Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Tender and Reckless

In Sheng Zhi Wan’s previous life, Sheng Zhi Wan had once met a gang of mountain bandits while traveling to seek a child.

Those bandits killed and robbed with brutal methods. Every servant following Sheng Zhi Wan was cut down with a single blade.

Only Sheng Zhi Wan, Huan Zhu, and Ting Lan survived because they were women.

In that desperate moment, Sheng Zhi Wan ordered the two of them to separate and hide from Sheng Zhi Wan.

That night, Sheng Zhi Wan hid alone in a mud pit in the forest, all the way until the next day.

Only after Qi Shu Xian received the news and personally led soldiers up the mountain to wipe out the bandits did Sheng Zhi Wan crawl out of her hiding place.

Even so, Sheng Zhi Wan was a married woman who had stayed alone for a whole night in a place where mountain bandits ran wild.

What did it matter if Sheng Zhi Wan insisted the bandits never found her?

Worse, the news had already been spread in the city.

So Sheng Zhi Wan became the pitiful woman who had been violated by bandits. And because of that, Qi Shu Xian completely turned cold toward Sheng Zhi Wan.

In that previous life, the bandits were all slaughtered by Qi Shu Xian in a fury. Sheng Zhi Wan only learned later that among them was a crippled remnant soldier named Zhang Da Hu, someone Meng Yang had once saved.

Zhang Da Hu had targeted Sheng Zhi Wan because Sheng Zhi Wan had “caused” Meng Yang to give birth early.

But Sheng Zhi Wan never understood how Meng Yang, who stayed inside the residence, could contact Zhang Da Hu after he became a bandit.

Now Sheng Zhi Wan understood.

Jiang Mang.

In her previous life, after Qi Shu Xian became Right Chancellor, Jiang Mang also rose rapidly and became one of Qi Shu Xian’s most trusted right hands.

So it was him.

No wonder…

No wonder Jiang Mang had visited Sheng Zhi Wan once when Sheng Zhi Wan was dying, and had even muttered a strange apology.

But what was an apology worth?

Could it bring back the people who died in vain protecting Sheng Zhi Wan?

Could it erase the disgrace Sheng Zhi Wan was forced to carry?

Sheng Zhi Wan’s pen fell lightly, yet it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. “Ting Lan, bring me a set of men’s clothes!”

Gathering Sages Teahouse.

Sheng Zhi Wan, dressed in men’s clothing, sat once again in the same Heaven-Ranked Private Room as before, only this time she came alone.

The person receiving her was still Mo Qing.

Mo Qing bowed. “Is the guest here to taste tea this time?”

Sheng Zhi Wan stared at Mo Qing and said, “I want to see Shang Xing Yu.”

Mo Qing’s body stiffened, but only for an instant. Then Mo Qing showed a blank, confused expression. “What is the guest saying? I don’t understand.”

Before, Sheng Zhi Wan had only been eighty percent sure.

But after that reaction, Sheng Zhi Wan became completely certain.

Shang Xing Yu truly was the master behind Gathering Sages Teahouse.

Since being reborn, Sheng Zhi Wan did not only want to leave Qi Shu Xian and take revenge on the people who ruined her.

What Sheng Zhi Wan feared even more was seeing Sheng Kingdom walk the same old road again. Sheng Zhi Wan did not want to see Sheng Kingdom’s people living in constant panic.

So no matter what, Sheng Zhi Wan had to meet Shang Xing Yu once before Shang Xing Yu became the rebel King of Qin Yu.

Even if Sheng Zhi Wan could not win Shang Xing Yu over, Sheng Zhi Wan still wanted Shang Xing Yu to see the olive branch offered by the Imperial Clan.

Sheng Zhi Wan pressed her lips together and considered what kind of bargaining chip could be enough to make the other side work with her.

