Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Surrounded by Onlookers

“Chun Lan, Chun Lan, hurry and come!”

In the small room next door, the young maid Chun Lan had already been knocked unconscious without anyone noticing. She lay motionless on the ground, completely unaware of anything happening.

Su Qian Xue shouted with all her might, but no response came. The man before her had lost control once more—his reason crumbling as he spun her around and pressed her to the cold ground with force.

Bang!

The back of her head struck the floor unguarded. Su Qian Xue was dazed by the blow, her vision swimming as she furiously cried out, “Chun—Chun Lan! Are you dead or what? You’d better be, or I swear this young miss will never forgive you!”

Rip!

The sharp sound of fabric tearing followed in the next instant. A sudden chill swept between her legs, and it was only then that Su Qian Xue realized: her trousers had been torn away.

“Mmm…”

In panic, Su Qian Xue quickly called upon the system in her mind: “System, quick, activate the Chastity Halo!”

[Host, are you sure? The effects of the drug are extremely difficult to endure. With a man nearby, your body will be even more sensitive, and the effects will double.]

“Just do it. I’ll decide what to do when I can’t take it anymore.”

[Very well.]

[Activating halo… activation complete.]

As soon as the system’s voice faded, a faint glow radiated from within Su Qian Xue, enveloping her lower body in a sacred barrier that shielded her completely.

But her body only grew hotter. Her blood boiled, veins throbbing as if on the verge of bursting. Pei Yu, driven by mounting urgency, searched for an opening but couldn’t find one. His frustration flared into violence.

With a twisted expression, he suddenly bit down hard on her lips.

“Mmm…”

Su Qian Xue cried out in pain. Under the torment of the drug, her cries melted into ragged breaths. Her resistance weakened. Her limbs softened. She couldn’t stop herself—her hands curled around the man’s waist.

She was in agony.

Her tears flowed silently as she trembled, her mind dissolving bit by bit.

Outside the private room, two tall figures leaned against the railing. They casually waved away passing guests and tilted their heads, listening to the sounds from within.

Yun Wan Ye, hidden under the veil of a disguise technique, wore a crooked, devilish grin. “Tsk. They’re making quite a ruckus, but it doesn’t sound like they’ve gotten started yet. Is this Pei fellow even capable?”

Yun Wan Chen remained silent.

“Wait, someone moved. It sounds like one of them was hit.”

Suddenly, the grin on Yun Wan Ye’s face faded. His expression turned grim. [Don’t tell me… the plan’s really about to fall apart?]

Inside the room, Su Qian Xue gasped for breath as she set down a flower pot and looked at the unconscious man lying across her. With all her strength, she pushed him aside and crawled toward the door.

But no matter how hard she tried, the door didn’t budge.

She blinked in confusion, still panting, then sat down at the doorway, dazed.

“System,” she gasped, “what’s going on? Why—why won’t the door open?”

[Please wait, host. I’m checking the cause now.]

[Investigation complete. Host, the door has been locked from the outside.]

“……”

Su Qian Xue clenched her jaw. [Damn those Yun family bastards. Are they really this set on destroying me?]

“It’s so hot… system, isn’t there anything you can do to ease this pain?”

[Host, there are options. I’ve got the antidote, ice cubes, and all sorts of pain relief tools. But… you need points to exchange for them. And right now, you have none.]

[You haven’t even completed a single task.]

“Then lend it to me first. I’ll earn the points later and pay you back.”

[I wish I could, host. But the system doesn’t allow credit. Without points, I can’t access anything from the shop.]

“……”

[What kind of useless trash system is this?]

“So what—you’re just going to watch me suffer and die? If I die, who’ll finish your tasks?”

[Alright, fine. I’ll deactivate the chastity halo. Pei Yu may be unconscious, but he can still… do the job.]

[Chastity Halo has been removed. Host, go ahead.]

At those words, Su Qian Xue instinctively looked at the man lying beside her—still unconscious, but flushed red all over. She couldn’t help but feel her throat dry out.

She had to admit… the system’s offer was tempting.

The antidote was right there.

As long as she gave in, this unbearable torment would end.

Su Qian Xue swayed between the thunderous punishment of heaven and the present, unrelenting pain in her body.

Then, gritting her teeth, she slowly leaned toward the man lying on the floor. She bent down and kissed his lips.

“Tsk. There she goes.” Outside, Yun Wan Ye narrowed his eyes and chuckled lowly. “This woman’s got guts. First she knocked Pei Yu out, and now she’s crawling on top of him…”

From midday until late afternoon, the torment continued. It wasn’t until the effects of the drug finally began to fade that Pei Yu stirred awake, holding his throbbing head.

