Who is Wei Li? Where did he come from? How did he seize Pingzhou? This matter seemed to be a taboo subject for everyone in the prefectural governor's office. No matter how Zhao Xiheng inquired, the maids remained vague in their answers.
If she pressed them for more details, they would kneel on the ground, kowtow, and tremble as they begged for their lives.
Zhao Xiheng didn't have the bad habit of making things difficult for others, so she didn't press the matter further.
He secretly wondered what Wei Li had done to make these people so terrified.
Murder? Arson? Abduction of a woman?
She was drying her half-dry hair, and her snow-white undergarments made her look clean and slender. Her eyes were somewhat unfocused, and she was clearly lost in thought.
The outer door was kicked open with a bang, and the maids outside trembled as they greeted her, some even with sobs in their voices. Even through the door, Zhao Xiheng could feel their fear.
Wei Li forcibly spared her life, treating this young woman well instead of killing her. He couldn't have just been bored and made sarcastic remarks or bullied her for amusement. Zhao Xiheng was well aware of her situation. She didn't have the backbone to preserve her chastity even at the cost of her life; she valued her life. But this all happened too quickly...
She nervously clutched the hem of her clothes.
Wei Li was not informed in advance that he was temporarily staying at the residence of the Prefect of Ji'an. The Prefect, thinking himself clever, arranged for the two of them to stay in the same house.
After a long day, Wei Li was a little irritable. He tugged at his collar, unbuttoned a few buttons to reveal a small part of his collarbone and Adam's apple, and prepared to rest.
Too lazy to lift a finger, he simply kicked open the door to the inner room as well.
With another "bang," the maids were so frightened that they dropped the handkerchiefs in their hands and then knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.
The room was filled with a subtle fragrance, the scent of body lotion and gardenia bath powder. Zhao Xiheng sat on a folding chair, surrounded by several maids. She was not very old to begin with, and in the candlelight, she appeared even more serene and gentle.
Wei Li's tall figure appeared in front of the door, casting a shadow.
Zhao Xiheng valued her life highly. Wei Li had shot and killed General Pingwei, who had no grudge against her, without batting an eye during the day, which showed that he was a cruel person. She was filled with resistance to people who could threaten her life, health, and safety.
When Wei Li saw her, he seemed displeased, frowning in disgust. He grabbed her chin and lifted it up, asking, "Who gave you permission to be here?"
The maids around her sensibly withdrew, expressing their sympathy for Zhao Xiheng before leaving.
Zhao Xiheng disliked his dirty hands and the way he pinched her, but she didn't dare show it. Instead, she put on a great performance, started to shed tears, and said softly, "The Prefect's wife brought me here."
That damned old beast! If her father were still alive, would he have the right to be so presumptuous?
Wei Li smirked, "A bunch of idiots." They acted on their own initiative.
Then, he released Zhao Xiheng's chin in an annoyed manner.
"Get out! Do you really think I'd actually be interested in you?" He looked Zhao Xiheng up and down, his dark eyes filled with mockery and contempt.
Zhao Xiheng couldn't wait to get away from him, and she didn't even bother to pack her clothes before running out.
With her movement, a pair of fair and delicate earlobes were revealed, unlike other women who had their ears pierced. Her father must have doted on her and couldn't bear to let her wear such things.
Wei Li unconsciously pinched his left ear, touching a string of cold silver objects, and the chill in his eyes intensified.
"Get back here!" he called out to Zhao Xiheng, his cold eyes curving into a smile as he wrapped his arm around Zhao Xiheng's neck and dragged her to his side.
Young women's bodies are generally soft. Wei Li had never touched other young women, but he found Zhao Xiheng's soft and pliable body very comfortable to hold in his arms, as if she had no bones. He discovered this when he was riding a horse during the day.
He pulled the person closer to his chest, and the rich fragrance of gardenias filled his nostrils, making him even more agitated. Emotions churned within him, as if his hatred for Zhao Xiheng was growing stronger.
He tightened his grip on Zhao Xiheng's arm, thinking that if he strangled her like this, he could quell the anger that had been simmering in his heart for so many years.
No, if I die like this, there's no fun in it.
"You'll sleep on the floor here tonight and keep watch. Make the most of your resources. I don't keep idle people around, little princess." He released her hand just before Zhao Xiheng breathed her last, looking down at her with a nonchalant air. The word "little princess" sounded more like sarcasm.
Wei Li's voice was extremely unpleasant, deep and hoarse, as if his vocal cords had been damaged by some sharp weapon. No matter what he said, it carried a sinister and terrifying quality, suitable for threatening people and telling ghost stories.
Even with such a bland tone, Zhao Xiheng got goosebumps.
Then, as if he had touched something dirty, he shook his arms and went into the inner room to wash up.
Zhao Xiheng clutched her neck and squatted on the ground, coughing. Wei Li was certain she wouldn't dare disobey him and run out of the house.
she……
She really didn't dare.
Winters in Pingzhou are bitterly cold. Even people who have lived here since childhood dare not sleep on the ground in the dead of winter, let alone a young lady like Zhao Xiheng.
Wei Li was extremely cruel to her, but when you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head if you want to survive.
Zhao Xiheng took a new set of bedding from the cupboard and spread it out near the stove, comforting herself with these thoughts.
