Volume 1, Chapter 41: Ning Rongsheng, You Are Truly Despicable

However, just as Xie Shu was momentarily distracted, Ning Rongsheng seized the opportunity to grab the pot of osmanthus wine on the table. With his other hand, he clamped her chin and forcibly poured the wine down her throat.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Xie Shu choked a few times. The wine was not strong, but being forced down like this left her throat burning with pain.

"Lvliu!" Xie Shu rasped, shouting toward the door.

Yet, from outside came only the sound of fierce and chaotic fighting!

A deep frown furrowed Xie Shu's brow. Instantly turning around, she glared at Ning Rongsheng and demanded, "What have you done?!"

Ning Rongsheng let out a cold laugh. With a flick of his fingers, the wine pot dropped and shattered on the floor. "Xie Shu, since you kept accusing me of humiliating you, I naturally cannot bear such a reputation for nothing."

A wave of heat surged through her, a flush stained her cheeks, and her vision blurred. Xie Shu felt a heavy oppression in her chest and a dizzying spinning in her head. "Ning Rongsheng, you truly are despicable!"

"That is only because you drove me to it!" Ning Rongsheng sneered. Wishing to avoid any prolonged complications that could ruin the night, he stepped forward, grabbed Xie Shu by the arm, and dragged her toward the inner chamber. "After all, this guest room has a soft couch prepared specially for you!"

The Ning Rongsheng before her had clearly been driven to desperation like a dog cornered in a wall.

And yet... could it be that Ning Rongsheng orchestrated this elaborate scheme merely to ruin her reputation?

Xie Shu did not believe it. She feared he harbored far more sinister calculations.

Outside, Lvliu and Guard Jiang had been standing watch faithfully when they were suddenly surrounded by a dozen men in black. They heard little Jiuer shrieking from behind a pillar, "Assassins!"

In an instant, those masked ruffians all charged straight toward them!

Lvliu attempted to rush into the room to protect Xie Shu, but a hidden weapon hurtled toward her face. Guard Jiang drew his long saber and parried it sideways, barely saving Lvliu's life.

After a few clashes, Guard Jiang and his party were forced back toward the second floor.

"Crown Princess!" Guard Jiang shouted, bringing his saber down in a fierce overhead chop to desperately block a blow. If he were alone, he could easily have fought his way out, but he still had to protect Lvliu behind him.

Lvliu’s eyes trembled. It was the first time she had witnessed death with her own eyes. She was not like Sister Wenying, who possessed martial arts skills and could slaughter enemies on the battlefield. When faced with life and death, she was merely a timid, ordinary person.

Yet...

Lvliu looked up toward the upper floor. Hiding behind Guard Jiang, her voice trembled as she cried out, "Guard Jiang, p-please don't worry about me! Hurry up and go save the Crown Princess!"

Ahead, two black-clad assassins simultaneously raised their long swords to strike Jiang Chao. Wielding his saber with both hands, he parried left and right, unleashing a concentrated strike that actually snapped the two long swords in half.

"Careful!" Jiang Chao had no time to reply to Lvliu. He too wanted to break through and dash directly to the third floor, but now they were completely surrounded by a dozen men, and it was all they could do just to save their own skins.

Outside, the gleam of blades and the flash of swords continued amidst fierce combat.

"Hmph, since you prefer the couch, the table will do just as well." Xie Shu grabbed fiercely onto the table leg. Ning Rongsheng yanked on her a few times, but failed to budge her. With a wave of his long robe, he swept all the dishes and food off the table onto the floor, then lunged straight at Xie Shu, violently tearing at her garments.

Struggling unyieldingly, Xie Shu cursed, "Ning Rongsheng! If you dare lay a hand on me, I will ensure you leave no descendants to carry your name!"

"Once we become true husband and wife, and once you bear my child, what does it matter if the Xie family hates me?" Every word Ning Rongsheng uttered filled Xie Shu with profound disgust. No doubt in her past life, he had plotted with this exact same scheme.

From the very beginning, this man had only ever plotted against her and the Xie family.