In her previous life, after Shang Xing Yu became King of Qin Yu, the first people Shang Xing Yu demanded were Grand General Shang and the current Madam Shang.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not believe Shang Xing Yu wanted them out of affection.

Shang Xing Yu’s birth mother, Qin Meng Cen, came from the wealthy merchant Qin Family. Qin Meng Cen married Grand General Shang as his wife, yet died when Shang Xing Yu was four.

Half a year later, Grand General Shang raised Concubine Liang Rao to become the principal wife.

Now the outside world claimed that Shang Family’s eldest young master, Shang Xiu Yuan, was skilled in both letters and martial arts. Compared to Shang Xing Yu, the former legitimate young master, people said Shang Xiu Yuan looked more like Grand General Shang and would inherit Grand General Shang’s legacy.

Shang Xing Yu kept pretending to be a useless playboy for this very reason.

Only by not blocking Shang Xiu Yuan’s road could Shang Xing Yu live. Only by becoming Shang Xiu Yuan’s contrast could Shang Xing Yu keep a place in the Shang Family…

So…

Sheng Zhi Wan tapped the tabletop with a finger, about to speak, when there came two knocks from outside.

Then the private room’s door opened.

Against the noisy chaos downstairs and the moonlight behind, a tall figure in black stepped in, wearing a mask.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s pale fingers paused. Sheng Zhi Wan almost recognized the person at once.

Even though the figure looked nothing like what Sheng Zhi Wan had seen in the past two meetings.

He was long-limbed, with dark hair falling behind him. Beneath the Ghost Mask, only a pair of eyes showed.

Those eyes held no ripples, yet for no reason they seemed dangerously deep.

“Master,” Mo Qing said, dropping to his knees at once.

The masked man lifted a hand. Mo Qing withdrew in silence.

The door closed, and all noise fell away behind them.

Sheng Zhi Wan felt those eyes settle on her. Sheng Zhi Wan looked back.

The room became even quieter. Only their gazes met, clashed, and cut at each other.

Then, suddenly, it turned into a smile.

The eyes behind the mask curved, and in an instant, they became the same roguish, carefree young master Sheng Zhi Wan had seen before.

Shang Xing Yu removed the mask and sat down before Sheng Zhi Wan. “Princess, you wanted to see me?”

The way Shang Xing Yu said “wanted to see me” carried a strange softness, yet also a shameless boldness.

Sheng Zhi Wan shook off that inexplicable feeling and said, “Young Master Shang Er, shall we make a deal?”

“How did the Princess know the proprietor behind Gathering Sages Teahouse was me?” Shang Xing Yu poured Sheng Zhi Wan a cup of tea.

Sheng Zhi Wan took a sip. “Wasn’t it Young Master Shang Er who deliberately revealed it to me?”

From the first time Shang Xing Yu spoke for her at Gathering Sages Teahouse, to later meetings, to Bai Xiao Xiao bleeding in the teahouse, Shang Xing Yu never truly tried to hide his actions from her.

Sheng Zhi Wan even suspected Shang Xing Yu did it on purpose, just to draw her suspicion.

But why?

Moisture clung to Sheng Zhi Wan’s red lips, making it almost tempting to reach out and test their softness.

Shang Xing Yu turned his gaze aside. His throat moved once. “The Princess was very clever.”

“Then what deal does the Princess want with me?”

…

An hour later, Sheng Zhi Wan left Gathering Sages Teahouse.

“Master,” Mo Qing appeared again.

Shang Xing Yu had already put on the Ghost Mask once more. “Escort her back to the Duke Residence. Don’t let her notice.”

Mo Qing was startled, but Mo Qing was used to obeying orders. Mo Qing did not ask anything, and vanished into the night as well.

Only then did Shang Xing Yu look at the Talent Cup Token Sheng Zhi Wan had used.

Shang Xing Yu’s thumb brushed over it. A quiet laugh slipped out from behind the mask.

Then Shang Xing Yu tilted his head back and drank the remaining tea in one swallow.