He opened his eyes and saw a disheveled woman sprawled across his chest. Her clothes were undone, her fair shoulders bare, her entire body flushed a soft, tempting pink.

A certain part of him was still enveloped in a warm, wet softness.

Pei Yu froze.

His memories returned in fragments—the meeting with Su Qian Xue, the poisoned tea, the uncontrollable heat…

Someone had set him up.

But who?

And now, this woman beneath him—she was the Grand Commandant’s daughter. She wasn’t someone he could simply touch and walk away from.

He had touched her.

Now he would have to take responsibility.

Pei Yu’s face turned dark as ink. His head pounded. Just as he was about to push the woman off of him, the door swung open.

A young man dressed as a waiter stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide, mouth agape. The tray in his hands fell to the ground with a crash, sending teapot shards flying in all directions.

“Someone! Quick! There’s an affair going on in here—someone’s having an affair!”

Both Su Qian Xue and Pei Yu jolted in horror, eyes flying open in panic. At this moment, their bodies were still closely entangled—impossible to explain, impossible to untangle in time.

“Get out!” Pei Yu growled, his bloodshot eyes glaring at the waiter. His voice thundered with fury.

Startled, the waiter stumbled back a step.

Then came the sound of chaotic footsteps.

“Where? Where’s the affair happening?!”

Guests from all floors—upstairs and down—rushed toward the source of the commotion.

“What do we do? What do we do?!”

Su Qian Xue panicked completely. Clutching Pei Yu’s arm, she looked up at him with terror in her eyes.

Before Pei Yu could speak, the doorway was crowded with people. Dozens of heads peered through, bodies packed tightly, blocking all escape. Everyone stretched their necks to get a better look.

The air was thick with the scent of lust. Some people wrinkled their noses and backed away. Others leaned in even further.

The moment the crowd appeared, Su Qian Xue instinctively buried her face in Pei Yu’s chest like a frightened ostrich, desperately trying to disappear. But it was too late. Someone recognized her.

“Hey! I know that woman! Isn’t that Su Qian Xue, Haojing’s most infamous good-for-nothing?”

“What?! Su Qian Xue? Then who’s the guy? Anyone recognize him? Who would be bold enough to sleep with the Grand Commandant’s daughter?!”

“Actually… I do know him. That’s Young Master Pei from the Pei clan. General Pei’s nephew. His name’s Pei Yu. He serves under Duke Ning.”

“Oh? So that’s Young General Pei. How strange—I remember he’s engaged, isn’t he?”

“Exactly! He’s got a fiancée, and isn’t he close with the heir apparent of Duke Ning’s household? Su young miss used to be that very heir’s betrothed! These two hooking up… this is truly terrifying if you think about it.”

“Tsk. Just look at this scene. They’ve been going at it hard. Su young miss really doesn’t hold back…”

As soon as those words fell, a flood of crude, vulgar jokes followed. One by one, the onlookers laughed brazenly, mocking Su Qian Xue and Pei Yu with shameless delight.

Their current posture was utterly humiliating. With so many eyes watching her tangled up with Pei Yu, Su Qian Xue wanted nothing more than to die. She dared not move an inch and let the ridicule fall on her without a single retort, her heart filled with loathing for the new female lead.

Pei Yu, at least, acted like a man. He didn’t make the situation worse by moving, but instead picked up a robe from the side and carefully draped it around her, wrapping her from head to toe.

Then, he turned his head and looked toward the doorway, his gaze cold and piercing as he said, “All of you, get out. If you don’t, don’t blame this general for showing no mercy.”

Now that his identity was already exposed, he had no interest in keeping up pretenses.

The crowd, hearing his command, erupted into laughter. Not only did they refuse to leave, their ridicule grew even more malicious.

Pei Yu’s fury surged. With a flick of his palm, a surge of inner power blasted forth from his hand.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Those blocking the doorway were all flung backward by the force of his inner power, crashing to the ground in twisted heaps, moaning in pain. Pei Yu swept his eyes coldly over them, then with another wave of his hand, slammed the door shut.

“All right, Young Miss Su, you can get up now,” he said.

Su Qian Xue thrust her head out from beneath the robe and, without hesitation, swung her hand straight at his face.

Smack!

A loud, crisp slap echoed through the room, leaving a vivid red imprint across Pei Yu’s handsome cheek.

“So you’re Young General Pei, huh? All of this—everything that’s happened to me today—is because of you. If you hadn’t impersonated Prince Qi to meet with me, if I hadn’t unknowingly drunk that drugged tea, I never would’ve ended up like this.”

“To lose my chastity before marriage, to become the subject of gossip and scorn—this is all your fault!”

Pei Yu let out a cold laugh and replied, “Drop the act. Wasn’t it just two months ago that you lost your virtue at the Emerald Leaning House and became the talk of the city?”

