Jealousy and anger

Li Yin first looked at the bamboo, then turned his gaze back to Qi Shixu.

Qi Shixu then turned around and gently pushed open the door to another room.

With a creak, the door opened, revealing a long corridor. Unlike the vibrant scene outside the window, it was desolate and barren, separated from the bamboo by a railing, yet resembling a desert, devoid of any life, with even the walkway covered in sand.

This is?

She looked at Qi Shixu, who then walked over. Li Yin quickly followed. One can observe a person by observing their surroundings; this person, living in such a place, must be a lonely individual.

After turning a corner in the long corridor, you can go deep into the bamboo forest. Everything is green, with shadows cast through the bamboo. Light falls on the ground and onto your body, and warmth spreads from the ground to your body.

The wind was clear and gentle, and her clothes fluttered slightly with her movements. She followed Qi Shixu and soon arrived at the place she had observed from the window. Behind the bamboo grove, a man was sitting on a chair. He had a kind face, a beard, and wore a dark green outfit.

Noticing someone's arrival, he slightly opened his eyes, looked at Qi Shixu, and said, "This matter involves too many things, and you are still too inexperienced."

After he finished speaking, he slightly raised his head to look at Li Yin. When he saw Li Yin, he narrowed his eyes and asked, "Are you the Li family's daughter?"

Li Yin stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "Yes, more than a hundred members of the Li family have been wronged. Please, sir, seek justice for the Li family."

Lin Zhaoshan stared at Li Yin with a serious expression. He frowned and asked, "Who is Li Qinglu to you?"

Li Yin was puzzled, but answered truthfully, "This junior does not know who this person is."

Lin Zhaoshan stared intently at Li Yin, carefully observing her features, then paused and said, "You shouldn't be unaware."

He stood up and walked to Li Yin's side. He looked at Li Yin's face and into her eyes. A trace of emotion that Li Yin could not understand was revealed in his eyes, because that emotion was not directed at her, but rather something he wanted to convey to someone else through her. He sighed softly and then said, "I'll take the matter."

Qi Shixu lowered his head when he heard the first sentence. Lin Zhaoshan cared about him in everything and didn't like him getting involved in big cases to avoid getting into trouble. He guessed that this matter was probably hopeless.

But what followed really surprised him. This was the first time in eighteen years that his master had taken on a case on his own initiative, so he looked up in shock.

Lin Zhaoshan turned slightly, stroked his beard at Qi Shixu, and laughed, "You lad, you know how to pick people."

Upon hearing this, Qi Shixu blushed. He turned his head away, not daring to look at Li Yin, and whispered, "Miss Li, you are already married."

Lin Zhaoshan paused slightly as he stroked his beard. He looked at Qi Shixu again, but addressed Li Yin, saying, "May I ask what your husband's name is, young lady?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yin truthfully replied, "The Wen family."

Lin Zhaoshan suddenly turned to look at Li Yin, stopped what he was doing, and stared at Li Yin, asking, "The Wen family of the capital?"

Li Yin nodded. Lin Zhaoshan was taken aback at first, his hand trembling slightly. He asked with a hint of reluctance, "But... the Wen family, Wen Youqing?"

Li Yin nodded as usual, while Lin Zhaoshan's expression was complicated. He murmured, "Indeed, fate is hard to defy."

"Is fate hard to defy?" Li Yin asked. Today's events were all very strange to her. Who exactly was He Jing? What was going on between her and Wen Youqing? And who was Li Qinglu?

Some things are about to surface, and a grand scheme is about to unfold...

Lin Zhaoshan did not continue on this topic but changed the subject, saying, "The matter of the Li family involves many things. I have already taken over the matter, and I will send Shixu to find you soon."

Upon hearing this, Li Yin was about to bow again to express her gratitude, but before she could even slightly bend her knees, someone took her arm. Lin Zhaoshan gently shook his head and said, "This case of yours was requested by Shi Xu. If you really want to thank me, you should thank him properly."

Upon hearing this, Li Yin turned to Qi Shixu to bow, but before she could bend her knees, Lin Zhaoshan stopped her with a smile, saying, "Instead of thanking someone, why not treat them to a meal?"

Li Yin didn't wait a moment, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Alright."

Lin Zhaoshan said, "Since that's the case, why not do it today?" Qi Shixu stood to the side, looking at his master. His cheeks were red, and he was too nervous to say a word. He also lowered his head and dared not look at Li Yin, for fear of overstepping his bounds. He always kept his distance.

Looking at his somewhat disappointing apprentice, Lin Zhaoshan said, "The Spring Breeze Delights with its exquisite dishes and renowned Kuaiyi Pavilion is famous far and wide. How about we go to Kuaiyi Pavilion?"

Li Yin readily agreed: "Okay."

After settling on the location, the two walked out under Lin Zhaoshan's watchful eye. Upon reaching the door, a carriage was already prepared.

Qi Shixu went up ahead of Li Yin. Li Yin had been hesitant, but now that the die was cast, she had no choice but to lift her skirt and slowly walk up.

She had barely stepped on the ground, before she could even put any force into it, when the horse suddenly lifted its hoof, turning the flat ground into a slope. She lost her footing and fell forward. Just as Li Yin was wondering where to grab on, someone reached out and pulled her into the carriage.