"In your dreams!" Fortunately, Xie Shu had prepared in advance. Raising her sleeve, she aimed directly at Ning Rongsheng's lower body and fired a hidden dart!

"Ahhhhhhh!"

The man on top of her tumbled backward onto the floor. Bright red blood oozed from between Ning Rongsheng's legs as a short arrow struck dead center in his most vital spot! Kneeling on the ground in agonizing pain, Ning Rongsheng was drenched in cold sweat, curled up into a tight ball.

"Someone come! Someone help!" Ning Rongsheng clutched his wound, not daring to move an inch, and shrieked toward the door with a voice tearing from his throat, "Jiuer! Little Jiuer!"

Little Jiuer had been keeping watch outside, his ears pricked at all times, waiting for the Young Lord's command to immediately push open the door and let everyone witness the Crown Princess's wanton and shameless behavior on the bed!

Once this matter was settled, who would dare claim their Young Lord had forced himself upon her? It was clearly the little vixen from the Xie family who had thrown herself at him! Besides, they hadn't deliberately disturbed the Crown Princess's good time—were there not assassins about?

They simply had to ensure the Young Lord's safety!

Hearing the cries, uncontrollable triumph spread across Little Jiuer's face. He signaled a few hand gestures to the masked ruffians, then immediately raised his hand, pushed open the chamber door, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Young Lord, you must take utmost care!"

However, the moment he stepped inside, he was utterly dumbfounded by the sight before him. Why was his Young Lord kneeling on the floor?

Xie Shu supported her weakened legs, leaning against the pale white wall nearby. The glass lamp hanging overhead flickered a few times, as if cold, shadowy winds were sweeping through.

"A doctor! Quickly call a doctor!" Ning Rongsheng grabbed the collar of Little Jiuer's tunic and screamed at him twice.

Glancing down at the flowing blood and spotting the short arrow, Little Jiuer felt a rush of blood to his head and was too terrified to speak.

"Go get a doctor—no, carry me to a medical hall! Quickly, take me to a medical hall." Ning Rongsheng felt his lower body go numb with agony. The thought that he might never be able to function as a man again filled him with profound terror. "It cannot—it must not reach my father's ears."

"Yes!" After lingering in a daze for a moment, Little Jiuer suddenly remembered they were at the Mingxuan Studio. Given his master's current condition, they could only escape through the side gate. He glanced back at Xie Shu, seeing her eyelids half-drooped as if she were about to faint.

So be it, there was no time to worry about others.

Little Jiuer stripped off his outer winter coat, draped it over Ning Rongsheng, shouted toward the doorway, and together with a few guards, hoisted the man up and carried him away.

Fortunately, the assassins outside were all concentrated around the second floor, and the servants of Mingxuan Studio had long since fled in all directions to save their own lives.

Carrying the man, Little Jiuer hurried down another flight of stairs from the third floor, bypassed the kitchens, and escaped through the most remote firewood gate.

"Lv... Lvliu..." Xie Shu's gaze grew somewhat unfocused. She was terribly thirsty, but when she reached out to grope around, she grasped nothing at all. "Water..."

Another wave of intense heat washed over her. Xie Shu's legs buckled, and her body pitched directly forward.

"Careful!"

A pair of arms caught her around the waist. Zhou Xunli had originally been staking out the first floor, but just as he was about to make his move, he heard the clash of swords echoing from upstairs.

Naturally, the person under surveillance had also heard the commotion and, frightened out of his wits, turned tail to run.

At that exact moment, Lin Sheng happened to look up and remarked, "Hey, isn't that the little maidservant of the Third Miss Xie?"

At those very words, Zhou Xunli instantly drew the soft sword concealed within his belt and dashed straight up the stairs. "Lin Sheng, capture the target. I'm going to save her."

"Understood!" Acknowledging the order, Lin Sheng likewise unsheathed the blade hidden in his sleeve and bounded forward in a few strides to intercept the fleeing suspect.

The wave of scorching heat radiated from Xie Shu's waist straight into Zhou Xunli's palm. Involuntary, he reached up and touched Xie Shu's forehead—it was burning hot. Frowning deeply, he demanded, "You? Are you ill?"