“This isn’t even the first time. Why are you so worked up?”

Su Qian Xue was so furious she wanted to kill him. She raised her hand and slapped him again. This time, perhaps because of guilt, he didn’t even try to dodge.

“Are you stupid? Last time, yes, I was drugged, but nothing happened. This time was my first time!”

“I was unconscious—of course you can say whatever you want.”

Pei Yu didn’t believe a word of her explanation, and Su Qian Xue no longer had the energy to argue.

What’s done is done. No amount of talking would change it.

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll just pretend I got bitten by a dog.”

With a shove, she pushed him off and climbed to her feet without another glance, tidying herself right in front of him.

Pei Yu watched her quietly, an unfamiliar emotion rising in his chest.

Today truly was his fault.

He had arranged the meeting under a false name. He had failed to detect the drug in the tea.

But who dared to drug him?

The tea house owner had no grudge against him. It was unlikely he’d go so far as to scheme against a general.

“I want you to take me to the carriage,” Su Qian Xue suddenly demanded, her voice sharp with anger.

Her body still carried the scent of lust. If she left alone, who knew what those men outside would do? She had no choice but to rely on him to safely meet up with her shadow guard.

The moment she thought of her shadow guard, Su Qian Xue was filled with regret.

Worried that the guard would draw too much attention, she hadn’t let him enter the tea house, leaving him outside. She never imagined someone would take advantage of the situation. Infuriating.

“Fine,” Pei Yu agreed without resistance. After what had happened, there was no point continuing their discussion.

Just as they exited Room Six, Su Qian Xue suddenly remembered Chun Lan. She rushed to the adjacent room and found the maid unconscious on the floor.

Damn it. It must have been those Yun family bastards. No wonder Chun Lan never responded no matter how loud she screamed.

She ordered Pei Yu to help carry Chun Lan out, and he did as she asked.

Once inside the carriage, Su Qian Xue clenched her jaw and glared at him. “We were clearly set up today. Do you think I’m just going to let it go?”

“Pei,” she said through gritted teeth, “if you don’t find out who’s behind this, I’ll pin the whole thing on you. I’ll have my father submit a report to His Majesty accusing you of drugging me. We’ll see if you can keep your precious general’s title then.”

She was going to use this incident to her advantage. Whether to tie Pei Yu’s hands or to pit him against the Yun family, she refused to let this loss go unavenged.

Hearing this, Pei Yu felt a dull headache begin to form. Still, he nodded solemnly. “Please be assured, Young Miss Su. I’m a victim in this too. I will uncover the truth, no matter what.”

[Victim, my foot. You got the better end of this, you bastard.]

Su Qian Xue cursed him viciously in her heart, then gave a cold snort. “That’s more like it.”

With that, she let down the carriage curtain. The carriage turned around and rolled away.

Pei Yu watched it disappear into the distance, his face tense. Then he turned back toward the tea house, expression dark, and personally detained the shopkeeper and every single waiter to begin a full investigation.

Meanwhile, Yun Wan Chen and Yun Wan Ye had already fled the scene the moment things fell apart, slipping quietly back to Duke Ning’s estate.

Peacekeeping Courtyard.

Madam Yun sat by the window, holding an embroidery needle as she sewed new clothes for Yun Wan Ning.

Yun Wan Ning, however, sat nearby, gazing out the window with her thoughts in chaos.

[Ugh, it’s getting late. Judging by the light, it’s nearly five o’clock.]

[Why hasn’t big brother come back yet?]

[What happened between Su Qian Xue and Pei Yu?]

[Did they meet at the tea house or not?]

[I’m so anxious. If only I could walk already—or if my spiritual power could reach that far.]

[Sigh… My spiritual power is only at level one. It’s still a long way to level two.]

[Once I reach level two, I’ll be able to extend it dozens of li.]

Five o’clock?

Madam Yun’s brow twitched slightly. Was that some sort of time unit?

What a peculiar way of keeping time.

Also… Little Fourth’s spiritual power was already this powerful, yet still only at level one?

If there were second and even higher levels after that, just how strong would she become?

Just then, footsteps echoed in the courtyard. Madam Yun heard nothing, but Yun Wan Ning picked them up clearly.

She immediately sent her spiritual power outward and saw Yun Wan Chen and Yun Wan Ye walking side by side toward them.

[Ah! Big brother’s back! He’s finally back!]

[And second brother too. Second brother came back with him.]

[Wonderful. I’ll finally know what happened.]

Madam Yun blinked in surprise when she heard her daughter’s heart voice, then looked out the window—and sure enough, she saw the two brothers approaching.

Yun Wan Chen and Yun Wan Ye were both startled as well.

They were still some distance from the house… and yet their little sister had already heard their thoughts?