Chapter 38 A Glimmer of Hope: But the person's face was covered by a black iron mask...

"Return to the residence."

Huang Yan boarded the carriage with a cold expression, but the coachman hesitated: "Miss, isn't Miss Lin coming with you?"

But the next moment, a slap landed on the coachman's face. Huang Yan was the daughter of a military general, so she was naturally not an ordinary delicate noble lady.

The driver's face swelled up so badly from the slap that he dared not utter another word.

Lifting the carriage curtain and gazing at the villa in the pouring rain, Huang Yan's eyes flashed with a faint apology, but it vanished in an instant.

"Every man for himself, or the world will destroy him. Ah Zhi, may you have good fortune."

The nailed window made a series of loud banging noises, but the person who did it was too weak to budge it at all.

Lu Jue looked at Lin Zhi leisurely in the spot where Lin Zhi had just stood up, as if watching a cornered rabbit. He glanced at the letter that was supposed to be delivered to Pei Lang, then tore it into pieces.

"Miss Lin, Pei Lang is now a rat that everyone in the court hates. Why won't you give up?"

"You should be ashamed to have a cousin like that."

Lin Zhi pressed herself tightly against the window, trying her best to keep the greatest distance from this person, but even so, the two were only half a room apart.

Her vision was blurry and her throat was extremely dry; the incense seemed to be making her weak and trembling.

Behind her, the wind and rain pounded against the window; the slightly damp and cool touch kept her somewhat conscious, but it was far from enough.

As Lin Zhi spoke with difficulty, she took the opportunity to remove the ornaments from her body: "Your Highness... Lin Zhi is just a commoner girl with nothing outstanding about her."

"With a status and demeanor like the young master, what kind of woman couldn't he have? Why waste his energy on a commoner like me?"

A sharp pain shot through her palm, but Lin Zhi felt a startled pleasure. The pain made her vision clearer, and she gradually calmed down.

It seems that Lu Jue had planned this all along; there wasn't even a single heavy ornament in the room, probably because he was scared of Lu Jue after being beaten by me last time.

But Lu Jue threw down what he was holding, stood up and approached her: "This is my villa. If you like it, it will become a kindergarten in the future."

"If you obey me, the position of my concubine will still be yours, and I will forgive and forget the past."

Lin Zhi tried to run, but her legs gave way and she fell to the ground, watching helplessly as Lu Jue's hand touched her cheek, smooth and cold, like a venomous snake crawling on it.

“Azhi, Pei Lang is finished. You have no one to rely on anymore.”

"Look at this, your aunt wants to marry you off to a lowly official. Even if you do marry him, he's just a sixth-rank official, and I, the young master, could crush him with one hand."

"Your friend willingly handed you over to me, who else can you trust?"

Lu Jue's fingers traced the contours of her cheek, as if admiring a delicate piece of porcelain.

Lin Zhi trembled violently, managing only a forced smile: "Your Highness's kindness is too much for me to bear..."

Upon being rejected, Lu Jue's expression suddenly turned cold, and he raised his foot to kick Lin Zhi's shoulder.

A sharp pain swept through her entire body. In a daze, Lin Zhi thought her shoulder bones were about to break. She lay on the ground for a long time before finally catching her breath, only to be pulled up by her long hair.

"You slut, do you really think you're some kind of amazing woman?"

"I am only giving you face today because I think highly of you."

"Don't forget that Pei Lang broke one of my arms back then. How about you repay me with yours today?"

Lin Zhi's thin shoulders were gripped in his hands, but just as he was about to exert force, he was interrupted by a rapid knocking on the door.

"Get out of my way!"

Lu Jue's eyes were filled with malice; he had already instructed that no one was to disturb him today.

But the servant outside was extremely anxious: "Young Master, there are people from the Dali Temple outside! I don't know why Minister Xie came here, but he insists that a fugitive has entered our courtyard!"

"Xie Zheng?"

