei slowly raised her head, a faint smile even on her face, calmly meeting Princess Yongjia's provocative gaze: "Your Highness flatters me. Jiuwei is but a humble person; to be able to board this painted boat is already a stroke of luck, how could I dare to be critical? As for my abilities," she paused slightly, her gaze clear and frank, "I ask myself, have I acted uprightly, sat honestly, and have no shame before Heaven or man? I wonder what Your Highness means by 'other abilities'?"