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The alleys around here are a treasure trove, with brothels one after another, along with gambling dens, teahouses, and other places of entertainment. The bright red and green signs, mixed with the laughter and shouts of various desires, make one's heart pound just by passing by.
The alley that Shangguan Zeyu led Jiang Yan through was just like that.
The smell in that alley was just too much!
It has a pungent smell of rouge mixed with sweat, a smell of alcohol and fish, and some other unidentifiable odor, like food mixed with a jumble of other smells. It's so overpowering it can make you dizzy.
Jiang Yan couldn't help but gag after walking only a few steps.
Shangguan Zeyu sensed that she hadn't kept up, so he stopped and looked at her.
She looks so delicate, she doesn't seem like a girl from an ordinary family.
Jiang Yan vomited until her chest hurt. Helpless, she tightly covered her mouth and nose with her wide sleeves and looked resentfully at Shangguan Zeyu, who kept staring at her.
Just as she was about to call out to him, she suddenly felt someone grab her waist, and a chill instantly shot from the soles of her feet to her brain.
"open!!"
A foul burp suddenly wafted into her nostrils, almost making her faint.
He's an alcoholic!
And the greasy smell of sweat mixed with his body made him look like an unhygienic, greasy jerk!
"Let go of me!!" Jiang Yan was both anxious and angry, and struggled wildly to push him away.
But instead of letting go of that hand, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms, causing Jiang Yan's back to slam against his round belly.
Jiang Yan felt his round belly throb clearly against her back, and she was instantly disgusted and flew into a rage.
"You fucking bastard!!! Get the hell out of here!!!" She stomped hard on his right foot, and when he was in pain and relaxed a little, she used both elbows to poke his stomach hard from side to side.
"Ouch~"
"Ouch, you motherfucker!!! I'll teach you a lecherous bastard to touch me!!!" Jiang Yan was so angry that she lost her mind. She didn't care about anything and started beating him with both hands, making him run away with his head in his hands and beg for mercy.
Jiang Yan originally wanted to catch up with him and kick him a few more times, but then she thought that she was alone and weak. What if the bastard found help? Wouldn't she be like a lamb entering a tiger's den, courting death?
"You bastard, you son of a bitch, you shameless scoundrel! You better never let me see you again, or I'll make sure you're childless!!!"
Despite her harsh and loud insults, Jiang Yan was still unable to vent her anger. When she looked up and saw Shangguan Zeyu still standing there dumbfounded, her anger flared up again.
"Zhang Qin, Zhang Qin, you are truly a good Zhang Qin, a good guard! I admire you, I admire you to the point of prostration!" He smiled without getting angry.
Shangguan Zeyu calmly asked, "Master, you have incredible strength!"
Jiang Yan instinctively wanted to retort, but her rationality ultimately pulled her back in time.
She couldn't offend him, couldn't scold him, and couldn't make him angry!
"Ha, yes, I never imagined I had such strength! This lecherous bastard has unleashed all my power!! I will fight evil!!!"
Jiang Yan forced her to speak in the gentlest and most soothing voice, while inwardly she was gritting her teeth until her mouth ached.
Shangguan Zeyu didn't say anything more, just looked at her quietly.
Jiang Yan didn't want to say anything more to him. Even if he didn't like her, even if he felt that she was getting in the way of their affection, it wasn't what she wanted! He couldn't just stand by and watch a woman be bullied by a bastard and do nothing, could he?
This is not something a man should do!
This is not something one person should do!!
Zhang Qin is not a man, let alone a human being!
Jiang Yan wasn't angry anymore. Why bother arguing with a non-human? She'd just stay far away from her from now on!
Jiang Yan casually straightened her clothes and hair and walked towards the alley entrance as if nothing had happened. Unexpectedly, at this moment, Shangguan Zeyu began to show concern for her.
Are you alright?
Hmph, what do you have to say?
Jiang Yan didn't intend to reply to him and continued walking forward, but as she passed him, he suddenly grabbed her left arm with such force that it seemed as if he wanted to crush her wrist.
"What exactly do you want?" After experiencing the terrifying events just now and having been forcibly brainwashed, Jiang Yan was at a loss as to what to do in the face of his sudden show of goodwill.
"Just now... I was careless."
Is it really okay to just say it was a minor oversight?
Thankfully she's alright. If she were really in trouble, she would definitely spit on him if he said that.
It's like killing someone and then saying, "I'm sorry, I acted impulsively."
"Alright, let's go now," Jiang Yan said with a weak smile.