Lu Jue frowned, looked down at Lin Zhi, and his expression became even more unpleasant.

After a long silence, he stuffed a cloth into her mouth and said, "Lock the door for me, and don't let anyone in."

Lin Zhi lay on the cold ground, her heart pounding wildly. It was Chun Tao who had delivered the note to Xie Zheng! Luckily, she hadn't forgotten to keep a backup plan before leaving.

She was so weak that she couldn't even sit up and remove the cloth!

Hearing faint sounds of arguing coming from outside the door, Lin Zhi struggled to get up from the ground, trying to make some noise, but the things she threw made only light, barely audible movements.

She almost couldn't hear Xie Zheng, let alone make him hear her.

Growing increasingly anxious, he moved to the door and pounded on it with all his might.

Xie Zheng stared at the young Marquis Lu who was blocking his way, feeling somewhat impatient but unable to show it.

“Young Marquis, I am only acting under orders today. If I fail to capture this fugitive, I fear the palace will punish me.”

"Please do me this favor."

Xie Zheng's sharp eyes swept across the room, noticing that one of the doors was locked. He stared at the lock and strode over.

"Please open the door, young lord, so that I may have a look."

Lu Jue, however, leaned against the door with his arms crossed: "This is my private residence. Everything here naturally belongs to me. Is Young Master Xie trying to force his way in?"

Even though Lu Jue didn't stop him, Xie Zheng still hesitated. The palace was currently in turmoil, and Marquis Lu held considerable military power. If he were to seize power one day, Xie Zheng feared he wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.

Xie Zheng gripped the scabbard tightly with his large hand hanging at his side, his upright back slightly hunched. Lu Jue chuckled and turned to leave, but just as he turned his head, he heard a loud bang.

Xie Zheng kicked the locked door open!

Dust flew up along with the rickety half-door, choking Lu Jue so much that he raised his hand to cover his mouth and nose.

"Xie Zheng, how dare you!"

Xie Zheng could not forget Lin Zhi's tearful eyes. His first reaction upon receiving the note was to come, abandoning everything else.

At that moment, he realized that he seemed to have fallen for her.

The door was wide open, but inside were just some lifeless objects that had been sealed away for many years and covered in a thin layer of dust.

After a deathly silence, Lu Jue sneered, "The door is now open, why doesn't Young Master Xie have someone investigate thoroughly?"

"If I have truly harbored any fugitive, then give me a sword right here, so that I may give the palace and my father an explanation."

Xie Zheng's face was stiff. The furnishings inside the room were completely visible, and it didn't look like a place where people could hide. Could it be that he misunderstood Lin Zhi's meaning?

But since things had come to this, Xie Zheng had no choice but to bite the bullet and let his men search the place, which naturally yielded nothing.

"So, Young Master Xie, do you want me to leave all the doors open for you to investigate?"

His large hand, gripping his sword, was white at the knuckles. Xie Zheng bowed stiffly, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. I was presumptuous today. In that case, I shall take my leave..."

Two soft "bang" sounds came from the room at the other end, seemingly mixed with other noises. Xie Zheng had excellent hearing and realized that someone was talking.

"This is......"

"This is my newly acquired concubine. If Minister Xie still wishes to investigate, he may go and see for himself!"

As he spoke, Lu Jue strode over as if to unlock the door, but Xie Zheng followed and stopped him, saying, "No need."

“If the young marquis speaks, I will naturally trust him.”

"Farewell."

Watching Xie Zheng leave in a grand procession, Lu Jue's nonchalant gaze gradually turned cold. He unlocked the door and stared down at Lin Zhi, who was trying to make a sound.

The girl's cheeks were flushed and burning hot, and she slumped weakly on the ground, looking utterly pathetic.

Lu Jue lifted the hem of his robe and stepped into the room, locking the door from the inside.

"You slut! Seducing Pei Mingli wasn't enough, you've also hooked up with Xie Zheng?"

