Helian Jue's question, "What do you have to say?" landed like an ice bead on the silent stone floor of the bedchamber, carrying a weight that could decide life or death. The pressure instantly settled on Su Nian.

A smug glint flashed in Yun Ji's eyes, while Alai lowered his head, a slight, barely suppressed smile playing on his lips. They were both waiting to see how this arrogant Southern Xia slave would defend himself, or how he would be convicted.

'Here it comes! The classic palace intrigue trope: caught red-handed! Is it my turn to plead my innocence and get dragged out for a beating?' Su Nian's mind raced with thoughts, but her brain was working at breakneck speed. Explain? In this blatant frame-up, it would be weak and ineffective, only enraging Helian Jue or giving Yun Ji and Alai more excuses to attack. Beg for mercy? Even less likely; that would only make her appear weak and easily bullied, hastening her demise.

In a flash, Su Nian made a decision.

She didn't look at Yun Ji, nor at A Lai, and didn't even rush to defend herself. She simply shifted her gaze from the tattered leather armor, slowly raised her head, and met Helian Jue's deep, unfathomable eyes. Her gaze remained calm, without fear or resentment, only a clear, almost serene acceptance.

She slightly curtsied, performing a standard courtly gesture of respect characteristic of the Southern Xia dynasty. Her movements were elegant, utterly out of place in this wild royal court, yet somehow carried an air of unyielding authority. Then, she spoke in her still somewhat halting but clearly fluent Jie language, her voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears:

“Your Majesty, this leather armor has a thin, old crack on the inside of the cuff near the armpit, which must have been caused by previous wear and tear. Just now, when I was tidying it up, I was about to report this to Steward Alai and ask if it needed to be repaired.”

Instead of admitting she didn't tear it, she pointed out an objectively existing and easily overlooked detail—an old tear that already existed! She also mentioned that she was about to report it! This directly shifted Yun Ji's accusation of "clumsily tearing it on the spot" towards "unreported old damage" and "management negligence"!

Yun Ji's smug expression froze instantly.

Alai suddenly looked up, staring at Su Nian in disbelief, then subconsciously glanced at the leather armor.

Helian Jue's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly as his gaze fell on the leather armor.

Su Nian continued calmly, her tone even carrying a perfectly appropriate hint of a "dutiful slave": "When I was in Nanxia, ​​I saw the palace craftsmen repair such leather damage. If Your Majesty allows, I may try to repair it. Although my skills are not as exquisite as those of the Jie craftsmen, I may be able to make some improvements and not waste this fine leather armor."

Instead of aggressively blaming Yun Ji, she shifted the focus to "solving the problem." At the same time, she subtly brought up the background of the "Southern Xia court," implying that she was not without talent.

An eerie silence fell over the bedchamber.

Yun Ji realized what was happening and shrieked, "You're lying! You're the one who tore it! And you're still trying to deny it!"

Alai quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty is wise! These clothes arrived in perfect condition! This slave must be lying!"

Su Nian stopped speaking and simply stood there quietly, looking calmly at Helian Jue. She knew that further words were useless at this moment; the decision rested entirely with that man.

Helian Jue ignored Yun Ji and Alai's chatter. He stood up and walked to Su Nian, his tall figure exuding a strong sense of oppression. He reached out, not to take the leather armor, but with his fingertips, he lightly touched the area Su Nian had just mentioned—the inside of the cuff near the armpit.

The leather there was indeed thinner than elsewhere, with an extremely fine, slightly darker line that was easily missed without close inspection. It was clearly an old scratch caused by long-term friction and use, completely different from the brand-new, rough tear that Yun Ji had made.

Helian Jue's fingertips lingered on the old scar for a moment, then slowly moved to the new crack. His movements were slow, carrying a sense of scrutiny.

Yunji and Alai were both on tenterhooks.

Finally, Helian Jue withdrew his hand. He turned around, his gaze like a cold blade, first sweeping over the pale-faced Alai:

"The inspection of the inner palace's clothing was inadequate, a dereliction of duty. Go and receive ten lashes yourself."

Alai trembled, his face turning deathly pale, but he dared not offer any explanation, stammering, "Yes...yes, Your Majesty," before scrambling out of the room.

Then, Helian Jue's gaze fell on Yun Ji, whose face had turned pale. He showed no emotion, but it made Yun Ji feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

"Spreading rumors and disturbing the peace." His tone was calm, but every word was like a hammer blow. "You are confined for half a month and are not allowed to step out of your tent without my order."

Yun Ji's legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground. Tears welled up instantly, but she dared not cry out loud. She could only choke out her gratitude and be helped away by the maid who came in.

After dealing with the two, Helian Jue turned his attention back to Su Nian, who had stood calmly the entire time.

He looked at her, for a long time. In those dark eyes, there was no longer complete indifference, but a faint, elusive...inquiry.

"You can repair leather armor?" he asked, his tone unreadable.

Su Nian felt a chill run down her spine, knowing that the real test was only just beginning. She cautiously replied, "This servant only knows some rudimentary methods and cannot guarantee that I can be fully restored."

Helian Jue stared at her, then suddenly tugged at the corners of his mouth, a smile devoid of any warmth: "Fine."

He pointed to the tattered leather armor: "I'll give you one day."

"If you fix it well, I will forgive you for this 'negligence'."

“If it can’t be repaired…” He paused, his voice suddenly turning cold, filled with chilling killing intent, “you will be punished for both crimes, and you will go to accompany those slaves in the gladiatorial arena. If you survive one of them, you will be lucky to live.”