At least Wei Li let her sleep on the floor, so her innocence was preserved.
I don't know if men wash up quickly or if it's just Wei Li, but he came out in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The room was warm, but he was steaming, which was caused by air conditioning.
Zhao Xiheng dared not go out when it got a little cold, while Wei Li still took cold showers in the dead of winter in Pingzhou. Presumably, in his opinion, sleeping on the floor was no big deal.
Zhao Xiheng, holding the bedding, glanced up at him, then quickly lowered her head. In that fleeting glimpse, she saw something she shouldn't have.
Wei Li's collar was completely covered, not a single inch of skin was exposed, even more so than Zhao Xiheng's, making her look like a chaste and virtuous woman.
Zhao Xiheng narrowed her eyes. Was he afraid that she had ulterior motives towards him?
Ah, you're overthinking it.
Wei Li, with wet hair, came over and kicked Zhao Xiheng's leg, then tugged at her collar, "Can't you serve people?"
You're worse than Wei Li! She's a princess; serving her would shorten your lifespan!
Zhao Xiheng cursed inwardly, but still stood up, looking as delicate as a willow branch, her voice soft and gentle, "What does my lord desire?"
She was delicate and fair-skinned, with the marks of Wei Li's rough pinching still visible on her chin.
Wei Li showed no pity. He bent down slightly and pinched that spot again. Zhao Xiheng's eyebrows furrowed, and tears streamed down her face.
I'll definitely kill you, you old dog, with my own hands when I get the chance!
The more fiercely she cursed in her heart, the more joyfully she shed tears.
"Are you cursing me in your heart?" Wei Li narrowed his eyes dangerously, as if if she said yes, his snow-white, sharp teeth could bite through her throat.
Zhao Xiheng shook her head frantically, feigning a cowering appearance. "How dare I? I lost both my parents at a young age and I'm timid. I'm terrified right now, how could I dare to scold my lord? How could you think of me like that?"
Hey, you guessed it. I'm not only cursing you in my heart, I also want to smash your dog head in.
"Really not?" Wei Li asked again.
"Of course not. What grudge have I ever held against my lord? Why is he treating me like this? But I grew up deep in the palace; I've never even seen my lord before."
Zhao Xiheng lowered her head, feigning innocence, making her appear even more delicate, and tentatively probed with tears streaming down her face.
Seeing her current state of shock and fear, so timid and cowardly, Wei Li couldn't tell if she was acting or genuinely. The current Zhao Xiheng didn't even dare to curse him in her heart; the Zhao Xiheng of the past would have whipped him.
Her sudden submissiveness filled Wei Li with a sense of vindictive pleasure, but also a feeling of boredom. He pinched her chin harder.
"Enmity? Perhaps we have. But just remember that I hate you, hate your face, hate your voice, hate..." He paused, then grinned, his sinister face instantly blossoming into an extremely bright smile. Unfortunately, someone born with an unlikable appearance, no matter how big his smile was, still made people feel as if they were seeing a poisonous insect.
"I even hate it when you laugh. I'm happy to see you miserable around me." He actually laughed out loud, which was chilling in the middle of the night.
Unpredictable, Zhao Xiheng silently added another label to Wei Li's name. She felt her throat was a little dry and her head was a little dizzy after crying for so long.
"Go ahead and get me a cloth to wipe my hair." He patted Zhao Xiheng's face and told her to go.
Looking at Zhao Xiheng's slender back, Wei Li thought that even if he died, he would carry his hatred for Zhao Xiheng to the underworld with him. He could not rest in peace until he saw Zhao Xiheng living a miserable life.
From his teens, the name Zhao Xiheng was etched into his soul with the humiliation associated with it, and his emotions were always extremely complex when he woke up in the middle of the night. But noble people often have bad memories, and Zhao Xiheng probably wouldn't be able to remember who he was even if he were beaten to death. But it didn't matter, as long as he remembered.
Fortunately, Zhao Xiheng doesn't remember him, otherwise he would definitely kill her now.
The maids arranged the items very neatly, and Zhao Xiheng quickly found some cloths, taking two of them.
Wei Li sat on the edge of the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove), and she stood there wiping his hair.
The heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) radiated warmth, making her feel very comfortable, and she lingered there, reluctant to leave.
But she was afraid that Wei Li, that mad dog, would bite her, so she ultimately chose peace over a warm bed. She quickly dried his hair halfway, and even tried to be as gentle as possible, not pulling out a single hair.
Wei Li's hair was black, thick, and very dense, and it felt as smooth as satin to the touch. Zhao Xiheng thought maliciously, "I wish him to go bald soon."
"Alright, get out of here, turn off the lights and go to sleep." Wei Li was clearly not a patient person, and soon he couldn't sit still any longer, urging Zhao Xiheng to turn off the lights.
Zhao Xiheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. That should be the end of it for today. Hopefully, this old beast won't come up with any new tricks.
She trimmed the wicks and turned to see Wei Li lying on the heated kang bed, his limbs long and slender, his shoulders broad and his waist narrow, his muscles firm and smooth yet not coarse, his proportions perfect.
She had no interest in appreciating it, gritted her teeth, and turned to look at her sleeping mat on the floor.
If she had the chance, she would definitely run away; hopefully, these awful days will end soon.
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