Beauty Saves the Hero

The page gripped Zongzheng Heng tightly by the shoulders, forcing him to kneel on the ground, unable to move.

Only then did Lu Wenzhou stroll forward at an unhurried pace.

He planted the toe of his boot on Zongzheng Heng's shoulder and pressed down harder. Bending over, he said mockingly:

"Second Miss Qiao is indeed someone I cannot afford to offend. Since she put that mask on you, naturally I wouldn't dare take it off-"

He paused and put more weight on his foot:

"In that case, take it off yourself."

Zongzheng Heng stared at him, without a trace of fear or the slightest inclination to obey.

That look set a fire blazing in Lu Wenzhou's heart:

"What, you won't? Then don't blame me for being rough."

Zongzheng Heng still said nothing.

Lu Wenzhou was thoroughly enraged.

He kicked Zongzheng Heng in the chest-

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Zongzheng Heng's body tipped backward, but the page held him fast and dragged him forcibly upright again.

Lu Wenzhou said, "Will you take it off or not?"

Zongzheng Heng still didn't make a sound.

Another kick.

And another.

Kick after kick landed viciously on his chest, shoulders, and abdomen.

The dull thuds hammered at everyone's hearts, and even the young masters watching the spectacle nearby changed color slightly.

Zongzheng Heng swayed, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes never lowered in the slightest.

At last, someone could no longer bear to watch.

"Brother Lu, that's about enough. When Second Miss Qiao arrives, I'm afraid she'll throw quite a temper."

But Lu Wenzhou acted as though he hadn't heard and kicked him again.

By now, this male favorite's "failure to appreciate a favor" had driven him out of his senses.

All his life, few people had dared show him such disrespect.

A male favorite snatched back to the residence dared put on a show of backbone before him?

"He's only a male favorite, and he doesn't know the least thing about proper conduct! I'm merely teaching him a lesson for Qiao Second, so he knows what proper conduct is-Qiao Second ought to thank me!"

The moment the words left his mouth-

"Oh?"

A voice came from not far away, tinged with languor and amusement:

"Lu Wenzhou, how would you like me to thank you?"

The young masters who had been leaning against the corridor pillars, arms folded as they watched, all straightened up at the sound.

Lu Wenzhou's mind, clouded by the fire of his anger, cleared considerably in an instant, as though a basin of ice water had been dumped over his head.

He hastily withdrew the foot he had planted on Zongzheng Heng's shoulder.

Cold sweat broke out on his palms, and his heart began pounding uncontrollably-it was the fear of being under Qiao Shuyi's thumb since childhood.

Yet he still put on a brave front, unwilling to show fear before everyone.

Kneeling on the ground, Zongzheng Heng slowly raised his head.

The sunlight was dazzling, and Qiao Shuyi was approaching with the light behind her.

Her skirts trailed gracefully, and her steps were unhurried.

As he watched her figure, a thought unexpectedly arose in his mind-

What took her so long?

The moment the thought appeared, even he was stunned.

But what followed was a feeling he himself was unwilling to acknowledge-

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Once, when he was being bullied, he too had hoped like this for someone to appear.

Back then, what he wanted most was for his imperial father to see him being bullied and come to save him.

But later he understood that, in his imperial father's eyes, there were no sons, only power and those pieces he could use.

The only person who could ever save him was himself.

Yet now, he actually longed-

Longed for that madwoman who bullied and humiliated him, locked him in a water prison, and whipped him, to come and save him.

He lowered his eyes and forcefully suppressed the absurd thought.

Qiao Shuyi had already reached them.

Lu Wenzhou forced himself to meet her gaze and said defiantly:

"Qiao Second, he's only a male favorite. I was merely..."

He never finished.

"Slap!"

A resounding slap landed hard across his face.

Lu Wenzhou clutched his cheek, as though he couldn't believe what had happened.

Qiao Shuyi gave her wrist a gentle shake:

"Lu Wenzhou, your father is my father's dog, and you are nothing more than my dog. What gives you the right to bully someone who belongs to me?"

Her words fell.

The young masters fell silent as cicadas in winter, not daring even to breathe loudly.

Lu Wenzhou held his cheek, his lips moving, but he couldn't make a sound.

His legs had actually begun to weaken.

Qiao Shuyi turned around and slowly crouched down amid the deathly silence.

Because Zongzheng Heng was wearing a mask, she cupped his jaw in both hands.