"How dare a mere junior official investigate my villa, Lu Jue's residence! I'll beat you to death today, or I'm no longer Lu!"

The pain was so intense it felt like her very bones were being torn apart. Lin Zhi felt as if her mind was being dragged into a state of extreme heat and cold, being tormented back and forth. Even so, she bit her lip until it bled, and with trembling hands, she unbuttoned her collar, revealing her delicate and straight collarbone.

Lu Jue stopped moving.

He calmed his breathing and admired the beautiful scene of the woman being tortured. He leaned down and became more patient: "That's the right way to think it through. As long as you obey me, I will give you whatever you want."

Lin Zhiwei parted her red lips and uttered a sentence that trembled as if it were the most beautiful words on a branch.

"What?"

Unable to hear her clearly, Lu Jue leaned even closer.

"I said, I want your eyes, will you give them to me?"

Lu Jue's expression changed. He thought Lin Zhi had run out of strength and had given in, but he underestimated her and didn't have time to dodge. A golden hairpin pierced his right eye!

"ah!"

After pulling out the gold hairpin, Lin Zhi's hands went limp and she closed her eyes. Her thin eyelids trembled slightly uncontrollably as she felt the warm touch of blood splattering on her face, yet she felt an immense sense of pleasure.

"You wretch! Help! Help me, quick!"

"My eyes!"

Lu Jue was in so much pain that he couldn't straighten up. He lay on the ground, clutching his wound and rolling around, trying to get up. However, because of his injured eye, he couldn't maintain his balance and stumbled, his clothes stained with blood.

The unusual commotion attracted the servants, but Lu Jue had locked the door tightly himself, and chaos ensued outside.

Lin Zhi got up from the ground and wiped the bloodstains on her skirt. The torn hem of her skirt was stained with blood, like a bewitching flower in bloom.

Since she had already made the move, she had no intention of leaving alive.

She only regretted not admitting to her aunt that she loved Pei Lang...

With a loud "bang," the window shattered even faster than the door. Lin Zhi numbly turned her head to look at the window through which the rain was blowing in. The window, which had been nailed shut, was broken open from the outside, and the cold wind and rain poured in and hit her face.

But I didn't feel pain; I only felt hope, the hope of life.

Her waist tightened, and she was pulled into the arms of a tall, dark figure. The strong embrace made her mind, which was already foggy, feel a little dizzy.

But when you look up, the person's face is completely covered by a black iron mask, revealing only a pair of deep, dark eyes that are calm and undisturbed.

After being shocked, Lin Zhi felt disappointed. This couldn't be her Pei Lang. If Pei Lang saw her like this, how could his eyes be so calm?

But her injuries and bleeding forced her to rely on this only lifeline, while the servants of the Marquis's mansion outside were still trying their best to break down the door.

Lin Zhi thought this person had come to save her, but unexpectedly, he put his arm around her but didn't leave immediately. Instead, he took out a bottle of kerosene from his pocket and poured it directly on Lu Jue.

Lu Jue was already in excruciating pain, but now he could only barely open one eye: "Who are you!"

The masked man remained silent, but before using his lightness skill to leave, he threw the burning candle flame onto Lu Jue.

Lin Zhi's last memory was of Lu Jue writhing in agony amidst the flames, while she herself was completely sheltered from the heavy rain, not a single drop of water touching her.

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Author's Note: This chapter will be available for purchase tomorrow (July 8th)! Thank you all for your support and love. Chapters 25 and above will be available for purchase, so if you haven't read them yet, hurry up! Those who have already read them, remember to subscribe starting from chapter 39 [pleading emoji]

In addition to a 10,000-word update tomorrow, I'll also be giving away subscription prizes and random red envelopes in the comments section. Feel free to leave a comment to participate. Thank you all for waiting with me until this day!

The story gets even more exciting from here on out! A steady 6,000-word update every night at 8 PM – let's look forward to it! [Heart emoji]