Before Li Yin could react, she heard a soft groan. She looked up and saw the person mutter in a hoarse voice, "Don't move."

Upon hearing this, Li Yin stopped moving, and Qi Shixu continued in a hoarse voice, "Miss Li, your hairpin..."

Li Yin was confused. What happened to her hairpin? She remained still, waiting for Qi Shixu to speak.

Qi Shixu sighed and said, "The hairpin has fallen, and it's now in my hands."

Li Yin turned his head slightly to look, when suddenly, someone grabbed Li Yin's hand that was slightly exposed on the carriage. The person lightly hooked the fingertips and probed the palm. Seeing that Li Yin was unmoved, the person grabbed his wrist, pulled him up, and suddenly pulled him out of the carriage.

Qi Shixu reached out to stop Li Yin, when a long sword gleaming with cold light lifted the curtain, revealing a corner of the curtain and the handsome face of the person outside the carriage.

The man raised an eyebrow at Qi Shixu, then smiled disdainfully, his eyes filled with provocation. Qi Shixu's outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air, while her other hand tightly gripped Li Yin's hairpin.

Wen Youqing pulled him out, then used his arm to pull Li Yin onto the horse. Before Li Yin could react, he kissed Li Yin wildly and rudely.

Li Yin instinctively tried to dodge, but a cold sword was pressed against his neck. Wen Youqing said, "Don't dodge."

Upon hearing this, Li Yin knew she was in the wrong, as her contact with Qi Shixu had been too intimate. Therefore, she stopped moving and followed Wen Youqing's wishes.

The horse swayed, and the sword lightly grazed Li Yin's neck, leaving a shallow but slightly bleeding mark.

When Wen Youqing saw the bloodstains on Li Yin's slender neck, his eyes darkened. Qi Shixu raised her hand to lift the curtain to return the hairpin and saw Wen Youqing staring at Li Yin's neck.

Upon seeing him, Wen Youqing smiled. He pulled Li Yin closer, tossed the sword aside, raised his hand, and gently brushed his fingertips across Li Yin's neck. He lifted a strand of Li Yin's hair and licked the faint bloodstain on Li Yin's neck.

Li Yin suddenly felt a moist, itchy sensation on his neck. The man's breathing was disordered, and his heat lingered around his neck. Li Yin immediately realized what this was and froze on the spot. The ends of their black hair intertwined and entwined.

Her face flushed, and she lowered her eyes, neither refusing nor yielding, but letting Wen Youqing do as she pleased.

Li Yin told himself that she was just making amends to Wen Youqing... making amends, making amends for the fact that she, as his wife, had stayed with other people and disgraced the Wen family's reputation.

Qi Shixu took in all of this, and he hesitated to lower the curtain or let go of the hand holding Li Yin's hairpin.

Wen Youqing was quite satisfied with Li Yin's submissive attitude. He let go of Li Yin's mouth, stuck out his tongue to lick away the bloodstains left on the corner of his mouth from Li Yin's neck, and smiled at Qi Shixu. His smile was arrogant, as if he were mocking Qi Shixu.

"Don't fantasize about people you shouldn't be thinking about," Wen Youqing said with a smile.

Qi Shixu remained silent as he lowered the curtain he had been holding up.

Seeing this, Wen Youqing leaned down to Li Yin's ear, chuckled, and said, "I thought this person was some kind of scoundrel, that you would deliberately ignore someone like me."

Li Yinwei said angrily, "Wen Youqing."

Wen Youqing gently kissed Li Yin's ear and said, "What, you won't let me say it? Li Yin, you are indeed neglecting me."

Li Yin reached out to push Wen Youqing's head away, only to see the other person calmly kiss Li Yin's ear, all the way to his palm.

Wen Youqing reined in her horse and pushed off with her foot, causing the horse to gallop away at high speed. The horse's hem fluttered, and Li Yin instantly fell into Wen Youqing's arms.

Wen Youqing galloped on her horse along a narrow path with sparse houses and a wide road. As she traveled, she occasionally passed a small temple. In the temple courtyard stood an ancient, enormous peach tree with its trunk twisted together and its branches showing through rows of marks.

Li Yin gazed at the tree that flashed by and looked toward the courtyard where the tree was located.

Before long, the two arrived at the Wen residence. Li Yin was being held by Wen Youqing. Just as Li Yin thought he could put her down, Wen Youqing dismounted and carried her off the horse onto her shoulder.

The maids were startled by the sight, but Bi Hai, who stood guard at the door, remained calm, unlike the others.

Li Yin gently punched Wen Youqing, and she whispered, "That's enough."

Wen Youqing smiled upon hearing this, and said to Bi Hai, who was following beside him, "Report to Madam that Madam Wen has returned. Tell her not to worry too much."

Upon hearing this, Li Yin raised her head slightly and immediately looked at Bi Hai. She felt a little guilty. Bi Hai didn't say anything, but waited for Wen Youqing to finish her instructions before turning and leaving.

Li Yin was quickly led by Wen Youqing to a distant room. After going around the gate and crossing a small bridge, they pushed open the door and entered. Wen Youqing then threw Li Yin onto the bed.