Her almond-shaped eyes were full of pity and concern.

"Zhigui, I came too late."

Zongzheng Heng looked at her, at a loss for words.

Did she truly feel sorry for him?

He didn't know.

But he was kneeling here, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his whole body aching, while her hands were so warm, so soft, and held his face so carefully-

He actually didn't want to think about those things anymore.

"Zhigui, you belong to me. No one can bully you except me. I just saw him kick your right shoulder with his right leg. Tell me, how do you want to punish him? I'll do whatever you say."

Behind her, Lu Wenzhou's teeth began to chatter when he heard this.

"Qiao Second!" he shouted, forcing himself to stand firm, though his voice had already changed pitch. "Don't go too far! He's only a male favorite-"

Zongzheng Heng listened to Lu Wenzhou's shouting.

He knew who Lu Wenzhou was.

The Lu Family was a prominent clan in Jinzhou and Qiao Nanyu's right-hand men.

Lu Wenzhou's father was the foremost strategist under Qiao Nanyu and was deeply trusted by him.

No matter how much Qiao Nanyu doted on this daughter, he would not let her harm the Lu Family's eldest son over a male favorite.

That was why Lu Wenzhou dared act so recklessly.

That was why those people had dared stand by and do nothing.

He was only a male favorite.

In anyone's eyes, he was nothing more than a male favorite.

He looked at Qiao Shuyi, waiting for her to speak.

What would she do?

Slap him again? Or stop here?

That was probably the most she could do.

Qiao Shuyi looked at him and waited a while, but he didn't speak.

She sighed softly:

"Zhigui, since you don't know how to punish him, I'll do it."

She stood, turned around, and looked at Lu Wenzhou.

Her gaze still held a smile, but Lu Wenzhou felt a chill run down his spine.

"An Yi."

A dark figure swept in from nowhere and landed soundlessly at her side.

Qiao Shuyi raised her hand and pointed-

At the page behind Zongzheng Heng, who wished he could hide himself in a crack in the ground.

"Kill him."

An Yi's figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye he was behind the page.

The page's eyes flew wide, and he opened his mouth to shout-

A dagger swept lightly across.

Blood sprayed.

The page fell to the ground, lifeless.

The surroundings were frighteningly quiet.

The young masters' faces were deathly pale. One of them even took a step back and bumped into a corridor pillar.

Lu Wenzhou's eyes widened, and he retreated step after step.

"Q-Qiao Second..."

"What are you going to do? If you hurt me, my father won't let you off! Even if my father serves the Prince of Jin'an, if you harm a subordinate's family on a whim, the Prince of Jin'an won't be able to command anyone's loyalty!"

Qiao Shuyi walked toward him, one step at a time.

She stopped, looked up at his terrified face, and smiled sweetly.

"I never hurt people on a whim. As for who provoked me today, everyone present saw it perfectly clearly."

She turned slightly and looked at An Yi:

"Hold him down."

An Yi came forward silently, seized Lu Wenzhou by the shoulders, and pressed down lightly-Lu Wenzhou dropped to his knees.

Qiao Shuyi turned back and met the eyes of Zongzheng Heng, who had already risen to his feet.

Her lips curved, and her eyes held a hint of pride, as though seeking credit, as if to say: Watch carefully. I'm going to avenge you.

Then she withdrew her gaze and held out her hand to An Yi.

An Yi placed a dagger in her palm.

Qiao Shuyi gripped it and looked down at Lu Wenzhou, kneeling at her feet.

Her hand rose.

The blade fell.

"Aah-!"

The dagger pierced straight through Lu Wenzhou's right thigh, its tip emerging from the other side as blood gushed like a fountain.

Very quickly.

Qiao Shuyi pulled the dagger out, her face expressionless.

Then-

Her hand rose and the blade fell again.

It pierced straight through his left thigh as well.

"Ngh-!"

Lu Wenzhou's body convulsed violently, and he fell to the ground, unable to move.

Blood spread across the ground.

The young masters nearby had long since gone ashen with fright. One of them even turned his head away, not daring to look again.

Qiao Shuyi merely rose slowly to her feet and handed the dagger to An Yi:

"He's making a dreadful racket. Gag him."

An Yi took the dagger, tore off a piece of clothing, and stuffed it into Lu Wenzhou's mouth.

The screams stopped abruptly, leaving only muffled whimpers.