But Shangguan Zeyu didn't let go of his hand. Instead, just like that bastard from before, he pulled her forcefully into his arms.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Yan was so frightened that her whole body stiffened, and she hurriedly used her hands to resist him by pressing against his chest.
"I was thinking, why don't we give it a try?" The voice was mesmerizing and so gentle it was almost bewitching, like the voice of a siren from legend.
For a fleeting moment, Jiang Yan's heart raced so wildly that she wanted to reach out and soothe it, but in the blink of an eye, she calmed down, becoming almost indifferent.
"You're insane!!!"
"I'm not crazy. I'm telling the truth." Shangguan Zeyu's handsome face slowly approached Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan's eyes widened in fright, and her body became increasingly stiff.
"No!" Jiang Yan declared resolutely, "No!! I am your mistress, the prince's concubine!! You must respect me. If you continue to be so disrespectful, I will surely have the prince take your life!!!"
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but smile.
Jiang Yan couldn't guess why he was laughing.
He said softly, "Why? I am more handsome and talented than the prince. I am also more caring. Most importantly, I fell in love with you at first sight, and I have even dreamed of you. Can you really bear to lose my heart that is so devoted to you?"
Jiang Yan wanted to gag to express her disgust, but just as she said, she couldn't offend him.
He's Shangguan Zeyu's man. Offending him will render all her efforts futile.
"Look, the world is so big, and there are countless beauties. Why bother with this crooked tree of mine? It's a waste of your time, isn't it? Life is short, why bother?" She tried to struggle and see if he would let her go.
But he hugged her even tighter.
His stomach muscles must be very hard and big, they're making her stomach hurt.
"Why? That's no reason! What else matters when you love someone? I'm not afraid, are you?" His hot breath tickled her ear and nose, but she wasn't tempted or seduced by it.
What do feelings and love matter?
Life is the most precious thing!!
She was Shangguan Zeyu's concubine, and she couldn't have an affair under that title; otherwise, her head would be moved one day.
There's a saying, "All land under heaven belongs to the king." Even if she had fled back then, she would have had nowhere to run. Moreover, she had to take responsibility for herself, whether in modern times or ancient times.
"Zhang Qin!! I'll say it one more time, I don't want this to happen, please don't make things difficult for me."
Jiang Yan spoke very seriously and earnestly. Shangguan Zeyu was stunned for a moment, and Jiang Yan took the opportunity to break free from him and hurriedly ran towards the alley entrance.
What is she thinking?
Who exactly is she?
Why is she different from the woman he knew?
Shangguan Zeyu stared blankly at Jiang Yan's receding figure, unable to understand.
Jiang Yan was so resolute, not wanting to have anything to do with the Zhang Qin she thought she knew anymore, but in the end, it was still the Zhang Qin she thought she knew who took her back to the Liu residence.
There's no need to mention the elaborate rituals and formalities of returning to the Liu residence.
Led by Huang Ying, Jiang Yan arrived at the courtyard where Liu Ruyi once lived, "Fangfei Pavilion".
Upon entering the courtyard, one is immediately struck by a desolate atmosphere, even though the flowers and plants inside are growing vigorously.
"Looks like no one's been here for a while." Jiang Yan casually looked around.
Huang Ying: "There are very few people here to begin with. Since Miss... it seems no one comes here often."
"It looks like the yard was just cleaned not long ago, but they're still prepared." Jiang Yan casually picked an apricot leaf, tore it into strips out of boredom, and threw it into a flowerpot next to him.
"Madam Liu and Liu Ruyan will probably come looking for me soon. I haven't figured out how to deal with them yet... Maybe I should just go to sleep."
Jiang Yan pulled Huang Ying, who was still in a daze, into the house.
"Please wait a moment, my lady, I'll light the lamp." Huang Ying said, but before she could light the lamp, Jiang Yan, with her keen ears, heard footsteps approaching from outside the courtyard.
"Don't turn on the lights!"
Huang Ying was puzzled and wanted to ask why. By then, they had already reached the entrance of the courtyard.
"Mother, could it be that she's asleep?" came the girl's voice, but her tone was unfriendly.
"Is she Liu Ruyan?" Jiang Yan whispered in Huang Ying's ear.
"Um."
Madam Liu then said, "They must be asleep. Coming so late at night, they must be exhausted."
"Mother~ She doesn't respect you at all, doesn't she know to pay her respects to you? Humph!!"
Madam Liu smiled slightly and said, "She's not my child, so I don't care. I'm only being so considerate of her because I hope she can help you find a good marriage. Don't be angry."
"Hmph! She's barely doing well herself, and she's helping me? Mother, you overestimate her!!"
"Alright, enough talk, let's go back."
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