Carrying the tattered leather armor, a matter of life and death, back to her small courtyard, Su Nian realized her back was soaked in cold sweat. Just now, she had truly walked through the gates of hell.

[Host! So cool! Calm under pressure, turning the tables! This system is thrilled! 100 points awarded!] 088 exclaimed excitedly. [But host, you really know how to mend leather armor? This isn't as simple as sterilizing gauze! You might really have to go to the arena and fight some tough guys!]

Su Nian laid the leather armor out on the table, carefully examining the tear. She thought to herself, 'I have to learn! You think all those historical materials and documentaries about ancient crafts I watched were for nothing? Even though I haven't made one myself, I understand the basic principles.'

She recalled the materials she had read about leather processing. 'The key was cleaning, softening, stitching, and the final finishing. In this era, without modern glue and specialized tools, only the most primitive methods could be used.'

She first drew clean well water, and then carefully cleaned the stains and bloodstains around the crack (which were on Batu when he was injured) with a soft cloth that had been boiled and sterilized, to prevent further decay.

Then, she found Alai—who had just been whipped ten times and was lying on the bed groaning. When she saw Su Nian come in, her eyes were filled with hatred and fear. Under the pretext that the king had ordered the use of materials, she endured her discomfort and asked for some things: animal fat (to soften leather), the finest bone needles, and twisted tough animal tendons (to be used as sutures).

Alai dared not refuse, but the resentment in his eyes was almost overflowing.

After receiving the materials, Su Nian carefully applied animal fat to the edges of the leather tears, especially to the areas that had hardened, allowing it to soften slowly and regain some of its resilience. This process required patience and time.

Next came the crucial step: suturing. Using bone needles threaded through the animal sinew, she mimicked the intradermal suturing technique used in modern surgery, inserting the needle from the inside of the leather as much as possible to hide the stitches within, resulting in a smoother appearance. Each stitch required immense patience and precise force, aligning and tightening the tear without over-tears the already fragile leather.

Her fingers were quickly blistered from the rough bone needles and animal sinews, but she was oblivious, her entire focus concentrated on the subtle sensations at her fingertips and the direction of the needle stitches. Sweat trickled down her forehead, but she didn't bother to wipe it away.

[Host, focus at 120%! Your hands are as steady as a surgical robot! This system gives you a thumbs up!] 088 unusually refrained from making jokes.

As darkness fell, Su Nian lit an oil lamp and, by its dim light, continued sewing, stitch by stitch. When the last tear was carefully aligned and tightly sewn together, she was almost exhausted.

But that wasn't all. She wiped away the excess grease with a clean, soft cloth, then placed the repaired leather nail in a well-ventilated area to air dry. It couldn't be exposed to direct sunlight, otherwise the leather would harden and crack again.

After finishing all this, the sky outside the window was filled with stars. Su Nian was so tired that she could barely straighten her back, and her fingers ached terribly, but looking at the leather armor that, although still scarred, had been largely restored, she felt a little more at ease.

'The rest is up to fate,' she thought wearily.

The next day, Su Nian, carrying the repaired leather armor, once again came to Helian Jue's bedroom to await his summons.

Her heart remained heavy. Although she had tried her best, the limitations of craftsmanship and materials in this era meant the repairs were still clearly visible. Would Helian Jue be satisfied? Or would he feel that the crude repairs had tarnished his clothes?

Helian Jue had just finished his morning training, dressed in a thin cloth robe, his forehead glistening with sweat, radiating a vibrant energy and a wild, untamed power. He saw Su Nian and the leather armor in her hand and gestured for her to come closer.

He picked up the leather armor, his sharp eyes scrutinizing the stitched wound. His fingers traced the fine, hidden stitches beneath the skin, and he felt the softness and firmness of the leather at the repair site.

Su Nian stood below with her head bowed, able to clearly hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

After a long while, Helian Jue casually tossed the leather armor onto the couch beside him, his expression unreadable.

"The craftsmanship is rough," he commented casually.

Su Nian's heart sank.

However, his next words made Su Nian suddenly raise her head.

"But she's clever and bold enough." He looked at her with deep eyes, "She knows how to use others' strengths against them, and she also knows how to seize opportunities to prove her worth."

He walked to the window, looking at the rising sun outside, his back to Su Nian, his voice calm and even:

"From today onwards, you will also be responsible for tidying up the inner room of my study."

Su Nian's pupils contracted slightly. The inner room of the study! That was a more central area than the outer room, usually storing more important things, even… confidential documents? Was Helian Jue… testing the waters further? Or was he truly beginning to show a sliver of trust?

“Also,” Helian Jue turned around, his gaze falling on her fingers, which were wrapped in bandages and faintly bleeding, his tone unchanged, “go find the witch doctor and get some medicine for your wounds.”

After saying that, he waved his hand, indicating that she could leave.

Su Nian suppressed the turmoil in her heart and bowed respectfully: "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."

She left the bedchamber, walking in the cool morning air, feeling as if she were dreaming. She had not only weathered the crisis, but it seemed... she had also gained an opportunity to get closer to the heart of power?

However, before she could think it through, a guard hurried over and said to her, "His Majesty has ordered you to pack your things and accompany him to the Western Hill Hunting Grounds."

Hunting grounds? Hunting grounds?

Su Nian hesitated for a moment, then agreed. Watching the guard's departing figure, a bad feeling rose in her heart.

Helian Jue's sudden decision to take her to the hunting grounds was definitely not just a simple matter of having her serve him.

It seems that a new test, or rather, a new crisis, is already waiting for her.

(End of Chapter 102)